MNF: Philadelphia vs. New Orleans

I need to live blog a game this week anyway, so I'll be blogging tonight's MNF match up between the Eagles and Saints.

8:22- Eight minutes to kick-off for Monday Night Football, with the Eagles and Saints both in a must-win situation.

8:28- The presidential candidates are being interviewed at halftime? Football really is America's sport.

8:31- Clearly Brees has been a better quarterback than Vick all year, but, unfortunately for the Saints, the Eagles have the edge in every other position.

8:33- Yes, Eagles are in a much better position than the Saints in their division, but the Saints are in the same division as the 8-0 Falcons...

8:40- No chance for Boykin to show off so far. I'm still unsure whether they should be using him or Jackson.

8:42- That 18-yard catch for Jackson said more about the New Orleans defense than it did about the Eagles offense. That defense looks awful.

8:46- Just like with every game this season, Vick is going to have to throw more quickly. Way too much pressure always on him, even with a bad defense like New Orleans.

8:49- BIG 14-yd pick up to Avant to convert that third down. More blitz pressure made Vick throw quick.

8:50- This challenge looks like it will go in the Saints favor. Big break for them in what looked like a 3rd down conversion.

8:52- Lucky for Avant, he may have used the ground as a third hand here. New Orleans gets the short stick for now.

8:54- McCoy NEEDS a big run. Needs to break out of his funk.

8:56- The Eagles' offensive line caused that fumble, not Vick. 

8:57- The Eagles were in field goal position a play ago. Now, they're punting.

9:03- Trent Cole's failed blitz leads to a 38-yard catch after the Saints seemed headed for a 3-and-out.

9:06- Hartley misses the 52-yard attempt. He made a 53-yard field goal earlier this season, but couldn't pull this one out. Tough break for the Saints.

9:09- Brown is now the Eagles the most productive back (of the game) following that 40-yard run.

9:10- If this interception gets overturned, the Eagles are incredibly lucky.

9:11- Touchdown for the Saints from that. The Eagles Achilles' Heal HAS been these turnovers. Vick threw the interception, made the foul that resulted in the touchdown.

