Are the Ravens a Contender or a Pretender?

Are the Ravens a Contender or a Pretender?

Steve Smith on his way to his first TD of the day

Through 4 weeks of the NFL season, the Baltimore Ravens own a formidable 3-1 record. This includes 2 divisional victories over the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns while they faltered at home to the Cincinnati Bengals. Their most recent victory over the Carolina Panthers was an impressive one in which they led from the start and coasted to a 38-10 victory.  

While still early in the season, I pin the Ravens as a playoff team with potential to be a Super Bowl contender. The Ravens do face a tough stretch coming up including games in Indianapolis, New Orleans, Pittsburgh, and Cincinnati. Escaping any of these road games with a victory would be massive for the Ravens but they are not to worry. Baltimore closes with 6 of 7 very, very winnable games. Home vs Titans, Home vs. Chargers, @ Dolphins, Home vs. Jaguars, @ Texans, Home vs. Browns. Assuming the Ravens can grab 2 or 3 more road wins and hold at home, they will most likely represent one of the two wild card spots in the AFC. Whether the Ravens finish as the 6 seed behind what appears will be San Diego or as the 5 seed, they will need to get hot in the playoffs similar to their 2012 title run. 



The Ravens fortunately have the capability to make a deep playoff run for three reasons. First being, their reining Super Bowl MVP Quarterback Joe Flacco’s playoff experience in addition to his ability to string multiple games together among those of the elite. Flacco has shown he can be a very inconsistent quarterback. Watch a Ravens game and you will see the Raven offense breeze down the field one drive only to see the next drive end up in 3 boneheaded plays by their gun slinger. The thing that Flacco has going for him is the fact that he has made a playoff appearance in 6 of his 7 years including a win in all 6 of those years. Flacco is a prime time performer and getting to the playoffs could be all it takes to spark the performance he had 2 short years ago.

Justin Forsett

Secondly, it appears that the Ravens run game has been fixed with new offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak. The Ravens lost Ray Rice and Bernard Pierce has been injured but this has not slowed down Baltimore one bit. 7 year veteran Justin Forsett has stepped up unbelievably averaging 5.8 YPC with his 2 touchdowns. Not to mention, 4th round pick Lorenzo Taliaferro has proven he is very capable of handling the rock averaging 4.5 YPC. Even with the injury to Eugene Monroe, who will be sidelined for 4 more weeks, the Ravens managed to rush for a solid 127 yards against the Panthers. 

Rookie Linebacker CJ Mosely
 tackles fellow rookie Isaiah Crowell

The third and final reason why the Ravens could contend come the cold winter months is the defense. The aforementioned offense wins games but defense wins championships. The Ravens have been a little injury prone at cornerback and still have a lot to figure out at the safety position but it’s very early. If you can recall two years ago when the Ravens won it all, many were worried that they couldn’t get it done on the defensive side of the ball. But, what we must remember is that Terrell Suggs, Ray Lewis, Haloti Ngata, and Ed Reed, the four stars of the defense, did not play until guess when? The Divisional Round of the Playoffs. Compare this to 2014 where Lardarius Webb will most likely battle injury until the playoffs, Will Hunt who was the number 3 ranked safety last season by PFF is suspended for two more games, and two rookies who the Ravens are looking for to make an impact, CJ Mosely and Terrance Brooks, will all be fully gelled by late in the season. A promising thought when you augment that former DPOY Terrell Suggs and Elvis Dumervil line up opposite of each other and Haloti Ngata mans the middle. 

          Give the Ravens their due time and they will stout one of the best defenses in the league  paired with a very capable offense. And if you want some more evidence to why the Ravens can contend, return man, Jacoby Jones, owns the ability to take a kick back whenever he gets his hands on a ball. Finally, they have a pro bowl kicker Justin Tucker with multiple game winning kicks in his short career. The Ravens need to first get to the playoffs but once they get there the top tier of the AFC better not overlook the Black and Purple.

