Texas Rangers, Tampa Bay Rays Set To Go In Play In Game

This is a win or go home situation for both of these clubs. Game 163 is set to go tonight as the Tampa Bay Rays head to Rangers Ballpark in Arlington to take on the Texas Rangers. The winner gets the final wild card spot in the American League, and will have to head to Cleveland on Wednesday to play the Indians.

This game is being played in Texas based on the head to head matchups between the two teams this season. Texas took four of seven from the Rays this year, and will head home for the one game playoff. Tampa Bay dropped two of three to the Blue Jays over the weekend, but won Sunday to force the playoff. The Rangers, after struggling for much of September, closed the regular season with seven straight wins to advance to Game 163.

Texas really needed to play desperate ball down the stretch, as for the early part of September, the Rangers really struggled to win ball games. But they found their mojo late in the year, winning their final seven games of the season to force this playoff. Going into the final stretch, it looked like having Nelson Cruz out of the Rangers lineup was going to hurt them, as Cruz was out due to the steroid suspension. But the Rangers found a way to pull together, pick up the pieces and force the one game playoff.

As for the Rays, they had floated around the wild card spots for the entire season, but I feel dropping two of three against Toronto in the final weekend made things more interesting than they had to be. Tampa has been a little more consistent this year than the Rangers have, and this one game will decide who moves on and who goes home.

On the mound for the Rangers is going to be left-hander Martin Perez. Perez finished the year 11-9 with a 4.01 ERA and has had a good year playing for the Rangers, after getting called up from Triple-A. So Ron Washington is showing bigtime confidence in Perez to have him start this game.

Another big plus for the Rangers in this contest is going to be the returning Nelson Cruz. He will be activated and in the lineup for the playoff game. With Cruz out of the lineup, the Rangers went 29-21. Cruz has not played in a regular-season game since Aug. 4. He was hitting .269 with 27 home runs, 76 RBIs and a .511 slugging percentage at the time he was suspended.

So with Cruz back in the lineup, it throws in a bit of a monkey wrench into the plans for Rays Starter David Price. He was 9-8 with a 3.39 ERA. Price comes into Monday's matchup sporting a 2.73 ERA in his last four starts, but he's facing a squad he has been anything but dominant against throughout his career. The reigning AL Cy Young Award winner is 1-4 with a 5.98 ERA in eight starts career starts against Texas -- including a 10.26 mark in four starts in Arlington.

For the Rays to have a chance to win tonight, they have to slow down the Texas baserunners. The Rangers were second in the Majors with 148 stolen bases this season, with five different players reaching double figures. Rays catchers caught only 21 percent (32-of-150) of basestealers this season, tied for the third-worst mark in the Majors. So if you slow down the Rangers on the base paths, then you have a bigtime chance to win.  The Rangers are going with the rookie in Perez on the hill, but with the way he has pitched as of late, he really doesn't look like a rookie. The 22-year-old is 7-2 with a 3.26 ERA in his past 10 starts. A smart move by Rangers management, they will have Alexi Ogando and Matt Garza available out of the bullpen to back Perez, who has not yet faced Tampa Bay this season.

Finally, this is the fourth time in the last seven seasons that there has been a game 163!

Henderson Alverez No Hits The Detroit Tigers

In a season that has been marked by bad baseball, the Miami Marlins end the season on a very high note. Not only did they close out the season with a three game sweep of the AL Central Champions the Detroit Tigers, they did so behind Henderson Alverez and his no hitter, the third in the big leagues this year. Alverez joins Homer Bailey (July 2nd) and Tim Lincecum (July 13th) to throw no no's in the bigs this season. And the kicker with this no hitter is, Alverez had to wait for the Marlins to score a run in the bottom of the 9th to make it stand up. This game ended on a wild pitch. Giancarlo Stanton crossed the plate standing up when a breaking ball skipped to the backstop, and Alvarez had his no-hitter, beating the Tigers on the final day of the regular season Sunday, 1-0.

Alverez struck out four, walked one and hit one batter. It was a patchwork Tigers lineup, as they had already clinched a playoff spot and division title. But lets not take anything away from Alverez, he still had to be on his game in order to get the no-hitter. It doesn't matter whether its a patchwork lineup, or the Tigers regulars, it still counts as a no-hitter in the record books all the same. It was the fourth season-ending no-hitter ever, and first since Mike Witt of the Angels threw a perfect game at Texas in 1984. In 1975, Vida Blue and three Oakland relievers combined to no-hit the Angels and in 1892, Bumpus Jones of Cincinnati did it against Pittsburgh, according to STATS. So this was a big day for baseball. This isn't the first time a Marlins pitcher has thrown a no hitter. It is actually the 5th in franchise history. The other four are:

Sept. 6, 2006 Anibal Sanchez vs. D-backs 2-0 W
May 12, 2001 A.J. Burnett vs. Padres 3-0 W
June 10, 1997 Kevin Brown vs. Giants 9-0 W
May 11, 1996 Al Leiter vs. Rockies 11-0 W

Of the 282 no-hitters in history, it was the only one to end on a wild pitch, according to STATS. And it was the first walk-off complete-game no-hitter since Virgil Trucks of the Tigers threw one on May 15, 1952, against Washington. So its a great way to end the season for the Marlins!

