Nov.25, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill (17) warms up prior to a game against the Seattle Seahawks at Sun Life Stadium. Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

What’s not to love about Miami? The weather is incredible, the city is one of the best in the country, and its basketball team has been to three straight NBA Finals. But this year, there is something different – the football team that calls Miami home is on the rise.

The Miami Dolphins arguably made the biggest splash in free agency this offseason, signing big-name players such as receiver Mike Wallace, cornerback Brent Grimes, and linebacker Danelle Ellerbe. So, do these signings alone make Miami the new favorite in the AFC East?

“Ahem, Rishi, I think you forgot about New England?” I did not. As much as some hate to recognize it, New England’s so-called dynasty of Bill Belichick and Tom Brady is declining. Losing Wes Welker certainly helps Miami’s cause.

But just the free agent signings alone don’t give Miami a better chance to win their division, but that, along with player development and a strong incoming draft class, do.

The key to success in 2013 is based on the right shoulder of quarterback Ryan Tannehill. His development as a passer and chemistry with new and returning receivers can make or break Miami’s season.

Tannehill was an average quarterback who showed flashes of excellence in 2012 with a below-satisfactory receiving corps. Now, Tannehill should be able to stretch the field with newcomer Mike Wallace. This season, Tannehill can not only take his team to the playoffs, but also prove that he was worthy of a top 10 pick.

Wallace has the capability of taking the top off a defense any given Sunday. Although experts may question his consistency, I believe he will evolve into a solid number 1 target for Tannehill.

A common cliché of football is the saying that “Defense Wins Championships.” In 2013, Miami’s defense could help them secure a division title.

The addition of Brent Grimes reinforces the secondary. Although he is coming off an Achilles’ tear, he should be able to step in right away as a starting corner and produce.

Danelle Ellerbe is an underrated player at the linebacker position, having been overshadowed by Ray Lewis in Baltimore. He should only improve, and expect him to be a tackling machine. He is more than a viable replacement for Karlos Dansby.

I especially liked the aggressive move to trade up to No. 3 overall and select Dion Jordan to play opposite Cameron Wake on what now looks like a menacing defensive line. Jordan should contribute right away alongside Wake.

Miami’s defense looks legitimate. So does the team. They will surpass the Bills and Jets in the division, but their one obstacle is the Patriots. On paper, New England seems to be the better team. On paper. On the field could be a different story.

Watch out, New England.

As a Jets fan, I often found myself pondering reasons for optimism for the NY Jets this year and what they would need to win their division.  Earlier this week I wrote part 1 which talks about the Jets additions that will immediately help reach that goal.  Then I wrote part 2 which was more about the team’s remaining holes and weaknesses.  It is time for the last and perhaps most important reason why the Jets have a shot at the division next year: an analysis on the competition.

Reason #5:  The AFC East is a weak and winnable division this year

Let’s take this opportunity to look at all the teams in the AFC East as they stand now:

New York Jets

Strengths: Defensive Line, Cornerbacks, Offensive Line, Defensive Coaching, QB Coaching

Biggest Holes: Quarterback

Also Needs To Step Up: Safeties, Wide Receivers, Pass Rush

May 10, 2013; Florham Park, NJ, USA; New York Jets rookie quarterback Geno Smith (7) talks with offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg (right) during New York Jets rookie minicamp at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Let’s assume all before mentioned reasons in Part 1 and Part 2 of these articles happen as I predict they could.  We’re looking at a Jets team with a reupholstered offensive line with the depth to finally be able to stay fresh throughout the season.  We also have a new QB in Geno Smith, who on paper, looks like he should have somewhere between a Ryan Tannehill and Matt Ryan rookie season depending on the mentality he comes into camp with.  We know one thing; he’ll have good offensive line support.  That is probably the most quintincential thing a rookie QB needs for his first impression in the NFL.  It will strongly benefit his mental growth and composure.  Rex Ryan got it right this season and hired Marty Mornhingweg a coach who has been a head coach before and can take on 90% of the teams offensive coaching responsibilities while Rex focuses on his specialty, the defense.  Now the Jets lost Revis, but gained Sheldon Richardson and Dee Milliner.  While most don’t see Sheldon’s pick being relevant to the Jets needs, you have to remember Rex’s value as a defensive coach.  If a player is a top 4 overall player on his board, that’s something worth trusting.  Coples was drafted in 2012 for his athleticism and versatility so this season is where he has to show it, as Rex moves him into the 3-4 outside linebacker role.  Coples will be supported by Calvin Pace and a new free agency addition, Antwan Barnes, one of San Diego’s top pass rushers in 2011.  The linebackers aren’t the strongest point, but they also aren’t a problem area in the defense.  The Jets will surround them with an outstanding defensive line and cornerback group.  If Rex can just coach the safeties up, this is one of the best defenses in the conference.  The biggest piece IF in this Jets fan pipe dream is can Geno start by week 1 and can he approach the game and play like a 1st round pick, the more he can do that, the less pressure off the other areas of need for the team.  This season basically rides on Geno Smith this year for the Jets.

