Essential Pieces

by Tom Nieradka

Editorial. Photos by AP News

Looking up and down the top defenses in the NFL, every team has that one guy who seems essential to the success of that defense. Whether it be a cornerback, linebacker, safety, or lineman, these elite players are often so adept at taking away some part of an opposing offense that it makes everyone else's job on the defense that much easier.

But what would happen if these players are not on the field? As we are seeing with the current Pittsburgh Steelers, the loss of one essential man can prove deadly to an entire defense, and even an entire team. But who are the top five most irreplaceable defensive players? Here we go.

5. Darren Sharper, S, New Orleans Saints

The Saints defense had an awful year in 2008 giving up over 24 points per game. And considering that last year they led the league in offense, the fact that they ended up at 8-8 missing the playoffs is a travesty. Enter new defensive coordinator Gregg Williams and veteran safety Darren Sharper. Their points per game has dropped to 21, and after only having 15 interceptions all of last season already have 26 with one game left to go.

Sharper is responsible for 9 of those picks, and his 376 interception return yards is 18 over the record set by Ed Reed in 2004. And the fact that three of those picks went for touchdowns doesn’t hurt either. It would be tough to say that the Saints would be 13-2 right now without the services of Darren Sharper.

4. Pat and Kevin Williams, DT, Minnesota Vikings

I know that these are two people, but the Williams wall cannot be separated. Many teams out there have great nose tackles, Kris Jenkins of the Jets and Albert Haynesworth of the Redskins are notable examples. But very few if any other teams have such a monstrous combination sitting on their line.

The wall is a big part of why the Vikings are only allowing 90 rush yards per game; It isn’t easy to run past 628 pounds of man. But the wall is also a big part of the pass defense. It is no secret that the Vikings have a subpar secondary, so the only thing that they can do is get pressure on the quarterback to try to force him to make mistakes. Each Williams has enough power to draw two blockers, and they are a big part of the reason that DE Jared Allen has 13.5 sacks and is able to be so effective rushing the passer.

Add in the 6 sacks for Kevin and 2 for Pat, and one can only equate that they are a huge (pun intended) part of the Vikings defense.

3. Ray Lewis, LB, Baltimore Ravens

For the past decade the Ravens have been known for consistently having one of if not the best defenses in the league. In their Superbowl champion 2000 season, the Ravens were only giving up a ridiculous 10 points per game, and an essential part of the team then and now was and remains LB Ray Lewis.

Their elite middle linebacker is a big part of the run stuffing defense that had a streak of over 40 games without allowing an opposing rusher to surpass 100 yards, a streak unheard of when considering all of the amazing running backs in the game today. But Lewis is more than the numbers, he is so essential because of the leadership that he provides. He is widely regarded as one of the most terrifying players in the NFL, and when he gets amped up for a game he makes the entire team follow suit. After losing their longtime defensive coordinator Rex Ryan, safety Jim Leonhard, and LB Bart Scott to the Jets, Lewis continues to lead the defense as one of the elite units in the league.

This defense is not short on talent, and as long as Lewis is on the team it will not be short on intensity or ferocity either.

2. Darelle Revis, CB, New York Jets

Through his 3 years in the NFL, Revis has developed into the premier shutdown corner in the league and is one of the principal reasons that the Jets defense is the best in the NFL. The Jets currently lead the league in total defense (3965 yards), opposing points per game (15.7), and notably for this argument pass yards per game with 163.9 (best in the NFL by over 20 yards) - not to mention they are the only team to dethrone the previously undefeated Colts.

The 5-11 Revis has shown time and time again that he is more than capable of shutting down even the biggest and baddest receivers in the league. He has held Andre Johnson, Randy Moss, Marques Colston, Terrell Owens, Steve Smith (CAR) and Randy Moss again all to 35 yards or less, and given up only 1 touchdown between all of them.

Revis effectively takes away the number one receiving option of any team that the Jets face. His 6 interceptions put him among the top in the league, and his astounding 31 passes defended make him tops in the NFL by far (next closest is Dominique Rogers-Cromartie with 25). There is no doubt that Revis is absolutely necessary for the Jets while they break in their rookie quarterback and try to keep games low scoring, and when the time comes that Sanchez starts to light up the offense this team will be scary.

1. Troy Polamalu, S, Pittsburgh Steelers

I’ll just go ahead and say it, the Pittsburgh Steelers defense is bad without Troy Polamalu. In their Superbowl Championship season last year the Steelers defense was only allowing 13.9 points per game, and led the league in total defense by over 300 yards with only 3795 surrendered all season.

This year, however, is a different story. They are giving up 20 points per game, and have already given up over 4,500 total yards. This season the Steelers are 4-6 in games that Polamalu did not play, including miserable losses to the Chiefs, Raiders, and Browns. The defense is just a whole lot better when their ball-hawking safety is on the field, and when he isn’t teams pick the Steelers apart through the air.

He is the emotional and mental leader of the defense, and is so apparently and absolutely necessary that the Steelers cannot win without him. The best stat to sum this up? Polamalu has missed 8 games this season, but he still leads all Steelers with 3 interceptions. Essential? I think so.

Last Call on Air - Tiger in Trouble

December 10, 2009

Tasso, Barket, Tam, Jesse

Showdown in the Lone Star State

by Ian Tasso
Editorial. Photos by AP News

After nailing down their fifth straight win on Tuesday night, a 108-90 thumping of the Charlotte Bobcats, it appears the Boston Celtics (14-4) might be regaining their swagger.

