Category Archives: NFC

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Week 3 Picks

PITTSBURGH, PA - DECEMBER 21: at Heinz Field on December 21, 2014 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***

We are through two weeks of the NFL season.Normally I would reflect on Week 2 right here, but honestly, it was not a great NFL weekend. It was an awesome college football weekend though. From Nebraska/Miami to Stanford/USC to Ole Miss/Alabama, it was an awesome day, and Sunday couldn’t help but being a little bit of a let down. Then of course, the Cowboys and Eagles played perhaps the worst football game in 30 years. Seriously, it was awful. It was unwatchable. But apparently everybody kept watching the Brandon Weeden/Sam Bradford showdown, because it got a 19 rating. There’s the power of the NFL right there.

Anyways, the 2-0 Cowboys are without Romo and Dez, the Eagles are 0-2 and look like they have a lot of kinks to work out, the Redskins are the Redskins, and now the 1-2 Giants are sitting pretty. I had the Giants (-3) last night, I thought there was no way they would start 0-3. This is a good team, don’t kid yourself. Eli still hasn’t thrown an interception, his completion percentage is close to 65%, Odell Beckham is one of the best receivers in football, Larry Donnell is turning into a good weapon at tight end, and their running backs are very diverse and dynamic, while their defense continues to make plays despite all the injuries to their pass rush. And of course the Redskins are the Redskins. Let’s dive into this week. Home teams are in caps.

Falcons (-1) over COWBOYS

I’m a little surprised the Cowboys are only getting a point without Romo. Even at home. Seriously, without Tony Romo their toast. He had to carry the franchise for three years until last year. Now they have no Romo, no Dez, and no DeMarco Murray. As good as their offensive line is, that can only get you so far. Of course, according to Jerry Jones, “This quarterback Weeden can drive the ball down the field. He’s a thing of beauty on throwing the football. His passing motion and his arm, frankly, you won’t see a more gifted passer.” Ten minutes later he traded for Matt Cassel. If I can disagree with Jerry just for a second, I’m going to go out and say Aaron Rodgers, Andrew Luck, Tom Brady, Joe Flacco, Ben Roethlisberger, Tony Romo, Eli Manning, Philip Rivers, Cam Newton, Matthew Stafford, Jay Cutler, and Peyton Manning are more gifted passers than Brandon Weeden, and there’s a lot of guys that I left out, but hey, that’s just one man’s opinion, and I’m not the GM of a professional football team.

Colts (-3) over TITANS

Don’t write the Colts off. Forget that sentence, don’t write Andrew Luck off. They’ve done a terrible job building this team. They keep drafting wide receivers even though they have one of the worst offensive lines in football, no running game, no pass rush, terrible safeties and bad linebackers. But hey, let’s go ahead and draft Philip Dorsett in the first round to be our fourth receiver. But their still going to be fine. Andrew Luck has carried the franchise his whole career, why shouldn’t he be able to now? No Luck hasn’t played particularly well, but don’t try and blame their 0-2 start on him. He’s a special talent, don’t try and over-criticize just because he’s the quarterback. They’ll still run through this division, and that starts this week with the Titans.

Raiders (+3.5) over BROWNS

I told you the Raiders would be ok this year, they just waited until last week to start being ok. Amari Cooper is going to be a star, maybe as early as this year. And of course, whenever the Browns are giving points, you bet against them. Seriously, why would the Browns ever lay points against another NFL team? Yes the Raiders are an NFL team, I think. Let’s move on before I change my mind.

RAVENS (-2.5) over Bengals

There’s a chance the Ravens just aren’t very good this year, but I’m not going to give up just yet. The Bengals have clearly been the better team through two weeks, but I’ll take Flacco over Andy Dalton in their home opener for now. Check back with me in a week. If the Ravens are still bad, I’ll jump ship.

PATRIOTS (-13.5) over Jaguars

I don’t expect the Patriots to play soft coverage and put zero pressure on the quarterback the way the Dolphins did against the Jaguars last week, so I think they’ll win. Seriously, the Dolphins had such a terrible defensive scheme last week they made Blake Bortles look like an NFL quarterback. He had time, he was comfortable, and he could make throws. That won’t be the case this week. And Tom Brady is playing the best football of his career, and he’s 38 YEARS OLD! His F-U tour continues and I have no problems laying 13.5 points. Go look at their schedule. I know it’s early, but it’s not inconceivable to see them going 16-0. Let’s move on before I say something stupid and arrogant. I already did? Let’s move on anyway.

PANTHERS (-3) over Saints

The Panthers coming off a good win against a Saints team that doesn’t want to admit their rebuilding with Drew Brees’ status uncertain only giving three points? Ok. I’ll take it. And by the way, even a healthy Drew Brees isn’t what he was three years ago. This Saints team is a long ways from the one that went to the Super Bowl and was making playoff runs every year. I’ll take the Panthers.

Eagles (+2) over JETS

I’m going to keep backing the Eagles. If by Week 6 this offense is still this terrible, I’ll admit I was wrong. The Jets are a nice team. Todd Bowles will be a good coach. But this 2-0 start doesn’t mean he’s going to win the Super Bowl in his first year. Calm down a little bit. Just let Ryan Fitzpatrick be Ryan Fitzpatrick. The Eagles running problems are correctable. Remember how bad the Patriots offensive line was the first four games last year? The Eagles can fix that. Bradford needs a running game to depend on, because right now he has no confidence, and he’s extremely gun shy. I’ll take the Eagles getting points.

Buccaneers (+6.5) over TEXANS

How can the Texans seriously be laying 6.5 points? They have no offense. I watched a good portion of their game against the Panthers last week. Seriously, that was almost as unwatchable as the Eagles-Cowboys game. They can’t run the ball, and they can’t throw the ball. They can catch the ball a little bit, but that doesn’t really matter if you can’t throw it. The Bucs looked good last week, and that was without Mike Evans being much of a factor. I’ll take Tampa in this one.

San Diego (+2.5) over VIKINGS

This feels like a toss up to me, so I’ll go ahead and take the team getting points. But I’m not confident in this pick at all. The Vikings are a decent team, but don’t overreact to last week. The Monday night loser is always a great pick the next week. The Chargers are traveling for a second straight week, but I’ll still take them getting points.

Steelers (-1) over RAMS

Don’t sleep on the Steelers. This is a very good team. When the Patriots are rolling everyone halfway through the season, that opening game will look competitive. Mike Tomlin is also ahead of the curve going for 2 every time. It’s kind of like the three point shot in basketball. Think about it, if you convert more than 50% of your two-point conversions, then you score more points than you would’ve hitting all of your extra points. And with an offense like the Steelers that has Big Ben, Antonio Brown, Heath Miller, and getting Le’Veon Bell back this week, they could really score a lot of points this year.

CARDINALS (-6.5) over 49ers

The San Francisco team you saw last week in Pittsburgh is a lot closer to what they really are than the San Francisco team you saw in Week 1. This is a severe coaching mismatch. Colin Kaepernick is still a below-average passer, and an opportunistic Cardinal’s defense should pounce on that. Also, Carson Palmer is 15-2 in his last 17 starts. Give me the Cards at home.

