Patriots’ World Domination (AKA AFC EAST Preview)

August 21, 2017 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ Leave a comment

afc-east

I’m so excited for football I may wet myself. With the NFL turning the corner toward Week 3 of the Preseason, teams are starting to take shape. Rookies are becoming acclimated with the speed of the NFL, while most veterans are simply going through the motions, attempting to avoid injury. Injuries, however, continue to mount, potentially changing the landscape of each division. Over the final 2 weeks of the Preseason, I will be dissecting each division, giving predictions for every team in the NFL. Today, we start with the most predictable division in the NFL; the AFC East.

Last Season’s Standings:

New England Patriots: 14-2

Miami Dolphins: 10-6

Buffalo Bills: 7-9

New York Jets: 5-11

Let’s start with my least favorite team in the NFL:

New England Patriots

I can respect and appreciate their dominance, even though they have been a thorn in my side for the past 16 years. Yes, I am a Jets fan. A dejected Jets fan who is impatiently waiting for Tom Brady and Bill Belichick to retire. Everyone will have to wait AT LEAST 1 more year for that. 2017 will be no different than 2016, and 2015, and 20…well you get the point. The last time the Patriots didn’t win the AFC East was 2008 (they went 11-5 that year). Despite being 40 years old, Tom Brady will be at the helm, driving on cruise control to another AFC East Division Title.

Key Additions: Brandin Cooks, Stephon Gilmore, Dwayne Allen

Key Losses: Martellus Bennett, Chris Long, Rob Ninkovich (retirement)

Miami Dolphins

The revolving quarterback door is at it again in Miami. After Ryan Tannehill went down with a knee injury, the Dolphins pulled Mr. Jay Cutler out of retirement to call plays under center. Hey, Miami, just because Cutler will be reuniting with Adam Gase, doesn’t mean this will end well. Expect Cutler and the Dolphins to do what they do best, define mediocrity.

Key Additions: Jay Cutler, Lawrence Timmons, T.J. Mcdonald

Key Losses: Dion Jordan, Earl Mitchell, Jordan Cameron

Buffalo Bills

It’s not a good sign when a kicker headlines your offseason additions. The Bills decided it was time to part ways with oft-injured, wide receiver Sammy Watkins, as they traded him to the Los Angeles Rams for cornerback E.J. Gaines. I’m sure this didn’t have quarterback Tyrod Taylor jumping for joy. The Bills did sign Anquan Boldin on August 7th….only to watch him retire 13 days later. Good stuff!! Maybe Bills and Jets’ fans will get along this season. Misery does love company — right??

Key Additions: Steven Hauschka, Vlad Ducasse, Micah Hyde

Key Losses: Sammy Watkins, Stephon Gilmore, Mike Gillislee

New York Jets

Boy, oh boy!! Where do I begin?! Taking this season in a vacuum, this will be the longest, most frustrating season Jets’ fans have ever endured — ever!! And that’s saying a lot. The offense the Jets will be running onto the field every Sunday is the result of a Tank Job for the ages. See, the Jets are like a car you want to rebuild. Any old, rusty parts that can be scrapped are taken to the junkyard. And any new, shiny parts will replace the old ones..only the new parts are on back order..for a YEAR. Buckle up Jets’ fans, it’s going to be a bumpy ride.

Key Additions: Demario Davis, Josh McCown, Kelvin Beachum

Key Losses: Brandon Marshall, Eric Decker, Darelle Revis, Nick Mangold, David Harris, I could keep going, but let’s just agree the Jets are TANKING

This Season’s Predictions:

New England Patriots: 12-4

Miami Dolphins: 7-9

Buffalo Bills: 5-11

New York Jets: 2-14

How do you think the AFC East will play out?? If you see it differently than I do, you may want to change your prescriptions. Just sayin’.

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One-Liner Fridays!!

August 4, 2017 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ 3 Comments

espn 8 the ocho

Happy Friday sports fans!! It isn’t a mirage. Friday is actually here. I’m going to get your weekend started a little early with an oldie but a goodie. This is a segment I like to call, One-Liner Fridays. Today, I give my take on the week of sports in One Line and One Line only. “We’re gonna to skate to One song and One song only!” Enjoy!!

“Pudge” Rodriguez has taken his nickname, and apparently his eating contests, too seriously.

Voting Tim Raines into the MLB Hall of Fame, after 10 years, is like that bad decision you make right as the lights come on at last call — I get it, she was the only girl left in the bar.

