Florida State Seminoles

The Florida State Seminoles remained undefeated this year, closing out their season 13-0 after beating Georgia Tech in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Championship Game last Saturday, 37-35. The game was not a runaway though, as Georgia Tech fought hard and the score was tied at multiple points throughout the game; however, Seminoles quarterback Jameis Winston threw for 309 yards and 3 touchdowns, completing 21/30 passes. With this victory, Florida State proved that they belong at the top again this year.

While some of the Seminoles’ games were definite successes (beating NC State 56-41; Wake Forest 43-3 and Citadel 37-12) this season, the team faced many close calls throughout, including against opponents such as Clemson (23-17 in OT), Miami (30-26) and Boston College (20-17). Despite these battles and multiple off-field controversies surrounding Winston over the past year, the Seminoles remained resilient and victorious, continually fighting in the second half of games to win late and show why they were National Champions last year.

In the inaugural season of the College Football Playoff, Florida State ranks number 3 in the final four teams, and will face off against the number 2 ranked Oregon Ducks on New Year’s Day in the Rose Bowl. Oregon is considered an offensive powerhouse team this season, winning their last 8 games by 42 or more points. Ducks’ quarterback Marcus Mariota is one of the finalists for the Heisman trophy this year. Winston was the Heisman winner in 2013, becoming the youngest winner in history of the prestigious football award. While Oregon is known for rerouting their opponents’ game plans by breaking out with an early lead, Florida State is known for being a closer in high-pressure, down to the wire games, so this should provide for an exciting matchup.


The winner of the Rose Bowl will face off against the winner of the Sugar Bowl (Ohio State (4) vs. Alabama (1)), in the National Championship Game in Dallas, Texas on Monday, January 12th.

Alabama Crimson Tide

The number one ranked Alabama Crimson Tide Football team will face off against number four Ohio State on Thursday, January 1, 2015 in the AllState Sugar Bowl. This will bring the nation one step closer to determining who will play in the inaugural College Football Playoff National Championship game.

The Crimson Tide smoked the Mizzou Tigers 42-13 in the SEC Championship game two weekends ago, making it clear they were ranked number one for a reason. The team finished its regular season 12-1, including 7-1 in SEC games. Alabama’s only loss came in early October, as the team fell 23-17 to Ole Miss, who finished the season ranked 11th overall.

Alabama wide receiver Amari Cooper was one of three finalists for the Heisman Trophy. The winner (Oregon’s Marcus Mariota) announcement and award presentation was made last Saturday in New York. Cooper was named the SEC Player of the Year by the Associated Press and also leads the nation in receiving yards at 1656.

Alabama head coach Nick Saban is known for not only being a mind full disciplinarian, but also a defensive guru. Saban has been Alabama’s football coach since 2007 and led the team to national championship victories in 2009, 2011 and 2012. Ohio State’s Urban Myer has been credited with offensive expertise. Watching these two coaches who together have 5 national championship titles, face off against one another again should be an exciting matchup.

There is insurmountable pressure to attaining the rank of number one, and once you have it, keeping it. The Crimson Tide had last week off from football and players commented that Saban had the team’s best interest in mind, knowing they needed to recharge. The team headed back to practice Tuesday, December 16th. The team will focus on fundamentals this week, getting back into the right mindset and regaining the intensity they had which led to eight consecutive victories to close their regular season.

The Sugar Bowl is sure to be an entertaining matchup regardless of who you’re rooting for. Two teams with historic college football programs and two successful and decorated coaches, with nationwide loyal fans, will face off to seek entry into the first CFP championship game, looking for college football’s most coveted title.

Oregon Ducks

The Oregon Ducks will compete against the Florida State Seminoles on New Year’s Day in the Rose Bowl. The Ducks are ranked number two and the Seminoles are ranked number three. The winner of this game will face off against the Sugar Bowl’s winner in the inaugural College Football Playoff National Championship game on January 12th.

The Ducks finished their regular season 12-1, only suffering one loss to Arizona back in early October. The Ducks went on to dominate the Arizona Wildcats in the Pac-12 Championship game in the first week of December. Oregon got out to an early start and continued to climb from the second quarter through the game’s completion. The score was 44-7 before the 4th quarter began and Arizona’s quarterback Jerrard Randall managed to score another touchdown, for a final score of 51-13, Oregon.

Ducks quarterback Marcus Mariota received the Heisman Trophy last Saturday in New York. Mariota is considered a complete quarterback and versatile enough to fit any playing system. While he is not one of the most vocal players of the game, Mariota is described by sports reporters and other media as polite, humble and sincere.

Not only will the Ducks face off against the Seminoles, but Mariota will compete against FSU quarterback, Jameis Winston, who was the 2013 Heisman winner. Both quarterbacks while drastically different on and off the field, are considered to be the top two quarterback prospects for the 2015 NFL Draft. Neither has yet declared for the draft although it is widely predicted both will after college playoffs conclude.

While Oregon has continued to get off to an early lead and a fast start throughout the season, FSU has shown repeatedly that they’re capable of delivering in high-pressure situations, as they’ve struggled to fend off some of their lesser opponents, yet managed to remain victorious and undefeated all season. This matchup is expected to be fast-paced and high action.

Ohio State University

The 12-1 Ohio State University Buckeyes finish their season in first place in the Big Ten Conference, after destroying the Wisconsin Badgers in a 59-0 shutout last Saturday in the conference championship game. This was the Badgers’ first shutout since 1997.

The Buckeyes scored 14 points in both the first and fourth quarters and scored their remaining 31 points in the second and third, including 24 before halftime. Quarterback Cardale Jones threw 3 touchdowns and threw for 257 yards. Jones was named MVP of the game which was also his first career start. Wide receiver Devin Smith caught four passes and scored three times.

Ohio State has had an impressive season, losing just one game in the second week of the season to Virginia Tech, 35-21. In late October, the Buckeyes had an intense matchup against Penn State resulting in double overtime, however, the team managed to emerge victorious, winning 31-24. The team also defeated its big rivals: Michigan State, 49-27 and Michigan, 42-28.

The Buckeyes have suffered multiple losses this season, including injuries to quarterbacks J.T. Barrett and Braxton Miller, as well as the recent death of offensive lineman Kosta Karageorge. Despite these tragedies the team has faced, the Buckeyes proved on Saturday that they deserved to advance into the playoffs.

