How the Texans will make it to the playoffs.

The Texans currently are tied with the the Tennessee Titans 14-14 at the two minute warning, and they have looked good. The Texans the past few seasons have been the "Well, yeah, but..." team in the NFL. They now could be well on their way to the first winning season in franchise history, look out for this team down the stretch. They have a top tier quarterback in Matt Schaub, a good back in Steve Slaton with huge potential, arguably the best wide receiver in the game in Andre Johnson, an above average defense led by the pro bowl defensive end Mario Williams, and when this team gets all of these pieces working together, they are a very good team.

Think about this, Matt Schaub is averaging 294.5 Passing Yards Per Game, third in the NFL, only behind Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. He averaged an impressive 276.6 Passing Yards Per Game last season, difference this season? He is healthy. Last season Steve Slaton ran for almost 1300 yards, and the Texans were 8-8, if they had had Schaub the whole season instead of having to start the turnover machine in Sage Rosenfels for 5 games, maybe the Texans could have made a playoff run last season.

The only thing wrong with the team this season is they can't run the ball like they did last season. The Texans have always been the "Well, yeah, but..." team, and they always had some reason they didn't make the playoffs, well, they need to overcome this one if they ever want to make a run into the playoffs. Get Steve Slaton going the last half of the season, and Houston WILL be a playoff team. Right now they are a half game up on teams like Baltimore and Miami, both considered to be legitimate playoff contenders. The Texans are right up there with them., remember, they took the Colts down to the wire, and beat a good Cincinnati team earlier this season in Cincinnati. If Houston can pull off the win against Tennessee tonight, and can get the run game going the last half of the season, they will make the playoffs, and can be a good match up against any team in the AFC.

4th and what again?

The past week since Bill Belichick made that infamous 4th and 2 call on his own 28, everyone made a huge deal about how he didn't trust his defense to win the game for him. Well, that was last week. I think Tedy Bruschi summed it up when he said that those players should be for all day Monday and all day Tuesday, but you come back and get back to work on Wednesday, and that is what they did.

That "offended" defense made Mark Sanchez look like a rookie with five turnovers (4 interceptions, 1 fumble) and the run game never got going for the Jets and they made Sanchez uneasy all day.

Sanchez, who was 8 of 21 pass attempts with one touchdown and 4 interceptions, had his worst day of the season since week 6 against Buffalo, when he had 5 picks and no touchdowns. The "Sanchize" has looked like a rookie since week 3 of the season and now has 10 touchdowns and 16 interceptions.

However, with all of these side stories, the real story was the offense of New England, which was shut down in week 3 against the Jets. Wes Welker, who had a huge day, and the second best receiving day in New England franchise history with 15 catches for 192 yards and even rushed for 11 yards on one attempt. Tom Brady secured his 7th straight 300 yard game, and Randy Moss, who said that Darrelle Revis didn't deserve all of the credit for covering him, only had 5 catches for 34 yards, but did have a touchdown at the end of the first quarter.

This was a statement game, and the Patriots made a huge statement with the thrashing of the New York Jets.

Pac-10 versus SEC. Quantity or Quality?

This is the classic Quality vs. Quantity debate. The best conference in college football over the past few years has been without question the SEC, this year they might still have some of the best teams, but they don't have that same excitement they have over the past years. The Pac-10 however, has 5 teams in the top 25, 11 Oregon, 17 Stanford, 18 USC, 19 Oregon State, and 25 California, versus the SEC, who has 3 top 25 teams in 1 Florida, 2 Alabama, and 8 LSU. So, does the quality of the SEC make it a better conference than the Pac-10 who has 5 but none in the top 10? Probably by the next standings, Oregon will be back in the top ten, but for now they are 11.

There is definitely more interesting games going on in the Pac-10 at the moment, and up until the past hour it was still wide open. Oregon just beating Arizona in double OT sets up an interesting "Civil War" Rivalry game that is effectively for the Pac-10 Championship. The quality of games going on in the Pac-10 seems to rival the quality of games the SEC had in 2007, with upsets going on everywhere.

The Pac-10 record versus the SEC is 11-8, mostly thanks to UCLA sweeping series against Alabama and Tennessee. From Top to bottom, the Pac-10 is 55-34 this season as a whole, the SEC is 74-46. The SEC has 2 more teams than the Pac-10 total, and none of them are winless like Washington State. The SEC's Winning percentage this season is 61.6% and the Pac-10's is 61.8%. So, even with two unbeaten teams and the Pac-10 having a winless team, the Pac-10's record is still better. As I said, it's a quality versus quantity debate, but as for entertainment value this season, the Pac-10 is the most exciting conference in College Football this season. We effectively have an exciting Pac-10 Championship game next week, all while Florida is gonna be thumping Florida State into a pulp and Alabama should route a mediocre Auburn team. So, which is the better conference? I'm not saying that the best team from the Pac-10 could beat the SEC Champion, but from top to bottom, the Pac-10 is better. Still, the SEC has the past 3 national championships, and two of the top three teams in the country. The debate is still open, which is a better thing for a conference to have, a number of good teams, or a few dominant teams that roll over everyone else until they smash into each other at the end of the season? An age old debate, quality versus quantity.

The BCS shouldn't overshadow a team's achievements.

