Is BC the team to beat in the Beanpot?

By Chris Maza
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

It's an interesting year for the Beanpot this year.

The two powerhouse teams in last year's edition of one of hockey's greatest traditions are mere shadows of their former selves at this point in the season, while a disappointment from last year is surging. And oh, yeah. Harvard's in it, too.

Around this time last year, Boston College was suffering from the good old championship hangover and was plummeting its way down the rankings on its way to its first sub-20 win season since the 2001-02 campaign while Boston University and Northeastern were sitting pretty at No. 2 and No. 3, respectively. And Harvard? Well, Harvard was struggling. As expected, BU and Northeastern ended up in the championship game, which the Terriers dominated on their way to yet another Beanpot title.

This season, it's the Eagles that are flying high, while the Terriers and Hustkies have been sniffing in the dirt. And Harvard? Well, Harvard's struggling.

BC is currently the only ranked team in this tournament at 14th. For the record, despite playing incredibly better than the 08-09 Eagles did at any point last season, this year's team is three spots lower in the polls than the year before at this point in the season. They are 13-8-2 overall and their 22 points (10-6-2) are second in Hockey East. They were playing some of the conference's best hockey and sported a seven-game unbeaten streak heading into the holiday break.

BU has suffered the same illness this season that BC did the season before, toiling through a year that has seen them go from the top-ranked team in the nation to a team struggling to get above .500. Northeastern lost Brad Theissen to the NHL and they became an afterthought in the league almost immediately. Harvard has less wins this year than they did last year heading into the tournament.

But does this necessarily mean that the Eagles are destined to win the Beanpot? BC probably wishes the break never happened because since the hiatus, the Eagles have not been the same team, going 3-5-0. Two of those losses? You guessed it. At the hands of BU.

But before you can even look forward to whether or not the Eagles will face the Terriers in the championship game you have to remember Harvard. Granted, people are lauding Harvard for going 3-3-1 since the break and that's not exactly stellar by any means, but you also have to remember that this is most likely the biggest thing the Crimson are going to play for this year and they have a habit of getting up for these games. Two years ago they knocked off Northeastern in the first round and nearly beat both BU and BC last season.

The odds seem stacked in BC's favor. Both the Terriers and the Huntington Hounds relied heavily on their goaltending last year and had success. This year, neither team has that luxury. Theissen is long gone for Northeastern and Keiran Millan might as well be for the Terriers. Bottom line is while the Beanpot is always up for grabs, Boston College has the most complete team on the ice. The Eagles have one of the top scoring offenses in Hockey East, along with a top-notch defense and a steadily improving/healing goaltender between the pipes, which has produced the second-best totals in scoring defense in the league. But for whatever reason, whether it be style of play, a psychological block on the part of the Eagles or something else, the Terriers have had Boston College's number. If they can get out of the semifinals with a win, expect another great chapter in the story of the Battle of Comm. Ave.

Prediction:
Semifinals
Boston College 4, Harvard 1
Boston University 5, Northeastern 2
Finals
Boston College 4, Boston University 3 OT

Patriots better show Wilfork the $$$$

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Time for the Patriots to pay up.

I know it's not the "Patriot Way" but it's time to get out the checkbook and pay the top defensive lineman in the NFL.

Yes, Vince Wilfork is the real deal. He's the best at his position in my book, and he's done anything and everything to help the Patriots win since he was drafted in the first round six years ago.

His rookie contract is over -- how many years did he outplay that contract? Exactly!

Now, Wilfork wants to see a lot of green, and I can't blame him.

The Pats had a shot to lock him up during the season and that bonehead move by the front office to not give him an extension is going to cost the best franchise in the NFL a lot more money.

But the bottom line is Wilfork is an elite player, he's played all out for the Pats and now it's his chance to cash in.

Nobody should blame him for trying to find that pot of gold, either.

To top it all off, Wilfork is a key piece on a defense that is and has been in transition. The monster tackle is a keeper, regardless of how much it's going to cost the Pats.

The Pats have been known to no pay top dollar to retain players, but if they have any dreams of winning another Super Bowl any time soon, then Wilfork needs to be up front taking on multiple blockers on every play with a Pats uniform on.

The Pats need him. And they need him in a big way.

Please don't try to play hardball with Wilfork and pull a fast one by franchising him. He's earned a big payday and a long-term contact.

The Pats need to show him the love ($$$$$).

Colts, Saints will go to the Super Bowl

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Super Bowl or bust.

Who's going to make it to the Big Dance?

It's two intriguing matchups with the surprising 'ground-and-pound' New York Jets traveling to Lucas Oil Stadium to face the high-flying Indianapolis Colts.

In the NFC matchup, Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings head to the Louisiana Superdome to square off with Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints.

Yes, on paper, those are two very good matchups. But we all know many of these playoff games haven't been close. Here's to having two nail-biters today!!!

Here's a couple of quick-hitters and what I'm looking for out of each matchup:

Jets at Colts

We all know the Jets knocked the Colts from the upbeaten after the Colts started 14-0, but we also know the Colts packed up their starters in that game and basically let the Jets win, which gave them the inside track of earning a playoff berth. Will that move by the Colts come back to bite them in the AFC Championship?

I'm saying no way.

The Jets have surprised us all with their great play on defense and the ability to control the clock and run the football -- which they will try to do to the Colts today -- but if they get down by a couple scores, Rex Ryan's game plan might go right out the window.

The Colts can air it out on the Jets. Don't expect a big game from Reggie Wayne, who will be blanketed by Jets outstanding cover corner Darrelle Revis all day long, but the Colts have too many weapons in the passing game (TE Dallas Clark and WRs Pierre Garcon & Austin Collie, and RB Joseph Addai, who can catch the ball out of the backfield).

The Colts are simply too explosive for the Jets to keep up with. But if the Colts have to settle for field goals instead of TDs, then the Jets can stick to their game plan and pound the rock, while protecting rookie QB Mark Sanchez.

New York's luck runs out today. Sanchez will have to make some big throws in this game, and he won't. The Colts will attack, stop the run and put the game in the rookie's hands. He's not ready for that kind of pressure, plus Indy's relentless pass rush.

Prediction: Colts 27-13

Vikings at Saints

Now this should be a slugfest with two ball-hawking defenses and two prolific passers in Favre (those of you who thought he washed up are pretty quiet now, huh?) and Brees.

The knock on Favre has been that he chokes in big games. Well, can the Saints capitalize on some of Favre's errant throws and turn them into game-changing plays?

I think they can, especially with former Vikings safety Darren Sharper, who played with Favre in Green Bay, patrolling center field. If the ball goes up, Sharper has the awareness to go after the ball and make a play. If it hits his hands, you can bet your savings that Sharper will make the INT. Plus, I know Sharper is jacked for this game since his old team didn't re-sign him, forcing Sharper to sign with the Saints in the offeseason.

Besides Sharper, the crowd noise in the Superdome can't be overlooked. Advantage to Brees and that pass-happy offense. That noise limits Minnesota's attacking nature off the ball since they can't hear, forcing the defensive line and beast Jared Allen to be a tad slower since they have to watch the ball be snapped instead of reacting to Brees' cadence.

Same thing for when Minnesota has the ball. The Vikings will have to go to a silent snap count since the line won't be able to hear Favre, and that advantage also goes to the Saints attacking off the line of scrimmage.

If the Vikings have a real shot, they must pound away with tailback Adrian Peterson, who has disappeared at times this year but has the ability to overtake a game at any point. But it's not his fault for some iffy games; the Vikings simply don't have a great run-blocking offensive line.

My guess is that the Saints will take away Peterson, putting the game on Favre's shoulders. Favre will play real well in this game since he's got great targets to throw to as well.

Favre will not be to blame for this loss, you can pin it on the defense which is real weak against the pass. If the Vikings can't get to Brees and sack him and force him to get rid of the ball quickly, expect to see Marques Colston, Devery Henderson, Jeremy Shockey and Reggie Bush wide open down the field. And when they're open, the Saints know how to put on a show and punch it into the end zone.

