NFL Week 15 Preview and Predictions

Tom Brady will look to lead the New England Patriots to another win over at home on Sunday Night Football. (AP Photo)

5. Washington Redskins (7-6) @ Cleveland Browns (5-8) - 1:00 PM EST, FOX


The Washington Redskins are making a push for the playoffs. They will look to win five straight games for the first time in seven seasons, but will have to do it without their inspirational leader at quarterback, Robert Griffin III. Griffin suffered a sprained knee and the Redskins have announced that fellow rookie Kirk Cousins will start in his place on Sunday against the Cleveland Browns. Cousins played very well in relief of Griffin last week. He will look to improve on that performance in this game. The Browns won't make the playoffs, but they are playing great football and are on a three-game winning streak of their own. Trent Richardson should continue to be the focal point of the offense. As the Browns' leading rusher and receiver, a big game out of the running back will help rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden to succeed as well.

Prediction: Redskins 24 Browns 20

4. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6) @ Dallas Cowboys (7-6) - 4:25 PM EST, CBS

These two historic rivals have struggled with consistency this season. The Steelers have a number of great big game victories, but have also suffered some surprising losses to middling teams. They got Ben Roethlisberger back from injury last week, but he had a considerable amount of rust in that game due to the long layoff without playing. The Steelers defense will have to play much better as well, especially after allowing the San Diego Chargers to score 34 points last week. As I already mentioned, the Cowboys have been a very inconsistent football team as well this season. Their longest winning or losing streak is only two games. They will look to put that behind them as they look for their third straight victory Sunday. Both teams need a win badly with a spot in the playoffs on the line. The Steelers need a win to stay ahead of the Cincinnati Bengals for the sixth and final spot in the AFC playoffs. Meanwhile, the Cowboys need a win and some help to sneak into the postseason.

Prediction: Steelers 23 Cowboys 20

3. Green Bay Packers (9-4) @ Chicago Bears (8-5) - 1:00 PM EST, FOX

The Packers beat the Bears 23-10 at home way back in Week 2. Now, the Bears look to get revenge on their rivals with the division lead on the line. The Packers have won seven out of their last eight games. The Packers are looking for a sixth consecutive victory over the archrival Bears. The win would secure them the NFC North title. Meanwhile, the Bears have lost four out of their last five. Suffering from injuries on both sides of the ball, they will look to piece together a complete effort in this one. The Bears offense will likely need to improve for them to have a chance to win. They have scored only 72 points in their past five games. Starting quarterback Jay Cutler is expected to play, but will be without one of his favorite targets, Earl Bennett due to injury.

Prediction: Packers 27 Bears 17

2. New York Giants (8-5) @ Atlanta Falcons (11-2) - 1:00 PM EST, FOX

Last week, the Giants trounced the New Orleans Saints to pick up a much needed win to stay in sole possession of first place in the NFC East. They will need another win Sunday if they want to be assured of that again. Running back David Wilson was the star of the win over the Saints. After taking a kickoff return 97 yards for a touchdown, he rushed for 100 yards and two more scores. Quarterback Eli Manning added four touchdown passes, but also threw two interceptions. The Falcons are trying to secure home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Those ambitions took a step backwards when Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers ran all over Atlanta. Newton burned the Falcons defense for 403 total yards and three total (two passing and one rushing) touchdowns. The Falcons offense also needs to make sure they are getting the ball into the endzone. Quarterback Matt Ryan threw for 342 passing yards, but had only two passing touchdowns and an interception. They also only got an unacceptable 35 rushing yards in the loss.

Prediction: Falcons 24 Giants 23

1. San Francisco 49ers (9-3-1) @ New England Patriots (10-3) - 8:20 PM EST (Sunday), NBC

Both these teams are looking for first-round byes in the playoffs. A win Sunday would be huge for both teams' chances. The 49ers have five straight wins over teams not named the St. Louis Rams, who they are 0-1-1 against. Quarterback Colin Kaepernick has played well, but needs to work on finding the end zone. He has no passing touchdowns in each of the past two games. Running back Frank Gore also hasn't had a 100-yard rushing game in the past six weeks either. Both players need to step up and play well because they have got their work cut out for them against New England. Not only are the Patriots winners of seven straight, they are going for their 14th straight win in December and 21st straight at home during the month. Quarterback Tom Brady thrives in the spotlight. In last week's rout of the Houston Texans, he threw four touchdown passes in just over a half of work. The Patriots defense has improved as well, holding teams to 19 points or less in their last three games.

