Disgusting: Eagles lose to Raiders

(AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

It was supposed to be automatic. The Eagles were just supposed to show up against the Raiders and it was going to be a laugher. The Eagle offense, while it had been inconsistent throughout the year, was going to have a field day, pouring on the points against an anemic Oakland defense. Even if they couldn't score, at least the defense would crush JaMarcus Russell and the Raider offense.

Well, that's why you play the games. Putting forth their most embarrassing effort since tying the Bengals last season, the Eagles failed to score a touchdown and lost, 13-9, to the Raiders. There were too many players at fault in this game to just single out one, especially on offense, where the Eagles were out of sync all day. Donovan McNabb had barely any time in the pocket all game as he was sacked six times and was constantly being rushed into poor throws. That caused the Eagle passing game to be inefficient and with no running game to speak of, the Eagles failed to move the ball all game long.

Defensively, the Eagles weren't terrible. Allowing 13 points against the Raiders isn't a great game but it should have still been good enough to win. The Birds did pick off Russell two times, although they did allow him to complete a season-high 17 passes. The one player that did stick out on defense for how awful he played was Jeremiah Trotter. He was constantly burned in the first half, getting caught trying to chase guys down because he is a step or two slow. He was benched for most of the second half of the game, a sign that his return to the Eagles could be short-lived.

So, what happens now? The Eagles always seem to have that one terrible game a year where they lose a game that should be a gimme, so hopefully this is that game. With the atrocious Redskins on tap for next weekend, most would normally think that should be another automatic win. If they play at all like they did today, though, the Eagles won't be winning another game this season.

Can the Eagles consider themselves contenders in the NFC anymore? A team with hopes of going to the Super Bowl would have crushed a team like the Raiders, much like the Giants did last week. We all know that the Eagles have a way of looking awful one week and great the next, so hopefully this is just a one-week hiccup. With that in mind, Philly fans, there is no need to panic. You don't need to start calling for Kevin Kolb to be the starting quarterback. If this happens again next week, then it's time to start looking for changes to be made.

Eagles/Raiders Week 6 Inactives

The Eagles and Raiders have announced their inactives for their Week 6 game:

Eagles: DE Jason Babin, WR Kevin Curtis, WR Brandon Gibson, G Todd Herremans, QB Kevin Kolb, LB Joe Mays, OL Mike McGlynn, DB Dimitri Patterson

Raiders: LB Ricky Brown, G Robert Gallery, T Cornell Green, FB Luke Lawton, RB Darren McFadden, WR Nick Miller, WR Chaz Schilens, T Langston Walker

The Eagles will be playing with 4 wide receivers once again as Curtis is still not ready to play. Expect another big game from Jeremy Maclin as he remains in the starting role. The only other interesting move by the Eagles today is that Kevin Kolb is the emergency quarterback, meaning Michael Vick is the backup until the 4th quarter. The Eagles must feel pretty confident that Donovan McNabb won't get hurt, although it doesn't really matter who lines up at QB against the Raiders.

As for the Raiders, they will be without their two top offensive players in Schilens and McFadden, making their offense even more inept than usual.

This one should be another easy win for the Eagles. The Raiders are simply a terrible team and anything less than a 20 point win by the Eagles would be considered an upset. GO BIRDS!

Utley, bullpen waste Pedro's brilliance, allow Dodgers to even series

(AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

Talk about wasted opportunities. Through 7 innings in Game 2 of the NLCS, the Phillies were cruising with a 1-0 lead, riding Pedro Martinez's brilliant 2-hit shutout performance. Then, the Phillies turned to their bullpen and everything went downhill from there.

Why the Phillies chose to take Pedro out after only 87 pitches will remain a mystery, but Charlie Manuel turned the game over to Chan Ho Park in the top of the 8th inning. Park subsequently gave up a pair of singles but then forced Russell Martin to hit a double play grounder to Pedro Feliz. Feliz made the throw to second baseman Chase Utley for one out, then Utley did the unthinkable, wildly throwing the ball past first baseman Ryan Howard. The error allowed the Dodgers to tie up the game and gave them new life. From there, the Phillies used four more pitchers in the inning and eventually J.A. Happ walked in the game winning run for the Dodgers.

It's hard not to place the entire blame for this game on Utley. A double play in that situation wouldn't have guaranteed that the Phillies get out of the 8th without giving up a run, but it would have gotten them one out from ending the rally. What makes that play particularly disappointing was that it was Chase Utley that made an error for the second day in a row. If the most reliable Phillie is letting the team down, what chance do they have of getting past the Dodgers?

There is plenty of other blame to be spread around today, though. The bullpen once again couldn't close things out. Charlie Manuel also has plenty of explaining to do as to why he pulled Pedro Martinez. You can't let the bats off the hook, either. Except for the homer by Ryan Howard, where was the Phillie offense? They couldn't get more than one run off of Vicente Padilla?

