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The Minnesota Vikings misconception of overpaying for a quarterback

USA Today

It has been a month since my last blog, but my recent move across the country to NYC along with every other little thing that comes with starting a new job has limited my time.

But…I’m back baby! Although, I don’t really know how I’m feeling. I’m a cross between pissed off, sad and confused, but it has nothing to do with the new chapter in my life. My emotions stem from the pathetic showing on Sunday Night Football by the Minnesota Vikings. But to tell you the truth I saw this coming a mile away.

After falling a game short last winter, the Vikes decided it would be in their “best interest” to go after a quarterback in free agency instead of re-signing Case Keenum and Teddy Bridgewater. Washington had its fair share of contract negotiations fall through with Kirk Cousins over the past few seasons and they finally decided to part ways and let him test the market. So, naturally Minnesota decided to throw the kitchen sink at the QB position and inked Cousins to an $84 million deal.

This brings me to my biggest argument dating back to the summer–why are we overpaying for a quarterback? Seriously though…

I get it…you need a smart signal caller that takes care of the football, but one that can also make plays and win games. The Vikings not only had a rookie quarterback in 2015 win them the NFC North (Blair Walsh costed him a playoff win as well) but he was a first-team all rookie selection as well. If not for a freak accident in training camp in 2016 the Vikes would probably still have Bridgewater under center.

Not to mention, Keenum took this current roster to the NFC title game last January. He finished 2017 2nd in completion percentage (67.6%), 2nd in QBR (72.8) and 3rd in INT (7, minimum 200 attempts), while guiding the Vikes to a first-round bye. Sure, he got lucky with a Minneapolis Miracle…but last time I checked a win is a win, and 2018 has been far from an upgrade at the  quarterback position.

Cousins has shown that he is a solid quarterback at times, but tonight on the primetime big boy stage, when the lights were the brightest…he crawled back into his shell like he has done throughout his entire NFL career.  Two untimely interceptions and a game icing pick-6 in the fourth quarter not only put Minnesota a game and a half back of Chicago for the division lead, but it also kept the Packers afloat as well.

The sad thing too is that we have one of the best defenses in the league and have for the past two years. Tonight they came to play (besides a few missed tackles, and an awful throw by Trubisky that somehow was caught in the groin area) and they even made a couple of huge plays to even keep the boys in it. But then again, this defense is the reason the Purple People Eaters have been in contention each of the past two seasons and also the reason that we didn’t need to give Kirk the keys to the city.

I get that a lot of factors come into a decision to bid for a QB and the schedule this year is a bit stronger than 2017, but my argument is more of a “why fix what isn’t broken?”

Losing Pat Shurmur to the Giants in the offseason stung, and then losing offensive line coach Tony Sparano (RIP) just before Week 1 was also a dagger, but for the majority of the staff and personnel remained the same.  What worked so well last year was that the Vikings played to Keenum’s strengths and his style of play, even though the offensive line wasn’t the greatest. The play calling got the ball out of his hands quickly to our playmakers Stephon Diggs and AdamThielen, while Jerick McKinnon and Latavius Murray controlled the ground game. BUT most importantly…Keenum was a solid game manager who always made the safe and/or right play. Limiting turnovers in the NFL is so crucial if you’re going to be successful and win games.

Cousins has a track record with untimely turnovers dating back to his stint in the nations capital, and has yet to win a big game since college…unless you want to count the Outback Bowl as a big time W! He threw the ‘Skins out of playoff contention in Week 17 of 2016 against the Giants at home and constantly seems to force one too many balls into coverage late in games.

Now, going back to tonight’s game, Cousins missed a wide open Diggs in the  end zone on the first drive of the game that would have been a for sure TD and would have changed the outcome of the game overall. Instead, two plays later…Cook fumbled and then the Vikes went on to get shutout until late in the 3rd Quarter.

Kirk leads the league in balls batted down at the line of scrimmage and he leads the league in fumbles lost since entering the NFL in 2012. Sure, the inconsistency of the offensive line this season has forced him to rush his throws, and the insane pass rush of Khalil Mack haunted him in the pocket all night, but Minnesota gave you $84 million dollars to compensate for these issues.

This brings me to the main part of my argument of why Keenum, or even Bridgewater for that matter, would have been a better asset to the Vikings in 2018. MONEY! Allocate the extra 20 million or whatever it would have been to the the biggest concern heading into the season…the O-line. I’m not saying Cousins is a bad quarterback, because obviously he isn’t. He can make some unbelievable throws and he can be elusive at times, but for the price tag…I’ll pass 10 times out of 10.

Let me make this clearer…I’m passing on Cousins’ price because we already had in hand two signal callers that have guided us to the postseason and one who pushed us into an NFC Championship game berth. Like the old saying goes…a bird in the hand is worth more than two birds in the bush. Although, Minnesota had two QB’s in hand and one in the bush that has an extremely average track record to go along with ZERO playoff wins.

In 2018, Kirk is 0-2 under the bright lights of SNF and he is 0-3 against teams with a winning record (CHI, NO, LAR). Oh…and the 5 wins to his name this year… Arizona, NY Jets, Philly, Detroit and San Fran…all of whom have losing records (don’t forget the massacre at home against Buffalo).

The generalization that you must overpay for a quarterback is non sense…unless you actually do not have a player who can play the position (Nathan Peterman would be an okay reason for selling the farm).

I get it, I really do. In order to win in this league you need a really good QB. But there are so many other factors that come into play. We can all agree that Aaron Rodgers is the most talented quarterback in the game today and maybe all time, but he has just 1 ring and is on the brink of missing the postseason for the second time since taking over the reins from Brett Favre in 2009. He is the highest paid QB in 2018, yet he might miss the playoffs? Hmm, maybe other positions do matter more than most people argue. But then again, what can you do about it with no money. This is why TB12 takes pay cuts.

