NFL Week 12 Preview & Predictions

You might have noticed I took a bye week last week on my weekly NFL Preview and Predictions (I was in St. Louis with some friends). I'm back again this week, and here is this week's Top Five Games.

5. Denver Broncos (5-5) @ San Diego Chargers (4-6) - 4:15 PM EST, CBS

In Week 5, these two teams last met. Denver was 1-3, and San Diego was 3-1. The Chargers took a large lead early in the game. That is when Broncos head coach John Fox made a big decison replacing veteran starting quarterback Kyle Orton with young Tim Tebow. Tebow nearly led the Broncos to the comeback win in the game. Since that game, a lot has changed about these teams. Denver has gone 4-1 with Tebow as the starting quarterback, despite the mounting criticism building against him. San Diego has gone 0-5 and watched starting quarterback Philip Rivers implode time and time again. In this game, the Tebow-led Broncos look to continue to ride toward a potential playoff berth, while the Chargers try to hold back the rivers that seem to be washing them out of the AFC playoff picture. Prediction: Denver 20 San Diego 17

4. Chicago Bears (7-3) @ Oakland Raiders (6-4) - 4:05 PM EST, FOX

Both the Broncos and Chargers are chasing the Oakland Raiders, who are leading the AFC West. The Raiders have been the epitome of inconsistent this season (W, L, W, L, W, W, L, L, W, W). At least midseason acquisition Carson Palmer is starting to show signs off mastering the offense. After throwing a combined six interceptions in his first two games as a Raider (both losses), Palmer has thrown only one in his last two games (both wins). On the other hand, the Chicago Bears are on a consistent roll right now that they would like to keep going. They have won five games in a row and would like to maintain their NFC Wild Card lead. However, their chances were dealt a serious blow when starting quarterback Jay Cutler fractured his thumb on his right throwing hand while trying to make a tackle following an interception. Doctors are uncertain if he will be able to return during the regular season. Into the spotlight steps Caleb Hanie, who will make his first ever NFL start. Most people will remember his performance in relief of Cutler in the NFC Championship Game last season. Hanie led the Bears on two touchdown drives before throwing his costly second interception that sealed his team's loss to the Packers. Prediction: Chicago 20 Oakland 17

3. Buffalo Bills (5-5) @ New York Jets (5-5) - 1:00 PM EST, CBS

This game features two teams struggling to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. The Buffalo Bills opened the season 4-1, but have now lost four of their last five. The Bills offense averaged 32.8 ppg during those first five games, but only 14.3 ppg the past five. Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick has been struggling, and starting running back Fred Jackson, who was having an outstanding season, has been lost for the season with a broken bone in his lower right leg. The New York Jets have been very streaky this season. Their current two game losing streak has brought them down to .500 and put them in must win mode if they are going to stand a chance of making the playoffs. The Jets aren't ready to panic yet though, as they were in a similar situation last year before putting together enough wins to reach the AFC Championship Game for the second straight year. They need quarterback Mark Sanchez to step up his game to make this happen again. Prediction: New York 24 Buffalo 10

2. New England Patriots (7-3) @ Philadelphia Eagles (4-6) - 4:15 PM EST, CBS

Many people thought before this season began that this game could be a Super Bowl preview. The New England Patriots seem well on their way to winning yet another AFC East title to try and hold up their end of the bargain. On the other hand, the Philadelphia Eagles are just trying to win another game to try and climb back into the NFC playoff picture. The Patriots have bounced back from two losses (to the Steelers and Giants) to win two games (over the Jets and Chiefs). Tight end Ron Gronkowski has blossomed into the focal point of the Patriots offense. He has 10 touchdown catches on the season, including a combined four the past two weeks. The Eagles are coming off a huge win over the Giants. Vince Young led the offense as an injured Michael Vick was unable to play. Reports believe that Young will be called on again this week. The Eagles defense stepped up big last week and will need to again this week. Prediction: New England 34 Philadelphia 17

1. New York Giants (6-4) @ New Orleans Saints (7-3) - 8:30 PM EST (MNF), ESPN

The New York Giants once seemed to be in control of the NFC East, but two straight losses and four straight wins for the Dallas Cowboys means that the Giants sit a 1/2 game behind the Cowboys. This might be the starting signs of another Giants second-half collapse, just like the past two seasons (missed the playoffs both seasons). In fact, in all seven seasons under head coach Tom Coughlin so far, the Giants have a worse second half record that their first half record. The Giants are struggling with injuries and will likely have to overcome quite a few inactives in order to pick up a win. They have a tough task going into the Superdome, where the Saints are 4-0. The Saints last two games were victories over divisional foes, including a 26-23 overtime win over the Falcons. They will be itching to play after eight days off because of their bye week last week. Prediction: New Orleans 34 New York 20

