Three Observations from Notre Dame vs. USC

Saturday night's loss to Notre Dame was an embarrassment for USC, down year or not. Upon further review, here's what I observed in the loss...

1.  Lack of Focus

The team as a whole deserves blame for a general lack of focus in Saturday night's debacle versus Notre Dame. I found three examples of a lack of focus and/or lack of execution.

First, the wide receivers dropped numerous passes that should have been caught. Obviously, the dropped pass that nobody will forget is Ronald Johnson's drop of a Mitch Mustain deep ball on USC's final drive that would have given the Trojans the lead, and maybe the victory. Johnson had beat his defender, Notre Dame safety Harrison Smith, who lost his footing in the muddy field, and had a clear path to the end zone. Mustain put the ball right on the numbers, but Johnson failed to haul it in. (Side note:  If you're an NFL fan, you may have noticed that another wide receiver with the last name Johnson--Steve Johnson of the Bills--dropped a game-winning pass, too. It's tough to say which was the more egregious drop, but I venture to say Steve Johnson's simply because it would have literally ended the game right then.) Two weeks ago, I talked about how Ronald Johnson has pretty much disappeared in the second half of the season, and just to prove my point, check out the following stat:  In the first six games of the season, RoJo recorded over 50 yards receiving in each game. However, in the six games since then, he had only gone over 50 yards once, and he has not recorded a touchdown in the past four games. Mr. Johnson? Paging Mr. Johnson.

Unfortunately, RoJo wasn't the only Trojan who dropped passes; Jordan Cameron, Stanley Havili, and Brandon Carswell whiffed on catches, too. In a game with so little offensive production, four (at least) drops did not help USC's cause.

The second example of a lack of focus is team penalties. USC was penalized eight times for a loss of 47 yards, which amounts to almost one-fifth of the total yards they gained all game. The penalties also came at very inopportune times--a couple of them wiped away what would have been first downs and almost all of them put the team in long-yardage situations that the passing game could not convert.

Finally, USC did not cash in on multiple opportunities, a sign that the execution was just not there. The Trojans caused four turnovers, all of which occurred in Notre Dame territory. However, USC only scored 13 points off of those turnovers. It is rare to see a team lose a turnover battle so lopsidedly like Notre Dame did yet still win a game.

2.  A Shrunken Field

In trying to reason why the Trojans only managed 261 total yards of offense, I arrived at a conclusion that has two interrelated parts. First, it was clear that the coaches were not going to let Mustain throw the ball deep very often, or that Mustain did not have the ability to throw deep consistently, or both. Second, Notre Dame's defensive line dominated USC's offensive line, which prevented the run game from establishing itself. When you combine both of those factors, the field became significantly smaller, and as a result, Notre Dame's defense was able to dictate the action.

Because it was Mustain's first start in four years, it was understandable that the coaches would devise a a pretty conservative game plan--at least in the early stages of the game--to protect Mustain. But it might have been a bit too conservative, regardless of how little he has played in recent years. Mustain attempted 37 passes on the night and averaged only 4.8 yards per attempt; by comparison, Matt Barkley this season averages 7.39 yards per pass attempt--that's quite a difference. And not only was Mustain looking short distance most of the night (with the exception of two deep balls), but the play-calling lacked variety. Over 90% of the time, if Mustain was asked to throw the ball, Kiffin elected to either 1) roll Mustain out to his right, 2) throw a quick wide receiver hitch to the outside, or 3) throw a wide receiver screen pass. It's one thing to beat the opponent over the head with these plays if they are getting you 6, 9, and 15 yards a pop. But it's a completely different story when the plays get you only 3 or 4 yards each time.

As for the battle in the trenches, USC's offensive line was never able to get a consistent push to enable the running backs to run downfield. Ideally, the Trojans would have ran the ball to set up some nice play-action fakes for Mustain and get him some easy opportunities. Instead, the Trojans' 30 rush attempts only gained 80 yards (2.7 yards per carry). As a result, the dozen run fakes that Mustain carried out did little good. Why would Notre Dame's secondary bite on run fakes when the running backs couldn't even get past the line of scrimmage most of the night? I was very surprised to see the offensive line manhandled like they were.

3.  Bright Spots:  Defense and Kicking

The silver lining in this loss was the performance of the USC defense, which is usually the butt of jokes when it comes time to write game recaps.

The defense surrendered only 296 total yards to a team that normally averages over 370 total yards. It did so mainly by shutting down the passing attack; quarterback Tommy Rees passed for only 149 yards and was limited to only 4.7 yards per attempt. USC was also able to stop Notre Dame on third down, something that the defense has failed to do with other opponents; the Fighting Irish converted only five of their fifteen third-down opportunities.

But the biggest reason why their performance is laudable is because they forced four turnovers. And while the offense was unable to capitalize on those turnovers, it was nice to see the defense make game-changing plays once again. The defense picked three Rees passes off, all in enemy territory. Furthermore, it was the manner in which the interceptions were made that is also impressive; both Devon Kennard and Chris Galippo made their interceptions after they had dropped back in zone coverage, which shows their versatility as linebackers. Marshall Jones picked his ball off by making a play on the ball and cutting in front of a receiver, not parking under an overthrown ball. In general, the Trojans were very active in the passing lanes and managed to deflected a lot of passes. This performance was a nice sign that the players may finally be adjusting to Monte Kiffin's schemes.

And finally, every USC fan's favorite punching bag, kicker Joe Houston, redeemed himself in a nice way on Saturday night. Houston was the team's biggest source of offensive production, successfully kicking three field goals and an extra point. His first field goal was kicked from 45 yards away, which was his first successful kick from outside 40 yards all season long. Kudos to Joe Houston. At least for one week, he won't be the most hated kicker in a college town--that honor goes to Boise State's Kyle Brotzman, who had this forgettable sequence of events against Nevada.

Three Observations from the Iron Bowl

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1. In Cam We Trust

A little over one week ago, I announced that I will cast my fictitious Heisman Trophy vote for Auburn quarterback Cam Newton. As I detailed in that post, Newton's gaudy numbers speak for themselves. My only worry was that the pending NCAA and FBI investigations regarding his eligibility would turn off some of the members of the Heisman fraternity, thus making LaMichael James's or Kellen Moore's Heisman bids more hopeful. With the controversy swirling above his head, Newton was asked to deliver in perhaps the biggest Iron Bowl match in the rivalry's long history. For the past several weeks leading up to this game, all the talk surrounded Alabama; the Crimson Tide was coming off of a Thursday game, which gave them one extra day to prepare for Newton's one-man show; the Crimson Tide was regarded by many as the most complete team in the nation; and surely, if there was one defense that could slow Newton down, it was the Tide. Add to those factors the home-field advantage that the Tide would have at Bryant-Denny Stadium, where Alabama had won 20 straight games coming into today, and it seemed as sure of an "upset" as one could possibly get.

At the end of the day, however, the Auburn Tigers had Cam Newton, and Alabama did not. Sure, the star quarterback got off to a rough start and turned in his least productive thirty-minute stretch of football this season; in the first half, Crimson Tide defenders were everywhere. Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart called all the right plays at the right times. Bama defenders played with discipline, did not miss any tackles, and flew to the football on every play. The defense was so dominant that if it was your first time watching Cam Newton play quarterback, you would have thought he was nothing special. Through two quarters, Newton had rushed 9 times for -10 yards. Negative ten! And through the air, Newton had only recorded 97 yards, giving him a net of 87 total yards. In his eleven prior games, Newton averaged 303 total yards of offense per outing. So at the half, he was quite a ways off from his normal production output.

But during halftime, Newton and offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn (more on him later) must have done something to rejuvenate themselves because the Auburn leader was a completely different player. He was, well, his normal self. Against the same defense that had shut him down in the first half, Newton, in the second half, threw for 119 yards, including three touchdowns. He also added 49 rush yards and 1 rushing touchdown. While his total offense (255 yards) was down from his per game average, here is what you should focus on:  Newton rebounded from an abysmal first half by reaching the end zone four times in the second half. He responded to adversity in a big way. And perhaps being overlooked is also the fact that for as bad as Newton played in the first half, he did not turn the ball over at all. If you are Auburn head coach Gene Chizik, you ought to have--and I am sure that he does--100% confidence in Newton in any situation in any game. Cam is that damn good.

2. Guz Malzahn and Ted Roof, Auburn's Unsung Heroes

As we all know, Auburn's first half went terribly; the offense looked overmatched and the defense looked confused. At the end of the first quarter, with Auburn trailing 21-0 and looking like they had lost all hope for a national championship, you could hear (or at least see in the Twittersphere), Tigers fans calling for the heads of Malzahn and Roof, especially the latter, the team's defensive coordinator. But like Newton, the two coaches kept their composure after Alabama delivered its best punches. They went into the locker room at halftime down 24-7 knowing, however, that there was still 30 minutes of football left to play.

On the offensive side of the ball, Malzahn knew that he would have to dial up the passing attack, at least open up a ground game that had been stifled up to that point, if they were to get back in the game. After opening the second half with a predictable read-option, Malzahn called for a deep ball to wide receiver Terrell Zachery. Newton, per usual, delivered a nice pass to his man and Zachery was able to haul it in despite an oncoming Alabama safety who should have intercepted the pass.

After that play, the field was effectively stretched and Auburn began running the ball as we are all used to seeing. On the scoring drive that brought the score to 24-21, Auburn rushed 5 times for 49 yards and the touchdown (Newton up the middle to break the single-season rushing touchdown mark previously held by Bo Jackson and Cadillac Williams--some decent company).

Then on the eventual game-winning drive, Auburn rushed 4 times for 32 yards, 10 of which came on Newton's longest run of the day. They did so while picking up the pace and putting the Alabama defense on its heels. While Auburn's 108-yard rush total is meager compared to their standard 300-yard performances, the run game made a difference in this contest regardless. But it was Malzahn's halftime adjustments to 1) use the pass to open up the run, and 2) speed up the pace of the game, that made the difference.

On the defensive side of the ball, Roof got his boys to play arguably their best half of the season. After Alabama ran its first play of the second half, I immediately noticed a difference in Auburn's defense; in my notes, I wrote "Auburn defense looks faster, more energized, and determined." The Tigers made big hits, deflected passes, and swarmed the football. Check out the following half-by-half statistics of Alabama:

• ALA Total Yards (1st):  379
• ALA Total Yards (2nd):  67

• Greg McElroy (1st Half):  19-for-23, 335 yards, 2 TD
• Greg McElroy (2nd Half):  8-for-14, 42 yards, 0 TD

• Julio Jones (1st):  7 catches, 174 yards, 1 TD
• Julio Jones (2nd);  3 catches, 25 yards, 0 TD

• ALA Rushing (1st):  16 carries, 44 yards, 1 TD
• ALA Rushing (2nd):  14 carries, 25 yards, 0 TD

The defensive turnaround was the biggest story of the game in my book. With Auburn trailing at the half, it was irrelevant, to a certain extent, how many points Newton could put up in the second half if Auburn's defense continued to surrender big plays and clock-eating drives to the Crimson Tide. Roof found a way to get the job done and, as a result, his job should be secure.