This is head coach Urban Meyer’s third season at Ohio State University. Prior to joining the Buckeyes, Meyer was the head coach at the University of Florida from 2005-2010, leading the team to two national championships in 2006 and 2008. Meyer is also an Ohio native.

2014 marks the first year of the College Football Playoff, for which the top four teams will face off in two major bowl games to determine who will play in the championship game. Ohio State is ranked number four and will play number one ranked Alabama in the All State Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Day. Oregon (2) and Florida State (3) will also face off on New Year’s Day in the Rose Bowl. The winners of these games will play in the National Championship Game on Monday, January 12th at AT&T stadium in Dallas, Texas.

Buffalo Bills

Now well into the home stretch of the regular season, the Buffalo Bills are 7-5, and in 2nd place in the AFC East after the New England Patriots. This weekend, the Bills will take on Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos at Mile High Stadium.

While running back C.J. Spiller is still rehabbing his collarbone injury, rookie wide receiver Sammy Watkins has returned to play. Since the Bills’ bye week in week 9, Watkins has accumulated 105 receiving yards although he has not scored any touchdowns. The expectations for the rookie are high as he has been instrumental in some of the Bills’ earlier wins this season. It was reported that Watkins said he must get back into the groove and get back to fundamentals. Spiller returned to practice earlier this week but remains on the Injured Reserve list and is not expected to play until week 16.

In regard to their division rivals of the AFC East, the Bills have had mixed results. Buffalo beat the Miami Dolphins in week 2 but lost to them in week 11. The Bills destroyed the Jets in late October and repeated the same results against them just shy of a month later. The team lost to the Patriots in October and will close out regular season play in week 17 on the road against them once more.

Buffalo managed to edge out the Detroit Lions and the Minnesota Vikings in 2 close games earlier this season, but struggled against the San Diego Chargers and Houston Texans. They also lost a close game to the Kansas City Chiefs.

While many sports analysts and critics doubt their contention, the playoffs are not out of sight for the Bills yet. If they are able to win their remaining games and depending on what happens with the Patriots’ remaining games, as well as what results in other divisions, they may be eligible for a wildcard spot.

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers are 7-4 this season after beating the Tennessee Titans 27-24 in Monday Night Football this past week.

Pittsburgh, not unlike other teams this season has been plagued with some tough injuries. Rookie linebacker Ryan Shazier has missed 6 games as a result of multiple injuries. Cornerback Ike Taylor is recovering from a broken arm injury that occurred in September. Taylor is awaiting clearance from team doctors to return to play. Safety Troy Polamalu hopes to return for the Steelers’ next game after suffering a knee injury in week 9 against the Baltimore Ravens. The team was victorious in score, winning 43-23 but the victory came at the cost of some of their strongest defenders.

Besides a 3 week winning stretch in late October into early November, the Steelers appear to have little consistency this season, alternating between wins and losses on a weekly basis. The Steelers are currently in 2nd place in their division, the AFC North after the 1st place Cincinnati Bengals. This is not a runaway lead by the Bengals, however, the division is definitely up for grabs. If the Steelers can gain consistency with their victories and avoid additional injuries, they may be able to claim 1st place.

Most recently, following their Monday night game, the Steelers released running back LeGarrette Blount on Tuesday, after he reportedly left the field before the end of Monday’s game. It has also been reported by some sources that the Steelers had already decided to go in this direction, relying more heavily on RB Le’Veon Bell. Since Blount’s release from the Steelers, he has already signed a 2 year deal with the New England Patriots. The deal is said to rely heavily on incentives. The Steelers have also signed RB Josh Harris from their practice squad.

Following their victory over the Titans, the Steelers will enjoy a bye week before facing off against the Saints at home on November 30. 

Arizona Cardinals

The Arizona Cardinals are 9-1 this season and will face the Seattle Seahawks on the road this Sunday. Despite their obvious positive record, the Cards are heading into Seattle as the underdogs this weekend. In response to this mindset, Arizona head coach Bruce Arians noted he was not surprised by this Seattle favoritism, noting many teams are not favored to win when playing at Century Link Field, a notoriously loud stadium that has provided the home team an advantage, contributing to visiting opponents’ false start penalties, time and time again.

The Cards began their season at home, beating the San Diego Chargers 18-17. They continued to remain victorious the following 2 weeks and after returning from an early season bye week, suffered their only loss in early October against the Denver Broncos on the road, falling 41-20. Since then, they have managed to stay victorious beating teams from coast-to-coast. Arizona is 1st in the NFC West division, which includes the Seahawks, the San Francisco 49ers, who the Cards beat 23-14 in week 3, and the St. Louis Rams who the team beat 31-14 in week 10. Arizona will finish their regular season play this year with 3 division rivalry games.

While they have been playing great throughout the season, the Cardinals did suffer another loss, that of their quarterback Carson Palmer who tore his ACL during the team’s faceoff with the Rams. This is Carson’s 2nd career ACL injury although the timetable for return is more optimistic this time around based on the severity of the injury. Fortunately for the Cards, Drew Stanton has been able to step in at quarterback and the team also has impressive wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald and cornerback Antonio Cromartie.

After this Sunday, the Seahawks and Cardinals will face off again in week 16 in Phoenix. Last season the Cardinals upset the Super Bowl championship team 17-10 in the final regular season game. This was Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson’s first loss at home and also ended the Seahawks’ home winning streak of 14-games. The Cardinals know it won’t come easily, but they will try for a similar victorious outcome with each of these 2 games against the Seahawks.

San Francisco Giants

It’s not unreasonable that late in 2014, when you ask someone what they think of when they hear “San Francisco Giants”, that they respond with something along the lines of “winning” or “champions” or “3 in 5.” The Giants have won 3 of the last 5 World Series. Talented, skilled, hungry and determined are just a few words that could sum up the attitude and performance of this ball club.

Most recently, the Giants defeated the Kansas City Royals in 7 games to claim their 3rd World Series title in the past half-decade. Pitcher Madison Bumgarner delivered a stellar performance, leading him to be named the series MVP, allowing just 1 run to be delivered in his 21 innings of play throughout the series.

In 2012, the Giants swept the Detroit Tigers in 4 games. The Giants had home field advantage and began the series in San Francisco, then were able to wrap things up less than a week later at Comerica Park. The Giants started the series off strong, winning game 1 8-3. The victories continued with scores of: 2-0, 2-0 and 4-3 in each of the following games.

