2020 NFL Week 1 Picks: Lots of Close Games in Competitive Season

September 8, 2020 Andrew Roberts NFL 49ers, Arizona, Arizona Cardinals, Bills, Brandon Aiyuk, Broncos, Buffalo, Buffalo Bills, C.J. Mosley, Cam Newton, Cardinals, Chiefs, Cowboys, Dallas, Dallas Cowboys, DeAndre Hopkins, Deebo Samuel, Denver, Denver Broncos, DeVante Parker, Devin McCourty, Devin Singletary, Dolphins, George Kittle, Giants, Houston, Houston Texans, James White, Jets, Jimmy G, Jimmy Garoppolo, Josh Allen, Julian Edelman, Kansas City, Kansas City Chiefs, KC Chiefs, Kyler Murray, LA Rams, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Rams, Miami, Miami Dolphins, Mike Gesicki, New England, New England Patriots, New York, New York Giants, New York Jets, NFL, NFL Picks, NFL Week 1 Picks, NY Giants, NY Jets, Patriots, Pats, Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Steelers, Rams, Sam Darnold, San Fran, San Francisco, San Francisco 49ers, Steelers, Stefon Diggs, Stephon Gilmore, Tennessee, Tennessee Titans, Texans, Titans, Zack Moss

The NFL off-season has been one of the craziest ever. Tom Brady left Bill Belichick and the Patriots. Instead he went to Tampa, building his own offense. This caused the biggest off-season QB carousel in a long time. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the NFL Draft virtual and canceled the NFL preseason. But despite the pandemic and all the unusual events, football is coming back. With or without fans attending the game, this NFL season will go on, and so will my weekly NFL pick’em posts. Each week, I’ll have my NFL picks on this website as well as some fantasy content on my fantasy football Instagram account, @bsmfantasyfootball. I think this could be one of the most competitive seasons in a while, and that will mean a lot of close games. Keep reading to see my predictions of them all. I’ll say one thing, we could see multiple games go to overtime this week alone.

Lock of the Week

As I said, there should be a lot of close games this week. This is not one of them. I expect the Bills to have a lot of success running the ball. The combo of Devin Singletary, Zack Moss, and running QB Josh Allen will just be too much for a Jets front seven that will be without LB C.J. Mosley. Allen will also rely on his new star WR Stefon Diggs in this one. QB Sam Darnold will struggle, as a strong Bills defense shuts down his banged up arsenal of weapons.

Upset of the Week

I think the 49ers are the better team here. But WRs Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk are recovering from injuries, leaving QB Jimmy Garoppolo with solely star TE George Kittle to rely on. The Cardinals defense will focus in on Kittle, making it difficult for Garoppolo’s offense to function. QB Kyler Murray won’t be that much better against a strong San Francisco D. But with WR DeAndre Hopkins in the mix, I think Arizona will put up enough points to pull off the upset this time around. The Niners will have a chance at revenge later this season after Garoppolo’s receivers heal up.

The Other Games

Which teams do you have winning this week? Comment with your thoughts.

2019 NFL Draft Report Cards: NFC West Edition

June 20, 2019June 20, 2019 Andrew Roberts NFL 2019 NFL Draft, 2019 NFL Draft Grades, 2019 NFL Draft Report Cards, 49ers, AFC East, Andy Isabella, Arizona, Arizona Cardinals, Ben Burr-Kirven, Bobby Evans, Byron Murphy, Caleb Wilson, Cardinals, Cody Barton, D.K. Metcalf, Dakota Allen, Darrell Henderson, David Edwards, David Long, Deebo Samuel, Deionte Thompson, Demarcus Christmas, Doug Baldwin, Draft Grades, Draft Report Cards, Dre Greenlaw, Gary Jennings, Gary Jennings Jr., Greg Gaines, Hakeem Butler, Hawks, Jalen Hurd, John Ursua, Josh Rosen, Joshua Miles, Justin Skule, Kaden Smith, KeeSean Johnson, Kliff Kingsbury, Kyler Murray, L.J. Collier, LA, LA Rams, Lamont Gaillard, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Rams, Marquise Blair, Michael Dogbe, Mitch Wishnowsky, Ndamukong Suh, NFC West, NFL, NFL 2019 Draft, NFL 2019 Draft Grades, NFL 2019 Draft Report Cards, NFL draft, NFL Draft 2019, NFL Draft Grades, NFL Draft Grades 2019, NFL Draft Report Cards, NFL Draft Report Cards 2019, Nick Bosa, Nick Scott, Niners, Phil Haynes, Rams, Russell Wilson, San Fran, San Francisco, San Francisco 49ers, Seahawks, Seattle, Seattle Seahawks, Taylor Rapp, Tim Harris, Travis Homer, Ugo Amadi, Zach Allen

