5 Teams to watch in 2011

If past seasons have been any indication, 2011 will see a few unexpected playoff teams. Just use 2010 as an example. Who saw the Chiefs winning the AFC West? Didn’t anyone notify the Bears that it was supposed to be Green Bay and Minnesota battling it out in the NFC West? Seattle, under a rah-rah college coach found their way into the playoffs and won a game over the defending champs. I thought Philadelphia was supposed to be a last place team in the NFC East? This happens every year, teams that are supposed to be after thoughts find their way into the playoffs. Who could it be next year? I have five candidates, some surprising, some not so.

1. San Diego Chargers-They were the team to beat in the AFC West at the onset of the season. That didn’t work out so well, Phillip Rivers did his part but the lack of a consistent running game, injuries to many of Rivers’ top target, and the defense took most of the season to get started, by the time they were ready to roll it was too late. Why is their optimism for 2011? Ryan Matthews finished the season strong, Rivers is an MVP candidate, and the defense didn’t lose anything, but they should go into the year healthy and return to the upper echelon in the NFL.

2. Dallas Cowboys-They started 1-7; got Wade Phillips fired, and looked pathetic. Then what happened? Tony Romo was lost for the season; they promoted Jason Garrett, and went 5-3 with Jon Kitna at QB. Dallas is one of the most talented teams in all of football and Garrett seemed to tap into that in the second half of 2010. Now going into his second season I would expect him to carry that momentum through the offseason and watch out for the ‘Boys next year.

3. San Francisco 49ers-Somehow they went from preseason favorites in the league’s weakest division to being a 6-10 team that was essentially out of the playoff hunt following an 0-5, and 1-6 start. Enter Jim Harbaugh who worked wonders in Stanford and let us not forget they still play in the atrocious NFC West. Harbaugh may be able to tap into the talent of either Alex or Troy Smith, or possibly go with a rookie but look for him to get the most out of his QBs. The running game led by Frank Gore, receivers with Crabtree and Vernon Davis, and the Patrick Willis led defense are enough to win and if Harbaugh does get one of the QBs to turn the corner, look for them to compete in 2011.

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Tampa Bay matured very quickly in 2010. Coming off a 3-13 season they were an afterthought, instead of wallowing in that, Tampa just rolled off a 10-6 season in one of the toughest divisions in football. The maturation of Josh Freeman, Mike Williams, and Arrelious Benn came much quicker than expect. LaGarette Blount supplied a much needed boost to the running game and Kellen Winslow put up some of the best numbers of his career. The defense, led by linebackers Barrett Ruud and Geno Hayes were the real surprise and the return of a healthy Gerald McCoy should help improve the troubled rush defense. Much like Atlanta this year, look for Tampa Bay to make the final step and contend for the NFC South title this coming season.

5. Buffalo Bills-Am I high or what? Buffalo hasn’t been a contender in over a decade and are coming off of a 4-12 season. Fact is though, Buffalo started 0-8 and played nine of their sixteen games against playoff teams (Chicago, Green Bay, Baltimore, Kansas City, Pittsburgh, New England x2, and New York Jets x2). Buffalo played hard all season, going into overtime at Baltimore and at Kansas City and dropping a sure winner against Pittsburgh. The team found an offensive identity and some fluidity behind Ryan Fitzpatrick despite numerous wide receiver injuries. The defensive front was the problem, enter Dave Wannstedt. There is some talent up front and the addition of Shawne Merriman could exponentially increase the pass rush. Buffalo may not win the tough AFC East, but with a slightly easier schedule in 2011, they could contend.

There you go, 2011 is a long way off but those five teams should have much improved seasons. I was tempted to put Houston here, but I’m tired of being let down. Next week, look for my five teams to fall in 2011.

Better by a Mile(s)

I've never been a huge fan of Les Miles, he's never done anything I disagree with, I was just indifferent. I knew him as the head coach of the LSU Tigers. I knew him as a guy that did things his own way. Called plenty of trick plays and more often than not they worked. I knew him as a guy that did exactly what you didn't expect, so, maybe everyone shouldn't be surprised that he turned down the head coaching position at his alma-mater Michigan in order to stay at LSU.

