Monthly Archives: November 2008

Burke takes over. Leaf Nation Rejoices. But, ahh, what about the players?

Posted on November 29, 2008 by Scott Taylor| Leave a comment

OK, Leaf Nation, I get it. Brian Burke is the answer to your prayers. He can’t play, but boy he can manage and that’s all you need, right?

He’s experienced and tough and no-nonsense and my gawd, the Toronto media seems to love him and heaven knows, if the Toronto media loves him, he must be near-perfect. Because, well, as everyone in Canada knows, if the always-right, never-wrong Toronto media loves you, you have to be good.

 

Burke, who was allowed to leave the Anaheim Ducks because, well, because he wasn’t doing anything there, was unveiled to the precious Toronto media yesterday and was immediately proclaimed to be “The Saviour.”

 

Make that Saviour No. 9 or 10, but yes, the man who turned the Vancouver Canucks from Stanley Cup contender to average hockey team (remember Dave Nonis traded for Roberto Luongo) and won a Stanley Cup with somebody else’s team in Anaheim (remember Bryan Murray and Al Coates built the Ducks’ Stanley Cup winner), is now the man who will give Toronto its first Stanley Cup since 1967.

 

There is something definitely wrong with this picture. 

 

Burke is the new president and general manager of the Leafs, a team that is, well, downright lousy. It was a burgeoning contender before John Ferguson Jr. was fired, but when Junior was let go and Cliff Fletcher took over as interim GM, he quickly made it one of the worst teams ever assembled. In fact, two of its best young players are now with the St. Louis Blues.

 

In fact, this team is so bad, that at $18 million over five years, Brian Burke is the fifth highest paid Leaf, behind Jason Blake, Tomas Kaberle, Pavel Kubina and Vesa Toskala.

 

Huh? If you were a struggling team in the NHL today, is there any one of those players you’d try to acquire in a trade? Not likely.

 

“This is like a dream come true for me,” Burke said at his news conference. “Coming to Toronto is like coming to the Vatican (ed. note: are you freakin’ kidding me?) if you’re a Catholic, it’s one of the most prestigious jobs on the planet. It’s a dream job, the crown jewel of the NHL. The Leafs are a brand known world wide (so are the Winnipeg Jets, still), so it is a dream come true.

 

“This is an opportunity of a lifetime to work for a team in a world-class city with passionate fans, solid ownership and a rich history,” Burke continued. “I can’t wait to get started.” 

 

Good, get started. It will be at least another 40 years before Toronto wins a Cup. And Brian Burke, who is little more than a bully, will take a lousy team and make it, at best, mediocre.

 

And the truly gifted Toronto media will scratch its collective pointed head and wonder what the heck happened.

 

After they lose confidence in him, gang up on the guy and run him out of town. 

 

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Week 13 NFL Picks. Still partying above the fray…

Posted on November 27, 2008 by Scott Taylor| Leave a comment

Not a great week last week, but unlike the stock market, we aren’t giving anything back. We were 10-6 in a week in which we probably should have thought just a little harder and gone 12-4. Oh well, no upsets ventured, no money gained. 

This week, we have three Thursday games and plenty of playoff implications.

 

In fact, the NFL playoff picture is becoming a little clearer even though nine teams in the AFC are at least one game above .500.

  

The Tennessee Titans face the Detroit Lions on Thursday, Thanksgiving Day in the United States, and the Titans can become the first AFC team to clinch a playoff berth. With a Titans win and an Indianapolis loss on Sunday, Tennessee would claim its first AFC South Division title since 2002.

 

Meanwhile, The Arizona Cardinals can become the first team in the NFL to clinch a playoff berth when they visit the Philadelphia Eagles on Turkey Night. With a victory over the Eagles, the Cardinals will lock up the NFC West, the team’s first division title since 1975. 

 

With 12 teams in the NFC within one game of .500 or better entering the final five weeks of the season, it seems as if every game matters (Of course, Detroit and St. Louis have already been eliminated). OK, so if Detroit played Cincinnati, it wouldn’t matter, but that turkey isn’t on the schedule this week.

 

This should be a very interesting 16 games. Let’s take a closer look…

 

THURSDAY

Tennesee Titans (10-1) at Detroit Lions (0-11)

The Lions have already been eliminated from the playoffs, but Tennessee can not only claim a playoff berth today with a win, but also take a step toward wrapping up the AFC South. Must be nice to be the Titans. Not only are they going after their fifth consecutive win on Thanksgiving Day, but also the first 11-1 start in franchise history. The Titans have won 13 of the past 14 games since Dec. 16, 2007.

