1.Kansas City Chiefs(up one)-Patrick Mahomes is making team General Manager Brett Veach look genius in lieu of the decision to part with game manager Alex Smith in favor handing the reigns over to Mahomes. 13 touchdown passes in three weeks? That's not supposed to happen to a defacto running back but it doesn't hurt when you have the likes of Kareem Hunt, Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce at your disposal. Team to beat in the AFC.
2.Los Angeles Rams(down one)-It was an all Los Angeles battle in which the Rams continued their double digit winning ways. A couple reasons for slating them behind the Chiefs. For starters, I fear as if they're beginning to wear down Todd Gurley with over usage and as a prospective fantasy owner of #30, I'm beginning to postulate that he won't be as effective as the weeks progress and secondly the secondary looked like a fish out of water. Marcus Peters ever since the move from Kansas City has yet to find his niche and the reports from the game were that corner Aqib Talib's injury is believed to be serious.
3.Tennessee Titans(up twenty)-The rollercoaster in Nashville continues to undulate as my thoughts on the Titans vastly change from week to week. At 2-1, arguably should be 3-0 but yet each victory hasn't been pristine but it's the tenacity of this group that has me believing. This is not a team who is must watch television, I mean versus the Jags today Marcus Mariota only threw for one hundred yards but is being proficient with the football and isn't beating himself. The counter argument will be that Blake Bortles at quarterback is the equivalent to Derek Stepan in hockey however you can't argue with the Jaguars offensive fortitude up until this week which speaks to a GREAT defence. Kenny Vaccaro who was brought over from the New Orleans Saints has been a rock in the secondary.
4.Green Bay Packers(down one)- The Green Bay Packers without a healthy Aaron Rodgers are frankly a shell of their former selves. This narrative has been a staple of my Packer synopses to date however after a tentative performance in a loss to Washington the reason I chose to not slide the Packers down too far was for that explanation, specifically. Pat Mahomes is beginning to make a case but unquestionably Aaron Rodgers is the best quarterback in the National Football League. His calling card,turning coal into gold with the likes of Davante Adams and Gerinomo Allison. Hands up if you had any familiarity with Allison before the campaign began.
5.Philadelphia Eagles(up twelve)-By his own admission Carson Wentz was largely sluggish against the Colts but just through the sheer presence of Wentz alone it completely changes the complexion of the Eagles game plan. They can be more proactive on the play action because of Wentz's arm strength opening the door for Corey Clement and Wendel Smallwood to showcase their creativity out of the backfield. When I analyze the Eagles I'm reminded of Rich Gannon led Oakland Raider teams from the early two thousands as similar to Wentz, Gannon had limited mobility(don't even try to proclaim Wentz is a good mover) yet could pick apart secondaries with his precision. The enticing component about this group is it's seasoned and knows what it takes to win.
6.Jacksonville Jaguars(up two)-Riddle me this, why isn't SMU alum Courtland Sutton a Jaguar? With all due respect to Keelan Cole and Didi Westbrook, they aren't number one receivers which has me sympathetic to the plight of Blake Bortles. I've ragged on Bortles throughout the years and at most junctures deservingly but the Jaguars regime has done nothing in the way of appropriately supplying Blake a competent supporting cast of receivers. Unlike the aforementioned Cole and Westbrook, Sutton DOES have number one potential.
7.Los Angeles Chargers(unchanged)- A 1-2 team at number seven of these rankings? Look at who they've lost to, the two organizations occupying the top of these rankings. Nothing to be ashamed of at bowing down to the Chiefs and Rams. Even in this afternoon's tilt, they gave themselves a chance. Melvin Gordon will carry most of the accolades but first rounder receiver Mike Williams is beginning to turn heads. Eighty one yards and a couple of touchdowns has provided Rivers with a legitimate dynamic duo amongst he and Keenan Allen.
8.Pittsburgh Steelers(up three)-A couple reasons for the Steelers upgrading to the eighth position. Tenacity. The Steel curtain all week had to hear the noise pertaining to team dysfunction and there's no question many within Pennsylvania deemed this a must win contest and Big Ben and company perservered. Secondly, although they sit at 1-1-1, can you actually see anyone else prevailing in the AFC North? As much as I would love to see the Bengals, Browns or Ravens provide resistance, this Monday night slugfest woke the Black, white and yellow up and to put it blunty, I wouldn't want to be the Ravens next Sunday night.
9.Denver Broncos(down four)-A lot of the water cooler banter from the Broncos perspective was whether or not Case Keenum was invogorating or hindering the Broncos see-saw first two weeks. It's my opinion that Keenum's "struggles" were being overblown and what should really be looked at with a magnifying glass is the offensive line. From what I've seen Keenum has been forced to rush throws not giving ample time for playmakers such as Sanders and Thomas to do what they do best. Keenum is not somebody that is effective when forced to scramble(who is really) so the onus is now on Vance Joseph to refine the blocking schemes to aid this explosive team infront of him.
10.Washington Redskins(up six)-In week one I labelled the Redskins as a darkhorse of mine only to have that hit me like a pile of bricks with how they responded against the Indianapolis Colts. Jay Gruden was quoted on Sunday's broadcast when queried with the identity of his team and he promptly stressed that the mold of the 2018 version is it's smash mouth physicality. I couldn't agree more as when it hauled in Adrian Peterson it reformed it's running identity as Peterson at age 33 isn't the slasher he once was but will still run it down the interior of the defence. It's a terrific compliment as the sheer presence of AP offsets the strength of the receiving core which is breakaway speed and probably not a ton of physicality. I've laid down the inevitable jinx again but remember this on September 24th,2018 when I suffice to say I wouldn't be shocked to see the Redskins in the 2019 Super Bowl.
11.Miami Dolphins(up nine)-I didn't want to do this but at 3-0 with a pivotal divisional contest against the Patriots upcoming, I had no other choice but to provide the Dolphins a lofty ranking. Let's review the tape....in week one they were handed a gift against Tennessee and against New York they exploited a turnover laden Sam Darnold. Today was a generally more consistent performance but where I still take issue with Miami is did they really earn the win, or, for a third straight week did Jon Gruden coach his team with a paper bag over his head. My real takeaway from this game is will Gruden be retained for 2019 and not necessarily the excellent 3-0 record.
12.Chicago Bears(down three)-Legion of boom 2.0. This was nearly an unforgivable upset loss at the hands of the Arizona Cardinals however reslience was shown and a comeback was mounted. Early viewings of Mitch Trubisky have taught me the following, he definitely has the arm strength to be a viable starting quarterback in the league however his IQ is coming into question.I'll chalk this up to playing down to the level of the opponent but in summary Mitch needs to put forth a better effort.
13.New Orleans Saints(up thirteen)-Who are the New Orleans Saints? Are they the team that got scorched for eighty five points in weeks one and three collectively? Are they a team that can score at will and eventually their defence will figure this out? Tip of the cap for edging Atlanta but the storyline that will surely develop is how much longer Dennis Allen(D-coordinator) will be given to figure this out. I seem to recall Allen had similar problems when overseeing the Raiders.
14.Atlanta Falcons(down ten)-At the end of the day squared up against the Saints, Matt Ryan exited with a clean stat sheet so where are things falling off the rails? My theory is I'm not convinced that Tevin Coleman can singularly handle the running load and the absence of Devonta Freeman was magnified. Don't take this the wrong way but Coleman is a A LOT more useful when utilized in a Theo Riddick-esque role but when he's summoned to be an every down back, the issues exponate. On a brighter note, Calvin Ridley continues to evolve and as I teased last week this is all welcome news for Julio Jones.
15.Carolina Panthers(down three)-I look back now and laugh that I was so skeptical over the Panthers decision to draft Christian McCaffrey eighth overall in the 2017 draft. Why was I timid over the selection? Well, it's apparent I was late to the party in the sense that the style of McCaffrey, someone who's not a north/south runner whatsoever and specializes in tosses and screens could actually succeed in the NFL, and spoiler alert, it can! The Cincinnati Bengals defence came into this contest with momentum but it was the son of Denver Bronco receiver Ed that put the Panthers in the back with a gigantic win that keeps pace with the Saints in the NFC South.Looking forward to the Panthers-Redskins match is three weeks time.
16.New England Patriots(down three)-The mentoree got the best of the mentor in the Matt Patricia/Bill Belichick battle. The Pats lose again, this time to a much inferior opponent but need not worry fans of the Patriors, they do after all reside in the AFC east. I can't believe I'm saying this but all of a sudden the coupling of the Dolphins and Patriots in week four is a must win game. Lose that one and then I'll co-sign the panic button being pushed.
17.Minnesota Vikings(down eleven)-I harken back to the 2002 Open Championship where sir Eldrick himself, the great Tiger Woods walked into Muirfield the massive favourite only to shatter his tournament hopes by firing a 81 on Saturday. The moral of the story, everyone is entitled to an off day and evidently the Vikings are no different. What happened to the Vikes today against the hapless Buffalo Billls is unexplainable. Kirk Cousins needs to do a better job securing the football otherwise the Purple and Yellow will be prone to a multitude of these kind of afternoons. The absence of Dalvin Cook was noticeable.