9:19- Bryce Brown may get more looks than McCoy if he keeps this up.
9:25- HUGE run by McCoy at 4th and 1. He avoids seemingly all of the Saints defense, and even almost scores. Maybe that was what he needed.
9:27- Henery's 22-yard field goal attempt is good. 7-3 Saints.
9:34- 23-yard run for Mark Ingram. Eagles defense isn't looking good.
9:35- After another first down, this is looking like the Super Bowl offense the Saints had in the past.
9:35- And just like that, Ivory gets the Saints a touchdown. 14-3 Saints.
9:42- Vick runs for his own first down. Given a lack of pressure, he SHOULD do that.
9:42- Another first with Clay Harbor. Gotta keep it moving quickly if they want to be successful.
9:49- The Eagles are going to need to get into the end zone if they want to win this game. Clearly, the Saints offense is still firing, even if their defense isn't. But, the Saints defense is looking much better than expected, keeping the Eagles to just a field goal so far.
9:51- The Saints have done fine without Darren Sproles, as Ivory and Ingram and more than aptly filling in.
9:53- That's at least the second time Asomugha has failed to tackle Ivory. He's just too big for him. Over-matched.
9:54- Two-straight first downs pushes the Saints back into the red zone just in time for the Two minute warning. The Eagles need to hold them to a field goal if they don't want to let this game slip away from them.
9:57- Pierre Thomas to the 1. Eagles run defense has been awful. They need luck here.
9:58- Brees to Colston for the touchdown. Brees has now thrown touchdowns in 51 straight games. Unbelievable. 21-3. Chances are that Reid speaks with the defense at halftime.
10:03- A three-and-out for the Eagles. This team is not looking good. They need a huge second half.
10:06- Eagles make the stop for what seems like the first time all game. 11 seconds left in the half.
10:07- Eagles run it to end the half. 21-3 Saints.
10:14- Mitt Romney just took credit for the Patriots Super Bowl victories and the Red Sox World Series.
10:23- Nate Allen is missed as his replacement allows the Saints to convert with a pass to Graham.
10:25- Holding call saves the Eagles from another red zone danger.
10:28- Brees to Colston on a 3rd-and-6 puts the Saints back in the red zone. Eagles have not adjusted at all.
10:29- Brandon Graham strips the ball from Brees, Eagles end up with it.
10:32- 77-yard catch for DeSean Jackson for the score. This may have been just what the Eagles needed. 21-10 Saints.
10:37- On the kick return, Saints fumble, Eagles recover.
10:37- Vick runs for the first down, into the red zone. This game has been going the Eagles way the last 13-14 seconds.
10:38- Vick gets sacked yet again, with a loss of 11. The offensive line still doesn't have it together.
10:39- 37-yard field goal is good. 21-13 Saints. If only the Eagles can force more fumbles that result in scoring plays, they may get right back into this game. Being only a touchdown down is much more comfortable, but their defensive and offensive lines still need a lot of work.
10:45- David Sims makes a good play, on the other side of the line, taking down Ivory for a loss.
10:45- Brees converts again, this time to Lance Moore, in a pass that should have been intercepted, but Asomugha didn't get in the way.
10:47- Ingram is catching balls now, too. He's been a dynamic weapon against the Eagles today, as the Saints are knocking on the door again.
10:52- Touchdown to Jimmy Graham. 28-13 Saints. Single coverage was not enough to stop him.
10:56- Illegal forward pass on the return for a touchdown prevents the Eagles from scoring.
11:00- Pass to Maclin just short of the 30 for a fresh set of downs. End of the third quarter.
11:05- Vick sacked for the fifth time. Something needs to be done about this. Five sacks from this bad Saints defense is unacceptable. Eagles are forced to punt.
11:11- Brees is sacked by Babin, but the fumbled ball is bounced forward and Thomas falls on it. Saints still have to kick, though. Eagles start at the 26.
11:16- Jason Avant continues to be a nice option for Vick, who gives the Eagles a first down.
11:20- Into the red zone, the Eagles need to avoid the pressure of the blitz, and score seven here, or this game is over, with only five minutes left.
11:22- Crucial 3rd-and-five turns into a first-and-goal with a pass to Celek.
11:25- Two five yard penalties in a row against the Eagles push them back to 2nd-and-fifteen, which is promptly followed by a sack. 3rd-and-twenty-two now. They need a big one.
11:26- 15 yard pass to Celek, which he fumbles. This is messy. Eagles are done.
11:32- A three-and-out leads to the two minute warning. Even if the Eagles score quickly on this drive, they'd be forced to try something risky like an on-sides kick if they want to push this game to overtime.
11:36- The Eagles have quickly made their way down field, but their ability to even score here comes into question.
11:38- Clay Harbor drops a wide open pass, a fitting metaphor for this game.
11:38- 4th-and-ten with 14 seconds left. Vick pass incomplete. Eagles lose, 28-13. Saints' and Eagles' records both stand at 3-5 now.

Off Season Outlook: David Ortiz

The Boston Red Sox off season promises to be the most active one in years. The organization has a lot of work to do (and I mean A LOT), starting with their expiring contracts of David Ortiz and Cody Ross. Most significantly is Ortiz, who the Red Sox hope to lock up before their sole negotiating rights with him expire on Saturday, November 3.

David Ortiz is the face of the franchise. Without David Ortiz, there is no 2004 World Series Championship. 2007, too. Ortiz went into the last off season without a contract, too. He wanted a two-year deal, but the Red Sox were hesitant due to age (he was 36 at the time.) They signed him to just a one-year deal. Ortiz was not happy with the length, so he had a chip on his shoulder. A year later, Ortiz has proven to still be Big Papi, and although he missed a good portion of the season due to injury, Ortiz was one of, if not THE, most productive Red Sox in 2012. For that reason, the Red Sox MUST sign him.

There's also the issue of the Texas Rangers, who outed themselves as suitors for Ortiz on November 2. The Red Sox CANNOT allow Ortiz to end up in Texas. Texas is arguably the best team in the American League over the last three years, and David Ortiz would make them monstrous. That adds to why the Red Sox NEED to re-sign Ortiz.

Who hits for power if the Red Sox fail to sign Ortiz? The argument can be made for Cody Ross, Will Middlebrooks, and Jarrod Saltalamacchia, but no one is expecting any of them to hit 30 home runs. Heck, they could all struggle to hit 20. For years after Manny Ramirez's departure, Ortiz pleaded for another big bopper for the middle of the order. They had that in Adrian Gonzalez, but he's gone now. To lose Ortiz would make them pretty much without a power bat. And face it, the Red Sox are NOT going to get Josh Hamilton.

