Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Super Bowl XLVIII Prediction

What a matchup we have for Super Bowl XLVIII. The NFL's top offense goes up against the NFL's top defense when Denver and Seattle square off. Below is a look at which team we feel has the advantage at every position on the field, and our final prediction for Super Bowl XLVIII.

Quarterback
Russell Wilson has had a phenomenal start to his NFL career. He is currently tied with Ben Roethlisberger for the most wins in the first two years of a career in NFL history. He has to beat Peyton Manning to claim that record for himself. As good as Wilson has been in his two years, Manning has been as good as they come, ever. Manning's brilliance has always been undervalued because of his playoff disappointment. He has a chance to win his second ring, and cement his legacy as one of the best to ever play the game.

Advantage: Denver

Running Backs
The running game could eventually lead to determining the next Super Bowl champion. That sounds odd when you have the likes of Payton Manning and Russell Wilson under center, but the weather is expected to be a factor. Enter the ground game. Running the football is what Seattle does best on offense. Marshawn Lynch is a beast and blends power and quickness. He can pound the ball between the tackles and has the burst to break away from defenders. On the other side, Denver is more running back by committee. Knowshon Moreno has gotten the bulk of the carries, but expect Montee Ball to play a role in this game. The Broncos are capable of running the ball, but it's not what they do best.

Advantage: Seattle

Wide Receivers
There are a number of players on the outside that can impact this game in a big way. The majority of them play for the Denver Broncos. Denver has one of the best trios at WR that the NFL has ever seen. I would stack Demaryius Thomas, Eric Decker, and Wes Welker up against any other receiving trio in recent years. Sprinkle in TE Julius Thomas and Peyton Manning has a plethora of options at his disposal. Seattle's corps is a little bit lesser known. Injuries have played a role in that, but young huts like Doug Baldwin and Jermaine Kearse have stepped up and been reliable options for Russell Wilson. Reliable versus dynamic, take your pick.

Advantage: Denver

Offensive Line
And now we get back to the impact the weather could play on the Super Bowl. The possibility for inclement weather in the Big Apple on Super Bowl Sunday means the battle in the trenches will be pivotal. Both teams have underrated offensive lines. Each team is capable of punishing their opponents. Denver and Seattle have both had to battle injuries. The best way to overcome the injury bug is to have at least one dominant player. The most dominant player on either line this season was Denver Guard Louis Vasquez who was a terrific addition to the Broncos this season. He will need to be at his best against a nasty Seahawks D.

Advantage: Denver

Defensive Line
There isn't a ton of star power on the defensive lines, but both teams have units that work very well
together. Don't get me wrong, there are playmakers on these lines. Denver's Terrance Knighton has
been a stud in the postseason. Seattle is solid all over, up the middle and on the edge. That's why I give the Seahawks the advantage here. I expect Seattle to to get more pressure on Peyton Manning than he has seen in awhile.

Advantage: Seattle 

Linebackers 
The linebackers in Super Bowl XLVIII are similar to the defensive lines, solid but not spectacular. Denver has missed the pass rushing ability of all-pro Von Miller, but Danny Trevathan and Wesley Woodyard have made plenty of plays to fill that void. Bobby Wagner has been a beast in the middle of Seattle's unit, and Bruce Irvin packs a punch off the edge. Neither team overwhelms you with talent at Linebacker. But both teams play their scheme very well and the linebackers do their part. I'm not sure that one of these Linebackers will be a breakout star in this game, but I do like Seattle's corps slightly more. The Seahawks get a small advantage.

Advantage: Seattle 

Secondary
There could be a lot of plays made in the secondary on Sunday night. Denver has an all-time great at Corner with Champ Bailey. Bailey has been one of the best at his position for over a decade, and he's finally getting a chance to play in the big game. His counterpart is Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. DRC has been inconsistent throughout his career, but has played in a Super Bowl with the Cardinals and is capable of shutting down any WR Seattle has. The Safeties for Denver have had their ups and downs. The best Corner in the game today suits up for the Seahawks. The flashy Richard Sherman made his presence known in more than one way when he made the NFC Championship saving play against the 49ers. Arguably the best Safety in the NFL, Earl Thomas, also plays for the Seahawks. So as capable as the Denver DBs are, they are not on the same level as Seattle's. No secondary in the
NFL is.

Advantage: Seattle

Special Teams
Denver and Seattle are so evenly matched that it is very possible that Special Teams decide the game. Both teams can be explosive in the return game. Denver's Trindon  Holliday may be the fastest man in the NFL, and he gets a crease he is gone. Golden Tate can make a big play for the Seahawks as well. In the kicking game, the punters have both been solid. The difference could be with the kickers. Seattle's Steven Hauschka has been very accurate, but Matt Praterr had an All-Pro caliber year. Holliday's big play ability and Prater's dependability give the edge to Denver.

