NFL Pecking Order: Week 9

By Charlie Portelli

After each week in the NFL I will do a segment called “NFL Pecking Order” breaking down what I view as the top ten teams in the NFL at that time. Unlike most other sites or blog lists ranking NFL teams on a week by week basis, I look at the big picture. Most other lists are flawed because they only look at wins and losses, more specifically on recent wins and losses. For example, if a team is 1-2 with two road losses to tough teams, it isn’t always correct to rank them behind a 2-1 or even a 3-0 team with less impressive wins. Like I said, I will look at the teams with a big picture perspective in mind. This should be a very interesting segment this year because the teams in the league are so close. To me, there is not an enormous gap between the teams I rank 3-5 and the teams I rank 8-10, and even the teams I leave outside the top 10. With that said, lets rank the top ten NFL teams heading into week 9 starting with number 10.

10. Detroit Lions (5-3, NFC NORTH) Last week: Unranked

I gave the Detroit Lions the nod over the Carolina Panthers here but it was very close. The Panthers will probably be the main competitor with the Lions for what looks to be one of the final playoff spots in the NFC. Detroit is not even close to what Carolina is on the defensive side of the ball but they boast a much more potent attack on offense behind QB Matthew Stafford and WR Calvin Johnson. Although I am not a believer in Head Coach Jim Schwartz, I will also give him a slight edge over Carolina's head coach, Ron Rivera. Detroit has the easiest remaining schedule in the entire NFL so a playoff spot is their's if they want to rise up and grab it. It should also be noted that LB Deandre Levy has emerged as one of the most versatile linebackers in the game and has become one of the lone bright spots on a struggling defense for the Lions.

9. Cincinnati Bengals (6-2, AFC NORTH) Last week: 8

The Bengals look to be the class of the AFC north at the halfway point of the season. They are extremely talented and are now riding a 4 game winning streak with wins at home vs the Patriots, at Bills, at Lions, and then this past Sunday at home vs the Jets. Their offense perked up against the Jets, blowing them out 49-9. QB Andy Dalton who once looked like he was limiting the Bengals potential is coming off his third straight dominant performance. Their defense has been very steady behind defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer who will garner plenty of attention from teams looking for a head coach this coming offseason. The Ravens are sitting at 3-4 in the division but will still get two cracks at the Bengals so this one has not been decided yet.

8. New England Patriots (6-2, AFC EAST) Last week: 9

The Patriots have remained steady despite playing games without their 3 best defensive players. NT Vince Wilfork and LB Jerod Mayo are out for the remainder of the season and CB Aqib Talib has missed the last two games. The Patriots might not be as much of a threat in the AFC as they have been in years past but teams always have to be cautious of a team led by coach Bill Belichick. The Patriots have built an attack on offense based off extreme balance as they boast as many as 3 to 4 running backs week in, week out. Tom Brady has his favorite target back in TE Rob Gronkowski and the Patriots sit comfortably atop their division after they took care of the struggling division rival Miami Dolphins on Sunday.

7. Green Bay Packers (5-2, NFC NORTH) Last week: 7

The Packers have been dealing with a lot of key injury issues but behind QB Aaron Rodgers they have not missed a beat. In fact its seems to be an annual thing that the Packers hit their stride midseason and march towards another division championship. The Lions are nipping at their heels in the division but the Packers are far too experienced and battle tested to give the divisional crown up to the Lions. Injuries are knocking Rodgers offensive weapons off the board on a weekly basis but the next man steps up and suits Rodgers fine. They are expected to welcome WR James Jones back this week and star LB Clay Matthews shouldn't be far behind. RB Eddie Lacy has emerged and become a dependable back and has helped create a balanced attack.

6. Kansas City Chiefs (8-0, AFC WEST) Last week: 6

The Chiefs have taken care of their business, and at 8-0 there is no denying that. Yet they are sitting back at #6 on the Pecking Order because they have yet to have a true test. Their best win was week 2 over the Dallas Cowboys where they won by 1 point. Their defense is every bit as good as advertised and I have stated before I think that they actually match up quite well with the Broncos who they will be contending with for the AFC west division title. Defensive ends like Von Miller of the Broncos, Jared Allen of the Vikings, and Demarcus Ware of the Cowboys garner most of the attention in the media but DE Tamba Hali has to be one of the most disruptive rush ends I have ever watched play. They are stacked at every level in this defense. We will see if their limits on offense will restrict them going forward as their next 4 games are at Buffalo, at Denver, Chargers, and then Denver again.

5. Indianapolis Colts (5-2, AFC SOUTH) Last week: 4

The Colts are behind all three powerhouse teams that they have impressively defeated in this weeks Pecking Order because of an injury that will be extremely difficult to overcome, WR Reggie Wayne. Behind DE Robert Mathis and of course QB Andrew Luck, Wayne was the next guy that they just simply could not afford to lose. They have also sustained losses on their already suspect offensive line. This is a team that I viewed as a possible participant in the Super Bowl out of the AFC but with the loss of their veteran leader in Wayne, that picture is a little more cloudy. Anything is still possible with QB Andrew Luck who has undoubtedly emerged as a legitimate top 5 QB in the NFL. Their defense is still stout and has become a rugged, hardworking group just like their QB. CB Vontae Davis has dominated in man coverage as evidenced by his performance on SNF while taking down the vaunted Denver Broncos.

4. New Orleans Saints (6-1, NFC SOUTH) Last week: 3

The Saints have just one blemish on their record, a last second loss at the hands of the Patriots. TE Jimmy Graham is battling an injury that could nag him throughout the season and if he isn't right, neither will this team. After falling behind briefly to an underrated Bills team last week, the Saints feasted on their weak QB play and forced turnover after turnover. Brees threw 5 TD passes as they rolled. Head Coach Sean Payton is thirsty after serving his year long suspension and its going to be interesting to see who grabs that top seed in the NFC conference between the Saints, Seahawks and 49ers because home field throughout the playoffs will mean a great deal, especially for the Saints or Seahawks.

