Football season is quickly approaching, and teams have began to prepare for the upcoming year. The AFC could be a very competitive conference, but which teams have enough talent to be playoff contenders? My cousin Michael Philipkosky and I broke it all down in this episode of his podcast, the Master Plan.
Welcome to Part 7 of my NFL Draft Report Cards. Last week, I reviewed the AFC North, where the Browns and Ravens boasted a couple of the best draft classes in the entire league. The AFC South doesn’t have any teams that dominated to this extent. In fact, one team struggled more than any other team in the entire AFC. Keep reading to see my 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.
AFC West
Tennessee Titans
I didn’t mind this draft, as there were no terribly confusing picks and the Titans filled most of their biggest needs. But the Titans did take some significant risks here. I especially liked the A.J. Brown pick, as he will make an instant impact in the receiving game. Jeffery Simmons may not play this season. But the Titans desperately needed a DT, and it’s not a terrible late 1st round choice. Nate Davis was a reach, but he does fill a need as well. They also added DB depth with the selection of Amani Hooker. They didn’t need any more OLBs even with Brian Orakpo retiring. They could’ve added a tight end instead with Delanie Walker getting older. But overall, this was still a solid draft that filled plenty of needs.
Indianapolis Colts
The Colts had a boatload of big needs going in, so even with 10 draft picks, it would’ve been hard to fulfill all their needs. The Colts did fill a good number of them though. They got some front seven help, added WR Parris Campbell, and drafted a corner early. However, they reached quite a bit on some of these picks when it was not necessary. Indy had much better options in many of these scenarios. The failure to take advantage of these options definitely impacts their grade, but the filling of most needs boosts it.
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars did fill most of their biggest needs, but their priorities were not quite set straight. Jawaan Taylor was a steal in Round 2. But did Jacksonville need a tackle? No. The Jags opted to take Taylor and wait on their other needs as opposed to grabbing a RB or S early. They didn’t really address the secondary at all, instead opting to snag top players available like Gardner Minshew and Dontavius Russell in the late rounds. At other times, they reached for picks. Some of these picks will pay off to an extent, but others just didn’t make sense.
Houston Texans
The Texans didn’t even have that many needs to fill. But they threw their needs aside on some of these picks. I think the Texans were selectively targeting a group of players they believed were underrated and had a future, and the Texans are entitled to their own opinions. They may love this draft class. But in my eyes, many of these picks were unnecessary reaches. For example, they took tackles Tytus Howard and Max Scharping when there were better options and they needed a guard more. In the meantime, they failed to add depth at wide receiver and linebacker. Many of these picks confused me. They weren’t a fit, a bargain, or a need filler, so that significantly bogs down their grade.
That’s all for this portion of my NFL Draft Report Cards. Next time, I’ll wrap this series up with the AFC West, where another two of the best draft classes in the league came from. Which AFC West teams came out on top? Stay tuned for my next post to find out.
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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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.
Welcome to my Week 10 NFL picks and previews. Last week I went 8-5, putting my overall record at 76-56-2 (76-57-2 including TNF Week 10). I’m still ahead of 2 ESPN experts and a CBS Sports expert. Don’t expect too many upsets this week. I see this as a week where contenders will begin to rise after underwhelming starts. This week will mark the beginning of the end of the surprise runs by teams like the Lions, Redskins, and Dolphins. Meanwhile, expected contenders that have been struggling so far like the Eagles, Jaguars, and Packers will begin to rise. There will be a couple upsets, but who will pull them? Comment with your thoughts below, and keep reading to see my upset picks.
Lock of the Week (SNF)
Look for QB Carson Wentz to start off the 2nd half of the season strong with a 3+ TD game. The Eagles don’t have that difficult of a schedule remaining, which could provide an opportunity for Wentz to make a run for MVP with a big 2nd half. Dallas should look alright on offense here, but Philly’s front seven will limit RB Ezekiel Elliott and overwhelm QB Dak Prescott. Philly will come out on top thanks to Wentz’s big game, as he connects with 7+ different receivers.
Upset of the Week
Look for the TE duo of Jack Doyle and Eric Ebron to help the Colts offensively. Jacksonville’s D will improve from the last couple of weeks, but I don’t see them holding Indy TD-less. The Jaguars offensive rebound will make up for it. With RB Leonard Fournette healthy, this run game will thrive. They suddenly have a lot of depth between Fournette, Carlos Hyde, and T.J. Yeldon. Look for QB Blake Bortles to improve as well. He should have minimal issues against a rebuilding Colts defense that’s regarded as one of the NFL’s worst. Indy will give up 30+ points in a loss here.
The Other Games
| TNF (Posted to Twitter Thursday Night; Actual Score: 52-21 Steelers)
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Carolina should struggle to contain QB Ben Roethlisberger and his receivers. But they will shut down a Le’Veon Bell-less Steelers run game. At this point, Bell will likely miss the whole season. The Panthers should also be strong on offense again, as QB Cam Newton and his receivers lead Carolina to victory up against a mediocre Steelers defense. |
| Sunday, 1:00 PM EST
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With TE Rob Gronkowski out, the Pats offense will not be up to full speed. But expect a New England win anyway, as the Pats step it up on D against the young Titans offensive core. QB Marcus Mariota will struggle to find open men as the Patriots defense keeps him and his receivers pressured. The lack of WR depth will hurt the Titans in a loss. |
| Sunday, 1:00 PM EST
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The Bills are down to their fourth string QB with Nathan Peterman struggling regressively and Derek Anderson and Josh Allen hurt. However, the Jets are also without their starter, Sam Darnold. Look for QB Josh McCown to succeed in filling in for Darnold, leading the Jets to a high scoring victory. The defense will slip a little against QB Matt Barkley and the Bills, but Buffalo will not be able to put up enough points with Allen and TE Charles Clay injured. |
| Sunday, 1:00 PM EST
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The Saints find themselves with a lack of WR depth with Dez Bryant, Cameron Meredith, and Ted Ginn Jr. all on IR now. That being said, New Orleans will not be at their best offensively. But the Bengals shouldn’t look much better without WR A.J. Green. QB Drew Brees and his receivers should edge out a victory despite an underwhelming performance. |
| Sunday, 1:00 PM EST
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Look for QB Matt Ryan and his receivers to put up another big game in Cleveland. The Browns will try to keep up, but their young core won’t quite do it. The Falcons D will continue to struggle and give up a good number of points to the Browns, but the offensive dominance will be enough for Atlanta. |
| Sunday, 1:00 PM EST
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This will not be easy for Kansas City. QB Josh Rosen, RB David Johnson, and the Arizona offense should have a day against a banged-up Chiefs D. However, QB Patrick Mahomes II should keep up the good work and this offense should be enough for the Chiefs to keep rolling at home despite defensive struggles that may cost them when it matters. I’m honestly surprised they didn’t seek defensive help at the deadline. |
| Sunday, 1:00 PM EST
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QB Ryan Fitzpatrick should be able to take advantage of his deep core of receivers to lead Tampa to victory here. Also expect the Bucs D to surprise many with as they get in the way of QB Alex Smith and the Redskins offense. Smith will struggle to find his receivers with the Bucs pressuring him and WR Paul Richardson sidelined with an injury. The Buccaneers will play complimentary football and win triumphantly here. |
| Sunday, 1:00 PM EST
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Detroit’s offense will continue to miss WR Golden Tate as they struggle in Chicago. Look for another big game by the Bears defense here. QB Mitch Trubisky and the Chicago offense won’t be on their best either, but the shut down defense should be enough for the Bears to hold on for a victory. |
| Sunday, 4:05 PM EST
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The Chargers D should look better than usual against a deep but struggling Oakland offense. Meanwhile, QB Philip Rivers and his receivers will put up another big game as Rivers throws multiple TD. The combination of these two things will cause the Raiders to fall short again at home. |
| Sunday, 4:25 PM EST (OT)
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Look for another overtime thriller out of QB Aaron Rodgers and his receivers. Expect the Packers D to nearly cost them the game as they struggle more than they should against a Brock Osweiler-led Miami offense, but look for Rodgers to come up clutch and save the Packers once again. |
| Sunday, 4:25 PM EST
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The dominance of the LA defense should continue with DE Dante Fowler Jr. on board. Expect them to hold Seattle TD-less here. The Rams offense won’t be at their best here, but QB Jared Goff and his WR trio will help lead the Rams to victory, supplemented by the shut-down D. The Seahawks will continue to miss WR Brandon Marshall as the Rams keep Seattle’s other receivers well-covered for majority of the game. |
| Monday, 8:15 PM EST
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Expect the struggles of QB Eli Manning to continue as he throws just 1 TD and multiple picks. RB Saquon Barkley will keep this close with a big game despite Manning’s struggles. But the Giants will fall short as the defense limits, but cannot stop QB Nick Mullens and the young 49ers offensive core. |
That’s all for this week. Stay tuned for my NFL midseason report later today, and stay tuned for my MLB off-season coverage throughout the rest of November.
