With this being the Thanksgiving weekend, three games have already been played, so the slate of games in which to make picks is smaller. That said, I still was 3-1 two weeks ago when I last made my selections, the third time this season that I have had three winners.
Tampa Bay at Indianapolis (-2.5)
Yes, Tampa Bay has won three out of their last four, but who have they beaten? Philly and the Cowboys are among the worst teams in the NFL right now. While I agree that Tampa Bay rookie quarterback Jameis Winston has shown great improvement all season, he still will need to be on top of his game in a hostile Indianapolis environment.
The Colts have played well with Matt Hasselbeck at quarterback, and that trend has to continue if the Colts want to win the AFC South. It’s just a hunch, but I like the Colts to win by at least three. Give the points.
Kansas City (-7) at Buffalo
This is a battle between two 5–5 teams going in different directions. The Chiefs started out slowly losing 5 of their first six games but have come back to win their last four. All four of those wins have been very convincing.
The Bills on the other hand have gone 2-2 in their last four and have been playing with multiple injuries.
While it is usually a bad idea to pick a home team getting as many points as Buffalo is getting, I just feel Kansas City has hit stride and is on top of their game. I’ll take KC in this one and give the seven.
New Orleans at Houston (-3)
When I looked at the spread of this game, my first thought was “how can that be”? Houston has been playing excellent football of late and have won three in a row. They are also playing to win the AFC South title.
New Orleans has lost two in a row and have won only one time on the road all season. What the Saints have going for them is their defensive scheme may be a bit different with Rob Ryan gone, but they still just don’t have enough good players on that side of the ball.
Go with the home team and give the points!
San Diego (+5) at Jacksonville
There is a side bar to this game that not many people will know about. Both San Diego General Manager Tom Telesco and Jacksonville General Manager David Caldwell are life long friends. They attended Saint Francis High School in suburban Buffalo together as well as John Carroll University in Cleveland. They then went to the Indianapolis Colts together to work with fellow classmate Chris Polian who is the son of Hall of Fame General Manager Bill Polian.
Friendships aside, I feel that San Diego is the better team. True, Jacksonville has won three out of their last four, but they very easily could have lost those games also. San Diego has struggled all season, but I have to go with the better quarterback in Phillip Rivers. The Jags may win, but I’ll take the points.
Follow Greg on Twitter @greggabe
Month: November 2015
Steelers promote Fitz Toussaint, cut Isaiah Pead
The Steelers promoted running back Fitzgerald Toussaint to active roster from the practice squad.
They cut running back Isaiah Pead.
Toussaint has spent the entire season on the Steelers’ practice squad. He originally signed with the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted rookie free agent out of Michigan on May 29, 2014.
With Michigan, Toussaint had 510 career carries for 2,290 yards (4.5 average) and 28 rushing touchdowns. He also caught 31 passes for 298 yards (9.6 average) with the Wolverines.
Toussaint played in four career games during the regular season and two postseason contests, all with the Ravens. He had six carries for 12 yards, and three catches for 27 more.
Follow me on Twitter: @AaronWilson_NFL
Aaron Wilson covers the Texans for The Houston Chronicle.
Rivalry Weekend: The Games With The Biggest Playoff Implications
College football’s regular season is coming to a close. For many teams, this weekend means they face their biggest rival to close out the season.
Most of these matchups mean very little in the context of the College Football Playoff, but there are a select few that do. Here are the big games to watch for this weekend.
Oklahoma at Oklahoma State – Saturday, November 28, 8:00 PM on ABC
The Bedlam Series. Both of these teams sit at 10-1. For Oklahoma, a win here would give the Sooners a Big 12 title. It would also almost guarantee Oklahoma keeps their place in the College Football Playoff, as they currently rank third. With a win, the only thing that could keep the Sooners out of the playoff is their lack of a conference championship game.
For Oklahoma State, a win could possibly mean a Big 12 title. But, that can only happen if Baylor loses to either TCU or Texas. Though the Cowboys are only a one-loss team, they are weakened by the fact that they didn’t play an out-of-conference game against a Power 5 opponent.
