So the dream match-up the fans have all wanted has come to fruition; the Lakers will play the Celtics in the 2008 NBA Finals.
Now the question becomes: Who will win?
The Lakers have averaged 105 pts. a game this post season, and the Celtics have averaged 91 per game.
The Lakers are 8-0 at home; the Celtics are 10-1.
The Celtics have a better record than the Lakers which means if the series goes 7, the Celtics will have the last game in the Garden.
The Lakers are 4-3 on the road whereas the Celtics are 2-7 on the road. This means that if anyone is going to steal a game from the home team, it is going to be the Lakers.
The viewers of this series will get to watch and judge how good Kobe Bryant is; the Celtics have a staunch defensive team and if they are to win this series, it will be because of defense. Kobe will be tested on the Boston side of the court and there will be games where he has to put the Lakers on his shoulders and score and score and score in order to try and win the game.
Overall I think that the Lakers will win this series because of their road record; they have shown they can steal games in tough home courts, namely Utah and San Antonio. Boston went 0-6 in the first two rounds and only in the Eastern Conference Finals vs. Detroit did they decide to turn their road win switch on.
So the Lakers will win, but in how many games?
If the Celtics can force Game 7 they will win; if the Lakers can win in 6 they will.
I predict the Lakers in 6
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Friday, May 30, 2008
SB5-30: Los Angeles advances to NBA Finals on Kobe's 17 4th Quarter Points
The Spurs were in command again in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals--an elimination game. The Spurs had to win this game in order to stay alive in the hunt for their title repeat.
Sure there were shadows of doubt in their minds about their victory; the Spurs had a 20 point lead in Game 1 in Los Angeles and lost it, but San Antonio's super starters felt confident.
They were wrong.
The Spurs lost the game 100-92 fueled by Kobe Bryant's 17 4th quarter point.
The Lakers are the Western Conference Champions; bring on the East.
In everyone's mind the Lakers are favorites to win the NBA Finals, something Kobe has not done since Shaq was there in LA. Regardless of the Eastern opponent, the Lakers will win the 2008 Championship, and Kobe will be one trophy closer to Michael Jordan's status as the greatest player to every play professional basketball.
If Kobe wins the Finals MVP and the Gold in this Summer's Olympic games Kobe will be able to tie MJ's dominance.
But Kobe will never surpass Michael.
Although I was never to watch dear ol' Mr. 23 I know that he could not be stopped in any way shape or form. He was dominant in every aspect. Some may argue that Kobe was also, but one crucial difference hinders Bryant from ever becoming "His Air-ness," and that is his alleged rape and sexual assault trial.
Kobe has been able to bounce back exponentially from that controversy, but in the minds of many Kobe will always have that spot on his record, something that MJ did not have.
Moving on to the NBA Finals preview leads us to the Eastern Conference Finals where Boston leads Detroit 3 games to 2.
Game 6 is tonight in Detroit, and considering that the Pistons are 5-0 following a playoff loss this postseason, the Pistons will win this game.
Which means that the experts were wrong.
The experts predicted that the West would beat up on each other so much that the Celtics with their easy road to the Finals would be able to easily win over the West.
The exact opposite is true. The Lakers have had an easy road to the Finals whereas the Celtics have played all of their playoff series to 7, and the Celtics will win the Eastern Finals series in seven also.
With this fact in mind, I would not be surprised if LA beat the Celtics is 4 or 5 games.
Sure there were shadows of doubt in their minds about their victory; the Spurs had a 20 point lead in Game 1 in Los Angeles and lost it, but San Antonio's super starters felt confident.
They were wrong.
The Spurs lost the game 100-92 fueled by Kobe Bryant's 17 4th quarter point.
The Lakers are the Western Conference Champions; bring on the East.
In everyone's mind the Lakers are favorites to win the NBA Finals, something Kobe has not done since Shaq was there in LA. Regardless of the Eastern opponent, the Lakers will win the 2008 Championship, and Kobe will be one trophy closer to Michael Jordan's status as the greatest player to every play professional basketball.
