Sportaholic Power Rankings Week 4

If there is one thing that I have noticed in the first quarter leg of the NFL season it’s the extraordinary QB play that we have witnessed. Everyone knows that it’s a passing league nowadays, but this has just been ridiculous so far this season. Even a blind man can see that this has been a demented year of offensive numbers. From Cam Newton’s Xbox stats to Aaron Rodgers record breaking QB rating pace, its has been an offensive palooza so far this year. There are currently 7 players over the century mark for QB rating with Rodgers leading the pack at 124.6 which would be an all-time record if the season stopped today. The QB position is at an all-time premium and this season the QBs have set a level of excellence never seen before. There are six QBs on pace to break Dan Marino’s all-time single season passing yards total including Drew Brees, Cam Newton, Aaron Rodgers Phillip Rivers, Tony Romo and Tom Brady who would just obliterate it at a projected finish of 6,212 yards. Just take a look at the stats from yester year to this season and you will see the anomaly that I a speaking of. Is this a trend or is this a sign of what to expect in the future of the NFL? I would certainly think you could make a compelling argument that the NFL as a league has catered to the offensive side of the ball with all of the rule changes and protection it has built around the QB. The league knows that offense sells and that’s what its about these days. What ever happened to defenses being ahead of offense to begin the season? Just another cliché we can throw out the window in this nutty year of the offense of 2011

Even more so, you can see how offensives have evolved to the point of no return these days. No huddle, spread and wildcat offenses are the product of innovation in the league. Its even worse in college football as they seem to do everything in the NCAA now days. Offenses will slow down however as the temperature changes. Nothing like a cold November chill to cool down the hot play we have seen of late. I don’t know what to make of this offensive explosion and excellent QB play of late. I am a football purist who loves to see great defense just as much as I love to see great offense. One thing is for sure, offense is running circles around defenses these days and this is only the beginning.

Now for the rankings

1. Green Bay Packers (4-0) – No way this team is going anywhere from the top spot. Not when Aaron Rodgers is chucking the rock for 408 yards and 4 touchdowns and adding another 2 on the ground. I could go on and on about the greatness of Rodgers but I’m pretty sure you get enough of that reading other columns. The Packers as a team is what impresses me the most. The are complete in every facet of the game from special teams to offense to defense this team really has no weaknesses. They overwhelm you on offense with their athletic receivers and Rodgers precision passing and even though they are allowing 24.3 points a game on defense they still can get after your QB with Clay Matthews and shutdown your receivers with two pro bowl corners in Tramon Williams and the forever young Charles Woodson. Even the special teams has stepped up with Randall “Corn” Cobb giving that unit a boost. They will have their hands full in the NFC North this year as Chicago isn’t going anywhere and the upstart Lions who are a formidable foe for the first time in over a decade. Its going to be a great race in that division but until further notice or this team losses, they belong at the top.

2. Baltimore Ravens (3-1) – That was an ugly game of epic proportions Sunday night against the Jets. Charm City turned into Turnover City as both teams just didn’t seem to care about the ball that much. Joe Flacco and Mark Sanchez were just plain out terrible for both of their teams. One of the major reasons was the defense being played on both sides. Baltimore’s defense as always is straw that stirs the drink in Raven land but Flacco gives me reason to be concerned. Maybe it was just an off night but when you stat line reads: 10/31 163 yards 1 pick and a rating of 30.5, your not picking your end of the bargain compared to that defense. You know Ray Ray and the gang were in his ear about this. The Ravens and every other team for that matter can only do so much with a limited QB and Flacco has to prove that he is the elite QB that he said he was this off-season. So far I’m not inclined to agree with him.

3. New England (3-1) – Its sucks that I have to keep them this high when they have a defense allowing 477.5 yards a game. Tom Brady will continue his assault on the record books as he is on pace to shatter Dan Marino’s passing yards record and Wes Welker last I heard was on some ridiculous 160 catch 2,400 yard season as well but that defense will let them down. Beliechek is known as defensive wizard but his defense hasn’t been anything but magical these past few seasons. As their last playoff proved, that offense can only carry you so far when you get into the playoffs. Your team has to be at least somewhat balanced on both sides of the ball and this is why I can’t peg them as a super bowl favorite in my book just yet.

4. Houston Texans (3-1) – On my radio show I said that if Houston wants to be considered one of the elite teams this year, then they would have to stand up and prove it against Pittsburgh. Not only did they stand up but they sat down the usually ultra physical Steelers. Big Ben couldn’t was flat out harassed (Oops no pun intended on that one but take it as you may) and roughed up for sacks. Wade Phillips defense 3-4 defense is already paying dividens as it has made them a much more aggressive team on that side which I always wanted to see out of the Texans defense. I didn’t buy into the Mario Williams to LB move at first but it seems to be working. He is still able to get to the QB but he is doing it in various ways this year.The Andre Johnson injury is a scare but he will only be out for a few weeks as they will baby him back onto the field. Those hamstring injuries are always tricky but Houston’s medical staff just dealt with Arian Foster similar injury. Speaking of Foster, he is one of the reasons I think Houston has the most complete offense in the league. They can run the ball with Foster or can pass the ball on you with Matt Schaub, Andre Johnson. And Owen Daniels. I like this team, all they need is more confidence and to continue the good play on defense.

