Syracuse Visits Marquette, Both Teams Needing A Win

The last three games for the Syracuse Orange, after starting the year 18-0 and getting to a ranking of third in the nation, have been in a word gross. In a game at Pittsburgh, where a loss is nothing to be ashamed of, they fell behind early and could not fully come back, losing without their leading scorer Kris Joseph. Not so bad. At home though in their next game against Villanova, with Joseph in the lineup, another loss by double-digits, where they could not get the stops when they needed to. Finally, the embarrassing loss, again at the Carrier Dome, to unranked and previously struggling Seton Hall...by 22. Allowing 90 points to a team ranking 14 out of 16 in points per game in the Big East.

Marquette hosts the Orange having lost their last two games, and four of their last six overall, with all of their losses being to teams ranked in the top 20 however. They are a team that even in late January are in the position where they are setting up to be on the bubble. They have come up short in some opportunities to get a signature win for that tournament push, but a win over Syracuse would be one of those wins. This might not be a better time, being at home and the Orange skidding.

Both of these teams need the win, so who is going to get it and how? Well both teams have their keys to winning, and for Syracuse it starts with their zone and defensive output, like usual. They need to get out on the Marquette shooters, who are deadly when they get an open look. With Darius Johnson-Odom being the Golden Eagle's most dangerous outside shooter, they have Jae Crowder and Dwight Buycks who are both shooting it at over 40% from outside. Villanova and Seton Hall both showed that no matter what, if you are shooting it well from the outside Syracuse can be beaten. Both teams shooting over 70% from three in the first half against Syracuse and leading the game by double-digits at halftime.

Secondly, for Marquette to win they have to get Jimmy Butler the ball around the foul line. If they are able to get the ball there they will find passing lanes in the zone that Pittsburgh was able to really exploit. Butler is also a player that really reminds me of Dante Cunningham from Villanova a couple of years ago. When Villanova got him the ball at that foul line Syracuse was seemingly unable to do anything. Butler is a player in that mold, extremely solid from 17 feet and in.

For Syracuse to win they need to force turnovers, and get into transition. It is the same thing each game, get that ball into the open court and use your athletes. The past couple of games they have really struggled in the half court, and the more aggressive they are, and more turnovers they force, the better chance Syracuse has at easy points and getting out of a really tough environment with a win.

Secondly, the hook for the guards has to be quick. These past couple games Scoop Jardine has just not been playing well. Many people have a short fuse with Scoop, and I think it is a bit unfair, but these last two he has just not seemed to do much right. He is in a slump, so if he is having some trouble early, get him a break, a chance to see whats going on out there. Same with Brandon Triche and Dion Waiters when they take ill advised shots, or dribble into the double teams. They have to be aggressive, but play smarter on the offensive end.

Finally, Marquette does not have a big man that should be able to guard Rick Jackson. They really need to feed it to Jackson, especially given the struggles that the half court offense has been having. Against Villanova Jackson had a rough day with some turnovers, losing a couple of entry passes, and missing a dunk. You still have to get him the ball, and with the lack of size and depth at Marquette you have to let him go to work. It will also open up shots when the double teams inevitably come.

Marquette has the shooters to hurt the zone over the top, and the friendly confines at home will be a big help. Syracuse has to get back to the basics of their zone defense, that is what got them early wins, and what made them so special last year. Take advantage of the spots on the floor that they have the edge and they should come out with a win.

Prediction: Syracuse 74 Marquette 70

All-Star Starters Announced

The NBA All-Star game starters were announced last night, and I suppose a little controversy, for lack of a better term, but overall a not bad job. The teams both have necessary MVP candidates starting, the stars will be leading both teams, and for the most part the fans did a good job. The starters are as follows:

Eastern Conference:

Derrick Rose- He has led the Bulls to a record of 31-14, currently tied for second in the East, and has done most of it without having his full team due to injuries. He has proven himself virtually unguardable, and is one of the leaders right now for NBA MVP halfway through the season. He is averaging over 24 points, eight assists, and one steal per game. Definitely worthy of a start.

Dwayne Wade- Wade has been a major part of the success of the trio in Miami, and a leading reason for their being tied with Chicago for second in the East. He is averaging more than 25 points a game, to go along with more than six rebounds and four assists a game. He is also an MVP candidate, and definitely worthy of a start.

LeBron James- Along with the first two LeBron is among the short list for MVP candidates at this point in the season. He has once again shown the ability to take over games, we see where the Cleveland Cavaliers are without him, and the Heat are winning games. He is averaging over 25 points a game, to go along with more than seven rebounds and assists per game, and nearly a steal and a half per game. Definitely worthy of a start.

Amare Stoudemire- Amare has been able to do to the New York Knicks what many thought he could not given their roster, get the Knicks above .500 and back into the playoffs. He has done just that. With averaging 26 points a night, to go along with his nine rebounds and 2.2 blocks a game, Amare has made the Knicks a relevant team again, coming off of a win just last night against the Heat. He also had the longest streak since Kobe in 2005-2006 of consecutive 30 point games. Definitely worthy of a start.

Dwight Howard- The big man once again has the Orlando Magic among the league's elite, and he once again might be the most feared big man in the league. He is averaging a double-double with 22 points per game, and over 13 rebounds and two blocks a game. He is the enforcer down low, and he continues to be one of, if not the, best centers in the league. Definitely worthy of a start.