If you’re a Boston sports fan, you may have noticed an unusual amount of Boston teams playing lately. Right now, Boston is the only city with an MLB, NFL, NBA, and NHL team that are all in season. From October 16 to October 31, there could be 16 consecutive days of Boston sports (depending on how the Red Sox do in the World Series). From October 3 to October 31, there could be as many as 39 Boston sports events. If the Red Sox hadn’t defeated the Astros in 5, all four teams would have played in one weekend. So far, it’s gone very well, as Boston sports teams have a 16-6-2 win-loss record this October. I’m calling it October Sports Mania, and today, I will give an update on all 4 teams with my thoughts during this time of madness.
Boston Red SoxRegular Season Record: 108-54
Record in October: 7-2
Current Status: Won American League, Made World Series
Context: For the first time in 5 years, the Red Sox have made the World Series! They have made it three other times in the 21st century, and they haven’t lost in a 21st century World Series appearance. This time, they take on the Dodgers in what could be one of the best World Series’ of the 21st century. Game 1 went down October 23, as Chris Sale faced Clayton Kershaw and the Red Sox won in a surprising slugfest. Who will win this exciting series? I’m calling Red Sox in 6 or 7 games. But considering that I have to get to school at 7:20 AM every day and the games start at 8:00 or 8:15 PM (some on school nights), I may not see every minute live like I would want to.
Note to commissioner: Please make World Series games start earlier. A 6PM start, like the Super Bowl, would be nice.
Past Games
NYY: W, 5-4 (ALDS Game 1, BOS leads 1-0) NYY: L, 6-2 (ALDS Game 2, series tied 1-1) NYY: W, 16-1 (ALDS Game 3, BOS leads 2-1) NYY: W, 4-3 (ALDS Game 4, BOS wins 3-1)
HOU, L, 7-2 (ALCS Game 1, HOU leads 1-0) HOU, W, 7-5 (ALCS Game 2, series tied 1-1) HOU, W, 8-2 (ALCS Game 3, BOS leads 2-1) HOU, W, 8-6 (ALCS Game 4, BOS leads 3-1) HOU, W, 4-1 (ALCS Game 5, BOS wins 4-1)
LAD, W, 8-4 (World Series Game 1, BOS leads 1-0)Upcoming Games
LAD (World Series Game 2) LAD (World Series Game 3) LAD (World Series Game 6, if necessary) LAD (World Series Game 7, if necessary)My Thoughts on Them So Far This Month
The Red Sox dominated all season after the addition of star hitter J.D. Martinez and manager Alex Cora. But in both 2016 and 2017, they choked in the playoffs. I had confidence in them against the Yankees in the ALDS, but that confidence was weaker due to these chokes and the fact that the Yankees were also a Top 3 MLB team this year. The Sox also had regressed throughout the month of September. But when they faced the Yankees in the ALDS, they returned to form. The bullpen was clutch and the lineup had awoken. They rode the momentum into the ALCS. It wasn’t looking good after Game 1, but they easily defeated the stacked, defending champion Houston Astros in the final four games. They have now advanced into an exciting World Series against the Dodgers. This series could go either way. Do you think the Sox take it all?
Predictions for the Rest of the Month
This World Series will not be smooth sailing. I didn’t even expect the ALCS to end in 5 games. But I have confidence that the Red Sox will win. As long as Chris Sale is good to go and the lineup keeps making fireworks, we should take this series in 6 or 7 games.
New England PatriotsRegular Season Record: 5-2
Record in October: 3-0
Current Status: Riding Four Game Win Streak into MNF Division Duel
Context: The Pats are riding a 4 game win streak, and they’ve scored at least 30 points in every game since WR Josh Gordon was activated. They beat the Kansas City Chiefs, who arguably have the best offense in the league, 43-40. Will they ride the momentum to a Super Bowl victory? This dominant offensive performance will serve them well, but they nearly lost to the Chicago Bears because of bad defense. Their defense is going to need to step up their game for a win on the big stage.
October Schedule
Past Games
IND: W, 38-24
KC: W, 43-40
CHI: W, 38-31Upcoming Games
BUFMy Thoughts on Them so far This Month
I was very impressed by the win against Kansas City. The Chiefs may have one of the worst defenses in the league. But the fact that the Pats also scored 30+ against the Chicago Bears and the Miami Dolphins shows that this offense is here to play. They took down the 5-0 Chiefs, who had averaged 35 points per game and were riding the momentum to dominance.
Predictions for the Rest of the Month
The Patriots should be able to take down the 1-6 Bills easily with QB Josh Allen and RB LeSean McCoy banged-up. But their next major test will come in Week 9 when they host QB Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. They will need their best defense in that game.
Regular Season Record: 2-2
October Record: 2-2
Current Status: Off to Slow Start, Hoping to Rebound for Big Year
Context: The Celtics are off to a slow start. They did take down the 76ers and Knicks, but they fell to the Kawhi Leonard-led Raptors in Toronto and suffered an embarrassing loss when hosting the Orlando Magic on Monday. Will they pick up the pace and contend for a championship?
