MLB Postseason Predictions

It's finally here. After a 162 game regular season(an extremely long season as a Mariners fan yet again) we finally arrive at the most exciting part of the year, the MLB Playoffs. The postseason is where, for a month, I can put aside my disappointment in the Mariners and just enjoy the best teams playing elimination baseball. I could ramble on about how the Mariners need to choose a new manager. Or the fact that our former manager says that the reason he left has to do with "a fundamental disagreement with the GM, CEO, and President over the future direction of the team". Or I could vent my frustration about guys like Justin Smoak and Franklin Gutierrez, who always seem to play great in September....When we are sooooo far out of contention! But no, this article is just going to focus on the positive, exciting MLB playoffs ahead.

American League

Tampa Bay Rays@ Cleveland Indians Wildcard Round: Tampa Bay sneaks into the postseason on the backs of David Price, complete game effort, and Evan Longoria, 2-run HR, beating Texas. However, now they must travel to Cleveland, a team that has won 10 straight games, and 15 of 17. Without David Price in this game, I don't see the Rays beating the Indians.

Cleveland Indians vs Boston Red Sox: Both of these teams seemed to have magical seasons. The Red Sox were horrible a year ago under Bobby Valentine, but have rebounded with an explosive hitting team. Eight of their players have hit at least 12 Home Runs. Three more have hit nine homers. The point is, this team hits the long ball as well as anyone, and they drove in 50 runs more than the second best team. The Indians are also a team that scores a ton of runs, while being middle-of-the-road in pitching. With homefield going to the Red Sox, I believe they win this series. I trust their bats and arms more than those from the Indians. RED SOX in 3

Detroit Tigers vs Oakland A's: This has the makings of an incredible series. The Detroit Tigers, with triple-crown winner Miguel Cabrera, boast as stacked a lineup as you will see in baseball. They scored the second most runs this year. They have a CY Young pitcher, and this year it's not Justin Verlander. It's Max Scherzer. Oh, and they have Doug Fister and Annibal Sanchez behind them in the rotation. Without doubt, this is the most talented team, and on paper should win the world series, or at least make it there. And then there is Oakland. The team full of players that no one has heard about. Yet, they were fourth in runs scored, and seventh in ERA. Their team Batting Average is just mediocre but if you watch the A's you know that they're all about TIMELY hitting. It could be any one of 1-9 in the batting order that beats you on a given day. And I'm going to bet on that. This team scraps, fights, gets clutch hits when it has to, and their pitching keeps them in most every game. Give me Oakland in 5

Oakland A's vs. Boston Red Sox: In the League Championship series, I believe the Athletics magic will run out. While I truly believe in their ability to generate runs when they have to, I think that the Red Sox are going to put up way too many runs for the A's to match. The Red Sox pitching staff is finally healthy, and its a pretty good veteran crew to have in the postseason, with the likes of Clay Buchholz, Jake Peavy, Jon Lester, and John Lackey. Add in the fact that the Red Sox will have home-field advantage, and I believe it will be too much for the A's to overcome. Boston in 7

National League

Cincinnati Reds vs. Pittsburgh Pirates: I would pick the Reds because I believe in their hitters more than the Pirates, but the Pirates are going to start Francisco Liriano in this elimination game, and he's had the Reds number as of late. Plus, the Pirates are at home, and although I think that their season is a bit fluky, I think the magic can last one game at least in the postseason.

Pittsburgh Pirates vs St. Louis Cardinals: I don't see this as a very difficult series for the Cardinals. These Cardinals are like the A's in the sense that they always come up with the big hit. The difference, however, is that this team is playoff-tested and more talented than the A's roster. Steady players Yadier Molina, Carlos Beltran, and Matt Holliday there's no way this team could lose to the Pirates. I will say the Pirates have some of that A's magic this year, and they pitch extremely well, but I'm not buying it for the playoffs. They have to prove it first. Cardinals in 4

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Atlanta Braves: I was hoping this would be the LCS matchup, but we get treated to it in the divisional round. These two teams have without question the most talented teams in the national league. The Dodgers are led by Hanley Ramirez, Yasiel Puig, Adrian Gonzalez, and of course their dominating CY Young Winner Clayton Kershaw. The Braves boast the likes of Justin Upton, Freddie Freeman, Brian McCann, and one of the games best young shortstops Andrelton Simmons. For me, the lineups are so even that it's going to come down to which pitching staff do I believe in more. And I'm rolling with the Dodgers there. Aside from Kershaw, the Dodgers also have Greinke, Ryu, and Ricky Nolasco. Pitching wins in postseason play, and I believe the Dodgers will out-pitch Atlanta. Dodgers in 5

St. Louis Cardinals vs Los Angeles Dodgers: This would be a very intriguing series, with two supremely talented teams, but with two different ways of achieving their success. The Cardinals groom many of their players in the minor league system(guys like Molina, Carpenter, Wainwright come to mind). The Dodgers, however, spent boatloads of money to acquire nearly every major contributor, (Gonzalez, Ramirez, Greinke, etc.), but the one major farm system guy is Yasiel Puig. This series could go either way because I respect the heck out of the Cardinals and what they do once the postseason rolls around. Everyone in their lineup is capable of the big hit. But the Dodgers won 42 of 50 games during one stretch this season. Yasiel Puig brought magic to this team. Plus, I believe in their pitching a little more than I do St. Louis. Give me Dodgers in 6

World Series

Boston Red Sox vs Los Angeles Dodgers

Would this be a marquee matchup or what? Two of the biggest major markets in sports, with recognizable faces like David Ortiz and Yasiel Puig, this World Series has the potential to boost MLB ratings to levels they haven't seen for a while. With home-field advantage going to the American League this year, I'm going to go with the Boston Red Sox to win the World Series in 7 games. Purely a gut feeling.

