Friday, December 31, 2010
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
NBA Wednesdays 02/17/2010
The biggest news emerging from the NBA this past week did not come from Dallas, Texas. While it is true that 108,713 people attended the All-Star Game in Cowboys Stadium over the weekend, the festivities as a whole were over-exaggerated and vastly underwhelming. What the NBA needs to boost its ratings for the All-Star Weekend is the superstar power of a LeBron James or Kobe Bryant participating in its lucrative 3-point Contest or Slam-Dunk Competition. Granted Bryant has been battling an ankle injury as of late and did the right thing by not participating in the All-Star Game. However, King James and others were hiding behind the facade of potential injury. Back when Michael Jordan and Dominique Wilkins were shocking the world with their unparalleled creativity in terms of their dunking ability, the Slam-Dunk Competition was considered an entertaining event that allowed for the great ones to put on a show for their extensive fan base. Now, the Slam-Dunk Competition has been reduced to the recycled stylings of Krypto-Nate and his unmatched leapfrogging ability when it comes to dunking a basketball. Nate Robinson took down DeMar DeRozan of the Toronto Raptors in a matchup that was never close because no one can resist the unfathomed ability of a 5'9 point guard flying high and slamming it home. With all due respect to Krypto-Nate, if Superman and King James entered the competition, he wouldn't even make it to the finals. The Slam-Dunk Competition has become a very expensive joke; a landmark attraction that manages to sell out the landmark but fails to attract.
One of the finer points of the All-Star Game every year is its ability to start out as a forum for the NBA superstars to showcase their many talents. It then proceeds to end up as a compellingly watchable game where the superstars unite for their representative conferences and play their hearts out for the pure enjoyment of the game. One of the great things about the All-Star Games in all major sports is that they provide the only venues where the athletes can just go out and have fun. They do not have to treat the sport they love as a professional business. Rather, they can reminisce about a time when they were young men or women shooting basketballs in a gym or playing little league. There is no thought of money or contract extensions. There is only the heartfelt love of the game. And it is in these moments every year where the athlete can truly appreciate why he loves his life and how what he does can represent a beacon of light for so many people. With that being said, this year's NBA All-Star Game was certainly not devoid of any drama. From Dwight Howard's hilarious 3-point shot to the incredible alley-oops involving King James, Carmelo Anthony, and Dwyane Wade, the All-Star Game certainly had its peaking moments of entertainment. It looked as if the East was going to run away with it many times as Wade and LeBron carried the team within the perimeter while Chris Bosh dominated around the boards. However, the West would claw back on the shoulders of Chauncey Billups, who scored 12 points off four 3-point shots in the 4th quarter and allowed the team to stay in the game until the very end. Carmelo Anthony had an outstanding game with 27 points and 10 rebounds while playing with an injured elbow. Yet when head coach George Karl drew up a play for him to win the game, Anthony faltered at the buzzer and the East crawled away triumphantly. This put an end to the most-watched All-Star Game in NBA history and set the stage for the 2nd half of the NBA season.
The Dallas Mavericks kicked their 2nd half off with a bang by getting involved in a seven-player deal with the Washington Wizards. Ever since Gilbert Arenas and Jarvis Crittenton hoisted their weapons for a gunfight at the Verizon Center, the Wizards lost their sense of magic on the basketball court and their season turned into an irreparable disaster. Head Coach Flip Saunders was brought in to be the savior of this franchise, having guided the Minnesota Timberwolves and Detroit Pistons to appearances in the conference finals during his tenure. He was expected to lead a team headlined by Gilbert Arenas to the promised land, or at least garner enough respect to be considered one of the elite teams in the NBA. Yet because of Arenas's off-the-court antics, combined with his inability to decipher the seriousness of his actions, the Wizards have been set back many years and have now begun the process of rebuilding. They traded away pieces of their repertoire in Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood, and DeShawn Stevenson to the Mavericks for Josh Howard, Drew Gooden, Quinton Ross, and James Singleton. This trade seemingly does nothing for the Wizards, who are looking to dump salaries and clear enough cap space to sign free agents and restock their arsenal through the draft. Josh Howard is a very nice player whom Flip Saunders can build around. He averages over 12 points and 3 rebounds a game and can serve as a deep-tier jump shooter outside the perimeter. However, the season is all but lost for the Wizards and one can feel bad for Howard, who moves from a dangerous playoff contender to an unquestionable failure.
As for the Mavericks, some would argue that they are now the 2nd best team in the Western Conference and can pose a significant challenge to the Lakers in the playoffs. The latter notion will only be true if Kobe Bryant remains hampered by that ankle injury and enters the playoffs at less than 100%. But the Mavericks are certainly a better team now than they were a couple weeks ago. Caron Butler can complement the one-two punch of Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd by serving as a terrific post-player who can hit crucial jump shots in the clutch. Butler averages close to 17 ppg and is very lethal outside the perimeter. He can draw opposing defenses away from Nowitzki and allow for the Mavericks to generate an effective offensive strategy. Haywood is a veteran center who averages 9 points and 10 rebounds a game. He will look to replace Erick Dampier, who will miss several weeks with a dislocated right middle finger. He also averages 2 blocked shots a game and will bring a heavy dose of athleticism to the center position for the Mavericks. Stevenson will not play much of a factor for the Mavs, but he certainly adds more depth to a very questionable Dallas bench. The Mavericks are now in a prime position to make a decent run in the NBA playoffs. Yet they will have to earn their appearance in the NBA Finals by trekking through the smog-covered hills of downtown Los Angeles.
The Cleveland Cavaliers also made a serious move before the trade deadline by acquiring Antawn Jamison from the Wizards...ANTAWN JAMISON??? I thought their sights were set on trading for Amare Stoudemire from the Phoenix Suns in exchange for Zydrunas Ilgauskas and J.J. Hickson. Many had predicted that if the Cavs made that trade for Stoudemire, then there would be no stopping them in their quest to reach the NBA Finals and possibly win LeBron his first NBA championship. So then why would the Cavs renege the deal and instead opt for the deceptively gifted Jamison? So that they could maintain the depth they already have on their bench. The Cavs illustrated how much they love Hickson, who is a wonderful young forward that averages just over 7 points and 4 rebounds a game. He is a potential star of the future whom the Cavs are hoping will start with LeBron in the coming seasons. As for right now, he allows for Shaq to recharge his batteries when he needs to and continues to prove himself as a valuable asset for the Cavs coming off the bench. The Stoudemire trade would have forced the Cavs to part ways with Hickson and rely on Shaq to give them more minutes. It would have made their bench considerably weaker and would have pushed Anderson Varejao to make a larger impact in the Cavs' rotation. There was also the issue of team chemistry in which Stoudemire would have to learn how to play with Shaq and LeBron. The Cavs got off to a slow start at the beginning of the season because Shaq was having trouble adjusting to an offense centered around LeBron. They didn't want to cruise into the playoffs wondering if Amare would have the same kind of problems. There is no doubt that Stoudemire is a better athlete than Jamison and would have certainly added another superstar presence to the city of Cleveland. Yet the move for Jamison reflects exactly what the Cavs need right now. They know they have a championship team in their grasp and they needed a substantial role player to complement the talents of King James and the Big Witness Protector. Jamison fits that role perfectly, averaging over 20 points and 8 rebounds a game. He will add some versatility to the lineup and will no doubt bring experience and veteran leadership to the forefront of the Cavs' championship campaign. The Cavs are now a much deeper team with Jamison in their midst because they will also have Varejao and Hickson coming off the bench. And with Mo Williams and Delonte West returning from injury, the Cavs will now steer their focus towards finishing the 2nd half strong and working their way towards the NBA Finals.
That's it for now...tune in next week for potential reaction to the trade deadline and other NBA games. Til then...
One of the finer points of the All-Star Game every year is its ability to start out as a forum for the NBA superstars to showcase their many talents. It then proceeds to end up as a compellingly watchable game where the superstars unite for their representative conferences and play their hearts out for the pure enjoyment of the game. One of the great things about the All-Star Games in all major sports is that they provide the only venues where the athletes can just go out and have fun. They do not have to treat the sport they love as a professional business. Rather, they can reminisce about a time when they were young men or women shooting basketballs in a gym or playing little league. There is no thought of money or contract extensions. There is only the heartfelt love of the game. And it is in these moments every year where the athlete can truly appreciate why he loves his life and how what he does can represent a beacon of light for so many people. With that being said, this year's NBA All-Star Game was certainly not devoid of any drama. From Dwight Howard's hilarious 3-point shot to the incredible alley-oops involving King James, Carmelo Anthony, and Dwyane Wade, the All-Star Game certainly had its peaking moments of entertainment. It looked as if the East was going to run away with it many times as Wade and LeBron carried the team within the perimeter while Chris Bosh dominated around the boards. However, the West would claw back on the shoulders of Chauncey Billups, who scored 12 points off four 3-point shots in the 4th quarter and allowed the team to stay in the game until the very end. Carmelo Anthony had an outstanding game with 27 points and 10 rebounds while playing with an injured elbow. Yet when head coach George Karl drew up a play for him to win the game, Anthony faltered at the buzzer and the East crawled away triumphantly. This put an end to the most-watched All-Star Game in NBA history and set the stage for the 2nd half of the NBA season.
The Dallas Mavericks kicked their 2nd half off with a bang by getting involved in a seven-player deal with the Washington Wizards. Ever since Gilbert Arenas and Jarvis Crittenton hoisted their weapons for a gunfight at the Verizon Center, the Wizards lost their sense of magic on the basketball court and their season turned into an irreparable disaster. Head Coach Flip Saunders was brought in to be the savior of this franchise, having guided the Minnesota Timberwolves and Detroit Pistons to appearances in the conference finals during his tenure. He was expected to lead a team headlined by Gilbert Arenas to the promised land, or at least garner enough respect to be considered one of the elite teams in the NBA. Yet because of Arenas's off-the-court antics, combined with his inability to decipher the seriousness of his actions, the Wizards have been set back many years and have now begun the process of rebuilding. They traded away pieces of their repertoire in Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood, and DeShawn Stevenson to the Mavericks for Josh Howard, Drew Gooden, Quinton Ross, and James Singleton. This trade seemingly does nothing for the Wizards, who are looking to dump salaries and clear enough cap space to sign free agents and restock their arsenal through the draft. Josh Howard is a very nice player whom Flip Saunders can build around. He averages over 12 points and 3 rebounds a game and can serve as a deep-tier jump shooter outside the perimeter. However, the season is all but lost for the Wizards and one can feel bad for Howard, who moves from a dangerous playoff contender to an unquestionable failure.
As for the Mavericks, some would argue that they are now the 2nd best team in the Western Conference and can pose a significant challenge to the Lakers in the playoffs. The latter notion will only be true if Kobe Bryant remains hampered by that ankle injury and enters the playoffs at less than 100%. But the Mavericks are certainly a better team now than they were a couple weeks ago. Caron Butler can complement the one-two punch of Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd by serving as a terrific post-player who can hit crucial jump shots in the clutch. Butler averages close to 17 ppg and is very lethal outside the perimeter. He can draw opposing defenses away from Nowitzki and allow for the Mavericks to generate an effective offensive strategy. Haywood is a veteran center who averages 9 points and 10 rebounds a game. He will look to replace Erick Dampier, who will miss several weeks with a dislocated right middle finger. He also averages 2 blocked shots a game and will bring a heavy dose of athleticism to the center position for the Mavericks. Stevenson will not play much of a factor for the Mavs, but he certainly adds more depth to a very questionable Dallas bench. The Mavericks are now in a prime position to make a decent run in the NBA playoffs. Yet they will have to earn their appearance in the NBA Finals by trekking through the smog-covered hills of downtown Los Angeles.
The Cleveland Cavaliers also made a serious move before the trade deadline by acquiring Antawn Jamison from the Wizards...ANTAWN JAMISON??? I thought their sights were set on trading for Amare Stoudemire from the Phoenix Suns in exchange for Zydrunas Ilgauskas and J.J. Hickson. Many had predicted that if the Cavs made that trade for Stoudemire, then there would be no stopping them in their quest to reach the NBA Finals and possibly win LeBron his first NBA championship. So then why would the Cavs renege the deal and instead opt for the deceptively gifted Jamison? So that they could maintain the depth they already have on their bench. The Cavs illustrated how much they love Hickson, who is a wonderful young forward that averages just over 7 points and 4 rebounds a game. He is a potential star of the future whom the Cavs are hoping will start with LeBron in the coming seasons. As for right now, he allows for Shaq to recharge his batteries when he needs to and continues to prove himself as a valuable asset for the Cavs coming off the bench. The Stoudemire trade would have forced the Cavs to part ways with Hickson and rely on Shaq to give them more minutes. It would have made their bench considerably weaker and would have pushed Anderson Varejao to make a larger impact in the Cavs' rotation. There was also the issue of team chemistry in which Stoudemire would have to learn how to play with Shaq and LeBron. The Cavs got off to a slow start at the beginning of the season because Shaq was having trouble adjusting to an offense centered around LeBron. They didn't want to cruise into the playoffs wondering if Amare would have the same kind of problems. There is no doubt that Stoudemire is a better athlete than Jamison and would have certainly added another superstar presence to the city of Cleveland. Yet the move for Jamison reflects exactly what the Cavs need right now. They know they have a championship team in their grasp and they needed a substantial role player to complement the talents of King James and the Big Witness Protector. Jamison fits that role perfectly, averaging over 20 points and 8 rebounds a game. He will add some versatility to the lineup and will no doubt bring experience and veteran leadership to the forefront of the Cavs' championship campaign. The Cavs are now a much deeper team with Jamison in their midst because they will also have Varejao and Hickson coming off the bench. And with Mo Williams and Delonte West returning from injury, the Cavs will now steer their focus towards finishing the 2nd half strong and working their way towards the NBA Finals.
