Week 2 Picks!

I've found that picking teams is just too easy, so I'm going to include the spread. Should make it more difficult.

Raiders @ Chiefs-3

Texans @ Titans -6.5

Patriots @ Jets +3.5

Bengals @ Packers -9

Vikings -10 @ Lions

Saints -1 @ Eagles

Panthers @ Falcons -6

Rams @ Redskins -9.5

Cardinals @ Jaguars -3

Seahawks +1 @ 49ers

Bucs +4.5 @ Bills

Browns +3 @ Broncos

Ravens +3 @ Chargers

Steelers -3 @ Bears

Giants @ Cowboys -3

Colts -3 @ Dolphins

(Last week - 13-3)

Great Football Weekend!!

After all of the great college games with fantastic finishes, it was finally time to start the NFL season. The actual season opener was a good game, but I had little interest in it. (What the heck were the Titans and Steelers doing anyway? I thought they were about running the football?)

How 'bout them Cowboys? After a shaky half of football, they settled in nicely. The defense looked bad, but that could just be jitters or rust. Also, Demarcus Ware was shaken up and wasn't himself the whole game. I still trust the secondary, but the front seven needs to stop the run and put pressure on the quarterback. Let's hope that happens against the Giants, otherwise it will be an uphill battle the whole game.

I told my brother before the game that special teams was going to play a huge part in this game. The Cowboys didn't make any mistakes except for the muffed punt return, which they recovered. The kick returns were nice, and our new kick off man really knows how to put it in the back of the end zone. Great punts from McBriar along with a blocked field goal by Gerald Sensabaugh. (I predicted the block by the way)

The offense couldn't put a long drive together. I know Romo passed for 353 yards, but it consisted of 4 huge plays. Big plays aren't a bad thing, but they can't be relied on. All of that being said, this offense could become the best the organization has ever had. Once Felix Jones and Marty B contribute even more to the offense, it could be scary good.

Overall it was a great weekend. I won all of my fantasy leagues, but more importantly the Cowboys won. And as long as the Pats and Chargers win tonight, my season record so far will be 13-3. Who's ready for the Cowboys season opener?

Week 1 Picks!!!

TEN @ PIT - Steelers win a close one

JAC @ IND - I wanna say the Jags, but my head is telling me Colts. Colts barely pulls it out

DET @ NO - Saints win easy

DAL @ TB - Cowboys defense gets to the qb too much, Cowboys by 2 touchdowns

PHI - CAR - Panthers secondary is sketchy at best. Eagles win

KC @ BAL - Too much defense, Ravens win

NYJ @ HOU - I'm not buying the Texans, but they are better than the Jets. Texans win

MIA @ ATL - Too many weapons for the Falcons. Falcons win a close one

DEN @ CIN - The Broncos are a mess. Bengals win

MIN @ CLE - Running game and defense = win. Vikings

WAS @ NYG - Redskins surprise everyone and win

SF @ ARI - Cardinals squeeze one out

STL @ SEA - Seahawks win

CHI @ GB - Packers win by a field goal

BUF @ NE - 30 point win by the Patriots

SD @ OAK - Chargers win

NFL Picks Are Back!!!

I'm going to start off by picking all of the division winners and wildcard teams.

• NFC North - This division looks like it has 3 teams that could finish with 9 wins. I think I'll take the Vikings to win the division, but not because of Brett Favre. That o-line and defense is really good, and they have AP. I think the Bears will make a push and finish second. The defense is close to being where it was a few years ago, and I think they can score enough points to win 8 or 9 games. I'm not sold on the Packers the way most people are, but I could be wrong.

• NFC South - Saints win this division. If their defense improves just a little bit, it will take them a long way. Atlanta finishes a very close 2nd. I think the Panthers will have a down year.

• NFC West - It's so easy to just say Cardinals and dismiss the other teams. Which is exactly what I'm going to do.

• NFC East - As a Cowboys fan, it pains me to type this. The Eagles will win the division. I just think that offense could be really really good. The Cowboys will finish 2nd though and the Giants will struggle with the loss of Burress, Toomer and Ward.

• AFC North - Steelers win the division again. The Bengals will surprise everyone by finishing 2nd. Not convinced about Flacco and that Ravens offense and the Browns stink.

• AFC South - Colts win the division. I'm gonna pick the Jaguars to finish 2nd, I think they bounce back this year. Titans take a step back and the Texans stay where they are.

• AFC West - Chargers...and 3 bad teams

• AFC East - Patriots followed by the Dolphins. Bills and Jets stay at the bottom

• Wildcard Teams - Cowboys and Falcons in the NFC. Bengals and Jags in the AFC.

Fantasy Football

Calvin Johnson is the best reciever in the league. I don't care about what Fitz or Andre Johnson did last year, this guy is playing with nobody. He makes routes seem effortless.