Meanwhile, a certain team in San Antonio (9-6) might have found theirs as well. After making a splash this summer by trading for former New Jersey Nets star Richard Jefferson (career 17.6 ppg), it appeared the Spurs were ready for a powerful run at an NBA title. But after a three-game skid dropped their season record to 4-6, questions began to surface about age, chemistry, and hunger for winning.

So much for that.

Five straight victories for San Antonio and they’re right back in the title talks. That being said, the black and silver haven’t faced a test quite like the one they’ll be up against Thursday night.

These two teams roll into Thursday’s battle hot of late, and neither is a stranger to the NBA spotlight. The Celtics dominated the league in 2007 en route to their 17^th NBA Championship, meanwhile seemingly every year the Spurs are on the brink of grabbing one of their own, including winning four titles in the past ten years.

Tonight’s 8 p.m. clash has just about everything: the names, the legacy, and the anticipation. But how does everything else pan out? Let’s take a look:

Recent Performance

On A Roll – Both teams come in winners of five straight, though neither streaks have been star studded. Aside from Boston’s 92-85 win on Sunday over the 10-5 Miami Heat, none of the Celtic’s past five victories have come against opponents above .500. In fact, before taking down the Heat, the last time the Celtics beat a team with more notches in the win column than the loss column was back on Nov. 11, a 105-96 win over the now 10-7 Utah Jazz.

Similarly, San Antonio has benefited from a rather smooth stretch in their schedule, helping them get back on track after losing three straight in mid-November. The only above .500 team in the Spurs’ past five wins? The 10-8 Houston Rockets, who San Antonio disposed of 92-84 back on November 27. But you’d have to travel all the way back to that same Nov. 11 to find the last time the Spurs beat an above .500 team prior to the Rockets, a 92-83 win over the Dallas Mavericks.

Head to Head

Strangely Familiar – They may not meet that often, but when they do, chances are it’ll be memorable. Boston and San Antonio are yet to collide this season, but last year met two times - as they do every season – and both were spectacular. The Spurs took the first game, a 105-99 nail-biter that had San Antonio taking the lead with 20.4 seconds left off a Roger Mason three, stunning a packed house at the Garden. The second game however was taken by the Celtics in an equally exciting matchup, an 80-77 victory at the AT&T Center in Texas. Kendrick Perkins netted the game-winner for the Celtics, who escaped San Antonio with KG on the bench for the entire fourth quarter - in part thanks to the Spurs’ six consecutive free-throw misses to close out the game.

Boston swept the two game series in 2008, but the two split again back in 2007 with both teams winning their home matchups.

Scouting Report

Defense Wins Championships – It’s no secret to anyone in the NBA how the Spurs run their team: a combination of stout defense and scoring mainly from anyone on the floor named Duncan, Parker or Ginobli.

But the addition of Richard Jefferson this season has helped alter that perception a little, giving them a potent fourth option when it comes to putting the ball in the net. So far in 2009, Jefferson has averaged a solid 13.5 points a game, a nice compliment to point-guard Tony Parker (16.5) in the absence of guard Manu Ginobli (groin injury). But regardless of how much or how little Jefferson steps up, the Spurs are still the same old Spurs, and they live and die by perennial All-Star forward and team-leader, Tim Duncan.

As a result, the most exciting matchup within the Spurs-Celtics rivalry is as it has been for the past three seasons – Tim Duncan vs. Kevin Garnett. Seeing those two do battle in the paint is like watching history collide. Whenever two NBA greats the likes of Garnett and Duncan meet on the hardwood, it’s bound to be exciting; let alone considering the rarity that the two play the same position and will literally be matching up head-to-head. Expect nothing less than a hard-fought battle under the hoop Thursday night, with the winner riding on the shoulders of their towering star forward.

Key Statistic

.833% – After posting a very less-than-Allen .259% from beyond the arc in his past six games, number 20 heated up in a big way in the Celtics win over the Bobcats. Ray nailed five of six shots from three-range on Tuesday night, was a perfect 10-10 from the free throw line, and finished the night with a game-high 27 points. The Celtics would like that hot-shooting to carry over to tonight’s game against a tough defensive squad in the San Antonio Spurs, who are surrendering 96.5 points a game, 10^th in the NBA.

3/4 – the amount of major statistical categories that Tim Duncan leads the Spurs in, furthering the notion that the black and silver go as number 21 goes. So far in 2009, Duncan leads San Antonio with 18.5 points per game, 10.8 rebounds and an intimidating 2.00 blocks. He even ranks third on the team in assists with 3.7, a rarity for a power forward with the size the likes of Duncan. Again, it can’t be stressed enough that if the Spurs want to win consistently, the ball always has and always will run through the 6-foot-11-inch future hall of famer.

Health/Injuries

The Ginobli We All Know and Love – He’s back on the injured list – again. Oh wait, never mind, he’s off. Wait, no, he’s back on. Okay, forget it – he’s off it now. Ginobli finally returned to the Spurs lineup on Sunday, a 97-89 win over the 76ers that had the Spurs’ star bench-player contribute 17 minutes on the court, netting only eight points and grabbing three rebounds. Obviously a sub-par game for Ginobli, who is averaging 13.5 points a game in ’09, but it’s apparent he doesn’t have his sea-legs back yet after injuring his groin in the Spurs’ loss to the Jazz back on Nov. 19.

