NFL Week 4 Predictions

Just like some teams in the NFL, my predictions are an up and down fiasco.  After a rough week 2 going 7-9 I rebounded with an 11-5 week mark.  This is our first bye week of the season and six teams will be off in week number 4 including the impressive 3-0 Cincinnati Bengals.  Let's not waste any more time, here are my week 4 predictions.

Giants (1-2) @ Redskins (1-2)
Both team are in desperate need of a win with the way Philadelphia is playing.  Kirk Cousins played great last week putting up huge numbers.  Short weeks always favor the home side, should be the same here, Cousins could be gaining more steam as the Redskins QB.
PREDICTION: Redskins

Bills (2-1) @ Texans (2-1)
I wanted to believe in the Bills but last week at home they looked bad against the San Diego Chargers.  Houston is playing over their heads right now and though I believe they will win, I don't think Houston can keep this good start going.
PREDICTION: Texans

Packers (1-2) @ Bears (2-1)
Green Bay is one of the frustrating teams of the 2014 season.  How they only managed 7 points against the Lions is still head scratching.  Chicago has 2 wins but not sure how impressive they are yet.  Green Bay needs this more than Chicago, Rodgers gets it right this week.
PREDICTION: Packers

Lions (2-1) @ Jets (1-2)
The Jets are the Jets, they probably had a good chance to beat the Bears last week, but Geno Smith's ineffectiveness led to a loss.  Its feels weird believing in the Lions, but its more stable than the Jets.
PREDICTION: Lions

Titans (1-2) @ Colts (1-2)
After a nice week 1 win I thought Tennessee might have a decent season but back to back tough losses have them in a little tailspin.  The Colts got right by playing Jacksonville, but then again which team doesn't.  Could be another cake walk for Andrew Luck and the Colts.
PREDICTION: Colts

Dolphins (1-2) @ Raiders (0-3)
Miami is another squad who had an impressive week 1 win but has since cooled off.  The Raiders have not looked good but that's not surprising to anyone.  Miami should get back to .500.
PREDICTION: Dolphins

Buccaneers (0-3) @ Steelers (2-1)
Tampa is off to a horrendous start, which is a little surprising I thought Tampa would put up a little more fight.  Pittsburgh is coming off a demolition of the Carolina Panthers and this week shouldnt be any different.
PREDICTIONS: Steelers

Panthers (2-1) @ Ravens (2-1)
Steve Smith Sr. playing against his former team should be must see TV.  Especially since Smith is playing some really good football with the Ravens.  Friendly suggestion, if you have Steve Smith Sr. on your fantasy team you might want to play him this week.
PREDICTION: Ravens

Jaguars (0-3) @ Chargers (2-1)
Unfortunately, every week Jacksonville plays I'm going to predict a big win for the opposition.  No difference this week, San Diego big in this one.  Although I do like that Bortles will be the starter for the rest of the season.
PREDICTION: Chargers

Falcons (2-1) @ Vikings (1-2)
The Vikings have been all over the headlines but not because of football.  Teddy Bridewater is now the guy after Matt Cassel went down with an injury.  Atlanta destroyed Tampa 10 days ago, giving the Falcons extra time to prepare could be dangerous for Minnesota.
PREDICTION: Falcons

Eagles (3-0) @ 49ers (1-2)
San Francisco is in desperate need of a win after losing to the Cardinals last week.  Philly has been a pleasant surprise to start the season.  Philly however has had to overcome at least a 10 point deficit in every game, eventually that's going to catch up to them.  SF can't afford to start 0-2 in their brand new stadium.
PREDICTION: 49ers

Saints (1-2) @ Cowboys (2-1)
New Orleans is better than their 1-2 record and I don't think Dallas is as good as their 2-1 record.  I like to think that Drew Brees and the Saints offense will have a field day with Dallas' poor defense.
PREDICTION: Saints

Patriots (2-1) @ Chiefs (1-2)
So far it doesn't look like the same old Patriots despite the 2-1 start, and their struggles against Oakland last week raised some eyebrows.  KC got a much needed win over Miami last week who have given New England its only loss this season, so because of that, why not I like KC at home on Monday night.
PREDICTION: Chiefs

Week 3 Record: 11-5

Overall Season Record: 29-19

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NFL Week 3 Predictions

Well, last week was a rough one as far as predictions go.  After a pretty strong 11-5 in week 1, last week was a very sub par 7-9.  Just goes to show you that there probably isn't any tougher sport to predict than the National Football League.  Ill try my best to rebound, hopefully any of you who read these don't bet, you could lose a lot of money.

