Sportaholic NFL Power Rankings Week 2

Although the Monday night game was a bit of dud (Seem like the Rams forgot they were on national T.V. at moments), the 2nd week of the season was still unpredictable and no less exciting. Atlanta and Matt Ryan finally exorcised the demons of the dirty birds as they defeated the concussed Mike Vick (What a way to suffer your first concussion) and the Philadelphia Eagles in a thriller of a Sunday night game. Tom Brady was at it again winging it all over field against the Chargers, who can never seem to beat the Pats. Speaking of winging it, how about that Cam Newton? 854 yards passing in two games, who said this guy wouldn’t be an accurate thrower in the league? I’m so happy about this turn of events because I picked him up in one of fantasy leagues at the last minute to replace Peyton Manning and has he ever paid off on that investment. Tony Romo went from spineless and no chances of ever winning anything of importance to tough as nails and on his way to the top all in a span of one week after his cracked rib-punctured lung performance against San Francisco. No matter if you like him or not, you have to give him a lot of credit for coming back out and continuing to take a pounding with that injury. Yet another great weekend of games and now its time to unveil the power rankings, as a lot has changed from last week.

1. New England (2-0) – The Patriots offense is just a machine. Tom Brady and Bill Belicheck continue to invent new schemes and systems on that side of the ball and no one in league has caught up with the two. The two tight end sets are nothing new really but the Pats have two of the most versatile in Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez (Who will be out for a couple of weeks with an injury) that allows them to do so many things in the passing game. 940 yards in two games is what Brady has done so far and of course he will only get better as the season goes on. Was there anything funnier than seeing big Vince Woolfork rumbling and stumbling after picking off Phillip Rivers screen pass? Not in my opinion and it goes to show how agile he is to weigh over 350 pounds. The Pats defense is improved from last year as they seem to be getting more pressure on the QB, which was one of their biggest weaknesses over the past two seasons. Where in the world of twitter is Chad Ochocinco? He hasn’t done anything of note so far with his new team and just seems to be in awe (Much to the chagrin of Tedy Bruschi). The only real question for New England is what they will do in the playoffs because they always run through the regular season.

2. Green Bay Packers (2-0) - No one on the Packers knew what to expect going against the freakishly athletic Cam Newton. I watched him all last season at Auburn and it seemed that he got better and better each game. So coming off his 422 passing yard game against the Cardinals, even I didn’t know what to expect. He was at it again yet this time on the vaunted Packers D. Charles Woodson made a couple of spectacular plays on the ball s he picked off Newton twice. Aaron Rodgers did his usual throwing for a “quite” 308 yards and 2 TDs in the victory. The Pack continued to show why they have the best aerial attack in all of football. Every one of their receivers seems to be great at getting more yards after the catch. Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb are just the two latest additions in the realm. The Packers seem to be giving up a lot of points these days but no one cares as long as their winning. They get key stops when they need to, but you don’t always want to put your defense in such a tough.

3. New York Jets (2-0) – Even though those NY Titans jerseys are butt ugly, the Jets are still one of the top two teams in the AFC right now. New York just demolished the down and out Jaguars (They looked so good against the Titans last week and then just laid a dud this week). The Jets defense forced 4 interceptions from Luke “Soon to be demoted” McCown as he finished 6/19 for 58 yards and a QB rating of 1.8. This was one was over before you even got comfortable to watch as the Jets pounded the Jags. Mark Sanchez had a decent game but he threw two Ints. He is always the largest question facing the Jets and has been since he was drafted by them. He holds the key to their season the Jets as always. That defense is just as good as has been every year under Sexy Rexy.

4. Baltimore Ravens (1-1) – Yes, they laid a stinker of a game in Nashville this weekend, I know but this is still a very good team. For some reason it doesn’t seem like they had the intensity that the Ravens usually play with. For starters the offense couldn’t get anything going and looked sluggish at best all game. I wrote that if Tennessee was going to win that game then they would have to be just as physical if not more than the Ravens at the point of attack and they were as Baltimore seemed disinterested in this one. Allowing Matt Hasselbeck to throw for 358 yards is another thing as he, Kenny Britt, and Nate Washington seemed to be playing pitch and catch the whole game. It’s understandable that the Ravens wouldn’t be as motivated as they were to play against their arch rival Pittsburgh but they at least have to show up and play a little inspired. I won’t get to over zealous on the victory over the Steelers and vice versa for their loss to the Titans.

5. Detroit and Buffalo (2-0) – Why not show a little love to two of the most cursed franchises in all of football? This may be the only time we get to rank and talk about the Lions and Bills so I will take full advantage of it. The Lions look for real as their offense is moving the ball effortlessly on teams. Calvin Johnson or Megatron as he likes to be called is a candidate for breakout player of the year as he and Matt Stafford have rekindled their connection from the last time Stafford was injured. That defense line is ferocious with the likes of Ndaumakong Suh and Kyle Vanden Bosch. And they still get Nick Fairley back later this season. They have a chance to make a decent run at the playoffs this year. The Buffalo Bills have one of the most explosive offenses in the league right now. Harvard grad Ryan Fitzpatrick leads the rag tag bunch of players on that side of the ball. Most of those guys were no names coming into league from RB Fred Jackson to WR Stevie Johnson and yet they find a way to put up points each week. When they hired old face Chan Gailey, I just shook my head and said typical Bills hire, but he has sparked and revolutionized their offense. I was thoroughly impressed with all the shifts and movement they showed against the Raiders. They will get tested early and often against the Pats next week so their stay in the top 5 may be short lived, but honestly did anyone think that the Bills would be 2-0 and more relevant than the Colts who are 0-2 at this point? Peyton Manning should win the MVP this by not playing as you can see the difference he makes on that team.