Putting Bud Selig in the MLB Hall of Fame is like asking Adrian Peterson to babysit tonight.

Nothin’ says, “Welcome to New York Sonny Gray” like the Yankees committing 3 errors behind him, in the 1st inning.

I know Pete Rose isn’t in the running for Humanitarian of the Century, but did a woman really come out of the shadows, and accuse him of a crime from 30 YEARS AGO?!

Nice try lady.

Stephen Curry took some time out of his busy, make fun of Lebron James schedule, to play in his 1st professional golf tournament (Ellie Mae Classic).

It appears, Steph Curry (who shot a 74) is now better than Tiger Woods at golf.

House, no — Cars, no — Travel the world, no — Put my kids through college, no — Invest, no — Purchase Neymar Jr., YES!!

I literally couldn’t think of a better way to spend $262 Million either.

I love how Dolphins fans are distraught today after seeing Ryan Tannehill go down with a knee injury in practice yesterday — Yeah, because NOW your season’s over.

At least it’ll keep the Colin Kaepernick conversation going, so we’ve got that goin’ for us.

We saw more punches thrown on the 1st day of New England Patriot’s Training Camp than we will see in the entire Mayweather/McGregor fight.

Thank you Paul Malignaggi, for leaving the “Circus”, as you called it, of McGregor’s camp, and daring McGregor to go public with their sparring video — which would allegedly show what really happened.

And in case you somehow didn’t notice, yesterday was Tom Brady’s, not to be confused with Jesus’, 40th birthday….

At least ESPN didn’t replay every minute of every game of Tom Brady’s career….

Speaking of ESPN, fantasy will become reality when ESPN U morphs into ‘ESPN 8, The Ocho’ for one day, August 8th.

That’s awesome!!

Cotton McKnight:
“In 23 years of broadcasting I thought I’d seen it all, folks, but it looks like Peter La Fleur has actually blindfolded himself.

Pepper Brooks:
“He will not be able to see very well, Cotton.”

If you have a One-Liner of your own, please post it below in the comment section.

Enjoy your weekend everybody!!

SPORTS — The Gift That Keeps On Giving

August 3, 2017 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ 2 Comments

tom-brady-happy-face

Don’t be a sheep. Sheep blend in with the herd and follow what everyone else is doing. I will never be a sheep. I will always be a fox. A leader, who walks his own path. A path covered in clean, white snow, sans footprints. See, I keep hearing the same thing from seemingly everyone, “It’s August. We have nothing to talk about!!” Yes, you do, you’re just lazy. There’s always something to talk about it in the world of sports. Now use that real estate between your ears to find the gifts August 3rd has brought us this year.

Tom Brady

What do you get the man who has everything?? I have no clue!! But according to Rob Gronkowski, you get him ‘Touchdowns’. Tom Brady’s 40th birthday is today. And “The Gronk” said, “I’m going to catch that man some touchdowns.” Wow. So profound Gronk. Thank you so much!!

Tom Brady continues to play at an extremely high level. For now, Father Time has taken a back seat in Tom Brady’s SUV. I’m sure Brady wouldn’t mind the fountain of youth for his birthday though, for Father Time is undefeated for a reason. Today is going to be SUPER annoying. Sports networks are going to jam Tom Brady’s accomplishments down our throats. Enjoy throwing up everybody!!

Wladimir Klitschko

His name may start with an inexplicable W, but his career did not end with a W. After an 11th round knockout by Anthony Joshua back in April, Klitcschko has decided to hang up his boxing gloves for good. While his last fight was competitive, it ultimately led to the decision for the 41 year old to retire. Klitschko enjoyed a very successful career, going 64-5 and in his 69 professional fights. This news leaves the heavyweight division even thinner than it already was. Good luck boxing….

Neymar Jr.

Hey, you got $222 Million Euro ($262 Million Dollars) sittin’ around?? You do?? Oh great! Let’s spend that on Neymar Jr. I can’t actually think of a better way to spend money. This is the current state of affairs in soccer. Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) will pay the largest transfer fee EVER to Barcelona to attain the rights to Neymar Jr. This is insane!!

