2013 NFL Divisional Previews - AFC West

The AFC West is the Denver Broncos and everyone else. The Broncos won the division last season by 6 games over the San Diego Chargers. This division is so bad that the Oakland Raiders finished 4-12 and were actually two games ahead of the last place Kansas City Chiefs. Denver are the overwhelming favorites to take the division for a third straight season. However, a division title won't be good enough, as it is Super Bowl or bust for the Broncos. The Chargers finally have moved past the Norv Turner/A.J. Smith era, plucking Broncos offensive coordinator Mike McCoy away to be their head coach. The Kansas City Chiefs made a splash by hiring former long-time Philadelphia Eagle head coach Andy Reid, and also trading for former 49ers quarterback Alex Smith. The Chiefs have talent and are now hopeful they have the right coach to lead them. The Oakland Raiders made a shocking move in that they didn't make a head coaching change for once. The Carson Palmer era was a failure, and now they look to Matt Flynn to lead them back into the playoffs for the first time in over a decade. 


1. Denver Broncos

2012 Record: 13-3, First place AFC West
Head Coach: John Fox (3rd season Denver, 100-87 career)
Key Additions: DT Sylvester Williams, RB Montee Ball, WR Wes Welker, C Ryan Lilja, G Louis Vasquez, DE Shaun Phillips, ILB Stewart Bradley, CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, QB Quentin Jammer
Key Losses: RB Willis McGahee, WR Bradon Stokley, C Dan Koppen, DE Elvis Dumervil, DT Justin Bannan, DT Ty Warren, OLB D.J. Williams, ILB Keith Brooking, CB Tracy Porter, S Jim Leonhard

2013 Outlook: Five games into the 2012 season the Broncos were 2-3, and questions still remained about whether or not Peyton Manning would ever be the old Peyton prior to all of his neck surgeries. Those questions went away over the next 2 1/2 months as the Broncos won ten straight games to close the year, earning homefield advantage throughout the playoffs. However, playoff struggles that have become all too common throughout Manning's career reared their head in overtime against the Baltimore Ravens. Manning threw a bad interception, and the Ravens would hit the winning field goal in double overtime, sending the Broncos home prematurely. In the 2013 off-season, the Broncos added pieces that should make an already potent offense, even better. The highlight of those moves was plucking WR Wes Welker from the rival New England Patriots. Welker will team with breakout stars Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker to form one of the best wide receiver trios in football. Jacob Tamme and Joel Dreesen give the Broncos decent but not spectacular options at tight end. A major question mark for the Broncos is the run game. Willis McGahee was let go, and Knowshon Moreno has never lived up to the expectations placed upon him when selected in the first round. Ronnie Hillman will have a chance to compete for the job but it wouldn't be surprising if second round pick Montee Ball out of Wisconsin becomes the starting back. The offensive line is a strength and did a good job of keeping Manning upright and avoiding any dangerous situations with his neck. They added to the unit by taking away division rival San Diego's guard Louis Vasquez. Left tackle Ryan Clady gave up just one sack last season and his health might be the biggest key to the Broncos success besides Manning. The Broncos did lose center Dan Koppen to injury in training camp, but were able to coax Ryan Lilja out of retirement to take over for Koppen. The big question going into the season for Denver is their defense. America's bizarre insistence on using fax machines in 2013 came back to haunt Denver, who had a fax snafu cost them Elvis Dumervil. They are hopeful that former Charger Shaun Phillips will continue to play well, as he is coming off a 9.5 sack season last year. News got worse for the defense when it was learned that Von Miller could possibly be suspended the first four games of the season for a drug suspension. The secondary is iffy, with questions about how Rahim Moore will react after his gaffe in coverage played a huge part in the Broncos loss to the Ravens. They added Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie from Philadelphia, as the Eagles couldn't get rid of Cromartie fast enough. Champ Bailey finally showed signs of slowing down, especially in the playoff game when Torrey Smith dominated him. The Broncos are excellent on special teams, with kicker Matt Prater and punter Britton Colquitt combining to form one of the better kicker/punter duos. Returner Trindon Holliday had two touchdown returns during the season and then became a national name when he returned two kicks for touchdowns against the Ravens. Much like last season, the Broncos schedule appears to be pretty easy. Combining that and the talent they have I expect the Broncos to earn homefield advantage in the playoffs for the second straight season. However, I have seen too many Manning playoff failures to pick them to come out of the AFC as champions.

Prediction: 13-3


2. San Diego Chargers

2012 Record: 7-9, 2nd place AFC West
Head Coach: Mike McCoy (1st season San Diego, 0-0 career)
Key Additions: OT D.J. Fluker, ILB Manti Te'o, RB Danny Woodhead, OT King Dunlap, OT Max Starks, G Chad Rinehart, DE Dwight Freeney
Key Losses: OT Jared Gaither, NT Aubrayo Franklin, DE/OLB Shaun Phillips, ILB Takeo Spikes, CB Quentin Jammer, CB Antoine Cason, S Atari Bigby, KR Michael Spurlock

2013 Outlook: The writing was on the wall after the 2011 season that it was time for the Chargers to move on from the Turner/Smith era. But the Chargers were stubborn and because of that 2012 was another wasted, non-playoff season. Turner and Smith are finally gone, and now the Chargers are led by former Broncos offensive coordinator Mike McCoy. McCoy earned a lot of credit for adapting his offense to Tim Tebow's strengths in 2011, and was brought in to try to resuscitate Philip Rivers career. As Rivers weapons have disappeared so has Rivers effectiveness. Rivers had the worst yards per attempt average of his career last year and is already dealing with injuries to his wide receiver corps. Danario Alexander was lost for the year last week and Malcolm Floyd was hurt this week. Eddie Royal is back at receiver but it feels likes years ago since he was impressive as a rookie. Injuries have seemed to completely derail Antonio Gates career, sapping Rivers of one of his most dominant targets. Ryan Mathews has been a disappointment, a victim of way too much hype. The Chargers signed scrappy Danny Woodhead away from the Patriots, but he isn't someone that will likely make a ton of difference. The offensive line was atrocious last season so the Chargers tried to address it by drafting D.J. Fluker in the first round. The rest of the line is filled with also rans like King Dunlap and Chad Rinehart. The Chargers scooped up Dwight Freeney late in free agency and have to hope that he has a little something left in the tank. Their defensive ends Corey Liuget and Kendall Reyes showed some promise last year, and are players the Chargers are looking to build the defense around. The talk at linebacker will be Manti Te'o. Right now the talk around Te'o is about him being a victim of catfishing, but he hopes by the end of the year it will be about his play. Aside from Eric Weddle, the secondary is a huge question mark. Last year's starters at corner are gone, replaced by inexperienced players Shareece Wright and Derek Cox. Kicker Nick Novak missed just twice last season, although he only attempted 20 kicks. Punter Mike Scifres is strong and reliable. Things don't sound all that positive for San Diego but despite that I think the Chargers could sneak into the playoffs. I think a new voice and new leadership will do this team wonders. It will also help that they have almost no expectations, a far different scenario from the last few seasons. I think McCoy will help to bring back the good Philip Rivers and that some of young players on the defense will play better than people expect. They won't be a factor in the division race but I expect the Chargers to be right there battling for a Wild Card spot.

