In The Air Last Night

After a one week vay-cay, your favorite Hat Trick is back!

Yesterday’s slate of NFL games were played following Friday, the 13^th. That is my best explanation of a handful of games whose unexpected results, all happening on the same day, cannot be explained by logic and reason available to the public.

RAMS 27

SAINTS 16

The Saints went into St. Louis heavily favored against a struggling Rams team in 2011 and got their pants kicked off. Most of the 2011 team is on the 2013 roster. Certainly the Saints would not overlook this opponent after being embarrassed under similar conditions a couple of years ago. Right?

It’s like the Saints learned nothing from history. I didn’t send a minute at their practice facility on Airline Drive in Metairie, LA, but it is painfully apparent to me that, as a team, the Saints were collectively completely unprepared. Sean Payton’s post game comments confirmed that theory.

How a team this good has some of its members – only five or six (or more) starters/high repetition players would do it – blow off film study/practice/conditioning or whatever preparation is required each week before an NFL team tries to win on the road in the home of another NFL team, regardless of the record, is unbelievable and unacceptable.

The fact that this team had a similar meltdown in the recent past adds salt to the wound. The fact that a clinched playoff berth and further entrenchment into the driver’s seat for the NFC South championship and a first round playoff bye is galling. As a Saints fan, I want DNA testing to prove that this was the same Saints team we’ve watched all year coached by the same Sean Payton who won Super Bowl XLIV.

No home cooking for Brees in St. Louis 1

PACKERS 37

COWBOYS 36

Record wise, the final result isn’t surprising. But considering that the injured Aaron Rodgers was replaced by Matt Flynn and the Cowboys led, 29-3, in the second half, even by Dallas Cowboys standards this Tony room-led choke job was unforeseeable.

Romo is in the holiday spirit. Two interceptions - so costly that doubters were made out of die-hard Cowboys believers and so ill-timed that Tom Landry could be heard screaming bloody murder from the grave resurrected the Packers from their playoff grave – are the greatest gift the Packers could have received on Sunday. Incredibly, the Cowboys still control their own destiny because of the next topic on our buffet.

The Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders switched to Christmas attire for the second half. Like these beautiful women, Tony Romo also got into the spirit of giving...the ball away. 2

VIKINGS 48

EAGLES 30

Apparently nobody wants to win the NFC East because the Eagles took the big fish that was control of the division and just threw it back into the water. The previously 3-9-1 Vikings, without running backs Adrian Peterson and Toby Gerhart and with Matt Cassel calling the signals (he was the Vikings’ third string QB at one point) were low hanging fruit for any team in a close division race. Apparently that fruit was infested with worms.

Running back Matt Asiata scored three touchdowns in his real first action of the entire season. Cassel looked like the one-time understudy to future Hall of Famer Tom Brady he was five years ago. Greg Jennings looked like he hopped into a time machine and brought the Pro Bowl version of himself from the past to play in the place of his present-day self as he made 11 catches for 163 yards and a touchdown.

Perhaps Eagles coach Chip Kelly simply has a flair for the dramatic. He’s on a collision course with Dallas for (yet another) Week 17 showdown involving the Cowboys that will decide the NFL East.  

Matt Asiata had good reason to smile and he gave the Vikings fans three good reasons to smile yesterday. 3

DOLPHINS 24

PATRIOTS 20

The Patriots have always had trouble playing against the Dolphins in Miami. But if you told me Patriots quarterback Brady would get the ball in the final two minutes with all three timeouts, march his team down the field and get four shots at the Dolphins’ end zone from inside the Fins’ 20-yard-line I’d have never guess the real end would happen. Not only did the Dolphins firm up and turn the Patriots away in the final seconds, but the door was slammed shut on 4^th down by undrafted rookie safety Michael Thomas, playing in his first NFL game, ever, intercepting Brady in the end zone.