18.Tampa Bay Buccaneers(down three)-Dirk Koetter has an interesting decision week. At the end of the day, Ryan Fitzpatrick ended up exceeding the 400 yard passing mark for a third consecutive week however most of the yards came in the fourth quarter where the deficit(temporarily anyway) was rather large. It was a sloppy first half where he transitioned to the Fitzpatrick we used to know that threw a lot of careless balls. At 2-1, the Bucs have passed the litmus test that was the three week audition without Jameis Winston but at the same time this franchise has heavily invested in the former first overall pick which begs the question if they're willing to ride with Fitz at risk of alienating Winston. Not to get overly technical but I felt Fitzpatrick's arm angle was getting too low at the time of release which had a causal effect of too many deflected balls. I haven't seen a gunslinger get that low on release since infamous former Oakland Athletics submariner Chad Bradford.
19.Cincinnatti Bengals(down nine)-Again, and apologies for sporadically bringing in fantasy football gripes but at what point did Tyler Boyd become Andy Dalton's favourite target? It seems as if when the game is on the line, #83 is called over the reputable #18 A.J Green. With the Steelers seemingly in shambles I still view the division title attainable but this fantasy football addict would love to see Green and Dalton re-acquaint with one another.
20.Indianapolis Colts(down one)-Quite possibly my most difficult grading for week three. Why you ask? Well, it's because I'm starting to inquire asto whether or not this organization has hit it's ceiling with Andrew Luck at quarterback. A quality football man in Chuck Pagano lost his job last year over the tire fire collection of quarterbacks he was mandated to send out in wake of Andrew Luck's injury but now Luck is back and (fully?)healthy, I'm not sure if this team can prosper. I think in a round about way what I'm trying to theorize is their's not not a glaring weakness in the organizational depth chart, but yet don't seem to have any budding superstars either. They're stuck in the no-mans land, the Calgary Flames of the NFL if you will.
21.Baltimore Ravens(up three)-In what will amount to a pointless tidbit, I'll point out that former Texas Tech superstar Michael Crabtree has long been a favourite of mine and for whatever reason in every market he frequents he tends to fade into obscurity.Jim Harbaugh was quoted in the lead up to the contest v Denver that he needed Alex Collins to be more assertive. From thirteen yards in week one, to thirty five in week to rising to sixty eight with a touchdown this week, the aforementoned assertiveness was their but is it enough? ESPN insider Adam Schefter reported Sunday that the Steelers are looking to move Le'Veon Bell and I understand hell would have to freeze over in order for the Steelers to trade Bell to a divisional rival but it's worth pointing out the fit exists.
22.Dallas Cowboys(down eight)-The accountability of this group is strong. It's perfectly clear that third year pro Ezekiel Elliott solely through post game scrums has embraced a leadership role with the Cowboys as after the loss to the Seahawks he was blunt in his assessment that he was behind the loss. 127 yards on sixteen carries and unarguably laying claim to being the leagues second best running back is harsh self critique but what I appreciate is he's not satisfied with status quo. I'm still a proponent of America's team but Allen Hurns is fastly approaching bust territory. #wheresdez
23.Cleveland Browns(up four)-Similarly to the Tennessee Titans who in retrospect should be 3-0, ditto applies for the Cleveland Browns. Kicker Zane Gonzalez was the scape goat and also unfortunately why they find themselves 1-1-1 and not undefeated. The more you scour through these rankings, and it's already happened aplenty is I enjoy throwing in different sport references to complete my synopses, so try this on for good measure.... Is it a fair comparison to group the way casual fans view the Browns to that of how the Chicago Cubs were scrutinized prior to their infamous 2016 World Series win? The Browns beat the New York Jets, not a herculean achievement yet the consensus is it was an inspirational win. That's after one win!! Imagine the hysteria in Cleveland if they were to ever win the Super Bowl.
24.Seattle Seahawks(up one)-I couldn't of been watching the same Seahawks this week hosting Dallas that I saw in last Monday nighter against 'da Bears. First of all, Russell Wilson for the first time all year was engaged in the action and Chris Carson is paving a name for himself in Seattle football lore. Okay, so it's not exactly presenting Marshawn Lynch flashbacks but compared to his predecessor Thomas Rawls he looks like the second coming of Emmett Smith. Additionally, for a player who reportedly was on the verge of being traded, Earl Thomas wasn't sulking, he was thriving. When Earl Thomas is in the Hawks lineup it creates an entirely new identity and while he's lost the majority of his running mates over the last couple years, he's reminding football purists what makes him the games premier safety.
25.San Francisco 49ers(down three)-I didn't like the hire of Kyle Shanahan initially for the fine folks of Santa Clara but their's no denying the fact that the 49ers have been incredibly hampered by signficant injuries, the type of ailments that are near impossible to recover from. As if the loss of back Jerick McKinnon wasn't costly enough now comes word that the team if fearing Tom Brady's former backup, Jimmy Garropolo has tore his ACL. Shanahan is saying all of the right things to the media but my fear now is once the 49ers inevitably miss the playoffs that they'll give Shanahan a free pass heading into 2019 because the injuries are piling up. It's a fear of mine because I maintain the roster management was flawed to begin with and the injuries are an excuse that won't allow the upper hierarchy to recognize defencicies. The last point on the 49ers is George Kittle is quietly putting together a solid season. The Iowa Hawkeye product has two sixty +yard receiving outputs but I just know fantasy owners are screaming for a touchdown. Will the inclusion of C.J Beathard stymie Kittle's production? One would say it's likely.
26.Houston Texans(down eight)-If Bill O'Brien doesn't start scheming ways to target star receiver DeAndre Hopkins more effectively then tension is bound to brew. As we all know, anytime a rift between a player and coach festers, the coach is more times than not the fall guy. If he wasn't already, the looming Hopkins feud not withstanding, the 0-3 start has planted O'Brien on the hot seat as for gosh sakes I thought this was the best team in thee AFC. I found Phil Simms thoughts on the pre-game panel awfully interesting as he opined the Texans best part ways with former first overall pick Jadeveon Clowney. Do I agree? Not totally as it's abundantly clear Clowney may never live up to his former first overall billing but he's not the reason behind the atrocious start, heck he was a Pro Bowler in 2017. The part of Simms surmization that I can partially cosign is maybe it's time, similarly to what I was hinting at in my Colts analysis you move on because his presence as a core player isn't pushing Houston to the forefront.
27.New York Giants(up two)-What's being shoved down our throats repeatedly is this notion that rookie running back Saquon Barkley has maturity beyond his years but again I'LL repeat that I'm not seeing a superstar running back. A good running back is the cap. What aided Saquon's stat line today was the early lead the G-men got off to which caters to a running back being the focal point of the offence in the second half. As opposed to laying the credit on Barkley, I'll instead give kudos to that offensive line. The Giants made the controversial off-season decision in packaging out University of Regina grad Brett Jones to the Minnesota Vikings due to having sustainable depth and so far the decision hasn't bit them as the O-line has been every thing as advertised and them some. 33 year old John Greco has earned a spot on Broadway after that performance.
28.Oakland Raiders(down seven)-Two years ago many people, including myself were convinced the Oakland Raiders were on a Super Bowl trajectory, at the very least on a path to perenially contend for AFC championshipss. O, how the mighty have fallen. Jon Gruden was lured from his Monday Night football gig to lead the Raiders to the promised land but those promises aren't currently being cashed in. He's an egotistical coach that would rather lose and have it done his way as opposed to win in a more structured team environment. Everyone is pondering how this perceived rift amongst Gruden and Reggie McKenzie will end but if the Raiders finish 2-14,3-13, are we sure Gruden isn't a one and done? With how maligned the performance of Jason Witten performance has been on MNF, a return to the booth may be in store.
29.Detroit Lions(up one)-What strikes me about Detroit, more so then Matt Stafford hucking the pigskin seemingly forty time a game is the two headed monster in the backfield with LaGarrette Blount and Kieran Johnson. Part of the transition when Patricia took over the reigns was shifting the Lions from a completely pass-centric attack to a more balanced, innovative strategy and that suits the running backs just fine as in previous years the RB's were decoys at the best of times. Blount's threat to pound inside backs off the lineman which allows the more verstatile Johnson to locate the holes and grind out significant yardage. I considered ranking the Lions a bit higher but what held me back is the absence of an actual number one receiver.
30.Buffalo Bills(up one)-The defence evidently got an earful after another embarassing loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. It was a put up or shut up week three tilt v the Vikings and another snooze fest would've silenced any semblance of hope in the Bills locker room but the Bills rallied around Josh Allen, in particular Stanford DE Trent Murphy was exceptional wreaking havoc for Kirk Cousins all day long. Some will suggest the trademark of the game was Cousins' inability to secure the football but credit the ferociousness of Murphy and the rest of that Bills D. Myth has it that things are currently so happy go lucky in the Bills locker room and Vontae Davis was seen in the locker room talking to Sean McDermott post game.
31.New York Jets(down three)-It's been a well known fact for a while now that quarterback Sam Darnold was turnover privy while a member of the USC Trojans and even at the NFL draft the Jets General Manager was asked if that was considered prior to the Darnold selection for which was quickly shut down. In week one he shredded the Detroit secondary but since then he's reverted back to his collegiate ways which has Jet fans panicking. My take personally is Darnold looks lethargic in the pocket and when you watch some of the other younger quarterbacks play, Josh Allen and Mitch Trubisky to name a couple, at the very least they're willing to nix their first read and scramble out of the pocket if necessary. I'm not seeing that in Sam's repertoire.
