Random Thoughts from Week 3

Here are some Random Thoughts from Week 3 of the NFL season:

• The talk of the NFL seems to be Bill Belichick's postgame grabbing of an official after the classic Patriots-Ravens thriller on Sunday night. Many are calling for Belichick to be fined or even suspended. Personally, after watching the supposed "grabbing", I see no reason for everyone to get upset. Belichick simply wanted a word with the official after a very close game winning field goal call. It's not like he wanted to fight the guy, after all. However, it would have been smart for Belichick to simply do nothing at all, since a) field goals cannot be challenged, and b) apparently it's a fine to touch an official. Frankly, it's in the best interest of the officials, but this type of over-reaction is just a sad excuse to berate coaches for simply berating themselves.
• What a Sunday, huh? There were at least 4 games this Sunday that went into overtime, most notably the frantic Lions-Titans interconference thriller. Unfortunately for many of us, we couldn't watch the end of it. I think the NFL and television networks should try to establish something more than it's current format to allow viewers to watch the conclusions of exciting games. If ESPN can do it with perfect games in baseball (ie. live look-ins), why can't something similar be done in the NFL? Is there nothing in the NFL that compares to a perfect game in baseball? We'll leave that discussion for another day.
• The replacements need to go. Now. After watching the scary hit that Darrius Heyward-Bey took in the Steelers-Raiders contest, it's become evident that the refs don't know when to protect players, and thus the NFL doesn't really care about player protection. That's too bad, because the NFLPA really got ripped off in negotiating a new CBA that ensured player benefits. The refs have allowed too much pushing and shoving, too many uncalled penalties, and seem to lack knowledge of the rulebook in some cases. Sometimes they have to be reminded by fans and sideline personnel to call a certain penalty. It's really quite a travesty. Maybe I'm only knocking on a few refs here, some look competent. But for the most part, we NEED the regular officials back. They keep order in the NFL's business, the game. Owners and administrators may adhere to the rules and formats, but they do nothing for the casual fan on gameday. So they might as well do something right to grab our attention.

That's all for tonight, although I may add more throughout the week. Until then, enjoy the defensive slugfest going on in Seattle.

UPDATE: Just finished watching the Green Bay-Seattle game on MNF. Watched a whole lot of postgame coverage. Please note that these are my immediate reactions, but I'm sure my view may change as this story develops into tomorrow. In what may be the most controversial call in football history since the Immaculate Reception, the Green Bay Packers were narrowly defeated by a highly questionable call. I'll stop short of saying they were robbed and only say that they were handed a loss by the scabs on the sidelines. This wasn't a football game. It was a theatre controlled by the replacement officiating crew. Every call, every play, everything was essentially decided by a ho-hum group of random pop warner zebras who essentially cost the game for the Packers. The Seahawks could have just as easily had the game stolen from them, but the fact remains that the officials cost a team a win. This game will be put under a far larger microscope since it came on a last second game-winning Hail Mary play on football's biggest stage. But it comes at a time when certain things shall pass. And they should, for the NFL has reached a point where it has become a mockery and embarrassment of itself. Man, I sure wish the early 2000s NFL. Because what we have here is a struggling shell of former glory.

UTTQ Preseason Predictions

With a slightly muted buzz and a snap, crackle, and pop or two, UTTQ has returned just in time for the 2012 NFL season! But before I get into some NFL predictions, I must make notice of several unfortunate circumstances that are about to befall all of you loyal readers. UTTQ will be scaling back it's content a lot this year. I probably won't have time to do week-by-week game predictions like last year. That's probably for the best, since most of the content may end up being editorials and the like, which is more interesting anyway. Second, these editorials may be few and far between, like once a month or so, unless I have free time and have nothing better to do. Third, we probably won't finish the "list"articles (Greatest Teams, #1 Draft Picks, etc.) in the foreseeable future. However, they aren't fully closed content, so I may be interested in doing them again later.

