BCS vs. Playoff Debate

As one of the most controversial matters in college football today we have a fan base that, according to http://collegefootball.procon.org/, votes 85% in favor of switching the current BCS System to a playoff system similar to that in the NFL.

With arguments from both sides it seems hard to decide which of the systems would be the best fit for college football. The people favoring the switch might say the 3^rd ranked team is left out and might deserve a title shot. So if we switch to a four or eight game playoff system won’t the 5^th or 9^th ranked team be left out? No matter how many teams make the playoffs there will always be a debate on if the last team left out should have been in. Other will tell you that every other sport has a playoff system so why not make college football a playoff sport? Its simple why we don’t, the NFL allows the winner of each division and two wildcard teams from each conference a spot in the playoffs, yet the set-up of the NFL will not allow that due to its overpowered conferences. If we want a playoff system so bad we need to evenly balance each of the conferences and only allow the conference winners to make the playoffs, that way we don’t have one conference with 4 teams in the playoffs and other conference being represented by no teams. Also instead of deciding by strength of schedule we will need to transform like the NFL and go by only record, no matter who you face your record will decide your fate. Then we can compare the teams factors, the leagues that have playoff systems vary between 30 to 32 teams, which allows them to face almost every team throughout an entire season, college football has 120 teams in the FBS which makes it impossible to play even a quarter of the teams in the league in a season. Not only will making a playoff system ruin the college football championship but it will ruin a tradition that is over 100 years old, college football is recognized due to its Bowl Games and it should stay that way. If we made a playoff system without balancing conferences it would be taking away money from conferences that don’t have a playoff team and that would be giving even more of an advantage to the larger conference teams. Or maybe you would say the income would be better for playoffs? False, the five BCS games alone brought a total of $1.2 billion to the host cities, so instead of making one city rich why don’t we split it between five?

It makes no logical sense for a change in the system of college football. You can break down each argument made for the reasons to switch and see the playoff system would not fix, and in some cases worsen, the problems. Sometimes the majority of society reads into things without needing the facts and underlying truth of an argument and yet they can still favor the side being pushed into their heads.

NFL Super Bowl Preview

New England Patriots (13-3) vs. New York Giants (9-7): After two stunning wins off mistakes by opponents the Patriots and Giants will be facing off in a rematch of one of the most memorable Super Bowls in history. The two teams will be facing off on February 5^th in the game we have been waiting all season to watch, this is the one that matters. Can the Giants come up with the upset again? Or will the Patriots show the last time was a fluke? The rumors about Eli having the edge over Brady are just absurd and Brady will prove this. As one of the greatest quarterbacks in history Tom Brady has proven this by winning 3 Super Bowls since replacing Drew Bledsoe as the quarterback in New England. One more Super Bowl win would tie him at most alongside Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw, this could solidify Brady as the greatest ever and Brady will be determined not to let Eli and the Giants stop him from getting this again. If Eli wants to prove me wrong he will need the performance of his life to knock off the high powered Patriots. Most people would say the Giants defense is the better of the two and that is usually true, yet the Patriots defense is never the same once they hit the playoffs and that was proven last week against the Baltimore Ravens. The biggest concern for the Patriots is on the Giants defensive unit though. The problem is the monster defensive lineman Jason Pierre-Paul. With 16.5 sacks and 2 forced fumbles it’s obvious Pierre-Paul has proved the doubters that said he was drafted to early wrong. If Pierre-Paul can get in and force pressure on Brady its possible he could cause some mistakes from Brady and force big defensive plays. Every Super Bowl has a surprise player; the surprise player in this game will be the man who has only 15 catches for 276 yards and 1 touchdown, Chad Ochocinco. I’m expecting 50+ yards and at least one touchdown against the Giants. If you’re a gambler and are thinking about putting a bet on the Giants winning id strongly recommend you reconsider, and all this is coming from a man who hates the Patriots. Expect Brady to get his 4^th ring on February 5^th, 2012.