So, here we are again, as the weeks of the college season winds down we find ourselves looking at pretty much everything being set. The Top 3 teams have been the same for weeks, and there is always the BCS buster, except this year there are 2. TCU and Boise State. Both are exceptional teams that are overshadowed by one thing, the BCS system. The way the BCS runs things is overshadowing the great play of these two teams and making the system the story, not the teams themselves.

There has been plenty of coverage about these teams, their records, and their schedule, and almost all of it is about how they will never get a shot at a BCS Title. Maybe that is the story, maybe it isn't, but it shouldn't overshadow how great their seasons have been. Remember, this is the same TCU that has never been in a BCS Bowl game and is often overshadowed by teams in their own state in Texas and Texas Tech. Remember last year when both Texas and Texas Tech were having those great seasons? Well, TCU was having a pretty good season itself at 11-2, but were never once talked about until the end of the season, after Texas hadn't gotten into the National Championship and Texas Tech had lost their bowl game. This is a great story about a team that is overshadowed all the time, in their own state, in their own conference with Utah last year going undefeated.

The fact is, no matter what this team does, it is overshadowed by something, and this year it is the BCS System. I've seen several stories about both TCU and Boise, but the stories aren't the teams themselves, they are how these teams aren't getting a shot at the title, or how the BCS is destroying their chances. Look, I don't like the way the BCS handles the end of the season, but the story shouldn't all be about the BCS, it should be about the achievements both of these teams already have. 11-0 is impressive, and let the kids of those teams be excited about that. Don't tell them how they are getting screwed out of a title, because they aren't worried about that, and they shouldn't be. Let them live in the moment, they will have their time in the spotlight. Whether it end in a National Championship game or not, an undefeated season is still special, and the achievements of these players should be the story.

Looking both back and forward in college football.

I was looking at a lot of things from the college football season and I realized, there are a lot of disappointing things this season. There aren't as many exciting things happening this year to shift away from the disappointments, no real upsets, nobody is really taking charge of the heisman race and having an amazing season. I think we have been spoiled the past few seasons in College Football and we always expect the upset at the top, and it just hasn't happened yet this year. The top three teams have pretty much been the top three teams the whole season. The story lines are just not there. However, there are a lot of exciting things I was looking at too for next year, and it really looks like it could be a very good season next year with a lot of stars coming back. So, today I am going to list the most disappointing teams and players in college football this year, and the things to look forward for next year.

The Most Disappointing teams in College Football

#5 Ole Miss

To me, Ole Miss is a big disappointment to me. They are good team, don't get me wrong, but I think everyone thought that Ole Miss would be a factor in the SEC and maybe challenge Alabama, LSU, Florida at the top, but it definitely has been a disappointing season for Ole Miss and their talented quarterback Jevan Snead. I personally think Ole Miss misses the loss of Michael Oher on that offensive line and Jevan Snead has made bad decisions all year. Maybe Ole Miss can challenge the top of the SEC when Superman leaves the Swamp.

#4 USC

At #5 there is the University of Southern California. Really, when we think about it, they are only a 3 loss team, and a lot of teams would kill to be a a 3 loss team, but for Pete Carroll's USC Trojans, this is a huge disappointment. I think we knew they would drop a little with the losses on both sides of the ball, but I don't think anyone expected a 3 loss season. Even with the players that went on into the NFL, Carroll was always able to reload and get players to perform at a high level and maybe the losses finally caught up with him. They just don't have the play makers they used to, which is disappointing to all of the football fans in Los Angeles.

#3 Michigan

Now, I don't think anyone expected something huge out of Michigan this year, but they started off 4-0 and Tate Forcier looked like an early heisman candidate. However, since then they have fallen off the map and are now 5-7 as they finish off their season 1-6. Overall, because of their start Michigan was expected to have a winning record and maybe a bowl game, now Rich Rod is looking at back to back losing seasons and maybe a hot seat in the offseason.

#2 Kansas

Overall, this pick is basically based on both their start and the off field issues that have gone on in Lawrence. Right out of the gate Kansas looked like their 2007 BCS Bowl team and were very impressive, but since week 5 they have lost 5 straight and are probably going to be clobbered by Texas this weekend to go to under .500. Todd Reesing isn't coming back and looks like Mangino won't either. Just another disappointment in college football.

#1 Notre Dame

Is anybody really surprised by this? Notre Dame had a schedule full of creampuffs and have some of the best offensive weapons in College in Jimmy Clausen and Golden Tate. The major problem with Notre Dame is their defense, and it is much worse than last year and if Notre Dame had even a top 50 defense, they would have 8 - 9 wins this season instead of 6. Overall, this season is a huge disappointment and Charlie Weis is probably done as Notre Dame coach after this season.

Honorable Mentions: Penn State, Oklahoma, Florida State, Missouri, Virginia Tech.

Those to me are the most disappointing teams in college football in an overall disappointing season in the sport.

Now to look forward to next season and the excitement that could take place in College. The potential stars that could come back is pretty good, and I would like to see how some teams go on with losing some of their biggest stars, Florida with Tim Tebow and how bad Notre Dame will be without Jimmy Clausen and Golden Tate probably not coming back. I'm also trying to figure out in my mind which players will bounce back after disappointing seasons and which players can break out. I have a few players that could break out next year and a few players to watch out for next season.