October Schedule
Past Games
PHI, W, 105-87
TOR, L, 113-101
NYK, W, 103-101
ORL, L, 93-90Upcoming Games
OKC
DET DETMy Thoughts on Them so far This Month
I’m not so worried about the Celtics despite a rough start. They topped the 76ers (told you they would regress) by almost 20 and got past the Knicks in New York. Their loss to Toronto is understandable. The Raptors have only improved after the Kawhi Leonard trade and I did not expect the Celts to come to Toronto and win easily. As for the loss to Orlando, it was a little disappointing. But the Magic have a strong young core that could surprise a lot of people this year. I would not be concerned if they struggle in Oklahoma City and Detroit, both of whom I see contending. (Note: I’m pretty sure I was right about the Pistons in my NBA Predictions, Blake Griffin put up 50 against the Sixers).
Predictions for the Rest of the Month
Expect them to split in two games against an improved Detroit Pistons squad. I think their next game against Oklahoma City could go either way. But even if they start 3-4, I think they’ll pull it together and contend for a title in the long run.
Boston BruinsRegular Season Record: 5-2-2 (12 PTS)
October Record: 5-2-2 (12 PTS)
Current Status: So-So in Canada, Come Home Thursday
Context: After a shaky four game road trip across Canada, the Bruins come home to face the Flyers and Canadiens. Montreal has been off to a strong start, and Philly has been alright as well, so wins won’t come easy over these next couple games either.
October Schedule
Past Games
WSH, L, 7-0
BUF, W, 4-0
OTT, W, 6-3
EDM, W, 4-1
DET, W, 8-2/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/54451123/Calgary_Flames3.0.jpg){kind=small}
CGY, L, 5-2 EDM, OTL, 3-2
VAN, OTL, 2-1 OTT, W, 4-1Upcoming Games
PHI
MTLMy Thoughts on them so far This Month
The Bruins might not be top Stanley Cup contenders, but it seems that this young, talented team has picked up where they left off last year. They are still a playoff team for sure and have appeared to be one of the better teams in the league. I’m a little concerned about their losses to the Oilers and Canucks, but it’s early in the season, and they’ve been doing fine otherwise.
Predictions for the Rest of the Month
Look for more of the same heading into the end of the month. I could see them taking down Philly and Montreal in close home games, and I would expect them to give the Hurricanes a wake-up call after their surprisingly strong start. I had anticipated that the Hurricanes would start like this given their schedule, but trust me, it will not last that much longer.
That’s all for today. I hope you enjoy the rest of this crazy month in sports, and stay tuned for more articles on all four teams soon.
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)
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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)
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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.
Welcome to my Week 5 NFL picks and previews. Last week I went 10-5, placing my overall record at 37-24-2 (38-24-2 including Week 5 TNF). I’m ahead of 9 of ESPN’s 10 experts and 3 of CBS Sports’ 8 experts.
There are a lot of intriguing match-ups this week. The Miami Dolphins and Cincinnati Bengals, two of the league’s biggest surprises thus far take each other on. The Minnesota Vikings and Philadelphia Eagles meet in an NFC Championship rematch. The Kansas City Chiefs’ powerful offense may have met their match in the Jags defense. Who will win in these close match-ups? Whoever wins, I would expect a lot of surprises. Keep reading to find out who I have winning this week.
Lock of the Week (TNF: Posted to Twitter Thursday Night; Actual Score: 38-24 Patriots)
The Colts will be without RB Marlon Mack, TE Jack Doyle, and most importantly, star WR T.Y. Hilton. With the offense banged-up, expect QB Andrew Luck to struggle in finding open receivers. Don’t expect a big game from the Colts running backs either. Meanwhile, I think the Colts defense (which is also banged-up) will fail to contain QB Tom Brady and his receivers. I could see the Pats blowing out and possibly even shutting out the injury-riddled Colts.
Upset of the Week
Coming out of the bye, the Panthers will still be without their top receiving target in TE Greg Olsen. I think they will start to miss him this week as the Giants secondary keeps Carolina’s remaining receivers well covered. Meanwhile, I don’t expect a huge game out of RB Christian McCaffrey against an above average Giants defensive front. The Giants will pull the upset thanks to a strong passing game and improved defense.
The Other Games
| Sunday, 1:00 PM EST
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These teams might be the two biggest pleasant surprises of the season so far. This week, we’ll likely see which is here to contend, and which is pretending. I think the Bengals will look like legitimate contenders in this game. The defense will see improvement with LB Vontaze Burfict back from his suspension. Meanwhile, QB Andy Dalton will find plenty of open men, even without TE Tyler Eifert. However, Miami will make it close as WR Kenny Stills and rookie TE Mike Gesicki step it up. |
| Sunday, 1:00 PM EST
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Look for QB Josh Allen to lead Buffalo’s offense to a close game against an inconsistent Titans D. Allen has done well in these last couple games. However, I think the Titans will run away with the victory as the offense finds a way, led by the duo of QB Marcus Mariota and WR Corey Davis. |
| Sunday, 1:00 PM EST
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The Broncos defense has been among the NFL’s best for a long time, and the Jets young defense is emerging as well. Look for both defenses to thrive in a low scoring game. The Denver secondary will do an especially good job at containing QB Sam Darnold and his receivers. I don’t expect the Broncos to look amazing on offense, but they should edge out a victory in New York. |
| Sunday, 1:00 PM EST
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I think Pittsburgh will look alright on offense despite missing RB Le’Veon Bell. But the Falcons WR trio will be too much for the Steelers secondary. The Steelers have never been more than mediocre on defense, and it will cost them here. Expect Atlanta’s RB duo to thrive with RB Devonta Freeman back and QB Matt Ryan to find open receivers for TDs. |
| Sunday, 1:00 PM EST
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Look for Cleveland’s defense to step it up, leading Cleveland to a home victory. QB Baker Mayfield and the Browns offense shouldn’t do especially well against a strong Ravens secondary. But, look for the Browns’ underrated, young defense to cause QB Joe Flacco and the Ravens receivers to struggle. That will be enough for the Browns to pull out a win. |
| Sunday, 1:00 PM EST
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I understand the Chiefs are undefeated and their offense looks unstoppable. But they haven’t seen a defense like Jacksonville’s. I also think the Jaguars will take advantage of the all offense, no defense Chiefs and put together a strong offensive game of their own. The Chiefs have a very tough schedule ahead, and this could be the start of a stretch that bring the Chiefs from unbeatable to a borderline playoff contender. The Jags seem like the team to finally put an end to Kansas City’s offensive dominance and undefeated season. |
| Sunday, 1:00 PM EST
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A lot of people see this as a lock in Green Bay’s favor, but this will not be easy. We’ve seen what Detroit’s offense is capable of at its best, and Green Bay will be without WRs Randall Cobb and Geronimo Allison. QB Aaron Rodgers is not at full health either. Look for the Lions offense to get out to an early lead. But I think QB Aaron Rodgers will have another clutch game, and Rodgers alonMelg with the rising young talent surrounding him will lead the team to a comeback victory. |