Prediction: Saints 34-31

What were you thinking Cooper?

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

It's one thing to speak your mind, it's another to know when to shut up.

You can bet USC women's basketball coach Michael Cooper will think twice before opening his mouth to the media before or after a game.

If you didn't read what Cooper said, take a look at this. Cooper, who played for the Los Angeles Lakers many moons ago, quickly got initiated into the USC-UCLA rivalry when he dropped a bomb during his postseason news conference on Sunday.

Here's what he said, according to ESPN.com.

"My opening statement is (expletive) UCLA," Cooper said.

Mind you, the Trojans even won the game, 70-63.

First off, can you say insert foot in mouth?

Better yet, you've got to be kidding me.

If Cooper was trying to garner national attention for his club, he's got a real twisted way of going about it.

I guess all is forgiven (seriously joking) since he later issued an apology.

Call it the heat of the battle or whatever, but it still doesn't fly with me.

Cooper crossed the line.

Whether he knows it or not, he's in a position of power and what he says and does holds a lot of weight with his players, the fans, the school and the countless number of young aspiring female basketball players that want to be just like many of the current USC players.

I know, Cooper must really regret acting like that, but what's done is done. He can take it back all he wants, but that statement is still there and it still sends the wrong message.

Would you want your child saying that after a sporting event?

No way.

A rivalry is great, but after the game shake hands, accept victory or defeat and respect your opponent.

Cooper clearly didn't do that.

There's no place in athletics for that kind of behavior.

Kids need role models.

Would you want your kid looking up to Cooper?

Overhaul Needed for the Patriots

By Jim Ingram

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Remember the 2006 New England Patriots and the debacle that was the wide receiving corp? Remember how they went out the next season and acquired both Randy Moss and Wes Welker? I do, and I think that type of aggressive off season is needed for the New England Patriots to return to the teams of the early part of this decade. In this article, I will highlight many areas where change is needed.

1. Hire a real Offensive Coordinator

I believe Belichick had his worst coaching season with the Patriots because his coaching staff lacks someone who has the cache to stand up to Bill and tell him no. If Charlie Weiss or Romeo Crennel were on this staff, there is no way they go for 4th and 2 against the Colts. Bill may be an evil genius, but even genius's need someone to temper their decisions sometimes. The kind of change I am talking about is the removal of Bill O'Brien . On offense, the play calling has been very conservative and very predictable. Tom Brady and the offense never looked comfortable this season. How many times did you see the offense prancing to the line of scrimmage while looking at the play book on their wrists.

2. Find a new Defensive Coordinator

Now that Dean Peas is no longer calling the shots for the defense, I think it's time to fill that position with someone who actually has NFL experience at the position. I am well aware the defense was riddled with old, slow players last season and this season dealt with a young and inexperienced defensive backfield. They also were unable to produce a healthy pass rush throughout the entire season. Realistically, Dean Peas is not the one who's at fault the most, but he's never been able to really build a consistent defense. I would have loved the return of Romeo Crennel, but that is not possible now that he's taken the same position with the Chiefs. If you've paid attention to the new since Peas was fired/let go/stepped down, the two most talked about candidates are Matt Patricia and Pepper Johnson. Both are in house candidates with zero experience at the coordinator position. Pepper Johnson, who played for Belichick and Parcells at the NY Giants, has been a long time defensive assistant for the Patriots, and is currently the defensive line coach. Patricia, sometimes referred to as the defensive version of Josh McDaniels, and has spent the past 3 seasons as the Pats linebackers coach. Since the Patriots are firm believers of hiring from their own ranks, I expect one of these two to get the job.

3. Rebuild the Foundation

It has been a long standing philosophy of Bill Belichick, Bill Parcells and many others that a successful football team is built from the inside out. What does that mean? That means a solid offensive and defensive line is the critical to a championship team. Think of the two lines as a foundation of a house. If the foundation is strong from the bottom up, then the rest can take care of itself. The two biggest Patriots entering free agency this off season fall into this category. On defense, the Patriots must resign Vince Wilfork if they want to run the 3-4 defense. He is, by far, the best defensive tackle on the market and has become the MVP of the Patriots defense. Even if they resign Wilfork, they will still need to add another lineman. Wilfork and Warren are a good start, but a pass rushing lineman, like Julius Peppers, would give them one of the best defensive lines in the game. This line is a possibility with an uncapped year on the horizon. If you watched the Pats playoff loss to the Ravens, than you know the offensive line is not nearly as good as most people think. Logan Mankins, like Wilfork, is a player the Pats must resign. He's one of the best guards in football. After "The Mank", there are still many questions about the line. Nick Kazcur signed a an extension that runs through the 2012 season, but has been relegated to the bench the past quarter of the season. He is due $2.7 Million next year. Sebastian Vollmer is clearly the Left Tackle of the future, as in 2010, so the Patriots need to make a decision on Matt Light. Light will be entering the final year of his contract, so I wouldn't be surprised if he isn't brought back. He's already mentioned that he would not move to Right Tackle, so you either have to keep him at Left or dump him. Personally, I'd dump him. There are rumblings that Stephen Neal may decide to retire, so that makes 4 major decisions that need to be made on the offensive line.

4. Fix the Pass Rush problem

The only consistent pass rusher for the Patriots this season was Tully Banta-Cain with a career high 10 sacks. The team total for the season was a measly 31 sacks which was good for 23rd in the NFL. While Banta-Cain had a fine season, there isn't one player on the defense that strikes fear in an opposing team as a legitimate pass rusher. Adalius Thomas is a huge bust, much like Roosevelt Colvin was before him, and is expected to be let go during this off season. With an uncapped year expected, why not spend the money to bring in Julius Peppers. He is versatile enough to play either at defensive end or outside linebacker in the 3-4 system.

5. Revamp the Wide Receiver Corp

Randy Moss is one of the best wide receivers of all time, but as far as I'm concerned it's time to move on. He was either hurt or dogging it at times this year, but the one thing we know was he wasn't at 100%. Why not bring in another talented, yet troubled receiver in Brandon Marshall? Belichick has showed he can work with players who have baggage, and the Broncos may just let him go rather than trade him. Can Julian Edelman be Wes Welker next season? No one can match what Welker has done in this offense, but Edelman will be able to be a very good receiver for them next year. I don't expect any meaningful contribution from Welker next season, so the Patriots need to add more depth at the position than Sam Aiken and Isaiah Stanback.

6. Brady does Deserve some Blame

Tom Brady had a major knee injury last season, we all know that. Realistically, he will still not be fully recovered until 2 full years after the injury. The balky knee definitely threw off his timing and pocket presence this season. At times it looked liked Brady would not take that step up into the pocket, avoid a defender, and make the pass. That is exactly what happened when Terrel Suggs strip sacked him in the playoff loss to the Ravens. Still, Tom Brady made some terrible decision throwing the ball this season, and played terrible in late and clutch situations. As long as the offensive line can keep defenders off his back, he will enter next season healthy, and ready to be the Brady of old. He's the least of my worries, but a point needs to be made that no one, especially Brady and Belichick, are above criticism.

Well, there you have it. It's somewhat amazing the New England Patriots went 10-6 and won the AFC East despite being in a transition year.

Hockey East providing suprises, but how good is it?

By Chris Maza
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

There's no doubt that Hockey East has once again been one of the most competitive and most entertaining conferences in college hockey.
Teams like New Hampshire and Maine have made a strong early push not expected by many, including yours truly. Boston College is once again one of the top teams in the conference and BU has taken a nosedive after its national championship last year.

