NFC Takes Over the NFL Power Rankings

Heading into this season the AFC looked like the dominant conference, but the NFC has narrowed the gap with the emergence of the Falcons and the Eagles.

The Patriots (11-2) still hands down have the number-one spot in the rankings. They've made it look easy over the past few weeks.

In fact, the Patriots haven't scored less than 31 points during their current five-game winning streak.

Coming in a distant second is the Steelers (10-3). These guys will be tough to beat in the playoffs whether they win the AFC North or not.

That defense makes this team a contender for the Super Bowl no matter how they look doing it. If the NFL counted for style points then the Steelers wouldn't be as high, but it doesn't.

In third sits the Eagles (9-4). Now I know what you're thinking. How can you put the Eagles ahead of the Falcons, who are 11-2? For the simple fact that the Falcons don't have Michael Vick. This guy single handily makes the Eagles a playoff team. That defense isn't so bad either.

They also lost to Philly head-to-head in Week 6.

As for the Falcons, who come in fourth on the list, they're a product of their schedule in my opinion. I need more from them.

Six wins over the likes of Carolina, San Francisco, Arizona, Cincy, and Cleveland just doesn't make me a believer of them being any higher that No. 4.

With that said, they will be tough to beat at home.

Rounding out the top five list is the Saints (10-3). They've quietly won six in a row after looking like another ordinary NFC team early in the season.

I don't think a 10-3 defending Super Bowl champion has ever received this little of attention, but they're not getting talked about as much.

A huge showdown with the Falcons in Atlanta comes next week. That game is sandwiched between Baltimore and Tampa Bay, which will be no picnic.

Will found out real quick through these final three games if New Orleans is capable of defending their Super Bowl title.

With the dominating win for the Chargers over the Niners tonight, they are as close as you can get to getting in the Top 5.

I still have trouble putting a team in the top five who needs help from other teams to get in the playoffs. If not for their horrible special teams play, they might be No.1 on this list.

The Ravens join them in knocking on the door of the Top 5 after losing a tough game to Steelers the previous week. They'll most likely finish with one of the AFC wildcards.

Bottom Five

28. Detroit (3-10): This team has played tough football all year and they're so much better than the record. They could easily be 5-8 if not for a questionable call in Week 1, and Ndamukong Suh being forced to kick an extra point. Godspeed Detroit.

29. Arizona (4-9): Decimated by injuries, but they have a manageable remaining schedule to try to save face.

30. Denver (3-10): A later coaching change means this team is going nowhere fast. The Broncos have one win since starting 2-2. Enough said.

31. Cincy (2-11): Really wanted to put this team dead last because they have zero heart at this point. However, I couldn't because they defeated Carolina head-to-head and managed to hang with the Steelers this past week. Still a horrible team, and T.O. needs his bottle now.

32. Carolina (1-12): We all seen this coming heading into the season. No experienced quarterbacks and no help for Steve Smith. This week against Arizona will probably be their last real opportunity to avoid a one-loss season. The other two come against Pittsburgh and Atlanta.

What To Expect In Big Ben's Return

Somehow the Steelers managed to not only survive without Ben Roethlisberger, but actually flourish.

They're currently 3-1, with their only loss coming to my preseason Super Bowl favorite, the Baltimore Ravens. The crazy part is the fact that they did most of this with third-string quarterback Charlie Batch.

Now coming off of a bye week they get their franchise quarterback returns to the field after a four-game suspension.

This offense is a lot more dangerous then people give them credit for and Roethlisberger is going to obviously add to that firepower.

Rashard Mendenhall is quickly becoming one of the top running backs in the league, and the wide receivers aren't that bad either with Mike Wallace and Hines Ward.

The Steelers and the Ravens are going to go right down to the wire and the second place team will most likely snatch up one of the wildcards.

As for this weekend Roethlisberger gets a bit of a tune-up game with the Browns coming to town. They have their own questions at quarterback with Colt McCoy getting his first NFL start.

Roethlisberger just has to remember that this team was already a top team without him, so he can't come in and try to do too much. How disastrous would it be if Roethlisberger returns to action and throws a couple picks in a loss?

That's probably not going to happens, but we all know that anything can happen. Just ask the Saints after their loss to Max Hall and the Cardinals last week.

Big Ben's Career Stats

• 127 Passing TD's
• 81 Interceptions
• 91.7 QB Rating
• 19,302 Pass Yards
• 17 Comeback Wins
  

Vick Named Full-Time Starter...At Least For Now

Andy Reid couldn't deny it any longer that Michael Vick gives the Eagles a better chance at winning than Kevin Kolb.

The concussion that Kolb suffered in the opener against the Packers may have been just what Vick needed to finally become a full-time starter in the NFL once again.

However, some people are jumping on the Vick bandwagon just a little too soon.

