NFL Week 12 Preview and Predictions

Saints quarterback Drew Brees has led his team back to .500, but will face a tough test Sunday against the 49ers. (Ezra Shaw)

5. Baltimore Ravens (8-2) @ San Diego Chargers (4-6) - 4:05 PM EST, CBS

The Ravens are coming off a hard fought 13-10 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, who they will play again next week at home. This week though they have to travel across the country to take on the Chargers. Since their bye in Week 8, the Ravens have won three in a row. Running back Ray Rice continues to be one of the main reasons why. He leads the team in rushing with 697 yards and is also the team's second-leading receiver with 40 catches. Rice rarely takes a down off and is always a danger to break the big play. The defense is strong as always and got healthier with linebacker Terrell Suggs back from injury. Losers of five of their last six, the Chargers come into this game scuffling badly. Turnovers on offense continue to be a major problem, especially quarterback Philip Rivers' 14 interceptions as opposed to only 17 touchdowns. The offense also only has four rushing touchdowns through ten games. The Chargers defense has been strong against the run, but is often suspect to giving up big passing plays down the field.

Prediction: Ravens 24 Chargers 13

4. Atlanta Falcons (9-1) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-4) - 1:00 PM EST, FOX

With a record of 9-1, the Falcons may have the best record in football, but they have not played like it lately. Close wins over the Oakland Raiders, Dallas Cowboys and Arizona Cardinals over the past month are far from impressive. They also did finally suffer their first (and deserved) loss of the season to their division rival New Orleans Saints. Last week, the seemingly always cool and collected Matt Ryan threw five interceptions and no touchdowns. Starting running back Michael Turner rushed 15 times for only 46 yards in the comeback win. The Cardinals offensive ineptness with someone named Ryan Lindley at quarterback is the only reason the Falcons won the game. Meanwhile, the Buccaneers have quietly pieced together a four-game win streak and are back in the playoff picture. Running back Doug Martin has rushed for 592 yards (148 yards a game) during the win streak. In his last six games, quarterback Josh Freeman also has 16 touchdown passes to only three interceptions (two of them last week). On the other side of the ball, the Buccaneers defense has been a tale of two cities. They lead the league in rush defense, but they are dead last in pass defense.

Prediction: Buccaneers 27 Falcons 24

3. Green Bay Packers (7-3) @ New York Giants (6-4) - 8:20 PM EST (Sunday), NBC

The Packers and Giants have been two of the NFC's best teams over the past several years, but they come into Sunday night's games in opposing directions. The Packers have won five straight to pull into a tie for first place in the NFC North with the Chicago Bears. During the win streak, quarterback Aaron Rodgers has thrown 17 touchdown passes to only two interceptions. With the offense putting up such huge numbers, the defense merely has to hold on for the ride. They aren't going to shut any team down, but they benefit greatly from forcing turnovers. Over the past two weeks, they have had forced six turnovers. The Giants are in a bit a slump having dropped their last two games. One of the main reason is the struggles of their quarterback Eli Manning. He hasn't thrown a touchdown pass in the last three games and has a combined six interceptions in his previous four games. The Giants defense has also struggled, giving up 23 or more points in their last four games.

Prediction: Packers 24 Giants 20

2. Minnesota Vikings (6-4) @ Chicago Bears (7-3) - 1:00 PM EST, FOX

The Bears entered Week 10 with a 7-1 record, but now they have dropped their last two games and quarterback Jay Cutler is still recovering from a concussion from two weeks ago. His playing status for Sunday is still unknown. If backup Jason Campbell is called into duty, he will have to play much better this weak. Too many mistakes and mental lapses led to a lopsided blowout at the hands of the San Francisco 49ers. The Vikings come into this divisional game fresh off their bye week. The Vikings offense has seen improved play out of quarterback Christian Ponder in his second season in the league. They have also benefited from star running back Adrian Peterson's return from injury to top form. He has 629 rushing yards (157.25 yards per game) in his last four games. You can expect both teams to run the football first and foremost in what should be a low-scoring affair.

Prediction: Bears 23 Vikings 20

1. San Francisco 49ers (7-2-1) @ New Orleans Saints (5-5) - 4:25 PM EST, FOX

In last week's showdown with the Chicago Bears, the 49ers didn't need their starting quarterback to win in a blowout. Now, they have a quarterback controversy on their hands. Starter Alex Smith missed the game against the Bears with a concussion. Colin Kaepernick started in his placed and shined. He was 16-for-23 for 243 passing yards and two touchdowns. With Smith's status unsure for Sunday, who will start against the Saints is uncertain as well. There is no doubt who will be starting at quarterback for the Saints. Star Drew Brees has led his team back to .500 with five wins in their last six games. During that span, he has thrown 18 touchdown passes and only four interceptions. With the rushing game and defense continuing to struggle mightily, this is all about how far Brees can carry his team. This week will be his toughest task against a talented 49ers defense.

