Tag: Tom Brady

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6 Bold Predictions for the 2020-21 NFL Season

By Saransh Sharma, Rohan Krishnan, and Pranav Thiriveedhi

The 2020-21 NFL season is just days away, and many storylines are coming into it. Justin Fields will not be starting for the Bears, Aaron Rodgers may be playing his final season with Green Bay, Cam Newton is not in the NFL, and Tom Brady is still winning Super Bowls and looking to keep adding to the count. Here are our 6 bold predictions and storylines to watch for this season:

Saransh’s Bold Predictions

1. Cam Newton Gets Signed By the Giants… & Starts

Daniel Jones is not a good quarterback he is a bad quarterback. I will never understand what possible insane statistics a Giants fan can use to try to defend this man, but if you support a guy who in 27 games played has thrown just 35 touchdowns, yet has also thrown 22 interceptions, and has 21 fumbles (almost 2 turnovers per game played), then I am not sure what football you are watching. The Giants cannot waste valuable years of Saquon Barkley’s prime, as well as the prime of this defense, and let it go to waste because they want to see their QB quite literally throw away games. Newton, with his rushing prowess, would fit wonderfully alongside Saquon, and his throwing was good in preseason, as well as before he got COVID-19 last season. If the Giants want to win games, Daniel Jones will do nothing to help them out, and they do not have the luxury to let young players on their roster see their careers wasted by another year because of an incapable QB.

2. Matt Nagy Is The First Coach Fired

Matt Nagy was not too bad of a coach in his first few seasons with Chicago, when they went to the Playoffs with Mitch Trubisky, won the NFC North, things looked great for the former Kansas City Chiefs Offensive Coordinator. Since then, QB problems, erratic offense, playcalling, as well as a rather broken locker room, have all occurred, all due to Nagy and his decline as a coach. He gave up playcalling towards the end of last season, which helped the Bears sneak into the Playoffs, but this season he comes in with the playcalling back in his hands. Andy Dalton being named the starter was controversial, but it will depend on how long Fields is on the bench. If Dalton is the starter for more than 5 weeks and Nagy does not make the change, he will get fired.

Pranav’s Bold Predictions

1. Washington Finishes Last in the NFC East

Last year, Washington was poised to take the 4th rank in the NFC East, while the Cowboys and Eagles were the NFC East favorites to win the division. Look how that turned out… I think Washington lived up to their hype towards the end of the season and in the playoffs, but a new offense with a new quarterback for a season has never worked well for Washington, regardless of when. The Football Team also do not have that leadership player they have had in years past like Alex Smith or Ryan Kerrigan. Their defense is scary and will win them games, but I do not see them winning more than five games. Of course, the NFC East is the laughing stock of the NFL, and five games is a lot, but with a lot of new talent pouring into those teams, I think we are here to see a breakaway season. All the NFC East teams will be firing on all cylinders, but I feel that the Washington team is too hyped up to start the season.

2. The Bengals Make the Playoffs

The main reason Joe Burrow could not stay healthy in his first season was the miscues and problems of the offensive line, but now that changed. A new OL coach and a terrific performance by the offensive line in the preseason will allow Burrow to find his receivers. I do not see Jamarr Chase playing as valuable of a role as Tyler Boyd or Tee Higgins, but there is a chance he will perform much differently as the season goes forward. The Bengals have one of the most underrated offenses in the league, and their only key to success this season is getting those stops on defense. If the Bengals can add talent or find a way to improve the talent on defense, I do not see a problem with them matching the Browns, Steelers, or Ravens in arguably the league’s most competitive division.

Rohan’s Bold Predictions

1. Jameis Winston Wins NFL Comeback Player of the Year

Jameis Winston took less money in 2020 to sit behind Drew Brees and learn more about playing quarterback in the NFL. Winston can sling it and have big games, but the question with Winston has always been if he can protect the ball. He is famously known for being the first quarterback to finish a season with 30 touchdowns and 30 interceptions in a single season. This season, Saints Head Coach Sean Payton named Jameis Winston the starting quarterback over Taysom Hill, and Payton is the perfect coach to help Winston lead an offense and protect the football. I think this season, football fans are going to see the best version of Jameis Winston as he leads the New Orleans Saints to the Playoffs.

2. The New York Jets Make the Playoffs

It is now over a decade since the Jets have made the playoffs, which is currently the longest drought in the NFL. This time last year, NYJ’s head coach was Adam Gase, Sam Darnold was leading the offense, and the Jets had one of the worst offenses in the NFL. Now, the Jets have completely revamped the team and culture. They signed respected coach Robert Saleh as their new Head Coach, drafted promising quarterback Zach Wilson with the 2nd pick in this year’s Draft, and revamped their offensive line and receiving corps. The signing of Corey Davis, who is coming off a career-best year, was a great addition to the receiving room of Jamison Crowder, Denzel Mims, and rookie Elijah Moore. They also picked up offensive tackle Alijah Vera-Tucker in the 1st round to help shore up an offensive line that also has Mekhi Becton. I think Zach Wilson and the Jets will surprise a lot of people and sneak into the postseason with 10 wins as a Wild Card team.

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Where Will Julio Jones Be Traded To?

By Saransh Sharma, Rohan Krishnan, & Pranav Thiriveedhi

For the last decade, Julio Jones has been arguably the best wide receiver that we have ever seen play during that time, and for good reason. In his decade-long career so far, Julio has 12,896 receiving yards, 60 TDs, has been named an All-Pro twice, is a 7x Pro Bowler, has a Super Bowl appearance, and was named to the All-2010s Hall of Fame team. The only player with comparable stats to that is Antonio Brown, who if he had not been suspended over the past two seasons, would have better stats than him. The argument between whether Julio or AB is the better WR all-time and of the 2010s decade is a debate for another day, but with a superstar like Julio on the trading block, the speculation as to where he will end up goes through the roof. Here are our predictions of the best landing spots for Julio and where he should be traded to, now that he has officially declared that he wants out:

Saransh’s Prediction: Julio Reunites With Kyle Shanahan

The only problem the 49ers have is not that they do not have trade assets, but that they are in the NFC, and Atlanta would hate to trade Julio to a team they probably have to see once every 1-2 seasons. Then again, it is Julio Jones, and hearing out the trade would not hurt the Falcons. San Francisco is an interesting position, with $17.133M available in cap space, per Spotrac, but also able to free up cap space with a Jimmy Garoppolo trade/release, and movement of other players via trade. Julio Jones might not like the fact that he would have to play with a rookie QB in Trey Lance, but he would be surrounded by elite weapons like George Kittle, Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel, and a plethora of running backs, giving Julio a similar feel to what he had in Atlanta. He would also have the familiarity with Head Coach Kyle Shanahan, who was Julio & the Falcons’ Offensive Coordinator during the Falcons’ Super Bowl run. The 49ers have a defense that is built for a Super Bowl run and are rebuilding at QB, but the rest of the offense is just a piece away from being elite, and Julio can be that guy that helps them get back, and this time, win a Super Bowl.

Mock Trade:

Falcons Receive: 2022 2nd-Round Pick, 2022 3rd-Round Pick, FS Jimmie Ward, LB Samson Ebukam

49ers Receive: WR Julio Jones, 2022 5th-Round Pick

49ers Release: QB Jimmy Garoppolo (cap casualty)

49ers Sign: FS Tre Boston on 2-year, $10M deal (Jimmie Ward replacement)

Rohan’s Prediction: Julio Joins Henry, Brown, & Tannehill In Nashville

Tennessee has been very connected to superstar WR Julio Jones and he would be a massive upgrade to a team that desperately needs a receiver. The Titans lost 2 key offensive players this offseason: receiver Corey Davis and tight end Jonnu Smith. They added Josh Reynolds, but they need some pass-catches to fill in these holes so Julio makes a lot of sense. Also, Derrick Henry and A.J. Brown has recruited Julio Jones publicly with both of them making a pitch on Twitter, plus it seems that Julio does want to play in Nashville. The question is, can Tennessee afford Julio Jones? It is difficult but not impossible. Jones will carry a cap hit of about $23 million and the Titans have just $3.60 million remaining in cap space, so Tennessee would have to jump through a lot of hoops to make this happen. They would have to restructure contracts of their highest-paid players like quarterback Ryan Tannehill, tackle Taylor Lewan, and guard Rodger Saffold. The Titans are in win now mode and have to do whatever it takes to get a player like Julio Jones. They are right on the doorstep of being strong contenders for the title and Jones would put them over the hump. 

Mock Trade:

Falcons Receive: 2022 2nd-Round pick, 2022 3rd-Round pick

Titans Receive: Julio Jones

Titans Restructure: Ryan Tannehill, Taylor Lewan 

Pranav’s Prediction: Julio Joins Cam & Belichick in Foxborough

Julio Jones is not only a generational talent but is one of the best wide receivers to ever play in the National Football League. Aside from his national accolades, Julio is the face of Atlanta and an athlete that almost every kid looks up to. And now, the Atlanta Falcons, with the hope of becoming a younger team, have put the veteran super receiver on the trading block. It won’t be long before Julio is acquired by another team, and that team to look out for is the New England Patriots. Coach Bill Belichick is known for bringing in veteran superstar receivers into New England after an amazing playing career in their prior home. Take Randy Moss, Chad Johnson, Antonio Brown, and Josh Gordon for example. Sometimes it worked out for the Patriots, but most of the time it didn’t. So why would the Patriots want to bring in a big-name receiver, who would cost a lot, but not make much of a difference? Well, because of the Tom Brady factor. Tom Brady, who could use any wide receiver to do anything, is no longer on the team, so the Patriots and Belichick will have to rely on their two QBs: Cam Newton, a veteran with more to prove, and Mac Jones, a rookie yet to be tested. Unlike Brady, these quarterbacks would more likely than not need a lot of support on offense, so bringing in a veteran superhuman of a receiver such as Julio Jones into New England will beef up the receiving core and strengthen it, regardless of his age or healthiness. 