Miami may be the only NFL city where people could wear this stuff to the game comfortably. Yesterday was the first time in several years that the action on the field was (almost) equally worthy of a man's attention as she is. 4

STEELERS 30

BENGALS 20

The Steelers led this game, 30-7, at the start of the 4^th quarter before the Bengals padded the score sheet with some late garbage time points. After the calamities that befell the Patriots and Broncos earlier, the Bengals had a golden opportunity to put themselves in control to earn a first round bye and a trip to the second round of the playoffs for the first time since the 1990 season against a 5-8 Steelers team that was circling the drain and hosting the Bengals in a half empty Heinz Field on Sunday Night Football.

The Steelers very quickly said, “Not in my house.” The Bengals tucked their tails. The Steelers ran them out of town.

Le'Veon Bell and the Steelers took out an entire season of frustration on the playoff-hopeful Bengals. 5

IT’S ONLY WEIRD IF THEY ALL LOSE AT ONCE

I’m not superstitious. I don’t believe in curses, full moons, rabbit’s feet, or voodoo dolls. But the Friday the 13^th explanation is the only one I have for the five aforementioned upsets happening all on the same day. Toss in Denver’s one-sided loss at home to the desperate San Diego Chargers on Thursday night and the superstitious and supernatural are the only possibilities that my mind can devise to explain the string of oddities in the NFL in Week 15. Reason and logic just don’t cut it.

Don't forget to vote in the fan polls! 

To advertise with The Daily Hat Trick, or to submit a guest column, please contact the editor at eric@thedailyhattrick.info. 

The Daily Hat Trick is sponsored by Sports N Stuff. For great deals on jerseys, shirts, cologne, and other guy stuff, visit http://www.sportsnstuff.biz/.

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Must See Sports - First Weekend of November 2013

Last week's advantage/disadvantage record, excluding series: 8-4 
Last week's advantage/disadvantage record in series: 1-0
2013 Advantage/Disadvantage Record, excluding series: 75-60

2013 Advantage/Disadvantage FINAL Record (series only): 22-13-4

Thursday, October 31


NBA

New York Knicks at Chicago Bulls

The Knicks will get a tougher challenge than in their opening night contest with the Milwaukee Bucks. The Bulls are at home and not at the ring ceremony of the defending champs. Should be a low scoring contest and I will take Derrick Rose over Carmelo Anthony.

Advantage: Bulls


Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Clippers

The Warriors left little pieces of the Lakers all over the floor, ringing up 125 points, including 38 from shooting guard Klay Thompson. These were the same Kobe-less Lakers that the Clipper could not stop on Tuesday night.

Advantage: Warriors

The Warriors already have Steph Curry, who can drop 40 at will. For the sake of everyone else in the West, they should hope that Thompson's 38 points against the Lakers were an anomaly. 6

Friday, November 1

NBA

Miami Heat at Brooklyn Nets

It could take some time for Kevin Garnett (8 PPG, 10 RPG) and Paul Pierce (17 PPG) to assimilate into their new surroundings in Brooklyn. Miami is likely waking up after coughing up 114 points in a loss at Philadelphia. The Heat were up for the Bulls and I expect them to be up for the Nets.

Advantage: Heat

I'm sure The Big Ticket can't wait to get reacquainted with Ray Allen (above) tomorrow. 5

Saturday, November 2

NCAA Football

#7 Mimai Hurricanes at #3 Florida State Seminoles

Game of the week! Florida State QB and Heisman candidate Jameis Winston (2,177 yds., 23 TD, 4 INT) will be on display again in his toughest test of the season. The Hurricanes have a chance to prove that they are a serious ACC contender and not simply the beneficiaries of good fortune and a good schedule.

Winston's favorite target, wide receiver Rashad Greene (39 rec., 690 yds., 8 TD) is going to pose a problem for the Canes. Miami has been susceptible against the pass against teams with legitimate deep threats. At the same time, Miami running back Duke Johnson (823 yds., 6 TD, 6.7 avg.) has been a one man wrecking crew who can deliver in clutch situations.

This game is being played in Tallahassee. FSU's defense has been just as overpowering as its offense while Miami has been in some close games against unremarkable opponents. FSU doesn't lose many battles in the trenches and can force multiple turnovers every week. The Canes only have one win against a ranked opponent this season. The Seminoles are battle tested after consecutive games, lopsided wins, against Maryland and at then-#3 Clemson.

