TESM’s Interview With Former NFL Punter Craig Hentrich

A position on the field that everyone overlooks is a punter. They can change the game with one swing of their leg. And no one was better over their career at punting than former Packers and Titans punter Craig Hentrich. I recently caught up with Craig and here is what we talked about!

MP: What are you up to these days Craig?

CH: I actually teach punting/kicking thru my company, Legacy Kicking. I am also getting started on building furniture as well. My third job is golf, but I haven’t played golf since October.

MP: How did you get into golf and become so good at it?

CH: I started golfing around the age of 12. I think that I’ve always had good hand/eye coordination. That and I’m always looking for a new challenge to master and that helped me as well.

MP: Who were some of your idols growing up?

CH: My parents were my idols growing up. My dad was a hard worker. He worked the same job for 35 years, was never late and never missed a day. That and when he came home, he spent time with his kids. My mom was a homemaker and they worked well together. As far as sports, I was a huge soccer player growing up. I used to go watch the Major Indoor Soccer League games when I was growing up all the time and those guys were my sports idols.

MP: How did you hone your punting craft?

CH: I honed it through hours and hours and hours of practice. I actually would catch myself doing things and make corrections.

MP: What positions did you play growing up besides punter?

CH: I actually played quarterback and safety in high school. I ran the wishbone offense. Of course, I couldn’t run that in college. When I got to college, I actually pulled double-duty as a punter and kicker.

MP: What makes a good punter?

CH: Consistency and dependability makes a punter good. And by consistency, I mean that the punter drops balls inside the 10 or unleashes a big punt and is unselfish with what he needs to do for the team.

MP: Who do you think is the best punter in the NFL?

CH: I have two that I like a lot. Shane Lechler of the Oakland and Mike Scifres of San Diego. Both always seem to hit the big punt at the right time when their team is backed up.

MP: What are your thoughts on BountyGate in New Orleans?

CH: I think it’s blown way out of proportion. The NFL is an emotional game and it’s a way to get guys mentally ready for the game, not a way to send guys out to hurt people.

MP: What made you take to punting so much?

CH: Punting is a very difficult thing to master. There’s thousands of great kickers and very few great punters. I’m always looking for a great challenge and punting is something that I can never master.

MP: Will there ever be a punter in the Hall of Fame?

CH: Yes. I read a quote from John Madden and he said “Ray Guy was one of the best defensive players I’ve ever coached.” Punters, in my opinion, are becoming more important because the game is being played more by field position. And punters are field position players.

Many thanks to Craig Hentrich for the interview. Be sure to catch up with him at Legacy Kicking(www.legacykicking.com) and also be looking for him at a golf course near you!

(Picture of Craig Hentrich via http://www.bleacherreport.com)

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Ballers And Wankstas Of The Week- Week 14

The season is down to crunch time and the Ballers balled and the Wankstas, well they did what they usually do. Without further adieu, here are the Ballers and Wankstas of the Week!!

Ballers Of The Week

Eli Manning, QB, New York Giants (27/47, 400 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT)
Eli should be nicknamed Eli the Clutch after what’s he done this year in the fourth quarter. He is the highest rated QB when it counts most and he showed again that he can make it happen. Big ups to Eli.

Ryan Matthews, RB, San Diego Chargers (20 carries, 114 yards)
Matthews played excellent this weekend and showed some of the promise that the Chargers and Chargers fans have been waiting for from the former 1st round pick. Hopefully this is a sign of things to come for the young running back.

Marshawn Lynch, RB, Seattle Seahawks (23 carries, 115 yards, 1 TD)
Lynch ran over around and through the St. Louis Rams on his way to another 100+ yard rushing performance. It looks like Beast Mode has returned. Someone pass Lynch the Skittles please!

Alphonso Smith, DB, Detroit Lions
Smith was the star of the Lions 6 turnover effort against the Minnesota Vikings. He picked off two Christian Ponder passes, including an interception return for a touchdown that led to his ode to Michael Jackson touchdown dance. Great stuff!

