10. Dodger and Diamondbacks Play Regular Season Games in
Australia I’m not sure what exactly Major League Baseball was
trying to accomplish by staging games that actually a count a week before the
rest of the regular season in a place not exactly known for it’s love of
baseball. If Arizona finishes two games behind the Dodgers in the NL West,
they should be pretty pissed.
9. Kyle Larson Earns First Career Nationwide Win
Larson
backed up Saturday’s effort with an insane
march to the front during Sunday’s green-white-checkered finish, nearly
stealing a Sprint Cup win from Kyle Busch. Kyle Larson is the future of NASCAR.
8. Michael Vick Replaces The Sanchize
It’s only fitting that in honor of Mark Sanchez
officially getting the boot from the New York Jets, we post a video of his most
infamous NFL moment.
7. David Ortiz Resigned Through 2015 Boston has so little
money committed to players beyond 2015 that they can afford to pay an aging Ortiz $16 million per year
(if he hits certain incentives, he’ll be under contract through 2017). As the
last man standing who has been on all three Red Sox championship teams this
century, he deserves it.
6. Kevin Durant Leads Westbrook-less Thunder to Double
Overtime Victory
Durant’s final three points came with 1.7 seconds left in double overtime,
as the Thunder finished off an Eastern Conference road trip 3-0. They would be
wise to think about sitting Russell Westbrook for the remainder of the regular
season.
4. Kyle Busch’s Tires Don’t Explode, So He Wins Second
Straight At California
I may be in the minority here, but I like races
where Goodyear Eagles spontaneously combust, and
especially when a flat left front ruins a Jimmie Johnson trip to victory lane. 3. Dayton Slays Another Dragon, Knocks Off Syracuse After stifling
a Syracuse squad that spent three weeks earlier in the season
as the top ranked team in basketball, Dayton caught another break when #2
Kansas fell at the hands of Stanford. It’s not unrealistic to think Dayton
could find themselves in the Elite 8. 2. Wichita State’s Undefeated Run Ends For the record, we had Wichita going down in the Round of 32.
Unfortunately we had Kansas State doing it, not Kentucky.
Our second division preview discusses the division closest to the heart of No Credentials. Each team has a division title in each of the last four years, a fact no other division can claim.
Franchise Players = RB LeSean McCoy, LG Evan Mathis
Supporting Cast = QB Michael Vick, WR DeSean Jackson,
WR Jeremy Maclin (out for year, torn ACL), TE Brent Celek, LT Jason Peters, RG
Todd Herremans, DT Fletcher Cox, OLB Conner Barwin, OLB Brandon Graham, MLB
DeMeco Ryans, OLB Trent Cole Notable Rookies = RT Lane Johnson (Oklahoma, 1-4), TE
Zach Ertz (Stanford, 2-35), QB Matt Barkley (USC, 4-98)
Offensive Outlook =I’d like to make this
the 52,928,393rd page on the Internet that says the Philadelphia
Eagles will play fast. If that translates to victories or not is questionable.
A quick hitting offense will go along way in keeping Michael Vick (No
Credentials has been wrong before, but we don’t see Nick “the Pizza Delivery
Man” Foles or Matt Barkley winning the starting gig) on the field, as will the
return of a healthy Jason Peters. If Lane Johnson catches on quickly,
Philadelphia will have its best pair of offensive tackles since Jon Runyan and
Tra Thomas. Regardless of the offense’s effectiveness, LeSean McCoy should make
a return to his elite 2011 form after a concussion-riddled season last year.
Chip Kelly ran the ball a ton at Oregon, so there’s no reason to expect he’ll
abandon it in THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE. Bryce Brown also has a chance to
provide value if Philly commits to 30 carries a game. The passing attack took a
huge hit with the loss of Maclin. DeSean Jackson is still around, and could set
a career high in receptions if he is utilized on quick screens. Arrelious Benn
has the size and speed to fill Maclin’s shoes, but never produced at an elite
level during his time in Tampa Bay. Defensive Outlook = The Eagles are making a switch to
a 3-4 base defense, which unfortunately they do not have the personal for.
DeMeco Ryans played in the 3-4 at Houston, but other than that there’s a bunch
of square pegs that need to fit into round holes. Asking Trent Cole to play
linebacker is similar to signing Adam Sandler up to play Gandhi, as he brings
virtually no coverage or run stopping skills to the table. Philadelphia blew up
their secondary, which if new safeties Kenny Phillips and Patrick Chung stay
healthy, will be an improvement.
Ceiling = 10-6 – Vick needs to stay on the field for
ten games and not suck. 0.002% chance this happens.
Floor = 2-14– “Barkley drops back to pass,
fires…INTERCEPTED!” Prediction = 3-13 They
will be entertaining, and two of their wins will probably come against the
Cowboys, but the lack of defensive talent will be the undoing of the Eagles.
Sucking probably isn’t a terrible thing, as they’ll have a great chance to land
a franchise quarterback in next year’s draft.