If Kobe wins the Finals MVP and the Gold in this Summer's Olympic games Kobe will be able to tie MJ's dominance.
But Kobe will never surpass Michael.
Although I was never to watch dear ol' Mr. 23 I know that he could not be stopped in any way shape or form. He was dominant in every aspect. Some may argue that Kobe was also, but one crucial difference hinders Bryant from ever becoming "His Air-ness," and that is his alleged rape and sexual assault trial.
Kobe has been able to bounce back exponentially from that controversy, but in the minds of many Kobe will always have that spot on his record, something that MJ did not have.
Moving on to the NBA Finals preview leads us to the Eastern Conference Finals where Boston leads Detroit 3 games to 2.
Game 6 is tonight in Detroit, and considering that the Pistons are 5-0 following a playoff loss this postseason, the Pistons will win this game.
Which means that the experts were wrong.
The experts predicted that the West would beat up on each other so much that the Celtics with their easy road to the Finals would be able to easily win over the West.
The exact opposite is true. The Lakers have had an easy road to the Finals whereas the Celtics have played all of their playoff series to 7, and the Celtics will win the Eastern Finals series in seven also.
With this fact in mind, I would not be surprised if LA beat the Celtics is 4 or 5 games.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
SB5-28: No Harm, No Foul?
Today marks the end of an era. No longer will the San Antonio Spurs be in the "back to back championship" discussion.
The Spurs were controversially conquered last night by the Lakers 93-91 in the Western Conference Finals.
Brent Barry had the ball with a little over 2 seconds to go in Game 4 at San Antonio and pulled up for a 3-pointer. Derek Fisher of LA went airborne to deflect the shot, only to run into Barry as he attempted a shot. There was no foul called, and the Spurs lost.
The question earlier today was: Was this a foul and should they have called it?
The question now is: Does the no-call matter?
The answer to that question is no; the no-call does not matter.
Even if Barry would have been fouled and called for it, he would have had to make the three free throws in order to win; he could have missed one and sent it into overtime.
He could have pulled up for the shot too early only to leave time for Kobe Bryant to attempt a last second shot.
The shot could have gone in and tied the series at 2, but it doesn't matter because the Lakers would have won the series anyways. This win only eliminates a Game 7, maybe even a Game 6.
The Spurs are going to lose this series, but not because of this Game 4 controversy but because of their age.
The Spurs were controversially conquered last night by the Lakers 93-91 in the Western Conference Finals.
Brent Barry had the ball with a little over 2 seconds to go in Game 4 at San Antonio and pulled up for a 3-pointer. Derek Fisher of LA went airborne to deflect the shot, only to run into Barry as he attempted a shot. There was no foul called, and the Spurs lost.
The question earlier today was: Was this a foul and should they have called it?
The question now is: Does the no-call matter?
The answer to that question is no; the no-call does not matter.
Even if Barry would have been fouled and called for it, he would have had to make the three free throws in order to win; he could have missed one and sent it into overtime.
He could have pulled up for the shot too early only to leave time for Kobe Bryant to attempt a last second shot.
The shot could have gone in and tied the series at 2, but it doesn't matter because the Lakers would have won the series anyways. This win only eliminates a Game 7, maybe even a Game 6.
The Spurs are going to lose this series, but not because of this Game 4 controversy but because of their age.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
SB5-27: Detroit Drives Away at Home
The series is tied.
Detroit showed that Saturday's Celtic win in the Palace was a fluke; the Pistons defeated Boston 94-75 in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Briefly I would like to delve into this game but only to say that one game on the road lost is nothing for Boston; the Big Three will show up at home and win the two home games they have to in order to play the Western Conference Champions.
The score for Game 5 will be Boston 96, Detroit 89.