That's it for now...tune in next week for potential reaction to the trade deadline and other NBA games. Til then...
Monday, February 15, 2010
NCAA Manic Mondays 02/15/2010
Here is the new Top 25 in college basketball
#1 Kansas Jayhawks (24-1)
#2 Kentucky Wildcats (24-1)
#3 Villanova Wildcats (22-2)
#4 Purdue Boilermakers (21-3)
#5 Syracuse Orange (24-2)
#6 Duke Blue Devils (21-4)
#7 Kansas State Wildcats (20-4)
#8 West Virginia Mountaineers (19-5)
#9 Gonzaga Bulldogs (21-4)
#10 Georgetown Hoyas (18-6)
#11 Michigan State Spartans (20-6)
#12 Ohio State Buckeyes (20-6)
#13 Butler Bulldogs (23-4)
#14 Brigham Young Cougars (23-3)
#15 New Mexico Lobos (23-3)
#16 Wisconsin Badgers (19-6)
#17 Texas Longhorns (20-5)
#18 Tennessee Volunteers (18-6)
#19 Vanderbilt Commodores (19-5)
#20 Temple Owls (20-5)
#21 Pittsburgh Panthers (19-6)
#22 Baylor Bears (19-5)
#23 Texas A&M Aggies (18-6)
#24 Northern Iowa Panthers (22-3)
#25 Wake Forest Demon Deacons (18-5)
The Tennessee Volunteers suffered the worst drawback in the polls this week, dropping six spots on their way to a #18 ranking. Devastating losses to Vanderbilt and Kentucky not only leaves Tennessee reeling in the SEC race, but also exposes their weaknesses as a cohesive unit. In most of their quality wins this season, Tennessee has shot the ball well and out-rebounded their opponents by significant margins. Vanderbilt and Kentucky challenged the Volunteers from start to finish, proving how Bruce Pearl, sparkling in that orange jacket of his, has a lot of work to do before the NCAA tournament. The only advantage working in Tennessee's favor right now is their ability to generate a substantial amount of offense. They are not a very good rebounding team and do not execute at the free-throw line when given their chances. Tennessee came out flat in their game against Vanderbilt, missing shots outside the perimeter and allowing the Commodores to control the tempo and execute inside the paint. In spite of the efforts of Wayne Chism and J.P. Prince, Tennessee was unable to match Vanderbilt's energy throughout the course of the game. Turnovers and personal fouls killed the Volunteers to the point where Vanderbilt attempted 43 free throws and made 37 of them. Jeffery Taylor and Jermaine Beal had spectacular games for the Commodores, hitting enough big shots to halt any kind of change in momentum and preventing Tennessee for making a comeback.
Tennessee came out with a better effort against Kentucky on Saturday night and even held a two-point lead late in the second half. They were efficient within the paint defensively and were successful at taking DeMarcus Cousins out of the game. They got terrific bench play from Melvin Goins, who contributed 14 points and made a few three-pointers to keep Tennessee in the game. However, the combination of John Wall and Eric Bledsoe were too much to handle for the Volunteers. The Wildcats would pull away late off crucial turnovers from J.P. Prince and key jump shots from Wall and Bledsoe. Tennessee was better from the free-throw line, shooting 77% and proving to be a thorn in Kentucky's side. However, they were not able to draw enough fouls and expand their lead to the point where Kentucky would have to start playing mistake-free basketball. The Commodores and the Wildcats proved why they are better than the Volunteers right now. In order for Tennessee to return to the land of prominence among the elite, they will need a greater spark from their bench and will need to limit their turnovers and foul trouble. They have terrific young guards in Bobby Maze and Scotty Hopson, who can burn you with the jump shot and can also feed the ball successfully to Wayne Chism. Chism needs to establish himself as a dominant weapon in the paint, emerging as the catalyst of Tennessee's offensive strategy and allowing Bruce Pearl to stretch his game plan a little bit. Tennessee has a lot of problems right now. In order for them to be a legitimate threat come March, they will need to unite as a team much in the same way they did when they lost Tyler Smith and defeated Kansas earlier in the year.
One of the primary disadvantages working against the West Virginia Mountaineers is that they play in the Big East Conference. Statistically speaking, West Virginia boasts one of the most talented groups in the nation and should be considered a dangerous threat leading up to the NCAA Tournament. To say that they are not a dangerous threat would be ludicrous considering they are ranked #8 in the nation. However, if one were to go through their season thus far, one would see that West Virginia only has two quality wins against Ohio State and Pittsburgh. They got blown out by a Purdue team that is slowly rising to the top of the Big Ten Conference. They lost a close game to Syracuse, which wasn't even that close because of WVU's turnovers and personal fouls. And they suffered tough losses against Villanova and Pittsburgh last week, the latter of which was a classic triple-overtime thriller that turned out to be the game of the weekend. The Villanova loss was a tough one to swallow for the Mountaineers, who were fresh off a recent ranking of #4 in the polls and were tops in the nation in rebounding and 3-point percentage. Villanova came ready to play as they shot the ball very well from beyond the arc and won the rebounding war by 10. Scottie Reynolds and Corey Fisher took control of the game in the second half, finishing with 21 and 17 points respectively. Antonio Pena wore down the Mountaineers in the paint with 10 points and 9 rebounds. The straw that broke the camel's back was West Virginia's inability to establish dominance outside the 3-point line, going 7-27 from beyond the arc and not capitalizing from the free-throw line. Villanova was more physical than West Virginia and that proved to be the difference in the basketball game.
West Virginia's ineptitude from the 3-point line continued against Pittsburgh in a game worthy of a Backyard Brawl. Da'Sean Butler had the game of his life for the Mountaineers, finishing with 32 points and 11 rebounds in 49 minutes of play. 18 of those points came in the overtime periods, with Butler serving as West Virginia's only scorer in the third overtime. Darryl Bryant was WVU's most efficient player from beyond the arc, going 3 for 6 from outside the perimeter and finishing with 20 points. Devin Ebanks was a force inside the paint as he was able to successfully neutralize Nasir Robinson and Gary McGhee and shut down Pittsburgh's interior game. Ebanks would finish with 17 points and 10 rebounds, but it wouldn't be enough to contain the Panthers. They wanted this game in the worst way and it showed from the moment they took the court against the Mountaineers. Ashton Gibbs and Brad Wanamaker were instrumental in Pittsburgh's win as both kept their team in the game with clutch jump shots. Wanamaker also fed the ball successfully to his teammates and would finish the game with 24 points and 10 assists. Travon Woodall was lethal coming off the bench, hitting key shots in the overtime periods and finishing with 12 points. This was the ultimate difference in the ball game because West Virginia could not get anything from their bench. Pittsburgh was able to grind out a victory against a West Virginia team more dependent on their finesse style of play rather than an aggressive and attacking offensive game plan. West Virginia has three outstanding forwards in Butler, Ebanks, and Kevin Jones. The latter two average over 7 rebounds per game and complement Butler's scoring style very well. The problem with West Virginia is their inability to develop consistency from their bench. They need smaller role players to step up with the game on the line, hitting their free throws and setting up Butler within the paint. West Virginia has been very good at getting help from their role players since they are among the leaders in free-throw percentage and scoring offense. Yet they have been sputtering as of late, which means that head coach Bob Huggins needs to reach deep down and find out what his team is made of in the coming weeks.
Some would argue that the Syracuse Orange will be the team to beat going into the NCAA Tournament in March. They certainly have the weapons to justify that claim and can play a zone defense capable of shutting down any of the nation's elite powerhouses. With Wesley Johnson and Kris Joseph anchoring the interior, Syracuse is not only lethal outside the perimeter but can also attack opposing defenses and wear them down as the game goes on. Lately, the Orange have fallen victim to their own mistakes and have been keeping teams in the game for far too long. They were very close to suffering an upset loss against UConn and did indeed suffer an upset loss to Louisville yesterday. There is no real reason as to why the Orange have been flirting with disaster recently, except to say that UConn and Louisville offered serious challenges by putting pressure on the zone and forcing Syracuse to adjust their gameplan. Syracuse's ineffectiveness at neutralizing the leading scorers of the opposing teams (Jerome Dyson of UConn and Edgar Sosa of Louisville) forced them to play mistake-free basketball in the crucial moments of those games. Syracuse turned the ball over 20 times against UConn and shot a paltry 42% from the field, which was very uncharacteristic of a team ranked #1 in field-goal percentage. The Orange also failed to execute from the 3-point line, shooting a measly 23% from beyond the arc. Yet despite the efforts of Dyson and Stanley Robinson in this game, Wesley Johnson and Kris Joseph made some crucial free-throws down the stretch to give the Orange the victory. They would not be so fortunate against Louisville. Syracuse would continue its shooting troubles by hitting just 41% of their shots from the field. Wesley Johnson tried to be the hero by stepping out of his comfort zone and attempting to hit crucial three-point shots to get Syracuse back in the game. Johnson's failure to execute motivated the Cardinals to stretch the game out, with Samardo Samuels and Mike Marra dominating the perimeter and attacking the zone with great success. Louisville outplayed Syracuse yesterday despite the efforts of the latter's vastly superior frontline. Johnson, Arinze Onuaku, and Kris Joseph dominated the boards but it wasn't enough to hold off a Louisville team that had something to prove. Their victory over Syracuse brought them back into the tournament conversation, if only for a brief moment. Louisville still has a lot of work to do before we can start to take them seriously again. As for Syracuse, consider this a blip on the radar. While it is true they haven't played well in their last two games, they are still one of the highest scoring teams in basketball. They are also one of the top rebounding teams and can still find a way to execute both inside and outside the 3-point line. They have a terrific interior game led by Johnson and Joseph that causes havoc for opposing defenses. And they play a magnificent zone defense, which has given fits to some of the best teams in the country. Jim Boeheim has his team headed in the right direction. Yet all that could change should they lose to Georgetown and Villanova in the next two weeks.
That's it for now...Syracuse-Georgetown, UConn-Villanova, Purdue-Ohio State, Kentucky-Vanderbilt, and Bracket Busters analysis could be seen next week. Til then...
#1 Kansas Jayhawks (24-1)
#2 Kentucky Wildcats (24-1)
#3 Villanova Wildcats (22-2)
#4 Purdue Boilermakers (21-3)
#5 Syracuse Orange (24-2)
#6 Duke Blue Devils (21-4)
#7 Kansas State Wildcats (20-4)
#8 West Virginia Mountaineers (19-5)
#9 Gonzaga Bulldogs (21-4)
#10 Georgetown Hoyas (18-6)
#11 Michigan State Spartans (20-6)
#12 Ohio State Buckeyes (20-6)
#13 Butler Bulldogs (23-4)
#14 Brigham Young Cougars (23-3)
#15 New Mexico Lobos (23-3)
#16 Wisconsin Badgers (19-6)
#17 Texas Longhorns (20-5)
#18 Tennessee Volunteers (18-6)
#19 Vanderbilt Commodores (19-5)
#20 Temple Owls (20-5)
#21 Pittsburgh Panthers (19-6)
#22 Baylor Bears (19-5)
#23 Texas A&M Aggies (18-6)
#24 Northern Iowa Panthers (22-3)
#25 Wake Forest Demon Deacons (18-5)
The Tennessee Volunteers suffered the worst drawback in the polls this week, dropping six spots on their way to a #18 ranking. Devastating losses to Vanderbilt and Kentucky not only leaves Tennessee reeling in the SEC race, but also exposes their weaknesses as a cohesive unit. In most of their quality wins this season, Tennessee has shot the ball well and out-rebounded their opponents by significant margins. Vanderbilt and Kentucky challenged the Volunteers from start to finish, proving how Bruce Pearl, sparkling in that orange jacket of his, has a lot of work to do before the NCAA tournament. The only advantage working in Tennessee's favor right now is their ability to generate a substantial amount of offense. They are not a very good rebounding team and do not execute at the free-throw line when given their chances. Tennessee came out flat in their game against Vanderbilt, missing shots outside the perimeter and allowing the Commodores to control the tempo and execute inside the paint. In spite of the efforts of Wayne Chism and J.P. Prince, Tennessee was unable to match Vanderbilt's energy throughout the course of the game. Turnovers and personal fouls killed the Volunteers to the point where Vanderbilt attempted 43 free throws and made 37 of them. Jeffery Taylor and Jermaine Beal had spectacular games for the Commodores, hitting enough big shots to halt any kind of change in momentum and preventing Tennessee for making a comeback.
Tennessee came out with a better effort against Kentucky on Saturday night and even held a two-point lead late in the second half. They were efficient within the paint defensively and were successful at taking DeMarcus Cousins out of the game. They got terrific bench play from Melvin Goins, who contributed 14 points and made a few three-pointers to keep Tennessee in the game. However, the combination of John Wall and Eric Bledsoe were too much to handle for the Volunteers. The Wildcats would pull away late off crucial turnovers from J.P. Prince and key jump shots from Wall and Bledsoe. Tennessee was better from the free-throw line, shooting 77% and proving to be a thorn in Kentucky's side. However, they were not able to draw enough fouls and expand their lead to the point where Kentucky would have to start playing mistake-free basketball. The Commodores and the Wildcats proved why they are better than the Volunteers right now. In order for Tennessee to return to the land of prominence among the elite, they will need a greater spark from their bench and will need to limit their turnovers and foul trouble. They have terrific young guards in Bobby Maze and Scotty Hopson, who can burn you with the jump shot and can also feed the ball successfully to Wayne Chism. Chism needs to establish himself as a dominant weapon in the paint, emerging as the catalyst of Tennessee's offensive strategy and allowing Bruce Pearl to stretch his game plan a little bit. Tennessee has a lot of problems right now. In order for them to be a legitimate threat come March, they will need to unite as a team much in the same way they did when they lost Tyler Smith and defeated Kansas earlier in the year.
