NFC East Draft Profile: Philadelphia Eagles

(Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
Jason Babin had a great year for the Eagles, but the rest of the defense wasn't up to par.
The Eagles have a few faults on defense, and can fix them up in this year's draft.

Coming into the 2011-12 season, many expected the Eagles to be playing next week instead of the Giants. They were nicknamed the "Dream Team" before they even stepped onto the field. After the signings of Jason Babin, Nnamdi Asomugha, Cullen Jenkins, and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie in the offseason, the Eagles added five Pro-Bowlers in a span of two weeks. Add to that, the lethal offensive combination of Michael Vick, LeSean McCoy, and the quickest wide receiver combination in the league, and this team will be set to win it all. So what happened, why aren't they in the Super Bowl? Injuries, hubris, and chemistry destroyed the Eagles this season, and although they did rally at the end of the year, their early start doomed them.

2011 Record: 8-8

Strengths: Quarterback, Running Back, Wide Receivers, Left Tackle, Defensive Ends, Cornerbacks

Let's be real, if Michael Vick is completely healthy, this offense can compete with anyone. LeSean McCoy was the leading rusher in the NFC this year and also led all rushers in touchdowns. Add a healthy Michael Vick and you then have threats down the field, up the middle, and the possibility of a quarterback scramble. The question with this offense isn't, "can they keep up?", it's "will they be healthy". As for the defense, the Eagles have one of the top pass rushing combos in the league in Jason Babin and Trent Cole. Babin, Cole, and Cullen Jenkins nearly combined for 35 sacks this season, the most between three players in the entire league. And in the backfield, Nnamdi Asomugha, Asante Samuel, and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie can shut down almost any receiver core in the NFL.

Weaknesses: Right side of the Offensive Line, Linebacker, Tight End, Free Safety

Jason Peters did a great job protecting Vick's left side, but remember it's his right side that is his blind side.  In order to keep the $100 million man healthy, the Eagles have to protect him and make sure he doesn't hit the deck too many times. Also, improving the offensive line would only make LeSean McCoy even better than he already is. As for the linebackers, the Eagles were really hurt this year on linebacker coverage. While the front four are great, the linebackers struggled to guard tight ends, or drop into coverage. Your defense is only as good as your weakest link. Same goes for the Safety's. While the cornerbacks are guarding their men, the safety's need to be ball hawking in the middle of the field, reading the quarterback's eyes. The Eagles struggled this year in the secondary, and a lot of the responsibility has to go to the safety's. Finally, Brent Celek is a good tight end, but he has been banged up in the past, and it's always good to have a second tight end option.

Possible Options with 1st round pick (15th overall): Zach Brown, Luke Kuechly, Mark Barron, David DeCastro, Melvin Ingram

 Kuechly- Kuechly would add instant help to the linebacking core. He is an inside linebacker that would excel under the Eagles' 4-3 defense. Kuechly has been regarded as the top insider linebackers in this class after finishing up a great year at Boston College Ultimatly, Kuechly can turn out to be the next James Laurinaitis in the NFL, a solid linebacker who can control the middle of the field.Their offense needs little to no help, and both of these players could make immediate impacts on the team.

Barron- The safety out of Alabama is also on the rise, after helping the Crimson Tide win the National Championship Game against LSU. Barron has a great combination of size, strength, and smarts that will help him in the next level. He is a hard hitting safety, but can also be smart in the secondary and read the quarterback's every move. I think Barron would be a good fit for the Eagles, but I wouldn't see them taking Barron with Kuechly still on the board. I think the whole linebacking core is more of an issue than a secondary that already has three great cornerbacks.

DeCastro- As I wrote in the Redskins' profile, DeCastro has the size and determination to be a top guard in the NFL. He excelled at Stanford, protecting Andrew Luck's right side, and helped shut down Oklahoma State's defensive line in the Fiesta Bowl. The All-American would be a great help to the Eagles because he plays on the right side, which is very important to Michael Vick. Not sure if DeCastro would be on the board by the time the Eagles are on the clock, but he would be a good fit for them. I think they will go defense first, but DeCastro wouldn't be a surprise pick.

Brown/Ingram- Both are star outside linebackers that had very impressive seasons at North Carolina and South Carolina respectively. Brown isn't the biggest linebacker on the field, but he makes up for it with his speed that helps him get around tackles on the outside. The Eagles love speed so this pick wouldn't surprise me as well. As for Ingram, many thought JaDeveon Clowney would be the star linemen for the Gamecocks, but Ingram exploded this season. Both of these guys have extreme athleticism, something the Eagles look for.

What the Eagles need in later picks: Safety, depth at Offensive Line (assuming they draft linebacker first round), Tight End, Backup Quarterback,

Recap: No one expected the Eagles to be this bad this season, so the draft isn't that important to them. For the most part, they have enough talent on their team to go to the Super Bowl, it's whether or not they can put the pieces together. That being said, the Eagles could still use an upgrade at linebacker, safety  and the right side of the offensive line. If the Eagles can fix their costly mistakes from last season, they won't be picking this early come next year.

NFC East Draft Profile: Washington Redskins

(Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
After a disappointing 2011 season, the Redskins look to fix their weaknesses in the upcoming 2012 NFL Draft. 

Along with the team at NFLdraftinsiders.net, I will be analyzing this year's 2012 NFL draft. As the featured columnist for the NFC East, I will give each team a profile on their 2011 season and what they need in the draft to improve in 2012. First up are the Washington Redskins.

2011 Record: 5-11

Strengths: Linebackers, Secondary, Kick and Punt Returns, Tight End, Youth on Defense

Despite finishing fourth in the NFC, the Redskins have a pretty good defense. They have an above average linebacking core composed of Brian Orakpo, Ryan Kerrigan, London Fletcher, and Perry Riley. Although Fletcher is near the end of his career, Orakpo, Kerrigan, and Riley are all under 26 years old. Along with a good linebacking core, the Redskins also have a pretty good secondary, led by LaRon Landry. Although Oshiomogho Atogwe had a good season, Reed Doughty struggled to fill in for Landry. Also, when DeAngelo Hall is on top of his game, he is one of the best corner's in the league, but he is very inconsistent and has stretches of really bad games where he gets routed by wide receivers. A second cornerback to complement Hall wouldn't be a bad pick. At 5'7, Brandon Banks is a solid returner, averaging a little less than 10 yards per punt returns and 23 yards per kick returns. Finally, both Chris Cooley and Fred Davis are good options at tight end, but injuries and personal issues kept both of them out for extended periods of time this season.

Weaknesses: Quarterback, Running Back, Wide Receiver (1 and 2), Offensive Line, Injuries

It's really hard to win games when you have no threats on offense. When you play in the same division as the Eagles, Cowboys, and Giants, three explosive teams, you need to be able to keep up. With Rex Grossman at quarterback that's virtually impossible. It also doesn't help when your running backs are Roy Helu and Evan Royster. Also, Santana Moss has also been a more than good wide receiver in the NFL, but he's running out of time, and isn't nearly as dangerous as he used to be. The Redskins have a young offensive line, every player being under 30 years old, but that doesn't mean they are good. Rex Grossman and John Beck were sacked a combined 40 times, which ranked third most in the NFL. Clearly the Redskins have a vast amount of improvement needed on offense.

Possible Options with 1st round pick (6th overall): Robert Griffin III, Trent Richardson, Justin Blackmon, Jonathan Martin

Griffin III- If the Redskins were to pull this one off, they would probably need to trade up with the Rams or Vikings, because the Browns are also looking for a quarterback. Griffin could still fall to the Redskins at six, but if the Redskins know that RG3 is the answer to their offense, they better make sure they can get their hands on him, because Ryan Tannehill is no substitute. Griffin could strive under the Redskins offense, just like how Cam Newton turned around the Panthers' gloomy offense. Griffin's  speed, throwing power, and throwing accuracy are all assets that will help him succede in the NFL. With a weak offensive line, Griffin would be more likely to evade pressure than Rex Grossman, and his throw on the run ability will help him at a higher level of play. Personally, I like this pick, but the Redskins would need to give him more help in later picks.

Richardson- In another weak running back class, Richardson emerges as the top gun. Matter of fact, Richardson is the only running back projected to go in the first round. What Richardson provides, is a combination of strength and speed. Think of him as a bigger and badder (tougher not skill-wise) version of his predecessor, Mark Ingram. At best, Richardson can become the next Michael Turner. He is a downhill back, who defenders don't want to run into in the open field. Like the Griffin III pick, Richardson would be a good fit for Washington, but he would need a better supporting cast.

Blackmon- If you've watched any college football this year, you know how dominant Justin Blackmon was. His combination of strength, speed, height, and hands make him one of the best draft prospects in years. He is a two-time Biletnikoff Award winner, and also captured the Fiesta Bowl MVP, after a stellar performance. He's like a combination of Anquan Boldin and Dez Bryant, but will need a good quarterback to get him the ball. A huge part of his success at Oklahoma State was because of their offensive style, and their quarterback, Brandon Weeden. I don't think Blackmon would be a good fit with the Redskins because wide receivers who are drafted by teams with bad quarterbacks (think Braylon Edwards), usually aren't very happy.

Martin- Whether it's Martin, Riley Reiff, or David DeCastro, the Redskins couldn't go wrong with an elite offense linemen. With Trent Williams already becoming a strong left tackle, adding DeCastro to the inside of the line, or putting Reiff or Martin on the right would help make the Redskins' offensive line more stable. They do always say an offense starts with a good offensive line. I would be surprised if the Redskins didn't use their pick on a skill-set position, but then again the Redskins are one of the more unpredictable teams in the draft.

What the Redskins need in later picks: Wide Receiver, Defensive Tackle, Running back (if Richardson isn't taken), Offensive Guard

Recap: The Redskins have a lot of holes to fill this offseason. They need to make sure they wisely use their first pick on a future offensive star, be it RG3, Richardson, or even Blackmon. Although Morris Claiborne may be a popular pick, the Redskins have spent so many past first round picks on defense, it's time for a change. And remember, one offensive pick in the first three rounds isn't enough. They need to stack up their offense and add some new weapons. Look at the Bengals this year, Andy Dalton wouldn't have strived without AJ Green, and AJ Green wouldn't have been a pro-bowler if it weren't for Dalton. Think Redskins, Think.

Rangers Team To Beat Heading Into The All-Star Break

(Photo by Christopher Pasatieri/Getty Images)
The Rangers have a reason to be celebrating heading into the All-Star break.
Their 66 points in just 47 games are the most in the NHL.

With 66 points in just 47 games, the New York Rangers are the team to beat in the NHL. Their 12 losses in regulation are the least in the NHL, and their 7-3 record in their last ten games heading into the break is the best in the Eastern Conference.

