Hump Day: A Fresh Batch of Loser Rankings

1. Cleveland Browns- This might be the only team in the league that hasn't shown any signs of improvement over the course of the season. There is some good news (and there isn't any car insurance involved). The Browns get to face our #2 team on this list on Sunday.

2. Detroit Lions- Matthew Stafford hasn't had a lot of luck this season. In seven games this season, he's completed six touchdown passes and thrown 12 interceptions. But then again, it's the Lions and there isn't a lot of talent on the team outside of Calvin Johnson. The good news for the Lions is that they get to face the Browns this week.

3. Oakland Raiders- They did lose to the Chiefs this week. Could the JaMarcus Russell era be over in Oakland? With two touchdown passes and nine interceptions, it looks like Bruce Gradkowski could get his shot at the starting job. But then again, it's the Raiders. Either way, we'll find out later this afternoon.

4. St. Louis Rams- I hate putting this team at #4, especially after how well they played against the New Orleans Saints. Unfortunately, they're the lowest scoring team in the NFC. That said, the Rams are still playing some great football. They get Arizona at home this Sunday.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- This is another team playing great football right now. They won against the Packers and almost beat the Dolphins. Josh Freeman has thrown for four touchdown passes and 401 yards in two starts this season.

Tuesdays with Romo: Football won't be the same without Patrick Swayze...I think

New England Patriots 25 - Buffalo Bills 24- Two touchdowns late in the fourth quarter for the Patriots made the difference. Tom Brady didn't get hurt, so all is happy in the state of Massachusetts.

San Diego Chargers 24 - Oakland Raiders 20- This game felt like an eternity. It was hard to get excited. Thank goodness it is all over.

That is the week 1 though.

See ya Wednesday!

NFL Preview Show Extravaganza: Oakland Raiders

Most Offensive Player (Offense MVP): Darren McFadden
Most Defensive Player (Defense MVP): Nnamdi Asomugha
Best New Guy: Darrius-Heyward Bey
Coolest Twitter Page: McFadden
How long does Cable last in Oakland: Depends on if anything arises from his fisticuffs incident
Coolest Names (Top 3): Asomugha, Samson Satele, Chaz Schilens
Most Likely to Succeed: The other team
In 2009, the Raiders will go: 4-12

Next up, the Chiefs.

The Mondays: Titans go 8-0

Tennessee Titans 19 - Green Bay Packers 16- This game was settled in overtime when Rob Bironas kicked a game winning 41-yard field goal. The Titans are clearly the biggest surprise of this NFL season. Nobody is within a mile of the Titans in the AFC South. I'm unsure of the Titans being a legitimate contender. They have a tough defense and a good 1-2 combo at the running back position. However, it comes down to the quarterback spot. Vince Young has to return eventually. Can Kerry Collins really carry this team through the second half of this season?

New York Giants 35 - Dallas Cowboys 14- This is no time to panic yet, Cowboys fans! You have a bye week, which means you won't lose. You'll get Tony Romo back for the game against Washington. If the Cowboys lose in two weeks to the Redskins, then you can start to panic. Until then, be thankful you're 5-4. Meanwhile, this Giants team is very ferocious, especially on defense. The front four is the best in football. You know your defense is good when the defensive line can get to the quarterback.

Cincinnati Bengals 21 - Jacksonville Jaguars 19- The nightmare for Bengals fans is over. The Bengals have now won one straight game. Chances are, they probably won't win the division, nor get a playoff spot. The Bengals still have a chance though to save their season though. I still think the Bengals will win four games.

Atlanta Falcons 24 - Oakland Raiders 0- The only shutout of the day came on Sunday and it was for the Raiders. JaMarcus Russell had 31 yards passing for the Raiders in the losing effort. This season is turning into a disaster for the Raiders and it doesn't seem like there's an end in sight. Meanwhile, the Falcons are 5-3. They have a tough division test against next week against the Saints. This game could see an explosion for both offenses. I'm excited!

SUNDAY NIGHT RECAP: Indianapolis Colts 18 - New England Patriots 15- The Colts scored a big win last night. They still have a ways to go before catching the Titans.

