30 Dec 10 Kobe Bryant Signs a Three-Year, $90 Million Contract Extension with L.A. Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers signed Kobe Bryant to a three-year contract extension on Friday, reportedly worth $90 million. Therefore, the 12-time NBA All Star is set to remain in purple and gold up through the 2013-2014 season."We are extremely pleased that we were able to reach an agreement Seattle Seahawks jersey
and come to terms on the extension at this time," said Lakers general manger Mitch Kupchak. "Kobe has been a cornerstone of the Lakers for well over a decade, helping to lead us to four NBA championships and in the process developing into one of the greatest players in basketball history."The 31-year-old shooting guard is currently in his 14th season with the team, and when the deal expires he will be nearly 36.Ever since Shaq was traded to the Miami Heat following the 03-04 season, Kobe has been given the keys and put in the driver's seat of one of the most decorated franchises in NBA history.Up until today, Kobe has responded perfectly while cruising along victory lane. Over the past six seasons, the Lakers have accumulated a record of 207-121 (.631)In 06, he managed to score a mind-boggling 81 points against the Toronto Raptors, second only to Wilt Chamberlain 100-point performance back in 62. Later, in 08, he won the league MVP, yet fell short of a championship when his Lakers lost to the Celtics in the Finals. St. Louis Rams jersey
Despite the setback, he bounced back the following year and led the Lakers to their 16th NBA title. This season, he averaging 27.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 5.1 assists this season, and is, once again, an MVP candidate.More importantly, the team is the favorite to get back to the promised land, where they would have the chance to repeat as champions.Even if they don so, the franchise has set itself up for success in the near future.In December, the team locked up Gasol by signing him to a three-year, $60 million extension. That, along with Kobe signing, will ensure that the dynamic trio of Bryant, Artest, and Gasol stays intact for at least four more seasons, which ultimately means bad news for the other 29 teams in the league.I think it a great decision on the Lakers part to secure Tennessee Titans jersey
Kobe future in L.A.Today, in professional sports, there is no loyaltyproven on numerous accounts such as the Brett Favre saga.I think it critical to give a player, let alone a sure-fire Hall of Famer, such as Kobe Bryant, the respect he deserves. He has been an intricate ingredient to the team success over the past 14 seasons, and Im glad he will continue to be, as I wish him, and the Lakers the best of luck moving forward.

29 Dec 10 NBA Playoffs: Preview Prediction: Atlanta Hawks Vs Milwaukee Bucks

Atlanta Hawksvs.Milwaukee BucksSeason Series: Atlanta 2-1* This is just one of the eight match-ups in round one, for all eight preview click below *NBA Playoffs - Previews and Predictions - All Round One Match UpsIn three years, theAtlanta Hawkshave done a complete flip. Reebok Pittsburgh Steelers 43 Troy Polamalu Realtree camo Jersey
In 2007-08, they went 37-45, clinching the 8th playoff spot, and gave Boston a scare in the first round, but eventually lost in game 7. In 2008-09, they went 47-35, clinched the 4th spot (quite a bit behind Cleveland, Orlando and Boston), and beat Miami in game 7 before getting swept by LeBron and company in round two. This year they are 53-29, have clinched the 3rd spot ahead of Boston, and will face the Milwaukee Bucks.Something tells me that this year the Hawks won't allow a seven game series to happen in the first round. The Hawks have improved greatly in the last 82 games since the Cavaliers swept them. Joe Johnson and Jamal Crawford together, are amazing. Add younger stars Josh Smith, Al Horford and Marvin William to the mix and you have one extremely talented young team. Heck, even their starting point guard Mike Bibby has been good putting up over 9.0 points a game, but he isn't your normal point guard, as he ranked over 30th in the league in assists.No one believes in the Atlanta Hawks though (outside Atlanta).I am sure many people will take them to beat the Bucks, but after that won't even consider touching them against the Cavaliers, Magic or Celtics just because the Hawks don't have an 'as-well' known house-hold name on their team... But, don't be fooled, there is a reason these guys have won over fifteen more games than they did two seasons ago. The Hawks don't need someone like LeBron, Kobe, Howard, Garnett, Wade or Anthony to win games...they win by playing hard-nosed gritty basketball and as an entire unit, do it extremely well. Should be noted though, late in the season Joe Johnson has been battling a thumb injury and missed a few games, but they expect him to play. In all honesty though, this Atlanta squad is Reebok Green Bay Packers 21 Charles Woodson Realtree camo Jersey
way too talented to not win this first round matchup, and if it goes past five with Andrew Bogut gone...I'll be shocked.TheMilwaukee Buckshail from the Central Division, sit a ways back behind the Cleveland Cavaliers, and aren't ever really talked about (unless you live in Milwaukee but even then, in past years you'd probably rather of cheered for Prince Fielders' Brewers or the Aaron Rodgers' pivoted Packers just up the I-43). Since 1990 the Bucks have made the playoffs seven times and had a decent stretch between 1998 to 2006, making it six of the eight years during the time and appearing the in Eastern Conference Final in the 1999-2000 season (lost to Philadelphia). It seems during the George Karl era, the Bucks were at their best with a variety of players over the years such as Ray Allen, Sam Cassell, Anthony Mason, and Tim Thomas. Once they decided to trade Ray Allen with 'Flip' Murray, even though it increased play time for Michael Redd, the team went straight downhill for a few years. In those six-out-of-eight years that they made the playoffs, they only got past the first round in 99-00'. It wasn't until the 2005 draft pick, Andrew Bogut, was surrounded by not only Redd (who is now injured and out for the season) but also 2009 draft pick, promising point guard, Brandon Jennings, as well as picking up John Salmons via trade.This season was looking like it could be one of the best in modern franchise history for Milwaukee... that was until this (if you don't like watching gross videos and haven't seen this, I am warning you; viewer discretion is advised... ...you may just puke during the replay).(CLICK THE LINK AT THE TOP OF THE POST TO WATCH THE VIDEO, AS WELL)Alright, so you see that, you puke and...Damn. Reebok Minnesota Vikings #84 Randy Moss Realtree camo Jersey
It's going to be extremely hard to beat Atlanta. They have Salmons, who has been a beast since joining the Bucks and is smashing his old stats ten-fold, which is important with Redd injured. But Jennings is going to have to do something un-human like and players like Kurt Thomas and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (say that five times fast) have got to be Bogut-like. Not possible. Unfortunately without Bogut, their season ends here.TheCoach's Pick:ATLANTA in FIVE

28 Dec 10 NBA Playoffs: Cleveland's Playoff Hopes Lay with Antwan Jamison

Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesLeBron James is the best player on the Cavs, and probably the best in the league. We all know that.He's going to consistently put up great stats. We all know that.Yet, somehow, even with a superhuman effort from James, the Cleveland Cavaliers haven't looked very strong Reebok Pittsburgh Steelers 43 Troy Polamalu Realtree camo Jersey
in the playoffs. Or at least not strong enough to beat the Boston Celtics.Boston could easily be up 2-0 right now. Cleveland hasn't played well at all. LeBron has played well, but he hasn't received any support.It's deja vu. The Cavs finished with the number one seed once again, but LeBron isn't receiving any help in the playoffs.I'm not saying that the Cleveland Cavaliers are going to lose to the Boston Celtics. I'm saying that they should be concerned and they must wake up.Cleveland needs someone to step up. Someone to help the King.At the trade deadline, Antwan Jamison was acquired to help out as a secondary star for LeBron James. He finally meshed with the team, and when he's playing well, this Cavs team is nearly unstoppable.The thing is, all of the Cavs role players have been inconsistent.Mo Williams hasn't been anything special, and I don't think that will change. He's just not a good playoff player, and I doubt he will step up. Shaquille O'Neal is washed up, and he can provide sparks at times but isn't enough toReebok Green Bay Packers 21 Charles Woodson Realtree camo Jersey
secure a win.Antwan Jamison however, is a very capable player and needs to step up. He needs to be a leader. He has to play well in order for the Cavs to move on.With LeBron being defended the way he is, somebody needs to step up. Antwan Jamison has to be that somebody.

27 Dec 10 Wall, The Right Choice For Washington

What was a surprising and exciting time for the Washington Wizards organization yesterday,after they found out they will pick first in the 2010 NBA draft, questions started flowing around "well who do you pick? Kentucky's guard John Wall or Ohio State's guard Evan Turner.Both are exceptional players andReebok Minnesota Vikings #69 Jared Allen Realtree camo Jersey
will be franchise players where ever they go, but for Washington they can not pass on Wall. After what transpired this past season with point guard Gilbert Arenas, and him being suspend for the remainder of the season for bringing guns into the teams locker room and withhis immaturity over the years you have to take the promisingWall.Wall is being compared to most people by Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose, he has the atleticism,has great size and is a pass first point guard. Wall struggles with his jump shot,but head coach Flip Saunders and assistant coach Sam Cassel can help him improve his shot.Wall biggest challenge if he is drafted by Washington, would be coexisting with Arenas. Arenas is phenomial playerhe loves the attention, media, the spotlight. If the two are going to going to Reebok New England Patriots #12 Tom Brady Realtree camo Jersey
coexist, Arenas would have tochange his role and understand that he is no longer the franchise player anymore as he wants was.Arenas and Wall would fit together in the back court,but both of them has to make their teamates better if they want to contend with the top teams in the league.

