This week in the NFL, it really is a mystery as to how the “puzzle” will begin to be revealed.
In some of the bigger games, here are some predictions:
The Detroit Lions on Monday night, might struggle a bit, but I think they will beat the Baltimore Ravens.
The New York Giants, at home, will play their best game of a disappointing season, but fall just short vs the Seattle Seahawks.
Seattle is the top NFC choice and may well appear at the Giants’ field again for the Super Bowl in February.
My final prediction is Kansas City 27 Oakland 24 as K.C. keeps its hopes alive to win the AFC West. Ultimately they will not win the division and will visit Indianapolis (Colts) in a wild card round game.
It is too late now but I did feel the San Diego Chargers would play well last night at Denver. They exceeded my NOT posted expectations, by winning outright vs the still top seeded, Broncos.
The Broncos no longer control their destiny to be the AFC one seed, as the New England Patriots can get the one seed, by winning their last three games.
That will not be easy as the next two games for the Pats are on the road vs two teams, the Miami Dolphins and Baltimore Ravens, who are in at least a four team battle for the AFC’s final playoff spot.
While the (11-3) Broncos will be rooting for the Dolphins, the Chargers now (7-7) and in the race for the final AFC playoff spot, will be rooting for the Pats.
Last night’s surprising result makes the AFC races much more interesting. It may force the Broncos to win out just to win the AFC West (K.C. is only half a game out in the loss column).
Also it may send the top CBS crews to California on the final Sunday as the Chiefs visit Oakland (Raiders) and K.C. sojourns to San Diego. Those might be the most meaningful games. Stay tuned, (better to read a book) I suppose.
The NFL weekend begins tonight with the last Thursday night game. For the first time in a long time, likely since 1969 or even further back, there will be no Thursday or Saturday games in each of the last two weeks of the NFL season.
The over the air networks stopped giving the faithful audience Saturday games at least 10 years ago.
There was a time when both the AFC and NFC networks for most if not all the years, NBC and CBS respectively gave the viewers one game each on the last two Saturdays of the season.
Yesterday on a snowy winter day, it was fun to stay in and watch the 1975 Major League baseball All-Star Game on You-Tube. It was great to see so many of my favorites from my younger days.
The managers were Walter Alston and Alvin Dark. Among the coaches were Albert “Red” Schoendienst and Billy Martin.
The honorary team captains were Stan Musial and Mickey Mantle.
Oh to look in the dugout and see the likes of Pete Rose, Thurman Munson and Rod Carew come out and be introduced.
It was so fitting that Hank Aaron got a long thunderous ovation as he was in his first year with the hometown Brewers. He had been with the Braves when they were still in Milwaukee.
Glen Campbell sang the National Anthem. All of this brought back great memories.
During the player introductions both Bill Madlock and Jon Matlack’s names were pronounced incorrectly. Perhaps it was fate that they would be introduced again at game’s end as they shared the MVP award, with Baseball commissioner at the time, Bowie Kuhn, now pronouncing both names correctly.
What a “nostalgic treat” it was to see the video of the 1975 baseball All Star game on You Tube.
Mickey Mantle–Honorary Team Captain 1975 All-Star Game
I have observed little about the NBA so far this season. The New York Knicks (5-14) are off to a poor start.
Other than the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers, there are no good teams in the NBA Eastern Conference. Thus it is far too early to give up on the New York Knicks.
Knicks coach Mike Woodson is a good one and definitely a classy individual. He is not as good a coach as his college coach, Bobby Knight, but he did well last season as the Knicks were the two seed in the East.
While Carmelo Anthony is not on the level of all time greats, he is a very good player, who at times has been a great player.
This is not “sugarcoating,” as the Knicks’ season has been poor thus far, but it is only one quarter complete. In the East, the Knicks and for that matter, the Nets, could easily wind up as high as a three seed.
Of course the losing might continue and the season could be washed away much the same way as today’s New York snow.
It says here the Knicks will play a bit better and make the playoffs, not all that difficult a task in the NBA East.
The Knicks have some good looking fans. I asked two of the lovely Rick’s Cabaret Girls who were at a recent Knicks game to pose for a photo with yours truly. Just one block from Madison Square Garden, Rick’s Cabaret is well known to be the “unofficial” site of Knicks games “after-parties.”