Rest of Pre-Season NFL Picks

Hey guys, sorry I didn't follow up on my other division picks sooner. Been super swamped with, ya know, school... Anyways, now that we're already into the NFL season I'm going to quickly give my pre-season picks, with a lot less detail than before.

AFC North

1. Cincinnati Bengals 10-6: Defense loaded with talent, upgraded at RB via NFL draft, and has an Elite WR.

2. Baltimore Ravens 9-7: People underestimate this team every year, even after winning Super Bowl. They lost Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, but upgraded many other defensive positions. Biggest question is who will catch passes from Flacco.

3. Pittsburgh Steelers 9-7: A healthy Big Ben will make this team a playoff contender again. Aging but still solid defense. Biggest question is their offensive line.

4. Cleveland Browns 7-9: Will have a vastly improved offense with young playmakers Trent Richardson, Josh Gordon, and Jordan Cameron. Defense very underrated. But still have Brandon Weeden as their QB. That can only get them so far.

NFC North

1. Green Bay Packers 11-5: This offense is loaded with weapons and the game's best QB. Their defense will improve after an embarrassing performance last post-season. Can the offensive line hold up for Rodgers though?

2. Detroit Lions 9-7: Reggie Bush adds a much needed running element to a team that certainly excels throwing the football. This defense is also underrated severely, with the biggest strength being that beastly defensive line.

3. Chicago Bears 8-8: Still has a solid defense. Still has Brandon Marshall and Matt Forte. Still has Jay Cutler... And that can only get you so far.

4. Minnesota Vikings 6-10: Sure they have Adrian Peterson. But in a tough division, you can't win with Christian Ponder as your QB. Last year was a fluke.

AFC South

1. Houston Texans 12-4: Dominant defense. Dominant running game. Good enough passing game to get by. This team will contend for the Super Bowl.

2. Indianapolis Colts 9-7: This team seems to have a flare for the dramatic. Luck will find a way to win games that the Colts shouldn't win. But I'm skeptical of their defense and running game.

3. Tennessee Titans 6-10: A much improved offensive line might be just what the Titans needed to get Chris Johnson going again. Then again, maybe not. And they still have Jake Locker starting.

4. Jacksonville Jaguars 3-13: Worst quarterback situation in the league. Okay maybe Oakland does. Point is, what does this team have? If MJD does not comeback 100% and his old dominant self, then the answer is nothing.

NFC South

1. Atlanta Falcons 12-4: Same great offense from a year ago, but upgraded tremendously with the acquisition of Steven Jackson at RB. A solid, yet unspectacular D makes this team a Super Bowl contender.

2. New Orleans Saints 10-6: Gut feeling that with Sean Payton back, the Saints become the best offense in football again. Their defense CAN NOT be worse than last year's pathetic effort. This team will contend for the playoffs yet again.

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 8-8: I don't trust this team and I don't know why. I love the additions they made to their defense, mainly with getting Darrelle Revis. But I think it's because I don't view QB Josh Freeman as a leader, or as a very effective football player.

4. Carolina Panthers 7-9: A much improved defense to go along with the continued development of QB Cam Newton should have Carolina contending for the playoffs for much of the season, but ultimately they'll fall short.


Now on to the Playoff Prediction portion of this article. Here are my six playoff teams in each conference:

AFC                                    NFC
1. Texans                          1. 49ers
2. Broncos                        2. Falcons
3. Patriots                         3. Packers
4. Bengals                        4. Cowboys
5. Ravens                         5. Seahawks
6. Steelers                        6. Redskins

Super Bowl Pick: Seattle Seahawks over Houston Texans

And yeah, it's a homer pick! Do I care? No. This is after all a Seattle Sports blog. I think I speak for everyone here when I say there's more than a legit chance of this happening. Go Seahawks! And let there be football again!

NFL Pre-Season Picks- AFC East and NFC East

A double whammy today as we tackle both the AFC and NFC East divisions. The AFC East has long been dominated by the New England Patriots, under the leadership of Bill Belichick and Tom Brady. However, the Patriots might enter the season with the most question marks in a long time. Aaron Hernandez is now out of the NFL, Wes Welker is in Denver, Rob Gronkowski is still recovering from back and wrist injuries, and the defense is still very young. For 2013 this is what I see:

1. New England Patriots 10-6

Yes, the Patriots have tons of question marks. But they can overcome it. For one, this is still a very weak division. They still have by far the best quarterback in Tom Brady. And I believe some younger weapons will emerge, specifically Danny Amendola, Shane Vereen, and Kenbrell Thompkins. Plus, I don't believe that Gronk will miss significant time. And let's not forget this team can RUN the football about as well as anybody. I'll grant you that the defense is still young and experienced, but I do believe that it's talented, and still believe that it will be playing from ahead in more games than not.

2. Miami Dolphins 7-9 

Many people believe that the Dolphins are the sleeper team to watch out for in the AFC East. The positives are that Ryan Tannehill actually looked competent last year at quarterback, and should only continue to grow. They signed Mike Wallace to be Tannehill's deep threat. And personally, I believe that RB Lamar Miller is set up for a breakout season, after the departure of Reggie Bush. But the fact remains, those weapons aren't as good as New England's, and although their defense will be solid, I'm not sure that it will be much better than the Patriots, if at all. This team will make strides, but is still too young to seriously compete.

3. Buffalo Bills 6-10

This is still a team in the rebuilding process. But I'm starting to like the pieces they have put together. EJ Manuel may not be special, but I think he can develop into a quality NFL starter. CJ Spiller broke out last year, and will break out all the way this season, as he is now locked and loaded as the feature RB. Stevie Johnson is a quality WR, but probably more suited to being a number two guy, but the drafting of Robert Woods should open up the coverage for Johnson. I wouldn't be shocked if they actually finished second in this division.

4. New York Jets 4-12

What an absolute mess of a situation. They are still trying to convince themselves that Mark Sanchez is capable quarterback. But Geno Smith will start now that Sanchez is hurt. Either way, this team is void of offensive weapons to help out the young QB. The defense should be alright, but the offense will be so pathetic that it will wear down their defense over the season.



