Dodging a Rocket

I thought that Toledo was going to give Ohio State a decent game,what I did not foresee was how decent as Ohio State barely staved off the Rockets 27-22 at Ohio Stadium.
Carlos Hyde rushed for two touchdowns including the game winner late in the third quarter.
Toledo moved to the Buckeye 17 before turning the ball over on downs with less than a minute to play.
Ohio State travels to Miami next Saturday in the lower bracket of teams with NCAA issues game.
LSU advanced to the finals with their win last week over Oregon.

Buckeye Leaves

1) The big worry for me in this one?
The lack of a running game.
Take away Carlos Hyde's 36 TD run and the rushing game was very pedestrian.
That is my top concern going into Miami next week.

2) No playing time for Braxton Miller?
I thought the QB position was to be shared between Miller and Joe Bauserman?
Bauserman looked good on the first drive but ordinary thereafter and he overthrew Chris Fields on what would have been a sure long TD pass.
Fickel said the decision was a gut feeling.
Well,not thrilled with that one.Miller needed a little time in the game if you expect anything from him next week.

3) Put Chris Fields 1 catch for six yards aside.
His punt return was electric and twice he was open for big gains and Joe Bauserman overthrew him.
Fields might be the best of this bunch of young pass catchers.

4) Credit to John Simon,who's pass rush hurried the Rockets on their last gasp.Simon was banged up and still returned to the game.
Nice job playing through the pain.

5) The best player I saw yesterday?
How about Toledo WR Eric Page?
Page grabbed 12 passes and is well on his way to being drafted by the pros.
Page will dropped due to his size (5'10),but I bet he makes someone's team in 2013.

6) Special teams? Not so special as Toledo blocked a punt for the first score by the Rockets.
This was a issue last season in Columbus and I have a feeling it will be brought up again against Miami.

7) 14 penalties against Toledo?
Way too many.Cut that in half and you might have a different winner.

8) One example?
The punt with under a minute to go that was downed at the 17 by Toledo and was forced to kick again due to an offsides.
That punt was the Fields TD return.
Seven points handed to OSU in a five point win....

9) Another TD catch for Jake Stoneburner.
Stoneburner clearly has chemistry with Joe Bauserman and look for a big game for the senior against Miami next week....

Photo Credit:Chris Russell-Columbus Dispatch

Seattle Seahawks Preview

I will be doing a review of the tape later this week of the Ohio State close call against Toledo,but I wanted to get this up and finished before the NFL season started today.

The Seattle Seahawks became the first team with a losing record to make the playoffs and then followed the season with a huge upset win over the Saints before losing in Chicago to end the season.
Pete Carroll continues to put his stamp on the team with a new quarterback and top receiver and release of a fan favorite on defense.

Tavaris Jackson was imported from Minnesota via free agency to replace Matt Hasselbeck,who was allowed to go to Tennessee by the same route.
Jackson has plenty of things to prove to me as I am not convinced of him as a true starter.
Charlie Whitehurst backs up and looks to be a wasted use of draft pick (via trade) after just one season.
I do not think Whitehurst is the answer either,but a drop down in round two and giving a three away for a backup sure seems like a high price to pay.
California rookie Josh Portis will be the clipboard carrier.

Marshawn Lynch gets the full time chance as the water carrier among the backs.
Lynch picked his game up late in the season,so it is possible he has something left in the tank.
Justin Forsett will be the backup with Leon Washington getting to play in long yardage situations.
Former Penn State quarterback and 49er Michael Robinson adds an unusual dimension at fullback should the Hawks decided to mix things up.

The enigmatic Sidney Rice was the other top free agent signed from the Vikings.
Rice missed ten games after a super 2009 in Minnesota,but the 2009 season was his only true strong season.
Which is the real Rice? Seattle needs the star player to be the one that arrives.
Seattle needs Rice as a deep threat as Mike Williams is more of a possession receiver on the other side.
Williams had an excellent year in his comeback from exile,but is not a true number one.
Ben Obomanu returns as the third receiver with the remaining receivers being young with second year man Golden Tate and rookie Kris Durham along with former Viking Doug Baldwin rounding the corps out.
Zach Miller was signing from Oakland to a large contract to start at tight end and it is a good thing that they did as last years starter John Carlson will miss the season with a shoulder injury.
Miller is one of the better tight ends in the league and should rack up good numbers.
He had better as the backups are untested Anthony McCoy and Dominque Byrd.