26 Dec 10 2010 NBA Playoffs: Chants for Beat LA Start Now

Jim Rogash/Getty ImagesYou can find the original article at LOSCY.--After a jubilant night of celebratory rhetoric, I have no doubt that I fell asleep with a sneaky little grin on my face. I escaped to a REM cycle feeling like I got away with something; like WE, as fans, got away with something.I mean, we did get away with something: so many had given up championship hopes, but there were some that were holding out for that small glimmer of hope. Back on March 2, I had written the following:We just aren a top five team, and thatReebok Chicago Bears #6 Jay Cutler Realtree camo Jersey
difficult for many of you (including me) to get over. Our record against top 10 teams in the league have been atrocious. We have given up the most second half double-digit leads in the association this season. We have been three games under .500 in the last two months. Nothing in this paragraph should make anyone excited about the playoffs.But, therein lies the key: this team can be looked at as a legitimate, viable contender for the title. Critics, writers, players, coaches, and most importantly non-Celtics fans have all ready moved on. Anyone who is anyone that follows basketball realizes that the Celtics have a lot of wrinkles that need ironing out, yet the iron itself isn even plugged in. Only the stubborn fans remain cemented in a block of naivet This is just as likely to happen as the optimistic side of me that thinks this team has two more deadly gears in them that theyve shown flashes of so far this season.Yeah. They had the gears. They showed em. We got away with something: making people think that the Celtics weren going to do it; and then just like that, did it.Two ways to be really happy about last night win: watching the team play you knew things were clicking, and seeing their numbers on paper you knew things were clicking. When you can both feel and see that a team is playing well, it makes you feel all warm and cuddly inside. On paper:Every single Celtic player that saw minutes finished with a positive +/- rating. All the way from Glen Davis with a +2 to Pierce with a +13, there was no outrageously large gap between players. This meant that every single mixed lineup on the floor last night worked in favor the Celts; what a feeling.Pierce was an efficient 9-15 from the floor, finishing with 31 points, 11 rebounds, five assists, two steals. What a game for him to carry into Game 1 of the Finals. As much as I want Rondo to play at the level where we could be a Finals MVP, I desperately want Pierce toReebok Dallas Cowboys #82 Jason Witten Realtree camo Jersey
lead the way to further help cement his legacy into Celtic lore forever.The Celtics out-rebounded the Magicians 45-35: whoa.The Celtics once again outscored the Magic 20-12 on fast break points (transition, transition, transition)The Celtics shot 81 percent from the stripe (22-27), whereas ORL was 59 percent from the same location (16-27)Despite 40 points in the paint for ORL (compared to 26 for the C), the Magic couldn get clean looks in the paint and were scoring on such terrible looks (still managed to finish at 43% FG, but really had to work for it)While watching, you couldn help but notice the clean rotations on defense; they were crisp. While Dwight got his looks either by post or by air-mail lobs, the Celtics did such a great job staying home with the ORL shooters on the wings. This caused so many of the Magic jumpers to be jumpers on the run and moving away from the hoop. You have to mainly credit Rondo, Ray, and Pierce for forcing the Magic to shoot on the run THEN getting back into the middle to snatch a rebound (while the bigs boxed out Dwight high-school-style).What even more impressive is how willing everyone on the floor wearing white was willing to RUN in transition. For an old beat up team, they knew they had to push the ball to fluster Orlando when getting back on defense and forcing mismatches wherever and whenever possible.Why were we so nervous after being up 3-0 only to see our team lose two straight and be a game away from being on the verge of an almost historical collapse of epic proportions? I mean, really, is it even necessary to run through all of the very-very-berry-bad thoughts about dropping a series when you were up three to zip?Part of the reason that the amped up anxiety before Game 6 rest in one simple case: in a sense, the Celtics were unexpectedly on the doorstep of reaching the Finals for the second time in three seasons. And then all of the sudden, the Celtics couldn close the door They couldn close out the series. So in a sense, the pain of seeing a team that no one thought could make it past the Eastern Conference Semis lose in the Conference Finals after being up 3-0 Reebok Dallas Cowboys #9 Tony Romo Realtree camo Jersey
seemed like it was almost too much of an impossibility even for a fictionalized story. Could this have put the Buckner experience to rest as one of the biggest disappointments in Boston fan history?You know what? Who cares? You know why? It didn happen.The Celtics won. The Celtics won. The Celtics are returning to the NBA Finals where they will compete for the Larry OBrien Trophy with the best team in the West: it better be the Lakers. I don want the Suns. I want the Lakers. We all want the Lakers. Bring on LA so the Celtics can Beat LA.

25 Dec 10 Miami Heat Evolution: A Champion Is Starting To Take Shape in Miami

Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesMiami is rolling and it will only get better as they get healthier.During the Miami Heat current five-game win streak I noticed a few trends.Forget who they are playing. It how they are playing.Being a fan of this Heat team, I must be greedy. Expectations are still high and will remain so as long as the names Dwyane Wade and LeBron James appear in the same lineup.The first trend is clearly the level of energy and urgency to which the players are exerting on the court. No longer do they look like they couldn give a crap about theoutcome. More specifically, the Heat core stars have really picked it up on both ends of the floor.Whatever happened during that postgame meeting in Dallas has done wonders.James and Wade have taken their defensive play to anotherNew Orleans Saints jersey
level. As a result, Miami is scoring easier baskets in transition. Miami defensive efficiency rating is tied for tops in the league with the Boston Celtics. When you get stops, you can run.A Bucks announcer said it best last night when Wade stormed down the court after a Milwaukee miss and dished it to LeBron for a thunderous slam in what seemed like two seconds:If you miss and don come up with the rebound, the game will be over in about three minutes. What he said didn exactly compute correctly from brain to mouth, but we get the jist. Wade and LeBron on the break is an unstoppable nightmare.Overall, Miami is the most efficient team in basketball. They have the biggest margin between points scored per 100 possessions and points allowed per 100possessions.The reason you cannot use simple stats like points scored and points allowed is because not all teams play at the same pace. Some have more possessions than others. Points per possessions puts everyone on equal ground for comparison.It time to give credit to the coachLet give some credit to the coach, Erick Spoelstra. He took round after round to the face during the Heat mediocre play. He is now one of the reasons this team looks to be on the right track.For example, If you watched the Milwaukee game last night, more specifically the first half, you probably noticed several facts. Fact one, Miami is not only moving the ball more, but moving bodies too.More movement equates to more pressure on the defense. They have to know where James, Wade and Bosh are at all times. If those players are standing around it makes it easy.In the first half last night, there were sets I had never seen a Heat team run before. There was movement, wait for it, AWAY from the ball. There was less dribbling and more passing. I was shocked.On one play I counted four passes around the perimeter leading to an easy dump to Bosh on the block for a layup. And it was when Wade and James were on the floor together! Then at times Wade or James would run their own dribble-drive offense and do what they do best, score. Both strategies have proven to work, but it that they starting toexperimentthat has me excited.This team has realized it unlike any team in the history of basketball.It time for an unconventional approach. Forget an identity on offense. The reason Miami can be one of the most dominant teams ever is because they can exploit you in avarietyof ways. Most teams have New York Giants jersey
limits in the types of sets they can run.The 2010-11 Heat is a new breed, a genetic mutation.They can play slow. They can play fast. They can go one-on-one or they can run sets based on ball movement andweak-sidecutting. They can go small and they can go big.They have the league most versatile and talented player in LeBron. They have one of the most feared scorers in NBA history in Wade. Bosh adds anotherdimension. He can beat a team from the perimeter just as well as from the block. Did you see that sky hook last night?They have shooting in James Jones, Eddie House, Mike Miller (when he returns) and, wait for it, Carlos Arroyo. They have muscle in Erick Dampier and Jamaal Magloire. They have mismatch potential at center with Zydrunas Ilgauskas. They have contagious energy in Joel Anthony and Juwan Howard.No, they don have a dynamic point guard. No, they don have a 35-minutes-a-night center who going to give you 20 and 10. And for that I say who cares?Focus on what this team has.I saw at least three plays last night in which Wade cut away from the ball to the basket for easy buckets. LeBron found him of course with his impeccable vision. Wade is starting to realize he can do just as much damage off the ball as he does on.LeBron and Dwyane are proving the critics who said they could never work wrong. They are the two best basketball players in the world and yet still people doubt they can make this work.Come on, stop being silly.It like Riley handed Spoelstra aLamborghini(Wade), a helicopter (Bosh) and a tank that turns into a submarine (LeBron) and said Go play. Have fun with your toys, Eric.Experiment with various lineup combinations and roles through out the regular season. Treat the 82-game stretch as a tuneup for the playoffs. A trial run, if you will. Figure out what works best and what doesn while there is margin for error.So there were some rough patches early. It not every season where a team has to incorporate a completely new group of players including two previous ball-dominant stars like Wade and James.The early troubles, both on and off the court, will actually help this team over the long haul.They proved they can overcome adversity. They proved they can take whatever blows the media, players or fans dish out. They faced the most hostile crowd in NBA history last week and transformed them into a cage full of mutes in a matter of minutes.This team is, without question, going to be amazing. They are already excellent defensively and will only get better. Millerreturnsin a matter of days and you better believe Udonis Haslem will be back in time for the playoffs. Don ever challenge that man will power.They New York Jets jersey
are playing without their fourth and fifth best players!They are not like the Showtime Lakers or the Bad Boy Pistons. They are not like Jordan Bulls or Bird Celtics.They are the Miami Heat, a team infused with the type of talent the world has never seen on the same roster, minus international play or All-Star games.Pat Godfather Riley had a vision. That vision is now becoming reality.It a reality for all of basketball to enjoy and cherish because nothing like this will ever happen again. You can hate them, you can love them, but this team is destined for greatness.The only obstacle in their way is themselves.Related Posts:VIDEO: Miami Heat Dynasty 2010Miami Heat: 10 ways James and Wade can thrive togetherMiami Heat Breakdown: The Most Dominant Offense EverMiami Heat Lineup VariationsHeat: On to the next oneThis article is also featured onMIA Sports Guy

24 Dec 10 Kobe Bryant, LeBron James Get Bulletin Board Material from Jordan, Ron Artest

Michael Jordan has never been afraid to jabs at others.Chris Trotman/Getty ImagesWho is better? Always a highly debated question discussing NBA players. Michael Jordan and Ron Artest certainly added to the discussion with their recent comments about Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. San Diego Chargers jersey
When asked about where Bryant ranks among the all-time great NBA players, Jordan had an interesting take. "It's hard to say," Jordan said while promoting a video game. "If you were talking about guards, I would say he has got to be in the top 10." If he was trying to stir things up with his comments, he pulled out the blender. While Bryant's place in history is subject to debate, he is dangerously close to his Airness's six championship rings and could very well match Jordan come June. No matter how anyone feels about his game, championships speak for themselves. If Jordan's six rings make him the best player ever, five places Kobe in elite territory. Jordan is clearly right when he says that Bryant is a top 10 guard of all time. His five championships are equal to Magic Johnson's total, and many believe Earvin is one of the top five players ever—possibly the best point guard to put on a uniform. He has more rings than Larry Bird, Shaquille O'Neal, and Tim Duncan. To say he's a top 10 guard is pretty obvious, San Francisco 49ers jersey
even if his road to the rings may have been different than others. Is Jordan disrespecting Bryant by saying he's only a top 10 guard and not a top 10 player of all time? Probably, but that's just how Jordan is wired. Just look at his Hall of Fame speech. Instead of thanking people, he made sure everyone remembered each time he beat them. Jordan has never been afraid to alienate others, in order to promote his own position in the game's history. Meanwhile, Ron Artest recently said that the two toughest players to guard in the NBA are Bryant and Kevin Durant. However, that wasn't the controversial part of the statement. After mentioning Kobe and Durant, Artest's math skills became self-evident. "I can only count to two," he said. It's clearly acceptable to say that Bryant and Durant are the two toughest covers in basketball, but the fact that he refused to even mention LeBron James in the conversation will generate buzz. The media and fans alike, have made sure the Lakers know the situation in Miami and the defending champs seem to be getting a little annoyed. Championships are not given out in October and the Lakers seem to revel in that fact. Artest isn't as stupid as he tries to make himself seem. By not including James in his statement, Seattle Seahawks jersey
he's taking the passive/aggressive approach to smack talking the NBA's newest paper champion. The fact remains, that the Lakers are the two-time defending top dogs and will remain there until a new king is crowned. Artest's jabs towards James and the Heat are justified. His arithmetic? That's another subject.