Detroit showed that Saturday's Celtic win in the Palace was a fluke; the Pistons defeated Boston 94-75 in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Briefly I would like to delve into this game but only to say that one game on the road lost is nothing for Boston; the Big Three will show up at home and win the two home games they have to in order to play the Western Conference Champions.
The score for Game 5 will be Boston 96, Detroit 89.
Monday, May 26, 2008
SB5-26: Remember the Alamo,or at least their basketball team.
ESPN has started on a feature called TitleTown which takes towns from all over the country who's teams have won a title of any kind and asks them to share their stories.
San Antonio is one of those towns, and although the public views the Spurs as a team basketball players who helped defend the actual Alamo, the Spurs would like the nation to remember, remember what was accomplished last season.
The Spurs swept the Cavaliers for their 4th title in 9 years; the Spurs made the 2008 playoffs; the Spurs are the defending champs in the 2008 Western Conference Finals.
They are a good team, and they showed that in yesterday's 103-84 win over the Lakers in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals, making the series a 2-1 LA lead.
The Spurs won at home, though.
The Spurs won at home in all of the semifinals games also, and couldn't win until Game 7 in New Orleans versus the Hornets.
Some may say that the Spurs got the job done when they had to vs. NO, but NO was a young team with hardly any playoff experience; no game sevens in their pockets except for Peja Stojakovic. So the Spurs proved they were the Patriots of the NBA and moved on.
The Spurs will not be the NBA finals again.
The Lakers are not the Hornets, and will not lose a Game 7 provided there is one.
The next West battle is tomorrow night, and San Antonio will tie the series at 2.
The score? 99-90 SA
San Antonio is one of those towns, and although the public views the Spurs as a team basketball players who helped defend the actual Alamo, the Spurs would like the nation to remember, remember what was accomplished last season.
The Spurs swept the Cavaliers for their 4th title in 9 years; the Spurs made the 2008 playoffs; the Spurs are the defending champs in the 2008 Western Conference Finals.
They are a good team, and they showed that in yesterday's 103-84 win over the Lakers in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals, making the series a 2-1 LA lead.
The Spurs won at home, though.
The Spurs won at home in all of the semifinals games also, and couldn't win until Game 7 in New Orleans versus the Hornets.
Some may say that the Spurs got the job done when they had to vs. NO, but NO was a young team with hardly any playoff experience; no game sevens in their pockets except for Peja Stojakovic. So the Spurs proved they were the Patriots of the NBA and moved on.
The Spurs will not be the NBA finals again.
The Lakers are not the Hornets, and will not lose a Game 7 provided there is one.
The next West battle is tomorrow night, and San Antonio will tie the series at 2.
The score? 99-90 SA
Sunday, May 25, 2008
SB5-25: Number One's Getting it Done
Both NBA finals number one seeds have shown why they are the number one seeds; the Lakers and Kobe Bryant showed the nation that the Spurs were old and tired from their Game 1 loss where they let their 20 point lead slip away. The Lakers didn't even let the Spurs take a break in their Friday night 101-71 slaughter.
They now lead the series 2-0 as the series shifts to San Antonio. The Spurs will be rested more and be able to show viewers why they are the defending champs, and should get at least one win at home if not be able to tie the series at 2 a piece.
The Boston Celtics could not win on the road in the playoffs in the first two rounds; they went 0-3 vs. the Atlanta Hawks, and 0-3 vs. the Cavs. But the Celtics also won 30 plus road games in the regular season, the best in the NBA, and they showed that they could win on the road last night as they defeated the Motor City Men (Detroit Pistons) 94-80 in Detroit.
The questions surrounding the Celtics have now been shifted to the Pistons, and while momentum changes frequently every NBA and really has no factor in the long run, a home loss apiece is something to be concerned about in the East.
Yes that was a rhyme.
They now lead the series 2-0 as the series shifts to San Antonio. The Spurs will be rested more and be able to show viewers why they are the defending champs, and should get at least one win at home if not be able to tie the series at 2 a piece.