3. San Fransisco 49ers (6-2, NFC WEST) Last week: 5

Everyone seemed to forget about the 49ers after they started the season 1-2 and lost by wide margins to the Seahawks and Colts. Another thing people seemed to forget was that this is the same team led by head coach Jim Harbaugh that led his team to the Super Bowl the year before. After those two losses they have rattled off 5 wins in a row over the Rams, Texans, Cards, Titans, and Jags. The average margin of victory over those 5 wins? A whopping 22.6 points, in typical Harbaugh fashion. They got back to what they do best and that is running the football. RB Frank Gore has answered the bell and this team now leads the NFL with 153 rush yards per game.  Newsflash: The 49ers are still an elite team in the NFL and Jim Harbaugh wants a ring.

2. Denver Broncos (7-1, AFC WEST) Last week: 1

The Broncos bounced back nicely after their thrashing defeat at the hands of the Colts. They may have only ended up losing that game by 6 points, but it was indeed a thrashing, the Colts dominated in every phase and shocked the Broncos nation. For the first time this season, they looked like the lesser of the two teams on the field. They were able to bounce back and do the same against the Redskins on Sunday. The Broncos started slow, but finished fast. Peyton Manning has looked like the Peyton of old, average in big games. He has a below .500 record for his career in the playoffs. His defense will have to perk up if they want to win a Super Bowl because the Colts showed 2 weeks ago that Peyton cannot do it all by himself, he needs help. DE Von Miller returning will help a great deal. The Broncos still look like the best team in the AFC, but now they look beatable and teams aren't intimidated.

1. Seattle Seahawks (7-1, NFC WEST) Last week: 2

The Seahawks return to the top spot on the Pecking Order after a close road victory on the road. The Seahawks have some real issues on the offensive line but should welcome back LT Russell Okung back in week 11. Their defense gave up yards in bunches on the ground to the Rams but were still able to hold the Rams out of the end zone the entire game as they won 14-9 on a game ending goal line stand. The Seahawks are at their best when their defense dictates the game and RB Marshawn Lynch has a steady diet of carries. QB Russell Wilson has kept it all together by not making mistakes and making big throws off play action. When his back has been against the wall and they needed him to make plays late in order to win, hes done just that, with his arm and his legs. He is a true dual-threat, pass first quarterback. RG, take notes.

Detroit Lions: A Win Is a Win, Right?

By Charlie Portelli

The Detroit Lions pulled off an improbable comeback on Sunday over the Cowboys that has Lions fans far and wide jubilant. With their backs against the wall in front of a sold out home crowd, Stafford and the Lions drove 80 yards with less than a minute on the clock and no timeouts remaining to cap an amazing victory. The win puts the Lions in the driver seat for a playoff spot in the NFC. All's well that ends well for Lions fans, right? Proceed with caution.

The Lions were extremely fortunate to be able to come away with a win Sunday. On defense, they continued to display a strong degree of ineptitude. Their inability to generate a consistent pass rush, coupled with the fact that their secondary has been awful has developed some real concerns for this team. They were just seconds away from dropping a second consecutive game at home where they desperately need wins. The Lions defense has given up 7 passing plays 40 yards or more, tied for 3rd worst among all NFL teams. They have also given up 4 rushes over 40 yards, which is the worst in the NFL. The Lions are known around the league to have one of the best defensive lines in the game, yet they have only accumulated 13 QB sacks, good for the 5th fewest in all of football. In typical Lions fashion, they again shot themselves in the foot several times. They committed 4 turnovers (2 INT's and 2 fumbles) and after losing one of their fumbles, rookie TE Joseph Fauria committed a brainless personal foul that put the Cowboys directly into field goal range. These are all recipes for losing. A recipe that the Lions have mastered. The win tends to mask many deficiencies for some, but not for me.

The Dallas Cowboy defense is every bit as bad as the Lions defense, so lets not over-analyze this one, that's why the Lions were able to win this game. They continued to allow Calvin Johnson to burn them time and time again as he amassed 329 yards on 14 catches. When the Cowboys had to make one play to finish the game, they could not.

Of course, we have to give credit where credit is due. Stafford was incredible in this game, and all season long for that matter. In a quarterback driven league, Stafford has shown the ability to carry his team to victory. He has about as much talent throwing the football as any in the game. He and Calvin have developed the most explosive connection in the league and their rapport continues to grow. The Lions stayed the course in this one, and despite their defensive inefficiencies, their offense prevailed. Perhaps the most impressive trait through eight games for the Lions has been their ability to protect Stafford. The offensive line has only allowed 10 sacks on the season, the lowest in the NFL. Much of that credit goes to Stafford as well, as he has been brilliant at getting rid of the football quickly and not allowing the defense the time to get to him.

Many fans think that this win is the difference. The Lions were never able to win these games in the past, so winning them now proves that this team has made that jump. Although in reality, that is hardly the case. The Lions have the easiest remaining schedule in the entire NFL, but they will NOT win their division. Luckily for them, there should be one playoff spot left for the taking after the 4 division winners and 49ers claim their spots. Will the Lions do what is required and grab that last spot? Depend on wins like they had this past Sunday against the Cowboys and they can forget about that.

Jim Leyland Retires As Tigers Manager; Now What?

By Charlie Portelli

Jim Leyland announced yesterday that he is retiring as Detroit Tigers manager after reaching the ALCS for the third straight year. Leyland stated this morning that he was "running low on fuel"  and decided it was time to end his eight year tenure with the Tigers. Whether you liked Jim Leyland as Tigers manager or not, he was very successful in Detroit despite falling short of the ultimate goal; winning a World Series Championship.