The Eastern Conference all have starters that are worthy, and you would be hard pressed to find better options for each player at their position within the conference. The fans did a good job with that side of the slate. Four of the five are hands down MVP candidates, with Howard having the ability to put himself into the conversation. In the basketball page we will look at whether or not the Western Conference fans got everything done right.

Big East Flexing Its Muscles, Again

So Pittsburgh came into Monday's home game newly ranked number two in the country, with some saying they are the best team, with an impressive one week ago over then undefeated number three Syracuse, and their first ever 30 point Big East road win just two days ago. So last night in come's number 14 Notre Dame, and they break their 20 game home winning streak, and only the Panthers second loss in 53 home games, with a 56-51 win.

Just another flexing of the muscles of the depth and talent in the Big East. Just in this last month Notre Dame, West Virginia, Villanova, Connecticut have all beaten top 10 teams, two of which not from the Big East. The Big East of course won many of the preseason tournaments, and they have had four teams in the top 10 for the better part of the year, but this was just another example.

Maybe the best team in the nation, with an amazing winning streak at home, and in walks Notre Dame and wins, in a way that was as impressive as the win itself. A slow down style, keeping the game close at all times, until they made their push in the second half and got a lead they would not give back. Ben Hansbrough showing the ability to take over a game and score possession after possession to will his team to a win. A win without their leading scorer Tim Abromaitis taking one shot. Not one. His only points were two shots from the free throw line. Just another Big East time showing their ability to beat the best.

Currently in Joe Lunardi's Bracketology he has 11 Big East teams in the bracket. Why not, if they are all beating one another like this all year they have to get the credit they deserve. Put Marquette and St. John's in the ACC this year and see how many conference wins they ended up with.

Steelers To The Super Bowl, Sounds Familiar

The Pittsburgh Steelers are heading back to the Super Bowl, and this time they are tying the Dallas Cowboys for the most trips ever with eight. Smart money would say pick the Steelers if you are looking for a straight winner, as they are 6-1 in the previous seven that they were in. They were able to do it with a dominating first half, and key plays in the second half to hold off a comeback attempt by the loud mouth New York Jets.

It all started with the running game for the Steelers, they were able to give it to Rashard Mendenhall in that first half and he ran all over the Jets, seemingly breaking a couple of tackles on each nimble run. He was slowed in the second half a bit, but as still able to end with 121 yards on his 27 carries. He was able to punch the Jets in the mouth, one that took the whole first half for them to recover from. The opening drive that the Steelers scored on was nine minutes long.

The defense was also deadly in the first half, forcing the Jets into multiple three and outs, and the Jets did not get a first down until their final drive of the first half that led to a field goal and some much needed momentum. Previous to that drive however, Sanchez was sacked and fumbled, and the ball was picked up and run in for a touchdown by William Gay, making it 24-0 Steelers.

The second half was a different story, especially on the offensive side of the ball for the Steelers. Mendenhall only had 26 of his yards after halftime, and the Steelers failed to score any more points. The defense had their struggles too, as they gave up a deep touchdown score to Santonio Holmes, and were unable to stop the Jets as they had in the first two quarters.

You have to give the Jets, and particularly Mark Sanchez, credit because they did not give up when it was 24-0 nothing and the Steelers seemed unbeatable. They plugged away though, and injuries to the Steelers (most notably Pouncey at center) lent a hand to their storming back.

The Steelers defense won the game though when they were able to shut the Jets down with a goaline stand and the Jets did not score after that, besides a safety on a botched quarterback-center exchange.

The Steelers were able to win the game though by trusting in Ben Roethlisberger. They put the ball in the hands of the man that has led them to two previous Super Bowls, that they then won, and said on third down you throw the ball for the win. Which if they do not complete suddenly the Jets have new life. But Ben completed the pass and then with a few kneel downs the Steelers are back in the Super Bowl.

They were able to win with a team effort, offense, defense, special teams all stepped up when they needed to. That is what should be anticipated in the Super Bowl too, because that is how Mike Tomlin will always have them playing.

Jets At Steelers, Who Ya Got

All week The Four Corners of Sports has been dissecting every aspect of these playoff teams, ranking their quarterbacks, running backs, receiving games, defense and special teams. All to get to the point of who is the most well rounded team,who will win on Sunday and find themselves in the Super Bowl.

In the AFC the Steelers are the favorite,but the underdog Jets have already beaten the Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots in these playoffs, not to mention the Steelers themselves back in week 15. So how will today's game be different? How will the Steelers remedy what they could not do against the Jets roughly a month ago? Or will the Jets continue this amazing streak of upsets and find themselves in only their second Super Bowl ever?

In order for the Steelers to win they will need to run the ball effectively. All week the talk has been about how Rex Ryan and the Jets defense is going to attack Ben Roethlisberger. While all the focus is on that, Rashard Mendenhall should be licking his chops at this opportunity. If he can neutralize the Jets defense, and open up the great Steelers play action,then they will be able to move the ball and get into positions to score. Roethlisberger will get his yards and make his plays, he has not won two Super Bowls by chance, and Mendenhall can make that easier for all of them with a good day on the ground and slowing down the Jets defense.

They also need to stop the Jets running attack. In the previous match up the Jets ran for over 100 yards against the Steelers. You do not do that to this team, who averaged giving up only 62 rushing yards a game all year. Having all everything safety Troy Polamalu back can not be talked about enough, as he is a one man wrecking crew in that run game. If they can stop the run, like they have, then all of a sudden Mark Sanchez is getting more responsibility and pressure on him.

