NBA MVP Rankings 1/20

1. Lebron James - 29.9 ppg, 7.9 Assist, 7.5 Rebounds, 2.0 Steals, 0.8 Blocks, 56%

Lebron is the best player in the NBA and he's been playing better than any player has all year. Even with Wade hurt and in and out of the lineup Lebron has put the Heat on his back and is carrying them to wins without him. The Heat are 10-4 with Wade having missed 5 games and played 2 games hurt I think. It has been mostly Lebron with help from Bosh as Wade hasn't been himself only avg 19 ppg and shooting only 44%. If Lebron can keep this level of play up when Wade gets back and Wade regains form the Heat should run away with the best record and Lebron will run away with the MVP. 

2. Dwight Howard - 20.1 ppg, 2.4 Assist, 15.6 Rebounds, 1.4 Steals, 2.4 Blocks, 58.7%

The Magic are 10-4 and are tied for 3rd best record in the East. Dwight is off to another great start and is doing almost everything for the Magic filling up the stat sheet nightly. He's blocking shots, getting steals, scoring, rebounding, and he's even showing improvement as a passer (even though he still needs to get alot better). Also the attention he draws is opening up the perimeter for all the Magic shooters to score and get good looks from 3. Dwight is just as much a factor in ORL being 2nd in the NBA in 3 point % as the guys actually hitting the 3's for the Magic. Also Ryan Anderson who for the majority of his career has been a backup role player who just comes in for floor spacing is averaging almost 18 points which is incredible for a guy who can't create his own offense and alot of his success is because of Dwight. He makes his team better just by being on the floor regardless of wheather he's scoring or not and the MVP is all about value for good teams and he's proven to be extremely valuable. 

3. Kevin Durant - 26.5 ppg, 3.3 Assist, 6.9 Rebounds, 1.1 Steals, 1.2 Blocks, 49.8%

The Thunder have the best record in the West and Durant has been the catalyst so far. Percentage wise he's shooting the ball better than ever, he's an improved defender and he's distributing a little more. He's becoming a more complete player and because of it the Thunder have become the best team in the West. The Thunder are on pace to run away with the West with the rest of the teams all being so close to each other and not so close to them. 

4. Chris Paul - 18 ppg, 8.4 Assist, 3.0 Rebounds, 2.8 Steals, 0.0 Blocks, 52%

Chris has been playing very well so far to start off the season although he's been a little banged up lately. Right now the Clippers are 8-4 and tied for the 2nd best record in the west and CP3 has alot to do with it. The thing that has been most impressive to me is how efficient Chris has been despite playing on a new team with players he's never played with and only about 2 weeks of practice before the season. All these new teammates and he's only averaging 2.2 turnovers a game which is unreal for a PG that handles the ball and tries to make things happen like he does. Defensively he's been his usual self as well as stealing the ball averaging almost 3 steals a game. And he's off to a hot start shooting the ball shooting 52% from the field and 45% from 3. He's just been incredibly efficient in all aspects of his game so far and he has this Clippers team near the top of the standings despite having a bunch of new players get together and that is very impressive. 

5. Derrick Rose - 20.8 ppg, 8.7 Assist, 3.5 Rebounds, 0.9 Steals, 0.5 Blocks, 43.9%

Rose has also started the season a little banged up but when he's been out there he's proven to be a difference maker this season especially in the 4th quarter where I could argue Rose is the best closer in the NBA. Even tho the Bulls offense without Rose this season has looked suspect at times overall the Bulls supporting cast is better than last season and Rose is getting more help than last season. When you combine the better supporting cast with the fact that all 4 players I have ahead of him are playing better than him this was as high as I could put him right now. But still we've already seen the Bulls this year in a couple of close games and Rose has came through for them every time. And as he gets healthy their probablly gonna be battling with Mia all year for that 1 seed in the East. 

6. Kobe Bryant - 30.4 ppg, 5.6 Assist, 5.7 Rebounds, 1.4 Steals, 0.4 Blocks, 45.2%

Everyone is loving the way Kobe is playing right now and all the scoring he's doing and I'm not trying to discredit anything he's done so far because he's been playing amazing so far. But the MVP award goes to players not only putting up elite numbers but the most valuable player on the elite teams. And despite Kobe's resurgence into one of the top 5 players in the league The Lakers right now are a good team not a elite team. Their only 10-6 right now ane 6th place in the West. Now if Kobe keeps playing like this all year and the Lakers can finish maybe top 2 or 3 in the west top 5 in the NBA then I think Kobe gets a better look for MVP but Kobe could average 40 a game and nobody would vote for him for MVP if the Lakers don't even finish top 5 in the conference.  

NBA Power Rankings 1/19

I didn't wanna come out with power rankings to early so I wanted to wait until I saw a reasonable amount of games and now that alot of teams have played around 15 games or so I've seen enough to put out my first NBA power rankings.

1. Chicago Bulls - 13-3

So far this season the Bulls have played the best to me. They have the best record in the NBA despite Rose missing 3 games. Their picking right back up where the left off last season as the NBA's best defense which is carrying this team to their success yet again. Their giving up a 85 points a game and when you play that kind of lock down defense your in almost every game you play and with a closer like Derrick Rose if you keep the game close he can win it at the end and we've seen a little of that already this year when he's been out there.

