Sunday 30 September 2012

NFL Week 4 - Preview

Carolina Panthers @ Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons are looking for their 5th consecutive victory over the Panthers, when the teams go head to head today.  They have had a good start, winning all 3 games.  The Falcons have a great passing game.  Matt Ryan has had a good start and he has 3 top class receivers to throw too.  Julio Jones, Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez are all great options.  The Falcons haven't got their running game going as well as they'd like to, but Michael Turner is a good rusher and the Panthers have struggled against the run, so Turner should have a good day.  The Panthers haven't looked great so far and are 1-2.  A loss today would leave them 3 games behind in the division, so a win is a must if they have playoff aspirations.  The running game has been quite poor so far when you consider the talent at their disposal.  Cam Newton, DeAngelo Williams and Mike Tolbert are all good rushers.  Jonathan Stewart could also be back for this game.  The Falcons rank 24th against the run so if the Panthers are to win, they need to get their running game going.

Prediction -
The Falcons to keep their winning run going.


New England Patriots @ Buffalo Bills
This is a huge game in the battle for the AFC East.  The Pats have started 1-2 and the Bills are 2-1.  A Bills win today would put them 2 games ahead of New England.  It's very early in the season but it would be a great place for the Bills to find themselves, a quarter of the way into the season.  The Pats have lost their two games by a combined total of 3 points but regardless of how close they were, they still have 2 losses on their record.  On paper, the Pats look quite good, certainly on offense.  They rank 9th in passing and 11th in rushing.  It's not brilliant but it's good for a team sitting at 1-2.  The Pats had a bad year defensively last year but they have improved on that last year.  They are doing particularly well against the run, ranking 7th.  Their pass defense could be improved on though, ranking 24th.  The Bills have relied heavily on their running game, with CJ Spiller being the star man.  Spiller came in as a replacement for the injured, Fred Jackson.  Spiller has taken his chance but he picked up an injury last week and is listed as questionable.  Jackson is also listed as questionable.  If the Bills are to win this game, they need their running game to be at full strength and unfortunately for them it doesn't look like it is.  I just can't see Ryan Fitzpatrick winning this game for the Bills against an angry Pats and with a banged up rushing attack, against an improved Pats defense, there's only going to be one winner.

Prediction -
New England to blow away the cobwebs and get the win.


Minnesota Vikings @ Detroit Lions

Another big divisional game were a team,expected to have a good year find themselves at 1-2 against a "lesser" rival at 2-1.  The Vikings have been surprisingly good so far.  Christian Ponder has been particularly impressive, throwing 4 touchdown passes and 0 interceptions.  If I'm honest, Ponder is a quarterback who I didn't expect to do well, but he has looked good so far.  Adrian Peterson is also helping out by putting up some respectable numbers, since returning from a serious injury.  The Lions rank top in passing yards but Matt Stafford has been a bit sloppy and has more interceptions, than touchdowns.  He picked up an injury last week but it looks as though he will start this week.  The stats show these teams are quite close, with the only real difference being passing yards but if Stafford can't stop throwing interceptions then you can have as many long drives as you like but unless you keep the ball away from the defense, then you won't win games.

Prediction -
At the start of the year I would have predicted a Lions blowout.  I still think the Lions will win but I think the Vikings will run them close. 


San Diego Chargers @ Kansas City Chiefs
Another two divisional rivals, who rank quite similarly and it looks like making this game an intriguing match up.  The Chargers have had the better start but they suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of the Falcons last week.  The Chiefs picked up their first win of the season with Jamaal Charles running all over the Saints.  The Chiefs are ranked as the number 1 rushing team this year but the Chargers are ranked as 4th in run defense, so it looks as though the winner of that battle will grab a vital edge in the game.  The Kansas offense has been quite impressive so far, averaging 442 yards per game.  Home advantage seems to be a key factor in this game, with the last 5 all being won by the home team. 

Prediction -
The AFC West's momentum shift to continue this week with a Chiefs win.


Seattle Seahawks @ St Louis Rams


Seattle are one of the best defenses in the league.  On offense, they rank 32nd in passing but 6th in rushing.  They have the look of the old classic, strong defense and strong running game.  Nowadays the NFL is a passing league so it's questionable how far that style will take you but for old school football fans, this Seahawks teams are a breath of fresh air.  The Rams aren't much better at passing the ball but their running game and defense are considerably worse.  The Rams could be without their key running-back, Steven Jackson for this game.  He is listed as questionable with a groin injury.  Home advantage will obviously give the Rams a bit of an edge but I am struggling to see how else they can get an advantage in the game.  The Seahawks defense should be able to stifle this Rams offense and then the games in the hands of Russell Wilson and Marshawn Lynch. 

Prediction -
The Seahawks should be able to win this one.


San Francisco 49ers @ New York Jets


This is a huge game for the 49ers after last weeks loss in Minnesota.  The 49ers had a bad day and slipped to 2-1.  Many people thought the NFC West was a one horse race before the season started, myself included.  The Cardinals (3-0) and the Seahawks (2-1) look like decent teams and it looks as though the division has been underrated.  The Jets are 2-1 and quite how they beat the Dolphins last week is a mystery.  In my opinion, Mark Sanchez is simply not good enough and his pass completion for the season so far sits at just over 50%.  The Jets defense took a huge hit last week, losing Darrelle Revis with a torn ACL.  He hasn't been placed on Injured Reserve yet but surely his season is done.  Rex Ryan is the master of defensive schemes and he needs to come up with something special to make up for the loss of Revis.  The 49ers are one of the NFL's best teams and the key to this game will be putting the ball in Frank Gore's hands and letting him run against the 28th ranked, run defense in the league.

Prediction -
The 49ers find a way to get it done against a poor Jets side.


Tennessee Titans @ Houston Texans
The Texans look like one of the best teams in the NFL at the moment and this is a great match up for them.  The Titans have a poor defense, ranking 30th against the pass and 29th against the run.  Houston are 5th at running the ball and they have the tools to throw the ball if they need to.  The Titans are 1-2 after winning last week against the Lions in a thriller.  Despite that win, the Titans will still be concerned about the form of running-back, Chris Johnson.  Johnson is averaging just 1.4 yards per carry and the last thing he needs to see is the Texans defense.  The Texans have 3 tough battles ahead of them before their bye week, so they will be looking to get this game won early, so they can look to the tougher battles that lie ahead. 

Prediction -
The Texans in a blowout. 


Oakland Raiders @ Denver Broncos
Another divisional battle between two AFC West teams.  These two have both started 1-2 and will be looking to get back to .500 with a win today.  The Raiders have a great record in Denver and have won four straight.  Oakland have done well when passing the ball but have struggled with their running game.  Darren McFadden is listed as probable for the Raiders so even if he does play it's hard to see him making a big impact as he's obviously not at 100%.  Peyton Manning is facing some questions about his arm strength after his injury last year.  Manning has been far from his best since moving to Denver and it's hard to judge whether he is struggling physically or whether he is still struggling to settle into a new team after a year of injury.  The coming weeks will tell a story but in my experience, it is never a good idea to write off a Manning.

Prediction -
I think the Broncos end the Raiders recent dominance at Mile High with a win. 


Miami Dolphins @ Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals are getting it done right now and sit at 3-0 after good wins over the Pats and Eagles in the last 2 weeks.  Kevin Kolb has done well since coming in for the injured John Skelton and he has 4 touchdown passes and 0 interceptions.  The Cardinals defense have been doing well and have led the team to a great start.  The Dolphins are struggling with Ryan Tannehill at quarterback.  In his 3 games, Tannehill has just 1 touchdown and 4 interceptions.  The Dolphins have been led by Reggie Bush's rushing abilities.  He has been fantastic so far but a knee injury sees him listed as questionable, for this game.  It's hard to see what the Dolphins will do if Bush misses this game.  Arizona is a tough place to play but with a rookie quarterback in bad form and without your star running-back, it gets a whole lot tougher. 

Prediction -
Unbelievably, the Cards will go 4-0 with a win here.


Cincinnati Bengals @ Jacksonville Jaguars
The Bengals are quite possibly, the best team to watch in the NFL.  AJ Green is an excellent receiver and he has managed to catch almost one third of quarterback, Andy Dalton's completed passes.  The Bengals have a lot of young talent and look like a team who are going in the right direction and could be genuine Superbowl contenders within a few years.  The Jags on the other hand are the opposite.  They're not a great team to watch and they're not really in the business of getting things done, on the field either.  Blaine Gabbert has done ok this year when called upon.  He has 4 touchdowns and 0 interceptions but he will have to improve on his completion percentage.  He is currently just over 50% and that's not good enough.  Maurice Jones-Drew is improving week by week and carries most of the Jags hopes on his shoulders. 

Prediction -
The explosive Bengals to have too much for the Jags.


New Orleans Saints @ Green Bay Packers
At the start of the season there would have been quite a few people looking at this as a possible NFC Championship game.  The Packers are 1-2 but I would expect them to come good and be a serious contender in the NFC.  The Saints on the other hand, look more likely to be a contender for the number 1 draft pick.  Drew Brees is putting up some big yards but he has 5 interceptions to go with his 7 touchdowns.  The rushing game hasn't been great either but the biggest problem is the defense.  Right now, it look as though their run defense is there, purely for decoration.  They are giving up over 200 yards a game on the ground.  The teams they have played are 0-6 in the other games they've played this year.  It's not been a difficult schedule and the Packers are the best team they'll have faced so far, so it looks like 0-4 is beckoning.  The Packers have their own issues right now.  They aren't protecting Aaron Rodgers and it's hurting them.  Rodgers has been excellent in the past two seasons but now that he is coming under pressure, he is struggling to make an impact.  He isn't getting a lot of support from his running game either, with leading rusher, Cedric Benson, averaging just 3.1 yards per carry.

Prediction -
The Packers will win this one easily against a bad Saints team.


