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.
The NFL off-season has been one of the craziest ever. Tom Brady left Bill Belichick and the Patriots. Instead he went to Tampa, building his own offense. This caused the biggest off-season QB carousel in a long time. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the NFL Draft virtual and canceled the NFL preseason. But despite the pandemic and all the unusual events, football is coming back. With or without fans attending the game, this NFL season will go on, and so will my weekly NFL pick’em posts. Each week, I’ll have my NFL picks on this website as well as some fantasy content on my fantasy football Instagram account, @bsmfantasyfootball. I think this could be one of the most competitive seasons in a while, and that will mean a lot of close games. Keep reading to see my predictions of them all. I’ll say one thing, we could see multiple games go to overtime this week alone.
As I said, there should be a lot of close games this week. This is not one of them. I expect the Bills to have a lot of success running the ball. The combo of Devin Singletary, Zack Moss, and running QB Josh Allen will just be too much for a Jets front seven that will be without LB C.J. Mosley. Allen will also rely on his new star WR Stefon Diggs in this one. QB Sam Darnold will struggle, as a strong Bills defense shuts down his banged up arsenal of weapons.
I think the 49ers are the better team here. But WRs Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk are recovering from injuries, leaving QB Jimmy Garoppolo with solely star TE George Kittle to rely on. The Cardinals defense will focus in on Kittle, making it difficult for Garoppolo’s offense to function. QB Kyler Murray won’t be that much better against a strong San Francisco D. But with WR DeAndre Hopkins in the mix, I think Arizona will put up enough points to pull off the upset this time around. The Niners will have a chance at revenge later this season after Garoppolo’s receivers heal up.
Thursday Night Football | I expect the Chiefs to come out on top in the end here. QB Patrick Mahomes’ offense is a dominant force and I doubt this weakening Texans D will be able to keep up. However, the Texans will make it close, as the duo of WR Brandin Cooks and WR Will Fuller should be able to outplay Kansas City’s secondary. I think they might even force OT. |
 | I think QB Cam Newton will rely on pass catching RB James White and slot WR Julian Edelman to beat out an improved, but still below average Dolphins defense. On the other hand, WR DeVante Parker and TE Mike Gesicki are no match for Stephon Gilmore and Devin McCourty. |
 | The Browns have a good front seven, but it won’t be enough to stop dual threat QB Lamar Jackson. I expect Kevin Stefanski to completely modify the Browns offense and that will allow them to make this competitive. However, in Baltimore I see them falling short. |
 | QB Gardner Minshew II is lacking surroundings. I expect WR D.J. Chark to have a good game thanks to their chemistry, but it’ll be tough against this improved Colts D. The Colts also have an improved run game behind an elite o-line that should dominate against a crumbling Jaguars defense. |
 | The Raiders do have an improving offense centered around RB Josh Jacobs and TE Darren Waller, and they will make it close against an unproven Panthers defense. But I expect RB Christian McCaffrey to run all over the Raiders D in this one. |
 | Washington’s defense is looking better than it has in a while, with a front seven led by rookie Chase Young and veteran Ryan Kerrigan, plus a secondary that includes CB Kendall Fuller and S Landon Collins. They will hold the Eagles to just 1 TD, but fall short due to anemic offense. |
 | The Vikings D is looking strong after adding DE Yannick Ngakoue, so I expect a strong Week 1 performance against Green Bay. RB Dalvin Cook will lead Minnesota to victory, but it will be close with natural slot WRs Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson rotating outside. |
 | The Lions won’t put up too many points as I expect the Bears D to improve upon last year. But the Bears QB troubles will cause them to fall short. I think QB Mitch Trubisky will have some success with RB Tarik Cohen and WR Allen Robinson, but be too inconsistent to finish the job. I have Detroit taking it in OT. |
 | This is definitely going to be a close one. But on the road, I have the Seahawks falling short. QB Matt Ryan will lean on his strong WR duo and RB Todd Gurley to lead Atlanta to victory in overtime. |
 | The Chargers secondary is looking strong, but the loss of S Derwin James hurts. I think QB Joe Burrow will capitalize on his connection with WR Tyler Boyd and find ways to beat out this strong Chargers D, pulling off the upset in his debut. The Chargers offense will show flashes of a strong performance but struggle overall with Tyrod Taylor at QB. |
 | QBs Tom Brady and Drew Brees face off twice this year. In this one, I’m expecting the Saints to squeeze by for a victory in a back and forth offensive shootout. WRs Michael Thomas, Mike Evans, and Chris Godwin will all get the chance to stand out here. |
Sunday Night Football | I’m expecting an OT thriller in the first edition of SNF this year. QB Jared Goff will be under center in a pass heavy offense that outplays the Cowboys secondary and makes this one close. But QB Dak Prescott will rely on what’s arguably the best WR trio in the league alongside RB Ezekiel Elliott as he leads the Cowboys to last minute victory. |
Monday Night Football | This could be tough for the Giants as Pittsburgh has one of the best defenses in the league. But the Giants defense has also improved, and I expect them to slow down RB James Conner and make things difficult for QB Ben Roethlisberger in his return. This could go either way, but I have New York pulling off an upset in overtime. |
Monday Night Football | I think the Broncos will shut down QB Ryan Tannehill and make it hard for the Titans offense to put up much. But RB Derrick Henry will just be too much for Denver, allowing the Titans to stay in this game. Denver’s offense will take time to click after all the new additions, but I think RB Melvin Gordon and rookie WR Jerry Jeudy will make a difference as the Broncos narrowly get by here. |
Which teams do you have winning this week? Comment with your thoughts.