Guess what? Thanks to that enormous trade in August, the Red Sox have A LOT of salary space. What do they do with it, you ask? Well, they need pitching. Maybe acquiring Dan Haren is a good idea. Zach Greinke is always an option, too. But beyond that, they absolutely MUST re-sign David Ortiz. So, Ben Cherington, give Ortiz what he wants. Give him two years. Heck, give him a third year option. Give him the $14 million a year he wants. Give him $16. Do what it takes. Get him back. Do it. Do it now.

State of Red Sox Nation

Yes, here I am, commiserating the woe that is being a Red Sox fan. I hope you enjoy this, because you definitely can't enjoy the state of the Red Sox.

The Boston Red Sox are in trouble. No, this isn't news. They've been trouble since August 2011. The trouble with the Boston Red Sox is that they aren't going to win.

The Red Sox may have freed up upwards of $250 million in contract space by unloading the bad contracts of Josh Beckett, Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford on the Los Angeles Dodgers, but they aren't going to do anything big with that space. The loss of those enormous contracts wasn't just losing contracts or players, it was also losing a philosophy, a way of doing business. The Red Sox will not be offering huge contracts to keep stars in Boston for a decade any time soon. So you can forget about them signing Josh Hamilton to an eight year deal this off season. Not that he'd come to Boston, anyway.

This change in business model is not sustainable. Baseball is a business. The best players want to security of long-term contracts. If the Red Sox don't offer those types of deals, they won't get the best players. It's elementary, really. Sure, the Red Sox will be able to good players in their model of smaller deals, but not great players. Cody Ross seems poised to return, and he has done well in Boston. But is he a bona fide star? No.

Will the Red Sox make the playoffs in the next decade? Maybe. Every team has the ability to make the playoffs. Look at the Oakland Athletics. Or the Baltimore Orioles. Will the A's and O's make the playoffs regularly? Probably not. The Red Sox remain in one of the toughest divisions in baseball, one that features the New York Yankees, a team never afraid to dump buckets of money on stars.

Do the Red Sox have a core of up-and-coming prospects who could turn out to be great, and become bona fide stars? Perhaps. But it would be silly to have lofty expectations like that. In fact, if the Orioles can keep even being just a .500 team, the Red Sox could become perennial fourth place finishers, at least for a few more years.

Saying the Red Sox are in the rebuilding stage is putting it lightly. In the last 13 months, the team has been about as gutted as a baseball organization can be that is not the Florida Marlins following a World Series victory. A new General Manager, three different managers (one not chosen yet), and the dumping of two major contracts that were signed just before the 2011 season. There is no reason for optimism.

The Red Sox need to make a lot of changes this off season. They need a manager who commands respect, is effective and will be around for a while. They need a clearly defined left fielder. They need a first baseman who can hit. They need starting pitching. They need to decide whether they're okay with a soft-hitting shortstop who is a defensive wizard, because, face it, Jose Iglesias is never going to hit well. Plug him in or move on. They also need to decide whether to lock up Jacoby Ellsbury, or trade him for some quality pitching.

The Red Sox have made two good moves since the season ended: Firing Bobby Valentine, and bringing Jason Varitek back into the organization. These are good steps, but those were obvious ones. Brad Pitt would have made those decisions, even when not playing Billy Beane. Ben Cherington, it's time for you to make your impact.

The return to being a successful baseball team will take weeks, months, years. Fans may not see a World Series before 2020. Fans may never see another Boston Red Sox victory parade. The days of pain and suffering spouting from failures and shortcomings that defined Red Sox fans for 86 years are back.

MLB Regular Season Wrap-Up

It's over, it's done. We don't need to go through any (unscheduled) 1-game playoffs. The playoffs can begin. Now, all that's left is my season wrap-up. I will go through each major league team and briefly asses what their season was like, and what they need to do. Then, I will make my picks for the post-season awards (MVP, Cy Young, etc.). I will ignore making playoff picks, because that's a waste of time.

AL EAST

New York Yankees- 1st place. They're the Yankees. They're where they always are. No surprises here.

Baltimore Orioles- Wild Card. The Fightin' Showalters showed what they are made of this season, and a big props to them. It's a bunch of misfits that somehow came together and had a great season. Could they be like the 2004 Red Sox and somehow win it all? Probably not, which is sad because they will never do this well again. Not any time soon, at least.

