Same Ole....?

In arguably the biggest game of the Rex Ryan-Mark Sanchez era, the New York Jets delivered their worst performance since 1986. It may be too early to call them the "Same Ole Jets" but there is nothing premature about saying it's the "Same Ole AFC East."

The New York Jets-New England Patriots rivalry is one of the biggest, most one-sided, rivalries in sports. 2010 has marked the start of a new decade and Jets fans were hoping a new decade meant new fortunes in the AFC East. New coach, new quarterback, new attitude for the Jets---same division champion. Tom Brady and Bill Belichick will go on to win their eighth AFC East crown while the Jets will be stuck in their similar position of fighting for a wild card spot.

The Jets only hopes of winning a division crown may come to fruition when Tom Brady and/or Bill Belichick finally retire. Until then, they will remain second class citizens.

The Jets were outplayed and outcoached from the kickoff to the final whistle. Mark Sanchez went back to being a rookie, Braylon Edwards went back to dropping balls, Antonio Cromartie went back to being the worst tackler in the league, and Rex Ryan went back to being the pompous "Boy who cried wolf" coach who talks the talk but doesn't walk the walk.

Tom Brady had the answer for everything Rex Ryan threw at him. Whether it be the Jets pathetic blitz packages or sit back zone coverage, Brady was ready to dominate. Rex Ryan watched the league MVP go 21/29 for 326 yards and 4 touchdowns. Brady made sure to send a message to the Jets and he did it by putting a dagger through the heart of Rex Ryan's defense. The Jets had no answers to anything the Patriots were doing. To add insult to injury, former Jet Danny Woodhead had over 100 yards receiving.

This wasn't just one loss in December. This kind of loss puts the entire 2010 New York Jets season into question. Squeaking by the Broncos, Lions, Brown, and Texans now looks like it was more luck then resiliency. The Jets are now 1-3 against teams with a winning record. In those three losses they have scored a combined 12 points and have scored zero touchdowns. Even if the Jets do go on to make the playoffs, how will they compete in the tough AFC conference? They will have two chances in December to win tough games on the road (at Pittsburgh in week 15 and at Chicago in week 16) but after last nights performance how can anyone expect them to win those games? If the offense can't score and the defense can't come close to matching its 2009 form, then the 2010 Jets don't stand a chance.

In 1986, the New York Jets started the season 10-1 before losing 45-3 to the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football. They proceeded to lose their final five games, finishing 10-6. That team remains the only 10-1 team in NFL history to not win it's division. The 2010 Jets started 9-2 and lost 45-3 last night. Will they follow suit and mail in the rest of the season?

It was only two years ago that the Jets began the season 8-3 before collapsing down the stretch. More food for thought? The 2008 New York Jets remain the only team in NFL history to start the season 8-3 and miss the playoffs. The point is, this team has a history of collapsing (see the 1984, 1993, 1997, and 2000 Jets for more proof.)

This coach needs to take control of his team before they completely unravel. He needs to stop telling everyone how talented they are and how great they can be because they have not proved it. For as great as their 2009 postseason was, the team barely squeaked into the playoffs with a 9-7 record. Talent and brashness will only carry the Jets so far. They were just beat by 42 points by their biggest rival in the "biggest game of the year." The Jets have a much more talented roster than the Patriots but it didn't matter last night. New England was more prepared for the game and for the magnitude of the moment. Once again, the Jets started out slow, but because they were playing a formidable opponent, they couldn't come back. The avalanche never stopped and the embarrassment only got worse and worse.

People can say "it's only one loss" all they want. Last night was the chance for the Jets to sweep the Patriots for the first time since 2000. Not only could they not get the job done, they couldn't prove they belonged on the same field as New England. There is still a quarter of the season left but if the Jets don't make some major changes the preseason hype will be all for not. People will look at the 2010 team and say its the "Same Ole...." you get the point.

The Biggest to Date

It may not be Yankees-Red Sox just yet, but the New York Jets vs New England Patriots rivalry continues to make its case as one of the best in sports.

In the latest chapter, the two AFC East counterparts square off in arguably the most anticipated Monday Night Football game of the past five years. Both teams sport a 9-2 record, the best record in not only the AFC, but the entire NFL. Not since the 10-1 New York Giants visited the 10-1 San Francisco 49ers late in the 1990 season has Monday Night Football featured two teams with such outstanding records.

Over the past 15 years, there has been no shortage of memorable moments on and off the field between the Jets and Patriots.

-After leading the Patriots to Super Bowl XXXI, Bill Parcells left New England to become the Head Coach of the Jets.

-In one of the best off season signings of all time, the Jets signed restricted free agent Curtis Martin away from New England. Martin would go on to become the fourth all time leading rusher in NFL history.

-Only one day after taking the job, Bill Belichick resigned as head coach of the Jets, instead deciding to become coach of the New England Patriots.

-In week 2 of the 2001 season it was Jets linebacker Mo Lewis who delivered the crushing hit on Drew Bledsoe that gave Tom Brady his chance to see the field.

-In week 10 of the 2006 season, Eric Mangini made his return to New England. The Jets defeated the Patriots 17-14. It remains the last time Tom Brady lost a regular season home game.

-Later in the 2006 season, in the only playoff meeting between the two teams, it was the Patriots who got the last laugh, defeating the Jets 37-16.

-After a 38-14 Patriots victory in week 1 of the 2007 season, the Jets caught New England violating league rules by video taping signals. The controversy is still a big story to this day.

Since Rex Ryan has taken over, his Jets own a 2-1 advantage in the rivalry. After the Patriots had won eight in a row at the Meadowlands, Ryan's Jets have won the last two matchups in their home stadium. The only matchup in New England resulted in a Mark Sanchez meltdown (four interceptions, one lost fumble) and a 31-14 Patriot victory. Though the Patriots won the AFC East last season, it was the Jets who made the most noise, advancing to the AFC Conference Championship game.

Going into this season, the Jets were the hot ticket and trendy Super Bowl pick. Though the Jets had not won the division since 2002, the experts predicted this would finally be the year in which the Jets overcame New England to seize control of the AFC East. That may still very well be the case, but they must get through the Patriots on Monday Night to do so.

These two teams could not be more opposite. The Jets are arrogant, cocky, and loud while the Patriots are quiet, confident, and determined. Rex Ryan has already changed the "Patriot-like" culture created by his predecessor Eric Mangini. If Rex wants to truly make his mark then his Jets will need to win this game and ultimately win the division crown.

Though the rivalry was overwhelmingly in New England's favor before 2008, winning 11 out of 12 against the Jets, the tide has turned lately, with the Jets winning 3 out of the last 4 meetings between the two. This Monday Night game is eerily similar to the Thursday Night matchup between the 6-3 Jets and 6-3 Patriots in New England in week 11 of the 2008 NFL season. First place was on the line and the Jets pulled out a memorable 34-31 overtime victory. However, Brett Favre and Matt Cassell were the quarterbacks that night, not Mark Sanchez and Tom Brady. Oh and Eric Mangini was still the coach, not Rex Ryan.