Training camp is here, and it’s time for my final batch of NFL Draft Report Cards. Last time, I reviewed the AFC South, where several teams struggled. But the AFC West had some teams with much better draft classes. Who are they? 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.
Denver Broncos
The Broncos put together one of the league’s best draft classes. The trade down in Round 1 was very smart, as Fant fills a huge need and was an amazing fit. They added a tackle (Risner) in Round 2, and if he can make a successful move to guard, he could really help the team. Lock was a bargain as well, and Dre’Mont Jones will fill another big need for Denver. The Broncos could’ve added more secondary help and another WR, but every pick had a purpose, and with just six picks, they filled a good amount of needs.
Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers started this draft off very strong. But they made some confusing choices later on. They didn’t have too many needs to fill, and they filled them early. Tillery and Adderley were great adds, and Pipkins was a reach but should still compete for a tackle job and have success. Later on though, they reached a bit on several picks. It was smart to take a QB, but Round 5 is too early for Stick. They also reached for Tranquill, Broughton, and Egbule. Still, LA filled their needs earlier and more efficiently than any other team, making for a strong draft class where the later rounds didn’t matter nearly as much.
Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs reaches on a handful of these selections, but they did filled a decent amount of needs. They boosted the interior o-line. They drafted extra RB and WR help. They even added a safety with their first pick. But even with Frank Clark on the roster, the Chiefs’ biggest need for an edge rusher, and that need has yet to be filled. That fact, alongside the lack of interior o-line depth and the numerous reaches the Chiefs made, brings down KC’s grade.
Oakland Raiders
The Raiders went into this draft with a handful of defensive holes and a few offensive holes as well. They filled most of these, but they took players that they could’ve drafted in later rounds. If they had traded down a couple times, they would likely have more help at guard and defensive tackle than they got, and they’d get some of their targets at better values. Clelin Ferrell could’ve been taken at #24 or #27. They took him at #4. The Raiders did have some really good picks as well though. I liked the choices of Trayvon Mullen, Foster Moreau, and Hunter Renfrow. But they could have done a better job at managing their draft picks and focused more on value.
That’s all for my 2019 NFL Draft Report Cards. Stay tuned for more NFL coverage as the regular season looms.
Welcome to my 6th post in my series of Super Bowl LIII Preview articles. My video preview of the game with a transcript is below. How do these two teams match up? Watch the video to find out what I think. You can also check out my entire Super Bowl LIII preview schedule below. I will be posting preview articles throughout the week as festivities in Atlanta take place.
January 28: Super Bowl LIII: How They Got Here
January 29: The Case for the Patriots: How They Can Win, Keys to the Game
January 30: The Case for the Rams: How They Can Win, Keys to the Game
February 1: Super Bowl LIII Fast Facts and Their Significance
February 1: Super Bowl LIII: Final Prediction, Projected Stats & MVP
February 3: Super Bowl LIII Video Preview
February 3: The Final Countdown: Final Injury Report, Outlook Before the Game (Including iMovie Trailer)
February 3: Enjoy the game and stay tuned for my recap after the game!
After taking the Rams down in the first Super Bowl of the Brady-Belichick era, the Patriots take them on again in Super Bowl LIII. Coming off an OT thriller over the Chiefs, the Pats should have plenty of motivation for this game after losing the Super Bowl last year. In addition, a win will give the Pats 6 Lombardi trophies and tie the Steelers for the most Super Bowl wins all time by an NFL team. The Rams made it here after an overtime victory of their own that was made possible because of a Rams pass interference no-call, but they’ll look to get revenge on the Pats for derailing the “Greatest Show on Turf” back in 2001. 17 years later, the Pats are the experienced dynasty, and the Rams are once again on the rise. But the Pats took down a high scoring Rams offense back in 2001 and with 2 weeks to prepare, Belichick should have a game plan to shut down the Rams again. Though the Patriots dynasty is headed “Back to their Roots”, there are several factors that make this game different.