Tampa Bay Rays- The Rays almost made the playoffs. And then they didn't. I have a feeling this will be a regular thing for them for the next few years. But, having a healthy Evan Longoria may be the one thing they need to get them back to the playoffs. That and David Price having Cy Young-worthy stats.

Toronto Blue Jays- If someone told you in April that the Blue Jays would finish in fourth, you would not expect it to be ahead of the Red Sox. But they were. Unfortunately for them, they're heading towards another Shea Hillenbrand "sinking ship," (see: malcontent Yunel Escobar). However, they DO have Jose Bautista, who is coming off his worst season since becoming a starter. Yes, he still hit almost 30 homers while spending 1/3 of the year on the DL, but that's not the point...And having Edwin Encarnacion fill in for him seemed to have worked out okay...

Boston Red Sox- I've been writing about them all year, so it's kind of unnecessary. As the Cubs/Mets always say, "Next year's gottta be better, right?" Right...?

AL CENTRAL

Detroit Tigers- 1st place. It's the Miguel Cabrera show in the Detroit, where the first-baseman-playing-third overcame adversity to become the first Triple Crown winner since Yaz in 1967. Good luck to them in the playoffs.

Chicago White Sox- Very impressive showing from a team that was expected to be blown away by the Tigers. Expect good things from them, as long as Dunn and Konerko don't retire and Chris Sale remains an absolute stud starter.

Kansas City Royals- Ask Keegan or my brother, as they both should be able to attest to the fact that I predicted they would finish in third. And finish in third they did. Props, youngins', keep up the good work. See you in the playoffs soon.

Cleveland Indians- It should be interesting to see who they pick at manager. Could very much determine the future of their organization.

Minnesota Twins- I miss the days when I could read a Sports Illustrated article about Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau living together. Those were the days...

AL WEST

Oakland Athletics- First place. Holy crap, these guys finished in first? And here we all were thinking the Angels and Rangers would be fighting for first. I think Jonah Hill summed it up best, "If the A's win it all this year, me and Pitt better get rings."

Texas Rangers- Wild Card. The Rangers, arguably the best team in baseball the last three years, and arguably the biggest chokers since the 2004 Yankees, may have just lost their post-season. By losing out on the division, they are forced into a 1-game playoff. Sure, it's against the O's, but the O's are good. Plus, beating them only pits them against the Yankees. It's an uphill battle. Plus, they will have to consider re-signing Josh Hamilton when the season is all over.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim- Albert Pujols should have been enough. CJ Wilson should have been frosting. Mike Trout was the best story in baseball this year. Yet, they still didn't make the playoffs. Watch out, though...

Seattle Mariners- Hey M's fans, cheer up! You get to fight with the Astros next year, so you may not finish last!

NL EAST

Washington Nationals- First place. Finally, the Nats made the playoffs. They were the best team in baseball. It only took being the worst team in baseball for 22 years, changing cities, and five extra years of being almost the worst team, but you finally made. Now, if only you'd managed Strasburg better (started his season later, more time between starts, 6 man rotation, etc.) you would automatically be looking at a World Series trophy. Now, you'll have to fight for it.

Atlanta Braves- Wild Card. Congrats on having a great pitching staff. Your offense needs to come up big in the playoffs if you want to go anywhere, though. This is a team to watch in the future.

Philadelphia Phillies- The rebuilding process has begun. It'll be interesting to see how Amaro does it.

New York Mets- You didn't finish last. And Jose Reyes did. Happy?

Miami Marlins- Jeffrey Loria needs to sell this team. He is ruining everything. At the very least, get rid of Ozzie. That was a terrible idea.

NL CENTRAL

Cincinnati Reds- First place. Well done, Dusty. I like your team a lot, but I really don't see you getting any better than this. At least not without Billy Hamilton. About that...

St. Louis Cardinals- Wild Card. Thank you, Mike Matheny, for proving that a few-year-removed catcher with no managerial experience can be a good manager. Signed, Jason Varitek. Also, good luck trying to repeat without The Machine.

Milwaukee Brewers- The Brewers come out of every season being okay. It made sense while Prince was there. But now? Ryan Braun's steroids can't be that good...

Pittsburgh Pirates- Remember when the Pirates were in first place and had the likely NL MVP? That was a month ago. Now they only have one of those. Send help.

Chicago Cubs- This rebuilding might take a while...

Houston Astros- Remind me again why moving the worst team in the lesser league to the stronger league, and one of the strongest divisions, is a good idea, please.

