NFL PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS

Here are my predictions for the NFL Playoffs, including which team I think will win Super Bowl XLIX.

AFC WILD CARD ROUND

BALTIMORE RAVENS  at  PITTSBURGH STEELERS
PREDICTION: RAVENS  16    STEELERS  20

CINCINNATI BENGALS  at  INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
PREDICTION: BENGALS  13    COLTS  34


NFC WILD CARD ROUND

ARIZONA CARDINALS  at  CAROLINA PANTHERS
PREDICTION: CARDINALS  9    PANTHERS  14

DETROIT LIONS  at  DALLAS COWBOYS
PREDICTION: LIONS  24    COWBOYS  35


AFC DIVISIONAL ROUND

PITTSBURGH STEELERS  at  DENVER BRONCOS
PREDICTION: STEELERS  20    BRONCOS  30

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS  at  NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
PREDICTION: COLTS  14    PATRIOTS  38


NFC DIVISIONAL ROUND

DALLAS COWBOYS  at  GREEN BAY PACKERS
PREDICTION: COWBOYS  23    PACKERS  21

CAROLINA PANTHERS  at  SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
PREDICTION: PANTHERS  10    SEAHAWKS  34


AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

DENVER BRONCOS  at  NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
PREDICTION: BRONCOS  17    PATRIOTS  28


NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

DALLAS COWBOYS  at  SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
PREDICTION: COWBOYS  16    SEAHAWKS  23


SUPER BOWL XLIX

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS  vs    SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
PREDICTION: PATRIOTS  19    SEAHAWKS  27

SUPER BOWL XLIX CHAMPION

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

NFL WEEK 15 UPDATE

We're just 2 weeks away from the end of the 2014 NFL Regular Season and there's still a lot to be determined as far as the playoffs are concerned.  With that in mind, here are some headlines from Week 15.

THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL GAME

ARIZONA CARDINALS  12    ST. LOUIS RAMS  6

CARDS CLAIM 11TH WIN OF SEASON BUT LOSE ANOTHER QUARTERBACK.

SUNDAY FOOTBALL GAMES

PITTSBURGH STEELERS  27    ATLANTA FALCONS  20

STEELERS STOP FALCONS LATE TO KEEP AFC NORTH TITLE HOPES ALIVE.

MIAMI DOLPHINS  13    NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS  41

PATS PULL AWAY FROM FINS IN 2ND HALF TO CLINCH AFC EAST CROWN.

HOUSTON TEXANS  10    INDIANAPOLIS COLTS  17

COLTS CAPTURE AFC SOUTH FOR 2ND STRAIGHT YEAR AFTER HOLDING OFF HOUSTON.

GREEN BAY PACKERS  13    BUFFALO BILLS  21

BILLS BAFFLE RODGERS AND THE PACKERS TO KEEP POSTSEASON DREAMS ALIVE.

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS  17    CAROLINA PANTHERS  19

NO CAM NEWTON, NO PROBLEM FOR PANTHERS IN BEATING BUCS.

CINCINNATI BENGALS  30    CLEVELAND BROWNS  0

JOHNNY B. BAD AS BENGALS BASH BROWNS TO STAY ATOP AFC NORTH.

DENVER BRONCOS  22    SAN DIEGO CHARGERS  10

PEYTON AND THE BRONCOS WIN WEST TITLE WITH VICTORY OF CHARGERS.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS  7    SEATTLE SEAHAWKS  17

SEAHAWKS SLAM DOOR ON NINERS PLAYOFF HOPES WITH DOMINATE 2ND HALF.

DALLAS COWBOYS  38    PHILADELPHIA EAGLES  27

BOYS BLOW BIG LEAD THEN RALLY TO BEAT EAGLES AND TAKE TOP SPOT IN NFC EAST.

MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL GAME

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS  31    CHICAGO BEARS  15

BREES AND SAINTS RISE TO SOUTH DIVISION LEAD BY BEATING BAD LOSE BEARS.

That's a wrap for Week 15.  Until next week....

NFL WEEK 14 UPDATE

Here's some headlines from a few of the games from Week 14 of the NFL.

THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL GAME

DALLAS COWBOYS  41    CHICAGO BEARS  28

BIG 3RD QUARTER LEADS BIG D TO WIN IN THE WINDY CITY

SUNDAY FOOTBALL GAMES

PITTSBURGH STEELERS  42    CINCINNATI BENGALS  21

BEN, BELL, BROWN AND BRYANT HELP STEELERS BOUNCE BENGALS

ST. LOUIS RAMS  24    WASHINGTON REDSKINS  0

RED HOT RAMS ROLL OVER REELING REDSKINS WITH 2ND STRAIGHT SHUTOUT

BALTIMORE RAVENS  28    MIAMI DOLPHINS  13

RAVENS RALLY IN 2ND HALF TO DOWN DOLPHINS

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS  25    CLEVELAND BROWNS  24

