Let's start with the good news for Ohio/Cleveland sports fans first, shall we? That OSU win over Penn State was tremendous. Nick summed it up best for me when he txted, "I almost forgot what it was like to win a big game." That was a big one, no doubt, and Near-headless Nick and I will be in Ohio Stadium this Saturday to watch OSU clinch the Big Ten Championship and a trip to their first Rose Bowl since 1997. Playing their best football of the season, the Bucks look poised to trounce an Iowa Hawkeye club coming off a bad home loss to Northwestern and injury to quarterback Ricky Stanzi.
Lest you think I'm looking past michigan when I suggest this is for the Big 10 title, let me point out that even if OSU beats Iowa then somehow loses to Michigan, they'll still win out by virtue of holding tiebreakers over the conference's other two-loss schools (Iowa, Penn State, Wisconsin). Let me also point out that I'm totally looking past michigan because the Buckeyes are absolutely going to crush them. Just like last year, none of this "throw out the records" or "rivalry game" nonsense, just another beatdown courtesy of the Scarlet and Gray. But first: Iowa.
I loved the Buckeye fans in Beaver Stadium co-opting Penn State's "Seven Nation Army" chant at the end of their 24-7 victory in Happy Valley. Serves them right after all those moronic "We Are Penn State" cheers. I'm generally down with Penn State, and wish them success when they don't oppose Ohio State, but that cheer is so incredibly stupid.
Jim Tressel simply needs to stop punting from the other team's 35. I like Tressel a lot - great coach, great recruiter - but his in-game decisions are not the kind that win football games. Consider when OSU led 10-7 and faced a 3rd and 2 at the Penn State 38. Sneak Pryor, twice if necessary, and get a first down. How hard is this? I'm as anti-punt as Tressel is pro-punt; I really think if he used better 4th-down strategy, OSU would be even stronger and would very possibly have beaten UCS. But other than that, I think JT is doing an excellent job with the program.
That game was...well, it was not well-officiated. I'm a notorious referee apologist, but not on Saturday. Homan's late hit, in particular, was an absolutely embarrassing call. Clark slid so late that there was no way to hold up, though Homan tried. You can't make defenders afraid to tackle people. Ugh.
I commented to Figgs and Nick that the best part of the Buckeye win was that the Browns wouldn't be able to erase my good feelings from the game by losing 35-3 on Sunday. I just got to ride the Buckeye high for the rest of the weekend. Now that I think about it, I'll get to do so post-Iowa as well, since the Browns have a Monday nighter against Baltimore.
A Monday nighter that may well be blacked out locally, as roughly 3000 tickets remain. That's pathetic. Nothing could say more about how lousy this franchise has become than a blackout, considering how rabid our fan base is. I think the Browns will buy them up to avoid a blackout, but will they be able to do this all season? Awful. Incidentally, the NFL's blackout rule is one of the stupidest things I have ever seen in my life. So, your logic is that the way to boost fan interest is to restrict fans from watching the team? It's especially ridiculous considering how much of the league's revenue comes from TV. I mean, has anyone in the history of sports bought a ticket after seeing that a game would be blacked out? No. They just get pissed off at the stupid rule and stop caring about the NFL and their team. I really can't express in words how dumb this is.
Speaking of dumb, "Coach" Mangini has elected to once again keep secret the identity of the Browns' starting quarterback until Wednesday. What a loser. What is the point of this? For those who suspect that Quinn was being held out to avoid paying contract escalators that kick in if he takes 70% of the team's snaps, it's worth pointing out that if he takes every snap through the end of the year starting Monday, and the Browns run the same number of plays per quarter as they have so far (and that Quinn and Anderson took snaps at the same per-quarter rate so far), Quinn will take 65% of the team's snaps. So it can't be that anymore.
The Cavs are a pedestrian 4-3 so far, but that's not a concern for me. They're playing good defense, and I expect that the offense will play at a higher level once the new fellows (Jamario Moon, Anthony Parker, and Shaquille O'Neal) get integrated better. I see the Cavs winning 57 ths year, claiming about a three-seed, and making a run to the East Finals. Beyond that, I'm not so sure.
I've been out of town quite a bit and haven't seen much Cavs action, except for the Washington game. They really flipped a switch in the second half there and gave a taste of the sort of powerhouse they can be when motivated and clicking. I hope to see more of that club going forward. I'll try to provide more Cavs analysis as the season goes on.
Also: we have a baseball team in town called the Cleveland Indians.
Tuesday, November 10
Downtown Report
Saturday, November 7
NFL Picks: Week 9
The less said about last week, the better. I don't even have the heart to make a Browns vs the Bye Week joke.
Last week
Andy: 5-8
Figgs: 6-7
Nick: 6-7
Nick's Money Picks ($): 3-1
Year to date
Andy: 65-51
Figgs: 62-54
Nick: 59-57
Nick's Money Picks ($): 18-13
Nick's teaser: 2-3
Sunday games
1:00 pm kickoffs
FALCONS (-10) vs Redskins
Andy: As lousy as the 'Skins are and as solid as the ATL is at home, I'm surprised this isn't two touchdowns. If you get a chance, read Matt Taibbi's scathing piece on Washington owner Dan Snyder in Rolling Stone. Wow, that's aggressive. But seriously, after stripping head coach Jim Zorn of his playcalling duties, it's hard to take the Redskins seriously. Give me the Falcons.
Figgs: I see no reason not to stick with the ATL here.
Nick: Falcons. Love this one. The Skins don't have an offense capable of a late cover. ($)
BEARS (-3) vs Cardinals
Andy: I'm not sold on the Bears, as sloppy as they looked last week against the Browns and as furiously as they got pummeled by the Bengals. Nevertheless, I simply can't take the Cardinals on the road at 1 pm EST after they got smacked around at home by the Panthers. Chicago.