5. Detroit Lions (4-0) – At what point did you think it was over in their game against Dallas? When I glanced at the score and saw it 20-3 going into halftime I thought to myself “Same old Lions” but these are not your father’s Lions by a long shot. Matt Stafford and Calvin Johnson got warmed up and stole one in Jerry’s house with a little help from Mr. Tony Romo. I just can’t understand for the life of me what goes on in Romo’s head in those pressure filled situations. Is it a little man who tells him what to do because he should be stop listening to that guy. Chris Cooley’s of the Washington Redskins comments (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_corner/post/Chris-Cooley-enjoys-Tony-Romo-8217-s-foibles-w?urn=nfl-wp8665) pretty much summed up what every up what every non Cowboy fan and hell maybe even some Cowboy fans think about Romo. In any event the Lions have showed they can take a lick and keep on ticking as this is their second straight week coming from behind on a double digit deficit. Megatron proved why he is an elite receiver rather Rob Ryan believes it or not. You have to love Coach Jim Schwartz’s dig at Ryan for saying that Johnson was “Almost as Good” as Cowboys receivers Dez Bryant and Miles Austin to which Schwartz responded “I’m just glad that the third-best receiver on their team is on our team. Touché Jim.

Offensive Player of the Week: Matt Forte – All the love and praise has been heaped on the QBs this year for the offensive explosion we’ve seen this year but you have to give up to Forte for his 205 yard outburst against the Carolina Panthers. What’s even more stunning about this is that he was allowed to receive 25 carries in Mike Martz’s pass happy offense. Maybe Martz has finally come to grips that he will need to rely on Forte more in order to keep QB Jay Cutler upright for the rest of the season. Running the ball and playing good defense is what I’m use to see from a Chicago Bears team and I’m glad to see them getting back to that identity even it was just for one week.

Defensive Player of the Week: Mario Williams – Like I said above, I love the way the Texans defense got after Ben Rothlisberger and for that I have to give the ringleader his due. Williams had 2.0 sacks and a number of hurries to flush Ben out the pocket giving his teammates the opportunity to bring him down. Houston and Tennessee look as if they will battle for the AFC South crown this year without Peyton Manning in the fold and if the Texans D steps up and plays this way every game then I have to give them the edge in that race.

College Football Finale 10/02/11

This was a defining weekend for the best teams in the country as Clemson, Alabama, and Wisconsin showed that they are championship material. All three of these teams faced a legit opponent and crushed them into oblivion. Wisconsin got it started as they took it to the outmatched Cornhuskers and beat them by 31 points. It really wasn’t even that close as Nebraska cleaned up with some garbage points at the end. “We’re sexy,” coach Bret Bielema said. Next it was Clemson fending off it old demons against Virginia Tech as they pounded the Hokies 23-3. Coach (Dabo) Swinney calls it the “Shock the World Tour,” start QB Tajh Boyd said. This is the best Clemson team I think I have ever seen. I asked myself during the game was Clemson this year’s Auburn? And last but certainly not least was the beatdown Alabama put on Florida. Bama stumbled out the gates, spotting the Gators an early lead but once Trent Richardson got cranked up, Florida didn’t have a chance. It was an even tougher loss for the Gators with Jeff Brantley going down in the defeat. Florida season may have died in the swamp last night with Brantley’s injury.


Just another fun weekend of football in the NCAA as their were plenty of great games to go around. Texas A&M are doing their best Minnesota Vikings impressions as they squandered yet another second half lead to Arkansas. South Carolina just mystifies me with all the talent they have but yet they can’t put up over 13 points an Auburn team that was allowing points in bunches to every other team it faced. Andrew Luck in Stanford keep winning under the radar as the Cardinal are the best team out west in my opinion. Ohio State is just plain pathetic on offense these days. They couldn’t even muster over 180 yards of total offense. Now with all that has been said lets jump into some game breakdowns.

Wisconsin 48 Nebraska 17 – All the talk going into this was that Russell Wilson and the Badgers haven’t faced competition on the level of what the Huskers were going to bring into Madison, but after this blowout win I think that won’t be a question they have to answer anymore. Wilson was his consistent self as he was 14/20 for 255 yards and 2 TDs. He even added a rushing TD for good measure. Nebraska just couldn’t stop the run against the Badgers as they rushed for 231 yards which setup Wilson for easy play-action strikes. Taylor Martinez was horrible with 3 interceptions on just 22 passing attempts. Martinez did have 61 yards on the ground but that wasn’t nearly enough to threat the Badgers. Wisconsin marches on as they look to be the best team in the Big 10.

