30 Dec 10 LeBron James MSG: Yeah, I Said It

Kevork Djansezian/Getty ImagesBy reading the title of this article you are more than likely thinking, "Oh great, another article on LeBron James, by a kid who is both obsessed with LeBron and very arrogant." But before you stop reading this article, give it a chance. Next summer on July 1st as everyone knows it will be the start of the NBA Free Agency period. And it could be the biggest FA period in the history of the NBA. With names like: Bosh, Stoudemire, Wade, Boozer, and of course LeBron (just to name a few), this Free Agency will be the talk of the summer for most sports fans. As I went on to ESPN.com today, the first thing that came up was a picture of LeBron James in a New York Knicks jersey wearing his new number, 6. Now I have been set in my ways for a while now and don't believe LeBron will be leaving Cleveland regardless if he wins a title this year or not. However, this is not what this article is all about. LeBron wants to win a championship (and many more) and that is obvious, but he also wants to be Detroit Lions
a "Global" icon. But why does he need to go to a major city to accomplish this?The answer to that question is simple: He doesn't. LeBron does not need to go to Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, or the Big Apple to become a bigger marketing chip or a bigger icon in the world. LeBron could play for a team in Iceland and more than likely ESPN would televise a lot of his games. I live in Wisconsin and yes the Bucks are finally becoming relevant, but do you seriously think the Bradley Center sells out on a consistent basis? But when LeBron shows up in Milwaukee, it most certainly does. If LeBron wanted to start his own team in Wyoming next year, those tickets would sell in a heartbeat. The point of these stupid comments is to point out wherever LeBron goes fans go or even average people who don't really care a lot about sports. LeBron has the 3rd highest selling Jersey in the U.S. and will be at the top for years to come. On top of that the amount of "Fun" he has playing this game makes it a joy to watch. He not only hits jump shots, has ridiculous come-from-behind blocks, monster dunks; but he also sings and dances throughout the games. He knows he is the best and has fun with it, he takes his game seriously, but when it comes to himself, not really.There is a lot of people who believe if LeBron does leave Cleveland he will be going to Chicago or of course New York. But the truth is LeBron doesn't need NY, NY needs LeBron. For the last 4+ years the Knicks have been wheeling and dealing to try and create cap space to offer LeBron and another free agent enough money to come play for the Knickerbockers. If he doesn't sign with NY this year, it will be a huge failure for the New York Knicks, they can say whatever they want about oh we got Wade, we got got Bosh, we got Joe Johnson; but none of which are LeBron. LeBron as I have said is known all over the world, when the U.S. Olympic team went to China for the Olympics the people overseas couldn't get enough of all the Green Bay Packers jersey
Olympians, but mainly Kobe and LeBron. I have heard people say "If LeBron goes to New York he will be in a bigger spotlight playing in the greatest city in the world, at the greatest basketball arena ever." Would he? Will LeBron James actually be a bigger star there in New York, then he is now? Not a chance. At 17 years old he was deemed The "Chosen One" and was on the cover of Sports Illustrated. At St. Vincent-St. Mary's High School, his games were televised on ESPN. The school had to move their home games to a new site, Akron University, because their wasn't enough seats to sit all the people wanting to see "King James". And before he even stepped foot on the NBA court he signed a $90 million deal with NIKE. He wasn't even in the NBA and was already one of the most popular athletes in the world.There would be no greater storyline than hometown kid get drafted by hometown kid (yes I know he was born around Akron and plays in Cleveland so it isn't exactly hometown) and wins many championships for that team. Not even - LeBron James signs with New York Knicks. IF LeBron wins a championship for Cleveland this year - Finally, a Ring for The King or - Home Sweet Home, LeBron gives his state what they have been waiting 40 years for. He would forever be a hero in Cleveland, he would give them exactly what they wanted. As hislicenseplate says "King of Akron".This is LeBron James, I know he isn't MJ, not yet anyway, but it doesn't matter where LeBron decides to play he won't be any bigger than he is now, based on where he is playing. The man plays in Cleveland, nothing against Cleveland or the state of Ohio, but it isn't LA, Chicago, Miami, or New York, and he is stillarguablythe best player in the league and the most popular player. Not to mention wherever he goesArenassell out. And for crying out loud how much bigger can he be in NY, he is on a billboard in Cleveland that is 110 feet high and 212 feet wide.Now I am not saying he is bigger than the game of Houston Texans jersey
basketball or that he is bigger than the NBA. He is, however, bigger than the Cavaliers, he is bigger than the Knicks. Like I said the New York Knicks need LeBron, he does NOT need them, not only is LeBron bigger than the Knicks he is bigger than Madison Square Garden, okay maybe not. But regardless of where the Akron Hammer is playing in the years to come, we will all continue to be "WITNESSES."

29 Dec 10 Amare Stoudemire: I'm Not Retarded or Confused Anymore

Christian Petersen/Getty ImagesI didn hear it on the Doug and Wolf show a couple of weeks ago when Amare Stoudemire was on (you see, I have that cursed thing called workI mean, if I don do it, who is going to teach the kids how to use the subjunctive mood in Spanish?), but I read about it.He said this:Theyre simply retarded and that they haven been watching my career at all since Ive been in the league.Amare, retarded? Really? So you would say thatthose of us who wonder if your recent domination is motivated only by your contract status are mentallyTennessee Titans jersey
disabled?Using Root Quotoshop (a new program I use to touch up statementsno, it not really a program, it just me making things sound better/more realistic), I came up with this, making what he said less offensive and more realistic, based on our experience with him as fans:Theyre simply retarded and that they haven been confused from watching my career at all since Ive been in the league.Proof of the retardation confusion:Stoudemire averages 37 points a game in the 2005 playoff series against Tim Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs.One week after signing a five-year maximum contract extension, he has microfracture surgery on his knee (smells suspiciously like Penny Hardaway).After recovering from two knee surgeries, he bounces back in 2006-07 to average 20.4 points and (more impressively) 9.6 rebounds a game, and is named to the All-NBA Second Team.Stoudemire leaves the bench area and is suspended for a game in the all-too-familiar Suns/Spurs 2007 playoff series.Another All-Star season in 2008-09.He is benched the entire fourth quarter of the win over the Dallas Mavericks in January, after his effort netted a total of one rebound.Since that benching, he has averaged 26.0 points and 10.2 rebounds a game, has taken over games in deciding moments, and has been one of the top three or four players in the NBA in the last two months.All this retardation confusion and yet I personally have a different feeling now about him as a player than I have in the past. There is something different about whatI have observed in Amare.He is not only scoring more and rebounding more. He is not just saying the right things. He is doing things that he has never done.He is taking over games almost single-handedly. He not doing it off of Washington Redskins jersey
the pick-and-roll. He is demanding the ball in the post with his back to the basket.He is attacking the rim and getting to the free-throw line. In crunch time, the team is not leaning only on Steve Nash to take big shots.Stoudemire is changing games; he has become the alpha-dog of the team. It was not long ago I thought that the Suns would be wise in trading Stoudemire.It makes me seem like a waffler, but Ibelieve that now I am no longer confused about Amare. Just last week I was reading The Book of Basketball, by Bill Simmons, and I was reading a passage about Paul Pierce. I felt like I was reading about Amare. Here it is, just replace Boston and Pierce with Phoenix and Stoudemire:"Boston fans found themselves in an all-too-frequent position for NBA diehards in the past two decades: we were tired of Pierce act, thought he needed a fresh start somewhere else and wondered if he was a lost cause, but we knew our team couldn possibly get equal value for him. So what do you do? Do you just keep crossing your fingers and hoping that a talented star who already made more money than hell ever need will suddenly realize, 'You know, Im wasting my potential, maybe I should straighten myself out?' Or do you admit he a falling stock and cash out? There no right answer."Paul Pierce turned himself around during the 2005-06 season. It is my belief that something has clicked with Stoudemire. Instead of talking about becoming a force and then deferring to Nash on the court, he is taking things over. I have to believe that he is becoming THE dominant power forward in the league.Does it coincide in timing with his contract decision? Yes.Could it be he is only playing for his next contract? It is possible.Are there still lingering questions about the future of his knee? Certainly.But I have to say that this surge feels different. It feels like something real this time.America (especially Phoenix), hold me to this. I have taken a stand. Amare is and will beTHE GUY. He is and will be the Suns Reebok Arizona Cardinals Larry Fitzgerald Realtree camo Jersey
difference maker. He is the horse we ride into battle on.If a maximum deal is what it will take to bring him back, then I feel the team must do it. If in five years he has regressed to become anenigma again, you may mock me publicly.I am done with playing around; I am all in. I am going to win big or crash and burn. Amare, Im done with being retarded confused.Lead the way.

28 Dec 10 NBA Rerun: Why Do The Top Teams Keep Losing Every Year?

Ronald Martinez/Getty ImagesI know it's only the second round and I also know only a few games have been played so far in this round, but what is going on here?? Where is Dallas? Denver? Anybody heard from Miami since they got rocked? How can the top teams in the NBA, teams that have won in recent years (Miami) or come close time and time again (Dallas), not find a way to finish the job? Some of the best players in the NBA are the forerunners for these clubs, so what's the deal?It seems a bit crazy but here's what it boils down to. Reebok Baltimore Ravens #27 Ray Rice Realtree camo Jersey
The NBA has, without a doubt, the best winner continuity of the four major sports. Over the last ten years, the LA Lakers and San Antonio Spurs have been the Western Conference team in the finals nine times. They only didn't make it ONCE in ten years. That's crazy! They've also been pretty good at winning when given the chance - the Lakers lost twice over that span and the Spurs made good on each of their chances.So the million dollar question asks, what exactly is their secret? Simple, it's their nucleus. That one guy that no matter who else comes or goes in the organization is always there to lead the team to the promised land. Combine that with the proper supporting cast and you have a recipe for success.In LA it's Kobe, obviously, and whether it was Shaq, Gasol or Artest, the top players want to play with him and in exchange he helps them win. Shaq and Kobe might not be the closest of buddies now, but they seemed like the perfect couple on the hardwood.In San Antonio it's Duncan. Back in the day, he and Robinson were unstoppable down low, and now his guards Parker and Ginobili are the ones helping him go all the way.Granted that Lebron, Nash and Dwight Howard are on anyone's top ten list of the league's elite, they just haven't had the group of Reebok Baltimore Ravens #52 Ray Lewis Realtree camo Jersey
teammates that make up a championship roster. Fine, Boston has their trio who won it all two years ago, but they're getting old. The main guys that feed Kobe and Duncan the ball are young players who are only getting better playing with each of them.Age could also be a factor in Dallas. Jason Kidd is a future hall of fame point guard and Nowitzki is lights-out from the field, but they didn't have the quickness to keep up with the Spurs in the first round.This also has some insight for the future. The young, talented Bobcats had their first playoff appearance in franchise history and although they were swept by the strong Magic, they could make themselves yearly contenders down the road.For all I know neither the Lakers nor the Spurs will make it to the finals this year, but at this point it seems very likely. There are still some solid teams hanging around and it's still very much anyone's game, especially in the East. The Magic and Cavs aren't going to go home without a fight so there's no way the championship is for sure going to the West.I Reebok Chicago Bears #54 Brian Urlacher Realtree camo Jersey
would love to see Lebron or Nash or even Josh Smith raise the Larry O'Brien Trophy this year and give them that elusive victory where they want it the most. I'm always up for breaking the continuity and moving the NBA dominance somewhere else. Or, this could be the year a new team begins its reign over the NBA like the Lakers and Spurs have recently. I guess we'll find out in a few short weeks.