This Monday Night, one of the game's best rivalries will install a new chapter into its storied history. With the amount of buildup and hype, it has the chance to be most memorable game ever between the two.

A Star Is Born

Jets fans have watched Jim Kelly lead the Bills, Dan Marino lead the Dolphins, and Tom Brady lead the Patriots, all the while waiting for their own franchise quarterback. The wait is officially over.

In a Super Bowl or bust season, facing enormous pressure, and constantly being referred to as the "weak link", Mark Sanchez has quickly become not only an adequate starting quarterback, he has become a star in the making.

However, should we really be surprised? We should have seen the signs as to what kind of quarterback he could be.

-Hes the kind of quarterback who outplays Tom Brady in only his 2nd career start, leading the Jets to a 16-9 victory over Belichek and the Patriots. The first Jets win home victory over New England since 2000.

-Hes the kind of quarterback who completes 80% of his passes in his 1st career road playoff game in freezing temperatures in Cincinnati.

-Hes the kind of quarterback who scrambles and keeps the play alive on 3rd and goal in San Diego, throwing a touchdown pass to give the Jets the lead in the 4th quarter, orchestrating the biggest upset of the 2009 NFL season.

-Hes the kind of quarterback who throws a picture perfect 80 yard touchdown pass to Braylon Edwards on the road in the AFC Championship game with Dwight Freeney breathing down his neck.

Despite these outstanding moments from his rookie season, Sanchez has continually been scrutinized and ridiculed. His rookie season was far from perfect but it was not nearly as poor as people made it out to be. Of his 20 interceptions in 2009, 15 came in 5 games, meaning in the other 10 games he only threw 5. Not trying to paint him as an MVP, but he played well for a rookie in every two out of three games.

On the biggest stage in the postseason, he became only the second rookie quarterback in NFL history to win two playoff games. His QB Rating of 92.7 through three playoff games is the highest ever for any rookie quarterback in the postseason. All in all, no rookie quarterback has ever had a better postseason than the one Mark Sanchez had in 2009.

In his second season, Sanchez has build on his rookie performance and improved in ways that even the most optimistic Jets fan could not have imagined. The Jets are currently the number one seed in the highly competitive AFC and they owe it all to their 24 year old quarterback.

The running game and defense have not equalized, or even come close, to their 2009 form. The onus has fallen back on Sanchez and he has delivered time and time again. Whether it be a 4th and 6 with the game on the line in Denver, a 10 point deficit with less then 3 minutes left in Detroit, tied at 20 with 24 seconds left in overtime in Cleveland, or down 4 with 55 seconds left and no timeouts while being 72 yards away from pay dirt, Sanchez has come through in the clutch.

There is no doubt that up until this point Sanchez has been the best player on the 2010 Jets. Without his stellar play the team could easily find itself at 4-6 or worse. He only started 16 games at USC but his two biggest performances came in the two biggest games of his college career against Ohio State and Penn State. The recipe for his heroics has been present before he became an NFL quarterback.

Whatever the "it" factor is, Mark Sanchez certainly has it. In a league where offenses and quarterbacks continue to dominate, the New York Jets finally have their man.

Mind Games Not Working In D.C

Maybe we owe Albert Haynesworth an apology after all.

Only two months after America was forced to watch the Mike Shanahan-Albert Haynesworth soap opera play out in D.C, Donovan McNabb has become the latest victim of the head coach's ridiculous mind games and antics.

Down six with close to two minutes to play, Shanahan benched his "franchise" quarterback and replaced him with backup Rex Grossman---yes that Rex Grossman, with the game on the line. Up until that point, McNabb had a respectable stat line, 17-30 for 210 yards 1 TD 1 Int and 4 carries for 45 yards, and led the Redskins offense to 25 points.

McNabb's performance on the field hardly seemed worthy of a benching but Shanahan saw otherwise. In an effort to justify his actions, Shanahan has come out with new answers seemingly every hour, each one being more ridiculous then the one before it. It started with McNabb not being knowledgeable of the team's two minute offense, proceeded to McNabb needing to rest an injured hamstring, then evolved into McNabb not having enough cardiovascular health to keep up the tempo in a two minute drill.

In regards to not being ready for a two minute drill, Donovan has been a Redskin since April 4th and has been in the league for 12 years, certainly enough time to know what to do. He was also able to bust off a 36 yard run in Sunday's game so the injured hamstring and cardiovascular health seem to be ok. See a trend here? The excuses are ludacris.

The only thing worse then a dumb mistake is a dumb mistake that is followed up with pathetic excuses. Though the Redskins may feel they have underachieved with a 4-4 record, without #5 they may very well be winless. The team has one of the worst offensive lines in football, no running backs worth mentioning, and a wide receiving core that featured the ancient Joey Galloway as a starter for five games. Oh and not to mention, the defense is ranked 31st against the pass and 20th against the run. All in all, the team stinks and McNabb is one of the few bright spots.

Back in August, Albert Haynesworth dealt with benchings and embarrassments at the hands of Shanahan and McNabb has followed suit. Apparently Mike Shanahan has decided he is going to make an example of the team's most important player in McNabb and arguably the team's best player, Haynesworth. For a coach who has won exactly ONE playoff game since 1999 to be so arrogant and manipulative isn't just off-base, its outrageous.

Luckily for Donovan, however, his contract is up at the end of the season and he will have the freedom to go where he chooses. Washington has not made worthwhile efforts to resign the future Hall of Fame quarterback, and with this latest maneuver it appears the writing is on the wall.

Hey Donovan, maybe Philadelphia wasn't so bad after all?

2010-2011 NBA Season preview

Lets face it, the 2010-2011 NBA season might very well be the most anticipated season in the game's history. The Lakers are going for a three peat, Boston is geared up for one last run, Oklahoma City is attempting to take the next step forward and assert itself as an NBA powerhouse, oh and the Miami Heat could be interesting.

Though the NBA is lacking in parity and there are not many legit title contenders, the potential playoff matches in April, May, and June could be some of the best in league history. Here is a look at each team's chances in each division

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division

Boston Celtics (3)

Philadelphia 76ers (7)

New York Knicks (8)

New Jersey Nets

Toronto Raptors

-The Celtics should win this division relatively easily as none of the other competitors are in Boston's class. The Knicks, Sixers, and Nets should battle it out for the last few playoff spots in the weaker eastern conference. With Amar'e Stoudemire, there will be many nights in which the Knicks will have the best player on the floor. Philadelphia is a potential surprise team in East that will be featuring promising number two overall pick Evan Turner. New Jersey, under Avery Johnson, should be one of the more interesting teams in the league. Keeping Devin Harris and Brook Lopez healthy and on the the floor together is paramount. Toronto is in full stage rebuilding mode after losing Bosh and Turkoglu over the off season.

Central Division

Chicago Bulls (4)

Milwaukee Bucks (5)

Indiana Pacers

Cleveland Cavaliers

Detroit Pistons

-With Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, Carlos Boozer, and Luol Deng running the show, Chicago should be able to separate themselves from the pack in the weak Central Division. The Bucks will continue to improve after their surprising 09-10 season and will be even tougher should Andrew Bogut be healthy for the postseason. Indiana, Cleveland, and Detroit will battle it out to see which team can avoid the cellar of the division.