One of the primary disadvantages working against the West Virginia Mountaineers is that they play in the Big East Conference. Statistically speaking, West Virginia boasts one of the most talented groups in the nation and should be considered a dangerous threat leading up to the NCAA Tournament. To say that they are not a dangerous threat would be ludicrous considering they are ranked #8 in the nation. However, if one were to go through their season thus far, one would see that West Virginia only has two quality wins against Ohio State and Pittsburgh. They got blown out by a Purdue team that is slowly rising to the top of the Big Ten Conference. They lost a close game to Syracuse, which wasn't even that close because of WVU's turnovers and personal fouls. And they suffered tough losses against Villanova and Pittsburgh last week, the latter of which was a classic triple-overtime thriller that turned out to be the game of the weekend. The Villanova loss was a tough one to swallow for the Mountaineers, who were fresh off a recent ranking of #4 in the polls and were tops in the nation in rebounding and 3-point percentage. Villanova came ready to play as they shot the ball very well from beyond the arc and won the rebounding war by 10. Scottie Reynolds and Corey Fisher took control of the game in the second half, finishing with 21 and 17 points respectively. Antonio Pena wore down the Mountaineers in the paint with 10 points and 9 rebounds. The straw that broke the camel's back was West Virginia's inability to establish dominance outside the 3-point line, going 7-27 from beyond the arc and not capitalizing from the free-throw line. Villanova was more physical than West Virginia and that proved to be the difference in the basketball game.
West Virginia's ineptitude from the 3-point line continued against Pittsburgh in a game worthy of a Backyard Brawl. Da'Sean Butler had the game of his life for the Mountaineers, finishing with 32 points and 11 rebounds in 49 minutes of play. 18 of those points came in the overtime periods, with Butler serving as West Virginia's only scorer in the third overtime. Darryl Bryant was WVU's most efficient player from beyond the arc, going 3 for 6 from outside the perimeter and finishing with 20 points. Devin Ebanks was a force inside the paint as he was able to successfully neutralize Nasir Robinson and Gary McGhee and shut down Pittsburgh's interior game. Ebanks would finish with 17 points and 10 rebounds, but it wouldn't be enough to contain the Panthers. They wanted this game in the worst way and it showed from the moment they took the court against the Mountaineers. Ashton Gibbs and Brad Wanamaker were instrumental in Pittsburgh's win as both kept their team in the game with clutch jump shots. Wanamaker also fed the ball successfully to his teammates and would finish the game with 24 points and 10 assists. Travon Woodall was lethal coming off the bench, hitting key shots in the overtime periods and finishing with 12 points. This was the ultimate difference in the ball game because West Virginia could not get anything from their bench. Pittsburgh was able to grind out a victory against a West Virginia team more dependent on their finesse style of play rather than an aggressive and attacking offensive game plan. West Virginia has three outstanding forwards in Butler, Ebanks, and Kevin Jones. The latter two average over 7 rebounds per game and complement Butler's scoring style very well. The problem with West Virginia is their inability to develop consistency from their bench. They need smaller role players to step up with the game on the line, hitting their free throws and setting up Butler within the paint. West Virginia has been very good at getting help from their role players since they are among the leaders in free-throw percentage and scoring offense. Yet they have been sputtering as of late, which means that head coach Bob Huggins needs to reach deep down and find out what his team is made of in the coming weeks.
Some would argue that the Syracuse Orange will be the team to beat going into the NCAA Tournament in March. They certainly have the weapons to justify that claim and can play a zone defense capable of shutting down any of the nation's elite powerhouses. With Wesley Johnson and Kris Joseph anchoring the interior, Syracuse is not only lethal outside the perimeter but can also attack opposing defenses and wear them down as the game goes on. Lately, the Orange have fallen victim to their own mistakes and have been keeping teams in the game for far too long. They were very close to suffering an upset loss against UConn and did indeed suffer an upset loss to Louisville yesterday. There is no real reason as to why the Orange have been flirting with disaster recently, except to say that UConn and Louisville offered serious challenges by putting pressure on the zone and forcing Syracuse to adjust their gameplan. Syracuse's ineffectiveness at neutralizing the leading scorers of the opposing teams (Jerome Dyson of UConn and Edgar Sosa of Louisville) forced them to play mistake-free basketball in the crucial moments of those games. Syracuse turned the ball over 20 times against UConn and shot a paltry 42% from the field, which was very uncharacteristic of a team ranked #1 in field-goal percentage. The Orange also failed to execute from the 3-point line, shooting a measly 23% from beyond the arc. Yet despite the efforts of Dyson and Stanley Robinson in this game, Wesley Johnson and Kris Joseph made some crucial free-throws down the stretch to give the Orange the victory. They would not be so fortunate against Louisville. Syracuse would continue its shooting troubles by hitting just 41% of their shots from the field. Wesley Johnson tried to be the hero by stepping out of his comfort zone and attempting to hit crucial three-point shots to get Syracuse back in the game. Johnson's failure to execute motivated the Cardinals to stretch the game out, with Samardo Samuels and Mike Marra dominating the perimeter and attacking the zone with great success. Louisville outplayed Syracuse yesterday despite the efforts of the latter's vastly superior frontline. Johnson, Arinze Onuaku, and Kris Joseph dominated the boards but it wasn't enough to hold off a Louisville team that had something to prove. Their victory over Syracuse brought them back into the tournament conversation, if only for a brief moment. Louisville still has a lot of work to do before we can start to take them seriously again. As for Syracuse, consider this a blip on the radar. While it is true they haven't played well in their last two games, they are still one of the highest scoring teams in basketball. They are also one of the top rebounding teams and can still find a way to execute both inside and outside the 3-point line. They have a terrific interior game led by Johnson and Joseph that causes havoc for opposing defenses. And they play a magnificent zone defense, which has given fits to some of the best teams in the country. Jim Boeheim has his team headed in the right direction. Yet all that could change should they lose to Georgetown and Villanova in the next two weeks.
That's it for now...Syracuse-Georgetown, UConn-Villanova, Purdue-Ohio State, Kentucky-Vanderbilt, and Bracket Busters analysis could be seen next week. Til then...
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
NBA Wednesdays 02/10/2010
This is also a new column that will be updated every Wednesday. It will feature a comprehensive yet thorough analysis of events transpiring in the NBA. Like NCAA Manic Mondays, special attention will be paid to the few teams making headlines over the course of the week for their activities both on and off the basketball court. The column shall be known as NBA Wednesdays until I can think of a wittier name for it. Without further adieu, I present to you NBA Wednesdays...
How in God's name do the Cleveland Cavaliers have the best record in the NBA right now? When one thinks about it, the Cavaliers present the exact same team that took the court last year. And if one remembers correctly, that team lost to Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference Finals. So in retrospect, it is fair to say that the Cavaliers should finish no better than they did last year, right? The way the Cavaliers are playing this season would certainly have us believing otherwise. Yet such outstanding play is not a result of trading for the Big Witness Protector. Truth be told, the addition of Shaquille O'Neal really hasn't made that much of a difference in the way the Cavaliers win basketball games. They are not getting the Shaquille O'Neal of 10 years ago that was winning championships with Kobe Bryant and establishing himself as one of the Top 5 centers in NBA history. The Big Aristotle has been worn down throughout the years, with his body finally surrendering to the sands of time and old age. He plays an average of just over 23 minutes a night, splitting time with Zydrunas Ilgauskas and J.J. Hickson simply because he cannot carry a team on his shoulders anymore. The only ingredient that Shaq contributes to this awesome mixture of talent is the idea of presence. Shaq can still play with the best centers in the league because he still has that passion and intensity burning brightly within him. He provides the Cavaliers with a sense of stability underneath the rim; a confidence that allows LeBron's team to triumph in the paint and snatch the majority of offensive and defensive rebounds. Shaq's numbers are average at best with just over 11 ppg and 6 rpg. Yet his presence is felt whenever they need a stopper against Dwight Howard or Rasheed Wallace.
Make no mistake about it: the Cavaliers are winning because of LeBron James. Clearly that is a statement of the obvious only because it is irrevocably true. LeBron James is a sheer force whenever he touches the basketball. His ability to take over basketball games and carry his team in the fourth quarter is indicative of what a great player should always be able to do. To say that he will win his 2nd consecutive MVP this year is again a statement of the obvious. With an average of over 29 ppg, 8 apg, and 7 rpg, LeBron clearly has the statistics to justify the honor. Yet if one were to analyze the intangibles of this Cavaliers team, one would be able to see why LeBron deserves the MVP more than any other player this season. With the losses of Mo Williams and Delonte West, the Cavaliers have had to adjust their offensive game plan by making LeBron a point guard. What have the Cavaliers done since then? They've gone on a 13-game winning streak with LeBron averaging over 30 ppg. This proves how LeBron is not only the best small forward in the NBA, but is also one of the best point guards in the NBA. And he's only been playing the position for 13 games. This Cavaliers team hasn't missed a beat with convincing wins over the Heat, Knicks, Nets, and Magic over the last two weeks. Only time will tell if this team has enough strength and endurance to win the NBA Finals.
The Boston Celtics were, and to some degree still are, thought to be one of the prime challengers for the Cavaliers this season. Many believed that with the addition of Rasheed Wallace, the Celtics were ready to bounce back from their injury-plagued season last year and return for another showdown with the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals. Yet all is not well in the city of Boston this season. Those same nagging injuries have prevented the Celtics from establishing a rhythm and consistency to their style of play. Paul Pierce has been struggling with a sprained ankle, which has left him revolving in and out of the lineup. Kevin Garnett was out for an extended period of time with a hyperextended knee problem. And the Celtics do not have enough bench depth to compete with teams like the Cavaliers, Magic, or Lakers. Granted Rajon Rondo has become a vital part of the Celtics offense this season, averaging over 14 ppg and 9 assists per game. But the biggest problem of this Celtics team is that they do not have enough youth to compensate for their veteran experience. They have enough talent to defeat the mediocre teams in their conference. But they do not have enough energy to pose a significant challenge in the playoffs. The Celtics have been using Ray Allen and Glen 'Big Baby' Davis as trade bait to try and get younger on the offensive side of the court. Recent trade rumors have had Ray Allen going to Charlotte in exchange for D.J. Augustin, who is a good perimeter shooter and could help the Celtics in terms of stretching out the game. However, losing Allen would be a signature loss for a Celtics organization that had high hopes on winning multiple titles with Garnett, Allen, and Pierce at the helm. Trading Allen would be an admission that the grace period for the Celtics is rapidly coming to an end. The Celtics knew going into this season that there was a limited window for which to make a move to the NBA Finals. To give up on this team right now would be a big mistake because it would show that they are giving up on this season and looking towards the future. The Celtics should not give up on this season just yet. If Doc Rivers can pull this team together and convince them to play with the same kind of passion and fire akin to the championship team of two years ago, then the Celtics will be a dangerous opponent come playoff time. Ray Allen needs to be a dominant force on the perimeter. Kevin Garnett and Rasheed Wallace need to drive to the hoop whenever they have the basketball and prove how dominant they can still be in the paint. And Paul Pierce simply needs to be The Truth. Yet in order for the Celtics to meet the expectations of its fanbase and deliver another NBA title to Boston, they will need to stay healthy and learn how to finish games against the top-tier teams. Right now, both of those issues are in serious doubt.
The Los Angeles Lakers have also been a team suffering from injuries as of late. If one were to look at the word INJURY in the dictionary for this season, one would find a picture of Kobe Bryant. Bryant has been battling all kinds of injuries this season with a broken finger, back spasms, and an newly discovered ankle problem. And like any true leader of his team, he has persevered through all of it and has emerged with yet another stellar season worthy of an MVP award. Bryant has been averaging 28 points per game with just over 5 rebounds and 4 assists. Yet if one were to analyze this team from top to bottom, one would come to believe that the Lakers are still a playoff team without Kobe Bryant in the lineup. Without Bryant in the lineup over the past week, the Lakers have gone on a three-game winning streak with wins over the Trailblazers, Spurs, and a red-hot Utah Jazz team coming off a 9-game winning streak. Lamar Odom has stepped up in a big way for this team, averaging 17 points and over 14 rebounds a game during that stretch. Pau Gasol has evolved his interior game to the point where he is once again becoming a dominant force in the paint. Over the course of the three-game winning streak, Gasol averaged over 18 points and 15 rebounds per game and showed why he is one of the most underrated players in the NBA. The Lakers illustrated why they are still the team to beat in the Western Conference simply because they won those three games WITHOUT Kobe Bryant. Granted Bryant makes a huge difference for the Lakers when he becomes the focal point of Phil Jackson's Triangle offense. His ability to hit clutch shots with the game on the line, combined with his intense leadership and determination towards winning a championship, makes Bryant the vital component necessary for the Lakers to survive all rounds of the playoffs. However, if the Lakers were to play without Bryant on a nightly basis, whose to say that they couldn't still emerge as the Western Conference representative in the NBA Finals. They still have an extraordinary interior game with Gasol and Andrew Bynum, both of whom average over 15 points and 8 rebounds per game at least. In spite of the fact that Ron Artest is having a down season, he is still an awesome defensive force for the Lakers and can serve as the ultimate stopper for top-tier shooters in the playoffs. He also contributes over 11 points and 4 rebounds per game. The key to the Lakers' success would obviously have to come from their bench in the form of Jordan Farmar and Shannon Brown, both of whom would have to average better than 7 ppg to compensate for the loss of Bryant. However, if Odom was able to continue his streak of excellent play by develop consistency throughout the rest of the season, then the Lakers would still be a prominent contender in the Western Conference without Kobe Bryant. The fact that they have Kobe can therefore be described as a gigantic bonus prize because the Lakers are proving how they can win without him. It would be interesting to see how they would fair in a playoff environment without Kobe. Alas, the casual NBA fan will not have to worry about that.
