Way Too Early Super Bowl Predictions

Welp, it's that time of the year. Football is over, basketball just ended, and no sports are on. Let me rephrase: no sports that I care about. 

Now until September are grueling months for me every year. Withdrawal symptoms galore.

As I'm sure you know (probably not), I am a huge football fan. I like college the best but know way more about NFL thanks to fantasy football and the 24/7 NFL network on Direct TV, channel 212.

So with all the headlines and news, I will now go into my playoff and subsequent super bowl predictions.

We'll go ahead and follow the same format as last year's predictions. Which, not to toot my own horn here or anything, came 100% true! The score was wrong, but I predicted the Ravens over the 49er's in the big dance.

Let's see if this year yields the same results. Look for more predictions once the season starts. 

Legooo


* = Conference Winner** = Clinched Wild Card


AFC North
My home town division. Bengals are on the up-and-up. They've got a receiving core that can compete with the best of them, a ruthless defense, and are solid on just about every position. Their success will grow as Andy Dalton's does. Ravens have lost a lot, and I'm just not faithful they will see same successes as last year. They'll grab that wildcard however. Steelers have lots of issues; not quite playoff bound yet. Browns suck.

1) Bengals
2) Ravens**
3) Steelers
4) Browns


AFC West
This is a division on the up-and-up. Broncos are going to do great things, while Chargers and Cheifs will be competitive. Still, besides the Broncos, not a division with much going on and much to say. Broncos win with ease. I mean c'mon, Peyton getting Wes is just not fair. This team is going to be nasty.

1) Broncos*
2) Chargers
3) Cheifs
4) Raiders

AFC South
I want to put the Colts in first place soo bad. I've never really fully jumped on that Houston band wagon. Something about them is just missing to really get it done consistently. On the offensive side mostly. They need elite play from Shaub and more skilled receivers. I would say I'm going to play it safe, but this whole blog is a risk! I'm just worried about sophomore years of players who have breakout rookie years, i.e. Andrew Luck (should've won rookie of the year by the way). Titans are going to be very competitive I predict; I believe in Jake Locker. Jaguars have too many issues.

1) Colts
2) Texans**
3) Titans
4) Jaguars

AFC East
E.J. Manuel will be a great quarterback this coming season, says the all mighty predictor. Not saying the Bills will do amazing things, but I was very close to putting them in second place here. Pats will get it. It's their division to lose and that's not going to happen any time soon. Miami is gonna make a lot of noise here. They'll just miss the last Wildcard. Be patient young Dolphins, your time will come. Jets suck and need to leave Metlife. 

1) Patriots
2) Dolphins
3) Bills
4) Jets


NFC North
The play of Aaron Rodgers is going to keep me from putting the Vikings in first here. That and the inconsistent play of Christian Ponder. I'm just not sure about Chicago. Again, seem to be a team with just something missing. An offensive line mostly. The Lions will win a few good games, but they really need to get back to the play of a couple years ago when they reached the playoffs. Looks like this division will end the same as last year.

1) Packers*
2) Vikings
3) Bears
4) Lions

NFC West
Talk about a tough division. Talk about a tough conference. San Fran will be a power house again, as long as Kaepernick continues his success from last year. Seattle will be a sick, as long as Russel continues (I believe in Russell). Actually, I have more faith in Russell than Kaepernick, so I'm gonna do something a little tricky here. Seattle wins! The Rams are going to be tough as well. Not really sure about the Cardinals and their new helm. All I know is that the best receiver in the league, Mr. Larry, needs a QB to prove his crown.

1) Seahawks
2) 49er's**
3) Rams
4) Cardinals

NFC South
Man, so many questions about so many teams. Guess that's the down side of doing this in June...But, the return of Sean Peyton should bring good tides back to New Orleans. It'll be interesting to see the battle for the division between them and the Falcons. Still not totally on board with Atlanta. They'll be good, but the only reason I'm putting them first is because I think NOLA still has some defensive rebuilding to do. Panthers and Bucs will battle for 3rd and 4th. Interchangeable really. Panthers have a better QB so they win.

1) Falcons
2) Saints**
3) Panthers
4) Buccaners

NFC East
Giants, Giants, Giants! ...will do God knows what. I love my Gmen, but I really just cannot predict these guys. The contact issues with Cruz and Nicks worry me, as well as the inconsistent play of Eli and the entire defense. Plus the loss of Osi. Just don't know...It will take a year or two for the Eagles to really adjust to Chip Kelly, while RG3 will make a comeback for the ages. However, as I am always an optimist, I'm sticking with my boys. I have faith, right?

1) Giants
2) Redskins
3) Cowboys
4) Eagles



PLAYOFFS

AFC SEEDS
Some great divisional games here at the wildcard level. Bengals will finally get a sweet sweet playoff win over the defending champs at home, while the Colts falter in Andrew Luck's first playoff game. Bengals lose handily in New England while Broncos take care of the Texans. Then the big one: good ol' return of Manning VS Brady. This will be a good one with the former ultimately coming out on top.

1) Broncos
2) Patriots
3) Bengals
4) Colts
5) Texans
6) Ravens

Bracket
(6) Ravens @ (3) Bengals --> (3) Bengals @ (2) Patriots --> (2) Patriots @ (1) Broncos
(5) Texans @ (4) Colts --> (5) Texans @ (1) Broncos 

2013 AFC Champion: Denver Broncos


NFC SEEDS
Maybe it's my new obsession with Seattle in Madden 13', but I'm on a Seahawks kick. They were so close last year, and they'll repeat and then some this year. 49er's make a tough run though with trips and subsequent wins in Metlife and Lambeau. Seahawks make up for a tough loss in Atlanta, then send the 49er's packing with a great inter-divisional NFC Championship game. It's really tough to win playoff games in Seattle, but that's not the only reason Seattle wins. What a tough conference.