College Football Week 13 Preview & Predictions

5. #8 Houston @ Tulsa - 12:00 PM EST

Houston is thriving in the spotlight picking up its 11th win of the season with the College Gameday crew in town last week. The regular season finale with Tulsa may be their toughest test so far. Both teams are 7-0 in Conference USA. Tulsa may have three loses, but they were to Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and Boise State. If they had played an easier non-conference schedule, we might be talking about a BCS Top 10 showdown right here. Houston is obviously known by their prolific passer, Case Keenum, but their defense has been solid as well. Tulsa has a potent offense as well. Quarterback G.J. Kinne has a quarterback rating nearly as high as Kennum's. The Golden Hurricanes also feature the conference's best rushing attack averaging 210.1 ypg and a combined 597 yards their past two games. Trey Watts and Ja'Terian Douglas lead the two-prong attack. This game should tell us a lot about Houston's chances in BCS bowl, should they make it to one. Prediction: Houston 45 Tulsa 41

4. #5 Virginia Tech @ Virginia - 3:30 PM EST, ABC/ESPN2/ESPN3

The fact that if Virginia Tech wins they play in the ACC Championship, comes as no surprise. The fact that if Virginia pulls the upset they play in the championship game instead is quite surprising. Virginia Tech is looking for its fourth trip to the game in five years. On the other hand, Virginia went 4-8 last season. They seemed to be on the right track under second year head coach Mike London, but no one thought he would turn it around this quickly. Virginia Tech would love another shot at Clemson in the championship game. The Tigers embarrased the Hokies at home for their only loss of the season. This game should be a low-scoring, defensively-dominated game. There is a lot on the line for both teams as the look to continue their hopes of playing in the Orange Bowl. Prediction: Virginia 16 Virginia Tech 14

3. #19 Penn State @ #16 Wisconsin - 3:30 PM EST, ESPN/ESPN3

Both these teams have played some great football to overcome some challenging adversity. Penn State has endured the upheaval and turmoil surrounding the Sandusky scandal and the firing of legendary coach Joe Paterno. Wisconsin had two heartbreaking defeats back-to-back weeks against Michigan State and Ohio State. Now, these football teams just need to focus on winning this game because the winner wins the Leaders Division and gets the berth in the inaugural Big Ten Championship Game against Legends Division winner Michigan State. Last week, Penn State won only their second game against Ohio State in Columbus since joining the Big Ten. Running back Stephfon Green ran for two first half touchdowns to lead the Nittany Lions offense. Wisconsin is coming in on a three game winning streak, with wins against Purdue, Minnesota, and Illinois. The winner of this game gets the Spartans with a trip to the Rose Bowl up for grabs. Prediction: Wisconsin 28 Penn State 20

2. #2 Alabama @ #24 Auburn - 3:30 PM EST, CBS

You might think that Alabama has this game in the bag based on their superior talent. Not so fast. Nothing is easy when it comes to the Iron Bowl, one of the fiercest rivarlies in college football. Auburn pulled the upset last year to earn the in-state bragging rights. They would love to do it again this year. After all, Alabama thought they would have a cupcake game against Georgia Southern last week, but the Eagles exposed some holes in that Crimson Tide defense. The running back most people will focus on this game is Heisman candidate Trent Richardson. Richardson has 1380 rushing yards on the season and 20 touchdowns. Auburn though has a running back I like as my X-Factor of the game. The playmaker's name is Onterio McCalebb. McCalebb made some plays against LSU's defense earlier this season. If the Tigers are going to have a shot, they'll need him to do it again. Prediction: Alabama 24 Auburn 17

1. #3 Arkansas @ #1 LSU - 2:30 PM EST (Friday), CBS

LSU is still undefeated and has been the only consistent team in the BCS polls, but they face another tough test this weekend in Arkansas. With the exception of Alabama, LSU has beaten everyone they've played this year by at least 13 points. However, history says that this one should be closer than that. The last five games between these two teams have been decided by eight points or less, and Arkansas has won three out of the last four. The X-Factor in this game is the offensive line for Arkansas. We all know how good the Tigers defense is, so they have to give their best effort to protect quarterback Tyler Wilson. When Wilson has the time to work, he is one of the best quarterbacks in the SEC. He has thrown for a conference-leading 3215 passing yards, but has also been sacked 18 times. Prediction: Arkansas 27 LSU 21

