Week 17 NFL Preview: Who's Talking About Playoffs, This Guy

So here we go the last post of the year, decade so on and so forth. It is also the last week of the NFL season and the season finale of the weekly NFL preview column (regular season edition). With that said, on to the games.

Tier I: Packers Game

Packers 10-5 vs. Cardinals 10-5

A Packers blowout win vs. Seahawks plus Giants losing to Carolina last week= Playoffs. With the NFC participants set, the significance of this game is more for positioning and match-ups than anything else. The Packers are either gonna be a 5 or 6 seed while the Cardinals will fall anywhere between 2 and 4. A win here would be nice but ending the Vikings post-season would be even sweeter. Packers are the hotter team and I see this translating to a victory.

Packers 28 Cardinals 17

Tier II: The 8-7 Club (AFC Edition)

Ravens 8-7 vs. Raiders 5-10

Not sure where to start delving into the 8-7 club and picked the Ravens to arbitrarily go first. The Ravens have had a relatively weak follow-up to their strong showing last year but a win and a playoff appearance would absolve them of any bad will. The Raiders have actually showed a pulse since figuring out that JaMarcus Russell is pretty useless on the football field. The Raiders may be a bad team but they have shown they have the potential to beat playoff-caliber teams. Raiders have a chance to play spoiler and I see them ending '09 on a positive note.

Raiders 24 Ravens 21

Chiefs 3-12 vs. Broncos 8-7

The Cheifs have been stuck in epic fail mode for 2+ years. The Broncos were supposed to be terrible, then won six in a row, they were supposed to be great and then they lose 7 of 9 and look unlikely to make the playoffs despite a 6-0 start. On the bright side, Jay Cutler isn't their problem anymore. The Broncos are struggling but not bad enough to lose to the Chiefs.

Broncos 14 Chiefs 10

Steelers 8-7 vs. Dolphins 7-8

The Steelers have been an epic fail, but on a smaller scale. A win here and they may make the playoffs despite losing five in a row. The Dolphins are a better team than their 7-8 record indicates but that doesn't change the fact that anything short of divine intervention, they ain't going to the playoffs (though they'll probably be back in 2010). The Steelers may have struggled this year but Big Ben thrives in the clutch and I see him coming up big late in this game.

Steelers 31 Dolphins 24

Patriots 10-5 vs. Texans 8-7

Patriots are in don't need to win but it wouldn't hurt to do so mode. The Texans? All I gotta say is there are few guarantees in life. Those being death, taxes, the Vikings not winning the super bowl and the Texans going 8-8. It's just the way it is, some things will never change.

Patriots 21 Texans 7

Bengals 10-5 vs. Jets 8-7

Just like the NFL, I saved the Bengals-Jets match-up for last in Tier II. The Jets win and they can make many of the above games irrelevant. The Jets lose opens the door for about a million different playoff scenarios. The Bengals may be looking ahead to the playoffs and Carson Palmer's first chance to show what he can do on the playoff stage. The Jets have more incentive to win but the Jets just don't strike me as a playoff caliber team. I don't see Mark Sanchez up to the task of stepping up.

Bengals 17 Jets 14 (OT)

Tier III: Other Games Of Interest

Giants 8-7 vs. Vikings 11-4

The Giants take the award for doing the least despite starting 5-0. The Vikings are playing for positioning. Some teams "peak" at the right time. The Vikings are not one of those teams. When your getting outplayed by Cutler in December, this should set up for an awesomely epic fail.

Giants 35 Vikings 21

Saints 13-2 vs. Panthers 7-8

Losing to Dallas is one thing, losing to Tampa, the Saints suddenly look less invincible. The Panthers main mistake this year was sticking with Delhomme for too long. The Panthers are looking to close out the season on a strong note. Out of the non-playoff teams in the NFC, I would peg them and the 49ers as the two teams most likely to be in the post-season next year.

Eagles 11-4 vs. Cowboys 10-5

A lot on the line for this game. Positioning, the NFC East and bragging rights. More of a tune-up before moving to a bigger stage. Could go either way, Eagles have been one of the hotter teams in the league and this gives them the slight edge.