Welcome to Part 4 of my NFL Draft Report Cards. Today, I’ll be wrapping up the NFC draft reviews with the NFC West. Which NFC West teams will benefit from this draft the most? Keep reading to see my Draft Report Card for each team, including a grade for each pick as well as my final grades. As I post more articles, I will also include links to the rest of my draft grades.

Image result for nfl draft 2019 logo

NFL Draft Report Cards 2019

AFC East

AFC North

AFC South

AFC West

Arizona Cardinals

Overall Grade: B

Draft Report Card:

Analysis:

What I love about this draft is that every pick was made for a good reason. New head coach Kliff Kingsbury knows Kyler Murray is capable of leading the Cards, so there was no problem with trading Josh Rosen in favor of more security. Murphy and Thompson add secondary depth at a great value. The team also filled needs, drafting a trio of receivers, a tackle, a center, and a couple d-linemen.

The team could’ve found a way to fill a few more holes, such as linebacker. But there was not a single pick in this draft class that I had a real problem with, and Arizona really made their biggest needs a priority.

San Francisco 49ers

Overall Grade: B-

Draft Report Card:

Analysis:

Much like Chicago, this draft class is top heavy. The 2nd overall selection of Nick Bosa was one of my favorite picks in this draft. He’s a great fit and could eventually lead this rebuilding defense back to glory. I didn’t mind the Deebo Samuel pick, but D.K. Metcalf would’ve been the smarter choice. Kaden Smith was a steal in Round 6, so I’m not going to complain there either.

But some of these other picks confused me. Despite the steal of Smith, the rest of San Francisco’s later round picks were major reaches. They did need a punter, but taking one in Round 4 is unheard of. They didn’t need to draft WR Jalen Hurd either. Deebo Samuel will provide them enough at receiver and Hurd was drafted way too early. The strong picks early on definitely boost this draft class, but the Niners could’ve added a few more quality players and filled a couple more needs.

Los Angeles Rams

Overall Grade: C+

Draft Report Card:

Analysis:

It’s hard to start a draft strong without a first round pick, but the Rams definitely could’ve done better. They could’ve waited on the safety and running back till later rounds. There was no need for a corner in Round 3, especially someone who I didn’t have being drafted. The team did rebound in the later rounds, snagging a strong tackle in David Edwards and a replacement for Ndamukong Suh in Greg Gaines.

There were some needs that weren’t filled as early as they should’ve been or were completely ignored. The Rams interior o-line still needs serious help. But there were some strong selections in the later rounds that will definitely highlight this draft class.

Seattle Seahawks

Overall Grade: C

Draft Report Card:

Analysis:

There weren’t too many straight up confusing picks in this draft, but there weren’t many eye popping picks either. The team made a lot of reaches in the early rounds, and that definitely brings their grade down significantly. But the Seahawks did, to an extent, redeem themselves. They received a blatant steal when they drafted WR D.K. Metcalf at the end of the 2nd round. They continued to add to their depleted receiving corps throughout this draft, as Doug Baldwin will no longer be on the team.

But while they hyperfocused on finding Russell Wilson some guys to throw to, they threw aside some of their other needs. The team is still in desperate need of secondary depth despite drafting a safety. It wouldn’t have hurt to take a new TE either. But the team did manage to fill a good number of holes despite their reaches, so you have to give them some credit for that.

That’s all for this portion of my NFL Draft Report Cards. Next time, I’ll shift my attention to the AFC, starting with New England’s division, the AFC East. Did the Pats outwit their division rivals again this year? Stay tuned to find out what I think.