What makes the Rangers such an elite team in the NHL is their superb defense and goaltending. Even with all-star Marc Staal out for the majority of the season, the Rangers have given up the least goals in the NHL. Dan Girardi has done a fantastic job filling in for Staal on the first defensive pairing, and is averaging the most ice time in the NHL, with a little more than 27 minutes a game. Girardi never seems to get tired though and is one of the most efficient players in the NHL, always blocking shots, delivering hits, or applying pressure to wingers.

Along with Girardi, Michael Del Zotto and Ryan McDonagh have also been excellent for the Rangers on defense this season.

When the Rangers brought in Brad Richards during free agency, many assumed he would become the new star of the team. Well, those assumptions were wrong, because the star of the New York Rangers is still Henrik Lundqvist. King Henrik has had a spectacular season so far, and should finally win his first, long overdue Vezina Trophy.

Henk's 22 wins, .937 save %, and 1.87 goals against average rank in the top five among all goalies in the NHL. A huge reason the defense has received credit this season is because Lundqvist is always there to back them up.

For the last few seasons though, defense and goaltending have been strengths of the Rangers. Offense has been the biggest problem for the Rangers. Last season, the Rangers got an early boot from the playoffs because they couldn't put the pucks in the net. In his second season with the Rangers, Marian Gaborik's play regressed a lot, and he only finished with 22 goals. This season in just 47 games, Gaborik already has 25, which ranks in the top five across the league.

Besides injuries, why has Gaborik returned to his typical all-star play?

Brad Richards. Richards has revived this offense, and is creating so many goal scoring opportunities for his teammates. Last year, Gaborik struggled as the playmaker, since he's naturally a sniper. With Richards as the facilitator though, Gaborik can return to his aggressive role as a goal scorer. Perfect example of the two working together is the game winning powerplay goal to beat the Bruins last Saturday.

And how about giving some credit to John Tortorella?

As shown on 24/7 Road to the NHL Winter Classic, "Torts" is the most straightforward coach in the league. If a player sucked after a bad game, Tortorella would be the first to let them know it, but if a player had a good game, Torts would let them know that as well. Tortorella has to be a candidate for the Jack Adams Award this season. His ability to create well balanced lines, send his team strong messages, and have a good relationship with every player are among his best traits as a coach.

Besides the big name guys though, players like Carl Hagelin, Mike Rupp, and Derek Stepan all deserve recognition.

Hagelin, a rookie out of Michigan, is already becoming an offensive threat for the Rangers.  Hagelin was recently named along with 11 other rookies to participate this weekend in a few NHL All-Star events.

Along with Hagelin, Derek Stepan has really exploded this season. Stepan leads the team in assist, and his 31 points this season are the fourth most on the team.

And finally, Rupper. Looking at his stats, Rupp is nowhere near the top of the list, but it's his skills that aren't on the stat sheet; hustle, chemistry, hard work, and being an enforcer, that make him a Rangers favorite.

The reason the Rangers will be a Stanley Cup contender this year is because they are so well rounded, so complete. Their offense complements their defense, which reflects back on Lundqvist. They have great chemistry, and have had great success this season against other top teams. It's not a stretch to call this year's team the best team since 1994, the year Mark Messier hoisted Lord Stanley's Cup.

NFL Conference Championship Recap

(Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
The Ravens were that close to reaching the Super Bowl. Sterling Moore would end up stripping Lee Evans,
 and a missed field goal two plays later resulted in a heartbreaking loss for Baltimore. 

Midterm week isn't stopping me from the weekly NFL recap. Going into last week's matchups, four teams entered but only two would remain. The Patriots got lucky and are advancing to the Super Bowl after a dropped touchdown and a missed field goal saved their season. As for the NFC matchup, the Giants took advantage of TWO fumbles by punt returner Kyle Williams, and barely squeezed out a victory against the 49ers.

Ravens vs. Patriots: 23-20 Patriots
Ravens Player of the Week: Joe Flacco- 306 pass yards, 2 touchdowns, 95.4 passer rating
Patriots Player of the Week: BenJarvus Green-Ellis- 68 rush yards, touchdown

Who would have guessed that Joe Flacco (2 touchdowns, 1 interception) would outplay Tom Brady (0 touchdowns, 1 interception) and still come out on the losing end? Brady even admitted that he sucked after the game, saying that the defense kept them in the game. What really won the game for the Patriots though, was luck.

Besides the disappearance of Pro-Bowler Ray Rice, the Patriots lucked out when Lee Evans couldn't hold on to a potential game-winning touchdown catch with under a minute to play. Initially, it looked like Evans came down clean with the catch, coming down on one foot and bringing the ball into his chest, but right before he got his second foot down, cornerback Sterling Moore punched the ball free. Then if it couldn't get any worse for the Ravens, Billy Cundiff missed the game-tying field goal with less than 10 seconds left to send the game into overtime.

Imagine if Evans held on to the catch though. Joe Flacco's whole career would suddenly evolve. Headliners would be "Flacco's three touchdowns lead Ravens over Patriots in AFC title game" or "Flacco outshines Brady to advance to the Super Bowl". Flacco has received tons of criticism this season, but actually played well in the game. Instead of being in the spotlight though, the Ravens were sent packing while the Patriots head to Indianapolis.


Giants vs. Niners: 20-17 Giants (OT)
Giants Player of the Week: Eli Manning- 316 pass yards, 2 touchdowns, 82.3 passer rating
Niners Player of the Week: Vernon Davis- 3 receptions, 112 receiving yards, 2 touchdowns

I've been saying it all along, this season for the Giants is all Dejà Blue. The offense wasn't great on Sunday, but it was the Giants' defense and special teams that won them the game. Although Eli Manning was hit more than Alex Smith, Manning delivered in the clutch, unlike Smith. Besides the two fumbles by Kyle Williams, the other reason the Giants won this game was because of their third-down defense. Alex Smith and the Niners only converted one third-down on 13 attempts.

Even with Victor Cruz shut down in the second half, Eli and the Giants found a way to respond in the fourth quarter and retake the lead. And just like in 2007, Lawrence Tynes kicked the Giants into the Super Bowl, this time from 31 yards out.

NFL Conference Championship Predictions

(Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
If Brady can find Gronk often and early, the Ravens don't stand a chance
against the top offense in the NFL.

Ravens vs. Patriots: 30-20 Patriots

The Ravens might have one of the best defenses in the league, but it's physically impossible to stop the three headed attack of Gronkowski, Hernandez, and Welker. Add to that attack, a future Hall of Fame quarterback, an experienced offensive line, and a decent running back, and you've got yourself a lethal offense.

Yes, I expect Suggs, Reed, and the Baltimore D to do better than the Broncos defense last week, but as long as the Patriots can put at least 28 on the scoreboard, game over.

Picking this game is as easy as this: Joe Flacco cannot compete with Tom Brady, it's not even close. As long as the Patriots can limit Ray Rice, this game will be piece of cake. Rice struggled last week against the Texans, and the Ravens only put up 20 points. The Patriots have scored in the 20's only four times this season, the rest in the 30's and 40's.

Next up is the head coaching battle. Yes, John Harbaugh deserves all the credit he is receiving, but Bill Belichick will go down as one of the greatest coaches of all time. He has proven himself, winning three Super Bowls last decade. Harbaugh can take a major step in his coaching career with a win over the Patriots, but I don't see it happening.



Giants vs. Niners: 27-23 Giants

Five weeks ago, how many of you readers would have predicted the Giants to be in the NFC Championship game, and have a great chance of going to the Super Bowl?

In these past five weeks, the Giants have transformed from a good team in the NFL, to an elite team, and are proving everyone wrong game after game. Remember when Eli was criticized for calling himself an elite quarterback? Looks like he was right after all.

The Giants are heading into this game wanting revenge. They lost to the Niners in Week 13, but weren't all full strength. They even would have won the game if it weren't for a drop by Mario Manningham.

Alex Smith may have burned the Saints last week, but now he has to go up against a much better defense, a defense that shut down the presumed MVP of the regular season last week. Both the Giants and 49ers have incredible front lines, so whoever wins that battle will win the game. Aldon and Justin Smith vs. JPP, Osi, and Tuck. Whoever gets to the quarterback more will win this game, it's as simple as that.

Like his brother, Jim Harbaugh has accomplished so much in just his first year as a head coach in the NFL, but his season will come to an end this week.

NFL Division Round Playoff Recap

(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
Former #1 pick Alex Smith had the game of his life against the Saints Sunday,
leading his team on two game-winning drives in the final five minutes.

Saints vs. Niners: 36-32 Niners
Saints Player of the Week: Jimmy Graham- 5 receptions, 103 receiving yards, 2 touchdowns
Niners Player of the Week: Alex Smith- 299 pass yards, 4 touchdowns (1 rush), 103.2 passer rating

I was one, not so spectacular Alex Smith drive away from going 4-0 this week. Too bad Smith led the 49ers to not one, but two potential game winning drives late in the fourth quarter. While Brees and the Saints struggled early on, committing three turnovers in the first quarter, the Niners got on the scoreboard first and led 17-0 early in the second.

Finally, Brees and the Saints started to get going, but not until mid-way through the fourth quarter. After a 44 yard touchdown pass to Sproles, the Saints went up by one with 4 minutes to play. No need to worry though, because Alex Smith led the 49ers on a potential game winning drive, ending with a 28 yard touchdown run by the quarterback. Brees and the Saints struck back less than a minute later, after Brees found Jimmy Graham for a 66 yard touchdown. Again though, Smith led the Niners on the real game winning drive, and found his tight end Vernon Davis in the endzone with only nine seconds left, to put them up four.

So I guess it was true, the Saints really couldn't handle playing on the road outdoors. They struggled early on offensively, while the defense struggled in the end, ultimately giving up 36 points to a subpar Niners offense. Just goes to show how much Jim Harbaugh has transformed this team. Just a year ago, former coach Mike Singletary was screaming and putting down these exact players' hopes. Now, Alex Smith is rejuvenated and is one win away from going to the Super Bowl, unbelievable.


Broncos vs. Patriots: 45-10 Patriots
Broncos Player of the Week:
Patriots Player of the Week: Tom Brady- 363 pass yards, 6 touchdowns, 137.6 passer rating
Broncos Player of the Week: Willis McGahee- 73 rush yards, touchdown

Well, this game was a huge letdown. With all the hype in the world, Tim Tebow and the Broncos came into Foxborough thinking they could actually beat the Patriots. As we all know though, the Broncos' plan didn't go too well. Brady came, saw, and conquered the Broncos defense, scorching them for six touchdown passes in three quarters.

Just a week ago, Tebow threw for 316 yards and three touchdowns, but this week he completed a little more than a third of his passes, for only 136 yards and no touchdowns. Yes, he played poorly, but can the loss be blamed on him?

