Green Eighteen

by Ben Barker

Editorial. Photos by AP News.

This just in: the Boston Celtics are good.

But how good? Are they better than they were during the quest for banner 17? Are they better than the 72-10 Bulls? Could they be the best Celtic team of all time? The answer is yes, yes, yes. If the 2009-2010 Boston Celtics can stay relatively healthy all year, we are going to see something very special happen in the city of Boston.

This became very clear to me while I was standing, cheering and screaming during the Celtics home opener against the Charlotte Bobcats. Paul Pierce took the floor before the game and addressing all of Boston gave a speech. A speech, which in a nutshell said, “Hey guys, we’re going to get you another one.” The Celtics went on to literally dismantle the Bobcats, holding them to 59 points in the contest, the same amount of points that the Patriots scored in week six against the Titans. The Green had 100% complete control over that game. It was like nothing I’d ever seen in a professional sports contest before.

This team has what it takes. The fans know it, the NBA knows it, but most of all, the players know it. Pierce, Garnett, and Allen have all played with each other long enough to know each of their roles on this team. Gone are the days of Paul Pierce taking desperation 3-pointers at the buzzer, because nobody else could be trusted. Gone are the days of rookie mistakes costing the Celtics games that they should have won. Even Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins have been in the league long enough to be considered “young veterans.” It just seems that all of the stars have aligned for our boys in green this season.

While the starting 5 are clearly the heart and soul of this team, the biggest upgrade from last year is Boston’s bench. The additions of Marquis Daniels and Rasheed Wallace have allowed Eddie House to become the third option off the bench after being first or second last year. Not to mention Garnett, Wallace, and Perkins providing the most intensity that an NBA court has seen in a long time. I mean that’s just scary.

What the bench has allowed the Celtics to do it play their own game. Rasheed Wallace hasn’t even had to move inside of the paint yet, jacking up three balls with nobody near him. If they do come out on ‘Sheed, Garnett is open down low on the miss-match. Marquis Daniels has been a big presence too, taking a load off of Eddie House. Now that Daniels can control the points, Eddie too gets to stand on the perimeter and do what he does best: shoot.

The Celtics may not win 72 games this year, they may not even win 62 games. But what they will do is clear. The Boston Celtics are going to make a very strong push to win their second NBA Championship in the last 3 years, and they have all of Boston behind them, including Red.

So Close to Greatness...

By Ian Tasso

Editorial. Photos by AP News

Baseball is going to have to wait another year for that dramatic game seven.

This World Series was supposed to have it all.

It had the names: Rodriguez, Rollins, Jeter, Howard, Utley, Teixeira – oh, it certainly had the stars. It had the storylines: Cliff Lee vs. the Bombers, A-Rod vs. The Playoffs, Pedro vs. the Yankees, a potential dynasty vs. the definition of the word– believe me, it was nothing short of Shakespearian.

But in the end, the Yankees were just too good, and the Phillies were just too Chase Utley, and not much else. And even then, if you take away the two games Cliff Lee won for the Phillies, you have a 4-0 sweep and yet another throw away ‘World Series,’ if you can even call it that.
The problem was, for all the big named stars that were hyped, only the ones on the Yankee side actually showed up for the World Series. Aside from Chase Utley and Cliff Lee for one of his two starts, the Phillies were completely strapped of their firepower.

Jimmy Rollins, the Phillies’ vaunted leadoff man and 2007 MVP, posted a meager .217 average through the six game series, with only three stolen bases and just two RBI’s.

Even Shane Victorino, who hit at a .292 clip during the 2009 season, connected for just four hits in his 22 series at bats, equaling a slim .181 average for the World Series. No stolen bases, no home runs, and only two RBI for the ‘Flyin’ Hawaiian.’

And worst of all, Ryan Howard, the hammering slugger who carried his Phillies through the first two rounds of the playoffs, completely fell off during the World Series. Through six games, Howard matched Victorino’s total of four hits, while outperforming every Philly by leaps and bounds in the strikeout department, fanning a glorious 13 times in 23 at bats. I realize one player can only carry his team so far – but come on.

In the biggest games, on the biggest stage, Philly’s biggest bats just didn’t show up. Their pitching depth that carried them into the postseason disappeared. And in the end, the Yankees were just the better team – as much as it kills me to say it.

As a Red Sox fan, I hated this World Series. But as a baseball fan, I really wanted to love it. It was supposed to be the World Series that rejuvenated baseball. You would have to look all the way back to 2002 for the last time a World Series – a collision of baseballs two greatest teams – lasted a full seven games. And even then, it was between the Anaheim Angels and the San Fransisco Giants.