2. Thunder - 12-3

So far this season the Thunder have been playing the best basketball in the west. I don't like the fact this team is 17th defensively despite having 3 defensive minded players in the starting lineup and the fact that their 2 stars can defend as well especially Westbrook so its baffling to me how this defense is just middle of the pack and that's really the reason I have them behind Chi. But overall their winning and offensively their number 4 so I can't complain to much. 

3. Los Angeles Clippers - 8-4

So far the clippers have been impressive when you consider all the factors. They got 3 of their starters within 2 weeks of their 1st game and their off to an 8-4 start despite CP3 and Billups both already missing games with injury and not having almost any depth on the front line. They've lost 4 games but all 4 losses came to teams that have winning records and that will most likely made the playoffs and they've beaten their share of good teams including the Heat, Mavs, and Lakers. They still have issues defensively, and rebounding, and as can be expected with a team of new players they lack unity on the floor at times and despite all of these factors they've established themselves as one of the best teams in the league and have proved they can beat anybody.  

4. Los Angeles Lakers - 10-5

The Lakers have looked better than I expected this season. The one thing I knew would happen with the addition of Mike Brown was the Lakers defense who right now are 5th in defense and are allowing 89 points per game. Not to mention Kobe is on fire right now and is leading the league in scoring right now and looks to have turned back the clock which really is dangerous for the other teams in the West. 

 5. Orlando Magic - 10-4

The Magic despite all the Dwight rumor have been playing really well. Their tied for the 3rd best record in the East and they are getting great production from the front line. Ryan Anderson and J.J. Reddick are playing better than they ever had and Dwight is an absolute monster with 20 and 15 a game. Even Hedo Turkoglu looks good again shooting almost 50% from the field. Their playing good defense currently ranked 10th and are their lighting it up from 3 currently ranked 2nd.

6. Miami Heat 9-4

The Heat have lost a couple games and have lost the last 3 of 4 but overall when Wade was healthy I really liked some of the things I were seeing. It's only expected that without Wade they'd maybe struggle a bit so I won't put to much stock into that. But the Heat played very well in the 2nd half against the Spurs and showed some resiliency. I am worried that defensively their way back this year at 26th but I think that'll improve. 

7. Atlanta Hawks - 11-4

The Hawks have gotten off to a great start this year but they have only really beaten all bad teams except for the Blazers last night. They beat the Bulls but Rose left the game with a injury and they beat the Heat but Wade was hurt in that game. And I just can't get over the fact they lost to the Heat without Lebron or Wade playing. But overall their playing well and have the 6th best defense right now.

8. Utah Jazz - 9-4

The Jazz started off 1-3 and since have won 8 of their last 9 with the only loss during that stretch coming in OT to the Lakers. Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap are playing well. Their not really great on either end as their ranked around the middle of the pack on both offense and defense but their still winning games just by battling and being a grind it out grimy team. 

9. San Antonio Spurs - 10-5

If the Spurs could play on the road they'd beat one of the top 5 teams in the league because their 9-0 at home. However on the road their just 1-5 and just don't look like the same team. Defensively the Spurs are middle of the pack and I expect them to remain there all season but offensively their rolling 5th in the league and they've still been playing well on that end despite not having their best player in Ginobli. Also Blair looks very improved and appears to have made strides improving his offensive game and Leonard looks like he's going to be a really good player as well. 

10. Denver Nuggets - 10-5

The Nuggets despite not having Wilson Chandler, J.R. Smith, and Kenyon Martin their still playing really well and are the 2nd best offensive team in the NBA. Their playing fast paced as usual and are simply out running teams. Ty Lawson and Galo have been playing really well, and somehow Al Harrington is a factor on the court again after looking washed up last year. Nene has been his normal self as well as Afflalo and it's all led to the Nuggets being one of the more exciting and competitive teams in the league. 

11. Philadelphia 76ers - 10-4

The Sixers have been playing really well and are top 5 in most of the power rankings I've seen but my thing is they just haven't beaten anybody. Their only impressive win was against the Pacers and all 4 of their losses were to good teams which tells me they can beat the bad teams but not the good ones which makes them an ok team not a great team. Until the schedule gets harder I can't fully buy into Philly. 

12. Indiana Pacers - 9-4

The Pacers have been playing really well and are 9-4 and I love the defense they've been playing currently ranked 4th. But as I look at the schedule it's the same as the Sixers they just haven't beaten anybody and are just piling up the w's on bad teams so until I see them play better competition I can't go all in on them. I also love the offensive balance of the Pacers as they have 7 players averaging over double digits. And unlike the Sixers they have a go to offensive player in both Granger and West. 

13. Portland Trail Blazers - 8-6

The Blazers started off really well but have lost their last 4 of 5 and look a little closer to what I felt they'd be good but not great. Portland is a good defensive team despite the 14th ranking and their really deep as they go easily 9 deep and that's without Oden. LaMarcus Aldridge is looking like a top 5 PF in the NBA and I think the Blazers will start to Heat back up. 