27 Dec 10 You Can't Handle The Truth: Paul Pierce's Tweet Isn't The Story

Doug Benc/Getty ImagesBoston: 95Orlando: 92That is what the score read last night. The Celtics going up 2-0 in the series and perhaps effectively ending the Orlando Magic's season. It was perhaps the most entertaining game of the playoffs, but in continuing the theme of the off court action being more entertaining in the NBA, Paul Pierce's post-game presser set off a storm of tweets and speculation about what he "supposedly" said on twitter after the game."Anybody got a BROOM" said Pierce, the tweet has received almost as much San Diego Chargers jersey
ttention as the text messages Tiger Woods sent his mistresses, the consensus is that Pierce could not have sent it as it was sent while he was at the podium, but I think the real story is how ridiculous this whole story is.We just finished a game where the aging, once written off Boston Celtics took all of the home court advantage away from the team that was written as unstoppable, who were 8-0 in the first two rounds and barely broke a sweat in the process.A game where Vince Carter, the league's most notorious choker went to the line with a three point deficit and thirty seconds left, and bricked both. Shouldn't this be what we are talking about today?Or how about KG's turnaround jumper, which I think will keep him effective for a couple more seasons, or Glen Davis stepping up in the fourth quarter, stopping Howard, who was having a great game, and preserving the lead.And for all you Duke fans, how about JJ Redick having a solid performance in the fourth quarter of the Eastern Conference Finals? I know you guys gotta love that, besides for Grant Hill not a lot of your alumni are performing in any playoff game, let alone in the Conference Finals.With all of these stories I am shocked to see that the top two stories last night were how the lottery affected San Francisco 49ers jersey
where LeBron is destined to go and a tweet that was either sent or not, what are we all in high school?Basketball coverage has taken such a turn for the worse in this playoffs that it is sickening, ESPN feels the need to have a discussion about where LBJ is going to go in every quarter. Imagine how stupid this is going to look if any of these games go on ESPN Classic if LeBron decides to stay with Cleveland?I would like to see us go back to the glory days of sports announcing in the 1990s when Marv Albert and Bob Costas were covering some of the most fierce playoff battles on NBC and if you turned those games on today they would still be entertaining and seem relevant.Now you are lucky if they take more than two minutes to cover the game and stop whatever mundane discussion they are having at the moment.And while I find that somewhat entertaining, but that's what I have twitter and my friends for, to provide me with humor and joke about the game, I rely on the announcers to provide me with stats and whatever Seattle Seahawks jersey
fundamental thing I may not know.The sports scene is slowly turning into the entertainment scene, with rumors and gossip filling the airspace and the great writing being overshadowed. And it doesn't seem to be changing.But Paul Pierce's tweet is good for something, because I really do need a broom to sweep this bullshit away from my cranium.

26 Dec 10 2010 NBA Playoffs: Lakers' Artest passes another test

Christian Petersen/Getty ImagesConsider for a moment what was at stake as Ron Artest charged through the lane with less than two seconds to go, Thursday night.Here was a guy who has been much maligned throughout his career.He a head case.He got a temper.His teams don win.He beat up a fan in the stands. New Orleans Saints jersey
Then he gets reborn when the Lakers sign him to replace Trevor Ariza, who eventually signed with the Rockets (Artest team last season). Artest became the de facto stopper on the favorite to win the NBA championship, without the added pressure of having to contribute offensively.Los Angeles, a team in a must-win situation last night, was nursing a three-point lead with the shot clock running down. After a missed shot, Pau Gasol grabbed the offensive board and kicked it out to Artest with just under a minute remaining. Instead of milking the shot clock, Artest fired up an ill-advised shot that missed badly.Uh, oh.Now the spotlight was back on Artest.Phil Jackson chewed him out on the sideline. Kobe Bryant was ready to strangle him. Television screens across Los Angeles were shattered by remote controls.The Lakers could now lose this game, a game in which they held an 18-point lead at one point.Artest blew it.LA might now have to win in Phoenix in Game 6, just to get the series to a Game 7. And they have already struggled New York Giants jersey
mightily there in these Western Conference Finals.Artest, Ariza replacement on the roster in 2009-10, still had to prove he belonged on this team. Ariza had his ring with the Lakers and shown he was a viable part of that team in their championship run. You could sense that Ariza was warming up his phone, ready to fire off an I-told-you-so tweet in his Twitter war with Artest brother, Daniel.Then Kobe air-balled a shot and Artest saw his chance. Jason Richardson, who banked home a three to tie the game, went from hero to goat when he failed to box out Artest. Ron Ron grabbed the board and laid in the put back as the buzzer sounded shocking the Suns and giving himself a reprieve on criticism for another game.Artest won the game for the Lakers.Sure Bryant flirted with a triple double for the third straight game, but he air balled the potential game-winner. Artest cleaned up the mess, and it was because of him the Lakers didn have a chance to further fall apart in OT.So Artest is one game closer to proving to everyone that the New York Jets jersey
Lakers made the right choice in choosing him over Ariza to defend their title.Well have to wait and see if they can outlast the Suns now, so they can get to the Finals and finish the job with Artest, and without Ariza.This article is also featured onCraftyBalky Sports Blog | Eric Balkman Sports Blog

25 Dec 10 Amar'e Stoudemire Scores 30-Plus Again: New York Knicks on a Tear

Nick Laham/Getty ImagesFor the first 11 games of the season, it looked like another lost cause for the Knicks. They lost six straight games and were 3-8, all but dead in any playoff possibility.Then the next 11 games came around and you wouldn't believe how bad the Knicks were. Carolina Panthers jersey
With Monday night's 121-114 win over the Timberwolves, powered by Stoudemire's 34 points, the Knicks have won 10 out of 11 and are pushing the Heat for the third seed in the Eastern conference.The Heat and Hawks both won on Monday, keeping the Knicks sixth in the standings, but there isn't a whole lot of room between them and the struggling Magic as the Knicks are 2.5 games behind for the second seed.This is an unbelievable development. The Knicks weren't supposed to be this kind of team with the additions of Stoudemire and Raymond Felton. They were supposed to perhaps contend for a playoff spot.Now, they have been taking advantage of the easiest schedule of any team in the league so far, but so what? If it were so easy, why didn't the Knicks beat these teams in the last decade?The improvement is incredible and the Knicks are on another five-game winning streak after having one end to the Hawks not too long ago. The Knicks will have a chance to perhaps extend the streak to seven as they face the lowly Raptors and Wizards before the schedule gets extremely tough.How many games will the Knicks win this season?How many games will the Knicks win this season?50+16.0%45-4951.3%40-4430.4%39 or less2.3%Total votes: 306Starting Sunday Chicago Bears jersey
afternoon at the Garden, the Knicks can prove whether they're elite or just a contender. Carmelo Anthony and the Nuggets come to town in what the Knicks hope is Anthony's last time as a visitor. That's followed by two games next week against the Celtics and Heat, both on national television.It's lining up great, as the Knicks can prove to the country thatthey can beat the teams above them, plus they can gain inthe standings.What's triggered this entire hot streak is the play of Amare Stoudemire. He started out as an above-average forward but suddenly, he's unstoppable. During the current winning streak, Stoudemire has scored 30 or more points in each game.When games are close in the fourth quarter, Stoudemire takes control and dominates as he did on Monday night. He scored 12 of his 34 points in the final period and helped the Knicks fend off an impressive showing from an awful Wolves team.He came to New York to win consistently and was not happy when the team was its same old self. Now, they look like they can challenge in the East, at least until they show they can't beat those great teams.The good thing for the Knicks, though, is they're starting to win at home. After starting 2-5 at home, they've won two straight to go along with their NBA best nine road wins.They played a wacky game against Minnesota. The Wolves weren't missing any shots to start the game, putting down 14 of their first 15 attempts, but the way the Knicks score, it didn't matter. The Knicks just kept hanging in until the crazy shooting Cincinnati Bengals jersey
declined and their defense tightened in the third.Eventually, they'd go on a 12-0 run in the third, sparked by five straight steals and held the lead for good. Danilo Gallinari put up a clutch three with under 50 seconds to go in regulation and it gave the Knicks a commanding seven point lead. They'd put the game away with free throws and improved to 13-9 on the season.The Knicks now have a five-game lead over the ninth seed in the race for a playoff spot. They look like they're on their way to playing a first-round series at the Garden and if they can beat the elite such as Boston or Miami, you never know where this will end up.

