Don't bet against New England

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Will the real New England Patriots please stand up?

It's getting to be in the critical stages of the season for every NFL team, including the Pats. Will the Pats fizzle down the stretch and lose their grasp on the AFC East and fail to make the playoffs?

It might seem a little extreme, but that's why Sunday's division game against the Miami Dolphins, currently two games behind the Pats, is so important.

Wouldn't it be nice to see the Patriots finally play a complete game?

Let's hope it happens this week because the losses to the Colts and Saints are still leaving a bad taste in my mouth.

Against the Dolphins, it all starts with stopping the running game. The Wildcat, now directed by Ricky Williams since Ronnie Brown is out for the season, has been tough for the Pats to stop in the past and it's something Miami needs to do successfully in order to win.

Pats fans are calling out the front seven to get the job done. Stop the run and put the game into quarterback Chad Henne's hands.

If that's the case, then the New England secondary needs to get the job done. There's no way Miami should pick apart the Pats in the air, but if they don't get any pressure on Henne, look out.

And that leads to New England's offense. In the first meeting vs. Miami, Tom Brady threw for 332 yards with one TD and one INT.

Randy Moss, who has vanished in the last two weeks, had 6 catches for 147 yards and a TD. Wes Welker caught 9 passes for 84 yards.

We should expect more of the same from Moss and Welker, who go up against Miami's rookie cornerbacks again. Moss and Welker are veterans and they should always win these matchups.

Chad's take: Tom Brady and the passing game struggled on Monday Night vs. the Saints, don't think that'll happen again, even if the Pats are in Miami where they've struggled at times (although the Pats have won 3 of last 4 in Miami). Without Brown running the Wildcat for Miami, that formation isn't nearly as effective (although they'll gash the Pats a few times) with Williams leading the attack.

It's gut-check times for the Pats, and I expect them to play a very good football game. They know the division is far from being wrapped up and this week is as big as it gets.

The Pats will be focused and watch Brady air it out.

The real Patriots better stand up!

Prediction: Patriots, 27-13

Week 13 Predictions: Pats Finally Get Road Win

By Dan Shouse
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

The Patriots have no time to feel bad for themselves, as they head to Miami to take on the Dolphins in an important AFC East match up. Win, and the Pats all but lock up the division. Lose, and suddenly the division is in question.

Here are the picks for week 13 in the NFL.

Patriots 21 Dolphins 17

Forget about beating an elite team, I just hope the Patriots can get any kind of win on the road. The Patriots will struggle, but do just enough in the end to pull off the win - and keep their slim chances for a first round bye alive.

Colts 31 Titans 28

It will be more of the same for the Colts. Indy will play in yet another close game, but Peyton Manning will still lead his team to a win. Vince Young suffers his first loss as a starting QB this season, but Indy will remain perfect.

Giants 24 Cowboys 16

The Cowboys are in first place in the NFC East and have a golden opportunity to put the division out of reach. We all know what this means. Tony Romo will continue his tradition of late season mistakes, throw a few picks, and the Giants will get a huge win a home.

Eagles 27 Falcons 14

Micheal Vick makes his return to Atlanta, but will likely not be in for more than a few plays. Can Chris Redman do it again? No way. The Eagles defense shuts down Atlanta, and pulls the Eagles into a first place tie with the Cowboys in the NFC East.

Bears 20 Rams 7

Jay Cutler will finally do something right, and go a whole game without throwing a pick. The Bears get the win, but it does not really matter as both these teams are just playing out the remaining games on their schedules.

Bengals 23 Lions 13

Can things get any easier for the Bengals? After facing the Browns last Sunday, now Cincy gets the Lions. No wonder they are 8-3.

Chargers 40 Browns 3

Speaking of easy schedules, a week after facing the Chiefs, the red hot Chargers get to face the NFL's worst team in the Cleveland Browns. Like he did against K.C, Phillip Rivers will light it up, leading the San Diego to a seventh straight win.

Broncos 28 Chiefs 16

After looking shaky for a few weeks, the Denver defense was solid on Thanksgiving against the Giants. Expect more of the same against the Chiefs, as Denver gets an easy win and stays one game back of the Chargers in the NFC West.

Steelers 34 Raiders 6

There has been a lot of finger pointing going on in Pittsburgh, especially with Hines Ward calling out Big Ben for sitting out last week. Winning cures all, and that is what the Steelers will do this week.

Saints 38 Redskins 13

Will there be a let down for the Saints after last Monday's big win over New England? Absolutely not. The Saints will have no problem with Redskins, and continue to look like the best team in the NFL.