23 Dec 10New Jersey Nets vs. Sacramento Kings: Tyreke Evans Unstoppable in Win over Nets

Ronald Martinez/Getty ImagesAt Arco Arena in Sacramento, the New Jersey Nets lost to the Sacramento Kings 86-81 on the third game of their western road trip. The Nets falls to 4-8 on the season while the Kings improve to 4-7 and snap their six-game losing streak.On the year, the Nets are 4-0 whenReebok San Francisco 49ers #21 Frank GORE Realtree camo Jersey
they score 95 or more points but are now 0-8 when scoring 94 points or less.In their first matchup on October 29, the Nets came from behind late en route to a 106-100 win. The Nets shot 53 percent from the field, and Brook Lopez drained 29 points in the win.The Nets looked good early on, especially Kris Humphries, who made his fifth consecutive start. He had only started eight games in his first six seasons. He recorded six points, including two powerful dunks, and three rebounds in the first five minutes.New Jersey appeared ready to pull away, with the Kings heaving up wild shots. But six straight points from Carl Landry tied the game at 10. The Kings closed out the first with some great hustle plays by Samuel Dalembert and Tyreke Evans to take a 21-19 lead.The Nets opened up the second quarter with some sloppy offensive play, with Devin Harris trying to do too much. Francisco Garcia provided some energy off the bench for Sacramento, and Ben Udrih hit some big shots.However, the Nets caught fire late in the half and went on a 21-6 run. Humphries and Anthony Morrow each scored 12 points in the half to lead the Nets to a 46-43 score at the break. Morrow was a perfect 4-for-4 from the field.Jim McIsaac/Getty ImagesTravis Outlaw joined in by scoring the first five Nets points of the second half. But Tyreke Evans also began to heat up. Evans came into the game averaging 19.9 ppg on the season.Harris and Lopez, who combined have been averaging 35.8 ppg, just could not get it Reebok Washington Redskins #98 ORAKPO Realtree camo Jersey
going. In their place, though, Humphries battled all night on the glass while Morrow knocked in big shot after big shot.Jordan Farmar closed out the third quarter with high energy plays, but the Kings kept answering back. Neither team pulled away in this quarter, with the score 64-63 in favor of the Kings heading to the fourth.The Kings capitalized on some New Jersey mistakes to take a four point lead early in the fourth. But the Nets were able to battle back with a few clutch baskets from Farmar, Outlaw and Humphries to tie the game at 76 with just under five minutes to go.More back and forth play ensued, but inconsistent play from Harris and Lopez allowed the Kings to take the lead. The Nets cut it to within two when Outlaw hit a clutch shot.Avery Johnson opted not to foul with 27.9 seconds remaining. The Nets looked like they might get the defensive stop, but Udrih hit a huge three pointer that just beat the shot clock and sealed the win for the Kings.Humphries recorded another double-double with 18 points and Reebok Pittsburgh Steelers 43 Troy Polamalu Realtree camo Jersey
10 rebounds. Morrow had 17 and Outlaw 13, so hopefully they can continue these strong efforts moving forward.Evans led all scorers with 20 points on the night.The Nets conclude their road trip Saturday night against Carmelo Anthony and the Denver Nuggets.

NBA Free Agency: What the Nets Should Do If They Don't Get the Top of the Class

Jonathan Daniel/Getty ImagesAs it appears now, unless the Nets can get LeBron and have him bring along someone else, the Nets aren't going to sign a "top notch" free agent. That's okay though.Right now the Nets starting line up would consist of Brook Lopez, Derrick Favors, Devin Harris, Courtney Lee, and Chicago Bears jersey
someone else who won't be the starter come this fall.With Lopez and the very talented Favors down low, the Nets have a good young front court to work with. Also, Devin Harris is a pretty good PG when healthy.The swing positions are the concerns. At SF there is really no one on the Market except for LeBron James. However, there have been some rumors about a trade for Danny Granger.Granger is one of the leagues top scorers and would fit in very well at SF for the Nets. If they can make this happen then they will have the start of something pretty good.The best SG's on the market are Ray Allen, Mike Miller, and Josh Childress. If they can get one of these guys to pair with Courtney Lee, now you are looking at a possible playoff that can still add and move some pieces to really make a serious Cincinnati Bengals jersey
run at a title.With all of this being said, the Nets could still end up with some better pieces than this like David Lee or Carlos Boozer...maybe LeBron?The bottom line is that however this summer turns out, the Nets should end up improved and ready for a run at the playoffs.

Boston Red Sox Reportedly in the Mix For Free Agent Catcher Russell Martin

Stephen Dunn/Getty ImagesThe Boston Red Sox are reportedly involved in talks with free agent catcher Russell Martin, a former All-Star and Los Angeles Dodger.The New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays have also reportedly been in on Martin.The specific parameters of the offer are not yet known, although it's Houston Texans jersey
likely a multi-year (most likely two) offer would be required to reign in the former top prospect.Martin provides a bit of an enigma for the Red Sox or any other team who chooses to pursue him. Defensively, he's not a great option, and his offensive skills have eroded over each of the last four seasons. Injuries limited him to just 89 starts and 97 total appearances last year.On the flip side, Martin is still just 27, and a clean bill of health could, along with a change of scenery, possibly mean an upward trend in production.If the Red Sox were to acquire Martin, it would likely mean that catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia would open the season in the minor leagues. He still has minor league options left, while Martin does not.This would give the Red Sox an extended evaluational period to judge what Saltalamacchia would need to improve on. Salty appeared in just 19 combined games at all levels within the Red Sox organization, after they acquired him from the Texas Rangers at the trading deadline.Do you think Martin is worth a try for the Red Sox?Do you think Martin is Indianapolis Colts jersey
worth a try for the Red Sox?Yes82.1%No17.9%Total votes: 78Worst case scenario? Martin playshorrifically, gets released, and the Red Sox are left with the same catching situation they have now in a Varitek/Saltalamacchia platoon.Only this time around, Saltalamacchia has gotten a no-pressure start in the minor leagues and would likely face little criticism from the media, as anything would be seen as an upgrade over Martin. Not exactly a selling point, but food for thought.Martin likely won't be very expensive, and judging by the Carl Crawford contract and eventual Gonzalez extension, Jacksonville Jaguars jersey
they aren't hurting for dough.Martin has at least shown he can do it in the majors on a consistent, albeitdisappointing, level.The newly added offensive prowess doesn't hurt either, as it basically allows the Red Sox to experiment with whoever they like and find who has the best chemistry with the staff.This writer doesn't see much harm in it, especially considering the fluidity of the Red Sox's current catching situation.

Boston Red Sox Reportedly in the Mix For Free Agent Catcher Russell Martin

Stephen Dunn/Getty ImagesThe Boston Red Sox are reportedly involved in talks with free agent catcher Russell Martin, a former All-Star and Los Angeles Dodger.The New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays have also reportedly been in on Martin.The specific parameters of the offer are not yet known, although it's Houston Texans jersey
likely a multi-year (most likely two) offer would be required to reign in the former top prospect.Martin provides a bit of an enigma for the Red Sox or any other team who chooses to pursue him. Defensively, he's not a great option, and his offensive skills have eroded over each of the last four seasons. Injuries limited him to just 89 starts and 97 total appearances last year.On the flip side, Martin is still just 27, and a clean bill of health could, along with a change of scenery, possibly mean an upward trend in production.If the Red Sox were to acquire Martin, it would likely mean that catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia would open the season in the minor leagues. He still has minor league options left, while Martin does not.This would give the Red Sox an extended evaluational period to judge what Saltalamacchia would need to improve on. Salty appeared in just 19 combined games at all levels within the Red Sox organization, after they acquired him from the Texas Rangers at the trading deadline.Do you think Martin is worth a try for the Red Sox?Do you think Martin is Indianapolis Colts jersey
worth a try for the Red Sox?Yes82.1%No17.9%Total votes: 78Worst case scenario? Martin playshorrifically, gets released, and the Red Sox are left with the same catching situation they have now in a Varitek/Saltalamacchia platoon.Only this time around, Saltalamacchia has gotten a no-pressure start in the minor leagues and would likely face little criticism from the media, as anything would be seen as an upgrade over Martin. Not exactly a selling point, but food for thought.Martin likely won't be very expensive, and judging by the Carl Crawford contract and eventual Gonzalez extension, Jacksonville Jaguars jersey
they aren't hurting for dough.Martin has at least shown he can do it in the majors on a consistent, albeitdisappointing, level.The newly added offensive prowess doesn't hurt either, as it basically allows the Red Sox to experiment with whoever they like and find who has the best chemistry with the staff.This writer doesn't see much harm in it, especially considering the fluidity of the Red Sox's current catching situation.

