NFL Week 10 Predictions

Last week my predictions looked pretty good until the Patriots, Steelers and Rams all decided to lose their 4^th quarter lead and eventually their matchups. Last week’s record was 9-5, which isn't so bad for a first try. This week I'm already down thanks to Phillip Rivers and the Chargers, so let's hope for a better outing this weekend!

NO Saints @ ATL Falcons

This fixture last year saw the Saints end the Falcons eight game winning streak and dropped the Falcons to 12-3. This year the Falcons are on another winning streak as the Saints head into the Georgia Dome. 

Drew Brees is currently on course to break Dan Marino’s all time passing record and we wouldn’t be surprised to pass over the Falcons D.

If the Falcons offence can keep up in a shootout with Brees this game could end up being game of the week.

Dbl Coverage Prediction: Saints to win by 3.

TENN Titans @ CAR Panthers

The Titans will face another rookie QB this week after losing to Andy Dalton and the Bengals last week. This time they face a different type of quarterback. Cam Newton is by far one of, if not the most entertaining players in the NFL.

The Carolina D are currently allowing 4.6 yards per rush so if they want to win this game they need to hold Chris Johnson to minimal yardage, thus forcing Matt Hasselbeck to win the game for the Titans.

Dbl Coverage Prediction: The Cam Newton Panthers to win by 6.

GB Lions on the Hunt for Coaching Staff

http://www.britishamericanfootball.org/news.aspx?id=51

 
Following the recent announcement regarding the Head Coaches of the Great Britain Lions Junior Contact and Adult Contact Teams (Damian Anderson and Mike Callan, respectively), vacancies now exist for coaching positions within both teams.

The Head Coaches have worked closely with the BAFA National Programme Sub-Committee, comprising BAFA Directors Gary Marshall, Jon Wyse, Matthew Davies and Russ Hewitt, to produce an Application Pack (available on the “Downloads” section of the BAFA website) that prospective coaches should refer to.

Specifically the positions available, for both Junior and Adult teams, include:

· Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Co-ordinators
· Positional Coaches,
· General (coaching) Assistants.

The pack contains details of the roles, their requirements and the process for application and selection, as well as contact details for any questions. The deadline for receipt of applications is midnight on Sunday 27th November 2011. We look forward to receiving all applications from all sections of the British American Football community.

BUAFL Game of the Week Preview

This weekend sees a big clash in the Thames Valley Division, as the BNU Buccaneers try and topple the current National Champion Portsmouth Destroyers. In the same fixture last year Portsmouth ran in 62-14 winners, but BNU can take one positive from the previous game, scoring the 2^nd highest points total the vaunted Pompey D conceded all season.

Portsmouth will be looking to continue their winning streak carrying over from last season’s championship effort. Their defence is extremely stingy and never seems to give up points conceding only 21 points in the regular season last year and they continued that form this year against the Brunel Burners, holding them to no score.

NFL Thursday Night Football Preview

With the NFL reaching week ten in the regular season we see the return of Thursday night football broadcast on the NFL Network. This week we are treated to an AFC West showdown with the Oakland Raiders visiting the San Diego Chargers.

I imagine when the decision was made for these teams to be the involved in the first TNF game, the selection committee didn’t imagine the Chargers and Raiders would both be 4-4 and tied for the division lead.

For some reason it seems that each year either the AFC or NFC West will be the worst division in the NFL, this year it’s the AFC West’s teams turn to have a poor record yet still make the playoffs, fortunately I don’t see the winner of this division following in the Seahawks performance last year of making the playoffs despite having a losing record.

NFL Rookie of the Year – First half of the season contenders - Defence

The defensive players are hard to judge. Apart from Aldon Smith and JJ Watt (and to a slight degree, Marcel Dareus) a majority of the contenders play on poor defences, so more statistical analysis is required. 

The pack is much more closely bunched together and we could see any of the names mentioned in the article kicking on towards the end of the season and making a claim for the award. So, without further ado…

Marcel Dareus

The Defensive Tackle may not have the dazzling stats of other candidates, but his impact on the Bills defence is clear. The Alabama alumn gobbles up double teams and still manages to make an impact on the stat line similar to all pro defensive tackle Vince Wilfork.

Since moving to Nose in the Bills 3-4 (he was originally playing as end) he has had 2 and a half sacks and 25 tackles so far and if he continues to perform at that level he will get close to the numbers certain Mr Suh put up last year (ok, maybe not as many sacks...)