That's it for now...tune in next week for a reaction to the All-Star Game
How in God's name do the Cleveland Cavaliers have the best record in the NBA right now? When one thinks about it, the Cavaliers present the exact same team that took the court last year. And if one remembers correctly, that team lost to Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference Finals. So in retrospect, it is fair to say that the Cavaliers should finish no better than they did last year, right? The way the Cavaliers are playing this season would certainly have us believing otherwise. Yet such outstanding play is not a result of trading for the Big Witness Protector. Truth be told, the addition of Shaquille O'Neal really hasn't made that much of a difference in the way the Cavaliers win basketball games. They are not getting the Shaquille O'Neal of 10 years ago that was winning championships with Kobe Bryant and establishing himself as one of the Top 5 centers in NBA history. The Big Aristotle has been worn down throughout the years, with his body finally surrendering to the sands of time and old age. He plays an average of just over 23 minutes a night, splitting time with Zydrunas Ilgauskas and J.J. Hickson simply because he cannot carry a team on his shoulders anymore. The only ingredient that Shaq contributes to this awesome mixture of talent is the idea of presence. Shaq can still play with the best centers in the league because he still has that passion and intensity burning brightly within him. He provides the Cavaliers with a sense of stability underneath the rim; a confidence that allows LeBron's team to triumph in the paint and snatch the majority of offensive and defensive rebounds. Shaq's numbers are average at best with just over 11 ppg and 6 rpg. Yet his presence is felt whenever they need a stopper against Dwight Howard or Rasheed Wallace.
Make no mistake about it: the Cavaliers are winning because of LeBron James. Clearly that is a statement of the obvious only because it is irrevocably true. LeBron James is a sheer force whenever he touches the basketball. His ability to take over basketball games and carry his team in the fourth quarter is indicative of what a great player should always be able to do. To say that he will win his 2nd consecutive MVP this year is again a statement of the obvious. With an average of over 29 ppg, 8 apg, and 7 rpg, LeBron clearly has the statistics to justify the honor. Yet if one were to analyze the intangibles of this Cavaliers team, one would be able to see why LeBron deserves the MVP more than any other player this season. With the losses of Mo Williams and Delonte West, the Cavaliers have had to adjust their offensive game plan by making LeBron a point guard. What have the Cavaliers done since then? They've gone on a 13-game winning streak with LeBron averaging over 30 ppg. This proves how LeBron is not only the best small forward in the NBA, but is also one of the best point guards in the NBA. And he's only been playing the position for 13 games. This Cavaliers team hasn't missed a beat with convincing wins over the Heat, Knicks, Nets, and Magic over the last two weeks. Only time will tell if this team has enough strength and endurance to win the NBA Finals.
The Boston Celtics were, and to some degree still are, thought to be one of the prime challengers for the Cavaliers this season. Many believed that with the addition of Rasheed Wallace, the Celtics were ready to bounce back from their injury-plagued season last year and return for another showdown with the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals. Yet all is not well in the city of Boston this season. Those same nagging injuries have prevented the Celtics from establishing a rhythm and consistency to their style of play. Paul Pierce has been struggling with a sprained ankle, which has left him revolving in and out of the lineup. Kevin Garnett was out for an extended period of time with a hyperextended knee problem. And the Celtics do not have enough bench depth to compete with teams like the Cavaliers, Magic, or Lakers. Granted Rajon Rondo has become a vital part of the Celtics offense this season, averaging over 14 ppg and 9 assists per game. But the biggest problem of this Celtics team is that they do not have enough youth to compensate for their veteran experience. They have enough talent to defeat the mediocre teams in their conference. But they do not have enough energy to pose a significant challenge in the playoffs. The Celtics have been using Ray Allen and Glen 'Big Baby' Davis as trade bait to try and get younger on the offensive side of the court. Recent trade rumors have had Ray Allen going to Charlotte in exchange for D.J. Augustin, who is a good perimeter shooter and could help the Celtics in terms of stretching out the game. However, losing Allen would be a signature loss for a Celtics organization that had high hopes on winning multiple titles with Garnett, Allen, and Pierce at the helm. Trading Allen would be an admission that the grace period for the Celtics is rapidly coming to an end. The Celtics knew going into this season that there was a limited window for which to make a move to the NBA Finals. To give up on this team right now would be a big mistake because it would show that they are giving up on this season and looking towards the future. The Celtics should not give up on this season just yet. If Doc Rivers can pull this team together and convince them to play with the same kind of passion and fire akin to the championship team of two years ago, then the Celtics will be a dangerous opponent come playoff time. Ray Allen needs to be a dominant force on the perimeter. Kevin Garnett and Rasheed Wallace need to drive to the hoop whenever they have the basketball and prove how dominant they can still be in the paint. And Paul Pierce simply needs to be The Truth. Yet in order for the Celtics to meet the expectations of its fanbase and deliver another NBA title to Boston, they will need to stay healthy and learn how to finish games against the top-tier teams. Right now, both of those issues are in serious doubt.
The Los Angeles Lakers have also been a team suffering from injuries as of late. If one were to look at the word INJURY in the dictionary for this season, one would find a picture of Kobe Bryant. Bryant has been battling all kinds of injuries this season with a broken finger, back spasms, and an newly discovered ankle problem. And like any true leader of his team, he has persevered through all of it and has emerged with yet another stellar season worthy of an MVP award. Bryant has been averaging 28 points per game with just over 5 rebounds and 4 assists. Yet if one were to analyze this team from top to bottom, one would come to believe that the Lakers are still a playoff team without Kobe Bryant in the lineup. Without Bryant in the lineup over the past week, the Lakers have gone on a three-game winning streak with wins over the Trailblazers, Spurs, and a red-hot Utah Jazz team coming off a 9-game winning streak. Lamar Odom has stepped up in a big way for this team, averaging 17 points and over 14 rebounds a game during that stretch. Pau Gasol has evolved his interior game to the point where he is once again becoming a dominant force in the paint. Over the course of the three-game winning streak, Gasol averaged over 18 points and 15 rebounds per game and showed why he is one of the most underrated players in the NBA. The Lakers illustrated why they are still the team to beat in the Western Conference simply because they won those three games WITHOUT Kobe Bryant. Granted Bryant makes a huge difference for the Lakers when he becomes the focal point of Phil Jackson's Triangle offense. His ability to hit clutch shots with the game on the line, combined with his intense leadership and determination towards winning a championship, makes Bryant the vital component necessary for the Lakers to survive all rounds of the playoffs. However, if the Lakers were to play without Bryant on a nightly basis, whose to say that they couldn't still emerge as the Western Conference representative in the NBA Finals. They still have an extraordinary interior game with Gasol and Andrew Bynum, both of whom average over 15 points and 8 rebounds per game at least. In spite of the fact that Ron Artest is having a down season, he is still an awesome defensive force for the Lakers and can serve as the ultimate stopper for top-tier shooters in the playoffs. He also contributes over 11 points and 4 rebounds per game. The key to the Lakers' success would obviously have to come from their bench in the form of Jordan Farmar and Shannon Brown, both of whom would have to average better than 7 ppg to compensate for the loss of Bryant. However, if Odom was able to continue his streak of excellent play by develop consistency throughout the rest of the season, then the Lakers would still be a prominent contender in the Western Conference without Kobe Bryant. The fact that they have Kobe can therefore be described as a gigantic bonus prize because the Lakers are proving how they can win without him. It would be interesting to see how they would fair in a playoff environment without Kobe. Alas, the casual NBA fan will not have to worry about that.
That's it for now...tune in next week for a reaction to the All-Star Game
Monday, February 8, 2010
NCAA Manic Mondays 02/08/10
Now that football season is completed, I will be turning my attention to some of the other sports occurring right now. On Mondays, I will be offering my reaction to the newly released Top 25 of college basketball by providing valuable insight and analysis on the previous week's games. I will use certain teams as focal points for my analysis, illustrating how the games they played had a direct effect on the repositioning of the Top 25 for the current week. I shall call this column Manic Mondays, which signifies our return to the grind after a relaxing weekend. Feel free to leave some comments, which will be responded to accordingly. Enjoy!!!
Here is the Top 25 of college basketball for 02/08/10
#1 Kansas Jayhawks (22-1)
#2 Kentucky Wildcats (22-1)
#3 Syracuse Orange (23-1)
#4 West Virginia Mountaineers (19-3)
#5 Villanova Wildcats (20-2)
#6 Purdue Boilermakers (19-3)
#7 Duke Blue Devils (19-4)
#8 Georgetown Hoyas (17-5)
#9 Kansas State Wildcats (19-4)
#10 Michigan State Spartans (19-5)
#11 Gonzaga Bulldogs (19-4)
#12 Tennessee Volunteers (18-4)
#13 Wisconsin Badgers (18-5)
#14 Texas Longhorns (19-4)
#15 Butler Bulldogs (20-4)
#16 Ohio State Buckeyes (18-6)
#17 Brigham Young Cougars (22-3)
#18 Northern Iowa Panthers (21-2)
#19 New Mexico Lobos (21-3)
#20 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (17-6)
#21 Temple Owls (19-5)
#22 Cornell Big Red (20-3)
#23 Pittsburgh Panthers (17-6)
#24 Vanderbilt Commodores (17-5)
#25 UNLV Rebels (19-4)
I'll begin with the 8th ranked Georgetown Hoyas, who began last week with a devastating loss to South Florida. The key to winning in college basketball is by developing a pattern of consistency. Without consistency, good teams fail to transcend on to the next level of greatness. They look ahead to opponents who match their caliber and are oftentimes picked off by teams they are supposed to beat. Such is the sacred and the profane of college basketball, which is to say that upsets are expected throughout the course of the season. Yet it is fair to say that upsets can prevent the very best teams from ending their season with a national championship. Georgetown's upset loss to South Florida can only be explained in one simple way; they were looking ahead to Villanova. Credit must be given to South Florida in that they have played outstanding basketball as of late. Guard Dominique Jones torched Georgetown with 29 points and absolutely took over the game when it mattered. Georgetown had absolutely no answers for him as their defense broke down in the final moments. In the end, it was too little too late for the Hoyas to make a comeback. But this loss to South Florida was completely erased on Saturday afternoon under 2 ft of snow. Georgetown went into their showdown against Villanova and just took over. They never let the Wildcats control the pace of the game, always forcing them to play quick transition defense and burning them with long jump shots. Turnovers and fouls killed both teams in this game. However, a distinct majority of those mistakes fell right into the lap of Jay Wright and his upstart Wildcats. In the end, the terrific guard play of Scottie Reynolds and Corey Fisher wasn't enough to dampen the Hoyas. Big games from Austin Freeman and Greg Monroe catapulted Georgetown to their first 100-point game since 1996, not to mention a very convincing Big East win. Georgetown is a team primed to go far in the NCAA tournament. They have all the pieces necessary to make a substantial run and are among the top teams in the nation in field-goal percentage and 3 pt shots. They have two terrific guards in Freeman and Chris Wright who can take charge and spread the ball along the perimeter. And they have a big man in Monroe who can dominate the paint and hurt any team with his strength and agility. This is a team with the makings of a perennial championship contender. Yet they have to learn to take every opponent seriously.
What did we discover about the Michigan State Spartans this week? They are a completely different team without Kalin Lucas. Before Lucas left the Wisconsin game with an ankle injury last Tuesday, the Spartans were ranked #5 in the country and were considered to be the best team in the Big Ten with a perfect 9-0 record in conference play. Yet even with Lucas at the helm, this basketball team was constantly flirting with disaster. This is not a team that shows its dominance through convincing, lopsided victories. They grind it out against their opponents, oftentimes coming from behind to seal the victory. They win because they shoot the ball well in clutch situations and find ways to snag crucial defensive rebounds in the paint with the game on the line. When that doesn't happen, Michigan State falters to a point where they become vulnerable. This leads to forced desperation shots resulting from a panic and in the end, it proves to be the Spartans' biggest weakness when it comes to controlling the game. Consider last week's contests against Wisconsin and Illinois. Wisconsin got off to a fast start against the Spartans, hitting big shots from the perimeter and dictating the tempo from the very beginning. Guards Jordan Taylor and Jason Bohannon were vipers from the backcourt and were always in prime position to kill Michigan State along the outside. Yet in spite of Wisconsin's aggressive start to the game, Michigan State started off the second half strong and cut a 17-point deficit down to 9. But once Lucas went down with the ankle injury, the Spartans were never able to bounce back. They panicked and as a result, they fell by the wayside. Now they had a prime opportunity to right the ship with a sound victory over Illinois on Saturday night. Yet they did not capitalize as Lucas sat out the game and Demetri McCarney dominated with 22 points and 11 assists. Illinois had good ball movement throughout and were able to force 18 turnovers from Michigan State. As a result, they were able to hold off the Spartans in the final minutes by making their free throws and hitting clutch jump shots all over the court. No one stepped up in the wake of Lucas's absence. Guards Durrell Summers and Chris Allen has average games at best and didn't really pose a significant challenge down the stretch. Michigan State lost their primary weapon in Lucas, who averages over 15 points per game and 4 assists. He is their ultimate playmaker and without him, the Spartans don't stand a chance of making it to the Final Four this year.