Washington Redskins @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The match ups in this game are fantastic and it looks like being an interesting game.  These two rank 31st (Redskins) and 32nd (Bucs) in pass defense.  The Bucs are 30th in passing and the Redskins are 21st.  The Redskins rank 2nd in rushing but the Bucs rank 1st in run defense.  The Bucs are 21st in rushing and the Redskins are 9th in run defense.  I don't think the Bucs being 30th in passing is entirely accurate.  If they put the ball in Josh Freeman's hands, he is good enough to win them the game.  He has a few good receivers and I think his form will pick up in the coming weeks.  RG3 has shown signs that he can be a decent passer too, so it might be in his best interest to try to spend more time in the pocket this week.  If he can avoid the sacks that hurt the Redskins last week, then he can do enough to lead his side to victory.

Prediction - I think this is a tough game to call but I have a suspicion that the Redskins will edge it.


New York Giants @ Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles have turned the ball over on 12 occasions in their 3 games so far.  4 turnovers a game is a ridiculous figure and it is simply not good enough.  Turnovers aside the Eagles have been playing well but all the good work is being undone by silly mistakes.  The Giants have bounced back from a bad start, winning their last 2 games.  Eli Manning has thrown for over 1000 yards and the Giants are looking dangerous.  The Eagles have a great record in this game, winning 7 of the last 8 but there looks to be a considerable gap between the sides right now and it's the Giants who look like the dominant force in the NFC East.   

Prediction -
The Giants to pick up the win.


Bye Weeks -
Indianapolis Colts, Pittsburgh Steelers


Monday Night Football - Chicago Bears @ Dallas Cowboys -
I will do an extended preview of this game tomorrow.

Thursday 27 September 2012

Thursday Night Football - Cleveland Browns @ Baltimore Ravens



This is a terrible match up for the Browns.  The last thing you want when you are 0-3, is a game against a team who are on an 8 game winning streak in the division and a 13 game winning streak at home (including a playoff win).  The Browns aren't getting it done in any phase of the game and look like the worst team in the league.  They have yet to win a game this year and face a huge task if they want to do anything about that tonight. 

The usually strong Ravens defense hasn't been great this year.  They rank 28th against the pass and 18th against the run.  The trouble is, the Browns offense doesn't rank much higher.  They are 23rd in passing and 26th in rushing.  To beat the Ravens, the Browns will most likely have to attack them in the air but when your rookie quarterback has twice as many interceptions as touchdowns, in his three games then it would take a gutsy coach to put the ball in his hands.  Add in the fact that your number one receiver, Mohamed Massaquoi is out and it becomes mission impossible. 

The Ravens have a different look about them this year.  Normally they have a dominant defense and a strong running game but this year, it's actually their passing game that ranks highest.  The Ravens are averaging over 300 passing yards a game.  Before this season, Joe Flacco was averaging 215.9 yards per game and his best season saw him throw for 3622 yards, back in 2010.  If Flacco can sustain his current level of performance, he would end this season with 4869 yards.  As good as Baltimore's passing game has been, they still have a more than capable rushing attack.  Ray Rice is as good a running-back as anyone in the NFL.  He is averaging 5.8 yards per carry and has ran in 3 touchdowns.  The only thing holding Rice back at the moment is his lack of carries.  He has only had 46 carries in his 3 games, although he has been targeted on 20 passing plays and has caught 14 of those, for 127 yards. 

Looking at this game from a fantasy standpoint, it looks as though most of the Ravens offense could be good selections.  The statistics suggest that Joe Flacco and the Baltimore receivers would be good picks this week but I'm not so sure.  I think they will have a strong first half but I expect the game to be a blow out and if the Ravens are ahead by a comfortable scoreline from early on, it is likely, they will run the ball a bit more.  I know it's not exactly headline news but in that scenario, Ray Rice should put up some big numbers.  The only danger will be if they pull him out of the game when the game is won, although Rice would most likely want to stay in the game to bulk up his numbers, in order to win the rushing title at the end of the year.

Prediction -
It has to be a Ravens blow out. 

Wednesday 26 September 2012

NFL Power Rankings - Week 4

1 (5) Atlanta Falcons (3-0) - The Falcons move to 3-0 and look like the real deal after a blow out victory in San Diego.  Matt Ryan had a good day, throwing for 275 yards, three touchdowns and an interception.  Once again, the standout receivers were Tony Gonzalez, Julio Jones and Roddy White.  They combined for 19 catches and 213 yards.  Gonzalez and Jones also picked up touchdowns.  The rushing attack was led by Michael Turner.  Turner picked up 80 yards and a touchdown off 14 carries.  The Falcons look like winning the NFC South at a canter and the biggest question should be, will they do enough to secure a bye week in the playoffs?
2 (10) Houston Texans (3-0) -
I had my doubts about this Houston team but they are now 3-0 and had a great win at the weekend over the Broncos, in Denver.  They are performing well in all phases of the game and already look guaranteed to win the AFC South.  Matt Schaub threw for 290 yards, four touchdowns and an interception.  The running game was led by Arian Foster who had 105 yards.  The defense doesn't seem to have slowed any despite losing a few high profile starters and they restricted the Broncos to just 59 yards off 21 carries and got pressure on Peyton Manning, forcing him into 26 incomplete passes and they also managed to sack him three times.  They are looking very strong at the moment and it is time to admit I got them all wrong.   

3 (6) Baltimore Ravens (2-1) – The Ravens had a great win on Sunday night, beating the New England Patriots, 31-30.  They were fantastic on offense and deservedly won the game.  Joe Flacco threw for 382 yards, three touchdowns and an interception.  Ray Rice had 150 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown.  However, the biggest story was the performance of receiver, Torrey Smith.  Smith caught 6 passes for 127 yards and 2 touchdowns.  The performance was good enough on it’s own but coming less than 24 hours after the death of his brother in a motorcycle accident, makes it all the more remarkable.

4 (7) New York Giants (2-1) - The Giants blew out the Panthers in Carolina to go 2-1 for the season.  Andre Brown was the star of the show, running for 113 yards and two touchdowns.  He was assisted by another decent performance by Eli Manning who had 288 yards and a touchdown.  The defense also had a good day, registering 3 interceptions, 2 fumble recoveries and 2 sacks.

5 (1) San Francisco 49ers (2-1) –
In probably the biggest upset of the season, the 49ers were beaten 24-13 by the Minnesota Vikings.  The 49ers gave themselves too much to do after a sluggish start and were 17-3 down at half time.  They scored 10 unanswered points in the 3rd quarter to bring it back to 17-13 but the Vikings got an early touchdown in the 4th quarter to seal the win.  The 49ers defense had a bad day and gave up 146 yards on the ground.  They were unable to get to Christian Ponder and failed to record any sacks.

6 (15) Arizona Cardinals (3-0) - The Cardinals are definitely the surprise package of the season so far and are 3-0.  They haven't had an easy schedule but the Cards have been impressive and blew away the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.  Arizona were good on both sides of the ball.  Kevin Kolb had a good game against his old team, throwing for 222 yards and two touchdowns.  Larry Fitzgerald caught 9 passes for 114 yards and a touchdown.  The running attack was led by Ryan Williams who picked up 83 yards off 13 carries.  The defense was superb, forcing three fumbles and sacking Michael Vick 5 times.  The Cardinals defense made the biggest play of the game when they forced Michael Vick to fumble just before half-time.  Philadelphia were on the Arizona 1 yard line and looked sure to score.  Arizona knocked the ball loose and to add insult to injury, James Sanders recovered the ball and ran it back for a touchdown.  That play killed the Eagles and won the game for the Cardinals. 

7 (2) Green Bay Packers (1-2) - I think we could be hearing about this defeat for a long time.  The Packers were enraged by the replacement official’s decision to award a touchdown on the final play of the game when they felt Michael Jennings had intercepted the pass.  My own thoughts were that Jennings caught the ball first but he did not have both feet down before Golden Tate had grabbed the ball and therefore the eventual call was correct.  However, Tate should have been called for pass interference before the ball got as far as Jennings and therefore Green Bay are well within their rights to feel aggrieved.  Regardless of that decision, there are other issues hurting the Packers this year.  Aaron Rodgers has been sacked 16 times which is more than any other quarterback in the league.  It is definitely effecting Rodgers and his numbers are not looking anywhere near as good as last year.        

8 (3) New England Patriots (1-2) – The Pats go below .500 for the first time in almost ten years after a narrow defeat in Baltimore.  They took a 9 point lead early in the 4th quarter but the Ravens scored a touchdown and then a field goal as time expired, to pick up the win.  Tom Brady threw for 335 yards and a touchdown but the Pats averaged just 2.3 yards per carry on the ground.  The defense gave up over 500 yards of total offense and it ultimately led to defeat.

9 (12) Chicago Bears (2-1) - The Bears picked up a comfortable win over the St Louis Rams on Sunday, winning 23-6.  It wasn’t a great game and neither quarterback had a touchdown.  The Bears only offensive touchdown was scored by Michael Bush.  The defense had a big day, picking up 6 sacks and two interceptions.  One of the interceptions was returned for a touchdown by Major Wright.

10 (14) Dallas Cowboys (2-1) - It wasn't pretty but it was a win and that's all that will concern the Dallas Cowboys.  Dallas averaged just 1.7 yards per rushing attempt.  Quarterback, Tony Romo, threw for 283 yards and an interception.  The Cowboys only managed one touchdown and that performance won't be enough most weeks but they were lucky that they were playing the Bucs, who were even worse on the day.  A big improvement is required if they want to challenge for a playoff spot. 

11 (4) Pittsburgh Steelers (1-2) – The Steelers were stunned by a 4th quarter comeback in Oakland against the Raiders.  Pittsburgh looked comfortable leading by 10 at the end of the 3rd but Oakland came back and scored a touchdown and two field goals in the 4th to steal the win.  Ben Roethlisberger had a huge day for the Steelers, throwing for 384 yards and four touchdowns.  It wasn’t enough though and Pittsburgh’s lack of a running game, cost them the win.