| Sunday, 4:05 PM EST
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Look for RBs Melvin Gordon and Austin Ekeler to make an impact against the Mack-less Raiders run defense. I also expect QB Philip Rivers and his receivers to have a successful game. I think this Chargers offense can be all-around dominant against Oakland’s subpar defense. QB Derek Carr will make this close when he tosses 3 TD of his own, but it won’t be enough in this offensive shootout. |
| Sunday, 4:25 PM EST
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These teams have two of the best defenses in the NFC, so don’t expect too much scoring. The Vikings passing game will be somewhat successful in Philly, but you can’t count on the run game with RB Dalvin Cook battling a hamstring injury. I think QB Carson Wentz will manage to find a way at home, even going up against the lights out Vikes defense. |
| Sunday, 4:25 PM EST
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QB Josh Rosen led the Cardinals to their closest game thus far last week, and I truly think they can win this one over the Jimmy Garoppolo-less 49ers. But I’m not calling a blowout for an 0-4 team. I think the 49ers versatile offense will find a way to keep this close. However, led by RB David Johnson, look for Arizona to edge out a victory. |
| Sunday, 4:25 PM EST
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Expect QB Jared Goff and his offense to dominate in Seattle. I think they can easily handle this rebuilding Seahawks defense. Meanwhile, Seattle’s offense will struggle against a Rams D that has emerged as one of the NFC’s best. I think QB Russell WIlson and the Seahawks run game will be especially overwhelmed by the Rams powerful front seven, and the shut down defense will secure an LA victory. |
| Sunday, 8:20 PM EST
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I think QB Dak Prescott and the Cowboys offense will continue to struggle here, especially since they are facing one of the league’s top defenses. Even star RB Ezekiel Elliott could struggle going up against J.J. Watt, Jadeveon Clowney, and the dominant Texans defensive front. Houston will secure the victory after a decent offensive performance. |
| Monday, 8:15 PM EST
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I think the Saints will get it done in primetime, boosted by the return of RB Mark Ingram from his four game suspension. Look for the Redskins to make it close against a mediocre Saints D, but I don’t think Washington will be able to finish the job in New Orleans. |
That’s all for today’s picks and previews. Feel free to comment with your thoughts on any of the games.
Welcome to my NFL Week 6 Picks. Last week I went 6-8, placing my overall record at 36-41. How will I do in this week’s slate of games? Read below and comment with your thoughts. This week is when the contenders start to separate themselves from the pretenders. Who will come out on top?
Teams on Bye: Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, Dallas Cowboys, Seattle Seahawks
Note: In the images, the team on the top is the road team, and the team on the bottom is the home team.
Lock of the Week
The Jets have been on a pretty good run but all will come to an end against the Patriots. I think the Patriots defense will continue to see improvement in this game. Their secondary will shut down the depleted Jets receiving corps, even without CBs Stephon Gilmore and Eric Rowe. Expect the Pats defense to force lots of turnovers as well, giving the potent New England offense more scoring chances. In addition, I think Pats TE Rob Gronkowski will have a strong return from a leg injury that held him out last week. He will dominate against the Jets D in this game. Pats win with ease.
Upset of the Week
The Lions have had a surprisingly strong start to the season. I expect that to continue against an aging Saints team. Lions QB Matthew Stafford will have a huge game as the Saints defense struggles to put pressure on him, giving the strong Lions receivers more time to get open.
Expect the Saints offense to struggle to run the ball effectively against the Lions D, especially after trading away RB Adrian Peterson. Peterson was not making the biggest impact in New Orleans, but he provided the Saints with options in the run game. If Saints RB Mark Ingram starts to look off his game, who do they turn to? Lions pull off the upset.
TNF (Posted to Twitter on Thursday before the game)
After last week’s big victory, the Eagles offense is beginning to gain some momentum. Expect that to continue against the Panthers as they put up 30+ points. I also think the Eagles receivers will have another huge day against a rebuilding Carolina secondary. Even though Panthers QB Cam Newton has gotten back in the swing of things, I think Newton will be the next victim of the Eagles defense. Newton will be hammered in this prime time match-up.
Sunday’s Games
The Falcons are well rested coming off their bye week and their dominant offense should shine in this match-up. Falcons WR Julio Jones will not be stopped by CB Byron Maxwell and the rest of the Dolphins secondary. On defense, LB Vic Beasley and the Atlanta pass rush will not allow Jay Cutler to get into a rhythm. Jay Ajayi could also have another rough day against a tough Atlanta run defense. Atlanta will win easily at home.
The Ravens will win but it won’t be easy. After facing two tough defensive fronts in Weeks 4 & 5, Ravens QB Joe Flacco should have an easier time this week against a weak Bears secondary. I also expect Ravens WR Mike Wallace to lead the Ravens to victory with another 100 yeard game like last week (133-yard).
However, the Bears will also look a little better offensively with rookie QB Mitch Trubisky under center. In addition, WR Kendall Wright will be targetted more with injured receiver Kevin White out again. But things won’t be easy against a tough Ravens defense. It will be close but I have the Ravens holding on in a tight one.
The Texans front seven will be challenged this week after losing defensive stars DE J.J. Watt and LB Whitney Mercilus for the season. Expect Browns RB Isaiah Crowell to have a strong game.
On offense, the Texans will continue to do well with rising star rookie QB Watson. They’ve put up a total of 91 points over the last two weeks (45.5 PPG)! The Browns had the chance to draft Watson and after this game may wish they did. Texans offense will deliver again at home.
This will be a blowout because other than Niners WR Pierre Garcon, I don’t believe there’s anyone else that could step it up for San Francisco offensively. Redskins QB Kirk Cousins and his receivers will thrive against the rebuilding Niners secondary. They will lead the Redskins to an easy win.
Over the last three weeks, the Packers have averaged 32.3 PPG. Expect their offensive success to continue, even against a tough Vikings defense. The Vikings secondary will fail to hold back a stacked group of talented Packers receivers. Packers receivers Nelson, Cobb, and Adams are all at full health this week so expect the Vikes D to have a rough day. I think the Vikings run game could struggle without starting RB Dalvin Cook. They’ll also be without WR Stefon Diggs. Packers win as the Vikings struggle to get into an offensive rhythm.
The Rams have gained some momentum over the last few weeks but it’s never easy to win on the road. The Jags have been off to a pretty strong start as well and their defense could put a stop to Ram’s run. They will contain LA’s playmakers, making it tough for QB Jared Goff to play like he has for most of this season.
However, this win won’t be easy for the Jags. Blake Bortles will be under pressure but I see him having enough success to lead the Jags to a win. He will have to because I believe the Rams will slow down Jas star running back Leonard Fournette. In the end, the Rams won’t produce enough offensively and they’ll fall short against the Jags.
