Super Bowl XLVII

Sunday, February 5th 6:30 PM EST from Indianapolis (NBC)

Vegas line: New England -3 (ML -135) o/u 55

Perhaps the greatest day of the year is finally upon us: Super Bowl Sunday! The final game of another amazing NFL season where we will crown a new champion and eat and drink ourselves into a stupor in what has become one of the biggest party days on the calendar.

This year we get a rematch of what is commonly agreed upon as the greatest upset in the modern history of the game, the Super Bowl XLII classic between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots. That game saw the Giants, 14 point underdogs, shock the world and end the undefeated Patriots run at immortality.

It won’t be such a surprise if the Giants pull it off this time. The Pats are slim three point favorites in the rematch, but most fans, players and prognasticators seem to be siding with New York. Despite the heavy action for the G-Men, Vegas has yet to adjust the +3 number accordingly….suspicious or trap?

Take a look at the Gridironexperts SuperBowl picks here and ridiculous prop bets. Use the comments thread below to make your own predictions.

Giants

It’s amazing that every year Giants head coach Tom Coughlin is supposedly on the hot seat. He’s been able to instill discipline into his teams and seems to be adept at getting the most out of them. It’s not an accident that he has this club in it’s second big-game appearance in four years.

As for the offense, you can’t spell ELITE without Eli. Upon playing in his second Super Bowl in four seasons, Eli Manning should now definitively be in the elite group of top-notch quarterbacks. The passing game is what makes this offense works….these aren’t your father’s G-Men.

New York actually finished last in the NFL in rushing this season. The rushing attack has improved over the playoffs, so expect New York to try to establish a ground game early, to set up play-action opportunities downfield. Both backs, Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs will be involved, with Bradshaw commanding the lion’s share of the totes and Jacobs acting in a short yardage and change-of-pace role. D.J. Ware could also see about 4-5 touches.

It’s the Giants’ receiving corps that will pose major problems for the Patriots’ 32nd ranked pass defense. New England has been simply awful all season in coverage and this is the best group of wide-outs they’ve faced. Hakeem Nicks is the main receiver and redzone threat, but emerging Victor Cruz might be just as good. Both have the ability to stretch the field and outrun the secondary. Mario Manningham is a dangerous slot receiver option and very difficult for linebackers to cover.

Expect better than usual rushing numbers in this game, and don’t be surprised if Manningham ends up making a big contribution.

Patriots

New England is an interesting comparison to New York…both teams have prolific passing games, are led by All-Pro signal-callers, struggle in the run game and have bad defenses. Though the Pats have the league’s lousiest D, the Giants aren’t much better. They rank 27th, and the winner of this game will have the distinction of having the worst ranked championship defense in history.

We all know about the greatness of Bill Belichick and Tom Brady. This is their fifth Super Bowl together. Brady will look to join Terry Bradshaw and Joe Montana as the only four-time Super Bowl champions in league history.

Like the Giants, the Patriots offense is predicated on establishing a strong aerial attack. But rather than a group of strong wide receivers, the pats win with the NFL’s deadliest 1-2 punch at tight end. Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez are both nightmare matchups for any opposing team. They’re both just too big, strong and fast.

Gronkowski sets NFL records for touchdowns scored for the position and has 20 TD’s in 18 games. He’s nursing a high ankle sprain but should be good to go for the game. Hernandez is a threat as Brady’s preferred target in and around the goal line and has even been garnering several carries a game…what can’t these guys do?

Wes Welker is a fantastic slot receiver and had yet another ho-hum 100+ catch season. With the Pats running so many two tight end sets, Deion Branch is the main outside threat that will challenge a suspect Giants secondary. Chad Ochocinco’s reward for finally making it to a Super Bowl will likely to be inactive. He has made next to zero contribution and his signing will go down as a huge mistake for the club.

Predictions

The Giants have the ability to get an excellent pass-rush by just rushing four. This will allow them to drop seven into coverage and attempt to slow down the Patriots passing attack. This will actually set up opportunities for New England’s rushing attack. Look for better than expected numbers from BenJarvus Green-Ellis. A darkhorse sleeper for MVP: Stevan Ridley.

New York will likely try to keep the ball out of Tom Brady’s hands as much as possible by attempting to get Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs involved early and often. This could keep the scoring down.

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2011 Best and Worst Value: Tight Ends

Since the 2011 fantasy season ended, you’ve had a brief period to recharge. Yet many of you already want to start planning your 2012 drafts. This column will deliver the jump start that you need to begin that process.

We will examine TEs that provided the best and worst value for their owners. This will be based upon their numbers, and where they were drafted. We’ll utilize standard scoring of six points per TD, and one point per 10 rushing/receiving yards in a 12-team league.

BEST VALUE

Rob Gronkowski

The fact that Gronkowski delivered extraordinary numbers during the regular season is hardly bulletin material. But his accomplishments become even more remarkable, when you consider that he was still available in the eighth round, before becoming the ninth TE selected… just after Marcedes Lewis. He then proceeded to lead all TEs with 17 TD receptions, which also surpassed the total of all WRs. With the addition of his lone rushing TD, his total of 18 trailed only LeSean McCoy for second overall. He also led his position with 1,327 receiving yards, which was also sixth among all receivers. His 90 receptions were second among TEs, and fifth best overall. He also was easily within the top 20 in scoring in fantasy leagues, and the enormity of his production has helped redefine the value of elite TEs to owners. As a result, be prepared for him to be selected in round two of your next drafts.