COLTS CLAIM 9TH WIN OF SEASON WITH COMEBACK VICTORY OVER CLEVELAND

BUFFALO BILLS  17    DENVER BRONCOS  24

BRONCOS RUN ROUGH SHOT OVER BILLS TO STAY ATOP AFC WEST

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS  14    ARIZONA CARDINALS  17

CARDINALS 2ND HALF RALLY HANDS CHIEFS 3RD STRAIGHT LOSS

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS  24    PHILADELPHIA EAGLES  14

SEAHAWKS SHUT DOWN EAGLES OFFENSE FOR 6TH WIN IN LAST 7 GAMES

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS  23    SAN DIEGO CHARGERS  14

PATS DEFENSE SHORT CIRCUITS CHARGERS OFFENSE FOR KEY ROAD WIN

MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL GAME

ATLANTA FALCONS  37    GREEN BAY PACKERS  43

FAST START HELPS PACKERS HOLD OFF LATE FALCONS COMEBACK

There's a quick look at some of the headlines from Week 14.  Until next week....

NFL WEEK 13 UPDATE

Well, the 13th week of the 2014 NFL Season sure proved to be unlucky for some teams.  There were all kinds of unexpected upsets.  The Jacksonville Jaguars overcame a 21-point deficit to beat the NY Giants.  The New Orleans Saints, losers of 3 straight home games, went on the road and beat the Pittsburgh Steelers.  Although, let's not forget that the Steelers had lost to the Bucs and Jets prior to Sunday's setback, so losing to the Saints wasn't all that surprising.  And the Atlanta Falcons completely destroyed the Arizona Cardinals.  The biggest shock of Week 13 wasn't that the St. Louis Rams shut out the Oakland Raiders, but that the Rams scored 52 points in the process!!  Seriously, who saw THAT coming?!  With only 4 weeks left in the regular season and 24 teams still realistically alive for 12 playoff spots, it's only going to get crazier than what's happened so far.

Here are the 4th Quarter Edition of the Pittman's Power Rankings.

THE PITTMAN'S POWER RANKINGS - 4TH QUARTER EDITION

32.  OAKLAND RAIDERS (1-11) - One week after upsetting Kansas City, Oakland got rolled by the Rams 52-0.

31.  NY JETS (2-10) - Not even Joe Namath could lead this Jets team to a victory.

30.  JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (2-10) - Despite their record, the Jags play hard and don't forget that they are an extremely young team.

29.  TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (2-10) - I don't know what's uglier, the play of the Bucs or the hideous uniforms they have to play in.

28.  WASHINGTON REDSKINS (3-9) - What will Washington get rid of first, the team's racial nickname or RGIII?

27.  TENNESSEE TITANS (2-10) - In 6 games rookie quarterback Zach Mettenberger has thrown for almost 1,300 yards and 8 TDs.  Unfortunately the Titans have lost all 6 of those games.

26.  CAROLINA PANTHERS (3-8-1) - Even though Carolina is still mathematically alive in the NFC South, it looks like no postseason for these Panthers.

25.  NY GIANTS (3-9) - Losing on Sunday to the Jags erased any doubts that Tom Coughlin would be fired after the season.

24.  MINNESOTA VIKINGS (5-7) - Rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater played his best game Sunday and believe it or not, the Vikings are still in playoff contention.

23.  CHICAGO BEARS (5-7) - There's nothing except bad news about these Bears who appear to be ready for hibernation.

22.  NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (5-7) - The 4 teams left on the Saints schedule are a combined 15-32-1 and no one wants to play Drew Brees in the playoffs.

21.  ATLANTA FALCONS (5-7) - The first place Falcons are 3-1 over their last 4 games including Sunday's resounding win over the Cardinals.

20.  HOUSTON TEXANS (6-6) - Defensive end J.J. Watt has 3 touchdown catches this season, which is more than wide receivers, Larry Fitzgerald, Reggie Wayne, and fellow Texan teammate Andre Johnson.

19.  ST. LOUIS RAMS (5-7) - I don't know what's more amazing, the fact that the Rams have won 5 games already or that they scored 52 points on Sunday.

18.  CLEVELAND BROWNS (7-5) - Benching Brian Hoyer for Johnny Manziel would have been a panic move.

17.  PITTSBURGH STEELERS (7-5) - Since their impressive 3 game winning streak, the Steelers have lost to the Jets, barely beat the Titans, and got slammed by the Saints.

16.  BUFFALO BILLS (7-5) - The good news, the Bills are 7-5.  The bad news is 3 of their final 4 games are against Denver, Green Bay, and New England.

15.  SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (7-5) - It's not good when there's more talk about trading your head coach when the season is over than your chances of making the playoffs.

14.  MIAMI DOLPHINS (7-5) - The next 2 games against Baltimore and New England will decide whether or not the Dolphins make the playoffs for the first time since 2008.

13.  KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (7-5) - After back-to-back losses, the Chiefs chances of making the postseason took a big hit.