Prediction: 49ers 27 Saints 24

College Football Week 13 Preview and Predictions

Linebacker Manti Te'o and the Fighting Irish are one win away from perfection and a berth in the BCS National Championship. (Jeff Haynes)

5. #19 Michigan (8-3) @ Ohio State (11-0) - 12:00 PM EST, ABC

The Game is always a big ticket item. Michigan and Ohio State are two of the biggest rivals in all of college football. Ohio State hasn't been in the national spotlight nearly as much because they are not bowl eligible due to violations. Nonetheless, they will be looking to complete something that will certainly earn them some accolades. The Buckeyes are looking to complete perfection and have a shot at becoming AP National Champions. Michigan would love nothing more than spoiling those plans. The Wolverines have taken on a new look lately with junior Devin Gardner at quarterback. Gardner has played well and is expected to earn his fourth straight start Saturday, despite the fact that Denard Robinson is healthy. Healthy is a relative term though because he still does not have full arm strength back. Media speculation is that Michigan will start Gardner at quarterback and use the athletic Robinson at running back and wide receiver. This will certainly give the Ohio State defense plenty to try and stop.

Prediction: Michigan 30 Ohio State 27

4. #5 Oregon (10-1) @ #15 Oregon State (8-2) - 3:00 PM EST, Pac-12 Network

Oregon was the No. 1 team in the country for just six days. Their unstoppable offense had destroyed its opposition all season, but was stifled by a Stanford defense with a perfect game plan. The Cardinal won 17-14 in overtime, thus ending the Ducks perfect season and likely keeping them out of the national championship game. Oregon can't afford to hang their heads though because their shot at BCS bowl is on the line. Oregon State would love nothing more than to hand them their second loss is a week. These in-state rivals square off in the game known as the Civil War. The Ducks dynamic offense is led by freshman quarterback Marcus Mariota and senior tailback Kenjon Barner. The Beavers don't have a bad offense either. Sophomore quarterback Sean Mannion has had an up-and-down season, but might need a big game to secure the job as the starter next season. Oregon's rushing defense has struggled, so Oregon State sophomore running back Terron Wood could be in for a big day.

Prediction: Oregon 45 Oregon State 31

3. #8 Stanford (9-2) @ #17 UCLA (9-2) - 6:30 PM EST, FOX

These two teams come into this game off huge wins. Stanford had the perfect game plan to end Oregon's perfect season in overtime. The Cardinal defense executed their game plan beautifully. Freshman quarterback Kevin Hogan did just enough to help lead his team to the upset win. It has been senior tailback Stephan Taylor who has been the team's leader all season. In the win over Oregon, he had a huge game with 161 rushing yards. UCLA knocked off rival USC 38-28 to win their fifth Pac-12 game in a row. The Bruins are being led by a freshman quarterback as well. In the win over the Trojans, Brett Hundley had three total touchdowns (one passing and two rushing). Junior wide receiver Shaquelle Evans was Hundley's favorite target with eight catches for 114 yards. Senior tailback Jonathan Franklin also had a big day with 171 rushing yards and two touchdowns.

Prediction: UCLA 24 Stanford 17

2. #4 Florida (10-1) @ #10 Florida State (10-1) - 3:30 PM EST, ABC

These two rivals come into this game with only one loss, but in very different ways. Florida was undefeated and in control, until they got shutdown by Georgia. Since the loss to the Bulldogs, they have needed late game heroics to beat Missouri and Louisiana-Lafayette. Even their shutout win over Jacksonville State wasn't particularly impressive. The Gators will get sophomore quarterback Jeff Driskel back from injury. At tailback, senior Mike Gillislee is still one of the best rushers in the SEC. Florida State doesn't feel like they are getting the respect they deserve. Their only loss was by one point on the road at North Carolina State. Since the loss to the Wolfpack, the Seminoles have won five ACC games in a row. Senior quarterback EJ Manuel leads the offense, while junior Bjoern Werner helps anchor the defense.

Prediction: Florida State 27 Florida 24

1. #1 Notre Dame (11-0) @ USC (7-4) - 8:00 PM EST, ABC

Notre Dame is one win away from an improbable perfect regular season and place in the BCS National Championship. The offense has seen the emergence of sophomore quarterback Everett Golson. After struggling with consistency early in the season, he has nine total touchdowns (seven passing and two rushing) and only two interceptions in his last three games. Despite the improved passing game, the Fighting Irish are still a rushing focused offense with 21 rushing touchdowns. Seniors Theo Riddick and Cierre Wood both have over 700 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns on the season. Sophomore tailback George Atkinson III has also been a touchdown factor with five scores of his own. Notre Dame's rock solid defense can't be overlooked either. The unit has only given up over 17 points in a game once all season. Heisman candidate Manti Te'o leads the way for a physical and athletic group.

