Another Week Of NFL Agony Guessing

Another struggle to pick games last week going 8-6 to run my record for the season 86- 73.  Between refs getting calls wrong and half the the teams in the NFL with their rosters on IR  hard to get any rhythm picking games.  Thursday Turkey triple header is first on tap.

Eagles 4-6 @ Lions 3-7:  Lions finally have some mo and they are playing a team full of defections.  This one should be close.  Lions 31 Eagles 27

Carolina 10-0 @ Cowboys 3-7:  Perfect time to get knocked off.  Short week Cowboys on Thanksgiving in Dallas.  Romo the Cowboy fans hero back for his second game.  The Panther D has been great.  Cam's improved play has come because he is not putting the ball in risk.  I know it would be great not going undefeated because the streak gets more pressurized every week.  This has all the signs for a Cowboy win but the Panthers make it another week 27-24.

Bears 4-6 @ Packers 7-3:  There's something wrong with Packers.  They need this one for any home field in playoffs.  Bears improved but not enough to win in Green Bay.  Packers 27 Bears 20.

Saints 4-6 @ Texans 5-5.  T J Yates has made a difference for the Texans.  The Saints have no defense but Houston does.  Texans 27 Saints 23

Rams 4-6 @ Bengals 8-2:  One lost has made 2 in a row for Bengals.  It will not go to three.   Cincy 23 St. Louis 17

Vikings 7-3 @ Falcons 6-4:  Falcons are in free fall.  Vikings are better than they showed against Green Bay.  Vikes 27 Falcons 17

Giants 5-5 @ Washington 4-6: The leader in the NFC east are Eagles and Giants and after Redskins win could be three way tie.  If Dallas beats Panthers they could be just one game back.    Remember Redskins home so they will play great.  Washington 31 NewYork 27

Bills 5-5 @ Colts 5-5:  Bills another team you never know which team shows up.  Colts look the same.  I don't know who to pick here.  Home team is my pick.  Indy 23 Bills 16

Raiders 4-6 @. Titans 2-8:  Raiders have hit a rut after showing a big push Titans never got any flow. Raiders get back on the winning track.  36-28

Chargers 2-8 @ Jags 4-6:  Chargers don't have a healthy receiver who can catch a ball five yards beyond line of scrimmage.  I don't see Chargers winning another game this year.  Jacksonville 24 Chargers 20

Dolphins 4-6 @ Jets 5-5:  Here is another game against two teams going no where.  One has to win. Jets 23 Dolphins 21

Cards 8-2 @ 49's 3-7 :  This is probably lopsided game of week.  Cardinals 31 San Fran 13.

Steelers 6-4 @ Seattle 5-5:  Seattle D just not  the the Super Bowl caliber of the last two years.  Pitts D best thing the Steelers got going.  Hawks in a close one 23-21

Patriots 10-0 @ Broncos 8-2:  Denver D will be a test for a New England offense that some how or other wiggles off the hook.  Denver has better offense with Manning on sideline.  I like the Denver D in this one. Pats bite the dust for the first time.  Denver 23 NE 17

Ravens 3-7 @ Browns 2-8.  Seems Monday Night Football has really had some stinkers this year.  Here's another one.  Browns will win with who ever quarterbacks.  Ravens will lose with who ever quarterbacks.  26-23

Four Locals Still Alive

First round of the playoffs all eight local teams from the three county area all won going 8-0 for the first week.  The second round the list was chopped in half as we send four teams to a Thanksgiving Day Practice and a Friday night third round.  Three of the four will play on the home turf  and at this time of year you need anything to help and when even teams tangle the home turf can be the turning point for victory.

North Edgecombe the 11th seed  has the worse record still standing  7-5 so they are the only team dodging pot holes as they visit Southside 11-1 and the number two seed  in Chocowinity.  Round four matchup for the NE/Southside winner   is the winner of the top seed Plymouth 11-2 hosting South Creek 9-3 the fourth seed

Tarboro 8-0 at home this year and they are always a hard out whoever the team is when the game is on Viking Turf.  Tarboro is the two seed in 1AA and James Kenan number three 12-1.  This will be  a monster game.  When ever two conference champions collide at this stage the luck of the year when one conference  has the seedings priority over the other is huge.  Awaiting for the winner the Wallace Rose Hill 12-1- East Carteret 11-2 winner.  WRH is the top seed and will host round four if they win.  The Tarboro-James Kenan winner can only host if East Carteret is a winner next week.  All four teams left are conference champions.

