Maroney carries Patriots to tight win

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Once again, it's not going to be pretty.

It's a simple fact: The Patriots aren't winning any style points in their games.

The same is going to happen this week at Buffalo. The Pats will do just enough -- they won't play great on offense, defense or special teams -- to improve to 9-5.

Buffalo, with Ryan Fitzpatrick leading the charge at QB, shouldn't scare anyone. But with Terrell Owens and Lee Evans on the outside, they still need to be accounted for because they can strike for the occasional big play. But what worries me most is the running game with Fred Jackson and Marshawn Lynch.

If the weather is bad (snow, cold, blustery winds), which it usually is in December in Buffalo, expect the Bills to run and run some more to keep the Patriots' offense off the field. The defensive line, which must have Vince Wilfork play, needs to clog lanes to frustrate the Bills. If they can -- and they should be able to -- then it's going to be hard for the Bills' passing game to really catch fire since they won't be able to run and set up play-action.

As for the Patriots' offense, which hasn't been good at all (insert reasons why because there's plenty), they must get back to playing December football. December football is based on running the football.

Expect Laurence Maroney to carry the load again this week. The Bills can't stop the run (they allow an average of 170.5 yards per game) so watch the Pats pounds away at the Bills.

Tom Brady and the passing game better be careful with the football because Buffalo can intercept the ball (they have 25 INTs), so expect to see high -percentage passes (short, quick patterns) to Wes Welker and then more running with Maroney.

Randy Moss hasn't been a factor in the passing game for weeks (he has 6 catches in last 3 weeks) and don't bank on Moss tearing up the Bills tomorrow. Moss might command extra attention because the Bills don't want to give up the long bomb, but they'd rather the Pats dink and dunk the ball down the field, which gives them more plays to create a turnover.

The Pats have too many weapons on offense -- yes Maroney is the key this week -- and they will do just enough to turn away the Bills.

Chad's Take: Maroney rushes for over 100 yards, Brady protects the football and finds Welker like he always does, and the defense stops Jackson and Lynch from running wild to get a closer-than-expected win.

Prediction: Patriots 20-13

Week 15 Preview: Pats Finally Get a Road Win

By Dan Shouse
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

The Pats are off to Buffalo to try to get their first road win, and the Saints look to remain perfect, headlining week 15 in the NFL.

Here are this weeks picks.

Patriots 21 Bills 10

This is a must win for the Patriots, and for once the Pats will come through on the road. Once again it won't be pretty, but the simple fact is that New England has owned Buffalo the past few years. It will now be 13 straight wins for the Patriots against the Bills.

Saints 33 Cowboys 24

The Saints will keep pace with Colts and remain unbeaten. Wade Phillips may be on his way out, as yet another December fade by the Cowboys has his job in jeopardy.

Cardinals 42 Lions 7

Embarrassed by their sloppy play on MNF, look for the Cardinals to come out firing on Sunday. The Cards had seven turnovers against the 49ers. They could score seven touchdowns this week, even with Larry Fitzgerald possibly out with a knee injury.

Titans 16 Dolphins 13

The Titans will do the Patriots a favor, and hand the Dolphins a tough loss. The loss will all but eliminate the Dolphins from the AFC East race. Incredibly the Titans will get back to the five hundred mark at 7-7 with the win, and in the race for a wild card spot.

Falcons 22 Jets 17

The Jets have managed to stay in the race, despite sub par play at the QB position. Mark Sanchez may be back, but he has struggled lately. Look for a few interceptions by Sanchez to haunt the Jets, as a chance at a playoff spot may have come to an end for New York.

Eagles 30 49ers 13

The Eagles are starting to look like a dangerous team. Behind a potent offense the Eagles will make it five straight wins, and put themselves in great position to lock up the NFC East title.

Chargers 28 Bengals 21

The Bengals will rally around their fallen teammate Chris Henry, and play the Chargers tough, but in the end the Chargers will pull out the win. The win will put the Chargers in the playoffs, and put them in great position to get the second seed in the AFC.

Steelers 27 Packers 24

The Steelers will finally end their five game losing streak, and play like a defending Super Bowl champ. Even with win however, the playoffs are still likely out of reach for the Steelers.

Chiefs 9 Browns 6

Can the Browns ride the wave of momentum after last weeks shocking upset of the Steelers? Probably not. Give the Chiefs the win at home in this dreadful match up.

Texans 34 Rams 13

The Texans played well against the Seahawks last week, a sign that they have not quit despite being all but eliminated from the post season. Add in that the Texans can finish with a winning record for the first time ever, and Houston will have plenty of motivation to beat the hapless Rams.

Broncos 38 Raiders 7

The Broncos get an easy win, and appear on the verge of getting one of the wild card spots in the AFC. How bad are things for JeMarcus Russell? Charlie Frye is getting the nod at QB over him.

Seahawks 23 Buccaneers 16

If not for the Cleveland and Kansas City game, this might have been the worst match up of the week. Josh Freeman has played poorly as of late, and with several injured players on the Tampa offense, things will not get any better this week.

Ravens 20 Bears 10

After alternating wins and loses that past eight weeks, the Ravens will finally make it two wins in a row, and stay in the post season discussion. The good news for Jay Cutler and the Bears? Only a few more weeks and the season will be over.

Vikings 31 Panthers 13

Brett Favre will return to form, throwing for a pair of scores in an easy win. The Vikings will settle into the number two seed behind the Saints in the NFC playoff picture.

Redskins 35 Giants 31

Who needs Mike Shanahan? The Redskins will take advantage of a struggling Giants defense and score over 30 points for the third straight week. With the loss, the Giants could be all but done.

BCS Bowls: Up in smoke

By Chris Maza
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Hey, this is what we all expected. The BCS is a system set up so the rich get richer and everyone else gets left in the cold. So why are we surprised that Boise State and TCU are facing each other in a bowl for the second year in a row?

We all know what the BCS is and the reasons to get rid of it. This is not a new story. Not only is that horse dead, but the impact from the repeated flogging of said deceased mammal has driven it six feet under. We all want a playoff. The people who stand to lose the most money from a tournament don't. This is not a surprise. So this column will not be about condemning a system we already know doesn't work. This will simply be a primer of the entire bowl season. Enjoy.