In his ten years as a head coach Miles has a combined record of 90-38, including 62-17 since taking over for the Tigers in 2005. He has led his teams to nine consecutive bowl games, winning five out of six since going to LSU, including the 2007 National Championship. Miles has accomplished so much in only a decade, why not see what you can do at Michigan? The Wolverines are one of the most storied teams in college football and is a part of histories greatest collegiate rivalry, Ohio State versus Michigan. Why not do it?

This brings me to the change in my opinion of Miles. His reasons were simple, yet spoke so much about his character. He didn't want to leave because he feels he has made a commitment to the school, faculty, assistants, players, and fans, and wants to fulfill that commitment. In a time when coaches can leave at the drop of a hat, not taking into account the players they recruited. The players who chose a school so they could learn under that coach for four years, only to see them leave a year or two later. Miles apparently does something that most don't, he considers his players, he considers the fans, he looks out for others around him and for all that he has accomplished, I think that should be the most respected.

My Very Very early 2011 Fantasy Football Top 25

I am a fantasy football fanatic, its an obsession, and since I don't have anything I really want to write about at the moment, I will focus on my fantasy football outlook for 2011. I will start at 25 and work down just to build excitement.


25. Drew Brees, QB, NO-Brees has been a top fantasy QB the last few seasons, but 2010 saw a sharp rise in interceptions. He still i probably good for 4000+ yards and 30+ TDs, I have a hard time taking him in the first two rounds.

24. Phillip Rivers, QB, SD-2010 was a coming out party for Rivers. He had a ton of potential and turned it on this past season, and most impressively did it with Vincent Jackson and Antonio Gates missing numerous games. He could move up as the offseason moves along, but he is probably a late second to early third round fantasy pick.

23. Vincent Jackson, WR, SD-Jackson only played in four games but put together 250 yards and three touchdowns. If he has a productive offseason he could easily regain his 1100-1200 yards and 10-12 touchdowns. A bit risky right now, but could be a Top 5 wide receiver in 2011.

22. Greg Jennings, WR, GB-Jennings has steadily been an undervalued player for the last four years. He constantly has been in the Top 10 among receivers, but in 2010 he tallied over 1200 yards and 12 touchdowns. He is a late second to early third round pick in 2011

21. Darren McFadden, RB, Oak-He finally lived up to his potential and finished in the Top 10 among running backs in 2011. I have him a little lower as with coaching uncertainty you are not sure what is going to happen in Oakland, but I still think he is an top scoring number two fantasy back.

20. Peyton Manning, QB, Ind-I still think he is one of the best. Had a three week span in 2010 in which he really hurt his fantasy teams but lead the league in passing yards and tallied 33 touchdowns, marking the 11th time in 12 years he has gone over 4000 yards and 25 touchdowns.

19. Tom Brady, QB, NE-Had his second best season in terms of stats in 2010, pacing the league with 36 passing touchdowns and throwing for 3900 yards and only throwing four interceptions. Brady is worth a second round pick in 2011.

18. Hakeem Nicks, WR, NYG-Had Nicks not been injured and missed three games he would have finished in the top five among receivers. He is a big physical receiver and is Eli's go to guy in the redzone. Look for an 80 catch, 1200 yard, 12 touchdown season out of him in 2011.

17. Dwayne Bowe, WR, KC-Found the endzone a league high 15 times in 2010, nearly doubling his previous career high of 7. Bowe is a bit of a risk as he has never performed at this level and lost his offensive coordinator, but the skill set warrants a second round pick.

16. Aaron Rodgers, QB, GB-My top quarterback for 2011, Rodgers posted over 3900 yards passing, over 350 yards rushing, and 32 total touchdowns. His ability to run vaults him up to the top of my QB rankings for next season and he should remain up around that level for a number of years.