Shutout City

Yesterday was an odd day in Major League Baseball. Of the 14 games that were played, 6 were shutouts. This is the 2nd most shutouts in one day in the past 11 years. The even crazier part is 4 of the 6 starting pitchers have E.R.A.s of 5.00 or more. And the CRAZIEST part is the teams these crappy pitchers blanked:

Washington Nationals
Houston Astros
New York Yankees
Chicago Cubs
Kansas City Royals
Philadelphia Phillies

Outside of the Phillies, those are REALLY GOOD hitting teams. For all of them to put up goose eggs on the same day, there must be some weird, cosmic energy floating around the universe.

What was the most exciting part of Wednesday for you?? Tell me all about it in the comment section below.

What’s A Little Fight Between Friends??

August 2, 2017 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ 2 Comments

China Olympics Beijing Water Cube Bird's Nest

It is an exciting time to be alive. The birds are chirping, the sun is shining, and every NFL Training Camp is underway. This first week of Camp is usually designated for Non-Contact Drills. Apparently, not everyone received that memo.

So far, we have seen multiple fights break out in multiple camps. Reportedly, there have been scuffles in Bengals, Vikings, Giants, and Patriots’ Training Camps. These are the fights we know about. Let’s start with everyone’s least favorite team, ahem, I mean the defending Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots.

Patriots

Stephon Gilmore is the new kid on the block in New England. He’s trying to make a good first impression and show his new team he won’t back down from a fight. On Tuesday, Julian Edelman was locked up with Gilmore all throughout practice. Edelman became fed up with Gilmore’s physical play, so he took this party to the ground. After Edelman pinned Gilmore down, the fight was broken up by teammates. Images of the scuffle can be seen here. Bill Belichick has a strict “No Fighting” policy, so both Edelman and Gilmore were immediately ejected from practice. Good times.

Giants

The New York Giants defense has become one of their greatest strengths. Three days ago, two Giants’ defenders figured it was time to flex their muscles, on each other. At the end of practice on Sunday, Janoris Jenkins (Cornerback) and Eric Pinkins (Safety) went at it. Pushing led to punching which led to teammates jumping in to separate both players. Giants’ Head Coach, Ben McAdoo, said, “You know how it is with families. Sometimes you have some dustups, but some of the best dust-ups you’re ever in is with family. You learn from it and move on.” Certainly the Giants will move on from this, as they have high expectations for the upcoming season.

Bengals

And then there’s the Cincinnati Bengals. The oh so dysfunctional Bengals. They’ve been known for their physical, almost violent, style of play. While this can be effective, it’s not often the best idea when you’re playing against yourself — in practice. Bengals’ running back, Giovani Bernard, is returning from a torn ACL. You’d think his teammates would be cognizant of that. They all seemed to be, until Vontaze Burfict entered the picture. Yes, that Vontaze Burfict. The cheap-shot machine decided it was a good idea to tackle Bernard during a NON-CONTACT DRILL!! Check out the video of the hit here. Nice move Einstein. Naturally, the Bengals’ Running Backs Coach took exception to this, and got in Burfict’s face. Which led to a full-team scuffle. Hooray comradery!!

What do you think of Training Camp fights?? Does it show an exciting level of passion, or does it show a senseless lack of self-control?? Send me your opinion in the comment section below.

I Think We’ll Call This One….ConcussionGate

May 19, 2017 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ 4 Comments

gisele

Apparently being a 5-time Super Bowl Champion, a multi-millionaire, and the best quarterback of all-time doesn’t qualify you to wear the pants in the family. Tom Brady is married to retired Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen. Oh yeah, she kept her maiden name. Despite having a net worth of approximately 180 million dollars, Brady is also NOT the bread winner in their household. Gisele’s net worth is an estimated 360 million dollars. Think they have enough money? Anyway, the point is, Tom couldn’t keep Gisele from ‘spilling the beans’ on national television.

On Wednesday, Gisele was interviewed on “CBS This Morning”. To see the cringe worthy portion of the interview, click here. Gisele blurted out that her husband had a concussion last year. She went on to say that he’s had multiple concussions in his career. Riiiigghhttt….Only problem there is Tom Brady has never been diagnosed with a concussion before, nor have the words head injury and Tom Brady ever collided on an injury report. If you follow the NFL or the New England Patriots, you know they are a big fan of filling up the injury report. Julian Edelman..you stubbed your toe? You’re on the injury report. Rob Gronkowski..you spiked a gallon of milk on ESPN again and some milk splattered on your thumb? You’re on the injury report. The Patriots have also been known to bend the rules from time-to-time, so this is a very intriguing revelation.

