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Top 50 NFL Draft Prospects

Friday, March 30th, 2012

By Brandon Pemberton

With the 2012 NFL Draft four weeks away, I have decided to release my annual list of top 50 prospects in the draft.  My list is based upon my personal opinion and scouting.  Yes my list will differ from the likes of Mel Kiper Jr, Todd McShay, and Charlie Casserly, because I have my own views and opinions on players.  Be sure to listen to Sports Trap Radio from 10am-2pm this Saturday and every Saturday live on ueradiolive.com, hosted by myself (Brandon Pemberton) and my homie Chris Marshall (@215_sports_guy). We will discuss this list, the Final Four, and much more.  Call in and join the convo! 267-519-1111!

Also be on the lookout for my top ten players by position as well!  Yall know I go in!!!!! #SportsTrappinBran

1. Matt Kalil OT USC 6’6′ 306lbs

2. Trent Richardson RB Alabama 5’9′ 228lbs

3. Morris Claiborne CB LSU 5’11’ 178lbs

4. Robert Griffin III QB Baylor 6’2 1/2 223lbs

5. Andrew Luck QB Stanford 6’4′ 234lbs

6. Riley Reiff OT Iowa 6’6′ 313lbs

7. Justin Blackmon WR Oklahoma St. 6’1′ 207lbs

8. Quinton Coples DE UNC 6’6′ 284lbs

9. Melvin Ingram DE/OLB South Carolina 6’2′ 276lbs

10. David Decastro OG Stanford 6’5′ 316lbs

11. Mark Barron S Alabama 6’1′ 213lbs

12. Michael Brockers DT LSU 6’6′ 322lbs

13. Fletcher Cox DT/DE Miss St. 6’4′ 298lbs

14. Janoris Jenkins CB North Alabama 5’10’ 193lbs

15. Courtney Upshaw DE/OLB Alabama 6’2′ 272lbs

16. Dont’a Hightower ILB Alabama 6’2′ 265lbs

17. Luke Kuechly ILB Boston College 6’3′ 242lbs

18. Cordy Glenn G/T Georgia 6’5′ 3/4 345lbs

19. Dontari Poe NT/DT Memphis 6’4′ 345lbs

20. Michael Floyd WR Notre Dame 6’3′ 220lbs

21. Andre Branch DE/OLB Clemson 6’4′ 258lbs

22. Jonathan Martin OT Stanford 6’5′ 312lbs

23. Kendall Wright WR Baylor 5’10’ 196lbs

24. Coby Fleener TE Stanford 6’6′ 247lbs

25. Stephen Gilmore CB South Carolina 6’0′ 1/2 190lbs

26. Dre Kirkpatrick CB Alabama 6’2′ 186lbs

27. Devon Still DT Penn State 6’5′ 303lbs

28. Jerel Worthy DT Michigan St. 6’2′ 308lbs

29. Reuben Randle WR LSU 6’3′ 210lbs

30. Whitney Mercilus DE/OLB Illinois 6’4′ 260lbs

31. Ryan Tannehill QB Texas A&M 6’4′ 221lbs

32. Chandler Jones DE/OLB Syracuse 6’5′ 247lbs

33. Lamar Miller RB Miami 5’11’ 212lbs

34. Kevin Zeitler OG Wisconsin 6’4′ 314lbs

35. Mike Adams OT Ohio State 6’7′ 323lbs

36. Kendall Reyes DT UConn 6’4′ 299lbs

37. Doug Martin RB Boise St. 5’9′ 223lbs

38. Alfonzo Dennard CB Nebraska 5’10’ 204lbs

39. David Wilson RB Va Tech 5’10’ 206lbs

40. Peter Konz C Wisconsin 6’5′ 314lbs

41. Brandon Thompson DT Clemson 6’2′ 314lbs

42. Dwayne Allen TE Clemson 6’5′ 255lbs

43. Lavonte David OLB Nebraska 6’1′ 233lbs

44. Zach Brown OLB UNC 6’1′ 244lbs

45. Nick Perry DE/OLB 6’3′ 271lbs

46. Harrison Smith S Notre Dame 6’2′ 213lbs

47. Mychal Kendricks ILB Cal 5’11’ 249lbs

48. Brandon Weeden QB Oklahoma St. 6’4′ 221lbs

49. Alshon Jeffrey WR South Carolina 6’3′ 214lbs

50. Stephen Hill WR Georgia Tech 6’4′ 215lbs

Brandon Pemberton of Sports Trap Radio, for War Room Sports

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2012 NCAA Tournament Preview and Predictions

Wednesday, March 14th, 2012

By Brandon Pemberton

The NCAA Tournament Bracket has been set and now it’s time for me to go through each region and pick who I believe will make it to the Final Four this year in New Orleans.  Be sure to listen to Sports Trap Radio every Saturday on ueradiolive.com from 10am-2pm, hosted by Chris Marshall (@215_sports_guy) and myself weekly.

Also join Sports Trap Radio’s first annual Bracket Challenge via Espn.com.  Join Sports Trap Radio’s 1st Annual NCAA Basketball Tournament Challenge!!!!!! http://t.co/2ZYrsvfE.  The Winner will receive a $50 Visa Gift Card!!!

Kentucky's Anthony Davis

South Region

Top 4 Seeds: 1. Kentucky  2. Duke  3. Baylor  4. Indiana

Preview and Prediction: This region is a very tough draw in my opinion.  Kentucky was obviously the #1 overall seed in the tournament and picked by the committee after having a great regular season beforing losing to Vanderbilt in the SEC championship.  Vandy exposed some of the weaknesses of the young but talented Kentucky team: Point Guard play and shooting.  The Commodores were able to slow down Kentucky by playing a great 2-3 zone, with man principles, which forced the Wildcats to take contested shots from the perimeter and cut down drives to the basket.

Duke is the two seed, but they are only real good when making three-point shots.  Their lack of a true point guard and inability to defend on the perimeter will be the reason why they only make it to the Sweet 16 if they can make it past 10 seed Xavier. 

Baylor is my sleeper team of this region.  They kind of fell off of the map after bad losses to Kansas and Mizzou during conference play.  They have as much talent and athletic ability as any team in the country.  When Perry Jones III comes to play, no one in the country can check this kid. 

I like the young talent on Indiana’s team.  Tom Crean has done a great job recruiting since taking over there.  Cody Zeller is talented but young.  If he comes back for another year, I see a deep tourney run for them.  Don’t sleep on the veteran #5 seed Wichita St either.  They shoot the ball well and have size in the paint. 

Upset predictions for this region: 11 Colorado over 6 UNLV and 10 Xavier over 7 Notre Dame

Regional Semis: 1 Kentucky over 5 Wichita St, 3 Baylor over 2 Duke

Regional Final: 3 Baylor over 1 Kentucky

Marquette's Jae Crowder

West Region

Top 4 Seeds: 1. Michigan St  2. Missouri  3. Marquette  4. Louisville

Preview and Predictions: Michigan St. is the one seed in the West Region after finishing the season 27-7 and winning the Big 10 conference tournament.  Their conference was arguably one of the top 2 in the country and the Spartans, led by Senior forward Draymond Green were damn good all season long.  A great defensive and rebounding team like most Tom Izzo coached teams, they still do have problems scoring points for stretches during games.  One bad shooting game could have them exiting this tourney early.

Mizzou is a guard-driven team, which fits well during this time of the year.  Pressey, Denmon, and English are all good shooters, with Pressey getting into the lane and dishing to his teammates for open looks.  Forward Ricardo Ratliffe is an undersized 4-man, who shot 69% from the field, mostly off of dunks, layups, and putbacks.  They could run into trouble against a bigger team who pounds the ball inside and doesn’t let the Tigers dictate the tempo of the game.

Marquette has been one of my favorite teams to watch all season.  I love Buzz Williams’ coaching ability and the way he motivates his players.  Led by seniors Darius Odom-Johnson (18.5 ppg, 45% FG, 40% 3pt) and Jae Crowder ( 17.4 ppg and 8.1 rpg), the Golden Eagles are a tough, hard nosed group of players.  I see them getting hot and making a deep run this year.

4 seed Louisville is solid.  I’m not that impressed by them, but my sleeper team for this bracket is the 8 seed Memphis.  This is a young, but talented group of players led by Will Barton, who at 6’6′ 175lbs manages to grab eight boards a game, while shooting 51% from the field, playing the wing.  If this teams gets hot, it can do some major damage.