Prediction: 8-8


3. Kansas City Chiefs

2012 Record: 2-14, last place AFC West
Head Coach: Andy Reid (1st season Kansas City, 140-102-1 career)
Key Additions: OT Eric Fisher, RB Knile Davis, QB Alex Smith, QB Chase Daniel, FB Anthony Sherman, WR Donnie Avery, TE Anthony Fasano, DE/DT Mike DeVito, ILB Akeem Jordan, CB Sean Smith, CB Dunta Robinson
Key Losses: QB Matt Cassel, QB Brady Quinn, RB Peyton Hillis, WR Steve Breaston, TE Kevin Boss, OT Eric Winston, G Ryan Lilja, DT Glenn Dorsey, ILB Brandon Siler, CB Javier Arenas, S Abram Elam

2013 Outlook: 2012 couldn't have gone any worse for the Kansas City Chiefs. Besides going 2-14 and having a non-existent passing game they had to deal with the shocking circumstances involving the suicide of Jovan Belcher. The disappointing season led to the firing of coach Romeo Crennel and GM Scott Pioli. With six Pro Bowlers it was clear that the Chiefs had underachieved and it was time to go in a new direction. They went and got the best coach available in Andy Reid. Reid's time had run out in Philadelphia but there is no denying his history of success. It was obvious that Matt Cassel and Brady Quinn weren't the answers at quarterback, so they were jettisoned in favor of Alex Smith. Smith, like Reid had some success but his time had run out in San Francisco with the emergence of Colin Kaepernick. Reid has a history of bringing the best out of his quarterbacks so it will be very interesting to see how Smith plays under Reid. Smith was good during the latter part of his San Francisco years but never spectacular. With the talent they have, that may be all the Chiefs need. They have one of the best running backs in football in Jamaal Charles. Charles sometimes has trouble staying healthy but when he is almost no running back is as electrifying. The question hanging around is whether or not Reid is the coach to maximize the talents of Charles. He has a tendency to get pass happy and he can't do that in Kansas City, where the running game is clearly the best part of the offense. That's not to say the Chiefs don't have skill at the wide receiver position. Dwayne Bowe was disappointing last season but that was more because he had terrible quarterbacks attempting to get him the ball. With at least a decent quarterback in Alex Smith, Bowe should put up strong numbers in 2013. The Chiefs also added receiving weapons in Donnie Avery and Anthony Fasano at tight end. Fasano will team up with Tony Moeaki at tight end, and may eventually supplant him as Moeaki is injury prone. The Chiefs spent the first pick of the draft on Eric Fisher to bolster their offensive line. Branden Albert is on the other side, giving the Chiefs strong bookends to protect Smith. Jon Asamoah is another good player along the Chiefs offensive line. The Chiefs defense was a strength last season, but with such a pitiful offense was given no real chance to be a difference maker for the team. Tamba Hali and Justin Houston are pass rushing monsters, combining for 19 sacks last season. Derrick Johnson was a Pro Bowler at linebacker, as was safety Eric Berry, who some though mostly made it on name recognition alone. Brandon Flowers is at the corner position and will be joined by newcomers Sean Smith and Dunta Robinson. The Chiefs are hopeful that 2012 first round pick Dontari Poe shows improvement after a disappointing rookie season. The Chiefs special teams coverage leaves something to be desired but kicker Ryan Succup is pretty consistent, as is punter Dustin Colquitt. The Chiefs are a chic pick to bounce back and make the playoffs this season. Most people point to the talent they already have and the additions of Reid and Smith. I believe over time those two will make a difference but this team only won 2 games last season for a reason. It will take time to build the Chiefs back into a playoff team. The main realistic goal for the team this season should be to try to regain the homefield advantage and atmosphere they once had at Arrowhead. The Chiefs will be better but are still a year away from being a playoff team.

Prediction: 6-10


4. Oakland Raiders

2012 Record: 4-12, 3rd place AFC West
Head Coach: Dennis Allen (2nd season Oakland, 4-12 career)
Key Additions: CB D.J. Hayden, QB Matt Flynn, RB Rashad Jennings, OLB Kevin Burnett, OLB Nick Roach, CB Mike Jenkins, CB Tracy Porter, S Charles Woodson, P Chris Kluwe, KR Joshua Cribbs
Key Losses: QB Carson Palmer, RB Mike Goodson, WR Darrius Heyward-Bey, TE Brandon Myers, G Cooper Carlisle, DT Richard Seymour, DT Tommy Kelly, ILB Rolando McClain, CB Shawntae Spencer, S Michael Huff, P Shane Lechler 