The Best And Worst Of Week Three In The NFL

We are already three weeks into the NFL season, and just like last week, things get more and more interesting. The Giants got blasted and are struggling badly. There are six teams in the league that still don't have a win yet: the New York Giants, Washington Redskins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Minnesota Vikings, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Pittsburgh Steelers. Those teams really can't seem to buy a break through the first three games of the year. We also have seven teams that are unbeaten at 3-0: New England Patriots, Miami Dolphins, Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Chicago Bears, New Orleans Saints, and Seattle Seahawks. Payton Manning has gone off like a firecracker to start off, and doesn't seem to be showing signs of slowing down. So with that in mind, lets take a look at the best and worst of week three of this season.

Best:
Payton Manning Quarterback Denver Broncos
After throwing three touchdowns Monday night against the Raiders, Payton has 12 TD passes through the first three games of the season, giving him a new NFL record for most TD passes through the first three games. The old record had been 11, which was set by Tom Brady back in 2011. Manning has yet to throw an interception this year either, which shows just how great he has been for the Broncos to start a year.

Worst:
New York Giants Offensive Line
The Giants just had an awful game on Sunday against the Carolina Panthers, losing 38-0. You could point out the horrible performance of pretty much any positional group, but the blockers were especially egregious, giving up seven sacks and only paving the way for a total of 60 rushing yards during the loss. If the Giants are going to get any better at all over the final 13 games of the year, their offensive line has got to step up and play better. The running game can't get going if they don't have any running lanes to work through. Plus if Eli Manning is supposed to play better, he has to stay on his feet. For him to do that, his line has got to protect him a lot better.

Best:
Ahmad Bradshaw Running Back Indianapolis Colts
Going into this week's game against the 49ers, everybody was wondering what was going to happen with the Colts and new running back Trent Richardson. Well Ahmad Bradshaw made a claim that he should still be getting more of the carries for the Colts. Averaging five yards per carry in his 95 yard, one touchdown performance versus the 49ers, Bradshaw made his statement that he still wants to be a feature back in Indy. If both backs stay healthy, they could pack a really nice 1-2 punch in the Indianapolis backfield.

Worst:
CJ Spiller Running Back Buffalo Bills
This one isn't just on Spiller, its on the Bills running game as a whole. Fred Jackson had 72 yards on the ground including one big run against the Jets, but that was it. And Spiller was way worse, having 10 carries for just nine total yards. The Bills running game was absent, which can't happen if you're Buffalo/ For the Bills to even attempt to stay in this hunt in the AFC East, they need to get the running game going, othewise it will be another disappointing season for Buffalo.

Best:
Cleveland Browns Offense
Going into this week, some people, me included, felt bad for the Browns. The reason is they just gave up their best player in Richardson, and it looked like they were giving up hope on the season. That didn't happen at all. The Browns surprised everybody, picking up their first win of the season, 31-27 over the Vikings. Brian Hoyer powered the offense with 354 yards passing and three touchdowns. Sure he was picked off three times, but all three TD passes went to the same guy, Jordan Cameron. This gives the Browns a little something to work with going forward.

Worst:
Washington Redskins Secondary
For parts of the game against the Lions, it looked like this was going to be the week that the Redskins got off the slid and finally got their first win of the season. A DeAngelo Hall pick six on the Lions’ second drive made it seem like the unit was about to rebound from its terrible performances in the Redskins’ first two games. They did not, allowing Matthew Stafford to throw for 378 yards and two touchdowns, including seven passes of over 15 yards in Detroit’s 27-20 win.

Best:
Ryan Tannehill Quarterback Miami Dolphins
Miami is 3-0 right now, a lot of that having to do with the play of their 2nd year quarterback. Tannehill played great in the week three win, his best drive of the day being a a 13-play, 75-yard drive that ended with a 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Dion Sims with 38 seconds left in the game. The score gave the Dolphins a 27-23 victory.

Worst:
Kyle Wilson Cornerback New York Jets
Yes I know the Jets got the win over the Bills, but it was a lot closer than it should have been. The Jets as a team took 20 penalties, five of which were taken by Kyle Wilson. The cornerback was benched in the fourth quarter by Rex Ryan after two consecutive dumb personal fouls gave the Bills 20 free yards on what ended up being a game-tying drive. All this part of four straight penalties that were taken by Wilson on that same drive. The Jets amazingly hung on to win 27-20 despite committing a franchise record 20 penalties in the game.

