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2019 NFL Season Preview and Predictions

FOOTBALL IS BACK!

The temperature outside is cooler, the leaves are starting to change color, and pumpkin spice is flowing through the air. Fall is around the corner and the best time of the year has finally arrived.

Each fan base begins the year with high expectations, even though the optimistic thoughts are typically a fairy tale for fans outside of New England, but that doesn’t stop them from tweeting out, “THIS IS OUR YEAR!”

I’m a huge hockey guy and love everything about the NHL (well mostly everything!), but there is just something about football that hypes me up for the season opener more than any other sport. Maybe it has to do with the memories of playing backyard football with my friends growing up, or watching my best buddies play under the lights on Friday night’s in high school. Hell, betting on football is a huge adrenaline rush and makes the sport that much more entertaining. But I can’t quite give a straight answer as to why football is in a class of its own, but it is and every weekend either college or NFL games will dominate the TV screen in my shoe-box sized NYC apartment.

The 2019 NFL season kicked off Thursday night in Chicago and what we learned was that preseason reps do in fact matter. It was a sloppy, defensive battle and the Packers and Bears totaled just 13 points combined. Maybe both defenses are elite or maybe they just dominated in a game where both offenses were clearly not in game mode just yet.

Whatever the case may be, football has begun, and it isn’t going away anytime soon. There are so many questions entering Week 1, but the answers might not be answered for a while. Where will Antonio Brown land after being released from the Raiders this morning? Will the Rams continue their dominance, or will they be hungover from the Super Bowl? Has Le’Veon Bell lost a step after sitting out a full season? Are the Browns contenders or pretenders? Can Kyler Murray and Kliff Kingsbury turn things around in the dessert? Will Kirk Cousins prove his worth in Year 2? Are the Steelers better without their Killer B’s and will this be the final year of the Patriots dynasty?

The list goes on and on, but one thing remains – FOOTBALL IS BACK!

The heavy SB favorites entering Week 1 are the Chiefs, Pats, Rams and Saints, but as we all know…the Pats are typically the only team to live up to any type of expectation. I’m not going to count them out just yet, but if there was a year to do it then 2019 might be the time. No more Rob Gronkowski, no David Andrews, inexperienced wide receivers, no more Brain Flores calling defensive plays, all while Robert Kraft’s offseason allegations have overshadowed a lot of the gaps in this roster.

But then again, the Pats do have Tom Brady. Do they really need anyone else?

Kansas City has enough weapons on offense to dethrone the champs, and they have the leagues most gifted quarterback in Patrick Mahomes. Although this is technically his 3rd season, I would consider it his second because he played in just 1 game in 2017. The reigning MVP likely won’t throw for 50 TD again, but I am more interested in seeing how he follows that performance up. Will he take a step back and have a “(redshirt) sophomore slump” or will he maintain his level of excellence in 2019?

The Chiefs are for real and they could ultimately be the team that ends the Pats dynasty.

Pittsburgh’s addition by subtraction will be real after parting ways with Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown. JuJu Smith-Schuster is ready to be a No. 1 option after breaking out a season ago, and LB Devin Bush could be the ultimate replacement for Ryan Shazier in the middle of the field. The Steelers tied for the league lead in sacks in 2018, but injuries and distractions hindered their playoff chances down the stretch. Ben Roethlisberger is excited for the season and so is Steeler nation. Look for Pittsburgh to bounce back in 2019 without any type of distraction hindering the franchise.

In the NFC there are far more teams capable of representing the conference down in Miami. Every division will have a battle (can’ say the same about the AFC), and I simply cannot sit here and say that “this team will for sure win the division” or “no chance this team does.”

The NFC North is arguably the best division in all of football, while the NFC South is a close second. Out East, the Cowboys and Eagles will clash for the division crown, while the Rams and Seahawks will compete for the West.

Roughly 10 teams, maybe 11, will have a shot at a playoff spot, but as we know throughout history, turnover in the playoffs from year to year is high. Minnesota, Atlanta, and Green Bay missed out last season, but they could easily all make it in 2019. Carolina was 6-2 before Cam Newton hurt his shoulder, causing the team to finish 7-9 and miss the postseason. All four of these franchises won’t likely make it to January, but I will argue that three of them will.