As the Bucs defense finally starts to make its way back to full health, I think they’ll lead Tampa Bay to bounce back win after a tough Thursday night loss to the Pats at home. I expect Cards QB Carson Palmer to take a lot of hits like Tom Brady did last week against an aggressive Bucs defensive front. I don’t think Palmer has much left in the tank as he has struggled this season to help AZ put points on the board. However, young Bucs QB Jameis Winston will thrive in this game, rebounding from a rough game last week against the Pats. His receiving corps will create match-up problems against the strong Arizona secondary as Winston will buy his receivers more time with his elusiveness. The Bucs will win the game with strong performances on both sides of the ball.
The Chiefs are the only remaining undefeated team and the Steelers have been inconsistent losing 2 of their last 3 games to teams they should have beaten, the Bears and the Jags. Before I pick the Steelers to win again, they need to play more consistently.
Steelers QB Big Ben and RB Le’Veon Bell will struggle against the tough KC front seven that has shut down some top RBs and QBs during their 5-0 start. The Steelers will also struggle defensively against speedster WR Tyreek Hill and one of the leagues best TE, Travis Kelce. Big games from both Hill and Kelce will be just enough for KC to win by a Field Goal.
The Raiders offense should be back to full strength this week with star QB Derek Carr, WR Amari Cooper, and WR Michael Crabtree all healthy. I think they’ll put up 30+ points against a weak Chargers defense. The Chargers defense has cost LA many of their games as Chargers have averaged 19.8 PPG but are only 1-4. The Chargers offensive success will bring them close but the Raiders offense will be too much in this shootout.
SNF
The Giants lost their top three receivers to serious injuries last week. None of them will play in this game and the Giants will likely struggle offensively especially since RB Paul Perkins will also be out with an injury. The Broncos arguably have the best defense in the league and will pressure Giants QB, Eli Manning all day. Denver will pull away with the win even with their own offensive struggles. The Broncos defense will carry them to a victory in a low scoring Sunday Night game at Mile High.
MNF
This game will be a thrilling high scoring game that will be much more fun to watch than the Sunday Night defensive battle between the Broncos and Giants. The Titans offense should score with ease against the struggling Colts defense, scoring 5+ TDs. But this isn’t going to be a blowout. Jacoby Brissett has led the Colts offense to win two of their last four games as they have scored over 22 points a game in the last 4. Brissett will hit his star receiver T.Y. Hilton often as he will have a big game against the Titans secondary. But in the end, the Titans’ offensive dominance will be too much for the Colts on the road and carry them to victory on Monday Night.
That’s all for this week. What do you think will happen this Sunday? Feel free to comment with your thoughts. This season has been full of surprises so you should expect more.
The NFL draft has concluded, and as usual, my mock draft sucked because of trades. But now it’s time to reflect on the draft. Below I have graded every pick made by each AFC team and given each team an overall draft grade. Undrafted free agents will not affect these grades.
1 19 Shaq Lawson DE Clemson A
2 10 Reggie Ragland OLB Alabama A-
3 17 Adolphus Washington DT Ohio St. A-
4 41 Cardale Jones QB Ohio St. B
5 18 Jonathan Williams RB Arkansas B+
6 17 Kolby Listenbee WR TCU A-
6 43 Kevon Seymour CB USC A-
What They Did Right: This is one of the better teams in this draft. As usual, Rex Ryan and Doug Whaley went straight for defense. They could’ve mixed it up and went after offense early in this draft, but I think Whaley & Ryan actually took the right approach this time. They had a serious need for pass rushers after losing Kiko Alonso, Nigel Bradham, and Mario Williams the last two off-seasons. Intriguing prospects like Shaq Lawson and Reggie Ragland going that late in the draft was a big steal for Buffalo. Why did they draft a DT then? Kyle Williams and Marcell Dareus aren’t going to last forever, and the Bills already filled their urgent needs in rounds 1 and 2. I also liked their late round selection of Kolby Listenbee. He can develop behind Robert Woods and eventually be a companion to Sammy Watkins. This draft just made an already scary defense better, but their offense may still need work, especially if Jonathan Williams isn’t ready for Week 1.
What They Did Wrong: After taking solid, safe, large school pass rushers in the first three rounds, their fourth and fifth round selections seemed off to me. Since when is E.J. Manuel not an acceptable backup? I guess they didn’t think of him when they took Cardale Jones. Sure, Jones might not be ready to start, but I’m sure he was ready to at least be an NFL QB’s understudy. Unless Manuel gets cut and ends up at rock bottom, Jones won’t see a game until Tyrod Taylor or Manuel is gone. Yes, they needed a running back, but that was a pretty urgent need with Anthony Dixon gone. Jonathan Williams, really? He missed all of last season with a torn ACL. There’s no telling when and if he’ll come back from that. But guess what, Manuel might be released, and Williams might come back. This draft has high upside, and with a safe group of picks chosen in days 1 and 2, the Bills look to be a team that will be highly impacted by this draft. This class can win Rex Ryan games. No more 8-8 seasons? That is highly possible.
1 13 Laremy Tunsil OT Ole Miss C
2 7 Xavien Howard CB Baylor A-
3 10 Kenyan Drake RB Alabama B+
3 23 Leonte Carroo WR Rutgers A-
6 11 Jakeem Grant WR Texas B
6 29 Jordan Lucas SS Penn St. B+
7 2 Brandon Doughty QB West Kentucky B+
7 10 Thomas Duarte TE UCLA B
What They Did Right: The Dolphins may have wasted some of their picks, but the important thing is they addressed all of their main urgent needs at some point during the draft. Kenyan Drake is an efficient RB option that will split time with sophomore player Jay Ajayi, and Xavien Howard fills the need at cornerback across from Byron Maxwell. They got Leonte Carroo and Jakeem Grant to mix into the current wide receiver group, and they got an acceptable backup for Ryan Tannehill that will play ahead of Matt Moore. What they did wrong is they picked the wrong guys at the wrong time. They took Howard when Top 5 corner Mackensie Alexander was still on the board, and he was expected to go in Round 1. They took Drake without recognizing that DeVontae Booker and Kenneth Dixon were much better prospects left.
What They Did Wrong: Really, an offensive tackle in Round 1? Really, picking Laremy Tunsil after his Twitter got hacked and a video of him taking marijuana got posted?!! They could’ve let him slide a little further and gone after a corner, or Kevin Dodd, who ended up out of Round 1. This means that Ja’Wuan James will have to either fill the smaller need at guard, start ahead of Tunsil or Branden Albert, or lose his starting job. Tunsil has so many off the field issues, and it was not necessary to pick him, even if he was best available. The late round picks had the opposite issue of the Day 2 ones, good players at inconvenient positions. Jordan Lucas and Thomas Duarte are great guys. But the Dolphins are fine at tight end. They could have used that pick on a pass rusher or something like that, and unless Reshad Jones plays free safety this season or Jordan Lucas switches positions, they’re all set at strong safety. The Dolphins had an efficient draft as they filled the holes, but may have taken the wrong players at the wrong times, and completely blew their first round pick.