Figgs: Cards win by two touchdowns.
Nick: Cards. Thought about betting this one, but the Cards can be pretty two-faced.
BENGALS (+3) vs Ravens
Andy: The Bengals already got the Ravens in Baltimore in a game that I kept inadvertently watching during Browns/Bills because it looked like actual professional football teams playing. I hope Cincitucky does it again Sunday, and I'm backing them here with my selection. Nice little bonus that I get 3 points.
Figgs: I'm hoping for the Bungals, but I'm going with the ratbirds.
Nick: Ravens. Still don't have a 100% feel for either of these teams. The Ravens can run it up on bad teams, but what will they do against a good team like Cincy?
COLTS (-9) vs Texans
Andy: Yeah, the Colts have been terrific this year, despite a bit of a stumble against San Fiasco, racking up a 7-0 mark and an AFC-leading +106 differential. The Texans, though, have been playing pretty well and scoring serious points during their three-game win streak. Since they're currently 5-3, they'll lose to get back closer to .500, but they'll stay close. Houston.
Figgs: There's no way I can go against Peyton Manning right now.
Nick: I'm going Houston here because they usually play the Colts tough, plus they have an offense that's capable of providing a late cover.
PATRIOTS (-10.5) vs Dolphins
Andy: The Dolphins are frisky - give me all those points. They're one of those teams I feel like I haven't hit on all year, kinda like Arizona. I'm still taking Miami.
Figgs: Too many points, Fins.
Nick: I really like the Fish.
BUCS (+9.5) vs Packers
Andy: Green Bay, all day here. I'm excited about not having to give 10. The Packers are intriguing this year for basically the same reason they were last year: why don't these guys win more games? They're at +53 yet are only 4-3. I feel like this could be an elite team, but they just aren't winning enough games to qualify as such. Beating Tuberculosis by 17 points should make both stats look better.
Figgs: GB.
Nick: Packers. Can you imagine anyone deciding they were going to bet the 0-7 Bucs here? They're also the worst team in the league ATS, at 1-6. I had to give 10.5. ($)
JAGS (-6.5) vs Chieves
Andy: I feel like, by making a selection here, I'm somehow legitimizing this game. If I was a Congressman and this was a vote, I would abstain. Every second I keep writing this is time I could spend writing about better NFL games. I wish this spread was 7, but I'm still taking KC. If I find 7 on another site, I'm grabbing it.
Figgs: This is awful. I don't know, Jax.
Nick: Don't know what to expect from the Jags week to week, but I'll take them at home against a lousy KC team.
4:00 pm kickoffs
SAINTS (-13.5) vs Panthers
Andy: That cheap ATL cover from Monday night is really sticking with me, and I think it's sticking with Brees and the Saints as well. Sure, you're 7-0 with a NFL-leading +119 differential, but only 6-1 ATS? Come on. I hope Carolina enjoyed their day in the desert last weekend, because they're not going to have as much fun in the Superdome. Jake Delhomme against this opportunistic D? Nah. New Orleans.
Figgs: A lot of points, but I'm with Andy on this one. NO rolls.
Nick: I had a Saints explanation written up, but I'm going to do the unthinkable and change it to the Panthers. Carolina's won three of four, they ran the ball really well last week, and I think they can keep it within two touchdowns. Most of our picks are the same this week, which is boring. I'm going to roll the dice with the Panthers here. God help me.
SEAHAWKS (-10) vs Lions
Andy: You lose at home to the Rams, I pick against you the next week. Those are the rules, Detroit. The Seahawks aren't good, but at home they're this much better than the Lions.
Figgs: I was gonna go with Detroit, until I saw Andy's pick. I agree with those rules, Hawks.
Nick: I like what you guys said. Seahawks.
49ERS (-4) vs Titans
Andy: Tough pick for me here. I know it's not 2008, but I feel like throwing caution to the wind and getting back on the Titan Express. In fact, that's what I'm doing, in large part because VINCE YOUNG WINS FOOTBALL GAMES. Tennessee.
Figgs: I'm going with the Titans as well. They're much better than their 1-6 mark, and they prove that today.
Nick: Can't believe I'm doing this - Titans.
GIANTS (-4.5) vs Chargers
Andy: New Jersey NFC got kinda mediocre kinda fast, didn't they? I mean, that really got out of hand! I'm still annoyed by San Diago's pathetic non-cover against Oakland last week; then again, I picked the Giants and they got slammed by Philly, so no one's on my good side here. I'll be consistent and stick with the Giants.
Figgs: The Giants bounce back at home.
Nick: I feel like I should have jumped ship on the Giants last week, but I'll stick with them against the perennially overrated Chargers.
8:20 pm kickoff
EAGLES (-3) vs Cowboys
Andy: This looks like a heck of a matchup, maybe the best on the week's slate now that the Browns aren't playing. That was a joke. Philly.
Figgs: I don't know about Westbrook's status, but I don't think he's playing. I'm not too worried about it though, Shady can handle the load and Philly covers.
Nick: Eagles.
Monday Night Game
8:30 pm kickoff
BRONCOS (+3) vs Steelers
Andy: Ugh, Pittsburgh. The Bronco thing was fun, but the Steelers are too tough for them, I'm afraid. Hopefully I'm wrong.
Figgs: I HATE picking Pittsburgh, but I'm still down three games and have to be smart about this, but it really does suck.