Jim Leyland was beloved by many in Detroit. He was also disliked by many and most others fell somewhere in between. But his success in Detroit should not be taken for granted nor should it be unappreciated. In fact, Leyland was one of the greatest managers the Detroit Tigers have ever had in their history rich franchise. To put his success into perspective, consider this. He managed the Tigers for 8 seasons, but before looking at his time as Tigers manager, lets reflect on the 8 seasons before Leyland arrived in Detroit. The winning percentage over those 8 years? A lowly 40%. The 8 years with Leyland as manager? A much more impressive 54%. Also, Leyland took over a dumpster fire of an organization. Just three years prior to taking over in Detroit, the Tigers had posted one of the absolute worst win/loss records in the history of baseball, winning just 43 ball games and losing a whopping 119 (the worst in Tigers history). Jim Leyland turned the ball club around overnight and led the Detroit Tigers to the World Series in his very first year as the manager in 2006. It was the first time the Tigers had even made the postseason in 19 long, dreadful years on the baseball diamond. Although Leyland never brought a World Series Championship to Detroit, it would be asinine to say he failed in Detroit. During his 8 year term as Tigers manager, the Tigers reached the ALCS or better 4 times. That is success. Most franchises long for that kind of run. To sum up Jim Leyland as a baseball manager, just talk to his players. His players loved him and Leyland loved his players. His players would run through a wall for him if he asked them to. Leyland is the epitome of a "players manager". Towards the end of his run in Detroit his true personality showed more. He wore his heart on his sleeve and showed a lot of raw emotion, in which the fans really responded to. Leyland will be missed in Detroit by players and fans alike for his humor, down to earth attitude, hard-nosed persona, but most of all, his part in bringing Detroit Tigers baseball back to relevance.

Moving On

With an end of era in Detroit, a new one is born. So here we sit with a dream roster consisting of two different MVP's still in their prime, multiple Cy Young candidates, and incredible talent filled in everywhere else on the field, with a large vacancy at the helm. Many are sad that Leyland would leave at a time like this, so close to completing our mission of winning a World Series for the first time since 1984. Others are worried how this team will respond to a new manager after playing for one who was universally loved in the clubhouse. But the fact of the matter is that Leyland left at an opportune time. He had his chances at a ring, but fell short. The foundation is set for a new manager to step in; whomever that may be. Sometimes, after a lengthy stay as manager for a team, players get a little too comfortable. The team has lacked a little bit of that healthy edge in the clubhouse, dugout, and on the field and that could all return with a new voice. When there is talent in place, it makes for a much easier transition. A current example of this is with Andy Reid. Andy Reid is a football coach, but the similarities of the situation are there nonetheless. Andy Reid had been very successful as a football coach for the Philadelphia Eagles for many years but after a long reign, his voice was not heard in the same way that it once was due to the players being too comfortable. The Eagles ran Andy Reid out of town despite his overall success there. Andy Reid was still a very capable coach, just not in Philly any longer. Reid was unemployed for all of five minutes. He promptly took over the Kansas City Chiefs as head coach following their season as the league's worst team. He now has them 7-0 and in first place. I don't blame Philly for firing Andy Reid, it was time to move on. Philly had grown tired of Reid, and the Chiefs were looking for a new voice. I am not saying that Detroit has grown tired of Leyland, because that's not it at all. What I am exemplifying here is that it was a good time for Leyland to walk away from the Tigers managerial position. He had grown older and tired and the Tigers need a change, a splash of water in the face if you will.

Leyland had a knack for managing young and unproven ball clubs and getting the very best out of them. Look no further than Leyland's very early success of leading the Tigers to an AL pennant in his very first year as their manager. The team was littered with young talent. With the state of the current, veteran laden Tigers team, Leyland had gotten the most out of them as he probably ever would have.  It takes some real guts and courage to be able to walk away from a team as talented and as built to win as this Tiger team, and I commend him for doing so.

Who is Next?

General Manager Dave Dombrowski has the difficult task of finding a replacement for this legendary manager. He has big shoes to fill but I think the key is to find an even keeled, younger type of manager. The last thing that you want is someone with too strong of a personality that might ruffle the feathers of this group. The team is full of experienced talent. They have all played under the brightest of lights and tasted the success. They were a mere 6 wins away from a World Series ring, so too much of a change could cause an epic collapse. 

Its very early in the process yet to properly consider names to replace Leyland. There are a few managers I know that I do not want. Among them are Don Mattingly, Manny Acta, Ozzie Guillen and to a lesser extent, Dusty Baker. I am certainly intrigued by the idea of Brad Ausmus. The main turnoff with Ausmus is the fact that he does not have any managerial experience, whether it be at the major or minor league level. An example of a manager currently in the league that took a high profile job without any managerial experience, look no further than Mike Matheny who is the manager for the St. Louis Cardinals and will be managing the Cardinals in the World Series starting tomorrow. He is also the youngest manager in the game at 43 years old. Other than having no managerial experience before taking the Cardinals job, Matheny and Ausmus share some similarities. Both are young. Ausmus is 44. Both were catchers, and catchers are very cerebral baseball players, they understand the game. Matheny was a catcher for the Cardinals, now manages them. Ausmus was a catcher for the Tigers in '96, '99, and '00. Matheny's experience in the game after his playing career was finished came with being a special assistant in the front office for the Cardinals for a couple years before being named their manager after Larussa retired. Ausmus is currently a special assistant with the San Diego Padres. Ausmus has interviewed for other managing vacancies and thinks he has what it takes to be a successful manager in the big leagues. 

He might just get his first crack with the Tigers next year. 

