NFL Black Monday

NFL Black Monday is the first day after the Regular Season ends when coach and GM firings are made. Sportacular Sports will be updating the news throughout the day.

10:33 am
As of now, 4 coaches have been fired, in addition to 2 GM's being fired.
Head coaches
Andy Reid- Philadelphia Eagles
Norv Turner- San Diego Chargers
Romeo Crennel- Kansas City Chiefs
Pat Shurmur- Cleveland Browns

General Managers
Mike Tannenbaum- New York Jets
Tom Heckert- Cleveland Browns

Rumors
Rex Ryan of the New York Jets has not heard any news that he will be replaced and is rumored as safe.
Scott Pioli of the Kansas City Chiefs has not been let go as of now but is still on the hot seat.
The most surprising rumor comes from Chicago, where Lovie Smith is hearing talks of his replacement. Nothing is official yet but watch Lovie Smith's status.

11:00 am
2 additional coaches have now been fired
As rumored earlier, Adam Schefter confirms Lovie Smith has been fired. In addition the Bills have let go of Chan Gailey.

Lovie Smith-Chicago Bears
Chan Gailey-Buffalo Bills

11:52 am
Two reports have come out in the past hour regarding the Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs.
General Manager Jeff Ireland is said to be safe in Miami.
As for Scott Pioli his job is secure until the new head coach is selected. Similar to the Jacksonville situation, the Chiefs head coach will be part of the decision making in choosing if Pioli stays or goes.

12:08 pm
Another lowly reported story has been announced. GM of the Jaguars Gene Smith has been dismissed of his duties.

1:39 pm
Two recent reports have been announced relating to teams on the west coast.
After Norv Turner had been fired early this morning, the Bolts decided to relieve GM A.J. Smith of his duties.
In addition, the Arizona Cardinals have fired head coach Ken Whisenhut and general manager Rod Graves.

Here is a recap of today's firings

Head Coaches
Andy Reid- Philadelphia Eagles
Norv Turner- San Diego Chargers
Romeo Crennel- Kansas City Chiefs
Pat Shurmur- Cleveland Browns
Lovie Smith-Chicago Bears
Chan Gailey-Buffalo Bills
Ken Whisenhut-Arizona Cardinals

General Managers

Tom Heckert-Cleveland Browns
Mike Tannenbaum- New York Jets
Gene Smith-Jacksonville Jaguars
A.J. Smith-San Diego Chargers
Rod Graves-Arizona Cardinals

NFL Week 17 Headlines

Week 17 Recap

Redskins clinch their first division title in 13 years, face Russel Wilson and the Seahwaks at FedEx Field next Sunday.
-RGIII only completed 50% of his passes Sunday night but his rookie counterpart, Alfred Morris, carried the team. Alfred Morris had 33 carries for. 200 yards and 3 touchdowns. That's a spectacular performance combined with another choke by Tony Romo. Given a chance to prove all the analysts wrong, Romo got the ball down a field goal with 4 minutes remaining on his own 15 yards line. After a 15 yard completion to tight end Jason Witten moved the Cowboys to the 30 yard line, linebacker Rob Jackson bluffed an outside blitz and flew out to the flat. Romo didn't see Jackson and threw up the worst interception of his career. Morris closed the game with his third TD of the game and face the streaking 'Hawks on Sunday.

Adrian Peterson falls 9 yards short of Eric Dickerson's record but Vikings clinch final Wild Card berth.
-With 24 seconds remaining the Packers and Vikings were tied at 34 apiece sitting at the Green Bay 37 yard line. AP was 35 yards away from the record and would need to bust a Touchdown run to hold the record. The only team in America that would have considered running the ball with one timeout, handed the ball off to Peterson who bust through the left side of the line giving everyone a glimmer of hope. Sprinting, stopping, and the juking right, everyone in America was screaming Go! Go! Peterson was finally dragged down at the 11 yard line, 9 yards short of the record. More importantly, AP had put the Vikings in position for a 29 yard Blair Walsh chip shot. I believe Peterson should be the MVP after leading a 3-13 team last season to the playoffs off of a reconstructive knee surgery. Peterson and the Vikes travel to face the same Packers next weekend in a 3-6 playoff matchup.

Houston blows home-field advantage and a bye as Denver and New Emgland sneak into the 1 and 2 spots.
-Sitting at 11-1, Houston dropped 3 out of their last 4 to fall into the 3 seed in the AFC. Instead of a first round bye and extra week of rest, Houston faces a pesky Cincinnati team this weekend. As Denver and New England snuck into the top spots, the AFC is lining up for a Manning vs. Brady matchup in the mountains on January 20th.

49ers slide into the 2 seed, setting up a rookie QB matchup between Robert Griffin 3rd and Russel Wilson.
-The Niners room care of business and defeated the Cardinals. With help from Minnesota, the Niners were able to jump into a first round bye. This set up an intriguing matchup between the two hottest NFC teams. The hype behind Griffin and the underdog story with Wilson should lead to an excellent game next weekend.

Colts dominate the Texans in Chuck Pagano's first game back from leukemia; face Pagano's old team in Baltimore Sunday.
- Written above this game was the game in which Houston choked away their bye but more importantly Chuck Pagano coached his first game since beating his battle with leukemia. The unbelievable underdog story travels to Baltimore to play the hurting Ravens. Everyone in America will be rooting for Luck, Pagano, Arians, and the Colts come Sunday in truly the best sports story this year.