Top 5 ‘Football Fast Facts’ That Could be Significant in Super Bowl LIII

February 1, 2019February 3, 2019 Andrew Roberts NFL, Patriots 49ers, Arian Foster, Arizona, Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta, C.J. Anderson, Cardinals, Greatest Show on Turf, Gronk, Jared Goff, Julian Edelman, LA, LA Rams, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Rams, New England, New England Patriots, Oakland, Oakland Raiders, Patriots, Pats, Raiders, Rams, Rob Gronkowski, San Fran, San Francisco, San Francisco 49ers, Sony Michel, Super Bowl, Super Bowl LIII, Super Bowl LIII Preview, TB12, Terrell Davis, Todd Gurley, Tom Brady

Welcome to my 4th of several Super Bowl LIII Preview posts. Over the last two days, I went over keys to the game for each team. Today, I will be looking back at previous stat nuggets that could be significant to the game. What stats could be telling about the results of the game? What previous happenings will motivate or burden each team? Keep reading to find out what I think. You can also check out my entire Super Bowl LIII preview schedule below. I will be posting preview articles throughout the week as festivities in Atlanta take place.

Super Bowl LIII: Official Boston Sports Mania Preview Schedule

January 28: Super Bowl LIII: How They Got Here

January 29: The Case for the Patriots: How They Can Win, Keys to the Game

January 30: The Case for the Rams: How They Can Win, Keys to the Game

February 1: Super Bowl LIII Fast Facts and Their Significance

February 1: Super Bowl LIII: Final Prediction, Projected Stats & MVP

February 2: Super Bowl LIII Video Preview

February 3: The Final Countdown: Final Injury Report, Outlook Before the Game (Including iMovie Trailer)

February 3: Enjoy the game and stay tuned for my recap after the game!

1. Per NFL.com, Tom Brady is the least sacked QB to start 12+ games in 2018 (21, including playoffs)

You have to give some credit to the Patriots offensive line. Four of the five New England offensive lineman are above their positional average in pass block win rate, and the Pats lead the league in this stat. But you also have to give some credit to Brady himself for playing smart football. He judges the defense well and gets the ball out quickly if he needs to. This should help them maintain a rhythm throughout the game, something a sack could significantly interrupt. But it will also help them win the turnover battle, a key piece to victory. Teams who win the turnover battle tend to win about 4 of every 5 games.

2. The Rams offense is averaging 1.5 more points and 3 more yards per game than the 2001 “Greatest Show on Turf” offense.

From a Pats fan’s perspective, it’s scary to see that the Rams offense is not only matching but outdoing their “Greatest Show on Turf” era offensive numbers. Back then, the Rams were the experienced dynasty and the Pats were a team on the rise. Though the opposite is true now, if Brady outplayed an offense like this in 2001, I have confidence he can do it again 17 years later. You do have to consider that the Pats allowed just 334.5 YPG in 2001 compared to 353.9 YPG in 2018. But that’s not a huge difference. Everyone says that the 2001 Patriots had a pretty good defense, while this year’s defense is not great. But in reality, this year’s defense is around average, and they weren’t that much better in 2001 defensively.

3. QBs Tom Brady and Jared Goff are both Top 10 in interceptions thrown this season.

Something tells me this game will have a good number of turnovers. In addition to the above stat, both these teams have elite secondaries that are 3rd (Rams) and 4th (Patriots) respectively in interceptions. The question is, who will win the turnover battle? As I said, most NFL teams who win the turnover battle go on to win the game. In terms of who wins it, I think it all comes down to the WR-DB match-ups. Compared to New England, the Rams are fairly weak at tight end, and I could see the Pats secondary dominating those match-ups. The Rams have been terrible against tight ends this year, though TE Rob Gronkowski is his own animal. That itself will give the Pats an advantage. Plus, it’s unlikely the Rams are able to contain both Gronk and WR Julian Edelman. If they double up on Gronk, that will allow Edelman to shine.

4. Right now, RB Sony Michel is behind just Terrell Davis and Arian Foster in rush yards/playoff game. Though 2 games is a small sample, what does this say about Michel?

Though Davis is a three time All-Pro first team member, Foster never really established himself as a hall of fame caliber running back and ended up retiring after 8 seasons thanks to an injury-riddled career. But he did have a nice run as an elite RB from 2010-2014. Due to the small sample size, it’s hard to tell how much this means for Sony Michel right now in this game. It’s hard to guarantee a big game for him against a star-studded Rams d-line. But I do believe he has a future as an elite running back and a leader on the Pats, even if injuries or something else limits his career. He did put up an impressive rookie season in the games he played.