Upset Predictions for this region: 12 Long Beach St. over 5 New Mexico, 11 Colorado St. over 6 Murray St, and 10 Virginia over 7 Florida

Regional Semis: 8 Memphis over 4 Louisville, 3 Marquette over 2 Mizzou

Regional Finals: 3 Marquette over 8 Memphis

Ohio State's Jared Sullinger

East Region

Top 4 Seeds: 1. Syracuse  2. Ohio St.  3. Florida St.  4. Wisconsin

Preview and Predictions: The face of this region changed when it was reported Tuesday that Syracuse Center and Big East Defensive Player of the Year Fab Melo was ineligible to play in the 2012 NCAA Tournament.  Yes the Orange are loaded.  They still have 10 other guys who can play, but Melo was what made their 2-3 zone work.  The style of play for this team will clearly change and I can see them playing a more fast paced game with Melo out of the lineup.  Dion Waiters went from off of NBA scouts’ radars to a possible late lottery/mid 1st round pick with the season he has had.  He needs a big tourney if the Cuse’ are going to win it all.

I love the competition in this region.  Ohio St. is very good this year, obviously led by Jared Sullinger, William Buford, and Aaron Craft.  They have one of the nation’s best defenses as well.  Head Coach Thad Matta has been getting the bench more experience since the season wound down and they will see more time than you expect. 

FSU won the ACC championship, beating Duke and UNC in consecutive days.  Leonard Hamilton has a team full of athletes with good size and length, to go along with shooters as well.  Hamilton’s calling card as a coach has always been defense and they are lethal defensively.  They have momentum and are set to make a deep run this year.

Wisconsin was given a 4 seed.  I think it was kind of high for them and was a gift for playing in a tough Big Ten conference.  The 5 seed Vanderbilt won the SEC and has a veteran team who is battle tested.  They can really shoot it, they defend well, and take care of the ball.  They have three guys who will play NBA ball in John Jenkins, Jeff Taylor, and Festus Ezeli…and in the tournament, talent shines.

Upset Predictions for this Region: 11 Texas over 6 Cincinnati and 10 West Virginia over 7 Gonzaga 

Regional Semis: 5 Vanderbilt over 1 Syracuse and 3 Florida St over 2 Ohio St.

Regional Final: 3 Florida St over 2 Ohio St.

UNC's Harrison Barnes

Midwest Region

Top 4 Seeds: 1. UNC  2. Kansas  3. Georgetown  4. Michigan

Preview and Prediction: UNC is the one seed and clearly the cream of the crop of this bracket.  Forward John Henson sat out the ACC Championship game with an injured wrist and they ended up losing the game.  Henson is a game-changer defensively, with his ability to defend in the paint and on the perimeter.  But they still have Barnes, Zeller, and Marshall, and that’s more than enough for them to win it all. 

Kansas surprised me with the season they had after losing the Morris twins and Josh Selby from last year’s team.  The development of Player of the Year candidate Thomas Robinson, along with point guard Tyshawn Taylor has been epic.  They have led this team to a 27-6 record and Bill Self has done the best coaching job of his career.  He is my favorite for coach of the year.

Georgetown had a stellar season, finishing 23-8 and having one of the nation’s top defenses as far as field goal percentage and points per game.  They often go through stretches without being able to get points themselves and that could possibly be a problem.  Jason Clark and Hollis Thompson are who they rely on scoring-wise from the perimeter, while senior Henry Sims mans the mid-post and paint.

Michigan is the 4 seed, and can be deadly if they are making three-point shots.  Freshman Trey Burke brought a different look to the Wolverines with his ability to get in the lane and create for others and himself.  Tim Hardaway Jr. didn’t shoot as well during his sophomore season, but he has the capability to carry a team if he gets hot.

My Sleeper team is N.C. State.  They have gotten better as the season went on in the ACC and could really surprise teams in this bracket.  Sophomore C.J. Leslie has the ability to be a force defensively with his shot blocking and in transition finishing at the rim.  Mark Gottfried has really done a nice job in his first season as the Wolfpack coach.

Upset Prediction for this Region: 9 Alabama over 8 Creighton, 12 Cal or South Florida over 5 Temple, 11 N.C. State over 6 San Diego St. , and 14 Belmont over 3 Georgetown

Regional Semis: 1 UNC over 4 Michigan and 2 Kansas over 11 N.C. State

Regional Final: 1 UNC over 2 Kansas

Final Four: 1 UNC (Midwest) over 3 FSU (East) and 3 Baylor (South) over 3 Marquette (West)

National Championship: 1 UNC over 3 Baylor

Brandon Pemberton of Brandon On Sports & Sports Trap Radio, for War Room Sports

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Superbowl XLVI Preview

Saturday, February 4th, 2012

By Brandon Pemberton

Well, the biggest sporting event of the year is finally here, Super Bowl XLVI.  The 46th installment will feature the Eli Manning-led New York Giants versus Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, who are looking for their 4th Super Bowl ring over the last eleven seasons.  I will breakdown each phase of the game: Offense, Defense, Special Teams, for each team and give out my winner against the point spread afterwards.

Also be sure to catch Sports Trap Radio, Saturdays from 10am to 2pm live on http://ueradiolive.com/ , hosted by Brandon Pemberton (@BrandonOnSports) and Chris Marshall (@215_Sports_Guy).  We will bring you the realness, each and every Saturday morning, no holds barred, no opinions withheld.  Be sure to listen in and feel free to call in and join in on the conversation and debate.

Offense

Giants: Eli Manning has had the best season of his career, carrying this team on his back all season.  The running game has been pretty non-existent for much of the season, being as though Ahmad Bradshaw missed four games due to a foot injury.  Brandon Jacobs, who is one of the team’s emotional leaders, had a mediocre season, averaging only 3.8 yards per carry and compiling 571 yards in 14 games.  But offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride has done a great job calling plays by running the ball anyway, keeping teams honest and allowing the Giants offensive line to be physical and not retreat all game.

The Giants passing game has been its bread and butter all season and for them to win the game, they will need Manning to continue to play at the elite level that he’s been at over the last two months.  People laughed at him during the preseason when he said he was one of the league’s elite, and up to this point he’s done nothing but prove everyone wrong.  The trio of wide receivers: Hakeem Nicks, Victor Cruz, and Mario Manningham are among the league’s best.  Add in tight end Jake Ballard, who has been a pleasant surprise in the passing game and you have a deadly offense that can put up points fast.

Keys: The Giants will obviously need to protect Manning, not turn the ball over, and have some sort of running game to be an effective offensive unit and win the game.

Patriots: The Patriots offense is obviously driven by the future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady, who is looking for his fourth title and revenge of the Pats’ loss in the title game four years ago.  The Pats offense is very explosive, but in a rare way, a way that we’ve never seen in the NFL before to my recollection.  The Patriots best offensive weapons are their super duo at tight end, Rob Gronkowski (90 rec, 1327 yards, 17 TD) and Aaron Hernandez (79 rec, 910 yards, 7 TD), but you can’t forget about Wes Welker (122 rec, 1569 yards, 9 TD) as well.  Welker has kind of been forgotten because of the excellent play of the tight ends but he will be lined up in the slot against the 3rd corner or Antrel Rolle, who often plays corner in the slot as well.  Gronkowski is nursing a high ankle sprain and practiced for the first time on Thursday, so we will see how effective he is during the game.  He is Brady’s favorite red zone threat.

Four years ago, the Giants were able to get constant pressure on Brady with their front four defensively.  The Pats’ offensive line must do a better job protecting Brady in this game.  We all know when he is knocked around and has to move off of his spot and rush, he isn’t as effective.  The Patriots don’t have much of a rushing game, but when given the chance, BenJarvus Green-Ellis can be effective.  He is a big battering ram, who does well between the tackles, in short yardage situations and at the goal line, as he scored 11 TD’s during the regular season.  Danny Woodhead and Stevan Ridley get their fair share of carries as well, and are used in the short passing game.

Keys: Offensive line must protect Brady well; allow him to get comfortable in the pocket, Gronkowski’s ankle: How effective will he be?  How long will he be able to play?  They will need some sort of deep threat (via Ochocinco or Slater) in the passing game.  Also, be on the watch for the Patriots running screens to Woodhead and even Hernandez to slow down the Giants pass rush.