Wild Card Matchups- All times ET
Bengals vs. Texans 4:30 on NBC
Vikings vs. Packers 8pm on NBC
Colts vs. Ravens 1pm on CBS
Seahawks vs. Redskins 4:30 on FOX

Dallas Cowboys vs. Washington Redskins

Headline:
The Dallas Cowboys travel to the nation's capital to face rookie sensation RGIII and company in an NFC East winner take all matchup.

Dallas Cowboys:
The most known statistic for this matchup is Tony Romo's lack of success in big time games. The muffed extra point in the playoffs and the two blowout losses in the same winner take all games makes the assessment very fair. As a cause of his troubles, many people are calling this game the "moment of truth" of Tony Romo's career. No one is really giving Dallas a chance but Dez Bryant and Miles Austin should be able to exploit the weaker Washington secondary. DeMarcus Ware will be suiting up sporting a shoulder brace and will be a major part of containing Robert Griffin. The key for Dallas is not stopping RGIII but rather containing him to give themselves a chance.

Washington Redskins:
The Washington Redskins have a chance to return to the postseason for the first time in 7 years. Very much so thanks to rookie Quaterback RGIII. One thing I noticed was that his hype has also picked up the others on the team and improved the play of his teammates. The positive attitude Griffin brings to Washington is a major key for their success. If the Redskins can play reasonably on defense they should have an excellent chance of winning this football game.

Prediction:
I really want to pick the upset in this game but until Romo proves himself I have to go with the home team. I'm rooting for Romo but RGIII will play the best game of his career and an Alfred Morris touchdown will seal the deal and send the 'Skins to the playoffs.

Final Score:
Washington-31 Dallas-21
Line:
Washington -3.0
Over/Under:
49.5

Alamo Bowl Preview- #23 Texas Longhorns vs. #13 Oregon State Beavers

Headline: The 23rd ranked Longhorns stay in state to face the 13th ranked Beavers in the Alamo Bowl.

6:35 ET on ESPN


Oregon State Beavers:
The Oregon State Beavers are very pleased to be sitting at 9-3 and in a bowl game for the first time since 2009. Tied for the biggest win improvement from last season, the Beavers won 6 more games than they did last season. After a 4-0 start, the Beavers starting QB, Sean Mannion, required knee surgery which helped Junior Cody Vaz assume the same position. Despite Mannion's return, Coach Riley named Vaz the starter before their departure for San Antonio. The Longhorns will have to contain Oregon State's all-time receptions leader Markus Wheaton who broke former role model's record, James Rodgers, with 12 receptions in a 77-3 blowout against Nicholls State.

Texas Longhorns:
Most teams in the FBS would be satisfied with an 8-4 record and an invitation to the Alamo Bowl yet Texas is disappointed and Mack Brown is on the warm seat. Coach Brown's seat is only warm because of the Bowl Berth but if the Longhorns do not return to a BCS Bowl next season things will get interesting in Austin. A storied program like Texas expects to be on the big stage and if Brown and company cannot get the job done, wholesale changes will be made. Now for the Quarterback conversation. After Case McCoy (and Jordan Hicks) went partying after curfew the other night, Ash has found some job security at QB. Although Ash was named the starter, he was going to be on a short string similar to the Thanksgiving game against TCU. Ash will start but Texas' success will rely on their running game. Led by Malcolm Brown, Jonathan Gray, and Joe Bergeron the Longhorn rushing attack is one of the deadliest in the Nation and will have to carry the 'Horns to victory.

Prediction:
In a mild upset, the Longhorns will protect the football and run over the Beavers. Cody Vaz will play well but a late interception will allow the Longhorns to run out the clock to victory.

Final Score:
Texas-27 Oregon State-21

Line:
Oregon Stats -3.5

Over/Under:
58.0

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Miami Heat

Sportacular Sports

Oklahoma City Thunder (21-5) vs. Miami Heat (18-6)

The Oklahoma City Thunder travel to Miami to face the Heat in a rematch of last years NBA Finals. After winning an MVP and NBA title last season LeBron has returned this season on the same mission. Win an NBA title. Oklahoma City has showed no sign of slowing down even after the James Harden trade. Kevin Durant has been a superstar and Russel Westbrook's shot selection has been good enough. Owning the top record in the league, Oklahoma City faces a tough test on Christmas Day.

Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder come into this matchup winning 4 out of their last 5. Their recent
10+ game winning streak just ended but their are no signs of slowing down. Russel Westbrook is having his best career season averaging 9 assists and 2 steals a game. The Thunder look to end their 9 game road losing streak on Christmas Day.

Miami Heat
LeBron James said this week, "It's not my job to lead the league in scoring." He included he believes he could indeed but prefers being a team player. In mentioning that, James has scored 20+ points in all 24 games this season. In addition, LeBron hasn't committed a foul in 6 games. Whether or not that is favoritism from some referees, James has been on a tear this season. As I said earlier, LeBron is looking to be back in the NBA Finals again this season.

Prediction;
The two top players in the league will be going at it back and forth. The one element that separates the two is LeBron's defensive presence. That factor combined with home court advantage will lead to a Heat victory.