20 Dec 10 2010 Bowl Schedule: Bowl Info For BCS Top 25 and More

Steve Dykes/Getty Images2010 Bowl Schedule: Bowl Info For BCS Top 25 and More With just one more week left before the final BCS standings, it's time to start thinking about bowl games! The No. 1 Auburn Tigers and the No. 2 Oregon Ducks are each only one game away from playing in the BCS National Championship, but these aren't the only college football teams looking to end their seasons with big wins. The Wisconsin Badgers and the TCU Horned Frogs are smelling roses, and the Arkansas Razorbacks and Ohio State Buckeyes have their sights set on this season's Sugar Bowl. Will your favorite team be making a postseason appearance? Where and when will each bowl game take place? Here you'll find everything you need to know about of this season's best bowl games; complete time and location, ticket information and predictions. Read on for all the latest bowl game info! 02:59 AM ET2010 Bowl Schedule: BCS National Championship Information2010 Bowl Schedule: BCS National Championship InformationWhere: This season's BCS National Championship will take place at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.When: January 10th at 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.Bowl Facts: The BCS National C...Read more » 02:43 AM ET2010 Bowl Schedule: Sugar Bowl Information2010 Bowl Schedule: Sugar Bowl InformationWhere: This season's Sugar Bowl will take place at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans.When: January 4th at 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.Bowl Facts: The Allstate Sugar Bowl usually features Reebok Arizona Cardinals Larry Fitzgerald Realtree camo Jersey a matchup between th...Read more » 02:29 AM ET2010 Bowl Schedule: Orange Bowl Information2010 Bowl Schedule: Orange Bowl Information锘縒here: This season's Orange Bowl will take place at Sun Life Stadium in Miami, Florida.When: January 3rd at 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.Bowl Facts: The Orange Bowl (along with the Sugar Bowl) is the second-olde...Read more » 02:06 AM ET2010 Bowl Schedule: Fiesta Bowl Information2010 Bowl Schedule: Fiesta Bowl InformationWhere: This season's Tostitos Fiesta Bowl will take place at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.When: January 1st at 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.Bowl Facts: This will be the 40th annual Tosti...Read more » 01:50 AM ET2010 Bowl Schedule: Rose Bowl Information2010 Bowl Schedule: Rose Bowl InformationWhere: This season's Rose Bowl will take place...Well, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California of course! When: January 1st at 5:00 p.m. ET on ESPN.Bowl Facts: Known Reebok Baltimore Ravens #5 Joe Flacco Realtree camo Jerseyas the "Granddaddy of them All," this w...Read more » 01:17 AM ET2010 Bowl Schedule: Gator Bowl Information2010 Bowl Schedule: Gator Bowl InformationWhere: This season's Gator Bowl will take place at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Florida.When: January 1st at 1:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2.Bowl Facts: The Gator Bowl is the sixth oldest college football bowl ga...Read more » 12:59 AM ET2010 Bowl Schedule: Cotton Bowl Classic Information2010 Bowl Schedule: Cotton Bowl InformationWhere: The 75th annual AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic will take place at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.When: January 7th at 8:00 p.m. ET on FOX.Bowl Facts: The Cotton Bowl Classic was founded in 1937,...Read more » 12:31 AM ET2010 Bowl Schedule: Outback Bowl Information2010 Bowl Schedule: Outback Bowl InformationWhere: This season's Outback Bowl will take place at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.When: January 1st at 1:00 p.m. ET on ABC.Bowl Facts: The Outback Bowl features a matchup between the third-ran...Read more » 12:06 AM ET2010 Bowl Schedule: Capital One Bowl Information2010 Bowl Schedule: Capital One Bowl InformationWhere: This season's Capital One Bowl will take place at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando Florida.When: January 1st at 1:00 p.m. ET on ESPN.Bowl Facts: The Capital One Bowl is part of "Orlando Bowl Week," ...Read more » 11:21 PM ET2010 Bowl Schedule: Chick-fil-A Bowl Information2010 Bowl Schedule: Chick-fil-A Bowl InformationWhere: The 2010 Chick-fil-A Bowl will take place at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia.When: December 31st at 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN.Bowl Reebok Baltimore Ravens #27 Ray Rice Realtree camo JerseyFacts: The Chick-fil-A Bowl (formerly the Peach Bowl) was fou...Read more » 11:00 PM ET2010 Bowl Schedule: Meineke Car Care Bowl Information2010 Bowl Schedule: Meineke Car Care Bowl InformationWhere: The 2010 Meineke Car Care Bowl will take place at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina.When: December 31st at 12:00 p.m. ET on ESPN.Bowl Facts: In 2003, the Sports Busines...Read more » 10:37 PM ET2010 Bowl Schedule: Bridgepoint Holiday Bowl Information2010 Bowl Schedule: Bridgepoint Holiday Bowl InformationWhere: The 2010 Bridgepoint Holiday Bowl will take place at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California.When: December 30th at 10:00 p.m. ET on ESPN.Bowl Facts: The Holiday Bowl features a matc...Read more » 10:12 PM ET2010 Bowl Schedule: Valero Alamo Bowl Information2010 Bowl Schedule: Valero Alamo Bowl InformationWhere: The 2010 Valero Alamo Bowl will take place at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.When: December 29th at 9:15 p.m. ET on ESPN.Bow Facts: The Alamo Bowl is a matchup between top teams from the...Read more » 09:47 PM ET2010 Bowl Schedule: Humanitarian Bowl Information 2010 Bowl Schedule: Humanitarian Bowl Information Where: The 2010 uDrove Humanitarian Bowl will take place at Bronco Stadium in Boise, Idaho.When: December 18th at 5:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.Bowl Facts: The uDrove Humanitarian Bowl was founded in 1997, ...Read more » 09:07 PM ET2010 Bowl Schedule: Insight Bowl Information 2010 Bowl Schedule: Insight Bowl Information Where: The 2010 Insight Bowl will take place at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona.When: December 28th at 10:00 p.m. ET on ESPN.Bowl Facts: This game will be the 22nd annual Insight Bowl, and it will b...Read more » 08:51 PM ET2010 Bowl Schedule: Little Caesars Pizza Bowl Information2010 Bowl Schedule: Little Caesars Pizza Bowl InformationWhere: The 2010 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl will take place on December 26th at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan.When: 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.Bowl Facts: Until 2009, the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl...Read more » 08:18 PM ET2010 Bowl Schedule: MAACO Bowl Information2010 Bowl Schedule: MAACO Bowl InformationWhere: The 2010 MAACO Bowl will take place at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.When: December 22nd at 8:00 p.m. ET on ESPN.Bowl Facts: This will be the 19th edition of the MACCO Bowl, and last year's ...Read more »

19 Dec 10 Michael Vick and the Philadelphia Eagles Will Win the Super Bowl

Doug Benc/Getty ImagesBy the way this is a money back guarantee. If Kevin Kolb were to become the Eagles starting quarterback between now and the end of the season, I'm pulling out. The Eagles are 2-3 when Kolb either starts or plays most of the game. They are 4-0 when Michael Vick plays the Reebok Green Bay Packers #52 Clay Matthews Realtree camo Jersey
entire game. Most of the reason is because one is better than the other. Kolb has thrown 63.4% of his passes for 1,035 yards, 6TD and 4INT. Vick has yet to throw an interception, has thrown 11 touchdowns and has ran for 341 yards and 4TD. And it's not just the individual stats. Take the always effective eyeball test. With Vick, the team plays with so much more energy and the opponents have to prepare for so much more than they would for Kolb. Vick's running has opened up the running game for LeSean McCoy and J. Harrison, who had a 100 yard night against the Redskins. The Eagles will clearly make the playoffs and I don't think anyone is going to be beating Vick anytime soon.

18 Dec 10 Cleveland Browns, Shake It Off: Jacksonsville Jaguars Await Next Week

Chris Graythen/Getty ImagesYesterday afternoon, as time was winding down in the overtime session of the Cleveland Browns-New York Jets game in Cleveland, all one had to do was look at the expression on wide receiver Chansi Stuckey's face. Because just as the Stuckey knew his untimely fumble Reebok Oakland Raiders #21 Nnamdi Asomugha Realtree camo Jersey
might have been the difference-maker in yesterday's contest, the entire Browns team knew they let one slip away against a Jets team that was very beatable.Alas, Browns players and coaches cannot dwell on that loss, as they have to travel to Jacksonville next week to face a hungry Jaguars team, one that just survived a thrilling shootout with divisional rival Houston.Quarterback David Garrard's last-second Hail Mary TD pass to Mike Smith led Jacksonville to its second consecutive win, and at 5-4, the Jaguars are starting to believe they can beat anyone in the league, as well.Next week should be a great barometer of how far these Browns have really come, as yesterday was the first loss Cleveland absorbed all season that came on the very last play of the game.And that was after quarterback Colt McCoy had rallied the troops to tie the game at 20 in regulation, his first fourth quarter comeback drive ever as an NFL QB. How the Browns players and coaches respond to this loss next week will determine the true identity of their team in 2010.The Jaguars will not be an easy test, however. Not only do they have the continually improving Garrard under center, but they also boast tailback Maurice Jones-Drew, one of the more explosive running backs in the Reebok Pittsburgh Steelers #86 Hines Ward Realtree camo Jersey
eague. If the Browns thought that stopping L.T. and Shonn Greene was key to a victory yesterday, then shutting down Jones-Drew will be an absolute must come next Sunday.Whom do you think will win next week's contest in Jacksonville?Whom do you think will win next week's contest in Jacksonville?Jaguars9.9%Browns90.1%Total votes: 203Defensively, while on paper the Jaguars rank statistically among the bottom half of the league, the Browns cannot underestimate this unit, either. Because as the Browns know, anything can happen on any given Sunday, and the Jaguars should be pumped playing in front of their home crowd.So, next week's contest vs. Jacksonville will show just how far Eric Mangini has come in his year and a half stint as Cleveland Browns headReebok Pittsburgh Steelers James Harrison Realtree camo Jersey
coach. It will also show the resolve of these Browns, who, all but mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, suffered a very disheartening loss yesterday.If the Browns have truly turned the corner, they will be able to go into a hostile environment, such asJacksonville, and defeat a Jaguars squad that still has hopes of a wild card playoff berth.