Defense

Giants: The Giants’ defense has gotten hot at the right time of the year, and is a big part of the reason why the Giants are playing in this game.  The defensive line is putting supreme pressure on the opposing teams’ quarterbacks, and playing well against the run.  The linebacker play was brutal the first 13 weeks of the season, but during the last 4 weeks and the playoffs, the linebackers have been great.  Led by Micheal Boley and Chase Blackburn, who was on his way to retiring, the linebacker core has been solid against the run and pass.  They will have their hands full dealing with the likes of Gronkowski, Hernandez, Welker, and Woodhead in the passing game though.

They might not get a lot of press, but cornerbacks Aaron Ross and Corey Webster are solid pros who don’t make many mistakes in coverage.  They are also willing tacklers in the run game and against tight ends and backs out of the backfield.  The Giants play three safeties on passing downs plenty, and Rolle, Dion Grant and Kenny Phillips are all good in coverage and devastating hitters as well.  They look to separate the ball from receivers frequently.

Keys: They must get to Tom Brady early and often. Get him frustrated, make him rush and he might turn it over. Try to contain the tight ends, when they make catches, they must be tackled immediately.

Patriots: The Patriots defense coming into the playoffs was ranked 31st of 32 teams in yards given up per game.  They were in the top half of the league as far as giving up points, ranked 15th as they have given up 21.4 points per game.  But in two playoff games they are giving up 325 yards per game and only 15 points.  They are doing a decent job right now getting a pass rush and it’s generated not only from the outside, but with a great push up the middle.

Early in the season the Pats were going with a 4-3 base defense and was unable to get any sort of pass rush, and it left the defensive backfield out to dry.  Belichick has since gone back to the traditional 3-4, but he often mixes his fronts and personnel as well during games.  Nose tackle Vincent Wilfork played out of his mind two weeks ago against the Baltimore Ravens.  He was a force in the middle of the line and he dominated the line of scrimmage against the pass and the run. Outside linebackers Mark Anderson and Rob Ninkovich must get pressure on Eli Manning, knock him around, force a fumble, an interception, something.  If they allow him to stand back there, he and the trio of receivers will tear this defense apart.  The Patriots are solid versus the run and should have no problem stopping the Giants running attack.

The defensive backfield for the Pats will be tested on Sunday for sure.  They will have to be at their best going up against the Giants passing game.  Whether it’s Nicks down field, Cruz in the slot, or Manningham on the outside, they cannot afford to have any blown coverage, missed assignments, or missed tackles.  Expect plenty of Cover 3 and man coverage with two safeties over the top to keep the Giants from making too many big plays down the field.

Keys: Get a pass rush and force Eli into mistakes. No blown coverage, eliminate the giants big plays downfield. Tackle the Giants WR’s after the catch.

 

Special Teams

Giants: Giants special teams play has been pretty solid all season.  Devin Thomas is not only their kick returner, but also one of their best kick and punt coverage guys as well.  Lawrence Tynes kicked the game winner two weeks ago, sending the Giants to the Super Bowl and Weatherford did a great job getting the snap down.  Their return game is special, Thomas runs kicks and Ross fields the punts.

Patriots: The Pats kicker Stephen Gostkowski made 28-33 FG’s during the regular season.  He only attempted 2 outside of 50 yards and made one.  Punter Zoltan Mesko is one of the NFL’s best and he does a good job putting punts down between the goal line and 20 yard line.  Julian Edelman and Danny Woodhead split the kick return duties, while Edelman returns punts.  Edelman has taken a punt back 72 yards for a TD this season.

My Prediction: This is going to be a great game to watch.  The Patriots are a three point favorite in Vegas and if the line was a bit bigger I would be certain that they would win.  But I don’t know how healthy Gronkowski is and I love the way the Giants are playing as a team right now.  Eli Manning could win his 2nd title with a win on Sunday, putting him in the elite of the elite.

Giants 29 Patriots 27

Super Bowl MVP: Hakeem Nicks

Brandon Pemberton of Brandon on Sports and Sports Trap Radio, for War Room Sports

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The Tim Tebow Experiment

Thursday, November 17th, 2011

By Brandon Pemberton

The Tim Tebow debate has been an ongoing topic since he was preparing for the 2010 NFL Draft and it has been a hot topic during the 2011 NFL season.  Tebow is arguably one of the top 20 college football players of all time, was a great leader of men at the University of Florida, and a model citizen from what we know.  With all that said, he had flaws as a passer in college that I and others thought would hinder his ability to be a solid quarterback in the NFL and a successful passer in or out of the pocket.  Many call my opinions and the opinions of others “hate”, but it’s far from it.  I just call things the way I see it.

The Denver Broncos felt pressure from fans to start Tebow during training camp, but decided to go with last year’s starter Kyle Orton instead.  Head coach John Fox felt as though he was the more accomplished passer and would give them the best chance to win.  Denver went 1-4 in his five starts at QB and going into the bye week, Fox let it be known that there might be a change.  Eventually Tebow was named the starter and he would get his chance to prove that he could play in this league.

In four starts, Tebow has a 3-1 record and the Broncos are a game out of first place in a weak AFC West division.  The Broncos have had to totally get rid of the passing game because their starting quarterback has below average ability passing the ball.  Here are Tebow’s passing stats in his four starts: 43-95 45%, 526 yards, 6 TD’s, 1 INT, and a passer rating of 79.5 to go along with 14 sacks.  Can I ask you a question?  If I read you these stats without telling you who the player was, what would you say?  You would tell me he stinks and will never win in this league with those types of passing numbers, right?  He is horribly inaccurate, holds the ball too often, and has problems delivering the ball on time.  With those deficiencies, there’s no way in hell he’s the quarterback of the future in Denver or for any other NFL franchise.

Tim Tebow and the Broncos have been winning games by running the read option offense for now, but can you seriously tell me that they can win like this consistently?  The life span of an NFL running back is about 3-5 years if he’s lucky, so there’s no way this guy’s going to last, taking these hits.  Quarterbacks are protected in the pocket as passers, not when you are running the option; they are treated like a running back.  It’s only a matter of time before he gets knocked out while running the ball or after pitching the ball to one of his backs.  NFL players are too big, too fast for this style of offense to work week to week, let alone for years.  This is the NFL, not West Point, not the Naval Academy, and not Colorado Springs, Colorado.  2-8 for 69 yards passing is not going to win you a Super Bowl.

I received all the confirmation I needed when it comes to Tebow yesterday when I read the direct comments from his head coach when asked about his team’s new offense: “If we were trying to run a regular offense, he’d be screwed.”  There you have it folks, even his own coach knows his limitations.  It’s blatantly obvious people.  Just watch tonight as the Jets defense makes mince meat out of Tebow. I’m not the type to toot my own horn, but as I told Philadelphia Eagles fans when Casey Matthews was drafted that he couldn’t play, I said the same about Tebow and his long-term ability to win games.  He had a nice run, but tonight he and this option offense will be exposed.

Catch me on Twitter @BrandonOnSports

Brandon Pemberton of Brandon on Sports, for War Room Sports

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Brandon’s Sports Weekend Aluminum Bat Locks

Saturday, November 12th, 2011

By Brandon Pemberton

In college football action:

1. I like Baylor (-20) on the road to crush the Kansas Jayhawks.

2. I like Florida St. (-9) over Miami in their annual rivalry game in Tallahassee.

3.  And finally I like Florida (+3) on the road at South Carolina to win the game outright.

 

In NFL action:

1. I like the Steelers (-3) to cover the number on the road against the Bengals.

2. I like the Falcons at home in a Pick em’ situation over the Saints.

3. And finally I like the Patriots (+1 1/2) on the road against the Jets to win the game outright.

 

Fantasy Football

Start Em’

1. QB Aaron Rodgers vs. the Vikings: The Vikings have the 30th ranked pass defense and Rodgers is playing the best I’ve seen in my 25 years of watching NFL football.

2. RB Arian Foster vs. the Buccaneers: The Bucs give up a little over 132 yards a game on the ground, so expect a big day from Foster who has played well since becoming healthy.

3. RB Maurice Jones-Drew vs the Colts: The Colts stink, especially against the run (146 yards allowed per contest), so why would you sit MJD if you have him?

Sit Em’

1. QB Alex Smith vs. the Giants: Smith isn’t much of a fantasy scorer and I wouldn’t expect a big game from him this week. 

