Feb 20, 2013; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (cap) at the game between the Miami Heat and the Atlanta Hawks during the second half at Philips Arena. The Heat defeated the Hawks 103-90. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

The NFC South, is the only division in the National Football League that has had each of it’s teams in the realigned division, to reach the NFC Championship game since 2002.

Teams in this division are definitely getting tougher, you have two of the top quarterbacks in Matt Ryan and Drew Brees leading their teams each season. With the bottom two of the division, you have fresher faces with Cam Newton and Josh Freeman, who hope to be thrown in the same conversation as far as quarterback play is concerned with Matt Ryan and Drew Brees.

Each year a different division champion has been crowned since 2002 (Falcons 3, Saints 3, Bucs 3, Panthers 2), but for the last 4 seasons, the top of the division has been locked for either the Atlanta Falcons and the New Orleans Saints. New Orleans Saints being the only team since the 2002-2003 Tampa Bay Buccaneers to win the division and win the Super Bowl.

It appears that the division supremacy for the Atlanta Falcons and the New Orleans Saints will soon coming to an end.

The Carolina Panthers are slowly piecing their team together, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers seem to have the edge over them after recently acquiring corner-back Darrelle Revis. One of the best shut down corners in the league, according to Skip Bayless, he is the best since Deon Sanders, is coming off an ACL injury which sidelined him after only 2 games played last season. He will be known as one of the best shut down corner’s in the league unless his play this upcoming season tells us otherwise.

Matt Ryan was on NFL Networks Total Access last night and he was asked about his thoughts on Darrelle Revis joining the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he said

“He’s a great player, he really is, one of the best if not THE best in the NFL. It’s going to make our jobs a little bit tougher, their defense is already solid and I think the addition of Darrelle Revis makes them even better. But it’s a good pick up, we know our division is tough, we are going to have to play our best football week in and week out to give ourselves a chance.”

Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons had the best record in the NFC last season, finishing 13-3 and locking up the #1 seed. The last 4 seasons between the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints have each finished 13-3 in the league when they won the division, around 11-5 when becoming a Wild Card qualifier and (2011-2012 Atlanta Falcons) 10-6. So the way those two teams have been playing, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Carolina Panthers will have to either match those records or hope the Atlanta Falcons or New Orleans Saints have a season full of mistakes and losses.

Darrelle Revis definitely makes the Tampa Bay Buccaneers a lot better and the NFC South a lot tougher, the scary thing about this is, the Buccaneers can still afford to make more moves.

December 11, 2011; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers cornerback Chris Gamble (20) during pre game against the Atlanta Falcons at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports

Old faces, new places, it happens in every sport we watch. You see your team draft talent and most of them stay around for most of their career so you get used to seeing their faces every season.

Chris Gamble was one of those players for the fans of the Carolina Panthers. Being drafted by the Panthers in 2004 in the 1st round at the 28th pick, Gamble, a prospect out of Ohio State, went on to be one of the greatest defensive backs the Carolina Panthers ever had.

In his rookie season with the Carolina Panthers he was the first player in franchise history to play all 16 games. He earned Pro Football Weekly All-Rookie honors and set a Panthers Rookie record for interceptions in a season with 6.

Also in that same season, he was a Co-NFC Interceptions leader for the year with Ed Reed (9), Tory James (8), Nate Clements, Andre Dyson and Gamble himself at 6.

During his 8 seasons with the Carolina Panthers, Gamble has over 27 interceptions, in which he is the franchises all time leader in that category, 508 tackles, 1 sack and 2 TDs.

This last season for Gamble was his worst yet, only playing 4 games after tearing his right labrum which required surgery.

He recorded just 15 tackles in his final season with the Carolina Panthers.

The good thing, is Gamble is on the road to recovery, I’m sure he is upset that he is no longer a Carolina Panther, but free agency is just a few days away and I’m sure he will have a new team.

Adam Schefter posted the following tweet

Panthers announced they released CB Chris Gamble.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 8, 2013

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)

Google Images

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)

Google Images

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

Nov 18, 2012; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons head coach Mike Smith walks onto the field during the second half at the Georgia Dome. The Falcons defeated the Cardinals 23-19. Mandatory Credit: Josh D. Weiss-US PRESSWIRE

In the NFL, being on top has its advantages. A division leader, most of the time, have room for error if a situation of difficulty surface and being in the driver’s seat could build confidence. The Atlanta Falcons is familiar with this advantage, as divisional winners for the last two seasons and throughout this campaign, thus far.

However, being on top can cause displacement, and if caught off guard, a costly lost during this period of the season could be monumental down the road.