In all reality Vick has played only six quarters and already some people are crowning him as a player that has completely revived his career. Slow down there sweethearts.

His only full-time game came against the Lions, a team that isn't necessarily the cream of the crop when it comes to NFL defenses.

No disrespect to Vick because he did put up great numbers, throwing for nearly 300 yards and two touchdown passes. Maybe the most important statistic is the fact that he has yet to throw an interception.

Next up for the Eagles is the Jaguars, another team that is in the bottom half of the NFL much like the Lions. Don't be surprised if Vick puts up solid numbers against the Jags, which will have the media salivating over him even more about how he is better than ever.

When it comes to Reid's decision to make Vick the starter after just six quarters makes me believe that he never really had that much faith in Kolb to begin with.

Some of the things that Reid has said this week I put way up on the BS meter:

• "This isn't about Kevin Kolb's play."
• "You're talking about Michael Vick as one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL right now."
• About Kolb, "He's going to be a championship-caliber quarterback."

The last quote may be the biggest BS of them all. Not to say that Kolb won't one day be that kind of a quarterback, but for Reid to say that just doesn't make any sense.

If you believed that then you wouldn't be benching him for a guy that only has one start since 2006, and that was against the Lions.

Also to say that Vick is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL right now. That means he's elevating Vick to be one of the best in the league based on six quarters of action.

Something really strange is going on in Philly and as of right now I'm not sure where this mystery might end up.

NFL Eyeing An 18-Game Season

An 18-game NFL season has been in the works for a while now and it finally looks like it's going to happen in 2012.

This is obviously great for the fan. Two more games of regular season football and the possibility of more rivalry games being scheduled with the two extra games to work with.

There is a downside to this and Carson Palmer said it best by saying that each games loses a little bit of significance by adding two more regular season games.

If the NFL moves to an 18-game schedule then they should cut the preseason down to two games. It's already too long as it is in my mind.

Obviously the players aren't all on board with this and they're going to want more money if this thing pushes through. This could possibly lead to a strike if the NFL is unwilling to meet the players halfway with this new proposition.

A lot needs to be worked out with this idea of an 18-game schedule, but it's definitely fascinating to think about two more football games to watch every season.

Ranking the NFL Quarterbacks in 2010: Numbers 10-1

Now we're down to the nitty gritty. These guys are elite quarterbacks that instantly make their respective teams Super Bowl contenders.

10. Mark Sanchez (Jets)

Sanchez has struggled a little bit so far this preseason, but I'm confident he'll get the kinks worked out by the start of the regular season. He almost has to if the Jets want to make a legitimate push for the Super Bowl.

If Sanchez can fix his accuracy then he'll be just fine. This could very well end up being his breakout year that puts him among the NFL's best. I'm going out on a limb and saying he's ready to make that jump after last season's solid rookie performance.

9. Matt Ryan (Falcons)

Even with 22 touchdown passes and only 14 interceptions, last season was considered a little bit of a drop-off for Matt Ryan. With all of that aside he's still one of the smarter quarterbacks in the NFL.

You can't forget that he's only be in the NFL for a couple years so it's likely that he's only going to improve from here on out. A turf toe injury and the injury to Michael Turner also contributed to Ryan's disappointing season. He'll have the Falcons competing for a wild card spot thanks greatly to his play at quarterback.

8. Tony Romo (Cowboys)

If Tony Romo wasn't such an erratic quarterback then he would easily be top five on this list, but in all reality he isn't. He seems to always sprinkle in those two or three plays per game that has you scratching your head. Sometimes those bonehead plays can lead your team to a devestating loss.

More often than not this guy does produce solid and sometimes great numbers that makes the Cowboys seem unstoppable. He now has a new weapon in rookie Dez Bryant. Romo is kind of like a young Brett Favre that constantly goes for it all, and most of the time he succeeds.

7. Brett Favre (Vikings)

Speaking of Brett Favre, he cracks this list at No.7 now that we have found out he's returning yet again despite telling us he was hanging them up.

Favre's age is the only thing holding him back and most of the time he pushes through that and puts up the numbers of a 24-year-old superstar. He instantly makes the Vikings the favorite in the NFC. He'll go down as one of the best quarterbacks of all-time, and for being at the ripe age of 40 it's not bad being rated the seventh best quarterback on this list.

6. Joe Flacco (Ravens)

Joe Flacco took that leap forward as an elite NFL quarterback in 2009 when he almost took the Ravens to the AFC championship game. He threw for 21 touchdowns and just 11 interceptions in 2009, and that was without the services of Anquan Boldin, along with Derrick Mason and Dante Stallworth.

His numbers are going to increase this season and he'll be among the leaders in all major categories barring any kind of serious injuries.