The Patriots defense isn’t quite as good as it was back in 2001. So for the Pats to beat the Rams again, they’ll need to play like they did in the first half in KC and stop the Rams running game led by Todd Gurley and C.J. Anderson. The Patriots defense has struggled to contain big name running backs in recent years, and if they fail to contain Gurley and Anderson, it may prevent them from winning. Winning the turnover battle will also help their case. Both QBs have had interception troubles this year, and both teams are Top 5 in interceptions. The question is, who will throw more? About 80% of the time, teams who win the turnover battle win the game. The Pats will also need to score early as they did against the Chiefs and Chargers. Though they did score their only Super Bowl first quarter points in the Brady-Belichick Era last year, they were outscored in the first quarter. Starting out strong with a TD will prevent that from happening again.
If the Rams want revenge, they will need to put pressure on QB Tom Brady. If they can apply the pressure up the middle, Brady could be limited and interception-prone. The battle in the trenches will be key as New England’s offensive line has been playing well but the Rams defensive line is probably the toughest they’ve faced all year.
QB Jared Goff will need to show that his lack of experience doesn’t matter and avoid interceptions. Gurley and Anderson cannot lead the offense alone, and Goff has not been throwing it as much since WR Cooper Kupp got hurt. Interceptions could significantly impact the game so it will be interesting to see if he forces some throws.
I expect Julian Edelman to have another stellar playoff performance with about 100 receiving yards and a TD. I also won’t be surprised to see Gronk play a big role in what could be his last game.
This will definitely be a close one like all of the Pats Super Bowls but in the end, I believe the Pats win 26-24 making it 3 Super Bowl wins in 5 years.
Stay tuned for a final update before the game including my iMovie Trailer.
Welcome to my 1st of several Super Bowl LIII Preview articles. The match-up is set, the teams are in Atlanta for Opening Night, and today I will be looking at how the Patriots and Rams got here and taking a first look at the match-up. What can we expect from this year’s big game? Keep reading to find out what I think. You can also check out my entire Super Bowl LIII preview schedule below. I will be posting preview articles throughout the week as festivities in Atlanta take place.
January 27 or 28: Super Bowl LIII: How They Got Here
January 28 or 29: The Case for the Patriots: How They Can Win, Keys to the Game
January 29 or 30: The Case for the Rams: How They Can Win, Keys to the Game
January 30 or 31: Super Bowl LIII Fast Facts and Their Significance
January 31 or February 1: Super Bowl LIII: Final Prediction, Projected Stats & MVP
February 1 or 2: Super Bowl LIII Video Preview
February 2 or 3: The Final Countdown: Final Injury Report, Outlook Before the Game (Including iMovie Trailer)
February 3: Enjoy the game and stay tuned for my recap after the game!
Patriots
The Patriots were off to a rough start this season, going 1-2 in their first three games without WR Julian Edelman. However, they brought in WR Josh Gordon to add back WR depth they’d lost in the off-season. Gordon thrived in his first game with the Pats, and when Edelman returned, they made for a dynamic duo that led the offense to dominate.
Though they started 7-2, they lost their third game in Tennessee before the bye as TE Rob Gronkowski sat out an extra game after an injury. After the bye, they did win a couple games, playing the Jets and Vikings. But after that their road struggles continued as they lost in Miami and in Pittsburgh. After 14 games, the Pats were 9-5, and they were at risk of missing out on a first round bye. They had the tiebreaker over the Texans, but the Texans were 10-4 at this point. The Pats needed to win one more game than Houston.
It wasn’t a good sign when WR Josh Gordon was suspended indefinitely once again for marijuana, but the Pats took care of the Bills and Jets easily in New England. They nearly shut out the Jets in Week 17! They did grab hold of the first round bye, but the question was, were these blowouts against the league’s worst a fluke, or were the Pats legitimate Super Bowl contenders?
The fans’ doubts were silenced when the Patriots dominated their Divisional Round match-up, hosting the Chargers. They would head to Kansas City to take on the Chiefs in the AFC title game. This was bound to be a close one, especially because the Patriots lost the last time they had played on the road. They were off to a strong start, but they began to fall behind late in the game.
With two minutes to go, it was 28-24 Chiefs. The Pats had the ball in what was still a one possession game. They marched down the field and Burkhead scored the TD, but they scored a little too fast. They left enough time for the Chiefs to add a field goal to tie it up at 31-31 and force overtime.