2. RB LaGarrette Blount vs. the Texans: Houston allows only 91 yards per game, so if you have a backup plan, I would play him this week.

3. RB Marshawn Lynch vs. the Ravens: The Seahawks aren’t a threat passing the ball, so expect the Ravens to load the box and take away Lynch.

Catch me on Twitter @BrandonOnSports

Brandon Pemberton of Brandon on Sports, for War Room Sports

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Penn State Must Do FULL House Cleaning

Thursday, November 10th, 2011

By Brandon Pemberton

Yesterday a little past 10pm EST, Penn State’s board of directors held a press conference announcing that Joe Paterno would no longer be coaching the Penn State Nittany Lions.  This whole situation is flat out disgusting and it befuddles me how this type of thing could happen on a college campus, and people know about it and not go overboard to stop it.  I actually forced myself to read the whole 23-page grand jury testimony and it was hard to not get choked up while reading what that piece of trash Jerry Sandusky did to these innocent children.  Penn State students rioted and defaced property after hearing of Paterno’s firing.  But this is bigger than football.  We are talking about the abuse of children here.  Football takes a backseat, obviously in my eyes, but the cult-like Penn State fans are more worried about “Joe Pa” than the victims, and they are a sick group of individuals.

Okay, so the school’s president was fired, Paterno was fired, the athletic director resigned, and the director of business and finance (who also was in charge of campus police) was forced to resign.  They all had some sort of part in enabling Sandusky to abuse these children over the years and deservedly lost their jobs, but lost in the sauce somehow is wide receivers’ coach Mike McQueary.  The same man, who at 28 years old, witnessed the sodomy of what he believed to be a 10 year old child, and instead of stopping the act, by any means necessary, went and called his father.  His father told him to come home and they then told Paterno what he had seen that night.  What happened to calling the police, getting the kid out of harm’s way, or even kicking Sandusky’s ass for the unforgiving act he was committing?

Even with McQueary’s negligence, he somehow still has his job and it’s been reported on numerous credible media outlets that he will coach this Saturday, rather it be on the sideline or up in the press box.  Penn State started the process of cleaning things up yesterday, but how does McQueary survive after his part in this?  There’s no legit explanation that anyone could give the public on why he gets to stick around, and it would be a disgrace if he has a pair of headsets on this weekend as Penn State hosts Nebraska on Senior Day.  I don’t know what else is going to come out concerning this whole story, but nothing would surprise me at this point.  I just know everyone who was involved should go, and that MUST include McQueary.  BOTTOM LINE!

Catch me on Twitter @BrandonOnSports

Brandon Pemberton of Brandon on Sports, for War Room Sports

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It’s Time for the Andy Reid Era to End

Thursday, October 6th, 2011

By Brandon Pemberton

Catch me on Twitter @Bashir28

Angry, shocked, bewildered, and befuddled are a few words to explain how I felt after I watched the Philadelphia Eagles blow a 20-point, 3rd quarter lead, and lose 24-23 to the San Francisco 49ers last Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field.  Yes I admit, I am a full-bred, Philadelphia-raised, 4-for-4 sports fan.  But as an aspiring sports radio host and sportswriter, I am also a non-homer and I break things down objectively.

When the Eagles assembled this current team during the lockout-shortened off season, I was excited about the pieces they added, especially on the defensive side of the ball.  On paper, bringing in corners Nnamdi Asomugha and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, along with defensive lineman Jason Babin and Cullen Jenkins, made this Eagles defense look like world beaters.  They also signed quarterback Vince Young as the backup to Mike Vick and late in training camp, former Giants wide receiver Steve Smith as well.  Young coined the phrase “Dream Team” in an interview with the Philly media and the whole city ran with it.  Even before the team had played a down of football.

I had thought there were positions that were left unaddressed before the preseason and after watching preseason games 2 and 3, it was obvious to me that the offensive line, linebackers, and safeties were going to be a problem.  When I let it be known on Twitter, Facebook, and in this article http://brandononsports.wordpress.com/2011/08/21/eagles-brutal-performance-onthursday-is-it-reason-to-worry/ , people told me “calm down, it’s only preseason”.  Well the only eye test I had was the Eagles’ starters against the opposite team’s starters.  I thought to myself, “the Eagles really need to do something about these linebackers with the scheme they are attempting to play”, but this is Andy Reid we are talking about folks.  He feels as though linebackers don’t matter and aren’t a factor in winning a title.

So here we are, after this first 4 weeks of the season and the Eagles stand at 1-3 and last in the NFC East.  Unable to hold 4th quarter leads, horrible play in the red zone on both sides of the ball, along with putrid coaching and philosophy are the main reasons why.  Oh, don’t let me leave out the protection issues with the O-line, Vick’s problems coughing up the ball, and the inconsistent play of DeSean Jackson.

I and everyone else have had it with Reid’s excuses right after games in press conferences and the day after.  The same “I have to do a better job” statements along with his pompous and smug answers to the reporters’ questions the day after a bad loss or when he has made mind-blowing mistakes in a game, just tick me off.  His inability to adjust on game day and his refusal to take value in certain positions is the reason why he hasn’t yet won a Super Bowl, and why this team has fallen flat on their faces after 4 games.

Early in his career, Reid refused to acquire any big-time wide receivers, even when it was obvious it would help Donovan McNabb and take the team to another level.  He finally came to his senses and in 2004, Terrell Owens was added to the team and the Eagles had its best offensive season in franchise history while making a trip to the Super Bowl and eventually losing to the New England Patriots.  He then drafted DeSean Jackson in the 2nd round in ’08 and Jeremy Maclin in the 1st round of the 2009 draft.  It took him a while, but he eventually figured out if he was going to be a pass heavy team, he needed stud receivers.

During Andy Reid’s tenure here in Philadelphia, he has refused to put value into the linebacker position.  When he came here in 1999, he inherited stud middle linebacker Jeremiah Trotter and in 2000 while Tom Modrak was the General Manager, they signed outside linebacker Carlos Emmons as well.  Trotter and Emmons played together for two years (2000-01) and when “Trot” was allowed to walk after the 01′ season, this is when I realized the Eagles and the front office undervalued the linebacker position.  Reid has gone year after year refusing to address this problem.  Gardner, Simoneau, Kirkland, Jones, Wayne, Bradley, Gocong, and recently Ernie Sims are some of the names of the mediocre players that have played here since Trotter and Emmons.  They also have never found a proper replacement for Eagles’ legend and future Hall of Famer Brian Dawkins.

So when I saw the Birds send out a starting linebacker core of Moise Fokou, Casey Matthews, and Jamar Chaney on opening day, I wasn’t surprised.  You would think since the team is using Jim Washburn’s “Wide Nine” set for the defensive line, which leaves the linebackers vulnerable to offensive linemen, the team would acquire bigger, more violent linebackers via free agency or the draft.  Instead they move Jamar Chaney from his natural position of middle linebacker and hand the job to a 4th round pick out of Oregon who can’t play.  The eye test doesn’t lie.  Anyone with football acumen would have told you that Matthews isn’t a NFL middle linebacker, let alone a starter.  How Moise Fokou owns a starting spot on an NFL roster, I have no bleeping idea.  The guy is nothing more than a special teams player.  I liked what I saw from Chaney last season, but the current scheme doesn’t fit his abilities. 

There are two other teams in the NFL that currently use the “Wide Nine” scheme with its front four, the Detroit Lions and the Tennessee Titans.  The Titans are in the top 10 in 3 key defensive categories in the NFL:  7th in yards per game (299.8), 8th in rushing yards allowed per game (87.8), and they have the number 1 scoring defense in all of football (14.0 pts per game).  Their trio of linebackers include:  Will Witherspoon (6’1′ 240), Barrett Ruud (6’2′ 241), and first round draft pick Akeem Ayers (6’3′ 254).  They all are players who attack the line of scrimmage violently and are big enough to take on and defeat blocks at the point of attack.  Will Witherspoon, who played in eleven games for the Eagles in 2009, is also excellent in pass coverage, especially against tight ends.