12.  DETROIT LIONS (8-4) - The Lions scored 34 points in their Thanksgiving Day win over the Bears, which is more than they scored in their previous 3 games combined.

11.  BALTIMORE RAVENS (7-5) - With their last second loss to the Chargers on Sunday, the Ravens may have to win their last 4 games just to have a shot at a Wild Card berth.

10.  SAN DIEGO CHARGERS (8-4) - With their last second win over the Ravens on Sunday, the Chargers solidly hold the #1 Wild Card spot in the AFC.

9.  DALLAS COWBOYS (8-4) - After starting the season 6-1, Dallas has gone 2-3 since and with their recent December woes, 5-8 since 2011, it's looking like deja vu all over again.

8.  CINCINNATI BENGALS (8-3-1) - You wouldn't know it by the final score, but Sunday's 14-13 victory over the Bucs was a huge win for the Bengals.

7.  ARIZONA CARDINALS (9-3) - Just 3 weeks ago it appeared that Arizona had the NFC West all wrapped up and now there's a real chance the Cardinals won't even make the playoffs.

6.  INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (8-4) - Why isn't quarterback Andrew Luck at least in the discussion for MVP?

5.  SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (8-4) - Look out!  The Seahawks are starting to look like the team that won the Super Bowl last year.

4.  PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (9-3) - He won't win it, but Chip Kelly is my Coach of the Year.  Philly could be the #1 seed in the NFC with Mark Sanchez as their quarterback!  Think about that!

3.  DENVER BRONCOS (9-3) - If the Broncos keep running the ball like they have the last 2 games, 207.5 yard average, they are a lock to make the Super Bowl for the second straight year.

2.  NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (9-3) - It was the Pats defense, and not Tom Brady, that kept them in the game against the Packers.

1.  GREEN BAY PACKERS (9-3) - For my money, no one throws a prettier pass than Aaron Rodgers.  There's nothing flabby about the way he is playing right now.

That's it for the 4th Quarter Edition of the Pittman's Power Rankings.  Until next week....

NFL WEEK 12 UPDATE

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!  I hope you all have a great day with family and friends!!  While it's true one can eat too much on Thanksgiving, there's no limit to how much football one can watch on Turkey Day.  That's why the NFL has given us 3, yes 3, games on Thanksgiving!!  So, be safe, have fun and give thanks for the NFL!!

For my Week 12 update, I'm going to try and predict how I think each team will finish the season.  Anyway, here we go....

AFC STANDINGS

AFC EAST

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS  (9-2)
Remaining Games: @ GB (L), @ SD (W), Mia (W), @ NYJ (W), Buf (W).
Final Record: 13-3

MIAMI DOLPHINS  (6-5)
Remaining Games: @ NYJ (W), Bal (W), @ NE (L), Min (W), NYJ (W).
Final Record: 10-6

BUFFALO BILLS  (6-5)
Remaining Games: Cle (W), @ Den (L), GB (L), @ Oak (L), @ NE (L).
Final Record: 7-9

NY JETS  (2-9)
Remaining Games: Mia (L), @ Min (L), @ Ten (L), NE (L), @ Mia (L).
Final Record: 2-14

AFC NORTH

CINCINNATI BENGALS  (7-3-1)
Remaining Games: @ TB (W), Pit (W), @ Cle (L), Den (L), @ Pit (L).
Final Record: 9-6-1

BALTIMORE RAVENS  (7-4)
Remaining Games: SD (W), @ Mia (L), Jax (W), @ Hou (W), Cle (W).
Final Record: 11-5

PITTSBURGH STEELERS  (7-4)
Remaining Games: NO (W), @ Cin (L), @ Atl (W), KC (W), Cin (W).
Final Record: 11-5

CLEVELAND BROWNS  (7-4)
Remaining Games: @ Buf (L), Ind (L), Cin (W), @ Car (L), @ Bal (L).
Final Record: 8-8

AFC SOUTH

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS  (7-4)
Remaining Games: Was (W), @ Cle (W), Hou (W), @ Dal (L), @ Ten (L)
Final Record: 10-6

HOUSTON TEXANS  (5-6)
Remaining Games: Ten (W), @ Jax (W), @ Ind (L), Bal (L), Jax (W).
Final Record: 8-8

TENNESSEE TITANS (2-9)
Remaining Games: @ Hou (L), NYG (L), NYJ (W), @ Jax (L), Ind (L)
Final Record: 3-13

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS  (1-10)
Remaining Games: NYG (L), Hou (L), @ Bal (L), Ten (W), @ Hou (L).
Final Record: 2-14

AFC WEST

DENVER BRONCOS  (8-3)
Remaining Games: @ KC (W), Buf (W), @ SD (L), @ Cin (W), Oak (W).
Final Record: 12-4

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS  (7-4)
Remaining Games: Den (L), @ Ari (L), Oak (W), @ Pit (L), SD (W).
Final Record: 9-7