The Best and Worst From Week 2 In The NFL

Week two of the NFL season is already in the books, and lets just say things have gotten a little more interesting around the league. The Buffalo Bills pulled out their first win of the year, the NFC West looks to be an average division, the Green Bay Packers dominate the Redskins, the NFC East looks weak to average at best. Things have really started to shape up after the completion of week two of the season. Some teams have gotten better, while others have seemed to have taken a step backwards. So with that in mind, much like we did last week, we are going to look at the best and worst from week two in the NFL.

Best:
New York Jets Defense
The Jets defense was able to hold the Patriots to just 13 points, despite getting scored upon on the opening drive of the game by the Pats. I know Tom Brady didn't necessarily have a typical week, by his standards, but still the Jets did enough to get in his head during the game.

Worst:
New York Jets Wide Receivers
I mean come on here guys. Sure Geno Smith put up some good numbers, throwing for 214 yards but he was picked three times at the end of the game. Before that though, he gave the team a chance to win. What was at fault? The Jets receivers. They had a lot of trouble hanging onto the football, dropping some easy passes, unable to haul in touchdown passes and even fumbling. It has to get better if the Jets want to even salvage anything from this season.

Best:
Aaron Rogers Quarterback Green Bay Packers
After the tough loss to the 49ers a week ago, Rogers needed to help right the ship. He did so in a big way against the Redskins. Rogers went out and had the best game of his career, throwing for a personal-best 480 yards (including 335 in the first half) and four touchdowns in his team’s 38-20 win.

Worst:
Washington Redskins
For the 2nd week in a row the Skins got off to a very slow start and it bit them in the rear end. They almost made up for it against the Eagles in the first game. This time they were playing a talent heavy Packers team, who had just too much firepower for the Skins to overcome. Washington has got to start better in their games, otherwise this is going to be a very long season down in DC.

Best:
Jay Cutler (Quarterback Chicago Bears) & EJ Manuel (Quarterback Buffalo Bills)
This was a bounceback game for both quarterbacks. Both had rough starts to the season in week one, but managed to find a groove and lead their team on game winning drives during week two. The Bears QB was in the groove, finding Martellus Bennett in the corner of the end zone on a game-winning 16-yard touchdown pass with 10 seconds left in Chicago’s 31-30 win against the Minnesota Vikings. Buffalo Bills rookie EJ Manuel was just as poised, hitting Stevie Johnson on a 2-yard fade route with time expiring to give his team a 24-23 win against the Carolina Panthers.

Worst:
Carolina Panthers Defense
Carolina blew a fourth-quarter lead for the second week in a row, with this egregious effort due to a miscommunication between defensive backs that left Bills receiver Stevie Johnson wide open on the game’s decisive touchdown. The Panthers lost starting cornerback Josh Thomas and both starting safeties to injuries during the game, so it’s somewhat understandable if their replacements were a little discombobulated.

Best:
Doug Martin Running Back Tampa Bay Buccanners
After having a miserable week one against the Jets, in which he only managed 69 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries, Martin had a rebound game against the Saints in week two. He didn't get into the endzone, but did manage to run for 144 yards on 29 carries, a big improvement from his first performance of the season.

Worst:
Eli Manning Quarterback New York Giants
I guess he couldn't really handle the pressure of playing against big brother Payton. The two-time Super Bowl champ threw four interceptions in his team’s embarrassing 41-23 showing against brother Peyton’s Broncos. Not only are the Giants 0-2, but Manning also has thrown seven interceptions. That’s nearly half as many as he threw during the entire 2012 season. He has looked a little uncomfortable in the pocket in the first two games, and the line hasn't really given him, or the running game for that matter, much protection. "If the Giants want to have a shot at the playoffs, they need to get out of this funk that they're in, and it all starts with Eli Manning.

Derek Jeter Season Has Come To An End

It really has been a rough year for Yankees Captain Derek Jeter. After breaking his ankle in the playoffs last year, Jeter tried to come back. He did, on July 12th. Then got hurt again, then came back again. This went on a few times this year, before Yankees GM Brian Cashman announced on Wednesday afternoon that Jeter has been placed on the disabled list, and will miss the rest of the 2013 season. Jeter had been out of the lineup due to ankle soreness. Through 17 games in 2013, Jeter was batting .190 with 1 home run and 7 RBIs. He is a career .312 batter and has played in 2,602 career games for the Yankees.

This comes as a bit of a blow to the Yankees, who at the moment, are fighting for the last wild card spot in the American League. I'm not saying that Jeter was powering the Yankees offense this year, but he wanted so badly to play this year and help his team out, but his body just wouldn't let him. With all the stuff that has gone on around the Yankees this season, it really would have been a great story to have Jeter come back healthy, and help get them into the playoffs. But it just wasn't in the cards.