NFL Divisional Round Saturday Predictions

New Orleans Saints @ Seattle Seahawks: 4:25 p.m. Saturday

       In a clash of opposites, Drew Brees and company will travel cross country to face what seems to be an unbeatable Russell Wilson at Century Link field. I'm sure everyone knows how good the 'Hawks are at home evident by Wilson's lone career loss at home coming a few short weeks ago. While this may seem promising for the visiting Saints, I don't think they should read too much into it.

       Week 13 this season marks the last time these teams met and it was very ugly for New Orleans. They were blown out 34-7 as Drew Bree's road struggles continued. On the road this season, Drew Brees has completed 10% less of his passes compared to at the SuperDome. He's thrown for 500 less yards with 28 more pass attempts. The most telling stat is his 27 touchdowns at home compared to 12 on the road while totaling 9 interceptions away from home while just three in New Orleans. This is a scary stat for New Orleans fans who are hoping their team can take down the king of the NFC.

        Although Brees managed to get over his road woes in the playoffs last week against the Eagles, he will be facing a much tougher defense this weekend. That augmented to the fact that the 'Hawks have a very efficient offense is what will prove too much this weekend. Marshawn Lynch will control the game against a mediocre run defense. While the Saints will limit Seattle through the air, it won't be enough to hold Seattle from advancing to the Championship Game.

                                                   

                                                                                              X-Factor: Jimmy Graham 

     While this pick may seem obvious, the x-factor is in fact obvious. The Saints best chance of staying in/winning this game is Jimmy Graham having his biggest game of the year. This is a lot to ask because Graham has already had a 10 catch, 179 yard, and a touchdown performance this season.

Final Score: Seahawks-30 Saints-17




Indianapolis Colts @ New England Patriots: 8:10 p.m. Saturday

     Andrew Luck and the Colts needed a spectacular comeback last week to escape the Chiefs and are granted with a trip to a cold New England. This matchup pairs the Future of the NFL versus the face of the league for the past decade. You can't ask for much more than Brady versus Luck but this game will actually be decided on the other side of the ball.

   
The Colts own a bottom 5 rush defense but fortunately for them the Patriots have serious troubles rushing the ball. On the contrary though, the Patriots may be on to something. In the regular season finale, LeGarrette Blount ran for 189 yards and 2 scores on the Patriots' way to a 14 point win over the Bills. With the loss of Gronk many people thought New England's season was over but there is a chance that the Pats have new hope. No matter how much the NFL leans towards the Quarterback, the Super Bowl Champion seems to always represent the team that got production from their running game and defense. This screams Patriots for me. With a shaky defense and a struggling offense all season it seems to be coming around for Brady and Co.

X-Factor: Griff Whalen/Da'rick Rogers

     You are probably saying who? Indy came into the season with their Wide Receiver depth chart as such. 1. Reggie Wayne 2. TY Hilton 3. Darius Heyward-Bey
      Well things have clearly changed with the injury from Wayne and lack of production from DHB. Whalen and Rogers sport the 2 and 3 slots for the Colts. If you know anything about football, you know that Belichick will shut down TY Hilton who had a monster week against the Chiefs. Coverage will lean towards Hilton and all types of schemes will focus on shutting him down. While this may seem problematic, this does open up opportunities for the 2 and 3. Therefore, Whalen and Rogers production will determine the outcome of the game.

Final Score: Patriots-34 Colts-27

My Thoughts on the NFL's Week 6

1. Thad Lewis and the Bills put up a valiant effort but it wasn't enough to stop a Cincinnati team that may be just good enough to claim the AFC North Divisional Title. It's simply going to come down to who wins the divisional games and the Bengals look like they are that team right now.

2. Is Brian Hoyer that good? Browns are 3-0 in games Hoyer played in (now out for the season) and are 0-3 with Weeden at the helm. They have young talent in Josh Gordon and Jordan Cameron but Weeden is the problem and definitely not the answer. Look for the Browns to use their top picks to find that Quarterback. 

