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.

NFL Draft

With the NFL Draft set to start Tomorrow night, rather than come up with an inaccurate Mock Draft or analyze the over talked about Quarterback debate, Sportacular Sports will look at the most intriguing NFL Draft storylines.

Tyrann Mathieu-Cornerback-LSU

Mathieu, the 2011 Heisman runner-up, was required to take a year off from football because of his Marijuana arrest. Although Mathieu has had a drug problem, no one is going to ignore his play making skills matched with his Heisman appearance. What people may not know, is that Mathieu is actually an undersized corner, standing at 5 foot 11 inches, and doesn't have blazing speed. But how are we going to ignore his play making abilities. Mathieu caused numerous turnovers, many for touchdowns, in the 2011 season and in an entertainment based league, Mathieu's punt return abilities, specifically his change of speed and vision, add to his draft stock. The major red flag I give to Mathieu is obviously the drug problem but more specifically my impression of him in an NFL Network Draft interview. The hours Mathieu has been coached seemed to have gone to waste. His never put the drug rumors away, he kept making excuses for himself, and admitted to chewing tobacco. If I was a team like the 49ers who have 13 draft picks and a very strong locker room, I would take a shot, otherwise no deal.

Manti Te'o-Linebacker- Notre Dame
Manti Te'o's draft stock was high and rising entering the National Championship game. As you all know, it took a tailspin from there. After an egregious appearance, the girlfriend scandal came about and nothing has been great for Te'o since. Add in an awful combine and you somehow still have a surprisingly highly rated prospect. Te'o is still projected to go in the first round and his endeavors may have improved the team in which he'll be playing for. Te'o should be an immediate starter and now may go to a team like the Ravens or Patriots late in the first round where he'd be playing on a championship team right out of College. While the money might not be there, the chance to play for titles will. Te'o is a guy I would want my team to take a chance at.

Star Lotulelei-Defensive Tackle-Utah

Lotulelei at one point in the draft process was projected to be the Number 1 overall pick in this very draft. This happened in last year's draft where Clemson's Da'Quan Bowers at one point was projected to go first overall but slipped into the second round. Lotulelei fell for a different reason though. Doctor's discovered a potential heart problem. Later though, the doctors confirmed that the heart condition was perfectly fine for playing. With that being said, I don't think Lotulelei should drop past his projected 14th selection to the Carolina Panthers. I think the NY Jets should take him though. They can go out and get their favorite player at Number 9 and then potentially steal the draft at 13. Lotulelei has drawn comparisons to Haloti Ngata and Ndamukong Suh and his name and playing style will both fit their production at the next level. Decent sized risk but amazing sized reward.

NFL Trades

Free agency has officially begun but the bigger news has come by way of the trade. As you probably know Percy Harvin was sent to Seattle and Anquan Boldin was traded to rival San Francisco. Sportacular Sports takes an in depth look at the trades.

Percy Harvin-WR (Minnesota to Seattle)
Star running back and now former teammate, Adrian Peterson tweeted: "The best all around player I ever seen or you'll ever see! Goes to Seattle! I feel like I just got kicked in the stomach. Several times!!!"
To hear the League MVP say those words about another player validates the claim that Percy is a great player. Percy Harvin brings great value as be is an excellent slot receiver in a league that lacks that position. To augment to his value, he is capable of returning punts and kickoffs at a high rate. Even more special is his running ability out of the backfield. To say the least, Harvin is not a one trick pony. Harvin is going to join an already special team. Seattle's defense is stifling and their offense is loaded with talent. Imagine Russel Wilson, Marshawn Lynch, and Percy Harvin lining up in the backfield and tell me defenses won't be cringing. Then flank him out wide with Doug Baldwin and you'll see a much improved passing offense than the 27th ranked team last year. Agreeing with Vegas, this takes the Hawks to the top of the NFL as lead contenders.