The Texas Longhorns have done a massive freefall in the last two weeks. This was a team that was once 17-0 and ranked #1 in the nation. But upset losses to Kansas State and UConn sent them spiraling out of control. Rick Barnes' team has forgotten how to play defense in the final stretches of games. Their inability to close out their opponent has been their biggest weakness as a team. If one analyzes the statistics, Texas is on top of the leaderboard when it comes to field-goal percentage, rebounding, and 3-point shooting percentage. Basically, they know how to score points and they know how to snatch the ball away from defenders when it's up in the air. So then why are the Longhorns slowly dripping their way down the polls and into the realms of oblivion? Because of their inability to shoot the ball well. How is this possible when the team is tops in the nation in field-goal percentage? This is certainly one of the more intriguing mysteries of the college basketball season. In the five losses that Texas has suffered since being ranked #1, they have shot the ball under 45% and have allowed leads to slip away in the waning moments of games. They allow opposing offenses to generate unanswered scoring runs, which ends up crippling Texas and forcing them to play an uphill battle whenever they have the ball. Texas is not devoid of playmakers. Damion James is an absolute star, averaging over 18 points per game and 10 rebounds per game. He has a terrific supporting cast in Avery Bradley, Dexter Pittman, and J'Covan Brown, all of whom average over 10 points per game. Yet for whatever reason, this is a team that prides itself on building comfortable leads but then literally STOPPING before the game is over. Their failure to play adequate defense, to curtail their opponents' ability to break open the game with the momentum of clutch shots, has virtually allowed them to drop from the ranks of the elite. Texas is in big trouble heading down the stretch; if they don't start playing as a cohesive unit, then they will go down as one of the biggest disappointments of the college basketball season.
The Kansas Jayhawks have been playing some of their best basketball as of late. I know that's hard to say considering they've had close calls against Kansas State, Colorado, and Nebraska. But if one were to truly analyze this team from top to bottom, they are without question the deepest, most fundamentally sound program of the elite teams. Bill Self has done a great job harnessing his talent to the point where they treat every game as though it were their last. I know that people will argue for the enduring perseverance of Kentucky or the illuminating flashiness of Syracuse. But when one steps back to look at the Kansas Jayhawks, it is really hard to point out a fundamental weakness. They are tops in the nation in points per game, field-goal percentage, 3-point shooting, and rebounding. They play excellent defense and maintain the ability to shut down any of the nation's best teams with the game on the line. Sherron Collins is the heart and soul of that team, averaging over 15 points and 4 assists per game. He feeds the ball to his teammates and gets them involved, which in turn makes Kansas a very lethal offensive force. The best thing about the Kansas offense is their ability to kill potential momentum changers with big shots from Collins, Xavier Henry, and Tyshawn Taylor. When Kansas is not hitting their strides from the perimeter, they love to feed the ball inside to Cold Aldrich and Marcus Morris, both of whom are able to dominate the paint and draw a significant amount of fouls from the opposing defense. Both Aldrich and Morris pose significant defensive challenges as well. They are able to stand their guard under the basket and draw a lot of charges from opposing guards willing to drive into the lane. Kansas has been playing nip-and-tuck basketball as of late, jumping out to early leads only to lose their composure halfway through the game. However, the strength of that team stems from their ability to triumph in the face of adversity and work their way back into it. They are able to stem off challenges not just from the inferior teams they should beat, but also the elite teams they expect to be challenged by. The Kansas Jayhawks wear the #1 ranking proudly right now. However, they must tread softly on their way to the NCAA tournament.
That's it for now....stay tuned next week for possible commentary on Villanova-West Virginia, Kansas-Texas, Purdue-Michigan State, and Tennessee-Kentucky.
Here is the Top 25 of college basketball for 02/08/10
#1 Kansas Jayhawks (22-1)
#2 Kentucky Wildcats (22-1)
#3 Syracuse Orange (23-1)
#4 West Virginia Mountaineers (19-3)
#5 Villanova Wildcats (20-2)
#6 Purdue Boilermakers (19-3)
#7 Duke Blue Devils (19-4)
#8 Georgetown Hoyas (17-5)
#9 Kansas State Wildcats (19-4)
#10 Michigan State Spartans (19-5)
#11 Gonzaga Bulldogs (19-4)
#12 Tennessee Volunteers (18-4)
#13 Wisconsin Badgers (18-5)
#14 Texas Longhorns (19-4)
#15 Butler Bulldogs (20-4)
#16 Ohio State Buckeyes (18-6)
#17 Brigham Young Cougars (22-3)
#18 Northern Iowa Panthers (21-2)
#19 New Mexico Lobos (21-3)
#20 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (17-6)
#21 Temple Owls (19-5)
#22 Cornell Big Red (20-3)
#23 Pittsburgh Panthers (17-6)
#24 Vanderbilt Commodores (17-5)
#25 UNLV Rebels (19-4)
I'll begin with the 8th ranked Georgetown Hoyas, who began last week with a devastating loss to South Florida. The key to winning in college basketball is by developing a pattern of consistency. Without consistency, good teams fail to transcend on to the next level of greatness. They look ahead to opponents who match their caliber and are oftentimes picked off by teams they are supposed to beat. Such is the sacred and the profane of college basketball, which is to say that upsets are expected throughout the course of the season. Yet it is fair to say that upsets can prevent the very best teams from ending their season with a national championship. Georgetown's upset loss to South Florida can only be explained in one simple way; they were looking ahead to Villanova. Credit must be given to South Florida in that they have played outstanding basketball as of late. Guard Dominique Jones torched Georgetown with 29 points and absolutely took over the game when it mattered. Georgetown had absolutely no answers for him as their defense broke down in the final moments. In the end, it was too little too late for the Hoyas to make a comeback. But this loss to South Florida was completely erased on Saturday afternoon under 2 ft of snow. Georgetown went into their showdown against Villanova and just took over. They never let the Wildcats control the pace of the game, always forcing them to play quick transition defense and burning them with long jump shots. Turnovers and fouls killed both teams in this game. However, a distinct majority of those mistakes fell right into the lap of Jay Wright and his upstart Wildcats. In the end, the terrific guard play of Scottie Reynolds and Corey Fisher wasn't enough to dampen the Hoyas. Big games from Austin Freeman and Greg Monroe catapulted Georgetown to their first 100-point game since 1996, not to mention a very convincing Big East win. Georgetown is a team primed to go far in the NCAA tournament. They have all the pieces necessary to make a substantial run and are among the top teams in the nation in field-goal percentage and 3 pt shots. They have two terrific guards in Freeman and Chris Wright who can take charge and spread the ball along the perimeter. And they have a big man in Monroe who can dominate the paint and hurt any team with his strength and agility. This is a team with the makings of a perennial championship contender. Yet they have to learn to take every opponent seriously.
What did we discover about the Michigan State Spartans this week? They are a completely different team without Kalin Lucas. Before Lucas left the Wisconsin game with an ankle injury last Tuesday, the Spartans were ranked #5 in the country and were considered to be the best team in the Big Ten with a perfect 9-0 record in conference play. Yet even with Lucas at the helm, this basketball team was constantly flirting with disaster. This is not a team that shows its dominance through convincing, lopsided victories. They grind it out against their opponents, oftentimes coming from behind to seal the victory. They win because they shoot the ball well in clutch situations and find ways to snag crucial defensive rebounds in the paint with the game on the line. When that doesn't happen, Michigan State falters to a point where they become vulnerable. This leads to forced desperation shots resulting from a panic and in the end, it proves to be the Spartans' biggest weakness when it comes to controlling the game. Consider last week's contests against Wisconsin and Illinois. Wisconsin got off to a fast start against the Spartans, hitting big shots from the perimeter and dictating the tempo from the very beginning. Guards Jordan Taylor and Jason Bohannon were vipers from the backcourt and were always in prime position to kill Michigan State along the outside. Yet in spite of Wisconsin's aggressive start to the game, Michigan State started off the second half strong and cut a 17-point deficit down to 9. But once Lucas went down with the ankle injury, the Spartans were never able to bounce back. They panicked and as a result, they fell by the wayside. Now they had a prime opportunity to right the ship with a sound victory over Illinois on Saturday night. Yet they did not capitalize as Lucas sat out the game and Demetri McCarney dominated with 22 points and 11 assists. Illinois had good ball movement throughout and were able to force 18 turnovers from Michigan State. As a result, they were able to hold off the Spartans in the final minutes by making their free throws and hitting clutch jump shots all over the court. No one stepped up in the wake of Lucas's absence. Guards Durrell Summers and Chris Allen has average games at best and didn't really pose a significant challenge down the stretch. Michigan State lost their primary weapon in Lucas, who averages over 15 points per game and 4 assists. He is their ultimate playmaker and without him, the Spartans don't stand a chance of making it to the Final Four this year.
The Texas Longhorns have done a massive freefall in the last two weeks. This was a team that was once 17-0 and ranked #1 in the nation. But upset losses to Kansas State and UConn sent them spiraling out of control. Rick Barnes' team has forgotten how to play defense in the final stretches of games. Their inability to close out their opponent has been their biggest weakness as a team. If one analyzes the statistics, Texas is on top of the leaderboard when it comes to field-goal percentage, rebounding, and 3-point shooting percentage. Basically, they know how to score points and they know how to snatch the ball away from defenders when it's up in the air. So then why are the Longhorns slowly dripping their way down the polls and into the realms of oblivion? Because of their inability to shoot the ball well. How is this possible when the team is tops in the nation in field-goal percentage? This is certainly one of the more intriguing mysteries of the college basketball season. In the five losses that Texas has suffered since being ranked #1, they have shot the ball under 45% and have allowed leads to slip away in the waning moments of games. They allow opposing offenses to generate unanswered scoring runs, which ends up crippling Texas and forcing them to play an uphill battle whenever they have the ball. Texas is not devoid of playmakers. Damion James is an absolute star, averaging over 18 points per game and 10 rebounds per game. He has a terrific supporting cast in Avery Bradley, Dexter Pittman, and J'Covan Brown, all of whom average over 10 points per game. Yet for whatever reason, this is a team that prides itself on building comfortable leads but then literally STOPPING before the game is over. Their failure to play adequate defense, to curtail their opponents' ability to break open the game with the momentum of clutch shots, has virtually allowed them to drop from the ranks of the elite. Texas is in big trouble heading down the stretch; if they don't start playing as a cohesive unit, then they will go down as one of the biggest disappointments of the college basketball season.
The Kansas Jayhawks have been playing some of their best basketball as of late. I know that's hard to say considering they've had close calls against Kansas State, Colorado, and Nebraska. But if one were to truly analyze this team from top to bottom, they are without question the deepest, most fundamentally sound program of the elite teams. Bill Self has done a great job harnessing his talent to the point where they treat every game as though it were their last. I know that people will argue for the enduring perseverance of Kentucky or the illuminating flashiness of Syracuse. But when one steps back to look at the Kansas Jayhawks, it is really hard to point out a fundamental weakness. They are tops in the nation in points per game, field-goal percentage, 3-point shooting, and rebounding. They play excellent defense and maintain the ability to shut down any of the nation's best teams with the game on the line. Sherron Collins is the heart and soul of that team, averaging over 15 points and 4 assists per game. He feeds the ball to his teammates and gets them involved, which in turn makes Kansas a very lethal offensive force. The best thing about the Kansas offense is their ability to kill potential momentum changers with big shots from Collins, Xavier Henry, and Tyshawn Taylor. When Kansas is not hitting their strides from the perimeter, they love to feed the ball inside to Cold Aldrich and Marcus Morris, both of whom are able to dominate the paint and draw a significant amount of fouls from the opposing defense. Both Aldrich and Morris pose significant defensive challenges as well. They are able to stand their guard under the basket and draw a lot of charges from opposing guards willing to drive into the lane. Kansas has been playing nip-and-tuck basketball as of late, jumping out to early leads only to lose their composure halfway through the game. However, the strength of that team stems from their ability to triumph in the face of adversity and work their way back into it. They are able to stem off challenges not just from the inferior teams they should beat, but also the elite teams they expect to be challenged by. The Kansas Jayhawks wear the #1 ranking proudly right now. However, they must tread softly on their way to the NCAA tournament.