14. Dallas Mavericks - 8-7 

All I've heard during the offseason and I'll admit it was my opinion as well is that the Mavs wouldn't be as good defensively but so far the Mavs are currently ranked 3rd in the NBA in defense and their struggles have came on the offensive end as their only scoring 92 a game. Alot of the Mavs players have been trying to work their way back into shape and I think that has alot to do with it as well as the new additions to the team like Odom, Carter, and West. But make no mistake by the end of the year this Mavs team will be one of the teams talked about as a contender to win the West. 

15. Minnesota Timberwolves - 6-8

The T-wolves look completely different this season their actually playing defense, winning games, and competing with elite teams. And while everyone is talking about Kevin Love it's def. not because of him because he's basically doing what he was doing last year. The most credit for this turn around by the T-wolves has to go to Ricky Rubio. When He's on the floor things just change and he creates offense for everyone. 

16. Memphis Grizzlies - 7-7
The Grizzlies have had some bad luck with injuries so far as they lost Arthur for the year before the season and Now Zach Randolph is out for a while. Their making do with what they have but Randolph is this teams best player and without him their a middle of the road team at best.

17. Houston Rockets - 7-7

I haven't watched alot of the Rockets so far but they are on a 4 game winning streak and I think their slow start had more to do with playing a tough schedule packed with elite teams than it had to do with them playing bad. Kevin Martin is playing awful right now but Kyle Lowry on the other hand has been the Rockets best player and looks to be making a case that he's a top 10 PG. 

18. New York Knicks - 6-8

Everyone wants to say the Knicks aren't a great defensive team which is true but that's not even the problem right now because their actually much improved in that area as their currently ranked 16th in that category. The problem is offense as the Knicks are somehow ranked lower in offense than they are in defense at 18. The offense has very little ball movement and it just lacks any real flow most of time. Melo is averaging 25 a game but he's shooting a terrible 41% from the field which suggest that hes just going out jacking up a bunch of bad shots. And I don't even recognize Amare at the moment he's a even worse rebounder than normal which is really sad, he's not playing much defense as expected, and offensively he's only averaging 18 a game while shooting an awfully low 40% from the field as it appears he has no interest in playing PF this year and I think would prefer if Dantoni moved him to SG as he is shooting nothing but jumpers for the most part. 

19. Golden State Warriors - 5-9 

Despite being Curry dealing with injuries to his ankle the Warrior have been competitive. They've already beat the Bulls, Heat, and Knicks. Monta has been monta scoring the ball but David Lee has really picked it up offensively from last year and appears to have been working on his post game during the offseason. Also the addition of Nate Robinson really has helped this team in the absence of Curry. 

20. Cleveland Cavaliers - 6-7

The Cavs are 6-7 and it looks all great Kyrie is playing well and all that but don't be fooled this is still a mediocre team at best their 6 wins are against Det, NJ, Min, PHX, and twice against the Bobcats but hey this was one of the worst teams in the NBA last season so that is improvement.  

21. Boston Celtics - 5-9

The Celtics have looked awful this year and clearly aren't an elite team right now. But their also not as terrible team either seeing how they've managed to dominate all the bad teams they just can't beat any good teams right now. It's still hard to judge this team knowing that Pierce is still trying to work his way back from injury as this team will go as he goes or doesn't go. 

22. Phoenix Suns - 5-9

The Suns have been doing their best for the talent they have but the fact is there just not that good right now and it's Steve Nash or bust. Gortat has been playing really well tho but ultimately your probably not a very good team if he's your 2nd leading scorer. 

23. Milwaukee Bucks - 4-9 

The Bucks aren't very good so far and it surprises me. I knew that they wouldn't be very good offensively as their only averaging 91 a game because they just don't have the personnel to be but their is no reason why this team should be 19th in defense with a team with so many defensive minded players on it and one of the better defensive minded coaches in the league. Their short comings on defense are ultimately whats hurting them right now.  

24. Sacramento Kings - 5-10

Alot of people for whatever reason thought this team would be a playoff contender this season how every I knew better. Their 24th in offense and 29th in defense. Do they have talent yes but they have no direction, they play with to many SGs because the only PG that ever sees the floor is rookie Isiah Thomas in garbage time as he's only avg 6 minutes a game so there's no true PG in the rotation, nobody that wants to play defense, and to many people that wanna shoot. It all equates to being bad. 

25. Toronto Raptors - 4-11

The Raptors were one of the worst teams in the NBA defensively last season and new coach Dwane Casey has already made drastic improvements as the Raptors are currently 9th in defense. Unfortunately their the 2nd worst offensive team in the league averaging only 85 a game and just can't score enough points to win on a consistent basis. 

26. Detroit Pistons - 3-12

The Pistons are bad but I'm putting them over the Nets because they've beaten to quality teams in the Pacers and Magic. Some good news for the Pistons however is that it looks like Greg Monroe might not be a bust after all as he's off to a solid start averaging 16 and 9 a game. 

27. New Jersey Nets - 4-11

Not having Brook Lopez is really killing this team and their playoff hopes seeing as how even with him they were going to struggle to get a 8 seed. Deron Williams got off to a slow start but appears to be playing much better and rookie Marshon Brooks has shown he has a little scoring ability. But until Lopez gets back this team just doesn't have the talent to be very competitive. 