Jimmy Graham

Jimmy Graham’s output was nearly the equal of Gronkowski’s, and its impact upon the degree to which fantasy owners will now utilize elite TEs in their draft strategy is enormous. He was originally the sixth TE chosen, with an ADP of 74. He rewarded those who entrusting him with a sixth round selection, by leading all Tight ends with 99 catches, which was also the NFL’s highest total behind only Wes Welker and Calvin Johnson. His 1,310 yards were seventh overall, and second among TEs. His 11 TDs were the fourth highest among all receivers, and 10^th best overall. Without question, Jimmy Graham has vaulted into a tier with Gronkowski, that transcends all others at the position, and he will command at least a third round selection next summer.

Aaron Hernandez

If Hernandez happened to wear a different uniform, his 2011 accomplishments would be discussed even more extensively. Because even though teammate Gronkowski delivered an epic statistical explosion, Hernandez still managed to supply numbers that far exceeded his value. Fantasy owners made Hernandez just an 11^th round pick, as 12 TEs were chosen before him. Yet, he generated the fourth highest yardage total at his position (910), and was tied for fourth with 79 receptions. Plus, he surpassed 100 yards in three games, averaged 65 YPG, and scored seven times. While Gronkowski will collect an enormous number of receptions again next season, Hernandez will produce sufficiently to merit selection as a top five TE.

Tony Gonzalez

Gonzalez assembled a decent 2010 season statistically, generating 70 catches for 656 yards, while scoring six times. But since those were the fewest number of receptions since 2002, and his lowest yardage total since 1998, many fantasy owners feared a continual decline in 2011. As a result, he was the 12^th TE drafted, which was after Marcedes Lewis, Owen Daniels, and Kellen Winslow among others. Gonzalez repaid those who selected him by finishing third among all TEs with 80 receptions. Gonzalez also ranked fifth at his position with 875 yards, while generating seven TDs. Despite his 2011 success, both Roddy White and Julio Jones will commandeer a sizable percentage of targets again in 2012, and their collective presence will make it exceedingly difficult for Gonzalez to match his 2011 numbers.

Dustin Keller

He was not exactly garnering a considerable amount of attention heading into last summers’ drafts, after producing 815 yards on 65 receptions in 2010. And there were undoubtedly games during the 2011 regular season, in which fantasy owners weren’t exactly enamored with Keller’s production. But considering that he was just the 17^th TE selected, he easily exceeded expectations. For the modest price of a 12^th round draft pick, Keller rewarded those who chose him, by finishing sixth at his position with 815 yards, and ranking ninth in receptions with 65, while establishing new career highs in both categories. While it might be difficult for him to place at such a high level again next season, he can be employed as a 10^th round selection, for those who choose not to utilize a lofty pick on their TE.

WORST VALUE

Jermichael Finley

His imposing physical ability, and the prolific nature of Green Bay’s offense, combined to make Finley a tremendously enticing choice on draft day. As a result, he became the second player at his position to be selected, as fantasy owners were willing to utilize a fourth round pick on the fourth-year TE. While he ultimately generated solid production overall, his numbers did not quite attain the level that one would prefer to see after making such a lofty investment. He did establish new highs in TDs (eight) and receiving yards (767), while also tying his career best with 55 catches. However, that reception total placed him just 14^th among all TEs, while his total yardage ranked only 12^th. Plus, three of his TDs were amassed in week 3 against Chicago, while he failed to reach the end zone in 11 other contests. While it is expected that he will return to Green Bay, considering the numerous options that Aaron Rodgers possesses, and the growing number of high quality TEs throughout the league, it is best to draft Finley no higher than the top eight at his position.

Dallas Clark

Although he missed 10 games in 2010 due to a torn ligament in his wrist, he appeared to be an excellent candidate for a massive resurgence in 2011. In fact, it was reasonable to anticipate numbers in the neighborhood of 2009, when he collected double digit TDs for the third time in his career, along with over 800 yards. Therefore, it made complete sense for fantasy owners to utilize a fifth round pick on Clark, which made him the fourth TE selected. However, what ensued was nothing short of disaster. Clark only amassed 352 yards, despite performing in 11 contests, which was just five more than he accumulated in six games during 2010. His two TDs were the fewest since his 2003 rookie year, and his 34 catches placed him 27^th among TEs, and were the least since 2005. His value in 2012 is uncertain as of now, since his status with the Colts, as well as the identity of his QB, is unclear.

Marcedes Lewis

After finishing 2010 tied for the league lead among all TEs with a career best 10 TDs, Lewis appeared capable of performing as a No. 1. He became the eighth TE selected, with an ADP of 94, as Gronkowski, Gonzalez and Hernandez were among those still available. However, despite starting 15 games, his output declined significantly. Lewis ranked a disappointing 21^st in receptions among all TEs with just 39. Plus, his paltry 460 yards also placed him 21^st, and were the fewest since 2008. The worst news for those who drafted him, was that he failed to score for the first time in his six year career. If his 2011 numbers, and the reality that Blaine Gabbert will still be under center, do not provide sufficient reasons to look elsewhere for your next TE, the fact that new HC Mike Mularkey has called Lewis “perhaps the best blocking tight end in the NFL” should.          

Owen Daniels

Despite the fact that Daniels had missed a total of 13 games in 2009-2010, fantasy owners displayed optimism, that he would experience a return to health, and high quality numbers in 2011. That image of an active Daniels collecting numerous passes from Matt Schaub, propelled him into becoming the seventh TE drafted, with an ADP of 74. Ultimately, he did in fact compete in 15 games. However, that makes the modest production that he attained even more disappointing, as he finished just 15th among TEs with both 54 receptions, and 677 receiving yards. While that enabled him to lead the Texans in both categories, his numbers were hardly a satisfactory reward for those who selected him. Even though Schaub was only able to perform in 10 contests, which impacted Daniels’ opportunities, he still, should not be among the top 10 TEs chosen next summer.

