Sarah Palin not "buzzing" in Internet search trends

Ok, it's 4:12 PST and the long awaited interview between Sarah Palin and Oprah is on - and I'm missing it. I'm working online but had to click over and check Google Trends, expecting to find "sarah palin" among the top 10 search trends, but not. It's not there, and there's no derivative keyword term in the top 20 or 30 results.

Gov. Sarah Palin

It's not until number 39 that we see "oprah sarah palin interview" as a trend, and even then it's not a search trend that's "On Fire" or "Volcanic". Nah. It's just "Spicy". Moreover, its near the bottom of the list of 40 results, which means that since "sarah palin" hasn't been hot all day long, this term's going to drop from the list soon.

Why is it not a really hot search? Well, I think we're seeing a saturation of news and views on Sarah Palin. And while she's a top Yahoo Buzz search trend, that's for a longer period than just today and reflects the still respectable but not incredible level of interest in her. But Yahoo only controls at best 20 percent of the search market,

But there's interest in the interview. Oprah's instincts were correct. America's love of public displays of conflict and controversy created the desire to see Oprah and Sarah Palin together. It's no wonder Oprah, but not "Sarah Palin" or even "palin" is a top trend on Twitter. It's the interview more than Palin herself.

From a trend standpoint, this buzz surrounding her book Going Rogue will last for another month, then poof, gone. Without Sarah as Governor of Alaska there's nothing else to hang on to except the occasional blasts courtesy of newly minted porn start Levi Johnston.

A good source of evidence to support my claim is called "Google Insights for Search" (GIS) which is excelent at revealing long term keyword search trends. At GIS, a strongly searched or term is over 50. Sarah Palin didn't top that until last Thursday November 12th, peaked on Friday at almost 100 and then fell to just over 70 on Sunday.

If one drills down more, the two top terms containing "Sarah Palin" or "Palin" are some combination of sarah palin and oprah. In other words, again, it's not Sarah Palin herself, but the interview with Oprah fueling search trends.

All of this should give Sarah Palin supporters cause to question her real level of popularity as well as if it can translate into a Presidential run. I don't think she's as popular as some contend and I hold that her overall buzz-factor is weak on its own.

The best future course for Sarah Palin is as a talk show host but her future as a politician is just not there. A future Rush Limbaugh? For some reason I don't see that formula working in her favor. She has the capacity to build her own audience with its own unique flavor. It's just not going to translate into votes for the White House.

President Obama's bow: Fox News' silly attack on Obama

Fox News. I'm not surprised the latest mainstream media attack on President Obama's bow to the Emperor of Japan comes from Fox News, and equally I'm not shocked to see the captions "Take a Bow" and "Sign of Subservience" used in their telecast. Further, I'm not at all taken aback to see the Fox and Friends female host wearing a real short skirt and sleeveless blouse. Goes right along with my video on Fox News' habits:



It proves the point I've crafted and made all along. The Couch Potato Conservatives have no interest in applying, clear, intelligent, critical thinking to political matters. They'd prefer to use "red meat reporting" to appeal to what they perceive as the "Angry White Male" demographic.

And if you think I'm making that up to be provacative, click on the link and you'll find it comes right from a "Freeper" (Free Republic blogger and reader), Douglas Turner. Turner also mentions Fox News as a key player in the effort to stoke the passions of "Angry White Males."

Opposing Republican senators acted out a version of Nixon’s “Southern Strategy” of appealing to angry white males, now backed by the drumbeat of hired brown-shirts wrecking Democratic town meetings in the August recess, racist cartoons flooding the Internet and the rant on Fox News that President Obama has a “deep-seated hatred for white people or the white culture.”

I can't figure out which one's I can't stand more: Angry Black Men, Angry White Men, Angry Black Women, or Angry Asian Men. Lot's of anger out there, but I digress.

The main point is right wing Fox News covers up the truth about the appropriateness of Obama's bow by showing its viewers a lot of female leg combined with a heavy dose of macho political ideology plus the creation of the idea that it's wrong to bow to a non-white monarch.