In 2010, the Giants defeated the Texas Rangers in 5 games. This was the Rangers’ 1st World Series appearance in the team’s 50 year history. Pitcher Tim Lincecum was instrumental in the Giants’ victory, which was their 1st series victory since 1954, when the team defeated the Cleveland Indians.

San Francisco celebrated its most recent victory with a downtown parade and will now focus on roster changes and free agency. Most notably, third baseman Pablo Sandoval’s status of return as a Giant will have the greatest impact on how the team shapes its roster for 2014-2015. It was reported that Sandoval previously rejected a 3-year, $40 million dollar deal from the Giants and is seeking at least a 6-year deal.

General manager Bruce Bochy’s leadership and expertise are considered to be among the factors which have led the Giants to their recent successes. Bochy was named a finalist for National League Manager of the Year. He has previously won the award in 1996 when he was with the San Diego Padres.

Los Angeles Kings

The Los Angeles Kings are 8-4-3 this season so far, most recently beating the Vancouver Canucks last Saturday night, 5-1 at home. The Kings got off to a strong start, scoring 3 of their goals in the 1st period. Another goal was scored during the 2nd period and a final goal was scored by the Kings during the 3rd. Vancouver scored its only goal of the game during the 3rd period. Scoring 3 goals in 1 period is impressive enough, but even more impressive, the Kings were able pull off this victory with only 5 defensemen playing in the game, which helped to give them an edge early on. Tyler Toffoli scored a goal and had 2 assists, Alex Martinez had a career high 3 assists, and goalie Jonathan Quick had 18 saves.

Because of their shortage of defensemen, the Kings will sign Jamie McBain who has been playing for the team’s AHL affiliate, the Manchester Monarchs. Robyn Regher has been suffering from an injury and Slava Voynov is currently suspended from play due to off-ice issues, although he skated with assistant coach John Stevens on Monday and is allowed to work out with the coaches. He has missed 9 games so far and a decision on whether he will be charged for domestic violence is expected by December 1.

The Kings are familiar with the taste of success, having won 2 Stanley Cups in the past 3 years. In 2012, the Kings defeated the New Jersey Devils in 6 games to claim hockey’s most coveted title. They did it again last year, defeating the New York Rangers in 5 games.

The Kings will next face the Anaheim Ducks, their closest opponent, in Orange County on Wednesday night before hosting 4 home games over the next week. While it’s early on in the season, every game counts and the Kings will need to stay healthy and focused in order to repeat their appearance in the finals.

Washington Wizards

The Washington Wizards have started the 2014-2015 NBA season with a strong 5-2 record. In their most recent game, the Wizards defeated the Indiana Pacers 97-90. The Wizards have only lost to the Miami Heat and the Toronto Raptors so far, however they have claimed victory against the Orlando Magic, the Milwaukee Bucks, the New York Knicks and the Pacers, twice. In their first game against the Pacers, the Wizards pulled off a 96-94 OT victory. They will face Indiana again two more times late in the regular season.

The Capital City’s NBA franchise announced in late October that they have hired Wale, a D.C. native rapper and loyal Wizards fan as their creative liaison for this season. Some of Wale’s songs will be used for team introductions and videos throughout the season and he will collaborate with the organization in regard to team merchandise and social media efforts.

The Wizards have also adopted a new alternate jersey for this season, which they will wear for Wednesday road games in addition to some specifically selected matchups. This alternate style features navy as the primary color with “Washington” on the front, as well as red colorblocking at the top. 

In late October, the Wizards waived guards John Lucas and Xavier Silias as well as forward Damion James to remain with a 15-man roster. With veteran forward Paul Pierce and guard John Wall leading the way, the Wizards have gotten off to a solid start and will look to maintain this momentum throughout the season. Head coach Randy Wittman said after the Wizards’ practice on Monday, the team must focus on what needs to be done and take it one game at a time.

The Wizards head into a 4 home game stint: first facing the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday, November 12. They will wrap up this week with a second home game against the Magic Saturday night, followed by two games next week against the Dallas Mavericks and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Detroit Lions

Almost halfway through the season, the Detroit Lions are boasting a 6-2 record for 2014, only having been defeated by the Carolina Panthers in week 2 and the Buffalo Bills in week 5.

Most recently, the Lions beat the Atlanta Falcons in a 22-21 win in London’s Wembley Stadium last Sunday. The Falcons were bringing it, big time throughout the first half of the game, leading 21-0 at halftime. The second half of the game took a complete 180° turn as the Falcons seemed to disappear and the Lions began to roar. The Lions scored 10 points in the 3rd quarter and 12 in the 4th. A 48-yard field goal by kicker Matt Prater on the last play of the game allowed the Lions to edge out the Falcons with a final score of 22-21. Quarterback Matthew Stafford threw for 325 yards and 2 touchdowns. Stafford also broke a franchise record in this game, having thrown 120 TDs. Previously Bobby Layne held this record for the Lions with 118 TDs. This victory for Detroit came without WR Calvin Johnson, RB Reggie Bush and TEs Eric Ebron and Brandon Pettigrew who were all out with injuries.

Calvin Johnson aka: Megatron has been out for the Lions last 3 games although they’ve managed to win despite their star player’s absence. Megatron shared on Tuesday that he expects to return to playing when his team faces off against the Miami Dolphins on November 9th.

The Lions are on bye week this week but will resume play against Miami at home at Ford Field next Sunday. After facing Miami, Detroit will face the Arizona Cardinals who are currently 6-1, as well as the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers before closing out the regular season with division games against the Chicago Bears, Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers. The Lions have beaten the Vikings and Packers once already this season. Thanks to their 6-2 record, the Lions are currently 1st in the NFC North division.

Boston Bruins

It’s back! The air is cold, the ice is fresh and the fans are pumped. Yes, it’s hockey season!

The Boston Bruins are 5-6 so far this season, most recently losing to the Minnesota Wild, 4-3. The Bruins had a 2 goal lead but lost their edge in the 3rd period as the Wild made their comeback, scoring 3 goals. Bruins forward Seth Griffin scored twice in the game but it wasn’t enough.