5. In 2 regular season games with the Rams, C.J. Anderson rushed for 299 yards. It took Todd Gurley until Week 4 to reach 300 yards on the season.

Anderson was in the right place at the right time. Anderson played the 49ers and Cardinals in the final two regular season games. Sure, Gurley played the Raiders and Cardinals in his first two games, but you also have to consider that Anderson came in late in the season. All the Rams had to do to be in good position for the playoffs was beat their weaker division rivals, but these games mattered more to the Rams than the first two. Gurley did do well against the Raiders, and despite just 42 rushing yards against Arizona, he scored 3 TD. Though it took him longer to approach 300 rushing yards, you could argue that Gurley was as good a running back in LA’s first two games, both easy wins, as Anderson was in the last two, also easy wins. The reason Anderson did so well was because he took advantage of a big opportunity. With Gurley at full health, expect Gurley to lead the backfield, with Anderson playing a significant supporting role. This will make things difficult for the Pats.

At least couple of these stats are a good sign for each team. But in the end, what matters is how these two teams match-up. Who will win Super Bowl LIII? Will it be a nail-biter? A blowout? Something in between? What players will have the biggest impact on the game? Find out what I think in my next article, when I share my score prediction and projected stats for the game.

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 4 Picks & Previews: Which Surprise Teams Come Back Down to Earth?

September 30, 2018 Andrew Roberts NFL, Patriots, Picks & Previews, Uncategorized Alshon Jeffery, Alvin Kamara, Andrew Luck, Arizona, Arizona Cardinals, Baker Mayfield, Baltimore, Baltimore Ravens, Ben Roethlisberger, Big Ben, Broncos, C.J. Beathard, Cardinals, Cards, Carson Wentz, Chiefs, Dak Prescott, David Johnson, Denver, Denver Broncos, Derek Carr, DeVante Parker, Dolphins, Doug Baldwin, Drew Brees, Eli Manning, Evan Engram, Jacksonville, Jacksonville Jaguars, Jags, Jaguars, Jets, Jimmy Garoppolo, Joe Mixon, Josh Allen, Josh Rosen, Kansas City, Kansas City Chiefs, KC, KC Chiefs, Khalil Mack, LA, LA Rams, Le'Veon Bell, Leonard Fournette, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Rams, Matt Ryan, Melvin Gordon, Miami, Miami Dolphins, Michael Thomas, Minnesota, Minnesota Vikings, Mitch Trubisky, New England, New England Patriots, New York, New York Jets, NFL, NFL Picks, NFL Picks and Previews, NY Jets, Pat Mahomes, Pat Mahomes II, Patrick Mahomes, Patrick Mahomes II, Patriots, Pats, Philip Rivers, Picks, Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Steelers, Rams, Ravens, Rishard Matthews, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Sacksonville, Sam Bradford, Sam Darnold, Seahawks, Seattle, Seattle Seahawks, Steelers, Stephon Gilmore, Tom Brady, Vikes, Vikings, Vontae Davis

Welcome to my Week 4 NFL picks and previews. It was a rough week for me last week, as I finished 6-10. But luckily, I’m still 27-19-2 (28-19-2 including TNF Week 4) due to my strong week in Week 2. I’m still ahead of 9 of ESPN’s 10 experts, and half of CBS Sports’ 8 experts. There have been a lot of surprises in the NFL so far this year. Unexpected contenders have emerged, and what were perceived as some of the NFL’s best teams are struggling to keep up. I definitely think this week will set some things straight. Some of the expected contenders will start to surpass the surprise teams. The question is, which surprise teams come down to earth first? Keep reading to find out what I think.

Lock of the Week

QB Sam Darnold and the Jets offense looked good in the first couple weeks. But this offense is still very young and has things to learn. I expect this dominant Jaguars defense to tear apart New York’s offensive game plan. The pressure of Sacksonville will get to Darnold, which will mess up the entire offensive scheme for the Jets. The Jaguars offense doesn’t have to have a field day to win a game, and they’ve made that very clear. RB Leonard Fournette will likely return this week. They had been fine without him, at home against the Patriots! Given that, this home game against the Jets with Fournette back should be a clinic in Jacksonville’s favor.

