NFL Week 16 Preview: Thoughts and Predictions

December 27, 2020December 27, 2020 ~ David ~ Leave a comment

There were two results out of last week that was quite shocking. The two win Bengals crushing the Pittsburgh Steelers at home and the winless Jets going into SoFi Stadium and beating the 9-4 Rams in LA.

AND JETS FANS DIDN”T WANT THEM TO WIN!!!!

There have been so many of my friends who are Jets fans on Twitter saying that winning that game has basically ruined the Jets chances at Trevor Lawrence

Who knows if he’ll even leave Clemson for the draft, but now Jacksonville owns the #1 pick.

Aside from the Jets potentially blowing their shot at Lawrence and the Bengals dominating the reeling Steelers, we had another great week of football. The Titans took care of business at home against Detroit, the Bills dominated the Broncos at Mile High to claim the AFC East for the first time in 25 years, the Raiders and Vikings playoff chances are even thinner after divisional losses, the Bucs and Colts staged comebacks to beat divisional foes, Seattle held off Washington in Landover, Tua and the Dolphins ended the Patriots season in Miami, the Ravens blew out the Jags at home, Kyler and the Cards knocked out Hurts and the Eagles in the desert, Mahomes and the Chiefs beat Brees and the Saints in the dome, the Browns defense stuffed the beat up Giants at MetLife, and the Steelers routed the Bengals in Cincinnati to win the AFC North

A lot of playoff scenarios this weekend, which I’ll get to in a minute, as the season faces the penultimate week of the regular season. We have Christmas football to go along with Christmas basketball which features a wild card rematch between the desperate Vikings and the Saints in New Orleans. We also have a triple header on Saturday when the Bucs go to Detroit, the 49ers visit the Cardinals, and the Dolphins head to Vegas to battle the Raiders with playoff implications. Sunday’s slate features some good games. The Jets host the Browns looking to (maybe) win their second straight game, Indy visits Pittsburgh in a matchup of two great defenses and potential division leaders, the Ravens host the desperate Giants, the Football Team meets Carolina in Charlotte, the Chiefs welcome the Falcons, the Bears look to stay alive in the playoff race, the Rams and the Seahawks meet in Seattle to decide the NFC West, the Eagles visit the Cowboys looking to keep their divisional hopes alive, a colossal showdown in the frozen tundra of Lambeau when the Titans take on the Packers, and the Bills look to bask in glory in Foxboro against the Patriots who are playing for pride

Now let’s take a look at the ever-changing playoff picture. First, the AFC

X- Clinched playoffs, Y- Clinched Division, Z- Clinched Conference

Wild Card

Who’s in the hunt?

The Raiders play the Dolphins on Saturday in Las Vegas. A loss eliminates the Raiders from the playoffs

The Browns can clinch their first playoff spot since 2002 if they beat the Jets and either Indy, Miami, or Baltimore lose.

The Titans can win the division with a win AND a Colts loss to Pittsburgh

The Dolphins still need some help to get in. If they win out against the Raiders and the Bills, they’re in. But they could get some help should Baltimore lose one of its last two as well

The Ravens need the most help, needing Miami, Cleveland, or Indianapolis to lose out to get into the playoffs. The team that has that potential to lose out would be Miami because they go to Las Vegas and Buffalo to end the season. Buffalo may need to beat them to get the #2 seed over Pittsburgh.

The Chiefs can clinch the #1 seed and a bye if they defeat the Falcons or the Steelers fall to Indianapolis

The Steelers would need to win out along with a Chiefs loss to Atlanta or the Chargers to clinch the top seed

The Bills need to win out and hope Pittsburgh loses one of its last two to claim the #2 seed. Buffalo would potentially play Miami at home in a Week 17 rematch should that happen, but the Bills would need Cleveland to win that Week 17 game against Pittsburgh for the Bills to secure the rematch

Ok, now let’s take a look at the NFC Playoff Picture

Wild Card

Who’s still in the hunt?

The best case for Chicago to get in would be for them to win out and for Arizona to lose out. That could potentially happen since Arizona has a harder schedule than Chicago, but Arizona should be able to clinch the wild card if they beat San Francisco this Saturday and if the Bears lose one of their last two games

We know the NFC East is a terrible division, but it could be won this weekend. Washington would need to beat Carolina or win out and hope the Giants lose one of their last two to win the division. Best case for the Giants is both teams losing this week and the Giants beating Dallas and Washington losing to Philadelphia in Week 17 for the Giants to win the division

The Packers can lock up the #1 seed if they beat Tennessee this week or the Saints lose to Minnesota on Christmas

The Saints need to win out and hope the Packers lose out to get the top seed

Seattle can also get the top seed by winning out and the Packers and the Saints losing out

The Rams and the Bucs can clinch playoff spots by winning one of their last two games or if Chicago loses one game

Now let’s get to the games this week. We’re not gonna do a breakdown, but I’ll keep it simple and give you my prediction because it got pretty busy this week

The Vikings need to win to stay alive in the playoff race. But even so, they need a lot of help in order to get in with Chicago and Arizona ahead of them in the wild card chase. But they have business to attend to in New Orleans against a Saints team that has dropped two in a row after winning eight straight. The Saints will start Drew Brees against a Vikings defense that was decimated against the run last week against Chicago. The Saints need to win to clinch the South and the Vikings need to stay alive in this Christmas Day showdown in the Big Easy

Prediction: Closer than the experts think, but I like the Saints defense to shut down Kirk Cousins and win a close game. Dalvin Cook will do his normal routine, but it won’t be enough to win this game. Saints win but Vikes cover.

The Lions have too many COVID and injury issues in their organization as a whole and the Bucs are coming off a great win in Atlanta against the Falcons. A win would clinch a playoff spot and a New Orleans loss would give the Bucs a chance to clinch the division title in Week 17. An important showdown for the explosive Bucs in Detroit

Prediction: The Lions defense has gotten shredded in the last couple weeks and this is a must win for the Bucs. The Bucs go on the road and take care of business in the Motor City

The 49ers will be getting a boost in George Kittle’s return to the lineup, but the question will still be the quarterback position after Nick Mullens was hurt in their loss to Dallas last week. Meanwhile, the Cardinals offense clicked once again in a big win over Philadelphia and this is a must win for the redbirds at home with the playoffs on the line in Glendale

Prediction: The 49ers are too banged up and this is a must win for Arizona with the playoffs on the line. The Cardinals win a close, hard-fought game at home against San Francisco

The Dolphins could be coming into this game with a lot of swag after eliminating the Patriots last week at home, but they could also be confident heading into the desert with some offensive weapons coming back. The Raiders are banged up, especially with Derek Carr not being 100% and a defense that has been continuously injured. This is a high stakes playoff meeting with make it or break it mentality.

Prediction: I really think this could be a letdown for the Dolphins after eliminating the Patriots last week at home, but without Derek Carr I don’t think the passing game will be the same. The Dolphins win this game in a very low scoring fashion on the road and knock the Raiders out.