So I got good news yesterday when I found out I had the number 1 pick in my fantasy league. I went the smart route and took Turner 1st. He scores more and doesn't fumble. With my next two picks I took Calvin Johnson and Marion Barber back to back. That's where I made my mistake. I should've taken a qb instead of Barber. My thinking was to wait and take Aaron Rodgers, but the person in front of me took him. I had to settle for Donovan Mcnabb and Carson Palmer.

I hate Donovan McNabb, so I probably won't even play him.

I'm gonna see if I can somehow trade him for Troy Aikman.

Dallas Cowboys Play Football

Did everyone see the reaction of Wade Phillips after Courtney Brown lost the game? It was the most emotion he has ever shown, but it might be too late.

Not only is Wade going to feel the pressure, Tony Romo will too. Witten, Williams, Barber, Newman and even Jerry Jones will hear the boos if things start to go bad. The only way the pressure gets smaller is by having young players step up and make unexpected plays. Maybe it's a Kevin Ogletree who makes an impact. How about Felix Jones? Think he has pro bowl potential? Maybe Jenkins or Scandrick become shutdown corners. I don't know if any of this will happen, but something needs to. This team has looked solid in the preseason and I think they will get off to another quick start. The schedule in the first five weeks is an easy stretch when you consider the teams they will play in December. They must use these early weeks to find their stride in order for them to make a push the last two months. I hope they can do it, but the realist in me says they can't.

Here is the last five weeks of the schedule:

• Dec. 6 - @ Giants
• Dec. 13 - vs. Chargers
• Dec. 19 - @ Saints
• Dec. 27 - @ Redskins
• Jan. 3 - vs Eagles

Dem 'Boys could lose all of those games. I think they can win three at best. If they do win three, welcome to the playoffs. Could be 1 last shot for Wade to save his job.

New Manager Anyone?

The Astros aren't very good. Actually, they're terrible. Here are just a few stats for you.

• Runs scored - 12th in the NL
• Home Runs - 13th in the NL
• Walks - 15th in the NL
• Strike Outs - 15th in the NL
• Grounded into 122 double plays

Do those numbers sound good when you have Lee, Berkman and Tejada? Bourn has been the only consistent player this entire season. He gets on base, steals bases, and scores runs. So many of the position players have given the team nothing. Kaz Matsui has struggled offensively. Hunter Pence still hasn't been a clutch player at all. Roster fillers like Blum, Michaels, Erstad, Keppinger, and Coste have each had their moments this season. Too bad each moment lasted one at bat. When you waste money on veterans that can't deliver anymore, it's time to look at yourself in the mirror. Are you listening Drayton? All of these problems I mentioned are huge ones, and those are just on offense.

Lets take a look at the pitching. Roy Oswalt isn't the ace he was 3 or 4 years ago. It's been a steady decline. Wandy Rodriguez has been the only bright spot. I won't even go into the stats from the other starters because they are just horrendous. Ortiz and Hampton were a waste of time. Most starts looked bad before they could get 3 outs. Norris and Bazardo don't appear to be part of the solution either, although I'm willing to give them more time. Moehler has been good for a number 5 starter, which is what he should be. The bullpen has been beat up, but still unimpressive when healthy. Who knows what that bullpen looks like next year.

So is all of this the fault of Cecil Cooper? Absolutely not. Should he be fired? Absolutely. He has not gained the respect from his players and is constantly making odd moves as a manager. Have you ever seen anyone give up a walk because he wanted to face Hanley Ramirez? Makes you wonder. This team won't get better because change starts at the top. Don't resign Tejada or Valverde, and find out which one of the big three will go. It has to happen. I love Berkman more than my Dodge truck, but he is showing signs of declining. I met him once and he signed a ball for me, so I'd rather see Lee or Oswalt go to free up some money. Berkman is the smart choice though. Then once we bring up some young kids from the minors like Castro and Johnson, go out and sign some starting pitchers. (Randy Wolf and Ty Wiggington sure would have helped this season right!?) Coop should be gone and someone else should be in. I don't care who it is at this point, as long as it isn't someone from within. This is change I can believe in.

Astros and Predictions

If only hitting was as important as hookers!

This offseason hasn't seen many changes for the Houston Astros. The nucleus of the team is still together with Oswalt, Lee, Berkman and Tejada. A few veteran additions have been added and are expected to contribute heavily. Ivan Rodriguez was signed to a one year contract and will have the every day catching duties. Mike Hampton will likely come in as the number 3 starter in a thin rotation. And the Aaron Boone situation isn't a good one. He was signed a couple of months ago but he will probably never see the field with his heart problem.

So how will the Astros do this season?

My guess is they will struggle. Other than the production they get from Lee and Berkman, everyone else is very suspect. Tejada is on the decline and Pence is still learning. They are going to need major contributions from Bourn, but who thinks it's actually going to happen? Our offense is better than the pitching though. Roy O is our number 1...then a bunch of number 4 starters. Wandy, Hampton and Moehler aren't very dependable. There aren't many other options either, the organization has always struggled with growing young talent. A number two starter is needed as well as some bullpen help. Brocail and Valverde are very good, but they can't do it alone. Wright had a good rookie year and will hopefully continue to grow.