The Jets have to make sure that they do not abandon that run game for Sanchez. They need the balance, and controlling the tempo is a big advantage that they have had these playoffs. In the second half of the Colts game they were able to put together two long drives that limited the Colts and Peyton Manning's chances. It will be on the offensive line, one of the better groups in the league, to make this win happen for the Jets. If they are able to pick up those Dick LeBeau blitzes and give Sanchez time to find his talented receiving corp, then they should be doing alright come fourth quarter where anything can happen.

On defense it all comes down to Antonio Cromartie. Last week he was able to talk the talk and then walk the walk, this week it becomes that much more necessary. With Revis being under the assumption that he will more than likely shut down his match up (by a lot of uncalled holds, grabs, and illegal use of hands in general), Cromartie will have to step up and play big against either Hines Ward or Mike Wallace. If Roethlisberger is able to focus in on that match up and have an advantage, then the Jets are in trouble. They need Cromartie to force throws towards Revis, and towards those other Steelers receivers.

In the end the Steelers do have the better overall team, but the Jets do have that momentum. With a leg up in the coaching battle with Mike Tomlin, the Steelers will have a better scheme for this game after week 15. Polamalu makes a huge difference, and the Steelers find themselves back in the Super Bowl.Steelers 24 Jets 17

Syracuse Versus Villanova, Not Enough Publicity

Last year when ESPN Gameday came to the Carrier Dome for the Syracuse and Villanova game the fans packed it full and set an on-campus record for largest crowd for a basketball game with 34,616. That game was set as the must see of the Big East schedule, and Syracuse came out and demolished the Wildcats. They could not be stopped and ended up running away with it 95-77. Yes 95. It was the true coming out party, and made everyone say that yes, Syracuse is for real.This year the match up is not quite as large, simply because Syracuse just took part in a game of that nature in their narrow loss to Pittsburgh on Monday night. However, the lack of publicity is alarming because these are still two top 10 teams, and probably going to be earning a three seed at the lowest if they continue the way they have started the season. Further to that point, how big would this game be if both teams had won on Monday? The two of them lost to two top 10 teams, respectable losses for sure with both being on the road as well, so this is still a huge top 10 match up between the two. Let's give it the recognition it deserves.

Now if Syracuse has Kris Joseph back that will help them a lot in their hopes of winning today and getting back on track. Other than that there are a few keys for victory. They have to feed it down low to Rick Jackson. They simply did not do that enough against Pittsburgh, where to start the second half he was unstoppable, and they seemingly went away from it. If they can get it to Jackson and he can get Villanova big man Mouphtaou Yarou in foul trouble it will really help the Orange control the paint and the boards.

They have to make sure that they play aggressive defense, because when the zone is active and aggressive they force that many more tough shots, and get run outs and into transition off of turnovers where they are one of the most dangerous teams in the country. They also have to have Jim Boeheim not be slow with the trigger in putting Jackson in the middle of the zone and going smaller, but quicker and more athletic, and making the zone a lot more solid down low.

Finally, they have to not take bad shots. The defense of Villanova will be aggressive and in their faces, they have to not rush on the offensive end. If Syracuse is able to take good shots and find the open man, then they will be able to score the ball regularly and rely on the zone for the win. Syracuse has the better team, and their defense should be able to contain Villanova, who lost their best player against the zone from last year Scottie Reynolds to graduation.

For Villanova to win they have to shoot the ball well. They are deadly from outside, and if they are able to get Corey Fisher going, or Corey Stokes, then they will be able to shoot over the top of the zone and make it difficult for Syracuse to cut off those passing angles into the nooks and crannies of the zone.

They need Antonio Pena to really step up and play big. If you were to assume that Yarou and Jackson could play themselves to a stand still on the boards, give Jackson a slight edge, then Pena has to come in and really help on the glass. He also has to be that guy at the foul line that is so vital to the zone. If he is able to make the right passes from that spot, and turn around and hit a 14-17 foot jumper, then they will be able to again attack the zone in a much more aggressive fashion than most.

Finally, the before mentioned Stokes has to find open shots, and get up transition threes. As possibly the league's most deadly shooter, currently just below 44% from behind the arc, they rely on him to get open and hit big shots. His transition threes have been killers over the years for opposing teams, and a few of those before the zone sets up is how they will be able to pull off the upset at a raucous dome.

I think Jackson is too much down low, and the zone is able to get out on the shooters to disrupt them enough to build an early lead for Syracuse to hold onto. The zone is what will win them another game.

Syracuse 78 Villanova 71

Having Trouble Choosing Who To Cheer For?

The NFL Playoffs bring in all fans, and some tend to be newer, or just watching the playoffs to see who makes it to the unofficial Super Bowl Holiday. Well with four teams left it makes it easy to choose, well easier at least, with fewer options. While teams may have some players that you would not like, or coaches, or owners, you have to look at the players that deserve a win, the players that have been good players, good people, and this is their chance to get to the Super Bowl, or win the Super Bowl. Three of the teams have players that you will have a hard time not choosing to cheer for, and hope they will be able to get to the Super Bowl and win, and the coach of the final team has multiple reasons as to why you should be cheering for him, or at least considering.

