NFL Week 2 Predictions

Photo courtesy of zimbio.com. Many are talking about the Lions/49ers matchup. Unfortunately, much of the discussion revolves around the animosity between Jim Schwartz (left) and Jim Harbaugh (right).

By Josh Kramer

Week 1 of the NFL season was everything we could have hoped for.  Five teams scored 40 or more points.  Robert Griffin III performed like a Heisman Trophy winner is supposed to.  Peyton Manning showed that playing quarterback in the NFL is like riding a bike for him.  And the replacement referees, though far from perfect, did not directly influence the outcome of a game.

As has become the tradition, we are once again having “TheSportsKraze Pick’em Challenge.”

The participants this season are as follows:

BD-Brien Dulle: A life-long sports fan that has lived all of his life in Cincinnati. Growing up as a sports fan in a tough city for professional teams (Bengals and Reds), Brien never developed strong allegiances for any one particular team. This unbiased vantage point gives him a much broader range of the sporting world. His opinions from sports have been greatly influenced by the likes of individuals like Colin Cowherd, Scott Van Pelt, Ryen Russillo, Tony Kornheiser, and Michael Wilbon whom he listens to daily.

CB-Craig Baker:  A former collegiate baseball player and current special education teacher.

CV3-Chad Vordenberge:  An elite high school wide receiver and a very successful business owner.

TSK (two-time defending champion)-Josh Kramer: Founder/Editor-in-Chief of “TheSportsKraze,” former ESPN intern, current Sunday columnist for the popular SNY Network Blog “It’s About The Money,” and writer for fantasy sports website DraftDay.com.

After Week 1, here is the scoreboard.

BD-11

CB-11

CV3-9

TSK-11

Week 2 Slate:

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Food for Thought 9-11-2012

Photo courtesy of zimbio.com. Robert Griffin III (pictured above) made things look very easy in the Big Easy on Sunday. Will he continue to play this way all season?

By Josh Kramer

Sports played a prominent role in helping our country cope with the unthinkable terrorist acts that occurred 11 years ago to the day.  Our nation holds sports near and dear to their hearts on a daily basis.  The USA has grown stronger as a nation since the horrific terrorist acts of 9/11 and sports are still doing their part.

RGIII was made for DC

Maybe Robert Griffin III is football’s version of Superman.  The reigning Heisman Trophy winner put on a debut performance for the ages on Sunday, leading the Redskins to an opening day victory over the Saints.  Now sure, one could argue that Matt Ryan put up slightly better numbers on Sunday.  Or that Cam Newton threw for 422 yards in his rookie debut last September.

Let’s focus on reality though.  Matt Ryan has far more experience and an outstanding supporting cast.  Also, exactly one year ago, Cam Newton passed for an astonishing 422 yards, but he also tossed an interception, and his team lost the game.  With five rookie quarterbacks starting on Sunday, I think much of America forgot just how hard it is to be a rookie quarterback in the NFL.  By Sunday evening, everyone remembered after four of the quarterbacks went home losers and tossed a combined 11 interceptions (and just two touchdowns).

RGIII on the other hand made things look easy as he outplayed future Hall of Famer Drew Brees in front of a hostile Saints crowd.

Food for Thought 8-21-2012

Photo courtesy of zimbio.com. Jake Locker (pictured above) will be the Tennessee Titans starting quarterback in the season opener against New England.

By Josh Kramer

Preseason NFL football has turned into “Quarterback Gossip Central.”  Where is the media attention for the cornerback competitions?  Or how about the many wide receiver battles?  I guess it makes sense though.  There is no position of more importance to a football team than the quarterback.  Plus, there can only be one starter per team.  Let’s go around the League and delve into a couple of the current “Quarterback Controversies.”

Titans:

Recently, it was announced that Jake Locker will be the starter in Tennessee for opening night against the New England Patriots.  Is anyone really surprised though?  Sure, Matt Hasselbeck has been in the League since 1999, but Jake Locker was a first-round draft pick.  When a quarterback is selected in the first-round, they are expected to start within two years of being drafted.  It’s the way it is.  Hasselbeck can still play, but he is far past his prime at the ripe age of 36.  Plus, Locker is 24-years-old and oozing with talent.

Could lightning strike twice?

Photo courtesy of zimbio.com. The professional career of Matt Leinart (pictured above) has not exactly gone as planned. Now Leinart finds himself back in California and with a familiar teammate. Could Leinart finally begin to live up to some of the promise he demonstrated at USC?