Offensive player of the week: Tom Brady – I resisted the temptation last week of giving this honor to the “Golden Boy” but I caved in this week (Jim you was right, he will get a lot this year from the looks of it.). The man is just unstoppable right now as he went 31/40 for 423 yards and 4 TDs on San Diego. He just doesn’t make mistakes and preys off of the defenses when they do. He just manipulates the pre-snap so much that teams have no choice but to wait to the last minute to show their hand. If you do show your hand as Miami repeatedly did in the first MNF game, he will throw for 517 yards on you. He is the ultimate weapon. He doesn’t care if your hurt on the opposing team as a matter of fact that gives him even more reason to go after you. Brady is cut throat and as much as I hate the Pats, I can respect that from Brady.

Defensive Player of the Week: Charles Woodson – No one should be making the type of plays that Woodson is making at age 35. He still has IT and seems to be still in his prime. As I stated above, Woodson’s first pick of Cam Newton was picture perfect as he waited until the last minute to jump the route. His playmaking ability is amazing in the secondary. He still has all the instincts of a man half his age and you have game plan around him because he will absolutely destroy your offense if you don’t. He is the leader on defense for the Packers as much as everyone has ordained Clay Matthews. Woodson in my opinion is a bona fide first ballot Hall of Famer.

Sportaholic College Football Weekend Finale

ESPN billed this weekend of games in college football as “Road Test Weekend” and the guys up there in Bristol hit it right on the head with that moniker. The top three out of four teams in the nation (Oklahoma, LSU, and Boise State) took a stiff road test and passed with flying colors. LSU with its vaunted defense held Mississippi State in check. Oklahoma weathered the storm and a more mature Seminole defense to pull out their victory and Boise trounced Toledo, who a lot of people thought were pretty good because of their play against Ohio State. That was until everyone saw the Buckeyes get demolished by Miami, who held them to almost no passing yards. Auburn finally ran out of comebacks as Clemson’s dynamic duo of Tajh Boyd and Sammuy Watkins got the best of the Tigers. Tennessee wasn’t quite ready for the big stage of the swamp and lost star receiver Justin Hunter in the process, which stinks for everyone in college football to lose one of the great receivers of the nation. Conference play begins soon and teams will look to be at their best as that part of the schedule starts.

# 1 Oklahoma 23 # 5 Florida State 13 – What a difference a year makes. This was a totally different game from last year’s massacre in Norman. The young Seminoles came to play ball but still came up short against the nation’s best team. Landry Jones didn’t put up his usual big numbers, finishing with just 199 yards 18/27 passing and had more Ints (2) then TDs (1) but it was enough for the victory. It wasn’t the most spectacular performance of offense for either side as the Sooners stifled FSU all game as Seminole QB BJ Manuel couldn’t get anything going against the relentless pressure from Oklahoma. Manuel tried his best as he scrambled for a few big gainers, but he was eventually hurt after taking a big shot from stud Sooners LB Travis Lewis. FSU freshman QB Cody Trickett came in relief and performed nicely under the pressure as he hooked up with Rashard Greene for a 56-yard TD pass but the 13-13 score would be as close as the Seminoles got as the Sooners pulled away in the late 4th. Jones hit an open Kenny Stills for a 37-yard TD and Oklahoma got a FG for even more insurance with 2:00 minutes left to play. Oklahoma proved that they are number 1 as Florida State should be proud with the performance they put on. Florida State will be around the top for awhile as they are young and will only get better.

#16 Florida 33 Tennessee 23 – Chirs Rainey put on a show against the out-manned Vols as he ran for over 100 yards and also had over 100 yards receiving as well as the Gators downed the Vols for the seventh straight time in the swamp. Rainey and other Florida speedster Jeff Demps ran circles around the UT defense but this one seemed to be over before it started as Vols star receiver Justin Hunter went down with a tore ACL on his very first catch of the game. As it turns out, that will be his last catch of this year and it took all the air out of the UT offense from that point. Tyler Bray was still slinging the ball and had a decent game going 26/48 for 288 yards and 3 TDs. Bray also had 2 interceptions and none worse than an ill-advised throw to begin the second half as the Vols were still in the game at 16-7. The UT defense held serve and only gave up a FG but on the next UT possession the Vols went three and out and Chris Rainey blocked Tennessee’s punt. This guy was everywhere and his speed gave UT problems all day. The play that broke the Vols back was the 80-yard reception that saw Rainey burst through the UT secondary off a screen past and once he got in the open field, no one was going to catch the 4.2 forty runner. UT had no way to match the speed of Florida and will continue to lose games against the Gators until they can. Another problem was the snaps form Center James Stone, who is a natural lefty but chose to switch this summer to his right hand for a more natural exchange. The Vols will get better as the season goes on but this one will stew in the minds for the next 364 days.

Miami 24 #17 Ohio State 6 – Talk about a pathetic offensive display, The Ohio State University has played a lot of football but may have never put as worse of passing numbers as they did this past weekend. Their two QBs combined to go 4/18 for 35 yards. It was just as awful a passing attack as I have ever seen. The “Canes on the other hand got a big game from Lamar Miller (184 yards 26 carries) as he repeatedly gashed and dashed the Buckeyes defense. Fresh off his suspension, Jacory Harris was decent as he went 15/23 for 123 yards with 2 TDs and of course his customary 2 interceptions. The Hurricanes also welcomed back LB Sean Spence who had a big game along with WR Travis Benjamin. The “Canes were just too tough for a lackluster Ohio State team that seems to be missing the key play makers that have made so fun to watch over the last few years. The Ineligible bowl rendered both team without some of their best players but you could tell it was Ohio State that missed theirs the most. They would probably take Terrelle Pryor back if that’s all they can do on offense.



