AFC North

Baltimore Ravens – The Ravens are the team to beat in the AFC North this season. Joe Flacco is only improving with age and is becoming one of the elite young quarterbacks in the league. With Anquan Boldin at wide receiver and the addition of Lee Evans, Flacco has many options to throw to. The Ravens also have an elite running back in Ray Rice, who looks to have another big year. The defence has been the team’s driving force for years, with players such as Terrell Suggs, Ray Lewis and Ed Reed. With their offence on par with their defence, the Ravens can prove in week one that they are better than the Steelers. Note: the Ravens beat the Steelers 35-7 on Sunday.

Pittsburgh Steelers – The Steelers are coming into the season hungrier than ever after their heartbreaking loss to Green Bay in the Super Bowl. There are many reasons to believe they can have another great season. Troy Polamalu is finally healthy after being injured for almost a full season last year. He will surely add some interceptions and some great pass rushing to the already potent Pittsburgh defence. Ben Roethlisberger is still in his prime,  and has plenty of passing options and a great running back in Rashard Mendenhall who can run the ball effectively to further confuse opposing defences.

Cleveland Browns – The Browns look like a very promising team and their fans have plenty of reason to be excited, but this team simply is not good enough to compete in a division with the Steelers and the Ravens. Quarterback Colt McCoy has been handed the team after some solid starts last season. If the Browns are to be competitive this year, McCoy has to prove that he deserved his high draft selection. Their defence is quite young and, while it has potential, it does not look competitive enough to give the Browns a shot at the playoffs.

Cincinnati Bengals – The sorry Bengals once again look like one of the worst teams in the league this

year. The team is officially starting over following the departures of Carson Palmer and Chad Ochocinco, and Head Coach Marvin Lewis is intent on running the ball more this season with the loss of Palmer’s prowess at quarterback. While the Bengals look inexperienced on paper they may surprise a few people with a great group of young players going onto the field with something to prove.

 

AFC South

Indianapolis Colts – Nobody will mistake the 2011 Colts for the perennial powerhouse they have been for the past 7 years. Peyton Manning, the Colts’ four-time MVP quarterback, is coming off neck surgery in the off-season, and has a five-year, $90 million contract to live up to. Pro Bowl wide receiver Reggie Wayne and a rejuvenated line lead the offense, while defence remains, as before, the Colts’ Achilles heel.

Houstan Texans – The Texans’ offense is extremely dangerous, with Andre Johnson leading the receiving corps and reigning NFL rushing champ Arian Foster entering his third year in the league. The defense improved through free agency and the draft, but the change to a 3-4 defensive scheme may prove challenging for some of the younger players. If the Texans do win the division, it could be more due to the Colts’ injuries than their own successes.

Tennessee Titans – It’s out with the old and in with the new in Tennessee. The offense will be predominantly based around Pro Bowl running back Chris Johnson and wide receiver Kenny Britt. Look for ex-Seahawk Matt Hasselbeck to have a rebound year at quarterback. The defense is young and fast, and will be bolstered by second round pick linebacker Akeem Ayers, who fell to them at number 39 in this years draft.

Jacksonville Jaguars – The Jags are intent on doing the opposite of the other AFC South teams, namely, winning games with their defense. Jacksonville drafted quarterback-of-the-future Blaine Gabbert with the 10th overall pick in this year’s draft. Expect him to get some playing time. On the defensive side, the Jags did sign two linebackers this offseason and should be excited about getting defensive end Aaron Kampman back after losing him to injury last season.

 

 

AFC East

New England Patriots – As the cutain rises on another NFL season, spirits are once again running high in Foxboro. After a highly successful 14-2 season, Brady, Belichick, and crowd will have their sights on a longer playoff run. If they do, the line will have to do a better job protecting Brady. The flashy signings of Chad Ochocinco and Albert Haynesworth certainly won headlines, but it remains to be seen whether or not they will win games. New England will need these two to shine if they are to win their first playoff game since 2007.

