2014 NFL PREDICTIONS: WEEK 17 GAMES

Week 16 Record: 8-8 (.500)
Total Record: 146-93 (.611)

CLE @ BAL
SD @ KC
NYJ @ MIA
CHI @ MIN
BUF @ NE
PHI @ NYG
NO @ TB
DAL @ WAS
CAR @ ATL
OAK @ DEN
DET @ GB
JAX @ HOU
ARI @ SF
STL @ SEA
IND @ TEN
CIN @ PIT

POTENTIAL 2015 PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME CANIDATES

So, I was supposed to post this article back in August in time for the Class of 2014's induction ceremony. Welp, I forgot.

And thanks to college work, it kept getting pushed back. As a result, a few of the names mentioned in the Big Names section have been passed up for induction. Luckily for me, neither guy was a lock and I predicted they wouldn't go in anyway. So when you come to them, just whistle, look up to the sky and pretend like it's August again.

With that said, here's a look at some big-name football players whose careers came to an end five years ago and, thus, are up for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

TEN BIG NAMES

ISSAC BRUCE (WR)

1994-2007 Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams, 2008-2009 San Francisco 49ers

Accomplishments: 4x Pro Bowl selection (1996, 1999-2001); Super Bowl champion (1999); 1,000 Receptions Club; 15,000 Receiving Yards Club

Pros: Bruce had a long career and put up some big numbers in his career. He is one of just nine receivers in history to catch 1,000 or more passes in his career and sits eighth all-time on the career list. He also has the fourth most receiving yards in history and is one of five to gain 15,000 or more.

Also, Bruce was a major player on the Greatest Show on Turf Rams teams from 1999 to 2001 that set NFL records for offense and went to two Super Bowls in three years.

Cons: There's a negative term used to describe certain athletes called "compilers," wherein, Athlete X reaches impressive career milestones by playing for a long time, not necessarily because he was particularly dominant. Bruce may fall into that category.

Bruce was only in the top 10 of a given season in receptions twice in his career, and receiving yards four. In 16 seasons, he caught 70 or more passes five times. He was never First Team All-Pro and made just four Pro Bowls.

Part of all this is because the mid-'90s and '00s were kind of a receiver renaissance, with some of the best ever at that position playing at the same time. But with that said, Bruce didn't do a whole lot to distinguish himself from his peers, with a few exceptions.

Overall: Isaac Bruce was unquestionably a great player, and overall I think he belongs in the Hall of Fame. However, due to the fact that he was rarely one of the best receivers year to year, I don't think it'll be a crime if he doesn't make it in his first year of eligibility. There are other, more deserving receivers that are up that have better cases than Bruce. Like a long-time teammate of his...

HoF Projection: Maybe

TORRY HOLT (WR)

1999-2008 St. Louis Rams, 2009 Jacksonville Jaguars

Accomplishments: 7x Pro Bowl selection (2000-2001, 2003-2007); 1st Team All-Pro (2003); 2000s All-Decade Team (2nd Team); Super Bowl champion (1999); 13,000 Receiving Yards Club

Pros: Think back to the '00s and name the best receivers of the decade: Terrell Owens, Randy Moss, Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne... Torry Holt. In the years spanning his entire 11-year career, no one caught more passes or gained more receiving yards than Torry Holt. He also gained 1,000 or more yards in eight consecutive seasons from 2000 to 2007.

Even though the Rams' dominance took place in his first three seasons, Holt was THE best receiver on the team and contributed mightily to the gaudy numbers those teams put up.

Cons: Holt had a relatively short career. Receivers also tend to have a hell of a time getting into the Pro Football Hall of Fame unless they're Jerry Rice.

Overall: Holt was a fantastic player for the era which he played. He was a major player on some great, championship caliber teams. He's not a lock simply because of competition from Bruce, Tim Brown and Marvin Harrison. But Holt has a good shot of making it now, or in the next few years.

HoF Projection: Pretty Good

EDGERRIN JAMES (RB)

1999-2005 Indianapolis Colts, 2006-2008 Arizona Cardinals, 2009 Seattle Seahawks

Accomplishments: 4x Pro Bowl selection (1999-2000, 2004-2005); 1st Team All-Pro (1999); 2000s All-Decade Team (1st Team); AP Offensive Rookie of the Year (1999); 12,000 Rushing Yards Club

Pros: James is the most statistically accomplished running back in the history of the Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts, holding the team record for most attempts, rushing yards and rushing touchdowns.

He scored 11 or more touchdowns on the ground four times and led the league in rushing yards in consecutive years, his first two.

He currently sits seventh all-time in rushing attempts, 11th all-time in rushing yards and 19th all-time in rushing touchdowns in the history of pro football.

