Week 6 Showdown in Dallas

October 13th, 2007 10:13 pm
by NFL Freak

It’s a huge week in football as the undefeated New England Patriots prepare to meet the undefeated Dallas Cowboys in a showdown that’s bigger than Texas.

Pro Set offers his NFL Week 6 Best Bets.

Pro Set’s preview of the Patriots @ Dallas gives you his final verdict on why the Patriots will win.
Meanwhile Big Dog claims that if the Cowboys play smart, New England can’t win. He’s already copping some heat in the comments for that notion.

Pro Set has also detailed a preview of the Carolina Panthers @ Arizona Cardinals game.

The guys once again face off with their NFL Game Selections for the week.
There’s also the Love ‘em and Leave ‘em list for Fantasy Football fans.
Don’t forget to check out the NFL on TV page to catch what games are showing in your part of the world.

Finally here’s an update on the AFC so far.

Posted in Dallas Cowboys, New England Patriots, Arizona Cardinals, NFL Franchises/Teams, NFL on television, Game, Carolina Panthers, NFL | No Comments »

NFL Week 6 Featured Preview: Carolina Panthers @ Arizona Cardinals

October 12th, 2007 8:01 pm
by Pro Set

Carolina (3-2) @ Arizona (3-2) 4:05pm ET on FOX

Carolina is undefeated on the road and winless at home. Arizona was a road favourite last week and won. Truth is stranger than fiction.

Arizona

The Cardinals have lost QB Matt Leinart for the season. RB Edgerrin James must continue to improve the running game. Backup QB Kurt Warner has a poor history of fumbling when pressured. This means that the running game cannot be an afterthought. Unless James can get positive yardage on first down, the Panthers will only need to defend the pass.

When the Cardinals throw, the interior offensive line will need to block DT Kris Jenkins. If Jenkins gets pressure up the middle, as he will in obvious passing situations, Warner does not have the speed to break containment and leave the pocket. DE Julius Peppers and DE Mike Rucker will cause havoc in his scenario. If ARZ can protect Warner, WR Larry Fitzgerald could have a big day. WR Anquan Boldin may not play. Expect the Cardinals to throw on first down with no hesitation if they cannot establish the run early.

Carolina

When Carolina has the ball, QB David Carr is questionable. The Panthers may start free agent signing QB Vinny Testaverde. RB DeShaun Foster ran well last Sunday at New Orleans. If C Justin Hartwig can handle DT Darnell Dockett, the panthers should attack the Cardinals straight up the middle. They also look good running right, where RT Jordan Gross has been playing well.

In the passing game, the real issue is whether WR Steve Smith can break the big plays. Last week, Carr struggled to get the ball to Smith on time. When Carr did find Smith on a quick out, Smith broke a tackle and scored. Expect some end around plays and maybe even a reverse in order to get Smith touches. CB Eric Green must be aware of short passes and focus on fundamental tackling skills. If CAR does play a quick pass game, the ARZ pass rush must not get frustrated.

Conclusion

This game looks like a close one. Carolina looks like the more solid football team, and showed great heart last week to win. Arizona needs these home conference wins. With Kurt Warner in better shape than the entire Panthers QB corps, the bottom line here is simple. If Warner stays upright, and thereby avoids turnovers, the Cardinals get the win. It’s time for Russ Grimm to earn his cash.

Prediction: Arizona

Posted in NFL on FOX, NFL Game Previews, DeShaun Foster, Arizona Cardinals, NFL Coaches, Game, Carolina Panthers, NFL Franchises/Teams, NFL | No Comments »

Week 2 Fantasy Players

September 16th, 2007 3:38 am
by Big Dog

There’s no question that the Buffalo Bills have had an emotionally challenging week as they’ve dealt with the news of Kevin Everett’s injury and then the nearly miraculous nature of his recover thus far. In spite of the distractions, expect the Bills to be playing with a lot of commitment and energy as their injured defense look to hold up against the attack of the Pittsburgh Steelers as led by Ben Roethlisberger.