But Evan…the Broncos did the same thing in 2012. Tim Tebow even won a playoff game too! Oh my bad, I didn’t realize that Kirk Cousins was on the same pedestal as Peyton Manning, and he has a Super Bowl and multiple MVPs. Denver had a really good defense, and Manning came in and broke virtually all of the passing records in a single season. Let me know when Kirk comes close to that please. I’ll wait.

Before I go, I want to make this clear as well. Keenum is the RIGHT quarterback for the Vikings system and FOR THE RIGHT PRICE! 

Sure, he is an average to below-average quarterback so far in the Broncos systems…but this is an argument about Minnesota and not Denver. It is two completely different organizations and rosters, and you cannot simply point to what he has done in Denver. Hell…Cousins literally didn’t win a thing in DC.

Cousins is more talented overall but Keenum’s price tag would have allowed for the Vikings to allocate money to the line, while already proving that he can win under Mike Zimmer.

I hate to do this but I am writing the Vikings off in 2018, especially after watching the Saints continue to score at will over the past 5 weeks. I seriously do not see anybody beating Who Dat Nation and it’s a scary offense to even defend.Minnesota’s offense has shown no signs of competing against the conferences best and the play calling has gotten way too predictable.

Money can get you far in life…but you must invest it correctly if you’re going to have any shot of being successful.

Here’s to hoping some of the checks bounce when the $84 million Man tries to cash them in while he continues to rob Minneapolis blind.

 

 

 

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Mahomes, the Benefit of Being Patient, OT Controversy, MLB Playoffs and the Meltdown in Paris

Boston.com

He can’t sustain this high level of play. He can’t win in a tough road environment. He can’t win a mile up in the air. Teams will figure him out soon. The list goes on and on…but one thing remains the same–Patrick Mahomes keeps lighting it up.

Monday Night Football was the real coming out party for the Kansas City quarterback. The Chiefs were trailing by 10 points in the fourth quarter against a very good Denver defense who hadn’t lost at home when leading by double digits in over a decade. That’s when the crowd was silenced. Mahomes led the Chiefs down the field twice for touchdowns, including the play of the game on a critical third and five when he switched hands and threw for a short first down while evading Von Miller on the outside.

The Chiefs held strong on Denver’s final drive and they now sit in first place in the AFC. Through four games in 2018, Mahomes has 15 total touchdowns, 1,200 yards passing, a 65.2 completion percentage and ZERO interceptions. These are insane video game numbers that we are witnessing in real life. But we can’t give all the credit to the Tyler, TX native can we?

There is something to be said about gaining experience and getting thrown into the fire right away. You can learn from your mistakes quicker and you can take a lot of reps early on in your career. But the one downside that you cannot control is social media. No matter how well or how poorly you play Twitter will be right there waiting to destroy you every which way. The critics will be waiting for you to fail and if you are thrown into the ring on a historically poor franchise it can hinder your career from the beginning.

Just look at what it has done to some quarterbacks in the past. Matt Leinart in 2006 was gone in Arizona after failing to live up to his college Heisman potential, Brady Quinn for the Browns in 2007 and Tim Couch in 2001, JaMarcus Russell in 2007 for the Raiders and the ever so famous Ryan Leaf in 1998 for San Diego. All big time college prospects thrown onto the field too early because of how well they played when they were college kids.

I’m not saying it happens to everybody, but there are growing pains along the way and it takes a toll on certain players. Carson Wentz had a very solid first year for the Eagles in 2016 and turned around in 2017 and, if not for an injury, would have been the league MVP. There are some rare cases like this, but like I said…RARE.

The biggest benefit a young quarterback can have is to wait, especially if there is a talented veteran in front of him. But they don’t have to be all that talented. They just need to be able to show the rookie the ropes and the everyday process of playing under center. Just look at the most successful quarterbacks in the past decade-plus.

Tom Brady, drafted in the seventh round out of Michigan. Sat behind Drew Bledsoe for a full season before taking over the reins and winning the Super Bowl the following year…we all know the rest.  Aaron Rodgers sat behind Brett Favre in Green Bay for three season before taking over and also winning a Super Bowl, while becoming a generational talent in the league. Big Ben sat a few games before coming in, the list goes on. But we are also seeing this type of production in today’s game with Jared Goff in Los Angeles and Patrick Mahomes in KC.

It doesn’t have to be a full year, but it also doesn’t hurt to wait that long. Mahomes played in one game in his rookie season and sat behind Alex Smith while stating that it had done wonders for his career. Goff was in a Jeff Fisher running, old-school system before Sean McVay took over and altered his career. I’m not saying that everything is going to be perfect if you sit and wait. You obviously need a great offensive minded head coach or coordinator, and weapons surrounding the quarterback.

A lot of these “busts” became busts because of the system they were drafted into and how hot the coaches seat was when they arrived. It’s nice to get drafted in the top-5, but the benefit of slipping in the first round is far greater than people think. Just ask the Packers and Rodgers, or the Patriots and Brady.

Maybe being drafted first-overall as a quarterback isn’t the best long-term plan for your future. Only time will tell, but historically speaking if you look at how many quarterbacks went on to have successful, long-term careers the scales tip in favor of the players who got to learn behind veteran starters.

The NFL is changing and quarterbacks are getting significantly more prepared for the NFL, while the rules are only helping the position further. I hope that the 2018 quarterback class can be successful long-term as all four of the signal callers taken inside the top-10 are starting and it’s only Week 4. But at the end of the day it is a business and we will just have to wait and see.

Week 4 Recap

The Bills are still the Bills after getting blanked on the road at Lambeau Sunday afternoon just one week removed from upsetting the Vikings in Minneapolis. Josh Allen took a step backwards after looking like a veteran QB against Minnesota, but it was Rodgers who was upset after the Week 4 win.

Aaron called out the play calling and game flow, he was mad that they had to settle for field goals in the red zone, and he was just upset about the lack of targets that were designed for Devontae Adams, his main receiver. Anyways, the Packers are back in the win column, but have a lot of work to do? Who knows, Rodgers can be a diva at times.