Miami Dolphins:

Strengths: Wide Receivers, Defensive Line, Linebackers

Biggest Holes: Cornerback, Offensive Line

Also Needs to Step Up: Quarterback

Dec 30, 2012; Foxborough, MA, USA; Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill (17) warms up before the start of the game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

Miami is my favorite to win the AFC East as it stands now, not the Patriots.  They gained Mike Wallace who has carried the Steeler offense on his back the last few years.  It helps that he really seems to be clicking with sophomore QB, Ryan Tannehill in camp.  Miami’s big hole is their CB situation.  They traded away Vontae Davis last year and let Sean Smith go to the Chiefs this offseason.   They drafted Boise State’s Jamar Taylor in the 2^nd round who seems like a good prospect, but they’re going to need either him or 3^rd round pick, Will Davis to be good enough to start to begin to close up the cornerback hole in their defense. They look to have a very strong defensive line with the addition of Dion Jordan and a good linebacking corps with the addition of Phil Wheeler and Dannell Ellerbe.  Miami’s defense as of right now is about where the Jets defense is personnel wise (maybe a bit below with a big question mark at CB), but the Jets have one big thing the Dolphins don’t, and that’s an off season of Rex Ryan’s defensive development.  The Dolphins season rides on the play of the CBs, Offensive line and Ryan Tannehill.

New England Patriots:

Strengths: Quarterback, Runningbacks, Head Coach

Biggest Holes: Wide Receivers, Safety

Also Needs To Step Up: Health of Tight Ends, Defense as a Unit

Jan 20, 2013; Foxboro, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) sits on the turf after not being able to convert on a fourth down during the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

The Pats are always a solid team with Tom Brady at QB.  It’s the hardest position to find a standout to play and they have a future hall of famer.  The only problem?  Just about every position other QB and RB on the Pats will be weak this year.  They had maybe one of the worst off seasons I’ve seen since following football, losing both Wes Welker and Brandon Lloyd.  To accommodate for these losses the Patriots picked up injury prone Danny Amendola who wasn’t resigned to the Rams and drafted some off the radar wide receiver prospects in Aaron Dobson (Marshall, round 2) and Josh Boyce (TCU, round 4).  These seem to be decent prospects but I have a hard time seeing either of them replacing Brandon Lloyd.  The Pats, however have 2 tremendous tight end weapons in Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski for Tom Brady to throw to, but both had injury problems this past season.  Each of Tom Brady’s proven targets this year were injured for 5 or more games last season.  That’s only issue #1.  The Patriots defense has been a struggling unit for years.  They started fixing it by adding Chandler Jones and Donta Hightower but it seems like the Patriots sidestepped on that defensive rebuilding project this off season, letting safety Patrick Chung go to Philadelphia without finding an adequate replacement.  Most of their draft picks are unfamiliar names to most and don’t seem to be likely immediate contributors to the Patriot defense which makes the unit as a whole look like its taken a step back from last season’s mediocrity.  If the defense can’t step up, it can mean critical games losses against the Jets and Dolphins, especially if Ryan Tannehill and Geno Smith are having good days.  Yes, I know you can never count out Tom Brady; but let’s just keep in mind that a far less talented Jets team took a far more talented Patriots team into overtime in Foxboro last year.

Buffalo Bills:

Strengths: Runningbacks, Defensive Backfield

Biggest Holes: Quarterback, Defensive Line, Offensive Line

Also Needs To Step Up: Linebackers

May 10, 2013; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback EJ Manuel (3) talks to the media following rookie minicamp at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports

There’s not much to say here.  The Bills seemed to be a good team on paper last year but did worse than the Jets.  They lost their #2 and #3 receivers in free agency as well as a pair of guards.  Their most note worthy pickup in free agency was Kevin Kolb.  They did have a decent draft offensively getting Robert Woods, a very talented WR out of USC in the 2^nd round.  They should have a decent pair of outside receivers once they pair him with Stevie Johnson.  They also drafted Marquise Goodwin in round 3, the quickest receiver in the draft.  His big question is his lack of production and ability to beat defensive players in college.  He’s a big question mark but can be a threat as a possible slot receiver or kick returner for the Bills.  I’m not too high on EJ Manuel, he’s a much riskier prospect with an equal or lower ceiling than Geno Smith given his inferior production against weaker college competition.  The Bills need for him to step up in an even bigger way than the Jets need Geno to just to be competitive at all this year.  The Bills added a few linebackers both in free agency and in the draft, but it doesn’t look to be enough for them, unless their veterans can lead by stepping up this season.

One last BONUS reason: Good Timing with a strong NFC, weak AFC

Given all of the above info, the Jets can be in it, given the weakness of the AFC East this year.  In fact, the whole AFC conference is pretty weak outside of the Broncos, Bengals and Texans.  The NFC has a lot more teams that look good this season.  Look at teams like the 49ers, Packers, Seahawks, Falcons, Saints, Giants, Bucs and Vikings. Even the lower tier NFC teams like the Rams, Lions and Panthers look like they’d be favorites against all but maybe 3 or 4 teams in the AFC.  Having middle and upper level AFC teams like the Pats and Dolphins losing their NFC games will help level out the playing field and put more importance on the games where the Jets play them.  The Jets can pull out this division if they can win against the Pats and Dolphins which could be doable in 2013 with work and focus.

Sept. 16, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Dolphins middle linebacker Karlos Dansby (58) looks on during a game against the Oakland Raiders at Sun Life Stadium. The Dolphins won 35-13. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

The Buffalo Bills could be looking to add veteran free agent linebacker Karlos Dansby as he is the last big name out there since James Harrison signed with the Cincinnati Bengals. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Dansby will be visiting Buffalo today and tomorrow.

