The Academy Road

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The Academy Road

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Get to Know Jenn Fredrickson Hutchins

January 6, 2024

For the last 25 years, Jenn Fredrickson Hutchins has been an integral part of The Albany Academies. Her tenure started with a paper copy of her resume sent to the address...

The Road to Success of our Middle School Robotics Teams

January 5, 2024

  Both of our middle school robotics teams competed this weekend at the FLL Masterpiece Challenge at Shenendehowa High School. “The Coding Turtles” and “The...

Throwback Thursday

January 4, 2024

Adam Penrose '02, played baseball for The Albany Academies under esteemed Coach Dorwardlt. Now, he follows in his mentor's footsteps as the Varsity baseball head coach, marking...

Snack Shack is Back!

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Albany Academy Cadets Suffer Narrow 2-3 Loss to Voorheesville

Albany Academy Cadets Suffer Narrow 2-3 Loss to Voorheesville

September 29, 2023

*Albany, NY* – The Albany Academy Cadets soccer team faced a tough challenge against Voorheesville, resulting in a narrow 2-3 loss. Despite the setback, the team showed...

NFL Week 9 Predictions

NFL Week 9 Predictions

Dan Burgess’s Predictions

Kansas City at San Diego – Thursday, 8:20 – Oof. Talk about a snoozer on NFL Network this Thursday, featuring two teams who have arguably played the worst over the past few games. Norv Turner’s Chargers (3-4) have officially entered their usual mid-season swoon, and they are simply a catastrophe offensively. Philip Rivers and his cohorts mustered just six points against one of the five worst defenses in the league in the Browns. Fortunately for Chargers fans, their team may take the field against the single worst team in the league, Kansas City (1-6). The Brady Quinn era lasted all of a quarter before he was put out of his misery after suffering a concussion. Don’t expect Matt Cassel to light up the scoreboard. San Diego should be able to outscore the 29th ranked offense of KC and pick up the W.

 

Denver at Cincinnati – Sunday, 1:00 – Peyton Manning and the Broncos (4-3) offense finally seems to be clicking. A lot of their success is due to the improvement of an offensive line that will certainly have its hands full against a tenacious Cincy pass rush, led by DE Geno Atkins. The Bengals (3-4) are going to need Andy Dalton to outduel Peyton, and A.J. Green needs to be more involved. The All-Pro wideout managed just one catch in Week 7 against Pittsburgh, and a bounce-back performance will go a long way towards a Bengals win. In the end, I think Denver’s O-line holds up the pass rush of Cincinnati well enough to allow Peyton to pick apart the Bengal secondary, leading the Broncos to victory.

 

Baltimore at Cleveland – Sunday, 1:00 – Interesting AFC North matchup here. Cleveland surprised many with their spirited play against the Ravens in Week 4, coming up a little bit short. The Browns (2-6) have been a tough out for most of the their opponents this year, and the Ravens will certainly have a tough time against them. However, I think Baltimore (5-2) has utilized their bye week to their advantage. The extra game planning time will serve their undermanned defense well. Ravens fans must hope that Joe Flacco and Ray Rice have worked out the kinks that made their last offensive effort against Houston so pathetic. I see Baltimore fighting their way to a tough divisional win on the road.

 

Arizona at Green Bay – Sunday, 1:00 – Who exactly are the Packers (5-3)? Though they beat Jacksonville at Lambeau in Week 8, the defense allowed 300 yards passing to Blaine Gabbert! The secondary has to improve down the road, but the Cardinals don’t offer much in the way of offense. The 49ers absolutely dismantled the Cards in Arizona on Monday Night. Arizona (4-4) can’t run, and they can’t pass either. However, they do get after the quarterback, which doesn’t bode well for a Green Bay team that does a bad job of protecting Aaron Rodgers. Arizona has a shot if they can force turnovers or if Patrick Peterson makes a big return, but the bottom line is that this is a sinking ship that has lost four in a row. Green Bay will make it five for the Cards.