Prince Fielder Should Be Benched

By Charlie Portelli

The Detroit Tigers are in a desperate spot. They are down 3-2 in a best of 7 series with the Red Sox and have to travel to Boston to play in a do or die game 6; win or go home. The season is on the line and it is time for Jim Leyland and the Tigers to do absolutely everything they can do in order to win and that includes benching Prince Fielder.

Jim Leyland is a manager who tends to make decisions based on track records. For instance, if he has a proven major league hitter in his lineup that is struggling mightily at the plate over a long period of time, he will stick with that player based on his track record in the past. He is resilient enough to stay the course and withstand media and fans alike screaming and shouting both literally and figuratively for the benching of this said player. In my opinion, this is the proper way to manage and Leyland might just be the best in the game in that regard. However, this instance is different and it is time to make a change.

After Fielder went 1-4 with a weak groundball single through the box in game 5 in the ALCS he raised his postseason batting average to .211. Although that average is much lower than desired, the real problem lies elsewhere. Prince Fielder has just one extra base hit and zero RBI in the entire postseason. He has displayed no power, and no clutch hitting. He also has committed unforgivable miscues on defense as well. To put Prince's struggles into context, lets will compare his postseason production to the St. Louis Cardinal shortstop, Pete Kozma. Pete Kozma is the no. 8 hitter in the Cardinal lineup and has 9 RBI over the last two postseasons compared to Prince Fielder who has just 3 RBI in roughly the same amount of games. That is pathetic.

The major league baseball season is extremely long and players go through slumps of the worst kind throughout the dog days of summer. But unlike the regular season, the postseason is constructed into short series and in this best of 7 series it is time for Leyland to make an exception to his "stick with the track record" style of managing. The Tigers are one loss away from ending their season which was World Series or bust from the get go. There isn't time to play around anymore and the bottom line is Leyland has to field his very best lineup and Fielder is not one of the 9 best that they have right now.

The Tigers are lucky to have someone in Victor Martinez who is swinging one of the hottest bats of anyone in the entire postseason who could step into Fielders spot and produce. Jhonny Peralta would provide adequate protection behind Martinez. Also, by benching Fielder the Tigers would make improvements on defense. Victor Martinez could play first base which would open up the designated hitter spot for Peralta. This enables the Tigers to insert another left handed bat to play left field, either Andy Dirks or Don Kelly, who are both significant upgrades on defense over Peralta, who is a defensive liability.

There are two other options to consider. Moving Fielder down in the lineup in hopes that it sparks his bat like it did Austin Jacksons when he was moved from the leadoff spot to the 8th spot. Or, simply leaving Fielder as is. Jim Leyland is most likely going to stick with the track record of Prince Fielder and leave him as is and count on him to come out of it tonight and help the Tigers push this series to a decisive game 7 tomorrow. With that said, lets hope Prince spent the majority of his day off praying to the baseball gods to pull him out of this awful postseason slump.

Detroit Lions: Playoff Bound?

By Charlie Portelli

The Detroit Lions fan base is among the hungriest in the league for success after enduring a lifetime of disappointment. The Lions have satisfied that hunger by delivering an impressive 4-2 record through the first six weeks of the regular season. That inspiring start has the entire city of Detroit buzzing. They have the look of a playoff team thus far as they sit atop the NFC North, but is this lead that the Lions have created sustainable?

Aft
er just six weeks in the young season no team has yet to punch their ticket into the postseason, just like no team can be ruled out of making the postseason this early. But as fans, we naturally look ahead and think of the possibilities. I am not fond of playing the “schedule game” by looking ahead to every game on the schedule and predicting wins and losses. However, we have a lot better idea now as to what certain teams are than we did before the season began when the schedules were first released. With that said, lets take a look specifically at the next two games on the Lions schedule beginning with this Sunday as the Cincinnati Bengals visit Ford Field and then next Sunday which also happens to be at home when the Dallas Cowboys come knocking.

These next two games are crucial for the Lions because they are against formidable opponents and also when you are playing in front of your home crowd it is imperative to win those games. These two games will be a great measuring stick for the Lions going forward as they continue their march through the season as playoff hopefuls. 

It all starts this Sunday against the Bengals who like the Lions, have also fought their way to a 4-2 record thus far. The Bengals have a legitimate top 10 defense in this league as they rank in the top 10 both in points allowed and yards allowed. They have talent at all three levels of their defense. The secondary has been getting healthier as well. The offense on the other hand has not been nearly as impressive as they have struggled to meet their potential behind mediocre QB Andy Dalton. Dalton is however coming off his best game of the year after passing for 337 yards and 3 TD's but its no secret that the Bengals are at their best when they run the ball behind their two running backs that seem to compliment each other well. Benjarvus Green-Ellis is the gritty between the tackles runner that usually starts the attack and finishes at the goal line while in between they like to mix in rookie running back Giovanni Bernard who is much quicker and athletic and also loves to catch the ball out of the backfield.

In the second half of this home stand for the Lions they will welcome the Dallas Cowboys to Ford Field for an NFC clash. The Cowboys currently stand at 3-3 on the year and are tied for the lead in the struggling NFC East division. One of the those three losses for the Cowboys came at the hands of Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos in a classic battle coming down to the final seconds. Tony Romo has had a remarkable year thus far and is doing all he can to lead this team to a division championship and playoff berth. Behind Romo and all his offensive weapons, the Cowboys have proven they can score points in bunches. The Cowboys have looked inconsistent on defense and are starting to battle some injuries that could prove costly as they have most recently lost star DE/LB Demarcus Ware for possibly the next four weeks. They are also without their other stud DE Anthony Spencer for the year who was not as flashy as Ware but was a reliable run stopper for the Cowboys.