Early in free agency Dansby was released by Dolphins as they decided to go a different route at linebacker with the signing of former Ravens linebacker Dannell Ellerbe. Dansby has spent his last three seasons in Miami as he began his career with the Arizona Cardinals and made a name for himself as a second round pick in the 2004 NFL Draft.

Last season, Dansby had 134 tackles and played in all 16 games. He has been a consistent player, making plays, and most of all has stayed healthy during his career. Karlos Dansby will be an upgrade as Nick Barnett is not with the team anymore but picked up some fire power by adding Manny Lawson this offseason who will contribute. In terms of middle linebacker, Dansby should be able to win the job as Kelvin Sheppard did not show the Bills anything to make them keep him there. Sheppard only had 80 tackles with two sacks in 16 games last season.

With a new head coach in Doug Marrone and a new defensive coordinator in Mike Pettine, the Bills could use Karlos Dansby to help anchor the linebacker core and the defense.

Follow me on twitter @Jovan10 for Sixers, College Basketball, NFL, MLB, and all sports updates.

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Dec 23, 2012, Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) jogs off the field following a 42-13 victory over the San Francisco 49ers at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Week 16 in the NFL was great as the playoff picture is a lot clearer than the week before and is now in the books. Speaking of books, the NFL history books were subject to several changes.

The AFC playoff picture is set and is pretty much ready to go, with a couple positions left to be determine, and the NFC still have some loose ends to settle, but the light can be seen down the tunnel.

Week 16 resulted to these scenarios as all six playoff spots in the AFC have been clinched.

• The Cincinnati Bengals and the Indianapolis Colts each clinched a playoff berth Sunday. The Bengals defeated the Steelers at Pittsburgh 13-10 and the Colts earned their playoff berth on the road at Kansas City against the Chiefs, 20-13. Both teams earned Wild-Card berths.
• The once-shaky Baltimore Ravens beat the New York Giants 33-14 to clinch the AFC North.
• In the AFC, the Ravens (AFC North), Houston Texans (AFC South), Denver Broncos (AFC West), and the New England (AFC East) have clinched their division.
• On Saturday night, the Atlanta Falcons secured home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs with their win against the Detroit Lions, 31-18.
• In the NFC, the Falcons (NFC South) and the Green Bay Packers (NFC North) have clinched their division.
• The Seattle Seahawks secured a playoff spot with their beatdown of the San Francisco 49ers Sunday night, 42-13. The Seahawks and 49ers can still win the NFC West. If the 49ers defeat the Arizona Cardinals in Week 17, their will win the division.
• The Washington Redskins and the Dallas Cowboys remain in contention for the NFC East division title. The Redskins, Giants, Minnesota Vikings, and the Chicago Bears remain in the hunt for a Wild Card berth. However, if the Vikings defeat the Packers in Week 17, they are in.

The 2012 NFL season will forever be marked as the year for the rookie quarterback.

Four rookie quarterbacks – Colts’ Andrew Luck (4,183), Cleveland Browns’ Brandon Weeden (3,385), Redskins’ Robert Griffin III (3,100) and Miami Dolphins’ Ryan Tannehill (3,059) – have already reached 3,000 passing yards this year, the most rookies to reach the mark in a season in NFL history.

“Robert, obviously being the quarterback, he leads them,” said Redskins’ head coach Mike Shanhan. “I think one of the biggest honors that Robert has had is being elected captain at mid point in the season. It doesn’t happen very often, so it kind of gives you an idea of what people think of him and how he handles himself on a day-to-day basis, because that’s not easy to have happen.”

Luck passed for 205 yards and a touchdown in the Colts’ victory Sunday. Luck has 4,183 passing yards and passed the record set by Carolina Panthers’ quarterback Cam Newton a year ago of 4,051 yards for the most by a rookie in NFL history.

“That’s something that I didn’t know going into the season we would even come close to, with the number of other rookies that we have,” said Colts’ interim head coach Bruce Arians. “I knew he was capable of it. We’re not a dink and dunk offense. We’re throwing it down the field. If we complete them, we’re going to be up there around 4,000 yards every year like we always have been.”

Luck, who threw the game-winning touchdown pass to Reggie Wayne with 4:08 remaining in the fourth quarter, has seven game-winning drives in the fourth quarter or overtime. That is tied for the most by a quarterback in a single season since the 1970 merger.

The last quarterback to accomplish the feat was Peyton Manning in 2009.

Seahawks’ quarterback Russell Wilson could join the rookie 3,000 passing yards club in the final week of the NFL (2,868). Wilson needs 132 yards against the St. Louis Rams.

Wilson threw for 171 yards with a career-high four touchdowns and a 115.3 passer rating Sunday. Wilson’s 25 touchdown passes this season are the second-most among rookie quarterbacks all-time, one shy of Manning’s record 26 in 1998.

Texans’ wide receiver Andre Johnson caught seven passes for 97 yards on Sunday. Johnson, who has 806 career receptions, recorded his 800th catch in his 137th game, reaching the mark in the second-fewest games in NFL history.

Only former Colts’ wide receiver Marvin Harrison amassed 800 catches in fewer games (131).