Nick: Steelers. No comment. I got them at zero. ($)
Friday, November 6
The All-Francis team
With the Browns on hiatus this weekend, I thought I'd talk a little bit about some of my favorite players from across the NFL. I'm a Browns fan first and foremost, but I'm also an NFL fan, and there are individual players whom I admire who do not sport the Brown and Orange, some of whom play for teams I outright despise. Thus, I'm constructing my All-Francis team of guys I like based on performance and personality. Browns are eligible, but do not get preference. Later, I'm looking into a Non-Francis Team (my least favorites) and an All-Time All-Francis (self-explanatory). Let's do the 2009 All-Francises first:
Quarterback: Drew Brees
In case our NFL Picks haven't made this clear, I've got quite the man-crush on Brees. He's got the same name as me, awesome hair, the best pre-game team ritual ever, went to Purdue when it was John Hawkins U, does great off-field work, and is just a tremendous quarterback, the heart and soul of that franchise. If I were to ever buy a non-Browns jersey, this would be the one.
Running back: Clinton Portis
Awesome, awesome name, and that goes a long way with me. It just rolls off the tongue. More than that, though, he's on the All-Francis Team because of the hilarious outfits he wears to his weekly press conferences, particularly the eyewear. Cracks me up every time.
Wide Receivers: Chad Ochocinco and Larry Fitzgerald
85 rubs some people the wrong way, but I love his flamboyant personality and skill package. So many receivers in the NFL are head cases and total jerks; Ochocinco is eccentric for sure, but he has a sense of humor about things. He's as likable as TO is hateable. I love his TD celebrations - going into the Dawg Pound for beer showers, going behind a snow pile to get a sign that said "Merry Christmas: Please don't fine me, NFL" for which he was fined. His interviews are great - I liked him describing his plans to wear so much pink that he'd get fined because he'd donate the money to breast cancer research anyway. Plus, dude can play a bit.
Fitzgerald is the opposite; the nicest, quietest, most professional dude in the league, and maybe its best wideout. He's unreal. I remember watching him dominate at Pitt - you just knew the guy had serious pro talent. Easy guy to root for.
Tight End: Dallas Clark
Another outstanding name, and a truly unique player. I remember when he was in college - Gopo and I used to joke that Clark was always open, and he really was. I've never seen a player exploit zone defenses like this guy. Linebackers have no chance to cover him, he's got great hands, and there's never anyone within 10 yards of him. Maybe he has an invisibility cloak or something. Maybe I'm a super dork.
Offensive lineman: Nobody
Who cares about offensive linemen? Have you ever seen in the NFL Draft when an O-lineman goes and they show a "highlights" package of them pushing an opponent? I'd hate to be tasked with assembling such a clip. I know they're very important to a team's success, but there's not enough individuality for me to pick one. Though, as an honorable mention, D'Brickashaw Ferguson's name alone gets him close. Maybe if he wore funny sunglasses.
Kick returner/special teams: Josh Cribbs
I said I wouldn't give Browns special treatment, and I haven't. Cribbs is just flat-out awesome. He's the most dangerous return man in the game on punts and kickoffs, a tremendous gunner and tackler on special teams, and contributes to the offense with speed and power the two times a game the Browns ever give him the ball. Plus, he's a Kent Stater - I didn't say I wouldn't take college into account.
Defensive Lineman: I should have limited this to skill positions
If Jared Allen hadn't made that retarded comment about his paycheck being halved if Obama becoming President (it likely has not changed at all), he'd be up here. But I can't let such inanity go unpunished.
I also wanted to pick Frostee Rucker, but the assault charges bug me.
I literally looked through the entire list of NFL D-liners, which includes two fellows named Tank, and still couldn't find a winner.
Linebacker: Mike Vrabel
The guy is from Akron, played at Ohio State, and has nine career TD receptions (and defensive return TD to boot). Book it.
Safeties: Ed Reed and Troy Polamalu
Damn, I wish the Browns had someone of the caliber of these fellows patrolling the backfield behind our lousy linebackers. The word that comes to mind for both players is "disruptive." They're both absolute menaces; Polamalu covering huge amounts of ground (and getting beat by Lawrence Vickers for a Browns TD as I type this, but he's clearly hurt) and punishing opponents, and Reed with his incredible knack for the ball and, once said ball is acquired, the end zone. These guys are just badasses.
Coach: Mike Tomlin
I know, we're regrettably getting Steeler-heavy here; this is mostly because of his gameday wear. When it's sunny he sports ridiculous aviator shades. When it gets cold, he dons a Costanza-esque Puffy Coat and what appear to be his pajamas. Mike Tomlin, Dave Barry, and Hugh Hefner are the only three men I can think of at the top of their professions who go to work in their sleepwear.
Wednesday, November 4
Buckeyes Tune Up for Brutal November Schedule
New Mexico St was clearly overmatched last Saturday against a far superior Ohio St team. The Buckeyes outgained the Aggies, gaining 559 yards to just 62 for NMSU, en route to a 45-0 beatdown. This was very close to my prediction (41-0), but they just barely covered the 44-point spread, where I had them just missing it. NMSU could only manage two first downs, as the Bucks became the first FCS team to record three shutouts this season. OSU got off to a sluggish start, not scoring in the first quarter, but turned things on in quarter number two and never looked back. This was basically a full-pads practice for Ohio St, as they get ready for their three toughest conference foes (at Penn St, Iowa, at michigan) to end the season.
Game Recap
We'll pick things up from the 2nd quarter, because that's really where this game started. Terrelle Pryor had a nice eight-yard scamper to begin the quarter, finally getting OSU on the board. Shaking things up a bit, Aaron Pettrey executed a perfect onside kick, recovering it himself. Three plays and a pass interference call later, Pryor connected with Dane Sanzenbacher for a 20 yard score. The next six sloppy plays saw three turnovers. Ross Homan picked off NMSU QB Jeff Fleming, but Brandon Saine gave it right back by fumbling on the next play. A few plays later, Thaddeus Gibson recovered a fumble to complete the "who wants it less" battle. This set up another 52 yard FG try by Pettrey, which he missed for the second time this game. We know he can't hit from close range, so if he can't hit the deep ones, what good is he?