28. Charlotte Bobcats - 3-12

The Bobcats have some decent wins against GS and the Knicks but have also been the source for alot of the W's from bad teams. They already don't have alot of talent and Corey Maggette missing over half the games so far really isn't helping. 

29. New Orleans Hornets - 3-11

The Hornets have been struggling but it has alot to do with Eric Gordon being hurt as he's only played in 2 games this season. When Gordon gets back this team will be better than they've shown. Until then it's really hard to comment on this team. 

30. Washington Wizards - 2-12

It's been an awful season so far for the Wizards. Their alot of things you could point to 2 try and justify why be the main thing has to be the terrible shooting. Every major scorer for this team besides Javale McGee who only shoots around the rim is shooting in 30s as far as shooting percentage goes. It's unheard of. Ultimately I blame John Wall. In the Wizards games I've watched this year Wall is simply out of position. He cannot play PG at least right now he can't he's a SG. Their offense is always out of sync and their really hard to watch in the half court. 

NFL Divisional Playoffs Preview

49ers Vs. Saints

    

Prediction: 49ers 

Analysis: The Saints are the favorite to win this game and everyone I know is pretty much rolling with them to win but no me. Everyone keeps saying how are the 49ers gonna keep up with the Saints. Well excuse me but last time I check the 49ers only allowed around 15 a game so the question I'm asking is how is NO gonna be able to score the points their accustomed to. Not only will this be the best defense they've played all year the Saints will be playing on the road where they aren't as effective as they are at home. The 49ers will get pressure on the Brees with Aldon Smith, Justin Smith, and Ahmad Brooks. I don't think the Saints will be able to be that effective on the ground with a healthy Patrick Willis in the Middle and that terrific 3 man D-Line they have led by Justin Smith and one of the most dominant nose tackles in the league in Issac Sopoaga. Don't get me wrong tho the Saints are too good to be shut down by anyone and will move the ball and get points but you are mistaken if you think their going into SF and lighting them up for 30+. I think the 49ers offense is gonna be the key for the 49ers. If the defense does their job it's going to be crucial for them to be able to effectively run the ball and control the clock which I feel they definitely will. I think the 49ers are just good enough to score enough points on a Saints defense that isn't terrible but that's far from elite. 

Patriots Vs. Broncos

  

Prediction: Broncos

Analysis: I know some people might think this pick is crazy but I'm going with Denver on the road. The   Patriots are the overall 1 seed, their at home, and they have one of the top 3 offenses in the NFL and I don't care.  There's no real football analysis I can really use to justify this pick but guess what I could have said the same thing about the Steelers game which is why I picked Pittsburgh and the Broncos won. They've found a way to overcome the odds and do the unthinkable all year so there's no reason for me to think it can't continue. I don't like this Patriots defense at all and I could argue that if not for some flukish turnovers in that 2nd quarter their right their in that game. The Broncos defense is playing really well and I think those boys can step up and not stop Brady but contain him enough combined with an effective running attack that might keep Brady off the field enough for them to win. The Patriots haven't won in the postseason since the 2007 season so there not by any means unbeatable at this point in the year. However with all that said it also wouldn't surprise me if the Pats offense got red hot and dropped 35+ in a win. 

Ravens Vs. Texans

   

Prediction: Ravens

Analysis: I got the Ravens in this one in what should be a low scoring hard fought defensive battle between 2 of the best defenses in the league. Both teams stop the run well and rush the passer well which should help both teams contain offenses that both wanna run the ball 1st. I think the Baltimore defense is slightly better than the Texans defense and that Flacco is better than Yates and that means advantage Ravens for me. The Ravens have got to run the ball and stop the run if they don't wanna find themselves in a position to lose in the 4th quarter. The Texans have wanna the best running attacks in the league with 2 1000 yards rushers and can run the ball on anybody so the Ravens will have to contain that running game. I think they can hold up just enough against the Texans run attack and I think this Ravens defense can raddle T.J. Yates and force him into a costly mistake or 2.

Packers Vs. Giants

    

Prediction: Packers

Analysis: I got GB in this game. I think all this Giants hype is a little too much if you ask me. This is not 07 and not only that there was no team as good as this Packer team in the NFC during that 07 team. I keep hearing about the Giants pass rush and rightfully so but the packers have a solid offensive line and Rodgers is very mobile and I think when the rush does get to him there will be times he beats the rush by scrambling and makes a play with his feet. The Giants secondary has been suspect all year and I think all the weapons the Packers have will be able to have success verses that secondary. I also think the Packers defense will force a turnover or 2 meanwhile the Packers won't have any turnovers because they do such a great job of taking care of the ball and it'll end up being The Packers winning and moving on to the conference championship game. I do believe the Giants will have their share of success on offense and that the loss won't be mostly on Eli but I just don't think their gonna have enough to beat the Packers. 

MY NFL Regular Season Awards

The official NFL regular season awards should be coming out soon but I wanna give out the awards based on what I saw this season. Also I'm going to do position awards sort of in a Madden Franchise format so if you've ever played the game you'll get it. Also these rewards do not reflect who I think will actually win them they reflect who I feel should win them or did win them through my eyes.