Cons: James' seven seasons with the Colts were his best as a pro. He was decent for a couple seasons with the Arizona Cardinals, but the second he turned 30, everything went to hell, as it usually does for running backs. He never rushed for more than four yards per carry after he left the Colts, either. What I'm getting at is that James' peak may have been too short for most voters to consider.

Another thing working against James is that he never won a Super Bowl (which I say is a dumb thing to hold against a player, but there are voters who don't feel that way). The Colts won the Super Bowl the year after he left the team and he wasn't much of a factor on the Cardinals when they went to Super Bowl XLIII.

Overall: James is a wild card. I wouldn't be surprised if he made it in one day or he falls just short of induction. Either way, I don't see him going in this year thanks to some stiff competition. But then again, I've seen stranger things happen.

HoF Projection: Maybe

TY LAW (CB)

1995-2004 New England Patriots, 2005, 2008 New York Jets, 2006-2007 Kansas City Chiefs, 2009 Denver Broncos

Accomplishments: 5x Pro Bowl selection (1998, 2001-2003, 2005); 2x 1st Team All-Pro (1998, 2003); 2000s All-Decade Team (2nd Team); 3x Super Bowl champion (2001, 2003-2004); 50 Interceptions Club

Pros: He was one of the best defensive players on great Patriots defenses. Law won three Super Bowls as a key contributor for the Pats and led the league in interceptions twice, eight seasons apart. He was very durable, as he is one of just 24 cornerbacks in history to have played in 200 or more games in his career.

Cons: Law's stats don't really pop out. He was a really good player, but he rarely distinguished himself from his peers like Champ Bailey or Darren Sharper.

Overall: I believe Law is more than worthy of induction, but I don't know if he'll go in this year. There are some pretty crazy names up as you'll see soon. But don't be surprised if he goes in eventually.

HoF Projection: Maybe

JAMAL LEWIS (RB)

2000-2006 Baltimore Ravens, 2007-2009 Cleveland Browns

Accomplishments: Pro Bowl selection (2003); 1st Team All-Pro (2003); 2000s All-Decade Team (2nd Team); AP Offensive Player of the Year (2003); Super Bowl champion (2000); 10,000 Rushing Yards Club

Pros: Lewis was the fifth running back in history to rush for 2,000 or more yards in a single season. He also rushed for 14 touchdowns in that historic 2003 season. You could argue without much resistance that Lewis was the Ravens' most important and skill position player for many years.

Cons: Aside from that great 2003 season, Lewis wasn't all that great. He never rushed for more than 1,364 yards other than 2003, and 2003 was the only year he recorded double-digit rushing touchdowns. Drugs and other off-field excursions plagued Lewis for much of his career instead. Not helping matters, he only played nine seasons thanks to a knee injury whipping out his entire 2001 season.

Overall: I hate the term "hall of very good," but if ever a player was worthy of getting inducted in such a place, it'd be Lewis. I doubt he'll ever get in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, though.

HoF Projection: Slim Chance

KEVIN MAWAE (C)

1994-1997 Seattle Seahawks, 1998-2005 New York Jets, 2006-2009 Tennessee Titans

Accomplishments: 8x Pro Bowl selection (1999-2004, 2008-2009); 3x 1st Team All-Pro (1999, 2001, 2008); 2000s All-Decade Team (1st Team)

Pros: Talk about durable. Mawae started 171 consecutive games from 1994 to 2005 before missing much of the latter season due to a triceps injury. All in all, Mawae started 232 games of a possible 256 (90.6%) and played in 241 (94.1%). Six consecutive Pro Bowl nods from 1999 to 2004 and three First Team All-Pro selections spaced out over a decade make him one of the most accomplished centers of his era.

Cons: Mawae had a pretty deserved reputation for being a dirty player. Mawae himself admitted to leg-whipping a few guys here and there. Some voters might get turned off by that.

Overall: I wouldn't be surprised at all to see Mawae go inducted in the not too distant future. The problem is, is that centers have a tough time making it in the Hall of Fame. There are only six modern-day centers enshrined and of those six, only two went in on their first ballot. Jim Langer was the last center to go in immediately, and that was in 1987. So history isn't necessarily on Mawae's side as far as a quick induction is concerned. But an eventual induction? Yeah, more than likely.

HoF Projection: Slim Chance

CHRIS MCALISTER (CB)

1999-2008 Baltimore Ravens, 2009 New Orleans Saints

Accomplishments: 3x Pro Bowl selection (2003-2004, 2006); 1st Team All-Pro (2003); Super Bowl champion (2000)

Pros: McAlister was a good cornerback in the NFL for a long time and had what you would consider a pretty great career.