December 19th
New Mexico Bowl, 4:30 on ESPN
Fresno State vs. Wyoming
Fresno State has a pretty entertaining offense to watch, ranking 14th in the nation in points scored. The Bulldogs were the first team to really put a dent in Boise State's defense, putting up 34 points on a team that had held its first two opponents (which included Pac-10 champion Oregon) to a combined eight points.They have a balanced attack that favors the run a tad with 2779 rushing yards to 2452 passing yards. Wyoming plays right into Fresno's hands with a weak defense against both the run and the pass. Fresno does have a lackluster defense, but Wyoming posted some of the worst offensive numbers in the country.

St. Petersburgh Bowl, 8:30 on ESPN
Rutgers vs. UCF
Rutgers finished the year 8-4, but it is a very weak 8-4. They went 2-3 against winning teams, while beating up on losing teams and went 0-3 against ranked opponents. Rutgers relies on its defense to win games simply because they cannot score points. Their 27-point-per game average is skewed heavily by blowout wins over Texas Southern and Howard. The defense ranked 19th in the nation in total defense, but probably isn't that good, as Cincinnati, Connecticut and Syracuse all had big days offensively against it. Luckily for the Scarlet Knights, UCF doesn't have much of an offense and a mediocre defense they should be able to run the ball against.

December 20th
New Orleans Bowl, 8:30 on ESPN
Southern Miss. vs. Middle Tennessee State
This is the second-consecutive trip to the New Orleans bowl for Southern Miss, who hasn't fared well outside the confines of M. M. Roberts Stadium, going 1-5 this season in road games. That said, Southern Miss. is an undefeated 3-0 in this game. Middle Tennessee State is a hot team right now, having won six-straight games, averaging just over 41 points over that span, while holding opponents to less than three touchdowns in four of those wins. That said, this is also the team that gave up 31 points to Troy. Both teams can be dynamic on offense while suffering breakdowns defensively, so this could be a shootout.

December 22nd
Las Vegas Bowl, 8:00 on ESPN
BYU vs. Oregon State
This pits two quality teams from arguably two of the most competitive conferences in football together. The little team that got big press after beating Oklahoma finished the season strong with a 26-23 win over Utah. With only one loss in an underrated Mountain West Conference, BYU is dangerous. They did have an embarrassing loss to Florida State, but September seems a long time ago. BYU has one of the best scoring offenses in the country, as does their opponent, Oregon State, who gave Oregon all it could handle in a bid for the Pac-10 championship. The x-factor could be the Beavers' defense. Oregon State does pretty well against the run (with the exception of last week's game), but they can be touched in the passing game and Max Hall is not afraid to let it fly.

December 23rd
Poinsettia Bowl, 8:00 on ESPN
Utah vs. California
It was a disappointing season for the Golden Bears, who were expected to at least compete for the Pac-10 title and have a Heisman candidate they would rely on. Instead, Best disappeared in some of the team's biggest games and then when he got hurt, it didn't seem to matter much as they went on to beat then-ranked opponents Arizona and Stanford. But a sickening loss to Washington destroyed all of the Bears' momentum and a lot of people are wondering which Cal team will show up the day before Christmas Eve. As expected, Utah was a solid team in an above-average conference. The Utes finished 9-3 with two of its losses coming against teams playing in BCS bowls and the third coming against BYU, 26-23 last week. The Utes hold the nation's longest active bowl winning streak with eight. Neither team has been stellar offensively, but on the defensive side, Utah holds a distinct advantage. Cal's defense has been simply awful at times this season.

December 24th
Hawaii Bowl, 8:00 on ESPN
SMU vs. Nevada
Just like last year, this game features a team with a very good offense against a team with a terrible defense. After dropping its first three games, Nevada went on to win its next eight games before falling to Boise State in a championship game of sorts. Despite being shut out by Notre Dame to start the season, the Wolfpack still ranks fifth in the nation in scoring offense. Quarterback Colin Kaepernick has been the perfect example of the way Nevada's season has gone. Over the first three games, Kaepernick threw two touchdowns and four picks, while running for one more touchdown. Over the remainder of the season, he threw just one interception, while connecting on 17 touchdown throws and running for another 15 touches. SMU struggles mightily against the run, which is Nevada's strength, so this does not bode well for the Mustangs, who have not made a bowl appearance in 25 years.

December 26th
Little Ceasar's Pizza Bowl, 1:00 on ESPN
Marshall vs. Ohio
Yawn. Marshall finished 6-6 and 4-4 in C-USA, good for fourth in the conference's East Division. The Thundering Herd went just 2-4 against winning teams and finished the season losing three of its last four. Neither their offense nor their defense ranks in the top half of the nation. Ohio lost to Central Michigan in the MAC championship game and finished the season strong, going 7-1 over its last eight games before falling to the Chippewas. That said, the Bobcats have a prettey terrible offense and a defense that leaves a lot to be desired. This is one bowl that wishes Notre Dame had not decided to forgo the bowl season this year. With no real name to draw attention to this game, most people will just sleep in after making merry on Christmas.

Meineke Car Care Bowl, 4:30 on ESPN
North Carolina vs. Pittsburgh
UNC can thank Florida State for this matchup. The Tar Heels have been hard to figure out this season. They needed a safety thanks to a holding call in the end zone to beat UConn, lost 16-3 to Virginia and were toppled by a struggling Florida State team. On flip side, they beat ranked teams in Virginia Tech and Miami and topped Boston College at Alumni Stadium, something no one else was able to do this season. Those three wins came as part of a four-game winning streak that had people thinking this team finally had put it together. Then came North Carolina State, who ruined UNC's hopes for a big-name bowl. UNC has been troubled by an inconsistent offense that lacks the playmakers necessary to make Tyler Yates the quarterback he was a year ago. Defensively, the Tar Heals were good enough to win pretty much every game. Pitt blew a huge lead in a season finale that would determine the winner of the Big East and lost to Cincinnati, sending the Bearcats to a BCS game and the Panthers to Charlotte. It was the second-straight heartbreaking loss for Pitt, who lost to West Virginia on a 43-yard field goal as time expired the week prior. Probably the biggest surprise for Pitt this season has been the play of Bill Stull, who threw for 21 touchdowns and eight interceptions after finishing with more picks than scores a year ago as LeSean McCoy paced the offense. Without McCoy, Stull had to take on a larger role in a much more balanced attack and responded.