Boston’s team captain, defense-man Zdeno Chara is currently out for at least a month due to a knee injury he recently suffered. The Bruins were able to win their 1st game without him against Toronto, defeating the Maple Leafs 4-1. In addition to losing Chara in their lineup, the B’s must adjust to fill his void as their great leader. It has been reported that Chara is still showing his quality character to teammates off the ice despite this recent injury. Chara has been with the B’s since 2006 but has played in the league since 1997. He is the tallest player in the NHL, standing at 6’9”.

In 2011 the Bruins won the Stanley Cup, defeating the Vancouver Canucks in 7 games to win the coveted championship. This was the Bruins’ 1st Stanley Cup victory since 1972. In 2012, the team made it to the 1st round of playoffs, but was defeated by the Washington Capitals in a 7-game series, 4-3. Each of the 7 games was decided by just 1 goal and 4 of the games went into overtime!

Last season, the Bruins advanced to the playoffs defeating the Maple Leafs 4-3 in the 1st series followed by their victory over the New York Rangers, 4-1. The B’s then moved on to defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins, sweeping the series 4-0 and advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals where they faced the Chicago Blackhawks, who had most recently won a Stanley Cup in 2010. Last year was the 1st Stanley Cup meeting between these 2 teams and the Blackhawks came away victorious, winning the series 4-2.

Dallas Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys, the NFL’s most valuable team, are 6-1 this season. Their only loss has been their season opener against the San Francisco Giants, losing 17-28. Since then, the team appears to have found it’s stride, winning the next 6 games which included defeating last year’s Super Bowl Champs, the Seattle Seahawks as well as their division rivals, the NY Giants.

The Cowboys play in the largest domed stadium in the world, which opened in 2009 and seats 80,000. Team owner Jerry Jones funded the new stadium along with the City of Arlington for $1.3 billion dollars.

The subject of heavy scrutiny for several years, quarterback Tony Romo has been with the Cowboys since 2003 and secured his starting position in 2006. Critics have often questioned if he is cut out for high pressure, late game situations but Romo continues to prove he is. Romo currently holds NFL records for most passing yards through 100 starts and most consecutive road games with at least 1 touchdown pass. Romo has also been selected for the Pro Bowl 3 times in his career.

In addition to Romo, the Cowboys roster boasts WR Dez Bryant, RB DeMarco Murray and TE Jason Witten who have meshed well together for more than 3 seasons. While Murray has publicly stated it is not his top goal to break records and achieve milestones, his recent performance suggests this is a likely possibility this season for both franchise and league records.

In 4 of their last 6 games of this season, America’s team will face off against their NFC East division rivals: the Giants, the Philadelphia Eagles and the Washington Redskins. This division’s rivalries are some of the most well known across the league. 4 of these games are also on the road and 3 of the games will be played in prime time. This is a lot of additional pressure for a team, especially late in the season as squads look to secure positions for playoffs, however, Dallas has thus far shown they can be a top competitor and opposing teams should prepare accordingly.

The Dallas Cowboys’ next game is Monday night, at home against the Washington Redskins. The Cowboys have won 2 of the 3 most recent matchups against Washington.

World Series

The hunt for October has come and gone. The World Series is in full swing and currently tied, with the Kansas City Royals and San Francisco Giants tied at 2-2.

In the initial series faceoff, the Giants defeated the Royals 7-1 in Kansas City. The Giants had 11 hits, 7 of which were runs and the Royals’ only run occurred in the 6th inning. The Giants held a 3-run lead before the 1st inning was over. This was the Giants’ 16th win in their past 18 post season games.

Game 2 was a different story, as the Royals defeated the Giants 7-2. Each team scored a run in the 1st inning but Kansas City went on to dominate, scoring 1 in the 2nd and 5 more in the 6th inning. The Giants’ only other run came in the 4th inning. Giants pitcher Hunter Strickland struggled and after the game acknowledged he let his emotions get the best of him.

Kansas City managed to win Game 3 although it was closer than the previous 2 games with a final score of 3-2. The Royals scored 1 run in the 1st inning and 2 in the 6th.  The Giants scored both of their runs in the 6th inning as well. Royals shortstop Eric Hosmer’s 6th inning RBI proved to be the deal sealer for the team’s Game 3 victory, giving the Royals a 2-1 lead in the series.

In Game 4, the Giants came back to crush Kansas City, 11-4. Six different Giants had RBIs in this game. Giants outfielder Hunter Pence had 3 RBIs, while second baseman Joe Panik and third baseman Pablo Sandoval each had 2. San Francisco was able to come back, obtaining a 7-4 lead, which they were then able to extend to 11-4, to win the game. Giants relief pitcher Yusmeiro Petit threw 3 shutout innings following starter Ryan Vogelsong.

Game 5 will take place Sunday night at 8:00pm EST in Kansas City. The teams’ pitchers will be the same as in Game 1, James Shields starting for the Royals and Madison Bumgarner for the Giants. Whichever team is victorious will have an advantage for Game 6, heading in with a 3-2 lead.

Houston Texans

The Houston Texans are 3-3 after Thursday night’s 33-28 loss to the Indianapolis Colts. Houston’s defense allowed 24 points in the 1st quarter. The Texans scored 2 touchdowns within 2 minutes in the 2nd quarter but it wasn’t enough to recover from the Colts’ earlier lead. Despite the loss, defensive end J.J. Watt played well, sacking Colts quarterback Andrew Luck twice and scoring a touchdown, his 3rd of the season so far.

Now in his 4th year of professional play, J.J. Watt is quickly establishing himself as the face of the Texas franchise and garnering great popularity among football fans nationwide. Fantasy football outlets were quick to recognize a popular team name among players this year included “Turn Down For Watt” a play on Lil Jon’s song this past summer “Turn Down for What.” In September, Watt signed a 6-year contract extension with the Texans, with a guarantee of just under $52 million. This is the highest amount for a defensive player in NFL history. Although the expectations are high, Watt continues to deliver.

In Thursday night’s game, wide receiver Andre Johnson also reached a milestone of 13,000 receiving yards after catching a 9-yard pass from quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. Johnson is just the 15th player in NFL history to achieve this.

Rookie linebacker Jadeveon Clowney is expected to return to play some time in October or November, after rehabbing his knee injury suffered in the Texans’ season opener on September 8. Clowney, a junior from the University of South Carolina, was the number 1 draft pick this year by Houston.

