Lamar's King Ransom

How much to you want to pay a 26 year-old former unanimous MVP?  We open with what the Salary Cap will be in 2023 ($224.8 Million) and what we predict it will be in 2025 ($245 Million).  This is the amount of time Lamar Jackson can be Franchised (First Year Exclusive ($42 Million) and Second Year Exclusive ($56 Million): so what should Greg DeCosta and Steve Boschetti do? A lot of our fans believe have him under the Franchise Tag and see what Lamar can do with a full season; but, what if Lamar won't play under these circumstances?!  What if we have disenfranchised our franchise quarterback: what if the Ravens have put Lamar, who is conducting the deal with his mom and himself at the negotiating table, has been run over his last coal?  It is entirely possible, that Lamar Jackson does not want to play under the Tag, and simply will not play unless he gets a large sum guaranteed... Then what?!

Does Kevin Durant swimming back to the West, make the conference deeper or shallower?  I bet Tom $100 Durant and The Phoenix Suns walk to the NBA Finals through the Western Conference!  Do you legitimately believe the Golden State Warriors, or The Denver Nuggets, or even The Los Angeles Clippers stand a chance against Devin Booker & Kevin Durant?!  Give me the two best, most natural scorers in the NBA against a too young or too old field.

The South Carolina Gamecocks may go undefeated for their entire season... How are they doing this and why does Dominance in Women's College Basketball Matter?  Does this team remind you of the Juggernaut UCONN squads?

Is Jeff Bezos the answer to all Washington Football prayers?  I say no, but what do you think?

After witnessing an utter collapse Saturday night, our discussion on potential job openings becomes more pertinent.

After witnessing an utter collapse Saturday night, our discussion on potential job openings becomes more pertinent; Brandon Staley missed the playoffs last season because he did not play for a tie against The Las Vegas Raiders in the final game of the regular season, allowed Mike Williams to play deep into a ‘meaningless’ game in Week 18 this year, and now: blew a 27 point lead and a 27-7 halftime advantage!  He has to go!  I argue that, while Tom disagrees; but a good team with a 20 point lead and 30 minutes remaining would have run the ball more than 7 times!  During the 3rd and 4th quarters: Austin Ekeler ran the ball 5 times, FIVE rushing attempts with a 20 point lead… and Joshua Kelley toted the rock twice in the second half.  Ekeler (8 carries) and Kelley (5) were effective in the first half, perhaps instrumental; and that drop off in opportunity for The Chargers best chance to secure the victory necessitates termination of Coach Staley.  Much less, the defense was horrendous (giving up 25 points in the 2nd half).

Give Seattle credit for playing so well the first 40 minutes or so in Santa Clara: but talent ultimately won out in the third matchup of the season.  Brock Purdy will get much of the credit and deservedly so, but the game went the 49ers way when Deebo Samuel’s ankle got tugged in an unusually unsportsmanlike manner: Johnathan Abram, Seahawk Safety, grabbed and twisted Deebo’s ankle after the play was over.  This goes against the Brotherhood of NFL, but especially since that is the left ankle which was injured most of the year.  I guess never poke the bear or incentivize a team on an 11 game heater…

Buffalo should wipe the floor with Miami, as the Bills are my pick to win Super Bowl LVII. No Tua equates to no chance, plus Raheem Mostert’s inactive.  The most competitive game of the weekend, at least going into it: NYG at MIN.  Justin Jefferson could make this his 5th game in a row at home with a touchdown and Kirk Cousins could win his first home playoff game.  The game comes down to which version of Daniel Jones will New York get?  The turnover machine vintage, or the consistently efficient 2022 variety. #8, The Duke Blue Devil, has a chance to silence doubters, lead an improbable rise of a downed franchise, and add to his bank account.  Saquan Barkley could take over the game, but needs at least 18 rushes and well over 20 touches to do so.

The Cincinatti Bengals should win Sunday night, but here’s why they won’t: the left side of their Offensive Line is out (La’el Collins and Alex Kappa), the have a BAD Run Defense (yielding 148 yards per game), and The Baltimore Ravens have been elite since acquiring Roquan Smith!  So Joe Burrow’s blindside will be worse than it was last year and it has to block Calais Campbell (a veteran known for his massive frame and his ability to create one-on-ones for his teammates) for four quarters? Sure, The Bengals have an outstanding secondary, but The Ravens will not pass the ball more than 15 times… Baltimore needs to play mistake free and disciplined football, while relying on The Greatest Leg of All-Time.

Monday Night has to do with your faith: do you believe in Tom Brady and his remarkable/untouchable (35-12) postseason record with a bad Bucs team; or do you favor The Dallas Cowboys who certainly appeared to be contenders during the first 12 weeks, but have fallen off significantly down the stretch?  I picked TB12 and Tom decided on Dallas (also betting Mikah Parsons gets 2 sacks).  We will see if it comes down to a late 4th Quarter drive…

The question for our listeners: are we watching the eventual Super Bowl Champion this weekend? Or are the Eagles and Chiefs the best bet?!

Monday Night Football on ESPN, began with promise and significance in respect to playoff supremacy; however, we all witnessed something entirely different.

Although massively significant, what occurred midway through the first quarter, was prohibitively unexpected!  Thankfully, number (3): Damar Hamlin, has recovered to consciousness and functionality as of Friday; after sustaining a cardiac event, we witnessed the Pitt Panther Safety collapse after a ‘relatively routine’ tackle.  What ensued was traumatic for every single person involved; players, teammates, coaches, fans, and family alike, experienced nothing short of shock.  Importantly, The NFL prepared for the worst-case scenario and had over thirty medically trained personnel to rescue Damar Hamlin on the field in Cincinnati.  The crisis has been averted to an extent, but we still hope and pray for the Hamlin Family; Damar remains in ICU.

For our Week 18 Picks: Tom and I felt strongly that there were two fair bets; where both road teams have the greatest probability to cover, respectively.  I would suggest; The Minnesota Vikings at The Chicago Bears (MIN, -5.5), and The Houston Texans at The Indianapolis Colts (IND, -2.5).  Outside placing a decent bet, there were many matchups with playoff significance.  Four drew the most attention: BAL at CIN (-9), DET at GB (-5), LAR at SEA (-6), & NYG at PHI (-14). The Baltimore Ravens, with a win in Cincy, are a coin-toss from winning the AFC North. If The Seattle Seahawks lose against the Los Angeles Rams, Sunday evening will be enormous!  Our opinion throughout the segment suggested yearning for The Lions, but a pessimistic tone building a case for Aaron Rodgers to reach another postseason.  Regardless, if Kenneth Walker III (Dialogues With Chris Miller’s pick for Offensive Rookie of the Year) can continue his successful rookie campaign, then Geno Smith and company should handle an unpredictable Rams squad.  Finally for our picks, Philly could actually lose its grasp of the NFC East and the overall one seed with a third consecutive loss.

The Georgia Bulldogs are four quarters away from consecutive National Championships and a (29-1) record over the last two seasons.  Can Kirby Smart (The Second Best Coach in NCAAF per Dialogues With Chris Miller) repeat what his mentor (Nick Saban) achieved in 2012? We will find out Monday night against a very nice story, but not entirely a worthy opponent; The TCU Horned Frogs are good enough to go undefeated in an admittedly weakened BIG 12, and Max Duggan just barely scraped  away from a vicious Wolverine second half.

In our final segment, Victor Wembanyama and the current ‘invasion’ from abroad, took form.  Over the last four years in the NBA; all four MVP’s belong to either Giannis Antetokoumpo or Nikola Jokic, and Luka Doncic has certainly arrived as contender.  Could you make the case that by 2024, at least four of the top ten players in The Association are from European Leagues.  If Victor Wembanyama possess the talent we see and the generational combination of size, athleticism, and finesse manifest during his rookie season; then, He’s a (20 point-10 rebound per night) kind of fella, which represents his  ‘floor’ as a prospect, but has the potential to be much more: the 7’2’’ French-teenager possess an outlandishly vaulted ceiling and could be wildly and immediately productive!

Remember: Tom Brady’s (35-12) through the Playoffs; however, during those 12 losses he was sacked a total of 26 times.  Whereas in his 35 victories, only 53: So if an opposing defense takes him to the ground three or more times they should win the playoff game.  How capable are The Tampa Bay Buccaneers in protecting TB12?!

World Cup Final; George Kittle Reborn?; NBA Revolution; Fantasy Football

World Cup Final- Argentina v. France

We’ve reached the end of an interesting Winter World Cup, with plenty of controversy to go along with it. Nonetheless, the final expects to bring in approximately 2 Billion viewers worldwide!