Everybody knew the Bears defense was legit, but their offense? Well, it was non-existent through three weeks. However, that all changed Sunday in the Windy City. Somebody was under center wearing a Mitch Trubisky jersey and he broke the record for most passing touchdowns in a Bears uniform in franchise history (6). They absolutely routed the Buccaneers and likely ended the run of Ryan FitzMagic altogether. Oh, and they are in first place in the North.

The 45-10 route gave insight as to just how good the Bears might be, but also to how bad the Buccaneers defense is and maybe how bad the Pittsburgh Steelers actually are.

The Bucs lost 30-27 a week ago to Pittsburgh, but had two turnovers inside their own 25 yard line, one for a pick-six, and the Steelers scored zero second half points…what is going on it the Steel City?

Le’Veon Bell is rumored to report during the Steelers’ Week 7 Bye, but will he dress up for the black and yellow or will he be traded? That remains to be seen, but Pittsburgh’s offense is in shambles and clearly they need the third member of the Killer B’s. If I was the Steelers I would just sign him to a long-term deal now. I don’t think James Conner is the answer, although he is very good, but Bell is just an elite talent that opposing defenses must respect and he can sway game planning in Pitt’s favor.

I personally think he gets traded, especially after what happened to Doug Baldwin in Seattle. Trade him while you can and get something in return or risk losing him for nothing. The locker room appears as if it is already divided and if the offensive line is calling him out, then why would they block for somebody they have given up on?

New England has been and always will be a tease to the league in September. Once again, many had written them off (including myself, except I said they would still make playoffs) and they did what they have done the previous four seasons. Route an above .500 opponent one week after their record fell to 1-2 and all is good again. Oh yeah…Julian Edleman, Brady’s main receiver, returns from suspension this week. Good luck, AFC.

The Oakland Raiders handed Jon Gruden his first win in over a decade after one of the most exciting games of the week in the Bay Area. Another Browns OT thriller resulted in a loss, but not after controversy. Fumble, forward progress, whatever it may be…the Raiders took advantage and their kicker got second life to win the game.

The Browns loss secured an 0-4 showing from all four top-10 2018 QB picks in Week 4. Allen, Darnold, Mayfield and Rosen all came up empty handed, but the direction of the league looks to be in good hands.

Now, you didn’t actually think I was going to end this NFL recap without mentioning the Frank Reich OT fourth down call did you?

C’mon. That was the highlight of the week! The Colts had an epic comeback fall short in overtime after deciding to go for it inside their own territory with under :30 seconds remaining. Now, they did not convert and Houston converted a pass to get into FG range, and eventually won, but I agree with the call. Never play for a tie. Ever. Trust your players, and let them trust you.

First year head coach, trying to make a statement with his MVP caliber QB who just threw two touchdowns to tie the game before the end of regulation. That was absolutely the right call. That’s the media, though. You convert…you’re a hero, if not, you wake up Monday morning and you’re the headline on national news. I love it. Great call, Reich.

MLB Playoffs Preview

The Hunt for October has officially ended, which means one thing…playoff baseball is back!

After the NL West and the NL Central had a dead tie after 162 games both divisions did a one-game playoff for the title. What made this game even more interesting was the strategy that was involved. Losers meet-up in the Wild Card play-in-game this evening, while the winners rest and host the Wild Card round at home.

Madness!

Milwaukee won at Wrigley and the Dodgers won at home, so Colorado travels east to Chicago for the first Wild Card match-up tonight.

The Atlanta Braves and Dodgers will now meet in round one while the winner of the play-in-game will travel to Wisconsin to take on Christian Yelich and the red-hot Brewers.

The Yankees host the Athletics in the AL Wild Card game tomorrow night and the Red Sox await the winner at Fenway. If the MLB faithful do not get the epic Sox-Yanks playoff series it has been waiting 14 years for then it will be a bloody shame. You all know where I stand on this bull s*** play-in-game format, but it could come back and bite the league in the rear.

The defending World Series champion Houston Astros host the Cleveland Indians in the other American League match-up.

Personally, I love October baseball. But it is even more entertaining when the Sox and Yankees and both in it. Both have 100-plus wins and their rosters are just as good, if not better than the 2004 meeting.

Aaron Judge is back and healthy along with Gary Sanchez for the record-setting home run hitting Yankees and they have one of the best power hitting rosters in the league with the addition of Giancarlo Stanton. Potential Rookie of the Year candidates Miguel Andujar and Gleyber Torres are also a threat to Oakland and the AL, which is why I am picking the Bronx Bombers to come out of the AL.

The Red Sox bullpen and starting rotation is so deep, and so is Houston’s, but their is no easy out in the Yankees lineup. Mookie Betts is going to win the MVP in the AL but he is known for his postseason struggles. If it were a seven game series I would possibly think about taking the Red Sox, but in a best-of-five I’ll take New York.

In the West I really like the Milwaukee Brewers, but the inexperience deters me from taking them. Yelich has been the best player in all of baseball since July, but playoff baseball is another breed (just ask Clayton Kershaw).

I know they played last night, and I know they have to win a play-in-game to advance, but I think the Chicago Cubs come out of the NL. They have a deep starting rotation and have unbelievable defense. Like the Dodgers, they have experience of making the World Series, but I believe they have the better manager overall in Joe Maddon.

Atlanta and Milwaukee’s inexperience will show and it will be another epic NLCS between the Cubbies and Dodgers.

Prediction- Yankees over the Cubs in 6 games.

Ryder Cup

What a disastrous showing for Team USA from top to bottom. I’m not even going to get into the mess that transpired. Europe knows how to play team golf and America doesn’t. The struggle on European soil continues for another four years, but at least Patrick Reed kept quiet after he had a losing record in Paris…what a joke.

Is it April yet?

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Tiger, Baker Mayfield, Crazy Shark Attack Out West, and Clemson’s Fabio

AOL.com

TIGER WOODS IS BACK! Who would have thought this statement would have ever been stated again given his injury ridden past along with the 2009 meltdown?

