Will The Cowboys Win on Thanksgving?

Eagles (8-3) have only beaten the Cowboys (8-3) once in the past 2 seasons. That is my storyline when I begin to debate rather the Cowboys will win on Thanksgiving Day. The sole win was a 2 point victory to backup QB Kyle Orton. That loss was a big loss because it knocked the Cowboys out of playoff contention, BUT. It’s still just one win. It seems the Cowboys scout team have the Eagles figured out.

However, both teams will enter into Thursday’s game not looking like the same teams that faced off last December. The Eagles have no Desean Jackson, no Nick Foles (out with injury), Mark Sanchez will get the start, and they’ve added special teams firecracker Darren Sproles. The Cowboys…well the running game is beyond better than then, Tony Romo is healthy, the OL is giving him time to sit in the pocket and think about what he’s having for dinner, and the most shocking of all…the defense is playing waaaaay beyond expectations. Ranked 17th compared to dead last when the season ended last year.

The key to winning this game for the Cowboys is simple…. Run the ball well. And give our defense less time on the field by keeping the up-tempo Eagles offense off the field. When the Cowboys defense is on the field for longer than 30 minutes in a game the Cowboys lose. The only exception was Sunday versus the Giants whose time of possession was greater than The Cowboys at 45 minutes but thanks to great play by Romo down the stretch they pulled it off. The Cowboys defense was on the field for a season-high 74 plays Sunday night and it showed as they looked gassed near the end. The Eagles average 72.7 plays a game. The Cowboys defense has only been on the field for an average of 60.5 plays per game.

This is what I’m telling myself (and you) to convince that the Cowboys will win…..

The Eagles are ranked really low (30th I think) in passing yards per attempt defense, while the Cowboys are #2 in passing yards per attempt offense. The Eagles are -8 in turnovers with 27 turnovers and 19 takeaways. The Cowboys are -1 with 19 turnovers and 18 takeaways. I would be doing you an injustice if I didn’t mentioned that Mark Sanchez has turned the ball over this year 8 times in his 4 starts. Romo…6 times in 10 starts. DeMarcco Murray is averaging about 5 yards per carry… the Eagles are giving up an average of 3.9 yards per rushing attempt. Houston averages 3.9 given up per rushing attempt and Seattle averages 3.5 rushing yards given up per attempt. How did they do against the Cowboys?

My only concern going into this game for the Cowboys is that although they are undefeated on the road….they are 3-3 at home. They have to show and show whose house it is. Represent the Star and send the Eagles home with their wings tucked between their legs.

Let’s get ready to rumble jive turkeys!

 Follow me @beautyofsports

 

Derrick "The Glass" Rose

Call him Derrick "The Glass" Rose!

If I turn on my TV and here that Derrick Rose has another injury...I'm going to...well I don't know what I'm going to do but I'm not even a Bulls fan and I'm frustrated! So I can only imagine how Bulls fans are feeling today. Ugh!

Rose, who has not started and finished two consecutive games this season, left the game Tuesday night versus the Denver Nuggets with an injury after playing a full 10 minutes.  Rose was 1-for-4 from the field for two points in 10 minutes, but was not aggressive when he was on the floor.

The Bulls listed the injury as left hamstring tightness, but Rose said after the game his hamstring was fine and he did not have a setback. He was "just trying to be smart" given his recent injury history.

Rose just returned to the floor this Monday night versus the Utah Jazz after missing the previous four games due to the same injury. He scored 18 points in 25 minutes.

Rose has missed eight games already this season, four others because of sprained ankles.

Sportsgrid.com writer Tim Reynolds posted this pic on twitter delineating every bump, bruise and tear Rose has had as a pro.

At this rate you can expect me to write more of the same post several times this year.

Good day.  

NBA All-Star Ballot Will Include All Players

The NBA is expanding the All-Star ballot to include all players, and pushing back the start of voting so fans can really ponder their decisions

Voting for the  All-Star game which will be held Feb. 15 game in New York, will begin Dec. 11 and conclude at the end of the day Jan. 19

The ballot on NBA.com will for the first time feature every player in the league. It use to only included 60 players per conference who had been selected by a media panel. I think this gives underrated players a chance to shine instead of the same players being considered every year!

Fans will continue to vote as usual for three frontcourt players and two guards to start for each conference. 
 
 President of basketball operations Rod Thorn said Thursday "Our choice to include all NBA players is both a tribute to their skills and achievements, and another way to engage our fans in the full experience of NBA All-Star by giving them every option."

 I agree.  

Ravens Cut Ray Rice: Too Late!

I woke up this morning to a very disturbing video. I thought I was having a nightmare (Ok..that was a tad bit dramatic but…whatever). It showed Ravens running back Ray Rice “Mayweathering” his now-wife (then fiancé). I watched it several times. Each time getting more and more upset at the leniency Rice had been granted. (And then I got selfish…Upset at the fact that I had to drop Josh Gordon from my fantasy team because he is suspended for the YEAR for smoking marijuana and here this woman beating scumbag is with a 2 game suspension. *I digress*).

