Pine Island’s Schmidt gets beam surprise at State

When Pine Island gymnast Brittany Schmidt landed the final dismount of her gymnastics career, a slight grimace emerged upon her face.

“I just thought I could do better,” she said of her balance beam routine at the State Class A individual meet, Saturday at the University of Minnesota’s Sports Pavilion.

After sticking her beam finish, Schmidt was greeted and consoled by her coach, Chris Templeton. The two rejoined the other Panthers gymnasts as the remainder of 1A rotation of the beam competition resumed.

About an hour later, at the awards ceremony, Schmidt was seated with her teammates on the floor exercise mat as the winners were announced. Templeton stood nearby, unsuspecting any of his athletes earning medals - which would mean top six finishes in each gymnast’s respective events.

But then it came. Schmidt was announced as the fifth place medalist in balance beam.

“[It’s] nothing that I can explain, it was just overwhelming,” said the Pine Island senior, describing the moment her name was called.

“I was very surprised,” Schmidt said. “I just never thought I would place at state.”

Templeton was shocked as well, pumping his fist with pride. He described his pupil’s performance minutes before Schmidt had stepped atop the wooden platform adorned with a brown No. 5.

“Bars are her event,” Templeton said. “She took a fall on that, so she was very disappointed.”
When a gymnast falls, an automatic 0.5-point deduction is applied to her score. Schmidt’s uneven bars score was an 8.30, meriting an 18th place finish.

“In order for her to come back, re-gather herself and stick her beam the way that she did, it really speaks to the maturity that she has,” Templeton said. “Beam was her last event as a high school gymnast and she stuck it.”

Schmidt’s score on balance beam was 9.15.

Pine Island had three other gymnasts competing Saturday - Chelsie Glabe, Siera McNallan and Brenna Ruegg. McNallan and Ruegg each nabbed ninth-place finishes - McNallan in floor exercise (posting a 9.30), Ruegg in vault (9.425).

Schmidt’s medal was the first Pine Island captured at State since 2008, when Sarah Lerum earned three medals - placing third in floor, fourth in all-around and fifth in bars. Saturday was also the first time in Pine Island history that three gymnasts earned top ten finishes.

Other Rochester area Class A girls who competed were Austin’s Abby Bickler and Selena Hataye; Megan Lawson and Laura Mesenburg of Byron-Lourdes; Rochelle Thesing (LaCresent); and Hope Stremcha (Caledonia/Spring Grove/Houston).

Thesing earned a sixth-place medal in the all-around competition (with a score of 36.35), she also nearly earned a second (finishing seventh in bars, 9.0).


Pair of Mayo gymnasts compete in Class AA floor and vault
Hours after Class A concluded, a new crop of gymnasts stretched out and chalked up their hands in preparation for State AA individual competition.

Rochester Mayo seniors Leah Butterbaugh and Kayla Wiltrout competed in the floor exercise and vault events, respectively.

Butterbaugh performed first, as the fifth competitor in the first rotation (of eight) in floor. She executed her routine very well according to her Mayo coaches, Abby Siems and Dan Christy, among others.

Thus her score, a 9.2, befuddled them.

“The scores didn’t reflect what we thought she earned,” Siems said. “But that’s how gymnastics goes and there’s nothing we can do about it.”

A teary-eyed Butterbaugh also thought she deserved better. After accomplishing a career-high 9.65 at sections, her grade at State was tough to take.

“I think I did a good routine, except in my last [tumble] pass I piked out a little bit and that may have brought it down,” she said. “I felt I should have gotten a higher score, but that’s how it is.”

The suspect scoring aside, Butterbaugh’s coach approved her effort.

“Getting here [to State] is an accomplishment, she has a lot to be proud of even if it didn’t meet her expectations or what we had hoped for,” Siems said.

Approximately forty minutes after Butterbaugh’s floor exhibition, on the other side of the Pavilion was Wiltrout, who had her sights set on the vault.

Each vault competitor had two attempts. Christy explained there are three types of finishes a gymnast can attempt after she springs off the pommel horse - a tuck, pike and a layout, where the legs are either tucked in, slightly bent or straight out. Each having its own degree of difficulty.

A flawlessly executed tuck merits a 9.6, a perfect pike nets a 9.8, and an unblemished layout must be performed to achieve a 10.

In Wiltrout’s case, she went with her bread-and-butter, a pike, on her first attempt and a layout on the second. The results were 9.50 and 9.525, respectively. Christy said Wiltrout’s layout was something he and her had been working on all year but only used in competition in her last couple meets.

“I’ve been working on that Tsuk for a while,” said Wiltrout of her layout attempt, which included a Tsukahara (a midair move involving a half turn off the springboard onto the horse and a push backward into a flip). “It’s my last meet, so I went all out and hoped for the best.”

Wiltrout’s scores landed her in 15th place, which satisfied the Spartans senior. She said reaching State was something she had strived for since first entering high school.

“When you set a goal and say you want to make State and you make State, that’s a good year no matter how you look at it,” Christy said.


**This story was written for the Rochester Post-Bulletin. It's coverage of Rochester area high schools for Minnesota Class A and Class AA State gymnastics meet.
**Photos were taken by Post-Bulletin photographer, Jack Boder

Eastview downs Apple Valley despite Jones’ career-high

Apple Valley freshman phenom Tyus Jones tied his career-high scoring mark last night, but it was rival Eastview who invaded his home court and claimed the victory.

“We’re very spoiled to have him here, he’s such a good point guard, he gets us organized and he had a great night,” said Zach Goring, Apple Valley’s head coach.

Goring’s floor general tallied 33 points and seven assists for the Eagles, but Eastview emerged the superior team, defeating Apple Valley 74-67.

Eastview’s win sealed the season sweep over Apple Valley - the Lightning defeated the Eagles 50-44 on Jan. 14.

