A Roller Coaster Ride: Reviewing the Patriots Draft

May 30, 2019May 30, 2019 Andrew Roberts NFL, Patriots Adrian Clayborn, ASJ, Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Ben Watson, Bill Belichick, Byron Cowart, Chandler Jones, Chase Winovich, Damien Harris, DeMaryius Thomas, DT, Greedy Williams, Gronk, Hjalte Froholdt, Irv Smith Jr., Isaiah Wynn, Jake Bailey, Jamie Collins, Jarrett Stidham, Joejuan Williams, Julian Edelman, Ken Webster, Minitron, N'Keal Harry, New England, New England Patriots, NFL, Patriots, Pats, Phillip Dorsett, Rob Gronkowski, Rob Ninkovich, Ryan Allen, Sony Michel, TB12, Tom Brady, Wino, Yodny Cajuste

Welcome to my in-depth draft review for the New England Patriots. I have already begun writing draft grades for each team (organized by division), but I figured I’d go more in depth for my favorite team. Plus, I was able to submit this as a critical review for English class.

Read below for my draft grades for the Pats alongside my review.

In addition, I had the chance to catch up with Bob Socci about New England’s draft:

Now, let’s jump right in:

New England Patriots

Overall Grade: B

Draft Report Card:

Screenshot 2019-05-30 at 11.23.01 PM.png

Analysis:

Coming off a Super Bowl victory, the Patriots should remain elite in 2019. However, with tight end Rob Gronkowski hanging up his cleats and multiple receivers leaving through free agency, the Patriots still had a few tasks to accomplish coming into the NFL Draft.

First of all, they needed to find quarterback Tom Brady some receivers. Going into this draft, Julian Edelman was the only capable pass-catcher on the roster that Brady already has a strong rapport with. Their depth behind Edelman was limited to Demaryius Thomas (coming off torn achilles) and Phillip Dorsett (has yet to prove himself dependable). They also added Austin Seferian-Jenkins, a veteran tight end who was signed to help fill the hole Gronk left behind. But ASJ is no more than a temporary solution. He has been terribly inconsistent throughout his career, and after playing 5 years on 3 different teams, he has never reached 400 receiving yards or 5 TDs in a season. The Pats will eventually need to find another option there.

Second, they needed to fill some of their other positional needs. They lack defensive line depth and are in desperate need of an elite pass rusher. They brought Adrian Clayborn on board for 2018, but he didn’t consistently produce. They haven’t really had a consistent one since DEs Chandler Jones and Rob Ninkovich left a few years ago. The team could also use help at linebacker and in the o-line. Lastly, Brady’s not retiring anytime soon unless his stats suddenly decline. But they still need time to start planning for the post-Brady era.

I feel the team worked towards achieving all of these objectives, but still could have done more to achieve them.

There were rumors that New England would consider trading up to draft an elite tight end. Instead, they opted to wait on a tight end and draft WR N’Keal Harry in Round 1. At #32, Harry was one of their best options, and he fills a need. Once he gets into a rhythm with Brady, expect to see him starting and producing across from Edelman, so this was one of their better picks in the draft.

I wasn’t a huge fan of their 2nd round trade up for cornerback Joejuan Williams though. Round 2 is a bit early for Williams; the Pats had bigger needs at #45. For example, they could have taken Alabama tight end Irv Smith Jr. But if they were going to trade up for a cornerback, it should have been LSU’s Greedy Williams. He ended up going to the Browns at #46. He may be a flawed prospect, as he’s not a very physical player and he opted out of visiting with teams prior to the draft. But he has insane potential and refuses to leave receivers open.

The Pats redeemed themselves in the 3rd round. After trading their later 2nd round pick, they managed to snag edge rusher Chase Winovich early in Round 3. At the age of 24, Winovich is an older rookie, but he should still bring the energy to the locker room that Gronk left behind and make an instant impact in the pass rush where Ninkovich previously thrived. This was the perfect choice for the Pats.

In this round, they also snagged a running back, Damien Harris and a tackle, Yodny Cajuste. Harris is one of the better RB prospects in this draft, and he was a steal at #87. He has played in committees, but it’s hard to get a lot of opportunities in New England’s four-man backfield, something established in 2017. As long as Michel is healthy, I’m not so sure they needed a fourth man. But he’s still a decent investment in my eyes.

Cajuste was one of the best tackles on the board and fills a need for the Pats, so I liked the pick. Isaiah Wynn has yet to play a regular season game after losing his rookie year to an ACL tear, so the left tackle job is anyone’s for taking.

Though it received mixed reviews overall, one of my favorite picks in this draft was the selection of Auburn QB Jarrett Stidham in Round 4. Stidham may have struggled at Auburn, but he wasn’t exactly a perfect fit for Auburn’s system, and I trust that he’ll fit better with the Pats and is capable of replacing Brady when he retires.

They also took guard Hjalte Froholdt in this round. This was a bit of a reach, but he does help fill the team’s need for o-line depth.

I was a bit disappointed at first when the Pats took DT Byron Cowart in Round 5, when better options were on the board. But since then, I’ve looked further into this pick, and it actually makes sense. It fills a need, and as a former top high school prospect, Cowart has plenty of potential despite underperforming in college.

On the other hand, it’s hard to argue in favor of the selection of punter Jake Bailey. First of all, Bailey is a right footed punter, the first right footed punter on the Pats in a long, long, time. Plus, they already resigned punter Ryan Allen. In baseball, they put right handed batters in a platoon with left handed batters. Would the Pats consider something similar with punters? Regardless, the 5th round was a bit early to draft one.

Their drafted concluded with the addition of cornerback Ken Webster. This pick didn’t make much sense, as they had already added depth at the position by drafting Joejuan Williams. But it’s the 7th round, so I doubt it’ll have that much of an impact in the long run.

Overall I thought this draft class was pretty solid. Some of the decisions they made were a bit confusing, but that was mixed in with some amazing picks, and it’s hard to doubt Bill Belichick. This draft class makes a lot more sense now that the Pats have reunited with TE Ben Watson and LB Jamie Collins in free agency. So if I had to give this draft class a letter grade, it would be somewhere in the B-range.

Stay tuned for more draft grades soon.