Andy B with Rick’s Cabaret Girls
Despite a two point loss at San Francisco vs the (9-4) 49ers, the (11-2) Seattle Seahawks still have comfortable leads in both the NFC West and in the race for the NFC one seed.
After the game the most annoying Joe Buck and Troy Aikman each “gushed” about the 49ers win. The story was how impressive “SEA” was in defeat. The Niners had all the intangibles but barely won.
A problem for Seattle could be a rematch with New Orleans in the NFC title tilt. The (10-3) Saints are a likely but far from definite NFC two seed after routing the (9-4) Carolina Panthers.
The Seahawks lead the Saints by one and a fraction games for the NFC one seed because they routed the Saints on November 30th.
Should the two clash in the NFC title game it likely would be in Seattle and the Seahawks would be nice favorites. However, the Saints would have some intangibles having been thrashed in the regular season in that most difficult place for a visiting team.
Buck and Aikman: “gushing”
In a game in which Matt Prater set an NFL record with a 64 yard field goal, the Denver Broncos overcame an 11 point deficit and cruised by the Tennessee Titans.
The (11-2) Broncos hold a half game lead over the New England Patriots for the AFC one seed.
One would think and hope AFC network lead announcer, Jim Nantz would know the facts concerning the one seed. Sadly, Nantz disappointed when he said the Broncos were hoping for a two game lead, when at best it could have been one and a half games.
It is only a half game because New England again came back, this time with two touchdowns in the last 61 seconds to beat the Cleveland Browns.
The Cincinnati Bengals are a game and a half ahead for the three seed and just a half game behind New England for the “2,” after winning by two touchdowns vs almost certain “4” seed Indianapolis(Colts).
Likely, it will be the Colts hosting the Chiefs in a wild card round game. The Baltimore Ravens won an incredible game at home vs the Minnesota Vikings and lead the Miami Dolphins by a half game for the AFC six seed.
Remember as Nantz, despite his lofty salary, did not, that New England owns any tiebreaker vs Denver.
“Cincy” owns the tiebreaker vs New England and “Indy.” Meanwhile Baltimore has it vs Miami.
Why? Those teams won in the only head to head game. That is the first tiebreaker in the procedure.
Jim Nantz: disappointing
It will almost certainly be Auburn vs Florida State in the national title game to be played on Monday night January 6th at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.
Another team that will play at the Rose Bowl, Michigan State had the victory that sets up the title game. The Spartans scored the first 17 points and then after yielding 24 straight, scored the final 17 points and knocked Ohio State out of the title race with a (34-24) victory. Michigan State will play in the Rose Bowl game on January 1st.
In 1974, Michigan State also derailed an Ohio State title bid when they shocked the top ranked Buckeyes on November 9th in East Lansing, Michigan.
That was the first year of sideline reporters and Jim Lampley was one of the first two. He went on to be the best college football studio host by a wide margin.
On November 9, 1974 he informed the audience a late Ohio State possible touchdown was denied and that “this story can finally be told.” The story eventually manifested in a shared title between Oklahoma and U.S.C.
This year, no share as the lone unbeaten, Florida State which ripped Duke in the ACC title tilt, will face Auburn, the beneficiary of two miracle wins and a big assist from Michigan State.
Jim Lampley
The NFL regular season is at the three quarter mark. This week, the New Orleans Saints face the Carolina Panthers in a big game for the NFC two seed.
Elsewhere, the San Diego Chargers, Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Jets all at (5-7), hope to stay in the race for the sixth seed in the AFC wild card race.
The AFC “five seed” almost certainly will go to the Kansas City Chiefs, who started the season with 9 wins but have lost three straight games.
A key AFC game for seeding is between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Indianapolis Colts to be played in Cincinnati.
My predicted winners in some of the above games: Saints, Bengals and Chargers.
The official MLB Collector’s Edition, “2013 World Series Champions Boston Red Sox” has been published and is available. It is a great “read” with so much information.
From Random House of Canada Limited, which also publishes a similar book on each year’s Stanley Cup champion, comes an account of all the Red Sox games during the 2013 title season.
Other records are part of the book which includes all post season results and details for the 36 such games that were played in the major leagues in 2013.
Additionally there are features on all the Red Sox players. There are special features on the unlikely title and what it meant to the city of Boston and its surrounding area.
There is great information available and one does not have to be a Red Sox fan to enjoy reading about the franchise’s third title in 10 seasons after enduring an 86 year title drought.
Andy B Sports 