Lions’ wide receiver Calvin Johnson totaled 225 receiving yards on 11 catches (20.5 average) on Saturday night in a losing effort against the Falcons. With the performance, Johnson accomplished the following feats:

• Set the NFL record for receiving yards in a season with 1,892 (Pro Football Hall of Famer Jerry Rice, 1,848 in 1995).
• Recorded his 11th 100-yard receiving game in 2012, tied with Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Irvin (11 in 1995) for the most in a season.
• Set an NFL record with eight consecutive 100-yard receiving games, surpassing Charley Hennigan (seven consecutive in 1961) and Irvin (seven consecutive in 1995) for the longest such streak in league history.
• Registered his NFL-record fourth consecutive game with 10 or more receptions.

Broncos’ quarterback Peyton Manning passed for 339 yards with three touchdowns for a 106.6 passer rating in a 34-12 win against the Browns, which helped the AFC West-champion Broncos improve to 12-3 after a slow start.

Dec 23 2012; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning (18) comes out of the pocket to pass in the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Browns at Sports Authority Field. The Broncos defeated the Browns 34-12. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

“I think we’ve made some strides each week,” said Manning. “I still have to admit that’s it’s not going to be [like] an offense that’s been together for five years. It’s not going to look like that because we haven’t. We’ve only been together for however many weeks, so we’ve tried to improve each week, but a lot of things just take time. We’re trying to do the best we can in this limited amount of time.”

Since entering the NFL in 1998, Manning’s teams have reached 12 regular-season wins in nine different seasons, the most by a starting quarterback in NFL history (Tom Brady currently have six, Brett Favre finished with six and Hall of Famers in John Elway and Jim Kelly had four).

“I know you guys don’t believe me when I say I’m still kind of learning about myself physically and what I can do,” said Manning when asked playing well at this time in his career. “It’s still the truth, and I still have things that are harder than they used to be and things that I continue to have to work on, from a rehab. standpoint to a strength standpoint. And that’s just the way it is, and maybe that’s just the way it’s going to be from here on out for me. I don’t know. I’m going to keep trying.”

New Orleans Saints’ quarterback Drew Brees passed for 446 yards and three touchdowns in the team’s 34-31 overtime win against the Cowboys at Dallas. Brees has 4,781 passing yards and is the first player in NFL history to record at least 4,500 yards in three consecutive seasons.

Over the past three seasons, Brees has 14,877 passing yards, the most in any three-year span in NFL history.

Patriots’ wide receiver Wes Welker had 10 catches for 88 yards and a touchdown in the Patriots’ 23-16 win against the Jaguars at Jacksonville. Welker has 18 career games with at least 10 catches and passed Pro Football Hall of Famer Jerry Rice and Andre Johnson (17) for the most such games in NFL history.

Cowboys’ tight end Jason Witten had six catches for 60 yards in the Cowboys’ overtime loss to the Saints. Witten has 103 receptions, the most by a tight end in a single season in NFL history. Falcons’ tight end Tony Gonzalez set the record in 2004 with 102 receptions.

For Week 17, the Playoff scenarios are as followed:

Dec 10, 2012; Foxborough, MA, USA; Houston Texans running back Arian Foster (23) runs against the New England Patriots during the second quarter at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael Ivins-USA TODAY Sports

AFC

Texans (at Indianapolis)

Houston clinches a first-round bye with:

1)      HOU win or tie or

2)      NE loss or tie or

3)      DEN loss

Texans clinches home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs with:

1)      HOU win or

2)      HOU tie + DEN loss or tie or

3)      NE loss or tie + DEN loss

Broncos (vs. Kansas City)

Denver clinches a first-round bye with:

1)      DEN win or tie or

2)      NE loss or tie

Denver clinches home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs with:

1)      DEN win + HOU loss or tie or

2)      DEN tie + HOU loss

Patriots (vs. Miami)

New England clinches a first-round bye with:

1)      NE win + DEN loss or

2)      NE win + HOU loss

New England clinches home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs with:

1)      NE win + DEN loss + HOU loss
NFC

Dec 23, 2012; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packers tight end Jermichael Finley (88) reacts after getting a first down during the game against the Tennessee Titans at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Packers (at Minnesota)

Green Bay clinches a first-round bye with:

1)      GB win or

2)      GB tie + SF loss or tie or

3)      SF loss + SEA loss or tie

49ers (vs. Arizona)

San Francisco clinches NFC West division with:

1)      SF win or tie or

2)      SEA loss or tie

San Francisco clinches a first-round bye with:

1)      SF win + GB loss or tie or

2)      SF tie + GB loss

Seahawks (vs. St. Louis)

Seattle clinches NFC West division with:

1)      SEA win + SF loss

Seattle clinches a first-round bye with:

1)      SEA win + SF loss + GB loss

Redskins (vs. Dallas)

Washington clinches NFC East division with:

1)      WAS win or tie

Washington clinches a playoff spot with:

1)      CHI loss + MIN loss

Cowboys (at Washington)

Dallas clinches NFC East division with:

1)      DAL win

Giants (vs. Philadelphia)

New York clinches a playoff spot with:

1)      NYG win + DAL loss or tie + CHI loss + MIN loss

Vikings (vs. Green Bay)

Minnesota clinches a playoff spot with:

1)      MIN win or

2)      MIN tie + CHI loss or tie or 

3)      DAL loss or tie + NYG loss or tie + CHI loss

Bears (at Detroit)

Chicago clinches a playoff spot with:

1)      CHI win + MIN loss or tie or

2)      CHI tie + MIN loss

November 18, 2012; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Byron Leftwich (4) runs past Baltimore Ravens strong safety Bernard Pollard (31) to score a thirty-one yard touchdown run during the first quarter at Heinz Field. The Baltimore Ravens won 13-10. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-US PRESSWIRE

The fourth quarter of the NFL season is finally here. The playoffs, technically, begins in January, but for many squads, the postseason starts now.