My question is; if the World Series happens, and it’s between the Angels and the Giants, does it make a sound?

The last World Series that was relevant as far as tremendous championships go was the 2001 clash between the Yankees and the Diamondbacks. Curt Schilling, Randy Johnson, Mike Mussina, Jeter, Martinez…the list goes on and on. This series had the names – and each and every one of them showed up. Best of all, it culminated in a final and deciding game seven with a walk-off win, the greatest possible moment in all of baseball.

That is what the World Series is all about. That is what it should be all about. A collision of baseball’s best - not a fizzling finale to an exhausting 162 game season.

Now I’m not asking for every World Series to end in seven games with a walk-off. But I would like more than one in every ten years to go the distance. The game needs it.
While the NFL is soaring in popularity with its dramatic Super Bowl and single elimination playoff games, Major League Baseball needed a collision of epic proportions to remind America of the glory in a seven game series that epitomizes the 162 game grind that is the game of baseball.

The two right teams got in. The script was set. But some of the actors just didn’t get the memo.

And until that happens, baseball will remain second best when it comes to Championships. Just like Bird needed Magic, McGwire needed Sosa and Batman needed the Joker…baseball needs the Diamondbacks and the Yankees. It needs that game seven, the sweet glory, the ultimate pinnacle – it has to get it.

And it will. Until then, we wait.

Pitchers and catchers report in 3.5 months. And the clock ticks…

A Matchup for the Ages

by Ian Tasso
Editorial. Photos by AP News.

Forget about the future of baseball.

The present is right now. And it's in the hands of two men who have a combined 31 years of experience between them.

For the Yankees, it's a chance at winning a World Series. For the Phillies, it's a chance to fight for a last breath in a game seven.

But there's no denying it's in the hands of two guys who know what they're doing.

Andy Pettite, who will be on the hill for the New York Yankees tonight for the 8:00 p.m. Game Six first pitch, debuted for the Bombers back in 1995. Since, the 37-year-old has started 468 games, 384 of which have been in pinstripes.

Meanwhile, for Philadelphia, 38-year-old Pedro Martinez takes the reins of a desperate Philadelphia team, needing a win to stay alive in this year's World Series. For Pedro, his journey has been much less localized - starting in Los Angeles, passing through Montreal, Boston and New York, and culminating right now in the city of brotherly love.

But for number 45, he faces a familiar foe tonight in the New York Yankees, whom he became oh-so acquainted with during his seven year tenure with the Red Sox.

Pedro carries with him a storybook of Sox-Yankee memories, ranging from Don Zimmer, to 'who's your daddy,' all the way to Grady Little and the telltale 8th inning. But all that get's thrown out the window tonight.

Tonight is the final page of a completely new chapter for Petey - even if it does have a few similar plot characters.

Boston fans will get shivers watching Jeter step in against number 45. Posada too. Because just as Dan Shaughnessy said in his Globe piece this morning - all these years later, and he's still pitching for the Red Sox. Why? Because we live the sport regardless of who's playing. And Pedro is one of our own - he always will be.

Even so, the Yankees trot out a completely different team now then they did back in the early 2000's when Pedro was wearing the maroon socks. New acquisitions such as Mark Teixeira, C.C. Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Alex Rodriguez's Playoff Bat have been propelling this year's Bronx run at a title.

Meanwhile, backing up Pedro on the hill will be Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Howard, and most importantly, Mr. New October, Chase Utley. In Game Five, Utley belted two home-runs, tying Reggie Jackson with five total as the most ever by any player in a single World Series. But most importantly, the second baseman sparked a Philly win that kept their title hopes alive.

Chase looks to continue the magic tonight, in a decisive Game Six - a Yankee win handing the title to New York, while a Philly win would push the series to a breaking point and a final Game Seven.

But nobody has more pressure then Mr. Martinez and Mr. Pettite. Two men that have pitched just under 1,000 combined games, but no single one being bigger than tonight.

Tonight is about defying age, defying the numbers and playing the game.

Above all, tonight is about two men who will have to put it all behind them for one final game - the biggest game.

A game that will forever define the careers of two of baseball's best ever.

Tonight is about making history.