As a Vikings fan, I am still not sold on Cousins. He doesn’t have the big game clutch gene, but he also didn’t have a running game or a strong offensive line to work with in Year 1. This offseason the Vikes took notice and improved the O-line, while also bringing in Gary Kubiak to possibly establish a running attack and alleviate some pressure off Kirk. They still have the best WR tandem in the NFL and the defense is still elite. Their playoff hopes will live and die on the defensive side of the ball, but Cousins will have no excuses this fall. Could it finally be Minnesota’s year?

New Orleans lost a heart breaker once again in the playoffs and the league was robbed of a Brees-Brady Super Bowl. The Saints are absolutely loaded on both sides of the ball and I don’t see a better roster from top to bottom in the NFC. Brees has already entered his forties and 2019 could be his last shot at winning a second title. Look for the Saints to potentially run the table in what could be 9’s last season under center.

Philly, Chicago, Green Bay and Dallas all have the potential to make noise in the postseason, but each team has a weakness.

Green Bay has zero weapons outside of Davante Adams and Aaron Rodgers, and they have a first-time head coach in Matt LaFleur. I believe that they will win the North with their revamped defense and because they have Rodgers…but their postseason run will be cut short…again.

Chicago will go as far as Mitchell Trubisky will take them. They have arguably the best defense in the entire league, but if you can’t score you can’t win. So far, the Bears could be in for an early offseason and could also be left to reconsider the QB position altogether.

I like Dallas, but I don’t like Jason Garrett. Coaching tactics could be what prevents America’s team from competing for a ring. Ezekiel Elliott got paid and is back, but Dak Prescott has not. Could the lack of money and job security be what eventually holds the Cowboys back?

Philly on the other hand is talented everywhere. The Birds no longer have the Nick Foles–Carson Wentz debate, and they have the number one rated offensive line (PFF) in the league. They were an interception away from beating the Saints and advancing to the NFC Championship last season, and they are just 2 seasons removed from winning the franchise’s first Lombardi. Doug Pederson said that he is going to be “more aggressive” in 2019, while the roster on both sides of the ball has the potential to make a deep run in January. The only weakness, however, is the health of Wentz. Given his recent track record, it’s just something that he will have to prove throughout the season for me to take the Eagles seriously.

Sleeper

The biggest sleeper in 2019 will be the New York Jets. Although they won’t likely win the AFC East, they are in a weaker conference and could easily slip into a Wild Card slot. Sam Darnold has a full season under his belt, and they added a generational talent in Bell. The offensive line still has its issues, but Darnold will have an extra pass option out of the backfield for the first time. However, outside of Bell they do not have any legitimate threats (no Robbie Anderson is not a threat). New York’s new head coach Adam Gase has stressed that he intends to pound the rock and chew up the game clock, which is a sound game plan for this roster. It would not surprise me if the Jets sneak into the playoffs in the final week of the season.

Predictions

AFC

1 Chiefs

2 Steelers

3 Patriots

4 Texans

WC1 Browns

WC2 Jets

NFC

1 Saints

2 Packers

3 Eagles

4 Seahawks

WC1 Rams

WC2 Vikings

 

Super Bowl – Saints over Chiefs

 

Notable League Awards

MVP: Ben Roethlisberger

Offensive ROY: Kyler Murray

Defensive ROY: Josh Allen

Coach of the Year: Andy Reid

Comeback Player of the Year: Jimmy Garoppolo

 

Kansas City gets its revenge over the Pats in the AFC Championship game but fall just short to Drew Brees and the Saints in the Super Bowl.

Brees claims his second Lombardi Trophy and rides off into the sunset on top of the football world!

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Brady vs Brees: the Super Bowl We Deserve

The final four teams are set and ready to compete for the conference championship tomorrow, but while many of you want the electric rematch from Monday Night Football in November, the matchup we all deserve is the one between two of the best quarterbacks to ever lace ’em up.

Patrick Mahomes is without a doubt the most talented and athletic quarterback remaining, and even in the league now for that matter, but his time will come and same with Jared Goff. These two young studs will be back, especially with their rosters and contract situations, but will Tom Brady and Drew Brees?

Maybe…maybe not.

Even at age 40 these two future Hall of Famers are still playing at an elite level and changing the game for generations to come. We have never seen two QBs win MVP awards or finish in the top two at this stage of their career and it is something that we might not see again. Brett Favre‘s untimely interceptions hindered his ability to get back to the big dance at 40, and John Elway and Peyton Manning both went out on top after winning Super Bowl’s, but age and injuries didn’t allow them to play past 39.