24 Dec 10 Miami Heat: Are They a Major Threat To the Los Angeles Lakers?

Jeff Gross/Getty ImagesSometimes I'm scared of the Heat. As a Lakers fan, sometimes I find myself sweating profusely just thinking about the potential damage they could inflict on the rest of the league. I mean, D-Wade and LeBron are probably two of the top three players in the NBA, and Bosh is probably a top 15, maybe top ten player. When the Lakers dominated in the early part of the decade, they had the two best players in the league but nowhere even near someone like Chris Bosh's status filling the tripod. And Boston's Denver Broncos jersey
big three, well they're pretty good, but they probably don't even have one player who would crack the top eight. One of the things that gives me confidence going into the season, however, is Kobe's incredible growth as a leader and in his understanding of the game. His sheer aptitude concerning the subtleties and nuances that are often overlooked by many players, is a joy to watch. On the other side, I think Miami's stars might take a while to fine tune that aspect of their repertoire since there are so many new faces, so I believe the Lakers will have the advantage in that regard. Another thing that gives me some hope is I think the Heat will sometimes have a tough time figuring out what to do on offense. LeBron, Bosh and Wade are all used to being the best player on their respective teams. So they're going in with the mindset that they'll have to defer more often to their teammates, which is going to take time to get used to. Also, sometimes when you have a lot of talent around you, you're not always sure what to do Green Bay Packers jersey
with it. Options inflate minds, making them indecisive or tentative and inhibit their decisions. Is that highly probable? Maybe not. But it's a possibility. Lastly, Kobe's knee was really bothering him last season and for much of the Finals—better during the early part of the playoffs after he got his knee drained, and we all know how well he played after that. He wasn't able to get much leg into many of his shots, and his field goal percentage and team's efficiency were greatly reduced. I think the surgery heHouston Texans jersey
received in the offseason will help bring back the more athletic Kobe that we're used to. Maybe these aren't the most stable of foundations for me to base my hopes for a Lakers three-peat, but they're all I have for now. And I'm hanging on to them tightly. Like I said, the Heat could be scary.

23 Dec 10Paul Millsap Gets Snubbed from All-Star Game Ballot

illsap has been snubbed from the All-Star game ballot despite averaging 21.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.7 blocks on an amazing .531 shootingHarry How/Getty ImagesThis is a complete joke. Paul Millsap is having one of the best seasons in the NBA and he could not get named to Washington Redskins jersey
the All-Star ballot.Paul Millsap has set the NBA on fire this season, averaging 21.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.7 blocks, all on an amazing .531 shooting. This ballot nomination process is officially flawed and the NBA needs to do something about it.Here is a list of names NBA writers apparently thought deserved more All-Star consideration than the Utah Jazz’ Paul Millsap: Hedo Turkoglu, Lamar Odom, Jeff Green, Carl Landry, Grant Hill, Trevor Ariza and Caron Butler.A laughable list to include over Millsap, who is outplaying all of them, but it just further highlights the flaws in the current ballot nomination system.In the end, Paul Millsap will make the All-Star team if he continues to play at this high of a level, and he obviously cares more about winning than personal recognition, but one can be sure that the NBA will be reviewing the All-Star ballot nomination process after this massive snub. Here is what ballot nomination voting panelist NBA.com’s Art Garcia had to say about the Paul Millsap snub:"Millsap, buddy, I hope you make it," Garcia wrote. "For the last 32 days, I've regretted my decision not to be more firm, more passionate, more argumentative about getting you on the ballot. I toed the company line, even though I knew I was wrong. I Reebok Arizona Cardinals Larry Fitzgerald Realtree camo Jersey
sat in on a conference call back on Oct. 19 and tried to state my case that you should be on the ballot."This just goes to show, once again that the process is flawed, obviously someone knew what they were doing but the other five apparently did not and Millsap got left off the ballot despite a truly impressive season.I would start a campaign to write-in votes for Paul Millsap, but I am confident that the Western Conference team's head coach will undoubtedly be more familiar with, and thus name Paul Millsap as an All-Star reserve.

Portland Trailblazer Patrick Mills Dominates Argentina as Summer League Looms

From the opening minute, there was no doubt it was going to be a good night for Patrick Mills. For the Argentineans, it looked like it was going to be a long one.Second-year Portland Trailblazer Patrick Mills dominated while leading his native Australia to a 90-72 victory over the world’s No. 1 Reebok Green Bay Packers #12 Aaron Rodgers Realtree camo Jersey
ranked team, Argentina, in the final game of their three-match series.Mills was dominant from the outset, setting up teammate Luke Neville for a dunk with a no-look pass for the opening score of the game. On the next possession, the lightning-quick Aussie applied strangling defensive pressure and forced an Argentinean miss. Following a scrappy sequence, Mills calmly hit his first shot of the game, a three-pointer in transition, to give Australia an 8-3 lead. It was an ominous start, as Mills stayed hot throughout the first quarter, finishing the period with eight points and without missing a shot.In the second quarter, the 6’0” Indigenous point guard took over. He found seams in the Argentinean defense effortlessly, using his quickness to blow past defenders and finish at the rim. Mills aggressively attacked the basket and drew fouls at will, while keeping the Argentinean defense guessing by nailing an array of jump shots from mid-range, the perimeter, and behind the arc. His dominant second quarter gave Australia a 48-40 lead as he finished the half with a blistering 21 points in 16 minutes.In the second half, Mills carved up the hapless Argentinean defense, breaking down his assigned defender off the dribble and driving purposefully to the basket. Reebok Green Bay Packers #52 Clay Matthews Realtree camo Jersey
When Mills wasn’t dishing no-look, drop off assists and alley-oops to fellow NBA player Nathan Jawai, he made crafty layups and dropped in a pretty teardrop floater as the shot-clock buzzer sounded. He made intelligent decisions in transition and used his open-court speed to create space and set up wing players with pinpoint passes. The speedy point guard's full-court defensive pressure completely stifled his opponents throughout the game, drawing several offensive fouls and forcing numerous turnovers. Tempers flared as Mills’ speed got under the skin of an irritated Nicolas De Los Santos. De Los Santos repeatedly struggled to stay in front of the 21-year-old Australian and was frustrated into committing a wild foul that resulted in a near scuffle between the teams.Mills remained calm and continued his steady play to score efficiently the whole game, hitting 9-of-15 field goals, 9-of-10 free throws, and 5-of-9 three-pointers. He also collected five rebounds to go with four assists and was fouled nine times.Mills fittingly capped the scoring with a three-pointer and finished the game with a sizzling 32 points in just 29 minutes.The dominant display should give the second-year Trailblazer confidence ahead of his first NBA Summer League, where Reebok Indianapolis Colts 18 Peyton Manning Realtree camo Jersey
Portland plays five games from July 11-18. Mills will likely play a major role in the Blazers’ team, sharing the backcourt with Portland's 2010 draft pick, Armon Johnson.After breaking a bone in his foot on the first day of Summer League practice last year, Mills played sparingly in his rookie season with the Blazers but was dominant during his stint in the NBA D-League.

MLB Trade Rumors: Dodgers Close to Acquiring Prince Fielder from Brewers?

Bob Levey/Getty ImagesOn the first day of the Winter Meetings, a very interesting rumor is being reported by multiple sources—the Los Angeles Dodgers are discussing a possible trade which would send first baseman James Loney and closer Jonathan Broxton to Milwaukee for first baseman Prince Fielder.This would be yet another Reebok Pittsburgh Steelers #86 Hines Ward Realtree camo Jersey
move by a Dodger team that is quickly establishing themselves as a favorite in the NL West.Last season, Fielder hit .261 with 32 home runs and 83 RBIs. He also posted an OBP of .401, leading the NL in walks with 114 in 2010.In previous seasons, the Dodgers have been hesitant to move Loney because they don't have another first baseman within the organization to replace him, but that would all change with the addition of Prince Fielder.Fielder is a free agent at the end of the 2011 season and is in his last year of arbitration eligibility. Feeling they will be unable to sign Fielder to a long-term contract, the Brewers are looking to move him.The Dodgers are a perfect fit for the big lefty slugger, but a trade does open up some issues for the Dodgers, mainly at the closer's position.Broxton began the season as the team's closer but was wildly inconsistent and eventually lost the closer's job in August. Despite his struggles, the Dodgers don't have a lot of other options to close out games. Hong-Chih Kuo is a possibility, perhaps the only one, but he has had injury problems in Reebok Pittsburgh Steelers James Harrison Realtree camo Jersey
the past and can't be counted on for a full season.If the Dodgers are able to trade for Fielder, it would be a huge pickup for a team which seriously lacked power last season. Fielder averages 40 homers per season, nearly a dozen more than any other player in the Dodger lineup.

20 Dec 10 College Football Spreads: SMU Getting 9 Points Against Central Florida

Ronald Martinez/Getty ImagesGeorge O’Leary and June Jones are two college coaches that understand the value of reclamation projects.On Saturday, O’Leary’s Central Florida Golden Knights will face Jones’s Southern Methodist Mustangs for the 2010 Conference-USA Championship in Orlando. For UCF, it is their third trip to the title game in the last six years, having it won it previously in 2007 against Tulsa.For the Mustangs, not only is this their first ever trip to the conference championship since joining the league in 2005, but it also officially ends the recovery period from the school being the only one at the FBS level to ever receive the death penalty in 1987. Looking at the college football mlb jerseyspreads for this game, UCF is favored by nine points and the over/under is set at 54. The Mustangs have taken to the fast-paced, run-and-gun offensive style of football Jones had success with previously at Hawaii to become bowl eligible for a second straight season.Kyle Padron has grown quickly into the role of triggerman for the offense under center. He has thrown for a whopping 3,306 yards and 28 touchdowns against just 10 interceptions in 440 pass attempts. The sophomore quarterback was named Conference Player of the Week last week after throwing for 331 yards and three touchdowns in the West Division-clinching triumph over East Carolina. Padron has three primary passing targets that the UCF defense needs to be aware of: Cole Bears jersey Beasley has registered a team-best 79 receptions for 976 yards, Darius Johnson is second in receptions with 60 and senior wideout Aldrick Robinson has caught 57 receptions for a team-high 1,182 yards and 12 touchdowns.In fact, Robinson ranks in the top eight nationally in yards, touchdowns and yards per catch average. There is also a sense of balance in the running game, as Zach Line has rushed for 1,297 yards and 10 touchdowns. On defense, the Mustangs rely on the skills of two talented linebackers. Taylor Reed has recorded a team best 122 tackles, while senior linebacker Pete Fleps has chimed in with 111, including 6.5 for loss. For the Golden Knights, O’Leary has a sure and steady hand at quarterback himself in Jeff Godfrey. Although he doesn’t possess the staggering stats that his counterpart in this game does, Godfrey has been efficient in completing 67.4 percent of his passes and has thrown for 12 touchdowns. He has Chargers jersey
rushed for 529 yards from the quarterback position, second most on the team. The leading rusher for Central Florida is Ronnie Weaver, who has gained 855 yards while averaging 4.8 yards per attempt. Weaver and Godfrey have combined to score 21 rushing touchdowns for the Golden Knights.Another running back who has added to the offense of late is Latavius Murray. In the last two games, in which UCF has scored a combined 98 points against Tulane and Memphis to secure the East Division title, Murray has rushed for 221 yards and scored three touchdowns. Defensively, UCF is led by the play of linebacker Derrick Hallman with 75 tackles, including 7.5 for loss. Darius Nall leads the team with 7.5 quarterback sacks on the season. Matt’s Free Prediction: UCF 43, SMU 34. Interested in making some money this college football season? Check out what our expert college football handicappers have to offer in their weekly college football picks.