Unfortunately, this "Obama bow" issue is divided along racial and political lines, with black blogs like Jack and Jill Politics in agreement with me, and liberal blogs like the Daily Kos providing the evidence of Fox News' unfair and unbalanced reporting.

This Daily Kos video neatly displays the way Fox News distorts the "Obama bow"issue, and presents MSNBC's Rachel Maddow Show presentation of President George W. Bush holding hands with and kissing Saudi King Abdullah.



Fox News: they report and they decide for you.

Cal 30, Stanford 21 - Golden Bears win Big Game (here's how)

The 113th annual Big Game is this Saturday at Stanford, and everyone's picking Stanford to wax California that evening. But I know the California Golden Bears are capable of beating the Cardinal and by the score of 30 to 21.

The Big Game

Here's how.

First, some sobering observations. The Stanford Cardinal carry the same 7 and 3 overall record into this game. Cal is 4 and 3 in the Pac-10; Stanford is 6 and 2. So in terms of record, Stanford and Cal are the same, but this game's important for Cal because it could place them at even with the Cardinal in the Pac-10 from a loss standpoint.  And Stanford and Cal are 17th and 25th respectively in the BCS rankings. So Cal has motivation and a way to beat the Cardinal.

Stanford has one glaring weakness that Cal must take advantage of: Quarterback Andy Luck.

(Yes. Luck is the weak link for the Cardinal. I know some of you scoff at my claim and mightly, but I argue forcefully that Luck can't carry a whole game for the Cardinal and win. The running game makes him a better quarterback.)

Unlike Kevin Riley, who's completion percentage virtually dictates if Cal wins or loses, Andy Luck's numbers have nothing to do with Stanford wins; in his last three games, including the blow-outs of Oregon and USC, he was below 65 percent in pass completion rate. Against USC, he was 12-of-22 for 144 yards passing and two touchdowns. Not superhuman numbers.

What this tells me is I can develop a game plan that places the ball in Luck's hands and forces Stanford to throw, where they're not as successful as when they run. Stanford uses the run to set up the pass, but so much so it's better to use eight-defenders, play tight coverage, blitz one or two backers (not more) - smother the run game, and force the pass.

Stanford's receivers both have over 16 yards average per catch, so throwing short is not Stanford's habit; blitz the Cardinal. (And blitz on the offenses left side where Stanford has had protection problems all year long with the injuries to their left tackle Allen Smith.)

Toby Gerhard, Stanford's terrific running back, is second in the nation in rushing with 1395 yards on 262 carries for a 5.3 yard average and 19 touchdowns. Stop him and Cal stops the Cardinal.

But stopping Gerhard also means keeping the ball away from Stanford, and Cal can do that but it must be willing to commit to throwing the ball short and often. If Cal can concentrate on installing high-percentage passes and working toward a 60-40 run-pass play mix it can move the ball downfield to score.

Where Cal gets into major trouble is in trying to force the deep throw and what bothers me is some of the passing plays of that variety lack an appropriate safety valve for the quarterback; a running back just running a short pattern.

The most successful pass plays against Stanford actually come out of spread dive play fakes (as Arizona runs and Cal does have in its playbook), pulling the linebackers in. So, play action passing is the way to focus on gaining yardage against Stanford.

But again, Cal can't get greedy in trying to gain yardage. (Got that Cal Offensive Coordinator Andy Ludwig?) The Golden Bears must focus on gaining four to six yards per play and let the plays open the way for more yardage after the catch or a missed tackle on a running play.

The only place where I break that rule is the opening play. Cal must make a statement here. It must say to the Cardinal, "We're here to blow you out of your house." The best way to do that is open the game with a flea-flicker.

Cal Coach Jeff Tedford was once known for trick plays (in fact he opened his Cal career with a flea-flicker against Baylor seven years ago) but hasn't called many this year, really almost none. A dive-play, toss back to the quarterback who throws to the split end out of a running formation, will fire up Cal players and fans, and it might just work for a touchdown because Cal's not done it this year.

That's just the "punch in the gut" that will lead to a Cal victory. Anything less, even a reverse, is just not daring and not what this game calls for. After all, it's the Big Game.