Here is a list of QBs to play in a SB since 2011:

Eli Manning, Cam Newton, Russell Wilson, Nick Foles, Colin Kaepernick, Joe Flacco, Matt Ryan, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. Over the past decade we haven’t had two for sure HOF’ers meet up in the Super Bowl since Big Ben and Aaron Rodgers in 2010.

Sure, maybe Mahomes and Goff could find their way to Canton, OH, but it’s wayyyyy to early to tell. This is not a knock on the Chiefs or the Rams by any means. They both have unbelievable offensive minded coaches in Sean McVay and Andy Reid, and they have more weapons than the Saints or Pats on offense. But it’s not the sexy and storylined matchup between two of the best to ever do it.

These two games have the potential to be highlight reel shootouts or tight defensive battles, but one thing is for certain: the four best teams are left standing and have the making for unbelievable finishes.

Arrowhead will be louder than it has ever been, but if you told me to pick 1 QB to win in that stadium, I will take TB12 10 times out of 10. A few hundred miles south in the Superdome the Saints faithful will be louder than it was in 2009, but Drew and Sean Payton together are a perfect 7-0 at home in the playoffs.

Something has to give, right?

The Chiefs and Rams might have more talent, but I will take the veteran quarterbacks and the SB winning coaches over the high powered offenses any day of the week.

Tom and Bill Belichick will have a game plan ready, and they will try to get the better of Andy Reid yet again, but this game will come down to the final possession and who controls the ball more.

Payton or McVay will try to do to much and have a massive gamble go the wrong way. The difference will be who’s gamble pays off and who’s doesn’t.

I want the Saints and the Patriots simply for the quarterback matchup and head coaching matchup, and it is the Super Bowl that we are gonna get. Both team’s have won in the past and have one thing that trumps all in games like this–experience!

I’ll take experience over skill any day of the week and twice on Sunday’s.

Brees will look for his second ring while Brady attempts to lock up the GOAT accolade for good.

Pats over Chiefs, 24-20

Saints over Rams, 26-23

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UFC 229 Spectacle, NFL Rookie Record Day, Risk Taking and Are the Yankees Done?

Daily Express

I’ll begin this week’s blog with the absolute gong show that transpired in Las Vegas on Saturday night, and trust me when I say it was a gong show. Defending UFC lightweight champion Connor McGregor not only got his rear end tossed around the cage for 4 rounds by Khabib Nurmagomedov, but his constant trash talking had finally seemed to of caught up to him.

A quick background for those who don’t exactly know what went down leading up to the fight on Saturday. McGregor has a long, long history of talking smack, but also backing it up. Earlier this year the Irish fighter threw a steel chair through the bus window that Khabib was riding in, injuring him and others. He was arrested in NYC for the incident and the match was postponed…but the trash talking didn’t stop there. McGregor, like he does before every match, tries to bully his opponent verbally and get into their mind (it can be extremely entertaining from a fan standpoint) and fuel them to a point where they get off of their game.

Khabib, however, seemed unfazed. When Connor was late to the Friday afternoon press conference the Russian product just said thank you to the fans, got up and then left the stadium. Once the match began late Saturday it was all Khabib from the start. He attacked McGregor like he said he was going to, and then was able to make him tap in the fourth round. An upset none the less, but what happened after submission looked like something out of an old WWE contest. Tempers were flaring all around; Khabib threw his mouth guard in the direction of McGregor’s team and then climbed out of the octagon and began fighting them. While that was going on members from the Khabib camp jumped into the cage and began jumping McGregor before security was able to separate everyone. But not before punches were thrown or before absolute chaos ensued.

UFC Commissioner Dana White had to escort the new champion out of the arena before anything else happened and he has yet to give the belt to Khabib. A full on investigation is underway and both purses are being held in contempt. Both fighters are immigrants and, according to some, this could have visa issues in the future.

So, where does this put the UFC now? Well, I think it only helped the sport. From a fan perspective it kept me up until the early morning, and overall it was trending all across the world. But do I agree with Khabib’s actions? Not to the degree of how he handled himself after winning, but we are all human and nobody knows how they would react in that situation after all of the events leading up to that moment. McGregor attacked his religion, called out his family and destroyed his bus with a steel chair earlier this year on top of all of the trash talking this past week.