19 Dec 10 Donovan McNabb Extension: What Does It Mean For Mike Shanahan?mlb jersey, nba jersey, nfl jersey, nhl jersey, soccer jersey

Donovan McNabb will be a Redskin past 2010.Leon Halip/Getty ImagesDonovan McNabb and the Washington Redskins shocked the NFL world today by agreeing to a contract extension of five years worth $78 million. This decision comes two weeks after the two-minute debacle involving McNabb and Reebok Pittsburgh Steelers #86 Hines Ward Realtree camo Jersey
Mike Shanahan in a loss to the Detroit Lions. In case you forgot the situation, McNabb was pulled out of the game by Shanahan at the two-minute warning. In the two days following the media was told McNabb was unable to play effectively and was unable to have enough cardiovascular endurance. The next week was turmoil in Redskin country. The future of Donovan McNabb as a Redskin seemed uncertain, especially with a few teams in need of a quarterback come this offseason. However, apparently the Redskins found it right to squash any of the rumors involving Donovan by giving him an extension today. The question that now remains is the future of Mike Shanahan as the coach of the Redskins. It was clear that owner Dan Snyder pushed for the extension of McNabb, wanting to lock up his quarterback for a period of time. But are we so sure that Shanahan wanted to make this extension right now? After all, if he is already having issues with McNabb midway through his first season as coach, maybe hisReebok Pittsburgh Steelers James Harrison Realtree camo Jersey
plan was to bring in a quarterback of his own that he can develop. The Washington Redskins organization is known for wanting results right away, and rightfully so. I don't disagree with not extending McNabb. In order for him to be the most effective, other weapons need to be around him. However, McNabb isn't the problem. Instead, a few weeks ago Shanahan attempted to put the blame on McNabb, instead of himself. In recent years we have come to know Shanahan as one who wants to have power within the organization. My gut feeling is the head coach wasn't fully on board with this decision. If the Redskins finish within the middle of the pack of the NFC, could he be a one-and-done in Washington? It may be unlikely, but with plenty of teams expecting to search for head Reebok San Francisco 49ers #21 Frank GORE Realtree camo Jersey
coaches next season, Shanahan may be able to gain more control with another organization. Time will tell how the McNabb-Shanahan relationship works out in Washington. We know for sure that the quarterback will be here for the next few years, something we can't say for certain about the head coach.

18 Dec 10 New England Patriots Embarrass Pittsburgh Steelers at Home Again

Gronkowsi celebrates making a fool of William GayJared Wickerham/Getty ImagesOn a cold Sunday night on prime-time television, the Steelers came out looking to wow the home crowd as they prepared to take on the New England Patriots, the only team with a better winning percentage at Heinz Field than themselves. But, just as in the past, they fell short. Way short.From the start of the game, it was evident of how it was going to play out. Tom Brady maneuvered through the Steelers defense like it was the 2004 AFC Championship Game all Reebok Baltimore Ravens #52 Ray Lewis Realtree camo Jersey
over again. Or at least that's what it appeared to look like.The Patriots did play a good game, but what seemed to be more of the story was the poor, lackadaisical play of the Steelers. Brady chalked up another record as only the second quarterback to throw for 300-plus yards in three consecutive games against Pittsburgh.I was simply appalled at not only the play of the Pittsburgh defense, but the play-calling. One can simply look at last week's game between the Patriots and Cleveland Browns and understand the key to keeping Brady from scoring.Blitz.It's something the Steelers did not effectively do tonight. Often the premier rushing linebackers dropping into coverage rather than rushing the quarterback. Too many times was the defense rushing only three down linemen.What was the biggest fault of the game?What was the biggest fault of the game?Defense43.1%Offense13.2%Bruce Arians17.4%William Gay26.3%Total votes: 167The key to containing Brady's explosiveness is to keep him constantly flustered. Yes, Dick LeBeau ran blitz packages, but not effectively enough. And when he did, Brady was held useless. However, they were toosporadic and not at essential times. Tom Brady had too much time to use his more-than-qualified personnel to freely move the ball down the field.What I liked best about Brady's performance is his attitude when he gets flustered. Every Steelers fan had to like the lasting image of Brady spiking the ball in front of the Pittsburgh crowd in a taunting way. What they had to like more was seeing Brady pull on his skirt every time a defender was in the backfield. After every "close call" Brady would run over to the referee and plead his case that the big bad men were trying to hurt him. I guess he can dish it out but can't take it.However, what seemed to be most disgusting of the defensive play was yet again William Gay. He blew numerous coverage assignments last season to cost the Steelers several victories, and that returned in dramatic fashion tonight by blowing coverage on a rookie tight end, Rob Gronkowski, for three touchdowns.Three times was William Gay burnedby a tight end for three scores that cost the Steelers the game: once on the opening drive and twice when the Steelers were in a situation to make a comeback.Troy Polamalu's absence as a "freelance" player has definitely shown its downside. LeBeau had switched assignments to where Lawrence Timmons would now be the defensive prowler, but that has not shown to be effective. Polamalu is an athlete and a playmaker; restricting him to solely a safety spot greatly cripples the Steelers defense.Incomplete passes were the usual result of the play calling tonight.Chris McGrath/Getty ImagesOn the Reebok Chicago Bears #54 Brian Urlacher Realtree camo Jersey
offensive side of things, I was in utter disgust. The Patriots just came off a week of surrendering a total of four rushing touchdowns and over 200 rushing yards. So one must think that offensive coordinator Bruce Arians's promise to run the ball more effectively, the offensive scheme seemed almost 100 percentobvious. Well, apparently not the case for Arians.Instead of doing what seemed to be the answer, the Steelers came out throwing on first possession, resulting in a very quick three-and-out. One must ask themselves: surely Arians will start to run the ball, right?Wrong.Arians continued to throw the ball. In fact Rashard Mendenhall was held to only 11 carries, but was averaging slightly over five yards. Yes, that was because of his 34-yard scamper to set up a field goal. Surely if Mendenhall had received more carries, he would have made more big plays.The Patriots still showed tonight that they cannot consistently contain the run game. But at this point in the game, William Gay had already blown coverage so much that the Steelers had to pass so often just stay within two scores.The only person who performed worse than Gay was place kicker Jeff Reed. He used to be Mr. Clutch, but after several drunken fights with several inanimate objects, Reed has been about as reliable as Jerry Jones not micromanaging. With a chance to make it a one possession game, Reed missed a 26-yard field goal.Yes, 26.And what's more astounding is that it wasn't wide where he missed it. That's right: he Reebok Chicago Bears #6 Jay Cutler Realtree camo Jersey
kicked it under the goal post. Under.Of course, had the Steelers receivers been able to catch in traffic, the team wouldn't have to rely on Reed or the terrible touchdown percentage in the red zone that now ranks them nearly worst in the league.Ben did throw for over 300 yards and three touchdowns, but it was to a Patriots defense that simply didn't care in the fourth quarter.If I'm a part of the Steelers team, I'm hoping to see the Patriots again in the playoffs because this was simply a horrendous game and a mockery of what is an NFL franchise. There is no way that I would let them get away without receiving a Steelers team playing at its full potential.

17 Dec 10 Oakland Raiders Lose Miserably To Pittsburgh Steelers: Will They Begin To Fade?

Jared Wickerham/Getty ImagesThe Oakland Raiders put up the first points of the game off of a field goal, failing to score for the rest of the contest. Ben Roethlisberger was too much for the Raiders defense to handle, and Oakland's offense could not seem to get anything going. The Steelers went scoreless in the first quarter, but once they found the endzone Big Ben and company had complete control of the game. Roethlisberger threw no interceptions for the second time this season which was the key to the Steelers offense being so effective throughout the game. Besides the one fumble by Rashard Mendenhall the Steelers offense was pretty much flawless. Although you never want to lose a football game the Raiders can certainly learn a lot from this Reebok Minnesota Vikings #69 Jared Allen Realtree camo Jersey
loss. Oakland was expecting their winning momentum to carry them throughout this football game but the truth is the Pittsburgh Steelers are too good of a football team. Jason Campbell was benched in the third quarter because off poor performance. Bruce Gradkowski than came into the game and things didn't turn much better, completing 13 out-of 24 passes for 98 yards, zero touchdowns, one interception and a 46.9 QB rating. Prior to this upsetting outing Campbell was performing pretty effectively, leading the Raiders to three straight wins. In each of those three games Campbell completed over 55% of his passes and scored a total of 5 touchdowns while only throwing one pick. This benching was most likely just to send a message, since the game was pretty much out of Reebok New England Patriots #12 Tom Brady Realtree camo Jersey
reach trailing 21-3 at the half. Looking ahead, the Oakland Raiders have six games remaining on their schedule with three being against divisional rivals. This game will prove to be lesson learnt down the road when they face a similar team in the Indianapolis Colts. In Week 16 expect the Raiders to give Indianapolis a run for their money. Oakland's last game of the season is against the Kansas City Chiefs, which could have playoff implications with both teams currently being atop of the AFC West division. It will be an extremely tough game since there Reebok New Orleans Saints #9 Drew Brees Realtree camo Jersey
playing on the road, where they are 1-4 so far this season, but the Raiders will prevail victorious clinching the playoffs for the first time in seven years.