The Falcons (9-1) nearly fell victim to a costly lost Sunday to the, now, free-falling Arizona Cardinals, who once were hot winners of four straight to start the 2012 season.

Falcons’ quarterback Matt Ryan completed 28 out of 46 attempts for 301 yards, but threw five interceptions.

Due to a solid performance by the Falcons’ defense, Atlanta escaped with the win, 23-19. If the Cardinals (4-6) would have held on, the Falcons would have been facing a potential three-game losing streak if the hot Buccaneers (6-4) were to be successful against them next Sunday at Tampa Bay.

The Falcons survived a classic trap-game, in which an inferior opponent caught a good team off guard, or over confident.

Falcons’ head coach Mike Smith considered his team “very, very fortunate.”

“No. You can’t really concern yourself with the previous game or the next game,” said Smith in his Monday press conference. “You got to really concern yourself about the game you’re getting ready to play. I thought we had a very focused week of practice. The practice week, I thought, was solid and we did not go out and execute. You can’t turn the ball over six times in a football game and win.

“Statistically, the chances of that happening are two or three percent,” he continued. “In fact, since 2003 there’s been, prior to yesterday, 61 games in which there is a five-or-more turnover advantage to one team and only two times did the team win that was on the wrong side of that ratio. 59-2 since 2003 and we made it 59-3 yesterday, so we were very, very fortunate.”

August 3, 2012; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Luke Stocker (88) runs with the ball during training camp at One Buc Place. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-US PRESSWIRE

Although he is listed as the team’s backup tight end with offseason signing Dallas Clark ahead of him, the 24-year old Tennessee product will play a more important role for the Bucs. Clark is a great receiver and will definitely make a bigger impact as a pass-catcher, but Stocker is a better blocker and will help pave the way for the backs.

Luke Stocker has been focusing heavily on run blocking as his role with the team increases in 2012, so he should be much more prepared to take on blockers for the Buccaneers. New offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan and head coach Greg Schiano love running the football, which increases Stocker’s value to the team. He is a better pass-catcher than some give him credit for, but, again, he is clearly second to Clark in this regard. He won’t be playing much of a role as a receiver for the Bucs.

You can follow Joe Soriano on Twitter @SorianoJoe.

Jan 7, 2012; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints defensive end Junior Galette (93) reacts against the Detroit Lions during the 2011 NFC Wild Card Playoff game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Saints defeated the Lions 45-28. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-US PRESSWIRE

An explosive pass rusher, Galette went undrafted due to character concerns. The thing is, character concerns are almost always overblown and players with those concerns often end up being the best bargains in the draft.

Anyway, as the New England Patriots writer, I witnessed Galette’s explosiveness while watching him working on the Pats offensive line. Granted Marcus Cannon is a poor pass protector, but Junior Galette exposed him repeatedly with his explosiveness. Cannon struggled mightily, but a large part of that is due to Galette.

The Saints pass rush was abysmal last year, so the emergence of the undrafted rookie is certainly crucial. Not only that, but losing Will Smith for the first four games looks like less of a blow as well. Without Galette, the Saints pass rush would be almost non-existent from the edges. I haven’t seen enough from Cameron Jordan to feel like he’s the answer yet, and Smith is their best pass rusher and was the only source of QB disruption last season.

Explosiveness is the main things you want from in a young pass rusher, and an often overlooked stat is that Galette had 4.5 sacks last season in very limited snaps. Those snaps have to increase, and he deserves to play a big role for this defense in the pass rushing rotation even when Smith comes back. He’ll be the starter through the first four games for sure.

In the Saints most recent preseason game, Junior Galette was playing at a high level against the Jacksonville Jaguars and Blaine Gabbert. Granted both line and quarterback are well below-average, but he put in some impressive work and is showing that he can consistently beat the competition he faces. The sack totals from last season in limited opportunities show that the 24-year-old is no fluke, and he’s the team’s best edge rusher with Smith being more of a power rusher.

All told, I love watching this guy play, because I’m a big fan of quick, athletic defensive ends who put pressure on the quarterback and make life difficult for offensive tackles. I want to see him have a big game against tougher competition, but Galette has certainly impressed me enough and has done enough to show that he deserves a starting role with the team until Smith returns.

You can follow Joe Soriano on Twitter @SorianoJoe.

June 6, 2012; Flowery Branch, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons linebacker Akeem Dent (52) during organized team activities at the Falcons training facility. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-US PRESSWIRE

A Georgia Bulldogs product, Akeem Dent is a good run-stopping linebacker, but he has big-time struggles in coverage. The Falcons will likely utilize just two linebackers in the nickel, allowing Dent to come off the field in passing situations to avoid him being exposed.