Advantage: Florida State

"The U" hasn't faced the likes of Jameis Winston yet. 4

#18 Oklahoma State Cowboys at #15 Texas Tech Red Raiders

Texas Tech was handed a slice of humble pie in their first loss of the season at Oklahoma last week. Oklahoma State also has a loss. The loser is all but finished in the Big XII race.

Oklahoma State has some hurdles to clear. In spite of a spectacular 219 rushing yards performance by Desmond Roland (366 yds., 6 TD, 5.9 avg.) last week against Iowa, it remains to be seen that he isn't a flavor of the week. OSU has had quarterback issues last year. Cowboys QB J.W. Walsh (1,324 yds., 9 TD, 5 INT, 60% comp.) was benched last week for Clint Chelf (549 yds., 4 TD, 2 INT) who couldn't crack 100 yards passing. OSU head coach Mike Gundy said that he is sticking with Chelf.

Texas Tech's approach of pass first, pass second, pass third and when in doubt - pass, will probably be more effective against the Cowboys that it was against the more physical Sooners. Red Raiders QB Davis Webb (1,812 yds., 13 TD, 7 INT) passed for 385 yards, including two touchdowns, in spite of the loss to Oklahoma. The Cowboys' secondary will face its first high-powered challenge of the season.

The venue and the Cowboys' problems under center tip the scales slightly toward the Red Raiders.

Advantage: Texas Tech



Sunday, November 3

NFL

New Orleans Saints (6-1) at New York Jets (4-4)

The pickings are slim among the Sunday. The Saints and Jets are the most appealing item on the menu. The Saints rebounded following a loss in the final seconds to the New England Patriots and a bye week by clobbering the Buffalo Bills, 35-17. Saints quarterback Drew Brees (2,290 yds., 19 TD, 5 INT, 68%) threw five touchdown passes last week. The Jets had their manhood taken away in Cincinnati, losing by 40 points to the Bengals.

The Jets are still searching for an offensive identity halfway through the regular season. Still the Jets are at home and have a potent one-two punch in the backfield in Bilal Powell and Chris Ivory while the Saints can be a little porous against the run. If the Saints can force turnovers and score points early, it may neutralize the threat of the Jets' running attack. The longer the score remains close, the better chance the Jets have of pulling off the upset. I don't expect that to happen, but expect the tone for the game to be set in the first quarter.

Advantage: Saints

Graham (foot injury) returned to the lineup last week in "limited" action to catch two touchdown passes. Limited?

Monday, November 3

NFL

Chicago Bears (4-3) at Green Bay Packers (5-2)

The NFL's longest standing rivalry continues on Monday Night Football. In spite of a very good record, the Packers have their share of problems - teams have been able to pass the ball on them. They've been oppressive offensively however and appeared to have permanently found a solution to their rushing game with rookie running back Eddie Lacy (446 yds., 3 TD, 4.0 avg.).

The Bears are in need of a complete rebuild on defense. While the Packers will need to constantly account for Bears RB Matt Forte (553 yds., 6 TD, 3.9 avg.), who can bust a long run at any time, the Bears have no shot against the Pack at Lambeau Field without injured QB Jay Cutler (1,658 yds., 12 TD, 7 INT, 65% comp.) in the lineup. Cutler is still out with a groin injury.

If Cutler's wife, Kristin Cavallari (left) is a real keeper, she will invite The Hills co-star Audrina Patridge (right) over and help Jay rehab that groin injury to speed up his recovery. Though if she did, Cutler may have a relapse on a weekly basis. 2

Advantage: Packers

Wednesday, November 5

Chicago Bulls at Indiana Pacers

Indiana is at home and appears just a fierce defensively as last year. It appears that they are successfully working guard Lance Stephenson (18 PPG, 5 APG, 8 RPG) into the offense more. Derrick Rose will be in the building and the Pacers will be waiting.

Advantage: Pacers

Rose is back and it's on in the Eastern Conference! 1

Don't forget to vote in the fan polls! 