3. The Detroit Lions are sitting at a silent 4-2. They have done this all without a truly healthy Calvin Johnson. When he returns at full strength this team could make a playoff push. I think it'll come down to the Bears and Pack but we'll have to wait and see. Which leads me to my next thought. 

4. Green Bay's offense took 2 major hits (Cobb and Jones both suffered knee injuries) and looked awful but Baltimore looked even worse. A combined salary between Rodgers and Flacco of $230 million dollars and we got an abysmal performance. Both these teams look mediocre (both 3-3) but definitely have the potential to make the playoffs. 

5. The Chiefs keep on rolling. It took 24 unanswered points but the Chiefs are now 6-0 after their 24-7 victory today. I'd say the promising thing for the Raiders is possibly that they've found their QB. 7 points you might think I'm crazy but Terrelle Pryor has some talent and his new handcuff, Denarius Moore, goes along well with him. Look for the Raiders to build around Pryor in the draft.

6. Cam Newton appears back in form. He totaled 4 touchdowns in a rout of the Vikings and has now won 2 straight. Meanwhile the defense has looked stellar in their past 2 performances. I'd say this team is rebuilding but the Falcons have been terrible and the Bucs don't have a win so as it stands the Panthers are 2nd in the division. Prayers out to AP whose son was just killed.

7. The Jets came out with a major letdown allowing Pittsburgh to notch its first W of the season. Pittsburgh still has a chance in this weak division but I wouldn't say its a great one. As for NY, I'd say they're not a playoff team but Geno is definitely their guy.

8. The Eagles have won 2 in a row and are all of a sudden in 1st place at 3-3 (Dallas and Washington are playing right now). The Bucs have the talent but not the Quarterback. Although he played excellent today, you can't win a SuperBowl with this guy. Right?

9. Cheering when your starting QB gets hurt. Stay Classy, Houston. 2 comments on the QB situation here. T.J. Yates came in and threw a pick sick totaling 5 straight games with one. 2nd, Vince Young tweeted that he's ready to come back and play and would love to for his home state. No chance Houston signs VY but I personally would love to see it. St. Louis though looked very impressive in the blowout win. They are definitely building and should end up around 8-8 this year. Promising for the Rams.

10. Denver didn't look impressive nor did they cover the spread but they got their 6th straight win and are now tied atop the division with aforementioned Kansas City. Knowshon Moreno is thriving with all these running lanes but Denver is vulnerable. The Jags received their participation ribbons in a valiant effort as well as giving the rest of the league game tape on how to exploit the corners. 2nd yr wideout Justin Blackmon came up with 14 catches for 190 yards.

11. Tennessee's lone touchdown came off the flukiest of plays. (The kicker was hurt so the punter who's the usual holder had to kick so the Seahawks brought in a new holder who muffed the snap then tried throwing the ball got stripped and the Titans took it to the house.) Besides this absurd play, Seattle's defense looked stout and Russell Wilson improved to 11-0 at home.

12. Tom Brady is still very very good. While he hadn't thrown a touchdown in the past two games, in the final 5 ticks of the game on Sunday, Brady pinpointed a pass to the rookie Kenbrell Thompkins to secure a win and a 5-1 record. The Patriots gutted one out and still don't have Gronk back. This team could be really good. The Saints took a rough loss but are still running away with the division.

13. My final thought is that Vernon Davis is also very very good. While Davis only totaled 1 catch for 10 yards in the second half, his monster 7 for 170 in the 1st was all that was necessary. San Fran doesn't look like the team that got to the Super Bowl last year but are still a healthy 4-2. They need to find their mojo and get back to hard nosed football. 

NFL Week 1 Reaction to Key Games

Here's my Week 1 Reaction to the Key or Important games.