NFC EAST: The Washington Redskins, led by RG3, took the league by storm last season and made an improbable run to the playoffs, winning seven straight games to close the year. The Dallas Cowboys disappointed yet again, and seem to fit the definition of mediocrity perfectly.

1. Dallas Cowboys 10-6

Believe it or not, I'm falling for the Dallas Cowboys this season. I have no reason to, since all they show is self-destruction constantly in the final month of seasons. But a couple of factors to keep in mind. Tony Romo is going to have more control of the offense this year, and before you laugh at that consider that he is an extremely productive regular season quarterback. Perhaps this is the year DeMarco Murray stays healthy? If so, they'll have a respectable ground game. Dez Bryant is a beast, and will challenge Calvin Johnson for the best WR in football this season. And Miles Austin and Jason Witten aren't dead yet. I think the defense will be better than people think. It's just a gut feeling, but I think this is the Cowboys year.

2. Washington Redskins 10-6

I love RG3. I really do. And if there is a team I'd root for in this division it'd be the Redskins because of him. But you have to be at least a tiny bit concerned that he won't come back as the same player. I believe in his passing. But what made it so difficult for defenses was that they had to chase down one of the fastest players in the NFL. I'm not convinced he'll be able to run it like he did a season ago. True, they still have Alfred Morris at RB, and potentially Pierre Garçon back and fully healthy. Plus, if they could ever get Brian Orakpo to stay healthy, then he brings a lethal dimension to this defense. The bottom line is that I think the expectations are way to high on this team, on this quarterback. They'll finish just short.

3. Philadelphia Eagles 7-9

Count me as a slight believer in Chip Kelly and Michael Vick this season. I think Kelly's offense will throw defenses off. Plus, it's not just about the system. It's about who they have running it. Michael Vick will be extremely effective as long as he stays healthy. LeSean McCoy will re-emerge as an elite RB, as will DeSean Jackson to a lesser degree at WR. The defense might be weak, but I think this team is capable of winning a few shootouts.

4. New York Giants 6-10

Something just doesn't smell right this year for the Giants. Perhaps it's the fact that they've lost several quality players to injuries in the pre-season. Perhaps it's the fact that unproven David Wilson is the only quality RB on the depth chart until Andre Brown returns from his broken leg. Perhaps it's the fact that Eli Manning is still wildly inconsistent and has only Victor Cruz as a reliable weapon (Hakeem Nicks is just one of those players who will always be hurt). Maybe I'm wrong. But I got a horrible gut feeling this season is going to go south for the Giants in 2013.

NFL Pre-Season Picks-NFC West

Today we'll go over the NFC West, which in my opinion is the toughest division in all of football. Last season the 49ers seemed to be the heavy favorite, and played like it for much of the season. Once Colin Kapernick took over at QB, a playmaking dimension was added to the offense, making them much more difficult to stop. But they didn't run away with the division, as the Seattle Seahawks wound up winning seven of their final eight games to finish only a half game behind the 49ers for the division title. This division is home to the game's best current rivalry, and EVERY team in this division wants to play similarly. They all want to impose their will on defense. Here are my picks for the NFC West:

1. San Francisco 49ers 12-4

As much as it pains me to write this, I believe the 49ers will take the division title yet again. Obviously their defense is elite, especially in their front seven. But I believe this will be an extremely efficient offense. Much has been said this offseason about Colin Kaepernick. "He's going to be the greatest QB of all-time."But for as much talent as he may have, it still won't be enough to overcome what this offense truly is. A ball-control, smash-mouth, run-first offense. With Michael Crabtree out for several months, it leaves only Anquan Boldin and Vernon Davis as the only truly reliable weapons that Kaepernick can throw too. And Boldin has lost more than a step, even though he still has terrific hands. The point is, this offensive line is one of the best in the game, and Frank Gore is still effective as a runner. Kaepernick doesn't need to explode for this team to succeed. Perhaps most importantly however, the schedule sets up more favorably for the 49ers than it does the rival Seahawks. The 49ers get the majority of their tough non-division games at home, whereas the Seahawks do not.

2. Seattle Seahawks 11-5

Don't misunderstand what I'm saying here. By putting the Seahawks at second in the division, it doesn't mean that I think they're inferior to the 49ers. What it really boils down to for me is that the schedule appears less favorable for the Seahawks because they have to play non-division teams like the Texans, Colts, Giants, and Falcons all on the road. This is still an elite team in the NFL, boasting the best defense in the NFL, a rising star at QB(Russell Wilson), an elite beast of a RB(Marshawn Lynch), and a solid, if unspectacular, group of receivers, even without Percy Harvin. In fact, if anything, this tough schedule will make the Seahawks more battle tested, and more able to win road games come postseason time. Plenty of teams can reach the Super Bowl from the WildCard spot. Why can't the Hawks?


3. Arizona Cardinals 8-8

This is going to be a vastly improved football team in 2013 for two main reasons. The first is that the revolving circus of quarterbacks is gone from a season ago, and Carson Palmer has entered as the clear number one guy. I don't believe there was a worse group of QB than the trio of Kevin Kolb, John Skelton, and Ryan Lindley. And that includes guys like Blaine Gabbert, Jake Locker, and Christian Ponder. Palmer may not be what he once was, but he'll seem like a Pro-Bowler compared to what they have. His presence will elevate Fitzgerald back up to being one of the elite WR again. The other main reason is that Bruce Arians is the new head coach. Arians took a previously sorry team in the Colts, and turned them into the biggest overachieving team in the league, and a playoff team. And I would argue that this Cardinals team has as much talent or more than that Colts team had. I believe the defense is certainly better than last year's Colts team. I also believe that the RB and WR are fairly identical. The only difference might be that Andrew Luck is a better QB than Palmer. But still, there's more than enough talent for Arians to turn this team into a surprise playoff contender.