12 (8) Philadelphia Eagles (2-1) -
A terrible performance from Philadelphia and everything that has gone wrong in the Andy Reid era, was evident in this game.  Reid makes some ridiculous decisions and he was at his worst on Sunday.  Vick was having a horrible day and Reid kept putting the ball in his hands, until the last quarter when the Eagles needed to make some big plays, to try to save the game.  This in Andy Reid's mind, was the time to run the ball.  As an Eagles fan, I think we have a talented roster which is good enough to win the Superbowl but there is no chance of winning anything, with Andy Reid in charge.  Andy Reid doesn't seem to have an ability to change things during a game.  If Plan A doesn't work, Andy's philosophy is to keep on trying to make it work.  Good coaches will go to Plan B, Plan C and even Plan D. 

13 (9) San Diego Chargers (2-1) -
The Chargers of the last few seasons returned on Sunday as they lost heavily to the Atlanta Falcons.  Quarterback, Philip Rivers had a poor game, throwing for just 173 yards and two interceptions.  The Chargers were having a bit more joy running the ball and averaged 6.8 yards per carry.  The trouble was they only ran the ball, 17 times.  Turnovers were a huge issue on Sunday and they gave the ball away on four occasions.  The Chargers sit at 2-1 which is a good enough record to lead what is looking like a weak, AFC West.

14 (16) New York Jets (2-1) – The Jets just about secured an overtime victory in Miami, over the Dolphins.  The Jets weren’t great but managed to pick up the win and that’s all that matters.  Quarterback, Mark Sanchez had another mixed day.  On the plus side, he threw for over 300 yards and a touchdown but on the negative side, he completed just 46.7% of his passes and had two interceptions.  The Jets have lost star cornerback, Darrelle Revis, for the season, so coach, Rex Ryan has some work to do if the Jets want to build on their 2-1 start.

15 (17) Buffalo Bills (2-1) – The Bills go 2-1 after a win over the Browns in Cleveland.  Quarterback, Ryan Fitzpatrick had a solid game, throwing for 208 yards and three touchdowns.  The running game was led by Tashard Choice who picked up 91 yards off 20 carries.  The Bills defense also had a solid game, picking up 4 sacks and 2 interceptions.

16 (23) Cincinnati Bengals (2-1) - When the Bengals offense click, they are as good as any team in the NFL.  The offense got it done on Sunday in Washington putting up 38 points.  They even had three touchdowns, were the snap was taken by three different players.  The Bengals have a lot of young talent and are fast becoming one of the best teams to watch in the league.  Quarterback, Andy Dalton passed for 328 yards, three touchdowns and an interception.  Receiver, AJ Green caught 9 passes for 183 yards and a touchdown, including a 73 yard touchdown catch, thrown by receiver, Mohamed Sanu.

17 (22) Seattle Seahawks (2-1) – The Seahawks picked up a great win over the Green Bay Packers.  Regardless of whether the win was controversial or not, the Seahawks deserve a lot of credit for their performance.  The defense sacked Aaron Rodgers 8 times and rookie quarterback, Russell Wilson had two touchdown passes.  The Seahawks look like a decent side and at 2-1, can’t be ruled out of a playoff run.

18 (11) Detroit Lions (1-2) - The Lions slide to 1-2 after a tough loss in Tennessee against the Titans.  The Lions coach, Jim Schwartz will have to accept some responsibility for the defeat, as he went for it on fourth down in overtime, instead of kicking a field goal.  The Titans stopped the Lions and the game was over.  Lions quarterback, Matthew Stafford, picked up an injury late in the game and his status is as yet, unknown.  The Lions cannot afford to lose their quarterback, especially as he is relied on so heavily.

19 (13) Denver Broncos (1-2) - The Broncos lost another game in the first three quarters and despite making a comeback in the fourth quarter they had left themselves too much to do.  Peyton Manning threw for 330 yards and two touchdowns but he will be concerned about only completing 50% of his passes.  Denver couldn't get their running game going and averaged just 2.8 yards per carry.  The Broncos defense couldn't stop the Texans and Houston picked up a deserved win. 

20 (30) Minnesota Vikings (2-1) – What a victory that was for the Minnesota Vikings!  The unbeaten 49ers, came to Minnesota and were outplayed by a Vikings team who continue to surprise.  The Vikings ran all over the 49ers, recording 146 yards on the ground.  Adrian Peterson had 86 yards and quarterback, Christian Ponder picked up 33 yards and a touchdown.  Ponder also threw the ball for 198 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.  It was a great win for the Vikings and at 2-1 they are right in the middle of the battle to win the NFC North.

21 (18) St Louis Rams (1-2) – The Rams were unable to get anywhere near as much from their offense, this week and ended up with just 160 yards of total offense.  Quarterback, Sam Bradford had a difficult game, completing just over 50% of his passes and throwing two interceptions.  He was also sacked 6 times for a loss of 51 yards.  The running game never really got going, picking up just 59 yards.

22 (20) Washington Redskins (1-2) - Washington go 1-2 for the season after picking up a defeat in their home opener.  They lost 38-31 to the Bengals.  The Redskins put up good numbers on the ground, rushing for 213 yards.  RG3 and Alfred Morris combined for 163 yards and a touchdown each.  RG3 also threw for 221 yards but the biggest difference this week was, he was sacked 6 times and it cost his team 53 yards.  Almost 9 yards lost every time he is sacked, is a big loss and RG3 will have to learn that sometimes, it's better to just throw the ball away.

23 (27) Tennessee Titans (1-2) - The Titans exploded into life this week and picked up their first win of the season with an overtime victory over the Detroit Lions.  Jake Locker had a great game, throwing for 378 yards and two touchdowns.  He also had four runs and picked up 35 yards.  The Titans biggest concern right now will be, the form of running-back, Chris Johnson.  He had another poor game this week and picked up just 29 yards from scrimmage.


24 (31) Oakland Raiders (1-2) – The Raiders picked up their first win of the season with a 34-31 victory over the Steelers.  Sebastian Janikowski kicked the game winning field goal as time expired.  It was an improved display from the Raiders who scored 13 unanswered points in the 4th quarter to complete a fine victory.  Carson Palmer had three touchdowns and just one interception.  Darren McFadden rediscovered his form and ran for 113 yards and a touchdown.


25 (19) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-2) - A disappointing display from the Bucs in their16-10 loss to the Cowboys, in Dallas.  The Bucs only managed 166 yards of total offense and turned the ball over twice.  Quarterback, Josh Freeman, only completed 10 of his 28 pass attempts and has looked poor in his three outings.  Credit has to be given to the Bucs defense who managed to restrict the Cowboys to just one touchdown, on their five visits to the red zone.

26 (21) Indianapolis Colts (1-2) - The Colts can consider themselves very unlucky to have lost a game in which they were the better team.  For 59 minutes they done a great job and had kept Blaine Gabbert, to just 75 yards passing.  They had allowed Maurice Jones-Drew to put up some big numbers but the fact is, he is an elite back and he will put up big numbers against better teams than the Colts.  Andrew Luck had another decent game, throwing for 313 yards and two touchdowns.  His completion percentage was a bit low at 47.8% and he had an interception but he is progressing well.  Unfortunately for the Colts all the good work was undone with an 80 yard touchdown and it's an unfortunate 1-2 start for Luck and the Colts. 

27 (29) Kansas City Chiefs (1-2) – The Chiefs picked up their first win of the season with an overtime victory over the Saints, in New Orleans.  The Chiefs were deserving winners in the end but almost allowed turnovers to beat them.  The Chiefs turned the ball over 3 times but they weren’t to be denied and ended the game with over 500 yards of total offense.  Jamaal Charles led the way for the Chiefs.  Charles had 55 receiving yards but it was on the ground he done the most damage, rushing for 233 yards and a touchdown.  The Chiefs live to fight another day at 1-2 and are just one game behind the Chargers, for the lead in the AFC West.

28 (32) Jacksonville Jaguars (1-2) -
Jacksonville bounced back from their bad start and picked up their first win of the season in Indianapolis.  Maurice Jones-Drew was the main man, running for 177 yards and a touchdown.  However, much of the plaudits will go to Cecil Shorts III, who caught a pass and took it to the end zone with just 45 seconds to go.  It was an 80 yard completion and in that single play, quarterback, Blaine Gabbert's, total yardage for the day was doubled. This win papers over the cracks for the Jags but they are now 1-2 and I'm sure they won't care, that it wasn't a vintage performance.

29 (25) Carolina Panthers (1-2) – Turnovers killed the Panthers in this game.  They gave the ball away five times.  Cam Newton was intercepted 3 times and they also fumbled twice.  The Giants punished their mistakes but 5 turnovers in the NFL will not win very many football games.  The Panthers are 1-2 now and they don’t look like a playoff team. 

30 (26) Miami Dolphins (1-2) – That was a tough loss for the Dolphins and the game could have gone either way.  There was very little to separate the teams and in the end it came down to a field goal, in overtime.  Quarterback, Ryan Tannehill had a poor game, completing just 16 of his 36 attempts and he also had an interception.  The Dolphins once again relied on their running game and picked up 185 yards on the ground. 


31 (24) New Orleans Saints (0-3) – New Orleans bad start to the season continues to get worse and they drop to 0-3 after losing to the Chiefs.  The Saints defense has struggled against the run all year and yet again, it proved to be their downfall.  The Chiefs picked up 273 yards on the ground and until the Saints can learn to defend against the run, then the losses will keep piling up.

32 (28) Cleveland Browns (0-3) – The Browns drop to 0-3 after a defeat to the Buffalo Bills.  Their rookies, who they are relying so heavily on, didn’t have their best games.  Brandon Weeden was intercepted twice and Trent Richardson only managed 2.3 yards per carry.  The Browns find themselves at 0-3 now and with 5 divisional games left to play in the AFC North, they look like a serious candidate for the number one draft pick.