2013 Outlook: The Raiders were seemingly moving in the right direction and then unnecessarily relieved Hue Jackson of his coaching duties. Instead of having Dennis Allen move them forward, they took a giant step back, falling 4 games worse as a team in 2012 from 2011. Now, as has seemingly been the case for what seems like eternity in Oakland they are rebuilding. Matt Flynn takes over for Carson Palmer. Flynn was supposed to be the guy in Seattle but was supplanted by Russell Wilson in the preseason and that was it for his Seahawks career. No one really knows what Flynn can do aside from a few decent games as a Packer. This Raiders team is a far cry in talent from those Packers teams Flynn was a member of. Flynn has Terrell Pryor and rookie Tyler Wilson behind him and there has been some talk that he could once again lose his job in the preseason, but I don't expect that to happen. Darren McFadden can't stay healthy to save his life and isn't someone the Raiders can realistically count on. Wide receiver is a position filled with question marks and inconsistency. Denarius Moore and Rod Streater have shown big play potential but have also shown their butterfingers just as much. Brandon Myers was consistent at tight end but he is now a New York Giant and it remains questionable who will pick up his slack. An already questionable offensive line suffered a terrible injury yesterday with the loss of left tackle Jared Veldheer for the season. Stefen Wisniewski has proven to be a very good draft pick but he can only do so much. After one of the worst defensive seasons in franchise history it was well known massive changes would occur. Just 2 starters return from last year's defense. Those two are defensive end Lamarr Houston and safety Tyvon Branch. Branch will be joined at safety by returning Raider Charles Woodson. The lasting image of Woodson from the 2012 season was him being outrun by Kaepernick in the playoffs. He doesn't seem to have much left and this appears to be another case of the Raiders signing an over the hill veteran with name value. The Raiders will start rookie first round pick D.J. Hayden at cornerback, along with former Cowboy disappointment Mike Jenkins. Former Saints Super Bowl hero Tracy Porter was signed from Denver, where had a memorable season opening interception return for touchdown and then disappeared. With so many new players having to learn to play together the Raiders could be even worse defensively. Kicker Sebastian Janikowski is one of the league's best and still has as much power in that booming leg as ever. The Raiders added annoying punter Chris Kluwe. It's a good thing Kluwe runs his mouth so much because it prevents attention from being paid to the fact that he isn't really any good. I expect it to be another playoff-less season in Oakland but I do think they will win a few more games this season. The key for this franchise is to take their lumps with Allen and try to stay the course for a few more seasons. The last thing this team needs is more upheaval.

Prediction: 6-10

2013 NFL Divisional Previews - NFC West

The NFC West has emerged from being the laughingstock of NFL divisions to what many would consider the best division. The division is highlighted by the defending NFC Champion San Francisco 49ers, and the emerging Seattle Seahawks. By the end of the 2012 season, the 49ers were a vastly different team from the one that started the season, but the winning results that coach Jim Harbaugh instilled remained. The Seahawks were mediocre for the first half of 2012, and then caught fire the second half of the year, and were tantalizingly close to making the NFC Championship game. The St. Louis Rams showed improvement under Jeff Fisher, but questions still remain about QB Sam Bradford. The Arizona Cardinals got off to a 4-0 start and then completely derailed, leading to the firing of coach Ken Whisenhunt. They're hopeful that new coach Bruce Arians and new quarterback Carson Palmer can right the ship.


1. San Francisco 49ers

2012 Record: 11-4-1, NFC West Champs, NFC Champs
Head Coach: Jim Harbaugh (3rd season San Francisco, 27-9-1 career)
Key Additions: S Eric Reid, RB Marcus Lattimore, QB Colt McCoy, WR Anquan Boldin, DT Glenn Dorsey, CB Nnamdi Asomugha, K Phil Dawson
Key Losses: QB Alex Smith, WR Randy Moss, TE Delanie Walker, NT Isaac Sopoaga, S Dashon Goldson, K David Akers, KR Tedd Ginn Jr.

2013 Outlook: The 49ers were 6-2 and while they had one of the better records in the NFL, it still felt like something was missing. Then QB Alex Smith left a game against St. Louis with a concussion and the Colin Kaepernick era was born. Kaepernick would light up the Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football in his first ever start and never look back. Despite Smith being ready to play the next week, coach Harbaugh stuck with Kaepernick. He was roundly criticized for benching Smith but he proved to be right, as Kap took the 49ers right to the brink of winning the Super Bowl. This off-season, Smith was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs and now the team is completely Kap's. Some people think it is possible that Kap could suffer from a sophomore slump but to me he is way too talented and poised for that to happen. In addition to his excellent run skills, Kap has one of the best arms in football and the 49ers receivers showed instant improvement once he took over. One of those receivers was Michael Crabtree. Unfortunately for the 49ers Crabtree tore his achilles in mini-camps and will miss most of the 2013 season. The team is hopeful he can return by November or December. The trade for WR Anquan Boldin from the Baltimore Ravens looked like a steal before Crabtree was hurt and its importance became even greater with Crabtree's injury. Boldin will be the team's number one receiver going into the season. I would have preferred for Boldin to be the number two option, but in last season's playoffs Boldin shined. He almost single-handedly earned Joe Flacco his gigantic contract, as he muscled his way to tough catch after tough catch. The other receivers include Mario Manningham, who suffered an injury towards the end of last season. It isn't yet known when Manningham will return and the possibility is there that he will be cut from the team. There is some pressure on WR A.J. Jenkins to step up. Last year's first round pick couldn't even get on the field, and the Niners weren't exactly stacked at receiver. They drafted another receiver this year, Quinton Patton. Due to injuries Patton probably has a greater chance of getting playing time in his rookie year then Jenkins did. Gone are Randy Moss and Delanie Walker from the passing game. Moss wasn't anything special but he contributed when needed and seemed to take some pressure off Crabtree. Walker is an average player, that made some nice plays but also dropped the ball too much. The other key player is TE Vernon Davis. Davis and Kap couldn't seem to get on the same page during the regular season last year. However, that all changed once the playoffs started as Davis reverted back to his beast form. The 49ers are loaded at running back, still led by the greatest back in team history, Frank Gore. Year after year I think Gore will finally start to slow down and he continuously proves me wrong. I expect RB LaMichael James to see a lot more playing time this year, as he came on strong towards the end of last season. He isn't likely to play this year, but RB Marcus Lattimore is supremely talented and may prove to be another Gore like steal. Another strength area is offensive line. Joe Staley and Anthony Davis protect the ends, while Alex Boone and Mike Iupati are the power behind the Niners run game. After bringing back all their defensive starters in 2012, the Niners defense will see some new faces in 2013. Gone are Dashon Goldson, Isaac Sopoaga, and Ricky Jean-Francois. Also gone due to injury is CB Chris Culliver. The Niners have brought in beleaguered CB Nnamdi Asomugha and are hoping he can revert back to his Oakland Raiders play. CB Carlos Rodgers had a disappointing 2012 and the Niners have to hope he at least can be half the standout player he was in 2011. The 49ers drafted CB Eric Reid in the first round and will expect him to contribute right away. The defensive ends and linebackers remain a strength. Though he struggled towards the end of the year, Aldon Smith continued to make his presence felt as one of the best defensive players in football. Justin Smith had to battle through injuries but when healthy, there was no doubt the impact he had on a game, especially when it came to play of Aldon. When not beating the crap out of his teammates, my former high school mate Ahmad Brooks joins Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman to give the 49ers the best linebacking corps in football. Willis and Bowman are perennial Pro-Bowlers and no two defensive players may be important to their team. The 49ers have a new kicker, picking up longtime Brown Phil Dawson. Dawson is 38, but was easily the Browns best player the last few seasons. He should provide accuracy to a position that was sorely missing it last year with the struggles of David Akers. The 49ers bring back one of the best punters in football, Andy Lee. Gone from the return game is Ted Ginn Jr., which means that Kyle Williams will be back their terrifying 49ers fans every time the ball is kicked towards him. In two years under Harbaugh the Niners have gone to the NFC Championship and the Super Bowl. The next logical step is to win it and anything less will be a failure. Some teams can't handle expectations, but Harbaugh is a great leader of men, and I think the 49ers will live out their destiny this season.