Upset of the Week

QB Sam Bradford had clearly declined, and after two weeks, all Cardinals fans knew Bradford wasn’t the answer. But Steve Wilks has finally put QB Josh Rosen in as the starter! Rosen was my favorite QB of this year’s draft, and I expect him to completely turn around the Cardinals offense this week. I don’t expect this kind of consistency throughout the year in 2018. But this will give us a glimpse at what the Cardinals invested in down the road, kind of like what the Jets received from QB Sam Darnold in his first game. I think Rosen can handle the rebuilding Seattle defense on his home turf. Look for Arizona’s tight ends to have an especially strong game as well. Meanwhile, the Seattle defense will struggle to contain Rosen and RB David Johnson. Their offense will see slight improvement with WR Doug Baldwin likely to return, but nothing significant as Arizona pulls off the upset at home.

The Other Games

TNF (Posted on Twitter Thursday Night, Actual Score: 38-31 Rams)	Don’t expect an especially strong game from WRs Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs. This Rams secondary is one of the league’s best. However, the ground game will lead the way for the Vikes and make this close. Look for QB Jared Goff and RB Todd Gurley to lead the Rams to victory with the help of strong defense.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Look for Miami’s receivers to thrive against a New England secondary that lacks a #2 corner. #1 CB Stephon Gilmore will shut down WR DeVante Parker though. However, this Dolphins run game is not the greatest, and if the Pats can shut them down, there is hope for the New England D. I don’t think the Pats suck. Their last two Super Bowl-winning seasons started with 2 wins and 2 losses. Plus, they lost to a coach who knows them really well and their toughest opponent. I think QB Tom Brady will find open men to lead New England to victory here. This victory that will begin a long winning streak for the Pats.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	The Packers are a pass-first offense, and I don’t think the Bills will be able to keep them under control without CB Vontae Davis. I don’t see this as a blowout though. QB Josh Allen and the Bills offense will make it close. But Green Bay will win at home by a comfortable margin, led by a dominant passing game.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Look for QB Matt Ryan and his newfound WR duo to overwhelm the Bengals secondary and score multiple TDs. I don’t think the Bengals will be as strong on offense here without RB Joe Mixon. They will lose this one thanks to surprisingly strong defense by Atlanta.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	I think the Texans will do alright against the weak Colts defense in an effort for their first win. But depth has been a problem for this team from the start, and that will hinder their success. The Colts will give the Texans a scare. This will be thanks to a pretty good week by QB Andrew Luck and his offense, even against the fierce Houston D.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	WR Rishard Matthews was released by the Titans this week. Now, the Titans lack a healthy QB and lack WR depth. That will cause the offense regressive struggles. The Eagles defense will also do their job in shutting down Tennessee’s RB duo. QB Carson Wentz and the Eagles offense will cruise to victory, especially if WR Alshon Jeffery plays.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Expect an offensive shootout here. Both these defenses are some of the league’s worst, and I think both these offenses are underrated. The Cowboys pass defense will struggle excessively against the LIons strong WR corps. However, I think QB Dak Prescott will finally turn it around against the struggling Detroit D. This will lead them to a home win.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	I think the Bucs will start QB Ryan Fitzpatrick in this game. Look for the Fitzmagic to continue, but will it be enough for the Bucs in Chicago? I’m concerned that Tampa’s secondary will blow it for them against QB Mitch Trubisky and the Bears underrated WR corps. I also feel that the Bucs young run game will struggle against Khalil Mack and the Bears run defense. These two things will lead Chicago to victory at home.
Sunday, 4:05 PM EST	QB Baker Mayfield will lead the Browns to another strong offensive game here against a declining Raiders D. But you cannot sleep on these Raiders receivers. Against a young Cleveland defense, expect QB Derek Carr and the Raiders deep WR corps to dominate. I also expect a strong game from Oakland’s running backs that assist Carr in an offensive shootout victory.
Sunday, 4:25 PM EST	The 49ers will miss QB Jimmy Garoppolo here. QB C.J. Beathard will do alright in LA, but he will be nowhere near Garoppolo’s level. I don’t see him finishing the job for the Niners. Meanwhile, the Chargers offense will have a strong day against the 49ers young D. QB Philip Rivers, RB Melvin Gordon, and the strong offense will lead LA to victory.
Sunday, 4:25 PM EST	QB Eli Manning and his receivers should do alright against a Saints defense that has significantly declined since last year. But they will miss TE Evan Engram. Meanwhile, RB Alvin Kamara and WR Michael Thomas will have dominant games that lead the Saints to victory despite an underwhelming game by QB Drew Brees.
SNF (Sunday, 8:20 PM EST)	The Steelers may be declining without RB Le’Veon Bell, but they are still an average team that can win some games without him. I think the Steelers defense will be able to shut down the Ravens attack. Plus, QB Ben Roethlisberger will find plenty of weapons to lead Pittsburgh to victory, even without Bell.
MNF (Monday, 8:15 PM EST) (OT)	This will be a very close game. QB Patrick Mahomes II will lead a strong Chiefs offense to a big game. But the Chiefs are all offense, no defense, and they will struggle to contain Denver’s receivers. I could see this going to overtime, but I don’t see the Chiefs winning with their run game struggling against the unstoppable Denver front seven.