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Must See Sports - First Weekend of October 2013, Part 2

Yesterday, we discussed Thursday, Friday, and some college football. Today, we pick up with the MLB playoffs on Saturday.

Saturday, October 5

Major League Baseball

Tampa Bay Rays at Boston Red Sox
David Price - Rays (10-8, 3.33 ERA) vs John Lackey (10-13, 3.52 ERA) - Red Sox
American League Division Series - Game 2

It is hard to pick against the Tampa Bay Rays in this series. The Rays maintained a hold on the top Wild Card spot before the Cleveland Indians caught fire, took the top spot, and forced the Rays to play a 163rd game at the Texas Rangers just to make it into the American League playoffs. The Rays eliminated the Rangers and then eliminated the Indians in the American League Wild Card Game.

David Price was lights out with ice in his veins, as he had to be, in the play-in game at Texas. I doubt his adrenaline has stopped flowing. The Red Sox will have their hands very full.

As hard as it is to pick against the Rays, it is even harder to pick against the Red Sox. The team with the American League's best record withstood all challenges and did everything right. With very few weaknesses, the Red Sox spent most of the season in first place in the A.L. East. With designated hitter David Ortiz (.309, 30 HR, 103 RBI) in the lineup driving in the likes of third baseman Jacoby Ellsbury (.298, 9 HR, 53 RBI, 52 SB) and second baseman Dustin Pedroia (.301, 9 HR, 84 RBI), the BoSox are going to make every pitch the Rays think hard before every pitch thrown.

While I find it tough to pick against the Sox in this series, I can't pick against Price in this game. Price can be overpowering when he is at his best and he has consistently been at his best when his team needs him most, like in the playoffs. I think the Rays take home field advantage back with them to Tropicana Field. Let me emphasize that the Rays are one or two good breaks away from being able to steal this series from the Red Sox.

Advantages: Game - Rays, Series - Red Sox


Detroit Tigers at Oakland Athletics
Justin Verlander (13-12, 3.46 ERA, 217 Ks) - Tigers vs Sonny Gray (5-3, 2.67 ERA, 67 Ks, 64.0 IP) - A's 
American League Division Series - Game 2

Sonny Gray has quietly been a very impressive rookie pitcher. If he doesn't melt under the lights of the MLB postseason, I think the A's have so much power in their lineup that they can get the better of Verlander (at some point) in this pitching matchup before the Tigers' lineup gets to Gray. I don't think the A's go to Detroit for Game 3 facing elimination and I don't think Max Scherzer, the Tigers' Game 1 starter, is going to be the one to serve up a game to the host team.

Advantage: Athletics

The Rays' David Price...Davey Ice? 1

Sunday, October 6

NFL

New Orleans Saints (4-0) at Chicago Bears (3-1)

I make no apologies for being a Who Dat. I will apologize in advance to the Who Dat Nation for picking the Bears in this game. Objective fans shouldn't want to tar an feather me too much.

Even the most dyed-in-the-wool Saints fan knows that the Saints have been historically bad at Chicago's Soldier Field and that futility has been prominent under Saints Head Coach Sean Payton. Whether it is the crisp, cool weather expected on Sunday or the thick sod slowing down the Saints' quick receivers and their passing game, there are enough hurdles in the Saints' way in Chicago.

In addition to the Bears' home field advantage, Chicago is coming off of a loss to the Detroit Lions. Good teams coming off of a loss are almost always more focused that usual in the coming week; it is the nature of pro sports. Quarterback Jay Cutler (1,010 yds., 8 TD, 3 INT, 67% comp.) is playing as well as he ever has with the Bears. The Saints defense, while very improved over 2012 in the pass rush and in forcing turnovers, is still susceptible to a strong running game, like that of the Bears with running back Matt Forte (320 yds., 3 TD, 4.6 avg.).

I'd love to be wrong, but I think this the week that my beloved Saints exit the ranks of the unbeaten.