4. St. Louis Rams 6-10

The St. Louis Rams were the best team in this division last year. "What? That can't be true. What are you talking about? The Rams finished in third place." True enough, but the Rams did have the best record in the division last season, going 4-1-1. They also had some heartbreaking losses last year which changed the perception of the team. But here's the thing. They got better. Offensively, they added the electrifying Tavon Austin via the draft, and the massive, yet fast TE Jared Cook from Free Agency. Pair them with Chris Givens who emerged slightly last year(I actually think he will break out in a big way this season), and you got a pretty potent passing attack. But the fact remains that they did lose workhorse RB Steven Jackson. Plus, Sam Bradford is still the worst QB in this division, in my humble opinion. Their defense may be stout, and in another division they may be able to compete for the title, but in this division I don't see them being able to beat out the other three teams.

NFL Pre-Season Picks-AFC West

Hey guys. Thanks for all the positive feedback on my Quarterback rankings list. I'm back today to deliver my preseason picks for each division and ultimately give my postseason predictions.

Today we'll start with the AFC West. A season ago this division was no contest. The Denver Broncos, with the newly acquired Peyton Manning, were the class of the division finishing 13-3 and six games ahead of second-place San Diego. For the 2013 season, this is what I forecast:

1. Denver Broncos 13-3

Clearly Denver is still the class of this division. Peyton Manning is one of the best quarterbacks still in the game. They already had a potent offense, but added to it with the signing of Wes Welker and the drafting of Montee Ball. The defense was a top-flight unit last year, and probably should be again this season. Although the loss of Elvis Dumervil, in addition to Von Miller for six games, will greatly reduce their pass rush. But the fact remains, with how great the offense is, this defense will be playing with the lead in most games, which benefits them tremendously.

2. Kansas City Chiefs 8-8

A year ago the Kansas City Chiefs were the worst team in the NFL, finishing at 2-14. Much of that had to do with atrocious quarterback play and shoddy coaching from Romeo Crennel. Enter Alex Smith and Andy Reid. Sure, Alex Smith will never live up to his number one pick billing, but he's still much better than the awful combination of Matt Cassel and Brady Quinn. And Andy Reid is the type of coach who can "remake" or "revive" if you will a quarterbacks career. It also doesn't hurt that he has an elite RB(Jamaal Charles) and probably the best WR he's ever played with in Dwayne Bowe. The defensive unit has many more playmakers than the average fan knows about. When Eric Berry is on the field, he is an elite, impact safety. They also boast other playmakers in Tamba Hali, Brandon Flowers, and Derrick Johnson. Expect this team to improve, and possibly fight for the final wildcard spot.

3. San Diego Chargers 5-11

The Chargers have fallen from grace in recent years. Gone are the glory days with LT, Vincent Jackson, Norv Turner, Marty Schottenheimer, and dare I say Philip Rivers. Rivers has clearly declined as his talent has vanished around him. This current Charger team features an uninspiring offense, with mediocre WR, a talented yet extremely brittle RB (Ryan Mathews), and a horrid offensive line. This offense won't be able to win many shootouts. But the problem is, they'll most likely be in shootouts because the defense is also just average at best. Sure, Manti Te'o and Dwight Freeney are welcomed additions, but the secondary is way too weak and will be torched by solid quarterbacks.

4. Oakland Raiders 2-14

There's not much to say with this team. Other than the fact that they have the absolute WORST roster in the NFL. When people get excited about the prospects of Terrelle Pryor starting, a guy taken in the Supplemental Draft who is horribly inaccurate, you know you're in a rough situation. They literally have NO ONE on their roster that fans should be excited about. Please don't come at me with Darren McFadden.

QB No. 1 on Top 20 Countdown!

Here it is folks! After nearly three long weeks of rankings, my number one QB is......Aaron Rodgers! Hard to imagine that it was actually a tough choice whether to keep Brett Favre or move on with the younger Rodgers six years ago, after seeing the level at which he plays right now. To me, Rodgers offers the best combination of accuracy, arm strength, and athleticism from the quarterback position.

Rodgers has started for the Packers for five full seasons now, and is already a 3-time Pro Bowler, as well as Super Bowl Champ and MVP. Oh, and he's also won league MVP back in 2011. He's posted an astounding 3.8 TD:INT ratio for his career. And in four of the five seasons Rodgers has passed for greater than 4,000 yards, with the lone exception in 2010, missing out by less than 80 yards. All he did to follow up his Super Bowl victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers was go out and win MVP in 2011, posting ridiculous numbers (4,900 total yards, 48 TD, and only 6 INT!).

Many consider last season a down year for Rodgers. A down year? The dude accounted for 41 TD, 4,500 yards, and only 8 INT! Just goes to show how high expectations have become for the Green Bay QB. There are questions about his leadership, but I don't see it. Sure, sometimes Rodgers is caught on the sideline ripping a teammate. Big deal? Tell me which quarterback DOESN'T do that, and I'll tell you that that quarterback is not elite. Last year he was undoubtedly average by his standards in the playoff loss to the 49ers. There was no excuse for his performance, yet I got news for you. He could've thrown for 600 yards and 6TD and they still would've lost. That's because the Packer defense couldn't stop the nosebleed that Colin Kaepernick was dealing them.

Again, what separates Rodgers from the other elite QB to me is his combination of arm strength, athleticism, and accuracy. Sure, Brady, Peyton, and Brees have the accuracy, arm strength, and the intelligence, but Rodgers is way more athletic than any of them, and can avoid way more sacks. Plus, he is the one QB in the top 4 who is still in the prime of his career. That's the key distinguisher. Again, I love Brady, Peyton, and Brees, but they've all seen their best years come and go. What's scary is that Rodgers still might be able to top his incredible 2011 season, because again, it's only his 6th season as the Packers QB.

Projections: 4,700 yards, 44 TD, 9 INT

Thanks to those that followed my ranks daily over the past three weeks, I appreciate it, and I look forward to getting back to a new topic soon. Leave comments to any of the articles I've posted and I'll respond! Peace out.