5. Phillip Rivers (Chargers)

I can't stand the attitued of Phillip Rivers, but I can't deny his skills on the field. He just finds ways to convert first downs and make the Chargers a threat against any team in the league.

He had a breakout year stats-wise in 2009 with 28 touchdowns and a QB rating of 104, good for third in the NFL. If the running game flourishes with rookie Ryan Matthews and Darren Sproles then Rivers will push for MVP honors.

4. Tom Brady (Patriots)

Tom Brady hasn't been the same since coming back from his season-ending injury in 2008, but he's still pretty dang good.

There's no reason to think that he won't be better than he was last season. Brady was a little timid coming out of the gate since he was still dealing with the psychological impact of a knee injury.

The second half of the season we saw more of what we're use to from Brady. He's no longer the best quarterback in the NFL, but most NFL teams would still love to have him as their starter.


3. Drew Brees (Saints)

It was tough putting Brees back at No.3 with all of the magic he created for the city of New Orleans in 2009, but my gut just tells me that his production will drop down a bit in 2010.

He'll still be among the leaders in passing yards and touchdowns. It was tough putting him even this far back.


2. Aaron Rodgers (Packers)

Aaron Rodgers gets one spot higher than Brees due to the simple fact that he thew four less intereptions and had a less talented offense to work with. Rodgers very rarely throws an interception. In fact, in 2009 he had 12 games where he threw zero interceptions. That is almost unheard of in the NFL these days.

Now if only he could get that elusive first postseason win, but it'll come soon enough. This guy isn't going anywhere and the Packers have a solid team for 2010.

1. Peyton Manning (Colts)

He's done it for years and years now. Peyton Manning just shows no signs of slowing down unlike most quarterbacks who have a few good years before gradually descending into mediocrity.

Not Manning. Well, at least not yet. Manning hasn't thrown less than 27 touchdowns in a season since 2001, and his QB rating consistently pushes 100. He makes running the Colts offense seem like child's play. Whenever the Colts need a quick score, Manning makes three or four passes and next thing you know the Colts are sniffing the goal line. It's simply unbelievable how great Manning continues to be.

There's no reason to think he won't do that yet again in 2010.

Ranking the NFL Quarterbacks in 2010: Numbers 21-11

Alright, we got the bottom of the barrel out of the way in terms of quarterbacks. The middle part of the list features several quarterbacks that can still put up great numbers and win games for their respective teams.

However, each one of these quarterbacks have little quirks that keep them from being one of the elite quarterbacks in the NFL.

21. Sam Bradford ( Rams)

Yes, I'm putting Sam Bradford this high. I just have a gut feeling that he's going to be one of those rookie quarterbacks that plays like he is a veteran.

Don't get me wrong. He'll have some rough games and he'll also have to get use to losing more often than winning. In the end I see Bradford having an impressive rookies season and falling somewhere in the middle of the all the major statistical categories among quarterbacks.

20. Kyle Orton (Broncos)

Kyle Orton is the definition of a conservative quarterback. He had a high completion percentage in 2009 and kept his interception somewhat low at 12. He also managed 21 touchdown passes.

Orton usually struggles greatly against good defenses. He threw three interceptions against Pittsburgh last season and barely eclipsed 150 passing yards against Baltimore. With all of that said, there's plenty of NFL teams that would gladly take Orton as their starting quarterback.

19. Matthew Stafford (Lions)

Matthew Stafford showed me something last season in that game against the Browns and that was that he's got that certain toughness that is required of a successful NFL quarterback. Forget about the fact that it came against the Browns. It still took a lot of toughness to do what he did.

Look for Stafford to take a dramatic leap forward in his sophomore season and give the fans in Detroit a five or six win season thanks largely to Stafford and his toughness.

18. Chad Henne (Dolphins)

We got the chance to see what Chad Henne was all about last season when Chad Pennington went down. Thanks to his smooth transition to the starting role it's now Henne's team going into the season.

Not only that, but now he has Brandon Marshall to throw the ball to. That means good things for his passing stats. Henne has an excellent arm that sometimes gets him into trouble. His interception output will go down in 2010 and his touchdown passes will go up.

17. Matt Cassel (Chiefs)

Matt Cassel is one of the few bright spots in Kansas City. He's a real smart quarterback and we saw that first hand when he took over for Tom Brady two seasons ago.

His numbers went down as the Chiefs starter, but can you blame him? He was surrounded by a bad team and did what he could. Lucky for Cassel he now has coordinator Charlie Weiss making the offensive calls and Weiss has a good history with this, most notably Tom Brady.

Cassel's numbers will benifit from Weiss making the calls.

16. Donovan McNabb (Redskins)

If Donovan McNabb was still with the Eagles then he would be higher on the list, but since he's moving into a new system you have to expect McNabb to take some time adjusting before he returns to his old self.