Final Score:
Heat-106 Thunder-100

New York Knicks vs. Los Angeles Lakers- Christmas Day Special

New York Knicks (20-7) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (13-14)

The New York Knicks travel to the Staples Center on Christmas Day on ESPN at 3 pm as part of a Christmas Day buffet of NBA games. The Knicks are having a superb season so far as Carmelo Anthony is 2nd in the league in scoring to counterpart Kobe Bryant. The Lakers have underperformed thus far but the return of Steve Nash should get them back on track.

New York Knicks
The Knicks are one of the deepest teams in the NBA with talent still to return. They have options like J.R. Smith, Marcus Camby, and Steve Novak coming off the bench including an injured Rasheed Wallace. To add onto that, New York has top defensive Point Guard Iman Shumpert and all-star Amar'e Stoudamire set to return within the next month or so. The Knicks definitely appear that they can compete and today will be an excellent test to survey where they are. Look for Carmelo to have a great game.

Los Angeles Lakers
L.A. Got off to a slow start but have shown improvement of late. The return of Steve Nash two nights ago resulted in a win over a surprisingly good Golden State team. Dwight Howard has been quietly amazing this season averaging 18 ppg, 12 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks. Kobe Bryant currently leads the league in scoring with 29.7 ppg and is still playing at a high level even at age 34. The Lakers need a significant win to please the fans and I anticipate they will.

Prediction:
The Knicks will play the Lakers tough and the back and forth between Melo and Kobe will be great but I predict Kobe hits the last shot and pushes L.A. to a win.

Final Score:
Lakers-102 Knicks-99

Sportacular Sports

Boston Celtics vs. Brooklyn Nets-Sportacular Sports

Boston Celtics (13-13) vs. Brooklyn Nets (14-12)

On Christmas Day, the Boston Celtics travel to the Big Apple to face the new look Nets. Offseason addition Joe Johnson has meshed nicely with superstar Deron Williams. The older Celtics are still getting quality play from the Truth, Paul Pierce and the top pure Point Guard in the league, Rajon Rondo.

Brooklyn Nets
Moving to Brooklyn this season, the Nets got off to a hot start feeding off of the excitement. Their early season success included a win over their cross town rival, the New York Knicks. After that win, things began to decline including losses in 3 out of the past 4 games.

Boston Celtics
Rajon Rondo and Paul Pierce have been excellent of recent but the supporting cast has been lacking. Losing 4 of their past 5, the Celtics are also looking to rebound on Christmas Day. The Celtics are currently 8th in the East but the question is not are they going to make the playoffs yet it is are they able to contend? To that, I say no. Rondo is a superb player but KG's and Paul Pierce's time is up and unless they make a major deal at the trade deadline, the Heat will remain as Eastern Conference Champions.

Prediction
Boston usually gets up for big time games like this but the Nets are a team that plays purely off of hype and excitement. On Christmas Day, the Barclays center will be rocking and that is why I predict a Nets win.

Final Score:
Brooklyn-92 Boston-88

NFL Sunday Recap-Sportacular Sports

NFL Sunday Recap

Ravens clinch 2nd straight divisional title
-Baltimore rolled to a 33-14 victory securing a home playoff game. The Giants need a win against the Eagles and losses from Minnesota and Chicago to return to the postseason.

Cincinnati wins on a last second FG clinching a playoff birth
-The Bengals traveled to Pittsburgh where a late Interception and an ensuing FG pushed Cincy into the 6 spot and knocking Pittsburgh out of the playoffs.

Dallas falls to the Saints in OT while the Redskins tame the Eagles
-RgIII and company held the Eagles at the goal line as time expired to take lead of the division. The Cowboys recovered from a 14 point deficit in the 4th only to falter in overtime. Thanks to a Giants loss, the matchup next weekend still remains the NFC East Championship Game.

Calvin breaks the record on Saturday, AP still has a ways to go.
-Calvin Johnson shredded the Falcons for 225 yards on Saturday Night and remains only 108 yards away from the 2,000 mark. Adrian Peterson rushed for a mere 86 yards and would need 208 yards to break Eric Dickerson's record next week against the Packers.

Sportacular Sports- Who will win the NFC East?

Who will win the NFC East?

The Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins control their destiny to becoming division champions while the New York Giants remain as the dark horse in the race. The Cowboys and Redskins both win the division by win ing today and then next weekend against each other. The Giants win with two wins and a loss by both the Skins and Boys.

Washington has the easiest road to the division playing the eagles and home against Dallas next week. How will RGIII play on an injured knee is a concern but I think the Redskins will be the surprise of the year clinch next week at home.

Tony Romo better win the division or it will be an extremely long offseason. The critics are out but Romo has put them to sleep on their recent winning streak. Will it continue against the Saints today, I think so but come next weekend I think the Redskins will be victorious.

The New York Giants definitely have a chance to win the division but I don't believe they will not do I believe they will make the playoffs. This seems like an off season for everyone including Eli Manning and their will be a new Super Bowl Champion this season.

Conclusion
The Redskins win the division and neither the Cowboys nor the Giants will make the playoffs.

New York Giants vs Baltimore Ravens

New York Giants vs Baltimore Ravens

Who needs this win more?