 

Chicago at Tennessee – Sunday, 1:00 – This is a bad matchup for the Titans (3-5). Running back Chris Johnson, Tennessee’s main offensive weapon, is going to have trouble against a Bears defense that is tops in the league against the ground game. The Titan defense looked improved against Indianapolis in Week 8, but this unit is still allowing an average of over 30 points per game. Chicago’s defense keeps the Bears (6-1) in every game, and Jay Cutler should have a field day against the Titan secondary. I think the Bears will establish the run game early, utilize the deep throw to Brandon Marshall to stretch the field, and earn a win.

 

Miami at Indianapolis – Sunday, 1:00 – Two of the hotter teams in the NFL meet at Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday. The Dolphins (4-3) have won three straight, and are coming off of their strongest performance of the year against the Jets on the road. At the Meadowlands, Miami managed to overcome the loss of QB Ryan Tannehill in the first quarter to a knee and ankle injury, as Matt Moore filled in admirably. Tannehill’s status is uncertain at this point, but Miami fans should feel O.K regardless of who is under center. Indy (4-3) have gone 3-1 since head coach Chuck Pagano took a leave of absence to undergo leukemia treatment, and Andrew Luck deserves most of the credit. While RG3 gets all the hype, Luck’s poise and consistency have been huge for the Colts. Miami’s defense will certainly make plenty of stops, but I don’t see Indy making the key mistakes the Jets did last week against the Dolphins. I like the Colts to take down Miami at home.

 

Carolina at Washington – Sunday, 1:00 – Two of the league’s most electrifying players take the field Sunday in Landover, Maryland. RG3 has stolen much of Cam Newton’s thunder this year, so I think Newton has something to prove this week. The Panthers (1-6) blew a double digit fourth quarter lead, and allowed Chicago kicker Robbie Gould to put it through the uprights to give the Bears the win. Head Coach Ron Rivera is surely on the hot seat, as his team has lost five straight. The Redskins (3-5) were were manhandled by the Steelers in Week 8, and RG3 was held to just 13 yards rushing and threw at a completion percentage of less than 50%. However, this Carolina secondary is susceptible to big plays, and the ‘Skins have plenty of them. I like Washington at home.

 

Detroit at Jacksonville – Sunday, 1:00 – The Jags (1-6) just can’t catch a break. Even though they outplayed the Packers, special teams cost them. Blaine Gabbert had one of the best games of his short career, and the defense performed admirably against Aaron Rodgers. Unfortunately for the Jags defense, Stafford and Megatron are coming to town. Matthew Stafford and the Lions offense have been remarkably inconsistent this year, but they are still as explosive as any offense in the league. Calvin Johnson has underwhelmed in 2012, but is due for a big game against a shaky Jacksonville defensive back corps. As long as the Lions poor special teams unit avoids a major breakdown, Detroit should win easily. I think the Lions pull off the road win.

 

Buffalo at Houston – Sunday, 1:00 – Mario Williams returns to Houston this week, and he shouldn’t expect a warm welcome from the Texan crowd. The Bills’ $100 million man and his defensive comrades haven’t been able to stop much this year, and I don’t expect them to do much to slow down Arian Foster, Andre Johnson, and Matt Schaub. The Texans (6-1) boast a balanced offensive attack that keeps defenses on their heels, eats up clock, and gives their strong defense time to rest. Houston has had a bye week following their trouncing of the Ravens, and extra time to prepare never hurts. Ryan Fitzpatrick and the Bills offense will have a tough time against a stingy Texan defense. Buffalo (3-4) needs their defense to step up in Houston, and I don’t see it happening. Texans win big at home.