The Boston Celtics could not win on the road in the playoffs in the first two rounds; they went 0-3 vs. the Atlanta Hawks, and 0-3 vs. the Cavs. But the Celtics also won 30 plus road games in the regular season, the best in the NBA, and they showed that they could win on the road last night as they defeated the Motor City Men (Detroit Pistons) 94-80 in Detroit.
The questions surrounding the Celtics have now been shifted to the Pistons, and while momentum changes frequently every NBA and really has no factor in the long run, a home loss apiece is something to be concerned about in the East.
Yes that was a rhyme.
Friday, May 23, 2008
SB5-23: Can the Lakers spur another win vs. San Antonio?
The Los Angeles Lakers Wednesday battled through a 20 point Spurs lead to win Game One of the Western Conference Finals 89-85. Game two is tonight at the Staples Center in LA. Can the Lakers win again? Will the Spurs bounce back with a veteran vengeance?
Yes, no.
If there is one thing that the Spurs will do it will be play old. They only have one player under the age of thirty, and they showed the viewers Wednesday they cannot stop Kobe Bryant who will put the Lakers on his back if he has to in order to win the series.
Bruce Bowen is the Spurs best defensive player, and although he yielded only 2 points to Kobe and a 1-3 FG % in the first half still let him go 10-18 from the field with 25 pts. in the second half. Kobe led the charge for the comeback, something that the Spurs cannot allow.
Blowing a 20 pt lead in the first game doesn't bode well for any team, but considering that Phil Jackson is undefeated as a coach when his team wins Game 1 of a series also sinks San Antonio's ship.
I predict the Lakers win 102-96 tonight and take a 2-0 lead into San Antonio.
Yes, no.
If there is one thing that the Spurs will do it will be play old. They only have one player under the age of thirty, and they showed the viewers Wednesday they cannot stop Kobe Bryant who will put the Lakers on his back if he has to in order to win the series.
Bruce Bowen is the Spurs best defensive player, and although he yielded only 2 points to Kobe and a 1-3 FG % in the first half still let him go 10-18 from the field with 25 pts. in the second half. Kobe led the charge for the comeback, something that the Spurs cannot allow.
Blowing a 20 pt lead in the first game doesn't bode well for any team, but considering that Phil Jackson is undefeated as a coach when his team wins Game 1 of a series also sinks San Antonio's ship.
I predict the Lakers win 102-96 tonight and take a 2-0 lead into San Antonio.
SB5-23: Celtic get Pistoned off in the Garden
The Celtics will need more than just the Three Party if they want to win this series; the Pistons proved last night that the engine burns out any garden. The Pistons drove through the Celtics last night 103-97 in the Garden, and this home defeat leaves everyone in speculation--can the Celtics win the series?
The mean green's claim to fame in the postseason has been to win at home and lose on the road, but now that the home court has been tainted, and the Celtics are looking at their first 1-1 series tie this postseason, many are left to wonder if the Celtics can win on the road.
They have an 0-6 road record this postseason but the Pistons have lost a game at home (round one to the 76ers).
The blaring weakness and strength of the Celtics is defense; their offense is proportional to how they play defense. If there is a staunch defense, then the Celtics can grind out the game in the way they won 66 games. If there is no defense, like May 23rd, the Celtics have to try and outscore the opposing team. Kevin Garnet is almost too generous, so he can't take over a game. Paul Pierce has shown shades of dominance, but he is no Kobe or Lebron. Ray Allen hasn't been a part of the last couple of series, so his firepower is no help, so what can the Celtics do?
Play like the 2006 Chicago Bears.
We all remember the 2nd seed ChiBears with their staunch defense and their sub par offense--Kyle Orton, need I say more. Well they got to the playoffs and did nothing, because they started Rex Grossman over Orton in the playoffs. Had Lovie Smith stuck with Orton, I believe that the Bears would have stood a better chance vs. the Panthers; a coach should ride the momentum of the current QB. The Celtics must stick with what they did in the regular season and not succumb to what the Pistons are trying to do if they want to win this series.