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS  (7-4)
Remaining Games: @ Bal (L), NE (L), Den (W), @ SF (L), @ KC (L).
Final Record: 8-8

OAKLAND RAIDERS  (1-10)
Remaining Games: @ STL (L), SF (L), @ KC (L), Buf (W), @ Den (L).
Final Record: 2-14

NFC STANDINGS

NFC EAST

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES  (8-3)
Remaining Games: @ Dal (L), Sea (L), Dal (W), @ Was (W), @ NYG (L).
Final Record: 10-6

DALLAS COWBOYS  (8-3)
Remaining Games: Phi (W), @ Chi (L), @ Phi (L), Ind (W), @ Was (W).
Final Record: 11-5

NY GIANTS  (3-8)
Remaining Games: @ Jax (W), @ Ten (W), Was (W), @ STL (L), Phi (W).
Final Record: 7-9

WASHINGTON REDSKINS  (3-8)
Remaining Games: @ Ind (L), STL (L), @ NYG (L), Phi (L), Dal (L).
Final Record: 3-13

NFC NORTH

GREEN BAY PACKERS  (8-3)
Remaining Games: NE (W), Atl (W), @ Buf (W), @ TB (W), Det (W).
Final Record: 13-3

DETROIT LIONS  (7-4)
Remaining Games: Chi (W), TB (W), Min (W), @ Chi (W), @ GB (L).
Final Record: 11-5

CHICAGO BEARS  (5-6)
Remaining Games: @ Det (L), Dal (W), NO (W), Det (L), @ Min (W).
Final Record: 8-8

MINNESOTA VIKINGS  (4-7)
Remaining Games: Car (L), NYJ (W), @ Det (L), @ Mia (L), Chi (L).
Final Record: 5-11

NFC SOUTH

ATLANTA FALCONS  (4-7)
Remaining Games: Ari (L), @ GB (L), Pit (L), @ NO (L), Car (L).
Final Record: 4-11

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS  (4-7)
Remaining Games: @ Pit (L), Car (L), @ Chi (L), Atl (W), @ TB (W).
Final Record: 6-10

CAROLINA PANTHERS  (3-7-1)
Remaining Games: @ Min (W), @ NO (W), TB (W), Cle (W), @ Atl (W).
Final Record: 8-7-1

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS  (2-9)
Remaining Games: Cin (L), @ Det (L), @ Car (L), GB (L), NO (L),
Final Record: 2-14

NFC WEST

ARIZONA CARDINALS  (9-2)
Remaining Games: @ Atl (W), KC (W), @ STL (W), Sea (L), @ SF (L).
Final Record: 12-4

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS  (7-4)
Remaining Games: @ SF (L), @ Phi (W), SF (W),  @ Ari (W), STL (W).
Final Record: 11-5

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS  (7-4)
Remaining Games: Sea (W), @ Oak (W), @ Sea (L), SD (W), Ari (W)
Final Record: 11-5

ST. LOUIS RAMS  (4-7)
Remaining Games: Oak (W), @ Was (W), Ari (L), NYG (W), @ Sea (L).
Final Record: 7-9

There are my predictions for how all of the 32 teams in the NFL will fair over the final 5 weeks of the season.  Check back next time, where I'll reveal my 3rd Quarter Edition of the Pittman's Power Rankings.  Until next week....

NFL WEEK 11 UPDATE

Just when you think you might have things figured out in the NFL, something like Week 11 happens.  I believe Week 11 can be summed up best by the immortal words of Vince Lombardi, "What the hell is going on out there?!"  With that said, here's a few quick observations from the 11th week of the NFL Season.

THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL GAME

BUFFALO BILLS  9    MIAMI DOLPHINS  22

Don't look now, but the Miami Dolphins are looking like a serious playoff contender.  The Buffalo Bills on the other hand, are looking like the same team that we've seen for the last few seasons; start the season fast and fizzle down the stretch.

SUNDAY FOOTBALL GAMES

HOUSTON TEXANS  23    CLEVELAND BROWNS  7

Is J.J. Watt for real?  The Texans defensive star caught a touchdown pass on Sunday and it wasn't an easy, wide open touchdown either.  Lost in all of the Watt hysteria was Houston quarterback, Ryan Mallett, getting his first career start and victory.  Although the Browns are still in good shape at 6-4, it's still got to be a little troubling that in 2 of Cleveland's losses, they've only scored a total of 13 points against the Jaguars and Texans, two teams allowing a combined 48.6 points per game.

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS  20    KANSAS CITY CHIEFS  27

After an 0-2 start, the Chiefs have really turned their season around.  Including Sunday's win over the Seattle, Kansas City has won 7 of their last 8 and are now tied with Denver for first place in the AFC West.  Meanwhile, following a 3 game winning streak, it looked like the Seahawks had gotten back on track.  However, with their loss on Sunday to the Chiefs, Seattle has fallen to 6-4 and are in real danger of missing the playoffs.