Lets take a look at a stat for the Lions that may at first seem like a positive, but I will argue otherwise. The Lions are tied for the NFL lead in interceptions with 10 already through just 6 games. You may be asking yourself "...and this is a bad thing, why?" I will tell you why. When your defense is depending on turnovers, it is not a good thing. Turnovers can sometimes be the difference between winning and losing and if a team has a knack for forcing them, that of course is a valuable asset, but that is not what I am arguing. What I am arguing is that type of defensive success is not sustainable. You do not want your defensive success to be dependent upon interceptions or fumble recoveries. There is a bit of luck involved there with leading the league in interceptions. As I have stated many times before, this is a head coach and quarterback driven league. The quarterbacks that the Lions have faced off with so far this year have been Christian Ponder, Carson Palmer, Robert Griffin III, Jay Cutler, Aaron Rodgers, and Brandon Weeden. So in 6 games, they have faced just one quarterback you could even consider above average in Aaron Rodgers who is of course elite. It comes at no coincidence that he threw zero INT's vs. the Lions and the Lions of course lost that game. I would argue the rest of those QB's are average AT BEST. (Do not even get me started on RGIII, I said he was overrated last year and I was right. Talented? Without a doubt, but far from elite). My point is, to the Lions credit, they feasted on inferior QB's, but it is not something you can count on moving forward.

Quarterback Matthew Stafford has done an outstanding job leading this team to where they stand now. He has proved that he is a driven winner and is an absolute gamer by doing it all with a hobbled Calvin Johnson. Over the next two weeks we'll all get a much clearer look at where the Detroit Lions stand in the NFC playoff hunt as they will be at the halfway point of the season. Win these next two home games and the Lions have put themselves in the drivers seat. Lose them and they are the same old Lions.

Detroit Tigers vs. Boston Red Sox: “Teams of Destiny”

By Charlie Portelli

Major League Baseball got the American League Championship matchup they had hoped for with two storied franchises with plenty of star power facing off between the Detroit Tigers and the Boston Red Sox beginning Saturday night at historical Fenway Park. This series has the makeup of a true battle between two very talented teams and has a chance to be one for the ages. Both fan bases are sure that their team is a winner. You are always hearing fans and people in the media alike say, “This is a team of destiny!” And while I have certainly been guilty of this myself, let’s just throw that shit out the window here because you could argue that both of these teams are “teams of destiny”.

 First we have the Red Sox. The Red Sox are coming off of a year in which they made a drastic move in ousting their long time manager, Terry Francona after he and the Red Sox lost 18 of their last 24 games which culminated in them losing their playoff spot on the last day of the regular season. Although the move to replace Francona seemed obvious after the epic collapse, it was not popular among many Bostonians as you can imagine because after all, Francona is the manager who can be credited with ending the Red Sox dreadful 86 year World Series title drought after winning the championship in 2004. He went on to follow that up with another World Series title in ‘07. To say the least, Francona was beloved in Boston by many. General Manager Ben Cherington chose to replace Francona with an opposite personality, Bobby Valentine. Valentine, who had to fill those big shoes, took over a very talented team with high expectations and to be quite frank, he could not have done a worse job. Valentine was disastrous in Boston and was an awful fit from the word go. He was fired after just one year on the job while finishing in last place in their division and the Red Sox were back to square one looking for a new manager. Meanwhile, impatient fans in Boston who had recently become accustomed to winning grew restless. The GM Ben Cherington was given the task of finding another new manager to properly fit with the strong personalities in team leaders Dustin Pedroia and David Ortiz and he found a perfect match in John Farrell who just so happened to be a former pitching coach with the Red Sox under Terry Francona from 2007-2010. Cherington also did a masterful job of adding blue-collar, grinding type of players that fit Boston’s persona to compliment his already talented team. He added 1B/C/DH Mike Napoli, OF Shane Victorino, OF Johnny Gomes, backup Catcher David Ross, and SS Stephen Drew among others to the roster. The Red Sox came together and performed at a high level all year long and claimed the American League’s best record when the regular season concluded. Not only did the Red Sox team get it done on the field, they meshed better than anyone could have predicted off of the field. Their current trademark that was born midseason is to grow facial hair; big, bristly, bushy facial hair at that.

All the adversity that the Red Sox went through as a team over the last couple of years has helped lead them right to where they are now; the ALCS and on the brink of returning to the World Series.

Next, we have the Tigers. While the Tigers also have the feeling of “a team of destiny”, it is for the opposite reasons. The Tigers have experienced recent success. They have won three consecutive division titles and reached the ALCS in 2011.They followed that up with a World Series berth last year where they were eventually swept by the San Fransisco Giants. The Tigers had to watch the Giants celebrate a World Series championship on their own field. Tigers General Manager Dave Dombrowksi went on to add a savvy veteran, OF Torii Hunter in the offseason and also welcomed back DH Victor Martinez after he missed the entire 2012 season with a knee injury. Both Hunter and Martinez have had successful careers in the major leagues but Hunter being 38 years old and Martinez 34, time is running out for these players who are both seeking that final piece to complete their career; a World Series ring. Jim Leyland took over as Tigers manager in the 2005 season when the Tigers were absolutely abysmal and had been for years. It took him just one year before he led the Tigers to the AL Pennant and a World Series berth in ’06 where they ultimately fell short after losing to the Cardinals in 5 games. Jim Leyland is 68 years old and the time is running out on his managerial career and to complete his tenure in Detroit properly he is also missing one thing; a World Series ring. In sports it takes a while to build a championship contender and as we all know there is oftentimes only a small window of opportunity for a team to accomplish that championship and that window does not stay open forever. The Tigers have what looks to be a perfect balance of experience and youth on their team, not to mention some superstars in the prime of their career with Miguel Cabrera 30 years old, Justin Verlander 30, Max Scherzer 29, and Prince Fielder 29. Detroit Tigers fans are thirsty for a World Series championship having not seen one since 1984.