UEFA Champions League Group Action Reaction - 11/23/11

Following today's matches, all teams in the UEFA Champions League have played five of their six matches in group play. Here is some of the notable scores from the past few days:

Napoli 2 Manchester City 1 (Group A)

You might remember I blogged about Manchester City's early success three weeks ago (http://fireawayblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/how-good-is-manchester-city.html). I mentioned for them to be considered among the cream of the crop in Europe they would have to succeed in the UEFA Champions League. Well, they struggled once again. Manchester City controlled the majority of possession (70%), but struggled to put the ball in the net. They had 17 shots, including 8 shots on goal, and 5 corners. However, they only scored once. On the other hand, Napoli forward Edinson Cavani didn't seem to have the same problem. The Uruguayan striker scored twice. Bayern Munich has already clinched its spot in the Final 16 as the group's winner. Following this result, Napoli currently sits in 2nd with 8 points, while Manchester City is third with 7. This means that for Man City to advance they have to beat Bayern Munich in their final game. They also would need winless Villarreal to win or tie against Napoli.

Trabzonspor 1 Internazionale 1 (Group B)

Inter Milan got the tie they needed in this match, which combined with Lille's 2-0 victory over CSKA Moscow, sends them into the Final 16 as the guaranteed group winner. Trabzonspor outshot Inter 22-9, but Brasilian keeper Julio Cesar reminded viewers why he is one of the best in the world. Trabzonspor is in 2nd with 6 points, while Lille and CSKA Moscow now are tied with 5. This means that it will come down to the final group games, as any of these three can advance. Trabzonspor plays Lille and advances automatically with a win. CSKA Moscow plays Inter.

Manchester United 2 Benfica 2 (Group C)

Manchester United stumbled in this one at Old Trafford. United overcame an early own goal with 2 goals of their own. In the 59th minute, Darren Fletcher put them in the lead 2-1. However, one minute later Pablo Aimar scored the equalizer. Both these teams remain tied for the lead in the group with 9 points, but FC Basel is right there with 8. Benfica has to like their odds in their final match against Otelul Galati, who has lost all five of their games. This means that the key final matchup will be the big one between Manchester United and FC Basel. It would be shocker if United failed to advance.

Lyon 0 Ajax Amsterdam 0 (Group D)

With Real Madrid (5-0-0) advancing after dominating the group, Lyon and Ajax knew they were battling to be the second team to advance from the group. Both teams had some great opportunities, but the game ended in a scoreless draw. Thanks in large part to two stellar saves by Kenneth Vermeer late, Ajax maintained their 3 point edge over Lyon in the group standings. Ajax will advance with at least a tie against Real Madrid. Lyon will need to score a lot of goals in a win over last place Dinamo Zagreb and an Ajax loss to have a shot at advancing.

Bayer Leverkusen 2 Chelsea 1 (Group E)

Chelsea knew what they needed to do in this game. They needed to take care of business like they should and pick up a win. They were on their way to this when Didier Drogba put them up 1-0. It seemed bad enough when they let Eren Derdiyok score the equalizer in the 73rd minute. Then, in stoppage time, Manuel Friedrich scored the shocking winning goal. Bayer Leverkusen is now in first place in the group and will advance with a mere draw against winless Racing Genk, who lost 7-0 to Valencia. Valencia now holds the goal differential edge over Chelsea. This means that Chelsea would need either a win or a scoreless draw against Valencia in their final match to advance.

Olympiakos 1 Marseille 0 (Group F)

While most of the talk is about Arsenal advancing as the group winners, this result had the most affect on the rest of the group. Olympiakos now has a shot of advancing thanks to a goal in the 82nd minute by substitute Ioannis Fetfatzidis. The sub scored just seven minutes after coming on the pitch. Marseille remains in second with 7 points. Picking up their second win, Olympiakos is now third with 6 points. Borussia Dortmund have 4 points and still has a slim chance of advancing. They would need a victory over Marseille to have a chance. Olympiakos needs at least a tie against Arsenal. Any of these three teams are capable of advancing.

Zenit St Petersburg 0 Apoel Nicosia 0 (Group G)

Apoel Nicosia knew they would advance with a draw, so they decided to play defensively from the onset. That is the way it remained the whole game as they only had 2 shots the whole game. Zenit St Petersburg did all they could to score as they fired 23 shots, had 8 of those on goal, and 10 corners. With the scoreless draw, Apoel Nicosia became the first Cypriot team to advance. This means that the group's decisive final game between Zenit St Petersburg and FC Porto will determine which of the two will advance. Zenit holds a one point edge in the standings, which means that FC Porto will need a win to advance.