Since then, the injury has kept the Argentinean born guard out for five-straight games until returning on Sunday. He’s only appeared in 10 games this season, and may not be at full-strength tonight against the Celtics, something that will undoubtedly hurt the Spurs both on the offensive and defensive end.

On the other hand, San Antonio’s backup guard, Roger Mason (7.1), who was a thorn in the Celtics side last season, may be cleared to play Thursday night. The Spurs’ off-the-bench hot shooter has been dealing with a hamstring injury that held him off the court in Sunday’s win over the 76ers, but he is expected to be available for Thursday night’s clash with the Green. In his last two games before injuring the hamstring, Mason posted a combined 28 points, shooting a torrid .667% from the field.

Nothing new for the Celtics however, as the usuals, Big Baby and Tony Allen, will be sidelined for tonight’s matchup. News for Tony Allen is that the Celtics will be without the 6-foot-4-inch shooting guard for the entirety of their four game road-trip, and he will be re-evaluated when the club returns to Boston.

Quotable

Big Four? - "Those situations were created by that little guy. He was excellent tonight, really. ... I thought he controlled this game as well as anybody and I don't know if his stat line is really as indicative of how much impact he had on this game." - Heat coach Erik Spoelstra on Celtics’ point guard Rajon Rondo after Sunday’s game.

He’s no longer a secret in the NBA. Rajon Rondo continues to improve daily, and the Celtics have all the confidence in the world in him, evident by his new five-year, $55 million contract. It will be another tough night for the point-guard however, as he goes toe-to-toe with perennial All-Star Tony Parker, who is averaging 16.5 points a game this season. It’s apparent that a lot of this game hinges on Garnett vs. Duncan – but make no mistake about it, it will be no small battle at the point.

article also on WEEI.com

NFC Playoff Picture

by Tom Nieradka
Editorial. Photos by AP News

Down to only 6 games now, a week after my AFC Playoff predictions lets go ahead and take a look at the NFC.

NFC East: Winner: Philadelphia Eagles…..Wildcard Contender: Dallas Cowboys

The NFC East is probably the biggest disappointment of a division in the NFL this year.

Before the season people were calling for the Giants (6-5), Eagles (7-4), and Cowboys (8-3) to be three of the elite teams in the league, but unfortunately each team is barely managing to assert itself as the elite team of its division.

Starting at the bottom with the Redskins (3-8) the breakout year for Jason Campell is looking more and more like it is never coming. And with Clinton Portis and Chris Cooley out, this team has no shot. The Giants defense is looking terrible, and the offense is subpar at best. And now that Eli Manning is re-injured and they have three upcoming games against their NFC East rivals, 8-8 is looking like a real possibility. The Eagles are also looking at a somewhat tough schedule with games against Denver, Dallas, and Atlanta coming up. However with Atlanta beaten and Denver and Dallas doing everything possible to disprove themselves as legit contenders, it is very possible that the Eagles can win three or four of their last five games.

Speaking of the Cowboys, they currently sit in first somehow. Their coaching has looked bad all year, as has Romo and most of the wide receiving corps. They get hit with the Giants, Chargers, Saints, Eagles, and Redskins to end the year, and I only have them winning one or two of those games (Giants and Skins) which would put them at 10-6.

NFC North: Winner: Minnesota Vikings….Wildcard Contender: Green Bay Packers

The Brett Favre division continues to be dominated (after a year off of course) by none other than Brett Favre. Off to one of his best seasons since the invention of the automobile, his Vikings sit atop the division at 10-1. They have a somewhat challenging two games coming up against the Cardinals and Bengals, but 14-2 is a very real possibility.

Firmly seated in second place are the Brett Favre-less Packers (7-4). It actually seems like a good thing that Favre is gone right now because if Favre was getting hit as much as Aaron Rogers is he would have already had two hip replacement surgeries and an artificial ribcage by now. Nevertheless Green Bay continues to perform well as a high tier team, and with their winnable schedule ahead they should cruise to a 10-6 finish.

The other two teams are barely worth mentioning, but below the Packers sit the Bears (4-7) and the Lions (2-9). The Bears had high expectations with their brand new QB Jay Cutler, but 20 interceptions later the investment is not looking very promising (could Cutler demand a trade after this season as well?). On the flip side The Lions are having a great season by their standards. Calvin Johnson has been hurt and Stafford has played well for a rookie, and if they could steal one more win the season would go down as a great success (they probably won’t get the win, but the season still will be a big improvement).

NFC South: Winner: New Orleans Saints….Wildcard Contender: Atlanta Falcons

The NFC South features another one of the elite teams in football in the New Orleans Saints (10-0). Their big win Monday night over the Patriots has officially and undoubtedly cemented them as the team to beat in the NFC (or NFL for that matter). With Drew Brees leading the charge and the much improved defense not allowing the other teams to keep pace, their 38-17 spanking of the Pats means that it is now very possible the Saints could grab that coveted 16-0 record.

Below the Saints sit the breakout contender Falcons (6-5), who seem to have recently decided that they’re not really that into breaking out after all. With Matt Ryan and Michael Turner down this team will finish around 8-8. As for the others, the Panthers (4-7) and the Buccaneers (1-10) are out of playoff contention barring a miracle.