The Lions rank 11th in the NFL in yards allowed (334.3) per game, 20th in rushing yards allowed per game (113.0), and 8th in points allowed per game (19.0).  Of course any defense with a player like Ndamukong Suh is going to make it easier on linebackers to play because he draws so many double-teams.  But there’s no way you can tell me that Stephen Tulloch (5’11’ 240), DeAndre Levy (6’1′ 238), and Bobby Carpenter (6’2′ 249) aren’t a more credible linebacker crew than the crap the Eagles have.  Stephen Tulloch has played his whole career in the “Wide Nine” scheme and was a free agent during the offseason.  It would have made sense to take a look at Tulloch and sign him since he is a proven veteran playmaker, but no, this is Andy Reid’s regime we are talking about here folks.  By the way, Tulloch is having a Pro Bowl caliber season through four games.

Before I finish, let me address the safety position as well.  As I said earlier in this article, Brian Dawkins still hasn’t been properly replaced since leaving via free agency in 2009.  Nate Allen was having a good rookie campaign before rupturing his patella tendon towards the end of last season, and it wasn’t certain if he would be 100% coming into this season.  Kurt Coleman is a 7th round draft pick who outplayed his expectations last season, but that didn’t mean he was a NFL starter.  The Eagles drafted Jaiquawn Jarrett out of Temple in the 2nd round, which was a reach and he has dressed for one game so far.  When the Eagles realized they were in trouble during the preseason, they signed 6-year veteran Jarrad Page, who has started on some bad Kansas City Chiefs teams in the past and played sparingly for the Patriots last season.  To start the season, it was Coleman at free safety and Page at strong safety, but the both of them were exposed during the first 4 games.  Whether it was blown coverage or just plain missing tackles, they both proved that they shouldn’t be starting in this league.  Nate Allen was given a shot at starting this past Sunday against the 49ers and he was a non-factor.

What more can I say?  It’s the same sad love song with Andy Reid at the helm and running things around here.  The Eagles haven’t been back to the Super Bowl since the 2004 season and they damn sure aren’t [going back] this year or any with Reid as coach.  His message, coaching style, philosophy, drafting, and antics are all old and it’s time for new blood for this franchise. 

Brandon Pemberton of Brandon on Sports, for War Room Sports

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2011 NFL Season Preview

Thursday, September 8th, 2011

By Brandon Pemberton

Well, after a long offseason due to the lockout, the NFL is back and I can’t be any happier.  I went through each team’s individual schedule after watching them play in the preseason (first half and game 2 and the first three quarters of the third game) and predicted where I believe they will finish during this season. This is my second time doing this (http://brandononsports.wordpress.com/2010/09/09/2010-nfl-season-preview-and-predictions/) and as you can see last season, I picked the Packers to win it all and I was a bad play by Dawan Landry of the Ravens away from picking the exact Super Bowl teams. Well here goes, enjoy and feel free to comment here or hit me up on twitter https://twitter.com/Bashir28 and I will gladly talk and debate with you.  Thank you and enjoy the season.  Remember to check out www.brandononsports.wordpress.com during the season for more articles and blogs from me.

D-Division Winner

WC-Wild Card Team

 

National Football Conference

 

NFC East

Eagles 10-6 D

Cowboys 9-7 WC

Giants 9-7

Redskins 7-9

Outlook: In my eyes, the Philadelphia Eagles are the best team in the division.  I still have questions about the middle of their offensive line.  They are starting 6th round draft pick Jason Kelce at center and 1st round draft pick Danny Watkins was supposed to start but he’s not ready, so newly acquired right guard Kyle DeVan.  Teams started to figure Mike Vick out towards the end of last season and he was having problems reading the blitz.  Not having a full offseason might have stunted the growth of Vick in the passing game and may very well stop the Eagles from being a SuperBowl winner.  They have nine new starters on defense and glaring holes at the linebacker and safety positions.

The Dallas Cowboys fired Head Coach Wade Phillips during the season and gave the job to offensive coordinator Jason Garrett.  The team seemed to play harder and Garrett for some odd reason called the plays with more balance when he took over the job.  You can’t deny it; this team has a medley of offensive weapons to go along with a quarterback in Tony Romo who puts up big numbers during the regular season.  But can he get it done when it counts?  I doubt that it’s likely, but if Felix Jones can stay healthy for a whole 16 games, the Cowboys will be in contention for a wildcard spot.  With the addition of Rob Ryan as the defensive coordinator, expect a good season out of the defense.

The New York Giants are going to be their typical bipolar selves.  One week looking like a contender and then the next week killing themselves with penalties and turnovers.  I expect a breakout season from Hakeem Nicks with the departure of WR Steve Smith to the Eagles, but Eli will be Eli…a turnover machine.  The defense will still put pressure on the QB, but with the season-ending injury to their best Cornerback Terrell Thomas and Prince Amukamara breaking his foot and needing surgery, this team will struggle and miss the playoffs.

The Washington Redskins were a complete disaster last season (Its first under two time Super Bowl champion coach Mike Shanahan).  I expect a better season out of them in his second season, but I don’t like their Quarterback situation with Rex Grossman as the starter and John Beck as the backup. Shanahan has a trio of running backs: Ryan Torain, newly acquired Tim Hightower, and rookie Roy Helu from Nebraska.  I expect the Skins to be a run first and play-action pass type of offense.  Santana Moss is coming off of a 90-catch season and 2nd-year WR Anthony Armstrong is establishing himself as a legit deep threat and 2nd receiver.  The Defense was a complete disaster in its first year playing in a 3-4. Expect some improvement with the additions of Nose Tackle Barry Cofield, safety O.J. Atogwe, and 1st round draft pick Ryan Kerrigan at the outside linebacker opposite of Brian Orapko.  They still miss the playoffs though.

NFC West

Rams 9-7 D

Cardinals 7-9

49ers 5-11

Seahawks 4-12

Outlook: This is clearly the weakest division in all of football and in my eyes the Rams are the clear cut favorite.  Sam Bradford played pretty damn well in his rookie season and I expect better play from him this year.  Josh McDaniels is the new offensive coordinator and he loves to spread defenses out and pass the ball.  Hopefully he won’t forget about the abilities of running back Steven Jackson.  The Rams had the 12th ranked scoring defense last season and added a group of veterans, including Linebackers Ben Leber and Brady Poppinga, along with former Eagles safety Quintin Mikell.

The Arizona Cardinals saved their franchise by trading for QB Kevin Kolb, which obviously made franchise player Larry Fitzgerald happy, as he signed an 8 year, $120 million extension to remain in Arizona.  In my eyes, the book is still out on Kolb and we will see how good or bad he really is.  It would help him if running back Beanie Wells could provide some sort of presence in the running game.  The defense was average at best last season and they had problems getting to the quarterback.  I see seven wins for the Cardinals.

Jim Harbaugh was hired by the San Francisco 49ers as head coach, after reviving a dead Stanford football program.  He ran a pro-style offense in college, played QB in the NFL, and coaching football is in his DNA.  But the fact of the matter is that Alex Smith is still the starting quarterback for this team and he flat out stinks.  The team has all the weapons offensively; franchise running back Frank Gore, an elite tight end in Vernon Davis, and wide receivers Michael Crabtree and Braylon Edwards.  But the situation at QB is going to kill them all season long.

The Seattle Seahawks made the playoffs last season with a 7-9 record, winning the division and shocking then defending SuperBowl champs New Orleans Saints in the first round.  Well this offseason, they allowed quaterback Matt Hasslebeck to leave via free agency and decided to go with the former Viking, Tavaris Jackson as the starter.  They also signed wide receiver Sidney Rice to a huge free agent contract as well, even though he is coming off a season where he missed a bunch of time due to a serious hip injury.  Add the inconsistent play of running back Marshawn Lnych and you have a 4-12 season.  Their defense, outside of Aaron Curry and Earl Thomas, isn’t much to speak about, so I expect them to be in the running for Stanford QB Andrew Luck.

NFC North

Packers 13-3 D

Vikings 8-8

Bears 8-8

Lions 7-9

Outlook: The Packers won the SuperBowl last season, even though they lost keys players like Ryan Grant, Atari Bigby, and veteran leader Nick Barnett for the season to injuries.  As I predicted prior to last season, quarterback Aaron Rodgers would place himself amongst the top 5 QB’s in the league and win the big game.  He did BOTH!  The Packers bring back pretty much the same team offensively and the return of their running back to the fold.  Greg Jennings, in my eyes, is one of the more underrated wide receivers in football and will have a monster season.  The 3-4 defense lead by Clay Matthews, B.J. Raji, and Charles Woodson are back in full effect.  The Packers also sport one of the best corner tandems in football with Tramon Williams and Sam Shields.  I see no reason why they aren’t playing on the last Sunday of the season again.