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 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 9 Picks & Previews: Contenders Keep Going with Close Wins

November 4, 2018November 4, 2018 Andrew Roberts NFL, Picks & Previews 49ers, Aaron Rodgers, Alex Smith, Alvin Kamara, Amari Cooper, Baker Mayfield, Baltimore, Baltimore Ravens, Bay Area, Brandon Marshall, Brock Osweiler, Cam Newton, CBS Sports, Chargers, Cooper Kupp, Courtland Sutton, Cowboys, Dak Prescott, Dallas, Dallas Cowboys, Dalvin Cook, DeMaryius Thomas, Detroit, Detroit Lions, Drew Brees, ESPN, Golden Tate, Green Bay, Green Bay Packers, Khalil Mack, Kirk Cousins, LA, LA Chargers, Le'Veon Bell, Lions, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Chargers, Marshawn Lynch, Minnesota, Minnesota Vikings, Nathan Peterman, New England, New England Patriots, NFL, NFL Picks, NFL Week 9 Picks, Niners, Oakland, Oakland Raiders, Pack, Packers, Pat Mahomes, Pat Mahomes II, Patrick Mahomes, Patrick Mahomes II, Patriots, Pats, Philip Rivers, Picks, Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Steelers, Raiders, Ravens, Rob Gronkowski, Russell Wilson, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Ryan Tannehill, Sam Darnold, San Fran, San Francisco, San Francisco 49ers, Seahawks, Seattle, Seattle Seahawks, Sony Michel, Steelers, Tennessee, Tennessee Titans, Terrelle Pryor Jr., Titans, TNF, Vikes, Vikings, Will Fuller, Will Fuller V

Welcome to my Week 9 NFL Picks & Previews. Last week I went 7-7, putting my overall record at 68-51-2 (69-51-2 including Week 9 TNF). I am ahead of 3 ESPN experts and 1 CBS Sports expert. Look for a lot of the borderline contenders to prove themselves this week with important wins. I think the Ravens will shut down the Steelers for the 2nd time this year, the Vikings will silence the Lions, and the Chargers will dominate the 4-3 Seahawks coming off the bye week. The Chargers had put a 4-game win streak together prior to the bye. Although some of these contenders will win, some will be upset. Who will fall in a shocking upset? Who will remain elite? Keep reading to find out what I think.

Lock of the Week

Expect LA’s explosive offense to embarrass the young Seattle D in a blowout. With WR Brandon Marshall a free agent, QB Russell Wilson will also struggle to find reliable open men. Meanwhile, QB Philip Rivers will lead the Chargers to a blowout victory with 4+ TD.

Upset of the Week

I don’t think WR Amari Cooper will make much of a difference for QB Dak Prescott and the troubled Dallas pass offense. Their big week against Jacksonville is a sign of big things to come, but it won’t happen this week as Tennessee’s secondary steps it up. The Titans will bounce back from a rough October with a triumphant Monday Night victory coming off the bye as they shock the Cowboys in their first home loss of the season.

The Other Games

TNF (Posted to Twitter on Thursday Night; Actual Score: 34-3 49ers)	Even with their third-string QB starting, I think this young 49ers offense can put together a big game considering how bad the Oakland D has been without DE Khalil Mack. Oakland’s season will begin to fall apart despite looking okay on offense. I don’t think they will win many more games with RB Marshawn Lynch out and WR Amari Cooper gone.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	QB Brock Osweiler somehow led for the Dolphins to victory in Week 7. But I don’t see him winning against the Jets elite secondary. Expect multiple interceptions here, even on Osweiler’s home turf. QB Sam Darnold will step it up to secure a Jets victory on the road. QB Ryan Tannehill spoiled New York’s home opener. Darnold will look for revenge with Tannehill injured for the third straight game.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Look for Chicago’s defense to lead them to victory against another banged-up AFC East team in the Bills. Buffalo will have to settle for Nathan Peterman at QB, although they did add another weapon in Terrelle Pryor Jr. for him. I think Peterman will look better than usual and make this close, but there’s no way he leads the Bills to victory against this Bears defense.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Pittsburgh was starting to look alright without RB Le’Veon Bell. But there’s no way they get past this versatile Ravens run defense without their star running back. This will make it hard for Pittsburgh to outscore Baltimore. I don’t see the Steelers defense performing any better than usual against this deep Ravens receiving corps.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Against a rebuilding Browns defense, QB Patrick Mahomes II should be dominant as usual. I could even see him throwing 4 TD in this game. The Chiefs defense will slip a little against QB Baker Mayfield and an improved Cleveland offense, but Mahomes’ field day will be enough for them here.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Look for the Redskins to play complimentary football here in an all-around strong game. They will utilize their versatile roster as they win at home. Atlanta’s washed-up defense will also struggle to contain QB Alex Smith’s deep receiving corps.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Look for serious regression from Detroit’s offense as they face one of the league’s best defenses without WR Golden Tate. I have the Vikes holding them under 10 here. QB Kirk Cousins and his receivers won’t look much better, but they should manage to get by. Don’t expect many more losses by the Vikes either. With RB Dalvin Cook healthy, things should be smooth sailing. They’ve really only had one concerning loss this whole season.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	QB Cam Newton and the Panthers offense should ride the momentum they gathered in Week 8 to beat the Bucs in Carolina. They should not be concerned about facing a Buccaneers D that has struggled all season. QB Ryan Fitzpatrick will not be enough to lead Tampa to victory here as Carolina shuts down Tampa’s run game. That puts a lot of pressure on Fitzpatrick, which could cause him to struggle.
Sunday, 4:05 PM EST	Houston will struggle offensively, as WR Demaryius Thomas doesn’t provide much of an upgrade over WR Will Fuller. Plus, Denver’s secondary knows Thomas very well and will be able to shut him down. The Broncos will edge out a victory in a low scoring game as WR Courtland Sutton steps it up with Thomas flipping sides. Don’t expect much scoring though. This is a battle of two of the AFC’s best defenses.
Sunday, 4:25 PM EST	The Rams will stay undefeated with a road win over New Orleans. Their elite defense will come ready to shut down QB Drew Brees, RB Alvin Kamara and the Saints offense. Even with WR Cooper Kupp back, the Rams won’t be at full speed on offense. But they should get past the Saints thanks to elite defense and a last minute, victory-securing TD.
Sunday, 8:20 PM EST	If RB Sony Michel and TE Rob Gronkowski are healthy, this will be a blowout. Otherwise, it could be close. QB Aaron Rodgers will struggle to find open men here, as the Patriots secondary will keep Rodgers’ small number of dependable receivers well covered. The Pats offense will be back to dominance if they have Gronk and Michel. But after New England’s hiccup without them last week, I don’t think the offense would be the same without them. I think they will be able to play, but I’m not an injury expert. Either way, New England should win and remain undefeated at home.

That’s all for this week. Stay tuned for more NFL posts soon, including my mid-season report (I usually post it after Week 8, but have delayed it until after Week 9 to the chaotic playoff picture we have right now). Hopefully, Week 9 will settle some things.