Cal can win the game, 30 to 21. If my pattern is used, Cal will go up by as much as two touchdowns before Stanford's running game takes hold, but then and because runs eat clock time, it will be too late.

Bears win!

(Hey Alumni! It's BIG GAME week! Get fired up!) 

Tom Hayes: Another gender barrier drops

Royal Air Force Flight Lieutenant Kirsty Moore is the first non-male pilot to join the Red Arrows, the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team. Moore was already exceptionally familiar with the Hawk aircraft used by the Red Arrows as she's a Qualified Flying Instructor coaching "fast jet pilots" on that aircraft at RAF Valley in Wales.

That's Lietuenant Moore, second from the left in the image above, returning from a flight with team-mates at RAF Scampton on Nov. 12 in Lincoln, England. From the left: Ben Plank, Moore, Zane Sennett, Ben Murphy, and Dave Davies following the launch/unveiling of the 2010 team line-up.

For a dozen more beautiful images, see the article Red Arrows present their first woman pilot at the Sacramento Bee. To see any of the images here in a larger scale, just click the pictures.

Footage from the RAF Red Arrow exhibition over Weymouth Bay watched by an admiring crowd on the Weymouth Beach and Esplanade during Weymouth Carnival 2009:

Thomas Hayes is an entrepreneur, journalist, and political analyst who contributes regularly to a host of web sites on topics ranging from economics and politics to culture and community.

Colts shock Patriots 35 to 34, remain undefeated and rule Twitter

I was watching the Colts v. Patriots game over dinner at 13 views at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco and saw my Twitter page light up with the Colts updates. It was better than ESPN. Before the Colts scored to shock Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, about 1,500 tweets were issued within a second; when the Colts scored, that number jumped to 9.648 tweets in a second.

Wow.

Twitter aside, that was one of the best games of the year. As the NFL Network's analyst seemed anxious to tell us, the Patriots passing game was giving the Colts Defense fits. On top of that, Quarterback Peyton Manning was throwing some ducks for a while there. But no matter because the Pats beat themselves.

In a game Tom Brady will relive in his dreams, New England thrice lost the ball on plays at the one or in the end zone. On top of that, New England Head Coach Bill Belichick thought his team was stronger than the Colts Defense and went for it on fourth and two - and didn't make it.

Why he did that is stuck in his fertile imagination, but he did it.

No matter. Colts win. But I have a feeling these two are going to see each other in the playoffs again. As a Colts fan, I can't wait. The Pats didn't get the Colts best game, and still lost.

Wow.

BCS rankings November 15: Five Pac-10 teams in

The BCS rankings for November 15th are out; I know Carrie Prejean must be happy that something's taking the Internet's interest away from her.

The BCS rankings have find Florida, Alabama, and Texas ranked one, two, and three, with the undefeated TCU Horned Frogs at number 4. But this week Pac-10 Football is well-represented, as five teams - Cal, Oregon, Oregon State, Stanford, and USC - are in the BCS rankings.

After a dramatic 24 to 16 win over Arizona at Berkeley that left me so horse I could barely talk this morning, Cal knocked Arizona out of the BCS and was helped by Notre Dame's loss to Pitt, and Oklahoma's 10-3 loss to Nebraska, dropping the Fighting Irish and the Sooners out of the BCS as well.

The way Notre Dame's fallen I've got to believe Head Coach Charlie Weis' job's in trouble. Notre Dame AD Jack Swarbrick said:

"We said at the beginning of the season that we wanted to be in contention for and in the discussion of the (Bowl Championship Series) bowls, and for a while we were. But we didn't stay in contention as long as any of us would have liked.

"It's not like you don't evaluate during the year; you evaluate all year. But my practice is to make sure I've got the full season's worth of information and then conclude the evaluation."

That doesn't read good for Weis and if Stanford hammers Notre Dame the way the Cardinal nuked USC, Weis may see his final year at the helm of the Fighting Irish.
Meanwhile, the Cardinal rolls on.

After blowing out USC 55 to 21, Stanford is at 17th and one ahead of the same USC team it clobbered yesterday, which is now at 18.

