NFL Week 7 is in the Books | Nasser Erakat

Since I am a Raiders fan I am going to start their. The Raiders for the last 12 years have played awful coming off a bye week. I was hoping that on Sunday when they 

played the Chargers that they would play a good game. I did say early in the week that we would beat the Chargers but it is the Chargers and they always find a way to beat the Raiders. On Sunday for the first 3 quarters they dominated and I was very impressed. If the Raiders can play like that every Sunday, this year might surprise us. Then the 4 quarter started and Rivers and the Chargers started to come back. Some people say the game was over so it didn't matter but I say it does matter, the final score should have been 37-13 at the most not 37-29 and an onside kick away from a hail-mary play.

NFL Week 7 is in the Books | Nasser Erakat

NFL Power Rankings, Week 8: Raiders enter top half; Colts drop

RANK 1

6-0 PATRIOTS

 

New England holds on to the top spot in the rankings, surviving a typical Jets-Patriots battle that was as hard-fought as any Foxborough entry in this series has been in recent history. Coming in, the last three Jets- Patriots games in New England were settled by three points or less. Of all the points of fact about this AFC East battle, including Rob Gronkowski's career-high 11 catches, my favorite nugget came after Tom Brady's lunging quarterback sneak ...

RANK 2

6-0 PACKERS

 

Much speculation about Eddie Lacy and his lack of production thus far this season, with some people wondering if he has a gut. Whether the guy has cookie belly right now or not, methinks Lacy will be a big part of the Packers' success late in the year. Meanwhile, Randall Cobb is the player whose output has really slowed down. Cobb -- whose yards-per-catch mark is down to 11.7 from 14.1 last season -- has been dealing with a shoulder problem that might be impacting him more than has been let on. Bye week equals rest week.

RANK 3

6-0 BENGALS

 

It was also a bye week for the Bengals, who, like the Packers above them here, are rolling. In fact, in the last couple of weeks, Cincy has been more impressive than the Cheeseheads, whobarely dodged overtime in beating the Chargers in Week 6. Remember, though, that San Diego played the Bengals every bit as tough at Paul Brown Stadium in Week 2. So we're not ready to swap our Nos. 2 and 3 teams just yet.

RANK 4

6-0 PANTHERS

 

Carolina cruises on, playing a stifling brand of defense that doesn't allow for opponents to get away with the tiny mistakes that can often be masked by big plays. Sure, Ryan Mathews broke a big gainer Sunday night, but there wasn't enough of that from Philly to compensate for drops, penalties and Sam Bradford misfires. Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis roamed sideline to sideline, making tackles and, in Davis' case, ensuring ball carriers remembered his jarring hits. The pass rush was almost as striking, especially the push Kawann Short was delivering in the middle. #undefeated #RiverboatRon #'96 Panthers #Ginnhashands #football.... Full Article

NFL Week 7 is in the Books | Nasser Erakat

Will Raiders sign Aldon Smith to a long-term deal?

Might Aldon Smith be a building block for the Oakland Raiders instead of just a bridge?

That's the word from general manager Reggie McKenzie, who told local media on Tuesday that Smith could very well be part of the team's long-term plans. He's currently locked up through the season on a bare bones contract loaded with incentives.

"We did a lot of research on that," McKenzie said of Smith's troubled past, via CSN Bay Area. "At the end of the day, when we decided we were going to go after him, we wanted to let him join the family and help him in any kind of way we can. That's what we're doing."

The situation here is pretty obvious: Oakland already has a dominant pass rushing star in Khalil Mack and adding Smith -- who is only 26, by the way -- would give Jack Del Rio the best chance to win over the next few years. How much easier is it to build a defense around two premiere pass rushers? Full Article

Well I hope you enjoyed this article, the NFL is getting exciting, especially when your team is doing good.

NFL Week 6 is in the Books | Nasser Erakat

What's wrong with Peyton Manning? If it was not for the Denver defense the Broncos would not be undefeated. Peyton is not playing like Peyton. Is  Seattle no longer a

 power house, they blew another big lead going into the fourth quarter. The 49ers get a big win and Kappernick looked good. They have Seattle and this is a chance for the 49ers to get a win on Thursday. The Panthers still undefeated too, they look like the real deal. The NFC and AFC seem to have just a few teams that are certain to make the playoffs and the other teams, well it is up for grabs.