The offensive line is young and I mean YOUNG with two rookies,a second year man and a third year man that missed much of last season.
Only free agent pickup Robert Gallery at guard has top level experience and Gallery might miss the opener.
2010 top pick Russell Okung is a stud at left tackle,when he can stay on the field and Max Unger looks to be solid now that he has returned to his natural position at center.
The teams first and third rounders in the draft are starting with James Carpenter at tackle paired with John Moffitt at guard on the right side.
This group will have its growing pains,but should get better as the season moves along.

The defensive line does not have the type of depth one would like,but is solid with the starters.
Chris Clemons returns at one end after eleven sacks last year and Red Bryant was playing very well at the opposite end before a season ending injury.
Veteran Raheem Brock adds pass rush ability as the top situational lineman.
Brandon Mebane was re-signed to a new deal in the off season after improving to the point of being the teams best all around lineman and will pair with former Cardinal Alan Branch as the tackles.
Mebane and Branch must stay healthy as the team lacks quality depth at tackle.

Seattle released long time starter Lofa Tatupu in order to use David Hawthorne in his spot.
Hawthorne is an excellent tackler,but the loss of Tatupu adds pressure to Leroy Hill and Aaron Curry to come through.
Curry has been inconsistent in his two year career and Hill has to find his past production to make this a plus group.Rookie K.J. Wright and veteran Matt McCoy will see time as the main backups.

Marcus Trufant anchors one corner and will draw the top receiver to cover.
The other corner is the question with former CFLer Brandon Browner the starter for now.
Second year man Walter Thurmond and rookie Richard Sherman are the backups.
Earl Thomas returns after a good rookie campaign at one safety with another second year player.
Kam Chancellor at the other.
Former Packer Atari Bigby was signed to be the main backup at safety and to play in the nickel and dime packages.

Well traveled Steven Hauschka replaces Olindo Mare at kicker after Mare left as a free agent.
Jon Ryan returns as the punter and Leon Washington will again pair with Golden Tate as the kick returners.

I just do not know what to expect from this team.
I like some of the pickups and the pass catchers are improved,but the quarterbacks have huge questions to me and the play of Tavaris Jackson and Charlie Whitehurst could be the main issue in the season results.
Seattle will be tough at home,but can they win on the road?
Lets go generic 8-8 and that should give them a chance to again win the weak NFC West....

Pigskin Pickin' Machine

Slow week in college football with just Ohio State taking on Toledo of interest,but we do add the NFL,so extra games to pick from there as well.

Ohio State blasted the worst team in the MAC last year in last weeks game,but this week takes on one of the better teams in Toledo.
The Rockets feature a wide open offense and Ohio State will be missing the "Charity three" for another week as the NCAA diddles around..
Hmmm,do a charity event and get a gift bag-two games,take money from a felon (Jacory Harris) only one.
Isn't the NCAA grand?
This could be close for a while.

Our NCAA game of the week goes to the weeks only meeting of ranked teams with Alabama visiting Penn State.Neither team has decided on a quarterback yet,but I just don't see Penn State doing very much against the brutal Bama defense no matter the QB.

In the pros,Cleveland hosts the Cincinnati Bengals in a game that looks to be pretty ground centered.
Both teams will try to establish the run,so the team with more success stopping it should get the W in the battle of young Texas passers.
The game could also come down to which of Colt McCoy or Andy Dalton is able to avoid the big mistake.

Seattle visits San Francisco in the first game for Jim Harbaugh as Niner coach.
Good luck in winning with Alex Smith,but one could say the same for the Hawks trying to win with Tavaris Jackson.
Frank Gore always seems to play well against Seattle and that is a concern.
Seattle's offensive line struggled in pre-season and Robert Gallery will miss this one.
Concerns abound for me in this one.