Prediction: Patriots 24 49ers 20

Hamilton Signs Five-Year Deal With Angels

Josh Hamilton will be hitting home runs for the Los Angeles Angels, rather than against them beginning next season. (Jim Cowsert)

Josh Hamilton has been a brute force in the AL West for the past five seasons. He will continue to be one for at least the next five seasons as well. The only change will be the uniform he is wearing. Hamilton has left the Texas Rangers to sign with their division rivals, the Los Angeles Angeles. The contract is a five-year deal worth $125 million.

According to the Rangers, they never got an opportunity to match the Angels offer. However, they made it clear from the very beginning that re-signing Hamilton wasn't a priority. Now, they will have to pay the price when they face the Angels each season. The answer on how to fill Hamilton's spot in the lineup isn't clear either. Craig Gentry will likely fill in defensively in center field, but doesn't have the bat to make up for Hamiliton's power bat at all. The Rangers will also be in the market for a designated hitter. Adam LaRoche and Nick Swisher are potential free agent options.

The Angels make another huge free agent signing here. Hamilton will now be paired with Pujols to give the Halos a 1-2 punch of former MVPs in the heart of their linuep. Add that to likes of Mike Trout, Mark Trumbo and Kendrys Morales and the Angels have one of the best power lineups in baseball in the short term. Pair that with a solid rotation and they have positioned themselves for a run at the postseason. However, nothing is guaranteed as we found out with last season's Angels.

The other concern for the Angels is the length of these contracts they are giving out. While Pujols and Hamilton have been two of the best hitters in baseball, both have shown signs of declining as they get older. Health concerns are always there with Hamilton as well. He is leaving an evironment he had grown comfortable in. The Angels must work to quickly build trust and integrity between themselves and their new star.

It will be interesting to see how Hamilton does with a change in scenery. It is yet to be seen how much of an impact the slugger will have on the success of the Angels. Also, the reaction of the Rangers is still uncertain as well. We will have to wait and see how this affects the face of baseball over the next several seasons.

12 Best Athletes to Ever Wear No. 12

Quarterback Terry Bradshaw was a four-time Super Bowl champion wearing No. 12 for the Pittsburgh Steelers. (Fox Sports)

In honor of the date being 12/12/12, I thought it would be fitting to give tribute to the 12 best athletes to ever wear No. 12.

12. Bob Griese: Griese was a two-time All-American quarterback and kicker at Purdue. He was the No. 1 pick in the 1967 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins. Griese is famous for quarterbacking the Dolphins to their perfect 1972 season. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990.

11. Jarome Inginla: Iginla has spent the entirety of his 15-year career as a member of the Calgary Flames. Despite never bringing home the Stanley Cup, he has made himself a local legend. Inginla has scored 516 goals in his career, including 81 game-winning goals. He will be a lock for the Hall of Fame when ever he does decide to retire.

10. Dickie Moore: Moore was among the NHL's best shooters and puckhandlers of his time. As a member of the Montreal Canadiens, he led the NHL in goals and assists once time each. Moore played an important role on six championship teams, including five consecutive Stanley Cups from 1956-60. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1974.

9. Yvan Cournoyer: Cournoyer donned No. 12 for the Canadiens throughout his 17-year career after getting it from Moore. He finished his career with 428 goals and 435 assists. Cournoyer won the Stanley Cups 10 times, which is the second most in NHL history. He was a Hall of Fame inductee in 1982.

8. Thierry Henry: Henry is one of the best footballers of this generation. He was a member of the French national team that won the World Cup in 1998. Henry became an international star in the English Premier League as a top striker for Arsenal. During his career with The Gunners, he earned nearly every award the sport has to offer.

7. John Stockton: At point guard, Stockton led the Utah Jazz to 19 consecutive playoff appearances, but was never able to bring a NBA championship home. He led the league in assists for nine consecutive seasons. Stockton finished with a NBA record 15,806 assists, which is 3,800 more than the next closest player.  He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009.