On Ohio St's next possession, they busted out trick play #2 as Boom Herron took a pitch, reversed it to DeVier Posey, who then tossed a perfect strike to an open Sanzenbacher in the end zone. Just like the onside kick, this was a brilliantly executed play, but is this the time to be doing it? Wouldn't these plays be better suited next week against JoePa? The most likely scenario is that ultra-conservative Jim Tressel would never think about doing these things in a high profile game, so he purposely tipped his hand to Penn St to make them prepare for plays that he has no intention of using. Either way, they were fun to watch.
Brandon Saine capped off a four-touchdown quarter by running it in on an option pitch from Pryor in the closing minutes of the half. I think we saw in this game that as much as I love Saine, he's not a "between the tackles" type runner. Every time they gave it to him up the middle he went nowhere. He is, however, very effective in open space, and when he and Pryor are out there running the option together, it's damn near impossible to stop. Which begs the question, why don't they run that play more?! To my recollection, OSU ran the option one time this game, and it was on the easy TD to end the half. We better see a lot of this next week.
As I said would happen in last week's article, Terrelle was on the bench to begin the second half, already in his street clothes. Joining him on the bench was Pettrey, who was injured on a cheap block on his last kickoff. The injury was to his kicking leg, so although his status for the rest of the season is uncertain, things don't look too good from here. Joe Bauserman came in at QB and Jordan Hall took over the rushing duties, and they quickly gave backup kicker Devin Barclay a chance to show what he's got. Barclay responded by missing a 47 yard FG. He got another chance on the next series, and this time he was good from 29.
The rout wouldn't be complete without a defensive touchdown, so Brian Rolle took care of that by picking up backup QB Trevor Walls' fumbled snap in the end zone. Rolle scored for the third time this season, making it 38-0. On a third and short late in the third quarter, Dan Herron went off-tackle looking for a first down to keep the clock moving, and found nothing but open field instead. Boom took it 53 yards to the house, a very good sign to see him running normally on that ankle.
All you need to know about the 4th quarter is that guys named K.C. Christian, Joe Gantz, and Bo DeLande were running the ball for OSU. The Bucks do all their scoring in the middle quarters, and get ready for Penn St with a 45-0 victory.
Game Notes
Game Ball
Ohio St's offensive statistics were very mundane, and no one defensive player stood out, so we'll just give it to the whole unit again. This was their third shutout of the season, and easily could have been their fourth if not for that late TD by Minnesota two weeks ago. They now have forced 24 turnovers this season, and have held their opponents scoreless in 23 of the 36 quarters they have played in. These guys are gonna have to keep up this dominant D next week when they face a much tougher PSU offense.
Game Balls to date: Pryor, Defense (2), Saine, Coleman, Posey
Random Thoughts
There isn't much else to say about this game.
- I noted last week that it would be nice to see Posey running routes other than just the deep fly, and he did that in this game. He had five catches for 79 yards (in addition to that TD pass) and he was running buttonhook and slant patterns consistently.
- The RB situation looks to be back at full force. Ten different guys carried the ball for OSU, with Hall leading the way with 10 rushes for 90 yards. When Herron didn't play in the first quarter of this game, I assumed he was still injured. However, he came in midway through the second quarter, and finished with six carries for 66 yards and that long touchdown. Saine started the game but had a weak performance, rushing the ball seven times for only 13 yards and a score. Both backs looked healthy though, which is the main priority.
- The kicking situation scares me. The Pettrey-Barclay combo went 1-5 last week. Even if Pettrey can play, he's been struggling lately. This makes Ohio St's difficulty getting touchdowns in the red zone even more important. It's bad enough going from seven points to three, but you're not going to survive a game against the Nittany Lions going from seven to zero.
Up Next: @ Penn St, 3:30, ABC
Both teams come into this showdown with hopes of a Big Ten title and a shot at the Rose Bowl. Ohio St controls their own destiny and just needs to win these last three games, where Penn St needs to win out and have someone (most likely OSU) beat Iowa. Happy Valley is not the easiest place to play in, especially for young quarterbacks who are prone to making mistakes. Ohio St needs to run the ball often and effectively to keep Daryll Clark and PSU's quick strike offense off the field.
Prediction: Ohio St 29 Penn St 24
GET EM
(AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)
Saturday, October 31
NFL Picks: Week 8
Last week
Andy: 9-4
Figgs: 9-4
Nick: 7-6
Nick's Money Picks ($): 4-2
Year to date
Andy: 60-43 (A paragon of consistency.)
Figgs: 56-47 (Much improved!)
Nick: 53-50 (Nick.)
Nick's Money Picks ($): 15-12
Nick's teaser: 2-3
Sunday games
1:00 pm kickoffs
BEARS (-13.5) vs Browns
Andy: Watch me justify this surprisingly big line with a terrible transitive property argument. We played the Bengals close and the Bears got absolutely CRUSHED by Cincinnati, thus we can beat the Bears. No we can't. Browns.
Figgs: I for some reason see us keeping this relatively close. Browns.
Nick: Time to limp into the bye. Bears. ($)
BILLS (+3.5) vs Texans
Andy: I'd give more than this - Houston is on a roll. Yet the .500 thing with them plagues me. I think it's time to give them the benefit of the doubt, and time to start redoubting Buffalo.
Figgs: Texans. The Jills will come back to life in this one.
Nick: Houston has a really serious offense, and the weather doesn't look like it should be bad in Buffalo. Texans. ($)
COWBOYS (-9.5) vs Seahawks
Andy: Another big Dallas line, but here I think they can justify it. I don't like Seattle outside of Qwest, so I'll take the Cowboys.