16 Dec 10 NFL Power Rankings Week 12: Michael Vick and Eagles Fly High

Nick Laham/Getty ImagesThe NFL has provided so much parity over the years, but 2010 could be the best example of that. With no truly elite team, the playoffs could be as exciting as any in recent memory.1. Philadelphia Eagles (7-3)—The Eagles cannot be stopped right now. Reebok Minnesota Vikings 28 Adrian Peterson Realtree camo Jersey
Michael Vick is playing better than he ever has and with the weapons surrounding him, it is hard to imagine a team stopping that offense.2. New York Jets (8-2)—The Jets keep getting it done at crunch time. Mark Sanchez is emerging as a big-time quarterback, and this team will be battle-tested come January.3. New England Patriots (8-2)—Tom Brady is sporting some of the greatest flow in NFL history, and he and the Patriots are clearly pissed off about something. In any event, the Monday Night game against the Jets in a few weeks should be a dandy.4. Atlanta Falcons (8-2)—The Falcons have been unstoppable at home, but less than stellar on the road. They better hope they can get a few home playoff games. Atlanta vs. Philly would make for an interesting story come playoff time, would it not?5. Green Bay Packers (7-3)—With the amount of adversity this team has faced, it is amazing that they are still sitting at 7-3. In the old NFL, their lack of a running game would hurt them. But in this new age of football, Aaron Rodgers could take this team to the top.6. Baltimore Ravens (7-3)—The Ravens defense is really starting to concern me. They let Mike Goodson rush for 120 yards on them, and allowed the girly-armed Brian St. Pierre to throw an 88-yard touchdown. Hopefully they can ratchet it down in the final weeks of the season because the offense looks elite.7. New Orleans Saints (7-3)—The Saints are finally working their way back into a groove. Drew Brees and company looked very impressive on Sunday. Granted, it was against the Seahawks, but it was still encouraging to see them move the ball like that.8. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-3)—The Steelers dominated a lesser opponent on Sunday, but I still wonder if they have what it takes to win the battles in the trenches.9. San Diego Chargers (5-5)—The Chargers are on fire. Phillip Rivers deserves serious consideration for MVP.10. Indianapolis Colts (6-4)—The Colts stay in the top 10, but Peyton Manning’s underwhelming performance late in games has got to stop.11. New York Giants (6-4)—Eli Manning has to start taking care of the football.12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-3)—Josh Freeman’s rapid development has turned this team into playoff contenders. They have young, exciting stars all over the field.13. Kansas City Chiefs (6-4)—The Chiefs had a nice bounce-back win at Arrowhead on Reebok Minnesota Vikings #4 Brett Favre Realtree camo Jersey
Sunday. Todd Haley needs to find a way to get Jamal Charles more involved in the offense.14. Jacksonville Jaguars (6-4)—The Jaguars have been pulling out wins at crunch time all season long and find themselves in first place in the AFC South. The Jags are relying on the strength of the defensive line and the offense.15. Chicago Bears (7-3)—The Bears find themselves in playoff contention at Thanksgiving, but they still cannot protect the quarterback.16. Oakland Raiders (5-5)—Now we get to see how the Raiders deal with adversity.17. Tennessee Titans (5-5)—With Vince Young out, the Titans will have to rely on what they do best: run the football.18. Washington Redskins (5-5)—Kept their season alive by beating the Titans.19. Cleveland Browns (3-7)—Colt McCoy is limiting this offense.20. Miami Dolphins (5-5)—The Dolphins have major quarterback issues.21. Houston Texans (4-6)—The Texans keep finding ways to lose.22. Seattle Seahawks (5-5)—The fact that the Seahawks are leading the NFC West should tell you something about that division.23. St. Louis Rams (4-6)—The Seahawks and the Rams, a division race for the ages.24. Dallas Cowboys (3-7)—Maybe Jerry Jones should have pulled the trigger earlier. America’s Team is finally showing how talented they really are.25. Minnesota Vikings (3-7)—Firing Brad Childress was the first step toward moving forward. Saying goodbye to a certain quarterback is the next step.26. Buffalo Bills (2-8)—The Bills are still fighting.27. Arizona Cardinals (3-7)—The Cardinals need a quarterback.28. Detroit Lions (2-8)—The Lions are such an Reebok Minnesota Vikings #69 Jared Allen Realtree camo Jersey
unfortunate franchise, but I believe the arrow is pointing up.29. San Francisco 49ers (3-7)—So much for this being their year.30. Denver Broncos (3-7)—McDaniels really messed this team up.31. Cincinnati Bengals (2-8)—What a bunch of lethargic bums.32. Carolina Panthers (1-9)—Things I can count on when I turn on the TV on Sundays: Tom Brady’s flow will be majestic and the Carolina Panthers will be epically bad. ;This article is also featured on2 Guys 1 Football

Cody Grimm's Loss Just Part of theTampa Bay Buccaneers' Bad News

The loss of Cody Grimm Sunday is Steelers 43 Polamalu jersey
really bad news for the BucsJamie Sabau/Getty ImagesSo what would you like first: the bad news, the really bad news or the really, really bad news?Okay, first things first.The Baltimore Ravens defense was a little too much for the Buccaneers on Sunday. That's just the, well, bad news; thatwasn't all that unexpected.The Buccaneer coaching staff waited a little too long to get into the hurry-up, no-huddle offense that produced Tampa Bay's only touchdown of the day in a 17-10 loss. And that's really bad.Now for the really, really bad news.With a little less than nine minutes left in the first half, in the midst of the chaos during Aqib Talib's interception return, the fireplug and the heart-and-soul of the defense, rookie Cody Grimm, found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time.The strong safety got himself rolled in a pile and the result was a broken ankle. The defense will now be without its tackling machine for the remainder of the season.And that is really, really bad—a crying shame.Grimm will Steelers 43 Polamalu jersey
be missed...really missed. He was missed immediately.With the game tied at 3-3 and Grimm on his way to the locker room for X-rays, Joe Flacco found Todd Heap as open as a tight end can ever get and the big guy rumbled his way for a 65-yard touchdown with about three minutes left in the half.The Ravens struck again just before halftime on a pass-interference call on Myron Lewis that put Flacco and his boys at the Bucs' nine-yard line. On first-and-goal, he fired a bullet to Derrick Mason.It was 17-3 at halftime. It stayed that way through the third and it looked like the Bucs would never score until the brain trust finally went to the hurry-up with a little less than seven minutes left in the game.Josh Freeman responded in the spread offense, and 77 yards later the Bucs finally scored with about three minutes left.Too little, too late.There was no onside kick, and Ray Rice did his darndest to show the Bucs that was a mistake as he helped close out the game.The Bucs are now 7-4 and two games behind 2010 pro bowl Vikings 4 Brett Favre jersey
Atlanta in the ultra-competitive NFC South.The good news is that this loss does not cripple their hopes. They can redeem themselves with a win over the Falcons at home next Sunday.What really hurts is that Cody Grimm is gone.And that's pretty darn grim.

Randy Moss Has Cost Himself Millions Of Dollars This Year

Randy MossGrant Halverson/Getty ImagesRandy Moss once bragged about paying his fines with "straight cash homey."Well, hopefully he saved up the rest of his money well, because he's not going to be making the big bucks any more.Thanks to the events that have taken place this Dallas Cowboys jersey
season, Moss has done considerable damage to his own value. He has always been difficult to deal with, but people were able to tolerate his attitude because of what he brought to the field.Now that he's not producing on the field, all that's left is the bad attitude.Moss grew disenchanted in New England. He complained about his pay and became a cancer, so the Patriots made the wise decision to trade him away for a draft pick.A change of scenery did nothing to change Moss.He became such a cancer to the team in Minnesota that Brad Childress opted to waive him without even notifying the owner of his decision.For those of you that are keeping count, that's twice this season that Moss has found a way to get himself kicked off a team.With every other team in the league not willing to football jersey
take a chance on him, Moss managed to find a new home with the Tennessee Titans. There was high hope in the franchise that Moss could form a dynamic duo with running back Chris Johnson.However, the results simply have not been there. Moss has four catches in three games and the Titans have lost three straight.Rather than being one of the biggest free-agent prizes next summer, Moss will have to worry about being able to find a team.Vincent Jackson (and quite possibly Chad Ochocinco) is expected to be the best available wide receiver. Moss'Indianapolis Colts jersey
only other competition for free-agency money would have been Terrell Owens, who himself is another head case.Rather than being paid big bucks, Moss now has to worry about just being employed.

