From Pretender to Contender, and Vice Versa

Photo courtesy of zimbio.com. Could Robert Griffin III (pictured above) help transform the Redskins from a pretender into a contender? Our very own Jeremy Powers thinks so.

By Jeremy Powers

The football season is upon us. Put a smile on your face.

Tonight, the Giants travel to the Jerry Jones Dome to revive the rivalry that received plenty of media attention as is typically the case this offseason.

I can’t wait to see which teams will take a step back and which teams will rise from the ruins and contend for a playoff birth. Let’s look at a recent example, shall we.

Last season, Tampa Bay stepped back from a ten-win season in 2010 to a 4-12 record and a last place finish in the NFC South. Ouch, talk about the opposite side of the spectrum. The Bucs were a pretender last season.

Cincinnati, who won four games in 2010—reached the playoffs with rookies leading the way on offense. Andy Dalton and A.J. Green made a formidable duo and the Bengals defense was stout all season long leading the team to a 9-7 record. The Bengals were a contender last season.

This season I expect some of the same parity that we see every season in the NFL. I see a few teams emerging as playoff contenders and some teams falling straight into the depths of their respective divisions.

Contender:

The Washington Redskins were 5-11 last season. Drafting Robert Griffin III is a huge upgrade at quarterback over Rex Grossman and John Beck that will result in two more wins minimum. Not to mention the addition of Pierre Garcon as a big-play threat. Washington’s defense is quite impressive on paper as well. Playing in a 3-4 base defense, the Redskins linebackers will lead them as veteran London Fletcher powers a group that also starts second-year guy Ryan Kerrigan, and All-Pro Brian Orakpo. I think the Redskins get to 8-8 this season, which puts them in the hunt for a wild card spot.

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Final NFL Regular Season Power Rankings: It’s Playoff Time

Photo courtesy of sports.gearlive.com. The Packers have been number one in the power rankings all season long. Can they hold up their end of the bargain and repeat as Super Bowl champions?

By Wesley Kaminsky

In the final edition of power rankings before postseason play starts next weekend, I’m ranking teams on their entire body of work for the 2011 season. It was a crazy season, just as it always is, and one of the most exciting regular seasons we have seen in quite some time.

Some of the wild events just to name a few were “Tebow Mania,” the Packers near run of perfection, and Dan Marino’s single season passing record getting broken (twice). We truly have seen the gamut this season.

Now, it’s the best time of the year, the playoffs. Who will be this years Packers? Or will the Packers win back to back Super Bowls?

NFL Week 17 Predictions

Photo courtesy of Cincinnati.com. Can rookies Andy Dalton (left) and A.J. Green (right) lead Cincinnati to victory on Sunday which would result in a playoff berth?

By Josh Kramer

This is it folks.  After a very uncertain off-season, the 2011/2012 NFL season has lived up to all of the hype and more. Without question, it has been the “Year of the Quarterback,” defined by guys like Tebow, Rodgers, Brees, Newton, Brady, and more.  As is usually the case, there is still plenty to be determined in Week 17, with three playoff spots still available.  Plus the winner of the second annual “TheSportsKraze Pick’em Challenge” must be determined.   Grab your popcorn, because the season finale will be fun.

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

The participants this season are as follows:

TheSportsKraze (TSK) (defending champion)-Josh Kramer-Founder/Editor-In-Chief of “TheSportsKraze” and former ESPN intern.

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

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

DC-David Clark-A dedicated sports fan who was coached by TheSportsKraze on his fraternity flag football team.  After playing for TheSportsKraze, he has developed a slow but steady motivation to show his coach who the real pick’em champion is.

After Week 16, here is the scoreboard.

CB-152

TSK-159

CV3-151

DC-148

Week 17 Slate:

Week 15 NFL Power Rankings: Giants Save Season With Comeback Win

Photo courtesy of zimbio.com. It appeared all over in Dallas after Dez Bryant (pictured above) scored on a 50-yard strike midway through the 4th. Sadly for the Cowboys, the lead did not hold up and it is a whole new ballgame in the NFC East now.

By Wesley Kaminsky

On 2nd and 11, with 5 minutes and 52 seconds left, the Cowboys led the Giants 27-22. Then, Tony Romo connected with a wide open Dez Bryant for a 50 yard touchdown, as the Cowboys took a 34-22 lead with 5:41 left. The Cowboys were about to end the Giants season and take control of the NFC East.

Eli Manning had something to say about that though. Manning orchestrated two beautiful drives as the Giants did the improbable, and won in Dallas 37-34, on a Jason Pierre-Paul blocked field goal. Now, it’s the Giants division to lose, and it might just come down to Week 17 when they meet again, at the Meadowlands.

That wasn’t the only thrilling finish in Week 14 though. T.J. Yates, in just his second career start, threw the game winning touchdown pass to Kevin Walter with two seconds left to lead the Texans to the franchises first playoff berth.

And then of course, there were the Broncos, who overcame a 10-0 deficit with 4:34 seconds remaining. The Bears are just another team on what is becoming a long list, who have been “Tebowed,” which has become the most popular expression of the 2011 NFL season. It’s amazing how much this Broncos team believes in Tim Tebow and I can’t say enough about it. The guy is just a winner.

Week 14 NFL Power Rankings: All Aboard the Tebow Train

Photo courtesy of zimbio.com. Aaron Rodgers (pictured above) is having a magical season in every sense of the word.

By Wesley Kaminsky

In Week 14, Aaron Rodgers and the Packers stayed undefeated, the Eagles got rocked in Seattle, and Tim Tebow led another fourth quarter comeback for the Broncos. Yeah, it was just your average week in the 2011 NFL season.