Take Tennessee

 

Seattle Seahawks (2-9) at Dallas Cowboys (7-4)

T.O. was good for eight catches, 200 yards and a T.D. last week against San Francisco. He could double that this week.

Take Dallas

 

Arizona Cardinals (7-4) at Philadelphia Eagles (5-5-1)

Since Kevin Kolb was worse than Donovan McNabb after Andy Reid benched McNabb last week, there might not be any hope for the Eagles at all. No QB, no win. Meanwhile, the Cards can become the first team in the NFL to clinch a playoff berth. That should give Kurt Warner a little incentive.

Take Arizona

 

SUNDAY AFTERNOON

San Francisco 49ers (3-8) at Buffalo Bills (6-5)

After a virtuoso performance on the road against a dreadful Kansas City team last week, the Bills get a dreadful San Francisco team at home this week.

Take Buffalo

 

Baltimore Ravens (7-4) at Cincinnati Bengals (1-9-1)

Baltimore is a better football team — in every possible way — than the Bungles. The real bet should be, “Will Cinci score?”

Take Baltimore

 

New Orleans Saints (6-5) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-3)

Last Monday night’s 51-29 win by the Saints in New Orleans boosted the NFL to the first 800-point weekend in its history. The Saints will need to score at least that many to beat the Bucs in Tampa.

Take Tampa Bay

 

New York Giants (10-1) at Washington Redskins (7-4) 

Could be a dandy game, but I’ll take Eli Manning ahead of Jason Campbell in a game that matters any day.

Take the Giants

 

Miami Dolphins (6-5) at St. Louis Rams (2-9)

Miami is a .500 team on the road while St. Louis is a big loser no matter where they play.

Take Miami

 

Indianapolis Colts (7-4) at Cleveland Browns (4-7)

Just when it appeared as if Brady Quinn was the saviour in Cleveland, he breaks his finger. Peyton Manning will put up big numbers this week.

Take Indianapolis 

 

Carolina Panthers (8-3) at Green Bay Packers (5-6)

The Eagles, who are done, and Panthers, who are in a war with Tampa,  have the toughest remaining schedules of the contenders. Philly and Carolina face opponents with a combined 35-20 record. That’s why this is a must win for Carolina. Trouble is, it will be 0 degrees and snowing in Green Bay this Sunday.

Take Green Bay  

 

Atlanta Falcons (7-4) at San Diego Chargers (4-7)

Matt Ryan is the best rookie quarterback since Dan Marino. Trouble is, he’s not so great on the road, just 2-3. San Diego is better than 4-7.

Take San Diego

 

Denver Broncos (6-5) at New York Jets (8-3)

If you can figure out the Broncos, let me know. Meanwhile, the Jets with ol’ Brett at the helm are a legitimate Super Bowl candidate.

Take the Jets

 

Pittsburgh Steelers (8-3) at New England Patriots (7-4)

The game of of the week. Matt Cassel is hotter than Penny in Big Bang Theory. In each of his last two games he’s thrown for 400 yards (one more than Brady has in his career). Cassel can set the NFL consecutive-game record in the category with one more 400-yarder. 

Take New England

 

Kansas City Chiefs (1-10) at Oakland Raiders (3-8)

Gawd, Herman Edwards still has a job? How does that happen when Lane Kiffin has already been fired? Edwards must have pictures of the Hunt Family frolicking with goats.

Take Oakland

 

SUNDAY NIGHT

Chicago Bears (6-5) at Minnesota Vikings (6-5)

Two teams that aren’t very good, find themselves atop the NFC North. Minnesota must win because it looks like the Williams boys will be suspended for four games on Monday for using diruretics.

Take Minnesota

 

MONDAY NIGHT 

Jacksonville Jaguars (4-7) at Houston Texans (4-7)

No doubt, back in the pre-season, somebody thought this might be a great Monday Night matchup. Probably don’t think that way now. Jacksonville is dreadful and Houston is inconsistent. For the record, I’ll take inconsistent at home.

Take Houston  

 

Last week: 10-6

 

Season: 102-73-1

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The Grey Cup is over. Canadian teams about average at quarter pole, Steen goes to St. Louis and the Bruins a pleasant surprise.

Posted on November 25, 2008 by Scott Taylor| Leave a comment

Congratulations to the Calgary Stampeders, certainly a deserving Canadian Football League champion after that 22-14 victory over the Montreal Alouettes on Sunday.