Sorta. The Broncos weren't scoring more than 30 points on the Patriots at a best case scenario, and the fact that the Patriots already had 35 at the half, shows how bad the Broncos defense was. Then there's the Broncos offensive line, or lack of. Tebow was sacked five times, hit eight times, and was running for his life on almost every play. With no time in the pocket, how do you expect a subpar, young, inexperienced quarterback to have success playing in New England? You don't


Texans vs. Ravens: 20-13 Ravens
Texans Player of the Week: Arian Foster- 132 rush yards, touchdown
Ravens Player of the Week: Joe Flacco- 176 pass yards, 2 touchdowns, 97.1 passer rating

The Ravens deserve to advance to the AFC Championship game, after playing a very rough and physical game, but IF Matt Schaub was at quarterback, the Texans would be playing the Patriots next week. TJ Yates had plenty of opportunities on Sunday, but failed to complete half of his passes, failed to throw any touchdowns, and succeeded in throwing three passes to the other team. Put it this way, when your quarterback has a passer rating of 28.8, your not winning the game, especially against the Ravens.

The Ravens caught a break though, Ray Rice was not nearly as productive as everyone thought, and the overall offense was weak. The defense played great, but how can you measure greatness against an inexperienced team in general, with a quarterback who has played less than 10 games in the NFL? Ravens are going to need to step up next week, if they want to keep it close with the explosive Patriots


Giants vs. Packers: 37-20 Giants
Giants Player of the Week: Hakeem Nicks- 7 receptions, 165 receiving yards, 2 touchdowns
Packers Player of the Week: Referee Bill Leavy

Quarterback A: Completed 21/33 passes, threw for 330 yards, 3 touchdowns, 1 interception, with a passer rating of 114.5
Quarterback B: Completed 26/46 passes, threw for 264 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception, with a passer rating of 78.5

Guess which quarterback was Eli Manning, and which was presumed MVP Aaron Rodgers. That's right, Eli Manning shined last Sunday, handling the Packers just their second and final loss of the season. It was Rodgers for a change though, who really struggled to find receivers in open space, and give his team the win.

Even with referee Bill Leavy giving the Packers every call possible, the Giants were unbeatable. The way New York is playing right now is scary for any team in the league.

Good news for Rodgers? New Miss USA, Laura Kaeppeler wants his number, that's about it though.

Kobe Doin' Work

(Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
Kobe and the Lakers are playing with a chip on their shoulder this season. Everyone
said there time was done, but Kobe thinks they are starting it all over again.

There's a reason Spike Lee made a documentary by this title two years ago. There's a reason Lil Wayne wrote a rap "Kobe Bryant" to respond to Drake's "Forever" which is all about LeBron James. There's a reason he's been on the cover of seven video games. There's a reason he has endorsements with Nike, McDonalds, Sprite, and Spalding.

Besides Michael Jordan, there hasn't been a more dominant, post-merger guard than Kobe Bryant. LeBron James has yet to prove himself as the next "It Factor" with his recent late-game collapses and ring-less fingers. Kobe continues to prove himself as an "It Factor" in his 16th year in the league.

Coming into the season, the Lakers weren't supposed to be the talk of Los Angeles and Kobe wasn't supposed to be the face of city. It was all about the Clippers, Blake Griffin, and recently acquired guard Chris Paul. Even worse, what about his wrist with torn ligaments all over?
And if that wasn't enough negativity already, he was heading into the season after his wife of 10 years divorced him.

This was good news for Kobe though, he was single and ready to mingle with opposing defenses.

The perennial all-star is coming off three, 40-point performances, all which have been won by the red hot Lakers. Even better, Bryant leads the league in scoring, while the Lakers lead the Pacific Division. Only the Oklahoma City Thunder have a better record than the Lakers out West.

Critics have been all over Kobe, saying he shoots too much, but yet his shooting percentage is above his career average. So are his assists and rebounds per game. All around Kobe is making himself and his team better.

Maybe it's his surgery in Germany, maybe it was his viciousness to prove everyone wrong again.

Yes, Andrew Bynum's return was huge for the Lakers, but the whole team is feeding off of Kobe's hard work. The Lakers have won five straight games in which Kobe has averaged 39 points per game. His shooting percentage in those five games? 49.6%

Not only is Kobe hitting the big shots, but he is getting to the line more than he used to. Over the past few years, Kobe has developed a lethal turnaround fade away jumper, but this year it's all about taking it to the basket. Not a bad idea when your shooting over 80% from the charity stripe.

Who were the preseason favorites to win MVP?

Kevin Durant headlined that list along with Derrick Rose, Chris Paul, and Dwight Howard. On ESPN.com's preseason predictions, not one person picked Kobe to win MVP. Durant hasn't struggled this season, but Russell Westbrook is stealing some of his Thunder, pun intended. Dwight Howard is putting up monster numbers, but who knows where he will end up. The only player playing at the same level as Kobe, is Derrick Rose.

Who were the preseason favorites to win the Pacific Division? The West? The NBA Finals?

Let alone the Western Conference, the Lakers weren't even predicted to win their division. 17 NBA experts picked the Clippers on ESPN.com, while only 13 picked the Lakers to win. As for the Western Conference, the Thunder picked up 26/30 votes while the Lakers only got two. And to win the NBA Finals? 0.

Kobe is taking all this negative hype about him and his team, and throwing it right back at them. With the way and the Lakers are playing, they don't even need Dwight. They're chemistry is great, Coach Brown is letting them play their style, and Kobe is playing fearless.

The Lakers play the Clippers tonight, in the first regular season battle between the two teams. The Clippers swept the Lakers in the preseason, but I have a feeling Kobe will go off on Blake Griffin, and his almost-teammate Chris Paul.

NFL Division Round Playoff Predictions

(Photo by John Grieshop/Getty Images)
Ray Rice and the Ravens are hungry for a win against the Texans.
The Ravens finally have what it takes to make it back to the Super Bowl.

Last week's record: 3-1
Overall playoff record: 3-1


Saints vs. Niners: 30-20 Saints

Yes, the Saints aren't nearly as good on the road, than when they are playing in the Superdome, but Drew Brees and the Saints have been in this position before. Good news for New Orleans is that the game will be played in the 60's, with low wind, and no rain.

The Niners might have the best defense in the league this season, but Drew Brees and the Saints have an answer for anything defensive coordinators throw at them. In his last five games, Drew Brees has  thrown 19 touchdowns to only three interceptions. The Saints are hungry to return the Super Bowl, and would love to matchup against the Packers next week in a Week One rematch.

Having Brees on my fantasy team this year, I have followed him closely throughout the season. He consistently throws three touchdowns a game, and throws for over 300 yards. Even against a tough 49'ers defense, he will strive.

The problem for the Niners is that they can't keep up with the Saints. Even if they get some stops early on, Drew Brees and the Saints will figure it out sooner or later. With Alex Smith taking snaps, you never know how the Niners will do offensively. They certainly cannot rely on David Akers to kick five field goals in a playoff game.

The Niners have a bright future ahead, with a hardworking coach and an aggressive young defense, but the Saints' experience will lead them to victory on the road.


Broncos vs. Patriots: 35-29 Patriots

I want to pick the Broncos so badly to win this game, but my conscience tells me the Patriots will advance to the AFC Championship game.

Here's a case for the Patriots to win: They have all the experience in the world, with a future hall of fame quarterback. They are also 7-1 at home this season. They already beat the Broncos once this season, on the road by 18. They are the New England Patriots, three time Super Bowl winners this decade.

Now for the Broncos: Tebowing, Tebowmania, and Tim Tebow. The most popular athlete in the US had a monster game last week, throwing for over 300 yards, and scoring three touchdowns. The Broncos have the will, determination, and heart to win. They've won as the underdog plenty of times this season. In their loss to the Patriots, Tebow fumbled three times in the second quarter alone, if that doesn't happen it isn't a 41-23 loss.

Like I said last week, I expect the Broncos to lose, but by all means it won't be a blowout. If Tebow eats up the clock on offense, limits his turnovers, and the defense backs him up, this game will be close. Still, I expect Brady and the Patriots to end Tebowmania, at least for this season.


Texans vs. Ravens: 27-13 Ravens

Unlike the other games, this one shouldn't be a problem to predict.

The Texans are playing in just their second playoff game in franchise history, they don't have a starting quarterback, and they are playing one of the toughest defenses in the NFL.

The Ravens think they finally have what it takes to advance back to the Super Bowl. For the past decade, the Ravens have been the younger brother to the Steelers, and have watched their division rivals advance to the Super Bowl three times. This year is different though. The Ravens swept the Steelers in the regular season, have one of the biggest and baddest players on defense (Terrell Suggs), and a freight train at running back (Ray Rice). Joe Flacco has been disappointing this season, but maybe a deep playoff run will change the minds of Ravens fans.


Giants vs. Packers: 35-32 Giants

Even though the Packers are 15-1 this season, with their only loss being a fluke game against the Chiefs, the Giants are making some noise this week and think they can beat them. In their only matchup this season, the Packers got the better of the Giants, but the game had a bunch of questionable calls in the final minutes of the game.

Just like in 2007, the year the Giants won the Super Bowl, they weren't even projected to make the playoffs, let alone win it all. Also like the 2007 season, the Giants defense, especially their front line has been unstoppable. With Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora, and Jason Pierre-Paul all rushing Aaron Rodgers, it will be difficult for the MVP frontrunner to get off passes.

Along with the defense, Eli Manning has really stepped up this season. The Giants have the fifth best pass offense in the league, as Eli is averaging close to 300 yards a game. The Packers' secondary isn't very strong, so Eli should be able to find his favorite targets in Nicks, Manningham, and Cruz.

The Packers have been unstoppable this season, but so were the Patriots when they lost to the Giants. Aaron Rodgers will not have a problem getting by the Giants' secondary, but it's the pressure from the front seven that will give Rodgers the most trouble.

Ricky Rubio Proves He Is NBA Ready

(AP Photo/Bill Haber)
In just 11 games this season, Rubio has already made an immediate impact on his team.

When the young Spanish superstar announced he would join the Timberwolves, two years after being drafted fifth overall, the Timberwolves knew they were getting a great player, but many others were unsure.

He's been compared to Jose Calderon, Steve Nash, and Pete Maravich. His coaches even call him "La Pistola" taking Maravich's nickname, Pistol Pete, and translating it to Spanish. Clearly, Rubio has a lot to live up to.

Rubio earned some spotlight early on in his career, leading the 16-U Spanish National Team to the FIBA Championships in 2006. In the tournament, Rubio posted two triple-doubles, and even a quadruple-double. He capped the tournament off by scoring 51 points, grabbing 24 rebounds, and dishing out twelve assists 12  in a win against Russia.

He then began his professional career by playing for Joventut Badalona, where he excelled in his first four years. It was during his last season with Joventut Badalona, when he got drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Rather than going over to America right away though, Rubio signed to play with Barcelona. This seemed to be a bad decision by Rubio, his stats worsened, and he even lost his starting position because of his bad play.

