Tag: NFL

Should Dak Get Paid?

by Jeremy Fernando, posted in NFL

Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott reportedly turned down a $35 million per year salary and supposedly is seeking upwards of $45 million per year. While Jerry Jones is far from my favorite person, I am one to give credit where credit is due. Signing former Bengals QB Andy Dalton this offseason was a solid move and gives Jerry leverage in contract negotiations with Dak.

The Cowboys led the league in team total offense in 2019. Thanks to Mr. Jones, they drafted CeeDee Lamb, arguably the best receiver in the draft, to add to its plethora of offensive weapons. With the likes of receivers Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup, Ceedee Lamb paired with the playmaking abilities of RB Ezekiel Elliot, this Cowboys offense is going to put up points no matter who is under center. This is where Dak should take the money and not leave anything to chance.

Say what you want about Andy Dalton, but he has been an above average NFL QB for the last decade. While the past couple seasons his production has dropped, I’d contribute that to a lackluster offensive line and a useless group of receivers other than A.J. Green. However, Green has been plagued by injuries the past couple years which hasn’t eased the burden on Dalton. Is Andy Dalton better than Dak? No. But I do think he can come in and produce relatively similar numbers for about a 1/8th of the cost.

In 2017, Ezekiel Elliot was suspended 6 games by the NFL. In his absence, Alfred Morris and Rod Smith combined for over 800 rushing yards and 4.5 yards per carry (YPC). When Zeke got back he was able to put up nearly 1,000 yards rushing and a 4.1 YPC in 10 games. While there’s no doubt Zeke is the better RB of the 3, the takeaway was that anyone could run behind that vaunted Cowboy offensive line. I imagine a similar scenario playing out if Andy Dalton took over the reins of the Cowboys offense. Cooper, Gallup and Lamb are going to make any QB look good and it doesn’t take superior athleticism to hand the ball off to Zeke. Dalton doesn’t possess Dak’s running ability, but he can still make the necessary throws to get the ball to those playmaking receivers.

Even if a deal does not get done before July 15, Dak will still suit up for the Cowboys in 2020. The Cowboys placed the exclusive franchise tag on him in March so he will make at least $31.4 million this year. If Dak doesn’t put up astronomical numbers and lead the Cowboys to the playoffs this year, Jerry should let him walk in free agency and take his chances with Dalton. The cards are aligned for Dak to be a front runner in the MVP discussion as the Cowboys’ offense should have no trouble putting points on the board. If he can’t get the job done, then it’s time to find someone who can.

There’s no denying Dak is a great QB who is the perfect candidate to be the face of America’s team. However, is he worth the steep price tag he is reportedly seeking? The Cowboys’ offense has the talent to make a star QB out of anyone so only time will tell if Dak is the right man for the job.

Top 5 NFL Games to Watch

by Brady Vaughan, posted in NFL

Top 5 Games to Look Forward to in the 2020 NFL Season

Now that the NFL schedule has been released, we finally have light at the end of the tunnel during this global pandemic. Sports will return soon, but in the meantime, we have to listen to Cowboys fans talk about how they’re gonna go anywhere from 13-3 to 16-0, win the NFC East, win the Super Bowl, but also how they’re going to beat the crap out of the Philadelphia Eagles.

No just kidding, but Cowboys fans aren’t the only ones with high hopes for this season. The season promises to bring a lot of intriguing matchups, and it’s impossible to breakdown all of them right now, but here are five of the top games I’m looking forward to this upcoming season.

  1. Chiefs at Ravens on Monday Night Football (Week 3). A matchup of the last two MVPs, this time on Baltimore’s turf. Mahomes is 2-0 against Lamar in the early stages of his career, but both games have been in Kansas City. In addition, these two teams are some of the current odds on favorites to win the Super Bowl (KC at +400, Baltimore at +700).
  2. Buccaneers vs Saints (Weeks 1 and 9). Tom Brady vs Drew Brees. Need I say more? These are two of the best QBs to ever play the game. For all we know, this ~ could ~ be the last time these two QBs ever matchup against one another again. Their Week 9 matchup will be on Sunday Night Football
  3. Vikings at Saints on Christmas Day (Week 16). Kirk Cousins and the Minnesota Vikings return to the Superdome to play Drew Brees and the Saints who fell out of the playoffs at the hands of the Vikings last season. These two teams are perennial playoff teams and having a matchup this late in the season between the two could shake up the NFC standings and be a big factor in who end up getting the coveted playoff bye week one seed now that the NFL has switched to the new playoff format.
  4. Titans at Broncos on Monday Night Football (Week 1). I’m intrigued by this game because both teams have invested in their QBs a lot these last couple seasons. Ryan Tannehill was the solid rock that gave the Titans stability at the position in order to make a run to the AFC Title game last season. Denver on the other hand has found Drew Lock who was decent as a rookie QB last season after becoming the starter late in the season. Denver has also given Drew Lock tons of weapons through the draft, most notably drafting WRs Jerry Jeudy out of Alabama and KJ Hamler out of Penn State, while signing RB Melvin Gordon in Free Agency to go along with RB Phillip Lindsey. I think both teams could be serious players in the AFC playoff picture.
  5. Eagles at Cowboys (Week 16). In all seriousness though, the Eagles and Cowboys are two teams that in my opinion should reach the playoffs. Matching them up against one another this late in the season will have serious implications on the NFC East division title and the NFC playoff picture as a whole. Look out for rookie WRs Ceedee Lamb for Dallas and Jalen Reagor for Philadelphia as they aim to make a big impact on their respective teams