3. Nick Fairley, the Next Warren Sapp

Critics call Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley's style of play dirty and overaggressive; advocates call it hard-nosed and passionate. Say what you want to about Fairley--the guy is a monster and a game-changer on the interior line.

On Alabama's third drive of the game, Fairley rushed through the middle of the offensive line and sacked McElroy. On that play, Fairley was actually lined up as a linebacker, which showed his great versatility as a defensive player. Fairley was then called for excessive celebration--a call which I did not agree with. Fairley, whether justified or not, has had, and will have, a target on his back. The call gave Bama a 4th and 4, which the coaching staff seized as an opportunity and the players subsequently converted. Not only was the call very questionable, but it was a big momentum shifter. Fairley had given the Tigers a big stop on third-down, but that loss of yardage was negated.

On the Crimson Tide's fifth drive from scrimmage, when the Tide was at the Tigers' goal line, Fairley made an amazing play on running back Trent Richardson. Fairley, from his knees, crawled as fast as he could and managed to trip up Richardson to prevent a touchdown. Not only was it a great hustle play and a show of his athletic ability, but it was a big stop for the Tigers in that it prevented the Tide from reaching the end zone; they held Alabama to only three points.

On Alabama's next drive, Fairley caused a huge turnover in, yet again, the red zone. He ran right past Alabama's guard and leveled McElroy, who coughed up the football. Fairley then had the awareness to scurry to the football and cover it up to retain possession. It was incredible.

We have all seen just how much of a difference that a dominant defensive tackle can make in a game. At the pro level, Warren Sapp, also known as the QB Killa, was best known for dominating in the middle. This season, we have seen the Detroit Lions' rookie Ndamukong Suh provide a lot of stability in the middle of their defensive line. Fairley will do the same for an NFL team someday.

A Pinstripe Predicament

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Imagine that you are the owner of a Fortune 500 media company. You are interested in taking your company to the next level, so you decide to look for a young, talented person that you can groom into a star ad exec. On a recruiting trip to Harvard Business School, you encounter the prized jewel of the graduating class--a second-year MBA student who is nationally recognized as the "next big thing" in the industry. You immediately offer him a job upon his graduation, complete with an insane salary, a gigantic signing bonus, and a luxurious office. He accepts your offer, he graduates, and the marriage officially begins. Over the course of the next several decades, your star ad exec catapults to not only the top of his division, but the top of the company. In addition to closing the most and the largest accounts on a yearly basis, the ad exec has become the face of your company, which has now become the leading media organization in the country. When a person thinks of your company, he/she immediately thinks of the ad exec. They are one.

However, lately, the ad exec's individual performance has slipped to levels not only below his typical output, but below the average for exec's that earn similar salaries. Fortunately, the time has come to restructure his employment contract. What should you do? 

• Should you continue to pay him big money for a level of production that you could get from someone else for a lot less money? 

• Should you try to offer him less money and hope that he understands the offer as strictly a business decision with no hard feelings?

• Or should you simply let him go to another company and start a new chapter in your organization? 

• How will your millions of shareholders react to your decision? 

• Is your public relations department prepared to deal with the implications of your choice?

In essence, the New York Yankees are experiencing a similar predicament right now with its future Hall of Fame shortstop Derek Jeter. The beloved team captain's contract (10-year, $189 million) has officially ended, and it is now time for Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman and his crew to work with Jeter and his agent, Casey Close, on a new deal. Earlier today, November 23, sources confirmed that the Yankees offered Jeter a three-year, $45 million contract. Jeter has yet to publicly deny the offer, but Jeter and his agent have made it clear that the Yankees star wants a long-term deal (at least four years, preferably fix or six). As a result, it appears that the two sides remain at a nightmarish impasse.

For starters, I empathize with each side. If I were Jeter, I, too, would look for a long-term deal to secure my employment. As athletes get older, job security decreases significantly for various reasons, including lower production, higher risk of injury, and the appeal of younger talent. Athletes have only a small window of opportunity to earn money for their athletic ability; the great athletes are usually done by their mid-thirties. Thus, I understand the reasoning behind Jeter's demands. On the flip side, the New York Yankees, like every other baseball organization, is first and foremost a business. The aim of their business is to win championships and make money in the process. All decisions regarding player personnel must be made with this goal in mind. As a result, I can also see where the Yankees are coming from.

But let's be real here:  Derek Jeter and his ego are holding the New York Yankees hostage in this contract negotiation saga. Regardless of what you think about Jeter (I happen to think very highly of him), it is obvious that he is abusing his status as an all-time Yankees legend to milk as much money and as many years as he can out of this deal. Jeter and his agent can make all the arguments that they want to about Jeter's intangibles and non-quantifiable effects on the franchise. Jeter is the face of the franchise--we get it. But how can anyone justify paying top-of-the-line money for mediocre on-field talent? If advertising, branding, and image are worth so much, why not just divert some of the money that you would pay Jeter over to a group of elite marketing executives instead?

Baseball is, and always has been, a game of numbers. Frankly speaking, Jeter's numbers do not warrant the contract that he desires. Jeter is 36 years old and he just turned in the worst statistical season of his career. He was arguably the Yankees' weakest offensive starter, and his defense, despite a highly-questionable Gold Glove award, clearly deteriorated. Last season, Jeter had the third-highest salary among all players in baseball. Earning $22.6 million, Jeter out-earned teammate Mark Teixeira ($20.625M), Detroit Tigers triple crown threat Miguel Cabrera ($20M), Phillies slugger Ryan Howard ($19M), and the list goes on. Furthermore, when you compare Jeter to other shortstops in the league, it becomes even more clear that Jeter is overpaid; Phillies star shortstop, Jimmy Rollins, 32, will make $8.5M in 2011; Dodgers shortstop, Rafael Furcal, 32, will make $12M next season; and 26-year old Florida Marlins shortstop, Hanley Ramirez, widely regarded as the most complete player in baseball, will earn only $11M, half of what Jeter made last season.

The bottom line is that this is an extremely delicate situation for both parties. Derek Jeter has a lot of leverage, and it is clear to me that he is really trying to use that to his advantage. The Yankees, meanwhile, really want Derek Jeter back, but they don't need him back. And that may be the one piece of knowledge that guides them throughout this entire process. No one can predict exactly how this scenario will play out, but I am convinced that, when all is said and done, Jeter will be the one who compromises his wishes the most. While a player and an organization may appear to be one and to be equal (like an ad exec and his media company), a player is never bigger than the team, the organization, or the brand.

Five Observations from USC vs. Oregon State

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Entering Saturday night's game, the USC Trojans and the Oregon State Beavers could not have been going in more opposite of directions. In its prior two games, the men of Troy swept the Arizona schools and gave themselves great momentum heading into Corvallis, Oregon, where it had not won since 2004. Meanwhile, the Beavers had lost its past two contests--a 17-14 affair at UCLA and an embarrassing 31-14 defeat on its home turf against the lowly Washington State Cougars. When you combine those factors with the fact that Beavers star wideout James Rodgers is done for the season, it seemed as though the stars were aligned for USC to end its recent history of forgettable performances in Corvallis. Unfortunately for the Trojans, star alignment matters only in astrology, not in football.

Here is what we learned after watching the Beavers beat the Trojans 36-7…

1.  Lane Kiffin Still Finding His Way

In previous posts, I have addressed Lane Kiffin's emergence as a great play-caller. He has shown creativity, courage, and strong leadership during a tumultuous season at USC. Earlier this season, on numerous occasions, Kiffin mentioned the need for USC to establish an identity. He felt that it was important that the team create a brand of football, an approach so strong and unique that the team could rely upon it in every game. Last night, I saw a coach that went against the philosophies that he himself had set in previous performances. I saw a coach still tinkering with his own identity.

Kiffin decided to "go for it" on six different fourth-down situations. The Trojans converted a total of two of those attempts. While I generally advocate fourth-down attempts, the approach to these fourth-downs made me scratch my head. In several of those situations, the Trojans ran to the line of scrimmage in a hurry after they came up short on third-down and tried to run a play to catch the Beavers off guard or in the middle of a substitution. That strategy worked exactly zero times. The strategy itself is not bad if you are accustomed to an up-tempo style and have disciplined personnel (think Oregon Ducks). But USC has never been that type of team in past seasons, and it certainly has not been that type of team this season. And while the Trojans may work on that during practice here and there, I question whether the team should employ such a divergent approach in highly-crucial fourth-down situations.

Next, Kiffin continues to mismanage the running back corps. While he cannot really do anything to prevent in-game injuries like the one suffered by Marc Tyler last night, Kiffin basically puts each running back in his dog house at least once per game, and I highly doubt that this treatment helps build confidence for these young players. Look, there is no doubt that the USC running backs have talent; they were all four- and five-star recruits out of high school with incredible blends of athletic ability. But what separates great backs from mediocre backs, besides injuries, is opportunity, otherwise known as carries. Check out the number of carries per game that some of the other Pac-10 Conference running backs get compared to what USC running backs get:

Rush Attempts Per Game:

LaMichael James - 25.0
Jacquizz Rodgers - 21.7
Shane Vereen - 18.9
Chris Polk - 17.9
Stepfan Taylor - 17.8
Marc Tyler - 13.3
Allen Bradford - 8.2

The averages for Dillon Baxter, C.J. Gable, and Stanley Havili are so low that it is not even worth including on the list. So, how does Kiffin expect any of his running backs to establish a rhythm and perform at a high level each week? With so little reps and quality playing time, I just don't see that happening for any running back regardless of what his name may be.

2.  Matt Barkley Needs to Improve His Judgment

Everyone is going to blast Barkley for the pick-six that he threw to Beavers cornerback Jordan Poyer to start the second quarter. Barkley had a receiver running an out route, which is an easy route for corners to jump if the quarterback stares down the receiver and throws a lazy ball. And that is exactly what happened last night. But there were other instances of poor judgment by Barkley that you cannot see in the box score.

On USC's fourth drive of the game, Barkley was under pressure and eventually sacked for a loss of nine yards. During the play, while Barkley was being pulled down by the Oregon State defender, Barkley desperately tried to throw the ball away and ended up heaving the ball about five yards in front of him (the referee ruled that his knee had hit the ground before he had released the ball). While nothing disastrous came of this play (beyond the loss of yardage), Barkley's decision to try to throw the ball away while being dragged to the ground is one that the coaches need to correct. It is a bad habit of quarterbacks who cannot see the big picture; that is, it is a short-sighted decision to "make a play." Barkley did it last week and he did it again last night. In the best-case scenario, it saves a couple of yards. In the worst case, it leads to turnovers and points for the opposition. Ultimately, the bottom line is that winning quarterbacks eat the loss of yards and tuck the football.