So, did Gisele just blow the doors off a concussion cover-up?! Yup, you guessed it, I’m going to tell you what I think. Here are the 3 possibilities for what this means:

1.) The most likely scenario is Gisele accidentally dropped the concussion bomb on live television. This will likely lead to a lengthy investigation by the NFL and could bring us flashbacks of ‘DeflateGate’ by introducing ‘ConcussionGate’. Yayy!!

2.) This next one is for all you conspiracy theorists out there. Is it possible that Tom and Gisele did this on purpose? Because the only thing better than attention….is more attention.

3.) And finally, there is the possibility that she just doesn’t know what she’s talking about. This is the least likely possibility (as well as the most insulting), but how could she possibly let the c-word fly?? That’s the holy grail of curse words in the NFL. Tom Brady probably saw that interview and was like, you gotta be kidding me….you don’t let me pee standing up, and now you do this?!?! ‘C’mon Man!

The initial question asked of Gisele was in response to Tom Brady’s ESPN interview earlier in the week. Brady said that Gisele wants him to retire, but he went on to say that he still feels great at 40 years old. And if he feels this good at 45 years old, why wouldn’t he still be playing football? Well Tom, nobody beats father time. And apparently neither Tom or father time will decide when it’s time to retire: “She makes decisions for our family that I’ve got to deal with. Hopefully she never says, ‘Look, this has to be it,'” Brady said “My wife and my kids, it’s a big investment of their time and energy too.”

Listen, I am a huge supporter of women’s rights, equal pay, and the empowerment of women. But, I also don’t believe relationships should be run or controlled by one person. That goes for men and women. Relationships and marriages only work if there is open communication and compromise. But I guess Tom Brady is living proof of ‘happy wife, happy life’.

Do you think Tom Brady and the New England Patriots are covering up concussions?? Tell me what you think 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. You can also 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!

The English Language Doesn’t Have A Word For What The Spurs Did To The Rockets Thursday Night

May 12, 2017May 12, 2017 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ 5 Comments

WOW!! Let me say that again. WOW!!!! Was that awesome or what?? I’ve never enjoyed watching an absolute blowout so much in my life. In case you turned the game off at halftime, it only got worse (for the Rockets). The San Antonio Spurs crushed, destroyed, demolished, routed, embarrassed, beat down, annihilated, obliterated, and most importantly eliminated the Houston Rockets on Thursday night (114-75). Yes, you read that score right. 114-75.

Game 6 started with the Spurs winning the tip-off. Lamarcus Aldridge received the ball in the low post, made a quick spin move toward the left baseline, and scored an easy basket. Just 23 seconds into the game, the tenor was set for the rest of the evening. Aldridge channeled his days as a Portland Trailblazer (where he averaged nearly 20 points and 9 rebounds per game), finishing with 34 points and 12 rebounds. He was unstoppable, and the rest of the spurs, sans Kawhi Leonard, followed suit. Before we get to the Spurs’ impressive performance, let us attempt to understand what happened to James Harden and the Rockets….

I’ve never seen such a pathetic performance from an MVP candidate, on his home floor, in an elimination game in my life. James Harden looked about as interested in last night’s game as this kid from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off:

Harden attempted just 2 shots in the 1st half. 2 shots!! Momentum is often thought of in a positive light, but I guess the awful momentum of Harden’s disastrous play at the end of Game 5 spilled over to Game 6. Harden finished with a season low 10 points on 2-11 shooting, and added a stellar 6 turnovers. His performance was inexplicable, but if Harden wasn’t making such a ridiculous salary, I’d be calling for a point-shaving investigation. It was that bad! But anyway, back to the Spurs….

Six Spurs scored in double figures. Jonathan Simmons, who started in place of Leonard, contributed 18 points on 8-12 shooting and played the best defense I’ve seen since the ’85 Bears (“Da Bears“). Rookie point guard, Dejounte Murray, played a fantastic game posting a double-double (11 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block). Someone tell me how this kid fell to 29th in the draft?! This kid is going to be a very good point guard for a very long time. Pau Gasol, Danny Green, and Patty Mills had solid games, all scoring in double figures as well.

The Spurs have been typecast with playing a “boring” brand of basketball. I am sick of hearing that. If putting the ball in the basket efficiently, playing relentless defense, and winning is “boring”, then sign me up for some boring. And I’ll take a side of fundamentals with my boring please. In the age of hey everybody look at me, it is refreshing to see a franchise run like the Spurs. Sure, they have a superstar in Kawhi Leonard, but do you see him showboating? Complaining? Flailing his arms about looking for an imaginary foul? Flopping around like a fish out of water? The answer, to all, is an emphatic NO!