Advantage: Denver

Coaching
There are twelve active head coaches in the NFL that have coached in a Super Bowl. John Fox of the Broncos is one of them. It came a decade ago, and with a different team, but he knows what it's like to coach in this game. Pete Carroll has coached in his share of big games himself. But that was in college. This is the NFL. Carroll has a tremendous resume, but experience counts for something. John Fox has been a winner since he be me a head coach in the NFL. He was seconds away from leading the Carolina Panthers to a Super Bowl title ten years ago. Now he's back and with an offensive arsenal never seen before.

Advantage: Denver 

Prediction
Super Bowl XLVIII is a classic matchup of offense versus defense. Denver was the #1 offense in the
league and Seattle was the #1 defense in the league. We have seen this in the Super Bowl before, and defense usually prevails. But this Denver team has fought through too much adversity to fall short now. Peyton Manning and John Fox deserve this. Peyton had the best statistical year for a QB in NFL history. Fox had heart surgery midseason. I picked the Broncos to hoist the Lombardi Trophy before the season began (http://ringersports.blogspot.com/2013/09/2013-nfl-predictions.html), and there is no reason for me to change my pick now.

Denver 28 Seattle 24
Den -2.5









Sunday, January 26, 2014

NCAA Basketball - 2014 NCAA Tournament Projections

1/26/14

East Regional - New York

at Buffalo
1 Syracuse 16 NC Central/Alabama State
8 Texas 9 Oregon
at San Diego
5 Creighton 12 Ole Miss/St.Mary's
4 Wisconsin 13 Belmont
at Milwaukee
6 UCLA 11 Harvard
3 Iowa State 14 Delaware
at Raleigh
7 Virginia 10 New Mexico
2 Kentucky 15 Chattanooga

South Regional - Memphis

at Orlando
1 Florida 16 Robert Morris
8 VCU 9 Arizona State
at Spokane
5 Cincinnati 12 Baylor
4 Iowa 13 Stephen F Austin
at Raleigh
6 St. Louis 11 Colorado
3 Villanova 14 Mercer
at St. Louis
7 Oklahoma 10 Florida State
2 Wichita State 15 Georgia State

Midwest Regional - Indianapolis

at St. Louis
1 Kansas 16 Northern Colorado
8 SMU 9 Xavier
at San Antonio
5 Ohio State 12 Arkansas/Utah
4 Duke 13 Green Bay
at Orlando
6 UMass 11 Cal
3 Louisville 14 American
at Milwaukee
7 UConn 10 Kansas State
2 Michigan State 15 Stony Brook

West Regional - Anaheim

at San Diego
1 Arizona 16 Utah Valley/Winthrop
8 Memphis 9 George Washington
at Spokane
5 Michigan 12 Toledo
4 San Diego State 13 Manhattan
at San Antonio
6 Gonzaga 11 Southern Miss
3 Oklahoma State 14 North Dakota State
at Buffalo
7 Minnesota 10 Missouri
2 Pittsburgh 15 UC Irvine

*The Final Four would be matchups of East vs. South and Midwest vs. West




Monday, January 20, 2014

NCAA Basketball - 2014 NCAA Tournament Projections

College hoops are heating up. Conference play is underway, and the official "bubble" watch is beginning. As we get into the meat of the schedule, there are still three teams vying for perfection. Arizona, Syracuse, and Wichita State are all undefeated. All of these teams could be dancing late into March, but there is a lot that can and will happen between now and then. Here is a look at how the brackets could look if the season were to end today.

East Regional - New York

at Buffalo
1 Syracuse 16 South Dakota/Radford
8 Colorado 9 Missouri
at Spokane
5 Cincinnati 12 Louisiana Tech
4 Ohio State 13 Stephen F Austin
at San Antonio
6 Oregon 11 George Washington
3 Oklahoma State 14 Boston U
at Milwaukee
7 Harvard 10 Clemson
2 Wisconsin 15 Georgia State

South Regional - Memphis

at Buffalo
1 Villanova 16 Stony Brook
8 Baylor 9 St. Mary's
at Raleigh
5 Duke 12 Stanford/New Mexico
4 Kentucky 13 Belmont
at Raleigh
6 Michigan 11 Utah
3 Louisville 14 Northern Colorado
at St. Louis
7 Virginia 10 Xavier
2 Kansas 15 Robert Morris