15. Calvin Johnson, WR, Det-Imagine what Megatron could do with Matt Stafford at QB for a full season. In the two games that Stafford played a majority of, Johnson totaled 14 catches, 247 yards, and 4 TDs. As it was, he still found the endzone 12 times and went over 1100 yards. If he gets a healthy quarterback in 2011 he could far outscore any other wide receiever.

14. Ray Rice, RB, Bal-Rice this low doesn't feel right, but, what separates him from the other running backs is that he just doesn't get into the endzone enough. In a PPR league he is gold, but in standard leagues he is a borderline Top 10 running back. Very safe pick at this spot.

13. Rashard Mendenhall, RB, Pit-Mendenhall became a touchdown machine for the Steelers in 2011, finding the endzone 13 times and going for nearly 1300 rushing yards. Look for his numbers to remain about the same for the next couple of years as he becomes one of the top fantasy backs.

12. Frank Gore, RB, SF-Once again injuries cut short Frank Gore's season. Barring injury, Gore is a top 5-6 fantasy running back, he just can't remain healthy and that's why he is where he is in my rankings. As it was, he went over 1300 total yards despite missing the final 5 games of 2010.

11. LeSean McCoy, RB, Phi-McCoy became the centerpiece of the Philadelphia offensive attack in 2010. He put up the kind of numbers people are used to seeing from Brian Westbrook, finishing with over 1600 total yards. If he could find the endzone more consistently he would be a Top 5 player.

10. Andre Johnson, WR, Hou-Johnson played most of 2010 through injuries and as a result failed to reach 90 catches for the first time in three years. He still put up 1200+ yards and eight touchdowns. Expect him to bounce back and once again be one of the top receivers in any league.

9. Reggie Wayne, WR, Ind-Wayne's touchdowns dropped to only six, down from ten last season, but 111 catches and 1355 yards more than made up for the drop. He gets more targets than any player in the league and makes the most of them. He is a top receiver in 2011 and probably a few years after that.

8. Roddy White, WR, Atl-Led the league in catches and targets, second in yards, scored 10 touchdowns, and for the fourth year in a row finished with 80+ catches and 1100+ yards. Roddy White is my top receiver for 2011 as he and Matt Ryan have really developed into a dynamic duo. Should be a first rounder in all formats.

7. Michael Turner, RB, Atl-Returned to 2008 form, led the NFC with 1371 rushing yards and found the endzone 12 times. Turner is a workhorse back who should have no problem going over 1200 rushing yards every season. Is only hurt by his lack of receiving ability.

6. Steven Jackson, RB, STL-Arguably the most talented running back in the NFL, with a solid young quarterback Jackson should return to the fantasy elite. Jackson went over 1200 rushing yards but also tallied nearly 50 receptions and 400 receiving yards, if he could get into the endzone more consistently he could be the top fantasy back.

5. Jamaal Charles, RB, KC-Seems high at first glance, but, over 1900 total yards on only 275 touches and eight touchdowns say differently. I personally feel like Charles has the opportunity to go for 2000-2200 total yards in 2011 and could see the endzone 10-12 times. He is a great talent and looks to be used properly in Kansas City.

4. Maurice Jones-Drew, RB, Jax-Has succeeded as the workhorse back but starting losing carries down the stretch. Expect Rashad Jennings to continue to get carries, but watch MJD's production increase. Went for 1641 total yards and only 8 touchdowns, but should be able to get back up to a dozen or so trips to the endzone. Still one of the top fantasy backs.

3. Arian Foster, RB, Hou-Led the NFL in rushing yards (1614), total yards (2218), and touchdowns (22), what's he going to do for an encore? I still really like Foster, but have him third because he touched the ball 392 times last season and that's a lot of work. Look for Houston to work someone else into the lineup and take a bit of a load off Foster, but 2000 total yards and a dozen touchdowns is still very probable.

2. Chris Johnson, RB, Ten-Did not post the kind of season he had in 2009, but still finished with a dozen touchdowns and 1600+ total yards. He is the focal point of that offense and could return to his 2000 yard form. He is a low risk, high reward guy that has the ability to be the top fantasy player.