Notre Dame at Stanford – Saturday, November 28, 7:30 PM on FOX
Notre Dame (10-1) has been knocked out of a Top 4 ranking. For two weeks, they held onto the fourth spot. This week, they were knocked down to sixth behind a resurgent Michigan State and an unbeaten Iowa. For the Fighting Irish, the game against Stanford (9-2, 8-1 Pac-12) this Saturday is their last chance to impress the playoff committee, as they don’t have a conference championship to play in.
For Stanford, their chances of making it to the playoff look slim. They have two losses. But, beating Notre Dame would be impressive, and the Cardinals would have a chance to further improve their resume with a victory in the Pac-12 championship game.
Penn State at Michigan State – Saturday, November 28, 3:30 PM on ESPN
Last week, Michigan State got a big win over No. 3 Ohio State in Columbus. The victory earned the Spartans a spot at fifth in the playoff rankings. With a win over Penn State, Michigan State would secure the Big Ten East Division, pitting them against Iowa in the conference championship game.
If Michigan State were to win out, if would be hard for the committee to keep them from reaching the playoff.
Ohio State at Michigan – Saturday, November 28, 12:00 PM on ABC
This game is already big, but even bigger this year because both of these teams have had strong seasons and match up well. But, this game only has playoff relevance if Michigan State loses to Penn State. Otherwise, these teams will have no chance of making it to the Big Ten Championship Game.
Iowa at Nebraska – Friday, November 27, 3:30 PM on ABC
The playoff committee finally gave Iowa a spot in the Top 4. It took Ohio State losing, but the Hawkeyes are just now getting some respect. Iowa has clinched the Big Ten West, but they face a final test on the road against a struggling Nebraska team.
Iowa makes it to the Big Ten Championship regardless of the outcome this Friday, but it would be hard for the committee to include Iowa if they were to lose late to a weak opponent. If the Hawkeyes expect a guaranteed spot in the playoff, they must win out.
Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo out for the season
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo is out for the season.
He reinjured his left collarbone that he broke earlier this season.
“Going to the ground you could hear something happen,” Romo said. “You’re just disappointed and feel like I don’t know what is going to happen. We’ll see. You’re always chancing it when you come back. The hard part is playing when you’re trying not to get hurt, which is silly. You can’t do that.
“We knew that was part of it. Collarbones happen like that all the time. That’s part of it. I’m disappointed in costing our team a good chance to stay in the game early. It’s just a disappointing day.”
The Cowboys’ season is reeling, and Romo is done.
Follow me on Twitter: @AaronWilson_NFL
Aaron Wilson covers the Texans for The Houston Chronicle.
Panthers shut out Greg Hardy in win over Cowboys
The Carolina Panthers shut out Dallas Cowboys defensive end Greg Hardy, dominating their former teammate during a 33-14 win Thursday.
Hardy had no tackles, sacks or any statistics against his old team.
He had an asthma attack at halftime and was late coming out for the second half.
“I said it when I was there, I’ll say it now – they’re a very talented bunch. They have a great coach, they have a great everything,” Hardy said. “So long as they keep playing together and keep playing hard and worry about the next game – nameless, faceless opponents, man – they’ll continue to win.”
Follow me on Twitter: @AaronWilson_NFL
Aaron Wilson covers the Texans for The Houston Chronicle.
The Resurgence Of 'The Game'
There was once a time when the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry was the de facto Big Ten Championship Game. The ‘Ten Year War’ (1969-1978) between the Buckeyes’ Woody Hayes and Wolverines’ Bo Schembechler engraved itself into the college football books as arguably the fiercest rivalry in all of sports. Big Ten Championships, as well as national championship ambitions, were put on the line.
Since then, runs between Ohio State and Michigan have made the rivalry one-sided. From 1985-2000, the Wolverines waxed the Buckeyes winning 12 times. In that span, the scarlet and gray faithful watched Desmond Howard pull the Heisman pose, Charles Woodson sprint down the sideline and Tim Biakabutuka blaze 313 yards past a vaunted OSU defense in 1995.
From 2001-2014, the tides turned. Ohio State has won 12 of 14, including the ‘Game of the Century’ in 2006, when Ohio State entered ‘The Game’ No. 1 and Michigan entered No. 2. The victory cemented quarterback Troy Smith’s Heisman Trophy destiny.