Last night - much like the first game - it was the Eastview bigs that were the difference. Junior forward Joey King poured in 30 points and senior Frank Veldman pulled down a game-high eight rebounds.

“They’re strong post players,” Goring said of Eastview’s frontcourt. “I know over there (in the game at Easview) they had 18 offensive rebounds and tonight they were up 10 on the glass again. Against a team like that, that shoots that well, we need to secure those rebounds.”

Despite the rebounding disparity, Goring’s team had its chances tonight.

Forty-five seconds into the game, Tyus Jones had two baskets and it was 4-0 Eagles. But the Lightning immediately responded to Jones’ second hoop as forward Frank Veldman opened Eastview’s scoring with a thunderous dunk.

Oddly enough, nearly two hours later, Veldman finished Eastview’s scoring with another dunk.

In the game’s waning moments, three Eagles defenders had Eastview’s Ben Oberfeld pinned near the boundary line under his own basket, when Oberfeld somehow managed to squeak a pass through to a teammate, which quickly led to the game-sealing slam.

“He pitched it ahead, [another Eastview player] pitched it ahead, dunk,” Goring said, recalling how fast the play transpired.

“We’re not a great pressing team, we’re more of a half-court, get back and defend team,” he added. “When it gets to the end of the game, we’re taking chances, trying to make plays and we fouled guys.”

Goring was also speaking to the consecutive old-fashioned threes the Lightning accomplished prior to the dunk.

Apple Valley cut its deficit to four on a Jones’ lay-up with two minutes remaining; but King and Oberfeld both made hoops plus free throws, and suddenly Eastview’s lead balooned to 72-62 with 42 ticks to spare.

Tom Schalk, Apple Valley’s leading scorer - who had 18 points and six rebounds for the night - shared his postgame thoughts.

“It was just discouraging, really discouraging,” Schalk said. “They killed us on the boards down the stretch, made plays when they needed to and took over down the stretch.”

Jones acknowledged his high-scoring night and that he tried his best to help his team win, but also expressed his disappointment with the loss.

“I was just trying to get the team a W, whatever it took to get the win,” Jones said. “If I had to get scoring, I was going to score, if I had to get other people in position to score, I would to do that. I was just taking what was open, which [tonight] was scoring.”

“It was a tough battle, we played a tough Eastview team,” he added. “In the second half we just couldn’t buckle down and get the stops we needed, and they went on their run.”

Another key part of the game, which Goring was particular upset with, was toward the end of the first half. His team was up 10 points with less than a minute remaining, when suddenly that lead evaporated to five in an instant.

“At one point, we were up 41-31 with a minute left” Goring said. “[Then], ten to five in the snap of a finger.”

Despite the disappointment, Goring said he told his team to stay positive and “hopefully we’ll see those guys a third time.”

The Eagles will hope to have get that chance as both teams prepare for sections and state, which start in less than three weeks.






**This was written for Sun Newspapers, to be posted as online content for the paper's website. There were some difficulties with my camera and taking game photos, thus not many of them did not turn out and the ones that did aren't nearly as satisfactory as I hoped. The first Tyus Jones picture was shot after the game. Descriptions of the photos in the story - from top to bottom - are as follows: Tyus Jones (post-game), Jones (21) in the Apple Valley huddle, Tom Schalk (30) preparing for an in-bounds play, Apple Valley Eagles basketball team (pre-game)

Tribute to Griffey: An Epitaph for My Cat

It was approximately 12:15 on the afternoon of Saturday, February 12 2011 when my beloved cat - Griffin Kenneth “Griffey” Barthel - looked at me with despair.

His right eyeball almost entirely above the upper ridge of his eye frame, Griffey appeared dazed and confused as he meowed for my attention. Peering downward from my computer chair, I noticed his nearly all-white eye and my heart immediately saddened for my poor pet’s problem.

The past few weeks, my 20-year-old cat seemed in decent health - especially for his age. But the revelation of this latest impairment to my fair Griffey instantly led me to a gravely imminent decision - it’s time. It’s time for Griffey to be eternally rested.

As difficult it is for me to see this happen, I’ve already been preparing myself for several weeks and months for the death of another dear spirit - my grandma, Ceil Barthel. My precious 94-year-old grandmother’s rapidly declining health aside, Griffey still appeared in good health and spirits.

At the fragile stage of 20 years’ age, Griffey’s had the natural propensities of weaker legs, increased lethargy and general slowness. But he has also been enjoying life’s two most essential needs - food and love.

Despite spending countless hours - perhaps 21 or 22 a day - sleeping near the heat register of my bedroom, Griffey portrayed vigorous excitement when presented with a fresh bowl of food beneath his eagerly awaiting mouth. Also, he has continued to show his appreciation for affection, releasing a smooth purr when receiving soft hugs or gentle touches of my hand on daily occurrences.

Thoughts of Griffey living another six months or one-to-two years crossed my mind, until that fateful Saturday - yesterday. It’s time for him to go, time for him to ascend upward to the holy pet haven in the sky.

Besides a brief time with one other kitten, Griffey has been the sole pet and soul part of my life. The warmth, the joy, the calm, the care, Griffey has been a constant companion over my ever evolving existence.

My heart, my care, my love ... they all run deep with the joy you’ve bestowed upon me, Griffey. Yes, my dear friend, you can rest assured that you will never be forgotten.

Love always and forever,
-Jeff

**Written Sunday, Feb. 13 (in preparation of my dear cat's passing)

Super Bowl XLV: Green Bay v. Pittsburgh

Picture one hundred and six athletes donning golden polyester pants. Now picture these players wearing pads and helmets, butting heads with one another.

Such will be the scene tomorrow night in Arlington, Texas, as the Packers and Steelers compete in the NFL’s 45th Super Bowl.