QB No. 2: Tom Brady

Truly one of the most difficult choices to make was deciding who will go number one. Do I go with the veteran, 3-time Super Bowl Champion, and one of the top five greatest quarterbacks of all-time? Or do I go with the younger, big armed QB, who also happens to be a Super Bowl Champion? In the end, I decided that the number two spot belongs to Tom Brady.

Brady orchestrates the highest-octane offense in all of football, and executes it to perfection with incredible efficiency and poise. The Patriots take pride in running the most amount of plays per game in the NFL. All that time with the football demands that you be a good protector of it, which Brady is. He's been top five in passing attempts the last two seasons, yet has only thrown 20 INT total, among the lowest of starting NFL QB during that span.

And then, of course, there's what Brady has accomplished over his career. He's a 2-time MVP, 3-time SB champion, 2-time SB MVP, 8-time Pro Bowler, and record-holder for single-season passing TD with 50. But he's not invincible. And if we're nitpicking, he hasn't won a Super Bowl since 2004. He's been to two since that time. But his team was upset by the New York Giants in both Super Bowls. He's actually played poorly more often then not in playoff games since 2008. And if we're being perfectly honest here, Brady was outplayed by Joe Flacco in back-to-back playoff seasons, yet the Patriots won the first meeting because of...Lee Evans...Billy Cundiff, a story for another time.

But alas, that's truly nitpicking. Brady is the most accurate, most efficient, and honestly might be the most competitive QB in the NFL. Together, that's a winning formula. Sure, he hasn't hoisted the Lombardi trophy since '04, but Super Bowl victories are hard to come by. I think it just says enough that he always has his team playing in January EVERY SINGLE SEASON. He doesn't have the nod over my number one QB, but I wouldn't fight anyone who would argue for Brady at one.

QB No. 3: Peyton Manning

My number three quarterback coming into the 2013 season is going to be Peyton Manning. Manning has seen it all in his 16-year career. He is a 4-time MVP, a 12-time Pro Bowler, and perhaps most importantly a Super Bowl Champion, and MVP in that particular SB. He's thrown for over 4,000 yards in 12 of the 14 seasons that he's actually played in. His MVP seasons were spectacular, especially the '04 campaign. That year he threw for 4,500 yards while tossing 49 TD and only 10 INT! (At the time, he broke the single-season TD record)

The bugaboo for Peyton has always been the postseason. I don't think many people could argue for someone other than Peyton Manning as the greatest REGULAR SEASON QB in NFL history. Maybe Brett Favre. Maybe. But for all his greatness, and everyone acknowledges his greatness, he's only managed nine playoff wins compared to eleven losses. Dumbfounding, no? And it's not as if the talent hasn't been great around him. Okay, the first couple of playoff appearances are excusable. But once the years of Harrison, Wayne, and Clark arrived, he couldn't ask for better weapons. In his peak years in Indy, '02-'10, he could only manage two Super Bowl appearances. I honestly can't figure out why, but he does seem to be worse in playoff games. He seems to make more mistakes then we're used to seeing, more turnovers. Even last year, with the Broncos, Manning and the Broncos were heavily favored against the Baltimore Ravens at home. He played fairly well, but threw two costly INT. One of which set up the game-winning FG for Baltimore. This season the Broncos added Wes Welker, who should contribute to an already stacked WR corps. The pressure is once again on Manning because the Broncos are heavy favorites to reach the Super Bowl, and one of the favorites to win it all.

Let's not get it twisted. I love Peyton Manning. It's just that when you're ranking guys in the top three you have to nitpick a little bit. The only reasons I can dock Peyton from being number one or two have to do with his age/injury concerns over his neck, as well as his playoff performances. Both in the past and recent appearances. This guy is without question a first-ballot Hall of Famer, one of the "good" guys in the sport, and personally one of my favorite QB I've had the privilege to watch over the years. But for the 2013 season, I believe there are two guys that I'd rather have.

Projections: 4,750 yards, 44 TD, 13 INT

QB No. 4: Drew Brees

My number four quarterback entering the 2013 season is Drew Brees. Since arriving in New Orleans, all Brees has done is led the Saints to their first ever Super Bowl title, thrown for 5,000 yards in a season three times, and broken Dan Marino's single-season passing record. His revival with the Saints established him among the game's elite quarterbacks.

Brees orchestrates one of the highest-octane, most efficient offense we've seen in pro football. He squashed the notion that little guys can't be quarterbacks at a high level. Standing at just six feet tall, Brees is still one of the most, and in my opinion the most, accurate quarterbacks in the NFL today. He's had four seasons of 67% completion rate or more since arriving in New Orleans, and holds a career rate of 65%. In that Super Bowl run back in 2009 Brees proved he could come up clutch in the biggest games, and threw 8 TD to 0 INT, while completing 70% of his passes, during their 3-game run. In the Super Bowl, he out-shined Peyton Manning, and completed 32 of 39 passes for a whopping 82% completion rating.

In the years since the Super Bowl, Brees has had to try and overcome the Saints defense, which has routinely been putrid. He's had tremendous statistical years, including the 5,476 yard, 46 TD 2011 season, but only one playoff win since that Super Bowl season. Perhaps it is because of the leaky defense, but it seems like Brees is taking more chances in the last few years, which has led to a staggering increase in his interception totals. He's totaled 55 INT the last three seasons! But again, I put much of that on him having to do so much for a mediocre football team.

There's no question that this guy is elite, but he's still not better than the top 3.

Projections: 4,700 yards, 41 TD, 15 INT

QB No. 5: Eli Manning

Here we are, the Top Five QB I would want entering the 2013 season! Eli Manning is my number five quarterback. Eli is a two-time Super Bowl champion, two-time SB MVP, and three-time Pro Bowler. He's already accomplished a heck of a lot in his 10 years in the league.

