Coming out of Hiding for some NFL Picks

So grad school ended up eating more of my time than I could have ever imagined, but my first semester was a wonderful experience and I learned more in three months than I ever thought possible. Check out some of my student work from the semester on Youtube; I covered New York’s Chinatown neighborhood for Election Day and took a look at some of the services offered to residents.

Anyways, moving on to the NFL. It has been a season full of surprises and disappointments, just like any other season, and playoff time is coming near. Halfway through Sunday’s action, here’s what we know:

• The Titans are the 1 seed in the AFC; the Steelers and Colts are going to the playoffs as well.
• The Giants and Cardinals both clinched their divisions, and the Panthers likely will soon.

So six of the twelve playoff teams are still yet to be determined. There are plenty of games left to play and a multitude of things can happen. My predictions:

AFC:

• Titans and Steelers take 1 and 2 spots and have first-round byes
• Patriots and Broncos each win their divisions and host first-round games
• Colts take one wild-card spot
• There will be a wrestling match between the Jets, Dolphins, Ravens for the last WC spot. Give it to the winner of next week’s Jets-Dolphins game. Call me crazy but I’ll take the Fins.

NFC:

• Giants take homefield and Panthers take the 2 spot
• Vikings and Cardinals host first-round games
• Falcons take one WC spot
• Final spot comes down to Eagles (who tied a game) and the Cowboys, I’ll take the Boys

I’ll wait for the official playoff seedings to make my official predictions. Based on the baseball predictions, don’t use my picks in Vegas.

A few thoughts on the NFL Draft

Mel Kiper I’m not. I don’t think I’d want to be, either, with that hairstyle. In a draft filled with surprises, including a record 34 trades, nothing was predictable. Well, except for Miami taking Jake Long with the first overall pick.

By the way, I know the Dolphins had a lot of problems last season, but really? An offensive lineman with the first overall pick? You can develop a good OL from a later round and have it work out just as well. The problem was that, with no clear number one-type player on the board, Miami couldn’t find any takers for a trade.

One year after taking a draft class that helped propel them to a Super Bowl victory, the New York Giants addressed some key holes on draft day. Their first two picks, FS Kenny Phillips (Miami) and CB Terrell Thomas (USC), should help shore up what became a banged-up secondary, also weakened by the departure of Gibril Wilson to Oakland. WR Mario Manningham (Michigan) could prove to be a great 3rd round pick and help contribute to the Giants’ youth movement at the position. Amani Toomer and Plaxico Burress won’t be around forever.

The Giants’ late-round picks were mostly aimed at improving the defense. Two LBs, Bryan Kehl (BYU) and Jonathan Goff (Vanderbilt), were taken, as well as DE Robert Henderson (Southern Miss). The Giants also took QB Andre Woodson (Kentucky) to improve the team’s depth, but he shouldn’t compete for anything higher than the backup job anytime soon. Overall, it was a good draft for the G-Men, as they successfully addressed their biggest holes with some good talent. I give them an A-.

The New York Jets had many holes to address after a disappointing 4-12 season. They drafted 4 offensive players (most notably Purdue’s TE Dustin Keller) and 2 defensive players (headlined by Ohio State’s DE Vernon Gholston). Many Jets fans wanted to see the Jets draft a QB in the first round, but Atlanta selected BC’s Matt Ryan before they had a chance, leaving no talent worthy of their 6 pick. The Jets will rely on Kellen Clemens this season, with Chad Pennington and 5th round choice Erik Ainge (Tennessee) backing up. The Jets get a C.

NFL News & Notes

Even in the offseason, the NFL provides some interesting stories.

• Brett Favre announced his retirement from the Green Bay Packers. When another quaterback (likely Aaron Rodgers) starts for the Pack in Week 1, he’ll be the first QB not named Brett Favre to start for them since 1992. That makes me feel old, and Favre older.
• The NY Daily News reports that some Jets veterans, speaking under condition of anonymity, are upset at the Jets’ current spending spree. The players said that the Jets should give pay raises to their loyal veterans before they make extravagant free-agent signings. Excuse me? You just went 4-12 and you want a raise? Be happy that you weren’t cut. Be happy that the team addressed some holes and maybe, just maybe, you’ll contend next year. What’s your justification for a raise? “We were still better than the 1-15 Dolphins?”
• The Giants finally showed some signs of life this offseason (though it’s likely the hangover is just beginning to wear off). They signed veteran safety Sammy Knight from the Jacksonville Jaguars to fill the hole left by the departed Gibril Wilson (Oakland). My take? He’s a stopgap player, holding down the spot until second-year player Michael Johnson, who played well last season, is ready to take over. I say Knight shows his age by midseason and loses at least some of his duties to Johnson.
• Other members of the Super Bowl Champion New York Giants (and it never gets old to say that) have also bolted to other locations for a pay raise. LB Reggie Torbor signed with the Dolphins and LB Kawika Mitchell with the Bills. Good for them. Win a ring, get your money, no matter where it takes you.