That's why when Rubio came over to America, many were unsure if he'd be a star or a bust. Despite his incredible international play, and his spectacular highlight clips, NBA experts and analysts were unsure if he could play his Euro- uptempo style in the NBA.

So far, Rubio has been fantastic for the Timberwolves. He is averaging a near double double, with 10 points and eight assists per game. His assist per 48 minutes ranks third in the NBA behind Steve Nash and Rajon Rondo. Experts were worried about Rubio's shooting, but so far the Spanish Sensation is shooting close to 50% from the field,


Rubio already has four double-doubles this season, and was an assist short of getting his fifth last night.


After ten regular season games, Rubio finally got his first start in the NBA last night. He didn't disappoint, scoring 12 points, dishing out nine assists, and grabbing six boards. He was perfect from the free-throw line and along with Kevin Love, he gave the Timberwolves their fourth win of the season.

Stats aside though, Rubio has transformed this Timberwolves team. Every assist he creates is unique and could find itself on ESPN's Top 10 plays. His court vision is one of a kind, and his hustle points can't be measured. He makes every single player on the court better, whether he is setting them up for a score, or helping them out on defense.

Through the first ten games, Rubio has come off the bench late in the first quarter, but then plays the almost the full second and fourth quarters. When he is on the court, the Timberwolves outscore their opponents by 52 points. His plus/minus ratio is the best on the team. When starting point guard Luke Ridnour is on the court, the team is outscored by 48 points, which is the second worst plus/minus for Minnesota

Many Timberwolves fans are criticizing coach Rick Adelman for not starting Rubio, but the legendary coach knows what he is doing. After all, Rubio is only a rookie.

Currently, Rubio ranks only behind top pick Kyrie Irving on NBA.com's Rookie Ladder. Something tells me tough, that Rubio could pass Irving by the time the season is over. Irving is averaging 17 points and five assists per game, but what makes Rubio so special, is that he makes every player on the court better. His relationship with his teammates on the court is very special, often smiling and exchanging high-fives with them.

Rubio has the third highest all-star votes for West guards, trailing only Chris Paul and Kobe Bryant.

Rubio definitely hasn't been a bust so far. His exciting style and play is transforming the Timberwolves offense. If Minnesota pays attention to his plus/minus, maybe Rubio will get more starts, and the T-Wolves will get more wins.

NFL Wild-Card Weekend Recap

(AP Photo/Chris Schneider)
Tebow completed five passes for over 30 yards in a win against the Steelers Sunday. Previously, the Steelers
had only given up seven passes of 30 yards or more in 16 games this season, the fewest in the NFL.

Bengals vs. Texans: 31-10 Texans
Bengals Player of the Week: AJ Green- 5 receptions, 47 receiving yards
Texans Player of the Week: Arian Foster- 153 rush yards, 29 receiving yards, 2 touchdowns

Inexperience killed the Bengals on Sunday. In his first playoff start, Andy Dalton threw three interceptions and fumbled once. Houston started a rookie quarterback too, but depended greatly on a run game led by Arian Foster. Foster didn't let down, rushing for over 150 yards and a pair of touchdowns. TJ Yates didn't have to throw the ball much, but when he, did he made the most of it. He connected with Andre Johnson late in the third quarter to put Houston up by 14 points. Cincinnati's coaching didn't help either. Marvin Lewis burned both challenges in the first half, and couldn't figure out how to get by the Texans' defense. The Texans, who are coming off their first playoff win in franchise history, will face the Baltimore Ravens next week.

Lions vs. Saints: 28-45 Saints
Lions Player of the Week: Calvin Johnson- 12 receptions, 211 receiving yards, 2 touchdowns
Saints Player of the Week: Drew Brees- 466 pass yards, 3 touchdowns, 134.4 passer rating

Despite a late start, this game was high scoring duel like everyone expected. The Lions hung around for the first half, but finally Drew Brees took over the game, and gave the Saints their ninth win at home this year. The Lions took an early lead, but the Saints had an answer for every score. Let's face it, even the Packers would struggle beating the Saints in the Superdome, so why would the Lions stand a chance. Matthew Stafford played well, but his two interceptions came back to haunt him.

Falcons vs. Giants: 24-2 Giants
Falcons Player of the Week: Julio Jones- 7 receptions, 64 receiving yards
Giants Player of the Week: Eli Manning- 277 pass yards, 3 touchdowns, 129.3 passer rating

Eli and the Giants had no problem beating the offensive-less Falcons at home, as Eli threw for over 250 yards and three touchdowns. Eli played great, but what really surprised me was the Giants' run game. This season New York ranked last in rushing yards, but in last week's game, they rushed for a combined 172 yards. Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw both had 14 carries, as the two of them plowed through or around Atlanta defenders. As for the Falcons, the offense didn't show up, and Mike Smith's risky play call didn't help. The Giants stopped the Falcons on fourth-down three times, proving their front seven is the best in the NFL. Mark my words, the Giants will give Green Bay trouble next week.

Steelers vs. Broncos: 29-23 Broncos (OT)
Steelers Player of the Week: Isaac Redman- 121 rush yards
Broncos Player of the Week: Tim Tebow- 316 pass yards, 3 touchdowns (1 rush) 125.6 passer rating

Teeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeebowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww! Last week, I wrote about how the Broncos would give the Steelers a ton of trouble, but wouldn't actually win the game. That was me being scared, playing it safe, and trying to go 4-0 on the week (ended up 3-1). As I wrote last week, "Tebow Mania was fun, but realistically speaking, we know he isn't throwing for 300 yards, 3 touchdowns, and a win." Well, Tebow threw for 316 yards, a pair of touchdowns, and ran another one in. Even when the Steelers came back and forced overtime, Tebow stomped on the new NFL Overtime rules, and ended the game instantly with an 80-yard touchdown pass on the first play of OT. Denver will be underdogs again next week, but Tebow and the Broncos will never give up.

NFL Wild-Card Weekend Predictions

(AP Photo/Bill Haber)
The Saints got unlucky by missing out on a first round bye, but should be able to advance to the next round
 with a win over Detroit. A Saints vs. Packers rematch of Week One will prove once and for all who the MVP is.

It's this time of the year again, as the NFL postseason kicks off with two Saturday games followed by two Sunday games. On Saturday the early matchup is Cincinnati at Houston followed by Detroit at New Orleans. On Sunday, Atlanta travels to New York while the Steelers will face Denver.

Bengals vs. Texans: 23-17 Texans

The Texans started off the season as one of the best teams in football, and everyone thought this would be the year they take over the AFC South for years to come. The team was riding a six game winning streak, when Matt Schaub went down with an injury. Since the injury, Houston is 1-3, but unlike Cincinnati, they have the surrounding pieces to make up for their loss. Like Houston, the Bengals are also starting a young quarterback on Saturday. What gives the Texans the edge over the Bengals is their supporting cast. Arian Foster has been a stud for Houston all season. Along with Andre Johnson, who has returned from a hamstring injury, the Texans have a great receiving core to help out the inexperienced T.J. Yates. Then comes their defense. Mario Williams has been out since the middle of the season, but Brian Cushing and Jonathan Joseph have really led this group. Statistically speaking, the Texans, who were a bottom five defensive team in the league, rank third and fourth respectively in opposing rushing and passing yards. One last thing that gives the Texans an edge over the Bengals is the fact that they have had proven success against good teams. The Bengals have just two wins this season over .500 teams, but no wins against playoff teams. The Texans have wins over Pittsburgh and Atlanta, and also beat The Bengals in Yates' first game.

Lions vs. Saints: 40-27 Saints

 Here come the big bad Saints, ready to get revenge on a disappointing 2011 playoff run a year ago. The Lions have had a great season, and look to be a playoff team for years to come, but the inexperience will eat them up on Saturday. This Saints team is very similar to the one that won it all two years ago. With a lethal offense and a hard hitting defense, the Saints can beat anyone. Here's something else about the Saints, they haven't lost a game at home since last year. Drew Brees has had the best year of his career, and wants to cap it off with a win against MVP contender Aaron Rodgers. To get a chance to play Rodgers and the Packers, the Saints will need to win this one. Stafford and the Lions might match the Saints offense early on, but their inexperience will come back to bite them in the end.

Falcons vs. Giants: 35-30 Giants

This one is a tossup. Matt Ryan and the Falcons have had another great year. Trading up for Julio Jones seemed to be the right move, as the rookie has found immediate success getting behind corner backs and scoring touchdowns. Besides their weak offensive line, one thing that puts the Falcons at a huge disadvantage is the dome effect. The Falcons are 6-2 at home this season, but just 4-4 on the road. Even better, the Falcons only have one road win against an above .500 team. Adjusting from a no wind, room temperature stadium, to an unpredictable windy and chilly outdoor stadium is not so easy. With his older brother out this season, Eli Manning has really emerged as an elite quarterback. He took heat for it when he said that in the beginning of the season, but besides Rodgers, Brees, and Brady, their isn't an obvious quarterback who is next in line. Manning was 67 passing yards and a touchdown away from having a 5,000 yard, 30 touchdown year. Only Brees, Brady, and Stafford achieved those numbers. The Giants are also a team of streaks. When they are hot, they are one of the best teams in football, as proven early in the season, but when they lose they look terrible. Good news about the playoffs is that with a win you're in and a loss your going home. The Giants are very capable of getting hot at the right time, and making a deep run in the playoffs.

Steelers vs. Broncos: 17-13 Steelers

Right away, 95% of you readers think the Steelers are going to cruise through this game, and make a deep run in the playoffs. I mean f course, they are the Steelers, they always do. But this year's Steelers team isn't like the others. They are old, banged up, and don't have the same mentality. Yes, they will win this game, but it won't be a walk in the park. Mendenhall and Ryan Clark won't play. While Ben Roethlisberger and Maurkice Pouncey will play, both are banged up and you don't know how good they'll be. Big Ben looked terrible against the Browns last week, in a game they needed to win. As for the Broncos, we all know they shouldn't be in the playoffs. Tebow Mania was fun, but realistically speaking, we know he isn't throwing for 300 yards, 3 touchdowns, and a win. One thing he can do well though, is control the tempo of the game. If the Broncos can eat up a lot of clock time, wear out the old Steelers defense by running the ball a lot, and catch some breaks this game could come down to the end. I'm not saying the Broncos are going to win, but they can make it interesting. As we've learned, anything can happen in Denver with Tebow behind snap.

NFL Week 17 Recap

(Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
The Packers defeated the Lions, but it was Matt Flynn who shined for Green Bay, throwing
for a franchise record 480 passing yards and six touchdowns.

This Week's Record: 10-6
Overall Record: 181-75 (10+ more wins than any expert at ESPN or CBS)

Lions vs. Packers: 45-41 Packers
Lions Player of the Week: Matthew Stafford- 520 pass yards, 5 touchdowns, 103.8 passer rating
Packers Player of the Week: Matt Flynn- 480 pass yards, 6 touchdowns, 136.4 passer rating

Matt Flynn, enough said. Aaron Rodgers' backup torched the Lions defense for a Packers all time record 480 passing yards and six touchdowns. Stafford had a good game himself, but his two interceptions were costly in a game where stops were optional.