New York Jets – Mark Sanchez’s critics have been loud and clear and the Jets have tried to address that by signing Plaxico Burress and Derrick Mason to replace the departed Jerricho Cotchery. New York’s defense will be strong once again and Rex Ryan will continue to fool opposing offenses with his defensive schemes. If the Jets’ defense can stifle Brady and the Patriots in their two divisional games, this team will have a great chance at taking the division.

Buffalo Bills – The Bills may turn out to be one of the great surprises of the NFL season. Another year of development for the young core of Ryan Fitzpatrick, Stevie Johnson, and CJ Spiller may signal the light at the end of a ten-year tunnel of ineptitude in Western New York. Watch for Spiller to take the starting job from veteran Fred Jackson. Buffalo is probably a couple of years away from competing in the AFC East, but they are finally trending up, which should be a relief for their long-suffering fans.

Miami Dolphins – This may be a long season for Dolphins fans. The addition of Reggie Bush is exciting, but as long as Chad Henne is lining up under centre, this team will not taste the playoffs. Davone Bess and Brandon Marshall will be enticing options in the air, but the offence will have to score a ton of points in order to make up for a shaky defensive corps. It may be time to think about the future in South Florida.

 

AFC West

San Diego Chargers – The Chargers have fantastic skill players at all positions. Phillip Rivers is one of the best, most underrated quarterbacks in the league. When he plays, Antonio Gates is the greatest tight end in the world. V-Jax, Malcolm Floyd, and Patrick Crayton make up a filthy cadre of wide receivers, and RBs Ryan Matthews and goal-line vulture Mike Tolbert make for a two-headed running monster. Special teams have been this group’s Achilles heel in the past, and judging from the first game this year, that hasn’t changed. Note: The Chargers allowed a 103 yard kickoff return to Minnesota’s Percy Harvin in week one.

Kansas City Chiefs – This is a team that has signs of regression painted all over it. The Chiefs overachieved heartily last year, largely due to recently-departed offensive co-ordinator Charlie Weis. Running back Jamaal Charles is a beast, and has been wastefully shackled by his backfield timeshare with Thomas Jones—Charles will produce no matter what, but quarterback Matt Cassell and wide receiver Dwayne Bowe could struggle immensely. This team should drop but neither of the teams ranked below have put together the kind of roster that can pass them.

Oakland Raiders – Oakland looked to be a team on the rise last year, but the loss of both premiere defensive player, cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, and pass-catching tight end Zach Miller takes the gas out of the Raiders’ proverbial hot air balloon. Last year, running back Darren McFadden finally broke out and should continue to perform, but quarterback Jason Campbell isn’t great, nor is his receiving corp. Rookie wide receiver Denarius Moore has potential but solid production this year may be too much, too soon.

Denver Broncos – Like many other teams, the Broncoes will struggle under a new head coach (John Fox) early as they adjust to a shortened off-season. Denver also has a problem at pivot—Kyle Orton’s the starter for now, but he’s not good enough to lead a team deep into the playoffs and has no future in the Mile High city. Either Tebow needs to step way up, or the Broncoes need to tank hard and pick up one of the highly-touted quarterback prospects in the 2012 draft.

 

NFC North

Green Bay Packers – The Packers are coming off of the most successful football season possible: a Super Bowl win. Yet for a team that suffered six losses by six points or less with 15 players on injured reserve, the Packers are destined to remain one of the NFL’s greats this season. Led by playoff MVP Aaron Rodgers, this season the Packers are expected to challenge for the NFC title, and probably the Super Bowl again.

Chicago Bears – The Bears, backed by President Barack Obama, made it to the NFC finals, where they suffered a 21-14 loss to the Packers, their division rivals. The loss itself wouldn’t have been so bad if it hadn’t been for the extremely poor showing by quarterback Jay Cutler. If the Bears want to repeat their playoff appearance this season, it will be important for Cutler to improve his play and avoid becoming “NFC Finals” Cutler. Yet the team is in very good hands with head coach Lovie Smith and offensive guru Mike Martz, and the Bears will once again be playing meaningful games in January.