Can Cowboys Fans Get Any More Delusional?

by Ethan Myers, posted in NFL

If you’ve talked to a Cowboys fan any time over the last 10 years, you’ve heard the sames lines out of them:

“This year’s going to be different!”

“[Top free agent] is definitely coming to Dallas, Jerry always gets his guy!”

“The ‘Boys are Super Bowl bound!”

You’d start to think that after so many years of delusional expectations culminating in yet another disappointing season, Cowboys fans would start to sober up and get real. But nevertheless, like gluttons for punishment, the next year they’re back for more. And this off-season proves no different.

Tom Brady is hitting the free agent market this year, causing a great amount of buzz throughout the league. Thanks to the latest rumor from Cowboy legend Michael Irvin, Dallas fans have been chugging the Kool-Aid nonstop. Irvin recently had an interview with a New England radio station, where he stated that he had heard from “significant people” that Tom Brady had interest in signing with Dallas. With Dallas QB Dak Prescott hitting the market and looking for a contract extension, the Cowboys have to make a big decision on who is going to lead their team, and getting the greatest QB to ever suit up can never be the wrong solution.

Here’s the sobering reality for Dallas fans: Tom Brady will never sign with Dallas. There is no way he will leave the best run franchise in the NFL and the GOAT coach in Bill Belicheck to head to JerryWorld and play for the egomaniac Jerry Jones. Dallas is going to have no choice but give Prescott a massive contract north of $30 million/year, hamstringing the team by having their signal-caller be an overrated stat-padder. The Cowboys will struggle to a mediocre record in a terrible division once again, and if by some act of God they make the playoffs, a first round exit is inevitable. Signing Super Bowl-winning coach Mike McCarthy is a step in the right direction, but with Jerry at the helm there is no hope for this team. And thus the cycle will continue: after the disappointing season, the bad takes of “next year will be different” will be right around the corner.

Run. The. Ball. Please.

by Jeremy Fernando, posted in NFL

A good friend proposed a scenario to me after 49ers head coach Beto O’ Rourke (does anyone else see the resemblance?) flat out forgot how to coach.

The scenario is: You’re up by 3 in the Super Bowl with 6 minutes to go. You’ve been averaging 8 yards a carry on the ground. On 1st down, your RB runs for 5 yards making it 2nd and 5. Are you going to run the ball again or throw it?

Still fuming from last night’s ending, I replied with a few expletives then said “even if I had Jesus Christ as my QB I’d still run the ball.” Everyone and their mother knows pretty boy Jimmy Garoppolo isn’t exactly God’s gift to QB, however after watching the 9ers play calling in the 4th quarter I’m starting to question whether Kyle Shanahan actually did think he had our Lord and Savior under center.

For the first 3 quarters, the Niners found themselves with a 20-10 lead mainly due to a balanced offensive effort which featured a rushing attack that averaged over 6.4 yards per carry for the game. Raheem Mostert, Tevin Coleman, and Deebo Samuel were providing a potent rushing attack and Jimmy G was making the throws he needed to make. Through this offensive scheme, the Niners offense was keeping the vaunted Chiefs offense off the field. By consistently gaining yards by running the football, the Niners were controlling the game by chewing large chunks of time off the clock each possession.

Yet, with a 10-point lead with 11 minutes to play in the 4th quarter and the Lombardi Trophy within arm’s reach, the 49ers ran 5 plays: 2 runs and 3 passes. After a 1st down run for a yard, Coach Shanahan called a pass play which wound up incomplete, stopping the clock in the meantime. After a false start which made it 3rd and 14, Shanahan was forced to call another pass play which wound up with Jimmy G scrambling for 3 yards. After a Niners punt, Patrick Mahomes and Co. marched right down the field and promptly scored a touchdown making the score 20-17. With 6 minutes to play and the ball, the Niners gained 5 yards on a 1st down rush from Mostert. Now, any human being with half of a functioning brain would run the ball the next play. But not Shanahan. No, that clown decided to call a pass play on 2nd and 5. On a day when the Chiefs hadn’t shown they were capable of stopping the run, Kyle Shanahan decides to pass the ball on the most important 2nd down of the game. A fun fact for the crowd out there, the Niners had 1 negative rush and it was their 1st play of the game for -1 yard. Why for Heaven’s sake would you throw the ball on 2nd down? In the words of the great Sandra Bullock in the movie The Blind Side “Enough with the trick plays Burt! Run the dang ball!!!!”