So without further ado, here are UTTQ's Preseason NFL Predictions (due to time constraints, I'm just gonna make this short and sweet):

AFC NORTH

1. Pittsburgh Steelers (2)

2. Baltimore Ravens (WC)

3. Cincinnati Bengals

4. Cleveland Browns

AFC SOUTH

1. Houston Texans (3)

2. Indianapolis Colts

3. Jacksonville Jaguars

4. Tennessee Titans

AFC EAST

1. New England Patriots (1)

2. Buffalo Bills (WC)

3. New York Jets

4. Miami Dolphins

AFC WEST

1. Denver Broncos (4)

2. San Diego Chargers

3. Oakland Raiders

4. Kansas City Chiefs

NFC NORTH

1. Green Bay Packers (1)

2. Chicago Bears (WC)

3. Detroit Lions

4. Minnesota Vikings

NFC SOUTH

1. Atlanta Falcons (4)

2. New Orleans Saints

3. Carolina Panthers

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

NFC EAST

1. New York Giants (3)

2. Dallas Cowboys (WC)

3. Philadelphia Eagles

4. Washington Redskins

NFC WEST

1. San Francisco 49ers (2)

2. Seattle Seahawks

3. St. Louis Rams

4. Arizona Cardinals

WILD CARD ROUND

Bills over Texans

Ravens over Broncos

Giants over Cowboys

Bears over Falcons

DIVISIONAL ROUND

New England over Buffalo

Pittsburgh over Baltimore

Green Bay over Chicago

San Francisco over New York

CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS

Pittsburgh over New England

Green Bay over San Francisco

SUPER BOWL XLVII

Pittsburgh over Green Bay

UTTQ 2011 NFL Predictions: NFC North

The 2011 season may have not begun, but our 2011 NFL Regular Season predictions have. Here's a brief summary of each NFC North team, in no particular order, starting with the defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers:


GREEN BAY PACKERS
The Packers have lost key elements of their Super Bowl run but have also managed to keep several vital parts. Of course, Aaron Rodgers is still the star of the offense, with a healthy Jermichael Finley returning to further deepen the receiving weapons for Rodgers. Charles Woodson and Clay Matthews will lead the defense. With most of the coaching staff returning, including head coach Mike McCarthy, this team seems destined to retake the NFC North title with a relatively easy schedule.


CHICAGO BEARS
This Bears team seems to have made little improvement over the team that made it to the NFC Championship last year. The offensive line is still in shambles, the receiving core is still lacking weapons (Roy Williams has not had a strong camp), and Jay Cutler still hears his critics. The veteran defense, led by Brian Urlacher and Julius Peppers, can still carry the load, but may suffer from a difficult offensive schedule in the first half of the season.

DETROIT LIONS
Seems to be the team everyone is picking to get over the hump. With Matthew Stafford, this offense could be pretty potent (but of course, the real star here is Calvin Johnson). The defense, particularly the line, has seemingly been revitalized with the addition of Ndamakong Suh, a tackle who commands respect and thus opens opportunities for other linemen (like first round pick Nick Fairley) or even the linebackers. The Lions face a schedule that is evenly balanced, and they could easily sneak into the playoffs.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS
The Vikings are facing a new post-Favre look, with Donovan McNabb coming in to man the ship. The always powerful Adrian Peterson continues to command the backfield, and other offensive pieces are still in place. The defense looks familiar, with Jared Allen, the Henderson brothers, and Chad Greenway being the core of the group. The Vikings and coach Leslie Frazier may be up and coming, but probably not this year.


NFC NORTH TITLE: Green Bay Packers

• The Packers have everything they need to make a return run. A mostly intact coaching staff, a stellar defense, a high-flying offense, and most importantly, a stud of a quarterback

WILD CARD TEAMS: None

• The Lions may be everyone's pick, but I don't see them playing consistently the whole season. The Vikings are rebuilding, and the Bears need to get it together.

The Franchise: Aaron Rodgers

We kick off our list of franchise quarterbacks around the league with the most recent Super Bowl winner, Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers. Rodgers capped off his third year as the Packers starting Quarterback by bringing the Lombardi trophy home to Lambeau Field. The 2010 Packers offense flourished and floundered by the arm of Aaron Rodgers with their complete lack of an effective running game. In hopes of adding another dynamic to an all ready explosive offense, the Packers added Hawaii RB Alex Green and Kansas WR Randal Cobb in the draft to give Rodgers some shiny new toys to play with. As is the case with all Super Bowl winners, the Packers QB situation is crystal clear as they have one of the most enviable situations in the league. Their man is fresh of his first Super Bowl win and hungry for another at the ripe old age of 27. For the Green Bay Packers and Cheesehead Nation, Aaron Rodgers is the franchise.