The story of the match, especially to the media, is Messi v. Mbappe. The G.O.A.T. up against the new “best player in the world”. The ramifications for both players, and clubs, are historical. An Argentina win would cement Messi’s legacy, and potentially end the argument/comparisons to Cristiano Ronaldo. A France win would elevate Mbappe to one of the best international players of all time, with his incredible goal tally of 9 in 11 starts heading into this final. What he gets in this game would further elevate that legacy. These are numbers that are starting to dwarf Pele, and he’s only 23. A win for either country would see them  join the exclusive club of countries with 3+ World Cup victories, along with Italy (4), Germany (4), and Brazil (5). 

Beyond the obvious headlines and talking points about Messi and Mbappe, we are in for a real treat between two Top 5 teams in the world. As we’ve seen France is full of firepower and currently the leading scoring team of the tournament. Argentina has been able to adapt and win games in different way, they’ve had goals in them, and won scrappy games just the same on their road to this Final. We would say, expect there to be goals galore and we wouldn’t be surprised if this goes to extra time, and a PKs. The level of talent on the field, in both starters and substitutes is off the charts. 

Whether you are into soccer or not, there aren’t many good reasons to not tune in to this World Cup Final, with so much drama and intrigue involved!

NFL Week #15 Preview

• Dolphins at Bills - The Bills are still winning, despite some injury concerns and some banged up guys all around. They are winning in the trenches, on both sides, which is keeping them consistent and Josh Allen is an alien, so there’s that. We’re taking Buffalo in the cold. 

• Ravens at Browns - The Ravens MUST win this game to keep hold of the division. The offense is anemic, and the Browns are starting to come around with Watson under center. The Ravens must run the ball to win this game, and Huntley just needs to keep it under control. Tom is picking the Browns, and Chris is taking Baltimore

• Colts at Vikings - The Vikings shouldn’t have a problem, but they’ll make it a problem because that’s their thing. They can throw up a 40 spot whenever, and give up 35 just as easily. Luckily, the Colts stink. We’re both take the Vikings here.

• Commanders at Giants - Rematch from the tie that thrilled NFL audiences a few weeks ago. Washington is 4.5pt favorites, which is weird…they tied last time. They’re both pretty mediocre compared to their division counterparts, The Giants have a huge injury report and the Commanders play in Washington. We’re both taking Washington

• Titans at Chargers - The Titans are in “must-win” mode at the moment. They’re getting out-Vrabel'd by everyone, just getting beat up. Tennessee cannot throw the ball, so focusing on Derrick Henry is easy. The Chargers are mediocre, but they should be able to handle this Titans team. We’re both taking the Chargers

• Bengals at Buccaneers - The Bengals are absolutely grooving since Chase’s return, and Burrow is playing MVP caliber football. That being said, Brady as a ‘dog at home is a risky move. Tom takes Tampa to cover but Cincy to win; Chris is taking Tampa to win and cover. 

• Lions at Jets - No Zach Wilson, but it could be less interesting. There are big implications for both teams though, so it could be a good game to watch for the neutral. Goff/White would be a fun shootout to watch. We’re both taking the Lions.

• Eagles at Bears - This is one of those games that the great teams use to make a late-season statement. The Eagles should take care of business pretty easily. We’re both taking the Eagles, play your Eagles. 

• Chiefs at Texans - Chiefs favored by 14.5, which is way too much! The Texans are not good, and are massively injured, but this feels like a trap for betting purposes. We both think the Chiefs will win, but we’re split on the spread.

• Rams at Packers - Green Bay should take care of business. The Rams are not the same team as last year and have to take a trip to the tundra. We’re both in agreement here, we’re going Packers. 

• Falcons at Saints - Dalton starts again and we definitely know there is a conspiracy going on down in New Orleans, because Winston should be starting. Ritter gets the start, and has 5 games to win the job. Chris is taking Atlanta, Tom is taking New Orleans

• Steelers at Panthers - The Steelers still stink. We’re both taking Carolina. Even Tom doesn’t want to talk about it. 

• Cardinals at Broncos - This promises to be terrible television. Colt McCoy is starting, so there’s that. We don’t really have a pick here, but that Broncos defense is worth a fantasy start!

• Patriots at Raiders - These teams are both terrible. Mac Jones is playing pretty good football, but they don’t have a lot of weapons or ideas. We’re both taking the Patriots. The Raiders are just not good, besides Josh Jacobs.

NBA Highlights

• There are four (4) guys averaging 24 ppg and shooting over 55% from the field so far this season, Jokic, Durant, Anthony Davis, and Zion Williamson. 

• NBA 3-Point efficiency is on the rise, and has been for the last few years. There are currently 42 players in the NBA shooting 42% or above from 3-point territory.

• The Warriors are dead, Steph Curry is out with a shoulder injury along with Draymond is looking at time off as well. There was already concern about them going into the year, but things are not looking great. They are the worst road team in basketball currently. Dare we say, they could miss the playoffs. 

5 Weeks left in the NFL Season; Something in the “Dirty Water” in Boston; World Cup!

World Cup Quarter Final Recap/Preview

Croatia v. Brazil

Against all odds, the Croatians hang on and push #1 ranked Brazil to PKs to snatch a victory and another trip to the World Cup Semifinals. That is to take nothing away from Croatia, who are defending runners-up from 2018. The Brazilian flair simply couldn’t breakdown a stubborn Croatian midfield anchored by Luka Modric. In the end, Brazilian composure, or lack thereof,  and a remarkable performance from young Dominik Livakovic in net saw the Vatreni through to the next round.

Argentina v. Netherlands

Argentina took an early lead and practically coasted through 80 minutes of the 

match, until Wout Weghorst came on to stun the Albiceleste into a panic with two goals before the end of regulation. In Extra Time both teams had some chances, but Argentina had the best of the period hitting the post and forcing a few saves from Noppert, the Dutch keeper. Ultimately, the Dutch missed their first two penalty takes by Van Dijk and Berguis paving the way for another Semi-Final appearance for Argentina.

England v. France and Morocco v. Portugal are next on the docket with two marquee matchups to cap off the Round of 8. The headlines have been mostly about France & England meeting - two world powers and noisy neighbors geopolitically that should prove to be a highlight of the tournament. Morocco has overperformed, becoming the first African nation to reach the Quarterfinals, and they face off against a dangerous Portuguese team. Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo look to continue their winning ways, but rumblings of turmoil underneath the surface have arisen!

NFL WEEK #14 Preview

• Thursday Night Football - Raiders at Rams

The Raiders collapsed, in embarrassing fashion, to the Baker Mayfield led Rams, when he stepped off a plane like 2 hours before kickoff. Pathetic, is an understatement. This is the 4th double-digit, 2nd-half loss for the Raiders this season, which is a record that lasted since the 40s. That’s always fun!

The game was over, multiple times, but pass interference penalties and general grab-assery killed the Raiders late in the game. Derek Carr was absolutely abysmal, and the offense as a whole was anemic. 16 points against the Rams, is just unacceptable. We could rant on this one for quite awhile - the takeaway is that McDaniels is terrible, and the Raiders are horrible. This is the worst loss of the year, for anyone

• Ravens at Steelers - Tom’s a homer! Huntley gets the start with Lamar still hurt, so that’s an obvious downgrade. The Steelers are beginning to get healthy and gel, so that’s something to keep an eye on. Both teams are subprime, at the moment. Big game for both teams though. Tom is taking the Steelers, Chris is taking the Ravens

• Texans at Cowboys - The Cowboys, and Dak tend to start slow but they slaughtered the Colts last week. The Boys are favored by 17, which is way too much, but the Texans are not good. They’re better than 17 points, so it’s a bit disrespectful, but the Cowboys should take care of this easily. Tom is taking Houston to cover; Chris is taking Dallas.

• Buccaneers at 49ers - SF favored by 3.5pts. Bosa is playing at a DPOY level and this line for Tampa is going to have their work cut out for them. San Francisco should take this easily, no matter who they have at QB. Start your 49ers, especially McCaffery. We’re both taking San Fran. 

• Dolphins at Chargers - Miami is favored by 3.5pts. The Chargers are still in playoff striking distance, but they’re not good. They are wasting Herbert, and it hurts Tom immensely. Start your Dolphins, especially Mostert. We’re both taking Miami here. 

• Patriots at Cardinals - New England favored by 1.5pts. They both are terrible. Tom is taking the Cardinals because he loves Kyler Murrary. Chris is taking the Patriots, because he doesn’t like Kyler Murray. That is all.