With the Jim Harbaugh-Urban Meyer rivalry beginning, expect it to be like the way it was when Bo and Woody roamed the sidelines.
November 28 will mark the first time since 2006 that both teams face off as Top 10 combatants. No. 8 Ohio State and No. 10 Michigan are still in the hunt for the Big Ten Championship and a playoff spot, and this game could have major conference implications.
It’s the way the football Gods intended. Finally, the rivalry is back.
Since 1985, only on four occasions (1986, 1997, 2003 and 2006) have the Buckeyes and Wolverines faced in Top 10 matchups – during the Ten Year War, they had seven.
This Saturday’s match would make it the fifth time since the ’85 season in which both squads cracked the Top 10. Expect the trend to continue.
Meyer had one of the best 50-game starts at any school, going 47-3. In the process, Ohio State went three years undefeated in conference play, including a national championship in 2014.
Harbaugh has surpassed many pundit’s expectations of what the Wolverines were going to be this year. If not for a last second botch punt, Michigan is a one-loss team right now, and conceivably would’ve been in the driver seat of the Big Ten East.
In a weird way, this year’s game does have Big Ten Championship aspirations tied to it. If Penn State pulls off the upset at Michigan State, then the winner of OSU-Mich will be going to Indianapolis next week to face Iowa for the conference crown.
College (as well as coaching) careers are made from this game. For Buckeye running back Ezekiel Elliott, this will be his last game against ‘The Team Up North’. Elliott has a chance this week to solidify himself as one of the all-time great running backs in Buckeye history. A big game against Michigan would do that.
John Cooper’s inability to beat the arch rival ultimately cost him his job. Yes, Cooper is in the College Football Hall of Fame, but he will be remembered by this set of numbers: 2-10-1, his record against Michigan.
On the other end of the spectrum, Jim Tressel has entered ‘hero’ level status in Buckeye fans’ hearts. Under Tressel, the maize and blue suffered seven straight defeats against the men of Columbus. In a way, the sweater vest was kryptonite to the Wolverines.
Now, could khakis be what haunts the Buckeyes? Time will only tell.
Meyer said that this rivalry is “the greatest in all of sport. Not college football, all of sport.” On Saturday, we will finally witness a Harbaugh-Meyer showdown in ‘The Game’.
Finally, the rivalry is back.
Falcons sign Shayne Graham
The Atlanta Falcons signed kicker Shayne Graham as insurance.
Regular kicker Matt Bryant is dealing with a right quadriceps injury and didn’t practice Thursday.
“As we go through the week, what we’ll do is if Matt’s available to play, we will. If not, then we’ll go with Shayne,” coach Dan Quinn said.
Graham has kicked for 10 teams in the regular season now. He was last with the New Orleans Saints.
Follow me on Twitter: @AaronWilson_NFL
Aaron Wilson covers the Texans for The Houston Chronicle.
College Football As Thanksgiving Dinner
Oh it’s that time again when you gather around the table with the people you know and mostly despise to discuss, argue, scream incoherently about immigrants, LGBT rights, racial tension, an advancing Caliphate, and the latest episode of Scandal. No, it’s not another presidential debate, it’s Thanksgiving.
Football and Thanksgiving are cosmically intertwined so eat up and then gather around and watch large people run into each other at full speed…Black Friday comes but once a year.
…
Turkey: Les Miles
People do a lot of things to turkeys these days. You can cook it in the oven, smoke it, deep fry it, or as the Pilgrims and Native Americans did at the first Thanksgiving–stuff two other deboned birds in it and wrap it all in bacon. All of these preparation methods apply to the current state of Les Miles whose career in Death Valley is all but over. LSU has lost three games in a row, and despite Miles winning a national championship in 2007, the Tigers’ inconsistency these past few years means a new coach will be in Baton Rouge next fall.
Mashed Potatoes: Iowa’s Schedule
Soft, mostly white, somehow someone spilled some corn in it; Iowa’s schedule is the most innocuous dish on the table. The Hawkeyes are undefeated at 11-0 and ranked No. 4 in the latest College Football Playoff rankings. But how much of that is due to Iowa’s mostly mediocre schedule? With their biggest wins coming against Wisconsin and Northwestern, Iowa’s strength of schedule is ranked 65th in the country which is one of the worst for a Power Five conference team. They will have a shot to prove their worth in the next couple weeks when they travel to Nebraska on Saturday and face Michigan, Michigan State, or Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship next week.
