Chargers' Cromartie headed to New York Jets?

So you think the San Diego Chargers are going to trade cornerback Antonio Cromartie to the Detroit Lions?

Not so fast!

Clark Judge, the great writer for cbssports.com, says Cromartie may be headed to the New York Jets.

Yes, the same Jets who stunned the Chargers and knocked them out of the playoffs. Yes, the same Jets’ whose Shonn Greene made a 53-yard TD run vs. the Chargers because Cromartie pulled up when he was about to make a hit on Greene.

The Jets must be thinking they will get the Cromartie of 2007 who had 10 interceptions, made the Pro Bowl and returned a missed field goal 109 yards for a TD.

By doing so, they overlook the Cromartie with seven kids in six different states … and who has been a failure on the field the past two years.

If Cromartie returns to his 2007 form, imagine what the Jets would be like. Darrelle Revis of New York is already the best cornerback in the NFL.

As Judge so rightly points out, the Jets like to make a splash before each season.

A year ago they traded for Cleveland's first pick and turned it into Mark Sanchez. The year before they traded for Brett Favre. Making bold moves is nothing new for them, and coach Rex Ryan last week said he was open to “anything that can help us get better.”

Could Cromartie be next on their radar?

Football withdrawals? There's much else to watch

Did anybody else go through football withdrawals over the weekend?

We get so used to college football (beginning the last weekend of August) to the NFL (beginning the Sunday after Labor Day.) Then when the Super Bowl is over and everyone goes home, it’s hard to believe that the games which are now on nearly every day or night of the week are over.

No more Drew Brees and the miracle New Orleans Saints. No more Peyton Manning and the can’t-do-more-than-come-close Indianapolis Colts.

Heck, there are even withdrawals for Tom Brady, Philip Rivers, Tony Romo … and maybe Brett Favre (except for the endless “will he come back? stories.)

At least there was plenty to settle for over the weekend if you like:

An NBA All-Star game before nearly 109,000 fans in the Jerry Jones/Dallas Cowboys palace. And how about Dwayne Wade with 28 points and 11 assists?

A Daytona 500 race that would never end with more than two hours of pothole delays … and more than a few wrecks at the end that made the race last forever. At least Jamie McMurray could celebrate victory and Dale Earnhardt Jr. a strong second-place finish.

The 2010 Winter Olympics with endless TV coverage and American Johnny Spillane becoming the first American ever to win a medal in Nordic combined. Now we can focus on the extensive coverage of the likes of Bode Miller and Lindsey Vonn.

And don’t forget Dustin Johnson becoming the first golfer to win the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in consecutive years.

As it continues to freeze in many parts of the country, here’s something that will make many warm. Spring training begins this week for MLB teams!

Pro Bowl is fine before the Super Bowl

You won’t see Peyton Manning, Tom Brady or Philip Rivers playing for the AFC “all stars” in this Sunday’s Pro Bowl at Miami.

Ditto for Drew Brees and Brett Favre for the NFC.

The Pro Bowl – being played for the first time before the Super Bowl – seems like a good idea for some and a bad idea for others.

It’s a bad idea in that you won’t see any Super Bowl players from the New Orleans Saints or Indianapolis Colts. But some like me believe it’s a good idea since football season should end with the Super Bowl.

No matter when you play it, the Pro Bowl is anticlimactic.

The argument against this week’s game certainly is based on Super Bowl participants being excluded. But when you think about it, a high percentage of Super Bowl players in the past decided to skip the game for various reasons. (Why play in a meaningless game after being involved in the ultimate championship game?)

Even this year, players are skipping the Pro Bowl. Ones such as Brady and Favre are healing from injuries; Rivers’ wife is due to have their fifth child near game time.

So the AFC is left with the likes of Matt Schaub, Vince Young and David Garrard at QB. The NFC will go with a more formidable group of Aaron Rodgers, Donovan McNabb and Tony Romo.

It may seem too bad that you won’t see any 2010 Super Bowl players in this game. But would you really have wanted to watch them anyhow if the Pro Bowl was played after the Super Bowl?