He's also not getting any younger. Despite his age he's still got one of the better arms in the NFL. Thanks to that arm and his veteran leadership he comes close to cracking the top half of the NFL.

15. Carson Palmer ( Bengals)

There's no denying the fact that Carson Palmer is going to hear an ear-full if he doesn't make Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens happy.

I like the Bengals at making a run at the division title with the Ravens. If Terrell Owens plays like he did just three seasons ago in Dallas then this team will be hard to beat, and Palmer's numbers will be among the best in the NFL. Owens may not be what he use to, but oppossing defenses will still have to respect him and that will free up Ochocinco.

Palmer could very easily end up with 25-plus touchdown passes in 2010. He had 21 last season without Owens.

14. Jay Cutler ( Bears)

If Jay Cutler had a superstar wide receiver to throw the ball to then he would easily be in the top ten on this list, but the is reality he doesn't.

He's still one of the better quarterbacks in the NFL talent-wise. The question is can he turn the talent into throwing less interceptions. Offensive genious Mike Martz has prasied his awareness this offseason so we might be in store for Cutler's breakout year in 2010.

13. Eli Manning (Giants)

The monster of a hit that Eli Manning took the other night in the Giants' preseason matchup with the Jets probably didn't help his confidence at all.

Manning is a good quarterback, but he's not a great quarterback. He makes great plays at times, but not enough to make him an elite quarterback. There's still plenty of time for him to make that leap in his career, but he hasn't reach it yet. He has some great receivers to throw to so all that's left is for Manning to execute.

12. Matt Schaub (Texans)

If you were to take Andre Johnson out of the mix then Matt Schaub would be at least ten spots further back on this list. Johnson provides such a huge target for Schaub to throw to that makes him naturally a better quarterback. That's no knock on Schaub. He does great with what he has to work with.

Any quarterback who throws 29 touchdowns, only 15 interceptions, and manages a 98.6 quarterback rating deserves all the credit in the world.

11. Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers)

Even though Big Ben will miss the first four to six games of the regular season, we're still going to consider him the starter. With that said, Roethlisberger has a lot of pressure on him to perform and not let all of this stuff going on off the field get to him.

What Roethlisberger does on the field isn't always pretty, but it's effective. Much like the late Steve McNair was, Roethlisberger just has this uncanny ability to win no matter what. He may have three interceptions in a game and he'll still find ways to keep his team in the game.

Ranking the NFL Quarterbacks in 2010: Numbers 32-22

Most fantasy football drafts are just a week or two away as the NFL season approaches.

That means that people are starting to make their own personal rankings list for each position. We're going to rank every starting quarterback (or projected starting quarterback) of every NFL team to prepare you for your fantasy draft.

Here are number 32 through 22:

32. Matt Moore (Panthers)

Matt Moore is the projected starter for the Panther as of now. He had good numbers over the last five games of last season but he's still greatly inexperienced as an NFL starter. Jimmy Clausen could very well take over the starting roll if Moore struggles in preseason.

31. Josh Freeman (Buccaneers)

Josh Freeman has the athletic ability to be a great quarterback in this league, but his youth may still hamper him in 2010. Not to mention he doesn't exactly have the best group of receivers to throw to. He did look good in the preseason opener this past week. Freeman is still a couple seasons away from becoming an elite quarterback in the NFL.

30. Trent Edwards (Bills)

Most likely the more experience Trent Edwards will begin the season as the starter for the Bills over Ryan Fitzpatrick. However, that doesn't mean that Edwards is going to have a good year. He's coming off of a year that was plagued by a concussion and an ankle injury. Every now and then he'll show glimpses of being good NFL quarterback, but he's really inconsistent.

29. Vince Young (Titans)

It's so hard to put Vince Young this far back on the list, but he's done hardly anything in his NFL career to put him any higher. He threw another ill-advised interception in the preseason opener. His throwing mechanics have always been one of his greatest weaknesses and it looks like he still hasn't completely fixed that up.

28. Matt Leinart (Cardinals)

The Cardinals are looking at a huge setback from last season's division championship if Matt Leinart doesn't prove that he's finally ready for the NFL. Much like Vince Young, Leinart has never really lived up to his potential. At least he has Larry Fitzgerald to throw the ball to. That will definitely help his numbers a little this season.

27. Jason Campbell (Raiders)

The Raiders haven't had this good of a quarterback in a while, and that's not saying too much. Campbell had a rough time while he was in Washington and now he has to figure out a way to flourish in Oakland. Not an easy task. He's going to have very little to throw to in terms of receivers so expect Campbell to struggle this season on a bad team.

26. Kevin Kolb (Eagles)

Considering Kevin Kolb has only started a few games in his NFL career, it was hard to put him any higher on the list. Obviously Andy Reid sees something in Kolb that allowed him to let go of Donovan McNabb. I expect Kolb to put up average numbers and progressively get better as the season goes along. It doesn't hurt to have an explosive playmaker like Desean Jackson at your disposal.