The Spurs, once again, proved why they are the cream of the crop in the NBA. They are heading to their 10th Western Conference Finals under Gregg Popovich (the coach since ’96-’97). I know, I know, this sounds a lot like the New England Patriots. Well, it’s because they are run very similarly. They don’t hand out contracts based on what you’ve done, rather for what you are going to do. They turn late round draft picks into stars. They don’t tolerate individual egos. And they are run with only one thing in mind; WINNING.

The question is, will they win against the contrasting style of the Golden State Warriors? Assuming Kawhi Leonard’s health, and as much as I don’t want to eat my words for doubting the Spurs, I still can’t envision the Spurs beating the Warriors 4 times in 7 tries. Can you?

Let me know what you think in the comment section below.

Lebron James Is Decent At Basketball

April 21, 2017April 21, 2017 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ Leave a comment

lebron

There is a short list of things better than sleep. Watching Lebron James play basketball is one of those things. So, if Thursday was your go to bed early day, I feel bad for you. In case anyone had forgotten, Lebron James is still the best player in the world. He reminded us by leading his Cleveland Cavaliers to the greatest comeback win in NBA playoff history. Thanks to his 41 point, 13 rebound, and 12 assist triple double, the Cavaliers became the first team to ever comeback from a 25-point halftime deficit. I knew the Indiana Pacers were in trouble when their 20-point lead shrank to 10 points in a 1:55 span of the 3rd quarter. The Cavaliers now hold a commanding 3-0 lead over the Pacers. And in case you hadn’t noticed, first round loss and Lebron James don’t often collide in the same sentence. Thursday night’s victory extended Lebron James’ winning streak in first round games to 20. That’s insane!

Side note: Can anyone guess the last team to win a first round game against Lebron James? If you said my 2012 New York Knickerbockers you’d be correct. Thanks Melo’.

This streak is tied for the longest since the 1983-1984 postseason, where the playoffs expanded to 16 teams. Last night’s performance also put Lebron in rarefied air. He passed Kobe Bryant for 3rd on the all-time postseason scoring list.

One of the most impressive things about last night’s comeback was Lebron did it by himself. Occasionally in the past, Kevin Love would grab a crucial rebound or JR Smith would decide it’s time to snap out of an 0 for 17 shooting slump. And of course there was the NBA Finals clinching 3-pointer hit by Kyrie Irving last year. However, Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue decided to sit Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving for THE ENTIRE 4th quarter. So much for the Big Three. Of course, Lebron can’t win a championship by himself. We don’t have to look far to find proof of that. Insert cough here, 2015 Finals, cough again, 2007 Finals, cough cough.

As for the task at hand, I believe the Cavaliers are 1 of only 3 teams that can realistically win the Championship this year. The other 2 would be the New England Patr….oops I’m sorry, I’m just so used to them winning I figured they may win the NBA Championship too. The Golden State Warriors and the San Antonio Spurs are the only other teams who have a chance this year. Personally I don’t envision the Warriors losing more than 2 games to anyone en route to another Championship. But as long as Lebron James is still lacing up his Nike sneakers, I won’t be counting him out.

Who do you think will win the NBA Championship? Let me know in the comment section below.

Championship Weekend Is Upon Us

January 16, 2015January 16, 2015 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ Leave a comment

Something spectacular is about to happen. After four grueling months, only four of the NFL’s best teams remain. And with the Lombardi Trophy in their grasp, it is going to take an incredible feat, by a still unknown hero, to earn a trip to Glendale, Arizona and an appearance in Super Bowl XLIX. We could see the ‘passing of the torch’ from a hall of fame quarterback to a future hall of famer. Or we could see an opportunity for the first back-to-back championships in 10 years. No matter what happens, history is about to be made. I think we are going to witness two unbelievable football games, and I wouldn’t be surprised by any outcome, so sit back, relax, and enjoy the show!