NL WEST

San Francisco Giants- First place. The Giants very quietly put together a very nice season. They have some pretty good potential, especially with hitting-his-prime Buster Posey, who really is the next Joe Mauer.

Los Angeles Dodgers- Congrats on taking on $270 million worth of bad contracts in order to make the playoffs! Oh wait...Maybe next year. And Colletti says you're spending more money? Let's see if you can make the Yankees model work.

Arizona Diamondbacks- I really like this team. But I'm not sure why. Maybe it's because they may give the Red Sox Justin Upton...and I like their colors. And stadium.

San Diego Padres- They need to bring those walls in more! And wait a few years for Casey Kelly to develop. And Alonso. Then, they'll challenge.

Colorado Rockies- Unless they do something drastic, this team will be in the same spot next year.

AND NOW, FOR THE AWARDS!

American League

MVP: Mike Trout. Yes, yes, I know, Miguel Cabrera won the Triple Crown. Yes, I know, it has not been won since Yaz in 1967. Yes, I know, that was a very long time ago. But guess what? This award isn't called the Triple Crown. Miguel Cabrera won that. This is the MVP. Completely different. I am a firm believer that the three categories that are part of the Triple Crown are not at all indicative of value. Yes, they are impressive, and I am in complete awe that in my lifetime someone has led the league in these three distinct categories. BUT, in the land of baseball, there are always new stats. An important in determining a players value, ie. in a most valuable player award, would be WAR, Wins Above Replacement. This metric measures how many more wins this player have given their team, while compared to someone of average skill at their position. In this stat, Mike Trout leads all of baseball. His WAR is an absurd 10.7. The next closest is a full three wins less, held by the Yankees Robinson Cano (who will probably finish third in MVP voting) at 7.6. A lot of people argue for Cabrera, whose WAR is 6.9, which is only .3 games better than Adrian Beltre, who also plays third and will garner some MVP votes. Sure, Miggy got the Triple Crown. But did he run away with it? No. But Trout ran away with the statistic most relevant to the MVP award.

Cy Young: Jered Weaver. 20 wins (1st), .214 opponents' BA (1st), 1.02 WHIP (1st), 2.81 ERA (3rd). My vote is for him, but I would not be surprised to see it go to Justin Verlander. David Price will finish third.

Rookie of the Year: Did I not also mention that Trout is a rookie. Yeah, that happened. He won this award in July.

National League

MVP: Since the three top candidates (Braun, McCutchen and Posey) are so close in WAR (between 7.0-7.2), you need to dig deeper here. Posey's BA is 9 points higher than McCutchen's, and 17 higher than Brauns. But Braun annihilates the two above him in home runs, RBI, slugging and OPS. He also stole 10 more bases than McCutchen. I give the MVP to Braun (again), although the other two do make strong cases. And if you buy into the "can't be MVP if his team doesn't make the playoffs" nonsense, it obviously goes to Posey. We'll see.

Cy Young: RA Dickey. This is not up for discussion. He was an absolute animal. And he's a knuckleballer, which makes it all the more impressive. 

Rookie of the Year: Wilin Rosario. Out there in Denver, this rookie catcher quietly put up some great numbers. .270 BA, 28 home runs, and 71 RBI. Sure, take your Bryce Harpers and your Todd Frazier's, but this guys got my vote.

Sports: My next six months

This will be an odd post. I will just be talking in the simplest terms about where my sport allegiances will be in the next six months. If you don't care about my fandom, this is probably not a post for you. Next week I will have a post responding to an issue in one of these sports.

ALSO: check out my latest blog post on the Orange field hockey team, who are now NUMBER ONE in the nation.

So, the baseball season is basically over. At least the regular season. And sure, as a Red Sox fan, the season has been over for over a month. But, I am more of a baseball fan than I am a Red Sox fan, so I have kept watching, kept paying attention.

Yes, I will absolutely be watching the MLB Playoffs. Yes, I will get highly invested in the World Series hopes of one team (Tigers). But what I do about a team that I actually care about?

My second favorite Major 4 sport is the NHL. Unfortunately, they are currently in a lockout, and hopes are not high for there to be any season this year. That leaves the NBA for regular games.

I am a Boston Celtics fan. I am very excited about this years Celtics team, which is the best team since they won the NBA Finals in 2008. Jeff Green is back, Avery Bradley is going to be a monster (whenever he gets back), and their draft picks were phenomenal:

-Jared Sullinger's not-elite last season allowed him to fall all the way to the Celtics, which is phenomenal. Sullinger has the talent and ability to successful in the NBA. He may not be a star this season, but he will be in years to come, and will at least be a solid role player this year.