Wankstas Of The Week

Browns Offense
The Browns couldn’t get anything going offensively. Part of it was the effect of the Steelers defense. The other part of it was the ineptitude of the offense. You would think that this offense would have some kind of imagination but it was as imaginative as a blank sheet of paper. Coach Shurmur, you’ve got some work to do.

Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs? Have you seen them folks? I really wonder what happened to them and where did they go. This team won the AFC West last year and they’ve gone completely down the tubes this year. Sure, injuries affected this team, but are they this bad? I think not.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were playing well in Jacksonville and then the roof caved in. Jacksonville became the Green Bay Packers and were scoring at will on the Bucs. If I’m the Bucs, I’m embarrassed by my performance and if I’m Bucs brass, I wonder if Raheem Morris can’t reach this team anymore.

Josh McDaniel, St. Louis Rams Offensive Coordinator
McDaniel has been pretty bad as an offensive coordinator this year St. Louis. He took a pretty good offense and turned it inept. For his next magic trick, he may want to see how fast he can disappear from this coaching staff.

These are my Ballers and Wankstas of the Week! If you have anyone you would like to add, feel free to drop a comment with your Baller or Wanksta of the week!

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Ballers And Wankstas Of The Week- Week 13

The players played. The ballers balled. And some players and coaches just flat-out didn’t get it done. Without further adieu, here are the Ballers and Wankstas of the week!

Ballers Of The Week

Chris Johnson, RB, Tennessee Titans (23 carries, 153 yards, 2 TDs)
CJ has started to pick up steam the past few weeks. This is his second big game in a row and he looks like he has that homerun gear back as well. It should be interesting to see what he does against the New Orleans Saints this week.

Ray Rice, RB, Baltimore Ravens (29 carries, 204 yards, 1 TD)
The Ray Rice train was running on all cylinders this past Sunday in Cleveland. When he gets the ball, the Ravens make things happen offensively. Maybe they need to feed him the ball more every game. Just a thought.

Drew Brees, QB, New Orleans Saints (26/36, 342 yards, 3 TDs)
Brees was cool as the other side of the pillow Sunday night vs the Lions. He dissected the Lions this past Sunday night and it should be interesting to see what happens this week when he takes on the Tennessee Titans.

Marshawn Lynch, RB, Seattle Seahawks (22 carries, 148 yards, 2 TDs)
Lynch was in beast mode this past week in the NFL. He did any and everything he wanted to do. Maybe he needs to have the Skittles more on the sideline. They have special powers.

Demaryius Thomas, WR, Denver Broncos (4 receptions, 144 yards, 2 TDs)
Thomas was in rare form against the Vikings. When he came out of Georgia Tech he was considered a beast and he sure looked like that Sunday. The Broncos just keep on rolling.

Wankstas Of The Week

Jason Garrett
For those that don’t know, Jason Garrett is the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys were tied at 13 with the Cardinals and had moved into field goal range and had a chance to kick a field goal to win the game. The snap. The set. The kick is GOOD!! Except we have one problem. Jason Garrett called timeout right before the kick. Garrett’s timeout was effective for the Cardinals and ineffective for his own team as PK Dan Bailey missed the second attempt at the kick and Dallas went on to lose in overtime to the Cardinals. The hits just keep coming from Garrett. Icing your own kicker is at the top of the list of gaffes for him.

St. Louis Rams
How do you go a whole NFL game and don’t score any points? Well, that’s a questions that the Rams have to answer. I know the 49ers defense is stingy, but you’re pros St. Louis! At least give me three points.

Jacksonville Jaguars
For those that didn’t watch, the Jaguars were the co-stars of the Disappearing Acts sequel. The second half was a total shame and even though I expect the Jags to be bad, when they play against the hapless Chargers, they have to give me at least some kind of competitive game.