In one of the great snoozers in Grey Cup history, Sandro DeAngelis kicked five field goals while most outstanding player Henry Burris hit Brett Ralph for a touchdown as Calgary played just well enough to beat a Montreal team that put up 0 points in the second half.

 

So now that we’ve laid the CFL to rest for another season (at least until Mike Kelly is named Blue Bombers’ head coach later this week or early next week), it’s tim to catch up with the NHL.

 

We’ll do that by giving you an update on th things we’ve nattering about on the 92-CITI-FM morning show this week…

 

1) We’re just about a quarter of the way into the 2008-09 National Hockey League season and if the playoffs started tomorrow, only three of the six Canadian-based teams would be participating.

 

In the West, Vancouver is third, Calgary is seventh and Edmonton is 10th. In the East, Montreal is fifth but Toronto is 11th and Ottawa is 12th. Both the Leafs and Senators have a combined total of 14 wins, fewer than the first-pace Rangers.

 

Seeing Toronto out of the playoffs is no surprise, but nobody thought that, at the quarter pole, Ottawa would have seven wins in 20 games.

 

2) We’ve been talking quite a lot about the deal that sent talented Lee Stempniak to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for defenceman Carlo Colaiacovo and centre Alexander Steen. A lot of Toronto fans have said good riddance to Steen, a young guy they felt was underachieving.

 

But while Steen always said he loved playing in Toronto, this trade is the best thing that ever happened to his career. In St. Louis, he’ll not only get some much-needed ice time (the Blues have three centres — T.J. Oshie, Paul Kariya and Andy McDonald — on the shelf), but he’ll play for a guy who adored his dad, Blues head coach and former Jets assistant, Andy Murray.

 

Stempniak is a worker who should help the Leafs, but Steen is a legitimate talent who will get ice time and support in St. Louis and in all likelihood will develop into an outstanding player.

 

3) Since we have just passed the quarter pole in this ‘08-09 NHL season, it’s probably time to look up, w-a-a-a-a-y up. To the top of the NHL’s Eastern Conference. 

 

See who’s on top? that’s right, the Boston Bruins.

 

Who would have thought? The 14-3-4 Bruins have 32 points and while they’re tied with the Rangers overall, they’ve played three fewer games. 

 

So how does it happen? Well, it would be nice to say the offensive brilliance of Marc Savard is the reason, but in fact, it’s not. It’s  defence and goaltending. From Zdeno Chara to Shane Hnidy to Tim Thomas, the Bruins are No. 1 defensively in the NHL and as a result, they are the No. 1 in the East.

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Why we like Calgary in the 96th Grey Cup.

Posted on November 22, 2008 by Scott Taylor| Leave a comment

THE 96TH GREY CUP GAME

Calgary Stampeders (14-5) at Montreal Alouettes (12-7)

5:15 p.m. CST, TSN

 

If you ask the folks in Calgary, we’re going to see one of the great CFL championship games ever played. Ask the folks in Montreal and they’ll tell you it’s going to be the party of the decade.

 

Frankly, chances are pretty good that Sunday afternoon’s CFL championship could be one of the great Grey Cup games ever. After all, as the Calgary Stampeders get set to meet the Montreal Alouettes at the Big Owe in the 96th Grey Cup game, football fans will get to see the two best teams in Canadian football in the biggest game of the year — and that’s the way it’s supposed to be.

 

The Stampeders finished the 2008 CFL season with a record of 13-5 and then got past the tough B.C. Lions 22-18 in the Western final. The Alouettes finished the season 11-7 (with two losses to finish the campaign) and then rallied to whip Edmonton 36-26 in the Eastern final. Both teams are playing well and both teams are certainly ready to claim the game’s top prize.

 

“Hey, numbers-wise, looking at our experience, they might have a few years on us,” Calgary quarterback Henry Burris told reporters in Montreal on Friday. “But at the end of the day, it’s all about playing football. The guys know that we’re going to have to match the intensity of the crowd behind their home team. We have to take the crowd out as quickly as possible, and everybody understands that. But when it comes down to playing football, the best team’s going to win. That’s what we’re focused on, making sure we do whatever it takes to be that team.”  

 

Clearly, the key to Sunday’s outcome will be the play of Burris. If the Stamps QB avoids the brain farts that have accompanied his career, Calgary should put up enough points to win it. After all, this will be a game dominated by the offences. Both defences have had a tendency to fall asleep at times, but both offences have plenty of tools. 