Zach Miller

Miller averaged 63 catches, 745 yards, and four TDs in 2009-2010, led the leading the Raiders in every major receiving category, and even garnered his first Pro Bowl selection in 2010. He then spurned a chance to resign with Oakland, in lieu of a more lucrative contract with Seattle. Since serious questions enveloped the QB position with his new team, fantasy owners were aware that his numbers could decline. He became the 14^th TE selected, with an ADP of 130. But that modest investment was still far too hefty, as Miller’s output plummeted sizably with the Seahawks. Even though he participated in 15 games, he ranked a lowly 41^st among all TEs in yardage with 233, and improved just slightly to 37^th in receptions (25). Worse, he failed to find the end zone during the entire season. Unless a radical change occurs at the QB slot, Miller is not worth drafting.

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NFL Playoff Preview: Saints at 49ers

While ultimately the New Orleans Saints San Francisco 49ers might not be the closest playoff game this weekend, to me it is the most interesting. It matches one of the best defenses in the league against one of the best offenses. It forces the explosive Drew Brees on the road – where the Saints have not had as much success – and outdoors. It will give us a chance to see how good San Francisco’s defense really is. They have a number of Pro Bowl players who beat up on the weak NFC West, but they took it to some good offenses as well.

When San Francisco has the ball

The common thought process here is the 49ers need to pound the ball with Frank Gore and the running game. They need to keep the ball away from New Orleans and keep that offense on the sidelines. To me the key for the 49ers on offense is quarterback Alex Smith. If the 49ers are too one dimensional, they are never going to put up enough points to win this game. They need to control the ball, but it is important to take their shots down the field. The Saints score points, but they give up points as well. San Francisco’s offense needs to take advantage of that.

The 49ers need to score touchdowns when they get their opportunities. That might sound obvious, but no team kicked more field goals this season. Field goals are not going to beat the Saints. Red zone offense and taking advantage of their opportunities to score six instead of three will keep some of the pressure off of the San Fran defense.

When New Orleans has the ball

There are two keys to the game when the Saints have the ball. Everyone raves about the Saints passing game, but what people tend to overlook is the running game. They rushed for over 150 yards against the Lions last week. If defenses have to deal with the running game it makes the passing game that much more lethal. It also slows down the only real way to contain the passing game. If the defensive line needs to worry about the run, they can’t be as effective rushing the passer.

The 49ers need to put pressure on Drew Brees without a lot of blitzing. If they can get pressure on the passer they can expose Brees’s biggest vulnerability. For all of his great qualities as a quarterback, Brees is not very tall. If the 49er pass rush can get in his face bringing just four pass rushers, Brees is susceptible to turning the ball over. Unlike Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers – whom Brees is often compared to – Brees tends to take more chances than his other two MVP type quarterbacks. If he is pressured, Brees will turn the ball over. Not a lot of course, he threw fourteen interceptions, but possibly enough to set Smith up with a short field or two.

Special teams

With two good teams, often special teams are the deciding factor. Darren Sproles has the ability to break a game open on special teams, but San Francisco has one of the best punters in the league with Andy Lee. Lee led the league in punting average. If he can keep Sproles contained and keep the field position in his teams favor, it will force the Saints to go 80 or more yards and help out the defense. New Orleans’ Thomas Morstead is no slouch either with the fifth best average in the league. David Akers is used to the conditions in the elements in northern California. New Orleans’ John Kasay – at least this year – is not.

This brings the game to the thing that might make the biggest difference – the weather. If the conditions are windy and sloppy – like they can be in San Francisco – the advantage goes to the home team. When it all comes down to it, San Francisco keeps it close, but in the fourth quarter the Saints offense can only be contained for so long – Saints 31 49ers 23.

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10 Amazing NFL Draft Steals, Starting in the Playoffs

In a perfect world every team’s top NFL Draft picks would get ten out out ten grades and be leaders in the playoffs for years to come. But everyone knows quality talent can slip through the cracks to the second or third day at the NFL draft. While sometimes a player is the product of the right system, late round gem’s do pass by teams in need, while the hype of first round talent is statistically never as great in hindsight. The best scouts do get their guy, some chalking it up to great scouting, others to luck, with costly busts not talked about around the local area.

The following is a look at players that are not only starters in this year’s NFL playoff run, but are difference makers for their respected teams.

10. QB T.J Yates- Texans
5th round selection (152nd overall) of the 2011 Draft

Yates did not exactly earn his way into a starting role, more like he earned the right to keep it from a default of options. Injuries to Quarterback’s Matt Schaub and Matt Leinart opened the door for the underrated play of 5th round draft pick T.J Yates from North Carolina.

Some may argue that Yates is this years “Rex Grossman” or “Trent Dilfer” of the playoffs, a manage the game-QB, yet I tend to disagree. Already added to the record books for the first QB to win a Texans Playoff game, T.J Yates is gaining the confidence from the team and fans with every passing down. He is looking better than expected and in my opinion has great prowess and determination, something that is needed to become a leader at the QB position.

Things will be interesting next year once Schuab becomes the starter again, with a lack of NFL talent at the QB position around the league, a phone call or two could be made in acquiring this new fan favorite Texan.