Breakout players to watch for next season.

#5 Matt Barkley, University of Southern California. Matt Barkley has been far from stellar this season, but, he is only a true freshman. Look at the one game that Barkley didn't start, USC suffered a horrible loss, one of three terrible losses this seasons, but that isn't Barkley's fault, the defense has been shredded those last few games. Matt Barkley was the number one quarterback in high school football only two years ago, and looks like he will eventually play in the pros. The traditional Pro-Style USC Quarterback, and will probably be taken in the first round. I think he will have a USC-Caliber Season next year with the experience under his belt.

#4 Greg McElroy, Alabama. Greg McElroy has had a solid season, not a huge one, but, he hasn't had any very bad decisions, and also hasn't had a fully healthy Julio Jones for most of this season. I think next year with the experience of this season and both Julio Jones and Mark Ingram on offense, McElroy will have a great year.'

#3 Zach Collaros, Cincinnati. In relief of Tony Pike, Collaros has been one of the biggest play makers for the Bearcats. He had 10 touchdowns and 2 interceptions and is much more mobile than Tony Pike. The Bearcats didn't miss a beat with Collaros in there and won't next season either.

#2 Andrew Luck, Standford. Many people have him as the number one pick overall when he goes into the NFL Draft, most notably Todd McShay, but, right now I have him as my number 2 breakout player, it was a tossup between him and my number one choice. But, right now, he has amazing potential, probably the most in the Pac-10 with Barkley right behind him, and he will be a great college quarterback.

#1 Blaine Gabbert, Missouri. Blaine Gabbert just has the look of a Joe Flacco and Big Ben like quarterback. A full 6'5" and a huge arm. He took over for Chase Daniel and has done an amazing job with 20 touchdowns and 7 interceptions as a first year starter. I have a feeling this year is only a foreshadow of what he can do throughout his career. He will have a great season next year and will be probably the best second best Quarterback in the Big 12 next season behind Baylor Quarterback Robert Griffin, with the likes of Sam Bradford, Colt McCoy, and Todd Reesing leaving.

Honorable Mentions: Landry Jones, Oklahoma. Julio Jones, Alabama. AJ Green, Georgia.

Those are my favorite picks for breakout player of the year next year, now I am going to pick my bounce back player of the year for next year.

#5 Tate Forcier, Michigan. He looked like a heisman trophy candidate at the beginning of the season, and was expected to lead Michigan to a winning season and a bowl game, but then his Wolverines went 1 - 7 the rest of the season, leading his coach to say the starting QB job is up for grabs next season. However, Forcier was the best choice going into this season, and he will be next season. He has the talent and ability to run the spread, and I believe he will have a good season next year with the experience from this year.

#4 Julio Jones, Alabama. This pick was mostly due to injury and a season full of nicks and bruises. I think Julio Jones will have a huge year, he has the physical ability to be an amazing receiver throughout the rest of his college career and in the pros. With an improving Greg McElroy and Mark Ingram to open up to offense, Julio Jones will have a big year if he is healthy.

#3 Christian Ponder, Florida State. I think both Florida State and Christian Ponder will have a bounce back season next year, Ponder has been a decent quarterback with very good accuracy, but, I think he can do more for his team. The defense of Florida State has let them down, hopefully they will improve and Ponder will have a good season next year.

#2 Jahvid Best, California. This pick is basically because concussions are hard to come back from, and that fall that Best took looked just plain nasty. Jahvid Best was probably the best running back in the country, he had 12 touchdowns and 867 yards before he went down with the concussion against Oregon State. I think he will come into the season as a heisman favorite and will need a big year if he wants to be a high draft pick.

#1 Jevan Snead, Ole Miss. Just look at the games he has played this year, there are very few games in which he looked close to the Jevan Snead coming into the year as a heisman trophy candidate and possibly the best NFL prospect in college. In possibly the biggest games this year he has had his worst games of the year. Against an albeit, great Alabama defense, Snead had 4 interceptions and no touchdowns as his team only got a field goal. Against Tennessee he only had 133 yards and 1 interception. Against Auburn, 16 of 35 with 1 touchdown and 2 picks. Overall it has been a disappointing season for the talented Snead. He has all the physical tools to be a great quarterback, and it is almost a given he will come back for his senior season and will need to have a great season to get back in favor of the pro scouts. Jevan Snead will have a big year next year.

Overall as we go into the final weeks of this college football season, I look back at the disappointments of a bland season, maybe the bowl games will provide some excitement, but, so far this season there hasn't been much. Though, I am looking forward to next year as a statement year. As far as the top returning players, it all depends on who does what, I'm almost certain Jimmy Clausen will go into the draft, Jake Locker should come back for his senior season, and Sam Bradford shouldn't even touch a football again in college. Overall, my top returning players based on this is as follows.

#5 Jevan Snead, Ole Miss.

#4 Jahvid Best, California.

#3 Mark Ingram, Alabama.

#2 Toby Gerhart, Stanford. (He is eligible for a 5th year)

#1 Jake Locker, Washington.

Honorable Mention: Dion Lewis, Pittsburgh. Robert Griffin, Baylor. Kellen Moore, Boise State. Andrew Luck, Standford. Zach Collaros, Cincinnati. Jeremiah Masoli, Oregon.

