2014 Week 6 NFL Picks

14 wins and only one loss.

Yes, folks that was my prediction record last week. I did a fantastic job any way you want to look at it, and the incredible weekly record brings my season mark to a healthy 49-27 (64.47%).

As teams continue to play more consistently, the games will become easier to predict, and I expect my success to continue.

If you want to win an easy $10 Amazon gift card in an easy trivia contest this Thursday click on the following link or at the link at the bottom of this post: https://jacobssportstalk.wordpress.com/2014/09/01/annoucing-jacobs-sports-talk-nfl-twitter-trivia-contest

But if you want some provenly accurate NFL prediction advice, then get ready.

Here they are:

Indianapolis Colts (3-2) vs. Houston Texans (3-2) (Thursday at 8:25 PM ET)-

The Texans finally lost last week, and while this team is better than their 2-14 debacle last year, Ryan Fitzpatrick’s crew is not much above the mediocre mark.

Playing Andrew Luck and a rapidly improving Colts offense that is clearly playoff-bound, I don’t think Houston has enough…even at home.

Winner: Colts

The following games are on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET:

Pittsburgh Steelers (3-2) vs. Cleveland Browns (2-2)-

The Steelers are definitely one of the most inconsistent teams in the NFL. They are extremely hard to predict, but I do know this much: they barely beat the Jaguars last week, they lost to the Buccaneers a couple of weeks ago, and they hung on to only a three-point victory at home against these Browns in week 1.

With Brian Hoyer and Cleveland actually playing good football and this game being in Ohio, I’ll take the Browns to move above .500. Not much confidence because you never know with the Steelers.

Winner: Browns

New England Patriots (3-2) vs. Buffalo Bills (3-2)-

Last week, Tom Brady did what an elite quarterback does – he proved the doubters wrong. After a couple of tough losses that had even me shaking my head, Brady went out and led his team to a win over the then undefeated Bengals in prime time. It was a big statement, and while I still believe that the Patriots are on the decline, I have more faith in their playoff hopes.

While Kyle Orton and the Bills did get an upset win over the Lions last week, they still are a relatively weak team that lacks proven playmakers. I still expect them to finish right around the 6-10 or 7-9 mark at the end of the season.

On the road, the Patriots show some consistency. Brady’s crew gets their second straight win.

UPDATE: After further consideration, the Patriots’ inconsistency is concerning me further. Buffalo has looked impressive in some games this year, and at home, I’ll change my pick and say they get the “W”.

Winner: Bills 

Carolina Panthers (3-2) vs. Cincinnati Bengals (3-1)- 

Cam Newton and the Panthers looked pretty decent in a win over the Bears last week, while the Bengals got blown out by the Patriots in prime time.

Nevertheless, the Panthers remain a banged up team and the Bengals play much better at home than they do on the road.

I’m taking the healthier and more talented team to bounce back in front of their home crowd.

Winner: Bengals 

Jacksonville Jaguars (0-5) vs. Tennessee Titans (1-4)-

This is a tough pick between two bad teams.

Blake Bortles might be the future of the Jaguars, but this season, he makes them nothing more than a weak team.

The Titans have also looked terrible early in the season. Jake Locker may have future potential, but like the Jaguars, Tennessee lacks proven playmakers. It doesn’t help that Locker got injured again on Sunday and his status for this game is uncertain.

The Titans are probably the slightly better team. Playing at home, I’ll take them to get the win. However, this is nothing more than a toss-up.

Winner: Titans

Green Bay Packers (3-2) vs. Miami Dolphins (2-2)-

With big wins over the Bears and Vikings, Aaron Rodgers and the Packers have gotten right back on track. Rodgers’ elite play, the emergence of young running back Eddie Lacy, and the continued presence of wide receivers Randall Cobb and Jordy Nelson make this offense among the best in the NFL.

The Dolphins have looked decent so far this year, but against a great team like the Packers, I think Ryan Tannehill’s squad will be over-matched.

Winner: Packers

Detroit Lions (3-2) vs. Minnesota Vikings (2-3)-

Matthew Stafford and the Lions are demonstrating their typical inconsistency. They have to get it together if they want to truly contend for the postseason.

The Vikings got crushed last week, but that was without quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. With Teddy back for this game and the Vikings playing at home, I will take Minnesota to squeak out a tight divisional win.

Winner: Vikings

Denver Broncos (3-1) vs. New York Jets (1-4)-

This is Peyton Manning and one of the greatest offenses in NFL history going up against that Geno Smith/Michael Vick mess in New York. Excellent vs. terrible. A no-brainer pick here.

Winner: Broncos

Baltimore Ravens (3-2) vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-4)-

After beating the Steelers and keeping things close with the Saints, it can probably be assumed that the Buccaneers are a better team under quarterback Mike Glennon than under quarterback Josh McCown. They still won’t be anywhere near the playoff race, but it is something to consider when looking at their talent.

The Ravens can sometimes look really bad, but lately, that has not been the case. Led by Super Bowl champion quarterback Joe Flacco, Baltimore has gathered up some impressive showings, and while they did lose a tight one to the Colts last week, I’m starting to strongly consider them as true threats for an AFC North crown.

I thought about an upset because the Bucs have played better and the Ravens are often inconsistent, but it’s still a bad team vs. a pretty good team. I’ll take favorite to get the W.

Winner: Ravens

San Diego Chargers (4-1) vs. Oakland Raiders (0-4) (Sunday at 4:05 PM ET)-

Philip Rivers and the Chargers are a solid team playing playoff-worthy football, while Derek Carr and the Raiders lack quality players and have played terribly to start the season.

This is an easy pick.