The time is now for the Detroit Tigers as they appear in the ALCS for the third consecutive year. The Tigers have been on the brink of winning it all in recent years but they believe this is the year that they finally bring that championship home to the fans of Detroit.

I will take the “team of destiny”, the Detroit Tigers in 6 games.

NFL Pecking Order : Week 6

By Charlie Portelli


NFL Pecking Order. Week 6.

After each week in the NFL I will do a segment called “NFL Pecking Order” breaking down what I view as the top ten teams in the NFL at that time. Unlike most other sites or blog lists ranking NFL teams on a week by week basis, I look at the big picture. Most other lists are flawed because they only look at wins and losses, more specifically on recent wins and losses. For example, if a team is 1-2 with two road losses to tough teams, it isn’t always correct to rank them behind a 2-1 or even a 3-0 team with less impressive teams. Like I said, I will look at the teams with a big picture perspective in mind. This should be a very interesting segment this year because the teams in the league are so close. To me, there isn’t an enormous gap between the teams I rank 3-5 and the teams I rank 8-10, and even the teams I leave outside the top 10. With that said, lets rank the top ten NFL teams heading into week 6 starting with number 10.

10. Baltimore Ravens (3-2, AFC NORTH) Last week: Unranked

            Coming off an awful loss to the Buffalo Bills on the road in week 4, the Ravens were able go down south and beat an improved Dolphins team in their own house. This team had gone through enormous changes after their Super Bowl winning team, having to replace skill players as well as the identity of their defense for the better part of a decade in Ray Lewis and Ed Reed. Their leader, John Harbaugh knows how to keep his team’s emotions under control. Sitting at 3-2, they are tied atop their division with the Browns and Bengals, with the Browns likely to fade, the Ravens and Bengals should have a battle to win the AFC North crown.

9. New England Patriots (4-1, AFC EAST) Last week: 7

            After last nights game on MNF, we all had a look at just how unimpressive the Falcons are this year with the lowly Jets defeating them on their own field. If the win over the Falcons is the Patriots big win, then why are we all excited about the Patriots 4-1 start? I rank the Pats at 9 this week because although they haven’t done much to impress, they are 4-1 nonetheless. Their defense does a lot of thing right, including shut down what opposing teams do well and forcing the opposing offense’s weaker hand thanks to CB Aqib Talib who is playing at an all-pro level. They shut AJ Green down last week and Julio Jones the week before that. Bill Belichick has the Pats looking about as unimpressive as a 4-1 Belichick coached team could look but the fact of the matter is he is the greatest coach in the history of the game at making adjustments and while figuring his team out on the fly, they have compiled 4 wins and should only get better as the season goes on.

8. Cincinnati Bengals (3-2, AFC NORTH) Last week: 10

            The Bengals jump up 2 spots on this weeks pecking order following a home win over the undefeated Patriots where they broke Tom Brady’s unbelievable 52 game streak in which he has thrown at least 1 TD pass. Their defense held the Pats to just 6 points and while their offense is still sputtering they have a ton of weapons. I expect the Bengals to fade but given their talent, they should be able to squeak into the playoffs and eventually face the same fate of their last two seasons; a first round playoff loss. Then it will be up to the Bengals front office to decide to retain Marvin Lewis or not.

7. Green Bay Packers (2-2, NFC NORTH) Last week: 7

            The Packers did exactly what they needed to do last week by defeating the Lions at Lambeau. Their offense did not exactly look as efficient as it normally does behind Rodgers but I will credit the Lions defense for doing a nice job. The Packers defense stepped up and made the Lions offense one dimensional by taking away the run by winning the battle up front and clogging the running lanes. The Packers were lucky that the Lions were without the services of their best player, Calvin Johnson, which made an already unlikely victory become nearly impossible for the Lions. Eddie Lacy returned and made a nice contribution in the run game and formed a more balanced attack for the Packers offense. Unfortunately for the Packers it is looking like their star pass rushing LB Clay Matthews will be out for about a month. Next week’s matchup in Baltimore with the Ravens looms large.

6. Kansas City Chiefs (5-0, AFC WEST) Last week: 6

            The Chiefs came back last week to beat an upstart Titans team on the road which should certainly not be overlooked because if you can win games on the road in the NFL, you can probably make the playoffs. That is basically the difference in this league between teams that make the playoffs, and teams that do not. With that said, the Chiefs are 5-0 with wins over the Jaguars, Cowboys, Eagles, Giants, and Titans. Those five teams combined have only five wins. Kudos to Andy Reid for turning this team around overnight, but the work is far from over. This team will probably be limited when it comes to the point where they have to push the ball down the field with Alex Smith and that is going to be the difference between the Chiefs and Broncos in this division. With all of this said, I love this team and they will be making the playoffs thanks an active franchise making the correct moves and not being afraid to make those bold moves in order to move their team in the right direction.

5. San Fransisco 49ers (3-2, NFC WEST) Last week: 4

            The 49ers move down in the pecking order this week at no fault of their own but simply because other teams have looked more impressive. They blew out the struggling Texans at home in front of a packed house at Candlestick. Although the Texans look like a bad team this year, I assure you that they are not, so you can put as much stock into that win for the 49ers as you want. The Texans have a real defense and they will make a push to make the playoffs. However, the 49ers have a lot to iron out if they want to return to the Super Bowl this year, namely their young QB, Colin Kaepernick. He is obviously supremely talented and possibly suffered from an enlarged ego when he was looking like an unsolvable puzzle for opposing defenses over his first few starts in the NFL. The 49ers need to treat him like the QB he is, one that is making one of his first 12 starts in the league and build him back up from there.