The Chicago Bears are going into year two of running offensive coordinator Mike Martz’s pass-heavy offense, an offense that hasn’t won anything since the St. Louis Rams “Greatest Show on Turf”.  Jay Cutler is the perfect fit for the offense, but he is also a turnover machine and cost the Bears games with his bad decisions and carelessness throwing the ball.  The one-two punch of Matt Forte and newly acquired running back Marion Barber should be formidable.  Knowing that the offensive line is an issue, you would think Martz would run the ball a bit more, but like Andy Reid, Martz is a stubborn coach. Defensively, we know what the Bears are.  They are running the Tampa Cover 2 and linebacker Brian Urlacher is the leader of this group.  All-Pro weakside linebacker Lance Briggs is unhappy in Chicago and is asking for a trade.  This is not the type of distraction the Bears need the week before the season starts.  I predict eight wins from this team, missing the playoffs.

The Minnesota Vikings received quarterback Donavan McNabb in a trade from the Washington Redskins.  One thing I can say is, the Vikings have a strong running game with Adrian Peterson for McNabb to depend on and unlike his former boss, the Vikes don’t have a problem running the rock. While losing wide receiver Sidney Rice to free agency, the Vikings still have Visanthe Shiancoe, Percy Harvin, Bernard Berrian, and rookie tight end Kyle Rudolph as targets in the passing game.  Defensively, they have seen their better years pass by and they have lost starters Ben Leber, Ray Edwards, and Pat Williams, while an aging Antoine Winfield is still hanging on.  Jared Allen will see more double-teams with the departure of Ray Edwards, rendering the team less effective on passing downs.  McNabb will have some sort of a bounce-back year, but not good enough for them to make the playoffs.

Everyone is on the Detroit Lions’ bandwagon, as they were last season prior to the injury to franchise quarterback Matthew Stafford.  I see progress from this team.  I like the pieces they have added defensively in linebacker Stephen Tulloch and the drafting of defensive tackle Nick Fairley out of Auburn. If Stafford can stay healthy I see them winning 7, maybe 8 games.

NFC South

Falcons 11-5 D

Buccaneers 10-6 WC

Saints 8-8

Panthers 4-12

Outlook: The Atlanta Falcons on paper seem to be loaded and set to finally make that run to the NFC Championship Game and possibly to the Super Bowl.  I like Matt Ryan as a quarterback, just not as much as others (like 97.5 The Fanatic’s Mike Missanelli in Philadelphia).  If he is as good as people think he is, a trip to the Super Bowl would solidify his fans opinions.  This offense is solid in all phases: running, passing, and most importantly, line play.  Defensively, they are pretty simple, not too much pressure from blitzers, they like to rely on their front-four to get to the QB.  The addition of defensive end Ray Edwards in free agency from the Vikings opposite of John Abraham should boost the Falcons’ pass rush. The wildcard for this team is rookie receiver Julio Jones from Alabama.  If he can provide a legit target, it would open up more field for Roddy White and make the Falcons a legit contender.  Falcons win the division.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Head Coach Raheem Morris shocked all of the football world by winning 10 games last season and barely missing the playoffs.  Quarterback Josh Freeman was pretty damn good last season, especially driving his offense downfield at the end of games to tie or take leads.  Rookie wide receiver Mike Williams showed the talent and promise he had at Syracuse and running back LaGarrette Blount proved why he was considered a first to second round pick prior to the punching incident against Boise St.  Losing leader Barrett Ruud on defense was a big blow, but the Bucs believe Mason Foster is a more than capable replacement.  The Bucs had problems getting to the quarterback last season and they addressed the need by drafting Adrian Clayborne from Iowa and Da’Quan Bowers from Clemson.  Coming into the 2010 College Football season, Bowers was the number one NFL prospect in the country.  But issues with his knee and the possible belief that he will soon need microfracture surgery dropped him out of the first round and he was drafted with the 51st pick in the second round.  If healthy, Bowers could provide the legit pass rushing ability the Bucs need to take their defense to the next level.  They make the playoffs this season as a wild card team.

The New Orleans Saints still have Drew Brees at the helm of their high powered offense.  It’s pretty much a given that this team will not have a problem scoring points.  The departure of Reggie Bush, who was a big key in their passing game, was made up for with the drafting of running back Mark Ingram from Alabama.  The Saints had serious issues last season on defense.  In their Super Bowl season in 2009, the defense was one of the best in the league at forcing turnovers and it made up for some other glaring holes.  Last season they didn’t force turnovers and was gashed against the run on a weekly basis, and it was also the reason why they were upset in the first round of the playoffs by the Seahawks.  They brought in veteran run-stuffing defensive tackle Shaun Rogers along with Aubrayo Franklin to attempt to address the issues on defense.  Jonathan Vilma is a more effective Mike linebacker when he has less offensive lineman to shed and space to run and make tackles.  Due to a less than average defensive unit, the Saints win eight games and miss the playoffs.

The Carolina Panthers are in true rebuilding form, as they selected quarterback Cam Newton with the first overall draft pick of the 2011 NFL Draft.  He has the potent running back tandem of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart to lean on as he takes his lumps and learns the NFL game.  Time will tell if he can become an accurate passer, learn to read pro defenses, and a winner.  The Panthers have an ok defensive unit led by defensive end Charles Johnson and his new $72 million contract.  New Head Coach Ron Rivera has had success as a defensive coordinator running a cover 2 and 3-4 with the Bears and the Chargers.  They will be a winning team in the future, just not this year.  I give them 4 or 5 wins.

NFC Championship: Packers over Falcons

 

American Football Conference

 

AFC East

Patriots 11-5 D

Jets 9-7 WC

Dolphins 6-10

Bills 4-12

Outlook: I expect the Patriots to win the division as they have the best quarterback (Tom Brady) and coach.  You know what you are getting offensively from the Pats.  They will spread you out and allow Tom Brady to pick you apart passing the ball.  Add in some occasional runs from Ben Jarvis Green-Ellis and they put up points in bunches.  Chad Ochocinco was added to the core of receivers by trade from the Bengals and if he stays healthy, I can see him having a great season.  The Patriots addressed their defensive issues by adding a bunch of veteran lineman: Albert Haynesworth, Andre Carter, and Shaun Ellis.  While Haynesworth wanted no parts of playing in the 3-4 with the Redskins, the Pats use multiple fronts and defenses.  I expect a great season from Haynesworth.  The Patriots haven’t won the Super Bowl since the whole “Spygate” fiasco, but they are a legit contender this season and I would not be surprised to see them playing in Indy in February.

I like Rex Ryan as a coach, I love the defense, I love Darrelle Revis…I just don’t like Mark Sanchez.  He is one of the most overrated athletes in all four major sports.  Until he is able to be depended on making plays downfield in the passing game, the Jets won’t take the next step and play in the Super Bowl. They get a wild card spot and lose in the second round of the playoffs, taking a step back.

The Dolphins allowed Ronnie Brown to leave town via free agency and signed Reggie Bush and drafted running back Daniel Thomas out of Kansas State to take his place.  The Dolphins have a good trio of receivers in Brandon Marshall, Brian Hartline, and Davone Bess, but Chad Henne has yet to prove that he can be depended on as a starting quarterback.  How he plays this season will determine what direction this team goes draft-wise.  The defense was stingy as far as giving up points last year and often was hung out to dry by short drives and turnovers from the offense.  I see 5 or 6 wins from this team.

The Buffalo Bills are in a rebuilding stage, and had some flashes last year from Stevie Johnson.  He had a breakout season and proved to be a true playmaker in the NFL.  I’m not sold on Ryan Fitzpatrick and Fred Jackson is ok, but lacks the explosiveness of a true number one back.  I’m looking forward to see if 2nd year running back C.J. Spiller is an every down back or a situational player.  Hopefully for their sake and where he was picked, he is.  Years and years of bad early draft picks is the reason why this defense flat out stinks.  Four wins for this team.  If I were Andrew Luck, I would be praying that the Bills don’t have the worst record in football.