Currently, the Patriots receiving core consists of the wide receivers:

Nelson Agholor, a speedy threat, is coming off a great season in Las Vegas, but still has a lot of trouble from his experience in Philadelphia. Next is Kendrick Bourne, a four-year depth chart receiver who has had a steady career in San Francisco. Returning from last season are Jakobi Meyers and N’Keal Harry, who are both very young receivers who had average seasons with Cam Newton under center.

By bringing Julio Jones in, the Patriots would get a consistent receiver, mentor, and reliable target for the receiving core. But Julio Jones is a costly receiver, which is the real reason Atlanta wants to move on from him, as their cap hit would be through the roof if they were to keep the All-NFL superstar. The Patriots would not only have to make financial space for him, which would consist of a lot of restructuring and releasing but would have to give up a lot to get him in the trade.

Mock Trade:

Falcons Receive: 2022 2nd-Round Pick, 2023 2nd-Round Pick, LB Dont’a Hightower

Patriots Receive: WR Julio Jones, 2022 6th-Round Pick

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Super Bowl LV Predictions: The GOAT vs. The Baby GOAT

By Saransh Sharma, Nikhil Pradeep, Pranav Thiriveedhi, Rohan Krishnan, & Anish Dhondi

Tom Brady vs. Patrick Mahomes. A legend of the game vs. the biggest future phenom. The GOAT vs. The Baby GOAT. This matchup is the highlight of Super Bowl LV and one that we are going to remember for decades as one of the best quarterback matchups ever in a Super Bowl. Tampa Bay will be making history before the Super Bowl even kicks off, with Tom Brady going to his 10th Super Bowl, trying to capture his 7th win, and the Buccaneers being the first team ever to host the Super Bowl. Meanwhile, the defending champion Chiefs look even better than they did last year, as they took care of business all season long and did so in the playoffs as well, with and without Patrick Mahomes. Here are our predictions for Super Bowl LV:

Super Bowl LV: Kansas City Chiefs vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Saransh’s Prediction:

When Tom Brady went to Tampa Bay this past offseason, this Buccaneer offense looked great and had finally found the perfect quarterback to lead it, but I would not have expected them to be in the Super Bowl in Brady’s first season with the team. Then again, the mistake I made was doubting Tom and his ability to get to a Super Bowl. Brady has yet to play his usual ‘playoff Brady’ football, but I would expect him to bring it in the Super Bowl. On the other side, we have the defending champion Chiefs coming into the home of the Buccaneers for the Super Bowl with more confidence than ever. They sport a better run game than last season, a better defense, and somehow even more creativity thanks to Head Coach Andy Reid. The last time these teams met was in Week 12 when the Chiefs won 27-24 in Tampa, thanks to 462 passing yards & 3 TDs from Mahomes, 269 of those which went to Tyreek Hill, who will once again be a nightmare for the Buccaneer defense. I expect Hill to eclipse the 150-yard mark for receiving, and I also expect Travis Kelce to eclipse 100 yards. The Chiefs used more of a deep-passing game to exploit the safeties of the Buccaneers and have them matched up against Hill, but expect this time for Hill to be just as involved, but in more of a quick-passing game in order to keep Tampa Bay’s from-7 honest. 

Brady himself put up 385 yards & 3 TDs of his own, but his 2 INTs led to a 20-0 deficit and later a 27-10 deficit, and the Chiefs’ late miscues made the close scoreline look all too misleading. Brady will need to be much sharper and cut down the turnovers against Kansas City because unlike Green Bay, Kansas City’s playcalling will not be passive. The Buccaneers’ key to victory will be to milk the clock with a solid run game, and also to challenge the Chiefs’ linebackers more in the passing game, as a huge reason for their Week 12 loss to Kansas City was due to not mixing up the passing play-calling. 

Expect a ton of points on both sides, expect some of the best we have seen from Mahomes and Brady, and expect the Buccaneers secondary to have no answer for Tyreek Hill yet again. The Chiefs will hoist the Lombardi once again. 

Final Score: 38-33, Chiefs 

Super Bowl MVP: Tyreek Hill

Nikhil’s Prediction:

It is really hard to bet against Brady, no matter what team, no matter what circumstance, no matter what path to the Super Bowl he had to take. The Bucs earlier in the year looked written off, and many stated that the growing pains of Brady and the completely new Bucs roster were going to take at least a year to shake off. But, as is usually the theme with Brady, all critics were swiftly shut up, and the Bucs stormed their way back into contention during the second half of the season. Many had thought the presumed MVP Aaron Rodgers would take his red-hot Packers to the championship game, but somehow, as we have seen time and time again, Brady pulled his magic and vaulted his team ahead. Without any doubt, he is quite literally the greatest to play the game, and the fact that he did it this year in a completely new environment with minimal amounts of practice and preparation further cements his legacy. 

But this Chiefs team he is matched up against is SCARY. Patrick Mahomes seems to be the next in line to Brady’s throne and is storming his way there. Keep in mind, this team lost only 2 games in the regular season, and one of those losses was during a meaningless game against the Chargers in which most of their starters didn’t play. This team in many ways compares directly to the offensive firepower that the Bucs have, but have nearly twice the chemistry. Pieces like Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce, and Tyrann Mathieu have only gotten better since last year and having the new addition of Le’Veon Bell only propels their stock even higher. And if there was still any doubt, this team has already proven that they can handle the bright lights, having won the Super Bowl last year. In my mind, it is a bad decision to bet against such a well-orchestrated team like the Chiefs, and although there is always a chance when you have Brady on your team, there are still some crucial short-comings on the Bucs team that will prove costly against such powerful opposition. Thus I am leaning towards the Chiefs to win Super Bowl LV. 

Final Score: 38-31, Chiefs

Super Bowl MVP: Patrick Mahomes

Pranav’s Prediction:

Tom Brady, in his fight against father time, has almost always been the underdog in every Super Bowl (10 appearances including 2021) he has played. With the New England Patriots, he won 6 out of the 9. But even after winning six rings, people called him a part of Bill Belichick’s system. So what did he do? He dropped everything and moved to Tampa Bay, FL, where he is doing it all over again with his new customized team and game plan, and guess what? He is in the Super Bowl again! Regardless of the roster around him (offense or defense), Tom Brady has always been able to pull off the win, marking his presence as the greatest to ever play, but this time, he has the best offense he has ever played with. With weapons like Mike Evans and Chris Godwin and superstar talents in his running back core, the offense should have no problem moving the ball. 

But, do not get me wrong, the Kansas City Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes are pretty damn good. With the best record in the regular season and two strong postseason wins against the Browns and Bills, the Chiefs are looking like the team to beat. The game will be high scoring, whether it is a bomb to Tyreek Hill or a sensational throw to Mike Evans, but what we do know for sure is that this will be a fun Super Bowl for the ages. Tom Brady will get his 7th ring on Sunday, but it will be a hard-earned one. 

Final Score: 31-27, Buccaneers

Super Bowl MVP: Tom Brady

Rohan’s Prediction:

The last two quarterbacks to win the Super Bowl will face off in what will be a matchup for the ages. This has been a season unlike any other before it and the NFL has done a fantastic job navigating through this horrific pandemic. This Sunday will be a fitting finale for the most unique season in NFL history. The Buccaneers spent most of the season flying under the radar and the consensus was that they would be behind the New Orleans Saints. However, they shocked the NFC and the rest of the league, defeating the number 2 seeded Saints and the number 1 seeded Packers on the road. We should have known: never doubt the GOAT Tom Brady. Brady has injected life into a stagnating franchise and now the Buccaneers will be the first team ever to play in their home stadium in a Super Bowl. Tampa Bay’s defense, led by star LB Devin White, Jason Pierre-Paul, and Shaquil Barrett, has played a huge part in their Super Bowl run too, becoming a turnover machine and taking things to the next level at just the right time. This elite defense has 7 sacks and forced 7 takeaways in their three playoff games. They will be facing the biggest test of their season yet against a blazing and electrifying Kansas City offense who shredded the Bills defense en route to their 2nd Super Bowl appearance in a row. This Bucs defense also gave up Kansas City’s biggest offensive day of the season back in Week 12, as Mahomes and Co. racked up 543 yards in the Chiefs win. Travis Kelce is having a record-setting season for a tight end and has become one of the most dangerous weapons in the entire league. He is just one of several high-flying threats in the Chiefs league-leading offense as it includes speedster Tyreek Hill and superstar Patrick Mahomes. Mahomes dealt with multiple injuries and still managed to put up 300+ yards and 3 TDs against the Bills. He will be well-rested going into this matchup. Kansas City was the better team when these two teams met earlier in the regular season, and while the Buccaneers have gotten a lot better, so have the Chiefs. Despite Tampa Bay having home-field advantage for the first time in Super Bowl history, I got the Kansas City Chiefs going back-to-back with Mahomes winning the Super Bowl MVP. 

Final Score: 35-24, Chiefs

Super Bowl MVP: Patrick Mahomes

Anish’s Prediction:

When looking at these two teams, it is clear that the team that has the upper hand on paper is the Chiefs. However, The Bucs are led by the GOAT Tom Brady, and if history has taught us, you can never count Brady out. The Chiefs have the so-called ‘next GOAT’ themselves in Patrick Mahomes. Mahomes is the next biggest thing at quarterback as he can throw no-look dimes and amaze with his strong arm. As for his advantage over Tom Brady right, it comes in the QB running ability, which will help keep drives alive and keep Brady off the field. As for the rest of the team, the Chiefs just look too strong with Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce. The Bucs have Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, but the Chiefs have the advantage in terms of offensive weapons. Therefore, I will have to go with the Chiefs winning back-to-back Super Bowls, with Mahomes as the Super Bowl MVP. That being said, as a Falcons fan myself, I know that it is never a good idea to bet against Brady. 