As Cal (25th ranked) and Stanford play in the Big Game this Saturday, the annual contest now means a lot more than just bragging rights. A Cal win could knock Stanford out of contention for the Pac-10 Championship.

BCS rankings November 15:

1 Florida 10-0
2 Alabama 10-0
3 Texas 10-0
4 TCU 10-0
5 Cincinnati 10-0
6 Boise State 10-0
7 Georgia Tech 10-1
8 LSU 8-2
9 Pittsburgh 9-1
10 Ohio State 9-2
11 Oregon 8-2
12 Oklahoma State 8-2
13 Iowa 9-2
14 Penn State 9-2
15 Virginia Tech 7-3
16 Wisconsin 8-2
17 Stanford 7-3
18 USC 7-3
19 Oregon State 7-3
20 Miami (FL) 7-3
21 Utah 8-2
22 Brigham Young 8-2
23 Clemson 7-3
24 Houston 8-2
25 California 7-3

President Obama's bow to Emperor of Japan and racism in media

Aside from "Miley Cyrus dead", which is not true or funny, the Internet's abuzz with media commentary on President Obama's bow to The Emperor and Empress of Japan upon his visit Saturday.

The LA Times' blog asked "How low will he go" in their complaint of the President's actions.   ABC News' Jack Tapper contacted a friend to ask if Obama's bow was correct.   The conservative blog HotAir said the President looked like "an idiot" and referred to Tapper's blog.  And of course Michelle Malkin can be counted on to offer her off-base and typically nasty view, calling the President a "waterboy." 


I don't know why some are surprised or for that matter angry about Obama's actions. It's not the first time President Obama's bowed to a foreign dignitary, and I think it shows the proper level of respect. There seems to be this macho idea that American Presidents have to show they're tough and one way to do that is to avoid bowing to the Emperor of Japan, or for that matter Saudi King Abdullah, as President Obama did in April of this year.

Obama bows to Saudi King Abdullah

Moreover, some Americans forget that kings and emperors are not elected officials, they're royalty. But in this, I have to point out a racial component to the conservative argument against Obama's bow to Japan's Emperor that's disturbing to me.

When Obama visited the Queen of England, much was made of what the protocol was for approaching Her Majesty. President Obama did bow slightly to her, but that was what he was supposed to do as one is to avoid overt gestures; a man is suppose to bow his head from the neck, and no more. That's what Obama did.

That fact escaped a number of people, particularly the Coach Potato Conservative "Freepers" over at Free Republic, who claim that Obama did not bow at all.

But Obama's correct "slight head nod" versus his full bow to King Abdullah was noted in this video, by CQBlogger on YouTube, but even then CQBlogger mistakenly wrote about the head nod as if Obama was in error; the President was not.



And the LA Times showed its total ignorance of Japanese culture, not even taking time to explain "bow" protocol in Japan, which I know all too well from my personal interest in Japanese Culture and visit to Japan.

There are three kinds of bows: the first is just about five degrees and is a greeting for friends; the second is about 10 degrees and is for a boss or senior in business; but the third one is at a full 15 degrees and is reserved for heads of state or The Emperor. 

Obama's 15 degree bow to The Emperor of Japan was correct.  I disagree with ABC's Jack Tapper in that it is proper for one to give their hand in greeting while bowing.   So both the right and Tapper are wrong.  But I do give Tapper credit for at least trying to check President Obama's effort with protocol, much as he would do if Obama were greeting the Queen of England. 

Are Couch Potato Conservatives and the mainstream media complaining when Obama bows to any non-white monarch, but scoring his or First Lady Michelle Obama's every small move with white royalty, what we should expect in the Age of Obama? It certainly seems that way and that's a very sad pattern for America to display.

If Couch Potato Conservatives  had their way, the kind of cowboy behavior of President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney would be the order of the day: white monarchs would receive the proper greeting protocol and non-white royalty a simple hand shake.  It's no wonder President Obama has to do so much work to do in restoring America's popularity around the World. 

2010 Oscar Best Picture predictions upset by Best Director

In the past, predicting the Best Picture Award winner in the Academy Awards was easy: all one had to do was go with the picture that won the Best Director award for the Directors Guild program held over a month (and about two months in 2010) before the Oscars and this year on Saturday, January 30, 2010.