Southeast Division

Miami Heat (1)

Orlando Magic (2)

Atlanta Hawks (6)

Washington Wizards

Charlotte Bobcats

-Featuring Florida powerhouses Miami and Orlando, the Southeast Division will be one of the most intense in the NBA. Orlando is one of the few teams in the East that can give the Heat a run for the number one seed in the conference. Atlanta was able to resign Joe Johnson but are bringing back almost the same team as last year. Expect them to be a mid-level team in the Eastern Conference that gets bounced in the first round of the playoffs by one of the big boys. Washington should be interesting with John Wall and Gilbert Arenas on the floor together. Wall is a potential rookie of the year and Arenas will be trying to resurrect his career. Expect Charlotte to take a step back after reaching the playoffs a season ago.

Western Conference

Northwest Division

Oklahoma City Thunder (2)

Portland Trail Blazers (4)

Utah Jazz (8)

Denver Nuggets

Minnesota Timberwolves

-Everyone is expecting Oklahoma City to join the NBA's elite this season. Kevin Durant appears to be the front runner for the MVP award and should lead the Thunder to more then 50 wins, their total from a year ago. If Portland can stay healthy, they should be able to make some noise in the Western Conference and could challenge the Thunder for the division title. Utah is going to miss Carlos Boozer and Kyle Korver but Deron Williams is good enough to carry the team to a playoff spot. Denver is a team in shambles right now and will most likely be without Carmelo Anthony by December. Minnesota has plenty of young, promising players but the division is far too tough for them to reach even 20 wins.

Pacific Division

Los Angeles Lakers (1)

Los Angeles Clippers

Phoenix Suns

Golden State Warriors

Sacramento Kings

-The Lakers should be able to dominate the weakest division in the Western Conference. The Clippers, led by former number one overall pick Blake Griffin, should be playing meaningful games as they battle for a playoff spot late in the season but will come up just short. Steve Nash has already predicted no playoffs for the Suns so obviously he believes they will miss Amar'e Stoudemire. Golden State and Sacramento have plenty of young, talented players but are still a year or two away from truly competing. Watch out for DeMarcus Cousins in the Rookie of the Year award.

Southwest Division

San Antonio Spurs (3)

Dallas Mavericks (5)

Houston Rockets (6)

New Orleans Hornets (7)

Memphis Grizzlies

-The Spurs look to be one of the few teams in the West that could challenge the Lakers. With Parker, Duncan, Ginobli, Jefferson, and Hill, the Spurs are set up for one last title run. The window of opportunity could be closing for the Mavericks, but Dirk and company should still put up a fight against San Antonio. Expect the Rockets and Hornets to have bounce back years with Yao Ming and Chris Paul back in the fold. Though they have a talented roster, the Grizzlies are quite possibly the NBA's unluckiest team when you consider what they are up against in their division.

Back From the Dead

Only two weeks ago, the New York Giants were a New York Nightmare. After an embarrassing 19 point home loss to the Tennessee Titans, the coach had lost control, the players wanted the coach gone, the star running back wanted out, and the defense had reverted back to its late 2009 form.

Since then however, the team has pulled off back to back wins against the previously 3-0 Chicago Bears and 3-1 Houston Texans. In both games, the Giants were successful in all three phases, which led to double digit victories. The once defunct, fumbling prone running game has come alive with Ahmad Bradshaw currently being 3rd in the NFL in rushing yards. Hakeem Nicks is quickly becoming one of the games best wide receivers, having hauled in a league leading 6 touchdowns. The offense, which once relied solely on Eli Manning, has become one of the NFL's best. Most of these accomplishments have come without star center Shaun O'Hara, who has missed the past three games with an ankle injury.

Perhaps the greatest turnaround, however, has been the defense. After being shredded by Peyton Manning and Chris Johnson in weeks 2 and 3, new defensive coordinator Perry Fewell has led a comeback of Steve Spagnuolo like proportions. The defense is currently ranked 1st in the NFL against the pass and 9th against the run. Star pass rushers Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck, and Mathias Kiwanuka have combined for 14 sacks, applying overwhelming pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

Are the Giants one of the NFL's elite? Certainly not right now. However, in the NFC there are no elite teams. Before the season, everyone pegged the Saints, Packers, Vikings, and Cowboys as the Super Bowl favorites, yet, those teams have a combined 8-10 record.

The NFC East is currently wide open as three teams sit atop the division at at 3-2. The Giants are in the best position to be alone in first place come Monday morning. This weekend the Giants have a home date with the 1-4 Detroit Lions (Calvin Johnson may miss the game), while the Michael Vick-less Eagles play host to the 4-1 Atlanta Falcons, and the Redskins welcome Peyton Manning and the Colts.

As always, it appears there was a bit of overreaction after the Giants 1-2 start. The NFL is a league of ups and downs and the Giants appear to have left their lowest lows in the past. Their resurgence has come as fast as a New York minute.

Put Him On His Back

Monday night will offer Jets fans the closure they have long desired in the Brett Favre saga.

Since he jogged off the field after an embarrassing 24-17 loss to the Dolphins on December 28, 2008, Favre has been an afterthought in Jets history. His arrival was one of the biggest stories in the history of New York sports and his selfish departure left much to be desired.

The 2008 New York Jets are most certainly the most disappointing team in the history of the franchise. After beginning 8-3 and lighting the world on fire, Favre stumbled down the stretch, throwing 2 touchdowns compared to 9 interceptions, which culminated in a 1-4 finish and no postseason. The Jets finished behind the Tom Brady-less Patriots and the Chad Pennington-led Dolphins. The entire "Brett the Jet" project could not have ended any worse.

It has been well documented that Favre played the last month of the season with a supposed "bum shoulder." He was hurt and chose not to tell the team. He refused to allow his consecutive starts steak to be broken and his selfishness cost the Jets a spot in the playoffs. Rather then think about what is in the best interest of the team, Favre did his usual routine, making it all about himself. Contrary to popular belief, many of Favre's late season interceptions were the result of bonehead decisions, not an injured arm. After going back and rewatching the game highlights, one can see that Favre's decisions to throw the ball into double/triple coverage caused the interceptions, not an injured wing.

During the 2009 season, Favre told the media that the Jets refused to place him on the injury list. Again, the team did not know Favre was hurt. This cost the Jets $125,000 dollars in fines. Thanks Brett.

Favre never embraced New York. Though he knew the Packers would never trade him to the division rival Vikings, his dreams of playing in Minnesota disallowed him to be open to playing for the Jets. The Jets gave him a chance when only 2 other teams would (Tampa Bay and Minnesota), they changed their offensive philosophy to make him happy, they gave up a high draft pick to acquired him, they allowed him to dishonor the team's dress code, yet their efforts were never fully appreciated.