Clemson 23 Virginia Tech 3 – The speed and efficiency is of Clemson’s offense is the first thing that usually catches ones eyes in watching the Tigers play but it was their defense in this one that should get a lot of praise. The Tigers handled the Hokies offense to the tune of posting four sacks, forced two turnovers and held Tech’s vaunted rushing attack to just 133 yards. Andre Branch was a man among boys as he had three of the four sacks for Clemson. And to top things off of course was Boyd who didn’t have the prettiest numbers only going 13/32 for 204 yards with a TD and a Int to his credit but he didn’t have to do much in this one. Mike Beallamy’s 31 yard scamper with 6:55 in the fourth sealed the game for the Tigers. This team resembles Auburn of last year to me in many of ways. They have an emerging QB in Tajh Boyd who doesn’t seem to be fazed by the pressure as a sophomore. Andre Branch is dominating defensively the way that Nick Fairley did for the other Tigers and they have an explosive player who take it to the house anytime he touches it in Sammy Watkins, akin to Michael Dyer for Auburn although they play different positions. Just a thought but if they do happen to make it to the BCS National Championship Game, know that you heard it hear first.

Alabama 38 Florida 10 – Florida came out guns a blazing as Jeff Brantley found an open Ashley Debose on the first play of the game for the Gators. It seemed Ol Charlie Weis was opening up his playbook going against the tough Bama defense but that would be really the only thing that worked for the Gators the rest of the way. Florida just couldn’t find any running lanes for their speedsters Jeff Demps and Chris Rainey. They also couldn’t stop the run as Trent Richardson and the Bama offensive line just bullied the Gators into submission. Richardson would go on to finish with 181 yards on 29 attempts. Bama pretty much just wore down the Gators as they controlled both lines of scrimmages. The shift of momentum happened on a Brantley interception that was taken to the house by Bama big man Courtney Upshaw. This game was never in doubt after Brantley was violently taken to the ground by Upshaw and catching his right foot under him as he went down. Brantley was 11/16 for 190 yards and a TD before going down. This was Florida’s worst home loss since losing to another Nick Saban team, the LSU Tigers 36-7 in 2002.

Other Notables and Games:

Texas A&M lets another opponent off the hook: The people in college station must be in a giving mood because this is the second straight week they have let an opponent come back to win in the second half. This time it was future league foe Arkansas in a game that looked all but dead going into the second half. The Aggies had put 35 points on the Razorbacks and looked to keep their foot on the pedal in the second half. But things would get interesting as Tyler Wilson of Arkansas got hot. He began to find open targets and get the ball in the hands of his playmakers. Jarius Wright just had his way as he finished with 13 catches for 281 yards for the Razorbacks and he was the biggest difference in the second half of play. He mad a few spectacular catches and shook off smaller defenders in the process. Mike Sherman and the Aggies biggest mistake was getting away from the run as RB Christine Michael had 230 yards and RB Cyrus Gray had 95 yards on the ground. Just another head scratching performance from the future SEC members and they can all but kiss their BCS aspirations good bye.

What is going on with South Carolina? I just can’t figure this team out. They have some of the best players in the nation and they can only put up 13 points on defensively challenged Auburn? And defensive linemen Melvin Ingram scored the Gamecocks only TD on a Int return. Ingram was downright the man in this game as he finished with 11 tackles 3.5 sacks and an interception. The rest of the team couldn’t get it into gear as the usual reliable Marcus Lattimore had only 66 yards and Stephen Garcia had just a terrible game going 9/23 for 160 yards and two picks. Not what you expect from the favorites to win the SEC East. The offensive has got to get it together if they are to win the East.

Sportaholic Monday Night Football Photos.

For those who missed the first Sportaholic Monday Night football party at DJ’s Pub and Grub, its time for us to rub it in your face. Here are the pictures of the night taken by Ashley Danielle:

Lindsey of the Neon Kisses looks in disappointment as her team goes down to the Cowboys. She was a bunch of fun as she remained defiant as her team went down. Beer and Football just makes people get acquainted quickly as you can see from this photo.

The crowd was shown a good time and you can see by the look on everyone faces.

Two our winners in the prize giveaways. This lady knew everything trivia question about sports.

Bryan Thomas of Noomizo and Kandy Payne of Beatknockin.com. Our winner for the Titans cheerleader calendar looks excited about his new eye candy.

The Sportaholic looking on in his Tony Romo jersey and Ashley Danielle is all smiles as well.


Patrons who participated also received prizes such as the Tennessee Titan cheerleader calendar autographed by all of the Titan girls, two free tickets to a comedy show at Zanies, free drinks, and much more. We have more trivia games and giveaways in store this weekend. It was a festive night and everyone seemed to enjoy the game as the Cowboys took down the Redskins.

For those who are looking for a place to relax and have a good time come on down to DJ’s each and every Monday night.

Sportaholic College Football Weekend Setup

Conference play is finally here and the first thing that catches my attention on the schedule are three heavyweight showdowns in the ACC, SEC and Big 10. Fresh off their victory over Florida State, Clemson takes on Virginia Tech as the Tigers have no time to celebrate or rest on there laurels. It doesn’t get any better than Florida vs. Alabama in the SEC. This could be a possible preview of the SEC championship game as both teams have looked strong and this should be the stiffest test Florida has seen thus far. Nebraska’s inaugural Big 10 game is a doozy as well as the Huskers take on the favorite to win the conference in my opinion Wisconsin. This is week 5 already and the games are only getting better each week. This slate this weekend will have a lot to say about where some of the top programs really stand and as a fan I can’t wait to see who rises to the top. Can Florida find a way to break Bama’s impenetrable defense? Is Clemson for real or will they flake out against the more experienced Hokies? How will Nebraska’s superior D handle Wisconsin’s Russell Wilson and their ball control offense? A lot of questions that won’t be answered until the games are played but before they are lets break them down and see who has the edge.