Other Notable games and players:

Clemson: I got a chance to see the electric Tajh Boyd of Clemson for the first time this weekend and at first glance I wasn’t really impressed. Auburn stormed out to a 21-3 lead and it looked as if they would just overwhelm the Tigers. But in the words of Lee Corso, “Not so fast my friend” as Clemson stormed back thanks to the uber-athletic Boyd and the speedy WR Sammy Watkins. He made plays with his feet and arm to help Clemson ended Auburn’s 17-game win streak. Boyd and the Tigers showed a lot of resolve in that one and the most fired up guy in the stadium had to be Clemson coach Dabo Swiney. Look up his post game interview if you don’t believe me.

Marcus Lattimore continues his Heisman campaign: This is a man playing football for the South Carolina Gameocks. He absolutely shredded the defensive line of Navy (I know its just Navy but you still have to give it to him.) The super soph ran for 246 yards on 37 carries as he just bulldozed his way over the midshipman defenders. He is just a load to bring down and when you have the threat of Alshon Jeffrey on the other side it makes him even more dangerous. As long as the Gamecocks continue to win, then the better the chances Lattimore has to take the Heisman. Its funny to think that Steve Spurrier is running the ball 37 times. Boy has time changed.

Vanderbilt 3-0 – Its hard to fathom that Vandy is off to a 3-0 start for many reasons. Head Coach James Franklin was brought to tears at his post game press conference as he described what he called as a team that has bought in to his high energy approach. The Commodores just obliterated the Ole Miss Rebels 30-7 and gave the “Dores their first 3-0 record since WWII. Vandy has used a number of offensive gadget plays and they seem to be working as their offense outgained Ole Miss 387-234 in total offense. I don’t like to see a grown man cry but I understand Franklin getting a little emotional after his team’s great effort. It was their largest margin of defeat over a SEC opponent since 1971 against Mississippi State.

Boston College: There a few teams that you just don’t lose to in college football. Duke has to be near the top of the list and the Golden Eagles were handed a dose of humility in their lost this weekend to the Blue Devils. The loss of the Blue Devils sent the Golden Eagles to 0-3 and their streak of 12 consecutive bowl appearances appear to be in jeopardy.

Baltimore Ravens vs. Tennessee Titans Preview:

                   

The Tennessee Titans are coming off of one more disappointing season opener in recent memory. This was supposed to be the beginning of a new era as a plethora of new faces has littered the Titans team this year. All the way up from new head coach Mike Munchak down to new QBs Matt Hasselbeck and Jake Locker, there was a new outlook in the air for this team. They even got Pro Bowl running back Chris Johnson back into the fray just in time for the first game of the season. The expectations were even higher against a Jacksonville team that just cut their starting QB David Garrard. You would think that with all the circumstances and excitement surrounding Tennessee that the Titans would come out on top of their game to prove their merit, however the exact opposite happened.

The Titans came out flat and put on a less then desirable performance. Jacksonville just destroyed Tennessee at the line of scrimmage and dictated their run game on the defense. Maurice Drew-Jones had 24 carries for 97 yards and a touchdown and really wore down the defense. The Titans finally woke up in the 3rd quarter to make it a game and eventually had a chance to win but an errant throw by the recently acquired Matt Hasselbeck intended for Kenny Britt was intercepted and the Titans saw their chances of winning the season opener come to an end.

Now the Titans welcome the bullies of Baltimore to town as they are fresh off their annihilation of the Super Bowl runner up Pittsburgh Steelers. The Ravens just dominated their arch rival Steelers in every conceivable way. The 35-7 victory was maybe the most unexpected outcome of the first week as most who know football know that a Ravens-Steelers game is usually a grind it out low scoring affair. The Ravens forced a team record seven turnovers including 3 interceptions from usually clutch QB Ben Roethlisberger. Baltimore more than controlled the line play in the game as they ran for 170 yards (Ray Rice 19 carries 107 yards 1 TD) and held the reliable Pittsburgh run game to just 66 yards on the ground. The Ravens just wreaked havoc all over the field with their play-makers as Terrell Suggs had three sacks, Ed Reed had two interceptions, Ray Lewis had one pick and a forced fumble and Haloti Ngata’s bruising hit on Rashard Mendenhall forced another fumble.



The Titans will definitely have their hands full with this Ravens team there is not doubt about that. Chris Johnson only ran for 24 yards on 9 carries as he looks to get back into the game flow after his extended contract dispute. There is also that little rivalry thing that Tennessee and Baltimore games carry. The all-time series record is tied 8-8. These two teams last faced each other in the 2009 playoffs as the Ravens defeated the Titans 13-10 in the divisional round. “It really doesn't have any carryover. That was two years ago. I'm just trying to win a game.” Said Titans running back Chris Johnson who knows that the Ravens came at him from every direction that game. Some even say that the Ravens tried to hurt him in the playoff game that year. If they were trying to harm him, then they were successful as Johnson was forced to leave the game after sustaining an ankle injury.

Even with all that has been said, the Titans have a chance to win this game. Let’s take a look at three key factors in the game.

1. Can the Titans match the Ravens physicality? That usually is the question any team faces when they take on the Ravens. Pittsburgh, in many people’s opinion are crowned the most physical team in the league and we saw what the Baltimore did to them. The Ravens defense is just nasty and they will torment you if you allow them to. Ray Lewis is the unquestioned leader of the group but when you have Ed Reed, Terrell Suggs, and Haloti Ngata, you have a cast of brutes willing and ready to take out the Titans. Tennessee has to match their intensity in order to compete in this one. Rather it be a bruising run or a beastly block, the Titans have to show they are not intimidated by Baltimore. They always say to beat the bully you have to become the bully and we will find out what the Titans are in this game.