3.  Jacquizz Rodgers Owns USC Defense

So far in his career, Rodgers has played USC three times. Each time, Rodgers dominated the USC defense. Here is his career line against the Trojans:

83 carries, 427 yards (5.14 yards/rush), 4 TDs
13 catches, 80 yards (6.15 yards/catch), 1 TD

That's pretty darn impressive considering 1) USC's athletic defense and 2) Rodgers' size (if you buy the idea that small running backs can't be successful). For whatever reason, the Trojans just can't stop that guy (or his brother, if he plays). The Trojans seem to have more trouble with small, quick running backs than they do with big, bruising backs. But why?

The Trojans have always been a very quick defense that flies to the ball quicker than most teams in the country. Last night, the Trojans looked quicker than they have looked all season long. Although they were burned a couple times on the edges, they, for the most part, were able to stuff runs to the outside and had three or four players involved in those stops. It baffles me how Rodgers has so much success against the defense, regardless of who is trying to tackle him. Years ago Rodgers ran all over one of the best linebacking corps in the history of college football (Rey Maualuga, Brian Cushing, Clay Matthews). He has consistently run for big gains up the middle of the defense despite gap-pluggers like Jurrell Casey and Fili Moala.

Simply put, Rodgers is just a great running back who has USC's number. It is uncertain whether Rodgers will enter the upcoming NFL Draft, but if he does, USC will be very, very happy to see him go.

4.  For USC, Final Two Games Will Be a Test of Character

The Trojans entered Saturday night's game 7-3 and it looked as though they could win their remaining three games to finish the regular season 10-3, which would be quite an accomplishment for Kiffin and his staff given the circumstances. Instead, the Trojans return to Los Angeles battered (worst loss to Oregon State dating back to 1914), bruised (Barkley's high-ankle sprain leaves him questionable for the next game), and perhaps unmotivated (double-digit win total is now out of reach like their postseason). But USC's final two games are against the team's two biggest rivals, Notre Dame and UCLA. While both the Fighting Irish and the Bruins have had their troubles this season, both teams would like nothing more than to kick the Trojans while they are down.

It will be very easy for USC to pack it in for the rest of the season. Barkley has had high ankle issues in the past, and from a big-picture perspective it might be best to sit him out and start the recovery process toward next season. Why risk a long-term injury for two seemingly meaningless games? Furthermore, your prized running back Marc Tyler is also banged up, and with Allen Bradford in his last season, it might be a reasonable move to let Tyler focus on next season and let Bradford get the bulk of the carries to up his draft stock and send him out on a high note.

Regardless of what personnel Kiffin decides to go with, one thing is clear:  Although the next two games carry no postseason implications, they mean a lot to the fans, the program, and USC tradition. How the coaches approach the final two games and how the players prepare and perform will go a long way in establishing that identity that Kiffin desires. Because of the sanctions, USC will not have an opportunity to be a champion, of anything, this season. But in the next two weeks, the Trojans will have the chance to play like champions and salvage what they can of this season.

5.  For Oregon State, Final Two Games Will Make or Break the Season

Before the season began, the Beavers were a trendy pick to contend for the Pac-10 title. From a scheduling standpoint, Oregon State set itself up well for BCS praise with out-of-conference tilts against TCU and Boise State to complement the grind of the Pac-10's round-robin format. But after it lost two of its first three games and another three of four during a stretch from mid-October to mid-November, the Beavers found themselves on the wrong side of bowl bubble. While Saturday night's victory over USC certainly helped, Oregon State must now win one of its two remaining games to become bowl eligible. Their two remaining opponents? Sixth-ranked Stanford on the road and #1 Oregon in the annual Civil War rivalry game. It's pretty tough to imagine the Beavers winning either of those games, but with a bowl game berth on the line, you cannot count out coach Mike Riley and the scrappy Beaver bunch. If they do happen to lose both games, Oregon State fans have to wonder whether scheduling such a tough set of games was worth the price.

The Missing Man in the Middle: Why the Lakers Need Andrew Bynum Back

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While the Lakers have gotten off to a very impressive 10-2 start to the season, the team has done so despite the absence of its third-best player, center Andrew Bynum. And while it's generally accepted that Bynum's presence makes the two-time defending champions a better team, it may be hard to clearly see how his presence has impacted the team because the Lakers have generally managed to blow their opponents out of the water. In order to truly understand Bynum's effect, you have to crunch some numbers.

The first and most obvious place to look is shot-blocking. Last season, Bynum's seven-foot frame blocked 1.4 shots per game (keep in mind he played only 30 minutes per game). As a team last season, the Lakers blocked 5.2 shots per game, which put them 11th among all teams. Through twelve games this season, the Lakers rank 24th in the NBA with only 3.9 blocked shots per contest. The lack of a shot-blocker to protect the rim has resulted in an increase in the number of points in the paint per game scored by the Lakers' opponents.

Last season, the Lakers ranked 10th in the league in opponent points in the paint per game, surrendering just 40.2 per game. So far this season the Lakers have given up 44.2 in the paint per game, making them 22nd in the league. While those four points might not seem like a lot, you would be surprised how many games in the NBA are decided by margins like that; through its first twelve games, the Lakers have had four games decided by five points or less. And remember, not only does a shot blocker directly reject balls from reaching the basket, but a shot blocker changes the trajectory of shots and serves as an intimidation factor that forces penetrating players to make the extra pass. The numbers do not capture the full effect.

The increased points in the paint have led to an overall increase in points per game by the Lakers' opponents. If you have watched any Lakers basketball this season, you have probably noticed that the Lakers have only held their opponents under 100 points in four of their twelve games. Last season, it was the Lakers' defense that really enabled the team to win its second consecutive championship. The Lakers held opponents to only 97.0 points per game (10th in the NBA). This season, without Bynum, the Lakers have allowed a whopping 102.8 points per game, which is worse than the defensively-inept Golden State Warriors, (102.7), the 2-10 Philadelphia 76ers (102.4), and the LeBron James-less Cleveland Cavaliers (99.1); the Lakers' 102.8-mark is good for 19th-best in the league, definitely not a stat fit for a champion.

Finally, if you are an astute reader and basketball fan, you are probably interested to see the effect Bynum's absence has had on the team's rebounding numbers. Oddly enough, the Lakers are near the top of the league in defensive, offensive, and total rebounds per game. Furthermore, their rebound averages are higher than their averages for last season. However, these stats are a bit misleading. Instead, let's look at how the Lakers' opponents have rebounded against the Lakers without Bynum in the lineup to take up space and grab boards. The Lakers currently rank second-to-last (29th) in opponent offensive rebounds per game, allowing 14.3 offensive rebounds per content to their foes; that number is up from last season (11.2). If you want to win in the NBA, you have to limit your opponents' second-chance points.

Ultimately, although it's great to see the Lakers win shootouts in early November, any NBA fan will tell you that it's much more satisfying to see your team win the close, grind-it-out games in May and June. If the Lakers want to win those games and lock up a three-peat, they will need to get Bynum back in the lineup at full strength so that he can plug up the middle and shore up their defense. Here's to hoping that Bynum's knee holds up better than Greg Oden's. Oh, and for pete's sake, stay out of trouble, big fella!

A Momentary Lapse: What to Make of Kobe Bryant's Latest Commercial Cameo

A little over one week ago, on November 8, video game developer/publisher Activision released another installment in its longstanding military combat series, "Call of Duty." The latest rendition, "Call of Duty:  Black Ops," set a single-day sales record by selling more than 5.6 million copies, which gave Activision more than $360 million. While those record-setting numbers are incredibly impressive, and while I have heard from numerous sources that the game is amazing, I mention this particular video game for another reason:  its television commercial, reproduced below.



As you can see, this one-minute spot, officially dubbed "There's a Soldier in All of Us," features several "ordinary" citizens--a young lady in high heels, a chunky girl with glasses, a construction worker, and a fast-food employee, to name a few--taking their shots (no pun intended) at being a soldier in battle. But it also features two prominent celebrities one prominent sports icon and a talentless celebrity, Kobe Bryant and Jimmy Kimmel, respectively, bearing arms and wreaking havoc.

At the 0:28 mark in the video, Bryant points and fires several rounds of what looks like an Uzi. The commercial cuts to several other combatants and, seconds later, returns to Kobe, who flashes a smile and then whips out what looks like a grenade launcher labeled "Mamba." When I first saw the commercial, I thought it was awesome. The first thing that stands out is the music selection; The Rolling Stones' "Gimme Shelter" provides an incredible backdrop to the action. Simply put, the pairing of the music and action is perfect.

The second thing that I love about the commercial is the originality/creativity. It is clear that the producers had a message/theme in mind; that is, the game is fit for everyone. And they successfully communicate that message by using caricatures of common folk in place of soldiers in the heat of action. Can you think of a video game that has/had a commercial as creative as this? I certainly cannot.

After the first time that I saw the commercial, I did not think of it for another two weeks or so until today when I read this article by ESPN.com columnist Tim Keown, who asserts that Kobe's participation in the commercial was an ill-advised decision.  His stance is not what that is difficult to imagine; Keown believes that Bryant is a global icon that kids everywhere, especially those in inner cities where violence is rampant, idolize. And by wielding an Uzi and a rocket launcher, Bryant subtly/indirectly condones violence and guns.

While Keown mainly addresses the moral implications of Kobe's involvement in the "Call of Duty" campaign, I would like to touch on something that is more sports- and athlete-related. Specifically, I am very shocked that Kobe chose to participate in the way that he did. I have heard the possible justifications for his role-play, but I do not think that the ends justify the means. In other words, I do not think that Kobe's furtherance of his military support, as demonstrated through his participation in this game's campaign, justified the association between Kobe and guns/violence that the imagery produced.

What is most startling, however, is that Kobe Bryant was the one who did this. It wasn't Gilbert Arenas or Delonte West, who both have well-known run-ins with the law for gun possession. It was Kobe Bryant, the best player on the planet, the five-time NBA Champion, and, most importantly, the most self-aware and image-obsessed athlete not named Alex Rodriguez or LeBron James. Ever since his infamous night in Eagle, Colorado, the Los Angeles Lakers star has meticulously crafted every centimeter of his public image. Kobe went from a selfish, point-hoarding star to a selfless, team-oriented leader. He went from being publicly ripped by head coach Phil Jackson to having a very close relationship with the Zen Master today. He went from being a young, immature and shortsighted athlete to a wise, grounded family man who has his two daughters by his side for every post-game interview. He even changed his jersey number a few years back. All of these aforementioned things were Kobe's efforts to turn a new leaf in his career, to become a new man and be everything that the fans and media have wanted him to be for so long. And after years of hard work, he finally achieved it. Fans may never forget the Eagle, Colorado, incident or Kobe's early disruptive years, but his lasting legacy will be a guy who managed to change his on and off-court personas to both his own and his team's benefit, which ultimately resulted in, at least, a handful of titles.