Prediction: 12-4


2. Seattle Seahawks

2012 Record: 11-5, 2nd place NFC West
Head Coach: Pete Carroll (4th season Seattle, 61-58 career)
Key Additions: WR Percy Harvin, DE Cliff Avril, DE Michael Bennett, CB Antoine Winfield, CB Marcus Trufant
Key Losses: QB Matt Flynn, DT Alan Branch, KR Leon Washington

2013 Outlook: The Seahawks were a .500 team eight games into the 2012 season and it looked like another mediocre season under Peter Carroll was inevitable. But then the team, and more specifically QB Russell Wilson caught fire and the Seahawks went 7-1 in the second half of the season. They knocked off the Washington Redskins in the Wild Card Round and then nearly pulled off a miraculous comeback against the Atlanta Falcons in the Divisional Round. This has brought very high expectations for Seattle this season, and those were heightened even more when they traded for the dynamic Percy Harvin from the Minnesota Vikings. Unfortunately, as has been far too often the case for his career, Harvin is injured and will miss most of the season. That means that Wilson will continue to have to make plays with his feet and make the most out of a receiving corps that includes the underwhelming Sidney Rice, Golden Tate, and Doug Baldwin. The Seahawks are hoping that TE Zach Miller can build upon his strong postseason play. Wilson was certainly helped by having one of the best running backs in football behind him, Marshawn Lynch. Lynch is unstoppable if he gets into the open field and that happened a ton last season. The Seahawks line has some standout players, including tackle Russell Okung, and center Matt Unger but the rest of the unit is ho-hum. The Seahawks should be even better defensively this season with the additions of Cliff Avril, Michael Bennett and the return of Chris Clemons. That unit will have to gel quickly as Seattle will be without Bruce Irvin for the first four games as he serves a suspension for using banned substances. The Seahawks best area on the defense is their secondary. Brandon Browner, the way too talkative Richard Sherman, and the recently signed Antoine Winfield make up an impressive trio of corners. Then you add in dangerous safeties Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor and it makes it very hard to pass against the Seahawks. The Seahawks weakness last year was run defense and that was highlighted in the playoff game against the Falcons, where Michael Turner was able to turn back the clock and actually be effective. Special teams is strong behind kicker Steven Hauschka and punter Jon Ryan. A big question mark will be the return game. Gone is Leon Washington, and Harvin was going to be his replacement which would have been an upgrade. Now, who knows who will handle the return duties until Harvin can play. The loss of Harvin is huge but certainly not a death knell. Seattle proved last year they were a strong team when Harvin wasn't around. However, what will hurt them this season is having that bulls eye on them that they didn't have last year. Any time a team has to go into Qwest Field they will be jacked up to try to overcome the Seahawks vaunted 12th man. I also think that Wilson is not going to be able to replicate his 2012 success. The Seahawks are a brash team and while that served them well last season, in a New York Jets kind of a way I believe it will backfire on them this season.

Prediction: 9-7


3. St. Louis Rams

2012 Record: 7-8-1, 3rd place NFC West
Head Coach: Jeff Fisher (2nd season St. Louis, 154-134-1 career)
Key Additions: WR Tavon Austin, TE Jared Cook, OT Jake Long
Key Losses: RB Steven Jackson, WR Danny Amendola, WR Brandon Gibson, S Quintin Mikell

2013 Outlook: The Rams showed definite improvement in 2012 under Jeff Fisher. Most impressive was their ability to give the San Francisco 49ers fits. They tied the NFC champions in San Francisco, and then defeated them in St. Louis. In year two of the Fisher era it is all about trying to take that next step, and overtake the Niners and Seahawks. In order to do that QB Sam Bradford will need to move from mediocre to slightly good to great. Problem is, he still suffers from a lack of weapons. That problem was made greater by the defection of RB Steven Jackson to the the Atlanta Falcons. That leaves the Rams with Daryl Richardson at running back. In other words, all the pressure will be on Bradford to perform. The Rams did try to add some receiving weapons for Bradford but also let his best weapon walk in Danny Amendola. They drafted Tavon Austin out of West Virginia, a speedy, diminutive sized wide receiver. Chris Givens is the other wide receiver you might have possibly heard of. They added TE Jared Cook from Tennessee in free agency. Cook is okay but not a player that any defense will ever have to game plan for. The biggest off-season signing for St. Louis was former Dolphin Jake Long. The signing of Long is designed to bolster Bradford's protection, which should potentially allow Bradford the chance to get the ball downfield deep, something he hasn't successfully done in his career. The rest of the Rams line isn't well known but they did draft former Alabama Crimson Tide Barrett Jones who is probably most known for arguing with AJ McCarron in the National Title game. The Rams best hope for winning games realistically will come from their young up and coming defense. Most know of Chris Long, but another end that had a strong year last season was Robert Quinn who finished the season with 10.5 sacks. The Rams are also strong at corner, with annoying Cortland Finnegan and Janoris Jenkins proving able to shut down most team's wide receivers. They have to be very good because the Rams safeties were a sieve. Last season's starters at safety are gone but the Rams don't really know what they have in Darian Stewart, Rodney McLeod, and T.J. McDonald. The linebacking corps is anchored by James Laurinaitis and could be even better with the drafting of Alec Ogletree out of Georgia. Kicker Greg Zuerlein can definitely hit the long field goal but struggles with his accuracy. Punter Johnny Hekker is pretty mediocre and could make things harder on the Rams defense with his inability to pin offenses back. I think the Rams will be competitive, because their defense will keep them in every game. But offensively, I can't see Bradford taking that leap with no real running game and no real weapons yet at receiver. Tavon Austin could turn into a weapon but to expect him to change everything as a rookie is asking too much. It will be another season that falls short of the playoffs in St. Louis.