Run the freaking ball and watch the clock just keep ticking. Honestly, the worst thing that could happen is Mostert rushes for no gain. That sets up a 3rd and 5 but keeps the clock running. And where the heck was Deebo Samuel in all of this? A pivotal part of the 1st 3 quarters, the most athletic man on the Niners was simply taken out of the game plan in the 4th quarter. I would honestly wonder if Shanahan had taken the Chiefs -1.5 but then I remembered he has another total 4th quarter meltdown on his resume. Lest we forget he was the offensive mastermind behind the 2016-2017 Atlanta Falcons, the team that would go on to blow a 28-3 lead in the Super Bowl. Even in that game, Shanahan completely abandoned the game plan when he needed to stick to it the most. By refusing to stick to the rushing game in the 4th quarter, head coach Kyle Shanahan frankly cost his team a Super Bowl.

The 49ers have a great young core and will most certainly be back in the big game soon. However, as a rental fan for the night Kyle Shanahan completely pissed me off last night with his abhorrent play calling in the 4th quarter.

Fade Fernando’s Picks From God: Super Bowl Edition

by Jeremy Fernando, posted in Action

Howdy everyone! It is Super Bowl Sunday here in the great states of America. In just under 2 hours, the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs will be battling it out for the Lombardi Trophy and I know the folks at home are eager to know just who will walk away victorious. Lucky for them, I have my famous Picks from God. Typically, I release 4 picks at a time. However, today I am going to keep it short and sweet as kickoff looms near.

* Grad School Sports reminds you to please gamble responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, please call 1-800-522-4700.

1. San Francisco 49ers ML vs. Kansas City Chiefs

The 9ers come into the game as 1.5 underdogs because the whole world is obsessed with Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs offense. No one believes old Richard Sherman can guard Tyreek Hill (which is probably true) and everyone has their doubts about QB Jimmy Garoppolo. However, this man was born for games like this. Jimmy G is known for delivering under pressure as evidenced by a TMZ article a couple years ago and I see no reason why he won’t come up big again (no pun intended). The Chiefs defense is better than people give them credit for but they are nothing to write home about. If the 9ers can control the clock with their powerful run game and keep Patty Mahomes off the field I really like their chances to win their 6th Super Bowl. This game will be a nail biter and should be much better than last year’s abysmal game.

2. U54 Total Points Scored

Yes, I am the schmuck who is going to bet the under. While I was in Vegas last weekend I met a local at the Caesars Sportsbook who probably wasn’t a sharp but I’d like to think he was. Anyways, he repeatedly told me he likes to bet ‘dogs and unders. Thus, I’m taking both today. I think both teams come out relatively slow offensively. The 9ers have done a great job all year of mixing up their defensive schemes as the game goes which I’d like to believe will keep Mahomes and company off balance offensively. Pair that with a run game that will chew up a ton of clock and I think we’re looking at a 28-24 9ers win which gives us the under. While in recent years (besides last year) the Super Bowl has gone over, I’m going to fade the public and advise people to take the under.

Contributor NFL Position Rankings

by Jeremy Fernando, posted in NFL, Top 10

As Super Bowl weekend draws near, our contributors at Grad School Sports put together a list of their NFL position rankings. Please voice both your agreements and disagreements in the comments section. As always, please email us at gradschoolsports@gmail.com if you wish to be a contributor. Let’s start with the most important position on the field, the Quarterback.

QUARTERBACKS

NAME12345
Gerritt JonesWilsonMahomesWatsonLamarRyan
Cole WestMahomesWilsonLamarWatsonRogers
Mason WaldenMahomesLamarWilsonDakWatson
Alec MurrayMahomesWilsonLamarBreesWatson
Christian JuliusMahomesLamarWilsonBreesWatson
Jeremy FernandoMahomesWilsonLamarWatsonBrees
Brady VaughanWilsonMahomesBreesRodgersLamar
AnonymousMahomesWatsonRodgersBreesLamar
Ethan MyersBradyRodgersWilsonLamarMahomes
Noble QuyMahomesWilsonLamarWatsonBrady

Player (1st votes)Points
1Mahomes (7)44
2Wilson (2)35
3Lamar26
4Watson16
5 (tie)Rodgers10
5 (tie)Brees10
Brady (1)6

RUNNING BACKS

NAME12345
Gerritt JonesCMCBarkleyCookZekeHenry
Cole WestCMCZekeBarkelyCookKamara
Mason WaldenCMCBarkleyZekeKamaraCook
Alec MurrayCMCBarkleyCookKamaraHenry
Christian JuliusCMCHenryZekeCookBarkley
Jeremy FernandoCMCHenryCookBarkleyZeke
Brady VaughanCMCHenryBarkleyZekeKamara
AnonymousBarkleyCMCCookHenryZeke
Ethan MyersZekeBarkleyCMCChubbKamara
Noble QuyBarkleyCMCKamaraCookZeke
Players (1st)Points
1CMC (7)46
2Barkley (2)35
3Zeke (1)22
4Cook18
5Henry16