And after all that, Kobe decides to "pack some heat" and make a cameo in this "Call of Duty" commercial? It's a questionable decision at the very least. Look, I'm not saying this commercial will be the downfall of Kobe Bryant and his legacy. It most likely will not be. But all I'm saying is that the choice seems a bit out of the ordinary considering the player/man at hand. Regardless of how cool the commercial turned out, how great the game sold or continues to sell, or how brief Kobe's appearance actually was, something just doesn't seem right.

Separating Truth from Speculation: Why the Cam Newton Saga Should Not Affect the Heisman Race

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With about one month and a half remaining in the college football season, the Heisman Trophy race remains intriguing not because the on-field accolades of competing stars are comparable, but instead because the off-field decisions of the award's front-runner are under intense scrutiny. If you have been living in a cave for the past couple weeks, or if you are completely confused by the Cam Newton saga, click here for a nice synopsis of the entire drama. I, however, am tired of sifting through rumors, reports, and speculation--I will let the FBI, the NCAA, and any other red-tape infested bureaucracy deal with it. Instead, I want to focus on the implications of the drama as it relates to Newton's Heisman Trophy bid.

At this point in the season, if you voted based on only on-field production, Newton would win the Heisman in a runaway. The numbers that he has posted are pretty surreal, even from a historical perspective. Listen to this:  Prior to his last game against Georgia, Cam Newton accounted for more touchdowns than 71 entire FBS teams this season. And he has done so in arguably the toughest conference in college football against teams like LSU, Arkansas, and South Carolina. It really does not matter who or what you throw at him--he finds ways to reach the end zone. Newton currently has 21 passing touchdowns, 17 rushing touchdowns, and 1 receiving touchdown.

What is even more fascinating is comparing Newton to the other Heisman candidates. His main competition is Oregon running back LaMichael James and Boise State quarterback Kellen Moore. When you look at his skills and athletic ability, Newton is the hybrid of Moore and James. Furthermore, and perhaps even more impressive, when you look at the numbers, he is the aggregate of Moore and James. Look at the following comparison between Cam Newton and Kellen Moore, as passers:

Newton:  135-for-198 (68.2%), 2,038 yards (10.29 YPA), 21 TDs (183.58 rating)
Moore:    174-for-242 (71.9%), 2,588 yards (10.69 YPA), 24 TDs (191.15 rating)

Statistically, Newton and Moore are pretty similar. Obviously, Moore is better across the board, but you have to factor in Newton's competition and his running abilities. Next, let's look at the breakdown between Newton and LaMichael James, as rushers:

Newton:  206 carries, 1297 yards (6.3 avg), 17 TDs
James:     225 carries, 1422 yards (6.3 avg), 17 TDs

Again, Newton and James are pretty similar, and even more so than Newton and Moore, because in this case Newton and James have the exact same number of touchdowns and average the same number of yards per carry. In this comparison, you also have to factor in Newton's passing statistics. In both cases--Newton versus Moore and Newton versus James--the Auburn quarterback holds his own. And when you factor in both sides of his game--running and passing--it becomes no contest. The numbers say enough.

Speaking of numbers, look at where Cam Newton stands in comparison to some FBS teams in the following statistics:

Total Yards:

West Virginia - 3,375
Newton - 3,335
Pittsburgh - 3,329
LSU - 3,241
Washington - 3,132

Points Per Game*

Texas - 21.7
Newton - 21.3
Rutgers - 21.2
UCLA - 20.7
Boston College - 19.3

*Remember:  PPG for teams includes points from field goals and extra points; Newton's points per game does not

How ridiculous are those above numbers? I am literally comparing one player to entire teams. Unbelievable.

But of course, we must ask, how does the off-field circus affect his on-field production in the context of the Heisman race?

Taken directly from the website, the mission of the Heisman Trust is to "annually [recognize] the outstanding college football player whose performance best exhibits the pursuit of excellence with integrity…Winners epitomize great ability combined with diligence, perseverance, and hard work." As I demonstrated above, Newton is clearly the most outstanding college football player on this planet. His performances thus far have been excellent. His great ability is certainly the result of diligence, perseverance, and hard work. Now, what about that key word, integrity?

Newton is by no means a saint. His legal troubles during his brief stint at Florida have been well documented; he was cited for countless moving violations, he stole someone's laptop, and he was caught cheating on multiple occasions. But all that stuff happened in the past. Newton left Florida, enrolled at a junior college, and began anew at Auburn. We Americans value second chances. We believe in redemption and rebirth. And while Newton's past may color your view of his current situation, we shouldn't be too quick to judge.

My point is that as of right now, I give Newton the benefit of the doubt. We can't just assume that all of the rumors are true. Nothing has been proven yet--it is all hearsay at this point. Until the NCAA, the FBI, or our justice system makes an official ruling on the situation, we should act as though Newton and his father acted with integrity throughout his post-junior college recruitment and his time at Auburn. It's the fair thing to do. As a result, if we vote on what we know, instead of what we think, then Cam Newton is worthy of every first-place Heisman vote.

Observations from the Desert: What We Learned from USC vs. Arizona

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Lane Kiffin's Emergence as a Great Play-Caller

Kiffin's decision making and general game management has improved over the course of the season. First, Kiffin has shown the courage to dial up gutsy plays in big situations; this is not to be confused with recklessness. And second, Kiffin has learned how to develop smart game plans week after week.

USC fans were accustomed to the derring-do of "Big Balls" Pete. Carroll would routinely attempt fourth conversions in a variety of situations. While the bravado was loved by many, eventually it got to the point where smart football minds began to question the sanity of the man behind the calls. Under Kiffin, however, the approach to fourth downs has been tempered a bit. Last night against the Wildcats, Trojans fans saw a bit of the courage and creativity that Kiffin can bring to fourth down situations.

On USC's third drive of the game, Kiffin went for it on fourth down twice. The first opportunity was a 4th and 1 outside of field goal range. Kiffin called a run up the middle for Tyler, who easily bulldozed his way to move the chains. The second opportunity was a 4th and 3 in field goal range. Kiffin sent his field goal unit onto the field, giving the Wildcats the notion that they would simply kick the field goal and take the points. However, as we know from previous games, the Trojans have a lot of options out of their field goal package. With backup quarterback Mitch Mustain serving as the placeholder, the Trojans are able to audible to a traditional offensive set and run a designed play. And that's exactly what they did. Mustain took a shotgun snap, faked the handoff to kicker Joe Houston (hilarious), and delivered a short strike to the right side to tight end Jordan Cameron for the first down.

Kiffin's lone "mistake" came near the end of the game in Arizona territory. The Trojans were leading 24-14 with just over two minutes remaining. With the ball at the Arizona 15 on a 4th and 2, Kiffin decided to go for the first down and the chance to run out the clock if they could convert it. Barkley faked a handoff to Tyler going left and bootlegged back to his right. Fullback Stanley Havili was wide open in the flat, but Barkley's pass was batted down by Arizona's Jake Fischer. After the play, a friend of mine texted me and blasted Kiffin's decision. Certainly, the decision can be questioned. USC was up by ten points at that juncture and another three points would force Arizona to have to score two touchdowns instead of one touchdown and a field goal in order to tie/win the game. And while the play failed and Arizona then marched down the field and scored to make the game closer than it really should have been, I don't think you can condemn Kiffin's choice too harshly.

For one, kicker Joe Houston is a liability even from what would have been 32 yards. Remember, just last week against Arizona State, Houston missed 27 and 35-yard field goal attempts. Would you rather call on Houston in that situation or give Barkley the chance to drop a short pass to a sure-handed Havili? I'd probably take the latter more often than the former. Second, if Kiffin had sent Houston out to kick the field goal, and Houston had missed it, then what would the critics have said? "Kiffin should have known better than to trust Houston in that situation." What I am saying is that everyone loves to criticize decision-makers after the fact. But when I examine the decision and block out my knowledge of the result, I don't think it's a terrible choice. Now I'm not saying I would go for it ten times out of ten. But I I generally favor an aggressive play-calling approach and I think the decision and the play call were justified. The execution simply didn't happen, and you can't blame Kiffin for that.

Finally, Kiffin makes great calls in all situations, not just the universally-noticed fourth down. In the fourth quarter, on a 3rd and 7, Barkley rolled to his right and gave a delayed handoff to Havili who countered back up the middle for a huge gain. It was such a subtle call and a play that will never make a highlight reel, but it was truly a great chess move by Kiffin. Pay attention to little things like that throughout SC games!

Marc Tyler is The Man

Last week I was confused as to why Marc Tyler did not get the bulk of the carries against Arizona State despite the fact that he gashed them whenever he touched the ball. I also said that I was not a fan of the running-back-by-committee system if it employed more than two backs. Well, it seems like Kiffin may have read my critique and adjusted his game plan accordingly last night versus Arizona. After carrying the ball just 12 times last week, Tyler carried the rock a whopping 31 times last night en route to 160 yards and 1 touchdown. The guy was unstoppable. He consistently made the first guy miss at the line of scrimmage and usually carried another one or two Wildcats on his back for the tough extra yards. While his speed is not breathtaking, his quickness is deceptive, and that allowed him to outrun defenders on the edges and make some guys miss.

If Kiffin still wants to keep opposing coaches guessing, I suppose he can keep telling everyone that USC has a running-back-by-committee. But look at how the rushers have performed in the past two weeks; Tyler has run extremely hard and produced nearly 6.5 yards per carry; Baxter has gotten opportunities, but still does not hit the hole like a running back should; and Allen Bradford has seen limited action because of nagging injuries and ball-security issues. If there is, in fact, some sort of committee, Tyler is without a doubt the head chairman. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

Ronald Johnson is The Invisible Man

The senior wide receiver started the season off with a bang at Hawaii by finding the end zone three times. Immediately after that game, people hopped on the Ronald Johnson bandwagon and I even heard some faint Heisman Trophy whispers. But after watching last night's game, Johnson's lack of production has me wondering if he's even the team's fourth-best receiving option.

