You Remind Me: Baltimore Ravens safety Ed Reed. . .

Ed Reed is only 34 right? Then why does he look like a 54-year old Frederick Douglass?  They are both Baltimore legends, so maybe this is by design?

2012 NFL Week 1 'BIG UPS' 9-11-12

Moss swaggin' out in the end zone, per usual.

Week 1 NFL season in the books.  So much to talk about, so much to look forward to.  Time to give props where props are due. The players and teams that caught my eye or surprised me the most in the week of NFL....now without further ado, LEGGO!-Mr. AllDayEryDay



The San Francisco 49ers.  The Green Bay Packers were coming off a disappointing end to last season after going 15-1, and getting bumped from the playoffs early, and probably couldn't wait to knock the blocks off the Niners in Week 1 at Lambeau . . . Jim Harbaugh's boys weren't having at as they used a now trademark physical style of play to subdue Aaron Rodgers and the vaunted Packers offense 30-22.  I would be remiss if I failed to mention one Randy Gene Moss, who had a 14-yard receiving TD that was his first in the NFL since Oct. 24 2010.

Robert Griffin, III.  Andrew Luck, 3 INTS in a loss . . . Ryan Tannenhill, 3 INTS in a loss . . . Brandon Weeden, 4 INTS in a loss . . . RGIII, balled out for 320 yards on 19-26 passing, 2 TDs and 0 INTS in a road win against the New Orleans Saints.  A lot of screen passes early, and it's just one game, I know, but it was the first game that really mattered, and it came against a team that was probably amped up about the overturning of player suspensions from the 'Bounty Gate' incident.  It's too early for playoff talk or even 'Griffining', but you have to admire the young man's poise.

The Dallas Cowboys.  Spoiled that Super Bowl party for the New York Giants, Tony Romo and the 'Boys were oh so rude on the opening night of the NFL.  Romo found a rhythm making quick passes to avoid the Giants premiere pass rush and it eventually softened up the ground game for DeMarco Murray to run.  It had to be a sweet feeling for Dallas to start the year with a win like that, where you execute with precision against a division rival and a team that knocked you out of playoff contention in Week 17 last year.  Now the only question is do they make noise in January for the first time in what, like 15 years?

Julio Jones.  If Calvin Johnson is Megatron, then I can definitely see Quintorris Lopez 'Julio' Jones transforming into Optimus Prime this year.  Jones had six catches for 108 yards and 2 TDs in a season opening 41-24 Falcons win over the Kansas City Chiefs.  The numbers aren't what give Jones the BIG UPS nod.  It's the combination of speed, athleticism, and sheer strength and aggressiveness at the point of attack.  We all know Julio has game breaking potential but it really looks like he feels comfortable in the league now and has lost all the tentativity that young players experience.  Nothing but big things and more BIG UPS ahead for this kid, no doubt in my mind.


BIGGEST UPS
BALTIMORE RAVENS & ED REED.

Reed has 58 career interceptions and seven return TDs.

Reed, 34, set the NFL record for career interception return yards (1,497) after picking off Cincy's Andy Dalton on and returning it 34 yards for a TD.  Just another accolade to add that to the list of Hall of Fame-type play in Reed's illustrious career.  The Ravens rolled 44-13 over the Bengals and the defense looks dominant as ever.  Sack specialist and 'Ball So Hard' CEO Terrell Suggs will be out for a while after off-season knee surgery, but expect rookie OLB Courtney Upshaw to pick up the slack.  Joe Flacco gets better with every snap and has complete command of the Jon Harbaugh offense.

Footing the Bill

Wes Welker high-stepping to the end zone.