Cons: That great career won't translate into a bronze bust. Compared to some defensive players in Ravens history, McAlister might come up as the fifth or sixth player you might think of, but that might be a stretch. He was a good cornerback on some fantastic defenses, but he wasn't one of the best of his era.

Overall: Sorry, but I just don't see him going in now or ever.

HoF Projection: Not This Year

ORLANDO PACE (OT)

1997-2008 St. Louis Rams, 2009 Chicago Bears

Accomplishments: 1st Overall Pick (1997); 7x Pro Bowl selection (1999-2005); 3x 1st Team All-Pro (1999, 2001, 2003); 2000s All-Decade Team (2nd Team); Super Bowl champion (1999)

Pros: How do you judge whether someone is a Hall of Famer? Do you look at pedigree? If so, Pace was the first overall pick in the 1997 Draft and lived up to his hype. Do you look at championships? The Rams went to two Super Bowls in Pace's career while he was far and away the anchor of the offensive line. And as far as level of play goes, Pace was one of the premier offensive tackles in the NFL during his career, going to seven-straight Pro Bowls.

Cons: The last few seasons of his career were marred by injuries, as he missed 23 games in two-straight seasons. And when he was healthy, he was no longer the great player he once was, and the Rams were simply God awful. His final season with the Chicago Bears was also forgettable.

Overall: Taking into account his late-career slide, Pace is still one of the better first-time eligible candidates. He had nothing short of an incredible career and has all the personal and professional accolades you'd think a Hall of Famer would have. It's a pretty crowded list, but I think he's got a good chance of going in and soon.

HoF Projection: Pretty Good

JUNIOR SEAU (LB)

1990-2002 San Diego Chargers, 2003-2005 Miami Dolphins, 2006-2009 New England Patriots

Accomplishments: 12x Pro Bowl selection (1991-2002); 6x 1st Team All-Pro (1992-1994, 1996, 1998, 2000); 1990s All-Decade Team (1st Team); 1,500 Tackles Club

Pros: Simply put, one of the greatest middle linebackers in the history of the game. Seau is currently fourth on the all-time tackle list (he had an astounding 1,522 solo tackles). He was remarkably durable, playing 20 seasons in the NFL. He was the best player on the Chargers for more than a decade, and he played well in his stints with the Dolphins and Patriots, even if he wasn't the same player he was in San Diego.

Cons: There are no holes you can poke into Seau's worthiness for induction. None.

Overall: Seau was a lock when he retired for real in 2010. After his tragic death, he's doubly locked. In a month, he'll take his rightful place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

HoF Projection: Slam Dunk

KURT WARNER (QB)

1998-2003 St. Louis Rams, 2004 New York Giants, 2005-2009 Arizona Cardinals

Accomplishments: 4x Pro Bowl selection (1999-2001, 2008); 2x 1st Team All-Pro (1999, 2001); 2x AP MVP (1999, 2001); Super Bowl champion (1999); Super Bowl MVP (1999); 30,000 Passing Yards Club; 200 Passing Touchdowns Club

Pros: Warner famously got his start in the Arena Football League and became the unlikeliest of NFL superstars in the 2000s. He won two MVPs, led the league in touchdowns twice and guided three teams to the Super Bowl.

Cons: The first part and last part of Warner's career were simply spectacular, but there was a long stretch in the middle that wasn't so hot. Injuries plagued him in his last seasons in St. Louis and he became a glorified backup for about three years after the Rams cut bait. Warner held clipboards for Eli Manning and Matt Leinart, two quarterbacks that were nowhere near as good as he was.

Overall: Warner is a wild card here as he was in his playing days. His middle-year cratering has since been attributed to coaches not realizing he was so great (it took Ken Whisenhunt an absurdly long time to realize that Matt Leinart was indeed not as good as Kurt Warner, one of the many knocks you can throw his way as far as coaching acumen is conserned).

Warner was the crown jewel of the Greatest Show on Turf Rams, as well as a great player in his last two seasons with the Arizona Cardinals where they were unlikely contenders. That will push Warner over the top. It's a no-brainer.

HoF Projection: Slam Dunk

INTERESTING NAMES

These next few players will never go into the Hall of Fame. Nonetheless, they had good, or otherwise notable careers. So let's take a look at them.

MARC BULGER (QB)

2002-2009 St. Louis Rams

After the Rams dumped Warner, Bulger acquired himself reasonably well as the starting quarterback. He made two Pro Bowls and was one of the better quarterbacks in the league over a three or four year period. But in his last three seasons, he completely cratered, which didn't help the Rams stave off their historically horrible play. He retired young, at just 32, due to injuries.

