First round NFL Draft grades

1. Miami Dolphins- Jake Long, T.
Grade: B-. It's a safe pick, but I just don't think you can build a franchise around an offensive tackle. Still, Miami didn't need another player at a skill position.

2. St. Louis Rams- Chris Long, DE.
Grade: C+. Everyone has fallen in love with Long, but I don't think he will be near as good of a player as Vernon Gholston, who should have been the pick here. I'm not sure Long is quick enough to be a premier pass-rusher in this league.

3. Atlanta Falcons- Matt Ryan, QB.
Grade: A-. Not that I am too crazy about Ryan, but the Falcons had to make this move. Did they really want to go into the season with Joey Harrington as their starting signal-caller? Plus, there was no guarantee they would have been able to trade down for a quarterback, either.

4. Oakland Raiders- Darren McFadden, HB.
Grade: A+. Oakland got the best player in the draft. Whoever says halfback is not a need for the Raiders is out of their mind. I'm sorry, but Justin Fargas is not Darren McFadden. He will be the Adrian Peterson of this year's draft.

5. Kansas City Chiefs- Glenn Dorsey, DT.
Grade: A+. The best defensive lineman in the draft fell right into Kansas City's laps at number five. Yes, he had some injury issues in college, but if he can remain healthy, Dorsey will become one of the most dominant defensive tackles in the league.

6. New York Jets- Vernon Gholston, DE/OLB.
Grade: A+. I loved this pick. The Jets picked up the best pure pass-rusher in the draft in Gholston, the only player in college football to pick up a sack against Jake Long in the 2007-08 season. New York was in dire need of someone who could apply pressure to the quarterback, and they got their man.

7. New Orleans Saints (trade with NE)- Sedrick Ellis, DT.
Grade: A-. New Orleans made an aggressive move by trading up with the Patriots so they could get Ellis, and it will pay off. Ellis will not be a perennial Pro-Bowler, but he'll be a very solid player. Think of a poor man's Warren Sapp.

8. Jacksonville Jaguars (trade with BAL)- Derrick Harvey, DE.
Grade: A-. The one thing the Jaguars lack on defense is a pass-rush, so they began to remedy that problem by trading up for Harvey in the first round. Nice move.

9. Cincinnati Bengals- Keith Rivers, OLB.
Grade: C+. I think Cincinnati has more of a pressing need at middle linebacker than outside, so I think this pick should have been Jerod Mayo. I am not really in love with Rivers at all.

10. New England Patriots- Jerod Mayo, MLB.
Grade: A-. In my mock, I had Cincy taking Mayo and the Pats getting Rivers, but it turned out to be the other way around. Mayo could flourish in New England's 3-4 defense.

11. Buffalo Bills- Leodis McKelvin, CB.
Grade: B+. I didn't like the pick too much at first because of their need for a WR, but the fact that they picked up James Hardy later in the draft made this move look a lot better. Still, with Terrence McGee and Jabari Greer, I didn't think cornerback was that big of a need for the Bills.

12. Denver Broncos- Ryan Clady, T.
Grade: A. Denver needed a tackle due to the sudden retirement of Matt Lepsis, so they went with the next best one in the draft in Clady. Good move.

13. Carolina Panthers- Jonathan Stewart, HB.
Grade: C. With their needs at defensive end, I'm very surprised Carolina didn't trade up for Harvey at this pick. Still, I like Stewart a lot and think he could be a solid back in this league. Think Maurice Jones-Drew.

14. Chicago Bears- Chris Williams, T.
Grade: D+. I really don't get the Bears. They desperately need a quarterback and receivers, and they draft a tackle? They could have easily traded down and picked up someone like Brian Brohm or Chad Henne or even drafted Joe Flacco straight up with this pick, and if not one of those options, they could have traded down for a receiver. Bad move by Chicago.

15. Kansas City Chiefs (from DET)- Branden Albert, G.
Grade: A. The Jared Allen trade really paid off for the Chiefs. Here, they get the most versatile offensive lineman in the draft in Albert, as he can play either guard or tackle and do one equally as well as the other.

16. Arizona Cardinals- Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB.
Grade: A. This was a great pick. Cornerback became a big hole for the Cardinals as soon as Antrel Rolle moved to safety, and Rodgers-Cromartie may very well be the best one in the draft.

17. Detroit Lions (from MIN)- Gosder Cherilus, T.
Grade: F. Okay; so the Kevin Jones experiment didn't work out, and they cut ties with him. That has to mean Detroit is taking a halfback here, right? Wrong. They go with Cherilus, and they traded down to do so when they could have taken Albert at #15. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Rashard Mendenhall was there for the taking both times, and they pass up on him?

18. Baltimore Ravens (from HOU)- Joe Flacco, QB.
Grade: A-. I really like this pick. Flacco has the most raw talent of any quarterback in the draft, as he has unbelievable arm strength and size (he stands nearly 6'7" and weighs 240).

19. Carolina Panthers (from PHI)- Jeff Otah, T.
Grade: A. Now this was a good pick. The Panthers desperately needed an offensive lineman, so they go with Otah. He can help form a great tackle tandem along with Jordan Gross.

20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Aqib Talib, CB.
Grade: A-. Solid pick here. Philip Buchanan just wasn't cutting it for the Buccaneers, and Ronde Barber isn't getting any younger. Many feel that Talib is the most talented cornerback in this draft. His main issue is his off-the-field problems.

21. Atlanta Falcons (from WAS)- Sam Baker, T.
Grade: C. I am not too crazy about this pick. Most people felt that Baker wasn't even a first-round talent. Plus, Atlanta has pretty big needs at defensive tackle and tight end. Either Kentwan Balmer or Dustin Keller would have been a better pick here.

22. Dallas Cowboys (from CLE)- Felix Jones, HB.
Grade: B-. Jones is a very nice player, but I felt that Dallas needed a pass-rushing defensive end to anchor the line of scrimmage. I would have went with Lawrence Jackson or Phillip Merling, but losing Julius Jones did open up a hole at the number two halfback slot.

23. Pittsburgh Steelers- Rashard Mendenhall, HB.
Grade: B+. I think this was just a case of taking best player available. Pittsburgh doesn't have a need at halfback considering they have Willie Parker, but the north-south Mendenhall can provide a nice change of pace from the finesse Parker. I do think the Steelers should have worked on their secondary here, though. Kenny Phillips, maybe?

24. Tennessee Titans- Chris Johnson, HB.
Grade: F. What is it about the Titans that they refuse to give Vince Young any help at all? Johnson is just going to be another Chris Henry. He is a workout warrior who turned heads in the 40-yard dash. Tennessee could have easily taken a receiver or at least traded down to pick one up later, but they take a second-round talent in Johnson.

25. Dallas Cowboys (from SEA)- Mike Jenkins, CB.
Grade: C. They again beat around their need for a pass-rushing end, this time to pick up a cornerback. I think Jenkins is an overrated prospect, hence the reason why he was the fourth corner taken instead of the first or second like many predicted.

26. Houston Texans (from BAL)- Duane Brown, T.
Grade: D-. Houston blew this pick. They have many other holes like at receiver, defensive end, and even outside linebacker and safety. The Texans could have easily traded down to get Brown while still compiling more picks to address other needs, but they failed to do so. Bad, bad decision.

27. San Diego Chargers- Antoine Cason, CB.
Grade: B+. The Chargers really don't have any huge needs. They have a bit of a hole at right tackle, but there weren't any good tackles remaining on the board. Cason is a very nice player who I think is one of the more underrated players in this draft.

28. Seattle Seahawks- Lawrence Jackson, DE.
Grade: D. This was a pretty bad pick by the Seahawks. They already have two very good pass-rushing ends in Patrick Kerney and Darryl Tapp. What Seattle really needed was a tight end, and Keller was still on the board here.

29. San Francisco 49ers- Kentwan Balmer, DT.
Grade: C+. I think the 49ers should have really addressed their problems at wide receiver first, but they did need a defensive tackle. Many scouts are worried about Balmer's work ethic, and rightfully so, as he didn't really start playing like a first-round pick until his senior season. Still, the kid has talent. Not a horrible pick, but not one I would have made.

30. New York Jets (from GB)- Dustin Keller, TE.
Grade: A. Phenomenal move by the Jets. Yes, they may have overpaid a little considering their next pick was only a few picks away, but they have been longing for a dynamic tight end for a while. Keller reminds me of an Antonio Gates or Kellen Winslow Jr. type player.