After that the Patriots won the toss, and though it was a nail biter with many close calls and 3rd downs, the Pats made their way down the field for the TD, winning the game 37-31! This was Brady’s third OT victory in a postseason game, making him the first player to do so. This was also the first time two playoff games had gone into overtime in one day.
You can read more about the AFC Championship at the link below:
Back to their Roots: Pats Dynasty Continues after OT Thriller
The Patriots are now headed to their 4th Super Bowl in 5 years, as Brady looks to ‘Blitz for Six’ and Gronk looks to potentially end his career with a bang. The best part is, as intriguing as a Brady vs. Drew Brees match-up would be, they’re playing the Los Angeles Rams, taking the Brady-Belichick dynasty back to their roots. Back in 2001, Brady led the Patriots to their first Super Bowl victory over the QB Kurt Warner-led St. Louis (now Los Angeles) Rams. You could also compare that victory to this year’s AFC Championship when Brady and co. took down QB Patrick Mahomes II and an explosive Chiefs offense after coming in as 3 point underdogs.
Rams
The last time the Rams won the NFC was back in 2001, when QB Kurt Warner led an offense known as ‘The Greatest Show on Turf’ to their second Super Bowl in three years. They would face QB Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. Though they had won in 1999, they could not get past Brady and Belichick, who won their first championship together and started a legendary dynasty. 17 years later, the Rams will seek revenge.
After Warner left St. Louis, things were ugly for the Rams for much of the 2000s. But in 2015, they began rebuilding, drafting star RB Todd Gurley in 2015, trading up in 2016 to draft the QB of their future: Jared Goff, firing head coach Jeff Fisher, and hiring the young Sean McVay to replace Fisher. To top off their rebuild, they moved back to Los Angeles as they seeked a culture change heading in to the second half of the 2010s.
In 2017, Goff, Gurley, and McVay led the team back to the playoffs with help from a star-studded defense led by DT Aaron Donald. However, as the #3 seed, they lost on Wild Card Weekend. The 2017-18 off-season was a busy one for the Rams. The Rams made it clear they wanted to win now, exchanging WR Sammy Watkins, TE Lance Kendricks, DE Robert Quinn, OLB Alec Ogletree, and CB Trumaine Johnson for WR Brandin Cooks, DT Ndamukong Suh, CB Marcus Peters, CB Aqib Talib, and CB Sam Shields. Later in the season, they added RB C.J. Anderson and pass rusher Dante Fowler Jr. as well. They now had one of the best secondaries in the league, Gurley and Anderson made for a dominant RB duo, and WRs Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods broke out, giving Goff a WR trio for most of the season. Kupp has since torn his ACL and ended his season, but the Rams dominated in all aspects for most of the season.
After starting 8-0, the Rams headed to New Orleans, where they lost their first game in a shootout. The Rams lost WR Cooper Kupp the next game despite a win. Without Kupp, they weren’t as dominant, going 4-2. But they took care of business against the Cowboys, winning 30-22. They would travel to New Orleans once again for the NFC Championship.
They were trailing for most of the game as expected, but they came back to tie it up at 20. The Saints were going for one last drive. When QB Drew Brees threw it to WR Tommylee Lewis, he was hoping for a first down. However, the pass was broken up on a hard hit by CB Nickell Robey-Coleman. I am not alone in my belief that the play by Robey-Coleman was blatant pass interference. But the refs didn’t call it. The Saints made the field goal. But the Rams had time to respond with a field goal of their own.
The game went to overtime, and New Orleans won the toss. But after S John Johnson picked off QB Drew Brees, the Rams drove down the field, kicked another field goal, and won the game, 26-23. Saints fans were heartbroken. But the Rams were ecstatic – they had won the NFC for the first time in 17 years. This was only their third Super Bowl appearance, the other two coming during the ‘Greatest Show on Turf’ era.
Championship weekend and the weeks leading up to it were very exciting. But moving on to the Super Bowl, the Rams will take on the Patriots in just 6 days. Who will come out on top? Keep reading to hear my initial take on the match-up.
This is definitely going to be close. The Pats aren’t coming off a great season by Brady-Belichick standards. They went 11-5 for the first time since 2009, and the first time since their run of seven straight AFC Championships (now eight) began. But the Pats have dominated offensively in each of their last 4 games, and they have motivation going on as QB Tom Brady looks to win his sixth ring and TE Rob Gronkowski looks to potentially end his career with one more. Until this year, Gronk had been spoiled year after year with records of 12-4 or higher. Despite a rough regular season, the Pats will look to make up for it with another Super Bowl victory (which would be Gronk’s third). To get past a difficult Rams defense, they’ll have to use a large variety of plays to try and fake them out. If they are as strong offensively as they have been in the last 4 games, they should be capable of winning this. But the Rams’ D might be the toughest New England has faced since their latest win streak.