2 29 Cyrus Jones CB Alabama B-
3 15 Joe Thuney OG N.C. State A-
3 29 Jacoby Brissett QB N.C. State B
3 34 Vincent Valentine DT Nebraska B
4 14 Malcolm Mitchell WR Georgia A-
6 33 Kamu Grugier-Hill OLB East Illinois B
6 39 Elandon Roberts ILB Houston A-
6 46 Ted Karras OG Illinois B+
7 4 Devin Lucien WR Arizona St. B-
What They Did Right: Belichick and crew had another efficient draft. They filled most of their major needs. Joe Thuney is in to replace Ryan Wendell. Malcolm Mitchell will join the deep wide receiver rotation. I just don’t see why they A) Drafted multiple guys at one position and B) Passed on quality running backs and defensive ends early. I also like how they drafted a possible Brady replacement in case Brady’s suspension is upheld or he declines. TB12 won’t last forever, but Brissett when Dak Prescott, Connor Cook and RBs Kenneth Dixon and DeVontae Booker available? Bad idea. They also took a lot of long shots, for example, Vincent Valentine, but he took far down players for a reason. Valentine’s the size of Vince Wilfork.
What They Did Wrong: Where’s the franchise RB? Blount’s on the decline, and Dion Lewis is coming off a torn ACL. They took a corner, they took two guards and two receivers, and no running back? Come on Pats. You’re better than that. I also don’t like how after they had gotten up to 12 total picks, traded some big ones away. They needed those picks if they wanted to win a title. I like who the Patriots picked, but I think they may have used picks in an unnecessary way and left out certain areas of need in this draft, especially the need in the backfield.
1 20 Darron Lee OLB Ohio St. A-
2 20 Christian Hackenberg QB Penn St. A-
3 20 Jordan Jenkins OLB Georgia A-
4 20 Juston Burris CB N.C. State B
5 21 Brandon Shell OT S. Carolina A-
7 14 Lac Edwards P Sam Houston St A-
7 20 Charone Peake WR Clemson B+
Overall Grade: B+
What They Did Right: This was a pretty strong draft for the Jets. Almost all of their needs were filled, and their picks (most of them, at least) were under the radar. They went with some of the safest guys at their needed positions on Days 1 and 2 including Darron Lee and Christian Hackenberg. On days 1 and 2 they did a pretty amazing job, their only problems were taking two OLBs instead of an OLB and an ILB, and ignoring their need at OT. They filled it later with Brandon Shell, and minor needs at WR, corner and punter were filled, also mostly with under the radar picks, they were at least considered that for how late they went.
What They Did Wrong: The Jets had a great draft, but their grade goes down significantly for one reason. They still need an ILB! Taiwan Jones is the best they’ve got at ILB, and unless also inconsistent Lorenzo Mauldin moves over, they have a serious issue. A near perfect draft class has its flaws, this is the biggest one. Next time, don’t draft Darron Lee and Jordan Jenkins unless you know an efficient linebacker that can move to the interior.
1 6 Ronnie Stanley OT Notre Dame A+
2 11 Kamalei Correa OLB Boise St. B+
3 7 Bronson Kaufusi DE BYU A-
4 6 Tavon Young CB Temple B-
4 9 Chris Moore WR Cincinnati B-
4 32 Alex Lewis OT Nebraska A
4 34 Willie Henry DT Michigan A-
4 36 Kenneth Dixon RB LA Tech A-
5 7 Matt Judon DE GV State A-
6 7 Keenan Reynolds RB Navy A
6 34 Maurice Canady CB Virginia A-
What They Did Right: The Ravens filled most of their major needs and got some real good players in the process. They may have gone for many long shots, but they really upgraded their weakest spot, the line of scrimmage. Ronnie Stanley and Alex Lewis will really help the offensive tackle depth chart. Bronson Kaufusi, Willie Henry, and Matt Judon will bolster the defensive line and add to an already scary pass rush. The Ravens also had some big steals. They snagged Kenneth Dixon after falling to late Round 4. They also got intriguing Navy RB Keenan Reynolds, and after drafting long-shot corner prospect Tavon Young, they snagged Maurice Canady soon before the conclusion of Round 6. What a draft class!
What They Did Wrong: This was a great draft class full of steals and studs, but every near-perfect thing has its flaws. For Baltimore, the biggest flaw is too many long-shots. A long-shot pick could always be good if you know what you’re doing, but in great numbers, it gets out of hand. They needed a wide receiver and drafted Chris Moore, but he’s not the future of this franchise for when Steve Smith and Mike Wallace get old. Each long shot pick comes with risk, and you want to have a lot of safe selections. You don’t want your whole draft class to become busts, even for a 4th or 5th rounder, where 3 of their 5 picks made are guys I would consider long-shots. They additionally never filled their need at inside linebacker, and a few other long-term needs. This team is good now, but what has happened to their future? The Ravens will know what I mean when they are desperate for a starting wide receiver a couple of years from now.
1 24 William Jackson III CB Houston B
2 24 Tyler Boyd WR Pitt A
3 24 Nick Vigil ILB Utah St. B+
4 24 Andrew Billings DT Baylor A
5 24 Christian Westerman OG ASU B+
6 24 Cody Core WR Ole Miss B
7 24 Clayton Fejedelem SS Illinois A
What They Did Right: This is a good and deep draft class with very high potential. This class had many late round steals. Andrew Billings, expected to go in the first two rounds, fell to Cincy in Round 4. Christian Westerman fell to them in Round 5 after being projected as a 3rd rounder. They also filled their biggest needs by far, safety, and wide receiver. William Jackson III, Dre Kirkpatrick, and Clayton Fejedelem will all battle for the left corner and strong safety spots. Nick Vigil will be an understudy for Rey Maualuga, and Andrew Billings will split time with Domata Peko. Tyler Boyd will be an efficient WR2 or WR3, and Cody Core will fill the depth beyond the top 3 receivers.
What They Did Wrong: They didn’t do too much wrong. This was a pretty good draft, but let’s go over a few small things that affected certain picks in a different way than it did to the overall grade. For example, drafting a corner in Round 1 over wide receiver Michael Thomas wasn’t a great pick. They had a burning need at receiver, and a deep receiver class to fill it with. The secondary was more of a Day 2 issue. They did fill the receiver position later. Then, they didn’t fill the need at safety in Round 3 but instead went for a non-urgent selection of an inside linebacker. Just something to keep in mind, a little shuffle of positions taken each round would’ve helped this class majorly.