That’s all for my Week 4 picks and previews. Feel free to comment with your thoughts.

NFL Third Quarter Report: Playoff Scenarios For All 32

December 6, 2015 Andrew Roberts NFL, Uncategorized Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, NFL, Oakland Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Diego Chargers, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, St. Louis Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans, Washington Redskins

For the first quarter, I cleared up a wacky start. For the second quarter, I predicted the remainder of the season from scratch. By the third quarter, playoffs is where it’s at. There are only 5 games left for every team. Some of these games could decide key playoff scenarios. Here are the current playoff pictures.

AFC

In The Hunt

NFC

In The Hunt

Done For

San Diego Chargers, 3-8
Chargers Remaining Schedule

This schedule spells disaster. Any win over Denver is doubtful. Denver likely will dominate up until January.

The Chiefs are practically on fire. They should’ve beaten them when they had the chance. They could’ve beat the Chiefs in San Diego, but on the road, it will be extremely difficult. They’re even hotter now.

Unless the Raiders collapse before Week 16, the Chargers will lose that too. They lost to them at home, they should lose to them on the road. The only winnable game is hosting the AFC East’s Miami Dolphins. Miami is placed last in the AFC East, and the Chargers play them in San Diego. But one more win only gets them to
4-12. You need AT LEAST, like 7 to go to the playoffs, and that rarely even happens, although it might to another team this year.

Tennessee Titans, 2-9

Titans Remaining Schedule

This is actually a decent schedule, but it has a tough two weeks in the AFC East. One at the Jets, another against the mighty, but injury plagued New England Patriots. The Jaguars and Texans games are winnable, although the game at the Colts could also be tough.

But besides the Pats, unlike San Diego, there aren’t many dominant teams they face. But what draws me away from this team is their performance so far. When you’re 2-9, even three or four wins isn’t enough for playoff contention, and that’s even highly questionable.

Honorable Mentions

San Francisco 49ers, 3-8 – What do they have?

Cleveland Browns, 2-9 – Potential, but are practically mathematically out from previous performance

Baltimore Ravens, 4-7 – Too injury-filled to survive.

Watch Out

New Orleans Saints, 4-7

Saints Remaining Schedule

This is a pretty easy schedule, but there are a couple of games that I wouldn’t quite say are locks. The Panthers are 11-0, and even beating them in New Orleans will be tough. The Bucs are getting better and are actually in the playoff hunt now, led by Jameis Winston. They beat the Saints in New Orleans, Week 2.

The Lions and Jags aren’t as bad as we originally thought, and the Lions are red hot. And against such a feast or famine team, the Falcons could easily win. So, the Saints could win the rest (9-7) or even lose the rest (4-12).

Philadelphia Eagles, 4-7

Eagles Remaining Schedule

The Eagles have a winnable schedule, but they only have a shot at the playoffs if they play really well and have some good luck. I think the home games vs the Bills and Redskins could easily be wins. They will likely lose this week, but if they win those two, plus crucial grudge matches vs the Cardinals and Giants, which will be tough if they keep playing how they’re playing, they won’t do, they’ll have a shot. But to make the playoffs, you need to be Carroll and make sure to win at leat four of the remaining games, (hopefully the loss is to the Pats ☺️).

