This week on ‘talking points’ we will be discussing NFL week one, the MLB playoff picture and KIF football. Also taking a look at Football Frenzy through week two. NFL week two With week one of the NFL gone, we
This week on ‘talking points’ we will be discussing NFL week one, the MLB playoff picture and KIF football. Also taking a look at Football Frenzy through week two.
NFL week two
With week one of the NFL gone, we are beginning to see how the league will shape up this year. Surprisingly it doesn’t look like it will be much different than last year as far as top tier teams.
• San Francisco had a huge win at Lambeau Field against Green Bay, cementing the fact that last year was no fluke. Heading into week two, San Francisco must take on yet another high-powered offensive attack in the Detroit Lions.
The game, which will be a rematch of last years “handshake gate” should be an entertaining one. With the Niners at home I have their vaunted defense taking down Megatron and the Lions.
• Peyton Manning proved me wrong and looked pretty solid in his return against the Pittsburgh Steelers last week. He will have no time to relax as the Broncos will take on a tough Atlanta Falcons team.
The Falcons completely changed its offensive attack in the offseason and have gone with more of a pass-first style, as opposed to relying on Michael Turner. The ball is now in the hands of quarterback Matt Ryan, and it is up to him to distribute the ball to guys like Julio Jones, Roddy White and Jacquizz Rodgers. I am not sold on Manning just yet, so I have the Falcons taking down Denver at home in Atlanta
• Another game worth watching is the Saints traveling to the Panthers. Both teams are coming off of disappointing week one performances so it will be interesting to see how the two teams bounce back. As everyone knows, starting 0-2 could be devastating if they want to make a deep run into the playoffs.
Dog days of August are gone
With the dog days of August behind us the playoff picture is beginning to really heat up.
• The American League has really tight races, with the Baltimore Orioles and New York Yankees jostling for the AL East, Chicago trying to fend of Detroit in the AL Central and the Texas Rangers trying hold on over the red hot Oakland A’s.
I have the Yankees in the East, Chicago in the Central and the Rangers in the West. With the new wild card format I have the Orioles and the A’s battling it out in the one game playoff.
• There are far less dramatics in the National League with each of the first place teams holding on to a seven game lead or more. I think it is safe to say the Cincinnati Reds will hold on to the Central, the Washington Nationals are playing far to well to lose out in the East, and if the San Francisco Giants can continue to produce runs for its pitching staff, they should outlast the Los Angeles Dodgers in the West.
The wild card is another story. There are seven teams all within four games of each other, so trying to predict how it will shake out is virtually impossible. One thing we know is the new two team wild card format should provide an entertaining stretch run for a lot of these teams.
Kapa‘a continues to impress
• With the dismantling of the Kaua‘i High Red Raiders last week, you would have to believe that the Kapa‘a Warriors are the favorite to take it all this year.
The Warriors travel to Hanapepe to take on the Waimea Menehune for both teams’ second game of the season. It is going to be hard to envision the Menehune taking down the Warriors. With last weeks solid performance and break-out play from Warriors quarterback Fresno Masaniai, you have to believe the Warriors are poised for an outstanding year.
One thing that was evident in last weeks win over Kaua‘i was the physicality in which the Warriors’ offensive and defensive lines play with throughout the game. If not for Masaniai’s play, I thought the line play was the difference in the game.
Week three of Football Frenzy
Week three of Football Frenzy is here and KONG’s Marc Valentin is still hanging onto the lead among the panelists.
Congratulations to our week two winner Quintin Conception with a 13-2 record on the week.
• Rick Killeen, sports writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 237) or sports@thegardenisland.com. Follow Rick on Twitter @RickKilleen. ‘Talking Points’ appears every Friday.