New York Giants argument

The defending Super Bowl champions still control their own destiny throughout the playoff race. Winning today against the Ravens and next weekend against the Eagles the Giants will return to the postseason, most likely as an underdog 6 seed. With a loss, the Giants would still have a slim chance with some help. This inconsistent Giants team was a game better last season at 7-7 through 14 games. I believe the Giants are a team built for the playoffs and if they get in can catch fire again like last season. The reason the Giants need this victory is to put them a game away from returning to the playoffs where the Ravens have already clinched a 5th straight berth.

Baltimore Ravens argument

The Baltimore Ravens have already clinched a playoff birth for the 5th straight season. People would ask, why wouldn't the Giants need this win more. My answer would be for two reasons. A home playoff game and a critical rest for their injured players. With a win today, Baltimore clinches the AFC North for the 2nd consecutive season and would own the 4th seed in the AFC. The Ravens have struggled mightily on the road this season and would need a home playoff game to get back on track. If the Ravens want to advance in the playoffs, it is essential they win their division. In addition, the Ravens could utilize Week 17 at Cincinnati as a week of rest for older players like Ed Reed or injured players like Haloti Ngata or Bernard Pollard. The Ravens have been bruised with injuries this season and a week of rest could return all key players besides Corner Lardarius Webb and Middle Lline backer Jameel McLain.

Conclusion

I believe the Giants need this win more today because with a loss they would lose control of their destiny. The Ravens would still have an opportunity to clinch next weekend even though it would be a tough game. Even though the Giants need this game, I don't believe this is their year and the Ravens will stop the bleeding and end their 3 game losing streak.

Prediction
Ravens-27 Giants-21

Ravens fall to Steelers 23-20

Pittsburgh Steelers (7-5) 23 vs. Baltimore Ravens (9-3) 20

Charlie Batch and the Pittsburgh Steelers are right back in the playoff race and possibly the AFC North discussion after stunning the Baltimore Ravens Sunday afternoon. Ben Roethlisberger has been out the past few weeks with a life-threatening rib injury and replacements Byron Leftwich and Charlie Batch had yet to win a game. The Steelers had their back to the wall and faced a must-win if they had any aspirations of winning the division. The Baltimore Ravens had won 15 in a row at M & T Bank Stadium and 12 consecutive against AFC North opponents. Everything pointed to the Ravens winning this game and ultimately clinching the division. It was a poor performance from the Ravens offense that costs Baltimore a 5th straight playoff birth, for now. 

The Baltimore Ravens have pulled out many victories in tight games this season but many of those they deserved to win. Tonight though, Baltimore and more specifically Joe Flacco, gave the game away. Flacco for the second time in the past few years got stripped on a sack, this time by James Harrison and lost all momentum in the game. This occurred after Ed Reed's 61st career interception. The Ravens could've gone on a FG drive and put the game at a point insurmountable for Charlie Batch. Instead, Flacco fumbled away the game and an impressive Batch drive won the game minutes later. Shaun Suisham's 42 yard field goal capped a 6+ minute game winning drive. 

Going forward, Baltimore is still in the driver's seat as they need only to win 1 out of the next 3 against Washington, New York (N), and the Broncos as well as beating Cincinnati on the last day of the regular season. The Steelers now own the last wild card spot with the tiebreaker over the Bengals. Indianapolis controls the top spot at 8-4 but still has to play two games against the 11-1 Houston Texans. Much time remains and both of these teams look like they should return to the post season. The most important part of the result is the impact it has on the Raven's playoff home field advantage. They now have an extremely tough schedule down the stretch and could end up in a 3rd or 4th seed. The Ravens have struggled mightily on the road and now could risk the chance to only play 1 or maybe no games on the road. This Ravens team doesn't look fit to make a deep playoff run but with the return of Big Ben the Steelers defense can carry them far.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. Southern California Trojans

Notre Dame Fighting Irish #1 (11-0) vs. USC Trojans (7-4)

The Grand daddy of them all (Brent Musberger voice) takes place tonight. Not actually, but no doubt this will be the most important game that takes place this evening. Earlier today, Ohio State locked up an undefeated season that would have placed them in the National Championship with this Irish team. Instead, with a win, the Irish will most likely face the winner of the SEC championship between Alabama (49-0 lead over Auburn) and Georgia (42-10 win today over Georgia Tech). The irony behind this game is that the pre-season national champion pick and Heisman favorite are now on the other side of the ball. I don't want to necessarily say that LB Manti Te'o is the favorite but he has an excellent chance now that Kenjon Barner and Collin Klein's teams have lost. Pre-season #1 USC led by Senior QB Matt Barkley has greatly underachieved this season. USC will try to play spoiler tonight with Matt Barkley sitting out of tonight's game with an injury.

USC will suit up behind redshirt freshman QB Max Wittek. The freshman earlier in the week said, "I will play within myself, I will play within the system, and we will win this game." Of course, the national media blew the entire thing up saying a freshman guaranteed a W over the number one team in the land. But, what else should the kid have said, We are going to lose? No, I understand he could have said none of that but he isn't pulling a Joe Namath. USC trusts this kid and are confident in pulling the upset. The Trojans are still excellent with a stud duo of wide receivers, Marquise Lee and Robert Woods. USC at home will be no pushover.