• Jets at Bills - Buffalo is favored by 10 in what is expected to be a snowy affair. The Jets are playing better with Mike White instead of Wilson, which isn’t hard, but still a thing. This will be big for Buffalo to hang onto the #1 Seed, which will be HUGE..We’re taking Buffalo

• Browns at Bengals - Joe Burrow needs to get the monkey off his back, because they have no chance if they can’t learn to beat the Browns. Cincy is playing all around better football currently, so there is a real chance here. AFC North games are always a toss up, especially when teams are evenly matched. We’re both taking Cincy. 

• Vikings at Lions - Detroit is favored by 1.5pts. The Vikings have won a bunch of one-score games so the record is maybe misleading. Also Detroit is playing really good football, they give up a ton of points, but they also score a ton of points. We’re both taking Minnesota.

• Eagles at Giants - Philly is favored by 7, and we’re both in agreement that the Eagles should take care of this one easily. The Giants are hurting on offense with Saquon a little banged up. We’re both taking the Eagles

• Chiefs at Broncos - KC is looking to bounce back from last week’s loss to Cincy. The Broncos are terrible though. Russell Wilson is comically bad.The Chiefs are favored and we’re both taking them to win. This one is pretty simple. 

• Jags at Titans - Trevor Lawrence is questionable, but last week looked nasty. The Titans look bad and need a win this week against a division rival. The Jags are still hit or miss, they got blown out by Detroit last week. Chris is taking Jacksonville, and Tom is taking Tennessee. 

• Panthers at Seahawks - No Kenneth Walker for Seattle, so it’s the Lockett and Metcalf show. Seattle’s offense is still solid. Carolina is absolutely terrible so we’re both taking Seattle to win. 

Heisman Trophy 

Caleb Williams is the frontrunner, who just won the Maxwell, like the last 8 Heisman winners. That’s pretty much an open and shut case. A lot of good players on the candidate list this year, and a few we’ll most likely see again, but this year is pretty well decided.

Boston Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox have been puzzling in the offseason, which is becoming a concerning trend for their fans. They won a World Series in 2018, with possible asterisk, but since then have let Mookie Betts and now Xander Bogaerts without getting anything worthwhile in return. Oh, and we could add in Benintendi, too. 

The new ownership seems to have tightened the purse strings and it has cost them two generational talents in the last few years. They low-balled Xander and there is some serious concern about the direction of the club, after losing one of the best Shortstops in baseball. They have spent a little over the odds on Yoshida and Jansen. Do they need both? Yes, but the way the money is being spent is a little odd. 

Correa would have been a blockbuster move after letting Xander go, but it’s looking like they’re going to be working with Devers, Story, and Downs. We’ll see how it pans out. Interesting times!

NFC EAST INTRIGUE; MICH v. OHIO ST REMATCH; TRAVIS KELCE FOR MVP?

England v. U.S.A.

The Yanks battled, and largely outplayed the #5 Ranked England squad in a nil-nil draw in Qatar as both teams look to get out of their Group B. The USMNT looked far better than their performance against Wales, and kept England not only on their heels, but in legitimate danger. The midfield of Musah, McKennie, and Adams really bossed a terrific English midfield, which was a pleasant surprise to USMNT supporters, and infuriating to English fans. 

Gregg Berhalter could have potentially pushed a little harder for the breakthrough goal, but there were genuine opportunities, respectable possession, more shots, more corners and a very important clean sheet and point. England’s weapons were largely contained, and Matt Turner had a “Man-of-the-Match” performance. 

Berhalter made his subs very late, in the 75th minute. He brought on Aaronson for McKennie, and Moore came on for Dest, which was very strange with Yedlin on the bench. We still haven’t seen Gio Reyna get really meaningful minutes, and many fans are fuming about it. He was given less than 10 minutes although we’re told he’s healthy. In the opinion of many, we left something on the field. 

The US Men move on with their fate in their hands against Iran in a must-win on Tuesday at 2:00 pm EST. England finishes off their group games with a big match against rival Wales on Tuesday, as well. 

World Cup Headlines

• Argentina (#3) drops their opener to Saudi Arabia (#50), and now those guys are getting a Rolls Royce, each. Saudi Arabia sounds wild!

• Germany (#11) collapsed against Japan (#24) to lose their opener in a difficult group

• Brazil (#1) beat a very good Serbia (#21) squad, pretty easily, but at the expense of a Neymar injury. 

• Spain (#7) kicked Costa Rica’s (#31) heads in, and without really putting their foot on the gas. They could be the best team in the tournament, besides Brazil

Thanksgiving NFL Football & Week #12 

A tradition unlike any other…wait, well…yeah, you get it! This was a competitive slate of games, and we got some good stuff. 

• Bills at Lions - The Bills beat the Lions, but J. Allen looked pretty average. He’s thrown 7 picks, to his 6 TDs in the last 5 games. The BIlls have come back to earth, and Allen is struggling with decision-making. Defensively, they’re in limbo, too - especially with Von MIller out. Trouble in Buffalo! Detroit played really well, too. They still have to learn how to finish/close games.

• Giants at Cowboys - The Cowboys are still a mystery. The Giants are mediocre, because of Daniel Jones, but the whole NFC is suspect honestly. The Cowboys win, but not impressively. Dak threw two TDs, with matching INTs. Who really knows?

• Patriots at Vikings - Cousins had a day, and led the Vikes to another win against a respectable Pats performance. Mac Jones looked really good, but the Vikings just have too many weapons - Justin Jefferson is unplayable. Absolutely ELITE!

Rest of the League

• Bengals at TItans - Titans are dogs at home…to Cincy. This is laughable, honestly. We’re both taking Derrick Henry to absolutely demolish the Bengals

• Packers at Eagles - It could be the Jordan Love show, which is scary for the Packers. That being said, the Eagles are struggling a little bit after that incredible start. Chris is taking Philly, and Tom can’t help himself to take Green Bay. 

• Texans at Dolphins - Kyle Allen at the helm in Houston. Miami should handle this easily, even at -14. We’re oth taking the Dolphins here. Oh, and start Jeff Wilson Jr. if he’s on your waiver wire!

• Saints at 49ers - SF is favored by 9.5 at home. How good is this team, and how good can this team be? These are still some questions, but they are clearly the creme de la NFC at the moment. Everybody is healthy, and this team is loaded. The Saints are terrible defensively, and Jameis needs to start!  We’re taking the 49ers. 

• Atlanta at Commanders - Washington look to be progressing, and a lot of the young talent is coming along nicely. The Defense is playing well, and offensively Heinecke and McLaurin have a rapport…wild, right? The Falcons lost Kyle Pitts, which hurts the offense. Tom is taking Atlants, Chris is homering for Washington. 

• Ravens at Jaguars - Baltimore looked terrible offensively against Carolina, and Jacksonville has a pretty good defense, and front 7 specifically. The Ravens defense has been lights out though recently; this could, surprisingly, go either way. Tom is taking the Jags to cover, and Chris is taking the Ravens. 

• Bucs at Browns - both of these teams are really unpredictable. Brady seems like he’s figuring it out, and Brisset is riding the Stefanski wave, because Stefanski is so good! These teams both have some upside, but are mediocre at the moment. We’re taking the Bucs

• Bears at Jets - Mike White is starting in NY, and Justin Fields is dealing with a shoulder injury so both teams are sort of up in the air. We’re taking Chicago to win and cover.

• Chargers at Cardinals - The Chargers are favored by 3. Both teams were supposed to be better, but are just not. This one could be boring. The Cards get Kyler back, so that’s a thing. They’re both just so disappointing to the neutral fan. We’re both taking the Chargers

• Raiders at Seahawks - Seattle favored by 4 at home. They’ve fallen off, but the Raiders are just dreadful. It’s not pretty in Las Vegas. Josh Jacobs is the only cool thing about the Raiders at the moment, and they did just get a big OT win. Seattle is not great either, but they aren’t elite. K. Walker should snap off 100 yds. We’re split - Chris is taking Seattle and Tom is taking Las Vegas

• Rams at Chiefs - KC is favored by 15.5. The Rams are on a 3rd-string QB. Everybody else is hurt, too. Chiefs easy!

• Steelers at Colts - We’re both taking Pittsburgh. The Colts are favored by 2 at home, and they’re just not good. The Jeff Saturday Honeymoon is over. The Steelers are getting healthier, and better, but they’re not good either. Good enough to beat Indy though

College Football

Michigan vs. Ohio State

All eyes are on the noon kickoff between the undefeated Michigan Wolverines vs. the undefeated Ohio State Buckeyes. This game will have massive impact the Conference Championship, and the CFB Playoffs. 

Michigan is fantastic but this Ohio State team is so physical in the trenches and really are a handful for pretty much any team in the nation at this point. CJ Stroud doesn’t really need much embellishment because the kid is NFL-ready. The main argument against Ohio State is that they’ve won some big games against some lower-level talent, and have had some difficulty away to teams that aren’t on their level (see. Univ. of Maryland). Michigan also had trouble with the Terrapins, and the Illini, which definitely reflects poorly on their overall outlook. 