SouthWest Edgecombe 12-1 the number two seed in 2-A will host  Fairmont 11-2 the three seed.  This is another matchup of conference champions.   Next week the winner will be facing the Kinston 13-0  the top seed  or Elizabeth City Northeastern 11-2 the fourth  seed who is another conference champion.  All four teams left alive in this bracket are a conference champion.  The Cougars are familiar with Kinston but Northeastern is more familiar with Rocky Mount and Northern Nash who both had to make the long trips to Elizabeth City when they were conference members and Northern still plays the Eagles in non conference games.

Rocky Mount the two seed in 3-A 11-2 will host Morehead from Eden a ten seed with a 10-3 record.  The Gryphons had better not think avoiding Havelock is an automatic ride into the fourth round.  Morehead scored at will against the Havelock Rams.  The winner will match up with the top seed Eastern Alamance 13-0 or Southern Guilford 11-2.  Looking back this century in the high school playoffs it seems as if we do well against so called east of Raleigh teams but that I - 85 corridor  has bitten us just about every time.  The next two games if the Gryphons survive this week both games will feature I-85 teams.

I hope you Gryphon fans realize that having their top two  teams alive the Mid East just might be the best 3-A league in football this year.  The Gryphons are the only Big East team left so that should tell you Morehead will be no patsie as that Mid State number three team.

So all eight local teams won opening night of the playoffs.  Half lost in round two. Will half lose again in round three or for that matter will all four win their games or  will they all lose???

Home For The Turkey Holiday

The Gryphons had their hands full of South Johnston Trojans for the better part of the round two playoff game.  The Gryphons needed a better start in Round two and for the most part they did.  South Johnston with the control passing game kept the ball away from Rocky Mount and the Trojans had the ball for eight  minutes in the first quarter..  Rocky Mount being a pound-pound-pound team I was worried that South Johnston would not crack late because of the control passes.  Even having the ball for four minutes the Gryphons scored.

Somewhere South Johnson hit the long pass in the second quarter and from that point for a while they tried to hit the home run and the Gryphons picked off three passes.  So many times you hit a long pass or in basketball you hit a three and you forget about what was working.   I think South Johnston fell into that trap.

The Gryphons scared me to death on the on side kicks that South Johnston deployed.  We were willing to wait for the ball to cross the ten yard marker and it almost got  us on the one they fielded a yard early.  If any one else tries that we have to be more aggressive going after the ball.  If I was looking at film and saw how willing we were to wait for the ball to come to us I would try it too.  The risk is of course that you give a really good offensive team the ball near the fifty when you don't get the on side.

Talking about a huge risk was the fourth down fake punt from the Gryphon 32 yard line.  When a play like that doesn't work everyone on the Rocky Mount stands is hollering what are you doing?  South Johnston all night kept talking punt block and on the first punt came close.  Down 24-14  the Trojans needed a big play in the third quarter so Jason Battle caught SJ in an all out punt block.  If the pass was completed it was a 68 yard romp because the only person who could have stopped the touchdown was the punt receiver and Rocky Mount had the whole team set to block.  That's one of those plays if it works you are a genius when it doesn't  everyone is scratching their head saying what are you doing??

One of the officials pulled a calf muscle about three minutes into the game and the others rotated into a four man crew.  I thought they did a poor job as there were two face mask penalties called on the offenses during the game.  One they marked it off from the spot and the other from the line of scrimmage.  Both should have been from the line of scrimmage.  The pass interferences on the Gryphons  sidelines was poor but they missed one  on the SJ side.

 I thought this crew  waited to long to blow the whistle  after forward progress was made.  I noticed one of our blockers kept blocking to the whistle well after forward progress was stopped and a Trojan player hit him and drew a penalty. Then another both players were called but the flag was thrown before the whistle sounded.   Now that over half the teams were knocked  out last week there should have been a better crew at a second round game.

Despite the pressure from the Trojans the Gryphons still controlled the game in the second half which has become a very good habit to have. Over the last five games Rocky Mount has scored 93 points in the second half while giving up 32.  18 of the 32 points have come  when the second team defense was in mop up mode.