Favre treated the Jets like a stepping stone. His lack of leadership late in the season showed he did not care about the team's future. He "retired" on February 11th, 2009 and claimed he would "never play in another NFL game" when talking to ESPN's Ed Werder. All the while he knew he would be going to Minnesota. The Jets, thinking Favre was truly finished, drafted Mark Sanchez in the 2009 NFL Draft. Two days later, Favre asked the Jets for his release so he could "retire as a Packer." Even after the Jets publicly stated that they would welcome Favre back, despite his disastrous finish, they still were not good enough. Rather then come back and give the Jets one more year, Favre was simply finishing the final stage of his grand scheme.

This Monday night, however, the Jets players and fans get one last chance to let Favre know how they feel. Many players spoke of their dislike for Favre during his time with the team. There were many reports of his reclusiveness, lack of leadership, selfishness, and special treatment. He never wanted, or tried, to be a Jet, and his teammates knew it.

Jets fans will rightfully boo the team's departed quarterback. Rex Ryan will add in a few extra blitzes and hopefully Favre will be knocked on his back. The Jets were always the afterthought in the Favre-Green Bay-Minnesota drama, and Monday night will allow New York to finally extract some revenge on "Good Ole Number 4."

ALDS and NLDS Predictions

National League

Phillies over Reds in 3 games
-Though Cincinnati had a great season, the majority of their damage came against the Cubs, Brewers, Astros, and Pirates. They did not have a winning record against any 1st or 2nd place teams. The Phillies have the offense to match the Reds and a much better rotation.

Giants over Braves in 5 games
-Though the Braves have a very strong 1-3, the Giants have an even stronger one. Lincecum bounced back after an awful August, while Cain and Sanchez have looked great lately as well. Without Chipper Jones, the Braves may not have enough offense to knock off the Giants top 3. This is the toughest series to predict

American League

Rays over Rangers in 5 games
-Texas deserves plenty of credit for making the playoffs for the 1st time since 1999. However, they are not ready to defeat the best team in the American League. Josh Hamilton is coming back from injury and Cliff Lee is the only sure thing in the Rangers rotation.

Yankees over Twins in 4 games
-The Yankees struggled mightily down the stretch, settling for the AL Wild Card. The Twins have lost the last 3 playoff series to the Yankees and will continue to be over matched. Look for Jeter, Pettite, and Rivera to each have their playoff magic at some point in the series.

NFL Week 4 Predictions

(Week 3 Results 9-7)

Jets over Bills

-This is the typical trap game for the Jets but they match up well against Buffalo.

Titans over Broncos

-Chris Johnson and company quietly get to 3-1.

Packers over Lions

-Shaun Hill keeping up with Aaron Rodgers? Not a chance.

Falcons over 49ers

-Atlanta has established itself as one of the best teams in the NFC.

Rams over Seahawks

-The lackluster NFC West will beat up on each other all season.

Saints over Panthers

-Jimmy Clausen is going to be facing a lot of pressure from Gregg Williams.

Ravens over Steelers

-One of the game's best rivalries delivers another classic.

Browns over Bengals

-Though the Browns are 0-3 they have been competitive. Carson Palmer looks awful.

Colts over Jaguars

-David Garrard is playing himself out of a job.

Texans over Raiders

-Andre Johnson is questionable but Matt Schaub and company are still too much for Gradkowski and the Raiders.

Redskins over Eagles

-Mike Shanahan and Donovan McNabb are desperate for a win here.

Chargers over Cardinals

-Arizona's 2-1 record looks good for now. Things will be changing now that they are playing the big boys.

Giants over Bears

-New York may need a win this Sunday more then any other team in the NFL.

Dolphins over Patriots

-New England has been awful on the road lately. Brandon Marshall is going to tear up the Pats' secondary.

Showing His Worth

He may be the ring leader of the frat house atmosphere, but Rex Ryan has already shown he is worth his weight in gold.

Two weeks ago, the Jets were crucified for their 10-9 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. The national media reacted as if the Jets had lost by 30 to the St. Louis Rams, not lost by 1 to a Super Bowl favorite. The Jets commit ed 14 penalties, gained only 6 first downs and managed to lose the game by only 1 point.

While everyone began to abandon the bandwagon, Rex managed to rally his team back to prominence. Despite losing perennial Pro Bowl Nose Tackle Kris Jenkins for the season, being involved in a sexual harassment case, and having one of their biggest offensive weapons busted for DWI, Ryan has managed to lead his club to back to back wins against their two biggest rivals.

The Jets currently sit at 2-1 atop the AFC East. They have proven that they are currently the class of the division and they have a chance to pick up another division win this Sunday in Buffalo.

In the past two wins, Mark Sanchez has outplayed Tom Brady, LaDainian Tomlinson has seemingly gone back in time, Antonio Cromartie has shut down Randy Moss, and Jason Taylor has won over the hearts of Jets fans everywhere. All of these accomplishments have been done without the Jets best wide receiver, Santonio Holmes, and largely without their best defensive player, Darrelle Revis.

Ryan's "Us against the world" mentality has reached his players. The Jets have become one of the most hated teams in all of sports due to their bravado and cockiness. All in all, this is kind of team that Rex Ryan wanted to built. A smash mouth running game and overwhelming defense carried the Jets to within 30 minutes of the Super Bowl a year ago, and if Mark Sanchez continues to play at this pace then the Jets should take the next step this season.

The defense, currently rated number 7 in the NFL, will get better with the return of the team's best pass rusher, Calvin Pace, and the league's best shutdown corner, Darrelle Revis. Though Chad Henne was able to pass the ball seemingly at will, the defense was able to stop the Dolphins on the final drive, something they did not do a whole lot of last season.

Mark Sanchez has begun the transition from game manager to franchise quarterback in only his second season. Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer has learned to let Sanchez throw the ball early and often and take advantage of the many playmakers on the offensive side of the ball. Dustin Keller has become Sanchez's go-to-guy, Braylon Edwards has made big plays in big moments the last two weeks, and Tomlinson has broken off runs of 20+ yards in each of the first 3 weeks. When Santonio Holmes becomes eligible to play, the offense will only become harder to stop.

During the Eric Mangini era, the Jets were under the Iron Curtain of silence and discipline. Since the first time he donned the title of head coach, Rex has turned the Jets into a band of degenerates in search of a title. There are plenty of naysayer and critiques on the outside but Rex has his team believing on the inside, and that is all that really matters.

Yankees Continue to Limp Into October

The late season slide is in full effect as the Yankees continue to raise questions about their outlook going into the 2010 postseason.

Saturday's 7-3 loss to the Boston Red Sox was the fourth straight game in which the Yankees have been beaten at home and the team has been outscored 34-16 during that stretch. The last 4 loses have served as a microcosm of the entire month of September in which the Yankees are 10-13.

As things currently sit, New York is 1 game behind the division leading Rays and 5 1/2 games ahead of the third place Red Sox. The Yankees finish the season with a Sunday night home game against the Sox, followed by 3 games in Toronto and 3 games in Boston. Hardly the ideal schedule for a team on the ropes. The Yankees need to win 3 games to clinch a playoff spot; and to win the division they will need the Rays to falter against bottom dwellers like Seattle, Baltimore, and Kansas City.