Comeback Player Of The Year - D'qwell Jackson

Runner Ups: 2. Matthew Stafford 3. Steve Smith 4. Reggie Bush 5. Jermichael Finley 

Analysis: Matthew Stafford is the favorite to probably win this award in real life and rightfully so but I just feel like Jackson had a tougher road to get back to this point than any of the other guys at this point and came back and played his position at a pro bowl level just like Stafford and Smith did as he finished 2nd in the NFL in tackles with 158. Before this season Jackson last played in 2009 where he with down with a torn pectoral muscle in his shoulder during the 6th game of the season. He didn't play at all in 2010 and there was speculation I think that his career could be over. However he got healthy and his 1st season back after missing over a year he came back and dominated. And unlike most of the major media I won't let the fact that he plays LB instead of QB or that he plays in Cleveland somehow devalue what he accomplished this year. Very good cases could be made for Stafford who threw for 5000 yards this year after missing most of the year last year and only throwing for 500, Steve Smith who had his 1st 1000 yard season in 2 years, or even Reggie Bush who had the 1st 1000 yard rushing season of his career. 

Coach Of The Year - Jim Harbaugh (49ers)

Runner Ups: 2. Mike McCarthy (Packers) 3. John Fox (Broncos) 4. Jim Schwarts (Lions) 5. Gary Kubiak (Texans) 

Analysis: It's really as simple as this for me the 49ers were 6-10 last season and finished 3rd in the worst division in the NFL and this season they were 13-3 and finished 2nd overall in the best conference in the NFL. All that being said they did it with pretty much the same core. Minus Clements add Rogers and a few other additions made them somewhat better but they didn't do anything in the offseason that even made the experts feel like they could win 10 games this year let alone 13 and have a bye week in the playoffs. McCarthy did a great job getting his team to 15-1 but pretty much lost this when they lost to the chiefs, John Fox fell down the list for me because the Broncos finished on a 3 game loosing streak, and Schwart and Kubiak both did good things but I just don't think it was quite on the level of the top 3 guys. 

Defensive Rookie Of The Year - Aldon Smith

Runner Ups: 2. Von Miller 3. Marcell Dareus 4. Patrick Peterson 5. Ryan Kerrigan 

Analysis: It was looking like Von Miller was going to win this award for most of the season but a late surge by Aldon Smith combined with a little bad luck for Von as he got injured and despite playing through it wasn't the same and didn't get a single sack in the games he played while hurt. Aldon Smith was a huge reason the 49ers were 2nd in the NFL in points allowed as he recorded 14 sacks just a half sack less than the rookie record set by Javon Kearse. Marcell Dareus had a fantastic that went unknown because his impact doesn't show up in the stat sheet as much as other positions but he anchored the middle of the Bills defense and played well inside all year. Peterson had 4 punt return tds and that's nice but Peterson was drafted to play corner and he got cooked more than a few times last year but he played the position much better towards the end of the year than he did the 1st part of the season. 

Offensive Rookie Of The Year - Cam Newton 

Runner Ups: 2. A.J. Green 3. Andy Dalton 4. DeMarco Murray 5. Julio Jones 

Analysis: A.J. Green and Dalton had incredible years in Cincy all year and Murray and Julio came on late but lets be honest this isn't even close Cam Newton is the offensive rookie of the year in a land slide. Don't talk to me about wins the Panthers had the 5th worst defense in the NFL and gave up nearly 27 points a game that's just too much for a rookie to overcome I mean he's not Brady and Rodgers. People want to point at the Bengals record to justify even mentioning Dalton with Newton but the Bengals being 9-7 and being in the playoffs had more to do with them having the 7th best defense and A.J. Green than it did Dalton. Cam Newton set a new rookie record for passing yards surpassing Peyton Manning and broke the rushing TD record for QBs. His QB numbers overall on the year are 4,051 yards 21tds 17ints 60% completion which is spectacular for a rookie and a 84 QB rating. Combine that with the 14 TDs and 700+ yards rushing and if the Panthers won more games Cam is possibly a MVP candidate (well in a normal year where 4 QBs don't throw for over 5,000 yards). Still Cam was the best rookie in a landslide and clearly deserved to be picked 1st. 

Offensive Player Of The Year - Drew Brees 

Runner Ups: 2. Aaron Rodgers 3. Tom Brady 4. Mathew Stafford 5. Wes Welker 

Analysis: This one isn't even close either as Drew Brees broke Dan Marino's single season passing yards record throwing for 5,476 yards and he also had the best completion percentage with 71% a 110 QB rating and threw 45 TDs. The Saints also moved the ball the best of any team as they were number 1 in total yards which Brees was the catalyst of. When you think about offense this year in the NFL you think about Drew Brees and the Saints. 