Coming off a first round playoff exit and a busy off-season that got fans excited, the Rams went 13-3 and earned the #2 seed in the NFC behind only the New Orleans Saints (who they lost to). After being ‘overthrown’ by Brady-Belichick dynasty in 2001, they will look to dethrone the Pats in their return to the Super Bowl. In order to do so, not only will they need QB Jared Goff and the RB duo of Gurley and Anderson to step it up, they’ll need the entire offense around Goff and Gurley to thrive against a mediocre New England defense.
Who will win Super Bowl LIII? What is the game plan for each team? What Super Bowl and season-long stats will burden, encourage and/or influence each team? Find out this week as I release more articles each day.
It was 31-31 in overtime. After winning the toss, the New England Patriots had the ball on 3rd down at the Kansas City 30 yard line. QB Tom Brady had made two straight third down conversions going to WR Julian Edelman, but this time, he looked in the direction of TE Rob Gronkowski. Gronk had not been himself for most of the season. But after stating that he would ‘seriously consider’ retirement with the conclusion of the season, he had stepped it up so far in this game, with 5 receptions for 64 yards. He was tightly covered by S Eric Berry, but it didn’t matter. He reached up and caught it, keeping the Patriots’ drive alive with a clean set of downs. After that, Brady handed it off to RB Rex Burkhead three times, and he finished the job. Touchdown. 37-31, Patriots win!
The Patriots are now headed to their 4th Super Bowl in 5 years, as Brady looks to ‘Blitz for Six’ and Gronk looks to potentially end his career with a bang. The best part is, as intriguing as a Brady vs. Drew Brees match-up would be, they’re playing the Los Angeles Rams, taking the Brady-Belichick dynasty back to their roots. Back in 2001, Brady led the Patriots to their first Super Bowl victory over the QB Kurt Warner-led St. Louis (now Los Angeles) Rams. You could also compare that victory to tonight’s when Brady and co. took down QB Patrick Mahomes II and an explosive Chiefs offense after coming in as 3 point underdogs.
The Pats set themselves up for success with a strong start to the game where they showcased complimentary football. The Pats were in no rush in the 1st quarter, so they took their time, running the ball and eating clock on their first scoring drive of the game. It was important to get into a rhythm early on to keep up with the Kansas City, but keeping the ball for 80% of the first quarter works. Their opening drive was the longest playoff opening drive in the history of the Brady-Belichick Patriots. The Pats held Kansas City to under 3 minutes of 1st quarter possession time by sacking Mahomes and shutting down the Chiefs offense quickly. Preventing the Chiefs from developing a rhythm of their own also works. In fact, while the Pats had 100+ total yards after one quarter, the Chiefs had negative yardage.
New England had another drive going that continued into the 2nd quarter, but things went south when Brady threw an end zone pick to LB Reggie Ragland. The Chiefs had just successfully pressured TB12 and taken control of the turnover battle in one measly play. Many people say this was a blatant mistake by Brady, but I saw it as a job well done by an underrated, young Chiefs D. Though the Pats had lost their rhythm after marching down the field, they did shut down the Chiefs easily after the interception, forcing 3 and out. With just about 7 minutes left in the 1st half, the Pats had 155 total yards, and the Chiefs still had just -2.
It took a bit for the Pats to get back into the swing of things after the pick, but on a deep throw to WR Phillip Dorsett, they scored again two drives later. Utilized as a receiver, White led them through majority of the drive, but it was the deep throw to Dorsett that scored the TD for New England. After their defense’s big showing in the first half, the Pats held a 14-0 lead at halftime. The defense had held the Chiefs to just 32 total yards in the half, and this was the first time the Chiefs had been shutout in the first half at home in 51 games
However, the Chiefs figured out New England’s formula in their first drive after halftime, marching down the field in 4 plays for a TD thanks to a huge catch by WR Sammy Watkins and a quality TD by TE Travis Kelce in tight coverage. Preventing big plays is a definitive weakness of the Pats D. The Patriots needed to extend their lead so they didn’t have to press the panic button when Mahomes and co. started dominating. They failed to score another TD in the 3rd quarter, but they did add a field goal to their lead, making it 17-7 Pats. However, Mahomes and RB Damien Williams led the Chiefs on a huge drive to end the 3rd quarter. This one did end in a touchdown, narrowing New England’s lead to just 3 points after a somewhat questionable pass interference call. It had been 14-0 at half, but the Chiefs offense had just taken control of the game, outscoring New England 14-3 in the 3rd quarter.