Emerald Bowl, 8:00 on ESPN
Boston College vs. USC
Another matchup that can be credited to Florida State. The name suggests this game might hold some kind of prestige, but keep in mind that until 2003, it was known as the Diamond Walnut Bowl. Boston College's administration has to be drooling at the amount of exposure and the ratings (because they only make 750,000 for showing up) their game is going to get this year because even though it's a down year for USC, the Trojans' brand is still big enough to draw a crowd. The Eagles have exceeded expectations this season, going 8-4. After their tumultuous offseason, which featured the head coach getting fired for talking to an NFL team about a job after being told not to, the heir apparent to the quarterback spot getting suspended for grades and transferring, and team leader Mark Herzlick being diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, pretty much everyone thought that 4-8 might even be a stretch for Newton University. Still, BC was helped by a weak schedule that featured just four games against winning programs. They went 1-3 in those games. They put of gaudy numbers against weak teams, but had glaring losses to quality opponents in Clemson, who held them to 54 yards of total offense (1.1 yards per play), and Virginia Tech, who allowed just 169 yards. USC experienced a fall from grace this season that has been well documented. Matt Barkley is still the quarterback of the future for this team, but he experienced his share of growing pains this season. The Trojans are just 2-3 in games where Barkley has to throw 30 passes or more and the freshman has a 4-6 TD-INT ratio in those games. USC's rushing offense had found its way and has contributed most of the Trojans' offense. Boston College also has relied on the running game as Montel Harris has been by far the team's most effective offensive weapon.

December 27th
Music City Bowl, 8:30 on ESPN
Clemson vs. Kentucky
Well, this is another team that is being bumped down thanks to Florida State. The Tigers go from having a chance - albeit a slim one - of appearing in a BCS bowl to facing the team that finished fifth in an overrated SEC's East Division. C.J. Spiller was given a lot of attention in terms of the Heisman, but did not make it into the list of finalists after a mediocre outing against Virginia and a terrible showing against South Carolina. Still, it was an very good season for the senior, who rebounded in the ACC Championship with a career-high 233 yards and four touchdowns. In Kentucky, Spiller takes on the 100th ranked rush defense. Throw on top of that the fact that Kentucky has a sub-par offense and Clemson features one of the top-30 defenses in the nation and this one could shape up to be an ugly one early.

December 28th
Independence Bowl, 5:00 on ESPN2
Texas A&M vs. Georgia
This is a nightmare of a bowl. Texas A&M was 6-6 despite having one of the highest scoring offenses in college football. Why? Because their defense was one of the absolute worst in the nation. The Aggies had just one win thise season against a winning program and while they did put up points against ranked opponents Oklahoma State and Texas, both games ended in losses and they also gave up huge offensive games to Kansas State, Colorado and Oklahoma (52, 35 and 65 points, respectively), all of which were also losses. The team does not have a real quality win to its credit. Jerrod Johnson has been impressive with 28 touchdowns and just six interceptions. Georgia went into this season with some pretty lofty expectations, but didn't live up to any of them, finishing 4-4 in a pretty weak SEC this season. Georgia has had a pretty strong defense this season, but one weakness has been the pass. They don't give up a ton of yards, but the 23 touchdowns they allowed is one of the worst totals in the country and the secondary did very little in terms of creating turnovers. Georgia's offense probably doesn't have enough firepower to make up for their deficiencies in pass coverage.

December 29th
EagleBank Bowl, 4:30 on ESPN
Temple vs. Army or UCLA
The actual matchup for this game will be decided on Dec. 12 when Army and Navy play. If Army wins, they're in. If they don't UCLA takes the spot. Check back for details on this game after the 12th.

Champ Sports Bowl, 8:00 on ESPN
Miami vs. Wisconsin
Yet another team that is pretty upset about the Gator Bowl's selection of Florida State. Most likely if FSU wasn't in the picture, it would be Miami in the Gator Bowl. Instead, they are headed to the last Champs Sports Bowl that will be open solely to ACC and Big 12 teams. The Big East will join starting next year, as will Notre Dame, who will be eligible once every four years. Some Miami fans consider the Hurricanes to be the best team in the ACC because they beat champion Georgia Tech. But more than that, the Hurricanes could make that argument given the way they played early in the season against four ranked teams in consecutive games. Miami started the year 5-1 and quarterback Jacory Harris was being talked about in the Heisman conversation. Then a heart-pounding overtime game that featured 11 lead changes and three interceptions by Harris. Perhaps Harris ended up falling in love with his arm strength, as he started throwing ill-advised passes and finished the last six games with 10 interceptions to his 12 touchdowns. His four interceptions in a loss to UNC pretty much sealed the 'Canes' fate. Wisconsin flew under the radar most of the season as Ohio State, Iowa and Penn State took the headlines. The Badgers had a solid 9-3 campaign, but was fifth behind unranked Northwestern in the Big Televen. Michigan State was the most quality win this season and matchups against the Buckeyes and Hawkeyes could have given some credibility to the Badgers' season, but both ended in losses. Wisconsin's defense is one that could both be an advantage or a big problem for Harris. They have allowed 20 passing touchdowns this year, but have also picked off 15 passes.

December 30th
Humanitarian Bowl, 4:30 on ESPN
Idaho vs. Bowling Green
With Boise State gone to a BCS Bowl, Idaho slides into the former MPC Computers Bowl. In a weak WAC conference, the Vandals finished 4-4 in the league, but went 3-1 in non-conference games. Granted, those teams had a combined 20-31 record. Their signature win is Northern Illinois in non-conference play. They face the MAC's third-place team, who enters the game on a four-game win streak. However, their best win of the season came in week one against Troy. Both teams feature devastatingly bad defenses. The difference is Idaho has an offense that moves the ball with ease, especially against bad defenses. They have scored more touchdowns by Miami, Alabama and Virginia Tech this season.