2. Will the real Chris Johnson stand up: He is what they call their home-run hitter,” Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis said. “He is their offense, he’s their heartbeat. And if you look at what they did last weekend … you’ve got to know that he’s definitely going to touch the football a lot this week. And we’re prepared for it. CJ2k didn’t get off to best start last week which is what I expected after the long endearing contract dispute. You can run all the drills you want to in the gym or even out of the field, but there is no way you are simulating game speed and hits without actually being at practice. Johnson also is the highest paid running back in the league now so he is placed on a pedestal to be the ultimate game changer for an otherwise vanilla offensive group. The Titans need Johnson to be everything in the offense, especially against such a talented defense. The Ravens game plan will center on stopping him anyway they can. Johnson has to be up to the task and accept that the Ravens will more than likely take some cheap shots at him when they can. He will be the key player for the Titans but that is no surprise. Is Johnson up to the task? Only time will tell.

3. Are the Titans able to stop the Ravens ground game? Tennessee was gashed repeatedly by Jacksonville on the ground last week. They are in for the same type of game against Baltimore. The Titans simply can’t allow they Ravens run game to get going because if they do it will lead to play-action play calling for Joe Flacco who will carve up the secondary in that case. The defensive front seven has to show up and make key stops when needed. That means guys like Dave Ball, William Hayes, Shaun Smith, Akeem Ayers, Barrett Rudd, and Will Witherspoon are on notice. The Titans received some good news as well that defensive linemen Derrick Morgan and William Hayes should be able to play. If they are lacking motivation all they have to do is look at last week’s game film. This in my opinion is the most important factor in the entire game. Make Joe Flacco beat you with his arm because if you allow the Ravens to bulldoze the defense then Baltimore will chew you up and spit you out. The Titans defense has heard all off-season and even more after the Jacksonville game that they are the weak link to this team. It’s time for them to rise up and show what they are made of because they will surely tested by this Ravens team.

NOTES

RAVENS: Since ’10, club has 9-2 record when scoring 20+ points…Ravens have won 6 of past 7 vs. AFC…QB JOE FLACCO passed for 3 TDs for 6th time of career last week & Ravens are 5-1 in such games. Ravens are 18-2 (.900) when Flacco has 100+ passer rating…RB RAY RICE posted 8th career 100-yard rush game last week (107). For career, Rice averages 102.0 scrimmage yards per game (4,693 in 46 games)…RB RICKY WILLIAMS averaged 5.3 yards per carry in Bal. debut last week (12 att., 63 yards)…WR ANQUAN BOLDIN (911) needs 89 receiving yards to reach 1,000 career with Bal. WR LEE EVANS (5,934) needs 66 rec. yards for 6,000 career…TE ED DICKSON had career-best in catches (5) & rec. yards (59) last week…Ravens registered 7 turnovers vs. Steelers (4 FF, 3 INTs)…Ravens are 8-0 under JOHN HARBAUGH when posting 3+ INTs in game…S ED REED (1,463) needs 20 INT return yards to surpass HOFer ROD WOODSON (1,483) for most all-time. Now has 12 games with at least 2 INTs, most by any player who began career in Super Bowl era…LB TERRELL SUGGS (71.5) tied career-high with 3 sacks last week & surpassed PETER BOULWARE (70) for most sacks in Ravens history…TITANS: QB MATT HASSELBECK (29,842) needs 158 passing yards to reach 30,000 career. In 2 career games vs. Ravens, Hasselbeck has completed 41 of 68 passes (60.3 pct.) for 532 yards w/ 7 TDs vs. 2 INTs & 107.0 passer rating…RB CHRIS JOHNSON averages 92.1 rush yards per game in Sept., which is 5th-highest rushing-yards-per-game average in month in NFL history (min. 10 games). Johnson averages 103 rush yards per game at LP Field (2,472 total in 24 games)…WR KENNY BRITT posted 5th 100-yard receiving game last week with 136 yards. Tied career long with 80-yard TD rec. last week. WR NATE WASHINGTON (199) needs 1 catch to reach 200 career…LB BARRETT RUUD led team with 12 tackles in Titans debut…CB JASON MC COURTY posted 1st career sack last week...S MICHAEL GRIFFIN had INT in last meeting vs. Ravens

Sportaholic College Football Weekend Setup

Last weekend was a great array of games including some of the best finishes we will probably see all season. And this Saturday will be even better as there are quite a few statement games on the docket. Florida State vs. Oklahoma of course will be the marquee game of the day as Bob Stoops and #1 ranked Sooners travel to Tallahassee to face the 5th ranked Seminoles. If Florida State is truly looking to join the elite again, then they have every opportunity to do so this Saturday. The annual Tennessee-Florida tilt is a little more exciting this year as UT features a fearless passing attack led by Tyler Bray K-47. This is always one of my favorite games of the year as a SEC fan. It’s the first real test for both teams and the outcome could determine the fate of the SEC East race. The Miami vs. Ohio State game could be called the ineligible bowl (What? You thought about that as well) as everyone who watches college football knows of all the allegations facing both programs, but even with that cloud hanging over this game the talent of the field will be evident. Other good games include Auburn at Clemson, Arizona State vs. Illinois, and Boise State vs. Toledo. All of these games should have a bit of intrigue to them as the college football season finally kicks it into overdrive. Many teams will be tested this week to enjoyment of the fans.