25. Matt Hasselbeck (Seahawks)

At one time in his career Matt Hasselbeck was a top ten quarterback in the NFL. Those times have long passed. He's reached the back nine of his career and the only thing he really has to offer anymore is his veteran leadership. He'll have some solid games but he'll also have plenty of shaky performances in 2010.

24. Alex Smith (49ers)

Alex Smith showed last season what he's capable of doing when he's surrounded by a good team. It was really the first time in his career that he was on a good team and he also has a great coach in Mike Singletary. Smith has a talented group of receivers to work with and he ended last season with 18 touchdowns and just 12 interceptions. He's still very mistake prone which leaves him pretty far down this list.

23. David Garrard (Jaguars)

David Garrard is one of those quarterbacks that won't dazzle you with 300 yards game and 30 touchdown passes, but he's very effective at managing games. Whenever the Jaguars are forced to throw the football is when Garrard usually struggles. We saw that in 2009 when he threw two interceptions in a game on three different occasions.

22. Jake Delhomme (Browns)

Jake Delhomme seems really excited to be in Cleveland which leads me to believe that he's had a productive offseason. He won't put up Pro Bowl numbers but he will provide the Browns with an intelligent quarterback. His production has dropped as he's gotten older but don't count him out from having a bounce-back year since he's got some new surroundings to work with.

Numbers 21-11 will be posted next!!

OK Favre, This Better Be It

Once again Brett Favre has announced his retirement, and once again I'm having a hard time believing it.

When the Vikings take the field for the first game of the regular season and Favre still isn't on the roster, then I'll believe it.

Everyone should keep in mind that he can very easily change his mind at any time during the next month and still be the Vikings starter in Week 1.

The main reason why he's decided to potentially call it quits is due to his ankle that may not be responding to the surgery as well as he would've hoped.

If Favre's retirement ends up being final then there's no reason to push the panic button if you're a Vikings fan. They still have a top five defense and solid offense.

Many of you may be forgetting that Tarvaris Jackson was gradually improving before Favre came into the picture. Not to mention you have Adrian Peterson, Percy Harvin, and Sidney Rice in your arsenal on offense.

With Favre the Vikings are right there with the Saints for Super Bowl favorites, whereas without him you move them back behind the Cowboys but still a viable contender.

Just like I said after his second retirement from the Jets, I will not be the least bit surprised if Favre is playing football next season.

Bulluck Shows He's Nothing But A Class Act

It's a lot easier to see a player go when they're continuously in trouble with the law, not performing on the field, or just down right a jerk.

Well it's safe to say that Keith Bulluck is neither of those, and he proved that by taking out a full color ad in the Tennessean that personally thanked the fans for his time as a Titan.

He didn't have to do that for me to wish him the best, but now that he did I can't help but slightly be a New York Giants fan next year. Well, I wouldn't go that far.

However, I do want to see Bulluck be successful. Yes, his production was beginning to decline, but you still can't take away the leadership that he supplied to the Titans for ten years.

He was hands down one of the most passionate players I've seen in a Titans uniform outside of the late Steve McNair.

To address the Titans linebacker situation, there's no reason to panic just yet. We still have veteran David Thornton, and Steven Tulloch has already proven that he can be a solid replacement.

Rookie Rennie Curran out of South Carolina is also someone who may end up getting some valuable playing time.

Keith Bulluck's Career with Titans

• Started 127 straight games
• 1,057 tackles ( 769 solo tackles)
• 15 forced fumbles
• 19 interceptions
• Led team in tackles in 2008, 2002-2006
  

Hanynesworth Isn't Cutting It In D.C.

It turns out that the Titans getting rid of Albert Haynesworth last season was a smart decision, and now he's the causing the Redskins problems not just off the field, but on the field as well.

Just a month ago Haynesworth was demanding a trade because he refused to play in the 3-4 defense that the Redskins used. He claimed that he was told by the front office that they would run a 4-3 defense which is what he is use to.

That storm may have temporarily subsided, but now there's a new issue for coach Mike Shanahan. Haynesworth can't even pass the conditioning test.

Last week Haynesworth was given a series of conditioning tests and was unable to complete the second part of it. Since then he has not taken part in any physical activity.

It's one thing if you want to be a drama queen about things and back it up with your play on the field, but when you're grossly out of shape like Haynesworth apparently is then that means you play the way the coaching staff tells you to play.

The Titans are extremely lucky to not have this headache to deal with right now. Most of the fans in D.C. have already turned against Haynesworth and I can't blame them the slightest bit.

This team has the potential to make a wildcard run with the recent addition of Donovan McNabb. Even without Haynesworth the Redskins defense is still top 10 in the NFL.