As the DGA website informs us:

The DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film has traditionally been one of the industry's most accurate barometers for who will win the Best Director Academy Award. Fifty-four out of sixty times since the DGA Award's inception in 1949.

Once the DGA made its call, the Oscar race for both Best Director and Best Picture was generally declared over. But with the 82nd Academy Awards, and the new preference voting system for not a set of five, but of 10 nominees for Best Picture, the DGA's predictive power could take a nose dive. In other words, the relational string of DGA Best Director to Oscar Best Director, to Oscar Best Picture, could end.

Here's the problem: there are 10 nominees but only five nominees for Best Director for the Oscars and the DGA shows no sign of inviting 10 nominees for the Best Director award for their event. So we have 10 "Best Pictures", but five "Best Directors". Wild.

Preference voting upsets the apple cart even more. As I've stated before, a solidly popular second place voting finisher for Best Picture for 2010 could wind up being the winner. Let's say that movie's director wasn't a DGA choice; that blows the significance of the DGA award as a precursor to what will happen on Oscar night.

If America was as tuned in to all of the politics behind the awarding of Oscars, the inclusion of preference voting would guarantee a record ratings night. But while that's not going to happen for that reason (it could if a picture like Star Trek makes the Best Picture nominee list), it's clear to me that the entire objective with these two major changes in how the Best Picture is selected is to remove the easy predictability of who would win and open the door to the chance that a block-buster could get the Best Picture Award.

In 2008 there was a ton of early buzz for summer blockbuster Iron Man as a Best Picture nominee for 2009, but it didn't happen. I can't help but wonder if Iron Man was released a year too soon for under this new system for the 2010 Academy Awards it would have been almost a shoe-in.

Stay tuned.

Cal v. Arizona - Last home game is big for Golden Bears

Cal plays Arizona today at California Memorial Stadium at 4 PM PST. While you can catch the contest on Versus Television in the Bay Area, I recommend getting a ticket and coming to Berkeley. This is a game with huge implications on a big day in Pac-10 Football.

As I wrote earlier in the week, if Cal beats Arizona ( putting the Wildcats at 5 and 2 in the Pac-10), Stanford shocks USC (lifting the Cardinal to 6 and 2), and Oregon slips against Arizona State (placing the Ducks at 5 and 2), that would produce a near three-way tie for first in the Pac-10. It would also make the Cal / Stanford Big Game a really big deal next Saturday.

But can Cal clobber Arizona as the Golden Bears are favored to do?

It will certainly be an emotional game for Cal Fullback Brian Holley, a senior who's playing his last game in Memorial Stadium. He told Ted Lee of BearInsider:

“It's surreal right now,” said the 5-foot-9, 237-pound Holley. “I've called this place home for four-and-a-half almost five seasons. It's hard to imagine not coming out of the tunnel and hearing these fans. There was a point during the game (last Saturday), I don't remember which quarter it was, but I felt the crowd cheering very hard. For a brief second I looked around and thought like wow, this is great being in front of this crowd and there are so many fans being part of this program. For a brief second I thought about how I was going to miss it, but then again, the feeling passed I got focused.”

Regarding focus, one key to look for in this game is the offensive passing game plan and the play of Cal Quarterback Kevin Riley. The season long statistic of Cal winning when Riley completes over 65 percent of his throws still holds. Right now, Riley's rating, once at 138.49, is now at 135.49 with the loss to Oregon State.

But Riley's passer rating is still strong because he's thrown 14 touchdowns versus three interceptions for 2005 yards. Where he's suffering is his completion percentage, which is at 55.6 percent as of this writing. From a pure statisical perspective that points to a possible .500 season the rest of the way. But all of that depends as much on the game plan as Riley himself.

The game promises to be an offensive shootout, with Arizona scoring an average of 32.3 points, but allowing an average of 22 points per game. Arizona has not won at Cal in four years.

Cal v. Arizona at 4 PM PST. Be there. Aloha! GO BEARS!