Now for the breakdown of the weekend’s best games:

#1 Oklahoma vs. #5 Florida State – This is the game to watch for obvious reasons this weekend. Florida State hasn’t played a game of this grandeur since 2004 when they faced #6 Virginia (Yeah, you read that right Virginia was ranked #6, surprised me to) and put a beat down on them 36-3. To win this game the Seminoles can not have anything close to the showing they had last year in Norman. Landry Jones absolutely carved them up throwing for 380 yards and 4 touchdowns and his favorite target in the 47-17 massacre was Ryan Broyles caught 12 passes for 124 yards and 1 touchdown. FSU of course is much improved since then as they brought in one of the best recruiting classes in the nation and added a lot more depth in their secondary. The ‘Noles will need to control the clock with their stable of running backs including James Wilder, Chris Thompson, Devonta Freeman or even B.J Manuel who will get his fair share of runs. Speaking of Manuel, he presents a different type of animal then what Oklahoma faced last year with Christian Ponder. The athletically gifted Manuel can do a lot more things out of the pocket and could hurt the defense when he improvises to find open receivers. Manuel has been good taking care of the ball this year as well as he only has two interceptions. As far as the Sooners offense, I believe they have the most balanced team in the nation with the emergence of Dominique Whaley who had a couple of Sportscenter-esque runs. This game has a chance to be a shootout as both teams can put up numbers on offense. If it does come down to this, I have to go with Oklahoma due to the balance of their offense as I stated earlier but it will be much closer than last year’s score. Prediction: Oklahoma

Tennessee vs. Florida – This is my personal favorite game every season because of the tradition that it has. The winner of this game has went on to win the SEC East in 12 of the 19 years of the SEC. The rivalry has fallen on hard times as UT was not completive over the last few seasons but low and behold they have finally got back up. Their offense features maybe the top passing trio in the SEC with Bray, Rogers, and Hunter. Bray has been brilliant this season so far going 51/65 for 698 yards 7 Td passes no interceptions and a 78.5 completion rate. Bray has two great targets in Da’Rick Rogers and Justin Hunter. Both are big, strong, physical receivers who can catch the ball on anyone. Florida will get its first real game for new coach Will Muschamp and his team will get a boost as beast defensive linemen Shariff Floyd comes back from suspension to join the team. Florida’s defense is the strength of the team this year as the have the #1 scoring defense in the nation. The Gators front 7 is as good as it gets in college football with Jaye Howard, Ronald Powell and the aforementioned Floyd. The only weakness it appears to have is in its secondary as they feature two freshman cornerbacks. That has to scare the bejesus out of Muschamp as Bray comes to town. The Florida offense has relied heavily on its two headed monster of Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps to provide explosive plays with their speed. They have been up to the task so far but against far less competition. Jeff Brantley has played solid for the Gators so far this season but nothing spectacular in Charlie Weis’s new pro style offense. Speaking of nothing spectacular Tennessee’s defense has been decent so far this year but they will challenged early and often with the Gators two speedy running backs. The Vols haven’t been strong on the defensive line particularly this year as they don’t have the horses you need to shore up that issue. Malik Jackson has been the team’s most disruptive player on defense but he can’t do it all himself. This game will come down to the two teams strengths which for Tennessee is offense and for Florida is defense. Bray should be able to attack the Gators secondary if he gets enough time. Florida’s defensive line is the as disruptive a line as you will find and will try to touch Bray as much as they can. The ex-factor in this game will be Taurean Poole. If he can gain enough yards to keep the Gators defense honest then UT will be able to throw the ball on them. I think Bray will be in for a shell shock moment when he hears the crowd in the swamp but eventually will lead UT to the win. Florida’s offense just doesn’t seem to have the firepower to this year. Prediction: Tennessee

Miami vs. Ohio State – The ineligible bowl will be played in Miami this year and the Canes are looking for some revenge from last years defeat. I won’t even say the easy jokes and punch lines that come with this one. Ohio State narrowly escaped Toledo last week as they had to play a full game to defeat the Rockets. Miami on the other hand lost altogether to Maryland and those hideous uniforms 24-32. The good thing for the ‘Canes is that they will be getting back starters QB Jacory Harris (Don’t know if that a good thing or bad thing), LB Sean Speance, DT Marcus Fortson, DE Adwale Ojomo, and WR Travis Benjamin. Harris wasn’t very good last year when the two teams faced off in Columbus as he threw four interceptions. But that was last years Buckeyes defense, anyone who saw them against Toledo knows that the Hurricanes should have a few open windows to throw in. The Buckeyes have been doing well in the run stop department as they have only allowed 81 yards so far this season but will be tested by the underrated Miami RB Lamar Miller. Ohio State’s offense isn’t the prettiest thing to watch but it’s effective. Senior Joe Bauserman and freshman Braxton Miller provide a 1-2 punch of sorts with Bauserman usually starting and the Buckeyes running a separate package for the more athletically gifted Miller. The run game is always the name of the game in Columbus and this year Carlos Hyde (33 carries 169 yards 2 Tds) and Rod Smith (25 carries 98 yards 1 Td) have been toting the rock for the Buckeyes this year. This game comes down to if the Buckeye defense can force Harris into the same type of mistakes he made last year. Hurricanes new coach Al Golden anointed Harris the starter coming back off suspension and he needs to show the coach was right in picking him. I believe the Hurricanes will finally stand up and take back some of their dignity this game. Prediction: Miami

Game of the Week – Florida State vs. Oklahoma: This one was easy this week. Anytime you have the #1 team taking on the #5 team then more than likely that’s going to be your marquee match-up. The hype has been building all week for these two teams. Can the Seminoles re-assert themselves as a major player in the college football world or can the Boomer Sooners reinforce their hold as the #1 ranked team in all the land?

Rivalry Game – BYU vs. Utah: As much as I want to go Tennessee-Florida here, Louisville-Kentucky, or even Colorado vs. Colorado State, I have to pay homage to the holy war of BYU vs. Utah. This game is usually played later in November on rivalry week but because of Utah switching to the Pac-12 they had to move up the date. Both teams are coming off tough losses and would love none other but to put the other on a two game losing skid. This one has all the makings of a great game.

