Top Reasons You Should Watch This Year's Super Bowl

                                                                     Courtesy of Fanexperiences.com


This year's Super Bowl should be epic for several reasons I'll detail below.  You've got a great offense vs. a great defense, star power between Brady and Wilson, but those are things you've likely heard before ad nauseam.  The reasons below are much more detailed and in my opinion far more interesting.

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1.  Everyone not in Seattle or New England hates both teams - Seriously, let's just get it over with.  No one outside of the Pacific Northwest or New England likes either of these teams.  The Legion of Boom and The Evil Empire are about as polarizing two teams as you can get.  Seattle is obviously the defending champs, and we've had to hear all year about how they are going to repeat.  As for the Patriots, after the Cincinnati game we've had to hear how Tom Brady still elite, and New England is going back to the Super Bowl for a 6th time under Brady/Belichick.  Well here we are.  No one outside of those two fan bases wants to see either of these teams win, so let's just go ahead get the game over with, so we can start talking about the draft.

                                            Courtesy of giphy.com

2.  Deflate Gate - I've never heard so much made out of air pressure in my life.  Did the New England staff defalte those footballs, because Tom Brady likes footballs with less air pressure?  Of course they did.  Was it outside of the rules?  Of course it was.  Did you really think they were going to get disciplined before the Super Bowl?  Of course they weren't.  

Bill Nye the Science Guy went on national television basically saying Bill Belichick is a complete liar.  Then we had to hear Robert Kraft demand an apology from the NFL for investigating the fact that they were cheating.  Here's what will happen, the Patriots will be found guilty but it will be based on circumstantial evidence and they'll get a slap on the wrist...$25,000 fine and no suspensions.  MOVE ON.  Everyone knows the Patriots cheat.  News flash, all teams cheat.  Go watch Mike Tomlin on the sidelines of the Ravens game, or look at how many players in the league get suspended for PEDs, or the vast number of teams who have had salary cap violations over the last 10 years.   If you think every team isn't trying to gain a competitive advantage somewhere, you're naive.

                                                                       Courtesy of The Washington Post

3.  Marshawn Lynch is a Big Fat Phoney - You want to know why Lynch is a phoney.  Here's definitive proof.  Lynch repeatedly refuses to answer questions from reporters throughout the week of the Super Bowl, and pretty much for the last 2 years.  On Tuesday, which is typically designated as media day, the players are contractually obligated to "make themselves available for the media for around 4 1/2 to 5 minutes."  Lynch answered every question with, "I'm just here so I won't get fined."  Including questions from children who were there at media day and attempted to question him.  After 5 minutes, he left a bag of skittles on the table and walked away.  Lynch has claimed he gets social anxiety and that's why he doesn't speak to the media.

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On Wednesday, Lynch again "made himself available for the media" and answered almost every question with, "You know why I'm here."  There was one exception.  One reporter asked Lynch where you could buy his "Beast Mode hat," that Lynch was wearing, and Lynch answered, "Beastmodeonline.com."  So the guy won't answer any media questions, unless it helps his brand.  By the way, that hat sold out on his website on Wednesday.  

                                                                 Courtesy of The NY Daily News

If you're still wondering if Lynch has social anxiety, here's a picture of Lynch in a Skittles ad.

                                                                        Courtesy of adweek.com

Oh and here's Lynch on Conan this week, pointing at how much of a phony he is during his press conferences.

I'm not even going to get into his antics during the NFC Championship game.  It's a shame because he really is a great football player, and does a lot of good charity work, but just feels the needs to act incomprehensibly childish and unprofessional to the media.

                                                                    Courtesy of HelloBeautiful.com

4.  The Commercials - The reason the Super Bowl is now the most watched event of the year consistently, isn't really the game, it's the commercials.  While the game is obviously important and the reason the commercials are so expensive and hard to come by, the reason people all over the world watch a sport that 90% of the world has never seen or played in person, is because of the commercials.  I'm sure we'll see some that will make us laugh, some that will make us about to cry, blah blah blah blah blah.   I just hope we see some cool trailers for upcoming movies or new seasons of good television shows.  