Well, here we are and it could not have come at a better time. Sunday evening in Atlanta, Georgia, the 42-year-old defied all odds and won the Tour Championship, his first PGA Tour win in over five years. What made this win at the East Lake Golf Club special was the movie scene walking up the 18th fairway as McIlroy and Woods were laughing and witnessing one of the greatest comebacks in the modern era.

Thousands of fans were following the Stanford alum up to the putting green on the final hole of the PGA season and nobody could have scripted what took place. Chants of TIGER, TIGER, TIGER echoed across the entire country and Woods nearly broke down in tears before his birdie putt. A finish that was something I will remember for the rest of my life.

Woods led the Tour Championship after his first day 65, followed by a 68 Friday and a remarkable 65 on moving day that included six birdies through the first seven holes. He entered Sunday with a four stroke lead and an outside shot of winning the FedEx Cup playoffs, but he needed a lot of help. Dustin Johnson and Justin Thomas had to finish outside of the top-2, Keegan Bradley had to finish worse than second, and Tony Finau had to finish outside of third place while Justin Rose had to finish inside the top-5.

Everything went according to plan and Tiger had to dodge one more bullet on his way to the title. Rose had a brutal front nine and at one point was sitting in seventh place. His bogey on 16 made for great TV and his missed birdie putt on 17 set up for a dramatic finish. He needed a birdie on 18 to finish in 5th place and to win the FedEx Cup and it was his best hole of the weekend by far. On in two, two putt birdie, $10 million prize along with bragging rights heading into the Ryder Cup. Not a bad weekend for the Englishmen himself, but the real story was Tiger.

Although Woods didn’t win the yearly playoff, he is now the most feared man in golf just in time for the epic Ryder Cup showdown in Paris, France this weekend. After failing to play for Team USA in 2016 at Hazeltine, Tiger and America will be a heavy favorite as they try to win on European Soil for the first time in 25 years.

USA is hungry to retain the title and they will be led by the greatest player to ever swing a golf club who is chomping at the bit to prove to everybody that last weekend wasn’t a fluke and he is here to stay for a few more years to come.

Enjoy it, Tiger. It is only just the start of something special!

Ranking the Greatest Comebacks in Sports

Tiger’s win on Sunday got me to thinking; what are some of the greatest sports comebacks in my lifetime?

Below are my top-5 epic comebacks that shook the country.

5- 2010-Auburn defeats Alabama 28-27

Cam Newton rallied the Auburn Tigers from down 24-0 in Tuscaloosa after one of the greatest second half performances of his collegiate career. Newton pulled it off on the road in the Iron Bowl, and also secured a BCS Title berth and the Heisman Trophy in doing so. Incredible.

4-2010 Flyers defeat Bruins 4-3 in Conference Semi Finals.

Trailing 0-3 in the seven game series and three to nothing after the first period in Game 7, the Broad Street Bullies rallied from behind to stun the Boston Bruins in the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. They became the third NHL team to pull of the 0-3 comeback in history.

3-2016 New England defeats Atlanta 34-28 in the Super Bowl

After trailing 28-3 towards the end of the third quarter, Tom Brady and Co. orchestrated the largest Super Bowl comeback in history. They rallied behind a few key defensive stops, and one of the best to ever do it brought the troops back to tie in the final minute and then won it on the first drive of OT.

2- 2016 Cleveland defeats Golden State 4-3 in NBA Finals

The Cavs trailed 3-1 in the series and a Draymond Green kick to the thigh forced the Warriors to play short-handed in Game 4 (the turning point). Klay Thompson called out LeBron and the rest is history. The King averaged a 30-plus point triple-double from that moment on and the Cavs took the next three, including two at Oakland to win Cleveland’s first title since the 1960’s.

1 – 2003 Boston Red Sox defeat New York Yankees 4-3 in ALCS

One of the greatest rosters ever assembled held a 3-0 lead in the series and were seeking their third straight World Series appearance. The Yankees had a chance to sweep on the road at Fenway in the bottom of the ninth with two outs and no runners on. Mariano Rivera was on the mound and it seemed like a foregone conclusion. A blooper to center field put the Sox on first and Dave Roberts stole second and eventually another single tied it. The Sox walked off an inning later and eventually won the next three games to later end the 100-year curse of the Bambino and win the World Series.

NFL Week 3

From stunning upsets to season ending injuries to video game numbers yet again, it was another wild weekend in the National Football League.

In a game that was a sure-fire lock to hit the over, Patrick Mahomes led the Kansas City Chiefs to another double digit victory over Jimmy Garappolo and the Niners. The second-year pro threw for another three touchdowns in the first half and the Chiefs were up huge at recess. He continued his video game stat line and now has the record for most passing touchdowns through the first three weeks with 13. Stay hot Patty!

On the other hand, Jimmy Guap was orchestrating a second half comeback of his own and pulled San Francisco within 10, but not before deciding to fight for extra yards and not run out of bounds, tearing his ACL. The Niners not only lost the game but also their franchise QB for the year. A promising end to 2017 set up for a potential run at the postseason, but that is now an afterthought as the crimson and gold have lost both their starting running back and quarterback to ACL injuries in 2018.

My Minnesota Vikings were 17 point home favorites against the depleted Buffalo Bills and laid one of the biggest eggs in Minneapolis history this past Sunday. Rookie QB Josh Allen led the Bills to 17 first quarter points after two Kirk Cousins fumbles gave them possession in the Red Zone. The seventh overall pick this past April was shredding our defense with his legs and literally hurdled Anthony Barr at midfield. He literally hurdled him…when the hell is the last time we have seen this from a signal caller? I have no clue.

The Vikes offensive line has plenty of issues right now and they cannot seem to give Cousins time or running backs any holes. Everson Griffen did not play and his mental state is not doing well. This is a significant loss for the team as he led the Vikes in sacks a year ago and is a critical piece to that defense. I hope he seeks the help he needs as this is a serious issue that I hope he can overcome. I wish you the best EG, get well!