This will mostly come down to keep the bal secure, and making smart decisions in big moments. Ohio State is favored, and rightfully so, but anything can happen in these rivalry games! 

Alabama vs. Auburn

Another iteration of a the Iron Bowl, down in Alabama. The Crimson Tide have been subpar, to their standards, this season. Bryce Young has played well and still looks NFL-ready, as well, but they shot themselves in the foot against teams like LSU and Tennesee, and racked up big losses to fellow SEC opponents. Auburn is 2-5 in the SEC and they’ve been hammered a few times. There is always some intrigue in the Iron Bowl, but it’ll be a tall task for this upset to come through. Alabam should take care of business, but who knows, right?

LSU vs Texas A&M

Texas A&M has been dismal this year under Jimbo Fisher, and the fan interest is low, too. Which is a nightmare for the program. LSU has to avoid this being a trap, with Georgia coming to town, but they should be able to take car eof business. A&M is a big let down, but we’ll see if they keep the faith.  Brian Kelly has impressed this year with the Bayou Tigers

Notre Dame vs USC

Caleb Williams and the Trojans continue to roll, and are definitely one of the most dangerous teams in contention for the CFB Playoffs. The Offensive Line is a little suspect, and the defense gives up a lot of yards but they can hang with anyone. Notre Dame has been playing much better football, arguably their best, putting up at least 35 pts in their last 5 outings. USC has a ton of weapons and continue getting better, it’ll be a tall task for Notre Dame. 

Dan Snyder Selling?; Luka Doncic is Incredible; Ovi ties Howe* and Closes in on Gretzky

World Series Pulse

We start tonight with the World Series which has been a great rollercoaster of a series so far. We’ve seen a blowout and a combined no-hitter in this series, and we’re getting at least a Game #5 -  it’s hard to ask for much more from a title series.

Verlander got his first World Series win in a tight Game #5 which is exactly what the Astros wanted and needed. They look good going into a decisive Game #6 back at home in Houston. Dusty has been pulling the strings like a master this series. Mancini got tossed in at a crucial time, and made a spectacular play at 1st to end the inning. McCormick’s catch in the 9th was the type of thing that wins a World Series. 

Game #6 will see a great matchup between Waldez and Wheeler. As neutrals, we’d love to see this series go seven games, but we think the momentum is in Houston’s favor. 

Week #9 NFL Preview

Thursday Night Football 

• Eagles at Texans - The Eagles pulled out a victory, in a more competitive game than expected. Dameon Pierce ran all over the Eagles, which is a concern for sure. They’re still undefeated, but there are some weaknesses. Hurts kept a consistent performance with 2TD tosses. The Eagles won, but did not cover. 

Rest of the League

• Bills at Jets - Zach Wilson stinks! The Jets are struggling a little bit since the injury to Corey Davis. Flacco would be winning more with this squad. The Bills are favored by 11.5 - we both think the Bills will win easily but won’t cover.

• Chargers at Falcons - The 1st place Atlanta Falcons, are somehow winning games. The Chargers can’t stop the run, and the Falcons run…a lot. The Chargers offense is anemic, at best. We both like the Falcons to win and cover

• Vikings at Commanders - Kirk Cousins, the never forgotten son, returns to Washington. The Vikings are 6-1 and still getting healthier. They just picked up DJ Hockenson, and got exponentially better. Tom is taking Minnesota, and Chris is taking Washington

• Colts at Patriots - No J. Taylor, and Indy is in shambles honestly. Ehlinger is terrible, but he’s got “grit”! We’re both taking the Patriots

• Panthers at Bengals - No J. Chase again - which we’ve learned makes Burrow look mediocre at best. They can’t run, the O-Line is abysmal and gets Burrow killed. PJ Walker is playing well, and DJ Moore is such a stud. We’re both taking the Panthers to cover. 

• Packers at Lions - The Lions are lifeless, according to Chris.Their defense is awful and they blew another lead. Packers are 3.5pt favorites and really need to make a statement here. We’re both taking Green Bay to win and cover.

• Raiders at Jacksonville - Both of these teams have fallen apart, not that they were great to begin with. The Jags have bottled up Lawrence for some reason. The Raiders are just all over the place, but still favored by 2.5pts. Tom is taking Vegas, and Chris is taking Jacksonville. 

• Seahawks at Cardinals - Kenneth Walker is a DAWG! The Seahawks are just elevating all over the field, and Geno Smith is out of his mind currently. The Cards need to win this one, or they’re finished. We’re  split here again - Chris is taking Seattle, and Tom is taking Arizona. 

• Rams at Buccaneers - The Rams have to win, they are almost dead at this point. The Bucs are basically dead, too. The Rams cant score points, and the Bucs can't do anything. Tom called this a “mid-off”, and is going with a TIE, Chris is going with the Bucs

• Titans at Chiefs - Vrabel and the boys travel to KC for a meeting with Mahomes and the Chiefs. Tannehill might not play, so we’ll see how that goes. KC can’t stop the run, and Henry is looking good. KC is favored by 12.5pts which is definitely influenced by the QB. We’re both taking KC to win, but not cover.

• Ravens at Saints - The Saints are wildly unpredictable with their QB by committee. Kamara is the major weapon to be stopped. The Ravens lost Bateman for the year, and Andrews is still out. Roquan Smith joins the squad, which is a good move but still a bit confusing. THEY NEED A WR!!! The Ravens are still taking this one, easily…for both of us. 

College Football Preview

• (3) Georgia vs. (1) Tennessee - traveling in the SEC is always a nightmare, especially going to Tuscaloosa or Athens. The Bulldogs are home and should be favorites, but this Tennessee offense is legit, and Hendon Hooker is an absolute STUD! This Georgia team does seem beatable though, so this should be a fun one to watch. A win here would be MAJOR for Tennessee and be big for re-establishing them as a force in the SEC in years to come. We’re both taking Georgia at home, but we would not be surprised if Tennessee takes one in Athens

• (6) Alabama vs. (10) LSU - LSU Is ranked probably a little higher than they should be. They’re good, but not in the top 10. They got waxed by Tennessee, but have done well with all of their other opponents so this would be a big statement win for the Tigers. Alabama has been sloppy, undisciplined, and maybe just not as talented as we’re used to. We both think Alabama has enough in the tank, but another tasty matchup

• Best of the Rest 

  • Michigan is favored by 26 and Ohio State is favored by 38. Both teams are undefeated and boast NFL-ready talent all over the field. They won’t really be tested until they play each other at the end of the month.

  • Clemson and Notre Dame face-off in a solid matchup between talented squads with some identity confusion on their hands. Clemson needs this one to retain an unbeaten record and Notre Dame could claim a big W, and possibly a ranking.

NBA Highlights…so far!

• Giannis Antetokounmpo is ABSOLUTELY on fire! The Milwaukee Bucks are undefeated, 7 games into the season. Pat Collington being back is big. Khris Middleton is coming back eventually, which is HUGE. The Bucks & Giannis are looking REAL good so far, and probably the whole year.

• Luka Doncic has had slightly better numbers than Giannis, which is silly! He’s also carrying a lot more of the load on a lesser team, and while they gel together in Dallas. 9 rebounds and 9 assists from a PG is silly, and Luka is also on course for an MVP-type year if this continues.

Are the Ravens Hitting their Stride?; World Series Hype!; NFL Week #9 Preview

Thursday Night Football - Week #8

Ravens at Bucs - Last night’s game was a great snapshot of Lamar’s ability to adapt and do what needs to be done to win games. Yes, even with those late losses earlier in the season. He is in the Top 10 in every category for QB’s currently, and a few Rushing categories. He’s proven pretty much every doubter wrong, but haters are going to hate, right? He has the 5th best TD-INT ratio in NFL HISTORY…let that marinate. He’s rushing the football like no other QB in history, and his win percentage is one of the best in NFL HISTORY!

Injuries to Bateman and Andrews were concerning early on, but he was able to find their replacements and produce successful drives. The criticism continues, and will forever continue, for reasons we’re sure nobody wants to hear or acknowledge but he’s continuing to play well, get better, and put up elite numbers across the board. We both agree, the Lamar hate is preposterous and it needs to stop.

The Ravens are getting better. They were able to run the ball, keep possession and control the clock; a look back at the style that led them to 13 wins and Lamar an MVP. The Defense is getting better and healthier, and the pass rush was back. Brady and Co. couldn’t sustain a drive and hung their defense out to dry. When the 3rd Quarter came around they were already huffing and puffing, and simply could not stop the rush. The Passing game for Baltimore still needs to improve, but if they can get the run game back to this level they’re onto something. Give the man a receiver! Go get a guy!!