Buccaneers (0-2) @ Falcons (1-1)
Its been a tough start for the Buccs to begin 2014, especially last weeks lost to a Rams team on their third string quarterback.  Minor setback for the Falcons in week 2, this should be a get good week for them at home.
PREDICTION: Falcons

Chargers (1-1) @ Bills (2-0)
Both teams coming off impressive week 2 wins.  Buffalo went to 2-0 after beating the Dolphins at home while San Diego figured out Seattle's vaunted defense.  Buffalo may have the slight edge with San Diego traveling cross country.  The Bills at 3-0??? That's what I'm predicting.
PREDICTION: Bills

Titans (1-1) @ Bengals (2-0)
The titans had the most head scratching week 2 games.  Coming off a huge win in KC, they come home only to lose to what I feel is a mediocre Dallas squad.  Cincy has had two nice wins to begin the season and may be the team to beat when it comes to the AFC North.
PREDICTION: Bengals

Ravens (1-1) @ Browns (1-1)
Baltimore had a nice win over Pittsburgh and the team, especially the offense looked totally different.  Cleveland had maybe the shocker of week 2 sending the Saints to an 0-2 start.  Cleveland will be pumped with Baltimore coming to town, but the extra rest should play in Baltimore's favor.
PREDICTION: Ravens

Cowboys (1-1) @ Rams (1-1)
Dallas had a nice rebound win in Tennessee last week that they desperately needed.  I'm still not sure how St. Louis won, maybe the Buccs are worse than I thought.  Cowboys should win easily, but then again it is the Cowboys.
PREDICTION: Cowboys

Packers (1-1) @ Lions (1-1)
Green Bay's offense woke up last week against the Jets and showed what they were capable of.  Detroit disappointed last week after an impressive week 1 win over the Giants.  Green Bay will start the show it's dominance over the NFC North.
PREDICTION: Packers

Colts (0-2) @ Jaguars (0-2)
Didn't really expect this to be a game of two 0-2 squads.  The Colts have played pretty well in the first 2 games but are scoreless in the win column.  Jacksonville is well Jacksonville and you wonder when they make the move to start Blake Bortles.
PREDICTION: Colts

Raiders (0-2) @ Patriots (1-1)
Not really much to say about this one.  The only way I see New England losing is if somehow Tm Brady and Rob Gronkowski don't play.  Even then it would be tough for Oakland to win.
PREDICTION: Patriots

Vikings (1-1) @ Saints (0-2)
A lot or turmoil swirling around the Minnesota Vikings this week, who know have made the decision not to play Adrian Peterson.  That and the fact they are playing a team desperate for a win, could be a long day for the Vikings.
PREDICTION: Saints

Texans (2-0) @ Giants (0-2)
Well, I wont make the same mistake this week.  I thought maybe the Giants would play a tad bit better at home but boy was I mistaken.  Along side the Bills, Houston is a pleasant surprise to start the 2014 season.
PREDICTION: Texans 

Redskins (1-1) @ Eagles (2-0)
The Kirk Cousins era has begun in Washington.  And though I believe Cousins will do extremely well for the Redskins, the Eagles are playing great football right now, should be an entertaining game.
PREDICTION: Eagles

49ers (1-1) @ Cardinals (2-0)
Another surprising 2-0 squad in the Cardinals play hot to a division rival who's first game in their new stadium didn't end the way they had hoped.  San Francisco is too good of a team to lose 2 in a row.
PREDICTION: 49ers

Broncos (2-0) @ Seahawks (1-1)
It's Super Bowl rematch time!  Denver is 2-0 but I see flaws in their game, especially on defense.  The Hawks are practically unbeatable at home, so unfortunately for Denver fans you wont get your revenge on this day.
PREDICTION: Seahawks

Chiefs (0-2) @ Dolphins (1-1)
Both teams are coming off week 2 losses.  KC had Denver on the brink while Miami was handled by Buffalo.  Kansas City needs this win if they want any chance at the playoffs, I feel they get it.
PREDICTION: Chiefs

Steelers (1-1) @ Panthers (2-0)
Plain and simple the Steelers looked bad last week in Baltimore.  The defense looked old and the offense looked lost.  The Panthers can win with Cam Newton and without him.  Might be a long night for Steeler nation.
PREDICTION: Panthers

Bears (1-1) @ Jets (1-1)
Big props to the Bears for the huge win in San Francisco,  The Jets are probably lucky they arent 0-2.  Chicago wins this one big.
PREDICTION: Bears

Week 2 Record: 7-9

Overall Season Record: 18-14

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NFL Week 2 Predictions

Week 1 was a pretty good week, I went 11-5 in my picks.  It probably would've been better but with the typical first week upsets, its hard to pick the NFL anymore, but it sure is fun.  No more time to waste week 2 starts tonight lets get to it.