There is my thoughts on what could lie ahead in college football next season. Even though this season isn't over I think looking ahead, College football will have an exciting season next year and it should be fun to watch.

The Players you just love to watch play.

Today I was thinking about some of the players in the NFL and college that people just love to watch. Whether it be a quarterback, a running back, wide receiver, defensive back, linebacker, defensive lineman, you just have to love the way these guys play. They are some of the best players at their position, and can just make you sit at your TV with an amazed expression on your face. Im going to try and name the person from each position that just makes you want to watch them, starting from the defensive side of the ball then to the offensive play makers.

My favorite NFL Players to watch:

Defensive End: Jared Allen, Minnesota Vikings. I think the most exciting defensive end in the league to watch is Jared Allen in Minnesota. He has one of the most impressive motors in the league, he led the league in sacks in '07, had 14.5 in '08 and already has 10.5 this season, which is good for second place behind Elvis Dumervil. Overall I just enjoy watching Jared Allen play, he has been a force in the league the past few years and creates havoc for every other team's quarterback.

Honorable Mentions: Dwight Freeney, Indianapolis Colts. John Abraham, Atlanta Falcons.

Defensive Tackle: Albert Haynesworth, Washington Redskins. Even in Washington, Albert Haynesworth has still historically been a force of a nose tackle. He can be constantly double teamed and still make it into the backfield to make a play. He is one of the most exciting defensive players in the league, and look at where Tennessee's defense is without him, allowing 28 points a game. He obviously had an impact there. He can make a great play on any down, in any situation.

Honorable Mentions: Kevin and Pat Williams, Minnesota Vikings.

Middle Linebacker: Ray Lewis, Baltimore Ravens. Just, the history of plays makes Ray Lewis special as a player, even at his age he is still one of the NFL's elite defensive players. He puts 110% into every single play. He makes the big tackles and makes the plays when he needs to. One of the best linebackers in NFL history, and a sure fire hall of famer.

Honorable Mentions: Patrick Willis, San Francisco 49ers. Brian Urlacher, Chicago Bears.

Outside Linebacker: DeMarcus Ware, Dallas Cowboys. This one was a hard pick for me, but, as I looked through my mind to think of the player at this position that just jumped out of the screen for me, it was DeMarcus Ware. He is one of the most prolific pass rushers in the NFL at this position, and uses his incredible motor and finesse to make his way to the quarterback. He bursts into the offensive line every chance he gets and makes big plays. Just last year he was on the verge of the NFL Sack record, just coming up short with an incredible 20 sacks.

Honorable Mentions: James Harrison, Pittsburgh Steelers. Shawne Merriman, San Diego Chargers.

Cornerback: Darelle Revis, New York Jets. Probably the best cover corner in football is Darelle Revis. He shuts down almost everyone he faces one on one. He allows the Jets to do other things with Kerry Rhodes instead of using him to double cover a Randy Moss or Andre Johnson. If you watched the first match up between Revis and Moss, you know why I picked Darelle Revis. As much as it hurts me to pick a New York Jet as a favorite player to watch at any position, I have to give this to Darelle Revis, hands down.

Honorable Mentions: Antoine Winfield, Minnesota Vikings. Champ Bailey, Denver Broncos.

Safety: Troy Polamalu, Pittsburgh Steelers. If you watched the Steelers at any time during their super bowl run last year, you understand why I took Polamalu. I have seen him make some of the most acrobatic and athletic plays for someone at any position. He makes the big plays, the big hits, the interceptions, and just jumps out of your screen when you watch him.

Honorable Mentions: Darren Sharper, New Orleans Saints. Ed Reed, Baltimore Ravens.

Offensive Lineman: Joe Thomas, Cleveland Browns. A bright spot on an absolutely dreadful team is their two time pro-bowl offensive tackle, Joe Thomas. His impact on the 2007 Browns was huge, with him on the offensive line and protecting the quarterback they went from 4-12 to 10-6. He is one of the most impressive lineman in the league.

Honorable Mentions: Steve Hunchinson, Minnesota Vikings. Bryant McKinnie, Minnesota Vikings. Michael Roos, Tennessee Titans.

Tight End: Jason Witten, Dallas Cowboys. This was a tossup for me between Jason Witten and Antonio Gates, but, Jason Witten is really the number one receiver on the Cowboy's roster and one of the best in the game at his position. He is willing to run right down the middle of the field and take the hits. The most overlooked aspect in a tight end's game is blocking, and Witten does that pretty good as well.

Honorable Mentions: Antonio Gates, San Diego Chargers. Tony Gonzalez, Atlanta Falcons.

Wide Receivers: Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals. This was a hard choice because there are so many good wide receivers, but none of them are better than Larry Fitzgerald. He is a big receiver, can jump over defenders and grab the ball out of the air, runs great routes, and has been one of the best receivers in the game for a couple years now. He jumps out of the screen and makes spectacular plays every time the ball is thrown his way.

Honorable Mentions: Andre Johnson, Houston Texans. Reggie Wayne, Indianapolis Colts. Randy Moss, New England Patriots. Wes Welker, New England Patriots. Calvin Johnson, Detroit Lions. Hines Ward, Pittsburgh Steelers.