4. Indianapolis Colts (4-1, AFC SOUTH) Last week: 5

            You can mark this one down. This division is over with, the Colts at 4-1 have wrapped up the AFC South over the 3-2 Titans and the 2-3 Texans. I love this Colts team and they will go as far Andrew Luck can take them and something is telling me that could possibly the Super Bowl although that won’t be easy with the Broncos standing in their way.

3. New Orleans Saints (5-0, NFC SOUTH) Last week: 3

            The Saints had a very tough text in week 5 traveling to Chicago to take on the Bears who were coming off a loss to the Lions the week prior. I’ve said it before, winning on the road in the NFL is tough and the Saints took care of business in Chicago. The defense is vastly improved and perhaps the best thing about this Saints team thus far is that they are flying under the radar with Manning and the Broncos grabbing most of the headlines. Believe me; you want to fly under the radar in pro sports if at all possible.

2. Seattle Seahawks (4-1, NFC WEST) Last week: 1

            I don’t care that the Seahawks lost last week to the Colts. That doesn’t change how good this team is. In fact, the Seahawks played better than I thought that they would have in Indy and very nearly won that game on the road. The Seahawks are of course a different team on the road than they are at home whereas on the road, this defense is going to give up some points, at home, they do not. This team is the most well rounded squad in the league.

1. Denver Broncos (5-0, AFC WEST) Last week: 2

The Broncos move up to the top spot in the NFL Pecking order this week after an incredible game against the Cowboys that was one for the ages. Manning and Romo exchanged punches for 60 minutes and Manning was the last one standing. With all this said, I feel like I have to bring everyone back down to earth when it comes to this Broncos team. Nearly every year, there is a team that looks unbeatable, and this year it is obviously the Broncos. But watching that defense get absolutely shredded for 48 points by Tony Romo wasn’t impressive. You certainly don’t want to get into a shootout with Peyton Manning because you are probably going to come up short just as Romo did, but there are different ways to beat this Bronco team. I will go on record predicting that in one of the two Broncos vs. Chiefs games, I think the Chiefs will win one (most likely the home game for the Chiefs). I think the Chiefs match up fairly well with the Broncos and if they can eat clock and sustain long drives, they could very well pull off the upset.

Detroit Lions Preview: Lambeau Losing Streak Will Continue

By Charlie Portelli

 The Lions have opened the 2013 season in impressive fashion and will look to keep it rolling into week 5. There the problem lies; a trip to illustrious Lambeau Field to take on the Green Bay Packers who are coming off a bye week. While the Lions have looked like an NFL team capable of making the playoffs thus far, the true test for them will be this Sunday in Green Bay where they will ultimately fall short.

Every NFL team struggles at Lambeau because it is simply one of the toughest places to play for a road team in all of sports, but the Lions have taken those struggles to a whole new level losing their last 22 contests there. To make matters worse, the Packers are in desperation mode early sitting at 1-2 staring up at the Bears and Lions who are both 3-1. Also, since taking over the Packers in 2006, Mike McCarthy has led his team to a 6-1 record following a bye week.

The Lions have themselves in a nice spot to grab an early stranglehold on the division should they defeat the Packers. They are already 2-0 in the division with wins over the Vikings and Bears at home. The offensive line has been much better than expected with both tackles and the right guard as first time starters in this league. The Lions should be able to move the ball on the weak Packers defense and if Reggie Bush is running through huge holes untouched for 7-8 yards like he was last week, the road victory is plausible.

The thing is Aaron Rodgers is not going to let that happen. He is perhaps the most dangerous quarterback in the league and can make you pay in so many ways. He is also unfazed by pressure and is annually among the league leaders in passer rating against the blitz. The Packers have been chomping at the bit to get back to Lambeau field and continue their winning ways after blowing a three score lead at Cincinnati two weeks ago. They get a team in the Lions coming off of an emotional high following their win over the Bears last week, primed for a letdown.

In a quarterback and head coach driven league, the Packers have a huge edge in both.

Packers win, 34-24.

NFL Pecking Order - Week 5

By Charlie Portelli

NFL Pecking Order. Week 5.

After each week in the NFL I will do a segment called “NFL Pecking Order” breaking down what I view as the top ten teams in the NFL at that time. Unlike most other sites or blog lists ranking NFL teams on a week by week basis, I look at the big picture. Most other lists are flawed because they only look at wins and losses, more specifically on recent wins and losses. For example, if a team is 1-2 with two road losses to tough teams, it isn’t always correct to rank them behind a 2-1 or even a 3-0 team with less impressive teams. Like I said, I will look at the teams with a big picture perspective in mind. This should be a very interesting segment this year because the teams in the league are so close. To me, there is not an enormous gap between the teams I rank 3-5 and the teams I rank 8-10, and even the teams I leave outside the top 10. With that said, lets rank the top ten NFL teams heading into week 5 starting with number 10.

10. Cincinnati Bengals (2-2, AFC NORTH) Last week: 7

Some teams just can’t handle success like others can. The Bengals seem to be one of those teams because after their big comeback victory over the Packers they went on to lose to the Browns while only putting up 6 points. They were however without their best corner, Leon Hall and their best safety, Reggie Nelson, but that’s no excuse for scoring 6 points. Like I said last week, I am not sure I trust Marvin Lewis to lead this team to playoff victories but they certainly have the talent for it. Ultimately I have the Bengals hanging on to the last spot in the NFL Pecking Order because I believe in their talent. Andy Dalton is going to have to step up to lead this team otherwise they are going to be nothing but a middle of the pack team in this league.