Winner: Chargers

The following games are on Sunday at 4:25 PM ET:

Chicago Bears (2-3) vs. Atlanta Falcons (2-3)-

This is a battle of two talented teams that just cannot seem to put it together.

With solid quarterback Jay Cutler, two stud wide receivers in Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery, and a great running back in Matt Forte, the Bears have the ingredients for a Super Bowl contending team. However, for whatever reason, they just cannot seem to put it together when it matters most, and that was proven against Carolina last week.

The Falcons also have some great weapons: quarterback Matt Ryan is a fantastic player, and you cannot go wrong with the wide receiver duo of Julio Jones and Roddy White. However, over the past couple of seasons, Atlanta has struggled to make that offense click and I ultimately think it will cost them a playoff spot in the end.

As far as this pick goes, it is a virtual toss-up. However, Atlanta tends to play better at home than they do on the road (a win over the Saints and a demolishment of the Buccaneers proves that point), so with low confidence, I will take the Falcons to edge out the Bears in this one.

Winner: Falcons

Dallas Cowboys (4-1) vs. Seattle Seahawks (4-1)-

Lately, Tony Romo and the Cowboys have been playing much better football. They haven’t had the hardest of schedules, but they have done what they needed to do to put themselves in a decent position for a playoff berth. The talent on the offense is undeniable, and while I do have my concerns over their inconsistency, I need to give some credit where credit is due.

However, this week, they’re playing the Seahawks…in Seattle.

I don’t think Dallas stands much of a chance.

Winner: Seahawks

Washington Redskins (1-4) vs. Arizona Cardinals (3-1)-

Though the offense does have some young, talented weapons, the Redskins are barely reaching the mediocre mark. Their play is resembling their 2013 debacle, and whether it’s RGIII or Kirk Cousins, they just cannot seem to get it done.

The Cardinals are also having some quarterback injury troubles, but unlike the Redskins, they’ve been able to deal with them in a proper manner. Even if Logan Thomas gets the start under center, Arizona is at home, and quite frankly, with some solid tools on both sides of the ball, they just find ways to win games.

I’ll take the more proven team, even if the QB situation doesn’t look great.

Winner: Cardinals

New York Giants (3-2) vs. Philadelphia Eagles (4-1) (Sunday at 8:30 PM ET)-

Nick Foles and the Eagles have plenty of talented offensive weapons, but in my eyes, they’re not quite an elite team. They’ve just barely squeaked out home victories over teams like the Rams and the Redskins, and I think they might be due for a tough loss.

Eli Manning and the Giants have been playing much better football as of late. They’ve won three in a row, and while I still don’t think they’ll do too much in the playoffs race, I will take them to get win #4 – an upset over the Eagles in Philadelphia.

Winner: Giants

San Francisco 49ers (3-2) vs. St. Louis Rams (1-3) (Monday at 7:30 PM ET)-

The Rams may have some talent and Austin Davis may actually be the quarterback of the future.

However, right now, the 49ers are a much more developed and consistent team. Even on the road, I will take them to get a Monday night win.

Winner: 49ers

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2014 Week 5 NFL Recap

With the exception of two games, week 5 of the 2014 NFL season has concluded, and two big things stick out at me when looking at how things played out:

1. There was a good amount of comebacks and entertaining finishes.

2. It was a fantastic week in the prediction world. I have started 12-1. Ths boosts my season record to 47-27 (63.51%) and significantly lifts me up in the pick’em standings.

I am very satisfied with how things played out, so let’s point some things out. Here are some factors that stood out in week 5:

• The Cowboys are 4-1 and have reason to be happy. However, I’m not buying them as true playoff contenders quite yet. I need one more win against a solid team.

• The Lions’ inconsistency continues! Their loss to the Bills marks my only incorrect pick so far in week 5.

• The Saints have a lot of work to do, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. But their overtime win over the Buccaneers today might have saved their season.

• The Falcons’ road struggles continue, while Eli Manning and the Giants seem to have officially turned things around.

• Brian Hoyer and the Browns are a comeback machine. After being down 28-3 at halftime, they come back on the road to beat the Titans by a point.

• Geno Smith and the Jets look awful. Purely. Awful.

Want to win a $10 Amazon gift card.? Follow me on Twitter @jacobs_sports, and click on the following link for more information: https://jacobssportstalk.wordpress.com/2014/09/01/annoucing-jacobs-sports-talk-nfl-twitter-trivia-contest

 

Thursday Twitter Trivia Contest – Week 5

This week’s question: 

What was the name of the Green Bay Packers’ first home field?

If you think you know the answer (spelling must be correct), tweet it to me now @jacobs_sports. The first user to get it right will be put into a random drawing to win a virtual $10 Amazon gift card at the end of the season.

But you must hurry! If nobody gets it right by 7:00 PM Eastern Time, this week’s contest will be void.

Good luck, and if you miss out, don’t worry. We have a contest every Thursday of the NFL regular season.

Official rules: https://jacobssportstalk.wordpress.com/2014/09/01/annoucing-jacobs-sports-talk-nfl-twitter-trivia-contest/

2014 Week 5 NFL Picks

Four weeks of the 2014 NFL season have already come and gone and this is where the picture starts becoming clearer.

If your team is doing well, it is becoming more and more appropriate to celebrate and look forward to a potential playoff berth.

If your team is sucking, it is becoming more and more appropriate to start panicking about how the rest of the year will pan out.

Sample sizes are no longer extremely small, and we are now approaching the heart of the football season.

On the weekly predictions, I am moving in the right direction. I went a decent 8-5 in a short week 4, and that puts me at 35-26 (57.38%) on the year. As long as I can continue to improve that season percentage and keep/exceed the pace of the pro “experts” than I will be satisified.