#12 Florida (3-0) vs. #3 Alabama (3-0) – In the annual SEC showdown of the week, the Gators travel to get ol Tuscaloosa to take on the Tide. This one should be a tantalizing one for multiple reasons. The match-ups are crazy when you think about Florida’s speed demons Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps going against Bama’s rock solid front 7 with the like of stud LB Don’t’a Hightower and defensive linemen Courtney Upshaw. Charlie Weis has had success this year by mixing in screens and quick tosses to get his speedsters the edge but it will almost impossible against Bama as they have one of the fastest group of LBs in the nation. Weis also has coddled Jeff Brantley’s confidence by simplifying the offense and giving him a lot of short safe throws. If Florida is to win this game, Brantley will have to be able to complete some deep balls to his receiver because Bama will load the box to stop Rainey and Demps. Florida’s defense isn’t too shabby either as they have their own ferocious front 7 as well. Trent Richardson is bread and butter of the offense for the Tide of course but just like Florida won’t be able to break a lot of those big gainers, I think the same will hold for Alabama. A.J. McCarron will have to make some plays for his team in this one. He does have a better receiving core around him than Brantley does. Marquise Maze seems to always make a play for his QB when he needs it the most and this game shouldn’t be any different. This is one of those games where you throw out all the stats because anything could happen. If you like fast flying defense’s and speedy shifty running back, this is the game you should be tuned into this weekend. As for the pick, I just can’t see Florida beating the Tide. Bama’s defense is too tough and will be prepared for the two-headed monster of Rainey and Demps. Brantley won’t be able to make enough plays and that will be the determining factor. The Pick: Alabama Crimson Tide.

#13 Clemson (3-0) vs. #11 Virginia Tech (3-0) – Raise your hand if you had this pegged as the most important game on schedule for the ACC. Waiting…. Ok yeah like I was saying, this one is a bit unexpected as the Tigers have brought it all together under Tajh Boyd and his stellar QB play so far. Boyd has probably brought on a contract extension for head coach Dabo Swiney as this could be a defining year for his program. When ever I see Sammy Watkins run with the ball it makes me hold my breath. That guy looks like he runs a 4.0 forty time. I don’t know if it’s the purple colored jerseys or what but boy he is fast. The Hokies are where we expected them to be, at the top of the ACC. Logan Thomas and the Tech offense will have to rev it up this game to keep up with the high paced spread offense first year OC Chad Morris has bought in with him. The Hokies defense is always stout and this year is no different with a pair of talented defensive ends in James Gayle and J.R. Collins who combined for four sacks and 12 tackles last week. Defense and special teams have always been the linchpin of Virginia Tech under Frank Beamer and that won’t change anytime soon. So basically what this game boils down to is Tech’s tough nosed defense vs. Clemson’s dynamic offense. From everything I have read on Tech’s offense, it doesn’t seem to have the horses to hang with the Tigers on that side of the ball. The Hokies do have a legit run game with David Wilson coming off a 132 yard performance against Marshall. So of course Tech will try to control time of possession to keep that explosive Tiger offense off the field. I’m not convinced it will be enough as Boyd, Watkins, and versatile tight end Dwayne Allen should be able to power Clemson to the win. The Pick: Clemson Tigers

#8 Nebraska (3-0) vs. #7 Wisconsin (3-0) – It has looked so easy for the Badgers and new QB Russell Wilson these first few weeks of the season. Now comes in big bad Nebraska in their first Big 10 conference game. The Badgers have just been rolling over inferior opponents and averaging 48.5 points in the process. The usually dominant Bo Pellini defense of Nebraska however has been disappointing ranking 52nd in the nation in yards allowed (349.8 yards) a game. This will be the first time all season that the Cornhuskers will have all of their guns on defense as DT Jared Crick, LB Lavonte David and CB Alfonzo Dennard will all be playing together due to injuries. It will take a great effort from all of those guys to stop juggernaut Badgers offense and give their mediocre offense led by QB Taylor Martinez a chance. Martinez numbers aren’t impressive but he probably gets more flak then he should considering his circumstances. It will be hard for him and the offense to move the ball on Wisconsin unless Martiznez breaks a few big gains with his feet. He has the speed to make a big difference against the Badgers. He and Rex Burkhead carry that offense and they don’t really have much else. With that in mind its easy in my opinion on the pick of this game. The Pick: Wisconsin Badgers

Game of the Week: Florida vs. Alabama – Ok maybe I am a little bias when it comes down to the SEC but how can you not watch this game? Two fast and dominant defense against a the two headed monster of Florida and the beast of Bama in Trent Richardson. This will be a great game for all the obvious reasons and I will make sure to be watching.

Most Intriguing Game: Texas A&M vs. Arkansas – Hmm, lets see here. So we have two ranked teams coming off of demoralizing losses and they happen to be rivals from the old Southwestern conference. Sounds interesting already right? And it only gets better as the loser of this one chances of a BCS bowl would be shot. To top it all off these are two high powered offenses that will be conference foes in 2012. Count me in on this one as well.