That's it for now....stay tuned next week for possible commentary on Villanova-West Virginia, Kansas-Texas, Purdue-Michigan State, and Tennessee-Kentucky.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS WIN SUPER BOWL XLIV
Congratulations to the New Orleans Saints for winning Super Bowl XLIV. This is indeed one of the proudest moments in NFL history. Kudos to Sean Payton for giving us some of the gutsiest playcalling in Super Bowl history. It was absolutely shocking to watch the Saints onside kick to begin the second half, which totally changed the momentum of the game. The Saints offense did an incredible job of winning the time of possession battle. They kept Peyton Manning off the field for vital stretches and put themselves in a good position to win the football game. Drew Brees was nothing short of brilliant as he went 32/39 for 288 yards and 2 touchdowns. He defied the expectations by not making any mistakes and virtually outplayed Manning from start to finish. He was very patient with the football and reacted very calmly in the pocket when the Colts came with their pass rush. The fact that Dwight Freeney was not 100% healthy ended up playing a significant factor because Brees would not have had that much time in the pocket if Freeney was able to run full speed. With that being said, the Saints receivers stepped up big time in this game as Marques Colston, Devery Henderson, and Pierre Thomas caught nearly every ball thrown to them. Brees was able to connect with 8 different receivers and eliminated any kind of balance the Colts were trying to establish defensively. The Saints defense did not do a great job at containing Manning and were extremely close to giving up the tying score in the 4th quarter. Yet Tracy Porter stepped right in front of Reggie Wayne to intercept Manning and take the ball to the house. This would seal the game for the Saints and provide the city of New Orleans with their first Super Bowl title in history. The Saints are not just another team winning a Super Bowl. They were playing for something greater than themselves and proved why they deserve to be called the best. They have provided the city of New Orleans with an illuminating spark of hope, which will now grow significantly because of this moment. Congratulations to the New Orleans Saints, a team that triumphed over adversity to emerge as the World Champions of the National Football League.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Super Bowl XLIV: New Orleans Saints vs. Indianapolis Colts
It doesn’t take a genius to realize that the Super Bowl represents the pinnacle of American culture. It’s the only sporting event that can usher in the discussion of whether or not it should be a national holiday. It is the prominent definition of American ingenuity as we see both sports and entertainment unite for one glorious extravaganza. People don’t just watch the Super Bowl for the game. They’re in it for the high-priced commercials and the captivating halftime performances of aging rock stars. Ever since the 2004 staging mishap with Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake, the Super Bowl committee has censored their halftime shows to the point where they are more family-oriented. The NFL steers away from controversy, playing it safe to avoid public scrutiny and continue delivering a product that sells every year. As a result, we have seen world-renowned artists like The Rolling Stones, Prince and Bruce Springsteen take to the stage and enthrall us with the famous music we know all too well. There was no hint of controversy with these performances. There was only the safeguarding of cultural shock value one would not be able to find if artists like Eminem and 50 Cent did the Super Bowl halftime show. This is a brilliant marketing ploy on the part of the NFL because it lures in the power of aging celebrity to sell the game to the average viewer. People who do not watch football on a regular basis watch for the spectacle of the Super Bowl, the idea of it being a staple of American culture and an event where one can party with friends at a local bar. Such is the mystique of Super Bowl Sunday, a glorified excuse to sit back, relax, and enjoy the finer points of being an American citizen.
Of course, there are many people who will tune in simply to watch a good football game. Journalists and fanboys everywhere are allured by the concept of having two #1 seeds meet in the Super Bowl for the first time since 1993. People are yearning to see two of the best quarterbacks in the NFL square off for the right to be called World Champion. And many are wondering if Colts GM Bill Polian will emerge as the ultimate architect of a Super Bowl winning season. Or will he be recognized as the shameful goat who said No to perfection only to have his team fall short in lieu of the big game. It is fair to say that this matchup between the New Orleans Saints and the Indianapolis Colts is certainly one of the more intriguing Super Bowls of the last decade. These two teams have the potential to put an extraordinary amount of points on the scoreboard and turn Super Bowl XLIV into a gunfight at the O.K. Corral. In the end, it may come down to which team has the ball last ,or quite possibly, which defense can make the pivotal stop to send their team to the podium with Jim Nantz and the Vince Lombardi trophy.
Let us turn our sights to the Indianapolis Colts. When one thinks about it, this is a team that hasn’t lost a game all season long. How is that possible when they lost two regular season games against the Jets and the Bills? It’s possible because in those two losses, they did not use their players for the full 60 minutes, thereby allowing the Jets and the Bills to take advantage of their opportunities and scratch off easy victories. In essence, the Colts are a perfect team because they have not lost a meaningful game all season long. There have been games where they’ve been outplayed from start to finish and quite frankly, did not deserve to win. Yet because of their competitive desire and the fire that burns strongly within the confines of that organization, the Colts found a way to win and solidified themselves as the absolute best in the AFC this season. In some cases, the reason why the Colts won some of those games was not because of Peyton Manning but rather their defense’s ability to force turnovers and make plays with the game on the line. The Colts defense has been flying under the radar all season long. Even though their statistical rankings fail to reflect the dynamics of a great defense, the Colts have had the ability to put pressure on the opposing quarterback and shut down the running game in very tight situations. In their two playoff games against the Ravens and Jets, the Colts defense effectively neutralized the opposing running games and forced Joe Flacco and Mark Sanchez to make plays through the air. They held Ray Rice to just 67 yards rushing and forced four turnovers from the Ravens in a win that sent them to the AFC Championship Game. They held Thomas Jones and Shonn Greene to a combined total of 83 yards rushing and no touchdowns in a win that sent them to Super Bowl XLIV. This is a defensive unit that will have no problem shutting down the New Orleans running attack. They have had two weeks to prepare for the fast trickery and deceptive speed of Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas, which means they will be ready for everything Sean Payton comes up with in this game. Luckily for the Saints, the strength of their offense comes through the air.
How will the Saints look to hang with the Colts on Sunday night? By throwing the ball early and often. Sean Payton and Drew Brees will want to establish their dominance and manipulation of the Colts secondary by opening up the playbook and going for the kill shot. They want the Colts to abandon their offensive game plan by forcing Peyton Manning to score touchdowns every time he steps on the field. Yet their defensive secondary is not going to give up so easily. The Colts were ranked 14th in the NFL in pass defense during the regular season. While that certainly was the best part of that defense statistically, they have not faced an offensive juggernaut like the New Orleans Saints since Week 12 when they played the Texans. With all due respect to the Ravens and the Jets, they did not have a sufficient arsenal that could hang with the Colts on the scoreboard. This means that the Colts secondary will be challenged all night long by Drew Brees and company. Cornerbacks Kelvin Hayden and Jerraud Powers are going to have a tough time containing Marques Colston and Devery Henderson at the line of scrimmage. In order for them to be successful in this game, the Colts will need to throw Colston and Henderson off their routes and force Brees to sit in the pocket a little longer. Safeties Antoine Bethea and Melvin Bullitt need to do the most work on Sunday because not only will they have to patrol the middle of the field and jam the New Orleans slot receivers, but they also have to help with coverage on Colston and Henderson. Brees is a quarterback of great accuracy who will have no problem getting the ball where it needs to be. And one of the primary advantages that the Saints receivers have is their ability to grab the ball at its highest point and snatch it on their way to the ground. The Colts secondary will certainly have their hands full on Sunday against a daunting Saints passing attack. If Brees doesn’t burn them with the deep threat, he will certainly wear them down by having Lance Moore slanting towards the middle in the slot and Jeremy Shockey running dig routes towards the sidelines. The Colts have had two weeks to prepare. Has that been enough time to find a way to slow down the Saints?
One could flip that last question around and wonder if the Saints have had enough time to figure out Peyton Manning. Yet therein lies the paradox of the situation, which is that it’s virtually impossible to stop Peyton Manning. A better question would be whether or not the Saints defense have figured out how to contain him. The Saints will seek to limit the damage Manning can inflict whenever he touches the ball. Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams has made no secret that he will try to blitz the Colts early and often in this game. In the NFC Championship Game, the Saints were very successful in getting to Brett Favre and wore him down significantly throughout the course of the game. They were also able to force five turnovers from the Vikings, which kept them in the ball game and prevented the Vikings from running away on a tide of momentum. This is the same formula that will be used in an effort to defeat the Colts on Sunday night. The Saints know deep down that they will not be able to shut down Peyton Manning simply because no team has been able to do it all season long. In order for them to be successful, they will need to get pressure on Manning in the pocket and force him to break out of his rhythm. All of this is easier said than done because if Peyton Manning needs to put points on the scoreboard, then he will put points on the scoreboard. The Saints have the #2 blitzing defense in the NFL. Which team was ranked #1? That would be the New York Jets whose butts got handed to them on a silver platter in the AFC Championship Game. Manning crippled the Jets secondary, going 26/39 for 377 yards and 3 touchdown passes. While it is true that the Jets were successfully able to contain Manning during the first half of that game, the second half was an entirely different story. Once Manning figured out the defensive schemes Rex Ryan was throwing at him, there was absolutely no way the Jets could stop him from executing play after play after play. Gregg Williams has had two weeks to cook up a defensive scheme of intriguing complexity and profound layers. He will need to throw everything at Manning, hoping to God that something works because truth be told, it will take a miracle for the Saints to have an effective pass rush in this game.
The Saints were ranked 25th in the NFL in total defense this season, which means that the odds are definitely not in their favor. Yet the only reason they are playing in Super Bowl XLIV is because their defense forced turnovers and made plays when they had to. They will need to do the same on Sunday because if they don’t, there will be no way to stop Manning from finding his receivers and having his way with the Saints secondary. Reggie Wayne, Pierre Garcon, Austin Collie, and Dallas Clark will present significant matchup problems for the Saints linebackers and secondary units. Collie and Garcon stepped up in a big way during the AFC Championship Game when Wayne was trapped on Revis Island and Clark was contained over the middle. The Saints do not have a shut-down cornerback who will be able to cause havoc for Wayne at the line of scrimmage. Cornerback Jabari Greer is going to have a lot of trouble taking Wayne out of this game, which means that Darren Sharper will spend the majority of his Super Bowl in double coverage. This will allow Manning to spread the ball around to his other receivers, which will force Jonathan Vilma and Scott Fujita to patrol the middle of the field and seal off Dallas Clark. Tracy Porter will need to have a great game against Pierre Garcon, who will no doubt have the spotlight in this game because he is playing for Haiti. Porter will have a tough challenge all night long because Garcon will be inspired and motivated to have the game of his life. Should Porter be successful, then the only weapon Manning will have is Austin Collie. And if it comes to that, then the Colts will look to pound the ball with Joseph Addai and Donald Brown. The Saints were ranked 21st in stopping the run this season, which means Addai and Brown have the potential to make some noise in between the tackles on Sunday. On paper, this is a Saints team completely outmatched by the power of the Colts offense. And in essence, this game really should not be close because the Colts are motivated to give Manning his 2nd Super Bowl title.
So then why are some people predicting the Saints to win this game when everyone in the world knows that the Colts are significantly better statistically? Because the Saints are playing for something bigger than the Vince Lombardi trophy. They are playing for a city that was ravaged by the pain and turmoil of Hurricane Katrina. They are playing for a city who used the Superdome as their second home when the howling winds and scattering rainstorms drowned New Orleans in pools of mud. They are playing for a city who has used their football team as a beacon of hope in their time of rebuilding. And they are playing for a city that is ready for a championship. One could argue that the Saints are a team of destiny. How else do you explain the Vikings having 12 men in the huddle with 19 seconds to go and Brett Favre throwing an interception to send the NFC Championship Game into overtime? This is a team that seems to believe that God is on their side; that the full tilt of inner-city resurrection will take a huge step forward with a victory on Sunday night. To watch the Saints win the Super Bowl on Sunday would probably go down as the most revered moment in NFL history. In order for that to happen, they will need everything to fall their way on Sunday night. They will need Peyton Manning to make mistakes throwing the football. The Saints defense will need to collapse him in the pocket and force him to throw the ball quickly. This means that the secondary will need to be very aggressive to the point where they are ready to deflect or intercept the ball once Manning releases it. And the Saints offense cannot afford to make mistakes or take plays off in this game. Drew Brees could have the game of his life on Sunday, carrying the dreams of a city on his shoulders. And it would truly be a storybook ending if Brees could throw the game-winning touchdown with no time left on the clock and send the Vince Lombardi trophy to New Orleans for the first time in NFL history.
However, all of this is assuming that the Saints will play perfectly on Sunday night. A cold dose of reality tells me that Manning will not make mistakes and will have his team ready to play for a championship. The Saints will do their best to get in Manning’s face, with Will Smith and Bobby McCray beating the tackles at the edge and attacking Manning’s blind side. Yet Manning will prove once again why he is the best quarterback in the NFL. He will conquer the blitz with incredible ease and will find his receivers over the middle often in this game. The Colts will look to control the time of possession, which will prevent the Saints from putting enough points on the scoreboard. And once the game begins to spiral in the Colts favor, look for Brees to start forcing some throws along the sidelines. This will result in incompletions that will stall drives and take away the Saints’ ability to control the pace of the game. It will also result in a pivotal turnover that will lead to a game-ending touchdown by Manning and company. There is no doubt in my mind that the Saints will prove to be an admirable foe in Super Bowl XLIV. And it wouldn’t surprise me at all if they pulled off the upset on Sunday. But my head will not bet against Peyton Manning, not with a championship hanging in the balance and not when this Colts team abandoned perfection for the sake of the Vince Lombardi trophy. Who Dat Say They Gonna Beat Dem Saints? The Colts will put a dagger into the heart of this Cinderella season and bring a title home to Indianapolis.
FINAL SCORE: COLTS 34, SAINTS 24
Saturday, January 23, 2010
NFC Championship Game: Minnesota Vikings at New Orleans Saints
This is the most underrated and unappreciated game of the weekend simply because some expect the Jets to upset the Colts in the AFC Championship Game. Yet this NFC Championship game features a matchup between the two best teams in the conference, both of whom are very well-balanced offensively and have many playmakers on the defensive side of the ball. The Saints carry the #1 ranked offense in the NFL and are coming off a bloody massacre of the Arizona Cardinals last weekend. After tearing apart the Cardinals defense for 45 points last weekend, the Saints are coming into this game feeling extremely confident in their ability to score points on any defensive unit. They will no doubt be riding high on the shoulders of an electrifying crowd on Sunday night, a passionate fan base yearning to see the Vince Lombardi trophy delivered to their magical city. This is without question the biggest sports venue in the history of New Orleans. Fans will come in droves to watch Drew Brees hopefully carry this Saints team to their first Super Bowl appearance in franchise history. But I have a feeling that it will take a godlike effort from Brees to overcome the tenacity and the relentless intensity of an overpowering Vikings defense.
