2019 NFL Mock Draft: Who Takes the QB of Their Future?

April 21, 2019 Andrew Roberts NFL 2019 NFL Mock Draft, A.J. Brown, A.J. McCarron, AB, Adam Butler, Adrian Clayborn, Alejandro Villanueva, Alex Tanney, Andy Dalton, Antonio Brown, ASJ, Austin Bryant, Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Braxton Berrios, Brian Burns, Byron Murphy, C.J. Mosley, Case Keenum, Chase Winovich, Chase Young, Chris Moore, Christian Wilkins, Clelin Ferrell, Cody Ford, Corey Liuget, D.K. Metcalf, DaMarkus Lodge, Damien Harris, Daniel Jones, Daryl Worley, Davante Adams, DeAndre Baker, Deatrich Wise Jr., Dee Ford, Deionte Thompson, DeMaryius Thomas, Deone Bucannon, Derwin Gray, Devin Bush, Devin White, Dexter Lawrence, Dillon Mitchell, Dont'a Hightower, Doug Martin, Dre'Mont Jones, Drew Lock, Dwayne Haskins, Earl Thomas, Ed Oliver, Elandon Roberts, Eli Manning, Ereck Flowers, Fitzy, Gareon Conley, Garrett Bradbury, Greedy Williams, Gronk, Harrison Phillips, Hollywood Brown, Irv Smith Jr., Isaiah Wynn, Jalen Jelks, Jawaan Taylor, Jeffery Simmons, Jerry Tillery, Joe Flacco, Joe Thuney, Jonah Williams, Jordan Akins, Jordan Thomas, Josh Allen, Josh Jacobs, Josh Rosen, Julian Edelman, Kelvin Harmon, Kendell Beckwith, Khalen Saunders, Kliff Kingsbury, Kwon Alexander, Kyle Lauletta, Kyler Murray, Lawrence Guy, Mack Wilson, Malcom Brown, Marcus Cannon, Marcus Gilbert, Marcus Mariota, Marquise Brown, Marquise Copeland, Matt Kalil, Matt Slater, Matthew Slater, Maurice Hurst, Mecole Hardman, Michael Bennett, Mike Pennel, Minitron, Mock Draft, Montez Sweat, N'Keal Harry, Ndamukong Suh, NFL, NFL Mock Draft, Nick Bosa, Nick Nelson, Noah Fant, Phillip Dorsett, Quinnen Williams, Rashan Gary, Rob Gronkowski, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Ryan Tannehill, Scott Frantz, Seth Roberts, Shaq Mason, Shaquill Griffin, Sylvester Williams, T.J. Hockenson, Ted Karras, Trent Brown, Trevor Siemian, Trey Flowers, Tyrell Williams, Vic Beasley, Willie Snead IV, Zach Brown

Welcome to my 2019 NFL Mock Draft! Today, I’ll be sharing a one-round NFL mock draft with trades. I have also predicted what the rest of the New England Patriots’ draft will look like (Rounds 2-7). There’s always a handful a QB prospects who are lined up to be future starters. But while there’s a lot of teams that could use a young QB on the roster, most teams would do alright without one. Even the Giants, who have been rumored to replace Eli Manning since the start of 2018 could make do with just Manning, Kyle Lauletta (drafted later last year), and Alex Tanney. But I do see a few teams making their move this year, some in the first round, and some waiting till later rounds. Who will they be? Keep reading to find out what I think.

Let’s begin with the Arizona Cardinals. They own this year’s first overall pick and are likely close to making a decision. But I cannot see them trading down.

1. With the 1st overall pick, the Arizona Cardinals select…

Kyler Murray

Oklahoma

I don’t typically predict something in a mock draft solely based on rumors, but all signs have pointed to Arizona taking Kyler Murray #1 after Kliff Kingsbury’s statement a year ago about taking Murray #1 if he ever had the chance. If they do decide to stick with Josh Rosen at QB (who they drafted last year), they can take edge rusher Nick Bosa #1, who could definitely help this defense. I have them trading Rosen to the Giants for a second or third round pick. This will allow the Giants to use their first rounder to improve the team around Rosen while Arizona moves on to Kyler.

2. With the 2nd overall pick, the San Francisco 49ers select…

Nick Bosa

DE/OLB

Ohio State

The 49ers could use Bosa as an OLB or a DE. At whichever position they don’t put Bosa at, they can start the recently acquired Dee Ford. The Niners definitely improved their front seven this off-season, but they could still benefit from more depth on the outside. They can wait on a wide receiver, their biggest need, thanks to the deep WR class.

3. With the 3rd overall pick, the New York Jets select

Josh Allen

OLB

Kentucky

New York signed ILB C.J. Mosley this off-season, but after a failed attempt to add OLB Anthony Barr, the Jets are left with a gaping hole at outside linebacker. Their 3-4 scheme is a perfect fit for Allen, who will fill a need and significantly boost the pass rush. Allen totaled 17 sacks in his senior year at Kentucky, which nearly tops Nick Bosa’s college career total of 17.5. The Jets have been rumored to trade down, but the outside linebacker class isn’t very deep. They should take advantage of the 3rd overall pick here.

4. With the 4th overall pick, the Oakland Raiders select…

Quinnen Williams

Alabama

The Raiders have been linked to Ed Oliver frequently, and if Williams is taken Top 3, the Raiders should consider taking Oliver. But if Williams is available, this pick is a no-brainer. The Raiders still have a gaping hole at defensive tackle despite drafting Maurice Hurst in 2018. Williams is one of the best prospects in this draft and should definitely fill that hole playing next to Hurst. The Raiders could also snag ILB Devin White or CB Greedy Williams, but it would be smart to take Quinnen while he’s still available, and who knows, Greedy might still be available at #24.

5. With the 5th overall pick, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers select…

Rashan Gary

Michigan

Though the Bucs drafted Noah Spence a couple years back at this position, they would still benefit from drafting another edge rusher. They have been linked frequently to Devin White since Kwon Alexander’s departure, but I don’t see it happening and trust Kendell Beckwith as the starting middle linebacker in his 3rd NFL season. The Bucs also added Deone Bucannon, who can play on the outside or inside. So rather than drafting a linebacker, they’ll draft Rashan Gary for additional d-line depth.

6. With the 6th overall pick, the New York Giants select…

Jonah Williams

Alabama

There has been a lot of Top 10 buzz surrounding T Jawaan Taylor, but I still think Williams, the Alabama product is the best o-lineman in this draft class. The Giants finally released T Ereck Flowers in 2018, so Williams can start on the right side in Flowers’ former spot.. The G-men will stick with Nate Solder at left tackle for now.

7. With the 7th overall pick, the Jacksonville Jaguars select…

Noah Fant

Iowa

A lot of people have projected TE T.J. Hockenson in the Top 10, but the Jags are the only team I could see drafting a tight end in this Top 10. My personal belief is that Fant is the better of the two Iowa TEs, and I have the Jags taking him over Jawaan Taylor or T.J. Hockenson. The Jags don’t really need Jawaan Taylor even though they’ve been linked to him. Though Hockenson outperformed Fant at the Combine, Fant has scored double the TDs Hockenson has scored in their final two years at Iowa. With Fant off the board, Hockenson may fall to the latter portion of Round 1.

8. With the 8th overall pick, the Detroit Lions select…

Montez Sweat

OLB

Mississippi State

If I were Detroit’s GM, I would be concerned about Sweat’s heart condition and consider Brian Burns instead. But the Lions seem to like Sweat, who could fit in as a defensive end next to Trey Flowers or fill a gaping hole at outside linebacker. Also, Sweat’s heart condition is not as concerning as DT Maurice Hurst’s. Sweat’s was just noticed at the Combine, while Hurst couldn’t participate in the Combine at all.

9. With the 9th overall pick, the Buffalo Bills select…

Brian Burns

OLB

Florida State

The Bills may like Ed Oliver as a prospect, but it’s too early to give up on 2018 2nd round pick Harrison Phillips at DT. Instead, I have the Bills drafting someone on the outside in this defense-heavy draft. This draft is flooded with elite edge rushers, and the Bills need help at both outside linebacker and defensive end. Burns can help fill both of those needs, but they’ll need some pass rushers in the later rounds or free agents to support Burns.

10. With the 10th overall pick, the Denver Broncos select…

Ed Oliver

Houston

The Broncos could still use a QB despite upgrading in consecutive off-seasons. Denver went from starting Trevor Siemian to starting Case Keenum to starting Joe Flacco in the span of two seasons. But the Broncos don’t need a rookie QB in Round 1 as they should be able to trust Flacco as this year’s starter. Plus, waiting will allow them to take advantage of the elite d-line class. The Broncos have needed d-line help ever since Sylvester Williams left in free agency. They could reunite with Williams, who is once again a free agent. But if DT Ed Oliver is available at #10, it would be a no-brainer for Denver to take him. In general, I feel that Denver should wait and see how the draft goes before making a move on any more free agents.

11. With the 11th overall pick, the Cincinnati Bengals select…

Dwayne Haskins

Ohio State

Andy Dalton has definitely declined in the last few years, and he has been inconsistent throughout his career. It’s a shame that the Bengals couldn’t hold onto A.J. McCarron as a backup. But it’s time to move on and draft another QB. They’ll have plenty of options here with Haskins, Drew Lock, and Daniel Jones all available. But Haskins would be the best QB left on the board. It’s easy to forget that he threw 50 TDs in 2018 alone at Ohio State, and he could learn a few things backing up Dalton.
12. With the 12th overall pick, the Green Bay Packers select…

D.K. Metcalf

Ole Miss

After dominance at the Combine, Metcalf has proven himself as the best receiver in this draft class. People have overrated his Combine performance, but it’s not too crazy to mock him at #12. This would be a smart pick for Green Bay, who would add a solid WR2 with WR1 potential. Metcalf would not have as much pressure on him in Green Bay as he plays next to star WR Davante Adams.
13. With the 13th overall pick, the Miami Dolphins select…

Drew Lock

Missouri

The Dolphins weren’t smart to trade away Ryan Tannehill so soon, especially to the Titans, who didn’t need a starting QB. Tannehill will be forced to battle with Marcus Mariota for a starting job. Meanwhile, in Miami, Ryan Fitzpatrick is the best QB left on the roster. He’s a respectable bridge QB, but he is not meant for a full time starting job. The Dolphins should draft Lock behind Fitzy if Murray and Haskins are off the board.

14. With the 14th overall pick, the Atlanta Falcons select…

Devin Bush

OLB

Michigan

With Vic Beasley in the 4-3 defensive end slot, Atlanta has a big hole at outside linebacker. They don’t really need another edge rusher, but Bush is a quality outside linebacker who recorded 161 tackles and 10 sacks in his last two seasons combined at Michigan. He can add depth to Atlanta’s defense, allowing Beasley to play defensive end full time.
15. With the 15th overall pick, the Washington Redskins select…

Devin White

ILB

LSU

White falls to #15 since there are very few teams with a gaping hole at inside linebacker like Washington’s. It’s very rare that linebackers of White’s ability level enter the draft, but unfortunately, there aren’t many teams in the Top 10 that need to draft someone like White. He falls to the Redskins, who look to replace the released Zach Brown. It’s a steal for the Redskins, who fill their #1 need in the 1st round.
16. With the 16th overall pick, the Carolina Panthers select…

N’Keal Harry

Arizona State

The Panthers may miss out on Metcalf if Green Bay or Washington drafts him. But I think their need at WR is desperate enough for them to snag N’Keal Harry if Metcalf is drafted and Harry is still available. They could also draft a tackle to replace Matt Kalil, and Cody Ford would be available. But I think it’s more important for them to have a top line receiver than a top line tackle.