The Pats tried again to score a TD at the beginning of the 4th quarter, but they couldn’t convert on 4th down. They forced the Chiefs to punt on the next drive, but initially, the refs called the punt muffed by Edelman when the Chiefs picked up the ball. However, the call was overturned after instant replay showed that Edelman never touched it. Edelman ended up costing the Pats the following drive though, as he bobbled a pass, allowing the Chiefs to intercept it and go on to take the lead with a TD the following drive.
The 4th quarter was a back and forth battle with several lead changes. The Pats and Chiefs each scored a touchdown on their next drives, making it 28-24 Chiefs. With two minutes to go, the Pats had the ball in what was still a one possession game. The Pats marched down the field and Burkhead scored the TD, but they scored a little too fast. They left enough time for the Chiefs to add a field goal to tie it up and force overtime. It was 31-31.
After that the Pats won the toss, and though it was a nail biter with many close calls and 3rd downs, the Pats made their way down the field for the TD, winning the game! This was Brady’s third OT victory in a postseason game, making him the first player to do so. This was also the first time two playoff games had gone into overtime in one day.
Despite 2 interceptions, Brady finished 30/46 with 348 passing yards and a TD. Sony Michel rushed for 113 yards and scored two TDs, and Burkhead had two rush TDs of his own. Edelman and Gronk each had 75+ receiving yards, and James White nearly had 50.
Mahomes threw 3 TDs and 0 interceptions as the Chiefs won the turnover battle despite losing, but Mahomes only threw for 295 yards, partly because the Pats had the ball for much longer. Though Watkins had 114 receiving yards, Damien Williams caught 2 TDs as well as rushing in one.
It’s hard to name one MVP for the Pats in this game, because everyone did their job. The important thing is, the Pats will travel to Atlanta to take on QB Jared Goff, RB Todd Gurley, and the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LIII. In Belichick terms, ‘We’re on to the Super Bowl’. The Red Sox beat the LA Dodgers in the World Series just three months ago. Can Boston teams not only win two championships in a year, but also beat the city of LA twice?
Welcome to my Week 16 NFL picks and previews. Last week, I went 11-5, putting my overall record at 126-97-2 (127-98-2 including Week 16 Saturday games). For the most part, there are very few upsets in the final few weeks of the season. I don’t think there will be many upsets this week, either. But that doesn’t mean there won’t be any surprises. There’s bound to be a couple surprise victories. But who will be the team to surprise us this week? Keep reading to find out what I think, and feel free to comment with your thoughts.
Lock of the Week
Expect Detroit’s offensive struggles to continue against the strong Vikings defense. The Vikings won’t be at their best offensively either in this game, but they should still score multiple TDs. The combination of these two factors will help the Vikings win with ease in Detroit.
Upset of the Week (SNF)
I think QB Patrick Mahomes II could have a dominant game against the inexperienced Seahawks defense, tossing 3+ TDs. But I expect Seattle’s versatile, consistent offense to put together more quality drives and find a way to win at home, especially against one of the worst defenses in the league. The Chiefs will be without not only RB Kareem Hunt, but also WR Sammy Watkins. I see them just barely coming up short at CenturyLink Field.
The Other Games
| Saturday, 4:30 PM EST (Posted to Twitter on Saturday; Actual Score: 25-16 Titans)
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Look for QB Marcus Mariota and the young Titans offense to get it done against an unmotivated Redskins defense. QB Josh Johnson and his offense will not help matters for the Redskins as they fail to score a TD. This will partially be due to Washington’s QB struggles without Alex Smith, but also partially due to a dominant defensive game by Tennessee that secures them a victory. |
| Saturday, 8:20 PM EST (Posted to Twitter on Saturday; Actual Score: 22-10 Ravens)
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Despite an ugly game, expect QB Philip Rivers and the Chargers to prevail here. RB Melvin Gordon and WR Keenan Allen will boost the Chargers in their return, but the entire offense including Gordon and Allen will be limited by the overwhelming Baltimore defense. QB Lamar Jackson and his offense will make this close, but they even after the strong defensive performance, the Ravens will fail to keep up with Rivers, Gordon, and Co. |
| Sunday, 1:00 PM EST
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Look for the Pats to rebound from two straight losses in their return to Gillette. Even without WR Josh Gordon (who was suspended earlier this week), I think QB Tom Brady will turn it around for 3+ TDs. Even the Pats defense will improve here as they hold Buffalo to just 1 TD. |
| Sunday, 1:00 PM EST
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Expect the Dolphins to win here, but it will not be easy. First of all, I’m expecting a low scoring, ugly game. In addition, I see the Jags forcing overtime as their defense gets back on track here. However, Jacksonville will fall short as their offense struggles to produce without a quality starting QB. |
| Sunday, 1:00 PM EST