Friday 21 September 2012

NFL - WEEK THREE PREVIEW

St Louis Rams @ Chicago Bears
The Rams had a good win last week over the Redskins but will face a tougher task in Chicago. I am struggling to see were the Rams are going to score in this game. Running-back, Steven Jackson, could miss the game and the Bears are doing well against the run anyway. The Bears D also done a good job on Aaron Rodgers and although Sam Bradford had a good game last week, I can't see him doing as well against the Bears. The Bears lost in Green Bay and the biggest problem was protecting their quarterback. Clay Matthews terrorised the offensive line but I can't see the Rams getting to Cutler as often as he did. Matt Forte got injured last week and will miss this game but Michael Bush is a top back in his own right and should be an adequate replacement.

Prediction -
A comfortable victory for the Bears.


Buffalo Bills @ Cleveland Browns


Both teams will be looking at this as a winnable game. The Bills got their first win of the year, last week, with a win over the Chiefs. CJ Spiller has been the star of the show and he has led a Bills running attacking, that is averaging just under 200 yards a game. The Browns rank around the middle in yards given up on the ground, so Spiller should have another big week. The Browns are 0-2 but they haven't played like an 0-2 team. They have played well but were just beaten by better teams in their two games. If the Browns can get Brandon Weeden and Trent Richardson playing as well as they did last week, then there's no reason why they can't pick up their first win of the year.

Prediction -
The Browns to edge it.


Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Dallas Cowboys
The Bucs had a great chance to go 2-0 last week but were unable to hold the lead and the Giants came back to win. If the Bucs are to win this I think they need to do it on the ground. The Cowboys have given up almost as many yards on the ground as they have in the air. The Bucs passing game hasn't really got going yet, so I think they need to get Doug Martin involved. The Cowboys will have saw the Bucs game last week and will attack them with the passing game. The Bucs gave up 500 yards to Eli Manning and the Cowboys will go down the same route. Tony Romo, if he gets time, can be a top quarterback and he has some good receivers at his disposal so there's no reason why the Cowboys can't win this game by passing the football.

Prediction -
A Cowboys victory.


Detroit Lions @ Tennessee Titans


The Lions are 1-1 and in the NFC North they need every win they can get. The Bears and Packers are both capable of a playoff run so the Lions need to win games like this, if they want to compete for a playoff spot. The Lions should try to run the ball as much as possible, as the Titans are giving up over 150 yards a game on the ground. The Titans offense needs to improve big time. They have been very poor so far and are averaging just 248 yards of total offense per game. The Lions have a good defense so I can't see this being the day when the Titans offense starts to click.

Prediction -
The Lions to win this in a blow out.


Jacksonville Jaguars @ Indianapolis Colts

The Jags have started 0-2 and have looked poor in doing so. The offense hasn't got started at all and things need to improve or the Jags will be looking at an early draft pick. Blaine Gabbert needs to improve his accuracy to give the Jags a chance. Running-back, Maurice Jones-Drew, is only back in training a few weeks after his holdout and he should improve in the weeks to come but the Jags need him to be at his best now. The Colts got their first win of the season last week over the Vikings.  Quarterback, Andrew Luck has had a mixed start so far. He has thrown for three touchdowns and three interceptions and his accuracy is sitting at 56.6%. It's not a bad start for a guy who has only played two games in the NFL and if he can keep improving then he should have a good NFL career. The key to this game could be the Colts getting a running game going. The Jags are 31st at defending the run and the Colts need to find a way to take advantage of it.

Prediction -
Andrew Luck to lead the Colts to another victory.


New York Jets @ Miami Dolphins

There are some great matchups in this game and on paper it could go either way.  The Dolphins are 31st in the NFL against the pass, so it depends which New York Jets turns up.  If it’s the Week 1 Jets, then they pass the Dolphins off the pitch but if it’s the Week 2 Jets, then Mark Sanchez can’t complete a pass and the Dolphins keep the Jets out.  If the Jets can’t get the pass going then I think they will struggle as Miami have been one of the best teams against the run.  Another intriguing match up is the Miami running game, against the Jets defense.  Miami are 2nd in the NFL in rushing, averaging 171 yards per game.  The Jets defense which is normally very good against the run hasn’t been as good this year and CJ Spiller ran all over them in week 1.  Reggie Bush has had a great start to the season and Rex Ryan needs to find a way to stop him.

Prediction –
I think Miami could spring a surprise here and pick up the win.


San Francisco 49ers @ Minnesota Vikings

This game sees the 49ers, who in my opinion are the best team in the NFL, travel to Minnesota to take on the Vikings.  The 49ers opening three games have all been against NFC North opposition and they have already beaten the Packers and the Lions who are better teams than the Vikings.  The Vikings have been better than I expected them to be but they are still the worst team in a very strong NFC North.  Christian Ponder has been better than I expected at quarterback and Adrian Peterson has been better than many expected since his return from injury.  I don’t see the 49ers getting it easy in Minnesota, especially as the VIkings defense has enjoyed a decent start to the season. 

Prediction – A tough battle but one that the 49ers will come out on top of.


Kansas City Chiefs @ New Orleans Saints

This has become a huge game for both sides. One side is going to be coming out of this weekend at 0-3.  Both sides will have started the season looking at a playoff spot but they’ve been disappointing so far.  The Chiefs are putting up some big numbers on offense but turnovers are killing them.  They are averaging almost 400 yards of offense per game and if they can get their running game going , they can hurt the Saints who are ranked last in defending the rush.  The Saints have been good passing the ball so far but they have been very poor on defense.  They rank bottom against the run and 26th against the pass.  If the Saints want to save their season they will need to find a way to stop the Chiefs moving the ball.

Prediction – I think the matchups suit the Chiefs more here and they could edge this one.


Cincinnati Bengals @ Washington Redskins
RG3 makes his home debut, as his Redskins face the Cincinnati Bengals.  RG3 has started well and it looks like there could be exciting times ahead for the Redskins.  The Redskins are 1-1 at the moment but their playoffs took a huge blow last week, with Brian Orakpo and Adam Carriker picking up season ending injuries.  It is a huge blow for what was looking like a good defense and it looks like RG3 might need to do even better on offense if the Redskins are to make a success of this season.  One of their biggest weaknesses is defending the pass and Andy Dalton and AJ Green are a combination that could hurt them in this game.  Green has 12 catches so far for 128 yards and a touchdown and I think he could improve on those numbers on Sunday.

Prediction - This will be another tough game to call but I think the Redskins might just sneak a win here.  


Philadelphia Eagles @ Arizona Cardinals
This is a clash of two, 2-0 teams and it looks like being a cracker.  The Eagles have been impressive this season and currently rank 2nd in passing and 8th in rushing.  On defense, they are 4th against the pass and 15th against the run.  Those are good numbers but there is one big problem and that's turnovers. 4.5 turnovers per game, is quite frankly, ridiculous.  I have saw every play in every Eagles game so far and they look so much better than recent years but they are prone to what can only be described as completely, idiotic mistakes.  If the Eagles cut that out, they are a playoff team.  If they don't, then a difficult schedule becomes an almost impossible one.  The Cardinals are the biggest surprise in the NFL so far.  They were poor in the win over Seattle but they bounced back in spectacular fashion, beating the Patriots last week.  That win shows that the Cardinals have to be taken seriously and any defense that can keep Tom Brady and the Patriots out of the endzone for 58 minutes is elite, in my opinion.

Prediction - I don't want to jinx the Eagles but I have to be honest and say I'm liking our chances here.  Turnovers aside we look very good.  The defense has an added toughness this year and this matchup is good for us.  Our weakest point is our run defense and luckily enough, the Cardinals are 28th in the NFL, at running the ball.  The only way we lose this is turnovers and surely we can't turn the ball over four/five times for the third week in a row. 


Atlanta Falcons @ San Diego Chargers


Another battle between two 2-0 teams.  Both sides are more than capable of putting together a playoff run and when I look at the matchups it looks like being a very tight game.  The Falcons had a good win last week over a strong Denver Broncos team, although, it has to be said, they got a helping hand from Peyton Manning.  They have great options on the offense with Michael Turner and then the triple threat of Julio Jones, Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez.  If that offense gets firing, it's as explosive as any in the NFL.  The defense is Atlanta's biggest problem and it's the only thing stopping them from a serious run at the title.  The Chargers have had good wins over the Raiders and the Titans but to be honest both of those have looked very bad.  The Chargers defense has had a solid start to the season and if they can keep up the good form on that side of the ball and Philip Rivers can keep up his good start, then the Chargers can push the Broncos all the way in the AFC West.

Prediction - San Diego is a tough place to go but I have a lot of confidence in this Falcons team and I think they'll go 3-0.


Houston Texans @ Denver Broncos
This will be the Texans first real test of the season and what a test it is.  A trip to Mile High is usually tough enough but a trip to Mile High, to face a wounded, Peyton Manning, is almost touching on the impossible.  Houston have enjoyed a comfortable route to a 2-0 start, with wins over Miami and Jacksonville.  Their defense seems to have got over losing Mario Williams and Demeco Ryans quite well and they are also running the ball really well, with Arian Foster and Ben Tate combining for 269 yards and five touchdowns in their two games so far.  The Broncos won their first game against Pittsburgh but followed it up with a disappointing defeat in Atlanta on Monday night.  Peyton Manning has rightfully, accepted responsibility for that defeat.  He threw three first quarter interceptions which got his team into trouble and despite a late push they were in too deep and the Falcons hung on.  It's not often Peyton, has two bad games in a row, so it will be interesting to see how this new Manning, bounces back from a poor performance. 

Prediction -
The Texans have never started a season, 3-0 and I think that statistic will be safe for at least another year, Broncos win.


Pittsburgh Steelers @ Oakland Raiders
The Raiders have started the season at 0-2 and it has been pretty ugly so far.  They lost the first to San Diego, due to long snapper issues but last weeks loss at Miami was terrible.  The Raiders got hammered on the ground but luckily for them the Steelers rank 30th in rushing so they might be able to keep the Steelers running game under control.  The Raiders have been good against the pass and that is the Steelers best tool on offense.  So far, all the Raiders have done on offense is put up big yards through the air.  They are averaging 34 yards per game on the ground but they have managed over 320 in the air.  Unfortunately for the Raiders, the Steelers are very good at stopping the pass.  This looks like being a great game with tough matchups all over the field.  The Raiders need to take the game to the air again and try to take advantage of the absense of Troy Polamalu. 