CINCINNATI BENGALS  27    NEW ORLEANS SAINTS 10

Bengals quarterback, Andy Dalton, certainly bounced back from last week's horrible performance.  Against the Saints, Dalton only had 6 incompletions and threw 3 touchdown passes.  New Orleans has to be wondering what is going on.  The Saints used to be unbeatable at home and now they've lost 2 games in a row at the Superdome.  The good news for New Orleans is even with a 4-6 record, they're still tied atop the NFC South.  I have a quick message to the 4 teams in the NFL's worst division.  Just because it's called the NFC South, doesn't mean your record has to be "south" of .500, OK?

DENVER BRONCOS  7    ST. LOUIS RAMS  22

The most confusing loss of Week 11 was the Broncos falling to the Rams.  However, St. Louis has defeated some formidable opponents this season.  In Week 7, the Rams beat the Seahawks, in Week 9, they defeated the 49ers and on Sunday, they dominated the Broncos.  Those 3 teams are a combined 19-11.  Besides losing the game, Denver lost 3 key offensive weapons too.  Tight end, Julius Thomas, wide receiver, Emmanual Sanders, and running back, Montee Ball, all left Sunday's game with injuries.  For Ball, this is the second time this season he has sustained an injury that will keep him out for a period of time.  As great as Peyton Manning is, not even he can win games by himself.

DETROIT LIONS  6    ARIZONA CARDINALS  14
When Cardinals quarterback, Carson Palmer, went down last week with a season ending knee injury, many believed Arizona's chances of winning a Super Bowl went down with him.  With back-up quarterback, Drew Stanton, at the helm, Arizona jumped out to a quick 14-0 lead against Detroit.  The Lions came into the game with the #1 ranked defense in the NFL, but it was the Cardinals defense that shined on Sunday, holding the Detroit offense to just 262 total yards.  If the Arizona defense can continue to play like they did versus Detroit and the offense can limit their mistakes, the Cardinals could be hoisting the Lombardi Trophy at season's end.

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES  20    GREEN BAY PACKERS  53

Is there any team hotter than the Green Bay Packers?  For the first time in their storied history, the Packers scored over 50 points in 2 straight home games.  Green Bay quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, is playing the best football of his career, as the 10 year veteran threw 3 more touchdowns against the Eagles.  Even though it's just one game, Philadelphia suddenly looks extremely vulnerable.  After next week's game against the Tennessee Titans, the Eagles play the Cowboys twice, with the Seahawks sandwiched in between.  Those 3 games will define the Eagles 2014 season.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS  42    INDIANAPOLIS COLTS  20

If the Packers aren't the hottest team in the NFL right now, the New England Patriots are.  Following their humiliating defeat to the Chiefs in Week 4, the Patriots have won 6 straight games by an average score of 41-21.  Against the Colts on Sunday night, New England found yet another weapon on offense in running back, Jonas Gray.  The undrafted player out of Notre Dame, carried the football 38 times for 199 yards and 4 touchdowns Sunday night.  As impressive as the Patriots have looked over the last 6 games, we've all seen this before.  New England will look unstoppable during the regular season, winning 13 or 14 games, and then come playoff time, all of that magic seems to go out the window.  Remember, as dominate as New England has been over the years, the Patriots haven't won a Super Bowl since 2004.

MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL GAME

PITTSBURGH STEELERS  27    TENNESSEE TITANS  24

Can anyone figure out the Pittsburgh Steelers?  Coming into Monday night's tilt against Tennessee, Pittsburgh had defeated the likes of the Indianapolis Colts and Baltimore Ravens, but also lost to the lowly Tampa Bay Buccaneers and NY Jets.  Since the Steelers have shown a history of playing down to their opponent's level, it was not surprising at all to see the 2-7 Titans have a 24-13 lead entering the 4th quarter.  What was surprising was the manner in which Pittsburgh responded over the final 15 minutes of the game.  With quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, continuously under pressure from the Titans defense, the Steelers turned to running back, Le'Veon Bell, to get the job done Monday night.  Bell ran for 204 yards on 33 carries plus a touchdown as Pittsburgh scored the game's final 14 points to escape with a 27-24 victory.  As unpredictable as the Steelers have been this season, they still find themselves at 7-4 going into their bye week and right in the thick of the AFC North race.

Well, that completes my Week 11 update.  It's been a wild and crazy ride so far and with 6 weeks still to go and more than half of the teams in the NFL with winning records, it's only going to get better!!  Until next week....

NFL WEEK 10 UPDATE

Here are some headlines from Week 10 of the NFL Season.

THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL GAME

CLEVELAND BROWNS  24    CINCINNATI BENGALS  3

BROWNS BULLY BENGALS AS CLEVELAND CLAIMS TOP SPOT IN AFC NORTH.

SUNDAY FOOTBALL GAMES

PITTSBURGH STEELERS  13    NY JETS  20

JETS FLY BY BIG BEN AND SCHIZOPHRENIC STEELERS STOP LOSING STREAK AT 8.