But even with all the excitement the league has brought us, how good IS Hockey East this year? The conference does have six teams ranked in the USCHO poll, but the leading teams in the league have all had a hard time putting away opponents in out-of-conference games, which could lead some to believe that this year's national champion will not come out of Hockey East. Last year, Hockey East was dominant, winning 66.9 percent of their games against teams from other conferences. This year that number has dropped to 59.5. A Hockey East team has won the national championship six times since Hockey East started tallying out-of-conference records in 1993. Only once has it happened when the conference's non-conference winning percentage was below 61.5 percent - when Boston College won it in 2008.

Seeing as the heralded Frozen Fenway game featuring the two programs that won national championships over the last decade has just been played, it seems like a good time to review the season thus far, team by team. First, let's take a look at the standings:

Hockey East Standings (Overall record in parentheses)
1. New Hampshire 9-2-3, 21 Points (9-7-4)
2. Maine 8-4-1, 17 Points (11-7-2)
3. Boston College 7-4-2, 16 Points (10-6-2)
4. UMass - Lowell 6-4-2, 14 Points (12-7-2)
5. UMass - Amherst 7-6-0 14 Points (12-8-0)
6. Vermont 4-5-2, 10 Points (10-6-2)
7. Boston University 4-7-2, 10 Points (6-9-3)
8. Northeastern 4-9-1, 9 Points (8-10-1)
9. Merrimack 4-7-0, 8 Points (7-11-0)
10. Providence 2-7-1, 5 Points (7-9-1)

UNH, who just broke back into the poll at No. 20, has been an absolute enigma this season, leading Hockey East, including a 5-2-3 mark in games against ranked conference opponents. But outside of the league, the Wildcats have looked completely inept with an 0-5-1 record. To their defense, the 'Cats have played second-ranked Miami twice (one loss, one tie), traveled for two road games against No. 3 Wisconsin (two losses) and played No. 9 Cornell (loss). Still, the team's inability to beat quality opponents outside the conference suggest that at this point the Wildcats are just pretenders in the race for a national championship and another early exit from the tournament may be in the making. New Hampshire boasts two of the top scorers in Hockey East in Bobby Butler and Blake Kessel. Butler is second in the conference in goals with 15 and tied for third in points. Kessel is the top-scoring blue liner in Hockey East with 22 points, good for fifth overall, and his 16 assists have him tied for third in the entire league.

Maine, ranked 16th nationally, appears ready to regain some of the dominance it displayed a few years ago and one of the main reasons for their success has been a high-powered offense. No team averages more goals a game than the Black Bears, who interestingly don't have a player in the top-10 in the league in scoring. They also possess the top power play in Hockey East. They're 3-3-1 outside the conference, but have lost to three of the four ranked opponents they have faced. They beat No. 8 Colorado College in the Florida College Classic and beat No. 7 Michigan State once, but also lost once to the Spartans and has notable back-to-back losses to No. 13 Union.

No. 12 Boston College has a good thing working for it right now. Having one of the best scoring offenses and one of the top defenses statistically usually equals good things. The Eagles have the best penalty killing team in hockey, denying opponents on 87.2 percent of man advantages, an impressive number, considering power play efficiency throughout college hockey is the highest it's been in recent memory. John Muse recovered faster than anticipated from his hip surgery, but really has not been the same player since his freshman campaign that resulted in a national championship. Luckily for him, he's got a strong defense that doesn't let much by them. Freshman Parker Milner is undefeated in three games as Muse's backup with a 2.34 goals against average, but as long as Muse is healthy, the Eagles will ride him. Much like the other top teams in the league, the Eagles have struggled against quality opponents out of conference. They hold a 3-2-0 record, but none of their wins have come against ranked opponents (Notre Dame was ranked when they beat them, but has slipped out of the poll). They lost to No. 1 Denver and unranked St. Lawrence.

No. 15 UMass-Lowell turned heads at the end of last season and early on this season, those necks remained craned to watch the River Hawks as they started the season 8-2-1. But three straight losses to Providence, Maine and New Hampshire knocked them down a peg and they've been fighting to get up and get some consistency ever since. As it stands right now, they are still in position for home ice. UML does have one thing on its side - the best goaltender in the league. Carter Hutton's 2.16 GAA blows away anyone else in the league and he is also tops in save percentage (.926). They need Hutton because the River Hawks are nothing special offensively, though that's not to say they are bad. They do have a nice 6-3-0 mark against OOC opponents, but if you look closer, you'll see that only one of the teams they have beaten have even gotten votes in the polls. They have a very important home-and-home series with the other Massachusetts state university this weekend.

UMass - Amherst's strategy of trying to just plain outgun opponents has led to some impressive wins, but also some pretty embarrassing losses. The Mass Attack is second in the league in scoring, and has James Marcou, who leads the nation in points, but they are near the bottom in defense and their penalty kill is one of the worst. They got off to a hot start, but have since come down to earth, including giving up seven goals in back-to-back games to Boston University and UNH. A solid 4-1 win over Northeastern is probably the only reason they're still in the poll. That said, the Minutemen are still in the hunt for home ice and probably have the second-best OOC resume at 5-2-0 with wins over No. 5 Yale and No. 13 Union. The lost to No. 17 Quinnipiac in overtime and an unsavory loss to Bentley shows that this team loses to too many opponents it really should be able to handle.

Vermont, ranked 18th, made a nice run into the national tournament last year and was one of the three teams that outplayed BU before losing to the Terriers in that tourney. Vermont is just 4-5-2 in Hockey East this season, but an extremely strong 6-1-0 mark against teams outside the league has kept the nation's attention. Their only loss came to No. 1 Denver, whom they beat the following night and they also have big wins over Yale and No. 10 Minnesota-Duluth.

Boston University seems to be suffering from the post-championship slump that BC did last season. To the Terriers' defense, they have been riddled with injuries and surely miss their two Hobey Baker finalist (and winner), but the real killer for this team so far is the fact that Kieran Millan looks like a shadow of the player he was as a freshman, much like BC's Muse looked last year. Millan is ahead of only Merrimack's Joe Cannata and is the worst in save percentage by 11 points (.869). Millan's backup Grant Rollheiser hasn't been much better and the Terriers aren't getting enough of a scoring punch to make up the difference. They're 4-7-2 in Hockey East and 2-2-1 outside the league and have had trouble stringing wins together. Perhaps the win over BC on Friday in the Frozen Fenway game and a weekend set against Providence and Merrimack will provide some momentum.

Northeastern had its one year and now it's back to the bottom of the barrel for the Huskies. You kind of knew that it would be this way after Hockey East player of the year and Hobey Baker finalist Brad Theissen jumped ship. Add to that the fact that they lost four senior defensemen last year and you get the worst power play unit in Hockey East, something that has tortured the Huskies. Northeastern has allowed 56 goals on the season and nearly half of them have come on the power play. They have a 4-1-0 OOC record, but only one win is notable - a 4-3 decision over Colorado College.

Merrimack has statistically the worst goaltender in Hockey East. Honestly, it's probably the one thing that's keeping this team from legitimately fighting for a spot in the Hockey East tournament. They aren't anything special offensively, but they're comparable to UMass - Lowell and they have some of the best special teams in the conference. But sometimes it seems like Joe Cannata couldn't stop a beach ball. He's been out-played by senior Andrew Braithwaite, though that's not saying much, and coaches probably still remember how horrid Braithwaite was last season (2-11-0, 3.08 GAA, .892 SVPCT).

It's really sad to see Providence so low. Providence is 5-2-0 outside of Hockey East, but the best competition they've faced has come from within the conference and they just don't have the talent to deliver. They average the lowest number of goals per game, giving no help to goaltender Alex Beaudry, who would be a winner on a lot of other teams. He is one of the premier goaltenders in the league, but is often forgotten thanks to the rest of his team's ineptitude.

Win or go home for the Patriots

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

It's put up or shut up time.

When the third-seeded Patriots host No. 6 Baltimore on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Gillette Stadium, both teams know there's no margin for error.

Can the Patriots advance or will the Ravens send them packing for a very long offseason?

It's win or go home.

There's just nothing like the NFL playoffs.