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5.  Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth Announcing This Game - I don't really have a problem with Al Michaels, but Cris Collinsworth is terrible.  Just atrocious.  I'd rather listen to Verne Lundquist and Gary Danielson announce an Alabama-LSU game on the radio while driving through a tunnel than listen Cris Collinsworth for 4 hours.  Yea, THAT BAD.  If you were to play a drinking game tonight where you had to drink every time Collinsworth showered Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, Richard Sherman, Russell Wilson, and Pete Carroll with uncomfortable levels of praise, you'd be dead by halftime.  Not even compliments, that's to be expected, but homerish praise that is usually reserved for grandmothers and creepy uncles.  

                                                          Courtesy of The Sports Narrative

Here's to the Super Bowl.  I literally can't remember a game where I cared less about the outcome than this one.  I just hope it's a good game and comes down to the last possession.  Cheers.
 

Sports Stadium Bucket List

                                            Courtesy of The Sportsfiles7.blogspot.com


If you're someone who loves sports, odds are you have a stadium bucket list to see before you die.  So here's a list of the top stadiums and events that should be on your bucket list.

                                                                                    Courtesy of Wikipedia

LAMBEAU FIELD - I'm not a Packers fan at all, but this place is basically the Holy Grail of the NFL Stadiums.  If you enjoy football, this place needs to be on your list.

                                                                        Courtesy of Chicago Business

WRIGLEY FIELD - I've been to Wrigley many times, and as a Cubs fan, this place was Disney World for me as a kid.  The stadium is truly historic and I've sat just about everywhere from behind home plate to the bleachers and there's not a bad seat anywhere to watch an afternoon ballgame.

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OLD TRAFFORD - I don't really have a feeling one way or the other on Man U, but this place is definitely an awesome place to watch an English Premier League match.

                                                                                      Courtesy of Wikipedia

ROSE BOWL - The Granddaddy Of The All is straight out of a Hollywood movie set.  The stadium may be a little antiquated; however, it's definitely worthy of a sports bucket list.

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FENWAY PARK - It's Wicked Awesome! When Big Papi goes Yaad around Pesky's Pole, and The Sox deliva anotha ring to Boston, we're gonna drink Sam Adams and watch Four Days In October on a loop until Spring Training!

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NOTRE DAME STADIUM - Touchdown Jesus has not had much to cheer about since Dr. Lou left South Bend.  Even so, this place is still a jewel in the college football world.

                                                                             Courtesy of Fansided.com

COWBOY'S STADIUM - Jerry's World is truly impressive.  The view from the outside makes AT&T Stadium look like a space ship, while inside it's first class all the way.  

                                      Courtesy of NY Times

YANKEE STADIUM - The House That Ruth Built would clearly be No. 1 on this list, but going to The Bronx and seeing the new Yankee Stadium is still pretty special.

                                      Courtesy of Zimbio.com

CAMERON INDOOR STADIUM - As much as it pains me to put this on the list, it deserves to be there.  There is no tougher place to play in college basketball.  It's a Chapel of Doom for opposing players and fans, and I certainly wouldn't go there dressed in Carolina Blue.

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RAYMOND JAMES STADIUM - The Bucs have the 1st overall pick in the NFL Draft this year.  While the cannons haven't fired very often in the last few seasons, it's tough to beat having a beer and watching football from a pirate ship.

Carolina Panthers: Season Recap and Offseason Outlook

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SEASON RECAP

                              Courtesy of FoxSports.com

Start of the year:  The Panthers 2014 season was filled with ups and downs, as they finished with a final record of 8-9-1.  The Panthers started out of the gate hot, beating the Bucs and Lions in the first two weeks of the season.  

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The Doldrums:  Then they began a 2 month long struggle that saw losses against the Steelers, Ravens, Packers, Seahawks, Saints, Eagles, Falcons, and Vikings, with only 1 win against the Bears and a surprising tie against Cincy.   That put their record at 3-8-1 and even the most die hard Panthers fans were looking at the 2015 NFL Draft with a month left to go in the year.  In those games they looked sluggish, out of rhythm, and in the case of the Vikings game, their Special Teams looked absolutely abysmal.   The Baltimore game, which forever will be known as the Steve Smith Blood and Guts game, was a 1 man show, with Smitty making Dave Gettleman look foolish for releasing him.  Smith finished that game with 7 catches for 139 yards and 2 TDs.  