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Look for Green Bay to get by due to a consistent offense led by QB Aaron Rodgers. Expect New York’s offense to look good at times as the Packers struggle at times to contain the Jets’ receivers. But the Packers defense will still prevent them from getting into a real rhythm. |
| Sunday, 1:00 PM EST
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Cleveland has struggled in overtime throughout the season. For all we know, they could be leading the division if it weren’t for their OT struggles. But in this game, I see the Browns winning in overtime thanks to a clutch performance by QB Baker Mayfield and his young offense. Cincy will make it close thanks to the emergence of WRs Tyler Boyd and John Ross agains the inexperienced Browns D. But I still expect them to fall just short. |
| Sunday, 1:00 PM EST
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Look for Philly to pull the upset after a strong offensive game supported by QB Nick Foles. Their case will be helped by Houston’s offensive struggles without RB Lamar Miller. The Texans D will limit Foles and the Eagles, but it will not be enough. |
| Sunday, 1:00 PM EST
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Look for QB Andrew Luck and his offense to find a way against a weakened Giants D. The Giants should be alright without WR Odell Beckham Jr. against an inexperienced Colts defense. But Luck and the Colts will be able to lead Indy to victory regardless. |
| Sunday, 1:00 PM EST
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Expect QB Dak Prescott to lead the Cowboys to victory in a relatively high scoring game. QB Jameis Winston will toss 2-3 TDs of his own against a young Dallas defense, but the Bucs D will struggle regressively as usual, allowing the Cowboys to outplay Tampa’s offense and win easily. |
| Sunday, 1:00 PM EST
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QB Taylor Heinicke will not be able to compete with QB Matt Ryan like QB Cam Newton would. Look for Ryan and the Falcons offense to dominate against a weak Carolina secondary as Atlanta wins in a blowout. |
| Sunday, 4:05 PM EST
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Look for the Bears to get by in a defense-first game. Chicago’s D will hold QB Nick Mullens and the Niners to just 10 points. Don’t expect a field day for the Chicago offense, but they should put up enough points for a road victory. |
| Sunday, 4:05 PM EST
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Look for the Rams strong D to shut down the Cardinals’ young offense. The Rams won’t be great offensively, but they’ll put up enough to get by despite an ugly overall game. |
| Sunday, 4:25 PM EST
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The Saints won’t be up to full speed offensively, as WR Michael Thomas is the only trustworthy receiver QB Drew Brees has right now. But the Steelers’ offense won’t be at full capacity either with RB James Conner out. QB Ben Roethlisberger will toss multiple TD, but it won’t be enough as the run game is practically non-existent. This will allow the Saints to get by at home. |
| Monday, 8:15 PM EST
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Look for the Broncos’ to win in primetime thanks to a strong game by not only RB Phillip Lindsay but the entire Denver run game. The Raiders’ offense will struggle to produce against a strong Denver defense, even in Oakland. |
That’s all for today’s picks. Stay tuned for more NFL coverage soon.
Welcome to my Week 15 NFL Picks and Previews. Last week was a rough week, as I went 6-10, putting my overall record at 115-92-2 (117-93-2 including TNF and Saturday). I am still only ahead of 1 expert (Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports). This week, many teams have a chance to lock up playoff spots, but will all of the current contenders keep rolling this week, or will some fall behind as other teams rise? The Patriots take on the Steelers, and the Saints play the Panthers in Carolina, so there’s bound to be a couple teams knocked out of contention. Pittsburgh, who’s already just 7-5-1, faces not only New England but also the Saints on their remaining schedule. This could open the door for the Ravens and Browns in the AFC North. Keep reading to find out what I think, and feel free to comment with your thoughts.
Lock of the Week
The Redskins won’t be able to do much offensively with Mark Sanchez and Josh Johnson as their QBs. The Jags may have struggled this season, but their defense is still easily top 10 in the NFL. This will open the door for young QB Cody Kessler and the Jaguars to put up a strong offensive game in a blowout win. The Redskins defense will lack motivation considering how badly the offense is doing, allowing Kessler to toss multiple TD and the Jacksonville run game to dominate.
Upset of the Week
Seattle has been strong at home this season with a 5-2 record. But on the road, they are a measly 3-3. We’ve seen what Niners QB Nick Mullens is capable of. Against an inexperienced Seahawks defense, I could see Mullens having a big game and leading San Francisco to pull off an upset. The Niners run game will struggle though, since RB Matt Breida is not 100%. Seattle should have a decent game offensively, but they won’t be able to compete with Mullens’ dominance, and QB Russell Wilson will struggle to connect with any WR who isn’t named Tyler Lockett. Mullens will prove that although he’s not the future of the Niners, he is a capable QB who can handle the weaker defenses in the league with ease.