Now the big question is, with Jeter done for this year, what do you do with him next year? He holds a $8 million player option for the 2014 season with a $3 million buyout. The Yankees still have that option on the table, but it doesn't look like ti will happen. Jeter wants to come back, so does everybody else in the organization. I know his production has dipped over the last few years, but that is expected for a guy who's 38 years old. Jeter is still a good ball player, there is no denying that. However he just isn't at the same talent level he was ten years ago.

Jeter in all likelyhood, will be playing again next year, if his body lets him. He should come back healthy and fully rested by the time training camp opens next March. If he does come back, what the Yankees should consider doing is getting a solid backup for Jeter at shortstop if possible. It would make all the sense in the world.

Yes it does stink that Jeter is done for the year. Right now though, before the Yanks start to worry about what to do with shortstop for next year, they need to finish the job this year of trying to make the playoffs.

Is The Season Really Over For Mark Sanchez?

Ever since hurting his throwing shoulder in the preseason game against the Giants, there has been speculation as to whether or not Mark Sanchez will play this season. Wednesday, Sanchez met with Dr. James Andrews, and according to reports, Dr. Andrews confirmed that Sanchez has a labral tear in his right shoulder, and the quarterback is "likely to have surgery" that would end his 2013 season, according to team and league sources, as well as a source close to Sanchez. However, Sanchez disputed the account in a text message to ESPN: “If I needed surgery right now, I never would have left Andrews’ office. I would’ve stayed and got the surgery.” “There’s nothing to report,” he added. “It’s reckless.”

Sanchez will try to rehab his shoulder as surgery remains a possibility — either now or at the end of the season, according to multiple reports. The New York Daily News said he would be evaluated from “week-to-week.” Surgery would likely end Sanchez’s Jets career. A labrum will not heal itself; once it is torn, it is torn until it is repaired. The question is whether a player can function adequately despite the tear. It is not a career-threatening injury.

From every indication I've gotten, it doesn't really matter what happens to Sanchez, in regards to surgery, he is likely done anyway as Jets Quarterback. Lets think about this for a moment. If Rex Ryan really wanted Mark Sanchez to be his starting QB this year, then I HIGHLY doubt he would have put him in the Giants game to begin with. In all lieklyhood, Sanchez was probably going to be let go at seasons end anyway, at least that's how some local sports writers feel. The team probably feels they made a mistake signing Sanchez to the $8 million extension a few years ago, and then he turned in the year he did. That's what I think is really leading to his exidus from New York. The injury just makes this an easy scapecoat for the team.

The organization should be embarrassed by the way it has treated Sanchez in recent weeks. Coach Rex Ryan made the irresponsible decision to insert Sanchez in the fourth quarter of a preseason game -- behind a bunch of scrubs on the offensive line. At that point, Sanchez was to be the opening-day starter. Ryan tried to rationalize the decision, saying he wanted to beat the Giants -- lame. To make it worse, owner Woody Johnson suggested recently that Sanchez should have protected himself on the play during which he was injured, intimating that the signal-caller was partially to blame. That's not how you treat players, especially a quarterback you're paying $8.25 million this season.

What's happened with Sanchez, from an injury perspective, is a lot similar to that of Chad Pennington. See when Pennington was with the Jets, he hurt his throwing shoulder in a game against Miami. He had surgery and tried to come back but it just wasn't the same and, eventually, Pennington's career ended. That's what's happening here with Sanchez. The difference is, with Sanchez, the team is basically throwing him under the bus, no longer wanting anything to do with him. With Pennington, that never happened.

Mark Sanchez has appeared to throw his final pass in a Jets uniform.

The Best And Worst From NFL Week 1

So with Week 1 of the NFL season in the books, there were some interesting happenings to start the season. Some players had big days out of nowhere, while there were others who were really quite on opening day. Some teams played better than expected, while others did horrible, making boneheaded mistakes that cost them games. So with that in mind, here's the best and worst from kickoff weekend in the NFL.

Best:
Payton Manning Quarterback Denver Broncos
Manning had an opening night for the ages. He lit up an already shaky Baltimore Ravens defense for a record seven touchdowns en route to a 49-27 win at home. He also threw for 462 yards in the win. I'd say Payton had a pretty good week.

Worst:
Lavonte David Linebacker Tampa Bay Buccaneers 
You wanna talk about one of the all time boneheaded plays. David's late hit on Jets quarterback Geno Smith put the Jets into field goal range, of course to which Nick Folk hit the winner to give the Jets the 18-17 win. This had to be one of the dumbest penalties taken on opening weekend.

Best: 
Anquan Bouldin Wide Receiver San Fransisco 49ers
The veteran had a spectacular day, catching 13 passes for 208 yards and a touchdown. The Packers' secondary had no answers for Boldin, as he routinely found seams and opened himself up for Kaepernick to throw to. He and Kaepernick could become one of the best pass-catch combos in the league.


