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My 2013 Bold Predictions: 1. Again, every year, there is a team that starts out on a long undefeated streak. This year, it's the Denver Broncos. Like the recent Falcons, Packers, Colts and Patriots teams to start on long undefeated streaks.....the Broncos will NOT win the Superbowl. 2. NFL passing records will go down again, with a record 12 QBs throwing for over 4,000 yards (previous high is 11), 5 of whom will throw for over 5,000 (also a record). 3. The Dallas Cowboys will win the NFC East and have a 1st round bye in the playoffs. 4. Adrian Peterson will NOT lead the league in rushing. Hasn't been a repeat rushing champ since Tomlinson in 06 & 07. Until last season, the 4 after Tomlinson all won the rushing title for the 1st time. This year will be another 1st timer winning the rushing title. Means no Peterson, Foster, MJD, or CJ2K. And I'll even say it WILL NOT be Alfred Morris. 5. The Saints were statistically the worst defense in NFL history last year, after this season, they will be the 2nd worse as a team will break all their dubious yardage against records. 6. Three of the final 4, the Falcons, 49ers and Ravens, will all finish the season with sub-.500 records. 7. Sophomores will slump. Players that took the league by storm last year will struggle big-time this season. That includes Luck, RG3, Wilson, Kaepernick, Morris. The QBs will be outperformed by Tannehill and Weeden. Morris will lose carries by mid-season to Helu, etc. 8. Despite record passing numbers, there has been a player (or 2) threatening the sack record each of the last 2 years. This year, despite record numbers, no individual will have more than 15 sacks. 9. For the first time since 2007, the Jacksonville Jaguars will not draft in the top 10 (not including trades). They win 7 games. 10. For the first time in NFL history (I think), a safety will lead the league in tackles (solo). Predicted standings: AFC East- New England, Miami, Buffalo, NY Jets AFC North- Cincinnati, Baltimore, Cleveland, Pittsburgh AFC South- Houston, Jacksonville, Tennessee, Indianapolis AFC West- Denver, Kansas City, San Diego, Oakland NFC East- Dallas, Washington, NY Giants, Philadelphia NFC North- Chicago, Green Bay, Detroit, Minnesota NFC South- New Orleans, Carolina, Atlanta, Tampa Bay NFC West- Seattle, St. Louis, San Francisco, Arizona Wildcards: Miami and KC; Green Bay and St. Louis. Playoffs: Cincy over Miami, Houston over KC Chicago over St. Louis, New Orleans over GB NE over Cincy, Denver over Houston Chicago over Dallas, New Orleans over Seattle NE over Denver Chicago over New Orleans Superbowl: Chicago over New England.

My Bengals/Bears game preview is up on my blog. Feedback is encouraged. http://mr-irrelevantpgh-chi.blogspot.com/

I figured 2001 had a shot due to 9/11 pushing baseball back a week or so. LA Mount Rushmore would be interesting. Magic Johnson Wayne Gretzky would be obvious. But after that u have a ton of Dodgers, but have to pick an LA guy.....not Brooklyn. Koufax? (Started in Brooklyn), Fernando was huge at one point. Hershiser? Kirk Gibson? Puig? I'd go Koufax. Most of his career was in LA. Then u have the Raiders and Rams who are not even there any more. Al Davis would be great but he took the team away. Most of the Raider greats are from the Oakland years....long or recent past. Best LA Raider would probably be Marcus Allen. Angels are kind of a 2nd rate team who didn't use LA in their name until recently.

A couple years ago, the Yanks/Phils world series was played the same day as Giants/Eagles in the NFL. The Rangers also had a game that day. The NBA had a pretty full schedule, but the Knicks did not play.

The NBA, in particular, is pretty good about not scheduling games on Sundays early in the season. Football is still in full bloom at the start of the NBA season (October) and most teams are still contenders at that point. And I generally don't remember the NBA ever really scheduling many games on Mondays at any point in any season. So, your best bet is probably going to be a Thursday. This year, it's not possible. NBA season starts the last week in Oct. World Series game 7 is Oct 31. The Thursday NFL game on Oct 31 is Miami/Cincinnati. Marlins obviously aren't playing in the World Series. Cincy doens't have an NBA team. And the only games on the schedule for the NBA are Knicks/Bulls, and Warriors/Clippers.

The Cubs are going to hold onto everyone until they know what they have with all of them, mainly Castro. There's certainly room for all of them (Castro, Baez, Alcantara, Bryant) at the ML level, even if they have to move some guys around. Everyone's hoping SS, 3B, 2B, and OF respectively, but all should be able to play multiple positions if necessary to get their bats in the lineup.

Ok then. Actually made me feel like our depth at LB is far better than it has been in many years. DB is another matter. What's wrong with the DB depth? Steltz and Bowman have both started a significant amount of games, Walters has shown he's capable when inserted into the lineup, and Frey has looked good in camp/preseason. I'm not too worried about DB depth personally. It may not be as good as LB, depth, but it's not a bleak situation especially compared to most other NFL teams. If a CB has to miss time, you're 1 in-game injury away from having to play a UDFA or the terrible, McManis at CB. And Frey is essentially a rookie as is also. Of course, most teams don't have more than 3 proven CBs either. But after Jennings and Tillman, you have 4 guys who were either late picks or not drafted at all. Not the most talented depth on the team for sure, though probably not quite dire.