Eli Manning's greatest work has come in the postseason. In particular, the 2007 and 2011 postseasons. Prior to the 2007 postseason, Eli was viewed as a mediocre QB, with a lot of hype to live up to. During that first Super Bowl run, Manning threw 6 TD to only 1 INT, and perhaps made one of the most clutch throws in Super Bowl history (the David Tyree catch).

Some thought he would've carried that success into the regular season next year, and for years to come, but he sort of continued to put up decent, yet unspectacular stats. That is, until the 2011 season. That year, Manning shattered his single-season passing yard mark, with 4,900 yards. He also threw 29 TD compared to 16 INT. And in the postseason, Eli was even more amazing than his first go-around. They rolled through the Falcons and Packers before surviving the 49ers and Patriots to win the Super Bowl. Eli, who won SB MVP again, threw for 1,200 yards, 9TD, and only 1INT throughout the Super Bowl run.

Now Eli did have a down year a season ago, failing to reach 4,000 yards passing, and failing to reach the defending champs to the playoffs at all. Injuries played a factor for the Giants undoubtedly, especially on defense. His main target Hakeem Nicks was nicked up all season long, and also missed three games. The Giants season was baffling to say the least. It seemed like they'd play their best ball against the best teams, crushing the Packers, Saints, 49ers, as well as surviving the Buccaneers and Redskins. But they also lost many games that they were favored to win. And Manning followed that trend as well. You still see some inconsistency in Eli's game, and he's still turnover-prone. He makes too many risky throws. But the bottom line is that he comes up clutch more often than not. Even in a down year last year, he still proved it (week 2 against Tampa Bay: down 14 late in the fourth, Eli led three straight TD drives to win the game). Now, after a disappointing season, I expect Manning and the Giants to bounce back in a big way.

Projections: 4,500 yards, 32 TD, and 14 INT

QB No. 6: Ben Roethlisberger

Coming in at number six is "Big" Ben Roethlisberger. He enters 2013 after a somewhat down season for him and the Steelers. They failed to reach the postseason, and Big Ben was well under 4,000 yards passing. Yet, he was pretty efficient with those throws, throwing 26 TD to only 8 INT.

Roethlisberger ranks highly on my list for what he's accomplished, and for how difficult a matchup he is every single week. First off, he is a two-time Super Bowl champion. Yes, the first one he escaped with. Lucky son of a... well you know. In his second Super Bowl against the Cardinals, Roethlisberger played solid, if unspectacular. He lost in his third Super Bowl appearance, but just getting to three Super Bowls in 10 years is an accomplishment. The most difficult part about matching up against Roethlisberger has to be his ability to avoid sacks and continue to extend the play and make plays down the field. Nobody does it better in the game today. It may not translate into stats, but rest assured, these "small" plays, are winning plays. They keep drives alive. They create more scoring chances. Plus, they keep opposing defense on the field, which over four quarters will eventually wear them down.

Now, a big question mark with Big Ben is always his health. He never seems to be able to play a full 16 games. Part of that is due to what I stated above; his ability to take hits, stay on his feet and make plays down the field. Part of it is due to him holding onto the football way too long, and taking way too many sacks. The other thing is that he's been on historically "run-first" teams, with great defenses backing him up. A little bit like Flacco in that regard. Not expected to do as much as the ELITE QB, thus his stats never look that spectacular.

But there's no question. This guy makes plays when it matters most. He is a two-time Super Bowl champion. He is one of the most difficult quarterbacks to game-plan against. When push comes to shove, there are few I'd rather have in a winner-take-all situation.

Projections: 3,800 yards, 26 TD, 12 INT

QB No. 7: Joe Flacco

Coming in at number seven on my quarterback countdown is reigning Super Bowl champion Joe Flacco.  Flacco had a magical postseason run with the Ravens last year, one that earned him a huge pay day. Now the question is, will he be able to build off last year's great postseason and take the step into the elite, or at least upper echelon of quarterbacks?

Let me start by saying that I believe he is on the Eli Manning, Ben Roethlisberger track. He's a guy that many have ridiculed as not being even a capable starting quarterback in the past. I could've put him as a high as number five on my list, but I will defer slightly to the other two, more veteran quarterbacks. That supernatural run last year had to have proved many of his doubters wrong.

Let's put some things in perspective. Joe Flacco is now entering his 6th season, the year after winning his Super Bowl. Eli Manning was entering his 5th season after winning the Super Bowl. But take a look at Manning's stats his first FIVE full seasons. Pretty mediocre, and dare I say slightly worse than Flacco's. Manning threw for 119 TD and 72 INT in five years. Flacco threw for 102 TD and 56 INT. And believe it or not, Flacco threw for slightly more yards than Eli. Big Ben entered his 6th season after winning his 2nd Super Bowl. Again, compare the stats of their first five years. Flacco's stats edge Big Ben's in every category in their first five years. And we all know that Big Ben didn't really do anything when the Steelers won that first Super Bowl against Seattle.

My point is that I think Flacco is on an eerily similar path to those two guys. Both of them saw major statisitical leaps after they won those Super Bowls, and after years 5 and 6. He's been in the 3,600-3,800 yard range. I see that leaping into the 4,000+ area. People want to discredit Flacco and say "he played with the great Ray Lewis and Ed Reed, who saved many a games for Flacco." Funny how those same people in about Week 10 last year were saying this Ravens team had no shot because "their defense isn't what it once was". I'm sorry, you can't have it both ways. You were right to criticize the defense because it's true, it wasn't nearly as good as it used to be. In fact, in every statistical category the Ravens D ranked out as middle-of-the road. And for whatever it's worth, once the Ravens made the switch to Jim Caldwell as the OC, Flacco had more free reign, and played lights-out football, with the exception of the first game under Caldwell in week 15 versus the Broncos.