NFL Week 6 is in the Books | Nasser Erakat

What's wrong with Peyton Manning -- and can it be fixed?

The last illusion of sentimentalism seemed to fly out the window in Denver when the Broncos trimmed Peyton Manning's salary, fired his coaches, scrapped his offense and told him when he could practice during training camp. It was a paradigm shift for the ages.

If sentiment mattered to general manager John Elway, John Fox might still be head coach after ranking third behind Bill Belichick and Mike McCarthy in winning percentage during his four seasons on the job. Tim Tebow might've gotten a longer look instead of a permanent hook after winning in the playoffs way back when. And Manning might've gotten reassurances this past offseason instead of constant reminders that he was living in the Broncos' universe, not the other way around.

While it's difficult to envision the Broncos sitting Manning after they upped their record to 6-0 on Sunday, it's also difficult to bank on them beating the best teams if they must keep winning in spite of their offense -- specifically in spite of Manning's frequent interceptions. Full Article 

NFL Week 6 is in the Books | Nasser Erakat

The Patriots keep winning, no deflategate issues Sunday night. The Patriots won and stay undefeated. Do we have a Patriots vs Broncos AFC Championship game in January? Will Denver lose in the first round. If Denver keeps winning, they will win the AFC West and have a bye week in the first week. It's crazy how fast the NFL is going, Week 7 is already here. Lets see what happens in Week 7. Thanks for reading.

The NBA has a bunch of Babies | Nasser Erakat

I cannot believe what I am hearing. That the Golden State Warriors got 

lucky in their championship run last year. It was not just coming from the Cavilers, Houston or Clippers players but a respected coach. Doc Rivers, I have lost all respect towards you. How can you say that the Warriors got lucky that they didn't have to face the Clippers? If I remember correctly weren't the Clippers up 3 games to 1 and had a 20 point lead going into the fourth quarter. What happened? You chocked, so stop your crying. For James Harden, you are not  no MVP, Stephen Curry did not play 1 minute in 17 fourth quarter games. The Warriors were blowing out teams. Could you imagine if Curry played, Harden would not even have come close. He is lucky that Curry did not play so he could get voted second. I have never heard any players, teams or coaches ever say that a team got lucky after winning a championship. Those three teams have no class anyways. Does San Antonio say anything? Of course not, that is a classy organization.

The NBA has a bunch of Babies | Nasser Erakat

The Warriors don't care if Clippers' Doc Rivers calls them lucky

The Golden State Warriors are getting used to the criticism. Despite one of the more dominant championship seasons in the modern era, people are still criticizing the legitimacy of the Warriors, whether its because of how they play, their roster makeup or their competition in the postseason.

Recently, Los Angeles Clippers coach Doc Rivers called the Warriors lucky because they didn't face his team or the San Antonio Spurs on their way to the NBA Finals.

“You need luck in the West,” Rivers told Zach Lowe of Grantland.com in a recent interview. “Look at Golden State. They didn’t have to play us or the Spurs. But that’s also a lesson for us: When you have a chance to close, you have to do it.” Upoj hearing these comments, Warriors forward Draymond Green chose to just brush them off and not respond. “I’ve had all the fun I’m going to have with that, as far as responding to people,” forward Draymond Green said as the team left for Portland. “It’s a new season. We’re trying to get better for this season and trying to win it again, instead of worrying about what somebody is saying about last season. That doesn’t matter. Full Article

The NBA has a bunch of Babies | Nasser Erakat

The Warriors won 67 games last year and were 1st in Offense and 1st Defense, that is not lucky. They beat the Clippers in the regular season 3 games to 1 and they beat the Rockets 4 games to none. How is that lucky? I can't wait until the Warriors destroy these teams in the regular season. I want the Warriors to blow these teams out when we play them. I don't care if the Warriors have a 20 point in the fourth, keep shooting threes. Lets teach these cry babies a lesson. The Warriors were so dominant last year. They were first in the NBA and won the Championship.