Under the Radar Game: USF vs. Pitt – This game could determine the winner of the Big East as crazy as it sounds, and Pitt has won the last three in this series. USF has looked good this season and if they take this one, I think they would run away with the Big East title.

Wake me when its over game: Arkansas State vs. Western Kentucky – When I saw Western Kentucky almost spring the upset of Kentucky in the season opener, I thought those guys would run over all of their conference foes. But alas, they are 0-3 and their oppoenent Ark. St. is 2-2 but they are a FCS team. Oh wait, Western got hammered by Indiana state this year which is a FCS team as well. I will be snoozing loudly during this one.

Coach better get it right game: Ole Miss vs. Fresno State – Is there a seat hotter than Houston Nutt’s? Most people would say Mark Richt maybe but Nutt’s team just lost to the Bulldogs last week. He has to pick his team up from the depths and at least show that they have some pride. The way Vandy beat up on the Rebels it’s a surprise they were even competitive against Georgia. Houston can all but kiss his job goodbye if swoon continues and even if he wins a few games it may not be enough.

Sportaholic Power Rankings Week 3: Rise of the Underdogs Edition.

It has to feel good to be a Detroit or Buffalo fan. It almost like a bad movie where the nerd keeps getting picked on until he finally stands up to bully.  These two teams have been bad since I can remember it seems but they have finally turned it around and are a combined 6-0. I don’t know which team was more surprising this weekend with Buffalo taking down the mighty Patriots for the first time in 15 tries or the Detroit Lions coming back from a 20 point first half deficit. These teams are for real too or at least that much can be said as I doubt any other team in the league is begging for these guys on their schedule. Buffalo has done it with an explosive offense led by Harvard grad Ryan Fitzpatrick and Fred Jackson. Detroit has done it with a nasty defensive line that sets the tone for Matt Stafford and Calvin Johnson on offense. Green Bay is still the defending champs and they moved to 3-0 as they continue their dominance over the Bears this year. What more can you say about Aaron Rodgers that hasn’t been already said.




Michael Vick just can’t stay healthy which is what I always said would be the determining factor for the so called “Dream Team” in Philly. Vick maybe should have sat this one out as he didn’t quite seem like himself. His rant on the refs won’t get him anymore calls and might even get him less. Refs don’t like to be shown up. Houston didn’t get a win against New Orleans but they showed mettle as they battled back instead of folding as they would have did in most years. Tennessee is winning with an unfamiliar formula of throwing the ball as Matt Hasselbeck is proving to still have some in the tank and then some. The loss of Kenny Britt will hurt though as Tennessee isn’t a team chalk full of playmakers. Chris Johnson where are you? He has looked sluggish as best but the team continues to win. It’s not his fault as the offensive line hasn’t had the same type of push it seemed to have the last couple of years blocking for him. It mystifies me that the Titans can have Mike Munchak, a hall of fame offensive linemen and Bruce Matthews, another hall of fame offensive lineman, yet they can’t seem to find anyway to get CJ a better scheme to run in.



Now let’s jump into the rankings:

1. Green Bay Packers (3-0) – The crazy thing about the Pack is that they are not even close to reaching their ceiling. Jermichael Finley is doing what I expected him to do this season as his three touchdowns broke the Bears spirit in their last game. He is such a match-up nightmare on the inside as he is big enough to catch over DBs and too fast for LBs to contain. Aaron Rodgers is consistently one of best each week as his 111.4 QB rating was more than enough to beat the hated Bears. Defensively this team just continues to churn out playmakers as well. Morgan Burnett basically is filling the role left by inured Pro Bowler Nick Collins and all he did was pick off two of Jay Cutler’s errant passes. The Packers have the mark of a great team as nothing seems to faze them. Having gone through the gauntlet last year, this team confidence is through the roof. They will rise to any challenge it seems.

2. Baltimore Ravens (2-1) – After laying a dud against the Titans, the Ravens went out and shellacked the no luck Rams. Baltimore may have found a new star at receiver as Torrey Smith racked up the fantasy points with 5 catches for 154 yards and 3 TDs. Joe Flacco has a couple of burners on the outside with Smith and Lee Evans. Flacco seems to be settling in this year as one of the better QBs in the league. Now is elite as he said in the off-season? No, not yet. Be he doesn’t have to be with Ray Rice in the backfield. (9 rushes 81 yards) and that tenacious defense behind him. Baltimore put up 21 points on the Rams before your beer could get warm. This is why last week I won’t get to high on the Ravens the way they beat the Steelers and I didn’t get too low on them when they lost to the Titans.

3. New Orleans (2-1) – Drew Brees just puts up numbers anyway you want to break it down. He and that offense can score at will as they did on Houston who incidentally entered the game as a top 5 ranked passing defense. Safe to say Brees exposed a few holes in that defense. Speaking of defense. New Orleans’s scares me. Even though they won the game, Andre Johnson was able to get over 100 yards receiving in the first half alone. Jabari Greer did intercept Matt Schaub when it counted the most but I still wouldn’t say that I trust that secondary of the Saints. And I would be doing myself a disservice if I didn’t mention those jerseys dating back to the Tom Dempsey days. They aren’t that nice on the eyes but I appreciate the heritage.