Niners vs. Rams: 34-27 Niners
Niners Player of the Week: Michael Crabtree- 8 receptions, 86 receiving yards, 2 touchdowns
Rams Player of the Week: Brandon Lloyd- 6 receptions, 100 receiving yards, touchdown

Despite a late game comeback, the Niners were able to hold onto the victory and clinch a first round bye. Good news for the Rams is that their season is over. Just a year after almost winning the NFC West, the Rams went 2-14 and didn't win a single game in the division.

Jets vs. Dolphins: 19-17 Dolphins
Jets Player of the Week: Dustin Keller- 7 receptions, 45 receiving yards, touchdown
Dolphins Player of the Week: Randy Starks- 2 tackles, 2 interceptions, sack

After making it to the AFC Championship game the past two years, the Jets' vacation will start early this year. With a loss to Miami, the Jets finished with an 8-8 record which was not good enough to make the playoffs. Miami, who started the season off 0-6, won six of their last ten games.

Bears vs. Vikings: 17-13 Bears
Bears Player of the Week: Roy Williams- 4 receptions, 60 receiving yards, touchdown
Vikings Player of the Week: Percy Harvin- 10 receptions, 115 receiving yards

A few years ago, this game would have mattered, but this year it meant nothing. Both teams had disappointing seasons, and also lost their star players towards the end of the season. A win for Chicago, which left them with an 8-8 record, was enough to save coach Lovie Smith's job for another year.

Bills vs. Patriots: 49-21 Patriots
Bills Player of the Week: CJ Spiller- 60 rush yard, 40 receiving yards, touchdown
Patriots Player of the Week: Tom Brady- 338 pass yards, 3 touchdowns, 113.8 passer rating

This game was a microcosm of the Buffalo Bills' season. They started off the game 21-0, but then give up 49 unanswered points. Fitzpatrick started off the game well with two touchdowns, but then wound up throwing four interceptions.

Panthers vs. Saints: 45-17 Saints
Panthers Player of the Week: Steve Smith- 6 receptions,86 receiving yards, touchdown
Saints Player of the Week: Drew Brees- 389 pass yards, 5 touchdowns, 140.7 passer rating

Why in the world would I * this game, it wouldn't have been close even if the Saints benched their starters. As the Saints finished 13-3 including an 8-0 record at home, Drew Brees' historic regular season came to an end. The Rodgers vs. Brees MVP debate has gotten a little closer since Brees shined in Week 17 while Rodgers' backup put up impressive numbers. You've gotta take into account the meaning of "Most Valuable Player" after Matt Flynn's performance.

Redskins vs. Eagles: 34-10 Eagles
Redskins Player of the Week: Evan Royster- 113 rush yards, 52 receiving yards
Eagles Player of the Week: Mike Vick- 335 pass yards, 3 touchdowns, 104.1 passer rating

Well, the Eagles aren't playoff bound, but they did win four straight games to finish at .500 and save Andy Reid's job. Maybe it just wasn't Philly's year; like the Miami Heat, it could take them a year before they really start to dominate.

Colts vs. Jaguars: 19-13 Jaguars
Colts Player of the Week: Austin Collie- 9 receptions, 96 receiving yards, touchdown
Jaguars Player of the Week: Maurice Jones-Drew- 169 rush yards

With another loss, the Colts are officially on the clock for the 2012 NFL draft. The Jaguars weren't that much better than the Colts this season, but somehow managed to win five games. The Andrew Luck/Peyton Manning saga will be a fun one to watch, especially without the Polian brothers running the Colts' front office.

Titans vs. Texans: 23-22 Titans
Titans Player of the Week: Matt Hasselbeck- 297 pass yards, 2 touchdowns, 108.9 passer rating
Texans Player of the Week: Ben Tate- 97 rush yards, touchdown

Despite the loss, the Texans are still in the playoffs after clinching a playoff berth a few weeks ago. The Texans also lucked out, and will face the Bengals in the Wild-Card round. Even with a bad quarterback, the Texans are favored to win.

Bucs vs. Falcons: 45-24 Falcons
Bucs Player of the Week: Dezmon Briscoe- 8 receptions, 53 receiving yards, 2 touchdowns
Falcons Player of the Week: Michael Turner- 172 rush yards, 2 touchdowns

The Bucs' tenth straight loss of the season costed coach Raheem Morris his job. The Bucs went out in fashion though, giving up 42 points in just one half. As for the Falcons, they've won 10+ games for the second straight year, and will face the Giants in the Wild-Card round of the playoffs.

Ravens vs. Bengals: 24-16 Ravens
Ravens Player of the Week: Ray Rice- 191 rush yards, 2 touchdowns
Bengals Player of the Week: Bernard Scott- 34 rush yards, touchdown

The Ravens shut down the Bengals, but both teams will advance to the postseason. Andy Dalton didn't play his best game, but should get better results when he plays the Texans. As for the Ravens, they earned themselves a first round bye, after finishing 12-4.

Steelers vs. Browns: 13-9 Steelers
Steelers Player of the Week: Isaac Redman- 92 rush yards, touchdown
Browns Player of the Week: Josh Cribbs- 7 receptions, 91 receiving yards

The Steelers got the win, but are not looking to good heading into the playoffs. In the win, the Steelers lost starting running back Rashard Mendenhall for the playoffs and the beginning of next year, with a torn ACL.

Chiefs vs. the Broncos: 7-3
Chiefs Player of the Week: Dexter McCluster- 61 rush yards, touchdown
Broncos Player of the Week: Willis McGahee- 145 rush yards

Kyle Orton sorta got revenge on the Broncos, in one of the worst games of the entire season. The quarterbacks combined for 21 completions for 240 yards, and a passer rating near 45. Nonetheless, the Broncos still made the playoffs thanks to the Raiders losing to San Diego. Guess god was saving the talent for next week.

Chargers vs. Raiders: 38-26 Chargers
Chargers Player of the Week: Philip Rivers: 310 pass yards, 3 touchdowns, 135.1 passer rating
Raiders Player of the Week: Darrius Heyward-Bey- 9 receptions, 130 receiving yards, touchdown

It's crazy to think that the Chargers finished just a game out of the playoffs despite having a terrible season. Still, an 8-8 finish was enough to keep Norv Turner AND GM AJ Smith their jobs. Oakland on the other hand would be in the playoffs if they didn't lose to the Chargers.

Seahawks vs. Cardinals: 23-20 Cardinals (OT)
Seahawks Player of the Week: Marshawn Lynch- 86 rush yards
Cardinals Player of the Week: Larry Fitzgerald- 149 receiving yards

The Cardinals finished their season on the right note, winning seven of their last nine games. No, they aren't in the playoffs, but they made impressive progress throughout the season. The Seahawks might have finished 7-9, but they also had a good turnaround this season, after an ugly start.

Cowboys vs. Giants: 31-14 Giants
Cowboys Player of the Week: Laurent Robinson- 4 receptions, 60 receiving yards, 2 touchdowns
Giants Player of the Week: Eli Manning- 346 pass yards, 3 touchdowns, 136.7 passer rating

With a win at home, the Giants clinched a playoff berth, snapping their two year playoff drought. Eli was elite on Sunday night, throwing three touchdowns, but no interceptions. Tony Romo and the Cowboys did a great job of continuing their anual December collapse, losing four of their last five games.

Rangers Claim The Winter Classic

(Photo by Dave Sandford/NHLI via Getty Images)
Henrik Lundqvist saved 34 shots on 36 attempts to give the Rangers a 3-2 victory over the Flyers. With the win
in the 2012 NHL Winter Classic, the Rangers are now tied for the most points in the NHL.

The Philadelphia Flyers struck first, but the New York Rangers never gave up, scoring three unanswered goals to win the fifth anual NHL Winter Classic.

Over 45,000 fans packed themselves into Citizen Bank Park Sunday to see the Flyers and Rangers face off in an outdoor duel. This year's game was a highly anticipated matchup that was featured on HBO's 24/7: Road to the NHL Winter Classic. This game was important to both teams, with a win deciding first place in the Eastern Conference.

Mike Rupp, the man who replaced Sean Avery for the Blueshirts, scored twice, giving them the two points they needed to maintain their position in the standings. Rupp usually plays the role of the enforcer, but stepped up on Monday when coach  John Tortorella needed him most.

One of the biggest stories heading into the game was Philadelphia's goalie situation. Early on it seemed like Ilya Bryzgalov, who they signed to a nine-year $51 million deal this summer, would be in net, but his poor play leading up to The Classic opened up an opportunity for Sergei Bobrovsky. After some confusion, Bobrovsky was announced the starter.

Another headliner going into the game was that Marc Staal, one of the Rangers alternate captain, would make his season debut. Staal had been out since last February, when his brother Eric gave him a concussion by checking him into the boards. The hit gave him bad Post-Concussion Syndrome, thus sidelining him for almost a year.

Nonetheless, Staal made his return for the Rangers and played a little more than half a period worth of ice time.

After a scoreless first period, Brayden Schenn scored the first goal of the game, giving the Flyers a 1-0 lead. Schenn scored off a rebound from a save by Henrik Lundqvist.

Just two minutes later, Flyers' leading goal scorer Claude Giroux scored to give Philly a 2-0 lead.

With all the moment going Philadelphia's way, Mike Rupp silenced the crowd when he scored nearly  30 seconds after Giroux's goal. At the end of two periods, the Flyers led New York 2-1.

The third and final period was dominated by the Rangers. Within the first three minutes of play, Rupp scored his second goal of the game to tie it all up. Then, three minutes after that, Brad Richards scored his 14th goal of the year to give New York their first lead of the night.

Things got a little intense in the final few minutes, including a last second penalty shot, but the Rangers held on to win the game.

In five Winter Classic's the home team has actually had worse results. The 2010 Boston Bruins were the only home team to ever win the classic. That game was played at Fenway Park against none other
 than the Philadelphia Flyers.

With the win, the Rangers are not only atop the Eastern Conference in points, but they are tied with the Chicago Blackhawks for the most points in the entire league. Along with Rupp's two goals,  Henrik Lundqvist was the other star of the game, saving 34 shots on 36 save attempts.

The final 24/7: Road to the NHL Winter Classic will be next week on Wednesday. It will be interesting to see what the players had to say to each other before,during, and after the intense game.

NFL Week 17 Predictions

(Photo by Scott Boehm/Getty Images)
Andy Dalton and the Bengals look to join history as their journey to the playoffs continue. Dalton can join a class
of only two other quarterbacks who have led their team's to the playoffs as rookies.