Detroit Lions – In 2008, the Detroit Lions finished dead last in the NFL with a 0-16 record. In 2009, the Lions finished 2-14, good for second to last place. In 2010, the Lions improved to 6-10, finishing third in the division and 21st in the league. Notice a trend? If quarterback Matthew Stafford can remain healthy and defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh can keep his form, the Lions should continue to improve their standing. The playoffs, however, still remain a few years away.M

Minnesota Vikings – The Vikings suffered a horrible season in 2010, coupled with various off-field distractions like the Randy Moss fiasco, Brett Favre’s NFL investigation, the Metrodome collapse and its subsequent modifications, and the firing of head coach Brad Childress mid-season. The 2011 season isn’t looking much brighter. With the third and final official retirement of Brett Favre, the Vikings didn’t help themselves by nabbing quarterback Donovan McNabb, an ex-star in the twilight of his career. New head coach Leslie Frazier will have a lot of work to do if he wants to bring this team back to what it used to be.

 

NFC South

Atlanta Falcons – The Falcons won the division last season and seem primed for a repeat this year. Atlanta was able to trade their spot in the 2011 draft from 27th to 6th overall and acquired wide receiver Julio Jones. Jones, a standout at University of Alabama, will make Atlanta a Super Bowl contender if he manages to live up to the expectations bestowed on him. As long as Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez continue to play their strong offensive game, the Falcons are set to make a deep run into the playoffs.

New Orleans Saints – Following their Super Bowl win in 2009, the Saints had a very disappointing playoffs in 2010, losing to the 7-9 Seattle Seahawks. During the off-season, the Saints lost their star running back Reggie Bush to free agency, but were able to draft Heisman trophy winner running back Mark Ingram, for whom the team has very high expectations. With Drew Brees at the helm, the Saints are once again expected to make the playoffs and compete for the Super Bowl title.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Last season, the Buccaneers were one win away from making the playoffs, winning one less game than division rival Saints. Although wide receiver Mike Williams promises the playoffs, many wonder if the Buccaneers are a bubble team or if they’re the real deal. Led by quarterback Josh Freeman and wide receiver Mike Williams, the Buccaneers have a solid core of young, talented players with a lot of room for improvement. But with few off-season improvements, Tampa Bay’s star players will have to carry a lot of weight if the team is to make it to the playoffs.

Carolina Panthers – After a disappointing 2010, Panthers fans know that the road back to the playoffs is a long-term dream. Going 2-14 last season, the Panthers were able to draft Auburn star quarterback Cam Newton, who fills one of the great gaps in the Panthers’ line-up. Following last season’s disappointing record, previous head coach John Fox’s contract was not renewed, and Jon Rivera was hired as the new head coach. Although Rivera predicts the Panthers will win ten games this season, five wins is a more accurate projection.

 

 

NFC East

Dallas C
owboys – The Cowboys are entering the 2011 season with more to prove than any other team in the NFL. The offense brings back Tony Romo and the defense boasts pass rushing specialist DeMarcus Ware, who has been the NFL sacks leader for two of the past three seasons. Head coach Jason Garret’s first personnel move was to bring in new defensive co-ordinator Rob Ryan (brother of Jets head coach Rex Ryan) to challenge the high-octane offenses of the NFC.

New York Giants – The Giants have gone with defensive players in the draft seven of the past eight seasons, this year drafting Nebraska defensive back Prince Amukamara to complement an already formidable pass rush. The Giants boast a very good defensive line and an underrated group of linebackers. Amukamara, who was widely considered the best cornerback in the draft, will complement an already very capable defensive corps. On the offensive front, Eli Manning leads an offense that will probably remain dedicated to the running attack.

Philadelphia Eagles – The Eagles made a splash in the off-season, taking advantage of the free agent frenzy following the end of the lockout. The Eagles shelled out big contracts to All-Pro defensive back Namdi Asomugha, defensive end Jason Babin and re-signed quarterback Michael Vick to a blockbuster $100 million dollar contract. Watch for wide receiver DeSean Jackson to have a huge year; he is resuming his role as the main punt and kick returner after the “Miracle at the Meadowlands” last year against the Giants.