Anquan Boldin-WR (Baltimore to San Francisco)
Even Anquan Boldin was surprised by this trade (as reported by ESPN). Q as they like"d" to call him in Baltimore is heading off to the Bay Area to play for another Harbaugh. Jim this time. After Boldin's comments that if the Ravens released him he would retire a Raven, Baltimore asked Anquan to take a pay cut and stick with the team. But Boldin was having none of it. It is true that the Ravens could have kept him but that would have meant letting Paul Kruger, Danelle Ellerbee, and Ed Reed into free agency. Baltimore needs to get younger and not retain older players like Q.
The major uproar of the trade came when Baltimore fans found out that they were receiving only a 6th round pick for them top Wide Receiver. After Minnesota got a 1st founder why was Baltimore only getting a 6th? The reason why, the Ravens just wanted something. Ultimately, Baltimore was going to cut Boldin so to get a 6th was just extra. The Super Bowl Champs cut 6$ million off their cap to clear space for the aforementioned free agents.
What does this mean for San Fran? Once again, agreeing with Vegas, the Niners are co-favorites with Seattle to win the 2014 Super Bowl. Both these teams have young, stud Quarterbacks and unbelievable defenses. Anquan will bring sure hands and excellent leadership to a young offense.

Who will be better?
My early pick is San Fran because of their SB47 appearance but who knows. These teams replicate each other in amazing ways. All I know is these trades make a playoff team and SB contender even better. A scary thought for the rest of the NFL

NFL Draft Combine-Who Impressed?

Today, Sportacular Sports will be looking at who impressed at this weekend's NFL Draft Combine in Indianapolis.

1. Tavon Austin- West Virginia- Wide Receiver
The speedster ran an official 4.34 40 yard dash after unofficially being clocked in the 4.2 range. While the official high of the day (4.27) came from track star Marquise Goodwin out of Texas, Austin impressed the scouts with his hands. While Austin isn't projected to go in either of Mel Kiper's or Todd McShay's first round, chatter has begun about Austin. What was supposed to hold Austin back is his small frame. 5 feet 8 inches and only 173. While I think he'll fit perfectly in the slot, Tavon had many doubters. That all changed Sunday. Austin caught the ball beautiful only to augment to the already great speed. Scouts instantly moved him up their draft boards, including John Clayton from ESPN who claims Austin might slip into the first round. Possible suitors for Austin could be New England or his hometown Baltimore Ravens. New England could be satisfied to replace pending free agent Wes Welker with some newer legs while Baltimore could look to sign defensive players over Jacoby Jones. Austin works well in the return game as well which is only a plus. Austin impressed and that is why he ranks number 1 on today's list.

2. Geno Smith-West Virginia- Quarterback
You might think I'm a West Virginia fan at this point but I am not. I'm just impressed by both guys out of this University. As he declined from Heisman Front Runner to just about no one during the College Football Season, Geno Smith gained a ton of doubters. Then, to much surprise, rumors this weekend began to swirl that Geno could be taken first overall to the Kansas City Chiefs. While I don't believe this, the question must be asked-Why did Geno impress today-Simply because of his speed. While it was known Smith had valuable speed, he clocked in at an unexpected 4.59 highest in the draft class. In today's evolving quarterback class, speed is almost a necessary element. Cam Newton, RGIII, Russell Wilson are all revolutionizing the game and the Quarterback needs speed more than ever these days. Smith may have boosted his draft stock but will it be enough to get to the top?

3. Matt Barkley-USC- Quarterback
You might be thinking-Matt Barkley? He didn't he attend this weekends combine. While this is true, multiple reports have come out stating that Barkley will make it nowhere past the 7th spot in the draft owned by the Arizona Cardinals. While Barkley is still recovering from injury, this is major news. Pre-season the Trojans were Number 1 and Barkley was supposed to be the #1 pick after receiving the Heisman. Everything went wrong, yet Barkley might be lucking out. In a draft filled with needs at Quarterback, a weaker Quarterback class might be doing better than expected. While Barkley has time to impress at the USC Pro-day, apparently he's done enough to be a top 10 pick.

Others:
Terron Armstead-ran a 4.71 as an Offensive Lineman
Cordarrelle Patterson- Rated as the top wide receiver only impressed with his great frame and blazing speed

Report:
Top 5 projected pick- Star Lotulelei- out of Hawaii has been removed from the Combine list for Monday. The defensive tackle has been diagnosed with poor deficiency in one of his ventricles. The condition is not life threatening but he is in no shape to participate. Lotulelei's draft stock shouldn't fall much unless worse reports come out.