The bottom line for me is that Flacco still struggles with accuracy at times, and I worry about who he's going to be throwing to this year, after losing Pitta and Boldin. No question, that "Mile High Miracle" play bailed Flacco and the Ravens out last year. If not for that play, we'd still be looking at Flacco in a fairly mediocre way. But it happened. Hmmm... kinda like the NBA Finals Game 6 mad scramble at the end, and Ray Allen somehow knocks down the game-tying three with only a few seconds left. Were it not for that shot, we'd also be looking at Lebron James differently. But I digress. That's sports. Miracles happen. Move on.

Projections: 4,200 yards 27 TD, 13 INT

QB No. 8: Matt Ryan

The number eight spot was a tough rank this year. For me, it came down to Eli Manning, Joe Flacco or Matt Ryan. While, it is a "what have you done for me lately" league, you can't completely ignore past success. So while Matt Ryan was undoubtedly better in the regular season, and actually won his first postseason game last year, he wasn't better than Flacco, and I'd still rank Eli Manning over Ryan.

Let's start with the good from Ryan. And there's a lot of it. It looked as if, in year 5, Ryan finally took that next step. He's always been a pretty efficient quarterback. He's never thrown more than 14 interceptions in a season. And in 2011, when he led the Falcons to a 13-3 record and home-field advantage, Ryan only threw nine interceptions. Over the last three seasons he has a 2.5:1 TD-INT ratio. But last season he threw for 4,700 yards, 32 TD, and completed 68% of his passes.

Perhaps most importantly, Ryan finally performed well in the postseason. Against the Seattle Seahawks, Ryan threw for 250 yards, 3TD, and 2 INT, but most importantly led the Falcons on a game-winning drive with about 30 seconds left to stun Seattle. The following week was just as impressive, going against the 49ers defense. He threw for 395 yards, 3TD, and 1INT, but the Falcons fell short 24-28.

As much as last season was an improvement for Ryan, we still can't forget the previous couple of seasons. Again, he's always been fine in the regular season. He's like Peyton Manning in that regard. Obviously not to that statistical level, but just in terms of how he plays well overall in the regular season, but once the playoffs arrive it's anyone's guess as to what he'll do. In 2011, the Falcons were the number one seed and hosting the Packers in the Divisional Round. The Packers rolled into Atlanta and trounced Matt Ryan's team, 48-21! Ryan was pretty poor, and the ultimate check-down master, throwing for only 186 yards, 1TD, and 2INT. The following year, the Falcons travelled to New York in the playoffs, to take on the Giants. It was an embarrassing performance for the whole team, but Ryan led them to 0 points! Their only two points came via a safety. Ryan again threw for only 199 yards, 0TD, and 0INT.

Ryan is one of the games best young quarterbacks, and if he continues to build on last year's success then he'll be alright. But I need to see more than one year at that level for me to move him up the rankings.

Projections: 4,500 yards, 31 TD, 12 INT

QB No. 9: Russell Wilson

And now we arrive at Seattle's own Russell Wilson. The savior for Seattle sports. Never has this city been this excited about the team's quarterback, certainly not since I've been alive. The tough part about this ranking was to be able to put my bias aside and look at all quarterbacks through the same lens. I love Wilson. There's virtually no one else I'd rather have. That's how big an impression he made during his rookie season.

Wilson's rookie season began slightly differently than Andrew Luck's or RG3's. Wilson found himself in a direct QB competition in camp. In fact, Matt Flynn was seen as the QB for 2012 since the Seahawks paid him in the offseason. But Wilson eventually took the job from both Flynn and Tarvaris Jackson. RG3 and Luck both had the job handed to them in camp. Of course, they were light-years better than their backups. Wilson proceeded to throw for 3,100 yards, 30 total TD, 10 INT, and 489 rushing yards by the end of the year.

The first few weeks were rough however. Pete Carroll treated Wilson like he was a rookie. Limiting the number of throws he made in a game. Limiting part of the playbook, only dialing up simple plays for the young QB. But when the Seahawks were forced to throw more to match Tom Brady in the 6th game of the year, Wilson was up to the task. He threw for 293 yards, 3TD, and 0INT, while leading the Hawks to an upset win.

The real change came in Week 9, when it seemed like the restraints were lifted from Wilson's game. From week 9 on, Wilson threw for 1,600 yards, completing 66.8% of the passes, accounted for 20 total TD, and only threw 2 INT! And most importantly, he led the Seahawks to 7 wins in the final 8 games, and the playoffs. You never know what you're going to get from rookies in the postseason, and Wilson seemed a little overwhelmed in his first game against the Redskins. The stats don't look great from that game, but just the fact that he led them back from a 14-point deficit is impressive enough. The following week against the Falcons probably was Wilson's most impressive performance of the year. In a hostile atmosphere in Atlanta, Wilson threw for 385 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT, with 60 rushing yards and a rushing TD. The Seahawks came back from 20 points to take the their first lead with 30 seconds left. Unfortunately, all Seattle fans know the rest.

Regardless, Wilson showed much growth in his full rookie season. He accomplished so much more than normal rookies accomplish. Especially getting to play in two playoff games. I love Wilson for his accuracy, his elusiveness, and most importantly his knoweldge of the game. He seems to be in the same mold as a Peyton Manning. A "football junkie". Someone who endlessly watches game tape and works to get better. I believe his "smarts" alone separate him from fellow rookies Andrew Luck and RG3.

Projections: 4,300 yards, 38 total TD, 13 INT

QB No. 10: Robert Griffin III

So we have finally arrived at the Top 10. While Andrew Luck was the top pick in last year's draft, and broke the rookie record for passing yards in a season, it was RG3 who really captivated the NFL last season.

He opened up the season in spectacular fashion, leading the Redskins to a shocking road win against the New Orleans Saints. In Griffin's first NFL game, he completed 73% of his passes, for 320 yards, two touchdowns, no picks, and ran for 42 yards. He never looked back. Week-after-week, RG3 dazzled with incredibly accurate throws, spectacular running plays, and terrific leadership. RG3 finished the year with 3,200 yards, 20 TD, only 5 INT, with a 102.4 passer rating, while completing 65% of his passes! Not to mention the 815 yards rushing with seven rushing TD. Very impressive in a rookie season.

