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Pro Sports Wrap - Sports Personality of the Day:Kris Versteeg

10/16 NFL Rumors: Tuck and Snee Out

October 16th 2011 15:26
In case anybody was wondering, I get all my rumors from Yahoo! Sports, and I basically read, rephrase, and add in my own opinion to make these rumors unique and PSW-quality.

The Giants had one of those "What the hell just happened?" losses last week against the Seattle Seahawks. I looked outside to see if the world was ending, but it was just another NFL game. The Giants now face the surprise Buffalo Bills, but they won't have Justin Tuck and Chris Snee. They can deal with losing Snee, but Justin Tuck is such a huge presence for this team. I never thought they could win anyway, but this only hurts the Giants. The Bills will come back down to earth to a certain extent at some point during the season, because their terrible players on the offensive line are over-performing at an unsustainable level.


There are actually rumblings about Andy Reid's job security, as impossible as it seems. At the very least, there will be changes on the defensive side of the ball coaching-wise. There wass a players-only meeting in Philly in which the Eagles' players voiced their support for Reid. They realize that it's all on them; not their coach.

Owner Mike Brown still maintains his position and won't trade Carson Palmer to another team. Palmer is really the only guy who stands to lose from this, as he won't get the 11 million dollars he is scheduled to get if he doesn't play a game this season.

Percy Harvin will be out against the Bears with another rib injury, and this makes this an even more interesting matchup between two NFC North deadweights. Harvin is underused and is easily the team's second best offensive weapon behind AP.
Giants fan: Oh f***k, we don't have Tuck


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10/2011 Player Profile: Ray Rice

October 15th 2011 17:01
When talking about elite running backs, it is imperative to mention the name "Ray Rice". He is the focal point of a contender's offense, and I honestly hope that you don't think Joe Flacco is the team's best offensive player. That honor goes to Rice, or the very underrated Marshal Yanda. In any case, Rice is one of the best and most versatile backs in the NFL right now, and he currently has a 52.9 RB Efficiency score.

According to Advanced NFL Stats, Rice currently has the 6th highest EPA among running backs this season (13th last season), and his DYAR (provided by Football Outsider's) was 13th in the NFL last season. However, Rice is a better player than the statistics indicate, because we haven't taken into account that he is one of the best receiving running backs in the league.

A dual threat, Ray Rice is a more than capable aerial threat and has the uncanny ability to move the chains by both running the football and catching passes from Flacco. This versatility separates him from other running backs around the league, and it vaults him into the elite class of the best ten players at his position. There aren't many running backs who are the offense's main attacking outlet anymore.

While he is not quite as good as guys like MJD, AP, and JC, Ray Rice is still one of the best running backs in the game today due to his ability to make an impact in more than one way. He was disappointing last season after a monstrous 2009 campaign, in which only CJ2K had a better season, but he has played well thus far in 2011.
Rutgers seems like a past life
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9/2011 WR Rankings

September 24th 2011 13:50
1. Larry Fitzgerald
2. Andre Johnson
3. Calvin Johnson
4. Reggie Wayne
5. Steve Smith CAR
6. Roddy White
7. Greg Jennings
8. Brandon Marshall
9. Kenny Britt
10. Mike Wallace
11. Miles Austin
12. Santonio Holmes
13. Marques Colston
14. Jeremy Maclin
15. DeSean Jackson
16. Vincent Jackson
17. Anquan Boldin
18. Mike Williams TB
19. Steve Smith PHI
20. Hakeem Nicks
21. Lance Moore
22. Sidney Rice
23. Santana Moss
24. Brandon Lloyd
25. Dwayne Bowe
26. Braylon Edwards
27. Johnny Knox
28. Dez Bryant
29. Wes Welker
30. Austin Collie
31. Mario Manningham
32. Steve Johnson
33. Earl Bennett
34. AJ Green
35. Percy Harvin
36. Jordy Nelson
37. Malcolm Floyd
38. Pierre Garcon
39. Nate Washington
40. Davone Bess
41. Hines Ward
42. Robert Meachem
43. Mike Thomas
44. Donald Driver
45. Lee Evans
46. Julio Jones
47. James Jones
48. Antonio Brown
49. Jordan Shipley
50. Derrick Mason
Musgrave must use him more