The game of the week would have been the Packers-Saints game,but the Thursday start ended that,so we will go with the Sodom vs Gomorrah matchup of the NFL otherwise known as Pittsburgh vs Baltimore.
Baltimore is going all in with veteran signees and additions to leap over the Steelers,who stood pretty much pat as usual.
This looks like another violent matchup and I was going one way all week until today,I suddenly got a different feeling-let's see if I am right

PPM
Ohio State over Toledo 34-17
Alabama over Penn State 21-6
Browns over Bengals 20-14
49ers over Seahawks 28-16
Steelers over Ravens 17-13

Cleveland Browns Preview

Please bear with me,I am currently trying to catch up on my rest after the baseball season and in order to do that,I have not been on as much.
I am hoping to rectify that over the next few days with this post,the PPM,a Seahawk preview and a cleaning of the inbox between today and Sunday.
I actually have some things that I am excited about writing,so I hope that time permits in getting them finished..

The Cleveland Browns are expected to be a better team this season,even though the record may not show it.
The Browns continue to add young talent in place of older talent and hope to be in a position of being one draft and free agent period away from being a playoff club.
New head coach Pat Shurmur has installed the West Coast offense and the 4-3 defense in an attempt to put his stamp on the team.

On the offense,this is Colt McCoy's team and his style of offense with this being his chance to run with it.
McCoy had better as he will not get another one,if he does not take advantage of it.
Many observers think McCoy's lack of arm strength will doom him in the winter weather along Lake Erie,but the offense should take advantage of his strengths in the short game and give him a chance to succeed.
McCoy had better succeed as the choices behind him are less than thrilling as Seneca Wallace returns as the main backup bringing with him the 20 yard bomb.
People think McCoy has a weak wing? Wallace makes McCoy look like John Elway.
Shurmur favorite Thaddeus Lewis was claimed off waivers from the Rams after the end of pre-season as the third passer.

Peyton Hillis was the surprise of the season in 2010 and looks to be the workhorse again this season.
My worry about Hillis is the durability factor as runners of his style take a ton of shots.
I don't have concerns for this season,but the fact of the Browns talking long term contract with a runner of his style is a bit worrisome.
Montario Hardesty will be the backup after a knee injury that cost him his rookie season.
Hardesty is a needed player in order to give Hillis an occasional break.
Rookie Owen Maricic will start at fullback and rookie Armond Smith completes the backs on the roster.

The wide receivers still look weak to me.
Brian Robiskie and Mohammed Massaquoi return as starters with plenty to prove.
Both enter their third season and need to step their game up if they want to be looked at as true NFL starters.
Rookie Greg Little carries the largest upside of the group and should see the field often.
Joshua Cribbs will continue to get playing time in the slot with second year man Carlton Mitchell along former Eagle Jordan Norwood completing the group.
Ben Watson and Evan Moore are back to give the Browns two pass catching threats at tight end.
Watson is more of an every down tight end,while Moore is more of a pass catching threat only.
Rookie Jordan Cameron resembles Moore in his type of game and will get more time as the season progresses.

The Browns have had to patch the offensive line with some veterans from the waiver wire due to issues with injuries.
Pro Bowler Joe Thomas is as good as it gets at left tackle,but Eric Steinbach will miss the season with back issues giving Cleveland a huge blow to the less than deep line.
Alex Mack is better than average at center and 2010 third rounder Shaun Lauvao will start at right guard with his chance to start.
Tony Pashos is a huge question mark at right tackle due both injuries and his play.
Oniel Cousins was claimed from Baltimore and Artis Hicks was claimed from Washington to add depth and one will take Steinbach's slot at left guard.
Steve Vallos returns and John Greco was signed from the Rams to complete the group.

The new 4-3 defense features an almost all new defensive line.
Ahytuba Rubin returns after a great 2010 at the nose tackle in the 3-4 and will be installed at the defensive tackle beside first round pick Phil Taylor of Baylor.
If things work as expected,the Browns are going to be tough to run up the middle on.
Jayme Mitchell will start at one end after never playing a down under Eric Mangini with second round pick Jabaal Sheard starting at the other.
One of them will need to step up as a pass rusher if Cleveland is to put heat on the opposing passer.
Marcus Benard returns after a seven and a half sack 2010,but the question is-can he put up similar numbers in the 4-3?
I am not sure as he makes me think of him as a 3-4 rush guy.