Sure he had a few bumps in the road, as is the usual for NFL rookies. But clearly his bumps were few and far between. Another highlight came during his 6th game of the year, when he clinched the game with a 76-yard touchdown run, displaying elite track speed. Here's the impressive thing though. The Redskins started the season 3-6. The season looked lost, despite the play of RG3. Remember, this was a bad football team the previous year, and honestly the 2012 version wasn't so much better, besides the addition of RG3. Granted, Alfred Morris came out of nowhere to lead the backfield. But the defense was mediocre at best. And the passing weapons around RG3 were poor, especially when Pierre Garcon missed games.

But RG3 led the Redskins to six straight wins to end the year, (Kirk Cousins won a game late in place of RG3 to make it seven straight wins overall), and the division title. Unfortunately, RG3 completely tore his ACL in the playoff game vs. the Seahawks, and the Redskins failed to advance. I've already seen enough of this guy to know he is a stud at quarterback. He's not just an elite running QB; he's an incredible pocket passer, as well as thrower on the run. The only question mark one has to have with Griffin at this point is how he recovers from the ACL injury. All reports this offseason are encouraging, and it might not be ludicrous to suggest that he returns much like Adrian Peterson did a season ago. This kid has all the talent in the world, and I expect big things for him in year two.

Projections: 3,800 yards, 29 TD, 8 INT, 500 rushing yards, and 3 rushing TD

QB No. 11: Andrew Luck

Now we get down to the tougher part of the rankings. The eleven guys I have left are all very talented in my eyes, and most have accomplished much in their careers. At number eleven I have to put Andrew Luck, the Indianapolis Colts second-year quarterback.

Andrew Luck certainly had his ups and downs in his rookie season, as you would expect from a rookie QB. The only major blemish on his rookie season was the amount of turnovers he produced. Luck turned the ball over 27 times, 18 of which were interceptions. He forced too many throws, and locked onto a single target too often, which allowed defenses to easily make plays on the ball. That must be Luck's number one priority heading into year two, limiting the turnovers.

But let's get real. That's really the only faulty thing about Luck's game. There's so much good to take from Luck's rookie year. How about the fact that Luck broke the rookie record for passing yards in a single season with 4,374? He also threw for 23 TD, while also rushing for 5 TD.

Yet, for all of the stats, undoubtedly the most impressive thing I noticed about Luck was his leadership and his poise. I don't know if people remember, but this was a 2-14 football team the season before. Luck turned that team, along with the brilliant coaching of Chuck Pagano and Bruce Arians (let's not forget them), into an 11-5 playoff team. How many come-from-behind victories did Luck lead the Colts to? The number seems endless. How about the incredible 18-point comeback at the Detroit Lions, when Luck threw the game-winning TD pass as time expired? The Colts made a habit of close wins last season, with nine of their eleven wins decided by a touchdown or less. That, to me, speaks to incredible poise from a rookie, and an overall young football team.

Overall, I only expect Luck to improve in year two. Bruce Arians is gone, which might lead to slightly less passing yards, because the new Offensive Coordinator is his former OC at Stanford, Pep Hamilton. His offense is synonymous with the West-Coast, short passing game. But it should help Luck cut down on the turnovers. He's already one of the smartest QB in the NFL, which is scary since it's about to be year two for him, so the sky is truly the limit for him.

Projections: 4,100 yards, 29 TD, and 12 INT 

QB No. 12: Tony Romo

Yes, Tony Romo is my number 12 quarterback. I fully acknowledge that I'm a little uneasy with this spot.

After all, Tony Romo has just one playoff win in seven years starting for the Dallas Cowboys. One! He's a guy wildly renowned for failing in the biggest moments. You can go right down the list. Last year, in Week 16, Romo and the Cowboys lost by three at home versus the Saints. Now, keep in mind that a win in either week 16 or 17 would've given the Cowboys the NFC East title. The loss set up a "winner take all" game versus the Redskins in Week 17. Unfortunately for the Cowboys, Romo played awful at the worst possible point in the season, throwing 3 interceptions, throwing for only 218 yards, and completing only 54% of his passes, as the Cowboys lost 28-18. Same scenario in 2011. On the final day of the season, the Cowboys and Giants vied for the NFC East crown. Romo again played poorly and the Cowboys were blown out 31-14. And of course there's the "botched snap game" against the Seahawks in the playoffs years ago.

Right or wrong, that's all that fans choose to remember about Tony Romo. The bad. But for much of every regular season Tony Romo is actually impressive. First off, he is a 3-time pro-bowler. Something that can't be said for any of the quarterbacks below Romo on my list, with the exception of Philip Rivers. But in that case, if we're looking at "what have you done for me lately", Rivers has regressed over the last two years, whereas Romo has stayed pretty much at the same level.

Of course, people remember the final games of the season, when everything is on the line. But look at what the Cowboys went through last year. They started the season 3-5. Panic was setting in for America's team. But then Romo led the team to five wins over a six game stretch to propel them to 8-6. Romo threw 12 TD to only 3 INT during that stretch. Of course, we know the rest. I also believe however, that the Cowboys have had a string of bad luck over the last few years. Injuries to key players hindered the chemistry with the team. They never seem to have a healthy running back. Demarco Murray has missed significant games in his first two years, as did Felix Jones. Plus, Miles Austin, once a favorite target for Romo, dealt with hamstring issues and they still seem to dog him to this day.

The bottom line for me is that yes, this guy has seemed to fail too many times in big games, but I think the talent he has is unquestioned. I think it's a mental barrier preventing Romo from being better than he already is. This must be the year that he delivers for the Cowboys. He just got paid. Now go show us why you were paid.

Projections: 4,400 yards, 30 TD, and 14 INT.