Home court is no longer a safety net; the Pistons have shown they can beat the Celtics in the Garden.
What do I predict you ask?
I predict a Celtics victory in seven, with a road win in Game 4 being the turning point.
The mean green's claim to fame in the postseason has been to win at home and lose on the road, but now that the home court has been tainted, and the Celtics are looking at their first 1-1 series tie this postseason, many are left to wonder if the Celtics can win on the road.
They have an 0-6 road record this postseason but the Pistons have lost a game at home (round one to the 76ers).
The blaring weakness and strength of the Celtics is defense; their offense is proportional to how they play defense. If there is a staunch defense, then the Celtics can grind out the game in the way they won 66 games. If there is no defense, like May 23rd, the Celtics have to try and outscore the opposing team. Kevin Garnet is almost too generous, so he can't take over a game. Paul Pierce has shown shades of dominance, but he is no Kobe or Lebron. Ray Allen hasn't been a part of the last couple of series, so his firepower is no help, so what can the Celtics do?
Play like the 2006 Chicago Bears.
We all remember the 2nd seed ChiBears with their staunch defense and their sub par offense--Kyle Orton, need I say more. Well they got to the playoffs and did nothing, because they started Rex Grossman over Orton in the playoffs. Had Lovie Smith stuck with Orton, I believe that the Bears would have stood a better chance vs. the Panthers; a coach should ride the momentum of the current QB. The Celtics must stick with what they did in the regular season and not succumb to what the Pistons are trying to do if they want to win this series.
Home court is no longer a safety net; the Pistons have shown they can beat the Celtics in the Garden.
What do I predict you ask?
I predict a Celtics victory in seven, with a road win in Game 4 being the turning point.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
SB5-22: NBA Conference Finals
Sports Section I: NBA Conference finals
So one of my intended majors this upcoming fall is journalism--sports journalism.
To begin to delve into what that might be like, I would like to entertain you all with some beginning writings. Feel free to make commentary and constructive criticism.
This first entry covers the NBA Conference Finals; the West between LA and San Antonio, and the East between Boston and Detroit.
I will brief you on how each team got here.
The Los Angeles Lakers and the MVP Kobe Bryant have ridden a relatively easy wave into the finals, defeating the lowly 8th seeded Nuggets in a 4-0 sweep, and out improvising the Utah Jazz and Carlos Boozer in a 4-2 series with. Their team is the West Favorite; the Pau Gasol trade at the trade deadline has definitely provided LA with some momentum. The Lakers with Kobe came back from a 20 point Spurs lead in the 3rd quarter to defeat the Spurs 89-85 in Game 1 in LA.
The San Antonio Spurs have been in this situation many times before and being the defending champs look to get to a second straight NBA Finals appearance. An interesting thing to note in this series is the fact that the Lakers have only one player over thirty whereas the Spurs have only one player under thirty.
Talent vs. Experience; that is the key in the West.
The Boston Celtics had a league best 66-16 record for the 2007 season and were the owners of the biggest league turnaround in history. Their road record in the regular season was 31-10, meaning that for every loss they had three wins. Unfortunately, they have not fared that well in the post season. An 0-6 road record has plagued the Celtics in the postseason. But they haven't lost a game at home, something that will ensure success; their record ensures them home court throughout, meaning that they could win the finals without winning a road game. But are the Celtics tired? Two straight seven game series led them into the East Finals, but they still won at home 88-79.
The Detroit Pistons have by far had the second easiest road to their conference finals behind the Lakers; no seven game series. They won their rounds 4-2 defeating the 76-ers handily after Philadelphia stole a Game 1 win in Detroit. The Pistons then dominated Dwight Howard and the Magic in Round 2 winning the series 4-1. Their experience—six straight conference finals appearances—have proven beneficial in their case.
Talent vs. Experience will reign supreme also in the East.
So one of my intended majors this upcoming fall is journalism--sports journalism.