LaDainian Tomlinson is the starting running back for the New York Jets, and arguably the best back of the last 10 years. In his absolute prime there was not a running back you wanted more, in either fantasy football world or in the NFL. He could run outside, in between the tackles, catch the ball out of the backfield, and even line up as a receiver. He could do it all. Now in his 10th season, getting up there for a running back, he is on the precipice of getting to his first Super Bowl, the end all and be all of your tenure in the league.

Talk about a player that has earned it, in his first eight seasons as a professional he had over 1,000 yards each year, gaining over 1,800 yards in 2006, when he had 28 rushing touchdowns, the NFL record for a single season. In those same seasons he had over 50 receptions each year, and had 100 receptions in 2003, failing to record a receiving touchdown in only his rookie year. This was the first season in his career in the Jets time share backfield that he did not record double digit touchdowns. Tomlinson is a first ballot Hall of Famer for what he has done on the field.

Off the field Tomlinson has been a beacon of hope, especially for families in his time with the San Diego Chargers, where he established the LT Foundation, meant to help children and families in the San Diego area. He has also taken part in such charities as Operation Kids, and Tomlinson's Touching Lives Foundation.

Tomlinson has been a great player for over a decade in the NFL, one of the best ever at his position, and has helped many people off the field. He is definitely a man you can cheer for in hoping the Jets make it to the Super Bowl.

Now when it comes to the Chicago Bears it has been all about Brian Urlacher for 11 years now. He has anchored a defense that almost always finds itself to be one of the top defenses in the NFL, and he is an old school linebacker. You need someone to direct your defense, he can do it. Need a hole filled, he can do it. Need a sack, he can do it. Even need some pass coverage, he can do it. He is consistently one of the best linebackers in the league, and someone you want to be in the middle of your defense.

In his 11 years with the Bears, the only team he has been a part of, he has totaled more than 1,100 tackles, 900 of which are solo tackles. This includes seasons that were cut short by injuries. He has had 41.5 sacks, and intercepted 18 passes, scoring once. He has done it all on the field of play.

Urlacher and the Bears were able to make it to the Super Bowl, led by him and the defense, back in February 2007 when the lost to the Indianapolis Colts. Urlacher is a Hall of Famer that has a career many would envy, but to get back to the Super Bowl and win it would put his name and legacy on another level. A guy who plays the game hard, well, and the right way; definitely somebody to get behind.

Donald Driver has been a member of the Green Bay Packers his whole career. He was picked out of Alcorn State back in 1999, in the seventh round. He already has the seventh round underdog characteristic that is easy to cheer for. He has been solid for 10 years now after getting very little time as a seventh round rookie. He has been on the Packers for 11 years now and has yet to reach the Super Bowl, which probably is not easy to live with being with such a great organization for so long.

Driver has been a model of consistency, as prior to this year he had recorded over 1,000 yards in six straight seasons, and seven out of eight. And in terms of consistency, he has a touchdown in every season he has played in, including his rookie year when he only had three receptions for 31 yards, but one of them was a touchdown. His route running skills are great, and he has incredible hands. He has been a great receiver on one of the more historical franchises in sports, he deserves a chance at the Super Bowl.

Finally, you come to the Pittsburgh Steelers. to be honest the Steelers have a strong nucleus that has been to two Super Bowls and have won them both. So they do not really have the lack of a trip or victory card that those previous three players had. They have guys that you would like to cheer for to get a third ring in Troy Polamalu and James Farrior, but it just is not the same. So with the Steelers you can actually stray away from the players and focus on cheering for their coach, Mike Tomlin.

Talk about a class act, no nonsense, confident and successful coach, that is exactly what Mike Tomlin is. He is a coach that you can watch on the sideline, as calm and in control as you will see, and he will be winning most of the time. In his four years as the Steelers coach he has gone 43-21 in the regular season, and won the Super Bowl in only his second season as the head coach, something that has only been done seven times in NFL history. In winning the Super Bowl at age 36 he became the youngest head coach to ever win the Super Bowl, so why not cheer for him to become the youngest coach to win two Super Bowls?

Also, Tomlin became only the second African-American coach to win the Super Bowl, after Tony Dungy had won it against Urlacher's Bears. In this the 25th anniversary year of the establishment of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, with the first black President in the history of the United States of America, why not watch and cheer for the first ever two-time African-American Super Bowl champion coach, cheer for some history.

Carmelo Trade Off The Table For Nets?

The imminent trade that had roughly 13 players involved from three teams has apparently been called off. The New Jersey Nets were dead set on getting Carmelo Anthony from the Denver Nuggets, but it appears that the price to pay, and the length of time it has taken is not worth it and they want to go in another direction.

The Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov told the team today to stop pursuing the trade, as well as canceled that rumored face-to-face meeting they were to have with Anthony in the coming days. Prokhorov spoke of the length, ramifications, and scrutiny that has come from the trade rumors.

"I'm not happy with the way ... this deal has gone until now," Prokhorov said. "It has taken too long. It has been played out in public and it certainly has taken a toll on the players and I believe that it has cost us several games. I think management did a great job, but there comes a time when the price is simply too expensive. I'm instructing our team to walk away from the deal."

Anthony has been struggling specifically, having one of his worst stretch of games of his career. Included was a game where he failed to score in double digits, a rarity in his successful young career. Though it must be said that during the holiday season Anthony also lost his sister, who he was extremely close with, and has not quite performed at his usual level since. The fans of Denver have shown their displeasure with everything, and it appears that maybe they will have him a little bit longer at least.