2018 NFL Week 6 Picks & Previews: Expect Lots of High Scoring Games

October 14, 2018 Andrew Roberts NFL, Patriots, Picks & Previews, Uncategorized 49ers, Adam Thielen, Alex Smith, Aqib Talib, Atlanta, Atlanta Falcons, Baker Mayfield, Ben Roethlisberger, Big Ben, Brock Osweiler, Broncos, Browns, Buccaneers, Bucs, Cam Newton, Carson Wentz, Chargers, Chiefs, Cleveland, Cleveland Browns, Courtland Sutton, Dak Prescott, DeAndre Hopkins, DeMaryius Thomas, Denver, Denver Broncos, Deshaun Watson, Devonta Freeman, Eagles, Emmanuel Sanders, Eric Berry, Evan Engram, Falcons, Fitzmagic, Giants, Green Bay, Green Bay Packers, Greg Olsen, Isaiah Crowell, Jameis Winston, Jay Ajayi, Jimmy Garoppolo, Josh Allen, Josh Rosen, Kansas City, Kansas City Chiefs, KC, KC Chiefs, Keenan Allen, Khalil Mack, LA, LA Chargers, LA Rams, Lamar Miller, Le'Veon Bell, Leonard Fournette, London, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Rams, Matt Ryan, Melvin Gordon, Mitch Trubisky, New England, New England Patriots, New York, New York Giants, NFL, NFL Picks, NFL Week 6 Picks, Niners, NY, NY Giants, Nyheim Hines, Oakland, Oakland Raiders, Odell Beckham Jr., Pack, Packers, Patrick Mahomes II, Patriots, Pats, Philadelphia, Philadelphia Eagles, Philip Rivers, Philly, Picks, Raiders, Rams, Randall Cobb, Russell Wilson, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Ryan Tannehill, Sam Darnold, San Francisco, San Francisco 49ers, Seahawks, Seattle, Seattle Seahawks, Stefon Diggs, Sterling Shepard, Tampa, Tampa Bay, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tevin Coleman, Todd Gurley, Tom Brady

Welcome to my Week 6 NFL pick’em and previews. Last week I went 8-7, placing my overall record at 45-31-2, ahead of 7 of ESPN’s 10 experts, and 3 of CBS Sports’ 8 experts. Some of the offense-heavy teams in the league take each other on this week. The Chiefs face off with the Patriots. The Raiders take on the Seahawks in London. The Chargers will head to Cleveland to play the Browns. The Bucs and Falcons will play each other in an intriguing divisional match-up. Who will win in these likely shootouts? Read below to find out what I think.

Lock of the Week (MNF)

With WR Randall Cobb likely back, expect this Packers passing offense to perform a lot better than they did in Detroit, especially since they are home this week. But it’s the run game that I see leading the Pack. These running backs haven’t really had the chance to truly shine in Green Bay’s pass-first offense, but I could see it happening against an inexperienced 49ers run defense. Without QB Jimmy Garoppolo, it will be extremely difficult for the Niners to match Green Bay’s offensive performance. I see the Packers winning easily.

Upset of the Week

This Broncos defense will make it difficult for the Rams to score as much as they usually do, but I think they manage to score 20+ points on Denver, led by RB Todd Gurley. However, I expect Denver’s receivers to have a strong day as well, despite the fact that they are facing a stacked Rams secondary. They have two dependable veterans in Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders, and a promising rookie, Courtland Sutton. I think they can handle the Rams secondary, especially with ex-Bronco Aqib Talib on IR. Look for Denver to pull the upset in a game that’s surprisingly high scoring.

The Other Games

TNF (Posted on Twitter Thursday Night; Actual Score: 34-13 Eagles)	Expect the Eagles run game to struggle with RB Jay Ajayi on IR. But I think QB Carson Wentz and his receivers will find a way to win it in New York. The Giants offense will struggle once again without TE Evan Engram, but I think WRs Odell Beckham Jr. and Sterling Shepard will have strong games to make this close.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Expect Houston’s elite defense to shut down QB Josh Allen and his receivers. I think they will hold the Bills to 1 TD or less in this game. Meanwhile, QB Deshaun Watson and the Texans offense will have a decent enough despite the banged-up run game and lack of WR depth. I see the trio of Watson, RB Lamar Miller and WR DeAndre Hopkins leading them to victory.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	The Colts offense should look better than they did in New England. Expect RB Nyheim Hines to step it up with the receivers banged up. However, I see the Colts D, which has struggled all season falling apart against a promising Jets passing game. Look for both QB Sam Darnold and RB Isaiah Crowell to have big games as the Jets score at least 4 TDs. New York should win easily with the Colts defense regressively struggling.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST UPDATE: Ryan Tannehill is OUT, Brock Osweiler will start	Look for the Dolphins young D to have success against QB Mitch Trubisky and his offense. Their promising group of receivers will not be enough here as the run game struggles. I also think that with the home-field advantage, the Dolphins will manage to score 30+ points despite facing Khalil Mack and the Bears D. With QB Ryan Tannehill out, QB Brock Osweiler will rely on his receivers as Mack and the Bears front seven shuts down the Dolphins run game. In the end, I have the Dolphins pulling a surprising upset at home, thanks to an all-around elite performance.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Look for Cincy’s receivers to step it up against a struggling Steelers secondary. But the Steelers will make this a close shootout. QB Ben Roethlisberger and his receivers will thrive as well against a rebuilding Bengals secondary. But without RB Le’Veon Bell, the Steelers run game will be easily shut down. The Bengals will manage to win thanks to the strong run defense and strong game by their receivers.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Look for QB Baker Mayfield and the Browns to make this close in Cleveland. But this Chargers offense has dominated and led the team to victory against every below average defense they’ve played. Look for QB Philip Rivers, RB Melvin Gordon, WR Keenan Allen and company to do the same in Cleveland as they take on an inexperienced Browns D. This stellar offensive performance will lead LA to victory for the fourth time this season.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Expect a shootout in this London game. Both these defenses have struggled regressively all season. Look for Oakland’s offense to dominate against the young Seattle D, and expect QB Russell Wilson and his receivers to have a field day against the Khalil Mack-less Raiders defense. I think the Raiders, who will have more success running the ball, will outscore the Seahawks to win it.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	Expect the Panthers offense to be back at full speed with TE Greg Olsen back. They will be able to take advantage of a below average Redskins secondary with QB Cam Newton’s favorite target healthy. QB Alex Smith and his receivers will put up a fight with a 3 TD game of their own. But look for the Panthers strong front seven to be successful in pressuring Smith and shutting down Washington’s RBs, allowing Carolina to hold on for a victory.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	I think Arizona’s D will step it up this weekend, allowing them to come close in Minnesota. But the Vikings WR duo of Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs is just too much for this Cardinals secondary to handle, and their success will lead to an overtime Vikings win, despite the run game’s continuing struggles. The Vikings defense will also have a nice game, holding the Cardinals to just 1 TD and overwhelming rookie QB Josh Rosen.
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST	With RB Devonta Freeman out, both defenses struggling, and both offenses dominating, expect a lot of passing in this game. QB Matt Ryan and his receivers should have a field day against the weakening Bucs secondary, while Tampa’s underrated front seven shuts down RB Tevin Coleman. Meanwhile, QB Jameis Winston and his receivers will prove that the Bucs can succeed on offense without QB Ryan Fitzpatrick. Expect them to pull the upset in a shootout, as Atlanta begins to lose hope after another embarrassingly bad defensive game.
Sunday, 4:25 PM EST	This Titans roster is filled with young talent on both sides of the ball. Look for their younger players to step it up and lead Tennessee to victory at home. The Ravens should continue their strong season by getting out to an early lead thanks to shut down defense. But Tennessee’s young core will lead to a comeback as they outplay Baltimore. After two straight losses, the Ravens will begin to regress.
Sunday, 4:25 PM EST	Expect QB Dak Prescott and his receivers to be shut down by a top notch Jags defense. Prescott looked pretty bad against the Texans D. I can’t see him doing any better against Sacksonville. Meanwhile, the Jaguars will manage to get by on offense, bouncing back from last week’s putrid offensive performance. The combination of these two things will lead to a Jaguars victory, despite run game struggles without RB Leonard Fournette.
Sunday, 8:20 PM EST Check back closer to gametime for a video preview!	Look for QB Tom Brady and his receivers to thrive, overwhelming the Chiefs secondary without S Eric Berry. Kansas City’s offense should make this close, but expect the Chiefs defense to blow it despite a 30-point, multi-TD game for QB Patrick Mahomes II and his offense.