Is Joe Flacco Elite?

Is Joe Flacco Elite?

As we approach Sunday, some food for thought has come up about Raven's Quarterback, Joe Flacco. Flacco assumes the role of facing Tom Brady this weekend for a chance to play in Super Bowl 47. In facing a great like Brady, the question surfaces, is Joe Flacco elite?

Before we dive in, I would like to state that I believe their are about 4 classes of Quarterbacks which rapidly change based on performance over the season. For instance the bad, consisting of Blaine Gabbert and John Skeleton for example. The next class are the good/more than game managing Quarterbacks. For instance, Matt Stafford and Philip Rivers headline this class. The class that sits right below the Elites, consists of names like Roethlisberger and Matt Ryan. The gun-slingers in the final class are the best of the best. In no particular order, Brady, Manning, Brees, and Rodgers. I throw Eli in there because of his 2 rings and clutch moments. I'm satisfied with him in either class. Now to answer the question, does Joe belong in that category.

Plain and simple, No. Unfortunately he doesn't match up with the ranks of the Elites. These MVP candidates throw for 35+ touchdowns a season and are usually below the 10 interception mark. Fu-manchu and all, Joe only managed to pass for only 22 TDs. He definitely does not put up the numbers of an Elite quarterback but a legitimate rebuttal would be, like Tim Tebow, all he does is win.

In his 5 years in the league, Flacco has been to the playoffs every year including a victory each and every time. The one thing that holds him back in this category is his inability to advance to the Big game. Don't get me wrong, he outplayed Tom Brady in his own house last season but still has not won under the bright lights. Right now, it is essential for an Elite Quarterback to have a ring. While in the past, this wasn't the case (see Dan Marino), nowadays you simply can't be talked about in that class without some hardware.

So my final answer, No, Joe Flacco is not elite...BUT... talk to me in 3 weeks and if Joe has lifted the Lombardi Trophy, I'll be the first one to introduce him to his new buddies. 

Seattle Seahawks vs. Atlanta Falcons Prediciton

Headline: The #5 seed, Seattle Seahawks travel to the Georgia Dome to face the top-seeded Atlanta Falcons.

Seattle Seahawks:
The surprise of the year is Russell Wilson, and even though I don't think he will win Rookie of the Year because voting occurred before the playoffs, he has a chance to advance to the NFC Championship game Sunday. The Seahawks will be without team sack leader, Chris Clemons but will have top corners Brandon Browner and Richard Sherman. These players will be part of the best matchup of the Divisional Round. Browner and Sherman will be lined up against stud Wide Receivers, Roddy White and Julio Jones. The winner of this matchup will win this game and even though I'm leaning towards the corners, I think the home field advantage will mightily help the Falcons.

Atlanta Falcons:
Now for the top seed. If Atlanta does not win this game, Matt Ryan will fall into the category of choker or "can't get it done". Matt Ryan has been excellent making the playoffs 4 out of his first 5 years in the league but he has yet to win a playoff game. Matty "Ice" will have to shut up all the critics and win this game. I am a fan of Matt Ryan and I think the key to their victory will be Mike Turner and Jacquizz Rodgers' success against the front 7 of Seattle. If they can run the ball successfully, that will open up space for the Julio and Roddy against the pro-bowl corners.

Prediction:
I think this game will be tight throughout and it will take a Matt Ryan to Tony Gonzalez connection to push Atlanta to a matchup with San Francisco next weekend.
Final Score:
Atlanta-31
Seattle-27

Line:
Atlanta -3

Over/Under: 
47.5

Baltimore Ravens vs. Denver Broncos Recap

+Baltimore Ravens -38
Denver Broncos-35
2OT


If you didn't see this game, you missed out on an instant classic. It's going to be tough to put into words the excitement of these plays but ill try. Lets begin with the first Raven's possession in which Anquan Boldin's drop forced a Sam Koch punt. The result of this, the longest punt return in postseason history. Trindon Holiday took the punt up the right side and wasn't touched for 90 yards. Holliday would later take back the opening kickoff of the second half for 104 yards, another postseason record. Holiday has the longest punt/kick returns in NFL postseason history and is the only player ever to return both kicks in a playoff game.
With the return, Peyton Manning did not take the field until after the score was knotted 7 apiece. Just three plays later, a tipped pass intended for Eric Decked resulted in Corey Graham's hands as he waltzed into the endzone. In about 8 minutes, their had been a 90 yard punt return, 59 yard bomb to Torrey Smith and an INT return by Graham.