Pack win Super Bowl; Rodgers MVP

The Green Bay Packers won their 4th Super Bowl title earlier today, beating the Pittsburgh Steelers 31-25, and culminating an impressive postseason showing for the 14-6 Packers. Although the Steelers managed to hold their own for the entire game, Pittsburgh proved to be no match for the explosive Packers offense, who did not manage to lose the lead for the entire game (although they came very close numerous times). Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw for 304 yards, 3 TDs and no INTs, earning the game's MVP.  Both teams lost many key players in the first half, including CB Charles Woodson and Sam Shields, and WR Donald Driver and Emmanuel Sanders. The Super Bowl was a well played and closely matched contest, with both teams managing to perform after rocky starts. The Steelers come off their second ever Super Bowl loss, but their record 8th Super Bowl appearance.

Super Bowl Prediction

In Super Bowl XLV, the 6^th seeded Green Bay Packers will go head-to-head with the #2 seeded Pittsburgh Steelers. The Packers are only the second 6^th seed in history to ever make it to the Super Bowl while the Steelers are only two seasons removed from being the world champs. Led by two-time Super Bowl winning quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and a shutdown defense, the Steelers head to the big game with loads of confidence. The Packers are a team mixed with play-making veterans and youngsters who are eager to pull off the big upset in Dallas. So who’s going to be holding the Lombardi trophy at days end? The Packers offense sputtered in their last game against the Bears and it was their defense led by Charles Woodson and Clay Matthews that held the Bears offense in check. If the Pack hopes to win this game, their offense led by Rodgers must be spectacular. James Starks and Brandon Jackson must also provide sparks in the running game so the offense will not become one-dimensional. Green Bay has perhaps the most talented receiving corps in the game today but they will be challenged heavily by the Steelers defense. The Black and Yellow are led by an array of highly talented stars on defense including names such as James Harrison, Lamarr Woodley, Brett Kiesel and their heart and soul, Troy Polamalu. Throw into the mix Big Ben and his Super Bowl escapades and the Steelers seem to be the odds on choice. The most prolific matchup will be between the Packers offense and the Steelers defense, however the most crucial showdown will be whether the Packers D can stifle Big Ben and Rashard Mendenhall as they did the Bears two weeks ago. This matchup beckons back to Super Bowl XLIII in which the Steelers squeaked out a win against the offensive-minded Arizona Cardinals. Can they pull it off again? Lets take a closer look at the position comparisons for the teams.

QUARTERBACK: PUSH

This battle comes to Big Ben’s experience vs. the pure talent of Aaron Rodgers. Roethlisberger has already been there and done that with his two Super Bowl wins while Rodgers has been nothing less than sensational since taking over the starting gig in Green Bay. Ben is no slouch but in terms of straight ability, Rodgers has the edge. However experience in the big game is also incredibly crucial. These two advantages for each QB cancel each other out and leave this matchup a tie.

RUNNINGBACKS: STEELERS

Rashard Mendenhall is a workhorse stud of a running back that can take the ball on all snaps for the Pittsburgh offense. Green Bay sports a tandem in the backfield of James Starks, Brandon Jackson and John Kuhn. Mendenhall had more yards rushing (1273) than all three of the Packers backs combined. Green Bay has lacked stability at this position the entire season since losing 2009 leading rusher Ryan Grant early on. Clear advantage Steelers.

WIDE RECEIVERS: PACKERS
Both quarterbacks will have plenty of weapons to work with in this game on the outside. Pittsburgh stars Hines Ward and Mike Wallace cancel out Pro Bowler Greg Jennings and Donald Driver. The real competition will be between the third and fourth receivers, Emmanuel Sanders and Antwaan Randle-El for the Steelers and James Jones and Jordy Nelson for the Pack. Nelson and Jones are both highly talented guys that could easily be starters on other teams. Randle-El is a veteran and former college quarterback that could be used for trick plays while Sanders is a rookie who hasn’t done a whole lot this season. The Packers unit is just more complete and deep giving them the edge.

OFFENSIVE LINE: SLIGHT ADVANTAGE PACKERS

Neither of these the units for either team has been stellar this season. The Packers line has improved as of late but struggled two weeks ago against the Bears leading to some big hits on Rodgers. The Steelers may be without Pro Bowl Center Maurkice Pouncey, which would leave a huge gap in the center of the line. The game may come down to which of these units can perform against their respective pass rushes.

DEFENSIVE LINE: PUSH

The Steelers have experience on their side with veterans Casey Hampton and Brett Keisel, while the Pack have quickly blooming youngster BJ Raji and veteran Cullen Jenkins on the line. The Packers line will most likely be tested more with Pittsburgh’s focus on the run game and using Rashard Mendenhall.