Eagles 24 Cowboys 20

Tier IV: Close Games, Bad Teams

Colts 14-1 vs. Bills 5-10

No, the Colts are normally not a bad team. Bad teams do not win 14 games. However, the chance of seeing significant playing time from many of the players who contributing to those 14 wins is somewhere between slim and none. I was reading one of the local papers around here (New Times)...I saw a particularly tacky advertisement for a local bar (Buffalo Pub and Grill) that had the tagline of what happens in Buffalo stays in Buffalo. Not sure what this has anything to do with anything but this is about the only circumstance where a team like the Bills actually has a chance against a team like the Colts. The Bills will capitalize on this but this ability to beat the Colts will be constrained to Week 17.

Bills 17 Colts 10

Jaguars 7-8 vs. Browns 4-11

The Jaguars somehow had a shot at the post-season and to the shock of nobody, made absolutely nothing of it. The Browns have actually started to not be terrible (but made the mistake of not showing up for about 3 months). Really, not much incentive to watch here.

Browns 24 Jaguars 17

Bears 6-9 vs. Lions 2-13

Speaking of players/teams that no showed for months at a time, Jay Cutler. Coming off his first good game since September and playing the second worst team in the NFL, the Bears will inexplicably end the season on a 2-game winning streak. Another season where the closest Jay Cutler will get to a playoff game is by watching it on tv.

Bears 27 Lions 20

Titans 7-8 vs. Seahawks 5-10

A battle of two teams that were absolutely atrocious in Week 16. In fairness to the Titans, the officiating seemed highly biased in favor of the Chargers and if that didn't happen, things may have not been so bad. I would like to thank the Seahawks for doing absolutely nothing to prevent the Packers from locking up a playoff spot.

Seahawks 10 Titans 0

Falcons 8-7 vs. Buccaneers 3-12

Falcons, greater things were expected, greater things were not delivered. Tampa, wow things have gone downhill fast. The Raheem Morris era didn't exactly start great.

Falcons 14 Buccaneers 7

Tier V: The Blowouts

49ers 7-8 vs. Rams 1-14

The 49ers have been inconsistent but have the pieces to have an explosive offense. The Rams in no way shape or form have the talent or ability to prevent this from happening.

49ers 35 Rams 10

Redskins 4-11 vs. Chargers 12-3

The Jim Zorn era ends here. When a coach is on their last straw (game), you get an 95% chance of blowout. I've seen this in person. In December '08 I ended up attending what happened to be the last game of the Reggie Theus era. Seriously, the Sacramento Kings played so bad they would have lost to a D-League team. They happened to be playing the Knicks that night and proceeded to fall behind by 20+ in the first quarter thus ending the game before it started.

The Redskins are playing a team much better than the Knicks in the San Diego Chargers. The Chargers don't lose in December and happen to be one of the hottest teams in the NFL right now. Like that fateful Kings-Knicks game, this game will be over before it begins.

Chargers 49 Redskins 3

NBA Preview: Seriously, Is Anyone Watchin on New Years Eve?

Well, we are coming towards the end of 2009. December has been a pretty weird month. I've been sidetracked by the holiday, my new toy (PS3), Season 3 of Heroes. Things will get back to a normal pace after the new year...etcetera, etcetera , etcetera....

Anyways, a pretty lite slate of NBA Action on the tube this week. A couple New Years Eve Games on TNT and thats it.

2-76ers vs. Clippers --Thursday TNT

So the 76ers weren't expected to be this bad, but they at least were expected to be average. Sadly enough, the Clippers are having a better year. Honestly, I ain't watching either of these games since its New Years Eve and I prolly won't be focused on whats on TV but even with the fantasy implications in it for me (Kaman and Iguodala)....still not enough incentive to see a couple future lottery teams.

1- Heat vs. Spurs --Thursday TNT

Not the most interesting match-up but its at least not as dreadful as the other match-up. At least these are teams that we know are likely going to the post-season. The Miami Wades are on a crash course for another 45-win season and an early playoff exit. The Spurs are going through the motions probably not going to peak until March but still win 55 games and be a legitimate threat in the playoffs. In other words, don't expect to see either team play a great game.

Week 16 Preview.....Where I fight the TMZination of the Sports world by actually discussing the games ON the field

Well, time for the Week 16 Preview.......Let The Game Begin

Tier I Packers Game:

Packers 9-5 vs. Seahawks 5-9

The Packers come into this week with a bit more pressure on them to win than they had last week. Granted the choke against Pittsburgh and the Giants blowout win over the Redskins didn’t help but the Packers still have control over their own destiny. The defense was an epic fail last week as they seemed to have channeled their 2008 defense.