 

From Anthony Calvillo to Avon Cobourne to Ben Cahoon, Montreal has the skills to put points on the board. However, Calgary can certainly match the Als. With Burris, runningback Joffrey Reynolds (No. 1 in the CFL with 1,310 yards on the ground) and recievers KenYon Rambo, Nik Lewis and Jeremaine Copeland, Calgary can get it done on offence, as well. Both teams have solid O-lines and plenty of secondary targets. Because both teams have holes in their defences, a final score of, say, 49-42 isn’t out of the question.  

 

Here are two things to keep in mind: Both teams have won five Grey Cups, but the Stamps last won in 2001 — at Olympic Stadium in Montreal. And remember, the Stamps swept the season series in 2008, winning 23-19 at Molson Stadium in Montreal on July 3, and 41-30 in Calgary on Sept. 12.

 

On Sunday night, Calgary should win its third straight over Montreal this season and it’s first Grey Cup since 2001.

 

Pick: Calgary

 

Last Week: 1-1

 

Season: 46-22

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NFL Picks: Two great weeks in a row. We’re on a roll…

Posted on November 20, 2008 by Scott Taylor| Leave a comment

Last week we went 11-4-1 and that’s two giant steps in the right direction. We have to see if we can have three good weeks in a row. Kind of like the Indianapolis Colts.

It’s a big week in the NFL, simply because there are so many decent teams. There aren’t a lot of good or even great teams, but there are plenty of decent teams and because of that, the league is as tight as it’s ever been, thus making it difficult to consistently pick winners.

At this point in the season, numerous NFL teams still have playoff aspirations. Through 10 games, there are 21 clubs with a record of .500 or better, tying 2002 for the most at this point in NFL history.

 

The 12 teams in the AFC East, NFC East and NFC South all have a record of .500 or better. That’s the first time that three divisions have had every team with a .500 or better record this late in a season since realignment in 2002.

 

That’s going to make it tough for all the fearless prognosticators out there. Us included.

Time to take a close look at Week 12…

THURSDAY NIGHT

Cincinnati Bengals (1-8-1) at Pittsburgh Steelers (7-3)

Is there any doubt. Pittsburgh beat San Diego last week 18-10 (Oh yeah, Polamalu’s late touchdown didn’t count, but it WAS a touchdown). The Steelers will make mincemeat of the Bengals.

Take Pittsburgh

 

SUNDAY AFTERNOON

Philadelphia Eagles (5-4-1) at Baltimore Ravens (6-4)

Baltimore has way too much defence for Donovan McNabb.

Take Baltimore

 

Houston Texans (3-7) at Cleveland Browns (4-6) 

Brady Quinn has proven his worth and Braylon Edwards has actually been catching the ball recently, believe it or not. Houston should be better, but they aren’t.

Take Cleveland

 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-3) at Detroit Lions (0-10)

Now that Daunte Culpepper is starting to look comfortable at quarterback, Detroit is going to win one game this year. I’m just not sure this is the week.

Take Tampa Bay

 

Buffalo Bills (5-5) at Kansas City Chiefs (1-9)

How does Herman Edwards keep a gig? He destroyed the Jets and now he’s destroyed the Chiefs. I don’t get it. Buffalo bounces back from that Monday night loss at home to Cleveland.

Take Buffalo

 

Chicago Bears (5-5) at St. Louis Rams (2-8)

Chicago was horrible in Green Bay last week, but St. Louis was pretty awful in San Francisco. Ultimately, Chicago has the better football team.

Take Chicago

 

New York Jets (7-3) at Tennessee Titans (10-0) 

Brett Favre was tremendous last week in an overtime win at New England, but Tennessee is considerably better than the Patriots and the Titans are at home. 

Take Tennessee

 

New England Patriots (6-4) at Miami Dolphins (6-4)

The Dolphins were lucky to sneak by Oakland last week, but New England is an intra-divisional rivalry and it’s hard not to side with the Fish, at home, against the hated Pats.

Take Miami

 

Minnesota Vikings (5-5) at Jacksonville Jaguars (4-6)

As long as Gus Frerotte is the starting quarterback in Minnesota, winning will be a difficult assignment.

Take Jacksonville

 

San Francisco 49ers (3-7) at Dallas Cowboys (6-4)

Dallas played very well in its win over Washington last week. San Francisco simply isn’t good enough.

Take Dallas  

 

Oakland Raiders (2-8) at Denver Broncos (6-4)

Denver looked terrific in Atlanta last week. The Broncos might be for real.