Holiday Bowl, 8:00 on ESPN
Nebraska vs. Arizona
This game features the second-place teams in two of the toughest conferences in college football. Nebraska was within one second of going to a BCS bowl and features one of the best defenses with perhaps the best defensive player in the country. Nebraska's offense has struggled at times this season with games like a 9-7 loss to Iowa State. They take on the second-place team in a very competitive Pac-10. Arizona was very much in the running for the conference title until it suffered back-to-back losses to California and eventual champion Oregon. While Arizona's defense is nowhere near the level of Nebraska's, it is still a very solid unit and their offense has put up much better numbers than the Huskers. That said, Nebraska has shut down better offenses than Arizona. It will be interesting to see which strength will win out.

December 31
Armed Forces Bowl, 12:00 on ESPN
Houston vs. Air Force
Houston has played contender for the better part of this season, riding the arm of Case Keenum. That was no more evident than when last week's C-USA championship game, which they lost to East Carolina. Keenum threw 75 passes, completing 56 of them for 527 yards. On the whole, Houston picked up 557 yards on the day. It makes you wonder if Keenum is really that good. On one hand, when defenses know exactly what the offense is going to do and they still can't stop you, that is something. But also keep in mind that Keenum only faced one Top-40 defense all season and it's easy to pile up yardage when you're throwing 6.5 more attempts per game than the guy who throws the second most. Probably the thing that convinces that he is a top-flight quarterback is his completion percentage, which is nearly 71 percent, and his TD-INT ratio, which stands at 43-9. Wow. Also stunning is just how bad Houston's defense is. Some of Keenum's best games (527 yards, 5 touchdowns vs. East Carolina; 536 yards, 5 TDs vs. UTEP, ) ended in losses, which seems unfathomable. Air Force has a very tough defense and played TCU and Utah tough this season, but Max Hall displayed that the Falcons can be beaten through the air by throwing five touchdowns in BYU's win in the regular season finale.

Sun Bowl, 2:00 on CBS
Oklahoma vs. Stanford
This shapes up to be a vary exciting matchup. Don't let the record fool you. Oklahoma is still a very good football team, even sans Sam Bradford. The Sooners were just 2-3 against ranked opponents this season, but the three losses were by a combined five points. The Sooners defense has been one of the best in the country and have shut down some of the top offenses in college football. The best example of that came last week in a 27-0 drubbing of Oklahoma State to deprive the Cowboys of a chance for a BCS bid. Oklahoma held its in-state rivals to 109 total yards and 0-14 on third down. Stanford has been one of the feel-good stories of the year with Toby Gerhart as the main character. The Heisman finalist has had an outstanding season, literally running over defenses on his way to 1736 yards and 26 touchdowns, both good for first in the country. Both teams will go into this game with a quarterback they didn't start the season with. Landry Jones certainly has had more experience this year and has served well, but he is still an unpolished rookie prone to make mistakes. While Gerhart is the catalyst for the offense, Andrew Luck (2575 yards, 13 TD, 4 INT) has been a nice choice at quarterback, having won the job over Tavita Pritchard. Now Pritchard, who threw for 1633 yards, 13 touchdowns and 10 interceptions a year ago, takes over for Luck, who broke a finger on his throwing hand.

Texas Bowl, 3:30 on ESPN
Navy vs. Missouri
Navy, not surprisingly, has one of the top rushing offense in the league, basically because they run more than pretty much any other team in the country. The only teams that tops them in both attempts AND yards is Georgia Tech, which runs the exact same offense, only with better personnel. With 23 touchdowns, Ricky Dobbs has the most rushing scores by a quarterback and second most in the country at any position. His 138 points are the most by any quarterback in college football and blow away totals put up by Heisman finalists Colt McCoy and Tim Tebow. Granted, the competition hasn't always been as good as what they have faced. Missouri spent part of the early season ranked, but a losing streak right in the middle of the season put an abrubt end to that as they fell in consecutive weeks to Nebraska, Oklahoma State and Texas. They were actually better on the road (4-1, 5-1, including a neutral site game) than they were at home (3-3). Missouri was pretty good offensively behind their sophomore quarterback, but an inconsistent defense has directly led to all four of the losses and left a lot of games closer than they should have been.

Insight Bowl, 6:00 on NFL Network
Minnesota vs. Iowa State
It's hard to find an interesting part of this game as neither team has a good offense or defense. It truly is a battle of mediocrity between the Big Televen's eighth-place team (Minnesota) and the Big 12 North's fourth place team. This is another game that would have loved to extend an invite to Notre Dame. Someone might at least have tuned in to see the show Jimmy Clausen and company would put on against either of these defenses.

Chick-Fil-A Bowl, 7:30 on ESPN
Virginia Tech at Tennessee
Tennessee made strides under its first year with Lane Kiffin at the helm, but to say the Volunteers are a marquee team would be a flat-out lie. The SEC was filled with middle-of-the-road teams and Tennessee was one of those. One thing that Tennessee did do very well was play defense, ranking in the top 30 in the country in both yards and points allowed per game. They will need that defense to play well against a very tough Virginia Tech offense led by Ryan Williams, not Tyrod Taylor like the media makes it out to be. Williams, a freshman, is one of the best running backs you've never heard of with a tremendous future ahead of him. His 19 rushing touchdowns lead the ACC and were fourth in all of college football. The Hokies also boast one of the best defenses around, so even if Tennessee manages to shut down the Virginia Tech offense, the Vols are not likely to have the offense to put them away.