31. New York Giants- Kenny Phillips, S.
Grade: B. I think the Giants could have traded down and still gotten a safety (Tyrell Johnson) and picked up a pass-rushing outside linebacker (Quentin Groves) with the extra pick. However, the G-Men did need a safety, and Phillips is the best one in the draft.

Final seed projections

1: North Carolina, UCLA, Memphis, Kansas
2: Georgetown, Texas, Tennessee, Wisconsin
3: Connecticut, Duke, Stanford, Louisville
4: Xavier, Butler, Pittsburgh, Notre Dame
5: Marquette, Michigan State, Purdue, Clemson
6: USC, Drake, Washington State, Indiana
7: Arkansas, Gonzaga, West Virginia, Vanderbilt
8: Oklahoma, Kansas State, UNLV, Texas A&M
9: Saint Mary's, Mississippi State, Miami, BYU
10: Saint Joseph's, Davidson, Mississippi, Kentucky
11: Arizona State, Virginia Tech, Baylor, Kent State
12: San Diego, George Mason, Arizona, Temple
13: Georgia, Oral Roberts, Western Kentucky, Boise State
14: Winthrop, Belmont, Austin Peay, California State Fullerton
15: Austin Peay, Portland State, Maryland-Baltimore County, Cornell
16: American, Texas-Arlington, Mount Saint Mary's

Play-in: Coppin State vs. Mississippi Valley State

Final NCAA Tourney field projections: Mar. 16

ACC (5)

Automatic bid: North Carolina
At large: Duke, Clemson, Miami, Virginia Tech
Bubble: None

AMERICA EAST (1)

Automatic bid: Maryland-Baltimore County

ATLANTIC 10 (3)

Automatic bid: Temple
At large: Xavier, Saint Joseph's
Bubble: Massachusetts

ATLANTIC SUN (1)

Automatic bid: Belmont

BIG 12 (6)

Automatic bid: Kansas
At large: Texas, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Baylor
Bubble: None

BIG EAST (7)

Automatic bid: Pittsburgh
At large: Georgetown, Connecticut, Louisville, Marquette, Notre Dame, West Virginia
Bubble: Villanova

BIG SKY (1)

Automatic bid: Portland State

BIG SOUTH (1)

Automatic bid: Winthrop

BIG TEN (4)

Automatic bid: Wisconsin
At large: Michigan State, Purdue, Indiana
Bubble: Ohio State

BIG WEST (1)

Automatic bid: California State Fullerton

COLONIAL ATHLETIC (1)

Automatic bid: George Mason
At large: None
Bubble: Virginia Commonwealth

CONFERENCE USA (1)

Automatic bid: Memphis

HORIZON LEAGUE (1)

Automatic bid: Butler

IVY LEAGUE (1)

Automatic bid: Cornell

MAAC (1)

Automatic bid: Siena

MAC (1)

Automatic bid: Kent State

MEAC (1)

Automatic bid: Coppin State

MISSOURI VALLEY (1)

Automatic bid: Drake
At large: None
Bubble: Illinois State

MOUNTAIN WEST (2)

Automatic bid: UNLV
At large: BYU
Bubble: None

NORTHEAST (1)

Automatic bid: Mount Saint Mary's

OHIO VALLEY (1)

Automatic bid: Austin Peay

PAC-10 (6)

Automatic bid: UCLA
At large: Stanford, Washington State, USC, Arizona State, Arizona
Bubble: Oregon

PATRIOT LEAGUE (1)

Automatic bid: American

SEC (7)

Automatic bid: Georgia
At large: Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi
Bubble: None

SOUTHERN (1)

Automatic bid: Davidson

SOUTHLAND (1)

Automatic bid: Texas-Arlington

SUMMIT LEAGUE (1)

Automatic bid: Oral Roberts

SUN BELT (1)

Automatic bid: Western Kentucky
At large: None
Bubble: South Alabama

SWAC (1)

Automatic bid: Mississippi Valley State

WAC (1)

Automatic bid: Boise State

WEST COAST (3)

Automatic bid: San Diego
At large: Gonzaga, Saint Mary's
Bubble: None

Projecting the seeds, Mar. 14

1: North Carolina, Memphis, UCLA, Tennessee
2: Georgetown, Kansas, Texas, Duke
3: Wisconsin, Connecticut, Stanford, Louisville
4: Xavier, Purdue, Notre Dame, Butler
5: Marquette, Michigan State, USC, Drake
6: Indiana, Washington State, Pittsburgh, Vanderbilt
7: Clemson, Mississippi State, Oklahoma, Gonzaga
8: West Virginia, Kansas State, BYU, Kentucky
9: Saint Mary's, Miami, Saint Joseph's, UNLV
10: Arkansas, Mississippi, Texas A&M, Davidson
11: Kent State, Arizona State, Baylor, Virginia Tech
12: San Diego, South Alabama, Arizona, Minnesota
13: George Mason, Stephen F. Austin, Oral Roberts, Western Kentucky
14: Winthrop, Utah State, Belmont, Siena
15: Portland State, Cornell, Austin Peay, American
16: California Irvine, Hartford, Morgan State

Play-in: Alabama State vs. Mount Saint Mary's

Projecting the NCAA Tournament field, Mar. 14

ACC (5)

Automatic bid: North Carolina
At large: Duke, Clemson, Miami, Virginia Tech
Bubble: None

AMERICA EAST (1)

Automatic bid: Hartford

ATLANTIC 10 (2)

Automatic bid: Saint Joseph's
At large: Xavier
Bubble: Massachusetts, Temple, Dayton

ATLANTIC SUN (1)

Automatic bid: Belmont

BIG 12 (6)

Automatic bid: Kansas
At large: Texas, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Baylor
Bubble: None

BIG EAST (7)

Automatic bid: Georgetown
At large: Connecticut, Louisville, Marquette, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, West Virginia
Bubble: Villanova

BIG SKY (1)

Automatic bid: Portland State

BIG SOUTH (1)

Automatic bid: Winthrop

BIG TEN (5)

Automatic bid: Minnesota
At large: Wisconsin, Michigan State, Purdue, Indiana
Bubble: Ohio State

BIG WEST (1)

Automatic bid: California Irvine

COLONIAL ATHLETIC (1)

Automatic bid: George Mason
At large: None
Bubble: Virginia Commonwealth

CONFERENCE USA (1)

Automatic bid: Memphis

HORIZON LEAGUE (1)

Automatic bid: Butler

IVY LEAGUE (1)

Automatic bid: Cornell

MAAC (1)

Automatic bid: Siena

MAC (1)

Automatic bid: Kent State

MEAC (1)

Automatic bid: Morgan State

MISSOURI VALLEY (1)

Automatic bid: Drake
At large: None
Bubble: Illinois State

MOUNTAIN WEST (2)

Automatic bid: UNLV
At large: BYU
Bubble: None

NORTHEAST (1)

Automatic bid: Mount Saint Mary's

OHIO VALLEY (1)

Automatic bid: Austin Peay

PAC-10 (6)

Automatic bid: UCLA
At large: Stanford, Washington State, USC, Arizona State, Arizona
Bubble: Oregon

PATRIOT LEAGUE (1)

Automatic bid: American

SEC (6)

Automatic bid: Tennessee
At large: Vanderbilt, Arkansas, Mississippi State, Kentucky, Mississippi
Bubble: None

SOUTHERN (1)

Automatic bid: Davidson

SOUTHLAND (1)

Automatic bid: Stephen F. Austin

SUMMIT LEAGUE (1)

Automatic bid: Oral Roberts

SUN BELT (2)

Automatic bid: Western Kentucky
At large: South Alabama
Bubble: None

SWAC (1)

Automatic bid: Alabama State

WAC (1)

Automatic bid: Utah State

WEST COAST (3)

Automatic bid: San Diego
At large: Gonzaga, Saint Mary's
Bubble: None

Projecting the NCAA Tournament field, Mar. 10

ACC (4)

Automatic bid: North Carolina
At large: Duke, Clemson, Miami
Bubble: Virginia Tech, Maryland

AMERICA EAST (1)

Automatic bid: Hartford

ATLANTIC 10 (2)

Automatic bid: Xavier
At large: Massachusetts
Bubble: Dayton, Saint Joseph's

ATLANTIC SUN (1)

Automatic bid: Belmont

BIG 12 (6)

Automatic bid: Kansas
At large: Texas, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Baylor
Bubble: None

BIG EAST (8)

Automatic bid: Connecticut
At large: Georgetown, Louisville, Notre Dame, Marquette, Pittsburgh, West Virginia, Syracuse
Bubble: Villanova