While this is as tough a loss as you are going to see, Phillies fans need to look at the big picture. The Phillies did split the first two games in L.A., something the team would take every time. While the opportunity to really command the series went out the window, the series is shifting back to Philly for three games and the Phillies do have Cliff Lee taking the mound in Game 3. All hope is nowhere near lost.

It was just one game, folks. One brutally disappointing game, but it's just one game. There's still plenty of series left to play.

Phillies edge Dodgers to strike first in the NLCS

(AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

We can all exhale now. In a game that had everyone on the edge of their seat throughout, the Phillies narrowly beat the Dodgers, 8-6, in Game 1 of the NLCS. It was a game filled with momentum swings and could have gone either way until the final pitch.

The game was really about two innings for the Phillies offensively: the 5th and the 8th. The Phillies scored 5 runs in the 5th inning when Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw suddenly forgot how to throw a strike, leading him to walk several batters while also giving up a 3-run homer to Mr. Choochtober, Carlos Ruiz, and a 2-run double to Ryan Howard. The big 5th inning forced Kershaw out of the game and allowed the Dodgers to turn to their bullpen, which is one of their biggest strengths.

The Dodger pen held the Phillies until the 8th, when Raul Ibanez struck. Lefthander George Sherill, whose main purpose is to get the lefty-heavy heart of the Phillie order out, walked a pair of batters before giving up a 3-run homer to Ibanez which allowed the Phillies to stretch their lead out.

On the mound for the Phillies, Cole Hamels was once again a far cry from the ace he was last season. Hamels lasted only 5 and a third innings and gave up 4 runs on 8 hits. The Phillies used 6 other pitchers, most of whom had success. The lone exception was Ryan Madson, who continues to have a poor postseason. Brad Lidge, on the other hand, got the final three outs in the 9th despite walking a batter and giving up a single. It may never be pretty for Lidge again but he is at least getting the job done.

The Phillies have now taken home field advantage from the Dodgers. With a quick turnaround to Game 2 tomorrow, the Phillies have a chance to ride the momentum they got from tonight's win to a commanding early lead. The pitching matchup has to favor the Phillies, with Pedro Martinez taking on Vicente Padilla. You have to like Pedro's chances against the former Phillie washout.

1 win down, 3 more to go until a return trip to the World Series. BEAT LA again!

A league divided: NFL Week 6 Predictions

Have you ever seen a bigger collection of undefeated teams and winless teams at this point in the NFL season? While the league loves its parity and the idea of "any given Sunday", it's clear that there are two distinct halves in the league. While I expect a few of the undefeated teams to go down this week, you can almost guarantee that a team with no losses at this point in the season is going to the playoffs. As for the winless teams, well, sorry Titans fans, you better start scouting the college ranks for your top draft pick.

After my worst week of the season, here are my picks for Week 6 of the NFL season. Remember, all picks are made strictly based on who I think will win and do not take the spread into consideration.

Record Last Week: 8-6, .571
Overall Record: 57-19, .750

Byes: Colts, Cowboys, Dolphins, Niners

Sunday Day Games:

Texans (2-3) @ Bengals (4-1) The "Cardiac Bengals" are certainly the surprise team in the NFL, something everyone picks the Texans to be every year. While most focus on how good the Bengals offense has become with the resurgence of Carson Palmer, Cedric Benson and Chad Ochocinco, it's the defense that is winning games in Cincinnati. Case in point: the Ravens have looked like an offensive juggernaut this season and the Bengals held them to one offensive touchdown last week. My pick: Bengals

Lions (1-4) @ Packers (2-2) The Packers come off their bye week and the tough loss to the Vikings with an easy win against the banged-up Lions. If Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson were both playing and healthy, the Lions could have been thinking upset. Alas, while this game might be close as the Pack shakes off some of their bye-week rust, Detroit has no shot in Lambeau. My pick: Packers

Ravens (3-2) @ Vikings (5-0) This one would be the game of the week if it wasn't for the game listed directly after this. The Ravens and Vikings are two of the more complete teams in the NFL as both teams have a solid defense paired with a top-notch running game. The Vikings have the edge, however, with Mr. Favre's arm. The Minnesota passing game has looked sharp the last few weeks, meaning the team doesn't have to rely on Adrian Peterson to be the entire offense. Of course, once teams start to worry about the pass, that's when Peterson busts one. My pick: Vikings