DOLPHINS (-2.5) over Bills

This is a tough one to pick, but the Dolphins have to turn it around, right? Rex Ryan hasn’t changed at all. Good defense, talks too much, clueless offensively. Coming home, with their backs sort of against the wall, I think the Dolphins come out and play inspired football. And don’t kid yourself, Tyrod Taylor isn’t winning games for you.

SEAHAWKS (-14.5) over Bears

Who thought a 13.5 point New England spread wouldn’t be the biggest of the week? Kam Chancellor is back. Jimmy Clausen is starting for the Bears. The Chicago defense is still awful. Seattle played well last week in Green Bay. But right now they’re 0-2 and need to win this week. I expect them to play inspired football at home where they are very good, and I seriously don’t expect Jimmy Clausen to cover a 20 point spread, let alone 14.5.

LIONS (+3) over Broncos

I’m throwing away my rule to pick the Broncos every game for the first eight games and pick against them the last eight. Peyton’s done, everyone can see it. He can put some good drives together, but he can’t play a whole game. He’s wildly inaccurate, especially on deep throws, and he’s been sacked seven times already. The Broncos have an excellent defense, but I like how the Lions tall receivers match up with them. Also, Detroit is getting points at home in a primetime game. I love the Lions in this one.

Chiefs (+7) over PACKERS

I think the Chiefs might win this game straight up. They’re coming off a long week, and scored 24 points against that Denver defense while turning it over 5 times. They’ll fix that, and I expect them to come out playing motivated and the Packers may have a little bit of a hangover after a big win over Seattle last week. Give me the Chiefs in a Monday night upset.

For college football fans or just degenerate gamblers who will bet on anything, I’m in a weekly college football pick ’em. Here’s my picks for this week: Vanderbilt (+24.5), Iowa (-25), Texas Tech (+7), Utah (+11), USC (-5), New Mexico, Tennessee, and Oklahoma State straight up.

NFL Record Last Week: 7-9-0

NFL Record Overall: 17-16-1

College Football Record Last Week: 2-6-0

College Football Record Overall: 7-9-0

AFC, Arizona Cardinals, Buffalo Bills, Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, New York Jets, NFC, NFL, Philadelphia Eagles, Seattle Seahawks, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Redskins

Week 2 recap: 5 things we learned

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Week two of the NFL is in the books. This week was more shocking than others, even if it is only week two. Regardless, we learned more about who’s a contender, who’s a pretender, and even a possible MVP candidate. So, here are the five things we learned from week two of the regular season.

1) Tom Brady is the MVP frontrunner

After a stellar week one performance by Tom Brady, he put up even more video game numbers as he led the New England Patriots to a 40-32 win over the Buffalo Bills.  Brady went 38/59 for 466 yards and three touchdown passes. Also he put up history, as he is the first quarterback to throw at least 55 passes, 450 yards and three touchdowns in one game. On the season, Tom Brady has thrown for 754 yards and seven touchdown passes with no interceptions. At this rate, Brady is on pace for 6,032 yards and 56 touchdowns. Tom Brady is putting up an MVP season, and looks unstoppable

2) The Colts and Eagles are overrated 

Both the Indianapolis Colts and Philadelphia Eagles are overrated. They both stand at 0-2 records, and no one predicted or saw this coming. The Colts were dubbed as Super Bowl contenders and an easy pick to win it all. Well, they should not be. Their offense has not generated points or gone anywhere, and Andrew Luck is throwing interceptions like Christmas. This offense was supposed to be dominating, but after being shut down by the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets, they are essentially flat. Plus, the Colts defense is terrible, and should not be a surprise after we saw Tom Brady and the Patriots carve up the Colts in the AFC Championship game 45-7. In Philadelphia, the Eagles got what they deserved. Chip Kelly was given power over his players, and traded away talent for players he wanted. Was it worth it? Sam Bradford was just preseason hype, and Demarco Murray is not running around putting up video game numbers. The O-line can not block and give Bradford time to throw or give Murray room to run. Also, their offense had eight possessions that lasted fewer than two minutes in their game against the Cowboys, that did not end up in points. The Colts and Eagles were heralded as the best and prime contenders for the Super Bowl, well now they are just exposed as overrated, and righfully so.

3) On the other hand, Don’t worry about Seattle being 0-2 

Right after I talked about two 0-2 teams being overrated, I talk about another 0-2 team. Though it is a surprise that the Seattle Seahawks are 0-2, there is good reason.  The defense is not the same without Kam Chancellor, and the offense needs to put up more points. Though it seems that the world is falling in Seattle, they shouldn’t be worried. Last season, the Seahawks started 3-3, and finished 12-4 and ended up in the Super Bowl.

4) New Orleans is going to struggle 

The New Orleans Saints have controlled the NFC South for many years. However, this year, is not that year. After dropping losses to the Arizona Cardinals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Saints sit at 0-2. Drew Brees does not look the same without Jimmy Graham, and the offense is struggling without him. What was a high flying offense putting up huge numbers, is stuck scoring only 19 points a game. Adding on, the defense has struggled in stopping teams from scoring. What makes matters worse is that Drew Brees could miss games due to a rotator cuff injury. That means that Luke McCown or rookie Garrett Grayson will have to go under center if Brees does miss games. It’s going to be a tough year for the Saints, but it could be worse.

5) Maybe Kirk Cousins is actually capable of leading the Washington offense

Who knew, Kirk Cousins could actually manage the Washington Redskins offense. In week one, he went 21/31 for 196 yards with one touchdown, but two interceptions. He pretty much led a dysfunctional Redskins team to a near win over the Miami Dolphins. Then this week, he led them to a 24-10 victory over the St. Louis Rams, as he went 23/27 for 203 yards and one touchdown. Even though the RGIII drama is still alive and well in Washington, Cousins is doing his job and trying to lead his team to victory. At 1-1, Cousins has the Redskins looking like they are contenders in the NFC East behind the 2-0 Dallas Cowboys. They could contend for the division title especially since Dallas has lost Tony Romo for at least seven games, Philadelphia is in disarray, and the Giants are busy blowing leads away. However, time will tell if Cousins will take advantage and push Washington to take the division lean, especially since everything looks to be in their favor.

 

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2015 NFL Season: Week 2 Picks

We are now out of the least meaningful week in the NFL season. Hurray! I went 9-6-1 against the spread last week, and admittedly botched a couple games badly. My biggest advice to you is this: don’t be that guy that overreacts to Week 1. Remember, the Patriots, Packers, Colts, Cowboys, and Ravens all lost in Week 1 last year, and all five of those teams made the playoffs. There are a few things I was very wrong on though, and I will go into those. Let’s start with last night.

Last week I wrote to pick the Broncos in every game the first half of the season and pick against them in every game the second half of the season. I went against my own rule last night, picking the Chiefs (-3), and of course got burned. But I stand by that pick. Look, everybody is going to make all the excuses they possibly can for Peyton Manning. I applaud Jim Nantz and Phil Simms for figuring out a way to blame everything possible for Peyton Manning’s struggles besides Peyton Manning. It’s his new offense, it’s the offensive line, it’s the play calling, it’s the blitzes by the Chiefs, blah, blah, blah. I love Peyton, I think he’s a great dude and a top 3 quarterback of all time. But it’s done. He can’t put a whole game together right now, let alone a whole season. Yes, give him credit for getting through that game last night. But let’s be honest, he had two good drives. When his first read was open, and he got rid of the ball in two seconds or less, he was fine. He looked a little bit like the old Peyton. But if the pass rush was able to even get close to him, he missed the throw, usually badly. Sometimes he had time, and still floated a throw five yards away from his receiver. His arm has never been great, now it’s below average.