Franchise Players = QB Robert Griffin III, RB Alfred
Morris, LT Trent Williams, OLB Brian Orakpo
Supporting Cast = TE Fred Davis, C Will Montgomery,
MLB London Fletcher, OLB Ryan Kerrigan, CB DeAngelo Hall, K Kai Forbath Notable Rookies = CB David Amerson (N.C. State,
2-51), TE Jordan Reed (Florida, 3-85)
Offensive Outlook = We could talk about how awesome
Alfred Morris is, or how good Pierre Garcon and Fred Davis could be if they
could stay on the field, but everything for the Redskins boils down to Robert
Griffin III. Off-hand, here’s the questions surrounding RGIII as we enter the
season.
Is he healthy?
Will he have his mobility?
Can he dial back his scrambling to avoid serious hits?
If the
answer to those three questions is yes, you can pencil in the Redskins for a
second straight division title.
Defensive Outlook = Defensive coordinator Jim Haslett
ran the same defense I normally run in Madden, which meant he blitzed six or
seven guys 50% of the time. The return of Brian Orakpo and Adam Carriker
hopefully means they can dial back the blitz, as it often left their mediocre
secondary in one-on-one coverage. Orakpo in particular is capable of
single-handedly dominating games. The linebacker core is solid, led by
96-year-old London Fletcher.
Ceiling = 12-4 – Robert Griffin III will be hoisting
an MVP trophy if Washington wins 12 games.
Floor = 3-13 – Kirk Cousins looked good when pressed
into action, but he’s not that good. Prediction = 7-9 I’m
a logic driven person, and logically, I can’t see RGIII holding up. It won’t be
shocking if they come out of the gate 3-1, but they are one big hit on their
franchise quarterback away from becoming a team that can’t overcome it’s
defensive deficiencies. Kirk Cousins getting a four game cameo might not be the
worst thing long term, as he could be a tool to reacquire some draft picks
(remember, there 2014 first rounder is going to St. Louis).
Franchise Players = QB Eli Manning, WR Victor Cruz,
DE Jason Pierre-Paul
Supporting Cast = RB David Wilson, WR Hakeem Nicks,
TE Brandon Myers, LT Will Beatty, RG David Snee, DE Justin Tuck, DT Cullen
Jenkins, FS Antrel Rolle Notable Rookies = RT Justin Pugh (Syracuse, 1-19), DT
Johnathan Hankins (Ohio St., 2-49)
Offensive Outlook = For proof of how mind-numbingly
inconsistent the Giants were on offense last year, here’s the amount of points
they scored in each game last season.
17
41
36
17
41
26
27
29
20
13
38
16
52
0
14
42
For those
not interested in counting, there were six games they scored more than 35
points, and six games they scored under 20. I guess that’s the price you pay
for employing Eli Manning as your starting quarterback. Manning can be as
clutch as any quarterback in the NFL, but also is capable of delivering a slew
of stinkers (see his week 8 through 10 stats last year for proof of this).
Ahmad Bradshaw is gone, but that opens the door for electrifying second year
pro David Wilson. Wilson spent some time in Tom Coughlin’s doghouse last year,
but has the big play ability that the Giants have been lacking in the running
game since Tiki Barber was in town. Victor Cruz was effective last year, but he
needs a healthy Hakeem Nicks to free up opposing defenses’ focus on him. Nicks
is playing for a new contract next year, and if his health doesn’t fail him,
he’ll be motivated. Reuben Randle was raw as a rookie, but has the physical
ability to make an impact in his second season. Brandon Myers productivity in
Oakland was noticed by roughly 600 people, but Giants fans should be sure that
they have an upgrade over Martellus Bennett.
Defensive Outlook = The hallmark of the New York’s
two Super Bowl victories over New England was it’s devastating pass rush.
Unfortunately, their rush was absent in 2012. The Giants sack total dropped to
33 (down from 48 in 2011), and most of that can be attributed to an
out-of-shape Jason Pierre-Paul. An entire defense whose success was predicated
on pressuring the quarterback collapsed. It’s reasonable to expect J.P.P. to
rebound (he admitted he wasn’t physically prepared for last season), but
expecting Justin Tuck to return to his past level of performance is asking too
much. Cullen Jenkins was their big free agent acquisition, and he’s the best
defensive tackle they’ve had since Tom Coughlin has been the head coach. It’s
incredible that Corey Webster still has a job in the NFL after his abysmal 2012
campaign, but New York is banking on a rebound by their embattled starting
cornerback. Aaron Ross does return after a year in Jacksonville, and will
provide solid play in the nickel package.
Ceiling = 14-2 – Eli Manning is due for a consistent
16-game campaign.
Floor = 6-10 – He’s also due for a 28-interception
disaster. Prediction = 9-7 Is there
any other win total you can forecast for the Giants other than nine games?
Their first six games will go along way in determining what their season looks
like, as they have to navigate four interesting road games. My money is on them
starting 3-3, setting them up for a wildcard berth.