Most Intriguing game - Penn State vs. Temple: Joe Pa and co will have a tougher than expected test against the Owls this year. Temple leads the nation in sacks with 11 so far and will look to get pressure on Rob Bolden and Matt McGloin. The Nittany Lions are 36-3-1 all time against Temple but a lot of experts are saying this one will won’t be easy. We shall see this Saturday.

Under the radar game – West Virginia vs. Maryland: This should be a fun one for all you offensive minded fans. Maryland coming off their victory over Miami and the big controversy over those uniforms welcomes in a West Virginia team that likes to light up the scoreboard. West Virginia has won five in a row over the Terps and haven’t but that means nothing at this point.

Wake when its over game – Miami of Ohio vs. Minnesota: It really sucks that I have to choose this game after the situation that Gophers coach Jerry Kill suffered against USC last weekend. He appears to be ok and will be on the sidelines for this one. As far as the game itself, you have yourself have a Miami of Ohio team that has lost their last 14 non-conference road games and Minnesota who hasn’t beaten anyone of recognition it seems in forever. This one will be a snooze fest and the Big Ten Network is only covering this game because it has to.

Coach better get it right game – Kentucky vs. Louisville: I will lay off of Mark Richt this week as he has enough problems as it is. Kentucky has looked awful in its two wins with an inept offense this year. Head Coach Joker Phillips’ team needs to show some fire for the Wildcat faithful to prove he is the man for the job. No better time to for that than when arch rival Louisville and coach Charlie Strong steps onto the field. Three of the past four meetings have been decided by 7 points or less so this should be a good one.

LSU vs. Mississippi State Preview

           VS.

LSU vs. Miss State preview:

One of the best games of the week happens to come early as LSU goes to Starkville to face the Bulldogs of Mississippi State. The Bulldogs are coming off a devastating loss to Auburn after QB Chris Reif was stopped on the half yard line against the Tigers. LSU on the other hand had its way with Northwestern St and barely broke a sweat. Two ranked teams with vastly different outcomes from last game will clash in another good SEC West battle. Our LSU and Mississippi State expert Taylor Cannon has the breakdown for Thursday’s Tilt.

Offense vs. Offense: Edge Miss. State: Vick Ballard is probably one of the best RBs in the SEC (if not the nation) With Chad Bumpus as WR and Chris Reif at QB MSU has the weapons, but with a banged up O-line facing an aggressive front 5 might have more than what they bargained for. As for LSU a steady Jarrett Lee with a three head beast at RB (Alfred Blue, Michael Ford, and Spencer Ware) may give State D-line fits and if Rueben Randle gets touches it could be a long day for the State secondary as well. Edge LSU

Defense vs. Defense Edge LSU (but MSU is no Slouch either) - if LSUs front 5 can take advantage of an injured State line and LSUs physical secondary can clamp down on States WRs then LSU will have the advantage. MSUs secondary is good as well and could be waiting to jump on one of Lee’s passes

Special Teams vs Special Teams: Edge LSU: Hmm.... LSU proved it can block punts which put pressure on the kicker (see Oregon game which the block punt by Tyrann Mathieu proved key). So LSU

Intangibles: Edge LSU: State has the home field and the cowbells, but if there is any team that is prepared for tough environments and can coach in rough environments are LSU and Les Miles.

Winner: LSU: Too good on both sides and disciplined but it will be close. 35 -21

Sportaholic NFL Power Rankings Week 1

Welcome to the first edition of this season’s Sportaholic NFL power rankings. So many things to address so we’re not going to waste anytime.

The NFL is now an offensive league now and that was never more evident than this past week of games. 14 QBs went over the 300 yard plateau with 3 of those going over 400 yards and of course the fitting end to the weekend saw Tom Brady’s record breaking 517 yard performance on Monday night football. QBs have been ripping defenses to shreds, while DBs are gasping for air (I’ve seen so many players getting oxygen on the sideline). This will go down as the most prolific passing week in the history of the NFL. There are a few teams who are playing defense these days. Look no further than Baltimore as they just pulverized a team that’s use to doing the pulverizing in Pittsburgh. Houston bullied on the Peyton Manning-less Colts but its hard to put much stock into that due to the situation Indy is facing. The ”Monsters of the Midway” also did a number on the Falcons, who were suppose to have a new high-flying attack. As the season plays itself out, the defenses of the league will stand up but at least for this week, the offenses outclassed the other side of the ball.

Now for the rankings:

1. Baltimore Ravens (1-0) – When you go out and just manhandle one of the most, if not the most physical team in the league then in my opinion you deserve to be at the top of the rankings. The Ravens just pushed around the Steelers in every conceivable way. Raise your hand if you thought this one would be a close game, I will wait. My point exactly, no one could have predicted that Baltimore would just blast Pittsburgh like they did. The numbers don’t lie in this game: Baltimore forced 7 turnovers, ran for 170 yards and Joe Flacco was 17-29 for 224 yards 3 TDs and a rating of 117.5. This was just the first game of the season of course so its expected that some teams will come out flat. Big Ben looked uneasy all day in the pocket and could never find his rhythm. A lot of that had to do with the constant pressure being brought on him by Terrell Suggs (3.0 sacks) and Haloti Ngata. Even the ancient warriors Ed Reed (2 Ints) and Ray Lewis (1 Int) got in on the act. Just as dominant performance as you will get in week 1. Mark November 6th on your calendar as the Ravens travel to Pittsburgh and something tells me that the Steelers won’t forget this whooping that hated rival Baltimore put on them.

2. Green Bay Packers (1-0) The pack attack looks intact as Aaron Rodgers just picked up where he left off last year. The offense is so explosive especially when you add a healthy Jermichael Finley and rookie Randall “Corn” Cobb. Rodgers, who I rate as the 2nd best QB in league with Peyton Manning out, now has full command of the offense and just too many weapons at his disposal. He just put on a clinic in the first quarter of Thursday’s night opener, hitting his first 7 targets with precision laser passes. The defense will only get better for them as well as they get back a lot of players from injury reserve on last years roster. Clay Matthews is still a beast off the edge and will have a monster season as he did last year. A lot of things to like in the land of cheese these days.

