NFL Week 3 Picks

Kansas City Chiefs (2-0) at Philadelphia Eagles (1-1)

Eagles

St. Louis Rams (1-1) at Dallas Cowboys (1-1)

Cowboys

Green Bay Packers (1-1) at Cincinnati Bengals (1-1)

PACKERS

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-2) at New England Patriots (2-0)

Cleveland Browns (0-2) at Minnesota Vikings (0-2)

Houston Texans (2-0) at Baltimore Ravens (1-1)

Arizona Cardinals (1-1) at New Orleans Saints (2-0)

Detroit Lions (1-1) at Washington Redskins (0-2)

New York Giants (0-2) at Carolina Panthers (0-2)

San Diego Chargers (1-1) at Tennessee Titans (1-1)

Indianapolis Colts (1-1) at San Francisco 49ers (1-1)

Atlanta Falcons (1-1) at Miami Dolphins (2-0)

Jacksonville Jaguars (0-2) at Seattle Seahawks (2-0)

Buffalo Bills (1-1) at New York Jets (1-1)

Chicago Bears (2-0) at Pittsburgh Steelers (0-2)

Oakland Raiders (1-1) at Denver Broncos (2-0)

Week 1: 11-5

Week 2: 13-3

Season Record: 24-8

NFL Week 2 Predictions/Picks

San Diego Chargers (0-1) at Philadelphia Eagles (1-0)

W2W4: (What to Watch For)

Will Chargers be Overmatched by Eagles Fast-Paced Offense?

The Chargers are coming off a devastating 31-28 loss on Monday Night Football and now must play on the road against the Eagles high octane offense instilled by rookie head coach Chip Kelly. The Eagles ran 77 plays and amassed 443 yards of total offense versus the Redskins on Monday night. LeSean McCoy rushed for 184 yards and a touchdown, while wideout DeSean Jackson racked up 104 yards and a touchdown through the air. The Chargers must put up a better defensive showing than in their season-opener against the Texans, in which they squandered 329 passing yards and 120 rushing yards. Critics of Kelly's newly implemented offense claim that eventually defenses will catch on to their electric, no-huddle offense. That assertion may be true, but for now I'll take my chances with the Eagles exciting O' over the Chargers.

 The Pick

Cleveland Browns (0-1) at Baltimore Ravens (0-1)

W2W4:

Can the Defending-Champs Continue Head-to-Head Win Streak Versus Browns?

The Ravens have owned the Browns of late, collecting 10 straight wins against their division opponent. A chance to extend the streak to 11 will come on the day the Ravens receive their Super Bowl rings before raising their 2012 Super Bowl banner at M&T Bank Stadium. The Browns defense looked dominant at the Dawgpound in Week 1, surrendering merely 20 yards on the ground to the visiting Dolphins. However, the Browns were doomed by their pitiful offense led by Brandon Weeden, who threw three interceptions in a 23-10 loss. The most concerning aspect of the Browns season-opening loss was their inefficient balance on offense. Weeden fired a whopping 53 passes, while talented second-year RB Trent Richardson got just 13 carries. The Ravens should handle the Browns with ease on Sunday.The Browns defense will only be able to contain the Ravens for so long, until the home team breaks out a couple scoring drives that the anemic Browns offense will have no answer to.

The Pick

Dallas Cowboys (1-0) at Kansas City Chiefs (1-0)                                    

The Pick

Carolina Panthers (0-1) at Buffalo Bills (0-1)

The Pick

St. Louis Rams (1-0) at Atlanta Falcons (1-0)

The Pick

Minnesota Vikings (0-1) at Chicago Bears (1-0)

The Pick

Washington Redskins (0-1) at Green Bay Packers (0-1)

The Pick

Miami Dolphins (1-0) at Indianapolis Colts (1-0)

The Pick

Tennessee Titans (1-0) at Houston Texans (1-0)

The Pick

Detroit Lions (1-0) at Arizona Cardinals (0-1)

The Pick

Jacksonville Jaguars (0-1) at Oakland Raiders (0-1)

The Pick

New Orleans Saints (1-0) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-1)