Prediction: Phillies in a squeaker. This team just won't quit. But Ryan Howard needs to heat up tonight or the win won't matter come game seven.

article also on WERSnews.com

Patriot Midterm: Part II, Defense/Special Teams

by Ian Tasso

Editorial. Photos by AP News

Not much surprises New England Patriots fans anymore. 50 Brady touchdowns, a 16-0 record and three Super Bowls in four years will do that to you. But 2009’s Patriot defense might buck the trend. Ranked sixth in the NFL in pass defense and third in points allowed, the New England defense deprived of big names and bright stars has officially shocked – and even surprised – the football world. Overall they’ve been tremendous. But how do they stack up individually? Grades are in once again, and class is back in session.

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Defensive Line: The loss of Richard Seymour is a little bit more apparent than New Englanders would have hoped. Even so, the Patriot defensive line is performing admirably, with Mike Wright stepping up in number 93’s stead. Wright leads the team with 4.0 sacks, but unfortunately is the only member of the D-Line with more than one. Vince Wilfork is yet to record his first. With Jarvis Green now out, the Patriot’s inability to apply pressure with just the front men will prove to be testing, but as evident by the defense’s success thus far, its not a hugely concerning issue.

Individual Grades: Wright, B+; Wilfork, B; Warren, B; Green, C+

Overall Midterm Grade: B+. Wilfork still eats up the run, and everything else for that matter, meanwhile Wright has been a pleasant surprise rushing from the outside. While they still don’t have that stud defensive end like they did with Seymour, the Patriots apply enough pressure with their front three/four to create issues for the opposition. Look for this to be a focal point as New England gears up for the high-octane offenses of Miami, Indy, and New Orleans.

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Linebackers: The core did a surprisingly nice job without stud Jerod Mayo through the first three-four weeks. However, the lack of contribution from Adalius Thomas and the other inside backer position is cause for a mild alarm. New England needs to get significantly better play from their outside linebacking positions if they want to have similar defensive success as against Tampa Bay when they go up against Indianapolis and New Orleans. Look for those teams to attack New England’s soft inner-core with quick slants, ins, and runs right up the gut.

Individual Grades: Mayo, A-; Banta-Cain, B+; Woods, B-; Thomas, B-; Alexander, C+; Seau, INC

Overall Midterm Grade: B. Thomas worries me. What’s wrong with him, we may never know, whether its an injury or an off-the field issue. Bottom line is without him at full strength and top potential, the Patriots lack an impact outside pass rusher. Banta-Cain has been nice, but it’s tough to expect him to have a big impact on an offense with complex blocking schemes like the Saints and Colts of the world. If Thomas continues to underachieve, this could be a glaring weakness in the New England defense.

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Cornerbacks: Surprisingly solid play thus far by the quartet of Springs, Bodden, Wilhite and Wheatley. Still, Randy Moss has the same amount of interceptions as the four of them combined, and without back-up Darius Butlers two-interception day, it would be a very bleak turnover outlook from the New England corners. Regardless, they combine to form half of the NFL’s 6^th ranked pass defense, and you can’t argue with resultes. Will they be tested against Indy and New Orleans? Absolutely. But up until this point they’ve shown that as a unit, they prevent big plays, make tackles in the open field, and come up big when it counts. Can’t ask for much more.

Individual Grades: Bodden, B; Springs, B; Wilhite, B; Butler, B-; Wheatley, C+.

Overall Midterm Grade: B. The turnover issue remains a black mark. But sometimes a three-and out is just as effective. Wheatley and Wilhite show signs of becoming very solid NFL corners, and Butler has as high a ceiling as any of them. As long as Springs and Bodden can stay healthy, this no-name corner-backing core looks to continue its very solid 2009 season.

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Safetys: This has been New England’s defensive bread and butter. Both Brandon Meriweather and Branden McGowen have overachieved beyond anyone’s wildest dreams, and likewise have propelled a mediocre Patriot defense towards NFL excellence. The two lead their respective team in tackles, interceptions, forced fumble, and just about every other defensive statistic.

Individual Grades: Meriweather, A; McGowen, A; Sanders, B; Chung, C+

Overall Midterm Grade: A. It remains the strongpoint of the New England defense, and as long as Meriweather and McGowen continue to improve together, the final layer of the Patriot secondary looks to be promising for years to come.

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Special Teams: Stephen Gostkowski continues to push Adam Vinateiri further into the depths of Patriot’s fans memories. He has only missed three kicks thus far and remains one of the best kick-off legs in the game today. Meanwhile on the punting side, Chris Hanson ranks at the bottom of the NFL with 39.5 yards per punt. This has been for years and still remains a huge sore spot on the New England special teams. And though the return game still misses Ellis Hobbs, the team of Welker, Faulk, Maroney, Edleman and now Tate seem to get the job done with no real issues.