NFL Playoff Picture: 20 Key Questions For the Playoff Push

Dilip Vishwanat/Getty ImagesThe NFL playoff picture is blurry, but it's becoming more clear as each Sunday passes.Still, we've got a long way before the postseason is set with numerous teams fighting for their playoff lives.With thisunpredictability comes an abundance of questions—ones that ultimately will decide which teams make the playoffs, and when answered, will tell us how deep certain squads will travel in the 2010 NFL postseason.Let's get started...1. Can Phillip Rivers and the San Diego Chargers catch the Kansas 6 Sanchez Green Jersey
City Chiefs?After falling at home to the Oakland Raiders on Sunday, the Chargers are now two games back of Kansas City. But they get the Chiefs at home this upcoming week, and have easy road tests against the Bengals and the Broncos to finish off the season. It could happen, but it won't be effortless.2. When Giants WR's Hakeem Nix and Steve Smith return, will they pick up where they left off?No receiving contingent has been hurt more by injuries this year than the New York Giants' group. Nix and Smith could return as early as this weekend's matchup against the Vikings in Minnesota. Before they were sidelined, these two led one of the most dynamic receiving units in the NFL. How they return will be crucial in the Giants' playoff push.Andy Lyons/Getty Images3. Will Peyton Manning rebound from his stretch of terrible play?I still can't believe Manning has thrown 11 interceptions in his last three games. Just seems like a misprint. His Colts aren't very balanced, have a ton of injuries, and aren't exactly playing stout defense. I still think Manning has the ability to win games on his own, but he'll need to get on the same page as wide receivers not named Reggie Wayne.4. How will the Buccaneers replace C Jeff Faine and CB Aqib Talib?Faine has been very consistent for the Bucs during their return to respectability and Talib leads the team with six interceptions. Tampa's secondary is one of its strengths, but they could be exposed with Talib out.5. Can the Saints catch the Atlanta Falcons to win the NFC South?They haven't been nearly as dominant as they were last year, but the Saints are on a five game winning streak and are just a game behind the Falcons. They go to Baltimore in two weeks and play the Falcons in the Georgia Dome in Week 16 on Monday Night Football. They'll at least have a good shot.Christian Petersen/Getty Images6. Will the Rams' rather unknown defense play well enough to lead the team to an NFC West crown?By now we know that Sam Bradford and Steven Jackson will make plays for the Rams offensively. What we don't know is how the defense will play. Chris Long and James Hall are dangerous ends who can get to the quarterback, but the rest of the defensive unit must make plays against the Saints and Chiefs if the Rams make a run at the division crown. It'll be tough.7. Will the Dallas Cowboys spoil the Philadelphia Eagles playoff push?The Cowboys look completely different under Jason Garrett than they did with Wade 2010 pro bowl Vikings 4 Brett Favre jersey
Phillips at the helm. Jon Kitna is playing out of his mind, and the defense is creating turnovers and getting off the field in crunch time. Dez Bryant is out, but with two games left with Mike Vick, they'll have a chance to shake things up in the NFC East.8. Will the Oakland Raiders catch the Kansas City Chiefs and run their way into the playoffs?Oakland is two games back with four to go, but they've taken a page out of the Chiefs' book and become dedicated to the running game—a gameplan that works wonders in December. They play in Arrowhead Stadium to end the year, and I don't want to make any bold predictions, but there's a good chance that game decides the division.Larry French/Getty Images9. How much will Heath Miller's concussion hinder the Steelers offense?Big Ben is always looking Hines Ward's way, but his next favorite target is probably Heath Miller. We aren't sure how long Miller is out, but without another big and reliable possession target, the Steelers instantly become easier to defend.10. Can the Jaguars hold on and win the AFC South?God answered their prayers with a game-winning Hail Mary two weeks ago and quietly the Jags have won four of their last five. They're second in the NFL in rushing yards, and already own the tiebreaker over the Colts. They play Indianapolis in Week 15, and Jones-Drew could have a huge day against abeleagueredColts defense. Jacksonville Jaguars: AFC South Champs? It's a possibility.11. Can Mark Sanchez repeat his play from last December and January?I'm sold on Sanchez being a quality starter in the NFL, but I need to see more from him in these cold, critical games. We'll get a good idea of where he's at after the New England game this evening, but if the Jets want to clinch home field, it will come down to the play of this second-year pro.Larry French/Getty Images12. Will the Patriots' inexperienced secondary lead to their demise down the stretch?The Patriots are going to make the postseason. The question is, will they enter as the AFC East champion or one of the Wild Cards? We know Tom Bradycan light up a scoreboard with any mixture of talent around him, but the Patriots secondary is still giving up the most yards in the NFL. I think it could hurt them in the worst way in these final weeks.13. Can the Steelers continue to win hard-nose, low-scoring games and take the AFC North?After escaping Buffalo with an unimaginable victory, the Steelers snuckout of Baltimore with a dramatic win. Big Ben wasn't bad, but was hardly impressive and Pittsburgh relied on their defense once again, specifically Troy Polamalu, to win the game. I need to see more out of the Steelers offense before I can give them the division crown.14. Are the Atlanta Falcons for real?They're the first team to 10 wins, and have won the close games against top teams. (Baltimore, Green Bay, New Orleans and Tampa Bay) Matt Ryan is poised in the pocket even when his team is down in the fourth quarter and the defense plays well as a cohesive unit. They host the Saints in the Georgia Dome in Week 16 in what could be a rowdy contest, but yes, the Atlanta Falcons are a legitimate Super Bowl contender.Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images15. Are the Chicago Bears for real?I'll apologize in advance, Bears fans. Your team has nine wins, which is all that matters at this point, but their final four games are brutal (New England, @Minnesota, New York Jets, @Green Bay). I wouldn't be surprised if Jay Cutler returns to his turnover-happy ways in those contests. The defense is for real, but Cutler scares me.16. Will James Starks emerge as the go-to running back the Packers have been looking for?All year the Packers faithful has worried about its team's lack of a running game. They can throw it with anyone and play solid defense, but the Packers know that you can't do damage in December in Green Bay without tailback production. Starks had 73 yards on 18 carries this past week and if he's the guy for Mike McCarthy's bunch, they're offensive attack is as frighteningas they come.17. Can Seattle beat out the St. Louis Rams for the NFC South title and a berth in the playoffs?The Seahawks are tied with Rams at 6-6, but the Rams own the tiebreaker at this point. They've been far from consistent this year, but host two of their last three games, and we all know how they play at Qwest Field. I still like the Rams' chances.Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images18. Can Joe Flacco make the timely plays for the Ravens?In his rookie season, Joe Flacco made the AFC Championship game, only to look out of sorts against an ultra-aggressive Pittsburgh Steelers defense. On Sunday night, he had his moments, but couldn't deliver when it mattered most. The defense is there, but can Flacco make the big play when the Ravens need it most? I think he can, but I still need to see it.19. Are the Kansas City Chiefs more dangerous than we think because of their high-powered running game?We all know that an effective running game is vital in December and January football. There's not a team in the NFL that does it better than the Chiefs. Thomas Dallas Cowboys jersey
Jones is still a mean between-the-tackles guy and Jamal Charles has emerged as a dynamic outside-the-numbers runner who is equally as dangerous in the passing game. Don't get in Chiefs' way, they'll run you over.20. How important will home-field advantage be?Everyone wants home-field advantage in the playoffs, and teams obviously love getting that bye. But there's a ton of pressure placed on the home-team in that divisional round and we've seen what Wild Card teams have done in recent years. Watch out for teams like the Patriots, Giants, Packers, and the Ravens. They'll have a longer road to the Super Bowl but are teams that could win it all.

Pittsburgh Steelers "Short week demands a short memory"

A must-win game in Week 16 of the NFL season probably isn't the best time to cross off a "Cities to Visit" list, but the Steelers have never played the Rams in St. Louis. They also can't deny the fact they were steamrolled by visiting Jacksonville 29-22 last Sunday - just four days from kickoff against the 4 Brett Favre White jersey
3-11 Rams. Can Pittsburgh respond? The team has played the Thursday Night game late in the season before, destroying the Browns 27-7 in Week 14 of 2006. The Steelers' very playoff lives might depend on it. The hard-charging Browns pulled even with the Steelers (Pittsburgh holds the tie-breaker) on top of the AFC North at 9-5, and their remaining schedule (at Cincinnati, vs. San Francisco) seems, on paper, a little easier of a task than Pittsburgh's remaining foes - at St. Louis, at Baltimore. The Steelers have lost four of six on the road this year. If anything, their recent two-game slide to New England and Jacksonville has varied not only in location but in keys to the opposition's victory. Patriots QB Tom Brady shredded the Steelers' secondary for 399 passing yards and four touchdowns two weeks ago. Sunday, Jacksonville manhandled the Steelers' depleted front seven for a Heinz Field-record 221 rushing yards. St. Louis may not possess the same kind of offensive firepower as the Pats and Jags, but the down-and-out Rams will try to play spoiler nonetheless. The Rams have been decimated by injuries all season, losing QB Marc Bulger, LT Orlando Pace, RB Steven Jackson and a slew of others for significant time. They've started three different quarterbacks this season (Bulger, Gus Frerotte and Brock Berlin), and they haven't beaten a team with a record over .500 going into Week 16. Still, short weeks test a team's resolve. Tuesday, for example, is usually a day off for the players. However, yesterday was technically Friday for the Steelers in terms of game preparation, and with the playoffs on the line, they don't have time to recover physically from the beating Jacksonville put on them.All Pittsburgh needs to clinch a playoff spot is one victory. A win and a Browns loss gives them their first AFC North title since 2004. A Titans loss sends both Cleveland and Pittsburgh to the postseason. Beating St. Louis is crucial for Pittsburgh, because arch-rival Baltimore is licking its chops at the thought of ending the Steelers' season at M&T Bank Stadium in Week 17. It's a position the Steelers can relate to -- they ended Cincinnati's playoff aspirations in Week 17 last year with a 23-17 overtime thriller at Paul Brown Dallas Cowboys jersey
Stadium. Either way, they'll have 10 days to prepare for the Ravens. How the Steelers use the four days between Jacksonville and St. Louis to forget about the Jags and Patriots will be paramount in their once-strong AFC North championship hopes. Neal Coolong is the author of Die Hard Steel for the Sports Cartel Network, and is a contributor to Steel City Insider.

San Francisco 49ers Tim Rattay Jeff Ulbrich

Following the San Francisco 49ers bye week, the team was presented with two predicaments that will most certainly change the course of the season. The first, was Jeff Ulbrich opting to have surgery on a torn bicep muscle. The starting linebacker was considering playing through the 43 Polamalu black jersey
pain but could not receive any support from doctors or other players for doing so. Eventually he decided his future career was more important than this one season. He was right in doing so, but given San Francisco's pre-existing linebacking predicament things have really gotten complicated in 49ers land.The San Francisco 49ers linebacking corps has been battling injuries all season. Besides Ulbrich, linebacker Julian Peterson has also been playing injured. When you consider those two injuries along with the trading of Jamie Winborn just a few weeks ago, it was easy to see that the 49ers were becoming quite thin at linebacker. With Ulbrich out, Saleem Rasheed was supposed to enter the starting line-up, but he went down with an injury in practice this week. Suddenly the 49ers are far thinner at linebacker than they would have ever imagined at the start of the season, but enough about predicament #1.Most recently, the San Francisco 49ers traded former starting quarterback Tim Rattay to the Buccaneers for a conditional draft pick. This move should have come in the off-season when the team could have fetched a veteran QB who could have mentored first round pick Alex Smith – or at the very least, a better deal for Rattay. Nevertheless, the move is a good one, and a step in the direction for rookie head coach Mike Nolan.Trading Rattay solidifies Alex Smith as the starting QB for this team for the rest of the season. It will give Smith confidence in knowing Nolan does not have him on 4 Brett Favre White jersey
a short leash. Of course it will also allow Smith to grow from being on the field and learning the game. Meanwhile the team still has quarterback Ken Dorsey and Cody Pickett to fill out the roster. Dorsey has been working at helping Smith adjust to the offense, whereas Pickett has been used in different capacities – contributing on special teams. So maybe this second predicament isn't so bad after all.