Franchise Players = QB Tony Romo, WR Dez Bryant, TE
Jason Witten, DE DeMarcus Ware, DE Anthony Spencer
Supporting Cast = RB DeMarco Murray, WR Miles Austin,
LT Tyron Smith, DT Jay Ratliff, MLB Sean Lee, OLB Bruce Carter, CB Brandon Carr Notable Rookies = C Travis Frederick (Wisconsin,
1-31), RB Joseph Randle (Oklahoma St., 5-151)
Offensive Outlook = Everyone knows the book on Tony
Romo. We’ve written about it in this space before. The team we just discussed
has proven that you can win with a quarterback who isn’t consistent. All of the
skill players are there for the Cowboys to succeed. DeMarco Murray has shown
flashes of brilliance, but he’s injury prone and can’t stay on the field. Rookie
Joseph Randle could be able to fill in if needed at an adequate level. Dez
Bryant finally broke out last season, and is firmly entrenched as a top-5
receiver in THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE. If Miles Austin could replace his
balky hamstrings, he’d be right there with Bryant as an elite receiver. Jason
Witten caught a career high 110 passes this year, and barring an improbable
reoccurrence, will not start the season playing with a ruptured spleen. Tyron
Smith made a relatively smooth transition to left tackle, but the rest of the
line was a disaster. First round pick Travis Frederick should provide some
stability to the interior of the line, and Dallas is betting an awful lot on
Doug Free returning to his 2009 form.
Defensive Outlook = I’m not sure if there’s a greater
change you could make between defensive coordinators than going from Rob Ryan
to 176-year-old Monte Kiffin. Unlike Philadelphia, the Cowboys have the
personal to make the move from the 3-4 to the 4-3. DeMarcus Ware and Anthony
Spencer will make the move to defensive end, but switching to full-time pass
rushing roles isn’t a bad thing for this duo. Jay Ratliff also has a chance to
rebound, as a 4-3 scheme gives defensive tackles a better chance to penetrate
the offensive line. Jason Hatcher has performed well when called upon, and
should thrive now that he has a full-time starting role. Sean Lee and Bruce
Carter showed flashes of brilliance last year before having their seasons ended
by injury. Brandon Carr brought some stability to the secondary, but Morris
Claiborne had a mostly forgettable rookie year. A leap by him in his sophomore
campaign would lift the Cowboys to a top-10 level defense.
Ceiling = 13-3 – If Dallas keeps all of its key
players healthy, the talent is there for a 13 win campaign.
Floor = 6-10 – Most of Dallas players are injury
prone, so this accounts for all of them getting hurt. Prediction = 11-5 Call me a homer, but when I look at the Cowboys
schedule, I don’t see any un-winnable games. Their two toughest non-division
opponents (Denver and Green Bay) they face at home. They could very easily go
4-4 or 5-3 on the road, which means if they take care of business at home, the
Cowboys will win the NFC East.
This is the “Big Time College Basketball Upset That No
Credentials Doesn’t Give A Shit About Of The Week”,sponsored by Dollar Tree.
6. Butler Capitalizes on Horrendous In-Bounds Pass, Stuns
Gonzaga
No
Credentials managed to catch the last 45 seconds of this game live,
which briefly reminded me why I used to like college basketball. Then I
remembered some of the participants were born in 1995, and quickly began hating
it again.
5.Durant Drops 52 on the Mavericks
Kevin
Durant has scored 150 points in the last seven days, which for those not in the
know, is a lot of fucking points. 4. The NHL Returns Part
of me is wondering if the league’s incompetence paid off, as the NHL put up its
highest regular season television ratings in over a decade Saturday.
3. Bernard “Patriot Killer” Pollard Strikes Again In case you were wondering
what would happen if you walked by Bernard Pollard wearing a New England
Patriots jersey, here’s four videos to show it wouldn’t end well.
Pollard consistently
destroying Patriots year after year is one of the most underrated, bizzarre
occurences of the past decade.
2. Ravens Outscore Patriots 21-0 In Second Half, Win AFC
Championship
A strange
game where New England didn’t capitalize on their scoring chances in the first
half, and Baltimore was flawless in the second.
Improbably, the Ravens have knocked off Peyton Manning and Tom Brady in back to
back weeks to ensure that Ray Lewis will end his career playing in a Super
Bowl.
1.Down 17-0, 49ers Rally to Stun Falcons I’m 96% certain that Alex Smith wouldn’t of led San Francisco back from a 17-0 deficit
to win the NFC Championship. Harbaugh’s midseason quarterback change could go
down with Belichick sticking with Brady over Bledsoe as one of the greatest
substitutions in NFL history.
Franchise Players = TE Fred Davis, T Trent Williams, LB
Brian Orakpo, LB London Fletcher, LB Ryan Kerrigan
Key Free Agent Acquisitions = WR Pierre Garcon, WR Josh
Morgan, S Brandon Meriweather Potential Impact Rookies = QB Robert Griffin III (Baylor)
1-2, QB Kirk Cousins (Michigan State) 4-7
Outlook = Isn’t it a problem when the best
two players a team’s draft class can’t be on the field at the same time? Mike
Shanahan is bonkers.