BIG SKY (1)

Automatic bid: Portland State

BIG SOUTH (1)

Automatic bid: Winthrop

BIG TEN (4)

Automatic bid: Wisconsin
At large: Purdue, Indiana, Michigan State
Bubble: Ohio State

BIG WEST (1)

Automatic bid: Pacific

COLONIAL ATHLETIC (2)

Automatic bid: George Mason
At large: Virginia Commonwealth
Bubble: None

CONFERENCE USA (1)

Automatic bid: Memphis
At large: None
Bubble: UAB

HORIZON LEAGUE (1)

Automatic bid: Butler

IVY LEAGUE (1)

Automatic bid: Cornell

MAAC (1)

Automatic bid: Siena

MAC (1)

Automatic bid: Kent State

MEAC (1)

Automatic bid: Morgan State

MISSOURI VALLEY (1)

Automatic bid: Drake
At large: None
Bubble: Illinois State

MOUNTAIN WEST (3)

Automatic bid: UNLV
At large: BYU, New Mexico
Bubble: None

NORTHEAST (1)

Automatic bid: Sacred Heart

OHIO VALLEY (1)

Automatic bid: Austin Peay

PAC-10 (6)

Automatic bid: UCLA
At large: Stanford, Washington State, USC, Arizona State, Arizona
Bubble: Oregon

PATRIOT LEAGUE (1)

Automatic bid: Colgate

SEC (6)

Automatic bid: Tennessee
At large: Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, Mississippi, Arkansas, Kentucky
Bubble: Florida

SOUTHERN (1)

Automatic bid: Davidson

SOUTHLAND (1)

Automatic bid: Lamar

SUMMIT LEAGUE (1)

Automatic bid: Oakland

SUN BELT (1)

Automatic bid: South Alabama
At large: None
Bubble: Western Kentucky

SWAC (1)

Automatic bid: Alabama State

WAC (1)

Automatic bid: Utah State

WEST COAST (3)

Automatic bid: San Diego
At large: Gonzaga, Saint Mary's
Bubble: None

Last four in: Arizona, Syracuse, New Mexico, Virginia Commonwealth
Last four out: Virginia Tech, Western Kentucky, Oregon, Villanova

Projecting the NCAA Tournament field, Mar. 7

ACC (5)

Automatic bid: North Carolina
At large: Duke, Clemson, Miami, Virginia Tech
Bubble: Maryland

AMERICA EAST (1)

Automatic bid: Maryland-Baltimore County

ATLANTIC 10 (3)

Automatic bid: Xavier
At large: Massachusetts, Saint Joseph's
Bubble: Dayton, Rhode Island

ATLANTIC SUN (1)

Automatic bid: Belmont

BIG 12 (6)

Automatic bid: Kansas
At large: Texas, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Baylor
Bubble: None

BIG EAST (7)

Automatic bid: Connecticut
At large: Georgetown, Louisville, Marquette, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, West Virginia
Bubble: Syracuse

BIG SKY (1)

Automatic bid: Portland State

BIG SOUTH (1)

Automatic bid: Winthrop

BIG TEN (4)

Automatic bid: Wisconsin
At large: Indiana, Michigan State, Purdue
Bubble: Ohio State

BIG WEST (1)

Automatic bid: Pacific

COLONIAL ATHLETIC (1)

Automatic bid: Virginia Commonwealth

CONFERENCE USA (2)

Automatic bid: Memphis
At large: UAB
Bubble: None

HORIZON LEAGUE (1)

Automatic bid: Butler

IVY LEAGUE (1)

Automatic bid: Cornell

MAAC (1)

Automatic bid: Siena

MAC (1)

Automatic bid: Kent State

MEAC (1)

Automatic bid: Morgan State

MISSOURI VALLEY (2)

Automatic bid: Drake
At large: Illinois State
Bubble: None

MOUNTAIN WEST (2)

Automatic bid: BYU
At large: UNLV
Bubble: New Mexico

NORTHEAST (1)

Automatic bid: Robert Morris

OHIO VALLEY (1)

Automatic bid: Austin Peay

PAC-10 (6)

Automatic bid: UCLA
At large: Stanford, Washington State, USC, Arizona State, Arizona
Bubble: None

PATRIOT LEAGUE (1)

Automatic bid: Bucknell

SEC (5)

Automatic bid: Tennessee
At large: Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, Mississippi, Arkansas
Bubble: Florida, Kentucky

SOUTHERN (1)

Automatic bid: Davidson

SOUTHLAND (1)

Automatic bid: Lamar

SUMMIT LEAGUE (1)

Automatic bid: IUPUI

SUN BELT (2)

Automatic bid: South Alabama
At large: Western Kentucky
Bubble: None

SWAC (1)

Automatic bid: Alabama State

WAC (1)

Automatic bid: Utah State

WEST COAST (2)

Automatic bid: Gonzaga
At large: Saint Mary's
Bubble: None

Last four in: Arkansas, Illinois State, Virginia Tech, Saint Joseph's
Last four out: Maryland, Kentucky, New Mexico, Syracuse

Projecting the NCAA Tournament field: Mar. 2

ACC (5)

Automatic bid: North Carolina
At large: Duke, Maryland, Clemson, Miami
Bubble: Virginia Tech

AMERICA EAST (1)

Automatic bid: Maryland-Baltimore County

ATLANTIC 10 (3)

Automatic bid: Xavier
At large: Saint Joseph's, Massachusetts
Bubble: Rhode Island, Dayton

ATLANTIC SUN (1)

Automatic bid: Belmont

BIG 12 (6)

Automatic bid: Kansas
At large: Texas, Kansas State, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Baylor
Bubble: Oklahoma State, Nebraska

BIG EAST (7)

Automatic bid: Connecticut
At large: Louisville, Georgetown, Notre Dame, Marquette, Pittsburgh, West Virginia
Bubble: Villanova, Syracuse

BIG SKY (1)

Automatic bid: Portland State

BIG SOUTH (1)

Automatic bid: Winthrop

BIG TEN (4)

Automatic bid: Wisconsin
At large: Purdue, Indiana, Michigan State
Bubble: None

BIG WEST (1)

Automatic bid: Pacific

COLONIAL ATHLETIC (1)

Automatic bid: Virginia Commonwealth

CONFERENCE USA (2)

Automatic bid: Memphis
At large: UAB
Bubble: Houston

HORIZON LEAGUE (1)

Automatic bid: Butler

IVY LEAGUE (1)

Automatic bid: Cornell

MAAC (1)

Automatic bid: Siena

MAC (1)

Automatic bid: Kent State

MEAC (1)

Automatic bid: Morgan State

MISSOURI VALLEY (1)

Automatic bid: Drake
At large: None
Bubble: Illinois State

MOUNTAIN WEST (2)

Automatic bid: BYU
At large: UNLV
Bubble: New Mexico

NORTHEAST (1)

Automatic bid: Robert Morris

OHIO VALLEY (1)

Automatic bid: Austin Peay

PAC-10 (6)

Automatic bid: UCLA
At large: Stanford, Washington State, USC, Arizona State, Arizona
Bubble: None

PATRIOT LEAGUE (1)

Automatic bid: Navy

SEC (6)

Automatic bid: Tennessee
At large: Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, Arkansas, Mississippi, Florida
Bubble: Kentucky

SOUTHERN (1)

Automatic bid: Davidson

SOUTHLAND (1)

Automatic bid: Lamar
At large: None
Bubble: Stephen F. Austin

SUMMIT LEAGUE (1)

Automatic bid: IUPUI

SUN BELT (2)

Automatic bid: South Alabama
At large: Western Kentucky
Bubble: None

SWAC (1)

Automatic bid: Alabama State

WAC (1)

Automatic bid: Boise State

WEST COAST (2)

Automatic bid: Gonzaga
At large: Saint Mary's
Bubble: None

Last four in: Florida, Arizona, Baylor, UAB
Last four out: Illinois State, Virginia Tech, Villanova, Syracuse
Next four out: Dayton, Houston, New Mexico, Rhode Island

Kidd to Dallas may finally get done

After a strange few days of negotiations, it looks like the New Jersey Nets are finally sending star point guard Jason Kidd to the Dallas Mavericks.

Earlier in the week, it was reported that Kidd was headed to Dallas along with Malik Allen for Devin Harris, DeSagana Diop, Maurice Ager, Jerry Stackhouse, Devean George, and two first-round draft picks. However, George vetoed the trade, sending both parties back to the drawing board.