Take Denver

 

Carolina Panthers (8-2) at Atlanta Falcons (6-4)

Thought Atlanta was for real until the Broncos beat them in the Dome last week. Carolina is a better team than Denver and should have an easy week.

Take Carolina

 

New York Giants (9-1) at Arizona Cardinals (7-3)

The game of of the week. Two teams with great offences, the Giants have a much better defence. 

Take NY Giants

 

Washington Redskins (6-4) at Seattle Seahawks (2-8)

Jason Campbell will snap out of it this week. Hasselbeck or Wallace in Seattle? It really doesn’t matter.

Take Washington

 

SUNDAY NIGHT

Indianapolis Colts (6-4) at San Diego Chargers (4-6)

San Diego swept Indy last year, but that won’t happen this year. The Colts have won three straight and look great…again.

Take Indianapolis

 

MONDAY NIGHT 

Green Bay Packers (5-5) at New Orleans Saints (5-5)

Two 5-5 teams playing in the Dome in New Orleans. Drew Brees will have a field day. Aaron Rodgers will be, ahh, OK, I guess. But OK won’t be good enough.

Take New Orleans  

 

Last week: 11-4-1

 

Season: 92-67-1

 

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Give Goodell credit. He’s a fixer.

Posted on November 19, 2008 by Scott Taylor| Leave a comment

Since taking over from Pete Rozelle as commissioner of the National Football League, Roger Goodell has made sure that any holes he’s found in the NFL’s gigantic dyke get themselves plugged. 

 

If there is something wrong with the league, whether it’s player  behaviour or rules that make little sense, Goodell has been a fixer. He’ll punish idiots who act-out off the field and on and he’ll fix the messes left by GMs and coaches who attend competition committee meetings and pass stupid rules simply as a way to get a leg up on their competition.    

 

Earlier this week, Goodell told the competition committee that he was unhappy with a rule that was really, really stupid and needed to be amended. The Commish said he was going to make “an administrative change” before the post-season began in order to prevent the type of mistake which occurred on Sunday in Pittsburgh  from ever happening again.

 

The change would allow the referee on the field to consult with the replay booth more than once on any specific play. As it is, the referee can talk with the booth only once. That’s stupid. Joe Aiello and I discussed this earlier in the week on 92-CITI-FM. It’s perhaps the dumbest rule in a rulebook filled with dumb rules, but it once again makes clear that the NFL, and especially the NFL’s officials,  don’t understand the point of replay. 

 

Replay doesn’t exist to second guess officials. It exists as a tool for officials — good ones or bad ones — to make the right call.

 

Early Sunday evening, when the Pittsburgh Steelers had a touchdown called back because referee Scott Greene was allowed to be a complete bonehead (or a sufferer of sudden football blindness), it cost gamblers and fanatsy players millions of dollars.

 

Goodell, to his credit, knows that football’s gambling component and that continent full of fantasy games, have helped the NFL reach the pinnacle of all sports leagues in the United States. The last thing Goodell needs to do is piss those people off.

 

Scott Greene might get himself in trouble if he ever shows up in Vegas. People there were ready to take out his knees after he took Troy Polamalu’s touchdown off the board. That game should have ended 18-10, not 11-10, and those who bet on Pittsburgh should have won and been paid. So what if the NFL’s official stance is that gambling is bad. Gambling has made the NFL what it is today.

 

In the meantime, Goodell needs to make replay work because heaven knows the officials don’t make all the correct calls. His directive to the competition committee was the right one. 

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The CFL Conference finals. Are we looking at an All-Alberta Grey Cup?

Posted on November 15, 2008 by Scott Taylor| Leave a comment

This season, the West dominated the East. The tally was 22-6 when the Edmonton Eskimos went into Winnipeg and beat the Bombers 29-21 in the crossover semifinal.

 

Montreal hasn’t played well for seven weeks and Anthony Calvillo hasn’t taken a snap in anger in three weeks. Ricky Ray — and his receiving corps — has looked very good in the final month of the season.  

 

Out west, Calgary has owned B.C. all season. they should own them again on Saturday.

 

We are looking at an All-Alberta Grey Cup IN Montreal next Sunday. Could be fun. Especially for the Scott Taylor Reports on The FAN 960 in Calgary on Tuesday and Thursday and on the TEAM 1260 in Edmonton on Wednesday.

