Sunday, October 9, 2011

Week 5 Predictions

Week 5 Power Rankings

1. Green Bay Packers (LW: 2): After dropping down to No. 2; the Packers quickly regain the top of the rankings. The Packers have been the only – truly - consistent team this year.



2. New England Patriots (LW: 1): After falling apart to the Bills, the Patriots rebounded and had no problems with the Raiders. The Patriots have to be pleased with the resurgence of their running game, if they can keep it up, it will help Tom Brady out a ton.



3. New Orleans Saints (LW: 3): The Saints have been pretty consistent, but they are letting teams stick around for too long, and soon enough you’re going to slip.



4. Houston Texans (LW: 4): The Texans are one redzone touchdown away from being undefeated. It was good to see Arian Foster get back on track, but the injury to Andre Johnson has to be a concern.



5. Detroit Lions (LW: 12): I am placing them this high because they are undefeated, but don’t expect to comeback from 20 point deficits too often. If they are really going to emerge as a Super Bowl contender, then they will have to get going sooner and not rely on comebacks to win games.



6. Baltimore Ravens (LW: 13): I think the Ravens are a great team this year, but they are having a real problem with being consistent. If you remember, they killed the Steelers in week 1, then got killed by the Titans in week 2 and now they kill the Jets. This team has the talent to compete for a Super Bowl, but consistency is all that stands in their way.



7. Tennessee Titans (LW: 17): I’m really not sure what to think of the Titans, what a surprise! They have played sharp and are now tied for the division lead. Seattle fans have to be upset that they lost Hasselbeck.



8. Washington Redskins (LW: 14): I look at this team and do not see a ton of talent, but come Sunday they always play well; and now lead their division. Mike Shanahan has done a great job turning this team around.



9. San Diego Chargers (LW: 9): This team has a ton of talent, but if they want to keep in the lead of the AFC West; then they will need to clean up their mistakes.



10. Atlanta Falcons (LW: 6): They are winning, but most of their wins have come on last second scores, against mediocre teams. The Falcons have a chance to really dominate this year, but the offensive line will have to improve.



11. Chicago Bears (LW: 10): The Bears have shown me this year, that if, they run the ball, they can hang with any team in the league. The one problem…Mike Martz’s seems to always forget to run the ball, but when he did, they ran for over 200 yards last week.



12. Buffalo Bills (LW: 18): I still think this is a good team, but I predicted they would lose this game, for the reason that all young teams lose following a big win. I think they can bounce back next week and have a quality performance.



13. Dallas Cowboys (LW: 8): Like the Patriots did last week, the Cowboys did it this week, and that is…self-destruct. Tony Romo was having the game of his life in the first half, and then in the second half he throws 3 pick - all of which resulted in scores! If the Cowboys have any thought of competing for the division, they need to clean up the mistakes quickly!  



14. Pittsburgh Steelers (LW: 5): They totally fell apart against the Texans, and now they are banged up badly. Are the Steelers done? Have they gotten too old? I guess we will see, but it sure seems like it.



15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (LW: 15): Yes, they are winning games, but this team is nowhere near and good as they were last year. It took the entire game for the Buccaneers to finally take the lead and beat the Manning-less Colts.



16. New York Jets (LW: 7): I’m not ready to write off the Jets yet, because if you remember last year, the same thing happened and they played in the AFC championship game, so don’t panic Jets fans.



17. Philadelphia Eagles (LW: 11):  I think the Eagles have a make or break game this weekend, which will determine the result of the season. They had a 20 point lead and totally fell apart. The defense has to get better and Namidi has to play like he did before, he got his big contract.



18. New York Giants (LW: 16): They are winning, but I am not overly impressed with the Giants. It took injuring Vick, faking injuries themselves and a bad call. This team may be 3-1, but I have to see them flat out win a game.



19. San Francisco 49ers (LW: 20): This is another team that has a good record, but hasn’t proved anything to me. They did beat the Eagles, but that was on a wired collapse by Philadelphia. So as with the Giants, I have to see them win a quality game.



20. Oakland Raiders (LW: 21): I really thought OaklandOakland is slowly climbing out of the bottom tier teams in the league, but their not there yet.



21. Arizona Cardinals (LW: 25): I think this team has potential, but it will take a year or so for the team to gel and for the new acquisitions to get comfortable. Still, this team has been competitive, which it was not last year.  



22. Carolina Panthers (LW: 22): It seems like every time Newton has a great stat day the Panthers lose, should they run the ball a little more? It did work against the Jaguars.



23. Cincinnati Bengals (LW: 27): I think this team has a lot of potential, but they are also very young and need some time to mature. It has been good to see the defense get back to form.



24. Jacksonville Jaguars (LW: 29): Gabbert has looked impressive in his first two games, and this team is slowly improving, will it be enough to save Del Rio’s job? I guess we will see.



25. Miami Dolphins (LW: 23): Are the Dolphins trying to throw the season for Andrew Luck? It does seem like that, with the mediocre play of this, very talented, group of players.



26. Denver Broncos (LW: 26): After getting killed by the Titans and Packers in consecutive weeks, the Broncos are right back in the Andrew Luck race.



27. Indianapolis Colts (LW: 30): They are starting to get better, but the injuries are killing them. I think this team has to be the favorite to land Andrew Luck right now.



28. Kansas City Chiefs (LW: 31): They looked ok against San Diego, then pretty much dominated against Minnesota, will the Chiefs have a turn around? Or will they fall back into the Luck sweepstakes?



29. Cleveland Browns (LW: 28): This team has been hot and cold all season, and Colt McCoy needs to step it up now if, he doesn’t want to be Andrew Luck’s backup.



30. Seattle Seahawks (LW: 32): I thought for sure the Seahawks would throw the season just to get Luck, but suddenly they are playing better and giving some (pretty good) teams a hard time.



31. St. Louis Rams (LW: 19): This team has done nothing but disappoint this season. I had the Rams winning the division, but now it seems like they may be in the race for the first overall pick, although I doubt they’d take Luck.



32. Minnesota Vikings (LW: 24): Minnesota looked awful against a struggling Kansas City team. And now everyone is wondering, what it will take, for the Vikings to hand Christian Ponder the reigns.