Defensive Player Of The Year: Jason Pierre-Paul

Runner Ups: 2. Terrell Suggs 3. Jared Allen 4. Charles Woodson 5. Demarcus Ware

Analysis: Paul had 16.5 sacks and 86 tackles and next to Eli was the main reason the Giants are in the postseason. His play in the 2 games vs. the Cowboys in December alone single handedly disrupted the Cowboys offense and made it hard for them to get going at all in the 2nd game. I love his game because he plays both the run and pass as you will see him putting pressure on QBs, making tackles in the backfield, and running down RB's on screen plays and draws. His motor and energy is contagious for the rest of the defense and he's a individual difference maker on the overall big picture of games playing on the D-line which not alot of players that play that position can say. Suggs also had a great season and when Ray Lewis went down he stepped up as the leader of that defense. Charles Woodson put up great stats put the Packers were last in total defense, Allen had the 22 sacks but they were 21st in total defense and Ware just didn't come up with any sacks or even pressures on Eli in either game in big moments when we needed it. 

MVP - Aaron Rodgers 

Runner Ups: 2. Drew Brees 3. Tom Brady 4. Ray Rice 5. Mathew Stafford 

Analysis: The best team in the NFL this past season was the Green Bay Packers and the best player on that team is Aaron Rodgers. Not saying that that's THE reason he's my MVP but it is a contributing factor. The Packers had the worst statistical defense in the NFL yet went 15-1 in large part because they were the 3rd best team in total offense and because of Aaron Rodgers efficiency as a QB. Aaron Rodgers had the best season in the History on the NFL as a QB. Aaron Rodgers had a QB rating of 122. ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY TWO which is now the new NFL record. He threw 45 TDs and only 6 interceptions. He was just so efficient as a passer and the Packers needed it with a very limited running game and a defense that has to force turnovers because teams can move the ball against them with ease. People talk bad about the Patriots defense but they gave up fewer points and yards than the Packers defense and the Pats played a easier schedule and the Packers still won more games. Brees had a fantastic season broke record and led the most prolific offense in the NFL but the Saints had a better defense and I feel like he had more of a running game. Plus not only were the Packers more successful than the Saints the Packers beat the Saints head to head. As for Tom Brady he also had a incredible season but their 13-3 record doesn't impress me because they they didn't beat a team with a winning record all year. Now let me explain putting Ray Rice 4th something some might not agree with. Ray Rice led the NFL in yards from scrimmage with 2,068 total yards and had 15 total tds. But not only the numbers but for me it's the fact that this team CANNOT win when they do not give this man the ball. In their 12 wins I think in all of them Ray Rice got the ball a acceptable amount of times and had a good day and in their losses he didn't get the ball enough. The Ravens cannot win when he's not the focal point on offense and that makes him the most important player on offense for the 2nd seed in the AFC and for me that makes him a MVP candidate. And as for Stafford I choose him over Eli because overall he did more than Eli. Not just numbers wise he carried his team all year just as Eli did and did it without a 0 td 3 interception game against the Redskins that Eli had. 

Position Players Of The Year

QB 

1. Aaron Rodgers - QB Rating 122.5, 4,643 yards, 45 TDs, 6 Interceptions, 68.3% completion

2. Drew Brees - QB Rating 110.6, 5,476 Passing Yards, 46 TDs, 16 Interceptions, 71.2% completion

3. Tom Brady - QB Rating 105.6, 5,235 Passing Yards, 39 TDs, 12 Interceptions, 65.6% completion

4. Matthew Stafford - QB Rating 97.2, 5,038 Passing Yards, 41 TDs, 16 Interceptions, 63.5% completion

5. Tony Romo - QB Rating 102.5, 4,184 Passing Yards, 31 TDs, 10 Interceptions, 66.3% Completion

RB

1. Ray Rice - 1,364 yards rushing, 4.7 YPC, 12 TDs, 76 receptions, 704 yards, 3 TDs

2. Lesean McCoy - 1,309 yards rushing, 4.8 YPC, 17 TDs, 48 receptions, 315 yards, 3 TDs

3. Arian Foster - 1,224 yards rushing, 4.4 YPC, 10 TDs, 53 receptions, 617 yards, 2 TDs

4. Maurice Jones-Drew - 1,606 yards rushing, 4.7 YPC, 8 TDs, 43 receptions, 374 yards, 3 TDs

5. Michael Turner - 1,340 yards rushing, 4.5 YPC, 11 TDs, 17 receptions, 168 yards, 0 TDs

  