Jake Delhomme reverted to the Jake we all know and love throwing four picks to the Jets, and without a good QB and a wide receiver to complement Steve Smith you can have all the best running backs in the world and still not make the playoffs. And the Bucs should be thankful that the Packers took a week off and handed them a win….I don’t see them getting anymore.

NFC West: Winner: Arizona Cardinals…..Wildcard Contender: San Francisco 49ers

The NFC West again proves that it is still one of the worst divisions in football.

The reigning NFC Champ Cardinals (7-4) are not the same team that they were last year (they still have the players, but they lost the magic), however a cushy schedule should see them to 10-6. Below them are Singletary’s 49ers (5-6) who should end up at .500 on the backs of Alex Smith and Vernon Davis. The 4-7 Seahawks will not be making a push anytime soon and look at about their usual level of mediocre on the bad side.

And then the Rams (1-10) continue to make a case for themselves as the worst team in football. However with Steven Jackson still on the team vs. no elite players for the Browns, I think we all know who that title goes to.

The Final Cut:

1. New Orleans Saints (first round bye, home field throughout)

2. Minnesota Vikings (first round bye)

3. Philadelphia Eagles

4. Arizona Cardinals

5. Green Bay Packers

6. Dallas Cowboys (gasp)

Taking Control

by Ian Tasso
Editorial. Photos by AP News

The Charlotte Bobcats have come a long way from their season-opening stomping at the hands of the Celtics, a humiliating 92-59 defeat. After falling to 3-9 following a seven-game losing streak, Charlotte (7-9) rolls into Tuesday night’s rematch as winners of four straight, including a 94-87 victory over LeBron James and the Cavaliers and a 92-76 beat-down of the Washington Wizards.

The Celtics (13-4), meanwhile, are in the midst of ‘righting the ship’ after some mid-month struggles, riding their own four-game win streak - including a hard-fought, come-from-behind win over Dwyane Wade and the Heat on Sunday.

The two collide tonight at 7:00 pm in Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte, the Bobcats looking to settle the score after their miserable showing to open the season, and Boston looking to continue its return to dominance in the NBA.

Here’s how things are shaping up heading into tonight’s game:

Recent Performance

Heating Up – Both teams head into Tuesday night winners of four straight, each with highlights in their streaks. Charlotte is fresh off a bombing of the Wizards in Washington, and before that a fairly convincing seven-point win over LeBron and his Cavs. Before that? A 116-81 punishing of the Raptors, a team that took Boston to the final quarter in the Garden.

The Celtics aren’t exactly flying low either, however, coming off a solid win over a Miami squad that had every reason to beat them last Sunday. The most important thing to take from the Celtics’ past four games, however, hasn’t been just the W’s so much as it’s been the play of Kevin Garnett. Amidst all the worries and concerns about his knee injury and recovery, Garnett answered critics with an 11-for-12 shooting night Sunday versus the Heat, posting 24 points and 8 rebounds – and, more importantly, putting Boston on his shoulders to seal up a win.

Head to Head

Tough Customers –Glancing at their overall records the past few seasons, you’d assume Boston usually has its way with Charlotte. In fact, it hasn’t exactly been that easy. Aside from their season-opening blowout of the Bobcats to open Charlotte’s 2009 season, Boston has disposed of the Cats in regulation only once in their past three meetings – a five point nail-biter. The other two times Charlotte took Boston to overtime, and one of them was a Celtic loss. Tuesday’s game marks the second of three games the two will play against each other this season, with Boston holding a 1-0 edge in 2009.

Scouting Report

Action Jackson - The Bobcats added some punch to their offense when they traded for the Warriors’ Stephen Jackson a few weeks ago. He has totaled 17.4 points per game since he joined Charlotte. That being said, it still remains Gerald Wallace’s team. Wallace leads the Bobcats (aside from Jackson’s seven-game stat sample) in both points per game (15.9) and rebounds per game (11.8). During their four-game win streak, Wallace has led the Cats in boards in every single match, and topped the team in points in three of the four, including back-to-back 31 point nights against the Raptors and Cavaliers.

That being said, in Charlotte’s season opener against the Celtics, Boston was able to corral Wallace, holding him to a season-low 10 points.

The Bobcats do run a fairly diversified offense however, with Boris Diaw (11.7), Raymond Felton (10.3), and Flip Murray (10.3) getting in on the action when they’re called upon.

Key Statistic

.259 – Ray Allen’s three-point shooting percentage over the past six games. The veteran sniper has been struggling with his stroke to say the least. In fact, Allen has only hit multiple three-balls once in his past six games – and twice in his past 10. It hasn’t exactly killed the Celtics, because amidst it all they’ve won four straight. But if No. 20 does not heat up, it could start hurting the Celtics down the road.

6 – The amount of games in a row that Gerald Wallace has hit double figures in rebounds. He is a beast on the boards, and it’s going to be a key for Boston to keep him off them. If they don’t, he can dictate a game (20 boards, 24 points Nov. 2 vs. New Jersey).

Health/Injuries

Same Old – Nothing new for the Celtics, who are still without Big Baby and Tony Allen. Ray Allen had missed last Sunday’s practice because of his son’s illness, and his status for the Miami game was in doubt, but it appears it won’t be an issue for Tuesday’s match-up. Similar story for Charlotte, which is operating with a full complement of players after the recent return of Tyson Chandler following his back spasms earlier in the season.