I have a nice feeling about this week’s picks so let’s get do it. Here’s how I think things will pan out in week 5:

Minnesota Vikings (2-2) vs. Green Bay Packers (2-2) (Thursday at 8:25 PM ET)-

With the Packers having gotten back on track after a rough start (they looked impressive in a win over the Bears), I am expecting them to enter a hot stretch here.

Elite quarterback Aaron Rodgers, a variety of solid weapon receivers, and a young, talented running back in Eddie Lacy make this offense among the best in the league.

Playing Teddy Bridgewater and a Vikings team that might be in for letdown loss, I will take the better and more talented squad to pick up a relatively easy home victory.

Winner: Packers

The following games are on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET:

Chicago Bears (2-2) vs. Carolina Panthers (2-2)-

Even though the actual execution and consistency of Jay Cutler and the Bears’ offense does worry me, Jay Cutler, Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffery, and Matt Forte all make this a dangerous team and one that we should not underestimate any given week.

Playing Cam Newton and a declining Panthers club whose lack of offensive weapons is starting to show (blowouts losses to the Steelers and Ravens are causes for concerns), I’ll say that at home, Carolina might keep this one close.

But in the end, the Bears’ offensive firepower is too much to fight off.

UPDATE: After looking at the Panthers’ home dominance last season, I think that Cam Newton and the crew have what it takes to win this game. They squeak one out here.

Winner: Panthers

Cleveland Browns (1-2) vs. Tennessee Titans (1-3)-

The Browns have been somewhat impressive in the early portion of the season. They beat the Saints and kept things close against the Steelers and Ravens. Brian Hoyer has proven himself as a decent starting quarterback, and the offensive execution is not as bad as most of us expected.

The Titans, on the other hand, are a much bigger disappointment. The Jake Locker offense is not clicking, and after picking up a big upset win over the Chiefs, this team has done nothing in the past few weeks. I think there is a lack of playmakers, and the fact that Locker didn’t even play last week makes matters even worse.

Signs may point to the Browns, but there is a reason Tennessee beat the Chiefs – Locker and the offense can have their weeks.

At home, I think the Titans take this game…but it does depend on the health of Locker.

UPDATE: Even with Locker ready to play this game, I’m having second thoughts. The Browns are well-rested, Brian Hoyer has been leading this offense in a very good way, and even on the road, I see Cleveland pulling out a tight one.

Winner: Browns

Before you read on, I’d like to introuduce you to a weekly trivia contest I am doing. I’ll release a trivia question right here on this blog at 6:00 PM ET Thursday. Be the first to tweet the correct response to @jacobs_sports and win a virtual $10 Amazon gift card. For details, refer to the following link or the one at the bottom of this blog post: https://jacobssportstalk.wordpress.com/2014/09/01/annoucing-jacobs-sports-talk-nfl-twitter-trivia-contest

St. Louis Rams (1-2) vs. Philadelphia Eagles (3-1)-

This is an easy pick. With quarterback Nick Foles, wide receiver Jeremy Maclin, and of course running back LeSean McCoy, the Eagles have a solid amount of offensive firepower.

At home, they should be no match for Austin Davis and a weak Rams team.

Winner: Eagles

Atlanta Falcons (2-2) vs. New York Giants (2-2)-

Matt Ryan and the Falcons are a talented team, but there’s a reason I picked Minnesota to get the upset last week –Atlanta cannot always put that talent together. This is particularly the case on the road, and it once again showed last week.

The Giants struggled in the first couple of weeks, but they have looked good in the past couple of games, comfortably beating both the Texans and Redskins in the last few weeks. This game will probably be a bit more of a challenge, but with two time Super Bowl champion quarterback Eli Manning seemingly putting that offense back together, I’ll take New York to get a home win.

Winner: Giants

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-3) vs. New Orleans Saints (1-3)-

The Buccaneers, who lost 56-14 to the Falcons in week 3, actually beat the Steelers last week. Perhaps the quarterback change from Josh McCown to Mike Glennon is a benefit, but nevertheless, this is a struggling offense that I don’t expect to do much of anything here in 2014.

As for the Saints, it is worry time. Suffering a blowout loss to the Cowboys is huge reason for concern, and while I am still a believer in Drew Brees and his elite quarterback skills, if the Saints don’t win here, it will officially be panic time in New Orleans.

Even with their recent struggles, the pick is still clear. I expect New Orleans to bounce back in a very powerful fashion. At home, I would not be surprised to see the Saints get a 30+ point victory.

Lock of the week.

Winner: Saints

Houston Texans (3-1) vs. Dallas Cowboys (3-1)-

Sunday was the first time in a while that the Cowboys truly impressed me. A blowout win over the Saints caught me by complete surprise and though I am still not a believer in Tony Romo and that inconsistent Cowboys offense, I have never denied their talent. Romo is a talented QB, wide receiver Dez Bryant remains a stud, and DeMarco Murray is quickly emerging into the top tier of NFL running backs.

The Texans may be 3-1, but they have not shown too much offensive firepower over the first few weeks. Ryan Fitzpatrick is not very good, and despite a decent early record, I do not expect them to do much as far as the playoff race is concerned.

At home, Dallas moves to an impressive 4-1.

Winner: Cowboys

Buffalo Bills (2-2) vs. Detroit Lions (3-1)-

Since starting the season 2-0, EJ Manuel and the Bills have struggled badly, and as a result, Buffalo announced that quarterback Kyle Orton will start ahead of Manuel this week. I actually do think that Orton is an improvement over Manuel, and perhaps some time off is exactly what EJ needs to get back on track to being the future quarterback of the Bills. However, regardless of which QB starts under center, I still consider Buffalo a relatively weak team that should stay out of the playoff picture.

