I will admit — nobody really expected the Titans to be gearing up for a trip to Gillette Stadium this weekend. The Chiefs underachieved, sure but to lose to the Titans after being up 21-3? Crazy.
Two touchdowns for a divisional playoff game — and people will still bet on the Patriots. This just goes to show you how their dominance is overlooked at this point. Sure, the Titans don’t really scare anybody but they still went into Arrowhead, which is one of the harder places in the league to win (not in the playoffs though) and came back from an 18 point deficit. That being said, hammer the Patriots line. The Patriots last home game in the playoffs was a 19 point win against the Steelers — combo that with the ESPN headlines and all the negative talk? Patriots win this game by at least 3 TDs.
Love the banter from New Orleans here. The Panthers were very close to pulling off the upset but ultimately failed short with Cam Newton getting sacked on 4th down. The Saints move onto the next round and the 2017 Panthers season ends with 6 lossses — half of those to the Saints. That’s gotta hurt, especially watching the Saints celebrate like they won the damn Super Bowl after.
The last matchup of the weekend brings us perhaps the most exciting. The showdown between the two NFC South powerhouses reaches a trilogy in the 2017-18 season. The Saints look to defend their home turf in a third matchup against Carolina. New Orleans beat down the Panthers in Carolina 34-13 and then a 31-21 victory at home. The Saints are looking to beat them for the third time, which is no easy task.
The QB matchup features both past MVPs that are complete game-changers. Drew Brees has had a down-season for his standards but still can easily take over the game. Cam Newton however has the ability to burst out for a 40 yard run at any time. I actually like Cam to be the difference here but Brees is definitely more talented and cerebral. Advantage: Tie
Jonathan Stewart continues to be one of the least appreciated RBs in the NFL but the combo of Ingram and Kamara easily win here. Both have had an outstanding season and over 1,000 all-purpose yards. Advantage: Saints
The weapon advantage has to go to the Saints. The Panthers have bounced back fine without Kelvin Benjamin but Michael Thomas is easily the best weapon on the field. Greg Olsen’s return has revitalized the Panthers’ offense a bit but not enough. Advantage: Saints
The Saints defense have been the surprise of the season and ultimately have been the reason that they played so well this season. Marshon Lattimore is the defensive rookie of the year and nobody wants to throw his way. Advantage: Saints
This is a tough one because I really think the Saints will struggle to beat the Panthers three times in a row. The Saints are a much better team overall though and unless Cam Newton has a monster game, I think they finish off the season sweep.
Oh Buffalo, never change. The Bills, obviously thankful for the Bengals knocking the Ravens out, clinched their first playoff bid since the 1999 season. The Bengals won in dramatic fashion, with Andy Dalton finding Tyler Boyd on a 48 yard TD on 4th and 12 to end the Ravens’ season. What did Buffalo do to repay them?
Our friends at Duff’s are hitting the road to Cincinnati tonight with: 1440 wings 90 lbs of celery 30 lbs of carrots 6 gallons of blue cheese 9 gallons of Duff’s wing sauce And a TON of thank you’s from Buffalo! #GoBills
Classic. Who doesn’t love wings? Actually if anybody didn’t, it’d be Cincinnati residents and their weird ass Skyline Chili. Granted — who even knows who is at the Bengals’ facility by now as they have long been eliminated from the playoffs. Good on Buffalo repaying their debt for their (short) playoff trip.
NFL Wild Card Weekend will bring a match-up with two teams who haven’t had a ticket to the dance in quite some time. We have the Buffalo Bills, who last made the Playoffs in 1999, and the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jaguars last Playoff appearance was in 2007-2008 in New England. They lost 31-20 to the then undefeated Patriots.
The Bills last lost to the Tennessee Titans in the Music City Miracle game. An event that doesn’t need much explaining:
This game is the game I am look forward to most this weekend. It is mediocrity at it’s absolute finest. Two middling teams duking it out, to see who has the right to get their ass kicked in New England, or Pittsburgh. I’m sure these two fanbases will make sure there will be plenty of debauchery in the stands as well. Couldn’t be more excited.