Giants (5-0) @ Saints (4-0) This one is big. It's still early in the season, but this game could determine who the number one seed is in the NFC at the end of the year. Both teams have proven they can beat you a number of different ways, with the Giants showing they can actually pass the ball and the Saints showing they can actually run the ball. While Eli Manning's foot injury concerns me and they are on the road, I like the Giants in this one because of their defense. Drew Brees hasn't thrown a touchdown pass in his last two games and that clearly has to change because I don't see the Saints doing much on the ground in this game. I expect it to be close, but the best team in the NFL right now has to be given the edge. My pick: Giants

Panthers (1-3) @ Bucs (0-5) When are the Bucs going to get that elusive first win? While Josh Johnson looked adequate against the Eagles, the rest of this Tampa Bay team just isn't going to stop anyone or make any big plays. The Panthers aren't that good, either, but Deangelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart will have big days eating up the Bucs D. My pick: Panthers

Chiefs (0-5) @ Redskins (2-3) Which team is actually worse in this game? The Chiefs are awful and winless but they have the better quarterback and better receivers and are coming off a tough loss to the Cowboys. The Redskins, on the other hand, continue to just hand out victories to winless teams. Washington is a complete joke right now but you have to think they will take care of business at home in this one. If not, things are going to get even uglier in D.C. My pick: Redskins

Rams (0-5) @ Jaguars (2-3) The winner in this one is anyone who avoids watching either of these messy teams. The Jaguars are my pick here only because there is the chance the Jags team that showed up against the Titans a few weeks ago makes another appearance. My pick: Jaguars

Browns (1-4) @ Steelers (3-2) Congratulations, Browns, for winning a game when your quarterback completed 2 of 17 passes and you failed to score a touchdown. While that actually is quite an accomplishment, there is no way Cleveland can hang with a Steelers team that has to be fuming after blowing it against the Bengals and then playing down to the Lions. My pick: Steelers

Cardinals (2-2) @ Seahawks (2-3) After the Niners got smoked by the Falcons, it became clear that the NFC West is going to be up for grabs all year long, making this game actually pretty important. With Matt Hasselbeck back in the fold, the Seahawks look like they might be the best team in the division. The Cardinals defense has taken a step back after their solid run in the playoffs, so I like Seattle at home here. My pick: Seahawks

Eagles (3-1) @ Raiders (1-4) Seriously, when do the real games begin for the Eagles? Take the Eagles in every possible bet because they will beat the spread and hit the over. The real question in this game is how many points the Raiders are going to score, and anything over 10 will be a disappointment for the Eagles defense. The Birds better use this week to figure out how they are going to get their running game going because it was nonexistent last week against the Bucs. My pick: Eagles

Bills (1-4) @ Jets (3-2) If the Bills could only manage to score 3 points against the lousy Browns, how are they going to put anything on the board against a Jets defense that is pissed off after their poor showing against the Dolphins? T.O. should be imploding any moment now. On another note, I guess all it took for Braylon Edwards to not drop the ball was to play for a team that isn't terrible. My pick: Jets

Titans (0-5) @ Patriots (3-2) I feel for you, Titans fans, this is going to be a tough season. At least you will get to see some more of Vince Young at some point! Is this the week Tom Brady looks like his old self again? We might see his picture on the back of a milk carton if he doesn't snap out of it soon. My pick: Patriots

Sunday Night Game:

Bears (3-1) @ Falcons (3-1) It's hard not to like the Falcons after they dismantled the Niners on Sunday. When that offense is clicking, you have one of the most dangerous teams out there. The Bears are coming off their bye and have had two weeks to prepare but I still like Atlanta at home. My pick: Falcons

Monday Night Game:

Broncos (5-0) @ Chargers (2-2) The Chargers can't count on another late season collapse by the Broncos, so if they want to be a factor in the AFC West, they need to make their move much sooner this year. While I have been down on the Broncos, I have to recognize them as a legit contender now. That said, I'm going to pick against them once again. The Chargers are simply more talented and desperate for a win. My pick: Chargers

Those are my picks for Week 6 of the NFL Season. Check back every Thursday during the season for the latest predictions. Feel free to discuss, argue or make your own picks in the comment section!

Phillies vs. Dodgers: NLCS rematch breakdown

So, we're doing this again, huh? While I was tempted to simply re-post my NLCS breakdown from last year, I figured I should take another look at these two teams and see how they compare this time around. The Phillies have proven again and again that they can win any game, no matter how great the deficit or how much of an underdog people think they are. Do they have it in them to get past the Dodgers and back into the World Series? Here is my position-by-position breakdown of the two teams:

Starting Pitching:
Phillies: Cole Hamels, Joe Blanton, Cliff Lee, Pedro Martinez
Dodgers: Clayton Kershaw, Vicente Padilla, Hiroki Kuroda, Randy Wolf