Quotable

Pedal to the Metal - “This is a time where you have to concentrate more. We understand what being a successful road team is about in the past. It will give us more focus time. I think we understand being on the road, we have to focus a lot more. You can’t play the way we’ve been playing at home on the road because you won’t get those wins.”

Celtics Captain Paul Pierce knows these games are important. The Bobcats aren’t a division rival. They aren’t really even a conference rival, and at 7-9, aren’t considered a playoff threat. But it doesn’t matter. The Celtics know they need to get all the wins they can find, and Tuesday night is no different.

article also on WEEI.com

Last Call on Air - Dan Shaughnessy

November 12, 2009

Tasso, Barker, Tam, Liebman

Special Guest: Boston Globe Columnist, Sports Editor

Dan Shaughnessy

Same Divison, Different Level

by Ian Tasso

Photos by AP News

Philadelphia has been teetering with mediocrity all season. The Celtics, regrettably, are fighting with it right now.

At 7:30 pm the 10-4 Boston Celtics will play host to the 5-9 Philadelphia 76’ers in a collision of two teams that have both been struggling of late – though Philly’s struggles stem much deeper than Boston’s do.

Despite the skewed skill levels, records and anything else that might separate a 10^th place Philly team from a playoff bound Boston club, Wednesday night’s game carries a decent amount of intrigue – especially from the Boston perspective.

Of late, the Celtics have seemingly lost some of their championship swagger that led them to a 6-0 start. After dropping two straight to the Hawks and Pacers, Boston seemed to get back on track against Golden State in what was a pretty convincing win. But another slip up against the Magic and an overtime buzzer-beating win against the 3-10 Knicks, and the Celtics appear somewhat lost on the court again.

Center Kendrick Perkins attributed it to a lack of focus. But regardless of what’s been plaguing them, Boston needs to improve if they want to be considered the championship bound team they know they can be – and what better team to straighten it out against then the 76’ers.

Here’s what to expect come Wednesday night:

Recent Performance:

Common Ground – Despite the fact that Boston comes into Wednesday night’s match-up with its pocket full of recent struggles, they are still locked in at third place in the Eastern Conference. After starting the season 6-0, their recent blunders have caused concern, specifically with their focus. Center Kendrick Perkins described the Celtics as playing without determination and focus, citing sloppy practices as part of the reason they have been stumbling.

Still, even with dropping three of their last four, Perkins maintained confidence that Big Green will get back on track. After all, with their immense amount of talent, it’s hard to blame him. Philadelphia meanwhile has had a bumpy season right from the get-go. Recently though, they seem to be getting their feet under them. After narrowly defeating the Bobcats only one week ago, Philly nearly took down Memphis (102-97) and LeBron and the Cavs (97-91) on back-to-back nights. While both still are recorded as losses, they no doubt are improvements over double-digit losses to both Orlando and Boston at the beginning of the season.

Head to Head:

Familiar Faces – They see each-other more than a few times a season. So far in 2009, the division rivals have already crossed paths once, with Boston taking the cake easily, 105-74. Paul Pierce led the green in that game, scoring 21 points along with 8 boards and 4 assists.

Last season, Boston and Philly met up four times, with the Celtics sweeping all four by a combined total of 46 points.

Scouting Report:

Easier Said than Done – The Philadelphia offense is very simple. It runs through the 6-6 guard, Andre Iguodala. Philly goes where Iguodala goes.

That being said, it’s a lot easier to talk about how shutting him down will frustrate the 76’er offense than actually shutting him down. Still, the Celtics are known for their defense, thought it may be slipping of late. If there’s any time where Boston can try to regain their defensive prowess in search of immediate results, it would be Wednesday night, where they have a single goal: limit Iguodala. The recent emergence of first-year starting point-guard Lou Williams will make that a little bit more difficult for Boston, but they’ve shown in years past that they are able to do what needs to be done to take down Iguodala and the 76’ers – we’ll see if that holds true on Wednesday.

Key Statistic:

10/25 – The 40% that Boston shot from beyond the arc in their 107-105 OT victory over the Knicks on Sunday. It was a huge improvement over the 2-19 (11%) they shot in their loss to the Magic last Friday, something that Boston needs to see if they want to continue their success Wednesday night. Look for Ray Allen and Rasheed Wallace to get a lot of looks outside early as Philly tries to combat Kevin Garnett down low. But the numbers don’t lie – they better convert on those looks.

4/5 – The amount of major statistical categories that Andre Iguodala leads the 76’ers in – four out of five. He currently sits on top of the team in points per game (18.2), rebounds (6.5), assists (5.7) and steals (1.8). The only category he doesn’t lead? Blocks. He ranks sixth on the team in that. It’s no exaggeration that the Philly offense runs through number 9, which makes it that much more obvious what the Celtics have to do to win. But it also makes it that much more frustrating that it’s one of the hardest things in the game to do.

Health/Injuries:

Well Rested – Neither Philly nor Boston have any injuries that worry fans of either side. Jason Kapono of the 76’ers has been battling an ankle injury, but has only missed one game all season because of it. His minutes have been limited, but he appears to be nearing full strength after contributing six minutes in last nights loss to the Wizards. Also, second year forward Marreese Speights Philly's first round pick out of Florida, is out for the next 6-8 weeks after tearing his MCL against the Bulls on the 15th.