WR

1. Calvin Johnson - 96 Receptions, 1,681 Yards, 16 TDs, YPC 17.5

2. Wes Welker - 122 Receptions, 1,569 Yards, 9 TDs, YPC 12.9

3. Victor Cruz - 82 Receptions, 1,536 Yards, 9 TDs, YPC 18.7

4. Larry Fitzgerald - 80 Receptions, 1,411 Yards, 8 TDs, YPC 17.6

5. Roddy White - 100 Receptions, 1,296 Yards, 8 TDs, YPC 13.0

TE

1. Rob Gronkowski - 90 Receptions, 1,327 Yards, 17 TDs, YPC 14.7

2. Jimmy Graham - 99 Receptions, 1,310 Yards, 11 TDs, YPC 13.2

3. Tony Gonzalez - 80 Receptions, 875 Yards, 7 TDs, YPC 10.9

4. Aaron Hernandez - 79 Receptions, 910 Yards, 7 TDs, YPC 11.5

5. Jason Witten - 79 Receptions, 942 Yards, 5 TDs, YPC 11.9

DT

1. Justin Smith - 58 Tackles, 7.5 Sacks, 3 FF

2. Ahtyah Rubin - 86 Tackles, 5 Sacks, 0 FF

3. Haloti Ngata - 64 Tackles, 5 Sacks, 2 FF

4. Geno Atkins - 48 Tackles, 8 Sacks, 2 FF

5. Tommy Kelly - 44 Tackles, 7.5 Sacks, 2 FF

DE

1. Jared Allen - 66 Tackles, 22 Sacks, 4 FF

2. Jason Pierre-Paul - 86 Tackles, 16.5 Sacks, 2 FF

3. Jason Babin - 40 Tackles, 18 Sacks, 3 FF

4. Cliff Avril - 36 Tackles, 11 Sacks, 6 FF

5. Trent Cole - 45 Tackles, 11 Sacks, 1 FF

OLB

1. Demarcus Ware - 58 Tackles, 19.5 Sacks, 2 FF, 0 Int

2. Terrell Suggs - 70 Tackles, 14 Sacks, 7 FF, 2 Int

3. Tamba Hali - 66 Tackles, 12 Sacks, 4 FF, 0 Int

4. Chad Greenway - 152 Tackles, 2 Sacks, 0 FF, 0 Int

5. Von Miller - 64 Tackles, 11.5 Sacks, 2 FF, 0 Int

MLB

1. London Flethcer - 166 Tackles, 1.5 Sacks, 3 FF, 2 Int

2. D'Qwell Jackson - 158 Tackles, 3.5 Sacks, 1 FF, 1 Int

3. Nick Barnett - 130 Tackles, 3 Sacks, 1 FF, 3 Int

4. NoVarro Bowman - 143 Tackles, 2 Sacks, 0 FF, 0 Int

5. Curtis Lofton - 147 Tackles, 1 Sack, 1 FF, 2 Int

DB 

1. Charles Woodson, 7 Ints, 24 pass deflections, 74 Tackles, 2 Sacks

2. Darelle Revis - 4 Ints, 25 pass deflections, 52 Tackles, 0 Sacks

3. Eric Weedle - 7 Ints, 19 pass deflections, 88 Tackles, 0 Sacks

4. Carlos Rodgers - 6 Ints, 24 pass deflections, 44 Tackles, 0 Sacks

5. Dashon Goldson - 6 Ints, 15 pass deflections, 67 Tackles, 0 Sacks

All Forrest Team
The all Forrest team is a team I composed of players that I feel performed the best at their position throughout the year. Doesn't necessarily mean that they had the best stats. I'll choose 53 players since that is the max you can have on your roster and the starters will be in bold. 

Offense
QB - Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, Tom Brady

RB - Ray Rice, Lesean McCoy, Arian Foster

FB - Vonta Leach

WR. Calvin Johnson, Wes Welker, Larry Fitzgerald, Victor Cruz, 

TE. Rob Gronkowski, Jimmy Graham, Tony Gonzalez

LT. Jake Long, Joe Staley

LG. Jahri Evans, Logan Mankins
C. Nick Mangold, Maurkice Pouncey
RG. Marshall Yanda, Carl Nicks
RT. Joe Thomas, D'Brickshaw Ferguson

Defense
NT. Vince Wilfork, Jay Ratliff
DT. Haloti Ngata, Justin Smith,  Richord Seymour
DE. Jared Allen, Clint Avril
DE. Jason Pierre-Paul, Jason Babin
OLB(3-4). Demarcus Ware, Terrell Suggs, Tamba Hali
OLB (4-3). Lance Briggs, Chad Greenway, Von Miller
MLB. Ray Lewis, London Fletcher
CB. Daralle Revis, Champ Bailey, Charles Woodson, Jonathan Joseph
FS. Ed Reed, Eric Weedle
SS. Troy Polamalu, Dashon Gholson

SpecialTeams
K. Sebastian Janikowski
P. Shane Lecher
KR. Antonio Brown
PR. Patrick Peterson

NFL Wildcard Playoffs Preview

 Broncos vs. Steelers 

         

Regular Season Matchup(s): Did not play in regular season.

Prediction: Steelers 

Analysis: These two teams didn't play each other in the regular season so this will be their 1st matchup this season. The Steelers finished this season as the number 1 defense in the NFL in the major statistical categories. It is my prediction that the Steelers will win this game. I don't wanna say easily because the Denver defense has the ability to play well and when you combine that with the fact that Ben is still a little banged up and that their starting RB Rashard Mendenhall is lost for the season their is potential for the Steelers to struggle offensively which could keep the game close. However this is the absolute worst matchup that could have happened for Tebow having to play against this Steelers defense. The Steelers defense might honestly shut the Broncos out it honestly wouldn't surprise me. There's going to be all kind of confusing blitz schemes and coverages thrown Tebow's way by defensive guru Dick Lebeau which I just don't think he has the skill nor experience to be able to effectively deal with. Also the Broncos O-Line isn't great meanwhile Pittsburgh's D-Line might be the best 3-4 D-Line in all of football and they definitely have the best overall front 7 so I also expect the Steelers to dominate the line of scrimmage and stop the Broncos run game as well. Offensively the Steelers have one of the best receiving cores in the NFL and Ben normally plays big in big games so I expect them to be able to put up enough to win by a comfortable margin. Overall I just can't see Denver putting up more than 10 points on the Steelers and even not at full strength the Steelers can do enough offensively to at least score 14 so I got the Steelers going into Denver and getting this win and moving on to the next round. 