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Week 3 Power Rankings

1. New England Patriots (LW: 2): The Patriots offense looked brilliant again and the Chargers No. 1 ranked defense couldn’t do a thing to stop them. I think the Patriots have a bit on work to do on the defense, because they played weak at times.



2. Green Bay Packers (LW: 1): The Packers played Newton perfectly, let him get all the yards he wants, but just don’t let him score; they did exactly that forcing three picks. The Packers reign at the top of the standings only lasted two weeks, but all they need is the Patriots to slipup and they’ll take the top again.



3. New Orleans Saints (LW: 4): After a week 1 setback the Saints were clicking against the Bears and this team was able to show its true potential.



4. Houston Texans (LW: 5):  I haven’t seem the Texans face a high quality opponent this year, but they have looked pretty sharp from so far and Wade Phillips defense is improving.



5. Pittsburgh Steelers (LW: 12): After week one hiccups the Steelers came out angry and killed the Seahawks. The defense went from letting the Ravens score 35 points on them, to this week letting the Seahawks score 0.



6. Atlanta Falcons (LW: 11): A decent bounce-back week for the Falcons although without the Michael Vick injury and a dropped pass at the end of the game, the Falcons would have started the season 0-2.



7. New York Jets (LW: 9): They bounced back after a mediocre week and the defense played great, although I am still concerned that this team may be held back by the bad play of Mark Sanchez.



8. Dallas Cowboys (LW: 6): Tony Romo got the fourth quarter jitters out against the Jets and came back with a overtime game winning drive. I think if anything is wrong with this team, it is the sorry play of the Dallas receiver; they really need to step it up.



9. San Diego Chargers (LW: 10): The Chargers played a good game, but the Patriots flat out played a great one. The defense needs to improve on its pass defense and the Chargers have to cut down on the turnovers.



10. Chicago Bears (LW: 7): I still think this team is a playoff caliber team, but I think last week they played a Super Bowl caliber team and that was the difference.



11. Philadelphia Eagles (LW: 8):  How long will Michael Vick be out? Its hard to say, but they could really use Vince Young or Kevin Kolb right now.



12. Detroit Lions (LW: 13): They played a good game, but I wouldn’t give the Lions took much credit, the Bills also killed the Chiefs in week 1.



13. Baltimore Ravens (LW: 3): I am afraid this team was so build on beating the Steelers that by the time week two came around they were totally out of gas. They need to improve quickly because the Steelers are not going to wait for them to.



14. Washington Redskins (LW: 15): For a team everyone thought was a favorite to win the Andrew Luck race, they are doing really good, they are 2-0 and I think this team could be in shape to make a run for the playoffs.



15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (LW: 14): Tampa Bay did win this week, but they have looked very flat from so far. If this team is going to compete in a very competitive NFC South, then they need to step it up.



16. New York Giants (LW: 18): It was a nice redemption game, after they looked awful in week 1, can they keep it up? Also they need to send their defensive players to acting school, because they did a poor job.



17. Tennessee Titans (LW: 26): After an awful week 1 the Titans also had a good comeback game and put it on the Ravens. Hasselbeck’s play was better this week, which is a good sign for the Titans.



18. Buffalo Bills (LW: 17): Are the Bills for real? Well, that question will get answered very quickly with the Bills facing the Patriots this week. They have looked impressive so far, but can they beat a high quality team?



19. St. Louis Rams (LW: 16): This team didn’t look great this week and have had a flat start to the season, but in a weak NFC West division, no one is out of the race until after week 17.



20. San Francisco 49ers (LW: 21): People are going to start questioning the judgment of Jim Harbough after he had a chance to go up by 14 instead of 10 and as you know that decision didn’t work out well.



21. Oakland Raiders (LW: 20): After a sloppy week 1 the Raiders followed it up with an even sloppier week 2, after being up by that much you have to hold your lead and close out the game and the Raiders didn’t do that.



22. Carolina Panthers (LW: 25): Cam Newton may be getting yards but he still has no wins and had a 3 interception day against the Packers. The yards are nice, but touchdowns and wins are better.



23. Miami Dolphins (LW: 24): The Dolphins just can’t win at home and a team that I think has a talented core, can’t seem to put it together in Miami.



24. Minnesota Vikings (LW: 19): Well, it’s now been two weeks in a row that McNabb has cost the Vikings the game. He had a great first half and the Vikings were up by 17, but he couldn’t duplicate that in the second half and the Vikings lose another one.



25. Arizona Cardinals (LW: 23): I think this team is up and coming, but they have a bad pass defense right now and it is costing them games.



26. Denver Broncos (LW: 28): The Broncos get a win, which I don’t think helps much and now Tebow will have to wait a while longer before the stubborn John Fox will give him a chance.



27. Cincinnati Bengals (LW: 27): The Bengals couldn’t close out the game against the Broncos, but the team has promise and by the end of the season should be climbing up the rankings.



28. Cleveland Browns (LW: 30): The Browns flat out don’t have a lot of talent. They are a mediocre team and only won against a beat up Colts team. They need to step it up or Colt McCoy won’t have a chance to show what he can do.



29. Jacksonville Jaguars (LW: 22): Well, Luke McCown didn’t last long and it looks like the Blaine Gabbert era is at hand. I think they should keep McCown in for a week or two more and then turn it over to Gabbert.



30. Indianapolis Colts (LW: 31): They are now 0-2 and they don’t look like they are going to win too many this year. There is now, officially, 3 team that look like the favorites to land Andrew Luck and the Colts are one of them.



31. Kansas City Chiefs (LW: 29): The Chiefs totally fell apart this season and now the information has come out that Jamaal Charles is out for the season, can it get much worse for the Chiefs? Well…yes that is if Seattle wins less games then the Chiefs and the Chiefs miss out on Andrew Luck. But, as of now with the tough schedule they have, the Chiefs look like the favorites to land Andrew Luck, plus it looks like Todd Haley could be out the door as well.



32. Seattle Seahawks (LW: 32): Seattle looked bad against the Steelers and Tavaris Jackson has looked awful. Are the Seahawks intentionally throwing the season, so they can get Andrew Luck?

Week 2 Predictions

Week 2 Power Rankings

1. Green Bay Packers (LW: 1): I think after Thursday night’s game people can start forgetting about the Packers having a possible Super Bowl hangover.