This is a Vikings defense coming off a magnificent performance against the Dallas Cowboys last weekend. They attacked Tony Romo in the pocket from the very beginning and never took their foot off the pedal. Jared Allen was a beast at the line of scrimmage, breaking off tackles and causing havoc for Romo in the pocket. Romo was never able to establish a comfort zone or a rhythm against the Vikings, which resulted in six sacks and three turnovers. The Vikings made a statement against the Cowboys, proving why they earned the right to be considered one of the final four teams remaining in this year's playoffs. They will need another stellar defensive performance on Sunday against the Saints if they are going to survive their trip down to New Orleans. The Vikings have struggled in developing a consistency on the road this season. All of their losses came on the road this season, which will certainly make this NFC Championship Game a very compelling endeavor for the Vikings on Sunday. In order to be the best this season, the Vikings will have to win in the most hostile environment in all of pro football. And the only way they will be able to accomplish such a feat is if they establish dominance on the defensive side of the ball. Forget about the offense. Everyone knows that Brett Favre will have his share of opportunities to put points on the scoreboard against this undersized and overmatched Saints defense. What is important for the Vikings in this game is if they will be able to collapse Brees in the pocket, completely eradicating his rhythm to the point where he loses comfort in the pocket and is forced to make throws on the run. Brees is perhaps the 2nd best pocket passer in the NFL right now, second only to Peyton Manning. This means that the Vikings will have their hands full trying to contain him in this game if they are not able to establish a pass rush.
The Saints certainly have the power to distance themselves on the scoreboard, which was clearly illustrated last week against the Cardinals. They are built to win by outscoring their opponents rather than playing a stout defensive game. This is why they are reminiscent of the early Colts teams under Peyton Manning i.e. the ones that always fell short in the big game because of their inability to play defense and stop their opponents. And if the Saints truly want to establish themselves as one of the great teams in NFL history this season, then they will need to have an impressive game defensively and prevent the Vikings from generating any momentum at the line of scrimmage. That will be a very tough task against a Vikings team that is very proficient at putting points on the scoreboard. While the Saints were ranked 1st in points per game with just over 31, the Vikings were right behind them with just over 29. While the Saints were ranked 1st in total offense, the Vikings were three spots behind them. So it is fair to say that this game has the makings of a potentially classic shootout for the right to go to the Super Bowl. And the script couldn't be written more beautifully for Brett Favre. Act I has already been completed with a 12-4 record and a division title. Act II resulted in a 34-3 thumping of the Cowboys at home, a game in which Favre threw for 234 yards and 4 touchdowns. And now it is time for Act III, with Favre returning to the city of his birth in hopes of leading another team to the Super Bowl and continuing to make his case as the best quarterback of all time.
But which Favre will show up in this game? Will it be the Favre who has a four touchdown game and an impeccable quarterback rating? Or will it be the Favre who throws game-changing interceptions and costs his team a shot at football glory? The Saints are hoping for the latter. And the way they will hope to accomplish that is by jamming Sidney Rice and Visante Shiancoe at the line of scrimmage, limiting their production from the onset of the snap and forcing Favre to look for alternative options throughout the course of the game. Sidney Rice has had a breakout season for the Vikings, emerging as one of the best young receivers in the game thanks to the presence of Favre at the quarterback position. The most intriguing matchup of the day may involve how well Jabari Greer contains Rice at the point of attack. If Greer and Darren Sharper are able to neutralize the deep threat, then Favre will either have to open up the passing game by including Shiancoe over the middle and Percy Harvin out of the slot. But even though Harvin will be able to play in this game, one wonders how effective he will be considering he has been questionable all week with migraine headaches. This will force Favre to either become the gunslinger we all know and love or, surprise surprise, feed the ball to Adrian Peterson.
Adrian Peterson may very well be the key to a Vikings win on Sunday. He has not been much of a factor as of late because the Vikings have evolved into more of a passing team over the last few weeks. But if the Saints are successful in containing Favre and are forcing him to make bad decisions in the pocket, then Peterson will have to step up and show the world why he is the best running back in the NFL today. This is a matchup that will certainly favor the Vikings because the Saints were inefficient at stopping the run all season long. Look for the Vikings to establish their dominance at the line of scrimmage, creating running lanes for Peterson and Chester Taylor so as to take the pressure off Favre in this game. Bryant McKinnie and Phil Loadholt will have to attack Will Smith and Bobby McCray, pushing them away from the plays and forcing Scott Fujita and Jonathan Vilma to commit to the pass rush. Steve Hutchinson and John Sullivan will need to plow through Sedrick Ellis and Remi Ayodele at the line of scrimmage, giving Favre time to operate in the pocket and allowing Peterson to make moves when he has to. If Peterson and Taylor are able to break free for long runs, then the Saints will be overmatched defensively and will be forced to keep their eyes open for every aspect of that Vikings offensive juggernaut.
Everybody knows that Drew Brees will be a monster in the pocket on Sunday night. He will look to pick apart that Vikings secondary by zipping the ball to Marques Colston for long gains down the sidelines and dumping it off to Lance Moore and Devery Henderson over the middle. This is how the Saints have been able to win games all season long; by knocking out opponents early with their passing game and forcing opposing offenses to catch up with them on the scoreboard. Yet the key for the Saints offensively will be the combination of Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas. Bush had a tremendous game against the Cardinals last weekend, proving to be a valuable asset out of the backfield with his deceptive speed and agility. Bush ran for 81 yards and a touchdown as the Saints mixed and match to produce 171 yards rushing against the Cardinals. Bush also had an 83-yard punt return for a touchdown that crushed any hopes for the Cardinals to make a comeback last week. If the Saints are going to win this game, then Bush will need to step up once more, proving to the world why he was so coveted back in the 2006 NFL Draft. The Saints will also need Pierre Thomas to pound the ball hard up the middle against the Williams boys, which will be a seemingly impossible task. The Williams boys were vital parts of a well-oiled Vikings machine, boasting the 2nd best run defense in the NFL. If the Saints' offensive line is able to stop them and inflict their will at the line of scrimmage, then there is no doubt in my mind that the Saints will be packing their bags for a trip to Miami in two weeks.
How will this game unfold? One could pretty much flip a coin to decide the winner because it will be that close. It is very hard to look past the fact that all of the Vikings' losses this season have been on the road. And in all of those losses, they appeared to be a very unbalanced team with lackadaisical offensive play and lethargic defensive prowess. The Superdome is the most difficult place to play in the NFL and it will be the loudest it's ever been on Sunday for this NFC Championship Game. Favre will be wearing the plays on his wrist for the first time this season as the Vikings will operate with silent counts to hopefully eliminate the crowd factor. There is no doubt in my mind that the Vikings can compete with the Saints on the scoreboard. But will the noise elements sink in to the point where the Vikings are systematically unable to develop a rhythm in this game? I think Favre has enough NFL experience to know how to tune out the crowd in games of this magnitude. I think he will come out with a big game on Sunday as the Saints will be unable to generate a hefty pass rush with consistency. But the fate of the Vikings rests in the hands of their own pass rush. Jared Allen and Ray Edwards have to be magnificent all day long against this Saints offensive line. They will need to be in Brees' face, literally staring at him and throwing him to the ground before he can connect with his receivers. Many experts will agree that if there is any weakness to the Saints' offensive arsenal, it exists with their offensive tackles. Jermon Bushrod and Jonathan Stinchcomb will need to come up big and have the game of their lives in containing that Vikings pass rush. Will they be able to accomplish that? I have a strong feeling that the answer is no. As a result, the Saints will have problems establishing consistency on the offensive side of the ball to the point where the Vikings may eventually distance themselves on the scoreboard. Yet Brees will have enough fiery spirit and leadership to keep the Saints alive in this game. And in the end, it just may come down to a game-winning drive from Favre, setting up Ryan Longwell for the chance to go to Super Bowl XLIV. This has the potential to be a contest for the ages, one certainly worthy enough to be called an NFC Championship Game.
FINAL SCORE: VIKINGS 31, SAINTS 30
AFC Championship Game: New York Jets at Indianapolis Colts
This game reflects the ultimate battle of wills: Offense vs. Defense, Peyton Manning vs. Rex Ryan, the powerhouse Colts against the upstart Jets for the right to go to Super Bowl XLIV. There are very few people who figured the Jets would make it this far off a 9-7 season. Hell, that number is probably close to zero. Yet here they stand on the eve of the AFC Championship Game, preparing to do battle with a quarterback who may go down as the best ever at his position. The only thing the Jets have is the confidence attributed to them through victories over the Cincinnati Bengals and the San Diego Chargers. That is what Rex Ryan preached all week to the media and that will be the key to a Jets victory on Sunday. Let's face it. The Colts are by far the better team on paper and should walk out of this game with an easy victory. So why are some experts predicting an upset the likes of which have remained unseen since the days of Joe Namath and Johnny Unitas? Why are some experts thinking that the Jets can walk into Lucas Oil Stadium, outduel the so-called "sheriff" in Peyton Manning, and advance to their first Super Bowl in forty years? Because a tidal wave of momentum rests on their side. Because the Jets believe they have the defensive arsenal capable of neutralizing Manning all day long. And because they have a power-running game that could take time off the clock and keep Manning off the field. The Jets are built to defeat the Colts, or at least post a significant challenge to their Super Bowl aspirations. There are some experts who are comparing this Jets playoff run to the New York Giants of two years ago. And in some ways, that is true. The Jets play extremely well on the defensive side of the ball and are able to get pressure on the quarterback. How did the Giants win in 2007? By having three pass rushers in Michael Strahan, Osi Umenyiora, and Justin Tuck get to Brady over and over and over again. The Jets are going to need a pash rush to defeat Manning on Sunday. And while they are prolific at stopping the run and trapping receivers on the infamous Revis Island, do not expect Manning to falter on the precipice of a possible Super Bowl winning season.
Believe it or not, the Colts have something to prove in this game as well. They have been flying high under the radar all week, with the Jets doing most of the talking and the spotlight placed on their boisterous head coach. Everyone agrees that the only reason the Jets made the playoffs this year is because the Colts abandoned their shot at 16-0. They rested their starters in the third quarter of that Week 16 game and gave a early Christmas present to the city of New York. I know Jets fans are probably sick and tired of hearing how they eased their way into the playoffs. And the Jets would love nothing better than to show the world how they can beat Peyton Manning for a full 60 minutes rather than destroy Curtis Painter for half a game. But let's examine this from the Colts perspective? The Colts have shown their cards and have gone all in on a winning hand. They folded their chance of being considered the greatest team in NFL history in favor of a more lucrative prize. And now all their cards will be on the table for this AFC Championship Game. They will not take their foot off the pedal and are motivated to show the Jets how Christmas is over. GM Bill Polian and the entire Colts organization have so much riding on this game because they stated to their fans and to the rest of the football world that a Super Bowl title is more important than perfection. In order to validate their philosophy, they cannot stumble against the Jets on Sunday. They must take their show on the road to Miami, returning to the place where Manning won his first Super Bowl in 2006. The board is set for Manning to make his move, for the Colts to prove how their philosophy works and how all the skeptics and the naysayers can return to their impenetrable closets. This AFC Championship Game is the chess match of a lifetime. Who will survive the ultimate battle of wills?
Everybody knows the Jets will come out with an aggressive game plan defensively on Sunday. Yet the key to their success will be on the offensive side of the ball. This is the biggest game of Mark Sanchez's career, a phrase that continues to evolve on a weekly basis. He has been very efficient for the Jets throughout this postseason, managing the game very well and not turning the football over. In fact, I would argue how that is the main reason why the Jets have managed to last this long in the playoffs. I'm sure everyone has been waiting for Sanchez to screw up in a monumental way by either not securing the football or by throwing a crucial interception with the game on the line. Yet he has surprisingly done none of those things, emerging as a very calm and collected quarterback in the face of tremendous pressure to win in the playoffs. As a result, one could argue that Sanchez is the underrated factor in this game. In their win against the Bengals, Sanchez connected with Dustin Keller for a 45-yard touchdown that opened up the game for the Jets offensively. In their win against the Chargers, he found Keller again in the endzone off a Rivers interception, which changed the flow of the game and put the Jets in a very comfortable position offensively. Granted Sanchez did throw an interception against the Chargers. However, the ineptitude of Rivers and company to find any rhythm in the 2nd half saved Sanchez from making any costly mistakes. It would be very interesting if the Jets came out passing the ball on Sunday. No one expects them to do anything but pound the ball with Thomas Jones and Shonn Greene. But what of Mark Sanchez? I don't think it's that inconceivable to turn the dogs loose and let Sanchez roam free in the pocket. It will catch the Colts off guard and force them to play a multi-faceted defensive game. Look for Sanchez to connect on short dig routes to Dustin Keller over the middle. But also expect him to look for Braylon Edwards down the field and Jerricho Cotchery running slant routes that will make for effective 10-12 yard gains.
The Jets know that they will have score at least 20 points to beat the Colts on Sunday. The only way that will happen is if Rex Ryan and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer take chances with Sanchez in the pocket. I'm not arguing that they should completely abandon the run because that would be ludicrous. The Jets boast the best running attack in the NFL, which means the basis of their offensive game plan should be focused in between the tackles and up the middle of the field. They want to take away the pass rush of Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis by utilizing Jones and Greene out of the backfield. Also, expect a lot of Brad Smith on Sunday. The Jets will look to confuse the Colts as much as possible with their offensive schemes. They want Gary Brackett to scramble out of coverage, forcing him to react quickly to different formations. But they want to overpower the Colts at the line of scrimmage, creating huge running lanes and matriculating the ball down the field in a timely fashion. The Jets will look to muster a similar offensive game plan to the one the Dolphins organized in Week 2 when they played the Colts. The Dolphins kept feeding the ball to Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams, holding onto the football for over 45 minutes. The reason they lost that game was because every time Manning had the ball, he led the Colts down the field and put touchdowns on the board. The Jets have a much better defense than the Dolphins and will be able to contain Manning at some points in this game. This means that the key for the Jets will be if they are dominant in controlling the time of possession. If the Jets hold on the football as much as possible and score touchdowns instead of field goals, then they will win this game by keeping Manning off the field and forcing him to make plays against their #1 ranked defense every time he touches the ball.