The starting linebackers are all returning from the past.
D'Qwell Jackson is back after missing most of the last two years due to injuries.
If Jackson is back to form,he should be solid in the middle.
Scott Fujita and Chris Gogong are decent veterans on the outside,but neither are long term answers to the linebacking question.
Kaluka Maivia,Titus Brown and Quinton Spears are special teamers and the backups that are less than average if case of an injury.

Three of the four starters return from the 2010 Browns.
Joe Haden and Sheldon Brown are back on the corners with T.J. Ward back at safety paired with Mike Adams moving up from the nickel back to start at the other safety.
Usama Young was signed to start at safety,but was beaten out by Adams.
The depth is nothing to get stoked for with former Eagle Dmitri Patterson brought in along with speedy fifth rounder Buster Skrine,who should return kicks occasionally as well.
Two other rookies made the team as well in seventh rounder Eric Hagg and free agent James Dockery joining with returning special teamer Ray Ventrone.

Josh Cribbs will be the main kick returner with Buster Skrine and Jordan Norwood getting time there as well.
Phil Dawson is back at kicker and Richmond McGee replaces the injured Reggie Hodges as the punter..

The Browns need to get off to a strong start as the stretch run is brutal with four of the last six on the road and the home games being against the Steelers and Ravens.
Luckily, the schedule is not that strong early,so there are some winnable games.
I am looking for improvement,not necessarily wins,so there is more to this than meets the eye.
I'll be positive and go with 7-9,although 6-10 would not be a surprise to me

Two former Devils perish in Russian plane crash

The tragic plane crash that killed 43 people and 36 members of the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl organization hits home with the Devils family as two of the players were former Devils.
Karel Rachunek and Alexander Vasuynov were not the biggest names of the deceased players,but they were notable to Devils fans.
Rachunek spent the 2007-08 with the Devils after spending most of his career with Ottawa,while Vasuynov spent most of his time with the AHL Devils before a eighteen game debut last season.
Vasuynov had just joined the KHL franchise after last season with the Devils retaining his NHL rights.

The biggest names were long time NHLer and team coach Brad McCrimmon and former NHL star and captain of the Slovakian national team Pavol Demitra,but they were among a large number of former NHL players lost in the crash.

The amazing thing is that when you consider the amount of times that pro athletes get on planes and especially for basketball and hockey team,which are usually on one night stands that this does not happen more often.
The constant on and off planes and catching connecting flights has to be a concern,no matter who you are.
I suppose air travel is safe statistically,but I would wager that fewer players are going to consider the KHL after this tragedy for a long time to come.
Considering the reported problems with the aircraft in Russia right now,I would say that is a safe bet.

Our thoughts and condolences go out to all the families and friends affected by this crash....

Zip for the Zips

Ohio State gave Luke Fickel a shutout victory in his bow as Buckeye head coach as Ohio State was never threatened in a 42-0 shutout of overmatched Akron.
Joe Bauserman tossed three touchdown passes to Jake Stoneburner and ran for another in his first start at OSU.
Ohio State hosts Toledo next week before a road trip to Miami.

Buckeye Leaves

1) Under Jim Tressel,every year it seemed that there was talk of getting the tight ends more involved in the offense and that never seemed to come to pass.
In that vein,it was nice to see Jake Stoneburner used in the passing game.
Stoneburner is difficult for a linebacker to cover and tough for a defensive back to tackle.
In a year with so many questions at wide receiver,Stoneburner could be a huge asset for the Buckeyes.

2) I thought Joe Bauserman looked pretty sharp and accurate with his passes and showed signs of being at least a decent game manager.
Unlike Todd Boeckman's run,a few years back,Bauserman should at least be able to make the throws.

3) I liked what I saw of Braxton Miller in the second half and at least early on in the season,this is exactly how I would like to see Miller used-Here and there to gain experience until he is ready to be the full time QB and if that means Bauserman plays well enough that Miller waits until next year,I am fine with that...