17 Dec 10 Fantasy Football: The Best and Worst Performers of Week 11

Andy Lyons/Getty ImagesEach week Fantasy Football Spin, FFSpin.com, takes a look at some of the more surprising break out and break down performances and the fantasy football implications for the remainder of 2010 and beyond. Don't forget to follow us on Twitter FFSpin for the fantasy Reebok Chicago Bears #54 Brian Urlacher Realtree camo Jersey
football spin on all of the NFL news.THE GOOD…Ben Obomanu – The fifth year wide receiver made a big impact as the Seahawks aired it out trying to keep pace with aerial theatrics of Drew Brees and company. He hauled in five of the six passes thrown his way for 87 yards and a TD. Obomanu was promoted to the starting flanker over Butler and played a nice second fiddle to Mike Williams. If Williams cannot go in Week 12, Obomanu may see even more targets.Final Spin – Obomanu is blatantly average and we look for Golden Tate to return in Week 12 and begin to push Obomanu back into the shadows. He is not work considering for a dynasty team. Tim Hightower – The Cardinals backfield is among the most frustrating fantasy football situations in 2010. Hightower is consistently inconsistent; Wells is consistently hobbled. The team seems to want Wells to take the job but he keeps handing it back to Hightower. This week Hightower clearly outplayed a Beanie Wells who declared himself completely healthy.You can’t count on Hightower because as Wells gets healthier, Hightower is one quality quarter of football from Wells away from taking a seat long term on the bench.Final Spin: Hightower is in his contract year, who knows what that will mean with the CBA status, but wherever he players, he seems like a quality No. 2 back and nothing more. The only way one back carries the load in this offense this year is if Wells is completely healthy or if Wells is completely out.Cedric Benson – The Bengals lead back silenced the critics, including us, who called for more playing time for Bernard Scott. Benson finally ran with power and decisiveness.Facing the league’s worst run defense, he fumbled once in the game. In the end, however, he posted his second 100 yard game of the season tallying 124 yards on 25 carries and three receptions for 22 yards.Final Spin: Benson plays two of the top five rush defenses Reebok Chicago Bears #6 Jay Cutler Realtree camo Jersey
over the next three weeks. He is a mid to low end RB2 from here on out. He is a decent dynasty/keeper option, although where he will play next year is in question. He is a low character guy and the Bengals have not extended him a contract offer (which is odd because they love low character). Mike Goodson – First half: 11/69, 4/24. The first half was all Mike Goodson for the lowly Carolina Panthers. The Panthers ran 17 plays that gained yardage in the first half and 15 of them went to Mike Goodson. He was their leading receiver and the only rusher to get the ball. They may be onto something here with Goodson who now has rushed for 100 yards in consecutive weeks. It should create an interesting situation in the offseason with three running backs under contract.Final Spin: When Jonathan Stewart returns Goodson will likely be a RB3 and Stewart will be worth even less. This is only Goodson’s second year and he has nice size (6’0", 212 pounds) and speed. The Panthers now have three viable backs and a ton of holes to fill. One of these backs is unlikely to be on the roster next year. Nate Burleson – The Lions No. 2 WR has quietly been playing at a very high level and taking advantage of the fact that he plays opposite all-world talent Calvin Johnson. Best of all, looking at CBS Sportsline, Burleson is available in more than half of their leagues. Over the past four games he has 25 catches for 304 yards and two touchdowns. The Lions also have a favorable pass Reebok Dallas Cowboys #82 Jason Witten Realtree camo Jersey
defense schedule for most of the rest of the season.Final Spin – Burleson should be considered a low end WR2 or high end WR3 the rest of the way. The Lions tend to play from behind and the running game has faltered of late. He has some years left in him, and if he settles as the Robin to Megatron’s Batman, he could be a nice receiver.Click here for the "BAD" and all of the other fantasy football news

16 Dec 10 Santana Moss Quietly Producing for Washington Redskins Despite Offense Issues

Jonathan Daniel/Getty ImagesThe Washington Redskins have shown their offense to be sloppy and inconsistent since starting the season. Donovan McNabb has thrown for a good amount of yards, but only a handful of touchdowns this season. On the receiving end of a number of those yards but seeing the effect of an inability to score on offense is Santana Moss. Moss is a speed receiver at an age, 31, where most speed receivers break down. But Moss is still playing at a high level. The Redskins are a team with very few Reebok Pittsburg Steelers #83 Heath Miller Realtree camo Jersey
consistent playmakers on either side of the ball, but Moss has made it a point to show up for every game. He is only averaging 70 yards per game, but his catch and yardage totals are both in the top 10 in the NFL. The worst stat Moss has to his credit is his three receiving touchdowns, which is as many as Randy Moss has on just nine catches this season. Moss has more catches than both Calvin and Andre Johnson, and more yards than Marques Colston, Greg Jennings and Miles Austin, but is considered a step below the elite level of wide receivers. Perhaps it is due to Washington's poor production as a team that has kept Moss out of the conversation with the elite receivers of the NFL. Moss is on pace to finish with 96 catches and close to 1,200 yards, which would be his best season since his first with the Redskins, where he caught 84 passes for 1,483 yards. Larry French/Getty ImagesEven though the touchdowns haven't been there for Moss, he has made plenty of plays that have set up scores for the Redskins. His role in the offense has changed over the years and has varied during this season. Without a proven second receiver, the Redskins have had to rotate Moss between a true first receiver and his traditional role as slot man. The inconsistency and change on offense has affected his big-play ability. Moss has run a lot of short routes and slants, and made moves after the catch. On most plays he has been open deep, McNabb has overthrown him or put the ball in a bad spot where the defender has a better chance at it than Moss. He has just five receptions of 20 yards or more and just three receptions of 40 yards or more. Last season, he had 15 receptions of 20 yards or more and four receptions of 40 yards or more.It says something that he has almost matched last season's total for receptions of 40 yards or more, but McNabb's inaccurate arm has cost the Redskins more big plays than it has created them. Then there is the goose egg Moss laid against the Eagles Reebok Arizona Cardinals Larry Fitzgerald Realtree camo Jersey
back in October. In what can only be described as a mirage, Moss tallied just five yards on one rushing attempt and had no catches on the day. Consider that McNabb completed just eight of his 19 attempts and still managed to be intercepted. Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesMore often than not, Moss has had to do the dirty work of running a lot of underneath routes and fighting for extra yards. His efforts in that department are apparent in the 38 first downs he has converted on the season, just two shy of his season total last year. Perhaps the total would be higher if not for ill-timed play-calling, sacks and penalties, but that is an issue for another day. Moss is walking the line between experience and age that typically robs faster players of their speed. Maybe it is the diversified workload that has allowed Moss to remain healthy. Maybe he is taking special care of his body to avoid the expected breakdown in his physical abilities. Whatever the case, as long as Moss is on the field and healthy, the Redskins have a much overlooked Reebok Baltimore Ravens #5 Joe Flacco Realtree camo Jersey
big-play threat they can utilize. If Anthony Armstrong can draw some defenders away from Moss with more consistency, and McNabb can deliver the ball in a timely manner, Moss will thrive in Washington despite history and a mass of disbelievers working against him.

Kansas City Chiefs Receiver Dwayne Bowe Continues To Dominate in Week 12

Dwayne Bowe has had a lot to celebrate for this season. Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Dwayne Bowe is having a monster year and he continued his outstanding play in a Week 12 win over the Seattle Seahawks. Bowe caught 13 passes for 170 yards and three Steelers jersey
touchdowns, a season high.
Bowe has been incredible for fantasy owners as he has been carrying receiving corps in fantasy leagues. Week 12 was the second time in three weeks that Bowe has had 13 receptions.
No. 82 has caught 32 passes in the last three games.
Bowe's hot streak has him fourth in the NFL in receiving yards with 885 and first overall with 14 touchdown receptions. Bowe has now scored a touchdown in seven consecutive game, five in which have been multi-touchdown performances.
Fantasy owners cannot say enough about Bowe and football jersey
neither can the Kansas City Chiefs. The fourth year man from LSU has been solid since entering the league in 2007, but his breakout year was highly anticipated. The anticipation is over because Bowe has done more than break out in 2010, he has established himself as one of the elite receivers in football.
A lot of Bowe's success comes from the Buffalo Bills jersey
success of a teammate, quarterback Matt Cassel. Cassel has played extremely well this season and he and Bowe have been one of the best connections in the league. Numbers prove that Bowe is Cassel's favorite target as 14 of Cassel's 22 touchdown passes have gone to No. 82. Regardless of his matchups, Dwayne Bowe should be in fantasy owners' lineup week in and week out as he may be the key factor to win a fantasy championship.

NFL Odds: Oakland Raiders Getting Almost 2 Touchdowns Against San Diego

Ezra Shaw/Getty ImagesHere come the San Diego Chargers. Since getting off to a poor 2-5 start, San Diego has rattled off four straight wins. Last week’s 36-14 win at Indianapolis was especially impressive.The Chargers trail Kansas City by one game for the top spot in the AFC West.The Oakland Raiders have been crushed by Pittsburgh and Miami the last two weeks, but perhaps a divisional matchup will get the silver and black going again.Oakland is a perfect 3-0 against AFC West foes 4 Brett Favre Purple jersey
this season, including a 35-27 win over San Diego on Oct. 10.NFL odds makers, however, expect Oakland’s recent struggles to continue, listing the Raiders as a 12.5-point underdog with the total set at 45.5.Lengthy winning streaks are nothing new for San Diego. The Bolts ended the 2009 regular season with an 11-game run. They appear poised for another lengthy run to conclude their 2010 regular season campaign.Philip Rivers saw his team-record streak of recording at least one touchdown pass in 23 straight games come to an end last week, but that’s okay with him given the result.It takes offensive balance to win the Super Bowl more times than not, and running back Mike Tolbert provided that balance last Sunday. The big bruiser broke the century mark for a second straight week while running behind what is perhaps the best offensive line in football.Rivers and the offense get most of the credit, but the San Diego defense has been downright dominant. The Bolts lead the NFLJets 6 Sanchez Jersey
in total defense (273.5 yards per game), and they rank second and third respectively against the pass (192.5 ypg) and run (81.1 ypg).Peyton Manning may go down in the record books as the best quarterback in NFL history, but the Chargers made him look plain bad last Sunday. They intercepted him four times, returning two for scores.In all, San Diego forced five Indy turnovers and didn’t give the football away.The Chargers have won 13 of its last 14 meetings with Oakland. Seven of those wins have come by 13 or more points.Oakland must take care of the football if it is going to have any chance of upsetting the Chargers for a second time this season. Oakland forced three San Diego turnovers, while committing none, to steal the season’s first meeting and to snap a 13-game skid in the series.The Raiders, however, have not been doing a very good job of taking care of the football lately. They have committed three turnovers in each of their last three games after committing only two in their previous four contests.With Bruce Gradkowski likely out for the remainder of the season following another shoulder injury, the Raiders will likely go back to Jason Campbell.The former Redskins signal caller isn’t a guy who can put the team on his back the way Rivers has at times throughout his career. Campbell needs help from the running game.Oakland’s back-to-back blowout losses really don’t come as much of a surprise considering it has only rushed for a total of 77 yards the last two weeks.The Raiders rank fifth in the league with 139.7 rushing yards per game. They must get more production on the ground Sunday to have a shot against San Diego.It is worth 4 Brett Favre White jersey
noting that the Raiders are a perfect 4-0 against the spread in their last four games versus the AFC West.Jimmy Boyd cashed in big with the Chargers in Week 12. Make sure you check out his Week 13 NFL picks to see if he is riding the Bolts again.