To begin to delve into what that might be like, I would like to entertain you all with some beginning writings. Feel free to make commentary and constructive criticism.
This first entry covers the NBA Conference Finals; the West between LA and San Antonio, and the East between Boston and Detroit.
I will brief you on how each team got here.
The Los Angeles Lakers and the MVP Kobe Bryant have ridden a relatively easy wave into the finals, defeating the lowly 8th seeded Nuggets in a 4-0 sweep, and out improvising the Utah Jazz and Carlos Boozer in a 4-2 series with. Their team is the West Favorite; the Pau Gasol trade at the trade deadline has definitely provided LA with some momentum. The Lakers with Kobe came back from a 20 point Spurs lead in the 3rd quarter to defeat the Spurs 89-85 in Game 1 in LA.
The San Antonio Spurs have been in this situation many times before and being the defending champs look to get to a second straight NBA Finals appearance. An interesting thing to note in this series is the fact that the Lakers have only one player over thirty whereas the Spurs have only one player under thirty.
Talent vs. Experience; that is the key in the West.
The Boston Celtics had a league best 66-16 record for the 2007 season and were the owners of the biggest league turnaround in history. Their road record in the regular season was 31-10, meaning that for every loss they had three wins. Unfortunately, they have not fared that well in the post season. An 0-6 road record has plagued the Celtics in the postseason. But they haven't lost a game at home, something that will ensure success; their record ensures them home court throughout, meaning that they could win the finals without winning a road game. But are the Celtics tired? Two straight seven game series led them into the East Finals, but they still won at home 88-79.
The Detroit Pistons have by far had the second easiest road to their conference finals behind the Lakers; no seven game series. They won their rounds 4-2 defeating the 76-ers handily after Philadelphia stole a Game 1 win in Detroit. The Pistons then dominated Dwight Howard and the Magic in Round 2 winning the series 4-1. Their experience—six straight conference finals appearances—have proven beneficial in their case.
Talent vs. Experience will reign supreme also in the East.
SB5-22: NFL 2008 Preview
The 2008 NFL season; best's and worst's as ranked by me.
The National Football League owners on Wednesday decided to opt out of their Collective Bargaining Agreement (or how they make and distribute money). While this doesn't directly affect the 2008-09 season, it does determine how owners have signed players.
Marion Barber (Dallas RB) and Terrence Newman (Dallas CB) both signed monster deals including guaranteed money through 2011 (the year that the CBA will not be in effect, unless a new draft is in place).
Matt Ryan of the Atlanta Falcons signed a record 6 year/72 million dollar contract with 35 million guaranteed in the first three years.
This means one thing; the owners are prepared for a strike.
But all of this is just precautions; there will be football played and I have ranked the conferences and divisions to satiate the NFL fan who gets tired of super-scoring Arena football games.
Let's start with the AFC.
AFC East:
1. New England
2. Buffalo
3. New York Jets
4. Miami
The Patriots will continue to imbue their dominance over their division rivals; the AFC East is a joke. I have Buffalo after New England because they are building their team the right way—with defense. They are levels above Miami, and yet are still on the cusp of being a playoff team. With a Tennessee meltdown, or a Jacksonville struggle, I could see Buffalo in the 6th slot in the playoffs with a 9-7 record; they seem to always be in the hunt in the last few weeks but finish 7-9. The Jets will get better also, maybe an 8-8 optimistically. But until they find a legitimate QB, they will be subpar and on the cusp of a 500 team. Miami will be better than last year (it's hard to be worse). Maybe a 3-13 or 4-12, but there is a lot of rebuilding still—look for Jason Taylor to be Florida's Terrell Owens; he will be a distraction for the team, so they could be 1-15 again or worse.
AFC South:
1. Indianapolis
2. Jacksonville
3. Tennessee
4. Houston
This was, apart from the NFC East, the toughest division in football. The bottom team, Houston, had an 8-8 record and is on the rise. I could easily see Jacksonville pass Indy, but it would be unlikely considering the Jags don't have a Peyton Manning. Houston could easily make a 10-6 season and pass Vince Young's Titans in Tennessee, but they don't have a Vince Young.
