Posted by Michael Seff on Thursday, March 22, 2012,
At
least today is a day where I do not feel alone.
I
am joined now by tens, even hundreds of thousands of loyal Saints fans in my
abhorrence of Roger Goodell. He has inflicted a black mark almost as thick as
“Bountygate” has on the Saints franchise and the city of New Orleans.
Head
coach Sean Payton has been suspended for one year, while defensive coordinator
Gregg Williams – now in the same post with the St. Louis Ram... Continue reading ...
Posted by Michael Seff on Tuesday, January 31, 2012,
Line: Patriots by 2½
This
isn’t a movie I wanted to watch again, but it’s the Super Bowl, so we give it
our due diligence as American citizens. The Patriots and Giants at least figure
to put on a heck of a show, just as they did four years ago in Glendale. Rather
evenly matched, there are advantages and disadvantages for both clubs. A
further look:
Quarterbacks – Tom Brady vs. Eli Manning
“I
believe in Eli,” said D... Continue reading ...
Posted by Michael Seff on Monday, January 30, 2012,
Even
from the moment you realized the Super Bowl was being played in Indianapolis,
you had to know that the Patriots would be in the mix.
Then,
the lockout happened, giving an edge to all of last year’s top teams (New
England had the NFL’s best mark at 14-2).
But
then came Week 1, and Patriot fans could have booked their trips to
Indianapolis. When the Dolphins predictably, and fruitlessly, ran a fade
pattern on 4th-and-... Continue reading ...
Posted by Michael Seff on Wednesday, January 25, 2012,
If
it feels like you are watching NFL reruns this January, you are not alone.
The
Patriots and Giants are meeting in the Super Bowl (stop me if you’ve heard this
one before), a week after both utilized epic goat-like performances by the
Ravens and 49ers, respectively, to set up a rematch of Super Bowl XLII.
Minus
the 19-0 subplot of 2007, New England returns to this showdown as a No. 1 seed
while the Giants come in as a N... Continue reading ...
Posted by Michael Seff on Friday, January 20, 2012,
We’ve reached the Final Four and perhaps more refreshingly,
two of the league’s three offensive sideshows have been put to rest. The Saints
and Packers and their circus-like attack will be home watching three teams at
least built in large part on defense, while the one dragon left to slay resides
in Foxborough. The Ravens and Giants are built to win on the road, but in
championship weekend history, only twice have both road teams won (1992 and 1997). Still, from 1997-2005
at least one... Continue reading ...
Posted by Michael Seff on Tuesday, January 17, 2012,
When
you have made it this far in the season, you are less concerned with homefield
advantage and more concerned with momentum and capitalizing on the opportunity
at hand.
As
we approach Championship Sunday in the 2011 NFL season, the Baltimore Ravens
and New York Giants face tall orders in going on the road to try and earn a
trip to Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis.
It
is highly unlikely that both will win Sunday, at least b... Continue reading ...
Posted by Michael Seff on Monday, January 16, 2012,
The city of Indianapolis is no stranger to the Final Four. They have hosted the prestigious NCAA basketball event six times, most recently in 2010. But this year's NFL Final Four represents a plethora of storylines for teams hoping to vie for Super Bowl XLVI at Lucas Oil Stadium.
First, there are the New England Patriots. Perhaps the Colts' biggest rival, nothing would incense the locals more than a city overrun with Chowder-heads rubbing it in that their beloved Pats are vying for their fourt... Continue reading ...
Posted by Michael Seff on Thursday, January 12, 2012,
Chris Berman calls this the best
weekend in all of sports, the divisional round of the playoffs. The
big four are coming off their byes, a week after all four home teams
won in the wild card round for just the third time in 22 years since
the NFL went to a 12-team playoff format. However, all four teams
have not won in the divisional round since 2004. However you slice
it, there figures to be a surprise or two this weekend and some
exceptional football. Though Metlife Stadium and Invesco Fiel... Continue reading ...
Posted by Michael Seff on Friday, December 30, 2011,
Hard to believe a season that almost
never was is almost over. While most of the playoff spots have been
locked up there is still some drama remaining, including the NFC East
showdown between Dallas and the Giants and the final AFC wild card
spot. 16 divisional games are on the docket, which certainly isn't a
foolproof solution to fixing some of these so-called meaningless
games, but nevertheless we are in for another fun finish.
Last week: 8-8
Season: 110-121-9
Buffalo at New England (-1... Continue reading ...
Posted by Michael Seff on Friday, December 16, 2011,
Hey, a Thursday night win! I'm off to a
good start to a week for the first time this year. And now we kick
back Sunday to enjoy what figures to be a good finish to the year.
Patriots-Broncos headlines things, with Ravens-Chargers and
Steelers-49ers following suit. Other games will feature teams simply
playing for pride or their coaches' jobs.
Last week: 9-7
Season: 95-105-8
Dallas (-7) at Tampa Bay
Analysis: Raheem Morris is still the
coach in Tampa despite a report that the Bucs intended... Continue reading ...
Posted by Michael Seff on Thursday, December 8, 2011,
All eyes will be on Lambeau Field Sunday afternoon, as the Green Bay Packers' march to 16-0 continues against Oakland. In the evening they will turn to Jerry World, where the Giants and Cowboys will face off in the first of two meetings in the season's final four weeks to decide the NFC East. As for me, I need a miracle to finish over .500. My chances are about as good as that of the Bills - as in non-existent. Last week: 7-9 Season: 86-98-8
Atlanta (-3) at Carolina
Analysis: Carol... Continue reading ...