Week 3 Picks

Bengals over 49ers
Panthers over Jaguars
Lions over Vikings
Titans over Broncos
Browns over Dolphins
Eagles over Giants
Saints over Texans
Patriots over Bills
Ravens over Rams
Jets over Raiders
Chargers over Chiefs
Packers over Bears
Cardinals over Seahawks
Falcons over Bucs
Steelers over Colts
Redskins over Cowboys (To make this more interesting)
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2011 Week 2 Preview: Falcons and Eagles

September 16th 2011 16:54
Before I take a look at this game, I want to recall the 2004 season's NFC Championship game between these two teams. This was back when Michael Vick was the Falcons beloved franchise quarterback, and it was also the year in which Donovan McNabb roasted everybody and took the Eagles to the Super Bowl. They lost, but Andy Reid may finally be able to lay claim to a title of his own this season. The Eagles first legitimate test is an away game against Atlanta.

The reason why I mention the home and away dynamic is the fact that Matty Ice and the Atlanta offense are even better in the Georgia Dome. However, they are coming off of an embarrassing and unexpected drubbing against the Chicago Bears in the season's first week. The thing is, they really didn't play as poorly as the scoreline (30-12) would suggest. They are too talented to not bounce back, but that lackluster performance certainly hurts their stock going into this game. I mean, it's pretty difficult to be a legit Super Bowl candidate when you lose 30-12 to a team who will most likely struggle to go 8-8.

What hurt the Falcons most in that game was their offensive line, and the veteran presence of Todd McClure was sorely missed. He will most likely miss this game, and Joe Hawley is one of the last guys you want starting at center against the defensive line that they will be facing. Left guard Justin Blalock is one of the best guards out there, but interior of the line looks weak otherwise.

Speaking of which, the Eagles defensive line was absolutely dominant against the Rams. Jason Smith was consistently beaten, and backup ends Darryl Tapp and Juqua Parker showed that they are more talented than "just backups". Cullen Jenkins was a huge presence, and Trent Cole turned in yet another solid performance. Yeah, the Eagles defensive line has been as-advertised.

Unfortunately, the same can't be said about their linebackers. All of them were horrible, and Casey Matthews really needs to get some tips from his brother. The secondary has looked solid and should be able to keep the Falcons offense somewhat at bay, but I could see Tony Gonzalez and Michael Turner having big days.

What I really like about the Eagles secondary is the fact that they have four good corners on their roster. We all know about Nnamdi, Samuel, and DRC; but Joselio Hanson is a good player in his own right. He is vastly underrated and is one of the better nickel backs in the league.

The Falcons were dealt a huge blow when it was announced that standout- and underrated- defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux would be out for three to five weeks with a partially torn MCL. He is a very good run-stuffer and one of the best interior pass rushers in the game. His replacement, Corey Peters, is very average and won't be capable of replacing him. This matchup looks a whole lot better from LeSean McCoy's viewpoint.

Jason Peters should be able to hold his own, but I really worry about Todd Herremans in this matchup. It's not everyday that you're asked to block two top pass rushers in Kroy Biermann and Ray Edwards, but Sunday is just one of those days where he won't want to wake up (thank you Fred Durst). I think this line should be able to get some pressure on Michael Vick, and I could see Ray Edwards ending up with a lot of pressure and multiple sacks.

Brent Grimes, Dunta Robinson, and Thomas DeCoud make up a solid secondary, but I don't see how these guys contain the Eagles offense. I can see this game being a really high scoring affair, albeit with a lot of sacks.

For the reasons listed above, I think that the Eagles have the advantage in this one. They have the better secondary and passing matchup overall, and their running game should only be slightly less productive than the Falcons' ground game.

MVP: Trent Cole

Prediction: 34 Eagles 30 Falcons
Will feast on Sam Baker
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2011 NFL Kick-off preview

September 7th 2011 16:40
As I sit here in my comfortable abode on an all too crappy netbook typing this post out while blaring Tool, my mind is busy contemplating the rigorous ahead of us (NFL fans). The parity in the NFL makes predicting a difficult task, but I do know one thing for sure; this is going to be one hell of a season. Don't believe me? Well, why don't you just take a look at the season's first game between the Packers and Saints? I don't need to tell you how great these two teams are, and just how great these two teams will be in February. Oh wait...this is the NFL, where crazy happens.