Buccaneers 17 Panthers 16

Matt Moore takes over for injured Jake Delhomme, but it will not matter. The Bucs pick up just their second win of the year, and end any hopes for the Panthers getting to the post season.

Jaguars 23 Texans 20

The Jags always seemed to do just enough to sneak into the playoffs, and the Texans always seem to fail in the clutch. The is no reason to expect anything different, as the Jags will deal the Texans another tough loss.

49ers 21 Seahawks 14

The 49ers continue to hang around in the NFC West, getting a road win in Seattle. The win will get the 49ers back to the .500 mark for the year.

Vikings 38 Cardinals 37

The magical season of Bret Favre and the Vikings continues in the desert, as Favre will have a huge day, and out duel Kurt Warner. The Cardinals lead in the NFC will dwindle to a single game.

Packers 23 Ravens 17

Aaron Rodgers will get the Pack one step closer to the playoffs with a win over the Ravens on MNF. The Ravens have been much better on defense the past few games, but Joe Flacco has been inconsistent, and it will cost the Ravens on Monday night.

Masoli deserves a Heisman look

By Chris Maza
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

The Ducks came up roses, but their quarterback really should be coming up with some major hardware at the end of this season.

Jeremiah Masoli showed on a national stage once again that he deserves some serious Heisman consideration, even though he's not likely to get it. There's not one thing or another that makes Masoli stand out, but the complete package. Let's break it all down and sort it all out.

First, we'll consider the statistics. Look at the other quarterbacks getting attention for this award. Masoli has 2725 total yards and 27 touchdowns, comparable to Tim Tebow's 2962 yards and 30 touchdowns, but doesn't really compare to Colt McCoy's 3,889 yards and 38 touchdowns, Kellen Moore's 3049 yards and 39 touchdowns and Case Keenum's 5042 yards and 42 touchdowns.

Based on statistics alone, Masoli appears to be a laugh as a Heisman candidate. But consider this. Masoli has faced more Top-40 defenses this year than McCoy, Moore and Keenum combined and two more than Tebow, including Boise State, Utah and Arizona, all top-20 teams. Tebow, Moore and Keenum also all had big days against FCS teams this season.

Throw on top of that the fact that Masoli has had to navigate possibly the most competitive conference in the nation, a league that features five ranked teams. His only conference loss came against a red-hot Stanford team in a game where Masoli score four touchdowns, but the Cardinal's Toby Gerhart had a school-record setting day. Oregon's schedule has featured five teams in the BCS Top-25 rankings heading into this week, more than the teams of any of the other quarterbacks considered played combined.

I show you all this simply to display that statistics alone do not paint the full picture. Masoli is a bulldog, just as much, if not more than Tebow gets credit for and last night's victory over Oregon State was a prime example of that. Masoli willed his team to a win by orchestrating a drive that took up the last 6:09 of the game to ensure victory, including picking up a key first down on fourth and three, lowering his head and bowling through a defender on a broken play for six yards.

Bottom line, Masoli is a winner. He's played the most difficult opponents of all the quarterbacks in the conversation and won what many consider to be the most difficult conference in the country. That has to count for more than just a little something.

Fantasy Football Friday: Week 13

By Jim Ingram

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Hello and welcome all to the week 13 edition. I feel like it's been so long since the week 12 article because of the Thanksgiving games. Well, we are now down to the nitty gritty. Hopefully, most of you are at least in the playoff hunt, or have already locked down your spot. If you're in a 10 league team, like I am, then this is the penultimate week of the regular season.

Best Fantasy Match Ups of Week 13:

1. Titans @ Colts - I really look for this to be a great game this weekend. I actually think the Titans will win because of the work they can do on the ground. Chris Johnson figures to have another huge game, and I do somewhat like Vince Young this week. Look out for rookie Kenny Britt. He's developing good chemistry with VY, and is good for a fantasy start on Sunday. With the exception of the obvious (Peyton, Clark, Wayne, Addai) I really like Pierre Garcon this week.

2. Chargers @ Browns - If Eric Mangini wasn't the head coach of the Browns, then I'd probably feel a bit bad because the Chargers are going to stomp on the dog pound. LT should have a great day as the Browns defense allows159.9 ypg on the ground. The Chargers defense, Antonio Gates and Phillip Rivers are also must starts. Please read below for my take on the two Cleveland RB's who will take over for the injured Jamal Lewis

3. Raiders @ Steelers - The Raiders have a knack of playing tough against very good teams this season as 2 of their 3 wins have come against the Eagles and Bengals. They will not have much luck in Heinz Field this weekend though. The only fantasy worthy player for the Raiders is Zach Miller. On the other side, I pretty much like everyone. Big Ben will be back, and then you have Mendenhall, Ward, Holmes, Miller and the vaunted Steelers Defense

Put em' in the lineup:

QB - Kyle Orton, Matt Hasselbeck, Ben Roethlisburger

This is a good week for the Broncos to get back on track against the Chiefs and their 30th ranked defense. Matt Hasselbeck and the Seahawks play great at home and also take on a terrible pass defense in the 49ers.