January 1
Outback Bowl, 11:00 on ESPN
Northwestern vs. Auburn
Northwestern finished with a worse overall record than Wisconsin and an identical league mark, but beat them in the regular season finale to finish ahead of them in the Big Televen. Late in the season, the Wildcats made a habit of making life hard on ranked teams. While Penn State won their game, 34-13, Northwestern led, 13-10 at the half, then fell apart after losing its starting quarterback Mike Kafka. The Wildcats followed that blueprint against Iowa, taking advantage of Hawkeyes quarterback Ricky Stanzi out for a 17-10 upset. Kafka followed that victory with two of the best games of his career, including a 325-yard, two-touchdown performance against the Badgers. Auburn is another team that was a pain for ranked teams. They didn't put up much of a fight against LSU, but they upset Ole Miss and Alabama needed a touchdown in the last 1:30 to beat the Tigers. Auburn running back Ben Tate insists he is the best running back in Alabama and the numbers are comparable and thanks in large part to Tate, the Tigers have the 13th ranked rushing attack in the nation. Northwestern is solid against the run and stopped Ingram almost in his tracks, allowing the Heisman finalist to just 30 yards and no touchdowns on 16 carries.

Capital One Bowl, 1:oo on ABC
Penn State vs. LSU
The Nittany Lions made it into this game with a 10-2 record against a schedule that featured eight teams that finished the season with losing records. They went 0-2 against teams that finished the year ranked, both of which are in their own conference (Iowa and Ohio State). Penn State posted a good statistical season defensively with that schedule, which included just two Top 40 offenses and seven teams that were in the bottome half of the nation in terms of scoring points in Akron (105), Syracuse (101), Iowa (86), Illinois (82), Minnesota (98), Northwester n (76) and Indiana (84). Fortunately for them, they face an LSU team that never really seemed to find its identity offensively. Jordan Jefferson has been disappointing and hasn't shown an ability to lead the offense in any way. If there's one plus for that offense, it's that they rarely turn over the football. Defensively, LSU isn't flashy, but they have been very good at keeping opponents out of the end zone, which is what really matters. The Tigers have allowed one of the lowest TD-allowed totals in the nation and held Florida without an offensive score and held Alabama, who averaged almost four touchdowns a game, to just two. In both of those games, the defense let them down, scoring a combined 18 points.

Gator Bowl, 1:oo on CBS
Florida State vs. West Virginia
You can understand that Bobby Bowden is one of the best coaches in college football history and still not like the fact he gets this bowl. Obviously the powers that be find it fitting that the two most prominent programs he coached in this bowl and perhaps that's true. As a Notre Dame fan, I understand what tradition and history mean, but given how many teams the Seminoles had to jump to get to this bowl, it doesn't seem quite fair. Florida State seemed to have a pretty good offense, even after Christian Ponder's injury, but it was aided late in the season by playing weak defenses in Maryland and Wake Forest. When they played a quality defense in Florida, they put up about 150 fewer yards than they averaged the two games prior and scored just 10 points. They also had the 98th-ranked scoring defense. West Virginia had a solid season, but bad losses to Auburn and South Florida. Without those failures, a loss to Cincinnati would have been bearable, especially after beating Pittsburgh and would be in serious consideration for a BCS bowl. So close. But that's the way the season has gone for the Mountaineers, who had four of their last six games come down to one score and all six decided by less than two touchdowns.

January 2
International Bowl, 12:00 on ESPN2
South Florida vs. Northern Illinois
South Florida went into this season with the expectations of competing with the big boys in the Big East and had the quarterback that could take them there. Matt Grothe was one of the best quarterbacks you've never heard of as the Big East's career leader in total yardage. He started the year with five touchdowns in his first three games to lead the Bulls to a 3-0 mark, albeit against weak opponents. But in that third game, he was injured in the second half and never returned for the rest of the season with an ACL tear. From there on, the Bulls went 4-5 and beat just one team with a winning record. That win was a big one over West Virginia and could have given some momentum to South Florida heading into the stretch run. Instead they suffered a deflating 31-0 loss to Rutgers, leading to a 1-3 mark in its last four games. Northern Illinois probably has the weakest 7-5 record in college football. All seven of their wins came against teams with records of .500 or worse, which is not good. Look at exactly where these teams rank and it's even worse. Over the season, which included a four-game win streak, they beat Purdue (77), Western Michigan (84), Miami, OH (117), Akron (106), Eastern Michigan (120), Ball State (112) and Western Illinois (1-10 in FCS).

PapaJohns.com Bowl, 2:00 on ESPN
Connecticut vs. South Carolina
The trials of UConn are well known. Maybe the best player in their secondary, Jasper Howard, was murdered outside a school dance while trying to break up a scuffle just hours after getting the game ball for his efforts in a win against Louisville. After that, not surprisingly, the Huskies went on a three-game losing streak. But it was the incredibly disheartening way they lost those games that made the story excruciating. Losses to West Virginia and Rutgers were by a margin of four points each and they fell just short of BCS-bound Cincinnati, 47-45. But a monumental win over Notre Dame on the road restored the Huskies' season and their spirits and they finished the season with three straight wins. Once again, South Carolina played one of the toughest schedules in college football and the Gamecocks' record reflected it. It was hard to tell which South Carolina would show up from week to week, the one who knocked Georgia out of the Top-25 and beat Ole Miss and Clemson, or the team that lost to Arkansas and squeaked by Vanderbilt? South Carolina features a tough defense, but their run stopping is purely mediocre. Given the fact that UConn has two above-average runners in Jordan Todman and Andre Dixon, Connecticut could pull out a close one if it can control the clock with those weapons.

Cotton Bowl, 2:00 on Fox
Oklahoma State vs. Ole Miss
It's the matchup of two underachieving quarterbacks. Zac Robinson and Jevan Snead were expected to be two of the elite passers in the nation this year on BCS contending teams, but neither really lived up the billing. Ole Miss went into the season ranked in the Top 10 in both polls and amid much debate because of a loss to South Carolina, rose to the No. 4 and 5 spots before getting trounced by Alabama, dropping them to 21/18 and from there, it was mediocrity the rest of the way. The biggest dagger ended up being a bad loss to Mississippi State, which dropped Mississippi to 8-4 on the year. Snead was a big part of the struggles for this team as he threw 17 picks to go along with his 20 touchdowns. Some of his worst games came against lesser opponents. He threw two picks against Memphis, Auburn and Arkansas and three against Vanderbilt. His worst game of the season was by far the Alabama game, where he threw four picks and no touchdowns, then told the media he was glad his team wasn't going to be in the top 10 anymore because the pressure would be off. Doesn't sound much like a winner, does it? Zac Robinson had a difficult season due to injury and losing his star receiver. Dez Bryant was suspended for the season because he lied to the NCAA about a conversation he had with Deion Sanders and college football made an example out of him. Mind you, this is the same organization that allowed the Pac-10 and Oregon to reinstate LeGarrett Blount after he punched a guy, then went after fans in the stands. While Robinson only missed one game this year, he had a host of ailments from sprained ankles to a banged up shoulder to a concussion to a bad hamstring. With Robinson being terribly inconsistent this season, the Cowboys have leaned more on their running game and more specifically Keith Totson. He doesn't get a lot of recognition, but Totson was in the Top-25 in the nation in rushing. But the bottom line remains that the Cowboys don't have the vaunted offensive attack they were expected to have at the beginning of the season and Oklahoma in the final week showed that you can completely shut down the offense if you get to Robinson.