The Eagles, Falcons, Saints, and Packers are the NFC's undisputed Big Four heading into the season. They have very little questions surrounding their teams, and these are the guys who you put your sports' dignity on the line when you make your predictions. But with a full season looming ahead, injuries, poor execution, and the usual unexpected twists and turns that happen during 16 weeks of football will make the guessing game an even more difficult affair. For now, I'll just stick to one game and break down how I think things will end up between the Packers and Saints
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8/2011 QB Rankings

August 24th 2011 14:50
1. Aaron Rodgers
2. Peyton Manning
3. Tom Brady


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8/18 NFL Rumors: Aaron Maybin signs

August 18th 2011 15:04
This post will talk about the top rumors and bits of news of the week. Michael Vick told GQ that he didn't want to sign with the Eagles, because he didn't want to be a third stringer behind McNabb and Kolb. Both of those guys have since been traded, and Vick has become one of the best ten QBs in the league. He wanted to sign with the Bills or Bengals, but Roger Goodell told Vick that the Eagles were the best team to choose. Good thing Vick followed the commish's advice, otherwise there would be no Super Bowl talk for the Eagles.

While Vick did have a great year in 2010, he was fairly mediocre towards the end of the season thanks to disguise blitz packages that confused Vick. He especially struggled against the Vikings, and he had a ton of trouble recognizing cornerback blitzes involving Antoine Winfield. This year, he has arguably the league's best possession receiver in Steve Smith, and the additions of Danny Watkins and Ryan Harris will bolster a line that was very poor last year. Harris is one of the most athletic linemen in the league, and he was one of the best tackles out there under Mike Shanahan's zone blocking scheme. He's recently struggled with injuries, and the man blocking scheme employed by the Broncos last year did not suit Harris's skillset. Since Vick is a lefty, Harris is his blindside protector, and he should have an excellent 2011 season


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8/2011 Team Scope: Carolina Panthers

August 13th 2011 18:34
Going into free agency, the Panthers had a ton of key players that they had to re-signed. To say their free agency period was a success would be an understatement. They were able to re-sign two very good linebackers in James Anderson and Thomas Davis, they re-signed Charles Johnson who was the second best end in the league last year, and they kept DeAngelo Williams- even though they paid too much for him.

You can tell that Jerry Richardson was gearing up for this though. He never signed anybody the past couple of years, and he was the most vocal about a new CBA that would "help out" the owners. Most coaches' contracts and player contracts were set to expire this year. This was all in Richardson's grand plan


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To qualify a running back must have at least 100 carries. Thanks guys for your feedback, and feel free to comment and criticize. Do you think I should give an extra bonus to the guys with more carries? It seems as if the players in the 100-199 range have the advantage, but this is- after all- and efficiency stat. (The groupings should not be interpreted as tiers, as they are only used to make it look less messy)


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I have finally formulated a decent looking total efficiency statistic to evaluate running backs. There is a huge craze over quarterback stats, but I decided to come up with a simple, yet efficient running back stat. It isn't great, but I think it is better than what we've had. It isn't objective only because of the way I account for the run blocking variable.

Yards per carry is the single most important statistic for a running back, and it's efficiency in its simplest point. However, running backs who carry the rock more tend to have lower yards per carry totals. Also, backs with poor lines- in terms of run blocking- in front of them take hits in that department. YPC also doesn't take into account fumbles or touchdowns either. Although both of those factors aren't as important as once thought, they are necessary to come up with a running back stat that can actually work


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Football Talk is just a segment where I ramble on about the sport I love the most. I am going to start off by talking about the Seahawks' passing game with the additions of Sidney Rice and Tavaris Jackson. The 'Hawks were 7-9 last season, but they still made the playoffs despite being a poor team. Offensively, they were a mess to say the least.

Darrell Bevell was Minnesota's offensive coordinator, and he has brought along Tavaris Jackson and Sidney Rice from the Vikes. Rice had a great year in 2009 when the Vikings were a contender, and Brett Favre was under center. With a capable quarterback, Rice can once again turn in a year like that. The problem is that he hasn't had a capable QB, and I don't consider Jackson startable


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2011 NFL Draft Rankings

May 7th 2011 11:25
This post overviews all of the five parts and ranks which teams did the best and worst in the 2011 NFL Draft.