Vince Young, QB, Philadelphia Eagles (17/29, 208 yards, 1 TD, 4 INTs)
Young’s career may be getting old quick. He hasn’t shown any improvement in reading defenses and he threw some passes that had me asking: “Who is he throwing the ball to?”. Vince, if you want to stay in the NFL, you gotta read a defense better than that.

These are my Ballers and Wankstas of the Week. If you have anyone you feel should have made either list, feel free to drop a comment.

The Everyday Mailbag-11/22/11

Leaves change color. Seasons change. But the Everyday Mailbag stays the same. Let’s see what the Sports World wants to know!!!!

Q: Does Bears QB Jay Cutler’s injury open up a Wild Card spot for an NFC East squad or will the Bears still make the playoffs?
-Drew N, Washington DC

A: To be honest, it possibly could. Before the season, I had two teams going to the playoffs from the NFC East. I will say that the Bears schedule isn’t terribly difficult going down the stretch, but without Cutler, things get tougher for Matt Forte and that whole offense. I still think they make the playoffs though.

Q: Should Vince Young start rest of the year over Michael Vick?
-Dallah S., Manhattan, NY

A: I think that its just one start and that’s an overreaction to Vince’s one start. Now I’m not doubting that Vince is a winner. He is. His record says so. If Vince was to start a string of games and wins, then I think there would be a QB controversy there. But with the money Vick is making and the fact that its just been one start tells me that Vick is the starter still in Philly.

Q: Can the Eagles make a late run at the NFC East title?
-Aaron J., Washington, DC

A: No. When they lost the game vs the Cardinals, there went their NFC East Title chances. The Eagles need to focus on winning two games in a row and getting themselves right first. The race is between the Cowboys and the Giants, not the Eagles.

Q: Will Norv Turner get fired before the end of the season?
-Joey K., Los Angeles, CA

A: Is water wet? I think its closing time for Norv in San Diego.

Q: What’s the next move for the Bears?
-Dallah S., Manhattan, NY

A: The next move for the Bears is to scour the waiver wire or the classifieds for a veteran backup QB. Caleb Hanie will be the starter. There’s no doubt about that. Former Ravens QB Marc Bulger could be a possible pickup. He has played in Martz’s system before and it wouldn’t take him long to catch on because of that familiarity.

Q: If Arkansas beats LSU, who plays for the BCS Championship?
-David D., Murfreesboro, TN

A: I think Arkansas would definitely be in the picture for the title. Now for the contender, I think it would be Alabama.

Q: Will the Eagles or Steelers make the playoffs this year? I’ve seen the Ravens schedule, they’re definitely going.
-Shatal J., Orlando, FL

A: I think the Steelers will definitely make the playoffs. As far as the Eagles, they have dug themselves a hole they cannot get out of.

Thanks for all the questions and remember, if you have sports questions, I have answers!!

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Ballers And Wankstas Of The Week-Week 9

Players played. Ballers balled and some players just flat-out left it all at home. Here are the Ballers and Wankstas of Week 9 in the NFL!

Ballers Of The Week

RB Arian Foster, Houston Texans (19 carries, 124 yards, 1 TD)
Foster came out and handled business. It seemed at first this year that he was going to struggle with a hamstring injury, but what a difference a few weeks make! He’s back to torching defenses again as usual. And this is dangerous. Just ask the Browns how dangerous he was this past weekend.

Eli Manning, QB, New York Giants (20/39, 250 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT)
The game was in the balance. The Giants were down and most had counted them out. Then Manning went to work. No, not Peyton, but Eli. Eli was clutch and came through when his team needed him most. I guess he has Brady’s number.

Jordy Nelson, WR, Green Bay Packers (5 receptions, 105 yards, 1 TD)
Nelson is just one of a plethora of talented Packers receiver. He gives Aaron Rodgers yet another weapon to punish teams with. Good luck stopping all their weapons.