Now for the Fighting Irish. The Irish who were projected to have a good season have played all out defense and carried themselves to their "semi final game". A win in Cali tonight clinches a spot in the National Championship game and these kids know it. As much as I want the upset, this Irish team is too resilient and will be extremely focused tonight. Every team has to win one of the tight games that could cost them a chance and I think Notre Dame got past that against Pittsburgh. Manti Te'o is an excellent leader and no one scores many points against Notre Dame. Unfortunately, I don't think Notre Dame will be able to play with an Alabama or Georgia. 

Prediction: I don't want to pick against my hopes here, but I have to because I see Notre Dame winning this game. Notre Dame has faced Senior Quarterbacks on the road and they haven't fared well, I don't see Max Wittek pulling the upset. The way that USC can win this ball game is with excellent defense and they just don't have it. 

Final Score: Notre Dame-27  USC-17

Rivalry Weekend- Oregon vs. Oregon St.

Oregon Ducks #5 (10-1)  vs. Oregon State Beavers #15 (8-2) 

The 10-1 Ducks travel across town to face archrival Oregon State. After Oregon appeared to have a shot at the National Championship, they are now in a tough situation and are not in control of the Pac-12. Because of the loss to Stanford, Oregon is now 2nd to that same Cardinal team. Standford faces a tough test today at UCLA in which a Stanford win would create a rematch for the Pac-12 championship next Friday.

Oregon, led by freshman QB Marcus Mariota, needs a win at Corvalis today to have a chance at the Rose Bowl or another BCS bowl. Heisman candidate, Kenjon Barner, does not look like he has as much of a chance now that the Ducks are no longer BCS champion favorites. The Ducks can still fly and even through the rain, I expect a rebound from the poor offensive effort last weekend.

QB-Sean Mannion

On the opposing sideline will be the Beavers of Oregon State. This OSU team has been under the radar much of the season and possess a team very capable of beating this Oregon squad. Ranked 15th in the nation, an Oregon State win could place them in the highest Pac-12 bowl outside of the BCS. The beavers would love to knock their rivals out of the BCS bowls as well as capping an over achieving season. 

Prediction: Due to my belief that rivalry games always make the game a TD closer than it should be, I think Oregon wins in the end. Much closer than people think adding in the weather elements. The ducks struggled at home in tough weather but they will squeak this one out this afternoon.

Final Score: 31-24

Thanksgiving Day Football- Texans vs. Lions

Houston Texans (9-1) vs. Detroit Lions (4-6)

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

The best part of Thanksgiving, besides the food, is sitting around the TV with your friends and family watching some NFL football. While this looks like a mismatch on paper, it truly isn't. While the Lions are, what I'd say, the biggest disappointment this season, they are still very capable of pulling the upset. The odds makers seem to agree, as they have only favored Houston by a mere 3 points. 

The Houston Texans have yet to lose on the road this season and have looked like the AFC favorite all year. Last week against the Jaguars though, they almost slipped up. The most dominating AFC defense, besides the Steelers, allowed 37 points last week to Chad Henne. Yes, Chad Henne. This week they'll be facing a much better offense with the likes of Calvin Johnson and major disappointment, Matthew Stafford. Houston, because of their schedule, looks like they are going to coast to the 1 seed in the AFC. The Patriots still have a chance because of the weakness of their division, but I predict the AFC top 3 finishes as follows.

Houston Texans (Have tiebreaker over Baltimore)
Baltimore Ravens (Have tiebreaker over New England)
New England Patriots

Even if the Texans do finish Number 1 in the AFC, I don't think they will make the trip to New Orleans for the Super Bowl. They lack the playoff experience and I don't think they would be able to beat Peyton Manning or Tom Brady in January. If Houston does clinch the Number 1 it furthers their chances but I still remain in doubt.

On to the Detroit Lions. I don't want to keep repeating myself about how disappointed I am in the LIons but I'm disappointed. The Lions made the playoffs last year for the first time in a decade. Matthew Stafford threw for an unbelievable 5,000 yards and Calvin Johnson was the best WR, by far, in the league. What has happened this year? Besides Megatron appearing on the cover of Madden, The Lions defense has been poor and as a matter of a fact, the Lions offense does not look that good. Defenses have adjusted to Johnson and game planned saying, we won't let him beat us. Unfortunately for Lions fans. No other players on the team have stepped up. 

Detroit's playoff hopes are not out of the picture but they need to get hot and today is a great day to start. A loss today pushes them to 4-7 and I'd say that could be the end but if they pull off the upset, which I think they will (yeah I said it), they are right back in it. Detroit has to get back on track and between Stafford and Calvin there is too much talent not to be dominant. I think after Detroit figures out how Chad Henne and Cecil Shorts/Justin Blackmon scored 37 on Houston, they will be able to have a dominating offensive performance.

Prediction: Lions-31 Texans-27

NFL Week 12 Fantasy Football Moves

Here are my Week 12 Fantasy Football Pickups for waivers.

I'll be giving my insight on who to pickup at each position including TE for all you Gronkers.

QB

Chad Henne- Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jags have already announced that Henne will be starting against the Titans whether or not Blaine Gabbert is healthy enough to go. The Titans are the 27th worth pass defense when it comes to Fantasy Football. Henne just threw for 4 TD's against an excellent Houston defense. Playing against a weaker Titans defense should be interesting.