The Yankees have lacked swagger and assertiveness over their poor stretch. They look as vulnerable as they ever have. Being the defending World Series Champion comes with enough pressure as it is, and struggling as the playoffs approach gives the other competitors hope. It is not outside the relm of anyone's imagination to possibly see the Yankees losing to the Rays, Twins, or Rangers during the postseason. For a team that once looked like a shoe in for the World Series, things look bleak and very much in doubt.

Joe Girardi will need to rally the troops in order to produce the same postseason magic that the Yanks were so accustomed to last season. In the rotation, only C.C Sabathia is worthy of being determined as an ace. Andy Pettitte looked lost coming off of injury and it may be asking too much to have the 38 year old replicate past postseason success. A.J Burnett has been anything but convincing this season and may not have a spot in the postseason rotation. Phil Hughes has not reached the 7 inning mark in a game since July 9th and has surrendered at least 3 runs in 4 of his last 6 starts.

Obviously one of the biggest storylines of the 2010 Yankees has been the decline of Derek Jeter. Jeter's batting average, on base percentage, hits, home runs, and walks are down while his number of strike outs is up. Jeter appears to have lost bat speed on his swing and one has to wonder if his struggles this season are a sign of things to come. Jeter can put to rest many of these concerns with a big October, but again that remains to be seen. The Yankees have always been able to rely on guys like Jeter and Pettitte in October, but if the regular season is any indication then it might be time for other guys to step up.

New York would be wise to get their act together before facing a 5 game series against a competing AL powerhouse. Anything goes in a 5 game set and should the Yankees not win the division, they will need to win games on the road.

This is unfamiliar territory for these Yankees. After the glory of the 09 season and the fast start to 2010, the team has not faced the amount of uncertainty and doubt that they will be facing going into October. Every other team is going to be gunning for them, not only because they are the defending champs, but because they are the most hated team in all of sports. Girardi and company will need to find some answers, otherwise it will be a long offseason of criticism and what-ifs.

NFL Week 3 Predictions

(Week 2 Results 10-6)

Ravens over Browns
-Through 2 games, Joe Flacco has 1 TD and 5 Ints. This is his breakout game.

Cowboys over Texans
-Big Texas showdown. The Cowboys squeak out a victory.

Vikings over Lions
-Minnesota's offense has a ton of issues. However, they win this one close.

Saints over Falcons
-The New Orleans offense finally replicates their 2009 form.

Steelers over Buccaneers
-Josh Freeman's solid play has gone largely unnoticed. Tampa will keep this game close but the Pittsburgh defense will make a big play to win it.

Bengals over Panthers
-Jimmy Clausen's first start comes against one of the best pairs of cornerbacks in the NFL. Good Luck.

Patriots over Bills
-New England has won 13 straight against Buffalo. They make it 14 on Sunday.

Chiefs over 49ers
-San Francisco is coming off a tough Monday Night loss. Kansas City surprises people by starting out 3-0.

Giants over Titans
-Eli Manning is going to have to carry the Giants all year long.

Redskins over Rams
-Washington was cheated out of victory last weekend. The NFL needs to change the "last second timeout" rule.

Eagles over Jaguars
-The Mike Vick bandwagon continues to grow.

Colts over Broncos
-Peyton Manning against Kyle Orton? Enough said.

Chargers over Seahawks
-San Diego has too much offense for Seattle to keep up.

Raiders over Cardinals
-When Derek Anderson and Bruce Gradkowski are the two starting Quarterbacks, you know its going to be an ugly game.

Dolphins over Jets
-No Darrelle Revis, no Calvin Pace, no Kris Jenkins for the Jets defense. The Dolphins swept the Jets last year and won both games by a combined 9 points. The Dolphins win another close one Sunday night.

Packers over Bears
-Aaron Rodgers and Jay Cutler have a back and forth shootout. Rodgers gets the last laugh.

NFL Week 2 Predictions

(Week 1 Results 9-7)

Falcons over Cardinals

-After a tough overtime loss, the Falcons simply need this one.

Cowboys over Bears

-The Dallas front 7 will be all over Jay Cutler and Matt Forte.

Titans over Steelers

-Physical contest that will come down to the Quarterbacks.

Bengals over Ravens

-Ravens are coming off of a short week, plus this is their 2nd straight tough road game.

Eagles over Lions

-Michael Vick wins his 1st start in 4 years.

Dolphins over Vikings

-The 2009 NFC runner up begins 0-2.

Chiefs over Browns

-Kansas City surprised some people and starts the year 2-0.

Panthers over Buccaneers

-DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart will run all over the young Tampa defense.

Packers over Bills

-Buffalo can barely keep up with a high school team, let alone the best offense in the NFL.

Broncos over Seahawks

-Former division rivals play a close, last possession type of game.

Raiders over Rams

-Oakland surprised some people by being run over last week. They get a home victory here over the young Rams.

Redskins over Texans

-Very intriguing inter-conference game. The Redskin defense against the high powered Houston offense should be fun to watch.

Patriots over Jets

-The Jets have serious issues. The Patriots may not light up with scoreboard but they will score enough to separate themselves.

Chargers over Jaguars

-After a tough loss last week, the Chargers need this one badly.

Colts over Giants

-Does anyone seriously think Peyton Manning will allow the Colts to start 0-2?

49ers over Saints

-San Francisco surprises some people with a big home victory after a lackluster week 1 performance.

NFL Week 1 Predictions

Saints over Vikings
-Favre will look rusty and the Saints passing game will overwhelm the poor Vikings pass defense.

Buccaneers over Browns
-Josh Freeman did some good things for Tampa Bay last year and the Browns have the worst group of play makers in football.

Bills over Dolphins
-Upset of the week. The Bills always play tough at home, especially against divisional opponents. C.J Spiller already looks like a star.

Patriots over Bengals
-Very close game that will come down to Brady making just enough plays to win it at the end.

Colts over Texans
-People think the Texans will finally overtake the Colts but I just don't see it.

Jaguars over Broncos
-Maurice Jones-Drew goes off on a Denver defense that will be missing it's best player.

Steelers over Falcons
-Dennis Dixon shines as the Steelers get one game closer to the return of Big Ben.
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Titans over Raiders
-The Raiders will be better this season but the Titans still have Chris Johnson.

Panthers over Giants
-The Giants were run over by the Panthers running game last season. Expect the same come Sunday.

Lions over Bears
-The improved Detroit defensive line will be getting to Jay Cutler all afternoon. The Bears offensive line looked awful during the preseason so don't expect it to change now.

Rams over Cardinals
-Bradford wins his pro debut against a depleted Arizona team.

Packers over Eagles
-Kolb will not be able to keep up with Rodgers.

49ers over Seahawks
-The San Francisco defense will be too tough for Seattle to score enough points.

Cowboys over Redskins
-McNabb is beat up and Dallas has much more talent then Washington.

Ravens over Jets
-The Ravens looked great in the preseason and the Jets looked like a mess. The Ravens are the more complete team right now.

Chiefs over Chargers
-The Chargers will be without two of their best players and they still can't run the ball. The Chiefs start the year off with a nice home victory.