MIAMI DOLPHINS  16    DETROIT LIONS  20

LIONS LATE TD DOWNS DOLPHINS GIVING DETROIT NFC NORTH BEST 7-2 RECORD.

DALLAS COWBOYS  31    JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS  17

COWBOYS LEAVE JAGS IN A LONDON FOG AS ROMO RETURNS THROWING 3 TDs.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS  27    NEW ORLEANS SAINTS  24  (F/OT)

NINERS TAKE OT THRILLER DOWN IN THE BAYOU THANKS TO TURNOVER BY BREES.

ST. LOUIS RAMS  14    ARIZONA CARDINALS  31

CARDINALS RALLY PASSED RAMS FOR 8TH WIN BUT LOSE QB PALMER FOR SEASON.

NY GIANTS  17    SEATTLE SEAHAWKS  38

SEAHAWKS SOAR OVER G-MEN WITH FRANCHISE RECORD 350 YARDS RUSHING.

CHICAGO BEARS  14    GREEN BAY PACKERS  55

PACKERS PUMMEL BUMBLING BEARS LED BY ROGERS RIDICULOUS 6 TD 1ST HALF.

MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL GAME

CAROLINA PANTHERS  21    PHILADELPHIA EAGLES  45

EAGLES SANCHEZ ELIMINATES DOUBTS AS PHILLY POUNDS PATHETIC PANTHERS.

Those are some of the headlines from Week 10.  Please join me again next time as we close in on the 3rd quarter of the 2014 NFL Season.  Until next week....

NFL WEEK 9 UPDATE

Here's a quick look at some of the games from Week 9 of the NFL Season.

THURSDAY NIGHT GAME

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS  28    CAROLINA PANTHERS  10

Despite both teams entering the game with losing records (Saints 3-4, Panthers 3-4-1), the winner would claim the top spot in the NFC South.  As the Saints continue to look more and more like the team most expected heading into the 2014 season, the Panthers look nothing like the 2013 team that won the division and clinched a first round bye in the postseason.  Carolina quarterback, Cam Newton, played possibly the worst game of his career last Thursday night, completing just 10 of 28 passes for 151 yards.  On the flip-side, New Orleans quarterback, Drew Brees, threw for 297 yards, but the biggest factor to the Saints victory was the play of running back, Mark Ingram.  The former Heisman Trophy winner ran for 100 yards and 2 touchdowns, giving him 272 yards and 3 touchdowns over the last 2 games.

SUNDAY FOOTBALL GAMES

ARIZONA CARDINALS  28    DALLAS COWBOYS  17

With the news that Cowboys quarterback, Tony Romo, was not going to play because of a back injury sustained in the previous game, Dallas knew they would need to rely on running back, DeMarco Murray, in order to defeat the Cardinals.  Unfortunately for Dallas, Murray was held in check for much of the game, finishing with just 79 yards on 19 carries.  It was the first time this season that Murray did not eclipse the century mark and as a result, the Cowboys lost their second straight game.  As for the Cardinals, they continue to be the surprise team of 2014.  Arizona quarterback, Carson Palmer, threw for 249 yards and 3 touchdowns to help lead the Cardinals to their 7th victory in 8 games.  Could the Cardinals become the first team ever to play in the Super Bowl at their own stadium?

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES  31    HOUSTON TEXANS  21

The Philadelphia Eagles are extremely lucky to have Mark Sanchez as their back-up quarterback.  I never thought I'd write that sentence.  During the first quarter of the Eagles game against the Texans, Philly quarterback, Nick Foles, landed hard on his left shoulder, resulting in a broken clavicle.  That's when Mark Sanchez, the much maligned quarterback, took the field in a regular season game for the first time since December 30, 2012.  While Sanchez wasn't perfect, he did throw 2 picks, he did enough to keep the Houston defense honest.  Eagles running back, LeSean McCoy, chipped in with 117 yards rushing, giving him 2 100+ yard performances in the last 3 games.  If Philadelphia can keep running the football like they have in recent weeks, it'll take the pressure off Sanchez to win the game himself.

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS  0    MIAMI DOLPHINS  37

What in the world has happened to the San Diego Chargers?  After starting the season 5-1, San Diego has lost 3 in a row, with Sunday's shutout loss to Miami being the most humiliating.  As they head into their bye week, San Diego better find a way to recharge or any hopes of making the playoffs will be defused rather quickly.  Miami on the other hand is quietly becoming a legit contender in the AFC.  Including Sunday's win, the Dolphins have won 3 straight games and remain just one game behind the Patriots for the lead in the AFC East.

DENVER BRONCOS  21    NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS  43

Speaking of the Patriots, Tom Brady and the New England offense completely trampled over a Denver defense that came into the game among the best in the league.  Brady finished with 333 yards and 4 touchdowns as New England captured their 5th straight victory.  Meanwhile, Broncos quarterback, Peyton Manning, had a decent day statistically, 438 yards and 2 touchdowns, but the Denver running game was completely shut down, accumulating just 43 yards on 17 carries.  The good news for Manning and company is that a year ago the Broncos lost to the Patriots in Foxboro and still went on to reach the Super Bowl.