Steelers (1-0) @ Ravens (0-1)
The Ravens have had a tough week, not only losing to Cincinnati but the growing investigation into the Ray Rice scandal.  This may be a homer pick but I feel the Ravens have a strong performance tonight, because if they don't this season could start to spin out of control.
PREDICTION: Ravens

Falcons (1-0) @ Bengals (1-0)
Both of these teams had impressive week 1 wins over division opponents.  Only thing that worries me about Cincy was their lack of producing touchdowns.  Matt Ryan wont throw for over 400 yards again, but I don't think he'll need to.
PREDICTION: Falcons

Dolphins (1-0) @ Bills (1-0)
Another match up of surprising week 1 winners.  Miami shutout Brady and the Pats in the second half and Buffalo beat a talented Bears squad.  This could be a sleeper pick for potential game of the week.
PREDICTION: Bills

Saints (0-1) @ Browns (0-1)
Cleveland showed a ton of fight last week in Pittsburgh, but still came up with the loss.  New Orleans weren't able to out shoot Atlanta in their high scoring affair.  I find it hard to believe that New Orleans could drop to 0-2 on the season.
PREDICTION: Saints

Cowboys (0-1) @ Titans (1-0)
Week 1 was tough for the Cowboys, their stadium was taken over by 49er fans and Tony Romo threw 3 interceptions.  The Titans however looked very good in a first week upset over Kansas City.  Could be another long season for Cowboy fans.
PREDICTION: Titans

Lions (1-0) @ Panthers (1-0)
Detroit had an impressive, dominating performance against the Giants on Monday.  Carolina also got a win and Cam Newton should be ready to suit up on Sunday, good for the Panthers but you got to believe he'll be a tad bit rusty.
PREDICTION: Lions

Patriots (0-1) @ Vikings (1-0)
I don't hang a lot on Minnesota's win over St. Louis in week 1, they are a dumpster fire right now.  New England had a rare week 1 loss, kind of like New Orleans, I can't fathom a legitimate Super Bowl contender dropping to 0-2.
PREDICTION: Patriots

Cardinals (1-0) @ Giants (0-1)
This might be my craziest pick of the week.  The Giants looked awful in week 1, Eli Manning only completed about 50% of his passes and threw 2 picks.  No reason to think they can rebound but maybe the home crowd throws some much needed energy their way.
PREDICTION: Giants

Jaguars (0-1) @ Redskins (0-1)
I have to give kudos to the Jags, they took a big lead on Philly and had them on the ropes for most of the game in week 1.  Washington looked bad, RGIII needs to start playing better because if he throws up another stinker against the Jags, trouble will be a brewing.
PREDICTION: Redskins

Rams (0-1) @ Buccaneers (0-1)
Not much to build on with either of these teams after week 1.  St. Louis will continue to struggle with no answer at QB.  Tampa should be better and with this game at home, definitely have to give the edge to them.
PREDICTION: Buccaneers

Seahawks (1-0) @ Chargers (0-1)
Seattle looked like they were ready to successfully defend their Super Bowl championship with the opening nigh demolition of Green Bay.  Things probably wont end well for San Diego here but I guess anything is possible.
PREDICTION: Seahawks

Chiefs (0-1) @ Broncos (1-0)
Not a good week for Kansas City to try and get their first win of 2014.  Jamaal Charles was a complete non factor in their week 1 loss.  That can't happen again if they want any chance of beating Denver.
PREDICTION: Broncos

Jets (1-0) @ Packers (0-1)
Yes, the Jets won their opener but it was a very sloppy performance and it was against the lowly Oakland Raiders.  Last week for the Packers was just a minor speed bump in their season, we see the typical Aaron Rodgers this week.
PREDICTION: Packers

Texans (1-0) @ Raiders (0-1)
Tough break for the Texans to not have Clowney for the next month or so, even worse that he blamed his injury on the NRG Stadium turf.  I liked what I saw from Derek Carr in week 1 but it will still be a season's worth of growing pains for him and the Raiders.
PREDICTION: Texans

Bears (0-1) @ 49ers (1-0)
San Francisco opens it's new stadium coming off an impressive win at "Jerry's World" last week.  Chicago might be one of the most disappointing teams from week 1.  Too much emotion in the stands for this nationally televised game for Chicago to overcome.
PREDICTION: 49ers

Eagles (1-0) @ Colts (0-1)
Both teams mounted huge comebacks in their week 1 battles.  One succeeded, and one did not.  Indianapolis is a dark horse pick for a Super Bowl this season, that pick could take a huge hit with an 0-2 start.
PREDICTION: Colts

Week 1 Record: 11-5

Season Record: 11-5

Dont forget to follow me on the twitter @AndySnaks, and happy football watching everybody.

2014 NFL Week 1 Wrap Up

Week 1 of the NFL season is officially over.  There was some great games some mild surprises and an unfortunate story that occurred off the field, that wont go away any time soon.  This post however will be about every thing that happened on the field of play.  So, here are my top 5 and worst 5 performances of Week 1.

TOP 5 BEST OF WEEK 1:

1) Seattle Seahawks - It's hard to include an entire team unless you saw what the Seahawks did on Thursday night.  Seattle looked like they were ready to pick up right where they left off from last season in their domination of Green Bay.