-The Boston Orange...I mean Celtics, also drafted two Syracuse Orange. No, they didn't get Dion Waiters, who was the highest draft pick to come from 'Cuse since some guy named Carmelo, but they DID get Kris Joseph and a 7-footer in Fab Melo. Joseph does not project to be much more than a role player at any point in his career, but I think he will surprise people, and possibly win a starting spot a few years down the line, a la Hakim Warrick.

Fab Melo, who cost the Orange a legitimate chance at a second NCAA Championship due to ambiguous off-court problems (I'm under the impression he stopped going to class), has no school obligations in the NBA. He will follow the Andrew Bynum route and not be particularly productive for a few years, but could be one of the best defensive centers in the game in just a few years. Also, if he and Rajon Rondo develop some good chemistry, the Celtics will have a scary inside presence.

All that said, I hate the NBA. It is the most obviously rigged major sport, and it is disgustingly frustrating to watch sometimes. It also usually is not necessary to watch the first half of a game. Unless it's a blow out, it's usually pretty close until the second half.

I like the NFL. The real refs are back, which is good, but football is, at most, only three days a week. I need more than that to get my sports fix! That being said, GO EAGLES!

My love for college basketball will never be higher. Going to Syracuse, I now get the chance to root, in person, for my all-time favorite basketball team, and be surrounded by like-minded fans. I plan on going to the Dome at least a few times, and I can't wait to even just watch the game in bars with other fans. GO ORANGE!

Quick hits: The State of the Red Sox, NewsHouse links

First off, I'd like to alert your attention to thenewshouse.com, a student publication I am now a member of at The Newhouse School. I have written an article and two blogs for them in the past week. The first is on Rolling Stone political journalist Matt Taibbi's lecture at the Maxwell School on September 12. Additionally, I have secured the field hockey beat, which is exciting because the Orange are currently ranked #2 nationally, and have actually beaten the #1 team (UNC). Links are below.

http://www.thenewshouse.com/story/rolling-stone-reporter-weighs-politics
http://www.thenewshouse.com/blog/orange-field-hockey-remains-unbeaten
http://www.thenewshouse.com/blog/orange-roll-over-kent-state

Now, for the State of the Red Sox. When I last spoke on the Red Sox, I spoke about how Bobby Valentine is almost definitely done in Boston. Or, at least, he should be. A controvery this past weekend proved this.

In Jon Lester's start on Sunday, in a 0-0 tie with Pedro Ciriaco having just stolen second, and shortstop-of-the-future Jose Iglesias at-bat with a 2-2 count, Bobby V used his genius to pinch hit for the soft-hitting Iglesias. Why would he pinch hit, in the middle of an at-bat, no less? His reasoning: He was trying to get a run for Lester, who had been "busting his butt out there."

Sure, Iglesias is hitting just .069. Sure, Daniel Nava is a much more proven MLB hitter than Iglesias. Sure, it'd be nice if Nava could drive a run across for Lester. But guess what else? The Red Sox are done. (They were officially eliminated following Sunday's loss). Bobby, are you aware what September is for for teams with no playoff chances? IT'S TO GET THE YOUNG PROSPECTS AS MUCH MLB EXPERIENCE AS POSSIBLE!

Jose Iglesias is a bad hitter, that much is true. But how do you expect him to gain any confidence if you embarrass him by REMOVING HIM FOR A PINCH HITTER IN THE MIDDLE OF HIS AT-BAT?!? How noble of you, Bobby, for trying to get a run for Jonny Lester! But, in the long run, don't you realize that the run is inconsequential compared to a young players future. Lester is a vet, he'll get over it. Iglesias? We'll have to wait to see. Daniel Nava grounded out, and ended the inning, so it was failed move, anyway, but that's neither here nor there.

See you on ESPN, Bobby.

2012 NFL Preview

With the first game of the season in the books, and the first weekend of games upon us, it is time for my predictions for the year. I will break down each division, first based on standings, and then on each team's season outlook. I will ignore records, because- honestly- what's the point?