The Pick

Denver Broncos (1-0) at New York Giants (0-1)

The Pick

San Francisco 49ers (1-0) at Seattle Seahawks (1-0)

The Pick

Pittsburgh Steelers (0-1) at Cincinnati Bengals (0-1)

The Pick

Week 1 Record: 11-5

Thursday Night Football: New York Jets at New England Patriots

The Jets and Patriots will battle under the lights at Gillette Stadium on Thursday night for supremacy in the AFC East. Neither team has the chance to revel in their respective season-opener wins with a quick three day turnaround for this divisional contest. Both teams were able to steal a victory from their opponent in Week 1.

Tom Brady led a late-game drive in the fourth quarter in Buffalo that featured a heavy dose of wide receiver Danny Amendola (four receptions for 26 yards on the drive) to set up Stephen Gostkowski's 35-yard field goal with 5 seconds remaining to seal a 23-21 victory over the Bills.

The Jets, meanwhile, looked doomed after Buccaneers kicker Rian Linder connected on a 37-yard field goal with 34 seconds left to give the visitors a 17-15 lead. Rookie QB Geno Smith led a miraculous (and very lucky) drive that started on the team's 20 yard-line. Smith first hit tight end Kellen Winslow for a 25-yard pass. The Bucs were able to put pressure on Smith on the next play, but he was able to roll out to the right and scrambled out of bounds to the Bucs 45-yard line where he was pushed by Tampa Bay linebacker Lavonte David, who was charged with a personal foul after committing the most boneheaded play in recent NFL memory. The 15-yard penalty put the ball at the Bucs 30 yard line, setting up a 48-yard field goal as time expired for Nick Folk as the Jets won in improbable fashion, 18-17.

Here are the key actors to watch for Jets vs. Patriots on Thursday Night Football:

Can Patriots Continue AFC East Dominance?

            The Patriots have ripped off 11 straight wins in the division since losing at Buffalo in Week 3 of the 2011 season. The Pats have now won 24 of 26 against the Bills after defeating them at Ralph Wilson Stadium on Sunday. The Pats have had their way with the Jets over the past decade-plus as well. Brady has posted a 17-4 record since taking over as the starting quarterback. The two teams split the season-series in 2008 when Brady was injured for the season, giving the Patriots an 18-5 edge in the series over the past 12 seasons.

Who will Brady Throw to?

            The Patriots’ injuries continue to pile up. Danny Amendola suffered a groin injury in the first half against the Bills on Sunday. He was able to return and help spearhead the game-winning drive alongside Brady to seal the win, but the wide receiver is listed as doubtful for the Patriots home-opener. Rob Gronkowski is still not ready to suit up and his replacement tight end, Zach Suddfeld, is battling a hamstring issue after struggling mightily in his first career NFL game. Wide receiver Aaron Dobson hopes to play on Thursday night after missing the season-opener in Buffalo. Dobson could play an integral role in the Patriots banged-up offense, along with slot wideout Julian Edelman, who hauled in 7 receptions for 79 yards and two touchdowns versus the Bills.

Can Stevan Ridley Redeem Himself?

Shane Vereen, who ran for 101 yards on 14 carries versus the Bills, must undergo wrist surgery that will keep him out until at least Week 10. Stevan Ridley, the purported No.1 tailback on the roster, was benched after coughing up a fumble in the second quarter that Bills safety Da'Norris Searcy scooped up for a 74-yard touchdown. Ridley will now get the bulk of the carries versus the Jets, who he torched for 97 yards and a TD on 21 attempts this past Thanksgiving. LeGarrette Blount, Brandon Bolden and return-man Leon Washington should also receive a decent amount of touches out of the backfield for the Patriots.

Can Geno Smith Pull off the Unthinkable?