FRO's NFL Performance Rankings week 9

FRO's NFL Performance Rankings-Through Week 9
By Jon Wagner, Sr. Writer At-Large Football Reporters Online

While there are many power rankings out there based as much on hype, expectations, and too often, unrealized and inaccurate projections, at Football Reporters Online, we prefer to rank NFL teams on what's actually happened, taking into account only how teams have performed on the field and who they’ve played. At F.R.O., you won’t find yet another power ranking that doesn’t tell you much. Instead, here are the F.R.O. NFL Performance Rankings:

Through Week 9:


THE ELITE:

#1 SAINTS [8-0]: New Orleans is averaging 37.9 ppg and has won 7 games by double digits.
#2 COLTS [8-0]: 16-0 for the 2007 Patriots? How about 17 straight regular season wins and counting for Indy?
#3 STEELERS [6-2]: After a 1-2 start, Pittsburgh has won 5 straight to keep pace with the hot Bengals.
#4 VIKINGS [7-1]: Minnesota is positioning itself well for the playoffs, already at 5-0 in the NFC.


SECOND-TIER CONTENDERS:

#5 PATRIOTS [6-2]: All those defensive defections? No problem. New England is allowing just 14.4 ppg.
#6 COWBOYS [6-2]: Dallas didn’t impress much in its 3-2 start, but has played very well since.
#7 BENGALS [6-2]: Cincinnati is looking like the comeback team of the year after a 4-11-1 season in 2008.
#8 BRONCOS [6-2]: After a 6-0 start, Denver has come crashing back to reality losing twice by a combined 58-17.
#9 CHARGERS [5-3] : After a 1-3 start, San Diego is heating up, going 3-0 since as the defense has stepped it up.
#10 CARDINALS [5-3]: Arizona should be a little better. The Cards are 4-0 on the road but just 1-3 at home.
#11 EAGLES [5-3]: Philadelphia has as inconsistent as any team, but remains in the playoff hunt halfway though.
#12 FALCONS [5-3]: Atlanta is 5-0 against teams with non-winning records, but 0-3 against winning teams.


MIRED IN MEDIOCRITY:

#13 TEXANS [5-4]: After a 2-3 start, Houston has played much better going 3-1 since, taking Indy to the wire.
#14 GIANTS [5-4]: Big Blue has gone from the NFL’s elite at 5-0, to four straight losses and trying to find itself.
#15 BALTIMORE [4-4]: Baltimore won three, then lost three, crushed Denver at home, but then lost at Cincy.
#16 JETS [4-4]: Gang Green started 3-0, but has gone 1-4 since, seemingly a myriad of different ways to lose.
#17 BEARS [4-4]: Chicago didn’t lose at home until last week (3-1), but has just one road win (1-3).
#18 PACKERS [4-4]: Minnesota (0-2 vs. the Vikings) and a bad loss at previously winless Tampa has cost Green Bay.
#19 JAGUARS [4-4]: Narrow three-point wins over the lowly Rams and Chiefs have kept Jacksonville alive for now.
#20 PANTHERS [3-5]: After an 0-3 start, Carolina went 3-1 and looked great, but just for a half, in New Orleans.
#21 49ERS [3-5]: It’s all fallen apart for San Francisco, which has lost four straight after starting 3-1.
#22 DOLPHINS [3-5]: Miami began 0-3, but has become very competitive with the wildcat and Chad Henne.
#23 BILLS [3-5]: Starting just 1-5, Buffalo surprised the Jets and Panthers on the road, but lost to Houston at home.