Ceiling = 6-10
Floor = 1-15 No Credentials Prediction = 3-13
3. New York Giants
2011 Record = 9-7, First in NFC East, Won Super Bowl
2012 Schedule = DAL, TB, @ CAR, @ PHI, CLE, @ SF, WAS, @
DAL, PIT, @ CIN, BYE, GB, @ WAS, NO, @ ATL, @ BAL, PHI
Franchise Players = QB Eli Manning, RB Ahmad Bradshaw, WR
Victor Cruz, WR Hakeem Nicks, G Chris Snee, DE Jason Pierre-Paul, DE Justin
Tuck, LB Mathias Kiwanuka, CB Prince Amukamara
Key Free Agent Acquisitions = TE Martellus Bennett, G
Sean Locklear, DT Shaun Rogers Potential Impact Rookies = RB David Wilson (Virginia
Tech) 1-32, WR Reuben Randle (LSU) 2-32
Outlook = Are this years Giants the team
that caught fire in the playoffs on their way to a Super Bowl, or the squad
that was actually outscored by it’s opponents during the regular season
400-394? They are a maddening team to predict (or even worse, gamble on) as
they consistently play up or down to the level of their competition. They’ll
have to play up to it much more this season than last, as they have one of the
most treacherous road schedules in the league. By my count, only their Week 13
game at Washington appears to be the only easy road test, but that is thrown
out the window given their history with the Redskins (remember that Washington
thumped the Giants in New Jersey in Week 15 last season before the Giants
caught fire the rest of the season). Throw in a Super Bowl hangover, and No
Credentials will sign off on a sub-.500 season.
Ceiling = 12-4
Floor = 5-11 No Credentials Prediction = 7-9
2. Dallas Cowboys
2011 Record = 8-8, Third in NFC East
2012 Schedule = @ NYG, @ SEA, TB, CHI, BYE, @ BAL, @ CAR,
NYG, @ ATL, @ PHI, CLE, WAS, PHI, @ CIN, PIT, NO, @ WAS
Franchise Players = QB Tony Romo, RB DeMarco Murray, WR
Miles Austin, WR Dez Bryant, TE Jason Witten, T Tyron Smith, DT Jay Ratliff, LB
DeMarcus Ware, LB Sean Lee, LB Anthony Spencer
Outlook = Dallas faces similar schedule
issues to what the Giants will see, with the exception of dodging the 49ers and
Packers. Kudos to Jerry Jones for addressing the secondary, which stood out
like a sore thumb over the final month of 2011. Morris Claiborne has the tools
to be an immediate shutdown corner, and Brandon Carr is versatile enough to
play out wide or as the nickelback. If Mike Jenkins were to ever rediscover his
2009 form, Rex Ryan could have one of the top cornerback units in the league.
The lone
concern with the Cowboys on paper is their offensive line. Tyron Smith had an
excellent rookie campaign at right tackle, but is now being moved to cover Tony
Romo’s blindside (Doug Free, who previously succeeded at right tackle, was a
disaster last season at left tackle. He’ll switch back to the right). How he
adapts to this switch will ultimately determine the success of the 2012
Cowboys. If he plays at a Pro Bowl level, this will be a dominant offensive
force on par with the Packers, Patriots, and Saints.
Ceiling = 12-4
Floor = 5-11 No Credentials Prediction = 9-7
1. Philadelphia Eagles
2011 Record = 8-8, Second in NFC East
2012 Schedule = @ CLE, BAL, @ ARI, NYG, @ PIT, DET, BYE,
ATL, @ NO, DAL, @ WAS, CAR, @ DAL, @ TB, CIN, WAS, @ NYG
Franchise Players = QB Michael Vick, RB LeSean McCoy, WR
DeSean Jackson, WR Jeremy Maclin, TE Brent Celek, DE Jason Babin, DE Trent
Cole, DT Cullen Jenkins, CB Nnamdi Asomugha, CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
Key Free Agent Acquisitions = S Oshiomogho Atogwe, P Mat
McBriar Potential Impact Rookies = DT Fletcher Cox (Mississippi
State) 1-12, LB Mychal Kendricks (California) 2-14, DE Vinny Curry (Marshall)
2-27, QB Nick Foles (Arizona) 3-25
Outlook = Philadelphia was a disaster at
the start of the 2011 season, but started to put the pieces together down the
stretch. The defense was aggressively overhauled this past off-season. Asante
Samuel was shipped to Atlanta (hopefully meaning that Asomugha doesn’t get
shuffled between corner and safety. He’s the best cover corner in football, and
should be left alone), and their first three draft picks should go along way in
shoring up a defense that had no answer against the run. They were even able to
draft some Mike Vick insurance (he’s a shoe in to miss at least four games) in
the form of Nick Foles, who’s been a preseason sensation. They might be a year
late, but this is the year that the Eagles will realize their potential.
10. Pittsburgh and Syracuse Begin Process of Moving to ACC
Chalk this one up as a win for greed, and a loss for tradition.
9. Mariano Rivera Ties the Saves Record One could argue that saves is one of the dumbest statistics in professional sports. In the grand scheme of things, there isn’t a difference between getting three outs in the ninth and three outs in the fifth. However, I won’t let that notion cloud the greatness of “The Hammer of God” (as he is affectionately referred to by Tony Kornheiser), Mariano Rivera. My greatest memory of Rivera will not be of any save, but how he’s bounced back from failures. This is a guy that blew the save in Game 7 of the 2001 World Series against Arizona. Also remember that 2004 doesn’t end the same way if Rivera were to successfully close down Games 4 or 5 against the Red Sox. His contributions to the 2004 Sox were so appreciated by Boston fans that he was given a standing ovation before 2005’s opening day at Fenway Park. Failures like this have significantly impacted or ended the careers of relievers like Mitch Williams, Brad Lidge, and Mark Wohlers. Rivera’s ability to move on from these moments and continue to dominate is what I will remember him the most for after he’s called it a career.