32.Arizona Cardinals(unchanged)-There's little to say about the Cardinals, they're just an awful football team. As mentioned earlier, rumours have run rampant that Le'Veon MAY be on the move but what I'll pose, is a very serviceable running back in David Johnson who presumably will come cheaper then Bell a better alternative for a contending team. I can think of a handful of teams, the Ravens, Buccaneers, Eagles, Broncos and Falcons(if the Freeman injury lingers) that could be logisitcal fits. Something has to give as I wouldn't want this group playing CFL teams at this juncture.
Monday, September 24, 2018
Saturday, September 22, 2018
2018-2019 Western Hockey League Predictions/Prognostications
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Eastern Division:
1.Prince Albert Raiders(2)
2.Saskatoon Blades
3.Brandon Wheat Kings
4.Moose Jaw Warriors(ECWC2)
5.Regina Pats
6.Swift Current Broncos
Central Division:
1.Lethbridge Hurricanes(1)
2.Edmonton Oil Kings
3.Medicine Hat Tigers
4.Kootenay Ice(ECWC1)
5.Red Deer Rebels
6.Calgary Hitmen
WESTERN CONFERENCE
B.C Division:
1.Vancouver Giants(2)
2.Kamloops Blazers
3.Kelowna Rockets
4.Victoria Royals
5.Prince George Cougars
U.S Division:
1.Spokane Chiefs(1)
2.Portland Winterhawks
3.Everett Silvertips
4.Seattle Thunderbirds(WCWC1)
5.Tri-City Americans(WCWC2)
Playoffs:
First Round:
Lethbridge Hurricanes v Moose Jaw Warriors=Lethbridge in four
Edmonton Oil Kings v Medicine Hat Tigers=Edmonton in five
Prince Albert Raiders v Kootenay Ice=Prince Albert in six
Saskatoon Blades v Brandon Wheat Kings=Brandon in seven
Vancouver Giants v Seattle Thunderbirds=Seattle in six
Kamloops Blazers v Kelowna Rockets=Kelowna in six
Spokane Chiefs v Tri-City Americans=Spokane in five
Portland Winterhawks v Everett Silvertips=Everett in seven
Second Round:
Lethbridge Hurricanes v Edmonton Oil Kings=Lethbridge in six
Prince Albert Raiders v Brandon Wheat Kings=Prince Albert in four
Seattle Thunderbirds v Kelowna Rockets=Seattle in five
Spokane Chiefs v Everett Silvertips=Spokane in six
Conference Finals:
Lethbridge Hurricanes v Prince Albert Raiders=Lethbridge in six
Seattle Thunderbirds v Spokane Chiefs=Spokane in five
League Final:
Lethbridge Hurricanes v Spokane Chiefs=Lethbridge in seven
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Individual Team/League Award Predictions
Brandon Wheat Kings
Top Rookie:Ridley Greig(Lethbridge,AB)
Top Defenceman:Braden Schneider(Prince Albert,SK)
Top Forward:Ty Lewis(Brandon,Manitoba)
Player of the Year:Schneider
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Calgary Hitmen:
Top Rookie:Ryder Korczak(Yorkton,SK)
Top Defenceman:Vladislav Yeryomenko(Vitebsk,Belarus)
Top Forward:Carson Focht(Regina,SK)
Player of the Year:Yeryomenko
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Edmonton Oil Kings:
Top Rookie:Jake Neighbours(Airdrie,AB)
Top Defenceman:Will Warm(Whistler,BC)
Top Forward:Trey Fix-Wolansky(Edmonton,AB)
Player of the Year:Fix-Wolansky
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Everett Silvertips:
Top Rookie:Ronan Seeley(Olds,AB)
Top Defenceman:Sahvan Khaira(Surrey,BC)
Top Forward: Connor Dewar(The Pas,MB)
Player of the Year:Dewar
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Kamloops Blazers:
Top Rookie:Joonas Sillanpaa(Espoo,Finland)
Top Defenceman:Luke Zazula(Langley,BC)
Top Forward:Jermaine Loewen(Arborg,MB)
Player of the Year:G Dylan Ferguson(Lantzville,BC)
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Kelowna Rockets:
Top Rookie:Dallon Wilton(Beausejour,MB)
Top Defenceman:Braydyn Chizen(St.Albert,AB)
Top Forward:Kyle Topping(Salt Spring Island,BC)
Player of the Year:Topping
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Kootenay Ice:
Top Rookie:Jakin Smallwood(Leduc,AB)
Top Defenceman:Martin Bodak(Spisska Nova,Slovakia)
Top Forward:Peyton Krebs(Okotoks,AB)
Player of the Year:Bodak
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Lethbridge Hurricanes:
Top Rookie:Nolan Jones(Moose Jaw,SK)
Top Defenceman:Calen Addison(Brandon,MB)
Top Forward:Jordy Bellerive(North Vancouver,BC)
Player of the Year:Bellerive
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Medicine Hat Tigers:
Top Rookie:Eric Van Impe(Calgary,AB)
Top Defenceman:Dylan McPherson(Redcliff,AB)
Top Forward:Ryan Jevne(Edmonton,AB)
Player of the Year:Jevne
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Moose Jaw Warriors:
Top Rookie:Daemon Hunt(Brandon,MB)
Top Defenceman:Josh Brook(Roblin,MB)
Top Forward:Justin Almeida(Kitmat,BC)
Player of the Year:Almeida
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Portland Winterhawks:
Top Rookie:G Dante Giannuzzi(Winnipeg,MB)
Top Defenceman:Clay Hanus(Excelsior,MN)
Top Forward:Cody Glass(Winnipeg,MB)
Player of the Year:Glass
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Prince Albert Raiders:
Top Rookie:Ozzy Wiesblatt(Calgary,AB)
Top Defenceman:Brayden Pachal(Estevan,SK)
Top Forward:Cole Fonstad(Estevan,SK)
Player of the Year:G Ian Scott(Winnipeg,MB)
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Prince George Cougars:
Top Rookie:Matej Toman(Ceske Budjovice)
Top Defenceman:Joel Lakusta(Sherwood Park,AB)
Top Forward:Josh Maser(Houston,BC)
Player of the Year:Maser
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Red Deer Rebels:
Top Rookie:Oleg Zaytsev(Moscow,Russia)
Top Forward:Brandon Hagel(Morinville,AB)
Top Defenceman:Alexander Alexeyev(St.Petersburg,Russia)
Player of the Year:Alexeyev
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Regina Pats:
Top Rookie:Nikita Sedov(Tyumen,Russia)
Top Defenceman:Sedov
Top Forward:Jake Leschsyshyn(Saskatoon,SK)
Player of the Year:Sedov
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Saskatoon Blades:
Top Rookie:Aidan De La Gorgendiere(Langley,BC)
Top Defenceman:Dawson Davidson(Melville,SK)
Top Forward:Kirby Dach(Fort Saskatchewan,Alberta)
Player of the Year:Dach
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Seattle Thunderbirds:
Top Rookie:Tyrel Bauer(Cochrane,AB)
Top Defenceman:Jarrett Tyszka(Langley,BC)
Top Forward:Matt Wedman(Edmonton,AB)
Player of the Year:Tyszka
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Spokane Chiefs:
Top Rookie:Jack Finley(Kelowna,BC)
Top Defenceman:Ty Smith(Lloydminster,AB)
Top Forward:Jaret Anderson-Dolan(Calgary,AB)
Player of the Year:Anderson-Dolan
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Swift Current Broncos:
Top Rookie:Matthew Culling(Regina,SK)
Top Defenceman:Noah King(Winnipeg,MB)
Top Forward:Max Patterson(Kamloops,BC)
Player of the Year:Patterson
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Tri-City Americans:
Top Rookie:Tom Cadieux(Saskatoon,SK)
Top Defenceman:Mitchell Brown(Salmon Arm,BC)
Top Forward:Sasha Mutala(Vancouver,BC)
Player of the Year:Mutala
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Vancouver Giants:
Top Rookie:Joel Sexsmith(Edmonton,AB)
Top Defenceman:Matt Barberis(Surrey,BC)
Top Forward:Milos Roman(Kysucke Nove Mesto,Slovakia)
Player of the Year:Roman
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Victoria Royals:
Top Rookie:Ty Yoder(Tofield,AB)
Top Defenceman:Ralph Jarratt(Fort St.John,BC)
Top Forward:Dante Hannoun(Delta,BC)
Player of the Year:Hannoun
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Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy(Rookie of the Year)
East:Nikita Sedov-Regina Pats
West:Joel Sexsmith-Vancouver Giants
WINNER:Sedov
__________________________________________________________________
Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy(Coach of the Year)
East:Brent Kisio-Lethbridge Hurricanes
West:Michael Dyck-Vancouver Giants
WINNER:Dyck
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Del Wilson Memorial Trophy(Top Goaltender)
East:Ian Scott-Prince Albert Raiders
West-Dawson Weatherill-Spokane Chiefs
WINNER:Scott
______________________________________________________________________
Bill Hunter Trophy(Top Defenceman)
East:Braden Schneider-Brandon Wheat Kings
West:Ty Smith-Spokane Chiefs
WINNER:Smith
____________________________________________________________________
Bob Clarke Trophy(Top League Scorer)
Kirby Dach-Saskatoon Blades
_________________________________________________________________
Four Broncos Memorial Trophy(Player of the Year)
East:Kirby Dach-Saskatoon Blades
West:Jaret Anderson-Dolan-Spokane Chiefs
WINNER:Anderson-Dolan
Tuesday, September 18, 2018
2018 NFL Power Rankings-Week two
1.Los Angeles Rams(no movement)-Let's first preface this by saying I'm fully aware that the Arizona Cardinals are an abomination however by saying that the Los Angeless Rams did what was needed and playmakers Todd Gurley and Brandin Cooks were as advertised. I've mentioned this before but the amount of quality weapons Jared Goff has at his disposal is staggering. A force to be wreckoned with in the NFC.