The Jets enter Foxboro as huge underdogs, especially with a rookie quarterback under-center. After defeating EJ Manuel and the Bills on Sunday, the Patriots improved their record to 14-4 against rookie QB's since 2000. Smith went 24 of 38 for 256 yards with a TD, interception and fumble in his NFL debut, but the Jets were able to win on Sunday on the strength of their defense as defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson and defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson put constant pressure on Bucs QB Josh Freeman. Smith played decent in the role as a game-managing quarterback on Sunday, but if he hopes to upset the Patriots he will have to provide much more in the passing game. The Jets cannot simply rely on their defense to beat New England; their offense must be in-sync and should look to attack a Patriots’ secondary that has yet to prove they have upgraded from last season.

Prediction:

            The Patriots are still a dominant team, despite their narrow victory against the young Buffalo Bills. To that point, the Jets are still one of the NFL’s doormats, even though they were able to pull off a win in Week 1.

Patriots 31, Jets 14

NFL Week 1 Picks

Cincinnati Bengals at Chicago Bears

New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills

Miami Dolphins at Cleveland Browns

Oakland Raiders at Indianapolis Colts

Colts

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New York Jets

Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions

Tennessee Titans at Pittsburgh Steelers

Kansas City Chiefs at Jacksonville Jaguars

Atlanta Falcons at New Orleans Saints

Seattle Seahawks at Carolina Panthers

Arizona Cardinals at Saint Louis Rams

Green Bay Packers at San Francisco 49ers 

New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys 

Philadelphia Eagles at Washington Redskins

Houston Texans at San Diego Chargers

NFL Opening Night 2013: Baltimore Ravens at Denver Broncos Preview

The Super Bowl Champion Baltimore Ravens visit Sports Authority Field to battle the Denver Broncos in the 2013 NFL season-opener in a rematch of last year's dramatic AFC divisional round playoff game. Denver was on their way to hosting an AFC Championship game last January, before safety Rahim Moore inexplicably blew his coverage, leaving Jacoby Jones wide open for a 70-yard touchdown with 31 seconds left, forcing overtime and an eventual 38-35 win. The rest is history as the Ravens went on to beat the New England Patriots in the Conference Championship and then took down the upstart San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl, claiming their second Lombardi trophy in franchise history.

            The Ravens will look to become the first team to repeat as champions since the Patriots won three Super Bowls in four years (2001, 2003, 2004). If the Ravens are to repeat, it will come with a noticeably different supporting cast as the champs endured a major roster overhaul in the offseason.

            That being said, let’s look at the key additions and departures for both the Ravens and Broncos.

Baltimore Ravens

Key Additions:  Chris Canty (DT, NYG), Elvis Dumervil (LB, DEN), Rolando McClain (LB, OAK), Michael Huff (S, OAK), Brandon Stokley (WR, DEN) Matt Elam (S, Rooke), Arthur Brown (LB, Rookie)

Key Losses: Anquan Boldin (WR, SF), Matt Birk (C, Retired), Paul Kruger (LB/DE, CLE), Ray Lewis (LB, Retired), Cary Williams (CB, PHI), Dannell Ellerbe (LB, MIA), Ed Reed (S, HOU), Bernard Pollard (S, TEN) Ma'ake Kemoeatu (DT, FA)

 Denver Broncos

Key Additions: Wes Welker (WR, NE), Louis Vasquez (G, SD), Shaun Phillips (DE, SD), Sylvester Williams (DT, Rookie), Montee Ball (RB, Rookie) Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (CB, PHI)

Key Losses: Elvis Dumervil (DE, BAL), Brandon Stokely (WR, BAL) Willis McGahee (RB, FA), Dan Koppen (C, Torn ACL)

Prediction

The Broncos have long awaited their chance to get some sort of revenge versus the Ravens. Peyton Manning and company would love to start the opposing Ravens season out on a losing note. Denver is loaded on offense, especially with the addition of Wes Welker as the team’s star slot receiver. Baltimore made some nice additions in the offseason; still, the team certainly regressed with Ray Lewis, Anquan Boldin and Paul Kruger all now departed. I am picking the Broncos to win tonight and start what could be an unforgettable season for the franchise in style, taking down the defending champions.