Great


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Detroit Lions B minus- Nick Fairley slipped, and the Lions knew that his value at the 13th pick was too good to pass up on. While he doesn't fill a need- the Lions are already beastly at D-Tackle with Suh, Corey Williams, and Sammie Lee Hill- Fairley was far too talented to not pick. Titus Young will definitely help out Matthew Stafford because Detroit's third receiver last year- Bryant Johnson- was horrendous. Mikel LeShoure will spell the end of Kevin Smith in Detroit.

Green Bay Packers B minus- Derek Sherrod was needed to bulk up the tackles, and Randall Cobb was a nice selection at the end of the second round. He's a playmaking receiver that will most likely replace James Jones. Cobb will probably handle returns, and he will also make an impact in the passing game because the Packers love their four receiver sets.To me, Davon House was the best pick the Packers made. Although they are already stocked at corner, House was a steal as a compensatory pick in the fourth round. House fits what Dom Capers does defensively, and he is another one of those really good press corners. D.J. Williams was a solid 5th round choice at tight end


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2011 First Round Draft Notes

April 29th 2011 15:07
I can't say that I'm happy, but I'll have to give Cam Newton a chance. I didn't want the Panthers to take him at number one, but I don't want him to bust now that he's "the guy" for my favorite team. I wish the Panthers took a Marcell Dareus or A.J. Green and give Clausen and Moore another shot. After all, it is rare that a QB does well after just one year. It takes time. Smart teams like the Bucs wait three years for their QB, and the Bucs were rewarded when Josh Freeman had the year he had last season.

Newton is one of my least favorite players already, but I can't deny his athleticism. I just wish he had better footwork and was a better person. Jake Locker deserved to be picked at number eight by the Titans. He was high on their board, fits their system well, and he wasn't a reach. There are plenty of unintelligent people that dropped Locker from the first choice over Sam Bradford the year before, to somebody values in the late teens. And why? Well, that's because suddenly mystifying accuracy problems arose. This happens when those said unintelligent "experts" read stats- meaningless in college football- like completion percentage and don't watch what actually happened. Locker's receivers were terrible, and he was almost always under pressure due to an incompetent line


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2011 Pre-Draft Team Needs List

April 28th 2011 14:18
Patriots- O-Line Depth, Pass Rusher, Vertical Wide Receiver, depth RB, Safety
Jets- Pass rusher, offensive line
Dolphins- RB, Guard, QB


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2011 Second Round Mock Draft

April 25th 2011 14:31
33. New England Patriots- RB Mikel LeShoure
34. Buffalo Bills- QB Christian Ponder
35. Cincinnati Bengals- QB Ryan Mallett


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2011 First Round Mock Draft

April 24th 2011 12:48
1. Carolina Panthers- DT Marcell Dareus
2. Denver Broncos- CB Patrick Peterson
3. Buffalo Bills- LB Von Miller


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3/2011 NFL Mock Draft 11-15

March 21st 2011 15:37
11. Houston Texans DT Marcell Dareus

Dareus is an absolute steal here, and he won't slip any more due to my forgetfulness. He has risen to become the best defensive tackle in the class, just barely above Fairley, and the Texans could use him on their D-Line in place of subpar rookie Shaun Cody and even the decent Amobi Okoye. Dareus has too much value to pass up on after the first five picks. He's 11 here because of mistakes in the top ten. A reset mock draft comes in April, as well as a full pre-draft mock draft


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2/2011 Top 75 Wide Receiver Rankings

February 26th 2011 14:29
1. Larry Fitzgerald- Still put up big numbers with nightmare QB carousel. Can catch absolutely anything. Has height, leadership, and athleticism.
2. Andre Johnson- Speed, height, and athleticism. Nuff said.
3. Brandon Marshall- If only he was reunited with Cutler


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2/2011 Early NFL Mock Draft 11-15

February 19th 2011 14:07
11. Houston Texans DE Cameron Jordan

Aldon Smith and Julio Jones are possible choices here, but I really like Jordan and the Texans could use a defensive end that is experienced in the 3-4 defense. He has been refined over the years and is a perfect fit for the new defense that Wade Phillips wants to implement


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