The Browns now have their eyes on a division title after the Steelers lost to Cincinnati on Monday night, making this game extremely important. However, the Browns will enter this game without their three top receivers due to contact tracing for another positive COVID test. The Browns need to find a new gameplay with no Rashard Higgins, Jarvis Landry, or Donovan Peoples-Jones. The Jets are coming off their first win of 2020, but will that stand as the only win of the season or will the Jets go for two straight?

Prediction: I said the Rams would destroy the Jets last week and got humiliated so I will correct that mistake. The Browns win a CLOSE game vs the Jets. Jets defense will keep this game close especially with no top receivers for Cleveland, but the Browns run game will be too much.

Baltimore isn’t out of it just yet. It’s best hope rides on the Dolphins/Raiders game. The Ravens need Miami to falter in order to make a late playoff push with two winnable games on the docket. They’ve won three straight since Thanksgiving and are looking to make it four against the Giants. New York is getting healthy now with Daniel Jones and James Bradberry back from injury, but this offense will need to score a lot more than six points against Lamar Jackson and the Ravens. Both teams need to win to stay alive. The loser will be most likely eliminated from contention depending on other games that will have some impact

Prediction: Giants defense will keep it close with James Bradberry back in the lineup, but this is a must win for the Ravens against an offense that is struggling so I will take the Ravens in a close matchup

It didn’t look like Joe Burrow would’ve made much of a difference in the Bengals’s 10 point win on Monday against the struggling Steelers. The Bengals defense shut down any chance of a comeback and Ryan Finley was outstanding at the quarterback position. The Texans are struggling with Deshaun Watson having no help on offense and a defense that is depleted. Will the Bengals keep their magic going in Texas?

Prediction: I leaned heavily on Houston at the start of the week, but I like Cincinnati’s defense to make a couple turnovers and give their offense a short field. I like the Bengals on the road in Houston

Jacksonville now has control of the #1 pick thanks to the Jets win in Los Angeles last week. The Jags will be without James Robinson who has been great on offense this year and Gardner Minshew at quarterback due to injuries. Chicago has rattled off two big wins to give themselves a chance to make a run at the last Wild Card spot. An Arizona loss on Saturday could give the Bears everything they need to lock up the last spot by winning out and hoping Arizona loses one of its last two. Big stage for the Bears in Jacksonville on Sunday

Prediction: Bears win big. Jags will want that #1 pick to keep it away from the Jets. Won’t even be competitive

The Chiefs have their eyes on the #1 seed if they can shut down the Falcons at Arrowhead. But losing their last two and the Steelers wining out combined with a couple losses by Buffalo would give the Steelers the #1 seed. But highly unlikely that that’s gonna happen with the Atlanta Falcons coming to town. The Falcons have struggled on defense lately and continue to be let down by their offensive line. With the Chiefs staring down the potential bye week, will the Falcons have enough in the tank to shut them down

Prediction: Chiefs win this game in a close one. This could be a game where Atlanta has a big day on offense but it won’t be enough to slow down Mahomes and the Chiefs at Arrowhead.

This is desperation time for Pittsburgh. The division could’ve been locked up last week in Cincinnati against a Bengals team that they destroyed in Pittsburgh a month or so ago and they got blown out for their third straight loss. The Steelers can’t run the football and the injuries are starting to pile up on defense. A big test awaits them at Heinz Field with the Colts coming to town. Indy is still in the hunt for a division title and can control its own destiny by winning out and hoping the Titans lose one of their last two. The Colts defense is healthy and they are getting much better on offense. This will be a big game this Sunday in Steel City

Prediction: The Colts are a healthier defense and can run the ball much better than the Steelers and that will be the difference maker in this game. I’m taking the Colts in a low scoring game

This 4-10 record for Carolina could be a little misleading. The Panthers have played tough against good teams like the Saints, Chiefs, Vikings, and last week against the Packers where their defense had five sacks on one of the greats in Aaron Rodgers. Eight of those ten losses have been a one score loss. The Panthers visit the Washington Football Team who have their eyes on the division depending on the outcome of the Giants-Ravens game. But there are some off the field issues with the Dwayne Haskins situation that happened this week and Alex Smith is banged up, so there will be some quarterback issues heading into this game. Not to mention, Washington will be without leading receiver Terry McLaurin and RB Antonio Gibson won’t be 100% after being activated from IR this week. We should be in for a defensive slugfest in our nation’s capital on Sunday

Prediction: Carolina may be a little banged up on defense, but there’s too many issues and injuries on the Washington offense and they could be a little bit jittery knowing that they can win the division. Not to mention, the Panthers want to beat their old head coach Riverboat Ron so I’ll take the Panthers in a low scoring game

Not much on the line in this game when Denver visits the Chargers, but I would think Justin Herbert will want to display his ROTY campaign against a Denver defense that got decimated by Buffalo at home last week. Herbert is certainly on pace to win AFC Rookie of the Year even though the Chargers are 5-9. The Broncos defense couldn’t stop Josh Allen last week, so getting after Justin Herbert will have to be the key to win this one. A rematch of when the Broncos overcame a 21 point deficit to stun the Chargers at home earlier in the season

Prediction: The Chargers will win a high scoring game at home with Justin Herbert being the difference maker

Surprisingly, both of these teams are still in the hunt for the NFC East title. However, it would take some sort of miracle for these two to win the division. However, these two would need to win out and hope the Giants and Washington drop both games. The Eagles will host the Football Team next week while Dallas will visit the Giants in the Meadowlands. Philly’s season has taken a turn since Jalen Hurts took over for Carson Wentz and despite the loss to Arizona last week, he was terrific. He ran the ball well and threw for over 300 yards and three touchdowns. The Cowboys have won back to back games and three of their last five heading into this divisional showdown and will get Zeke Elliot back from injury. Big stage for both teams with a potential shot at the division crown on the line

Prediction: Jalen Hurts running and throwing will be the difference maker. Dallas’s defense is still a handicap after giving up 33 to a banged up 49ers team last week. Eagles take this one on the road and eliminate the Cowboys

How in the world did the Rams lose to the Jets last week??? Simple: The Jets used the Patriots formula from the Super Bowl, stop the run and get pressure on Jared Goff. The Rams still haven’t figured out how to crack that defensive gameplan and now that loss to the Jets may haunt them if they lose in Seattle this week. The Seahawks can win the NFC West with a W after shutting down Washington last week. Seattle’s defense has been getting healthier with Jamal Adams back and Chris Carson is now healthy and back in his punishing form. With the NFC West on the line in Seattle, which defense will make a big play to win this game?

Prediction: The Rams have been too inconsistent and Seattle’s defense is now healthy. The Seahawks defense forces a few turnovers and runs the ball well and takes the game and the division.