That’s all for my picks this week. Feel free to comment with your thoughts, and stay tuned for more posts soon.

2018 NFL Week 1 Picks and Previews: Every Win Counts

September 9, 2018September 9, 2018 Andrew Roberts NFL, NHL, Patriots, Uncategorized A.J. Green, Aaron Rodgers, Adam Thielen, Adrian Peterson, Alex Smith, Alshon Jeffery, Ameer Abdullah, Antonio Brown, Blake Bortles, Calvin Ridley, Cam Newton, Carson Wentz, Case Keenum, Corey Davis, Courtland Sutton, D'Onta Foreman, Dak Prescott, Dalvin Cook, David Johnson, David Njoku, DeAndre Hopkins, Delanie Walker, DeMaryius Thomas, Deshaun Watson, DeVante Parker, Drew Brees, Emmanuel Sanders, Ezekiel Elliott, George Iloka, Golden Tate, Isaiah Crowell, Jalen Ramsey, Jameis Winston, James Conner, James Washington, Jamison Crowder, Jared Goff, Jarvis Landry, Jimmy Garoppolo, Jimmy Graham, Joe Flacco, John Brown, Julian Edelman, Julio Jones, Kareem Hunt, Kenny Golladay, Khalil Mack, Lamar Miller, Laquon Treadwell, Latavius Murray, Le'Veon Bell, Marcus Mariota, Matt Ryan, Matthew Stafford, Melvin Gordon, Michael Crabtree, Michael Thomas, Mike Wallace, Mike Williams, Nathan Peterman, Nelson Agholor, New England, New England Patriots, NFL, Nick Foles, Odell Beckham Jr., Patrick Mahomes II, Patrick Peterson, Patriots, Pats, Philip Rivers, Picks, Quincy Enunwa, Reshad Jones, Ryan Tannehill, Sam Bradford, Saquon Barkley, Stevan Ridley, T.Y. Hilton, Terrelle Pryor Jr., Tom Brady, Travis Ke;ce, Tyreek Hill, Tyrod Taylor, Will Fuller V, Zach Ertz

It’s that time of year again. Football is finally back! Today, I will share my predictions for each of the Week 1 games, and I have included a video preview for the Patriots game. In the future, I may include 2-3 other game previews in addition to a Patriots preview. I think the NFL is going to be especially competitive this year, so every win counts, even if it’s against a below average team. Comment with your thoughts and I hope you’re all as excited as I am to watch some regular season football.

Lock of the Week

The Broncos are coming off a really strong draft that helped revamp their offense alongside the signing of QB Case Keenum. I think the Broncos young pair of running backs will flourish against a declining Seahawks defense. I don’t think Case Keenum will ever repeat his spectacular 2017, but I do see him having a strong game and taking advantage of the newfound WR depth in Denver. In the 2017 draft, Denver finally found a third receiver to play alongside Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders, Courtland Sutton, and I see him playing a significant role right off the bat.

This Broncos defense is also nearly as strong as it was last year. Considering Seattle’s 2017 offensive struggles, I think Denver could easily hold the Seahawks under 20 points. This will allow Denver to blow Seattle out and get revenge on Seattle for routing the Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII.

Upset of the Week (MNF)

I think this will be a close call, but I can’t see this stacked Raiders offense losing to the Rams in Oakland. They have a trio of talented receivers, a good mix of long-time veterans and younger guys in the backfield, and a decent QB and tight end group. They also have one of the best offensive lines in the NFL. The Rams are one of my two overrated teams of the year. Sure, they made some exciting moves this off-season, but they lost a lot to free agency in the process.

The Raiders defense may not be looking so good after losing DE Khalil Mack, but their secondary isn’t as bad as it seems. I see the secondary keeping QB Jared Goff’s receivers well covered, leaving Goff struggling to find open men. Meanwhile, I don’t see the Raiders offense putting up 30+ points against a relatively strong Rams defense. But I do see them getting by with just enough to pull off the upset in this one.

TNF (Posted on Twitter on Thursday – Actual Score: 18-12 Eagles)

QB Carson Wentz may be out, but backup QB Nick Foles can still lead teams to victory when it matters. I don’t see Foles playing quite at Super Bowl level in this one, but competition motivates him. I think Foles will throw for 2 touchdowns despite being slowed down by the Falcons front seven. Look out for a big game out of WR Mike Wallace as well. With WR Alshon Jeffery injured, coverage will be drawn towards TE Zach Ertz and WR Nelson Agholor, Philly’s next two best pass-catchers. For the Falcons, I think veteran WR Julio Jones and rookie WR Calvin Ridley will have a strong week. But it won’t be enough for a victory with QB Matt Ryan and Atlanta’s RB duo struggling against the Eagles defensive front.

Sunday’s Games

It’s sure to be an intense game with two of the NFL’s best quarterbacks facing off. I think both QBs, Tom Brady and Deshaun Watson, will have strong games. But they will be held back by their lack of wide receiver depth, especially Houston, who will be without WR Will Fuller (hamstring). However, this opens up an opportunity for a strong game by WR DeAndre Hopkins. I also see RB Lamar Miller having a strong game with sophomore RB D’Onta Foreman injured. Meanwhile, as the Patriots typically do, expect Tom Brady to find creative ways to score despite the lack of WR depth with Julian Edelman suspended, and that will lead them to a Week 1 victory.