9. DE Justin Tuck- Giants
3rd round selection (74th overall) of the 2005 NFL Draft

The Giants have a nose for finding excellent pass rushers and Justin Tuck might have been one of their better late round picks. The 2005 draft class overall grade for defensive ends wasn’t projected to be anything special, still names like Marcus Spears, Luis Castillo and Shaun Cody did all get extra attention early on. The Giants were patient and stole Tuck in the 3rd round. For the last 7 years Tuck has been a wrecking havoc on QB’s as he has cracked the double digit sack total 3 times (10,12,12) and been a vocal leader amongst his team

8. RB Frank Gore- 49er’s
3rd round selection (65th overall) of the 2005 NFL Draft

I tried to find a player from each team in the 2011-12 playoffs, and sadly could only pull Frank Gore out of the bag for San Fran. The 49er’s are currently a team made up of 1st round talent and don’t seem to make the most out of the middle to late rounds. Still, Frank Gore is definitely a sleeper gem that 49er fans can be happy with, he is no doubt deserving of being on this list.

Frank Gore has been able to reach the 1000 yard mark in all but two of his 7 NFL seasons. This Sunday’s post-season game is a first for Frank Gore, along with many 49er’s as the team hasn’t made the playoffs since 02

7. DE Elvis Dumervil- Broncos
4th round selection (126th overall) of the 2006 NFL Draft

At 5 feet 11 inches tall many NFL scouts had their doubts about this 2006 4th round pick defensive end. Yet after an amazing 07-08 season with 12 sacks and a interception, Elvis Dumervil was thought as the one of leagues best steals of the ’06 draft. In 2009 defensive coordinator Mike Nolan moved Dumervil to outside linebacker in his 3-4 defensive scheme, but keeping him as a defensive end on 4-3 passing down situations. The result was Dumervil leading the league in sacks with 17.

6. TE Jimmy Graham- Saints
3rd round selection (95th overall) of the 2010 NFL Draft

Someone somewhere needs to make a movie about this guy, Jimmy Graham is a great NFL story. Not only is Graham a lethal redzone threat he looks to take over the fantasy world for years to come.

Check out a great read by very own Ahmed Helmy called: Jimmy Graham: Fantasy Man-Crush

5. RB James Starks- Packers
6th round selection (193rd overall) of the 2010 NFL Draft

Starks found himself the lead RB playoff starter for the Packers Super Bowl run last season. His solid performance and above average stat’s has lead him to a split RB starting roll for this 2011 season. Starks was a massive steal in the 6th round of the 2010 draft, a player that some believe was a lifesaver at many points throughout the Packers dominance over the past 2 years. Definitely a diamond in the rough find

4. DE Brett Keisel- Steelers
7th round selection (242nd overall) of the 2002 NFL Draft

The Steelers were eliminated from the playoffs in an upset Wildcard weekend, but that won’t stop me from adding one of the greatest all-time steals in NFL draft history. Brett Keisel was taken in the 7th round of the 2002 NFL draft and has made the Steelers what they are today. Keisel has been an anchor for the Steelers defensive line and compiled 200 tackles over the last 10 years

3. RB Ahmad Bradshaw- Giants
7th round selection (250th overall) of the 2007 NFL Draft

A Tiki Barber replacement that seems to get better with every year. Bradshaw has been practicing just once per week since returning from his foot injury in Week 13, yet his value to the team is unspeakable. Bradshaw and Jacobs work so much better when they are both healthy and active. One of the reasons why the Giants don’t want to let this RB go. As a pure value pick 250th overall Ahmad Bradshaw makes the NFL Draft Steal list for playoff teams in 2012.

2. WR Marques Colston- Saints
7th round selection (252nd overall) of the 2005 NFL Draft

How in the hell did 31 teams pass on this guy? Was their zero scouting done for Hofstra. Back in 2006, following the trade of wide receiver Donte Stallworth, Colston was inserted into the starting lineup for week 1 of the season. He becoame one of the few seventh round picks to ever to start week 1 for their team and has never looked back.

1. QB Tom Brady- Patriots
6th round selection (199th overall) of the 2000 NFL Draft

Of course it’s Tom Brady! who else could be added to a list of amazing NFL draft steals. The New England Patriots made the unusual decision to carry four quarterbacks on the roster back in 2000. Brady started the season as the fourth string quarterback, behind starter Drew Bledsoe and backups John Friesz and Michael Bishop; by the end of the season, Brady was number two on the depth chart behind Bledsoe. During his rookie season, he was 1-of-3 passing, for six yards.

Tom Brady holds numerous regular season and postseason records, including: most touchdown passes in a regular season (50); most consecutive regular-season home wins (31); highest winning percentage of any quarterback during his first 100 starts (76 wins); most completions in one Super Bowl (32); and the list goes on for days.

Brady is the fourth-fastest player to reach 200 career passing touchdowns (116 games) and he is the first quarterback in NFL history to have reached this mark with fewer than 100 career interceptions (88 interceptions)

Without a doubt Tom Brady was the greatest NFL Draft steal of all time.

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 NFL Playoff Picks: Divisional Round

The point spread for this up coming NFL playoff weekend is massive, and something I want nothing to do with. Either the oddsmakers are using the same computer that brought us a terrible BCS championship game or someone has been drinking the kool aid. Clearly the Tebow magic can keep things closer than 14 points and as the Texans and Giants a few of our pick’em experts think they make for decent upset picks on the road.

Kevin Roberts was the top pick’em expert last week going 4-0

NFL Playoff Picks

Overall

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“Lions, Saints, Superdome, Oh My!”