2.Kansas City Chiefs(up three)-The water cooler conversation revolved around whether heir apparent Patrick Mahommes was ready to take over incumbent Alex Smith and he's quickly proved any doubters wrong.Six touchdowns against an all of a sudden reeling Steelers squad is impressive and what's more is week one standout Tyreek Hill was a non factor until late yet the points continued to be piled on. The skeptics will point to Head Coash Andy Reid's shoddy playoff track record but I'll go on record that Mahommes won't fall victim to the same fate Donovan McNabb did.
3.Green Bay Packers(unchanged)-Aaron Rodgers at 50% effectiveness is greater then 80% of the starting quarterbacks starting in the NFL. The scary part about the Pack is through the first two weeks they haven't played anywhere close to their best football yet find themselves 1-0-1 in what experts deem a difficult opening schedule. What I'll be watching for the next few weeks is can Mike McCarthy get any semblance of a running attack going.
4.Atlanta Falcons(up six)-Patience was harped on in my week one synopsis and as it turns out what the Falcons really needed was more aggressiveness. Once Taylor Gabriel signed on with the Chicago Bears it was extremely important that secondary receiving stepped up and today Calvin Ridley stepped up to the plate, off-setting some of the pressure bestowed on Julio Jones. Also, it's worth noting that after trash talking his way through the 2017 draft, Takkarist McKinley again laid a goose egg and needs to start putting up for shutting up.
5.Denver Broncos(up sixteen)-A narrative that will remain a constant throughout these power rankings is how much disdain I share for Denver however I'll give credit where credit is due, this 2018 version is a fun team to watch. Not too far removed from the Super Bowl the defence receives back to back average grades but this explosive offence has been revitalized under Case Keenum. Emmanuel Sanders is stretching the field and DeMaryius Thomas is back to doing what he does best, use his frame and revert back to being a premier possession receiver.Two wild games but two wins in the Mile High.
6.Minnesota Vikings(up one)-The 2017 playoffs was evidently Stefon Diggs' coming out party and he's carried forward that strong post-season into what's been a sizzling start to 2018. Patrons in Wisconsin are(justifiably) irate over a late game roughing the passer penalty but what Minnesota did in the grand scheme, presuming you're ready to pencil in both Minnesota and Green Bay into the playoffs is create separation from NFC North compatriot the Chicago Bears. This defence was already a top five one but what General Manager Rick Spielman did was take a leap of faith that Kirk Cousins would push this team over the edge and so far so good. They'll have plenty of time to recuperate from this barn burner in next week' bye against the Buffalo Bills.
7.Los Angeles Chargers-Who is the Chargers starting QB and what did he do with the real Philip Rivers? This proficient, disciplined passer can't be the same Rivers I've grown accustomed to watching over the years, can it? The old joke was that Rivers was a double agent working for the opposition for how turnover prone he was. He's certainly turned over a new leaf(Charger fans can appreciate the pun).
8.Jacksonville Jaguars(up six)-Josh Gordon, according to multiple sources, will be officially released from the Cleveland Browns on Monday. I bring this up as when I evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the Jaguars, the receiving core is an overwhelming weakness. They foolishly allowed Allen Robinson to walk, Marqise Lee is hurt and Donte Moncrief would make Jared Lorenzen look fast. Attitude issues aside, wouldn't bringing Gordon in on an affordable salary assist Blake Bortles giving him more playmakers? It's too much of a fit for it to likely happen.
9.Chicago Bears(up seven)-What a statement on Monday night from Khalil Mack,Roquan Smith and former University of Regina Ram, Akiem Hicks and that Bears defence. If it wasn't for an epic meltdown against the Packers, Matt Nagy and company should be 2-0 inspite of their quarterback play. Mitch Trubisky got fortunate early in the football game when up I believe 7-3 at the time and in field goal position he threw a ball into the endzone right to a Seattle cornerback which was fortunately dropped. There's tangible upside with Trubisky and the chemistry formed with Allen Robinson has been positive.
10.Cincinnati Bengals(up fifteen)-Many within the industry were left mystified that Bengals management elected to retain coach Marvin Lewis however early dividends would suggest its results have been pure genius. Where the Bengals have impressed me is unlike previous years where the offensive attack was overly structured and predictable, they've lightened the reigns and we've all been privy to a rejuvenated A.J Green. He wants the ball, is catching the ball and has been a nuisance to bring down. Green the last couple of campaigns was slipping down receiver rankings however the ascension back to greatness has begun.
11.Pittsburgh Steelers(down three)-To use a hockey analogy, the 2018 edition of the Pittsburgh Steelers reminds me alot of the 2017-2018 Western Hockey League, Memorial Cup hosts Regina Pats. The Pats like the Steelers were both at the end of their current competitive windows and unfortunately for both respective fanbases were content with just being good, lacking the desire to be great. The Steelers CAN be great. Great QB, great WR in Antonio Brown, respectable o-line but unless they want to settle for mediocrity it's time to play nice with Le'Veon Bell and make the most of what projects to be the last competitive Steel Curtain we'll see for a while.
12.Carolina Panthers(up six)-Cam Newton is showcasing a determination not seen through his entire career, even the magical Super Bowl achievement in 2015. Former teammate Kelvin Benjamin attempted to defame his character and thankfully for Carolina it's been a motivator and Cam has never looked better. I don't put a lot of solace into the week two loss as Atlanta is an exceptional team. Hurricane Florence may serve as a team rallying cry.
13.New England Patriots(down nine)-After week two the Patriots shockingly do not possess the AFC East divisional lead however need not worry supporters of Foxboro as they're assured of six divisional wins as frankly all three of Miami, New York Jets and Buffalo are inferior and time will show this. My biggest takeaway from the New England-Jacksonville was that the offensive line was exposed forcing Tom Brady to rush his throws all afternoon. The Patriots are the masters of bouncing back and will do just that week three against the lowly Lions.
14.Dallas Cowboys(up one)-It's a shame for the fine folks of Dallas that they're stuck with a group of rag tag receivers because when I break down the Cowboys, they don unquestionably the leagues best offensive line, Ezekiel is a heralded running back and that defence through two weeks appears serviceable. Tavon Austin is at this moment the top receiving option! The same Tavon Austin that the St.Louis Rams were forced to endure throughout multiple losing seasons with. Josh Gordon is an option(speculated as per CBS Sports) but failing that a receiver in the 2019 NFL Draft is a necessity.
15.Tampa Bay Buccaneers(up four)-QB controversy in Tampa? One's certainly approaching as the one Tampa faithful are deeming "Fitz-money", Ryan Fitzpatrick has taken the starting quarterback by the bullhorns and I fail to see based off of current performances how Jameis can take back the job when he comes off suspension. Regarding DeSean Jackson, he's renowned as not being the best teammate which sours his reputation amongst teams and media a like but you're not going to find a speedier receiver who consistently makes plays.
16.Washington Redskins(down three)-Alex Smith. Game Manager. King of the screen pass. NFL defences clamour over opposing a Smith led offence because he refuses to stretch the field. Is it an arm strength issue? Perhaps, but at this rate running back Chris Thompson who caught thirteen balls out of the backfield may at some point exceed 20 in a game. This is a talented group, a darkhorse of mine but the onus is on Matt Cavanagh to draw up an attack that actually works. If he doesn't, he could be an early casualty of this campaign.
17.Philadelphia Eagles(down fifteen)-A lot of the pre-game focus, particularly on Sunday NFL countdown was chronicling the infamous "Philadelphia special" that saw Nick Foles catch a Touchdown pass in the Super Bowl. If the Eagles entire narrative is based off of capitalizing on trick plays, they're in for a long year. Simply put, even after last week's win I was hesistant to rank them as high as I did because frankly, I think the Eagles are one of the weakest defending champions in NFL history.
18.Houston Texans(down twelve)-Admittedly the Houston Texans were my AFC pick in the pre-season but after a 0-2 start in which they've had two legitimate games, concern has set in over whether DeShaun Watson has mentally got past his 2017 season ending injury. I'm not sensing that same swagger and fearlessness that made him so dangerous in his shortened '17 season. Do I think the Texans are the deepest team in the AFC South? I do but it's a lost cause if Watson doesn't believe in his legs and the team continues to lose confidence in him. Call me crazy but I'd start Brandon Weeden in week three to light a fire under DeShaun.