RB - Cedric Benson, Jamaal Charles, Matt Forte

Cedric Benson will play on Sunday and has a very good reason to play hard. His name is Larry Johnson. Look for a 100+ yard game with a touchdown for a prominent return to the lineup. Jamaal Charles has been a very solid fantasy performer since taking over for LJ. He will do more of the same against the Broncos, who are great against the run. Matt Forte will at least of receptions for you every week, but he should also run wild against the Rams.

WR - Jason Avant, Pierre Garcon, Kevin Walter

Over the past 4 weeks Jason Avant has averaged 11 fantasy points per contest. With DeSean Jackson banged up, he'll continue to take a more active role in the passing game. He's a good 3rd WR play this week. As I mentioned earlier, I think Garcon will have a big fantasy day. Look for the Colts to pass all over the Titans in a very close game. I've been extolling the virtues of Kevin Walter all season, and he finally showed me something last week with 7 catches for 73 yards. It's high time he has two good weeks in a row against the Jaguars.

TE - Brett Celek, Kevin Boss, Zach Miller

I am not a fan of the Falcons team or defense, and they have trouble against the tight end position. Hello Brett Celek. Kevin Boss had a very good game 2 weeks ago and stunk last week. Mr. Inconsistent will be back in the plus column again this week. Zach Miller should have 5+ catches against the Steelers this week.

DEF - Bengals, Saints, Seahawks

This is a pretty easy week for defenses for me. The Bengals play the Lions, the Saints play the Redskins and the Seahawks play very well at home against the 49ers.

Make em' ride the bench:

QB - Matt Ryan, Jake Delhomme, Matt Cassel

I don't trust Matt Ryan, plain and simple. Just in case you didn't know, Jake the snake is hurt and will not play this weekend. Matt Cassel takes on the man (Josh McDaniels) who made him a lot of money. I take the coach this week.

RB - Brandon Jacobs, Larry Johnson, Chris Jennings, Jerome Harrison

I hate Brandon Jacobs. Will someone remind him how to run the ball? LJ will have a reduced role with the return of Cedric Benson. Chris Jennings and Jerome Harrison will battle for carries, but now is not the time to play them as they go against the Chargers.

WR - Darrius Heyward-Bey, Steve Smith (CAR)

TE - John Carlson, Fred Davis

I hate John Carlson. Another disappointing week in Week 12. 2 catches for 24 yards. There were 26 other tight ends that had more fantasy points in Week 12 than Carlson. I know Fred Davis had a good week (13 points) last week, but I don't like his match up against the Saints. He's also not the most consistent guy either.

DEF - Cardinals, Ravens, Dolphins

The Cardinals-Vikings game should be very exciting on Sunday night. I just don't like the Cards defense against Brett Favre and the 109 MPH driving Adrian Peterson. The Ravens have a pretty good defense, but the Packers offensive line is improved and Aaron Rodgers will not have a problem getting rid of the ball. My gut instinct tells me the Patriots will lose in Miami this week, but the Pats are just too good after a loss. Brady and company will put up a lot of points.

The Trouble with Tiger

By Rick Eggleston
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Golf’s Golden Boy sure lost his luster in a hurry, but cheating on your wife and getting caught will do that to you, even if your name is Tiger Woods. Who knew? What is it about possesing incredible athletic ability and fame that makes people like Woods act so foolishly?

Admitting yesterday to “transgressions” stemming from an affair with a Los Angeles cocktail waitress (and supposedly two other women) Woods became the latest in a recent string of super-athletes whose private lives are riddled with indiscretion and deceit. Baseball’s Alex Rodriguez, Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz were this past summer’s sporting scandals involving steroid use, then this fall tennis’ Andre Agassi let it all hang out in his tell-all book about his drug abuse and fake hair. Now we head toward winter with Tiger’s tale of woe, and the latest athlete to have gone wild.

So who’s to blame? Nosy neighbors? Prying media? The game? Answer: None of the above. The blame falls squarely on the man himself as a result of the decisions he makes, and Tiger chose to dabble in the hazard of infidelity knowing full-well it could all come back to haunt him someday.

In this case, an otherwise mundane fender-bender on a private road got the media machine moving, foremost because it involved a world-class athlete such as Woods. Naturally, people (the media) started asking questions about what happened and it didn’t take long for things to go from bad to worse — a seemingly simple story about front-end damage to Woods' Escalade led to more questions than answers.