Honorable Mentions

Dallas Cowboys, 3-8 – Tony Romo keeps this team hanging, and he’s done

Detroit Lions, 4-8 – Heating up, but really need to take it to the next level

Miami Dolphins, 4-7 – Beginning to blow it, but still have a shot in best case scenario

Jacksonville Jaguars, 4-7 – Improving, but still will likely miss playoffs

Somewhat Shot

Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 5-6

Buccaneers Remaining Schedule

The Buccaneers do definitely have potential, and that’s why they’re all the way up here. But overall, this is a tough schedule. St. Louis is still decent, Jay Cutler is looking young again, and Carolina is on an undefeated campaign that may never be stopped. The best chance at wins are the next two weeks (vs ATL and NO). Both of those teams are utterly struggling. They could also beat the Bears in Tampa. They won’t necessarily win all three of those. They need to to even have a shot.

St. Louis Rams, 4-7

Rams Remaining Schedule

The Rams do have a pretty respectable schedule. The issue is,they have to win almost all of these to get a spot. It’s a good schedule. If they can upset Arizona this week, and win 3 of the 4 games after that. They may have some tough trips, but it’s do-able.

Honorable Mentions

Chicago Bears, 5-6 – Jay Cutler and Forte are dominating, John Fox is a great coach, they have a chance

Oakland Raiders, 5-6 – They just need to revamp the offense

Buffalo Bills, 5-6 – Come on, keep on fighting!!! You have a legitimate shot!

Fighting For A Spot

Atlanta Falcons, 6-5

Falcons Remaining Schedule

This will be a tough schedule to overcome. It includes two meetings with the 11-0 Panthers, an easier home game vs the Saints, and semi-tough games in Tampa Bay and Jacksonville. They may be able to defeat the Panthers at home, but doing it in Carolina will be hard. With the way this team is struggling, I get Tampa and the Jags will beat them, while they beat the Saints, and maybe Carolina if they’re lucky.

Indianapolis Colts, 6-5

The Colts have a somewhat easy schedule, but they have to take it like the schedule says @NE 5 weeks in a row. The Texans, Jaguars and Steelers are improving and could easily knock down Indy. Normally, at this point in the season, the Colts would be top contenders, but they lost their groove somehow this year. The Dolphins game could even be tough. But winning 2 or 3, which they can easily do, can win them this weak AFC South. So, don’t overlook this schedule, and still try hard.

New York Giants, 5-6

Giants Remaining Schedule

The Giants were NFC East leaders a couple weeks ago, but a tough late season schedule has slowed them down, and the Redskins, hopefully temporarily, have stolen their throne.
Home games against the Eagles and Jets could be among THE EASIEST games to win for the Giants. I also think they can bull over Carolina and prevent an undefeated season. But if those are the easiest, what is the toughest? Oh no. Vikings in Minnesota, Dolphins in Miami. Those could be dangerous games. They could win anywhere between 1 and 4 games, and for a 5-6 team, they need to be on the higher side of that, even in such a weakling division.

Honorable Mentions

Seattle Seahawks, 6-5 – Beginning to get it together

Houston Texans, 6-5 – Brian Hoyer is back in good hands

Kansas City Chiefs, 6-5 – Red hot, who can stop them?

Pittsburgh Steelers, 6-5 – Despite some injuries, are still relevant with Baltimore done

New York Jets, 6-5 – If what happened in Week 12 continues, they can regain their groove

Washington Redskins, 6-5 – Suddenly just stole the NFC East

Near Clinching

For these teams, rather than looking over the schedule, we’ll break down clinching scenarios

New England Patriots, 10-1

The Pats can clinch the division by simply winning, and making sure the Giants beat the Jets. As Pats fans, we yes, have to root for Tom Coughlin’s New York Giants. To clinch a playoff berth, they need to win, and the Bills need to win. Come on Giants, don’t blow it just because you’re doing us a favor.

Arizona Cardinals, 9-2

If the Cardinals beat the Rams, and Seattle loses to the Vikings, all Arizona needs to clinch a spot is the same thing next week or a win when they host Seattle in Week 17. But beating the Rams today could be a challenge. Remember, the Rams are also still in the playoff hunt, and when the Cardinals hosted them, they knocked down a 3-0 undefeated season to happen. They’ve only lost one game since!!! You think it’ll be easy in St. Louis, and despite the worse record, with Todd Gurley already discovered?!!! That’s a real challenge for Arizona. So they better try hard to do well these next couple weeks if they want to ink the division.

Denver Broncos, 9-2

I think that Denver will clinch the AFC West today. I bet they’ll beat the Chargers up, and the Raiders get an easy win over Kansas City. They have the tiebreaker over Oakland, so that’s not an issue either. The playoffs are near for Denver and four other great teams.