Wild card weekend is upon us as two premiere NFC elites, the feisty Detroit Lions and the dominant New Orleans Saints prepare to do battle on Saturday night to stay alive in the hunt for the coveted Super Bowl game in Indianapolis. In a game that promises to be spectacular, the Lions are looking to make the most of their first playoff appearance in twelve years while the Saints look to captivate Mardi Gras town once again. It’s gut-check time for both of these squads looking to prove something. Prepare yourself for the Lions and the Saints in the Superdome, a battle royale, oh my.

With a previous week 13 match-up under their belts, where the Saints came out on top, this re-match of epic proportions spells out revenge for the Lions and dominance for the Saints. With that, in order to secure a W this weekend, let’s preview the first NFC wild card game of the weekend and see if the Lions have enough roar in them to keep up with the Super Saints.

Detroit’s decisiveness with the ball.

The visiting Detroit Lions are definitely viewed as the underdogs going into a tough re-match against a Saints team that easily defeated the heavily penalized Lions in round one. The Saints haven’t withered in domed arenas this season as they look to continue their winning ways. Nonetheless, the Lions have had a rejuvenated year with a healthy and agile Matthew Stafford, a dangerous and dynamic Calvin Johnson and a no- nonsense Ndamukong Suh. Detroit has been granted access into the playoffs for the first time in twelve years, giving the Motor City something to rejoice, at least for the time being. It will be Detroit’s decisiveness with the football that will help them prevail in this game.

This season the Lions finished fourth in the league in scoring (29.6 points per game) and quarterback Matthew Stafford had a career year tossing forty-one touchdowns and passing for 5,038 yards. Calvin Johnson was re-introduced as a top five receiver in the NFL and the Lions passing attack has turned into a relentless assault that has become hard to stop. Look for the Lions on Saturday to continue to use Stafford’s arm to move the ball on offense, utilizing the deep threats of Calvin Johnson, Nate Burleson, and even Brandon Pettigrew.

The Lions have come up woefully short in a number of big games this season and now more than ever will need to close that gap if they hope to beat New Orleans. Detroit is 1-5 against teams in the playoffs and 0-5 against teams with winning records this year. The Lions are a solid, young football team on the rise, but stupidity and overconfidence have been huge contributing factors as to why the Lions have suffered some of their losses. The number of penalties per game Detroit racks up is astronomical, while too many Detroit players get too frustrated and emotional during contests that lead to mistakes. The Lions end up shooting themselves in the foot at crucial times and that has cost them several important games.

If the Lions are expected to beat New Orleans, they need to eliminate the penalties, play tighter on defense, especially with Suh back in the line-up, who was absent for their previous match-up, while managing the clock will play an important role in keeping Drew Brees and the Saints offense off the field.

Ndamukong Suh is going to be a key player in the Lions defense in stopping the Saints offense. The Lions defense, especially Suh, will need to put as much pressure on Brees as possible, forcing him out of the pocket. Forcing Brees to throw on the run will help the Lions tremendously. Another key will be Matthew Stafford against the Saints secondary, with the possibility of Stafford having a field day throwing the football. The Saints defense ranks 30th against the pass, and given time, Stafford will be able to carve up the secondary. Tracy Porter and Jabari Greer will need to play lights out defense if they hope to contain Calvin Johnson.

Overall, the Lions have the ingredients that make up a solid football team (young gunslinger, top receiver, solid defense) but still have a few inconsistencies to work out if they expect to make a playoff run. We’ll see what transpires on Saturday night.

The Saints reign supreme on offense.

The New Orleans Saints have seen a rise in their game as the 2011 season has progressed, keeping them in the back of everyone’s mind. A powerhouse of a football team, the Saints host the Lions in the Mercedes Benz Superdome, a place the Saints haven’t lost in all season. Drew Brees has had a record setting season, eclipsing the all time passing yards in a single season mark, once held by the great Dan Marino, passing for 5,476 yards. His aggressive offense has contributed to many of the Saints wins this season, a gun-ho style of game play. Surrounding Brees is a plethora of football talent including rookie rusher Mark Ingram, lethal tight end Jimmy Graham, and quite possibly the best off-season acquisition in Darren Sproles, who each contribute to the success of the team. Stopping the offensive attack of New Orleans may prove difficult for the Lions because the Saints reign supreme offensively.

The Saints have had yet another fantastic season under the guise of Sean Payton, a 13-3 squad humbled by an early season loss to the St. Louis Rams, now finding that 2011 could be a repeat of 2009. With their Super Bowl title, string of postseason appearances and high potent, explosive offense, the Saints are slowly pushing out the bad memories of a once thought lowly franchise. This wild card game against the Lions will help secure the promise that the Saints are the NFC team to beat.

On Saturday night, the Saints will need to keep Matthew Stafford in check if they want to win. We cannot emphasize how awesome the offense is, but truly the defense will need to step up if they hope to stop the Lions aerial assault. What will be key for the Saints will be the rushing attack of Mark Ingram, Darren Sproles and Pierre Thomas against Detroit’s run defense. The Lions were able to hold off Ingram and Sproles in week 13, giving the Lions a fighting chance in the game; nonetheless, Drew Brees cannot do all the work himself. The rushing attack needs to step up in a big way to penetrate the Detroit defense if they don’t want to be surprised by the Lions D-line.

Drew Brees is extremely vital for New Orleans in this game and will likely go down in history as one of the NFL’s best, but now the playoffs have arrived and we start from scratch. The record setting year means nothing now and Brees doesn’t want to get a bad reputation of being a quarterback who can’t win when it matters most. If the Saints go down to the Lions, it would be an epic disappointment for having such an amazing year.