Pairing up its gold with green will be Mike McCarthy’s Green Bay club, while Mike Tomlin’s Pittsburgh team supplements its Steelers gold with black.

But colors - much to dismay of superstitious fans - will not determine the game’s victor. No, the spoils shall go to the team that puts for the best effort and (in most cases) benefits from a little more luck.

So who will take home this year’s Lombardi Trophy?

I'm predicting the Packers to win by four.

Naturally the two cold-weather teams face off in a uncharacteristically cold and icy in Dallas / Fort Worth area. However, the climate-controlled Cowboy Stadium should negate that factor.

So why choose Green Bay as opposed to Pittsburgh?

Two primary reasons, (1) Aaron Rodgers has been the hottest quarterback in football over the past couple of months and (2) Green Bay’s speed - in particular its receiving corps, secondary and lead linebacker.

Sure, at 28 years of age, Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger eyes a third championship ring while Rodgers completes his third full season. But Rodgers - despite unrelenting disdain from Vikings and Bears fans - is the better choice for this title game.

Yes, Big Ben seems to have that special knack - despite lackluster numbers - to make the big play and win the big game, but tomorrow is Rodgers’ time to shine.

The 27-year-old led the NFC with a 101.2 passer rating this year and played a near-flawless gem in his last indoor contest - a 48-21 win over the top-seeded Falcons Jan. 15 in Atlanta. By game’s end tomorrow, expect Rodgers to fully vanquish any lingering stigma of his legendary Packers predecessor, Brett Favre.

But enough about Rodgers and Roethlisberger. Signal-callers aside the Pack has other reasons its better equipped for tomorrow’s tilt than Pittsburgh.

Receivers and overall team speed.

The Steelers have arguably the fastest wide receiver in football in Mike Wallace (with Philadelphia’s DeSean Jackson being right there with him). However, while Wallace has been impressive - 60 catches, a 21.0 yards-per-catch average and 10 TDs in his second NFL season - his team’s other top wide-out is a slowly fading, 34-year-old Hines Ward.

Green Bay, on the other hand, has Wallace’s superior in 27-year-old WR Greg Jennings; not to mention wily veteran Donald Driver and young guns James Jones and Jordy Nelson.

On a team that spreads its passes to several targets, Jennings totaled team-highs and ranked among league leaders in catches (76), receiving yards (1,265) and touchdowns (12). The fifth-year player is healthy and in his prime, and he’s consistently displayed the capability of both making the key third-down catch and hauling in the homerun.

Driver, Green Bay’s eldest receiver, is older than Ward but still caught 51 balls this year and has been instrumental in the mentorship of Rodgers, Jennings, Jones and Nelson.

Lastly, in terms of the Packers advantage in team speed, is the team's edge at the quarterback position.

The 6-foot-5, 240-pound Roethlisberger can be very crafty as a runner (with his ability to shake off opposing sackmasters), but Rodgers has proven to have the faster set of feet. He used his quickness to tally 356 rushing yards this season, which trailed only two other NFL quarterbacks - Philadelphia’s Michael Vick and Tampa’s Josh Freeman.

Defensively, the Packers also have the advantage in speed.

In the team's backfield, on one side stands 2009 NFL Defensive Player of the Year and 7-time Pro Bowler Charles Woodson; on the other side is Green Bay’s postseason standout Tramon Williams - who has three interceptions, including one for a 70-yard touchdown, in three games. The Woodson and Williams tandem trumps a respectable Steelers duo of Ike Taylor and Bryant McFadden.

The Packers also have the faster linebacker in rising star Clay Matthews.

Pittsburgh’s James Harrison may be the tougher and more accomplished LB - as evidenced by his four Pro Bowl selections - but the veteran was out-sacked by Matthews this season (13.5 to 10.5). The second-year Matthews has excelled in the playoffs as well, using his instincts and quickness to corral a team-high 3.5 sacks this postseason.

While Green Bay may have the edge in quarterback and speed, Pittsburgh definitely has the upper hand in Super Bowl experience.

Roethlisberger (as mentioned above) has two titles under his belt - leading his Steelers to Super Bowl wins over Seattle in 2005 and Arizona in 2008. Moreover, veteran teammates Harrison, Ward and 2010 Defensive Player of the Year Troy Polamalu were also present and played key roles in those championships.

Then there’s coaching, where Pittsburgh's Coach Tomlin holds the experience edge over Green Bay's McCarthy.

Tomlin has captained the Steelers to its 2008 title, his teams are a combined 5-1 in postseason play and if the Steelers defeat the Packers tomorrow, Tomlin will become the youngest coach ever to have won two Super Bowls. McCarthy is in his fifth season as head coach and will be making his Super Bowl debut.

For me, all this adds up to a 24-20 Green Bay victory.

It’s a tough game to call, but I’m taking Rodgers over Roethlisberger and youth over experience in this contest.

One thing’s for sure, it should be an entertaining extravaganza. Dallas GM Jerry Jones’ 2010 Cowboys team may not have panned out like he hoped it would, but his billion dollar, 110,000 capacity stadium surely will.

NFL fans: Get your popcorn ready, because a record-setting crowd and an exceptionally electrifying atmosphere awaits you as Super Bowl XLV kicks off tomorrow night in the heart of Texas.

Mr. Rodgers or Big Ben?

A 27-year-old Californian in his third season as a starter or a 28-year-old owner of two Lombardi trophies. Which is the best quarterback option for Super Bowl XLV?

Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers leads his Packers into the Feb. 6 game for his first shot at an NFL championship while Pittsburgh’s Ben Roethlisberger seeks title No. 3. The Steelers QB is the more accomplished, but Rodgers is arguably the better quarterback this season.

So, again, which one would you like leading your squad into the grandest game in professional sports? The newbie or the two-time champ?