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Friday Briefs: Time to pick some games

It finally happened, for the first time this season I went 5-0 for the week. I really nailed those picks. I'm now 25-10 for the season, which means the season is at the halfway point. Time for some week 8 picks.

Baltimore over Oakland- This seems like an obvious win for the Ravens. They need this win to keep with the Steelers in the AFC North.

Jacksonville over Cleveland- The Browns are falling apart, but then again so are the Jags.

New York (Jets) over Cincinnati- The Bengals will keep losing until they decide to win.

San Francisco over Seattle- Good luck goes out to Mike Singletary as he makes his head coaching debut for the 49ers.

UPSET PICK: Tampa Bay over Dallas- No namesake, no win.

Hump Day: The Loser Rankings- October 22, 2008

Another week, another loser's rankings are here. You know the drill by now.

1. Detroit Lions- So, it has been a couple of weeks since Matt Millen was carried out of Detroit on a pole. Yes, the Lions are still winless. Two more losses and the Lions are officially out of the NFC North playoff hunt.
   
   
2. Cincinnati Bengals- So this team is continuing to fall apart. It's funny, but sad, tragic, yet amusing.
   
   
3. Kansas City Chiefs- So the woes continue for the Chiefs. Things just don't look good for this franchise.
   
   
4. Seattle Seahawks- I did not see this one coming. Honestly!
   
   
5. Oakland Raiders- If they keep winning, they won't have to be on this list.
   

Hump Day: Loser Rankings- October 15, 2008

Without waiting any further, here's your top five worst teams in the NFL.

1. Detroit Lions- They came oh so close to winning this week, but it was a safety by quarterback Dan Orlovsky that would cost them the game against Minnesota.




2. Cincinnati Bengals- They ran with the Jets, but they couldn't close the deal. Now it looks like Carson Palmer will not play this week.

3. Oakland Raiders- Tom Cable made his debut as the Raiders Head Coach. It was a debut that he would like to forget. The Raiders were blown away, 34-3. The Raiders have been horrible on third downs this season, only converting 27.5 percent, third worst in the NFL.

4. Kansas City Chiefs- They had a bye week last week. They play the Titans this week and things could get bad.

5. St. Louis Rams- You see what happens when you win, you increase your chances of falling out of the top five. The Rams scored a HUGE win over the soaring Redskins. The Rams season is not entirely out of reach. The Seahawks aren't that strong (and risk being in the top five), the 49ers aren't that strong and I'm not sure what to think of the Cardinals (other than they're really really good). The win over Washington could very well salvage the Rams season.

Hump Day: The Loser Rankings- October 8, 2008

So the Loser Rankings decided to take a bye week last week. That is how bad things are right now. Sure I'm probably overreacting, but that's not the point. The point is that there is no point.

1. Detroit Lions- This team is indeed the worst in football. How does a defense give up 334 yards passing from Kyle Orton. Nothing against Orton (I'm a fan of the neckbeard), but when the Bears pass for 300 yards on you, you know you suck.
   
   
2. St. Louis Rams- Scott Linehan is gone, but don't expect the Rams to leave the Losers Rankings anytime soon.
   
   
3. Cincinnati Bengals- They came close to winning last week, but sadly they stay in the top five.
   
   
4. Houston Texans- This is such a good team and they came oh so close to defeating the Colts on Sunday. Unfortunately, it didn't happen. I hope the Texans don't stay in the top five for
   too long. They're too good of a team to be 0-4.
   
   
5. Kansas City Chiefs- It should be the Raiders in the top five, but the Chiefs won the tiebreaker because they lost to Oakland.

The Mondays: Emotional day for Bryant

Week four saw many great moments. Some were good, some very emotional, some even surprising.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 30 - Green Bay Packers 21- This day belonged to Bucs kicker Matt Bryant, who lost his infant son unexpectedly earlier last week. Bryant kicked three key field goals, including a 24-yard go-ahead in the fourth quarter to help the Bucs win. I have nothing but the utmost respect for Bryant. He goes out on Sunday and plays. Should he have stayed home? I don't know because it is not up to me. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Bryant and his wife during these tough times.

