ZB Notebook: 12-18-2012

by | Dec 18, 2012 | 2012 season, NFL Random Thoughts

Wow. The Monday night season ended with a thud. After having a couple of decent matchups, ESPN was stuck with the Titans and the Jets last night and, though I didn’t watch a play, the highlights make it look like it lived up to its lack of billing.

How can the Jets keep tossing Mark Sanchez out there to watch him get destroyed week after week? The team still has at least a passable defense, but the offense is a mess. NFL Network has been running a poll asking if the blame should lay more with Sanchez or coach Rex Ryan. I would argue that it’s difficult to answer that question: Sanchez has been brutal but Ryan has stuck with him … not that I’m a huge believer in Tim Tebow or Greg McElroy at this point either.

I’m guessing Ryan is firmly on the hot seat (he was my number two coach likely to get fired in the preseason). It’s not as much a given that he’ll be fired as it is with Norv Turner and Andy Reid, but I’d say it’s a better than 50/50 proposition at this point.

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NFL Picks, 2012 Season, Week 15

by | Dec 13, 2012 | 2012 season, NFL Picks

The sense heading into the 2012 season was that if Peyton Manning could come back to anything resembling his earlier years, the Denver Broncos would be in position to have a pretty good season.

Manning has answered any doubters he may have had to the tune of 3,800 yards and 30 touchdowns heading into week 15. And the Broncos have won eight in a row, running away with a division that in recent years often has been won by whatever team can reach eight or nine wins for the season.

Kim Constantinesco, senior editor of Predominantly Orange, thinks the best is yet to come.

“When all three phases are playing well, this is undoubtedly the best team in the NFL,” she says. “If everyone stays healthy and takes care of business, the Broncos team is Super Bowl bound.”

I’m not sure the separation is that great yet. New England is playing well and, when on its game, Houston can play with anyone. But the Broncos are right in the mix to be playing for the town’s first title since John Elway retired.

Constantinesco joined Zoneblitz as our guest blogger for week 15. She follows Greg Cowan, managing editor and senior writer with Colts Authority. I’m not sure we’ll be inviting him back again – Cowan destroyed both of us by going 11-5. Andy was a brutal 6-10 and Tony finished a paltry 8-8. Tony maintains the lead as we head into the final three weeks of the season.

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ZB Notebook: 12-13-2012

by | Dec 13, 2012 | 2012 season, NFL Random Thoughts

Drew Brees and Roger Goodell far from burying the hatchet

New Orleans Saints players indicted and convicted by Commissioner Goodell had their suspensions overturned by Paul Tagliabue, who had been appointed to take another look at the BountyGate allegations.

But neither the commissioner, nor Saints quarterback Brees are backing down from the ongoing fight.

Brees chimed in shortly after Tabliabue’s ruling saying Goodell lacked credibility with players and fans for how he handled the incidents. The quarterback has been outspoken from the start about his frustration with how the allegations were handled.

Goodell responded via the Huffington Post article by saying he would not apologize for anything and indicating that he still believes the Saints employed a bounty system and that doing so was unacceptable.

I’m not sure either guy is completely right. I think Goodell has done a credible job since becoming commissioner of creating penalties for players who A) don’t conduct themselves well off the field and who B) carelessly put opposing players in danger with massive hits, etc.

But like many of his critics, I think Goodell has gone too far in appointing himself as accuser and judge. There needs to be a more equitable and fair process. And he has been less than forthcoming about any evidence that does exist against Saints players, executives and coaches.

Brees, meanwhile, has always conducted himself with respect and class. But he seems to have buried his head in the sand, at least to some respect, as far as BountyGate goes, seemingly denying that anything took place despite admissions from defensive coordinator Gregg Williams and others.

It’s understandable that Brees would be frustrated about how the season has unfolded. The 5-8 Saints are virtually out of the playoff race and he isn’t getting any younger. How many more chances he’ll have to chase a second Super Bowl is no guarantee.

But still, even if the evidence against the players wasn’t strong, penalties against Williams, Sean Payton, Joe Vitt and Mickey Loomis were warranted, whether the ones they received went overboard or not.

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Timing of Cameron firing risky for Ravens

by | Dec 13, 2012 | 2012 season, NFL Random Thoughts

Okay, I saw this week how the Baltimore Ravens made the fairly dramatic in-season move of replacing their offensive coordinator.

Cam Cameron went down for a number of alleged reasons, including his offense’s inconsistency and, interestingly enough, his apparent unwillingness to get the ball in the hands of star running back Ray Rice.

Here’s my question: Just how many touches is enough for Rice, a running back who is huge in fight and heart but not in stature?

Rounded, Rice is averaging 17 carries per game, down one from last year. He is averaging four catches per season, down one from last year. He has gotten 95 touches in the last four games. He has gotten more than 20 touches in seven of 13 games. In three of the ones he didn’t, the team either won or lost by more than 30 points. Take a look at what happened to Rob Gronkowski late in a blowout win. I wouldn’t keep giving Rice the ball in blowouts either. (more…)

NFL Best Bets: Week 15 – 2012

by | Dec 12, 2012 | 2012 season, NFL Gambling

After the dreadful start we had to our betting season, I didn’t think our picks could get much uglier. We seemed to be on a bit of a roll heading into week 14, but last week everything went wrong.

Andy went 1-3, dropping his season record to 25-30-1. Tony did even worse, not connecting once, even picking Arizona to upset Seattle in a game the Cardinals ultimately lost 58-0.

It may be merciful that there are only three weeks left in the season. But we’re going to go down with a fight. On what is supposed to be the lucky day of 12/12/12, here goes for week 15.

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NFL Best Bets: Week 14 – 2012

by | Dec 6, 2012 | 2012 season, NFL Gambling

Well, our bets for the season are still terrible–but a 4-0 week for Andy last week, combined with a ho-hum 2-2 week for me, puts us at 24-28 (Tony) vs. 24-27-1 (Andy) for the season. Maybe rather than following our betting advice, you can find a book in Vegas that will take action on our fierce battle?

This weeks picks:

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