This will be a great game in the frozen tundra of Lambeau. The Tennessee Titans with their eyes on the division title taking on the Green Bay Packers who can lock up the #1 seed with a W. But these are the matchups within the matchups that I’m excited about: Derrick Henry, needing just over 300 yards to go over 2,000 on the season, against the Green Bay front seven and the Titans bad pass rush against Aaron Rodgers who was sacked five times in Green Bay’s close win against Carolina last week. The Packers haven’t played a dominant game in a while and last week was good evidence after allowing five sacks and scoring only three points in the second half. With the weather obviously being a factor, the defense will see a lot of Derrick Henry, but I bet Mike Vrabel will be creative on offense and allow Ryan Tannehill to make plays down the field against the Packers secondary. Can Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams keep it rolling as well against a better Titans secondary. Big stakes for both teams on the line on Sunday Night Football

Prediction: I really like the Titans in this game. This is a game where Derrick Henry can dominate running the ball and the Titans pass rush will play their best game. This will be a shootout, but I’m taking Tennessee on the road in a close one

Buffalo has its eyes on the #2 seed and earning another home game in the playoff if they can win this game against the struggling Patriots. Buffalo has been led by Josh Allen who is having an MVP caliber season after hanging 48 points on a Denver defense that held Kansas City to 22 a couple of weeks ago and a defense that is getting much more healthy as the season has gone on. The Patriots season ended after a lackluster performance in Miami and have not found the end zone since hanging 45 points on the Chargers three weeks ago. Cam Newton will once again start for the Pats, but people are now asking questions on if he’ll be the starter next season or if the Pats will draft a QB or start Jarrett Stidham next season. The Bills should also be thinking about next week if Miami wins and they take the #2 seed this week. The Bills play Miami next week and if the Dolphins win in Las Vegas, the Bills could take the Week 17 loss and set up a playoff game against Miami the week after. Big stakes for Buffalo heading into Foxboro

Prediction: The Bills win this game on defense. The Patriots offense looks atrocious and they’ve been too inconsistent with Cam and the defense has lost its edge with no Stephon Gilmore in the secondary. Bills win

NFL Week 15 Preview: Thoughts and Predictions

December 20, 2020 ~ David ~ Leave a comment

Another exciting week of football in the NFL

Last week we had a lot of great games that featured a bounce back win for Denver over Carolina, the Seahawks and Bucs right their respective ships with home wins, the Cardinals get back on track by beating the red hot Giants, the Eagles stun the Saints at home behind Jalen Hurts’s big day, the Rams shut down the Patriots on Thursday, the Chiefs hold on to beat Tua and the Dolphins in Miami, the Colts clobber the Raiders in Las Vegas, the Titans rebound by dominating the Jaguars, the Bears crush the Texans, Washington taking the lead in the NFC East after beating San Francisco, the Bills take down the Steelers on Sunday night, and the Ravens keep hope alive in Cleveland on Monday night

This week features a Sunday night showdown we haven’t seen in over 60 years (as my grandfather told me last week) and young quarterbacks going head to head. In Week 15 we have the Chargers heading to Vegas to meet the desperate Raiders, the Bills look to stay hot in Denver, the Packers welcome the Panthers to Lambeau, the Patriots and Dolphins meet in Miami with playoff stakes on the line, the Colts host the Texans in Indy looking to take the division from Tennessee who hosts Detroit in Nashville on Sunday, the Vikings look to bounce back against Chicago at home, the Rams look to control the division against the Jets, two former Oklahaoma quarterbacks face off in Arizona, Mahomes steps into the Superdome against the Saints, the Browns and Giants meet in the Meadowlands with big playoff ramifications on Sunday night, and the Steelers get a cupcake game against Cincinnati on Monday night

But first, lets look at the playoff picture. First, the AFC

Who is still in the hunt in the AFC?

Now let’s look at the NFC Playoff Picture.

Now, who’s left in the hunt?

Now let’s get to the game previews and picks. Remember, there are two Saturday games this weekend so be sure to tune in at 4:30 and 8:15ET to watch some NFL Football

This week got busy so I did not have enough time to preview these games before TNF. So here are my game picks

Prediction: Can Jon Gruden get his guys to play hard like their playoff lives depend on it? I think he can and I think the Raiders run game will be the difference in this one. I don’t trust the Chargers offensive line despite all the throws Justin Herbert can make out of the pocket. Raiders win a shootout in Vegas

Prediction: This has the potential to be a trap game. Denver plays very good defense and can run the football well with Phillip Lindsay, but I think Sean McDermott will have his troops ready to play and the Bills running game will be the difference. Bills win, but I’ll take the +6 with Denver and the high altitude

Prediction: It will probably be freezing at Lambeau on Saturday and the Panthers can’t win cold games anywhere at anytime. Packers win and cover

Prediction: I have concerns about the 49ers but I think they’ll find a way to win this game. I just don’t think Dallas’s defense can stop Raheem Mostert for four quarters so I think San Francisco takes the game

Prediction: It doesn’t matter who the Patriots will start at quarterback because Miami’s defense will win this game. They won’t let the letdown from last week affect them and they’ll make couple turnovers to give their offense a short field and win this game at home. The Patriots will be eliminated with this loss

Prediction: Washington’s defense can keep it close, but they don’t have the offense to win this game. Jamal Adams and the Seattle defense makes a couple stops and gets a huge win in Landover

Prediction: Very low scoring game, but I think Dalvin Cook will be the difference in this game being able to slash through the Bears defense and allow Kirk Cousins to play well and the Vikings get back on track against the Bears

Prediction: The Colts defense contains Deshaun Watson and Jonathan Taylor has a big game. This is one the Colts cannot afford to lose with the Titans teetering a bit. Colts win big at home against the Texans

Prediction: Derrick Henry will rn right through this atrocious Lions defense and the Titans secondary makes a couple turnovers and wins this game. Titans win and cover.

Prediction: The Bucs defensive line will dominate up front but it will be Ronald Jones and the run game that will be the difference in this game. Falcons will have a letdown after last week’s tough loss in Inglewood and the Buccaneers get the big win

Prediction: Ravens big over the Jags. I don’t see how Baltimore could lose this game unless they have a hangover but the Jags are horrible when it comes to stopping the run and it will result in their downfall. Ravens win big

Prediction: This is gonna come down to defense and turnovers and as much as I love Jalen Hurts and this Eagles team, this is a game that Arizona cannot afford to lose and their defense will rise up and shut down this Philadelphia offense. Kyler Murray out-duels his Oklahoma counterpart and the Cardinals take the win at home in a shootout

Prediction: Rams win big. Not even close

Prediction: If Drew Brees was 100% and playing with a healthy offense with a huge crowd in the dome, I would take the Saints. He’s not and there’s no crowd or Michael Thomas. Patrick Mahomes lights up this Saints defense and the Chiefs win again on the road in New Orleans. It’ll be a shootout though

Prediction: An angry Browns team coming off a loss, the Giants can’t run the ball, Daniel Jones isn’t playing in this game, and their offensive coordinator and best cornerback are on the COVID list. I love what the Giants have done to this point but I think the dream ends on Sunday night. Browns win a low scoring game in the Meadowlands

Prediction: The Steelers finally get a team that they can dominate, the poor Cincinnati Bengals. Steelers win big

NFL Week 14 Preview: Thoughts and Predictions

December 13, 2020December 13, 2020 ~ David ~ Leave a comment

First off, I apologize for not being able to preview every game because of finals week preparations. I have had a lot to do over the last couple days so I didn’t have time to preview the games. Instead I just gave my predictions for the last two weeks. It may be the same today as I have a lot of projects due at the end of the week. But as always you can tune into the Marvel Sports Podcast on Spotify for game recaps and breakdowns with me and my co-host Andrew Spezzano. Here’s our latest show: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3b18FNZC5pYyeaPe471wZW?si=2jfgiwnFSxmblT9am33KSg

Now, down to business. Week 13 in review.