Speaking of epic fails, the Packers face a Seahawks team going nowhere for the second straight year. The last time these teams played in a game of any consequence was so long ago that Brett Favre was still a Packer and he had 0 career retirements. Oh wait, that was like only two years ago. The Packers won that game handily. Considering that the Packers dropped that zero and have gotten with a hero at QB since the Pack wins this in a laugher.

Packers 49 Seahawks 17

Tier II A: Playoff Implications (NFC Version)

Giants 8-6 vs. Panthers 6-8

The Giants may not be natural rivals but as a Packers fan, they have been a thorn in my side two of the last three seasons. The only thing separating the Packers from playoffs in ’06 was the Giants winning the last game because Tiki Barber rushed for like a million yards. Then there was the ’07 NFC Championship game where Favre handed the Giants the game on a silver platter.

The Panthers season was an epic fail but they have high spoiler potential. They get bonus points from me for schooling the Vikings on National TV. Things haven’t gone well for them this year but they have a chance to do at least something great by helping the Giants not make the playoffs.

Panthers 34 Giants 28

Cowboys 9-5 vs. Redskins 4-10

Got to hand it to the Cowboys, they came up with a big win in December against a really good New Orleans team (Disclaimer: The did almost blow a 21-point lead, their kicker pulled a Mason Crosby and missed a late field goal and the Saints were knocking on the door but they still had more points than the other team at the end of the game). I was hoping the Redskins could channel their rivalry and a national stage against the Giants. (However that worked out about as well as signing Jason Kendall to a two year contract and/or trading Carlos Silva Straight up for Milton Bradley)(Seriously, this is going to go down as one of the more lopsided trades in recent memory). Back to my original point, Romo’s propensity for choking didn’t magically disappear but we’re talking about the Redskins here.

Cowboys 28 Redskins 3

Tier II B: The 7-7 AFC Tier

Chargers 11-3 vs. Titans 7-7

By far the most interesting of the games involving a member of the double 7 club. An epic Christmas Night match-up between two of the hottest teams in the NFL. Its become a holiday tradition for the Chargers to not lose in December and 2009 is no exception. The Titans have a dream. It is a fairly epic dream. It is a dream that ends by running into the buzz-saw that is the San Diego Chargers. Better luck next year.

Chargers 21 Titans 14

Texans 7-7 vs. Dolphins 7-7

Two teams that really should not have 7 losses to this point. The Texans are a team content with having a strong offense, no D and an apparent inability to break .500….ever. The Dolphins have overcome the loss of their original starting QB, the loss of Ronnie Brown but in return have received a vintage year out of Ricky Williams. If a few more things went their way they could easily be at 9 or 10 wins by now. Not sure if the Dolphins can break into the playoff picture, but I like their chances better than Houston.

Dolphins 31 Texans 21

Jaguars 7-7 vs. Patriots 9-5

How the Jaguars even won 7 games is beyond me. This team fails to inspire on all levels. The Patriots are looking to lock up the AFC East and they have a fairly weak hurdle to get over to do this.

Patriots 35 Jaguars 21

Ravens 8-6 vs. Steelers 7-7

Ravens control their own destiny. They were also courteous enough to not win at Lambeau. Not going to hide it, I have my biases and I’m picking against the Steelers out of spite.

Ravens 21 Steelers 14

Jets 7-7 vs. Colts 14-0

If it weren’t for Jacksonville, the Jets would be the worst of the double 7 club and the funky bunch. They’ve lost 7 of their last 11 and going up against a team that hasn’t lost all year. The Colts may be going through the motions at this point, but they’ll be with it just enough to ruin another mediocre teams playoff hopes.

Colts 28 Jets 21

Tier III: Other Interesting Games

Broncos 8-6 vs. Eagles 10-4

A Broncos loss could further convolute the AFC Playoff Picture. College Football could take a valuable lesson from this, teams fighting for playoff spots (even if many of them are not that good) makes for much more captivating football than the current 34 bowl games, 33 of which are irrelevant. The Eagles have taken control of the NFC East and will be looking to get closer to putting it on lockdown. I’m looking ahead to an 8-7 tier in next week’s preview (likely to involve Denver)

Eagles 24 Broncos 14

Tier IV: Close Games, Bad Teams

Bills 5-9 vs. Falcons 7-7

I hear Buffalo is lovely this time of year. This years Bills team, not so much. What do the Falcons and my fantasy team have in common? Turner’s injuries seriously endangered (and eventually killed their respective playoff hopes). Like the Steelers, the Falcons get picked to lose out of vengeance.