Green Bay also lost on the road in Washington, but not without controversy surrounding Clay Matthews once again. This time it was for a sack where he was flagged for roughing the passer. Once again, he was called for driving the QB into the turf, however, in my opinion; it was just a football tackle. Sure, he landed on Alex Smith, but should it have been flagged? I don’t think so and neither did Packers head coach Mike McCarthy who looked like he was going to obliterate the ref. And, yet again, the NFL backed the call on the field…shocker!

This NFL rule is getting out of hand again for the third straight week and the league is meeting to discuss it further today. I get it, I really do. The league wants its stars on the field. They want the Aaron Rodgers versus Tom Brady on Sunday Night Football, they want Hollywood. They most certainly do not want Deshone Kizer versus Trevor Siemian. But…jobs are being impacted by this rule. Field position is being altered and teams are struggling to figure out just how to approach the quarterback.

I agree that lifting and driving a QB should be a flag or hitting him low or even late for that matter, but the ones that really piss me off are the ones like Matthews is getting or the one that Jason Pierre-Paul was called for on Monday Night Football in which he tapped Big Ben on the helmet and he rolled around like Neymar at the World Cup. The NFL better figure it out soon and before the players decide to hold out against the refs as it was the opposite in 2012 (although that was for money and had nothing to do with flags!).

The Lions took down the Patriots Sunday night, handing Tom Brady and Bill Belichick their first back-to-back double digit losses since 2002 (last time Tom has missed the playoffs). The two have been rumored to be in a feud and it showed mid-way through the first half where Tom was yelling and tossing his helmet on the sideline.

The offense has been nonexistent and Rob Gronkowski is even rattled. It could be turning around soon as the Pats traded for Josh Gordon last week and they return Julian Edelman in Week 5 from a suspension. The defense has holes all over and the secondary can’t even help cover the spread. I wouldn’t say it is time to panic in New England, but when a former coach beats Bill on a big time stage (rarely happens; congrats Matt Patricia), then it could be the start of the end in Foxborough.

The NFC North looks nothing as predicted. The Bears are in first place after scoring only four offensive touchdowns in three games. The Vikes and Pack are tied for second at 1-1-1, and the Lions are in last at 1-2.

Baker Mayfield led a comeback against the Jets, but I won’t be too quick to give him this “elite” status that many have tagged him with. Yes, he helped the Browns win their first game since Christmas time 2016, but it was against a depleted Jets defense that ranks 29th in total defense, the franchise was playing its third game in 10 days and nobody expected Tyrod to leave mid-game. New York had zero tape on the rookie and a fumble in the third quarter gave the 2017 Heisman the ball on the Jets’ eight yard line.

A win is a win, and tip of the cap to Baker, but I won’t be giving him credit until I see him carve a defense at the pro level like he did in the first half against Georgia on New Year’s Day.

Shark Attack out West

The 2018 NHL season is right around the corner and the Washington Capitals will look to claim their second Stanley Cup in as many years…if they aren’t still hungover beyond the All-Star break!

On the other side of the country on the West Coast, San Jose failed to land John Tavares in July, but took a huge bite this past weekend when the Pacific water was the warmest. The Sharks pulled off a blockbuster trade for the league’s best defenseman, Erik Karlsson.

The two-time Norris Trophy winner will now lead the deepest blue line in the entire league that consists of Karlsson, 2016-17 Norris winner Brent Burns, Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Justin Braun and Joakim Ryan. PSA: good luck getting behind this back-end.

The trade marked the final stage of the Ottawa Senators rebuilding project, but now San Jose will be a heavy favorite to come out of not just the Pacific Division, but the Western Conference. They have depth up front and a steady goaltender in Martin Jones, and they will look to build off of a Stanley Cup run in 2016 and a second round loss to the Vegas Golden Knights in April heading into 2018.

If the Swedish defenseman can stay healthy then I don’t know who will beat this roster. But that is a big “if.” He has an injury ridden past, but he will definitely not have to play the same amount of minutes as he did in Ottawa. San Jose ranked T-9 in goals against per game and 13th in goals for a season ago, and the addition of Karlsson will only improve these numbers and also add to a power play that ranked 15th in 2017-18.

Clemson’s Fabio

One of the nation’s most highly touted freshmen prospects has been officially named the starter for Clemson University. First-year quarterback Trevor Lawrence has taken the reins over from the 2017 ACC Champion Kelly Bryant for Saturday’s tilt against Syracuse.

The news to me wasn’t quite shocking and I have said before that he will take over and should take over by Halloween, but I did not think that Dabo Swinney was going to make the move this soon, however. What makes the case even more interesting is that Bryant failed to attend practice Tuesday and stated that he was transferring this morning.

We saw this with Tua and Jalen Hurts at Alabama, although Hurts decided to stick it out. Quarterbacks are getting better and you must simply perform at your highest potential every single week. Although in Clemson’s case it was quite unique as Bryant wasn’t “struggling,” he just wasn’t given enough rope to get into a rhythm.

Lawrence is an absolute stud and he even looks the part out on the gridiron. I’m tagging him with the nickname right now-Phi Tau Fabio. He looks like an absolute frat star with that long, golden hair flying around on the field, covering his name tag. Some might call it Tom Brady 2007-esque, and it screams college football. I can relate to the style as I used to wear my hair the same way back in middle-school. I absolutely love it! He is an elite pocket passer and can make every throw. He can beat you with his legs, but it’s his cannon of an arm that will shred collegiate defenses.

I believe that Swinney went with this decision because it was just too much of a distraction rotating them in and out every other drive and he finally trusts Lawrence to take over for good. Clemson’s defense is legit and they have arguably one of the nation’s top front sevens. The move to Phi Tau Fabio gives the University its best chance of taking down Alabama and it is the correct choice.