By Josh Kramer

USC was the cream of the crop in college football during the early part of the 2000s.  They were the “U,” after the “U.”  This resulted in their naming as the team of the decade for the period between 1996 and 2006.  It was a renaissance of sorts in Los Angeles in regards to collegiate football.  All was good in southern California under the direction of Pete Carroll and an outstanding crop of quarterbacks.  Carson Palmer got the party started in Trojanville taking home a Heisman Trophy and an Orange Bowl victory.  Then came Matt Leinart.  Leinart proceeded to have one of the all-time great college careers capturing two National Championships and a Heisman Trophy.

After his decorated college career, Palmer went on to spend eight years in the Midwest.  There were many ups and downs for the former Trojan star, but due to injuries and many other factors, Palmer never lived up to the promise he once demonstrated as a Trojan.  Matt Leinart’s professional career has still failed to really take flight yet. It has been all downs and very few ups for the former Heisman winner.

Well yesterday, Matt Leinart signed on with the Oakland Raiders and put himself into a familiar spot.  Not only is he back in California, but he is back to studying under Carson Palmer.We all know what results that yielded back when he was sporting the cardinal and gold.  Could lightning strike twice for Leinart?

Weekly Nickel 12-12-2011

Photo courtesy of zimbio.com. Will Louisville Head Coach Rick Pitino (pictured above) be all smiles next Saturday after Louisville hosts old Conference USA rival Memphis?

By Josh Kramer

Both number one and number two went down in college basketball.  Baylor claimed its first Heisman.  And the NL MVP was apparently taking some sort of illegal performance-enhancing drug (PED).  Last week was absolutely wild, but this week should be fun in its own right. Here are the events to keep an eye on this week.

5.  Bowl season is upon us.  We all were thoroughly impressed by Robert Griffin III on Saturday night in NYC.  The guys is truly a gentlemen and a phenomenal ambassador of the sport.  RGIII truly embodies what it means to be a student athlete.  But there is still more football to be played.  Bowl season gets underway on Saturday with a triple-header of games.  I am not sure any of these lackluster bowls will be of interest to you unless you are dedicated fan of one of the schools.  Here is the rundown though.

College Football Week 14: This is it

Photo courtesy of thesportsbank.net. The Big Ten Championship Game is arguably the best matchup of the week. Can Russell Wilson (pictured above) help the Badgers exact revenge on a tough Michigan State team?

By Josh Kramer

At last it is time for the “official” final weekend of the College Football regular season.  Though we have learned a ton since the beginning of September, there are still plenty of questions in need of definitive answers.  These are as follows:

-Who will play in the BCS National Championship Game?

-Who will take home the prestigious Heisman Trophy Award?

-Where will all of the bowl bounds team be heading?

-When will the game of musical chairs in the College Football coaching world generate some solutions?

And I could go on and on..

Here are the marquee matchups.

UCLA at Oregon: Ducks by 31 (yes I expect them to beat the 30 point spread)

Week 9 was pretty fine

Photo courtesy of zimbio.com. Rex Burkhead (pictured above) had himself a huge day in leading the Cornhuskers over the Spartans.

By Josh Kramer

Despite the absence of the top two teams in the nation, Week 9 was pretty fine.  There was a major shakeup in the Big Ten.  A QB out West, who is definitely no “fluke,” continued his Heisman Campaign.  And another unbeaten from the ACC went down hard (Clemson).

Big Ten Bonanza

College Football Week 8: Should be great

Photo courtesy of blog.seattlepi.com. Can Matt Barkley (pictured above) help USC avenge last year's tough loss to Notre Dame?

By Josh Kramer

We have entered the second half of regular season play.  It is no secret who the contenders are.  In addition, the Heisman frontrunners have moved up the totum pole at a blistering pace.  Clemson continues to roll in the ACC.  Stanford seems to be in great shape behind their star quarterback Andrew Luck.  Wisconsin continues to score at a blistering pace with Russell Wilson running the show.  And the SEC seems like it is going to come down to a date in Tuscaloosa November 5th.  Lots to look forward to.  But lets take a look at Week 8.

Here are the marquee matchups.

Auburn at LSU:  Tigers by 17

Headline:  LSU wins the battle of the Tigers as they continue to prep for the November 5th duel in Tuscaloosa.

“Weekly Nickel”

Spring Football is at full go all across the country. Andrew Luck (pictured above) appears ready to for another monster season. Could he lead Stanford all the way while taking home the Heisman?

The last couple of weeks have been absolutely insane in sports.  And this week will undoubtedly be fun, but it may not live up to the hype of the last couple.  No Masters.  No National Championships.  But still lots of action all across the board.