Figgs: Dallas. What they said.
Nick: This is probably the fairest Cowboys line in weeks, and I'm going to pick them here because they impressed me against Atlanta last week and Seattle is a different club on the road. Still, teams coming out of the bye week spook me a little bit.
LIONS (-3.5) vs Rams
Andy: No matter what this is, I'm going Detroit. And now that I see the line several days later, I'm pleased to confirm that pick.
Figgs: Lions. The Rams are ridiculously awful.
Nick: Lions. For only having one win, Detroit has some fight in them.
RAVENS (-3.5) vs Broncos
Andy: So far, bettors have picked against this Bronco club at their own peril. However, I don't see them going into Baltimore and handing the Ravens their 4th straight defeat, especially after a Baltimore bye. Denver might well get crushed here. Nick's comment below may not make sense because I've edited what I had written provisionally - that's on me.
Figgs: I like the Ravens here as well. I just don't see them losing four straight games.
Nick: Oh, I'll play your game, you rogue. Ravens. Denver's going to make the playoffs because they got some lucky/close wins early, and the West blows. They won't be undefeated after this week. ($)
COLTS (-11.5) vs 49ers
Andy: Even for the Colts, too many points. San Fran will keep this closer than the line.
Figgs: Colts. Peyton is rolling and the Niners have been struggling.
Nick: This line is a couple points higher than it should be, but I'm not going to pick against the Colts.
JETS (-3.5) vs Dolphins
Andy: The Dolphish are the most enigmatic team in the league to my mind. I wouldn't bet for or against them any week. I will, however, take the Jets here.
Figgs: The Fins are much better than their record indicates, and I kind of like them here. However, michigan is currently losing to a laughable Illinois squad, which has to be a sign to pick against Chad Henne. Jets.
Nick: I like the Fish here. Their running game is sick, and they had the Saints beat last week.
EAGLES (-1) vs Giants
Andy: This looks like a good game - watch it not be broadcast here. The Giants won't drop three straight.
Figgs: NY will bounce back here.
Nick: I'm going Giants because I like Andy's logic, and I'm also not totally sold on this Eagles team.
4:00 pm kickoffs
TITANS (-3) vs Jags
Andy: Welcome to Jacksonville, where you're getting three from an 0-6 team who lost their last game 59-0. And welcome to FCF, where I lay that three.
Figgs: The Fighting Fishers have to win sometime. Here looks like a good option.
Nick: I had the Titans originally, but I'm going to switch to the Jags. I'm sticking with picking against the Titans until I have a reason not to, the same way I'm going to keep picking the Colts and Saints. Vince Young is starting at quarterback this week. Let that sink in.
CHARGERS (-16.5) vs Raiders
Andy: Really a well-set line here; I hate taking the Raiders, but I also hate giving this many to a good-not-great Charger club. Bruce Gradkowski puts me in the Bolts' corner.
Figgs: I'm with Nick, SD.
Nick: I'll pick against the Raiders until I have a reason not to.
CARDINALS (-10) vs Panthers
Andy: Cards. The Panthers suck.
Figgs: Might as well go with the flow, Cards.
Nick: Cardinals. This is going to be a slaughter. ($)
PACKERS (-3) vs Vikings
Andy: I think the Pack might well come out and win this one huge.
Figgs: Vikings win, but because of AD, not Favre.
Nick: Vikings. Why do people trust Green Bay's defense? They give up big points to good teams.
Monday Night Game
8:30 pm kickoff
SAINTS (-10) vs Falcons
Andy: TEN? I love this Saints club, but come on. Damn you Vegas, you're learning. Still, I've enjoyed their season so much thus far, and I like them hosting a Monday nighter, that I'm going to keep rolling with them. I won't pick against Mr. Brees until I hafta. New Orleans.
Figgs: I'm glad to see NO on national tv, as they are a very entertaining team to watch. ATL keeps this within a touchdown though, maybe even win it outright.
Nick: This line's a field goal too high, but I'm still taking the Saints. Atlanta made me nervous last week.
Wednesday, October 28
Pryor, OSU Bounce Back
After a week of heavy criticism, Ohio St (Terrelle Pryor in particular) came into last Saturday's game against Minnesota with quite the chip on their shoulder. During the game, they proceeded to toss that chip away, for now anyway, as the Bucks pounded the Golden Gophers, 38-7. Pryor looked much better in this contest than he did the previous week against Purdue, but there was really nowhere to go but up. Let's rap.
Game Recap
The first quarter was dominated by one long OSU drive. Starting from their own 15, Ohio St drove 78 yards on 19 plays, eating up almost nine minutes of game play. The drive stalled inside the Gopher 15, however, when Pryor was sacked on third down. The Buckeyes settled for a short FG, one which Aaron Pettrey promptly missed. I cannot figure this guy out. He's lights out from 40+ yards, but can't hit jack shit from close range. Ugh.
Minnesota had a few decent drives throughout the first half, but miscues such as penalties and dropped passes killed them and the OSU D held enough to force five Gopher punts. The only score came when Pryor lobbed up a bomb that was caught by DeVier Posey. It was really an errant pass that Posey bailed Terrelle out on. In Pryor's defense, Posey was so wide open that maybe he was just trying to make sure he got it off and let Posey run under it, but still, it would have been nice to see TP hit him in stride. Ohio St had another good drive late in the half but ended when Pryor was picked off in the Minnesota red zone. Neither team looked very good, and OSU went into the tunnel on top, 7-0.