“This is when you need to be playing your best ball heading into the cold weather and the playoff atmospheres that we’re about to embark on,” said New York Giants’ defensive end Justin Tuck Monday after practice, who team normally performs well at this time of the season. “This is when you want to be playing your best, so that’s very important. A lot of times we see teams start hot and end on a cold note.

“We’ve been more of the variety of start hot, get cold and then heat up again,” he continued. “So hopefully we can end this season playing our best ball and heading into the playoffs playing our best ball. That’s where you want to be.”

As the NFL move into Week 13, there are 26 teams either in or within two games of a playoff spot.

“Our goal is to keep winning and get to the big one,” said Denver Broncos’ wide receiver DeMaryius Thomas. “We’re going to take every game one at a time, take it week by week and just keep going. We’re going to try to keep winning.”

For the most part, the legitimate contenders are in place and they now must position themselves to better their chances to get to New Orleans for Super Bowl XLVII.

Five teams – The Atlanta Falcons (NFC South), Baltimore Ravens (AFC North), Denver Broncos (AFC West), Houston Texans and the New England Patriots (AFC East) – can clinch a playoff berth this week.

However, there’s still a month to go, which means there is a ton of football left to be played.

“It’s all right there in front of us,” said New Orleans Saints’ quarterback Drew Brees, who faces an elimination game each week with a 5-6 record. “I firmly believe that if we take care of our business and worry about ourselves, things will happen in a way we envision and we’re going to have a chance to get into the playoffs. We understand the sense of urgency and the small margin for error at this point.”

As the NFL enters Week 13, there are 19 teams either in or within one game of a playoff spot, including 11 in the NFC.

Among the teams seeking to strengthen their position in the AFC playoff race are the Indianapolis Colts (7-4), who have already made a five-win improvement from their 2-14 record last season.

The Colts are looking to reach the postseason for the 10th time in the past 11 seasons. They will have to travel to Detroit to face the Lions’ team who will be looked to pound an opponent after losing a close contest to the Texans last Thursday.

“It’s December, but the process is still the same,” said Colts’ interim head coach and offensive coordinator Bruce Arians. “Stay with it one play at a time, one day at a time and don’t get caught up in all that. The team philosophy is that we just keep winning. Just stay within the moment.”

New Orleans and Atlanta kicked off Week 13 with great drama, but the Falcons held off the Saints (and picked off quarterback Drew Brees five times. Brees’ five interceptions was a career-high for a single game as he pressed to get his team a win.

“It’s the first time it has ever happened to me and is extremely disappointing,” said Brees. “I pride myself on being a great decision maker and the guy that is going to help us win the game and not be a detriment and turn the ball over like that.

“A couple of critical mistakes today that ended up costing us the game and I’m okay saying that because I have to hold myself accountable,” said added. “I’ve made some critical mistakes in the last few weeks and they have cost us dearly. I felt like our team really played their butt off in all phases. Were there mistakes made yes, but we played well enough to win.”

The Falcons ended Brees’ 54 game streak of completing a touchdown pass and their four game losing streak against the Saints. The Saints (5-7) can not win their division, but they still have a slim chance to make the playoffs, with a lot of help.

The Falcons (11-1) can have the NFC South wrapped up this weekend with a Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost.

Clearly, the Falcons are happy to exercise some demons by defeating the Saints, but the playoffs are not on their minds, just the Carolina Panthers in 10 days.

“We still have four regular season games to go and we try and take them one game at a time,” said Falcons’ quarterback Matt Ryan. “We’re going to try and enjoy these couple of days off. After that we’re going to get back to work. We have Carolina in 10 days or so and we’re going to need to get ready for that. We try not to think that far ahead. One of the things I’ve learned in my five years is that if you’re worrying about what you’re going to do in January in September, October, November, December, you’re wasting your time.

“I’ve tried to keep that week to week focus but at the same time we’ve had some sour tastes in our mouths at the end of the last couple of seasons, so hopefully we’ll have an opportunity to change that.”

Upset Alert!!!

The Minnesota Vikings (6-5) are on that pretenders list as a team that would to shock the football universe and make it to the playoffs. Minnesota started off hot this season as winners of three out of their first four contests and led their division, until they chilled out. Nevertheless, the Vikings are good for at least one more shocker and the Green Bay Packers (7-4) maybe that squad for the pickings.

Both the Vikings and the Packers are coming off loses. However, the Vikings are looking to stop the bleeding of missing the playoffs for the third straight year. The Vikings are balanced and the Packers are a little banged up, especially without having their pass-rushing monster in linebacker Clay Matthews in the lineup (although there is no word yet about his participation for Week 13).