NFL Week 5 in the Books | Nasser Erakat

This past week of football shows how close winning and losing comes. For the Raiders, Seahwaks, Ravens and Chargers and 49ers they all got beat on the last play or a 

specific series. For the Raiders they made a bunch of mistakes with missed field goals, turnovers and a pick six to seal the victory for the Broncos. For the 49ers and Chargers they lost on the last plays.

NFL Week 5 in the Books | Nasser Erakat

NFL Power Rankings, Week 6: New England Patriots back on top

RANK 1

4-0 PATRIOTS

Let's be real: Patriots at Cowboys was a mismatch of "Harry Hamlin vs. The Kraken" proportions. And the fact that the football player who has referred to himself by the latter name managed to lay a few licks on Tom Brady didn't translate to diddly-poo in terms of the outcome. Often, sacks are overrated, like when they come in the first quarter of a contest that ends up 30-6 in favor of the other guys. New England is making everyone and everything (that is, any word with a "gate" on the back end) fade into bolivian right now, and it's becoming more and more difficult to keep the Patriots from the top perch in these here rankings. Never mind -- I just moved them.

RANK 2

5-0 PACKERS

 "You see?! He's not a machine! He's a man!!" Somewhere, Duke from Rocky IV was watching Aaron Rodgers toss not one but two picks at Lambeau -- his first such transgressions there since 2012. One pick came on a tipped ball, while the other was the result of some real professional thievery byTrumaine Johnson. Meanwhile, the Packers drop a spot -- but not because of any shortcomings at home against the Rams. (Well, besides the run defense against Todd Gurley. But that guy's abeast. Whatcha gonna do?) Rather, the Patriots have been walking all over everyone on the schedule -- and they deserve a bump for that.

RANK 3

5-0 BENGALS

 Wow. What a response in the second half from the Bengals, down 24-7, to climb back into that football game. Andy Dalton is deserving of the rose petals suddenly being thrown at his feet, much like King Joffer, but don't forget the defense, which got after Russell Wilson in the fourth quarter and overtime. Stopping the run -- Seattle finished with 200 yards on the ground -- is another matter, but let's not spoil a 5-0 start. Full Article

NFL Week 5 in the Books | Nasser Erakat

This year you have the Top teams who will likely make the playoffs and the bottom teams who will be looking for a first round draft pick. The NFL this year is very interesting, the teams that are suppose to be good are bad. It is still early and we can only wait and see how things turn out and who will be playing in San Francisco in the Super Bowl. I said that the Raiders would go 6-10 this year, I am sticking to that. If they surprise me and do better that will be great. Hope you enjoyed this little article. Thanks for reading.

Women dating professional athletes | Nasser Erakat

With the few stories coming out about women with professional athletes. It's funny some women's mission in life is to get with a professional athlete. The sad thing is that 

most of these women know the life style of their partner. They know that their man will travel to different cities and know that they for the most part will not be faithful. For example Victor Cruz's fiance texted all the women, 201 to be exact that he is with someone and that they mean nothing to him. The best part is that she is still going to marry Victor Cruz because he has the money and fame. What would have made the story great is that if she said after the text, you can have him and she is done but money is more important then self respect. Another story was the Ray Rice incident, where he knocks his fiance out and drags her out of an elevator and she still marries him. What is wrong with these women, is money that important.

Women dating professional athletes  | Nasser Erakat

Caught offside! Cheating New York Giants ace rumbled by his fiancée who sent group text message to his secret lovers

Cheating New York Giants ace Victor Cruz's fiancée Elaina Watley has sent a group text message to several women who had been secretly dating the wide receiver.

In the stinging message, reportedly from Ms Watley, she said: 'I'm sure he's told you many of things about us and how we don't exist but given the fact that you all meet him in hotel rooms only, we all know that's a lie.'