Give credit to an incredible Bronco defense, and say thank you to the Chiefs for playing so terribly. It’s not just that they had five turnovers, it’s that every one of those turnovers seemed to come at the worst time. Jamaal Charles fumbled inside the ten, costing them a field goal. Alex Smith’s first interception pretty much gave Denver a touchdown. His second interception came when they were driving down the field. And then of course there was the Charles fumble returned for the winning touchdown with under a minute left. The only non-costly turnover was the fumbled punt, which gave the Broncos the ball around the 30, and they missed a 4th and 1 instead of kicking a field goal. I’m going to hurt my head if I keep writing about this, so let’s just go to this week’s picks. Home teams are in all caps.

Houston (+3) over PANTHERS

The Panthers won last week because they played the Jaguars. The Jaguars scored nine points, because that’s what they do. The Texans certainly have some huge quarterback issues right now, and I think eventually they’ll settle on the more talented Ryan Mallett. They need to get that quarterback situation figured out, because J.J. Watt looks a little less terrifying when he’s down by 20 points. The Panthers offense struggled last week, they will again against a great Texans defense. This one’s easy.

STEELERS (-6) over 49ers

Can there be a less impressive 20-3 win than what the 49ers had late Monday night? I’ll be honest, that second Monday night game on opening weekend is always one of the worst games of the year. The Vikings offense was horrible, and San Francisco couldn’t move the ball consistently. I still think the Steelers are going to be really good. They didn’t play well against the Patriots, but a lot of people don’t. Big Ben still won’t have Bryant or Bell this week, but he’ll have a lot more success against the 49ers than Teddy Bridgewater did. Don’t forget, Pittsburgh moved the ball pretty well between the 20s in New England, they just couldn’t finish drives. They will this week.

Buccaneers (+10) over SAINTS

I know Jameis Winston and his offense looked terrible last week, and the Tampa defense gave up 4 touchdowns to Mariota in his first career game, but a 10 point spread is too much for me in an NFL game. The Bucs should get Mike Evans back this week, and that’s huge for a rookie quarterback. The Saints will move the ball well, but they weren’t great against the Cardinals, and I don’t expect them to cover.

Lions (+2.5) over VIKINGS

Forget everything I said about the Vikings last week. They still have a lot to improve on. Carlos Hyde ran all over them. Bridgewater was horrible against what was essentially a brand new defense. They couldn’t move the ball at all. The Lions had a pretty big collapse in San Diego, look for them to be motivated playing a Vikings team on a short week and I expect them to win rather handily.

Cardinals (-2) over BEARS

I’m really only giving the Bears two points in this game? Ok. The Packers beat them by eight and they didn’t play well. Arizona always flies under the radar, and if their spreads are going to be this low all year, keep betting on them. Other than a running game, they have all the pieces. Give me the Cardinals going away in this one.

Patriots (-1) over BILLS

Do not, I repeat, do not overreact to week 1 from the Bills. Remember, Tyrod Taylor is their quarterback. I repeat, Tyrod Taylor is their quarterback. Now, give them some credit. They probably have the best defensive personnel in the NFL, and now they have one of the best defensive coaches in the league. But seriously, Tyrod Taylor is their quarterback. It’ll be interesting to see what Rex comes up with to cover Gronk, that’ll be the big difference between the Pats and Colts. Also, Rex probably has them thinking they’re going to win the Super Bowl after one week, so they’ll be in for a let down. Once again, don’t be that guy that overreacts to week 1.

Chargers (+3) over BENGALS

I feel a little weird picking all of these road teams, but I’m not going to put a ton of stock into what the Bengals did last week. The Chargers were impressive in their comeback last week. Like I said, I’m expecting Philip Rivers to have a big year, he’s extremely motivated after all the rumors that swirled around him this offseason. Keenan Allen and Melvin Gordon are rising stars. Give me San Diego in this one.

BROWNS (+1) over Titans

Mariota is definitely due for a letdown this week. After being that good in his debut, he can only go down from here. Give him a full season, maybe two or three before we crown him as the savior. Yes, I’m picking the Browns this week. What am I doing? I’ll take the home team getting points, yes, even if it’s the Browns.

GIANTS (-2.5) over Falcons

Despite how horribly they botched the 1st and goal from the one last Sunday, I think the Giants showed some good things. That defense can be good, they have a very good tandem of corners in DRC and Prince Amukamara. The Falcons were good, but they still were a missed field goal from blowing that game. I’ll take the Giants at home with Atlanta coming off a short week.

Rams (-3.5) over REDSKINS

I’m pretty nervous with this one, it seems way too obvious. I feel like a lot of people are going to jump on the Ram’s bandwagon after last week, and I don’t feel good about putting a lot of faith in Nick Foles. But the Redskins are not good. a 17-10 home loss was impressive for them. Their quarterback situation is a mess, the RG3 soap opera is still hanging around them, and I don’t think Jay Gruden is going to be a very good coach. I’ll take the Rams to cover, but expect it to be low scoring.

Dolphins (-6) over JAGUARS

I might end up picking against the Jaguars every game this year. Seriously, what is there to like? Blake Bortles is not good. Julius Thomas is already wasting away in this offense. There’s no offensive line or running game to speak of. The defense is nothing special. What am I supposed to like? The Dolphins should bounce back after struggling with the Redskins. And might I point out that despite struggling, they still covered. They’ll cover easily in this one.

RAIDERS (+6.5) over Ravens

I’m crazy for picking this, but I’m not going to jump ship on the Raiders after one week. The Ravens offensive line is horrible right now. I know they were facing a terrific pass rush in Denver, and an underrated defensive tackle in Malik Jackson, but they couldn’t run the ball to save their lives. The only time they moved the ball down field at all was their final drive running the two-minute drill. The Raiders will be ok. They still have a ways to go, but give them some time before you say they are as bad as they usually are. I’ll give them this one at home with the Ravens making the cross-country flight.

EAGLES (-5) over Cowboys

This line is a little big for me, but I really like the Eagles in this one. Their offense will be explosive. I think after reviewing the film Chip Kelly will realize he needs to run the ball more, and they’ll do really well with that. Sam Bradford found his groove in the 2nd half and looked really good when he did. Their secondary looked bad, but should gain some confidence against a depleted Dallas receiving core. As much as I love the Cowboy’s offensive line, their running game was not good last Sunday. I’ll take the Eagles to cover at home here.

PACKERS (-3.5) over Seahawks

This is a tough one to pick, but Green Bay is playing really well right now. The Seahawks’ offensive line didn’t look very good against St. Louis. Russell Wilson had no time to let deep routes develop. The absence of Kam Chancellor matters, don’t kid yourself. Aaron Rodgers walked right into Seattle in the NFC Championship last year and should’ve beat them on one leg. I’ll take the Packers right now in Lambeau.