If the Vikings can find a way to keep Packers’ quarterback Aaron Rodgers and his offense off the field for all long period of time, which they can with running back Adrian Peterson carrying the load, the Vikings could get their second road victory of the year Sunday.

Games to Watch

Pittsburgh Steelers (6-5) at Baltimore Ravens (9-2)

Google Images

The biggest, baddest rivalry of all sports – Take Two. The Steelers will take on their favorite, most hated opponent, the Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore Sunday. The Ravens will be without their defensive captain, linebacker Ray Lewis. However, Lewis has not been the thorn in the Black and Yellow’s side in recent years. That honor goes to defensive end Terrell Suggs.

Suggs has haunted and tormented the Steelers, especially quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Well, Big Ben is not expected to play Sunday due to his shoulder injury, in which he could perform with if he could endure the pain. Apparently, the man Suggs will be chasing around is 38-year old quarterback Charlie Batch, who had a rusty outing against the Cleveland Browns last Sunday.

This game will be tight because both of the teams’ defenses will keep them in it. It just boils down to which offense will make the big play when they need it.

Seattle Seahawks (6-5) at Chicago Bears (8-3)

Google Images

Two beastly teams in the thick of things for this season’s playoff chase will meet at Soldier Field. The Bears lead the NFC North, while the Seahawks are battling for a Wild Card spot.

Thanks to the New York Giants’ victory over the Green Bay last Sunday, The Bears have a one game lead in their division over the Packers.

Seahawks’ rookie quarterback Russell Wilson has guided Seattle to six wins and has led the NFL with a 128.6 passer rating in November. Wilson posted a passer rating of at least 125 in all three November starts and he is the first rookie in NFL history to register a 125-plus rating in three consecutive games.

“We’ve got a huge game in front of us,” said Wilson about the Bears. “That’s our only focus. That’s got to be a narrow focus. We’ve just got to keep battling.”

Seahawks’ cornerbacks Brandon Browner and Richard Sherman may miss out on the contest as they face a four-game suspension for violating the league’s policy for steroids and related substances.

“To allow our focus to remain on football, during the appeal process we will refrain from any further public comments regarding this situation,” said the players in a release statement from the Seahawks’ press release Wednesday. “Thank you for your consideration on this matter.”

Chicago improved to 8-3 with a dominating 28-10 performance over the Minnesota Vikings last Sunday. Running back Michael Bush rushed for two touchdowns and the defense recorded its league-leading 20th interception. Wide receiver Brandon Marshall, in his first year with the Bears, became the fifth player in NFL history with a 1,000-yard receiving season with three different teams (Bears, Broncos, and the Miami Dolphins).

“We are where we want to be,” said Bears’ head coach Lovie Smith. “Back on the winning track and we feel good.”

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-5) at Denver Broncos (8-3)

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The Broncos (8-3) can clinch the AFC West on Sunday with a win, while the Buccaneers remain in the middle of the NFC playoff hunt. Denver has won six consecutive games – the longest active streak in the NFL – and the Bucs has won four of its past five.

Since Week 6, the Buccaneers have led the NFC with 228 points (32.6 per game). During that period, quarterback Josh Freeman has 16 touchdowns, three interceptions with a 104.1 passer rating and rookie running back Doug Martin has 1,082 scrimmage yards (154.6 per game) and nine total touchdowns.

The outstanding play of Martin has helped the Buccaneers during their midseason push towards the playoffs.

“Being a rookie, I haven’t seen a whole lot of him,” said Broncos’ head coach John Fox Wednesday. “On a short look, you turn on that Raider tape, and he’s efficient. He’s got good power, even in tight spots. He can take you the distance when he gets into the secondary, so he’s definitely on our radar.”

The Broncos has won six in a row, outscoring opponents 183-107 during period. Quarterback Peyton Manning has led the Broncos to average 30.5 points an outing during their winning streak. Last week, Manning passed for 285 yards and two touchdowns to record his 149th career win, passing Pro Football Hall of Famer John Elway (148) for the second-most in NFL history.

“I think you can build off of each game and certainly when you win, I think it does help,” said Manning. “I think you have better practices but you still want to try to improve and the coaches challenge us to improve and I think we have the right kind of players that challenge each other to improve and get better. You’re always trying to play that perfect game. Whether you can or you can’t, but you still strive for that. We still feel like we can improve as a team and we need to improve.”

New York Giants (7-4) at Washington Redskins (5-6)

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The Giants leads the NFC East by two slim games over the Cowboys (5-6) and the Washington Redskins (5-6), but the burgundy and gold can close the gap when they host New York on Monday night.

In Week 7, the Giants edged out the Redskins 27-23. In that game, Giants’ wide receiver Victor Cruz caught the game-winning 77-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Eli Manning with1:13 remaining in the game. The score marked the longest game-winning touchdown in the final two minutes of a game in franchise history.

“Washington is a great team and in this division, everybody plays each other tight, so we’ve got to go out there and prepare well and take advantage of the opportunities when they come,” said Giants’ wide receiver Hakeem Nicks.

The Redskins have won two in a row – both against NFC East opponents – and have been led by rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III. The second overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft has thrown eight touchdowns in the past two games and is the only rookie in NFL history with back-to-back games with four passing touchdowns.