Midwest Regional - Indianapolis

at Milwaukee
1 Michigan State 16 Canisius
8 Oklahoma 9 Cal
at San Antonio
5 Creighton 12 Memphis/Tennessee
4 Pittsburgh 13 Green Bay
at Orlando
6 Gonzaga 11 Florida State
3 Iowa State 14 Mercer
at Orlando
7 UConn 10 VCU
2 Florida 15 Chattanooga

West Regional - Anaheim

at San Diego
1 Arizona 16 Southern/Utah Valley
8 Minnesota 9 Kansas State
at Spokane
5 San Diego State 12 Arkansas
4 UMass 13 Toledo
at San Antonio
6 St. Louis 11 North Carolina
3 Iowa 14 Delaware
at St. Louis
7 UCLA 10 Texas
2 Wichita State 15 UC Irvine

** The Final Four would be matchups of East vs. Midwest and South vs. West





Wednesday, January 15, 2014

2014 NFL Mock Draft

1/15/14

*This will be the first of several mock drafts from now until May. Please note that these picks are simply who I think each team will pick, without projecting trades.

1. Houston - Teddy Bridgewater  QB/Louisville
2. St. Louis - Jake Matthews  OT/Texas A&M
3. Jacksonville - Blake Bortles  QB/UCF
4. Cleveland - Johnny Manziel  QB/Texas A&M
5. Oakland - Sammy Watkins  WR/Clemson
6. Atlanta - Jadaveon Clowney  DE/South Carolina
7. Tampa Bay - Khalil Mack  LB/Buffalo
8. Minnesota - Derek Carr  QB/Fresno State
9. Buffalo - Anthony Barr  LB/UCLA
10. Detroit - Darqueze Dennard  CB/Michigan State
11. Tennessee - CJ Mosley  LB/Alabama
12. NY Giants - Greg Robinson  OT/Auburn
13. St. Louis - Haha Clinton-Dix  S/Alabama
14. Chicago - Ra'Shede Hageman  DT/Minnesota
15. Pittsburgh - Louis Nix  DT/Notre Dame
16. Baltimore - Mike Evans  WR/Texas A&M
17. Dallas - Kony Ealy  DE/Missouri
18. NY Jets - Eric Ebron  TE/North Carolina
19. Miami - Cyrus Kouandijo  OT/Alabama
20. Arizona - Taylor Lewan  OT/Michigan
21. Green Bay - Jace Amaro  TE/Texas Tech
22. Philadelphia - Vic Beasley  DE/Clemson
23. Kansas City - Marquise Lee  WR/USC
24. Cincinnati - Ryan Shazier  LB/Ohio State
25. San Diego - Justin Gilbert  CB/Oklahoma State
26. Cleveland - Kelvin Benjamin  WR/Florida State
27. New Orleans - Allen Robinson  WR/Penn State
28. Carolina - Zack Martin  OT/Notre Dame
29. New England - Austin Seferian-Jenkins  TE/Washington
30. San Francisco - Marcus Roberson  CB/Florida
31. Seattle - Cameron Erving  OT/Florida State
32. Denver - Scott Chricton  DE/Oregon State

NFL - Championship Game Predictions

Ringer's Playoff Record
Last Week ATS: 2-2
Last Week SU: 4-0

Playoffs ATS: 4-4
Playoffs SU: 7-1

The AFC Championship game brings in some familiar faces. Peyton Manning and Tom Brady face off for the third time with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line. Of course, Peyton was in Indianapolis for the previous two meetings where each man won one. This time Peyton leads the Denver Broncos against Brady and Belichick. This is the game we all wanted to see. Not only because we get Manning vs. Brady again, but because Denver and New England were unquestionably the two best teams in the AFC all season. They played an epic game against one another back in Week 12. Denver stormed out to a 24-0 lead, only to see Brady and the Patriots come back to force OT at 31 apiece. New England would complete the comeback by kicking a game-winning FG to win 34-31. That game was in New England, and this one is in Denver which could make a big difference. At the end of the day, I don't expect anything but greatness from either of these two QBs. The Broncos were my pick to win it all before the season began, and I won't waiver from that.

Denver over New England 28-23
Den -4.5

The NFC Championship game also gave us the matchup that most people wanted to see. The Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers will square off in the most meaningful game ever for this budding rivalry. Ever since Pete Carroll and Jim Harbaugh jumped to the NFL their hatred has been restored. Combine the personal disdain amongst their head coaches with the facts that Seattle and San Francisco have been two of the league's best teams, they play in the same division, have nasty defenses, and two of the brightest young stars at QB. It is easy to see why this rivalry is becoming one of the league's most heated. The two teams split their games this year, each winning at home. This game is in Seattle, and the Seahawks have completely dismantled the 49ers the last two times they've visited the Pacific Northwest. The score of those two games combined, Seattle 71 San Francisco 16. This one should be more competitive. The 49ers are playing in this game for the third straight year, so they know what it takes to advance. I just don't see them overcoming their deficiencies in Seattle enough to pull off the win.