Overall, the Saints have an explosive team, as we watched them pick apart their opponents all year long. The Saints shouldn’t have a problem marching through the playoffs if they play like they have been. There may be a few kinks to work out, but New Orleans seems poised to make history again.

Who Wins?

This is undoubtedly going to be an offensive battle, with Stafford facing off against Brees. Both quarterbacks combined for 10,514 yards this year, each throwing for over forty touchdowns and were powerful contributors in getting their teams to this point. The game may be closer than people expect considering the pass deficiencies of the Saints, but watch out for Brees to put a damper on the Lions season, as he has been stellar all year and is not going to let such a flawed Lions team out perform his Saints. Detroit is still growing and has everything in place to become elite, but it seems like this game could be the end of the line for them in 2011.

Saints 35 Lions 24

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NFL Playoff Preview:

Who’s Got Enough to Win the Super Bowl? 

It’s time to break down the NFL playoff teams and discuss what will be their route toward victory or what will ultimately be their downfall. Some might seem obvious, others maybe not so much, but here is NFL Playoff Rundown to each team that could make a run toward the Lombardi trophy.

AFC

New England

• They win because . . . Tom Brady stays healthy and the passing game stays as lethal as it has been for the entire season. No team – maybe in the history of the league – utilizes the tight end better than the Patriots have this season and you still have Wes Welker to worry about.

• They lose because . . . The defense stinks. True they have not given up as many points as some other teams, but offenses have gone up and down the field on them all season. If they get into a game where Brady and company are slowed down even a little, they could be in for a short playoff run.

Baltimore

• They win because . . . They are allowed to play Ravens football. Although the defense doesn’t get the headlines of a few years ago, it is still pretty good. Like third in the league good. That Ray Rice guy is pretty good too. They have tried to even things out the last few years, but this team is still built on defense and running the ball. They are allowed to do that, they win.

• They lose because . . . They have to play out of character. If they have to play from behind or if they turn the ball over they will have to put the game on Joe Flacco’s shoulders. Flacco has gotten better every year, but the Ravens lose when Rice is not the most effective offensive player on the Ravens. Take the running game out of the offense and the Ravens fall.

Houston

• They win because . . . They play like the Ravens. They play great defense and pound with the running game. The Texans have the best one two running back duo in the league and a defense that ranks second in the league in yards allowed.

• They lose because . . . They get poor quarterback play. Week 17 Yates was hurt early, nothing serious, but enough to force the Texans to insert Jake Delhomme into the game. Either it’ll be lack of experience from Yates or lack of ability from Delhomme, one way or another this team has a weak link.

Denver

• They win because . . . They play outstanding defense and the opponent’s offense doesn’t show up. If they have great games running the ball, and the defense plays like it has most of the season, they’ll have a chance.

• They lose because . . . Not to state the obvious, but because of the caliber of quarterback. Tim Tebow has been a great story and John Fox should win Coach of the Year for how he was able to get this team to the playoffs, but this offense can’t score enough points to succeed in the playoffs.

Pittsburgh

• They win because . . . Their defense dominates the way it can and Big Ben is healthy enough to be effective. They have been solid throwing the ball all season.

• They lose because . . . They can’t stay healthy on offense. The running game is going to take a step back with the loss of Rashard Mendenhall. The passing game could be fragile as well with as beat up Roethlisberger has been – one big hit and the offense is crippled.

Cincinnati

• They win because . . . I hate to sound like a broken record, but they win if their defense can keep them in the game. The Bengal defense has played well all year. If they can keep them in the game and allow the offense to run the ball and take some pressure off rookie Andy Dalton, they can advance.

• They lose because . . . They fall behind or turn the ball over. As much praise as Dalton and fellow rookie A.J. Green have deservedly received this year, the fact is outside of Denver they have the least effective offense in the AFC field. This offense is not ready to consistently comeback against top teams.

NFC

Green Bay

• They win because . . . The offense keeps humming right along. For my money Aaron Rodgers has had the best season of any quarterback this year. Most years that would be a no brainer, but a couple other guys have had ridiculous years too. That being said the Packers offense has been slowed down once this whole year, I don’t see it happening a second time.

• They lose because . . . Before the Lions’ game I was going to say if Rodgers goes down, but Matt Flynn made me put that logic to bed. The real reason the Pack lose is the defense. There has been many games that have proved that there are holes against explosive offensive opponents.

San Francisco

• They win because . . . The defense continues to dominate and Alex Smith continues to play within himself. Smith has made great strides this year, but if he tries to do too much, or if the defense slips up just a little, the offenses in this field will kill you.

• They lose because . . . The offense can’t control the clock with the running game and the defense is not dominating. A team like the 49ers needs to play solid in all phases. Even a sub-par special teams game will doom the team by the Bay.

New Orleans

• They win because . . . Not to state the obvious, but they simply out score you. If Drew Brees is allowed to pick apart even a top defense he will. They have shown this season that they have no remorse and will pound you into submission if you can’t stop them.

• They lose because . . . The offense can’t keep up its pace. Weather could be a big factor for the Saints. They will have to go into possibly windy San Francisco and then potentially cold and snowy Green Bay. If they can deal with the elements, The Saints could end up in the Super Bowl.

New York

• They win because . . . Eli Manning continues to play at a high level. The defense has played well for stretches this season. The running game has had its moments, but the whole team has been inconsistent this year. The one steadying factor has been Manning.