Fullback: Tony Richardson, New York Jets. A very underrated position in football is the fullback. Tony Richardson has been one of the best in the business throughout his career, just look at the numbers the rushers behind him had. In 2004 and 2005 with the Cheifs, Richardson helped pave the way for Larry Johnson's two 1700 yard seasons. In 2006 he was with the Vikings, the year that Chestor Taylor had over 1200 yards rushing. In 2007 he led Adrian Peterson through the tackles and helped him gain over 1300 yards on the ground. In 2008, the Jets acquired Richardson and guard Alan Faneca, Thomas Jones gained about 200 yards more than the previous season. Richardson is a four-time pro-bowler and one of the bests fullbacks in the game.

Honorable Mentions: Madison Hedgecock, New York Giants. Le'Ron McClain, Baltimore Ravens.

Running Back: Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings. The best running back in the league today is Adrian Peterson. He can do it all, run through the tackles, break it to the outside, and is an enjoyment to watch run. He is one of the best players to watch in football, it is just amazing to see him run the ball.

Honorable Mentions: Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville Jaguars. LaDainian Tomlinson, San Diego Chargers. Brandon Jacobs, New York Giants. Michael Turner, Atlanta Falcons.

Quarterback: Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers. Now, remember, this is my personal favorite players to watch. Not the best player at each position. Big Ben, in my opinion, is one of the best quarterbacks to watch play the game. He extends plays with his escape ability and has a huge arm to let the ball fly. When the pressure is on, he is one of the best quarterbacks in the game and is one of the funnest players to watch.

Honorable Mentions: Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts. Tom Brady, New England Patriots. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints. Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers.

There you have it, those are my favorite players in the league to just watch playing football. I encourage you all to share your opinions on what players you love to watch play the game, maybe make your own list. If you watch some of the games every week, there are just players that jump off your screen and make you notice them, even if they don't have good stats that week there are probably gonna be a few plays that will keep you glued to the TV screen wondering what just happened. Those were some players that I think are capable of doing that at anytime on any given Sunday.

Winning Cures Everything.

I know this a cliche little term that just about everyone in sports uses, but that is why it is used everywhere. It's true. What made me want to write about this is the incidents in Kansas this season with Mark Mangino. Now, don't get me wrong, Mangino is a smart football coach and turned around that program immensely, making a basketball school get excited about what they can do in football is an impressive thing.

If you haven't heard yet, recently players from KU and former players have complained about the way Mangino has been coaching them the past few seasons. He has anger issues and apparently takes it out on the players. The only thing I was thinking of was, where were the complainers a couple years ago when Kansas was 12-1 and winning a BCS Bowl? Oh, that's right, there weren't any. Where were the complainers when Kansas started off 5-0 and looked like the old 2007 team? Oh, yeah, there wasn't any. Do not get me wrong, verbally abusing players is not right and I don't approve anything to do with it, but, why weren't these kids coming out with this stuff when Kansas was good? And why haven't the big stars of Kansas said anything about it? Are they too loyal to their coach, or are they just happy with whatever comes with success? You see it in every sort of team that is losing. Rich Rodriguez is apparently making his kids spend too much time invested in football. Nobody complained about this when he had a good team in West Virginia, but when he has a bad team in Ann Arbor, the story comes out. Eric Mangini is going through the same thing, he apparently puts his team through excruciating practices, though, the complaints have only ever come out when he is on a 1-8 Cleveland team. I never heard any of the Jets players complaining of practices, maybe that's because they were a par team and had somewhat of a chance most years he was there.

The fact is, winning cures everything. I'm sure if Cleveland was even a 4-5 team right now, they wouldn't be saying anything about Eric Mangini's practices. Same thing with Mangino, if Kansas was 10-0 or 9-1 or even 7-3 team there would be no complaints of the way Mangino is coaching because it is bringing success. Nothing brings out controversy like a losing team. It's happened in Michigan, it's happened in Cleveland, and most recently it is happening in Kansas. Not saying what Mangino is doing is right by any means, just saying this story wouldn't be out if it was still week 5 of the college football season when Kansas was undefeated.

A little addition

I can't believe I forgot this in my last post, but, I managed to not include the Detroit Lions. One of the most putrid teams in the past decade. But, if you take a look at the Lions this year and they are improving. I think their coach is doing the right things, they are playing hard and actually believe they can win. With a few things going right for them, I think the Lions can improve in the next couple seasons to a good football team.

Lets start with what the Lions have.They have an amazing receiver in Calvin Johnson (not great stats, but how would you expect to have good stats when you are double or even triple teamed on every snap?), a good young running back in Kevin Smith, an improving young quarterback with a big arm in Matthew Stafford. Overall, the Lions are definitely on the right track. The bad thing, their defensive line is putrid. They absolutely need to go with a defensive lineman this year. (Starting line has total of 2 sacks combined so far this season) It all depends on what the teams before them will do. I think Tampa will have the first pick, and it all depends on what they do because they need a defensive player as well. If Tampa Bay goes with Ndamukong Suh, defensive tackle out of Nebraska, then the second best player in that position in the draft is probably Gerald McCoy of Oklahoma. The Lions obviously need a big play defensive lineman, and McCoy could provide this. I also think the Lions need a receiver to compliment Calvin Johnson on the other side, as I said before, Johnson is double and triple teamed every single snap of the ball, and the Lions need to change that. What I suggest is getting a big play potential wide receiver on the other side in the later rounds, maybe a Golden Tate in the second round, or an Eric Decker in the third round. Sure things in college and I believe both can play on a high level in the pros, especially with someone to learn from like Calvin Johnson. With a decent second option at receiver, Matt Stafford will have a good choice to throw the football to, and it will open up the offense for Kevin Smith. Both who have star potential in the pros. In conclusion, the Lions are not a totally hopeless team, they have talent and could improve to a decent team next year with a good draft, and with improvements, could be a wildcard contender in the next couple years in a league full of just above .500% teams.