Ravens vs. Broncos (49-27 Denver) 

The opening game of the NFL season debuted on Thursday night with the reigning Super Bowl Champs heading out to the Mile High City to compete in a rematch of last year's dramatic AFC Divisional playoff game. The Ravens looked good, holding a 17-14 lead at the half but it all went south from there. Peyton Manning ended up throwing for 7 touchdowns on the way to a bashing of the Ravens. Manning with his new weapons Wes Welker and Tight End Julius Thomas each had 2 touch downs and Demaryius Thomas added a pair of his own. The Broncos offense looked unbelievable and is why I can't see them not winning the AFC crown. They have 6 cup cake games against the Chiefs, Chargers, and Raiders. A 13-3 or 14-2 record is in their future. The only question I have for them is come playoff time when it is time to grind out games. Who's their running back? Remember these 2 things. Once everyone went to bed, the Ravens started coming back because Denver started running the ball. Also, Denver ran 23 times for only 65 yards. That's not going to get it done come playoff time.

As for the Ravens, they just looked abysmal. Flacco actually played solid but between Dallas Clark and Ed Dickson's drops and Jacoby Jones freak injury, Flacco had no chance. Marlon Brown stepped in well as the 2nd wide out but Ray Rice and Bernard Pierce were ineffective. The defense couldn't cover or tackle especially the secondary. Their poor performance could force rookie Matt Elam into the lineup as well as rookie linebacker Arthur Brown. But with all the bad, I saw some hope for the Ravens. Terrell Suggs and Elvis Dumervil each recorded a sack and as I mentioned above, the Broncos only rushed for 65 yards on 23 carries. The Ravens with Ray Lewis would be fine but going forward I'm not sure exactly what is in store for Baltimore. I believe they will murder the Browns but after that we'll have to wait and see.

Falcons vs. Saints (23-17 New Orleans)

All the hype going into the game was about Sean Payton's return after his Bounty Gate suspension. All the talk of the Saints offense getting their mastermind play caller back was great but what should truly be acknowledged is the addition of Rob Ryan as defensive coordinator. Set as a predicted shootout, Rob Ryan's defense allowed only 17 points in a spectacular effort. If before the game you told me Matty Ice would have the ball down 6 in the redzone on the last drive, 10 out of 10 times I would've said the Falcons would have come out victorious. Give credit to the Saints, they held and showed me two things. They improved magically over the offseason on defense. Their record setting defense (bad records) had greatly improved. And two. Bold prediction. The New Orleans Saints will win the division. The Saints just have their mojo back.

The Falcons will be fine. They should easily grab a playoff spot and it wouldn't shock me if they won the division. They have a stupid good offense and Roddy White was hobbled the entire game. The Birds will be fine just fine.











Packers vs. 49ers (34-28 San Francisco)

In a great sunday afternoon shootout, we saw Colin Kaepernick completely dominate the Green Bay defense. This time, though, he did it with his arm rather than his legs. Kaepernick threw for 412 yards and three scores and showed us again why Anquan Boldin was Joe Flacco's favorite target. Boldin could not be stopped. He quickly ridded all doubt that he would be able to fill in for the injured Michael Crabtree. Kaep also seemed to find a new connection with TE Vernon Davis. After not targeting Davis much in the 11 games they played together last season, Kaepernick found him for 2 scores. The defense was put to the test against Aaron Rodgers but faired alright. Especially rookie safety Eric Reid who picked off Rodgers and did well in his first career game.

The Pack will also be alright. People are really sleeping on the Bears who I think will be a solid squad this year but with that being said, Rodgers will claim the division title. They simply have too many weapons to be stopped. They totaled 28 points against arguably the best defense in the league. All I have to say is good luck Washington.






Eagles vs. Redskins (33-27 Eagles)

The score doesn't really tell the real story of this game. The Eagles ran an NFL record 51 plays in the first half with Chip Kelly's new up tempo offense. While I think there was a major over reaction to the Eagles success, I still think the Eagles may establish themselves as a very dangerous team. People saying they'll win the division now or McCoy will lead the league in rushing are nice thoughts but I think at least for now are a little quick on the trigger. The defense played great in the first half but struggled when RG3 shook off the rust. Also, Vick came up hobbled a few times and there's a slim chance he starts all 16 games this season. Would it surprise me if the Eagles won the division? Absolutely not. A weak division and a good looking offensive scheme. But talk to me at the quarter mark and I'll update my thoughts on the BirdGang.