19.Indianapolis Colts(up ten)-One of my biggest movers from week one to two. Lest we forget how dominant Andrew Luck used to be and although injuries were beginning to pile up, he's healthy now and Colts dismantled a very underrated Redskin club. Tight end Eric Ebron, former Lion has come in and connected with instant chemistry with Luck. It wasn't a move that gained much notoriety in the off-season but it's paid off in spades.
20.Miami Dolphins(up eleven)-Two ugly wins, but two wins nonetheless. The departure of Jay Ajayi at last year's trade deadline opened up an opportunity for Kenyon Drake and he's running with ut. He's a small running back that has no presence in the interior but get him out to the wings and he'll outpower the covering secondary. Sam Darnold had an turnover propensity in college and the fins D took full advantage. The strategy in neutralizing Darnold is sitting back as he has limited mobility and allow Darnold to beat himself.
21.Oakland Raiders(up six)-I struggled where to place the Raiders in these rankings. On one hand, they got beat in the Monday Night opener by the best team in football and were the better team through the majority of the Denver game therefore even at an 0-2 mark, there are some things to get excited about(Jared Cook, Amari Cooper) however unfortunately a lot more to be concerned with, team discipline at the forefront. With the lead late in the fourth quarter, a late hit from Bruce Irvin on Case Keenum is completely unacceptable and with Jon Gruden being a no non sense type of coach it will be interesting to see if Irvin anf Gruden can regain trust with one another.
22.San Francisco 49'ers(unchanged)-If it wasn't for an opposite field holding penalty Jimmy Garropolo would've lost the game for his team throwing an ill conceived slant in tight coverage but luckily for his sake was bailed out by the official. Jimmy G was Kyle Shanahan's big splash at last year's trade deadline but I can't be the only one who thinks he capitalized in garbage time football last season and is an average quarterback.
23.Tennessee Titans(down three)-You're probably inquiring, how does a team win versus a self described quality opponent yet drop in these power rankings? The Tennesee Titans in week one handed the game to the Dolphins by unnecessarily splitting carries with it's two running back and in week two DeShaun Watson's hesistance worked right into the Titans favor. In all likelihood I'm being too hard on the Titans and I remain a cynic when it comes to the competence of Mike Vrabel. It was nice to see Corey Davis break out with a six reception game.
24.Baltimore Ravens(down fifteen)-After week one's thumping over the hapless Buffalo Bill, Joe Flacco reverted to his usual self in the all important AFC North Thursday night clash. That first half performance across the board was abysmal and it starts with the veteran #5. I feel sorry for the city of Baltimore, they've had to put with the Orioles all summer and now after a false sense of optimism, the Ravens are nothing more then a 6-10,7-9 club.
25.Seattle Seahawks(up one)-Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer has openly said he's encouraging Russell Wilson to scramble out of the pocket more frequent and keep the d-line honest which is great other then the fact that in order for that to work one must utilize his receivers at least occasionally. Late in the game, arguably too late Tyler Lockett showed up however in the absence of Doug Baldwin, Brandon Marshall was invisble. The legion of boom has suddenly become the Legion of doom.
26.New Orleans Saints(down fourteen)-What is this team's identity? The offence came to play v the Buccaneers without the defence showing up and the reverse happened versus the Browns. I was a believer in the pre-season but the lack of cohesion from an entire team perspective puts into question it's playoff questions. On a warmer note, incredible sportsmanship showed by kicker Will Lutz consoling the now waived Browns kicker Zane Gonzales after a heart wrenching, disastrous outing.
27.Cleveland Browns(down ten)-Hue Jackson is 1-32-1 in three seasons with the Browns. Shocking. We've seen coaches, most notably Claude Julien get fired when he had led his New Jersey Devils to the playoffs only for him to be dismissed shortly before the post-season began. A Cleveland Browns insider was on the Fan 590 Monday afternoon and eloquently explained the reason for Jackson holding onto the job is because simply it wouldn't be fair to the new coach to come in and inherit this in-season mess. As fair as that opinion may be, the fact is i'm befuddled Browns ownership seems willing to sacrifice yet another season.
28.New York Jets(unchanged)-I feel as if this particular weekly power ranking has been fairly upbeat so instead of pointing out the negatives let's examine a bright spot, and of note to prospective fantasy owners of Quincy Enunwa. 13 receptions with a touchdown has solidifed his placement at the top of the Jets receiving depth chart and with a matchup looming over the dysfunctional Browns, if Enunwa is available in your league, pounce!
29.New York Giants(down five)-I'll make a bold proclamation that will likely see me eventually eat my words but Saquon Barkley, due to a lack of productivity won't be with the New York Giants within three years. Full apologies for sombering the tone of this synopsis but through two weeks dare I say Barkley, while renowned for his football IQ doesn't have the breakaway speed to compete with the upper echelon. At Penn state and pretty much every other Big ten program sans Ohio St they pride themselves on structure and zap out the creativity of it's offensive weapons. The G-Men are in a world of hurt.
30.Detroit Lions(unchanged)-Matt Stafford still hucks it like no other however he should take a page from best friend Clayton Kershaw's playbook. Dodger Ace Kershaw as his career has matured has become a more disciplined, strategic pitcher on the mound knowing when to pick his spots. 347 passing yards v the 49ers is incredulous but it was the two sacks as Detroit was marching down the field that were detrimental especially considering Detroit clawed back late. Again, not to harp on a narrative thousands of NFL "experts" are, but I thought Patricia was brought in to be a defensive guru but I've seen better defences in beginner mode in EA sports "Madden".
31.Buffalo Bills(down eight)-Sean McDermott finally learned his lession and called upon rookie pivot Josh Allen. I don't blame Allen for the loss against the Chargers as that offensive line is horrific. I've long been a proponent of Allen but let's not forget this was a playoff team a year ago and with the seventh overall selection I pose the question if they were better off keeping Tyrod Taylor and beefing up the O-line with UCLA's Kolton Miller?
32.Arizona Cardinals(unchanged)-The Rams are legit but they weren't exaclty opposing the second coming of Jake Plummer.Sam Bradford as a NFL starting QB is equivalent to Eddie Lack being a starting goaltender in the National Hockey League. People have juxtaposed whether the Cards would contemplate trading star running back David Johnson but it truly won't make a difference. This ball club might go 0-16 wih or without Johnson.
UPDATE:Josh Gordon negates most of my speculation by getting dealt to the Patriots.
2.Kansas City Chiefs(up three)-The water cooler conversation revolved around whether heir apparent Patrick Mahommes was ready to take over incumbent Alex Smith and he's quickly proved any doubters wrong.Six touchdowns against an all of a sudden reeling Steelers squad is impressive and what's more is week one standout Tyreek Hill was a non factor until late yet the points continued to be piled on. The skeptics will point to Head Coash Andy Reid's shoddy playoff track record but I'll go on record that Mahommes won't fall victim to the same fate Donovan McNabb did.
3.Green Bay Packers(unchanged)-Aaron Rodgers at 50% effectiveness is greater then 80% of the starting quarterbacks starting in the NFL. The scary part about the Pack is through the first two weeks they haven't played anywhere close to their best football yet find themselves 1-0-1 in what experts deem a difficult opening schedule. What I'll be watching for the next few weeks is can Mike McCarthy get any semblance of a running attack going.
4.Atlanta Falcons(up six)-Patience was harped on in my week one synopsis and as it turns out what the Falcons really needed was more aggressiveness. Once Taylor Gabriel signed on with the Chicago Bears it was extremely important that secondary receiving stepped up and today Calvin Ridley stepped up to the plate, off-setting some of the pressure bestowed on Julio Jones. Also, it's worth noting that after trash talking his way through the 2017 draft, Takkarist McKinley again laid a goose egg and needs to start putting up for shutting up.
5.Denver Broncos(up sixteen)-A narrative that will remain a constant throughout these power rankings is how much disdain I share for Denver however I'll give credit where credit is due, this 2018 version is a fun team to watch. Not too far removed from the Super Bowl the defence receives back to back average grades but this explosive offence has been revitalized under Case Keenum. Emmanuel Sanders is stretching the field and DeMaryius Thomas is back to doing what he does best, use his frame and revert back to being a premier possession receiver.Two wild games but two wins in the Mile High.
6.Minnesota Vikings(up one)-The 2017 playoffs was evidently Stefon Diggs' coming out party and he's carried forward that strong post-season into what's been a sizzling start to 2018. Patrons in Wisconsin are(justifiably) irate over a late game roughing the passer penalty but what Minnesota did in the grand scheme, presuming you're ready to pencil in both Minnesota and Green Bay into the playoffs is create separation from NFC North compatriot the Chicago Bears. This defence was already a top five one but what General Manager Rick Spielman did was take a leap of faith that Kirk Cousins would push this team over the edge and so far so good. They'll have plenty of time to recuperate from this barn burner in next week' bye against the Buffalo Bills.
7.Los Angeles Chargers-Who is the Chargers starting QB and what did he do with the real Philip Rivers? This proficient, disciplined passer can't be the same Rivers I've grown accustomed to watching over the years, can it? The old joke was that Rivers was a double agent working for the opposition for how turnover prone he was. He's certainly turned over a new leaf(Charger fans can appreciate the pun).