2) Matt Ryan - 448 yards passing 3 TDs - Matty Ice as people like to call him looked fantastic on Sunday.  It probably helped that Jones and White were healthy and if he can look half as good as he did on Sunday, the Falcons will be tough to beat this season.

3) Knowshon Moreno - 134 yards rushing 1 TD - Nice little debut for Moreno with his new club, as he helped the Dolphins provide one of the surprising results of the opening weekend.

4) Calvin Johnson - 7 rec 164 yards 2 TDs - No doubt about it, Calvin Johnson is the best wide receiver in football.  This stat line seems like a ho-hum performance for him.

5) Derek Anderson - 230 yards passing 2 TDs - Numbers dont necessarily jump out at you but to win a game on the road against a division opponent, as a back up, pretty impressive.

TOP 5 WORST OF WEEK 1:

1) Tony Romo - 3 INTs - Sorry Cowboys fans but Romo looked bad against the 49ers.  Also totally unrelated but what was with all the red in the crowd almost seemed like a niner home game.

2) Ravens WRs - I probably noticed this because i watched the whole game but there were way too many dropped passes, at least 4 by newcomer Steve Smith.  Even with all the drops Flacco still threw for 345 yards.

3) Rams QB Situation - Sam Bradford lost for the season and Shaun Hill injured in week 1.  With those issues the Rams could only muster 6 points at home, going to be a long season in St. Louis.

4) Jamaal Charles - 19  yards rushing, 15 yards receiving - For a guy who is considered one of the top running backs in the league and game with that stat line is completely unacceptable.

5) Eli Manning - 163 yards passing 2 INTs - Since 2004, Manning has thrown at least 2 interceptions in a game 47 times, more than any other QB during that time span.

Week 1 is officially done and now since the NFL has to have a Thursday night game all season.  Week 2 is right around the corner and so are my predictions.  Follow me on the twitter @AndySnaks.

NFL Week 1 Predictions

It's that time again the NFL season is finally here.  And like every other season before that predictions need to be made.  So I'm not going to waste anymore time, here is how I think Week 1 will pan out.

Packers @ Seahawks
The Thursday night game gives a potential NFC Championship game preview.  I have high hopes for both of these teams but tonight is Seattle's night.  I expect a high scoring entertaining game but one that sees the defending champs edge the Packers.
PREDICTION: Seahawks

Saints @ Falcons
Unfortunately for Saints fans most of the pre season was spent on whether or not Jimmy Graham is a WR or a TE, and it sort of took away from how good this team really is.  Atlanta looks to have a bounce back season and should with Jones and White both healthy.  However the Saints are the class of this division and should win this game, perhaps by double digits.
PREDICTION: Saints

Bills @ Bears
The Chicago Bears have the potential to be one of the most explosive offenses in all of football.  It will however like it always does rest on the arm of Jay Cutler, which isn't a sure thing.  Not much going on in Buffalo, although if Sammy Watkins can stay healthy, he's my early choice for offensive rookie of the year.
PREDICTION: Bears

Bengals @ Ravens
This might be one of the tougher games to pick for me.  The Ravens new look offense might take a couple weeks to gel, and with no Ray Rice for the first two games no way to predict what they get out of their running game.  The Bengals right now are the better team but they haven't won in Baltimore since 2009.  It pains me to say but I think the Bengals take this in a close one, FG or less.
PREDICTION: Bengals

Browns @ Steelers
I cant help but think that the only thing Browns fans care about is how quickly Johnny Manziel takes over the starting job from Brian Hoyer.  Luckily for the Browns this game is on the road because even the slightest mistakes and the Cleveland faithful would turn quick on Mr Hoyer.
PREDICTION: Steelers

Titans @ Chiefs
It will be interesting to see if the Chiefs can build on their 11-5 mark of a year ago.  They just signed Alex Smith to an extension and Jamaal Charles is a top 5 running back in the NFL.  With having one of the best home field advantages in football on their side, cant say I expect much of a fight from Tennessee.
PREDICTION: Chiefs

Raiders @ Jets
Cant imagine even the fans of these two teams want to watch this game.  I guess there is one intriguing aspect, two very young QBs.  Geno Smith beat out Michael Vick for the Jets, and for once Oakland made the right move in going with Derek Carr.  Honestly, whoever the home team was in this game that's who I was going with.
PREDICTION: Jets

Vikings @ Rams
Another game that brings lackluster interest, well at least to me it does.  Shaun Hill will quarterback the Rams after another injury to Sam Bradford.  Matt Cassell on the other side isn't much better but if Adrian Peterson is ready to go it might be a long day for the Rams.
PREDICTION: Vikings