1 15 Corey Coleman WR Baylor A
2 1 Emmanuel Ogbah DE Oklahoma St. A
3 2 Carl Nassib DE Penn St. A
3 13 Shon Coleman OT Auburn A
3 31 Cody Kessler QB USC A-
4 1 Joe Schobert OLB Wisconsin A+
4 16 Ricardo Louis WR Auburn A-
4 31 Derrick Kindred S TCU A
4 40 Seth Devalve TE Princeton B+
5 15 Jordan Payton WR UCLA A
5 31 Spencer Drango OG Baylor A
5 35 Rashard Higgins WR Colorado St. A
5 36 Trey Caldwell DB LA-Monroe A-
7 29 Scooby Wright III ILB Arizona A+
What They Did Right: Almost everything. What a draft class. I loved how the Cleveland Browns plotted their draft day. First, a trade back to let the Titans snag an OT and drafting wide receiver Corey Coleman (great fit, by the way!). Then they get DE Emmanuel Ogbah in Round 2 and steal DE Carl Nassib in Round 3. That already makes their defensive line and receiving game a whole lot better. In Round 3 they also snagged offensive tackle Shon Coleman and went for a QB late in the round. They filled their hole at just about every position of need, with a quality pick and pulled the steal of the draft when they took Scooby Wright III (projected for Rounds 3-4) with the 29th pick of Round 7.
What They Did Wrong: I can’t stop complementing at this amazing draft class, but it does have a couple minor issues. First of all, filling the need at receiver is great, but four receivers? That can fill an entire depth chart. I bet Ricardo Louis will be cut before Week 1, and Coleman, Brian Hartline, Higgins, Andrew Hawkins and Payton will fill the depth chart. They probably should have spent a couple of those receiver picks on more defensive help, especially at linebacker and in the secondary. They also drafted a couple too many long shots. Cody Kessler won’t have a chance to compete with RG3, and that’s their biggest need. I couldn’t even find Trey Caldwell or Seth Devalve in CBS Sports’ 2016 NFL Draft Prospect Rankings. However, between all the good picks, all the huge steals, all the positions filled, this was an amazing draft class.
1 25 Artie Burns CB Miami A-
2 27 Sean Davis CB Maryland B-
3 26 Javon Hargrave DT SC State B
4 25 Jerald Hawkins OT LSU A-
6 45 Travis Feeney OLB Washington B
7 8 DeMarcus Ayers WR Houston B-
7 25 Tyler Matakevich ILB Temple B
What They Did Right: The Steelers came into this draft with a few major needs. They focused solely on those needs and drafting the perfect players to fill them. They didn’t necessarily pick the biggest prospects, but they did an outstanding job filling most of their major needs. They received two strong corners, an offensive tackle to replace Kelvin Beachum, and a pass rushing defensive tackle. They have good fits for a lot of the guys they drafted, and that led to an acceptable draft.
What They Did Wrong: They may have drafted perfect fits, but the prospects that were taken weren’t as appealing to most scouts. Sean Davis was a risky pick, he just recently shot up draft boards, and another slightly safer guy like him, Artie Burns, was drafted ahead of him. Still risky for their biggest need. They also forgot about a safety in the process. Travis Feeney and DeMarcus Ayers are also risky picks, and Ayers is a real long shot. Although I did like their strategy, I just think they picked the wrong set of prospects.
1 21 Will Fuller WR Notre Dame A
2 19 Nick Martin C Notre Dame B
3 22 Braxton Miller WR Ohio St. B+
4 21 Tyler Ervin RB San Jose St. C+
5 22 K.J. Dillon SS West Virginia B+
5 29 D.J. Reader DT Clemson B
What They Did Right: The Texans had a great draft, with lots of good picks. However, they failed to fill their major needs precisely. They got a lot of good prospects and did go after guys at positions of need. This draft class has a ton of potential, but it needs to find a place to fit in. There may be concerns unless D.J. Reader can shift to edge rusher, they can find some undrafted FAs to finish off the secondary, and Nick Martin can learn to play not just center but also guard at an NFL level.
What They Did Wrong: As I said before, they did not cover their main needs precisely! Several examples are shown above. Why’d the Texans take Tyler Ervin when they could’ve had their hands on Kenneth Dixon or DeVontae Booker? Ervin likely won’t see a start, Booker or Dixon would’ve competed with Alfred Blue to be a handcuff to Lamar Miller. They didn’t draft enough for the secondary and drafted two very good receivers when they had depth beyond the WR2 position, now filled by Will Fuller. Braxton Miller was a bit of a waste after that selection in the first round. Although they came close and drafted many high upside prospects, those prospects are also high risk, and some don’t fit into the Houston scheme.
1 18 Ryan Kelly C Alabama A-
2 26 T.J. Green FS Clemson A
3 19 Le’Raven Clark OT Texas Tech B
4 18 Hassan Ridgeway DT Texas B-
4 27 Antonio Morrison ILB Florida B-
5 17 Joe Haeg OG NDSU A
7 18 Trevor Bates LB Maine B
7 27 Austin Blythe C Iowa A
Overall Grade: B+
What They Did Right: The Colts’ draft was a roller-coaster ride. One pick was amazing, the next pick, risky or off. What I liked is that they went right for the biggest missing pieces first. They started by rebuilding the offensive line. Ryan Kelly and Joe Haeg will compete for starting jobs. Le’Raven Clark has some time to develop at tackle, but may be able to get some starts at guard. T.J. Green can fill the hole at safety and possibly even switch back to a receiver in the NFL, his old position. Not bad for filling the top needs. But the Colts really wasted their other picks.
What They Did Wrong: Okay, I understand if they wanted d-line insurance, but the Colts wasted two picks on linebackers! That’s their strong position! They have D’ Qwell Jackson, Robert Mathis and Nate Irving playing LB! They don’t need any more help there. I also think a tackle was unnecessary, their needs for the offensive line had no more to them than just the interior. Not a bad draft in filling the needs with safe players, but the same draft class wasn’t great in overall efficiency and doesn’t fit with the team.
1 5 Jalen Ramsey CB/FS Florida St. B+
2 5 Myles Jack OLB UCLA B
3 6 Yannick Ngakoue DE Maryland A-
4 5 Sheldon Day DT Notre Dame B
6 6 Tyrone Holmes OLB Montana A-
6 26 Brandon Allen QB Arkansas B+
7 5 Jonathan Woodard DE Central AR B-
What They Did Right: The Jags may have had some issues with this draft, but overall, between free agency and the draft they really boosted their defense. They added to what they already had in 2015 with DT Malik Jackson, DT, Sheldon Day, DEs Yannick Ngakoue and Jonathan Woodard and linebackers Myles Jack and Tyrone Holmes. The biggest upgrade was in the secondary, which already had Jonathan Cyprien. They added with two strong corners, Jalen Ramsey and Prince Amukamara and safety Tashaun Gipson. The Jags defense is among the most improved units in the NFL.
What They Did Wrong: They went after the right positions, but they took the wrong guys at the wrong positions at the wrong times. They also had some late round shockers that I didn’t like. I did like how they stole Myles Jack in Round 2, but he’s risky, and they only drafted Tyrone Holmes behind him at the position. They should’ve taken a better DE like DeForest Buckner. They additionally wasted some picks on extra positions like DT and QB instead of drafting a center or safer LB.