30 Greatest Celtics in Franchise History: 2013 Edition

HoopsHype.com is ranking the 50 greatest players in franchise history for all 30 NBA teams. They recently compiled their list for the Boston Celtics. Their version of the Top-50 Celtics of all-time can be found Here.  I have created a shortened list, the top-30 players in Celtics history, ranking the players on various qualities: stats, titles, importance and role on team, era played in, the teammates they got to play with, the amount of seasons played in Boston, among other franchise-defining qualities, etc. 

*All photos are courtesy of Getty Images.

*Statistics provided by HoopsHype.com and basketball-reference.com

30. Jim Loscutoff, 1955-1964: 6.2 ppg, 5.6 rpg - Seven NBA titles with Celtics.

29. Paul Silas, 1972-1976: 11.5 ppg, 12.3 rpg - Two NBA titles with Celtics.
28. Danny Ainge, 1981-1989: 11.3 ppg, 4.4 apg - Two NBA titles with Celtics.

27. Ed Macauley, 1950-1956: 17.5 ppg, 7.5 rpg.

26. Larry Siegfried, 1963-1970: 11.6 ppg, 3.3 apg - Five NBA titles with Celtics.

25. Don Nelson, 1965-1976: 11.4 ppg, 5.2 rpg - Five NBA titles with Celtics
24. Antoine Walker, 1996-2003 and 2005 (Traded for at deadline): 20.6 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 4.1 apg.

23. Tiny Archibald, 1978-1983: 12.5 ppg, 7.1 apg - One NBA title with Celtics.

22. Ray Allen, 2007-2012: 16.7 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 2.7 apg - One NBA title with Celtics.

21. Bailey Howell, 1966-1970: 18.0 ppg, 8.4 rpg - Two NBA titles with Celtics.

20. Reggie Lewis, 1987-1993: 17.6 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 2.6 apg.

19. Frank Ramsey, 1954-1964: 13.4 ppg, 5.5 rpg - Seven NBA titles with Celtics.

18. K.C. Jones, 1958-1967: 7.4 ppg, 4.3 apg, 3.5 rpg - Eight NBA titles with Celtics.

17. Cedric Maxwell, 1977-1985: 13.7 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 2.3 apg - Two NBA titles with Celtics.

16. Dennis Johnson, 1983-1990: 12.6 ppg, 6.4 apg, 3.2 rpg - Two NBA titles with Celtics.

15. Tom Sanders, 1960-1973: 9.6 ppg, 6.3 rpg - Eight NBA titles with Celtics

14. Rajon Rondo, 2006-present: 11.1 ppg, 8.3 apg, 4.5 rpg - One NBA title with Celtics.

13. Bill Sharman, 1951-1961: 18.1 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 3.0 apg - Four NBA titles with Celtics.

12. Tom Heinsohn, 1956-1965: 18.6 ppg, 8.8 rpg - Eight NBA titles with Celtics.

11. Jo Jo White, 1969-1979: 18.4 ppg, 5.1 apg, 4.3 rpg - Two NBA titles with Celtics.

10. Kevin Garnett, 2007-2013: 15.7 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 2.7 apg - One NBA title with Celtics.

9. Sam Jones, 1957-1969: 17.7 ppg, 4.9 rpg - 10 NBA titles with Celtics. 

8. Robert Parish, 1980-1994: 16.5 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 1.5 bpg - Three NBA titles with Celtics.

7. Dave Cowens, 1970-1980: 18.2 ppg, 14.0 rpg, 3.9 apg - Two NBA titles with Celtics.

6. Kevin McHale, 1980-1993: 17.9 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 1.7 bpg - Three NBA titles with Celtics

5. Bob Cousy, 1950-1963: 18.5 ppg, 7.6 apg, 5.2 rpg - Six NBA titles with Celtics

4. Paul Pierce, 1998-2013: 21.8 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 3.9 apg - One NBA title with Celtics.

3. John Havlicek, 1962-1978: 20.8 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 4.8 apg - Eight NBA titles with Celtics.

2. Larry Bird, 1979-1992: 24.3 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 6.3 apg, 1.7 spg - Three NBA titles with Celtics.

1. Bill Russell, 1956-1969: 15.1 ppg, 22.5 rpg, 4.3 apg - 11 NBA titles with Celtics.