Experts are looking to promote this AFC Championship Game as a matchup between the Colts offense and the Jets defense. From a more singular perspective, they are billing it as a heavyweight bout between Peyton Manning and Darrelle Revis. This is going to be Revis's toughest assignment to date because he not only has to deal with the intelligence of Peyton Manning, but he also has to contain the NFL's best route runner in Reggie Wayne. Wayne has the ability to shift his body at the line of scrimmage, manipulating cornerbacks to a point where they lose control and break off the route. He can burn teams with the deep threat while also proving to be an effective receiver anywhere on the field. It is fair to say that the matchup between Darrelle Revis and Reggie Wayne will be the most compelling to watch on Sunday because Wayne will be able to outrun Revis at the point of attack, making cutbacks five or six yards off the line of scrimmage and forcing Revis to chase him all over the field. Yet there will be times when Revis controls Wayne at the line of scrimmage and prevents him from generating any momentum down the field. He will utilize Wayne to his advantage and dictate how often Manning looks his way on Sunday. And it is in these moments where the Jets defenders will have to come up big against the other weapons in the Colts offensive arsenal. Lito Sheppard must have the game of his life on Sunday in containing Dallas Clark, Austin Collie, and Pierre Garcon. There is no doubt in my mind that Manning will look for all of these receivers, hoping to compensate for Wayne's inability to escape from Revis Island. Now the Jets will also use Revis in their coverage against Dallas Clark much in the same way they used him against Antonio Gates last week. It is in these moments where Manning will look for Reggie Wayne, which means that Sheppard and Kerry Rhodes will have to patrol the middle of the field with extreme caution. They will have to force the Colts receivers off their routes and make them break along the sidelines, providing Manning with a very slim window to throw the ball into. And of course, they will need to generate a pass rush.
How will the Jets generate a pass rush? By blitzing Peyton Manning to no end on Sunday. Rex Ryan is a coach who lives and dies on the blitz and he will attempt to establish dominance early by throwing Manning off his rhythm and forcing panic and chaos in the pocket. Yet one of the reasons why this is a compelling matchup is that Manning is very efficient when working against the blitz. The blitz doesn't phase him and he is just as lethal against that defensive package as he is against any other scheme. What does this mean for the Jets? It means that when Rex Ryan sends the full force of his defense upon Peyton Manning, they will need to bring him to the ground. It will take a full defensive effort to make sure that Manning is inefficient in the pocket because he doesn't miss his receivers whenever he throws the ball. Bart Scott and David Harris must seal the pocket and drag Manning to the ground. Kerry Rhodes and Justin Leohnard must step up and contain, which will force Manning to react indecisively in the pocket. It is very rare for Manning to have an inaccurate game throwing the football. The Jets were the beneficiaries of one of those games the last time these two teams met. Yet this is the AFC Championship Game, the time where quarterbacks step into the spotlight and write their own legacies. Manning is in the prime of his career and wants another Super Bowl to widen his legacy. Do not expect anything other than a big game from him on Sunday. Yet in order for the Jets to win this game, their cornerbacks will need to take the Colts receivers off their routes whenever they send a pass rush. They want Manning to miss his receivers and they want him to throw incompletions. This will lead to stalled drives and plenty of opportunities for the Jets to make some noise in Lucas Oil Stadium. Anything other than their A-game will be detrimental to their chances of going to the Super Bowl.
How will this game unfold? As I mentioned before, there are a lot of experts and fans out there drawing parallels between this Jets team and the Giants team of two years ago. Yet if I were to compare them to any team, I would compare them to last year's Baltimore Ravens team that went to the AFC Championship Game and lost to the Steelers. Just look at the similarities between this year's Jets team and last year's Ravens team: rookie quarterback (Mark Sanchez vs. Joe Flacco), rookie head coach (Rex Ryan vs. John Harbaugh), stout defense and efficient running attack. All of these reflect the style and substance in which both teams were able to produce results and find success. And just like last year's Ravens team, I think the cinderella story of the New York Jets comes to an end on Sunday. I know I've been predicting it to end for a couple weeks now only to have my predictions foiled by outstanding defensive play and good decisions from the quarterback. Yet I think the Jets will revert back to the team that started 4-6. They will be unable to stop Manning with the game on the line as he will make plays to Dallas Clark, Austin Collie, and Pierre Garcon for big plays over the middle and along the sidelines. The Colts will pound the ball at the goal line with Joseph Addai and Donald Brown and will put their share of points on the scoreboard against this Jets defense. Manning will have enough time in the pocket to find his receivers as the Jets pass rush will come up short in the clutch. The Jets will make it interesting by hammering the Colts at the line of scrimmage with terrific play from their offensive line and a balanced running attack. But I think that the pressure of winning the big game will finally get to Sanchez as he will make one too many mistakes in this contest. The Colts will shut the mouths of Jets fans everywhere on Sunday by proving to everyone how the Jets cannot defeat them after a full 60 minutes. And in the end, Peyton Manning will be planning another trip to Miami, with visions of the Lombardi Trophy dancing on his head.
FINAL SCORE: COLTS 23, JETS 13
Saturday, January 16, 2010
New York Jets at San Diego Chargers
The New York Jets can base their success on two things: they run the football very well and they play excellent defense. These are the two reasons why Rex Ryan thinks his team can represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. Granted the only reason the Jets are in the playoffs is because the Colts gave up on 16-0, but that's an entirely different story. The Jets proved that they belong among the best with an impressive victory over the Cincinnati Bengals last week. Mark Sanchez surprisingly displayed a maturity that has been uncharacteristic of him all season long. He managed the game very well and let the running game control the offensive production. He will need to be just as efficient on Sunday against the San Diego Chargers. The Jets match up very well with the Chargers and can cause havoc for them on both sides of the ball. The Jets love to pound the ball up the middle with Thomas Jones and Shonn Greene, something that the Chargers don't respond very well to. The Chargers are a more finesse defensive unit, relying on their pass rush to force mistakes and halt the production of opposing offenses. During the regular season, the Chargers were ranked 20th in stopping the run. This means that the Jets should have no problem manipulating the line of scrimmage to their advantage. With monsters like Alan Faneca and Nick Mangold anchoring the middle of the offensive line, the Jets certainly have a chance to be more physical than the Chargers in this game. This will put added pressure on Shawne Merriman and Shaun Phillips to stuff the middle and plug up the running lanes, which is something very few teams have been able to do against the Jets. Should they find success, then the Jets will have a tough time generating a rhythm in this game because it will force Sanchez to chase the deep threat to Braylon Edwards way too often. Last time I checked, Edwards loves to either drop the ball or get thrown off his coverage very easily. He will have a tough time against Quentin Jammer on Sunday if the Jets are forced to call on him to make plays down the field. The strength of the Jets offense, besides their running game, is their ability to utilize Dustin Keller with dig routes over the middle or Jerricho Cotchery along the edge. They want Sanchez to manage the game well and nothing more. Anything else will be very disastrous, perhaps even costing the Jets a shot at the AFC Championship.
But let's think about the San Diego Chargers for a minute. This is a team that hasn't lost a game in three months. THREE MONTHS!!! That's a really long time in the NFL. Why haven't they lost a game in three months? Because they boast one of the more talented and cohesive units in the entire league. They are well-balanced on both sides of the football and do not shoot themselves in the foot with turnovers and penalties. The Chargers are able to grind out victories, battling their opponent to the very end and always illustrating how they are the better team. It also helps that they have a perennial MVP candidate as their quarterback. There are many people out there who believe that Philip Rivers had a better season than Peyton Manning, who collected his 4th MVP award just the other day. When one looks at his statistics, one could easily build an argument for Rivers and showcase how he is the unquestioned leader of that football team. Rivers finished the season with over 4000 yards passing and 28 touchdowns to just 9 interceptions. However, his best characteristic is how clutch he is when the game is on the line. Rivers is one of those quarterbacks who loves to capitalize on game-winning drives in the final two minutes. As I recall, he did it three times this year against the Raiders, Giants, and Bengals. But there have been many times in his career where Rivers has taken his team down the field and scored in the final two minutes. He doesn't miss a beat, which is something that only the elite quarterbacks are able to accomplish in this league. Rivers and the Chargers offense will have their hands full against all of Rex Ryan's schemes and blitzes on Sunday. Ryan will throw everything but the kitchen sink at the Chargers, making sure that Rivers doesn't beat him with the deep throw or establish a rhythm inside the pocket. In fact, the Jets should have no problem in containing the deep threat on Sunday. Those who go into Revis Island never come out alive. The same will be said about Vincent Jackson after this game. Revis has shut down every big-name receiver thrown his way this season. He held Chad Ochocinco to just 2 receptions for 28 yards in two games. And guess what, both catches came in last week's Wild Card contest. Revis should have won Defensive Player of the Year over Charles Woodson. But I think it's safe to say that Revis will be in the conversation for defensive accolades in many years to come. Revis will have no problem shutting down Vincent Jackson, which means that Rivers will look elsewhere to generate some offensive production.
The most important assets for the Chargers in this game will be Antonio Gates and Darren Sproles. Forget LaDainian Tomlinson. He will be like the worm at the end of a fishing pole, pounding it up the middle to deceive the Jets at the line of scrimmage. Look for Rivers to launch the playaction very early in this game as the Chargers will want to establish Sproles immediately out of the backfield. The Jets boast the best run defense in the NFL, which means that Tomlinson will have a hard time generating momentum at the line of scrimmage. There will be times when the Jets stifle the Chargers running game. That's just a given they will have to accept. What will kill the Jets defensively is the speed of Sproles out of the backfield; his ability to run along the sidelines and scamper out of the backfield will hamper the Jets for big plays early in the game. When Rivers discovers that the pocket is collapsing and that David Harris and Bart Scott are plugging up the middle of the field, he will dump it off to Sproles along the sidelines. This will force the Jets to react quickly, relying on their speed to catch up with Sproles. The problem for the Jets is that Sproles is deceptively fast. His cutback ability, combined with his intelligence as a running back, make him a very useful asset out of the backfield for the Chargers. But that's not all. If the Jets plug Kerry Rhodes to cover Antonio Gates, then they will be eaten alive over the middle of the field. The Jets cannot put Rhodes over Gates, who has a distinct height advantage and will certainly be more physical against Rhodes at the line of scrimmage. The Jets will not have to double cover Vincent Jackson because they know Revis will get the job done. This means they can commit Jim Leonhard to double coverage on Gates or use Calvin Pace and Bryan Thomas as extra defenders at the line of scrimmage. The key to this game will be how well Rivers reacts to the pass rush and his inability to find Jackson with the deep ball. If the Jets are able to get significant pressure on him, it will force the Chargers to rethink their game plan and will most definitely eliminate any kind of rhythm.
In spite of how well the Jets have played defensively this year, they are going to have their hands full taking Rivers out of the game. Even though they have enough talent to blow past the Chargers at the line of scrimmage, they do not have the speed necessary to contain Darren Sproles. Nor do they have another shut-down corner that can contain Antonio Gates over the middle. Should the Jets successfully manage to patrol the middle of the field, it will put pressure on Malcolm Floyd to emerge as the deep threat along the sidelines. Floyd could very well be the decisive factor in this game, especially if the Jets are able to limit Rivers' options out of the pocket. Rivers will have no choice but to establish Floyd's presence as a capable receiver, one who will be able to make plays when he's called upon to do so. This will be a hard-fought game from start to finish. The Jets will bring their A-game to Qualcomm Stadium and will prove to be a thorn in the side of Norv Turner and company. With that being said, the Chargers have a lot more to play for than the Jets do right now. As Mike Francesca commented the other day, "the Jets are playing with house money right now." This means that no one expected them to get this far in the postseason. If one remembers correctly, Rex Ryan counted them out when they lost to the Falcons in Week 15 of the season. But here they stand today ready to do battle for a berth in the AFC Championship Game. It has been a very successful season for Rex Ryan and Mark Sanchez. They are having fun on the field right now and it will show against the Chargers on Sunday.
With that being said, there is immense pressure on the Chargers to win now. LaDainian Tomlinson knows he is past the prime of his career, which means he wants a ring right now. Philip Rivers is emerging as one of the elite quarterbacks in this league and wants a Vince Lombardi trophy to validate his legacy. Norv Turner wants to lead his team to the promised land and certainly knows that he has the talent to do so. The Chargers finished the season riding high into the playoffs. And even though they will be facing a tough challenge from the Jets, deep down they know they have the better team and they will look to prove it on the field. Look for the Chargers to force enough turnovers from Sanchez, which will ultimately be the difference in this game. They will not fall for the trickery of Brad Smith out of the Wildcat and will not let Braylon Edwards beat them with the deep threat. They will control the pace of the game, with Rivers creating long, steady drives that will wear down the Jets defense and put more pressure on Sanchez to keep up with the Chargers on the scoreboard. When all is said and done, the Jets will put up a hell of an effort out West on Sunday. But the Chargers emerge victorious because of their unyielding desire to win and prove they are the best team in the NFL this year.
FINAL SCORE: CHARGERS 24, JETS 13
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