Liberty Bowl, 5:30 on ESPN
East Carolina vs. Arkansas
East Carolina won C-USA for the second-straight year, but was another one of those teams that really didn't play well against quality opponents. They won nine games, including beating Houston in the C-USA title game, but lost to West Virginia, North Carolina and Virginia Tech by at least two scores and also had a game they'd like to forget against SMU. The Pirates give up a lot through the passing game defensively and Arkansas has a pretty good quarterback in Ryan Mallett, who ranks sixth in passer rating, fifth in touchdown passes with 29 and he's only thrown seven interceptions. The Pirates beat a pretty good quarterback in Case Keenum (who threw 75 passes and accounted for almost all of Houston's offense) by coming up with timely interceptions, including one in the end zone to prevent a possible game-winning touchdown pass late in the game. East Carolina is a run-first team, so if Mallett can avoid throwing costly interceptions, they can force the Pirates into a shootout, which is not what they want.

Alamo Bowl, 9:00 on ESPN
Michigan State vs. Texas Tech
Texas Tech proved this year that you can insert pretty much any quarterback with a good arm into that offensive scheme and he'll find success. Tech has the second-most prolific passing offense in the nation behind Houston, Taylor Potts missed two games and put up some of the biggest numbers in the country in terms of passing yards and in those two games he missed, they still put up big offensive days, including 554 yards and eight touchdowns against Kansas State. Texas Tech had two problems, however. The lack of a rushing attack to keep defenses honest (Tech gave up 30 sacks, one of the worst totals in the country) and a mediocre defense. Case in point, Texas A&M put up 52 points against them. They did have quality wins over Nebraska and Oklahoma, but other than that, the resume is pretty thin as they missed out on opportunities to make a statement against Oklahoma State and Texas. They also had losses to A&M and Houston. Michigan State had an up and down year, which included a gmae of musical quarterbacks, which finally ended with the guy everyone thought should be the starter anyway in Kirk Cousins. The Spartans were one of those teams no one could quite get a bead on as they won their opener, then dropped the next three to Central Michigan, Notre Dame and Wisconsin by a combined 13 points. They knocked off Michigan to start a three-game winning streak against weak opponents, then lost another close one to a ranked Iowa team, then went 2-2 the rest of the way. The way the secondary goes seems to be the way the Spartans go. In all but one of the team's six losses, the opposing team had huge days throwing the football. Minnesota and Penn. State both threw for five touchdowns, Minnesota tossed four and both Notre Dame and Central Michigan had three TD's through the air.

January 6
GMAC Bowl, 7:00 on ESPN
Troy vs. Central Michigan
Central Michigan and Troy won the MAC and Sun Belt, respectively. The Chippewas feature one of the most promising young NFL quarterback prospects you never hear about, which paces the 16th-ranked scoring offense. Dan LeFevour completed over 71 percent of his passes this season and threw for 27 touches and just six interceptions. Sure, he only faced one tough defense in Boston College and didn't play well against the Eagles, but he has a live arm and can make all the throws. Troy is right behind Central Michigan in terms of scoring and are third in the entire country in total offense. While the ball moves mostly through the air for Troy, once in the red zone, the running game cna be dangerous as well. The Trojans have actually scored more rushing touchdowns than passing, despite a picking up around 2,200 more yards via the pass than the run. The big difference is the defenses. Troy was scorched for over 400 yards and 28 points per game. Central Michigan is in the top-25 in scoring defense and in the top-30 in total defense.

More to come...

Fantasy Football Friday: Week 15 The Playoffs

By Jim Ingram

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Playoffs! Playoffs! Yes, we're talking playoffs. Hopefully you have made the playoffs and are still interested in looking for the best match ups to help you take the title. That is what I'll try to do for you today.

Best Fantasy Match ups of Week 15:

1. Cardinals @ Lions - Last week the Lions let up 47 points to the struggling offense of the Baltimore Ravens. What do you think the Cardinals are going to do after being completely shut down by the 49'ers? Watch out for big points. Larry Fitzgerald may not play, so look for a bigger contribution from Steve Breaston. I wouldn't suggest going for Early Doucette though. That's too much of a stretch in the playoffs. Make sure to start the Cardinals defense though.

2. Cowboys @ Saints - This has the potential of being a shoot out type of game. Personally, I don't think the Cowboys will make it much of a game. They may score 24+ points, but the Saints will score 34 at least in my opinion. Miles Austin is the must start with the way he's play the past 3 weeks (24, 24, 17 points). On the other side, it's the usual, and when I say usual, that now includes Robert Meachem. He only scored 8 points last week, but he did have 5 straight double digit weeks.

3. Texans @ Rams - Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson are sure to give you 15+ points a piece. They are just pure fantasy gold. Arian Foster, one of the biggest pickups of the week, will get the start at running back for the Texans. Look for him to get 10+ points easily as he had 10 points in a limited blow out loss last week. Steven Jackson is banged up so if you have the option, put him on the bench for this week. I also like the Texans defense just for the simple fact the Rams have the 25th ranked offense in the NFL.