2. New England Patriots (LW: 2): If it wasn’t for Green Bay playing a better opponent then New England, the Patriots would have been No. 1 on my list. Brady looked great and that offense is going to be hard to stop



3. Baltimore Ravens (LW: 9): The Ravens showed that they are ready to surpass the Steelers and to become the leader of the AFC North, will that continue through the season?



4. New Orleans Saints (LW: 7): The Saints offense played a great game, but their defense couldn’t stop Aaron Rodgers. I think Greg Williams is going to have to get his defense back on track if they are going to far well in a division full of good QB’s.



5. Houston Texans (LW: 12): They totally took the Manning less Colts apart. They did have Kerry Collins at QB, but that defense flat out shutdown the Colts. Is this the year for the Texans? 



6. Dallas Cowboys (LW: 13): They may have lost but they looked sharp in their last minute loss to NY. I think the Jets were running off a lot of emotion so don’t under estimate what this Dallas team in capable of. Tony Romo tore apart the Jets D in the first half and for a guy that has been out for an entire year he looked sharp.    



7. Chicago Bears (LW: 15): Well, I had no trust in the Bears and they proved me wrong. I did pick Chicago to win the game, but not blow out my No. 3 ranked Falcons. If the offense line and Jay Cutler can stay sharp, watch out.



8. Philadelphia Eagles (LW: 6): I thought they looked ok, but they didn’t take over the game till both Sam Bradford and Steven Jackson left the game. The defense (when Bradford was in) looked bad and they couldn’t stop Steven Jackson. A win is a win, but they need to protect Vick better, or he won’t be there for long.



9. New York Jets (LW: 8): Yeah, they won, but I wasn’t impressed. It was the same last second win that they had all of last season and all of the season before. If they are going to go to the Super Bowl they are going to need to save their energy and not waste it every week trying to squeak out a win.



10. San Diego Chargers (LW: 5): They got the job done, but if they are looking to try for the Super bowl, they are going to have to play sharper then that.



11. Atlanta Falcons (LW: 4): A poor start for a team that I thought was going to take the next step this year. Matt Ryan looked bad and the rest of the team didn’t perform either. Will they be able to get their act together next week for Michael Vick’s homecoming.



12. Pittsburgh Steelers (LW: 3): Well, people said their age wouldn’t affect them and I guess we were wrong. The Steelers looked really flat and they need to rebound quickly or the Ravens are going to get too much of a head start.



13. Detroit Lions (LW: 14): They looked solid against a good Buccaneers team and that defense has definitely improved.



14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (LW: 11): This is another young team I thought was ready to take the next step, but the Lions are becoming one of the feared teams in the NFL. The team needs to step it up to stay competitive in a tough NFC South.



15. Washington Redskins (LW: 25): For a team that I thought was in the Andrew Luck race, they did pretty good. Rex Grossman looks like he could have a solid year and the defense looked solid too.



16. St. Louis Rams (LW: 18): Take away the injury to Steven Jackson and Sam Bradford and I think the Rams would have been able to beat the Eagles. This team is for real and from what I saw in week one, they are the front runners to win the division.



17. Buffalo Bills (LW: 27): Are the Bills this good, or are the Chiefs just that bad? We’ll see, but one guy that looked great was Ryan Fitzpatrick with 4 TD passes, this is the reason Buffalo passed on a QB in the draft.



18. New York Giants (LW: 17): Well, I didn’t expect the Giants to do as well as everyone else said they would, but I didn’t think they’d get handed by Washington that easy. They need to find someone to help that defense, or this team is in for a long season.



19. Minnesota Vikings (LW: 19): Besides the play of Donovan McNabb, this team looked great. The question will now be if McNabb can step up his game or if you start rookie Christian Ponder.



20. Oakland Raiders (LW: 21): The Raiders may have won, but only because they have a kicker that has a crazy strong leg. If this team is going to make the playoffs, cutting down on the penalties is a must.



21. San Francisco 49ers (LW: 23): They looked ok, but Ted Ginn saved the day and I just wasn’t overly impressed with the 49ers.



22. Jacksonville Jaguars (LW: 22): Well, the first game without David Garrard and the Jaguars are 1-0, can they keep it up? No one knows, but they need to get Jones-Drew healed quickly if they want to be a contender for a very weak division.



23. Arizona Cardinals (LW: 24): The offense looked good, but as a defense you can’t give up 400 plus yards to a rookie QB who isn’t very good at passing. They need to get their defense in order, but they do come out of week one with a win.



24. Miami Dolphins (LW: 26): Chad Henne and the offense did their part, but that defense couldn’t stop Tom Brady, the nice thing is, they only have to face him one more time this year.



25. Carolina Panthers (LW: 28): Newton looked good in his debut, but they need to get the running game going if that is going to keep up.



26. Tennessee Titans (LW: 20): The team looked flat to start the game and by the time they had regrouped it was too late. They need this offense to get back on track, because Jacksonville isn’t quite what you’d call a tough defense.



27.  Cincinnati Bengals (LW: 29): They did win, but only because Cleveland played awful. It was not good to see Andy Dalton go down in his first game, but with a guy like Gradkowki as a back up, the Bengals aren’t in bad shape.



28. Denver Broncos (LW: 30): John Fox is doing it again with super conservative game planning and the Denver crowds are already tired of it. When will they try Tebow? Who knows.



29. Kansas City Chiefs (LW: 16): Kansas City totally collapsed and they lost their best player in Eric Berry for the season. Todd Haley needs to get his team in order, or they might be in the Andrew Luck sweepstakes as well.



30. Cleveland Browns (LW: 31): They came close, but the Browns still don’t have the fire power for Colt McCoy to have success. I think passing on Julio Jones was a big mistake and now in late game situations McCoy has no one to throw to.



31. Indianapolis Colts (LW: 10): Without Peyton this team looks like the 0-16 Lions, they are defiantly in the Andrew Luck sweepstakes. Will Luck be the successor to Peyton? They are compared to each other all the time.



32. Seattle Seahawks (LW: 32): I predicted a possible 0-16 season for the Seahawks and from Sunday’s game I don’t think that is out of the question. Will Pete Carroll pick the highly valued Andrew Luck, or go for his old player Matt Barkley?