LINEBACKERS: SLIGHT ADVANTAGE STEELERS

The Steelers have a spectacular group of linebackers led by heavy-hitter James Harrison. Lawrence Timmons, James Farrior and Lamarr Woodley are also highly talented and have played in the Super Bowl prior. The Packers sport one of the league’s best pass rushers in Casey Matthews and have solid complement in A.J. Hawk. The injury to Nick Barnett detracts from the talent of the Packers unit and so the advantage must go to the experience and immense talent of the Steelers.

CORNERS: PACKERS
The Steelers have veterans Ike Taylor and Bryant McFadden anchoring the outside of the defense while the Pack counter with 2009 Defensive Player of the Year, Charles Woodson and youngster Tramon Williams. Williams has come on strong in the postseason with a crucial game-ending pick in the Wild Card round against the Eagles. Taylor and McFadden have both been on this stage before, however the sheer talent of Woodson and Williams is too much to ignore. Pack gets the point here.

SAFEITIES: STEELERS

Troy Polamalu. Enough said here. Just recently named the 2010 Defensive Player of the Year, Polamalu is a force to be reckoned with even if he isn’t at 100%. Polamalu at 50% would be good enough to start on the majority of teams in the NFL.

PREDICTION: PACKERS 24-17

Both teams sport tenacious defenses and explosive offenses. The possible loss of Maurkice Pouncey is huge as the Steelers line will be under pressure the entire afternoon. My feeling is that the pass rush will get to Big Ben causing him to make mistakes. The Packers offense will have to perform as they did against the Falcons if they hope to win. My guess is that they will and squeak this game out by a touchdown.

Super Bowl Prediction

With Super Bowl XLV only a mere couple of days away, the culmination of another exciting NFL season will come to a close. The Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers will face off in what is to be an epic battle of two stunning teams, with both having major implications on past and future legacies. Here’s an in-depth analysis at my prediction for Super Bowl XLV:

First, let’s look at the Steelers. The Steelers, with a steady defense and an agile offense, has been to the Super Bowl twice in the last 5 years (not including this year). They have won it both times, and developed an incredible resume in big playoff games. Ben Roethlisberger, the famous (or shall I say, infamous) quarterback of the Steelers seems to be the most dangerous player on the Pittsburgh offense. He can run, pass, and in general make a play. Of course, he has equally tantalizing weapons in his arsenal. Running back Rashard Mendenhall has turned into a workhorse for this team, replacing the vacancy left by Willie Parker and perhaps even Jerome “The Bus” Bettis. Mendenhall joins a list of receivers that include the speedy Mike Wallace and Antonio Brown along with vested veteran Hines Ward (Super Bowl XL MVP). Don’t forget about tight end Heath Miller, who may have a breakout game after an underperforming season. The offensive line must win the battle up front against the Packers’ imposing defensive front, without center Maurkice Pouncey. Outstanding right tackle Flozell Adams hasn’t lost a beat, and hopefully this offensive line will find some inspiration from the long time veteran.

The Steelers defense is still the same solid defense that was featured in Super Bowl XLIII. The only difference this time will be the possible loss of Aaron Smith at defensive end. The Steelers’ front line still remains strong with nose tackle Casey Hampton and defensive end Brett Keisel filling the load. Linebackers LaMarr Woodley, Lawrence Timmons, James Farrior, and James Harrison will be as intimidating as ever to the Packers’ quick underneath routes. The secondary features familiar faces in Ryan Clark, Ike Taylor, Bryant McFadden, and Troy Polamalu. Polamalu, the Defensive Player of the Year, will especially make it hard for Rodgers to find deep post routes open. Overall, this defense is solid and unique.

Special teams includes kicker Shaun Suisham and punter Jeremy Kapinos, with Antonio Brown returning kicks. Suisham has been impressive this year, playing in only 7 games but only missing one field goal and 0 PATs. Kapinos has done well in punting duties. Antonio Brown is a speed demon that can easily take one to the house. Overall, special teams should do their job, but could easily be the scapegoats in a Steelers loss.

Now on to the NFC team. The Packers are one of an increasing trend of wild card teams to make it to the big game in recent years. The Packers possess one of the NFL’s most potent offenses, with the prolific Aaron Rodgers at the controls of an attack that features a receiving combo of Greg Jennings and Donald Driver, with Jordy Nelson and James Jones to clean up. The biggest question this season has been at running back, but Green Bay’s prayers seem to have been answered in a three headed rushing attack lead by James Starks, John Kuhn, and Brandon Jackson. The Packers pretty much abandoned the tight end position after Jermichael Finley got injured early in the season, but Andrew Quarless and Donald Lee have filled in nicely. The offensive line will be looked upon to block against the pass rush but also open holes for the running game when needed. The Packers must be able to complement their pass attack with their running game in order to move the football with the clock in mind.