World Series Hype!

Game #1 of the World Series is here and we are excited! Both teams don’t have wide national appeal for varying reasons, but there is a ton of star power on both squads that should attract even the casual baseball fan. The Astros are heading to their 4th World Series in 6 years, which is incredibly impressive. The Phillies are returning for the first time since 2008 and are riding a really hot lineup. 

We’ll see “Old Faithful” Justin Verlander to start the series for the Astros. He’s gotten a little roughed up in the early innings these playoffs, and he has never won a World Series game, so there is some intrigue there. The Phillies are sending Aaron Nola to the bump. Both pitchers could cause some trouble; both lineups have poor stats or have never faced either Verlander or Nola, respectively. 

The Houston Astros are the favorite, from our perspective. The Astros won 106 games and cruised to a Division title in the AL West. The Phillies won 87 games, behind two 100-win teams, in the NL East, one of the biggest Win-Loss differentials in World Series history. The Astros are pretty firmly better on paper, but the game isn’t played there. They’ve coasted in the playoffs so far, going undefeated heading into the WS. The Phillies aren’t undefeated but have discovered the hot lumber, and have fired their way to a shot at the title. It will be a tough task, but if Harper, Schwarber, and Co. can keep hitting the ball the way they have, the pitching staff should be able to power them home. Either way, this should be a really entertaining series to watch.

NFL Week 8 Picks

• Broncos vs. Jaguars - Another snoozefest in London. They don’t get the pick of the litter, but they love the game nonetheless. Jacksonville is favored by 2.5pts. The Broncos are terrible, and Russell Wilson is a bum. Chris is taking the Jags, and Tom is just taking the under - they both stink.

• Panthers at Falcons - Atlanta is favored, and in 1st place in the NFC South! Carolina is just not good, so there’s that. We both are taking Atlanta, but don’t play Drake London or Kyle Pitts, it's over for them fantasy-wise

• Bears at Dallas - The Bears are terrible, but Justin Fields is pretty good with a pass rush. He’s running a bit more and the playbook looks to be evolving for Fields. Dallas is getting adjusted under Dak again, so that’s a thing to watch. Chris is taking the spread, Tom is taking Chicago to cover. 

• Dolphins at Lions - The Lions are fighting for their life out here! Miami should have a big day because Detroit's defense is not good. Get your Dolphins in your lineup, and the usual Lions suspects; Swift et. al. We’re both taking the Dolphins here.

• Steelers at Eagles - Eagles are favored by 10.5 and they’re cruising at the moment. The Steelers are figuring things out, but the defense is still riddled with injuries and it shows. Start your Eagles, and bench your Steelers, if you own any. Tom thinks the Steelers cover, Chris is taking the Eagles

• Raiders at Saints - Vegas is favored. The Raiders are figuring it out offensively, and the defense is coming around. The Saints are falling apart, and they’re starting Andy Dalton, again. We’re both taking the Raiders in a blowout.

• Patriots at Jets - New England is favored by 2.5. This could really be a push, they’re both mediocre at best; closer to bad. Mac Jones is still in the driver’s seat. Belicheck is handling this QB thing poorly. We’re both taking the Patriots here. 

• Titans at Texans - Tennessee is favored by 2.5, too. The Titans should just run all day and make the Texans figure it out. There isn’t much in this one, but we’re both taking Tennessee 

• Commanders at Colts - The NFL should pay people to watch this, but the Colts are dead. Sam Ehlinger is under center for Indy. The Colts are dead. We’re both taking the Commanders. 

• Giants at Seahawks - This…might be…a good game? Both teams are overachieving preseason expectations. Barkley is arguably back to Penn St. levels, and Geno Smith is shocking everyone. We’re split on this one Chris is taking Seattle, and Tom is taking the Giants. 

• 49ers at Rams - The Rams are still struggling to find that Super Bowl form of last year. The 49ers need a bounce back after that day in KC. SoFi is basically a SF home game. We’re split again, Chris is on the Rams and Tom is taking the 49ers. 

• Cardinals at Vikings - This is a must-win for Arizona, and Minnesota can create some separation in the division. Both teams are still creating an identity for themselves, so it’s a tough call. Tom is taking Arizona, Chris is taking Minnesota.

• Packers at Buffalo - Buffalo is favored by 11. We’re both taking Buffalo. That’s all…oh, and start all of your Bills. 

• Bengals at Browns - No J. Chase for Cincy, which is brutal. Cleveland isn’t very good in general, the defense especially; Watson coming back might not even matter. Burrow’s numbers are good, but a HUGE chunk of that are to Chase, so this could be bad. Tom is taking Cleveland to cover, Chris is taking Cincinnati.

NBA Thoughts

It’s too early to make any sort of predictions or analysis, but we’ve had some intriguing things go down in these first 4 or 5 games…and here they are.

• Porzingis and Kuzma have been playing well and look good playing with Bradley Beale in Washington. Deni Avdija is also playing really well, maybe not as great offensively as people had hoped/thought, but he’s playing great defense and supporting fantastically. 

• Indiana is playing well despite the record. Halliburton is playing great basketball, and if that level keeps up we’re looking at an All-Star. Buddy Hield is a preposterously good 3-pt shooter.

• The Clippers are a little concerned with two blowout losses, and Kawhi having some knee soreness. John Wall has played well so far, and we really stress “so far”.

• The Lakers stink, and Russell Westbrook is so bad. 

• The Nets are asking Simmons to do things that he can’t really do. He also hasn’t played basketball in two-years, which has an impact. 

• Lauri Merkannen is putting in work early in Utah, which is a pleasant surprise. Utah has a bunch of veterans around him, but they’re not expected to do much. 

Tanking season is about to begin, as well. Teams are already eyeing Wembanyama and some will definitely be mailing it in, in hopes of nabbing the expected next big thing in the NBA. The league needs to curb that, because it’s a bad look. 

Sports Nirvana = Fall; Do the Yankees still have a shot?; Who are these Baltimore Ravens

Headlines

Christian McCaffery traded to San Francisco for a BUNCH of picks. We know he’s a great back, but it feels a little desperate at the moment. If they can get him going, this should help a team that is a legit contender, so we shall see. 

The Yankees are on the verge of getting swept by the Houston Astros, and they are looking at their bell cow, Gerrit Cole, to keep them alive on Saturday. This was a “win now” team for the Yankees, especially with Judge’s contract situation, but it’s not looking good in the Bronx. If they drop Game #3 with Cole on the mound, this season is just about over for them. 

Thursday Night Football; WE GOT ONE! We finally got a game that was reasonably entertaining between the Saints and Cardinals. There were more than 20 pts scored, which was problem #1 with the previous TNF matchups. The headline here is Kyler & Kingsbury, as usual, and it’s looking like there is still tension between them with these sideline blowups. They scored 4 pts though, and nabbed a win. The Saints are just not good, even with a solid defense, the Andy Dalton show just isn’t going to do it.

NFL Week #7 Preview 

Ravens Identity Crisis

• Browns at Ravens - The Ravens are welcoming the Cleveland Browns for a big division game, early in the year. The Ravens are 3-3, 1-2 at home, which is really concerning for the Ravens and the fanbase. They have been totally unable to close. There is very little consistency, on both sides of the ball. It’s very strange that this team doesn’t seem to know who they are, and the longer it lasts the more concerning it is.  - 

The Browns are similarly inconsistent. The defense is playing terribly, and underachieving by most people’s projections. Brissett has come back down to earth after a stellar start to the season that surprised some people. Nick Chubb is going to carry the load, and David Njoku could have a decent day. 

The Ravens need to figure this out, against the Browns, now. We’re both taking the Ravens to win, but we’re split on the spread. 

• Falcons at Bengals - both teams cover the spread, like all the time. Marcus Marriotta is having a comeback player of the year type year, according to Tom; Chris isn’t so convinced but the Falcons aren’t as bad as they should be. Fantasy bumps - Burrow is looking better, and Chase is still a start. We’re both taking the Falcons.

• Lions at Cowboys - Dak’s Back; against the worst defense in football so this is a great situation for the Cowboys. Kudos to Detroit for sticking to blitzing all the time, no matter what, but Dallas might light them up. All of your cowboys can play again. We’re both taking Dallas

• Colts at Titans - Tennessee is favored by 2.5pts. You can’t trust either team, and we’re split on this one. Chris is taking Tennessee, Tom is taking Indy. 

• Bucs at Panthers - Tampa favored by 13 in Carolina. It seems egregious, but they did just lose McCaffery so maybe it makes sense? We’re taking Tampa win, but we’re staying away from the spread. 