Looking Ahead to the Future.

Well, today I was thinking of the NFL disparity in teams this year. Teams we know aren't gonna be in it and what they should do for the future of their team and how they could get better and improve on their overall team for the next year, not saying they could be a playoff team, but, maybe get another win or two and build on it over the next few years. God knows we have teams that will still rebuild for another 4 - 5 years at least with what they have done the past few years (Oakland is a prime example. Just saying, Al Davis, step off and let the players play.) So, on that thought, I figured I would share my opinion on what players these teams should take coming out of College. I'll focus on only a few teams, Oakland, Kansas City, Buffalo, Tampa Bay, Cleveland, Tennessee and Saint Louis. Let's make this clear, I still don't know where each team will be in the upcoming draft, the season still has 7 games to go, and these teams could with a few more games and impact their draft status, i'm just going on what I think they should do.

Oakland: Well, I figured I would get the worst run of the teams done first. The Raiders haven't done well in the draft the past few years, with their first round picks being total busts with JaMarcus Russel completing about 47% of his passes and Darius Heyward-Bey not knowing how to catch a ball. Sure, Russel can throw it 70 yards, but it doesn't help when that 70 yard pass goes about 20 yards away from the receiver, and don't get me started on Heyward-Bey, the Raiders were crazy to draft him above Michael Crabtree. So, I think the first issue (well, the first issue actually on the field, the real first issue would be that crazy, bald man running the team) of the Raiders this year is in fact, the quarterback. The Raiders have a few choices here, they could go with the quarterback with the strong arm (Jimmy Clausen) or the one with more accurate throws and a quicker release (Sam Bradford). Well, my first thought was, how did the strong arm guy go for them a couple years ago, huh? Oh yeah, that same guy has 47% completion rating and 4 touchdowns this year. If they do pick a QB, Bradford should be the way they go. But, do the Raiders really want to spend big money on a unproven quarterback again when they can probably get a good prospect like a Jevan Snead, or a Colt McCoy in the later rounds? I don't think so. My personal opinion is they should take a defensive player, and the best player on the board on defense in my opinion is Eric Berry, the safety from Tennessee or even Ndamukong Suh,defensive tackle out of Nebraska if he is available when the Raiders go. Will they do it? Probably not. Should they? In my opinion, most definitely.

Kansas City: The Cheifs are improving in my opinion under Todd Haley, and they have some good offensive weapons in Dwayne Bowe and Jamaal Charles, and a quarterback who they are paying big money in Matt Cassel. They don't need a defensive end either, so, there goes the two top positions in this draft, so, I believe they need some sort of defensive leader however, and Rolando McClain is that type of guy. the Cheifs could possibly go with an Eric Berry or Taylor Mays if they want to reach a little on him, but McClain is probably the best choice for them.

Buffalo: The Bills need an offense, their line is a mess, the Quarterback isn't terrible, but, I don't think he will get much better than he is already. They could go with Russel Okung in this position, he is the best tackle in the draft this year and could solidify them pretty well, that is if he is available by the time they Bills get to pick, both Saint Louis and Cleveland need an offensive lineman as well, and they will probably go before Buffalo. However, this also depends on the coach with Dick Jauron now fired, the Bills have already started talking to Mike Shanahan, and Shanahan has always loved the big arm quarterbacks (Elway, Cutler) and the quarterback in the draft this year with the biggest arm is Jimmy Clausen, and I believe if Shanahan if coach of the Bills, Clausen will be their pick if he is available.

Tampa Bay: Well, isn't this a predicament? Tampa Bay drafts Josh Freeman first round last year, and then a huge class of quarterbacks comes in this year. Well, Tampa Bay will probably have one of the top three picks this year, having only one win through 9 games kinda shows how bad you are. I think Tampa should go with Ndamukong Suh out of Nebraska as their pick, he would immediately be the best defensive lineman on the bucs and could end up providing a Warren Sapp like presence on the defense again. Tampa Bay looks like they are going in the right direction, they have improved with Freeman at the helm, and could probably be a decent team in the near future.