3. New England (1-0) - This spot was toss up between the Pats and the Bears. The Pats did most of their damage on offense and the Bears did theirs on defense. I will go with the Patriots off the strength of Tom ‘Golden Boy” Brady passing bonanza. Watching the game for the first few quarters, you would have actually thought that the Dolphins had a chance. But of course once Brady got going with his tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez and things got dicey for Miami. Brady threw for 517 yards and didn’t even really use Chad Ochocinco (1 catch 14 yards). Their defense gave it the old "Bend but don’t break method" and allowed Chad Henne to rack up 416 yards but most of those were garbage time stats. The rebuilt defensive line looked good as well with Albert Haynestworth just trampling rookie Mike Pouncey a few times. Vince Woolfork also looked fresh with the addition of Hayneworth taking him out the game for a few snaps. Devin McCourty is one of the more underrated corners in the league and Ras-I Dowling has the makings of a good NFL cornerback in his rookie year. The Pats will be in for a stiffer test this weekend against the Chargers but as always you know Brady and the hoodie will be ready.

4. Chicago Bears (1-0) – It’s a wonder what 1 game can do for a team. After facing all the toughness questions in the off-season due to his non-performance in the NFC championship game, Jay Cutler lit up the Falcons secondary to the tune of 312 yards and 2 touchdowns. The Bears defensive were on it as well as they recorded sacks, 2 by Julius Peppers and 2 by Henry Melton who appears to ready for his close up as the new starting DT for the Bears. Maybe the most impressive Bear of them all was Brian Urlacher as he had an interception and picked up a fumble from Matt Ryan to take it in for the score. Chicago really has no worries on defense as they are deep and talented but its usually the offense that doesn’t perform. I think this year will be different as Mike Martz’s system has been in place for a year now. Cutler seems to be comfortable but he still is getting sacked too much as he was taken down 5 times this game. Matt Forte looked the part as well as he exploded for a 56 yard scamper off a screen pass. The Bears made the defending NFC South champs look like chumps and enough can not be said for that. But they better keep Cutler clean if they want a chance to compete this year.

5. Philadelphia Eagles (1-0) – The Eagles are all about the big play and it was on full display against the Rams. Michael Vick's passing numbers were pedestrian (14 of 32 for 187 yards 2 TDs) but you just can’t prepare for what he brings to the game with his legs (8 carries 98 yards). On top of what Vick does you have Lesean McCoy (15 rushes 122 yards), and Desean Jackson (6 catches 102 yards) who can take it to the house at anytime. More importantly for the Eagles is that the defense looked good as they limited Sam Bradford to just 188 yards passing and after allowing Steven Jackson to break off an early big run they held Rams in check on the ground as well (Although Jackson left the game with a strained quad might have had a lot to do with that). The free agents showed up as well as Cullen Jenkins recorded a sack and Jason Babin’s was just a force as he had two sacks, two tackles for loss and four QB hurries. The Eagles racked up 5 sacks in total as the reliable Trent Cole also had one. The only thing that can stop the Eagles is the Eagles in my opinion.

Offensive player of the week: Cam Newton – Wow. That was the first thing that popped in my head when I saw Killer Cam’s stat line of 24 of 37 for 422 yards and 2 passing TDs. Even though Tom Brady passed himself silly against the Dolphins, I still have to go with Cam because we expect that from Brady. Newton’s outburst wasn’t expected as he just obliterated the Cardinals defense and raised his expectations ceiling. What more can you ask for from a rookie QB who didn’t have the benefits of training camps and OTAs. Newton proved that he will be a hand full as he scored with his legs as well for his 3rd touchdown. The happiest guy besides Newton in a Panthers uniform you ask? Steve Smith, who wavered from being on a team that is clearly rebuilding, Smith had 8 catches for 178 yards and caught Newton’s two touchdown passes. Newton is by far ahead of schedule, now the only question is if he can keep this up.

Defensive player of the week: Brian Urlacher - This one is really tough because so many players had great games. Brian Urlacher (1 Int and Fumble recovery for TD), Terrell Suggs (3 sacks), Jason Babin (2 sacks,) Ed Reed (2 Ints) Mario Williams (2 sacks) and Demarcus Ware (2 sacks) to name a few. But I will go with Urlacher as his Interception of Matt Ryan seemed to sink of the confidence of the entire Falcons offense. His fumble recovery for a touchdown was classic Urlacher as he seems always find the ball when there is a scrum of players searching for it. He is the soul of the Bears team and if he continues his high level of play it will simply rub off onto that entire unit, which is already pretty good by the way.

Sportaholic College Football Finale

In a word, wow is all I can say about this past weekend of college football. One of the best slates of finishes we’ve seen in awhile. Mississippi State and Auburn played one of the wackiest games you will see with a stop at the goal line finish. Notre Dame had every opportunity to put away Denard Robinson and Michigan at the Big House and couldn’t do it. South Carolina scored in some of the most unconventional ways to defeat Georgia as the seat continues to warm under Mark Richt and Tyler Bray of the Tennessee Vols showed why many think he is the best sophomore QB in the game with his performance against Cincinnati.

Just a great weekend to be a college football fan as it seemed every marquee game had a great finish. The teams that are at the top will face even tougher opposition this week so the games should only get better. One thing I noticed the most this weekend was the lack of defense on most teams. QBs were chucking the ball all over the place in many games and the defenses were defenseless in defending them.