A few questions arise from this. The first is whether or not the Nets are really done with the deal. They may be done with the trade, or may try to pursue it again without the public knowing as much as they had this first time, which seemed like every step of the way their were reports. Second option is the New York Knicks getting more actively involved in pursuit of Anthony. Carmelo wants to play in New York, and going to play with Amare Stoudemire, and perhaps a free agent pickup, or another trade, for another player he may want to play with and the Knicks are a huge contender.

The other two options are does a new team get involved now? Do the Bulls, the Los Angeles Clippers, any other teams that have not been in the running as of late now make a pitch for Anthony again? Finally, do the Nuggets not make any move, and rather take their chances on this season with Anthony and make a run towards the playoffs and NBA Finals?

This whole situation has been weird and sort of too in your face the entire team it seems. Carmelo is on the Nuggets, and I think that trade talk should be private simply because now Anthony is getting treated differently from the fans and the public. More over he is dealing with the loss of a sibling, which is truly terrible timing. I hope that this is resolved quickly and Anthony can get back on track with his season.

Just last night, after the trade was reportedly squashed, the Nets got a much needed win, and Anthony led the team in scoring with 35 points with a win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. Maybe it is all working out already.

This is Not Last Year's Kentucky

Last year coach John Calipari watched his team win their first 18 games, and now his team is 14-4 in their first 18. They have already equaled the amount of SEC games they lost last year in their first four, with two. Last night they lost to Alabama, a team that had a losing streak at the hands of Kentucky since Billy Gillespie was there, and had won eight of the last nine in the match up.

This is their second loss on the road, and the frustration of their inconsistency, and lack of toughness is showing. It boiled over when Calipari gave a tongue lashing to freshman Terrence Jones that was caught by cameras. In response, the coach tweeted and apology for the lapse in judgment.

"UKCoachCalipari: First of all I want to apologize for my language at the end of the game. I got caught up in the emotion of the game, but that's no excuse."

The problem was his next tweet for me though, apologizing for it being on national television.

"UKCoachCalipari: Sometimes you don't realize in the moment that what you're saying is on national TV. The BBN deserves better and so do my players."

I am not a fan of his clarifying that it was on national TV. Here is an idea Cal, calm down and realize you are acting like a psycho on the sideline ALL THE TIME, and that you went on a verbal tirade against your best player. Who cares that it was on TV? You obviously do not mean the apology if it is being noted with that statement. But that is really a whole different issue, the fact is that this year's Kentucky team is not the team Calipari wants them to be right now, obviously.

So that begs the question, why are people acting as if they are? A couple of weeks ago people were assuming they were going to go undefeated in the SEC. Why? Also that after going undefeated they would end up with a number one seed again. Why? That they are a team that you can expect to see in Houston. Why?

I understand that this team has talent, Terrence Jones is an incredible scorer, and Brandon Knight, Doron Lamb and Darius Miller are extremely lethal from behind the arc. They have not really proven it against people yet though. They lost to North Carolina, who may not even be a tournament team at this point. They lost to two teams from the SEC that few thought had a chance to make it to the big dance, but with those wins are definitely in the conversation.

Does Kentucky have the players and talent to make it to the Final Four? Yes, they absolutely do, especially given a good seed and path. Last year's team though, with all of those first round draft picks, they were a number one seed and expected to make it there. So can we please distinguish that these two teams are different? Not lump them together as "Kentucky" and just assume they deserve to be up in the elite of this year's basketball world yet. Maybe they will be, but let's stop talking about them being there, and let the young team grow into it.

What Did We Learn From Syracuse at Pitt?

When you watch last night's game between the Syracuse Orange and Pittsburgh Panthers there are a few things that you could have taken from it. Entering the game there were some questions about rankings and ratings and what not, and the level of play was one that answered those questions. There were also things that we learned that we might not have been asking the questions to.

The first thing is that both of these teams have a wonderful shot to get to Houston for the Final Four. Pittsburgh has been a top 8 team all year, dropping that low only following their loss to Tennessee and climbing back to now number four in the country since. Syracuse began at 10 or 11 depending on your poll, and has continued to rise to three without suffering a loss prior to last night. Last night we saw that when these two teams are playing the way they are capable of that they can beat anyone.

Pittsburgh came out as hot as a team could be on both sides of the ball, and Syracuse unfortunately came out looking like a scared team that could not do anything right, and it led to a 19-0 hole. Then when they turned it on they were able to go on a 17-0 run in the house of one of the five best teams in America. That tells me these two teams can reach the level of unstoppable against anyone, and when they are on you do not want to play them.

Secondly, I think we learned that Pittsburgh is the most disciplined team in the country, and Jamie Dixon, despite what Jim Calhoun and Steve Fisher are doing, should probably be the leading candidate for Coach of the Year. He gets everything from his players, and seems to always have them in the right positions doing the right things.

The reason they were able to win last night was because of how trained they were to beat the zone. They were getting the ball to the foul line and making plays. They seamlessly got the ball to the short corner and attacked the basket, only to show how well coached they are by making the right decision almost every time.

Next thing we learned was that Syracuse, despite their early season scores and close calls, and what Jim Boeheim has been saying, Syracuse is definitely in that top tier of schools. You look at the close games they had with teams like North Carolina State, Georgia Tech, and William and Mary and you think that this team might not be good as their ranking and their record. But if you watched last night, without their leading scorer and probably most talented player, they went toe-to-toe with possibly the best team in the nation and almost beat them on their floor. These Orange are going to be a team that will make a run in the tournament.