Prediction - The matchups in this game are fantastic and make it look like this should be a tight game but in my opinion the Steelers are the better football team and they will pick up the win.


New England Patriots @ Baltimore Ravens
What a game this will be.  Two of the best teams in the AFC go head to head in what has become an even bigger game after both teams lost last week.  By the time the playoffs start, both of these teams will be expecting to be there but defeats last week, means the loser of this game has a 1-2 record to start the season.  By the time the playoffs come around home advantage and bye weeks will be crucial.  For the losers here, two defeats in the opening three weeks will be a difficult place to come back from, to reach those top seeded spots.  The Ravens haven't been great on pass defense and currently rank 27th against the pass.  If Tom Brady gets into a rhythm early on, it could be a long night for the Ravens.  The Ravens need to give the ball to running-back, Ray Rice more often.  He has been averaging 6.4 yards per carry but they are just not giving him enough of the ball.  He has had 26 carries so far and currently ranks 12th in rushing.  Incidentally, the 11 above Rice, have all had more carries than him.

Prediction - I think Bill Belichick puts the ball in the hands of Tom Brady and he wins the game for the Patriots.


Green Bay Packers @ Seattle Seahawks

Seattle's, Russell Wilson will make his Monday Night Football debut this week and it doesn't get much tougher than facing the Green Bay Packers.  Most experienced quarterbacks get a shiver down their spine when they are coming against Clay Matthews, so for a rookie to be facing him with the eyes of the nation on him, is quite a daunting task.  The Seahawks will need to get their running game going, first and foremost.  Green Bay are ranked 26th against the run so Seattle can exploit that and put the ball in the hands of Marshawn Lynch.  The Seahawks have a good defense, especially against the run but it takes a great defense to stop Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers.  A lot of people are talking about this Seahawks defense, so it will be interesting to see how they cope against one of the best offenses in the league. 

Prediction -
The Seahawks can get at the Packers but I just can't see them winning the game.  Packers win. 


PREDICTIONS UPDATE


Week 1 - 13-3    http://gjsportsblog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/gjsportsblogs-nfl-power-rankings-week-1.html
Week 2 - 11-5     http://gjsportsblog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/nfl-week-2-preview.html
Week 3 - 1-0     http://gjsportsblog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/new-york-giants-carolina-panthers.html

So far I have a running total of 25-8.  It's not a bad record but as I've got off to a good start by picking my first Thursday night game correctly, I'm going to set myself a target of at least matching my 13-3 from week 1.

Thursday 20 September 2012

New York Giants @ Carolina Panthers

Both sides come into this after wins last week.  The Giants had a good comeback victory over Tampa Bay and the Panthers managed to beat the New Orleans Saints.  For the Giants, Eli Manning threw for over 500 yards but he also had three interceptions.  The Giants are without Ahmed Bradshaw and Hakeem Nicks for this game and it may slow their offense a little.  The Panthers also have a few key players who could miss out with injury.  Jonathan Stewart and Steve Smith could miss the game.  Carolina need to run the ball to be successful but even if Stewart does miss out, it will likely just increase the workload of Mike Tolbert, who is more than capable of putting up big numbers.

Prediction - This is a tough one to call.  Both sides are better on offense than defense but both could be missing a few offensive starters.  It really could go either way and I wouldn't be surprised if it was a blowout for either side or a close game but I'll go with a New York Giants victory.


Wednesday 19 September 2012

100% Biased Opinions On Celtic v Benfica LIVE!!!

18.37 - The Celtic team has just been announced.
Forster; Matthews, Lustig, Wilson, Izaguirre; Forrest, Brown, Wanyama, Mulgrew; Commons, Miku
Subs : Zaluska, Rogne, Watt, Lassad, Ambrose, Slane, Hooper.

18.47 - Have to be honest and say that team news has made me a little more worried about tonight's game.  I imagine it will be a 4-4-1-1.  I never saw the game on Saturday so have yet to see much of Miku but I was hoping to see Hooper up front.  The back fours not the strongest either.  To be fair we are struggling with injuries and there's not much I'd change.  The midfield look's good.  Benfica won't get it easy in there tonight.

19.24 - Going to "try" to post a few videos to set the mood.  C'mon the Hoops!


19.28 - Celtic and Benfica were drawn in the group stages two years in a row in 2006/07 and 2007/08.  All four games ended in home wins.  Any Hoops fans happy for that to continue for tonight at least?

19.33 - My favourite Celtic Champions League moment...


19.38 - It's that time again...


19.42 - Great to see wee Brown lead the team out onto the big stage once again.  C'mon the Hoops!  Hail! Hail!

19.45 - Celtic get the game underway...

1' Kris Commons tries an audacious chip from 30 yards which goes over the bar.

2' Chance for Celtic.  Miku lays back for Commons but his shot is blocked.  That was a good chance.

4' Benfica clear a Mulgrew cross for a corner.  The corner is headed out for another corner and it leads to another Celtic chance.  Wanyama gets his head on it but Benfica manage to clear.

6' Benfica have a free-kick in a good position but Aimar overhits it, goal kick to Celtic.

11' The game has settled down a bit but Celtic still look the better side.

15' Very little happening so far.  Benfica look sloppy and have made a few unforced errors.

15' Lustig clears a Benfica cross for a corner.  The corner is played short but Salvio hits it high and wide.

17' Matthews makes a tackle and the ball goes out for another corner, it comes to nothing though.  Benfica getting more into this.

21' YELLOW CARD - Victor Wanyama booked for pulling back a Benfica player on the break.

23' Celtic are starting to resort to long ball tactics and it's not working so far.  They need to get the ball into the feet of Forrest and Commons.

26' Better from Celtic, Miku and Commons link up well with a one two but Miku can't find a Celtic player with his cross.

27' Lustig puts the ball out for another corner for Benfica, once again it's worked short but Celtic win the ball back.

32' Chance for Benfica, Rodrigo gets behind the Celtic defence but Forster closes the angle quickly and gets an arm to the ball and it's cleared by the defence.

34' YELLOW CARD - Izaguirre booked after a rash tackle outside the corner of the box.  Perez shoots over the bar after the free kick is cleared.

38' Izaguirre caught in possession but Celtic get away with it as Salvio is offside from the pass.

40' Miku wins a corner for Celtic but it comes to nothing.

45' No added time and it's half time.

HALF TIME REPORT - Not a great first half from Celtic but not a bad one either.  Truth be told it's been a poor game and neither side deserves to be ahead.  I'd like to see a bit more from Celtic in the second half as I can't help but think this Benfica team are there for the taking.  C'mon Celtic!

46' Second half underway.

47' YELLOW CARD - Matic of Benfica goes into the book after a challenge on Miku.

50' Mulgrew closes down a shot, corner to Benfica but Celtic win a free-kick.

53' Forrest does well down the right to beat his marker but his cross doesn't beat the first man.

54' Salvio fouls Izaguirre down the left, free-kick in a dangerous position.  Keeper punches as far as Matthews and his shot is deflected for a corner.  Lustig heads wide from the corner.

56' Dodgy defending from Kelvin Wilson.  He lets a long ball bounce and is pressured into giveing away a throw in.

57' YELLOW CARD - Aimar booked for a challenge on Wanyama.

61' Celtic get lucky as Benfica waste a great break.  Aimar, Rodrigo and Gaitan are involved and Brown blocks Gaitan's shot.

62' Forster does well to save from Garay's diving header. 

63' SUB - Cardozo on for Aimar for Benfica.  Rogne on for Lustig for Celtic.

65' Commons does well down the left and fires in a cross which is mishit but goes to the keeper.

66' SUB - Hooper on for Izaguirre for Celtic.  Mulgrew to left back, Commons to left mid and Hooper up top.

68' Celtic camped in Benfica box, pushing for a goal.

69' Commons hit's a weak shot wide from outside the box.

70' SUB - Bruno Cesar on for Rodrigo.

71' Salvio drives a shot from distance over the bar.

74' Bruno Cesar hits an audacious shot from 30-35 yards but it goes over the bar.  Good strike.

75' Rogne does well to block a Gaitan shot.

75' Commons sees the keeper off his line and shoots from halfway, keeper gets back to save it.

77' Lucky there, a throw in misses everyone and goes right across the Celtic goal but nobody gets on the nd of it.

79' Celtic pressing now and have a corner but the keeper is fouled and it's a free to Benfica.

81' Forrest goes down in the box but looks like he tripped over his own feet

82' SUB - Nolito on for Gaitan.

87' Benfica had two corners in quick succession and it ends with Cardozo heading over.

89' YELLOW CARD - Brown goes in the book.

90' 3 mins added on

91' YELLOW CARD - Bruno Cesar fouls Scott Brown.

92' Brown wins a ball in midfield and releases Miku but he can't find a hooped jersey

93' Ref blows the final whistle and it finishes 0-0. 

FULL-TIME REPORT - I can't help but feel that's two points dropped.  If we had our full team available I think we'd have won that.  Benfica rarely troubled us but we didn't create a lot ourselves.  A point isn't the worst start but it means we'll need to pick up some results away and probably need to take points off Barcelona. 

MAN OF THE MATCH - Scott Brown and by quite some distance.  The skipper was everywhere tonight and he seemed to be getting under the skin of the Benfica side as they reacted a few times to, hard but fair tackles. 

Tuesday 18 September 2012

NFL Power Rankings - Week 3

1 (1) San Francisco 49ers - The NFL's best team had another good win against a strong opponent.  The 49ers have gone 2-0 in games against the Packers and the Lions.  I expected the 49ers to be a good side before the season began and so far they haven't disappointed.  Running-back, Frank Gore, had another good day, running for 89 yards and a touchdown. 

2 (4) Green Bay Packers -
Green Bay got their season back on track with a win over the Bears.  I criticised their defense and running game last week but they bounced back superbly this week and were the main reason behind the victory.  Green Bay are a good all round football team and will surely not be far off when it comes to the Superbowl.
 