                                                                                 Courtesy of Fan Sided

The Turnaround:  Most fans and analysts looked at the Panthers Week 14 match up with the New Orleans Saints in the Superdome as a blowout waiting to happen.  Well, it certainly was, but not the way most people expected.  The Panthers went into the dome and absolutely dominated the Saints for 60 minutes coming out with a 41-10 victory.  J-Stew had 20 carries for 155 yards and a TD, and Cam threw for 226 and 3 TDs along with rushing for 83 yards and another TD.  That gave Panthers fans some hope, but they were still sitting with a 4-8-1 record and looked to drafting early come Spring.  

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The Accident:  Unless you were oblivious during the month of December, you are well aware that Cam Newton should hire a driver to carry him to and from Bank of America Stadium.  On December 9, 2014 Cam Newton was involved in a serious accident in Charlotte that left the top of his Ford pickup completely flattened and the Panthers in doubt as to the health of their star QB.   Luckily, Newton was only out for 1 week, and Derek Anderson took care of business coming off the bench, as he did earlier in the year against the Bucs, and the Panthers won back to back games for the first time in 3 months.  

                                                                                  Courtesy of NFL.com

Wild Regular Season Finish:  The Panthers took care of business against the Browns in Week 16 winning 17-13 and in the process potentially started and ended Johnny Football's short tenure in Cleveland.  The biggest game of that week though was the Falcons-Saints game, that saw Atlanta steal a win in NOLA and would leave a week 17 winner take all game between the Falcons and Panthers for the NFC South crown.  The Falcons were the heavy favorite playing at home, where Carolina has not had much success.  However, the Panthers scored early and often in their final regular season game, while making Matt Ryan's day a complete nightmare.  The final score was 34-3 and the 7-8-1 Panthers became the first NFC South team to win back to back titles since the division realignment in 2002.    

                                                                   Courtesy of The Chicago Tribune

Playoffs:  Carolina drew Arizona in the Wild Card Round and trailed 14-13 at the half, though that was due largely to gifts from the Panthers as their defense refused to let Arizona get anything going on offense.  Cam and the running game took off in the 2nd half while the defense continued its dominance and gave up a total of 78 yards, a playoff record, and the Panthers won 27-16.  The Panthers traveled to Seattle where they played the defending Superbowl Champs well for 3 quarters, but Wilson and the Seattle secondary proved to be the better team with Kam Chancellor putting on a display of pure athleticism that led to a 31-17 victory for the Seahawks.

OFFSEASON OUTLOOK

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Cam Newton:  It has been looming all year, but this is the first thing the Panthers need to address in 2015.  Let's clear up one thing first, outside a major injury or scandal, the Panthers are not letting Cam Newton walk out of Charlotte anytime soon.  Since Cam was a first round pick 4 years ago, the Panthers have the option to pick up the 5th year of his rookie contract that would pay him $14.7 million in 2015.  The two other options are that they can franchise him, which would cost about $17-18 million, or they can offer him a new contract which would probably cost them about $18-22 million per year.  Seeing as how Gettleman knows how to manage his cap space, he'll likely exercise the 5th year option and try and work out a long term deal as the 2015 season progresses, but Cam should remain in Charlotte for the foreseeable long term.  

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Running Back Corps:  It pains me to say this, but yesterday's game in Seattle was probably the last game Deangelo Williams will play in a Carolina Panthers uniform.  Williams will be 32 in April, and that's ancient in running back years.  Williams has been a great running back for Carolina and I for one will be sad to see him go, but it's the right move for the franchise.  Williams played in 6 games this year, carried the ball 63 times for 219 yards at 3.5 yards per carry, and scored 0 TDs...all career lows.  Williams is set to make $6.3 million in 2015, while Jonathan Stewart who will be 28 in March will be making $8.3 million.  That having been said, expect Gettleman to attempt restructure Stewart's deal.  Stewart saw a major resurgence in the 2nd half of the season and being that he is 4 years younger than Williams, it makes the decision an easier one as which RB to keep going forward.  Fozzy will be 26 next month, and was on a 1 year contract at $495K.  The Panthers could bring him back with a slight raise and still get a deal for a No. 2 RB, but expect them to bring in another RB via free agency and/or the draft. As for Toldozer, he'll make $3.425 million next year in the final year of his contract.  Tolbert is 29, so it's likely 2015 will be his last year in Carolina.  