AFC West

Chargers 10-6 D

Chiefs 8-8

Raiders 7-9

Broncos 6-10

Outlook: Last season the Chargers had the number one ranked offense and defense but missed the playoffs somehow.  Special teams blunders, turnovers, player holdouts, and Antonio Gates missing six games were all reasons why this team didn’t make it.  Phillip Rivers had an MVP type season, throwing for over 4700 yards and 30 TD’s.  He has really come into his own and is one of the top 5 to 7 QB’s in football.  The Chargers having Vincent Jackson and Antonio Gates together from day one is a plus and if they can get some sort of running game from Ryan Matthews and Mike Tolbert, they will be even more dangerous than they were last season.  Defensively, they cause havoc running a 3-4 base led by outside linebacker Shaun Phillips and safety Eric Weddle.  The wildcard for this team is free agent signing Bob Sanders.  If he can stay healthy for a full 16 games, he will obviously be a difference maker for the Chargers.  They win 10, maybe 11 games and win the division.

The Chiefs won the division last year, even though they were too swept by the Raiders.  The offense was a well-balanced machine, relying heavily on the running back combo of Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones, and Matt Cassel having a great season passing the ball.  Tony Moeaki had a good rookie season last year, controlling the middle of the field, opening up the outside for stud wide receiver Dwayne Bowe.  But Moeaki was lost to a knee injury playing in the final preseason game and last year’s offensive coordinator, Charlie Weis, left to take the same position with the Florida Gators.  On defense, they were pretty solid as they have some good pieces for the 3-4 defense they run.  Tamba Hali came into his own ever since the Chiefs switched to the 3-4 defense and is coming off a season in which he recorded 14.5 sacks.  They also sport one of the best young defensive backfields in football with Brandon Flowers at cornerback and 2nd year Eric Berry who is set for a Pro Bowl season in my eyes.  Even still, I think they come back down to earth and miss the playoffs this season.

The Raiders dominated the division, sweeping its way through, going 6-0.  But then were 2-8 outside of the AFC West and were very inconsistent offensively.  They have arguably one of the best running games in all of the NFL with the combo of Darren McFadden and Michael Bush.  Third round Pick Jared Veldheer from Hillside College was a pleasant surprise, starting at the left tackle spot and playing pretty well for a rookie out of a small school.  But the loss of Zach Miller at tight end and Nnamdi Asomugha are big for this team.  I see them taking a step back, winning seven games.

The Denver Broncos hired John Fox as head coach and he has a complete mess to fix.  Former coach Josh McDaniels completely destroyed this franchise after taking over for Mike Shanahan.  While most football fans wanted Tim Tebow to be the starter, the Broncos and John Fox made the right decision in going with the proven veteran Kyle Orton.  Expect more of a balanced attack under Fox’s regime and Knowshon Moreno will have the chance to have a big season if he can stay healthy and protect the ball.  Brandon Lloyd had a breakout all-pro season after all of those years being an underachiever.  The Broncos had one of the worse defenses I have seen last season, horrible against the run and put no pressure on the QB.  They drafted linebacker/defensive end Von Miller with the second overall pick and I expect big things from him this season.  Champ Bailey has had a hall of fame career and is still performing at a high level.  With all this being said, it’s going to be a rebuilding year and I see at the most, six wins for the Broncos.

AFC North

Steelers 13-3 D

Ravens 11-5 WC

Browns 5-11

Bengals 4-12

Outlook: The Pittsburgh Steelers return this season the Super Bowl runner-ups with pretty much the same team from the prior season, returning all its starters on defense and besides some changes on the offensive line, the offense is in tack as well.  The Steelers looked good in the preseason and are going to play their brand of football and I expect them right back in the running for a return to the Super Bowl and possibly winning it.

The Baltimore Ravens were one bad mistake away from playing in the Super Bowl last season.  Ray Lewis and Ed Reed are getting up there in age and I wonder when time will catch up to them.  Offensively, they rely on the legs of running back Ray Rice, but Joe Flacco needs to step his game up and make more plays in the passing game and in clutch situations.  The Ravens are still a good defensive team, but not the unbreakable crew from past seasons.  They have glaring weaknesses at cornerback that were exposed last season during the playoffs.  They drafted cornerback Jimmy Smith from Colorado to address the weakness.  The Ravens make the playoffs as a wild card team.

The Cleveland Browns are obviously rebuilding its team and it has two solid pieces right now: running back Peyton Hillis and 2nd year quarterback Colt McCoy.  Hillis gives the young McCoy a legit running game to rely on while he continues to develop as a passer in the NFL.  Defensively, I really like Joe Haden at cornerback and the drafting of Phil Taylor, the defensive tackle out of Baylor as well.  They still lack the explosive plays from receivers on the outside.  I see five wins for the Browns.

The Bengals are simply one of the worse run franchises in all of pro sports and the fact that team management refused to trade away quarterback Carson Palmer and receive something of quality in return for him, speaks volumes.  This is one of the reasons why Chad Ochocinco wanted out of there a long time ago.  I still don’t know how Head Coach Marvin Lewis has lasted this long.  They are starting rookie quarterback Andy Dalton, who for some reason, which I don’t know, everyone thinks he is going to be a good NFL player.  He’s just another guy.  This team wins 4 games and are in the running for Andrew Luck.

 

AFC South

Texans 10-6 D

Colts 9-7

Titans 8-8

Jaguars 5-11

Outlook: The Houston Texans are explosive on offense and have brought in Wade Phillips to try to get the defense up to par.  I still don’t like the idea of having the 6’7′ 290lb Mario Williams playing a position similar to what a player like James Harrison plays in Pittsburgh.  He was in his element as a defensive end in the 4-3 defense, but I do like the group of linebackers though.  With Peyton Manning’s health in question, this is the perfect chance for the Texans to win the division and finally make the playoffs.

There is not one team that depends on one player more than the Colts.  Peyton Manning had surgery on his neck during the off season (and a second procedure THIS MORNING) and it’s clear he’s not healthy, and I have the belief that he will miss at least half the season, if not all of it.  The Colts’ whole offense is based around the ability of Manning and although they signed veteran Kerry Collins, he isn’t used to running this offense.  The Colts take a step back this season and miss the playoffs.  It would be wise of them to draft a quarterback to replace Manning.  There’s no telling how much time he has left, if any.

The Titans spent most of the preseason dealing with the holdout of franchise running back Chris Johnson, after hiring Mike Munchak as their new head coach.  They brought in veteran QB Matt Hasslebeck to serve as the stop-gap for first round draft pick Jake Locker out of Washington.  The Titans still have one of the best offensive lines in football and will be able to run the ball.  The question is how the passing game will do.  Kenny Britt is talented but often in trouble off of the field.  Defensively, they are average on paper; the only player who stands out to me is cornerback Courtland Finnegan.  I see eight wins for the Titans.  Also, look for a breakout season from tight end Jared Cook.

The Jacksonville Jaguars’ franchise is confusing me as of right now.  They cut veteran quarterback David Garrard this week, less than seven days from game one of the season.  Talk about a deflating move, I wonder how the veteran players feel, along with head coach Jack Del Rio, who was told anything short of a playoff berth and his ass would be canned.  I guess he should work on selling his home because this team has no chance in hell of making the playoffs.  Outside of Maurice Jones-Drew and Mercedes Lewis, the Jags have no weapons offensively and the defense is subpar.  I see five wins at the most for the Jags.  At least halfway, look for first round draft pick Blaine Gabbert to see some action and the team will see if he can actually play.

AFC Championship: Chargers over Steelers

 

Super Bowl: Chargers over the Packers

Offensive MVP: Phillip Rivers

Defensive MVP: Lamar Woodley 

Offensive rookie of the year: A.J. Green, Bengals

Defensive rookie of the year: Von Miller, Broncos

By Brandon Pemberton of Brandon on Sports, for War Room Sports

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The State of The Philadelphia Eagles

Monday, July 25th, 2011

by Brandon Pemberton

Starting today , NFL teams will be able to re-sign their own free agents and talk to other free agents.  The Philadelphia Eagles have plenty of issues at different positions they need to address, mostly on the defensive side of the ball, in my eyes.  They already have a Super Bowl contender’s offense in my opinion, and while some believe picking up Plaxico Burress and or Reggie Bush are top priorites, the Eagles defense stunk last year in the red zone, they are weak at linebacker (as usual), they have one legit, healthy starter in the defensive backfield, and outside of Trent Cole, the defensive line can all go.  If I were the General Manager of this team, here is what I would be thinking about and doing:

Defensive Line: It’s time to either break up the defensive tackle combination of Brodrick Bunkley and Mike Patterson or get rid of them both.  The two of them have been big disappointments since being drafted in the first round of the draft in back to back years (2005 and 2006) and I’m tired of seeing them getting blown off of the ball and never making a play in the backfield.  The two of them aren’t playmakers and have no impact on this team.  I said it last year and I will say it again right here: Antonio Dixon should get a chance to be a starter on this team.  He has great size (6’3”, 322 lbs), is strong at the point of attack, and makes plays in the backfield.  He brings a different type of game and size compared to the other two.