AFC Divisional Playoffs
New York Jets at New England Patriots
Sunday, January 16th, 2011 - Gilette Stadium, Foxborough, MA

It's funny with all the trash-talk going on between the Jets and the Pats this week that there hasn't been much talk about how New York will rebound from a 45-3 baptismal at the hands of the Patriots in Week 13.  If I was a Jet I wouldn't want to talk about it either.  New York coach Rex Ryan can say that the matchup is between him and New England coach Bill Belichik, and it is, because Ryan will need to throw some new wrinkles in the game plan this time around, because, obviously, nothing they did last time really worked.  On defense, New York cornerback Darrelle Revis did a bang up job last week against the Indianapolis Colts, holding Pro Bowl receiver Reggie Wayne to only one catch for one yard.  But Revis, Antonio Cromartie, and the rest of the Jets secondary will have their hands full with the Pats very diverse passing game, which has been sparked by rookie tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez.  Patriots quarterback Tom Brady will have to keep his feet in the pocket as Ryan and the Jet D will probably send pressure at him similar to that of the first matchup between the two teams this season, a 28-14 Jets win in Week 2. On offense, the Jets will still try to pound it out on the ground with healthy doses of running backs LaDanian Tomlinson and Shonn Greene, and rely on timely passes from quarterback Mark Sanchez (who wasn't extremely accurate in the Wildcard playoffs, but made big plays in the 4th quarter).

Pick:  Patriots, 27-20
Key to game for Jets:  Take the ball out of Brady's hands by running the ball on offense and controlling the clock.  Send exotic blitz packages to confuse Brady and force him to throw before he wants to.
Key to game for Patriots:  No 3-and-outs on offense.  The longer the New England defense is on the field, the better it plays into the hands of the Jets' gameplan.

NFC Divisional Playoffs
Green Bay Packers at Atlanta Falcons
Saturday, January 15th, 2011 - Georgia Dome, Atlanta, GA

Packers must slow the powerful Turner.

Aaron Rodgers took the first step in replacing legendary Packer quarterback Brett Favre last week on the road in Philly by recording his 1st career playoff win as the starter.  Rodgers will lead Green Bay (11-6) on the road again this week in the ATL and face a team that has a quarterback who is starting to build is own legend.  In just his third year in the league, Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan has been a juggernaut when playing in Atlanta, going 20-2 as starter in the Georgia Dome.  About half of those wins have been in dramatic fashion, including a 20-17 win over the Pack in Week 12 that was sealed with a Matt Bryant 47-yard field goal with 9 seconds left.  The Falcons (13-3) were aware of the implications that game had in playoff picture as league-leading receiver Roddy White said, "I have no plans of going to Lambeau Field in January, I plan on staying right here and sleeping in my own bed in the playoffs."  White and the Falcons did what they had to do to get home-field throughout but Rodgers and the Green Bay offense comes in more confident now with the emergence of fullback John Kuhn and running back James Starks, who started the year on the practice squad but had 123 yards rushing in the 21-16 win over the Eagles in the Wildcard playoffs last weekend.

Pick:  Packers, 27-24
Key to game for Falcons:  Don't let the Packers receivers get behind you.  Rodgers will kill you with the vertical ball, especially with guys like Greg Jennings, James Jones, Donald Driver on the receiving end.
Key to game for Packers:  Slow down Falcons running back Michael Turner.  The Green Bay D allowed Turner to rush for 110 yards and a touchdown in the Week 12 matchup.

AFC Divisional Playoffs
Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers
Saturday, January 15th, 2011 - Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, PA

Flacco must know where #43 is on every play.

The annual "black and blue" game between these two no nonsense defenses is certainly poised to be another brutal affair.  The Ravens defense was dominant on the road against the Kansas City Chiefs in the Wildcard playoffs, blanking the Chiefs for the final three quarters of the game for a 30-7 win.  They will have to repeat that performance once again on the road, this time against a familiar foe.  On offense in the divisional playoffs, Baltimore (13-4) featured tight end Todd Heap (mostly on crossing routes) to the tune of 10 catches, a franchise record for the post season.  Heap was injured on the first offensive play against the Steelers (12-4) in the Week 13 matchup, a 13-10 Pittsburgh triumph, where the Ravens led most of the game but had the win stripped away by a blitzing Troy Polamalu and a shifty Ben Roethlisberger.  I expect Heap to be the difference maker in this one, just as long as the Baltimore O-line can keep quarterback Joe Flacco upright long enough to deliver the football.