For the Celtics, it’s a very similar story. Aside from Glen Davis, who has been out since the beginning of the season, it’s been a few minor injuries and not much else. Paul Pierce seems to be all but 100% recovered from that minor knee strain he suffered last week, and Marquis Daniels is not at all worried about his wrist, which flared up after last Saturday’s loss to the Pacers.

Also good news on the injury front for Boston, as guard Tony Allen may be cleared to play in Wednesday night’s game, making his 2009-2010 season debut. It’s not yet known for sure if he’ll suit up, but Doc Rivers did say that Allen looked to be “very close, as close that he may play” this Wednesday.

Quotable:

Cause For Concern? – “Each game, one at a time, there’s reason why we lost but once again, I am not overly concerned because we make a shot here and a shot there and we get back into it. The big question for us is that KG is just not himself, I think everybody can see that and when will he? And then when will everybody just start making some shots? I think those are the big questions."

Some hefty words from Mr. Ainge. It appear Garnett’s inability to operate at 100% hasn’t gone unnoticed by the man at the top, and as we all saw last year, this Celtic team tends to only go so far as Kevin can carry them. Yes, the bench is deeper this season than in years past. And yes, Rondo and Perkins are playing much better. But at the same time, the Celtics are built on defense, and Kevin Garnett is their foundation.

It’s still very early in the season, and it’s important to remember that KG has only played competitive basketball for a few weeks now since those long months off, but it’s definitely something to keep an eye on.

But for now, the Celtics just have to keep their eye on Philadelphia. I never thought I’d say this, but hopefully the momentum (?) they got from that overtime victory over the Knicks will help jumpstart a resurgence to greatness for the Green.

article also on WEEI.com

AFC Playoff Picture

by Tom Nieradka

Editorial. Photos by AP News

With only 7 games left in the regular season, now is as good a time as any to make some predictions as to who is going to the playoffs. This week we’ll start off with the AFC (Pitt gets home field advantage as reigning champs is my predictions) and run down each division as well as the wildcard race.

AFC East: Winner: New England Patriots…..Wildcard Contender: Miami Dolphins

The AFC East really isn’t looking all that tough. Starting at the bottom are the Bills (3-7), who despite TO’s best (or worst) efforts have no shot at the playoffs. Moving on up to the Jets (4-6), Mark Sanchez is plagued by turnovers, and though it pains me to say it the Jets are 1-4 in the division and this does not look like a playoff team.

Miami (5-5) has a middle of the road schedule coming up and the losses of Ronnie Brown and Chad Pennington do not bode well (would look for them to stay right around .500). The Pats (7-3) sit at the top of the division, and aside from New Orleans next week have a very winnable schedule.

AFC North: Winner: Cincinnati Bengals….Wildcard Contenders: Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens

The North is looking like one of the better divisions in football at the moment. Sitting firmly at the bottom are the Browns (1-9), who I have already wasted too much time on. As for the professional teams, Baltimore (5-5) and Pittsburgh (6-4) look to be gunning for the first place Bengals (7-3). All teams lost this past week and none looked very good.

Baltimore took a tough loss to the Colts when their offence couldn’t score a TD, and they face Pittsburgh twice in the coming weeks in what will be no doubt heated games. Assuming they split those games, Pittsburgh has one more tough game while the Ravens have two, and with the one game lead I’d look for Pittsburgh to end up ahead of Baltimore at the end of the season with a strong record.

As for the Bengals, they showed that they are not yet a team that a lot of people were thinking that they were in their loss to the Raiders. Coming up they have three easy ones, two tough ones against the Chargers and Vikings, then a week 17 showdown with the Jets. The Bengals will end up in first at the end of the season, one game ahead of the Steelers.

AFC South: Winner: Indianapolis Colts….Wildcard Contenders: Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars

Here is another good division overall that contains one of the elite teams in football. Let’s just get this out of the way, the Colts (10-0) are making the playoffs and will be the number one seed in the AFC. The race for second is led by Jacksonville (6-4), then followed by Houston (5-4) and then the Titans (3-6).

Though the Titans have been surging recently, barring a miracle they will not make the playoffs. In the last seven games both teams must lose to the Colts and the Pats. The rest of the games are winnable for each team and it will come down not to match-ups but whether or not each team is able to stay healthy and execute on a consistent level.

Though neither team is made for a deep playoff run just yet (both lack a strong defense), the Texans have more talent at both defense (DeMeco Ryans, Brian Cushing and Mario Williams) and offense (Andre Johnson, Matt Schaub and Steve Slaton) and have a better shot at pulling an upset and winning the games that they should win.

AFC West: Winner: San Diego Chargers…..Wildcard Contender: Denver Broncos

The past few years the AFC West (along with the NFC West) has been one of the crappier divisions in football, and this year is no exception. After a slow start the Chargers sit atop the division (7-3), followed by the fading Broncos (6-4) and then a pair of awfuls in the Raiders (3-7) and Chiefs (3-7) (and yes I used awful as a noun). The Chargers have a relatively simple schedule coming up and should take the division easily.

The Broncos, meanwhile, are a shadow of their former selves, and despite an earlier prediction I’d be shocked if Denver ends up with 10 wins. Their defense has faltered and with the injury to Orton and the tougher defenses that they have been facing the offense is looking more like many predicted that it would (mediocre). As for the other two, despite the wins over Pittsburgh and Cincinnati neither of these teams has even an outside chance at making the playoffs.