New Orleans Saints: Drew Brees Reveals His Thoughts In Week 13's Final Seconds

Drew Brees surpassed Saints legend Archie Manning in most passing yards in Sunday's win over Cincinnati.Andy Lyons/Getty ImagesFather Tony over at Our Lady of Hopeless Cases in the French Quarter was preaching on Sunday morning about how "faith without works is dead." Seems some Saints 36 Bettis White Jersey
fans in the congregation view God as a Divine slot machine these days; put in a few prayers and victories will flow forth in abundance. However, as the good pastor pointed out, prayers can not always be substituted for a spunky QB who isn't afraid of living life on the edge with just the right amount of swagger and moxie mixed in. A few things were known about these Cincinnati Bengals before the start of Sunday's game at Paul Brown Stadium - things that most certainly have the late Paul Brown turning over in his grave. They can't run the ball. They can't protect Carson Palmer. They can't pressure opposing QB's (only 12 sacks all season.) But, you see, these 2010 Saints are a New Orleans cardiologist's dream. So, you could just count on the fact that the Bengals would do all three of these things well against the Saints and they did just that. The Saints have "played down" to the competition all year (e.g. Arizona, Cleveland, Dallas.) Are the Saints peaking at the right time or just barely squeaking by?Are the Saints peaking at the right time or just barely squeaking by?Peaking70.7%Squeaking by29.3%Total votes: 157Alas, Saints fans could hardly be shocked when Cincinnati kicker Clint Stitser, a guy who was selling real estate a week ago,kickeda 47-yard field goal to give the last-place Bengalsa 30-27 lead with 4:20 remaining in the fourth quarter. Not too many years ago, this would have sent Saints fans heading to Pat O'Brien's for a little self-medication to ease the pain. But, that was before Drew Brees and Sean Payton came to town. The Saints final drive began on their own 32-yard line. After rookie phenom Chris Ivory, who had 117 yards on 15 carries,ripped off a couple of impressive runs, Brees connected with the team's most lethal deep threat Robert Meachem for a 42-yard gain. Two plays later, Reggie Bush came up two yards short of a first down and the Saints were faced with fourth-and-2on the Cincinnati 7-yard line with :34 seconds left in the game. The obvious decision would be to attempt a game-tying field goal but the New Orleans Saints resorted to some acting that would have made Jack Nicholson proud. Trickeration is what those kids who tap dance on Bourbon Street for change like to call it. 4 Brett Favre Purple jersey
Brees called timeout and then he and Payton gesticulated wildly as if trying to decide what to do. Undrafted rookie running back Chris Ivory broke free for a 55-yard TD run in the second quarter.Andy Lyons/Getty Images"I think we gave the illusion that we were really going to run a play," Brees told WWL Radio on Monday morning. "And, that's what caused them to take it seriously and to jump offsides." The acting job continued as an exasperated Breescalled an audible, putting his tight end Dave Thomas in motion. "Just to make it seem like we were really running a play because there are plenty of times where I would say something that would be the actual terminology that we would use to run a play," said Brees on WWL. "And, so, that's the whole point in trying to sell it as best you can. We try to make it look as real as possible." Everyone in the stadium seemed to know it was a con job with the exception of the Bengals defense. Cincinnati defensive tackle Pat Sims flinched. Saints guard Carl Nicks reacted and the Saints had new life. "We practice getting someone else to jump offsides and then we just react," said Brees. "Worse case scenario is the officials say (Cincinnati) wasn't in the neutral zone or (the Saints) jumped first and then they move us back 5-yards and we kick the field goal." On first-and-goal from the Bengals 3-yard line, Brees spotted his most reliable target, Marques Colston. Jonathan Vilma (left) was instrumental in the Saints second goal line stand in two weeks.Andy Lyons/Getty ImagesChris Ivory is the running back. Brees up under center changes the play. Brees going to throw it and it's going to be caught- caught by Colston for the touchdown!!! And these cardiac kid Saints had pulled out a 34-30 win 36 Bettis Black Jersey
over the lowly Bengals. Some in the New Orleans media seem to think that all is not well. They say that maybe the Saints have lost their mojo or something. But, not local hero and father of the 'Who Dat Nation' -former Saints QB Bobby Hebert. "It beats the alternative," says Hebert. If you're a Saints fan with heart problems just make sure to get your heart checked after every game."

Pittsburgh Steelers "Chris Kemoeatu and Trai Essex staying"

The Steelers kept two back-up members of 4 Brett Favre White jersey
an unimpressive offensive line in 2007 by agreeing on restricted free agent tenders with T Trai Essex and G Chris Kemoeatu. Kemoeatu has played in 18 games for the Steelers over the past three seasons. He received a one-year deal for $1,417,000. Essex signed a one-year deal for $927,000, and started for injured LT Marvel Smith in Pittsburgh's 31-29 loss to Jacksonville in the playoffs last season. Commentary: Kemoeatu is penciled in as the replacement for seven-time Pro Bowl G Alan Faneca, who signed with the Jets in February. Essex could see time at tackle, as Smith's injury-plagued 2007 season shows instability at the position. Primary back-up, Max Starks, still hasn't signed his transition tag, and can still negotiate with other teams. Fantasy Football Impact: Vikings Brett Favre jersey
The Steelers offensive line, with Faneca, gave up a league-high 47 sacks last season. Kemoeatu has some large cleats to fill, especially considering RB Willie Parker led the league in rushes and carries when he got hurt in Week 16.

Pittsburgh Steelers "Chris Kemoeatu and Trai Essex staying"

The Steelers kept two back-up members of 4 Brett Favre White jersey
an unimpressive offensive line in 2007 by agreeing on restricted free agent tenders with T Trai Essex and G Chris Kemoeatu. Kemoeatu has played in 18 games for the Steelers over the past three seasons. He received a one-year deal for $1,417,000. Essex signed a one-year deal for $927,000, and started for injured LT Marvel Smith in Pittsburgh's 31-29 loss to Jacksonville in the playoffs last season. Commentary: Kemoeatu is penciled in as the replacement for seven-time Pro Bowl G Alan Faneca, who signed with the Jets in February. Essex could see time at tackle, as Smith's injury-plagued 2007 season shows instability at the position. Primary back-up, Max Starks, still hasn't signed his transition tag, and can still negotiate with other teams. Fantasy Football Impact: Vikings Brett Favre jersey
The Steelers offensive line, with Faneca, gave up a league-high 47 sacks last season. Kemoeatu has some large cleats to fill, especially considering RB Willie Parker led the league in rushes and carries when he got hurt in Week 16.

San Francisco 49ers Alex Smith Mike Nolan

In the first half of the San Francisco 49ers Sunday loss to the Arizona Cardinals, rookie quarterback Alex Smith showed a great deal of promise for the future. However, in the second half Smith showed his inexperience making rookie mistakes that proved to be costly.If the game was only two quarters long Alex Smith would have been nearly perfect. Smith played a flawless half of football, leading the San Francisco 49ers to a 7-3 lead at halftime. In the first half Smith completed 11/12 passes for 138 yards and had a passer rating of 114.6. He made numerous great decisions while running for his life behind a less than stellar offensive line. His first half performance was as good as anyone could ask for. Smith was poised, strong, and decisive. 49ers veteran wide receiver Johnnie Morton said, 6 Super Bowl Champions jersey White jersey
"He made a big step today. He's going to be a great quarterback." This remains to be seen, but Smith definitely showed that he could be with his performance in the first half of Sunday's game against the Arizona Cardinals. It's unfortunate for the young quarterback that he played so poorly in the second half because it overshadowed an otherwise solid performance. His second half stats were atrocious and cloud the progress that Smith made. In the second half he was 5/12 for 47 yards and 3 interceptions. Smith's quarterback rating finished a paltry 50.2. Despite this Smith still showed flashes that he can be a franchise quarterback in the NFL. Head coach Mike Nolan praised Smith's performance and the two will look at the film to try and figure out what went wrong in the second half. The Cardinals defense adjusted well to what the San Francisco 49ers were doing on offense and frequently had Smith running for his life in the second half. Sunday's game was another learning experience for the young quarterback; however, he will be able to take positives from it also.