Patrick Peterson, CB/WR, Arizona Cardinals
Peterson has been electrifying returning punts this year, but this one takes the cake. In overtime, Peterson took a punt 99 yards for the game-winning TD. Peterson is truly a special return guy. Now he has to get his defensive back swagger back and stop getting penalized so much.

Wankstas Of The Week

Phillip Rivers, QB, San Diego Chargers (26/46, 385 yards, 4 TDs, 3 INTs)
Rivers has been good. Rivers has been bad. And most recently, he’s been ugly. Against the Packers, he threw two pick-6′s and he also threw the game-sealing interception to Green Bay’s Charlie Peprah. He’s just been off this year. All I know if he better get it together if the Chargers want to make the playoffs this year.

Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB, Buffalo Bills (15/31, 191 yards, TD, 2 INTs)
Fitzpatrick came back down to Earth this week as the Jets took him out of his game. For the Bills’ sake, they better hope this performance is a blip on the screen because they just opened up the pocket book to sign Fitzgerald long-term.

DeSean Jackson, WR, Philadelphia Eagles (2 receptions, 16 yards)
Action Jackson was missing in action Monday. He also gave up a fumble on a punt return as well. He needs to come out of the haze and be special again. His team needs him.

Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs didn’t show up this week. So for all NFL fans, here is where they were. They were getting ready for the Wankstas list this week. Wake up Chiefs. It was football time Sunday and you didn’t even show up. C’mon man!

These are my Ballers and Wankstas of the Week! If you have any players or teams you would like to add to either list, feel free to drop a comment.

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The Everyday Man’s NFL Predictions- Week 9

Dreams are starting to take shape and fortunes are starting to be told. No, I’m not talking about fortune telling. I’m talking about NFL football. Week 9 is gonna be a good one! Here is my predictions for Week 9 in the NFL!

NY Jets vs Buffalo
The Jets head to the Ralph to take on the Bills in this AFC grudge match. The Jets were off last weekend and should be rested. Hopefully within that week of resting, the offense has had time to build some chemistry. QB Mark Sanchez needs the running game to continue to aid his play. If Shonn Greene and LT show up, expect more one-on-one matchups outside, and that’s advantage Jets. The Jets also need to make sure they find S George Wilson. He’s having an MVP year and is the Bills best defensive playmaker.

Fitzpatrick finally got paid and went out and led his team to a win last week vs the Redskins. Expect Fitz to have more of a challenge this week with the Jets getting back to stop the run. More will be on his shoulders to beat the Jets defensively. TE Scott Chandler could be a big factor because the Jets are weakest at S and Chandler is a matchup problem for a lot of teams. Expect this game to be tight, but the Jets will fall again. The Bills will have the home crowd and they have the best QB on the field in this matchup.
Prediction: Buffalo 24, NY Jets 20

Seattle vs Dallas
The Seahawks head to the Lone Star State to take on a Dallas team still smarting from last week’s thumping by Philadelphia. Seattle is a welcomed sight for the Cowboys due to their ineptitude offensively. With either Tavaris Jackson or Charlie Whitehurst at QB, the passing game has been inconsistent at best. And to go with that, the running game hasn’t exactly been great either. Expect the Seahawks to have problems moving the ball and expect them to have problems containing Cowboys OLB Demarcus Ware. To be honest, the only guy I see that could have a good day this game for Seattle is TE Zach Miller because the Cowboys can’t cover TEs, especially with ILB Sean Lee out of the game.

Tony Romo has to be protected from Tony Romo. And that falls on offensive coordinator/Head coach Jason Garrett. Expect Garrett to run the football right at the Seahawks with RB Demarco Murray. Once the running game gets going, then everything else will fall in place. If the Cowboys come out trying to pass the ball all over the yard, they will not win, or it will be close at least. Either way, I think Dallas wins this game.
Prediction: Dallas 27, Seattle 10

Atlanta vs Indianapolis
The Falcons head to Nap Town to take on the Colts. QB Matt Ryan has gotten back to being who he is. Part of that reason is the re-dedication to the running game. If the Falcons stick to their script of using the running game to set up the play-action pass, they should be fine in Indy. If they become a passing team again, expect DE Dwight Freeney, DE Robert Mathis and crew to put tremendous pressure on Ryan and keep this game close.

