NFL Week 16 Preview and Predictions

Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers know that if they win their final two games of the season, they will make the playoffs. (Joe Sargent)

5. Washington Redskins (8-6) @ Philadelphia Eagles (4-10) - 1:00 PM EST, FOX
The Redskins are in position to win the NFC East for the first time since 1999 and to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2007. They have won five straight games to move into a three-way tie for first, but they have the tiebreaker over the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants. Rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III has the nation believing in and cheering for the Redskins. An optimistic outlook at the beginning of the season has turned into an absolutely dismal reality for the Philadelphia Eagles. Losers of nine of their last ten, little has gone their way. The Eagles have two more shots to get some revenge against a pair of divisional opponents the last two weeks of the season. They would be more than happy to knock one or both of them from the playoffs.

Prediction: Redskins 27 Eagles 16
 
4. New York Giants (8-6) @ Baltimore Ravens (9-5) - 4:25 PM EST, FOX
Last week, it was the Giants who were in position to win the NFC East. They had been there and done that and knew what they had to do. However, they were embarrassed 34-0 by the Atlanta Falcons. Now, they have to likely win out and get some help to return to the playoffs to defend their Super Bowl. Eli Manning has pitiful in the loss, passing for only 161 yards and two interceptions. On defense, the Giants weren't any better, giving up 394 total yards in the blowout loss. The Ravens are in a downward spiral as well. Losers of three straight, they are hoping simply to win the AFC North, which they have controlled all season. Quarterback Joe Flacco's six turnovers during the losing streak certainly isn't helping matters. This year's version of the Ravens' defense isn't as statistically strong either, especially at stopping the run.

Prediction: Giants 27 Ravens 24

3. Minnesota Vikings (8-6) @ Houston Texans (12-2) - 1:00 PM EST, FOX
The Vikings have won two straight and are in the playoffs heading into Week 16. However, that isn't what most of the talk around the team is about. Less than a year after suffering a torn ACL and MCL, Peterson is leading the NFL with a career-best 1,812 rushing yards on 289 carries. That means that he needs 294 yards in the last two games of the season to break Eric Dickerson's single-season record of 2,105, set in 1984 with the Los Angeles Rams. If Peterson has two big games and the defense plays well, the Vikings might just sneak into the playoffs under the radar. The Texans are on the verge of having home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. All they need is one more win, and they would love to take care of that this week. With a balance offense and strong defense, this is a team built for a run at the Super Bowl.

Prediction: Texans 24 Vikings 20
 
2. San Francisco 49ers (10-3-1) @ Seattle Seahawks (9-5) - 8:20 PM EST (Sunday), NBC
These two NFC West rivals should both make the playoffs, but there is plenty of pride and a first-round bye on the line in Sunday night's game. The 49ers have the second-best record in the NFC, but have yet to clinch the division due to their pesky divisional foes. They come into Sunday night's game following a huge win at New England, but they can't afford to let down their guard here. The Seahawks are primed for more success and have a perfect home record to protect. The solid play of rookie quarterback Russell Wilson and the rejuvenation of running back Marshawn Lynch's career has sparked the offense. The Seahawks defense is one of the most physical in the league. This should be a hard fought, low-scoring battle to the end.

Prediction: Seahawks 16 49ers 13
 
1. Cincinnati Bengals (8-6) @ Pittsburgh Steelers (7-7) - 1:00 PM EST, CBS
As winners of five of their last six, the Bengals are on the verge of making the playoffs and keeping their archrival out at the same time. With a win over the Steelers, they would clinch their spot in the postseason. The trouble is that the Bengals have never had much success again the Steelers, especially in Pittsburgh. The Steelers are in an unusual spot. Losing four out of their last five game has them sitting outside of the playoffs looking in. Injuries have mounted up on both sides of the ball and poor decision making has cost them games. Despite the downfall, the Steelers are still in control of their own fate. A win against the Bengals on Sunday and next week at home against the Cleveland Browns would send the Steelers back to the playoffs. There is only one playoff spot left in the AFC and only the Bengals or the Steelers can be that team.