So now what for Tiger? Time will tell, of course, and winning a few more tournaments will surely help. Meantime, it’s apparent there's a lot of healing that needs to go on in the Woods’ household.

Charles Barkley said it best: Athletes are not role models.

The Bruins are back, but imagine how good they might have been

By Chris Maza
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

May I have your attention please? The real Boston Bruins have finally stood up.

With a 4-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Black and Gold extended their points streak to seven games and now sit atop the Northeast division.

Marc Savard has been a key part of all this with a four-game point streak and rewarded the Bruins for their seven-year, $35 million arrangement with his 200th career goal. It kind of makes you think, however. Savard just proved his worth to the team as it tanked in his absence and has flourished since his return and he gets handed the same money as Tim Thomas, but will need to serve two more years to get it.

Savard is 32-years-old and this will probably be his last big payday. Same could be said for Thomas when he signed his huge deal. The difference is Thomas is 35 and a fundamentally flawed goaltender who will surely not live up to the money the team has invested in him. Savard, even though he most likely will not maintain 70-plus point seasons, but his contributions as a leader can supersede point totals. On the other hand, a 38-year-old netminder who can't stop the puck because he has terrible positioning and rebound control and now doesn't have the reflexes to make up for it anymore doesn't have a place on very many hockey teams. Bruins fans that endured the Jeff Hackett and Felix Potvin eras can attest to that.

This isn't to say that they shouldn't have extended Thomas. He's provided stability that had been missing in net for the Bruins for year. But the exhorbinant amount is what hurts. What could they have done with that money? Well, among other things, perhaps re-sign Phil Kessel? Anyone who thinks that the Bruins would not be any better with Kessel on this team need to step back from the Black and Gold Kool-Aid. They've had enough. And the idea that he didn't want to play here? Maybe truth. But more likely Kessel felt he was just worth more money and didn't want to play for a fraction of his market value. And it's also very believable that if it was at all feasable without tearing down the team, the Bruins would have offered him more money.

Hindsight is 20/20, but the Black and Gold should have seen that that money could have been used for some better purpose. The Bruins are on the right track, but had a chance to be really special.

Massachusetts high school football should be ashamed of itself

By Chris Maza
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

College football fans are upset because they don't have the opportunity to watch a tournament. Massachusetts high school football fans should be upset that they have too many to watch.

Massashusetts is one of only two states in the COUNTRY that does not have a true state champion in football. In the past, the top teams in Western Mass. and Central Mass. would play each other for a regional championship, while Eastern Mass. would feature the top representatives from Northeast Mass. and Southeast Mass.

This year, the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association began a trend moving in the wrong direction, splitting Western and Central Mass., giving each of them a regional tournament. under the new alignment, the top four teams in each division play a semifinal, with the winners playing a final game for regional bragging rights. It's old news at this point as this realignment was actually announced last year, but it's certainly fresh in my mind after covering a Western Mass. football playoff game last night.

The worst part is the MIAA has the gall to call these games Super Bowls. While there's nothing wrong with claiming yourself champion of your region, wouldn't it mean more if you could at least have the reward of playing for a state title?

Much larger states in terms of area and population manage to hold statewide championships. Why can't a state like Massachusetts? Bottom line is money. The MIAA can get more gate by holding multiple tournaments at multiple sites. Massachusetts might not have the best talent in the nation, but there is passion for the sport here and teams come out. With regional playoffs and championships, the MIAA knows that the odds of natural rivals facing each other in games, or teams that played classics earlier in the year, are way up and both are a huge draw. That was proven correct this week with matchups between regional rivals such as Palmer vs. Ware and St. John's vs. Shrewsbury as well as Frontier and Athol, who played a thriller earlier in the season.

Those will make an argument that this at least gives the perceived weaker teams from Cenral and Western Mass. a chance to win a championship, that they wouldn't have a chance to compete with the Eastern Mass. powers. Maybe that's true, but shouldn't they at least have a chance? Isn't that what a tournament is all about?

I am reminded of a time when I was working in Southwest Vermont, covering area high school sports, as well as a couple teams just over the border in New York. That year Cambridge, a town of less than 2,000 people, beat two teams from towns up to three times their size to go to the state championship. Granted, they lost in the title game, but it illustrates my point that in tournament play, anything can happen.

Massachusetts has sacrificed having the best teams from each area playing each other for a real title so that they can have more tickets sold by having the parents of 4-6 teams pay to watch in the slim hopes they can win a phony title.

Congratulations, Massachusetts.