Bills 10 Falcons 0

Raiders 5-9 vs. Browns 3-11

This game is the NFL Week 16 equivalent to a lump of coal. These two teams are the walking definition of unwatchable. When 5-9 is a pleasant surprise, things are not right. On the bright side for the Browns, they do have Holmgren and thus some hope for the future (one unlikely to involve Mangini). This inspires the Browns to victory in the Lump of Coal Bowl.

Browns 7 Raiders 3

Lions 2-12 vs. 49ers 6-8

On the bright side, the Lions won 2 more games than they did last year. The 49ers I have determined are the NFC version of the Texans. They have the talent to have a better record but still manage to regress to an average to below average team. Not sure whether the good or bad Niners team shows up Sunday but after that travesty against the Eagles, I’m not ready to give any benefit of the doubt.

49ers 13 Lions 3

Tier V: The Blowouts

Chiefs 3-11 vs. Bengals 9-5

The Chiefs have nothing to play for and are going nowhere. The Bengals have a lot to play for in the aftermath of Chris Henry’s death. Even though they lost Sunday, there is no shame in losing a close game to San Diego. Also, they are on the verge of clinching a playoff spot which they do Sunday, with authority.

Bengals 31 Chiefs 10

Buccaneers 2-12 vs. Saints 13-1

The Saints lost their first game on Saturday and someone is going to feel the wrath of it. I’m not Nostradamus but I’m predicting that said wrath will be taken out on a team that has won twice all year.

Saints 49 Buccaneers 14

Rams 1-13 Cardinals 9-5

Cardinals have the West locked up. Not sure who the Cardinals back-ups are but I’m pretty sure they are good enough to win more than once a year.

Cardinals 35 Rams 10

Vikings 11-3 Bears 5-9

Let the Favre soap opera begin………over-riding “coach” Childress’s attempted benching. Playing a clunker game against the Panthers. Still, they are playing the Bears who have Jay Cutler who is a younger, less talented version of Favre. The Vikings ship is definitely sinking but going up against Cutler they get one more lopsided win before the real fun (and by fun I mean Favre throwing for 5 interceptions in a blowout loss to a yet to be determined NFC team in the first or second round) begins.

Vikings 28 Bears 10

NBA Holiday Preview: Guaranteed 99 Percent Less Painful Than The Last Play of Yesterdays Packers-Steelers Game

Well, there have definitely been better sports weeks for me. The Packers choking on the last play, Big Ben throwing for about a million passing yards not to mention the Giants inevitable win tightening up the NFC Playoff Chase, the Bucks going 0-3 and losing those games by a combined 5 points (2 of those games in the last second)........not quite rock bottom but a bit too close for comfort....anyways on to the games:

5- Heat vs. Knicks Friday ESPN

Ouch indeed. The Heat may be a 5-seed, they may have Wade but being on TV on a constant basis, i'll pass. The Knicks........seriously? Well they can at least sell the playoff implications card as the Knicks are one game out of the 8-spot (the Eastern Conference....where hey even the Knicks have a chance happens)

4- Clippers vs. Suns Friday ESPN

Even without Blake Griffin, the Clippers have been respectable (by their standards 12-14) they would be a 6-seed in the East, but having the misfortune of being the L.A. team that did not benefit from the Tim Donaghy era, they are 3 games out of the last spot. The Suns, great at home mediocre on the road. Not much i'm excited about team-wide. This mainly got pushed up to the 4 spot as I have Nash and Kaman on my fantasy team and I don't care who wins just as long as they put up big numbers.

3- Nuggets vs. Blazers Friday ESPN

If the season were to end today, the Nuggets and Blazers would be matching up in the pivotal 3-6 match up. Both of these teams are solid interesting teams but the match-up itself, i'm just not feeling it.

2- Cavs. vs. Lakers Friday ABC

A match-up between two teams that beat the Bucks by a combined 4 points last week. Could it be they played better? Could it be they have LeBron and Kobe respectively? Could it be that having said players biased the refs to horribly mis-balance the free throws? (33 to 17 in the Laker game and 31 to 14 in the Cavs game). Man this puts that 2002 Kings-Lakers officiating to shame.