Prediction: Steelers 20 Bengals 17

Players to Watch for in Saturday's Bowl Games

University of Louisiana-Lafayette quarterback Terrance Broadway is one of the most dynamic players in action on Saturday. (Kim Klement)

My guess is that you don't know much about the New Orleans Bowl or the MAACO Bowl. As it turns out, both bowls are being played on Saturday. You probably know even less about  East Carolina, University of Louisiana-Lafayette, Washington and Boise State. Well if you happen to love college football or are looking for something to watch on your day off from work and come across one of these two bowl games, I want to let you know about a dynamic player you should keep an eye on when their on the field. They are what you call gamechangers, and they could exactly that in their biggest game of the season.

New Orleans Bowl

Justin Hardy, WR, East Carolina
Hardy was a former standout high school quarterback, but came to East Carolina readt to work. He has put up impressive numbers in his two seasons with the Pirates. Hardy set East Carolina freshman records in receptions and yards. As a sophomore, he's made 83 receptions for 1,046 yards and 10 touchdowns. In the final game of the season against Marshall, Hardy had 16 catches for 171 yards. He needs only 78 more yards to surpass Dwayne Harris' single-season school record.

Terrance Broadway, QB, Louisiana-Lafayette
Broadway is a sophomore who transferred from Houston. He was pressed into starting duty when last year's New Orleans Bowl most valuable player, Blaine Gautier, broke his left hand in a win over Florida International back on September 29. Broadway said he wasn't fully ready, but he found his way on the big stage right away. He threw for over 2,500 yards and 16 touchdowns and ran for 661 yards and eight scores. Even more impressive was that Broadway nearly led the Ragin' Cajuns to an a colossal upset of Florida in The Swamp back in November. You can expect him to put up big numbers in the spotlight of New Orleans.

MAACO Bowl

Keith Price, QB, Washington
Unlike our other players to watch, Price has struggled this season in comparison to last season. He’s thrown 15 fewer touchdowns with the same amount of interceptions (11). In the red zone, Price's completion percentage has dropped from 74.1 percent to 57.6 percent. In four games against currently ranked teams, he has thrown only one touchdown compared to five interceptions. The reason that Price is on here is because he has shown in his collegiate career that he can be a star player. He's got one more shot to prove it this season. I am not saying that one great game will make up for Price's disappointing season, but at least it will have going into his senior season on the right foot.

Joe Southwick, QB, Boise State
Quarterback expectations are high at Boise State, and Southwick has had a challenge living up to them in his first year as starter. He did manage to finish the regular season strong. After throwing 10 touchdowns and seven interceptions in his first nine games, Southwick had seven touchdowns with no interceptions in the final three games. He still hasn't thrown for more than 311 yards in a game and struggled badly against strong defenses. There are some Bronco supporters who are still uncertain if Southwick can retain the job for 2013. He will take a big step in the right direction if he plays well and picks up a bowl win here.

Van Noy and the BYU Defense Took Over the Poinsettia Bowl

BYU linebacker Kyle Van Noy's forced fumble and recovery in the endzone proved to be the decisive play of the game. (Kent Horner)

With San Diego State leading the Poinsettia Bowl 6-3 heading into the fourth quarter, someone had to step up and make the big play. BYU linebacker Kyle Van Noy had already made a number of big plays earlier in the game, but he reminded the Aztecs of his presence down the stretch.

In the red zone, the BYU offense looked poised to at least tie the game up if they could not punch the ball in for the game's first touchdown. However, BYU quarterback James Lark's pass was intercepted by San Diego State cornerback King Holder at the two-yard line.