Let’s take a deeper look.

The most prominent quarterback in Green Bay history finished his 2010 season with a 5-11 record for the Packers’ arch rival, the Minnesota Vikings. Meanwhile, Brett Favre’s replacement - Rodgers - has rapidly become an elite quarterback in his own right.

Rodgers swapped his headset for a Cheesehead helmet in 2008, after his predecessor became property of the New York Jets. After three seasons on the sideline, Green Bay’s 2005 1st round draft pick made his starting debut on Sept. 8 against Minnesota.

In that game, Rodgers promptly responded to the challenge completing 18 of 22 passes in leading the Packers to a 24-19 defeat of the Vikings in front of his Lambeau Field faithful. A sign of good things to come for the young quarterback and his cheesy Packers fan base.

Following the win, the new Green Bay signal caller would take his learning bumps in finishing his first season with a 6-10 record.

Rodgers excelled steadily and in 2009 achieved a 103.2 rating (nearly 10 points higher than 2008) and passed for 4,434 yards and 30 touchdowns in leading Green Bay to a 11-5 record and a wildcard playoff berth.

Despite the success, comparisons with Favre were as prevalent as ever. Not only did the 40-year-old, gray-bearded bravado have a better season than Rodgers last year, Favre led Minnesota to the NFC championship game.

Can Rodgers ever be as good as Favre? Will he ever step out of the Green Bay legend’s shadow?

Such questions often echoed in Cheesehead minds throughout Rodgers’ first two seasons. Today, Rodgers is providing answers, most of them encouraging.

Case in point, Jan. 15, when the sixth-seeded Packers faced top seed Atlanta in the Georgia Dome. Rodgers completed 31-36 passes for 366 yards and 3 TDs - and also rushed a TD - in leading the Pack to a dominating 48-21 victory.

Rodgers backed up that performance by defeating Green Bay’s longstanding rival Bears 21-14 for the NFC title last week at Soldier Field, cementing his first trip to the Super Bowl.

Packers head coach Mike McCarthy commented on his quarterback’s progression from Rodgers‘ first start in 2088 to his first championship game.

“I think any young quarterback who gets this opportunity - there is a ladder you have to climb,” McCarthy said, following Green Bay’s win in Chicago. “Now he gets the challenge to be a Super Bowl champion. To me, it’s the process and the progress of a young, talented, special individual who has taken full advantage of his opportunities.”

Rodgers has rapidly improved each season - passing for 4,038 yards and 28 touchdowns in his rookie season, throwing for 30 scores in 2009 and now leading Green Bay to its first Super Bowl appearance since 1997.

On the AFC side of this year’s championship equation is Roethlisberger.

Big Ben enters Super Bowl XLV with hopes of leading Pittsburgh to its third championship title in six seasons and seventh overall.

Roethlisberger led the Steelers to its previous two Bowl wins (2005 and 2008), while Pittsburgh legend Terry Bradshaw claimed the other four - all in the 1970s.

While Roethlisberger wore a irremovable, beaming smile after the Steelers defeated the New York Jets last week to win the AFC title, the burly QB’s seventh professional season arrived after a tumultuous off-season.

On March 5, 2010 an alleged incident took place at a nightclub in Millidgeville, GA where a 20-year-old woman accused Roethlisberger of sexual assault.

The public, in particular Pittsburgh, grew weary of the accomplished quarterback as investigations ensued. However, on April 12, a district attorney announced there was insufficient evidence and no charges would be filed against Roethlisberger.

While he was able to elude any legal penalties, Roethlisberger was punished by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. He was suspended for six games and mandated to undergo behavior evaluation and counseling.

Months later the NFL announced Roethlisberger met certain behavioral conditions and that his suspension was reduced to four games. Off-field issues aside, most Pittsburgh fans didn’t know what to expect from their team regardless of the quarterback’s absence.

Last year - following its 2008 championship season - the Steelers finished 9-7 and missed the playoffs with a healthy, suspension-free Roethlisberger. Now the team had to start its 2010 season with inexperienced back-up Dennis Dixon and 13-year veteran Charlie Batch at the helm.

Pittsburgh weathered the storm, winning three of its four games without its star QB. When Roethlisberger returned to the field in week five it was like he never missed a beat. He threw for 257 yards and 3 TDs in the team’s Oct. 17 win over the Browns and went on to lead Pittsburgh in winning nine of its final 12 regular season games.

Roethlisberger’s efforts landed a two seed for the Steelers, allowing his team to enter the playoffs with a bye.

On Jan. 15, the 6-foot-5 native of Ohio passed for 226 yards and 2 TDs in leading Pittburgh past its most hated rival, the Baltimore Ravens, 31-24. The win sealed the Steelers a date with the Jets for the AFC title game last weekend.

In that game Roethlisberger had his team off to a great start as Pittsburgh built a commanding 24-0 lead. New York fought back to narrow that lead to five with 3:06 left on the game clock. The Jets defense kept its team’s hopes alive as Pittsburgh faced a 3rd-and-6 situation with two minutes remaining.

That’s when Big Ben made one of his signature clutch plays.

Head coach Rex Ryan’s stingy Jets defense chased Roethlisberger toward his right and had him pinned near the sideline heading out of bounds. It appeared Roethlisberger conceded the play over with and the Steelers would have to punt, when he made a sensational, savvy play to seal his team’s victory.

On the play, just as Roethlisberger’s body language indicated he had given up, he fired a quick strike to Antonio Brown for 14 yards and a first down, thereby clinching his team’s win and inducing Ryan to hurl his headset to the ground in disgust.

Roethlisberger’s clutch connection with Brown sets up a Super Bowl showdown between the Steelers and Packers. The last time these two matched up was Dec. 20 2009 when the Steelers defeated Green Bay 37-36 at Pittsburgh’s Heinz Field.