Final Score: 34-31, Chiefs

Super Bowl MVP: Patrick Mahomes

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2021 NFC & AFC Championship Game Predictions

By Saransh Sharma, Rohan Krishnan, & Pranav Thiriveedhi

This NFL Playoffs has had it all. Tom Brady dominating on the biggest stage, this time in the NFC, Aaron Rodgers proving why he is the most talented man to ever play the sport, the Chiefs playing like the defending Super Bowl champions with Chad Henne instead of Patrick Mahomes, and the Buffalo Bills playing like its the 1990s. These 4 teams now face each other for a ticket to Tampa Bay, with history on the line for the Buccaneers, as they could be the first team ever to host a Super Bowl. Here are our predictions for how these Conference Championship Games will go down:

AFC Championship Game: #2 Buffalo Bills @ #1 Kansas City Chiefs

Saransh’s Prediction: One year ago, people were questioning whether Josh Allen was the long-term option for the Bills. He improved quite a bit from his rookie season but still made glaring miscues, and they were most apparent in the Bills’ Wild Card loss to the Houston Texans where they blew a 16-0 lead. Now, Josh Allen is a top-5 QB and is looking to lead the Bills back to the promised land, this time hoping to hoist the Lombardi Trophy instead of watching their opposing team do it, as the Bills did 4 consecutive years (1991-1994). 

On the flip side, Kansas City is looking to repeat and will have Patrick Mahomes back from the concussion he sustained, as well as rookie RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who went down with a knee injury in Week 14. Kansas City went 14-2 this season but at times looked like they were coasting too much and letting go of big leads or getting into close games against teams they should have no problems. That also was true against the Browns, as they let a 16-3 lead go, and had Andy Reid not decided to keep the offense out there on 4th down, the Browns could have won that game. Sure, they did not have Patrick Mahomes, but they still let up a bit and gave Cleveland a chance to win the game. Against a QB like Josh Allen, that cannot happen. No one in that secondary can stick with Stefon Diggs, and he and Allen will feast on the Chiefs. Mahomes or not for Kansas City, Buffalo wins. Final Score: 30-23, Bills 

Rohan’s Prediction: The biggest question and player of this game is Patrick Mahomes. He has now been cleared to play, but is he truly 100%? He suffered not one but two injuries against the Browns: a foot injury and a concussion. The Chiefs were still able to pull out a victory with Chad Henne, but they will be facing a much better and more composed team this time around. Not only that, the Bills are extremely hot as they just dismantled the Ravens and are on an 8-game winning streak. 

Furthermore, they have won all but one of those games by 10 or more points. Their defense is legit and they can certainly handle the dangerous 3-headed monsters of Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill, and Travis Kelce. Josh Allen did not stuff the stat sheet against Baltimore’s tough defense, but he was able to lead the offense down the field and do just enough to give the Bills the victory. Allen should have a smoother ride against the Chiefs defense, and I expect this game to be a shootout. However, it is hard for me to bet against Kansas City as Andy Reid and company always find ways to get it done Even if Mahomes is less than 100%, I think the Chiefs will win in a thriller due to home field advantage and Super Bowl experience. Final Score: 38-35 Chiefs

Pranav’s Prediction: As Saransh mentioned above, Josh Allen was questioned if he could be a franchise quarterback for any team, not just the Bills. Many questioned his size, talent, and awareness, but those many who questioned him will now be watching him play in the AFC Championship from their couches. Josh Allen is legit, and with the newly acquired talents of Stefon Diggs, who seems to have created beautiful QB-WR chemistry with Josh Allen, The Bills have gone from playoff probable to Super Bowl contenders in just one season. On the other side, the Chiefs, led by Mahomes, are the best team in the NFL, possessing a 14-2 record. The Chiefs are your standards for American Football in the NFL. Mahomes will become one of the greatest to ever play, Tyreek is showing the world why it was a mistake for him to be drafted in the fifth round, and Travis Kelce is en route to upping Rob Gronkowski in the record books. There is so much talent on the offense, as well as promising talent on the defense. However, the Bills possess one of the best defenses in the league. The Bills are ready to break more tables on Sunday, and the Chiefs are ready to make their second consecutive visit to the Super Bowl. A great game calls for a great prediction, and I will be calling the Bills to get business done in Kansas City. Final Score: 27-24 Bills

NFC Championship Game: #5 Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ #1 Green Bay Packers

Saransh’s Prediction: Who would have expected that the first time we would see a Brady-Rodgers playoff matchup would not be in a Super Bowl? Many thought that Tom Brady would never leave the Patriots, and those that did think that the Chargers would be the perfect destination. Being in LA would be great as he often stays there in the offseason, LA has great weather, Hollywood, and so much more. Instead, Brady chose Tampa last spring, shocking the football world, but what has not been as much of a shocker is his playoff greatness, as he is yet again competing for a Super Bowl. Meanwhile, we see Aaron Rodgers leading the Packers to the Super Bowl after the Packers decided to draft a QB in the first round of the NFL Draft this past spring. Who knew that all it would take for Rodgers to play the best football of his career again was to make him mad and think he would be replaced? That is mostly a joke, but you get the idea. Rodgers has established himself with Davante Adams, the best WR in the league, and players like Allen Lazard, Robert Tonyan, and Aaron Jones all stepped up big last week after Adams drew a very tough matchup against Jalen Ramsey. Brady has found himself having a nice rapport with Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and of course, his best friend, Rob Gronkowski. Despite that, the team has been a bit shaky in these playoffs despite their wins. In their game against Washington, the defense had lots of trouble stopping Taylor Heinicke, and against New Orleans, their offense did not score a single touchdown except for off turnovers. This team needs to be much more consistent both offensively and defensively to ensure that they can keep pace with this historic Packers offense. Antonio Brown has not been a huge factor for the Buccaneers, but he certainly is a great player who can provide big plays, and for him to be out this Sunday (knee) will loom larger than it seems on paper. This team does not have the secondary to cover Adams and does not have enough balance on offense to keep up with Green Bay. The Brady-Rodgers matchup will be one for the ages, but Rodgers will come out on top. Final Score: 35-31, Packers

Rohan’s Prediction: For more than a decade, Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers have sat at the top of the league at the quarterback position. On Sunday, we will see these two elite players square off in the postseason for the first time. These two teams have met in the regular season in Week 6 as the Bucs came out on top 38-10. The Tampa Bay defense shut down Aaron Rodgers (160 yards, 2 interceptions) and Aaron Jones (10 carries, 15 yards) en route to a blowout victory. However, things will be different this time around as it will be in Green Bay. The weather is also going to be very cold which works in Green Bay’s favor. The Packers’ offense has improved into a killer machine recently which has also benefited their defense. They simply do not turn the ball over, which helped them hold the highest figure in the league for an average time of possession. Tampa Bay came up with four turnovers against the Saints, so they need to have another multiple takeaway game to control the Packers. This is the toughest opponent Tampa Bay has played in a while and will need to put together their best performance of the season to beat this crazy talented Packers team in the cold. Brady will get it close, but it will not be enough for the Bucs as Green Bay returns to the Super Bowl for the first time in a decade. Final Score: 32-27 Packers

Pranav’s Prediction: We have seen Brady vs. Manning, Brady vs. Brees, and even Brady vs. Mahomes. But now we have the opportunity to see number 12 vs. number 12 in the playoffs, Brady vs. Rodgers. Something football fans have wanted to see for over ten years is coming true this Sunday. The Packers are an incredible team in all aspects on the offensive side. Rodgers is your surefire MVP, Davante Adams is your number 1, league-wide receiver, and Jones is your top 5 running back. Even the secondary on the Packers is scary, with Jaire Alexander. But on the Buccaneers, Brady leads one of the most electric offenses in the NFL, except the Kansas City Chiefs. With so much depth on both sides of the ball, Tampa Bay will surely present an excellent matchup for the Green Bay Packers. We might even witness overtime in this game, as both teams will be dropping points every drive. This is one of the hardest games I will ever have to call, but I know Tom Brady in the playoffs. There is nobody better than him in the playoffs, regardless of who is on the other team. When Manning was the MVP, Brady won. When Mahomes was the MVP, Brady won. Rodgers has presented a historic stat line as one of the greatest to ever play, but he will be facing the greatest to ever play. I will be putting all my money on the table and calling for the Buccaneers to win, which will allow them to host the Super Bowl in February. Final Score: 36-30, Buccaneers

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2021 NFL Divisional Round Playoff Predictions

By Saransh Sharma & Rohan Krishnan

The 2021 Super Wild Card Weekend was one of the most memorable ones in recent memory. We saw Tom Brady set up Brady-Brees III, Taylor Heinicke had the performance of his life and maybe the best quarterback performance of the Wild Card Weekend in Washington’s loss to Tampa. We saw Buffalo and Cleveland break their playoff win droughts, a Nickelodeon NFL game, the Rams run the Seahawks out of Seattle, and Lamar Jackson got his first playoff win as Baltimore got their revenge against Tennessee. This weekend should set up one of the most Divisional Rounds in recent memory, with many young, up-and-coming superstar QB in the AFC and legendary QBs in the NFC. Here are our predictions for the Divisional Round:

AFC Divisional Round

#6 Cleveland Browns @ #1 Kansas City Chiefs

Saransh’s Prediction: Cleveland just came off of what may have been their biggest playoff win in team history with their upset victory over the Steelers, and what a display they put on. With great defensive play all night to give the offense short fields to work with, along with the poise of Baker Mayfield and the running game from Kareem Hunt and Nick Chubb, this Browns team proved how legit they are. The Browns proved to be a team that could give Kansas City problems. In Kansas City’s first loss of the year to the Raiders, the Raiders grossly outrushed the Chiefs, which ultimately led to the win, as every other stat was almost identical for both teams. Despite that, the Chiefs offense will have all their cannons out ready to fire, and the Browns offense will have much more work to do than they had on Sunday Night. Chiefs win, but the Browns keep it very close. Final Score: 37-34, Chiefs

Rohan’s Prediction: What a win for the Cleveland Browns, getting their first playoff victory in 25 years! Cleveland dominated the Steelers with almost no practice and their head coach in quarantine. They showed they can overcome adversity and find ways to win games shorthanded. However, they are about to face a very well-rested Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Tyreek Hill, and the Kansas City Chiefs on the road with 17,000+ fans in attendance. The Browns secondary will get torn apart, and this game will not be close. Browns fans should be proud of their season and have a lot to look forward to in the future. Final Score: 41-20, Chiefs