 

Let’s take a close look at the Conference finals:

 

Edmonton Eskimos (11-8) at Montreal Alouettes (11-7)

 

Saturday, 12 Noon, CT, TSN

 

The Eskimos became the first Western team in history to win the West-East crossover semifinal. In fact, last week’s win in Winnipeg was pretty easy. This week, the Eskimos go into Montreal, where the Alouettes lost 24-23 to the Bombers in Week 18. In Week 19, the Eskimos whipped the Alouettes 37-14 in Edmonton, but Montreal played without Anthony Calvillo. Of course, Calvillo hasn’t played well since he put up 43 points against sad-sack Toronto in Week 17. In fact, Montreal hasn’t beaten a team with a winning record since Week 14, way back on Sept. 28, when they whipped a banged-up Saskatchewan team 37-12 at Molson Stadium. Since then, the Als have lost to Hamilton, Winnipeg and Edmonton and beaten only 3-15 Hamilton and 4-14 Toronto. On Saturday, the Esks and Als play at the cavernous Olympic Stadium and that’s really not homefield advantage for the Alouettes. It’s West vs. East and I always pick West first. 

 

Pick: Edmonton

B.C. Lions (12-7) at Calgary Stampeders (13-5)

Saturday 3:30 p.m. CT, TSN

Last week, B.C. won on the road in Regina. There is no tougher place to play. That means could certainly take out Calgary this week. Calgary beat B.C. in Calgary 28-18 in Calgary way back in Week 1. Calgary beat B.C. 36-29 in B.C. in Week 9. And Calgary wasted B.C. 41-30 in Calgary in Week 19 in a game B.C. had to win to play host to the Western semifinal. Calgary has B.C.’s number and the Stamps put up a lot of points to get to 13-5. If Henry Burris avoids brain farts and Cameron Wake, Calgary could blow the Lions away. It’s time. It’s time for an All-Alberta Grey Cup.

Pick: Calgary

Last Week: 0-2

Season: 45-21

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NFL Picks: We were better, but not great. It’s on to Week 11.

Posted on November 13, 2008 by Scott Taylor| Leave a comment

Last week we went 11-3 and that’s a step in the right direction. However, we had only three of those weeks out of the first 10, so we will not get cocky.

Granted, we ARE getting smarter. We took only two upsets last week and both tanked, of course, so this week, no upsets at all. None. And no more Detroit Lions either.

Here are some of the things we’re at closely this week:

(a) With a victory Sunday over Jacksonville, the Tennessee Titans will move to 10-0. Prior to this season, 23 teams had posted 9-0 records and five of them lost Game No. 10. Of the 23, only four finished the regular season undefeated and untied – the 1934 and 1942 Chicago Bears, 1972 Miami Dolphins and 2007 New England Patriots. Amazingly, this marks the fourth consecutive season in which at least one team has reached the 9-0 benchmark – the longest such streak in NFL history.

(b) The four NFC South teams have a combined home record of 17-1 (.944) in 2008. If Carolina (5-0), Tampa Bay (4-0), Atlanta (4-0), and New Orleans (4-1) maintain this pace, the 2008 NFC South will surpass the 2003 NFC West (.813) for the highest combined home winning percentage of any division since 1970. With 14 NFC South home games remaining, the division must combine for 10 wins in those contests to set the record at .844 (27-5).

(c) This bit of info from the league is really amazing: Both the Atlanta Falcons and Baltimore Ravens have posted 6-3 (.667) records this season with a rookie head coach and rookie quarterback leading the way. Atlanta hired head coach Mike Smith early this year and then picked Matt Ryan with the No. 3 overall choice in the 2008 NFL Draft, while Baltimore selected Joe Flacco at No. 18 after naming John Harbaugh head coach.

OK, let’s take a close look at Week 11…

THURSDAY NIGHT

New York Jets (6-3) at New England Patriots (6-3)

The Pats are banged up with Rodney Harrison, Adalius Thomas, Lawrence Maroney and Tom Brady all watching from the sideline (or on TV). Still, they’re the Pats and they’re at home. This could be the Game of the Week. 

Take New England

 

SUNDAY AFTERNOON

Denver Broncos (5-4) at Atlanta Falcons (6-3)

Mat Ryan is the real deal. He’s NFC rookie of the year hands down and he’s 4-0 at the Georgia Dome. 

Take Atlanta

 

Detroit Lions (0-9) at Carolina Panthers (7-2) 

Call 9-1-1!! Call 9-1-1!! Daunte Culpepper could get killed this week.

Take Carolina

 

Philadelphia Eagles (5-4) at Cincinnati Bengals (1-8)

Philly has fallen into last place in the NFC East and is only 2-2 on the road, but the Eagles are better than the Bungles.