Prediction:
NFC 31, AFC 27

Say goodbye to Saints, Vikings in postseason

Say goodbye to the New Orleans Saints for the NFC playoffs.

And while you're at it, take Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings with you.

All of a sudden, it looks as if the winner of this week's Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys game will not only win the NFC East ... it may also become the favorite to win the NFC.

Why?

The Saints certainly aren't going to cut it if they can't even beat Tampa Bay at home to clinch the NFC's No. 1 seed.

And with Favre and coach Brad Childress arguing, don't expect the Vikings to go anywhere in the postseason (not to mention the fact Favre normally fades after November.)

New Orleans (13-2) won nine of its first 11 games by double digits. After a 38-17 win over New England, the Saints appeared better situated than ever to make the franchise's first run to the Super Bowl.

Since then, the Drew Brees and Saints have pulled out a pair of three-point wins over non-playoff teams and have lost two straight -- both at home -- starting with a 24-17 setback to Dallas.

Don't forget Kurt Warner and the Arizona Cardinals. They could again fly under the radar and capture the NFC for the second straight season.

As for New Orleans and Minnesota ... their runs were nice while they lasted.

Pittsburgh is tough as Steel vs. Chargers

You can almost always expect the best NFL match-up of the week to be on Sunday Night Football on NBC.

This week is no exception when the San Diego Chargers travel to play the Pittsburgh Steelers.

San Diego has yet to win in 13 regular season games in Pittsburgh, but it did win the 1994 AFC Championship game in the Steel City. That gave the Chargers their only Super Bowl appearance (no big deal to the Steelers with six Super Bowl titles!)

We all know that San Diego has had trouble running the ball this season. Even if LaDainian Tomlinson returns Sunday night, it won’t make much difference. Pittsburgh takes away the run and forces you to pass, no matter who you are.

That’s where the Chargers excel. Philip Rivers leads the league in passing yardage, and Vincent Jackson is turning into a monster this season. (Once the Chargers replace Chris Chambers with Malcom Floyd in the starting lineup, they’ll be even more effective.)

The Steelers will once again be without safety Troy Polamalu, which will weaken their defense. But don’t be surprised if Ben Roethlisberger has once of his patented game-winning drives (remember the last Super Bowl?) at the end.

Prediction:
Steelers 24, Chargers 20

As for the upset special, we all know Brett Favre will be seeking revenge when the Minnesota Vikings host the Green Bay Packers. But don’t you think the Packers will seek revenge, too, on a QB who hasn’t exactly been respectful to them either?

Prediction:
Packers 31, Vikings 23

Patriots over Eagles in Super Bowl?

Tom Brady is back. That means so are the New England Patriots.

Michael Vick is back. The Philadelphia Eagles should go to the Super Bowl; but that doesn’t mean because of him.

As the NFL season kicks off, the pick from this corner is for the Patriots to defeat the Eagles in the Super Bowl.

Sure, there are other contenders.

The San Diego Chargers are in such a weak division that they should cakewalk to the playoffs. (ESPN predicts any of 24 teams could win the AFC West if they were included with Denver, Kansas City and Oakland.)

You can never discount the Pittsburgh Steelers. After all, they are the defending champs.

In the NFC, Drew Brees could surprise and lead the New Orleans Saints to the Super Bowl. (Don’t expect as much from Brett Favre in Minnesota; if the Vikings go all the way, it might be despite him.)

Of course, there are always surprises. So let’s get to our 2009 predictions:

AFC West:
San Diego, Kansas City, Denver, Oakland.

AFC East:
New England, Miami, New York Jets, Buffalo.

AFC North:
Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Baltimore, Cleveland.

AFC South:
Houston, Indianapolis, Tennessee, Jacksonville.

NFC West:
Arizona, Seattle, San Francisco, St. Louis.

NFC East:
Philadelphia, New York Giants, Dallas, Washington.

NFC North:
Green Bay, Minnesota, Chicago, Detroit.

NFC South:
New Orleans, Carolina, Atlanta, Tampa Bay.

AFC Wildcards:
Indianapolis and Cincinnati.

NFC Wildcards:
New York Giants and Minnesota.

AFC Championship:
New England over San Diego.