 

Minnesota at Seattle – Sunday, 4:05 – What in the world happened to the Vikings (5-3) last Thursday? Just as people were starting to really buy into Minnesota, they go out and lose by 21 to the Bucs at home. Minny’s offense looked out of sync against Tampa, but I still trust this unit so long as Christian Ponder continues making progress. They still have two of the league’s most explosive players in Adrian Peterson and Percy Harvin, who is capable of changing a game every time he touches the ball. Seattle’s pass rush will need to be especially tenacious, because if Christian Ponder is pressured, he will turn it over. The Seahawks (4-4) are very similar to the

Vikings: both teams rely on a workhorse back (Peterson for Minnesota, Marshawn Lynch for Seattle) and feature a young, developing quarterback. The key in this one for me is the play of Seattle QB Russell Wilson. If he can effectively manage the game, Lynch and the defense will do the rest of the job. Also, it’s impossible to ignore the fact that the Seahawks are playing home at Century Link Field, one of the toughest environments for road teams in the league. I like Seattle to take care of business at home.

 

Tampa Bay at Oakland – Sunday, 4:05 – Greg Schiano’s Bucs showed what they’re capable of Thursday in Minnesota, thrashing the Vikings. Josh Freeman looked good, and rookie running back Doug Martin should be in contention for rookie of the year. Tampa (3-4) has a road-friendly formula of running the ball and defense, and Oakland’s defense has been poor, ranking 26th in points allowed per game. Oakland (3-4) has won two straight, but don’t let that fool you. The combined record of their two opponents the past two weeks? 2-12. RB Darren McFadden has underperformed this year, and he’ll find it tough to break out against a Tampa run defense giving up just 85 yards per game, good for 6th league wide. I like Tampa to shut down the Raiders and get the road W.

 

Pittsburgh at New York Giants – Sunday, 4:25 – The G-Men are coming off of an absolute nail biter in Big D last week. After looking dominant for a half, the Giants (6-2) coughed up a 23 point lead, and won by the length of Dez Bryant’s fingers. New York’s offense was shut down by Dallas in the second half, and the week has been chaotic in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. Eli Manning and his receiving corps need to bring their A-game, as they are facing the best pass defense in the league. The Steelers (4-3) put together a convincing win against the Redskins, doing a better job against RG3 than anyone else this year. Big Ben will need all of his moves to avoid the vaunted Giants pass rush. Injuries have once again depleted the Steelers, with the statuses of LaMarr Woodley, Ryan Clark, and Rashard Mendenhall up in the air. I think the Giants stifle Roethlisberger and come away with a win.

 

Dallas at Atlanta – Sunday, 8:20 – Is it panic time in Dallas? Maybe not yet, but either way, one cannot help but be worried about this team’s prospects going forward. Though they were able to deflect a lot of criticism by coming back against the Giants, the Cowboys (3-4) failed to show up for a huge divisional game at home. Tony Romo threw four picks, and has many questioning whether the Cowboys should stick with him at quarterback. DeMarco Murray looks like he’s going to sit out a third straight game with a sprained foot, and his absence is a significant loss for Dallas. Atlanta (7-0) preserved their undefeated season with a solid win in Philadelphia. Matt Ryan is playing as well as any quarterback in the NFL, and Dallas will find it hard to keep up with the high powered attack of the Falcons. Atlanta stays undefeated, and Dallas continues sinking.

 

Philadelphia at New Orleans – Monday, 8:30 – The New Orleans Saints (2-5) can tell you better than anybody that it’s hard to win games when your defense stinks. The Saints’ defense is 30th in the league against the pass and 31st in stopping the run. Drew Brees had an off game at Mile High in Week 8, and New Orleans simply can’t win if Brees is less than outstanding. For Philadelphia, this game is absolutely pivotal. A loss means the Eagles (3-4) basically fall out of contention, and probably leads to the removal of Michael Vick as quarterback. A Philly win will calm the storm, at least temporarily. The Eagles looked almost uninterested against the Falcons in Week 8, and the offense was stunningly out of sync. Philadelphia should find more offensive success in New Orleans, and there’s too much riding on this game for them to come out flat again. I like Philadelphia to pick up a crucial road win.