Worst:
Mike Wallace Wide Reciecer Miami Dolphins
Wallace had a bad day in week one. He was signed to that big contract in the offseason to play in Miami, yet in his first game he was thrown to five times and only made one catch. When asked by reporters about his day, Wallace responded by telling them to go ask the coach about the game plan. Well that might be so, but um you were thrown to five times and had only one catch. It's not the coaches fault you caught one out of five passes.

Best: 
Reggie Bush (Running Back Detroit Lions) and Adrian Peterson (Running Back Minnesota Vikings)
Bush had a good day in his first game in a Lions uniform. Bush had 90 yards rushing and 101 yards receiving, a good chunk of the receiving yards coming on a 77 yard touchdown catch from Matthew Stafford. So I think Bush might be comfortable in his new surroundings in Detroit. As for Adrian Peterson, what stood out was the BIG first play from scrimmage, a 78 yard touchdown run. He was out to prove from the first play that last year was no fluke. Peterson finished the day with 93 yards on the ground and a pair of touchdowns. Not bad for a first game.

Worst:
Doug Martin Running Back Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Now this is an interesting case. It's not that Martin had an horrible week, because he didn't. He had 65 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries. But I put him here on the list because he was coming off a good year last year, and was, much like Mike Wallace of the Dolphins, expecting to have a great week. But he wasn't too much of a force in the running game for the Bucs, and that really hurt them over the course of the football game against the Jets.

Best:
Denver Broncos
The Broncos were an easy choice for this one. They dominated the defending champions from start to finish. It really was an all out team effort and the Broncos rolled to the win on opening night. It really was a great thing to watch.

Worst:
Tampa Bay Buccaneers & New York Giants (Honorable Mention Baltimore Ravens)
Honorable mention to the Ravens just because of how flat they were in the first game of their title defense. But the Bucs and Giants get the nod this week and its basically for the exact reasons. With Tampa, they had a chance to beat the Jets, even had a few chances to put the game away, but undisciplined football is what cost them this game. Simple as that. With the Giants they almost had a chance to win the game, but too many turnovers are what did them in against Dallas. There is no way possible you can come away from a game with six turnovers and win, doesn't matter how good a team you are. Six turnovers in one game just can't happen.

So there you have some of the best and worst from week one of the NFL season.

2013 NFL Season Preview

Yes it has finally arrived. We are less than a week away from the start of the 2013 NFL Football season, one in which promises top be as entertaining as any in recent memory. Coming into the year, there are quite a few faces in new places. The Baltimore Ravens are the defending Super Bowl Champions, but they are missing some key pieces going into this year. Some teams got a lot better, some teams got worse, and some teams didn't do anything at all And there are so many storylines coming into this season, that it would be impossible to cover it all in detail here.

So this year, like last year, we are going to do things a little differently. What I am going to do here is look at each division, project where each team will finish, what the records are going to be, as well as wild card winners and the Super Bowl teams. So instead of wasting time by getting into super details, lets jump in and start predicting the divisions. So we are going to get the ball rolling with the AFC and NFC West.

NFC West
This division produced two playoff teams a season ago,one of whom made it all the way to the Super Bowl. Looks like it could be the same story again this season. Here's how this division plays out

San Francisco 49ers: 13-3
At the end of last year Colin Kaepernick took the starting job and ran with it, due to the injury to Alex Smith. Now, in his first full season as the #1 QB, it will be interesting to see how well he handles it. Michael Crabtree's season-ending injury will hurt, but the 49ers still have to be considered one of the favorites to win the Super Bowl. They still have an outstanding defense, which got better with adding depth in the secondary.Adding Anquan Boldin to replace the injured Crabtree fills that hole, so the offense should pick up where it left off at the end of the 2012 season. San Fran is a shoe in for the playoffs.

Seattle Seahawks: 11-5*
The Seahwaks are a good team that is on the verge of becoming a great team.  Seattle didn't really lose much of anything in the offseason, and added a big weapon in Percy Harvin, although Harvin is hurt at the moment. When he comes back healthy, it leaves Quarterback Russel Wilson with a solid collection of targets to throw to. Seattle still has a very solid defense, and will still be an upper level defense this season.  Seattle is very very good, and will get into the playoffs, but Seattle has never made it past the second round of the playoffs, so expecting an inexperienced group to go the distance could be too much to ask.

St Louis Rams: 7-9
The Rams are a tough team. They went 7-8-1 last season, but fought hard, losing by more than 10 points on just three occasions. The Rams lost quite a bit of talent on offense from a year ago, but Sam Braadford still has quite a bit of talent to work with on offense. St Louis could be a contending team, but the 49ers and Seahawks have also improved. St. Louis would have a decent shot at a playoff berth in another division, but life is much more difficult in the NFC West.

Arizona Cardnials: 5-11
Larry Fitzgerald has to be a very happy man right now. After coming off a bad year last year, he has a good quarterback throwing to him this season. The Cardinals will be much more competitive than they were in 2012 because they'll actually have a competent quarterback at the helm. Unfortunately, they're not quite good enough to pose a legitimate challenge to the 49ers and Seahawks just yet. Factoring in their brutal schedule, they'll likely win anywhere between five and eight games.