Individual Grades: Gostkowski, A; Welker/Faulk/Maroney/Edleman/Tate, B; Hanson, D+

Overall Midterm Grade: B+. No complaints here, really. Gostkowski proves to be one of the best kickers year in and year out, with 2009 no exception. Hanson is a pretty big issue that needs to be addressed, but its not as if the punting market is booming. For an offense as high-octane as the Patriots, punting isn’t the biggest concern anyway. I do hope to see Tate in an expanded special teams role as the year goes on – the kid has raw athletic skills that make Bethel Johnson look like Warren Sapp.

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Overall D/Special Teams Midterm Grade: A-. May be more of a reaction to the expectations rather than their actual performance, but there’s no denying the physicality and athletic ability of the defense that trots onto the field every Sunday. They are well coached, well disciplined, and much more importantly very young. They’ll only continue to get better, and again, it all comes back to Belichick.

As long as he is as the helm of this team, their talent combined with the schemes and formations he devises will continue to keep this defense at the top ranks of the NFL for the rest of the season. They'll step up in the coming weeks against Manning and Brees. Why? Because they have to. And Belichick wouldn't have it any other way.

Patriot Midterm: Part I, Offense

by Ian Tasso

Editorial. Photos by AP News.

Fresh off a combined 79-7 whooping of the NFL’s two ugliest children, New England heads into this coming bye week with a huge list of tasks ahead of them. In the impeding future, the Patriots must find a way to deal with Miami and its dreaded Wildcat formation. In the long run, the blue-and-silver have scheduled run-ins with Drew Brees and the Saints, Peyton Manning and the Colts, and a rematch with Rex Ryan and the Jets.

But while Head Coach Bill Belichik paces back and forth in his office/cave/lair and devises numerous plans to not only handle but dismantle each and every one of those imposing tasks, we can take some time to break-down what has been an interesting first half for the New England Patriot squad. Grades are officially in, and class is in session.

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Coaching: It all starts at the top, and we all know New England is led by one of the best in the business. But this year, Bill Belichik and his minions had a tougher task than usual on their hands. We knew the offense would be right on schedule, but the summer of 2009 was not as kind as most to the Patriot defense - the losses of Rodney Harrison, Tedy Bruschi, Mike Vrabel and Richard Seymour highlighting what was a rough few months for New England. Still, as Patriot fans have grown to expect, Belichick has turned in yet another coaching masterpiece and at the moment trots a squad on the field that ranks 6th in total yards allowed per game and third in points allowed. No mystery to why this ragtag team of no-names is having this type of success on the field. It all comes back to the hooded genius.

Overall Midterm Grade: A. No Harrison. No Bruschi. No Vrabel. No Problem. When you give some people a rope, they want to be a cowboy. Some people are even happy with just a rope by itself. Belichick continues to prove that if you give him a rope, not only will he be a cowboy, he’ll be the best damn cowboy since Wyett Earp. All he needs is eleven competent men that can stand on two legs for a given amount of time and he’ll assemble a team that competes every Sunday - and wins on most. See: Gary Guyton, Shawn Springs, Mike Wright and Chris Baker.

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Quarterbacks: Brady is as Brady does, and after a few shaky (at worst) outings it appears the Golden Child has figured it all out again. We knew he would, we just weren’t sure when – but after two straight games of 300+ yards and a combined nine touchdowns, it appears all is well for Mr. Bundchen.

Individual Grades: Brady, A-; Hoyer, INC.

Overall Midterm Grade: A-. Impossible really to give Brady a lower grade than this, even though his first five weeks or so were slightly concerning. Concerning meaning he didn’t throw for over 500 yards in any of those contests and only threw for two or more touchdowns in just two of them. Oh, what a world we Boston sports fans live in…

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Running Backs: And here we reach our first speed-bump…sort of. The quartet of Fred Taylor, Sammy Morris, Laurence Maroney and the Law Firm have been average if not mediocre at best. Taylor is now out indefinitely, as is Morris, Maroney still fears contact like Mary-Kate Olsen fears a ham sandwich and BenJarvis is yet to see enough carries to fully map out whether he’s the next Terrell Davis or the next…well, Laurence Maroney. Still, they serve their purpose, even if that purpose is just to give Brady’s arm the occasional break and chew up some clock.

Individual Grades: Taylor, B+; Faulk, B; Green-Ellis, B-; Maroney, B-; Morris, C+

Overall Midterm Grade: B-. They do their job, and thus it’s tough to give them anything lower. If the Patriots centered around a running game, they’d all get failing grades…but alas, that’s far from the truth, so a B will have to do.