6. Jim Kelly: Kelly is the only player in Buffalo Bills history to have his number retired. This honor is likely the result of leading the Bills to four consecutive losses in the Super Bowl. During his 11-year career, Kelly made 160 starts and threw 237 career touchdown passes. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2002.

5. Roger Staubach: As a quarterback for Navy, Staubach won the Heisman Trophy in 1963. He then served his tour of duty in Vietnam. Staubach returned home to lead the Dallas Cowboys to their first two Super Bowl championships. He became a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985.

4. Joe Namath: Namath is more of a legend because of his swagger, rather than his actual statistics. He guaranteed a win in Super Bowl III and delivered on his promise.  When Namath wasn't acting in movies and television commercials, he threw for 27,663 passing yards in his football career. Just like Staubach, he was a part of the 1985 class for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

3. Tom Brady: Brady was a sixth-round draft pick by the New England Patriots in 2000. He took over the starting job after Drew Bledsoe was injured in Week 2 of the 2001 season and led the Patriots to their first Super Bowl title. Brady has thrown for 43,812 yards (nearly 25 miles) and 329 touchdowns. He is a two-time MVP and has won three Super Bowls.

2. Roberto Alomar: Regarded by many as the greatest second baseman of all time, Alomar was a 12-time All-Star, 10-time Gold Glove winner, and led the Toronto Blue Jays to back-to-back World Series championships in 1992 and 1993.  Alomar wore No. 12 for each of the eight teams he played for during his career. His 2,724 career hits and 1,1,34 RBIs led to his Hall of Fame induction in 2011.

1. Terry Bradshaw: Bradshaw didn't put up huge statistical numbers, but he knew how to lead his football team to victories. He finished his career with a 107-51 record and four Super Bowl rings. Bradshaw was named MVP of the NFL in 1978 and was also the Super Bowl MVP twice. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1989.

Honorable Mention: Michael Jordan
Jordan made the No. 23 famous, but was forced to wear No. 12 for one game in 1990. On Valentine’s Day in Orlando, he had his jersey stolen from the locker room prior to the game. Jordan scored 49 points in 47 minutes, but the Bulls lost in overtime 135-129.

"That has never happened to me before,'' Jordan told the Orlando Sentinel at the time. ''It's pretty irritating because you're accustomed to certain things and you don't like to have things misplaced.''

Jordan may have been frustrated, but my guess is that the fans in Orlando were more than happy. They got to witness history in the making, Jordan have another outstanding game and their team pull off a surprising victory.

Analyzing the Indians-Reds-Diamondbacks Trade

Sin-Soo Choo is moving across the state of  Ohio to join the Cincinnati Reds due to a trade completed on Tuesday. (Peter G. Aiken)

The Cleveland Indians, Cincinnati Reds and Arizona Diamondbacks all decided that change would be necessary to bring about higher levels of success in both the long and short term. On Tuesday, they agreed to trade some integral parts in order to help facilitate this change. As with any trade, there are winners and losers to be determined. My blog post looks at the three teams and what they received it return.

In my opinion, the Indians are the clear winners in this trade. They did up their best hitter in Sin-Soo Choo, but he is scheduled to be a free agent in 2013. They also gave up lefty reliever Tony Sipp and an aging first base prospect in Lars Anderson. In return, the Indians are getting a top prospect in starting pitcher Trevor Bauer, veteran outfielder Drew Stubbs and relief pitchers Bryan Shaw and Matt Albers.

Choo was expected to leave to join a contender next offseason. Rather than get nothing for him, the Indians found a deal where they could still net a large return while giving up only one year of Choo's contract. Bauer is still very young and has all of the potential in the world. Stubbs will fill in nicely in the Indians lineup.

The Reds did well with this trade too. They acquired Choo for at least this coming season. He will be a force in his new lineup and always finds a way to have a very high on-base percentage. I like the addition of Choo into the lineup offensively. The only concerns I have are about the down grade defensively and the ability to sign Choo long term. Both issues will affect just how good this trade ends up being for the Reds.

The Diamondbacks did not fare nearly as well as its two counterparts. I know that Bauer did not always listen to those in authority over him and had a bit of strange personality, but they gave up on him way too soon. After all, he reached the majors at age 21 and was the third overall pick in the 2011 draft. I would have preferred they be more patient with him.