It takes a lot of stones to make the move away from a quarterback who led the 2017 Tigers to a College Football Playoff berth, especially to a freshman, but Lawrence is legit. He will be the next Aaron Rodgers at the pro level and will help turnaround a disgruntled NFL franchise in due time.

Fabio is the real deal and the Crimson Tide should be somewhat worried come January.

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Place Kicking, Video Game Stats, Steel City Meltdown, and the Tour Championship

One of the most routine plays in football seemed not so…routine on Sunday. NFL starting kickers missed 19 opportunities yesterday, two shy of setting the single day record since the AFL-NFL merger. To make matters worse, three games came down to what would have been potential game winning field goals at the end of regulation or overtime.

As a Vikings fan I can speak for the entire state of Minnesota after the heartbreaking finish at Lambeau Field yesterday afternoon. WHAT THE HELL! Seriously though, what the hell? Rookie kicker Daniel Carlson missed a 48-yarder in the first half, another 48-yarder on the first drive of OT and then a third miss from 35 yards at the buzzer. Green Bay’s Mason Crosby missed a potential game winner from 52 yards at the end of regulation as well.

Three missed kicks in one game is just absurd. So Minnesota naturally waived Carlson this morning and brought in former Dallas Cowboy Dan Bailey. Now, I said it on the Dump n Chase podcast a few weeks ago, and I could not have been more accurate. Releasing Kai Forbath in favor of a rookie was not going to play out well. The final preseason game and first game without the veteran, Carlson missed two kicks. He made his only FG attempt last week against San Francisco and then completely shook Minneapolis yesterday with his three misses.

You have to feel for the guy, you really do…but it isn’t the first time the Vikes have gotten burned in OT either. See Blair Walsh 2016 Wild Card Round. Anyways, moving on to the other misses around the league and just as you thought the Cleveland Browns couldn’t get any more Cleveland Browns, they do.

Browns kicker Zane Gonzalez missed a FG at the end of OT last week against the Steelers that would have given them their first win in two years, and then he missed two field goals in regulation (one in the dying seconds of the game to tie) and an extra point with 1:16 to take the lead 19-18 at New Orleans yesterday. Like Carlson, Gonzo was waived this morning and Cleveland is still searching for their first win in 19 tries.

Oakland’s Mike Nugent had a PAT blocked in the first quarter that came back to bite the Raiders as the Broncos rallied for a game-winning FG with 4 seconds left in regulation to win 20-19. The list goes on and on, but field goal kicking became the theme of Week 2.

Among the misses on Sunday none were bigger than the two young kickers who are without work this morning. It has become increasingly harder to kick in today’s NFL because of social media. You’re a hero one day and a villain the next. No matter how well a kicker performs they will always be remembered for one, or even two costly misses, veteran or not. It’s arguably a harder position to play than playing quarterback today.

Let’s just look on the bright side…Minnesota last week and Cleveland this week came away with a tie. At least it wasn’t a loss?

Vikings-Packers

I already laid the groundwork and backstory to the Lambeau fiasco that transpired yesterday, but I’m not one of those completely “biased” fans. I know that Carlson might actually still have a job today (although this might actually work out for the Vikes in the long run) if it weren’t for the new rule change sweeping across the NFL. No, I’m not talking about the helmet-to-helmet rule. I’m talking about the “Aaron Rodgers Rule.”

Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr ended the majority of Rodgers’ season in 2017 after tackling him outside of the pocket and finishing the play to the ground, injuring his collarbone. Although it was not flagged on the play, the Packers were irate. So, what did the league do? Made it nearly impossible to decipher how one can tackle the quarterback.

I get it. The league wants to make the game safer, but we have seen far too many flags thrown in the first two weeks on roughing the passer and it has altered the outlook of games.

Yesterday afternoon in Green Bay was one of those games. With Minnesota trailing by eight with fewer than two minutes to play Kirk Cousins launched a 50 yard bomb downfield that was intercepted but called back by the new rule. Packers linebacker Clay Matthews hit Cousins as he released the ball, tackled him around the waist and, according to long-time NFL referee Tony Corrente, “drove” him into the ground.

Watching it live and even on replay you can tell Matthews put his left hand on the ground and eased up once Cousins was hitting the field of play. There should not have been a flag and the game should have ended. Even though I’m a Vikings fan and was happy that they capitalized on having second life, I’m not blind to the fact that we stole a tie. You could even say that it was justice for the thrown flag. It is what it is and the media and the fans are left debating the rule altogether.

Now the ending of the NFC North rivalry leads me into my next topic: ties.

NFL Overtime

For the first time in forever we have seen ties in consecutive weeks in the NFL. Browns-Steelers Week 1 and Vikings-Packers Week 2. I have never been a big fan of the OT format in the NFL, even with the revamped format of both team’s getting a chance if the receiving team scores a FG.

If the league just goes to a similar styled college format where both teams get the ball from the 30 I think it will work wonders for both the players and the fans. Nobody wants to come away with a tie, especially after playing 60-plus minutes and putting your life on the line.

It could shorten the length of overtime and also give both teams a fair chance instead of putting in the hands of a coin flipping referee.

Madden 2018

It’s September 2005, just after midnight. You’re having a sleepover at your best buddy’s house and staying up late to play the newly-released Madden 2005 video game. You both decide to create your own team, players and stadium, while also doing a league fantasy draft. The player you create is now the Minnesota Panthers starting quarterback and playing under center Week 1 at New England. Every play is a pass to your buddy who is a created wide receiver and you throttle the defending Super Bowl Champs by 40 on All-Pro mode. Life is good!

Fast forward to 2018 and the Kansas City Chiefs may have just found their own Madden signal caller. Patrick Mahomes set an NFL record for most passing touchdowns through two weeks (10). He threw for six TD’s yesterday against the Steelers in a hostile environment at Heinz Field and finished the game completing 23 of 28 passes for 326 yards, converting more touchdown passes than incompletions to lead the Chiefs to an upset victory on the road.