AFC North:
1. Cleveland
2. Pittsburgh
3. Baltimore
4. Cincinnati
Cleveland is on the rise while the rest of their division is stagnant. The Steelers seem to be content with drafting prototypical players, signing prototypical players, and trying to attain a prototypical finish. Mike Tomlin is almost saying, "We will be a 10-6, 9-7 team and hope that we can be a playoff seed and make a run. We won't change anything, won't try and get better, simply stay the way we are." Cincy will fall just because of their team's lack of chemistry. Baltimore has another young QB in rookie Joe Flacco and will limit them to a 6-10, 5-11 season.
AFC West:
1. San Diego
2. Denver
3. Oakland
4. Kansas City
The Chargers will win this division; they are the only team with talent and a method in place. The rest of the division is fumbling—no pun intended—to figure out their identity and chemistry. Denver has been given its own shock with the news of Jay Cutler's diabetes, and shards of Brandon Marshall's attempt to tackle entertainment, or rather an entertainment center, remain. They could easily finish 5-11 or 10-6. Oakland will finally raid the 3rd spot in the West from KC if Jamarcus Russell doesn't pass up the opportunity to be a leader. Kansas City is young and rebuilding, and their chief concern is QB; can Brodie Croyle lead this team?
NFC East:
1. Dallas
2. New York Giants
3. Philadelphia
4. Washington
Another tough division as aforementioned, Dallas is the most talented team, but with TO in a contract year AND Pacman Jones, the locker room and their season is not safe. TO says he will not make his contract an issue, but will Pacman chomp away at the crime rate of Dallas? Those looming questions have Jerry Jones-in for answers quickly. The defending champion New York Giants will continue to grow as their solid draft players' progress, and could without any surprise in my mind win the division. Philly is on the rise as is Washington, but the Eagles won't soar over this division any time soon unless they get production from rookie WR/PR Desean Jackson quickly. Washington is still growing with Jason Campbell and Jim Zorn, the new head coach might be out matched.
NFC South:
1. New Orleans
2. Tampa Bay
3. Carolina
4. Atlanta
This conference is too close to call; I could see the Saints march, the Bucs sail, or the Panthers pounce into the playoffs. The one constant is that the trend of worst-to-first will not continue; the Falcons will be in 4th place at the end of the year.
NFC North:
1. Green Bay
2. Minnesota
3. Detroit
4. Chicago
Green Bay is the most solid team in this division, but they will win with a 9-7 or even an 8-8 record. Minnesota will compete and finish close to 500, but unless Tarvaris Jackson and/or John David Booty step up as QB, their team will be subpar. Detroit is Detroit; Chicago is Chicago.
NFC West:
1. Seattle
2. Arizona
3. San Francisco
4. St. Louis
Seattle has the momentum, and this division compares to the AFC East; it is weaker than Roger Clemen's rebuttal. Arizona is due for a win increase and I could see them at an 8-8 or 7-9 challenging for Seattle's supremacy. San Francisco will get no more than 5 wins and St. Louis won't get much better than 4 wins.
Now for the playoff teams:
AFC: NFC:
1. New England ; 1. Dallas
2. San Diego ; 2. New Orleans
3. Indianapolis ;3. Green Bay
4. Cleveland ; 4. Seattle
5. Jacksonville; 5. NYG
6. Buffalo ; 6. Tampa Bay
Matchups: Round 1
IND vs. BUF: IND ; GB vs. TB: TB
CLE vs. JAX: JAX ; SEA vs. NYG: NYG
Round 2:
NE vs. JAX: NE ; DAL vs. TB: DAL
IND vs. SD: IND; NO vs. NYG: NYG
Divisional Championships
NE vs. IND: NE ; DAL vs. NYG: DAL
Super Bowl XLII
NE vs. DAL: NE
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