#5 Baltimore Ravens @ #2 Buffalo Bills

Saransh’s Prediction: Two of the most electrifying QBs in the league, Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen, have led their teams to this position, along with great weapons around them and defenses to complement them as well. This game is calling for 1-3 inches of snow on Saturday, and Lamar Jackson said earlier this week that he has never played in the snow and hopes not to. That to me is all the difference, as that, coupled with Bills Mafia in the stands, boosts the Bills to victory. Final Score: 24-17, Bills

Rohan’s Prediction: Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen, both getting their first playoff win last weekend, are a pair of thrilling dual-threat playmakers, which makes this matchup very exciting. Both teams are evenly matched and had very hot finishes to the regular season. Baltimore did a fantastic job containing Ryan Tannehill and Derrick Henry last week, but this week will have a more difficult test against the electric Buffalo offense. I anticipate a down-to-the-wire game, but Buffalo will come out on top by controlling Baltimore in the red zone. The weather will be in favor of Buffalo too, and Lamar does not have experience playing. Final Score: 23-20, Bills

NFC Divisional Round

#6 Los Angeles Rams @ #1 Green Bay Packers

Saransh’s Prediction: The hype around the Rams defense is legit, and they are the undisputed best defensive group in all of football, but against the best offense, led by arguably the most talented quarterback in NFL history in Aaron Rodgers, and all of his pass-catching options, at some point the Rams defense will bend enough to the point where Rodgers makes them break. Davante Adams and Jalen Ramsey will have the most exciting WR-CB matchup we have seen in ages, but Rodgers will keep the Packers’ offense afloat. That, along with the uncertainty of Jared Goff at QB, who will be asked to throw late in the game, and in the cold, possibly-snowy winter wonderland of Lambeau Field, that should propel Green Bay to the win. Final Score: 28-14, Packers

Rohan’s Prediction: The best defense in the league against the best offense in the league, what more could you ask for? No NFL team has scored more points in the regular season than the Packers, while the Rams defense is responsible for most of the team’s wins. The Rams have the issue of having both Jared Goff and Aaron Donald banged up coming into this game. Dealing with injuries to these key players will be a headache for Sean McVay and his squad, along with the icy conditions, nothing like that nice Los Angeles weather. That said, I feel an upset brewing. Even though MVP candidate Aaron Rodgers has been on a tear, I think the Rams secondary can contain Davante Adams and the rest of the receivers. Also, the Packers will be missing All-Pro David Bakhtiari, which is a concern against the team that leads the NFL in sacks (53). Rams will shock the world and play in the NFC Championship for the 2nd time in 3 years. Final Score: 26-23, Rams

#5 Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ #2 New Orleans Saints

Saransh’s Prediction: Brees vs. Brady, Part III, live on The History Channel. Well, that is a joke but has become viral on Twitter during the past few days. All jokes aside, this matchup has the legacies of Brady and Brees on the line, as Brady losing three times in one season to Brees could put a bit of a dent on his legacy, especially now that he is in Tampa as opposed to New England, where the competition was typically much younger and less experienced. Both times these teams have played, Brees has calmly picked apart the Buccaneer defense, Alvin Kamara has done his thing on the ground, and the elite front-seven has fooled Brady and forced mistakes. While Tampa Bay may have figured out how to beat Washington’s elite front-seven, them doing it twice in a row, is unlikely. I expect Brees to have a very similar game to the one he had against the Bears last week, where he constantly found Michael Thomas and led the Saints on methodical, clock-chewing drives. Final Score: 30-21, Saints


Rohan’s Prediction:  This game should be a memorable one as it will be the last time we will see Drew Brees and Tom Brady face off head to head. The Saints have swept the Buccaneers in the regular season by a combined 72-26 score. New Orleans has an elite defense and showed that when they held the Bears to 9 points and the Bucs to just 3 points in their most recent matchup. Meanwhile, the Buccaneers managed to take care of Washington but it was not easy by any means, and it went down-to-the-wire. On paper, the Saints have the better defense, better offensive line, and know-how to win games against elite opponents. However, you can never count out Tom Brady, who has the most impressive playoff resume and has weapons like Evans, Gronk, Godwin, and AB. I expect this to be a close game, but the Saints will come out victorious thanks to their defense and controlling the clock. Final Score: 33-28, Saints

Posted on in NFL

2021 NFL Super Wild Card Predictions

By Saransh Sharma, Rohan Krishnan, & Pranav Thiriveedhi

For the first time in the NFL’s history, we will be seeing a playoff with 14 teams, as opposed to the usual 12 teams, with each conference having 7 representatives, and one team in each conference receiving a bye week, bringing us our first-ever Super Wild Card Weekend, where we get to see 6 games between Saturday and Sunday played to decide who moves throughout the playoffs. Here are our predictions for who will prevail in the Super Wild Card.

AFC Predictions

#7 Indianapolis Colts @ #2 Buffalo Bills

Saransh’s Prediction: The Buffalo Bills have at times looked like the scariest team in the NFL not named the Kansas City Chiefs, and it is no secret as to why. Josh Allen has played like an MVP candidate all year and drastically improved and like the Chiefs with their QB-Receiver duo of Mahomes and Kelce, Allen has found his duo partner in Stefon Diggs, who was acquired this past offseason. 

Meanwhile, for the Colts, they signed QB Philip Rivers to a 1-year, $21M deal, which surprised many, but his consistent play in the late-season stretch, along with the elite defense, helped Indianapolis secure the 7-seed in the AFC. This game features two defenses that have been hot for the majority of the season, but the Bills’ offense is far superior and more consistent than that of the Colts, propelling them to a win. Final Score: 31-21, Bills

Pranav’s Prediction: The Buffalo Bills are your AFC East Champions! That is something the world has not been heard in over 20 years, but after an upsetting season from the New England Patriots, who placed 3rd in the division, the Bills not only filled the seat but also took the #2 seed in the AFC conference. The Bills are a scary team on all sides of the ball. A very dynamic yet work-in-progress quarterback Josh Allen is the leader for arguably the best wide receiver core in the league. Stefon Diggs, the NFL’s leader for receiving yards and receptions, is finally on a team with a quarterback that can reach his ceiling. 

On the other side, the Indianapolis Colts have proven to be an excellent team, especially with their destructive defense. They ranked first or second in the categories that matter, including points and rushing yards allowed. Matching up a weaker secondary against a strong suited receiving core, though, could prove to make the difference in a win or loss. The Bills are going to take the dub here, but watch out for the Colts next year. 

Final Score: 38-31 Bills

Rohan’s Prediction: The Bills will be hosting their first playoff game in 24 years! A lot has changed for the franchise as they have returned to relevance thanks to HC Sean McDermott, GM Brandon Beane, and MVP candidate Josh Allen. Allen has shattered franchise records this year, throwing for 4,544 yards and 37 touchdowns. Stefon Diggs, who was acquired in a trade this past offseason, was a big part of that and became Buffalo’s first player to lead the NFL in catches (127) and yards receiving (1,535). Furthermore, the Bills are perhaps the hottest team in the NFL as they are winners of six straight to end the regular season. 

On the other side, Phillip Rivers, who was signed on a 1-year deal, is a veteran passer who can take the offense down the field. He needs to hit on all cylinders Saturday and put the ball into the endzone as the Bills’ offense is dangerous. The run game and defense are the highlights of this Colts squad. The defensive unit is fantastic and has not allowed more than 90 rushing yards in any of the last five games. Furthermore, Jonathan Taylor is a joy to watch and became the third rookie in Colts history to have 1,000-plus rushing yards and 10-plus rushing TDs in a season. The run game will be key to the Colts victory, and if they can find leaps of success, they can pull off the upset. The Bills defense is poor against the run but tightened up recently and has played much better in the 2nd half of the season. It will be a close battle, but the hot Bills will take this one and get their first playoff win since 1995. Final Score: 24-16 Bills

#6 Cleveland Browns @ #3 Pittsburgh Steelers

Saransh’s Prediction: If the Cleveland Browns did not have their head coach, along with four other players out for this game due to them having tested positive for COVID-19 or having been in close contact with those that did test positive, I would pick Cleveland, but without them, especially without your head coach, that will be a difficult task. Pittsburgh started as maybe the most underwhelming team ever to start a season with 10+ wins and be undefeated, with losses to the Washington Football Team, Buffalo Bills, and Cincinnati Bengals, and big losses at that proved exactly why. The offense was simple and easy to figure out for defenses after a while, there was no run game, and the defense never missed a beat all year, until that Washington game. 

Cleveland, meanwhile, looked like they were headed for a bit of a downfall when they had gotten their season back on track, but then Odell Beckham Jr. tore his ACL, but they found themselves finishing the season 11-5 and having a Week 17 rematch with the Steelers as their Wild Card matchup. This game will come down to the wire and Cleveland will earn the respect of the NFL, but Pittsburgh will take advantage of the players out for Cleveland. Final Score: 34-27, Steelers

Pranav’s Prediction: Cleveland is going into their first playoff game in a very long time. That is hard to win with a team that has no playoff experience. Cleveland is going into their first playoff game without their head coach, without their best player [Odell Beckham Jr], and four other players. The Browns are an exceptional team who have proved to show that they are not quitters. They have the guts and talent to win games against any team. But being matched up against their division rivals, who they barely beat after the Steelers rested many starters, is not a welcoming entry into the playoffs. 

I have to congratulate them for doing what would have been the impossible two years ago, and even though they possess the running power to beat many teams. The Pittsburgh defense, along with Cleveland’s vacancy in the head coach position will cost the Browns their first playoff win in a long time. 

Final Score: 28-13, Steelers

Rohan’s Prediction: Browns fans have been waiting nearly two decades for their team to return to the playoffs, and it finally happened. Sadly, Cleveland will be without COTY candidate Kevin Stefanski, safety Ronnie Harrison, and LG Joel Bitonio, the longest-tenured player on the team and made three consecutive Pro Bowls. They could also be without tight end Harrison Bryant and cornerback Denzel Ward as they are still on the COVID-19 list. Moreover, the team has not practiced all week and their facility remains closed, which is brutal for Cleveland considering the magnitude of this game. 