Over the past three weeks, Johnson has averaged an unremarkable three (3) catches and 36 yards per game. Last night against the Wildcats, Johnson caught two passes for 25 yards. He also dropped two passes that I would expect any starting wide receiver, and especially a top-two receiving option, to catch; the first was a ball that Barkley threw into the corner of the end zone in the second quarter that forced Johnson to lay out. Johnson had both hands on the ball but could not haul it in. While a hypothetical catch would have been nullified by a holding penalty, Johnson should have completed the play. Diving catches are tough, but being a number one or two option demands that you cash in the tough ones. The second ball that Johnson should have caught was a wide-open slant over the middle that would have resulted in a runaway touchdown. To Johnson's credit, Barkley delivered the ball low (around Johnson's knees/shins). But again, Johnson got two hands on the ball, and should have brought it in. I bet if you ask RoJo he would agree.

With as much attention as freshman Robert Woods is receiving these days, RoJo's production should go up. While I acknowledge that coach Lane Kiffin wants to spread the ball around, it is inexcusable that Johnson has disappeared during the season's home stretch.

Third Down Defensive Woes

Coming into the game against Arizona, I felt like USC had trouble stopping teams on third down. Looking at the numbers, however, did not reveal a terrible third-down defense prior to last night; USC opponents had completed 44.6% of third downs (54-121). Maybe I just think the defense wilts on third down because third-down conversions are backbreakers and they tend to stick in memory longer.

That being said, the SC defense had a forgettable night against Arizona on third downs. The Wildcats converted 11 of 16 on the night, including a 7-for-8 line at the half. Third downs not only extend drives, but they keep the defense on the field, keep the offense on the sideline, and keep the momentum with the opponent. I expect Monte and company to address their deficiencies in this area during the coming week.

On a side note, was it me or was the play-by-play announcer on the ABC broadcast terrible? I felt like we got the C-team. Not only was he late/wrong on multiple calls throughout the night, but it was evident that he wasn't even paying attention to the game. During the third quarter, the Wildcats converted a big 3rd and 10 on a wide receiver screen pass to Juron Criner for 13 yards. At the end of the play, the commentator said, "Here is an example of Arizona doing what they did not do in the first half, and that's convert on a third and long." Um, check your stat sheet, big guy. As I said above, the Wildcats went 7-for-8 on third down in the first half, and several of those came on third and long. At the very least, a play-by-play guy should follow the game.

USC Pass Defense Continues to Struggle

I know I am starting to sound like a broken record here. After every Trojans game, I gripe about the poor play of the USC secondary. Well, surprise surprise, this week is no different.

Arizona quarterback Nick Foles shredded the USC secondary, which had more holes than a slice of Swiss cheese. Foles connected on 32 of 48 passes for an eye-popping 353 yards and 3 touchdowns. He did not throw a pick, either. Not only did the USC defense make Foles look like Joe Montana, but they made Arizona's wide receivers look like twins of Jerry Rice. Coming into tonight, Arizona's Terrence Miller had less than 50 receiving yards on the entire season; tonight, Williams recorded 116 receiving yards. Prior to tonight, Arizona senior Travis Cobb had never caught a touchdown pass in his career; tonight, Cobb caught 4 passes for 50 yards and his first touchdown. Arizona's standout wide receiver, Criner, nursed a leg injury but still managed to record 6 catches for 98 yards.

The only thing that can change at this point is Monte Kiffin's play-calling. The talent cannot be fixed; Shareece Wright is in his last season and will not get any better; Torin Harris is terrible, but lucky for him he is a freshman so it is "understandable." Nickell Robey has been somewhat of a surprise and T.J. McDonald is emerging as a playmaker at the safety position. Kiffin needs to either put these guys in better positions to not get burned and make plays or dial up more pressure on opposing quarterbacks to limit the amount of time passers have to pick apart our defense. Fortunately, the Trojans do not face any dangerous passing attacks in the next three weeks.

Related articles

• Tyler Leads Trojans Past Fading No. 18 Wildcats (nytimes.com)

Is Playing Overseas the Answer?

Bringing the House illustration

Early Monday, former NBA Most Valuable Player and 11-time All-Star Allen Iverson arrived in Istanbul, Turkey, to join his new team, Besiktas Cola Turka. The paparazzi and the groupies were out in full force for Iverson's arrival, as you can see and hear in this video. As strange as it is to see Iverson, his Beats headphones, and his retro Philadelphia Phillies baseball cap amidst dozens of guys who resemble Azamat Bagatov, my feeling is that Americans should get used to the idea of seeing their basketball stars of yesteryear venture abroad to continue their careers. Let's examine some of the different factors that likely contributed to Iverson's decision and will play a part when other players contemplate similar jumps.

NBA:  No Bidders in America

The first reason why Iverson gobbled up Besiktas' offer is because NBA teams gave up on him. After a little more than ten great years in Philly, Iverson moved on to Denver, where he made valuable contributions for three seasons. Then, after the 2008-2009 season began, Iverson was shipped from Denver to Detroit for Chauncey Billups and Antonio McDyess (Side note:  I remember being absolutely shocked when Detroit traded Billups. He was a staple of the Pistons championship-winning and contending teams with Rip Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, and the two Wallaces. He was probably the most important element of that team. Denver knew that and after acquiring him has yet to miss the playoffs).

Iverson's career took a dive after this deal. Detroit's roster was filled with younger guards and it was clear that the team was in a rebuilding process. Additionally, Iverson and the offensive scheme did not mesh well. But it became apparent that Iverson was on his way out when his diminished minutes eventually led to no minutes at all as a result of a season-ending back injury. The Pistons cut Iverson at the end of the season, and the Memphis Grizzlies picked him up. The Grizzlies-Iverson marriage lasted only three days as the two parties mutually severed their agreement; Iverson cited "personal matters" as the reason for his leave from basketball. And finally, the 76ers, the team that Iverson starred on for over a decade, gave him one last going-out party. We all knew it would not last long, but it was nice to see A.I. in that uniform again. To summarize, multiple teams hopped in and gave The Answer a chance. But, in the end, Iverson was an aging superstar that had durability and injury concerns, a me-first mentality on offense, and plenty of attitude issues (practice, anyone?).

With no suitors in the NBA and in America, it just made sense for Iverson to take his talents to South Beach Istanbul. Its not that Turkey was the best place for Iverson, but it was a place that wanted him, period.

A Global Sport

Do not let the media's over-coverage of the World Cup every four years trick you into thinking that soccer is clear and away the most popular sport in the world. Sure, kids in grass fields in third world countries can and do kick the ball around quite often, but let it be known that where there is a basketball court, there is a pickup game. They hoop in Turkey, they hoop in China, they hoop in Spain…I could go on all day. The sport of basketball has no borders and it is for this reason that Iverson and other stars will get the opportunity to play overseas after their NBA careers have ended.

The basketball scene abroad is thriving and supported by players that diehard basketball fans will easily recognize. It's not like these European teams throw out five schmucks and call them a team; these teams have good talent. Some of that talent comes from legitimate college basketball programs in the United States, some of it from the pipelines of local European playgrounds. Take Besiktas, Iverson's new team. Prior to Iverson joining the club, you probably had never heard of Besiktas. But here are some of the players that have played for Besiktas in the past:  Lonny Baxter, Khalid El-Amin, Preston Shumpert, Andrew Ogilvy, Mario Austin, and Predrag Drobnjak. The aforementioned list contains players with NBA experience, players that won an NCAA championship, and players with conference player of the year accolades. The popularity of basketball overseas propels club owners to get top talent, and although European basketball may never come close to matching the overall quality of American basketball, the scene is no joke. It should come as no surprise that an American star would jump ship and welcome the change of scenery.

No Matter the Country, Money is Money

Iverson signed a contract that will pay him $4 million over the next two years. I don't care if he gets paid in the Turkish lira, the U.S. dollar, the Mexican peso, the Japanese yen, or even Monopoly money…that's big money. Whether or not the remaining skills of these past-their-prime basketball stars warrant such large contracts from foreign clubs is irrelevant. The fact is that they will inevitably get paid. And if you're a former NBA star who is accustomed to living a certain lifestyle--who occasionally likes to "make it rain"--then how could you turn down such dumb money? Sure, Besiktas brought Iverson in to help them win its first Turkish league championship since 1975. But I can assure you that even if Besiktas does not win the title, its owner will be content so long as Iverson draws big crowds and sells apparel, two things that The Answer has done very well throughout his NBA career. And when other clubs see how much of a cash cow American players can be in Europe and Asia, the bidding wars will reach a whole new level.

Me, Inc.

Perhaps the biggest incentive for any NBA star to cross the Atlantic and suit up for a European or Asian team is that it provides him an opportunity to grow his brand/image. The sort of iconic fame that a global sports star has the potential to reach cannot be quantified in currency; it just is. You know it when you see it. Think Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan, and Pele. Sorry, LeBron, despite how much you want it, you just are not there yet.

We have already seen numerous reports of how successful NBA jerseys sell in places like China. But imagine how much more popular a player would be if fans could actually see him play in person instead of watching him through the television? Imagine how fans would worship that player if he signed autographs before his shoot-around. Imagine if he promoted his new shoe at a local shoe store in Madrid or Shanghai. Going international is the smartest and fastest way for any American sports star to expand his influence, and I cannot imagine people turning that down. To put this type of move into perspective, do you remember how much attention David Beckham's move to Major League Soccer gained? How much more attention do you think that move would have attracted had soccer been a top-two sport in this country? It would have been insane. Well, that's exactly what it will be like each time an NBA star signs a contract with a foreign team and flies over to play ball on their soil.

Told You So

The final reason (of the big ones) for an NBA star, like Iverson, to sign with a European or Asian basketball team is to prove a point about his basketball abilities. Iverson feels, with the utmost of sincerity, that he has plenty left in his tank. He thinks that NBA teams have too quickly written him off and have made a huge mistake. He thinks he can still make valuable contributions on the court and help a team win games. Well, there is no better way to showcase his supposed abilities than to play with some decent competition for all of the world to see. I doubt it will happen, but let's say Iverson opens his career in Turkey and averages 30 points per game over his first two weeks. Don't you think that will open some eyes in the United States? I understand that Iverson is a special case because of his character and past, but just imagine it was a guy whose attitude was never criticized. I think he'd have a job offer from one or two teams at the very least.

You have to remember that NBA stars are alpha males. These guys have big egos--that's the only way they have made it this far; they want to be the one who dribbles the most, shoots the most, scores the most, gets the most money, gets the most fame, etc. And the second that someone questions their ability to do something or to do something at a high level, their natural instinct will be to step up to the challenge and try to prove that doubter wrong. Look at Kobe. Everyone thought Kobe could not win a championship without Shaq at his side. What does Kobe do? Wins back-to-back titles (and looks as though he is on his way to a third). These guys want to stick it to their haters. And if it means taking some extra cash, living like a rock star in a beautiful foreign country with foreign women, and playing ball with "Besiktas" emblazoned across their chest, then so be it. At least it'll shut you--the media, owners, fans, even fellow players--up.