The NFC East made some big statements last week. The Giants made the biggest splash of the week by taking out the Seahawks in Seattle while the Football Team handed the Steelers their first loss of the season on Monday afternoon, the Browns made a statement in Nashville by beating the Titans, the Rams beat Arizona to retake the NFC West lead, the Saints survived a scare against the Falcons in Atlanta, the Patriots thrashed the hapless Chargers in LA, the Dolphins defense took care of the Bengals, Minnesota needed overtime to beat Jacksonville, the Packers held on to beat the Eagles at home, the Colts recovered a fumble late to beat the Texans, the Chiefs locked up a playoff spot in a tight win over the Broncos, the Bills got a big win in Arizona over the 49ers, and the Ravens got back in the win column against the Cowboys on Tuesday night

With only four weeks left in an unprecedented NFL Season, things are beginning to heat up in the playoff race. Here’s how the playoff picture looks after 13 weeks of football

AFC PLAYOFF PICTURE: (1) PIT (2) KC (3) BUF (4) TEN (5) CLE (6) MIA (7) IND. Still in the hunt: BAL, LV, NE

NFC PLAYOFF PICTURE: (1) NO (2) GB (3) LAR (4) NYG (5) SEA (6) TB (7) MIN. Still in the hunt: AZ, CHI, DET, SF, whoever is left in the NFC East

This week features some Super Bowl rematches and some revenge games, but the majority of these games have massive playoff implications. It all starts with Thursday night’s game in LA between the Patriots and the Rams. Sunday’s slate features a huge matchup in South Florida between the Chiefs and the Dolphins, the Texans take on the Bears in Chicago, the Giants look to shut down Kyler and the Cardinals in the Meadowlands, the Vikings put their hot streak on the line in Tampa, the Raiders and Colts meet in Las Vegas with playoff implications on the line, Washington and San Francisco meet in Arizona looking to stay alive in the playoff chase, the Saints look to stay red-hot against the struggling Eagles, the Bills and Steelers face-off on the big stage in Buffalo, and the Browns host the Ravens on Monday night

Rematch of Super Bowl LIII when Tom Brady captured his sixth Super Bowl over Jared Goff in Atlanta 22 months ago. Now it’s a rematch between two new look teams as Cam Newton and the Pats play their second game at SoFi Stadium in four days against the other Los Angeles franchise. The Patriots looked dominant against a young Chargers squad in a 45-0 drubbing last week. Cam Newton rushed for two TDs and the Patriots had two touchdowns on special teams. Gunner Olszewski had a punt return for a touchdown and Devin McCourty returned a blocked field goal for a touchdown. The Patriots still have a long way to go to make the playoffs, including winning out, but a win here could go a long way. The Rams have taken out the Seahawks, Bucs, and Cardinals after losing to Miami a couple of weeks ago. Jared Goff played well last week and the Rams run game was effective in the win over Arizona last Sunday. The Rams need to win to stay on top of the division, but can they take down a confident Patriots team that has a talented defense?

When the Pats run the ball, Advantage: PATRIOTS. That’s been their bread and butter since week one and that’s how their going to have to win this game. Damien Harris has come into his own and Cam Newton in the red zone will be crucial for the Patriots offense

When the Pats pass the ball, Advantage: RAMS. This is a game where I think someone like Aaron Donald can change the game. The Patriots have reshuffled their offensive line and their pass protection has been leaky at times. I also think Jalen Ramsey on Jakobi Meyers will be the difference in the game

When the Rams run the ball, Advantage: RAMS. The ground game has been the success for LA recently with Cam Akers and Darrell Henderson running the football. That’ll have to take some pressure off of Goff in the passing game and allow him to do play action passes

When the Rams pass the ball, Advantage: PATRIOTS. New England’s defensive line has improved and their secondary can match the receivers for the Rams, but forcing turnovers will have to be the difference for the New England defense

Prediction: I live in Massachusetts, I like what I’m seeing from this Patriots team, and I am so impressed with Cam Newton’s play in the last couple games. But I think Aaron Donald and this Rams defense will make plays to get him under pressure and force a couple turnovers and give the Rams offense a short field. I’m taking the LA Rams at home in a low scoring game

Rematch of Super Bowl 50 from five years ago, but it’s been pretty one-sided in this matchup. Since Carolina came into the league in 1996, the Broncos have won five of the six meetings all time against the Panthers which includes Denver’s Super Bowl win a couple years ago. Now both teams are struggling and gearing up for the offseason, but Carolina’s in a tough spot. The Panthers are dealing with some COVID issues in the receiving core and on the defensive line so they’re coming into this game shorthanded. The Broncos played a solid game on the road in Kansas City, but couldn’t hold down the Chiefs for four quarters. Which team can bounce back off a tough loss and off the field issues in time to get the win?

Prediction: I loved what I saw from Denver last week, especially on defense, and I don’t think the Panthers offense will be able to score points against that defense. I like Denver on the road in Charlotte to pull this one out

Remember when the Chicago Bears were 5-1 and leading the NFC North division for about an hour? Yeah, me neither. The Bears have been so atrocious in their six game losing streak, being physically unable to run the football and protect whoever’s the quarterback. Last week, I thought they would be able to beat a Lions team that had just gotten blown out on Thanksgiving and fired their head coach. Instead, the Bears found a way to choke the game away and lose their sixth in a row. The Texans were on a roll before choking a chance to take the lead against Indianapolis last week. The Texans were down by six and were driving before Deshaun Watson fumbled the football inside the five and lost the game. So both teams have the sour taste in their mouths after a gut wrenching loss but the talk of the town, especially in Chicago, is how the Bears passed on Deshaun Watson and drafted Mitchell Tribuisky in the 2017 draft. The last person the Bears and Matt Nagy want to see right now in Chicago is an angry Texans team coming off a game they should’ve won last week.