1 8 Jack Conklin OT Michigan St. A-
2 2 Kevin Dodd DE Clemson A+
2 12 Austin Johnson DT Penn St. B+
2 14 Derrick Henry RB Alabama C+
3 1 Kevin Byard SS Mid Tennessee B
5 1 Tajae Sharpe WR UMass B-
5 20 LeShaun Sims CB South Utah B-
6 18 Sebastian Tretola OG Arkansas B
7 1 Aaron Wallace OLB UCLA A-
7 32 Kalan Reed CB South Miss B
What They Did Right: The Titans, at some point in the draft addressed most of their major needs. They filled holes at OLB, defensive end, defensive tackle/nose tackle and offensive tackle. What were their major needs going into the draft? Offensive lineman and pass rusher. They got Sebastian Tretola as well to fill those needs, a sixth-round steal who can play guard and center. They even planned for the future a little bit, taking another receiver in this draft, and drafting two mediocre corners late (even though Kalan Reed is technically considered Mr. Irrelevant).
What They Did Wrong: The Titans had the same issue as the Jags. They were fine in the first couple rounds but after those rounds things got out of hand. They drafted a running back, safety, and receiver before a guard or linebacker! Oh, and the biggest problem with this draft? DERRICK HENRY!!! For crying out loud, this team just acquired DeMarco Murray!!! Why did they set that plan on fire to draft Derrick Henry, and if Murray still is starting running back, why did the Titans draft the 2nd best running back, in Round 2, ahead of a linebacker just so he could be DeMarco Murray’s handcuff?!!! They had a handcuff for him. Remember Antonio Andrews, that guy who suddenly worked his way up to starting running back? He’s still relevant, as a handcuff at least. From what I’ve heard, Derrick Henry is a lot like DeMarco Murray. That’s not good considering the fact that you could end up with two busts on one team.
1 26 Paxton Lynch QB Memphis A-
2 32 Adam Gotsis DT Georgia Tech B-
3 36 Justin Simmons FS Boston College B
4 38 DeVontae Booker RB Utah B
5 5 Connor McGovern OG Missouri A
6 1 Andy Janovich FB Nebraska B
6 44 Will Parks S Arizona B-
7 7 Riley Dixon P Syracuse C+
What they Did Right: The Broncos filled some major holes in this draft, and they may have failed to fill all their needs, but they drafted some pretty convincing players when they were filling holes. Paxton Lynch was a pretty good pick on Denver’s part, and they didn’t need to trade up, but it was worth it to secure such a good pick. I also really liked their selections of running back DeVontae Booker and guard Connor McGovern. They didn’t just fill those three holes, they made sure they had a relevant player there, a rookie who can be a Week 1 starter. Paxton Lynch may need some time, but Mark Sanchez can be the placeholder. DeVontae Booker will grow behind two strong running backs, and Connor McGovern should be able to work into the system right away, linemen typically develop faster from what I’ve seen.
What They Did Wrong: The Broncos may have locked up some of their needs, but they slipped up on a few of their other picks, they could’ve just filled their minor needs with those picks rather than trying to pull the shocker of the draft, or draft the biggest sleeper. I just don’t understand why they went for positions like safety and punter. Even their pick of DT Adam Gotsis was questionable. Not a bad draft in terms of upside, but not a great draft in terms of making sure they don’t have any major holes.
2 6 Chris Jones DT Missippi St. B-
3 11 KeiVarae Russell CB Notre Dame A-
4 7 Parker Ehinger OG Cincinnati A-
4 8 Eric Murray CB Minnesota B-
4 28 DeMarcus Robinson WR Florida B
5 25 Kevin Hogan QB Stanford B+
5 28 Tyreek Hill WR West Alabama C
6 3 D.J. White CB Georgia Tech A-
6 28 Dadi Nicholas DE Virginia Tech B+
What They Did Right: The Chiefs had a pretty efficient draft. They have Marcus Peters’ new partner in crime. They have a guard to fill in the hole. They have a new backup QB, and they got defensive line help. In terms of filling the holes, this draft was great for the Chiefs. Most of their major needs were filled, some by very high upside players. I like Chris Jones, I like Kevin Hogan, and although I was questioning some of the picks, I like a lot of the players in this draft class.
What They Did Right: Okay, they had some picks with high upside. Some of the rest were long shots and busts. Had you ever heard of Tyreek Hill or Eric Murray before reading this article? Well, I would be shocked if you did, you would have to be either a college football fanatic or draft guru. They did fill the holes, but some of their picks were big risks, might not fill them yet or won’t fill them very long. Only a few picks were in the A-range on my grading scale. Therefore, I have to give this team a pretty low grade compared to what I’ve given to everybody else.
1 14 Karl Joseph FS West Virginia B+
2 13 Jihad Ward DE Illinois B
3 14 Shilique Calhoun DE Michigan St. B+
4 2 Connor Cook QB Michigan St. B-
5 4 DeAndre Washington RB Texas Tech B-
6 19 Cory James OLB Colorado St. C+
7 13 Vadal Alexander OG LSU B
What They Did Right: The Raiders definitely got some players at positions of need, even if they might not be the right guys. They filled the hole at defensive end, outside linebacker (partially) and free safety. They picked the right positions in the right rounds, the draft was supplemental and filled their major needs and they drafted somewhat intriguing picks, whether they were surprises, steals or expected picks. What did the Raiders do wrong? Just about everything else.
What They Did Wrong: The Raiders seriously wasted a good number of their picks. DeAndre Washington is not an efficient RB. Cory James? Connor Cook? Those picks also caught me off. They took Karl Joseph and Jihad Ward too early, and that leaves the Raiders without any guaranteed rookie starters this season. Why Karl Joseph when they had the chance to take Kevin Dodd? Why Jihad Ward over A’Shawn Robinson?!! Some aspects of this draft class are crazy, and the things that make sense could’ve been done better.
1 3 Joey Bosa DE Ohio St. B
2 4 Hunter Henry TE Arkansas B
3 3 Max Tuerk C USC B
4 4 Joshua Perry OLB Ohio St. B
5 38 Jatavis Brown OLB Akron B
6 4 Drew Kaser P Texas A&M B+
6 23 Derek Watt FB Wisconsin B-
7 3 Donovan Clark OG Michigan St. C+
Overall Grade: B
What They Did Right: I actually really liked this draft class. I’m a huge fan of Joey Bosa and Hunter Henry and even like Max Tuerk. All three could be Opening Day starters. This draft class has a lot of depth, with a high-potential player picked almost every round. The class also fills the Chargers needs pretty well. There were no wasted picks, a reason behind each, and almost all of these guys could see significant playing time in 2016 and many years to come.
What They Did Wrong: What’s not to like about this class? None of their picks went after the hottest players available giving the Chargers a potential steal, and they drafted some players at unnecessary positions. Sure, guys like Derek Watt and Joshua Perry are good players, but they might not see significant playing time, a long-time veteran will likely be starting instead for this class’ first few years. But overall, well done San Diego. You got yourself the draft class I would love to have as an NFL GM.
Catch my NFC Draft Grades coming soon. Who do you think aced the draft? Comment below.
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