Then, when word got out that Stackhouse was going to be bought out by New Jersey and then sign back with the Mavericks after 30 days, the NBA reportedly stepped in and refused to allow that to happen with thoughts that the deal may had been pre-arranged.

The newest version of the trade has Kidd and Allen going to Dallas for Harris, Diop, Ager, Trenton Hassell, and retired forward Keith Van Horn, who the Mavericks will throw into the deal to make contracts match.

Kidd was drafted by Dallas and spent the first two-and-a-half years of his career there. He was dealt to the Phoenix Suns in the 1996-97 campaign where he would go on to play four-and-a-half seasons. The All-Star was then traded to the Nets during the summer of 2001 for Stephon Marbury and others. Kidd played six-and-a-half seasons in New Jersey, leading the Nets to the NBA Finals twice during that span and never failing to make the playoffs.

Predicting the NCAA Tournament field

ACC (5)

Automatic bid: North Carolina
At large: Duke, Maryland, Clemson, North Carolina State
On the bubble: Virginia Tech

AMERICA EAST (1)

Automatic bid: Maryland Baltimore-County
At large: None
On the bubble: None

ATLANTIC 10 (5)

Automatic bid: Xavier
At large: Rhode Island, Saint Joseph's, Dayton, Charlotte
On the bubble: Massachusetts

ATLANTIC SUN (1)

Automatic bid: Belmont
At large: None
On the bubble: None

BIG 12 (6)

Automatic bid: Kansas
At large: Texas, Kansas State, Texas A&M, Baylor, Oklahoma
On the bubble: None

BIG EAST (7)

Automatic bid: Connecticut
At large: Georgetown, Louisville, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Marquette, Syracuse
On the bubble: West Virginia

BIG SKY (1)

Automatic bid: Portland State
At large: None
On the bubble: None

BIG SOUTH (1)

Automatic bid: North Carolina-Asheville
At large: None
On the bubble: None

BIG TEN (4)

Automatic bid: Purdue
At large: Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan State
On the bubble: Ohio State

BIG WEST (1)

Automatic bid: Pacific
At large: None
On the bubble: None

COLONIAL ATHLETIC (2)

Automatic bid: George Mason
At large: Virginia Commonwealth
On the bubble: None

CONFERENCE USA (1)

Automatic bid: Memphis
At large: None
On the bubble: Houston, UAB

HORIZON LEAGUE (1)

Automatic bid: Butler
At large: None
On the bubble: Wright State

IVY LEAGUE (1)

Automatic bid: Cornell
At large: None
On the bubble: None

MAAC (1)

Automatic bid: Siena
At large: None
On the bubble: None

MAC (1)

Automatic bid: Kent State
At large: None
On the bubble: Ohio

MEAC (1)

Automatic bid: Morgan State
At large: None
On the bubble: None

MISSOURI VALLEY (1)

Automatic bid: Drake
At large: None
On the bubble: Illinois State, Creighton

MOUNTAIN WEST (2)

Automatic bid: UNLV
At large: BYU
On the bubble: San Diego State, New Mexico

NORTHEAST (1)

Automatic bid: Robert Morris
At large: None
On the bubble: None

OHIO VALLEY (1)

Automatic bid: Austin Peay
At large: None
On the bubble: None

PAC-10 (5)

Automatic bid: UCLA
At large: Stanford, Washington State, USC, Arizona
On the bubble: Arizona State, California

PATRIOT LEAGUE (1)

Automatic bid: American
At large: None
On the bubble: None

SEC (6)

Automatic bid: Tennessee
At large: Mississippi, Mississippi State, Arkansas, Vanderbilt, Florida
On the bubble: None

SOUTHERN (1)

Automatic bid: Davidson
At large: None
On the bubble: None

SOUTHLAND (1)

Automatic bid: Sam Houston State
At large: None
On the bubble: None

SUMMIT LEAGUE (1)

Automatic bid: Oral Roberts
At large: None
On the bubble: None

SUN BELT (1)

Automatic bid: South Alabama
At large: None
On the bubble: None

SWAC (1)

Automatic bid: Alabama State
At large: None
On the bubble: None

WAC (1)

Automatic bid: Utah State
At large: None
On the bubble: Boise State

WEST COAST (2)

Automatic bid: Saint Mary's
At large: Gonzaga
On the bubble: None

Shaq headed to Phoenix; I don't get it

As long as he passes his physical, four-time champion center Shaquille O'Neal will be traded from the Miami Heat to the Phoenix Suns for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks. The question to Phoenix is: why?

The Suns currently have the best record in the Western Conference. They have one of the NBA's most lethal trios in Steve Nash, Amare Stoudemire, and Marion, and now they want to break it up? First of all, I think Marion is a bit overrated and is really just a product of Phoenix's run-and-gun system, but that's exactly why the Suns should not be dealing him, especially for a 35-year old who is clearly past his prime.

No disrespect to O'Neal, but he is not even a top 50 player in the league anymore. The 14-time All-Star is averaging a career-low 14.2 points and a next-to-career-worst 7.8 rebounds per game and has missed 14 games this season. As a matter of fact, Shaq has sat out 79 games since the 2005-06 campaign. Even his great friend and now-former teammate Dwyane Wade publicly called out O'Neal for not being in playing shape. If the 325-pound behemoth couldn't get up and down the floor in Miami, how in the world is he going to do that with the fast-paced Suns?

Phoenix scores a good chunk of points in transition night in and night out. Yes, they can put up points in a halfcourt set, but let's face it; when you think of the Suns, you think of Nash throwing alley-oops to Stoudemire and Marion on fast breaks. You don't think of a team that can methodically wear other teams down by pounding the ball down low or having their guards slash into the paint. Getting O'Neal will definitely help their low-post game, but Shaq cannot be relied on to do that every time down the floor like has was in past years. Now he will have to worry about simply keeping up when Nash and company decide to run.

Unless the Suns are trying to tweak their philosophy, I don't see how this move makes any sense at all. I will say that the game Phoenix plays now will not win them any championships. In order to beat teams like San Antonio and Dallas out West, you need to be able to score points in ways other than getting out on the break. Maybe Mike D'Antoni realizes that and is attempting to have the halfcourt offense run through O'Neal? Either way, the Suns' defense took a hit with this move, as Shaq was never known for being a tenacious defender and they also lost Marion's cover skills out on the perimeter.

This trade could have also been a knee-jerk reaction to the Lakers acquiring Pau Gasol from Memphis. Phoenix felt the need to add a low-post threat of their own to counter Los Angeles, and if D'Antoni is willing to restructure the offense and Shaq stays motivated, then maybe things can work. However, I think the Suns would have still beaten the Lakers anyway. Gasol is a nice player, but he is a far cry from a superstar.

All in all, this was a very questionable move by Phoenix. For the Heat, they are in rebuilding mode, and they get a decent chip in Marion to play alongside Wade. I think the most important concept here for Miami is that they can deal Marion to a contender either by the trading deadline or in the off-season if they don't feel he is going to be part of their future plans. I'm sure many teams would vie for his services, and the Heat would probably get a decent haul in return should they decide to deal the 29-year old.

This trade is boom or bust for the Suns. If O'Neal can incorporate himself into the offense and re-establish himself as a consistent low-post threat, then this is a great move for a team that lacked a true inside go-to guy. Stoudemire can get the job done on occasion, but he is at his best on the run and was never able to dominate in the paint. However, if the O'Neal we've seen in the 32 games he's played in this season shows up, then that could throw Phoenix all out of whack. Their run-and-gun game will no longer be as potent, and they will be short a key perimeter defender who has been known to do a fine job against players such as Kobe Bryant in big games. On the other side again, though, the Suns may have needed a change considering they have been beaten by the Spurs, twice, and the Mavericks in the playoffs since this squad came together in the 2004-05 season.

We'll just have to wait and see what happens.

Bedard to Mariners close

It looks like the Erik Bedard sweepstakes are finally drawing to a close. The Baltimore Orioles are reportedly close to trading the 28-year old left-hander to the Seattle Mariners in a deal that would send top outfielding prospect Adam Jones to the Orioles. According to Luis Sojo, manager of the Lara Cardinals, a minor-league affiliate of the Mariners, Jones flew to Baltimore to take a physical today. Other prospects would also be heading Baltimore's way, possibly including two highly-touted minor-league arms in Chris Tillman and Tony Butler.

Bedard went 13-5 and posted a 3.16 ERA in 182 innings for the Orioles last season. He also struck out 221. He has a career record of 40-34 and an ERA of 3.83. Bedard has spent all four of his full MLB seasons in Baltimore.