3 (2) New England Patriots - The Pats had a nightmare against the Cardinals and managed to lose a game everybody thought they would win.  The offense, simply, couldn't get into the end zone.  They dominated much of the game but had to settle for field goals and it's usually not enough to secure wins in the NFL.  They had chances late on but couldn't take them.  They failed on a two point conversion, which would have tied the game and then in the dying seconds, Stephen Gostkowski, shanked a 42 yard field goal to hand the Cardinals the win.
 

4 (5) Pittsburgh Steelers - Pittsburgh kick started their season with a comfortable win over the New York Jets.  Roethlisberger threw for 275 yards and the o-line held up for most of the game.  The defense managed to get the better of Mark Sanchez and restricted the Jets to just 10 points.  The offense done their part and the Steelers are 1-1.
 

5 (7) Atlanta Falcons - The Falcons move to 2-0, after Peyton Manning, gift wrapped them the victory on Monday Night Football.  The Falcons are a good side who don't need help from anyone and they made the most of the opportunity.  The Falcons look like the best team in the NFC South by quite some distance, so they should get another go at the playoffs this year.
 

6 (3) Baltimore Ravens - A tough loss for the Ravens in Philadelphia and it's one that their coaching staff has to accept some responsibility for.  Joe Flacco wasn't having a great day but they kept putting the ball in his hands. The one player who was hurting the Eagles was running-back, Ray Rice.  Rice averaged 6.2 yards per carry but he was only given 16 runs. When he was having so much success, why not increase his workload?
 

7 (9) New York Giants - The Giants came back from a late deficit to clinch an important win.  An 0-2 start would have been very bad for the defending champions, especially as both games were at home.  Eli Manning was the name on everyone’s lips.  Early on the Giants fans would have been cursing him after three interceptions handed the Bucs a big lead.  Credit were its due though and Eli managed to get his team out of the hole and he ended up throwing for 510 yards to lead the Giants to the win.
 

8 (12) Philadelphia Eagles - There are a lot of good things about this Eagles team. The defense looks a lot better than last year and Demeco Ryans looks like being a key player.  LeSean McCoy is an elite running-back and Michael Vick had a good game at quarterback.  The one thing that is stopping the Eagles from being regarded as a serious contender, is turnovers.  The Eagles have turned the ball over on nine occasions in their opening two games. They are 2-0, having won both games by one point but unless the turnovers stop, every game is going to turn into a lottery.
 

9 (11) San Diego Chargers - San Diego go to 2-0 after a blow out victory over the Titans.  The Chargers weren't hugely impressive last week but they made up for it this week.  Backup tight-end, Dante Rosario, will grab most of the headlines after he had three touchdowns.  Regular tight-end, Antonio Gates, missed the game through injury and Rosario made the most of the opportunity.
 

10 (14) Houston Texans - Another easy win for the Texans and they find themselves at 2-0. The next five weeks will tell us exactly how good the Texans are. They have Denver, Tennessee, New York Jets, Green Bay and Baltimore, before their bye week. At least four of those should give the Texans a tougher test than they have faced so far and if they can come through that run with three or four wins then they will have more than earned the right to be considered an elite football team.
 

11 (6) Detroit Lions - The Lions lost to the San Francisco 49ers in a tight game on Sunday night.  The Lions kept it close throughout but failed to take advantage from scoring positions and kicked four field goals.  Both sides had five scoring plays and the difference was, the 49ers were able to get into the end zone on three of their scoring drives.  The Lions also had a costly turnover which led to a San Francisco touchdown.
 

12 (8) Chicago Bears - The Bears were well beaten by the Packers and their offensive line has to accept a lot of the blame.  Quarterback, Jay Cutler, was sacked seven times and their offense couldn't get much going at all.  The defense made things difficult for Aaron Rodgers, sacking him five times but the offenses failures, resulted in a big defeat.
 

13 (13) Denver Broncos - Last week we spent the week talking about Peyton Manning being back.  This week was the return of the Manning Face.  Peyton had a nightmare in the first quarter, throwing three interceptions.  The Falcons punished the mistakes and picked up 10 points from the turnovers.  Credit to Denver they never gave up and almost got back into the game but their quarterback had given them too much to do.
 

14 (10) Dallas Cowboys - Dallas got brought back down to earth after losing, heavily, to the Seattle Seahawks. The Cowboys had a bad game on the ground, picking up just 49 yards and giving up 182 yards. Quarterback, Tony Romo's accuracy was a lot lower this week and he only managed to complete 23 of his 40 pass attempts.
 

15 (20) Arizona Cardinals - The Cardinals had a fantastic win in New England, over the much fancied Patriots.  Credit has to go to the Cardinals defense who managed to force the Pats to kick field goals for the first 58 minutes of the game.  They then stopped a two point conversion and in the final drive, they managed to hold the Pats to a missed field goal.  The Cards are the surprise package so far at 2-0. 
 

16 (15) New York Jets - The Jets offense returned to the team I expected them to be and Mark Sanchez was back to playing like Mark Sanchez.  The Jets quarterback completed just 37% of his passes, for 138 yards.  That's just not good enough in the NFL and I don't think he can afford too many more performances like that with Tim Tebow on the sideline.  The defense done a good job against the run but they weren't able to stop Ben Roethlisberger and with little help from the offense it wasn't to be for the Jets.
 

17 (18) Buffalo Bills - The Bills bounced back from their defeat to the Jets with a comfortable win over the Chiefs. CJ Spiller had another big game on the ground, rushing for 123 yards and two touchdowns. The Bills defense and special teams also got in on the act, with the defense getting three turnovers and Leodis McKelvin returning a punt for a touchdown.
 

18 (21) St Louis Rams - St Louis bounced back from their defeat to the Lions, with a good win over the Redskins.  The Rams looked good and had over 450 yards of offense.  The defense stood up well to the task of facing RG3 and only for turnovers and a bad call by the officials when Steven Jackson had got into the end zone, the victory could have been more comfortable.
 

19 (16) Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Tampa Bay lost a high scoring game against the Giants but they were far from impressive in doing so.  They were handed a lead at half time thanks to a crazy second quarter from Eli Manning.  They got 14 points off his three turnovers but they couldn't stop the passing attack in the second half and blew an 11 point lead in the fourth quarter.
 

20 (19) Washington Redskins - RG3 tasted defeat in the NFL for the first time, when his Redskins, lost to the Rams.  Griffin had another decent game, completing two thirds of his passes.  He had one touchdown but did have his first interception.  He saved his best work for the ground and ran for 82 yards and two touchdowns from 11 carries.
 

21 (22) Indianapolis Colts - The Colts managed to pick up the first win of the Andrew Luck era with a narrow win over Minnesota. Luck threw for two touchdowns but more importantly, he never threw any interceptions.  A lot has changed in Indianapolis this year but some things never change and not for the first time in his career, Adam Vinatieri kicked the game winning field goal.
 

22 (24) Seattle Seahawks - Russell Wilson picked up his first win as an NFL quarterback, when his Seahawks beat the Cowboys, 27-7. Wilson wasn't asked to do a great deal but when called upon, he did what he had to. He completed 15 of 20 passes for 151 yards and a touchdown. He also managed to pick up 28 yards on the ground off 4 carries. Marshawn Lynch led the offense, rushing for 122 yards and a touchdown.
 

23 (26) Cincinnati Bengals - The Bengals bounced back from their heavy defeat in Baltimore, with a tough win over the Browns. The Bengals never got it easy and were made to dig deep to pick up their first win of the season. Andy Dalton was the key man, completing over 75% of his passes for 318 yards and three touchdowns.
 

24 (17) New Orleans Saints - Another bad week for the Saints who look to be missing head coach, Sean Payton, a little bit more than some people expected. The Saints weren't too bad this week and put up some good numbers on the offense but ultimately they had two costly interceptions that cost them the game. The first was returned for a touchdown and the second was in the dying seconds when they needed a touchdown and two point conversion, to take the game to overtime.
 

25 (29) Carolina Panthers - A huge win for the Panthers and one that will have instantly gained them the respect of the division. The Panthers got their running game firing this week, going for 219 yards and even then, Mike Tolbert only had two carries, although one was near the goal line and he took it into the end zone. The Panthers have got to be looking to run the ball first and foremost and use Cam Newton's arm as their backup plan.
 

26 (32) Miami Dolphins - Credit were it's due, that was a great win for the Dolphins. Time will tell exactly how good it was but the Dolphins needed a win and they got one in spectacular fashion. Reggie Bush had a great day, picking up 197 yards from scrimmage, including two touchdowns. Quarterback, Ryan Tannehill, was solid if not spectacular and the defense completely stuffed the Raiders rushing attack. Good day for Miami.
 

27 (23) Tennessee Titans - The Titans were completely outplayed by the Chargers and it showed in the final result. Tennessee only had the ball for 16 minutes and were unable to do much with the little possession they had. The biggest concern will be running-back, Chris Johnson. This was supposed to be his year but so far it's just not happening for him.
 

28 (31) Cleveland Browns - Another tough defeat for the Browns who looked a lot better offensively. The two rookies, Brandon Weeden and Trent Richardson, had great games. Weeden threw for 322 yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions and Richardson had 145 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns. The problem for the Browns this week was penalties. They were flagged ten times and it cost them over 100 yards.
 

29 (25) Kansas City Chiefs - Another heavy loss for the Chiefs and once again they were hurt by turnovers. Take the turnovers away and the game was quite tight. The Chiefs had more yards of offense but the two fumbles in the first half were costly, with the Bills getting a touchdown from the first and the second was at the end of a long drive, with the Chiefs on the one yard line.
 

30 (28) Minnesota Vikings - A defeat for the Vikings this week but another respectable performance. It was a very tight game and it was ultimately decided by a late field goal. Ponder had another good game for Minnesota and Peterson was steady without being spectacular.
 

31 (27) Oakland Raiders - The Raiders start off 0-2 after being blown out in Miami. The Raiders couldn't get their running game going and averaged just 1.6 yards per carry. The Raiders defense couldn't stop the Dolphins running and gave up 263 yards on the ground. Quarterback, Carson Palmer, threw for 373 yards but he only completed 24 of 48 passes. A 50% completion rate, won't win football games.