8. Floyd Mayweather Knocks Out Unsuspecting Opponent Similar to hooking up with a girl on her eighteenth birthday, Mayweather’s left hook and right jab were barely legal.
A)They lost the game (legitimate concern, but look at the Panthers roster. You aren’t winning many games with that rotten bunch of players).
B)Green Bay was playing a prevent defense in the fourth quarter, allowing Newton to pile up garbage time yardage at the end of the game (Green Bay wasn’t up by two scores until two minutes left in the fourth, so this wasn’t the case to today).
The bottom line is that as long as Newton continues to accept coaching, he has all the makings of a future franchise quarterback.
5. Patriots Win Passing Derby Against San Diego
San Diego probably could’ve won this game if not for four turnovers, but San Diego seems to always have four turnovers in every game during the month of September. If San Diego gets their act together (which won’t be hard to do playing in the putrid AFC West), this is not a team New England wants to see in the playoffs.
4. Romo Leads Cowboys Comeback With Broken Rib
Apparently Romo thought he needed to turn in a courageous performance in order to win back Cowboys fans that were disgusted by the debacle against the Jets. Ultimately, games like this are why I still cheer for the guy, even if he sometimes makes me want to pull my hair out. Oddly enough, my wife would use those exact words to describe our marriage.
3. Rays Trim Red Sox Wild-Card Lead To Two Games
I’m a Red Sox fan, but as I grow further and further away from baseball, I’m starting to become more of a fan of chaos. If it were the Yankees about to overtake the Sox, I’d be bummed out, but how can you cheer against the Rays? They have a $35 million payroll (to put it in perspective, Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford make more than that combined in one season), and their stadium looks like an abandoned Sam’s Club. Anytime a small market team is making a charge up the standings, count me in. Let’s introduce a little anarchy.
2. Detroit Lions Annihilate Kansas City 48-3
This epic beat down could’ve been number one, but Chiefs runningback Jamaal Charles was my first round pick on one of my three fantasy teams, and he blew his knee out. So in other words, I’m a little salty about this game. With as sloppy as Green Bay looked against the Panthers today, maybe we should start talking about the possibility of Detroit winning the NFC North.
1. Falcons Win Slugfest Against Philadelphia
A game that started out as a Michael Vick homecoming turned into a bloodbath. Kudos to Atlanta for slamming Vick repeatedly to the turf, eventually knocking him out with a concussion. I didn’t think Atlanta had this kind of effort in them. This is the kind of win that can jumpstart a season.
Real-Life Outlook = I don’t feel like wasting too much time on this crummy team, so I’ll keep this real brief…the Redskins stink.
Fantasy Outlook = If you have John Beck or Rex Grossman starting for you at some point this season, than something must’ve gone terribly wrong for your fantasy team. Santana Moss is the most reliable fantasy asset Washington employs. You won’t be very excited to draft him, but he’s a very solid third wide receiver option. Mike Shanahan is notorious for constantly swapping out runningbacks. While Tim Hightower has been announced as the starter, rookie Roy Helu should be drafted in the final third of your draft. Eventually Shanahan will figure out the that Tim Hightower is limited to doing Tim Hightower sort of things, so he will eventually go with the player with more upside.
Ceiling = 7-9
Floor = 1-15 No Credentials Prediction = 2-14
3. New York Giants
2010 Record = 10-6 (2nd in Division)
Key Additions = C David Baas Key Losses = DT Barry Cofield, WR Steve Smith, TE Kevin Boss
Real-Life Outlook = There wasn’t a more accident-prone team in the NFC last season than the New York Giants (San Diego was their counterpart in the AFC). Eli Manning set a career high in passing yards, but also tossed a career high 25 interceptions. Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs were productive in terms of yardage, but killed too many drives with critical fumbles. Special teams were the silent killer, with DeSean Jackson’s punt return last December delivering the finishing blow to the Giants season. Throw in a slew of injuries to their secondary during the preseason (no team has lost more key contributors in exhibition games), and I just don’t like New York’s chances this season. This feels like a team that will have an uneven season that will result in Head Coach Tom Coughlin finally getting canned (I know he won a Super Bowl, but Coughlin lost the locker room two years ago. It’s time for a change).
Fantasy Outlook = When you think of high flying offenses, the New York Giants don’t immediately come to mind, but all the pieces are there. As mentioned before, Eli Manning broke the 4,000-yard barrier last season. He’s a great option to use if you plan on having a quarterback platoon. Sure he turns the ball over a ton, but depending on your league scoring settings, that may not be a huge issue in the fantasy game. Ahmad Bradshaw resigned with New York after briefly flirting with other teams. As long as he hangs on to the ball, I expect him to take on even more of the workload as Brandon Jacobs continues to slow down. Hakeem Nicks is a great option to add in the third round at wide receiver. If he stays healthy, a line of 95-1400-12 is not out of the question. No Credentials is also all-in on Mario Manningham. Expect him to fill the role that the other Steve Smith filled brilliantly before blowing out his knee last season (a role that led to the other Steve Smith catching over 100 passes in 2009).