Buffalo Bills 31 - St. Louis Rams 14- The Rams are falling apart. Even the Rams know that they are unraveling. The Rams actually led this game at halftime, but they were shut out in the second half. Meanwhile, the Bills are in good shape, despite two straight scares against the Raiders and the Rams. However, a win against Arizona next week will put the Bills at 5-0 for the season, going into the bye week.

San Diego 28 - Oakland Raiders 18- So...Is Lane Kiffen going to be fired now? I give the Raiders credit, they stuck with the Chargers. This team has a lot of potential, but we'll see what happens now. I don't think Al Davis will fire him. I could be senile with that thought.

Romo Alert: Washington Redskins 26 - Dallas Cowboys 24- Okay, even I admit that I never saw this coming. The big story has to be the defense on the Cowboys side. They couldn't stop Jason Campbell in the air and they couldn't stop Clinton Portis on the ground. Are teams starting to figure out the Cowboys defense?

Sunday Night Recap: Bears defeat Eagles- I never saw this coming either. This was a defensive battle, but the offenses weren't that bad. Kyle Orton threw three touchdown passes on Sunday night, which only happens once in a blue moon. The Bears are now tied for first in the North with the win.

Monday Night Prediction: Pittsburgh over Baltimore

Photo Credit: AFP

The Mondays: Patriots lose, I'm out of a survival game on Yahoo

Greetings all, another exciting Sunday has come and gone.

Miami Dolphins 38 – New England Patriots 13- Go figure, the one time I take Ronnie Brown out of the line up, he scores five touchdowns, one of them via passing. This is a huge win for the Dolphins. I swear, I never saw it coming. Does this mean trouble for the Patriots? It seems highly unlikely at this point, but if the losing becomes a trend, then Foxboro should prepare for a full-fledged panic attack.

Jacksonville Jaguars 23 - Indianapolis Colts 21- For some strange reason, the Colts and Jags are 1-2. The bigger surprise is the Colts. Wait, the Jags beating the Colts on the road is the bigger surprise. The Colts are now 0-2 in their new stadium. If I'm a Colts fan, I'm slightly concerned.

Buffalo Bills 24 - Oakland Raiders 23- The Raiders surprised me on Sunday. They had a strong chance of walking into Buffalo and knocking off one of the rising AFC teams. Trent Edwards and Marshawn Lynch came through when needed. Rian Lindell made it count and won the game on a field goal as time expired. What becomes of Raiders coach Lane Kiffin? Foxsports.com is reporting that sources have said Lane Kiffin could be fired as early as Monday. The Raiders are falling apart and it is a sad story.

Atlanta Falcons 38 - Kansas City Chiefs 14- Seriously, who saw the Falcons starting the season 2-1? I know it's not much right now, but it's a good start. Matt Ryan is showing some promise. The rookie quarterback threw one touchdown pass on the day, no interceptions. Michael Turner had a good day for the Falcons. The former San Diego Charger rushed for 104 yards and three touchdowns on the day.

SUNDAY NIGHT RECAP/ROMO ALERT: Dallas Cowboys 27 - Green Bay Packers 16- It was pretty much all Cowboys for most of the game. Tony Romo threw for 260 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Aaron Rodgers threw for 290 yards, but no touchdowns.

Monday Night Predictions: New York (Jets) over San Diego

Enjoy your Monday!

Photo Credit: NFL.com/Getty Images

The Mondays: Happy Jeff Pearlman Book Release Day

Ahh yes, it is another Monday. I'd like to send a friendly reminder to all of you bookworms out there that the new Jeff Pearlman book, Boys Will Be Boys, is being released (UPDATED, depends where I guess) tomorrow. Make sure you pick up your copy today, or tomorrow, or next week. Eventually I guess. Enough with the awkwardness, let's talk football!

Denver Broncos 39 - San Diego Chargers 38- Have you ever wanted to go for two points to win the game? Mike Shanahan did! The Broncos two pointer late in the game made the difference as they defeated the Chargers. Jay Cutler is starting to grow into a very good quarterback. He threw for 350 yards on Sunday, with four touchdowns. Phillip Rivers had a good game for the Chargers, throwing for 377 yards and three touchdowns.