The Final Cut:

1. Indianapolis Colts (first round bye, home field throughout)

2. New England Patriots (first round bye)

3. San Diego Chargers

4. Cincinnati Bengals

5. Pittsburgh Steelers

6. Houston Texans

History Made

by Ian Tasso
Editorial. Photos by AP News

Before the Patriots clashed with the Colts on national television Sunday night, it was deemed to be the game of the year.

When all was said and done, it turned out to be exactly that.

But it was no surprise to anyone. Over the years, the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts have met many a time, each game more exciting and more dramatic then the previous. From an exchange of legends to countless playoff collisions, it seems as if the Pats and Colts are always making history as their rivalry continues to grow.

But how does last Sunday’s storybook game stack up against the plethora of memorable Pats-Colts match-ups? Let’s take a look back as we count down the top 10 Rivalry Moments of the Brady-Manning era:

10. November 4, 2007 - Clash of the Undefeateds

Patriots 24, Colts 20 -- In one of the most recent clashes between Brady’s Patriots and Manning’s Colts, both teams rolled into this week nine match up sitting undefeated; New England at 8-0, and Indy at 7-0. Indy jumped out in this one early, leading the Pats 13-3 at halftime. But the Patriots never flinched, as the Golden Boy led the Pats to two straight scoring drives in the fourth quarter, triumphing over the Colts 24-20. New England went on to win the remainder of their 2007 games, posting the first 16-0 regular season in NFL history.

9. November 5, 2006 - Golden Boy Rattled

Colts 27, Patriots 20 -- Up by a touchdown with just under two minutes remaining, Indy sent out famously clutch kicker and ex-Patriot Adam Vinatieri for a 46-yarder that would have iced the game – had he not missed it. Number four shanked the kick wide-right, putting the ball back in the hands of Mr. Comeback himself and giving the Patriots a chance to win the game. But after a 25-yard completion put New England on Indy’s 39, Brady was intercepted by linebacker Cato June after his pass to Kevin Faulk was tipped away, effectively ending the game. Manning and the Colts knelt the clock out on the ensuing drive. Troy Brown, who also played cornerback in this game, broke the Patriot record for receptions with his catch in the second quarter.

8. September 30, 2001 – Brady Makes his Debut

Patriots 44, Colts 13 -- Tom Brady had never before started in an NFL game. But after the injury to Drew Bledsoe the week before, number 12 suited up to take the field for the first time in his career, ironically against the Indianapolis Colts who were 2-0 at the time. The Patriots didn’t rely to heavily on Brady, but still were able to roll up 44 points on the Colts, thanks in part to Antowain Smith’s 94-yard, two touchdown day. Brady’s first step in the rivalry was a good one for New England, who went on to win their first Super Bowl in team history a few months later.

7. March 22, 2006 – Mr. Clutch to Colts

Vinatieri had quite the legacy with New England. But from the two kicks he had in the Snow Bowl all the way to the winner in Super Bowl XXXVI, New Englanders never thought he would add this chapter to his story.
On March 22, 2006, the Patriots-Colts rivalry got an injection to the arm as one the greatest clutch kicker in Patriot history changed franchises. In a Johnny Damon-esque move, Vinatieri shattered the hearts of Patriot faithful everywhere; signing a 5-year $12 million contract .In retrospect, it’s not as if Vinatieri has come back to haunt the Pats just yet, but seeing number 4 in blue and white is about as bad as it can get already.

6. January 16, 2005 – Dillon and Defense smash Colts in Snow

Patriots 20, Colts 3; AFC Divisional Round -- It was smash-mouth football at its finest. For the offense, Corey Dillon pounded the Colts for 144 yards, including a 27-yard scamper that capped off a 14 play/seven-and-a-half minute drive that started on the New England six and ended with a Tom Brady rushing TD. On the defensive side of the ball, Tedy Bruschi and co. forced two fumbles and knocked the Colts in the mouth nearly every chance they got, highlighted by an Asante Samuel hit on Brandon Stokley that sends shivers every time it’s replayed.
Meanwhile, the NFL’s MVP Peyton Manning, who rolled into the game with a record-setting 49 touchdowns at his back, failed to reach the end-zone once, and was picked off on the goal-line by Rodney Harrison to end the game. With the loss, the Colts were eliminated from the playoffs at the hands of the Patriots for the second year in a row, and Manning’s overall record at Foxboro stadium dropped to 0-7. New England went on to win their second Super Bowl in a row and third in four years.

5. September 3, 2004 – Patriot’s Season opens with a bang

Patriots 27, Colts 24 -- Brady once again led the Pats to victory in the 2004 opener, throwing for 335 yards and three touchdowns - but the biggest play of the day was made on defense. With New England up three and just over a minute left on the clock, the Colts had the ball on the Patriot’s 17 and were threatening to take the lead. But on a third and eight, Patriot linebacker Willie McGinest burst through the line and nailed Peyton Manning for a 12 yard loss, dropping the Colts towards the limit of their field goal range.

Mike Vanderjagt, who had made 42 consecutive field goals to this point, then strolled onto the field with a chance to tie things up. But Vanderjagt, who had been sliding his fingers together making the “money” symbol on the sidelines all throughout the final drive, taunting the New England defense, pushed his kick wide left and the Colts fell to the Pats in the final minute, 27-24. The two teams would meet later in the postseason, and New England would end up winning that game as well.