“Well, [they are the] Super Bowl Champs, very talented football team,” said Redskins’ head coach Mike Shanahan. “At the end of the day, we lost the football game. We had four turnovers and we have to find a way to win, especially when you play well. So hopefully we can step up and do what we are capable doing on Monday night and find a way to finish the game.”

In the team’s past two games, Griffin has completed 34 of 43 passes (79.1 percent) for 511 yards with eight touchdowns and one interception for a 146.1 passer rating.

“It has been pretty consistent all year if you take a look at the stats,” said Shanahan. “You have to find a way to close those games. You have to find a way to win those games and that is what we have been able to do the last couple of weeks. We weren’t able to do that in a few very close games before and bottom line is we have to find a way to win.”

Barry Barnes Founder of LockerReport.com

Aug. 9, 2012; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills defensive end Mark Anderson (93) before a game against the Washington Redskins at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-US PRESSWIRE

The problems just keep piling up for the Buffalo Bills.

As if things couldn’t get any worse for the Bills after back-to-back blowout losses, the team is starting to deal with the dreaded yearly injury bug. After losing offensive Kraig Urbik and Cordy Glenn two weeks ago against New England, Buffalo suffered another major loss this past Sunday against San Francisco.

Mark Anderson, one of Buffalo’s “big” offseason free agent signings will be out indefinitely after suffering a knee injury this past Sunday.

In a statement to Chris Brown of BuffaloBills.com, Bills GM Buddy Nix said that although the injury isn’t of the season-ending variety, he will still be out for a long time.

“He’s seeing a doctor today and we’ll know more about that after today, and we should know within reason how long a time we’re talking about,” Nix said to Chris Brown.

That doctor is none other than acclaimed orthopedist Dr. James Andrews.

The injury drops the Bills to just three healthy defensive ends, Mario Williams, Chris Kelsay, and Kyle Moore. The team’s other defensive end, Spencer Johnson, is not in Arizona with the team as he is dealing with an ankle injury suffered against New England.

A bit of good news from the injury front is that despite leaving the game against the 49ers with injuries, cornerback Aaron Williams and safety Jairus Byrd should both be ready to play for the team come Sunday afternoon.

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An update from yesterday: The Bills placed OL Colin Brown on season-ending injured-reserve, and have signed veteran lineman Reggie Wells to the 53-man roster. Wells has played for the Cardinals, Eagles, and Panthers. He was on the Chargers roster this year, but had been cut and resigned three times in September before being released by the team for good.

It was a performance that made people in Buffalo feel comfortable about who was carrying the football.

Sep 16, 2012; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills running back C.J. Spiller (28) runs with the ball against the Kansas City Chiefs during the second quarter at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Bills beat the Chiefs 35-17. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-US PRESSWIRE

Spiller has not only filled in the shoes left by Jackson, but he’s doing it at a record-breaking pace.

After rushing for 169 yards on 14 carries in week one against New York, Spiller continued his trail blazing ways, running the ball 15 times for 123 yards and two touchdowns in Buffalo’s 35-17 win over Kansas City in week two.

With 292 yards on 29 carries this season, Spiller is averaging 10.1 yards per carry through two games. It’s the first time a player has accomplished such a feat since Hall of Famer Jim Brown did it for Cleveland in 1963.  He has even added 5 receptions for 72 yards just for good measure.

He will quickly pass credit to his blockers, but Spiller needs to take credit when credit (how many times can I use the word credit in this sentence?) is due.  Spiller has shown the patience and vision over his last eight games that he didn’t even hint at during his first year and a half with the Bills.

“Early in his career when he was touching the ball six or seven times a game, he was putting a lot of pressure on himself to make a home run,” Bills center Eric Wood told Sun Media NFL Columnist John Kryk. “When you’re doing that, you’re trying to really press.”

Even his own head coach had didn’t see Spiller’s performances coming.

“I would like to tell you, ‘Oh sure, I saw that,’ but it would be a lie,” Gailey told the media after Sunday’s game. “I did not see it happening like this.”

Spiller is fast becoming Buffalo’s most dominant offensive weapon, and is making a strong case to be the starter for the Bills even after Jackson returns later this season.

Buffalo paid the former number one overall draft pick $96-million to come in and make an large impact on the defensive side

Aug 25, 2012; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills defensive end Mario Williams (94) sacks Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) during the first quarter at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-US PRESSWIRE

of the ball. The question is, just how will Williams actually improve a Bills defense that has been near the bottom of the NFL for the past half-decade or so?

While most will expect Williams to step on the field and just dominate opposing right tackles and pick up sack after sack, that most likely will not be the case.

Now, he may still end up getting double-digit sacks by the time the regular season ends, but most of his impact will be felt by the way his line-mates perform while he is on the field.

Williams will draw double-team blocking schemes more often than not, which will free up space for line-mates Mark Anderson, Marcell Dareus, and Kyle Williams.  It wouldn’t be surprising to see Kyle Williams, Dareus, and Anderson all tally 6-plus sacks on the season due to constantly one-on-one battles.

Teams have to know where Mario Williams is on the field at all times. If they lose track of him, then it could be a tough day for the offense. Especially this Sunday when the Bills go against a very suspect New York Jets offensive line.