Patriots @ Dolphins
As much as it pains me to say I really don't see anyone in the AFC East, really putting a scare into the New England Patriots.  Rob Gronkowski said he's good to go for the opener, might not be much of a factor in week 1 but it should be enough.
PREDICTION: Patriots

Jaguars @ Eagles
This game has the potential to be the blowout of the week.  The Eagles look to repeat as NFC East champs while Jacksonville just cant seem to get out of its own way.  Why Blake Bortles isn't starting Week 1 is a complete mystery to me.  Good luck with Chad Henne.
PREDICTION: Eagles

Redskins @ Texans
If you are a Redskins fan you are probably going to be holding your breath this entire game.  JJ Watt and Jadeveon Clowney chasing RGIII all day.  I still like the Redskins in this match up but it wont be easy or pretty.
PREDICTION: Redskins

49ers @ Cowboys
This game should be fun.  The Niners are favorites once again to compete for a Super Bowl.  The Cowboys offense is always fun to watch and with some key pieces missing from the 49ers D, the Cowboys should be able to put some points up.  Unfortunately I don't see them stopping San Francisco too often.
PREDICTION: 49ers

Panthers @ Buccaneers
Cam Newton lost so much of his help this past off season.  I guess there is one good thing that will come out of this, we'll be able to see just how good Newton is.  Tampa will be better and Mike Evans could potentially have a good year.
PREDICTION: Panthers

Colts @ Broncos
The road to redemption starts for the Denver Broncos.  Although they did suffer a blow not having Wes Welker for the first 4 games, Peyton will be Peyton.  The Colts have a really good team but they will struggle in the tough week 1 match up.
PREDICTION: Broncos

Giants @ Lions
Im setting the over/under for interceptions in this game at 10.  Two of the most turnover prone QBs in the league take center stage on Monday night.  If nothing else it should be really entertaining.
PREDICTION: Lions

Chargers @ Cardinals
Week 1 ends with a pretty intriguing game of two teams looking to take the next step.  Carson Palmer and Phillip Rivers had bounce back type seasons in 2013.  I feel the Cardinals take this one at home, but it could be a good year for both teams.
PREDICTIONS: Cardinals

Well that's it for my week 1 predictions, you can follow me on the twitter @AndySnaks and Happy Opening Week!!

Tim Tebow is Vince Young 2.0

This NFL season one person/story has dominated the headlines more than any other, Tim Tebow. Whether its a website being created in honor of his post game celebration, or the numerous opinions of how good he can be, its been TebowMania in 2011. I am in the majority by saying Tim Tebow might be one of the worst throwing quarterbacks ive ever seen. I dont feel Tebow will ever be that franchise QB, but despite how I feel the guy is a winner. So while watching the debacle of the Philadelphia Eagles last night it got me thinking. Tim Tebow is the next Vince Young.

The first obvious similarity between the two men is just their style of play. Im willing to bet that most experts would say that neither is great at passing but both are good running quarterbacks. Even looking back at their college careers its eerie how similar they are. Both Young and Tebow are cult heroes on their respective campuses.

First to VY, Young was an amazing 30-2 as a starter at Texas. Young threw for over 6,000 yards at Texas while also running for over 3,000. His postseason success speaks for itself. Young might have had not only the best two Rose Bowls in history but maybe but Bowl games period. After the 2005 season Young led Texas over Michigan 38-37. Young had 180 yards passing, 192 yards rushing and 5 total Touchdowns. Hard to top that performance right? wrong. The next year on the same field only this time for the National Championship, Young threw for 267 yards ran for 200 with 3 touchdowns it what was maybe the greatest college football game ever. After that kind of career its no wonder why he was drafted third overall in 2006.

Now for Tim Tebow and honestly what can you can that hasnt already been said. For most of his freshman season he was used as a "wildcat" QB as the Gators won the National Championship. He was named starter before his sophomore season and the rest you can say is history. Even though he was never known as a passer Tebow had over 9,000 yards passing with 88 TDs. Rushing wise Tebow had over 2,900 yards, and in 2007 he had a then record of 23 rushing TDs for a quarterback. As for his postseason success, also very good. Tebow won 2 SEC Championships, 2 National Championships and was 2-1 in Bowl Games as a starter. And of course lets not forget the Heisman Trophy in 2007.

Now as far as their NFL careers go, not a lot to compare but still some similarities. As earlier mentioned neither is considered a "traditional" QB. Yet both men sport winning records as starting quarterbacks, Young is 31-19, Tebow is 6-3. Both Tebow and Young have given us jaw dropping moments that kept us on the edge of our seats. We all know what Tebow has pulled off in 2011, but VY was also exciting. Remember this epic run in his return to Texas http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUukfA5ugtI&feature=related. Despite the great record and awesome moments Young's stats are not those of a franchise QB. Young has only 8900 yards passing and has thrown more INTs than TDs. Tebow's stats also leave something to be desired with under a 50 percent completion percentage, and he averages just 83 yards passing a game.