We have reached the round that you can play great and still lose because the other sideline is good too.  Don't care who you are if your team is playing Turkey Friday night you have every reason to be proud.  The crowd was not all that great, it was ok but there should have been more there.  I realize it had a chill in the air but I think people stayed away because of the safety factor.  The Gryphons have been seven years since they have gone this deep into the playoffs.  This team deserves your support. 

This Gryphon team standing in line for the National Anthem does not look all that impressive.  I am reminded from a quote from Pete Rose in the 1972 World series having to face Jim "Catfish" Hunter.  In the on deck circle watching him pitch I should get four hits today but after going 0-4 that man can pitch.  These Gryphons  can play some football.

The Holly Project Christmas Ornament

 

Holly Fryar has been gone from us  for less than six months.  The Doughtie family misses her everyday as she was an important part of our life over the last five years.  She was an outstanding young lady who during her bad days thought more of others than herself.

The Fryar family started the Holly Project as a way to help others during their stay at The UNC Lineberger Cancer Center in Chapel Hill.  During Holly's life those that  who knew her contributed enough money  that one of the infusion rooms is named Pediatric Infusion Station in Honor of Holly Caroline Fryar. 

Even though Holly is no longer with us Holly lives effecting the lives of others who are going through the same fight that Holly did.  This Christmas season the Holly Project is selling a Christmas ornament which you can see above.  The back of the ornament has a quote from Holly.  " I really just want to help people, and that's the basis for my everything right now.  I want to show others that they're not alone."

The ornament is on sale for Ten Dollars.  All proceeds from this sale will go to the Holly Project and these funds will be given to families in need of funds for travel back and forth to the Cancer Center  food and lodging .  This is for families with kids in the Lineberger Cancer Center not adults.

Public sale is at Bailey's, Amy's Hallmark, Lily Lane Boutique, Pat Doughtie's Facebook page as well as many others.  If paying by check make sure the check is made out to UNC  Lineberger/The Holly Project.

Turkey Friday Football At Home

The Rocky Mount Gryphons will be home Friday night in the 3rd round of the State 3A playoffs  after they beat South Johnston 34-20 and in Havelock Eden Morehead up set Havelock   42-35 creating a home game for   The Gryphons.

The South Johnston Trojans moved  the opening kickoff using a short passing game worked the ball Near the 50 when they fumbled. The first play the Gryphons fumbled it right back and S J  the proceeded to move the ball where they tried a field goal which was wide left.

The Gryphons  move from the 20 and steadily moved down the field and Nick Bynum scooted the last thirty five for six and Chase Miller added the point so at 2.35 of the first the Gryphons never trailed but SJ gave the Gryphons a tussle for three quarters.

The next Gryphon drive stalled and Chase Miller put a 25 yard field goal through the uprights to give the Gryphons a 10- 0 lead at 9:25 of the second quarter.  The Trojans responded and got a 4 yard run from Caleb Robinson  with 4:26 in the half and Yovani Herrera added the point to make it 10-7 at the half.

The Gryphons stormed out of the locker room but instead of pounding the ball down field had tosses from Forest Bell who has looked good passing the last two weeks..JaClayton Freeman  took to the enzone to give the Gryphons   A 17-7 lead only 66 seconds into the third quarter.

The Trojans quickly retaliated on a 12 yard run from quarterback Deparis Patterson to cut the lead to 17-14.  The Gryphons now Have some offensive momentum and drove the field BJ Sanders scored on a four yard off tackle run at the 5:14 of the third to move the lead to 24 14.  Looks like we are headed for  a shootout but the Gryphons will have none of that.

The Gryphons got some breathing room at 4:49 as Bynum crosses  the goal line from 9 yards out.  The next series the Trojans threw a pick and the Gryphons added three from Chase Miller who had and outstanding night with two field goals and four pat' s giving the Gryphons 34 points After the kick off South Johnson starting at the 10 yard line and now facing the Gryphon second team Kavonte Johnson broke the first play for 90 yards to give us the Final. 34-20.

This was a tough game as SJ was a good team  even when it was 34-14 the game was closer than the score.  Half of our other locals lose but the good news is in Edgecombe County

Tarboro 37 Lakewood 7
North Edgecombe 34 Weldon 24
SouthWest Edgecombe 41 East Bladen 21

Wilson County was 0-3
Terry Sanford 17 Hunt 3
Southern Guilford 45 Fike 0
Clinton  43 Beddingfield 27

For the night I was 8-0 on my picks

College Football Nearly Over

Had and 8-0 record last week to jump to 78-22 on picks. Carolina has by far superseded I think everyone expectations now having won nine in a row.  More and more the Tar Heels look like some competition for Clemson.