Roethlisberger passed for a team-record 503 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions in that game. Rodgers wasn't too shabby himself, passing for 383 yards with 3 TDs and no picks.

Thus bringing us back to today. Green Bay’s Rodgers or Pittsburgh’s Roethlisberger - which quarterback would you choose to win Super Bowl XLV?

The answer is to be determined one week from today when the Packers and Steelers battle for football’s ultimate prize 6:29 p.m. (ET) at Cowboy Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Week 17 Pigskin Predictions

**All games this week are played on Sunday (Jan. 2)

Noon Games
FALCONS 31, panthers 10
Atlanta’s offensive star-power propels the Falcons (13-2) to an easy three-touchdown win over the hapless Carolina Panthers. Following a season-low 215 yards Monday Night in a loss to New Orleans, QB Matt Ryan, RB Michael Turner and WR Roddy White lead Atlanta’s offense in accruing 350-400 yards this Sunday against the Panthers. The win clinches home-field advantage in the NFC playoffs. The loss finishes Carolina’s season at 2-14, the team’s worst record since its franchise-low 1-15 record in 2001.

steel 20, BROWNS 6
Out of the playoff chase, Cleveland (5-10) would love nothing more than to spoil its rival of 60 years’ hopes of attaining a two-seed and first round playoff bye. However, Pittsburgh, under head coach Mike Tomlin, is too mentally tough to let the Browns pull the upset. With five-time Pro Bowl safety Troy Polamalu missing his third straight game due to an ankle injury, the remainder of the Steelers defense picks up the slack in leading Pittsburgh to victory.

vikes 24, LIONS 20
The 6-9 Vikings roll into Detroit this Sunday to face the Lions (5-10) in a battle for the NFC North basement. Minnesota comes in to this game following an impressive performance by rookie quarterback Joe Webb - who led the Vikings to a 24-14 win at Philadelphia. Many Vikings fans would like to see what Webb can do for an encore. However, he may not start this game, because the team’s banged-up, 41-year-old, future Hall of Fame quarterback is lobbying for one last start to end his 20-year career. Favre starts for the the Vikings, but he suffers another severe blow that takes him out of the game in the second quarter. Webb relieves Favre and plays well, but Adrian Peterson shines as the team’s brightest star this Sunday as Minnesota wins by four. Despite the defeat, the Lions’ take solace in the team’s solid three-win improvement from last season.

raiders 20, CHIEFS 16
Upset Special: Having clinched a playoff bid with its 34-14 defeat of Tennessee last week, Kansas City has already won its division as the team hosts AFC West rival Oakland at Arrowhead Stadium this Sunday. Sewn in as a 3- or 4-seed in the playoffs, one may think there’s not a great deal to gain this weekend. However, the Raiders (7-8) defeated KC earlier this season - a 23-30 overtime victory on Nov. 7 - and are looking to finish its season with a 6-0 division sweep. Raiders RB Darren McFadden totes the ball 30 times this Sunday as Oakland succeeds its unblemished AFC West mission in defeating its playoff-bound foes by four.

PATS 27, fins 20
With its 2010 NFL shoo-in MVP, Tom Brady, out for the bulk of this Sunday’s tilt against Miami, the Patriots still manage to win this game by a touchdown. Brady throws a touchdown pass and BenJarvus Green-Ellis rushes for another early in the game, before back-up QB Brain Hoyer guides the team the rest of its way as New England concludes its season with a league-best 14-2 record. The Dolphins are unable to stunt its disappointing downward slide - losing five of its last seven games - as the team finish its season at 7-9. The loss is soon after followed by the firing of Miami’s head coach, Tony Sparano.

SAINTS 30, bucs 17
After New Orleans’ disappointing start this season - 3-3 including home losses to Arizona and Cleveland - the defending Super Bowl champs defeated the 12-3 Falcons at Atlanta last week and have a chance to earn the NFC’s top playoff seed at home. The Saints will jump all over division opponent Tampa Bay this Sunday and accomplish a 13-point defeat. Conversely, the Buccaneers end its team’s playoff hopes and conclude its season at 9-7. Drew Brees leads New Orleans, passing for 300 yards and 2 TDs, but his team misses out on that top playoff spot as - virtually at the same time the Saints’ win - the Falcons win their season finale against Carolina. The Bucs fail to make the postseason but are encouraged by the impressive seasons of the team’s budding nucleus. Tampa’s youthful core is led by second-year QB Josh Freeman (3,196 passing yards, 23 TDs and 93.6 rating this season) and supported by rookies Mike Williams (WR - team-high 61 receptions, 924 rec yards and 10 TDs) and LeGarrette Blount (RB - team-high 941 rushing yards with a 5.2 per-carry average).

jets 16, BILLS 10
The Jets (10-5) are in this year’s playoff field already, but would like to finish its season with a staunch defensive effort against division foe Buffalo. Last year, New York’s defensive unit finished its season as the NFL’s best in both yards (252.3 per game) and points (14.8) allowed. This year, Rex Ryan’s gang has slid to 4th in overall defense (300.1 yards allowed per game) and 11th in points surrendered (19.8). With a 13th-ranked offense that has lost its punch in the second half of the season, Ryan knows his team needs a rebirth of its suffocating 2009 defense to succeed in this year’s playoffs. The 4-11 Bills, however, hope to upset the Jets to end its season on a high note. Buffalo has been a tough competitor at times (in games such as week 15’s upset win at Miami), but has appeared lifeless as well (i.e. the team’s 34-3 home loss last weekend). The Bills give it their all, but New York’s D proves triumphant as the Jets win by six.