                                                            Courtesy of the News and Observer

Receiving Corps:  Kelvin Benjamin played very well this year, with one caveat...drops.  He had over 1,000 yards receiving in his rookie year and was clearly the No. 1 WR for the Panthers.  However, he also was among the tops in the league in drops.  Ricky Proehl will work with Kelvin in the offseason to limit those drops.  As for Cotchery, he played like a veteran No. 3 WR.  He had 48 catches for 580 yards but only managed 1 TD.  He'll be back for 2015, and his salary is low, so it's a decent bargain.  Expect Philly Brown, who was undrafted, and will only make $515K next year, to see a bigger role in this offense.  He'll be a big X-factor next season.  Brenton Bersin never fully reached his potential this year, but he was on a 1 year deal and is only 24.  Ideally, he's a No. 4-5 WR and he'll have to earn his spot back for 2015.  

    Greg Olsen had a phenomenal year, and very deservedly is going to his first Pro Bowl.  He lead the team in receptions and along with Benjamin had over 1,000 yards receiving.  Olsen will make $7.8 million next year and he's worth that type of money.  Ed Dickson was on a one year deal, and while he didn't put up big numbers, did have some big plays down the stretch.  I wouldn't be surprised if the Panthers brought him back next year.  

   The biggest thing the Carolina Panthers need to do to help their receiving corps in 2015 is very simple...Sign Larry Fitzgerald.  Larry may not be an elite WR, but he's still a legit No. 1 WR and will help Kelvin Benjamin get better the same way Mushin Muhammad did with Steve Smith.  A 3-4 year deal would allow Fitzgerald to finish out his career in Charlotte and give Kelvin Benjamin a great compliment while providing another weapon for Cam.  

                                                                        Courtesy of Bleacher Report

Offensive Line:  It was a patchwork group for the Panthers all season.  Byron Bell actually did better than expected, but he was still not the caliber of player you expect from your starting left tackle.  The Left Tackle free agent market isn't ideal this year, so the Panthers will likely look to the draft to address that need.  Ryan Kalil stayed the course as one of the best Centers in football, and will definitely be back next year.  Rookie Trai Turner also did a great job at Guard this year, and expect him to remain in Charlotte for quite some time.  The line played better than most people thought they would, especially down the stretch, but this team really missed Jordan Gross.  

                                                                                   Courtesy of SB Nation

Defensive Line:  Regardless of the outcome of Greg Hardy's domestic violence case, it's highly unlikely he'll suit up for Carolina in 2015.  While they definitely missed his pass rushing talents, it's not Jerry Richardson's style to bring someone charged with that offense back to the team.  Gettleman realized he wouldn't be able to keep Charles Johnson and Hardy at their present salaries, so that made the decision to keep Johnson easy.  Johnson will earn an unbelievable amount of money next year, so expect the Panthers to ask him to restructure his deal again.  Star's injury certainly hurt against Seattle, but he has been a great DT in his first 2 years.   Short and Edwards both had 40 tackles this year and were solid on the D-line.  Short has 1 more year on his deal but Edwards is a free agent, so it will be interesting to see if Carolina tries to resign him.  The Panthers have Kony Ealy locked up at a discount rate for the next 3 years, which will give him some time to improve after his rookie year.

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Linebackers:  Kuechly and Davis were both fantastic this year.  It's pretty safe to say Kuechly is officially the best LB in football.  Thomas Davis's recorded 100 tackles this year and along with Kuechly helped make up arguably the best LB tandem in the NFL.  A.J. Klein rounds out the LB corps, and can more than hold his own.  The Panthers are pretty set in this area for the time being.

                                                              Courtesy of  The Charlotte Observer

Secondary:  If there was an Achilles heel to the Panthers defense it was the secondary.  Josh Norman and Bene Benwikere are more than capable NFL corners.  Norman, despite his personal foul troubles, has stepped up this year.  Benwikere did not start out as the team's No. 2 CB, but he certainly ended the season as it.  That's the good news.  The bad news is that the free safety situation with Thomas DeCoud and Tre Boston leaves a lot to be desired, but with Boston being a rookie, some of that may just be growing pains.  Roman Harper had some bright moments this season, and he'll be back in 2015 to play out the remainder of his contract.  I have been impressed with Colin Jones hitting ability to truck WRs, but his coverage skills could use some work.  It's likely Gettleman will do what he's done his first two years regarding the secondary, build through the draft and bring in established veteran free agents on short term contracts and let them compete for the position.  