Now we all know that Vince Young has had some off the field maturity issues and this is the one main difference I see in the two men. I doubt Tebow will get into a bar fight if someone disses Florida, in fact i doubt Tebow even goes to bars. But as far as the career arches go, they are almost identical. Both men have given us thrilling end of the game moments. Both quarterbacks just know how to win football games. Depending on who you talk to both players are sub par quarterbacks. Now only time will tell if Tebow will turn into a backup like Young has in his career, but if I were a betting man id say Tebow is destined to be the next Vince Young.

Follow Me on Twitter https://twitter.com/#!/AndySnakovsky

Ravens Offensive woes have wasted Ray Lewis' career

Living here in Baltimore and being a Ravens fan it has been surprisingly stressful. Since 2000 the Ravens have only had three losing seasons, they have gone to the playoffs seven times, won a division title, two AFC Championship game appearances and a Super Bowl title. Not much to complain about right, well as Lee Corso would say 'not so fast my friend'. As good as this decade run has been believe it or not it could or really should have been better. During that run we in Baltimore have witnessed maybe the most consistent and dominant defense in NFL history. A defense that currently has two sure fire hall of famers and maybe a third with Haloti Ngata. As awesome as the defense has been the offense has been just as bad and at times has held this team back from achieving true greatness. Monday nights debacle was unfortunately a tough reminder of how the Ravens inability to build an offense has wasted the career of maybe the best defensive player in NFL history.

There is a new show on ESPN called Numbers Never Lie, so what better way to show you how far apart these two units are than by the numbers. The Ravens have always been known for their great defense and when you look at the two most important categories (Yards allowed and Points allowed), they are truly elite. Since 1999 the Ravens have ranked in the top 10 in those two categories every year except for 3 occasions. During that same time the Ravens offense has ranked in the top 10 only twice in those same categories. Its easy to say that the O has always been in the shadow of the defense. For the most part the talent of that side of the ball has been terrible. I don't have to remind the Ravens fans of the Kyle Boller era. Really for that stretch our offense was Jamal and Heap and that was it. Its not just Boller though that was a huge disappointment. The Ravens drafted guys like Travis Taylor and Mark Clayton and most of their offensive draft picks have been busts. Ozzie Newsome is a great GM but for some reason finding an offense that works has been a struggle during his tenure.

Despite all the failures I actually like the pieces the Ravens have on offense this season. Joe Flacco, for all the crap he gets in this town I believe is more than capable of leading this team to a championship. Which makes Monday's embarrassing performance even more head scratching and disappointing. So whats the problem with this offense, is Joe not ready to be the leader? is Cam Cameron the problem? I wish I could answer it and so does all of Baltimore. The Ravens defense has allowed 13.8 points a game so far this year. That essentially means they need the offense to score 14-17 points per game, not a lot, no reason they shouldn't be 6-0. Most offenses can do that so why cant the Ravens?

Now back to my original point and the title of this entry. I don't want people to take this in the wrong way. Regardless of how many rings Lewis wins most will say he is at least the best linebacker to ever play, and hes in the conversation for best defensive player ever. Maybe 'waste' isn't the right word but if you can think of better one throw it out there. If you took the Colts offense of the past decade and put it with this Ravens defense tell me they wouldn't have won multiple championships. Try all you can to refute it but you cant, this offense has prevented the best linebacker from being a multiple champion. The Ravens should be ashamed that they haven't been able to put together more than a mediocre offense to counter their legendary defense.

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2011 NFL Week 1 Wrap Up

That warm fuzzy feeling of having football hasn't quite worn off yet. We had an awesome opening weekend and before i get to my top and worst 5 of the week a few things about the week. Was it me or was there a lot of blowouts in week 1? The least surprising was the Colts losing to Houston 34-7, life without Manning may be uglier than previously thought. Philadelphia manhandled St. Louis not much of a surprise especially with the injuries they suffered in the first game. The two most surprising happened in Baltimore and Kansas City. First the Bills just rolled over the Chiefs 41-7, Ryan Fitzpatrick might have made a case to be the long term starter. The Ravens exercised some demons by totally dominating their arch rival Pittsburgh 35-7, quite head-scratching especially with the way this game is usually played. Tom Brady is still Tom Brady and the Chargers almost got off to another slow start. So that's about all i got lets go into my top 5 and worst 5 of Week number 1.

TOP 5 BEST OF WEEK 1
1) Tom Brady--32 for 48, 517 yards and 4 TDs-- Well it was only one game but Tom Brady looked to be in mid season form. Not exactly what the rest of the AFC east wanted to see out of Brady in Week 1.

2) Ryan Fitzpatrick--17 for 25, 208 yards and 4 TDs-- The Harvard grad made the Chiefs look bad in Kansas City. Again hard to take a lot out of week 1 but maybe the Bills will make some noise in 2011.