Colin Kapeernick/ Alex Smith- San Francisco 49ers

Colin Kaepernick is owned in only 1.6% of leagues and after his performance last night, expect that number to sky rocket. These niners are facing the Saints this weekend and as you may know, the Saints are the worst pass defense in the league. Whether it's Smith or Kaepernick, start the 49er's QB.

RB

Marcel Reece- Oakland Raiders
If McFadden and Goodson can't go this weekend, Reece is a definite start. Marcel Reece is a thick running back and is viewed as a pure runner but he showed us otherwise against the Saints. Trailing for the entire game, the Raiders abandoned the running game and Reece picked up almost 200 total yards. Reece is an excellent play this week against the 22nd ranked Bengals defense.

Others: If you are looking to replace McGahee (like me), Ronnie Hillman doesn't appear ready to take the task of a starter. While carries will be split closely, Lance Ball will be used more and more effectively.

WR

Cecil Shorts- Jacksonville Jaguars
With the loss of MJD and the addition of Chad Henne, the Jags QB has been looking at rookie WR Justin Blackmon. But with attention on the rook, look to the breakout player of recent times and start Cecil Shorts. The Jags face the Titans who are 19th against WR's in fantasy so Shorts will not come up short for you.

T.Y. Hilton- Indianapolis Colts

Rookie T.Y caught two TD's last week against the Pats and with defenses shading to the newly revived Reggie Wayne, Hilton is seeing more open looks. Andrew Luck has been awesome and combine that with Buffalo's 23rd ranked fantasy pass defense, you find a Week 12 gem.

TE

Brandon Myers- Oakland Raiders
For some reason I am extra high on the Jags and Raiders this week. Is that a coincidence, no. They both have excellent matchups and many of the bad team's good players end up in free agency. In the past 3 weeks, Myers has become the favorite TE target for Carson Palmer. Myers has 3 touchdowns in the past three weeks and is owned in only 15% of ESPN leagues. Pick up Myers to get rid of your Gronk sorrows.

Toronto Blue Jays and Miami Marlins Blockbuter trade

Tonight marks the real start of the 2012-2013 MLB off-season. In a deal that will be finalized tomorrow (Wednesday), the Marlins will be shipping the bulk of their fish up to the birds up north (see what I did there). 


Toronto receives:
Jose Reyes-SS
Josh Johnson-SP
Mark Buehrle-SP
John Buck-C
Emilio Bonifacio-UTL

Miami receives:
Yunel Escobar-SS
(Infamous for this eye-black incident)
Adeiny Hechavarria-SS
And up to 4 prospects including #32 ranked prospect-
Jake Marisnick-OF

Reaction- There was a major buzz coming into last spring. The Marlins had acquired Jose Reyes to pair with veteran Hanley Ramirez. While things seemed uneasy over the position change, the Marlins were projected to have a big season. They had moved to Miami, changed their logo, and built a masterpiece of a stadium. For some reason, right before the trade deadline Miami unloaded Hanley Ramirez to the Dodgers. The Marlins were not doing well but getting rid of guys like Omar Infante, Anibal Sanchez, and Ramirez was not the brightest idea. It had only been half a season and unless the Marlins have a crazy master plan, they are going in the wrong direction

On the other hand, this is the kind of deal the Blue Jays needed. The AL East consists of the loaded New York Yankees, the unbelievable pitching staff of the Tampa Bay Rays, the newfound Baltimore Orioles, and the usually good but not recently Boston Red Sox. Now welcome a 5th competitor. I am not sure why teams do not try to make deals like this more often in Toronto's case. I understand they are taking on enormous contracts but they are giving their team a chance to win. Jose Bautista has been their 40 home run guy only hindered by injury last season. This year, Edwin Encarnacion broke onto the scene and smashed 42 himself. Adding 2 starting pitchers and an excellent shortstop in Reyes, the AL East just got that much more competitive. I think Tampa Bay is the team that takes a step back this season and the AL East finishes accordingly.

New York-Division Winner
Baltimore-Wild Card
Toronto-Misses playoffs
Tampa Bay-Misses playoffs
Red Sox-Misses playoffs

Sunday Night Football Recap- Texans vs. Bears

Final Score: Texans-13 Bears-6

Wow, that was ugly. One of the sloppiest NFL games I have ever seen played in prime time. In the windy city, Chicago and Houston could not fight the torrential downpour which led to a 13-6 Texan's victory. 

This did not look like a game between two 7-1 football clubs who are fighting for the #1 seed in their respective conferences. Starting QB Jay Cutler was knocked out of the game with a concussion on a play that could have led to a Bears touchdown. Called back by a penalty, Cutler finished the first half and then was reexamined in the locker room. Apparently his head injury was effecting him but that was not the reason for his poor play. 

The Bears first two offensive possessions were fumbles by tight end Kellen Davis and Michael Bush respectively. After two strong holds by the Bears superb defense, Cutler threw two interceptions in the first half. One eventually leading to an Arian Foster receiving touchdown. 

Even though Cutler threw for a mere 40 yards in the first half, the Bears were somewhat moving the ball. They had worked it near the red zone multiple times but the 4 turnovers killed them in the first half.  