Advantage: Bears


New England Patriots (4-0) at Cincinnati Bengals (2-2)

This is another game in which I think the ranks of the unbeaten become slimmer. The Patriots injuries and defections in their receiving game is well documented. Tight end Rob Gronkowski is still listed as questionable, as are wide receivers Danny Amendola (10 rec., 104 yds.) and Kenbrell Thompkins (15 rec., 257 yds., 3 TD). Pats QB Tom Brady (1,014 yds., 7 TD, 2 INT, 59% comp.) showed, against the Atlanta Falcons, that he can take any guy off of the street who can comprehend the offense and make him into a productive receiver, but the Patriots receiving bargain bin is almost empty.

Meanwhile the Bengals were sucker punched in Cleveland by the Browns. Their offense was neutered and looked as ineffective as is has all year. The Patriots defense appears to have firmed up from its porous form over the last two years, but they aren't going to handcuff the Bengals, at Paul Brown Stadium, the way the Browns did in Cleveland a week ago. That lightning isn't likely to strike the Cincy twice.

Advantage: Bengals


Houston Texans (2-2) at San Frnacisco 49ers (2-2)

Both teams can ill-afford to lose this game. However, Texans quarterback Matt Schaub can personally ill-afford an "L". Schaub, who has thrown three pick-sixes this season, served up the most ill-advised duck with in the final minutes of regulation, into the flat that landed into the arms of Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman. Next stop for Sherman: the end zone. The Texans defense had the Seahawks in check all day and had the game in the bag had the Texans been force to punt. Now Schaub may want to consider wearing a bag on his head before going out into public in H-town.

The 49ers appeared to smooth out some early season dents by utterly drilling the St. Louis Rams last week on Thursday Night Football. They appeared to rediscover the beastliness of running back Frank Gore. The Texans are going to make it hard for the 49ers to move the ball, but Matt Schaub has been making it had for the Texans to win close games. The Niners simply look more together right now and the whole nation will get to see on Sunday Night Football.

Advantage: 49ers

Fans can be harsh. 2

Major League Baseball

St. Louis Cardinals at Pittsburgh Pirates
Joe Kelly (10-5, 2.69 ERA) - Cardinals vs Francisco Liriano (16-8, 3.02 ERA)
National League Division Series - Game 3

The Pirates have a pitching advantage in this game. They also have the home field advantage. I think they live to play another day after Sunday, regardless of the Game 2 outcome.

Advantage: Pirates


Atlanta Braves at Los Angeles Dodgers
Julio Teheran (14-8, 3.20 ERA) vs Hyun-Jin Ryu (14-8, 3.00 ERA)
National League Division Series - Game 3

Teheran is a monster and knows how to win. This series could come to a crashing end on Sunday in L.A., but I really like Teheran against Ryu in this matchup. It doesn't help Ryu that, in spite of a sub-3.00 ERA in September, his record was 1-3. Managing games against other good pitchers is key in the postseason and Ryu has had some trouble of late with that.

Advantage: Braves


Monday, October 7

Major League Baseball

Oakland Athletics at Detroit Tigers
Jarrod Parker (12-8, 3.97 ERA) - A's vs Anibal Sanchez (14-8, 2.57 ERA, 202 Ks)
American League Division Series - Game 3

Sanchez pitching at home...that's all I need to know.

Advantage: Tigers

Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander's ex-girlfriend Kate Upton...will probably not be at the game. 3

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Cold Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers are 0-2. Following last night’s 20-10 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football, the Steelers find themselves in a very difficult hole. For a team expected to compete for a Super Bowl every year, having appeared in three of the last eight and winning two, the red flags are waving in the Steel City. Historically, the prospects are grim for teams starting 0-2.

Tough times for Big Ben 1

WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?

The season is only two weeks old and there is a possibility of a legitimate “yeah, but” for a rough start after just two weeks. Tough opponents, a road schedule, division opponents, bad breaks in close games, injuries lingering from the prior season, contract holdouts of key players, and any combination of the aforementioned could sink a potential Super Bowl champion in back-to-back weeks at the start of a season. However, the Steelers don’t have much in the “yeah, but” department.

The Steelers lost at home to the Tennessee Titans, 16-9, in a game in which they never seriously threatened to take the lead. The Steelers offense did not score a single point until the final two minutes of the game and never drove deep enough into their opponents’ territory to attempt a field goal. Last night, the Bengals dominated the Steelers in the second half without much doubt about the outcome by the middle of the 4^th quarter.