RAVENS 24, bengals 17
Baltimore is in the playoffs, but could still secure a first-round bye. Cincinnati, meanwhile, is coming off a superbly impressive 34-20 win over the Chargers. The Bengals march into Baltimore’s M & T Bank Stadium and give its divisional foe a tough fight, but 11-time Pro Bowl linebacker Ray Lewis leads Ravens to victory. As Lewis’ career is nearing its end, the wily 15-year veteran turns in a spirited effort this Sunday, enabling his Ravens a week of rest before hosting a second-round playoff game the week after.

Late Games
chargers 27, BRONCOS 17
Phillip Rivers has had an outstanding individual season, but unfortunately for San Diego it takes a team effort to make the playoffs. Rivers’ Chargers (8-7) travel to Denver to play the 4-11 Broncos this Sunday in an AFC West clash. While San Diego is sapped with disappointment, the team would like to finish its season above .500. Denver, meanwhile, has been gauging its rookie quarterback - 2007 Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow - to see if he has what it takes to lead a future Broncos team to the Promise Land. Tebow has fared okay in his first two starts - throwing for 446 yards and 2 TDs throughout a week 15 loss at Oakland and a one-point home win over Houston last week - but has shown that his skills are still very raw. My prediction for this match-up is that Rivers tosses 3 TDs while Tebow throws a pair of picks and the Chargers defeat the Broncos by 10.

PACK 24, bears 17
Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers allows zero chance for longtime rival Chicago to win at Lambeau this weekend. In what is practically a pre-playoff playoff game, the host Packers conquer the Bears and officially earn entry into the postseason. Rodgers passes for 250 yards and two touchdowns while WR Greg Jennings records 100 of those yards and nabs one of those two TDs to lead Green Bay to a seven-point win.

COLTS 27, titans 23
As much as I’d like to see Jacksonville sneak its way into the playoffs, there’s a very flimsy film of a chance Peyton Manning lets that happen. The 2009 league MVP leads Indianapolis to its 4th victory in the past four weeks as the Colts win the AFC South and make the playoffs for its 10th consecutive season.

EAGLES 27, boys 17
The Dallas Cowboys will be in Philadelphia this Sunday in a match-up of division rivals with hobbled starting quarterbacks. Head coach Andy Reid has ruled out Eagles QB Michael Vick (quad) while Dallas QB Jon Kitna may not be able to go due to an oblique injury suffered last week at Arizona. The Cowboys back-up, Stephen McGee (who is actually the team’s third-stringer) filled in nicely last week in engineering a late 4th quarter, lead-taking touchdown drive. Unfortunately for Dallas (5-10), the team lost that game by one point and has to finish its season with this difficult match-up in Philly. McGee plays well for Dallas, but the game’s more experienced back-up - Philadelphia’s Kevin Kolb - leads the Eagles to a 10-point victory.

NINERS 23, cards 10
It’s one win too late for 5-10 San Francisco this Sunday as the team wins its season finale over Arizona (also 5-10) at home. In what has to be the least intriguing game of the NFL’s week 17 slate, one of the two quarterbacking San Francisco Smith’s (Alex or Troy) leads the 49ers in victory. Standout TE Vernon Davis finishes his season in fine fashion, leading the Niners with 8 catches and touchdown.

giants 31, SKINS 17
Eli Manning bounces back from a poor effort last week (in which he threw 4 INTs in his team’s 45-17 loss at Green Bay) to lead the Giants to a season finale win at Washington. The Redskins (6-9) have looked revived as of late, with back-up QB Rex Grossman at the helm; But talent-wise the Skins cannot compete with New York, especially when the Giants are at their best. With his team’s playoff hopes on the line in New York’s final game of the season, I’m expecting Eli to throw brilliantly and lead the Giants to a two-touchdown defeat.

TEXANS 27, jags 20
Jacksonville desperately needs to defeat Houston this Sunday to keep its playoff hopes alive. However, missing its starting quarterback, David Garrard (finger injury) and star running back Maurice Jones-Drew (knee) will make that challenge extremely difficult. As for the Texans, its star player (WR Andre Johnson) is highly unlikely to play Sunday as well. Both teams are not strong defensively, but Houston’s remaining offensive weapons - QB Matt Schaub, RB Arian Foster and WR Jacoby Jones - are much stronger than Jacksonville’s. The Texans have had a disappointing season (especially over its past nine games), but I’m expecting Houston to execute its spoiler role on Sunday and defeat the Jaguars by seven.

Sunday Night Game
rams 23, HAWKS 17
Game of the Week: Sure, maybe I’m taking the easy route by choosing NBC’s featured Sunday Night game as my pick for game of the week. Actually, I believe the network is taking a chance with this match-up. I mean, two sub-.500 teams fighting for a playoff bid?! Wow. That’s unheard of. While the game does decide a playoff berth, with these team’s caliber of play I’m not so certain that there aren’t four or five other games better suited for NBC’s national audience ... However, despite the poor talent collection, the intrigue of a team possibly making the playoffs with a losing record is compelling enough for me to tab this game as week 17’s top best. Yes, if Seattle (6-9) wins this game, the Seahawks will become the first team ever to enter the playoffs having lost more games than its won. If other option occurs, and St. Louis wins this game, the Rams would spoil Seattle’s potential historically dubious feat and garner playoff entry with a mighty 8-8 record. Here’s a rundown of just how poor these teams have been this season:

Seattle ― Offensively: Points scored - 19.6 per game (23rd in the NFL). Yards gained - 295.5 per game (28th) Defensive ranks: Points allowed - 26.7 per game (29th). Yards allowed - 380.9 per game (30th).

St. Louis ― Offensively: Points scored - 18.9 per game (25th in the NFL). Yards gained - 310.8 per game (25th). Defensive ranks: Points allowed - 20.8 (14th). Yards allowed - 337.0 per game (18th).