The message, which was passed on to Mediatakeout.com featured the footballer's phone number as well as those of his female friends. Full Article

Women dating professional athletes  | Nasser Erakat

I really think that these women may need help. Women get beat up by athletes and they still stick around. How many domestic violence issue do we hear with professional athletes and not just the man, also the women too. I think the women are held to a different standard then the men. It seems that if a women commits domestic violence she can still play in her sport. Greg Hardy threw his girl on a bed of guns and threaten to kill her but since there is no picture evidence he will be making $546,000 per game. He was suspended for the first 4 games but now he can play. I guess if you can sack the quarterback you will still have a job in the NFL.  Well hope you enjoyed this little article. Thank you.

NFL week 4 is in the Books | Nasser Erakat

What did we learn from week 4 in the NFL.  We learn the the Detroit Lions had a chance to win their first game and Calvin Johnson fumbles the ball. Then we hear that when the Seattle player knocks the ball out of bounds, that this should be a penalty on Seattle. Detroit should have got the ball 1st and 10 on the 1/2 yard line. We also learned that the Oakland Raiders are still a young team and that when you have a chance to score a touchdown, you need to score a touchdown. At the end of the game the 

Raiders kicked a field goal. The Bears (0-3) drove down the field and kicked the game winning field goal. The play call should have been better down there and take a chance. Instead the Raiders lose and go to 2-2 with the Broncos coming into Oakland on Sunday. What is wrong with the 49ers? I had a feeling they would not be good and it was for the reason of everything that has happened in the offseason.  Collin Kaepernick is not playing like the player who took his team to a Super Bowl. The 49ers seem to be in trouble with just four games into the season.

NFL week 4 is in the Books | Nasser Erakat

Miami Dolphins fire coach Joe Philbin

For the second straight season, an NFL coach has been fired after losing in London in Week 4.

The Dolphins fired coach Joe Philbin, the team announced Monday. The Philbin era is over after 24 wins, 28 losses, no playoff appearances and one improbable contract extension at the end of last season.

The team announced that tight ends coach Dan Campbell will be the Dolphins' interim head coach. NFL Media's Rand Getlin added that Dolphins players have a strong affinity for Campbell and that they would welcome the change.

"This was a tough decision for me to make knowing how tirelessly Joe worked in his four years here to make this a winning team," owner Stephen Ross said in a statement via the team's website. "He is a man of the highest character and integrity that I developed a close personal relationship with.  I am extremely disappointed with how we have started the season, but I feel confident that we can improve quickly with the talent we have on our roster."

The team's record this season was poor, considering Miami's high expectations, but it was the waythat the Dolphins lost that likely cost Philbin his job. Miami had the worst home opener in franchise history against Rex Ryan's Bills last week and the Dolphins were just as overmatched Sunday against the Jets in London. The 27-14 loss to former Dolphins assistant Todd Bowles was misleading. Miami could not move the ball all day except by penalty, and the defensive line had its fourth straight no show game. Full Article 

NFL week 4 is in the Books | Nasser Erakat

Biggest disappointments of 2015's first quarter

Miami's early dismissal of coach Joe Philbin was a recognition of the team's total collapse.

The offensive line has had no clue how to adjust to blitzes, often getting Ryan Tannehill crushed. Tannehill isn't able to change the plays at the line of scrimmage, and he's shown no ability to improve the talent around him. His accuracy comes and goes. Offseason wide receiver pickups DeVante Parker, Kenny Stills and Greg Jennings have made a minimal impact. It's like the league caught up to the Eagles/Dolphins offense all at once.

Ndamukong Suh is getting all the blame for the defense, and he hasn't played his best. He's also been the best player on the defensive line by far. It's the rest of the line that has been the problem. Cameron Wake is a shell of his former self, likely because of a lingering hamstring injury. Olivier Vernon has been mysteriously absent. Even nose tackle Earl Mitchell has regressed. The Dolphins have a thin secondary, and it's getting exposed with no pass rush up front. Full Article

NFL week 4 is in the Books | Nasser Erakat

Week 5 is almost here and the first quarter of the season is complete. Now we will see the teams either make that playoff run or just be average and not make the playoffs. The Raiders have a lot of questions and with the Broncos coming to play in Oakland on Sunday the Raiders could be facing a 2-3 season while going into their bye. Thanks for reading.