1. Adrian Peterson, RB, Min-Most talented running back in football should also return to claim his thrown as the best fantasy player in football. The quarterback situation is a question so Peterson should see a rise in touches and could easily outdo his 1639 yard, 13 touchdown season in 2010. Is as consistent a running back as any player in football.


There you go, my early 2011 rankings, I'm going to update this on a monthly basis as we progress toward next season

Dear Rex

It started off as a nice story at the end of last season, your team backed into the playoffs after you said they were eliminated. You then brashly told everyone that your Jets are the team to beat on the road to the Super Bowl. This 9-7 team that barely squeaked in, then won two playoff games and held a halftime lead in the AFC Championship Game before Peyton Manning led his comeback and the Colts eliminated them. You were the loveable fat man back then Rex Ryan, but now you have become the fat uncle who drinks too much and doesn’t know when to shut up.

For me it started in the offseason when the Jets began to wheel and deal and sign every high priced, big name, player nearing the end of his career (LaDanian Tomlinson, Jason Taylor). Then there was Hard Knocks in which one of your new recruits, Antonio Cromartie couldn’t remember his kid’s names. I don’t see any father of the year awards being tossed his way any time soon. But your mouth was the worst part, are you capable of completing a sentence without using F*** or some derivative of it? But all of that was fine leading into the season.

Then it started, you were touting how the Jets are the team to beat, not that that is an issue but you put a huge target on your back. After an opening day loss to the Ravens though your men started backing it up with wins against New England and Minnesota and a road win over the Dolphins, at 5-1 and heading into the bye week the Jets seemed to be rolling. The Jets were outscoring their opponents by ten points per game, Mark Sanchez had nine touchdowns and only two interceptions, and LaDanian was on pace for almost 1600 total yards and had scored five touchdowns.

After the bye week though, you’ve had a different team. Since that Sanchez has thrown just eight touchdowns and 11 interceptions, LaDanian has found the endzone only once, and you’ve gone just 6-4 with overtime wins over the Browns and Lions. The team that had looked nearly unbeatable suddenly was average at best. But that hasn’t silenced you as it Rex? No, you are now baiting Peyton Manning. Despite the fact that when Peyton starts and finishes a game against a team you coach he is 8-0, you seem to want to give him bulletin board material. Go ahead, make the bed you are going to sleep in, because after this weekend I hope to have you run home with your tail between your legs and not have to hear from you till next season. J-U-S-T shut the hell up

Give them Credit

“This losing stuff is getting old man, I hate it”. Those were the words uttered by University of Connecticut’s women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma following the Huskies first loss in 998 days. UConn fell to Stanford 71-59 Thursday Night, marking the first time since April 6^th of 2008, a string of 90 games. Who was last team to defeat the Huskies prior to last night? The Stanford Cardinal.

The 90 straight is impressive in itself, but the numbers behind the 90 really give credence to how impressive it truly was. 88 of the 90 wins were by ten or more points, and out of those 88, 54 were by 30 or more, and the average margin of victory was over 33 points per game. During the streak, five times they played the second ranked team in the nation, and all five times Connecticut won, including three times over Stanford. Over a third of the wins, 34, came against ranked teams or teams playing the NCAA tournament. The streak also included twelve consecutive wins in the tournament, six in the Big East tournament, and thirty eight straight over Big East opponents.

So how exactly did Stanford defeat a seemingly unbeatable opponent? First, they did what most NBA teams can’t grasp, played sound, aggressive defense. The Huskies couldn’t get off an uncontested shot, Maya Moore was never comfortable, and the Cardinal limited the second chance opportunities. Over the course of the streak, UConn averaged 83 points per game, only 4 times being held under 70, but Stanford played great fundamental basketball all night, and prevented them from ever getting into a scoring run. I hope every coach at every level gets a chance to watch this game, because Stanford played basketball the way it is supposed to be played. Yes, UConn may be more athletic and more talented, but on this night, Stanford wanted it more. Congratulations ladies, this is about how you wanted it, this is your day, you are fully capable of beating any team in the country if you continue to play the way you just did.