Peyton responded easily by marching down the field and finding Brandon Stokley on a beautiful touch pass in the corner of the end zone. Each team then added a score before half. In the first half, it is important to note that 12 time pro bowler, Champ Bailey, was being eaten alive by Torrey Smith.
As I mentioned before, the 2nd half began with the kick return at which point you though the Broncos had grabbed all momentum. After a great defensive quarter, Ray Rice found the end zone from 1 yard out with 23 seconds remaining in the quarter.

A Demaryius Thomas touchdown mid way through the 4th pushed the Broncos ahead. Joe Flacco and company then had 3 minutes around the Denver 30. They faced a 4th and 5, in which, the Denver defender made an excellent play that broke up a pass intended for Dennis Pitta.

The Broncos took over on downs and this is when it hit me. Could Ray Lewis really be taking the field for the last time ever? Denver runs for a first down, is it all over. With limited timeouts and the two-minute warning, Baltimore did stop the Broncos and got the ball back. This is it Joe you have one minute to take your ravens down the field to tie the game. First down-nothing, second down-7 yards, clock running, 30 seconds remaining, stop the clock. No, Joe steps up in the pocket launches it 55 yards down the field. Safety Raheem Moore for the Broncos completely whiffs the ball as the ball travels and lands perfectly into Jacoby Jones hands as he runs 15 more yards to tie the game at 35 a piece.

Unbelievable, play of the year, instant classic! And we still have overtime. 

Overtime began with a Raven's possession but after drives stalled for both teams, OT became a field position battle. Finally, on his own 30 yard line, Peyton Manning makes an ill advised pass as Corey Graham gets his second interception of the day. Baltimore runs Ray Rice for the 28th, 29th, and 30th time of the day as they scamper inside the 30. And here comes rookie Justin Tucker. All Baltimore fans quickly flashback to last years AFC Championship game. Billy Cundiff no more as JT knocks through the 47 yarder and Ray Lewis' career continues. What a game!!

Rookie of the Year Debate-Sportacular Sports

Rookie of the Year Debate
Andrew Luck    Robert Griffin III   Russell Wilson

Honorable Mentions:Alfred Morris, Doug Martin, Matt Kalil

Point System
I will grade the rookies by their statistical categories with each category maxing out at 3 points. Each player will be graded on statistical categories in addition to what I feel makes a ROY.

The Rookie of the Year is similar to MVP and is usually graded upon the same guidelines but it is not the Most Valuable Player yet it is the best Rookie in the league regardless of team performance. Although not one of the 3 rookie's teams made the playoffs last season, Indianapolis posted a 2-14 record. Therefore, if this award was based off of value to a team, the award would go to Luck for turning them into a playoff team. But, the distinction leaves the chance for RGIII and Wilson to still win the award. Now lets look at the candidates.

Andrew Luck-Indianapolis Colts
11-5
5th seed in the AFC
Broke Cam Newton's rookie record for passing yards with 4,374 yards.
Colts 2011 (2-14) --->Colts 2012 (11-5)

Robert Griffin III- Washington Redskins
10-6
4th seed in the NFC
Won NFC East
Selected to the Pro Bowl
Redskins 2011  (6-10)--->Redskins 2011 (10-6)
Redskins first division title in 9 years.

Russels Wilson-Seattle Seahawks
11-5
3rd round draft pick
5th seed in the NFC
Seattle 2011 (7-9)--->Seattle 2012 (11-5)


Wilson won Offensive Rookie of the Month in December ending the season on a hot streak. Wilson along with Golden Tate, will infamously be known for their Hail-Mary pass against Green Bay that forced the NFL to get rid of the replacement officials.