Prediction: Deshaun Watson > Mitchell Trubuisky any day of the week. I like the Texans on the road in Chicago. I think Watson makes plays and Houston’s defense will be the difference maker

I don’t think this game needs any previewing. The Jags had numerous chances to steal a game in Minnesota and instead dropped their 11th in a row. The Titans stayed resilient, but were crushed by the Browns in the first half that ultimately led to their defeat in Nashville last week. Derrick Henry was held to only 60 yards on 15 carries against the Cleveland defense, so maybe getting a bad Jacksonville defense may be just the thing he needs to get back one track. But I want to see the Tennessee pass rush come alive because they have been the Achilles heel of this team. They have to pressure the quarterback in this game

Prediction: This is a good bounce back game for Tennessee. They get back to running the football and win this one against the sliding Jaguars in Jacksonville

Man, this game isn’t gonna be fun at all. Both teams offensive lines are so terrible, the defense is just as bad, and there’s a limit of offensive weapons on both sides. I guess the one advantage in this game would be the Cowboys ability to run the ball with Zeke Elliot. He may be banged up, but he’s arguably going to be the best player on the field in this game.

Prediction: Very low scoring game, but I think Ezekiel Elliot will have a big game and the Dallas defense can cause some chaos up front against the banged up Bengals. Cowboys go on the road and win

I’m not gonna lie, I think this is the best game of the day or one of the more underrated games of the day. We know a lot about the Chiefs, but this is the chance to find out if the Dolphins are playoff contenders or playoff pretenders. Miami has a great defense and a young quarterback that has played well, but the one thing the Dolphins can’t do is run the football. That will get harder because of Myles Gaskin, the Dolphins second year RB, being placed on the COVID list this week. So the offense will have to be able to run the ball against the Chiefs defense. The Chiefs are 11-1, but that win against Denver last week wasn’t pretty. The Chiefs were held down by Denver’s defense for most of the game before finally shutting the game down with just under two minutes to go in regulation. Being held down by a defense at home is one thing, but let’s see if the Dolphins defense saw something from Denver’s defense to use against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs offense

When the Chiefs run the ball, Advantage: DOLPHINS. I think Miami has done better at defending the run this season and Leveon Bell wasn’t great in a starting role last week. The defensive line of Miami has to set the tone in this game if the Phins will be successful in this game

When the Chiefs pass the ball, Advantage: CHIEFS. I don’t think Miami’s defense will have the advantage against Tyreek Hill, Sammy Watkins, and Travis Kelce. While Miami’s pass rush has been better, Patrick Mahomes is just the best at avoiding pass rush.

When the Dolphins run the ball, Advantage: CHIEFS. I don’t think the Chiefs defensive line is that great, but Miami is depleted at the running back position with Gaskin out. And even if the Dolphins had him, they can’t run the ball

When the Dolphins pass the ball, Advantage: CHIEFS. The secondary for the Chiefs will be the difference in this game. they can match up with Miami’s receivers and I don’t think Tua has played well in his last couple of games

Prediction: This is gonna be so much fun to watch. I love what Brian Flores has done to Miami and how well they’ve played on defense, but I don’t think they’ll be able to hold down Patrick Mahomes for four quarters. Close, high scoring game, but the Chiefs go on the road and take care of business in South Florida

How about Andrew Spezzano’s Giants? They just went into Seattle and shut down the all powerful Russell Wilson and the Seahawks on defense. They’ve been one of the hottest teams in the NFL having won four straight games and five of their last six after starting 0-5. Daniel Jones is making a comeback after injuring his hamstring in the win against the Bengals two weeks ago which should give the Giants offense a spark. But the Giants defense will have their hands full with another mobile quarterback in Kyler Murray and the Cardinals. Since the Hail Murray play against Buffalo a few weeks ago, the Cards have lost three in a row and four of their last five games. Kyler’s play hasn’t improved and the Cardinals defense looks completely lost after giving up 38 points to the Rams last week. But when a team like Arizona is on the cusp of the playoffs, the best thing a team like the Giants can do is take them out because I don’t wanna see Arizona in the playoffs with what they’re fully capable of doing on offense. Should be a great game in the Meadowlands this weekend.

Prediction: I gotta take the Giants. I haven’t seen enough of the Arizona defense that will make me believe that they can win this game, especially on the road in the cold in the Meadowlands. The Giants win at home, and all of a sudden we may have a clear favorite in the NFC East

The Minnesota Vikings were 1-5 and heading into Green Bay to play a Packers team that was on cruise control a month and a half ago. The Vikings won the game and haven’t really missed a beat, winning four of they next five right after that. But the teams and the scores of those wins say that the Vikings could easily be under .500. The Vikings had to escape the Bears in Chicago, they had to put away the Lions late, Carolina missed a go ahead field goal at the end of the game, and then last week Jacksonville took them to overtime and lost at the end of the overtime period. Minnesota has been playing with a lot of fire and, eventually, it will burn them at some point. Predictably today as the Vikings head to Tampa to take on the Bucs. The Bucs are coming off a bye but have lost three of their last four since starting 6-2. Three losses to the Saints, Rams and Chiefs and all of them were at home. Tom Brady and Bruce Arians haven’t been on the same page since the Saints game and this defense that everyone thought was great is getting picked apart by young and athletic quarterbacks. The loser of this game is out, so whichever quarterback comes out firing and picks apart the other’s defense will win the game.

Prediction: I think the Vikings have played with fire based on close wins against Jacksonville and Carolina so I think Tampa wins this game. The defense shuts down Dalvin Cook and Tom Brady will expose this Minnesota secondary with over 350 yards and three scores. Bucs win big at home

How in the world did both of these teams win last week?? The Raiders were done against the Jets, and the Jets just gifted them the victory by doing an all out blitz on the last play of the game. The Colts were able to recover a fumble as the Texans were about to score to get a crucial victory in Houston. Both teams are coming off must have wins last week, but this is a game where playoff seeding will be a factor in Las Vegas. The Raiders have been teetering on the edge of the playoff picture and find themselves on the outside looking in, but a win against an Indianapolis defense that has struggled against the run may be just what they need to get back in the picture

When the Colts run the ball, Advantage: COLTS. Jonathan Taylor is due for another big game against a Raiders defense that has had trouble defending the run in the past

When the Colts pass the ball, Advantage: COLTS. This is a game where Philip Rivers has to dominate and trust his young wide receivers against a Las Vegas defense that has been bad at rushing the passer and is too young in the secondary

When the Raiders run the ball, Advantage: COLTS. If the Raiders have a chance, they have to run Josh Jacobs against the Colts defense, but DeForest Buckner being back on that Colts defensive line will be the difference for Indy as they should be able to contain him in this game

When the Raiders pass the ball, Advantage: RAIDERS. What the Raiders may do in the passing game is some screen passes to Jacobs and Henry Ruggs to attack the outside of the Colts defense and use their offensive line to their advantage

Prediction: I think this is a game where the defense has to dominate, and I think the Colts defense will be the unit that dominates this game. They’re gonna stop the run and play great coverage in the secondary and the Colts run game will be effective. Colts win a low scoring game in Vegas

The Seahawks are coming off a bad loss to the Giants and the Jets just found a way to lose to the Raiders after having them on the ropes for 59 minutes and 50 seconds. If you think the Jets have any chance of winning this game, I give you my prediction.