The lone offensive bright spot for Chicago was Brandon Marshall. He didn't care who was under center but whoever it was he was going to make catches. Recording 8 catches for 107 yards, the Bears only threw for 134 total yards. Jason Campbell outplayed Cutler but still only put up the same 3 points. Chicago's defense was pretty good even though Arian Foster thrashed them in the first half for 87 yards rushing. 

Houston is playing winning football. A road win over a 7-1 team in sloppy conditions. That is how you win in the playoffs. Matt Schaub played as bad as the Cutler/Campbell tandem but the Texans got it done. In the playoffs, it is not about how pretty it looks. If you get it done you are moving on if not you will be watching the gritty teams like Houston. If I'm anyone in the AFC I do not want to play at Reliant Stadium in January. 

New York Giants vs. Cincinnati Bengals

New York Giants (6-3) vs. Cincinnati Bengals (3-5)

Besides being blown out in Week 1 by the Ravens, the Bengals looked pretty good through the first 4 weeks. Sitting at 3-1 tied with those same Ravens atop the AFC North. Since then it's been all down hill. 4 straight losses all by one score and now they are in a very tough position. A.J. Green has been spectacular but Andy Dalton is struggling, see Cam Newton, in their Sophomore slump. The Giants are defending Super Bowl Champions and usually go through some type of mid season slump. Hopefully for them, their home loss to the Steelers isn't the beginning of that.

It took 2 Super Bowl titles and multiple game winning drives for Eli Manning to get the same recognition his brother gets. While, he went 3 and out last week with the chance to win the game he is still the quarterback I want with the ball late in games. Victor Cruz is the best WR in the league and I think this Giants team won't go through their usual mid-season slump.

A.J. Green has caught a touchdown in every game but one this season. Benjarvus Green-Ellis has fumbled the ball multiple times after not fumbling ever in his career. And Andy Dalton is struggling. With a loss today and probable wins by the Ravens and Steelers the Bengals would ultimately be out of the divisional race. To their dismay, a dominating performance by Eli today will push the Bengals further to the basement of the AFC.

Final Score: Giants-42 Bengals-27

Oakland Raiders vs. Baltimore Ravens

Oakland Raiders (3-5) vs. Baltimore Ravens (6-2)

I am a Ravens fan, I will admit, but if we win this game today, which we should, the Ravens could be the worst 7-2 team in the history of the NFL. Obviously, I am overreacting but the Ravens are no longer a defense you fear playing. Teams have been gashing the Ravens on the ground this season which would mean advantage Oakland. Unfortunately for Oakland, they will be without Run DMC and Mike Goodson. Carson Palmer is a turnover machine and that is still one thing the Ravens are capable of doing. 

Ray Rice is going to slice through the Raiders defense without Richard Seymour. In addition, Joe Flacco will get back on track with 2 TD's himself. We will see a Dennis PItta TD and another sack from Terrell Suggs. The Ravens haven't lost at home dating back to the 2010 season and I don't see today being the first time in 15 games. 

Final Score: Ravens-31 Raiders-13

Northwestern Wildcats vs. Michigan Wolverines

Final Score: Michigan-38 Northwestern-31

This will definitely be the most thrilling game of the day unless Alabama comes back from their 20-0 deficit against Texas A&M on a Hail Mary pass. If you didn't watch the game or haven't seen the replay, I highly suggest you take a look. 

Recap:

With 3 minutes remaining in the game the score was 31-28 Northwestern. They had the ball at the Michigan 41 on a 4th down and 1. Michigan had zero timeouts remaining and Northwestern was trying to put a nail in the coffin. A Colter, QB, run appeared short but after the chain measurement, Northwestern had gotten a first down by one half of an inch. Unable to stop the clock this game appeared over. 

After 3 running plays, Northwestern had to put with 25 seconds remaining. A poor punt was returned by Jeremy Gallon to the Michigan 37 still with only 18 seconds left. On first down replacement QB, Devin Gardner, could not find an open receiver so he looked to utilize his legs. After noticing the QB spy, Gardner back tracked and flung the ball 55 yards down the field. There he found Roy Roundtree who made a spectacular catch after the ball had been tipped up by the Northwestern defender. The clock stopped because of the first down and Michigan clocked the ball with 7 seconds remaining. Brady Hoke elected to kick the game tying 25 yard field goal and was correct. This sent the game to overtime. In overtime, Gardner had a 1 yard run counting as his 4th total TD of the game. On the ensuing possession, Michigan made an excellent play on 4th and 2 to seal the game. 

Implications:

Northwestern and Michigan both are now sitting at 7-3. The major difference though is that the Wolverines are 5-1 in the Big 10 while the Cats are only 3-3. This game kept alive Michigan's Rose Bowl hopes. Now up on Nebraska by half a game, a Cornhusker loss would push Michigan to the top of their division. Penn State and Nebraska are currently tied at 20 apiece. Northwestern is bowl eligible and should be in a pretty solid bowl. These last few games should be interesting. I think that Nebraska will lose a game but the game at the Horseshoe will be the deciding factor whether Michigan or Nebraska plays Wisconsin in the Big 10 championship.

College Football Upset Alert

Here is my Upset Pick for Week 11 of the College Football season.