Seattle over San Francisco 20-16
Sea -3.5

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

NFL - Divisional Playoff Predictions

Ringer's Record
Last Week ATS: 2-2
Last Week SU: 3-1

The Divisional Playoff round gets started in the Pacific Northwest. Seattle is hands down the hardest place to win a game for the visitors the NFL has to offer. New Orleans found out the hard way when the Seahawks dismantled them 34-7 on a Monday night in early December. The Saints get a chance at redemption now. New Orleans advanced with a last second FG to defeat the Eagles in Philly. Many questioned whether the Saints could go outdoors and win while playing in the elements. They had answer last week, but must do it in an even tougher venue this week. Seattle has been the best team in the NFC all season. They should get a chance to play for the NFC title.

Seattle over New Orleans 26-18
Sea -7.5

Saturday's prime time matchup pairs up two old foes. New England and Indianapolis used to meet in the postseason on a regular basis. It hasn't happened since the 2006 season though, when Indianapolis beat New England in the AFC Championship. Of course all of those battles had Peyton Manning dueling against Tom Brady. Brady is still leading the way in New England, but Andrew Luck is the new sheriff in Indianapolis. Luck put his print all over the Colts franchise last week when he lead them on the second largest comeback in playoff history when they beat the Chiefs after trailing 38-10. Nothing will cement his status as an Indianapolis icon like a playoff victory over the Patriots. I don't think it's happening this time. The Patriots are missing a lot of pieces due to injury, but Brady and Belichick don't lose home playoff games too frequently. New England beat an old foe in the Colts, to set up a potential match with another one.

New England over Indianapolis 34-28
Ind +7.5 

Sunday's action gets kicked off with what I think is the best game of the weekend, San Francisco at Carolina. The Panthers and 49ers play big boy football. Both like to run the ball and play fantastic defense. They also both possess new age QBs that are ultimate dual threats. They played each other in the regular season and Carolina went to the Bay Area and won a 10-9 slugfest. I expect a similar style of game. This one will be on the East Coast so you would think Carolina would be the favorite. That's not the case. The 49ers are actually the favorite and I'm OK with it. This team is built for playoff football and was my pick to win the NFC when the season began. I like the 49ers to put an end to Carolina's breakout season.

San Francisco over Carolina 20-17
SF -1.5

The weekend's games conclude with an AFC West battle when San Diego plays at Denver. The Broncos were my Super Bowl pick before the season began. This is where Peyton Manning will ultimately be judged. He had arguable the greatest regular season a QB has ever had, but it will mean nothing if he can't win his second ring. The Chargers have already gone on the road and won in Denver once this year. In fact, it was just a few short weeks ago. This was part of San Diego's current five game winning streak. San Diego is getting hit at the right time. If the trend of recent years continues, the Chargers could ride this momentum into the playoffs. I just don't see them winning in Denver twice in one season.

Denver over San Diego 30-17
Den -9.5

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

NCAA Football - Pre-Preseason Top 25

It is far too early to be forecasting the 2014 NCAA Football season. It's always fun to try to project the future though. The landscape of college football is going to change dramatically between now and September, but if you forced me to rank next season's Top 25 right now this is what it would look like.

1. Florida State (14-0)
2. Alabama (11-2)
3. Auburn (12-2)
4. Ohio State (12-2)
5. Oklahoma (11-2)
6. LSU (10-3)
7. Oregon (11-2)
8. Stanford (11-3)
9. South Carolina (11-2)
10. Michigan State (13-1)
11. Clemson (11-2)
12. UCLA (10-3)
13. Georgia (8-5)
14. Baylor (11-2)
15. Missouri (12-2)
16. Notre Dame (9-4)
17. USC (10-4)
18. Texas A&M (9-4)
19. Oklahoma State (10-3)
20. Texas (8-5)
21. Arizona State (10-4)
22. Wisconsin (9-4)
23. UCF (12-1)
24. Michigan (7-6)
25. Ole Miss (8-5)

Next Up
Florida (4-8)
Tennessee (5-7)
Miami (9-4)
Louisville (12-1)
Washington (9-4)
Nebraska (9-4)
Duke (10-4)
Vanderbilt (9-4)
Iowa (8-5)
North Carolina (7-6)