Seattle is the home team Sunday night, but while I’d love to see history made, I do not see the Seahawks winning this game. Instead, Rams RB Steven Jackson - the lone Pro Bowl representative from either team - will prove to be the difference. St. Louis defeats Seattle by six and thereby joins the 1985 Cleveland Browns and the 2008 San Diego Chargers as the only three teams to win their division with an even, 8-8 record.

Week 16 Pigskin Predictions

Thursday Night Game
STEELERS 23, panthers 10 (written on Thursday, prior to the game)
Carolina (2-12) shows a lot of defensive pluck tonight, but Pittsburgh (10-4) is too strong for the Panthers to pull the upset. The Steelers get strong performances from running back Rashad Mendenhall and wideout Mike Wallace. The team’s third-year RB (Mendenhall) rolls up 120 rushing yards, while Wallace hauls in 5 passes for 120 yards and a touchdown. One positive for Carolina is that the team’s four-time Pro Bowl receiver, Steve Smith, finally has a breakthrough game. I’m predicting for Smith to achieve his first 100-yard game of the season and score his third touchdown of the year for the Panthers’ lone TD.

RESULT: STEELERS 27, panthers 3
Ben Roethlisberger threw for a 320 yards as the Steelers crushed Carolina by 24. Mendenhall didn’t reach the 120 rushing yards I predicted, but Wallace proved me very close to dead-on in catching 4 balls for 104 yards and a TD. So much for the Carolina’s Smith. The Panthers WR caught just 3 passes for 17 yards in his team’s 13th loss of the season. A 4-time Pro Bowler, Smith is having a dismal season as the 31-year-old will enter his team’s final game next week at Atlanta with a mere 46 catches for 554 yards.

Saturday Night Game
boys 31, CARDS 17 (written Saturday morning)
The Cowboys offense stays hot tonight in the desert by celebrating Christmas with a 14-point throttling of the 4-10 Cardinals. Dallas, which comes into tonight’s game having scored 30 or more points in its last five, has a field day against Arizona’s 27th-ranked defense. Back-up QB Jon Kitna has quietly done a superb job filling in for injured starter Tony Romo. Since making his first start this season (Oct. 25), the 38-year-old has passed for 2,250 yards and 15 touchdowns with a 91.4 QB rating. Tonight, Kitna posts his fifth 300-yard passing game of the season, along with 3 TDs. Two of the three include one each for WR Miles Austin and TE Jason Witten. Dallas RBs Felix Jones and Tashard Choice also have solid performances as the Cowboys offense stomps all over Arizona’s weak D. The win improves Dallas to 6-9, while the loss drops the crumby Cards tack on its 11th loss in the team’s first Kurt Warner-less season since 2004.

Sunday Noon Games
pats 31, BILLS 20
Tom Brady and the Pats (12-2) offense extend their impressive streak of 30-plus point games to seven (all wins) as New England beats the Bills tomorrow afternoon in Buffalo. The win also clinches another division title for the Patriots - the team’s seventh in eight seasons - as well as home-field advantage for the AFC playoffs. The Bills compete hard but fall to 4-11. The frustrated franchise finishes its sixth straight losing season next week with a contest against the 10-4 New York Jets.

BEARS 20, jets 13
New York was very impressive last week in defeating the 11-4 Steelers in Pittsburgh. This week the Jets travel to Chicago’s Soldier Field tomorrow with a battle against the Bears. Last week, Chicago (10-4) was able to rebound from a 36-7 pasting at home against New England two weeks ago with a 40-14 romp over the Vikings at the University of Minnesota’s TCF Bank Stadium. The Bears have already secured a spot in the playoffs, but a win Sunday gives them a chance to earn a first-round bye. The Jets (10-4) enter the game with its playoff aspirations still in lingo. Despite a sore shoulder, Jets QB Mark Sanchez plays through the pain in hopes of securing a playoff bid for his team. However, ferocious Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher leads the Chicago defense in stopping Sanchez and defeating the Jets. The Bears wins this game by seven.

ravens 24, BROWNS 16
Cleveland is happy to return home after losing to the 3-11 Bengals last week in Cincinnati. Behind the running back plow that is Peyton Hillis, the Browns put forth a feisty performance for their Dog Pound fans. However, Ray Rice and the Ravens show they are the better team by game’s end as Baltimore wins by eight.

CHIEFS 23, titans 17
Following its impressive 27-13 road win against St. Louis last week, Kansas City (8-6) closes in on the AFC West crown by defeating the Titans. Dwayne Bowe reverts to his mid-season dominance with a 120-yard, TD performance. The loss officially eliminates the Titans (6-8) from playoff contention.

niners 24, RAMS 20
The improved 2010 Rams extend the team’s losing streak to three and thus puts its playoff possibility in jeopardy. Fortunately for the Rams, the team remains in contention despite falling to 6-9. Running back Steven Jackson rolls up 150 combined rushing/receiving yards and a pair of scores for St. Louis. However, San Francisco’s Troy Smith passes for 250 yards and two TDs in leading his team to victory. The 49ers’ win bolsters the team’s shocking playoff hopes. After losing five straight games and six of seven to begin the season, the Niners - who with a win would be 6-9 overall and 4-1 in divisional play - could leave St. Louis in playoff position.

lions 17, FINS 13
Upset Special: Detroit, who enters tomorrow’s game as 3.5-point underdogs, wins its fifth game of the season in defeating the Dolphins in Miami. It’s a step in the right direction for a team that has won two games combined through its 2008 and 2009 seasons. To no surprise, the game’s star player is Calvin Johnson - who collects 6 catches for 100 yards and a touchdown. The touchdown is Johnson’s team-leading 13th of the season.