Meanwhile, the Titans have seemed to have done a great job at filtering out the bad apples.

Trouble Finds Vince Young Once Again

What is it with Titans players not being able to stay out of trouble lately?

Vince Young was involved in a fight at a Dallas strip club over the weekend after a club employee taunted Young with an upside hook em' horns symbol. Young then responded to the insult of his alma-mater by shoving a few people out of the way and landing a punch on the employee in a small office.

You've probably already seen video of this altercation, and if not then ESPN or YouTube will gladly supply you with that priceless footage.

The employee is originally from Oklahoma, which is obviously Texas's long-time rival in college athletics.

Instead of using self-control, Young proved he still has a ton of growing up to do. This is something an 18-year-old might do because he's just getting use to going to a nightclub, but not an adult who is suppose to be setting an example for young teens.

You have to expect Young to get some sort of punishment from Roger Goodell, which has had his hands full since becoming commissioner.

Young is lucky to only get a minor citation from the altercation, but the NFL has proven in the past that they can be harsher than the law.

When are these athletes going to learn that being in these nightclubs greatly increases the likelihood of putting themselves in a negative spotlight.

The employee suffered a cut to his lip from the incident, but nothing serious.

It's now a possibility that Kerry Collins may have to step back in as a temporary starter and send the Titans back down the dark road of who the starting quarterback is going to be.

As much as I don't want to see Collins thrown back in as the starter, in this situation Young has to be suspended in a no-nonsense league that the NFL has become.

This video puts a negative light on the NFL and that will lead to a suspension from Goodell.

Thanks, Vince. I hope punching that average joe was worth it. Now we're stuck with Kerry once again.

Parts of LP Field Under Water

The flood that Middle Tennesseans will never forget has now affected the Tennessee Titans as flood waters have been reported to reach the third row of bleachers in LP Field.

These flood waters are coming from the Cumberland River, which is still currently rising as we speak and not expected to stop until later tonight.

Some high ranking officials within the organization, including Jeff Fisher, aren't too worried about the field or the structure itself. The main concern is with any electrical equipment that was stored under the stadium itself.

Officially the water is at four feet on the field, but it's important to remember that these NFL fields are built with state of the art draining mechanisms. However, I still expect there to be minor damages to the field.

This would be a much bigger deal if the season was closer to starting, but there's still over three months before the first preseason game kicks off.

The Titans practice facility is also in danger of being damaged by the flood waters.

This is the least of our concerns here in Nashville as residents all across the mid-state have lost their homes, vehicles, and in some cases loved ones.

Some of the players have been personally affected by this disaster including Chris Johnson who's neighborhood is completely flooded.

Other major Nashville landmarks being affected are 1st Avenue, Broadway, and the Opryland Resort.

People love their Tennessee Titans around here and it thankfully looks like LP Field will only suffer minor damages to this historic disaster.

Jets Add Another Valuable Piece To The Puzzle

You can always expect plenty of huge deals to happen right before the draft each year, and this year has been no different.

The Jets have contributed to a lot of that as they just reportedly signed Jason Taylor to a deal that will make that defense even scarier than it already was.

This pick solidifies them as the Super Bowl favorite out of the AFC. The AFC is no longer dominated by just the Patriots or the Colts anymore. The Jets want in on the action as well.

Even without Santonio Holmes and Jason Taylor last season they still came up just short of going to the Super Bowl.

They're definitely putting all their chips on next season. Most likely this deal with Jason Taylor will be of the one year variety. The Jets want a Super Bowl now and they're done being patient.

The Jets also signed Ladanian Tomlinson earlier in the offseason. There are question about whether Tomlinson is way past his prime, but worst case scenario he acts as a great mentor for Shonn Green and Leon Washington.

This team now has a certain swagger to them that puts them ahead of every other team in the AFC at this point. They've got it all going in the right direction.

They've got an excellent coach that the players respect in Rex Ryan, Mark Sanchez is going to get better most likely, the defense is still one of the best, and now they've got a great group of receivers that includes Braylon Edwards, Santonio Holmes, and Jerricho Cothcery.

The AFC East as a whole has been somewhat busy with the Dolphins acquiring Brandon Marshall and the Patriots just recently adding Torry Holt to their roster.

Hands down, the AFC East will be the best division in the NFL and the Jets will be the top dog of that division.

Jets Offseason Acquisitions

• Santonio Holmes (from Steelers)
• Ladanian Tomlinson (from Chargers)
• Jason Taylor (from Dolphins)
• Nick Folk (from Cowboys)

Tebow Ups His Stock At Pro Day

It sounds extremely odd to be even having this discussion about one of the most accomplished players in college football history in the first place.

Tim Tebow has been under the spotlight lately about the need to improve his draft stock.

Some of the critics may have been silenced, at least for now, after Tebow's pro day that was held at the Swamp to some 3,000 fans.