17. With the 17th overall pick, the New York Giants select…

Clelin Ferrell

Clemson

Ferrell doesn’t fit the Giants’ defensive scheme as well as some other prospects, but would fill a huge hole for New York and would be the best d-line prospect remaining by far. Ferrell recorded 11.5 sacks last season, leading a stacked Clemson defense. Hopefully, New York can adapt their defense to be favorable for prospects of different backgrounds, because they may need to start a lot of rookies on defense this season.

18. With the 18th overall pick, the Minnesota Vikings select…

Christian Wilkins

Clemson

Wilkins has been targeted by Tennessee aggressively. Though the Vikings do need a defensive tackle to replace Sheldon Richardson, the Titans haven’t even thought about trying to trade up and could be left shocked if the Vikings snagged Wilkins one pick before them. Defensive tackle is Minnesota’s top need in my eyes, so I’d have them taking Wilkins regardless of who was up next. But preventing Tennessee from snagging him is an added bonus.

19. With the 19th overall pick, the Tennessee Titans select…

Greedy Williams

LSU

With Wilkins off the board, I have the Titans signing free agent DT Ndamukong Suh rather than reaching for a defensive tackle. They will think about their other positional needs with this pick. They could use another WR, and Kelvin Harmon would be available. But if Greedy Williams is still available at #19, the Titans cannot pass up on him. The Titans are deep at corner, but don’t really have a true #1 CB. Greedy wouldn’t be their #1 right away. He may even start on the bench as the #4 CB. But he has the upside to eventually fill that #1 slot, which is what the Titans are looking for.

20. With the 20th overall pick, the Pittsburgh Steelers select…

Cody Ford

Oklahoma

Nothing against Alejandro Villanueva, but it’s a problem if Villanueva’s the only viable starting tackle on a roster. If the Steelers add Ford to the mix, they should be able to trust Ford and Villanueva as starters. The Steelers will have to figure out which of the two pays left tackle, but with this pick, they at least fill the hole Marcus Gilbert left them with and draft their 2nd viable starting tackle.

21. With the 21st overall pick, the Seattle Seahawks select…

Byron Murphy

Washington

With S Earl Thomas out of Seattle, the Legion of Boom’s entire core has left Seattle’s active roster. It’s time to begin rebuilding this secondary. They already added Shaquill Griffin in the 2017 NFL Draft, but they still have a huge hole at safety and could use another CB. There’s no safety in this draft class I would take #21, but Murphy would be a steal at #21. Murphy caught 4 interceptions in his final year at Washington, which is more than any Seahawks current corner has caught in their entire career.

22. With the 22nd overall pick, the Baltimore Ravens select…

Kelvin Harmon

North Carolina State

The Ravens don’t really have a #1 receiver right now, so wide receiver is by far their biggest need. Harmon posted back-to-back 1000 yard seasons at NC State. He should quickly obtain the WR1 role playing alongside Willie Snead IV, Seth Roberts, Chris Moore, and others. The Ravens may need to add another receiver later in the draft for depth, but the NC State product will at least help make the WR corps look respectable.

23. With the 23rd overall pick, the Houston Texans select…

T.J. Hockenson

Iowa

Houston has plenty of tight ends on the roster after adding Jordan Thomas and Jordan Akins in 2018. But there is no clear #1 TE, so tight end is still one of Houston’s biggest needs. Hockenson should be better than any tight end on this Texans roster from Day 1, so it would be smart for Houston to draft him, especially at #23.

24. With the 24th overall pick, the Oakland Raiders select…

DeAndre Baker

Georgia

With Devin White off the board, Mack Wilson would be the top inside linebacker available here, and Wilson is not Round 1 material in my eyes. It would be smarter for Oakland to take a corner here. There are plenty of corners who are Round 1 material. I’m not ready to trust Nick Nelson or Daryl Worley (who has off the field issues) as Oakland’s #2 corner. Even Gareon Conley, Oakland’s #1 CB has off the field issues of his own. Baker will provide stability to this secondary, and should eventually become the reliable #1 corner they have needed for a while.

25. TRADE ALERT (see details after pick #32): With the 25th overall pick, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers select…

Josh Jacobs

Alabama

Tampa reportedly has significant interest in making Jacobs their starting RB, but with the Raiders interested in drafting Jacobs at #27, there’s no guarantee the Bucs can draft Jacobs unless they trade up and leapfrog the Raiders. It might be smarter to trade with a team who picks before Oakland’s #24 pick, but I can’t see them taking a RB until #27, so I don’t know if that’s necessary. If the Bucs miss out on Jacobs, they could always sign Jay Ajayi to be their new RB1, but Jacobs wouldn’t just give them a 2019 RB1. Jacobs gives them long term stability at running back, where Tampa has had issues since Doug Martin (now a free agent) began to decline. Jacobs rushed for 640 yards and 11 TD in just 120 attempts during his junior year at Alabama, where he played as a part of a committee alongside fellow draft prospect Damien Harris. Imagine what Jacobs could do as a full time NFL starter.

26. With the 26th overall pick, the Indianapolis Colts select…

Dexter Lawrence

Clemson

The Colts will take another Clemson d-lineman here. Cornerback is probably their #1 need this year, but the CB class is pretty deep, and they should be able to wait until the #34 pick they acquired from the Jets to draft a corner. Their current d-line is made up of washed-up, borderline starters, so Lawrence will bring some livelihood to Indy’s front seven if they draft him.

27. With the 27th overall pick, the Oakland Raiders select…

A.J. Brown

Ole Miss

With Jacobs off the board, I have Oakland drafting A.J. Brown, a teammate of D.K. Metcalf who actually outperformed Metcalf at Ole Miss. Even with Metcalf healthy all season in 2017, Brown totaled 1252 yards while Metcalf, then a redshirt freshman totaled just 646. Metcalf will be drafted before Brown as his Combine performance and play style boost his draft stock. The stats aren’t everything when it comes to NFL scouting. But don’t discount Brown’s back to back 1000 yard seasons at Ole Miss. He should still be a top 5 receiver off this draft board, and the Raiders could still use another WR for depth despite adding Antonio Brown and Tyrell Williams.

28. With the 28th overall pick, the Los Angeles Chargers select…

Jerry Tillery

Notre Dame

The Chargers finally released injury prone DT Corey Liuget this off-season, but it would be smart to draft a young, healthy DT in Round 1, filling the hole Liuget left behind. Tillery was a big contributor to Notre Dame’s dominant defense in 2018 as he led the team in sacks (7). He would make a strong Chargers defense even stronger as he competes for a starting d-line job.

29. With the 29th overall pick, the Kansas City Chiefs select…

Garrett Bradbury

North Carolina State

Kansas City would have also benefitted from drafting Jacobs here, but there is no other RB I see as first round material, and they have a bigger hole at center anyway. Bradbury should be able to fill this hole if they draft him. Bradbury played parts of his college career at other positions (tight end, guard), but should fit in as a center in Kansas City. If he wanted to go back to playing guard, the Chiefs could use some depth there as well.

30. With the 30th overall pick, the Green Bay Packers select…

Deionte Thompson

Alabama

This year’s safety class wasn’t the greatest even before Thompson’s draft stock began to fall after an underwhelming Combine. But I still see Thompson as the best safety in a weak class; the best of the worst. I wouldn’t have a problem with safety-needy teams like Green Bay drafting Thompson later into Round 1. The Alabama product caught 2 interceptions in his senior year.

31. With the 31st overall pick, the Los Angeles Rams select…

Dre’Mont Jones

Ohio State

With Ndamukong Suh on the open market, the Rams will need a new defensive tackle to play next to Aaron Donald. They could draft an interior offensive lineman here, but Bradbury is the only interior lineman I’d feel comfortable drafting in the first round. Defensive tackle is LA’s next biggest need after Suh’s departure. Only sophomore DE Chase Young had more tackles for a loss and sacks for Ohio State than Jones in 2018. He could be a quality supplement to Donald in a strong Rams d-line.

32. With the 32nd overall pick, the New England Patriots select…

Irv Smith Jr.

Alabama

Fant and Hockenson may be off the board at #32, and Austin Seferian-Jenkins can fill in as New England’s starting tight end. But I still think the Pats should draft their TE of the future in Round 1 after Rob Gronkowski’s retirement. They could also go for WR Marquise Brown or DT Jeffery Simmons here, but the TE class is not as deep as the WR and d-line classes in this draft, so it’s important they draft one early. Smith caught 44 balls for 710 yards and 7 TD in his final season at Alabama and in my eyes, he’s the best tight end on the board that wasn’t an Iowa Hawkeye.

TRADES:

TB acquires: 2019 1st rounder (#25)

PHI acquires: 2019 2nd rounder (#39), 2019 5th rounder (#145)

NYG acquires: QB Josh Rosen

ARZ acquires: 2019 2nd rounder (#37), 2020 4th rounder

(FOR PATRIOTS MOCK DRAFT BELOW)

NE acquires: 2019 2nd rounder (#60)

LAC acquires: 2019 2nd rounder (#64), 2019 6th rounder (#205)

Patriots Mock Draft (Rounds 2-7)

I will not be a sharing a full seven round NFL Mock Draft, but as a Patriots fan, I figured I’d share my later round Pats’ predictions. I have them drafting TE Irv Smith Jr. at #32 (as seen above), but what will they do after that? Read below to find out what I think:

I have the Pats drafting the QB of their future on Day 2 so he’s ready to start by the time Brady retires. It will be easier to find viable starters at WR and in the d-line than at QB, and the WRs the Pats would be willing to draft here will probably already be off the board.

Winovich led the Wolverines in tackles for a loss (15.5) in 2018. He should boost the New England pass rush and fit in New England’s 4-3 scheme after the release of Adrian Clayborn.

Jelks’ draft stock has fallen of late, but he is still a good third round investment for the Pats, who could seek an upgrade over Elandon Roberts and another linebacker in the mix in case the injury prone Dont’a Hightower misses time in 2019. The Ducks installed a 4-3 defense in 2018, so Jelks should be used to New England’s 4-3 schemes.

Copeland will replace Malcom Brown, who left for the Saints via free agency. He should be able to compete for the starting job next to fellow DT Lawrence Guy.

Though he will be the last of the four Clemson 2018 starting d-lineman to be drafted, Bryant will add more depth to the Patriots d-line. He will join Michael Bennett, Winovich, and Deatrich Wise Jr. on the Pats defensive end depth chart.

So long as he is healthy, Demaryius Thomas should serve in the WR2 role for the Pats. But if Thomas is hurt and Josh Gordon remains suspended, the Pats are left with Julian Edelman, Phillip Dorsett, and who else? That’s why they should still draft a receiver at some point. However, they should be okay to wait till Day 3 due to the deep WR class. Guys like Mitchell and DaMarkus Lodge should still be available come Round 4.

New England owns one of the best interior o-line trios in the league, but it wouldn’t hurt to add another guard for additional depth. Ted Karras is their best backup at guard, but injuries are frequent in this league, and if Joe Thuney and Shaq Mason both get hurt, there could be a slot open for Gray.

A lot of times, Round 7 is solely about taking some of the better available options and adding depth to shallow positions. Saunders would be drafted to add more depth at DT in case Copeland or Guy struggles.