JAGS 33, skins 23
Jacksonville (8-6 overall, 3-2 AFC South) is listing its Pro Bowl running back, Maurice Jones-Drew, as doubtful with a knee injury for tomorrow’s home game versus Washington. With the playoffs on the line after the Jaguars disappointed its fans by losing a crucial game against division foe Indianapolis last week, I’d be shocked if MJD doesn’t give it a go. Not only does he play tomorrow, Jones-Drew plows through the Washington defense for 100 yards and two touchdowns as Jacksonville downs the Redskins by ten.

Sunday Late Games
chargers 27, BENGALS 13
San Diego (8-6) comes into Cincinnati’s Paul Brown Stadium after back-to-back strong performances - in which the Chargers outscored Kansas City and San Francisco by a collective score of 65-7. The Bengals won last week, but still bear a miserable 3-11 record. Expect Chargers QB Philip Rivers to continue his MVP-caliber season, passing for 300 yards and two touchdowns in leading his team to victory. WR Vincent Jackson also has a nice game for San Diego, hauling in two of Rivers’ passes for touchdowns as the Chargers keep pace with Kansas City in a deadlock for AFC West supremacy.

texans 27, BRONCOS 17
Quarterback Matt Shaub and the high-scoring Texans follow up a rare offensive struggle - scoring 17 points at Tennessee last week - in defeating Denver 27-17. Shaub passes for 250-plus yards and RB Arian Foster earns his eighth 100-yard effort of the season. Rookie QB Tim Tebow (Denver’s 2010 first round draft pick) starts his second consecutive game and passes for 200-230 yards but throws two picks in the loss. Following the team’s 8-8 record last season, this year’s Denver club falls to 3-12 as losers of 10 of its last 11 games.

colts 24, RAIDERS 20
Indianapolis builds off its recent resurgence in eking out a hard fought win at a hostile Oakland-Alameda County Stadium. The host Raiders (7-7) compete strongly, but lose its eighth game of the season. Despite the loss, an admirable effort against the defending AFC champion Colts is an encouraging sight for Oakland - a team that hasn’t posted a .500-or-better record since 2002. Indianapolis’ top running back, Joseph Addai, returns for this game after missing seven straight to help the Colts improve to 9-6 and keep pace division foe Jacksonville in its race for the AFC North crown.

PACK 20, giants 17 in OT
Coming of its mind-boggling, inexcusable loss to Philadelphia at home, the Giants - who allowed four touchdowns in the game’s final 7:28 last week - are desperate to redeem themselves against the Packers. However, a visit to Mr. Rodgers’ neighborhood isn’t exactly a welcoming sight this time of the year. New York (9-5) can guarantee a playoff appearance by defeating the 8-6 Packers tomorrow, but Aaron Rodgers (Green Bay’s Pro Bowl quarterback) has recovered from a concussion and is poised to lead his Cheeseheads to a huge home victory. On a frigid field with temperatures in the teens, two teams both on the cusp of playoff entry battle into overtime tomorrow with Rodgers’ Pack prevailing by a field goal.

BUCS 27, hawks 24 in OT
Tampa Bay lost at home to the lowly Lions last week to drop its record to 8-6. However, the Buccaneers handle the Seahawks (6-8) tomorrow to keep them in contention for a playoff spot. As one of the NFL’s biggest turnaround stories, after Tampa won just three games last season, Bucs head coach Rahim Morris successfully leads his team to its ninth win of 2010. Bucs quarterback Josh Freeman connects with his pair of rookie wideouts, Aurelious Benn and Mike Williams, for touchdowns in leading his team to victory. In the defeat, Seattle’s Mike Williams - a fourth-year WR - collects 7 receptions and a touchdown. Each team’s Mike Willams wide receivers continue their impressive seasons. Tampa’s Williams enters tomorrow’s tilt leading all NFL rookies in receptions (58), receiving yardage (880) and touchdowns (8). Seattle’s Williams - the 10th overall draft pick in the 2005 draft - has 60 catches for 720 yards this season. Williams has revived his career this season as the ex-USC standout has more than doubled his previous season-highs for each of those categories (Williams had 29 grabs for 350 yards in his rookie season with Detroit).

Sunday Night Game
EAGLES 34, vikes 16
The Vikings’ current players who were on Minnesota’s 2002 roster relive the nightmares that Michael Vick gave them on Dec. 1 of that season as the Eagles QB torments them tomorrow night in Philadelphia. In 2002, as a member of the Atlanta Falcons, Vick rushed for a career-high 173 yards - including a memorable 46-yard, game-clinching scamper - as his Falcons defeated the Vikings 30-24 in the Metrodome. This time Vick will not top that single-game, career high rushing total, but he will pass for 250-300 and 3 TDs in giving Philadelphia its 11th win of the season. For Minnesota (5-9) - who suffered an embarrassing 40-14 home loss with its injured 41-year-old quarterback (Brett Favre) at the helm - finally give Vikings rookie QB Joe Webb his first career start. The athletic, 6-foot-4, 24-year-old shows his speedy elusiveness in avoiding sacks and rushing for 50 yards. However, the task of defeating the NFC West-leading Eagles (10-4) is far too difficult to overcome as Philly wins this game by a wide margin.

Monday Night Football
saints 33, FALCONS 27
Game of the Week: An epic battle takes place this Monday as the 12-2 Falcons take on the 10-4 Saints at Atlanta’s Georgia Dome home. The battle features New Orleans’ 2009 Super Bowl MVP, Drew Brees, against 25-year-old Atlanta QB Matt Ryan. Despite losing 30-24 at Baltimore last Sunday, the Saints have won six of its last seven games with Brees passing for 2,093 yards and 27 TDs during that stretch. Meanwhile, Atlanta’s “Matty Ice” - as Ryan is known - enters tomorrow’s contest with career home record of 19-1. The Falcons defeated the Saints 27-24 in New Orleans earlier this season. On Monday, Brees makes sure his team isn’t swept by its NFC South foe as the Saints defeat Ryan’s Falcons by six.