NFL Conference Championship Round

New York Giants (9-7) at San Francisco 49ers (13-3): After a 37-20 win over the best team in the NFL the Giants now have to face the 49ers in the NFC Championship. In week 10 the 49ers defeated the Giants 27-20. San Francisco also had a tough match up last week against the New Orleans Saints. In one of the most exciting games in a long time it was a fight till the end. The Saints made what seemed like the final comeback to cap off another win until the 49ers led down the field and threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to seal a 36-32 win. The amazing touchdown pass was made on the 30 year anniversary of “The Catch” Joe Montana threw to Dwight Clark. With one of the best running defenses in history it’s unlikely the Giants, who rank dead last in rushing yards, will be able to produce at all in the running game. With such a stellar running defense the Giants will need to take advantage of the 49ers 16^th ranked passing offense. The Giants are ranked 5^th for passing yards a game. With a top 10 rushing game the 49ers will be looking to run the ball unlike the Giants.  It seems like the major factor will be if the Giants weak pass defense can stop the 49ers weak passing game. The winner of that factor could be the one representing the NFC in the Super Bowl; I’ll give the 49ers an advantage in this game.

Baltimore Ravens (12-4) at New England Patriots (13-3): With two of the more dominant teams over the last few years facing off in the AFC Championship it’s sure to be a good one. One of the best offenses in the league, the Patriots, will be going against one of the best defenses, the Ravens. The Patriots are ranked 2^nd in the NFL for passing yards a game but only managed a 20^th ranked running game. The defense is one of the weakest in the NFL though ranking 31^st in passing yards allowed and 17^th for rushing yards allowed. The Ravens have dominated on defense to get a 4^th ranked passing defense and 2^nd ranked rushing defense. While the defense is the strong suit for the Ravens they have also put together a respectable offense that ranks 19^th in passing offense and 10^th for rushing yards. While both teams deserve a Super Bowl appearance we will have to see how this one ends to see who deserves it more. With a more balanced team I’m giving the advantage to the Ravens.

NFL Divisional Playoffs

After an exciting first week in the playoffs we are left with only division winners.Without the Pittsburgh Steelers, Detroit Lions, Atlanta Falcons and Cincinnati Bengals there will be no wild-card Super Bowl winner in 2012. With some great match-ups this weekend we should see just as much excitement as last week.

Houston Texans (10-6) at Baltimore Ravens (12-4): Coming off a win in their first ever playoff game the Texans are determined to keep moving through the playoffs but the Ravens will be alot harder to beat than the Cincinnati Bengals. With two of the top defenses in the NFL alot of people are expecting a low scoring game but with two of the best running backs in the league we could see a ground battle. The Ravens running back, Ray Rice, ran for 1,364 yards on 291 carries, while the Texans running back, Arian Foster, ran for 1,224 yards on 278 carries. Houston also has a dynamic runner coming off the bench in Ben Tate. Tate compiled 942 rushing yards on 175 carries this season as the back-up. With evenly ranked defenses and two top running games this could come down to the passing game. While the Texans are ranked 15th, while the Ravens rank 18th, in passing yards a game the Ravens still have a major advantage in the passing game. The reason Houston is ranked higher is due to the yardage thrown while quarterback Matt Schaub was healthy. While back-up T.J. Yates has been good he has yet to face a defense like the Ravens. If the Texans want to win this Yates will need to shuttle off shorter passes and try to open a gap of weakness in the Ravens defense. The Ravens will need to stop the running game like they do almost every game and force turnovers. Advantage easily goes to the Ravens who beat Houston 29-14 with Houston's starting quarterback in.

Denver Broncos (8-8) at New England Patriots (13-3): After a stunning 80-yard touchdown pass on the first play of overtime last week the Broncos made a shocking upset to eliminate the Pittsburgh Steelers from the playoffs. If the Broncos put up 29 points against possibly the best defense in the NFL there's no telling what they can put up against one of the worst defenses in the league. The Patriots are ranked 31st in passing yards allowed and 17th in rushing yards allowed, but with a high powered offense it will be hard for the Broncos defense to keep this game in control and low scoring. When these teams faced earlier in the season the Patriots blew out the Broncos 41-23. The Broncos defense will have to allow alot less than 41 points in this game if they plan on moving to the AFC Championship. The biggest differences between a quarterback match-up in playoff history is taking place in this game. Superstar Tom Brady will be taking on the comeback kid Tim Tebow. It's hard to believe a player with horrible stats can be such a great leader and lead his team to win games in the 4th quarter but Tebow has done just this, and for those who still believe Tebow isn't the reason they are winning, look at his 4th quarter stats and compare them to the best quarterbacks in the NFL. If the Patriots put up over 35 points its hard to see the Broncos being able to compete, but if the Broncos defense can hold the Patriots to 21 points or less than we might be seeing Tebow in the AFC championship. Advantage still goes to the Patriots.