1) Packers
2) Falcons
3) Seahawks
4) Giants
5) 49er's
6) Saints

Bracket
(6) Saints @ (3) Seahawks --> (3) Seahawks @ (2) Falcons --> (5) 49er's @ (3) Seahawks
(5) 49er's @ (4) Giants --> (5) 49er's @ (1) Packers 

2013 NFC Champion: Seattle Seahawks


SUPER BOWL PREDICTION
So we've got the Broncos verses the Seahawks in Metlife stadium. It'll be a cold one. Unfortunately, this is actually a pretty easy decision. As much as I don't want it to be, this team is too strong. His brother won in his house last time, so it's time for him to grab his second championship in his younger sibling's work place.





Super Bowl Prediction: Denver Broncos over Seattle Seahawks

Football season cannot come quick enough....

Reds Report: Cards in Town, Broken Cueto, and a Shaky Bullpen

Its been a minute since the last Reds Report and the season has had its ups and downs. From back to back sweeps to a bullpen disaster in Pittsburgh that prevented a Reds sweep. But things are still looking up for the Reds even as they deal with injuries and are ford to ask their young players to step up and fill major roles on the ball club. As young stars in the making wait in the wings (Hamilton and Corcino) it has been the Reds mid level talent who has stepped up especially in left field as Xavier Paul, Donald Lutz, and D-Rob have all filled in nicely for Ryan Ludwick since opening day.

As the season rolls on, a major series is upon us at GABP this weekend against the St. Louis Cardinals. The remainder of the series became even more important to the Redlegs last night after a 9-2 spanking in the opening game of the three game tilt. Tonight the Reds ace Mat Latos takes the mound against Tyler Lyons in the second game of the clash. If the Reds want to win this series they must forget all about last night and score a few runs tonight for the young ace on the mound who will undoubtedly put the entire team on his shoulders when he takes the ball tonight. Mat will carry them and keep them in the game but it will fall on the Reds offense to give him some breathing room to work with and to assure that he exits tonight with a lead, and hopefully to a standing ovation from a sellout crowd at GABP.

As I mentioned before the Reds have had to deal with more than their fair share of injuries in 2013 and the biggest loss is arguably the loss of their ace, Johnny Cueto. After returning from the DL in late May and destroying all Pirates batters in his path in his last start, Cueto again felt pain in his lat and was scratched from his last start. The same night Cueto was placed on the 15-day DL and once again Mat Latos has become the ace in Cincinnati. Along with Latos, Cincinnati fans will have to place more of their playoff hopes of the young left arm of Tony Cingrani. It's likely that Cingrani will be recalled from Louisville to take Cueto's spot in the rotation against the Cubs and if he can repeat the success of his last MLB stint, then the Reds don't have anything to worry about. With Cingrani available to fill a rotation spot I see no reason to rush Johnny back. Let him fully recover so that this problem doesn't linger throughout the summer, and in the meantime Mat Latos will be the general of this pitching staff.

The biggest problem on the minds of Reds fans recently has been the struggles of the bullpen. Aside from a few pitchers in Lecure and Chapman who have been lights out and almost untouchable all year, the bullpen in the Queen City has been less than advertised. Logan Ondrusek has completely fallen off the table as he looks like a shell of his former self from two years ago, not to mention the struggles of the man with the big contract, Jonathan Broxton. He was signed to be the closer and has now been placed in the eighth inning role where he has struggled in key moments and with Sean Marshall on and off the DL has left Dusty Baker with very few options. Broxton needs to be moved out of the setup role in favor of Sam Lecure who has more than earned it, and I wouldn't mind seeing Alfredo Simon take over the sixth or seventh inning duties as he has been able to hold his own all year even when called upon in tough spots.

Two Aces Placed on the DL

Add two more stars to the list of injured MLB stars in 2013. While MLB faces a major steroid scandal that the baseball world debates as we speak, two of the games best young pitchers have been placed on the 15-day disabled list. Reds ace Johnny Cueto and Nationals prospect Stephen Strasburg were both placed on the DL with lat strains. In Cueto's case the Cincinnati training staff has told the media that they do not believe that the injury is serious, and placed Cueto on the DL to give him enough time to fully heal. Strasburg is dealing with a similar injury, however the severity of his strain has yet to be determined and is suspected to be worse than that of Cueto.

For the Nationals, this may be another anchor to an already sinking ship of disappointment. With a sputtering offense, a disappointing bullpen, an injured young superstar in Bryce Harper, and a looming steroid suspension for Gio Gonzalez, this could be the last straw for the Nationals in the 2013 season. I cant see them putting up any kind of fight in the NL East and they should thank the L.A. Angels for being the only mire disappointing team in the big leagues.

As for the Cincinnati Reds they have had to deal with the absence of their ace earlier this year and good pitching is not hard to come by for the Reds. During Cueto's last DL stint young lefty Tony Cingrani filled in his rotation spot and was nothing short of spectacular during his time with the big club. I would expect another call up from Louisville for Cingrani and with him working on his secondary pitches in the minors I expect him to be just as good as the last time we saw him. Don't get it twisted, the Reds still have an ace in the rotation in Mat Latos who has put up Cy Young award  numbers this year in the Queen City. The Reds will have to lean on Latos, which will not be a problem for the young righty who has always risen to the challenges thrown at him in his career.