How Hank Aaron Overcame The Hate

Source: Smashing Top Ten

Source

It was 40 years ago today that Hank Aaron did what most thought was impossible. On April 8, 1974, the Atlanta Brave hit home run number 715.

On that day he broke Babe Ruth's total home run record -- something few thought could ever be done.

It was an incredible accomplishment made even more incredible because it happened in the shadow of hate and death threats. Those threats came from people who did not want an African-American to claim such an important record.

CNN wrote a very intriguing story detailing how hank overcame the hate to become the BEST and what all the hate entailed. Read it here

NFL Playoffs: How Girls Will Make Their Picks This Weekend!

 

A woman’s insight on sports is not always taken seriously and rightfully so (for the most part). There are women out here, like me, who genuinely love the game of football or sports in general and can hold an in depth convo about it with any guy. And theeen there are the women who are just acting like they are into the game because they are trying to impress a guy. I’ve decided to make my picks for the Divisional rounds using my “girl that really doesn’t like football but will go to the watch party because there are going to be guys there” perspective.

Let’s go!

PATRIOTS V BRONCOS

Photo: cbssports

Ok so I really don’t like Brady’s attitude sometime. He seems like he’d be more of a diva than me. Hogging the bathroom and taking up my space in the closet. Ugh! Any man like that CANNOT be a good football right? However, ya’ll know I like my men rough around the edges and that Brady dude has 2 babies out of wedlock by 2 different women...that tells me he likes to take risk! I like that. So I’m kinda leaning toward him. BUT that other dude...Eli’s brother. Yea he just seems so cool out there. Like he won’t let anything rattle him and i need that in my life because my ex-boyfriend is cray cray and I need a change! Plus I like the way he runs on the field real slow, kinda like a fast walk with short steps.  And his little head is  so adorable lol. The Broncos uniforms are orange which is my favorite color and that guy Champ Bailey looks like my brother. Yea I’ve made up my mind. I’m going with the Broncos.

49ERS V SEAHAWKS

Oooooooohweeee everytime I see Kapernickle play I start hummmming and thinking things I have no business thinking! Who can focus on tackling when you are looking at all of that in the picture to your left?!!  As I mentioned before I like my men rough around the edges but Kapernickle is rough around the edges, on the inside, in the middle, at the corners..all that. I need at least 2 more weeks of him in my life and if they lose then there won’t be any more coverage on him and I will have to resort to Googling his name just to see his face! I know Seattle is the better team (that’s what my boss says..he’s a huge fan) but they don’t really have any eye candy on their team. I mean the cuter guys usually win these things right? I don’t know. I do like dreads and it seems like half the Seahawks have dreads in their head. Takes me back to my roots! Plus that Lynch guy eats Skittles which is my favorite snack. I’m really torn on this one. Hmmmm.....well, since I don’t even know what a  49er is.....I’ll roll with the birds. The Seahawks.

Divisional Round Picks: Chargers v Broncos

Sunday 4:40 PM ET CBS

Chargers (9-7) Broncos (13-3)

 

 

 

 

 

NFL REGULAR SEASON RANKINGS

 

Total Offense-          Chargers: 24th         Broncos: 26th  

Passing-                   Chargers: 30th         Broncos: 29th   

Rushing-                  Chargers: 3rd            Broncos: 11th   

Total Defense-         Chargers: 5th            Broncos: 2nd    

Pass Defense-         Chargers: 4th            Broncos: 6th    

Rush Defense-        Chargers: 26th          Broncos: 2nd  
  

The goal is clear: Keeping Manning off the field. The Chargers are the only team to hold Peyton's Broncos to under 400 yards -- and they did it twice this season.

The Denver Broncos and San Diego Chargers split their series this season. As a matter of fact, the only three teams the Broncos lost to this season are the three teams left in the AFC playoffs—the Chargers, Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots! *the plot thickens*

In the Chargers' Week 15 win over the Broncos, San Diego's defense limited Manning to seven yards per attempt and picked him off once, but it was their offense—led by rookie receiver Keenan Allen (2 TD’s) and running back Ryan Mathews (127 yards and a TD)—that made the biggest difference. However, Mathews may not be available for this one.
Look for Manning to shake the playoff ghost that haunts him of not getting it done in the post season. He has too many weapons for the Chargers defense to match up with, and he's not going to lose to a team that handed him his last loss.

Pick: Broncos

Confidence: 4

Divisional Round Picks: 49ers v Panthers

Sunday 1:05 PM ET FOX

49ers (12-4) Panthers (12-4)

 

 

NFL REGULAR SEASON RANKINGS

Total Offense-          49ers: 24th     Panthers: 26th  

Passing-                  49ers: 30th    Panthers: 29th   

Rushing-                  49ers: 3rd       Panthers: 11th   

Total Defense-         49ers: 5th       Panthers: 2nd    

Pass Defense-         49ers: 4th       Panthers: 6th    

Rush Defense-        49ers: 26th     Panthers: 2nd    

It’s clear, based on the rankings above that this will not be a offensive game. With the exception of the run game, both these teams fall no better than 24th on the offensive side of the ball. So that means one thing…we will get a dose of a 10-9 score game. Which was the score when they met in Week 10.