Through his first two games in 2018 Mahomes has completed 33 of 55 passes for 582 yards, 10 touchdowns and two wins. So far he has made the Alex Smith trade look spectacular and he is putting the ball in windows that Smith was hesitant to do. These video game numbers probably won’t last, but through the first two weeks of the year he has looked like a created player on Madden 2018.

FitzMagic Part 2

The Harvard graduate has the Tampa Bay Buccaneers sailing at full speed in 2018. Just as everybody expected, Ryan Fitzpatrick has guided the “bottom feeding” NFC South squad to a 2-0 start, and Tampa is sitting in first place in the division.

The defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles traveled south this weekend to Tampa and were sent back to the City of Brotherly Love with a loss. Fitzmagic threw for 402 yards, his second 400-yard game of the season, and four touchdowns as the Bucs held their ground on Philly’s comeback bid to win 27-21.

Through two games Fitz has thrown for 819 yards, thrown eight touchdowns and rushed for one. He is second to Mahomes in total touchdowns with nine and has the most fantasy points of any quarterback in 2018.

Fitzpatrick undressed two of the league’s top ranked defenses in the first two weeks and his deep threat Desean Jackson has reestablished himself as a legitimate receiver. Like Mahomes, his video game production will likely slow but it is something that has shifted the direction of the franchise.

As Jameis Winston remains suspended there shouldn’t even be a conversation about who should start when he returns. Tampa needs to move on from their former first-overall pick and trade him to a team in need. He is too troubled and his character is something that cannot be overlooked. I have never been a Winston fan. From the crab leg incident to the sexual assault case at Florida State to the Uber driver instance, it’s just too much and he should not be the face of the Bucs franchise.

Don’t get me wrong, I believe in second chances. But Jameis has too much of a troubled past and his flaws are too high that they have finally caught up to him in the NFL. FitzMagic may not be the long term solution, but you let him play out the year and trade Winston for draft picks if you can.

Steel City Woes?

Heading into the 2018 season many had picked the Steelers to win the AFC. They have the Killer B’s (Bell, Ben and Brown) on offense, and what looked like a top 10 defense on paper. They were coming off a brutal loss at home in the playoffs and looking for revenge, while the Patriots struggled in the preseason after finding out that they have zero WR1’s and a shaky defense.

Through two weeks Le’Veon Bell has yet to sign, Ben has gotten banged up; Brown can’t seem to stay off Twitter and made some average Joe relevant by replying to a tweet saying, “Trade me then.” This was in response to a tweet that said Big Ben got him paid and he is only a product of Pitt’s system. Whatever the case may be, star athletes should not put anything of this magnitude on social media, but AB continues to amaze the media every year.

This is just one hiccup of the many that have hindered the Steelers’ ability to win in 2018. The offensive line called out Bell which apparently made him not want to report? I don’t know… nobody does. But what I do know is that the locker room separation has had an effect on the field, Pittsburgh is winless in two games and they nearly handed the Browns their first win since December 2016.

I originally picked Pittsburgh a few weeks back to come out of the AFC, but overrode the selection before Week 1. They have continuously underachieved since 2010 and given everything that has gone on in both the preseason and regular season it’s safe to say that this is the beginning of the end for the Killer B’s run. There is too much turmoil in the Steel City and it could quite possibly be the end of an era.

FedEx Cup Playoffs

Only 30 golfers are still standing in the hunt for the Tour Championship this weekend at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, Georgia, but many questions remain.

Is Tiger finally back and will he make putts?

Can DeChambeau defy golf with science and take the crown?

Will Justin Thomas go back-to-back?

Can Dustin Johnson put the Gretzky rumors behind him and not slip down the stairs Wednesday night ahead of the finale?

Who knows, but there are two things that are a for sure. One: the weather (which sounds unlikely). It looks like there will be some showers on Friday that could alter the tournament but nothing fires me up more than golfing in the rain! Slow greens, thick rough and rain gear. It brings out peoples true characters and adds another element to the game.

The second certainty is that Patrick Reed’s parents will not be in attendance. He has made it very clear that he does not have a sound relationship with them due to his wife, and he had their 2018 Masters Sunday passes revoked the morning he won the Green Jacket. He is truly an awful human being, but he and DeChambeau make for a couple of enemies for the fans to root against.

My pick to win at East Lake this weekend is Dustin Johnson, and I believe that Dechambeau struggles just enough for DJ to take the FedEx Cup playoff as well.

My Dark Horse to win in Atlanta and the overall Tour Championship is the Italian native Francesco Molinari. He will need some help, but he has played the best golf of his career in 2018 and could cap it off with a win on Sunday.

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FitzMagic, Sunday Night Primetime and College Football Week 2

Where do I even begin this week’s blog?

Well, I’ll start with one of the craziest opening day performances I have ever seen to open an NFL season down in the Bayou…and it did not stem from a New Orleans Saints player.

Ryan Fitzpatrick, the 35-year-old backup quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers not only played like a high-end QB1, but he led all players at his position in scoring on Sunday. He was named the starter earlier this summer after Tampa’s former first-overall draft pick Jameis Winston was suspended for the first five games in 2018, but it was the Harvard alum who looked like the franchise star.

Fitzmagic finished 21-28 (75% completion), 417 yards passing, four passing touchdowns and one rushing touchdown. Not only was he having his way against one of the leagues top ranked defenses on the road in a hostile environment, but he sealed the victory by picking up a third and long with his feet. New Orleans had no response to the journeyman quarterback from Gilbert, Arizona and the biggest underdog in Week 1 came away with a key divisional win.

Now, for the Saints defense it was an afternoon to forget. Who Dat Nation’s offense looked like one of the leagues best as Michael Thomas had 16 receptions for 180 yards and a TD, Drew Brees threw for 439 yards and three scores, while the 2017 Offensive Rookie of the Year, Alvin Kamara, had three total touchdowns and 112 receiving yards. If the Saints are going to have any chance of winning in 2018 the defense needs to figure it out. However, they did start slow last fall and turned it around come December.