San Francisco 49ers "B.J. Tucker's injury create opportunities"

The San Francisco 49ers' secondary will not 43 Polamalu white jersey
be affected by the season-ending injury suffered by cornerback B.J. Tucker (torn pectoral) last Friday. The team is blessed with three proven cornerbacks -- Nate Clements, Walt Harris, and Shawntae Spencer -- who all have significant game experience and have been successful. Depth in the defensive backfield is critical in the NFC West. Despite the loss of Tucker, the 49ers -- to accompany their above-mentioned veterans -- have a stable of other cornerbacks that includes rookie Tarell Brown, Marcus Hudson and Donald Strickland.The 49ers' pass defense ranked 26th last season, but the additions of Clements and safety Michael Lewis serves as an indicator of the team's committed desire to upgrade that weakness.Adding to the talent pool in the secondary is Brown, a rookie fifth-round pick. The former Texas Longhorn is the most likely player to benefit from Tucker's injury. After signing a four-year contract, Brown is having a solid camp to this point, and it seems he is committed to putting his past off-field transgressions behind him. Competing with Brown for playing time is impressive second-year defensive back Marcus Hudson, who made several highlight-worthy plays in practice last week. Brown and Hudson have been engaged in one of the most competitive position battles in camp, which should improve each of them heading into the season. Meanwhile Strickland provides the team with a seasoned reserve at defensive back. Strickland is not currently practicing as he continues to suffer from a knee contusion; he should, however, be fully recovered by training camp. Strickland has appeared in several postseason games as a member of the , and his experience is a nice security blanket if the youngsters -43 Polamalu black jersey
- Brown and Hudson -- struggle.The 49ers' secondary, with its new additions, ought to be much improved this year. And while the loss of Tucker is unfortunate, San Francisco has plenty of guys capable of making a positive impact. Daily San Francisco 49ers commentary, courtesy of RealFootball365.comTake the first step toward an online bachelors degree at UniversityDegreeFinder.com

Dallas Cowboys Should Say No to Tony Romo

Despite head coach Bill Parcells' repeated, well-publicized statements to the contrary, most students of the NFL have now taken for granted the "fact" that a quarterback controversy is ablaze in Dallas Cowboys land. The line goes that Tony Romo is in reality The Tuna's preferred choice at QB and that the coach grows increasingly impatient with current starter Drew Bledsoe's mobility problems, i.e. he has none.Please, a little sobriety before we go believing whatever innuendo is handed out. After all, this a guy of whom, while being tested in preseason games, 4 Brett Favre Purple jersey
Parcells said, "I'd like to kill him.... I like him because he's spunky. He's smart. He's charismatic. He's got a lot of the things that I like [in a quarterback], but he will just do some things that drive me nuts." The reason Romo wasn't being more seriously considered for the starting job, quoth the Tuna, was that he had a number of bad habits attained while playing college ball at Eastern Illinois. Parcells has reportedly told Romo that his career itself could well be cut short due to a lack of discipline.These comments were made in the preseason. Preseason 2004. Since then, Romo has taken exactly two snaps at quarterback under Parcells, on both instances for kneel-downs.In 2003, Romo scratched out a place on the roster as an undrafted free agent; he saw no action behind Quincy Carter and Chad Hutchinson. When a revolving door was installed for Cowboy quarterbacks following the season, Dallas dealt for Vinny Testaverde and Drew Henson. Somehow, Romo managed to hang on to again occupy the position of No. 3 QB when Carter was cut instead; regardless, Romo saw no action. In 2005, Testaverde was out, Bledsoe was in, and Romo played well enough in the preseason to work his way up to No. 2; he saw seconds of "action," kneeling the ball in Week 5.And this is the guy whom Parcells truly wants to hand over his offense to? After three seasons of passing on the opportunity? Back in '04, Parcells described Romo's troubles to excise the bad habits with "He's fighting a little demon he's got." That demon has become Romo's own reputation, one increasingly difficult to shed and increasingly heavy.On the other hand, if Romo manages to wrest the starting job out of Bledsoe's hands before season's end (or, to put it more appropriately, should Bledsoe turn it over), this cannot bode well for the Cowboys' short-term future. Barring injury, a replacement at quarterback would imply a marginal playoff squad and it seems highly unlikely that, extended contract or no, the short-attention spanned coach would stick around in Dallas to coach a bubble team for another season.Where would this leave Romo? After four years of collecting splinters on Parcells' bench while practicing The Ways Of The Tuna, Romo would be forced into leading a team Steelers 10 Santonio Holmes jersey
under a brand new system; after finally fighting to top, imagine Tony having to battle from the other side of a QB controversy in 2007.As exciting and gossipy as a quarterback tug-of-war is, and as frustratingly clunky as Leadfoot Bledsoe looks out there at times, Cowboy fans should pray to all they find holy that Romo occupies the position he always has on the bench.More on the Dallas Cowboys' issues . (5)

Dalas Cowboys Terrell Owens

The widely reported story that Terrell Owens attempted suicide by swallowing a whole bottle of pills is apparently false. According to Owens, he had an adverse reaction when mixing his pain medication with various supplements that he takes. The confusion was evidently caused when his publicist found Owens' pill bottle empty. He said the rest of his pills were in a drawer.Get hot Cowboys insight . (4) According to WFAA-TV in Dallas, controversial Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Terrell Owens overdosed on pain medication that he was taking for a broken hand in an apparent suicide attempt. This information was supposedly obtained by a leaked Dallas police report.In a brief press conference minutes ago, Dallas police refused to confirm or deny the accuracy of the report and refused to answer all questions.Get Dallas Cowboys updates at www.realfootball365.com (12) Steelers 36 Bettis Jersey
Thanks to this silliness known in the NFL as the "bye week," Dallas Cowboys fans are sure to jones (so to speak) for televisual coverage over the next two weeks. Fear not, Cowboy football addicts! Now coming to the rescue, that great democratizer of meaningless movie distribution, YouTube.com!Just to ease the suffering supporters of "America's Team" (at least until ESPN starts providing wall-to-wall coverage of the manicure cure on T.O.'s ring finger), yours truly sorted through over 200 YouTube videos this morning, just so y'all'll have something to watch.For your perusal, then, a few oddities, gems of weirdness or greatness in the bank of mostly lovingly edited fan clips."Dallas Cowboys, Remember?" by Mike641. Amidst a crazy number of videos comprised of smashmouth action set to heavy metal sliding guitar or bombastic gangsta stylings, Mike641 has created something a bit, um, gentler. Set to the strains of "Where Have all the Cowboys Gone?" by Paula Cole, it's 40 seconds of wistful sadness. Oh, Jimmy Johnson is Paula/Mike's "Johnny Wayne" and Troy Aikman is Harrison Ford. (Sound of eyebrow rising.)"Dallas Cowboys" by Jamsonx. A one-second video. If brevity is the soul of wit, Jamsonx is about the wittiest dude since Dante. That's Aligheri, not Stallworth."Dallas Cowboys Trumpets Star-Spangled Banner" by DPizza. Strictly speaking not a Cowboys video per se, but you gotta love it when sports broadcasters are left in the booth during breaks with the microphone left on. Check out Dan Fouts and Verne Lundquist riffing on Dallas' architecture and their knowledge of 70s acid rock. Where's Dennis Miller when you need him?"Dallas is going down!". Mark Miller, Buffalo Bills fan extraordinaire...all that energy wasted. Such a shame."Miami Dolphins vs. Dallas Cowboys Thanksgiving '93" by KennyStang. Excellent-quality footage of a game which featured a wind chill of zero degrees, snow on the field and gaffes aplenty. Highlights include one dangerous field goal, and the famous "snow angel" TD celebration. Useful as a high school physics video as well, i.e. on the importance of friction."Super Bowl XIII: Dallas Cowboys vs. Pittsburgh Steelers" by Kickholder. Or, to be more specific, the only play anyone remembers from that game. You guessed it: The Jackie Smith Dropped Pass. If you've never seen it, watch it now. If you're a Steelers fan ... ah, you know what to do."Super Bowl VI: Dallas vs. Miami" by Kickholder. A couple of minutes from another long ago 'Bowl. Chuck Howley - wow! Geez, while you're into all these fantastic vintage clips, just go straight on to..."Great Super Bowl Moments of the Dallas Cowboys, 1970 ed." by Kickholder. Four Super Bowls captured. Stay with it: the video quality improves past the "NFL Today" intro which appears to have been excavated from circa Fred Flintstone's era. Five-and-a-half minutes of great moments, all."Redneck Girl" by BellamyBrothers. Steelers 10 Santonio Holmes jersey
Really? This is the only Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders stuff on YouTube? A lame promotional with the Bellamy Brothers performing before what looks like an empty house and the Cowgirls just sort of rocking back and forth? Talk about the fall of a legend...For more on the Dallas Cowboys, y'all come back to RealFootball365.com, y'hear? (0)

Pride Denver Broncos

As bad as the 0-4 have been this season, this Sunday's matchup with one of their bitter rivals, the Denver Broncos, could be an opportunity to begin righting the ship. On paper, the clear advantage goes to the 3-1 Broncos, who have one of the NFL's finest defenses. More likely than not, Denver 2010 pro bowl Vikings 4 Brett Favre jersey
will win emerge victorious on national television.In spite of the Broncos' on-field mismatches, it doesn't mean Oakland can't at least salvage some of its old silver and black pride. The Broncos have defeated the much-maligned Raiders in 17 of the teams' last 22 matchups, meaning it's clearly been a one-sided fight since 1994. When it comes to the scoreboard, it doesn't have to be like that in Week 6.For, the Broncos are very much one-dimensional, and it plays into the Raiders' hands. Denver has won mostly with a great defensive unit, and has gotten very little from quarterback Jake Plummer. Meanwhile, Oakland has done things very much the same, even though it's yet to win a game. The Raiders' defense has actually been a strong point so far, while the offense has stumbled to last-place rankings in both points and yardage.Against Denver's Champ Bailey-led defense, Raiders quarterback Andrew Walter could have a nightmarish evening in Colorado. Thus, offensive coordinator Tom Walsh - the least popular man in the Bay Area right now - will need his running attack, led by LaMont Jordan and Justin Fargas, to be quite productive. Judging by their performance over the last couple weeks, that's not entirely impossible. The Broncos' defense ranks sixth in ground yards allowed, but it's just 17th in yards per attempt surrendered. Therefore, Denver's opposition hasn't run the ball enough to establish any kind of ground consistency.If ever a game was set up to give the Raiders' defense a chance to make an impact, it would be this weekend. Denver's Plummer has been horrendous throughout most of this year, meaning the Raiders' young and promising secondary could give him a tough time. Quietly, Oakland's defense ranks No. 1 in the NFL in passing yards allowed. Obviously, that could signal a somewhat unexpectedly difficult day for the beleaguered Plummer.The Broncos' offense, aside from Plummer, is bolstered by running back Tatum Bell. Formerly a change of pace runner, the 5-foot-11, 213-pounder has gained 387 ground yards this year, good enough for seventh in the league. Bell seems primed for another big game, but Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan could find the back being the team's lone offensive option, considering the Raiders' prowess in defending the pass.Nobody in their right mind would predict a victory from the Raiders this weekend, but perhaps Denver, a 15-point favorite, might find itself taking the36 Bettis White Jersey
fellow AFC West squad too lightly. Unfortunately for Oakland, Broncos linebacker Al Wilson has already issued a warning to his entire team."Don't look down on an 0-4 team," said Wilson. "My rookie season (1999), we were 0-4 going into Oakland and they took us lightly."At this point, all Raiders fans can hope is that none of Wilson's teammates share his intensity. When your record's 0-4, there's few places to draw faith from, obviously. Nonetheless, it will be interesting to see what kind of pride and fighting spirit Art Shell's team has. Sunday will be telling, indeed.--Connor J. Byrne can be reached at cbyrne@.Senior writer Anthony Carroll returns Monday with his Raiders analysis. (20)