The Ravens have one of the stronger defensive fronts in the league, and I can’t see QB Nathan Peterman having a strong game against Baltimore after his regular season struggles in 2017. I don’t see Joe Flacco doing much better, but I think veteran WR Michael Crabtree will find a way to produce against the strong Buffalo secondary, and I think WR John Brown will begin to look like his old self, leading the Ravens in receiving while Crabtree is facing heavier coverage. I don’t think the Bills stellar run game will be enough to outdo the Ravens, but I do think they will force overtime. From there Baltimore will secure the victory with strong defense and a well-crafted winning drive.

This will be an interesting game. We have a match-up between two younger quarterbacks looking to take it to the next level. I think both Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill and Titans QB Marcus Mariota will have promising showings in a close one. Even without WR DeVante Parker, I think the Dolphins wide receivers will step it up in this game to make it close. But I think the Titans receivers are ready to tear apart Miami’s secondary. Expect a big game from veteran TE Delanie Walker, even against S Reshad Jones. You also could see a very strong game out of WR Corey Davis. This is only the beginning of what I think will be Corey Davis’ breakout year. Walker and Davis will lead the Titans past Miami in a close one.

I think the Steelers will manage a victory here. But the Browns will make it closer than we’ve seen in a game between these two teams in a long time, with a strong offensive showing. I don’t think QB Tyrod Taylor will look that good against the Steelers D. But I think he’ll manage to find open receivers such as WR Jarvis Landry and TE David Njoku for portions of the game. With RB Le’Veon Bell likely out, expect RB James Conner and RB Stevan Ridley to step it up against the Browns D in Bell’s place. I think the Steelers offense will just be too much for Cleveland’s rebuilding D, especially with a strong game from WR Antonio Brown and a strong debut from rookie WR James Washington.

Andrew Luck is finally back. I think he’ll look like his old self, but I see him struggling to find reliable receivers. Besides T.Y. Hilton, Luck doesn’t have many of them. Meanwhile, I think the Bengals offense, led by WR A.J. Green will dominate a Colts defense that isn’t looking great. I think Cincy’s defensive front will look good and shut down the Colts’ young run game. But I don’t think the Bengals secondary will look much better than Indy’s without S George Iloka. That will at least allow T.Y. Hilton to have a strong game and make this a little closer.

I don’t think Jaguars QB Blake Bortles will be especially strong against the Giants D, but he’ll find enough open receivers to edge out a victory. Meanwhile, the Jaguars stellar defense will help secure Jacksonville’s lead by holding the Giants under 20 points and 2 touchdowns. However, I see WR Odell Beckham Jr. outplaying Jaguars CB Jalen Ramsey and scoring New York’s only TD in an epic WR-CB match-up. But I think rookie RB Saquon Barkley and the Giants run game will be shut down by the strong Jacksonville front seven.

I think QB Jimmy Garoppolo and the 49ers receivers will have a decent game here. But the Vikings defense will limit them significantly, allowing the Vikes to blowout the Niners with Minnesota’s offense outplaying a mediocre 49ers D. I think QB Kirk Cousins will find plenty of open men to throw to in the end zone, and I expect a strong game out of the Vikings RB duo (Dalvin Cook and Latavius Murray) with Cook healthy. I think the one Vikings receiver that will struggle is Adam Thielen, who will likely be matched up against star corner Richard Sherman. But Vikings WR Laquon Treadwell will show promise after a slow start to his NFL career and play a role in Minnesota’s victory.

This Buccaneers front seven is extremely underrated, and I don’t see the Saints run game thriving against them with RB Mark Ingram suspended. But with Bucs QB Jameis Winston also suspended, I don’t think Tampa Bay will put up enough points to outdo the Saints in New Orleans. The Saints are the other team I see as overrated, but I still cannot see them losing to a Winston-less Bucs offense at home. I think the Saints defense will play well enough. Offensively, Drew Brees and Michael Thomas will work together to secure the Saints a victory.

With QB Patrick Mahomes II starting for the Chiefs, I don’t think the offense will look as good as it did last year. But I do think RB Kareem Hunt, WR Tyreek Hill, and TE Travis Kelce will help Mahomes and the Chiefs keep this game close. However, I see the Chargers offense looking pretty good in this game. WR Mike Williams will look strong at full health, and QB Philip Rivers and RB Melvin Gordon will also put up strong performances, leading the Chargers to victory despite sloppy defense by both teams.

The Panthers had a very strong pre-season, and I think they can carry the momentum into the regular season against the Cowboys. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Panthers QB Cam Newton throw 3-4 touchdowns in this one. Cowboys QB Dak Prescott will keep this interesting as I expect him to throw at least 2 touchdowns. However, I think RB Ezekiel Elliott will have a tough time against a really strong Panthers front seven.

I don’t think Cardinals QB Sam Bradford will quite look like his old self. But I see him staying healthy and tossing a couple touchdowns in his first start since early last season. I expect QB Alex Smith and RB Adrian Peterson to have strong days as well, making this close. But I think the Cardinals win in the end, led by a dominant day for RB David Johnson in his return, and a strong performance by CB Patrick Peterson in man-to-man coverage against Redskins WR Jamison Crowder.

SNF

With QB Aaron Rodgers back at full speed, expect a strong game by the Packers offense. I see Rodgers tossing at least 2 touchdowns, and TE Jimmy Graham having an especially strong day. Graham was a great signing, and Rodgers and Graham will make for an amazing QB-TE combo. Rodgers hasn’t had that for a long time. The Bears offense will look strong in this game as well. But I cannot see them putting up as many points as Green Bay does with Rodgers at full health, making the Pack victorious in Rodgers’ return.

MNF

I expect QB Matthew Stafford to look sharp in prime time against a mediocre Jets D. His receivers should have a strong showing as well, with WR Kenny Golladay showing flashes of dominance, and veteran WR Golden Tate looking better than he was last year. I also think RB Ameer Abdullah will step up his game this season, starting with this prime time match-up. Meanwhile, the Jets offense will look revamped with WR Quincy Enunwa healthy and RB Isaiah Crowell and WR Terrelle Pryor Jr. on board. But I still don’t think it is going to be enough.

That’s all for my NFL Week 1 picks and previews. Be sure to comment with your thoughts, and enjoy the first Football Sunday of 2018.

Brady vs. Manning: The End of an Era: AFC Championship (Patriots at Broncos) Preview

January 24, 2016January 24, 2016 Andrew Roberts AFC Championship, NFL, Patriots, Picks & Previews, Uncategorized AFC Championship, Andre Caldwell, Aqib Talib, Bradley Roby, Brandon Bolden, Brandon LaFell, Brandon Marshall, Brock Osweiler, Broncos, C.J. Anderson, Chris Harris Jr., Cody Latimer, Danny Amendola, Danny Trevathan, DeMarcus Ware, DeMaryius Thomas, Denver, Denver Broncos, Derek Wolfe, Emmanuel Sanders, Gronk, Julian Edelman, Keshawn Martin, Malik Jackson, Mile High, New England, New England Patriots, NFL, Patriots, Pats, Peyton Manning, Rob Gronkowski, Ronnie Hillman, Shane Ray, Steven Jackson, Sylvester Williams, TJ Ward, Tom Brady, Vernon Davis, Von Miller

This is the 17th time Tom Brady and Peyton Manning will face off, possibly the last. Between the Colts and the Broncos, Manning knows are team too well. He knows Brady, he knows Belichick, so we have to play are game, but run a couple plays that we don’t normally do. The New England Patriots take on the Denver Broncos at Mile High. In November, we went to Denver and they came back to win 30-24, but it was Brock Osweiler under center last time, Manning was out with plantar fasciitis.