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Week 1 2012 Mock Draft

          Here is my first mock draft for next year’s draft. I have the Seahawks finishing last in the League with a 2-14 record and then landing the highly prized QB out of Stanford's Andrew Luck. I think people need to watch out, because if Landry Jones has a Heisman season and brings the National Championship trophy to Norman, then he could very well dethrone Luck as the top QB prospect. I also think there is a good chance Matt Barkley stays in college for his senior year, taking him off the draft boards.

1. Seattle Seahawks: Andrew Luck/QB/Stanford

2. Washington Redskins: Landry Jones/QB/Oklahoma

3. Buffalo Bills: Matt Kalil/OT/USC

4. Cincinnati Bengals: Quinton Coples/DE/North Carolina

5. Denver Broncos: Matt Barkley/QB/USC

6. Miami Dolphins: Nate Porter/OT/Boise State

7. San Francisco 49ers: Jayron Hosley/CB/Virginia Tech

8. Cleveland Browns: Justin Blackmon/WR/Oklahoma State

9. Jacksonville Jaguars: Alshon Jeffery/WR/South Carolina

10. Carolina Panthers: Jared Crick/DT/Nebraska

11. Minnesota Vikings: Riley Reiff/OT/Iowa

12. Oakland Raiders: Ryan Lindley/QB/San Diego State

13. Arizona Cardinals: Mike Adams/OL/Ohio State

14. Kansas City Chiefs: Travis Lewis/LB/Oklahoma

15. Chicago Bears: Vontaze Burfict/LB/Arizona State

16. Detroit Lions: Brandon Boykin/CB/Georgia

17. Indianapolis Colts: Matt Reynolds/OT/BYU

18. New York Giants: Luke Kuechly/LB/Boston College

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Ray-Ray Armstrong/SS/Miami

20. Tennessee Titans: Courtney Upshaw/LB/Alabama

21. St. Louis Rams: Ryan Broyles/WR/Oklahoma

22. Houston Texans: Donte Paige-Moss/DL/North Carolina

23. Dallas Cowboys: Kelechi Osemele/OL/Iowa State

24. San Diego Chargers: Michael Floyd/WR/Notre Dame

25. New England Patriots (from: New Orleans): Brandon Jenkins/DL/Florida State

26. New York Jets: Jerel Worthy/ DL/Michigan State

27. Cleveland Browns (from: Atlanta): Dont'a Hightower/LB/Alabama

28. New England Patriots: Alfonzo Dennard/ DB/Nebraska

29. Baltimore Ravens: Dre Kirkpatrick/DB/Alabama

30. Green Bay Packers: Trent Richardson/RB/Alabama

31. Philadelphia Eagles: Mike Brewster/ OL/Ohio State

32. Pittsburgh Steelers: Michael Egnew/TE/Missouri

Playoff Prediction

          Here is my early prediction of what will happen in the playoffs. The team that are in the playoffs are according to my post where I predicted each team's records. I picked the Eagles and Steelers to play in the Super Bowl (with the Steelers winning that game), although I don’t think the Eagles are an particularly good team, I think the teams they face in the playoffs aren’t built to stop the Eagles and that is why a team that isn’t the best in the conference still wins it. I think the same goes for the Steelers, I think the Patriots are by far the best team in the AFC, but I think the Ravens are set up perfectly to beat the Patriots, so that saves the Steelers from having to face the Patriots. I think Patriots could beat the Steelers while they can’t beat the Ravens, but the Ravens can’t be the Steelers. So it is all about who you play in the playoffs and if you are a team that has the pieces to be able to beat the other team's pieces.

AFC

Wildcard
Ravens at Chargers-Ravens win
Jets at Texans-Jets win

Divisional
Ravens at Patriots-Ravens win
Jets at Steelers-Steelers win

Conference
Ravens at Steelers-Steelers win

NFC

Wildcard
Eagles at Cowboys-Eagles win
Saints at Rams-Saints win

Divisional
Eagles at Falcons-Eagles win
Saints at Packers-Packers win

Conference
Eagles at Packers-Eagles win

Super Bowl
Eagles at Steelers-Steelers win

Champion
Pittsburgh Steelers

Prediction of each Teams records

          Here is my prediction for each team’s record according to the strength of their schedules. Some of these teams I think are much better then their records suggest, but other are worse. For example, I think the Cowboys are a good team, but not a 12-4 team, but since they benefit from a weak schedule, they will look better than they really are and the same goes for the Titans. Also, my prediction that the Colts would go 8-8 is based on the fact that Peyton Manning will most likely be out for the first couple weeks.





NFL



AFC



AFC NORTH



Steelers 13-3 Y

Ravens 11-5 X

Browns 4-12

Bengals 3-13



AFC SOUTH



Texans 10-6 Y

Titans 10-6

Colts 8-8

Jaguars 4-12



AFC EAST



Patriots 14-2 Z

Jets 12-4 X

Dolphins 4-12

Bills 3-13



AFC WEST



Chargers 12-4 Y

Chiefs 7-9

Raiders 6-10

Broncos 3-13





NFC



NFC NORTH



Packers 12-4 Y

Lions 8-8

Bears 7-9

Vikings 5-11



NFC SOUTH



Falcons 13-3 Z

Saints 11-5 X

Buccaneers 9-7

Panthers 4-12



NFC EAST



Cowboys 12-4 Y

Eagles 10-6 X

Giants 9-7

Redskins 3-13



NFC WEST



Rams 10-6 Y

Cardinals 6-10

49ers 4-12

Seahawks 2-14

Week 1 Predictions

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Jon's 2011 NFL Draft Grade's

1. Carolina Panthers: Cam Newton/QB/Auburn/Grade: C: I think the only good thing that can come out of picking Newton is giving the Panthers a little more popularity and creating a bigger fan base, but beside that using the No. 1 overall pick on a developmental player is not what you want to do. You usually want to pick a player that is considered a sure thing, and Newton is anything but that. There is a chance for high reward with this pick, but the risks highly out weigh the reward.



2. Denver Broncos: Von Miller/LB/Texas A&M/Grade: B-: This was a good pick but as with Newton, there is a risk as well. The Broncos are asking a defensive lineman to play linebacker in a 4-3 scheme. I personally think Miller was one of the top three players in the draft, but he fits the 3-4 outside linebacker mold much better then the 4-3 linebacker. Hopefully John Fox will be able to put a package together for him, but I personally would have taken a 4-3 defensive lineman like Marcell Dareus or Robert Quinn.