Pick:  Ravens, 20-16
Key to game for Steelers:  Same as every matchup with Baltimore, keep Flacco guessing where the blitz is coming from.
Key to game for Ravens:  When Roethlisberger is to be had, bring him down.  Big Ben is the best in the league at making something out of nothing.

NFC Divisional Playoffs
Seattle Seahawks at Chicago Bears
Sunday, January 16th, 2011 - Solider Field, Chicago, IL

Beast Mode part 2 will be less likely against the Bears D.

Marshawn Lynch's "beast mode" was enough to take the Seahawks (8-9) and put them over that edge last week against the New Orleans Saints, and they are gonna need another beast-like performance to tame the Bears in Chi-Town on Sunday.  Seattle coach Pete Carroll and his team seemed to thrive on the underdog role against the defending champs in the Wildcard playoffs, and the fans at Qwest Field definitely were "The 12th Man" in that game.  Now we can see if they can turn those feelings of disrespect into a hostile environment at Soldier Field.  Yes, the Seahawks have already beaten the Bears (11-5) on that field this season, 23-20, but that was in Week 6 (October 17th).  That being said, it will be interesting to see how Jay Cutler and the Chicago offense responds to the bye week.  The Bear D will have added pressure to perform at a high level, especially if Seattle quarterback Matt Hasselbeck has it rolling like he did against the Saints (272 yards passing, 4 TDs).

Pick:  Seahawks, 21-16
Key to game for Bears:  Score when in the redzone . . . touchdowns.
Key to game for Seahawks:  Stop Matt Forte out of the backfield.  Force Jay Cutler to make plays in 3rd-and-long situations.

Put Up Or Shut Up!!!

AFC Wildcard Playoff

New York Jets at Indianapolis Colts

Saturday, January 8th, 2011 - Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN

Time for Ryan, Jets to put up or shut up!

Rex Ryan and the New York Jets can't do anymore talking now.  Saturday is coming and the final word is what the final score says.  You're not gonna get a win using bravado and braggadocio in this game; not against Peyton Manning.  The Jets (11-5) have to stick to the gameplan -- run the ball affectively on offense and make Manning uncomfortable in the pocket on defense -- because they had Indy on the ropes in last year's AFC Championship game before getting picked apart by the Colts offense.  It's a new year but don't let the un-Colt-like 10-6 record fool you, this is still a strong team.  They struggled because of the lack of a running game.  In the last game the Colts lost -- a 38-35 OT loss to the Dallas Cowboys, in which Manning threw 4 INTs for the second week in a row -- the leading rusher for Indy was Javarris James, who had 18 yards on six carries.  The Colts as a team only attempted 17 rushes.  In the last four games of the season -- wins against the Tennessee Titans, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Oakland Raiders -- Indy averaged 30 rush attempts per game.  Those weren't the best teams but it was a solid effort by backup running backs Donald Brown, Dominick Rhodes, and James; and now starter Joseph Addai is healthy.  The Jets and Ryan will have to bring their 'A' game if they want all that talk to amount to a victory Saturday.

Pick:  Colts, 31-24
Key to game for Jets:  Don't let Mark Sanchez get in a shootout with Manning if (or when) the Colts score quickly; be patient and run the offense.
Key to game for Colts:  Take the air out of the Jets defense by attacking corners Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie early and often, much like the New England Patriots did in Week 13.

NFC Wildcard Playoff
New Orleans Saints at Seattle Seahawks
Saturday, January 8th, 2011 - Qwest Field, Seattle, WA

New Orleans won't need Ivory against Seattle

Safety Malcolm Jenkins (knee), tight end Jimmy Graham (ankle), linebacker Danny Clark (hamstring) and defensive tackle Anthony Hargrove (knee) have all been declared out by the New Orleans Saints (11-5) for Saturday's NFC Wildcard Playoff against the Seattle Seahawks.  Running backs Chris Ivory (led team with 716 yards rushing) and Pierre Thomas (team's 2nd leading rusher) were both put on injured reserve, making them inactive for the remainder of the postseason.  On the other hand, Matt Hasselbeck is returning as starting quarterback for Seattle (7-9) after missing the last three games. The Saints and Seahawks have played already this season; back in Week 11.  Hasselbeck had his best game of the year, throwing for 366 yards and a touchdown. . . Seattle lost 34-19.  Despite the injuries, don't expect much to change.