9. Chicago Bears (3-1, NFC NORTH) Last week: 5

            After a great 3-0 start to the season the Bears finally took their first loss of the season at the hands of the Lions. It was a good road test for the Bears but the Lions dominated the game from start to finish, exposing the Bears while running through huge holes. But the Bears were bound to lose after their hot start and winning on the road is no easy task in the NFL. The Bears, Lions, and Packers will have a battle for the division title and the Lions have a nice leg up but it will be a different story when the Lions visit Soldier Field. Cutler looked more like his old self Sunday while throwing three picks. Going forward we they will have to lean on Matt Forte more if they plan on winning the division.

8. Green Bay Packers (1-2, NFC NORTH) Last week: 10

            The Packers are coming off a much needed bye week after a difficult start to their schedule with games against the 49ers, Redskins, and Bengals. They will be getting their RB back, Eddie Lacy and they will be poised to make a run and get back in the thick of things in the NFC race. Although it was just 3 games into the young season, it was the perfect time for a bye considering they started 1-2 and Rodgers and coach Mike McCarthy could iron out whatever it is they had to iron out after their week 3 scuffle on the sideline.

7. New England Patriots (4-0, AFC EAST) Last week: Unranked

            The Patriots passed their first true test of the 2013 season with flying colors on Sunday night by dominating the Falcons on their own turf. Don’t be fooled by the final score with the Patriots only winning by a touchdown, they dominated the game. This was a huge win for multiple reasons. The Falcons were desperate after starting 1-2, Matt Ryan doesn’t lose at home, and it is never easy to start 4-0 in the NFL even if 3 of those victories were against bad teams. Tom Brady continues to get it done with no weapons. His wide receivers are undrafted rookies for god sake. Belichick continues to be the best coach at making adjustments and relies more on the run in order to pass now than he ever has in New England.  The Patriots are 4-0 and are due to get Gronkowski and Amendola back soon.

6. Kansas City Chiefs (4-0, AFC WEST) Last week: 8

            As I said last week, this team is the real deal. They have a top 5 defense in the league in my opinion and now have been introduced to a winning environment with the coaching staff change. This team had all the pieces to win minus a head coach and quarterback. They addressed both. They have a nice offensive line with the number 1 pick Eric Fisher playing right tackle while Branden Albert is still manning the blind side. Unfortunately, Fisher left the game with a concussion and is questionable for week 5. Jamaal Charles is having a great year while getting tons of touches on the ground and through the air. Denver sure looks like the class of this division but I cannot wait to see how this defense looks against Peyton’s vaunted passing attack.

5. Indianapolis Colts (3-1, AFC SOUTH) Last week: 6

            The Colts had a cakewalk game in Jacksonville against the Jags but hey, they took care of business. They are still trying to work Trent Richardson into the dominant runner they thought they traded for but he had only 60 yards on 20 carries against a pathetic Jags team. He did find the end zone however and it’s just taking some time for him to get comfortable in Indy while learning the offense on the fly. I think this team is a legitimate threat in the AFC behind Andrew Luck. Their defense showed up big time two weeks ago in San Fran and Robert Mathis is still showing the ability to rush the passer with 7.5 sacks already through the first 4 games of the season. The X-factor is coach Chuck Pagano. I love this guy and you can tell his team loves playing for him too. This team went 11-5 last year through inspiration behind Chuck Pagano and his fight against leukemia and this year I think they repeat that record simply because I think they are that good.

4. San Fransisco 49ers (2-2, NFC WEST) Last week: 3

            The 49ers are a bit puzzling to me as they looked so good week 1 against the Packers, bad in week 2 in Seattle, awful at home week 3 against Indy, and then pretty average early on against the Rams week 4 before turning it on eventually and blowing the Rams out. I am going to give them a pass for week 2 in Seattle because playing there is unlike any other road game. As for looking awful against Indy in week 3? I think the Colts are just that good. I rank the 49ers above the Colts still because I don’t trust them yet like I do the 49ers. Andrew Luck dreams to play behind an offensive line like Kaepernick’s. The 49ers offensive coordinator, Greg Roman is one of the best young coaches in the game and I expect him and Harbaugh to tirelessly work with their assets given to jump back to the top of the NFC.

3. New Orleans Saints (4-0, NFC SOUTH) Last week: 4

            The Saints look poised for a Super Bowl run again. After getting booted out of Dallas, Rob Ryan has the Saints defense looking the best they have in years. The Saints didn’t have a 2^nd or a 4^th round pick in the draft this year but they nailed their first round selection, safety Kenny Vaccaro. He looks like a young Troy Polamalu flying all over the field and it’s given this team’s movement to the 3-4 under Ryan seamless. Brees is using all of his weapons across the field. As I expected, they brought the Dolphins back to earth after their unlikely 3-0 start.

2. Denver Broncos (4-0, AFC WEST) Last week: 2

            The Bronco’s have looked about as good as a team can look through the first 4 weeks of the season. Peyton has had a historical start this young season but looks poised to go all year. They tore apart the Eagles defense but that is an awful defense in Philly. This team certainly has the look of a Super Bowl team but it is still very early. Let’s wait yet to crown Peyton.

1. Seattle Seahawks (4-0, NFC WEST) Last week: 1

I am keeping the Seahawks in the number 1 slot on the NFL Pecking order over the Bronco’s after winning a tough road game. Russell Wilson continues to show maturity by leading his team to a tough comeback victory on the road over a good opponent in the Texans. Wilson didn’t have his greatest game stats wise but he was under constant duress all day because he was missing 3 starting lineman. His left tackle, pro bowler Russell Okung will be out a while and also his center and right tackle also missed the game. He ended up running for 77 yards and kept drives alive late in the game with his legs including once on 4^th down. They will welcome back yet another defensive starter, Bruce Irvin this week who is one of their best pass rushers. This defense has an incredible amount of depth and an insane amount of speed all over the field with huge corners.