• Packers at Commanders - Heinicke/Rodgers, marquee NFL stuff here. The real story is honestly Chase Young meeting with Dr. Andrews about his injury. Oh, and Green Bay really needs to get it together here, this is either a statement or a trap. We’re split, Chris is taking Washington, Tom is on Green Bay

• Giants at Jags - Jags are favored…why? We’re both taking the Giants.

• Jets at Broncos - J.E.T.S. Jets, Jets, Jets!

• Texans at Raiders - Houston to cover! The Raiders offense is starting to roll, but that defense is a shambles

• Seahawks at Chargers - The Chargers are not good. Bet the under because it’s obscenely high. The Seahawks should win this.

• Chiefs at 49ers - KC is favored by 2 pts, but this is certainly their toughest defensive test of the season so far. KC is still missing a “big play” guy, but they are still the cream of the crop. The 49ers get Bosa back this week. This will definitely be good watching for the neutral fan. We’re split here again Chris is taking KC and Tom is taking San Fran. 

• Steelers at Dolphins - Miami is favored by 7, and that’s not an overshoot. Pittsburgh is awful, but are doing weird things like beating Brady and the Bucs. Miami is struggling, but they’re the more talented team at the moment. Tom is taking the Steelers to cover, Chris is taking the Dolphins

• Bears at Patriots - Mac Jones is probably going to start again, and the Pats are favored by 7.5pts. Zappe looked a lot more promising than Mac in his time under center so we wouldn’t start Mac again, but they stink either way. The Bears are just awful, Justin Fields is in purgatory, and it’s sad to watch. We’re taking the Pats. 

MLB Postseason

So far, this has been an unbelievably entertaining Postseason! It’s fantastic to see the big names, making major impacts, at the highest level and on the biggest stage. 

Phillies/Padres

Bryce Harper, has arguably been the biggest and best of those stars, and it has been a joy to watch. The Phillies split in San Diego, which is great, but a last second loss in Game #2 has to cast some doubt. The Phillies have a great lineup, but some questions round the pitching staff that could be the tipping point in this series. 

The Padres are still ridiculously dangerous. The pitching staff is loaded with Darvish, Snell, Musgrove with Hader on the backend. We all know the lineup is lethal from top to bottom. It is missing Tatis, too, which only makes them scarier. We both agree that San Diego is the better squad here, so we’re excited to watch. 

Yankees/Astros

A MASSIVE Game #3 for the Yankees who are currently in a 2-0 hole, and are not looking good at all. The Astro’s are cooking, and are in full World Series mode which should concern any team they’re facing. 

The Yankees still have a dynamite lineup, and Aaron Judge, but they aren’t hitting, and even worse, they continue to strikeout at an alarming rate. The pitching has been terrible, too. The bullpen continues to give up hits and runs, which is unfixable at the moment. Gerrit Cole goes tomorrow night and needs to churn out an absolutely perfect performance to keep the Yankees alive. 

The Astro’s are basically about to win this without breaking a sweat; we’re just being real here. 

Early NBA Headlines

We’re only one (or two) games in depending on team, but there are a few promising headlines from the start of a new NBA Season. 

• Kawahi Leonard is back on the court, which is great for the NBA as a whole. He is a major star for the League and it’s better with him than without him. 

• James Harden is back, playing, and looking good in Philadelphia. He’s had a lot of the ball these first two games, which probably should change a bit, and probably will as Embiid and Co. get healthy. 

• Zion Williamson is an absolute monster, and the team around him is really good, too! The Pelicans are shaping up to be a lot of fun to watch. We hope he stays healthy for the sake of all basketball fans.

• The Brooklyn Nets have all the stars, playing, at the same time. Steve Nash isn’t Phil Jackson, but this team should be fine over the course of the year. The talent is undeniable. 

• Paulo Banchero looks legit. 20 pts in each of his first two games, and he hasn’t been forced to shoot from range yet. The mid-length jumper is back baby!!

Yankees Lose Game #2; CFB Schedule Heats Up; TNF is Pathetic

Thursday Night Football

Jeff Bezos is probably very unhappy with the product he’s getting and last night was an absolute stinker between the Washington Commanders and the Chicago Bears. A whole 19 points were scored between the two of them, and it was just really bad. They are in the conversation for worst teams in the league, so there’s that. 

Both the Bears and Commanders don’t appear to be getting any better in the near future. Both organizations are poorly run, and holding out hope for improvement is a dicey bet. Justin Fields has no support and his talent is being wasted in Chicago. They aren’t schemeing for his mobility, his receivers just drop good throws, or fumble, like last week. These franchises need to let these young QBs grow and build around them, but bad franchises sometimes can’t be fixed

The Commanders are still owned by Dan Synder, so we don’t have to say much more than that. The stadium is a dump, the team is terrible, and he has a MOUNTAIN of debt that the NFL has to make a decision on soon. He probably won’t get run out of town yet, but the fanbase wouldn’t cry if he did. 

NFL Week #7 Preview

• Ravens at Giants - Baltimore is favored by 5.5, but something has to give. The G-Men run the ball extremely well, and the Raven’s rush defense is not good. Wink is going to put pressure on Lamar, so he’s going to have to make quick decisions.It’s an odd game, but we both expect Baltimore to win, but not cover, because they never cover.

• 49ers at Falcons - Jimmy G had a good game last week against Carolina, and the run game is starting to pick up. The Falcons are just not good, and WASTING Kyle Pitts!! We’re taking the 49ers here to win and cover

• Browns at Patriots - The Patriots defense was stellar last week. The Browns are not good, but Chubb is lighting it up. QB is up in the air for the Pats, Jones or Zappe, neither is a great choice. We’re honestly both just taking the over - doesn’t matter who wins. 

• Jets at Packers - GB is favored by 7.5, but that seems like a stretch this year. They have been struggling and need a win at home here. Historically this bodes well for GB, but the Jets are riding a wave. We’re both taking GB and the points here.

• Jags at Colts - Jags won the first meeting. The Colts need J. Taylor to get going, desperately!! The O-Line is absolutely terrible which is killing his production, and ultimately the team. This is another terrible game for a pick, just take the under!

• Bills at Chiefs - This one has been highlighted since the schedules were released, and is a blockbuster game for the NFL. These are arguably the two best QBs in the NFL and the BIlls want some revenge on KC. Mahomes is the underdog so the pressure is on him. Start everyone, bet the Over, this is going to be fun!! We’re taking Josh Allen

• Vikings at Dolphins - Vikings favored by 3. Dalvin Cook is BACK! The Dolphins are still Tua-less so the ceiling is still low, comparatively, at this point. Start your Vikings & their Defense. We’re both taking Minnesota here.

• Bengals at Saints - The Bengals are favored and that makes sense. The Saints aren’t very good. Andy Dalton will get a shot at his old squad, so that’s neat. The New Orleans defense is NOT good, so Burrow could have a day. The Saints also have a lot of injury woes so it’s not looking good. We’re taking the Bengals. 

• Bucs at Steelers - Tampa is favored by 9.5, and this definitely makes sense. The Steelers are not good, and the defense holds the brunt of it. They are missing 6 starters, not including T.J. Watt. The Bucs walk this one home, easily. 

• Panthers at Rams - Rams are favored by 10. Cam Akers is “taking personal time” so they’re getting rid of him. The Panthers are in PJ Walker land so they could cover. The Rams are still struggling, but should win this matchup. We agree on the Rams.

• Cowboys at Eagles - The pressure is on Philly, who are currently undefeated. The Dallas defense is very good, so this is a test for Hurts and this offense. This game is a statement for both squads. Start your Eagles, and the Dallas D. We’re taking Philly here.

• Cardinals at Seahawks - Geno Smith is ON FIRE!!!! The defense is not good, but the Seahawks can score points. The Cardinals are still confusing. Kyler Murray needs to be let loose, to pass or fail. We’re taking the Seahawks. 

• Broncos at Chargers - Russell Wilson on Primetime = No Cover. He’s awful at night, and it’s almost laughable. The Chargers are rolling after a big injury for them. Herbert has been putting up numbers, but Denver has a great defense. We’re taking the Chargers. 

MLB Divisional Series Preview

NY Yankees vs. CLE Guardians - The Yankees lost at home, in extras to the youngest team in baseball in the Cleveland Guardians. Is it panic time for the Yankees? It’s possible because Judge is slumping and that’s a major concern. The Guardians have a great pitching staff so this is a winnable series for Cleveland from an outsider’s perspective. 