The second half was a much different story. The Buckeye defense really buckled down, Pryor and the offense started to click, and Minnesota continued to make mistakes. Minnesota returner Troy Stoudermire fumbled the kick to begin the second half, and it only took Pryor three plays to cash in. Making the Gopher defense look silly, TP took it in himself on a 15 yard run to put the Bucks up 14-0. An OSU sack later in the quarter forced another fumble, and again the Buckeyes quickly capitalized. Freshman Jordan Hall had an 11 yard touchdown to start the route. Hall was getting the majority of the playing time due to injuries, which I will discuss later.
Later in the third, Pryor threw his best pass of the game, hitting Posey right in stride on a deep ball that was broken up by the defender. It could have been called a fumble, but, worrying that it could help their opponent, neither team challenged. Terrelle tried again deep to Posey, threw a much worse pass that was short, but DeVier came back to it to catch his second TD of the game.
The 4th quarter saw Joe Bauserman at the helm for OSU, and mostly had him handing off to fourth-string freshman Jermil Martin. The Minnesota D was demoralized and just gassed at this point, and Martin broke one for 40 yards to the house to begin the quarter, making it 35-0. Austin Spitler and Kurt Coleman both had picks, seemingly sealing the shutout. Unfortunately, MarQueis Gray led a late TD drive for the Golden Gophers, putting the final at 38-7.
Game Notes
Game Ball
Pryor's overall numbers were impressive, but he still made too many mistakes in my mind to get this. DeVier Posey caught 8 passes for 161 yards and two touchdowns. This guy has been making big plays all year. If he can learn to run routes other than the fly, he can become an excellent receiver.
Game Balls to date: Pryor (2), Saine, Coleman, Posey, Defense
Jekyll and Hyde
Terrelle Pryor made some very good plays in this game, but he is still making the same mistakes. He is still underthrowing receivers and still forcing too many passes. He definitely improved drastically since the Purdue game, but he still has a lot of work to do.
D-Gate
The Ohio St defense was back to its dominant self in this one, particularly in the second half. They held Minnesota to under 300 total yards (not completely shutdown, but impressive nonetheless), but more importantly, they got their 18th, 19th, 20th, and 21st takeaways of the season. Spitler's second half pick made him the 11th guy on the team to get an INT. That's absurd, especially with four games still to play. Another impressive stat: including the three that they picked up in this contest, the OSU defense has not allowed a point in 19 of the 32 quarters thus far.
The Backfield Injury Bug
Brandon Saine left the Minnesota game early with a mild concussion. This is on top of the ankle injury sustained to Dan Herron that has sidelined him 3 1/2 of the last 4 weeks. Freshmen Jordan Hall and Jermile Martin have looked good in limited action, but that has mostly been garbage time. I'm confident that those two can carry the load this week against New Mexico St (I'm pretty sure that Andy and Nick could), but at least one of the top two backs absolutely has to be back in two weeks when the Buckeyes travel to Happy Valley. Both Herron's and Saine's status for this week is uncertain as of right now.
OSU Bashers
Hey dumb asses, back off. I have been critical of Pryor on this blog on multiple occasions, and certainly the Purdue game gave reason for criticism, but let's not get out of control. People have been calling into Columbus radio shows totally trashing the team, Pryor, and (gasp) coach Jim Tressel. Really guys? One "fan" even went as far as saying "Tressel is a joke." Yeah, in a seven year span, six BCS games, three National Championship appearances, five Big Ten titles, and one Championship ring is pretty laughable. Another guy, presumably a member of the Gertrude Barber Center, asks "When's the bleeding gonna stop?" I realize this is a program that accepts nothing but the best, but let's all relax a little bit.
Up Next: vs. New Mexico St, 12:00, Big Ten Network
The mighty Aggies come into the Shoe with a 3-5 record and sporting the nation's worst offense. There's a good chance neither Saine or Boom will play, and Pryor will be out by halftime. If NMSU (is that their acronym?) scores a point I'll be totally shocked. It's fitting that this game is on Halloween, because it's gonna be ugly.
Prediction: Ohio St 41 New Mexico St 0
GET EM
Tuesday, October 27
NBA Season Predictions
My 2009-2010 NBA preseason predictions are out!
Western Conference (596-634)
Southwest
Pacific
Northwest
Eastern Conference (634 - 596)
Southeast
Central
Atlantic
Playoffs
Conference Quarterfinals
LA Lakers over Phoenix (4-0)
San Antonio over New Orleans (4-1)
Denver over Utah (4-2)
Portland over Dallas (4-2)
Cleveland over Charlotte (4-0)
Chicago over Washington (4-3)
Boston over Miami (4-2)
Orlando over Atlanta (4-1)
Conference Semifinals
LA Lakers over Portland (4-1)
San Antonio over Denver (4-1)
Cleveland over Chicago (4-1)
Orlando over Boston (4-2)
Conference Finals
Cleveland over Orlando (4-2)
LA Lakers over San Antonio (4-2)
NBA Finals
LA Lakers over Cleveland (4-1)
I'd love to say that the Cavs have what it takes to knock off the Lakers, but I have a bad feeling that if these teams meet in the Finals, the games will look more like this:
Sunday, October 25
The Downtown report
Live and di-rect from my Downtown penthouse in Cleveland, it's a weekend version of the Downtown Report. Fine, I live on the 14th floor and not the penthouse, but anyone actually going to the penthouse has to wait for me to stop on my floor before they get home.
I'll say this for Green Bay Packers fans: they travel well. I was at Wonder Bar on E 4th on Friday night and, all of a sudden, the place is just overrun with green and yellow. Crazy. I talked with a few of them - they actually sound like those accents people had in Fargo. I informed them that they were really going to crush us on Sunday, which turned out to be true. Pack fans are a lot different than Steeler fans, by which I mean they aren't total dicks. They also know what "yellow" and "gold" mean They're actually a cheerful lot, though they were a bit too festive for me on Friday. I almost felt the need to invoke Brett Favre's turncoating to somber them a bit, but wasn't that far into the beer just yet.