The Other Games
| TNF (Posted to Twitter Thursday Night; Actual Score: 29-28 Chargers)
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Look for QB Philip Rivers and his receivers to lead the Chargers past the weak Kansas City defense in a close, overtime game. The Chiefs should also look very strong on offense, but they won’t be up to full speed without RB Kareem Hunt and WR Sammy Watkins. This and the defensive struggles will cost the Chiefs late in the game. |
| Saturday, 4:30 PM EST (Posted to Twitter Saturday; Actual Score: 29-22 Texans)
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Expect QB Sam Darnold and the Jets to put up a relatively strong game, even against the tough Houston defense. But QB Deshaun Watson and the Texans will get by as the Jets are still held under 20. The return of RB Dont’a Foreman will boost the Texans’ offensive performance in the road victory. |
| Saturday, 8:20 PM EST (Posted to Twitter Saturday; Actual Score: 17-16 Browns)
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Look for the Broncos to win at home in a low scoring game. The Browns will struggle against a tough Broncos defense in Denver despite a stronger offensive season. The strong defense as well as a big game from the Broncos RBs will lead the Broncos in their victory. |
| Sunday, 1:00 PM EST
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Led by the WR duo of Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs, expect the Vikings to secure a victory at home after losing 2 in a row. The Vikes defense will help their case as well, but the Dolphins will make this closer than you think. |
| Sunday, 1:00 PM EST
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Look for QB Josh Allen to lead the Bills to a home victory, taking advantage of his running abilities with RB LeSean McCoy out and RB Chris Ivory banged-up. The Lions will look better offensively than they have been lately, but the Bills defense will prevent Detroit from providing a serious challenge. |
| Sunday, 1:00 PM EST
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QB Lamar Jackson will prove himself as Baltimore’s starting QB here, leading the Ravens to victory at home. The Ravens D will also have a strong game, holding Tampa under 15. The Bucs offense will lack the energy it usually has in the loss, making the Ravens D’s job easier. |
| Sunday, 1:00 PM EST
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Look for QB Jeff Driskel and his offense to outperform their expectations against the young Oakland defense. Cincy’s run game will help, as Joe Mixon has 100+ yards rushing. But Driskel will still throw multiple TDs in the victory. Meanwhile, Oakland will be held to just 1 TD, as QB Derek Carr has a hard time relying on his WRs, instead relying on TE Jared Cook. |
| Sunday, 1:00 PM EST
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QB Marcus Mariota should be able to find his receivers despite lacking WR depth, as the Giants defense struggles to contain Mariota’s receivers without S Landon Collins (injured) and CB Eli Apple (traded). The Giants will fall short as the defense struggles and QB Eli Manning throws throws more picks than he throws TDs. |
| Sunday, 1:00 PM EST
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The Colts offense should be alright against the young Dallas D. However, QB Dak Prescott and the Cowboys will continue to dominate against the weak Colts defense. Strong games by WR Amari Cooper and RB Ezekiel Elliott will lead them to victory. |
| Sunday, 1:00 PM EST
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Look for DE Khalil Mack and the Bears defense to dominate against a Packers team that lacks talent outside of QB Aaron Rodgers. This will allow QB Mitch Trubisky and the Bears to thrive, winning easily with the help of a strong game by their RB duo. |
| Sunday, 1:00 PM EST
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Look for QB Matt Ryan and his receivers to dominate against the struggling Arizona defense. The Cardinals will also put up an underwhelming performance on offense, as QB Josh Rosen struggles to find his receivers without WR Christian Kirk, even against the weak Falcons D. The Cardinals will fall short after Atlanta’s much better offensive game. |
| Sunday, 4:25 PM EST
Check back closer to kickoff for a video preview! |
The Pats will get by in Pittsburgh, but QB Tom Brady will still struggle to connect with his receivers on the road. The Steelers offense will struggle as well and their run game won’t be able to do much of anything without RB James Conner. |
| Sunday, 8:20 PM EST
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QB Jared Goff and the Rams will look good against the depleted Eagles defense, even if they aren’t at their best. But it’s LA’s defense that will lead the Rams to victory. The Rams defense will shut down a Philly offense that can be explosive at times. |
| Monday, 8:15 PM EST
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The Saints should be able to get by on the road, even against Carolina. New Orleans will not be at full strength in their third straight road game, especially after losing their momentum in an all out embarrassing loss to Dallas. The Panthers defense will hold them back, but QB Drew Brees and WR Michael Thomas will lead the Saints to victory. QB Cam Newton and his offense will make it close in primetime, but it will not be enough. |
That’s all for this week. Stay tuned for more posts soon.
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.
Boston Sports Mania 