WIDE RECEIVERS

NAME12345
Gerritt JonesHopkinsThomasEvansJulioHill
Cole WestThomasHopkinsJulioAdamsHill
Mason WaldenThomasHopkinsJulioAdamsHill
Alec MurrayThomasHopkinsAdamsJulioEvans
Christian JuliusThomasHopkinsJulioAdamsCooper
Jeremy FernandoThomasHopkinsEvansJulioAdams
Brady VaughanJulioThomasHopkinsAdamsHill
AnonymousThomasJulioHopkinsEvansGodwin
Ethan MyersBrownThomasOBJJulioHopkins
Noble QuyJulioThomasHopkinsEvansGodwin
Players (1st)Points
1Thomas (6)46
2Hopkins (1)35
3Julio (2)31
4Adams12
5Evans11

Super Bowl LIV Preview

by Brady Vaughan, posted in NFL

The road leads here! Super Bowl LIV has finally arrived and two of the best teams all year will square off for the Lombardi Trophy: the 13-3 San Francisco 49ers and the 12-4 Kansas City Chiefs

These teams did meet last season in Arrowhead Stadium during Week 3, a game in which the Chiefs won 38-27, but that game has little to no significance.

Let’s take a quick look at how each team got here.

San Francisco 49er’s path to Super Bowl LIV:

The 49ers finished the regular season as the one seed in the NFC. Their 13-3 record was good enough to win them the NFC West division and have the road to the Super Bowl come through Levi’s Stadium on the NFC side of the bracket.

In their first playoff matchup, they were pinned against a confident Minnesota Vikings team in the NFC Divisional round after the Vikings took out Drew Brees and the Saints in the Superdome in New Orleans during the NFC Wild Card Round. Some doubted the 49ers and believed they would be upset, but Jimmy Garoppolo, Nick Bosa, and Co. made sure to dispel that notion. The Niners won 27-10 as Garoppolo completed 11-19 passes and threw for 131 yards with 1 TD and 1 INT. The Niners offensive line and RB Tevin Coleman controlled the line of scrimmage, as Coleman had 22 carries for 105 yards and 2 TDs.

Next, the Green Bay Packers came rolling into Santa Clara boasting a 13-3 record for themselves, but I for one was not a huge advocate of Green Bay. I thought they would lose against the 49ers, but I did not expect San Fran to jump out to the lead they did.

The Niners jumped out to a 27-0 lead at halftime and never looked back. Thanks to a monster game from RB Raheem Mostert, which included 29 carries for 220 yards and 4 TDs, San Fran ended up winning 37-20 in a game that felt much more lopsided than a 17-point ball game.

While Green Bay’s offense out-gained the Niners’ offense (358 yards to 354 yards), Green Bay also turned the ball over three times, which says a lot about the capabilities of the 49ers defense. DEs Nick Bosa, DeForest Buckner, and Dee Ford (former Kansas City Chief) are a presence to be dealt with up front, while CB Richard Sherman and S Jaquiski Tartt and Co. are holding down the secondary. The strength of this 49ers team is their defense and run game and they have ridden those two to their first Super Bowl since 2013.

Kansas City Chiefs path to Super Bowl LIV:

The Kansas City Chiefs finished with a 12-4 regular season record for the second season in a row, winning them the AFC West division while securing the number two seed in the AFC, thanks to the Miami Dolphins knocking off the New England Patriots in Foxboro in Week 17. Due to the way the chips fell in the AFC, the road to the Super Bowl went through Arrowhead for a second consecutive season.

In the AFC Divisional Round, Kansas City welcomed the confident Houston Texans to town. Houston had just come off a dramatic comeback win at home against the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Wild Card Round, and with the Baltimore Ravens losing the day before, both teams knew that if they won, they would be hosting the AFC championship game against the Tennessee Titans.

Houston jumped out to a 24-0 lead, but from then on it was the Patrick Mahomes show. The Chiefs went on a 51-7 run to close out the game (28-0 run in the 2nd Quarter alone), winning 51-31. Mahomes completed 23-35 attempts for 325 yards and 5 TDs while TE Travis Kelce was able to shake off a couple early drops for 10 receptions, 134 yards, and 3 TDs. Houston QB Deshaun Watson played well, completing 31-52 passes while throwing for 388 yards and 2 TDs, but ultimately it was not enough to replicate Houston’s success against the Chiefs earlier in the season.

Next in the AFC Championship Game, the Tennessee Titans. All the talk heading into the game was about the Chief’s run defense and if they could stop Titans RB Derrick Henry, who had been absolutely terrorizing teams. Henry started off well, but after he scored his lone TD in midway through the 1st Quarter, the Chiefs run defense stepped up, thanks in large part to DT Chris Jones, who missed the Houston game with a leg injury. Jones, among other Chiefs defensive linemen like Frank Clark, Derrick Nnadi, and Terrell Suggs, were able to penetrate the backfield often enough to force Henry to adjust his running lanes, which gave the Chiefs an advantage. QB Patrick Mahomes played out of his mind again, and might have even had the best play of his Chiefs career right before halftime to give KC the lead going into the locker room.