One of New England’s biggest questions headed into 2019 is whether Isaiah Wynn can be trusted as Trent Brown’s replacement, especially after missing all of 2018 with an injury. Frantz will provide New England with another option at tackle in case Wynn or Marcus Cannon isn’t doing his job.

This pick will add more depth to the WR corps if they keep Hardman on the roster. Hardman will likely compete with 2018 late round pick Braxton Berrios for the #6 or #7 WR slot. Matthew Slater will most likely remain on the roster for his special teams abilities though.

That’s all for my 2019 NFL Mock Draft. Stay tuned for Patriots draft grades and possibly other teams’ draft grades after the draft! On a side note, New England’s schedule has come out. I will be posting NFL Predictions and Pats Game-by-Game Predictions sometime before the season.

2018 NFL Week 13 Picks & Previews: Lots of Crucial Divisional Matchups Occur

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Welcome to my NFL Week 13 picks and previews. Last week, I went 11-4, putting my overall record at 96-78-2 (96-79-2 including Week 13 TNF). I am still ahead of 1 CBS Sports expert. This week, a lot of divisional matchups occur, with many of them having playoff implications. The Eagles and Redskins play for 2nd place in the NFC East, and the loser may be knocked out of contention. The Colts visit Jacksonville hoping to increase their chances at a wild card spot. Who will win these divisional games? Keep reading to find out what I think, and feel free to comment with your thoughts.

Lock of the Week

Look for dominance from the Rams defense in the first shutout of the NFL season. The revamped duo of Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters won’t give up anything to Detroit’s depleted WR corps, and DT Aaron Donald and company will shut down QB Matthew Stafford and the run game. The Rams will not need more than a couple touchdowns for a Rams clinic victory thanks to the strong defense. Meanwhile, The Lions will begin to miss RB Kerryon Johnson and WRs Golden Tate and Marvin Jones in a shutout loss.

Upset of the Week

The Panthers are coming off two frustrating last-minute losses, and the Buccaneers are coming off a much-needed victory. Look for QB Jameis Winston to ride the momentum and put up his best performance yet against Carolina. The Bucs D will still give up plenty to QB Cam Newton and his versatile offensive core. But a 3 or 4 TD game from Winston should be enough for the Buccaneers to pull the upset.

The Other Games

TNF (Posted to Twitter Thursday Night; Actual Score: 13-10 Cowboys)	QB Dak Prescott and the Cowboys offense will be slowed down significantly by the improving New Orleans defense. Meanwhile, QB Drew Brees and WR Michael Thomas will lead the Saints to victory despite the Dallas defense’s shut down of the Saints RB duo.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Look for Miami to hold on for a home victory against a young Bills defense that is not great but can be pesky at times. QB Ryan Tannehill will lead the Dolphins here, even without WR Danny Amendola. QB Josh Allen and his offense will perform better than they usually do, but expect them to just fall short in Miami against a mediocre, but not putrid Dolphins defense.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Look for the Atlanta defense to step it up against rookie QB Lamar Jackson and the Ravens, especially with RB Alex Collins on IR. QB Matt Ryan won’t have an amazing game against this strong Baltimore D, but it will be enough thanks to the improving Falcons defense.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	The Broncos will ride the momentum to a third straight win as the defense dominates against a banged-up Cincinnati pass offense that will miss QB Andy Dalton, especially since WR A.J. Green is not 100%. The Broncos will be alright offensively without TE Jeff Heuerman, as QB Case Keenum finally begins to rely on his receivers more in the Denver victory.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Expect QB Deshaun Watson to put up another strong game against the inexperienced Browns defense. Meanwhile, the Texans D will do a respectable job in shutting down QB Baker Mayfield and this young Browns offensive core. The Texans will win triumphantly as they play strong football all around.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Expect the Jaguars to win by a surprisingly large margin as they host the Colts. They came close in Indy, so I expect a win in Jacksonville. QB Cody Kessler will also help the Jags improve as he outperforms QB Blake Bortles. QB Andrew Luck and his receivers will struggle to handle the Jags strong D, but they’ll still manage to score a couple TDs.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	QB Eli Manning will have to dig into New York’s WR depth here to even score a TD against this improving Chicago defense. The Giants’ experienced defense will limit the QB Chase Daniel-led Bears offense, but Daniel will still throw multiple TDs in the victory.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	The Packers should manage to win at home here, but as they nearly blow it, the “fire Mike McCarthy” campaign will just get louder. QB Aaron Rodgers will rely on his younger receivers as they just barely get by the Cardinals. QB Josh Rosen will find his receivers more easily against a struggling Green Bay secondary, but it won’t quite be enough.
Sunday, 4:05 PM EST	QB Josh McCown should struggle regressively as his receivers are out done by a Titans secondary that is no more than average. This will highlight the Jets’ flaws as the Titans win by multiple TD. A strong all-around offensive game as well as a clutch defensive performance will help Tennessee in the home win.
Sunday, 4:05 PM EST	The Chiefs won’t be at full strength after the release of RB Kareem Hunt. But QB Patrick Mahomes II will still lead the Chiefs to victory though, with 3 TD and 0 INT. The Raiders will come close though as QB Derek Carr relies on his younger receivers (since WR Jordy Nelson is struggling).
Sunday, 4:25 PM EST	Neither offense will be up to full speed here as both defenses thrive. But QB Tom Brady will lead the Pats to get by at home as he uses his WR depth, something New England has at full health. The Vikings will make this close, led by QB Kirk Cousins and his receivers.
Sunday, 4:25 PM EST	The Seahawks will be able to get by here, but the 49ers will come close to an upset and play the better all around game, as young QB Nick Mullens throws multiple TD against the young Seattle D. The Seahawks, however, will find a way to win thanks to veteran QB Russell Wilson.
Sunday, 8:20 PM EST	The Steelers offense will look good here, as QB Ben Roethlisberger tosses multiple TD. But even without RB Melvin Gordon, QB Philip Rivers and his deep WR corps will be too much for the Pittsburgh D to handle as they outperform the Steelers significantly. The Chargers will be able to handle Pittsburgh’s offense a little easier, helping their case in a road primetime victory, handing the Steelers their second straight loss.
Sunday, 8:15 PM EST	Expect the Eagles to win in a shootout thanks to the strong game by QB Carson Wentz and his receivers. QB Colt McCoy will outperform his expectations though, tossing multiple TD and making this close. But the Eagles will still get past McCoy’s Redskins as their run game thrives in addition to the pass offense.

That’s all for today’s picks. Stay tuned for more posts soon, including Part 3 of my MLB free agent predictions.

2018 NFL Week 12 Picks & Previews: Contenders Arise

November 25, 2018 Andrew Roberts NFL, Picks & Previews A.J. Green, Aaron Rodgers, Andrew Luck, Andy Dalton, Blake Bortles, Cam Newton, Carolina, Carolina Panthers, Carson Wentz, Colts, David Johnson, DeMaryius Thomas, Deshaun Watson, Dolphins, Eli Manning, Green Bay, Green Bay Packers, Houston, Houston Texans, Indianapolis, Indianapolis Colts, Indy, Jameis Winston, Jets, Jimmy Garoppolo, Jimmy Graham, Josh Allen, Josh McCown, Josh Rosen, Kirk Cousins, Lamar Jackson, Le'Veon Bell, Miami, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota, Minnesota Vikings, New England, New England Patriots, New York, New York Jets, Nick Mullens, NY, NY Jets, Packers, Panthers, Patriots, Pats, Philip Rivers, Russell Wilson, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Ryan Tannehill, Seahawks, Seattle, Seattle Seahawks, T.Y. Hilton, Tennessee, Tennessee Titans, Texans, Titans, Tom Brady, Vikes, Vikings

Welcome to my Week 12 NFL Picks and Previews. On Thanksgiving Day, I went 3-0, putting my overall record at 88-74-2. However, I am still only ahead of 1 expert from CBS Sports, and none from ESPN. This week, I think we will see the biggest contenders besides the Rams and Chiefs (who both take a bye after last week’s shootout) will rise to the top with victories this week. Meanwhile, teams that had snuck into the playoff picture despite an underwhelming season will fall. With the playoffs approaching, this week it will begin to become clear who’s really here to stay.

Lock of the Week

Look for the Panthers to shut down Seattle’s run game here. This will put a lot on QB Russell Wilson and his receivers, and I don’t think they’ll put up enough for Seattle to make this close in Carolina. They will fail to step it up in the place of the run game. Meanwhile, QB Cam Newton and his receivers will be all over the Seahawks’ young secondary as Carolina dominates in a blowout victory.

Upset of the Week

The return of QB Ryan Tannehill will give the Dolphins offense a big boost. Expect Tannehill to throw multiple TDs and shock the Colts in Indy. The Colts will make it close thanks to dominance by the combo of QB Andrew Luck and WR T.Y. Hilton. But the Colts will fall short against Miami’s revamped offense, and the weak defensive game will not help matters.

The Other Games

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Expect the Jets young, but underrated defense to limit the abilities of QB Tom Brady and his offense. But the Patriots should find a way to score in New York. Meanwhile, Jets QB Josh McCown will struggle regressively against an improved New England defense. This will lead to a Patriots blowout victory.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	The Jaguars D will get back on task in Buffalo, holding QB Josh Allen and the Bills to just 1 TD. Meanwhile, QB Blake Bortles will improve against a mediocre Bills defense, throwing 2+ TD. This will lead to a Jaguars road win in a surprisingly easy game.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	QB Lamar Jackson will thrive again here, utilizing Baltimore’s strong run game and tossing multiple TD. The Ravens will struggle to win the turnover battle against an Oakland D that has forced a surprising number of turnovers. But the Ravens will come out on top after a very strong offensive game and another clutch defensive performance. Expect the Ravens to hold the new-look Raiders offense under 20 in the victory.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Look for QB Andy Dalton and his receivers to find a way here without WR A.J. Green. The Browns offense will look alright, but I don’t see it being enough against the stingy Bengals D. This will allow Cincy to prevail despite an underwhelming offensive game.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Expect a big game from QB Carson Wentz as he throws 3 TD against a washed-up Giants D. Giants QB Eli Manning should continue his multi-TD game streak here and look better than usual. But it won’t be enough against the high-powered Philly offense. The Eagles’ hopes of winning the division will be restored in this divisional victory.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Look for the Bucs to catch a break at home against the Jimmy Garoppolo-less Niners. The Tampa Bay run game could look surprisingly strong against San Francisco’s young defense. If not, QB Jameis Winston will perform better than QB Ryan Fitzpatrick did. It won’t be perfection, but it would be enough for the Bucs victory. QB Nick Mullens and his receivers will make this close against a struggling Bucs D, but it won’t be enough against the strong Buccaneers offense.
Sunday, 4:05 PM EST	Look for a surprisingly low scoring game here despite a battle of two strong offenses. Both defenses will thrive in the red zone, as only 4 total TDs are scored in 10+ opportunities. QB Josh Rosen and RB David Johnson will lead a strong Arizona offense, but expect them to fall short against QB Philip Rivers and the high-powered Chargers offense.
Sunday, 4:25 PM EST	The Denver offense may struggle after the Demaryius Thomas trade. But the Broncos defense will make up for it, silencing Pittsburgh’s typically dominant offense by holding them TD-less in Denver. The Steelers will continue to miss RB Le’Veon Bell after a tough loss in Denver.
Sunday, 8:20 PM EST	Against a strong Vikes secondary, QB Aaron Rodgers will struggle to find his receivers, especially with TE Jimmy Graham injured. Expect a Vikings victory thanks to the strong defense as well as a strong, multi-TD game by QB Kirk Cousins. This will cause the Packers to begin worrying that their wrath in the NFC North is over.
Monday, 8:15 PM EST	Expect QB Deshaun Watson to utilize his newfound WR duo in a home victory. The young Tennessee defense will do a good job imitating Houston’s shut down D, but they won’t quite get up to Houston’s level. The Texans will come out victorious in primetime as they play complimentary football.