USC's season has not gone as many expected. Losing three out of four games has dropped them to 5-4 in the Pac-12 and out of the polls. In the loss last week at UCLA, the Trojans also lost their senior quarterback Matt Barkley to injury. This means that freshman Max Wittek will make his first collegiate start against the superb Notre Dame defense. Wittek likes to air it out and has probably the best duo of receivers in college football to throw to. Sophomore Marqise Lee is a man playing among boys. He has had double digit receptions in seven games and an incredible 345 receiving yards against Arizona. Junior Roberts Woods would be a top receiver on most other teams, but will be another talented target for Wittek on Saturday. One more player on the USC offense to keep an eye on is senior tailback Curtis McNeal. He has a combined 324 rushing yards the past two weeks and could be in for another big day with Barkley out. The Trojans defense has struggled down the stretch, especially with tackling. They will have to do much better against the Fighting Irish on Saturday.

Prediction: Notre Dame 24 USC 20

VCU Creating Havoc Early in the College Basketball Season

Shaka Smart and his coaching staff have this year's version of the VCU Rams creating "havoc" already. (Mark Gormus)

On March 15, 2007, Virginia Commonwealth University's men's basketball team burst into the national spotlight. Crafty guard Eric Maynor made a 14-foot game-winner jumper to propel the Rams to a 79-77 upset of traditional power Duke. In 2011, head coach Shaka Smart had his team continue to unleash their "havoc" style of play as they made a magical run to the Final Four.

VCU's "havoc" style of play is an up-tempo, pressure intense system that leaves the opposition frustrated and prone to make mistakes. The more Smart's players play in it, the better it works and is executed. The Rams will benefit this season from losing only one senior, even though Bradford Burgess was a major leader and contributor last season.

VCU's season did get off to a bit of a bumpy start with a surprisingly two-point loss at home to Wichita State. "That's fine," Smart said. "We like being written off." The Rams looked at the Battle 4 Atlantis as an opportunity to show that they are a force to be reckoned with again this year. They got their first shot on Thursday night when they faced #19 Memphis.

VCU took the lead to start the game and never looked back. They were up by 14 at the half and ended up pulling off the upset in convincing style by 13. The Rams "havoc" defense forced 22 Memphis turnovers, including seven out of junior point guard Joe Jackson. Offensively, they shot an incredible 13-for-22 from beyond the arc. Sophomore Treveon Graham led the team with 26 points. Junior Rob Brandenberg came off the bench to shoot a perfect five-for-five from three for 15 points.

The Rams have shown that they can shoot the ball well, play tenacious defense and pull off the big upset. They will to do the latter again tomorrow night when the face fifth-ranked Duke for the first time since their NCAA tournament upset in 2007. Even though the Blue Devils are a physical team, I except VCU to give them a run for their money. This team will be well-prepared by its experienced leaders. There are still five players on this team who played a significant role in the team that made it to the Final Four two years ago.

"They could win the whole national championship if they make shots like that," said Memphis head coach Josh Pastner following Thursday night's game. While this may appear to be a bit extreme, anything is possible, especially considering how open of a field this year's NCAA tournament is expected to be. What is for certain is that VCU won't be a team anyone wants to stand in the way of come March.

The Tradition of NFL Games on Thanksgiving

NFL games have been a Thanksgiving tradition since 1934. (Photo Credit: Bleacher Report)

The Thanksgiving tradition of NFL games had its founding in one of the United States of America's most tradition-rich cities, Detroit. In 1934, George A. Richards purchased the Portsmouth (Ohio) Spartans and moved the team to Detroit. Despite having a good football team led by Earl "Dutch" Clark, Richards noticed his team continued to take a back seat to baseball and the hometown Tigers.

Richards decided to take a big gamble. His 10-1 Lions were set to host the World Champion Chicago Bears, who were winners of 11 straight. A win would put his team in a tie with the Bears for first place with a rematch scheduled for just three days later. Richards decided he wanted to play the big game on Thanksgiving Day. People quickly became excited, and 26,000 tickets were sold two weeks in advance of the game.

The game turned out to be an instant classic with the Bears prevailing 19-16. Three days later, the Bears won the rematch, 10-7, to win the NFL Western Division. Despite the two losses, Richards was pleased by the Lions' first season. He decided to give his team another shot on Thanksgiving Day the next year. This time it was the Lions who emerged victorious 14-2. The win clinched them the Western Division, and they went on to win the NFL Championship that year as well.

The rest as they say is history. The Lions have played in a NFL game on Thanksgiving every year, except for a six-season stretch from 1939-1944. The Dallas Cowboys joined the Lions in their yearly tradition beginning in 1966. They have only missed playing on the day in 1975 and 1977. Currently, the NFL has one team from each conference play either team on a rotating basis. In 2006, they added a third game to be played annually with no set opponents.

Football is one of the many Thanksgiving traditions for which I am thankful. Just as many gather around the table to enjoy the meal set before them, families and friends have come together around television screens to watch the Lions, Cowboys and maybe their own favorite team play the sport of football. It doesn't matter if you are the game's biggest fan or you don't even know what a first down is. What matters is that you are spending that quality time with the ones you love in a way that seems just so right.