With Watt, Johnson, running back Arian Foster and wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, Houston definitely has the right pieces for success. The Texans’ next game is October 20th where they will face off against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Monday Night Football. Texans’ head coach Bill O’Brien said last week that as of right now Clowney’s return for this game in 50/50.

Cincinnati Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals have begun the 2014 NFL season with a strong start and are currently 3-1. On Sunday they will face off against Cam Newton and the visiting Carolina Panthers. This is a matchup of 2 first place teams. The Bengals will have to compete without wide receiver A.J. Green, as he aggravated a previously existing injury earlier in the week at practice. Wide receiver Marvin Jones is also expected to sit out due an ankle injury. This will be a challenge the team must prepare for, being down 2 catchers. On Carolina’s side, Newton will play despite battling some injuries so far this season and tight end Greg Olsen is also expected to play even though he has an ankle injury.

The Bengals will look to rebound from last week against the New England Patriots who handed Cincinnati its only loss of the season so far. Cincinnati’s defense gave up 43 points so major adjustments will be needed to avoid this again. The Patriots had more than double the Bengals total yards at halftime.

Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton will need to identify alternative options with 2 of the teams leading receivers out this week. The team’s defense will need to tighten up after last week’s game and the whole squad must stay healthy in order to continue to establish themselves as a major contender across the league.

In a time where the NFL is being plagued with bad news and player scandals, the Bengals have too have made headlines, but for another reason. Defensive tackle Devon Still shared his story at the start of the season, that his 4-year old daughter, Leah, was diagnosed with pediatric cancer. The Bengals kept Still on the practice squad despite earlier rumors that he was going to be released this season, so he will still receive medical insurance to help pay for Leah’s necessary treatments. Still has shared Leah’s progress with fans and supporters nationwide, and the Bengals agreed to make a donation to pediatric cancer research for all Devon Still jerseys that were purchased. The team’s website states that the donation exceed $1 million due to the generosity and support of fans and other NFL players and staff. Sean Peyton, head coach of the New Orleans Saints purchased 100 jerseys himself.

Kansas City Royals

The Kansas City Royals are just 1 game away from claiming the AL Division title after a 29 year absence from the MLB playoffs. The Royals beat the LA Angeles 4-1 in Friday’s game, allowing the Royals to claim a 2-0 lead in the series. The Royals pitchers have almost halted the Angels’ high scoring offense, limiting their opponent to just 3 runs in 22 innings in the series so far. In their first game against the Angels, the Royals won 3-2 in 11 innings.

The Royals beat the Oakland Athletics last Tuesday in the American League wildcard game. The 12-inning game resulted in a 9-8 victory for the Royals although the As got off to a 7-3 lead. Salvador Perez’s hit in the 12th inning allowed rookie infielder Christian Colon to reach home plate and score a run, sealing Oakland’s defeat.

Between their victory over Oakland and the most recent 2 games against Los Angeles, the Royals have now won 3 straight postseason games in extra innings. Royals Manager Ned Yost has been highly criticized throughout much of the season, but the team’s postseason play thus far is an indication that it’s clear he knows what he’s doing. With his former teams, Yost has been to the World Series 6 times.

Just 8 teams in MLB’s history have come back to win from a 2-0 deficit so the Angels definitely have their work cut out for them if they plan on claiming victory and advancing. The underdog Royals have certainly been proving they belong here. James Shields is expected to start as pitcher when the Royals host the Angels for Game 3 on Sunday night at 6:30 p.m. CST. A strong start by Shields and an enthusiastic, faithful Kansas City crowd decked out in white and blue, should help the Royals keep up their impressive, and to many, surprising, streak of victory.

Detroit Tigers

The Detroit Tigers are on the brink of playoff elimination, down 0-2 in the series after being defeated 7-6 by the Baltimore Orioles in last Friday’s game. Pitcher Justin Verlander started for the Tigers in this game. In game 1, Baltimore defeated Detroit 12-3, including 8 runs in the 8th inning. Pitcher Max Scherzer started for the Tigers in game 1.

Sunday’s game 3 is a must-win for Detroit. The Tigers will host the Orioles at home in Comerica Park. Tigers’ pitcher David Price is aware of the high expectations and the pressure to perform well in game 3. The Tigers obtained Price from the Tampa Bay Rays via a 3-team trade just before the league’s deadline on July 31st. They had 1 goal in mind with this move: a World Series championship.

Price is no stranger to pressure. In the Tigers final regular season game, Price assisted the team in defeating the Minnesota Twins by pitching over 7 shutout innings. This victory led Detroit to clinch their 4th consecutive AL Central Division title. Tigers manager Brad Ausmus is noted saying Price has unparalleled focus on each of his pitches and there is no lack of concentration here.

Centerfielder Rajai Davis will not start in Sunday’s game as he has been battling an injury over the past week. He played in both games 1 and 2 but was not able to play 9 innings in either. He may be able to assist the Tigers late in game 3 if needed. If the Tigers win on Sunday, Scherzer is expected to start as pitcher in game 4 on Monday, October 6th.

The Orioles have an aggressive swinging lineup and Detroit will need to pull some serious help from the bullpen, even if Price pitches well in game 3. Winning 3 in a row is not impossible for Detroit, but it will be a challenge they must be ready to now face.

Los Angeles Angels

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (aka: the LA Angels) wrap up their regular season play in Seattle this weekend for a 3-game series against the Mariners. The Angels just concluded a series with the Oakland Athletics in which the Angels won 2 of the 3 games.

In their most recent meeting, just last week, the Angels went 2-2 against the Mariners. The series was a back-and-forth one, as the Angels started off strong, winning 8-1 but were smoked in game 2, losing 2-13. In the 3rd game, the Angels won 5-0, but finished the series in game 4 with a loss of 1-3 against the Mariners.

As long as pitcher Jered Weaver is healthy, he is expected to start for Friday’s game. In the event he in unable to perform, it is likely the Angels will start Cory Rasmus instead. First baseman Albert Pujols is just 2 home runs shy of joining 5 players in history with at least 13 seasons of 30+ home runs! These players include: Hank Aaron, Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, Babe Ruth and Mike Schmidt. Pujols joined the Angels after his 2011 World Series victory with the St. Louis Cardinals. He signed a 10-year $254 million dollar contract with the LA team. Pujols’ former Cardinals teammate, David Freese also joined the Angels last November.