Put em' in the Lineup:

QB - Carson Palmer, Chad Henne, Kyle Orton

I really look for the Bengals to go off this week in memory of Chris Henry. The Chargers are 10th in the league in pass defense, but you need to throw out the numbers in emotional games like these. Chad Henne has really made some progress as the season goes on. The Titans are still 31st in pass defense, and Henne has looked more confident and comfortable in the pocket each week. I actually like him better than both Hasselbeck and Roethlisburger this week. I have both Hasselbeck and Big Ben, but I am seriously thinking about starting Orton this week. I love his match up against the Raiders.

RB - Jamaal Charles, Lawrence Maroney, Justin Forsett

Jamaal Charles is a must start every week. I don't even know why I have him here. Remember last week, when I ripped Maroney and praised Sammy Morris. It's time for me to flip flop this week after the Pats came out with a completely different looking offense in the 2nd half last week. Forsett has scored a touchdown in each of the past 4 weeks. Look for him to continue that this weekend against the Bucs

WR - Jericho Cotchery, Eddie Royal, Michael Jenkins

The Atlanta Falcons really struggle against the pass. It looks like Sanchez will be back this weekend which should help Cotchery. I may be wrong about this, but I believe the Raiders just might double Brandon Marshall this week. If that is correct, then look for Royal to get at least 5 catches. That's pretty good if you're in a PPR league. As you'll see below, Jenkins will be the beneficiary of Roddy White being covered by Darelle Revis.

TE - Ben Watson, Tony Gonzalez, Fred Davis

From what I've heard and read, the New England Patriots did not have Bill O'Brien calling offensive plays in the 2nd half of the Carolina game. What I do know is that the offensive play calling was much better, i.e. balanced, and finally used the tight end position. Tony the Tiger will also benefit from Roddy White being covered by Revis. Fred Davis has 3 straight games at least 13 points. Look for much of the same against the Giants.

DEF - Jets, Cardinals, Texans

The Jets should smother the Falcons who still do not have Matt Ryan and Michael Turner. The Cardinals are playing the hapless Lions and I really like the Texans defense against the Rams.

Make em' ride the Bench:

QB - Alex Smith, Vince Young, Jay Cutler

Alex Smith has looked pretty good, but he's going up against the ball hawking Eagles. You just might see Asante Samuel go for a pick 6. Is Vince Young going to play? Even if he does, a pulled hamstring is a very tender injury. I hate Jay Cutler. I also don't trust him.

RB - Rashard Mendenhall, LaDanian Tomlinson, Ryan Grant

Mendenhall is going up against the #2 run defense in the league and Ryan Grant is going up against the #1 team. Guess what, they play each other. LT is here because the Bengals whole team will be flying on Sunday. I totally know this is a gut thing, but teams that have an emotional reason to play their best usually do.

WR - Randy Moss, Nate Burelson, Roddy White

Putting Randy Moss here is really hard for me. After 4 bad weeks, I feel like he's going to bust out, especially after being called out by the Media last week. I also feel like He'll continue to be double covered opening up another huge game for Wes Welker. It looks like Nate Burelson will not play. Even if he does, stay away from him. Roddy White is banged up and will be facing off against Darelle Revis. That is not a good match up.

TE - John Carslon, Dustin Keller

Despite scoring his first TD since week 1 last week, I highly suggest staying away from Carlson and his disappointing sophomore season. Dustin Keller has a combined point total of 2 for the past two weeks combined. Ouch. Whatever happened to this kid?

DEF - Bears, Redskins, Chargers

The Ravens offense finally got going last week against the Lions and take on a fraudulent defense in the Bears. Despite the loss to the Eagles last week, Eli Manning and the Giants offense got their groove back. Even with all the front office changes for the Redskins this week, it's still the same team on the field. I am choosing to sit the Chargers defense because the Bengals this week. Let's see if I am right.

Good luck to everyone still in the playoffs!

Red Sox luck out with Lackey

By Rick Eggleston
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Then there’s John Lackey. While Roy Halladay may be this offseason’s coveted pitching prize, the Red Sox aren’t about to let the soon-to-be former Toronto hurler hold them for ransom. Instead Lackey is, and at a reportedly $85 million for five years, the former Angels right-hander will prove to be worth every penny as the Sox regain the throne from the Yankees in possessing the league’s best starting rotation.

Lackey joins a Sox rotation that’s already solid with the likes of Jon Lester, Josh Beckett and Daisuke Matsuzaka. His presence now puts the Sox back on par with the Yankees’ starters, who won the World Series after landing last year’s big offseason pitching ticket, CC Sabathia.

Lackey’s pending arrival is reminiscent of 2004’s acquisition of Curt Schilling. A tough customer in his own right, Schilling was at first hesitant to come to Boston and it took the now famous Thanksgiving visit by Sox general manager Theo Epstein and owner John Henry to convince him to sign on the dotted line. Eleven months later, Schilling proved instrumental in leading the Red Sox to their first World Series title in 86 years and then again in 2007.

Likewise, Lackey is a big-game pitcher whose presence will help get Boston back to the World Series, a place he has not been since he led Anaheim to the 2002 title. Needless-to-say, Lackey (11-8 with a 3.81 ERA last season) is hungry for a return there, especially after being eliminated in the playoffs by the Sox twice in the last five years, and most recently by the Yankees this past season. In addition, his fiery, no-nonsense approach to the game has him fitting in well in Boston, whose fans arguably harbored little love for him as an Angel. But now that he’s presumably set to sign with the Sox, they’re more than happy to have him aboard — much like the Celtics’ pick-up of Rasheed Wallace over the summer.

The trick now for the Sox is providing Lackey and company the needed run support that ultimately translates into wins. While Jason Bay’s recent and somewhat surprising prima donna antics certainly aren’t helping things, viable options are out there. It’s just up to Epstein to find them and has with veteran Gold Glove outfielder Mike Cameron poised to join the team today.

Week 14 Recap: Pats Unimpressive In Win

By Dan Shouse
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

The Patriots won, but questions still remain, as New England looks like it will be one and done in the playoffs.

Patriots 20 (8-5) Panthers 10 (5-8)

It was hard to feel good about this win. The Patriots came out on top, but looked far from a playoff team. After playing uninspired in the first half, the Patriots managed to do just enough in the second half to avoid yet another upset loss. What has happened to the offense? There is just too much talent on the Patriots to only be putting up around 20 points each week.