Prediction: 7-9


4. Arizona Cardinals

2012 Record: 5-11, last place NFC West
Head Coach: Bruce Arians (1st season Arizona, 9-3 career)
Key Additions: G Jonathan Cooper, QB Carson Palmer, RB Stepfan Taylor, RB Rashard Mendenhall, DE Frostee Rucker, DE/OLB Quentin Groves, LB Lorenzo Alexander, ILB Karlos Dansby, CB Javier Arenas, S Yeremiah Bell, S Tyrann Mathieu
Key Losses: QB Kevin Kolb, QB John Skelton, RB Beanie Wells, RB LaRod Stephens-Howlings, WR Early Doucet, ILB Stewart Bradley, CB Greg Toler, CB William Gay, CB Michael Adams, S Adrian Wilson, S Kerry Rhodes

2013 Outlook: The Cardinals might have the most upheaval of any team in the 2013 off-season. Gone is the head coach (Whisenhunt), the leading passer (Kevin Kolb) and the leading rusher (LaRod Stephens-Howling). Replacing them are Bruce Arians, Carson Palmer, and Rashard Mendenhall. After dropping 11 of their final 12 games it is easy to see why sweeping changes were necessary. Palmer failed miserably in Oakland but he has to be better than the poo poo platter of Kolb, John Skelton and Brian Hoyer that the Cardinals put on the field last season. Honestly, Kolb wasn't that bad and actually led the team to a 4-0 start, but once he went down the Cardinals couldn't recover. Stephens-Howling and Beanie Wells were allowed to leave as the Cardinals rushing attack averaged a pathetic 3.4 yards per carry. Rashard Mendenhall was cast aside by the Steelers and the Cardinals are hoping he will play with a chip on his shoulder and be the Mendenhall that beat them in a Super Bowl a few years back. Behind him are Ryan Williams, who can't stay healthy, and new draft pick out of Stanford Stepfan Taylor. Palmer will have some weapons to throw to. One of those weapons is one of the best receivers in the game, Larry Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald showed last season that no matter how talented a receiver you are, you still have to have a quarterback that is capable of getting you the ball. With Palmer, he should go back to having good numbers. Michael Floyd showed some promise as a rookie last season, and could be in line for a breakout season. WR Andre Roberts quietly had a strong season last year, so the Cardinals have three strong options at receiver. You've probably never heard of TE Rob Housler but he did have 45 catches last season, which is respectable. The area that may cause the Cardinals to implode yet again, is their horrific offensive line. They allowed 58 sacks last season and also couldn't get any push on the line, which killed any chance of the run game succeeding. That is the reason they took guard Jonathan Cooper with the seventh pick in the draft. They are also hoping that the return of Levi Brown from injury can help to solidify the line. Palmer is like a statue back there, so if he doesn't get protection things will get very ugly. The Cardinals have some talent defensively, they just have to stay healthy. Darnell Dockett and Calais Campbell are two dangerous ends when healthy, and were making life miserable for quarterbacks in the first four games of 2012. They hope to have upgraded their linebacking corps with the signing of former Redskin Lorenzo Alexander. They also brought back Karlos Dansby, who in his three seasons in Miami, never really seemed to gel with the Dolphins. The secondary is anchored by Patrick Peterson, and he will be joined back there by fellow LSU Tiger Tyrann Mathieu. Mathieu could become the starter quickly as the Cardinals have new starters at safety this season. CB Javier Arenas was picked up from Kansas City to help bolster their coverage with Peterson. Kicker Jay Feely had one of his best seasons last year, and Dave Zastudil was a top 5 punter. They still have Peterson back there to return kicks and although he didn't score last season, that may prove to his benefit as teams might have a false sense of confidence in kicking to him. The Cardinals made a lot of changes but I feel like they picked up a lot of pieces that are either mediocre or not ready to contribute. Plus, while coach Arians got some experience last season stepping in for Chuck Pagano, expectations will be much different now that he is the full time head coach. Add that to being in a tough division and it should be another sub .500 season in Arizona.

Prediction: 6-10

2013 NBA Finals

#1 Miami Heat vs. #2 San Antonio Spurs

The old Big Three versus the new Big Three. The Spurs big three of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobli are three for three in NBA Finals. The Heat's big three of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh are one for two and looking to repeat as champions. The Spurs are back in the Finals for the first time since 2007, and for the first team this group is facing the Eastern Conference's #1 seed in the championship. San Antonio hasn't played in a week and a half, after sweeping the Grizzlies in four. They have been dominant in the playoffs, winning twelve of their fourteen games. Miami is coming off a physical, grueling seven game series with the Indiana Pacers. Will the younger team be too beat up, while the older, veteran team will feel rested? Or will it work the opposite way, where the Heat will remain firing on all cylinders, while the Spurs look rusty?

The most critical player in this series is someone you probably wouldn't think of, Spurs SF Kawhi Leonard. It will be Leonard's responsibility to try to guard LeBron James. Leonard won't be the only one who guards James, but he will get the bulk of the responsibility. Now, you don't really guard James, as his size and strength make that impossible, but you can try to slow him down a bit and not allow him to drive the lane at will. Leonard is a strong defender and will give James a lot more problems on defense than the Pacers Paul George was able to. James saved the Heat against Indiana when Wade and Bosh could do nothing. If Wade and Bosh struggle like that again, it may not be a slam dunk that James can dominate this series, like he did against Indiana. Another interesting matchup battle will be what the Heat do to guard Parker. Parker was unconscious against the Grizzlies and you figure going straight up against Mario Chalmers would give the Spurs a major advantage. I expect the Heat to throw James on Parker late in games, as they have done in the past against electric point guards, such as the Bulls Derrick Rose. Backup point guards are Gary Neal for the Spurs and Norris Cole for the Heat. Both provide pretty steady play off the bench, and while obviously not as good as the guys in front of them, they are at least serviceable. At shooting guard the Heat have Wade and Ray Allen, while the Spurs start Danny Green and bring Manu Ginobli off the bench. Green has earned that starting role by playing good defense and hitting his shots. Green is a 45% shooter and a 43% shooter from three point land. When him and Allen are on the court you may just see them trade three pointers. It didn't get talked about much because the Spurs swept the series, but Ginobli did not play very well. Now some of that can be attributed to having one of the league's best defenders, Tony Allen on him. Wade is not as good a defender and is also hobbled with injuries. Wade stepped up his play in Game 7 but for most of these playoffs he has been a non-entity. It will be interesting to watch to see what kind of series he has in the Finals, and if he can find his offensive groove a bit more.