Both the Patriots and Ravens are physical football teams, plus they've already played earlier in the season (Pats won 27-21 as the Ravens' potential winning drive was stopped in the red zone after Mark Clayton dropped an easy pass on fourth down).

It's pretty simple to figure out: Both teams know each other well, so the team that's able to execute in all three phases of the game is going to come out on top.

It's easier said than done, though.

The Patriots know they're going to be in for a dogfight. The Ravens aren't explosive on offense and the defense isn't what it used to be, but every Pats fan knows these Ravens should be respected.

If the Pats don't execute, you can expect the season to be over at about 4 p.m.

But the Pats don't lose at home, and that bodes pretty well with Tom Brady leading the charge.

This is Brady's game to win. While the Ravens play the run very well, they are soft in the secondary (although you better watch out for safety Ed Reed on every single play) and that's where the Pats must attack.

Losing Wes Welker to a season-ending knee injury is a big blow to the offense, not to mention that's been Brady's security blanket -- especially on third down.

But when one man goes down, another must step up.

Rookie Julian Edelman, who possesses great quickness just like Welker (but I think the rookie has breakaway speed when he catches the ball unlike Welker, however), is in the spotlight this week. He's got to control the middle of the field and win every one-one-one matchup against a linebacker or safety.

I'll willing to bet the former college QB is going to see a lot of passes thrown his way because Randy Moss should command a constant double-team. If the Ravens double Moss (which they should since he's now Brady's only proven threat), that's going to open up the middle for Edelman to operate. Why do you think Welker has been so successful? Yes, it's because of all the attention paid to Moss.

But let's not forget about my secret weapon this week -- Benjamin Watson. The tight end with great speed should be open quite often, but Brady's got to find him and Watson needs to catch the football. If he produces, watch how successful the passing game will be and how the running game might find some lanes with Laurence Maroney, Fred Taylor and Sammy Morris.

Let's also not forget about the offense line. They've got to pick up the Ravens' exotic blitz packages or Brady is going to be beat up and forced to hurry his throws.

So Dan Koppen, Logan Mankins, Stephen Neal, Matt Light and Sebastian Vollmer -- a very solid starting five -- need to step up and deliver. Games are won and lost in the trenches, so win those battles men!!!

That also goes for the Patriots' defensive line. Let's hope Vince Wilfork is back on the nose to help neutralize Baltimore's punishing running game. With Wilfork in the middle, it makes everyone around him so much better.

New England better be ready for a steady diet of power running by the talented Ray Rice, who is also a threat in the passing game, and Willis McGahee. The Ravens really lean on their rush game, but quarterback Joe Flacco is going to have to win this game because there's no way Bill Belichick will let them win by pounding the rock.

In the first meeting, New England got constant pressure on Flacco, forcing the strong-armed QB to throw a pick while also sacking him twice.

The Pats can't sit back and play coverage, they must put heat on Flacco or the QB will stay in the pocket and keep hitting his favorite target, Derrick Mason. But also don't sleep on tight end Todd Heap, who's lost a step but can still beat most defenders with great route running and sure hands.

But the key is stopping the heart and soul of the team, Rice. He's got the speed to pop a long TD off the edge, and he's strong enough to constantly pound the ball between the tackles. And when the Ravens throw, Flacco loves to check the ball down to Rice. What may appear to be a modest gain, Rice has the talent to turn those into game-changing plays.

How New England defends Rice will go a long way in determining if the Pats win or lose.

And don't forget about the kicking game. New England has a big advantage with the strong leg of Stephen Gostkowski vs. Baltimore journeyman Billy Cundiff. If the game is on the line, put your money on Gostkowski. Cundiff doesn't have a very strong leg and he's been plagued by misses throughout his career.

Prediction: New England 20-17.

Fantasy Football Friday: 2009 Fantasy Awards

By Jim Ingram
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff
Welcome to the final Fantasy Football Friday article of the 2009 season. Hopefully you'll be participating in some type of Fantasy Playoff league. It's really another great way to keep the fantasy football season going. Unfortunately, that is not what this article is about. This is a time to reflect on the best and worst of the 2009 fantasy season.
2009 Fantasy Football Player of the Year:
Chris Johnson - RB Tennessee Titans. Johnson was an absolute beast in fantasy football this year, especially if you played in a PPR (points per reception) league. In my PPR, Yahoo league he amassed a whopping 327 fantasy points. That is 36 more fantasy points than the 2nd overall scorer. It helps when you run for over 2,000 yards, have 50 catches for 503 yards, and 16 total touchdowns. He is hands down the #1 overall pick for the 2010 season.
2009 All Pro Fantasy Football Team:
QB - Aaron Rodgers
RB - Chris Johnson
RB - Maurice Jones Drew
WR - Andre Johnson
WR - Wes Welker
WR - Randy Moss
TE - Dallas Clark
K- Nate Kaeding
DEF - Eagles
If you look at this list, the only player that might be a surprise is Wes Welker. I have him on this list based on a PPR league, the fact that he was missed 2 games, and busted his knee and missed most of a 3rd game. Even with that, he still wracked up 123 catches on the year.
2009 Best Value Team:
QB - Matt Schaub
RB - Ray Rice
RB - Ricky Williams
WR - Miles Austin
WR - Sydney Rice
WR - Steve Smith (NYG)
TE - Vernon Davis
K - Dan Carpenter
DEF - Saints
Several of these players busted onto the scene this season. Ray Rice is a force for the Ravens, Miles Austin was one of the best steals of the season, and Sydney Rice & Vernon Davis finally played like the first round picks they were.
2009 Worst Value Team:
QB - Jay Cutler
RB - Steve Slaton
RB - Matt Forte
WR - Calvin Johnson
WR - TJ Houshmandzedah
WR - Dwayne Bowe
TE - Tony Gonzalez
K - Nick Folk
DEF - Giants
It's no secret that I hate, yest hate, Jay Cutler. It was a disastrous first season for him in Chicago. Steve Slaton and Matt Forte were predicted 1st round fantasy picks, and Forte was a top 5 in most leagues. They both suffered from the sophomore slump. Slaton had real problems even before he got hurt. 57 receptions basically saved Forte's fantasy season for many owners.

Well, I hope everyone had a fun year. I can't wait to get back at it next season.

Beltre Pulling into Town

By Rick Eggleston
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

For Red Sox management and fans, it’s all aboard the Beltre. With yesterday’s free agent signing of long-time Seattle third baseman Adrian Beltre to a one-year deal, the Sox made two things crystal clear: A) Defense is the buzzword of 2010, and B) Opponents won’t want to mess their bench.

By signing the two-time Gold Glover and defensive specialist Beltre, the Sox will be relying on defense to get it done this year, followed by pitching and offense in that order. And why not? After all, the old mantra of “defense wins championships” applies to baseball as much as it does to football.

Finishing a respectable seventh in the league in fielding (.986) last season, the Beltre move only solidifies an already strong Sox infield. Run prevention will be the name of the game, as Boston will look to decrease last season’s AL East low of 736 runs allowed to somewhere in the low- to mid-600s. Coincidentally, Beltre arrives from a Seattle team that allowed an AL fewest 692 runs, still a far cry from the league best 611 allowed by Los Angeles (Dodgers) and San Francisco.

Add in recent acquisition Marco Scutaro at short, Victor Martinez behind the plate, and returning vets Dustin Pedroia at second and Kevin Youkilis at first, and Boston’s infield seems nearly impenetrable. And with newbie Mike Cameron, Jacoby Ellsbury and J.D. Drew roaming the outfield, things are definitely looking up defensively.

Then there’s the Boston bench, where Beltre’s predecessor, Mike Lowell, Martinez’ backup, Jason Varitek, and journeyman infielder Casey Kotchman will reside and could provide a solid glove or pinch-hit without the team skipping a beat.