3. Buffalo Bills: Marcell Dareus/DT/Alabama/Grade: B: I think Dareus is an excellent player, but not the impact player the Bills needed. I think Dareus could be a force in a 4-3 defense, but in a 3-4 I believe he will be good, but not an impact player. It is a pity Denver and Buffalo couldn’t have switched picks because I think both of these guys would have had a chance at rookie of the year in a different type of defense.



4. Cincinnati Bengals: A. J. Green/WR/Georgia/Grade: A: Finally the Bengals get a sure thing in Green, after picking the most risky players in each of the last couple of drafts. With the drafting of Dalton in the second, I think the Bengals pretty much said that the Palmer, Owens and Ocho show is leaving town. I personally had Green as the top prospect in the country and the Bengals did well to snag a Super Star with this pick. 



5. Arizona Cardinals: Patrick Peterson/CB/LSU/Grade: B-: I think Peterson is a GREAT player, but still the Cardinals came out of the draft with all the needs they went into the draft with, unanswered. I think picking Gabbert here would have been a better pick, and if not Gabbert, maybe trade down a couple of spots and stock up some picks, because this team has lots holes and Peterson didn’t help to fill any.



6. Atlanta Falcons (From: Cleveland): Julio Jones/WR/Alabama/Grade: C+: I think this was a bad trade from both sides. Cleveland did get a ton of picks to be able to build their franchise, but if the Falcons do well the 1st round pick they gave them for next year will be like a 2nd round pick and they missed out on Julio Jones who could have given Colt McCoy some much needed tools. From Atlanta’s point of view they gave up a ton of stuff and in the end they got Rodney White the second. They needed a deep threat which they could have gotten in Torrey Smith and he would have been there in the late first. I think Jones will be a great player and all, but they already have White and now all you have is two Rodney White’s on the field, which isn’t a bad thing, but they still don’t have a great deep threat receiver and I personally would have gotten an upgrade for a fast deteriorating defensive line.



7. San Francisco 49ers: Aldon Smith/OLB/Missouri/Grade: B: Don’t get me wrong I love Smith and think he has the most upside and potential of any pass rusher in the draft, but Gabbert just fell in your lap and it is clear Alex Smith isn’t the future. But besides form Gabbert I believe Smith will be able to be a face of the defense type player. He only played two years in college and he already dominated, he can do nothing else but improve. I think Gabbert should have been the pick here, but I think they did get the defensive player with the best potential and that can’t be considered a bad thing.



8. Tennessee Titans: Jake Locker/QB/Washington/Grade: B-: I think it was a major mistake to pass on Gabbert here, for Locker who has a ton of question. I think Gabbert would have taken this team to the Super Bowl and it seemed to be built perfectly for him. But, at the same time I am still giving them a B- because I also believe, if any team can get Locker to succeed, it would be the Titans. Watch out, in a couple of years we could have a new rivalry with Gabbert playing the team who passed on him twice a year and Locker getting to try to prove he was the right choice.



9. Dallas Cowboys: Tyron Smith/OT/USC/Grade: B: I think Smith was the right pick, but with Gabbert on the board why not trade down and get a ton from a team that desperately needs a QB and then Smith would still have been available in the 11-15 range. But, besides that they needed someone to protect Romo and now they have him.



10. Jacksonville Jaguars (From: Washington): Blaine Gabbert/QB/Missouri/Grade: B+: I think it was a major mistake for the Skins to pass on Gabbert with the HUGE hole they have at QB, but for the Jaguars’ they have their QB of the future and something for the fan base to get excited about and if that fan base isn’t Jacksonville in a couple of years, it will give another fan base someone to believe in. I think the Jaguars did well to get a QB in a division with Peyton Manning, Matt Schaub and newly drafted Jake Locker. If Locker pans out nicely, then this could be one of the best QB divisions. Also I like this pick because they won’t have to rush Gabbert into being the starter and he can sit and learn behind Garrard, look at Green Bay, it worked out pretty well for them.



11. Houston Texans: J. J. Watt/DE/Wisconsin/Grade: B: I thought picking Watt was a nice way to start building Wade Phillips 3-4 defense, but I though they needed an outside linebacker or a corner, who could impact the defense more then the defensive line could. Still it is known that you build a defense from the line out, so maybe it isn’t too bad of a pick.



12. Minnesota Vikings: Christian Ponder/QB/Florida State/Grade: C-: Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think Ponder is a bad player, but he defiantly isn’t an early first round pick and probably not a first round pick period. I think the Vikings got nervous and picked a player that they could have gotten way later in the draft.



13. Detroit Lions: Nick Fairley/DT/Auburn/Grade: C+: I think they got good value here with Fairley falling this far, but they already have Ndamukong Suh and multiple other defensive lineman that are pretty good. I think Amukamara should have been the pick here and if not him I would have gotten Robert Quinn, who could fill a position of need. I think they needed help at DE and CB and there were two good players at that position where they picked and they passed on both. In a good light, I think teams will have a terrible time going to Detroit and trying to run up the middle.



14. St. Louis Rams: Robert Quinn/DE/North Carolina/Grade: A-: They got a potential No. 1 overall pick with the 14th pick of the draft, which is pretty nice. I personally would have taken Amukamara with this pick since Chris Long is staring to turn into a force and the Rams have a need a DB, but everyone knows how Steve Spagnola loves to load up on defensive lineman and it worked in New York.



15. Miami Dolphins: Mike Pouncey/OL/Florida/Grade: C+: I like Pouncey, but I think he was overrated because of his brothers success and for an interior offensive lineman to be taken No. 15 overall is kind of high. I think the Dolphins really needed a playmaker on either side of the ball and they didn’t get that.



16. Washington Redskins (from: Jacksonville): Ryan Kerrigan/OLB/Purdue/Grade: B-: I think getting Kerrigan was a good move, but drafting Gabbert would have been a great move. They now have another much needed impact player on defense, but they have absolutely no one on offense. I think Shanahan could have turned Gabbert into a star, but with them passing on him, don’t be surprised if this team picks No. 1 overall next year.