The Heat's lack of size really came back to bite them in the Pacers series. Against the Spurs it will be a bit of an issue but not nearly as big as one, no pun intended. Obviously, Duncan is a fantastic player and Udonis Haslem and the Birdman Chris Andersen will have their hands full with him. But beyond Duncan, none of the Spurs other bigs are that imposing. Tiago Splitter can block some shots but he isn't a presence on the boards. Boris Diaw, is a decent defender, but not someone that can change a series. It is mystifying to me how DaJuan Blair has fallen out of favor with Popovich. Maybe Pop will give him some more playing time in this series to take advantage of the Heat's lack of size. The Heat's Shane Battier started losing minutes as the Conference Finals went one and it is kind of hard to see what his role will be in this series. Maybe when Matt Bonner is on they can stick Battier on him, as Bonner isn't very athletic and really just a threat from three point range. Bosh had a terrible series against Indiana, but this series sets up nicely for him. If he wants to, I think he can battle Splitter inside and not have to merely settle for jumpers. Bosh has no excuse to struggle in this series, and he needs to definitely make more of an impact on the glass playing a Spurs team that isn't a strong rebounding team.

The 2-3-2 format is employed for the NBA Finals and is a huge part of this series. The team with homecourt advantage is basically guaranteed of winning the series if they go into Game 6 up 3-2. It is next to impossible for a road team to win the last two games on their opponent's home court. I think that rather than looking rested, the Spurs will look rusty in Game 1 and the Heat will win comfortably. In Game 2, the Spurs will have their legs back and will knock off Miami to tie the series up. It is in San Antonio where I think the Heat will take control of the series by winning two out of three in San Antonio. That will set up Game 6 in Miami, where the Heat will close things out, with LeBron James once again winning Finals MVP. While I think the Spurs are a better team than the Pacers, matchup wise, they are much more favorable for Miami to face than Indiana was. Their advantages, such as having Parker at point, can be mitigated by Miami, who can put James on him. I don't buy Splitter or Diaw as being difference makers like Roy Hibbert and David West were, which will allow Bosh to have a much better series. The Spurs would be adding another championship had the Pacers advanced, but against Miami, I don't think they have the players needed to knock off the Heat. LeBron will take home his second straight title and all the talk next season will be about the Heat going for a three-peat.

Prediction: Heat over Spurs, 4-2

2013 NBA Playoffs - Eastern Conference Finals

The "trash talk" has already begun between the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers as they meet in the playoffs for the second straight year. Pacers coach Frank Vogel didn't kiss the Heat's ass enough for King Lebron James liking, so he had a little hissy fit about it. The Pacers pushed the Heat hard last season, going up 2-1 in their Eastern Conference Semi-Finals series, before dropping the final three games. Do they have what it takes this season to finish the job they started and upset the Heat?


#1 Miami Heat vs. #3 Indiana Pacers

Literally, the single biggest reason that people give the Pacers a chance in this series is Roy Hibbert. The Heat have no one that can match up with Hibbert. Please don't tell me that Chris Bosh, James Jones, Joel Anthony or Udonis Haslem can. Hibbert is a beast compared to those three. The Pacers will dominate the boards in this series, no doubt about it. If the Heat aren't hitting their shots at strong rate, they could lose the series. Now that seems pretty obvious, but in this series, playing strong defense won't be enough for the Heat to win. They were able to score some points against a strong Bulls defense, but that Bulls team was missing many pieces. Also, they let a depleted Bulls team have some pretty strong offensive showings against them.

The edge at point guard goes the Pacers, although George Hill did suffer a concussion in the series against the Knicks, so he may not be all the way back. He played 42 minutes in the Game 6 clincher, but struggled, shooting just 2-10 from the field. Mario Chalmers is always hit or miss for the Heat. He either randomly breaks out a strong game or you usually barely notice him on the court. At shooting guard of course the Heat have the advantage with Dwyane Wade, but its not as far a gap as usual. Wade has been hobbled, and save for the last half of Game 5 against Bulls he was basically ineffective. Lance Stephenson typically doesn't contribute a ton but busted out for 25 points in the Game 6 win against New York.

A great one on one matchup to watch in this series is LeBron James going against Paul George. You don't always get to see each team's best players go up against one another but that is the case in this series. Can James limit George's effectiveness, as George is a highly consistent scorer? Will George be able to slow down LeBron and force James into some turnovers? George is very good at creative turnovers on the defensive end, averaging almost 2.3 steals per game in his last 10 games. Of course, playing LeBron is an entirely different animal, and if LeBron is already feeling a bit slighted, watch out. As mentioned above, the interior battle could be a huge mismatch for Indiana, not just with Hibbert but also with David West. The Heat will have to find answers for Hibbert and West, or the Pacers will be content with feeding the ball inside all series.

Coming off the bench for Heat you will see Ray Allen, who is coming off a mostly forgettable series against the Bulls. Also, Shane Battier receives a good amount of times, while Norris Cole and Chris Anderson see some spot duty. Anthony and Jones have basically disappeared from the rotation but perhaps we will see more of them this series. The bench isn't the Pacers strong suit, with only Tyler Hansbrough or D.J. Augustin being guys they can somewhat rely on. If either team gets contributions out of their bench in this series, it could be the difference maker.

The Heat blew out the Bulls in two games but otherwise really struggled with a very depleted Chicago team. The Pacers are without Danny Granger but have been that way for basically the entire season and still won 49 games. Basketball is about matchups and the Pacers are a tough draw for the Heat. Miami is the best team of the four remaining but I think the Pacers can challenge them. Especially, when they play at home in Indiana, where they are 6-0 in the playoffs. In fact, something will have to give because the Heat are currently 4-0 on the road in the playoffs. I think the Pacers can get this series to a seventh game, before LeBron and company close them out.

Prediction: Heat over Pacers, 4-3

2013 NBA Playoffs - Western Conference Finals

One half of the Western Conference finalists is as expected, the San Antonio Spurs. But the other half has crashed the party, the Memphis Grizzlies. Now who knows if the Grizzlies would have gotten past the Thunder with Russell Westbrook, it doesn't matter. What does matter is that the Grizzlies are playing outstanding basketball, and in many people's minds will be the favorites in this series. That is because two years ago as an up and coming 8 seed the Grizzlies throttle the #1 seed Spurs in the First Round of the playoffs. Can the Spurs get their revenge two years later, and make it back to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2007?