Last Week's Record: 12-4
Overall Record: 171-69

Lions vs. Packers: 28-17 Lions

Since the Packers have already clinched the top seed in the playoffs, they won't play any starters, allowing the Lions to win the game. The Lions are coming off a very impressive win against the Chargers, and will be playoff contenders for the first time in over ten years.

Niners vs. Rams: 20-10 Niners

The Niners still need a win to lockup the second seed in the NFC. They should have no trouble locking up the second seed, since they play the worst team in the NFC, the Rams. The Rams are also competing for the first pick in the 2012 Draft, so a loss can actually help them out.

Jets vs. Dolphins: 24-20 Jets

The Jets will beat the Dolphins, but still won't make the playoffs because of games out of their reach. The Dolphins have had a solid turnaround in the second half of their season, but will finish their season off the way they started it, with a loss.

Bears vs. Vikings: 23-14 Vikings

Even though the Vikings will be without Adrian Peterson, they will still defeat the Bears, who have looked miserable ever since losing Jay Cutler and Matt Forte. Both teams have had disappointing seasons but the Vikings will finish their's off with a win.

Bills vs. Patriots: 30-20 Patriots

The Patriots are still fighting for the top seed in the AFC, and therefore will deliver a harsh blow to the Bills. The Bills, who started off the season red hot at 5-1, will finish their last nine games with a 1-8 record.

Panthers vs. Saints: 35-28 Saints*

The asterisk depends on whether or not the Saints play their starters for the majority of the game. Technically, this game still matters for the Saints, but if they assume the 49'ers will beat the Rams, then they really don't need to try. The Saints will win if they play their starters, but don't be surprised if Cam and Co. beat the Saints and finish the season off with five wins in their last six games.

Redskins vs. Eagles: 28-17 Eagles

This game means absolutely nothing, but the Eagles will win, finish at .500, and barely save Andy Reid's job. The Eagles underperformed this season to say the least, but the Redskins have underperformed for the last five years.

Colts vs. Jaguars: 20-17 Colts

With the MJD Theory in full effect, the Colts will defeat the Jaguars, as Indy's vets will rally behind Manning to avoid drafting Andrew Luck. You can really tell these past few weeks that players like Reggie Wayne, Dwight Freeney, and Robert Mathis are playing their hearts out for No. 18, who missed the whole season with neck problems.

Titans vs. Texans: 27-13 Titans

As crazy as it sounds, the Titans can still make the playoffs, and Chris Johnson is still capable of rushing for over 1,000 yards in a season. As for Houston, they clinched their first playoff berth in franchise history, but will get blown out since they don't have a starting quarterback. Titans will win, but still won't make the playoffs.

Bucs vs. Falcons: 35-14 Falcons

The Bucs have been awful this season, as this game will serve as a microcosm of their season. The Falcons are coming off a bad loss to the Saints, but have a chance to win 10+ games in consecutive years for the first time in team history. Look for Matty Ice and the Falcons to bounce back, and gain some confidence heading into the playoffs.

Ravens vs. Bengals: 27-20 Bengals

We all know the Ravens are the kings of choking in big games. With the AFC North title, and first round bye on the line, the Ravens will lose, and allow the Bengals to sneak into the playoffs. This means that the Bengals will be the third team in the AFC North to clinch a playoff berth. Andy Dalton will also make history, as he joins Joe Flacco and Matt Ryan as the third quarterback in NFL history to start all 16 games as a rookie and make the playoffs.

Steelers vs. Browns: 24-10 Steelers

The Steelers will beat the Browns, and lock up the AFC North with a win and a Ravens loss. It's as simple as this, the Steelers are one of the best teams in the NFL, while the Browns are one of the worst teams in the NFL.

Chiefs vs. Broncos: 27-20 Chiefs

When Kyle Orton gets revenge on the Broncos, it will be as awesome as Rex Ryan's face when he realizes the Jets won't be in the playoffs. Tebow showed he could win early in the season, but his time is up, as the Broncos will fail to make the playoffs.

Chargers vs. Raiders: 28-20 Raiders

Just win, baby! Maybe this is a stretch, or a tribute to the late Al Davis, but the Raiders will sneak into the playoffs, and make their first playoff appearance in nine years. The Chargers have nothing to play for, while the Raiders can take the next step in their franchise's history.

Seahawks vs. Cardinals: 27-20 Cardinals

Both teams are eliminated from the playoffs, but have had impressive turnarounds this season. Both teams had only two wins through the first nine week's but have rallied back and are both 7-8 going into the last game. It's a toss up but I'll take the Cardinals to win this one, simply because they are at home, and the Seahawks offense is one-dimensional.

Cowboys vs. Giants: 34-24 Giants

Is there a better way to end the regular season than with the Giants and Cowboys fighting for the last playoff spot in the NFC? No. Eli and the gang will win a decisive game at home, and snap their two year playoff hiatus. The Giants will bang up an already hurt Tony Romo, and be the only New York team to represent in the playoffs this year.

NFL Week 16 Recap

(Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
Reggie Wayne celebrates after scoring the game winning touchdown in Indianapolis. The
Colts  have won their last two games, after starting of the season 0-13.

Texans vs. Colts: 19-16 Colts
Texans Player of the Week: Arian Foster- 158 rush yards, touchdown
Colts Player of the Week: Reggie Wayne- 8 receptions, 106 receiving yards, touchdown

Yes, it was an ugly game as predicted, but the Colts came out victorious. Indianapolis has now won their last two games after winning none the first 14 weeks. Arian Foster had a great game, but the Texans won't go anywhere in the playoffs if they don't have a passing game.

Broncos vs. Bills: 40-14 Bills
Broncos Player of the Week: Demaryius Thomas- 4 receptions, 76 receiving yards
Bills Player of the Week: CJ Spiller- 111 rush yards, touchdown

The Bills crushed the Broncos to give them their second straight loss. Looks like Tebow's magic is running out. The Bills snapped their seven game losing streak with the win. As crazy as it sounds, the Broncos can still clinch a playoff spot with a win next week.

Cardinals vs. Bengals: 23-16 Bengals
Cardinals Player of the Week: Larry Fitzgerald- 6 receptions, 105 receiving yards, touchdown
Bengals Player of the Week: Jerome Simpson- 5 receptions, 42 receiving yards, touchdown

The Bengals almost blew their 23-0 lead last Sunday, but came away with the win. One more win for the Bengals and they are in the playoffs for the fourth time in team history. Jerome Simpson had the play of the year in this game, converting a full front flip over two defenders, and landing it for a touchdown.

Jaguars vs. Titans: 23-17 Titans
Jaguars Player of the Week: Maurice Jones-Drew- 103 rush yards, touchdown
Titans Player of the Week: Jared Cook- 8 receptions, 169 receiving yards, touchdown

The Maurice Jones-Drew theory proves itself again, as the Jaguars failed to put up more than 10 points not including Jones-Drew. The team finished with 17 thanks to an MJD score, but it wasn't enough to beat the Titans. Even with Chris Johnson and Matt Hasselbeck off their games, the Titans advanced to 8-7.

Raiders vs. Chiefs: 16-13 Raiders (OT)
Raiders Player of the Week: Denarius Moore- 4 receptions, 94 receiving yards, touchdown
Chiefs Player of the Week: Dexter McCluster- 5 receptions 89 receiving yards, 15 rush yards

The Raiders snapped a three game losing streak with a close win over the Chiefs. The Raiders still have  an outside shot of making the playoffs, but they need the Broncos to lose. The Raiders offense wasn't great Sunday, but their defense had their best game in a while, only giving up 13 points.

Dolphins vs. Patriots: 27-24 Patriots
Dolphins Player of the Week: Brandon Marshall- 7 receptions, 156 receiving yards, touchdown
Patriots Player of the Week: Wes Welker- 12 receptions, 138 receiving yards

The Patriots came back from a 17-0 deficit to beat the Dolphins. In the loss, Reggie Bush rushed for 113 yards, and for the first time in his career rushed for over 1,000 yards in a season.

Rams vs. Steelers: 27-0 Steelers
Rams Player of the Week: Steven Jackson- 103 rush yards
Steelers Player of the Week: Rashard Mendenhall- 116 rush yards, touchdown

Even without Big Ben, the Steelers were able to crush the Rams. With a win next week and a Ravens loss, the Steelers will clinch the AFC North and get a first round bye. If the Ravens win though, the Steelers will enter the playoffs as a scary fifth seeded wild-card team.

Vikings vs. Redskins: 33-26 Vikings
Vikings Player of the Week: Joe Webb- 85 pass yards, 34 rush yards, 3 touchdowns
Redskins Player of the Week: Jabar Gaffney- 6 receptions, 77 receiving yards, touchdown

The Vikings got the win last week, but got the worst news possible. Adrian Peterson tore his ACL in the win, and could already miss the beginning of next season. As for Washington, their struggles continue after losing nine of their last 11 games.

Bucs vs. Panthers: 48-16 Panthers
Bucs Player of the Week: N/A
Panthers Player of the Week:Cam Newton- 174 pass yards, 65 rush yards, 4 total touchdowns (1 rush)

The Panthers destroyed the Bucs, as Cam Newton wowed in Carolina. Just a year ago, the Bucs were fighting for a playoff spot, but this season, they are one of the worst teams in the league.

Giants vs. Jets: 29-14 Giants
Giants Player of the Week: Victor Cruz- 3 receptions, 164 receiving yards, touchdown
Jets Player of the Week: Dustin Keller- 8 receptions, 77 receiving yards

The Giants shut Rex Ryan up, and proved that they were the best team in New York. Even though Eli played his worst game of the season, the Giants still came out victorious. Rex and the Jets will now need a few things to go their way Week 17 in order to make the playoffs.


Browns vs. Ravens: 20-14 Ravens
Browns Player of the Week: Peyton Hillis- 112 rush yards
Ravens Player of the Week: Ray Rice- 87 rush yards, 48 receiving yards, touchdown

The Ravens maintained their lead of the AFC North with a win against the Browns. With Colt McCoy out with a concussion, Seneca Wallace failed to throw for more than 150 yards in the loss.

Chargers vs. Lions: 38-10 Lions
Chargers Player of the Week: Malcom Floyd-6 receptions, 95 receiving yards, touchdown
Lions Player of the Week: Matthew Stafford- 373 pass yards, 3 touchdowns, 137.6 passer rating

Just when we thought the Chargers were playing well, and actually had a chance of making the playoffs, they put on a horrible performance and got crushed by the Lions. Even better timing, reports are out saying that Jon Gruden will return to coaching, and could take over Norv Turner's job.

Eagles vs. Cowboys: 20-7 Eagles
Eagles Player of the Week: Mike Vick- 293 pass yards, 2 touchdowns, 107.9 passer rating
Cowboys Player of the Week: Miles Austin- 4 receptions, 40 receiving yards, touchdown

Even though their season came to an end with a Giants win, the Eagles defeated the Cowboys 20-7. In doing so, the Eagles also knocked out Tony Romo for the game, after injuring him early in the first quarter. Romo said he wil play against the Giants, but he won't be at full strength.