2010 NFL Predictions

AFC

AFC East

New England Patriots 10-6*

New York Jets 9-7

Miami Dolphins 9-7

Buffalo Bills 3-13

AFC North

Baltimore Ravens 11-5*

Pittsburgh Steelers 10-6*

Cincinnati Bengals 7-9

Cleveland Browns 4-12

AFC South

Indianapolis Colts 12-4*

Tennessee Titans 10-6*

Houston Texans 7-9

Jacksonville Jaguars 5-11

AFC West

San Diego Chargers 10-6*

Kansas City Chiefs 8-8

Oakland Raiders 6-10

Denver Broncos 5-11


NFC

NFC East

Dallas Cowboys 10-6*

Washington Redskins 9-7*

New York Giants 8-8

Philadelphia Eagles 7-9

NFC North

Green Bay Packers 13-3*

Minnesota Vikings 8-8

Detroit Lions 7-9

Chicago Bears 5-11

NFC South

Atlanta Falcons 11-5*

Carolina Panthers 10-6*

New Orleans Saints 9-7

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 5-11

NFC West

San Francisco 49ers 10-6*

Seattle Seahawks 7-9

Arizona Cardinals 5-11

St. Louis Rams 4-12

NFL M.V.P- Aaron Rodgers

Offensive Rookie of the Year- C.J Spiller

Defensive Rookie of the Year- Brandon Graham

AFC Championship- Indianapolis Colts over Pittsburgh Steelers

NFC Championship- Green Bay Packers over San Francisco 49ers

Super Bowl XLV Indianapolis Colts over Green Bay Packers

3 Biggest Winners of Jets Preseason

Ladainian Tomlinson- Just as I predicted, LT has shown he will be an upgrade over Thomas Jones. The Jets received criticism left and right for dropping Jones and replacing him with LT, yet, Tomlinson has shown he has more left in the tank. Tomlinson has demonstrated throughout camp and the preseason that he is still a very good running back with plenty of burst and agility. LT's biggest impact on the Jets will be his ability to catch the football out of the backfield. With Shonn Greene and LT in the backfield, the Jets look primed to be on the NFL's best running teams for a 2nd consecutive year. Greene and LT have a very different skill set which will keep defenses on their heels. LT has certainly earned himself more then just 3rd down duties. He was able to break off a 43 yard run against the Redskins 1st team defense (a pretty good defense at that) and made a few nice plays catching the football.

Vernon Gholston- Lets face it, Gholston was already at rock bottom so anything he showed would be an improvement. He was able to make some plays in the backfield and apply pressure on the QB. He certainly looks more comfortable at defensive end then he ever did at linebacker. With Calvin Pace out for the first few weeks, it will be up to Gholston and Jason Taylor to replace that productivity. The Jets are thin on the defensive line so it is imperative that Gholston be a reliable backup this season.

Antonio Cromartie- Had arguably the best training camp of any player on the Jets and brought that productivity to the preseason games. Cromartie's size and speed are ideal for Rex's man-to-man schemes and he will obviously need to step up with Revis out. He should have had 2 interceptions in the Jets first game against the Giants but let the ball slip through his hands. Cromartie will be seeing plenty of balls thrown his way early in the season so it is very important that he be ready to take over Revis Island.

Honorable Mention
Santonio Holmes-He is the Jets best wide receiver and play maker and the team will feel his absence during weeks 1-4. Holmes will be spending plenty of time with Sanchez in order to build up a chemistry during his suspension. When he returns, the Jets will have one of the best, most dangerous receiving cores in the entire NFL.

3 Biggest Losers of Jets Preseason

Joe McKnight- McKnight was drafted to replace Leon Washington, yet, during this preseason he showed he wasn't even good enough to replace Danny Woodhead or Chauncey Washington. Fumbles, indecisive running, going down easy, McKnight showed nothing to make anyone believe he is worth keeping on the roster. His NFL career started with him throwing up on the field during a rookie mini camp and then failing a conditioning test before training camp. Rex has stated that McKnight will be on the team but will be inactive until he gives the coaching staff a reason to play him. Make no mistake about it, if McKnight had not been a fourth round pick, he would have zero chance of making the Jets roster.

Vladimir Ducasse- Another disappointing rookie, Ducasse was supposed to replace Alan Faneca and it became apparent early he is nowhere near ready to step onto an NFL field. He quickly lost the starting job to Matt Slauson within the first week of training camp and the LG battle was really a no contest throughout. He almost got Sanchez killed during one of his lone drives with the 1st team offense. Coming from UMass is a process and Ducasse does have unlimited potential but for now he has awful technique and is still a year or two away from stepping on an NFL field.

Mark Sanchez- His preseason started with a pick and didn't get much better after that. Sanchez looked confused, indecisive, and showed little to no progress from his rookie season. Sure, the preseason means very little for starting quarterbacks because the offense is so vanilla, but Sanchez hasn't left Jets fans with a lot of assurance going into the first game with Baltimore. The first team offense as a whole looked very poor during throughout the preseason. They better fix their problems before matching up with Ray Lewis and company.

Honorary Mention

Darrelle Revis- Still holding out

College Football Preview

Conference Winners

Big East Winner- Pittsburgh

Big 12 Winner-Texas

Big 10 Winner-Ohio State

ACC Winner-Virginia Tech

Pac 10 Winner-Oregon

SEC Winner-Alabama

BCS Games

Rose Bowl- Oregon vs Iowa

Sugar Bowl- Alabama vs TCU

Fiesta Bowl- Texas vs Pittsburgh

Orange Bowl- Virginia Tech vs Florida

National Championship Game-Boise State vs Ohio State

National Champion-Boise State

Heisman Winner-Terrelle Pryor

Where To Go From Here

As August turns to September and contenders look to October, the Mets look to 2011. The 2010 season was a valley of ups and downs, certainly with more lows then highs. By seasons end, the playoff drought will be at four years. Four years since Beltran stood looking at strike three of the 2006 NLCS. Four years since the Mets were a contender. Four years since the Mets mattered.

The current Mets team is made up of a core that has run it's course. The team has more stars then the average Major League club. There are All Star calibre players in the infield, outfield, and pitching staff. For the Mets to barely be .500 and in fourth place in the NL East is not only bad, it is embarrassing. Unfortunately for Mets fans, 2011 looks to be every bit as disheartening as 2010.

From a personnel standpoint, the Mets have big decisions to make. Will they trade Reyes? Is Thole the full time catcher? Is the outfield set as is? Are there any pitchers that could be added to the rotation? Who is the real Mike Pelfrey? These are questions that will need answers for the Mets to even think about competing next season.

Unfortunately for the Mets, their off season options will be limited due to a $130+ million dollar payroll and bad contracts that still have one year left to cash out. Carlos Beltran, Luis Castillo, Francisco Rodriguez, and Oliver Perez are not only expensive and untradeable, they have little to no upside going forward. In other words, the Mets are stuck with declining players who will still require huge chunks of money.

The best part about the 2010 Mets season was the development of young, promising pieces of the future. Ike Davis looks to be one his way to stardom. John Niese has shown flashes of being a future #3 fixture in the rotation. Josh Thole, though lacking in power, has been very consistent both behind the plate and with the bat. Ruben Tejada has remarkable defensive ability and at only 20 years old, he has plenty of time to improve his hitting. Lastly, Jenrry Mejia is the Mets most valuable commodity. He is young, cheap, and has been dominant thus far. He has the ability to be a big time ace once he gains more experience. In effect, there are players to be excited about in the future.