That Panthers victory at San Francisco featured the fewest combined yards (401) of any NFL game this season and one of just eight games that had only one touchdown scored between the two teams. The primary difference between then and now is that 49ers have Michael Crabtree, Vernon Davis and Aldon Smith at full capacity.

This is probably the most evenly matched match up of the weekend.

The 49ers and Panthers will have to rely upon their defenses. For San Francisco, it's a great front seven with one of the best linebacker corps in the league and in Carolina, it's the best young linebacker in the NFL (Luke Kuechly) with a great defensive line in front of him.

Both defenses are going to have their hands full with both 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick and Panthers QB Cam Newton as they can win on the ground and through the air. This season, Newton has been the better player, but Kaepernick has the better surrounding cast.

The 49ers haven't lost with Michael Crabtree on the field this season

Pick: 49ers

Confidence: 3

Divisional Round Picks: Colts v Patriots

Saturday8:15 PM ET CBS

Colts (11-5) Patriots (12-4)

 

NFL REGULAR SEASON RANKINGS

Total Offense-         Colts: 15th     Patriots : 7th

Passing-                  Colts: 17th      Patriots: 10th

Rushing-                 Colts: 20th      Patriots: 9th  

Total Defense-        Colts: 20th      Patriots: 26th   

Pass Defense-        Colts: 13th      Patriots: 18th   

Rush Defense-        Colts: 26th      Patriots: 30th  

 Past meets present when the Indianapolis Colts (11-5) face the New England Patriots (12-4) for what feels like the umpteenth time in the past 10 years. Only this time, instead of Manning it's Luck who will be trying to knock Patriots quarterback Tom Brady out of the playoffs at home.

Both Luck and Brady are missing a lot of their supporting talent this weekend, with Luck without receiver Reggie Wayne and Brady without Wes Welker, and both his prime tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez.

Long story short, Luck can't afford to turn the ball over three times in New England. The Pats have forced 170 turnovers over the past five years, the most in the NFL. The last thing the Colts want to do is give Tom Brady short fields -- or get behind 38-10.

Last week, the Colts gave up  44 points. What if the Chiefs hadn't lost Jamal Charles, Brandon Flowers, Don Avery..and more? This would be a different write up.  Indy's defense must stop the run, as the Pats have run the football 77 times over their past two games. Unfortunately, this isn't the Colts strength, as evidenced above by their No. 26 ranking in run defense. Oh, well. …better Luck next year J

Pick: Patriots

Confidence: 4

Divisional Round Picks: Seahawks v Saints

Saturday 4:35 PM ET FOX

Seahawks (13-3) Saints (11-5)

 

 

 

 

NFL REGULAR SEASON RANKINGS

Total Offense-           Saints: 4th    Seahawks : 17th

Passing-                   Saints: 2nd     Seahawks : 24th

Rushing-                  Saints: 25th    Seahawks: 4th  

Total Defense-         Saints: 4th     Seahawks : 1st  

Pass Defense-         Saints: 2nd     Seahawks : 1st  

Rush Defense-        Saints: 19th    Seahawks : 7th

I’m not big on stats because if there is even a 1% percent chance that something can happen then it may happen…BUT here's a stat to believe in...teams that lost a regular season game by 27+ points and played that same team on the road in the postseason are 2-9. The Seahawks’ handed the Saints a 34-7 beat down in Week 13. The Seahawks have won five consecutive postseason home games -- tied for the longest active streak (tied with the Saints!).

However, this game won’t be like the Week 13 game. This game will be more balanced and a game of strength versus strength.. The Seahawks “Legion of Boom” versus the Saints explosive offensive attack.

Where the Seahawks win this game, however, is by rattling Saints quarterback Drew Brees as they did in their last matchup, when they racked up six QB hits and a sack.

The Seahawks have allowed 13 points per game at home this season, the best in the NFL. That includes just seven points from the Saints in Week 13. Can New Orleans do better this time around? I say YES! This could be the upset of the week. I wouldn’t be surprised. However, the Seahawks still have more talent and depth than the New Orleans Saints. So while it will be a closer game, Seattle still wins. (and I will probably make sure all my Saints fan friends know about it via Facebook :-) )

Pick: Seattle Seahawks

Confidence: 3

Who is the most feared player in the NFL?

ESPN.com's NFL Nation anonymous survey asked more than 320 players "Who is the most feared player in the NFL?"

The results are in:

Voted at the top for obviously different reasons, one has the reputation as the dirtiest player in the league while the other is among the league's most dangerous offensive weapons… both are Detroit Lions.

Defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh led all players with 61 votes (19 percent), and WR Calvin Johnson followed with 58 votes. No other player received more than 30 votes, and 48 players had at least one vote.