Buffalo Bills:
What a year it has been up in Buffalo. The longest Professional Sports playoff drought in America finally comes to a close. The Bills exceeded expectations in general in 2017. A year after cleaning house from the Rex Ryan regime, it looked as if the Bills were orchestrating a tank job. They traded away key starters in Ronald Darby, and Sammy Watkins for lesser options in Jordan Matthews and E.J. Gaines. This was an attempt to give young coach, Sean Mcdermott a fresh clean slate.
The Bills responded by being a playoff contender for much of the year. They picked up key wins against the Broncos, Chiefs, Raiders, and Colts. Needing a win in week 17, Buffalo took down Miami 22-16, and Cincinnati knocked out Baltimore with a last second Andy Dalton touchdown to Tyler Boyd.
The Bills most explosive offensive weapon is Lesean McCoy. Shady can beat you in every single facet of the game. He is quick enough to beat you to the outside, he’s tough enough to run inside the tackles, and is a major weapon is the passing game. He’s pretty much the entire Buffalo Bills offense. Look for heavy dose of shady on Sunday, if he is healthy enough to go. It is sounding like he should be ok to play.
Not much else for the Bills on offense. It’s been a rough year on that side of the ball. Tyord Taylor is currently their starting Quarterback, but Sean McDermott famously switched to Nathan Peterman against the San Diego Chargers. Peterman threw 5 interceptions on the day, and the Bills got throttled.
Tyrod Taylor hasn’t exactly set the world on fire as the full-time starter for Buffalo. He did however, throw less interceptions over the course of the entire season, than Peterman did against the Chargers alone. He just doesn’t have many weapons to work with. His three biggest weapons are Charles Clay, Kelvin Benjamin, and Jordan Matthews. Even with those names, Shady is still the Bills best weapon in the passing game.
Defensively is where the Bills earn their stripes. They rank 16th in points, and 19th in yards allowed. The ’85 bears they aren’t, but they can keep themselves in games with solid defensive play.
Jacksonville Jaguars:
The Jags finished 2017 with a 10-6 record, and a playoff birth for the first time since 2008. They do so after entering the season amid a QB controversy. Jags head coach, Doug Marrone had considered turning the keys of the offense over to Chad Henne in training camp. Marrone wisely stuck with Blake Bortles.
Bortles went on to have a solid year at the helm. The Jags had signature wins against the Steelers, Ravens, Seattle, and Houston twice. Most of it was lead by rookie Running Back, Leanord Fournette.
Fournette rushed for 1,040 yards, and 9 touchdowns. He added 302 yards, and 1 touchdown receiving.
Their calling card is their defense. Jacksonville finished 5th in points allowed, and 4th in yards allowed. Calais Campbell leads a very strong defensive line. He finished the season with 14.5 sacks, and was an all-pro as both a Defensive End, and Defensive tackle. Jalen Ramsey leads a young strong secondary. Ramsey finished 2017 with 4 interceptions, and 14 passes defended. There are many other strong pieces including Dante Fowler, Tashaun Gipson, Malik Jackson, and A.J. Bouye. The Jaguars are very young, and very good on defense. Don’t be surprised if Jacksonville goes on a little playoff run, as long as Bortles doesn’t revert back to his old self.
Final Verdict:
Jacksonville 17- Buffalo 3
Buffalo is just not good enough offensively to compete with this Jags team. Tyrod Taylor likely won’t pick apart the Jags, they are too strong on defense for the lowly Bills offense. Whoever controls the line of scrimmage, and turns it over fewest will win. Going to be a snoozer, but it is Mediocrity’s Super Bowl after all!
The Oakland Raiders have hired Jon Gruden as their next coach. According to Adam Schefter, the team will make it official on Tuesday when they hold an introductory press conference.
BREAKING: The Raiders will introduce Jon Gruden as their new head coach in a press conference on Tuesday. (via multiple reports) pic.twitter.com/Tun0dPx0XK
The move doesn’t come as a surprise to anyone. This “news” was basically made official weeks ago but it was nice to finally get the conformation that both sides have agreed on a contract and we can put these rumors to bed.