2010 also produced pleasant surprises like R.A Dickey (2.57 ERA in 20 starts) and Angel Pagan (batting .295 through 122 games.) It is no shoe-in that both players will be able to replicate their success next season, but both players have certainly earned a spot in the team's immediate future.

Despite all these feel good observations from this season the Mets have continued to lose games. Every lose seems to be because of a different variable. If Johan pitches 8 innings and allows 1 run, the Mets put up a goose egg on offense. If the Mets score 6 runs through 5 innings, Mike Pelfrey allows 7 runs in 4 innings. During this past year, the team has simply not made the plays necessary to not only play postseason baseball but to even be in the discussion come September.

From where the team sits today, 2011 looks to be similar to 2010. The Mets have the potential to tease their fans again next year and that is most likely what will happen. Underachieving roster, lame duck manager, bloated payroll, and desperate fan base. The Mets have plenty of areas to improve but as history has shown us, they most likely won't get it right.

No Revis? No Chance

The Darrelle Revis holdout is coming up on four weeks. There have been glimmers of hope, but so far there is still no resolution. As of right now, it appears this will not be resolved before the Jets season opener on September 13th. The Revis camp wants their client to be the highest paid cornerback in the league. The Jets want to sign him to a long term deal that is more accommodating to the team's future. The end result? No agreement.

Everyone has heard the arguments for both sides throughout this ordeal. Revis has three years left, the Jets promised a new contract, Revis is the best at his position, yada yada yada. No matter which side you take, one thing is clear. The 2010 New York Jets are not a shoe in for the Super Bowl, let alone the playoffs without their best player on the field. In 2009, Revis had arguably the best season a cornerback has ever had. No one on the Jets roster can even come close to replacing that type of production.

Antonio Cromartie is great...as a #2 cornerback. Kyle Wilson is great...as a nickel back. Dwight Lowery is better then average...as the dime back. The secondary would be undoubtedly the best in football with #24 eliminating half the field. Without him? Things fall by the wayside. Cromartie is not a shutdown corner. He is a high risk/high reward type of player who will make you sing his praises one play, and curse his name the next. He has never been a fan of contact and is easily one of the worst tacklers in the NFL. For the most part, Cromartie should be able to dominate #2 wide receivers, but facing the NFL's elite may not be so easy. Kyle Wilson was widely regarded as the best man-to-man cover corner in the draft and has been very promising so far in training camp. However, things will certainly get rocky once the bullets start flying for real. Rookie corners rarely, if ever, have great rookie seasons. Wilson is going to realize very quickly that covering Wes Welker is just a tad bit tougher then covering Joe Schmo of the Western Athletic Conference.

In the past, Rex Ryan has been a master of reshuffling and retooling. He has won some games without Ray Lewis and Ed Reed and his Jets defense will still be above average without Revis. That is all well and good, but the stakes are raised when your team has Super Bowl aspirations. Jets fans will realize just how much they miss #24 when their Revis-less defense is getting beaten up by Anquan Boldin, Randy Moss, and Brandon Marshall during the first 3 weeks of the season.

The AFC is a loaded conference and the AFC East is one of the toughest divisions in football. The Jets have put it all on the line this season and anything short of the AFC Championship would be a major disappointment. Without Revis, everything changes. The Jets go from a potential 1/2 seed to a team that will have to fight and claw it's way to the playoffs.

Until the Jets kick it off for real, there is a chance this deal can get done. The two sides have been playing chicken for weeks now and hopefully one side blinks first. If the stare off goes past September 13th than all hell could potentially break lose. No Revis means no division title, no Super Bowl, no championship. But hey, Jets fans have been living that way since 1969.

Sleeper Quarterback/Running Back Fantasy Options

Quarterbacks


Matthew Stafford-The Lions will be playing from behind for most of the season which means more opportunities for Stafford to air it out. He averaged over 225 yards per game through the air last season so he should improve in his second season. The Lions added Nate Burleson and Tony Scheffler in the off season to give Stafford more weapons to go along with Calvin Johnson. Getting Stafford as a #2 Quarterback is a great option, especially if your #1 QB isn't a sure thing.

Matt Ryan-An injury plagued second season took Ryan off of the national radar. In year 3, however, Ryan will prove to be an upper echelon QB. If you choose to go heavy on the Running Backs and Wide Receivers in the early rounds then Ryan will be a great option in the fifth/sixth round.


Kevin Kolb-Playing with no proven Running Back and with a coach who loves to pass makes Kolb a very attractive option. He has been able to sit and learn Andy Reid's system, which should make him comfortable behind center from the start. He may throw a lot of interceptions, but Kolb will put up plenty of yards and touchdowns to even it out.


Jay Cutler- Sure he led the league in interceptions last season but he did throw 27 touchdowns to go along with it. Now playing under Mike Martz, Cutler will be slinging it to a group of Wide Receivers who have had a year to get accustomed to his ball. Cutler could approach 30 touchdown passes and 4,000 yards this season. He could be a steal in the 5th round.


Running Backs


Arian Foster- The Texans lost 2nd round draft pick Ben Tate for the entire season. This leaves Foster and Steve Slaton as the only two viable starting options on the team. Slaton has had an awful fumbling problem that will hinder him from receiving the majority of the carries. Foster will be the starter on a great offensive team, which will bolster him stats. He was able to average 4.8 yards per carry last year as a part time player so there seems to be potential there. He will also be available late in fantasy drafts this year.

Ryan Matthews- No more LT means there is plenty of carries up for grabs in San Diego. The Chargers were one of the NFL's worst running teams last year, yet, LT still managed to accumulate 12 touchdowns. Matthews will be the only viable starter at Running Back in a high powered option. Look for Matthews in the 4th/5th round.

Ahmad Bradshaw- Though Jacobs might receive the majority of the carries, Bradshaw will be close behind. Behind a declining offensive line, Bradshaw was able to gain 778 yards and 4.8 yards per carry with 7 touchdowns. Look for Bradshaw in the 8th/9th round as a #3 Running Back.

Clinton Portis- Larry Johnson and Willie Parker are over the hill, finished, done. The Redskins will need to hand someone the ball in Mike Shanahan's new offense and currently Portis is the only viable option. The Redskins have made improvements to their offensive line which should open more holes in the run game this season. Portis in the 7th/8th round would be a steal, either as a poor #2 or a great #3.

Chris Wells- No more Kurt Warner or Anquan Bolding means no more great aerial attack in Arizona. Wells had a very good rookie season and should improve in year 2 with more carries and opportunities. The Cardinals have not even settled on a starting Quarterback so naturally they will be relying more on the running game this season. Russ Grimm and Ken Wisenhunt love the "ground and pound" philosophy so Wells will be natural beneficiary.

Another All Star On the Way?

Six weeks ago the New York Knicks added one perennial All Star in Amare Stoutemire...could another soon be joining him?