The defense is stout as ever, featuring Ryan Pickett, B.J. Raji, and Cullen Jenkins up front, a mobile but strong group of linemen. In the middle stands an explosive linebacking core, especially on the left side with Clay Matthews and A.J. Hawk. Complementing Matthews and Hawk are the under observed but still talented Desmond Bishop and Erik Walden on the right side. The defensive backfield provides a safety blanket for the front seven, including the impressive tandem of Charles Woodson and Tramon Williams. Also in the back will be safeties Nick Collins and Charlie Peprah.

On special teams, the duo of Mason Crosby and Tim Masthay combine to make a consistent kicking attack. The returners don’t really matter, as long as they’re fast and have good hands (Sam Shields and Tramon Williams will be designated for those duties). The Packers offense should be able to make up whatever yards the returners can’t.

Overall, this will be an exciting Super Bowl featuring two very exciting and explosive teams. The Steelers may have a unit built on Super Bowl experience, but the Packers won’t be taking this game lightly. Both teams will want this one, but I’ve got a feeling the Steelers will want it more. The Packers will come out firing on all cylinders, but even a large lead early doesn’t mean the Packers are safe. The Steelers are excellent in adjustments made during the game, and the Steelers will undoubtedly win a defensive struggle up front. I predict both teams taking shots downfield, but the Steelers will have a better chance to win since they’ve had a knack for closing tight games.

PICK: PITTSBURGH OVER GREEN BAY, 30-24

A Look Back: Green Bay Super Bowl History

As you may know by now, the Green Bay Packers will be facing off against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLV, set to begin at 6:30 ET on February 6, 2011. The game will feature two of football's most legendary franchises squaring off in the home of another legendary franchise in the Dallas Cowboys. Both the Packers and the Steelers have been to multiple Super Bowls before, and here we'll be taking a look at those Super Bowl moments, starting with the Packers.

SUPER BOWL I
Prior to Super Bowl I, the Packers had already been dominant in the National Football League, winning 9 NFL championships in all. The first ever Super Bowl was the culmination of a major battle between two rivaling professional football leagues in the NFL and AFL (American Football League). Compared to the already established NFL, the AFL was squandering "wannabe" league that challenged the NFL in everything from television audiences to players' contractual rights. The first Super Bowl (held after the merger of the leagues in 1966) featured the greatest franchises of each league at the time, in the Green Bay Packers of the NFL and the Kansas City Chiefs of the AFL. The Packers, featuring legendary players like Bart Starr, Ray Nitschke, and Jerry Kramer, along with legendary coach Vince Lombardi, kept the game close before pulling away in the second half and destroying the Chiefs 35-10. The Packers had won the Super Bowl I, and Bart Starr was named the MVP.

SUPER BOWL II
In 1968, the Packers once again represented the NFL in Super Bowl II, with the Oakland Raiders representing the AFL. Oakland had crushed its AFL opponents en route to their first Super Bowl berth. Many experts believed that although Oakland was tough and Green Bay wasn't as good as last year, Green Bay still had the edge due to their level of competition in the NFL. The experts were right as Green Bay scorched the Raiders from the very start, and never looked back. The final score was 33-14, sealing another victory for the NFL over the AFL. It wouldn't be until next year that the AFL would gain its first Super Bowl victory, and change the face of the two leagues forever.

SUPER BOWL XXXI
Fast forward about 30 years and we arrive at Super Bowl XXXI between the Green Bay Packers and New England Patriots. Green Bay featured some of the best players in the league, including a young quarterback named Brett Favre and a veteran defensive end in Reggie White. The Patriots were also respectable in their own right, with key players like Drew Bledsoe and Curtis Martin, along with coach Bill Parcells. Green Bay and New England kept it close, with running back Curtis Martin scoring a touchdown in the 3rd quarter that narrowed the Green Bay lead to 6. But Desmond Howard, a legendary return man in his own right, returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown, sealing a Green Bay win and their third Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl history.

SUPER BOWL XXXII
The Pack returned in force for Super Bowl XXXII, with Brett Favre winning his third consecutive NFL MVP award. Favre and the Pack were determined to become repeat champions, but it was not to be as John Elway and Terrell Davis narrowly escaped another Brett Favre miracle, clinching a 31-24 win.