Blackburn having his best game of the season. 5 IP, 2 hits, 7 Ks, 0 BBs. Retired the last 10.

And I don't see why he'd be expected to just take over a role he was given at the beginning of camp, when he's on a 1-year deal, has only played like 5 games in 2 years, hasn't practiced in 4 weeks, and is competing with a high draft pick who can potentially stay in that role for the next 10 years. Same reason why McClellin is listed as co-starter with Wootton at DE.

It's not really a demotion when he was only filling in for an injured starter. And Long and Mills are both listed as starters.... Let's be real. Bostic was picked #50 overall. He was going to get a chance to compete for the starting MLB spot. He's the only one in the competition who has played. He hasn't completely taken hold of the job like Long or Mills did, but he clearly hasn't done poorly enough to have lost the job to a guy who hasn't seen the field in a 4-5 weeks and is also learning the defense for the first time. Long and Mills are listed #1 on the UNOFFICIAL depth chart. As recently as 2 days ago, Trestman was saying, "if" we have to go with those guys, we think they can handle it. There's no reason to not start Bostic Week 1 and for the entirety of his career until he proves that he can't do it.

There's no reason to demote a high rookie draft pick in favor of a 30+ year old veteran who has only played a handful of games in the last 2 years, unless Bostic is terrible. I don't see very many scenarios where Bostic is flat out terrible. Neither MLB is going to be in the nickel. Anderson is a strong pass defender and Briggs is a star. So, you might as well let the rookie continue to learn on the job instead of making him watch and then being forced to throw him in there 2 or 3 or 12 weeks later when someone gets injured. Listing DJ as a starter has to be just a formality. Long and Mills haven't technically been named starters either. It's just a ploy to keep the rookies from getting too far ahead of themselves.

I've seen a power ranking with the Bengals at 3. Never seen the Bears in the playoffs. Seen them 12th but behind 6 NFC teams.

Is Directv doing free Sunday Ticket week 1 again?

Bears signed David Bass, 7th round pick who was cut by the Raiders. Bears had interest in the DE pre-draft. Cheta Ozougwu was cut to make room on the 53. Practice squad is: Qb- Jerrod Johnson Rb- Harvey Unga Wr- Ricardo Lockette TE- Fendi Onubun DE- Aston Whiteside LB- Jerry Franklin Cb- Demontre Hurst There is room for 1 more on the squad.

Theo Emery has definitely put his stamp on this team. Before his 2nd season as GM has started, Emery has turned over 32 of the 53 players on the roster, and that number goes up a digit if you count that Zach Bowman was re-acquired after leaving briefly in the 2012 offseason. (Note: all 4 specialists: K, P, LS, KR are Angelo era, so 32-33 of 49 offense/defense). There are 24 offensive players on the team, only 5 of them remain from the Jerry Angelo era (Cutler, Forte, Garza, E. Bennett, K. Adams). The OL has been completely overhauled, with just 1 remaining member of the 2011 group. The defense still has 9 starters from the 2011 team (not all started back then). However, all but 2 reserves have been Emery acquisitions (if you include re-getting Bowman). Ironically enough, the only position without Emery's stamp on it is the safety position, a position that had tons of turnover in the Angelo era. Though, Emery did try with Hardin to do the same. Just thought the roster was interesting. Not saying Emery will make this team into an elite one, but he's definitely going about things in the right way. Keeping the defense in tact, while overhauling the offense. And while the defense does have age at key positions, they are all still playing at a high level, and only 7 of the 25 players on D have even hit 4 years service time.

Dustin Geiger and Justin Bour tied Javy for the team lead in HRs last night at Daytona and Tennessee respectively.

Nate Collins tweeted congratulating Zach Minter for making the roster.

So is Slauson the backup C? I like Williams, but as long as Slauson can handle C, I guess this allows you to keep extra T/G bodies, and it would easier to shift outside guys inside that being left short handed on Tackles (if Mills struggles or there is an injury) Probably put a C on the practice squad, but yeah Slauson should be fine.

Webb, Palmer, Hardin, Edwards, E Williams, Golden so far. And Jerry Franklin and Lenz.

Here's my 53-man roster. http://www.mr-irrelevantpgh-chi.blogspot.com/?m=1

Bryant with the day off. Daytona with a 2-0 early lead. Winners of 8 in a row, but haven't trailed in a game in 12 days.

2 games. Sure he'll be in the second. Bryant just hit a 2-run home run.

*7 inning no hitter

The Blanchard move kinda sucks. Hopefully, there is something in place to bring him back after Week 10. But the Bears need to develop a QB at some point. He would at least give them someone to look at before the next draft. A little surprised they didn't put him on the PUP-IR, where he could come back after Week 6 or 8 or whatever it is.

I think they almost have to keep 6 WRs, since Bennett is just running today for the first time since his injury. Wilson is a lock. Too young, too much potential. Anderson was a lock early in camp, was having a great camp til he got hurt. I think he still makes it, may not be in the 3-wide in Week 1 like I expected 2 weeks ago. Weems is a good special teamer, and has added value of being an option in the slot. Aromashodu got a lot of time in the slot in Oakland, but he's gone. Wilson and Tolliver got some time with Marshall moved into the slot. If you only keep 5 WRs and Bennett can't go the first couple weeks, you are leaving the team really short-handed at the position. I actually don't think the Bears have many qualms about Wilson out there as the #3 (moving Marshall inside) when they have to.