Speaking of Favre, I saw a couple of Packers #4 jerseys today. Really? Really? I mean, how much does that guy have to sell you out before you spring for a Rodgers?
I like the Indians' hiring of Manny Acta as their new manager. I recall reading on FIRE JOE MORGAN that Acta generally eschews bunting and reads (and understands!) Baseball Prospectus. Welcome to Cleveland, Mr. Acta.
Buckeyes looked better on Saturday, though it took them a while to get going. The offense was sluggish in the first half, but they looked much sharper in the second. The D stepped up all game long - it's a shame they lost the shutout. The two chief culprits on the offensive side, as I see it, are the offensive line's inability to give Terrelle Pryor much time, and Pryor's shaky decision-making on throws. The Iowas and Penn States of the world are going to be quite a challenge if those things don't improve.
Loved watching Michigan get smacked around by Penn State in their own house. It's just such a good feeling to watch them lose. It gives me goosebumps. Matt Millen was the color guy for the game, and he's as inept at that as he was at GM'ing the Lions. He called Tate Forcier the best quarterback in the Big 10, when he was in fact by a wide margin not even the best quarterback on the field. How can you say Forcier is better than Daryll Clark with a straight face?
Went for a hangover-helper 5-mile run at about 11 am on Sunday and was really energized running around the stadium. It's a great atmosphere - too bad the on-field product dampens it so much. Any time you go for a run and high-five a traffic cop, it's a good run.
Let's just not even talk about the Browns game. That was ugly. As it happens, that contest was just one of three that I missed out on the Sunday slate, putting me at a robust 8-3 headed into the evening games. Rock and roll.
The most intriguing afternoon games to me were Cincy/Chicago and New Orleans/Miami. The Bengals looked very, very impressive in dismantling the Bears. Just a machine. If the Bears suck that bad next weekend, maybe we can take them out. Probably not, but maybe. The Saints rallied from down 24-3 (!) and, having not trailed all season, simply went on a 43-10 run to beat the Dolphins and cover the six-point spread. Wow. The comeback effort was helped by former Wolverine Chad Henne tossing two pick-sixes to the black and gold. Nice work, dummy. This Saints team is an exciting bunch.
I'll be out and about traveling the nation for the next week or so, so I won't get to see the Cavaliers begin their attack run from my typical lakefront location on Tuesday. Nevertheless: Go Cavs!
Saturday, October 24
NFL Picks: Week 7
Boy, last week was a tough one. Come on, who actually thought that the Raiders and Buffaloes would suddenly remember how to play football? Fortunately, all three FCF predictors nailed the Sunday and Monday contests to get at or near break-even for the week. On to Week 7.
Last week
Andy: 7-7
Figgs: 7-7
Nick: 6-8
Nick's Money Picks ($): 2-4
Year to date
Andy: 51-39
Figgs: 47-43
Nick: 46-44
Nick's Money Picks ($): 11-10
Nick's teaser: 2-3
Sunday games
1:00 pm kickoffs
BROWNS (+7) vs Packers
Andy: Browns, but let me say I can't believe we're not getting more than this. Do you trust the Brownies to cover with only a TD after the Packers smacked around the Lions last week? Me neither. I don't see any way in hell we cover this. Can I go against my rule this quickly and pick against the Browns? I'll decide Sunday morning, after a night of drinking with the Capital District (NY) Browns Backers. [Fast-forward to Sunday] I'm jacked up after a run around the stadium, so I'm going Browns.
Figgs: When you're down four games, you gotta pick with your head and leave your heart out of it. Pack.
Nick: The Browns are 3-0 vs. the spread in the last three weeks. The party's over. Packers. ($)
CHIEVES (+5) vs Chargers
Andy: I'm not afraid to take Kansas City anymore, especially at home against an unimpressive Charger squad. I'd consider the Chargers at -3, but here I'm going KC.
Figgs: SD. The Chargers need this one.
Nick: This was one of the trickiest games for me to pick. I wonder how demoralized the Chargers will be after the Monday night loss? The Chiefs don't quit, and I like that. The forecast calls for rain, and that may be something of an equalizer. Chiefs?
RAMS (-13) vs Colts
Andy: Somehow, some way, this line is less than 20. Colts, Colts, Colts. Dome, coming off the bye week, against the Rams? Please.
Figgs: Peyton by seven touchdowns.
Nick: Colts. What a terrific line. ($)
STEELERS (-4) vs Vikings
Andy: I think the Vikings' run of perfection ends in Pittsburgh, unfortunately. Will the Steelers cover this? Probably. Pittsburgh.
Figgs: This is a really tough one. I also think that Pittsburgh will win, but will it be more than a FG? Rule of thumb, if I could go either way, and the Steelers are involved, pick against them because they suck. Vikes.
Nick: Vikings. I can't understand why people like Pittsburgh in this one.
BUCS (+14) vs Patriots
Andy: Pats. After hanging 59 on the Oilers in the snow, I trust the rejuvenated Pats to cover this line against a hapless Tampa Bay team.
Figgs: Not to be outdone, Brady by eight touchdowns.
Nick: I'll go Pats here, too.
TEXANS (-3.5) vs 49ers
Andy: I knew I should have picked the Texans in a game that gave them the chance to get to .500! What was I thinking? Looking ahead, I see they have Buffalo next week, and are likely to win that, so I'll take San Francisco here.
Figgs: Niners get back on track here.
Nick: Niners coming off a thrashing and out of the bye week. They've been a good road team so far, too.
4:00 pm kickoffs
PANTHERS (-7) vs Bills
Andy: Bills, oddly. I can't give 7 to back Carolina.
Figgs: Bills.
