Sports October 23, 2011

I know Christian Ponder managed to keep the Vikings in the game against the Packers (even with 2 interceptions and a low completion percentage), I don't think the Vikings made the right decision by starting him against what looks like the greatest team of all time (they've won 12 straight including last regular and post season). Starting a rookie under those conditions is never good, especially when playing a division rival. I know the season is pretty much lost for the Vikings, but this was not the right time to use Ponder. A better time would be later in the season, maybe against another rebuilding team, to build confidence. After all, Ponder definitely has the talent, but only needs confidence to become a good quarterback. Over the last few seasons, the Vikings have been a good team when they have had good quarterback play, and developing a confident Christian Ponder is of vital importance. Donovan McNabb should have started today. Donovan is a veteran quaterback, and even though his skills are declining, has won big games in the past. He has also taken a good share of criticism in the past, and a little more can't tarnish his image.

The Colts also have a lost season, but for a different reason. They aren't winning because they lost their quarterback. People thought the Colts would be bad, but not this bad. It just goes to show you what an elite quarterback can actually do, and how good Peyton Manning actually is. Peyton makes the entire team better. The Colts receivers who used to be considered elite have had little to no production. The defensive players are also taking a hit. Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis, however good pass rushers they are, benefited greatly from Manning. The Colts almost always used to play with a lead, forcing the other team to throw the ball. Freeney and Mathis could then focus on rushing the passer, and get huge sacks. That aspect is now missing, and the Colts now play a lot of games from behind. A stable quarterback situation should fix that problem, but now that the rest of the team has been exposed, how will opposing teams view them?

The Raiders also lost their quarterback. The acquisition of Carson Palmer, once an elite college and NFL player, made many believe in that the Raiders would run away with the division. However, the more vital injury was to Darren McFadden, a potential MVP candidate and the NFL's leading rusher. McFadden was the Raider's offense with Jason Campbell at quarterback, and if he's out for a long time, his presence will be missed. Oakland frankly can't get by throwing the ball the entire game. The Raiders do have speedy receivers, but none of them are intimidating for an opposing defense. Their quarterbacks are also not as good as they have been in the past, hurting the Raider's chances. The AFC West may not be the best of divisions, but the Raiders have their work cut out for them.

Sports October 17, 2011

How about the Cardinals? A few weeks ago, most people thought they were done. Now, they're going to play in the World Series. How about that? The Cardinals run this year is a testamate to the baseball postseason system. In other sports, a lowly wild card team has little or no shot at all at going anywhere. In basketball and hockey, the lowest seeded team most often has a losing record. Even that team wins Game 1, the low seed has to win 3 out of 6 games, something that they failed to do consistently over the season. Plus, the odds are stacked against them against a team that is much deeper than they are. Football is different in that the lower seeds can have success and the one game, do or die makes it more possible for that team to thrive. However, recent postseasons have shown that the wild card teams in the NFL, the 5th and 6th seeds, are actually good teams that play in the same division as a 1st or 2nd seeded team and has competed with those teams for most of the year. The true low seed in the NFL is the 4th seed. When was the last time a 4th seed won the Super Bowl? Baseball, however, is a lot different. Only having 4 teams in the postseason makes a huge difference. Any team then can have a shot at only having to win 2 games, no matter how lowly they were seeded. A wild card making the World Series happens all the time. The Cardinals postseason run is therefore not as surprising as their regular season run. Even then, in the regular season, the Cards made the playoffs because the Braves collapsed. Sometimes, its better to be lucky than good.

I know the Texans are a lowly 3-3, but I think they are a much better team than that and still are my favorite to win the AFC South. I say this because the best toughest part of their schedule is behind them. Going 1-3 in the last 4 weeks having played the Saints, Steelers, Raiders, and Ravens is quite an accomplishment. Their schedule eases up after this, and the only real tests until the end of the season are against the Titans. True, a championship caliber team would probably fair better against other teams they could be competing against in the playoffs, beating any team is a confidence boost. Don't be surprised in the Texans finish the season 13-3, their schedule allows for it, and they definitely do have the potential. You never know, they can even ride it all the way to the Super Bowl.

There was a lot of hype about the Jets entering this season, and yes they beat the winless Dolphins, but they really don't look like the championship them they were billed as. Frankly, there is very little they can do. Against some of the good teams they have played, the Ravens, Raiders, and Patriots, they could do hardly anything. The Raiders pounded what was supposed to be an elite defense for 200+ yards, and the ground and pound took another hit when they couldn't run for over 40 yards against the Ravens. Their passing game did not fair well against the Ravens either. Their pass defense is good, but that isn't how they Jets want to win games. Of course, their Special Teams has been outstanding, but I no team has ever won on Special Teams alone. The Jets need to find answers, and quickly before this season falls out of control.