32 (30) Jacksonville Jaguars -
Another defeat for the Jaguars and it was a very poor performance. They only managed 117 yards of total offense and gave up over 400, including 200 on the ground. The Jags were outplayed in every department on Sunday and if they don't improve then it looks like another poor season in Jacksonville.

Sunday 16 September 2012

NFL Week 2 Preview

Tampa Bay Buccaneers  @ New York Giants

The Bucs got a win last week but they were unimpressive in doing so.  Josh Freeman needs to get into a rhythm and if he does his bit, then I expect Vincent Jackson and Dallas Clark to do theirs.  The Giants will be looking to bounce back from their opening day loss and the schedule has been kind to them.  I do think the Bucs will have a better season than many people expect but they are still coming together as a team.  The Giants secondary should be stronger this week with a few players coming back from injury.
 
Prediction - I do like the Bucs but I think the Giants will win comfortably enough.


New Orleans Saints @ Carolina Panthers

This could be another tricky game for the Saints.  They didn't cope well with RG3 last week and Cam Newton is quite similar.  One thing the Saints do have, is experience of playing Newton before.  The Saints need Drew Brees to be more accurate.  They will also need their defense to improve.  Their defense gave up over 450 yards and that is nowhere near good enough.  The Panthers had a bad defeat at the Bucs and will need to improve their running attack.  They have three quality backs and it looks as though, Jonathan Stewart, will be back for this game.  If the running attack is at full flow and receiver, Steve Smith, plays, then the Panthers offense will be explosive and will put up points against anyone.
 
Prediction - I fancy the Panthers to spring a surprise here and take the win.


Arizona Cardinals @ New England Patriots

Kevin Kolb will start for the Cardinals this weekend after performing well when called upon last week.  Kolb done well in the game winning drive but he'll find it much tougher this week in New England.  The Patriots look like being a contender again and the offense looks as explosive as ever.  Tom Brady has a lot of options and running-back, Stevan Ridley, made a positive start to his NFL career.  The Patriots look like they will be one of the main contenders again this season and if the defense has improved, as expected, then there's no reason the Pats won't be going all the way to the Superbowl.
 
Prediction - A comfortable win for the Patriots.


Minnesota Vikings @ Indianapolis Colts

The Vikings will need Adrian Peterson to play if they are to beat the Colts.  He is currently listed as probable and I can't help but feel that pretty much everything the Vikings do this year will depend heavily on him.  It's tough to judge how fit he will be after going down with a torn ACL last season but he certainly showed in week 1 that if the knee holds up, he still has what it takes to play at a high level in the NFL.  The Colts are another team who will rely heavily on one man.  Rookie quarterback, Andrew Luck, is saw by many as the man to save the Colts, after they finally parted company with Peyton Manning in the off season.  Luck will have to take better care of the football than he did last week and I think he will.
 
Prediction - Andrew Luck will pick up his first NFL win.



Baltimore Ravens @ Philadelphia Eagles

This should be a great game and one that I am feeling very nervous about.  The Ravens looked good in a blow out victory over the Bengals and the match ups look tight all over the field.  The Eagles struggled against the run last year but brought in Demeco Ryans from Houston and he had a great game last week.  This week the Eagles defense will have to deal with one of the best rushers in the league, Ray Rice.  I don't like saying it but the, much improved, Eagles defense were only playing the Browns last week and this will give a much clearer picture of exactly were the defense are at right now.  On the other side, the Eagles have an elite back of their own in LeSean McCoy.  McCoy had a good game last week and the Ravens defense didn't do great against the run, so it looks as though that will be another key battle.

Prediction - Unfortunately, I can't see anything but a Ravens win. 


Kansas City Chiefs @ Buffalo Bills

Both teams lost last week so they will be looking to get their seasons started with a win this weekend.  Both sides had positives and negatives.  One thing they both struggled with was turnovers.  It's almost impossible to win football games with a turnover ratio of minus three and that was the case in week one for the Bills and the Chiefs.  The Chiefs will look to get some yards on the ground through Jamaal Charles and Peyton Hillis.  If those two get firing and Matt Cassell can cut out the interceptions then the Chiefs could have a good year.  The Bills gave up a lot of points in the first three quarters last Sunday and found themselves 41-7 midway threw the third.  They will need to be better this week and they have upgraded their defense, so I expect they will improve in the coming weeks.  I am looking forward to seeing CJ Spiller this week.  He done well last week, when called upon, so it will be interesting to see if he can build on that performance. 
 
Prediction - The Bills to edge a tight one.



Cleveland Browns @ Cincinnati Bengals

Another two teams who started off with a defeat in week one.  The Browns can consider themselves unlucky to have lost to the Eagles.  They played well defensively but they will need a lot more from their two rookies on the offense.  Brandon Weeden and Trent Richardson were very disappointing last week.  I think Richardson will prove to be a good player but I am not so sure on Weeden.  The Bengals have a lot of young talent.  Andy Dalton is a good quarterback and AJ Green is already showing signs of becoming an elite receiver.  BenJarvus Green-Ellis is a good addition to the running attack and the Bengals look like a team with a bright future ahead of them. 
 
Prediction - The Bengals will win this one to get back to 1-1. 


Houston Texans @ Jacksonville Jaguars

This looks like a battle of the running-backs.  Arian Foster should be fit to start after leaving practice early during the week and Maurice Jones-Drew should be back as the starter at running-back.  The Texans have a much better backup plan if the run doesn't work.  Matt Schaub is a decent quarterback and Andre Johnson, on top form, is as good as most receivers in the league.  The Jags have Blaine Gabbert.  To be fair, Gabbert had a good game last week but he'll get it more difficult this week.  The Texans defense lost a few key players in the off season but they are still thought of as one of the best defenses in the league.
 
Prediction - A Texans victory.


Oakland Raiders @ Miami Dolphins

I can't see either of these sides getting to .500 by the end of the year.  Oakland will win a few but I think Miami could be a contender for the number one pick in next year's draft.  Oakland will look to get running-back, Darren McFadden involved from early on and if Carson Palmer can get the offense firing, then this is a winnable game for the Raiders.  The Dolphins will need rookie, Ryan Tannehill to cut out the turnovers.  Three interceptions in week one is far from good enough.  The Dolphins are relying to heavily on Reggie Bush at the moment, so if the Raiders can shut him down then the Dolphins will struggle to get points on the board.
 
Prediction - The Raiders to edge a low scoring affair.


Dallas Cowboys @ Seattle Seahawks

The Cowboys had a good win in New York last week against the Giants.  The Giants had a banged up secondary and the Cowboys took advantage of it.  Tony Romo threw for over 300 yards and the running game performed well with Demarco Murray rushing for 131 yards.  The offense looked good but the defense wasn't great.  The result looked good but the Giants receivers were poor and had a few, key drops.  The Seattle offense wasn't exactly firing in week one.  Rookie quarterback, Russell Wilson, had a game to forget.  He was only able to complete 18 of 34 passes, for 153 yards and also had an interception.  Wilson had a great preseason but it's almost impossible to judge performance in preseason, as so many teams play their backups.  The Seahawks will primarily try to get Marshawn Lynch involved and on his day he is a game winner but he will need some support from the rest of the offense.
 
Prediction - I think this game will be very close and thing the Seahawks might just nick it. 


Washington Redskins @ St Louis Rams

It will be interesting to get another look at RG3 this week to see if he can keep up last week's good form.  Last year, Cam Newton got off to a great start before slowing down half way through the season, so it will be interesting to see if RG3 can be more consistent.  It looks as though his top target from last week, Pierre Garcon, will miss this game through injury, so it already looks like being a tougher task.  The Rams made a lot of changes to their roster in the off season but they will need to show more on offense if they want to compete.  Key man, Steven Jackson averaged just 2.5 yards per carry last weekend.  Sam Bradford was quite accurate, completing 17 of 25 passes for 198 yards.  The biggest question is, why was he not given more to do?  Jackson was having a bad game, 53 yards from 21 carries, is a poor performance but they kept asking him to run when they had Sam Bradford who was averaging 7.9 yards per attempt.  The coaches let them down last week and if they don't learn from it then they'll be 0-2.
 
Prediction - I think the Rams will get the balance right this week and pick up a win.


New York Jets @ Pittsburgh Steelers

This looks like being a great game.  Both defenses should rank highly although the Steelers do have a few injuries to key players.  James Harrison and Troy Polamalu look likely to miss out and that will be a big blow to the Steelers.  The Steelers biggest concern, however, will be their offensive line.  It has been a weak point for a few years now and it is something they tried to address in the draft but early indications would suggest it's as bad as ever.  The Jets defense could cause real problems for the Steelers o-line.  The Jets biggest concern, will be their own offense.  Credit were it's due, they played well last week but I am still far from convinced by Mark Sanchez at quarterback.  Tim Tebow had time on the field last week in several positions, so the Jets biggest strength on offense could be their ability to keep the other team guessing.
 
Prediction - The Jets defense against that Steelers o-line gives me no choice but to predict a Jets win.


Tennessee Titans @ San Diego Chargers

Neither side looked particularly impressive in week one although the Chargers did manage to pick up a win.  The Chargers won but a lot of it was down to the performance of the Raiders, backup long snapper.  He had a horrible day and gifted the Chargers great field position on three occasions.  The Chargers still struggled to get into the end zone.  They ended up kicking five field goals in the game and only managed one touchdown.  I expected more from the Chargers but they will point to the fact they are 1-0 and at the end of the day that's the only stat that matters.  The Titans should have quarterback, Jake Locker, back after he left last weeks game in the fourth quarter with a shoulder injury.  Star running-back, Chris Johnson, needs to improve on a terrible performance last week.  He had 11 carries and only managed to get 4 yards.  I would expect to see a big reaction from Johnson in this weeks game.
 
Prediction - The Chargers to play better and go 2-0.