Prediction: This won’t even be close or competitive. The Seahawks win big over the Jets. Once again, the Jets show up after the other team suffers a devastating loss and the Jets pay the price.

Prediction: Even if Jalen Hurts plays, the Saints defense will take away his receivers and dare him to run the football and that will be all the Eagles will do on offense. Regardless of who plays QB for the Saints, they take care of business at home against the Eagles

What Washington did to Pittsburgh last week was unbelievable. The Football Team fell into a 14-3 deficit at halftime and were able to come back and stun the Steelers in Pittsburgh last Monday to put themselves into a position to win their division or make the playoffs if a Wild Card team falls out. I have to give a lot of credit to Ron Rivera. He kept his team close and they did not panic and were able to steal that game in Pittsburgh. Now they head to Arizona, yes I said Arizona, to take on San Francisco. The 49ers are now in trouble after the 34-24 loss to Buffalo last week. Nick Mullens still can’t throw the football and the defense was shredded last week by Josh Allen. The loser is most likely out of the playoffs while the winner has a chance to get back into the race.

Prediction: Lot on the line for both teams, but I will take the 49ers because they can do a little bit more in the passing game than Washington and they’ve got a veteran secondary. 49ers take care of business in AZ against a desperate Football Team

What Green Bay was able to do last week was huge. The Packers defense shut down Jalen Hurts after he caught fire late in the game and then they got back to running the football with Aaron Jones to give them the W against the Eagles last week. While it wasn’t a pretty win for the Packers, they’re showing signs of being a great football team because they have won a lot of games in different ways. This isn’t really a test for the Packers when they go into Detroit, but if they can handle their business they will clinch a spot in the playoffs and get closer to winning the NFC North. The Lions were able to escape Chicago last week with a four point win but are still missing a lot of starters on both sides of the ball. If they lose Sunday, the season is over. Should be a good game on Sunday with the Packers looking for a playoff spot and the Lions trying to hold on to their season.

Prediction: Lions are still banged up offensively and Aaron Rodgers is having a great season, one of which has him in the MVP conversation. Packers go on the road and win big

This is another game that is completely unwatchable and unpreviewable. The Chargers defense has been just as bad as Atlanta’s offense. Let’s just get to the pick.

Prediction: Atlanta’s defense is better than LA’s defense so I think the Falcons defense has a field day against a bad Chargers offensive line and Matt Ryan plays well to give the Falcons the win

A revenge game, playoff implications, and an unbeaten streak on the line in Western New York this Sunday night. Last season, on a Sunday night much like this one, the Bills went into Pittsburgh and knocked the Steelers out of the playoff picture and got themselves into the playoffs at the same time. This year is different with both teams ahead in their divisions and playing for seeding as oppose to keeping hope alive. Josh Allen is having an MVP type season in Buffalo now that he has an arsenal of weapons on the outside including Stefan Diggs and Gabriel Davis, but here comes TJ Watt and the Pittsburgh defense that loves to cause disruption on the line of scrimmage. However, the Steelers will be without some key guys on defense with Bud Dupree and Devin Bush being out with knee injuries. Mike Tomlin was happy that they lost last week to take the pressure of their potential undefeated season but with Cleveland now right behind them in the division and the Bills and Chiefs on their tails for the #1 seed in the AFC, how long will he stay happy if they don’t take care of business in Western NY on Sunday night?

When the Steelers run the ball, Advantage: BILLS. James Conner being back is big for the Steelers, but I don’t know if he’s 100% and going against a Bills defense that is good at stopping the run

When the Steelers pass the ball, Advantage: STEELERS. Big Ben and these Pittsburgh wide receivers are gonna need big games to beat this Buffalo secondary which is getting healthier, but I think Chase Claypool is due for another big game against Tredavious White on the outside

When the Bills run the ball, Advantage: STEELERS. I’m not sure how consistent Buffalo can run against this defense even with the injuries on the Steelers defense. If they can pound the ball for 60 minutes on a consistent basis, they can win but I don’t think they can against Watt and the Pittsburgh defense

When the Bills pass the ball, Advantage: BILLS. I think the Steelers secondary is overrated and this is a game where Josh Allen has to dominate and be able to throw the ball downfield to Diggs, Cole Beasley, and Davis

Prediction: This is the day the Steelers go down. I like the Buffalo Bills at home with a healthy defense and more speed on the perimeter to beat this Pittsburgh secondary, and the Steelers have struggled against good teams like the Ravens and Titans in the past. Buffalo gets a big home win over the Steelers

I did not expect the Cleveland Browns to beat Tennessee, let alone dominate them, in Nashville. But they just came out and crushed the Titans in the 1st half. Baker Mayfield only missed five passes and threw four touchdown passes in the game. Cleveland is now, in my mind, a playoff threat for being able to run the ball and play great defense, especially up front now that Myles Garrett is healthy. The Browns are out for revenge against the Baltimore Ravens on the Monday night stage on the edge of Lake Erie after the Ravens blew out the Browns in Week 1 in Baltimore. But this isn’t the same Baltimore Ravens team that dominated Cleveland in Week 1. Lamar Jackson is struggling throwing the ball, the run game hasn’t been the same, and the defense hasn’t been great. It’s a situation that has Baltimore on the outside of the playoff picture. Sure they beat Dallas last week, but can they go on the road and take care of a physical Cleveland team that has become extremely confident?

When the Ravens run the ball, Advantage: BROWNS. Cleveland shut down Derrick Henry last week and held him to 60 yards rushing. I think they should be able to shut down Lamar Jackson and the Ravens backfield in this game.

When the Ravens pass the ball, Advantage: BROWNS. When was the last time that Lamar Jackson had a good passing game? Cleveland’s secondary has improved and this is a game where if they take away the run and force everything on his hands, they should be able to win this game

When the Browns run the ball, Advantage: BROWNS. How about Nick Chubb? He’s been on fire and this will be a game that he has to dominate in order for the Browns to relieve the pressure off of Baker Mayfield in the passing game

When the Browns pass the ball, Advantage: RAVENS. The secondary for the Ravens can match the Browns receivers, but the pass rush will have to be the story for Baltimore in order for them to be successful in this game

Prediction: I think the Browns defense is the difference in this game. They’re gonna stop the run and force Lamar Jackson to throw the ball, which has been a struggle for him this year. I also think Nick Chubb will have over 100 yards on the ground against Baltimore’s defense. The Browns might be a little high off the win in Nashville last week, but they’ll recover in time to take out Baltimore at home on the big stage.

