James Quizon

Even without their starting quarterbacks, the Chicago Bears and St. Louis Rams got the surprise and crucial wins to keep their playoffs hopes alive this season. The Bears visit the Rams Sunday afternoon and hope they can build on their previous wins.

The Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants definitely hate each other. With a crucial match-up in Week 12, they can channel all those emotions in getting that crucial win to keep their hopes alive in winning the NFC East.

After a 1-3 start to the season, the Carolina Panthers have stringed up six wins a row to join the discussion of Super Bowl contenders. The opposite is happening to the Miami Dolphins, which have lost five of their last seven games after starting the year at 3-0.

Will the writers of “Homeland” attempt to throw the perfect curveball? And kill either Nicolas Brody (Damian Lewis) or Carrie Mathison (Claire Danes)? In the land of spies and terrorists, wouldn’t it be the ultimate pull-the-rug ‘neath the viewers move? Will they have enough guts to kill the bipolar spy or the unpredictable terrorist?

The Chicago Bulls are one of the best defensive teams in the league. On Thursday night, they visit the Denver Nuggets, which is one of the worst teams on that end.

Numbers don’t lie. And if New York fans disagree with the stats and point out that they are still title contenders in the 2013-14 season; we won’t blame you if you conclude that they are delusional supporters of the probably the most pathetic team in the entire league.

The New York Knicks can’t score, defend and share the basketball. They better improve in all of those areas if they want a fighting chance when they visit the best team in the league, the Indiana Pacers, which are coming off their first loss of the 2013-14 NBA regular season.

After a slow start, the Memphis Grizzlies are starting to grind it out on defense and have won three in a row. The Golden State Warriors have been doing it on both ends of the floor riding a four-game winning streak and have one of the best records in the league at 8-3 so far this season.

At this point of the season in 2012, the Atlanta Falcons just had two losses and were dreaming of going all the way to the Super Bowl. A year later, those same Falcons have just two wins, tied for worst in the NFC, and can’t even hope for a playoff spot.

The Washington Wizards are one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA, giving up 104.6 points per game. Playing hosts to the Minnesota Timberwolves, which averages 108.5 PPG or 3rd in the league, the Wizards need to play better defense if they want to protect their home floor.

NBA Twitter wars are more fun especially if your teams are going to meet days after the not-so-friendly banters. The New York Knicks visit the Detroit Pistons Tuesday night with J.R. Smith and Brandon Jennings finally facing off after their little social media skirmish last Thursday.

The phenomenal success of the pop boy band “One Direction” has left girls shrieking and boys wanting to smash their heads to walls. But sooner than later— we’re hoping and banking on the former—this group will disband like many other successful boy bands in the past, much to the dismay of the shrieking girls even as the boys-with-smashed-heads-on-walls can celebrate.

The last time the Memphis Grizzlies and Los Angeles Clippers met was in Game 6 of the first round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs. It left a bitter taste on the mouth of the Clippers as the Grizzlies finished them off right in their home floor.

When Dwight Howard has signed with the Houston Rockets in the offseason, the Rockets front office, players and fans rejoiced at coup of a offseason acquisition that stole the big man away from Western Conference rivals Los Angeles Lakers—except for one, Omer Asik and the Turkish centers’ fans who thought that the move will destroy whatever development and rhythm Asik established in his first season with the Rockets.

With recent reports that star forward Carmelo Anthony is upset with the New York Knicks’ effort to start the 2013-2014 season, it’s time to explore the potential trades that can put Melo out of his misery at the Big Apple.

Behind a potent defense both on air and ground, the Carolina Panthers have stringed up five straight wins to become one of the hottest teams in the league. On Monday Night Football, they look to continue the winning run when they face the New England Patriots, which are one of the best teams in the AFC.

Las Vegas and online sportsbooks are banking on a Brandon Rios upset over Manny Pacquiao for a huge haul by the bookies in the boxing match dubbed as the “Clash in Cotai”. The welterweight fight will be held this Saturday, November 23, 2013 at the Cotai Arena, Venetian Resort in Macau.

The reports of Kobe Bryant practicing already could give the Los Angeles Lakers the jolt they need. A match-up with the visiting Detroit Pistons, which they have beaten three straight times at Staples Center, could be a good opportunity for the rest of the Lakers to show how motivated they are for his possible early comeback.

A perfect 9-0 start into the 2013-2014 NFL regular season and still the Kansas City Chiefs have a lot of doubters—mainly because of an apparent marshmallow schedule on their way to the immaculate record. The Andy Reid-led team has a chance to shut up those same critics when they face a top-quality team in the Denver Broncos featuring star quarterback Peyton Manning, who’s in a record-breaking romp in 2013.

The Washington Redskins still have a shot at making the postseason but they need to begin consistently getting those wins for a better chance. A Week 11 match-up with NFC East rivals Philadelphia Eagles will not only be an opportunity to begin winning but also dragging down a division rival to help them out in their hopes for a playoffs slot.

The Los Angeles Lakers were expected to struggle early in the season without their superstar. Those were not the same expectations for the Grizzlies, which are off to a bad start despite a complete and healthy roster.

With limited playing time and a lesser role in his teams’ scheme of teams, Omer Asik has demanded a trade from the Houston Rockets.

Since winning Game 6 of the 2011 NBA Finals, the Dallas Mavericks haven’t won a game versus the Miami Heat. The Dirk Nowitzki-led team looks to change that by winning their third game in a row against a Heat squad which have won four of their last five games.

There are many ways to skin a cat. Or capture Nicholas Brody. Or discover if Carrie Mathison is a double or triple agent. Or to find out if Saul is just a depressed dirty old man.

NBA free agent forward Sam Young is going to Australia. The 28-year-old NBA free agent forward signed a contract with the Sydney Kings in the National Basketball League.

It’s a match-up loaded with stars when Golden State’s Stephen Curry, Andre Iguodala and David Lee host the Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder, which is coming off a disappointing loss to the Los Angeles Clippers Wednesday night.

A day after dropping a season-high 34 points, Jeremy Lin is back to the place where it all started. Lin and the rest of the Houston Rockets will visit the New York Knicks on Thursday night in a match-up between two teams still searching for their identity in the early part of the 2013-2014 NBA regular season.

Both the New York Knicks and Denver Nuggets are struggling so far in the 2013-2014 NBA regular season. A roster tweak could be a solution in arresting the recent bad start for 2013.

“Big Brother Australia” just came to an end on Nov 6, 2013, but the fans of the popular show can already look forward to the next edition.