Passer Rating

The most important statistic to look at when comparing these 3 quarterbacks is passer rating. Passer rating is "a measure of the performance of quarterbacks or any other passers". As you can see above, Griffin led with his mark of 102.4 with Wilson trailing at an even mark of 100. Because passer rating is "calculated using each quarterback's completion percentage, passing yardage, touchdowns and interceptions", Luck's large deficit of 76.5 is a crucial number to pay attention to.

Griffin-3

Wilson-2

Luck-1

Total Yards (Passing and Rushing)

Next we will look at the offensive yardage output that the candidates produced. Andrew Luck threw for more than a 1,000 yards than both Griffin and Wilson but they are known for their dual threat capabilities. Griffin rushed for 815 yards, 326 more yards than Wilson and 560 more yards than Luck. Griffin clearly wins the rushing dual as Wilson does not gain much ground on Luck. A Quarterback's ability to move the ball down the field is what these guys are payed for. Wilson had the aid with an experienced Marshawn Lynch. While RG3 did have Alfred Morris, it was more Griffin's abilities that opened up things for Morris than Lynch's abilities that gave space and time for Wilson. 

Luck-2
Griffin-2
Wilson-1

Total Touchdowns

Another obvious number to analyze would be Touchdowns. This is the number that might surprise you. Not Luck nor Griffin but Russell Wilson tied Peyton Manning's rookie record for passing touchdowns. Luck trailed by only 3 and RGIII had 20 himself. A tough decision in this process is weighing Griffin and Wilson's legs against just Luck's arm. I believe a passing touchdown and rushing touchdown count for the same amount of points, therefore, I will weigh them evenly. Griffin led all runners with 7 touchdowns while Andrew Luck actually beat Wilson with 5 compared to his 4.

Total Touchdowns
Wilson-30
Luck-28
Griffin-27

Wilson-3
Luck-2
Griffin-2

We now have two remaining statistics to look at. First we will begin with completion percentage. I believe this does measure the quarterback's performance but not on as large a scale as the other numbers. The candidates will only receive half the point value they gain.

Completion Percentage

RgIII and Wilson both completed about 65% of their passes while Luck completed only 54%. The 65% numbers are good enough but a 54% number is not high enough. This stat won't create a large gap but I don't like this number for Luck.

Wilson-3/2=1.5

Griffin-3/2=1.5

Luck-1/2=.5

Total Turnovers (Interceptions and Fumbles)
The final numbers statistic that we will look at is the amount of turnovers that each candidates committed. Andrew Luck led all 3 rookies with 18 interceptions and not to mention 9 lost fumbles. That is a loss of 27 possessions for Indianapolis. Russell Wilson only totaled 14 turnovers including 10 picks. One of the main problems with rookies in the league is decision making. The reason Griffin owns this category is his ability to take care of the football. Griffin only threw 5 interceptions. Which not only was lowest by rookies but also by the top NFL starters. Including his 5 lost fumbles, Griffin totaled only 10 lost possessions.

Griffin-3
Wilson-1
Luck-0

After pure statistics, the count is.
Griffin-11.5
Wilson-8.5
Luck-5.5

The Rookie of the Year will be decided 90% on statistics and from my experience, the other 10% comes from a popularity standpoint. I definitely do not want to take credit away from Johnny Manziel but, for example, popularity aided Johnny "Football"'s Heisman run. In this case, popularity belongs to RG3, who took the world by surprise and became the most known QB on the planet. ESPN's phase of Tim Tebow shortly became Robert Griffin 3rd. I'm convinced RGIII's popularity will push him to the top, but will he win?

Before I crown "my" Offensive Rookie of the Year, I would like to point out Cam Newton's stats from last season.

If you can just focus in on the 2011 statistics, the year Newton won the award, Luck's numbers besides the rushing would beat Newton's, Wilson's would almost match his, and Griffin's would surpass Newton. This was the best draft class of the decade and unfortunately for two men, they will not win the award they would have received in any other year.

If you have been following my words, you can guess who I have as Sportacular Sport's Rookie of the Year. This has been an excellent season and I cannot wait for the 3 rooks to play in the playoffs. I'll honor Russell Wilson as the best steal of the draft. In addition, if this was an MVP race, Luck would win. Unfortunately it is not, and Sportacular Sport's Rookie of the Year is....

Robert Griffin III

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

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.