AFC West
This division is a little different from its counterpart. This division, as far as I can tell, has one great team, one average team, one slightly below average team, and one bad team. Here's how it plays out

Denver Broncos: 14-2
Despite a lack luster running game, The Broncos have zero competition in the AFC West. So barring a Peyton Manning injury, they should be able to claim the division quite easily. The question is whether they can make a Super Bowl run. Given that the Patriots, their main competition, lost some personnel this offseason, they definitely should be able to. Von Miller's absence on Defense will hurt the Broncos a bit, but they are good enough to cover it for now till he gets back.

Kansas City Cheifs: 8-8
The Chiefs have gotten a little better from a year ago, but it still won't be good enough. The team is thin at some positions so if anybody gets hurt they are screwed. The Chiefs would be a Super Bowl contender if they had a very good quarterback. Alex Smith does not qualify as one, unfortunately. Still, he and Andy Reid are both superior to the Matt Cassel-Romeo Crennel combination, so they'll be better than they were in 2012. They won't have a chance to win the division unless Peyton Manning gets hurt, but they'll be in contention for a wild card spot.

San Diego Chargers: 6-10
The Chargers are always perceived to be better than they are because they have big names like Philip Rivers, Antonio Gates and Ryan Mathews. There are so many holes on this team, however, that they can't possibly contend for the division. They have a good core on offense, with the names just mentioned, but they haven't built a solid enough team around it yet. Whether Rivers bounces back or not will determine if San Diego is one of the five worst teams in the NFL.

Oakland Raiders: 1-15
The Raiders have one of the worst rosters the NFL has seen in decades. Their quarterbacks are terrible, their running back is always hurt, their receivers drop tons of passes, their offensive line isn't very good, their defensive line can't get to the quarterback, their linebackers have never played together, and their cornerbacks can't cover. Oakland has a legitimate shot to go 0-16 this season.

NFC South
This is going to be a fun division to watch this season.

New Orleans Saints: 11-5
The Saints are definitely a bounce-back candidate. Drew Brees is still as sharp as ever, while some positive changes were made on defense. Most importantly, Sean Payton has returned. New Orleans absolutely could overtake the Falcons as NFC South champions again and make a run at another Super Bowl.

Atlanta Falcons: 10-6*
The Falcons will always be competitive as long as Matt Ryan is under center, but this team is definitely worse than last year's version because of its declining defense. Atlanta has one of the worst stop units in the NFL, and that may ultimately cost them the division now that the Saints have their head coach back on the sidelines. Yes its nice to be able to score at will, like the Falcons can do. the problem here is they look like they may have trouble stopping teams. Wild Card spot for the Falcons for sure.

Carolina Panthers: 8-8
Cam Newton and the Panthers made some great progress toward the end of the 2012 season, but it's fair to wonder if their momentum won't carry over to 2013 with a new offensive coordinator. Newton's mentality has such a big impact on how the team does, so the new coaching situation could help derail Carolina this season. Having said that, Carolina will be competitive enough to fight for a playoff spot. Newton still has a decent team around him, but its not good enough to really make a push in this talent heavy a division.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 5-11
The Bucs have one of the tougher schedules in the NFL to deal with this season. Playing against a lot of top tier teams, and not having much of an offense to work with, really leaves Tampa in a pickle. The Bucs got more talent on both sides of the ball, but don't have a stabel quarterback under center. The Buccaneers will continue to be the worst team in the NFC South as long as they're the only franchise in the division that doesn't have its quarterback situation figured out. Josh Freeman has just one more chance to turn things around, but things aren't very optimistic in that regard.

AFC South
Another division that is going to be a decent one to look out for.

Houston Texans: 11-5
Houston still has the best set of running backs in all of the league, but that's really it on offense that can be looked at as elite. Houston has a decent chance to claim the AFC South again. The Colts will definitely provide some fierce competition, but the Texans still have to be considered the favorite. However, they haven't done enough to overtake the two elite teams in the conference. It's likely that Houston will have another second-round playoff exit.

Indianapolis Colts: 11-5*
Many expect the Colts to regress this season because they were really lucky at times last year, pulling victories out of nowhere and riding the Chuck Pagano-related wave. However, Andrew Luck could just as easily take a huge step forward and lead his team to the playoffs again. He has enough talent around him to make a playoff push again this year, but still not enough to get past Houston.  Luck doesn't have the talent to take Indianapolis deep into the playoffs just yet, but the team will definitely contend for a postseason spot.