North Carolina 9-1 @ Virginia Tech 5-5:  Last game for Beamer  Ball in Lane Stadium.   I suspect the Gobblers play out of their minds but Tech can't score enough to win this game. Carolina 38 Tech 23.

ECU played last night  Thursday afternoon moved my ECU pick to Thursday's blog

Wake Forest 3-7 @ Clemson 10-0:  Wake didn't play that badly at Notre Dame.  I think Clemson is on cruise control until ACC championship game.  Clemson 35-10.

Duke 6-4 @ Virginia 3-7:  Duke's not being able to score has caught up with them.  Virginia can score but Duke's D may bring home this one  for Duke.  Duke 24 Virginia 23

Louisville 6-4 @ Pittsburgh 7-3:  This  might be the best game of the ACC weekend.  Louisville never has quite got going this year.  Pitt has been better than anyone thought.  Pitt 26 Louisville 24

Notre Dame 9-1 @ BC 3-7:  BC can't score.  Notre Dame is no where near top four team in the country.  If there is ever a chance Irish football becomes a full fledge member of ACC they cannot make the college playoffs.  Looks like we must rely on Stanford because BC scares but loses 24-16.

Chattanooga 8-2 @ Florida State 8-2:  Noles better be ready 36-24

Georgia Tech 3-7 @ Miami 6-4:  I just don't know the mental state of Miami right now.  Tech could win this one.  Miami 27 GT 21

Syracuse 3-7 @ N C State 6-4:  The Pack had better not thinking about the Tar Heels.  State 27 Cuse 20.

Round Two

I Don't know if it has ever happened before that every public high school in all three local counties that took part in the first round of the state playoffs were all winners in the first round.  It may have happened years ago when maybe only one or two teams were the only teams playing but since the playoffs have many teams from each conference in these times it is hard not to have one local team matched up in  the first round with another local team.  My record for the week was 6-2 now standing at 81-17.  I don't mind picking a local team to lose and they prove me wrong.

North Edgecombe 6-5 @ Weldon 6-5:  These two have already played once with the Warriors winning.  NE is more healthy now than in the last five weeks.  Warriors 33  Chargers 23

Lakewood 9-3@ Tarboro 11-1:  Lakewood has a nice club.  Tarboro has as good of team as any in 2A. The Vikings are at home and Jeff Craddock teams don't like losing at home.  Vikings 42-14

Beddingfield 7-5 @ Clinton 9-2:  Interesting game as Clinton has a history much like Tarboro has that the town is devoted to Clinton Football.  They probably have not faced an offense like the Bruins.  This could be a shootout but Clinton will survive.  Clinton 35 Beddingfield 28.

East Bladen 10-2 at SouthWest Edgecombe 11-1:Any body noticed that the level of competition has gone up.  Glad to see the return of Travon Martin paying divides for the Cougars.  It helps in this game that it will be played in Pinetops.  SWE 34 East Bladen 26.

Fike 7-5 @ Southern Guilford 10-2:  Fike's defense must be stout in this one to stay in this game.  This will be game that if Fike struggles on offense this could get out of hand.  S Guilford 35 Fike 20

Hunt 9-3  @ Terry Sanford 11-1:  I don't know why Hunt has struggled on offense as they have an outstanding defense.  The only comparison game between those two is Just last week's game Hunt besting Lee County.  Terry Sanford scored 28 and won at Lee County Hunts scores 7 at home against Lee.  Terry Sanford 24 Hunt 10

Southern Nash 9-3 @ Eastern Alamance 12-0:  if any team wins any state championship they will have to best somebody better at least once to the title.  The Firebirds are capable.  I want to pick SN but can't quite do it.  EA 36 Southern Nash 32

South Johnston 8-4 @ Rocky Mount 10-2:  SJ beat Southern Nash by one at SJ.  Rocky Mount had better be wide awake from the start.  If they are they will take care of business.  Rocky Mount 35 South Johnston 21.

If what I am predicting comes true half of the locals go down Friday.

There is local college football tonight. 

ECU 4-6 @ University Of Central Florida:  Pressure packed game for ECU.  Been on a downer lately.  Don't know if I can trust them beating anybody.  This would be embarrassing loss.  Pirates 38-UCF 28