Gruden, who coached Oakland from 1998 to 2001, is returning to the Raiders to replace Jack Del Rio, who was fired after the regular-season finale on Sunday.
At the end of the day this signing wont really make much of an impact. It’ll be funny and entertaining, but it wont really make that much of a difference. The biggest impact will be for the fans who watch Monday Night Football and the fans who love Hooters and Coronas. We don’t like change.
EDITOR’S NOTE – Just broke that this is for 10 years, $100 million. What a joke to pay a football coach that much. The Raiders better hope it’s worth it because it’s probably not.
Saturday afternoon will feature the first of two AFC Wild Card Playoff Matchups. The 5 seed, Tennessee Titans will travel to Kansas City, to take on the 4 seed, Chiefs. The Chiefs haven’t won a home playoff game in their last 5 attempts. Tennessee has not qualified for postseason play since 2008. Looks to me like this one has all the makings of a shitty Wild Card match-up.
Tennesse Titans:
The Titans are back in post season play for the first time since 2008. That was a 13-10 loss at the expense of the Baltimore Ravens. This season has been a bit of a roller coaster for them. At times, Marcus Mariota looks flawless, and the Titans look like a real contender. Other times, they look mediocre at best. They finished the year with a 9-7 record. The problem with the Titans is I don’t feel like they had any real signature wins this season. Their best wins on paper were at home against Seattle in week 3, and at Houston in week 4. Nothing to write home about. The Titans Defense will have it’s handsfull with the Chiefs Offense. They rank 17th in the NFL in points allowed (356), and 13th in yards allowed. They have played a weak schedule as well.
Marcus Mariota was poised to take the proverbial “Next Step” in 2017, but has fallen short.
WOOF. Brutal season from the ex Oregon Duck. Obviously, it’s the turnovers that present the largest concern. Generally in the postseason, whoever wins the turnover battle, wins the game. Mariota is going to have to make plays with his legs, along with his arm. He is known for his ability to extend plays with his feet. He did rush for 312 yards, and 5 rushing touchdowns on the year. Personally, he sucks. Look for him to look like shit.
Kansas City Chiefs:
Much like their opponent, the Chiefs have had an up-and-down 2017. They started out looking the immediate Super Bowl Contenders beating the New England Patriots 42-27 on opening night. Four more wins came at the expense of the Eagles, Chargers, Redskins, and Texans. They were off to a 5-0 start, and we go a boat load of the “Kansas City Chiefs are Super Bowl Contenders” talk.
They would go on to lose 6 of their next 7 games. The losses came at the hands of the Steelers, Raiders, Cowboys, Giants, Jets, and Bills. They certainly showed their true colors. They did finish the season with four wins in a row over the Raiders, Chargers, Broncos, and Dolphins. All crap bag teams.
Chiefs Quarterback, Alex Smith seems to be on borrowed time with Patrick Mahomes breathing down his neck.
Still a solid year for Smith. He doesn’t turn the ball over whatsoever. This trait is vital, in the playoffs. Ultimately, Smith’s ball protection will likely be the key too the game. If Tennessee can force some turnovers, then they may be able to sneak out a win.
Smith will be looking to chuck the rock to Tyreek Hill, his speedy deep threat. Hill has 1,183 yards, 7 touchdowns in 2017.
Kansas City has the league’s leading rusher at their disposal, in Kareem Hunt. Hunt finished 2017 with 1,327 rushing yards, and 8 touchdowns. Look for Hunt to make an impact running the ball, catching it in the passing game, and make an impact on special teams.
The Chiefs defense ranks 15th in the league in points allowed, and 28th in yards allowed. Not quite the stout Kansas City Chiefs defense of years past. However, they do have insane playmakers in Justin Houston, Marcus Peters, and Tamba Hali.
Final Verdict:
Chiefs 21 – Titans 10
The Chiefs are just far too well rounded for the Titans, who just barely got in. I don’t love the Chiefs going much further, but they’ll throw their fanbase a bone, and win a meaningless Wild Card game in 2018.