Tennessee Titans: 6-10
This is another example of a team having a bit of a tough schedule. The Titans have gotten better this year. They will be a contending team, but sadly for them, it won't be for a few years. Their record may not show it because they lucked into some victories last year, but the Titans will definitely be better this season than they were in 2012. What ultimately has to happen though is Jake Locker improving enough to lead the team into the playoffs. He has the physical ability to do this, but the mental part of his game just isn't there yet. It needs to develop quickly before he, along with everyone on the coaching staff and front office, loses their job.

Jacksonville Jaguars: 1-15
I'm sorry but this is just a bad team. Blaine Gabbert and Chad Henne are the quarterbacks, showing how sad the Jags are at that position. This version of Jacksonville looks to be even worse. Gene Smith completely decimated this roster, so it's going to take time to rebuild it. It's not looking promising, however, with David Caldwell rambling on about building around Blaine Gabbert. That's a disaster waiting to happen. This team could very easily go winless.


NFC North
This is going to be the best division in football to watch this year.

Green Bay Packers: 12-4
The Packers are still the class of this division, despite having one of the tougher schedules in the league. Green Bay lost some decent weapons on offense, leaving Aaron Rogers with a little less to work with this year. Sure Jordy Nelson is going to be the top target at receiver, but losing Greg Jennings leavs Rogers a little short. The running game for the Pack won't be as good, but there's still enough talent to work with and win with this year. Packers should win the division with somewhat ease. It all really depends on the health of Aaron Rogers.

Chicago Bears: 9-7
Chicago got a better offensive line, which has to make Jay Cutler very happy. Chicago still has a solid running game with Matt Forte, but the receiving core is still a little thin. Jay Cutler is going to find a way to make it work. The Bears Defense, despite the loss of Brian Urlacher to retierment, is still one of the best in all of football, which will make them a tough team to play against. The Bears seem poised to overtake the Vikings as the second-place team in the NFC North, but they don't have enough to unseat the Packers just yet. However, they'll definitely contend for a playoff spot, so they may get a third shot against hated Green Bay in January again.

Minnesota Vikings: 8-8
Minnesota lost their best receiver in Percy Harvin, and replaced him with Greg Jennings, that's it as far as major offseason moves go. The Vikings barely clawed their way into the playoffs last year despite seeing their star player have one of the all-time great seasons. Adrian Peterson will need to duplicate that feat unless Christian Ponder improves by a decent amount and the schedule proves itself to not be as tough as it's perceived to be. Given all of that, it's unlikely that Minnesota will be in the playoffs again this year.

Detroit Lions: 8-8
The Lions have plenty of talent on their roster, but that was the case last year when they went 4-12. Detroit still has the best receiver in the game in Calvin Johnson, and Matthew Stafford is getting much better as a quarterback. The running game in Detroit has gotten better with the addition of Reggie Bush. The defense still leaves a little something to be desired, which is going to hurt the Lions playoff potential. They're a team that has tons of potential, but the lack of discipline and a losing mentality constantly derails their chances. Detroit has been expected to grow up for years. It's never happened, and there's no reason to think this season will be any different, especially with the amount of questions they have on their offensive line.

AFC North
This will be one division that's always tough to play in and against. This year will be much of the same, and with a bit of a change up in seeding from years past.

Baltimore Ravens: 11-5
Yes the Ravens are the defending Super Bowl Champions, but as long as they can overcome the distractions that come with winning a Super Bowl - and considering how many players left, that shouldn't be a huge issue - they'll once again contend for a playoff spot and hope to recapture their postseason magic. The Ravens still have a solid running game with Ray Rice and of course there's Joe Flacco. The receiver crop took a hit with the injury to Dennis Pita, and the departure of their best receiver from a year ago Anquan Boldin. The same thing happened with the defense, with Ed Reed signing with another team and Ray Lewis retiring. They lost some key veterans, but they made shrewd moves during the offseason and still happen to be one of the top teams in the AFC.

Cincinnati Bengals: 10-6*
The Bengals figure to be better this season than they were in 2012, but a ridiculously tough schedule, mainly in the first half of the year, could thwart their playoff chances. They'll still definitely be in contention for the AFC North crown, but Baltimore regrouping quickly and Pittsburgh bouncing back will make things very difficult. The Bengals have more for Andy Dalton to work with, as AJ Green will be a big target, and BenJarvis Greene-Elis taking the bulk of the carries this season. One of the troubles the Bengals had last year was their pass rush, and this year addressed it having one of the better front four in the league. The Bengals have a tough schedule but should be able to snag the other wild card.

Pittsburgh Steelers: 10-6
The Steelers will likely bounce back this season. They got rid of some offensive slackers, added a devastating pass-rusher and saw some of their key defenders train incredibly hard this spring. Ben Rothlisberger doesn't really have the big names to throw to this year, so the Pittsburgh passing game could be in question. Same thing with the running game.Issac Redman doesn't scare me, so the Steelers running game is going to be tough. The Offense will put up some points but they won't be breaking any records. The defense got a lot better. The linebacker core in Pittsburgh is intimidating, and will be a big help for this ball club. The Pittsburgh veterans have to be mad about not making the playoffs last year, so they'll be out to prove themselves in 2013.