I give it a 60 percent chance that out of habit that LeBron and/or Kobe will commit a foul at some point and out of habit the ref will find a way to blame it on Andrew Bogut.

In all seriousness OMG LeBron, Kobe.........LeBron, Kobe........LeBron Kobe.

1- Celtics vs. Magic Friday ABC

Opening act of the ABC doubleheader, in my opinion the better of the two games. With all due respect to the Hawks and Cavs, these two teams have established themselves as the class of the Eastern Conference.

These teams matched up for a 7-game epic in the Second Round this year and seem destined to clash in the Eastern Conference Finals. Not sure if this game will do much in the context of the final standings but considering they are playing on a national stage when the majority of people have the day off, the winner of this game has the chance to shift the Eastern Conference landscape.

Week 15 NFL Preview Plus Bonus Rants about the Bucks-Lakers game and It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia

Ouchhh....Just Finished Watching the Bucks blow a 6 point lead with 1:20 to the Lakers and lose on a Kobe jumper at the buzzer.......not sure whats worse Kobe getting single coverage at the buzzer or actually expecting anything out of the Bucks...........or that dubious blocking call that got the Lakers 3 points that shocked even the uber-homer Lakers announcers.........haven't seen a call that bad on that much of a level since the 2002 Western Conference Finals against the Kings ......seriously the Kings are barely starting to recover from that......and it's been almost 8 years

but that's neither here nor there....Week 15 of football should be less frustrating (assuming Kobe doesn't sign with the Steelers between now and Sunday).....on to the games

Tier I Packers Game:

Packers vs. Steelers

The Packers look to be peaking at the right time and ride into Sunday's game with a 5-game winning streak. Despite a 9-4 record, there is still work to do to get into the playoffs. The Bears game was a bit close but when Jay Cutler is the opposing QB, there is room for error.

How would I describe the Steelers. To paraphrase Tom Petty, they have been free-falling straight into nothing. Usually its the team that loses the Super Bowl that gets the year-after hangover. However, the Steelers are trend-setters and they are the team that is likely to miss the playoffs. With losses to Oakland, Kansas City and Cleveland....that's enough of a black eye that even the Redskins are pointing and laughing at this point.

Packers 31 Steelers 13

Tier II (A): The Undefeated Watch

Colts vs. Jaguars

The Colts are one of two teams that are trying to run the table (and bruise the inflated egos of the '72 Dolphins). The Jaguars are one of the worst playoff contending teams ever. The Colts are in the don't need to win but it wouldn't hurt to do so stage but someone needs to put the Jaguars in their place.

Colts 35 Jaguars 10

Saints vs. Cowboys

This game is probably gonna be more interesting. I could rationalize picking the Saints to lose on their dangerous tendency to play down to inferior competition ( and Tony Romo in December is pretty inferior). On the other hand, the Cowboys are worse at closing out games this time of year than the Milwaukee Bucks. Cowboys make it a game but lose when Romo throws a pick with less than two minutes left

Saints 28 Cowboys 24

Tier II(B): Best Game of the Week Where Both Teams Have Lost At Some Point This Year

Bengals vs. Chargers

The Bengals in the playoffs. Even though it actually happened a few years ago, it still seems bizarre to write those words. It will be good to see what Carson Palmer can do with a full playoff game.

The Chargers would also be in the run for an undefeated season, if September games didn't count in the standings. Besides the point, they are the hottest team right now and are the AFC representative in the peaking at the right time category. I don't see the Chargers losing (until the playoffs)

Chargers 21 Bengals 10

Tier III: Other Interesting Games

Dolphins vs. Titans

Two teams that are much better than their combined 13-13 records. If the D-Fish close out a couple more games earlier this year they would be cruising back to the playoffs. If the Titans didn't wait till week 7 to show up, they would be amongst the elite as well. However, none of the above happened and we get a match-up of two teams fighting for their lives. Titans get the edge because coming back from 0-6 would be unprecedented and pretty cool.

Titans 24 Dolphins 20

49ers vs. Eagles

The 49ers take the NFC label of team that was good enough to be in the playoffs but lost too many close games, too early. Still, that doesn't mean they are not going to try to make something out of it. Definitely my choice for breakout team of '10.