4. New England (2-1) – Admit it, when you saw the Pats go up 21-0 on the Bills you figured they would just run all over Buffalo. I expected Tom Brady to have some crazy stat line of 38/52 for 520 yards and 5 TDs or something but as the Pats found out Buffalo has some intestinal fortitude. The Pats offense stood up as Wes Welker went all Jerry Rice on us with his 16 catches for 217 yards and two TDs. But the most disturbing trend of that game was Brady’s penchant for interceptions. He threw as many as he did all last season in one game against the Bills. I can’t remember a game seeing Brady looked so flustered. The defense also couldn’t contain Fred Jackson on the ground nor Ryan Fitzpatrick in the air. Is it cause for concern on the Patriots march to the playoffs? Not in the bigger scheme of things but the Bills maybe made the blueprint for beating them. And they create yet another team of opposition in the all of a sudden tough AFC East division.

5. Detroit (3-0) – The Lions proved that they can take a shot and keep fighting as they overcame Minnesota’s 20 point lead in the first half. Minnesota would be 3-0 if it wasn’t for the 2nd half.. The Lions roared back (Pun intended) on the strength of Matt Stafford’sarm, Calvin Johnson’s hands, and Jason Hanson’s foot. Detroit doesn’t run the ball well as they only had 20 yards on 19 carries but Stafford has carried them so far. That defensive line isn’t too shabby either as they continue to control the line of scrimmage against all their opponents. The stop of Toby Gerhart did nothing more but add more motivation as it fueled the offensive players to get a score. Jim Schwartz deserves a lot of credit as he has this team 3-0 for the first time since the Billy Sims era. The Lions keep marching on and should be the chief opponent for the defending champs Green Bay. Who would have thought that going into the season?

Offensive Player of the Week: Wes Welker – This one was easy this week as Wes just obliterated the secondary of the Bills. He set franchise records with his 16 catches and 217 yards receving. It seemed that Buffalo let Welker get whatever he wanted to as they focused on the outside receivers and the tight ends. End result was a career day for Welker even though it came in a loss. Welker plays the slot like a maestro. He has every savvy move a veteran wide receiver should have. I know he made a lot of fantasy owners day with those monster numbers he put up. Tom Brady has thrown for more yards in a 3 game span than any QB in history (1,326) and a lot of that has to do with the exploits of Welker.

Defensive Player of the Week: Dwight Freeney – This guy doesn’t ever slow down during the game. He and Robert Mathis just harassed Big Ben all night in their lost to the Steelers but it was Freeney who seemed to set the tone as always for the Colts defense. Freeney had two sacks and three QB hits and a forced fumble. Isn’t he supposed to be getting old? He has that constant motor that defensive coaches drool over. Freeney is one of the most underrated DEs ever in my opinion. If Peyton Manning had played in that game the way the Colts defense played then they probably would have pulled that one out. Freeney and Mathis will continue their reign of terror on opposing QBs this year even if it doesn’t amount into a playoff berth.

Sportaholic Insider Special: The Nashville Predators, new season new attitude

I had the pleasure of attending the Nashville Predators first pre-season game and interviewing Christian Parker, Exeecutive Vice president Chief Sales & marketing Officer of the Nashville Predators. Nashville welcomed the Winnipeg Jets, formally the Atlanta Thrashers in their home pre-season debut. The Jets also had a number of familiar faces from the Predators as most fans will remember former goalie Chris Mason back to Smashville. After catching the first period I met with Parker and Jessica Jones to get the inside scoop on all things Predators including the team’s new jerseys, the importance of Blake Geoffrion, and what Atlanta’s move to Winnipeg means for Nashville.

However, the first thing I have to speak upon is the game itself. This was my second Preds game, my first one being back a couple of years ago. It was like I was rekindling my hockey passion as the crowd was electric and responsive for a pre-season game. Fans chanted and sang all game long and as the Preds scored multiple goals in the second, honky tonk had Bridgestone Arena rocking. The funniest part of the game may have been the mascot Gnash serenaded the former Atlanta fans as Ray Charles’s classic Georgia blared out the loud speakers. The halftime show feature t-shirts giveaways coming via the T-shirt launcher, as they were chucking shirts all over the arena. There was also the hamster ball race that pitted two young Pred fans against one another. Tim McGraw’s “I like it, I love it, I want some more of it” blasted from the PA as Sergei Kostitsyn, Martin Erat, and Patric Horqvist scored consecutive power-play goals. The fans of Nashvile showed why they are some of the best in the league most stayed to the ending of the game to show their appreciation to the home team. I enjoyed every second of the game and can’t wait until the next time I will be in attendance.

After the first period, I stepped back into Predators central office and spoke with Parker and Jones.