Indianapolis Colts 18 - Minnesota Vikings 15- One of these two teams was going to finish Sunday with an 0-2 record. Peyton Manning wasn't about to allow that to happen. The Colts scored 18 unanswered points to beat the Vikings. Adam Vinatieri kicked a 47-yarder in the final seconds to clinch the game for the Colts. The Vikings did a good job shutting down the running game, giving up only 25 yards rushing. The Vikings could very well have won this game, but they didn't score any touchdowns, which hurt them in the long run. You can't win games only scoring field goals, especially against the Colts.

Oakland Raiders 23 - Kansas City Chiefs 8- In what could be Lane Kiffen's last game, the Raiders had their finest showing yet in the young coach's second season. Darren McFadden had 164 rushing yards on the day. He had one touchdown.

Sunday Night Recap: Pittsburgh Steelers 10 - Cleveland Browns 6- To be fair, it was very windy. Neither side was going to get the job done passing, even though Roethlisberger threw a touchdown pass. Willie Parker was able to run the ball better than Jamal Lewis did. Lewis has not been able to turn on the jets. He has only 62 yards rushing in two games this season.

Monday Night Prediction: Dallas edges out Philly 24-20

Friday Briefs: NFL Picks- Week 2

Last week was a rough way to start the 2008 season. My picks didn't pan out the way I thought they would. Never fear, this week should be much better.

Green Bay over Detroit- Detroit could very well start 0-2.

Indianapolis over Minnesota- Indy gets back on track.

Carolina over Chicago- I could see this game being close.

Seattle over San Francisco- Hey, least they're not traveling across the country.

UPSET PICK: Oakland over KC

Enjoy the weekend

Hump Day: Losers Power Rankings: September 10, 2008

It's like what we did last year. For those who don't know, we choose the worst teams in football, instead of the best. Here is your top five for this week

1. St. Louis Rams- They just got blown away against Philly. Steven Jackson might as well have been non-existent. The Rams need to get things on track or else they will stay at number one for a long while.
   
   
2. Detroit Lions- They lost to the Atlanta Falcons, need I say more? Okay sure Jon Kitna had a good game, but it's not enough. They lost to a team that started a rookie at the quarterback.
   
   
3. Oakland Raiders- They were awful on Monday night against the Broncos. The reason they are at number three is because of JaMarcus Russell's strong showing. The second year quarterback from LSU threw two touchdown passes in the losing effort. If the Raiders defense puts up more showings like that, they will hit number one in no time at all.
   
   
4. Cincinnati Bengals- They have no defense and now it looks like they have no offense. Quarterback Carson Palmer was 10-of-25 for 99 yards and one interception. The Bengals had only eight first downs on Sunday.
   
   
5. Minnesota Vikings- I don't know how long they'll be on this list for, but if they keep playing like they did on Monday night, they'll be there for a while.

I know this is a young list, but it should develop even more as the weeks progress.

NFL Preview Show Extravaganza: Oakland Raiders

Today, we continue our profile of the AFC West with a look at the Oakland Raiders.

Remember the days when the Raiders were a team that everybody hated to play. The Raiders were a team with players like Kenny Stabler, Matt Millen, Marcus Allen, Art Shell, the late great Gene Upshaw, Lester Hayes, Jack Tatum, Fred Biletnikoff, Dave Casper, Ted Hendricks, Ray Guy, Lyle Alzado, Howie Long and so many more.

This franchise has a proud history of winning and have always been a relevant force in the AFC West.

The days of the great Raiders teams are now in the past. The Raiders don't have the same talent that they had back in the day. I'm not sure what happened. Maybe it's owner Al Davis and maybe it's not (All signs point to Davis). If the Raiders wants to win, Al Davis will need to change his controlling ways.

This team has a proud (well they'd call it that) history. It would be nice to see the Raiders start winning again, but we'll have to wait and see.