That’s all for my picks this week. Stay tuned for more posts soon, including Part 2 of my MLB free agency predictions.

2018 NFL Week 8 Picks & Previews: Could be Exciting Sunday with Many Close Games

October 28, 2018October 28, 2018 Andrew Roberts NFL, Patriots, Picks & Previews Aaron Rodgers, Amari Cooper, Andrew Luck, Andy Dalton, Antonio Brown, Bilal Powell, Bills, Blake Bortles, Brock Osweiler, Buffalo, Buffalo Bills, C.J. Beathard, Cam Newton, Cameron Brate, CBS Sports, Cooper Kupp, D-Hop, David Johnson, DeAndre Hopkins, Dolphins, Eagles, Eli Apple, Eli Manning, ESPN, G-Men, Houston, Houston Texans, Jacksonville, Jacksonville Jaguars, Jags, Jaguars, Jameis Winston, Jimmy Garoppolo, Josh Allen, Josh Norman, Josh Rosen, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Kyle Lauletta, Le'Veon Bell, London, Marshawn Lynch, MatPat, Matt Patricia, Matt Stafford, Matthew Stafford, Miami, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota, Minnesota Vikings, Mitch Trubisky, Mitchell Trubisky, New England, New England Patriots, New Orleans, New Orleans Saints, NFL, NFL Picks, O.J. Howard, Odell Beckham Jr., Patriots, Pats, Philadelphia, Philadelphia Eagles, Philly, Picks, Ryan Tannehill, Sacksonville, Saints, Saquon Barkley, T.Y. Hilton, Texans, Tom Brady, Travis Kelce, Vikes, Vikings

Welcome to my NFL Week 8 Picks and Previews. Last week I went 8-6, putting my overall record at 61-44-2 (62-44-2 including Week 8 TNF). I’m hoping for at least 9 or 10 wins this week to get ahead of the ESPN and CBS Sports experts I am trying to compete with. I am ahead of just 1 expert from each website. This week, expect a lot of close, exciting games. Even Vegas is predicting this, as many of their NFL point spreads this week are under 4. But with lots of close games comes lots of surprises. Who will pull a shocking upset? Who will stand strong and win as expected? Read below to find out what I think.

Lock of the Week (MNF)

Stay tuned for a potential video preview closer to the game!

There are not many locks this week, but the Patriots should be able to take down the QB Josh Allen-less Bills with ease. It doesn’t matter if it’s in Buffalo, and it doesn’t matter that it’s Monday Night Football. Expect QB Tom Brady and the Pats to dominate here, taking an early lead and running with it. The Patriots defense isn’t going to go from shaky to shut down in a week, but it should hold a struggling, banged-up Bills offense to 20 or less points. One thing this offense does have on the New England is a strong run game. New England has continued to struggle against strong run games this year. But I don’t expect much else from the Bills offense, and the Pats should end up winning by 10 or more.

Upset of the Week

This would be a shocker given Kansas City’s performance in Denver and Denver’s tendency to perform far better at home. But it’s hard to beat the same team twice, especially when they are riding the momentum of a 45-10 victory including a spectacular defensive game. I understand that it was the Cardinals, but momentum is momentum. Thanks to this momentum, I think Denver’s D will do surprisingly well in stopping Kansas City’s dominant offense. This all-offense Chiefs team will struggle against a Broncos offense that has improved from 2017. TE Travis Kelce will catch Kansas City’s lone TD as the rest of the offense is overwhelmed by the Denver D in an upsetting loss.

The Other Games

TNF (Posted to Twitter Thursday Night)	Expect a low scoring game as the Texans shut down defense overwhelms QB Brock Osweiler and the young Miami pass offense. Expect the Dolphins backfield to struggle as well, with Houston’s defense holding them under 50 yards combined. I don’t see the Texans dominating on offense, but it will be enough thanks to a strong game by WR DeAndre Hopkins and the front seven’s performance.
Sunday, 9:30 AM EST (Posted to Twitter before the game)	I don’t think Jacksonville’s defense will look as sharp as usual in London, especially after 4 Jaguars defenders were arrested last night. But they will improve from the surprising struggles of the last couple weeks. Look for QB Blake Bortles to regroup and rebound after being replaced last week, leading the Jags to a surprising London victory. But Philly should keep it close with strong run defense against the troubled Jags run game.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	In this battle of two of the league’s rising defenses, don’t expect much from either young QB. QB Mitch Trubisky and his receivers will put up a dud against New York’s amazing secondary. But the Jets offense won’t be looking any better with RB Bilal Powell and most of their best receivers hurt. Chicago’s defense should come up clutch, holding the Jets under 10 and saving Chicago the game.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	The Browns tied the Steelers in Cleveland, but don’t expect as close a game in Pittsburgh. The Steelers will make up for RB Le’Veon Bell’s continued absence with a dominant day by WRs Antonio Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster. Pittsburgh’s D should also appear surprisingly better, holding the Browns young offense under 20.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Look for QB Jameis Winston and his TE duo to lead Tampa to victory against a Bengals defense left with holes after losses in free agency. QB Andy Dalton and his receivers should make this close, but the defensive problems will begin to stab them in the back. The Bucs will win on the road thanks to another big day on offense.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Expect a strong game out of QB Cam Newton and the Panthers offense. But the Ravens versatile defense should slow them down significantly. However, Baltimore’s receivers will still struggle to keep up as Newton’s multi-TD game is enough to lead Carolina to victory.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	I know most people would call me crazy for expecting 34 points out of the Giants. But this is a team that beat the 5-3 Houston Texans. I don’t think the G-Men are really as bad as they seem. Even the GM has given up. But I think the Giants will turn it around and win a few games before the season ends. They have a talented, star-studded offense. All they need is a QB who can manage that. If QB Eli Manning cannot, maybe another QB on the roster is the answer. WR Odell Beckham Jr. will be kept busy against CB Josh Norman, but you can expect strong games out of RB Saquon Barkley and New York’s other offensive weapons. The Redskins will make this close with a clutch offensive performance, but I have them falling just short.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Look for Matt Patricia’s Lions to win another one on home turf as they begin to look like legitimate contenders. The Seahawks should be able to overwhelm the Lions D, one of Detroit’s biggest flaws this year. But QB Matthew Stafford’s 3 TD game should be enough for a Lions home victory.
Sunday, 4:05 PM EST	The Colts should make this close with a surprisingly strong offensive performance led by QB Andrew Luck and WR T.Y. Hilton. They will take advantage of a weak, rebuilding Raiders D. But expect Oakland to shine on offense against Indy, who has one of the worst defenses in the league. It doesn’t matter if WR Amari Cooper is here or not. The Raiders will miss Cooper and injured RB Marshawn Lynch, but should still manage to win. If they can beat the Browns in Oakland, they can do the same to Indy.
Sunday, 4:25 PM EST	I was tempted to pick the Packers in an upset as the Rams offense struggles without injured WR Cooper Kupp. But this versatile Rams defense is just too good to allow 20+ points to a Packers offense that lacks WR depth despite an amazing QB in Aaron Rodgers. Defense will win the Rams this game as they remain undefeated.
Sunday, 4:25 PM EST	Arizona’s only win so far this year was in San Francisco. I think they can beat the QB Jimmy Garoppolo-less 49ers again in Arizona. They will be led by strong games out of young QB Josh Rosen and RB David Johnson. The Niners should look decent on offense and make this close. But I think the Cardinals will hold on on home turf.
Sunday, 8:20 PM EST	I think Minnesota’s offense will be slowed by a young Saints D that just added CB Eli Apple. But the Vikings defense should look even better, holding the Saints under 20 points and to just 1 TD. This shut down defensive performance should lead the Vikes to victory.

That’s all for my picks and previews this week. Stay tuned for more NFL posts soon, including my midseason report next week.

2018 NFL Week 7 Picks & Previews: Could This Week Mark Turning Point for Certain Teams?

October 21, 2018 Andrew Roberts NFL, Patriots, Picks & Previews, Uncategorized Alex Smith, Andrew Luck, Andy Dalton, Arizona, Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta, Atlanta Falcons, Bears, Bills, Broncos, Buffalo, Buffalo Bills, C.J. Beathard, Cardinals, Cards, Carson Wentz, Case Keenum, Chargers, Chicago, Chicago Bears, Colts, Cooper Kupp, Dak Prescott, Denver, Denver Broncos, Derek Anderson, Eagles, Eli Manning, Falcons, Indianapolis, Indianapolis Colts, Indy, Jameis Winston, Jimmy Garoppolo, Josh Allen, Josh Rosen, LA, LA Chargers, London, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Chargers, Matthew Stafford, Mitch Trubisky, New England, New England Patriots, Pat Mahomes, Pat Mahomes II, Patrick Mahomes, Patrick Mahomes II, Patriots, Pats, Philadelphia, Philadelphia Eagles, Philip Rivers, Philly, Tennessee, Tennessee Titans, Titans, Tom Brady

Welcome to my NFL Week 7 picks and previews. Last week, I went 8-7, placing my overall record at 53-38-2 (53-39-2 including TNF Week 7). This puts me ahead of 3 of 10 ESPN experts and 1 of 8 CBS Sports experts. There have been a lot of early season surprises this year. The Bears are tied for the NFC North lead. The Eagles sit at .500, and the Falcons sit at just 2-4. Both of them were playoff teams in 2017. Could this mark the turning point for some of those surprise bad teams? Will some of the pleasant surprise teams begin to regress? Read below to find out what I think.

Lock of the Week

The Buccaneers struggled last week in Atlanta. But now that they are back on their home turf, expect QB Jameis Winston and the Bucs to bounce back. The Browns have little to no momentum going into this one either. They’re coming off an embarrassing blowout loss in Cleveland. Don’t expect a much better offensive performance from the Browns against an underrated Bucs defense in Tampa. I also don’t think the Browns secondary will be able to contain Tampa’s deep group of receivers. Expect an easy Buccaneers victory.

Upset of the Week

I tend to lean towards teams with the home field advantage when making my picks. But the Bills have actually performed relatively well on the road. If they can shock the Vikings in Minnesota, they should be able to take down the 1-5 Colts in Indy. It doesn’t matter if Josh Allen is the QB or if Derek Anderson is. This Colts defense has struggled all season, costing Indy several games. With the Bills dominating a rebuilding Colts D, QB Andrew Luck and the Colts offense should be able to put up a fight. But it will be very difficult to keep up with Buffalo, leading to a Bills road victory.

The Other Games

TNF (Posted to Twitter Thursday Night; Actual Score: 45-10 Broncos)

Look for QB Josh Rosen to lead Arizona to a home victory against the sinking Denver Broncos. The Broncos defense may be good, but they are not even close to 2015 form, and that will cost them. QB Case Keenum and his receivers will make it close, but it won’t be enough thanks to the dominance of the Cardinals offense.