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Special Teams:  Graham Gano's job is safe; so is Brad Nortman's.  The problem is on the return side of the ball.  The lack of a viable Punt and Kickoff Returner like Ted Ginn, Jr. was glaring.  Bersin is not a viable punt or kickoff returner.  He's just not, and all season that was clear to anyone who watched the Panthers play.  The field position the Panthers garnered last year with Ginn was not anywhere close to being present this season.  This is a major position of need Carolina needs to address in the Spring.

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With the 2015 NFL Season officially underway for the Panthers, let's hope they do something to address their positions of need and 3-Peat as NFC South Champs.  Keep Pounding!

NFL Coaching Changes That Will Be Made Tomorrow

                                                       Courtesy of coacheshotseat.com

Everyone hates to see people get let go.  Well, not everyone, but most people.  It affects far more than just the coaches, but it's part of the job and these guys all know it going into their profession.  So, let's take a look at coaches who likely won't be with their teams at 5 o'clock tomorrow.

                                                   Courtesy of info.funniestmemesever.com

JIM HARBAUGH - This one is an absolute guarantee.  You can bet your house, your car, and your 2nd wife's ring on the fact that Jim Harbaugh will not be the coach of the San Francisco 49ers on Monday.  It's been talked about all year.  The 49ers are absolutely fed up with the fact they've been to 3 straight NFC Championship games, a Super Bowl, and a 48-22-1 record.   The big difference between normal dismissals and this situation is that most coaches are fired for losing games, rather than just being difficult to deal with.  The reports are that Harbaugh is likely headed to Michigan, and I for one can't wait to see the rivalry between Pope Urban and Harbaugh.  If you're wondering what Jim Harbaugh's house is going to look like tomorrow, when he becomes the highest paid coach in all of football, here's a preview.

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REX RYAN - This little piggy is not going to be the Jets coach on Monday.   Rex Ryan has, in my opinion, always been a little bit overrated as a head coach, but he's a great defensive coordinator.  Why he couldn't bring in a good offensive coordinator to help match those defenses I'll never know, but that probably says more about John Idzik than Rex.  Both should be fired tomorrow, and the Jets will need a complete overhaul.  New GM, new head coach, new QB.  I wouldn't be surprised to see them look to the college ranks for a coach to rejuvenate their franchise.  Rex is going to either be a star defensive coordinator somewhere next year, or possibly a head coach again in say some place like...

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MARK TRESTMAN - Trestman has not been very good in Chicago.  Blame Cutler all you want, and he likely won't be there either come the 2015 season, but Trestman and his staff will all likely be let go along with the GM.  I still can't fathom why the Bears let Lovie Smith go.  When the Bears have been good, they have won with stellar defense, and a conservative offense, so this move from the start confused a lot of people.  Rex Ryan's dad, Buddy, was the architect behind the 85 Bears Defense, which let's face it was probably the greatest defense to ever step foot on a field.  If the Bears are smart they'll hire him as their Defensive Coordinator, but they may go one step up and hire him as their new head coach.

                                                             Courtesy of the NewsTribune.com

GUS BRADLEY - The Jaguars made a move for Blake Bortles, and are still expected to draft very early in 2015 as they only have 3 wins.  Bradley is 7-24 so far in two seasons with the Jags, and that's just abysmal.  The owner may shock everyone by not makign a change, but this is a franchise that desperately needs a shot in the arm, before they move to London.  

                                                                        Courtesy of CBSSports.com

JOE PHILBIN - Miami is going to miss out on the playoffs again.  After last year's ultimate collapse, the Dolphins put Philbin on a very short leash, and he hasn't been able to get them to the playoffs in his tenure there.  The Dolphins have made the playoffs just once in the last 13 years.  They believe they have a franchise QB under center, and will look to change pace by getting a new head coach starting tomorrow.