Take Philadelphia 

 

New Orleans Saints (4-5) at Kansas City Chiefs (1-8)

How does Herman Edwards keep a gig? He destroyed the Jets and now he’s destroyed the Chiefs. I don’t get it. New Orleans gets its first road win. 

Take New Orleans

 

Baltimore Ravens (6-3) at New York Giants (8-1)

This should be a great football game. Just to see what Eli Manning does against that great Ravens defence will be a treat in itself. The Giants go to 6-0 at home.

Take NY Giants

 

Minnesota Vikings (5-4) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-3) 

Tampa is 4-0 at home while the Vikings are 1-3 on the road. If Minnesota had any kind of quarterback at all, they’d win by two touchdowns, but Gus Frerotte is horrible.

Take Tampa Bay

 

Oakland Raiders (2-7) at Miami Dolphins (5-4)

The “Wildcat Offence” is for real and how about Ricky Williams (105 yards and a TD) last week? Bill Parcells and Tony Sparano have made the Dolphins fun again. Meanwhile, the Raiders have scored only nine touchdowns in nine games this season.

Take Miami

 

Chicago Bears (5-4) at Green Bay Packers (4-5)

The Packers offence was awful last week and the Bears lost at home to Tennessee. It’s hard not to like Aaron Rodgers against Rex Grossman.

Take Green Bay

 

Houston Texans (3-6) at Indianapolis Colts (5-4)

Last week’s victory in Pittsburgh was a statement by Peyton Manning and the Colts. Indy is back. 

Take Indianapolis 

 

St. Louis Rams (2-7) at San Francisco 49ers (2-7)

Whatever. Take the wild-eyed, pants-down Mike Singletary’s Niners at home.

Take San Francisco 

 

Arizona Cardinals (6-3) at Seattle Seahawks (3-6)

Arizona is a legitimate playoff contender. Seattle is lucky to have three wins.

Take Arizona

 

Tennessee Titans (9-0) at Jacksonville Jaguars (4-5)

The Titans run might have more to do with the brilliance of Jeff Fisher than anything else. Despite its win in Detroit last week, the Jags are a fraud.

Take Tennessee 

 

San Diego Chargers (4-5) at Pittsburgh Steelers (6-3)

San Diego is a good football team that is badly coached. They barely beat dog-ass K.C. at home last week. The Steelers have a tough schedule and they’re banged up, but they’ll still beat anything Norv Turner does.

Take Pittsburgh

 

SUNDAY NIGHT

Dallas Cowboys (5-4) at Washington Redskins (6-3)

A terrific NFC East rivalry, but with the Cowboys nicked all over and Jason Campbell playing well, it’s hard not to like the Redskins. 

Take Washington

 

MONDAY NIGHT 

Cleveland Browns (3-6) at Buffalo Bills (5-4)

Buffalo is better and they’re at home, but Cleveland isn’t traveling far and Brady Quinn has the goods. Still…

Take Buffalo 

 

Last week: 11-3

 

Season: 81-63

 

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Bombers fire Coach Berry. No surprise there.

Posted on November 12, 2008 by Scott Taylor| 1 Comment

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have fired head coach Doug Berry. And they did it despite the fact he was in the first year of a new three-year deal. Good for Bomber CEO Lyle Bauer.

 

Berry has been the Bombers head coach since 2006 and while the team has reached the post-season in all three years, they simply aren’t getting better. They have an offence that struggles and they aren’t fun to watch.

 

After finishing 8-10 this season and after losing the Eastern Conference Semifinal, 29-21, at home to Edmonton, there was nothing else Bauer could do. Berry had to go.

 

So who could possibly be surprised? The fact is, Since training camp, this day was inevitable.

 

that’s because a week into training camp, Berry cut Troy Westwood for no good reason — and with no legitimate replacement — and that was the end. Nothing good was going to come of that decision because it was purely personal and not in any way professional.

 

Remember, this was a club had brought in nine kickers and four punters over the previous two seasons in an effort to find a replacement for Westwood and yet the weightlifter, ex-pro boxer and still successful singer and songwriter, had beaten out every one of them to keep his job. 

 

Still, Berry said early in camp that since last year’s Grey Cup, he thought Westwood had lost some leg strength. That comment planted the seed that eventually started a daily circus involving the kickers and ultimately led to a decision to dump Westwood and go with an unproven import named Alexis Serna. Serna was awful — he could barely punt, especially in a wind, and was a marginal field-goal kicker.