LOOKING TOWARD THE 2010 DRAFT:

#24 SEAHAWKS [3-5]: Seattle was down 17-0 to Detroit last week before rallying to barely stay alive… for now.
#25 TITANS [2-6]: After 6 losses including a 59-0 embarrassment, Tennessee has finally awoken with a pair of wins.
#26 RAIDERS [2-6]: Oakland beat Philly and was competitive twice against San Diego, but has been bad otherwise.
#27 REDSKINS [2-6]: Washington has yet to score over 17 points, and has only narrow wins against two bad teams.
#28 CHIEFS [1-7]: Kansas City took Dallas to OT but has lost twice to Oakland by identical 13-10 scores. Enough said.
#29 RAMS [1-7]: Despite a win in Detroit and road losses by just 2 and 3 points, St. Louis has been outscored 221-77.
#31 BUCCANEERS [1-7]: Throwback uniforms and Josh Freeman at QB ended the NFL’s longest losing streak at 11.
#30 BROWNS [1-7]: St. Louis has company. Cleveland has been outscored 209-78. The win was ugly, 6-3, at Buffalo.
#32 LIONS [1-7]: Detroit has allowed under 26 points just twice while failing to score 20 points in half its games.

“FRO’s Favorite Five” Frankie’s Favorite Fantasy Picks Week 10

“FRO’s Favorite Five”
Frankie’s Favorite Fantasy Picks
Week 10

By Frankie Underwood, Senior Fantasy Writer at www.footballreportersonline.com Email questions and comments to Frankie@footballreportersonline.com


Donovan McNabb should be back to form this weekend in San Diego. San Diego can not cover tight ends and they tend to get into shoot out games. McNabb’s top Philly wide receiver DeSean Jackson was held in check last weekend and his ego will not allow it to happen again. The Chargers are ranked middle of the pack in both passing TDs allowed and interceptions.

New England RB Laurence Maroney gets to face an Indianapolis defense that has been unbelievably injury plagued this (and most) season. Indy has given up 6 rushing TDs this season and allows just less than 110 rushing yards per game. Maroney has finally started to live up to his first round draft selection, but only after all the retread backs fell by the way side. Maroney has scored in three straight games and this should be the fourth.

I have a feeling that Minnesota WR Sidney Rice gets back in his fantasy owners good graces this weekend. The Vikings are coming off of there bye week and will be hosting the lowly Detroit Lions. Those Lions have allowed 19 passing TDs and an average of 263 passing yards per game. Rice trailed off last game against the Packers and hasn’t scored a TD since week four. This weekend against either P. Buchanon or W. James Rice’s 6ft 4 frame should be a nice target for Favre.

Monday Night Football, the Baltimore Ravens TE Todd Heap against the Cleveland Browns ¾ defense. Baltimore is coming off a tough loss to Cincinnati and Cleveland is coming off of their bye. Most times these factors would point me towards a Cleveland win, most times. Cleveland still doesn’t now how to run their defense and Baltimore will be looking to get back into the playoff hunt. Heap and WR Derrick Mason should be able to steadily gain short to medium yardage all game long.


The Dallas Cowboys defense should have open season on Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers this weekend. The Packers offensive line has preformed like a sieve, allowing pass rushers through with ease. Unfortunately for the Packers the Dallas pass rushers have finally started performing up to expectations. Dallas has 20 sacks on the season and most have come in the last few games. The Dallas defensive backs have also started to pick off some passes and the special teams have started making plays.


Last Weeks Favorite Five

Matt Hasselbeck – 329 yards 1 TD 1 INT, Not too bad.

Ryan Grant – 96 yards 1 TD, again not too bad.

Malcom Floyd – 29 yards, sorry. But stick with him.

Kevin Boss – 17 yars and 1 TD, wanted more yardage, but the TD saves it.

Green Bay Packers – 1 INT and 1 Sack, sorry again.

NO ROOM FOR ERROR AS THE JETS SECOND HALF BEGINS AGAINST JAGS

NO ROOM FOR ERROR AS THE JETS  SECOND HALF BEGINS AGAINST JAGS
by TJ Rosenthal for Football Reporters Online

Watch T.J.'s Video Preview here:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xf9vWinctQU

Coach Rex Ryan was right when he said earlier this week that this Sunday's battle with the Jacksonville Jaguars is essentially a playoff game. Both clubs are 4-4 and may need the head to head tie breaker at season's end against each other to gain what appears to be the Jets only reasonable path to the postseason; a wildcard berth.

The Jets arrived at  4-4 by falling from the top of the mountain. Once 3-0, two losses to the hated Dolphins combined with an expected loss to the undefeated Saints and an unexpected loss to the then woeful Bills, have changed the mood in Florham Park.  This stretch has, for the time being, grounded Gang Green's early season dreams of a magical run through 2009. The Jets trail the first place Patriots (6-2) by two full games and are just 1-3 in the division.