Lets take a closer look.

“College Football Week 14: This is It”

Can South Carolina Head Football Coach Steve Spurrier (pictured above) shock the world and bring South Carolina their first ever SEC Football Championship?

Outside of the Army vs Navy game, this is it.  It is the final countdown.  After this weekend, we will know who will be playing for the National Championship.  We will know which teams are going to which bowl games.  All of the sudden the insanity that is College Football will start to make sense.  Or at least a little bit.

It is a weekend where dreams will be realized, and dreams will be crushed.  Its Championship Week baby, and you got to love it.

Here is a look at this week’s marquee matchups:

Oregon vs Oregon State:  The Ducks are looking to quack their way into the National Championship.  Sadly for them, they still have one last major hurdle to conquer.  They get the pleasure of heading to their in-state rival’s home in Corvallis, with everything to lose.  Oregon State is in the midst of their worst season in some time, but you better believe that Jacquizz wants to bring his older brother James a win in his final home game.  If James Rodgers was healthy and well, I would give the Beavers a chance.  Oregon just has too much offensive firepower though to lose to their rival.  Count on Oregon to stamp a ticket to the National Championship game with a 10 point victory on the road.

Auburn vs South Carolina:  In the wild SEC, it all comes down to this duel in Atlanta.  A rematch of one of the great games of the season.  The game that really vaulted Heisman favorite Cam Newton into the spotlight.  Even if I do not feel that Cam Newton should be eligible for this game, it is a mute subject because he is.  And you better believe Auburn is riding high coming off of their amazing comeback in the Iron Bowl, where they shocked Nick Saban and

Alabama.  What happens after every high though?  A low.  I think Auburn is a great team, but I have a hunch that Marcus Lattimore is going to dominate this game and South Carolina is going to play smart, turnover free football.  Call me crazy, but I am going out on a limb.  I see Auburn digging themselves an early whole as usual, and this time, coming up just short in pulling themselves out.  Look for Steve Spurrier and the Gamecocks to be celebrating the biggest win in school history and their first ever SEC Football Championship.  I got the Gamecocks in a 1 point shocker at home.

Florida State vs Virginia Tech:  The ACC Title Game pits two teams with a lot on the line.  The winner of this game heads to the Orange Bowl.  The loser heads to a much less impressive bowl game.  These two programs each boast a very rich tradition.  Neither of these teams have played the most scintillating of schedules though.  FSU is 1 and 1 against ranked foes, and was embarrassed in their trip to Norman, Oklahoma.  VTech is 2 and 1 due to a heartbreaking loss to Boise State in the opener.  I just feel that the Hokies stellar offensive attack, led by Tyrod Taylor, Darren Evans, Ryan Williams, and Jarret Boykin will be too much for the Seminoles.  Both of these teams have very solid defensive units.  But the difference comes in the Hokies ability to rush the ball effectively against any and all opponents.  I got VTech by 6.

Oklahoma vs Nebraska:  Nebraska is playing in its final Big 12 game.  And you better believe that they would like to go out with a bang.  The Cornhuskers have not won a Big 12 title since 1999.   The program resurgence over the past couple of years has been awesome, but Oklahoma is not as impressed by the heartfelt climb back to the top for Nebraska.  Oklahoma is 6 and 1 all time in the Conference Title Game.  The Sooners electric offensive unit has only been held under 30 points twice this year.  On both of these occasions though, they scored at least 27 points.  These teams each have solid defensive units.  Offensively though, they are very different.  The Cornhuskers rely on a lethal rushing attack while the Sooners love to air it out to big targets like Ryan Broyles and Freshman phenom, Kenny Stills.  Normally in big games like this, the team that can run the ball most effectively is the favorite.  For some reason though, I see Landry Jones having a field day and Nebraska’s offense struggling due to an unhealthy Taylor Martinez.   Oklahoma does the rest of the Big 12 a favor and knocks off the Cornhuskers by 3.

So yes, I am calling a shocker in the SEC Title Game.  Would this mean that Oregon would play TCU in the National Championship if all played out as I am predicting here?  You better believe it.

Now I realize that the  majority of the country wants to see Oregon vs Auburn come January 10th.  And I cannot say that I am not in that majority.  Every year shockers happen during the last week.  I see a major surprise happening in Atlanta. 

I hope you all have enjoyed this College Football season thus far.  I know that I have.  This is it.

Stay tuned for the next edition of TheSportsKraze.

-TheSportsKraze

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