Ceiling = 12-4
Floor = 6-10 No Credentials Prediction = 7-9
2. Philadelphia Eagles
2010 Record = 10-6 (1st in Division, Lost in Wildcard Round vs. Packers) Key Additions = CB Nnamdi Asomugha, CB Domonic Rodgers-Cromartie, DE Cullen Jenkins, DE Jason Babin, WR Steve Smith, T Ryan Harris, RB Ronnie Brown Key Losses = S Quintin Mikell, LB Stewart Bradley, K David Akers
Real-Life Outlook = For those of you who have anointed the Eagles as the Miami Heat of the NFL, sit down for a second. Take a deep breath. Relax. This team is not going to be the ’85 Bears. Philadelphia is bringing back an entire offense that for other than the fourth quarter against the Giants, was shut down during the final month of the season and their home playoff game against Green Bay. Certainly their off-season moves were huge, but this is still a team with holes. The Eagles have put together the best trio of cornerbacks the NFL has seen in a long time, but safety is a major issue with Quintin Mikell going to St. Louis. Philadelphia will be able to bottle up most wide receivers, but they’ll have a tough time defending players like Jason Witten. The offensive line is average (Vick has been running for his life so far in the pre-season, which is the same thing he was doing during the final month of last season). This will inevitably lead to Michael Vick missing a few games at some point during the season. As long as Vick is healthy enough to start 12 games, this team will make the playoffs (and still be one of the favorites to win the NFC), but No Credentials is boldly predicting that Vick’s future injury issues will keep Philadelphia from winning the division.
Fantasy Outlook = Some of you might look at the previous paragraph and think that I’m down on Vick for fantasy, but that isn’t the case. Vick went fourth in the No Credentials mock draft. You need to invest in a solid second-string if you draft him, but Vick’s per-game output is enough value that even 12 games of Vick will be better than 16 games of any other fantasy QB. The fantasy discussion does not end at quarterback for Philadelphia. LeSean McCoy appears to be poised for a monster season. If you are in a PPR league, feel free to take him as high as 5th. DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin should both be drafted as #2 fantasy receivers. Jackson is more explosive (upgrade him if you are in a league that gives bonuses for going over 100 yards, 150 yards, ect.), but Maclin is steadier and generally more consistent. Jason Avant should also be drafted in the event that one of those two suffers an injury. Brent Celek is a solid tight end, but didn’t click with Vick (hey that rhymed) during 2010. If those two figure it out, Celek represents a great buy later in the draft if you miss out on the elite tight ends.
Ceiling = 15-1 (totally dependant on the health of Michael Vick)
Floor = 9-7 (totally dependant on Wonderlic legend Vince Young takes too many snaps) No Credentials Prediction = 10-6
1. Dallas Cowboys
2010 Record = 6-10 (3rd in Division)
Key Additions = S Abram Elam Key Losses = RB Marion Barber, WR Roy Williams, DE Stephen Bowen, G Leonard Davis, C Andre Gurode
Real-Life Outlook = This is a homer pick, but I feel better about it because my Dad (who loathes the Cowboys) also predicts that they will win the division (this mostly has to do with the combined Wonderlic scores of Vick and Vince Young. Maybe one day I’ll let him post a rant about those two on this blog). It’s hard to tell who’s shed more dead weight in the last nine months, Snooki or the Dallas Cowboys. Jerry Jones finally admitted he was wrong by letting go of Roy Williams (keep in mind that Jerry traded away three draft picks for Williams, and then signed him to a $35 million extension). Marion Barber, who has been a warrior but also was vastly overpaid before having ankle issues, has also been released. Dallas even shed a couple of over-priced offensive linemen in Andre Gurode and Leonard Davis. There is a strong case to be made that Dallas will see significant addition by subtraction. Throw in a healthy Tony Romo playing under Head Coach Jason Garrett (Dallas went 5-3 under Garrett last season with Jon Kitna and Stephen McGee playing quarterback) with four games against the entire NFC West, and things are looking up for the Cowboys. I’m not signing off on them as a Super Bowl contender, but they have enough talent (and a favorable enough schedule) to steal a division win from Philadelphia.
Fantasy Outlook = Tony Romo is the last of the elite-7 fantasy quarterbacks, but with Peyton Manning’s neck concerns, he might end up as the sixth QB taken in your draft. He can be a little streaky (be prepared for a few games where he gives you eight points or less), but when he’s rolling there aren’t many more productive fantasy quarterbacks. Dez Bryant, Miles Austin, and Jason Witten are all elite receiving options that will be off the board between the third and fifth rounds. Bryant has the most touchdown potential, while Austin and Witten will be the steadiest in terms of receptions. I would not be shocked if all three went over 1,000 yards receiving. Kevin Ogletree shouldn’t be drafted, but keep an eye on him if one of the two starters suffers an injury. Felix Jones has gotten so much hype the past two weeks that his Yahoo rank has gone from 66 to 39. He’s looked sharp in the pre-season, and has the talent to deliver 1,300 rushing yards and another 500 through the air. You should feel very fortunate if you can grab him in the early part of the fourth round or later.