That's when Van Noy decided to take matters into his own hands. He rushed San Diego State quarterback Adam Dingwell in the end zone, forced a fumble and recovered it for a touchdown. The very next play from scrimmage did not go any better for the Aztecs. Dingwell fumbled the exchange from the center and Cougars cornerback Jordan Johnson emerged from the pile with the football. One play later, it was Jamaal Williams dancing his way into the endzone on a 14-yard run. A missed extra point made it a 16-6 BYU lead.

With the outcome of game still undetermined, Van Noy decided to finish San Diego State off. With just over six minutes to go in the game, Dingwell's pass was intercepted by Van Noy, who elusively returned it 17 yards for a touchdown. Van Noy's teammate Alani Fua added another interception of Dingwell on the Aztecs' next drive for good measure. When it was all said and done, the Cougars had decisively won 23-6.

The victory was not because of their anemic offense. Instead, it was their leader on defense that made it all happen. Van Noy wasn't only BYU's defensive MVP, but their offensive one as well. He finished the game with eight tackles, including three for loss and 1.5 sacks. Van Noy also had a blocked punt, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, an interception and two defensive touchdowns.

The Cougars defense had only had one defensive touchdown all season, but Van Noy came up with two when they needed them the most. He finished the season with 51 tackles, including 21.5 tackles for loss and 13 sacks. Van Noy is considering joining teammate Ezekiel "Ziggy" Ansah in entering the NFL Draft. He certainly gave the scouts watching plenty to think about. If this Van Noy's last game as a Cougar, he will long be remembered as the reason they won the 2012 Poinsettia Bowl.

What to Watch for in the Battle of the Boroughs III

Joe Johnson has begun to emerge as the star the Brooklyn Nets need him to be. (John Minchillo)

Basketball in the Big Apple has a new rivalry on its hands with the Nets move to Brooklyn. The first installment saw new boys on the block win in overtime. The Knicks took the second behind Carmelo Anthony's 45-point effort. Round Three tips off in less than 30 minutes. If you love basketball, then turn your television on to ESPN. I've got five storylines for you to watch as the game unfolds in Madison Square Garden.

1. Carmelo Anthony is a game-time decision for tonight's game. Anthony has missed the past two games because of continued pain in his sprained left ankle. The Knicks star is taking a cautious approach with his ankle and made it sound as though he's leaning toward sitting out against the Nets. "Of course I want to play," he said Tuesday. "But if I'm not able to go out there and be the player I can be and help my team, then I'm not going to step foot on the court." Reports say that Anthony did run lightly on Tuesday and said afterward that his ankle is still sore and "badly bruised."

2. The matchup of centers Brook Lopez and Tyson Chandler will play a decisive role in the outcome of the game. Lopez has been the leading scorer for Brooklyn, averaging almost 18 a game. Chandler is averaging almost 13 points a game and is the focal point of the Knicks' defense. The Nets will try to get Lopez involved as much as possible and try to get Chandler into foul trouble. If they are able to, they'll have a significant edge against the Knicks' less-talented big men coming off the bench. Chandler will have to play smart and not let his emotions get the better of him.

3. Jason Kidd is the x-factor for the Knicks. Kidd was the hero of the Knicks' last game against the Nets and has been the team's leader all season. Despite being 39 years old, he has played a crucial role in the Knick's surprising start. Through 20 games, Kidd is averaging 8.7 points and 1.8 steals per contest, while shooting an amazing 47 percent from three-point range. Apart from sinking the game-winning shot in the Knicks' last win over the Nets, he also had 18 points, six rebounds and six assists in that game.

4. Joe Johnson is starting to find his role with the Nets. Johnson struggled early in the season to find his place with his new team, but he is starting to find his groove as of late. Over his past five games, he has averaged 20.8 points on 49.4% shooting from the field. Johnson also sunk his first game-winner as a member of the Nets in a double-overtime win over the Detroit Pistons last Friday night before a home crowd at the Barclays Center. The team is starting to believe in him as well. "We were going to give him the ball and ride his back,” said head coach Avery Johnson.