COLTS (-7) over Jets

Yes the Jets were good on Sunday, but yes it was against the Browns. This Colts offense should get right back on track. Remember, they were playing at Buffalo, against the best defense in the league. That’s right Seattle, the Bills are the best defense in the league, at the moment. I expect Andrew Luck to get back on track, and I don’t see any reason the Jets should score enough points to cover.

If you’re a college football fan or just a degenerate gambler who will bet on anything, I’m in a weekly college football pick ’em. My picks for this week are: Louisiana Tech (+9), Ole Miss (+6.5), Purdue (+6), Cal (-6), TCU (-37.5), Colorado State, Georgia Tech, and Nebraska straight up.

For more useless sports banter, follow me on Twitter @rory_maccallum

NFL Record: 9-7-1

College Football Record: 5-3-0

AFC, Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots, New York Jets, NFC, NFL, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, St. Louis Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans

NFL Recap: 5 Things We Learned from Week 1

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NFL football season is underway with week one’s slate of games finishing up on Monday Night Football, and the viewers got a good chunk of entertainment, surprises, and sloppiness. With it all, NFL fans everywhere learned more about teams, players and possible season outlooks.

1. The New England Patriots came out with a vengeance.

The New England Patriots are winning, no new news there. But we’re going to be seeing the Patriots use a mantra we have not heard since Spygate, “It’s us versus the world.” Off the heals of Deflategate and Tom Brady’s suspension, we saw the Patriots play with such ferocity and intensity in their season opener versus the Pittsburgh Steelers. Even though the final score was 28-21, the game was very much dominated by the Patriots. Tom Brady went 25/32 for 288 yards and four touchdown passes. The narrative of the Patriots dominating their opponents could be commonly heard throughout the season, and the “us versus the world” mantra could very well give them even more motivation to make another Super Bowl run. Also, don’t mess with an angry Tom Brady.

2. Marcus Mariota is the real deal

Marcus Mariota, the number two pick in the draft, impressed in his first career start. In fact, impressed was an understatement. Mariota was historic and near-perfect in his debut as the Tennessee Titans squandered the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 42-14. Mariota threw for 13/16 for 209 yards and four touchdown passes. What’s significant about the four touchdown passes is that they all came in the first half. The feat of a rookie throwing four touchdowns in his opener has not been done since Fran Tarkenton in 1965. With the impressive debut, it has essentially eliminated the talk of Mariota only being a system quarterback under Oregon’s fast-paced spread offense, and also eliminated the questions of Mariota possibly struggling to adjust to a pro-style offense.

3. Jameis Winston on the other hand, needs more improvement

Number one pick Jameis Winston, however, struggled and at times looked inept in his debut. His debut went south quickly when his first career past was intercepted and returned for a pick-six. Winston completed lest than 50% percent of his passes as he went 16/33 passes for 210 yards and two touchdowns. But with those two touchdowns, Winston threw two interceptions. However, it is too early to be hitting the panic button on Jameis yet. Winston is playing behind a shaky offensive line, and was also missing key receiver Mike Evans. However, that is not an excuse for having trouble in finding rhythm with throwing to them. As the season progresses, hopefully he should improve.

4. Maybe Johnny Manziel does have a chance.

After a disastrous rookie season, many began to write off Johnny Manziel as a bust. After checking into rehab, and a successful off-season of growth, a spark of hope was ignited when the Cleveland Browns opened up the season in New York against the Jets. After starter Josh McCown got lit up and sent out of the game with a concussion, Johnny football stepped in. Immediately, he made an impact by throwing a 54 yard bomb for a touchdown. However, the positives would shy away as the Jets force an interception and a couple of fumbles from Manziel during a 31-10 rout. Manziel finished 13/24 for 182 yards and one touchdown and one interception. Though they may not seem like big stats, it is a vast improvement over his rookie season. If he does start week two in place of a concussed Josh McCown, expect him to put up bigger numbers and seize the opportunity. Johnny Manziel has changed, and has improved.

5. It’s going to be a season of chaos

The Buffalo Bills beat the Indianapolis Colts. The St. Louis Rams beat the Seattle Seahawks. Those results should not have happened. But yet the underdog came out on top. And it is only a sign of things to come. This NFL season is going to be a season of twists, turns, and most importantly chaos. Teams that we thought were juggernauts, will stumble and fall and get upset. Peyton Manning failed to throw a touchdown pass, Marshawn Lynch couldn’t run one yard to convert a first down, the San Francisco 49ers won despite being cast off due to the tumultuous off-season. Everyone better buckle up, because of what happened in week one, this season is going to be the year of chaos.

AFC, NFC, NFL

Week 1 Picks

Last night, the NFL returned to our lives. College Football had center stage last weekend. And it was a great weekend. But now, we have all the football that we could ask for for the next 5 months. We’ll have an NFL game on Thursday night, sometimes a decent college game also. On Friday night, if you live in a town with a good high school football program, you’ll have that. All day Saturday you’ll have great college football games. And then on Sunday and Monday night, you’ll have a full slate of NFL games. Yes, the best part of the year has come again. I really missed you football, I always knew you’d come back.

The Patriots came out last night with a Deflategate-sized chip on their shoulder and beat the Steelers 28-21. I had the Patriots -7, and would’ve been right if it weren’t for a late Ben Roethlisberger touchdown pass to Antonio Brown with two seconds left that covered the spread. So that game was a push. Let’s dive into the rest of this weekend’s games. Home teams are in caps.

Packers (-6) over BEARS

I don’t care that Jordy Nelson isn’t playing. The Packers are easily one of the three best teams in the NFC, and if I had to rank them I’d still put them number one. Not that Nelson isn’t a great player, but Aaron Rodgers is the best quarterback in the league, and he still has Randall Cobb along with a rising star in Davante Adams. Eddie Lacy is one of the best backs in the league, and with a healthy Clay Matthews, defensively they’ll be good enough. The Bears, on the other hand, are a dumpster fire. Jay Cutler is imploding. He lost one of his top threats in Brandon Marshall, and their defense was one of the worst in the league last year. The Packers won the two matchups last year 38-17 and 55-14. This one could get ugly.

Chiefs (+1) over TEXANS

I think both of these teams are going to be good this year, but I’ll take the team with the better quarterback. Alex Smith has the best receiver he’s ever had in Jeremy Maclin, maybe a receiver will even catch a touchdown pass for the team this year. Jamaal Charles is still an elite running back, Travis Kelce is an emerging wide receiver, and they have a strong offensive line. Defensively the Chiefs are very good, just like the Texans, and Andy Reid is going into his third year as Kansas City’s coach. Brian Hoyer will be an upgrade at quarterback over the crap they had last year, but I still think J.J. Watt might be the Texan’s best hope at quarterback. Seriously, go watch the last episode of Hard Knocks, the guy can throw. I’ll take Kansas City in a close one.

JETS (-3) over Browns

If I watch more than three seconds of this game then I must have to do something that I really don’t want to do. I think the Jets will be a little better, as I like Todd Bowles, but they’re still a long ways off from being good. The Browns, as always, have no clue what they’re doing.