Woah. The 'Skins defense looked horrible. They got thrashed by McCoy, Vick, and Bryce Brown. RG3 looked mediocre at best. And Alfred Morris struggled early and often. I can't see this team returning to the post season. You might say, and rightfully so, isn't that an overreaction. It may be but I believe all 3 teams in the NFC East made nice additions in the offseason and Washington did not. My prediction, the Redskins will finish LAST in their division.

Who's Ready for Some Football?

I'm finally back. After a nice hiatus, I am ready to talk some football.
In today's article, I'll be breaking down 2 teams that I think will surprise you this season and 2 teams I think will disappoint you this season.

SURPRISE
1. Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs acquired former Number 1 pick Alex Smith this offseason for a second round pick. The extremely efficient Smith will be a major upgrade from the abysmal Quarterbacks the Cheifs had last year. Matt Cassel and Brady Quinn combined for an impressive 2-14 record (sarcasm) and earned their team the Number 1 overall selection. Quite a nice thing to do. With that pick, the Chiefs selected Offensive Tackle Eric Fisher out of Central Michigan. This pick will solidify whichever side of the line the Chiefs choose to place him on. May I add that Jamaal Charles will be fully healthy minus the ankle injury he just turned in the pre season. Nothing more than a minor injury. Complement Dwayne Bowe, Charles, Alex Smith with a defense that sent 4 pro bowlers to Hawaii last season and you have major room for improvement. The Chiefs also get to play the weak Chargers and Raiders twice this season as well as the Browns and Jaguars for finishing last in the division. To put the cherry on top the Chiefs signed former Eagle Head Coach Andy Reid to be their main man. Reid is an excellent offensive coach and could form this KC team into a very effective offensive squad. Don't be surprised when the Chiefs make an enormous improvement from last year's season.

2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers got off to a very solid 6-4 record last season before losing 5 out of their last 6 games. Although finishing 7-9, the Buccaneers fell 7 times by only one score. This shows that while they may have been an immature team inept at finishing games, they were close in almost every game they participated in. Given they had a new coach, new schemes, and an inexperienced Quarterback this is not only understandable but it is actually promising. With a year under their belts, maybe the the Bucs win some of those close games and make a push for a playoff spot. Doug Martin was the breakout star last year for them and should continue as their game breaking back. The Bucs also made major improvements in solidifying their secondary. Adding lock down corner Darelle Revis will be an incredible advantage to the rest of the Buccaneer defense. Playing with second year safety Mark Barron and newly acquired Dashon Goldson behind Revis the Buc front 7 will have plenty of time to pressure the quarterback. The Bucs play in a tough division but definitely have the pieces to compete for a playoff bid this year.

DISAPPOINTMENT
1. Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins may have been in my surprise section if not for some bad reports from camp and the recent loss of Tight End Dustin Keller. In the offseason, the Phins got speedster Mike Wallace from Pittsburgh and Middle Linebacker Dannell Ellerbe from the Ravens. Reports from the Dolphins training camp say that Wallace isn't as impressive as they had hoped and that he isn't quite on the same page as young Quarterback Ryan Tannehill. Tannehill should make improvements this season but just lost his security blanket to a season ending knee injury. Tannehill and Keller looked like they were on the same page in the pre season which was important for Tannehill who has yet to have any tight end take the pressure off with short dump off passes. Shifting to the defense, the Dolphins aren't a very good defensive squad and I don't think Ellerbe makes them that much better. Check Bart Scott or Adalius Thomas if you want proof that playing with Terrell Suggs and Ray Lewis is what makes you a good Raven linebacker. Don't be surprised if the Dolphins finish worse than their 7-9 record last season.