17. New England Patriots (from: Oakland): Nate Solder/OT/Colorado/Grade: B: Maybe Bill Belicheck sees a future Matt Light in Solder so I won’t question him. Still, they need defense help and didn’t get any in this draft.



18. San Diego Chargers: Corey Liuget/DT/Illinois/Grade: B: This was a decent pick, but with Cam Jordon still on the board I think they should have gone with someone who already was used to using the 3-4.



19. New York Giants: Prince Amukamara/CB/Nebraska/Grade: C+: I really liked Amukamara, but they already have 3 good corners and if they don’t want Eli to have another year like last year, then they need to get him some guys to protect him. As I said, I like Amukamara, but they needed Offensive linemen and they didn’t get any.



20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Adrian Clayborn/DE/Iowa/Grade: B: I really liked Clayborn as a player and think he could be a great NFL player. I think he is a high risk health wise, but the late first round is usually when people take a chance on guys. The Buccaneers addressed their interior defensive line last year and then they addressed the exterior this year. I think people need to watch out for Tampa, because this team is loaded.



21. Cleveland Browns (From: Kansas City): Phil Taylor/NT/Baylor/Grade: B-: I still think Cleveland should have gotten a receiver to help Colt McCoy out, but Taylor is still a good pick and will be a nice build block for the Browns.



22. Indianapolis Colts: Anthony Castonzo/OT/Boston College/Grade: B+: The Colts needed an offensive lineman and the most pro ready “O” lineman fell right into their lap. Castonzo is just the player Peyton needed and is just the player Eli wanted, Castonzo is super versatile and if he doesn’t work at tackle then he can move to guard. This was all around a solid pick for the Colts.



23. Philadelphia Eagles: Danny Watkins/OL/Baylor/Grade: B+: The Eagles needed a pro ready offensive lineman, much like the Colts and they got exactly what Vick ordered. I think it was a good draft for the Eagles and Watkins better be ready to step in and protect Vick right away.



24. New Orleans Saints: Mark Ingram/RB/Alabama/Grade: B: I didn’t think this was a bad pick, but it wasn’t great either. The Saints now have two Heisman trophy runningbacks on their roster and I think if Ingram is going to play at all, then they will need to get rid of Thomas or Bush. I think Ingram will be better then expected and the Saints got good value at 24.



25. Seattle Seahawks: James Carpenter/OT/Alabama/Grade: C: I think Carpenter is an underrated player, but he isn’t a first round pick. I think the Seahawks stretched here and they could have moved back into the 2nd round and still got their guy. I think it is good to see Carroll building this awful “O” line, but they reached big time.



26. Kansas City Chiefs (From: Cleveland/Atlanta/Baltimore):

Jon Baldwin/WR/Pittsburgh/Grade: B: As with the Ravens, the Chiefs got great value at 26 and take care of off field problems and you have the most talented wide receiver in the draft. I think the Kansas City offense just got much better with young guys in Charles, Bowe, McCluster, Moeaki and now Baldwin; this offense will be hard to stop.



27. Baltimore Ravens: Jimmy Smith/CB/Colorado/Grade: B+: This guy does have a bunch of risk, but in the late first round this was a great value. Smith does have off the field issues, but take care of those and you have an elite corner picked at 26.



28. New Orleans Saints (From: New England): Cam Jordon/DE/California/Grade: B+: I think this will be a Clay Matthews like mistake for the Patriots; they had a player that would fill a big need in Jordon and just passed on him. The Saints are now loaded and the player they will be able to get with the Saints pick next year won’t be as good as Jordon. The Patriots almost of a steal, but then traded it away.



29. New York Jets: Muhammad Wilkerson/DE/Temple/Grade: B: The Jets needed a pass rush and they will hope Wilkerson can clog the middle enough so that they can get some more presser.



30. Chicago Bears: Gabe Carimi/OT/Wisconsin/Grade: B+: They needed an offensive lineman and thankfully one slipped down to them. Jay Cutler was crushed last year and if they don’t want a rerun of him getting hurt in the NFC Championship game, then they needed to get someone to protect him.



31. Pittsburgh Steelers: Cam Heyward/DE/Ohio State/Grade: C-: I think Heyward is an underrated player and I think he will do well in the NFL, but they had huge holes on the offensive line and in the defensive backfield and then they go out and get a pass rusher when they are already loaded. It is true the “D” line is getting old, but at least there is someone who is good playing the position, on the offensive line they don’t have much and they are totally empty at corner. Don’t know what they will do to fill those holes, but they certainly didn’t fill them in the draft.



32. Green Bay Packers: Derrek Sherrod/OT/Mississippi State/Grade: B: I wasn’t crazy about this pick, but it never hurts to make sure your QB is well protected. Sherrod played in a conference with strong defenses so he will be well prepared for the NFL. 

Post Draft Power Rankings

Power Rankings:



  1. Green Bay Packers: I picked them to go to the Super Bowl before the season and I think they have a good chance to repeat this year. They have a ton of impact players coming back from injury, so this squad can only get better. I think now that Rodgers has tasted success I develop into one of the top 3 Quarterbacks in the league and I think he will start to dominate defenses as Brady and Manning do.



  1. San Diego Chargers: I think after a disappointing season the Chargers will be out to prove something and I think Phillip Rivers will prove that he belongs in the conversation with Brady and Manning as the best QB in the NFL. They get Jackson back this year and I think a change at coordinators on defense might help them out as well. I think this team is much like the Packers a couple of years ago and is just waiting to burst on the scene.



  1. New Orleans Saints: They added more weapons for Drew Brees and they strengthened the defense as well. I personally think that Saints team will be better then the 2009 Super Bowl squad. They got steals in the draft and got a couple of key free agents.



  1. Pittsburgh Steelers: The Steelers are coming back with full strength and I think they aren’t happy with the ending of last season. I think the Steelers proved last year that you can never count them out and I think they will be back at it this year.



  1. New York Jets: Rex Ryan better win the Super Bowl this year or he will be the laughing stock of the league. The Jets added some good players, but their key job will be to keep Holmes and Edwards, now that they have chemistry with Sanchez.



