SportsBoner.com

What do you call a vote of confidence, a mid-season booster shot, something made up that has no bearing whatsoever on the actual team’s success? The “Sportsboner Bump,” that’s what you call it. Desperate for a catchphrase, a hook, anything to distinguish this modest blog amidst the grand and spectacular world of the blogosphere, I pretty much just rambled on nonsensically without discussing anything relevant to football. That doesn’t diminish the fact that last week, I strongly felt that the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Baltimore Ravens, the Green Bay Packers, and the Dallas Cowboys are teams to watch for to start stringing together some wins to separate themselves from the pack as I felt they were strong contenders going into the meat of the schedule.

While the Steelers, Packers, and Cowboys pulled off some impressive wins, and the Ravens were on bye; one win certainly doesn’t define the season, and they could go 0-6 in the next stretch (knock on wood). However one game can give you the confidence to turn that corner and make a statement. Pittsburgh’s win over the 6-0 Minnesota Vikings, and Dallas’ balanced win over a solid Atlanta Falcons team could help propel them on a winning streak. Also of note, although Green Bay’s dominance over the hapless Cleveland Browns may not impress, they could use that as a launch pad heading into the much ballyhooed throw down with their “fallen son” and the Minnesota Vikings this Sunday.

So will the Ravens make me look like an ingenious mofo with a touch of insanity, or an insane mofo with a touch of ingenuity? Playing against the 6-0 Denver Broncos will absolutely prove a lot of things. The Broncos already have proven they are for real, and even if they lose this game, no one will soon doubt their mettle after the impressive start to the season they have had. Baltimore on the other hand have had just straight-punch-in-the-crotch losses against top tier teams like the New England Patriots, the Cincinnati Bengals (yes the Bengals at 4-2 are top tier), and the Vikings. All the losses came within 6 points or less, so you know LB Ray Lewis in a fit of rage already dismembered some random cricket chirping in the locker room when the silence washed over their sorrows. I was going to say he decapitated some random mammal (only as an exuberant expression of course), but didn’t want to risk the ire of PETA. Which brings up a point, why is a cricket’s life any less important than a dog’s? Anyways I digress…

The Ravens are certainly talented, and another loss this Sunday will prove especially disheartening because their schedule doesn’t get any easier. With the exception of Cleveland in two weeks, they have tilts with divisional rivals Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, and the likes of Green Bay and Indianapolis in a stretch that could make or break their season. At 3-3 in a competitive AFC North Division, they can ill afford to make any mistakes.

Some other teams I want to bestow the “Sportsboner bump” (sounds kind of dirty huh) on are: the San Francisco 49ers, and the New York Jets. The 49ers are as wildly inconsistent as you can get. Wins over the Arizona Cardinals, and close losses to the Minnesota Vikings and the Houston Texans (comebacks be darned!) have them pegged as a talented team that could take advantage of a NFC West division up for grabs if they can just catch a break and catch the Cardinals. Although the matchup this Sunday seems daunting when they take on the 6-0 Indianapolis Colts, a win would do wonders for this team.

The New York Jets have one of the better defenses in the league, a solid running game and a still infant passing game thanks to the infancy of rookie QB Mark Sanchez. My man-love for Mark “Joe-Willy” Sanchez still knows no bounds, much like my man-love for Kevin Durant is as limitless as the perfect arc on his jumpers. As I digress again, let’s focus on the fact that the AFC East division or a wild card berth is theirs to have if they can also string together some consistency. The blowout at Oakland last week versus the Raiders took them off the schnide, but they will need to push past the divisional rivals Miami Dolphins if they hope to keep pace with the Patriots.

So sit back today, enjoy all the NFL action, some NBA entertainment, and of course World Series baseball (GO Phillies!); because in the sports world, this trifecta rarely play in conjunction with each other.

Last week: 7-5-1
Year to date: 41-45-1

Denver Broncos @ Baltimore -3.5

Cleveland Browns +13 @ Chicago Bears

Houston Texans @ Buffalo Bills +3

Minnesota Vikings @ Green Bay Packers -3

San Francisco +13.5 @ Indianapolis Colts

Miami Dolphins @ New York Jets -3.5

St. Louis Rams +3.5 @ Detroit Lions

Seattle Seahawks @ Dallas -9.5

Oakland Raiders +16.5 @ San Diego Chargers

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Tennessee Titans -3

Carolina Panthers +10 @ Arizona Cardinals

New York Giants -1.5 @ Philadelphia Eagles

Atlanta Falcons +11 @ New Orleans Saints