Cleveland Browns: 3-13
The Browns showed progress last year. They were actually competitive, which was quite shocking for their fans. Unfortunately, Michael Lombardi appears to have sabotaged any progress they have made. This might be for the greater, long-term good, but Cleveland is going to be dreadful for quite a while.

NFC East
Last year the East came right down to the wire. The way things shaped up this offseason, looks like it could happen again this year.

New York Giants: 10-6
The Giants looked like they were going to run away with the division last year when they started 6-2, but multiple things, including Washington's ascent, derailed their chances late in the season. Considering the uncertainty with Robert Griffin, New York definitely has a better shot to reclaim the NFC East. I know the Giants lost Bradshaw, but they still have a decent back in David Wilson. Eli Manning still has his full complement of receivers to toss to, so he's not worried about the passing game. The defense and secondary leaves me scratching my head a bit but they are still a good enough team to take the division this season.

Washington Redskins: 9-7
The Redskins' 2013 season solely depends on Robert Griffin. If he can make it back on time and stay healthy for most of the year, Washington will probably be in the playoffs. If, however, Griffin is constantly in and out of the lineup, it's likely that some other team will win the division. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like there's a good chance that Griffin will make it through the 2013 campaign unscathed. Even when he's healthy he doesn't have much to work with. Think about it. Sure he has a very good back to hand the ball to in Alfred Morris, but the passing game isn't all that great. It has the potential to be good, with Pierre Garcon, and maybe Santana Moss, but they aren't much of a threat. And the Skins defense is about average at best.

Dallas Cowboys: 7-9
Something always seems to go wrong with the Cowboys. They botch a hold. They ice their own kicker. Their quarterback gets hurt in a must-win game. They whiff on a potential game-winning field goal. It has always been something, and it'll always continue to be something as long as Jason Garrett and Tony Romo are paired together. This Dallas team will likely win anywhere between six and nine games in 2013, all while choking at the end of the year, of course. Romo has a good set of receivers to throw to, so the passing game won't be a worry. The running game is a bit of a question. DeMarcco Murry is OK but that's about it. dallas has no pass rush on defense and that could hurt them this year.

Philadelphia Eagles: 5-11
The Eagles have more questions than any other team in the league. Who will be the starting quarterback? What type of offense will Chip Kelly run? Will Kelly's new gimmicks even work in the NFL? What sort of defense will they play? Can all of the new starters in the secondary gel quickly together? Philadelphia will probably be better than it was last year, but the team figures to endure a ton of growing pains in 2013.

AFC East
Sadly this may be the weakest division in the league at the moment.

New England Patriots: 12-4
Hands down the best team in this division. The Aaron Hernandez situation would be enough to derail any NFL team's chances, but if there's one organization that can overcome something like this, it's the Patriots. Most thought they would capsize after the Spygate ramifications, but they turned that into a positive and thrived. They could easily duplicate that feat in 2013. Besides, the Patriots will always be a Super Bowl contender as long as Tom Brady is healthy. The receiving crop on the Patriots is a little thin, but still knowing Tom Brady, he will find a way to put up good, solid numbers with the targets he has. The Patriots defense is still very good.

Miami Dolphins: 8-8
Big free-agent spending sprees can be treacherous. On one hand, Miami's roster has definitely improved with the additions that Jeff Ireland made. On the other hand, the new players will have to gel together, all while expectations are sky high. Big expectations from an untested team usually means big failure, as the 2011 Philadelphia Eagles learned. There's a chance the Dolphins could make the playoffs this season, but it's more likely that they'll choke under this new pressure.

New York Jets: 5-11
The Jets aren't as bad as everyone thinks they are, but they still aren't very good... if that makes any sort of sense. Some consider them to be the worst team in the league, but they're not. They still have a solid defense that will keep them in games. Unfortunately, their offense will make sure their win total is ultimately six or fewer.

Buffalo Bills: 3-13
The Bills have a new quarterback, a new receiving corps and a new defensive formation. New tends to be good more often than not, but not in football. E.J. Manuel is super raw, the receivers are almost all inexperienced, while the current players may not be good fits for Mike Pettine's system. Buffalo is once again one of the worst teams in the league. However, this season is all about building for the future, so the primary focus will be developing Manuel and his wideouts.

OK so with all of that being said here are my final predictions. Below are the teams I have making the playoffs as well as my picks for the Super Bowl:

NFC:
San Francisco 49ers
New Orleans Saints
Green bay Packers
New York Giants
Wild Card: Atlanta Falcons
Wild Card: Seattle Seahawks

AFC:
Denver Broncos
Houston Texans
Cincinnati Bengals
New England Patriots
Wild Card: Indianapolis Colts
Wild Card: Baltimore Ravens

Super Bowl:
Denver Broncos vs San Francisco 49ers!