Honorable Mentions

Carolina Panthers, 11-0 – Can clinch NFC South with win or Falcons loss

Cincinnati Bengals, 9-2 – Could easily clinch a playoff berth, in a lock match-up

Minnesota Vikings, 8-3 – Getting there, just need a couple more wins

Green Bay Packers, 8-4 – If they keep it up, they could be back in clinching mode in no time.

So, that’s how the playoff scenarios are looking. What do you think will happen? Tell me in comments.

Thursday Night Football	I expect the Chiefs to come out on top in the end here. QB Patrick Mahomes’ offense is a dominant force and I doubt this weakening Texans D will be able to keep up. However, the Texans will make it close, as the duo of WR Brandin Cooks and WR Will Fuller should be able to outplay Kansas City’s secondary. I think they might even force OT.
	I think QB Cam Newton will rely on pass catching RB James White and slot WR Julian Edelman to beat out an improved, but still below average Dolphins defense. On the other hand, WR DeVante Parker and TE Mike Gesicki are no match for Stephon Gilmore and Devin McCourty.
	The Browns have a good front seven, but it won’t be enough to stop dual threat QB Lamar Jackson. I expect Kevin Stefanski to completely modify the Browns offense and that will allow them to make this competitive. However, in Baltimore I see them falling short.
	QB Gardner Minshew II is lacking surroundings. I expect WR D.J. Chark to have a good game thanks to their chemistry, but it’ll be tough against this improved Colts D. The Colts also have an improved run game behind an elite o-line that should dominate against a crumbling Jaguars defense.
	The Raiders do have an improving offense centered around RB Josh Jacobs and TE Darren Waller, and they will make it close against an unproven Panthers defense. But I expect RB Christian McCaffrey to run all over the Raiders D in this one.
	Washington’s defense is looking better than it has in a while, with a front seven led by rookie Chase Young and veteran Ryan Kerrigan, plus a secondary that includes CB Kendall Fuller and S Landon Collins. They will hold the Eagles to just 1 TD, but fall short due to anemic offense.
	The Vikings D is looking strong after adding DE Yannick Ngakoue, so I expect a strong Week 1 performance against Green Bay. RB Dalvin Cook will lead Minnesota to victory, but it will be close with natural slot WRs Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson rotating outside.
	The Lions won’t put up too many points as I expect the Bears D to improve upon last year. But the Bears QB troubles will cause them to fall short. I think QB Mitch Trubisky will have some success with RB Tarik Cohen and WR Allen Robinson, but be too inconsistent to finish the job. I have Detroit taking it in OT.
	This is definitely going to be a close one. But on the road, I have the Seahawks falling short. QB Matt Ryan will lean on his strong WR duo and RB Todd Gurley to lead Atlanta to victory in overtime.
	The Chargers secondary is looking strong, but the loss of S Derwin James hurts. I think QB Joe Burrow will capitalize on his connection with WR Tyler Boyd and find ways to beat out this strong Chargers D, pulling off the upset in his debut. The Chargers offense will show flashes of a strong performance but struggle overall with Tyrod Taylor at QB.
	QBs Tom Brady and Drew Brees face off twice this year. In this one, I’m expecting the Saints to squeeze by for a victory in a back and forth offensive shootout. WRs Michael Thomas, Mike Evans, and Chris Godwin will all get the chance to stand out here.
Sunday Night Football	I’m expecting an OT thriller in the first edition of SNF this year. QB Jared Goff will be under center in a pass heavy offense that outplays the Cowboys secondary and makes this one close. But QB Dak Prescott will rely on what’s arguably the best WR trio in the league alongside RB Ezekiel Elliott as he leads the Cowboys to last minute victory.
Monday Night Football	This could be tough for the Giants as Pittsburgh has one of the best defenses in the league. But the Giants defense has also improved, and I expect them to slow down RB James Conner and make things difficult for QB Ben Roethlisberger in his return. This could go either way, but I have New York pulling off an upset in overtime.
Monday Night Football	I think the Broncos will shut down QB Ryan Tannehill and make it hard for the Titans offense to put up much. But RB Derrick Henry will just be too much for Denver, allowing the Titans to stay in this game. Denver’s offense will take time to click after all the new additions, but I think RB Melvin Gordon and rookie WR Jerry Jeudy will make a difference as the Broncos narrowly get by here.

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