4) Running for over 200 yards is all well and good against Akron,but I would have liked to have seen a run longer than 24 yards against such opposition.
Perhaps that was because the speedier backs were on suspension,Jordan Hall (Gift bag from a breast cancer fundraiser) or nicked up Jamaal Berry,so I'll wait and see on the topic against Toledo next week.

5) Great pick on a tipped pass by Andrew Sweat,who's interception led to the third Buckeye touchdown that salted the game away for good.
Sweat is the OSU top hope as that veteran linebacker that glues everything together that they seem to have every year.

6) Thanks to the Columbus Dispatch for dropping this exchange from Lou Holtz on Mark May.
Too bad I missed this as I cannot stand Mark May and his relentless Ohio State and the Big Ten sucks schtick,but Uncle Lou put him in his place with number seven..

7)." Lou Holtz comes off as the crazy uncle who will say anything, but this time his anything was better than everything else spoken all day. As Mark May carped about how Ohio State was underachieving against Akron, Holtz quipped, “Jesus loves you; everyone else in Ohio thinks you’re an idiot.” Zing."
Count this person in Maryland as thinking that Mark May is an idiot too.....

8) Chris Spielman commented during the game on Braxton Miller perhaps being more skilled than Terrelle Pryor.
I'll wait to see Miller a bit more before that conclusion,but I will say this-I think Miller is going to be more of a passing threat than Pryor ever was and he looks to be just as fast as a runner,although not with the power that Pryor possessed....

9) I was asked by one reader on my prediction on the Buckeyes since I did not do a preview.
Let's go with this-Depending on the results of Miami's suspensions (what a joke the NCAA is),let's go either 10-2 or 9-3.
If Miami is as handicapped by their issues as Ohio State,I like the Buckeyes to win,but if the NCAA lets them off light for now,OSU could lose that one.
The other losses? Wisconsin at home and at Nebraska where Buckeye alum Bo Pelini will have the Huskers over the top in their first game in the conference against OSU.

10) Look for a tougher test next week from Toledo,who looks to be one of the MAC's better teams along with Miami (Ohio version) and Northern Illinois.
One of these days,the "wrong" MAC team is going to show up at the wrong time and bite the Buckeyes,I doubt this is the time,but Toledo might be in this one for a while.

Photo Credit:Marvin Fong-Cleveland Plain Dealer

Pigskin Pickin' Machine

In the absence of the NFL,I'll add an extra college game or two for the week.
Since Bowling Green has played (and won) in their rematch of the 2009 Humanitarian Bowl against Idaho,they will not be listed.

Ohio State hosts Akron in the first game of the Luke Fickell era,which is an era that could last the year and be finished.
Akron was 1-11 last year and this spells Buckeye walkover when you consider the turmoil over the off season.
I'll wager this one is over by mid second quarter at the latest.

Texas Tech hosts Texas State,which always makes me think of the bad yet occasionally funny for the wrong reason film Necessary Roughness.The Bobcats (not Armadillos) went 4-7 last year and now are coached by well traveled Dennis Franchione,who I always liked in his stops around Texas.
Texas Tech continues its transition to more of an balanced offense under Tommy Tuberville and I expect this one to be unbalanced-in score that is.
Unless Flattop Myers has transferred from the Texas (by God) Colts to Texas State that is...

The games of the week are both scheduled for the same time.
Brilliant call by ESPN,who has both games on their family of networks.

Oregon and LSU battle in Dallas at JerryWorld in what might be an early elimination for the National title for the loser and is round one in the four team playoff for worst off-season.
Ohio State takes on Miami in a few weeks in the other bracket.
Both teams have QB issues as LSU's likes to kick people in the head allegedly and Oregon's likes to ride in cars traveling at 118 MPH and at least sit around the aroma of marijuana.
This is more of a home game for LSU than Oregon,but the Tigers were hit harder by the suspension bug.
The key here is LaMichael James running the ball against an SEC defense.

Boise State travels between the hedges to Georgia against the Bulldogs.
If Boise grabs this one,they leap their major road game of the season as most of their other tough games are in Boise.
Kellen Moore and Aaron Murray will keep the footballs flying in what looks to be a fun game to watch.

Predictions
Ohio State 56-7
Texas Tech 48-14
Oregon 23-20
Boise State 41-36