OPINION —
Rounding the bases…
ä First Base: In less than five months, the NFL will send its top two teams to the Superdome to meet in the 47th Super Bowl. It says here that the Patriots and Packers will face off to see which team takes the title. The two teams enjoy the NFL’s two weakest regular season schedules, with the Patriots facing only four opponents who won at least nine games in 2011. Yet the bet here is that the Packers will do what they did in the first two Super Bowls: win.
AFC EAST: The Patriots sleepwalk their way to the AFC championship in the conference’s weakest division, clinching the division before Thanksgiving. The Jets are football’s version of the Mets and the only other AFC East team capable of winning nine games. The Bills could go 8-8 if everything works well for them, while the Dolphins sink to the bottom of the division.
AFC NORTH: The Ravens are the cream of the division’s crop, but the fourth toughest schedule will have them sweating out a division title because of Pittsburgh’s much weaker schedule. These are the only two teams with a shot at winning the division. The Bengals can’t sneak up on anybody this year. Besides, they lost all four meetings against the Steelers and Ravens last year. The Browns will be done before Halloween.
AFC SOUTH: The Texans won the division last year despite key injuries. They should repeat in another division that offers little challenge from the other three teams. The Titans have little hope for an 8-8 record, while the Jaguars and Colts have little hope…period. Andrew Luck will offer Indy fans a glimpse of a brighter future, but none for the present.
AFC WEST: By default, the Broncos win the division, as long as Peyton Manning remains healthy. Look for the Chiefs to finish second and the Chargers third, as both teams are improved but can’t overtake Denver. The Raiders continue to try to find a winning combination.
NFC EAST: In maybe the best division in pro football, the Giants are just a little better than the Dallas Cowboys. The overrated Eagles always find a way to ground themselves. Look for Robert Griffin III to be the best of the freshmen quarterbacks, but the Redskins won’t challenge for a playoff slot.
NFC NORTH: Green Bay has worked hard to plug its defensive holes from last year, while the Lions must work to keep their news on the sports page, not the police blotter. Chicago will be improved this year, while the Vikings won’t be able to keep up with the other three.
NFC SOUTH: Atlanta has no competition since NFL Commish Roger Goodell stripped the Saints from any chance of making the playoffs. In fact, they’ll wind up behind Cam Newton’s improved Panthers. Football’s Bucs won’t make the playoffs, either.
NFC WEST: The 49ers will win in another one stud, three duds division. Seattle, St. Louis, and Arizona have surprisingly similar weaknesses, none of which bodes well for anything more than seven or eight wins for each team.
CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS: AFC—Patriots down the Ravens; NFC—Packers beat San Francisco.
Super Bowl: Green Bay 30, New England 21.
ä Second Base: Okay, I give up. The Pirates give their fans no reason to think that the results of their final 21 games will be any different from their 6-15 record in the previous 21 games going in to last night’s game. Fun while it lasted.
äThird Base: It makes no difference whom the Pirates are playing. They just aren’t playing good baseball. In fact, a winning season now even seems in jeopardy. If the club doesn’t win at least 82 games this year, it will be most devastating season of the 20 straight losing campaigns.
ä Home Plate: Root Sports will air all remaining Pirates games after adding games not on the original schedule: Friday and Thursdays, Sept. 20 and 27.
Jim Sankey is a baseball columnist for the Allied News.
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STAIRWAY TO SEVEN: Mike Adams is an example about making good decisions
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NHL Quick glance: Montreal at Pittsburgh
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Leading Off: Oct. 19, 2011
News and notes from the local, regional and national sports scene.
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