                                                                                   Courtesy of SFBay.ca


TONY SPARANO - Ok, first of all this picture isn't of Tony Sparano.  It's of Raiders owner, Mark Davis.  How do you take a guy with that haircut seriously during a job interview?  Anyways, Tony Sparano was never expected to be back as he was just holding the spot after Dennis Allen was fired.  He didn't do a terrible job, but when you're an interim head coach, anything south of making the playoffs means you are not coming back next year.  The Raiders still remain in the mix for Harbaugh, but it looks more and more like he's headed to Michigan.  So, you can bet they will back up a dump truck full of money to Jon Gruden's house to get him to come back to Oakland.  

 COACHES EVERYONE THINK WILL BE FIRED BUT PROBABLY WON'T

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MIKE SMITH - If the Falcons lose to Carolina this afternoon, you can bet Mike Smith will not be their coach on Monday.  Reports are even if the Falcons win, if they don't win a playoff game (likely against Arizona who has a starting QB that has as many TD passes as I do), that Smith will be gone.  This is going to be a hard fought game, and as I spoke about in the last post, the winner of this game, should beat the Cardinals next week.  So, there's a very very very good chance Mike Smith will not be fired this year.  Falcons fans are torn on this decision, but if they lose to the Panthers today, expect the Falcons to call Jimmy Sexton regarding what interest Nick Saban would have on being their new coach.

                                                      Courtesy of NationalSportJournal.com
         

TOM COUGHLIN - There hasn't been a lot of reports that Tom Coughlin is going to be let go after this season.  He has 2 Super Bowl rings, and will almost certainly be a first ballot Hall of Famer as a coach.  Coughlin has indicated he wants to coach next season, and the Giants organization is likely going to let him go out on his own terms.  If he's back that likely means Eli will be back as well, and next year that Eli to Odell show should be a lot of fun to watch.   

                                                              Courtesy of Smug Fantasy Football

DOUG MARRONE - The Bills don't have a QB, and likely will have to go draft or trade for another one in 2015.  They'll miss out on the playoffs again for the 15th straight year.   That's the longest streak in the NFL.  Still, they've built a good defense, have good young talent at the WR position, and if they can get a serviceable QB under center, that should get them over the hump.   Marrone will be on the hot seat going into 2015, but he should get one more year.  That having been said, there's almost always one firing surprise every year, and if I had to pick one, this one would be my pick, especially if they lose today to a Patriots team that already has home field advantage locked up and finish 8-8.

                                                                            Courtesy of Gifatron.com

JEFF FISHER - I don't get why people think Jeff Fisher is such a great coach.   He's a decent coach, I'll give you that, but his overall record is 167-152-1.  That sounds pretty good, until you look and see that the last time he had a winning season was 2008.  He's had terrible luck with injuries at QB, so that's likely why he's gotten a pass, but at some point you have to start seeing some results.

                                                                 Courtesy of Usatthebiglead.com

JAY GRUDEN - A month ago, everyone on the planet would have said Gruden would be one and done in Washington.  Now, people aren't so sure.  I think, surprisingly, both he and RGIII will be back next year, but both will be on a short leash.  Gruden will have to work extensively with RGIII in the Spring and Summer to get him ready for 2015, because if they don't make the playoffs next year, he's definitely gone. 

Why The NFC South is the Most Intriguingly Bad Division In Football

If you have not been following the NFC South this year, it's largely because you only watch teams with winning records.  If you have been following the NFC South, then your pharmacist and liquor store clerk are on a first name basis with you.  As of this post the Carolina Panthers at an astonishing 5-8-1 are in first place in the division, depending on what happens in the Windy City tonight between the Road Warrior Saints and the Chicago Cubs, I mean Bears.  If the Saints win they have a half game lead on the Panthers, and if they lose they'll be a half game behind tied with the Falcons.  It will certainly be interesting as the QB from Santa Claus takes on the Homeless Santa Claus.  

                                                                      Courtesy of We Love NOLA

Tampa Bay fans are officially looking at 2015 Mock Drafts, while the remaining 3 teams, somehow get to host a playoff game against a host of teams we'll cover tonight in a variety of scenarios.  So let's get to them.