It is difficult for me to pick Cleveland to win here despite the Steelers finishing the season 1-4. To be fair, Pittsburgh took Cleveland to the final minutes in Week 17 without Ben Roethlisberger, TJ Watt, and Cam Heyward. The Steelers will win this one comfortably. Unfortunately for Browns fans, they will have to wait a little longer for a playoff win. Final Score: 24-13 Steelers

#5 Baltimore Ravens @ #4 Tennessee Titans

Saransh’s Prediction: The whole ‘Lamar Jackson is 0-2 in the playoffs’ narrative has been the biggest topic of discussion coming into this matchup, but the real talk should be about how the Titans beat them in the playoffs last year, and that this year they may be even better. Titans RB Derrick Henry rushed for over 2,000 yards this season, Ryan Tannehill had a career-high in passing TDs and won 11 games and the AFC South, and Mike Vrabel continues to be one of the NFL’s premier coaches. 

One big advantage that Tennessee has had is to have fans (14,500 total) since October. Having fans during the playoffs will give them a true home-field advantage. The Ravens defensive line will do their job to stop Henry, but it will come down to which QB will make more big plays, and I will take the most underrated QB in football in Ryan Tannehill, in what should be the most exciting game of the weekend. Final Score: 41-37, Titans

Pranav’s Prediction: I agree with Saransh that Tennessee is a good team, but Baltimore is better on paper. I will wait for him to prove that Lamar Jackson truly is a playoff quarterback so I will keep this short and sweet. Final Score: 28-21, Titans

Rohan’s Prediction: The Titans stunned the Ravens in last year’s postseason and the Ravens are looking to get their revenge, this time in Tennessee. This will be an exciting matchup as two of the NFL’s most explosive offenses go head-to-head, with the spotlight being on Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry. Tennessee built off of last year’s playoff run and got better this year. Derrick Henry had another impressive 2,000 rushing yard season, and Ryan Tannehill had the best season of his career, throwing for a career-high 33 touchdowns and leading the Titans to an 11-5 record. The receiving core of AJ Brown and Corey Davis is no joke, and the Titans defense is very talented. 

Meanwhile, the hungry Ravens are looking to redeem themselves and are entering the playoffs on a 5-game winning streak. Lamar Jackson endured a midseason slump but bounced back in December thanks in part to an easy schedule. The Ravens also have a great rushing attack like the Titans, averaging 191.9 yards per game with Jackson, rookie J.K. Dobbins, and Gus Edwards. I think it will come down to the defenses. Baltimore has a far superior defense, and the Titans just gave up 38 points to a Texans team that had nothing to play for. The defenses will prove to be the deciding factor, and the Ravens will come out on top this time around. Final Score: 34-30 Ravens

NFC Predictions

#7 Chicago Bears @ #2 New Orleans Saints

Saransh’s Prediction: Alvin Kamara tweeted on Thursday evening ‘See y’all Sunday,’ signaling to fans, as well as the Chicago Bears, that he should be back on Sunday evening after having tested positive for COVID-19 last Saturday. Chicago’s offense has been explosive as of late, and Drew Brees has had his playoff struggles the past few years, but with the return of both Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas, Chicago may not have much of a chance. Final Score: 38-28, Saints

Pranav’s Prediction: This is a very complicated game for me to predict. On one side, the New Orleans Saints are a heavily talented team on both sides of the football, but even with Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas returning to the lineup, Drew Brees has not played like his former self. I think a strong Chicago defense can step up and steal a few possessions from the Saints. While I do not believe an inexperienced Mitch Trubisky will be enough to take down the Saints, I will call the upset thanks to that defense.

Final Score: 17-14, Bears

Rohan’s Prediction: Alvin Kamara is a huge factor here. He is currently on the COVID-19 list but the Saints are hopeful that he plays and he recently tweeted “See y’all Sunday”, suggesting that he plays. Drew Brees loves to depend on Kamara, who leads the Saints with 83 receptions, and Brees still looks shaky after returning from his rib injury. 

The Bears and Saints met in the regular season and went into overtime, but things are different this time around. Mitchell Trubisky is now the starting quarterback for the Bears, and both Drew Brees and Michael Thomas are back for the Saints. The Bears defense is elite and is among the best at stopping their opponent’s wide receivers, but I do not see their offense giving enough firepower to win this game. With Michael Thomas back and Kamara likely to play, I think the Saints will move on. Final Score: 26-10 Saints

#6 Los Angeles Rams @ #3 Seattle Seahawks

Saransh’s Prediction: What if I told you that since Week 11, the Seattle Seahawks had the #1 scoring defense in the NFL? After the historic start to the season for the offense, setting multiple scoring records and such, the defense was on pace to a historically tragic start, and at one point could have allowed the most yards per game on average. The return of Jamal Adams and the trade for Carlos Dunlap has changed the fortune of this defense and has made them lights-out, but their offense has sputtered since. The offense that could once put up 30+ effortlessly every week can barely even score 20, and this Rams defense that ended the season as the #1 defense in the NFL will hold that Seahawk offense in check, but potentially without QB Jared Goff or Jared Goff at 100%, the Rams defense may be asked of too much, and we all know that Russell Wilson and this offense always finds a way. Final Score: 23-20, Seahawks

Pranav’s Prediction: Is it just me, or has the Seattle Seahawks offense been playing badly recently. So bad that the defense that once was atrocious is now winning them games. I like Russell Wilson, but he has not been meeting any marginal expectations, regardless of his record. A strong Rams defense against a weaker Seattle offense will sputter points for Seattle, and an explosive offense (even if Goff does not start) will be the deciding factor for whether the Rams can pull off the playoff upset. But for my prediction, I will be taking the Rams. 

Final Score: 21-20, Rams

Rohan’s Prediction: The Seahawks got off to a hot start to begin the season, but the offense, led by Russell Wilson, started to run out of gas and became inconsistent. The defense, however, is the complete opposite, as the unit is improving and was responsible for the Seahawks winning 6 of their last 7 to finish the year. No matter what the records were, games between these two teams were always tight, and I expect a close game once again. The Rams have an elite defense and held Wilson and the Seahawks’ offense in check in both games. 

A player to keep an eye on is quarterback Jared Goff who did not play in Week 17 due to a thumb injury and is questionable for this wild-card matchup. The problem with Los Angeles is poor QB play, limiting their potential. Even though Goff has had a subpar year, he is better than backup John Wolford and gives them the best chance to win. Due to the inconsistencies at quarterback for the Rams, I am going to go with the Seahawks here. Final Score: 20-14 Seahawks

#5 Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ #4 Washington Football Team

Saransh’s Prediction: The Washington Football Team, who would have thought that after everything they endured, such as Alex Smith’s near-death injury, Ron Rivera’s battle with cancer, Dwayne Haskins being one of the most immature football players of recent memory, and a major scandal involving owner Dan Snyder, that the Washington Football Team would host a playoff game? Well, not any of us, as you can see from our preseason predictions. The NFC East was not great, but teams like Washington and New York both played better than what their record shows. Washington sports the #2 defense in the NFL with the most intimidating front-4 that we have seen since ‘Sacksonville’ in 2016. Alex Smith is 5-1 as a starter, and even without the most impressive numbers, one thing that has stayed consistent with him is that he is a winner. He battled back to the playing field, and Ron Rivera, who battled through cancer, got this team from 2-7 and the bottom of the division to the playoffs. 

Meanwhile, the Bucs acquired Tom Brady, and they have had a mostly consistent season, with most of their mishaps coming in primetime games against strong blitz defenses, which bodes well for Washington. Brady also may not have Mike Evans, but Antonio Brown, Chris Godwin, and Rob Gronkowski are plenty to work with. Washington’s defense will pressure Brady all night and slow down this offense, but the Bucs defense, who has been solid all season, should slow down the injured Alex Smith, and backup QB Taylor Heinicke. It will be a slugfest, but Tampa should pull it out. Crazier things have happened, however. Final Score: 24-22, Buccaneers

Pranav’s Prediction: The Washington Football Team has a top-five defense that is like none other, and Chase Young is my vote for DROY, but their offense is atrocious compared to any other playoff team. I know the saying, “Offense wins games, Defense wins championships,” but a 7-9 Washington Football Team that doesn’t even possess a mascot, has not won a sufficient amount of games to show me that they belong in the playoffs, regardless of how the playoffs work. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the far better team here. With future HoF quarterback Tom Brady, who is the greatest of all time, and a crazy offense to counterpart (even without Mike Evans), Washington’s defense is like a wall with a big door. Tampa Bay also has a top-10 defense to complement themselves as well. And against a weak WFT offense, who will not move the ball, expect a playoff blowout Saturday night.