The Lions still look like the Lions of recent years. I’m going to need to see a little more from Stafford and this squad to see that they can win on a consistent level. Nevertheless, Stafford’s powerful arm and Megatron’s incredible receiving skills should carry Detroit in this one.

Winner: Lions

Baltimore Ravens (3-1) vs. Indianapolis Colts (2-2)-

The Ravens have played well for the last three weeks, but a track record of inconsistency continues to worry me. Quarterback Joe Flacco may be a Super Bowl champion, but he has been very on-and-off over the years, and you just do not know what to expect from this team any given week.

The Colts have also been a tad inconsistent over the past couple of seasons, but with quarterback Andrew Luck gaining experience, that is beginning to change. Luck is emerging into a superstar player in front of our very eyes, and even with a pretty mediocre receiving core, he is making that offense roll in elite style. Look for this young Indianapolis team to continue to emerge and have a cakewalk to the AFC South title.

With the Colts playing well and the Ravens possibly due for a loss, I’ll take Indianapolis to get a home win.

Winner: Colts

Pittsburgh Steelers (2-2) vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (0-4)-

The Steelers may just be the most inconsistent team in the NFL. They looked decent against the Browns in week 1, shutdown the Ravens in week 2, got a huge road win over the Panthers in week 3, and then lost to the Buccaneers in week 4. How does that even happen?

The good news is that they’re playing the Jaguars this week. While I do think Jacksonville is making the right decision starting Bortles, I continue to believe that they’re one of the worst teams in the NFL.

Pittsburgh should bounce back and keep their inconsistency consistent.

Winner: Steelers

Arizona Cardinals (3-0) vs. Denver Broncos (2-1) (Sunday at 4:05 PM ET)-

Even without Carson Palmer the last couple of weeks, the Cardinals have looked very impressive, especially when Drew Stanton’s crew defeated the 49ers in week 3. This is a team that has caught many (including myself) by surprise, and should now be looked at as a legitimate wild card threat in the NFC.

The bad news? They’re playing the Broncos, one of the best teams in the NFL. With still-elite quarterback Peyton Manning, receivers Demaryius Thomas, Wes Welker, Emmanuel Sanders, and Julius Thomas, and an emerging running game with Montee Ball, Denver continues to run an offense like no other and I am standing by my preseason prediction for this team – a Super Bowl title.

While I’m liking the Cardinals more and more every week, at home, Denver has a little too much in this game.

Winner: Broncos

The following games are on Sunday at 4:25 PM ET:

Kansas City Chiefs (2-2) vs. San Francisco 49ers (2-2)-

Both the Chiefs (vs. Patriots) and 49ers (at Eagles) played well in their week 4 match-ups.

However, San Francisco has a proven history of success under quarterback Colin Kaepernick, and I continue to believe that with all the receiver weapons that Kaepernick has at hand, this could be a dangerous team moving forward.

Alex Smith and the Chiefs don’t quite have as successful of a track record, and I feel that’s fitting – Kansas City has a lack of quality receiver weapons. I think they’re a good but not great kind of team, and with them having to go into San Francisco on a short week, I’ll say that the more talented squad comes away with the victory.

Winner: 49ers

New York Jets (1-3) vs. San Diego Chargers (3-1)-

Jets quarterback Geno Smith is hitting some bumps in his quarterback development, and as a result, New York’s offense is not looking great. Inconsistency is nothing new for this team, and since the Jets’ expectations weren’t really that high to begin with, I’d let Smith get through this slump and hopefully, he will remain the long-term answer. As for now, with a 1-3 start, New York’s postseason expectations are slim and I expect them to ultimately stay out of the playoff race once again.

With Philip Rivers and the Chargers offense clicking, they are once again looking like a wild card team in the AFC. Playing a struggling Jets team at home, I’ll take them to get a “W”.

Winner: Chargers

Cincinnati Bengals (3-0) vs. New England Patriots (2-2) (Sunday at 8:30 PM ET)-

Folks, I hate to say it but I think it’s true. Perhaps it’s a bit premature, but I feel like this is the beginning of the end of the Tom Brady era.

Brady and the New England offense have looked terrible so far this year. They lost to the Dolphins, they barely beat the Raiders, and the blowout loss to the Chiefs on Monday night was a red flag that something is going on. The offense just isn’t clicking, and while the Patriots can still make the playoffs because of how wide open the AFC East is, I no longer consider New England an elite team. They’re hovering somewhere around the weak-mediocre line at this point.

Playing Andy Dalton, A.J. Green, a solid defense, and an emerging, undefeated Bengals team, I’ll predict Brady’s Pats to get blown out in prime time for the second week in a row.

After last week’s game, how could I predict any different?

UPDATE: After studying the fact that the Bengals play much better at home than they do on the road and after considering that Tom Brady and the Patriots will be in desperation in front of their home crowd, I’ll take a proven quarterback to actually bounce back after an embarassing showing last week.

Winner: Patriots

Seattle Seahawks (2-1) vs. Washington Redskins (1-3) (Monday at 8:30 PM ET)-

The Seahawks may not be as good on the road as they are at home, but they’re still talented. Quarterback Russell Wilson is a quality, emerging quarterback and the core of the offense – running back Marshawn Lynch – remains an elite playmaker.

Playing Kirk Cousins and a team that got blown out in their own stadium by the Giants (I am beginning to accept that the Redskins offense just isn’t very good), Seattle should comfortably get a win on Monday night.