#2 San Antonio Spurs vs. #5 Memphis Grizzlies

This series will be a clash in styles and philosophy. The Spurs still have that tag of being boring but they are actually a fast-paced, high scoring team. The Grizzlies are a bruising, grind it out style of team. They win games by keeping their opponents in the 80s and low 90s. They dictated the series against the Thunder and Oklahoma City wasn't able to overcome the Grizzlies defensive toughness. The Spurs will have more reliable offensive weapons than the Thunder, who had to rely way too much on Kevin Durant. The Spurs get scoring from all of their key players, and when one guy struggles, like Manu Ginobli did in the Game 6 win against Golden State, other bench guys can pick up the slack, like a Gary Neal who had 12 points in 8 minutes last night. While the Spurs are much more offensive oriented than the Grizzlies, they do play good defense. They took control of the Warriors series as they eventually wore out Golden State's shooters.

There will be some great individual matchups in this series, highlighted by the Grizzlies Zach Randolph going against the Spurs Tim Duncan. Duncan has seemed rejuvenated this season, but might face his toughest challenge yet with the bruising Randolph. The other battle of the bigs will be between Marc Gasol and Tiago Splitter. This is where the Grizzlies have the biggest advantage to me. Gasol is such a complete player, and has more mental toughness than his brother Pau. He doesn't shy from the big moment, as evidenced by his series clinching shot in Game 5 against the Thunder. He is a much better offensive player than Splitter, and a better defensive player. Perhaps, Gregg Popovich will give DaJuan Blair some more minutes in this series to try to combat Randolph and Gasol.

The guard battle will be Tony Parker, Danny Green, and Manu Ginobli going against Mike Conley, Tony Allen, and Jerryd Bayless. Conley is playing the best basketball of his career in these playoffs and took the Thunder's Reggie Jackson to school in the Conference Semi-Finals. Allen made life miserable for Kevin Durant, and in this series he will be expected to stop Ginobli and Green from cashing in on the open three point looks they love so much. Bayless has been mostly steady coming off the bench for Memphis, which is important, since one of the Grizzlies weaknesses is their lack of depth.

Memphis is playing like a team that is more confident than ever and like they are destined to make that leap to the NBA Finals this season. Matchup wise they have the edge over the Spurs in different areas that I think will help push them past San Antonio. It will be a battle and should be a fun series to watch, but their leaders, Randolph and Gasol will prove to be the difference as the Grizzlies earn their first ever trip to the NBA Finals.

Prediction: Grizzlies over Spurs, 4-3

2013 NBA Playoffs - Western Conference Semi-Finals

It has seemed destined to be Oklahoma City and San Antonio in a Western Conference Finals rematch since the beginning of the season. However, the Memphis Grizzlies and Golden State Warriors will have something to say about it. The Thunder's prospects changed significantly with the loss of Russell Westbrook for the playoffs. The Grizzlies dispatched Lob City and are playing with a ton of confidence after nearly knocking off the Thunder yesterday. The Warriors Stephen Curry has emerged as the newest superstar in the league. With him and his hot hand all things seem possible for Golden State, including maybe even winning at San Antonio where they have lost an astounding 29 games in a row.


#1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. #5 Memphis Grizzlies

The Grizzlies were up 9 going into the 4th quarter of yesterday's Game 1 and seemed poised to take early control of the series. But then Kevin Durant took over, showing why he is the second best player in the NBA at the moment, and the Thunder squeaked out a win. It had to feel like a missed opportunity for the Grizzlies, but it also had to give them supreme confidence that they can play with the Thunder, especially with no Westbrook.

The most surprising aspect of yesterday's game was Kevin Martin going off for the Thunder and Tony Allen of the Grizzlies struggles to stop him. Allen is considered one of the best defenders in the game, but Martin was able to slice him up for 25 points. It was pretty much Martin and Durant that carried the Thunder offensively and allowed them to sneak away with a win. Serge Ibaka and Kendrick Perkins have basically disappeared since Westbrook went out. Their have been many calls for Thunder coach Scott Brooks to significantly decrease Perkins playing time. However, when you have guys like Hasheem Thabeet and Daniel Orton behind you, it is easy to see why Brooks would be hesitant to do that. A plus for the Thunder has been the steady play of point guard Reggie Jackson since he was thrust into the starting lineup after Westbrook's injury. I thought the trading of Eric Maynor would come back to really bite the Thunder at this point, but Jackson has played exactly as OKC has needed.

Tayshaun Prince will be mostly on Durant in this series and he will have to step up his game after Durant exploded for 35 points on 50% shooting yesterday. Of course slowing down Durant isn't easy but the Grizzlies should be capable as they were the best defensive team in the league this season. They have to continue to throw double teams at Durant and force other guys to beat them. That means Allen has to make Martin a non-factor for Memphis to be successful. The Grizzlies will also need to impose their will inside with Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol. Each of those guys had strong games yesterday but didn't do enough offensively or defensively in the fourth quarter to seal the win. Free throw shooting was also an issue yesterday for Memphis, as Quincy Pondexter and Gasol missed some key freebies. Other key players for Memphis are Mike Conley and Jerryd Bayless. Both are more talented than the Thunder's point guard combo of Jackson and Derek Fisher, and they need to exploit that matchup advantage.

This series is basically a pick em and had the Grizzlies held on yesterday I might be picking them. I expect this series to go seven, with KD carrying Oklahoma City past Memphis in the decisive game on to their third straight trip to the Western Conference Finals.

Prediction: Thunder over Grizzlies, 4-3


#2 San Antonio Spurs vs. #6 Golden State Warriors

Like the Heat, the Spurs have been on an extended vacation since sweeping the Lakers. They will have to snap back into things quickly though as the Warriors will run them up and down the court if they are caught napping.

The Spurs bigs, mainly Tim Duncan, DaJuan Blair, and Tiago Splitter will have their work cut out for them against a Warriors team that was third in the league in rebounding. One of the Warriors major strengths is their ability to grab offensive boards, and then kick it out to their excellent jump shooters, Curry and Klay Thompson. This series is pretty simple, if the Warriors dominate in rebounding and are hot shooting wise, they will pull off the upset. If they are deficient in either one of those areas, then the Spurs will move on as most expect.