NCAA Football Ringer Poll

1/7/14

1. Florida State (14-0)
2. Michigan State (13-1)
3. Auburn (12-2)
4. South Carolina (11-2)
5. Missouri (12-2)
6. Oklahoma (11-2)
7. Alabama (11-2)
8. Clemson (11-2)
9. Oregon (11-2)
10. Stanford (11-3)
11. UCF (12-1)
12. Ohio State (12-2)
13. Baylor (11-2)
14. LSU (10-3)
15. Louisville (12-1)
16. UCLA (10-3)
17. Oklahoma State (10-3)
18. Texas A&M (9-4)
19. Arizona State (10-4)
20. USC (10-4)
21. Wisconsin (9-4)
22. Notre Dame (9-4)
23. Duke (10-4)
24. Vanderbilt (9-4)
25. Washington (9-4)

Sunday, January 5, 2014

NFL - Wild Card Predictions

Wild Card weekend gets kicked off on Saturday when Kansas City heads to Indianapolis. The Colts beat the Chiefs the weekend before Christmas 23-7. Expect it to be a bit closer this time. Andrew Luck is making his second playoff appearance in as many seasons as a starter in Indy. Saturday will be his first chance to play in front of the home crowd. Kansas City went from the league's worst record to a playoff team that nobody wants to face. Alex Smith and Andy Reid lead the resurgence of the Chiefs this season. Here is how I expect the game to turn out:

Indianapolis over Kansas City 24-23
KC +2.5

Saturday's prime time game features the Philadelphia Eagles playing host to the New Orleans Saints. This game should have lots of fireworks. The Eagles operate at the speed of light offensively with first year Head Coach, Chip Kelly at the helm. Philly used Kelly's innovative offense, a flawless Nick Foles at QB, and the league's leading rusher to earn the NFC East title. The Saints can operate as efficiently as anyone on offense themselves. Drew Brees is as good as ever, and Jimmy Graham nearly broke a single season TD record for Tight ends with 16 this season. The defenses for both teams are much improved this season, and a big reason why both teams returned to postseason action after a brief absence. Here is how I expect the game to turn out:

New Orleans over Philadelphia 28-26
NO +2.5

Sunday's action gets started with the San Diego Chargers heading east to face the Cincinnati Bengals. Cincy traveled to the west coast and beat the Chargers in December. Weather could play a factor in this one though. The Bengals claimed home field winning the AFC North. This is the third consecutive year Cincinnati has made the playoffs, but the first time they will get to play at home during that stretch. This is key because the Bengals were a perfect 8-0 at home this season. San Diego has been playing win or go home games for a few weeks now. In fact the last time the chargers lost was against the Bengals. Since then they have won four straight to sneak into the playoffs. Something has got to give. Here is how I expect the game to turn out:

Cincinnati over San Diego 27-20
Cin -6.5

The weekend wraps up with a game in the bitter cold of Lambeau Field. San Francisco heads to Green Bay for a rematch from last year's playoffs. The 49ers won that game and also beat the Packers back in Week 1 this year. The temperature is expected to be below zero for this one. Despite coming from a mild climate, San Francisco is built for this kind of game. The Packers get to host this game despite having four less wins than the 49ers. Green Bay snuck into the playoffs by getting Aaron Rodgers healthy at the right time and winning the NFC North. The former MVP did not miss a beat in the victory over Chicago last week. He will have a much stiffer test against the stout San Francisco D this week. Here is how I expect the game to turn out.

San Francisco over Green Bay 24-20
SF -3.5

NFL Power Rankings

End of Regular Season
1. Denver (13-3)
2. Seattle (13-3)
3. Carolina (12-4)
4. San Francisco (12-4)
5. New England (12-4)
6. New Orleans (11-5)
7. Cincinnati (11-5)
8. Indianapolis (11-5)
9. Kansas City (11-5)
10. Philadelphia (10-6)
11. Arizona (10-6)
12. San Diego (9-7)
13. Pittsburgh (8-8)
14. Green Bay (8-7-1)
15. Chicago (8-8)
16. Dallas (8-8)
17. Baltimore (8-8)
18. NY Jets (8-8)
19. Miami (8-8)
20. St. Louis (7-9)
21. NY Giants (7-9)
22. Detroit (7-9)
23. Tennessee (7-9)
24. Minnesota (5-10-1)
25. Buffalo (6-10)
26. Tampa Bay (4-12)
27. Atlanta (4-12)
28. Jacksonville (4-12)
29. Cleveland (4-12)
30. Oakland (4-12)
31. Washington (3-13)
32. Houston (2-14)