QB Curtis Painter has filled in for Peyton this year and he hasn’t done an awful job. Sure, he isn’t Peyton and he’s made mistakes, but he’s not been the reason for their loses for the most part. For the Colts, to keep it close offensively, they must have production from the running game. Look for RB Delone Carter to get some more touches because he’s been the most effective of the running backs for the Colts. If Carter gets going, that opens up the field for Painter to hit those play-action passes to TE Dallas Clark, WR Pierre Garcon and WR Reggie Wayne. Ultimately, the Colts will fight hard but they just don’t have enough to get it done.
Prediction: Atlanta 31, Indianapolis 17

Miami vs Kansas City
The Dolphins continue their nightmare as they head to the Midwest to take on a resurgent Kansas City team. QB Matt Moore has been inconsistent for the Dolphins as a starter. I expect more inconsistencies this week as he is playing against a Chiefs team that can bring pressure with the likes of OLB Tamba Hali. A matchup to watch will be WR Brandon Marshall vs CB Brandon Flowers. Flowers is one of the best corners in the NFL and no one talks about him.

QB Matt Cassel found his stride a little bit last week, but this week he should light the Dolphins up. Cassel has to consistently attack the Dolphins secondary because they have been giving up the ghost all year long. Expect some big plays to WRs Dwayne Bowe and Jonathan Baldwin. And maybe we will see WR Steve Breaston show up and get off the milk carton. This game has the potential to either get way out of hand or be real close. Its all in the hands of the Chiefs offense.
Prediction: Kansas City 24, Miami 13

Tampa Bay vs New Orleans
The Bucs head to the Crescent City to take on a New Orleans squad that got embarrassed by thr hapless Rams last weekend. Expect the Saints to come out fired up. QB Josh Freeman and crew must weather the storm. And for Freeman, he must value the football. He has been trying to throw into double and triple coverage and trying to make plays out of nothing. He has to take what the defense gives him and get some help from his running game.

New Orleans is a team that is an enigma. They have been electrifying at times and disappointing. At others. Expect the Saints to come out looking for revenge. And that smells trouble for the Bucs. QB Drew Brees will have all but one of his weapons on display, RB Mark Ingram. Expect the other RBs to pick up the slack and expect the Saints to get revenge on the Bucs and redeem themselves from last week’s disappointment.
Prediction: New Orleans 27, Tampa Bay 20

San Francisco vs Washington
The 49ers head East to take on the Washington Redskins. The Redskins have been fading fast and its a mystery who will be at QB. The reason I say that is because when you have two QBs, you don’t have a QB. For the Redskins to win, they must have something from the running game. They also must have something from the QB position. Its gonna be tough sledding against the 49ers stingy defense.

QB Alex Smith has been playing mistake-free football. His chances have been limited due to the success of the running game and the offensive scheme, but in this case, less is more. Smith must continue to take care of the ball and also keep feeding the ball to RB Frank Gore. Gore has been a beast this year. Expect the 49ers to challenge the Redskins defense in the running game. Ultimately, the strength and toughness of the 49ers in the run game will wear the Redskins down. That’s and a sprinkling in of precise passes.
Prediction: San Francisco 31, Washington 13

Cleveland vs Houston
The Browns head to H-town to take on the Houston Texans. QB Colt McCoy and crew have been slowed offensively. Expect more of the same this week due to the lack of a healthy Peyton Hillis and Montario Hardesty. These two RBs will be on the shelf this weekend more than likely. The onus will be on McCoy to make plays in the passing game and that won’t be easy with the likes of CB Jonathan Joseph lurking in the Houston secondary.