8.Jacksonville Jaguars(up six)-Josh Gordon, according to multiple sources, will be officially released from the Cleveland Browns on Monday. I bring this up as when I evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the Jaguars, the receiving core is an overwhelming weakness. They foolishly allowed Allen Robinson to walk, Marqise Lee is hurt and Donte Moncrief would make Jared Lorenzen look fast. Attitude issues aside, wouldn't bringing Gordon in on an affordable salary assist Blake Bortles giving him more playmakers? It's too much of a fit for it to likely happen.
9.Chicago Bears(up seven)-What a statement on Monday night from Khalil Mack,Roquan Smith and former University of Regina Ram, Akiem Hicks and that Bears defence. If it wasn't for an epic meltdown against the Packers, Matt Nagy and company should be 2-0 inspite of their quarterback play. Mitch Trubisky got fortunate early in the football game when up I believe 7-3 at the time and in field goal position he threw a ball into the endzone right to a Seattle cornerback which was fortunately dropped. There's tangible upside with Trubisky and the chemistry formed with Allen Robinson has been positive.
10.Cincinnati Bengals(up fifteen)-Many within the industry were left mystified that Bengals management elected to retain coach Marvin Lewis however early dividends would suggest its results have been pure genius. Where the Bengals have impressed me is unlike previous years where the offensive attack was overly structured and predictable, they've lightened the reigns and we've all been privy to a rejuvenated A.J Green. He wants the ball, is catching the ball and has been a nuisance to bring down. Green the last couple of campaigns was slipping down receiver rankings however the ascension back to greatness has begun.
11.Pittsburgh Steelers(down three)-To use a hockey analogy, the 2018 edition of the Pittsburgh Steelers reminds me alot of the 2017-2018 Western Hockey League, Memorial Cup hosts Regina Pats. The Pats like the Steelers were both at the end of their current competitive windows and unfortunately for both respective fanbases were content with just being good, lacking the desire to be great. The Steelers CAN be great. Great QB, great WR in Antonio Brown, respectable o-line but unless they want to settle for mediocrity it's time to play nice with Le'Veon Bell and make the most of what projects to be the last competitive Steel Curtain we'll see for a while.
12.Carolina Panthers(up six)-Cam Newton is showcasing a determination not seen through his entire career, even the magical Super Bowl achievement in 2015. Former teammate Kelvin Benjamin attempted to defame his character and thankfully for Carolina it's been a motivator and Cam has never looked better. I don't put a lot of solace into the week two loss as Atlanta is an exceptional team. Hurricane Florence may serve as a team rallying cry.
13.New England Patriots(down nine)-After week two the Patriots shockingly do not possess the AFC East divisional lead however need not worry supporters of Foxboro as they're assured of six divisional wins as frankly all three of Miami, New York Jets and Buffalo are inferior and time will show this. My biggest takeaway from the New England-Jacksonville was that the offensive line was exposed forcing Tom Brady to rush his throws all afternoon. The Patriots are the masters of bouncing back and will do just that week three against the lowly Lions.
14.Dallas Cowboys(up one)-It's a shame for the fine folks of Dallas that they're stuck with a group of rag tag receivers because when I break down the Cowboys, they don unquestionably the leagues best offensive line, Ezekiel is a heralded running back and that defence through two weeks appears serviceable. Tavon Austin is at this moment the top receiving option! The same Tavon Austin that the St.Louis Rams were forced to endure throughout multiple losing seasons with. Josh Gordon is an option(speculated as per CBS Sports) but failing that a receiver in the 2019 NFL Draft is a necessity.
15.Tampa Bay Buccaneers(up four)-QB controversy in Tampa? One's certainly approaching as the one Tampa faithful are deeming "Fitz-money", Ryan Fitzpatrick has taken the starting quarterback by the bullhorns and I fail to see based off of current performances how Jameis can take back the job when he comes off suspension. Regarding DeSean Jackson, he's renowned as not being the best teammate which sours his reputation amongst teams and media a like but you're not going to find a speedier receiver who consistently makes plays.
16.Washington Redskins(down three)-Alex Smith. Game Manager. King of the screen pass. NFL defences clamour over opposing a Smith led offence because he refuses to stretch the field. Is it an arm strength issue? Perhaps, but at this rate running back Chris Thompson who caught thirteen balls out of the backfield may at some point exceed 20 in a game. This is a talented group, a darkhorse of mine but the onus is on Matt Cavanagh to draw up an attack that actually works. If he doesn't, he could be an early casualty of this campaign.
17.Philadelphia Eagles(down fifteen)-A lot of the pre-game focus, particularly on Sunday NFL countdown was chronicling the infamous "Philadelphia special" that saw Nick Foles catch a Touchdown pass in the Super Bowl. If the Eagles entire narrative is based off of capitalizing on trick plays, they're in for a long year. Simply put, even after last week's win I was hesistant to rank them as high as I did because frankly, I think the Eagles are one of the weakest defending champions in NFL history.
18.Houston Texans(down twelve)-Admittedly the Houston Texans were my AFC pick in the pre-season but after a 0-2 start in which they've had two legitimate games, concern has set in over whether DeShaun Watson has mentally got past his 2017 season ending injury. I'm not sensing that same swagger and fearlessness that made him so dangerous in his shortened '17 season. Do I think the Texans are the deepest team in the AFC South? I do but it's a lost cause if Watson doesn't believe in his legs and the team continues to lose confidence in him. Call me crazy but I'd start Brandon Weeden in week three to light a fire under DeShaun.
19.Indianapolis Colts(up ten)-One of my biggest movers from week one to two. Lest we forget how dominant Andrew Luck used to be and although injuries were beginning to pile up, he's healthy now and Colts dismantled a very underrated Redskin club. Tight end Eric Ebron, former Lion has come in and connected with instant chemistry with Luck. It wasn't a move that gained much notoriety in the off-season but it's paid off in spades.
20.Miami Dolphins(up eleven)-Two ugly wins, but two wins nonetheless. The departure of Jay Ajayi at last year's trade deadline opened up an opportunity for Kenyon Drake and he's running with ut. He's a small running back that has no presence in the interior but get him out to the wings and he'll outpower the covering secondary. Sam Darnold had an turnover propensity in college and the fins D took full advantage. The strategy in neutralizing Darnold is sitting back as he has limited mobility and allow Darnold to beat himself.
21.Oakland Raiders(up six)-I struggled where to place the Raiders in these rankings. On one hand, they got beat in the Monday Night opener by the best team in football and were the better team through the majority of the Denver game therefore even at an 0-2 mark, there are some things to get excited about(Jared Cook, Amari Cooper) however unfortunately a lot more to be concerned with, team discipline at the forefront. With the lead late in the fourth quarter, a late hit from Bruce Irvin on Case Keenum is completely unacceptable and with Jon Gruden being a no non sense type of coach it will be interesting to see if Irvin anf Gruden can regain trust with one another.
22.San Francisco 49'ers(unchanged)-If it wasn't for an opposite field holding penalty Jimmy Garropolo would've lost the game for his team throwing an ill conceived slant in tight coverage but luckily for his sake was bailed out by the official. Jimmy G was Kyle Shanahan's big splash at last year's trade deadline but I can't be the only one who thinks he capitalized in garbage time football last season and is an average quarterback.
23.Tennessee Titans(down three)-You're probably inquiring, how does a team win versus a self described quality opponent yet drop in these power rankings? The Tennesee Titans in week one handed the game to the Dolphins by unnecessarily splitting carries with it's two running back and in week two DeShaun Watson's hesistance worked right into the Titans favor. In all likelihood I'm being too hard on the Titans and I remain a cynic when it comes to the competence of Mike Vrabel. It was nice to see Corey Davis break out with a six reception game.
24.Baltimore Ravens(down fifteen)-After week one's thumping over the hapless Buffalo Bill, Joe Flacco reverted to his usual self in the all important AFC North Thursday night clash. That first half performance across the board was abysmal and it starts with the veteran #5. I feel sorry for the city of Baltimore, they've had to put with the Orioles all summer and now after a false sense of optimism, the Ravens are nothing more then a 6-10,7-9 club.
25.Seattle Seahawks(up one)-Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer has openly said he's encouraging Russell Wilson to scramble out of the pocket more frequent and keep the d-line honest which is great other then the fact that in order for that to work one must utilize his receivers at least occasionally. Late in the game, arguably too late Tyler Lockett showed up however in the absence of Doug Baldwin, Brandon Marshall was invisble. The legion of boom has suddenly become the Legion of doom.
26.New Orleans Saints(down fourteen)-What is this team's identity? The offence came to play v the Buccaneers without the defence showing up and the reverse happened versus the Browns. I was a believer in the pre-season but the lack of cohesion from an entire team perspective puts into question it's playoff questions. On a warmer note, incredible sportsmanship showed by kicker Will Lutz consoling the now waived Browns kicker Zane Gonzales after a heart wrenching, disastrous outing.
27.Cleveland Browns(down ten)-Hue Jackson is 1-32-1 in three seasons with the Browns. Shocking. We've seen coaches, most notably Claude Julien get fired when he had led his New Jersey Devils to the playoffs only for him to be dismissed shortly before the post-season began. A Cleveland Browns insider was on the Fan 590 Monday afternoon and eloquently explained the reason for Jackson holding onto the job is because simply it wouldn't be fair to the new coach to come in and inherit this in-season mess. As fair as that opinion may be, the fact is i'm befuddled Browns ownership seems willing to sacrifice yet another season.