                                                                         Courtesy of Newslocker.com

NEW ORLEANS

If NOLA wins out, they're in.  Plain and Simple.  Just win baby.  If they lose tonight, then things get a little murky.  Let's take a look at their schedule:

Week 15             Saints vs. Bears            in Chicago
Week 16             Falcons vs. Saints         in New Orleans 
Week 17             Saints vs. Bucs              in Tampa Bay

The Saints historically have not been very good on the road, but this year they haven't been very good at home either.  With news coming out of Chicago this week that the Bears' Offensive Coordinator privately ripped Jay Cutler, then openly admitted his comments to the team it certainly looks good for the Saints.   The Saints then look for revenge against the Falcons after a Week 1 loss in the Georgia Dome, and finish up the regular season in Tampa Bay.  A win tonight and they're in the driver's seat the rest of the way.

                                                                              Courtesy of ABC News

CAROLINA PANTHERS

As for the Panthers, Jerry Richardson would be wise to hire a driver for Cam Newton for the rest of his tenure in Charlotte.  How he got out of this with minimal injuries should be an advertisement for Ford Motor Company.  Derek Anderson played very well this weekend and the Panthers gutted out their 2nd straight win against the Bucs.  The Panthers need the Saints to lose tonight, and if they do, they'll control their own destiny.  

Week 16                      Browns vs. Panthers               in Charlotte
Week 17                      Panthers vs. Falcons               in Atlanta

After the way Johnny Football played this week, the Panthers defense has got to be smiling going into the game against the Browns.  But, things change week to week and he can't be much worse than he was against the Bengals when his QB rating was a 1.  The Panthers then head to Atlanta for the season-ender against the Dirty Birds.  That game will be a lot tougher.  

                                                                 Courtesy of standingsports.com

ATLANTA FALCONS

The Fighting Julio Joneses, I mean Atlanta Falcons, dropped out of first place this week, with a loss to the Steelers.  Jones sat with a hip injury and they are clearly not the same team without him.  The Falcons are in 3rd place right now, but believe it or not, still control their own destiny.  Here's how.

Week 16                             Falcons vs. Saints               in New Orleans
Week 17                             Panthers vs. Falcons          in Atlanta

The Falcons play their final 2 games against the Saints and the Panthers.  Win both of those, and they are in.  If they beat New Orleans and Carolina, regardless if the Saints win tonight, they'd at least be tied with NOLA and they'll have the tie breaker over the Saints by winning both head to head games.  Even if Carolina beats Cleveland, the Falcons would have a better record against them as well if they beat the Panthers in the Georgia Dome.  If they lose against New Orleans next week though, they'll need some serious help by beating Carolina in Week 17 and cheering for the Bears, Browns, and Bucs.  

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So why is the NFC South so intriguing despite all being WELL UNDER .500?  Well, it has to do with who they'll play if they win the division.  The NFC South winner is locked into the 4 seed. So that means they'll face the 5 seed in the Wild Card Round of the Playoffs.  Right now that means they'd play the Seattle Seahawks, and though that sounds like a guaranteed loss, it's not as certain as it might sound.

                                                                             Courtesy of fieldgulls.com

THINGS OUT WEST

The Seahawks are sitting one game behind the No. 1 seed Arizona Cardinals, who clinched a playoff spot this week when Philly lost to Dallas.  On a side note, Bruce Arians deserves coach of the year and it's not even close.  Seattle plays Arizona on Sunday night in the desert, then finish the season at home against the Rams.  They'll be favored in both games and should win both which would bump them from the No. 5 seed to the No. 1 seed, regardless if the Cards beat the 49ers, because Seattle would have the tie breaker over Arizona.

                                                                           Courtesy of AZcentral.com

Arizona finishes their last two games at home against Seattle then at San Francisco.  Neither one of those are easy, but the 49ers are so ready to get to 2015 that they may just look for a better draft pick.  Unless the Rams pull an upset in the Pacific Northwest, the game in the desert this week will determine who gets home field advantage.

                                                                                        Courtesy of AP.org

THE BATTLE FOR THE NORTH

Up in the North the Lions are in first place after beating Minnesota and watching the Packers get upset by Buffalo.  The Lions go to Chicago this week and finish the year at Lambeau, while the Packers head to Tampa Bay this week before the Lions come to town.  It will likely all come down to next week in the Frozen Tundra based on the Lions win against Green Bay earlier this year, but Philly is hoping for upsets by the Bears and Bucs for a chance to get in as they sit one game back at 9-5.  