The latest breaking news in the NBA off season has been revolving around Carmelo Anthony and his plans to forgo signing the 3 year 65$ million dollar deal that has been on the table for months. Melo' is under contract for 2010, but beyond that, he is free to sign wherever he desires. At age 26, Carmelo is one of the NBA's best scorers (28.2 PPG last season) and easily a top 10 player in the entire league. He is one of the game's best clutch shooters and has been able to maintain his superstar status among a team of circus characters and controversy.

From all recent reports, Carmelo has a small wish list of where he would like to play next season. That list features the New York Knicks at the top, bottom, and everywhere in between. In other words, New York is his only desire. Born and raised in Brooklyn, Carmelo knows all about the glory of playing in the world's most famous arena. Before he achieved NBA super stardom, Carmelo earned himself a spot on New York's list of college basketball greats by leading Syracuse to a National Championship during his lone year in college. It appears his goal is to come full circle by playing in New York one more time.

At this point, it seems only logical for the Nuggets to trade Carmelo. If he has no intention of re-signing, they might as well get some type of value in return while they still can. Sure, trading the team's best player is a tough sell to the fans, but it is still the best option at this point. The Nuggets should begin to plan for life without Carmelo and they would be wise to start gathering offers for his services.

If Carmelo is to be a Knick, then New York must offer some value in return. When looking at the team's roster, there appears to be only two players that would be deemed untouchable...Amare Stoutemire, for obvious reasons, and Raymond Felton, due to trade restrictions on newly signed free agents. That leaves Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, and Anthony Randolph as the Knicks with the most value on the court, and Eddy Curry as the Knick with the most value off the court (expiring 11$ million dollar contract.) If the Knicks have any chance of acquiring one of the league's best players then the first proposal should involve some of, if not all, the players listed above. Getting productive, young, cheap, players like Chandler and Randolph along with 11$ million dollars of cap relief with Curry is not an awful consolation prize for Denver.

In the meantime, Knicks fans should wait and hope. Donnie Walsh already delivered them one of the NBA's top 15 players. Adding another would elevate the Knicks to being one of the Eastern Conference's 3 or 4 best teams. Who knows? Maybe not getting Lebron wasn't so bad after all...

Quick Recap of Jets-Giants

New York Jets

The Good

-Sanchez going 13/16 for 119 yards and a touchdown after the interception

-LT still has some game

-Shonn Greene is a tank. He gains 3/4 yards after contact on every play

-Cromartie looked very very good in Rex Ryan's man coverage scheme

-Besides the Ahmad Bradshaw play, the Jets 1st team defense dominated the Giants 1st team offense

The Bad

-Matt Slauson was underwhelming with the 1st team offense

-Vlad Duccasse is not ready to play this season

-Joe McKnight did not look very good

The Ugly

-The 2nd and 3rd team secondary made Victor Cruz look like Jerry Rice

-Vernon Gholston is still invisible

-Still no Darrellle Revis


New York Giants

The Good

-Ahmad Bradshaw looked great, he may finally be completely healthy

-The safeties played very well

-Eli is still in one piece

-The 2nd and 3rd string defenders shut down the Jet backups

The Bad

-The Giants 1st team offense could not get anything going

-Brandon Jacobs did not look good

-The offensive line had problems with the Jets blitzes

The Ugly

-Eli and Jacobs running into each other and almost getting Eli put on the IR

-The classless Giants fan who tried to push Fireman Ed off of his brother's shoulders, that guy should have been ejected from the stadium

-Letting the Jets starters march at will after the Rolle pick

Team Weaknesses: New York Giants

The Super Bowl Champion 2007 New York Giants prided themselves on running the football and rushing the passer. As things currently stand, these two philosophies have become the Giants two biggest question marks.

The running game will again be led by Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw. Jacobs is looking to bounce back off his worst season as a starter, in which he ran for 835 yards on a pedestrian 3.7 yards per carry. After averaging over 5 yards per carry as a full time starter in 2007 and 2008, last season's drop off left Giants fans concerned that their bull may have lost his horns. In a league where running backs decline at a staggering rate, Jacobs has to bounce back to keep his starting job from the up and coming Ahmad Bradshaw.

As Jacobs struggled last season, Bradshaw seemed to emerge more and more every week. He achieved a personal best in rushing yards (778) and was able to maintain a 4.8 yards per carry average on a career high 163 carries. Should Jacobs continue to falter in the first few weeks of the season, the Giants will not hesitate to make Bradshaw the primary ball carrier going forward. Neither back is capable of handling 300 carries so the committee approach will need to be used once more. A 65-35 Jacobs to Bradshaw ratio would be best to keep both backs productive and healthy. To be fair, both backs were banged up all of last season so an off season of healing may elevate both players to new heights.

Perhaps even more important then the play of Jacobs and Bradshaw is the play of the offensive line. A group that was once perhaps the best in the NFL seemed to erode last season. In an ideal world, second year LT William Beaty will start at LT and allow the Giants to kick over David Diehl to LG to replace weak link Rich Seubert. Shaun O'Hara is another year older and Kareem McKenzie can no longer be counted on to make it through an entire season. It appears the only sure thing is All Pro RG Chris Snee. A bit of reshuffling will need to be done to allow the Giants to re-establish the running game that won them 26 games in 2007 and 2008.

As Steve Spagnuolo left, so did the Giants pass rush. Giants fans still have the image of Donovan McNabb drinking a cup of coffee in the pocket before lofting up bombs to Desean Jackson. 2009 underachievers Osi Umenyiora, Chris Canty, and Rocky Bernard will need to bounce back to allow new Defensive Coordinator Perry Fewell to revive a defense that gave up more points then 30 other teams last season. Justin Tuck, Barry Cofield, and Matthias Kiwanuka return, along with high draft picks Jason Pierre-Paul and Linval Joseph. On paper the defensive line is loaded, but people said the same thing only one year ago. Until the defensive line proves it is legit, it will remain a question mark. The Giants have put a ton of personnel, money, and draft picks into the defensive line so anything less then a top 5 unit will be a disappointment.

Predictions

-Jacobs has somewhat of a bounce back season. He will not be the dominating force he was nor the feeble, easy to bring down, back he was last season. Think somewhere in the middle (2010 stats- 234 carries, 982 yards, 4.2 yards per carry, 10 touchdowns.)

-Bradshaw will remain an integral part of the offense. As both a runner and receiver he will be a threat every time he is on the field. (2010 stats- 170 carries, 782 yards, 4.6 yards per carry, 7 touchdowns.)

-The defensive line will be a strength of the team but not the dominating force it should be. Under Perry Fewell, opposing quarterbacks will not be able to relax the way they did in 2009. Tuck will continue to be great. Osi will be negated to a 3rd down pass rusher because he can no longer stop the run on 1st and 2nd down. Kiwanuka will be steady but will need to have more then the 3 sacks he had last season. 1st round pick Jason Pierre Paul only started 7 games of Division One college football so don't expect anything out of him in his first season. Chris Canty is facing the prospect of becoming one of the worst free agent signings in Giants history if he doesn't give more then the 4 starts and half a sack he gave the team last year. All in all, expect a solid pass rush but not the second coming of the New York Sack Exchange.