28.New York Jets(unchanged)-I feel as if this particular weekly power ranking has been fairly upbeat so instead of pointing out the negatives let's examine a bright spot, and of note to prospective fantasy owners of Quincy Enunwa. 13 receptions with a touchdown has solidifed his placement at the top of the Jets receiving depth chart and with a matchup looming over the dysfunctional Browns, if Enunwa is available in your league, pounce!
29.New York Giants(down five)-I'll make a bold proclamation that will likely see me eventually eat my words but Saquon Barkley, due to a lack of productivity won't be with the New York Giants within three years. Full apologies for sombering the tone of this synopsis but through two weeks dare I say Barkley, while renowned for his football IQ doesn't have the breakaway speed to compete with the upper echelon. At Penn state and pretty much every other Big ten program sans Ohio St they pride themselves on structure and zap out the creativity of it's offensive weapons. The G-Men are in a world of hurt.
30.Detroit Lions(unchanged)-Matt Stafford still hucks it like no other however he should take a page from best friend Clayton Kershaw's playbook. Dodger Ace Kershaw as his career has matured has become a more disciplined, strategic pitcher on the mound knowing when to pick his spots. 347 passing yards v the 49ers is incredulous but it was the two sacks as Detroit was marching down the field that were detrimental especially considering Detroit clawed back late. Again, not to harp on a narrative thousands of NFL "experts" are, but I thought Patricia was brought in to be a defensive guru but I've seen better defences in beginner mode in EA sports "Madden".
31.Buffalo Bills(down eight)-Sean McDermott finally learned his lession and called upon rookie pivot Josh Allen. I don't blame Allen for the loss against the Chargers as that offensive line is horrific. I've long been a proponent of Allen but let's not forget this was a playoff team a year ago and with the seventh overall selection I pose the question if they were better off keeping Tyrod Taylor and beefing up the O-line with UCLA's Kolton Miller?
32.Arizona Cardinals(unchanged)-The Rams are legit but they weren't exaclty opposing the second coming of Jake Plummer.Sam Bradford as a NFL starting QB is equivalent to Eddie Lack being a starting goaltender in the National Hockey League. People have juxtaposed whether the Cards would contemplate trading star running back David Johnson but it truly won't make a difference. This ball club might go 0-16 wih or without Johnson.
UPDATE:Josh Gordon negates most of my speculation by getting dealt to the Patriots.
Wednesday, September 12, 2018
2018 NFL Power Rankings-Week one
1.Los Angeles Rams-The addition of Ndamukong Suh alongside recently extended stalwart Aaron Donald provides the Rams a world class defence on top of having numerous playmakers at Jared Goff's disposal.
2.Philadelphia Eagles-Wasn't completely sold on the performances from the Eagles on opening night but a gritty win from the defending champions doesn't allow me to drop them much further then the two position.
3.Green Bay Packers-Aaron Rodgers wasn't going to let an apparent ankle injury get in the way of, when we look back at the 2018 season as a whole what may be the year's greatest comeback. What happened to the Bears D?
4.New England Patriots-I was convinced headed into the week that this was Texans/Patriots matchup was upset city but apparently Tom Brady only deflates the opposition's football.
5.Kansas City Chiefs-Long gone are the days where Tyreek Hill was playing musical chairs with a plethora of collegiate programs and has settled nicely in his infant professional career. I'd like to see anybody disprove my opinion that Hill is a top five NFL receiver.
6.Houston Texans-The former stomping grounds of legend Warren Moon were my pick to reign victorious in the AFC and while a disastrous first half was their undoing versus the Patriots, DeShaun Watson will receive MVP discussion by year's end.
7.Minnesota Vikings-Somewhere in the state of Minneapolis quarterback Kirk Cousins is yelling at the top of his lungs, "how do you like me now?" to the entire state of D.C.
8.Pittsburgh Steelers-James Conner has Pittsburgh faithful theorizing, "LeVeon who?". Conner can't possibly replicate his wordly week one numbers(again he faced the Browns) but one more week of this charades and Bell loses all leverage he may have had in negotiations.
9.Los Angeles Chargers-Overshadowed by the heroics of Tyreek Hill was Melvin Gordon. The Chargers don't receive much in the way of national media attention but Gordon has quietly become a proficient back in both rushing and catching the football.
10.Atlanta Falcons-Former Saskatchewan Roughrider, current Falcon offensive coordinator needs to learn the virtue of patience. Choosing not to take the points early in the contest was a catastrophic strategic error that shaped the outcome of the game.
11.Baltimore Ravens-You looked great Baltimore, but at the same token you contained a quarterback in Nathan Peterman who in all reality should be going about his craft on a CFL practice roster. This was a hard team to gauge and have a pivotal Thursday nighter v Cincinnati.
12.New Orleans Saints-Customary result for the Saints. Score at will but defence can't stop a lick. When will the defensive urgency match the skillset of the creative offence? Never? Sean Payton's job on the line.
13.Washington Redskins-A darkhorse of mine entering this campaign. The reason I initially left the 'Skins on the outside looking in was in lieu of the trepid running atack but Chris Thompson and Adrian Peterson have seemingly erased any doubts out of the backfield.
14.Jacksonville Jaguars-The Jags, in my opinion, are a poor man's version of the Eagles. A gritty team who's learning how to win. Here's what I don't understand,you let Allen Robinson walk to Bears, lose Marqise Lee to a season ending injury and refuse to fill the void when quality replacements were and are out their. Corey Coleman was just snagged today by the Patriots but paging Dez Bryant!
15.Dallas Cowboys-It's fitting I just finished synopsing the Jaguars because the Cowboys may be the one team in the NFL that has worse receiving depth then the Jags. Thank goodness for Ezekiel Elliott.
16.Chicago Bears-After the controversial(from a Northern California perspective anyway) acquisition of Khalil Mack, things are surprisingly looking calmer in the Windy City. The linemen battery of Mack and Roquan Smith is only rivalled by the Rams but I was very dissapointed by the second half performance of Mitch Trubisky. It was a game in their palms and even with Trubisky only a second year player the excuses only run so far.
17.Cleveland Browns-The Browns didn't lose so that's a start. Give coach Hue Jackson full credit as for the first time in a few years, a clear direction has been orchestrated by the Browns administration. Seeing as how Josh Gordon was a dead man walking, any contributions from him would be a pure bonus.
18.Carolina Panthers-Cam Newton was Cam Newton Sunday and it's about time the world begin to familiarize itself to Shaq Thompson, linebacker out of Washington. Kuechly gets the headlines however Thompson is a budding superstar.
19.Tampa Bay Buccaneers-A great team win sans Jameis Winston but the reported injury to DeSean Jackson brings into question if he'll be active Sunday which would be a devastating blow to the Bucs.
20.Tennesee Titans-Memo to newly appointed Head Coach Mike Vrabel: Derrick Henry is an elite running back so this idea that he should be splitting carries with Dion Lewis is asanine. Okay, this may have been a gripe over how my fantasy football weekend transpired.
21.Denver Broncos-Royce Freeman, a former Oregon standout was someone I was going to closely monitor because as everyone(maybe rightfully) sings the praises of Saquon Barkley, it wouldn't surprise me if Freeman surpasses Barkley as top running back from the 2018 draft. This was also a difficult prognosis as that Seahawks defence was, to quote Shaquille O'Neal, horr-awful.
22.San Francisco 49ers-The 401 on the 49'ers is simple. Garropollo has shown signs of competence, the receiving core can suffice but it's imperative they address their non-existent running game.
23.Buffalo Bills-I'll admit as much as I don't want to that I had the Bills pegged as a playoff team however if Sean McDermott continues to rely on Peterman then that proclamation will look worse then the putting stroke of Briny Baird.
24.New York Giants-Saquon Barkley. Exceptional debut. Odell Beckham, Top three receiver in the show. Eli Manning. The SB rings on his fingers would suggest the penchant for clutch. That defence? The Jaguars are a one trick pony offensively and looked stupid out their.
25.Cincinatti Bengals-Solid win against the lowly Colts. The positives from this game I took away were the evolution of Joe Mixon who's checkered past will be ignored if he can replicate his ninety five yard performance. I also appreciated Nick Vigil setting the week one mark with eleven tackles. In all reality far too low of a ranking but I ain't a believer just yet.
26.Seattle Seahawks-Pete Carroll is an interesting case study. Throughout Pete's dominant tenure on the Pacific Northwest, they've had incredible fortune preventing detrimental injuries but with Doug Baldwin being sidelined for the year now, maybe just maybe Carrol isn't he's made out to be and can't overcome even the slightest adversity.
27.Oakland Raiders-At certain junctures in the game against the Rams, Marshawn illustrated his 'beast mode' demeanour and was a bulldog who the Rams secondary couldn't bring down. Not that it would've mattered as the Rams are frankly a superior team but Wade Phillips had no answer for Jared Cook and should've been targeted even MORE then he was.
28.New York Jets-The New York football J-E-T-S beat up on a transitioning Detroit Lions football club but it wasn't without defencicies. This whole talk that Quincy Enunwa is now a number one receiver is fake news. The defence is serviceable however the output that Sam Darnold displayed in week one may have been a one off.