NFL Week 13 Preview: Thoughts and Predictions

December 7, 2020 ~ David ~ Leave a comment

Boy was Week 12 crazy

Last week we saw the Rams and Cardinals struggle and give Seattle the division back, the Broncos play with a WR as a QB, the Chiefs take down the Bucs in Tampa, the Vikings survived Carolina, the Packers dominated the Bears on Sunday night, the Bills knocked off the struggling Chargers, the Dolphins defeated the hapless Jets, Atlanta crushed the Raiders at home, the Giants and Washington picked up big wins, the Steelers stayed perfect against the COVID riddled Ravens, and the playoff picture is starting to take form

This week there was no Thursday night action but that doesn’t mean there’s no good action this week. The Falcons and Saints meet again in Atlanta, the Colts look to bounce back in Houston, the Raiders look to do the same in the Meadowlands, the Browns and Titans meet in Nashville with huge playoff implications, the Dolphins get Tua back against the Bengals, the Rams and Cardinals meet in Arizona looking to rebound, the Chargers welcome the Patriots, the Eagles meet the Packers at Lambeau looking to stay alive in the divisional race, the Chiefs meet the Broncos on Sunday night, the Steelers put their unbeaten streak on the line against Washington, the Bills and 49ers meet in Arizona, and the Cowboys take on the Ravens on Tuesday night

Last week’s record: 12-4. Pretty good for a full slate of NFL action last week. One change with the logos is the Falcons are wearing their throwback unis this week so they’re back in their throwback graphic for this week.

I know the Saints played a WR as a quarterback last week in Denver, but the Saints defense was outstanding. They shut down the run game quickly and forced everything to go through the quarterback’s hands. I’m still not sure if the Saints are the best NFC team right now because of how Seattle and Green Bay have played recently, but I really think that the Saints defense has evolved since losing two in a row to start the season. The Saints visit the Falcons in Atlanta and if you thought the Saints win against Denver was impressive, Atlanta’s win over Las Vegas was better. The Falcons got back to running the football and forced five turnovers on defense, one of which was returned for a touchdown. If the Falcons defense can play like they did last week against Las Vegas, they can give the Saints a game in Atlanta. But how they gameplan on offense will be tricky. They’re gonna have to throw the ball around to win.

Prediction: I’m not sure how Taysom Hill will perform, but the Saints defense will be too much for the Falcons to overcome so I’m taking the Saints to win a close game in Atlanta

Both of these teams are god awful. The Lions were dominated by the Texans on Thanksgiving, resulting in Matt Patricia’s firing along with the Lions GM. Detroit is still too young and still too banged up on offense. RB Deandre Swift and WR Kenny Golladay are out with injuries and the defense is too young on the defensive side of the ball. In Chicago, the Bears looked pretty bad on offense throughout the night in Lambeau against the Packers. But in the 4th Quarter Mitch Trubuisky played okay by throwing for two touchdowns against the Packers defense. If there was any kind of spark from the Bears in last week’s loss, maybe that was it. The Bears cannot lose this game if they have any chance of catching Minnesota or Arizona or Tampa in the playoffs, so this game against a divisional opponent is a must win game

Prediction: Wow…. I think if the Bears offense can play anywhere close to that 4th quarter against the Packers they can win this game. Trubuisky plays well and wins the game

That was a stinger of a loss for Indianapolis. The Colts were embarrassed at home against a Titans team they beat two weeks before. The Colts couldn’t stop Derrick Henry or AJ Brown on defense and couldn’t run the ball at all on offense. The good news is, the Colts get DeForest Buckner back on defense after testing positive for COVID-19 last week. Indy heads to Houston where the Texans are catching some fire. Houston has won two straight and three of its last four because of Deshaun Watson’s play. Watson has gone back to his old roots of making plays with his feet and getting the ball to his playmakers like Brandin Cooks and Duke Johnson. However, the Texans will be missing some offensive starters because of an injury to Kenny Stills and a suspension to Will Fuller (PEDs). That could be a problem for the Texans offense against a Colts team in a sour mood and getting their best pass rusher back. The Colts are looking to make a run in the playoffs, but a loss in Houston would be a damaging blow.

Prediction: I was leaning heavily on the Texans heading into this game but with DeForest Buckner being back off the COVID list, I think the Colts bounce back on defense and shut down Deshaun Watson and win a close, low scoring game in Houston

I’m not even gonna preview this game. All I can say is, the Raiders better get their act together after being embarrassed by the Falcons on the road in Atlanta last week. They need to get back to running the football and play better defense, especially on the defensive line. What better way to bounce back than to beat a winless football team.

Prediction: It’s kinda funny that every team that loses a bad game plays the Jets the next weekend. Raiders win big in East Rutherford because of last week and last year when they lost in New Jersey to the Jets.

Prediction: I think this is the best game of the week. Both teams can run the ball so this game is gonna come down to pass rush and turnovers. I gotta be honest, I have gone back and forth in this game all week. I am gonna go with the team with the best player on the field which is Derrick Henry and the Titans getting the W.

Prediction: Too much defense for Miami and the Bengals offensive line is atrocious. Dolphins win big at home and set up a very intriguing matchup with Kansas City next week in South Florida

Prediction: I think we’re gonna see Justin Jefferson have a big game for the Vikings. He’ll have over 100 yards and two scores and the Vikings get a big W at home against the Jaguars

Prediction: Another tough call. I am gonna take the Rams because of the inconsistency on the Arizona offense. They haven’t thrown the ball effectively in their last couple games and Aaron Donald can wreck the game. Rams bounce back

Prediction: I do think that the Giants defense will keep this close for at least a half before the Hawks turn on the jets. Russell Wilson will have a big game and the Seattle defense will stuff the Giants offense and win the game

Prediction: I think this has upset potential because of the Patriots being one-dimensional on offense, but I don’t think the Chargers offensive line can protect Justin Herbert against that Patriots pass rush so I’m gonna take the Pats but this will be a close game

Prediction: This won’t even be close. The Green Bay defense will crush the Philadelphia offensive line and Aaron Jones will have a big day on the ground for the Packers and they win big to continue the Eagles miserable season.

Prediction: I can’t believe this is still a primetime game. Denver’s offense can’t move the ball no matter who’s at quarterback and Patrick Mahomes will expose this Broncos defense. Chiefs win by 30+ points

Prediction: Washington’s defense will keep this game close, but I don’t have a lot of confidence in their offense against the Pittsburgh defense. Steelers win a close one at home

Prediction: Buffalo’s defense is healthy and they got back to running the football to win last week. This is going to be very low scoring, but I think the Bills go into Arizona (again) and take down the 49ers

Prediction: Ravens get their backfield back and get the win. I don’t trust that Cowboys defense at all

College Football Thoughts

December 5, 2020 ~ David ~ Leave a comment

I didn’t even think we would get this far in a college football season.

Surprisingly we’ve made it to December in the College Football season. While there have been some cancellations and postponements throughout the season, I think it’s great we’ve been able to have a college football season. I gotta be honest, this has been one of the most chaotic seasons of college football I’ve ever seen.