Colts (-2.5) over BILLS

Seriously, Andrew Luck is only laying 2.5 points against a Rex Ryan-coached team that’s starting Tyrod Taylor at quarterback? This is the best bet of the week. The Colts have given Luck more weapons, and while they haven’t really helped him on the offensive line, he’s done a tremendous job of overcompensating for that to this point. Luck is a top three quarterback in the league right now, and it’s very easy to argue he’s number one. The Bills have Pro Bowlers all over their roster, but they’re so weak at coach and quarterback, and with a shaky LeSean McCoy, I have no confidence in Buffalo.

Dolphins (-3.5) over REDSKINS

Forget what I said in the last pick, this is the easiest bet of the week. The Redskins have no clue what they’re doing at quarterback. It won’t take long for the locker room to divide, and while they have some good players, this is going to be another tough year for the Skins. The Dolphins, on the other hand, are a playoff contender. They added the best defensive player in the league outside of J.J. Watt, and while they had to lose depth because of that, a defensive line with Cameron Wake and Suh is scary to think about. They’re not great but they’re good at quarterback, and the offensive line is an ongoing improvement. The Dolphins should roll in this one.

Panthers (-3) over JAGUARS

The Panthers aren’t great, but the Jaguars are pretty damn bad. Cam Newton doesn’t have a legitimate receiver without Kelvin Benjamin, but let’s admit, he was pretty good at the end of last year. Luke Kuechly is one of the top linebackers in the league. The best player on the Jaguars is a tight end who doesn’t have a quarterback. This one is easy too.

Seahawks (-4) over RAMS

This one isn’t as easy as it looks. The Seahawks won’t have Kam Chancellor, and that’s a big deal. I’d argue he’s better than Earl Thomas. Of course, the Rams biggest strength is their defensive front, and the Seahawks have a smart, mobile quarterback that’s the perfect answer. And of course, that defense is still littered with stars playing against an average quarterback (Nick Foles) playing his first game in a new system.

CARDINALS (-2) over Saints

I feel like I’m picking too many favorites here, but the Saints need to prove something to me before I pick them on the road over a playoff team a year ago. Arizona is a legitimate threat to the Seahawks in the NFC West. Bruce Arians is probably the most underrated coach in the NFL, they still have an elite defense, and they made the playoffs without a real quarterback. Now Carson Palmer is back, and presumably healthy. The Cardinals should win this handily but not easily.

CHARGERS (-2.5) over Lions

I really like the Chargers this year. I think Rivers is going to have a bounce back year after all the rumors flying around him this year, and I like the additions of Orlando Franklin and Melvin Gordon. The Lions have a good team, they were a legitimate playoff team last year, but playing out in San Diego with no Ndamukong Suh and a questionable running game, this should be the Chargers game.

BUCCANEERS (-3) over Titans

How great did the NFL do with its scheduling? The top two picks in the draft were both quarterbacks, and they’re going to face off against each other in their first NFL games. I don’t think either Jameis Winston or Marcus Mariota are going to be franchise quarterbacks in the long run, but I will say I’m rooting for Mariota a lot harder. I think Jameis is a little more talented, but Mariota makes up for that by being infinitely more mature. The difference early on will be Winston’s receiving core. Mike Evans is one of the best in the league, and Vincent Jackson still has something left. I’ll take the Bucs at home.

RAIDERS (+3) over Bengals

Get all your Raiders jokes out now, because in a year or two they’re going to be good again. You heard it here first. Derek Carr got better as the year went on last year, which is the best you could hope for from a rookie quarterback. They added Amari Cooper, who is might be better than any rookie receiver last year. His route running, physicality, and overall athleticism is mind boggling. Jack Del Rio is a pretty good coach. The Bengals are getting older, and Andy Dalton is, in the words of the great Colin Cowherd, “a boring water pistol.”

BRONCOS (-4) over Ravens

If you bet on the Broncos every game for the first eight and bet against them every game for the last eight, I think you’ll win money. I say that without having taken one look at the schedule beyond this week. The Broncos are going to look really good at the beginning of the season. Peyton Manning will be healthy. They’ll have an improved running game. They have a lot of stars on their defense, from Von Miller to Aqib Talib. But then, Peyton’s going to wear down. He’ll get hurt. It’ll linger. He won’t heal as fast. The offensive line has one proven starter in Louis Vasquez, and another All-Pro guard in Evan Mathis who was just brought in a couple of weeks ago. At least two rookies will play a significant role on the line this year. The Ravens will be a good team too, but in Week 1, at home, I’ll take the Broncos.

Giants (+6) over COWBOYS

The Giants will be one of the most improved teams in the NFL this year. They addressed their offensive line issues in the draft. It still won’t be great, but it’ll be better. Eli Manning had a good year last year, and with a (cross your fingers) healthy Victor Cruz lining up across from Odell Beckham Jr., along with a healthy Rashad Jennings playing with Andre Williams in the backfield, I think they can be vey good defensively. It’ll be interesting to see what happens with Jason Pierre-Paul, as I don’t think they can be a playoff team without him unless another pass rusher emerges. The Cowboys will be good, but I don’t see them replicating what they did last year. They were 5-1 in one possession games a year ago, expect that to scale back a little this year, especially with a reduced running game. Defensively, they haven’t improved, and they’re without their best corner now. Give me the Giants in the upset.

Eagles (-3) over FALCONS

Everybody likes to criticize the moves Chip Kelly made this year, but they’re going to look silly when they realize he upgraded at running back, linebacker, corner, and quarterback, while maintaining the receiving core at the same time. He’s won ten games each of his first two years, I think he’ll win more this year and win the division. The Falcons have improved their pass rush, but failed to address their offensive line, I think the Eagles put up a lot of points and don’t expect Atlanta to keep up.

Vikings (-2) over 49ERS

The 49ers are not in a good place right now. They’ve lost practically their entire defense, along with Michael Crabtree and Frank Gore. But the biggest loss they’ve suffered was Jim Harbaugh. Harbaugh walked right into a shaky locker room and took them to the NFC Championship, one play away from winning it, then two more NFC Championship games, won one, came a play away from winning the other, and came one play away from winning the Super Bowl. Then they go 8-8 in an injury-riddled season and everyone’s ready to run him out of town. Their loss. And San Francisco will have a lot of those this year, starting this week, against a team that I think will be a playoff contender with a second-year Teddy Bridgewater and the return of Adrian Peterson.

For all you college football degenerate gamblers, or just people with gambling problems that will bet on anything, I’m in a weekly college football pick ’em, so here’s my picks for this week. Minnesota (-6), Penn State (-20.5), Hawaii (+40), Michigan (-15.5), Tulsa (+4), Michigan State, Tennessee, and LSU straight up.

For more useless sports banter, follow me on Twitter @rory_maccallum

NFL record: 0-0-1

College Football Record: 0-0-0

AFC, New England Patriots, NFC, NFL, San Francisco 49ers, Washington Redskins

Deflategate Hangover: It could be worse

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Generated by IJG JPEG Library
Generated by IJG JPEG Library

It happened the moment the duck boats went away and the final piece of confetti was placed in the trash receptacle. The 2014 NFL season was over and fans of the product were about to face the time of year they fear the most: off season.

It goes without saying, this off season was a bit different in New England. The Patriots won the Super Bowl and the farce known simply as deflategate dominated the airwaves, however, despite the wall to wall Pat’s coverage, it was still the dreaded offseason. For the rabid NFL fans who crave football, actual gridiron football, September was many months away.