Now there is no question that Curry will likely get his on offense, but his defense is a liability at times and Tony Parker could have a field day against him. The Warriors will probably try to shift having both Curry and Jarrett Jack on Parker. It will also be interesting to see who the Warriors put on Duncan. They might throw Andrew Bogut on him at times, and Carl Landry will have to cover Duncan at times too. While David Lee is not known for his defensive prowess, it would be much better for the Warriors if they had him as an option to body up Duncan as well. On paper it appears that Duncan could have a huge series, as he continues his steroid fueled (just kidding!) resurgence at age 37.

Harrison Barnes and Draymond Green are two rookies that looked ready for the playoff spotlight against the Nuggets. It probably helped that they played in high pressure games at North Carolina and Michigan State respectively. How effective they will be matching up with Kawhi Leonard remains to be seen. Leonard is an incredibly athletic and active player and much more of a matchup nightmare than Denver could throw at those guys.

It is imperative for Golden State that they win either Games 1 or 2 in San Antonio. That may seem like an obvious thing, but what makes it more imperative is the fact that they haven't won as a franchise in San Antonio for so long. That question will be front and center until they actually win there, so the quicker they can get that out of the way the better. I thought the Warriors relative inexperience would cost them against Denver. It turned out not to matter, but against such a well coached team like the Spurs, I believe Gregg Popovich will find ways to frustrate a young Warriors team. Golden State will make it a battle, but the Spurs advance.

Prediction: Spurs over Warriors, 4-2

2013 NBA Playoffs - Eastern Conference Semi-Finals

The Eastern Conference Semi-Finals feature the renewal of a new school rivalry, and the renewal of an old school rivalry. The Bulls and Heat meet in the playoffs for the second time in three years, while the Knicks and Pacers renew their classic rivalry from the 90's. The Heat decimated the Milwaukee Bucks in four games, while the Bulls overcame tons of injuries and sickness to knock off the Brooklyn Nets in seven. The Knicks earned their first playoff series win in 13 seasons, while the Pacers got past the Hawks in the series no one watched. On paper, the East seems to be Miami's to lose, but sports tends to always be unpredictable.


#1 Miami Heat vs. #5 Chicago Bulls

When the series tips off tonight the Heat will be playing their first game in eight days. The Bulls just finished off their First Round series two nights ago and flew straight to Miami after defeating the Nets. Needless to say, the Heat will be much more rested than Chicago. That would already serve as quite the advantage but when you add in the injuries that the Bulls are facing with Luol Deng and Kirk Hinrich, it makes that advantage even greater.

The Heat are mostly a juggernaut without weakness, except for their lack of size and rebounding. However, as I have documented many times their talent seems to overcome that and make it irrelevant. In this series against Chicago that won't even really be an issue as the Bulls aren't an overwhelmingly large team, outside of Joakim Noah. What may give the Heat some issue is the Bulls defense, which is one of the best in the league. That defense showed signs of being worn down, and tired though as they had to play a lot of guys who aren't part of their regular rotation. To have any shot of making this a series, the Bulls will have to get Deng and Hinrich back at some point. Otherwise, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and company will have their way. I think Noah can limit Chris Bosh's effectiveness but as long as James and Wade play well, that won't matter. The Bulls will also have to make sure they don't leave Ray Allen alone on the perimeter, as he can still do plenty of damage from downtown.

Chicago will have to play perfect this entire series and that means that Nate Robinson, Marco Bellinelli, and Noah will have to continue to play over their heads. Even guys like Jimmy Butler and Nazr Mohammed made huge contributions in the series win against Brooklyn. Perhaps the most key player for Chicago is Carlos Boozer. Boozer had trouble getting in a rhythm against Brooklyn as their bigs constantly had him in foul trouble. This will be a different series for him as Miami doesn't have as much height, but they have much more athleticism, so Boozer will have to play top notch defense. Anyone talking about the possibility of Derrick Rose returning for this series, just please stop. He isn't playing this year, and the Bulls stopped counting on him coming back long ago.

I see a lot of people predicting a sweep, which to me completely discounts the coaching edge Chicago has with Tom Thibodeau going against Miami's Erik Spoelstra. Not saying that Spoelstra is a bad coach, just that Thibodeau is a great coach and would have an advantage against almost everyone. This Bulls team plays with a ton of passion and adding having a chip on their shoulder makes them dangerous. I definitely believe they can make Miami sweat and steal a game or two, but I'd be crazy to pick against the Heat.

Prediction: Heat over Bulls, 4-2


#2 New York Knicks vs. #3 Indiana Pacers

This series tipped off yesterday and to the surprise of many, the Pacers raced to a relatively easy win at the Garden. Most people were surprised because they haven't bothered watching or paying attention to the Pacers all season. The Pacers are a very physical team, and for a team so reliant on jump shooting like the Knicks, that will pose some problems. The Pacers play tough defense and rebound well.

A key battle in this series will be the battle of the big men between the Pacers Roy Hibbert and the Knicks Tyson Chandler. Yesterday, Hibbert dominated Chandler on the glass and offensively. The Knicks will be beaten rather easily if Carmelo Anthony continues to struggle. He played poorly to end the Boston series and that carried over yesterday, with a 10-28 shooting performance. The Knicks other important shooter, J.R. Smith was just 4-15 yesterday. If the Knicks don't find a way to get those guys going or find some better looks, this series will be over quickly. The Knicks best player on the court yesterday was Raymond Felton. Felton shot the ball well and also played very good defense on Pacers point guard George Hill. The Pacers best player, Paul George struggled with his shot but as all good players do, found other ways to score, and for him that was by getting to the line.

The Pacers second best player, David West played very well yesterday and the Knicks will have to hope that Kenyon Martin can give them some quality minutes and play West tight on defense. For the Knicks to be successful, their perimeter guys will have to get going, which can open some things up for Chandler inside. If the Pacers dominate the paint like they did yesterday, it won't matter how well Anthony or Smith shoot. The Pacers also received a huge boost from their bench yesterday with some great play by D.J. Augustin.

I think that the Knicks can turn things around in this series, even after yesterday's dispirited performance. This is a series where I expect to see the road teams steal a few, ultimately forcing a Game 7 at the Garden, which would be electric. But in a surprise twist, I like this Pacers team to win that Game 7 and move on to the Eastern Conference Finals. They are the definition of team, and can hit you from all over. In other words, a very dangerous, playoff ready team.

Prediction: Pacers over Knicks, 4-3