Tebow has received a ton of criticism on his lack of being a traditional quarterback. He hardly ever lined up under center in college, which is a necessity in the NFL.

And then there's that pesky throwing motion of his. Well Tebow has ditched that throwing motion and unveiled a new one at his pro day. The scouts were reportedly impressed. So impressed that he received an invitation to the NFL draft which he obviously accepted.

These invitations aren't just handed out to anyone. They're usually handed out to projected first-round picks, but that's not always a for sure thing.

No matter where Tebow goes in the draft he'll get his opportunity to show what he can do in the NFL. He obviously has a strong passion for the game to be willing to change his entire throwing motion to prepare to start a new chapter in his football career.

Titans Should Make Move For Tomlinson, Westbrook

Two of the NFL's best veteran running backs, Ladanian Tomlinson and Brian Westbrook, are bidding farewell to their franchises that both have called home for a while now. Tomlinson for nine seasons and Westbrook for eight seasons. Both have already expressed their desires to keep playing.

As for the Titans, they have to look at these two situations as an opportunity to give some help to Chris Johnson. The NFL has turned into a league that features two tailbacks per team and the Titans only have one to lean on right now.

Most likely Lendale White will depart during the offseason leaving the Titans with very little experience at the position. That's where Tomlinson and Westrbrook come into play.

Tomlinson is the better choice for the Titans because he runs more like Chris Johnson and would be a great mentor.

Even though Tomlinson is the better fit for the Titans, Westbrook's style of play would fit very well with the Jeff Fisher's offense scheme as well.

Westbrook is a running back that can lead your team in receptions week after week and Fisher loves to throw screen passes and dumb-off passes in his offense.

There are still a ton of questions about Westbrook's ability to stay healthy for an entire season so that has to be put into consideration here.

Either way, the Titans need another proven running back to help out Chris Johnson in the backfield.

There's no reason for the Titans to sit on their hands this offseason like they've done so many times in the past. It's time to make a move and see if the Titans can find their way back to the postseason.

The Saints Win Super Bowl XLIV Thanks to Several Factors

People have been asking "Who Dat?" all season, but I think that question has finally been answered.

The Saints took home their first Super Bowl title in their 43-year history by picking apart the Colts defense five yards at a time, and then sticking the dagger into the Colts' side with the interception return for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter.

Even though most experts were wrong on their selection of the Colts to win this one, it still turned out to be an extremely close game.

If Matt Stover had made the 51-yard field goal, and if Peyton Manning wouldn't have suddenly turned into a rookie quarterback, then you're looking at the Colts having a chance to get the game-winning touchdown on that final drive.

You can't take anything away from the Saints. They played like champions during the entire postseason and for most of the regular season.

Drew Brees solidified himself as one of the top quarterbacks in the league and now a whole region that has been through so much can begin their victory celebration.

On the flip side, maybe Peyton Manning isn't hands down the best quarterback in the league. He still only has one Super Bowl ring which is less than the likes of Tom Brady and Ben Roethlisberger. He's also an average 9-9 in the postseason for his career.

Manning still had a decent game, but it wasn't worthy of any kind of praise. There were numerous throws that Manning made where you just scratched your head wondering who he was throwing to. That's not the Peyton Manning we're used to, but he'll bounce back and return to form next season.

Finally, it's time to give some props to some individuals that aren't Drew Brees. Head coach Sean Payton deserves a ton of respect for bringing a great game plan against the Colts. He nickled and dimed them all night long and the Colts defense eventually wore down.

Oh yeah, and of course the infamous onside kick to steal any kind of momentum that the Colts may have gained by getting the ball first. You know Manning's blood pressure had to sky rocket after he realized he had to turn back around and sit his behind back on the bench.

Next you have to give credit to the 23-year-old Saints kicker Garrett Hartley. This guy wasn't even on the team the entire season and yet he came in and sank three critical field goals. If he would've missed just one of those field goals then the momentum could have drastically altered. I

Instead he became the first ever kicker to kick make three 40-plus yard field goals in a Super Bowl. In a year that was littered with bad kicking performances, this performance is one to remember for all the right reasons.

You didn't think I would forget about Tracy Porter did you? This guy made one of the biggest plays in Super Bowl history by stepping in front of Reggie Wayne for a pick-six that iced the game for the Saints. That one single play he made put all kind of doubt in the minds of people who were ready to kiss Manning's feet just seconds earlier.

It's so hard to put the meaning of this game into perspective but Commissioner Roger Goodell said it best: "The hopes, the dreams and the struggles of that community were all reflected in that football team. It was a great night for the people in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast region."

Ryan and the Jets Close to Conquering the Impossible

If anyone has told you recently that they knew the Jets were going this far when the playoff bracket was first set then their probably lying to your face.