The NFC EAST PICTURE

Philly plays the Redskins on the road this week....Spoiler Alert - WIN, and then goes to New York to play the Giants which has upset written all over it.  The Eagles will be hoping the Packers beat the Lions in Lambeau since the Packers have the tie breaker over the Eagles via a blowout loss last month.  That would match them up with their record against the Lions/Cowboys/Seahawks for that final spot.  Sanchez has not looked impressive, and Eagles fans are going to absolutely lose it if they miss out on the playoffs because of his play down the stretch. 

Dallas is in the driver's seat in the NFC East with their big win last night against Philly.  They get Indy at home this week....ugh that's going to be tough, then go to Washington to close out the year.  Again, win both games and their in.  If not, it will depend how Philly does.  So let's get to the most likely scenario if everything goes chalk for the NFC.  



WHO IS MOST LIKELY TO BE PLAYING IN JANUARY?

The winner of the NFC South will most likely get the following team, Arizona.   Here's why. 

Arizona beat Philly head to head and they have 11 wins as of today.  Even if they were to lose to Seattle and San Fran they'd get in over Philly, since Philly only has 9 wins with 2 to go.  The Cards also have a head to head win over Dallas, plus they're already guaranteed a spot in the playoffs.  

Detroit, which will likely be the No. 6 seed didn't play Dallas or Philly, so you go to in conference wins for the next tie breaker.  They have 8 wins against NFC opponents with 2 more chances to get conference wins.  Philly only has 5 with 2 games left to play, so they're out, and Dallas only has 6 wins against the conference with 1 game less to play, so they're out.  Simple math.  Meaning the NFC East is likely only going to get 1 team in the playoffs.

Green Bay should destroy Tampa this week and I'd be shocked if they lost to Detroit at Lambeau with the North Championship on the line.  But let's say they do.  If they do, that would put Green Bay likely as the 5 or 6 seed.  They have 7 in conference wins with 2 conference games left and a head to head win over Philly.  So Philly is not beating Green Bay for the last playoff spot, short of a miracle.  

How about Dallas?  Dallas and Green Bay didn't play this year so you go to conference record.  Dallas has 6 wins with 1 left, while Green Bay has 7 wins with 2 left and one of those is against Tampa Bay.  So again, Dallas is likely not getting in if they don't win the division, with 1 exception.  See below.  


WHAT IF ARIZONA WINS THE WEST AND SEATTLE GETS THE WILDCARD?

The Seahawks beat the Packers and Eagles head to head, so if it comes down to one of those two teams, they are in.  But, they lost to the Cowboys so if the 10-4 Cowboys and the 10-4 Seahawks finish tied for the last wildcard spot, Dallas goes.  Seattle and Detroit didn't play this year so you go to conference record.  Seattle has 8 wins with 2 games conference games left and so does Detroit, so that is up in the air.



MOST LIKELY SCENARIO

Seattle should win the West and get the No. 1 overall seed.  The winner of the North would likely be the No. 2 seed, which I predict will be Green Bay.   Dallas barring a complete Romo-like meltdown should win the East as long as they beat Washington in the final game for the 3 seed.   That leaves either New Orleans, Carolina, or Atlanta for the No. 4 seed.  While Arizona gets the 5 and Detroit get the 6 seed.  


SO FINALLY, WHY IS THE NO. 4 SEED IMPORTANT?

Because of who you get to play.  Arizona beat Detroit already this year, and they are a game ahead of them, so even if they lose out, if Detroit doesn't beat Green Bay, Arizona is the No. 5 seed.  

The NFC South champs would be thrilled because if you get Arizona who has severe questions at QB to come into NOLA, Charlotte, or Atlanta, I think you have to favor the home team.  Carolina's defense has much improved the last couple weeks, and even if Newton doesn't play they have a capable back up in Anderson.  New Orleans despite their ups and downs this year, can still put up a ton of points in that dome and if it gets into a track meet, I don't think Arizona can keep up.  Atlanta with a healthy Julio Jones at home is also a very tough team to beat, and can put up some points, and they've already beaten the Cards in Georgia once this year.  The NFC South champ should be praying Seattle beats Arizona and that they get them the Cards in the 1st round. 

So, despite how terrible the NFC South has looked this year, they could make it to the divisional round.  The problem is they'll have to likely go to Seattle after that win, and that's not going to be pretty.