Earlier this week, the Angels celebrated their 1st AL West Division title for the first time in the last 5 years. This was made possible by their 18/22 victories in their most recent games in addition to the Texas Rangers defeating the Oakland As, who have been dominating the division over the past few years. Centerfielder Mike Trout was able to celebrate for the 1st time since being drafted in 2009. Players on the team as well as throughout the league acknowledge that Trout is a rapidly rising star.

While the Angels have a relatively young team, veterans like Pujols and Freese are an advantage in post-season play, especially looking to the ultimate goal, the World Series. Freese was the 2011 World Series MVP with the Cardinals’ victory. The keys for the Angels in continuing their success lie in the players staying healthy, veterans with post-play experience guiding the team, and stars like Trout continuing to stay focused.

St. Louis Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals are leading the National League Central division of baseball with a 1 ½ game lead. The golden number needed to clinch the division is currently 4. The Cards last won a World Series in 2011 and were National League Champions in 2013.

The Cardinals are currently wrapping up a 3 game series against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. In Tuesday’s game, the Cardinals fell to the Cubs 4-3. St. Louis scored all 3 of their runs in the 6th inning and Chicago scored 2 in the first, 1 in the fifth and 1 in the tenth inning. On a positive note, outfielder Matt Holliday became a 2-home run hitter for his ninth straight season. This game as a whole however was an obvious shift from Monday’s game, which the Cardinals dominated, winning 8-0. Pitcher Adam Wainwright extended his scoreless streak to 21 innings and this game solidified his second 20-win season.

The St. Louis team definitely has some things in their favor as they strive to advance into post-season play. The team’s roster is rich in depth led by Wainwright. Other notable pitchers include John Lackey and Shelby Miller. The Cardinals also have playoff experience. While teams are often young and hungry (as we all saw last year with the Seahawks playing in the Super Bowl), it’s challenging to beat the experience factor – teams know what they’ll face and know what they have to do to win. St. Louis is the only team in the league to have advanced to the playoffs in 4 straight years. The Cardinals are also leading in Defensive Runs Saved as a team. This is noteworthy and as the saying goes, “Offense sells tickets but defense wins games.”

The Cards will conclude their 3 game series in Chicago on Wednesday night before continuing on the road to play against the Arizona Diamondbacks, concluding their regular season play Sunday afternoon.

Chicago Bears

The Chicago Bears are currently 1-1 after most recently defeating the San Francisco 49ers in Sunday Night Football last week. Currently, the Bears are ranked 1st in the NFC North division.

The Bears have a strong passing offense with quarterback Jay Cutler and big wide receivers, Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffrey. Other playmakers for Chicago include RB Matt Forte, CB Charles Tillman and WR Santonio Holmes, who is in his 1st season with the Bears but a 9-year NFL veteran.

Last Sunday’s game was a solid display of the talent amongst the team as they beat the 49ers 28-20. While San Francisco had slightly higher possession of the ball, they also committed 4 turnovers and had 16 penalties (118 yards). Chicago had zero turnovers and 10 penalties (58 yards). Cutler threw for 176 yards and 4 TDs, scored by Brandon Marshall (3) and Martellus Bennett (1). The game began with a fairly even pace, San Francisco starting with a lead and then Chicago making a comeback, but in the 4th quarter, the Bears came out strong. Once they started, they couldn’t be stopped, scoring 21 of their 28 points in the final quarter.

The Bears began their season with a loss at home to the Buffalo Bills, 23-20 but last week’s game was a leap in the right direction for a successful season. In addition to facing their NFC North division rivals: the Minnesota Vikings, the Green Bay Packers and the Detroit Lions, the Bears will face off against the NFC South division rivals as well as the Dallas Cowboys and the New England Patriots. While their final regular season is an away game, the preceding 3 games are all at home which could be a definite advantage late in the season as teams look to secure their place in the playoffs. The Chicago Bears continue their season by facing off against the NY Jets on the road next week in Monday Night Football.

Philadelphia Eagles

The Philadelphia Eagles are off to a 2-0 start this season. While victorious in their first 2 games, the Eagles acknowledge that there’s plenty of room for improvement and are working to keep growing.

The Eagles have had slow first halves in both of these games yet have been able to finish strong enough, claiming victory. Most recently, the Eagles defeated the Indianapolis Colts in Monday Night Football, winning 30-27. The Eagles began their scoring with 1 field goal in both the 1st and 2nd quarters. Touchdowns were scored by RBs LeSean McCoy and Darren Sproles in the 3rd quarter. In the 4th quarter, QB Nick Foles threw a pass to WR Jeremy Maclin for a TD and kicker Cody Parkey scored his 3rd field goal of the game, ensuring the Eagles victory.

In addition to powerhouse players like McCoy, Sproles and TE Zach Ertz, the Eagles have a solid head coach in Chip Kelly, who is in his 2nd year with the team. Prior to joining Philadelphia, Kelly was the head coach at Oregon. Long-time head coach Andy Reid was let go in 2012 after the Eagles finished the season 4-12. Last year, Kelly’s first year with the team, the Eagles finished 10-6, losing in the first round of playoffs to the New Orleans Saints. Kelly recently stated that the team is an equal opportunity distributor, capable of making different plays depending on the defense.

Philadelphia faces the Washington Redskins next at home at Lincoln Financial Field this Sunday. Eagles LB Mychal Kendricks will not play due to a calf injury and former Eagle/current Redskin WR DeSean Jackson is questionable due to his shoulder. Getting a stronger start in their upcoming games will be a key for Philadelphia’s continued success. This should help them succeed in their quest to Fly Eagles Fly!

New York Jets

The New York Jets kicked off their season with a home victory last Sunday over the Oakland Raiders, winning 19-14. The Jets had 212 rushing yards and scored field goals in both the 1st and 3rd quarters. The team’s 2 TDs in the 2nd and 4th quarters were scored by RB Chris Johnson and RB Chris Ivory. Second year veteran QB Geno Smith, finished the game 23/28 for 221 yards. WR Eric Decker also caught 5 passes for a total of 74 yards. The Jets received 11 penalties for over 100 yards in the game and Rex Ryan stated after the game he expected much more from the team. They got the victory, but it could have been prettier.