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Wide Receivers: Moss has been somewhat contained, that much is obvious. Even so, number 81 ranks ninth in the NFL in receiving and tied for fourth in touchdowns. It’s not 2007, and for Boston sports fans, that’s somewhat disappointing. But as a cohesive unit, they continue to produce and reap the benefits of Brady’s spirals. Wes Welker is having a career season, currently second in the NFL with 46 receptions, Julian Edelman performed admirably in his stead and Sam Aiken is finally beginning to contribute. The door is now open for Brandon Tate, we’ll see if he walks though, but there’s no doubt the kid has a high ceiling.

Individual Grades: Welker, A; Moss, A-; Aiken, B-; Edleman, C; Galloway, F; Tate, INC

Overall Midterm Grade: B+. They still have arguably the best one/two of any team in the league, and as long as Wes Welker and Randy Moss are healthy, the Patriot receiving corps will remain one of the best in the NFL. The Joey Galloway experiment failed miserably, but Welker continues to play at a highly elevated level and Sam Aiken is looking very nice as a third option.

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Tight Ends: Finally. That would be the one word that comes to mind when you think of the Patriot’s tight end play in 2009, specifically that of Benjamin Watson. When Watson was drafted back in 2004 New England had visions of a pass-catching tight-end with receiver speed, and five seasons later it’s finally coming to fruition. Watson currently is tied for the team lead in touchdowns (4), Chris Baker has also filled in nicely as a spot backup and blocking end.

Individual Grades: Watson, B+; Baker, B-.

Overall Midterm Grade: B+. No more, no less. Doing their job and doing it well. Look for Watson to stay more involved with the passing game especially after the departure of Joey Galloway as New England searches for its true third/fourth receiving options. God knows Tom Brady will use them when he finds them.

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Offensive Line: Matt light did a tremendous job on All-Pro John Abraham in the Atlanta game. Then he left injured, and New England was exposed against the Broncos. Tough games against Dwight Freeney and the Colts, Jason Taylor and the Dolphins and the blitz-heavy Jets lie on the horizon. The Patriots line will be tested as much as ever in the coming weeks, and given Tom Brady’s lack of mobility (especially this year), it will be imperative that they play well. The emergence of Sebastian Vollmer helps stomach the blow of Light, but without big number 72, the Patriot’s line is severely hampered.

Individual Grades: Light, A-; Vollmer, B; ; Neal, B; Koppen, B-, Mankins; C+; Kaczur, C+

Overall Midterm Grade: B. Worrisome to think about Freeney and Taylor matching up against the rookie Vollmer two straight weeks. It was nice facing Tampa Bay and Tennessee without Light, but it will be more difficult against competent defensive squads with fierce defensive ends. Still, Brady remains intact and the New England O-line has been respectable thus far. But the absence of Light causes for grave concern.

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Overall Offensive Midterm Grade: B+. Tough really to be worried about much when it comes to the New England offense. All concerns about running backs and tight ends and offensive linemen are quickly drowned out by the fact that Tom Brady is still at the helm of the Patriot attack. And as long as Wes Welker and Randy Moss are at his side - watched over by the dutiful Belichick - everything will be okay in New England. It's no 2007...but we'll take it.

Eastern Promises

by Tom Nieradka

Editorial. Photos by AP News

Thus far the AFC East has not been much of a surprise. The Patriots (5-2) sit in first, trailed closely by the Jets (4-4), Dolphins (3-4), and Bills (3-5). But how is this division going to stack up the rest of the way? The Patriots offense finally seems to be clicking, but can they keep it up? Will rookie mistakes by Mark Sanchez keep the Jets firmly seated in a place of mediocrity? Can the Fins circus-style ground attack make up for the apparent lack of a quarterback? And can the Bills impressive pass defense negate the effects of a disappointing offense and vulnerability to the run? Only time will tell, but at the halfway point of the NFL season now is as good of a time as any for an updated prediction.

New England Patriots (5-2)

Heading into the bye the Pats were looking like the team to beat in the AFC East. Their offense was finally clicking like it had in ’07 (maybe not that well), and they were able to embarrass the Bucs and the Titans by allowing only 7 points while scoring 94 in those two games combined. Brady is finally connecting with Moss and Welker, and seems to finally be shaking off the rust from the season that time forgot. And while still not a balanced team the combination of Laurence Maroney, Kevin Faulk, and the Law Firm (BenJarvus Green-Ellis) seem to be enough of a threat to keep most teams on edge.