Barcelona 3 AC Milan 2 (Group H)

This was the premier match people wanted to watch. After a 2-2 draw in the last matchup back in September, what would happen in this one? Mark Van Bommel's own goal put Barcelona up to start. In the 20th minute, Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored the equalizer against his old side. Lionel Messi put Barca back on top following a somewhat questionable penalty kick call. Kevin-Prince Boateng tied it up once again in the 54th minute. In the 63rd minute, Messi had a beautiful run to setup Xavi for the winning goal for Barca. Barcelona wins the group as both sides advance to the Final 16 in what was a well-played game by both sides.

What Does MVP Really Mean in MLB?

MVP is supposed to stand for Most Valuable Player. Is that really what it stands for in Major League Baseball? I'm not so sure. The AL and NL winners were announced this week. Were the correct choices? Let's examine it.

I will take a look at the less controversial NL MVP decision first. This was really a two horse race between Milwawkee Brewers left fielder Ryan Braun and Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Matt Kemp. Here is what both players did during the regular season:

Braun led the NL in slugging percentage (.597) and extra base hits (77). He had a chance to pass Jose Reyes to win the batting title as well [Don't get me started on what a tool Reyes is (he took himself out of the Mets' final game of the season so he couldn't lose the title)]. Braun finished with a .332 average, 33 home runs, 111 RBIs, 109 runs scored, and 33 stolen bases.

Kemp led the NL in home runs (39) and RBIs (126). Additionally, he had a .324 average, 115 runs scored, and 40 stolen bases. He also won a Gold Glove.

If you look strictly at the numbers, Kemp appears to have the edge. But then you have to consider the unwritten rule that the MVP winner has to play for a playoff team. Braun led the Brewers to a franchise-best 96 wins and their first division title in nearly 30 years. Kemp played on a Dodgers team that had an up-and-down-filled season that ended in a third place finish in the NL West. When Braun was asked about this he replied, "Without a doubt I think it's a drastically different experience playing meaningful games down the stretch." Based on his numbers and importance to the Brewers, I believe that Braun was the proper choice for NL MVP.

Now, it is time to discuss the controversial AL MVP decision. There were five top candidates that emerged from the voting. Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera had a great season, but couldn't be considered as the best player on his team. Jose Bautista had a strong season as well, but his Blue Jays didn't come close to making the playoffs, which cost him. Let's look at the other three candidates in more depth:

AL Cy Young winner Justin Verlander had one of the most dominant seasons a pitcher has had in a long time. Verlander won the AL's pitching triple crown, finishing the regular season with a record of 24-5, a 2.40 ERA, and 250 strikeouts. That is the most wins for a major league pitcher since Bob Welch won 27 games in 1990. Verlander also had a no-hitter on May 7.

New York Yankees center fielder Curtis Granderson helped lead his team to an AL best 97 wins. Granderson stepped up early in the season when injuries and struggling bats plagued his team. He finished with a .262 average, 41 home runs, 119 RBIs, 136 runs scored, and 25 stolen bases.

Boston Red Sox center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury was an anchor in the lineup. At times, Ellsbury was the only player you could rely on to produce for them. He finished with a .321 average, 32 home runs, 105 RBIs, and 119 runs scored, and 39 stolen bases.

Let's compare the two outfielders first. Granderson was more of a power guy, while Ellsbury displayed great average and speed. Ellsbury was also a superior defensive player. Granderson's Yankees had the best record in the AL, while Ellsbury's Red Sox had one of the worst collapses in sports history to miss the playoffs. However, upon further examination Ellsbury did the best he could to not let that happen. He hit for a .358 average and 8 home runs in September.

So how does Justin Verlander compare to hitters? I mean he dominated them all season, but how do the numbers compare. While Verlander's numbers are some of the best for a pitcher in a long time, he was left off one voter's ballot all together. That voter was Jim Ingraham, a writer for The News-Herald a northern Ohio Newspaper. When asked to defend his decision Ingraham had this to say:

"I'd wrestled with this for a long time. If I was ever going to vote for pitcher for MVP, it would be him this year."

"He hasn't appeared in 79 percent of their games, any starting pitcher really doesn't appear in 79 percent of his team's games in a year."

"Would you vote for an NFL quarterback for MVP if he only appeared in three of his team's 16 games, which would be 21 percent? So that's part of it. Another part of it is I think they're apples and oranges. The guys that are in there every day, there's a grind to a season that a starting pitcher doesn't, I don't think, experience the way the everyday position players do playing 150, 160 games."

