Tag: Demaryius Thomas

NFL Divisional Playoffs Kick-Off Saturday

~ Dave Ettinger ~ Leave a comment

nfl divisional playoffs

This is the best weekend of the year.  If you had somewhere to go, cancel your plans, because that groove on the couch misses you.  I know it’s been hard to stay “into it” since your fantasy team was officially eliminated from contention, but it’s time to gear up for playoff football.  The schedule is as follows:

Baltimore Ravens vs. *New England Patriots – Saturday @ 4:35 P.M. (NBC)

Carolina Panthers vs. *Seattle Seahawks – Saturday @ 8:15 P.M. (FOX)

Dallas Cowboys vs. *Green Bay Packers – Sunday @ 1:05 P.M. (FOX)

Indianapolis Colts vs. *Denver Broncos – Sunday @ 4:40 P.M. (CBS)

* – Indicates Home Team

If the Ravens and Patriots matchup is giving you deja vu, you are not the only one.  This is the fourth time in six years that these teams will face each other in the postseason.  And while the Patriots have the best postseason record of any team since the turn of the century (18-8), the Ravens have been Tom Brady’s kryptonite.  Joe Flacco and the Ravens have beaten the Patriots in two of their last three trips to Foxboro.  As much as I would enjoy seeing that trend continue, I believe the Gronkanator and the Pats will be too much for the Ravens to handle.

Prediction: Patriots 27 – Ravens 21        

Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers will look to keep their momentum going as they venture to CenturyLink Field on Saturday.  The Panthers are looking to become the first team ever to advance to the Conference Championships after having a losing record during the regular season (7-8-1).  The Seahawks were 7-1 at home this season, and will look to continue that trend with their usual formula: ground and pound + violent defense = more points than the other team.  If the Panthers are going to have any chance in this game, they’ll need Cam Newton to do his best Superman impression.  Unfortunately, I don’t see that happening.  Expect a defensive struggle in the first half, and then the Seahawks should pull away late in the game.

Prediction: Seahawks 26 – Panthers 17  

As we transition to Sunday, expect the best game of the Divisional Round to come from the frozen tundra; aka Lambeau Field.  This is a product of matchups.  Demarco Murray, if healthy, should run all over the Packers less than stellar defensive line.  However, Aaron Rodgers, if healthy, should have a field day with the Cowboys secondary.  This matchup marks the first time in NFL Playoff history that an undefeated team at home (Green Bay 8-0) will host an undefeated team on the road (Dallas 8-0).  Murray is the Cowboys only chance at victory, because as good as Tony Romo is, he is not winning a shootout against his counterpart.  The soon to be MVP (Rodgers) should be able to will his team to victory with or without a torn calf.  I see the Packers edging out the Cowboys in a thriller.

Prediction: Packers 28 – Cowboys 27

And to wrap up a great weekend in football, Andrew Luck will march in to Denver to take on Peyton Manning and the Broncos.  Everyone can talk about how ordinary Peyton has looked over the last month, and how bad he is in the playoffs, but I am not ready to give up on the first family of football.  Andrew Luck is a phenomenal talent, and I expect him to be great for 10 more years, but this is not his year.  This Colts team is not strong enough defensively to stop Peyton Manning, and their running game has simply crumbled.  They have left Andrew Luck on an island.  I hope this game is close, but I see Peyton Manning, Demaryius Thomas, Julius Thomas, and Emmanuel Sanders being too much for the Colts to handle.

Prediction: Broncos 34 – Colts 24

What do you think?  Who do you have advancing to the Conference Championships?

Let me know in the comment section below.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. Also you can follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

NFL Free Agency Continued (Day 2)

~ Dave Ettinger ~ Leave a comment

Day 1 of free agency in the NFL was just a warm-up for the real action.  Day 2 is where all the big moves came pouring in.  There were many big moves all across the NFL, but one clearly stood out amongst all the rest.  Wes Welker, the longtime Patriot signed with their AFC rival Denver Broncos.  This is a huge deal for the Denver Broncos.  Let’s take a quick peak at that receiving core and see the weapons Peyton Manning will have to work with this coming season.  He has Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker on the outside, and now Wes Welker will fill in the slot for Manning’s high powered offense.  Combine that with the Broncos good young defense and solid rushing attack, and you might see Peyton playing in Eli’s house come Super Bowl Sunday.  While I’m sure that Tom Brady is upset to lose such a dependable receiver in Wes Welker, the move they made Wednesday is not a bad replacement for Welker.  The New England Patriots signed Danny Amendola to their roster.  Danny Amendola is a younger version of Wes Welker and should fit nicely into the Patriots offense.  I think Amedola will actually improve with Brady’s help, assuming he can stay healthy.  The only concern with Amendola is that he is injury prone.  However, in New England being one of many options should keep him healthier longer, unlike in St. Louis where he was the only receiving option.  His workload with the Rams could have a lot to do with his prior injuries.  Another huge signing Wednesday was the former Miami Dolphin Reggie Bush signing with the Detroit Lions.  WOW, can’t you just see it now?  Megatron and Reggie Bush on the same field should be something special to watch in the Motor City.  Another running back on the move Wednesday was Rashard Mendenhall.  The former Pittsburgh Steeler was signed by the Arizona Cardinals.  When healthy Mendenhall is a very solid back that could help any team.  The Tampa Bay Buccaneers picked up a solid safety in former San Francisco 49er, Dashon Goldson.  And as if the Seattle Seahawks defense needed to get any better, they signed former defensive end and former Detroit Lion Cliff Avril.  This should strengthen their pass rush and bring more toughness to their defense.  One last defensive signing that took place on Wednesday was former Philadelphia Eagle Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie signed with the Denver Broncos.  Maybe this will keep the Broncos secondary from having any deep balls launched over their heads.  Ouch.  Too Soon?  Na, definitely not soon enough.  Ah yes, I almost forgot, the New York Football Jets.  What a train wreck they are.  The news regarding the Jets is not who they’ve signed.  It is the lack of signings by the Jets and the amount of players they’ve not re-signed and let walk out the door that is the concern.  Strong Safety Laron Landry has signed with the Indianapolis Colts and should give Andrew Luck some help on the other side of the ball.  He is a hard hitting safety that should bring the pain in the middle of the Colts secondary.  The Jets also let Shonne Green slip away, as he signed with the Tennessee Titans.  This move I’m not all that upset about because I never thought Green was good enough to be a featured back anyway, but they need to sign someone.

There are still some big names in limbo in free agency, that should get signed in before the weekend.  Some of those names are: Greg Jennings, James Harrison, Ed Reed, Bernard Pollard, Steven Jackson, and last but certainly not least Brian Urlacher.  All of these names have yet to find their final destinations for the upcoming season.  Hold on to your hats because this ride isn’t over yet.  You can check back tomorrow for the rest of the signings here @ DaveTalksSports.com.

If you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. Also you can follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook athttp://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!