Many teams have major rivals and the NY Jets are no exception. With some of the most epic rivalries in the league and some of the toughest fans in the nation, the Jets have a lot to prove on the field. Two of the team’s biggest rivals are AFC East division opponents: the Miami Dolphins and the New England Patriots. In 2013, the Jets were 1-1 against the Patriots and 1-1 against the Dolphins. This year, the Jets will close their regular season play in late December with games against each of these rivals.

Another traditional rival for the Jets are the NY Giants, with whom the Jets share MetLife Stadium. Because it is home to both teams, MetLife Stadium hosts more NFL games than any other stadium in the country each year. This rivalry is more historic as the 2 teams rarely play each other in today’s game. In 2011 the NY teams faced each other, both seeking a victory in order to advance to the playoffs. The Giants defeated the Jets 29-14.

The Jets will face the Green Bay Packers next at Lambeau Field on Sunday, September 14.

Buffalo Bills

The Buffalo Bills began the 2014 NFL season with an overtime victory on the road against the Chicago Bears last weekend, defeating the Bears 23-20 in a game that surprised many.

In the game at Soldier Field, the Bills and the Bears each scored a touchdown in the 1st quarter. The 1st Bills TD was scored by QB EJ Manuel. A 2nd quarter pass from Manuel to RB C.J. Spiller and a 50 yard field goal by kicker Dan Carpenter, led the Bills to be up 17-7 at halftime. Chicago went on to score 10 in the 3rd quarter and with each team making a field goal in the 4th quarter, overtime was required. RB Fred Jackson set up Carpenter, whose field goal in OT sealed the win for the Bills.

In addition to Manuel and Spiller, Buffalo signed rookie WR Sammy Watkins. Watkins was the 4th pick in the 2014 NFL draft and played football at Clemson University. He signed a 4 year guaranteed contract with the Bills for just under $20M.

Earlier this week, it was announced that Terry and Kim Pegulas reached an agreement to buy the Buffalo Bills. They also own the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres. Donald Trump and a Toronto based buying group which included Bon Jovi, were also said to be bidding on the team. Pegulas will be just the 2nd team owner after founder, Ralph Wilson, who passed away in March 2014. The sale is still pending league approval, although reactions on various social media outlets by fans are for the majority, quite positive.

The Bills have not made the playoffs since 1999 and currently have the longest active losing streak – the team has not finished a season with a winning record since 2004. Will 2014 be the year that ends this decade long drought? With Manuel, Spiller and Watkins, and a 1-0 record to start the season, anything is possible! The Bills are also known for having one of the most loyal and dedicated fan bases across the league.

Buffalo’s next opponent is the Miami Dolphins, who they will face at home in Ralph Wilson Stadium on Sunday, September 14.

New Orleans Saints

ESPN’s NFL Nation reporters predicted records for all teams in the upcoming NFL season and predicted that the New Orleans Saints will finish the 2014-2015 regular season with a record of 11-5 and are likely to win the NFC South division title. The Saints began regular season play by losing on the road to division rivals, the Atlanta Falcons.

The Saints roster boasts plenty of talent including QB Drew Brees, WR Marques Colston, TE Jimmy Graham and RB Pierre Thomas. Brees has been nothing but great news for the Saints since arriving in 2006 from the San Diego Chargers. He has won numerous accolades including MVP and Offensive Player of the Year and led the team to its Super Bowl XLIV victory. The Saints have been well known for finding talent in the undrafted rookie free-agent pool, which is where they found Thomas in 2007, beating out a 4th round draft pick. Colston has established himself throughout the league as a difficult-to-defend target and Graham is considered an NFL elite tight end and rising star, becoming a favorite target of Brees. In the Saints’ preseason victory over the Tennessee Titans, NOLA fans voted Graham as the offensive MVP.

As well as defeating the Titans in preseason play, the Saints were also able to grab victories over the St. Louis Rams and Indianapolis Colts although they were defeated in the final preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens, losing 22-13. 

In addition to facing their NFL South division rivals each twice this season, the Saints will also face off against the Green Bay Packers, Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers and Chicago Bears among other squads. The Saints only have 2 back-to-back road games, at the very start of the season and have a midseason stint of 3 home games in a row. Fans and analysts have high expectations for the team and they have rarely disappointed in the past several years. The Saints are definitely a squad for other teams to watch out for.

Seattle Seahawks

Earlier this week, ESPN’s NFL Nation reporters predicted records for all teams in the upcoming NFL season, which kicks off this Thursday night. The Green Bay Packers will face off against the Seattle Seahawks who were ranked 1st in these predictions, with reporters forecasting a 13-3 season that will be good enough to clinch the NFC West division and likely beyond. The Seahawks won Super Bowl XLVII and many fans and analysts alike have not expressed much surprise at the thought of them repeating this victory for the 2014-2015 season. The team is young, talented and surpassed constant doubt last season to dominate.

Last year’s Seahawks Super Bowl squad was the 2nd youngest team in NFL history to be named champions, with the roster’s average age a mere 26.4 years old. The team may be young in general, but is stacked with top tier talent including WR Doug Baldwin, CB Richard Sherman, who were former Stanford teammates under current San Francisco 49ers head coach, Jim Harbaugh and went on to win the 2011 Orange Bowl in college; QB Russell Wilson and veterans - RB Marshawn Lynch and WR Percy Harvin who are also key players for the Seahawks. These guys know what they’re doing as does head coach, Pete Carroll who came to the Seahawks from USC in 2010 where he had spent 9 years as the head coach, producing 53 NFL draft picks during his tenure.

In preseason play, the Seahawks faced minor challenges, finishing 2-2. The Seahawks lost to their previous Super Bowl opponent, the Denver Broncos as well as the Oakland Raiders but were able to defeat the San Diego Chargers and Chicago Bears. Wilson completed 33 of 42 passes and the team is considered to have an impressive offense, keeping 7 wide receivers and 3 tight ends on their final roster.

With a stacked roster and hungry passion supported by the NFL’s loudest crowd, also known as 12th Man, the Seahawks are a fierce contender for repeating a Super Bowl victory and at the very least, advancing far into the playoffs. Kickoff for their season opener is on Thursday, September 4th at 8:30 p.m. EST on NBC.