By not putting Verlander on his ballot, Ingraham was trying to make a point. While I wouldn't have thought to leave Verlander of my ballot, I appreciate Ingraham's audacity. I fully agree with his argument. Verlander played in about 1/5 of the Tigers games. He could not be the MVP of 4/5 of their games. That is simply to much to ignore. Jacoby Ellsbury was the glue that held the Boston Red Sox together this season. While everyone will remember the team's historic collapse and all the fallout from it, they should also remember Ellsbury's career year. In my opinion, he should have been this year's AL MVP.

Sidney Crosby Looks Like His Old Self

The Pittsburgh Penguins were already tied for first with the most points in the NHL. The Penguins have been playing great. Could things get any better? They just did. Superstar Sidney Crosby returned to the ice for the first time in 10 months following a serious concussion. What does he do in his first game back? He scores 2 goals and has 2 assists. Should we be surprised? I don't think so. This is what we've come to expect from him. It's just wonderful to see him back on the ice.

In other NHL News:

The San Jose Sharks are on fire right now. After starting the season 1-3-0, the Sharks have now gone 11-2-1 in their last 14 games. The Sharks have 25 points in 19 games on the season, giving them the best winning percentage (.694).

The Boston Bruins say not so fast. Do you think the Sharks are hot? You should check us out. The Bruins are currently on a 9 game winning streak. They may have started the season 3-7, but that seems like a faint memory now.

The Minnesota Wild have won 4 in a row and are tied for the most points in the NHL with 27. How are they doing it? The Wild are without doubt the stingiest team in the NHL. They are allowing only 1.95 goals per game. The problem though is on the other end of the ice. The Wild's offense is ranked 28th in the NHL. If they offense improves at all, this could be an even tougher team to beat.

ESPN's Scott Burnside's take on Sidney Crosby's return to the ice: http://espn.go.com/blog/nhl/post/_/id/12412/size-of-stage-no-match-for-sidney-crosby

NHL.com examination of the Minnesota Wild: http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=602473

Homeboys: UNH Comes Home to Turn Season Around

A winless first four games wasn't what anyone in Durham, NH was expecting.

The New Hampshire Wildcats, coming off a trip to the Northeast Regional Final just a year ago, dropped their first four hockey games of the year, stunning both Hockey East and every NCAA Division 1 program. Not only could they not find a win, but they could not buy a goal. UNH went 122:24 into the season without a goal, and 183:17 with just a single goal.

All that changed when the Wildcats hit a four game homestand, which turned into a four game win streak.

The Whittemore Center saw UNH begin to correct a tailspin season. The Wildcats chalked up wins over Union College, Northeastern, Massachusetts, and Maine, scoring 17 goals in the four game span. After a 3-3 road trip at Vermont, UNH came back to Whittemore, shutting out UMass-Lowell 5-0.

However, it would be unfair to both the Wildcats and their fans to suggest that UNH is on the path to the NCAA tournament once again. The fact remains the New Hampshire has been struggling  this season, and unless they can figure out how to win on the road, they are in for a long season (coming off a weekend loss at Boston University 4-1 doesn't help either). But if they can build off the momentum they've had at home, perhaps UNH can salvage a season, and maybe...just maybe...make another run deep into the playoffs.

Keep an eye out for the Wildcats this week, as they travel to Harvard on Tuesday night, before hosting the Chargers of Alabama-Huntsville on Saturday.

SEC West Trio Now Control the BCS Standings

I was out of town (in St. Louis with some friends) all weekend. As a result, the only college football I watched was the end of Missouri's win and the 1st quarter of LSU's dismantling of Ole Miss. I came to find out I missed the craziest weekend of the season.

It was a weekend that featured 3 of the BCS Top 5 teams losing. Oklahoma State's undefeated season was ended in double overtime by Iowa State. Oregon's comeback against USC came up short. Robert Griffin III lead Baylor to an impressive and gutsy win over Oklahoma.

When the latest BCS polls were revealed yesterday, everyone's thoughts were confirmed. For the first time ever, the Top 3 teams in the BCS Standings all were from the same conference. Not only are they from the same conference, they are from the same division, the SEC West. #1 LSU is still undefeated, but have to play #3 Arkansas this Friday afternoon. The Razorbacks' only loss is to Alabama. The Crimson Tide's only loss is to LSU.

If Arkansas beats LSU, all three of these teams would have one loss, but they are all to each other. Who is going to get to play Georgia in the SEC Championship? What happens if Georgia wins? The problem is only two teams can play in the BCS Championship Game. Who is it going to be? There is still a lot of football to be played to determine that.