Niners vs. Seahawks: 19-17 Niners
Niners Player of the Week: Frank Gore- 83 rush yards, touchdown
Seahawks Player of the Week: Marshawn Lynch- 107 rush yards, touchdown

The Seahawks kept it close and actually led late in the fourth quarter, but lost to the Niners when David Akers successfully kicked his fourth field-goal of the game. Marshawn Lynch had another great game for Seattle, but it wasn't enough to get the win.

Bears vs. Packers: 35-21 Packers
Bears Player of the Week: Kahlil Bell- 121 rush yards
Packers Player of the Week: Aaron Rodger- 283 pass yards, 5 touchdowns, 142.7 passer rating

The Packers bounced back from an ugly loss against the Chiefs, and easily defeated the Bears on Sunday night. Aaron Rodgers threw for a career high five touchdowns in the win.

Falcons vs. Saints: 45-16 Saints
Falcons Player of the Week: Matt Ryan- 372 pass yards, touchdown, 92.9 passer rating
Saints Player of the Week: Drew Brees- 307 pass yards, 4 touchdowns, 96.8 passer rating

Drew Brees broke Dan Marino's record for most passing yards in a season, as the Saints crushed their division rivals by 29. Going into the last week of the season, the Saints look just as good as the Packers and could give them some trouble late in the playoffs.

How The Carolina Panthers Lucked Out In The End

(Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)
Cam Newton is having a historic rookie season with the Carolina Panthers. Newton
has already broken numerous records this season, and still has one more game to play.

When the presumed number one pick of the 2011 NFL Draft, Andrew Luck, declared that he would return to Stanford for his junior year, the Carolina Panthers were forced to go with a different plan. Whether it was Plan A, Plan B, or Plan C, the Panthers were not going to end up with the quarterback everyone speculated them to draft.

Plan A was to trade down their pick, and stock up on first round picks for next year. This way they could let Jimmy Clausen get a little more experience under snap, and if that didn't work out, they would have a chance to draft Luck again in 2012.

Plan B was to draft a wide receiver or another skill position. With AJ Green, Patrick Peterson, and Marcell Dareus all available, the Panthers could fix another weakness and save the quarterback position for another year. Plan B would work well with Plan A because the Panthers would get another high first round pick in 2012, but would be able to draft another top rookie.

Plan C, as we know now, was to draft Cam Newton. Newton was coming off an incredible season, winning the Heisman, National Championship Game, and breaking records all over the place. The only problem with drafting Newton, was that they would have to invest a lot of money, pressure, and time on a quarterback who only had one successful year playing Division I football. Clearly the Panthers "lucked out" by taking Newton.

In just his first year in the NFL, Newton has accomplished more than anyone ever thought he would. Newton has broken 11 NFL rookie records, and still has one last game to play. Among his achievements include being the first rookie to throw and rush for 10 touchdowns, becoming the fastest player to throw for 1,000 yards, and throwing for the most yards in a game, and an entire season as a rookie.

Statistically speaking, Newton is having the best rookie season of all-time. Better than Manning, Brady, Unitas, Marino, you name it. The one thing that the Panthers could improve on is their overall record, 6-9.

Although the Panthers are 6-9, their record is very misleading. Six of their nine losses are by eight or less points. Of the six losses, three could have been wins if Olindo Mare didn't miss game-winning field goals. On top of that, the Panthers have held leads in 13 games this season. Also, the Panthers' defense took a major blow when they lost Jon Beason and Thomas Davis very early in the season.

To be fair, let's look at the impact Cam has had on Carolina's offense. The Panthers rank 11th in passing yards, and third in rushing yards this season. Last season the Panthers were dead last in passing yards, and third to last in rushing.

Not only is Cam improving, but he is making everyone else around him better. The Panthers have practically the same group of guys on offense that they had last year. Because of Cam, their passing yards and rushing yards per game have gone up astronomically.

It's hard to say how the Panthers would have been this season with Luck, but it probably wouldn't have been as good as this season with Newton at quarterback. Unlike almost every quarterback who has tried to implement the spread offense from college to the NFL, Cam has succeeded. Analyst always say how NFL teams will pick up on spread option offenses, or that NFL players are quicker and stronger than college players, but Cam has proved them wrong.

The Panthers didn't end up with Andrew Luck, but they sure found luck with Cam Newton.

Guide To The 2011-2012 NBA Season

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)
Durant and the Thunder are the team to beat in the West.  Their season begins
when they play the Orlando Magic on Christmas Day.

Welcome to the official 2011-2012 guide to the NBA season. The season kicks off Christmas Day with five matchups featuring the best teams in the league. In this guide to the season, all 30 teams will have a quick preview, as well as answers to who will win MVP and ROY. Predictions will be made for conference winners, and all final lingering questions will be answered.


First off is a preview of every NBA team. The system will go as follows: Title Contenders, Next in Line, Past Their Time, and Few Years Away.

Western Conference:

Title Contenders


Dallas Mavericks: No better way to start off then with your defending champs. The Mavericks will pick off where they left off last season, and can make a serious push to win back-to-back titles. The Mavericks lost Tyson Chandler, who signed with the Knicks, but also gained Lamar Odom from the Lakers. They also lost JJ Barea, but as long as Jason Kidd stays healthy, they won't need too much help at point. If Dirk can compete at the same level as he did last year, the Mavericks are bound for success.

Oklahoma City Thunder: This year's favorite to win it all, according to the media, is the Oklahoma City Thunder. Leading the Thunder could be this season's potential MVP, Kevin Durant, who has led the league in scoring the past few years. Durant will get a lot of help this season from his teammates Russell Westbrook, Kendrick Perkins, and James Harden. Harden is the preseason favorite to win 6th Man of they Year this season. His efficiency per minutes played ranks in the top 20 in the league. The Thunder were two wins away from advancing to the Finals last season, but this season could go all the way.

San Antonio Spurs: The Spurs might have lost last year in the first round of the playoffs, but don't be surprised if Duncan and the gang make one final push come May and June. Manu Ginobili, who might of been the best player on the team last year, was injured late in the season for San Antonio. If the Spurs don't deal Parker mid season, and rest Duncan to give him energy left in the playoffs, the Spurs are serious contenders for the title as usual.

Los Angeles Lakers: The final team of this section, the Los Angeles Lakers, are still contenders despite a sloppy offseason. This offseason was marred by trades, and lack of trades by Los Angeles. First it looked like the Lakers were getting Chris Paul from New Orleans, but after the trade was vetoed, they were forced to deal an angry and betrayed Lamar Odom to Dallas. Kobe Bryant didn't have a great offseason too. Not only did Kobe's wife recently file for divorce, but the Lakers superstar tore ligaments in his wrist. Nonetheless, Kobe will be Kobe on the court, and will continue to be one of the most clutch players in the league.. Two keys for the Lakers this season are how healthy Andrew Bynum will be, and how the Steve Blake/Derek Fisher point guard situation will work out. Despite a terrible offseason, it's impossible to rule out the Lakers when talking about winning.

Next in Line


Portland Trail Blazers: The Blazers got heartbreaking news when they found out Brandon Roy was retiring due to career long knee injuries. They also were told that Greg Oden could be out again this season, but then again that is no surprise. Good news for Portland is that they have one of the best power forwards in the league in LaMarcus Aldridge, as well as the NBA's most underrated and hardworking athlete, Gerald Wallace. The Trail Blazers also signed Jamal Crawford over the offseason. Portland doesn't have a star player, but they have 7-8 guys who can seriously ball.

Memphis Grizzlies: Just like Portland, the Grizzlies don't have a star but they have a ton of guys who can make serious impacts on the team. The Grizzlies have one of the best starting five's in the NBA. Zach Randolph had a spectacular postseason for Memphis last year, and if he can carry that talent on to this season, the Grizzlies will be in great shape to make a deep playoff run.

Los Angeles Clippers: Winners of the 2011 NBA offseason, the Clippers will have a huge turnaround this season. They were 18 games under .500 last season, but could be at least 10 games over .500 in a shortened season. It will be super exciting to watch Chris Paul put on a clinic, and throw spectacular passes to Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan. The Clippers swept the Lakers in the preseason, and even though it is the preseason, it still says a lot. If the Clippers can finish out better than the Lakers, they will finally come out of their "big brother's shadow".

Denver Nuggets: Just like Portland and Memphis, the Nuggets do not have a star ever since losing Carmelo Anthony, but have one of the deepest rosters in the league. Even with Kenyon Martin, JR Smith, and Wilson Chandler stuck overseas, the Nuggets still go nine guys deep. Danilo Gallinari is set to have a breakout year, and help Denver lead the league in scoring again.

Past Their Time


Houston Rockets: The Rockets got awful news this offseason when they found out their franchise player, Yao Ming, retired. The Rockets are somewhat led by Kevin Martin and Luis Scola, but the Rockets are trying to ship both players and start from scratch. Just a few years ago, the Rockets were playoff contenders year in and year out, but now their glory days are behind them.

Phoenix Suns: The only reason the Suns don't win less than 30 games each year is because of Steve Nash. Due to the shortened schedule, the Suns are bound for an under 30 win season, but in comparison to the rest of the conference, they will be in the bottom half. Just two years ago, the Suns were two games from advancing to the NBA Finals, now they will be lucky to finish in the top 10 of their conference.

New Orleans Hornets: The Hornets could fall under the Few Years Away section, but what separates them from the rest, is the fact that they have seriously competed in past years. That being said, the fun playoff times the Hornets had under the Chris Paul era are now over, as Eric Gordon and a bunch of role players will try to win some games. The Hornets aren't as bad as every thinks; they still have Emeka Okafor, Chris Kaman, Trevor Ariza, Jarrett Jack, and a bunch of youth. Either way, New Orleans was 10 games above .500 last year, and will probably find themselves at least 10 games below .500 this year.

Few Years Away


Minnesota Timberwolves: The Timberwolves are in better shape than all the rebuilding teams in the Western Conference, and are only a year or two removed from being playoff contenders. The Twolves had a great offseason, bringing in JJ Barea, finally getting Rubio from Spain, and drafting Derrick Williams. Kevin Love will be the next KG in Minnesota.

Utah Jazz: The Jazz lost Deron Williams last season, and lost a few more players this offseason. The Jazz have some talent on the team, and shouldn't finish in the bottom third of the West, but definitely aren't a playoff contender. The Jazz need to find themselves a new superstar, as well as turn their young talents Derrick Favors, Alec Burks, and Enes Kanter into future stars.

Golden State Warriors: The Warriors have one of the youngest and most offensively talented teams in the league, but they play no defense whatsoever. New coach Mark Jackson will try to enforce some defensive tactics this season, but odds are they won't work. The Warriors will not win games with Monta/Steph. Trading one of them for a defensive big man (D12?) seems like a smart option.