4. November 15, 2009 – Belichick’s Genius?

Colts 35, Patriots 34 – In a move that surprised and shocked most of the football world, Head Coach Bill Belichick elected to keep his offense on the field for a crucial 4th and two on their own 29 yard line. He risked it all, and in the end it cost him not only the game, but also what might have been a home playoff game.

In a game that was totally dominated by offense, including numerous big plays by Randy Moss, in the end it was Brady and co. that failed to get two yards when the team needed it the most. As a result, New England will most likely end up heading to Indianapolis again in the postseason, should they make it that far. But judging by the caliber of team they have, you can bet they will. Just another page turned in the storied rivalry…

3. January 21, 2007 – Patriots Blow Lead, Fall on Goal Line

Colts 38, Patriots 34; AFC Championship Round – The Patriots took a 21-6 lead into halftime, but it just wasn’t enough. Closing out the half on an Asante Samuel interception return for a touchdown, it seemed as if New England was destined yet again to wipe out the Colts in the postseason. But there’s a first time for everything.

Trailing by 18 at one point, Manning brought his Colts all the way back to a tie game, when Pats’ kicker Stephen Gostkowski nailed a 43-yard field goal to put New England back on top, 34-31. A three-and-out by the Colts immediately after gave the ball back to the Patriots, with a chance to close out the game. But an early false-start penalty cost New England, who was forced to punt the ball back to Indianapolis on a 4th and four with just over two minutes remaining.
That’s when Peyton took charge. Manning and the Colts drove all the way down the field, and punched the ball in on a 3-yard touchdown run from Joseph Addai, giving Indy a 38-34 lead with only a minute remaining on the clock. It wasn’t enough time for Brady and co. to amount any type of threat, as the Patriots fell for the first time to Manning and his Colts in the postseason, and Indianapolis went on to win their first Super Bowl in the Peyton Manning era.

2. January 18, 2004 – Law Picks Three

Patriots 24, Colts 14; AFC Championship Round – For what seemed like the 600th time this decade, Peyton Manning and the high flying Colt offense stormed into New England with Super Bowl aspirations.

But for what again seemed like the 600th time this decade, the Patriot defense turned them away with a tremendous effort. This time it was Ty Law who led the Patriot’s defense, intercepting Manning three times, meanwhile Antowain Smith and the New England offense continued to carve up the Indy defense as they seemingly always do in snowy conditions.
After the Patriot’s first drive resulted in a 7-yard touchdown pass to David Givens, Manning and the Colts looked to swiftly rebound. But New England safety Rodney Harrison intercepted Manning in the end-zone, one of four picks the co-MVP would throw on the day. Meanwhile, Jarvis Green supplied constant and heavy pressure on Manning, recording three sacks on the day.
After the Harrison interception, the Colts wouldn’t threaten again until midway through the third quarter and then again in the fourth – but by then it was much too little far too late, as Adam Vinatieri booted five field goals for the Patriots, who once again ruined Indianapolis’s playoff hopes. The Patriots meanwhile went on to win their second Super Bowl in three years. Thus began the Foxboro curse for Peyton Manning.

1. November 30, 2003 – The Goal Line Stand

Patriots 38, Colts 34 -- To this day it remains, and will most likely always stay, as the greatest Patriots/Colts game of all time. In a game that was dominated by the offense through and through, featuring 650 total yards of combined offense, it all came down to the defense.
Thanks to a Bethel Johnson 92-yard kickoff return for a touchdown with no time remaining in the first half, and then a 31-yard touchdown pass to Michael Cloud to open the third quarter, New England held a lofty 31-10 lead over the Colts in the RCA Dome. But as we learn time and time again from Manning and company, sometimes that just isn’t enough.
As he’s done in the past, Peyton furiously led the Colts all the way back, trimming that 21-point lead down to four with only three and a half minutes remaining.

An ensuing three-and-out by the Patriots put the ball immediately back in number 18’s hands with just over three minutes left in the game. Manning then drove the Colts the length of the field, and a seven yard rush by Edgerrin James planted the ball on the New England two-yard line with 30 seconds left on the clock and a fresh set of downs for the Colts.
So there it was. First and goal from the two, a half minute left on the clock, and one of the most prolific offenses in football only a couple yards away from completing a 21-point comeback. But not if Willie McGinest had anything to say about it.
After two straight rushes by James led to only one yard gained, Manning elected to go to the air on third and one. Unfortunately Tyrone Poole had Aaron Morehead covered like glue, and the pass fell incomplete.
Then on their fourth and final shot at the end-zone, the Colts elected to return to the ground game, but James was immediately wrapped up by a surging Willie McGinest, who broke through the line like a speeding train, halting ‘The Edge’ in his tracks.

Four straight plays. Only two yards needed. Only one earned. It was the moment the Patriots’ defense put their mark on the Indy/New England rivalry, and it will forever go down in history as the greatest game the two teams have ever played.

That is until the next time they meet, and history is made yet again.
Because any time Peyton Manning and Tom Brady collide on the gridiron, there’s always one guarantee – it’s going to be a very, very special night.

The most recent collision may have resulted in a devastating New England loss. But even so, I can’t wait for the next chapter.