Sunday Night Football

If you’re a lifelong Oakland Raiders fan then I hope you decided to not watch SNF last night. Days after the Silver and Black traded Khalil Mack (2016 DPOY) to the Chicago Bears he was dressed and active for Week 1 at Lambeau Field. To make matters worse for Oakland (and, of course Green Bay), Mack had two sacks, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, an interception and a defensive touchdown…ALL IN THE FIRST HALF! The last player to do that was, oh yeah, Mack in 2016.

The Bears front seven looked like one of the NFC’s best and knocked Aaron Rodgers out of the game in the second quarter. It was all Chicago in the first half, until A-Rodg resurrected like Paul Pierce in the 2008 NBA Finals to make his way back onto the field and lead the largest second-half comeback in Lambeau history.

Down 20-0, the six-time pro-bowler hobbled back onto the field and gave Green Bay new life. Rodgers led the Packers on four consecutive drives that ended with a FG, TD, TD and a game winning 75 yard pass to Randall Cobb to take the lead 24-23. A game winning strip sack sealed the deal in the final seconds and the Bears left Green Bay absolutely stunned.

My biggest takeaways from the epic Sunday night thriller are: one- why did the Bears take their foot off the gas once Rodgers entered the game? They started to drop Mack back into coverage instead of bringing extra pass rushers that gave the two-time MVP trouble in the first half. I mean, how do you pay the leagues best edge rusher in all of football millions to drop into coverage against the best QB to ever do it? Even worse, he was dropped into coverage on the strike to Cobb on third down…why not let him do what he does best and make an injured Rodgers move around and feel uncomterable?

Second, how does new head coach Matt Nagy not have the rocks to go for it on fourth and 1 inside the 25 yard line? The Bears haven’t beaten the Pack in Lambeau in God knows how long, and if you settle for three (which Chicago did) you are giving the ball back to the best player in the league with over two minutes to play. Blows my mind. Also, on third and a yard Nagy opted to let second year QB Mitch Trubisky drop back and throw it into coverage, which not only went incomplete and stopped the clock, but you essentially have 12 inches to get a first and ice the game. Two plays, one yard and a running back in Jordan Howard who was averaging 5.5 yards per carry last night. Or you have a QB who is 6-3, 225lbs…let him take one up the gut. Either or and it’s game over.

I still cannot wrap my head around what transpired last night, but I can speak for all of America when I say that once Rodgers came back there was just a feeling that he was going to pull off something remarkable.

NCAAF Week 2

Alabama is still the team to beat in both the SEC and the entire nation. Tua and Co. picked up another dominating win over Arkansas State 57-7, while the Hawaiian lefty finished with 228 yards passing and four touchdowns.

Through the first two games of the season the Crimson Tide are outscoring opponents 108-21 and Nick Saban is still dealing with the medias QB controversy questions. Now, obviously the media needs a story and something to write about, but if you watch football and know anything about how the game is played then you can dictate the so-called “controversy” yourself. There isn’t one. Period. Tua is the main guy and will lead the Tide to consecutive national titles, while rumors of Jalen Hurts red shirting are still in play.

Tua is by far the better QB in the pocket, and can also beat you with his legs. In my opinion he is the best dual threat quarterback in the nation and will be a top-5 pick next April. Hurts on the other hand is the 2017 SEC Player of the Year and why he didn’t transfer this offseason makes many scratch their heads. If he plays in less than four games this season he is eligible to return next fall (which seems likely at this point) and be the quarterback in 2019.

Whatever Hurts decides to do, he must realize that Alabama is Alabama. Saban gets the best recruits year in and year out. The logical thing to do in my mind would be to red shirt now and transfer in 2019.

In Other News

Clemson picked up a key win in College Station, defeating the Aggies 28-26 in dramatic fashion. A failed two-point conversion by A&M gave the Tigers the win and sent Jimbo Fisher’s college home debating their play call on the attempt.

I have never been a fan of having your QB roll out on fourth down or 2-point conversions as it cuts off half the field, but some coaches love it. Saturday afternoon that’s exactly what the Aggies did and it was picked off as QB Kellen Mond had no options. Although the sophomore quarterback played a hell of a game and picked apart Clemson’s defense in the second half, Fisher or the OC, whoever made the final call, should have at least given him the entire field against the nation’s top ranked defensive line.

Even in a loss, the 12th Man proved to be a tough atmosphere to play in and Texas A&M nearly came away with what would have been a huge win heading into SEC play. Fisher has changed the culture in College Station and has the Aggies on the rebound in 2018.

Khalil Tate and Arizona through two weeks have looked like the PAC12 bottom feeder after losing to both BYU and Houston. Tate was voted as one of the best college quarterbacks in the nation heading into this season and he has looked like anything but that.

Former Aggies head coach Kevin Sumlin has attempted to alter Tate’s game and make him more of a pocket passing quarterback, but instead he  has hurt his overall game and placed the Wildcats in a deep hole in the first month.

Houston, however, looks like a powerhouse down in the American Conference. Potential 2019 first-overall pick Ed Oliver has continued to dominate the line of scrimmage as the Cougars open up 2018 2-0. HU will have their first real test of the season next Saturday at Texas Tech, but if they can come away with a W they have a favorable schedule to do what UCF did a season ago and run the table, while potentially having a shot at the CFP come December.

Herm Edwards has completely turned around Arizona State and guided the Sun Devils to an upset over Michigan State Saturday night in Tempe. A team picked to finish in the middle of the PAC12 has a solid chance of winning the weak South Division and has a defense that can keep them in games.

Michigan and Shae Patterson are back on track after routing Western Michigan, Georgia is still thumping its opponents down south, Kentucky upset Florida in the Swap for the first time since 1986 and Virginia Tech’s defense continues to turn the ball over.

Week 3 has a huge SEC matchup between LSU and Auburn that has playoff implications on the line in September and Ohio State travels down to TCU to finish off the three game suspension of Urban Meyer in a game between two top-15 ranked programs.

Football is back and it is only just beginning!