3) Ravens Defense--4 Sacks, 3 Ints, 4 Fumble recoveries-- The Baltimore defense completely dominated Pittsburgh, no other way to explain it. They got over the one hurdle they needed too, now they have to build on it.

4) Cam Newton--24 for 37, 422 yards and 2 TDs-- Cant really ask for a much better debut than this. Granted it was against the Cardinals but there is finally hope at the QB position in Carolina.

5) Ted Ginn--102 yard Kickoff and 55 yard Punt return for TDs-- Anytime you have 2 returns for touchdowns its impressive. Ginn turned a 19-17 49ers lead into a 33-17 blowout opening day win.

TOP 5 WORST OF WEEK 1
1) Ben Roethlisberger--3 INTs and 2 Lost Fumbles-- This could've very well been the worst game of his career. Big Ben looked lost against the Ravens but Pittsburgh shouldn't be worried, he will rebound against Seattle.

2) Donovan McNabb--39 yards passing-- Its tough to win games when you cant throw for more than 40 yards. I don't know whats worse McNabb's stat line or the fact that San Diego trailed for most of the game to a QB who only had 39 yards passing.

3) Chris Johnson--9 carries for 24 yards-- Johnson was made one of the highest paid players in the NFL after a holdout. Not the season debut you're looking for by your franchise player.

4) Kerry Collins--16 for 31, 197 yards 1 TD-- I hate to keep piling on the Colts but was the week 1 beat down they received really that surprising. Collins did the best he could but he retired for a reason, going to be a long year in Indianapolis.

5) Kansas City Chiefs-- Nothing went right for the Chiefs on opening weekend. Matt Cassel barely had 100 yards, Jamaal Charles was a non-factor and they gave up 41 points to the Bills at home. Not the way a division winner wants to start the season.

Well that's it for Week 1, and week 2 is right around the corner, stay tuned for my week 2 predictions.

2011 NFL WEEK 1 PREDICTIONS

FOOTBALL IS BACK!!!!! Especially for people in Baltimore this is glorious. No need to talk anymore about it lets get into the predicting.

Saints @ Packers
An awesome way to start the season with the last 2 super bowl champions. This game may also be a preview for this years NFC Championship game. Neither team went crazy in the off season as in free agent pick ups, but they didn't have to. I give the slight edge to the Packers just for opening the season at home.

PREDICTION: PACKERS

Falcons @ Bears

Chicago fans don't want to remember how last season ended and I'm sure Jay Cutler wants to erase the stigma of him quiting on his team. Unfortunately for da Bears they open against another team who should compete for the NFC Title. I love the draft pick Julio Jones from Alabama for Atlanta, but their defense still has question marks. Still they should have enough to pull this one out on the road.

PREDICTION: FALCONS

Bills @ Chiefs
This game might be one of the few that you couldn't pay me to watch. Buffalo is not very good and the Chiefs will be without their starting QB Matt Cassel. Even with Cassel on the bench the Chiefs are just a much better team, don't like the Bills chances here.

PREDICTION: CHIEFS

Steelers @ Ravens

This is the game of the week and while id rather watch this game more towards the end of the season it doesn't make any less anticipated. The Ravens added many new members that quite frankly we just don't know how they will perform. The Steeelers are well the Steelers, this game should be like any other between the two. The Ravens need this more than Pittsburgh.

PREDICTION: RAVENS

Bengals @ Browns

I know it was only preseason but Colt McCoy looked really good and might be the long term solution at QB for Cleveland. Ill be interested to see what Peyton Hillis does this year after his breakout 2010. Cincinnati is in for a long season, Palmer retired, Ocho Cinco is in New England, Jonathan Joseph is in Houston, in other words a lot of key parts are gone. Cleveland should roll in this one.

PREDICTION: BROWNS

Eagles @ Rams

So here it is the debut of the DREAM TEAM!!! Actually i could care less but if i were the Eagles id get off to a strong start after all the preseason hype. For St. Louis they were unable to win a division last year where the winner went 7-9, however Sam Bradford looks to be the real deal. St. Louis should win the west but week 1 will be a struggle.

PREDICTION: EAGLES

Lions @ Buccaneers

Tampa is coming off a surprising 10 win season of a year ago. Quarterback Josh Freeman is quickly becoming one of the best young guns in the game. Detroit is an interesting team as to most they are a sleeper, i like them to as long as their QB stays healthy. A healthy Stafford, Calvin Johnson and the defensive duo of Suh and Fairley, Detroit can definitely turn some head in 2011.

PREDICTION: LIONS

Titans @ Jaguars

Neither of these two teams excite me and they should be among the also rans in the AFC. I was leaning towards Jacksonville then they decided to cut David Garrard. No offense but if your QB is Luke McCown you're not going to win many football games.