Arizona Cardinals Analysis "Five Stars"

The , on Sunday, snapped an 11-game losing skid, a streak dating back to Nov. 20 of 2005."It's a weight off everybody's shoulders to get a first win," head coach Art Shell said after the game.Shell recorded his first regular-season win as a head coach since Dec. 18, 1994. However, Shell is making certain it's the players in the 6 Super Bowl Champions jersey
spotlight."I'm most happy for the guys in the locker room. It's not about me. It's about those guys in the locker room. They've worked very hard to get some taste of success."Following a 22-9 victory over the struggling Arizona Cardinals, let's take a look at five of those players who are sitting in the spotlight.5. Michael Huff - Oakland had the chance to draft Matt Leinart seventh overall in April, but instead opted for Michael Huff to fill a void at safety. On Sunday, the pair of rookies met. Huff took running back Marcel Shipp down for a safety late in the third quarter, putting the Raiders up 22-3. The 23-year-old also chipped in with three solo tackles, part of an Oakland secondary that held Leinart to a 40% completion rate. All said and done, Huff accounted for two points on the scoreboard -- two more than Leinart.4. Randy Moss - Moss had his share of drops on Sunday, but the seven passes he brought in accounted for 129 yards and six points. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound wideout has quickly become 24-year-old Andrew Walter's favorite target. Moss was on the receiving end of Walter's only touchdown pass of the evening -- a 32-yard strike with eight seconds remaining in the opening quarter.3. Andrew Walter - The second-year quarterback from Arizona State posted a career-high 263-yard outing. Walter completed 17-of-30 passes before exiting the game with a hamstring injury late in the third quarter. On the play, 270-pound defensive end Bertrand Berry sacked Walter four yards deep in the backfield, and the QB lost his second fumble of the evening. The 24-year-old also threw an interception deep in the Cardinals' red zone; however, Walter looked much better on the field than on paper, controlling the pace of the game very well. The Raiders' offense held the ball for just over 37 minutes, completing 13-of-20 third down attempts to keep the chains moving. For Art Shell, next week's starter shouldn't be much of a decision.2. Tyrone Poole - Last season, Oakland's defense tallied just five interceptions; seven weeks into the '06 campaign, the unit has already surpassed that total. Veteran defensive back Tyrone Poole was brought in during the offseason to help remedy the problem, and, on Sunday, registered his first interception with the Raiders. Poole picked off Leinart near midfield to jumpstart the third quarter -- a quarter in which the Cardinals would score just three points. The 34-year-old also recorded a pivotal nine-yard sack that would eventually lead to rookie Michael Huff's run-stuffing safety.1. Derrick Burgess - After a slow start to the season, Derrick Burgess is back in full stride, with no signs of stopping. No. 56 terrorized Leinart and the Cardinals' 6 Super Bowl Champions jersey black jersey
offense for four consecutive quarters, recording five tackles to complement a pair of sacks. Burgess also batted a pass down on Arizona's second drive, which would be snagged by the 6-7, 335-pound Terdell Sands. On the following play, Walter would connect with Moss for the Raiders' second touchdown of the evening.Burgess led the team with five tackles; free safety Stuart Schweigert recorded just four -- his lowest total on the season. Raiders win 22-9.Want to be in the OaklandRaiders mailbag? Visit RaidersLive.com to submit your questions and comments for the Nov. 3 mailbag. (39)

Draft miscues are starting to add up

One month removed from cutting Darnell Bing, their fourth-round pick in the 2006 draft, the announced Saturday that they had released defensive end Quentin Moses, their third-round pick in '07. Moses was quickly claimed off waivers by the Arizona Cardinals, bringing an official end to his brief career 2010 pro bowl Vikings 4 Brett Favre jersey
with the silver and black.The team's decision to part ways with these players may ultimately prove wise. Bing, for example, was cut again over the weekend, this time by the San Francisco 49ers. But the Raider organization can't be happy that it has essentially swung and missed on two valuable draft picks in back-to-back years. When the Raiders released Bing in July, he was the highest pick from the '06 draft class to have gotten cut. And as the first pick in the draft's third round, Moses has become the highest draftee from this year to get his walking papers.Head coach Lane Kiffin tried to put a positive spin on the move, pointing out that Moses' release shows the Raiders are truly selecting the best overall players for the team, with no weight given to where someone was drafted or how much he might have been paid. And while that may be true, there can be no denying that whiffing on their third-round pick is something of a black eye for his coaching staff."There were some hard ones," Kiffin said of the roster cuts, "and it wasn't that a guy wasn't doing everything we asked. We wish great luck to Quentin and we think he'll be a good player in this league. But at the end of looking at all of it, we had other people that could help us more."One of the players Kiffin is referring to may be rookie Jay Richardson, a defensive end taken in the fifth round. But even if Richardson turns out to be a late-round steal, it doesn't entirely heal the wound that was created by missing on Moses. Striking gold with a player in the final rounds is certainly a positive development for any team, but it's most beneficial when that guy's production is added to an already solid class, not when it has to replace the lost potential of a wasted pick.Making the Moses issue even more glaring is the fact that, barring number one overall pick JaMarcus Russell finally getting his deal signed in the next few days, only one of the Raiders' first three selections from April's draft - second-rounder Zach Miller - will actually be on Oakland's roster when its season begins Sunday. And examining the Raiders' first-round picks in recent years opens up a whole new can of worms.After taking Michael Huff over Matt Leinart in 2006, a decision that some in the Raider Nation have - to put it politely - come to question, the last thing the team needed was another iffy selection at the top of its draft. But with the re-emergence of a healthy Daunte Culpepper, it may only be a matter of 10 Santonio Holmes White jersey
time before the decision to take Russell is second-guessed by even the most hardcore Raider fans.Oakland is undoubtably moving in the right direction in a number of different areas, but the amount of shaky draft decisions being made may be a cause for concern. Whether those decisions set the Raiders back is something that can only be answered with time.

Drought in secondary won't last long

What seemed to be the strength of the all last season turned out to be the glaring weakness to begin the new one.The secondary, which was torched for 289 yards against the Jon Kitna-led Detroit Lions on Sunday, appeared helpless, discouraged and, at times, lost. The performance was a far cry from 2006. In fact, it was 138 yards off the team's '06 average of 151 yards against.On the surface, this should appear to be a major problem for the Raiders. The secondary was supposed to be a sure thing. It was the one part of 4 Brett Favre Purple jersey
the team that apparently needed zero fixing.All said and done, it still is, despite last Sunday's poor performance.To start, Oakland won't meet a receiving combo as potent as the one the Lions bring to the table until Week 15, which falls all the way in mid-December.The Lions' cast made up of Roy Williams, Calvin Johnson, and Mike Furrey is perhaps the most talent-filled lineup in the NFL outside of the Indianapolis Colts'. When the Raiders meet with Indy late in the season, they'll be forced to deal with a comparable triumvirate of Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne and Anthony Gonzalez. On paper, this is actually a better matchup for the Raiders' cornerbacks than was the Lions.It's no question of a lack of ability or measureables, either.The Raiders' starting secondary -- Nnamdi Asomugha, Fabian Washington, Stuart Schweigert and Michael Huff -- consists of arguably the top four starting defensive backs in the NFL in terms of athleticism. Three of the four are first-rounders, while the lone man out, Schweigert, was an early third-rounder in 2004. Last season, Asomugha and Washington alone combined for 12 interceptions and over 20 passes defensed.In terms of measureables, three of the four are at least 6 feet, while at a suitable 5-11, the smallest is Washington. However, he's also the quickest. In 2005, the 185-pounder ran the 40-yard dash in 4.29 seconds, tied for the fastest of all defensive backs in that year's draft class. Whom was he tied with? Oakland's third cornerback, Stanford Routt.Luckily, each of the five DBs listed above came out of Week 1's injury-filled Sunday healthy. Other unfortunate NFL ball clubs like the Buffalo Bills lost half of their starting secondary to injury.That being said, expect a major change in Oakland's defensive backfield heading into Week 2. Primarily, look for this transformation to come from the direction of defensive coordinator Rob Ryan.Last week, the 44-year-old seemingly over-thought his game plan.Ryan resorted to several zone packages and a variety of mixed coverage types to throw off the Lions' high-powered passing attack.Instead, he threw off his own defense, and the Lions threw with ease.Expect to see a simplified game plan in Denver on Sunday, in which man-to-man coverage becomes the primary defense mechanism once again. Last season, this was how Oakland earned its identity as one of the top passing defenses in the NFL. Ryan took advantage of his secondary's athleticism 36 Bettis Black Jersey
and relied less on guesswork."We had some missed assignments and breaks here or there," head coach Lane Kiffin said of last Sunday's performance."We are going to get [that] fixed."It shouldn't take long for the Raiders' secondary to prove Kiffin right. ,