For those who are not familar with him, here is a bit of Christan Paker's background via the Nashville Predators team page on NHL.com:

Now entering his third full season with the Predators/Bridgestone Arena, Executive Vice President/Chief Sales and Marketing Officer Chris Parker has led the effort to secure partnerships with some of Nashville’s – and the nation’s – most respected and recognizable companies since being promoted to his current title on March 1, 2009. During the 2009-10 season, Parker directed the organization’s efforts to secure Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations Inc., as the new arena naming rights partner. Additionally, he was instrumental in adding the likes of Patron Spirits Company, whose name is now on the Arena’s Suite Level Restaurant, the Ford Motor Company/Mid-South Ford Dealers, Comcast, and Nashville based entities Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Daily’s Convenience Stores and Mars Pet Care.




Parker also led the organization’s efforts to secure a new long-term television rights agreement with FOX Sports Tennessee/Sports South. The agreement, which increases the number of telecasts, is also the most lucrative in franchise history. On the ticket sales front, Parker initiated a restructuring effort that resulted in the creation of an inside sales team and a fan relations group more focused and dedicated on the needs of existing ticket holders.

A graduate of the University of Michigan with a degree in sports management and communications, Parker began his sports career with the International Hockey League head office in suburban Detroit.




Parker resides in Nashville and serves on several philanthropic boards and committees including the Alumni Advisory Board of the Division of Kinesiology at the University of Michigan, as Vice Chairman of the Bernard P. “Pat” Maloy Endowed Scholarship at Michigan and the Board of Directors for Junior Achievement of Middle Tennessee.

Sportaholic: What was the idea behind the changing of the Predators uniforms?

Parker: We wanted to make an iconic symbol for the Nashville Predators. The head crest of the Predators has become synonymous with the Predators and we just wanted to enhance it. The original crest had around 11 different colors in it and we wanted to simplify it. As far as the jerseys are concerned, the color scheme used by the Preds is used by multiple teams in the league and we wanted to make Nashville’s logo one of a kind. (Laughs) Who can forget the mustard color jerseys? When you think of teams like the Red Wings you automatically think of their Red Wings on their jersey, so with the crest on the Preds jersey I think we are establishing our own iconic team identity.

New Preds Crest



Old Preds Crest





Sportaholic: How important is a guy like Blake Geoffrion to this team’s grass movement?

Parker: Blake is just a great story. He is a fourth generation hockey player right here from middle Tennessee. We as an organization have to be careful to allow him to develop as a player and not overexpose him for the betterment of advertising purposes. He is important because he can connect the younger fans to our team. They have a person that they can relate to in the local community.

Sportaholic: How does the move of the Atlanta Thrashers franchise opened up the door for Nashville is this region?

Parker: As soon as the news was announced that they would be moving to Wnnipeg, we sent information to fans of that franchise. Atlanta had a hard core base of hockey that we as a franchise recognized. We want to tap that market and grow Nashville into a regional team, not just a local team. The NHL has rules on territories as far as team are involved, so we couldn’t get into that market until now. Atlanta is one of the top markets in the country and we intend on making our way into that region. Geographically speaking, we are the closet team to that city, closer than Carolina and Tampa so we have to take full advantage of those opportunities.

Sportaholic: You spoke of the grass root movement that you wanted to continue to build on one the earlier question, what steps are the Predators taking in that department and what could they do to improve it?

Parker: We believe that we are doing a number of things to intiate the movement of hockey in Nashville. The get out and move program focuses on getting young players involved. We are tyring to get young players into roller hockey as much as we can. As you and I did when we were young playing basketball and football, we are trying to familiarize young players with the game as much as possible. Name recogniaiton plays a big part as well as we have guys like Shea Weber, Ryan Suter and Pekka Rinne who many of our fans know well.

Sportaholic: When I travel to different places in the country, I’m always asked the question about how Tennessee holds on to their coaches i.e Jeff Fisher and Barry Trotz. How do believe the continuity of having a staff in place for such a long time helps the Preds?

Parker: I believe Predators fan and Tenneseans as a whole can appreciate the longevity of Coach Trotz, GM David Polie and Brent Pederson. They have brought a certain level of contunity to our organzationn that you don’t see in sports franchises these days.

I would like to thank Jessica Jones for providing me with great seats for the game and Christian Parker for the great interview. Jessica also reiterated that she is a big Predators fan herself and one of her best friends is a Red Wings fans to which surprised me that they are still good friends with the way that rivalry goes. I also thank my colleague Ashley Danielle for her help in this process as well. This is the first of many inside stories from the Sportaholic and Noomizo covering the Nashville Predators. We congratulate the Preds as they seem to be a winning organization on and off the ice. They are building a franchise from the ground up as Christian reminded me this is just a 14 year old franchise. Compare that to a team like Montreal who has been in business for almost a century. Make sure to continue to check us out hockey fans as we promise to deliver the best local sports stories in middle Tennessee.

Editor's note: Here are some helpful links to connect with the Predators Get Out and Learn! (GOAL) intiative:

http://predators.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=569329

www.presidentschallenge.org/NHL_PREDATORS.

http://predators.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=463381

Sportaholic Tennessee Titans vs. Denver Broncos Preview and Breakdown

Tennessee Titans vs. Denver Broncos Preview:

The Titans did their best Dr. Jekyll - Mr. Hyde impersonation last week as they reversed roles from their dismal week 1 performance against the Jacksonville Jaguars, to an unexpected dominant victory over the hated Baltimore Ravens. Many expected (including me) Tennessee to get trounced after what the Ravens did to Pittsburgh Steelers in their decisive week 1 victory against the Super Bowl runner-ups. The Titans showed a new and improved aerial attack as Matt Hasselbeck proved that if you can hold him upright, then he can deliver as he finished 30/42 for 358 yards and 1 TD pass. He and Kenny Britt, and Nate Washington made sweet music all day as Britt had 9 catches for 135 and 1 TD and Washington had 7 catches for 99 yards. It was by far the best passing performance I’ve seen from the Titans in quite a long time.