Sacramento Kings: Well, at least they have Jimmer. The Kings are by far the least talented team in the Western Conference, but at least they have a bunch of young stars. Boogie Cousins, Tyreke Evans, and Jimmer are all exciting young players to watch, but truth is they won't be winning too many games. It's good that the fans of Sacramento are loyal, and that they fought for them to stay in Sacramento, but those fans won't have too much to root for these next few years.


Eastern Conference:


Title Contenders

Miami Heat: The Heat had very few excuses to why they didn't win it all last year. This year they have none. There is no reason why Miami shouldn't win the NBA Finals this year. They have two of the top five most talented players in the league right now, as well as a top 10 big man. As long as LeBron doesn't choke, the Heat have to be huge favorites to win it all this year.

Chicago Bulls: If anyone is to beat the Heat in the East, it's Chicago. Reigning MVP Derrick Rose is still bitter over their loss to Miami last year, and will do anything to get revenge. Two big key for the Bulls this season are whether Carlos Boozer can return to all-star form, and whether Rip Hamilton can be a serious upgrade at shooting guard. If both keys for Chicago work out the way they should, the Bulls have a great shot at winning their first title since the Michael Jordan days.

Next in Line


New York Knicks: The Knicks are borderline Title Contenders. The only problem with the Knicks is that coach D'Antoni might play Amar'e and Carmelo too much to make a statement in the regular season, and totally burn them out when the playoffs come around. Signing Tyson Chandler and Baron Davis this offseason were huge pickups for New York, and raised their title stock higher. The Knicks aren't just quiet ready this year, but starting next year, the Knicks will serious NBA Finals contenders.

Boston Celtics: The Celtics technically fall under the category Past Their Time, but they are still playoff contenders, therefore, are next in line after the Title Contendes. The original Big Three + Rondo are still together, but are on their final legs. A key for Boston this season will be their health. With Jeff Green already out for the season, the Celtics need to keep Garnett, Pierce, and Allen all healthy and set for the playoffs, where they can do their damage.

Atlanta Hawks: The only offseason move for the Hawks was switching Jamal Crawford with Tracy McGrady. The Hawks find themselves in the same situation every year: Not good enough to make a deep playoff run, but not bad enough to miss the playoffs, especially in the East. The Hawks season really depends on Joe Johnson. If he can return to the all-star form he was playing at, before his huge contract, the Hawks can finally take their next step in the playoffs. Josh Smith and Al Horford make a great front-court for Atlanta, it's whether or not their guards can keep up.

Philadelphia Sixers: The Sixers aren't ready to make a deep playoff run, but are one of the better teams in the East. Jrue Holiday is becoming a top point guard in the league, and can lead the Sixers into the playoffs again. The Sixers have a great supporting cast of Elton Brand, Spencer Hawes, and the always explosive Andre Iguodala. Although Iguodala could be dealt before the deadline, the Sixers are still on the rise.

Indiana Pacers: The Pacers took a huge step this offseason in signing David West. The Pacers have put the pieces together over the years, and have formed one of the deepest rosters in the league. Think of them of the Grizzlies of the East. A starting five of Roy Hibbert, David West, Danny Granger, Paul George, and Darren Collision is as deep as it gets. Add in Tyler Hansbrough and George Hill off the bench, and you've got a very legit seven man rotation. In a shortened season, a deep roster is very important to keep legs fresh.

Past Their Time

Detroit Pistons: The Pistons are a mess. They won't admit to rebuilding yet, but aren't anywhere close to making the playoffs. Just a half decade ago, the Pistons were the best team in the East and won an NBA title, hard to believe. The Pistons have a few bright spots on their team, but ultimately are overshadowed by dark, fading spots.

Orlando Magic*: The Magic get a * by their name. If Dwight Howard stays, and if the Magic can even bring in another role player, the Magic jump from Next in Line, to possible Title Contenders. Dwight Howard means so much to the Magic and does practically everything except rack up assists. Even as it is now, the Magic have a pretty good supporting cast of Jameer Nelson, Jason Richardson, Glen Davis, JJ Reddick, and the overpaid Hedo Turkoglu. If Dwight leaves though, the Magic will have seen their better days in the past, and are bound for years of rebuilding.

Few Years Away

Milwaukee Bucks: Probably the best team on this list, the Milwaukee has an outside shot at making the playoffs, sadly. The East is so bad that the 6-8 seeds are always a toss up. That being said, the Bucks are far from being a more than average team in the league. Andrew Bogut and Brandon Jennings make a fun pair, but they are far from being an above average one, two punch.

New Jersey Nets: The soon to be Brooklyn team's future depends on whether or not Dwight Howard joins them. If Dwight joins, him and D-Will become one of the top pairs in the league. If Dwight doesn't become a Net, Williams will likely opt out of his contract (even though he says he won't), and New Jersey will be doomed for another five years of failure.

Toronto Raptors: The Raptors have never been special, ever since the days of Vince Carter and his cousin T-Mac. Even through the Chris Bosh period, the Raptors were never an elite team, but instead a borderline playoff team. The Raptors are turning in the right direction though, and have a bright future ahead.

Washington Wizards: The Wizards could get another top pick in the draft this year. Instead of signing someone who can help John Wall, the Wizards drafted Jan Veseley, who looks like he's scared every time he touches the ball. The Wizards didn't sign anyone important int he offseason, but kept on to Rashard Lewis and Andray Blatche. Great job by the GM!

Cleveland Cavaliers: The Cavs will need more than just a few years to return to a playoff team. It was great to see the Cavs get two top five picks in the draft, but the team doesn't have close to enough talent. Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson will be exciting to watch, but the team needs more time and more talent to return to normalcy.

Charlotte Bobcats: Don't be surprised if Charlotte lands the top pick in the draft next year. Right now the Bobcats will star a 6'8 Boris Diaw at center, along with Corey Maggette, Gerald Henderson, DeSagana Diop, and D.J. Augustin. At least they will have Biyombo and Walker coming off the bench, and eventually starting by mid-season. The Bobcats need help, and they need it soon, or else they might need to kiss their NBA butts goodbye.

MVP Candidates: No surprise here, these five players have been around for a while, and have separated themselves from the great to the elite.

Kevin Durant: Durantula has to be the frontrunner for the MVP this season. He is finally ready to completely take over the league, and not only lead the league in scoring, but lead the league in wins, and lead his team to a title. The sky is the limit for Durant, who can score at will from anywhere on the court. His shooting touch combined with his length and agility makes him one of the most versatile players in the league.

LeBron James: James is the most talented player in the league, no doubt, but sharing with Dwyane Wade has to lower his stock. If the Heat go completely nuts this season, and blow everyone out of the water, LeBron will win his third MVP.

Dwight Howard: If Dwight stays in Orlando, leads them to a top five seed in the East, and dominates down low, Dwight will deserve the MVP. No one is "more valuable to their team" than D12. He is the best rebounder, shot-blocker, and low post scorer in the league. If he truly puts all his effort into a game, he can't be stop. No big man in the league has the size, strength, speed, and athleticism to stop Dwight Howard.

Chris Paul: Paul and the next candidate are the two best guards in the league. CP3 is very capable of posting a 20-13 this season, now that he has Griffin and Jordan to throw passes to. Not only will Paul's new team reflect how valuable he is, but his old team, the Hornets, will show how much they miss him. The Clippers and Hornets could have the two biggest turnarounds this season in the win/loss column. 

Derrick Rose: Repeat MVP? This one is unlikely, but if Rose picks up where he left off last season, he will prove to be the best guard in the league. Rose is a better scorer than Paul, and is physically bigger, tougher, and stronger. Paul might better passing abilities than Rose, but Rose is just as flashy and can take it to the basket better than anyone. If the Bulls win the East again, why shouldn't Rose repeat. Nash did it and didn't even lead the Suns to the top seed.

ROY Candidates: This one is not as easy to predict as the MVP. The 2011 rookie class has no stand out superstars, but instead a bunch of guys who have bright futures ahead.

Kyrie Irving: The obvious preseason favorite for the award, the top pick in this year's draft could follow in the footsteps of Griffin, Rose, and James by winning the award after going #1. If Kyrie can lead the Cavs and make them his team, he deserves it.

Tristan Thompson: Irving's counterpart has just as great as a chance to win the award. Many criticized the Cavs for drafting Thompson, and considered the pick a reach, but the Candian and Longhorn standout can prove the critics wrong with a big rookie season. To go along with Irving, if Thompson can post 16 points and eight rebounds a game, he could walk away with the Rookie of the Year. That could be asking for too much, but with no one else to score down low for Cleveland, a lot of pressure is on Thompson.

Kemba Walker: Walker led UCONN to the title last year in March Madness, but UCONN wasn't close to the best team. The Bobcats are arguably the worst team in the entire league, but Walker could get great opportunities to make the team his. Charlotte would love to take Walker under their wing, and make the him the next best scoring guard in a few years.

Derrick Williams: Definitely the most athletic player in the draft, Williams size, speed, and skill makes him a threat right away. Minnesota's depth might have him coming off the bench early in the season, but Williams should make his way into the starting five by the time the season ends. If the Twolves somehow pull off the eight seed in the West, Williams or Rubio should win the Rookie of the Year.

Eastern Conference Finals: Heat vs. Knicks

The Heat making it is a no brainer, the Knicks on the other hand, is not.  With the Celtics aging, the only other threat to make the finals are the Bulls. This one could be risky, but something tells me the Knicks will either not have to play the Bulls, therefore allowing the Heat to knock out Chicago, or they the Knicks will just out duel them. That being said, I think the Heat will beat the Knicks in six, and advance to the NBA Finals. Unless something goes extremely wrong, there is no way, LeBron is screwing this one up again.

Western Conference Finals: Thunder vs. Lakers

The Thunder are favorites to win the conference, but the Lakers are a surprise pick. With a lot of experts picking the Mavs, Blazers, or even the Clippers over the Lakers, a lot of them are forgetting that the Lakers still have the best fourth quarter player in the league. They are also forgetting that Lamar Odom came off the bench, and that the Lakers still have a big three in Kobe, Pau, and Bynum. The Lakers struggle at point guard, but that doesn't matter when Kobe takes over in crunch time. As for the Thunder, they have the best scorer in the league, to go along with a top point guard. Perkins had a great offseason, and along with Ibaka create some force down low. Ultimately though, I like the Lakers to return to the Finals. No one is better than Kobe when it comes to facing criticism. Ever since he was told he couldn't carry a team when Shaq left. Kobe responded with a scoring title, an MVP, and two rings. Durant and the Thunder have an extremely bright future ahead, but they will still need one more year before they can advance to the NBA Finals.

That pretty much sums up the 2011-2012 NBA upcoming season. I hope this guide to the season answered a few of your remaning questions about the season.