Nick: Panthers, though I thought this might be a point or two lower. Are the Bills really worse without Edwards? At least Fitzpatrick can run around a little bit. Buffalo can't count on getting 17 interceptions each week, though.
RAIDERS (+7) vs Jets
Andy: Artificially low line based on a couple of fluky games last week. Sanchez will take better care of the ball, Russell will take worse, and I'll take the Jets.
Figgs: I'll have what he's having. Jets.
Nick: Jets. I don't see taking the Raiders at any point this season.
COWBOYS (-3) vs Falcons
Andy: ATL. What's greater: the extent to which the Falcons are underrated, or the degree to which the Cowboys are overrated?
Figgs: ATL. I think some people are starting to see Dallas isn't very good, so to answer Andy's question, Atlanta's being underrated.
Nick: Falcons. This line should be inverted. I got the Falcons at +4. ($)
BENGALS (-3) vs Bears
Andy: Cincy will bounce back here, I think. The Bears are a pretty blah team for me.
Figgs: Basically a toss up, with the home team giving 3 points. I'll go Bears, cause I really need Forte to start producing in Fantasy.
Nick: This is a really tight line, but I like the Bears here because they should've beaten the Falcons last week, and they've had some bad luck. Both of these teams have played close games, so I'm going Chicago here.
DOLPHINS (+6) vs Saints
Andy: Are we sure this isn't +16? The Saints haven't trailed this year, nor have they won by fewer than 14 points. New Orleans, all day.
Figgs: Saints.
Nick: Saints. The wildcat still spooks me a little bit, but I can't believe this is under a touchdown. ($)
8:20 pm kickoffs
GIANTS (-7) vs Cards
Andy: Are we sure this isn't -17? The Giants are going to regroup strongly here after New Orleans decimated them. They'll be at home, at night, they'll be pissed, and they're playing a bad road team in Arizona. G-men all the way.
Figgs: Giants. The Cardinals have started clicking the past few weeks, but I still thought this line would be double digits.
Nick: For all the reasons Andy mentioned, and also because the Cards are going to the East coast, and they're playing outdoors. ($)
Monday Night Game
8:30 pm kickoff
REDSKINS (+7) vs Eagles
Andy: I can't pick the Redskins against anyone, with any line, after their ridiculous coaching shenanigans. I don't expect Philly to lay another egg like they did in California last week.
Figgs: Philly. The Redskins are a total mess.
Nick: Eagles. This game and the Indy game are my locks of the week. ($)
Thursday, October 22
Ten Points: I'm tired of losing to these guys
1) A true professional
No, not any of the Browns. I'm talking about myself. Thursday has nearly come and gone without nary a Browns piece from our resident NFL expert Nick, and thus it falls upon me to get this recap done. Naturally, I plan to mail this in almost to the extent that Figgs mails in his NFL picks each week.
2) Josh Cribbs is good
The rest of the team: not so much. Yet another kick return for a TD - this guy is phenomenal. The interception wasn't so good, but at least he got to be a historical footnote by being the first dude to take back a kick and throw a pick in the same game since ever or something.
You know whose fault the pick was? JC, yes, but also a number of people not named Josh Cribbs. Braylon Edwards for being a total cock comes to mind. But more directly, Chanci Stuckey, who dropped an easy throw from Cribbs on the previous play. You get five yards on that play, you set up a better second down and that doesn't happen. We generally need to use Cribbs better on offense; more end-arounds and let's not totally abandon passing just because of one throw.
I think Cribbs has handled his contract situation with quite a bit of maturity. He wants more money, and he's open about that, but he also kinda got a good point. He's much more valuable than when he signed the deal, and deserves a promotion. But he's not being an idiot and holding out and pouting. He's kicking ass, like he always does, letting his play speak for itself and waiting until the off-season when he'll focus on getting a new deal, which he is virtually assured to get.
Also, I absolutely loved him mocking Hines Ward's stupid gallop thing on his way to the end zone. We get almost nothing over on the Steelers, so a small victory like that is fun. I hate Hines Ward. I hate all of the Steelers.
3) Ben Roethlisberger is ugly
Now that I've put that in bold letters, not much more needs to be said. I texted a die-hard Browns fan buddy of mine named Ben during the game that he should consider a name change. I was only half-kidding.
4) Brandon McDonald
Ye gods. You cannot convince me that he's a better DB than either Mike Furrey or Coye Francies. Or Cribbs, for that matter.
5) Duck and Cover
I have no idea how Nick comes up with this many puns each week - I'm reaching by item #5. This one's about the Browns covering the 14-point spread and making me look good. I was concerned those jerk Steelers would drive and kick a field goal and cover to double-screw me, but they didn't.
6) Flag on the play, on every single play
What dummy decided it was a good idea to show the Steelers' score in a yellow box at the top of the screen? Every single play I thought there was a flag because I saw the yellow box at the top of the screen. Would white text on a black field have been so difficult?
7) Mike Tomlin, fashionista
Tell me you didn't like those hilarious aviators he was sporting on the sidelines. I especially like cold-weather games late in the season when he shows up in a puffy coat and pajamas.
8) I'm in first place in the NFL Picks
And you're not.
9) Real troopers
I'll be meeting up with some fellows from the Capital District Browns Backers (Albany area, New York state) before the game Sunday. They're coming over 7 hours to see the Browns in person - now that's admirable dedication. I hope the Browns reward their service with some decent play.
10) You'll notice I didn't talk much about the game
It wasn't really worth it, wouldn't you agree? Maybe if we lose to the Pack by 20, Nick will let me guest-author this piece again. Considering we have about 54 guys out with the flu, I'm not super-optimistic about this one. On the bright side, we're now getting the nine points I initially predicted. Go Browns.