The Pats will be getting better with each passing week on offense, but the question remains if the defense can keep it together. The surging saftey Brandon Merriweather is one of the few things that is keeping the questionable secondary together, and against stronger passing attacks those weaknesses may be exposed.

Prediction: 11-5 Going against the Pats is the tough schedule coming off the bye. Right away they get hit with the surging Dolphins, followed by the Colts, Jets, Saints and then Fins again. The Pats don’t get a real break until week 14 against the Panthers, and then from there on out a relatively winnable schedule. The Pats will have a hard time with the prolific passing assaults of the Saints and Colts, and though the Pats can play in a shoot out with the best of them it is still unclear whether or not the defense can hold up against the top offenses in the league.

New York Jets (4-4)

The Jets just cannot seem to beat the Dolphins. After the tandem of Ronnie Brown and QB Chad Henne made the Jets defense look silly three weeks earlier, Rex Ryan and the Jets defense went back to the chalkboard for week eight. Result: New York held Ronnie Brown to 27 yards on 11 carries, allowd Henne to hit pay-dirt only once through the air and all the while put up 25 points on offense. Sounds like a recipe for victory, right?

Wrong. This time the Dolphins found a recipe for success on special teams in the form of WR Tedd Ginn who returned two kickoffs for touchdowns. Mark Sanchez took the heat for the last loss, but this time it was on the defense and special teams who were not able to perform. Coach Rex Ryan’s defense has not been the Jets’ biggest concern this season however (it has preformed very well against the Saints, Texans, and Pats).

The biggest question mark is the one that goes by Sanchez. The Jets cannot win if Sanchez turns over the ball like he has been doing. He lost fumbles and has thrown picks that have cost the Jets games against the Saints, Dolphins, and Bills. With the defense playing at such a high level and the Jets remaining one of the top rushing teams in the NFL, Sanchez is the wildcard that will either make or break the Jets.

Prediction: (8-8) At this point in the season the Jets just don’t seem to have the makings of a playoff team. Sanchez is hitting usual rookie bumps in the road, the Dolphins have made apparent the Jets poor special teams play, and questionable coaching decisions by first year head coach Rex Ryan are holding the Jets in check.

New York has a middle of the road schedule the rest of the way through with tough games against the Pats and then closing out the season against the Falcons, Colts, and Bengals. Splitting the games the rest of the way looks possible if they can avoid making the same mistakes they have against bad teams like Buffalo and Carolina.

Miami Dolphins (3-4)

Losing veteran QB Chad Pennington does not seem to have slowed down the Dolphins very much. Their game this season has been and will continue to be based on controlling the clock through a relentless rushing attack quarterbacked (sometimes) by Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams. Though it is still up in the air whether or not their Wildcat offense is a gimmick, it has garnered at least some success thus far. The Wildcat works for the Dolphins because they do not have a great QB to get them down the field, so they do their best to get the ball into the hands of their best players.

On the other side of the ball their defense has been nothing special. They have been able to get some decent pressure on quarterbacks managing 21 sacks on the year, but only five interceptions (three came against Trent Edwards). If the Dolphins are going to be a serious team, they need to start forcing turnovers more often and prove that the defense can hold their ground against the best the NFL has to offer.

Prediction: (7-9) A tough 0-3 start has left them in a bit of a hole. In their final eight games they get the Pats twice, as well as the Titans, Texans, and Steelers in the last three weeks. Their schedule does not look very bright against some of the better passing attacks in the NFL, and if the Dolphins get forced to throw the ball they are in some big trouble.

Buffalo Bills (3-5)

Coming into the season one would have though that the Bills strong point would have been on offense. However the acquisition of Terrell Owens is not paying dividends thus far, and the offense is looking like one of the worst in football.

Making up for that lack is a surprisingly good pass defense, which aside from picking off Mark Sanchez six times has held Drew Brees to less than 200 yards and picked off Matt Schaub twice (while not allowing a TD to either). However the rushing defense is not nearly as good, giving up three TDs to Houston backup Ryan Moats (doubling his career total) and allowing three more ground TDs to the Dolphins.

Prediction: (4-12) Winning five is actually probably a generous prediction for the Bills. Coming off their bye they get hit with Chris Johnson, Maurice Jones-Drew, Ronnie Brown, and Thomas Jones is four straight games. And then after their only real winnable game in Kansas City they get to face the very potent offenses of the Pats, Falcons, and Colts. Unfortunately the inaugural season of TO in Buffalo is not looking very good at all.