NFL Roundtable: The Best Tom Brady vs. Peyton Manning Game — Tom Brady face off for the 17th time in the AFC Championship but this might be the last if Manning retires.

My Prediction: Patriots, 27, Broncos, 23

So, who has the advantage in this game? You saw in Week 12, it will be a close game, tough match-up and very physical game. So, lets break it down. Injuries had way more of an impact in Week 12 than now, Edelman was out, DeMarcus Ware was out, Gronk left, Hightower, Collins and Amendola sat too. Now, we have a team at decent health, so does Denver.

Denver has a dominant front seven: Sylvester Williams, Malik Jackson, Derek Wolfe, DeMarcus Ware, Von Miller, Brandon Marshall, Danny Trevathan and Shane Ray. That’s EIGHT GUYS, you can only start 7!! Their secondary also includes star corners Aqib Talib and Chris Harris Jr. plus T.J. Ward and Bradley Roby. Steven Jackson, Brandon Bolden and James White better be ready to bull through the defense and find space between the stars, and I trust that they can. I also think that the secondary isn’t strong enough to guard Gronk, Edelman, Amendola, Chandler, LaFell and Keshawn Martin. I think 2 of these 8 will score: Jackson, Bolden, Edelman, LaFell, Amendola, Gronk, Chandler. My original prediction was Gronk and Chandler but now I’m thinking maybe Jackson, Bolden or a receiver will score.

Now Denver’s offense. The Broncos even without Peyton Manning would have an overpowered offense. C.J. Anderson usually really shows up this time of year, while Ronnie Hillman continues to do his thing. Plus the receiving game didn’t just use DeMaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders last time. They used Vernon Davis, Owen Daniels, Cody Latimer and Andre Caldwell, who had a TD, too. But the young Patriots secondary will have to try and stop Denver’s pass, they should be able to double cover Thomas, and contain Sanders and Daniels on one man coverage. Vernon Davis, Virgil Green and those sleep receivers, may let loose. They also need to do a better job containing the running game. But in the end, despite facing to more overpowered defense, and being the road team, I think the Pats have the edge with their offense’s match-up and will win by a nose.

Keys To The Game

Patriots

Even against a ferocious front seven, the Patriots run game needs to keep it up. Tom Brady might not have the protection he needs, and he’ll have to depend on his backfield. They have the individual players to do it, the questions are: Do they work together enough to?, Is the match-up against the defense in their favor?
The Broncos run game is revamped too with CJ Anderson at his best. The Patriots have struggled to stop the run all year. This game, they need to excel at it.
The young Patriots secondary needs to contain a large number of Broncos receivers that make up its offense’s core. Last time, sleep receiver Andre Caldwell caught the TD that brought the game to overtime, where CJ Anderson had a long run for a touchdown.

Broncos

The Patriots have just as good of receivers when healthy. The Broncos secondary isn’t quite as good as their pass rush, and they might have trouble keeping the receivers from doing much. Between Edelman, LaFell, Amendola, Keshawn Martin, Gronk and Chandler, there’s plenty of guys to cover.
CJ Anderson needs to pick up the pace. Between some big games, he’s still been somewhat consistent unlike late last year, even when Manning’s super bowl hopes got crushed in the Divisional Round last year Anderson made an impact.
The Broncos need to use their receiving depth to their advantage. Unleash all their sleep receivers and play like the Pats haven’t seen them play yet.

Injury Report

New England Patriots (13-4)

Out

G Tre’ Jackson – Knee (LP)
OL LaAdrian Waddle – Shoulder (LP)

Doubtful

NONE

Questionable

WR Danny Amendola – Knee (LP)
TE Scott Chandler – Knee (LP)
LB Jamie Collins – Back (LP)
DB Nate Ebner – Hand (LP)
WR Julian Edelman – Foot (LP)
LB Darius Fleming – Back/Shin (LP)
LB Jonathan Freeny – Hand (LP)
TE Rob Gronkowski – Knee/Back (LP)
LB Dont’a Hightower – Knee (LP)
DE Chandler Jones – Abdomen/Toe (LP)
DE Rob Ninkovich – Shin (LP)
WR Matthew Slater – Shin (LP)
C Bryan Stork – Ankle (LP)
OT Sebastian Vollmer – Ankle (LP)

Probable

QB Tom Brady – Ankle (FP)
S Patrick Chung – Foot (FP)
OL Josh Kline – Shoulder (FP)
WR Brandon LaFell – Foot (FP)
S Devin McCourty – Ankle (FP)

Denver Broncos (13-4)

Out

NONE

Doubtful

NONE

Questionable

NONE

Probable
S Josh Bush – Shoulder
TE Owen Daniels – Knees
ILB Todd Davis – Shoulder
G Max Garcia – Groin
CB Chris Harris Jr. – Shoulder
QB Peyton Manning – Foot
ILB Brandon Marshall – Ankle
QB Brock Osweiler – Knee
S Darian Steward – Hamstring
S T.J. Ward – Ankle
OLB DeMarcus Ware – Knee
CB Bradley Roby – Quadricep

Broncos Thrill Pats In OT, Pats Unbeaten No More

November 30, 2015November 30, 2015 Andrew Roberts Game Recaps, NFL, Patriots, Uncategorized Andre Caldwell, Brandon Bolden, Brandon McManus, Brock Osweiler, Broncos, C.J. Anderson, Chandler Jones, Chris Harper, DeflateGate, DeMaryius Thomas, Denver, Denver Broncos, Emmanuel Sanders, Gronk, Jabaal Sheard, New England, New England Patriots, NFL, Patriots, Revenge Tour, Rob Gronkowski, Roger Goodell, Ronnie Hillman, Scott Chandler, Stephen Gostkowski, Tom Brady

It was 3rd and 1. The Broncos were on their first drive in overtime. The Pats had won the toss and tragically gone 3 and out. Then Osweiler handed it to C.J. Anderson. He swerved to the left and just kept going and going. He had just scored the game winning touchdown.

C.J. Anderson as he heads to the end zone for the game winning TD in OT

The Broncos were the first to beat the once undefeated Patriots this season, with a 30-24 overtime win. It was a very exciting, back and forth game, but it ended with the Broncos putting an end to the regular season portion of the Revenge Tour. If they win a super bowl, then they still get vengeance on Roger Goodell.