As far as offense is concerned, aside from David Ortiz, the Red Sox are still lacking that one sure thing and much-needed insurance policy at the plate. That’s what Jason Bay’s defection to the Mets has wrought; at least he didn’t head to that other New York nine.

Some big names still out there: Mike Sweeney, Vladimir Guerrero, Brian Giles, Rick Ankiel, Gary Sheffield and Xavier Nady.

Meaningless bowl recap

By Chris Maza
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Well, now the fun really begins. The games that are awarded to pretty much anyone who wants to pay enough money to have their name on one are done and the so-called national championship is set to go tonight. Let's take a look back at the bowl season thus far.

New Mexico Bowl
Wyoming 35, Fresno State 28 (2OT)
It was the coming out party for Austyn Carta-Samuels. He didn't have a stellar game overall, but he did lead his team from 11 points down to tie in the fourth quarter and threw a 13-yard touchdown pass in the second overtime to win the game.

St. Petersburg Bowl
Rutgers 45, UCF 24
UCF hung around in the first half, but never really had a chance against Rutgers' defense. They held the Knights to 3.9 yards per play and just 1.2 yards rushing, while sacking UCF's quarterbacks six times and picking off two passes.

New Orleans Bowl
Middle Tennessee State 42, Southern Miss. 32
Dwight Dasher had himself a day, even after suffering what appeared to be a pretty serious leg injury. Dasher passed for 162 yards and two touchdowns, while rushing for 201 yards (a 7.1 ypc average) and another two touchdowns. The performance topped Vince Young's record for most rushing yards by a quarterback in a bowl game. But let's remember that Young did it in the Rose Bowl against USC.

Las Vegas Bowl
BYU 44, Oregon State 20
Statistically, this game would have looked pretty even if you didn't know the score. But the main difference was one quarterback could find the end zone and the other couldn't. Max Hall threw three touchdown passes, completing passes to eight different receivers.

Poinsettia Bowl
Utah 37, California 27
Utah averaged less than two yards per carry in the game, but that didn't matter at all. Another freshman quarterback having a career day was the story in this one. Jordan Wynn passed for 338 yards and three touchdowns as the Utes scored 27 unanswered points to win their ninth-straight bowl game. That is the longest active streak in college football and the third longest in history. Before you scoff that off, remember that during that streak are a Fiesta Bowl win over Pitt and a Sugar Bowl win over Alabama.

Hawaii Bowl
SMU 45, Nevada 10
Nevada was missing its top back in Vaia Tua, who was deemed academically ineligible before the game, but unless he could play defensive back, it probably wasn't going to make much difference. Southern Methodist torched the Wolfpack for nearly 500 yards passing.

Little Ceasar's Bowl
Marshall 21, Ohio 17
This game was about as unimpressive as it appeared it was going to be. The winning quarterback passed for 86 yards as the two teams combined for less than 400 yards in total offense. Marshall was spotted a 21-0 lead in the second quarter, but didn't do anything after that. Martin Ward did have a pretty impressive game for the Herd, needing just nine carries to pick up 72 yards and two scores.

Meineke Car Care Bowl
Pittsburgh 19, North Carolina 17
Exactly what you would expect from two defensive-minded teams. Pitt won the game with a long drive that took almost 10 minutes off the clock in the fourth quarter, then kicked the game-winning field goal with 52 seconds remaining in the game. In that drive, Pitt converted two key fourth down plays - one on a quarterback keeper, the other thanks to a UNC penalty - to extend the series. T.J. Yates was victimized as he was all season by inconsistent play by his receivers and offensive line and the defense crumbled against the run late in the game as 13 of the 17 plays on the winning drive were runs by Dion Lewis.

Emerald Bowl
USC 24, Boston College 13
The Trojans didn't play a great game, but luckily for them, they didn't need to. Boston College legitimized its decision to not send a band when its football team decided not to show up, either. That may be a bit harsh as the defense did hold its own most of the way, but the offense tied for its second-lowest point total of the season. Nothing went right for the Eagles, from missing extra points to their quarterback appearing colorblind. Matt Barkley was picked off twice, but still completed 73 percent of his passes for 350 yards and two touchdowns.

Music City Bowl
Clemson 21, Kentucky 13
C. J. Spiller was kept quiet for most of the game, but came through when in mattered. Spiller's eight-yard touchdown with 10:43 left in the game to make a lost fumble by the Wildcats hurt. Kentucky actually had a chance to win this game. Kentucky closed to within one, 14-13, with a field goal in the third and had just started a drive with just under 12 minutes remaining in the game when Gene McCaskill caught a pass, then fumbled, setting up the Tigers' final scoring drive. They then went into desperation mode, hoping for a miracle and almost got it. They drove to the Clemson 32, but were faced with a fourth-and-eight situation. They ran the ball and almost converted, but came up a yard short.

Independence Bowl
Georgia 44, Texas A&M 20
After an extremely slow start, Georgia got it going. Neither team scored in the first quarter and the Bulldogs had a field goal blocked early in the second. They actually trailed at one point for nine seconds before Brandon Boykin returned a kickoff for a touchdown. The Aggies tied the game at 14 in the third quarter, but Georgia went on to score 30 straight points to put it away.

EagleBank Bowl
UCLA 30, Temple 21
No one thought UCLA could handle the cold and they proved everyone, including Bill Cosby, wrong. UCLA scored 20 unanswered points in the second half to spoil Temple's first bowl appearance in 30 years. Things just totally fell apart for the Owls, who had the game in hand going into the locker room. UCLA defense allowed just one completed pass in the second half and Akeem Ayers returned an interception for the winning score. Ayers actually slipped and got up just in time to put his hands up and nab the pass. To add insult to injury, Temple's long snapper launched the ball over the punter's head and out the back of the end zone for a safety, the last score of the game.

Champs Sports Bowl
Wisconsin 20, Miami 14
Jacory Harris didn't have a chance. While he didn't throw an interception, he kept with the alarming trend of looking for the big play downfield instead of effectively reading a defense and his offensive line couldn't keep the Badgers back. Harris was sacked five times and was crushed seemingly everytime he threw the football. John Clay bruised past a pretty good Miami defense for 121 yards and two touchdowns.

Humanitarian Bowl
Idaho 43, Bowling Green 42
Maybe the most exciting game so far this bowl season. Head coach Robb Akey made the gutsy call of going for a two-point conversion with four seconds left and his quarterback didn't let him down. Nathan Enderle completed the pass to Preston Davis and made everyone forget that Idaho allowed two-straight touchdowns on their only two possessions of the fourth quarter. With just 16 seconds left in the game, Enderle completed a 50-yard pass to Davis, then connected with Max Komar for a 16-yard touchdown, setting up the end-of-game dramatics.

Holiday Bowl
Nebraska 33, Arizona 0
The Huskers dominated every facet of this game, but the defense stole the show. Arizona quarterbacks completed just 10 of 31 passes as the Wildcats picked up just 109 yards of total offense. The game was Nebraska's first shutout in 46 bowl appearances. The Huskers offense wasn't outstanding, but put up enough points and did show some explosiveness with a 74-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter.

Armed Forces Bowl
Air Force 47, Houston 20
Air Force was yet another MWC team illustrating just how tough the conference is. The Falcons picked off Case Keenum six times, got five touchdowns from three different runners and had a 100-yard kickoff return in a complete drubbing of the Cougars. Air Force picked up a whopping 401 yards on the ground, including 173 yards by Jared Tew and 129 from Asher Clark.

Sun Bowl
Oklahoma 31, Stanford 27
Sam who? Landry Jones had himself a pretty good day against Stanford, passing for 418 yards and three touchdowns. All three of those touchdowns ended up in the hands of Ryan Broyles, who hauled in 13 passes for 156 yards. Toby Gerhart did his part, but backup quarterback Tavita Pritchard was ineffective for the Cardinal.