2. St. Louis Rams

The Rams ended last season 7-8-1 and I don't see much potential for them to improve. The Rams now compete in the tough NFC West while 2 years ago it was the laughing stock of the NFL. The Seahawks and 49ers are the top two teams in the NFC and the Cardinals added Carson Palmer making them a decent team. Just playing within the division I can't see the Rams even going 3-3. 2-4 would be a success for them. St. Louis added an exciting receiver Tavon Austin in the draft but I can't see him making the impact that he's projected to make. While Danny Amendola was hurt for St. Louis most of the time he was there, he was still their best receiver and now they no longer have him. They also let veteran Running Back Steven Jackson go and didn't really add any important pieces on defense. Expect St. Louis to be back in the top 5 of next year's draft.

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.

Sportacular Sports Monday Night Football Preview

Philadelphia Eagles (3-4) vs. New Orleans Saints (2-5)

Monday Night Football on ESPN will take place in New Orleans tonight. Philly and New Orleans have been without a doubt the most disappointing teams this season. The Eagles have the talent level to be a Super Bowl contender and the Saints have the a top 3 offensive power house.

The Saints killed it with Bree's 5,000 yard year last season. Unfortunately, the loss of Head Coach, Sean Payton, has absolutely killed the team. They don't come out playing with the same heart and determination and their offensive numbers are clearly lacking. Brees is still a superb Quarterback with multiple weapons around him. Given Jimmy Graham has been injured, Brees still had options like Colston and Lance Moore. The weakness of the Saints is the defense who is allowing almost 500 yards per game. That is an astronomical number and not even the Saints offense can keep up with those numbers. New Orleans got their coach back last week, Joe Vitt, but still couldn't pull out the win. With a loss tonight, New Orleans's season is pretty much going to be over.

The Philadelphia Eagles got off to an excellent start finishing the first quarter of the season at 3-1. Now they haven't won a game since. Sitting at 3-4 all the familiar Philadelphia questions have arrived again. Should Andy Reid be fired? Should Mike Vick be benched? While the Birds did make a change at defensive coordinator, it appeared ineffective after the smashing they received from the unbeaten Falcons. Unlike the Saints, the Eagles have it all. A more than capable, dual-threat, Quarterback-Michael Vick. A tandem of speedy and shifty Wide Receivers-Jeremy Maclin and Desean Jackson and an unbelievable Running Back in Lesean McCoy. Not only do they have a crazy quick offense but their defense can shut a team down to very few points. Nnamdi Asomugha and Rodgers-Cromartie can shut down your top 2 Wide Receivers and Jason Babin and Cullen Jenkins can produce a boat load of sacks. This is why when the Eagles struggles begin the Head Coach and Quarterback become questioned. The Eagles should be near the top competing. 

Prediction: Eagles 35-Saints 31

Analysis: The Eagles season still has hope and I think they keep it alive tonight. The Saints are very good at home but Philly needs a win and they'll find a way. Expect an exciting matchup tonight. Eagles win on the road.

Sportacular Sports Sunday Night Football Recap

Final Score: Falcons-19 Cowboys-13

While I anticipated a much higher scoring matchup, my prediction that Matt Ryan would improve his unbelievable home record was accurate. Besides a somewhat shocking drive where Tony Romo led the Cowboys straight down the field, the Cowboys offense was stagnant. Not much better was the Falcons offense. 

Atlanta moved the ball nicely but once nearing the endzone, the Falcons offense would stall. Atlanta only scored one TD on the ground by Michael Turner and Tony Romo didn't even turn the ball over. Meanwhile, the Cowboys still found themselves on the losing end pushing their record to 3-5. Atlanta remains unbeaten but only one game up on Chicago for the 1 seed in the NFC. Atlanta keeps on winning as does Chicago. 

The team who truly needs the number 1 seed is in fact the Falcons. Here are my reasons why.