Now its time to breakdown the weekends top games:

Michigan 35 Notre Dame 31 – Now if your going to have your first night game at the big house, this is the way you want it to go down. Denard Robinson led Michigan to a scintillating comeback that saw him throw 2 touchdowns and an on his final three drives. He capped the game with a 16-yard strike to Ray Roundtree with 2 seconds left to lift the Wolverines to victory. Notre Dame was actually the team out the gates that looked as if it would run all over the Wolverines, as their first two drives led to touchdowns. QB Tommy Rees was sharp most of the game as he threw for 315 yards going 27-39 and 3 TD passes in the process. But Rees also had two costly interceptions and the Fighting Irish couldn’t stop the Michigan offense at all in the second half. Rees threw a 29-yard pass to Theo Riddick with 30 seconds left as Notre Dame looked to seal their first victory of the year, only to have Robinson connect with Jeremy Gallon on a wide open pass that got the Wolverines in field goal range. Instead of going for the FG that would have tied the game, Robinson took a shot at the end zone and found Roundtree for the game winner. This is the first time Michigan has beaten the Irish three times in a row since 1908. The teams rolled up the offense as they combined for 965 yards of total yards. Robinson completed only 11 passes good for 338 yards or over 30 yards a completion if you want to look at it that way. The Big House lived up to its billing in its first primetime game.

Auburn 41 Mississippi State 34 – So much for Auburn being overrated huh? The Tigers found a way to pull out a SEC slugfest as they outlasted the Bulldogs at Jordan-Hare stadium. This was another down to the wire game that saw its share of offense. Auburn jumped all over the Miss. State with a pair of quick TDs in the first from Michael Dyer on a burst of 35-yards and an interception return to take the quick 14-0 lead. The Bulldogs would come storming back and tie the game as LaDarius Perkins had a 40-yard burst of his own for a score and Chris Reif vindicated himself from his earlier Int as he found Brandon Heaven for 15-yard Td pass. It really got crazy in the 2nd quarter as the two teams traded touchdowns back and forth and ended the half with Auburn up 31-24. Vick Ballard and Chris Reif begin to pound the Tigers defense in the 2nd half as Ballard finished with 106 yards on 21 rushes. Reif was basically on the same pace as he finished with 106 yards on 27 carries. Not to be outdone, Tigers running back Michael Dyer finished with 150 yards but it was the last play of the game that saw the Auburn defense stop Reif on the hard yard line to seal the game. “We didn’t come up with the big inch,” he said. “I should have made the play.” One of the best finishes in a game you will see this year.

South Carolina 45 Georgia 42 – Another high scoring affair in the SEC that quite frankly we’re not use to seeing in the ultra physical and defensive conference. The Gamecocks got two unusual touchdowns from defensive end Melvin Ingram. The burly 276 pounder rumbled 68 yards for a touchdown on a fake punt and also recovered a fumble and took it to the house for the short score. Those two scores proved to be the difference as Georgia falls to 0-2 this season. Marcus Lattimore continued his dark horse Heisman campaign as he rushed for 175 tough yards on 27 yards. Even top freshman Jadeveon Clowney got in on the act as he burst through the line unblocked and slung Georgia QB Andy Murray to the ground causing him to fumble. That led to one of Ingram’s touchdowns as he batted it toward the end zone and took it in for a TD. Georgia did look impressive on offense as Andy Murray threw form 248 yards and four scores and running back Isaiah Crowell racked up 118 yards but it wasn’t enough to overcome its 3 turnovers. The Gamecocks take the early lead in the SEC East race.

Other notable games and players:

Tyler Bray of Tennessee: Bray just performed surgery on the Cincinnati Bearcats defense going 34-41 for 405 yards and 4 TD passes. He along with receivers Justin Hunter (10 catches 156 yards 1 TD) and Da’rick Rogers (10 catches and 100 yards 2 TDs) are beginning to form a devastating passing attack for the Vols. Bray can make all the throws and Hunter and Rogers are big physical receivers who can make all the catches. It will be fun to see how these sophomores develop as they could form the best passing trio in UT’s storied history. They will have there stiffest test yet when they face Florida this weekend. Game on.

Alabama’s defense: These guys have the resemblance of a NFL caliber defense. On a weekend of wild offensive outbursts, the Tide flexed their muscle and absolutely pounded Penn. State into submission defensively. Bama just comes at you in waves as they are deep and talented. If you watched most of the games on Saturday, there was a noticeable lack of defense in most games. You won’t have to worry about that when you watch the Tide play as they have standouts Dre Kiltpatrick, Mark Barron and Dont’a Hightower just to name a few. Alabama is allowing 1.8 yards per run and 2.8 yards per pass. Their offense seems to rely on Trent Richardson too much as A.J. McCarron continues to learn but as long as that defense shows up they will win a lot of games.

Mark Richt coaching future: The Bulldogs have to go a 7 or 8 game winning streak including a win over Florida to possibly save the longest tenured coach in the SEC job at this point. Georgia did look much improved against South Carolina but they still had far too mistakes. Richt tried to get his team’s attention this year by scheduling maybe the hardest first two games of the year for any team as they faced #4 Boise State and then #11 South Carolina, but his plan may have backfired as the young Bulldogs seem to need more seasoning before they can start to do some damage. Hopefully Richt’s job status won’t be a distraction going forward for Georgia but it more than likely will.

Texas Longhorn QBs Case McCoy and David Ash: Garrett Gilbert has been giving every opportunity to show his talents in Austin and he finally got the leash against BYU after throwing a pair of interceptions. Enter in Case McCoy and David Ash and the two went a combined 9-11 for 92 yards and two touchdowns. Gilbert short lived days of starting Texas QB may be over with his latest poor performance.

And that does it for the Sportaholic College Football Finale. Make sure to check back this week as chronicle the top games for the upcoming week including Oklahoma vs. Florida State and Tennessee vs. Florida.