The Jets have stumped the so called "experts" for two straight weeks now and they'll have to do it again if they want to reach the Super Bowl.

When coach Rex Ryan said his team should be the Super Bowl favorites when the playoffs began I thought he was out of his mind. I'm all for having self-confidence, but I thought it was a little arrogant.

Now the entire team has this swagger that some are saying is over the top. That swagger might be just what they need to do to beat the Colts.

I'm through counting out the Jets completely. The Colts will still take home the victory in my mind, but the Jets defense does has me thinking that what seemed like the impossible might happen.


If the Jets had a solid veteran quarterback then I would be all over the their bandwagon, but they don't. They have a rookie quarterback that has put up pedestrian numbers over the first two games. He's due for a bad game and what better place for it to happen than in Lucas Oil Stadium.

The Jets still have a lot of work to do before they reach the impossible, but they most certainly have my undivided attention.

Ochocinco Shows Again Why He's Good For the NFL

Chad Ochocinco will replace the injured Wes Welker on the AFC Pro Bowl roster, and with that came another uplifting gesture.

Ochocinco agreed that he would race Chris Johnson of the Titans and the loser would have to give their Pro Bowl paycheck to the Haiti relief effort.

How can anyone have a bad thing to say about this guy? Critics use to call him a distraction to the NFL, but I think he's a breath of fresh air.

Life is too short to be serious all of the time and Ochocinco gets that. Just the fact that I'm calling a guy "Ochocinco" proves my point.

He was very deserving of his sixth Pro Bowl selection as he had nine touchdowns and over a 1,000 yards for the seventh time in the last eight seasons.

It's been a very tough year for Ochocinco as he lost one of his close friends in Chris Henry when he was thrown from the back of a pick-up truck. The death of the wife of defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer also hit the franchise extremely hard earlier in the season.

Despite all of that, Ochocinco hasn't missed a beat and he's still trying to do great things for his community and other communities around the world.

Former Vandy Stars Shine In Monday Night Football

You have to look long and hard to find Vandy alums in the NFL. That is unless you're looking at the Chicago Bears roster.

The Bears currently have five players on their roster that suited up for Vanderbilt once upon a time. Unless you're a die-hard Vanderbilt fan, the only one you probably know is Jay Cutler. The others are Earl Bennett, Hunter Hillenmeyer, D.J. Moore, and Chris Williams.

Now I understand that the big programs in the country like Florida put five players on every team in the NFL, but we're talking about Vanderbilt here. It's just amazing to me that one NFL team would pick out that many Vandy players.

Last night ESPN's Monday Night Football offered another meaningless game to the standings. With that said, the Bears came out like they were playing for a playoff spot. Much of that can be contributed to Cutler, Bennett, and Hillenmeyer.

It's been a very rough year for Cutler, but last night he reminded everyone the kind of talent he has. He out dueled Brett Favre's Vikings, and Favre congratulated Cutler afterwards. Classy move for Favre to do that.

Former Vandy wide receiver Earl Bennett also had a great game. He had three catches for 35 yards, including a big touchdown reception.

And then there's the defensive side of the ball. Hunter Hillenmeyer might be the best kept secret at the linebacker position in all of football. He showed that last night by having 15 tackles and a forced fumble in overtime on Adrian Peterson.

Now I understand that Hillenmeyer had part of the facemask on that tackle, but it looked like it was incidental contact. It's part of the game and the officials missed the call. It was still a great play to punch the ball out during that crucial point in the game.

Hillenmeyer has gotten his chance to show what he's capable of as a starter when Brian Urlacher went down for the season. He's third on the team in total tackles behind Lance Briggs and Danieal Manning. He's also become a master at forcing fumbles with four this season.

For a program that produces very few NFL stars, the Bears are showing other NFL scouts to start looking at Vandy players a little bit harder.

The 72' Dolphins Can Rest Easy Once Again

Almost every year we go through this. We speculate that an undefeated team will join the 1972 Dolphins for the only teams to finish an entire season undefeated.

This year we even had two teams at 13-0, and once again they fell up short.

There's a little bit of debate on whether or not coach Jim Caldwell should've benched his starters after the 1st half against the Jets. The Colts already have the number one seed locked up in the playoffs, but it can't be good for your starters to not play for a month. Not to mention if the Colts lose again this weekend against a streaky Bills team, then a losing mentality may be stuck in the players' minds leading up to their 2nd-round playoff game.

The Saints, on the other hand, still had something to play for. If the Vikings win tonight then they will have the tie-breaker over the Saints for home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

There's a reason why only one team has completely run the table in NFL history. Much like college football, any team can win on any given week. Even a bad team like the Buccaneers is capable of beating one of the NFL's best teams.

So relax Mercury Morris and Don Shula. Your claim to fame is safe until next year.