 

However, Serna wasn’t Westwood and that was all that mattered to  Berry.

 

Sadly, Berry tried to mask his decision by coming up with legitimate reasons for Westwood’s dismissal, but not a word passed the sniff test. Shortly after Berry talked nicely about his relationship with Westwood, the 41-year-old kicker went off.

 

“Just because words are spoken doesn’t mean they are truthful or from the heart,” Westwood said. “Last year I lost my job. When I got it back, I averaged 48.6 yards in 39 punts and went eight-for-nine in field goals down the stretch to the Grey Cup. 

 

“I can’t say that I’m surprised with what’s happened, but I don’t feel I was beaten out for this spot. I feel really good about my punting. There was no doubt that I was the best punter in camp.”

 

From that day forward, Berry’s fate was sealed. He had lost his locker room before the season started and as the campaign progressed, the situation got worse, not better.

 

After the team fell to 0-3 early back in July, everything publicly unravelled. I wrote the following in the National Post…

 

It started with kind of an innocuous comment a week ago, after return-man Fred Reid, ran a punt out of the end zone that was probably best left as a single point.   

 

Head coach Doug Berry said, “Reid has the green light to do whatever he wants on returns,” but his teammates said in that situation, Reid looks to the sidelines to get a wave from the coaches. The wave was clear, Reid saw it and ran the ball out to the four-yard-line. Eventually, a safety was conceded and the Argos got good field position on the ensuing kick. This past week, Berry was looking at different returners and some of Reid’s teammates got all grumbly.

 

Then, last Monday, Berry dumped all over his long-snapper, Chris Cvetkovic because Berry’s hand-selected kicker/punter, Alexis Serna, dropped his second snap in two weeks – and both times it cost the Bombers a touchdown.

 

Berry however, told the local scribes that Cvetkovic was hired “to do one job,” and he has to “get it right.” The snap should be “between the waist and the shoulders,” and then let Serna off the hook.

 

Some veterans were displeased. Last year, when Cvetkovic was hurt, the Bombers struggled to replace him. In the end, they didn’t. It’s one of the toughest jobs in football and Cvetkovic’s “bad snap” was actually helmet-high to a kicker who is smaller than a Hobbit. Serna simply dropped the ball – for the second week in a row – and we now have the Curse of Troy Westwood.

 

Berry is a newspaper person’s delight. He’ll say all sorts of things. Mostly, he’ll just randomly – and publicly — dump on his players and obviously people with tape recorders love that. When the team is winning, most players just laugh at that stuff, but when a good team is 0-2 – now 0-3 — that kind of talk makes for a nasty atmosphere in the locker room.  

 

After last Friday night’s humiliating loss, Berry went off again, saying he’s not sure he has 42 guys who are “willing to compete, willing to play hard, willing to be the best.” 

 

He might be right about that. One wonders, however, if he knows the reason why.

 

By that point, I knew Berry had to get this team to the Grey Cup or his job was toast. However, little did any of us realize that at mid-season, GM Brendan Taman would re-build a 2-8 football team and make them a 6-2 force down the stretch.

 

However, as good as they’d become, they were beaten quite badly by the Eskimos in the Eastern semifinal as the Bombers offence struggled mightily. That was it. You knew Berry was done.

 

So on Wednesday, CEO Lyle Bauer pulled the plug. It was the right thing to do at the right time. the Bombers have a pretty solid core of players. Now the right coach can take them to where they should be.

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Vikings really need a quarterback.

Posted on November 11, 2008 by Scott Taylor| Leave a comment

The Minnesota Vikings won a thrilling 28-27 decision over the Green Bay Packers at the Metrodome last Sunday and at the end of it, all I could ask myself was “How good would this team be if it had a real quarterback?” 

Gus Frerotte is a solid backup, but he’s a lousy starter. Sunday’s game would not have been close if the Vikings had a legitimate starter. In fact, 17 of Green Bay’s 27 points came directly off Frerotte interceptions.

Minnesota’s defence is so good, the only way Green Bay was close this week was because Frerotte made three game-changing passes right to the wrong team. Green Bay didn’t score an offensive touchdown, Aaron Rodgers was hounded by Jared Allen and Co. all day and yet, the Pack lost by only a point. 

Fact is, without that defensive line and Adrian Peterson, the Vikes would be battling Detroit for last in the NFC North. It’s almost impossible to believe, but Bernard Berrian didn’t catch a pass last Sunday. That would never happen with a real quarterback. 

Wow! How good would Minnesota be with a quarterback?

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