• They lose because . . . The defense can’t do enough to keep them in the game. Manning has brought his team back in the fourth quarter a lot this year, but that won’t last long in the playoffs, especially on the road where they will have to play the majority of their games.

Atlanta

• They win because . . . They realize they need to rely on Matt Ryan and the passing game to support, not supersede Michael Turner and the running game. While improved, the passing game can’t keep up with the other offenses in this field. The Falcon defense certainly can’t.

• They lose because . . . They can’t keep the scoreboard under control. They might not have the offense to win a shoot out against the Giants, much less the Saints or Packers. They fall behind and are forced to abandon the running game, they are in trouble.

Detroit

• They win because . . . Their young stars play like it’s a regular season game with the pressure of winning it all. If Matthew Stafford, Ndamukong Suh and the rest of the young Lions stay poised, they have the talent to win a few games in the playoffs.

• They lose because . . . They show their immaturity. This team is not beyond shooting itself in the foot with stupid penalties. They are a quickly rising team in the NFC, but they are a few pieces away if they don’t control themselves. If they eliminate the stupid penalties they have the talent to hang with anyone in this field.

NFL Playoff Rundown: Who Win’s It All, and Why? Gridiron Experts Gridiron Experts - Where Fantasy Football Champions Are Born

A 2011 NFL “Year in Review”

So maybe you didn’t win your fantasy league. Maybe you didn’t even make it to the fantasy playoffs. Or perhaps you’re hoisting your invisible fantasy trophy over your head right now. Whatever the case, this was surely a season full of highlights, lowlights and anything & everything in between for the NFL.

Next year we’ve got some hot rookies looking to stay gold in their upcoming sophomore seasons. Andy Dalton, Tim Tebow and Cam Newton saw the most success among all rookie QB’s. While Dalton and Tebow have their teams poised to make a run at the playoffs, Cam and his Panthers will be watching the games from whichever couch they feel is best. Still, Newton has had a season that will go down as a great one for a rookie quarterback. He’s rushed for 14 touchdowns and thrown for 20 more. Not too shabby for a 22 year old Heisman winner from Georgia I’d say.

Some key season ending injuries were no doubt the cause of much frustration within the fantasy ranks this year. Early on, Jamaal Charles went out for the season against the Lions. This was a crushing blow not only to the Chiefs team, but to his fantasy owners that expected top notch numbers out of him this year. While the Chiefs have had many multi-faceted problems this season, the loss of Charles was definitely worth a mention as it took out their entire running game.

Darren McFadden has essentially missed the last 9 full games with an injury of his own. Although he hasn’t been put on injured reserve, he might as well have been, as his fantasy numbers went from stellar, to non-existent in his absence. This opened the door for Michael Bush to step up and have a solid season in place of McFadden. Those owners lucky enough to pick up Bush in place of McFadden weren’t totally devastated at the injury, but surely missed the excitement that Darren had to offer with his running style.

And then there’s the Colts playing their season without their perennial all-pro, Peyton Manning. To say it’s been disastrous would be an understatement, although the Colts have managed to string together a couple wins in a row. Some think this could potentially (with a capital P) save coach Jim Caldwell’s job. If they can pull off a victory in the final game of the season, Caldwell could have even more breathing room as it relates to his job, but surely won’t make any new Colt fans in the Andrew Luck sweepstakes. The question then remains: if the number one pick in the draft is lost, would the two or three victories be worth it? Manning mentoring Luck probably wouldn’t be such a bad way to go. As history has shown, many of the QB greats have grown under the wings of superstar predecessors. But don’t pack your bags for Indianapolis just yet Mr. Luck, this game has a funny way of surprising us.

DeMarco Murray showed us all a reason to be legitimately excited about drafting him early next year. He lit up the Rams earlier this year for over 250 yards on 25 carries. Yeah, he soon became the Cowboys’ featured back for the rest of the season (until he got hurt of course). A solid runner, Murray gave Dallas plenty of optimism and reason to believe their running game can be a force to be reckoned with for some time to come.

I’m sure you know, but in case you live underneath a rock, Drew Brees just broke Dan Marino’s single season passing record of 5,084 passing yards set in 1984. Brees now has a total of 5,087 passing yards on the season, and if he plays in it, still has one game left to add on to that number. The record breaking game in New Orleans vs. the Atlanta Falcons was delayed for a few minutes while Brees and his team mates were allowed to relish in the historical moment. If you’re anything like me, you were thinking [finally a record broken without controversy by someone that doesn’t use performance enhancing drugs and that is actually likeable]. Apparently Marino himself is okay with his record falling to this particular player. Upon the record being broken, Marino is quoted as tweeting “great job by such a special player.” A humbled Brees later gave much credit to his team mates for accomplishing this feat. While addressing his team mates in the locker room after the game, Brees stated, “there may be only one name that goes into the record book, but it’s all about you guys.” If that’s not the definition of humility and class, then I don’t know what is. Congratulations Drew.

And in what is arguably the biggest story in the NFL this year, Tim Tebow has grabbed fans of this league by the collar and is staring intently into the eyes of his haters. You can dislike him all you want, plenty of people already do regardless of his performance. But one thing is certain: you can’t deny his dedication to winning or question his intensity. Tebow might be gaining publicity by treading in water that many choose to never disturb, but at the end of the day we’re still talking about him, and that’s the point. Publicity is publicity. Love him or hate him, the whole country is talking about him and that bodes all kinds of well for Mr. Tebow and his pocket book in the future. How’d you like to be his agent right now? In all seriousness, the bottom line here is clear, Denver owes a great deal of its success this season to that Tebow guy. And to briefly touch on the taboo-portion of this Tebow debate, the integrity of this league should never be compromised by one individual and his personal beliefs, regardless of our own thoughts about them. Tim Tebow is a good football player and that’s why we watch him.