The Game One matchup is set, with Cole Hamels facing off against Clayton Kershaw. After that, both teams are keeping it close to the vest as to who they plan to send to the mound. If Cliff Lee continues to dominate and Hamels bounces back, the Phillies will have a big advantage at starting pitcher. The Dodgers do feature a pair of lefty starters that could give the Phillies trouble in Kershaw and Randy Wolf, but they really don't have an ace or a stopper on the level of a Lee or Hamels. What the Dodgers do have is depth, as they could send Chad Billingsley, Vicente Padilla or Hiroki Kuroda to the mound to start a game. While none of those names are particularly scary, each is capable of giving the team a few solid innings. It's a mystery which right handed pitcher the Phillies will use in this series, although I would bet money that you are going to see Pedro Martinez at some point. J.A. Happ is less likely to get a start because the Dodger lineup is much more balanced than the Rockie lineup. Edge: Phillies

Bullpen:
Phillies: Ryan Madson, Brad Lidge, Scott Eyre, Brett Myers
Dodgers: Jonathan Broxton, George Sherill, Hong-Chih Kuo

Last year, this was a major advantage for the Phillies. This year, not so much. The Dodgers have a weak starting rotation that doesn't go deep into games by design because their bullpen is so dominant. Not only do they have one of the best closers in the game in Jonathan Broxton, but the Dodgers also have a pair of lefties in George Sherill and Hong-Chih Kuo that are going to giving the middle of the Phillies order fits. Even if Brad Lidge is truly back to form, the Phillies bullpen still has more question marks than solid options. Ryan Madson didn't look great in his last outing against the Rockies but I do like that Charlie Manuel is using him in the most crucial parts of the game. There is a possibility that Chan Ho Park will be healthy enough to pitch in the NLCS which will give the Phils a major boost. Edge: Dodgers

Catcher:
Phillies Carlos Ruiz
Dodgers: Russell Martin

While Russell Martin is nowhere near as good as he was last season, he's still one of the best hitting catchers in the game. Carlos Ruiz is Mr. Clutch, however, and he calls a great game behind the plate. Last year, I gave the Dodgers the edge at catcher but Chooch has passed Martin by with his playoff performances. Edge: Phillies

Infield:
Phillies: Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, Pedro Feliz
Dodgers: James Loney, Ronnie Belliard, Rafael Furcal, Casey Blake

I stand by my assertion that the Phillies have the best infield in the game offensively and an argument can be made that it is the best defensively as well. With Ryan Howard making clutch hits and Jimmy Rollins and Pedro Feliz making for an incredibly solid left side of the infield, the Dodgers simply can't match up with the Phillies here. While they are all reliable at the plate, none of the Dodger infielders hit .300 or had 20 homers, so they just don't match up with the Phillies. Edge: Phillies

Outfield:
Phillies: Raul Ibanez, Shane Victorino, Jayson Werth
Dodgers: Manny Ramirez, Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier

The Phillies have the three All-Stars but the Dodgers still have the edge here. While Manny hasn't quite been Manny this year, he still one of the most dangerous hitters in the game. Matt Kemp is also a star in the making and the NLCS could be his breakout party. Don't underestimate Andre Ethier, ether, as he hit .500 and had a pair of homers against the Cardinals in the NLDS. The Phillies have a few studs in their own right in the outfield but they aren't relied upon to be the heavy hitters like the Dodgers outfielders are. Edge: Dodgers

Bench:
Phillies: Ben Francisco, Greg Dobbs, Matt Stairs
Dodgers: Juan Pierre, Jim Thome, Orlando Hudson

The Dodgers bench is loaded. They have defensive replacements that can still swing the stick in Juan Pierre and Orlando Hudson and a dangerous pinch hitter in Jim Thome. The Phillies also have their own version of Thome in Matt Stairs, but after Stairs and Francisco it falls way off. If the Phillies have to send up Greg Dobbs in a key situation late in the game, they are in trouble. Edge: Dodgers

Manager:
Phillies: Charlie Manuel
Dodgers: Joe Torre

Last year, I said Joe Torre had a huge advantage because of all of his experience with the Yankees. Charlie Manuel has proved to be the better manager right now, however, with how he manages his bullpen and his bench to get the most out of them. Charlie always seems to be making the right calls and pushing the correct buttons, so until he makes a big mistake, he has to be considered one of the elite managers in the game. Edge: Phillies

My prediction:
The Phillies have the overall edge by these categories, 4-3. While the bullpen could still be a major issue, I still like the Phillies in six. I just think their offense is too good to be held back by the Dodgers weak starting pitching, so they will get early leads and never look back. The Dodgers will likely steal a few in the late innings but the Phillies starting pitchers will win a few games on their own.

It's a great time to be a Phillie fan, there is nothing like being right on the doorstep of another World Series. While the Dodgers will be a formidable opponent, you have to like the Phillies chances to BEAT LA!