The Jets will start Austin Howard at right tackle on Sunday, which gives Mario Williams a distinct advantage due to Howard’s inexperience as a starter in this league. If Mario Williams has his way with Howard, the Jets will likely have to use running backs and tight ends to help block Mario Williams which could greatly hurt their offensive gameplan that runs through the short game. It’s yet another impact that Mario Williams will have on the Bills defense.

Mario Williams said to the media earlier in the week that the team is going to try and get the job done by rushing just four. With the talent that the Bills have up front, it may not be that far of a stretch to say that it can happen.

“The biggest thing is we have some pretty good guys over here on this side of the ball that can get after the quarterback,” he said. “We just want to go out and put pressure with four. That is the goal. I think that is what anybody’s goal is actually. If you can put pressure with four, you have a lot better chance at winning games.”

The Bills could very well boast one of the best defenses in the NFL this season, but it all starts with what Mario Williams can do for his team.

May 31, 2012; Foxboro, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) talks with quarterback Brian Hoyer (8) during OTA on the practice field at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-US PRESSWIRE

It’s 51 days until the new NFL season begins but for a football mad guy like me that’s just too long so I’ve taken it upon myself to go over each NFL schedule and try and predict for all of you what may happen once the season rolls around.

Today marks the end of the look at AFC schedules with our final team from the AFC East being the New England Patriots who went 13-3 in 2011. Here’s how I think their season will go:

• Week 1 at Tennessee Titans – Win
• Week 2 vs Arizona Cardinals – Win
• Week 3 at Baltimore Ravens – Win
• Week 4 at Buffalo Bills – Win
• Week 5 vs Denver Broncos – Win
• Week 6 at Seattle Seahawks – Win
• Week 7 vs New York Jets – Loss
• Week 8 at St Louis Rams – Win
• Week 9 BYE
• Week 10 vs Buffalo Bills – Loss
• Week 11 vs Indianapolis Colts – Win
• Week 12 at New York Jets – Win
• Week 13 at Miami Dolphins – Win
• Week 14 vs Houston Texans – Loss
• Week 15 vs San Francisco 49ers – Win
• Week 16 at Jacksonville Jaguars – Win
• Week 17 vs Miami Dolphins – Win

Overall Record for the New England Patriots in 2012: 13-3

Anyone who looks at this schedule can surmise the blatantly obvious – this has got to be one of the easiest schedules this team could get. In actual fact the New England Patriots have THE easiest schedule in the league along with the Cincinnati Bengals and it’s to such an extent that many commentators are advising that double digit wins is a virtual certainty for the Patriots in 2012.

There are two main points in this schedule where New England could be derailed – the stretch from week 3 to 7 which has some tricky matchups although the majority of the teams aren’t highly fancied; also the back-to-back home games late in the season against Houston and San Francisco but even here the Pats get lucky due to the west to east travel for both the visiting teams and Foxborough is one of the toughest places to play in December.

I’ll finish on this note – for the past five seasons the team that had the “easiest” schedule missed the playoffs. This is something that Patriots fans are well aware of given that in 2008 New England were a juggernaut  who fell over on the NFL’s easiest schedule due to the sudden and disasterous injury to Tom Brady at the beginning of the season. The schedule was simple enough that the Pats still had an impressive 11-5 record and Matt Cassel got himself a big contract in Kansas City. Maybe it’s time to invest in Messrs Hoyer and Mallett? On second thought – maybe not.

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April 28, 2012; Davie, FL, USA; Miami Dolphins first round draft pick quarterback Ryan Tannehill (Texas A

It’s 53 days until the new NFL season begins but for a football mad guy like me that’s just too long so I’ve taken it upon myself to go over each NFL schedule and try and predict for all of you what may happen once the season rolls around.

We continue our trek through the AFC East schedule with the Miami Dolphins who went 6-10 in 2011. Here’s how I think their season will go:

• Week 1 at Houston Texans – Loss
• Week 2 vs Oakland Raiders – Loss
• Week 3 vs New York Jets – Loss
• Week 4 at Arizona Cardinals – Loss
• Week 5 at Cincinnati Bengals – Loss
• Week 6 vs St Louis Rams – Win
• Week 7 BYE
• Week 8 at New York Jets – Loss
• Week 9 at Indianapolis Colts – Win
• Week 10 vs Tennessee Titans – Loss
• Week 11 at Buffalo Bills – Loss
• Week 12 vs Seattle Seahawks – Loss
• Week 13 vs New England Patriots – Loss
• Week 14 at San Francisco 49ers – Loss
• Week 15 vs Jacksonville Jaguars – Win
• Week 16 vs Buffalo Bills – Loss
• Week 17 at New England Patriots – Loss

Overall Record for the Miami Dolphins in 2012: 3-13

The Miami Dolphins always have a tough schedule being one of the weaker teams of the AFC East and this year is no exception with the other three teams in the division looking particularly strong. There is promise for Miami fans of some close games with a few relatively weak teams on the schedule but when it comes down to it the Dolphins appear to be at a weak point in their transition to being competitive once again as head coach Joe Philbin attempts to install a traditional west coast offense without a noted receiver or quarterback – although I expect Matt Moore to perform fairly well.

All in all a difficult year ahead for the Miami Dolphins but hopefully by the end of it they’ll be in good shape to challenge the rest of the division once more.

Just one more team in the AFC remains to have their schedule scrutinized as tomorrow we finish our look at the AFC East with the New England Patriots.

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