That Pittsburgh is probably the deepest team in the nation, feeling very confident going four to five guys deep both on the perimeter and on the front line. They have the ability to bring their 10th and maybe even their 11th man off the bench and be able to compete, and that is incredible, and by far the deepest team I have seen this year, and maybe back to the UCONN team with guys like Rudy Gay, Charlie Villanueva and Marcus Williams.

They have reserves that would start at probably 10 of the other schools in the Big East, the top conference in the nation. Dante Taylor, Travon Woodall and Talib Zanna are the future for Pittsburgh and they would be the now for many teams.

We also learned that Syracuse one heck of a freshman class and bright future. You look at the way that Fab Melo could play in their previous game against Cincinnati when he got into the flow and you see some promise, along with the way Baye Moussa-Keita has played early in the season and you see potential with the bigs. Then last night, in that hostile environment when the team was in a hole early without Kris Joseph, and you see CJ Fair step up the way he did and lead the team in scoring and you can not help but be impressed. The way Dion Waiters came in off the bench and played a really solid all around game. These freshman can play and they are going to certainly be ready for the tournament given they have 12 more games before even the Big East Tournament, and that makes Syracuse that much more dangerous. Boeheim saw last night he can count on those two, along with James Southerland who was seldom used as a freshman and is coming into his own.

The last thing we learned is that Rick Jackson is playing as well as he is in the wrong year, because if it were not for Kemba Walker he would be the Player of the Year in the Big East. Last night against the top rebounding team in the nation he went up time and time again and was able to get board after board on his way to his 12th double double of the season. He was at times rebounding one on three and winning. then to start the second half the Orange continually went to him down low, and he backed down the bigger Pitt defenders and was able to score with exceptional strength. We learned last night that Rick Jackson is not just doing this against the Morgan States, but he can do it against the best of the best.

So these teams may see one another again in the Big East Tournament, or in the NCAA's, or not at all. But last night definitely proved that they are both teams that have a legit shot at going to Houston, and that other teams should not want to see them on their schedules.

Syracuse at Pittsburgh, Meeting of Heavywights

Tonight at 7:30, on ESPN, the highlight of Big Monday, two top five teams are going to meet to decide who the top team in the Big East is, at least in mid-January. Syracuse will travel down to Pittsburgh, walk into the zoo, and try to do what no top five team has done there. Win. Pittsburgh has never lost to a top five team at home in the court's short existence, and if the Panthers continue that trend they will most likely find themselves back in the top two or three of the polls.

The two teams are a combined 35-1, 10-0 in the Big East, and the winner will take a large step in the direction of winning the regular season title with this being their only match up of the year. The game took a slight hit on Saturday, when Syracuse's Kris Joseph, the team's leading scorer, smacked his head one the dome floor as he fell. With concussion symptoms Joseph did not travel with the team and will not be able to play in the monster match.

Those that will be playing though, they know that just because Joseph is not playing does not mean they have to stop, that the game has already been decided. They both have things that they will have to do in order to grab the victory and control of the Big East.

Syracuse

• In order for Syracuse to win they will have to rebound. Pittsburgh has a large and athletic front line that does a great job of rebounding. In order to prevent second chance points, and get some run outs to beat they're great defense Syracuse will have to crash the boards.
• The 2-3 zone has to play tight and close down the passing lanes. Pittsburgh is very unselfish and moves the ball extremely well as a unit, and they should be able to find holes in the zone that other teams do not.
  
• Also in the zone Syracuse has to recognize the shooters. Pittsburgh shoots the three very well, but their key is not taking bad shots. So the Orange have to find Ashton Gibbs and Brad Wannamaker on the perimeter, the two best shooters. If they are able to limit their open shots then they will be able to limit their success from beyond the arc.
• Play inside-outside more. Pittsburgh has a big front line, so Rick Jackson may not score as many points as he would like, but he has to get his touches. Syracuse has shooters that can spot up and step into their shot well, and the inside-outside part of their game will work well.
• Finally, the Orange can't be too aggressive, and need their freshman to step up on the road, which isn't a small task. With the injury to Joseph C.J. Fair will certainly see a lot more time as the first forward off the bench (assuming that James Southerland steps into the starting spot), and Dion Waiters will have to play within himself and under control. Fab Melo will be in a game that suits him with a bigger front line that Pittsburgh has, and both him and Baye Moussa-Keita will have to put rebounding into the forefront of their minds.

Pittsburgh

• For the Panthers to win they have to have patience against the zone. Pittsburgh has the ball handlers, passers and shooters that are able to take their time and get open shots against the long and athletic Orange defenders. Jamie Dixon will put them in the right spots, and it is up to the players to execute.
• They have to attack Rick Jackson and get him in foul trouble. With Joseph not playing the front line not only loses a leader, but they lose a body. If the Panthers are able to get Jackson in foul trouble they will be seeing a freshman in the middle, on the road, in a huge game. Along with a freshman and an inexperienced Sophomore on the wings. Rick Jackson is the key.
• Lastly the Panthers will have to limit their turnovers and protect the ball. Syracuse thrives off of turnovers and getting into the break and scoring in transition, where their athleticism is lethal. If the Panthers make them score in the half court it will slow them down, and their own stingy defense can limit the looks of the Orange.