Washington Redskins – Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan cleaned house in a very busy and public manner this summer, shipping out disgruntled defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth for a fifth round pick in the 2013 draft. Quarterback Donovan McNabb was also released, creating a quarterback competition between former cast-offs John Beck and Rex Grossman. The defense will be hard pressed to contain the elite offences in the NFC and the offence will probably not fare much better with either Grossman or Beck at the helm.

 

NFC West

St. Louis Rams – Simply by virtue of having burgeoning young star quarterback Sam Bradford at the controls, the Rams have a leg-up in this year’s race to mediocrity. Josh McDaniels is still offensively brilliant, and his addition as offensive co-ordinator should further accelerate Bradford’s already turbo-charged development. Further help will come from the addition of wide receiver Mike Sims-Walker. Although he played poorly last year, Sims-Walker could emerge as a credible WR1 with Bradford’s talents. Assuming injuries to running back Steven Jackson and Bradford aren’t serious, this team should be able to be just less-bad enough than its divisional competitors to get to the playoffs.

Arizona Cardinals – Based on an incredibly small sample of games played, Kevin Kolb seems like he might be a legitimate solution at the quarterback position. However, just because there’s a solid signal-caller tossing to wide out Larry Fitzgerald again doesn’t mean that this team is going to be able to get back to the Kurt Warner glory days anytime soon. Corner Patrick Peterson was a great pick, but a porous offensive line and no run game should leave the Cards on the outside looking in come playoff time.

San Francisco 49ers – Poor Jim Harbaugh, going from coaching that surefire number one overall QB pick to this 2005 first overall QB selection is the definition of the word letdown. Harbaugh is confident he can get something out of Alex Smith, but colour me skeptical. The receiving corps is there, with newly-added Braylon Edwards lining up alongside second-year Michael Crabtree, it just remains to be seen whether or not Smith can deliver the ball. Frank Gore should have a good year, assuming he can stay healthy.

Seattle Seahawks – Tavaris Jackson is not good enough to start at the NFL level. That’s as kindly as it can be said. Free agent acquisitions Zach Miller and Sidney Rice should make plays if they can get the ball, but that’s unlikely. Seattle will miss longtime quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and will not make it back to the playoffs despite the mediocrity of the league’s worst division. Welcome to Seattle, Andrew Luck!

The final series of the 2011 NHL playoffs will be remembered for several reasons. Perhaps for being the first professional sports event in which players tried to stuff their fingers in each other’s mouths. Maybe as the year when Vancouverites tried to burn their city to the ground because they lost a hockey game. Again. For me, the highlight of the playoffs came just after game seven finished and before the riots began. Vancouver fans gave Gary Bettman one of the best boo-ings I’ve ever heard. A boo-ing so loud that the league commisioner had to scream as loud as he could into the arena microphone system to be heard over the roar.

To the uninvolved hockey fan, it might seem strange that every time the commissioner of the NHL makes an appearance, the fans boo him with all their might. I’ve been asked a few times why they do this, and my response was the same as any true hockey fan’s: “because they should.”

To elaborate on this point, though, I composed a brief poem to Gary Bettman.

Gary Bettman, How do I hate thee? Let me count the ways.

I hate thee for not one, but two lockouts. ‘94, and ‘04 no more.

I hate thee for thy silly expansions: Phoenix, Tampa Bay, and Atlanta hath nary an ice rink, nor a hockey stick.

I hate thee for moving thy Jets and thy Nordiques from this Great White North to that Great Hot South.

I hate thee for the shootout, which shall occur only in an All-Star contest.

I hate thee for thy new penalty rules. Hockey art not soccer. Thou shalt not receive two minutes for love-bumps.

I hate thee for signing with Versus, the worst TV network of yore.

I hate thee for threatening Vancouver’s Green Men.

I hate thee for touch icing.

I hate thee for thy bloated salary, which thou hast neither earned, nor deserved.