San Francisco 49ers "Seven up: 49ers' defense adds numbers up front"

Hoping to fix a defense that ranked 26th in the NFL last season, the San Francisco 49ers have added 11 key defenders through free agency and the draft. The most recent is Sam Rayburn, a defensive lineman who was cut by the Philadelphia Eagles last month and signed by the 49ers on 4 Brett Favre Purple jersey
Tuesday.The arrival of Rayburn, a four-year veteran who was pursued by five other teams, gives the 49ers even more options up front. Rayburn is the fourth new lineman and seventh new member of the front seven this offseason. Mostly a part-time player in Philadelphia, the 6-foot-3, 303-pound Rayburn has shown the ability to get to the quarterback from inside (he had six sacks in 2004). With the 49ers, he is expected to compete with Melvin Oliver to back up the ageless Bryant Young at left end.Young, who signed a one-year deal in February to play a 14th season with the Niners, figures to remain on the left side, where he started every game and recorded 5? sacks last season at the age of 34.Rayburn also might get in some time at a loaded nose tackle spot that includes five players. The starter is expected to be Aubrayo Franklin, a former Baltimore Raven whom the 49ers signed to a three-year deal on the first day of free agency. Franklin, 6-1 and 334 pounds, was a backup for his first four NFL seasons in Baltimore. Behind him, in some order, will be: Isaac Sopoaga (6-2, 321), a fourth-year player who started the final two games in 2006; Ronald Fields (6-2, 323), who started 10 games in 2006, but only two at nose in the 3-4; and Joe Cohen (6-2, 313), a fourth-round pick from Florida.After opening just five games in 2006 in the 3-4 alignment coach Mike Nolan prefers, the 49ers are hoping Franklin and the other big boys can nail down the middle. With Rayburn and Fields also potentially playing end, the 49ers will have a lot of options as they go through training camp.In the base 3-4 alignment, Marques Douglas is expected to line up at right end, with rookie Ray McDonald and Fields likely backing him up. In 2006, Douglas started four games at right end (three of them in the 3-4 scheme). He started most of the season at right defensive tackle and managed to record 75 tackles and three sacks even though he was just 280 pounds and was not playing the spot the 49ers signed him to play. His natural position is end in the 3-4, which is where he excelled under Nolan in Baltimore. Now, if everything goes as planned with the new players, he will get to play the 3-4 end for an entire season.Douglas will be pushed by McDonald (6-3 and 281), a third-round pick who played nose tackle at Florida but will be moved to end in San Francisco.With the 49ers supposedly bigger and better up front, the linebacking crew should be free to make more plays. Adding one more to the field will certainly help their chances.The linebackers' unit is led by Manny Lawson, the 2006 first-round pick who had just 2? sacks as a rookie, and Brandon Moore, the five-year veteran who led the team in tackles even though he started just 11 games. He reportedly has bulked up to handle the position even better this season. The Niners signed Tully Banta-Cain to pump up the pass rush from the weak side, and they also drafted Jay Moore, a defensive end at Nebraska who will be used to help pressure the quarterback as well. The biggest question at linebacker is whether first-round pick Patrick Willis will supplant veteran Derek Smith. Willis, the 11th choice in the draft, is already slated to be Steelers 10 Santonio Holmes jersey
the nickel 'backer and will be given every chance to unseat Smith at the weak inside position. Also in the mix are Jeff Ulbrich, who started eight games last season; Hannibal Navies, who started three; and youngsters Colby Bockwoldt, Roderick Green and Parys Haralson.With 11 new defenders, the 49ers certainly have the numbers to fix their defensive woes of 2006. It simply remains to be seen how all of the new pieces fit in Nolan's 3-4 scheme.Coming soon...the official RealFootball365.com NFL Podcast...

Tennessee Titans "Offseason will dictate franchise's future"

The Tennessee Titans franchise has been the model of consistency in the contemporary NFL. They have rewarded their fans over the last two decades (Houston included) by fielding teams that were almost always capable of vying for a playoff spot. The Warren Moon-led Oilers of the late 1980s and early '90s were always a threat to go all the way, while the power running, defensive stalwart Titans of the late '90s and turn of the century were perennial playoff contenders. Even in so-called down years early in head coach Jeff Fisher's tenure, the team would still hover 4 Brett Favre White jersey
around .500 and play competitive ball.Until recently, the Titans looked as if they may finally have fallen into that long period of losing that team PR personnel cheerfully refer to as "rebuilding" years. Devastated by injuries in 2004 and fielding a painfully young team in '05, Titans fans appeared to be settling in for a period of outclassed youth and salary cap hell brought on by breaking the bank to keep players like Eddie George and Steve McNair from years earlier.However, it was not to be.Tennessee turned its fortunes around last season, and, despite what the media would lead you to believe, it is not simply because of the drafting of Vince Young. The Titans stabilized their offensive line with the addition of center Kevin Mawae and added quality defenders in linebacker David Thorton and strong safety Chris Hope. With budding young stars such as cornerback Pacman Jones and Young, the Titans are on the verge of returning to prominence. However, this offseason will be determinant in whether the Titans can field a team that can seriously contend for a championship or simply one that shows the promise of such. The following steps should be taken to ensure that the former is the case:Step No. 1: Address the receiver position: The next two years will see a critical period of growth for Young. The Titans must do everything possible to ensure that their quarterback develops his passing ability in his formative years. Despite what the pundits may allude with their endless praise, Young is not yet a franchise quarterback. The Titans should do everything they can to re-sign unrestricted free agent receiver Drew Bennett (as long as he doesn't ask for ridiculous money) and aggressively pursue a talented, proven FA wideout, like the Rams' Kevin Curtis. Tennessee can't rely on David Givens, despite what it paid him last March, to be its second receiver. The best-case scenario for the injured ex-Patriot would be a return to health and the adoption of the third wideout role. However, the Titans may need to take the loss on Givens and instead move the promising Brandon Jones up the depth chart. The Titans could opt to fill one spot with their first-round draft pick, spending it on the likes of USC's Dwayne Jarrett or Ohio State's Ted Ginn (Calvin Johnson will be long gone), rather than spending the money on Bennett and an outside free agent. Either scenario is fine, as long as they give the WR position the attention it needs. By surrounding Young with proven commodities, the Titans can help ensure that their talented QB can become the next Steve Young, rather than the next Michael Vick.Step No. 2: With the exception of WR, stand pat on offense in free agency: With the two-back attack coming into vogue in the NFL, the Titans can easily conform by fielding the twin threat of Travis Henry and LenDale White, and therefore let the oft-injured Chris Brown leave via free agency. The stabilization of the O-line made for a potent rushing attack in 2006, and, with a little help at receiver, the Titans' offense could be special. Depth can be addressed through the draft. If the Titans avoid being spendthrift on the offensive side of the ball it will allow them to invest their healthy cap space in the area that requires it most...Step No. 3: Defense, Defense, Defense: The Titans have the money to spend and should not be frugal in free agency. A proven corner to pair with the talented Jones should be the first order of business. Tennessee has the funds to acquire the likes of Nate Clements and should aggressively pursue a proven talent at that spot. As a result, Tennessee will be in position to have a talented third CB rather than an overmatched No. 2, allowing young corners Reynaldo Hill and Cortland Finnegan to battle it out for the nickel spot.Despite the maniacal Albert Haynesworth's apparent need to curb-stomp his opponents, the tackle should be given a chance to become the model citizen he professes he can be. However, while quality tackles can be hard to find, allowing the volatile DT a shot at redemption may lie outside of the no-nonsense Fisher's ability to endure. The Titans should unfortunately let tackle Robaire Smith go, as he appears to be a shell of his former self. Replacing Smith and finding a quality player opposite Kyle Vanden Bosch should be a priority, with Tennessee dedicating the most money toward an end.The Titans appear unenthusiastic regarding free safety Lamont Thompson but may opt to go with one of their former fourth-rounders, either Vincent Fuller or Calvin Lowry, and concentrate more on the DE and CB spots in free agency.Despite what many sportscasters have predicted, the Titans are by no means a mortal lock to make the playoffs in 2007. They play in a tough division featuring the reigning Super Bowl champion Colts and would most likely need to secure a wild card in the highly competitive AFC to make it to the postseason.What Tennessee does this Dallas Cowboys jersey
offseason is crucial. It will shape the franchise for the next several years. The Titans are walking a thin line between being a team that is just good enough to not get sufficient help through the draft yet not talented enough to make the playoffs -- much as they were in the mid to late '90s. Yet, they could easily take the next step and become a young, hungry playoff contender like last season's San Diego Chargers.It could simply be a question of a pickup or two that becomes the determining factor as to whether the Titans return to the glory years or the "Commander" Cody Carlson days.**You can e-mail Steve Reynolds at sreynolds . Did you know th is one of the few national football portals that churns out daily NFL and NCAA coverage during the offseason? Tell your friends about us.

Tennessee Titans Keith Bulluck Kyle Vanden Bosch Jevon Kearse Samari Rolle Takeo Spikes Ray Lewis Zach Thomas

Names like Ray Lewis, Zach Thomas, LaVar Arrington and Takeo Spikes are often the ones that come to mind when thinking of the NFL's best linebackers. But what about Keith Bulluck? The 29-year-old is one of the league's finest outside linebackers, but he's rarely thought of among the elite defenders in 4 Brett Favre White jersey
football. The reasoning for that is likely due to the fact that he quietly goes about his business, while playing on a Tennessee Titans team that hasn't received much positive press over the last couple of seasons.Bulluck, a six-year veteran, is clearly the anchor of the Titans' defense. Over the last few offseasons, the salary cap-strapped organization has been forced to wave goodbye to some of its best defenders, such as right end Jevon Kearse and cornerback Samari Rolle. Because of the lack of veteran talent on the defense, Bulluck has been forced to step up, and he's done so in a big way.It all clicked in 2002 for the former Syracuse star that picked up his first 100-tackle season, as he piled up 125 takedowns. The two seasons prior to that were Bulluck's first in the league, and the former first-round pick totaled 84 tackles in a mostly reserve role.Following his tackling breakout in '02, Bulluck became one of the league's best playmakers at the linebacker position. In the last three seasons he hasn't picked up less than 135 tackles. The '04 campaign saw Bulluck pick up a career-best 152 total tackles, while accumulating five sacks and two interceptions. Bulluck has, in fact, grabbed two picks in each of the last three years and tallied five sacks in both of his last two seasons. Even though Bulluck has been stupendous in the last pair of seasons for Tennessee, he hasn't made a Pro Bowl either time. He did manage to make it in the aforesaid '03 season, though. Still, that year wasn't as good as his last two, which have seen him develop into a threat for opposing offensive linemen and quarterbacks.The Titans' defensive coordinator, Jim Schwartz, has finally decided to utilize Bulluck in a pass-rushing role, and that's paid off for the team's defense. Although their units haven't finished better than 11th in points allowed in a regular season since Bulluck's big third season, it certainly hasn't been the linebacker's fault. Much to the 235-pounder's chagrin, the Titans' defense finished 29th in points surrendered last year.In recent years, GM Floyd Reese hasn't necessarily done a great job of building the defense. Bulluck has been virtually all the team could want in a defender, but the cupboard's been somewhat bare otherwise. Cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones was Reese's top pick in the '05 draft, but his debut season didn't go well at all.Schwartz and Bulluck are certainly terrific at what they do; however, they (and left end Kyle Vanden Bosch) can't expect to pull the Titans' defense up from mediocrity all by themselves. There just hasn't been enough talent on that side of the ball recently.Until Tennessee's defense turns into a great unit, Bulluck likely won't get the respect he deserves. Without question, that's quite a Jets 6 Sanchez Jersey
shame, since he's one of the best and classiest defenders that pro football has to offer in this day and age. Maybe, just maybe, his performance will be so good this season that it can't be ignored. That's all Bulluck and the Tennessee Titans can hope for.--Connor J. Byrne can be reached at Get more on Keith Bulluck