  1. Atlanta Falcons: They added more weapons for Matt Ryan this year, but failed to upgrade their defense, let’s see if that will turn out to be a smart move or not. I think Ryan now has the tools to make this offense scary and this is the time for him to step up and show he is one of the elite QB’s in the league.



  1. New England Patriots: I think they got too caught up with trying to stock pile picks next year and didn’t improve the team much. I think it was a bad idea to not give this team some more young players and I think Belechick’s luck can only go so far.



  1. Dallas Cowboys: I think this could be the year the Cowboys finally show the huge amount of talent they have. I think Tony Romo will be out to prove something and I think this whole team feels embarrassed and are out to win peoples respect back.



  1. Baltimore Ravens: Flacco needs to step up this year and carry this team. The defense is getting older and Flacco needs to take hold of this offense and carry the team this year. The Ravens are getting older and the window of opportunity is getting smaller.



  1. Philadelphia Eagles: Teams started to find Vick’s week spots towards the end of last season and Vick better hope he can play better then he did in the playoffs. This isn’t an easy division anymore with Dallas on the move.



  1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: I think the Buccaneers started to get it rolling at the end of last season and Josh Freeman is making those plays that the big guys make. The Buccaneers were able to finish rebuilding the defensive line in the draft and now have to hope they can pick up a couple of free agents to help out on defense. If the Buccaneers are able to get a big free agent like Asomougha they could be pushing for the Super Bowl and not just the playoffs.



  1. Indianapolis Colts: I think the Colts are starting to run out of steam and Peyton Manning can’t do it all alone. The offensive line was terrible and the defense wasn’t to impressive either. They will need to hope the team can make big strides in the offseason, or Peyton Manning may not be playing in January.



  1. Kansas City Chiefs: I think if Matt Cassel is able to come out this year and be able to create a big passing attack, this Chiefs squad could be really dangerous. The Chiefs added some impact players in the draft and now their offense is loaded. The defense will have a year of Romeo Crennel’s defense under their belt and expect the defense to only improve.



  1. San Francisco 49ers: With new coach Jim Harbaugh in town expect this team to finally start showing their true potential and if he can get Alex Smith going, this team could be very good.    



  1. Houston Texans: Now that the Texans have a good running game and have Owen Daniels back from injury, expect this offense to be good. I think this team has a real chance at the division. I think Wade Phillips will be able to build a good enough defense to be able to win games and this Texans team could finally start showing life.



  1. New York Giants: Eli needs to bounce back this year and the defense needs to step up. It would be great for the Giants to be able to pick up a couple of free agents to help out and then maybe they can be in position the try to make a run at the division.



  1. Chicago



  1. St. Louis Rams: This is a team that if Josh McDaniel’s can get that offense rolling, can take the division by storm. Bradford looks like the next great passer and everyone knows how good McDaniel’s is at bringing the best out of Quarterbacks.



  1. Detroit Lions: This is another team that if Stafford can come out and play well, can be a real force and have a good shot at the playoffs. They have a awesome defensive line and defensive rookie of the year Ndamukong Suh can only get better.



  1. Oakland Raiders: The Raiders have one of the most talented young teams out there, but I still question Jason Campbell at QB. I think the defense could be dominate, but the offensive line is worse then last year and I think Campbell has done as well as he is going to do.



  1. Minnesota Vikings: I think this could be a sleeper team. The do have Adrian Peterson to carry the offense and they have a strong defense. If Christian Ponder can just play halfway descent, then this team could do something’s.



  1. Jacksonville Jaguars: I think this is a team on the rise, but I think they need a couple of more years to develop. I think David Garrard won’t be able to repeat his performance from last year and I think there is a good chance we could see rookie QB Blaine Gabbert on the field toward the end of the season.



  1. Arizona Cardinals: If they land a descent QB, which is highly likely, they could be an descent team next year. I think they will be able to strengthen their defense, but they need Beanie Wells to be an impact player this year.



  1. Miami Dolphins: If Chad Henne goes out there and tares it up then maybe the Dolphins will have a chance, but without a running game I think this team will be one dimensional and defenses can shut them down.



  1. Denver Broncos: If Tim Tebow can inspire his teammates, as he did last season, we may have a sleeper team here. I still don’t expect them to be a playoff team or something, but I do think this could be a 500. team



  1. Cincinnati Bengals: It all maters whether Dalton players well or not. If he does this could be one of many sleeper teams this year. I think Zimmer will be able to get his defense back on track and without the distractions of the Circus (that would be Owens and Ocho) in town; the Bengals might be able to win a bit of games.



  1. Tennessee Titans: It all maters who starts at QB. I think Collins will start the season off, but if they are able to get a better veteran QB via free agency or trade, this team could be able to make some noise.



  1. Carolina Panthers: Whether it is Cam Newton or Jimmy Clausen I think this team will rely off their running game with two young quarterbacks under center. Expect Ron Rivera to get the most out of this team and don’t be surprised if they are able to get 6 or 7 wins.



  1. Buffalo Bills: I think Ryan Fitzpatrick is a good Quarterback, but I think the luck they had last year will run out and we will be able to continue to see the Bills team we have watched the last couple of years.



  1. Cleveland Browns: This team has some sleeper to them as well and it will all be up to how well Colt McCoy can play. This team has some talent, but it is also very young and not very experienced.



  1. Seattle Seahawks: I think the Seahawks were one of the worse playoff teams in recent history and I think they will prove that this season. They lack impact players and if they can’t get Hasselbeck to return, their season could be a mess.



  1. Washington Redskins: I they are one of the worse teams offensively, I’ve seen in a while. They had Blaine Gabbert fall into their lap and then traded the pick. I have high doubts that John Beck will be able to carry this team and don’t be surprised if this is a 0-16 season for the Redskins. They have no talent on offense, but if they do as bad as I think, they will be able to get one of the best QB prospects coming out of college in Andrew Luck in next years draft.

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Alex's Mock Draft

Pick No. 1: Panthers: Cam Newton/QB/Auburn

I am personally not a Newton fan but short term this would help the Panthers exposure and sell a lot of tickets and jerseys. You would have people coming from all over the country to watch the Heisman Quarterback play.







Pick No. 2: Broncos: Marcell Dareus/DT/Alabama

John Fox likes to build his D by starting with the D-Line. Although there is a chance they go Fairley I think his Fairley’s one year wonder status will make them lean towards Dareus.