PREDICTION: TITANS

Colts @ Texans

This week the headline that has dominated has been Peyton Manning not being able to make the start in week 1. I don't think I'm alone in saying that the Colts are a much different team without number 18. If Houston does not take advantage of this they might never win this division while Manning is still in the league.

PREDICTION: TEXANS

Panthers @ Cardinals

This is the game of debuts, Cam Newton's as an NFL player and Kevin Kolb's for a new team. For that reason it makes this game interesting, other than that maybe seeing Todd Heap in a Cardinals jersey, but that will be more weird that interesting.

PREDICTION: CARDINALS

Vikings @ Chargers
Another debut in this one, Donovan McNabb will be wearing purple for the first time in his career. Having Peterson in his backfield will help him transition into the Vikings. As for San Diego lot of love for this team and i just don't see it maybe I'm blind. I like San Diego in this game but wouldn't be surprised if Minnesota won.

PREDICTION: CHARGERS

Seahawks @ 49ers

Do you like awful quarterbacks? Do like watching this game being performed at a sub-par level? Well then this is the game for you. Tavaris Jackson vs. Alex Smith, enough said.

PREDICTION: 49ERS

Giants @ Redskins

This is another game in my opinion that wont be much of one. The Redskins decided to go with Rex Grossman as their QB, which i don't understand but that's why i don't coach i suppose. New York has lost some pieces but i still like their makeup, Giants big in this one.

PREDICTION: GIANTS

Cowboys @ Jets

Two of the most annoying people in the NFL will be in this game, and neither one will be wearing a helmet. Rob Ryan vs. Rex Ryan, both do nothing but talk and it bothers me. As for the game the Jets should once again be in the running for an AFC Title, the Cowboys could make a huge statement if they can pull off the upset.

PREDICTION: JETS

Patriots @ Dolphins

Who decided this would be a good way to open the Monday night schedule. Miami fans were chanting for a guy who wasn't on the trade block, and Reggie Bush is their number 1 back. New England was putting up 50 points in the preseason, going to be a long night for the Dolphins.

PREDICTION: PATRIOTS

Raiders @ Broncos

There was more talk in Denver about Tim Tebow being the starter than anything else. Lets just say Orton is the right choice. I like Oakland but with no Nnamdi Denver should have a field day with the Raiders secondary.

PREDICTION: BRONCOS

So thats it for Week 1 and again thank god for football being back.

Follow me on the Twitter http://twitter.com/#!/AndySnakovsky

Cutler Saga Continues

After a few months of bickering between the Denver Broncos and Jay Cutler it seems the disgruntled quarterback will get his way and the Broncos will be looking at offers for Cutler. This all started when reports surfaced that the Broncos were considering a trade to bring in Matt Cassel. Now i do think that the Broncos were stupid to want to get rid of Cutler but Cutler has acted like a whiny little baby. Cutler needs to realise that pro football is nothing more than a business and to prove that here is a list of great quarterbacks to be traded.

Johnny Unitas---Traded from Colts to Chargers in 1973
Joe Montana---Traded from 49ers to Chiefs in 1993
Ken Stabler---Traded from Raiders to Oilers in 1980
Fran Tarkenton--Traded Twice once to the Giants, then back to the Vikings
John Elway---Traded from Colts to Broncos (Granted circumstances were different but still hall of fame quarterback traded)
Brett Favre---Traded from Falcons to Packers in 1992
Steve Young---Traded from Buccaneers to 49ers in 1987

So this list if nothing else shows that Hall of Fame or future Hall of Fame quarterbacks get traded and Cutler should not take this so personally. But it is obvious that this relationship is beyond repair. And if or when this trade happens then the finger pointing will begin, was the Broncos new head coach fault for running the quarterback out of town or will Cutler be looked at nothing more than a whiner.

Brett Favre calls it a career.....again.

Today Brett Favre let it be known that his NFL career was officially over. Unfortunately because of the chaos of last off season i don't quite believe him. Last year he had the teary eyed press conference saying that he was done playing football. Within a month he claimed he was getting the itch to play again. Thinking it would pass the Packers moved on with Aaron Rodgers as their future quarterback. Then all hell broke loose, it quickly became a he said, he said thing between Favre and the Packers. The Packers went as far as willing to pay $25 million for Favre to stay home. Finally Favre got his way and he was traded to the Jets making the Packers look like the bad guys. And though i don't think Favre damaged his legacy with last years actions it definitely took a hit. He went from being every body's favorite son to looking a bit selfish. And even if Favre didn't say it you have to wonder if the comments made by some of his Jets teammates persuaded Favre to step down. Whatever the reason i truly do hope this is the end of what was a tremendous career. But i just have a uneasy feeling that in a month or two we will get reports of Favre wanting to play one more year. And if that does happen Favre may lose more of his huge fan base and maybe even a little respect. So if this is the end see you in Canton in 5 years Brett.