The Raiders open up the 2008 season at home on Monday night against their division foes, the Denver Broncos. At home, the Raiders will face New England, Carolina and Houston. On the road, the Raiders will face New Orleans, Tampa and Baltimore.

Time for those burnin' questions (yearbook style):

• Passing yards for JaMarcus Russell: 2500
  
  
• Touchdowns: 16
  
  
• Interceptions: 20
  
  
• Leading rusher: Darren McFadden- 987 yards
  
  
• Rushing touchdown leaders: Justin Fargas- 10
  
  
• Leading wide receiver: Does it really matter?
  
  
• Oakland Raiders Fun Fact: Former head coach Tom Flores was once a quarterback for the Oakland Raiders. In fact he went to the Pro Bowl in 1966.
  
  
• Coolest names (Top 3): Justin Fargas, Joe Condo and Stanford Routt
  
  
• 80s song to best describe team: Screw the 80s song. Give me the Oakland Raiders theme any day of the week!
  
  
• In 2008, the Raiders will: Finish the season 6-10

Enjoy the song!

Hump Night (Not Day): Arrington Arrested

Happy Hump Evening to you. It is the late edition for you crazy football fans. Here's what is going on in the NFL at the moment.

Arrington arrested in night club fight- Cardinals running back J.J. Arrington has arrested by Rocky Mount (High), N.C. police after a fight in a night club. Arrington was charged with disorderly conduct earlier this morning. The former Cal running back has not worked out well for the Cardinals. If the Cedric Benson situation has taught us anything, it's that Arrington could be out of a job soon- AZ Central

Walker expected at Raiders camp- The Raiders expect newly signed receiver Javon Walker to be with the team once training camp starts in Napa, Calif. next month. Over the weekend, Walker was found unconscious after a robbery on a Las Vegas street. Walker has been released from the hospital with only facial injuries- AP/ SF Gate

The battle at quarterback continues- It's a three-way shootout to determine who will be quarterback in San Francisco. The three players battling it out are 2005 #1 overall pick Alex Smith, J.T. O'Sullivan and Shaun Hill. One of these three will be starting for the 49ers soon enough. It's Smith's spot to lose ultimately, but if it's not Smith than the likely choice is Hill.

That's all I have for now. Enjoy your evening.


Oh No Romo

Friday Briefs: The Final Frontier

Here we are....Walking down the street...We've reached the final two weeks of the 2008 NFL regular season. Finally! I'll profile the final six games right here, right now!

Week 16- Dec. 18, 20, 21 and 22

Indianapolis Colts at Jacksonville Jaguars- This game could very well have playoff implications. If the Colts don't have the division wrapped up by this point, it could be the chance of a lifetime for the Jags to sneak in and win their first division title as an AFC South team and first overall division title since the 1999 season- Thurs. Dec. 18 at 8:15 PM ET on the NFL Network

Pittsburgh Steelers at Tennessee Titans- We have another game with playoff implications. It could very well be a win and get in for the Titans- 1 PM ET on CBS

Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears- The final MNF game of the regular season features two NFC North foes. It could be good, it could be bad!- 8:30 PM ET on ESPN

Week 17- Dec. 28

Just a personal note, I have no intentions of posting the times to these games, because the Sunday Night game will be selected the week of. I'm not about to assume anything at this point.

Oakland Raiders at Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Are you like me and wondering how will Jon Gruden coach against his old team?

New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills- 16-0 anybody?

Kansas City Chiefs at Cincinnati Bengals- What? This was the only other non-divisional game, besides Oakland-TB.

That's all I have.

I hope you enjoyed this presentation and stay tuned for my best of "The Mondays."

I'll keep you guys up to date on any news that might cross the wires and I'll get you ready for the NFL Preview Show Extravaganza.

Stay tuned!

Oh No Romo

The Mondays: Some Movie Posters to Describe The NFL Draft

I decided to get a little creative with the NFL Draft, which took place over the weekend. I made three movie posters for the moment. Take the time to look at them and enjoy...

Friday Briefs:

Happy Friday everybody. It's been a long week and I have a fight event to go and cover tomorrow night. I'm very excited about the event, even more excited than my homecoming. It's kind of sad when you think about it.