I leave you with a photo from the Chiefs last home playoff win:
For those living under a rock today, Seth Wickersham released his magnum opus on ESPN this morning. A whole big piece on how there is trouble in paradise because all the Patriots do is win and keep everything shut air tight. I know this may seem shocking as ESPN was the outlet that pushed the ‘Deflategate’ agenda way past where it should have been.
But according to interviews with more than a dozen New England staffers, executives, players and league sources with knowledge of the team’s inner workings, the three most powerful people in the franchise — Belichick, Brady and owner Robert Kraft — have had serious disagreements.
I went into this with an open mind because that actually sounds plausible. All three of the powers in New England are human, whether they have reached an extraordinary amount of success or not. It only makes sense from time to time that there may be a rift or someone thinks they deserve more credit — it happens. I read this article and considered believing it for a few minutes. It was well-written, made some logical points, and described scenarios that very well can happen.
Then I remembered who this is from, and the timing of it. ESPN published this right before the playoffs. Sketchy right? What time did they post this? 1 AM — despite reports yesterday that they were publishing this at 8 AM. What else came out in the middle of the night when nobody else was watching? Deflategate. The fact that there were reports of this coming up and the internet was buzzing about it was exactly what ESPN wanted with this article.
I believed it for a long time while reading the piece — but this is wrong and there’s really no hot takes to take from it.
Tom Brady and Bill Belichick have a standard player-coach relationship. They work well together, obviously, but have never been best friends. They argue. That’s normal. They didn’t see eye to eye over the Guerrero issue. But It’s not going to yield a divorce.
Honestly, I do believe that there is some rift between Belichick and Brady. Brady loves his weird guru Chinese medicine scientist pliability coach — fine. Brady’s a weird dude anyway. Guerrero is exactly the type of guy that Belichick hates. Some guy who thinks oils and scents will heal a player or some shit like that. Brady and Belichick aren’t best friends, they have a coach-player relationship. There is a massive amount of respect between the two of them as there should be.
The part about Garoppolo? It was clear that the organization wanted to keep him — why wouldn’t you? The problem was that he was a free agent. According to the article, they offered him 4 years with 16/17 mil per year. A great contract for a backup and clearly shows the Pats had him in their plans. The problem was the when. Jimmy G is young and wanted to start — can’t hate on that. They were unable to come to an agreement. The Pats had to move him and Belichick gave a friendly discount to San Franscisco. Not much to see here. You can’t move on from Brady right now because he wants to keep playing and is doing so at a MVP caliber level.
Brady, though, seemed liberated. Kraft hugged Brady when he saw him that week, in full view of teammates. A few days later during practice, some players and staffers noticed that Brady seemed especially excited, hollering and cajoling.
There most likely to some truth to this part because Brady was probably relieved that he doesn’t have competition for him to finish up his career in New England. It’s natural to be a bit happy — he’s allowed to be happy for Jimmy to get his shot across the country too. At the end of the day, Jimmy G was competition for Brady’s spot next year and it’s human to have some relief that he wouldn’t have to be competing for his spot next year.
We even heard from Don Yee, Tom Brady’s agent —
“I don’t really know what to say — it’s tough to have a response since it didn’t appear to me to have one on-the-record quote,” Yee said. “All I can suggest is don’t believe everything you read.”
He’s right. Not a single quote from someone inside the organization. This entire sting piece comes off hearsay from Seth Wickersham. Not Adam Schefter, not Mike Reiss, hell not even Felger. This is a joke and just shows the level ESPN, the “worldwide leader” is willing to go.
31 teams in the NFL would kill to be in the Patriots’ situation. If this is the biggest issue going on, I think that’s fine. Through this whole season of “controversy,” the Patriots managed to casually go 13-3 and wrap up the 1 seed in the AFC on the back of a huge win in Pittsburgh. Nothing will come out of this and I’m sure the next media day — not Brady, Belichick, or Kraft will say a damn thing about the report. Why? Because that’s what the Patriots do. They’ll continue to win and keep everything in-house as it should be. Is there a problem between the three of them? I’m sure they don’t agree at times but they all have one mutual goal and that’s success for the New England Patriots franchise. This article only showed that ESPN has never quit their mission to undermine the Patriots. It hasn’t worked in the past and it won’t work in the future. Brady and Belichick will both be back next year.