Dallas Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys are often referred to as America’s Team. Arguably one of the most well known teams in the NFL, the Cowboys were considered by many to be the face of football as they dominated through the 90s winning three Super Bowls. The Big D is known for their iconic cheerleaders and was ranked the 2nd highest

valued sports franchise by Forbes in 2013, only after the New York Yankees. The team’s performance has been tumultuous since their last championship in 1995. While well known, quarterback Tony Romo has been considered by analysts and fans alike to be inconsistent in play. The team’s last division championship was in 2009.

The Cowboys lost their first 2 preseason games to the San Diego Chargers and Baltimore Ravens. Against the Chargers, the Cowboys scored just 1 touchdown in the 2nd quarter. Brandon Weeden, backup quarterback entering his first season with the team (3rd season of NFL experience), performed well, however, the team’s defense struggled losing to San Diego 27-7. Well-known players including Romo, WR Dez Bryant, TE Jason Whitten and RB Demarco Murray did not play at all in the game as common for many star players during preseason matchups. Romo, Bryant and Murray did make appearances in the 2nd preseason game against the Ravens, where Romo completed 4/5 passes for 80 yards and Bryant scored a touchdown. The Ravens won the game 37-30. 

While preseason games do not affect division standings, they do provide teams the opportunity to evaluate performance and assess areas needing improvement. Based on the Cowboys’ first 2 games, the areas needing the most work include: defense and the offensive line. With 2 preseason games remaining, at Miami on August 23 and at home against the Broncos on August 28, the team has plenty of time to make adjustments and work to continue improving for the season opening.

In addition to their usual division rivals, this season the Cowboys will play cross state rivals the Houston Texans, the Super Bowl Champion Seattle Seahawks and the New Orleans Saints. As per tradition, the Cowboys will play a Thanksgiving game, this year against NFC East division rival, the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Cowboys kick off their regular season on September 7 at home against the San Francisco 49ers.

Baltimore Ravens

After a successful 2012-2013 season, going on to become Super Bowl Champions, the Baltimore Ravens had a less than stellar season last year, going just 8-8. This was the 1st time the team had not reached the playoffs since 2007.

Although the Ravens did not improve on their 12-4 record from 2011, their 10-6 record in 2012 led them to the Super Bowl. In Super Bowl XLVII, the Ravens defeated the San Francisco 49ers 34-31. This was the team’s 5th straight season advancing to the playoffs. Ray Lewis, long-time Ravens linebacker who was the last remaining Raven from the original team in 1996 and part of the 2000 Super Bowl Champion team, retired following this Super Bowl victory. Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco along with safety Ed Reed and running back Ray Rice were also instrumental in the season’s success. Flacco was named XLVII MVP. He is also the Ravens’ all-time leading passer in yards, TD passes, completions and attempts.

In pre-season this year so far, the Ravens have won their first 2 games, defeating the 49ers 23-3 and the Dallas Cowboys 37-30. There is intense competition on the squad for wide receiver positions and in the recent game against Dallas, Deonte Thompson made it known he is a viable candidate for the roster, running back a kickoff for a 108-yard touchdown in the 1st quarter. The Ravens remaining 2 preseason games will be played against the Washington Redskins and the New Orleans Saints.

The Ravens regular season kicks off on September 7th at home where they will host the Cincinnati Bengals. AFC North division rivals include the: Bengals, Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers. In addition to playing each of these opponents twice in regular season, the Ravens will also face off against teams including the Atlanta Falcons, the Houston Texans and the San Diego Chargers. It will be interesting to see if they’re able to play strong and get back to their historic success, and if they will be able to reach the playoffs again.

New England Patriots

Football fans all across the nation have strong opinions about the New England Patriots: mostly they love them or they hate them. With head coach Bill Belichick and team owner Robert Kraft, a distinct culture has been created in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Belichick is known to continuously make moves in an effort to create a stronger team and create a tighter bond among the players. This is evident as the Patriots have been AFC East Champions for 9 of the past 10 seasons (2003-2013 - all years excluding 2008). The Pats finished last season 13-5 and were knocked out of postseason play by the Denver Broncos who went on to play in Super Bowl XLVII.

In their 1st preseason game this year, the Patriots lost 23-6 against the Washington Redskins, going scoreless until the 4th quarter but in their 2nd game, defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 42-35. Quarterback Tom Brady threw 1 touchdown pass to wide receiver Kenbrell Thompkins and the team took advantage of 4 turnovers by the Eagles. In a postgame interview, Bill Belichick noted that the team played with competitiveness and good energy. Their remaining 2 preseason games will be played against the Carolina Panthers and the New York Giants.

This season the Patriots will face off against AFC East division rivals: the Miami Dolphins, NY Jets and Buffalo Bills each twice in addition to teams such as the Minnesota Vikings, Kansas City Chiefs and Green Bay Packers among others. The Patriots schedule also features 5 prime time games this season. 

Last week the Patriots signed 3 tight ends: veterans Ben Hartsock and Steve Maneri in addition to rookie TE Terrence Miller. The team also released 3 rookie free agent tight ends. With these new additions and veterans like Tom Brady, TE Rob Gronkowski, CB Darrelle Revis and DL Vince Wilfork it seems like the Pats will be off to a strong start!

New York Giants

This year the New York Giants participated in the Hall of Fame pre-season game defeating the Buffalo Bills 17-13 and testing out their new offense. Quarterback Eli Manning completed 6 of 7 passes for 43 yards. Coach Tom Coughlin noted after the game that he was encouraged and believes his team did a pretty good job given their practice time, which was close to what the league allows.

The Giants are members of the NFC East division and as routine will face each of their cross-division rivals twice this season. These opponents include the Washington Redskins, Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles. In addition to facing their usual opponents, the team will also play against the reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, the San Francisco 49ers and the Atlanta Falcons among others this season. 

The NY Giants finished the 2013 season with a record of 7-9, their most disappointing season of the last decade. Losing the first 6 games, they were able to make a small comeback by winning the following 4 but just couldn’t gain consistency in the remainder of the season’s games to finish strong. Last winning a Super Bowl in 2011, the team will look to regain its footing and solidify its position as a strong contender in the NFC East and beyond. 

This season the Big Blue roster is full of returning veterans like Eli Manning, safety Antrel Rolle, defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul and wide receiver Victor Cruz. Additionally, the Giants have added cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie from the Denver Broncos who is exceptionally fast.

The G-Men begin their regular season play on the road on Monday Night Football, September 8, against the Detroit Lions.