Also, Albert Haynesworth will most likely be available after spending a season in D.C. with the Redskins, but he also might be facing a possible suspension from the NFL after his incident in the restaurant with the waitress in which he was charged with misdemeanor sexual assault.  Eagles hired defensive line coach Jim Washburn and he has gotten the best out of Albert during his career in the NFL.  When playing with motivation and something to prove, Haynesworth can be the most disruptive force on the interior line in all of football.  Another player that is available is DE Charles Johnson from the Carolina Panthers, who had a breakout season after Julius Peppers left for Chicago, and I also like Ray Edwards from Minnesota as well.  Bottom line is the Eagles need to help Trent Cole as far as rushing the passer is concerned.  Brandon Graham is coming off of a bad knee injury and most likely will not be ready for the start of the season.

Linebackers: The Eagles have refused to put any stock in having tough, hard nosed, playmakers at the linebacker position over the years and it has killed them.  Ernie Sims stinks and is comparable to a stray bullet.  He has no idea who and what he’s going to and suppose to hit.  It was a reason why a team like the Detroit Lions were ready to let him go and it’s time for him to receive his walking papers from the Eagles.  Chad Greenway might become available depending on the agreement on years concerning free agency in the CBA and he is the kind of player the Birds need at linebacker.  He has the speed, size, instincts, and tenacity that the Eagles have lacked at that position for years.  At middle linebacker, Jamar Chaney came on at the end of the season, starting the last two regular season games as well as the playoff game against the Packers.  He showed good instincts, speed, coverage ability, and sound tackling.  Played well enough that the Eagles are giving him the chance to be the starter this season.

Stewart Bradley has been injured on and off the last two seasons and even when he was healthy and on the field, he was overrated and exposed in pass coverage against tight ends and making plays in open space.  Moise Fokou saw time at all three linebacker positions and made no impact while on the field.  That leaves the Eagles with another weak linebacker core that needs to be upgraded.  There have been talks of playing Bradley at the “Sam” Linebacker, which was the position he played in college at Nebraska. 

Defensive Backs: Besides Asante Samuel at the left corner, they have question marks at the three other positions in their defensive backfield.  Offenses picked on the corner opposite of Samuel at an alarming rate last season.  There have been talks heating up about the Eagles trading QB Kevin Kolb to the Arizona Cardinals for Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and possibly a 2nd or 3rd round pick.  This would instantly upgrade the Cornerback position and force more passes to the other side of the field.  Nate Allen is coming off of a serious knee injury(ruptured right patella tendon) and was having an up and down rookie season before the injury.  Quintin Mikell is a free agent, who has been exposed for the fraud he has always been as a player and it’s time for him to walk as well.

The Eagles drafted Temple safety Jaiquawan Jarrett in the second round, a selection that was a bit of a stretch in my eyes.  I thought he would be available in the 3rd round or maybe fourth.  While he is a big hitter and sound tackler, and is always in the right spots, he is sort of a tweener as a NFL saftey.  He doesn’t have the top end speed and range to play free safety and isn’t big enough to play in the box constantly as a strong safety.  The Eagles should look for help at safety from the likes of Roman Harper (Saints), Atari Bigby (Packers), or maybe Eric Weddle (Chargers).

The Eagles say they are all in and ready to win it all.  If that’s the case, then fixing the defense and giving first year defensive coordinator Juan Castillo talent to work with will be key.  Free agency will be moving fast, so we will see.

Brandon Pemberton of Brandon on Sports, for War Room Sports

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Top NFL Free Agents

Wednesday, July 20th, 2011

by Brandon Pemberton

Well, from all the reports we are hearing, as soon as Friday, the NFL lockout could be over and the league back in business.  Supposedly starting Friday and ending Sunday at 11:59 pm, teams will use that time period to re-sign their own free agents or decide to let them walk.  Monday at 12-midnight will be the start of free agency and training camp would commence by mid-week.  I have been going over the list of potential free agents and I have compiled my top ten available players:

1. Nnamdi Asomugha, CB Raiders, 30 years old ( 11 career Int’s, 4 time All-Pro)

Is right behind Darrelle Revis as the best cornerback in football.  If you looked at his career interception numbers, you might be fooled and not realize how great of a player he has been over the last 5 years since becoming a starter.  Is a shutdown corner, he has the size, footwork, and technique, while being a class-act off of the field.  He’s asking for $19 million per and he’s 30 years old, so there is some risk of his play falling off in maybe 3 or 4 years, but as of now he cuts off one side of the football field.

2. Ray Edwards, DE Vikings, 26 years old ( 2010 stats 37 tackles, 8 sacks)

Played the left end position opposite of Jared Allen the past two seasons and has blossomed into a nice player.  Is not only a good pass rusher, but plays the point well against the right tackle and tight ends against the run.  Should receive a nice contract ASAP.

3. Charles Johnson, DE Panthers, 26 years old (2010 stats 62 tackles, 11.5 sacks)

After being a part time player his first three years in the league, Johnson had a breakout season as a starter when the Carolina Panthers let Julius Peppers leave via free agency.  He showed the ability to get to the QB on a consistent basis and that will get you paid.

4. Johnathan Joseph, CB Bengals, 27 years old (14 career Int’s)

Is an underrated cover corner that would be a great fit for any team.  Was part of one of the NFL’s best corner tandems the last few seasons.  Is great in “Bump & Run” coverage and tackles as well.

5. Carl Nicks (restricted), G, 26 years old (made the 2010 pro bowl and 2nd team all-pro)

Is one of the best Guards in football and was part of the best Guard tandem in football.  He is a pure mauler and uses his size (6’5” 345lbs) to his advantage as he pummels his opposition weekly.  Is only 26 years old and has plenty of great football ahead of him.  A team might give him an offer even though he is a restricted free agent. He is that good.

6. Santonio Holmes, WR, 27 years old (2010 stats 12 games, 52 catches 746 yards, 6 TD’s)

When he is not serving suspensions for off the field nonsense and actually playing, Holmes is one of the most dangerous receivers in the game.  His ability to change direction at full speed and control his body while making spectacular receptions, are second to none.  The only risk with giving him a long-term deal is the chance he gets in trouble off of the field again.

7. DeAngelo Williams, RB Panthers, 27 years old (2010 stats 6 games 87 carries, 361 yards, 4.1 ypc, 1 TD)

Williams went down with a right foot injury in the sixth game of the season and was placed on injured reserve with a right foot sprain.  He was on pace for his 3rd straight 1000 yard season and had previously established himself as one of the league’s most explosive running backs.  Since the Panthers have Jonathan Stewart under contract, it’s more than likely that Williams hits the free agent market.  I could see him landing in Denver with his former coach John Fox.

8. Sidney Rice, WR Vikings, 25 years old (2010 stats 5 games, 17 receptions, 280 yards, 2 TD’s)

Had a career year in 2009 but had surgery on his hip and played in only 5 games in 2010.  Is 25 years old and is in the prime of his career.  As long as he is healthy, he is a legit number one receiving threat in this league.

9. Stephen Tulloch, MLB Titans, 26 years old (2010 stats, 111 solo tackles, 49 assists)

Has been the starter at middle linebacker for the Titans the last three seasons and has developed into a good player.  He is a physical run stopper and is very good in pass coverage as well.  Underrated player in my eyes due to the fact a lot of people haven’t seen too many Titans games.  He is legit.

10. Zach Miller, TE Raiders, 25 years old (2010 stats, 6o receptions, 685 yards, 5 TD’s)

Has caught over 50 passes for over 650 yards each of the last three seasons on a dreadful Oakland Raiders team.  He’s actually way better than most casual NFL fans might believe.  Has deceptive speed, great hands, and catches the ball well in traffic.  Made the Pro Bowl last season and I see many more in his future if he leaves the Raiders and plays for a franchise that’s ready to win now.

Brandon Pemberton of Brandon on Sports, for War Room Sports

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