5. The Knicks' ability to make three-pointers could decide the outcome of the game. The Knicks live and die on the three. According to ESPN, "New York's 11.9 made 3-pointers per game and 29.5 attempts are the most by any team since the 3-point line was instituted in 1979-80." Even though it seems unlikely that they will keep that up the remainder of the season, it certainly has a significant impact on this game. Interestingly enough though, the Nets have been very good at defending the three. According to ESPN, "Brooklyn has allowed opponents to hit just 5.7 of their 3-pointers per game, the third-fewest in the NBA." The Nets will need to be just as good if they hope to slow done the Knicks' production from deep.

Blue Jays Land Cy Young Winner Dickey

The Mets have traded 2012 Cy Young winner R.A. Dickey to the Blue Jays as the centerpiece of a seven-player deal. (Jim McIsaac)

After days and days of trade rumors, the New York Mets are officially trading 2012 National League Cy Young Award winner R.A. Dickey to the Toronto Blue Jays. Dickey reached an agreement with his new ball club on a two-year, $25 million extension that was the final piece to the trade going through.

The Blue Jays acquired Dickey, catcher Josh Thole and minor league catcher Mike Nickeas In exchange, the Mets receive top prospects Travis d'Arnaud and Noah Syndergaard, along with veteran catcher John Buck and minor leaguer Wuilmer Becerra. The Blue Jays paid a hefty price in terms of talent, but they believe Dickey could be the one piece they need going into next season.

"Clearly, he won the Cy Young. He's pitched like one the last three years," said general manager Alex Anthopoulos. "I think he doesn't get the credit and the respect he deserves because of his age and because of what he does throw. And I understand it's so rare. But there's so much overwhelming data and evidence to point to him continuing this success. He's gotten better every single year."

The Blue Jays won back-to-back World Series in 1992 and 1993, but have not gone to the playoffs since. They have tried to rebuild through their farm system and prospects, but have yet to get past the big boys atop the AL East. However, with the New York Yankees passing on top free agents as part of an austerity plan and the Boston Red Sox are reconstructing, the Blue Jays have decided to roll the dice and try and win now.

Toronto's busy offseason got kicked off last month with a blockbuster trade with the Miami Marlins. They acquired veteran starting pitchers Josh Johnson and Mark Buehrle, All-star shortstop Jose Reyes and utility man Emilio Bonifacio. The Blue Jays were also busy in the free agent market. They signed outfielder Melky Cabrera to a two-year deal and infielder Maicer Izturis to a three-year contract.

The Blue Jays brought back John Gibbons as manager. As of right now, the 2013 rotation and lineup might look something like this.


1. R.A. Dickey
2. Brandon Morrow
3. Mark Buehrle
4. Josh Johnson
5. Ricky Romero

1. SS Jose Reyes
2. LF Melky Cabrera
3. RF Jose Bautista
4. 1B/DH Edwin Encarnacion
5. DH/1B Adam Lind
6. 3B Brett Lawrie
7. CF Colby Rasmus
8. C J.P. Arencibia
9. 2B Emilio Bonifacio/Maicer Izturis

That is a ball club that will definitely be ready to compete in a loaded AL East and for a shot at a return to the postseason. It will be interesting to see if Anthopoulos has any more moves up his sleeves before we reach Spring Training.

The Mets will not be a team competing for much of anything next season. They did trade the reigning Cy Young winner and fan favorite, but you have to consider the bottom line in terms of the future.The Mets have had four straight fourth-place finishes in the NL East, and the Washington Nationals, Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies are the division favorites once again. The Mets were destined for a repeat finish in 2013 with or without Dickey.

The future though has become much brighter for a team in desperate need of something positive. General manager Sandy Alderson looked for a package of prospects, like he did with Carlos Beltran two trading deadlines ago. The cornerstone of that trade, right-hander Zack Wheeler, has developed into the club's top prospect. The Mets now add highly acclaimed catching prospect Travis d'Arnaud as well as Class A right-hander Noah Syndergaard to the mix from the Dickey trade.