This team is looking at 75 wins at best. Anything better will be a gift. If this team isn't in it at midseason, they should look to trade one of our pieces for young players. That is how you build a team, and this organization is just starting to figure that out.

Dallas Cowboys Update 2!

Most of this offseason has been painful for Cowboys fans. We've seen alot of players leave.

• Terrell Owens - ( 69 rec, 10 TD's, 1052 yards last season)
• Chris Canty - ( 37 tackles, 3 sacks last season)
• Anthony Henry - ( 50 tackles, 1 Int last season)
• Zach Thomas - ( 94 tackles, 1 sack last season)
• Kevin Burnett - ( 38 tackles, 2 sacks last season)
• Roy Williams - ( hurt alot last season)

These are the only notable losses so far. A few more like Brad Johnson and Tank Johnson won't be coming back, but who cares? Canty, Thomas and Burnett are replaceable. Adding Igor and Brooking makes us better at those positions.

Anthony Henry is a huge loss to me. He was so reliable. Started 15 games and made alot of plays in the place of Newman. If Newman goes down again this year, we'll have Scandrick and Jenkins as our starting cornerbacks. Each have only 1 year under their belt.

The biggest loss is (obviously) Terrell Owens. Some think it is the best thing that could've happened to this team. His production is still there, but so are his antics. I think that he was used as a scapegoat, but it had to happen. It says alot about our players when they let one guy get in their heads, but it also says alot about "the player". Roy Williams (the receiver) will have to step up and be the number 1 that we traded for him.

Dallas Cowboys Update!!

This offseason has been filled with many moves for the Dallas Cowboys. Some valuable players have been added to the roster.

• Gerald Sensabaugh - 25 year old Safety ( 70 tackles, 4 int's with the Jaguars in 2008)
• Igor Olshansky - 26 year old defensive tackle (29 tackles, 2 sacks with the Chargers in 2008)
• Keith Brooking - 33 year old linebacker ( 102 tackles with the Falcons in 2008)
• Jon Kitna - 36 year old quarterback ( played with the Lions in 2008)

If you look at the stats you would think that Brooking will have the biggest impact on the field this season. That might be the case, but his leadership in the locker room will be more important. He could still be a 3 down player and is an upgrade from Zach Thomas. Sensabaugh and Olshansky are both solid pickups. Sensabaugh might challenge for a starting job and Olshansky will be a nice fill in player after the loss of Chris Canty. Jon Kitna is a nice backup for Tony Romo. We all know that Brad Johnson played his way out of the league last year.

An early look at the playoffs!

The Western Conference will still have the better games. Any one of the teams in the West could go to the finals. Sure the Lakers are the favorites, but other teams are very scary. Spurs, Suns, Hornets, Jazz, Rockets, Nuggets...I'd say that all of these teams have a good chance to come out of the West. How they match up against the elite of the East, nobody really knows yet.

The Eastern Conference is easy to figure out. There are a lot of teams in the East that are better than average, but not many have a shot at the Finals. We all know the two teams that will battle it out to get to the Finals. The Cavs and Celtics are way ahead of every other team in that conference. It's going to be interesting to see if Lebron finally breaks through in the playoffs.

A lot of scenarios, but we will mostly likely see a rematch of last season. Lakers vs Celtics. David Stern's wet dream

T-Mac is the problem Houston has!

It's been a long time since the Rockets did anything in the playoffs. The '96-'97 season was the last time they won a playoff series. When a team loses Hall of Fame players and has to rebuild, it's understandable to not win a playoff series for a little while, but it's been way to long.

The Rockets have added alot of talent over the years. Off the top of my head I think of Yao Ming, Steve Francis, Shane Battier, and most of the roster they have now. It took a little longer than they would've liked to get a championship roster, but they finally have one.

The only piece to the puzzle that doesn't fit is Tracy McGrady. When he is healthy, he is one of the most talented players that I have ever seen. He almost has it all, but what he lacks is what the Rockets need most.

Some players have a killer instinct. Kobe, Jordan, Pierce, Duncan, Wade....but T-Mac doesn't have it. T-Mac was suppose to be the guy that took over in the 4th quarter. Before this season Yao was more than willing to let McGrady be the closer because he has that much talent. Yao has always been the guy to get them to the 4th quarter so that someone else can close it out. Now there isn't anyone to close it, so Yao must do it himself.

It took Yao a long time to realize his potential, but it's happening. He demands the ball on the low block and just goes to work while Tracy watches. This team might not win a playoff series the next two seasons, or they might win it all. For the latter to happen, T-Mac has to pitch in the 4th. If he doesn't, he will be out the door in 2010. Yao is 7"6 and is willing to take the last shot. That's all Rockets fans have been looking for.