Reason 1- Matt Ryan does not lose very often at home. With Matty Ice under the helm, Atlanta has only lost 6 total games in the Georgia Dome. Even though Atlanta did lose once at home in the playoffs, from their 24-2 defeat last year on the road to New York, it definitely shows they need to play in Atlanta when it comes playoff time. 

Reason 2- The other reason I believe Atlanta needs the home field advantage is the dome advantage they have. Chicago is a much better balanced team. The Bears can run the ball through Matt Forte, throw the ball to Brandon Marshall, and the Bears defense can put up points themselves. Unlike Chi-town, the Falcons rely heavily on their passing attack. While that is very effective, playing outside in the rain or swirling winds in Chicago, per say  would be very difficult for this Atlanta squad. 

If Atlanta can remain atop the NFC they will have an excellent chance of bringing the Lombardi trophy back to Atlanta.


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Sportacular Sports Sunday Night Football Preview

Sunday Night Football on NBC 
Dallas Cowboys vs. Atlanta Falcons

Let's lay down the facts for this game.

Cowboys 3-4

Falcons 7-0

Falcons are at home.

Matt Ryan is 25-4 at the Georgia Dome in his career.

Tony Romo throws a lot of interceptions.

Now that we have established the facts for this game, we are going to look at the line created by Vegas. 

Falcons -4

In my mind, I have no possible idea how the line can be a meer 4 points in Atlanta. Lets get this straight, it is the NFL and the phrase "any given Sunday" was created for a reason. So yes the Cowboys could defiantly win this game. But if you look back at Dalla's last two games you would say no way. 2 weeks ago Dallas traveled to Baltimore and almost took them down. If not for a blown field goal by Dan Bailey, they would have been victorious. The amazing thing is, is that Romo was almost perfect. Besides the Week 1 defeat of the Giants, it was his best game of the year yet resulting in a L. Next, you transition to the inconsistent Tony Romo who last week opened up the game at home with 3 consecutive interceptions. It is always a mystery which Tony Romo we will see. Hopefully the viewers will get the great Tony Romo setting up an excellent matchup tonight.

A pleasant surprise this season has been the excellent play of the Atlanta Falcons. Sitting as the NFL's only remaining unbeaten, the Falcons are led by home stud Matt Ryan. Matty Ice has been very productive this season with much help from his many capable targets. A little background really quick. Two winters ago the Atlanta Falcons basically traded their entire plethora of draft picks to acquire star WR Julio Jones from Alabama. While a bold move at the time, the move has quickly paid off. In addition to Jones, the Falcons find number 1 WR Roddy White along with 16 year veteran Tony Gonzalez. Out of the backfield, Michael Turner leads the rushing attack with change of pace back Jaquizz Rodgers complementing well. The defense has held its own and the Falcons are almost unbeatable at home. 

Prediction: Falcons-34 Cowboys-21

Analysis: The Dallas Cowboys have so much talent but for some reason never get the job done. The Atlanta Falcons have struggled in the playoffs but at home during the regular season Matt Ryan is almost automatic. Watch a close game in the first half but a Romo turnover will cost the 'Boys and Atlanta will pull away late.

Sportacular Sport's Monday Night Football Preview

(5-2) San Francisco 49ers vs. (4-3) Arizona Cardinals

On Monday Night, far far away from Hurricane Sandy, the San Francisco 49ers will travel to the desert and face the Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals will be without QB Kevin Kolb and will return to opening day starter John Skeleton. The 49ers stout defense has been unbelievable yet again this season allowing only 9 points in 3 games besides their slip up to the Giants at home. The Cardinals started well but there lack of offensive productivity has caught up to them in the past weeks. Larry Fitzgerald is going to look for his 7th 100 yard game against the 49ers tying the most against the niners with ex-Ram Isaac Bruce. Being at home will give the Cardinals some help but I expect a 49er win. In a close game, 49ers by 4.

Final Score-49ers-24-Cardinals-20