Each week during the heart of the NFL season, and once or twice during the NFL Preseason, we’ll gather the troops around the roundtable and hash out the NFL Power rankings. We check out the stats, looks at the records, and, most importantly, we take a close, close look at the heart of each team.
The odds makers earned their keep last week as they split the favorites and the underdogs right down the middle at 8-8. The road teams had a slight advantage with 10 of 16 winning against the spread. Turning to the total line, for the first week since the start of the regular season, the results balanced out with nine games going ‘over’ and seven games staying ‘under.
The Philadelphia Eagles will try and snap a rare three-game losing streak when they travel to Ralph Wilson Stadium to take on the upstart Buffalo Bills this Sunday afternoon. The kick-off is slated for 1 p.m. and the game will be broadcast regionally on FOX.
After falling just short in the Stanley Cup final a year ago, the Vancouver Canucks will fight for another chance at hockey’s ultimate prize, beginning their quest for redemption in the Northwest division.
After falling short of heightened expectations a year ago, the Los Angeles Kings made a couple of key offseason moves that should put them in contention to compete with the San Jose Sharks for the Pacific division crown this season.
After three straight years of hosting the Western Conference champions, the Central division sent three teams to the 2011 NHL playoffs once again, but none of them could made it past the second round. The Detroit Red Wings clinched the top spot in the division with 104 points, but both the Nashville Predators and Chicago Blackhawks were right behind them.
Cappers Picks Golf handicappers have all your latest golf news and information so be sure to make us your trusted source for up-to-the-minute golf details. PGA Golf betting fans will also have plenty golf action to focus on as this year’s PGA Fall Silly season is here.
The Nashville Predators are without a doubt the Rodney Dangerfield of the NHL. They get no respect. They’re written off as an expansion team in a non-hockey market with a boring gameplan and weak fan support.
The theme of Week 4: horrifically blown leads. Hope you didn’t change the channel or go work in the garden, as you would’ve missed some dandy second halves (and faced the embarrassment of telling your friends you were working in the garden).
The first round of byes happens in Week 5. It is time to scour the waiver wires to replace the Studs from Baltimore, Dallas, Cleveland, Miami, St. Louis and Washington that are all out of action this week. There are some quality pickups for this week – take a look at Dave B’s Week 5 Waiver Wire and good luck!
Will Tigers closer Jose Valverde’s prophecy that “the series is already over” after Game 2 come true? Detroit followed up with a 5-4 win over the Yankees last night to take a 2-1 stranglehold in the American League Division Series.
Perhaps the most complete team in the NHL a year ago, the Boston Bruins proved they had the depth to overcome significant injuries that would have crippled other teams on their way to clinching a Stanley Cup.
With the majority of their core set to return, the Bruins will look to repeat in a Northeast Division that is expected to be improved overall.
Their toughest challenge in getting back to the top could come from their biggest rivals, the Montreal Canadiens.
On The Rise: Montreal Canadiens
It is easy to forget it now, but the Canadiens actually forced Boston to a seventh game in their opening round series, with the Bruins clinching three of their four wins in overtime.
That was without a healthy Andrei Markov, Josh Gorges, and Max Pacioretty, and in addition to all three of those players expected to return healthy, Montreal also added winger Erik Cole to help bolster their scoring.
With a talented young nucleus that includes goaltender Carey Price and defenseman P.K. Subban looking to take another step forward, the Canadiens have the talent to be a legitimate contender in the Eastern conference if they can put it all together this year.
There may not be another division in the NHL with more uncertainty heading in to the season than the Atlantic, where all five teams are in the midst of transition.
Hockey fans in Winnipeg are thrilled to have an NHL franchise back in town, but the euphoria that has taken over the city could be tempered by a couple of Eastern Conference contenders that will look to make sure that the Jets’ return flight isn’t a smooth one.
The Phillies cruised past the Cardinals in Game 1 of the National League Division Series but the message was loud and clear after Game 2: St. Louis will not go quietly.
Even if you’re a casual MMA fan, you won’t want to miss UFC 136 this Saturday night. One of the most stacked cards in while features two title fights, including the rematch between Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard following their draw last January.