Related articles

• Iverson Arrives in Istanbul for Turkish Stint (nytimes.com)

Five Observations from Arizona State vs. USC

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The Sometimes Special, Sometimes Not-So-Special Teams

Let me preface this applause/criticism by saying that prior to Kiffin's arrival, USC placed absolutely zero emphasis on special team. Pete Carroll seldom, if ever, used scholarships for kickers and punters and I do not even think Carroll staffed a special teams coach. As a result, Kiffin is using walk-ons for kicker (Joe Houston) and punter (Jacob Harfman).

As we see with the Oregon Ducks week after week, special teams can be a difference maker. It can not only swing points on the scoreboard, but it can swing momentum, which sometimes is even more critical. Well, USC special teams had both positive and negative contributions last night.

By now, everyone in the world (yes, even in places like Namibia and Syria) knows about Joe Houston's issues at kicker. Houston missed another two field goals last night, one from only 27 yards out and the other from 35 yards. Then, in the fourth quarter, in what seemed like a storybook moment, Houston kicked the eventual game-winner. From zero to hero in less than two hours. Well, sort of.

T.J. McDonald also joined the special teams party by blocking one punt and just missing another. The McDonald block gave USC some great momentum and field position that Barkley immediately gave right back to the Sun Devils by throwing a pick on the next play from scrimmage.

Later, offensive lineman Tyron Smith, lined up on defense, blocked an ASU extra point attempt with his face mask. The block led to a Torin Harris return for touchdown for two points. At the end of the run Harris flipped into the end zone, causing a collective groan from   most USC fans. Discipline, discipline, discipline. C'mon, Torin.

Finally, the kickoff unit allowed a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to LeQuan Lewis. Lewis basically started his return up the middle and then bounced it outside. Several Trojans had an opportunity to stop him, including Shareece Wright, who whiffed down low. Lewis was then off to the races and nobody caught him.

As you can see, there was some good and some bad. It was nice to see special teams having an effect on the game. Now the coaches need to work on limiting the special teams mistakes and making sure that the special teams units perform consistently each week.

Running Back Issues

Earlier in the season, we were a run-first team. Now, it's clear that we are a pass-first team that runs the ball to remain balanced. Part of that, to me, results from the emergence of Matt Barkley and Robert Woods. Another part of that is just the inconsistent play of our running backs. Their on-and-off play stems from various things, such as injuries, fumbling issues, and not enough carries. But regardless of the source of the problem, USC needs to figure it out. Marc Tyler had a great game last night, running 12 times for 119 yards. Yet despite the fact that he was running hard and gashing the ASU defense, he didn't get the bulk of the carries; that honor was bestowed on freshman Dillon Baxter.

I understand Baxter's appeal. He's a guy in the same mold of Reggie Bush and Joe McKnight (for the record, I hope he's Bush-like on the field, not off the field, and never McKnight-like). But Baxter is falling victim to the same habit that plagued each of his predecessors at various points during their careers:  dancing through the hole. Baxter seemed very hesitant last night. He just wasn't very explosive. And for a guy who ran like that to get 17 carries (only 52 yards) is kind of puzzling.

Obviously, there isn't much the coaches can do about the injuries. Allen Bradford is a tough, grind-it-out runner who inevitably will get banged up a bit in the trenches. But when these guys are healthy, you have to give them carries on a consistent basis to keep their confidence up and their timing on point. I am not a huge fan of the running-back-by-committee approach, especially when you have more than two backs. I'm okay with a two-headed monster like Alabama's Mark Ingraham and Trent Richardson, but three might be too much.

By the way, after eight games in which head coach Lane Kiffin injected a steady dose of the Wildcat formation, he did not call one single play from that formation last night. I thought the Wildcat gave us a nice look to throw at opposing defenses, and Tyler actually ran well out of that formation. I wonder what gave.

Defense Shows Improvement, Work Left to Do

Although Arizona State ended the game with 33 points on the scoreboard, that number is not an accurate measure of how the defense played. Seven of those points came from an Omar Bodden 66-yard interception return for a touchdown and another seven of those points came from a LeQuan Lewis 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Thus, if we subtract the 14 points that the defense did not actually surrender, they only gave up 17 points to a potent Arizona State offense (ranked 16th in the nation in passing yards per game and 36th in total points per game).

That being said, I am still not satisfied with the defense, despite an improved performances. While I applaud them for their effort and victory last night, I still see room for improvement in two areas. First, they need to get back to fundamental football and wrap up when making tackles. Players at each level of the defense--in the trenches, at linebacker, and in the secondary--missed tackles. And that is simply inexcusable. I saw Chris Galippo whiff on a tackle that led to key first down; Shareece Wright, not surprisingly, whiffed on multiple tackles, including one that enabled LeQuan Lewis to break free on his kick-return touchdown. I could go on for hours. The players leftover from the Pete Carroll era have bad habits that result from Carroll and his staff emphasizing big hits more than form tackles. If you are consistently causing turnovers with those big hits, then that's one thing. But if you consistently try to lay guys out, but don't cause turnovers and let the guy bounce off of you and continue on for another 10-15 yards, then that's a problem. The coaching staff needs to fix it.

Second, was Monte Kiffin sleeping in the coaches box? If he wasn't, he sure as hell wasn't paying attention to the game on the field. If he was paying attention, he would have noticed that Arizona State ran two different plays about a dozen times each. The Sun Devils abused the halfback swing/sweep pass and the wide receiver quick hitch. The swing pass is the play where quarterback Steven Threet would sometimes fake the handoff to one back and then another back would run straight out to the sideline and catch a ball with momentum going forward. The hitch pass is where a receiver out wide would simply plant when the ball is snapped and catch the ball where he started, in essence getting a one-on-one chance against the defensive back. The Sun Devils repeatedly ran both plays and gained 5 or 6 yards each time. I expect(ed) Monte to make the proper adjustments on the fly, but if not at the very least at halftime.

Malcolm, X-Factor

Could the improved defensive play be somehow tied to senior linebacker Malcolm Smith's return to the field? Remember, Smith is one of our stronger and more athletic linebackers and had been sidelined with a knee injury. He missed the games against Cal and against Oregon, and was limited in the game against Stanford. Prior to going down, Smith was third on the team in tackles.

Smith had a nice welcome back party last night against the Sun Devils. He recorded 7 tackles, 5 of them solo, and included 1 sack. Most importantly, however, Smith recorded a big interception and ran the pick back 74 yards for a touchdown. The play gave USC some points and momentum and gave the defense some much-needed confidence.

Fox Sports Prime Ticket Completely Botched the Telecast

Can we figure out a way to boycott Fox Sports Prime Ticket and their horrendous coverage of USC games? First, we missed the pregame show, opening kickoff, and few Arizona State plays--one of which included a halfback pass for over 50 yards--because FS Prime Ticket insisted on showing Southern California fans the last five minutes of an irrelevant, two-score Oklahoma versus Texas A&M game. By the time Prime Ticket began its telecast of the USC game, the Sun Devils had 2nd and 8 from the 16-yard line. If I hadn't known any better, I would have thought that USC elected to have ASU start from inside the red zone so that USC's offense could get the ball back sooner.

Second, I have never seen a station pan to the crowd for shots of unimportant screaming fans as much as Prime Ticket did last night. It's one thing to get an aerial shot of the stadium to set the stage or show a couple rabid fans during a timeout, but Prime Ticket cut to the fans between virtually every single snap. I was so appalled that I actually re-watched the game and took a tally of what I have dubbed Prime Ticket's "Fan Obsession." About a quarter of the way through the fourth quarter, I had counted 35 times that the camera showed a close-up of the crowd; this does NOT include shots of the cheerleaders or aerial shots from the blimp above. To the production crew at FS Prime Ticket:  focus on the action on the football field. We don't care about the guy in the second row who probably can't even name five guys on our starting defense. Your job is to bring us the game with enough bits of the atmosphere so we can feel our team's advantage, not so we can count the number of blemishes on some girl's face.

NFL 2010 Pyramid Rankings: Second Quarter

With half of the NFL season in the book, Bringing the House examines each of the 32 teams in the NFL. How has each team performed and what should fans of each team look forward to in the second half of the season? Rankings are not a direct reflection of win-loss records. Instead, we look at multiple factors, such as quality of wins/opponents, remaining schedule, and personnel, in hopes of a more holistic outlook. Feel free to leave comments!

Tier 6:  Playing for the Draft

32. Buffalo Bills (0-7, up)

Despite the fact that the Bills are the only winless team in the league, these guys are a couple of plays away from being a respectable 3-4. There was a stretch during the season in which the Bills got blown out no matter who they played. But they have since turned it around, despite what their record might indicate. Two weeks ago the Bills almost pulled off the upset of the season when they took the Baltimore Ravens to the wire in a 37-34 overtime loss (instead, the upset of the year honor goes to the Cleveland Browns who traveled to New Orleans and roughed up the Super Bowl champs 30-10). Then last week, the Bills took another tough team, the Kansas City Chiefs, into overtime, but again took the short stick in a 13-10 loss.

Bringing the House predicts that the Bills will win their first game THIS SUNDAY versus the overrated, but now properly rated (because they stink), Chicago Bears. Not only that, but I predict that they will also defeat the Lions the week after that to put together an unforeseen two-game win streak.

For those of you who don't follow Buffalo football--and I imagine there are plenty of you--quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick is the best quarterback east of Lake Erie not named Eli Manning or Mark Sanchez. If you're a fantasy football player and are tired of Brett Favre's shenanigans or have suffered a tragic injury and are in need of a new quarterback, check your waiver wire for Fitzpatrick.

31. Carolina Panthers (1-6, down)

I bet the Panthers will end this season with the worst record in the entire NFL. Looking at the team's remaining games, I cannot spot one matchup that I think they will win. Can you?

The Panthers have actually played decent defense so far this season (5th in opponent passing yards per game, 21st in opponent rushing yards per game), but the offense has been absolutely nonexistent. The problem at quarterback is well documented; neither Matt Moore nor Jimmy Clausen is getting the job done. I personally think they should throw Clausen in there, let him struggle and hope that the experience builds character and a foundation for his future.

But what about their run game? The two-headed monster of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart has been one of the most feared duos in recent years, but they have pretty much disappeared this season. If I told you, before the season started, that neither Williams nor Stewart would have a single 100-yard rushing performance through the first eight weeks of the season, you would have called me crazy. But as I look at each player's stats this very second, that is precisely the case. In fact, Stewart has not even rushed for over 50 yards in a game yet this season. Equally pathetic/surprising, the two have only combined for two rushing touchdowns so far. Say what you want about how the poor quarterback play disrupts the run game, but I expect more than that from Williams and Stewart no matter who is under center.