From that point on, the Chiefs never looked back, ultimately winning 35-24 and clinching a spot in the Super Bowl for the first time in 50 years.

3 KEYS TO THE GAME FOR THE SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

  • The Niners must convert on 3rd downs. The 49ers must control the ball. Granted in both of the Chief’s playoff games, the opposing team had the Time of Possession advantage, but I believe converting on third downs is of the utmost importance in this game because the 49ers are a more well-balanced team than either the Texans or Titans. The Niners have a good QB in Jimmy Garoppolo who is fully capable of throwing the football, especially when you surround him with weapons like TE George Kittle and WRs Emmanuel Sanders and Deebo Samuel. If the Niners can stay balanced on offense while picking up third downs and eat time off the clock, it gives Patrick Mahomes a lot less to work with and creates a sense of urgency for the Chief’s offense to keep up.
  • The 49ers must pressure Patrick Mahomes. They have to attempt to disrupt the timing of Mahomes and his receivers. San Francisco has 9 sacks in postseason play thus far. Nick Bosa, DeForest Buckner, and Dee Ford must have an impact on the game if the 49ers are to hoist the Lombardi trophy. If they can consistently penetrate the backfield and pressure/knock down Mahomes or forcing Mahomes to improvise and disrupt the timing of him and his receivers, the Niners will have as great chance of winning.
  • Finally, San Francisco must utilize play action. Their running game is strong enough that the Chiefs will devote tons of time in preparation for it. If the 49ers can have some success running the ball, it will open up play action. If the Niners have success on play action, the Chiefs defense will have a very hard time defending because they will be off balance so much.

3 KEYS TO THE GAME FOR THE KANSAS CITY CHIEFS:

  • The Chiefs defense must force the 49ers to become one dimensional on offense. If Jimmy G and co. keep the Chief’s defense off balance, the Chiefs will have a very difficult time winning. This means that DT Chris Jones, DE Terrell Suggs, and LBs Anthony Hitchens and Reggie Ragland must step up, play sound football, and cover their gaps to stop the running attack of the 49ers. RBs Tevin Coleman and Raheem Mostert are more than formidable opponents. They can shift the game in their favor in the blink of an eye. The Chiefs must replicate what they did to Derrick Henry in the AFC title game if they are to win.
  • Sammy Watkins must be a factor. In the regular season, Sammy Watkins popped off for 3 TDs against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the first game of the season, but did not do much the rest of the season. Watkins has played a big role in the Chief’s offense this postseason and must continue to do so if KC is to come out on top. Having to cover him, TE Travis Kelce, and WRs Tyreek Hill and Mecole Hardman is a nightmare for any defense, but especially so if Watkins is performing like he is capable of doing.
  • Patrick Mahomes must play at an MVP level. Mahomes has been the unquestioned leader of the Chiefs on offense and must play excellent. The Chiefs cannot afford a game where Mahomes is shut down like he was in the first half of the AFC Title game last season against the New England Patriots. The 49ers defense is too good to spot them a double digit lead. Whether Mahomes scrambles to pick up first downs, is making the correct reads on RPOs, or dissecting the coverages correctly, he must take care of the ball and perform at a high level. If he does so, I think the Chiefs have a great chance to come out on top.

PREDICTION:

I think the 49ers try to control the ball throughout the first half. Mostert and Coleman get into a groove offensively by picking up some key first downs. However I am confident that even if the 49ers attempt to control the ball for extended periods of time, the Chiefs will do what they do best, which is striking quickly on offense. I believe this game could come down to turnovers, and I like the Chiefs to get at least one turnover this game. Steve Spagnuolo’s defenses have been known for being very tough to dissect and have proven to work in the Super Bowl against the best of the best (see the Giants Super Bowl title against the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII). Kyle Shanahan is one of the brightest offensive minds in the game and will certainly make adjustments to what he sees from the Chiefs defense, but I think Patrick Mahomes will make just enough plays for the Chiefs to prevail in the 4th Quarter. I’ll take Kansas City 28-24.

as always, follow me on twitter for more opinions and sports related content @bradyvaughan30

AFC Championship Preview

by Brady Vaughan, posted in NFL

Both participants of this year’s AFC Championship game are coming into the game riding incredibly hot streaks. The sixth-seeded Tennessee Titans have beaten three division winners in a row in the Houston Texans (Week 17), the New England Patriots (AFC Wild Card round), and the Baltimore Ravens (AFC Divisional Round), and get their chance to beat the fourth this upcoming Sunday when they travel to Kansas City to take on the number two-seeded Chiefs.

The Chiefs come into this game riding a hot streak of their own. They have won seven straight and have not lost since Week Ten, which is the last time these teams met. The Titans won that matchup 35-32 in Nashville.

This time, the game is in Arrowhead Stadium, the site of last year’s AFC Championship game.