NFC Championship

Green Bay Packers vs. *Seattle Seahawks – Sunday @ 3:05 P.M. (FOX)

* – Indicates Home Team

The Packers and Seahawks will meet for the second time this season in the NFC Championship. The first meeting didn’t go so well for the Packers, as they were blown out 36-16 in Week 1. Revenge should play a slight factor, but the outcome of this game rests primarily on the calf of Aaron Rodgers. If he is healthy enough to keep the Seahawks’ tenacious defense in check, they have a shot, however, if he is only 70% of himself, the Packers are in for a long afternoon. Another key to this game is Marshawn Lynch versus the Packers run defense. The Packers were 23rd in the league in rushing yards allowed this season (119.9 ypg), while the Seahawks were the number one rushing team (172.6 ypg). Despite all the evidence to support a Seahawks victory, I think Aaron Rodgers is going to give us one of the grittiest performances we’ve ever seen. Also, expect Jordy Nelson to wake up after a lackluster performance in the Divisional Round, and show Richard Sherman a thing or two. Home/Road splits be damned. Give me the Packers, in the upset, squeezing out a 1 point victory.

Prediction: Packers 28 – Seahawks 27

AFC Championship

Indianapolis Colts vs. *New England Patriots – Sunday @ 6:40 P.M. (CBS)

* – Indicates Home Team

Oh Bill Belichick, as much as I dislike your sweatshirt and your general attitude towards everyone, I have to give you credit. You are the best coach in the NFL. You and Tom Brady are Greg Popovich and Tim Duncan. Thirteen years have gone by, you haven’t aged, your productivity is still top notch, and just when everyone counts you out, you remind them why you’re still the best. I guess cranky, surly head coach plus humble superstar is a decent combination. I digress. Just like the NFC, the AFC Championship is a repeat matchup of a lopsided affair (NE 42 – Indy 20) from earlier in the year. You will remember, however, that was the game where Jonas Gray ran for 201 yards and 4 touchdowns, so expect this Sunday’s game to be a lot closer. Andrew Luck’s game also took another step forward this season, as he led the league in touchdowns, but Luck will need to come up with a performance for the ages if the Colts are going to take down Goliath. The other key to this game will be limiting “The Gronk”. He can’t be stopped completely, but if the Colts can keep him out of the end zone, that’ll give them a fighting chance. Unfortunately for all of us bitter Jets fans out there, I expect Tom Brady and the Patriots to make their 6th Super Bowl appearance in 14 years.

Prediction: Patriots 31 – Colts 28

Who do you have in this year’s Super Bowl?? 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 Divisional Playoffs Kick-Off Saturday

January 9, 2015January 9, 2015 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ Leave a comment

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.

I’d Ask, But I Know You Are Ready For Some Football!!

September 5, 2013September 6, 2013 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ Leave a comment

Your birthday? Nope. Your anniversary? Nah. That day you randomly find a $20 in your jacket that you haven’t worn in 3 months? Almost, but no. So what is the best day of the year? It is today; Opening Day of the NFL Season. It is the day you’ve been waiting for ever since the unbelievably annoying Ray Lewis hoisted The Lombardi Trophy over is head in February. Well, the wait is over. You can have a snickers bar and you can watch some football. You can finally see how your fantasy picks will pan out. And, you all have a reason to sit on the couch and do nothing. Enjoy what should undoubtedly be made a National Holiday.

The 2013 NFL Season kicks off tonight, Thursday September 5th, with the defending champion Baltimore Ravens taking on the Denver Broncos (I think we all remember what happened the last time these teams met). To say The Broncos will be looking for revenge would be an understatement. The Broncos enter the season with extremely high expectations. Some have them in or winning The Super Bowl this year thanks to the additions of Wes Welker and others. Even with their best defender, Von Miller, suspended for the first 4 games of the season they are still looked at as the favorites in the AFC. On the other hand, the defending champion Ravens enter the season with a handful of question marks. How do they replace Ray Lewis and Ed Reed? Will Joe Flacco live up to the astronomically high contract he was given last year? Can you really win with just 1 wide receiver? That last one was a joke, but seriously how are you going to win with Torrey Smith and me at wide receiver? Despite his impressive Super Bowl performance and his wonderful (haha) showing on Dancing With The Stars, Jacoby Jones is actually not very good at football. These are some of the questions that will certainly be answered once the season gets under way. You can catch tonight’s opening game on NBC at 8:30 P.M. Who do you like to win this game? I have Denver (at home) winning a relatively close game 24-17.