Once again, I went 3-2 last week. For the regular season, I am 18-11. Maybe, just maybe, I can go 5-0. Better yet, I'll be happy to get my 20th win of the season. Let's take a gander.

• New Orleans Saints over Atlanta Falcons- The Saints picked up their first victory of the season on Sunday night. Meanwhile at the Hall of Justice, Aqua Man (Byron Leftwich) gets the start over Joey Harrington.
  
• Oakland Raiders over Kansas City Chiefs- It's the Raiders, at home. I apologize to all the Chiefs fans.
  
• Baltimore Ravens over Buffalo Bills- Willis McGahee comes back to Buffalo. Don't forget to say hi to the great staff at the Applebees on Union Road.
  
• New York Jets over Cincinnati Bengals- Be hopeful Jets fans.
  
• St. Louis Rams over Seattle Seahawks- The Rams gotta win during some point in the season.

See ya

Nos

The Monday's: Seriously, San Diego, Bad???

Week four of the NFL season saw a lot of action and storylines.

Sorry for being late, but let's get started.

• Kansas City Chiefs destroyed the San Diego Chargers in the fourth quarter- Hahahahahahahahaha. Sorry Charger fans, but your team sucks!
  
• Buffalo Bills defeat New York Jets, 17-14- A win for the Bills means a loss for the Jets.
  
• Indianapolis Colts defeat Denver Broncos, 38-20- Great game for Colts tight end Dallas Clark.
  
• Chicago Bears lose again, to the Lions- I don't want to talk about the game. I didn't even get a chance to see it. So instead I'll say GO CUBS!!!
  
• Oakland Raiders beat the Miami Dolphins- Hey great to see the Raiders in the mix.
  
• Arizona Cardinals shocked the Pittsburgh Steelers, 21-14- Okay, it might not be shocking, so to say, but hey Ken Whisenhunt got to stick it to his old team.
  
• ROMO ALERT: Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo leads the Cowboys to another victory, 35-7, over the St. Louis Rams. Romo scored four touchdowns total (three passing, one rushing). He also threw for 339 yards and is third in the NFL in passing yards.

See you guys Tuesday, and go Rockies!

Nos

Hump Day: The Loser Rankings

It's week two and boy do we have plenty of losers.

Let the countdown and total fun-ness (I made that word up) begin.

10. Philadelphia Eagles- Forget about the Donovan McNabb comments for a minute here. This team has one star and his name is McNabb. They have Westbrook, but they worry about injuries with him. POP QUIZ: Name a wide receiver on the Eagles? Regardless, I still believe they can win the NFC East.

9. New Orleans Saints- They're 0-2. What happened? I picked them in my Survival Football pool and here they go losing, to the Buccaneers.

8. St. Louis Rams- They're 0-2 and making my pick for them to win the Wild Card, look really stupid.

7. Oakland Raiders- Ohhhh the agony of losing to the Denver Broncos in overtime. It's unfortunate to the Raiders that it went down that way.

6. Kansas City Chiefs- Not looking good for the Chiefs right now

5. San Diego Chargers- No cameras and you still lost. I need a reason to believe that they're going to win the division. How will they do it, if LT averages 1.9 yards per carry and one rushing touchdown (Only through two games, but he had three touchdowns and a 4.04 yards per carry).

4. Atlanta Falcons- Welcome aboard Mr Leftwich. We hope you fare better than this guy (Before he entered the pros).

3. Cincinnati Bengals Defense- 50 points to the Cleveland Browns.....and you call yourself an AFC North team.

2. Rex Grossman- 32 for 57, 305 yards. It's not out of the realm of possibility. But to put up that total in two games, that's like me shooting a 60 on the front nine. I'm not sure how much more of Grossman I can take.

1. The AFC East (Minus the New England Patriots)- The Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills and New York Jets are a combined 0-6 to start the season. Meanwhile, the Patriots are 2-0. Good news is on the way though. The Dolphins and the Jets play this week, while the Bills play the Patriots. At least we know one of those three will win.

Later

Nos