Winner: Seahawks

 

Want to win a $10 Amazon gift card.? Follow me on Twitter @jacobs_sports, and click on the following link for more information: https://jacobssportstalk.wordpress.com/2014/09/01/annoucing-jacobs-sports-talk-nfl-twitter-trivia-contest

2014 Week 4 NFL Recap

Despite six teams on a bye week, week 4 of the 2014 NFL season featured a decent amount of entertaining games, and one quarter of the year has already concluded for most squads.

The Cowboys are currently leading the Saints 31-3 in the fourth quarter. Assuming New Orleans does not get any miracle comeback, I will start the week 7-5 in my predictions with the last game to go tomorrow night. This would put me at 34-26 (56.67%) on the season, and though I am not at all satifisfied with that percentage, it will go up as NFL team consistency improves.

Right now, let’s prepare for the next week of picks. Here are some things we learned in week 4:

• The Panthers are looking bad. Blowout losses to the Steelers and Ravens have the defending NFC South championships concerned.

• Relax, Packers fans. As predicted, Aaron Rodgers and the crew got right back on track with a rather comfortable road win over the rival Bears.

• The Buccaneers vs. Steelers game is a prime example of how we cannot figure this league out. One week Tampa Bay gets blown out by the Falcons and Pittsburgh blows out the Panthers. Then, with the game in Pennsylvania, the Buccaneers get the win. How?

• Teddy Bridgewater may just be the Vikings quarterback of the future. The Vikings got a big upset win over the Falcons (just like I predicted). Too bad Bridgewater left the game late with an injury.

• The Raiders may just be the worst team in the NFL. A blowout loss to the Dolphins on an international stage? Ouch.

 

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Derek Jeter: A Fairy Tale Career, A Fairy Tale Ending

“Now batting for the Yankees, number 2, Derek Jeter. Number 2.”

A recording of former announcer Bob Sheppard’s voice echoed through Yankee Stadium on Thursday night, but with 48,613 roaring fans, you could have hardly heard a jet.

Derek Jeter, one of the greatest players to ever stop onto a baseball field, was making his way into the batter’s box.

With a runner at first and nobody out, the Yankees already trailing the Baltimore Orioles 2-0 in the first inning, and the all the Yankee fans dying for a base-hit, Jeter knew he had to deliver.

And on a 3-1 count, he did.

A deep drive RBI double to left (Jeter just missed a home run) cut the deficit to 2-1, and the New York crowd was going insane.

But the cheers, of course, had nothing to do with the score of the game.

With the Yankees already eliminated from playoff contention, the final score hardly mattered.

This was a special occasion for a very different reason: Jeter, who had served as the Yankee shortstop since 1996, was playing his final game at Yankee Stadium.

The 14-time All-Star helped lead the Yankees to five world series titles, and had gotten additional awards for World Series MVP, AL Rookie of the Year, and had been awarded both the Gold Glove and the Silver Slugger award five times.

More than anything, however, his incredible hard-work, fan appreciation, and love for the game always made him one of the most likeable players in the major leagues.

A good portion of Yankees fans have never seen an era without Jeter at shortstop, so when Derek delivered that double, it was quite understandable that emotions were high.

Even I, never a fan of the Yankees and over 700 miles away from the ballpark, couldn’t help but smile when I saw the hit.

Thinking I had seen the greatest Jeter highlight of the night, I eventually turned off the game and went to go prepare for Thursday Night Football between the Giants and Redskins.

And this is where I have to give a thank you note to Eli Manning, the quarterback of the Giants. If New York wasn’t blowing out Washington at halftime, I might not have decided to go back to watching the Yankees game.

I might not have seen one of the greatest sports moments in recent memory.

I tuned in right when Jeter was “almost certainly” taking the field for the last time at Yankee Stadium.

It was the top of the ninth inning, and New York held a rather comfortable 5-2 lead.

At this point, believe it or not, I was trying to figure out the odds of Jeter taking another at-bat in this game.

The Orioles would need to score at least three runs, and while I really wanted to see another Jeter home at-bat and a potentially crazy finish, I had accepted the fact that this was it.

But on that night, Baltimore was not done.

With one out in the inning, Adam Jones drilled a two run homer to left , and with two outs, Steve Pearce hit a solo shot to left.

All of a sudden, I could not believe my eyes: we had a tied ballgame.

When I found out that Derek Jeter would bat third in the bottom half of the ninth inning, my head bubbled with crazy scenarios.

And when Jose Pirela singled to lead off the bottom frame and Brett Gardner put him into scoring position with a sacrifice, I truly felt like I was in some live baseball movie.

The plot was set.

Jeter, wearing a home white Yankee uniform with navy blue pin stripes, and a “Number 2” badge to honor his name, stepped up to the plate.

And we all knew what would happen next.

A sharp ground ball to right, an RBI single, a walk off victory for the Yankees, a white and navy-blue sea full of cheers so energetic you could feel them through the TV, and an undescribably magical moment to cap off an incredible career.

Derek Jeter had brought the excitement of October baseball into September, and though I could not focus on football for the rest of the night, I felt privileged just to see it live.

Nothing but respect for Jeter and the organization, and I will never forget where I was or what I was doing on a night like yesterday.

Farewell Captain.

2014 Thursday Trivia Twitter Contest – Week 4

Congratulations to last weeks’ winner @smarkman.

This week’s question: 

Who caught Kirk Cousin’s first career NFL touchdown pass? 

If you think you know the answer (only a last name is necessary), tweet it to me now @jacobs_sports. The first user to get it right will be put into a random drawing to win a virtual $10 Amazon gift card at the end of the season.