BALTIMORE RAVENS  23    PITTSBURGH STEELERS  43

Aside from the Broncos/Patriots game, the marquee match-up of Week 9 was the Baltimore Ravens traveling to Pittsburgh to take on the Steelers in a clash of AFC North rivals.  Coming off a tough loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, the Ravens were trying to avoid not just their second straight defeat, but also their third loss in the division.  As for the Steelers, they were looking to continue their momentum on offense and at the same time avenge their Week 2 loss to these Ravens.  The game got off to a sluggish start, especially for Pittsburgh.  Trailing 7-0 in the second quarter, the Pittsburgh defense forced a Baltimore fumble that seemed to awaken quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, and the entire Steelers offense.  By the time the game reached halftime, Baltimore's 7-0 lead had turned into a 22-10 deficit.  In the second half, Roethlisberger continued to find holes in the Ravens defense and when it was all said and done, Pittsburgh secured their 3rd victory in a row.  In addition to their win, Big Ben became the first quarterback in the history of the NFL to throw 6 touchdowns in consecutive games.

MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL GAME

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS  40    NY GIANTS  24

There has been a debate in recent weeks about what player would you pick if you were starting an NFL team.  A majority of people said they would select Colts quarterback, Andrew Luck.  After watching Luck's performance against the Giants on Monday night, it's not hard to understand why he would be many people's choice.  Luck finished the game with 354 yards passing, his 8th game throwing for 300+ yards this season, and 4 touchdowns.  While what Andrew Luck is doing is impressive, let's not forget that the combined records of the 6 teams the Colts have beaten is 20-30 while the 3 teams they have lost to are 18-7.  Now, the Giants would be happy to beat anyone at this point.  After starting the season 0-2, the Giants won their next 3 games only to turn around and drop their next 3 contests.  While we've heard the "Fire Tom Coughlin" chants before, I think if the Giants fail to make the playoffs for the third year in a row, those chants will become reality.

That does it for Week 9.  Until next week....

NFL WEEK 8 UPDATE

We've reached the halfway point of the 2014 NFL Season, which means it's time for the newest edition of The Pittman's Power Rankings.  Before I reveal my rankings, I'd like to give out a few midseason awards.  Here we go....

THE PITTMAN'S MIDSEASON AWARDS

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER:  Peyton Manning (DEN)

COACH OF THE FIRST HALF:  Jim Caldwell (DET)

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE FIRST HALF:  J.J. Watt (HOU)

ROOKIE OF THE FIRST HALF:  C.J. Mosley (BAL)


Now, let's take a look at The Pittman's Power Rankings.

THE PITTMAN'S POWER RANKINGS - MIDSEASON EDITION

32.  OAKLAND RAIDERS (0-7) - No second season on the horizon for interim head coach Tony Sparano.

31.  JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (1-7) - Averaging less than 15 points per game, the Jags offense should be named Bortles and Lame.

30.  TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (1-6) - The Bucs have failed to score more than 17 points in 5 of their 7 games.

29.  NY JETS (1-6) - Rex (Ryan) is in effect a lame duck head coach.

28.  ATLANTA FALCONS (2-6) - Not even two years ago the Falcons were one win away from the Super Bowl.

27.  TENNESSEE TITANS (2-6) - On Sunday, rookie Zach Mettenberger became the third different quarterback to start for the Titans this season.

26.  ST. LOUIS RAMS (2-5) - One week after upsetting the Seahawks, the Rams lost the Show Me State Showdown to the Chiefs and two key players on offense for the season.

25.  MINNESOTA VIKINGS (3-5) - Rookie phenom Jerick McKinnon is helping Viking fans forget about Adrian Peterson.

24.  CHICAGO BEARS (3-5) - The only thing scarier than how bad the Bears are playing right now is the contact Chicago gave Jay Cutler in the offseason.

23.  WASHINGTON REDSKINS (3-5) - The NFL's best quarterback depth chart resides in DC.

22.  NY GIANTS (3-4) - The combined record of the 3 teams the Giants beat is 9-15 while the combined record of the 4 teams they lost to is 23-5.

21.  CAROLINA PANTHERS (3-4-1) - They've already lost the same number of games as they did in 2013 and yet the Panthers are in first place in the NFC South.

20.  NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (3-4) - The Saints finally looked like themselves in their blowout over the Packers Sunday night.  Now can they get their first road win since Week 12 of last year?

19.  HOUSTON TEXANS (4-4) - What's more surprising, the Texans defense with J.J. Watt ranking 30th in the NFL or the offense with Ryan Fitzpatrick ranking 11th?