Sunday, 9:30 AM EST (Posted to Twitter Before Kickoff)

Look for QB Philip Rivers and the Chargers offense to put up another strong offensive performance in London. The Chargers have only lost twice this year, and the losses were to the Rams and Chiefs, two of the best teams in the league. They have dominated offensively against every other opponent. I also see Tennessee struggling against a young Chargers defense. This will lead to a secure Chargers victory.

Note: I think it’s a possibility that the Chargers eventually move to London if LA doesn’t work out for them.

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST

Stay tuned for a potential video preview closer to game time!

Expect QB Tom Brady to throw to many different receivers and lead the Pats to victory. New England should use their newfound receiver depth to their advantage. Even the Bears strong defense should struggle to contain an offense that outscored the then undefeated Kansas City Chiefs. Look for New England’s secondary to at least partially contain QB Mitch Trubisky’s receivers and for the Pats front seven to shut down Chicago’s RB duo to secure victory.

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST

Look for the Lions to struggle in Miami against a young, versatile Dolphins D. Expect QB Matthew Stafford to connect with his WR trio for TDs to make this close. But I also think the Dolphins will have a strong offensive game on home turf, especially against a mediocre Lions D. Miami will pull ahead to win by 13.

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST

Expect the Vikings to be led by a strong defensive performance that holds the Jets under 15 points. I see Minnesota’s offense making an impact later to secure the Vikings a lead. The Vikes should win easily in the end thanks to defensive dominance and a late-game offensive statement.

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST

This will be a defense first game as two of the best defenses in the league face off. But Jacksonville should at least look better offensively than they did last week, despite facing a tough Texans defense. I also expect the Jags defense to bounce back. They’ve just faced two offense-heavy teams. Now they go up against another defense-first team, the Texans. I expect Houston to struggle regressively against the young Jags defense.

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST

The Eagles may have gotten off to a mediocre 3-3 start, but QB Carson Wentz has met expectations, and that will show this week as he throws 4 touchdowns in a dominant performance against a young Carolina secondary. The Panthers’ defensive backs have looked better this year, but they are facing one of the best passing offenses in the league. Meanwhile, expect Philly’s D to perform surprisingly well, holding Carolina under 25 as the Panthers are unable to bounce back from a tough Week 6 loss.

Sunday, 4:05 PM EST

Until 2017, the Saints were known as the team that sucked because they had no defense. But last year, the young Saints D broke out for a huge year. Expect to see flashes of the 2017 Saints D against a mediocre Ravens pass game. Baltimore has been led by their defense so far this year as well. New Orleans will be impacted by this, but their experienced offense should allow the Saints to get by in Baltimore.

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST

QB Dak Prescott had a huge game last week out of nowhere. Don’t expect to see it again in Washington. The Cowboys have been dominant on home turf, but have not won a game on the road. Look for the Redskins defense to step it up here while QB Alex Smith just barely leads Washington past Dallas.

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST

The Rams offense should struggle without WR Cooper Kupp. But San Francisco won’t do much better without QB Jimmy Garoppolo. Look for them to put up a dud against LA’s shut down defense. The Rams should get by despite their offensive struggles.

Sunday, 8:20 PM EST

Now that they’ve lost their momentum, don’t expect QB Patrick Mahomes II and his receivers to look as sharp as usual, but they still should put up 20+ points. QB Andy Dalton and the Bengals should make this close, but look for the young Chiefs defense to step it up despite battling numerous injuries. Kansas City hasn’t really needed much defense, not until these last couple of weeks. But defense wins games, and with the Chiefs D stepping it up, Kansas City should win a close primetime game.

Monday, 8:15 PM EST

Atlanta will struggle early here as the defense falters against a strong Giants offense. QB Eli Manning may be having a rough year, but he should be alright against Atlanta’s inconsistent defense. Look for the Falcons to put up a fight on offense late, but fall just short in primetime.

That’s all for this week’s picks and previews. Stay tuned for more Boston sports articles soon, including a preview of the crazy week ahead for all four Boston teams.

2018 NFL Week 5 Pick’Em & Previews: Upsets Await in Week Full of Intriguing Match-Ups

October 7, 2018October 7, 2018 Andrew Roberts NFL, Patriots, Picks & Previews, Uncategorized Aaron Rodgers, Andrew Luck, Andy Dalton, Austin Ekeler, Baker Mayfield, Bengals, Carolina, Carolina Panthers, Carson Wentz, Chiefs, Christian McCaffrey, Cincinnati, Cincinnati Bengals, Cincy, Colts, Corey Davis, Cowboys, Dak Prescott, Dallas, Dallas Cowboys, Dalvin Cook, David Johnson, Derek Carr, Devonta Freeman, Dolphins, Eagles, Ezekiel Elliott, Geronimo Allison, Giants, Greg Olsen, Houston, Houston Texans, Indianapolis, Indianapolis Colts, Indy, J.J Watt, Jack Doyle, Jacksonville, Jacksonville Jaguars, Jadeveon Clowney, Jags, Jaguars, Jared Goff, Jimmy Garoppolo, Joe Flacco, Josh Allen, Josh Rosen, Kansas City, Kansas City Chiefs, KC, KC Chiefs, Kenny Stills, Le'Veon Bell, Lock of the Week, Marcus Mariota, Mark Ingram, Marlon Mack, Matt Ryan, Melvin Gordon, Miami, Miami Dolphins, Mike Gesicki, Minnesota, Minnesota Vikings, New England, New England Patriots, New York, New York Giants, NFC Championship, NFL, NFL Week 5 Picks, NY, NY Giants, Panthers, Patriots, Pats, Philadelphia, Philadelphia Eagles, Philip Rivers, Philly, Pick'Em, Picks, Randall Cobb, Russell Wilson, Sacksonville, Sam Darnold, T.Y. Hilton, Texans, Thursday Night Football, TNF, Tom Brady, Tyler Eifert, Upset of the Week, Vikes, Vikings, Vontaze Burfict

Welcome to my Week 5 NFL picks and previews. Last week I went 10-5, placing my overall record at 37-24-2 (38-24-2 including Week 5 TNF). I’m ahead of 9 of ESPN’s 10 experts and 3 of CBS Sports’ 8 experts.

There are a lot of intriguing match-ups this week. The Miami Dolphins and Cincinnati Bengals, two of the league’s biggest surprises thus far take each other on. The Minnesota Vikings and Philadelphia Eagles meet in an NFC Championship rematch. The Kansas City Chiefs’ powerful offense may have met their match in the Jags defense. Who will win in these close match-ups? Whoever wins, I would expect a lot of surprises. Keep reading to find out who I have winning this week.

Lock of the Week (TNF: Posted to Twitter Thursday Night; Actual Score: 38-24 Patriots)

The Colts will be without RB Marlon Mack, TE Jack Doyle, and most importantly, star WR T.Y. Hilton. With the offense banged-up, expect QB Andrew Luck to struggle in finding open receivers. Don’t expect a big game from the Colts running backs either. Meanwhile, I think the Colts defense (which is also banged-up) will fail to contain QB Tom Brady and his receivers. I could see the Pats blowing out and possibly even shutting out the injury-riddled Colts.

Upset of the Week

Coming out of the bye, the Panthers will still be without their top receiving target in TE Greg Olsen. I think they will start to miss him this week as the Giants secondary keeps Carolina’s remaining receivers well covered. Meanwhile, I don’t expect a huge game out of RB Christian McCaffrey against an above average Giants defensive front. The Giants will pull the upset thanks to a strong passing game and improved defense.

The Other Games

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	These teams might be the two biggest pleasant surprises of the season so far. This week, we’ll likely see which is here to contend, and which is pretending. I think the Bengals will look like legitimate contenders in this game. The defense will see improvement with LB Vontaze Burfict back from his suspension. Meanwhile, QB Andy Dalton will find plenty of open men, even without TE Tyler Eifert. However, Miami will make it close as WR Kenny Stills and rookie TE Mike Gesicki step it up.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Look for QB Josh Allen to lead Buffalo’s offense to a close game against an inconsistent Titans D. Allen has done well in these last couple games. However, I think the Titans will run away with the victory as the offense finds a way, led by the duo of QB Marcus Mariota and WR Corey Davis.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	The Broncos defense has been among the NFL’s best for a long time, and the Jets young defense is emerging as well. Look for both defenses to thrive in a low scoring game. The Denver secondary will do an especially good job at containing QB Sam Darnold and his receivers. I don’t expect the Broncos to look amazing on offense, but they should edge out a victory in New York.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	I think Pittsburgh will look alright on offense despite missing RB Le’Veon Bell. But the Falcons WR trio will be too much for the Steelers secondary. The Steelers have never been more than mediocre on defense, and it will cost them here. Expect Atlanta’s RB duo to thrive with RB Devonta Freeman back and QB Matt Ryan to find open receivers for TDs.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Look for Cleveland’s defense to step it up, leading Cleveland to a home victory. QB Baker Mayfield and the Browns offense shouldn’t do especially well against a strong Ravens secondary. But, look for the Browns’ underrated, young defense to cause QB Joe Flacco and the Ravens receivers to struggle. That will be enough for the Browns to pull out a win.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	I understand the Chiefs are undefeated and their offense looks unstoppable. But they haven’t seen a defense like Jacksonville’s. I also think the Jaguars will take advantage of the all offense, no defense Chiefs and put together a strong offensive game of their own. The Chiefs have a very tough schedule ahead, and this could be the start of a stretch that bring the Chiefs from unbeatable to a borderline playoff contender. The Jags seem like the team to finally put an end to Kansas City’s offensive dominance and undefeated season.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	A lot of people see this as a lock in Green Bay’s favor, but this will not be easy. We’ve seen what Detroit’s offense is capable of at its best, and Green Bay will be without WRs Randall Cobb and Geronimo Allison. QB Aaron Rodgers is not at full health either. Look for the Lions offense to get out to an early lead. But I think QB Aaron Rodgers will have another clutch game, and Rodgers alonMelg with the rising young talent surrounding him will lead the team to a comeback victory.
Sunday, 4:05 PM EST	Look for RBs Melvin Gordon and Austin Ekeler to make an impact against the Mack-less Raiders run defense. I also expect QB Philip Rivers and his receivers to have a successful game. I think this Chargers offense can be all-around dominant against Oakland’s subpar defense. QB Derek Carr will make this close when he tosses 3 TD of his own, but it won’t be enough in this offensive shootout.
Sunday, 4:25 PM EST	These teams have two of the best defenses in the NFC, so don’t expect too much scoring. The Vikings passing game will be somewhat successful in Philly, but you can’t count on the run game with RB Dalvin Cook battling a hamstring injury. I think QB Carson Wentz will manage to find a way at home, even going up against the lights out Vikes defense.
Sunday, 4:25 PM EST	QB Josh Rosen led the Cardinals to their closest game thus far last week, and I truly think they can win this one over the Jimmy Garoppolo-less 49ers. But I’m not calling a blowout for an 0-4 team. I think the 49ers versatile offense will find a way to keep this close. However, led by RB David Johnson, look for Arizona to edge out a victory.
Sunday, 4:25 PM EST	Expect QB Jared Goff and his offense to dominate in Seattle. I think they can easily handle this rebuilding Seahawks defense. Meanwhile, Seattle’s offense will struggle against a Rams D that has emerged as one of the NFC’s best. I think QB Russell WIlson and the Seahawks run game will be especially overwhelmed by the Rams powerful front seven, and the shut down defense will secure an LA victory.
Sunday, 8:20 PM EST	I think QB Dak Prescott and the Cowboys offense will continue to struggle here, especially since they are facing one of the league’s top defenses. Even star RB Ezekiel Elliott could struggle going up against J.J. Watt, Jadeveon Clowney, and the dominant Texans defensive front. Houston will secure the victory after a decent offensive performance.
Monday, 8:15 PM EST	I think the Saints will get it done in primetime, boosted by the return of RB Mark Ingram from his four game suspension. Look for the Redskins to make it close against a mediocre Saints D, but I don’t think Washington will be able to finish the job in New Orleans.