This upcoming Thursday, the Pittsburgh Steelers will play the defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots in the 2015 season opener. Suddenly all the petty league issues which have flooded the collective consciousness of all NFL fans can dissolve and those fans can embrace what they clamor for the most, the game of football.
Does this mean there isn’t room for some dramatic narrative? Of course not. Football is fun to watch but it never hurts to add a little sizzle to that steak.

Two teams in the NFC have had their share of problems which will no doubt influence their on-field product in the coming season. Admittedly, neither NFC team has had to endure their quarterback’s integrity being questioned in front of a courtroom but Tom Brady isn’t the only pigskin gunslinger to be placed in tumultuous circumstances.
New England fans are not used to quarterback controversies, well not since 2001. In our nation’s capital there is a great deal of debate among fans as to whom deserves to be under center; 2012 Rookie of the Year Robert Griffin the third or his one time backup Kirk Cousins.

485188264-quarterback-robert-griffin-iii-of-the-gettyimages

The past two years have been a fall from grace for RG III. The man whom Washington traded their 6th and 39th draft picks in 2012, as well as their first round picks in 2013 and 2014 to the St. Louis Rams for the rights to his services, was injured late in his rookie campaign and never was able to fully come back from it. For the past few years Griffin and Cousins have been involved in a rigorous game of quarterback musical chairs. Recently after stating the opposite, coach Jay Gruden handed RG3 the clipboard in favor of now starting quarterback Kirk Cousins. Nothing like paying a king’s ransom for a backup quarterback.

460937000-head-coach-jim-harbaugh-of-the-san-francisco-gettyimages

Elsewhere, the San Francisco 49ers are about to start their 2015 season after losing a great deal of talent. First and foremost, bombastic but result garnering coach Jim Harbaugh was all but pushed out an open hatch as a plane flew over Michigan. 49ers owner Jed York was not a fan of Harbaugh’s eccentric coaching tactics and was thrilled to hire new head coach Jim Tomsula.

The 49ers lost a great of group talent with notable names like running back Frank Gore, who headed to the Indianapolis Colts and star wide receiver Michael Crabtree who sought work with the Oakland Raiders. San Francisco was fortunate enough to pick up wide receiver Torrey Smith and running back Reggie Bush to attempt to lessen some of the loss. Sadly, five 49ers retired this past off season, with linebacker Patrick Willis being the most notable. The often heralded but constant criminal, linebacker Aldon Smith was finally released after yet another run in with the law. Needless to say, Colin Kaepernick will not be working with a squad remotely similar to the team he took to the Super Bowl in 2013.

These two aforementioned trainwrecks may be facing more turmoil than the promise of a new season may afford their anguished fan bases. Times of chaos are usually only a few stone throws away for any team in the National Football League. Fans in New England hope the Patriots have already paid their misery dues this offseason and I’d wager to say the same could be said for both the San Francisco 49ers and the Washington Redskins.

AFC, NFC, NFL

2015 NFL Season Predictions

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The one common thing about predictions is they miss the mark completely year in and year out. I had the Packers beating the Patriots in the Super Bowl last year, which was two fluke plays away from coming to fruition. Granted Green Bay would to have needed to beat New England, but they had already done so fairly easy earlier in the year. The 2015 season has a ton of unknowns. As of this article being published we don’t know if the Super Bowl MVP is going to be starting under center for the defending champs. Will Tommy be dogging Giselle from his Brookline home when the Patriots take on the Steelers? Can The Forehead’s arm strength that resembles Johnny Damon’s keep Denver in the hunt? Will the Neck Beard limit turnovers in the postseason, and avoid another raping by a Bill Belichick lead defense? Has Russell Wilson finally caved to Ciara’s golden vagina? Chances are probably not. He is such a soft piece of crap, and I’m already sick of the mantra he is shoving down the media’s throats. Buddy, you have one of the hottest pieces of ass on the market, destroy it! I can guarantee someone else on the Seahawks team will be if you are not. How many touchdowns will Captain America score on both sides of the ball for the Texans? He is another one who has some solid Instagram tail begging him to slide into their DMs, but he may be too dumb to notice it? It is prediction time, and I’m sure to catch a ton of crap for 99.9% of what I write, but let’s get crackin…

L is for the way you Look at Me
L is for the way you Look at Me

AFC East
Patriots (11-5)
Dolphins (9-7)
Bills (8-8)
Jets (6-10)
The division is still the Patriots to lose. They won’t be as dominant in the division as they have been in year’s past and will have their first five loss season in recent memory. Losing their starting corner-backs will be a much bigger problem than people are letting on.

Leveon Bell should be the overall #1 Pick in Fantasy Drafts, even with the suspension
Leveon Bell should be the overall #1 Pick in Fantasy Drafts, even with the suspension

AFC North
Ravens (12-4)
Steelers (10-6)
Bengals (9-7)
Browns (5-11)
Baltimore is another team who puked on themselves in the postseason last year, but will be improved in 2015. They addressed the defensive backfield in the off-season and in the draft, so they will be improved there. I may be the biggest Harbaugh hater on the planet, and rightfully so. I’d give anything to see some coach “one-punch” him during the post-game handshake.

Sale on Pills - Aisle 4
Sale on Pills – Aisle 4

AFC South
Colts (12-4)
Texans (9-7)
Titans (6-10)
Jaguars (4-12)
As bad as the AFC East is, the AFC South isn’t much better. The President of League Pharmaceutical Distribution went out and spent some money in the off-season. They got “tougher” if you want to call it that, on the offensive side of the ball. Scoring points wasn’t the problem for Indianapolis last season, it was getting hit in the nuts and thrown in a locker by the Patriots on defense. The Colts are soft, they are the sole reason for “Deflategate” and Jim Irsay loves pills and hookers.

According to me, we will see this twice in 2015.
According to me, we will see this twice in 2015.

AFC West
Broncos (13-3)
Chiefs (11-5)
Chargers (8-8)
Raiders (6-10)
Denver will go back to what won them championships at the end of Elway’s run. CJ Anderson isn’t Terrell Davis, but he, Monte Ball, and Ronnie Hillman will take the load off of The Forehead to win games on his own. The Horses have some studs on defense and can get after the quarterback. Will The Forehead be able to win the cold weather game come January and exercise that demon? I believe so.

Chip Kelly will be assaulted by Riley Cooper by Week 8. Print it!
Chip Kelly will be assaulted by Riley Cooper by Week 8. Print it!

NFC East
Eagles (12-4)
Cowboys (11-5)
Giants (7-9)
Redskins (4-12)
Chip Kelly is still kicking the tires on Tim Tebow, but he knows Sam Bradford will be his money maker on offense. Can he stay upright and healthy in the fast paced Eagles offense? Will Demarco Murray be over or underutilized? Did the 440 touches last year put too many miles on the tires? Can the defense hold up their end of the bargain? Many questions for a team that I’m picking to win the division.

70% Completion Rate he says? He must be smoking what Leveon Bell was this offseason.
70% Completion Rate he says? He must be smoking what Leveon Bell was this offseason.