Penn State Nittany Lions (6-3) vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers (7-2)

Penn State, although ineligible, is #2 right now in the Big 10's Leaders Division. Penn State opened the season with two embarrassing losses but got back on track by reeling off 6 straight wins. After falling apart in the second half against Ohio State, the Lions sit at a solid 6-3. Nebraska is atop the Legends division and cannot afford to lose. The hungry Wolverines sit one game back because of the tiebreaker and a Nebraska loss paired with a Michigan win, catapults the Blue to the top. 

Penn State led by Senior QB Matt McGloin has been playing this entire season off passion. They don't have anything to play for except revitalizing the Penn State program. It took them two weeks to wake up and last week they were undermatched against an unbelievable Buckeye team, but they realize they can now play spoiler. If Penn State sticks to the game plan of running the ball and containing Taylor Martinez they have an excellent shot today.

Nebraska has a must-win today. They are at home against an unranked Nittany Lion squad. While Michigan does still have Ohio State on their schedule, a loss would let Michigan control their own destiny. Because of Ohio State and Penn State's ineligibility, a Big 10 championship win would put the Cornhuskers in the Rose Bow. When Nebraska loses, it is because Martinez doesn't hold onto the ball. I see him turning it over too much today in a shocking upset.

Prediction: Penn State-21 Nebraska-17

Sportacular Sport's NCAA Men's Basketball Predictions

College Basketball is back and who isn't excited. Even though we have tons of exciting games remaining in the NFL season, everyone gets ready for the College Basketball Season.

College Basketball Preseason Rankings

To no surprise, Indiana is the ranked #1 in the preseason. They return a ton of their main players from last season led by preseason All-American Cody Zeller. The defending-champion, Kentucky Wildcats, aren't ranked number 1 because of all the players they lost this off-season. After a trip to the Final Four and returning many players, Louisville ranks at #2. Rivals, Ohio State and Michigan, round out the top 5 containing 3 Big 10 clubs.

Indiana Hoosiers-#1, Big 10

Projected Starting Lineup:

Cody Zeller-C

Christian Watford-PF

Will Sheehey-SF

Victor Oladipo-SG

Jordan Hulls-PG

Led by Sophomore, Cody Zeller, the Hoosiers return their starting lineup from last season. All but Zeller are either a Junior or Senior. They have the leadership and the star-player. For some reason though, I don't see Inidiana winning a National Championship. Something says, Indiana's lack of athleticism will catch up to them against my projected National Championship, Louisville.

Louisville Cardinals-#2-SEC

Projected Starting Lineup:

Peyton Siva-PG

Wayne Blackshear-SG

Luke Hancock-SF

Chane Behanan-PF

Gorgui Dieng-C

After a Final Four exit last season, Louisville returns many key players from their run last season. Peyton Siva should be the most dynamic PG in all of College Basketball this season. Gorgui Dieng is an unbelievable shot-blocker and will protect the rim well for the Cardinals this season. Co-captain, Luke Hancock, can do it all while Chane Behanan was excellent off the bench in the Tournament last season. The Cardinals have all the assets to win a Championship and could clinch a 1-seed with a weaker Kentucky team this season. My early prediction is the Cardinals winning the Championship this season.

Kentucky Wildcats-#3-SEC

Projected Starting Lineup:

Ryan Harrow-PG

Archie Goodwin-SG

Alex Poythress-SF

Kyle Wiltjer-PF

Nerlens Noel-C

Kentucky looks to defend their National Championship. But look above and see how many starters they return. 0. They also lost senior, Darius Miller. Their 7th best player is finally in the starting lineup with the addition of freshman stud Nerlens Noel. While his hair is awesome, this freshman class will not be able to live up to the hype from last year's team. Expect a deep run in the tournament, only for the lack of Senior leadership to catch them this year.

Ohio State Buckeyes-#4-Big 10

Projected Starting Lineup:

Aaron Craft-PG

Shannon Scott-SG

Lenzelle Smith Jr.-SF

Deshaun Thomas-PF

Amir Williams-C

The Ohio State Buckeyes have a ton of promise this upcoming season. Even with the loss of big-man Jared Sullinger, O-H-I-O returns stud, Aaron Craft, and Deshaun Thomas. Aaro Craft can do it all for the Buckeyes which is why I believe they'll win the Big 10. He brings leadership, can spread the ball effectively, and even score buckets when necessary. Not to mention, Lenzelle Smith Jr. is an excellent player, this trio could lead the Buckeyes to a promising season.

Michigan Wolverines-#5-Big 10

Projected Starting Lineup:

Trey Burke-PG

Tim Hardaway-SG

Glen Robinson III-SF

Mitch McGary-PF

Jordan Morgan-C

The Michigan Wolverines have an excellent backcourt this upcoming season. Led by Sophomore Trey Burke and Junior Tim Hardaway. The Wolverines will play with the loss of dual-threat Evan Smotrycz but bring in Freshman Mitch McGary. The Wolverines are an excellent team in an extremely tough Big 10. I think they'll finish 3rd in the conference. Going further than their first round exit last season, the Wolverines will play in the Elite 8 but fall to eventual champions, Louisville.

The season is just beginning and much will change but everyone should get pumped for the start of another College Basketball season.