Stuffing: Baylor
Made up with a mixture of different things yet somehow still really good, Baylor just keeps on rolling even with the loss of two quarterbacks. Last week’s victory over an undefeated Oklahoma State in Stillwater was made even more impressive when third string quarterback Chris Johnson was forced into action yet still delivered 138 yards and two touchdowns in the second half alone. If the No. 7 Bears have any chance to make the CFP, Johnson will have to continue to make plays as Jarrett Stidham is now out for the year with a broken bone in his ankle.
Ham: Oklahoma
Nobody really knows how or why it is there but for some reason it is on the table. Don’t get me wrong, it’s good for the most part, but it is probably unnecessary in this setting. Some people really like it but it mostly goes uneaten and then thrown in the trash. Okay, this isn’t really about Oklahoma, I just don’t feel ham is needed on Thanksgiving.
Gravy: Alabama
It’s not thanksgiving without pouring gravy over everything, and it’s not college football without Alabama blowing out everybody they play. Since losing to Ole Miss back in September, the Crimson Tide have won their last eight games and have outscored their opponents 276-89. Nick Saban is so focused right now he probably wouldn’t notice if he someone switched out his ubiquitous bottle of coke with a gravy boat.
Cranberry Sauce: Several Teams Trailing the Top 4 in the CFP Rankings
All bloodied, squished together, and a little sour: Michigan State, Baylor, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Florida, Oklahoma State, and North Carolina have but only a single loss to their names but are in the unenviable position of being potentially left out of the Playoff. Like cranberry sauce, they’re all good teams but few would complain if they didn’t make the final cut.
Full #CFP25 for games played through November 21 https://t.co/nzVRBrICnx pic.twitter.com/Jgzs0WxAaN
— CFBPlayoff (@CFBPlayoff) November 25, 2015
Pie: Clemson
It’s been a really sweet season so far for Clemson and Dabo Swinney as they are undefeated and in the driver’s seat of the CFP. Quarterback Deshaun Watson might very well take home the Heisman next month and the Tiger’s defense is currently fifth in the country in total yards allowed. But beware Tigers…by the end of the night, everybody wants a slice of pie.
…
As Marshawn Lynch once said, “I’m thankful.”
Well said Marshawn, we all should be plenty thankful. These could be dark times ahead, so hold your turkey close and your football closer.
Breaking Down Michigan State's Shilique Calhoun
Shilique Calhoun – DE – Michigan State
Calhoun is a fifth year senior and a three year starter for the Spartans. He redshirted as a true freshman in 2011, played as a backup in 2012 and has been a starter ever since at the wide side defensive end position. Michigan State runs an attacking 4-3 scheme.
In 2014 Calhoun had 39 total tackles, 8.0 sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss. To date this season he has 37 total tackles, 8.5 sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss. His career sack total stands at 25.
Size –
6050 – 250 – 4.77 (all estimated)
Strong Points – He is a three year starter and has been a productive player as a wide side defensive end. Is tall with good length. Good to very good pass rush skill, knows how to use his hands. Can dip his shoulder when coming off the edge and get under blockers. Good close off blocks to the quarterback. Good overall instincts and reactions. Shows a burst and takes good angles in pursuit. Good tackler. Consistent competitive nature.
Weak Points – Lacks ideal size and I doubt he has the frame to carry much more than 260. Has good not great speed. Lacks power at the point of attack and can get stalemated by run blockers. Inconsistent ability to shed run blocks. Makes more plays in the run game in pursuit than at the point of attack. Not as strong or powerful as he should be.
Summation – Looking at tapes form both 2014 and this season, I haven’t seen the improvement in his game that I wanted to see. He is not a big or powerful guy ad can struggle at the point of attack in the run game. Very inconsistent at getting penetration and disrupting run plays. Makes more plays as a pursuit player than at the pint of attack. Has good not great pass rush skills. To date he has never hit double digits in sacks in a single season. Can use his hands and has a variety of moves but more of a finesse pass rusher. Don’t see an explosive bull rush.