Cleveland: Oh where oh where did 10-6 go? Seems like an eternity since the Browns were one game out of the playoffs two years ago doesn't it? They had a good quarterback in Derek Anderson who had looked great at times, a big time receiver in Braylon Edwards, and a Tight end that looked like a younger version of Antonio Gates in Kellen Winslow. Where are they now? Braylon Edwards has gone to the Jets, Winslow to Tampa Bay, Derek Anderson has the second worse Passer rating in the league only in front of the absolutely putrid JaMarcus Russel, and their offense hasn't even produced more all season than Tom Brady did in a quarter against the Titans. However, the Browns do have a decent defense, they did hold Baltimore to only one touchdown, I think if they had an offense they could have had a slight chance of winning that game on monday night. The Browns do need an offense, and I don't think Mangini is coming back next year, so, maybe they will know their starter before 4 days before the start of the season. If all they need is an offense, maybe they could use a big time receiver. If the Browns want to reach a bit, they could go with Dez Bryant out of Oklahoma State. A big receiver with Braylon Edwards like physical ability, but maybe he could hold onto the ball a little better. If not, they could always go with a Sam Bradford, Jake Locker, or another local Notre Dame boy in Jimmy Clausen. they could even get Russel Okung is he is there, which will be a great addition to Joe Thomas on the other side. Either way, the Browns need help on offense.

Tennessee: Lets face the facts, the Titans are not a horribly run team without stability, they were 13-3 just last season. They have huge offensive weapons in Chris Johnson and drafted a potential big play receiver in Kenny Britt last season. Vince Young has looked good in his starts, he hasn't been phenomenal, but, he has won his games. Tennessee's defense isn't the same as it was during the 13-3 season of last year, but, it still has the potential to be a shut down defensive unit. I believe they could use a play maker on defense, and maybe an Eric Berry if he falls into their lap, local kid, great talent, and a huge play maker. If Berry doesn't fall to them, they could fall back on Taylor Mays, who is a good talent out of USC this season.

Saint Louis: The Rams have been one of the most putrid NFL Franchises in the last few seasons. Let's face it, they need a lot of help. Saint Louis is getting better, but, they aren't good yet. They need a better o-line, better quarterback, and better receivers. They may not be able to get all of those in this draft, but, they could pick up on a few of those needs. First of all, the quarterbacks in this draft is a great class with wonderful talent. I think if the Rams take a QB, it should be Jake Locker. They don't have a great offensive line in Saint Louis, and Jake Locker can move around and has great escape ability with an average arm. He could use that to his advantage while Saint Louis tries to figure out their o-line problems. Plus, Marc Bulger could mentor him a bit about being an NFL Quarterback. Marc Bulger was one of the best in the NFC before he got injured and could still teach Locker a thing or two. Plus, depending on what happens in the draft, the Rams could end up with Jordan Shipley in the second to third round, and doesn't Jake Locker and Jordan Shipley just sound like a great combination? It does to me.

Let's face the facts folks, these teams need help and a lot of things could happen this year in the draft. There are a few teams I didn't get close into that might have a few interesting ways to go this year that will get a brief part in this.

49ers: Get a Defensive End, I suggest a Carlos Dunlap or Derrick Morgan.

Seattle: A lot of people are suggesting for Seattle to go for a Quarterback, but, due to the depth of this class, I would go for one in the later rounds while they still have Matt Hasselbeck. Go for a Offensive Tackle, Charles Brown, Brian Buluga, or Anthony Davis.

Jacksonville: Another one I suggest to get a Defensive End, whichever of Carlos Dunlap or Derrick Morgan is available, take them.

Green Bay: I suggest an Offensive Lineman to keep Aaron Rodgers off of the ground for maybe a few plays. Any of the ones I have mentioned previously will work well.

New England: They don't really fit into the bad teams, but since they are my favorite team, I figured I would throw them in. GET A RUNNING BACK! Get someone who can run the ball consistently, Maroney has had his chance, get someone like a Jonathan Dwyer, maybe even a Ben Tate.

Anyway, the draft should be exciting, and every team has a chance to pick up that franchise player that could be with them for ten years. My personal favorite prospects are Eric Berry, Derrick Morgan, and Jimmy Clausen. This draft could be the most interesting in a few years, and with the Quarterback prospects, could end up like the 1983 draft with Elway, Kelly, and Marino, or the 2004 Draft with Eli Manning, Phillip Rivers, and Ben Roethlisberger who have a combined 3 Championship Rings and have made the playoffs 11 out of a combined 12 chances since. Either way, Ill be tuning into the 2010 NFL Draft this spring.

Looking for a leader?

Sports today always requires someone to take charge. If you look at every good team in history, they all had good leaders. The great sports teams I can name off the top of my head had great leaders, the 70s Steelers with Terry Bradshaw, the 80s 49ers and Bears with Joe Montana and Walter Payton, the 90s 49ers with Steve Young, the 90s Broncos and Cowboys with John Elway and Troy Aikman, the 2000s Patriots with Tom Brady, and the 2000s Colts with Peyton Manning. All of those teams had an amazing leader at the helm, and most of them were quarterbacks. Today, sports are all about looking for that leader, the person who is going to guide your team to the playoffs, and even a championship. Whether that be a coach, a quarterback, a running back, a defensive player, somebody has to step up and perform.

Speaking of leaders, I think Ill start with a race that everyone seems to think has no clear cut winner, the Heisman Trophy Race. To me, there are few people who are taking in consideration what the meaning of the Trophy is, it is for the best player in collegiate football. Whether that person be on a bad team, an average team, or a great team. Some people are writing off players based on their exposure, where they play, what system they run, all those type of things should not come into factor when considering the best player in college football this year. There are a few candidates I would like to mention today that aren't getting close to enough attention based on their ability and the way they have performed this year.