My NBA All-Star teams

Eastern Conference

Starters

C- Dwight Howard, Magic- This one is a no-brainer. The 22-year old Howard is having a monster season, averaging 22 points and just under 15 rebounds per game. His presence has helped Orlando get out to a 27-18 start. Although Howard still needs to improve his back-to-the-basket game and has a lot of work to do on his jump shot, his size and strength alone has allowed him to develop into one of the league's most dominant players. Could he be the next version Shaquille O'Neal? Actual winner: Howard.

PF- Kevin Garnett, Celtics- Another easy choice here. Garnett has not only been the league's best player this season, but he is also on the NBA's best team. It's about time the now 13-year veteran gets the respect he deserves after playing all of those years in frigid Minnesota. He has made both Paul Pierce and Ray Allen better players, as well as rookie Glen Davis and young center Kendrick Perkins. Boston has been flourishing with their newest "Big Three." Actual winner: Garnett.

SF- LeBron James, Cavaliers- Cleveland struggled early in the year but has turned it on as of late, mostly due in part to the play of James. The King has put together six 30+ point games in the month of January, not to mention four double-doubles and several near triple-doubles on top of that. In the weak East, James should have no problem leading the Cavaliers to the playoffs for the third consecutive year. Actual winner: James.

SG- Paul Pierce, Celtics- Pierce will not be starting in the real All-Star game, but he certainly should be. He is leading his superhuman Celtics in scoring, averaging just over 20 a night. He is also averaging just under six boards and six dimes an outing. Pierce's leadership has also been a huge factor of Boston's first-half dominance, as he has clearly had an influence on young players like Tony Allen and Rajon Rondo. Actual winner: Dwyane Wade, Heat.

PG- Chauncey Billups, Pistons- For some reason, Billups always flies under the radar. He will not be starting in New Orleans, but his efforts have helped Detroit out to the East's second-best record thus far. He has clearly been his team's MVP and is a sleeper candidate for league MVP, as well. Mr. Big Shot is tallying 18 points and seven assists a night while shooting 90.8% from the charity stripe. Actual winner: Jason Kidd, Nets.

Reserves

C- Chris Bosh, Raptors- Yeah, I know he's a power forward, but I can't leave him off of the All-Star roster. After a slow start, Bosh has exploded in January, scoring no less than 21 in any of this month's games. He has poured in over 30 five times in that span, including a 40-point performance against the Knicks on Jan. 11. His rebounding numbers have also shot up, and he is now just under 10 boards a contest.

F- Caron Butler, Wizards- He is having an unbelievable year and has been putting up MVP-caliber numbers all season long. Butler has posted two triple-doubles, is playing magnificent defense, and has kept the Wizards afloat in Gilbert Arenas' absence. He is really developing into one of the league's best players and is approaching superstar status. Imagine how dangerous Washington would be if Arenas was healthy?

F- Antawn Jamison, Wizards- Much like Butler, Jamison has really come into his own this season. That's not to say that he wasn't a good player prior to this year, but he has really erupted in 2007-08. Jamison is averaging 21.3 points and 10.4 rebounds per game and had a stretch where he tallied eight consecutive double-doubles. He and Butler have formed one of the league's most formidable duos.

G- Dwyane Wade, Heat- Yes, Miami is terrible and just snapped a 15-game losing streak, but that has hardly been Wade's fault. Despite being banged up for a good part of the year, the 26-year old is still averaging over 25 a game and has scored 40+ three times. He hasn't been his old, dominant self, but Wade is still one of the best players in the NBA. If only he had some help.

G- Jason Kidd, Nets- He may not be a Net for long, but Kidd is the only reason why New Jersey even has a slightly respectable record this season. The aging point guard is averaging near a triple-double and has been a big reason why Richard Jefferson is having the best season of his career. The only stat with Kidd that concerns me is his field-goal percentage (36.7), but his gaudy assist and rebounding numbers more than make up for that.

Extra- Josh Smith, Hawks- If Smith doesn't go to New Orleans, it will be a crime. The 6'9" forward is averaging 18.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 3.4 blocks, yes, blocks, per game. He is a top candidate for Defensive Player of the Year and has had an enormous impact on Atlanta's decent start. He is very similar to Phoenix's Shawn Marion, only I think he is a bit better. Smith is going to be an MVP-type player down the road.

Extra- Zach Randolph, Knicks- Don't discount the season Randolph is having just because the Knicks have become the laughing-stock of the league. The first-year New Yorker is averaging 17.1 points and 10.4 boards per game and has developed into one of the conference's best big men. I was stuck picking between Randolph and Charlotte's Gerald Wallace for this spot, but because of the effort Z-Bo is putting forth despite terrible teams in New York, I gave it to him.

Western Conference

Starters

C- Chris Kaman, Clippers- Everyone is overlooking the remarkable season Kaman is having. Do you know he is recording 17.2 points and just under 14 rebounds per game? He has really stepped up in Elton Brand's absence and has now made Brand a tradeable asset for a Clippers' team that looks like it could need a shake-up. I never thought Kaman had it in him to post numbers like this, but he clearly does. Actual winner: Yao Ming, Rockets.

PF- Al Jefferson, Timberwolves- I have a feeling he is going to follow a Garnett-like path and never get noticed in Minnesota. The 22-year old has been simply phenomenal this season, averaging 21.1 points and 12.1 boards per game. Jefferson has almost single-handedly between the Suns twice this year, first tallying 32 points and 20 boards in a win on Dec. 8 and then putting up 39 and 15 in a 10-point win over Phoenix last week. Oh, and he dropped 40 and 19 on the Nets on Sunday. Actual winner: Tim Duncan, Spurs.

SF- Carmelo Anthony, Nuggets- Anthony has been omnipotent all year, averaging 25.5 points and seven rebounds a game. More impressive is the fact that he has posted 11 double-doubles and, along with Allen Iverson, has the Nuggets in first place in the Northwest Division. He has matured and developed into much more of a team player this season, and that might be enough to get Denver out of the first round of the playoffs for the first time in Anthony's career. Actual winner: Anthony.

SG- Kobe Bryant, Lakers- Why have the Lakers been playing so well this year? Because Bryant isn't averaging 30 points per game, that's why. Instead, Bryant is getting a lot of help from his teammates, and because of that he hasn't been forced into a situation where he feels like he has to do everything. Kobe is still posting 27.7 points a night and is coming off a 40-point outing, though. Actual winner: Bryant.

PG- Allen Iverson, Nuggets- He has been the MVP of the Western Conference through the first half of the season. Iverson is having what probably is the best year of his career, scoring at will while still feeding his teammates at the same time. Take the game he had in a win against Dallas back on Dec. 6, for example. Iverson scored 35 points but also dished out 12 assists while totaling six steals. Somehow, he is the game's most underrated player. Actual winner: Iverson.

Reserves

C- Amare Stoudemire, Suns- While his defense is still a big question mark, one cannot refute Stoudemire's dominance on the offensive end of the court. The 25-year old is averaging 22.7 points per game while shooting an eye-popping 59% from the floor. The reports of Phoenix shopping him because of his attitude are ridiculous. Unless they can get an unbelievable package, trading a young big man with this kind of talent would be preposterous.

F- Carlos Boozer, Jazz- Utah has appeared to have righted the ship after a terrible start, and that is thanks to the way Boozer has been playing. Although his scoring outputs have been inconsistent, Boozer has still compiled six consecutive double-doubles while making his teammates better.The Jazz will make the playoffs. If they don't I will be shocked.

F- Tim Duncan, Spurs- He has definitely taken a step back in terms of scoring the past few seasons, but that's because Tony Parker and Emanuel Ginobili do a big part of that now. Either way, Duncan's presence is still a huge factor, and he still leaves his fingerprints on games no matter what. The veteran is averaging 19.3 points and 11.1 rebounds a night while leading San Antonio to a 28-14 record thus far.

G- Chris Paul, Hornets- Paul is having an unreal season, averaging 20.6 points and 10.5 assists per game. Not only that, but the third-year point guard out of Wake Forest had led the Hornets to the West's best record thus far. He has only had less than 10 assists once in January, and only twice has he not posted a double-double. The scary part about all of it is he is only going to get better.

G- Baron Davis, Warriors- He has really re-shaped his career since arriving in Golden State. After leading the Warriors to a historic first-round upset of the Mavericks in the playoffs last year, Davis has been the driving force in the team's 27-12 record since its 0-6 start. The return of Stephen Jackson also helped, but you can't deny the impact Davis has had on this team since coming over from New Orleans.