Pick: Saints, 37-16
Key to game for Seahawks:  Take chances on defense.  A positive turnover margin will balance the playing field for the home-dogs.
Key to game for Saints:  Be ready to play from kickoff.  Seattle will be confident on their home field if its still a close game late.

AFC Wildcard Playoff
Baltimore Ravens at Kansas City Chiefs
Sunday, January 9th, 2011 - Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, MO

Bowe led the NFL with 15 TD rec.

I really like the young talent that the Kansas City Chiefs have on the roster.  Matt Cassel (27 TDs, 7 INTs), Jamaal Charles (91.7 rush ypg, 2nd in NFL), Dwayne Bowe (led NFl with 15 TD receptions), Dexter McCluster (1,009 all-purpose yards), tight end Tony Moeaki, linebacker Derrick Johnson, and safety Eric Berry are all 28 or younger.  But the NFL playoffs aren't about youth.  It takes a battle tested team to move on and the Chiefs regular season schedule this year was softer than tissue paper.   K.C. (10-6)  has only played two teams that are in the current playoff picture -- Indy and Seattle -- and are 1-1.  And you already know which one of those teams the win came against.  Meanwhile, the Baltimore Ravens (12-4), led by league O.G. Ray Lewis, have defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Jets, and defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints this year.

Pick:  Ravens, 24-10
Key to game for Chiefs:  Slowing down Ravens running back Ray Rice, who is averaging 107.3 rush ypg over the last three games.
Key to game for Ravens:  Put 8 in the box and force Cassel to throw, see if  Ed Reed (8 INTs, 1st in NFL) can't get to a few.

NFC Wildcard Playoff
Green Bay Packers at Philadelphia Eagles
Sunday, January 9th, 2011 - Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA

Matthews will try to contain Vick.

Probably the most pivotal moment in the long journey back to the NFL for Mike Vick was the 2010 season opener for the Philadelphia Eagles against the Green Bay Packers. Starting quarterback Kevin Kolb went down at halftime and Vick took over.  He electrified the Philly fans with ankle-breaking runs and bullet passes -- the same way he used to do in the ATL for the Falcons fans -- even though the Eagles lost the game, 27-20.  Coach Andy Reid announced that Vick would remain the starter even when Kolb (concussion) was healthy.  Vick missed four games due to injury since taking over that day but has remained the man since Week 9, leading Philly to a 6-2 record as a starter, compiling monster stats (3,018 passing yards, 676 rushing yards, 21 TDs passing to only 6 INTs, 9 TDs rushing), and has put himself in the discussion along with Patriots quarterback Tom Brady for NFL MVP.  Vick has been banged up though and teams are learning how to control him.  In losses against NFC North Division opponents Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings, Vick was sacked four times and six times, respectively, while attempting a season high 44 passes against the Bears and almost equalled that (43 attempts) against the Pack.(stats).  The Green Bay Packers, also of the NFC North, will look to copy that formula with players on defense like potential 2010 Defensive Player of the Year lineback Clay Matthews and 2009 Defensive P.O.Y. cornerback Charles Woodson.  Aaron Rodgers has put up big numbers in the playoffs before but has yet to win a game.  Despite all that Vick has been through, he may be the hungriest player on the field.

Pick: Eagles, 44-38
Key to game for Packers:  Containg Vick and running back LeSean McCoy.  The more effective McCoy is the more dangerous Vick becomes.
Key to game for Eagles:  Don't give up the big play.  Rodgers and his talented slew of receivers can strike in a hurry.