If you are not a Tebowist by now, than you should become one. There’s something special about this kid, and he has turned around the entire Broncos season. He’s helped lead a five game winning streak for the Broncos and has them in first place. You can’t tell me you don’t want to see him in the playoffs. I, for one, wouldn’t want to play him come playoff time.

While Tebow has been impressive though, no player in the NFL is playing better than Aaron Rodgers right now. You just get the sense that he is not going to let the Packers lose this season. Just ask the Giants about that one. At 12-0, they have four more games to go for an undefeated season. I’d put my money on them to do it.

Week 12 NFL Power Rankings: Bears Win Fifth Straight, Lose Jay Cutler

Photo courtesy of bearsgab.com. Jay Cutler (pictured above) will likely be sidelined for the rest of the regular season. How will the Bears respond without their offensive leader?

By Wesley Kaminsky

Last week it was Matt Schaub who was lost for the season with a foot injury, just when the Texans looked like they were getting it all together. A week later, it’s Jay Cutler who will likely miss the remainder of the regular season with a broken thumb on his throwing hand that will require surgery. This couldn’t come at a worse time for a Bears team who have five straight games and look like a legitimate threat to the Packers. Now, that talk will have to wait, as the Bears turn to Caleb Hanie, and pray he can lead them back to the playoffs.

1. Green Bay Packers (1, won 35-26): 10-0. Next up, the Packers get their biggest test of the season yet: In Detroit, on Thanksgiving. (Next game: at Detroit)

You just got Tebowed

Photo courtesy of zimbio.com. Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow (pictured above) continues to shock the world with his winning ways.

By Josh Kramer

It’s a bird.  It’s a plane.  It’s Tim Tebow?  Yet again NFL headlines are being dominated by the one and only Tim Tebow.  The Tebow phenomenon has become one of the most unexplainable storylines in all of sports.  Nobody, including myself, believe this guy has any business being a starting quarterback in the National Football League.  Yet he keeps winning.

That is all Tim Tebow does.  He wins.  Just the way he does it, absolutely blows your mind.  Tim Tebow has become the LeBron James of the NFL.  He is rapidly becoming the most well-known figure in the sport.  Though he constantly dominates the tabloids in a similar fashion to the King, the Gator God is by no means one of the game’s elite players.  He by no means is even an above average player. But he is still a mega star to say the least.

Tim Tebow will give you the opposite of what King James will get you.  He plays awful for well over three quarters.  and then brings out his best in the fourth (Lebron gives you three great quarters and then his worst in the fourth).  The real question is would you prefer three quarters, or one?

Week 11 NFL Power Rankings: Eagles Hit Rock Bottom

Photo courtesy of withfriendship.com. Andy Reid (pictured above) appears to be sitting on a boiling seat these days. His time in Philadelphia appears about done.

By Wesley Kaminsky

Eagles 34, Cowboys 7. That was the score three weeks ago when the Eagles dominated the Cowboys, winning their second straight game, leading people to believe that the self-proclaimed “Dream Team” had finally figured it out.

How fooled we all were.

After a Week 9 home loss to the Bears on Monday Night Football, Eagles fans had all but lost hope. Week 10 was a new low, as they lost to the John Skelton-led Cardinals in Philadelphia 21-17. At 3-6, Andy Reid’s seat has never been hotter, and the city of Philadelphia has lost its patience. Michael Vick has regressed this season, and his status is in doubt for their Sunday Night game in New York. If he cannot go, Vince Young, the very man who proclaimed the Eagles the “Dream Team” would start. Oh, joy.

Week 9 NFL Power Rankings: Eagles take flight

Photo courtesy of blog.pennlive.com. LeSean McCoy (pictured above) has been simply sensational this year for Philadelphia. If this team finds a way into the postseason, much of it will be due to the featured running back.

By Wesley Kaminsky

It took seven games, a fourth quarter collapse against the 49ers, but the 2011 Philadelphia Eagles have finally arrived. In their 34-7 domination of the Cowboys on Sunday Night, every thing was clicking, and the self-proclaimed “Dream Team” looks as though they are finally figuring it all out. That wasn’t all that happened this weekend, though.

The Ravens needed an 18-3 second half effort to beat the Cardinals, 30-27, while the Saints got shocked in St. Louis 31-21. The wild season that is taking place this season just continues to get more unpredictable. Who had the Chiefs winning four straight games after their miserable 0-3 start? Seriously, did anybody have the 49ers, Bills, and Bengals with a combined 17-5 record at this point in the season?

I didn’t think so.

Week 7 NFL Power Rankings

Photo courtesy of fantasyfootballhelp.com. Not too many people are talking about the lone undefeated team in the NFL after six weeks. Green Bay has been simply outstanding riding guys such as Jordy Nelson (pictured above) to easy victories.

By Wesley Kaminsky

Week six is in the books, and it consisted of drama–and lots of it. Some of it wasn’t even on the field itself. Following the 49ers comeback victory in Detroit, Jim Harbaugh was excited, and fiery. Apparently Lions coach Jim Schwartz didn’t like how Harbaugh shook his hand, as he continued to yell at the Niners coach all the way down the field. The two had to be broken up as they were heading into the tunnel.

Now, that’s drama.

If you don’t know anything about Jim Harbaugh, that’s just his personality. He does things his way and doesn’t care what people say about him. Remember while at Stanford when Pete Carroll famously asked Harbaugh, “what’s your deal?”  Do you think Harbaugh looks like the kind of guy who cares how he is perceived?

No coach has done a better job this season than him either. After inheriting a 6-10 49er’s team, and having a limited off-season due to the lockout, Harbaugh has brought football back in San Francisco. He has done with Alex Smith what neither Mike Nolan, or Mike Singletary was able to do; make him a quarterback.

There’s just something about this Harbaugh guy.