Statistically speaking, Dent is a guy who can pile up tackles in the two-downs he plays due to his high amount of potential. He has a lot of shoes to fill, as previous starter Curtis Lofton is one of the best inside linebackers in the league and can dominate against the run. Lofton wasn’t much of a coverage player either, but, and this goes for Dent as well, the good in run defense far outweighs whatever he gives up in pass coverage. Lofton is still in the NFC South, signing with the New Orleans Saints this offseason as an immense upgrade to their group of linebackers.

Dent has quite a bit of potential, and it’s good to see that the young, talented MLB is back to practicing and playing football after a concussion. He is no Lofton, but he’s a quality linebacker in his own right. He will likely start practicing immediately, and this is all great news for Falcons fans.

You can follow Joe Soriano on Twitter @SorianoJoe.

Jun 7, 2012; Charlotte, NC, USA Carolina Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams (34) runs the ball during organized training activities at the team

It’s 38 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’re halfway through looking at the NFC South and today we continue in the form of the Carolina Panthers who went 6-10 in 2011. Here’s how I think their season will go:

•  Week 1 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Win
• Week 2 vs New Orleans Saints – Loss
• Week 3 vs New York Giants – Win
• Week 4 at Atlanta Falcons – Win
• Week 5 vs Seattle Seahawks – Win
• Week 6 BYE
• Week 7 vs Dallas Cowboys – Loss
• Week 8 at Chicago Bears – Loss
• Week 9 at Washington Redskins – Loss
• Week 10 vs Denver Broncos – Loss
• Week 11 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Win
• Week 12 at Philadelphia Eagles – Loss
• Week 13 at Kansas City Chiefs – Loss
• Week 14 vs Atlanta Falcons – Win
• Week 15 at San Diego Chargers – Loss
• Week 16 vs Oakland Raiders – Loss
• Week 17 at New Orleans Saints – Loss

Overall Record for the Carolina Panthers in 2012: 6-10

As you can see from the schedule analysis, I expect this team to start off hot. The problem with momentum is that it can easily be halted by a particular circumstance. In this case, that circumstance is the early bye week. Prior to week 6, you see 4 wins out of 5. Going 2-9 in the final 11 games shows this change of momentum is as defining a moment as you get in a season.

Right after the bye we have a critically difficult stretch with the Cowboys, Bears, Redskins and Broncos turning the Panthers season for the worse. Perhaps the most remarkable thing about this schedule – the sweep of Atlanta. I’ll have more on that in our preview of the Atlanta Falcons schedule tomorrow – something to look forward to.

July 27, 2012; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Josh Freeman (5) stretches during training camp at One Buc Place. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-US PRESSWIRE

It’s 40 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.

With our focus now on the NFC South, we move on to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers who went 4-12 in 2011. Here’s how I think their season will go:

• Week 1 vs Carolina Panthers – Loss
• Week 2 at New York Giants – Loss
• Week 3 at Dallas Cowboys – Loss
• Week 4 vs Washington Redskins – Loss
• Week 5 BYE
• Week 6 vs Kansas City Chiefs – Loss
• Week 7 vs New Orleans Saints – Loss
• Week 8 at Minnesota Vikings – Win
• Week 9 at Oakland Raiders – Loss
• Week 10 vs San Diego Chargers – Loss
• Week 11 at Carolina Panthers – Loss
• Week 12 vs Atlanta Falcons – Loss
• Week 13 at Denver Broncos – Loss
• Week 14 vs Philadelphia Eagles – Loss
• Week 15 at New Orleans Saints – Loss
• Week 16 vs St Louis Rams – Loss
• Week 17 at Atlanta Falcons – Loss

Overall Record for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2012: 1-15

Oh dear – I know this isn’t going to go down well with Bucs fans and it most certainly shouldn’t On paper this schedule is pretty middle of the road despite facing the NFC East and all the tough divisional games. When it comes right down to it I am just finding it very difficult to have any belief in this team at all. As I have said in previous posts, I have zero faith in particular in the ability of quarterback Josh Freeman to perform and I think he’s ultimately going to be an NFL bust.

When I watched the Bucs play last year there was little to be inspired about as we saw the team collapse due to a lack of leadership both from head coach Raheem Morris and Josh Freeman. Now Morris is out and Schiano is in and while I like this move immensely all I see on this team is a bunch of guys who hope to do well but ultimately have a lot to prove. Even with their stellar offseason signings this isn’t enough as this is a team with no identity and tracking in the wrong direction.

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