D'Arnaud is a catcher who is able to hit well and has a lot of skills behind the plate. He is viewed as a difference maker who will play in the big leagues for more than a decade. Syndergaard was regarded as the Blue Jays' best pitching prospect by many scouts. He is a hard-throwing 20-year old who is capable of developing into a front of the rotation starter.

The Mets are starting to piece together a solid young nucleus for a few years down the road. They may not be contenders this season or the next, but they are rebuilding in the right direction. If you are a Mets fan, just hope for the best and check your minor league box scores to see how your future stars are doing as they grow and develop.

What to Take From the 49ers 41-34 Win Over the Patriots

In the biggest game of his young career, Colin Kaepernick outdueled Tom Brady in Foxborough. (Jim Rogash)

In a Sunday Night Football battle that many proclaimed a Super Bowl preview, little went as expected. No one could have expected the 49ers to go up 31-3 midway through the third quarter. It seemed completely unlikely that Tom Brady would rally his troops to score four touchdowns to tie the score up with 6:43 left in the game. The final surprise was when it was Colin Kaepernick who made the big throw to lift his team to victory with the game on the line, rather than Brady.

None of this could have been predicted. However, now that it has occurred, we can look at what we can learn from it. My blog will reveal my five observations from the game as we head towards the playoffs.

1. Colin Kaepernick made some mistakes, but came up with the big plays when the 49ers needed him to. This victory should quell any talks of a quarterback controversy in San Francisco. Kaepernick is and should be the man as the 49ers move into the playoffs. He had an interception and trouble with center exchanges, but his four touchdown passes were each a thing of beauty. All of them being 24 yards or more opens up this 49ers offense completely. His ability to move in the pocket and threat to run only enhances this feature of the offense.

2. Tom Brady reminds us once again that he is indeed human. Brady is known as a touchdown machine. He had multiple passing touchdown games in seven out of the Patriots' last eight games. Brady has also thrown four interceptions all season. He got picked off twice by Carlos Rogers and Aldon Smith. Brady's offense that had been nearly unstoppable all season was held to three points for the majority of the game. Brady is still one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. He just reminded us that even the greats have bad days at the office.

3. The 49ers pressure on Brady throughout the night was a crucial reason they won the game. Aldon Smith got pressure on Brady early in the game. Ray McDonald had two sacks from his defensive tackle position. He and Ricky Jean-Francois had sacks on consecutive fourth-quarter plays that led to the 49ers making an imperative stop of the Patriots as they clung to a 38-31 lead. The pressure helped force the interceptions by Aldon Smith and Carlos Rogers that played a significant role in the outcome of the game. The 49ers defensive pressure was pivotal to their success on both sides of the ball.

4. The Patriots can be uncharacteristically careless with turning the ball over. The Patriots entered the game with an NFL-best plus-24 turnover differential. Brady threw a first quarter interception into tight coverage. Then, running backs Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen both fumbled. Those turnovers put the Patriots in an early hole. The Patriots entered the game with just 10 turnovers, but had four in this game, two interceptions by Brady and the fumbles by Ridley and Vereen. This is completely unexpected in the Bill Belichick era.

5. The X-factor that might help the 49ers win the Super Bowl could be their special teams. Punter Andy Lee changed field position significantly with a 64-yard punt in the fourth quarter. After the Patriots scored to time the game up, rookie LaMichael James' returned a kickoff 66 yards to put the 49ers in position for Michael Crabtree's go-ahead touchdown catch. Lee again pinned the Patriots at their 3-yard line in the final three minutes. Even kicker David Akers, much maligned this season, had a solid day making two out of three field goals, including the one that helped seal the 49ers victory. Lee is one of the best in the game, James is a game changer, and Akers is a veteran who knows what to do with the game on the line. The three of them could be crucial to the 49ers run at the Super Bowl.