Clearly the Irishman was able to rattle his opponent, but for the first time in a long time it back fired. For those who say Khabib deserves full responsibility are completely blind on the matter altogether. Yes, that is his strategy and it makes for intense fights, but if he and the commissioner don’t take any blame it’s an utter joke. The UFC allowed for Connor to behave this way and turn the league into a circus. Great for ratings and great for competition, but if you push someone just far enough this is what can transpire.

Hopefully the UFC can get beyond all of the legal matters so that a rematch can be scheduled. Talk about ratings going through the roof if there is indeed chapter 2. Maybe Vegas will have a few more security guards this time around…What did they think was going to happen?!

Are the Yankees Done?

For the first time in 14 years the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees finally met up in the playoffs. As a Yankees fan I was fortunate enough to be in attendance for Game 3 in the Bronx, but the outcome left myself and the Pinstripe faithful in shock. The Bombers laid their biggest postseason egg in franchise history at home and fell to their rival 16-1. Oh, and Brock Holt became the first player to hit for the cycle in the postseason…great.

The bats have been the storyline for New York in the ALCS. Game 1 the Yankees were 1 for 7 with runners in scoring position and left the bases loaded in back to back innings. Game 2 the bats were hot early enough to hang on for a win, but in last night’s pivotal Game 3 the bats were colder than the Arctic Ocean in the winter.

It was just so frustrating. The rookies Torres and Andujar are playing like…well, rookies. Giancarlo Stanton has been horrendous with runners on base (the reason he was brought to New York) and Andrew McCutchen is far from his MVP 2014 form.

Louis Severino got shelled last night and Aaron Boone mismanaged him after the third inning. Why the hell did Severino go back out on the bump to start the fourth? This is where the game fell apart. He had 64 pitches through 3 innings and the Sox were hitting ropes off of him. Nobody was warming up in the bullpen until midway through the fourth when Lance Lynn was sent out to relieve the Yankees ace after he loaded the bases with NO OUTS. Why not go Chad Green in this situation? He’s their best relief pitcher and could have maybe gotten out of the inning unscathed. Instead, Lynn pitched 5 straight balls, walked in a run and literally fell on his face after his third pitch. A seven run inning might have just ended New York’s historic season and Boone probably didn’t sleep a wink last night.

I’m definitely not throwing in the towel yet, but I’m still so pissed off from last night’s performance. Maybe it’s because I was at Yankee stadium to witness this fiasco or because Chris Sale is lined up for the Sox in Game 5. But I’m not trying to look ahead; I’m going to focus on tonight and tonight only.

Boston will be on a high and the Yankees will be pissed off. The biggest advantage is that New York has a World Series winning veteran on the mound tonight with CC Sabathia starting and they still have the two best power hitters in baseball. New York needs to get runs on the board early and Sabathia must go 6 innings. The bullpen needs a rest.

The series is still far from over as it’s only just getting started. We’ll see you at Fenway for Game 5!

NFL Week 5

I’ll begin the NFL segment by congratulating Drew Brees on breaking the all-time passing yards record last night on Monday Night Football in a win over the Redskins (I’ll touch on this in a bit). It is a true honor that is well deserved by none other than a true class act.

Rookie Quarterback Sunday

The biggest story in my eyes was 2018 rookie quarterbacks. All four top-10 picks not only all started, but they all won. Josh Rosen got his first win of his NFL career over the 49ers in San Francisco. Baker Mayfield helped the Browns win on a Sunday for the first time in God knows when over a really good Baltimore opponent. Sam Darnold took down the Broncos at the Meadowlands and was throwing absolute dimes to the end zone, and Josh Allen knocked off the Titans with Bills Mafia in attendance in Buffalo.

The NFL is in really good hands right now. Quarterbacks are getting better and the bust rate is going down. I don’t know if there has ever been 4 rookie QB’s picking up a W on the same day in league history and if I had to guess I would say there is no chance it has ever happened (Nope. It’s never been done!).

Crosby’s Afternoon to Forget

Really, we are still talking about kickers after a month into the season? Well, Green Bay’s Pro Bowl kicker Mason Crosby had arguably the worst showing by a kicker since the Jets in the 2005 Divisional Round. Crosby left 13 points off the board after missing four FGs and one extra point in a loss to the Lions on the road.

His situation is slightly different and I’m sure it was just one of those days, but I guess if you’re a Pro Bowler you’re allowed to have a bad day. However, for Green Bay they are now tied for second in the NFC North and Detroit is one game behind both the Packers and Vikings.