RB Arian Foster should be licking his chops going into this week. He’s going against a team that allowed RB Frank Gore to run wild last week. Expect Foster left, Foster right and Foster up the middle. It could be a long day for the Browns defense getting off the field. And the sad thing is the passing game for the Texans is potent too.
Prediction: Houston 31, Cleveland 14

Cincinnati vs Tennessee
The surprising Bengals head to Tennessee to take on the Titans. QB andy Dalton has been better than expected this year. He’s been helped by a good running game, led by RB Cedric Benson. Expect the Bengals to try and establist the run first. If they do that, then they will have the Titans defense on their collective heels. For the Titans, if they stop the run, they make Andy Dalton try to beat them in the passing game.

QB Matt Hasselbeck has been a great pickup so far for the Titans. Now the Titans need the running game to reappear. Some are quick to point to Chris Johnson as the issue, but the real issue is the offensive line. They have become a pass-first blocking line. For the Titans to win this game, their offensive line must find that mean streak and that road raider style that they had in the past to clear holes for Johnson and Ringer. That and the constant veteran presence of Hasselbeck will lead the Titans to victory vs the Bengals.
Prediction: Tennessee 23, Cincinnati 17

Denver vs Oakland
The Broncos head to The Black Hole to take on the Raiders. Expect the Raiders to bring a ton of pressure to rattle QB Tim Tebow. Tebow must diagnose the defense and make plays, whether with his feet or with his legs. Tebow must also get rid of the ball quicker. The one positive for the Broncos against the Raiders is the Raiders are a bad pass defense.

QB Carson Palmer has had a week of learning the offense, so hopefully he will be better this time out. Expect him to get help from his running game, even though Darren McFadden may be out. Also, look for the young WRs to step up and make some plays against an atrocious defense in Denver.
Prediction: Oakland 24, Denver 13

NY Giants vs New England
The Giants head to Boston to take on Tom Brady and the Patriots. QB Eli Manning carried his team last week. Now I don’t expect that to happen again, but I do expect him to have a good game. Look for the Giants to use the pass to set up the run, especially with all the good, young receivers they have. New England must get some pressure on Eli to knock him off his mark.

The New England offense is Tom Brady. I’m not saying he does everything for them. After all, he is a QB and doesn’t catch his own passes, but he is the barometer for the Pats offense, and perhaps the Pats team as a whole. Expect Brady to come out and hit all his weapons with pinpoint passes, but that’s only if the Giants pressure doesn’t get to him. The group of pass rushers the Giants have could cause problems for the Patriots if they don’t account for them.
Prediction: New England 31, NY Giants 24

St. Louis vs Arizona
The Rams are flying high after their big win. Expect them to be riding that confidence into the Desert. The main thing that will help the Rams this game is if they stay focused on getting the running game going. RB Steven Jackson is the most important player on this team. If he gets going, everything else on offense will open up for the Rams, especially against the hapless Cardinals.

News is out that QB Kevin Kolb will not play. With that being said, backup QB John Skelton must step up and into his role. Bad thing is, I don’t think he can. And Coach Steve Spagnolo is known to be a mad scientist defensively. Expect him to try to confuse Skelton all game. The only way Arizona fights what Coach Spags does if with the running game. I expect that Skelton will not get it all figured out. He’s gonna fail Coach Spags test.
Prediction: St. Louis 20, Arizona 17

Green Bay vs San Diego
The Pack head west to take on the Chargers in San Diego. QB Aaron Rodgers has been spectacular this year. Expect him to come out slinging the ball again this game. And the crazy thing is the Chargers can’t do anything about it. The passing game, along with the run mixed in, could bring lots of pain to Chargers fans this weekend.