Lately the Panthers have dominated this match up, winning 12 out of 15, and the Orange were not helped by Joseph getting hurt. Their are two ways to see this game, Pittsburgh controlling the tempo at home and shutting down the man down Orange, or Syracuse with their length and athleticism being able to force turnovers and score in transition.

Heart Prediction: Syracuse 72 Pittsburgh 65
Head Prediction: Pittsburgh 76 Syracuse 68

Let's see what will win out.

Rodgers Dominates as Roethlisberger and Defense Shine

The games on Saturday night were taken over by two performances, Aaron Rodgers being nearly flawless for the Green Bay Packers, and Ben Roethlisberger taking over in the second half to conquer the Baltimore Ravens. In the typically low-scoring rivalry between the Steelers and Ravens, Pittsburgh was able to win in a game that had the highest combined amount of points between the two since 2002. Rodgers and the Packers took control of the game in the second quarter and the Atlanta Falcons never recovered.

The Steelers game began as many expected, the Ravens ending the first possession of the game with a punt. From there, it was not exactly easy to anticipate. The Steelers were able to go right down the field and score on their first drive to take a quick 7-0 lead. The Ravens would then score 21 straight points, helped out greatly by two turnovers by the Steelers in their own territory.

Then came the second half, a half that saw the Steelers score 24 points on their way to a 31-24 win, and a chance to host the AFC Championship game next week. Roethlisberger led the way, controlling the game in the second half on his way to throwing for 226 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Roethlisberger was able to move the ball against the stout Ravens defense, who did all they could to keep their season alive.

The Steelers defense was able to truly dominate the game in front of the home crowd. Of the 24 points given up, seven came on a fumble return in a play where almost all the players on the field stopped anticipating the ruling of an incomplete pass. But the Steelers were able to hold the Ravens to only 126 total yards of offense, not completely new territory for the team that led the league in scoring defense and was second in yards per game defense. They also created huge momentum plays, including a crucial interception of Joe Flacco by the safety Ryan Clark. Finally, the secondary did an incredible job, holding the top two receivers for the Ravens, Anquan Boldin and Derrick Mason, to a combined one catch for negative two yards.

The win made the Steelers a perfect 9-0 against division opponents in the playoffs. They will now surely be glued to their televisions tomorrow to see who and where they will be playing the AFC Championship game after the defense and Roethlisberger were able to lead them to victory.

The game between the Packers and Falcons can really be summed up by six words: Aaron Rodgers and interception before halftime.

While Aaron Rodgers was, to put it bluntly, as close to perfect without being perfect, the game also came down to one play and one decision in my mind, that last play of the half.

After leading 14-7 the Falcons had conceded the next 14 points, but were driving right before halftime, and in range for Matt Bryant to attempt roughly a 52-yard field goal. However, with no timeouts and only 10 seconds remaining the Falcons wanted to try and get a little closer for Bryant, and ran a play towards the sideline. Well wouldn't ya know, Tramon Williams picks the ball off and returns it 70 yards. Just like that the Packers go into halftime with a 28-14 lead, and how much more momentum can ya have?

Well I guess you could have a little bit more, such as getting the ball to start the half and scoring another touchdown to cap off a 12-play drive that took 6:32 off the clock. Why the Falcons tried a play where it was obvious, moreso than most times, that they absolutely needed to get to the sideline was beyond me. They make that field goal, go into halftime down 21-17 but with a little momentum for yourselves, and who knows how the rest of the game goes.

Okay, now that the hypothetical of this actually still being a game going into, and just after that first drive of the second half, let us get to the reality of this game, and that is the fact that Aaron Rodgers was literally unstoppable.

In the game Rodgers went a modest 31-36 with 366 yards and three touchdowns. Not that bad. Oh and his quarterback rating, already the first player to have it over 120 in both of his first two NFL playoff starts, well he did it again, setting the bar a bit higher. You really can't say enough about how great he played, every decision, scramble, throw was great. One of the greatest and most flawless playoff performances you are going to see, and he led them to the win, and a berth in the NFC Championship game.

Rodgers could not have summed up his game and the night any better:

"It was one of those nights. Guys made some big plays. I felt in the zone. . . .  We had fun all night. . . .  It feels so good."

Game of the Day: Ravens at Steelers

This weekend is full of rematches, and in the AFC there are two rubber matches, and it all gets kicked off with the most intriguing game of the weekend with the Baltimore Ravens traveling to Pittsburgh to meet up yet again with the Steelers.

Arguably the best rivalry in the past decade in the NFL, these two teams aren't really separated by that much within the rivalry. In their 17 meetings since 2003 the Steelers hold the slightest of edges 9-8, and in those games they have each scored 302 points. Just this year the Ravens won the week four matchup 17-14, and Pittsburgh then came back and won the rematch 13-10.

These teams are so evenly matched, and even in terms of personnel, it is a little eerie. They each have quarterbacks that have shown they can win in the playoffs, dual threat running backs, a standout defense that has play making safeties and top tier linebackers, and young ambitious coaches. Two teams, two organizations, so evenly matched where do they grab the upper hand?

The Steelers know where to turn when they need a big play, a big drive, a big game, and that is to Ben Roethlisberger. He has been able to prove time and again that when it is needed he will come through and make a play (just ask the Arizona Cardinals). While Joe Flacco has done well in road playoff games, he has struggled with the Steelers, and has not won a game in which Roethlisberger has started. That is an advantage, a huge one, that the Steelers come in with.