Final Score: 38-7, Buccaneers

Rohan’s Prediction: You could say that Washington only made the playoffs due to how atrocious the NFC East is, but they are the best team in the East, and it is very impressive how big of a leap they made from last season to this season. Ron Rivera is a Coach of the Year candidate, fighting cancer at the beginning of the season and taking Washington from 2-7 to 7-9 and a division title. They also have the Comeback Player of the Year, Alex Smith, who has inspired millions of people with his road back from his devastating injury and was a big part in taking the team to the playoffs. 
Washington’s defense is tremendous, ranking 2nd in the NFL, with a phenomenal pass rush that should force a lot of pressure on Brady this weekend. However, this is going to be a tough task as the Buccaneers have a crazy loaded offense that has Tom Brady coming off a 40 touchdown season. They arguably have the best receiving core consisting of Chris Godwin, Antonio Brown, Rob Gronkowski, and potentially Mike Evans will be a handful for Washington’s secondary. Also, Alex Smith is still nursing a calf injury that has affected the offense as a whole. Washington’s run game, headlined by Antonio Gibson, keeps the offense alive, but Tampa has the number-1 ranked rushing defense. WFT has the defense to make this a battle and shock the world, but I feel that their offense just will not give enough to win. Tampa takes this one. Final Score: 31-20 Buccaneers

Posted on in NFL

The Impact of Cam Newton to New England

By Saransh Sharma, Pranav Thiriveedhi, and Rohan Krishnan

Wow, did Bill Belichick just outsmart the entire NFL again or what? I mean, think about it, he waited for Cam Newton’s value to deteriorate (due to the lack of interest) just enough to the point where he could sign Newton to the league-minimum deal of $550K in guaranteed money (base salary is $1.05M with incentives it goes up to $7.5 million). If this is not the greatest free agency scheme Belichick has ever pulled off, then I do not know what is. All the talk about Belichick being content with Jarrett Stidham at QB, and potentially even tanking for Trevor Lawrence in the upcoming draft, has been put to bed in the most Belichick-way possible, by signing a former MVP to replace another former MVP. Now, we all know that Tom Brady is the Greatest Quarterback of All-Time, but replacing him at age 42 with a healthy Cam Newton who still has got some prime years left in him, is not a downgrade at all, and if it does not work out or Belichick simply likes the team but sees a different vision beyond Cam Newton, then Belichick can let him walk, and Cam can get a bag elsewhere, the same way guys like Teddy Bridgewater did this past offseason, and Case Keenum did in 2018. Now for the big question, which is what we predict will happen in Cam’s first season in a Patriots uniform.

The Rejuvenation of SuperCam by Saransh Sharma

If there is any player who played at an MVP and near-Super Bowl winning level that I would trust to return to that form after years of injuries and being doubted, it is Cam Newton. The chip on his shoulder has been there ever since he was brought into Auburn after being suspended at Florida for stealing a laptop, which led to him being kicked out of the school, going to JuCo, and then coming back to Auburn a whole different player, winning the Heisman, becoming a National Champion, and getting drafted first overall to the Carolina Panthers in 2011, a team that had not achieved any real success since 2002 when they went to the Super Bowl and choked against 2nd-year QB Brady and the Patriots. Newton quickly established himself as one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, making a Pro Bowl as a rookie, and running away with the Offensive Rookie of the Year award. He later went on to make multiple playoff appearances, and then in the 2015 season, went to the Super Bowl, and took a lot of criticism for his play and his press conference responses. Newton’s season in 2016 was cut short due to injury, but had a very successful 2017, only for that to end, and then injuries to hamper him the last 2 seasons. But still, the last healthy version of Cam we saw took his team to the playoffs, threw for over 3300 yards and had 28 total touchdowns. Now, with a better offensive line than he had in New England, an all-time great head coach, and having a chance at rejuvenation, Cam Newton is in the best shape of his life and looking to prove everyone wrong.

The Patriots receiving core still is not the best, but you also have to realize how unhealthy they were last season, which led to sloppy, inconsistent play from the players who were able to stay healthy. Edelman led the league in drops with 13, Mohamed Sanu was only with New England for 8 games due to being traded midseason, and due to a nagging injury, did not see the field or targets very often, first-round pick N’Keal Harry only played 7 games with injury, and rookie Jakobi Meyers only started one game, which a 13-9 win against Dallas in Week 9. And do not forget that they never had a consistent tight end option or running game due to injuries, and they had Antonio Brown, Demariyus Thomas, and Josh Gordon at one point, who all got released or traded (Thomas). New England just did not have anything on offense consistently to be a contender, thus their Wild Card game loss. With Newton, they now bring a healthy and more balanced offense. The team is honestly very similar to that of Carolina when they went to the Super Bowl, where they had a big-bodied receiver (Sanu), other good receivers who can play outside and in the slot (Edelman and Harry), a check-down option (White), and a power running back (Michel), and an elite defense to help out. That being said, it is not as good of a receiving core and offense as that in Carolina, more of a ‘Great Value’ version of it, if you will. I think Newton has a chance to show flashes of his MVP form with the similarities in the offense’s structure, but mostly be his 2013-self, where he first showed he could be an elite QB, and there is no better Offensive Coordinator than Josh McDaniels to help lead him.

As for how the team will do, New England should win the division, and I believe Newton will do a great job of leading the team, but I do not anticipate them winning more than 10 games. New England will go 10-6 and hold the tiebreaker over Buffalo to win the division, locking them up with the 3-seed in the AFC. A matchup with a tough Steelers or Chargers team is my prediction, but I think that both teams, due to their elite defenses, will slow the passing attack down, and there simply will not be enough that Newton can do to lead his team to victory, so the season will end at the Wild Card. 

As for his free agency, being on a 1-year deal at the moment, it is up to Belichick to decide what the next move with Cam is. I think that Cam will actually go elsewhere to a younger, more QB-needy team, like the Pittsburgh Steelers, who could be seeing the last of Ben Roethlisberger, but have an exciting and young roster around him, and an elite defense. Also look out for Cleveland and Oakland, other exciting and young teams who, if they choose Newton over their current QBs, would become contenders and could see an infusion of a veteran presence comforting for them.

Can Cam Avoid His Kryptonite, The Injuries? by Rohan Krishnan

To start off, I am definitely a fan of this move by the Patriots. Adding a player at a cheap price to an important position is a very smart decision and this is the perfect example of a low risk high reward move. Cam Newton is indeed 0-8 in his last eight starts, but he was playing with an injured shoulder. When Cam was healthy, he was a very respectable quarterback. From Weeks 1-9 in 2018 when healthy, Newton averaged 236 passing yards per game, totaled 15 touchdowns and just 4 interceptions. Furthermore, Cam was a beast in the running game by leading all quarterbacks in rushing yards (342) and touchdowns (4). 

Signing Newton, a former MVP, is very exciting for the whole Patriots fan base, but I would not say it is a lock that he would start just yet. He has dealt with a lisfranc injury which is very annoying to deal with. He also needs to show up to camp healthy and prove to the coaches that he can still play. This is why the Patriots gave him a very cheap contract because Newton needs to prove himself. If everything goes well in training camp for Cam, I think he would have a very solid comeback season in New England. I do not think he will return to MVP form, but he is capable of playing like a top 12 quarterback in the league. Even though the Patriots lost Tom Brady, they still have an elite coaching staff that could bring out the best out of Cam’s skillset. Josh McDaniels is a fantastic offensive coordinator, and we all know how big of a mastermind Bill Belichick is. I think Newton will prove all of the doubters wrong this season and New England will find a way to continue their playoff streak. I have the Buffalo Bills winning the division even with the Newton signing, but I predict New England will sneak in as a wild-card team. I don’t have them going far in the postseason as I have them losing in the first round, however the Patriots will stay as a competitive squad. 

Can Cam Newton Pave His Road to Glory in Foxborough? By Pranav Thiriveedhi

As everyone already knows, the Patriots recently signed Cam Newton, former Auburn Legend and NFL MVP, to replace Tom Brady, who was arguably the greatest football player to ever play. This move by Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots was spectacular! Being able to grab an amazing NFL QB to replace Tom Brady was an awesome move to keep the Patriots “Super” Era still afloat. Before Cam’s entry into New England, QB Jarrett Stidham, was poised to start for the Patriots and was expected to produce some great work for them to either give the Pats the 1 or 2 seed in the AFC East, which would really be amazing after the biggest loss to the team in franchise history. But now, with Cam Newton under center, the Patriots really have a chance to get back into the driver seat and hold that position as AFC champ for a little more time. 

Obviously, this only makes sense if Cam stays healthy, and plays at a level he did when he took the Carolina Panthers to the Super Bowl just a few years ago. It’s hard to write about health because that obviously is determined in the game, but what we can talk about is Cam’s playing level on the field. I am not going to lie, but I can see Cam Newton having his best season yet if all goes well. The former Heisman Trophy winner has the best receiving core he has ever played with for the next season, with receivers like Julian Edelman, N’Keal Harry and Mohammad Sanu. I don’t think he has played on a team with that many great receivers. Cam Newton also has a little bit of the Christian McCaffrey energy in the form of James White (no argument there) and Sony Michel, who is really showing he can be a brilliant member of the New England Patriots. The Patriots have also given Cam Newton an advantage in the always underrated Offensive Line, a line that always has been sitting in the top 10 in the league for a long, long time. Carolina really didn’t give that opportunity to Cam, which means we never saw Cam Newton perform with more time, something Tom Brady has had the pleasure of having almost his whole career. 

Now with legendary coach Bill Belichick, an amazing offensive coordinator in Josh McDaniels, an awesome receiving core with two running backs that play in all parts of the field, and a top 10 Offensive Line, the Patriots and Cam Newton can really do something next year. I predict that the Patriots will easily get that above 10 wins season and will lock up the AFC East with the 1st seed. They, along with a healthy Cam Newton, will also make a big run in the playoffs, and maybe even have a shot (not a guarantee) at capturing the Super Bowl. 