Pick No. 3: Bills: Von Miller/OLB/Texas A&M

I personally think the Bills should go offense but every mock draft I see has Miller to the Bills who would make a nice fit.








Pick No. 4: Bengals: A.J. Green/WR/Georgia

With the loss of T.O and the possible loss of Ochocinco the Bengals will be empty at WR. Green is the safest player in the Top 10. I think Green will bring that spark that was missing in the Bengals offense last year. Although Missouri’s Blaine Gabbert is a possible hear.







Pick No. 5: Cardinals: Blaine Gabbert/QB/Missouri

The Cardinals attempts to replace Kurt Warner failed last year and Fitzgerald basically said he is gone unless they get a Quarterback. Gabbert has a lot of potential and won’t have to change a whole lot since he came from the spread in college.







Pick No. 6: Browns: Robert Quinn/DE/North Carolina

Whatever the Browns move to 4-3 or 3-4 Quinn will be able to play in either one of them. Quinn’s stock would probably higher but he had the suspension in 2010 so he could fall a little further but his multi purpose play will tempt the Browns.







Pick No. 7: 49ers: Patrick Peterson/CB/LSU

Peterson could fall further because there are some Questions about his CB ability but I think the 49ers take the chance and get on him.







Pick No. 8: Titans: Nick Fairley/DT/Auburn

Because of his one year wonder status he could fall further but the Titans are still trying to replace Haynesworth and there isn’t another D-Lineman at this position unless the trade back.







Pick No. 9: Cowboys: Anthony Castonzo/OL/Boston College

It will either be Castonzo or Smith and I think it will be Castonzo mainly because he can play multiple spots on the O-Line.






Pick No. 10: Redskins: Julio Jones/WR/Alabama

Jones really impressed scouts with his combine workout and Redskins really need a WR.







Pick No. 11: Texans: Aldon Smith/DE/Missouri

The Texans will either use a 4-3 or 3-4 and Smith can play either one and Wade Philips would like to have a remake of Demarcus Ware.







Pick No. 12: Vikings: Da’Quan Bowers/DE/Clemson

With the possible loss of Ray Edwards and the Williams brothers the D-Line will be very weak. Bowers has a lot of talent and for a while was projected to be the No. 1 pick so Bowers at no. 12 would be a steal for the Vikings.







Pick No. 13: Lions: Prince Amukamara/CB/Nebraska

Amukamara’s Senior year was bad compared to his Junior year so there are a lot of questions about him being a one year wonder but I think the Lions will look past that and get a second consecutive Nebraska player in the 1st round.







Pick No. 14: Rams: Ryan Kerrigan/DE/Purdue

The Lions need a WR but if Smith and Green are gone they really need to upgrade the D-Line and Kerrigan shows a lot of potential in a both 4-3 and 3-4 schemes.







Pick No. 15: Dolphins: Ryan Mallet/QB/Arkansas

Although Mallet has Character issues I think the Dolphins make a reach and get the best arm in the Draft and finally get a QB.







Pick No. 16: Jaguars: Cameron Jordan/DE/California

The Jaguars are working on rebuilding the D-Line and Jordan would make a nice duo with Tyson Alualu.







Pick No. 17: Patriots: Tyron Smith/OT/USC

If Cameron Jordan would slip to them I think they would draft him but if Smith is still there at No. 17 it would be to tempting to grab him.







Pick No. 18.: Chargers: J.J. Watt/DE/Wisconsin

The loss of Jamal Williams had a lot bigger impact than the chargers expected. So I think they will be looking DL here and Watt is the best DL player available at No. 18.







Pick No. 19: Giants: Mike Pouncey/OL/Florida

The once great O-Line of the Giants is really getting old they really need some new faces and Pouncey can play multiple spots on the O-Line.







Pick No. 20: Buccanneers: Adrian Clayborn/DL/Iowa

McCoy won’t be able to do it by himself and Clayborn was projected to be a Top 10 pick last year till his senior year when his numbers began to slip but he still is a very good player.







Pick No. 21: Chiefs: Gabe Carimi/OL/Wisconsin

Although the sensible pick would be DL I think the Chiefs will improve the O-Line which because they are a run first team they really need a good O-Line.







Pick No. 22: Colts: Nate Soldier/OL/Colorado

The Colts were reminded last year how important it is to have a good O-Line when Manning had a lot of trouble in the pocket. Soldier is the only O-Line who can play LT which Indy is highly in need of.







Pick No. 23: Eagles: Jimmy Smith/CB/Colorado

Although he has character issues I think the Eagles will look past that and get a good CB to play opposite to Samuel.







Pick No. 24: Saints: Mark Ingram/RB/Alabama

Although Ayers is a possibility the Saints were without a RB last year. Ingram would be a nice pick at No. 24 and would fill that missing piece in the Saints Offense.







Pick No. 25: Seattle: Jake Locker/QB/Washington

Locker has great potential if he can work on his accuracy issues and the Seahawks are going to need someone to replace Hasselback.







Pick No. 26: Ravens: Torrey Smith/WR/Maryland

Smith’s Speed is the missing part of the Ravens offense and he and Bolden would make a nice duo.







Pick No. 27: Falcons: Marvin Austin/DL/North Carolina

The Falcons really need to work on the DL and drafting Austin would be a start.







Pick No. 28: Patriots: Justin Houston/OLB/Georgia

Mayo won’t be able to play all four positions at LB himself so I think the pats will draft Houston to give him some help Although Ayers is a possibility.







Pick No. 29: Jets: Cam Heyward/DL/Ohio State

The loss of Kris Jenkins in week 1 really set the Jets Defense back and besides Jenkins the DL is empty. So I think they add to the DL with Heyward who is the best Defensive lineman at that position.







Pick No. 30: Bears: Corey Liuget/DT/Illinois

The DT position for the Bears is weak and Peppers needs somebody to help him out on the D-Line.







Pick No. 31: Steelers: Aaron Williams/DB/Texas

The Steelers could draft Derek Sherrod here but I think CB is a more important problem. Williams will be able to fill that spot in Pittsburgh.






Pick No. 32: Packers: Akeem Ayers/OLB/UCLA

The Packers could go O-Line but they need someone to put opposite to Clay Matthews.