That’s all for today’s picks and previews. Feel free to comment with your thoughts on any of the games.

NFL 2016 Preview: Crazy Season Is Ahead

August 2, 2016August 2, 2016 Andrew Roberts NFL, Picks & Previews, Uncategorized Aaron Rodgers, Adrian Peterson, Amari Cooper, Andrew Luck, Andy Dalton, Antonio Brown, Ben Roethlisberger, Bene' Benikwere, Bill Belichick, Blaine Gabbert, Blake Bortles, Brock Osweiler, Cam Newton, Chip Kelly, Colin Kaepernick, Damon Harrison, DeMarco Murray, Derek Carr, Devonta Freeman, Doug Baldwin, Drew Brees, Eddie Lacy, Eric Weddle, Ezekiel Elliott, Frank Gore, Howie Roseman, J.J Watt, Jamaal Charles, Jameis Winston, Jared Goff, Jason Pierre-Paul, Jimmy Garoppolo, Jimmy Graham, Jordy Nelson, Josh Norman, JPP, Justin Houston, Kelvin Benjamin, Kirk Cousins, Lamar Miller, Laquon Treadwell, Le'Veon Bell, Marcus Mariota, Marcus Peters, Mark Sanchez, Martavis Bryant, Martellus Bennett, Marvin Jones, Melvin Gordon, Mike Wallace, Mohamed Sanu, NFL, Olivier Vernon, Paxton Lynch, Reggie Nelson, Rob Gronkowski, Ronnie Stanley, Russell Wilson, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Stefon Diggs, Tevin Coleman, Thomas Rawls, Todd Gurley, Tom Brady, Tyler Eifert, Vernon Hargreaves III

It’s that time of year again. Training camp’s here, and the draft is in the books. It’s time for this year’s NFL predictions. Get ready for some big shockers, this year will be very different from recent ones. Some of the NFL’s once horrible teams will rise from the bottom, and some of its top teams will finally slide. A crazy NFL season is about to begin.

AFC East

New England Patriots 12-4 (1)
Buffalo Bills 10-6 (6)
New York Jets 6-10
Miami Dolphins 4-12

Patriots

After a 2015 disappointment when they lost in Denver twice, 2016 is looking good for the Pats. The first few games could be tough if Brady is out, but I’m sure he’ll find a way out of this nonsense for good. Even if he does remain suspended, they’ll sign a veteran QB, and when Brady returns, him and his new weapons in Martellus Bennett, Chris Hogan and Nate Washington plus his old targets like Gronk, Edelman and Amendola will bounce back and finish off well. This team has an improved offensive line and front seven and if they can keep healthy, and Jimmy Garoppolo can lead a loaded receiving group to victory in the first four games, they will be dominant.

Bills

The Bills had a rough free agency season, but they didn’t need that much. They knew they had many players on the rise that could work towards a rebuild. It’s a lot more likely after the Bills just came out of their best draft in years in my opinion. They have a dramatically improved pass rush, added to a blooming offense, and overall, improved. The Bills filled almost all their major holes. After all that, this roster is outstanding on paper. As long as this young team meets its expectations, it will be good for real too, and the Bills could be headed for playoff town.

Jets

What a disappointment. The one year they had a chance to return to playoff form, they blew it in Week 17. Ryan Fitzpatrick did resign after a lot of melodrama, but the defense lost Antonio Cromartie and is a little out of shape. They have the right pieces, they just need to put them together, make up for the losses on defense, piece together a better offensive line, and they can thrive in the league.

Dolphins

What the heck is this team doing?!! They had an ugly draft, completely ignored their backfield woes, and have done nothing to bring themselves in an upward direction. The offense is declining, the defense is declining, and keeping the team like this is not going to make it easy for a bounce back season. Personally, I think the Dolphins will finish even lower this year. This is getting pathetic. Make some moves that actually will help your team next time.

AFC North

Pittsburgh Steelers 10-6 (4)
Baltimore Ravens 9-7
Cincinnati Bengals 9-7
Cleveland Browns 3-13

Steelers

The Steelers have been called Super Bowl LI Winner by many. I still think the Steelers have what it takes to win the division (just barely), but the Steelers are not winning the Super Bowl, especially without Martavis Bryant, and Le’ Veon Bell for the first four games! The defense just isn’t there yet and they a don’t have enough receiver depth to help out Big Ben. Did I mention injuries? How do you know that won’t interfere? They do have a lot of amazing, league-best stars, but the holes they have are too big to call them a Super Bowl threat or contender. Looking for a contender in the AFC besides the Patriots? Call up the Texans, they have a better idea of what they’re doing than the Steelers.

Ravens
The Ravens had an ugly 2015 campaign, caused by some injuries and some roster holes. But the Ravens really stocked up this off season, and they probably won’t have that many health issues two years in a row. Between the draft and free agency, they filled most of their major roster holes, and they look like a division competitor. However, after all that last season, some of it had to be roster holes, and the holes they didn’t fill could cause this team to lose some games, and will keep them out of the playoffs this year. Sure, Eric Weddle, Ronnie Stanley and Mike Wallace are game changers, but they can’t address all the Ravens’ issues. That’s management’s job, and right now is a little too late.
Bengals

The Bengals are still relevant now, but little by little, they are on the decline and nobody has noticed. Andy Dalton is on the decline and Tyler Eifert was already at his best last season. The loss of Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu has also caused lack of wide receiver depth. They lost Reggie Nelson and have a hole at safety, and Vontaze Burfict´s 3 game suspension creates a hole at linebacker, despite signing Karlos Dansby. The Bengals are losing more and more pieces, and if they do not take action in the next few off-seasons, they could fall apart, they could eventually fall below the young Cleveland Browns even. They seem to have more and more holes every season, and it´s not leading them in the right direction.

Browns

The Bengals may be in a bad direction, but this team has already lost hope. If they make the playoffs, I will have no idea how. Unless they become the 2016 Orioles of football, you can rule out the Browns. They may have had a league best draft, but that will take a while to kick in. For now, they are an old washed up team that needs to keep going younger. The draft definitely helped, and Corey Coleman should definitely make a big impact, but is it enough to change a franchise completely, even with such an overpowered draft class? Two words. No. way. What they have done the past few off-seasons is not enough. They need to go full rebuild, or they are not going anywhere.

AFC South

Houston Texans 10-6 (3)
Jacksonville Jaguars 9-7
Tennessee Titans 6-10
Indianapolis Colts 5-11

Texans

In recent years, the Texans have had one of the best defenses in the league. Last year and likely this year, the ferocious front seven combined with a quality secondary has led to league best defense. But good offense helps good defense, and that’s the one thing the Texans had lacked, until this off-season. After star receiver DeAndre Hopkins’ breakout a season ago, the Texans added elite RB Lamar Miller and rising QB Brock Osweiler, who is finally out of Peyton Manning’s shadow. They drafted a WR2 and WR3 to add to it, and now their offense looks much better, despite lacking tight end depth. Good offense plus good defense equals good team, and that’s what the Texans appear to be.

Jaguars

The Jaguars were showing signs of a breakout last year, but they just didn’t have the defense. This off-season, they have boosted a young team with veterans to support the defense and offense, and push towards a full breakthrough. I especially like the moves they made on defense. They upgraded a once weak defense with quality starters in the front seven and secondary. In addition to the big defensive upgrade, the offense has a ton of rising talent. Blake Bortles, Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns all just keep getting better. Julius Thomas should be better too. He wants to win after all those years on such a good Broncos team and a better Jaguars team will help him. The Jags are a changed team, and they will be able to contend in 2016.

Titans

The Titans have a lot of developing talent that could lead to a better 2016. Marcus Mariota is feeling more comfortable at the NFL level, especially with better protection in front of him. The Titans added RBs DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry to additionally support him. He now has some good offensive depth and plenty of weapons to throw to after this off-season. Although they may see some improvement, I don’t expect them to contend for one reason. Their defense still has many issues of its own. Despite a defense centered draft, the Titans still have big problems at linebacker and the front seven in general. They boosted their secondary big time with Rashad Johnson, but the draft just won’t do enough to fix all of the front seven’s problems. Expect a jump in 2016 but I don’t think the Titans will be anything near playoff material.

Colts

What did the Colts do to lead to improvement? Not very much. They did ink Dwayne Allen to a new contract. But they are leaning too much on luck. Speaking of which, one of the main things they’re leaning on is the comeback of quarterback Andrew Luck. They also are relying on Frank Gore to stay in shape, Donte Moncrief and Phillip Dorsett taking the next step and the defense to carry on without Jerrell Freeman and Greg Toler. I just don’t see how the Colts are going to do all that, especially after an 8-8 season. If they don’t act fast, they won’t do better, but they’ll slide even further in 2016. They need to either try and trade for game changers, dig through the bottom of the barrel of free agency, or find another way to make all these questionable aspects of the team work out. The Colts need a miracle to make that happen. The next time you want to say the Colts are going to be back to business next year, think before you speak.

AFC West

Kansas City Chiefs 11-5 (2)
Oakland Raiders 10-6 (5)
Denver Broncos 8-8
San Diego Chargers 6-10

Chiefs

Please don’t criticize me for this prediction. This is just my opinion. I know how much grief the Chiefs have gotten in many people’s predictions, but I think this team will rise in 2016. Alex Smith looked great last year and I think he could put up a strong performance again this year. The now healthy Jamaal Charles rejoins a young backfield in good condition, and wide receiver Jeremy Maclin plus star tight end Travis Kelce could bring in a lot of receptions. The offensive line has two new tackles, and the Chiefs pass rush should be unstoppable, especially when Justin Houston comes back. Despite a quiet off-season, the Chiefs even have rising young talent in corner Marcus Peters, linebacker Dee Ford, wide receiver Albert Wilson and running backs Spencer Ware and Charcandrick West. I’m liking this new era of the Chiefs between unstoppable defense and better offensive depth.

Raiders

I love what the Raiders have done in their rebuild. This off-season they added to young talent with some veterans to upgrade a defense that lost Justin Tuck and Charles Woodson to retirement. Going for dirty players might be an issue, last off-season they signed Aldon Smith, who’s suspended yet again. This off-season, they signed Bruce Irvin. Yes, it’s Mr. I Started A Fight After The Game Was Practically Over In Super Bowl XLIX And Got Ejected himself. They also signed deals with safer options to rebuild the secondary, Reggie Nelson and Sean Smith. The offensive line is revamped as well. The Raiders already had young stars in Derek Carr, Amari Cooper and Latavius Murray. Now, with a revamped defense and o-line to ad to it, they’re ready to break through this season.