AFC

East
New England Patriots
New York Jets
Buffalo Bills
Miami Dolphins

Not much changes here from last year. The Bills and Dolphins are pretty interchangeable in their ability to get completely over-matched most of the time. In all likelihood, the Patriots will run away with the division, once again, and will have one of the best records in the league. They are legitimate Super Bowl contenders. The Jets? Not so much. The Jets will vie for a playoff spot, but I'm not so sure they get it. Their future will very much be determined by how they play in the last weeks of the season.

North
Baltimore Ravens
Cincinnati Bengals
Pittsburgh Steelers
Cleveland Browns

The Ravens are quickly becoming THE AFC North team. The Pittsburgh Steelers are falling apart with age, and they really are a shallow offense team. Hines Ward's retirement makes Mike Wallace the Steelers' main receiving threat, and teams with good corners will easily limit his action. The Ravens can only get better, and the rapport between Andy Dalton and AJ Green and Jermaine Gresham will be stronger. The addition of The Lawfirm (BenJarvis Green-Ellis) won't hurt, either. The Browns will be better than last year, thanks to Trent Richardson, but, they're still the Browns, and they're still in the North, which produced both Wild Card teams last season.

South
Houston Texans
Tennessee Titans
Indianapolis Colts
Jacksonville Jaguars

After the Texans, this is one of the weakest divisions in the league. The Colts were terrible last year without a legitimate QB, and with Andrew Luck they will definitely improve. But, that doesn't make them better than anyone except the Jaguars, whose only real addition is Justin Blackmon, another TO-type, but without as much talent. The Titans will remain middle of the road, occasionally challenging legitimate playoff teams.

West
Denver Broncos
San Diego Chargers
Kansas City Chiefs
Oakland Raiders

The West will once again be the tightest division in the AFC. Once again, the Broncos will come out on top. The Chargers are better than they seem, especially with the addition of Robert Meacham. If Ryan Matthews stays healthy, they could legitimately contend for the playoffs. I expect them to get a Wild Card spot. The return Dwayne Bowe and the addition of Patrick Hillis improves their offense, but they're still not a playoff team. Maybe next year. Oakland? Carson Palmer may be the best QB they've had in a decade, but they're still a few pieces away from being a playoff team.

NFC

East
Philadelphia Eagles
New York Giants
Dallas Cowboys
Washington Redskins

The Dream Team comes together as a team this year, and the Eagles walk away with the division. They improved their defense and offensive line, and seem to have all the right pieces in place. If Michael Vick stays healthy, Philly is a legitimate Super Bowl contender. The defending champs, the Giants, won't struggle, but they didn't dominate until the last few weeks last year. They will still make the playoffs, but don't expect a repeat. The Cowboys DID improve their secondary, a crucial move for this division, but they still lack the most important piece; a QB who works well under pressure. The Redskins drafted RGIII, and got Pierre Garcon, but they still need help on offense. Good thing RGIII can run, because they're going to need him to.

North
Green Bay Packers
Detroit Lions
Chicago Bears
Minnesota Vikings

Not much needs to be said here. The lack of Jahvid Best may hurt the Lions in the long-run, but they're in the   playoffs based on everybody else. This young team is only getting better; expect them to challenge for the division as soon as 2013. The Bears and Vikings will remain mostly irrelevant.

South
Atlanta Falcons
New Orleans Saints
Carolina Panthers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The sanctions against the Saints will hurt. Jonathan Vilma was a big part of their illegal bounty program that made up their defense, so his loss will be major. The departure's of Pierre Garcon and Robert Meacham lower Brees number of previously used receivers, but, being Drew Brees, he will find new ones. The Falcons will take this opporunity to win the division, although the Saints will still make the playoffs. The Panthers didn't get better enough to make the playoffs, but they may challenge for a Wild Card by 2013. The Bucs are still a few years ago.

West
San Francisco 49ers
Seattle Seahawks
Arizona Cardinals
St. Louis Rams

There is no real description necessary for this division. The 49ers aren't Super Bowl contenders, but they're much better than every other team in the division. The Seahawks are on their way to being a playoff
challenge, but this year they won't make it.

AFC Playoffs

Wild Card Round
Broncos over Bengals
Ravens over Chargers

Divisional Round
Patriots over Broncos
Texans over Ravens

AFC Championship
Patriots over Ravens


NFC Playoffs

Wild Card Round
Giants over 49ers
Falcons over Saints

Divisional Round
Eagles over Falcons
Packers over Giants

NFC Championship
Eagles over Packers


Super Bowl
Eagles over Patriots 27-24