The Steelers have several problems, but the giant red flag is the absence of anything resembling a running game. The Steelers are built to be a run first team with a quarterback whose skills are best utilized when the run sets up the pass. Pittsburgh has a running back-by-quartet arrangement of Isaac Redman, Le’Veon Bell, Felix Jones, and Jonathan Dwyer. That quartet is completely out of tune.

The Steelers have failed to run for 50 yards as a team in either of their first two regular season games. Jones is the team’s leading rusher with 37 yards. As great of a quarterback as Ben Roethlisberger is, he is not the type of QB who succeeds when he has to throw the ball over 30 times per game while trailing without a credible running threat to keep the defense honest. Big Ben has thrown 70 passes in the first two weeks of the year.

The Titans served up the hits and Isaac Redman served up the ball. 2

MELTED STEEL CURTAIN

The Steelers’ defense is as problematic as its offense. The Steelers, throughout their modern existence, have been built on defense. This current team is no exception. However, the Steel Curtain is a little tattered. As a unit they are long in the tooth.

Three of their four starting defensive backs, safeties Troy Polamalu and Ryan Clark and cornerback Ike Taylor are age 32 or older and two of their starting linebackers – outside LB Lamarr Wodley and inside LB Lawrence Timmons – are over 27. The Steelres sent their most healthy (albeit most combustible) aging defender, 35-year-old former Defensive Player of the Year James Harrison, to the Bengals. I would say he’s having the last laugh this morning, but I’ve never seen Harrison smile.

While Harrison is bringing toughness and experience to a Bengals defense that is off to another solid start, the Steelers have coughed up nearly 250 yards on the ground in two weeks. The Steelers are in the top 10 in the league in total defense and points allowed, however they have trailed for most of the entire season. An opponent with a lead that can run the ball effectively does not need to take the risk of throwing the football, especially late in games. The Steelers weakness against the run has to turn around as long as the offense continues to struggle. Otherwise, the losses will continue to cascade upon the Steel City.

I'd imagine that this is as much of a smile the public will ever see from Harrison, probably having a silent, sadistic thrill watching rookies go through the "HOLY CRAP" experience of their first training camp. 3

NO RELIEF IN SIGHT

The possibility of the Steelers starting 0-4 is not far-fetched. It would also be a disaster for them. Their next game is against the Chicago Bears, who are 2-0 and whose offense is performing at a high level thus far. Their fourth game is in London, England against 0-2 Minnesota, who was in the playoffs last year and have the best running back in the league. As a team with multiple issues and a weak run defense, a game against a probable future Hall of Fame runner at the peak of his career is not what the doctor ordered.

The Steelers could possibly find themselves in a position in which they haven’t found themselves in years – rebuilding. Other than Roethlisberger, almost every player is subject to reevaluation at the end of the season if the Steelers miss the playoffs for a second year in a row with lackluster performances.  The modern NFL allows teams to turn their fortunes around quickly through free agency. The Steelers, however, are a principled organization that prefers to grow through the draft and home-grown players. In the salary-cap era, good drafts, each year, are a formula for long term success, not quick turnarounds. Tough times may be ahead in Pittsburgh.

I wonder if Ben would have rather been on the a golf course in Hawai'i last night, like his wife, Ashley, pictured above (circa 2012 Pro Bowl). 4

Don't forget to vote in the fan polls! 

To advertise with The Daily Hat Trick, or to submit a guest column, please contact the editor at eric@thedailyhattrick.info. 

The Daily Hat Trick is sponsored by Sports N Stuff. For great deals on jerseys, shirts, cologne, and other guy stuff, visit http://www.sportsnstuff.biz/. 

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Must See Sports - Second Weekend of September 2013

Last week's advantage/disadvantage record, excluding series: 4-3
Last week's advantage/disadvantage record in series: 1-1
2013 Advantage/Disadvantage Record, excluding series: 45-37

2013 Advantage/Disadvantage Record (series only): 14-11-4

Football, football, football...!