#1

My personal favorite dark horse candidate to win the Heisman is Kellen Moore of Boise State. He has some of the most impressive numbers I have seen from a quarterback, and is probably the most important single reason that Boise is undefeated. His touchdown to interception ratio is astounding, throwing 32 touchdowns and only 3 interceptions, that is a 10:1 ratio. That is an amazing number, it means for every 10 touchdowns he throws, he throws a pick. Think about this for a second, Carson Palmer when he won the Heisman, only had about a 3:1 touchdown to interception ratio, Jason White 4:1, Matt Leinart 7:1, Sam Bradford 6:1. And remember, Bradford's numbers were considered "video game" like by many, so why is Kellen Moore not a favorite again? Oh yeah, because he doesn't go to a Florida, Texas, Alabama, Oklahoma, USC. Boise State has gotten some notice recently, but not as much as they should. Also, the one argument for Colt McCoy or a Tim Tebow or a Mark Ingram over a Kellen Moore is "Well, they are playing for a winning team." or "Ive seen them play, they are better than their numbers." Well people, there are a reason they are better than their numbers, they haven't been that good besides Mark Ingram. There is no doubt Tebow and McCoy are great leaders, but the cast around them is usually pretty good. McCoy has Jordan Shipley and Tebow the last couple years had Percy Harvin and Lewis Murphy. Though, the numbers don't lie. Tebow? His numbers, 1730 passing yards, 12 touchdowns, 5 interceptions. Not very impressive is it? His rushing numbers? 171 attempts, 604 yards, and ten touchdowns. His average per rush is only 3.5, about 0.8 yards lower than his Heisman season two years ago. He is a great leader, no doubt, but best player? I think not. Colt McCoys numbers? 2628 yards, 19 touchdowns, 11 interceptions. A little better than Tebow's, but, not even close to the level he played on last year when he finished second in the Heisman vote. Once again, a winner and great leader, no doubt, best player in college football? Definitely not this year. As far as the "winning team" argument, uhm, look at the stats people, Boise State is #6 in the country and sitting at 10-0. I know he doesn't play for a big school or a BCS team, but, the award isn't for the best player on the biggest team. It is for the best player in College Football, and Kellen Moore has his own case for that. If not, well, he still has a very good chance at the Davey O'Brien award.

#2

Another Quarterback that has eye-popping numbers that isn't being considered widely as a Heisman candidate is Case Keenum. He doesn't have to amazing touchdown to interception ratio that Moore does, but he has a pretty impressive 5:1 ratio as it stands with 31 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. The most impressive thing about Keenum this year, is how many yards he has. He has 4,194 passing yards, which is an amazing 1,003 more yards than the second leading passer this year, Tyler Sheenan of Bowling Green, with Levi Brown and Jimmy Clausen third and fourth respectively. I understand that Houston is definitely a passing team, and undeniably has a history of prolific passers under their schemes, much like Texas Tech, but the thing Tech has had the past few years is a little receiver by the name of Michael Crabtree, Harrel was undeniably good, but Crabtree made him better. Keenum however, has no receiver over 1000 yards yet this season. That was a very surprising number to me when I found it, he has over 4000 passing yards, and no receiver for Houston has 1000 yards, that means he spreads the ball around, and reads the field pretty darn well. Another thing, Houston is not a slouch of a team, they are 8-2, and would be 9-1 if their defensive players had made it on the field for the UTEP game. Keenum has a case for just about any passing or offensive award.

#3

Time for a defensive player, which I know isn't very often in the Heisman race, but, this is one I want to make. Everyone is raving about Nebraska Defensive Lineman, Ndamukong Suh, but my pick is Derrick Morgan out of Georgia Tech. He is on a winning team, and a team that will probably be the ACC Champions, he has very good stats, with 12 sacks being second in the nation only behind Texas A&Ms Von Miller (15). The numbers aren't spectacular, but if you have seen this guy play this year, you know how good he is. I watched the Duke game very closely, and he didn't have spectacular, eye-popping numbers, but he dominated that Duke offensive line and made some pretty good plays. That is the kind of player I would want on my football team. Morgan has an incredible motor and did not stop pushing until the game was over, making Duke adjust to where he was, not him adjusting to Duke. That is the sign of a great player, when the other team knows they have to stop you, but just can't. That is Heisman type football. He may not be the flashiest pick, but if a defensive player wins it, my vote would be Derrick Morgan, by a very slim margin over Suh.

Those were my favorite dark horse Heisman candidates. As far as the actual winner, it will probably be Mark Ingram of Alabama, and deservingly so, he is an amazing running back. Even though he is not my personal pick, Ingram will probably win the Heisman by a good margin unless something happens to Alabama down the road and they lose before they go to the SEC Championship game. I still think Kellen Moore of Boise State is the best candidate for the award, but, I don't have a vote. Either way, the award will come down to the wire and it should be an exciting thing to watch the Heisman special this year if it stays this close.

Well, that's my two cents on the Heisman trophy this year, I'm sure you all have your own opinions and all have reasons as I had mine. There are a lot of candidates out there and there are still 2 more games left for most of the candidates to prove themselves, some 3 more depending on championship games. Anything can happen in College Football, and it will be an exciting last two to three weeks of the season.