The Titans however, have had success recently against the Chiefs. In addition to beating them earlier this season, Tennessee has beaten the Chiefs in Arrowhead three times since 2014, including in the AFC Wild Card round in 2017, the game of the famous “forward progress” call on Titan’s QB Marcus Mariota. This was also the game in which Marcus Mariota threw a TD pass to himself, if that gives you any idea about the Chiefs’ luck in the playoffs.

Chiefs DT Chris Jones missed last game with an injury to his calf, but is listed as questionable for this week’s game as of Friday at 3:15pm. His presence in the middle of the defensive line would be a huge boost to the Chiefs defense who has struggled to stop the run for a good portion of the year. Last time these teams played, the Titans ran the ball 26 times for a total of 225 yards on the Chiefs, 23 carries and 188 yards of which were provided by star RB Derrick Henry.

Henry has terrorized defenses these last three games, as he has averaged 32 carries/game for 196 yards/game. The continual threat of Henry breaking a big run at any given point keeps defenses off balance, allowing for QB Ryan Tannehill to do just enough with his arm to make plays and put points on the board for the Titans.

Chiefs’ safety Tyrann Mathieu described it best when trying to tackle Derrick Henry after these teams played earlier this year. Mathieu said he thought he broke his jaw trying to tackle Henry and described trying to hit Henry as trying to hit “solid rock.”

With all that in mind, here are three keys to the game for each team:

3 KEYS FOR THE KANSAS CITY CHIEFS:

  • The Chiefs must attempt to limit Derrick Henry’s yards on the ground. This is a lot easier said than done, but the Titans go as Derrick Henry goes. If the Chiefs are able to disrupt the Titan’s offensive line and get penetration into the backfield, it makes it that much easier for the Chiefs to stop Henry.
  • Patrick Mahomes must be MVP-caliber Mahomes. Mahomes’ first game back from injury this season was when the Titans and Chiefs last played in Week Ten. In that game, Mahomes completed 36 of 50 passing attempts and threw for 446 yards and 3 TD’s. Mahomes must make sure the Chiefs do not go three-and-out and are extending drives by making plays with his arm and legs. I believe if the Chiefs want to win this game, Mahomes must replicate his last performance against the Titans on some level.
  • Tyrann Mathieu must have a major impact. Whether it is defending the pass by covering receivers one on one, lining up as a LB as he has multiple times this season under new DC Steve Spagnuolo, or even stopping Henry on the ground, Tyrann Mathieu can do it all and he must do it all on defense for this Chiefs defense to be successful. He is the unquestioned leader and the defense goes as he goes. If he is making plays and instilling confidence in the defense, then the defense will respond positively and make plays.

3 KEYS TO THE GAME FOR THE TENNESSEE TITANS:

  • Contrary to one of the Chiefs’ keys, the Titans must establish Henry and the ground game early and often. If the Titans can control the ground, they can control the game. Establishing Henry and pounding the rock keeps the reigning MVP off the field in the biggest game of the year. I believe the Titans will attempt to do this right out of the gate.
  • Ryan Tannehill must extend plays with his arms and legs. With the amount of carries Henry has been getting, play-action becomes a key weapon for the Titan’s offensive attack. Tannehill must take advantage of this and the one-on-one coverage the Chiefs will likely play against the Tennessee WRs and TEs, as he completed 13 of 19 passing attempts for 181 yards and 2 TD’s when these teams last played.
  • The Titan’s secondary must step up and challenge the Chiefs WRs at the line of scrimmage. The Titan’s DBs need to be physical at the line of scrimmage. If you sit back and play zone, the Chiefs WRs will find a weak spot in the zone. If you back off but play man, the Chiefs WRs are one of the fastest groups of WRs in the league and will blow by you. I believe the Titan’s DBs must attempt to disrupt the routes of the Chiefs receivers, which will disrupt the timing between the wideouts and Mahomes if they want to win this game.

PREDICTION:

This game is a matchup of directly opposite game plans. The Chiefs will try to play fast and make the Titan’s try to play to their speed, while the Titan’s will try to slow the game down and force KC to play at their speed. I think the Titans establish the running game early. Henry will keep being fed the ball and will run often. I believe Mahomes and the Chiefs will make plays on offense, but I also believe the Chiefs defense is up to the task. They were physically manhandled the last time these teams met, and I do not believe that will be the case again. I believe the Chiefs defense will get enough stops to give the ball back to Mahomes to make enough plays to escape Arrowhead with a win on Sunday afternoon. I’ll take the Chiefs to win 31-24.

As always, follow me on twitter @bradyvaughan30

Chiefs vs Texans Playoff Preview

by Brady Vaughan, posted in NFL

The NFL playoffs are off to a sizzling start with two of the four Wild Card round games going into overtime, a Tennessee Titans victory over the Patriots in Foxborough, and another heartbreaking loss for the New Orleans Saints at the hands of the Minnesota Vikings.

This upcoming weekend, my beloved Kansas City Chiefs and star quarterback Patrick Mahomes II take on the Houston Texans and stud quarterback Deshaun Watson, who essentially willed his team to victory by being great last week against the Buffalo Bills.

