Sports Bytes - December 27, 2010

Week 16 Predictions

• Pittsburgh over Carolina (27-3) Win: Not exactly a surprise . . .
• Arizona over Dallas (27-26) Loss: Can't say I saw this coming, but when you have two INTs returned for TDs and a missed extra point, a loss is almost inevitable . . .
• New England over Buffalo (34-3) Win: You weren't expecting professionals like Tom Brady to come out flat because they were playing a team with only four wins, were you? . . .
• Chicago over NY Jets (38-34) Loss: Jets back-into playoffs with Jaguars loss, but porous defense should be of concern to Rex Ryan . . .
• Baltimore over Cleveland (20-10) Win: Ravens win game they are supposed to win. Ed Reed collects two INTs, while Joe Flacco throws two TDs. Cleveland QB Colt McCoy throws three INTs while his club rushes for only 65 yards . . .
• Kansas City over Tennessee (34-14) Win: Congrats to Kansas City on its AFC West title. Matt Cassel tosses three TDs to lead the Chiefs to their 10th win . . .
• St. Louis over San Francisco (25-17) Win: Mike Singletary is gone. The 49ers organization wasted little time following the team's playoff-eliminating loss to the Rams to fire the head coach . . . Good win for the Rams, who can lock-up the NFC West with a victory over Seattle next week . . .
• Detroit over Miami (34-27) Win: Three in a row for Detroit. Miami QB Chad Henne did his best Eli Manning impersonation by tossing two INTs--one of which was returned for a TD--while his team surrendered 17 fourth-quarter points to lose its seventh home game this season. Looks like Tony Sparano will face the same fate as Tony Soprano . . .
• Washington over Jacksonville (20-17) Loss: Jacksonville's chances of making the playoffs are slim, and after yesterday's sloppy performance they have nobody to blame but themselves. Jags QB David Garrard threw three INTs and was sacked four times, while his team committed seven penalties, fumbled twice, and missed a field goal . . .
• Cincinnati over San Diego (34-20) Loss: Good riddance to perhaps the poster boy for NFL pretenders--the San Diego Chargers. Carson Palmer throws four TD passes despite missing the services of Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco . . . Is there anyone besides Jimmie Johnson who believes Norv Turner is a good NFL head coach? . . .
• Denver over Houston (24-23) Loss: How do you blow a 17-point lead to the Broncos? . . .
• Indianapolis over Oakland (31-26) Win: Three Manning TDs move the Colts a game closer to the AFC South division crown . . .
• Green Bay over NY Giants (45-17) Win: It is time for the Tom Coughlin Era to end. There is a lot of dead wood on that Giants roster, and it will take a new leadership to make the necessary cuts. (See below)
• Tampa Bay over Seattle (38-15) Win: Five TD passes by Josh Freeman. Sure it was against the Seahawks, but it is still incredibly impressive . . .
• Philadelphia over Minnesota (Postponed until Tuesday)
• Atlanta over New Orleans (Tonight)

Prior to tonight's game my Week 16 picks are 9-5.

More Packers-Giants

Aaron Rodgers played a near-perfect game yesterday, tossing four TDs and compiling 404 passing yards. It would be a shame if the Packers missed-out on a playoff spot considering how well they have been playing as of late . . .

In the last five quarters the NY Giants defense-and I use that term loosely--has surrendered 73 points. Yesterday they ceded 515 total yards, the most by any Giants defense since the Carter administration (Oct 19, 1980).

I am an Eli supporter, a big one in fact, but if next season he shows the same predisposition to throwing INTs, his starter status should be in jeopardy.

It is time to thank and to say goodbye to Shaun O' Hara and Chris Diehl. The two have been excellent offensive linemen, but neither can do the job any longer.

The Giants secondary looks as disorganized as a cell block of inmates during a prison break. For all the praise Perry Fewell has received this season for his job as defensive coordinator, in the last two games the Giants defense looked as awful as Bill Sheridan's defense did last season.

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