The Eagles have finally managed to take control of the NFC East after a wild Sunday Night Win against the Giants. The 49ers showed what they can do against playoff caliber competition on Monday and I see them staying alive for at least another week.

49ers 31 Eagles 28

Tier IV: Close Games, Bad Teams

Browns vs. Chiefs

Fun Fact: If you combine the Browns 2 wins and the Cheifs 3 wins, you would still not even be close to playoff competition. Even if you throw in both of Kansas City's wins last year, its a borderline at best cause. The Browns can hold their head up high by beating Pittsburgh and being 3 games away from the Mike Holmgren era. The Cheifs can hold their head up high by.....still thinking........still thinking.....um can I get back to you on this in say 2014?

Browns 7 Chiefs 0

Texans vs. Rams

Not sure which Texans team is going to show up and at 6-7 i'm over giving them benefit of the doubt. Its not like they'll need much against the Rams.

Texans 17 Rams 10

Falcons vs. Jets

The Falcons aren't a truly bad team and if they won a few more closer games, Turner didn't get injured, they didn't bottom out at the worst time, so on and so forth , they wouldn't be in the going nowhere fast category. Technically, the Jets are still in it but they've pretty much sputtered since losing to the Saints and I do not see them as a playoff team.

Falcons 24 Jets 20

Buccaneers vs. Seahawks

If a tree falls in the woods but no one is around, does it really fall? This sums up how I feel about this game.

Seahawks 21 Bucaneers 10

Tier V: Blow-Outs

Patriots vs. Bills

Patriots have the Dolphins right on their tails but still control their own destiny. The Bills are off to another non-playoff season. No surprises here.

Patriots 42 Bills 10

Cardinals vs. Lions

So thats what happens when you turn the ball over 7 times in a game. If we learned anything from the Lions-Ravens game last weekend, is the Lions are the perfect team to play if you are coming off a bad game.

Cardinals 38 Lions 0

Bears vs. Ravens

This season has shown that maybe the Bears were better off with Kyle Orton. In a related story, I have lost absolutely ZERO sleep over the Bears struggles and Jay Cutler's season. The Ravens are still in playoff contention (a.k.a they actually have something to play for).....the Ravens have frustrated me (when their kicker failed and as a result lost to the Vikings)...they have made me happy (by losing to the Packers)..........they improve to 8-6 (by beating the Bears)

Ravens 31 Bears 14

Raiders vs. Broncos

Game 1 of the JP Losman era. The cream of the UFL crop. The Broncos haven't done much in the last couple months but with their 6-0 cushion and an easy game against Mr. UFL coming up, they'll do just enough to lose in the first round.

Broncos 31 Raiders 7

Giants vs. Redskins

The Redskins, 3 more games until Jim Zorn is shown the door. Now time for a rant involving the Saints, It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia and both New York Teams

In It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, the Gang are constantly concocting schemes to ruin the lives of those around them, (Case 1: Matthew Mara a.k.a Rickety Cricket who was a priest, quit the priesthood because Dee lied about being in love with him in the episode The Gang Exploits A Miracle, only to shoot him down afterwards and ended up being broke and homeless). This year, the Jets started 3-0, they fell for Mark Sanchez only to realize they were not ready for elite-status after single-handedly being destroyed by Darren Sharper and the Jets status as a great team was ruined.

Case 2: (The Waitress, who was in love with Dennis, only to have this exploited time and time again. To add on to the misery, Charlie has pretty much stalking her over the first 5 seasons time. 5 is also the number of games the Giants played (and won) before their game against the Saints. They gave up 48 points in that game and they are now 7-6.

What does this mean, The Saints ruin the seasons of teams crossing their paths and It's Always Sunny characters ruin the lives of the people that cross paths with them. End of Rant.

Giants 31 Redskins 10

Vikings vs. Panthers

Vikings are going through the motions until their playoff meltdown, Panthers going through the motions until they can get a better QB. Nothing to see here, move along.

Vikings 42 Panthers 20

The NBA National TV Preview: 12-14 Edition

Alright so its been a few days since I had the motivation to post something. Probably attributable to rain-induced laziness plus my 2-day addiction to the short lived tv show Journeyman that I watched on Hulu over the weekend.

Anyways, it's another week in which to excel and with that, my take on this week's nationally televised NBA Games.