Last Call on Air - Gary Tanguay

October 29, 2009
Tasso, Barker, Tam, Nieradka
Special Guest: Comcast Sports Net, 98.5 The Hub
Gary Tanguay

Who will be "Picking Up" the Trophy?

by Ben Barker

Editorial, Photos by AP News

New York or Philadelphia?

Whichever power-house goes on to win the World Series will most likely be recognized as the most dominant team of the decade. Whether you want to admit it or not, these two teams match up better than two World Series bound teams have in a long time.

So who has the edge? Who is going to win it all? To determine this, we need to look at a certain stat that has never been recorded in the history of the MLB. This stat is “Picking Each other Up.” Whether it is Pedro Martinez going seven strong when the offense is in a lull, or Nick Swisher adding 29 homeruns to the bottom of a potent Yankee lineup, “Picking Each other Up,” or PEO, has been present in every Championship team that I can remember.

The Phillies will march into New York with flames at their heels. Winners of 18 of their last 23 post-season games, the Phillies seem to “get it” when it comes to the playoffs and the PEO department. Just look at Matt Stairs in game 4 of the 2008 NLCS. You just can’t PEO any better than that. Even during the regular season when a struggling Jimmy Rollins could only manage a .250 batting average, the Phillies bent, but never broke. To pick up the slack, right fielder Jason Werth came through with a huge season, belting 36 homeruns out of the 5 or 6 spot of the lineup all year. Not only that, but Raul Ibanez had a first-half for the ages, batting at a shiny .329 clip with 22 HR and 60 RBI.

PEO - it’s why the Phillies won last year, and it’s why they’re back in 2009.

The Yankees decided to ensure a team with great PEO numbers by once again opening their wallets. Heading into the World Series, the Yankees boast the most powerful lineup in all of baseball. It showed during the regular season when the Yankees seemed to walk-off with a victory at least once a week. Even in the rare cases that the Yankee offense has been caught sleeping, the starting pitching has “picked up” the slack. C.C. Sabathia has been untouchable in the playoffs to this point, and Andy Pettite is looking like his old self. As hot at the Phillies are, the Yankees aren’t far behind. Suffering only 2 losses in the playoffs thus far, New York seems to be focused on getting some bling.

So who will take it all? These two teams match up so perfectly that the winner of the All-Star game might actually mean something this year. Everyone expects this series to go at least 5 or 6 games, so home field advantage weighs pretty heavily on the outcome of the series. Nevertheless, there is a lot on the table for both teams this year, it all comes down to who wants to “pick up” the bill.

My opinion? Phillies win it in 6. Baseball needs another “team to beat” and I think that the Phillies are ready to be that team. Charlie Manuel has the brains, Ryan Howard has the brawn, Cliff Lee has the arm, and pretty soon, they will all have the ring…again.

The Good, the Bad, and the Undefeated

by Tom Nieradka

Editorial, Photos by AP News

Its tough to believe that half of the NFL season is almost gone. Heading into week eight, only three undefeated teams remain. The Colts, Broncos, and Saints are each a perfect 6-0 and have run into few issues so far in their quests for dominance. By this point each team seems to be a lock for the playoffs and primed for a deep run, however these teams are not without their flaws. So how will each of these squads fare the rest of the way, and what weaknesses could eventually be exploited?

Its time for a reality check.

Indianapolis Colts

The Good: Peyton Manning is still their quarterback, and as long as he is healthy they are a playoff team. Manning leads the NFL with a quarterback rating of 114, is tied for second in the NFL with 15 touchdowns, and has thrown for over 300 yards in five of the six games the Colts have had so far. Backing up Manning (or rather staying in front of him) is his offensive line, which has only surrendered two sacks all season. Also going for the Colts is the continued dominance of Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark, as well as other emerging threats such as Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie. Manning always has spread the ball around quite a bit, and as long as he has great receivers to catch it the Colts will remain one of the best offences in football.

Also looking on the plus side this year is the Indianapolis defense, and the tandem of the spin-move expert pass rusher Dwight Freeny and a now healthy (hopefully) hard-hitting safety Bob Sanders. This bodes well for the Colts ‘New-Endland-2007esque’ plan of running up the score and forcing team to pass against their above average secondary.

The Bad: If the Colts have a decent passing defense, their weakness on the non-Peyton side of the ball is their rush defense. They are allowing 112 rush yards per game, which is not stellar but when considering the backs that they have faced so far (Maurice Jones-Drew, Ronnie Brown, Steven Jackson and Chris Johnson) is kind of impressive even.