That’s the bottom line. His religious faith has nothing to do with it. He can believe anything he wants, but it’s our responsibility to keep our focus and discussion about his on-field play, not his off-field beliefs. Now if Tebow can offer the same courtesy in return and when asked a football question, comeback with a football, not religious based answer, then all will be balanced in the equation. And besides, the guy isn’t deliberately offensive, nor is he breaking any league rules. He just chooses to very openly speak his mind about his faith. This may or may not turn out to be a problem for him, but that depends on his ability (or lackthereof) to constantly keep his word filter on full blast. Everyone knows that based on general respect for others, it’s an unspoken rule to only go so far with religious talks, especially when in the media spotlight like Tebow. I’ve yet to witness him crossing that line, and even if he tried to, rest assured the Bronco’s PR person would quickly remind him of that proverbial boundary. The fact remains, the Tebow story is an intriguing one by any definition, regardless of your take on the guy. He has become a favorite topic for media outlets, a conversation piece among friends and a surprising new addition to the list of “must watch players” in this league, and he’s done all this whether we like it or not. We have to at least respect that.

So, before the season started, what if someone had told you that the Chargers, Eagles, Colts and Bears would be eliminated from playoff contention, and the Jets, Giants and Cowboys are one week away from sharing the same fate? And what if they told you the Texans, Bengals, Broncos, Raiders and Lions were all either in the playoffs or one week away from getting there? And suppose they told you the 49ers would be nearing a 13 win, first round bye type of a season, would you have believed any of that? Well the time for believing is now.

Heading into the final week of the season, here are a couple of key games to watch as well as a full breakdown of all playoff scenarios:

Dallas Cowboys (8-7) @ New York Giants (8-7)
This is for all the marbles. Whichever team wins takes the reigns as champions of the NFC East. Both teams have had up and down seasons, with all the reason in the world to hold their heads up even if ousted from the post-season. The bright spots have outweighed the dark this season for these two teams, despite less success than originally predicted. And what’s more exciting than two division rivals duking it out for a playoff spot on the final game of the year? This is one you won’t want to miss!

Baltimore Ravens (11-4) @ Cincinnati Bengals (9-6)
If you’re Cincinnati it’s simple, win and you’re in. Baltimore on the other hand has a few scenarios that could play out for them. If they win and the Patriots lose, they’ve got the number one seed in the AFC and home field advantage throughout the playoffs. If they win and the Patriots win as well, they will secure the second seed and a bye in the first round. A Steelers loss will also clinch the division for them. This is a crucial game in determining many AFC post-season matchups.

49ers – clinch a first round bye with

• Win, or
• Tie and Saints loss or tie, or
• Saints loss

Saints – clinch a first round bye with

• Win and 49ers loss or tie, or
• A tie and 49ers loss

Patriots – clinch home field advantage throughout with

• Win or tie, or
• Ravens loss or tie and Steelers loss or tie

Steelers – clinch division and first round bye with

• Win and Ravens loss or tie, or
• A tie and Ravens loss

Steelers clinch home field advantage throughout playoffs with

• Win and Ravens loss or tie and Patriots loss

Broncos – clinch division with

• Win, or
• Tie and Raiders loss or tie, or
• Raiders loss

Raiders – clinch division with

• Win and Broncos loss or tie, or
• Tie and Broncos loss

Raiders clinch wild-card berth with

• Win and Bengals loss and Titans loss or tie
• Win and Bengals loss and Jets win

Bengals – clinch wild-card berth with

• Win or tie, or
• Jets loss or tie and Raiders loss or tie, or
• Jets loss or tie and Broncos loss or tie

Jets – clinch a wild-card berth with

• Win and Bengals loss and Titans loss or tie and Raiders loss or tie, or
• Win and Bengals loss and Titans loss or tie and Broncos loss or tie

Titans clinch a wild-card berth with

• Win and Bengals loss and Jets win and Raiders loss or tie, or
• Win and Bengals loss and Jets win and Broncos loss or tie, or
• Win and Jets loss or tie and Raiders and Broncos win

Confused yet? Don’t worry, the playoff picture will come into focus after this weekend. Whether your team is still in the race or out of contention, we trust you will still be glued to your TV’s…there’s not much better than post-season football in the NFL.

Enjoy the games and have a safe and happy new year!

A 2011 NFL “Year in Review” Gridiron Experts Gridiron Experts - Where Fantasy Football Champions Are Born

NFL Power Rankings Week 17

It was a cheerful holiday weekend for some, while others watched their playoff hopes fade into the oblivion. The end of the 2011 NFL season is near and the postseason picture continues to get clearer as the NFC and AFC squads prepare for battle in January. Another regular season is closing down, but there’s still a lot to look forward to.

Carolina demolished the Buccaneers; the Colts surprised the playoff bound Texans and the Philadelphia Eagles hindered the Dallas Cowboys from helping them wrap up the NFC East. Week 17 is going to be a barn-burner in a sense that it will decide the NFC East Champion as well as determine how the AFC West will be won. Prepare yourselves for division rivalry week in the NFL.

Lets not delay any further and take a look at the Power Rankings heading into Week 17.

NFL Power Rankings Week 17 Gridiron Experts Gridiron Experts - Where Fantasy Football Champions Are Born