The Broncos went 3 and out on their first drive. A horrible punt got the Patriots started in Broncos territory. This was turning into a field position game. The Pats marched down the field, and Gronk scored a touchdown. Gronk had already had a nice pass earlier in the drive, lasting 2:07, with 4 plays for a whopping 47 yards!!!! They started at the opposing 47 and easily scored a TD.

The great defense continued. The Broncos went 3 and out again, and even the Pats did it after starting around the 50. Still a field position game. On the next drive, the Broncos were on 4th down & inches, and Brock Osweiler ran a QB sneak for the first down. They didn’t challenge the spot, even though it was clearly 4th & 2. On the next set of downs, Osweiler got sacked, knocking Denver out of field goal range. When Brady got the ball back, they sacked him in return.

A good punt keeps Denver starting at their own 10. The Pats were thinking safety, but as Osweiler progressed down the field, they had other plans. Sheard knocked the ball from Osweiler, and Chandler Jones caught it in the air for and interception. The Pats marched down the field and Chandler was wide open as Brady threw to him for the touchdown. 14-0 Pats. It was now the 2nd quarter.

A couple of drives later, the Broncos progressed down the field, and Ronnie Hillman went beast mode and got a 19 yard TD, making it 14-7. Th next couple minutes before the half were slow, as the Pats failed to score before getting the ball back in the 2nd half. In the first drive after halftime, Gronk caught a 22 yard pass, but it wasn’t enough as the Pats punted it away.

The Broncos were near safety territory again on the next drive, but quickly marched down the field to escape. But they didn’t get far away enough. They were in field goal range, but Brandon McManus had to attempt a 47 yarder. It was way off. The field goal was no good, and it was still 14-7 Pats. The remainder of the third quarter was a snooze-a-thon. But things got exciting in the 4th quarter. The Pats went into it with the ball. They had just started a drive before the end of the 3rd. On the first play of the quarter, they threw to Bolden. He had no problem catching it, but the real thriller was what happened next. He took off, and soon the defenders were nowhere to be found. Brandon Bolden kept on running and running, until he got to the end zone. He had just scored a 63 yard touchdown!!!!

It was now 21-7 Pats. They had a two TD lead. The Broncos went 3 and out, but on the punt, Chris Harper fumbled in the attempt to return the punt, and the Broncos recovered it. That was his only noticeable play of the night. He ended up with -2 fantasy points. NEGATIVE TWO!!! The Broncos got to start at around the opposing 40. They marched down the field and Anderson scored a touchdown. So technically, CHRIS HARPER is the reason the Pats lost. Otherwise, we would’ve had a 24-17 win. The Pats couldn’t do anything because of some stupid penalties.

Denver got the ball around the 50 and they marched down the field. They slowed down in the red zone, and had to settle for a field goal. It was now 21-17 Pats. Our lead was not very secure. On the next drive, we couldn’t do anything because Gronk was called for offensive pass interference!!! It was a stupid call!!! Just stupid!!!! What were those refs doing?!!! Are they just out to get us for “DEFLATE GATE”?!!!! On our next drive, we threw a nice pass to Gronk, but it was followed by a heart-breaker. Brady threw to Gronk for an incomplete pass, but it was worse than that. Gronk had tripped over someone, and fell on his right knee. When the staff came over, to look at it, he was screeching in pain. He was carted off the field, and they are fearing a torn right MCL. On a late 4th quarter drive, DeMaryius Thomas caught a 36 yard pass, followed by an Emmanuel Sanders 39 yarder. Osweiler through the much needed TD pass to Andre Caldwell, giving them a 24-21 lead.

The next drive was the last of the regulation playing time, and it was filled with some nice passes, but it wasn’t enough to score the game winning TD. However, Stephen Gostkowski did attempt a 47 yard field goal, and it was good!!! It was tied, 24 all. This game was going to overtime. Then, the next heart-breaker occurred. The Pats won the toss, went 3 and out in a horrible drive. They had no weapons, and Brady was too worried about his teammate to focus. Then Anderson did his thing, and it was game over. However, the Pats can still earn home field advantage. Denver plays Cincy in Week 16, so one of those teams will lose again. If we can go 4-1 on the following schedule:

vs PHI

@HOU

vs TEN

@NYJ

@MIA

Then they can still do it. For now, we’re on to Philadelphia.

NFL Week 9 Picks

November 8, 2015 Andrew Roberts NFL, Picks & Previews Andre Johnson, Blount Force Trauma, Broncos, Coby Fleener, Cody Latimer, Colts, D.C., Danny Amendola, Darius Butler, DeMaryius Thomas, Denver, Denver Broncos, DeSean Jackson, Devin McCourty, Dion Lewis, Emmanuel Sanders, Indianapolis, Indianapolis Colts, Indy, Jamison Crowder, Jordan Reed, New England, New England Patriots, NFL, Owen Daniels, Patriots, Pats, Philip Dorsett, Redskins, Skins, Vernon Davis, Virgil Green, Washington, Washington Redskins

Last week was shaky, but come on, it’s time for me to get real. I’m basing my picks from here on out on a combination of one, what I’ve seen, and two, as always, the predictions out of my mind and my gut. So, again, lets GET REAL. Now on with my picks.

Lock Of The Week

Patriots, 41, Redskins, 17

The Redskins defense is no match for Brady's dominance. — The Redskins defense is no match for Brady’s dominance.

This game is kind of a joke. But we are the Patriots. We can’t treat it like that. We have to prepare for it like any other game. Still, this will be a big blowout. Both of the best defenders on the team are questionable. Without Ryan Kerrigan and DeAngelo Hall, the Patriots will put on a show.

Blount Force Trauma will still get guarded if Kerrigan plays. But Dion Lewis will have a big game, even if Terrance Knighton, the third biggest component, guards him. This will still be a bigger game for Brady to pass to all his weapons. I could see Danny Amendola having a huge game, with Gronk or Edelman guarded by Hall. In the last three games, Amendola is 16 for 19 with 202 yards and a touchdown. In weeks 1-5, Amendola was 10 for 13 with only 98 yards and a touchdown.

On the Redskins side, their rushing game will not be functional against a heavily rush based Patriots defense. But if DeSean Jackson returns, he has potential to be a star. But with Devin McCourty on him some of the time, Jackson may be limited. If he’s out, I’d expect Jamison Crowder’s surprises to continue. Sure, he’s hasn’t yet been effective in the end zone, but he’ll be tempted to score his first NFL touchdown. Jordan Reed will get the rest of Devin McCourty or Patrick Chung, so tight ends won’t be functional either.

Notable Locks: Saints over Titans, Bengals over Browns, Jets over Jaguars, Steelers over Raiders

Upset Of The Week

Colts, 51, Broncos, 33

The Colts offense will put on a show to shock Denver, and place them in the loss column.