But you must hurry! If nobody gets it right by 5:00 PM Eastern Time, this week’s contest will be void.

Good luck, and if you miss out, don’t worry. We have a contest every Thursday of the NFL regular season.

Official rules: https://jacobssportstalk.wordpress.com/2014/09/01/annoucing-jacobs-sports-talk-nfl-twitter-trivia-contest/

2014 Week 4 NFL Picks

 Three of the 17 2014 NFL regular season weeks have been completed, and this season has not failed to give us its share of surprises.

Some teams who we thought would contend for the Super Bowl (Packers, Patriots, Saints, 49ers), have gotten off to slow starts, while others have surprised in a more positive manner.

The surprises do show a little bit in my weekly predictions, as a 10-6 week 3 record and a 27-21 (56.25%) 2014 record are both rather mediocre.

However, surprises are typical in the first few weeks of the season. As consistency blankets the NFL, that percentage will increase and the analysis will become more accurate.

Before we get rolling with the week 4 picks, I would like to remind all of my readers about the weekly contests I run.

On Thursday at 4:00 PM ET, I will release this week’s trivia question right here on this blog. Be the first to tweet me the correct answer @jacobs_sports, and you will be automatically entered to win a $10 Amazon gift card at the end of the season.

We do this every Thursday, all regular season long, and if you would like more information, please refer to the following link or the one at the bottom of this blog post: https://jacobssportstalk.wordpress.com/2014/09/01/annoucing-jacobs-sports-talk-nfl-twitter-trivia-contest

Only time will tell what will really happen on the field, but for now, I can give it my best, researched guess. Here are the predictions for week 4:

New York Giants (1-2) vs. Washington Redskins (1-2) (Thursday at 8:25 PM ET)-

Both of these NFC East teams are rather mediocre, and in all honesty, I do not expect either to make the playoffs.

However, under quarterback Kirk Cousins, I believe that it is the Redskins running a more organized and explosive offense. They have more offensive weapons, they create fewer turnovers, they kept things close against the undefeated Eagles last week, and at home, I think they will have enough to beat a weak Giants club.

Winner: Redskins

The following games are on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET:

Green Bay Packers (1-2) vs. Chicago Bears (2-1)-

Despite me picking the Packers to advance to the Super Bowl in the preseason, they have not gotten off to a very good start.

Aaron Rodgers’s offense is not clicking like it was last year, and with losses to the Seahawks and Lions and only a tight win over the Jets, I would be lying if I said I was not a little bit concerned. However, we must remember that Rodgers, one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, has a variety of solid weapons available, and the running game with the young and also talented Eddie Lacy is another reason why we should not underestimate this team.

After a tight upset loss to the Bills in week 1, the Bears have bounced right back, going on the road and beating both the 49ers and the Jets. This team has looked solid over the past couple of weeks, and as I said in the preseason, they have the talent to contend for a Super Bowl. Quarterback Jay Cutler, running back Matt Forte, and wide receivers Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery are all great talents, and if Chicago can just put it all together like they have been doing recently, they can definitely win the NFC North and potentially make some noise in the postseason.

This is a difficult pick because I feel like both of these two teams are around the same level of production. However, with Chicago’s recent success and Green Bay’s recent struggles, I’ll say that the home team gets a statement win.

THURSDAY UPDATE: After further consideration, while statisitcal signs may point to Chicago, I have a feeling that an elite team like the Packers can bounce back after a tough loss. If the Bears were more consistent, I would pick them. However, their lack of continued proven success and the Packers’ recent dominance in this rivalry as me changing my original pick.

Winner: Packers 

 Buffalo Bills (2-1) vs. Houston Texans (2-1)-

This is a very even match-up between two teams who are considered weak, but have gotten off to relatively good starts.

On one side we have E.J. Manuel and the Bills. Although they were shut-down by the Chargers last week, wins over the Bears and Dolphins have impressed me. Perhaps this shows that Manuel is developing in his process as a young NFL quarterback and that there is a light at the end of the tunnel for Buffalo.

On the other we have Ryan Fitzpatrick and the Texans. Though they have yet to play a solid team, they looked fairly dominant in wins over the Redskins and Raiders. Despite losing to the Giants last week, I am not ruling this team a bust. Fitzpatrick is not terrible, Houston does have a solid wide-out in Andre Johnson, and we cannot forget about Arian Foster, the injury-prone yet potentially elite running back who missed last week’s game due to…wait for it…an injury. Mix this in with a solid defense and you have a team who may finish around the .500 mark, not 2-14 like last year.

I went back and forth on this pick for approximately 15 minutes (whenever I do that, I almost always get it wrong so take note) but with Houston having yet to play a good team, getting beat by the Giants last week, and the Bills getting two impressive wins in the first two weeks of the season, I have to take Buffalo to squeak out a road win.

Winner: Bills

Tennessee Titans (1-2) vs. Indianapolis Colts (1-2)-

With quarterback Andrew Luck quickly growing into one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, the Colts shook off their 0-2 start with a blowout win over the Jaguars last week. I am a huge Luck fan and continue to comfortably believe that Indianapolis should cruise to an AFC South victory.

The Titans are one of those teams that can look great one week and terrible the next, but with the talented but young Jake Locker under center, you would kind of expect that. Again, the Colts are the favorites in this division, and with Tennessee lacking a bit of explosiveness, I don’t expect them to be major contenders this year.

I can see the Titans winning this game, but with Luck’s talent and big losses to the Cowboys and Bengals, I simply cannot take Tennessee.