6- Wizards vs. Warriors Friday ESPN

The idea of putting the Wizards on National TV several times this year does not look to be panning out very well. Sure Gilbert Arenas is an interesting player (when hes not injured) but this team is just not that good. Sure, they are a game and a half out of the last spot (in the East).

On the other end is a Warriors team that is interesting in all the wrong ways. Dysfunctional coach ? Check Team Going Absolutely Nowhere? Check Team that considers defense optional? Check..with the Kings improving this year the Warriors have proudly representing as the biggest train wreck of a team in Nor Cal.

5- Magic vs. Heat Thursday TNT

A less than exciting battle of Florida. The Magic are battling for Eastern Conference Supremacy. The only difference between the Heat and the Wizards is Dwayne Wade is at least able to push the Heat into playoff contention. Sad But True: The Heat are .500 (11-11) but in the East thats good for battling the Bucks for the 5-spot in the East.

4- Mavericks vs. Thunder Wednesday ESPN

The Mavericks are off to a strong start and look headed to playoffs, nothing to see here for the next 58 games. For the Thunder, they get another chance to capitalize on their resurgent season. Any time Kevin Durant is involved, it's worth at least checking out the game. Fun Fact: If the Thunder played in the East they would be a 5 seed right now. However, they play in the West and are thus 1/2 game out of the last spot.

3- Suns vs. Blazers Thursday TNT

Toss-up between the game above but this wins the tie-breaker with Steve Nash on my fantasy team. In the real world, the Suns seem to be coming down to earth after a scorching hot start it will be interesting to see if they stay amongst the elite or if they are in danger of missing the playoffs for a second straight year.

The Blazers, coming off a couple tough losses to the Cavs and Bucks and are nobly trying to compete with about half of their roster injured. How well the Blazers hold up being this short-handed will go a long way to see if the Blazers are going to be a legit playoff team.

2- Wizards vs. Kings Wednesday ESPN

When I started doing this NBA preview, I mentioned that I was ranking them based on how interesting I found the game which is NOT always correlated to how good the teams are. This week is definitely an example of this. As I mentioned earlier, I could care less about the Wizards, the only thing separating them from the bottom of the east are the 76ers and Nets.

The only reason I care about the game is I find the Kings to be one of more interesting teams this year. Sure they may be 10-12, but compared to what they were last year, it is a night and day improvement. Living in the Sacramento area (Davis) last year, I got plenty of opportunities to see the Kings on TV (and a couple chances to see them in person.....the last game of the Reggie Theus area and a loss to the Bucks, ironically a team that they ended up going on similar paths.)

But thats besides the point, this will be the first Kings National TV appearance of the Tyreke Evans era. The Kings seemed to have shed aside the Theus/Natt era is just a bad dream and look ready to contend for a playoff spot. If that wasn't enough, Arco Arena is doing a $1-beer night to get more fans into the stands (a high priority since as recent as last year you could walk up and buy tickets half an hour before the game....also this opens up the possibility of fans having a few too many of those dollar beers and seeing how that works out)

1-Bucks vs. Cavaliers Friday ESPN

Less to say about this one, but since the Bucks are involved the interest level over-rides the Kings. This team is pretty much Sacramento East. A moribund team seemingly going nowhere makes good use of their first-round pick (Jennings), an injury to their leading scorer from last year (Martin/Redd) and just enough from the rest of their teams to stick around .500.

The Bucks playing the Cavaliers means a dose of LeBron (always fun to watch) plus a lumbering Shaq who has definitely lost a step (or twelve). The way you hear the media talk, this has got to be one of the worst teams ever......to start 17-7.....their "struggles", definitely overblown. Shaq was never known for his quick starts and they shouldn't be worried unless they're still in chaos in March/April.

NFL Week 14 Preview

So it looks like my pick of Browns over Steelers may be coming true, lets see what other genius I come up with for the coming week.

Tier I: Packers Game

Packers vs. Bears

The Packers are coming off the 4th straight victory. More importantly they are coming off a victory in the tied for second most penalized game in NFL History. Its good to see the Packers in control of their own destiny. On the other end, are the Packers bitter rival the Chicago Bears. Sure the Bears are terrible, they are definitely not making the playoffs at 5-7 and Jay Cutler is throwing interceptions like they are going out of style. However, this being a Packers-Bears game, the Bears are probably going to bring whatever passes for their A game. Still, I expect Cutler to throw for 3 touchdowns, 1 for the Bears and 2 for the Packers.