NFC North
Green Bay (13-3)
Detroit (10-6)
Minnesota (8-8)
Chicago (7-9)
Green Bay is the class of the NFC, even losing Jordy Nelson. I love the back end of their defense and Ha-Ha Clinton Dix, if he remains healthy, will be an All Pro this year. The guy has a knack for always being around the ball and plays with a physical edge. Rodgers is the best quarterback in the league and will be playing for his second Super Bowl ring come February in San Francisco.

King Crab may have arm strength, but the dude threw 20+ INTs in a weak ACC
King Crab may have arm strength, but the dude threw 20+ INTs in a weak ACC

NFC South
New Orleans (12-4)
Atlanta (10-6)
Carolina (6-10)
Tampa Bay (4-12)
Bounce back year for the Saints this year. They did some serious house cleaning on the field and with positional coaches. I love the Dennis Allen pick up and Brandon Cooks is going to be an absolute monster. Drew Brees will miss his security blanket of Ginger Graham, but has some younger weapons at his disposal. I liken this situation to when Colston, Devery Henderson, Reggie Bush, and others were his primary targets.

Who Has it Better Than You? EVERYBODY!
Who Has it Better Than You? EVERYBODY!

NFC West
Seattle (12-4)
Arizona (9-7)
St. Louis (8-8)
San Francisco (5-11)
Mr. Ciara talked to God after he threw the interception to Malcolm Butler in the Super Bowl. He also talks to God when he is between the sheets with his girlfriend whom is a hip-hop superstar. Let’s hope, for the sake of Seahawks fans, he leaves that mumbo jumbo at home come opening weekend. Seattle has all of the talent in the world, but a coach who sometimes has his head in the sand with a smoothie cocktail on Venice Beach. The Hawks will be there come January, but will be traveling to Lambeau to face the Packers.

AFC Wild Card Weekend
(4) New England over (5) Kansas City
(3) Baltimore over (6) Pittsburgh
BYE: (1) Denver (2) Indianapolis

AFC Divisional Playoffs
(1) Denver over (4) New England
(3) Baltimore over (2) Indianapolis

AFC Championship
(1) Denver over (3) Baltimore

NFC Wild Card Weekend
(3) New Orleans over (6) Detroit
(4) Philadelphia over (5) Dallas
BYE: (1) Green Bay (2) Seattle

NFC Divisional Playoffs
(1)Green Bay over (4) Philadelphia
(2) Seattle over (3) New Orleans

NFC Championship
(1)Green Bay over (2) Seattle

Super Bowl 50
(1)Denver over (1) Green Bay

Postseason Awards:
MVP: Aaron Rodgers – Packers
Offensive Player of the Year: Calvin Johnson – Lions
Defensive Player of the Year: Justin Houston – Chiefs
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Amari Cooper – Raiders
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Randy Gregory – Cowboys
Comeback Player of the Year: Victor Cruz – Giants
Coach of the Year: Mike McCarthy – Packers

Other Postseason Awards and Predictions:
Owner Likely to Overdose Mid-Game: Jim Irsay – Colts
Most Dysfunctional Organization: New Jersey Jets/Washington No-Names
Most Likely to Bang Ciara Before Russell Wilson: Pete Carroll & Marshawn Lynch (Simultaneously)
Over/Under on the Amount of Babies Conceived When TB12 Takes The Field Opening Night: 1,233,393 (All Male Pregnancies)
Who Sings the National Anthem at Super Bowl 50 in San Francisco: The Biebs, if it isn’t him, murder whom is in charge of choosing the artist.
NFL Sex Tape That Gets Released by Mid-Season: Ciara with Marshawn Lynch and Pete Carroll
How many players murder their ACL’s by the end of the season: 95
Coach Likely to Get Challenged to Mortal Kombat by their own players: Chip Kelly
Coach with the season long sinus infection and cold: Bill Belichick, but that is a given. Six Rings has that effect on people.

There you have it. Go throw a million billion on each of these predictions. You’ll thank me later.

AFC, Carolina Panthers, New England Patriots, NFC, NFL

New England Patriots: Questions About Jimmy Garoppolo Will Be Answered Against Panthers

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The third preseason game for any National Football League team has annually been the, “dress rehearsal game.” It is the closest teams will get to a live action, regular season contest. The starters play throughout the first half and into the third quarter. In addition to the in-game level of play, the week lead up is very similar to a regular season game with strategy, film analysis, and most importantly who is going to start.

What Patriots fans should expect to see on Friday night in Charlotte is for Tom Brady to be on the field to start the game with as many starters as possible, that are healthy. Rob Gronkowski has not played in a preseason match up since 2012, mostly due to health. Due to this year’s circumstances, there seems to be a better chance that Gronkowski will play in this upcoming game.

More often than not in the third game of the preseason Tom Brady has played all through the first half. Bill Belichick in his press conference earlier this week finally hinted at, “Tom’s situation” being a factor in the game plan routine. Opening night is less than two weeks away and Bill Belichick still does not know who his starting quarterback will be. Belichick has to take precautionary measures and play both players equally with the starters.

When Jimmy Garoppolo finally gets out on the field Friday night, we will get a look at what he looks like with the first team players against a legitimate pro level defense. With players such as Luke Kuechly, Star Loutulelei, Charles Johnson, and Thomas Davis coming at him Garoppolo will get a taste of what it is really like to be the starter.

Jimmy Garoppolo leads Pats to comeback win vs The Saint (Photo: Keith Nordstrom/NewEnglandPatriots.Com)
Jimmy Garoppolo leads Pats to comeback win vs The Saint (Photo: Keith Nordstrom/NewEnglandPatriots.Com)

Since he was drafted in April of 2014, Patriots fans have been gushing over Garoppolo. He has not been criticized much by fans and some media members. It is almost as if he is being coddled because he, “shouldn’t be compared to Tom Brady.” Well that is too bad because thats who he is taking over for, and it comes with the territory.

Last week he came into the game in the second quarter with all second-team players on the field. He had a very good game bringing the Patriots back from a 21-0 deficit, to win by a score of 26-24. He went 28 of 33 on the night throwing precise passes to Chris Harper and Jonathan Krause. Also, when his down field reads were gone he made the smart decision of dumping it off to James White and Dion Lewis. That was the first time I saw him really control the offense with the poise of a starter.

However, the speed of the game in the second half of the second preseason game against back ups is much different than when you are going up against starters. Even the third game can’t even compare to regular season speed, but it will be the highest level we have seen Garoppolo play at.

Throughout training camp, Garoppolo’s biggest issue was holding onto the football. He would sit back in the pocket and scan the field too long to the point were he would have to throw it away in a real game, or he would force it down field and get intercepted. On Friday night receivers are going to get jammed up at the line of scrimmage or they won’t be open down field as quickly as they should. This is when we will learn what Garoppolo is made of.

chowderchampions.com
chowderchampions.com

What Garoppolo should do when everything collapses is use his biggest attribute, his legs. Use your instincts and run for the sideline, get some yards and get out of bounds. That is how he can make a name for himself because it is something that Tom Brady has never been able to do overly effectively.

In the end, I believe that Jimmy Garoppolo will be slightly upsetting for Patriots fans on Friday night. He has just never truly taken snaps in a real full-go situation against big time players. In addition, there will be a patch work offensive line in front of him trying to block one of the league’s best defensive fronts. I think that the pressure will get to him and force him to make bad decisions. I hope I am wrong, but I have a feeling that after Friday night fans won’t feel as good about the situation with Tom Brady if he does have to serve some type of suspension.