Broncos

Four words. What did Denver do? They let Brock Osweiler, their five year development float in free agency after Peyton Manning retired. Then they were down to their third string QB, and have since only put Paxton Lynch and Mark Sanchez ahead of him in the pecking order. Due to free agency and other problems, they also had holes at third receiver, tight end and inside linebacker. Their offensive line is highly questionable as well. They did resign C.J. Anderson and Ronnie Hillman and draft DeVontae Booker to fix the RB problem, but they only have Garrett Graham, Virgil Green and Jeff Heuerman at tight end and desperately need a third receiver. All they have is two elite ones, not three! Shane Ray can move to inside linebacker, and the defense is still strong, but major holes across the offense will bring this team down to .500, especially the issue at quarterback.

Chargers

Alright, I have to give the Chargers credit for some things. They filled some of their holes on defense. Brandon Mebane and Casey Hayward help make up for the lack of veterans Eric Weddle left behind. They still won’t be playoff material, but they will make some improvements. Melvin Gordon definitely has room to do better and carry the team. Hunter Henry can make up for Antonio Gates’ decline, and a full season from Keenan Allen will help the receiving corps, along with depth behind him in Travis Benjamin, recently signed James Jones and Stevie Johnson (depending on Johnson’s health). However, the offensive line still has holes, and across the team there are still risks of injuries and bust seasons. Guys like Brandon Flowers and Melvin Gordon have make or break seasons ahead of them. I don’t feel comfortable saying that the Chargers will definitely go back to their form from a few years ago. I do see small improvement happening, but nothing major.

NFC East

Dallas Cowboys 11-5 (4)
New York Giants 10-6
Washington Redskins 7-9
Philadelphia Eagles 4-12

Cowboys

Last season was just unlucky. That won’t happen again. Especially with big name rookie RB Ezekiel Elliott entering the backfield, a 4-12 season won’t happen again if the Cowboys can stay healthy. When healthy, this offense is just plain out ferocious. Tony Romo, Dez Bryant, Jason Witten and Ezekiel Elliott stand behind a league best offensive line. The offense has depth, plenty of stars, and is very well protected. The defense may be some of an issue, but after the first four games, what’s the big issue? All they’ll be missing is Rolando McClain, and Dwight Freeney is still available. I think the secondary is extremely underrated and the front seven isn’t that bad when you throw in McClain, Randy Gregory and DeMarcus Lawrence. In such a weak, crazed division, an 11-5 or 10-6 season will make the cut for the playoffs, and I think that they are highly capable of that.

Giants

The Giants had a really strong off season, and it should pay off. They made some major upgrades to the front seven, by hauling in Olivier Vernon and Damon Harrison and resigning JPP, who will play a full season this year. They also signed big name corner Janoris Jenkins, and drafted Eli Apple. The Giants also added to an already powerful offense, especially in the draft. They selected running back Paul Perkins and wide receiver Sterling Shepard. They also have Larry Donnell coming back healthy this season in addition to Will Tye at tight end, and they signed Bobby Rainey at RB. The only thing preventing the Giants from playoff contention is a weak offensive line. There’s no point in having a growing offense if they have no protection. If they don’t have protection, their weak spot at starting running back could also factor in. If they do, that issue might not show up.

Redskins

I feel like Kirk Cousins’ breakthrough season will end up being a fluke. The kind of sudden rise Cousins went through is not a permanent breakthrough. Kirk Cousins will be known as a one year wonder. It doesn’t help when you have an empty backfield to add to it. The Redskins won’t be able to lean on Matt Jones, Chris Thompson and Keith Marshall. The defense may have made improvements, and the receiving corps may have grown stronger, but without a quarterback, running back and even a consistent offensive line to protect them, a season above .500 will not happen. They did sign Josh Norman in the off season and upgraded the defense, but will it be enough? I’m expecting the Redskins to fall a few wins this year. They won’t be as bad as the 2013-14 version of themselves, but the Redskins won’t even come close to matching last year.

Eagles

The Eagles are looking so bad right now that they’ll miss Chip Kelly. This team is rebuilding from a rebuild, there’s no way they’ll compete this year! It’s bad enough what Kelly did. What’s worse is how Howie Roseman attempted to fix it. They were in a decent spot with Kelly; I could’ve seen them easily return to contention, but they’ve made the team look foolish. Ryan Mathews is not an RB1 at this point in his career, and the Eagles are in desperate need of a wide receiver and are in such a bad situation with Sam Bradford that they traded up a total of 11 spots (between two trades) to draft Carson Wentz! In the process, they gave up DeMarco Murray, Kiko Alonso and Byron Maxwell. I don’t know what the heck the Eagles are doing, but whatever their plan is, it isn’t helping, especially for the current team.

NFC North

Green Bay Packers 12-4 (2)
Detroit Lions 10-6 (6)
Minnesota Vikings 10-6
Chicago Bears 4-12

Packers

This dominant team won’t lose the division two years straight. Aaron Rodgers is arguably the best QB in the league, and he along with wide receiver Jordy Nelson, who missed all of last season, are ready to strike back. This offense just looks a lot better. Eddie Lacy slimmed up a bit, Jordy Nelson has returned to health, even Aaron Rodgers took part in some serious off-season workouts. Jared Cook joins Richard Rodgers at tight end, and this offense is suddenly looking dominant again. The defense may have lost B.J. Raji and Casey Hayward, but still have plenty of key players to run the team, including Julius Peppers, Damarious Randall, Morgan Burnett, Sam Shields, Sam Barrington, Mike Daniels, Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and Clay Matthews, who’s back to his natural position, outside linebacker. He was actually a lot better as an OLB than he was in a couple years at middle linebacker.

Lions

You may think that the Lions are in some rough times without Calvin Johnson, but really, if they buff up on depth with guys like Anquan Boldin and Andre Roberts, who both worked out and signed with the Lions, they’ll be fine. Golden Tate should breakthrough without Megatron limiting his targets. Marvin Jones is a big sleeper ready to breakout. Ameer Abdullah and Eric Ebron have plenty of room for improvement, and Matthew Stafford can still play at an average QB level. You can’t discredit all that. You may say the defense isn’t doing enough, but really, they’re not in too bad of shape. The addition of A’Shawn Robinson should help. They still have Haloti Ngata and Ezekiel Ansah too. I don’t think DeAndre Levy is too bad, and I don’t know why Stephen Tulloch was released. The secondary has some breakout candidates too. Darius Slay has been underrated all his career, and Glover Quin is still playing well. I don’t see the problem with a few holes considering the stars they already have, especially if it’s just for a 6th seed.

Vikings

The Vikings 2015 season was no fluke, but it was a high point for them. They’ll still be in contention, but they’re going down the mountain now. They were going up until last year. Why is that? Well, for one, the Vikings don’t have depth behind Adrian Peterson! Peterson is not at his peak anymore, and this may be his final elite season. Laquon Treadwell may help, but the receiving game is still thin, with just him and Stefon Diggs worth throwing to frequently for wide receivers. The Vikings may have fierce defense and some stars on offense, but they don’t have the depth at running back, wide receiver and offensive lineman to match last year’s performance.

Bears

I know a lot of people are predicting the Bears at higher records, I’m rating them a lot lower than I have in recent years. The Bears may have some serious talent developing but they’re rebuilding, let them rebuild. They aren’t ready to return to contention quite yet. They don’t even have many other options besides the young guns. In the past two off-seasons, they’ve let Brandon Marshall, Matt Forte and Martellus Bennett go. Kevin White, Zach Miller, Jordan Howard and Jeremy Langford should build up the skill to replace them eventually, but for now, they can’t run the team by themselves! Besides Alshon Jeffery and Eddie Royal at receiver and Ka’ Deem Carey at running back, the Bears have no impactful backups for these players. Don’t even get me started on the defense. The defensive line has practically no significant players. They do have some decent veterans at LB and on the secondary, but they don’t have any stars, and despite an underrated secondary and linebacker corps, the defense is in pretty bad overall shape.

NFC South

Carolina Panthers 13-3 (1)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 10-6
New Orleans Saints 4-12
Atlanta Falcons 3-13

Panthers

Especially with Kelvin Benjamin back, I think the Panthers can have another strong year, but it won’t be flawless. The Panthers either just got lucky to be able to carry on with slim receiving depth in 2015, or Cam Newton was just an absolute monster. Probably the Cam Newton thing. There will be rough weeks for Cam Newton and the Panthers offense. But still, the defense is monstrous, even though it lacks corner depth beyond Bene’ Benikwere. The o-line has some weak spots, but is dominant in other ways, and the offensive players at the top of the depth chart are beastly, including Cam Newton, Jonathan Stewart, Kelvin Benjamin and Greg Olsen. The Panthers will never match last year’s numbers, but they will be dominant, and they could come close.

Buccaneers

The Bucs have a lot of talent developing, and a defensive boost this off season helps. One thing the Bucs never had before was a legitimate secondary. They now have a pair of powerful corners in Brent Grimes and Vernon Hargreaves III. They also added to an already fierce pass rush. The signings of Daryl Smith and Robert Ayers along with the draft selection of Noah Spence put some of the pressure off just Gerald McCoy and Lavonte David. They also have some serious stars developing, especially on offense. Jameis Winston has the potential to be great, especially with rising receivers Mike Evans and Austin Seferian-Jenkins, possibly even Cameron Brate in his receiving scheme. Although ASJ has looked lousy this off-season, he could be a TE2 for the Bucs, considering the fact that the Bucs only have two receivers worth noting (Mike Evans and Vincent Jackson). They even have a developing star on defense, Kwon Alexander. He was in the race for the DPOY award Marcus Peters won. It looks like the Bucs’ rebuild could finally pay off this season.

Saints

The Saints’ offense may be in shape, but the defense is just too broken down for this team to function. They have serious problems in their pass rush, and lack depth at corner. Drew Brees isn’t even in full condition anymore. He’s only going to get older and weaker, and that could additionally hurt the Saints. He may have a good receiving staff to throw to, but if he can’t complete passes as often, he’ll have to rely on a weak and overrated running game. It doesn’t help that the offensive line has holes and is inconsistent and overrated. So, the offense is in declining in condition and the pass rush is just pathetic. The only pass rusher that the Saints really have contributing is Cameron Jordan. Really, what backup do the Saints have to support a good season? Until they find that out, they’ll have no chance of bouncing back.

Falcons

Everyone thinks this team will be the closest to dethroning Carolina, but really, this team has some serious problems. First of all, Julio Jones is a great player, but do they have any quality pass catchers besides him? The next best option is MOHAMED SANU. He’s more of a WR3 than a WR2, which the Falcons desperately need. The Falcons are also counting too much on Devonta Freeman. He had one good season, and just like that he’s considered a star? Not in my book. He needs to earn back his job, especially with Tevin Coleman developing. Speaking of which, they need to give that guy a chance. I also think the secondary is very slim besides Desmond Trufaunt. They need more quality corners and safeties. Really, even with some all stars leading the offense, this team has no offensive depth. Depth is a problem all over this team, and they won’t do anything without some insurance for their best players. Even a mediocre defense has depth problems. The pass rush is revamped, but the secondary has nothing. How does lack of depth affect a team? The Falcons will find out this season from a rough ride.

NFC West

Seattle Seahawks 12-4
Arizona Cardinals 12-4
Los Angeles Rams 3-13
San Francisco 49ers 3-13

Seahawks

The Seahawks are back and better than ever. The offense has gotten younger, as Thomas Rawls steps into Marshawn Lynch’s shoes. Jimmy Graham should be back fresh, and Russell Wilson and Doug Baldwin also look to be in great shape for this season. The offense may have lacked depth, but the last two drafts have helped. They now have Trevone Boykin at QB, Luke Willson at tight end, C.J. Prosise, Christine Michael and Alex Collins at running back, and Tyler Lockett and Jermaine Kearse at receiver. The defense is still powerful as well. The secondary got boosted even further with the resigning of Brandon Browner, and the front seven may have some holes, but is still ferocious. This team is ready to climb back to the top of the division and dominate, and a quiet but active off season has helped.