Texas Bowl
Navy 35, Missouri 13
Ricky Dobbs and the triple offense ran all over the Missouri defense. Dobbs scored four touchdowns while accumulating 296 total yards. He ran for three scores and completed a pass for another. All told, the Mids picked up 515 yards of offense. Missouri did complain about Navy's practice of throwing low - but legal - blocks, as several teams have this season.

Insight Bowl
Iowa St. 14, Minnesota 13
A close game, but not really much you can say about it. Considering the two sides were both able to pile up the yardage, the score is pretty disappointing. Sure, the game was decided by one point, Minnesota didn't put up much of a fight until the third quarter and neither team even threatened in the fourth until Minnesota made it down to the Iowa State 15, where they fumbled the ball away and Iowa State ran out the clock.

Chick-Fil-A Bowl
Virginia Tech 37, Tennessee 14
Lane Kiffin did a pretty good job with Tennessee this year, but the Vols are nowhere near ready to compete with the big boys and the Hokies put an exclamation point on that statement. After going into the break leading by just three, Virginia Tech scored 20 unanswered points in the second half while the defense held Tennessee to just 135 yards of offense and forced a fumble through the final two quarters. Virginia Tech made the day very tough on Jonathan Crompton, sacking him six times with an average loss of nearly 11 yards. Tyrod Taylor did scored a touchdown, but was kept in check for the majority of the game. Ryan Williams, however, was not. He rushed for 117 yards and two touchdowns.

Outback Bowl
Auburn 38, Northwestern 35 (OT)
At halftime Auburn seemed to have the momentum and the game in hand, but Northwestern came out fighing in the second half. Mike Kafka threw three of his four touchdown passes in the second half, including the score that tied the game after a two point conversion with 1:25 remaining. Kafka had five total touchdowns on the day when you include his two-yard run in the fourth quarter, but he also was picked off five times in a game that featured 10 turnovers. Maybe the biggest of those turnovers was a fumble by Auburn's Ben Tate that set up the game-tying drive. Tate, who calls himself the best running back in the state of Alabama was having a fine day with 104 yards and two touchdowns. Auburn came very close to losing this game after fumbling the kickoff after a great return, giving Northwestern one final shot, but Stefan Demos missed a 44-yard field goal to end regulation.

Gator Bowl
Florida State 33, West Virginia 21
There really was no reason for Florida State to win this game going in but West Virginia just didn't show up to play. The offensive line gave up five sacks and a defense that normally allowed about 125 rushing yards per game and just nine rushing touchdowns all season gave up 226 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. E.J. Emanuel complimented the Seminoles running game with a 7o percent completion rate, good for 189 yards to go along with his 70 on the ground. Just an embarassing game all around by the Mountaineers who surely will not be in the final Top-25 poll.

Captial One Bowl
Penn State 19, LSU 17
If LSU had any semblance of an offense, this game would have been theirs for the taking because Penn State's offensive attack was pretty feeble. The Nitany Lions held the Tigers to an embarassing 1.6 yards per carry and Jordan Jefferson again showed an inability to take the team on his back the way a quarterback for a supposed elite team in college football should. LSU's ineptitude on offense was probably most adequately reflected in the fact that Penn State ran 75 plays to the Tigers' 49. And even after all this, LSU held a one-point edge in the fourth quarter until Penn State kicked the winning field goal with just over a minute remaining. For the record, the field conditions were perhaps the worst in recent memory for a bowl game. Time to switch to field turf.

Rose Bowl
Ohio State 26, Oregon 17
If you go strictly by bowl wins, the Big Televen looks to be perhaps the best conference in college football. That is, of course, if you go strictly based on bowl wins. Regardless, the Buckeyes deserve credit for this one. Jeremiah Masoli, one of the most underrated quarterbacks in college football, was held in check the entire game, completing just nine passes for 81 yards, while picking up a mere nine yards on the ground. Tyrell Pryor picked up more yards by himself than the entire Ducks team, passing for 266 yards and two touchdowns, while running for an additional 72. The Ducks fell behind by 10 in the first quarter and battled back to tie it with 9:19 left in the half, but scored just once more the rest of the game.

Sugar Bowl
Florida 51, Cincinnati 24
Cincinnati and their fans insisted that the loss of coach Brian Kelly wouldn't have an effect on the team's performance in the Sugar Bowl because he wasn't the one out on the field playing. So does that mean that this team just wasn't as good as they claimed to be? The Bearcats, who had been giving up an alarming number of points in the weeks leading up to this game, gave up their biggest total of the season as they were torched for 659 total yards. Tim Tebow passed for an unheard of 88.6 percent completion rating, good for 482 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran for 51 yards and another score in a game that no doubt boosted his draft status, though it's still unlikely he'll be an above average pro quarterback. Tony Pike had himself a solid game, throwing for three touchdowns and completing passes to nine different players, but his defense let him down in a big, big way.

International Bowl
South Florida 27, Northern Illinois 3
This game was so uninteresting the broadcasters spent more time talking about a guy who wasn't even playing in the game. The matchup featured more graphics about Matt Grothe's career at South Florida than Northern Illinois points. Mike Ford steamrolled the Huskies for 207 yards and a touchdown, while Grothe's backup B.J. Daniels passed for 217 yards and two scores.

PapaJohns.com Bowl
Connecticut 20, South Carolina 7
The Huskies deserved this after the season they had. UConn, who has become everyone's second-favorite team after suffering the loss of murdered teammate Jasper Howard, did their fallen brother proud with a solid win. UConn's pass rush got to Stephen Garcia four times and picked him off once, while Andre Dixon took care of the offense with 126 yards and a touchdown on the ground. South Carolina's seven points were the fewest they scored since posting six points against Alabama on October 17.

Cotton Bowl
Mississippi 21, Oklahoma State 7
You really have to wonder if after missing a BCS bid the Cowboys just mailed it in. Zac Robinson threw four interceptions as Oklahoma State committed seven total turnovers in what was a total debacle. It's not like Mississippi played well, either. Jevan Snead threw three picks himself and despite Oklahoma State's ineptitude, they were still in the game until Hubert Anyiam caught one of the few passes Robinson actually completed to his own team, and promptly fumbled it. Patrick Trahan picked it up and took it to the end zone for the insurance touchdown.

Liberty Bowl
Arkansas 20, East Carolina 17
This is a game Ben Hartman will have nightmares about for the rest of his life, no matter what else he manages to achieve. With the score tied in the fourth quarter, Hartman had a chance to be the hero. Twice, actually. With 1:09 remaining in the game, East Carolina had made it down to the Arkansas 22, setting him up with a 39-yard field goal. He missed it. But never fear. The Pirates defense forced Arkansas into a three-and-out and East Carolina again drove, setting Hartman up at the 22-yard line again for a very similar kick with three seconds left. He missed it. In overtime, the Pirates got the ball first and were unable to get in the end zone, so they looked to Hartman to hit a 35-yard field goal. Guess what? He missed it. On their ensuing possession, Alex Tejeda kicked a 37-yarder to win the game for the Razorbacks. It's hard to think of a tougher way for a kicker to end his senior season.

Alamo Bowl
Texas Tech 41, Michigan State 31
The Spartans just couldn't outgun the Red Raiders. The Spartans put up nearly 400 yards of offense, but Tech bested that with 579 yards. Kirk Cousins was less than impressive for Michigan State, but did enough to keep the Spartans in the game and they actually held a lead in the fourth quarter until Tech scored 14 unanswered points to put the game away. It was a pretty impressive outing by a team that was at the center of a ton of controversy heading into the game. It was actually former walk-on Steven Sheffield that pulled the Raiders back on top in the fourth while filling in for an injured Taylor Potts.