NFC Championship:
Philadelphia over New Orleans.

Super Bowl:
New England over Philadelphia.

Let's hope Favre falls on his face

Brett Favre makes his first exhibition start Friday for the Minnesota Vikings.

If you are like me, you are suffering from Brett Favre Fatigue.

The best case scenario would be that Favre does not get hurt seriously this season but his team fades down the stretch ... as his New York Jets did last season.

After all, he's the one who has said in the past that he cannot play a 16-game schedule nowadays.

Willie Mays hung around too long in baseball; once stumbling on his face as he neared home plate.

Here's one hope that Favre figuratively stumbles on his face in 2009.

Favre needs to shut 'em up; hang 'em up

Let’s just hope all of this Brett Favre retirement/non-retirement talk ends soon.

Two years ago, he was a certain Pro Football Hall of Famer with a spotless reputation.

He’s still going to be in the Hall of Fame … but his reputation has gone from spotless to drama queen.

Who could blame the Green Bay Packers for moving on to Aaron Rodgers after Favre announced his “retirement” in the 2007-08 offseason?

Who could blame the New York Jets for being done with Favre after one year; especially after the reported dissension caused in the locker room via Favre living by a different set of rules than others?

As the “will he or won’t he” talk of Favre becoming a Minnesota Viking goes through its peaks and valleys, consider one letter to cbssports.com:

Favre has backed himself in a corner over and over when it comes to his "retirement." If he wouldn't have kept retiring in the first place he may have still been a Packer. The Green Bay organization and GM Ted Thompson were tired of all the drama and wanted to move on. Brett couldn't handle it and now he wants revenge on Ted Thompson, but he's got to consider that in the process of getting revenge on Thompson he would also be spitting in the face of all the Green Bay fans who supported him all those years through all the good and bad times. The last thing any Packer fan wants to see is #4 in purple and gold. Is getting revenge on Thompson for getting rid of him really worth turning your back on the fans and the city that embraced you for all those years? Is it worth risking his god-like status in Green Bay?

Well said. Well said!

Brett Favre needs to stay retired

Brett Favre needs to call it quits for good.

Now, we’re hearing that he could make a comeback with the Minnesota Vikings in 2009.

Say it’s not so, Brett!

Favre should simply have let his Pro Football Hall of Fame career with the Green Bay Packers stand on its own.

Last season, he faded down the stretch … which is why his New York Jets faded out of the playoff picture and cost coach Eric Mangini his job.

That’s a good indicator Favre is no longer up to playing a 16-game season.

In addition, more than one of his Jets teammates talked about how Favre was elusive and aloof all season.

What would make a year with Minnesota any different?

Oh, sure, Favre could get overly fired up to twice play the Packers (and Green Bay players would be the same toward him.)

But two games do not a season … or a comeback … make.

Favre was one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history. He should keep it that way; not go out the way Willie Mays did so unfortunately in MLB.

Padres need to discover whether Heath Bell can close

Remember back in 1993 when the San Diego Padres brought in an unknown pitcher from the Florida Marlins during the team’s fire sale days who was often booed by San Diego fans?

Little did anyone know that 16 years later, Trevor Hoffman would be the all-time MLB saves leader with 554 (not to mention a member of the Milwaukee Brewers.)

The Padres may have botched their handling of the Hoffman situation after 2008, but there’s no question they need to find out whether Heath Bell is the closer of the future.

(And there’s no better year to do it than in 2009, when the team will likely finish last whether Hoffman or Bell is the closer.)

Bell may be 552 career saves short of Hoffman, but there’s no telling how good (or bad) he’ll be moving from an eighth- to ninth-inning role.

To be sure, the Padres may not get to Bell very often unless Jake Peavy or Chris Young is the starting pitcher. Plus, the set up duo of Cla Meredith and Duaner Sanchez isn’t likely to strike fear in the hearts of opposing batters.

Even so, the Padres need to discover whether Bell can succeed on those limited save opportunities.

As for Hoffman, he’ll start the season on the disabled list for only the second time in his career.

In retrospect, it’s too bad he and the Padres could not have agreed to go one more year together.