New York Jets "How the Raiders can better the Jets"

Surely now the have bottomed out: The last three weeks have seen a crushing loss to the San Diego Chargers, the choking shakeup and an utterly brutal demolition at the hands of the New Orleans Saints. Been done so long, everything;s looking up to the Raider Nation, right? After taking on a couple of Steelers 36 Bettis Jersey
playoff-minded squads, then, the Raiders get to host the contending New York Jets, a flawed team that would appear beatable on paper. Whether they;re beatable on the field by an Oakland team that just hasn;t played up to its potential is another question. In fact, though the spread reckons this one will be close (the Jets are at minus-3 at most sportsbooks), Oakland may be facing a squad perfectly built to beat them handily.Unless, of course, things change a bit in Oaktown. What has to change for the Raiders to win one this Sunday? Glad you asked. Recommendations follow.; Get the ;D; off the field somehow. The Saints game hammered home the inference from the Chargers matchup and a concern throughout this season: When tested, the stamina of the Raiders; defense loses. Tom Cable is going to have to find a way to improve upon that opposition 31:32 time of possession. Worse yet for Oakland, behind Brett ;The Great Improviser; Favre, the Jets boast a decent 40 percent conversion rate on third down and a league-high 88 percent rate on fourth. The Raider defense, meanwhile, is giving up first downs on third to the tune of 43 percent; against teams not named the Kansas City Chiefs, this ratio balloons to 48 percent, comparable to bottom-feeders in the category such as, um, the Chiefs. Maybe they could ;; Pump up the coverage in the secondary. Blitzing is all well and good, and at times the Raiders have been quite impressive when doing so (the first three quarters in Buffalo). However, pressure on Favre has, as is typical, been mostly irrelevant in 2008. The Jets; offensive line frequently crumbles under pressure ; stats say the unit has given up 12 sacks in five games, a bottom 10 rate ; yet Favre still leads the league in QB rating.Meanwhile, on the Oakland side, this soft one-on-one coverage just ain;t cutting it for the Raiders this season. Oakland has been particularly generous in giving up big yardage on one side (DeAngelo Hall's) while opposing teams have mostly deftly avoiding throwing the ball anywhere near Nnamdi Asomugha. Suspecting that Favre isn;t going to use his feet to get out of trouble (the man;s run for just eight attempts this season), shouldn;t the Raiders just dump extra men into coverage and let Brett look in vain for open receivers?(Never thought this would be coming from me, but how about a lot more Cover 2 defense, guys?)Meanwhile, on the offense, perhaps ;; Fewer pass plays, more runs. Cable recently opined that JaMarcus Russell threw the ball too often on Sunday; the QB;s 35 attempts were the most in his NFL career save for the Chargers game in Week 4 and only the third time he;d surpassed 30. Because Russell is now third-lowest among starting quarterbacks in completion percentage, this might be a good call. Unfortunately for the Raiders, the Jets enter the game with an impressive run defense currently third in the NFL in ground yardage allowed. Of course, this statistic is based upon a bunch of opponents with little running attack to speak of ; Miami (pre-"Wildcat"), New England, Arizona and Cincinnati among them ; and when faced with a slightly off LaDainian Tomlinson gave up two TDs to the man. New York has yet to face anything like Oakland;s three-pronged backfield. And out of New Jersey comes speculation that we might even see ;; The "Wildcat" formation. Half-seriously, folks, with an all-around athlete like Darren McFadden in Steelers 10 Santonio Holmes jersey
play and a questionable receiving corps, shouldn;t Cable at least play with the notion of deploying the NFL;s newest craze on a couple of plays? The journos in Joisey seem to think the "Wildcat" is viable versus the Jets. This kind of exciting trick play could be a good energizer for the Raiders and the hometown Raider Nation on Sunday.Prediction: Despite McFadden & Co. running up more yards against the Jets than they've seen this season, it;s still gonna be New York 27, Oakland 14. (35)

offense needs an 'out with old, in with the new' philosophy

To concur with a new head coach in Alameda, Calif., the should implement a new plan for the remainder of the 2008 season. It;s a simple one: Out with the old, in with the new.Not only will the plan give the Raiders a legitimate excuse for losing (;our offense is in serious rebuilding mode;), but it;ll give fans a more interesting team to watch (lose). If you must lose, make them interesting ones, not 34-3 trouncings that include no highlights. Oakland;s offense, in particular, is a need of a major overhaul. It needs more than a breath of Steelers 36 Bettis Jersey
fresh air. A strong wind needs to sweep through Oakland and pick a few players up off the turf and replace them with some fresh faces. If the Raiders are going to continue to lose -- and it seems they;re in for another long season -- the best way to do is through developing their own talent along the way. If the ;08 offseason proved anything, it;s that buying used-up talent doesn;t cut it.So here;s what needs to permanently happen this season (but probably won;t, because team owner Al Davis is excruciatingly impatient) ;Out with: Javon WalkerIn with: Johnnie Lee HigginsOK, so Walker is guaranteed $16 million as a part of his six-year, $55 million contract. But it;s a sunk cost. It;s done with. The Raiders need to give up on the 30-year-old Walker, who averages one catch per game, and replace him with someone cheaper and, frankly, more physically and mentally in-tune at this point in time. Higgins, 25, leads the Raiders; WRs in both receiving yards and yards per catch, and has proven to be the only player capable of taking one the distance. The second-year man is making $370,000 this year and is set to make $460,000 next season. Walker, on the other hand, is scheduled to make $4 million in 2009. Which one do you think is sticking around?Out with: Ronald CurryIn with: Chaz SchilensThe 29-year-old Curry has long been a reliable receiver for the Raiders, but he seems to have lost a step this season. Not only does his speed look lacking, but the 210-pounder is having serious trouble holding on to the football. Over the next year, Curry;s base contract is set to rise by 75 percent, from $2 million this season to $3.5 next season, and the vet wideout is giving Oakland no reason to keep him around.Waiting in the wings, though, is the rookie Schilens, 22, who, at 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, is a naturally hard-to-miss target for the erratic JaMarcus Russell. He;s played about 90 percent less than Curry this season and has just three fewer catches. Like Walker, Curry;s future with the Raiders doesn;t look promising, and giving Schilens the go-ahead won;t hurt anything in Oakland. Plus, Curry;s a better slot wideout anyway, so taking him out of the No. 2 spot and letting him come in on three-WR sets might be more beneficial to both players.Out with: Justin FargasIn with: Darren McFaddenFargas is certainly a key contributor to the Raider offense now (when healthy), but, one must admit, he;s not the future in Oakland. It;s not by mistake that the 28-year-old;s contract is structured the way it is. Fargas is guaranteed $6 million as a part of the three-year, $12 million contract he signed in February; however, all of that $6 million is guaranteed this year, with his contract jumping by over 300 percent next season. It appears Oakland wanted to persuade him to stick around in 2008, but make it easy for the team to wave goodbye to him in 2009 if necessary. The way things have played out thus far, they should. At just 21 years of age, ;08 first-rounder McFadden needs to be the player the Raiders build their offense around. Amid a tumultuous half-season, that notion has already seemingly been lost. The Raiders can;t afford to invest too little in McFadden this early on in his career.Out with: Kicking 59-yard field goalsIn with: Going for itLast week, kicker Sebastian Janikowski missed field goal attempts of 57 yards (on fourth-and-7 from the 39-yard line) and 59 yards (from the 41). The game before, the Raiders attempted 4 Brett Favre Purple jersey
a 76-yarder (no, that;s not a typo) with one second left in the half. Why not let Russell, who can supposedly throw the ball 80 yards in the air and 60 yards from his knees, air it out? And in fourth-and-7 situations, why not show some confidence in the 23-year-old and let him go for it? It;s not like Janikowski (another great first-round investment) is nailing kicks from 50-plus yards this season; he;s just 1 for 4. He;s not even statistically great in his career (44.7 percent). Heck, let Russell kick the field goal. At least make the miss entertaining. (140)

Won't find many more wins

The won a total of two games the entire 2006 campaign, so when they began this year 2-2, they were one of the NFL's early season feel-good stories. A few weeks later, however, the Raiders are back to earth, having lost three games in a row. At 2-5, things are looking bleak for Oakland -- especially when 6 Sanchez Green Jersey
you consider the team's difficult remaining schedule.The fact is, wins from here on in are likely to be few and far between for the young Raiders, who have made some strides this year under rookie head coach Lane Kiffin. For a team without a current solution at quarterback (Daunte Culpepper and Josh McCown are below average), an offensive line in rebuilding mode and a promising defense that was great last season but has been a middling group in 2007, the notion of Oakland being on its way to yet another high draft pick isn't much of a surprise.Of the Raiders' last nine opponents, only one (Minnesota) has fewer than three victories this year. Three, including this week's foe (Houston), have grabbed three wins, while four have won at least four. Further, the Raiders unfortunately have three AFC West games remaining. Why is that unfortunate, you ask? Because Oakland has gone 17 consecutive divisional contests without a victory, a streak that is easily the worst in the league. Whether in close contests or blowouts, the Raiders simply have not shown the ability to grab a 'W' in the AFC West. They came close this year, losing 23-20 to the Broncos and 12-10 to the Chiefs, but moral victories are nonexistent in pro football. Throw in the fact that all three of the Raiders' divisional enemies -- San Diego, Kansas City and Denver -- are better than they are, and news just keeps worsening for Oakland.Ultimately, even if Raider Nation doesn't want to accept it (and rightly so), closing the year poorly might be a good thing in the long run. Doing so would give the team a chance to insert last April's No. 1 overall pick, quarterback JaMarcus Russell, into the lineup late in the season, and it would enable Oakland to garner yet another set of 2010 pro bowl Vikings 4 Brett Favre jersey
high selections in the 2008 draft.Of course, there's always a chance of the silver and black turning it around and finishing '07 on a respectable note over these next nine weeks, but the Raiders are a young team that simply hasn't learned to win. And with a brutally difficult schedule on the way, don't expect Oakland to stumble upon many more victories.For the Raiders, .500 was fun while it lasted.: The place to go for honest commentary