30. Dallas Cowboys (1-6, down)

I will bet anyone that the Cowboys do not finish this season with more than three (3) wins. If you want to take the bet, let me know.

I'm tired of hearing about how talented the team is; I think desire/effort/motivation is part of talent, and the Cowboys players lack all three of those attributes. The Dallas Cowboys have literally become a sideshow in the NFL. Now I will admit that I thought the Boys could turn it around, but I'm officially off the bus.

You can place the blame on anyone you want. Most people put the bulk of it on head coach Wade Phillips. I won't argue with that. All I know is that the team could not run the ball even if their season depended on it (oh wait, it does), the quarterback play is completely unreliable, and the receivers lack consistent focus.

Tier 5:  Playing for Pride

29. Cleveland Browns (2-5, even)
28. Cincinnati Bengals (2-5, down)

Cincy is one of the more disappointing teams this season, but we could have seen this coming. The Bengals are just a plagued organization, much like the Los Angeles Clippers. Quarterback Carson Palmer is no longer an elite above-average quarterback, and the run game that appeared out of nowhere last season disappeared just as fast. The defense has never been there and still isn't. The Bengals have lost four straight and the schedule only gets tougher from here.

As for the Browns…well, they're the Browns.

27. Denver Broncos (2-6, down)

Speaking of losing four straight, the Broncos have done the same and could not have asked for a bye week any sooner. They have a huge showdown with their rival Chiefs in two weeks, but this team's season might already be over. Kyle Orton has played surprisingly well all season and will likely continue to put up nice numbers, but in meaningless games.

26. Arizona Cardinals (3-4, down)

The only thing going for the Cards is that they play in the weakest division in the league. They started the season 3-2, but have lost two in a row since. The team needs help at quarterback, where Derek Anderson and Max Hall both struggle, and at wide receiver, where Larry Fitzgerald's amazing talent is being swallowed by triple coverage. The dramatic drop off from last season really makes one realize how great former MVP star dancer Kurt Warner really was.

25. Chicago Bears (4-3, down)

I never bought Chicago's fast 3-0 start, and now everyone is finally starting to catch on. The Bears are PRETENDERS. Trust me.

Their first three victories were decided by an average of 5 points; one came against a team that got off to a slow start (Packers), one against a team that has since become dangerous (Lions), and one against a complete joke (Cowboys). Three unimpressive wins.

Since then, the Bears are 1-3 with their lone win coming against the Panthers. Even worse, one of those losses came at home against the Seahawks. Yes, you read correctly:  at HOME, against the SEAHAWKS. The Seahawks are so bad on the road that they might as well not even travel--just chalk up a loss. They are a completely different team on the road than they are at home. Yet the Bears somehow lost at majestic Soldier Field. Jay Cutler is back to true form giving interceptions away like they are Halloween candy; Matt Forte, to the chagrin of yours truly, his fantasy owner, has forgotten how to run the ball; and their receiving corps is just as pedestrian as I knew it would be going into the season, despite the fantasy geeks shoving Devon Aromashodu down our throats (who in 5 games has just 7 catches).

24. San Francisco 49ers (2-6, up)

Everyone's pick to win the NFC West and lock up a top playoff spot, the 49ers got off to a terrible 0-5 start before righting the ship against Oakland in mid-October. To be fair, a lot of their losses thus far have been extremely close:  by a field goal to the Saints, by two to Atlanta, by a field goal to Philly, and by a field goal to the Panthers. The Niners have officially handed the reigns over to Troy Smith, who pulled through with a victory last week against the Broncos. The Niners get a timely bye this Sunday and embark on a second half that looks very favorable. They play two games against St. Louis, two against Arizona, and one against each of Seattle, Tampa, Green Bay, and San Diego. They could reasonably finish the year 8-8 and in decent position to win the NFC West.

Tier 4:  Hung Jury

23. Detroit Lions (2-5, up)

Don't be fooled by the Lions' 2-5 record. They play hard and are tough to beat. If you don't bring you "A" game, they'll send you home with a loss--just ask the Redskins who dropped a 37-25 decision last weekend.

The Lions' five losses were decided by an average of 6.4 points, including two losses decided by a field goal or less. They have won two of their past three and Matthew Stafford is back and healthy. Looking ahead, this team could spoil a lot of other teams' hopes of salvaging their poor starts (Dallas in Week 11, Green Bay in Week 14, Minnesota in Week 17).

22. Minnesota Vikings (2-5, even)

In our preseason predictions, we said that the Vikings would miss the playoffs this season. We did not think, however, that they would do it in such dramatic fashion. The Vikings are reeling, yet many have not given up on them. The Randy Moss trade and subsequent release is as bizarre a turn of events of you will see in the NFL. We would not be surprised if this team turned it around or if they fell into the abyss--they are completely unpredictable at this point.

21. Seattle Seahawks (4-3, even)
20. St. Louis Rams (4-4, up)

Before the season, nobody expected either of these teams to be vying for first place halfway through the season. But in a season filled with parity, the Seahawks and Rams sit atop the NFC West with a combined record of 8-7. I think the Rams will finish above the Seahawks by the end of the season, simply because they have a higher ceiling based on talent and because the Seahawks cannot win on the road.

19. Washington Redskins (4-4, down)

The Skins don't really do anything great. They are limited on offense because they lack great players at the skilled positions and they are mediocre on defense and special teams. So far this season they have looked like a good team on some days and a completely different team on others. If you combine that with the recent Donovan McNabb-Mike Shanahan controversy, trouble may be brewing in Washington. I doubt the Skins have enough to make the playoffs, especially considering the division in which they play.

18. San Diego Chargers (3-5, up)

The Chargers are a perfect example of how numbers/statistics lie to us in football. They currently rank 1st in passing yards per game, 1st in opponent's passing yards per game, and 2nd in opponent's rushing yards per game. They also rank 15th in opponent's rushing yards per game. Sounds like numbers fit for a first-place title contender, right? Wrong.

The Chargers got off to a mediocre 2-2 start and then dropped three straight games each by one score. They managed to salvage a 33-25 victory last week at home against Tennessee to keep some hope for this season alive. But the upcoming showdown in Houston is likely a make or break game for San Diego. Nobody doubts that the team has the talent to win; they have one of the top quarterbacks in the league and a future Hall of Famer at tight end. But eventually they have to put everything together and get some wins because the upstart Chiefs don't look like they will let up at all.

17. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-4, even)

While the Jags' 4-4 record keeps them out of the bottom third of the rankings, I think the team's win-loss is a bit misleading. Sure, four wins is four wins. But who have they beat exactly? A one-dimensional Broncos team, an injury-plagued and out-of-sync Colts team, the winless Bills, and the biggest joke in the NFL, the Cowboys. So, half of their wins come against two teams with a combined 1-13 record. Not exactly quality wins.

Meanwhile, their four losses all came against quality teams and were all blowouts. They lost to the Chargers, Titans, Eagles, and Chiefs by a combined 99 points! The margin of defeat in each game was more than 20 points! The Jacksonville Jaguars are pretenders! Do not let them fool you.

16. Oakland Raiders (4-4, up)

The Silver & Black have won three of their last four, and two of those victories were absolute drubbings--a 59-14 beatdown of the Broncos at Mile High and a 33-3 win at home against the Seahawks. Add to those an impressive 35-27 defeat of the Chargers, and suddenly people think the Raiders have a legitimate shot to win the AFC West.

The one thing I like about the Raiders is that they have a clear identity. They run the football. They ride their two horses--Darren McFadden and Michael Bush--en route to a second-best 168.5 rush yards per game. The Raiders also rank 5th in passing yards allowed (168.0/game). To summarize, in a passing league, they dominate on the ground and stop opposing quarterbacks. Sounds like a decent recipe for success.

That being said, the second half of the season will be much tougher for Oakland. The combined record of all of their first-half opponents is 27-34. The combined record for all of their second-half opponents? 33-26. Again, Oakland has feasted on subpar teams and been burned by tougher ones (Tennessee and Houston). Next week's game versus Kansas City will establish the tone for the second half of their season, and if they start by falling short against the Chiefs, you can expect a huge fall from there on out.

15. Miami Dolphins (4-3, even)

Even at the midway point, it is tough to get a good read on the Dolphins. Everyone started the season thinking the Dolphins would shove the Wildcat formation down their opponents' throats and win close grind-em-out games. While they certainly have participated in some extremely close contests, it is their passing game, led by Chad Henne, that has kept them competitive. Excluding the game in which he got injured (Week 2), Henne has averaged 38 pass attempts per game. Henne's breakout season is undoubtedly a product of newly-acquired wide receiver Brandon Marshall, who has been nothing short of a beast. Marshall's presence has also opened opportunities up for the young Davone Bess, who is having a breakout season of his own. But the Fins are putrid when it comes to red zone scoring. And if you continue to blow opportunities near the end zone, you will not win the tough games. Ultimately, Miami is a tough team who can compete with the best, but they are just too inconsistent and play in too difficult of a division to have a chance at the playoffs.

Tier 3:  Solid

14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-2, up)

About one week ago, Tampa's head coach Raheem Morris proclaimed that his Bucs were the "best team in the NFC." Halfway through the season, the Bucs' record supports Morris' claim. But does their play support it?

Yes and no. Like I said earlier, wins are wins. And at 5-2, the Bucs are tied for first in the NFC. They have an emerging star at quarterback in Josh Freeman, who has a knack for pulling through when his team needs him most. At running back, they still seem set on feeding Cadillac Williams the ball, despite the fact that he averages less than three yards per carry. Have we seen a young star's career derail as quickly because of injury as Cadillac's? He was a 1000-yard rusher in his rookie season and has since never crossed that mark. And in two of his previous three seasons, injuries limited him to less than 65 carries.

But the Bucs' quick and impressive start, like that of several other teams, is also a bit misleading. Four of their five wins came by 3 points or less and all five of their wins were over teams that will not likely make the playoffs (a combined 12-24 record). Fortunately for the Bucs, they play in the NFC, which is pretty wide open. This Sunday they have a huge show down with the Falcons, which will determine first-place in the division. Meanwhile, the defending champion Saints are lurking at 5-3 and, after a nice win against the Steelers, seem to be gaining some of their swagger back. I think the Bucs will continue racking up wins against poor teams, but will ultimately lose to the Falcons and Saints down the stretch, thereby ending all hope of a playoff berth.

13. Houston Texans (4-3, down)

Love the Texans' offense, but hate the Texans' defense. I doubt the Texans can beat the Colts out for the division title, which means that they will need to duke it out for the wild card spot in the tough AFC. And I don't buy that a team that allows 28.1 points per game, a league-worst 299.4 pass yards per game, and dead last in turnovers.