29.Indianapolis Colts-No identity.For years, the Colts with Peyton at the helm were a methodical bunch who would bore you asleep with the short passing game.Next came Luck with a gameplan of sling and hope for the best. Now? As the Colts enter yet another retool phase I can't finger point the identity.
30.Detroit Lions-Matt Patricia's reputation as a defensive guru took an astronomical hit on Monday Night. The start couldn't of been dreamt up better as the rookie Darnold offered up a pick six but things went South in the motor City in a hurry. The running game prospects has been ballyhooed this offseason and after flopping with Ameer Abdullah, this regime is on pins and needled that Kieran Johnson can match experts hopes.
31.Miami Dolphins-I'll be perfectly blunt, the Dolphins didn't beat the Titans. Mike Vrabel's imcompetency beat the Titans. What's with all of these ex-Patriots coaches given the keys to the franchise only to fall flat on their face in their debuts. Patricia didn't endear himself in Detroit, even further back Josh McDaniels and Romeo Crennel had little to no success in their brief head coaching career. The Belichick way? Only if you're Bill I suppose.
32.Arizona Cardinals-I learned the following in their embarassing loss to the Redskins. Sam Bradford must have some incriminating blackmail on several National Football League General Managers as the fact that he continually stumbles into starting assignments perplexes me. The modern day Vinny Testaverde.
2.Philadelphia Eagles-Wasn't completely sold on the performances from the Eagles on opening night but a gritty win from the defending champions doesn't allow me to drop them much further then the two position.
3.Green Bay Packers-Aaron Rodgers wasn't going to let an apparent ankle injury get in the way of, when we look back at the 2018 season as a whole what may be the year's greatest comeback. What happened to the Bears D?
4.New England Patriots-I was convinced headed into the week that this was Texans/Patriots matchup was upset city but apparently Tom Brady only deflates the opposition's football.
5.Kansas City Chiefs-Long gone are the days where Tyreek Hill was playing musical chairs with a plethora of collegiate programs and has settled nicely in his infant professional career. I'd like to see anybody disprove my opinion that Hill is a top five NFL receiver.
6.Houston Texans-The former stomping grounds of legend Warren Moon were my pick to reign victorious in the AFC and while a disastrous first half was their undoing versus the Patriots, DeShaun Watson will receive MVP discussion by year's end.
7.Minnesota Vikings-Somewhere in the state of Minneapolis quarterback Kirk Cousins is yelling at the top of his lungs, "how do you like me now?" to the entire state of D.C.
8.Pittsburgh Steelers-James Conner has Pittsburgh faithful theorizing, "LeVeon who?". Conner can't possibly replicate his wordly week one numbers(again he faced the Browns) but one more week of this charades and Bell loses all leverage he may have had in negotiations.
9.Los Angeles Chargers-Overshadowed by the heroics of Tyreek Hill was Melvin Gordon. The Chargers don't receive much in the way of national media attention but Gordon has quietly become a proficient back in both rushing and catching the football.
10.Atlanta Falcons-Former Saskatchewan Roughrider, current Falcon offensive coordinator needs to learn the virtue of patience. Choosing not to take the points early in the contest was a catastrophic strategic error that shaped the outcome of the game.
11.Baltimore Ravens-You looked great Baltimore, but at the same token you contained a quarterback in Nathan Peterman who in all reality should be going about his craft on a CFL practice roster. This was a hard team to gauge and have a pivotal Thursday nighter v Cincinnati.
12.New Orleans Saints-Customary result for the Saints. Score at will but defence can't stop a lick. When will the defensive urgency match the skillset of the creative offence? Never? Sean Payton's job on the line.
13.Washington Redskins-A darkhorse of mine entering this campaign. The reason I initially left the 'Skins on the outside looking in was in lieu of the trepid running atack but Chris Thompson and Adrian Peterson have seemingly erased any doubts out of the backfield.
14.Jacksonville Jaguars-The Jags, in my opinion, are a poor man's version of the Eagles. A gritty team who's learning how to win. Here's what I don't understand,you let Allen Robinson walk to Bears, lose Marqise Lee to a season ending injury and refuse to fill the void when quality replacements were and are out their. Corey Coleman was just snagged today by the Patriots but paging Dez Bryant!
15.Dallas Cowboys-It's fitting I just finished synopsing the Jaguars because the Cowboys may be the one team in the NFL that has worse receiving depth then the Jags. Thank goodness for Ezekiel Elliott.
16.Chicago Bears-After the controversial(from a Northern California perspective anyway) acquisition of Khalil Mack, things are surprisingly looking calmer in the Windy City. The linemen battery of Mack and Roquan Smith is only rivalled by the Rams but I was very dissapointed by the second half performance of Mitch Trubisky. It was a game in their palms and even with Trubisky only a second year player the excuses only run so far.
17.Cleveland Browns-The Browns didn't lose so that's a start. Give coach Hue Jackson full credit as for the first time in a few years, a clear direction has been orchestrated by the Browns administration. Seeing as how Josh Gordon was a dead man walking, any contributions from him would be a pure bonus.
18.Carolina Panthers-Cam Newton was Cam Newton Sunday and it's about time the world begin to familiarize itself to Shaq Thompson, linebacker out of Washington. Kuechly gets the headlines however Thompson is a budding superstar.
19.Tampa Bay Buccaneers-A great team win sans Jameis Winston but the reported injury to DeSean Jackson brings into question if he'll be active Sunday which would be a devastating blow to the Bucs.
20.Tennesee Titans-Memo to newly appointed Head Coach Mike Vrabel: Derrick Henry is an elite running back so this idea that he should be splitting carries with Dion Lewis is asanine. Okay, this may have been a gripe over how my fantasy football weekend transpired.
21.Denver Broncos-Royce Freeman, a former Oregon standout was someone I was going to closely monitor because as everyone(maybe rightfully) sings the praises of Saquon Barkley, it wouldn't surprise me if Freeman surpasses Barkley as top running back from the 2018 draft. This was also a difficult prognosis as that Seahawks defence was, to quote Shaquille O'Neal, horr-awful.
22.San Francisco 49ers-The 401 on the 49'ers is simple. Garropollo has shown signs of competence, the receiving core can suffice but it's imperative they address their non-existent running game.
23.Buffalo Bills-I'll admit as much as I don't want to that I had the Bills pegged as a playoff team however if Sean McDermott continues to rely on Peterman then that proclamation will look worse then the putting stroke of Briny Baird.
24.New York Giants-Saquon Barkley. Exceptional debut. Odell Beckham, Top three receiver in the show. Eli Manning. The SB rings on his fingers would suggest the penchant for clutch. That defence? The Jaguars are a one trick pony offensively and looked stupid out their.
25.Cincinatti Bengals-Solid win against the lowly Colts. The positives from this game I took away were the evolution of Joe Mixon who's checkered past will be ignored if he can replicate his ninety five yard performance. I also appreciated Nick Vigil setting the week one mark with eleven tackles. In all reality far too low of a ranking but I ain't a believer just yet.
26.Seattle Seahawks-Pete Carroll is an interesting case study. Throughout Pete's dominant tenure on the Pacific Northwest, they've had incredible fortune preventing detrimental injuries but with Doug Baldwin being sidelined for the year now, maybe just maybe Carrol isn't he's made out to be and can't overcome even the slightest adversity.
27.Oakland Raiders-At certain junctures in the game against the Rams, Marshawn illustrated his 'beast mode' demeanour and was a bulldog who the Rams secondary couldn't bring down. Not that it would've mattered as the Rams are frankly a superior team but Wade Phillips had no answer for Jared Cook and should've been targeted even MORE then he was.
28.New York Jets-The New York football J-E-T-S beat up on a transitioning Detroit Lions football club but it wasn't without defencicies. This whole talk that Quincy Enunwa is now a number one receiver is fake news. The defence is serviceable however the output that Sam Darnold displayed in week one may have been a one off.
29.Indianapolis Colts-No identity.For years, the Colts with Peyton at the helm were a methodical bunch who would bore you asleep with the short passing game.Next came Luck with a gameplan of sling and hope for the best. Now? As the Colts enter yet another retool phase I can't finger point the identity.
30.Detroit Lions-Matt Patricia's reputation as a defensive guru took an astronomical hit on Monday Night. The start couldn't of been dreamt up better as the rookie Darnold offered up a pick six but things went South in the motor City in a hurry. The running game prospects has been ballyhooed this offseason and after flopping with Ameer Abdullah, this regime is on pins and needled that Kieran Johnson can match experts hopes.
31.Miami Dolphins-I'll be perfectly blunt, the Dolphins didn't beat the Titans. Mike Vrabel's imcompetency beat the Titans. What's with all of these ex-Patriots coaches given the keys to the franchise only to fall flat on their face in their debuts. Patricia didn't endear himself in Detroit, even further back Josh McDaniels and Romeo Crennel had little to no success in their brief head coaching career. The Belichick way? Only if you're Bill I suppose.
32.Arizona Cardinals-I learned the following in their embarassing loss to the Redskins. Sam Bradford must have some incriminating blackmail on several National Football League General Managers as the fact that he continually stumbles into starting assignments perplexes me. The modern day Vinny Testaverde.
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