Extra- Steve Nash, Suns- Nash is once again putting up MVP-caliber numbers, averaging 17.6 points and 11.9 dimes a night. Another amazing stat is the fact that he is shooting 48.2% from three-point range. That is ridiculous. Nash has only had 10 games all year where he didn't post at least 10 assists. The only question remains is whether or not Phoenix's defense is strong enough to finally get them over the hump in the postseason.

Extra- Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks- He isn't posting the gaudy scoring numbers that he usually does, averaging only 22.3 points per game (yeah, only), but he has helped make guys like Josh Howard and Devin Harris better players. Nowitzki's Mavericks may very well be the best team in the West, but if they collapse in April once again, some serious questions will be raised about Dirk's validity as a superstar.

NFL Playoff awards

Most Valuable Player: Eli Manning, QB, Giants. This is an obvious choice. The younger Manning has elevated his game to another level this postseason, not once turning the ball over and compiling a quarterback rating of 99.4. He has not only managed all three of New York's playoff games, but he has also won them with his arm and newfound leadership. He has finally turned the corner on his bumpy career. Honorable mention: Amani Toomer, WR, Giants.

Best Offensive Player: Vincent Jackson, WR, Chargers. Jackson somewhat disappointed during the regular season and did not have the breakout year that many anticipated, but he stepped up his game in a big way in the playoffs, totaling 300 yards on 18 catches for a 16.7 yards per catch average. He went for 114 yards in San Diego's first-round matchup against Tennessee and finished with 93 in each of the next two games. Honorable mention: Laurence Maroney, HB, Patriots.

Best Defensive Player: Corey Webster, CB, Giants. Who in the world would have thought the much-maligned Webster would have earned a spot here? Well, he has. He has picked off two passes in the playoffs, one against Tampa Bay and one that set Lawrence Tynes up for the game-winning field goal in overtime against the Packers in the NFC Championship Game. The 25-year old also shut down Dallas' Terrell Owens in the Divisional Round. Honorable mention: Michael Strahan, DE, Giants.

Biggest X-Factor: Ahmad Bradshaw, HB, Giants. He has been instrumental in the Giants' playoff run, rushing for over 60 yards in two of the team's three postseason contests and essentially taking over late in the second half against Green Bay. Bradshaw is going to be a special back in this league. Honorable mention: Darren Sproles, HB, Chargers.

Best Game: Giants vs. Packers, NFC Championship. What a game this was. It went back-and-forth for all 60 minutes, and while New York actually dominated for nearly the entire time, the Packers were able to keep it close all the way through. Honorable mention: Jaguars vs. Steelers, Wild Card Round.

Playoff Goat: Tony Romo, QB, Cowboys. For the second consecutive year, Romo came up very small in the postseason. If he wasn't making bonehead decisions like throwing the ball out-of-bounds with no receiver in the area to take an intentional grounding penalty, he was making errant passes and tossing the ball into extremely tight coverage to get picked off by R.W. McQuarters that sent the Giants to the NFC Title Game. Honorable mention: LaDainian Tomlinson, HB, Chargers.

Giants +13? Bet the house on that one

Four weeks ago, the New York Giants gave the New England Patriots the fight of their lives in the season finale. The Giants were already locked into the number five seed in the NFC while the Patriots were trying to make history by going undefeated. New York led by as much as 12, but savvy New England battled its way back in the fourth quarter for a 38-35 victory in the Meadowlands and a 16-0 season. It seems like that was just yesterday. Well, two weeks from now, these two teams will do it again.

The Giants and Patriots both won their respective conference championship games on Sunday, New York doing so in Green Bay against the Packers and New England accomplishing the feat at home against the San Diego Chargers. Nearly everyone expected the Patriots to rip through the AFC and into Glendale, Arizona for the Super Bowl, but the same cannot be said for the Giants, a team that had to win three straight on the road to reach the promised land. They did that, and have now won 10 straight away from home overall.

New England is an early 13-point favorite for its Super matchup with New York on Feb. 3rd, despite the fact that Bill Belichick's squad looked less than stellar in a 21-12 win over the Chargers in the AFC Title Game. Tom Brady threw three interceptions, one in the end zone. However, he did come up big when his team needed him most late in the game, throwing a fourth quarter touchdown pass to Wes Welker that essentially sealed the deal for the Patriots. Laurence Maroney ran for 122 yards for the second consecutive week, and in his past five games, the second-year halfback has rushed for 550 yards, good for 110 a game.

Fortunately for New York, its run defense has been outstanding all season and throughout the playoffs. It held Ryan Grant, who ran wild for 201 yards and three scores last week against Seattle, to 29 yards on 13 carries. It also held Dallas' Marion Barber to only 28 yards on the ground in the second half in the Divisional Round despite allowing him to rack up 101 in the first two quarters. Three games ago, the Giants' defense contained Tampa Bay's Earnest Graham, holding him to only 63 yards on 18 carries, a 3.5 yards per carry average.

New York is ready for almost anything New England has to throw at them. It obviously helps that Big Blue just saw the history-making Pats less than a month ago, and if it wasn't for an illegal contact penalty on Corey Webster on a third-down stop by the Giants early in the game that led to a New England touchdown, New York may very well have come away with the win. It prevented the big play for 49 minutes, which was when Brady launched a 65-yard touchdown bomb to Randy Moss to give the Patriots a three-point lead. The Giants also kept Maroney in check, allowing him only 46 yards on the ground. He did, however, reach the end zone twice.

Eli Manning may not need to have another performance like he did when he faced New England on Dec. 29th for New York to have a chance at winning this football game, but he does have to minimize his mistakes more than ever. The much-maligned quarterback has done that thus far in the postseason, as he is yet to turn the ball over. He has done an excellent job managing games for the Giants while compiling a 99.4 passer rating in the playoffs to boot.

New York has to give the Patriots a heavy dose of the new-found dynamic duo of Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw. The two young backs totaled 130 yards between them in the Giants' NFC Championship victory over Green Bay. Bradshaw was absent in the Giants' loss to New England last month because of a leg contusion. Now, he will get his chance to give the Patriots their first look at what looks to be a future star halfback in this league. New England has shown some vulnerability in stopping the run at times this season, and that is something New York has to jump on in this game.

The Giants also have to realize that taking Moss away from the Patriots is not going to hand them a victory. The superstar receiver has been held to only one catch in each of New England's playoff games, yet Brady has still found Welker, Donte' Stallworth, tight end Ben Watson, etc. to put points on the board. This Patriots' team has an unlimited supply of weapons, as evidenced by backup halfback Kevin Faulk's 82 yards receiving on eight catches Sunday. Jabar Gaffney and Welker caught the two touchdowns from Brady. Moss, Stallworth, and Watson were all but non-existent, and Brady maneuvered a way to pull it out.

New York's defensive line was able to push around New England's offensive line in their first meeting, as Michael Strahan, Osi Umenyiora, and Justin Tuck seemed to always be around Brady as he was making his throws, whether they were hitting him or simply getting in his face. Even the Giants' linebackers found paths to the Pats' all-pro quarterback, and that is something New England will have to prevent in two weeks. The only way the Giants can win this game is if they can get pressure on Brady. It's easier said than done, but the Patriots will have to do all they can to protect their quarterback.

Another huge factor in this game is the special teams. Domenik Hixon has been dominant as a kick returner for New York since being inserted into that role late in the year, as demonstrated by his kickoff return for a touchdown in the game against New England. Hixon was also an unsung hero for the Giants on Sunday against the Packers, consistently giving Manning and the offense a short field to work with. The Patriots' have a pretty good return man themselves in Ellis Hobbs, and kicker Stephen Gostkowski looks Adam Vinatieri-like out there in the postseason. Although Lawrence Tynes kicked the game-winner from 47 yards out against Green Bay for New York, one still cannot be 100% confident in him if it does in fact come down to a field goal. Tynes missed two attempts, including a 36-yarder that would have won the game at the end of regulation, before sending the G-Men to their first Super Bowl since 2001.

All things considered, the Giants are the best-equipped team in the NFL to beat New England. If they can apply constant pressure to Brady and force him into bad throws, then they have a very good shot at winning this football game. If they give him time, then he will surely be able to pick apart a still suspect New York secondary. It has played much better lately, with Webster finally coming into his own and Gibril Wilson regularly making plays both at the line of scrimmage and downfield, but it is still vulnerable. The middle of the field can also be a spot of weakness for the Giants' defense, so expect Brady to look for Watson there for a good portion of the game.