When all is said and done, don’t be surprised if Trevor Hoffman and the Milwaukee Brewers are this year’s version of the 2008 one-year marriage between Brett Favre and the New York Jets.

Chargers primed to beat Favre, Jets

Did you know Brett Favre is quarterback of the New York Jets now, lol.

You probably haven’t heard it more than 10,000 times on ESPN ... and 20,000 times elsewhere.

That being said, the new Mr. Jet (not to be confused with Joe Namath) brings his team to town for Monday Night Football against the Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium.

So much seems to point in Favre’s favor:

He is 5-0 vs. the Chargers
He beat them in Week 3 last year in Green Bay (this happens to be Week 3)
He’s almost always at his best on Monday Night Football

Well, there is another way to look at this.

The Chargers are 0-2, playing in a nationally televised night game.

The last time that happened was in 2005, when Eli Manning and the New York Giants came to town.

Manning was booed unmercifully for his disparaging comments the year before about San Diego; the Chargers beat the Giants, 45-22.

Although Favre will receive a much warmer reception than Manning, the rest of this game smells a lot like 2005.

Prediction: Chargers 38, Jets 24

Will Chargers start the season at least 5-0?

Josh Lewin, the outstanding play-by-play announcer for the Chargers on radio station Rock 105.3 KIOZ-FM, made an interesting observation about the AFC West.

“It’s like Gladys Knight & the Pips,” he said last weekend. “The Chargers are Gladys Knight, and everyone else is the Pips.”

Right on.

It would be shocking if any of the Pips among the Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs or Oakland Raiders overtake the Chargers this season in the AFC West.

Perhaps the bigger question is whether the Chargers can begin their season with a 5-0 record … at the very least.

They’re already a 10-point favorite at home for the Sept. 7 season opener at home against Carolina, which will be without leading (and suspended) receiver Steve Smith.

Then comes a Sept. 14 contest at Denver, where the Chargers haven’t had much success over the years but did win 41-3 last season. It won’t hurt that Broncos’ leading receiver Brandon Marshall is suspended for that game.

Week 3 is a Monday Night home game Sept. 22 vs. the New York Jets and some new quarterback named Brett Favre (gee, I think ESPN has ignored him lately!)

The next two weeks feature games at Oakland (Sept. 28) and Miami (Oct. 5).

So far, it appears to be a very soft schedule.

Then comes a Week 6 match up at home on Sunday Night, Oct. 12, vs. the mighty New England Patriots.

The Chargers will be looking to avenge (a) a 2006 playoff loss, (b) a 2007 regular season loss, (c) a 2007-08 postseason loss, or (d) all three losses to the Patriots.

That may be the most important hump of all to get over.

Chargers will find out if the Pack is back

The Pack is back.

Or are they?

The Chargers will certainly find out Sunday when they make a rare regular-season appearance at Green Bay.

The good news for the Packers is that they have defeated the Philadelphia Eagles (16-13) and New York Giants (35-13).

But neither of those teams has won this season, so it’s hard to tell where the Pack stands right now.

Brett Favre may never retire. His quarterback rating of 84.0 is nothing to brag about thus far, but he does have those two wins to show for it.

Donald Driver is off to a solid start with 14 receptions and 1 touchdown, yet the Packers’ running game has looked like LaDainian Tomlinson in 2007.

And that’s where the issue comes in for the Chargers.

Has LT just had two off-games so far, or are other teams keying on him so much that he’s bound to take an individual step back in 2007?

This much is for sure: If Philip Rivers and the passing game don’t start stepping it up; opponents won’t have much more to concentrate on than LT.

The Chargers can only get away with it for so long if Antonio Gates is going to be their only legitimate receiver.

The good news for the Chargers is that nose tackle Jamal Williams is expected to play this week. Without him, San Diego loses its top defensive player.

We’ll see how Tim Dobbins does in place of the injured Matt Wilhelm at linebacker. (Yes, this is the spot that was formerly occupied by team leader Donnie Edwards.)

It’s a revenge game of sorts for the Chargers, as they try to prove that last week’s 38-14 loss at New England was an off day; not a trend.

It says here they bounce back this week.

Prediction: Chargers 24, Packers 16