I hate thee for thy smug demeanor. Thou dost not know best.

I shall hate thee until my death.

Regular season football rolled into Percival Molson Stadium on Friday night. A boisterous crowd of 5,512 fans sparked the Redmen to an early lead, but special teams and an outstanding game by quarterback Jeremi Doyon-Roch were the difference for Sherbrooke en route to a 39-13 victory for the Vert-et-Or.

McGill came out strong, recovering a Sherbrooke fumble on the opening kickoff and capitalizing with a field goal to take an early 3-0 advantage.  The lead, however, didn’t last long into the second quarter. A series of short swing screen passes, coupled with a persistent running game and a deep threat passing game, overwhelmed the Redmen who were carrying a burdensome 13-game losing streak on their backs into the home opener.

“We need to be better on offence,” Head Coach Sonny Wolfe said. He stressed that to climb up the standings they’ll need to “keep the defence off the field, and concentrate more on discipline.” Seven offside penalties put McGill in an uphill battle in the second half as well.

McGill rookie quarterback Dallon Kuprowski demonstrated sporadic success in mounting a drive of seven plays for 79 yards in the first quarter and a 12-play 70-yard drive in the third. The Redmen, however, only came away with two short field goals off of Austin Anderson’s boot. The inexperience of the young 18-year-old QB getting his second career start was evident when he threw two interceptions in the third. When asked about the young pivot, Wolfe spoke of his quarterback’s confidence and said he “fared very well despite the field position.” Wolfe added, “the more he plays the better he’ll get.”

Sherbrooke won the field position battle on the shoulders of Raphael Gagne and Ismael Malik Bamba, who combined for 149 returning yards. Rookie QB Jeremi Doyon-Roch completed 26 of 37 passes for 362 yards to a receiving corps highlighted by Simon Charbonneau-Campeau, who hauled in eight passes for 131 yards including a pivotal 53-yard reception that spurred the offence in the second half.  

McGill’s defence held strong for much of the first half, generating a sack and forcing a fumble that was returned to the house by Alexander Hutchison III. The feat stunned the defensive lineman himself. “It was all in slow motion,” Hutchison said. “All of a sudden I realized I had to start running, I woke up, and I found the endzone.” It was Hutchison’s first career touchdown, and he got there in blazing speed. He hopes to “one day run a 40 (yard dash) that fast again.”

Next on the schedule are two games in Wolfville, NS to play the Acadia Axemen, and Quebec City to face league-powerhouse Laval. The Redmen are back on Sept. 30th for the Fill The Stadium game against Bishop’s.

The 2011 Rugby World Cup is a love-driven addiction for fans and players alike around the world. Canadians and expats will be staving off sleep to watch games in New Zealand that start at ungodly hours over the next two months. Similar to the FIFA World Cup, the Rugby World Cup (RWC) fields sixteen teams—including Canada—for this quadrennial event. One of the most popular sporting events in the world, the RWC is a global spectacle that wows devout rugby enthusiasts and new fans over an eight-week thrill ride.

The RWC is a relatively new event; the inaugural tournament was played in 1987 as New Zealand took the Webb Ellis trophy on home soil. England, South Africa, and Australia have all won the tournament, with the latter two having taken home multiple championships.  Showcasing rugby’s global reach, teams from Samoa, Namibia, Romania, and Argentina are competing. Despite rugby’s niche popularity in Canada, the Canadian National team ranks 14th, below Japan and above Fiji.

Canadian rugby has a long and rich history spanning over 150 years. The first recorded Canadian rugby game was played at McGill University, as students from our university played against British officers stationed in Montreal. Rugby is most prevalent in countries that were under British colonial rule, but unfortunately for Canada, the game never quite caught on as it did in other places.

This year’s RWC is primed to become a classic. In the past, there has been a clear-cut favourite going into the tournament, but after #1 ranked New Zealand lost to Australia in the Tri Nation’s Cup at the beginning of this month, the door is wide open for the Wallabies, Springboks, and All Blacks of the Southern Hemisphere to take on the powers of the North: England, Ireland, and France.