Minnesota on the other hand might have turned things around this year for good. In a rematch of the 2018 NFC Championship Game the Vikes went into Philadelphia and upset the defending champs. The defense finally played up to their potential in Week 5 and Linval Joseph’s defensive fumble return touchdown put an exclamation point on the game. Adam Thielen and Kirk Cousins have been very impressive so far this year and the combination of Stephon Diggs and Thielen might be the best unit in the NFL.

For Philly, Carson Wentz has looked rusty since returning from an ACL injury in Week 3 as he is just 1-2 since taking back the starting role. Their secondary has been depleted and on offense they have yet to score over 21 points this year. They have been a target since February, but they have been extremely fortunate that the NFC East is WIDE open. At 2-3 they are just a half game back from the division title and they could very well repeat as East champs with seven wins. But as far as repeating as Super Bowl champs, it might be time to start ringing the Liberty Bell in panic.

The real takeaway from MNF last night was just how scary good the Saints are. Yes, congrats to Brees on the record, but damn…this roster is loaded. Mark Ingram returned from suspension (sorry Alvin Kamara fantasy owners) and claimed two rushing touchdowns, while it was Torrey Smith, not Michael Thomas, tearing up the field on the receiving end. The Saints won 49-19 in an absolute route over the ‘Skins and with a Thomas-Josh Norman on-field feud, and they have not lost since FitzMagic shredded them for 48 points in Week 1.

New Orleans has had a history of starting slow, but this train has picked up steam and it has no signs of slowing down anytime soon. They were my Super Bowl pick this season and I’m sticking to it. This team is loaded.

Patrick Mahomes keeps facing all of his challenges head on, but it was the Chiefs defense that carried the troops in Week 5. They picked off Blake Bortles four times and have finally figured out their pass rush. The second-year QB finally threw his first INT of the season, but it didn’t matter as the defense was dominating in virtually every aspect of the game.

Jacksonville is now 3-2 and has not played well away from home. Their defense has been outstanding all season, but it’s the offense that has been so inconsistent. This stingy defense can carry the Jaguars far, but it will have to be the offense coming up big if they want to get back to the AFC title game.

New England is back. Well, I guess they never left! They started slow again and are back leading the division…again. Tom Brady is on another mission again in 2018 and he got his best weapon back on Thursday, Julian Edelman. Oh, and TB12 threw his 500th regular season TD pass to Josh Gordon (his 71st different receiver to catch one). How New England does that sound? Ha!

The Pats host the Chiefs on Sunday Night Football in the game of the week this Sunday in a battle of the best to ever do it against the next best thing—Brady-Mahomes. Pound the over on this one.

Risk Taking

Last, but not least, the LA Rams won again. From top to bottom this is the best roster in the league today. Jared Goff, my preseason pick, is likely going to win MVP and Sean McVay has team’s trying to figure out a way to stop Todd Gurley. Good luck.

But the real story here and one that I’ll link the Cowboys-Texans game to is the decision making in crunch time. They are slightly different cases, but both should have been comparable. The Rams were up two just under the 2-minute warning and were going to punt on 4th and 1. Seattle called their final timeout and McVay got to think it over and decided to go for it and try and pick up a yard, and clinch the game. So, after a Goff sneak and a gain of two yards the Rams picked up both the first and the win in a hostile 12th man road environment. A gutsy call to say the least…or was it?

Dallas, who was also on the road and playing in Houston, somehow managed to get the SNF game into overtime after playing awful offensively. The Cowboys had one goal line stand on fourth down and another stand to force a FG that kept them alive in the game. The defense came up with a key interception to push the game into added time, but the call of the game came on a 4th and 1 on the opponent’s 42 yard line. Time was not a factor in this game as the next score was going to win the game. Instead of trying a QB sneak or attempting to gain a yard with one of the best running backs in the game Ezekiel Elliott, Jason Garrett decided to punt it. Ball game. Texans made one big play on offense and sealed the game 19-16.

My argument is this: you go for the win in both situations. I said it last week with the Colts and I’ll say it again, the odds of getting a yard are in your favor! Sure, there are times to be conservative and most coaches generally are. But when your offense is struggling like Dallas was and they were still in a position to win the game and on the road, 10 times out of 10 you go for that.

Wins are hard to come by in pro sports, but even harder in the NFL. You have to be willing to take risks and make gutsy calls if you’re going to make it in this league.

Although no matter what Garrett does, his job seems to be very safe with Jerry Jones…maybe this is why the Cowboys haven’t won in over twenty years!!

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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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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.