Kudos to Sashi Brown. Really, what an absolute masterpiece of a tank job. Last night, USC’s Sam Darnold, and UCLA’s Josh Rosen both declared for the NFL draft. Cleveland’s offseason will come down to which one they’ll choose. Personally, I’m not too thrilled with either one. I really feel like Rosen, and Darnold will go 1 and 2, a la Mariota and Winston, or Goff and Wentz. In that regard, we’re stuck with one of them, so let’s pick one and roll with it. Build the fucking team around him.
Right now if you put a switchblade to my balls, and asked me who the better Quarterback was, I’d say Rosen. He’s got a more rounded game than Darnold. He’s obviously very smart, makes the right reads, and doesn’t force it too much. I see Rosen having a Alex Smith type career. Not great, but not bad in any way.
Now, for Darnold. Based on chatter surrounding these two, Darnold seems like he’ll be the pick. He’s not the better of the two quarterbacks right now, but he has the tools to have a higher ceiling than Rosen. Sam is big, 6’4 225 lbs, a frame which will come in handy in the AFC North. His highlight clips indicate that he has more willingness to take risks with the Football. I’m more than ok with it, so long as he can be coached properly on when to take them.
I like the fact that Darnold is willing to make some risks to make plays. Based off the highlight clip he can do it with his legs as well. He’s certainly not Michael Vick, but he can improvise with his legs when needed.
As mentioned in previous posts it’s going to come down to which one isn’t a Nancy boy. Who’s willing to accept the challenge of joining the Cleveland Browns. So far, Darnold is the leader in that regard:
Sam Darnold is asked how he’d look in a Browns uniform: “Whenever I come out for the NFL, I’d be honored to play for any team.”
So I sit here on January 4th and am telling you that Sam Darnold will likely be picked 1st overall in April. I’m not exactly thrilled, but I still have some hope. Unfortunately, the only quarterback that’s really intrigues me is Baker Mayfield.
He presents the most upside out of any quarterback out there. He’s got the swagger, drive, and ability to lead a team on Sunday’s. There are obviously off the field concerns, but I generally feel like he wants it more on the field than the QB he’s most compared to, Johnny Manziel.
The Rose Bowl was telling in a negative way for Mayfield. He had his Sooners up 31-17 at the half. They ended up losing the game 54-48. I thought it would be a game where Mayfield would go out, and take a win from Georgia. It never happened. Suspect play-calling was an issue, but Mayfield seemed to wilt. It was a concerning game for him.
Still a long way to go, but again it just seems inevitable Darnold will be the guy. The Browns have some options, as they pick 4th overall as well.
My Updated 2018 NFL Mock Draft (try #2):
1. #Browns – QB Sam Darnold 2. #Giants – QB Josh Rosen 3. #Colts – OT Connor Williams 4. #Browns – RB Saquon Barkley 5. #Broncos – QB Baker Mayfield 6. #Jets – DE Bradley Chubb 7. #Bucs – OT Orlando Brown
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Honestly, I do believe that there is some rift between Belichick and Brady. Brady loves his weird guru Chinese medicine scientist pliability coach — fine. Brady’s a weird dude anyway. Guerrero is exactly the type of guy that Belichick hates. Some guy who thinks oils and scents will heal a player or some shit like that. Brady and Belichick aren’t best friends, they have a coach-player relationship. There is a massive amount of respect between the two of them as there should be.
The part about Garoppolo? It was clear that the organization wanted to keep him — why wouldn’t you? The problem was that he was a free agent. According to the article, they offered him 4 years with 16/17 mil per year. A great contract for a backup and clearly shows the Pats had him in their plans. The problem was the when. Jimmy G is young and wanted to start — can’t hate on that. They were unable to come to an agreement. The Pats had to move him and Belichick gave a friendly discount to San Franscisco. Not much to see here. You can’t move on from Brady right now because he wants to keep playing and is doing so at a MVP caliber level.
Office Chatter 