Tomorrow sees McKenzie v. Severino and seems to lean towards Cleveland with Severino’s inconsistency over the course of the year. The Yankees need to get in gear or they could get knocked out in short order

PHL Phillies vs. ATL Braves - The Braves took a beating last night and the Phillies look locked in at the plate down the lineup. 9-1 is a serious scoreline for a MLB playoff game. This is a fun series because both teams are loaded with talent and fun to watch, but the Phillies have a lot of momentum and feel good spirit around them at the moment, and Atlanta doesn’t feel as dominant as last year. 

Charlie Morton is setting up to go tomorrow for the Braves in what looks like an elimination game. Grab a ticket if you can!

HOU Astros vs. SEA Mariners - Yordan Alvarez is going to live in Mariners fans’ heads because he tormented them all season. Seattle played a nearly perfect Game #1, and got crushed in the 8th. Then the next night, he does it again to put the dagger in them. Seattle is dead in this series, according to Tom; Chris isn’t so easily convinced. 

Seattle hit the buzzsaw, and they better get used to it because that’s a division nightmare for them for the foreseeable future!

LA Dodgers vs. SD Padres - tonight is Snell vs. Gonsolin; both can be inconsistent so it’s hard to pick what’s going to happen. The Padres’ pitching has been working hard but are holding the line well, but they can be inconsistent from Starter to Closer. The Dodgers’ pitching has been equally inconsistent, but they’ve just been dog-walking teams so it hasn’t mattered. The Padres can really pull out an upset in this series if the lineup stays hot. Both teams are loaded with stars, but it just feels like the Padres’ stars are ready to break!

Dodgers’ pitching will decide the outcome of this series; and we think it could be bad for them!

CFB Week #7 Preview 

#10 Penn St. vs. #5 Michigan - Both squads are undefeated so this should be a great Big 10 game for a noon kickoff. Michigan is favored by 7, and they’ve been tossing the ball around quite impressively with JJ McCarthy. Harbaugh made that decision in Week #2 and hasn’t looked back. 

Penn St. boasts two fantastic RBs (out of 4 who can really tote the rock) who are leading the offense with a combined 9 touchdowns between them, Singleton and Allen. This will be a statement game for both squads, and a measuring stick for each of them with looks at knocking off Ohio St.

The first game of the weekend may be the most consequential!

#3 Alabama vs #6 Tennessee - Probably the marquee matchup of the weekend. Bryce Young is questionable. Tennessee’s offense is REALLY good, and the Alabama defense had some struggles last week against Texas A&M that isn’t even close. If Hendon Hooker balls out, this could be the one that books his trip to NY for the Heisman ceremony, that he won’t win. 

This feels like a trap, and Alabama could just remind everybody who they are but Tennessee could also put a stamp on their legitimacy in the CFB picture. 

#12 USC vs. #20 Utah - Caleb Williams is possibly the best college QB outside of CJ Stroud. USC is putting up a ton of points, and letting up a ton of yards but the show is entertaining, but the Defense is nicking turnovers in timely fashion. Ride the USC train. Utah isn’t that good!

London Games; Ravens Home Losing Streak; Post-Season Baseball

Monday Night Football Snoozer

Denver hosted Indianapolis and it was a Touchdown-less affair as both defenses dominated and both offenses struggled to get any rhythm. The Broncos are struggling to get into a groove. Russell Wilson isn’t playing great, he isn’t really using his legs, and he’s making some bonehead throws. He is 2-18 in the Red Zone this season; they’ve had two games where they’ve gone 0-4 in the Red Zone. You almost have to TRY to play that poorly.

The Colts have a little bit of offensive upside, but they are struggling on the Offensive Line to keep Matt Ryan upright. The Running Back room isn’t exactly lighting it up either, and Jonathan Taylor was the first RB off the board in just about every fantasy league this year. Their defense is top tier which helps, and keeps them relevant in a really bad division in the AFC South. The Colts have kept a revolving door of veteran starting QBs over the last 6-7 years, and it’s not really working out.

This was just awful to watch. These offense’s are anemic and the defenses were the only real entertainment. The NFL was most likely thrilled to have a 12-9 barn burner for a MNF game. We would advise you to avoid watching either of these teams, unless you're a fan of one.

NFL Headlines

Trade Thoughts

Odell Beckham Jr. is being spoken about as an option for a lot of middling offenses around the league. He just tore his ACL in February, so the OBJ we’d see is almost certainly not 100%. That being said, a sub-100% OBJ is an upgrade to a lot of teams - looking at you Tampa, Green Bay, Buffalo, BALTIMORE and others. 

Christian McCaffery is in the 2nd to last year of his contract and not getting the touches or targets. The Panthers are awful and might want to “Cash Out” while they can. He is being wasted by that offense. We disagree on value; Chris says a 2nd or 3rd and Tom doesn’t even think anyone really would trade for him. 

David Montgomery will be a free agent at the end of this year, and they could get some value out of him. He would demand less of a trade value than McCaffery, and probably give you similar production. 

NFL Week #5 Preview

London Game - Packers v. Giants - The good ol’ NFL is taking the circus to England, with winning teams! Aaron Rodgers and company are travelling to Wembley to take on Saquon Barkley and the Giants. This is some real star power in London for the NFL versus the typical matchups that get sent there. 

The Giants are still not clicking and Daniel Jones isn’t what one would call “elite”. The defense has been playing well, and the run game is top tier, but there isn’t much more around them in NY. The Packers look to be figuring some things out and Rodgers is finding which receivers he can trust, and that’s a bad thing for ANY defense. 

Green Bay is favored by 8, which befuddles Tom, but he’s still taking Green Bay and so is Chris. 

• Steelers @ Buffalo - The Bills are favored by 14 which is a little much. The Bills are dealing with a lot of injuries. The Steelers are just not good. The Bills should win, but not cover. Oh, and Fitzpatrick might win DPOY without TJ Watt, which is a big deal.

• Chargers @ Browns - The Chargers should be able to handle the Browns but NIck Chubb is on fire, and the Chargers Run Defense is suspect. We’re both taking the Chargers though

• Bears @ Vikings - Vikings are favored by 4.5 The Bears MIGHT get David Montgomery back,but Khalil Herbert is a great stash pick. The Bears are just terrible. We both think the Vikings win and cover, no surprise here. 

• Detroit @ Patriots - Monitoring St. Brown’s status is a big one. The Pats are a decent defense, but this Detroit offense is prolific so far this season. The Pats are also onto their 3rd String QB. Tom is taking New England, Chris is taking Detroit

• Bucs @ Falcons - Brady & Co. are on a 2-game skid here, but the Bucs have looked better overall. Atlanta is playing better than expected, but the Bucs are still favored. We’re both taking Tampa here.

• Dolphins @ Jets How’s Tua’s Back? It was a back injury, right? We’re both taking Miami - even without Tua. 

• Titans @ Commanders - Tennessee is favored by 2.5, which is disrespectful because the Commanders could be the worst team in football. It’s not just Wentz, the team is not great. We’re both taking th Titans

• Texans @ Jags - Jacksonville is favored by 7, and that’s reasonable…maybe. They both aren’t very good but we’re both taking the Jags to win

• Seahawks @ Saints - The Saints are favored by 5 with Andy Dalton and no M. Thomas, it’s a little disrespectful to Geno Smith and the Seahawks who have been overachieving. We’re both taking the Seahawks for this one.

• Cowboys @ Rams - Cooper Rush is starting again for Dallas, but the Rams are really struggling to find some consistency. The Rams can’t protect Stafford, and Dallas’ Defense is elite. We’re both taking the Cowboys away.

• 49ers @ Panthers - The Panthers have to be the worst team in football, even the Commanders can’t be this bad. Jimmy G would have to try to lose this game. We’re both taking San Francisco for this one. 

• Eagles @ Cardinals - Philly is favored by 5, and Chris is very confident for them. Tom thinks this is a trap game for them, and the Cards have been looking a little better on offense. 

• Bengals @ Ravens - The Ravens are favored by 3.5pts; this is a must-win for the Ravens. They have blown back to back double-digit leads at home, and lost 5 straight at home. This team has an identity crisis at the moment. Tom is taking Cincy, Chris is taking the Ravens. 

• Raiders @ Chiefs - A ton of offensive fire power on both sides for fantasy purposes. Josh Jacobs and the Raiders are starting to move run-heavy. The Chiefs are just filthy at the moment though.  We’re both taking the Chiefs. 