The Colts have more potential in their offense than you might think, even against the almighty Broncos defense. The Colts’ running backs will have full guard. Frank Gore and Ahmad Bradshaw have DeMarcus Ware and Von Miller on them. But the receivers and tight ends are in better hands. Really good players like T.Y. Hilton, Donte Moncrief and Dwayne Allen will have full guard (Aqib Talib, Bradley Roby, Brandon Marshall or T.J. Ward), Guys that haven’t gotten their chance yet this year, like Andre Johnson, Philip Dorsett and Coby Fleener, could have dominant games and lead the Colts offense to a breakout.

The Colts defense fits the Broncos offense pretty darn well. C.J. Anderson and Ronnie Hillman have D’ Qwell Jackson and Robert Mathis. DeMaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders have Vontae Davis and Greg Toler. Vernon Davis should also have Darius Butler. That leaves just Cody Latimer and Owen Daniels, oh, and also now third string tight end Virgil Green. Thy still can rack up lots of points, but they will have a little more trouble than Indy getting to the end zone, giving Indy the upset win.

Notable Upsets: Panthers over Packers, Cowboys over Eagles

Other Games

Jets, 37, Jaguars, 27

Bills, 28, Dolphins, 21

Bengals, 28, Browns, 21

Steelers, 20, Raiders, 16

Saints, 24, Titans, 9

Chargers, 24, Bears, 20

Cowboys, 34, Eagles, 27

Giants, 20, Buccaneers, 17

Panthers, 17, Packers, 6 (NOTE: Panthers defense dominates, Packers fail to score on them)

Vikings, 37, Rams, 34

Falcons, 34, 49ers, 20

Team Of The Week

This team has typically been good, but is a feast or famine team
This team lost a star this off season, but this player has been disappointing on his new team.
This team’s defensive coordinator is the brother of a head coach in the AFC.
This team’s division was very weak last year.
This team has a quarterback I would consider top 10 all time material.

What team is this? Guess in comments.

Last Week: Texans

NFL Week 3 Picks

September 24, 2015September 26, 2015 Andrew Roberts NFL, Picks & Previews, Predictions Aaron Dobson, Ameer Abdullah, Aqib Talib, Blount Force Trauma, Brandon Pettigrew, Broncos, C.J. Anderson, Calvin Johnson, Danny Amendola, DeAndre Levy, DeMarcus Ware, DeMaryius Thomas, Emmanuel Sanders, Eric Ebron, Gronk, Jaguars, Joique Bell, Julian Edelman, LeGarrette Blount, Lions, Matthew Stafford, Megatron, Michael Bennett, Owen Daniels, Patriots, Paul Posluzsny, Peyton Manning, Rob Gronkowski, Ronnie Hillman, Scott Chandler, Stephen Tulloch, Tim Wright, Von Miller

The first two weeks have been full of upsets, and here are some locks, upsets and other scores to watch for in Week 3.

Lock Of The Week
Patriots, 37, Jaguars, 14

Tom Brady and the Patriots should have a dominant game against the Jags. On offense, they Blount Force Trauma should get more touches after a quiet week 2 return. I’d expect a TD from him. The only road blocks are star linebacker Paul Posluszny and rookie defensive lineman Michael Bennett. He can work around that. I also expect a lot of passing touchdowns. Julian Edelman doesn’t have a starting corner to watch him, so either safety James Sample or safety Jonathan Cyprien is left to guard him. With Edelman and Gronk under that pressure, expect sleepers Danny Amendola, Aaron Dobson and Scott Chandler to show up, about a touchdown each. The Patriots can look forward to a relatively easy match.

Tom Brady will stun the Jaguars defense with consistent scoring.

On D, they should be all set as well. Running backs TJ Yeldon and Denard Robinson are going nowhere when the defense has Rob Ninkovich, Chandler Jones and Jerod Mayo to cover. Last year they also had the added pressure of Vince Wilfork and Akeem Ayers, but Mayo was hurt. I wouldn’t expect it to be much worse, especially if you put Jamie Collins and Don’t A Hightower in too. And Marcedes Lewis, who has starred to start the year, will be guarded by Devin McCourty. And Allen Robinson will have Malcolm Butler on him.

Lock Notables
Colts over Titans, Seahawks over Bears, Texans over Buccaneers, Giants over Redskins

Upset Of The Week
Lions, 24, Broncos, 20

This might sound silly to you, but it’s not really that surprising. Peyton Manning is getting older, and at the same time, Matthew Stafford is on the uprise. Joique Bell and Ameer Abdullah will get touches, but will get DeMarcus Ware and Von Miller as guards. It would be easier to throw the rock. Not just to Megatron, who will have Aqib Talib by his side, but should break through once Talib wears down, but Golden Tate. Tate, the former Seahawk, doesn’t have an amazing second string corner to guard him. Tate should see action, along with tight ends Eric Ebron, thenewly signed Tim Wright and possibly Brandon Pettigrew if he’s healthy.

While on the Lions D, it’s a better fit for the Broncos offense. DeMaryius Thomas will have Stephen Tulloch on him like white on snow. Emmanuel Sanders and Owen Daniels may get TDs, but the overall options are limited in Denver. I think Sanders’ season will be a low point in his career, and Daniels isn’t quite a perfect fit in the Denver style offense. Expect an early season loss today out of Denver. What about CJ Anderson and Ronnie Hillman. Ngata and DeAndre Levy should be enough to hold them up. So, the Lions could have a huge win vs Denver today.

The Broncos defense will be in for a surprise when Matthew Stafford throws fire.

Upset Notables
Rams over Steelers, Cowboys over Falcons

Other Scores
Jets, 37, Eagles, 30
Dolphins, 17, Bills, 14
Ravens, 27, Bengals, 23
Rams, 17, Steelers, 14
Browns, 14, Raiders, 9
Colts, 30, Titans, 24
Texans, 30, Buccaneers, 17
Packers, 33, Chiefs, 31
Chargers, 28, Vikings, 23
Cowboys, 27, Falcons, 10
Giants, 28, Redskins, 7
Seahawks, 33, Bears, 16
Panthers, 41, Saints, 21
Cardinals, 31, 49ers, 30

Team Of The Week
1. This team’s quarterback got severely injured last season.
2. This team has been in last in their division for the last couple years.
3. In 2013, this team’s division was the toughest.
4. This team is named after an animal.
5. This team is located somewhere in the Midwest.

Last Week: Chiefs

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Boston Sports Mania

Best of the city of champs

DeMaryius Thomas

A Roller Coaster Ride: Reviewing the Patriots Draft

New England Patriots

Overall Grade: B

Draft Report Card:

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Brady vs. Manning: The End of an Era: AFC Championship (Patriots at Broncos) Preview

Broncos Thrill Pats In OT, Pats Unbeaten No More

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