Colts 28 (13-0) Broncos 16 (8-5)

This was a record breaking day for both teams. Even though he threw 3 picks, Peyton Manning also managed to add 4 TD passes in helping the Colts stay perfect. The win also was the 22nd straight regular season win for the Colts, breaking the record held by the Patriots. The Colts were not the only one breaking records, as Brandon Marshall caught an NFL record 21 passes for 200 yards and 2 TDs for the Broncos.

Saints 26 (13-0) Falcons 23 (6-7)

The Saints are suddenly living dangerously. Behind 3 TD passes by Drew Brees and a late field goal by Garrett Hartley, the Saints managed to sneak by the Falcons in Atlanta. It was the second straight week that the Saints survived a scare, having beaten the Redskins in overtime the week before.

Packers 21 (9-4) Bears 14 (5-8)

It looked like the Pack was poised to blow out the Bears, jumping out to a quick 10-0 lead, but the Bears rallied, taking a 14-13 lead in the 3rd quarter. Hope for an upset quickly faded however, as Jay Cutler threw a costly pick in the 4th quarter to set up the go ahead score by Green Bay. Ryan Grant had a nice game for the Pack, rushing for 137 yards and two scores.

Bills 16 (5-8) Chiefs 10 (3-10)

Can things get any worse for Matt Cassel? Cassel threw four interceptions, including one in the Bills end zone, as the Bills escaped Arrowhead with the win.

Vikings 30 (11-2) Bengals 10 (9-4)

One week after playing his worst game as a pro, Adrian Peterson bounced back nicely. Peterson ran for 97 yards and 2 scores, as the Vikings gained an impressive win at home against the Bengals. The Vikings defense also shinned, holding Carson Palmer to under 100 yards passing.

Jets 26 (7-6) Buccaneers 3 (1-12)

Maybe the Bucs should change QB's again. Josh Freeman threw 3 more interceptions, as the Jets earned an easy win in Tampa. Thomas Jones made things easy for Kellen Clemens, as Jones ran the ball 24 times for 99 yards and two scores in the win.

Dolphins 14 (7-6) Jaguars 10 (7-6)

The Dolphins are doing just enough to stay alive in the wild card race. Behind 108 yards and a TD from Ricky Williams, the Dolphins managed to pull off another upset, this time in Jacksonville. Miami is now right in the middle of the playoff picture.

Ravens 48 (7-6) Lions 3 (2-11)

You never know what to expect from Baltimore. After looking terrible against the Packers on Monday night, the Ravens were great against the Lions on Sunday. The win keeps the Ravens in the hunt for a spot in the post season.

Texans 34 (6-7) Seahawks 7 (5-8)

This is the Texans team many people expected to see this season. Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson were the show, hooking up for two scores in an easy win at home.

Titans 48 (6-7) Rams 3 (1-12)

The Titans may have won big, but may have lost Vince Young to injury in the process. With Young missing most of the game with a leg injury, Kerry Collins was back in at QB. Collins only needed to hand off to Chris Johnson however, as Johnson went over 100 yards and added a pair of scores. The win keeps the Titans slim chances at the playoffs alive.

Redskins 34 (4-9) Raiders 13 (4-9)

Hail to the Redskins! The Redskins offense has come to life, scoring 30 or more points for the second straight week. The defense also came up big, getting 8 sacks in the win at Oakland.

Chargers 20 (10-3) Cowboys 17 (8-5)

Wade Phillips saw a real team of winners beat his Cowboys this week. The Chargers made it 8 straight wins, and the Cowboys continue their history of December fades, losing their first two games of this month.

Eagles 45 (9-4) Giants 38 (7-6)

DeSean Jackson's two TDs, one which was on a punt return, helped the Eagles win a shootout over the Giants at the Meadowlands. The win gives the Eagles possession of first place in the NFC East.

Monday Night Football: Cardinals Seek Another NFC West Title

By Dan Shouse
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

These Arizona Cardinals are rare birds.

With a win over the San Fransisco 49ers on MNF, the Cardinals will win consecutive division titles for the first time in over 30 years. A generation has passed since the last time the Cardinals franchise has had this kind of success.

Some may say, including myself for much of the season, that the Cardinals are only winning division titles because of the weak competition in the NFC West. While the Rams, Seahawks, and 49ers are not exactly NFL powerhouses, the Cardinals are starting to show that they are more than a team that wins just because of their schedule. Need proof? Then look no further than last week when the Cardinals dominated the Minnesota Vikings, handing Brett Favre and the Vikings just their second loss of the season.

Kurt Warner has been the key to the turnaround in the desert. Warner has been on fire lately, throwing 12TDs and no picks in his last four games. Having weapons like Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin, who is finally healthy, certainly makes life much easier for any QB, but it all comes back to Warner. After missing a game in Tennessee due to a concussion, the Arizona offense struggled with Matt Lienart under center. Once Warner returned to action, the offense was clicking again. If the Cards are going to do any real damage in the playoffs, then it is imperative that Warner stay healthy.

Although the offense generally gets the headlines for Arizona, the defense has also contributed. Last week they harassed Brett Favre, sacking him 3 times, and intercepting him twice. The run defense was also impressive holding all pro running back Adrian Peterson to a season low 19 rushing yards.

If the Cards can play like this the rest of the season, then they could be one of the few teams in the NFL that could upset the New Orleans Saints. The Cardinals however should not be looking too far ahead, and must first deal with the 49ers. The Cards have played down to their competition at times (think of the home loss to Carolina), and the 49ers have started to look better on offense. Alex Smith has started to show signs of looking like a franchise QB at times, and Michael Crabtree has helped get the 49ers offense moving.

If the 49ers are going to pull off the upset at Candlestick however, it will be with their defense. Constant pressure must be applied to Warner if the 49ers have any shot. Problem is that the Vikings, who have a better defense than San Fransisco, were not able to do that last week with any real consistency.

In the end, Kurt Warner will have another big day, and Cardinals will have their back to back division titles.

Prediction: Cardinals 34 49ers 13