Links you can use to help educate yourself, donate, sign petitions, and much more for Black Lives Matter and Ending Racism and Social Injustice, as well as everything else going on. With so much going on, it is very hard to keep up with it all, but it is still important to educate yourself, so please feel free to use all of these resources to help you out:

https://www.adhoc.fm/post/black-lives-matter-resources-and-funds/

https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/

https://www.thezoereport.com/p/10-black-lives-matter-organizations-you-can-donate-money-to-right-now-22948855

https://nymag.com/strategist/article/where-to-donate-for-black-lives-matter.html

http://issuesintheworld.carrd.co/

Posted on in NFL

How the NFC South Became the League’s Most Stacked Division in 4 Days

By Saransh Sharma & Pranav Thiriveedhi

The NFC South for many years was the most QB-driven division in the NFL, with the record-breaking quarterback and Super Bowl XLIV MVP Drew Brees leading the Saints, and NFL MVP’s Matt Ryan and Cam Newton leading the Falcons and Panthers, respectively (somehow Brees has never won an NFL MVP award). For years, it was a division which saw Newton and Ryan’s teams going on playoff runs, and Brees being left out to dry with no help, or having to pull a Houdini act just to get to the playoffs, and then there’s the Buccaneers, who had famed 2015 No. 1 pick and National Champion Jameis Winston at QB, and despite some up-and-down seasons from him, the team hadn’t gone to the playoffs since 2007. However, since Newton and Ryan’s Super Bowl chokes, Brees and the Saints have built themselves through the NFL Draft, Ryan and the Falcons cannot get over their 28-3 blown lead in Super Bowl LI, Newton is being scapegoated for getting injured in one of the most dangerous sports in the world, and Winston throws nearly as many interceptions as he does touchdowns. Newton and Winston are currently free agents, and have been replaced by Teddy Bridgewater, and Tom Brady, the Greatest of All-Time. So now, the ship is re-written, with the NFC South back to being elite and QB-driven, but these weren’t the only big moves in the division:

Tom Brady Chooses the Florida Beaches

Let’s start with the obvious: Tom Brady. If it wasn’t for the Coronavirus pandemic, the Buccaneer’s signing of the six-time superbowl winning quarterback would be the top headline across the United States. Tom Brady joined the NFL in the year 2000, where he won six Super Bowls, nine AFC Championships, and 17 Division Titles with the New England Patriots. But now, in the year 2020, in one of the craziest offseasons in as long as I can remember, Tom Brady is leaving the team he played on for almost half of his life. Even though it is still months before the regular season’s start, no one can tell if this move was worth it for Tom Terrific. On March 16th, when free agency opened its door, several teams were in the bidding race for Brady, including the Patriots (of course!), Titans, Chargers, Broncos, Raiders, and Buccaneers. But on March 20th, Tom Brady officially signed a 2 year contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. His new contract in Tampa guaranteed a $50 Million deal, also included with $9 Million in incentives. But the most interesting part of Brady’s new contract with the Bucs is the prohibited clause. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are not allowed to use their franchise tag or trade Tom Brady while he is under that same contract. 

So, why did Tom Brady join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers? It obviously wasn’t for the money because other teams were offering Brady $30 Million per year or more. I think, and I’m going to go on a limb here and state that Tom Brady joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for his fit on the team, and the elite group of receivers the Buccaneers possess. The Buccaneers are home to two of the most explosive, elusive wide receivers in the game today: Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Last season, the previous starting quarterback, Jameis Winston, threw for an astounding 5,109 yards with those two firing on all cannons on the offense. Now imagine what would happen if you were to take a league average Jameis Winston out of the center and replace him with arguably the greatest quarterback of all time. What are the odds Tom Brady and the Buccaneers don’t do something special next season? Tom Brady finally got his A grade receivers for the first time since he had prime Wes Welker, his top 10 offensive line, and a team more younger and healthier, something he never got on the Patriots. If the Buccaneers and Brady don’t make a run for the playoffs next season, I wouldn’t even know what to tell you.

Todd Gurley Goes Back to Georgia

Just two years ago, Todd Gurley was named the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year after having over 2,000 yards from scrimmage and 19 total touchdowns. That season was the best season of his career and the Sean McVay Rams offense looked like it was going to be dominant for years to come, despite an early Wild Card loss to the Atlanta Falcons. In 2018, Gurley had over 1,800 scrimmage yards and 21 total touchdowns, and this time, led his team to the Super Bowl, where he and the offense could get nothing going, getting embarrassed and putting up just 3 points total. Going into that game, however, the big storyline was that Gurley had some knee issues which slowed him down a bit in the playoffs, but mainly in the Super Bowl, where Super Bowl 50 hero CJ Anderson took the majority of the carries at Running Back. Just a month after the Super Bowl loss, Gurley was told by doctors that he had arthritis in his right knee. Gurley got surgery, yet the ‘arthritic component’ to the knee injury still remained, meaning that the arthritis could cause him to be injured yet again. Gurley went into the 2019 season with the possibility of being benched for guys like Malcolm Brown or Darrell Henderson, and there was even trade talk during the season. Gurley finished with career lows in carries and yardage, but was still 5th in the league in touchdowns. The lack of carries and yardage played a big role in the Rams lack of success this past season, going 9-7 and missing the playoffs. 

However, despite the rough year and the arthritis issue still looming, Gurley still is amongst the top in the league in terms of carries, yards, and touchdowns for running backs since he was drafted in 2015. The part that is hard to put together about him getting released is the fact that he produced great stats even with the injury scares and such, and even in his down year, it was his team that lost faith in his ability, as he just simply did not get the ball enough. 24 hours after being released, Gurley signed with the Atlanta Falcons for a 1-year prove-it deal, but I expect this to become long-term and a lethal combination for years to come, with Gurley being the clear favorite in the backfield, and QB Matt Ryan and WRs Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley. Gurley now has the best offensive line he has had since 2018, has an offense that is Super Bowl-caliber when healthy, and is very balanced. Expect Head Coach Dan Quinn to have the offense run through him early on in the season, and Gurley to just cruise to another great season from there.

Teddy Bridgewater is Officially a Starting QB Again

580 miles north of Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, the Panthers in Charlotte have also grabbed a new franchise quarterback, at least for the next three years. Teddy Bridgewater, star on the Minnesota Vikings (before his devastating injury), and savior on the New Orleans Saints, just signed a three year, $63 Million deal with the Carolina Panthers. The deal included a signing bonus of $15 Million and a number of incentives sprinkled in. Teddy Bridgewater just got his bag in Charlotte, but that means the exit for one the best quarterbacks in the NFC South, Cam Newton, who has been on the decline the last few years with the Panthers. I love Teddy Bridgewater’s new signing with the Carolina Panthers, but something feels wrong for me. The Carolina Panthers are not exactly the New Orleans Saints or Minnesota Vikings, both teams with one of the biggest and loudest fan bases in the country. And the way Teddy has moved throughout his NFL career, he has thrived on loving fanbases, something I feel Carolina won’t give him immediately. 

Teddy Bridgewater is also the man under center for one of the few teams in the NFL, where the fanbase believes a running back, in this case Christian McCaffrey for the Panthers, can lead their team to success. Bridgewater needs to “bridge” a great relationship with CMC off and on the field, because a great tandem of players in the backfield would really help the Panthers move ahead in an already stacked NFC South. Bridgewater also has great depth and deep threats through receivers DJ Moore, Curtis Samuel, and newly signed Robby Anderson (wideout who played for the Jets last season). With an offense possessing the ability to do really great next year, only time will tell for Bridgewater. A strong start to the season and no injuries will propel Teddy Bridgewater into the limelight with his new Carolina Panthers. 

Emmanuel Sanders Tries to Go for 4 Super Bowls with 4 Teams

As seen by the headline, Emmanuel Sanders has the chance to go to his 4th Super Bowl and for his 4th NFL team, something that no NFL player has ever done. Sanders’ career resume is one of the most consistent you will ever see in terms of stats, but he has not had his chance to shine ever since Peyton Manning retired from the NFL in 2016, leaving the Broncos with limited talent at the quarterback spot, hindering Sanders the most. Despite all of that, Sanders gave it his all in Denver for the next 3 seasons, before getting traded midseason this year to the San Francisco 49ers, who were 7-0 at the time, and eventually became the NFC Champions, and if Jimmy Garoppolo did not overthrow him in the 4th quarter of the Super Bowl, he probably would have won a Super Bowl with them, and stayed with the 49ers.

The move to go to New Orleans was a rather shocking one by Sanders. Many believed he would go to Dallas or Washington, the teams that showed lots of interest in him and needed a veteran presence at the wide receiver position, and were pass-happy offenses. But Sanders instead went to the most pass-happy offense in the NFL in New Orleans, and he has the chance to play with Drew Brees, the 3rd quarterback that will be a future-Hall of Famer throwing the ball to him. Much like in Pittsburgh and Denver, Sanders will play second fiddle behind Michael Thomas, as he was behind Mike Wallace and Demariyus Thomas in Pittsburgh and Denver. That being said, Brees now has Thomas, Sanders, Jared Cook, Tre’Quan Smith, and Alvin Kamara as his targets, which presents the scariest core of receivers in that department. With Sanders now in the mix, the Saints receivers have the edge over teams like the Buccaneers, but the big question will be, can Brees outplay Brady, and can he keep the Saints as not only NFC South favorites, but Super Bowl favorites? Sanders will play a huge role in deciding that, and consider his luck in the NFL, he will probably go to a Super Bowl as a Saint as well.

Posted on in NFL, Superbowl

TB12 to TB: How Brady’s Move Down South Affects His Legacy

Tom Brady might not have shocked the world by saying he was leaving the New England Patriots just two days back, but if you said that to me after he signed a 2-year, $41 million extension in 2016 after a season where Brady was one drive away from yet another Super Bowl appearance, I would have said you were crazy. If you said that his destination would be Tampa Bay, I would think you were even crazier. Either way, Brady in 2020, did just that, but he earned that right. Since that extension, Brady went to 3 Super Bowls in 4 years, and won 2 of them. Though he just left New England, here’s when the dominos started to fall, which led to the door opening for Brady to leave:

The First Fallen Domino: Jimmy G

Through all that, he endured the Deflategate suspension, nagging injuries to guys like Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman, a new face in town in Jimmy Garoppolo, whom coach Bill Belichick loved, and much more. Keep that name in mind, however. A guy who was drafted in the second round in 2014 by New England after having won another Super Bowl, their first in 10 years. When Brady accepted his 4-game suspension in 2016, however, Belichick put in Jimmy G, who won his first 2 games, and then led the Pats to a third straight win before getting hurt and handing the ball over to rookie QB in Jacoby Brissett. But Belichick seemed to have fallen in love with Jimmy G and found his successor to Brady. Brady felt disrespected, and it fueled him to win another Super Bowl, in the infamous 28-3 blown lead by the Atlanta Falcons.