Then again, the Ravens have an advantage of their own, wears number 27, Ray Rice. Though he struggled in both match ups between the two this year, Rice amassed nearly 2,000 yards from scrimmage. Getting Rice going will be a big factor for the Ravens in ball control, and Rice will also be very active in the passing game. In the Wildcard playoff match up with the Kansas City Chiefs Flacco consistently checked down to Rice, averaging over eight yards a catch and scored a touchdown. Though there are reports that Rice currently has a stomach virus, something to certainly keep watch of.

This game is sure to be one that is close throughout, and whoever makes a play late is most likely to come away with the victory. So who do I see coming away with the win? Frankly, I think whoever has the safety who makes more plays. Ed Reed and Troy Polamalu are hands down the two best safeties in the game, both great playmakers, so it comes down to who will make more for their team in a game that will probably be a defensive battle.

I think that Roethlisberger will win the quarterback battle, end up between 200 and 250 yards and a touchdown, with Flacco throwing an interception along the way for the Ravens. Rice will struggle running the ball because the Steelers will probably want Flacco to try and beat them, but Rice should be active out of the backfield and help the Ravens move the ball to get points on the board.

My prediction, Steelers win the game 20-16 and move onto the AFC Championship. Big Ben is able to control the tempo as they see fit, and the Ravens are playing from behind early. Neither team will be running away with it at any point, instead it is nip and tuck like always given that Rice does play and is at near full strength. Would you expect anything less though between the two?

Can it Live Up to the Hype?

Isn't that what we are all asking ourselves? Or perhaps should it be? Through all of Rex Ryan's vendettas, Antonio Cromartie's rants, and Tom Brady's annoying shrug off smiles, the question is will the game even be worth all of this? By now if you have watched any coverage of the game you know all about the 45-3 whooping the Patriots gave the Jets in their last meeting. So what is going to be different?

Why the Jets will make this a different game:

I think it is probably on the Jets to make this game different, they are going to have to go and make it different, rather than rely on the Patriots to make mistakes. It all really starts with Mark Sanchez, who has to take care of the ball and lead long drives to keep the defense well rested and the Patriots offense off of the field, much like they did against the Colts.

Sanchez has to play as he did in the game the Jets won at Pittsburgh, where he only threw for 170 yards, but he had zero interceptions and even ran one in for a big score in the 22-17 win. If Sanchez is able to control the ball then the chances of a Jets win increase dramatically, especially given the three interceptions he threw in that romp by the Patriots.

Control the line of scrimmage, it is something that you hear all the time, but with the two styles of play here it is most crucial. Against the Colts the Jets dominated the line of scrimmage, leading to complete control of the clock in the second half, and having both running backs over 70 yards, as well as the offense running 69 plays compared to the Colts 53. It also takes precedence on the defensive side of the ball too, because the more chances the Jets defense gets to go into passing situations, the better chances they have of stopping the Patriots. The element of surprise gone will aid a defense like the Jets drastically.

Finally, it comes down to the Jets secondary. There is no hiding the thrashing that Brady put on the Jets on that Monday night, and in order to stay close enough to continue running the ball the need to not let that passing game just walk all over them. The interesting thing this week will be who Darrelle Revis matches up with. After essentially taking Reggie Wayne out of the Wild Card match up last Saturday (whether it consisted of him getting away with holds or not), it will be on him to cut off either Wes Welker or Deion Branch presumably. I would think that given his quickness and ability to sneak a hold in, and a quick grab here and there (or most plays), Welker would be his mark. Take Welker away and Brady loses his most prized scape goat and first down target.

Why the Patriots will make it seem like deja vu:

Tom Brady has not thrown an interception since week six against the Ravens. He is not giving the ball back to the opposing team, and that ball control has led to the Patriots an 10-1 record since then, including wins over playoff teams in the Colts, Steelers, Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears, and of course the Jets (not to mention winning that game against the Ravens in which he threw two). The ball control the Patriots appear to be in line for will cripple the Jets chances at keeping the run game going on the other side of the ball.

The Patriots defense has seemingly turned it around, as in the last five games they have given up a total of 47 points in the five victories. That includes 27 to the Packers in a win. A nine point average, and only an average of five if you were to remove that game against the Packers. The defense has also been stout against the run, finishing in the top 11 in the league against it, giving up just over 100 yards per game.

Injuries to the Jets is a third variable, especially in the secondary. In the previous match up the Jets lost starting safety, and secondary quarterback, Jim Leonhard in the week leading up to the game which was apparent throughout the game, in the midst of Brady having four passing touchdowns. So aside from having an advantage with Eric Smith continuing in the secondary, the Jets also had nickel back Drew Coleman get injured in this week leading up to the game. So while Revis and Cromartie may do a great job in guarding both Welker and Branch, the likelihood of Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez having big numbers against the injured secondary increases, with Brady looking to both tight ends frequently. Also, going back to controlling the line of scrimmage, veteran starter Damien Woody has been sidelined this week due to an achilles injury, making it that much tougher on the run game and Sanchez.

In this rubber match it would appear that the Patriots have a huge upper hand, given the injuries, home field advantage, and just the sheer dominance they showed in the previous match up. While the Jets could keep it closer, in fact much closer, it seems that the variables are in the favor of the Patriots once again. But one thing for sure is that in Rex Ryan's revenge tour you can expect it to be a physical and entertaining game in terms of headlines. At this point though, signs seem to point to Foxboro being home to another AFC Championship game.