 

Andrew Liang’s Predictions

Kansas City Chiefs at San Diego Chargers:

These two teams are coming off of two very disappointing losses. Who would’ve thought that the Chargers would lose to the low-life Browns? The Chiefs, meanwhile, suffered an equally disappointing loss to the Raiders. The quarterback situation in Kansas City is ambivalent and hopefully the situation will get resolved in the near future. Jamaal Charles should see 30 carries in this AFC West matchup. All the Chargers can do is use their aerial attack and hope for the best, and they should pull out the win.
Chargers:30
Chiefs:23

Detroit Lions at Jacksonville Jaguars:

Wow, have the Lions turned their season around with two recent quality wins against the Seahawks and Eagles. Matthew Stafford is certainty playing as he did last year and Titus Young has suddenly became the Lions number-two receiver. Meanwhile the Jaguars have no life in their offense , but Cecil Shorts has been a bright spot in the Jaguars offense, racking up 116 yards in receiving this previous week. But other than that the Jaguars just have no hope. Even with MJD they were atrocious; without him, they can’t even compete in this league.
Lions:27
Jaguars:13

Denver Broncos at Cincinnati Bengals:

What more can you say about Peyton Manning? Just simply one of the best NFL quarterbacks in this league. Having targets like Demaryious Thomas and Eric Decker, Peyton Manning will be looking to destroy the Bengals pass defense. The Bengals, however have a dual-threat receiver of their own in AJ Green. AJ Green has been consistent throughout the regular season (except against Pittsburgh when he had one catch for six yards and a touchdown). This game should be closely than expected but I expect Cincinnati to pull off the upset IF AJ Green has a monster game.
Bengals:37
Broncos:24

Carolina Panthers at Washington Redskins:

The Redskins and the Panthers are both very inconsistent teams. The Panthers have all the talent but still can’t find ways to win. Their biggest issue is closing out games. Carolina blew a 12-point lead against the Bears in a game they seemed destined to win. A possible distraction could be the trade rumors following up on running back DeAngelo Williams that could seal Jonathan Stewart as the Panthers number 1 and primary back. RGIII outduels Newton and the Redskins win.
Panthers: 17
Redskins: 21

Chicago Bears at Tennessee Titans:

The Bears, definitely been the surprise team so far, lead their division by a game over the Packers. The Bears offense under Mike Marks has improved steadily over the last few weeks. Look for Jay Cutler to throw to Brandon Marshall a considerable amount against the Titans. The Titans, meanwhile, have to give Chris Johnson the load he needs and deserves, though it would be tough against the best run defense in the NFL. I expect Chicago to pull this one out, but the Titans should make it interesting.
Bears:21
Titans:20

Arizona Cardinals at Green Bay Packers:

Wow, what a difference 4 weeks can make. The Cardinals started out the season 4-0 and have since dropped four straight. The Cardinals’ defense might be one of the better ones in the NFL, but that doesn’t mean much when your offense is horrible. John Skelton can’t seem to connect with his main receiver, Larry Fitzgerald. He has to connect with Fitzgerald to have a chance of beating the Packers. The Packers’ offense has been one of the leagues best and should win against the banged-up Cardinals.
Cardinals:13
Packers:17

Pittsburgh Steelers at New York Giants:

This game is easily the match-up of the week. The Steelers are consistent so far in the passing game, due to elite receivers like Mike Wallace and Antonio Brown. Their defense has also steadily improved. Meanwhile, the Giants also have an elite offense, with Eli Manning and Victor Cruz running the show. These two teams match up very evenly, but in the end I like the Steelers to pull it out.

Steelers:20
Giants:17

Other Scores for the Week:

Eagles: 17
Saints:14

Cowboys:27
Falcons:30

Buccaneers: 30
Raiders:35

Dolphins:24
Colts:21

Bills: 14
Texans:34

Ravens:30
Browns:14