Texans Vs. Bengals 

   

Regular Season Matchup(s): Texans 20 @ Bengals 19

In their meeting during the regular season they played a close one just a couple weeks ago where T.J. Yates led the Texans down the field on a game winning TD drive. However Andre Johnson didn't play in that game and he will be playing this weekend. Yates played a good game as he threw for 300 yards and 2 TDs with only 1 interception. Dalton played ok but nothing special. 

Prediction: Texans

Analysis: There are some key differences in the factors of this game and the one they played in the regular season. The 1st meeting was played In Cincy and this game will be played in Houston where it will be the 1st playoff game in franchise history so you can imagine that place is going to be live and loud. Also Andre Johnson will be playing this time around. Both these factors benefit Houston who won without them in the regular season so I have to believe they'll win again. Even without Shaub the Texans are the better team. I've said it all season and I'm sticking with it the Cincinnati Bengals are FRAUDS. They played 7 playoff teams this season and lost to ALL 7 of them. Their best win of the season was against the 9-7 Titans which was the only team they beat with a winning record. The Bengals will play hard and make it interesting but their just too young and quite frankly not good enough to go into Houston and beat the Texans who even without Shaub is still a talented team that can cause it's share of problems. They finished 2nd in the NFL in total defense and 2nd in the NFL in rushing which means they do the two things that are key to winning in the playoffs at the highest level. I think the Texans will be able to run the ball with their 2 1000 yard backs in Foster and Tate and control the clock and keep the game manageable for Yates where he doesn't have to do too much. The Bengals on offense alot of times seem to be A.J. Green or bust and the Texans have a pro bowl corner in Jonathon Joesph who can matchup well with Green and play him tough. I think the Texans defense will be very effective and ultimately be the reason along with a strong running game that they win their 1st playoff game in franchise history and move on to play the Ravens. 

Saints Vs. Lions

    

Regular Season Matchup(s): Lions 17 @ Saints 31 

It's hard to use the regular season matchup to fully predict what could happen in this game because Suh didn't play in the 1st matchup and he's the player for the Lions that sets the tone on defense and just makes everything go. In this matchup the Saints did whatever they wanted on offense as they racked up over 400 total yards and scored 4 Tds. They had over 300 passing and a 100 on the ground which also shows good balance. Brees was 26/36 with 342 yards and 3 tds and 0 interceptions. However despite the 17 points the Saints didn't exactly shut the Lions down as they were able to move the ball they just couldn't score. They had 466 total yards and Stafford threw for over 400 yards. 

Prediction: Saints

Analysis: I expect this game to be a little closer than the 1st meeting but the result to ultimately be the same. The Saints were 8-0 at home this past season and that ain't gonna change this weekend. I'd go as far as to say there's not a team in the NFL that I think would be favored to win in New Orleans against this team they really are unbeatable at home. I expect this game to be a shoot out though as you have two QBs going at it that both threw for over 5,000 yards. The disadvantage the Lions have that the Saints do not is that they are 1 dimensional. The Lions don't run the ball very well and if you watch them you know that they normally don't even try to much. The Saints though not a running team  when they need to can run the ball effectively. I just don't think the Lions have enough in the secondary to be able to stop the Saints. The Saints hit you from all angles with maybe the most all around athletic TE in the NFL who runs routes as agile as a WR, a solid possesion WR in Colston, they got deep threats in Henderson and Mecheam, and they have Sproles who is lethal in space. As great a season as Brees the running game of the Saints could be the X-factor because the Lions run that wide 9 with their D-Line and it has made them vulnerable against the run all year. 

Giants Vs. Falcons

      

Regular Season Matchup(s): Did not play in regular season

Prediction: Giants 

Analysis: The Falcons finished 10-6 this season and got hot late but as I went back and reviewed their schedule it reminds me ALOT of the 10-6 Tampa Bay season from last season. The Falcons only beat 1 playoff team this season and that was the Lions which is a legit win but the Lions and Titans were the only teams with a winning record they beat and that concerns me. It means they haven't really been battle tested like the Giants have. I know the Giants went 9-7 and had their issues this season but they have signature wins against Dallas and the Patriots and they gave the Packers all they could handle. I've also seen Eli lead the Giants to victory multiple times this season proving that he is clutch and that he is elite. Had this game been in Atlanta I might have chosen the Falcons but I just don't believe the Falcons are mentally tough enough to go into NY in January in that weather and beat the Giants. Even though the numbers don't back it up the Giants have the ability to run the ball when Bradshaw is in the lineup and the Giants front 4 is looking very similar to the one that was the key factor in their super bowl run  in 2007. I think Atlanta on paper is the better team so it certainly wouldn't surprise me if they won the game but I just don't like this scenario for Atlanta. Matt Ryan is still unproven in the playoffs and I'm just not as sure about him as I am Eli. Alot of times the playoffs are about coming in hot and the Giants have to be feeling good right now about how they ended the year.