18.  BUFFALO BILLS (5-3) - With just one more victory, the Bills can equal their win total of a year ago.

17.  CLEVELAND BROWNS (4-3) - The last time the Browns were above .500 this far into a season was 2007.

16.  MIAMI DOLPHINS (4-3) - Quietly, running back Lamar Miller is on pace to rush for 1,072 yards this season.

15.  PITTSBURGH STEELERS (5-3) - As amazing as his performance was against the Colts, the Steelers can't count on Ben Roethlisberger to throw for over 500 yards and 6 TDs every week.

14.  KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (4-3) - After an 0-2 start, KC has won 4 of their last 5.

13.  BALTIMORE RAVENS (5-3) - I'm not a Ravens supporter by any means, but that offensive pass interference call against Steve Smith was absolutely terrible.

12.  CINCINNATI BENGALS (4-2-1) - The most impressive thing about the Bengals victory on Sunday was they did it without wide receiver A.J. Green.

11.  INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (5-3) - A week after shutting out Cincinnati, the Colts defense allows 51 points to Pittsburgh.

10.  SAN DIEGO CHARGERS (5-3) - Phillip Rivers has played great, but San Diego must run the ball to win.  Average 100.8 yards rushing in 5 wins.  Average 60.6 yards rushing in 3 losses.

9.  SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (4-3) - Was Sunday's dramatic victory over the Panthers the turning point of the Seahawks season?

8.  PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (5-2) - Running back LeSean McCoy needs to get going if the Eagles want to remain a legit contender come playoff time.

7.  SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (4-3) - As this team continues to get healthier, so does their Super Bowl aspirations.

6.  GREEN BAY PACKERS (5-3) - Relax Packer fans!  No one was going to beat the Saints Sunday night in New Orleans.

5.  DETROIT LIONS (6-2) - Down 21-0 at halftime, Detroit teams of the past would have packed it in, but this Lions team has heart.

4.  DALLAS COWBOYS (6-2) - For the first time this season, DeMarco Murray ran the ball less than 20 times Monday night and as a result, the Cowboys lost their first game since Week 1.

3.  NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (6-2) - Since their beatdown at the hands of the Chiefs, the Patriots have outscored their opponents 158-87.

2.  ARIZONA CARDINALS (6-1) - Since Week 8 of 2013, the Cardinals are an incredible 13-3.

1.  DENVER BRONCOS (6-1) - If the Broncos continue to average 130.6 yards rushing like they have the last 3 weeks, there's a real chance they won't lose another game.

And there's the midseason edition of The Pittman's Power Rankings.  Until next week...

NFL WEEK 7 UPDATE

In every football game, there is a stat that stands out.  For my Week 7 update, I'm going to take a look at the biggest stat/number from a few of last week's games.

THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL GAME

NY JETS  25    NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS  27

58:  That's how many yards Jets placekicker Nick Folk's field goal attempt was on the final play between these two bitter AFC East rivals.  Unfortunately for the Jets, the kick was blocked giving the Patriots their 3rd straight win.

SUNDAY FOOTBALL GAMES

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS  26    ST. LOUIS RAMS  28

2:  That's the number of trick plays the Rams used to upset the defending Super Bowl Champion Seahawks.  The first trick play occurred in the 2nd quarter when the Rams faked out the Seahawks on a punt return that resulted in a 90-yard touchdown by second year man, Stedman Bailey.  Then, late in the 4th quarter, from their own 18 yard line, St. Louis executed a fake punt that helped seal the victory.

CINCINNATI BENGALS  0    INDIANAPOLIS COLTS  27

135:  That's the total number of yards the Bengals offense generated in the entire game against the Colts.  As for Indianapolis, quarterback Andrew Luck and company gained 506 yards to help capture the team's 5th win in a row.

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS  23    DETROIT LIONS  24

14:  That's how many points the Lions scored in the final 3 minutes and 38 seconds of the game in their come from behind victory over the Saints.

NY GIANTS  21    DALLAS COWBOYS  31

913:  That's how many yards Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray has so far this season, including the 128 yards he ran for on Sunday against the Giants.  With his Week 7 performance, Murray has now rushed for over 100 yards in all 7 of Dallas' games this season, which is an NFL record, previously held by Hall of Famer, Jim Brown.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS  17    DENVER BRONCOS  42

8:  That's how many yards Peyton Manning's touchdown pass to Demaryius Thomas was in the 2nd quarter of the Broncos dominating victory over the 49ers.  The touchdown pass was Manning's 3rd of the game, but more importantly, it gave the future Hall of Famer 509 career touchdown passes, breaking fellow future Hall of Famer Brett Favre's all-time record.

MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL GAME

HOUSTON TEXANS  23    PITTSBURGH STEELERS  30

73:  That's how many seconds it took the Steelers to score 3 touchdowns in the 2nd quarter of their win against the Texans.  In that amount of time, Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger threw 2 touchdowns, including a 35-yarder to wide receiver Martavis Bryant, which also happened to be the first ever catch for the rookie out of Clemson.

That's it for Week 7 of the NFL Season.  Join me next week when I unveil the midseason edition of The Pittman's Power Rankings.