Today, I’ll be sharing my thoughts on College Football this season and what I think of most teams in the country

ALABAMA IS THE BEST TEAM IN THE COUNTRY

There’s no question that the Crimson Tide are the best team in the country. There were some concerns about the defense after a shootout win over Ole Miss earlier this season. But Alabama slammed Georgia a couple weeks later to solidify their championship status. I love Mac Jones and Devonta Smith, Nick Saban has done another phenomenal job in Tuscaloosa, and the defense is improved. No question that the Tide are the best, but let’s see how they do against another high powered offense like Florida and one of the CFP teams down the road

WATCH OUT FOR THE IRISH

Notre Dame may not be the #1 team in the country, but I love this football team. Ian Book should be in the Heisman race, Kyren Williams can run the football, and this defense is scary because they can stop the run and rush the passer. They’re the most balanced team in the country. But the best thing about this team is their offensive line. They have been able to run the ball and protect their QB because of how big and physical their offensive line is. They’ve already beaten Clemson, but can they beat them again in the ACC title game and beat an Alabama or Ohio State in the playoff.

IOWA STATE IS THE BEST TEAM IN THE BIG 12

A couple of years ago, the Iowa State Cyclones were the other laughing stock of the BIG 12 along with Kansas. Now, they’re one win away (Or one of three teams losing) from making the BIG 12 title game. The Cyclones started the year rough by losing to Louisiana, a Sun Belt team, in Game #1. Since then Iowa State beat Oklahoma, Kansas State, and Texas; the first time ever the Iowa State had beaten Texas and Oklahoma in the same season. Iowa State has balanced offense with RB Breece Hall and QB Brock Purdy and his arsenal of tight ends, the receivers are coming to the forefront, and this defense is great in the secondary. They may be the best team in the BIG 12, and a trip to their first conference title in over a century would be huge for their program

BIG 12 LOG JAM: What’s Wrong with Texas and Oklahoma State?

Texas’s loss to Iowa State last Friday was huge for Tom Herman. He made some questionable calls late in the game that allowed Iowa State to creep back into and eventually win the game. Up 20-13, Herman called a fake punt that didn’t work and ISU hit another field goal to close the gap to four. Then they don’t kick a field goal to go up seven points and miss a 4th Down conversion. Then with less than four minutes left, Texas throws the ball on 2nd and 3rd down and give the ball back to the Cyclones who go down the field and score the game winning touchdown. Texas may need to figure something out with their coaching staff or get their players to buy in to the culture to go out and win games because their defense is great, but offensively the Longhorns are struggling running the football.

Meanwhile, expectations were sky high in Stillwater, Oklahoma for the Oklahoma State Cowboys. But it hasn’t been that kind of season for the Pokes. After starting 4-0 and beating Iowa State at home, Oklahoma State has gone 2-2 with losses to Texas and Oklahoma and near losses to Kansas State and Texas Tech. OSU’s offensive line is not very good because they can’t protect the quarterback and their defense that started out great suffered some injuries in the secondary so now they have to outscore everybody on offense. The Cowboys blitz is getting picked apart and now the offense has to keep up and when it can’t, the gameplan has to change. Oklahoma State can still make the BIG 12 title game if it wins out and Oklahoma loses, but they really need to sharpen that offensive line

FLORIDA, A&M ARE THREATS IN THE SEC

Kyle Trask is a Heisman candidate and A&M is a balanced offense, but the Gators and Aggies have not played well on defense. The Gators defense has always been an issue this season while A&M’s defense has been improving. They’re both right on the cusp of the CFB berth but the difference is A&M beat Florida in College Station in October. Florida will probably face Bama in the SEC title game, but that could also be the showdown for the Heisman Trophy between Kyle Trask and Mac Jones

COVID PROBLEMS IN THE BIG 10 AND PAC 12

One of the things I really hate about the COVID-19 impact on College Football is the conference’s inability to fill in games that have been cancelled between the two teams that have enough players or are not impacted by the pandemic. The PAC 12 has done that and it’s worked out well for them, but the BIG 10 hasn’t and it kinda sucks for Ohio State because they already got one game canceled last week and they may get the Michigan game cancelled too because of the virus implications at Michigan. If that happens, Ohio State cant go to the BIG 10 Championship and will probably be cut from the playoff unless the BIG 10 decides to give them a chance to reschedule a game against a team that isn’t playing.

BEST GROUP OF FIVE TEAM?

I love Cincinnati. They’re tough, physical, they can score a ton of points and play great defense. Desmond Ridder is playing out of his mind and the Bearcats have taken out some tough competition in the AAC such as Memphis, SMU, and UCF. BYU and Coastal Carolina are up there as well because they’re both balanced on offense. But unless Cincinnati stumbles late, those teams are gonna have to play catch up

GAMES TO WATCH THIS WEEKEND IN CFB

Here are some of the notable games to watch in CFB this weekend with a quick summary of what’s at stake

#4 OHIO STATE @ MICHIGAN STATE (NOON ABC): The Buckeyes look to get back on the field against a Spartan team that upset #8 Northwestern last week.

#17 TEXAS @ KANSAS STATE (NOON FOX): The Wildcats run game faces off against another stingy defense when it welcomes Texas, coming off a heartbreaker at home vs Iowa State, to Manhattan. A loss eliminates Texas from reaching the BIG 12 title game

#23 OKLAHOMA STATE @ TCU (NOON ESPN 2): Oklahoma State’s season is on the line once again when it visits Fort Worth to clash with TCU. The Cowboys need to win out and hope Oklahoma or Iowa State loses to make it into the BIG 12 title game. TCU can knock OSU out with a win.

SYRACUSE @ #2 NOTRE DAME (2:30 NBC): The Irish welcome Syracuse to South Bend looking to stay perfect and keep their hopes alive for a CFP berth

#6 FLORIDA @ TENNESSEE (3:30 CBS): The rivalry is renewed in Knoxville as Kyle Trask looks to keep his Heisman candidacy going against the Vols

#12 INDIANA @ #16 WISCONSIN (3:30 ABC): Indiana’s dream season looks to stay alive in Madison against Wisconsin. The Badgers are coming off a bye week after losing their first game to Northwestern two weeks ago

WEST VIRGINIA @ #13 IOWA STATE (3:30 ESPN): The BIG 12’s best defense goes toe-to-toe with the best RB in the country. The Cyclones can clinch the BIG 12 regular season title with a win and a spot in the BIG 12 title game with a win or a loss by OK State

#15 OREGON @ CALIFORNIA (7:00 ESPN): The Ducks and Golden Bears both look to bounce back after heartbreaking losses to instate rivals

#3 CLEMSON @ VIRGINIA TECH (7:30 ABC): Clemson can clinch a spot in the ACC title game with a win, but visit Lane Stadium at night to take on a high flying Virginia Tech offense. However, the Hokies enter this game losers of four of their last five and with the worst pass defense in the ACC.

#1 ALABAMA @ LSU (8pm CBS): The Crimson Tide look for revenge at night in Death Valley against an LSU offense that is depleted and a defense that cannot stop the run

BAYLOR @ #12 OKLAHOMA (8pm FOX): The Sooners are two wins away from a BIG 12 title game spot and take on the 2-5 Baylor Bears in a rematch of last year’s BIG 12 Championship.

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Sports Blog by David Maher

Month: December 2020