Winner: Colts

Carolina Panthers (2-1) vs. Baltimore Ravens (2-1)-

The Panthers loss to the Steelers on Sunday night was surprising, but it’s nothing something I will take into tremendous consideration when picking this game.

Here’s the deal: Under Cam Newton, the Panthers cruised to a division title with a 12-4 record last year. The Ravens, on the other hand, are incredibly inconsistent, and while they can look great one week, they can also look awful the next.

Having won their past two games, I’m going to say that Baltimore is due for a bad game, and on the road, Carolina gets a big road win.

Winner: Panthers

Detroit Lions (2-1) vs. New York Jets (1-2)-

The Lions are coming off a big win over the Packers last week. As is the case with the Bears, this team has talent but often fails to put it together. Matthew Stafford has a powerful arm, wide receiver Calvin Johnson is the best in the business, and if they can limit the errors and inconsistency, they too have the potential to win the NFC North.

The Jets probably won’t have enough to contend for the postseason, but after keeping it close with two good teams like the Packers and Bears, I am not quite ruling them out. Geno Smith has shown flashes of talent, the offense looks better than in previous years, and to consider this team flat-out bad would be foolish.

This should be a tight game. I’m going to go with my gut and say that after a big win over the Packers, the Lions go into New York and suffer a little bit of a letdown loss.

THURSDAY UPDATE: With the Lions offense looking as sharp as it has, and the Jets coming off a short week, I’m switching this tough pick to Detroit.

Winner: Lions

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-3) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (2-1)-

After seeing them lose to Derek Anderson’s Panthers, Austin Davis’s Rams, and get absolutely demolished by the Falcons, I am starting to think that the Buccaneers can make a serious contention for the NFL’s worst team. The Josh McCown offense just isn’t clicking, and a team we thought might be a bit of a surprise is making opponents laugh and fans cry.

Playing on the road against a Steelers team that looked impressive against the Panthers on Sunday night, this pick is ridiculously easy.

Winner: Steelers

Miami Dolphins (1-2) vs. Oakland Raiders (0-3)-

Derek Carr’s Raiders have played at a bad level so far, and with this team lacking serious talent at almost all positions, I consider them among the NFL’s worst.

Ryan Tannehill and the Dolphins have suffered two disappointing losses after a big win against the Patriots in week 1. However, I continue to believe in Tannehill and that developing offense, and though I expect this game to remain relatively close, pure talent should win out in the end.

Winner: Dolphins

Jacksonville Jaguars (0-3) vs. San Diego Chargers (2-1) (Sunday at 4:05 PM ET)-

The Chargers are a solid team, and with strong quarterback Philip Rivers and a good defense leading the way, they should be able to at least contend for a wild card spot in the AFC.

The Jaguars, on the other hand, are just flat-out terrible. Blake Bortles has more potential than Chad Henne, but neither is particularly good right now, the receivers are all banged up (not that they were particularly appealing to begin with), and the running game with Toby Gerhart has been a disappointment in the early going as well.

With this game in San Diego, this pick is a solid lock.

Winner: Chargers

The following games are on Sunday at 4:25 PM ET:

Philadelphia Eagles (3-0) vs. San Francisco 49ers (1-2)-

The Eagles have looked solid so far. A comeback win over the Jaguars, a primetime comeback win over the Colts, and a tight win over the Redskins are their achievements, and this team is definitely the favorite to win the NFC East. Quarterback Nick Foles is demonstrating similar talent to last season, running back LeSean McCoy remains elite, and the receivers offer some nice targets for Foles in the passing game as well.

Though I also consider San Francisco a great team, they have not gotten off to the best of starts. Losses to the Bears and Drew Stanton’s Cardinals do have me a bit concerned, but with that said, I am not panicking. I continue to believe in quarterback Colin Kaepernick and the variety of receiver weapons that he has at hand, and with a solid defense on the other side of the ball, I still think that San Francisco is a playoff team.

The 49ers will be under a lot of pressure to win this game. The Eagles are due for a loss. At home, San Francisco gets a key victory.

Winner: 49ers

Atlanta Falcons (2-1) vs. Minnesota Vikings (1-2)-

As far as overall talent is concerned, the Falcons are the clear-cut better team. Matt Ryan is a top 10 overall quarterback, the wide receiver duo of Julio Jones and Roddy White is among the best in the league, and the offense looks great…at least on paper. Atlanta struggled badly on the road last season (1-7), and considering they got thumped by the Bengals in Cincinnati a couple of weeks ago, some concerns do arise with how they will perform here.

Especially after the loss of running back Adrian Peterson, the Vikings are not a great team. However, probable starting quarterback Teddy Bridgewater has the potential to be a solid player, athletic beast Cordarelle Patterson is on the squad, they kept things close on the road against the Saints last week, the Falcons have struggled on the road, but more than anything, this is a gut call.

Upset alert!

Winner: Vikings

New Orleans Saints (1-2) vs. Dallas Cowboys (2-1)-

Even with the Saints suffering losses to the Falcons and Browns and just barely squeaking out a win over the Vikings last week we must remember – this team is led by Drew Brees – one of the best quarterbacks in the game. He can lead an offense like no one can, and playing against Tony Romo and the Cowboys – one of the most inconsistent teams in the league (Warning: They have won two in a row), there is no way I can pick against New Orleans, especially since that elite offense thrives in dome environments.

Saints show the prime-time audience that they’ve still got it.

Winner: Saints

New England Patriots (2-1) vs. Kansas City Chiefs (1-2)-

As is the case with other “elite” teams like the Packers and Saints, the Patriots have struggled in the early-going, losing to the Dolphins, and barely edging out the Raiders last week. Despite Tom Brady being one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game, he is experiencing a decline in production and that normally explosive New England offense is just not looking the same in 2014.