Detroit Lions @ San Francisco 49ers

This game should be a cracker between two of the best teams in the NFC.  The Lions were unconvincing last week but they have a few big players, on both sides of the ball, who would get into most teams in the NFL.  Matt Stafford had three interceptions last week which kept the game tight.  If Stafford is as careless this week, then the Lions will not win this game.  The 49ers were very impressive last week and they look very close to being the complete football team.  Great defense, great running game and their passing offense is looking impressive too.  Alex Smith played well last week, completing over 75% of his passes.  It's very early in the season but right now the 49ers look very strong.
 
Prediction - The 49ers to win comfortably.






Denver Broncos @ Atlanta Falcons

Monday Night Football looks like being a good game this week.  Peyton Manning looked good and he'll once again have the focus of the entire nation when his Broncos go to Atlanta.  The Broncos were a good side last year and I don't think we can underestimate how much of an upgrade they've had at quarterback.  Everyone loves Tim Tebow but the difference in him and Peyton Manning is like the difference in a heavyweight boxer and a flyweight.  They both essentially do the same thing but they have totally different styles and are total opposites.  The only question I had of the Broncos was, is this still the same Peyton Manning?  Week one would suggest that it is and if he can keep up that level of performance, then the Broncos will be a threat to anyone.  The Falcons have an explosive offense of their own.  Quarterback, Matt Ryan is a good quarterback and he has two fantastic receivers in Roddy White and Julio Jones.  Michael Turner is very good on the ground.  My biggest concern for Atlanta is there defense.  They gave up a lot of yards last week and if Manning can get into a rhythm he can hurt them.
 
Prediction - Another big night for Peyton Manning can send the Broncos to a 2-0 start.

Friday 14 September 2012

Premier League Preview - Week 4



Finally, the international break is over and it's back to "proper" football.  I've absolutely no time for these breaks so I'm delighted to have the domestic action back.  I imagine the international managers might even be glad to see the back of the players, as none of the home nations, covered themselves in glory.  Anyway, as I said,  I don't particularly care for international football and l imagine even the people who do won't want to talk about it anyway,so let's get on with the preview.

Norwich v West Ham - Sat 12.45

What is it with West Ham and Saturday lunch time fixtures.  Tomorrow's game will be the third in a row, they have played on a Saturday at lunch time.  The Hammers are without Andy Carroll, which leaves them short of a target to hit up front.  Norwich will be looking for their strikers to start finding the net.  They have had a lot of chances in their last few games and Robert Snodgrass, in particular has been particularly guilty in front of goal.  Norwich boss, Chris Hughton, still hasn't had a win as manager and he will be eyeing this fixture as the ideal opportunity to change that. 

Prediction -
Norwich to pick up their first win of the season.


Arsenal v Southampton - Sat 3.00

Arsenal picked up their first win of the season, last time out at Anfield.  Manager, Arsene Wenger, won''t have welcomed the international break as his team will have lost all the momentum that win at Anfield gave them.  Key midfielder, Abou Diaby, picked up an injury on international duty and will face a late fitness test.  Arsenal can't afford to lose players to injury, particularly in their midfield were they have very little cover.  Southampton are still looking for their first points of the new season.  The fixtures have been very tough on them.  They have already played both Manchester clubs and were very unlucky on both occasions.  The Saints are one of few teams who may have been helped by the international break.  That defeat against United was the sort of loss that leaves mental scars.  The Saints have two options, they can feel sorry for themselves or they can come out fighting like a wounded animal.  I fully expect them to come out fighting and to give Arsenal a good test.

Prediction -
Arsenal to come out on top but it won't be easy.


Aston Villa v Swansea - Sat 3.00

These two have had totally different starts to the season.  Villa find themselves in the bottom four after a poor start and Swansea are sitting pretty in second.  Villa lost their first two games and looked very poor in doing so.  They picked up a good point at Newcastle in their last game so manager, Paul Lambert, will want to carry that form into this game.  Swansea have looked fantastic in their three games so far with new signing, Michu, looking particularly impressive.  They have lost full-back, Neil Taylor for the season which is a blow but Swansea will hope new signing, Dwight Tiendalli, will be able to fill the void. 

Prediction -
Villa really need to pick up a win and I think they will come out firing and just edge this one.


Fulham v West Brom - Sat 3.00

West Brom are another side who have got off to a flying start, with two wins and a draw in their first three games.  The Baggies will be delighted with that start and they will looking to keep their unbeaten run going at Fulham.  Fulham have had a few mixed performances.  They had a great win on the first day of the season, winning 5-0 against Norwich but they have followed that up with an unlucky 3-2 defeat at Old Trafford and then they were well beaten, 3-0 by West Ham.  They have signed Greek international, Giorgos Karagounis, on a free transfer.  When you consider he is to replace Mousa Dembele, then it's just not good enough.  Dembele was the driving force in the Fulham midfield and they have replaced him with a 35 year old who is unable to play for 90 minutes.  I can't see that signing working out too well for them.

Prediction -
I think this one will end in a draw.


Manchester United v Wigan Athletic - Sat 3.00

Manchester United have been far from impressive so far this season.  A defeat and two narrow victories over Southampton and Fulham isn't a bad return for United when you consider how poor the performances have been.  Defensively, United have been far from their best and if they are hoping to compete in the league and in Europe then they will need to address those issues fairly quickly.  Wigan will be happy enough with four points so far.  Wigan haven't always been the quickest of starters in the league, so mid table is a step up from were they usually are at this stage of the season.  Wigan will most likely come to Old Trafford and have a go at United and United's defending has been poor so far this year, so it is probably as good an idea as any.

Prediction - It's hard to see past a United victory.


Queens Park Rangers v Chelsea - Sat 3.00

Nobody really cares about the football in this game but instead it's a hand shake, or lack of hand shake, that is making the headlines.  I don't really know what happened between Anton Ferdinand and John Terry.  I remember at the time watching coverage and trying to lip read it and as far as I could see, John Terry was saying, "I didn't call you a (you know the rest)."  That would suggest to me that the argument was over what was said prior to what I saw.  I can't say what was said, how it was said or anything else on the subject as I wasn't there and didn't see it.  All I know is I don't like John Terry and to be honest I'm not a huge fan of Anton Ferdinand either.  There's no place in football, or society for that matter, for racism and it is a sad state of affairs that we are having to talk about this in 2012.  Hopefully on Saturday evening we will be talking about the football and not anything else, on or off the pitch.  Ironically, John Terry, Ashley Cole and Anton Ferdinand are all listed as possible injuries so it could end up that none of them actually play anyway.

Prediction - Chelsea to keep their 100% record alive.


Stoke v Manchester City - Sat 3.00


Stoke have started the season with three draws.  They are clearly a hard team to beat but draws alone won't keep you away from relegation.  Stoke have brought in former England striker, Michael Owen.  I have always said that all Owen had was pace and when it went, he'd be finished and I am more than happy to stand by that comment.  Owen had a good career when he was younger but he's had far too many injuries and I'd be surprised if he plays more than 10 games this season.  City could hand debuts to as many as five players, although I get the feeling Richard Wright, won't be given a debut.  The City line up will be interesting to see, as Roberto Mancini signed Maicon, Matija Nastasic, Javi Garcia and Scott Sinclair just before the transfer deadline and I am looking forward to getting an idea of what way Mancini sees the team playing.

Prediction -
Stoke will get their fourth draw of the season.


Sunderland v Liverpool - Sat 5.30
This will no doubt be an emotional game for Liverpool as it's their first game since the announcements during the week on the events at Hillsborough in 1989.  The fans will be happy that the first steps towards justice for the 96 victims of the Hillsborough disaster have been taken.  Emotions will be running high but Liverpool can not afford to let it get in the way of what they are doing on the pitch.  Liverpool need a positive result to ease the pressure on the team and manager, Brendan Rodgers.  At the minute, Liverpool are in the bottom three and things won't get any easier as they face Manchester United next weekend.  Sunderland have only played two games and drew them both.  Martin O'Neill's team will be hard to beat.  Steven Fletcher got two goals on his debut in the last game and Sunderland will look to him again, to score the goals to fire them to victory.

Prediction - I just can't see Liverpool, in their current form, winning this game.  I think they'll settle for a point. 


Reading v Tottenham - Sun 4.00

Both teams are still waiting for their first wins of the season.  Reading have had a huge gap since their last game.  It will have been 25 days since they lost 4-2 to Chelsea.  Their game with Sunderland was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch and they played Chelsea earlier than they should have, due to Chelsea's participation in the European Super Cup.  I don't think the break will have been a good thing for Reading.  They will have spent the summer looking forward to getting started, they played two games and then they have a three and a half week break.  Tottenham need to learn to finish off games.  They have conceded late goals in all three of their games and it has cost them points.  Without those late goals, Tottenham would be sitting on seven points.  As it is, they only have two points.  It looks as though Brad Friedel will retain his position in nets for the time being.  Villas-Boas spent a lot of money getting Hugo Lloris and in my opinion he should be playing him.

Prediction - AVB to finally get his first win of the season.


Everton v Newcastle - Mon 8.00

Both sides have made decent starts to the season but both could have been slightly better.  Everton missed a lot of chances in their defeat at West Brom and Newcastle should have won at home to Aston Villa.  Everton will be happy enough with six points from their opening three games as they are traditionally slow starters.  There's no reason why Everton can't compete anywhere between 4th and 8th in the league, so they will be looking to bounce back to winning ways in this game.  Newcastle are a good side to watch, especially when Cisse, Ba and Ben Arfa are on song.  There's a lot of talent in Alan Pardew's team these days and they should be in that same bracket as Everton, fighting it out for the European spots.

Prediction - The teams to split the points.


Weekend Predictions


Norwich 2-1 West Ham
Arsenal 2-0 Southampton
Aston Villa 2-1 Swansea
Fulham 1-1 West Brom
Manchester United 3-1 Wigan
QPR 1-2 Chelsea
Stoke 1-1 Manchester City
Sunderland 1-1 Liverpool
Reading 0-2 Tottenham
Everton 1-1 Newcastle