QB Phillip Rivers has been off all year. He’s been turning the ball over with interceptions and fumbles all year long. Expect him to step it up this game though. When great QBs face great QBs, greatness comes out of the QB that was struggling. A guy that may be due for a big game this week is WR Vincent Jackson. For as good as the Pack have been on defense, they have had some struggles in pass defense. All in all, I don’t know if those struggle get show because the Chargers will shoot themselves in the foot again, like usual.
Prediction: Green Bay 38, San Diego 24

Baltimore vs Pittsburgh
The Ravens head to the Big Ketchup Bottle to take on the Steelers. The Steelers will be bent on revenge this game, so expect them to come out with a lot of energy, especially defensively. Its gonna hurt that OLB Lamar Woodley will be out, but OLB James Harrison could be back though. Even with those guys possibly out, I still expect them to put heat on Ravens QB Joe Flacco. And as inconsistent as the Ravens have been offensively, the Ravens could help them out with some turnovers. The Ravens must get their most important offensive player, RB Ray Rice, as many touches as possible.

For the Ravens D, the mission is simple: stop the run and put pressure on Big Ben. These two things will be key to watch. Expect Big Ben and crew to counteract that with the quick passing game and quick hitters in the run game. Big Ben will have to play well, but RB Rashard Mendenhall and the offensive line will have to carry this one home for the Steelers to win. I think the crowd along with the revenge factor will help the Steelers win this ballgame.
Prediction: Pittsburgh 17, Baltimore 13

Chicago vs Philadelphia
The Bears are heading into the Big Link to take on a resurgent Eagles team. For the Eagles to win, they must get RB LeSean McCoy involved in the game. He needs at least 25 touches to affect the game. And with 25 touches, I mean runs. The Eagles must use the run to protect Vick and to help setup the big plays to their bevy of weapons. For the Bears, they must know where WR DeSean Jackson is at all times.

For the Bears, they must come out and run the football at the Eagles. Even though the Eagles had a good game stopping the run last week, I’m curious to see if they can do it two weeks in a row. QB Jay Cutler must be careful with the football and get the football to RB Matt Forte as many times as possible. He’s the barometer for this team. This one should be close, but I just think its tough to hold down the Eagles and their playmakers all game long.
Prediction: Philly 34, Chicago 20

These are my predictions for the week. Let the games begin!!!

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Ballers And Wankstas Of The Week- Week 8

Some folks balled and some folks bombed. Without further adieu, here are the Ballers and Wankstas of the week!

Ballers Of The Week

Eli Manning, QB, New York Giants (31/45, 349 yards, 2 TDs)
Eli carried his team. Usually, Eli needs the running game to get going to have big games like this. But in this game, his team was down to the Dolphins and his running game was suffering. Eli put on his Superman cape and saved the day. I gotta tip my hat to him.

LaSean McCoy, RB, Philadelphia Eagles (30 carries, 185 yards, 2 TDs)
McCoy played great. He was breaking ankles like Allen Iverson used to in his heyday. I hope Andy Reid was taking notes of this game because if the Eagles are gonna make a run, McCoy is the most important piece to that run.

Anquan Boldin, WR, Baltimore Ravens (7 receptions, 145 yards)
The Ravens were getting blasted at halftime. All hope looked lost. The Cardinals were destroying them. And then, like a light switch, Boldin turned it on. He played like the All-Pro that he is. Hopefully we get to see this Boldin the rest of the year.

Buffalo Bills Defense
The Bills have been a team that hasn’t been able to put pressure on the QB all year despite their success so far. Well, a change of scenery and the Redskins as opposition did them just well. The Bills came out and shutout the Redskins 23-0 in front of the excited crowd in Toronto. They also produced 9 sacks. Let’s see if they keep this up.