After a big loss to the Titans and a tight loss to the Broncos, the Chiefs looked like a pretty decent team against the Dolphins last week. As I have been saying, I believe that an easy 2013 schedule makes people think they are better than they really are, but with that said, they should by no means be completely written-off from the playoff picture.

In this game, Brady’s Pats have been struggling, and with running back Jamaal Charles probably back, I say that the Chiefs edge out a home win on Monday night.

Winner: Chiefs

 

Want to win a $10 Amazon gift card.? Follow me on Twitter @jacobs_sports, and click on the following link for more information: https://jacobssportstalk.wordpress.com/2014/09/01/annoucing-jacobs-sports-talk-nfl-twitter-trivia-contest

2014 Week 3 NFL Reactions

With the exception of the Sunday and Monday prime time affairs, week 3 of the 2014 NFL season has come to an end, and it did not disappoint.

Plenty of exciting games were on the table, and on top of that, it was a good week in the prediction world for most. I am currently at 9-5 on the week and that puts me at 26-20 (56.52%) on the season. Considering that a lot of other analysts did good too, I am not completely satisified with the how the week played out, but as I get a better grasp on the strengths and weaknesses of teams, that percentage will go up.

Right now, however, we must recap week 3. Here are some of my instant reactions:

• The Buccaneers look awful. Losses to Derek Anderson and the Panthers, Austin Davis and the Rams, and a complete blowout loss to the Falcons have me laughing at how I called them a surprise team in the preseason.

• Despite the two-point loss to the Ravens, Brian Hoyer and the Browns are playing some good football right now. Keep an eye on this team. Playoffs are not out of the question. (Did I just say that?)

• Could the Packers not be the elite team they once were? A big loss to the Seahawks, a squeaker win over the Jets, and a loss to the Lions have me a bit worried.

• Tony Romo and the Cowboys overcame a 21-0 lead to win today. Granted, it was against the Rams, but it’s still pretty impressive.

• With Drew Stanton under center, the Cardinals beat the 49ers today. I’m still having trouble letting that sink in. Now the question: Is Arizona that good or are the 49ers showing some weakness?

• Both the Broncos and Seahawks are still Super Bowl contending teams. What a great game these two teams put on today. The Denver offense and the Seattle defense both just play at an incredible level.

Want to win a $10 Amazon gift card.? Follow me on Twitter @jacobs_sports, and click on the following link for more information: https://jacobssportstalk.wordpress.com/2014/09/01/annoucing-jacobs-sports-talk-nfl-twitter-trivia-contest

ESPN’s Streak for the Cash: It’s a Way of Life

It was a Tuesday morning in mid-April of 2013.

I was sitting behind the computer screen, tired, bored, and procrasinating on work I had to get done.

Scrolling through ESPN, I skimmed through some headlines about the NBA playoff races, NHL postseason scenarios, and the MLB regular season getting underway.

But on that morning, it was something else that caught my attention.

A small gray box asking for the winner of the Chicago Blackhawks vs. Minnesota Wild game that night starred at me, asking to be clicked.

At first, I thought it was just another hockey poll.

But when I checked the “Blackhawks” square, no percentages showed up. Confused, I studied the box a bit closer and noticed that this was no poll.

This was a prop for an ESPN fantasy game called “Streak for the Cash”.

I had heard of this contest before, but never bothered to look into it.

Today would be no different.

I closed ESPN and shut down the computer.

****************************************************************************************************

Three days later was a Friday, and while doing some mental NHL analysis, something popped into my head – “Hey, that Streak game!”

The Blackhawks had beaten the Wild on Tuesday night, and that meant that I had checked the correct square.

To see exactly what this meant and what I had potentially won, I went onto the Streak for the Cash website and was mesmerized by what I saw.

From hockey to baseball to soccer and everywhere in between, at least 20 sports props were ready and waiting to be picked.

They ranged from full-game props like “Who will win this game?” to in-game props like “Will Chelsea score a goal in the first half?”

Upon further research, I found out that the point of this contest was to build a streak of consecutive correct picks. You could pick as frequently or as infrequently as you wanted, but you could only pick one prop at a time.

Then, at the end of that month, the ESPN user with the longest winning streak would win a large sum of money.

This appeared so easy, yet when I began playing, it turned out to be a lot harder than I thought.

And though I kept losing and did not consistently play, as the months went by, I became more and more hooked.

All of the props, discussion boards, greens, reds, and streaks made this game insanely addictive, and in February of 2014, I started playing full force, meaning that I would never miss a prop just because I wasn’t paying attention.

Going full-out like I did, you discover that with 4-7 seperate props every day, this game starts to become a part of your every day life.

After February and acquiring what to this day remains my personal-best winning streak (I got 10 in a row, and trust me, it’s harder than it sounds), I actually had to take a break to focus on other things because the game was on my mind a lot on a daily basis.

I’ve been playing on and off since then, and though I have never come close to winning the grand prize, it creates a very fun competition among friends or family.

In addition, there are props 365 days of the year so you don’t have to wait in anticipation for the game to start.

And if you live a busy life, there’s no worries. As I mentioned earlier, you can pick as frequently or infrequently as you want, and some say that picking slowly is one of the best strategies out there.

So what are you waiting for? Get off this blog and start building your winning streak.

But I warn: it’s very hard…and extremely addictive.

 

Want to win a $10 Amazon gift card.? Follow me on Twitter @jacobs_sports, and click on the following link for more information: https://jacobssportstalk.wordpress.com/2014/09/01/annoucing-jacobs-sports-talk-nfl-twitter-trivia-contest