With the assistance of my friend Ethan, I’m proud to unveil the first round of the official No Credentials 2011 Mock Fantasy Football Draft. Here was the very simple framework that was set up for this draft.
-The mission was to create a 15-round mock draft for a 12-team, point-per-reception league.
-Passing touchdowns are worth four points.
-Positions that needed to filled were QB, RB, RB, WR, WR, RB/WR, TE, DEF, and seven bench spots.
-Ethan and I would discuss whom we thought should be chosen at each spot. Ethan had the final say for the odd numbered teams (1,3,5,7,9, and 11, for those of you that didn’t pay attention during elementary school), while I had the final say on the even numbered teams.
I will include some insight into the discussion we had when we figured out who should’ve been picked where. Also, I will include fantasy football tips that I will reveal throughout the mock draft. Without further ado…
Team 1, aka “Who We Thought They Were”
Pick 1 = Adrian Peterson, RB, Vikings – Ethan and I both agreed on this one with very little discussion. Basically, there’s a feeling of safety taking a guy who’s been rock solid his first four years in the NFL. It’s also a plus that while Donovan McNabb isn’t talented enough to carry the entire offense, he should be enough of a threat that defenses won’t be able to key on AP. I wouldn’t be surprised if Peterson puts up career numbers no matter how bad Minnesota ends up being.
Team 2, aka “Trampled Underfoot”
Pick 2 = Jamaal Charles, RB, Chiefs – Surprisingly, we both agreed on this pick as well. If the split of carries leans more in Charles’ favor in Kansas City, 1,800 yards rushing (plus another 500 receiving) is in play.
Team 3, aka “Worn Out Catcher’s Mitt Face”
Pick 3 = Arian Foster, RB, Texans – Took some haggling by me to sway Ethan to take Foster over Chris Johnson, but Foster’s receiving stats were enough to convince my sidekick to take the top fantasy scorer from last season. I don’t expect 1,600+ yards again, but if he delivers 12 rushing touchdowns and 60+ receptions, you’ll be cool with it. He’ll go first in the majority of fantasy leagues this season.
Team 4, aka “Marty Funkhauser”
Pick 4 = Michael Vick, QB, Eagles – I waffled between Vick and Johnson on this pick. Taking Johnson meant playing it safe and not looking like an idiot (even if Johnson tears his ACL in week 2, you could still say, “well I had to take him” and no one would give you shit for it because at the time of the draft, it made sense). Taking Vick meant being aggressive in taking a player who most fantasy experts have ranked second at his own position (except for ESPN’s Matthew Berry, who is all in on Vick this season). Vick could single-handedly win you your fantasy league this season (he was the second highest scoring fantasy player last year, and he missed part or all of five games). He could also destroy it if his yearly injury spell happens to occur during the fantasy playoffs. In my book, the fourth pick is the appropriate time to take the plunge on a potential game changer.
FANTASTY TIP 1.1 = FORTUNE FAVORS THE BOLD - Don’t make a “safe” pick because you are afraid to be called a moron by your fellow league members. Is taking Vick at four to early? Your damn right it is, but if you really want Vick on your team, there’s no way he’s making it back to the end of the second round. As a general rule, there is no such thing as reaching to early for a player if there is no chance that player will be available when you pick next.
Team 5, aka “Double Stuffed Oreos”
Pick 5 = Chris Johnson, RB, Titans – Insanity ended, and last year’s consensus number one finally went off the board. His holdout is a little scary, but the setup around him is as good as it has ever been since he arrived in Tennessee. If he’s in camp within a week, and he doesn’t look like Bam Morris when he takes the field in preseason, draft him with confidence.
Team 6, aka “Ward Burton”
Pick 6 = Andre Johnson, WR, Texans – Another aggressive pick by me, but Johnson is a perennial threat to top 100 receptions (health permitting). I wouldn’t argue with anyone in a PPR league that took him as high as fourth.
FANTASY TIP 1.2 = IT PAYS TO HAVE THE BEST AT SOMETHING – Many teams fantasy owners get flustered when they see a run on a certain position. “Oh my God, five tight ends have just come off the board, I need to get one now!” I’ll call this style of fantasy management “cardiac management”. At six here, it would be very easy to take Ray Rice because four runningbacks have already flown off the board, and who knows what will be left when this team picks again at 19. However, when encountering runs like this, it’s best to push against the current. When people are zigging, zag. Sometimes what happens when you do this is you start your own run. Now there could be a run of wide receivers after this pick, which could then leave you with some quality runningback options (or maybe even one of the elite quarterbacks). Much like in real life, it’s better to be a trendsetter than a trend follower.
Team 7, aka “George W.”
Pick 7 = Ray Rice, RB, Ravens – Rice was a disappointment last season (he didn’t have his biggest game of the year until after most of the fantasy teams he was on were eliminated), but the setup for him this year is the best it has ever been. Lee Evans has been added to the roster as a deep threat, and Willis McGahee (aka Goal-Line Carries Vulture) has been let go. Ravens coach John Harbaugh has already indicated that Rice will get the bulk of the work in the red-zone. You’re getting great value if you can get Rice at this point in the draft.