For starters, these two teams played back in Arrowhead Stadium, the site of Sunday’s divisional round matchup,  back in Week Six of the regular season in early October. The Texans won that matchup 31-24. In that game, the Texans out-gained the Chiefs 472 yards to 309 yards. The Texans also ran for 192 yards and also got 35 first downs in that game while the Chiefs only ran for 58 yards and got 20 first downs. However the Texans did turn the ball over three times compared to KC’s two turnovers, two of which were Deshaun Watson interceptions.

However, I believe none of that matters this time around. The Chiefs were without a significant number of starters for that matchup, including starting DT Chris Jones, starting OL Andrew Wylie and Eric Fisher, starting WR Sammy Watkins, starting LB Anthony Hitchens as well as LB Dorian O’Daniel. Furthermore starting CB Kendall Fuller left midway through the second quarter with an injury, and star WR Tyreek Hill was just coming back from his injury. QB Patrick Mahomes also twisted his ankle during the game which hindered his ability to escape the pocket and extend plays. Simply put: the Chiefs were wounded.

That is not to say that the Texans were not without their own injuries. Starting WR Kenny Stills missed the game the last time these teams met as well. Stills had a decent regular season, hauling in 40 catches for 561 yards and 4 TD’s. It’s not the type of numbers that will wow any one person, but those numbers are respectable and force defenses to pay attention to him, which opens up more targets and takes more attention away from guys like Deandre Hopkins and Will Fuller.

Below are three keys to the game for both teams that I believe will go a long way in determining the outcome of this game.

KEYS TO THE GAME FOR THE KANSAS CITY CHIEFS: 

  • Kansas City must convert on 3rd down. They convert on average 47.6% of their third downs throughout the season. The Texans ate up roughly 40 minutes of game clock last time these teams met. That cannot happen if the Chiefs expect to win this game. Converting on third down and extending drives will ensure the Texans do not have the ball for that long this time around.
  • Kansas City must stop the rushing attack of the Texans. They rushed for 192 yards last time they met. The Chiefs defense has played well lately, giving up only an average of 95 rushing yards over the last six weeks.
  • Kansas City must pressure Deshaun Watson consistently throughout the game. Deshaun takes the most sacks out of any QB in the league, but there were two games this season in which he was not sacked. One of those games was when he last faced the Chiefs in Week Six. The Chiefs must pressure Watson and sack him a couple of times in order to find success in this game. Having DT Chris Jones back and adding DE Terrell Suggs to the defensive line this time around should help the Chiefs be able to do so.

KEYS TO THE GAME FOR THE HOUSTON TEXANS:

  • Protect Deshaun Watson. Contrary to one of the keys for the Chiefs, Houston must protect Watson. He has been under pressure for much of the season. When he was not sacked against the Chiefs, Watson threw for 280 yards and one TD while also running for 42 yards and two TD’s. The less pressure Watson is under, the more time he has to make better decisions and throw the ball accurately to his receiving core.
  • Contain the Chiefs running game. The Texans must try to make the Chiefs one dimensional. Now forcing Patrick Mahomes to drop back and throw with all those weapons around him might not sound like a bad idea to all the Chiefs fans, but I believe Houston should aim to make the Chiefs one dimensional. This allows the Texans defense to more accurately defend against the deadly passing attack Kansas City possesses. If the Texans stop the Chiefs’ run game, this will allow guys like DE JJ Watt, DE DJ Reader, and LB Whitney Mercilus to pin their ears back and go all out on rushing the quarterback in order to attempt forcing Mahomes into some bad decisions.
  • Get all three main wide receivers involved. The Chiefs are missing rookie standout safety Juan Thornhill, who tore his ACL against the Los Angeles Chargers in the regular season finale for the Chiefs. This forces second year safety Armani Watts to step into a bigger role. Watts has not seen as many reps as Thornhill, and I believe the Texans should try to take advantage of that by stretching the field vertically against the Chiefs’ secondary. Hopkins is one of the top three receivers in the league in my book, so he obviously needs to be involved, but the play of Will Fuller and Kenny Stills could go a long way to determining the outcome of this game.

PREDICTION:

The Chiefs are 10 point favorites according to Vegas, but I think it’ll be closer than that. I think the Chiefs convert on third down to help keep the Texans offense off the field for less than 40 minutes (which is how long they were on the field last time these teams met). However, I like Houston’s ability to challenge the Chiefs’ defense, who has been good as of late, but has not faced the best QB’s the last six weeks. While the Chiefs did face Tom Brady in Foxborough, they also faced an aging Phillip Rivers (twice), rookie Drew Lock, Derek Carr, and Mitchell Trubisky. Deshaun is definitively better than most of those quarterbacks, but I believe the Chiefs defense will play better than last time these teams met. The Chiefs will limit the Texan’s rushing attack and will create some pressure on Deshaun. Mahomes will have his full compliment of weapons and a way improved defense behind his back. Add in the home field advantage, and I see the Chiefs walking away with the win. I’ll take Kansas City to win 27-20. 