Packers 27 Bears 20

Tier II: Best Games of the Week

Bengals vs. Vikings

A interesting match-up of contrasts. On one end, the surprise Bengals who have gritted their way to several close wins. On the other end, a Vikings team that has been carried by the arm of Brett Favre. It was awesome to see my prediction of a Vikings loss actually come true Sunday against the Cards as Favre threw a couple of picks, expect an encore performance Sunday.

Bengals 17 Vikings 14 (OT)

Chargers vs. Cowboys

This one is a bit better on paper than reality. The Chargers haven't lost in two months and could do good enough to get a first-round bye (despite having Norv Turner as a head coach. The Cowboys are tied for the Eagles for first in a crowded NFC East but it's that time of the year where Tony Romo stops being good and the Cowboys promising season turns into failed hope.

Chargers 35 Cowboys 21

Eagles vs. Giants

Lots of wild card and NFC East implications with this one. Outcome of this game will go a long way to determine what these races look like. The Eagles win and they could be in first place (assuming the Cowboys lose), the Eagles lose we could have a 3-way tie for first and a very muddled wild card situation. The Giants lose and they are on the outside looking in, the Giants win they could force a tie for 1st. Pretty even game but Eagles get the edge as they've been playing better in the last few weeks.

Eagles 21 Giants 17

Tier III: Also Worth Checking Out

Broncos vs. Colts

Hard to see where the Broncos go from here. Are they the 6-0 team that proved everyone wrong or the teem that has struggled in the last six weeks. We probably won't know for sure regardless of what happens here. The Colts have yet to lose this year and I don't see them letting up until they clinch home-field for the playoffs.

Colts 35 Broncos 24

Dolphins vs. Jaguars

Based on playoff implications, this game should be ranked higher but it's difficult to get excited about a game involving the Jaguars. The Dolphins are coming off a good win against New England and have a prime opportunity to force their way into the playoff picture. The Jaguars have somehow won 7 games this year but still strike me as inferior to many of the 6-6 teams that are right behind them. Bad news for them, the Miami happens to be one of those teams.

Dolphins 28 Jaguars 14

Cardinals vs. 49ers

The Cardinals will be looking to put the nail in the 49ers coffin and win their second straight NFC West title. The 49ers are not going to go away quietly into the night and make it easy. Look for Alex Smith to have a big game and keep the Niners alive for another week.

49ers 42 Cardinals 35

Tier IV: Close Games, Bad Teams

Bills vs. Chiefs

If there was an award for the atrocious game of the week, this would be the runaway winner.

Bills 10 Chiefs 0

Jets vs. Buccaneers

Jets are worse than their 6-6 record as they finally realized Mark Sanchez is not the answer (at least in '09). A prime opportunity for Josh Freeman to get his team a second victory.

Buccaneers 24 Jets 21

Seahawks vs. Texans

Seahawks, its a must win for them. The Texans have failed at their umpteenth attempt of having their break out year and make the playoffs. Texans are the better team but the Seahawks have more to play for (albeit barely)

Seahawks 20 Texans 13

Redskins vs. Raiders

The Redskins blew their one opportunity of doing something great this year. The Raiders, while still terrible have shown some signs of life and improved from being atrocious to just being bad.

Raiders 24 Redskins 14

Tier V: The Blowouts

Panthers vs. Patriots

This Super Bowl rematch (from six years ago) is going to be a lot less interesting. The Panthers are riding out the string from a season derailed by Jake Delhomme throwing interceptions left and right. The Patriots haven't been the same since losing to the Saints a few weeks ago. The Patriots are clinging on to the AFC East as the Dolphins are suddenly a game behind. The Patriots may be struggling but they have more incentive to win and too much talent to lose to Carolina.

Patriots 31 Panthers 10

Lions vs. Ravens

The battle of the Packers last two opponents. The Lions , well they're the Lions. They won't make history again but they ain't going anywhere either. The Ravens have had a weak follow up to a strong 2008 but could still redeem themselves with a strong finish.

Ravens 28 Lions 10

Rams 1-11 vs. Titans 5-7

The Rams are playing for.......umm not sure what they're playing for. The Titans had a set back in their mad dash back from 0-6 and need to win out and catch more than a few breaks to make it. Expect a game considerably less exciting than their Super Bowl rematch from 10 years ago.

Titans 42 Rams 3