However if the Colts do ever run into offensive troubles and teams can pound the ball in on them, there could be some trouble brewing; and this is exactly what happened in weeks one and two against Jacksonville and Miami. The Colts were unable to create early leads, and both games came down to the wire. Jones-Drew and Brown generated the ONLY touchdowns for their respective teams, and yet the Colts only won the two games by a combined total of six points. Look out for a loss is the Colts face a strong rushing team with a decent passing offense to back it up.

Prediction: 14-2. The Colts have a relatively cushy schedule with the notable exception of weeks 9-12, where they face Houston twice, the Pats and the Ravens. Look for them to take their only two losses in that span.

Denver Broncos

The Good: The dark horse team of this group, Denver has come out of the off-season drama to be the surprise-undefeated team. And the most surprising part has been their defense, which has allowed only 66 points through six games thus far, good for first in the NFL. Linebacker Elvis Dumervil leads the league with 10 sacks, and the secondary has looked great against potent air attacks such as those of the Patriots, Bengals, Chargers, and Cowboys (who for some reason would not stop throwing at Champ Bailey).

Whatever defensive coordinator Mike Nolan is doing, it’s working. On the other side of the ball the tandem of running backs Correll Buckhalter and rookie Knowshon Moreno continue to impress to a degree, and it is looking more and more like grabbing Moreno in the draft was a good choice.

The Bad: Not that its bad, but the weakness of this team is without a question the offense. Kyle Orton, while serviceable to this point, is a far cry from Jay Cutler. Marshall is a great playmaker, but off-field issues and a bad attitude have hurt him in the past. Orton has also had trouble getting the ball to Denver’s other offensive playmaker Eddie Royal, who after a 980 yard rookie season has only 148 yards so far. He has proven his worth on special teams many times over, but if Denver is going to keep winning, the ball has to go to their playmakers.

What they have been doing is working fine to this point, but unfortunately Denver has yet to face a premier defense. Oddly enough the best that they have gone up against thus far from a statistical look is the Bengals, whom they only managed 12 points against and probably should have lost the game had it not been for a sure Cincy interception that turned into a touchdown for Brandon Stokley.

Prediction: 12-4 The Broncos schedule gets a lot tougher in the weeks ahead. The dominant defenses of Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and the Giants will pose a big threat to Denver’s shaky offense, and the week 14 and 16 match-ups against the Colts and Eagles will be interesting if all three teams are still in their own playoff races. Still, for a team was ranked 27^th in the preseason by ESPN, twelve wins is an amazing feat.

New Orleans Saints

The Good: Much like the Colts in a sense, their offensive is among the best in the league and the defense has stepped up out of nowhere. But first and foremost the Saints are a pass first offense led by one of the best in the business, Drew Brees. Brees excels not because of his size or arm strength, but because his quick thinking and his fast release. Perhaps more than any other quarterback Brees can avoid the blitz by getting rid of the ball moments after it is snapped.

He has pinpoint accuracy and the Saints love to spread the field, a deadly combination for even the best defenses (see their 44 point domination of the Giants #1 pass defense). And unlike some offenses, which rely on a premier giant of a receiver to move the ball, Brees spreads it around to a smattering of different offensive weapons such as Marques Colston, Devery Henderson, and Jeremy Shockey to name a few – all of which demand extra attention by opposing defenses. Also, in a departure from last season the Saints have a, dare I say it, good defense. Anchored by safety Darren Sharper, who has three picks for touchdowns through six games, New Orleans finally has a defense to match (kind of) their offense.

The Bad: The Saints still remain a relatively one-dimensional offense. Between running backs Pierre Thomas and Mike Bell, the Saints have only managed just over 600 yards so far. And looking at their Miami game, Miami succeeded at getting to Brees, forcing turnovers throughout the first half. When a defense can sit on either the pass or the run it can get tough for an offense to score. And though the Saints were able to bounce back in the second half, there is still a little cause for concern here.

If we look back at the Jets game in week 4, the Saints only managed to score 10 offensive points because the Jets were pressuring Brees to a ridiculous extent. Also a bit of concern here is the Saints run defense, which despite only allowing 92 yards per game thus far has a bit to be worried about if they can’t get a lead early. The Dolphins couldn’t hold the Saints off, but other more balanced (and more talented) teams might be able to.

Prediction: 15-1. Not sure if this is a 16-0 worthy team, but their schedule is very easy from here on out. They face the Falcons twice and the Patriots once, and if they don’t drop one of those 16-0 is very possible.