Give the Patriots an inch, and they will take a yard. It takes an almost absolute perfect effort to beat this team, but if anyone can do it, New York can. Bet your money on the Giants for this matchup. Although they may not come away with the win, I am almost certain they will not lose by two touchdowns.

Magical Giants have feeling of invincibility

The Tampa Bay heat couldn't stop them. The division rival Cowboys couldn't stop them. Not even the frigid sub-zero temperatures of Green Bay could hold them down. Whatever Eli Manning critics were left before Sunday night's NFC Championship Game between the New York Giants and the Packers now have to shut up. All of the Big Blue doubters who said New York simply got "lucky" against Dallas last week now have to eat crow. Why? Oh, not much, really, except for the fact that the New York Football Giants are headed to their first Super Bowl since 2001.

Manning orchestrated yet another symphony by the Giants' offense, passing for 254 yards and controlling the game for all four quarters. The much-maligned quarterback continued his turnover-less streak in this year's playoffs, and threaded the needle on many throws to a variety of different receivers ranging from Plaxico Burress, who had a monster game, to special-teams expert David Tyree. Eli has finally arrived.

Because of Manning's performance, though, many other players who stepped up in this game for New York will get overlooked. Ahmad Bradshaw, for example, essentially took over the game offensively for the Giants in the second half, finishing with 63 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries. The 22-year old also had a huge 48-yard touchdown run with 2:15 remaining in the fourth quarter called back due to a holding penalty on guard Chris Snee. Despite that, he Bradshaw still delivered with several clutch runs down the stretch and consistently kept the chains moving.

Someone who won't be discounted is Burress, who caught 11 passes for 154 yards and dominated physical star cornerback Al Harris all evening long. The 6'5" receiver really opened up the field for Manning and New York's offense and made big play after big play throughout the game to help the Giants get to the promised land.

Not enough can be said about New York's defense, either, as it held Brett Favre to only 21 yards passing in the second half. He was picked off by R.W. McQuarters in the fourth, but McQuarters fumbled the football and Green Bay tackle Mark Tauscher recovered to give the Packers a fresh set of downs (they would eventually tie the game at 20 on a field goal). Favre was then intercepted by Corey Webster in overtime, and this time, the Giants didn't lose the ball. Webster's pick set up Lawrence Tynes for the game-winning 47-yard field goal that would send New York to Arizona.

Michael Strahan took over late, bull-rushing Tauscher and forcing Favre into several bad throws down the stretch. Osi Umenyiora also got in on a couple of plays and rushed the 38-year old quarterback out of the pocket. Antonio Pierce and Gibril Wilson both put forth great efforts, as well, as Pierce did an outstanding job reading plays as usual and Wilson characteristically was a huge factor in stymying Green Bay's running game. Ryan Grant, who smoked the Seahawks for 201 yards and three scores last week, was held to a mere 29 yards on 13 carries by this New York defense.

Also, how about the play of kick return specialist Domenik Hixon? He did an excellent job of getting the Giants great field position to work with in the final moments of the game and recovered a huge McQuarters fumble on a punt return that prevented the Packers from re-gaining possession with just over two minutes to play in regulation.

New York's Cinderella story is one of the more remarkable ones in sports this year. Most "experts" picked the Giants to finish below .500 and out of the playoffs. They said general manager Jerry Reese was setting coach Tom Coughlin up to fail and that Coughlin would surely lose his job by the end of the year. They also said that Manning was on the hot seat at quarterback and the possibility of him being benched was very high should he slip up. Most everyone also felt that the loss of Tiki Barber to retirement would cause the Giants' offense, primarily the running game, to take an enormous hit that it wouldn't be able to close. I think Brandon Jacobs did that job this season, as has the newly found Bradshaw in recent weeks.

Now, Strahan and Amani Toomer will get another shot at winning the big one. Their first and only chance came in the 2000-01 season. After demolishing the Minnesota Vikings 41-0 in the NFC Title Game that year, they went on to lose to the Baltimore Ravens 34-7 in the Super Bowl. It left a bitter taste in the mouth of New York that all but two of its players (Strahan and Toomer) would never get another chance to correct.

But hey, why can't these Giants do it? They were doubted during the regular season, and even after winning six straight to improve their record to 6-2 midway through the year, the negative Nancies still found something to complain about: "They haven't played anybody; the secondary has issues; Eli still looks a far cry from being an elite quarterback in this league." Then, after Manning threw four picks, three returned for touchdowns, in a loss to the Vikings in week 12, many began to wonder whether or not New York would even make the playoffs. What happened? The G-Men responded by winning in Chicago thanks to clutch play by Manning in the fourth quarter and then went on to beat the division-rival Eagles in Philadelphia the following week.

That still wasn't enough. Even though they were sitting at 9-4, many said that the Giants had to win against Washington in week 15 to play January football. Well, they didn't, as the swirling winds forced Manning into throwing an unreal 35 incomplete passes in a 22-10 loss that got everyone talking. New York had Buffalo in its next game and that had to end the season at home against the undefeated Patriots. To a good majority of NFL analysts and fans, the Giants were done. There was no way they would beat an inspired Bills' team that would have Kevin Everett on the sideline for the game, and with that loss, they would be forced into a must-win situation against New England in the final week of the season in a game they would almost certainly get annihilated in.

New York again silenced its critics, beating Buffalo to clinch a playoff spot despite getting down 14-0 early. The Giants then gave the Patriots all they could handle in the last game of the 2007 campaign, holding a 12-point lead at one point late in the third quarter. They would eventually fall, however, 38-35. Still, Manning threw four touchdowns compared to a single interception in that contest, and since then, he has been darn near perfect.

The Giants are now New York's darlings. The Yankees couldn't get it done in the postseason, losing in the first round for the third consecutive year, and the collapse of the Mets left the other half of baseball fans in the Metropolitan area spinning. The Knicks...well, I don't think we need to go there with them. Big Blue is now "the team," and rightfully so.

Strahan and company will get another shot at New England in two weeks. Something tells me the result of this game will be a little different.

Giants look to continue Cinderella run

Coming into the season, most fans and "experts" said the New York Giants would be nothing more than a six or seven-win team at best and would miss out on the playoffs. The media was already calling for coach Tom Coughlin's head, and the Giants hadn't even played a single game yet.

What everyone failed to realize was that this New York team was not the same club that lost six of its final eight games last year to finish 8-8 and lose to the Philadelphia Eagles in the first round of the playoffs. That squad had to deal with off-the-field distractions, ranging from Tiki Barber's television career to Coughlin's job status. There was also dissension in the locker room, with Michael Strahan accusing Plaxico Burress of quitting at one point during the season.

None of that would be tolerated in the Meadowlands this time around. The Giants, after starting out the season 0-2 after giving up a total of 80 points in those to losses, won 10 of their last 14 regular season games and took the undefeated New England Patriots to the brink in the final week. That momentum has carried over into the postseason, as New York defeated the Buccaneers in Tampa Bay 24-14 in the Wild Card Round and then went on to take out the hated rival Dallas Cowboys at Texas Stadium a week later.

The Giants have won nine consecutive road games, their last away loss coming at the hands of the Cowboys back in week one. They are rolling, and at the perfect time. New York is eerily similar to the 2005-06 Pittsburgh Steelers, a team whom many counted out toward the end of the season but then steamrolled through the playoffs on the way to a Super Bowl title.

Eli Manning has found himself, compiling passer ratings of over 100 in his past three games (118.6 against New England, 117.1 against Tampa Bay, and 132.4 against Dallas). More importantly, his playoff quarterback rating is an eye-popping 123.2. He looks much more confident in himself now and has done a great job spreading the football around to a variety of different receivers. Thanks to Manning, rookie wide-out Steve Smith has now been fully incorporated into the offense. Smith caught four passes for 48 yards on Sunday, each of them huge receptions.

Credit also has to be given to rookie halfback Ahmad Bradshaw, who has given the Giants a new dimension to work with in the running game. What took Coughlin so long to get this kid involved? His 151-yard performance against the Buffalo Bills appeared to be enough to win the 22-year old over with the coaching staff, and Bradshaw was a key component in both of New York's playoff wins so far. He rushed for 66 yards against the Buccaneers and 34 on only six carries against the Cowboys, but those 34 yards were absolutely huge.

And, of course, you can't say enough about this Giants' defense. They harassed Tony Romo for the entire second half yesterday, with Strahan, Osi Umenyiora, Kawika Mitchell, and others constantly getting in his face and rattling the 27-year old. They also made adjustments on Marion Barber, who, after running all over New York for 101 yards in the first half, was held to only 28 in the final two quarters.