As always, you can find me on twitter as @bradyvaughan30

NFL Playoff Preview and Picks

by Jeremy Fernando, posted in NFL

The NFL playoffs are upon us and each playoff team has hopes of making it to Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida to partake in Super Bowl LIV. Like a typical college student, I procrastinated on this assignment thus, there won’t be too much in-depth analysis on each playoff team. However, I will be giving my playoff predictions which will culminate with who I believe will be holding the Lombardi Trophy come February 2nd, 2020. Let’s start with the AFC.

AFC:

6. Tennessee Titans v. 3. New England Patriots: Will the Patriots dynasty end this year? It is becoming more and more likely. However, I have the utmost faith that they will not fall at the hands of Ryan Tannehill and the Tennessee Titans. The Patriots defense is just too good and its Tom Brady and Bill Belichik in Foxborough. Give me the Patriots winning in a close one.

5. Buffalo Bills vs. 4. Houston Texans: Will the Texans choke once again in the playoffs? I wouldn’t doubt it. This Bills team has surprised everyone this year and is playing very good football at the moment. However, the Texans activated J.J. Watt this week and it looks like he is in line to play which will bring much needed energy to the home crowd at NRG. I think Deshaun Watson makes enough plays down the stretch to give the home team the victory.

4. Houston Texans vs. 1. Baltimore Ravens: Coming off a very close win against the Bills, the Texans season will end when they visit the Ravens. Lamar Jackson and Co. will continue their brilliance and will roll in this one.

3. New England Patriots vs. 2. Kansas City Chiefs: In a rematch of last year’s AFC Championship game, I believe Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid get their revenge and officially put an end to the Patriots’ dynasty. While the Pats’ defense will keep them in the game, their abysmal offense, which has hindered them all season, will be the final nail in the coffin. Give me the Chiefs at Arrowhead.

2. Kansas City Chiefs vs. 1. Baltimore Ravens: Yes, I am boring choosing the top 2 seeds to face off in the AFC championship. However, these are the 2 best teams by far in this conference. The Ravens have just looked so impressive all season and it is tough to abandon the ship now. While both teams will put up points, the Ravens have the far better defense which will make enough stops to win them the game. For the first time since winning it all with Joe Flacco in 2013, the Ravens will play in the Super Bowl.

NFC:

6. Minnesota Vikings vs. 3. New Orleans Saints: The Vikings are a very dangerous team and were the game to be played at U.S. Bank Stadium, I’d confidently choose them to prevail. However, its Drew Brees and Sean Payton at the Superdome. After last year’s crushing loss to the Rams in the NFC Championship, the Saints are hungry and motivated. In another thriller, similar to the 2018 divisional round matchup between the 2 teams, I like the Saints to get their revenge on the Vikings.

5. Seattle Seahawks vs. 4. Philadelphia Eagles: I have been riding the Seahawks train since the 2019 season began and if you have been following my Picks from God you know I hate to bet against Russell Wilson. However, it is very hard to beat a team twice in a season and the Seahawks have looked very vulnerable these last few weeks. The Eagles magically flip a switch in the playoffs and I like the home underdogs at Lincoln Financial Field. The Seahawks just have too many injuries on the offensive line for my liking. Due to one of the dumbest rules in sports, the Eagles have home-field advantage and I believe that will be one of the main difference makers in the contest.

4. Philadelphia Eagles vs. 1. San Francisco 49ers: The 49ers win this game by 3 touchdowns. They have just looked so impressive this whole season. Further, the Eagles will be coming off a very close game at home which will take every ounce of manpower. I think the 49ers defense wreaks havoc on Carson Wentz and Jimmy G has his way with the Eagles secondary. 49ers roll.

3. New Orleans Saints vs. 2. Green Bay Packers: Am I really picking against Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field in one of the harshest weather conditions in all of sports? Yes, I am. Like I said earlier, the Saints are hungry and motivated. This pick makes no logical sense especially after reviewing Drew Brees stat lines in cold-weather games. But I truly believe this is the Saints year and I think their offense does just enough to salvage a win in the tundra.

3. New Orleans Saints vs. 1. San Francisco 49ers: It is tough to beat a team twice in a season and it took everything the 49ers had earlier in the season to knock off the Saints on the road. Yes, the Saints will be coming off a very hard fought win in Lambeau, but Drew Brees is hungry for another Super Bowl and will have his team prepared. The 49ers are the better overall football team and logically this pick doesn’t make sense. But I think the Saints have a massive chip on their shoulder and come out victorious by the bay.

Super Bowl:

New Orleans Saints vs. Baltimore Ravens: This game will have plenty of hype as it will be the old vs. the new in a QB battle between Drew Brees and Lamar Jackson. The big game will not disappoint and fans will get more than they bargained for. In an all-time classic, I think the veteran Brees outlasts newcomer Jackson. Neither team will lead by more than a FG and I think Brees connects with WR Michael Thomas late in the 4th quarter to give the Saints the win. After last year’s incredible heartbreak, the Saints will lift the Lombardi Trophy high as winners of Super Bowl LIV.