12. Philadelphia Eagles (4-3, up)

With a healthy Mike Vick, this is a playoff team. The bye week gave Vick a great opportunity to rest and gear up for the second half of the season. The schedule is pretty difficult from here on out, but there is no reason why the Eagles couldn't win more than half of their remaining games. The showdown against the Colts this Sunday is enormous; Vick and DeSean Jackson both return to action and look to get this team back on track.

11. Kansas City Chiefs (5-2, even)

Far and away the most surprising team in the league this season, the Chiefs have cooled off a bit since their quick 3-0 start, but remain the same team that they were in the first quarter of the year:  a tough, run-first, defense-oriented team. They are still first in the league in rushing and seventh in defending the run. They don't do much through the air (on either side of the football), but can put up points despite their throwing deficiencies. Before the season began, nobody would have ever predicted that the AFC West would look like it does not at the midway point. But the Chargers look like they might be turning things around and make a late push to defend their division crown. The Chiefs will need to take advantage of a very favorable schedule the rest of the way to secure their first playoff berth since 2006.

Tier 2:  Almost There

10. Green Bay Packers (5-3, even)

The Packers are still not the team everyone expected them to be at this point, but they are showing good signs at the right time. Their defense absolutely dominated the Jets last week in the Meadowlands en route to a 9-0 shutout. This defense was ferocious last season, and despite all the publicity Aaron Rodgers and the offense receives, it is the defense that really puts this team over the top. The Pack has a game at home against the Cowboys this Sunday and then a bye week in time to gear up for the home stretch that includes some tough games--at Minnesota, at Atlanta, at New England, and home against the Giants. The Packers should be thankful that the rest of the NFC North is struggling; the Bears have been revealed for who they really are (frauds), the Vikings can't seem to dig themselves out of their hole, and the Lions are competitive but a couple years away from being anything serious.

9. Tennessee Titans (5-3, up)

The Titans may be the team the most mysterious team in the top ten. At 5-3, they stand second in a tough AFC South and right in the thick of the AFC race. But when people stop and think about the top teams in the AFC, they never consider the Titans. Well, why not?

The main reason is that people just don't believe that Vince Young can be a starting quarterback on a legitimate contender. The numbers, however, would argue otherwise. Young currently leads the entire NFL--yes, the ENTIRE league--in quarterback rating at 103.1. Young has managed to do so by protecting the football. He has thrown only two interceptions this year and both game in the same game, versus Pittsburgh in the second week. Interestingly, Young has not done much with his legs, which has been his strength throughout his career. This season he has only rushed 20 times for 91 yards and zero touchdowns.

Finally, let's talk about the pink elephant in the room:  the Randy Moss acquisition. Moss, his antics, his relationships with previous coaches, and his work ethic have been discussed ad nauseum. I personally don't make much of the signing because I think Moss is done; the will is just not there. And if Moss' will is not there, his performance will not be there either. I am, however, very curious as to the thought processes behind Jeff Fisher and the Titans organization taking a risk on Moss. Fisher is a great coach, and although I know coaches have an ego about them that they can be the one to turn a guy around, but I thought his judgment would force him to turn the Moss acquisition down. Instead, the Titans made the move and now look like they, just like the VIkings before them, are going for broke this season. Most importantly, can Vince Young get Moss the ball enough to make Moss happy? Will Moss be satisfied in a run-first offense with a quarterback that lacks the traditional pocket presence and pure throwing skill that his previous quarterbacks (Brady and Favre) possessed in abundance? The next few weeks will be very interesting.

8. New Orleans Saints (5-3, even)

Never mind the inexplicable losses to the Cardinals and the Browns. While those losses were both embarrassing for the defending champs, their main problems lies outside of those isolated performances. The Saints' biggest problem at this point is their inconsistency. Since week two, the Saints have not strung together back-to-back wins or losses in any two consecutive games. This week, however, the Saints have a chance to buck that trend in a meeting against the Panthers.

Perhaps even more surprising is the pedestrian play of quarterback Drew Brees. Last season, Brees threw 11 interceptions. Through eight games this season, Brees has, you guessed it, 11 interceptions. While the quarterback has struggled immensely by his own standards, he may have weathered the storm successfully; the Saints are right in the thick of the NFC race and enter the second half of the season on the heels of a great victory against the Steelers.

Tier 1:  The Big Boys

7. Atlanta Falcons (5-2,  even)

I am still not sold on the Falcons, but a 5-2 record with a win over the defending champions earns them a spot in the top tier for now. Here are my concerns:

First, I don't think Matt Ryan is a good enough quarterback to lead a team to a title at this point in his career. I just don't think he has "it." He is a definite notch below Brees, Peyton and Eli Manning, Big Ben, and Tom Brady, each of whom have won at least one championship.

Second, besides an overtime victory over an inconsistent Saints team, who have they beat this season? They smashed the Cardinals, but who hasn't? They barely beat a pathetic 49ers team, squeezed out a victory against the Cleveland Browns, and edged out a Bengals team after they gave up a huge lead. Their two losses came against legitimate playoff teams:  the Steelers and the Eagles. My theory is that the Falcons are padding their record against subpar teams, which they will continue to do the rest of the way because of a ridiculously easy schedule. They will enter the playoffs with a great record and fall to the first team they face.

6. New York Giants (5-2, even)

The G-Men have quietly positioned themselves as one of the top teams in the league. They have won four straight after a slow 1-2 start and will return after a bye week to face Seattle and Dallas. The Giants are a very balanced team as they rank 8th in pass yards per game, 4th in rush yards per game, 2nd in pass yards allowed, and 3rd in rush yards allowed; these are the numbers of a championship squad. Eli is a proven winner and he has new weapons to play with. Ahmad Bradshaw, thought to be a backup going into the season, has put together an outstanding first half and currently ranks fourth in total rushing yards. And on the outsides, the Giants have a very reliable Steve Smith and an emerging go-to receiver in Hakeem Nicks. With Dallas no longer a threat, the Redskins wavering in mediocrity, and the Eagles plagued with injuries, the Giants are in great position to take the NFC East and make another run for a title.

5. Indianapolis Colts (5-2, up)

The amount of injuries that the Colts have suffered is unbelievable. But despite all the adversity, Peyton Manning has led the team to first place in the division and one Josh Scobee 59-yard field goal away from a six-game win streak. The Colts have beat tough teams; they have wins over the Giants, Texans, Chiefs, and Redskins. The remaining schedule is difficult and begins with a tough matchup against the quicker and more athletic Eagles this Sunday. The only worry I have about this team is that they cannot stop the run; they currently give up 133.1 yards on the ground per game; I don't care how good Manning is…if the defense cannot stop the run late in games and get the ball back to Manning, he can't run his patented two-minute drill.

4. New York Jets (5-2, even)

While everyone was rendered speechless by the Jets' 9-0 loss to the Packers last week, I wasn't too surprised. Mark Sanchez was bound to have a bad game--the odds were simply against his continued flawless performances. And just as expected, the defense played very well and only surrendered nine points to a high-powered Packers offense. It only surprised those who thought the Jets had somehow gotten over the hump to become a complete and dominant football team. But not so fast. Let's not forget who these guys are. The Jets are a run-first, defense-oriented football team with a quarterback that is responsible only for playing mistake-free football. At the same time, don't be too quick to jump off the bus and sound the alarm; every team has road bumps. And while this road bump looked huge, it really wasn't. As sloppy and ugly as the team played, it's not like they got blown out 32-0. The Jets trailed by only one score as late as the seven-minute mark in the fourth quarter. Much ado about nothing.

3. Baltimore Ravens (5-2, up)

I am beginning to think that the Ravens are not as good as everyone wants them to be. They do a lot of things good, but nothing great. Perhaps most alarming is the fact that the defense gave up 34 points in an overtime win last week against the winless Bills. I expect more from a championship-level defense loaded with Pro Bowlers and future Hall of Famers. Furthermore, I am not sold on Joe Flacco just yet. I have the same reservations concerning Flacco that I do about Matt Ryan.

Look, I don't want to be too tough on the Ravens right now. They have won four of their last five, but I have yet to see a complete performance on both sides of the ball.

The AFC is going to be nothing less than a dog fight from this point forward. And while the Week 13 matchup between Baltimore and Pittsburgh is crucial to both teams, the AFC North race will likely go down to the final week or two of the season. If the Ravens can sweep the season series against the Steelers, that could pay huge dividends in the long run.

2. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2, even)

Likewise, I am not surprised at all by the Steelers' loss to the Saints last week. For one, it was a road game against the defending champs. Second, the defending champs were desperate for a victory. And third, it was only Big Ben's second game back and the offense would undoubtedly be--and was--out of sync.

I watched that game and two things stood out to me. First, Pittsburgh's defense is a force to be reckoned with. Not only do they look bigger and stronger, but they play faster and hit harder than anyone other team's in the league. Most importantly, they do NOT miss tackles. On multiple occasions, Saints players had the ball in open space with only one man to beat. No matter who the defender was--a corner, a linebacker, a safety, etc.--the Steelers players made the stop. It was very impressive and actually a nice breath of fresh air because it seems like teams at both the college and professional levels have forgotten how to tackle.

The second observation I made was that, despite Big Ben's rustiness, I had complete belief and confidence that Roethlisberger would pull out the victory in the fourth quarter. He is a clutch quarterback with a proven record and attitude that makes you believe in him. Once he gets his timing back and the offense gets on the same page, you will not find a more complete team in the league.

1. New England Patriots (6-1, up)

The Moss-less Patriots are the cream of the crop after eight weeks of football. Nobody could have predicted the route through which they traveled to their 6-1 record. Sure, Brady is posting the numbers that everyone expected and Wes Welker is catching millions of passes. But what are we to make of the random cavalcade of no-names that the Patriots have brought in? Rookie tight ends Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski have been valuable outlets for Brady; the Pats have called upon the dangerous running duo of Danny Woodhead and BenJarvus Green-Ellis to carry the ground game; and bona fide deep threat Brandon Tate is torching secondaries like Moss circa 2007. Did we mention that Deion Branch is back with the Patriots, too? This is stacking up to be a bizarre season for the Patriots, but a successful one nonetheless. Interestingly, I, not usually a Patriots fan or hater either way, find myself cheering for New England each week (I suppose it helps that I have Brady on my fantasy football team).

The Pats still have HUGE questions in their secondary; they rank second-to-last in pass defense, but mastermind Bill Belichick has found ways to win despite that glaring weakness. In the long run, however, I just don't see how they win with a secondary like that. The quarterbacks that the Pats could potentially encounter in the playoffs will be too skilled to not carve up the Pats defense. Maybe the Patriots can somehow manufacture a shutdown corner. Who knows, stranger things have happened so far this season.