New York Giants (9-7) at Green Bay Packers (15-1): With two horrible defenses, each in the top 5 for passing yards and both in the bottom 5 for rushing yards this game is sure to be decided through the air. While Aaron Rodgers and the Packers are looking to win back-to-back Super Bowls the Giants are also in the hunt to get Eli Manning his 2nd ring. With a win last week against the Falcons the Giants are moving towards possibly the best team in the NFL. The Giants are used to being underdogs thought, and its not the first time they have been doubted and huge underdogs against unbelievable teams. With running backs Ahmad Bradshaw and bruiser Brandon Jacobs the Giants have the edge in the running game while the Packers get the edge in the passing game. This game will come down to which defense can stop the pass. The advantage goes to the 15-1 Packers.

New Orleans Saints (13-3) at San Francisco 49ers (13-3): It's defense vs offense in this game. The saying is offense wins games and defense wins championships, this will show us which is better to have. While the Saints are making history with quarterback Drew Brees they have been the top passing offense in the NFL and the 6th ranked rushing team. The weakness of the Saints is their defense, ranking 30th in passing yards allowed and 12th in rushing yards allowed. The 49ers are the opposite, with having a 29th ranked passing offense and 8th ranked running defense the Saints defense wont be too challenged, yet with the 16th ranked passing defense and best rushing defense in the league the Saints will be challenged on offense. The 49ers rushing defense did not allow a single touchdown in their first 14 games, which is an NFL record and has not allowed a 100-yard rusher in their last 36 games. With running back Frank Gore, the 49ers can move the ball as good as anyone on the ground and will need his help this weekend. For the 49ers to win this game they will need to take advantage of the Saints weak passing defense and create some points. The Saints just need to have Drew Brees and his receivers play at a high level. This game is so close I refuse to give a favored team, we will let game time decide that.

NFL Wildcard Week Preview

Some teams swept into the playoffs while others had to fight till the end to have the chance to play in January. No matter what it took for these teams to make it, the tables are now even. Whether you’re the Green Bay Packers or the Denver Broncos, you made the playoffs and your record doesn’t mean anything except maybe one week of rest. Here’s a look into each game for the Wildcard week.

Byes: Green Bay Packers, San Francisco 49ers, New England Patriots, Baltimore Ravens.

Cincinnati Bengals (9-7) at Houston Texans (10-6): A battle of rookie quarterbacks is the headline in this game. Cincinnati’s Andy Dalton, the 2^nd round draft pick out of TCU, will be taking on Houston’s TJ Yates, the 5^th round pick out of North Carolina. Houston was looking like one of the best teams in the AFC till injuries of starting QB Matt Schaub and back-up Matt Leinart. The Texans lost three consecutive games to end the regular season, their last win coming in a 20-19 battle against their playoff opponent Bengals. Both teams have obvious weaknesses. The Texans weak spot is the passing game with TJ Yates in. The Bengals are 1-7 against teams with winning records which shows they struggle against good teams. With two of the best defenses in the NFL this game should be a low scoring battle. Both defenses rank among the top 10 in both rushing yards and passing yards allowed. While the Texans have never played in a postseason game the Bengals have also had some playoff struggles, not winning a postseason game since 1990. If Houston wants to win this game they will need to shut down star rookie sensation A.J. Green. Green in his rookie season has been the best wide receiver on the team putting together 1,057 yards and 7 touchdowns. On the other side of the field the Bengals will need to stop the 2010 rushing leader Arian Foster and back-up running back Ben Tate. Foster has 1,224 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns while Tate has 942 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns. If either team can accomplish these feats they have the edge and will most likely move on to play another week. Going in I’m giving the advantage to the Bengals.

Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4) at Denver Broncos (8-8): Two dominant defenses face off in this battle. The Steelers have proven over the years they are one of the best defensive teams in the NFL and showed this again in 2011 by ranking 1^st in passing yards allowed and 8^th in rushing yards allowed. The Broncos defense doesn’t look good when you look at season stats but led by Von Miller and Brian Dawkins this defense can compete with any offense when locked on. Pittsburgh will need very little help defending the passing game considering the Broncos offense is 31^st in passing yards with only averaging 152.1 passing yards per game. The passing may not be good but with more rushing yards per game than passing the Broncos average 164.5 rushing yards per game, which is 1^st in the NFL. Quarterback Tim Tebow is part of the reason, averaging 5.4 yards per carry. After a 7-1 start in his first 8 starts this season Tebow has finished losing his last 3 games. There are concerns for the Steelers on their offense also, Ben Roethlisberger, the running game and one of the worst offensive lines in the league. Their star quarterback Roethlisberger missed the season finale against the Rams due to a high-ankle sprain he suffered two weeks earlier against the Cleveland Browns. As the toughest quarterback in the league Roethlisberger should be fine but if the injury messes up his pocket movement the Broncos defense could put a pounding on him. The Steelers could have trouble running the ball after losing their starting running back Rashard Mendenhall to an ACL tear. With Mendenhall out the Steelers will be giving more attempts to Isaac Redman who averaged 4.4 yards per carry in 110 attempts this season. The Broncos need to limit Ben Roethlisberger’s pocket movement and send in a mix of blitzes to try and take advantage of his injured ankle. Pittsburgh must take advantage of the weak passing skills of Tebow and force him to commit turnovers. Advantage here goes to the Steelers.

Detroit Lions (10-6) at New Orleans Saints (13-3): Two of the top offenses will almost assure an exciting shootout in New Orleans. With two quarterbacks that exceeded 5,000 yards on the season this could be the highest scoring game throughout the playoffs. The Saints have a nice running defense but the Lions compete strictly with their passing game, the Saints are 30^th in the league for passing yards allowed. The Lions are also bad on defense ranking 22^nd in passing yards allowed and 23^rd in rushing yards allowed. The big difference in these teams is their running game. The Lions rank 29^th in rushing yards while the Saints rank 6^th. The Saints will be looking to add on to their recent postseason success while the Lions will be looking for their first playoff win since 1991 and to prove they are contenders after becoming the first team to ever go 0-16 only three years ago. The two teams already faced this season when the Saints beat the Lions 31-17 in New Orleans. This was the first of two games missed by pro bowl defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh due to being suspended for stomping on Green Bay’s Evan Dietrich-Smith. With Suh in this game could be completely different. Suh has little stats to show this season yet his teammates numbers are starting to improve due to Suh being double to triple teamed on most plays. The main worry for the Saints should be controlling wide receiver Calvin Johnson who had an amazing 1,681 yards receiving and 16 touchdowns this season. Detroit will need more help to win this game, with playing such a balanced offense the main thing they can do to shut it down is hope their linebackers can make the open field tackles and fill the gaps on running plays. With an 8-0 record at home this season the Saints are no doubt the favorites here.

Atlanta Falcons (10-6) at New York Giants (9-7): With two of the better passing games in the NFC and weak passing defenses this game has potential to put up some big numbers. While both teams can produce in the passing game the Giants are ranked dead last in rushing yards, while the Falcons rank 17^th. With such a bad rushing game for New York there will definitely be a struggle against a solid running defense in Atlanta that ranked 6^th for rushing yards allowed. No doubt to me this game has the best wide receivers. With two superstars each the Giants will hope for big numbers from Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks while the Falcons put their hope in Roddy White and rookie Julio Jones. Each set of receivers combined for a total of over 2,000 yards and 16 touchdowns this season. With only a 4-4 record at home the Giants home field advantage seems to mean less than it would for most teams. The weakness for the Giants is the lack of a solid rusher, while the Falcons showed little effort to make the big plays. In five games against playoff teams the Falcons scored fewer than 23 points each game and had a 1-4 record against them teams. Atlanta will need to get off the track of medium gain plays every attempt and throw in some big time play attempts to throw the defense off. The Giants will need their secondary to tackle well and not let receivers Roddy White or Julio Jones get any amount of space between them and their defenders. Atlanta will need defensive end John Abraham, who has 104.5 career sacks, to put pressure on quarterback Eli Manning and prevent the Giants weak running game from making big plays. Atlanta gets the edge in this game.