The package of prospects the Diamondbacks got in return for Bauer is disappointing as well. They must have huge expectations for shortstop prospect Didi Gregorius. Shortstop was a major need for this team, but Gregorius must show he can hit at a major league level before he can be an everyday player in the big leagues. The Diamondbacks will also hope to revive the career of another disappointing prospect in embattled first baseman Lars Anderson.

The full effect of this trade will still need a lot of time to be played out completely. I really like what Choo can add to the Reds offense this coming season. I also really like the potential Bauer has with the Indians if he is given time to develop fully. The Diamondbacks seem to have their work cut out for them. Gregorius and Anderson will have to produce in big ways to make up for the loss of Bauer.

NFL Week 14 Preview and Predictions

Tom Brady and Matt Schaub will play significant roles in a game that may decide home-field for the AFC playoffs. (Getty Images)

5. New Orleans Saints (5-7) @ New York Giants (7-5) - 4:25 PM EST, FOX

The Saints would need a miracle at this point to make the playoffs. At this point, it looks like a slow start and though schedule down the stretch proved to be too much. However, quarterback Drew Brees will certainly have his boys ready to give it their best on Sunday. A loss last week to their divisional rival Washington Redskins, the Giants have seen their NFC East lead get trimmed to just one game. As losers of three of their last four, they can't afford anymore setbacks. The Giants will rely on the leadership of quarterback Eli Manning to carry them through.

Prediction: Saints 24 Giants 20

4. Dallas Cowboys (6-6) @ Cincinnati Bengals (7-5) - 1:00 PM EST, FOX

This is a matchup of two teams in desperate hope of keeping their playoff hopes alive. Thanks to the Redskins win over the Giants last week, the Cowboys now sit just one game back of the Giants for the NFC East lead. They will look to build off a win over the Eagles last week to get another good performance out of quarterback Tony Romo. A win here would put the Cowboys above .500 for the first time this season. The Bengals are already two games above. 500, but currently sit on the outside looking into the playoffs. As a result, they might need to win out in order to have a shot at making the playoffs. After losing four in a row, the Bengals have now won four straight. They look to win again at home behind the strong play over their defense recently.

Prediction: Bengals 27 Cowboys 24

3. Chicago Bears (8-4) @ Minnesota Vikings (6-6) - 1:00 PM EST, FOX

The Bears suffered another setback last week when they lost to the Seattle Seahawks in overtime. The loss was their third in four weeks. Despite losing the game, quarterback Jay Cutler did play well. The Bears will need him to do so again as their defense will be missing their leader in Brian Urlacher to due to a hamstring sprain. After a 4-1 start, the Vikings are struggling to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. They have now lost four out of their last five to fall back to .500. Quarterback Christian Ponder and their defense have struggled recently. The Vikings will need a huge game out of running back Adrian Peterson to have even a chance at an upset.

Prediction: Bears 24 Vikings 13

2. Baltimore Ravens (9-3) @ Washington Redskins (6-6) - 1:00 PM EST, CBS

The Ravens saw their four-game win streak come to an end against their division rival Pittsburgh Steelers. Other than a pair of big touchdown plays by wide receiver Anquan Boldin and running back Ray Rice, their offense was non-existent in the loss. The Ravens defense also isn't nearly as strong as it has been in years past. They will now take a short road trip to our nation's capital where they will take on a suddenly dangerous Redskins team. After losing three in a row, rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III has led the Redskins to three straight NFC East wins. With all the confidence and momentum on their side, they are back at the .500 mark and sit only one game out of first place in their division. Another huge game out of Griffin could be in order to keep their win streak going.

Prediction: Redskins 24 Ravens 20

1. Houston Texans (11-1) @ New England Patriots (9-3) - 8:30 PM EST (Monday), ESPN/WatchESPN

Two of the top teams in the AFC come into a huge Monday Night Football matchup with playoff implications written all over it. Both teams are winners of six straight games. With only one loss so far this season, the Texans control their own fate in determining which team will have the home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Patriots are hoping slip-ups by the Texans and Ravens can allow them to earn at least a first round bye. Passing defense is both teams' area of weakness on that side of the ball. As a result, I expect both teams to air it quite a bit in what should be a high scoring affair. Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and Texans quarterback Matt Schaub are two of the leagues best and should be ready to show everyone why in primetime.

Prediction: Patriots 34 Texans 31