The Giants' ailing secondary, already missing Sam Madison and Kevin Dockery, was dealt what appeared to be another costly blow against Dallas, as Aaron Ross went down with a sprained shoulder. However, Geoffrey Pope, a cornerback who was on New York's practice squad not too long ago, stepped in and did a fine job. Corey Webster and R.W. McQuarters also elevated their games, with McQuarters ending the game with an interception for the second straight week. Webster did a phenomenal job jamming Terrell Owens at the line of scrimmage and not allowing the explosive receiver to get behind him. The Cowboys' failure to make the big play yesterday was their ultimate downfall, and that can only be attributed to an outstanding effort by the Giants' defense.

Now, New York will travel to Green Bay to try and continue their magical run. The Packers beat the Giants 35-13 back in week two, but that was a very different New York team still trying to find itself and adjust to new defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. Some of the players, such as Mitchell, James Butler, and Mathias Kiwanuka (who was later put on IR due to a broken leg), were still learning new positions. Clearly, the players were able to adapt, and because of that New York may have the league's best defense.

Smashmouth football is back in New York. Bruising back Brandon Jacobs has made Tiki's retirement an afterthought in the Metropolitan area, and the unheralded offensive line has been consistent all year in opening up holes for Jacobs to run through and for giving Manning ample time to throw the football (Manning was sacked only 27 times all season). That type of style is exactly what it takes to win the big one, and the Giants certainly have the talent to do it.

The team also has a number of clutch playmakers, namely Amani Toomer, who scored two touchdowns on Sunday, one of which came on a catch on a hitch route that Toomer took 52 yards to the end zone, shedding several tacklers along the way. Smith has developed into a very reliable receiver in big spots, and even rookie tight end Kevin Boss has had his fair share of critical receptions, including one that got New York down to the four-yard line to set up Toomer's second touchdown grab before halftime, evening up the score at 14.

Most everyone will again pick against the Giants next week in the NFC Championship Game, as they will figure that New York will not be able to stop Green Bay's aerial attack led by savvy veteran Brett Favre and that the elements of Lambeau Field will rattle Manning and force him into making big mistakes. Yes, it is beginning to sound like a cliche. They first said Tampa Bay's pass defense would be too much for Manning and the Giants to overcome, but Eli picked apart the Buccaneers' secondary en route to a 10-point victory. Talking heads then said Dallas' powerhouse offense would be too much for New York and that Romo was simply more equipped than Manning to win the big game. How did that one turn out?

This is why the games are played.

Third time is a charm for Giants

If Eli Manning didn't silence his critics in last week's win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, then he certainly strengthened his case on Sunday. Manning completed 12 of 18 passes for 163 yards and two touchdowns and the New York Giants defeated the Dallas Cowboys 21-17 in their Divisional Round playoff matchup, earning their first trip to the NFC Championship Game since 2001.

The Giants got off to a quick start, scoring on the first drive of the game. Brandon Jacobs picked up 20 yards on his first three carries, and Manning found Amani Toomer for a short pass that turned into a huge gain, as Toomer shed a couple of tackles and ran 52 yards into the end zone to give New York an early 7-0 lead.

New York forced Dallas to punt on their first possession, and after a promising eight-play drive, the Giants had to kick the ball away as well. The Cowboys' offense then got moving, as Marion Barber mixed in several big gains, highlighted by a 36-yarder, to set Dallas up at the four-yard line. Barber ran 20 yards on a first-down play to get them there. Two plays later, Tony Romo connected with Terrell Owens for a five-yard score that evened the score up at seven. The Cowboys started the drive from their own four-yard line.

New York had to punt again on the ensuing drive, setting up another impressive drive by Dallas. Starting from their own 10, the Cowboys continued to use their ground game to move down the field. Barber carried the ball on the first three player of their possession, rushing for 11 yards and a first down. Romo then scrambled for seven, Julius Jones went for two, and Barber got five more to give Dallas yet another fresh set of downs.

The Cowboys then finally incorporated their passing game into the drive, as Romo threw an 11-yard pass to Terry Glenn on a third-and-seven to set Dallas up at their own 49. Then, on first down from the Giants' 37, Romo misfired on a throw that landed right in the arms of New York's Corey Webster, but the 25-year old cornerback could not hold on to what should have been a sure-interception, giving the Cowboys another opportunity. Dallas capitalized.

Two plays later on third-and-10, Romo found Owens over the middle for a 20-yard gain that positioned the Cowboys at the 17-yard line. The drive, which lasted 20 plays and ate up 10:28 of clock, finally ended when Barber pounded up the middle for a one-yard score to give Dallas a 14-7 advantage with 53 seconds left in the first half.

It appeared that the Cowboys would go into halftime with the lead, but Manning made sure that didn't happen. Starting from his own 29, Manning found Steve Smith 22 yards down the right sideline on the second play of the drive, putting New York at the Dallas 49. Manning again connected with Smith on the next play, this time good for 11 yards. However, a 15-yard facemask penalty on Jacques Reeves gave the Giants the ball at the 23. Manning then completed a 19-yard pass to rookie tight end Kevin Boss to get New York to the Dallas 4, and followed that up with a four-yard pass to Toomer to knot the score up at 14 heading into the half.

Still, it didn't look like the Giants could stop the powerful offense of the Cowboys. Dallas' offense got moving immediately to start out the second half, as a series of short runs and pass plays methodically pushed the Cowboys into New York territory. They got as close as the 16-yard line on the 14-play, 62-yard drive, but had to settle for a field goal to go ahead 17-14. That would mark the last time Dallas would score all game.

The Giants didn't get much going on the ensuing possession, as Manning was sacked for a nine-yard loss after Jacobs ran for gains of eight and four yards to get New York a first down. Jacobs then carried for two and caught a pass for five but was well-short of the first-down marker. The Giants had to punt, and the Cowboys would take over from their own 20. That was when New York's defense began to step up.

The Giants finally began to slow Barber down, and after a 10-yard completion from Romo to Jason Witten was called back due to an unnecessary roughness penalty on guard Leonard Davis, Dallas was driven back and had to kick it away. R.W. McQuarters returned the punt 25 yards to the Cowboys' 37. Manning then completed a 13-yard pass to Toomer to start off the possession, and after executing two throws for a total of 15 yards to Smith to move New York to the nine-yard line, rookie halfback Ahmad Bradshaw ran for eight yards down to the one to set up a touchdown carry by Jacobs, giving the Giants a 21-17 lead they would never relinquish.

New York's defense harassed Romo in the fourth quarter, finally getting its first sack with 10:26 to play as linebacker Reggie Torbor downed the Dallas quarterback. The teams then traded punts, and after Romo was plastered several times by Giant defensive linemen on the Cowboys' second drive of the quarter, Dallas was forced to give up possession again.

New York got the ball with 3:46 to play. The Cowboys had only one timeout remaining, so a first down would have put the Giants in great position to close out the game. That didn't happen, as Manning was sacked by Tank Johnson on a third-and-four to give Dallas one final chance with 1:50 remanining.

The Cowboys were given great field position to work with, as they started out from their own 48-yard line. Romo began the drive by completing a nine-yard screen pass to Barber, and two plays later on third-and-two, the 27-year old flipped a shovel pass to Witten who ran for 18 yards to the New York 22. After a false start by Marc Colombo moved Dallas back to the Giants' 27, Romo completed another pass to Witten, this one good for four yards. Because Witten did not get out-of-bounds, the Cowboys had to use their third and final timeout. That would also be the last pass Romo would convert on the rest of the day.

He threw an incompletion to Witten on the next play, and then overthrew Patrick Crayton, who dropped a couple of easy catches earlier, in the end zone on third-and-11, leaving Dallas with one more chance to get a first down. Romo stepped up in the pocket and fired in the direction of Glenn in the end zone, but the pass was picked off by McQuarters to end the game. It marked the second game in a row that McQuarters finished a game off with an interception.

Romo went 18-for-36 with 201 yards, a touchdown, and the costly pick on the day, and Barber ran for 129 yards. Jacobs rushed 14 times for 54 yards for New York, and Toomer caught four passes for 80 yards and the two touchdowns. Smith caught four balls for 48.

The Giants will travel to Green Bay to face the Packers at Lambeau Field next Sunday to decide who will represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. Green Bay defeated New York 35-13 at the Meadowlands back in week two. However, the Cowboys beat the Giants in both of their regular season meetings, and that didn't matter in the end.