Fiesta Bowl
Boise State 17, TCU 10
In what many consider the actual national championship game, Boise State's defense got to show on a national stage that their impressive season was not just due to a weak conference. The Broncos, in a battle of two the worst uniforms of the bowl season, picked off three passes, including one that ended a potential scoring drive at the end of the game. TCU tied the game at 10 with a field goal in the third, but Boise State drove 78 yards and scored on Doug Martin's easy two-yard run to the end zone. Late in the game after the Broncos pinned the Frogs back on their own one with a punt, Andy Dalton led his team downfield, aided by a huge penalty by Boise, but his pass on first-and-10 from the 30 was deflected up in the air and Will Venable caught it to put an end to the threat. It was a pretty even game throughout, but the one difference that probably doomed the Horned Frogs was their inability to convert on third down and sustain drives.

Orange Bowl
Iowa 24, Georgia Tech 14
Everyone kept saying Iowa's run defense was maybe the best in the country, but they had never seen a running team like Georgia Tech. The Hawkeyes responded by showing that it doesn't matter what kind of running game you throw at them. They're going to stop it. Georgia Tech was held to just about half of their average rushing yards this season and picked up just nine first downs as Iowa embarassed the Yellow Jackets. There were times when Iowa was able to make Georgia Tech a one-dimensional team and rely on Josh Nesbit's passing and he completed just two all game.

GMAC Bowl
Central Michigan 44, Troy 41 (2OT)
This rivals the Humanitarian Bowl for the most entertaining bowl of the season thus far. Dan LeFevour's incredible leadership on Central Michigan's final drive of regulation should have won the game. The guy was tremendous on that drive, evading pass rushes, directing players to spots and hitting them. Most notable was his two-point conversion to make it a three-point game in which he rolled right under pressure, kept his eyes downfield, saw an openning, directed his receiver to the spot, then threw across his body to the wide open receiver. That should have ended the game, but Levi Brown, who had himself a game, too, led his team downfield with ease to tie it with a field goal and send it to overtime. LeFevour ran for a touchdown, which Troy answered in the first overtime, but the Chippewas' defense finally showed up in the second OT and Central Michigan kicked the game-winning field goal on their possession. It was a nice finish for a team that lost its head coach earlier this year. That's right, Cincinnatti. You can stop complaining about another school stealing your coach before a bowl game. You've now done it to Central Michigan twice in a row.

Did Belichick make right call by starting Welker, Moss and Brady?

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

The worst-case scenario happened to the Patriots didn't it?

New England not only loses the game against the Houston Texans, but perhaps the heart-and-soul of the team, wide receiver Wes Welker appears to be lost for the rest of the season and perhaps a lot longer.

Word is Welker tore both his ACL and MCL in his knee after making a catch and then trying to cut early in the game.

He went down without being tackled and never returned. You knew it was bad if you saw Welker's reaction on the sideline.

So the million dollar question is: Did head coach Bill Belichick make the right call by starting his most valuable players -- Tom Brady, Wes Welker and Randy Moss -- in a virtually meaningless game (the Pats were already in the playoffs regardless if they beat or lost to the Texans. They would either be the No. 3 or at worst the No. 4 seed)?

And if Welker is done for the playoffs, do the Pats have any shot at winning next week or going further in the postseason without Brady's top weapon?

Fan Fanatic Sports would like to hear what you have to say about Welker's injury, Belichick's coaching decisions and the Pats' chances in the playoffs.

This should get interesting.

Week 17 Recap: Patriots Lose More Than Just A Game

By Dan Shouse
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

The Patriots lost more than just a game on Sunday, as Wes Welker looks like he is done for the year.

Texans 34 (9-7) Patriots 27 (10-6)

The real story of this one is Wes Welker. It looks like he is done for the year, and if it is the dreaded ACL tear, then next year could be in jeopardy as well. Not good news as the Pats head into the playoffs.

Bills 30 (6-10) Colts 7 (14-2)

As expected, the Colts did not even try, and handed the Bills and easy win in snowy Buffalo.

Steelers 30 (9-7) Dolphins 24 (7-9)

Give the Steelers some credit for playing like a champ, and not going down without a fight. The Steelers earned their 3rd straight win, sneaking by the Dolphins, and kept their slim playoff chances alive in the process.

Cowboys 24 (11-5) Eagles 0 (11-5)

Suddenly the Dallas Cowboys look like the best team in the NFL. The Cowboys clinched the NFC East with the win, and set up a rematch next week against the Eagles in Dallas.

Vikings 44 (12-4) Giants 7 (8-8)

The Vikings finally showed up, and put on an impressive show to lock up the number two seed in the NFC. Hard to believe this was the same Giants team that started the year 5-0.

Panthers 23 (8-8) Saints 10 (13-3)

Much like the Colts, the Saints rested most of their players. Much like the Colts, they did not put up much of a fight, as the Panthers scored the easy win.

Chiefs 44 (4-12) Broncos 24 (8-8)

Late season collapses are starting to become a Denver tradition. Jamal Charles ran for 259 yards and 2 TDs to knock the Broncos out of playoff contention. After a promising 6-0 start to the season, the Broncos went just 2-6 the rest of the way, including home loses to the Raiders and Chiefs.

Browns 23 (5-11) Jaguars 17 (7-9)

Who would have guessed, but the Cleveland Browns ended the season with a four game win streak. Behind another solid game from Jerome Harrison, who ran for 127 yards, the Browns made a case for Eric Mangini to keep his job.

Bears 37 (7-9) Lions 23 (2-14)

At least Jay Cutler was able to finish an otherwise miserable season on a high note. For the second straight week, Cutler threw 4 TDs, this time leading his team over the Lions in Detroit.

49ers 28 (8-8) Rams 6 (1-15)

The Rams locked up the first pick in the draft with yet another dreadful performance, this time at home against the 49ers.

Falcons 20 (9-7) Buccaneers 10 (3-13)

It may have been a disappointing season for Atlanta, but at least the Falcons finished on a high note by beating the Bucs, and securing back to back winning season for the first time in team history.

Ravens 21 (9-7) Raiders 13 (5-11)

The Ravens punched their ticked to the post season on the legs of Willis McGahee. McGahee ran for 167 yards and 3 TDs, as the Ravens locked up a wild card spot in the AFC.

Packers 33 (11-5) Cardinals 7 (10-6)

With Arizona resting most of its key players, the Pack had an easy day. The real game between these two teams occurs next week on the same field, as they will battle in the wild card weekend.

Chargers 23 (13-3) Redskins 20 (4-12)

Even the Chargers backups are better than Washington's starters. Billy Volek's TD pass to Mike Tolbert with 30 seconds left, helped the Chargers earn their 11th straight win. Good luck to Jim Zorn in his search for a new job.

Titans 17 (8-8) Seahawks 13 (5-11)

The only story in this one was Chris Johnson. Johnson ran for 134 yard and became just the sixth player in history to rush for over 2000 yards in a season. Johnson finished the year with 2006 yards.

Jets 37 (9-7) Bengals 0 (10-6)

The Jets had to win to get in the playoffs, and win they did. The Jets jumped out to an early lead and never looked back, easily beating the Bengals and moving into the playoffs

Week 17 Preview: Post Season Spots Still Up for Grabs

Dan Shouse
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Hard to believe that the regular season is already about to come to an end, but there are still several teams fighting for a shot at the playoffs. Here are the final regular season picks for 2009.

Texans 28 Patriots 24

This game means a lot more to the Texans than it does to New England. Add it that the Patriots will likely rest a few guys, and the Texans get the nod.

Bills 16 Colts 10

Speaking of resting players, if the Colts were willing to lay down the way they did last week, why even make Peyton Manning and the rest of the starters fly to Buffalo this week? Bills get the win, as the Colts do not even try. Wouldn't it be great to see this back fire on the Colts and have them lose in their first playoff game? Could it be the Patriots and Colts in the divisional round?

Steelers 24 Dolphins 21

The Steelers continue to make a late season push towards the playoffs, but it will not be enough to get in. Too much has to happen for the Steelers to make it. There will be no back to back championships this year.

Cowboys 31 Eagles 28

So much for Tony Romo not getting the job done when it counts the most. Romo and the Cowboys get the division title, and likely set up a rematch against the Eagles in the first round of the playoffs.