That said, Roethlisberger himself has a lot to be playing for this week. He’s been stung by criticism of his decision making, game management and his performance last season. He’s got a lot to prove and teammates have reported that he’s training and playing with the drive and commitment of a man with a chip on his shoulder. Add to this the fact that the Steelers defense managed to force five turnovers and six sacks last week. If that proves to be a trend, then the Steelers offense is going to get plenty of playing time. I’d expect Big Ben to be taking full advantage of the Bills’ injuries this week and looking for some impressive numbers from him.

Plaxico Burress was a popular outlet for Eli Manning last week, with a total of 8 receptions for 144 yards and 3 touchdowns. While Manning remains in doubt with a shoulder injury (he’s almost universally expected to play), it would be reasonable to expect that backup quarterback Jared Lorenzen would look for a similar performance from Burress this week. Either way, expect the ball to fly and for Plaxico to test the Green Bay Packers defense.

Head Coach Ken Whisenhunt hosts his first home game as the Arizona Cardinals face the Seattle Seahawks. It’ll be a tough match as both teams posted some good performances in week 1. I think Seattle Running Back Shaun Alexander will supply some excellent value and entertainment this week. He traditionally averages close to 100 yards against the Cardinals and has scored 10 TDs in their last 5 meetings. If he gets a good jump this week, he could carry the Seahawks all the way to a win.

Champ Bailey will be worth keeping an eye on as the Denver Broncos play host to the Oakland Raiders this week. Coach Mike Shanahan has an excellent record against the Raiders and Champ is an interception specialist. In addition, his expanded duties on special teams ensure his contributions to the Broncos are spread as far across the field as possible. The decision to include the Champ on special teams was more than paid for with his touchdown saving tackle in week 1.

Good luck everyone, for week 2.

Posted in Plaxico Burress, Ben Roethlisberger, Oakland Raiders, Kevin Everett, Jared Lorenzen, Shaun Alexander, Mike Shanahan, Seattle Seahawks, Pittsburgh Steelers, Champ Bailey, Denver Broncos, Buffalo Bills, NFL Players, NFL Franchises/Teams, Analysis, Game, Eli Manning, Green Bay Packers, Arizona Cardinals, Ken Whisenhunt, NFL Coaches, NY Giants, NFL | No Comments »

Monday night, the stars come out

September 10th, 2007 7:20 am
by Big Dog

It’s an exciting two for the price of one affair on the first Monday Night Football extravaganza of the year. First up Carson Palmer and the Bengals face an enormous task taking on the Baltimore Ravens.

There’s no doubt that Palmer has the ability to make big plays in the air and he has the record against the Ravens to justify feeling confident. That said, his protection for tonight’s game is questionable. With key injuries and an offensive line that is undergoing changes, there’s a lot to watch out for. Added to this is the fact that the Bengals aren’t expected to have a strong running game that can provide them with enough balance to put the Ravens off. If the Bengals can’t get the running game going, then they’re going to struggle to get away with it in the air.

With Ken Whisenhunt making his NFL head coaching debut, the Cardinals have a lot to play for when they take on the 49ers. The big task for the team from Arizona will be to shake of the pass heavy offense they established last season, putting faith in their ability to establish the run right from the start. I’m not disputing that Matt Leinart can pass and do it effectively, but the simple fact is that Cardinals need to put the groundwork in. Keep an eye on Edgerrin James, there’s plenty left in his tank and the last time these two teams met, he put 105 yards on the board.

Enjoy your Monday night, as the stars come out to play.

Posted in Ken Whisenhunt, Baltimore Ravens, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Edgerrin James, Matt Leinart, Cincinnati Bengals, Carson Palmer, Analysis, Game, NFL Franchises/Teams, NFL Players, Monday Night Football, NFL Coaches, NFL | No Comments »