Posted by Michael Seff on Wednesday, November 23, 2011,
It's almost gotten to the point where I'm "playing out the string", to drudge up the dreading saying. 10 games under means I need almost every week to be a stellar one the rest of the way. That starts with a Thanksgiving weekend full of monster games, perhaps none bigger than Packers-Lions to open the Turkey Day slate. The Harbaugh Bowl and Super Bowl XXXIX Pats-Eagles rematch are big, but Sunday's gem could be Arizona-St. Louis. After all, their first meeting featured back-to-back safeties a... Continue reading ...
Posted by Michael Seff on Monday, November 14, 2011,
It
is simply painful to look at the New England Patriots’ remaining schedule when
you consider the quarterbacks they are slated to face.
That
list just got a little uglier with Monday’s news.
Former
Patriot backup-turned-temporary-star Matt Cassel suffered a “significant” hand
injury and could miss not only Monday’s tilt in Foxborough, but the entire
season. That means Tyler Palko, journeyman from the University of... Continue reading ...
Posted by Michael Seff on Friday, November 11, 2011,
Good thing there's Sunday. After bombing Thursday's pick, it's time to get back over .500 in a week featuring a number of key divisional and intraconference showdowns. Several divisions could see a changing of the guard, most notably the AFC East, where the Jets are looking to unseat the hated Patriots. Last week: 6-8Season: 60-64-6Arizona at Philadelphia (-14)Analysis: It appears as if Kevin Kolb's homecoming won't happen, meaning John Skelton gets to face the slumping, underachieving Eagles.... Continue reading ...
Posted by Michael Seff on Friday, November 4, 2011,
The byes are starting to dwindle down, meaning more opportunity to have a big bounce-back week here after a 5-8 showing in Week 8. Week 9 is headlined by the Ravens-Steelers bloodbath, part two, and a Super rematch between the Giants and Pats. The Jets and Bills will be Giants fans as both look to solidify their standing in the AFC East. And the unbeaten Packers get to face a snakebit Chargers team coming under heavy fire this week for their Monday Night overtime choke job in Kansas City. Wit... Continue reading ...
Posted by Michael Seff on Thursday, October 27, 2011,
With
my big Week 7 surge, I have officially moved over .500 for the year. What an
accomplishment considering the Dolphins-like start I had to my season. There
are five double-digit spreads among the six early games, so if you live on the
West Coast like me, you can probably sleep in until the late games start this
week. Then again, could we have an upset or two in store?
Week 7: 9-3-1
Season: 49-48-6
Arizona at Baltim... Continue reading ...
Posted by Michael Seff on Saturday, October 15, 2011,
Buffalo at New York Giants (-3): GiantsCarolina at Atlanta (-4): FalconsIndianapolis at Cincinnati (-7): ColtsJacksonville at Pittsburgh (-13): SteelersPhiladelphia (-1) at Washington: EaglesSt. Louis at Green Bay (-14): PackersSan Francisco at Detroit (-4): 49ersCleveland at Oakland (-6.5): RaidersHouston at Baltimore (-7.5): TexansDallas at New England (-7): CowboysNew Orleans (-4.5) at Tampa Bay: BuccaneersMinnesota at Chicago (-3): VikingsMiami at New York Jets (-7): ... Continue reading ...
Posted by Michael Seff on Thursday, October 6, 2011,
Yikes. 5-11 a week
ago, it's time I get this thing turned around. But until I do, feel
free to look at my picks and for betting purposes, pick the opposite.
That would have made you wealthy in Week 4. Week 5 rolls around with
just two unbeatens, the Packers – okay, we're not shocked – and
the Lions – seriously, were they playing Division I-AA schools? But
give Detroit credit, including the preseason, they have won 12
straight games dating to last year. There are still four winless
teams... Continue reading ...
Posted by Michael Seff on Saturday, September 24, 2011,
I wasn't exactly
on point last week, going 5-9-2, although the late games brought me
back a bit (thanks for showboating, Jesse Holley). The aerial
assaults and scoring barrages continue, a trend that looks like it's
here to stay. Week 3 features several perennial also-rans playing in
big games looking to show they are for real (see: Detroit, Buffalo,
Houston). 2-0 is great for those teams, but stepping up to a real
challenge is what truly makes believers. And now, a breakdown of the
games:
La...
Continue reading ...
Posted by Michael Seff on Friday, September 16, 2011,
To say the
offenses were ahead of the defenses in Week 1 is a vast
understatement. Five different games featured two quarterbacks going
over 300 yards, most unforgettably Cam Newton's stellar 418-yard
debut and Tom Brady's 517-yard demolition of the Dolphins on Monday
night. So will it be more of the same in Week 2? In Newton's case, a
repeat performance will be awfully tough against the defending
champion Packers. Brady will also face a stiff test in San Diego. But
smart money says continue ... Continue reading ...
Posted by Michael Seff on Saturday, September 10, 2011,
Football is back, and what a way to get
it started with the Saints and the Packers coming down to the very
last play of an absolute barnburner Thursday night. Picking Week 1 is
already tough, but picking Week 1 in a lockout year is an utter
crapshoot. All eyes will be on the Steelers-Ravens rivalry renewal,
Chad Ochocinco's Monday night Patriots debut, and New York and
Washington on what will be the 10th anniversary of the
devastating 9/11 attacks. Without further ado, here is a breakdown of
... Continue reading ...
Posted by Michael Seff on Thursday, July 14, 2011,
If there is to be a 2011 NFL season,
one trend people will keep an eye on is the disparity of parity
between the AFC and NFC.
In an unprecedented run of
unpredictability, the NFC has sent 10 different representatives to
the Super Bowl in as many seasons. On the other hand, the AFC has
seen the same three teams turn the trick the past eight years.
Many feel that there is a budding
dynasty in Titletown, where the Packers appear poised to establish
dominance in the conference just as they did ... Continue reading ...
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