Team 8, aka “Probably Should’ve Gone to Rehab”
Pick 8 = Aaron Rodgers, QB, Packers – The reigning king of the quarterback position, Rodgers will benefit from the return of several injured starters that missed the back half of the 2010 season. The Packers might not win the Super Bowl again, but Rodgers will have a better statistical season.
Team 9, aka “Holy Diver”
Pick 9 = LeSean McCoy, RB, Eagles - Ethan’s favorite pick of the entire draft so far. McCoy put up the numbers he did last season while playing with broken ribs for six weeks. Assuming that the Eagles defense is much improved this season, which should also give McCoy more opportunities on the ground. If you are in PPR league, and decide to take McCoy as high as 4th, I wouldn’t argue with you.
Team 10, aka “LIVESTRONG (w/ HGH)”
Pick 10 = Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Cardinals – Fitzgerald probably should’ve got votes for MVP last season for the numbers he was able to put up with the bums playing QB in Arizona last season. I won’t say that Kevin Kolb is going to be the best thing since sliced bread, but he’s competent enough that Fitzgerald will have a huge bounce-back season. The only thing that will potentially slow him will be the lack of a secondary receiving option (unless someone emerges).
Team 11, aka “Single Ronnie Memorial Team”
Pick 11 = Roddy White, WR, Falcons – A safe bet to catch 90-100 balls, and score 8-12 touchdowns.
Team 12, aka “Go Cole!”
Pick 12 = Rashard Mendenhall, RB, Steelers – Mendenhall hasn’t put up a ton of receptions in the NFL (you can thank Ben Roethlisberger, who is not particularly adept at checking down, for this), but has shown the capability to do it. I don’t have any evidence to support this, but I’m feeling like Mendenhall could put up career numbers. If you got 1,400 rushing yards, 13 touchdowns, and another 35-40 receptions thrown in, you’ll be happy.
FANTASY TIP 1.3 = THERE ARE NO BAD PICKS IN THE FIRST ROUND – You’ll always hear people whine and complain about not getting a high pick in your draft. While adding a stud runningback with a top-3 pick is certainly a benefit, you can build a championship winning team around any of these players. Rounds 2-13 are much more critical to the ability of your team than your first pick.
I cheated for this one, because this actually happened today, but the names the Big Ten came up with for their divisions are so ridiculous I had to write about them. Seriously, “Leaders” and “Legends” are the best names they could come up with? Hopefully a Babe Ruth league based out of Arkansas won’t sue them for copyright infringement.
I did some hack research on the Internet, and was able to uncover the list of names that didn’t quite make the cut. Here they are.
Apples and Oranges
Captain and Tennille
Sonny and Cher
SpongeBob and Patrick
The One and The Only
Red Bull and Jagermeister
Seinfeld and Costanza
McDouble and Cool Ranch Doritos
Backstreet Boys and N’Sync
Deep Dish and Thin Crust
9. Ovechkin Goes Bonkers
I’ll keep this short because roughly 1% of my audience cares about hockey. The Washington Capitals were getting pummeled by the New York Rangers on Sunday. Alex Ovechkin got angry and tried to fight everyone on the Rangers. It was a good time.
8. St. Pierre Dominates Again at UFC 124
It took GSP about 30 seconds to make Josh Koscheck’s right eye look like it had gotten hit by a watermelon that was traveling 50 mph directly at his face.
7. Florida Steals Mack Brown’s Chosen Successor From Texas
What would you do if the best job in your chosen field was promised to you in five years, but you had a chance to take the second best gig right now? You’re instincts would probably be to wait, but after Conan O’Brien’s harrowing case with NBC, I think it makes sense to take the job that’s open right now. Kudos to Will Muschamp.
6. “The Cliff Lee Saga” Continues
ESPN.com officially dubbed the Cliff Lee free agency chase a “saga” today on their homepage. Hey, if it worked for the folks at “Twilight”, then why not give it a shot to drum up interest.
5. New England Patriots Destroy Chicago
What happened when an unstoppable force (Patriots offense) met an immovable object (Bears defense)? We found out that the Bears were very, very movable.
4. Cowboys Runningback Tashard Choice Asks For Michael Vick’s Autograph
While watching this happen live, I found it odd that a player on a team that just lost would ask the opposing team’s quarterback for an autograph. This is an event that definitely wouldn’t of happened back in the day.
3. Clippers Owner Donald Sterling Heckles His Starting Point Guard
This story is all the more hilarious when you remember that Sterling is paying Baron Davis $13 million to play point guard this season.
2. Jets Assistant Coach Trips Dolphins Player During a Play
As brash as the Jets are, it’s no surprise that their strength and conditioning coach was way too obvious while tripping the Dolphins gunner on a punt. Did he think he could pull this off without one of the 212 cameras used for telecasts catching it?
1. Metrodome Roof Collapses
It’s a shame that Brad Childress still wasn’t the head coach of the Vikings. He could’ve blamed the roof collapse on Brett Favre.