Overall, if he is drafted by a 4-3 club, I see him as more of a situational player who comes in on pass situations. He is not an every down 4-3 defensive end. His best position may be as an outside linebacker in a 3-4. He still would need to get a little bigger and stronger and prove that he will be able to drop into coverage. This would be his best bet to be an every down player. The Combine, his pro day and private workouts will be very important as to where he eventually gets drafted. He is a good player not a special player.
Follow Greg on Twitter @greggabe
Breaking Down Derrick Henry and Devontae Booker
Derrick Henry – RB – Alabama
Henry is a third year junior and one year starter who by all accounts may enter the 2016 NFL Draft. He played as a backup as a true freshman in 2013, rotated with the starter in 2014 and is the primary starter in 2015. In 2014 he ran for 990 yards on 172 carries and 11 touchdowns. He also had 5 receptions for 133 yards and two touchdowns. To date this year he has run for 1526 yards and 21 touchdowns and has caught 10 passes for 97 yards.
Size – 6026 – 240 – 4.55 (all estimates)
Strong Points – Huge man with great strength and power. Has good vision and instincts and shows the ability to create. Good cutback runner. Runs with lean and can move the pile. Consistently gets the tough yards in short yardage situations. Can and will break long runs. Can be extremely difficult to bring down in the open field because of his size and power. A reliable pass receiver with good hands. Is a good pass blocker. Durable, not a fumbler. Plays in an NFL style offense at Alabama.
Weak Points – He is a semi-strider who is not all that quick or explosive to the hole. Has a false step before going forward. While he can make some quick cuts, he is not all that elusive. Needs to get and keep better positioning when pass blocking. In recent years, many Alabama backs have not played up to their potential in the NFL.
Summation – Henry is a different kind of back in that you don’t see a back with his size and overall athleticism that often. While he is not explosively quick, he is very strong and gets excellent production as both an inside and outside runner. While you don’t see a burst while underway, he is deceptively fast and breaks a lot of long runs at the college level. He is a punishing runner who gets better as the game goes on because of his size and strength. Will wear a defense down. He is reliable as a receiver who will need to work on his pass routes to become a good receiver at the next level. While he is a very willing blocker, he will also need to work on his positioning and technique. Overall, he is the type of back that can come in and play right away in the right scheme and be very effective.
Devontae Booker – RB – Utah
Fifth year senior and a junior college transfer. Started out at American River College in 2011 and played there two years. Just went to school and did not participate in football in 2013 while trying to get his grades in order. Played at and started at Utah in both 2014 and 2015. In 2014 he ran for 1512 yards, caught 43 passes for an additional 306 yards and scored a total of 12 touchdowns. In 2015 he has run for 1261 yards and has 37 receptions for 318 yards. He also has scored 11 times. In game 10 versus Arizona he tore his meniscus and had surgery. He will miss the remainder of the season. Is older and will be a 25 year old rookie.
Size – 6000 – 212 – 4.49 (all estimates)
Strong Points – Very good athlete with speed, a burst, change of direction, balance and body control. Has been very productive in a good conference. Though he has a false step he is quick to the hole and has excellent vision and instincts. Has jump cut and cutback skills to go along with very good creativity. Can stop and go and has an excellent short area burst. Gets to full speed very quickly. Patient and effective both inside and out. Can make himself small in small spaces to get positive yards. While not overly powerful he stays low and gets yards after contact. Is a very good receiver and a willing blocker. Team Co-Captain.
Weak Points – Doesn’t look to have the frame to get much bigger. Will need work on pass blocking technique. Is coming off knee surgery that will be closely looked at when he is at the Combine.
Summation – Booker is a very productive two year starter at Utah. While he is not the biggest back, he is strong and consistently gets yards after contact at the college level. He is effective as both a runner and a receiver and has the vision and elusiveness to break some long runs. Because he lacks great size, I don’t see him as a bell cow type back in the NFL, but he can be very effective in a rotation if he gets 15-20 touches a game as both a runner and a receiver. Can be a playmaker in that type of roll. The team medical staffs will look closely at his knee surgery to make sure there are no arthritic conditions.
Follow Greg on Twitter @greggabe