AFC, Atlanta Falcons, New York Jets, NFC, NFL, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers

Quarterback Michael Vick signs with Pittsburgh Steelers

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Quarterback Michael Vick last played for the New York Jets.

After a brief stint with the New York Jets, free agent quarterback Michael Vick has signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The deal is for one year, and only worth roughly $1 million.

Vick had was drafted first overall by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2001 draft, and became a franchise quarterback, leading the team to a conference championship game in 2004. He was released from the team when he was arrested for dogfighting in 2007, and served 21 months in prison followed by 2 months house arrest. He made his return by playing for the Philadelphia Eagles. Vick did lead the Eagles to a playoff spot in 2009 and again in 2010, but never was able to lead them into deep playoff runs or stay healthy and consistent. In 2013 the Eagles chose not to resign Vick, who had been replaced by Nick Foles as starting QB.

Looking like his career may end, Vick was given the gift of a 1 year 5 million dollar contract by the New York Jets in 2014 to mentor the struggling Geno Smith. It proved to be an effort in futility for the Jets, in week 10 Vick was named their starter over Smith, and he pulled off their second win of the season. He had only started three games, and only competed 52.9% of his passes for 604 yards, throwing only for three touchdowns and two interceptions.

Michael Vick’s role with the Steelers is unknown, but it is a given that he is going to be a veteran backup to franchise quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. The signing could make sense as the other quarterbacks on the Steelers roster, Bruce Gradkowski and Landry Jones, are either injured or have yet to prove their worth. Other than being a backup, Vick could provide more versatility when it comes to the possibility of more attempts at two-point conversions, especially with the extra point distance being pushed back.

AFC, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, NFC, NFL

New England Patriots Immediate Reactions To Preseason Game Two Victory Against Saints

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The New England Patriots won their first game of the 2015 preseason in New Orleans on Saturday night, with a 26-24 come from behind victory. The Patriots started off sluggish in all three phases of the game, falling behind 21-0. Those were the starters out on the field when the team fell behind that badly, and you can be sure head coach Bill Belichick will let his players know about it. However, young players trying to make a name for themselves brought the Patriots back into the game. Here are my evaluations and observations from preseason game number two.

Defensive Starters Underwhelm: With the exception of Dont’a Hightower and Jerod Mayo, the Patriots starters on the defensive side of the ball were all on the field for the first three series of the game. It is safe to say that they did not impress at all. On the first offensive play of the game for the Saints, Drew Brees hit Mark Ingram on a wheel route in which he toasted Patriots linebacker Jamie Collins. A lot has been made about Collins athletic ability and how he by far and away the most physically gifted on the field at all times.

However, he has had a lot of trouble covering running backs. Saturday night was not his night. Later in the quarter Collins was blown back by Saints guard Jahri Evans on a screen play, that lead to a gain of seventeen yards. In addition, the Patriots secondary looked just like what many fans have feared they would look all offseason, horrendous. Drew Brees moved the football up and down the field with ease, picking apart New England defensive backs.

Patriots.com
Patriots.com

Particularly Duron Harmon, and Devin McCourty who played at the cornerback spot opposite of Malcolm Butler. This was never more evident than in the first quarter when Saints wide receiver Brandin Cooks ran straight past McCourty and Harmon for a forty-yard touchdown. It was flashbacks of 2011’s cellar dwelling secondary for many Patriots fans. The secondary is a work-in-progress so fans needed to be ready for games such as this one.

Offensive Line Continues To Struggle: The offensive did not give up seven sacks like they did last week agains the Green Bay Packers, nevertheless they did struggle opening up running lanes for LeGarrette Blount and Jonas Gray at times. The starting line went from left to right Nate Solder, Shaq Mason, David Andrews, Tre Jackson, and Sebastian Vollmer. Cameron Fleming saw most of the time at tackle in place of Vollmer.

The interior players struggled the most. It seemed as if time after time in the first half and even into the second, the Patriots running backs were just running into brick walls. After having a solid game last week, Shaq Mason struggled on Saturday night as he was blown up often by Saints defensive lineman. David Andrews had many of the same problems. Also, Cameron Fleming had some mental errors setting up in the wrong formation, which lead to a loss of yards for his team.

Patriots.com
Patriots.com

The pass protection was solid which was encouraging. Now if the unit can string together a good mix of both the run and pass protection next week against the Panthers, fans should feel good about their offensive line heading into week one.

Garoppolo Has Flashes of Promise: After the Tom Brady lead offense went three and out on three straight series, Jimmy Garoppolo came into the game and looked very flustered at first like he did last week. However, at the end of the first half with just over a minute to go Garoppolo was in position to prove himself in a critical situation with his team trailing 21-0.

Jimmy took his team down the field, capping off the drive with a great hustle play that resulted in a touchdown. The pocket collapsed on Garoppolo, but he managed to break free of a Saints defender, rolled out of the pocket and fired the ball into the back of the end zone to Chris Harper, who had a great game.

At the start of the second half, Garoppolo had his best series of the game. It was a five and a half minute drive that incapsulated eleven plays for 55 yards, that ended with a Dion Lewis eleven-yard touchdown run. Throughout the drive, Jimmy connected with players such as Chris Harper and Jimmay Mundine on key third and fourth down conversions.

Patriots.com
Patriots.com

There were some growing pains with Garropolo however. Early in the fourth quarter he made a terrible decision throwing the ball off his back foot to Brandon Gibson who was double covered. The ball was intercepted by Pierre Warren of the Saints. That is a Drew Bledsoe type mistake. He is moving the ball up and down the field looking good, then all of sudden he makes a dumb throw like that one. Also, later in the fourth Garoppolo dumped the ball off to Brandon Gibson on a third and long play. Gibson did not even come close to the first.

Jimmy Garoppolo’s most important drive of the game came with two-minutes to go in the game with the ball at the Saints forty-five yard line down 24-23. Garoppolo made essentially one play, and thats all he needed. On the first play of the series he fired the ball down the middle of the field to Jonathan Krause who made a very impressive catch with a New Orleans defender draped all over him. The catch put the Patriots at about the twenty-four yard line, setting up Stephen Gostkowski for the game winning thirty-five yard field goal.

In the end, Jimmy Garoppolo went 28 for 33, for 269 yards, with one touchdown pass and one interception. Not a bad game at all. Fans should feel encouraged about the progression from last week until now, and still be cautious that there is much more for Garoppolo to prove.

Miscellaneous Notes: Cornerback Bradley Fletcher stuck out for the first time all season, making two big pass breakups late in the game. Undrafted wide receiver Chris Harper was one of Jimmy Garoppolo’s favorite targets throughout the night, and he also had a huge punt return late in the game setting his team up with great field position. Malcolm Butler continued to impress, not so much with his coverage skills but with his physicality. He came up on two run plays in the first quarter and layed the wood down on two Saints players, one being Brandin Cooks.

The team as a whole has a lot to work on, especially on the defensive side of the ball. next Friday’s match up against the Carolina Panthers will be the most important of the preseason as the starters will see the majority of the reps. As fans we will get much more of a decent evaluation against a playoff caliber team.