Thursday, September 12

NFL

New York Jets (1-0) at New England Patriots (1-0)

The Patriots are 12 point favorites in this game. That’s outrageous. I expect the Pats to win. I expect the circus that is the 2013 Jets to leave their tent at the door when they enter Gillette Stadium in Foxboro. I expect them to have a tougher time keeping Tom Brady in check than Josh Freeman. But the bookies are going to clean up with a 12 point spread

These are not “The Patriots” most of us have grown to hate and the rest have grown to love. The Pats struggled with the Buffalo Bills because their defense, again, is not good (kind of a head scratcher on a Bill Belichick coached team) and Brady’s weapons went from assault rifles five years ago to semi-automatic pistols the last couple of years to muskets. And two of his muskets have been traded for a bayonet as wide receiver Danny Amendola (10 rec.,  104 yds. last week)  is out for tonight’s game with a groin injury and running back Shane Vereen (101 yds. Last week) is out for about a month with a wrist injury.

The real groin punch will come if the Patriots allow Jets quarterback Geno Smith or running backs Bilal Powell and Chris Ivory to run all over them the way Fred Jackson of the Bills did last Sunday. Expect Patriots Fan to be uncomfortable during this game. That said the Jets unbeaten season ends tonight.

Advantage: Patriots

Mark Sanchez: "Thanks coach!" 1

Friday, September 13

Major League Baseball

New York Yankees at Boston Red Sox

Hiroki Kuroda (11-10, 2.99 ERA) - Yankees vs John Lackey (9-12, 3.48 ERA) - Red Sox

The Yankees are on the brink of playoff elimination but scratching and clawing their way through every game just to stay alive, just one game back of the Tampa Bay Rays as of this morning. The Red Sox have the A.L. East all but wrapped up.

Kuroda went into a bit of a slide in August, and has not recorded a win since a month ago. However, he was solid against the Red Sox, who have been crushing the ball from the 1 through 9 spots last Sunday in a Yankees win. Lackey is good, but not clutch and the Yankees are in a situation in which they have to be clutch for the rest of the season. There is also no assurance that centerfielder Jacoby Ellsbury (.299, 8 HR, 52 RBI, foot injury) or catcher Jared Saltalamacchia (.259, 11 HR, 54 RBI, back injury) will play in the series.

Advantage: Game – Yankees, Series – Red Sox    

The Yankees need Kuroda to weather the storm of the red hot Red Sox. 2

Saturday, September 14

NCAA Football

#1 Alabama Crimson Tide at #6 Texas A&M Aggies

GAME OF THE YEAR…so far. Alabama Head Coach Nick Saban has had this date circled on his colander since the Aggies’ shocking first quarter beat-down of the Tide in Tuscaloosa last season.  This year, Bama has to travel to College Station and face A&M at Kyle Field, a known hell hole for all visitors.

Johnny Manziel (497 yds., 6 TD, 1 INT, 69% comp.)is making as good of a case as he possibly can to become the second man in history to win Heisman Trophies in consecutive years. The Aggies’ offense looks potent! Their defense looks a little impotent. A&M is coughing up 30 points per game having only faced mid-major Rice out of Conference USA and low-minor, FCS Sam Houston State of the Southland Conference. 

This is the SEC and Bama is the defending conference champion. Alabama running back T.J. Yeldon (75 yds., 1 TD, 4.4 avg. vs Virginia Tech) appears to have picked up where he left off last year, running over everyone in his way. Finally, Alabama under Saban never loses to any school not named LSU in successive years.

Advantage: Alabama

Shaq would be proud of Johnny Football Manziel: "Bama...TELL ME HOW MY ASS TASTES!" 3

#16 UCLA Bruins at #23 Nebraska Cornhuskers

L.A. versus Nebraska…”porn versus corn”! UCLA Head Coach Jim Mora, Jr. has rejuvenated the Bruins and made them back into a team that expects to be ranked and seriously contend for the Pac-12 championship. The Bruins workhorse in the backfield? Junior Jordan James (155 yds., 1 TD, 7.4 avg.). Expect to see a lot of him this year, leading a pack of UCLA backs who can run it down a team’s throat as a unit if it can build a rhythm. With sophomore quarterback Brett Hundley (274 yds., 2 TD, 67% comp.) stirring the soup, the Bruins have a chance in every game. 