Cardinals

Alright, last year the Cardinals were at their absolute peak. If they stay healthy, they can do well again, but they won’t match last year. Last year, the Cardinals had a magical season. Everything worked out. The defense made a big jump, and the offense’s best players stayed healthy, and did well. You can’t guarantee that things will work out again. the defense is still very fierce, but it has some missing pieces, and if Carson Palmer, David Johnson, Larry Fitzgerald or Michael Floyd gets hurt, the Cards could be in big trouble. Still, I don’t expect them to slide too significantly, they have one of the best coaches in the league, they have a Top 10 defense in the league, and the offense has reformed in to a dominant force. There are problems that could hold them back, but they’re looking good overall.

Rams

Recent news about Jared Goff being nowhere near ready to start in Week 1 makes things even worse for this team. If he can’t step in and produce, how will this team be any better, let alone as good as they were last year? Todd Gurley could step up big time, but that’s not good enough. The Rams need a dependable QB to thrive. They may have some ferocious pass rushing, but without a QB, and even an elite pass catcher, this team is going nowhere. The Rams have a tough schedule. They can’t count on running the ball every game, especially against other teams with a powerful pass rush, who they will face plenty of this year, including the Dolphins, Giants, Bucs, Panthers, Cardinals and Seahawks. Unless Jared Goff and his receivers can make the leap, the Rams won’t be going anywhere.

49ers

Don’t even get me started here. Look, I’ll tell you broad and clear. The 49ers are terrible! Their QB job is a battle between Blaine Gabbert and Colin Kaepernick (remember him?), they have no backup if Carlos Hyde goes down again, and Torrey Smith and Quinton Patton (who’s he?) are their starting wide receivers. The defense is in even worse shape!! Their secondary depends on Kenneth Acker, Tramaine Brock and Antoine Bethea to perform, and the pass rush has some serious holes next to NaVorro Bowman, Arik Armstead, Glenn Dorsey and DeForest Buckner. Look, this team won’t be a contender in a million years without some sort of unimaginable miracle! They have nothing!!!!!!!!!

2016 NFL Playoffs

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My playoff bracket may look crazy, and it’s full of upsets, surprises, blowouts and underdogs, but here I will breakdown every match up.

Wild Card Weekend

Bills @ Texans

Young, but powerful defense and a strong backfield despite a lack of weapons for Tyrod Taylor got the Bills into the playoffs, but against the Texans, it won’t pass for a even a chance at winning. This team’s defense has been some of the best over the last few years, led by sack king and legendary edge rusher J.J. Watt. With a healthy weapon in the backfield (Lamar Miller), and a better QB in Brock Osweiler, a much improved offense will be the deciding factor in the Texans winning this game. I say the Texans offense may have some troubles with the Bills D, but they’ll edge them slightly, and the Texans pass rush will annihilate the Bills backfield full of depth.

Prediction: Texans win, 34-17

Raiders @ Steelers

The Steelers offensive force may be dominant and full of stars on the outside, but especially without Martavis Bryant, the Steelers don’t have too much depth. The defense doesn’t seem to belong to a contender either, although it is mediocre. The newly upgraded Raiders defense may be trampled, but young Derek Carr and his superior target Amari Cooper will be all over the defense, and the Raiders will shock the Steelers. In a huge upset, Big Ben, Le’ Veon Bell and Antonio Brown get topped by a revamped Raiders team, simple as that.

Prediction: Raiders win, 24-16

Lions @ Seahawks

I said the Lions would make the playoffs, with some clear defensive holes and lack of a true star on offense. They do have a lot of potential breakout players, especially on offense, but against the Seahawks and their mighty defense, do you expect this riddled team to win? In the playoffs?!! Not happening. The Seahawks defense will win them this game, with a thin but powerful offense with plenty of star power edging out the Lions D. I doubt the dark horse of the NFL will beat out the #1 defense in the league. Barely anyone else expects the Lions to even be playoff contenders! This one’s an easy pick.

Prediction: Seahawks win, 27-13

Cardinals @ Cowboys

Yes, at this point in the season (as long as Ezekiel Elliott isn’t suspended through the playoffs), the Cowboys should be at full strength. But the Cardinals will be relentless and win hungry in this game. This team’s offense is dominant with a strong QB/RB/WR combo, even with the lack of an offensive line and an true starter at tight end. The defense also has plenty of talent scattered across the different positions. There may be a slight lack of star power in the front seven especially, but this team has few defensive holes, and the ones they do have are small. Even with a revamped pass rush and underrated secondary, I think the Cardinals offense will be all over the Cowboys, and Dallas’ superior offense won’t get a chance. It will be a tough competition, but the Cards should win in the end.

Prediction: Cardinals win, 33-27

Divisional Round

Raiders @ Patriots

With Brady most likely back at full speed by this point, the Patriots will crush the Raiders. Oakland does have revamped defense and rising offense, but this 10-6 wild card surprise will be no match for Bill Belichick’s Patriots. Hey, the Pats had defensive upgrades too, and the offense is better than ever, with tight end Martellus Bennett playing across from Gronk. The Patriots will rout the Raiders, I can guarantee you that. Even against the Steelers they’d win. At full power, the Patriots are by far the best AFC team. The Steelers are overrated and dirty, and this game is only the start of the Patriots’ path to victory.

My Prediction: Patriots win, 37-23

Texans @ Chiefs

The Chiefs will go all this way, having an awesome regular season, Jamaal Charles completely bouncing back to revamp the offense, Justin Houston coming back better than ever, to lose to Houston. Sounds like a terrible note to end on, but actually not. Houston’s a strong team. The Chiefs are pretty darn good, but in Houston, you have youth, new signings in Brock Osweiler and Lamar Miller, a star receiver, and the best defense in the league led by J.J. Watt, who should return from injury sometime around October. The Chiefs don’t have anything close to a guy like Watt. The Texans defense is even better than the mighty Chiefs D. That plus the diverse, but strong offense will be the difference in this game as the Texans head to the AFC Championship Game, in hopes of dethroning the almighty Pats.

My Prediction: Texans win, 24-13

Cardinals @ Panthers

We saw this game in the NFC Championship last year, Carolina won. We saw the same match-up in 2014’s Wild Card Weekend. Carolina won both. With the Seahawks winning the division, the Cardinals would fall to the 5th seed, making this a Divisional Round match-up. I think the Panthers will take the cake again. The Panthers may have lost a ton of key secondary guys, but the front seven is still going to be on to David Johnson. They don’t have much to rely on besides Bene’ Benikwere and rookies James Bradberry, Daryl Worley and Zack Sanchez for receiver coverage. However, Arizona’s stars are scattered. I think things will be a little easier for the run game in Carolina. That’s good for Cam Newton, who loves to run the football. Personally, I think Carolina’s slightly better defense will make the difference in this game. They have a superior defensive line, some star pass rushers behind them, and even some possible future big names at corner. The Cardinals may have Patrick Peterson and Tyrann Mathieu in the secondary, but have some holes and weak spots in the front seven, and even some playing across from Peterson and Honey Badger.

My Prediction: Panthers win, 33-28

Seahawks @ Packers

Seattle will be good again this season, especially if everyone’s healthy. They have the offense now, Jimmy Graham will be back, Thomas Rawls and Doug Baldwin should help. But Green Bay’s offense could be unstoppable. With Jordy Nelson back, the Packers have yet another weapon for Aaron Rodgers. The only reason they lost to the Vikings in the NFC North is because of Nelson’s absence! The Packers offense will be a challenge for Seattle’s Big D. This should be a high scoring back and forth game, but in the end, the Packers have the better roster, I like Mike McCarthy as head coach, and they will edge the Seahawks.

My Prediction: Packers win, 34-20

AFC Championship

Texans @ Patriots

This is an awesome match-up. The Brock Osweiler and Lamar Miller led Texans are extremely underrated, and a league best defense leads them to be a great team this year, even dark horse Super Bowl contenders, because if they make it there, they’re sure to win in their home stadium, but this is the New England Patriots we’re talking about. Yes, the same New England Patriots with Tom Brady and Gronk who won 4 Super Bowls, their only Super Bowls since Brady joined the team. Brady is easily the greatest to play the game, all time. He truly has defined himself as the G.O.A.T. If he gets a fifth ring, that would be true dominance. Bill Belichick should be at his old tricks again and the powerful Patriots offense and underrated defense will work their way through the great wall of Houston, AKA: the Texans pass rush, and the defense should be able to hold the strong QB/RB/WR combo up while the offense does its thing. This is a Patriots team hungry for revenge, and they will be motivated to rout the Texans, and they will go out there and do their job.

My Prediction: Patriots win, 34-27

NFC Championship

Packers @ Panthers

The Panthers will have another strong season. At 13-3, they should earn the #1 seed. But the Packers will have more challenges on the 2016 schedule, and they still will go 12-4 and get the 2nd seed. The Packers are a dominant team, especially in these clutch playoff situations. With Josh Norman, Charles Tillman and Roman Harper off the secondary’s depth charts, Carolina’s much less likely to reach the Super Bowl, especially in a tough, straight forward NFC. Aaron Rodgers will take advantage of Carolina’s holes, and throw to underrated receivers Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb. Eddie Lacy could also be successful against an aging defensive line, and the Packers offense will edge out Carolina’s D. I think Cam Newton and Co. should be about evenly matched with the Packers defense, even lacking receiver depth, but the new holes in the secondary will be the sole deciding factor in the game.

My Prediction: Packers win, 37-31 in OT

Super Bowl 51

Patriots (AFC) vs. Packers (NFC)

This may be one of the toughest Super Bowl matches ever. the 2016 Patriots and Packers are two of the most well crafted teams of their era. Part of this will be based on the performance of the two star QBs, Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers. Both these offenses are also very strong. The Packers may have more dependable wide receivers but Gronk and Bennett act like receivers, so the Pats have a lot of edge at tight end. the defenses are very similar as well. There are holes in each pass rush, but also stars. Green Bay may have more big names, but this young Patriots group was led and mentored by veteran Jerod Mayo. Mayo retired, but now in comes Terrance Knighton. Malcolm Butler and crew should cover the Packers receivers better, where as the young, still developing Packers secondary may struggle to keep up with the best Pats receivers, especially Gronk. Tom Brady and his bunch plus excellent coaching from Bill Belichick that I think is slightly better than Mike McCarthy’s should boost the Patriots to edge out the Packers.

My Prediction: Patriots win, 34-30

Awards:

MVP: Aaron Rodgers, QB, GB

Offensive Player of The Year: Le’Veon Bell, RB, PIT

Defensive Player of the Year: J.J. Watt, DE, HOU

Offensive Rookie of The Year: Ezekiel Elliott, RB, DAL

Defensive Rookie of the Year: Vernon Hargreaves III, CB, TB

Comeback Player Of The Year: Jordy Nelson, WR, GB

Super Bowl MVP: Tom Brady

Between the shocks, blowouts, amazing plays and more, the NFL 2016 season is going to be great, and I can’t wait for it to come back. For now, I’m following training camp and you guys can look at my season previews by team. I have a couple up and more are coming soon.

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Boston Sports Mania

Best of the city of champs

Andy Dalton

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