Vikings 34 Giants 16

The Vikings will finally secure the second seed in the NFC. The Giants, who have nothing to play for, will not put up much of a fight.

Panthers 26 Saints 20

With Drew Brees getting a rest, and the top seed locked up, the Saints will be resting players. Make it 3 losses in a row for New Orleans.

Jaguars 38 Browns 7

The playoffs are a real long shot, but the Jags still have something to play for. The Browns are playing for a high draft pick.

Bears 28 Lions 21

Jay Cutler decided to finally show up this year, looking great last week against the Vikings. Now he will look great against the Lions. Too bad it means nothing.

Broncos 14 Chiefs 10

Brandon Marshall has been suspended, but the Broncos should still have enough to get past the hapless Chiefs. It may still not be enough to get Denver to the postseason however.

Packers 31 Cardinals 30

Much like the Philly and Dallas game, this could be a preview of a wild card weekend playoff game. The Cards have just been too inconsistent and prone to mistakes to think they can beat the Pack, even at home. Give Green Bay the win, and the chance to face the Cards again next week.

Ravens 21 Raiders 3

The Ravens let a golden opportunity slip away last week. It will not happen again. Baltimore will dominate from start to finish and punch a ticket to the playoffs.

Titans 22 Seahawks 6

The only drama in this one is if Chris Johnson can reach 2000 yards rushing for the year. He need 123 yards to get there.

49ers 31 Rams 10

It is in the best interest of the Rams to lose. With a loss, they will clinch the top pick in next years draft.

Falcons 26 Buccaneers 17

The Falcons will have back to back winning seasons for the first time in franchise history. Too bad it won't mean a spot in the post season.

Chargers 38 Redskins 6

Even with most of their starters resting, the Chargers will still blow out the Redskins in Jim Zorn's final game as head coach.

Jets 17 Bengals 13

Rex Ryan and the Jets punch their ticket to the playoffs, and to a very interesting match up against the Patriots in the wild card weekend.

Should the Patriots get some rest or go all out in Houston?

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Start or sit?

That's the million dollar question.

Should New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick start or sit his starters in the final regular season game?

I say start, but then sit.

Yes, this game does have some meaning. I said some, but it's not a desperate do-or-die situation, either.

If the Pats beat the Houston Texans on the road, they clinch the No. 3 seed in playoffs. If they lose and the Bengals beat the Jets, then the Bengals gets the No. 3 seed and the Pats get No. 4.

So either way, with the No. 3 or 4 seed, the Pats and Bengals will play at home in the wild-card round next week.

It's always nice to win, so playing the starters is fine with me. I'm more concerned with the timing of the offense, especially after last week's blowout win vs. the Jags. It sure feels to me like the Pats are hitting their stride offensively, so it would be a shame to sit them and risk the chance of them coming out flat next week in the playoffs because they didn't see any game action and are stale.

So in a perfect world, I'd like to see the starters play at least the half and continue to build on a great offensive performance last week. But the key is all staying healthy, so it's fine with me to pull them at the half, too, so we don't see one of our go-to players (Brady, Moss, Welker) go down with an injury and risk missing the playoff game.

As for the Houston-New England game, the Texans are still alive for the playoffs, although it's a long shot considering they need to win and need a lot of help with teams popping the Ravens, Jets and Broncos.

But they have a chance and they're going to play this like it's the Super Bowl.

The Texans are impressive to me on offense, with Matt Schaub airing it out on just about every snap. He's got almost 4,500 yards with 27 TDs and 14 INTs. He's got a live arm and one of the best wideouts in Andre Johnson (95 receptions, 1,504 yards, 9 TDs) to throw to.

Johnson and Schaub make this offense go. Make no mistake, the Texans can't run and they even know it. So they use the short 3-yard pass just like a running play, but they know the talent they have revolves around the passing game.

This game is a great postseason tune-up game for the Pats, having to face a talented QB and one of the best WRs in all of football.

The Pats can also throw it, too. The Texans have had issues defending the pass all season long, so expect Brady to get some good work in against a questionable secondary.

I'm expecting to see an air show with Schaub and Brady going toe-to-toe, unless Brady and Co. sits at any point to rest a tad for next week.

Chad's Take: Even if the Pats play everyone for the entire game, I think this is a very close game with both offenses stealing the show. But I just would find it hard to believe that Belichick would play his starters for four quarters, knowing they don't have the luxury of a bye next week to rest and have to play in the wild-card round.

I think this game will be extremely entertaining for a half, but it'll go downhill for Patriots fans in the second half with the starters taking a two-quarter breather on the sidelines. The Texans will do their job by getting a win and finishing 9-7, but there's no way two of the three teams they need to lose -- Ravens, Jets and Broncos -- all lose.

The Pats will play next week and the Texans will be watching that game on television.

Prediction: Texans, 27-17

Fantasy Football Friday: Week 2 Super Bowl Edition

By Jim Ingram

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Well, well, well. We are finally down to the last week of Fantasy Football! If you're playing this week, it's really a catch 22. While it's great if you're in the Super Bowl of your fantasy league, it's also a major letdown if you have the likes of Peyton Manning, Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark. Either way, you have a chance for the crown and some cash! Before we get into individual players, let's take a look at what teams do or do not have a reason to play this weekend.

A reason to play:

Jets, Vikings, Texans, Eagles, Cowboys, Ravens, Broncos,

Nothing to play for:

Colts, Giants, Saints*, Jaguars, Redskins, Chargers, Bengals**

The Saints may play their starters for most, if not all, of the game because coach Sean Payton is ticked off after losing the past two games. If the Patriots win on Sunday afternoon, the Bengals are locked into the #4 seed and will have nothing to play for.

Put em' in the lineup:

QB - Tony Romo, Donovan McNabb, Matt Schaub

I love the match up of the Boys' and Eagles for the NFC East crown. Looks to me like a high scoring game on both sides. I also love Schaub at home against the Patriots defense. My guess is the Texans win this game.

RB - Jamaal Charles, Sammy Morris, Jerome Harrison

Jamaal Charles had a decent game against a good defense last week. Look for a much bigger game as he finishes out a great 2nd half of fantasy football against the Broncos. Sammy Morris, you are now the #1 RB on the Pats. Have you seen the insane stats Harrison has put up the past few weeks? Ride em' again this week and he'll tear up the Jags in a meaningless game.

WR - Austin Collie, Kevin Walter, Devin Aromashodu

Austin, please go out there and take over for Reggie this week. Not only will Andre Johnson have a monster game this week, his soon-to-be free agent counterpart will go for at least 75+ yards and a score. Can you smell the aroma? Apparently Jay Cutler can.

TE - Todd Heap, Fred Davis

Is it me, or did everyone forget Todd Heap still played in this league? Fred Davis has really come on in the 2nd half of the season.

DEF - Falcons, Bills, Jets

The Falcons will play hard this weekend as they look to secure a winning record in back to back season for the first time in franchise history. The Bills are playing the Colts, enough said. I really like the Jets tomorrow night, especially if the Pats win.

Make em' ride the bench:

QB - Peyton Manning, Carson Palmer*, Drew Brees

We don't know how much any of these three will play.

RB - Joseph Addai, Lawrence Maroney, LaDanian Tomlinson

Addia and LT will be getting plenty of rest tomorrow, and so could Maroney. Only Maroney could get it for the wrong reason.

WR - Reggie Wayne, Randy Moss, Brandon Marshall

Reggie Wayne will take it easy tomorrow, and I really think Moss only plays the first half. Brandon Marshall has been benched.

TE - Antonio Gates, Dallas Clark

Meaningless games for the both of them.

DEF - Patriots, Giants, Rams

The Pats will not be able to stop the high flying pass attack of the Texans. The Giants have no reason to play, which could seal a job loss for Defensive Coordinator Bill Sheridan and the Rams will take on a 49ers team who will play hard for Mike Singletary