For the Jags, 4-4 is a welcome place considering the club's 1-3 start. 
Coach Jack Del Rio's club will look to make it four out of five on Sunday while the Jets, coming off of their week nine bye week, hope to avoid a slide that has sunk them into the quagmire that envelops a host of other AFC clubs fighting for those precious few post season invitations.

If the Jets hope to be playing playoff football in 2009, they'll need two things to happen. First, rookie QB  Mark Sanchez will have to protect the ball as he has done over the past two games, unlike the previous three prior, that included a dismal five interception performance. Secondly, the Jet defense, a unit that was poised to become one of the top units in the NFL before the season ending injury  to NG Kris Jenkins during the OT loss to Buffalo, has to create turnovers, field position, and points.

 Running back and Special teams All Pro Leon Washington is also gone for the year, thanks to a broken foot suffered out in Oakland. Rookie RB Shonn Greene filled in beautifully against the hapless Raiders with two TDs and 149 yards, but fumbled on a play  that Dolphins DE Jason Taylor took back for a key TD in the 30-25 loss to Miami two weeks back. A game that still leaves a bad taste in the mouths of Jet players and fans thanks to Ted Ginn Jr's improbable two kickoff returns for touchdowns in the third quarter. Greene will need to be a factor if the Jets want to continue their place atop the NFLs best rushing teams.

Jacksonville's pass defense is ranked 23rd in the NFL. Sanchez and prized acquisition, former Browns star WR Braylon Edwards may be able to get loose on Sunday. Second year TE Dustin Keller had 76 yards and a TD in the 30-25 loss to the Fish. Provided that WR Jerricho Cotchery, hampered by hamstring issues over the past month is healthy,  this may be the first time that this current WR corps is working on all cylinders in '09. Add speedster David Clowney into the mix after the departure of slot WR Chansi Stuckey to the Browns ,and perhaps the Jets, a team that possesses the league's number eight  rusher in the NFL in Thomas Jones, can provide some quick strikes and scores via the air at the Meadowlands
Sunday.

To beat the Jaguars you have to stop Maurice Jones Drew, the quick bulldozing running back who leads all NFL rushers with eleven TD's. WR Mike Sims-Walker is blossoming into one of the leagues best at 16 yards per catch. Jets CB Darrelle Revis will have his hands full as the Jets aim to pressure QB David Garrard with their new rotation at nose guard of Mike Devito, Howard Green and Sione Pouha. Drew is also sixth in the NFL in rushing yards so attention must be kept on him at all times.

On paper, the blueprint week in and week out these final eight games for the Jets will be simple.  A ball controlled ground and pound game plan on offense that strikes when the opportunities are there, combined with an attacking defense looking to create the turnovers and drive ending sacks that have eluded them so far. This despite the constant pressure on quarterbacks, and a physical aggressive presence that has helped  redefine the unit's personality since the departure of former mundane head coach Eric Mangini. 

This week's challenge against the Jags kickstarts that blueprint, as the Jets look to become a  consistent mistake free, opportunistic club, that backs up the tough talk it has come to be known for.

THREE KEYS TO THE JAGUARS GAME:

TURNOVERS: The Jets must keep them to a minimum and start to create some themselves. The offense, which may led by two rookies in Sanchez and Greene from here on out, will undoubtedly  be aided by big plays made by special teams and defense. An element that LB Bart Scott, a former Raven, admitted was key to both Baltimore and then rookie QB Joe Flacco's success in 2008.

THOMAS JONES VS MAURICE JONES DREW: The team with the lead running downhill in the fourth will be in the driver's seat. Thats because Drew is sixth and Jones is eight in the NFL in rushing this year. The back with more yards on Sunday will be the back on the winning team.

MIKE SIMS-WALKER vs DARRELLE REVIS: Again the Jets will call on "Revis Island " to slow down a top flight wideout. Keep Walker quiet and the Jags quick strike ability becomes seriously hampered.