However, the one downside to the passing game was the inability of Chris Johnson to break loose. He was held to 53 yards on 24 carries, which amounts to 2.2 yards a carry. You can tell Johnson is still getting into game shape as well as learning the nuisances of new OC Chris Palmer’s offense. Its good to chuck the ball all over the field but the Titans bread and butter has always been the running game. Johnson has a great chance to get back into his groove against the porous defense of the Broncos. Denver comes into this game as the 28th ranked rushing defense allowing 131 yards a game on the ground and 4.4 yards per carry. If Johnson can’t run on this play-doe soft D, then he can’t run on anyone. I think this is the game he breaks off one of his signature long runs, he should be in better shape after being with the team and practicing for a few weeks now. As effective as the passing game was last weekend the need for Johnson to get his game back is a bit subdued. But think about if Hasselbeck continues to find success with Britt and Washington catching everything as they did last week and then you add the electric running of Johnson. It would make for a dangerous offense that would be capable of putting up points on any team.

The defense also looked surprisingly well against the Ravens as well. They held Ray Rice and the Baltimore run game in check and got pressure from all different sides on Joe Flacco. Derrick Morgan showed why he is a former 1st round draft pick as he was in Flacco’s face all game long and he recorded a sack and numerous QB hurries (That personal foul penalty was bogus by the way). Jonathon Babineaux and Barrett Rudd were also impressive as they played physical and delivered a few big hits on the Raven receivers that made them have alligator arms. This was such a stark turnaround from the team that was run on at will against Jacksonville. It’s like an entirely different team was on that plane for week 1.






So now the Titans take on a Broncos team on the decline and in disarray. It has been well chronicled that the fans of Denver prefer Tim Tebow over Kyle Orton as their QB even if Tebow is stuck at 3rd on the depth chart. Tebow did get some action last week as he was placed in as a receiver for blocking purposes. As far as the rest of the team, they are not very impressive. They are ranked 15th in total defense which isn’t too bad considering all things but they have sustained some injuries to key players on that side of the ball with Ty Warren out, Champ Bailey and Elvis Dumervil questionable. Their offense is pedestrian at best ranking 23rd in league averaging 314 yards a game (Tom Brady or Cam Newton would have that many yards by halftime) and they only average 22 points per game. They will get some help on that side as Brandon Lloyd is expected to be back at receiver and also RB Knowshon Moreno. Willis MaGahee did rush for over 100 yards last week and should get more of the load until Moreno is fully healthy. Eric Decker has also been a nice surprise as he had over 100 yards receiving and 2 TDs against the Bengals.

Now that we have an understanding of both teams let look at the three key factors that will determine the game:

1. Can the Titans passing game stay on the attack: As I mentioned above, last week’s aerial assault on the Ravens was the best I’ve seen from the Titans in quite awhile. Matt Hasselbeck should be able to find open lanes on the Broncos and with the emergence of Kenny Britt he should have a big target as well. Speaking of Britt, he is second in the league with 271 yards receiving yards this season and he is on a monster pace. He and Hasselbeck seem to have that chemistry you always want your QB and WR to have. Jared Cook has also been coming around here of late as well. The Broncos will have a hard time covering everything the Titans will be throwing at them especially if CJ gets on board. If the passing game plays as well as they did last game, the Broncos will be in for a long day.

2. How will the pass rush follow last week’s game? The Titans pass rush looked like the old days of Jim Washburn coaching as they just harassed Flacco all over the field last game. It was good to see as the Titans are known to usually have a strong defensive line. The Titans had three sacks on the Ravens and they will need more of the same against the Broncos. Kyle Orton shredded the Titans last year as he was 35/50 for 341 yards and 2 TDs. Now I don’t believe that is happening this year but if the Titans don’t get pressure on him it’s a possibility. Orton is underrated and as long as he is protected he can put up big numbers. The defensive line will look to add pressure to him as Jerry Gray has a nice mix of young and veteran players at his disposal. It will be interesting to see how that part of the game develops. If Orton is going down or getting hurried a lot, it could lead to a blowout for Tennessee.

3. Is this the week CJ kicks it into high gear? It seems like this has been one my key factors for every game this season. If you remember back to last year it took Johnson a few games to get it right but when he did boy was he a load. I think this is the week he starts on the upward trajectory as the Broncos will have plenty of holes for the explosive Johnson to run through. Mike Munchak has made it very public that the Titans will keep feeding their 53.5 million dollar man and I’m sure CJ wants to prove he is worth that kind of money. I look for him to go over the century mark this game and to do so with no problem. The Broncos don’t have the best LBs with rookie Von Miller probably already their best so Johnson has every opportunity this game to do his hands to the face dance multiple times.