Wankstas Of The Week

Phillip Rivers, QB, San Diego Chargers
Rivers hadn’t played well all game. He had some turnovers, missed some open passes and just overall was off all game. Then the light switch turned on in the 4th quarter. He was making great plays outside the pocket, penetrating the Chiefs’ defense with pinpoint accuracy. He had drove the Chargers down to kick the game-winning field goal. Then, inexplicably, he fumbles the ball on a QB/center exchange. This, in effect, cost the Chargers a chance to win this game with a field goal. The Chargers went on to lose by a field goal in overtime. You think this game is going to be on his mind for a while?

Marshawn Lynch, RB, Seattle Seahawks (16 carries, 24 yards)
Lynch was a huge addition to the Seahawks during the trade deadline last year. In fact, he rumbled to one of the biggest and earth-rattling scores ever in football last year. Well, fast forward to this year and he’s not getting it done. He’s starring in the remake of “Disappearing Acts” because he’s nowhere to be found in the Seattle running game. Come on Marshawn. Its time to go Beast Mode and not Sleep Mode.

Dallas Cowboys Team
The Cowboys were just flat-out outplayed in Philly. I guess they forgot that the running game was the key to winning and that the Eagles weakness was defending the run. Another thing that I noticed is the Cowboys couldn’t find TE Brent Celek anywhere on the field. Celek should have been arrested for abuse because he was wearing Keith Brooking out. I actually felt sad for Brooking. A proud LB that has just lost it now. The Cowboys need to get it together or they could find themselves on the outside looking in and missing the playoffs again.

These are my Ballers and Wankstas of the week. If you feel you have a Baller or Wanksta that you didn’t see on the list and would like to add them, feel free to drop a comment with your Baller or Wanksta.

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The Everyday Mailbag- 10/25/2011

Many games. Many questions. Many answers. Hopefully I won’t disappoint this week with my answers like the Baltimore Ravens did on Monday Night Football. Without further adieu, here are this week’s sports questions that the Sports World wants to know!

Q: What did u think of Tim Tebow’s performance and will he succeed?
-Michael C., Las Vegas, NV

A: I thought he had an uneven performance overall. Now in saying that, when it comes to winning time, he comes thru. He is a winner. Now he has to take the rest of his game to where his leadership abilities are. If he does that, then he will succeed.

Q: ‎​How do you see the Chiefs finishing the season?
-Joey K., Los Angeles, CA

A: Good question. In the unpredictable AFC West, I still see them finishing second. I think either the Raiders or Chargers will win the division.

Q: What do you think about a one loss Alabama or LSU making it 2 the championship game?
-David D., Murfreesboro, TN

A: I think that could potentially happen and I would be fine with that. To me, these two teams have been the most consistently impressive teams each week. And it isn’t like they have been playing awful teams every week either.

Q: Do you see Green Bay losing at all this season? And if so, which team will hand them the first loss?
-Kareem H., Nashville, TN

A: I would like to say that I do see them going undefeated this season, but I would be lying. Now I’m not saying they’re not a great team, but I see one of two teams beating them this year: the Giants and the Lions, provided Stafford stays healthy.

Q: Do you think the BCS system is that bad?
-Bobby C., Sacramento, CA

A: I think it makes every game count but in the same instance, puts teams at disadvantages. Disadvantage is the way teams are ranked before the season starts hurts them at times. Another thing that you don’t see is teams battle it out to become the official national champ. I would like to see a tournament for that myself personally. The BCS is ok, but not great in my opinion.

Q: What’s wrong with the Titans?
-Dallah S., Manhattan, NY

A: I think the main things that are showing right now is they can’t stop the run and they can’t run the ball. I believe the Titans have to get back to being even more physical in their offensive line. Its not all Chris Johnson’s fault that the running game isn’t producing. Defensively, its all about making the right fits, taking the right angles and making the play. The Titans do those things and they will be fine.

Thanks for the questions everyone! And remember, if you have sports questions, I have answers!

Mike Patton is a member of the Sports Blog Movement. You can find the Sports Blog Movement at http://www.sportsblogmovement.com or on Twitter by typing in #SportsBlogMovement in the search.