The rest of Week 1 will be played on Sunday and Monday. So, clear your schedules for the weekend, find that ass groove in the couch that has missed you so dearly, and lets get ready for some football. I am now ready to give you some of my thoughts and predictions on the upcoming season. Everyone has an opinion on their own favorite team and who they think will win, but football more than any other sport is incredibly unpredictable. Players get injured at a very high rate, and every year we seem to have a completely unknown player climb out of the woodwork and land right in the limelight. Nonetheless, lets make some predictions. I shall start with my favorite “team”, The New York Jets. Their team can be summed up in one word: Joke. They are a complete and utter joke. I see them winning 4 games at most, but most likely will only pull off 3 lucky victories. With that being said, I still believe it is not fair for ESPN to rank the Jets as the worst team in the NFL. That distinction clearly should be held by The Oakland Raiders (Chris Berman voice). Anyway, I see the Raiders, Jets, and Jaguars all being very very bad, and I wouldn’t be surprised if any of these teams wound up as the worst team in the league. And now, I will provide you with the Division winners, Wild Card teams, and Super Bowl Champion that will make up the 2013 playoffs.

In the AFC East, I don’t see how any other team will come out of that division than The New England Patriots. Everyone can talk about how much better The Miami Dolphins will be, but I’m sorry Ryan Tannehill, I’m just not buying it. The AFC West is also a pretty easy division to figure out. The Denver Broncos will handily win this division. Most people are eager to hop on the Kansas City Chiefs bandwagon, but I’m also not prepared to do that either. Will they be in a hunt for the Wild Card with 3 games to go? It’s very possible, but I also wouldn’t be surprised if they were 4-9 by then either. Oh, they have Alex Smith? Well then, that changes everything, they’ll probably win The Super Bowl. What was I thinking? The AFC North and South are a little tougher to figure out, and will probably provide the playoffs with the other 4 teams in the AFC this year. The AFC North will be a tightly contested division, but I feel that The Cincinnati Bengals will prevail. I also believe that The Ravens, not The Steelers will land a Wild Card spot this year. The Steelers have no running game, and Big Ben just isn’t good enough to win without a good supporting cast and top 10 defense. The AFC South is a fun division and should also bring 2 playoff teams to the mix this year. The Indianapolis Colts will win this division behind the strong play of Andrew Luck (he is the real deal and will be the best 2nd year QB in the NFL this season). The Texans will land the other Wild Card spot this year.

AFC Playoff Picture

1.) Denver Broncos
2.) New England Patriots
3.) Indianapolis Colts
4.) Cincinnati Bengals
5.) Baltimore Ravens
6.) Houston Texans

I envision The Denver Broncos beating The New England Patriots in the AFC Championship (and giving everyone that one last Peyton Vs. Tom showdown everyone was looking for last year).

As for the NFC, I see this as the much harder conference to predict. The NFC East by itself is like flipping a 4-sided coin. But, here goes nothing. In the NFC East, as much as I hate them and love watching them crumble under pressure, I see the Dallas Cowboys narrowly pulling out the division title this year. I think The New York Giants will be in the fight for a Wild Card spot all season but will fall just short of the playoffs yet again this season. The NFC West, which is seen as the strongest division in the NFL should definitely bring 2 teams to the playoffs this year. I have The San Francisco 49ers winning the division, and The Seattle Seahawks winning a Wild Card spot. The NFC North should be a battle between 2 long time rivals; The Packers and Da Bears. I see The Packers edging out the Bears for the Division while Jay Cutler will once again be watching the playoffs from home this season. Last, but certainly not least, there is my favorite division in football, The NFC South. This division should also produce 2 playoff teams this season. The Atlanta Falcons will once again win the division while the New Orleans Saints will land the final playoff spot this season.

NFC Playoff Picture

1.) San Francisco
2.) Atlanta Falcons
3.) Green Bay Packers
4.) Dallas Cowboys
5.) Seattle Seahawks
6.) New Orleans Saints

Let me repeat how unpredictable the NFC is going to be this season. Don’t be surprised if the Wild Cards consist of The Bears, Redskins, Giants, or Redskins. However, based off my predictions, I see The San Francisco 49ers beating the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Championship in a rematch of last year. As for the Super Bowl, I see Peyton Manning prevailing to win his 2nd Lombardi Trophy, while Colin Kaepernick suffers his 2nd straight defeat in the Super Bowl. And that my friends, is how I see the NFL season playing out this year. It is a long road, and it all starts tonight. However it plays out, enjoy it!!

Please leave me your predictions for the upcoming NFL Season below in the comment section. Thank you.

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 at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

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