Nebraska, under Head Coach Bo Pelini, has been in the business of steamrolling opponents, with a punishing one-two punch of Ameer Abdullah (228 yds., 2 TD, 6.3 avg.) and Terrell Newby (136 yds., 5.9 avg). They also have a quarterback in senior Taylor Martinez who can put the ball in the end zone when he needs to.  

Advantage: Nebraska


Sunday, September 15

Denver Broncos (1-0) at New York Giants (0-1)

The Giants have their backs against the wall. An 0-2 start is usually an omen of doom as the historic odds of reaching the playoffs after such a start plummet and the historic odds of winning the Super Bowl become as long as the day. To pile on they get to host Peyton Manning coming off of an NFL record seven touchdown performance in the kickoff game against the Baltimore Ravens last week.

The Broncos have every reason to be confident after completely dismantling the defending Super Bowl champions. Still, I am not yet sold on their linebacking corps with the absence of Von Miller. The Broncos have to travel to the East Coast. In addition, the Giants shot themselves in the foot, repeatedly, in their Sunday Night Football loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Their mistakes were correctable and not likely to be repeated by a Tom Coughlin coached team in a game of this importance.

Still, talent wins out. Overall the Broncos are the better team with the  better quarterback, though both QBs share similar DNA. The Giants have a giant question mark at the running back position as they were plagued with inefficiency and mental errors out of the backfield last week.

Advantage: Broncos

Eli hopes to not serve America another Kodak moment like this. PRICELESS! 4

San Francisco 49ers (1-0) at Seattle Seahawks (1-0)

Because of the difficulty of a road playoff schedule and the fact that these two teams are in the same division (meaning only one of them, in almost any realistic scenario, can play at home in the postseason), I won’t call this a possible preview of the NFC Championship Game. I do think, right now, these are the best two teams in the NFC. This is the opening salvo in the NFC West division race.

Seattle showed some rust at the Carolina Panthers last week, with a comedy of penalties making the game much closer than it should have been. The 49ers, particularly quarterback Colin Kaepernick, looked extremely sharp last week. Seattle has one of the toughest home field advantages in the NFL. On paper, I think this game tips ever-so-slightly to the Birds, but my gut tells me the 49ers and Kaepernick can outlast Seattle.

Advantage: 49ers

A win against the Niners will really give Russell Wilson's (right) lovely wife, Ashton (left, psycho looking) something to scream about. 6

Monday, September 16

NFL

Monday Night Football

Pittsburgh Steelers (0-1) at Cincinnati Bengals (0-1)

This is another matchup of two teams with their backs against the wall. Based on personnel and Week 1 performances, the Steelers have a lot more to be worried about. Their offense was punchless and their offensive line suffered a huge gut punch as All-Pro center Maurkice Pouncey was lost for the season with tears in his ACL and MCL in his knee. They could not move the ball against the Tennessee Titans and their ground game was completely invisible. Facing Cincinnati’s top flight defensive line will not help those matters.

The Bengals were simply beaten by a quality opponent on the road against the Chicago Bears in a close game in Week 1. Their lack of a running attack in that game was cause for concern because they performed below expectations. In contrast, the Steelers already have low expectations in the running game and failed to meet those. Compounding matters, nobody appeared to emerge as a deep threat to replace Mike Wallace, who departed for Miami. Ben Roethlisberger (191 yds., 1 TD, 1 INT, 64% comp. last week) is not likely to have as mediocre and ineffective of an outing as he did against the Titans, but he’s facing a better front seven this week and can’t throw the ball and catch it himself.

Advantage: Bengals

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1) Image cited earlier in today's Hat Trick
2) Image from www.gazettenet.com
3) Image from www.nytimes.com 
4) Image from http://cowboysblog.dallasnews.com
5) Image from www.andrewjweber.com
6) Image from www.theesportsblog.com