DAUNTE CULPEPPER (QB)

1999-2005 Minnesota Vikings, 2006 Miami Dolphins, 2007 Oakland Raiders, 2008-2009 Detroit Lions

Man, that 2004 season. Culpepper led the NFL with 379 completions and 4,717 passing yards. He also threw 39 touchdowns to just 11 interceptions. That was by far his best statistical season, with injuries and ineffective play marring much of his career, with the exception of his 2000, 2003 and 2004 seasons. The less we talk about his time with the Dolphins, Raiders and Lions, the better.

AHMAN GREEN (RB)

1998-1999 Seattle Seahawks, 2000-2006, 2009 Green Bay Packers, 2007-2008 Houston Texans

The all-time leading rusher in the history of the Green Bay Packers. Green rushed for 1,000 or more yards six times in seven seasons from 2000 to 2006. His 2003 season was the best of his career- he went for 1,883 yards (a Packers record) and 15 touchdowns on the ground. He also made four-straight Pro Bowls from 2001 to 2004.

JEVON KEARSE (DE)

1999-2003, 2008-2009 Tennessee Titans, 2004-2007 Philadelphia Eagles

Talk about peaking early. Kearse made his presence known immediately as a rookie, notching 14.5 sacks, a rookie record. He never reached the same heights throughout the rest of his career, but he still made three Pro Bowls and went to two Super Bowls (his teams didn't win either).

PATRICK KERNEY (DE)

1999-2006 Atlanta Falcons, 2007-2009 Seattle Seahawks

A good pass rusher. Kearney is currently third in Falcons history in sacks with 58. He recorded double-digit sacks four times in his career, including a career-high 14.5 in 2007 with the Seahawks, for which he was named First Team All-Pro.

MUHSIN MUHAMMAD (WR)

1996-2004, 2008-2009 Carolina Panthers, 2005-2007 Chicago Bears

Muhammad was a really good receiver for the Panthers and Bears. He had a great 2004, for which he was named First Team All-Pro, where he led the league with 1,405 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns. He's been overshadowed in Panthers history thanks to Steve Smith, but Muhammad is definitely the second-best receiver in team history.

AARON SCHOBEL (DE)

2001-2009 Buffalo Bills

One of the few bright spots for the Bills post Music City Miracle. Schobel played in 116 consecutive games for the Bills and recorded double-digit sacks four times. He went to two-consecutive Pro Bowls from 2006 to 2007. He is second all-time in Bills history in sacks, with 78.

JEREMIAH TROTTER (LB)

1998-2001, 2004-2006, 2009 Philadelphia Eagles, 2002-2003 Washington Redskins, 2007 Tampa Bay Buccaneers

One of the better middle linebackers of the 2000s. Trotter anchored some pretty impressive defenses for the Eagles, and went to two of the four-straight NFC Conference Championship Games the Eagles made from 2001 to 2004. All four Pro Bowl selections and his First Team All-Pro nod happened in his three stints with the Eagles.

DAVID TYREE (WR)

2003-2007 New York Giants, 2009 Baltimore Ravens

That catch is the only notable thing Tyree did in his career. He'll be remembered forever, though.

TROY WILLIAMSON (WR)

2005-2007 Minnesota Vikings, 2008-2009 Jacksonville Jaguars

I've never seen a picture better exemplify a career like this one does with Troy Williamson.

***

And that's the end.

2014 NFL PREDICTIONS: WEEK 16 SUNDAY AND MONDAY GAMES

Total Record: 139-87 (.615)

CLE @ CAR
DET @ CHI
BAL @ HOU
MIN @ MIA
ATL @ NO
NE @ NYJ
KC @ PIT
GB @ TB
IND @ DAL
BUF @ OAK
NYG @ STL
SEA @ ARI
DEN @ CIN

2014 NFL PREDICTIONS: WEEK 16 THURSDAY AND SATURDAY GAMES

Week 15 Record: 11-5 (.688)
Total Record: 138-85 (.619)

TEN @ JAX
PHI @ WAS
SD @ SF

2014 NFL PREDICTIONS: WEEK 15 SUNDAY AND MONDAY GAMES

Total Record: 127-81 (.611)

PIT @ ATL
JAX @ BAL
GB @ BUF
TB @ CAR
CIN @ CLE
HOU @ IND
OAK @ KC
MIA @ NE
WAS @ NYG
MIN @ DET
DEN @ SD
SF @ SEA
NYJ @ TEN
DAL @ PHI
NO @ CHI

2014 NFL PREDICTIONS: WEEK 15 THURSDAY GAME

Week 14 Record: 8-8 (.500)
Total Record: 127-80 (.614)

ARI @ STL

2014 NFL PREDICTIONS: WEEK 14 THURSDAY GAME

Week 12 Record: 9-7 (.563)
Total Record: 119-72 (.623)

DAL @ CHI