The Second Fallen Domino: The Unsung Hero, Danny Amendola

I wrote back after Super Bowl LII that New England’s demise had begun, as Brady had lost to backup QB Nick Foles and the Philadelphia Eagles in what is, in my opinion, the best Super Bowl I have ever seen. That offseason, he ended up losing receivers Danny Amendola and Brandin Cooks in free agency. The big name here is Amendola. Amendola for years had been the ‘third guy’ behind Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman, but he may have been the unsung hero for Tom Brady and the Patriots. Through the Super Bowl runs where New England beat Seattle and Atlanta, and lost to Philadelphia in an epic, Amendola was the one whom Brady used to always find in the clutch, his ‘Ol’ Reliable’, per se.

To me, I thought New England made the mistake of letting Amendola go instead of Julian Edelman or Chris Hogan because Amendola was a guy Brady counted on and was close with on and off the field. Amendola seemed to be the guy that would make the big catches and touchdowns in 4thquarters of close ballgames, most notably his game-winning touchdown catch against Jacksonville in the AFC Championship Game in 2017 to save Brady from being beaten by… Blake Bortles. Funny, right? Amendola wound up going to Miami, then Detroit with former Pats Defensive Coordinator Matt Patricia, and he’s still there now. Looking back on the past two years, however, and seeing how the offense played, Brady could have used Amendola in many clutch moments.

The Third Fallen Domino: Antonio Brown

I understand what Bill Belichick was thinking back in October 2018 when Antonio Brown got released. Great player, but we need to know if this guy is well-minded. The last thing Belichick wanted was to get a guy on his team that would be a distraction to the team, like Aaron Hernandez. At the time, AB had been lashing out many times on social media, such as with his former teammates in Pittsburgh, and at that time, when he hired marketing agents to get himself off the Oakland Raiders. Safe to say that Belichick doesn’t normally think players like AB would fit in ‘The Patriot Way’, but somehow, he signed him. AB lasted 11 days on the team before getting released again after sexual assault allegations (which had been going on when Belichick signed him).

But Brady grew a chemistry with AB in the short time. While the stats did not show it, their love on Twitter certainly has, when Brady showed respect for AB even after his departure from New England, and even now, with Brady now in Tampa, Antonio Brown still shows up on Brady’s radar. But this was where it all fell down for Brady in New England. Brady was not happy that a guy with the talent of AB was released, but by ‘The Patriot Way’, he was not the right guy. But with Gronkowski retired and AB gone (along with Chris Hogan gone in free agency and Demariyus Thomas traded midseason), Brady just had Edelman and James White to rely on. Those guys did not stay relatively healthy, the offensive line Brady relied on got hurt as well, and Brady wilted under the pressure a bit after the 8-0 start. He had a great last season in New England, but the team had no pieces around him to keep him from leaving.

So, Tampa is Home. Now What?

Well the legacy of Brady does not require him to win a Super Bowl necessarily. Like LeBron James when he went to the LA Lakers, Brady is putting himself in the toughest position possible, going into an NFC South division with Super Bowl contenders like the New Orleans Saints, who by the way, are led by Drew Brees, a top 5 QB of all-time, an Atlanta Falcons team that just signed Todd Gurley, and a young Carolina Panthers team. Brady easily just put himself in the most stacked division in the NFL, and with the new 14-team playoff (so 7 per conference), all 4 of these teams can be playoff and Super Bowl contenders in Brady’s way. Not to mention that the NFC also has Aaron Rodgers, another top 5 QB of all-time, a near-MVP in Carson Wentz, and the defending NFC Champs in San Francisco. (Side Note: My top 5 All-Time QBs are: Brady, Joe Montana, Peyton Manning, Steve Young, Drew Brees). Brady is definitely not expected to win a Super Bowl, but as a 43-year old who has shown he can still win 10+ games every year and win Super Bowls, the expectations are high. Brady will probably have to at least get Tampa Bay to the playoffs, something they haven’t done since ’07, and then a playoff win (or more). This is a team that before Brady never had hope, but he brings it. Fans are already flocking to get season tickets, players want to play for Tampa, life is good in Tampa right now. I mean, warm weather, a stadium with a pirate ship, and Tom Brady, what more do you need?

To me, Tampa can contend for a Super Bowl with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin as Brady’s weapons, his best since he had Randy Moss and Wes Welker, but the task is rather daunting. It’s hard to keep expectations low with Tom Brady, so I believe that he probably will take Tampa to at least one NFC Championship Game throughout his current contract (he signed a 2-year deal for $50M, fully guaranteed, with $9M available in incentives) to keep his legacy cemented as it is right now, which is as the Greatest of All-Time.

Posted on in NFL, Superbowl, Uncategorized

2019 NFL Midseason Predictions

The first half of the NFL season has presented us with many surprises, and a surge of a new generation of NFL talent. The San Francisco 49ers remain the only undefeated team in the NFL currently, the Cincinnati Bengals remain the only winless team, and players like Christian McCaffrey are taking over the league and putting on an MVP-worthy performance. Here is what has happened this season, and what will continue throughout the season.

The Panthers are 5-3 Without Cam Newton, and Will Make the Playoffs

Currently, the Panthers are on the outside looking in as the 8-seed in the NFC and 2ndin the NFC South, but their 5-3 record, Christian McCaffrey’s video-game numbers, and the new-look defense has put them in a position to compete with Kyle Allen, not Cam Newton, at quarterback. Allen, who took over for the now-on-IR Newton in Week 3, has gone 5-1 as the starter, losing only to the undefeated 49ers. Allen hasn’t done anything out of the ordinary, just played mistake-free, smart football that has kept his team in a position to win. Sure, they have 2 dates with New Orleans, a home game against Seattle, and tough road games against Green Bay and Indianapolis, they should be able to win the home games, Indianapolis, and potentially one game against New Orleans to go at least 9-7, and considering how teams like the Eagles, Vikings, and Rams have struggled this season, Carolina should be able to get the 6-seed in the NFC.

Like I Predicted in Preseason, Aaron Rodgers Will Be the MVP

Aaron Rodgers got off to, well, a sluggish start in the new Matt LeFleur offense, but Green Bay’s defense stepped up big. Then, Rodgers said that the offense needed to ‘step it up’, and A-Rod and the Pack offense has not looked back since. Currently standing at 6-2 and the 3-seed in the NFC, they will be one of the top NFC Super Bowl contenders along with the Saints. Rodgers is currently 5thin passing yards and 4thin passing TDs, is among the top of the MVP race along with Russell Wilson and Christian McCaffrey, and if he keeps this pace up, he can outpace Wilson in the MVP race and get his 2ndNFL MVP award.

Lamar Jackson Proved Everyone Wrong… and He Won’t Stop Anytime Soon

Lamar Jackson was critiqued by Bill Polian before last year’s NFL draft and was told to convert to Wide Receiver. Jackson was drafted in the first round as a QB by the Ravens and guaranteed that they would get a Super Bowl out of him. He eventually took the starting job from Joe Flacco and led the Ravens to the playoffs. This season, Lamar has been able to use his arm along with his legs and become an elite QB. Last Sunday, he beat the record-setting Patriots defense and the GOAT Tom Brady to end their undefeated season up to that point. Now, he put the Ravens in position to potentially go to the Super Bowl, currently leading the Ravens to the 2-seed in the AFC, good enough for a first-round bye and homefield in the AFC Divisional Round. Expect Lamar to keep playing the way he always does, prove people wrong, and keep winning.

The Eagles Need to Sign Either Dez Bryant or Antonio Brown

So, yeah, Philadelphia, the Super Bowl 52 Champions, have changed a lot roster-wise since then. They have lost LeGarrette Blount and Jay Ajayi, Torrey Smith, Trey Burton, a plethora of signings that have not worked out, such as DeSean Jackson and Zach Brown, and many underperforming players, such as Nelson Agholor, Zach Ertz, and just about everyone on defense. Oh, and they lost their savior Nick Foles, but everyone knew Wentz would be starting either way. Anyways, the Eagles have lost many games this season due to their poor receiver play, most notably Agholor. Wentz has been let down by receivers dropping passes than I could catch, and has lost many winnable games because of it, like the game at Atlanta where Agholor dropped the ball, the game at home against Detroit where rookie JJ Arcega-Whiteside dropped a wide-open TD. The other games they lost, being to Dallas and Minnesota on the road, they’ve simply been blown out due to poor overall team play. If Philadelphia really wants to compete and be the Super Bowl-contending team they once were, they NEED to sign a big-name wide receiver. They missed out on Josh Gordon, as he went to Seattle to join Russell Wilson and his already-stacked WR core, so now that leaves them with Dez Bryant, who tweeted today that he is ready to reach out to teams soon, and of course, the drama-king of the NFL, Antonio Brown. While both risky due to character issues and health, either would be an immediate impact to a team that desperately needs hands. With AB, the Eagles can challenge Green Bay, Seattle and New Orleans, and with Bryant, they can at least win the NFC East if not contend with Green Bay, Seattle and New Orleans. Whoever they decide out of these two, they need to sign one of these in order to be a legit contender.

My Saints-Chiefs Super Bowl Prediction Remains the Same

I still see these two teams meeting in the Super Bowl. In the AFC, do I think that the Ravens are ready? Not yet, simply because the defense has been suspect for the majority of the season. Does New England beat Kansas City in the playoffs again, if they meet up? No because the offense isn’t at the point where they can keep up with Kansas City. Their inconsistency in the run game will outweigh the consistency of Julian Edelman, James White, and Mohamed Sanu’s production. In the NFC, is Green Bay good enough on defense to sustain the play of A-Rod and the offense? To me, this is the very-early frontrunner to win next year’s Super Bowl, but not this year. Seattle lies in the same realm, with their defense not being able to get to the level of Wilson and the offense. The Saints and Chiefs have complete rosters, and defenses good enough to meet the level of the offense and keep them in it. Kansas City has dropped games this year due to Mahomes playing through injury and not because they have regressed as a team. If anything, they are probably better, especially with their run game, and New Orleans, the NFL’s most complete team currently, just has everything you want in a team, with their next-man-up mentality, going 5-0 with Teddy Bridgewater replacing the injured Drew Brees and Latavius Murray replacing the injured Alvin Kamara, and their big-play ability on defense as well. So, expect some fireworks in Miami on February, and expect the Saints to take home the Lombardi.