When taking in a game at your favourite sports bar, at home (TSN is showing all games), or if you can make it down to New Zealand, keep an eye out for the stars of the game today. Ma’a Nonu, the Kiwi centre is on par with Australian scrumhalf Will Genia as the most exciting player on the planet. The stalwarts of the game are New Zealand captain Richie McCaw, Wallaby flanker David Pocock, and Irish outside centre, Brian O’Driscoll.

There is a large disparity between the top ten teams in the world and the rest – colloquially dubbed the ‘Rugby Minnows.’ Canada will have winnable matches against Japan and Tonga, with their tougher tests coming against New Zealand and France in Pool A. The Canadian team is optimistic after two solid pre-tournament wins against the United States plus a game against an Australian Barbarians side (club team all-stars). Led by captain Pat Riordan, a hooker from Victoria, the Canadian side looks to get scoring from centre DTH van der Merwe, fullback James Pritchard and lock Jamie Cudmore. 21-year-old Connor Trainor, a Vancouver native, joins Taylor Paris, an 18-year-old from Barrie as two of the brightest young players Canada has produced in recent memory. Brothers Phil and Jamie MacKenzie—winger and scrumhalf—represent a growing number of Canadians playing professionally overseas, developing their skills and helping rugby in Canada grow. Get ready for some long nights and awesome rugby.

It was a beautiful day for baseball Saturday, as many fans made the trek to Trudeau Park in Côte-Saint-Luc to watch McGill battle the Stingers in a doubleheader. The defending national champions were looking to bounce back after their first defeat of the season to divisional rivals Concordia. However, the afternoon did not go as planned as the Redmen (0-3) lost both contests by scores of 3-0 and 9-4.

Over the course of the twin bill, McGill’s pitching and hitting were solid but struggled with consistency. However, Head Coach Ernie D’Alessandro was quick to point out that key players were missing, one being Casey Auerbach, who is injured but should be in uniform soon. “It takes some time to gel but we’ll bounce back and win some ball games. It’s a long season and we’ve only played a few games. They’re a good bunch of guys and we’ll improve,” D’Alessandro said, emphasizing that it is still early in the season.

The first contest began as a pitcher’s duel, with both starting aces looking sharp and in top form. Down 2-0 in the bottom of the fifth, with McGill in trouble with the bases loaded, starting pitcher L.J. Aguinaga induced a ground ball and the infield managed to turn a double play to get out of the jam. The Stingers’ starting pitcher threw a complete game, allowing only two hits in the three-run victory.

In need of some offence in game two, the Redmen hoped to revive their bats and they did just that as the match rolled along. In the top of the first inning with one runner on base, Chris Ames hit a two-run homerun to put McGill ahead. The Redmen led off with a double in the second, and with two outs all-Canadian Josh Gordon doubled to drive in another run. Gordon eventually made it home following a throwing error making it 4-0 for McGill. With a good start under their belts, things took a turn for the worse in the bottom of the second. Concordia scored five and never looked back. McGill only managed four runs, with all of them coming in the second inning.

Chris Ames, one of the bright spots of the day, highlighted what went wrong in game two. “We were up four nothing early which is nice,” Ames said. “We had a couple of good innings but we gave a few free passes to some of their hitters and let them get back in the game. We just didn’t keep the pressure on, we just kind of faded and they took the game over.”

Game one starter, L.J. Aguinaga threw a solid 5 2/3 innings, striking out three and giving up only three earned runs. He doesn’t want the team to panic and forget its identity. “We have a lot of rookies on the team and we’re still trying to put things together,” Aguinaga said, echoing his coach’s words. “We’re the National Champions and we’re here to defend our title for sure, but we still have to get the job going right now … We’ve got thirteen more games and we should definitely put out a good record for the rest of the season.”

Although the start of the Redmen’s season has been disappointing, the buzz and intensity surrounding this squad is undeniable. Everyone is optimistic as McGill is looking to regain their championship form, and from all indications it certainly seems that they will.