MLB Wild Card Weekend

American League

Cleveland vs. Tampa Bay - Game #1 - Shane Bieber was terrific and Ramirez hit the decisive HR, basically how they’ve been playing the entire season. McLanahan pithed really well, too, but he gave up the bomb and sometimes in the Playoffs, that’s all it takes. The Guardians take Game #1 and a lead in the short 3 game series

Seattle vs. Toronto - Game #1 - Toronto dropped a tough one and they could be in serious trouble. Gausman has to save the season tomorrow, after not winning with their horse in Manoah. Seattle put up early runs and chased him out of the game. The ride may yet continue for the Mariners

National League 

Philadelphia vs. St. Louis - Game #1 - This game turned on its head without the aid of HRs. Philadelphia blew up in the 9th inning putting up a 6-spot to steal Game #1 in St. Louis. The Phillies don’t look great, but St. Louis needs to respond tomorrow. 

New York (Mets) vs. San Diego - Game #1 - The Mets have plenty of storyline but the Padres are peaking at the right time. The lineup is still scary, and the pitching is picking up. We’ll see Yu Darvish vs. Max Scherzer, so this should be a really good game. The Mets limped into the playoffs after blowing a big division lead. They do get Starling Marte back though, so you never know.

College Football Headlines

Georgia Offensive Worries? - They’ve had some slow starts in recent weeks and some media concern has crept in, but they are still arguably the best team in college football, Ranked #2 at the moment. 

OSU the Best Team in the Country? - They aren’t very flashy, but they are kicking heads in and CJ Stroud is clearly the best QB in the country, and looks the most “Sunday-ready”. Their O-Line is mauling people up front, and Marvin Harrison Jr. is a dude! They’re favored by 27 against Michigan St. 

USC a CFB Playoff Team? They face Washington St. this week and are favored heavily. Caleb Williams is so much fun to watch. The Trojan’s defense gives up a ton of yards, but are opportunistic so this could be a house of cards. They might be the most innovative offense in CFB. They have a tough road ahead with ranked teams in the PAC-12 to go through. 

Tua’s Injury & the NFL; Aaron Judge searching for #62; The Orioles 2022 Season

Tua’s Head Injury

Tua took another shot to the head after last week’s injury. Although he passed concussion protocol, it’s an awful look for the NFL. Ultimately, this probably won’t move the needle past the initial outrage. The NFL isn’t known for conducting thorough investigations that are going to paint them in a negative light, so this will probably just fall flat. 

There are certainly questions around how robust the concussion protocol actually is, and there have always been questions about the players’ willingness to be honest during their assessments. There isn’t an easy answer here, but this wasn’t the first and certainly won’t be the last time this topic bubbles up.

Tom seems to think the NFL has done everything it can to absolve them from criticism, it’s a cute thought, but he’s wrong.  Oh yeah, and the Dolphins lost which isn’t really surprising because Tua to Bridgewater isn’t ideal.

Aaron Judge Watch

He’s still sitting on 61…stay tuned!

Week #4 NFL Preview

• Bills at Ravens - Lamar v. Josh Allen, these are easily the two best QBs in the league (in our opinion) so this should be a good one. Buffalo is favored by 3, on the road, which is a little wild against Lamar. We’re both taking the Ravens here though.

• Chargers @ Texans - The Chargers are banged up, and it’s a bit of a concern. They got shelled last week, and players are dropping like flies. The Texans are winless, but it’s a window for them. Tom will take Houston and Chris is taking LA

• Saints v. Vikings - LONDON GAMES!!!! The Vikings are favored by 3. Both of these teams are unknowns; we don’t know what we get out of either team. J. Jefferson is up and down this year, but that’s not really his fault and he should bounce back. We’re both taking Minnesota.

• Browns @ Falcons - Cleveland is favored by 1, which isn’t enough. Chubb has been eating up yards and we expect more of the same. We’re both taking Cleveland, but this line should be higher. 

• Lions v. Seahawks - The Lions have some injuries at key positions but they have been playing well, and putting up points. Seattle’s defense is not good, so Goff is a good start here. We’re both taking the Lions, no argument there.

• Eagles @ Jags - The Jaguars are beginning to show signs of improvement and a culture change. They are playing good football and the foundation is being built, respect is coming, and this is a good test. A lot of good weapons on the field, too. We’re taking the Eagles here

• Commanders @ Dallas - Dallas is favored by 3, but the Commanders are just not good.We’re both taking Dallas…that is all.

•  Titans @ Colts - Does Jonathan Taylor bounce back? That’s probably the biggest question. Tennessee is missing Zack Cunningham. We’re both taking the Colts.

• Bears @ Giants - Giants are favored by 3. Montgomery is out, so K. Herbert is in and a sneaky pick at RB. Chris is taking the Bears to cover. Tom wants the Giants straight up. 

• Jets @ Steelers - Steelers are favored by 3.5, and it might REALLY be time for Kenny Pickett. Wilson will be back for NY, that changes the whole offensive system. We’re both taking Pittsburgh here; Chris is a “barely” and Tom is a homer, which is fine.

• Patriots @ Packers - Green Bay is favored by 9.5, and that’s probably right. The Pats are starting Brian Hoyer, so, yeah. The GB defense is really solid, and Rodgers may be figuring out who his weapons are. Chris is taking the Pats to cover, which is brave. Tom is taking Green Bay. 

• Cardinals @ Panthers - These teams are both terrible, but the Cards are missing arguably the best WR in football. The Panthers just have Baker Mayfield. We’re both taking the Cardinals, but this game will not be entertaining…at all.

• Broncos @ Raiders - “Why are the Raiders favored in anything” - Tom. The Raiders are winless and somehow favored. The Broncos are mediocre at best, but better than LV. They have an elite defense, and the offense should come around. We’re both taking Denver.

• Chiefs @ Bucs - It’s a pick’ em for the bettors. The Tampa Defense is probably the best in the league, and could give Mahomes some trouble. The Bucs are getting Evans, Godwin, and Julio back; they should be the formidable Bucs of old. 

• Rams @ 49ers - McVey has a bad record against Shanahan, but the 49ers are starting Jimmy G. The 49ers aren’t clicking at all. The Rams are more put together. Stafford is coming around but Kupp is still getting neutralized, and the running game is heating up. We’re both taking the Rams here. 

Orioles 2022 Season

The O’s have a  less than 0.1% chance to get into the playoffs at this point, but reflecting on the year it has been an incredible turnaround. In 2021 the Orioles were 52-110. If we go back to the full-season before Covid in 2019 we were 54-108, giving up 300+ HRs, the most in MLB History. It has been a torturous rebuild since the last contending teams were dismantled. 

Now that we’ve gone over the depressing part, the Orioles in 2022 turned a corner to look like a team on the rise with a young core, and still the best farm system in the league. Brandon Hyde should be given credit as well for guiding this young team and managing promotions and demotions, the bullpen, and the young personalities expertly. Adley Rutschman becoming an everyday player this season has been a success by any measure; grabbing a club rookie record for Doubles. Gunnar Henderson looks like he could absolutely square away 3rd Base for the future. Jorge Mateo aslo locked down the SS position, and progressed at the plate. Ryan Mountcastle has had a decent offensive season, defensively he can grow. Mullins and Santander have become dependable, everyday guys chipping in 30+ HRs and 30+ SBs. 

The Starting Rotation found some consistency with Lyles, Bradish, Kremer, etc.  but most importantly the bullpen improved significantly. The back-end of the bullpen, especially, broke out this season to provide the O’s with a seemingly legitimate setup and closer for the future. This will be the part of the ball club that is most interesting to see develop. 

In short, it’s time to spend some money and feel good about the Baltimore Orioles!!

Lamar Jackson; Judge & Pujols near History; Tomlin’s Tough Decision

Tomlin’s House

639 win percentage and Super Bowl win, Mike Tomlin is certainly one of the best coaches of his generation. A lot of the media has been underselling the man, and it’s a little unfair, to say the least. 16 NFL seasons of consistency, not a single losing season, two Super Bowl appearances, and one Win; that’s all you need to say. 

He’s been in the league since he was 35, and could be the head coach for another 20 years.Most likely he’ll stay with Pittsburgh until he decides to hang up his headset. That is just the way the Steelers operate. They like stability and consistency, and Tomlin is pretty much the definition of it in the NFL. He still has the passion he had as a younger guy, but he’s a little more reserved in front of the camera these days. 

The critics are always out there, and it’s all about “what have you done for me lately?”, but at the end of the day, you can’t argue with results!

Thursday Night Football - Steelers/Browns

Cleveland takes the W in a fairly average game against a pretty average Steelers team. Brissett is just guiding the ship without making any major mistakes. The run game in Cleveland is sold, the scheme is great and Chubb is eating up yards with no problem. It’s clear, the issue in Cleveland was Mayfield, not Stefanski. 

Amari Cooper got 11 targets, but he had a few drops. It’s good to see him getting targets after some injury woes and being thrown to by Baker, which could be worse than an injury.If the Browns figure it out he may be a valid fantasy receiver. Njoku had himself a day, too. 

George Pickens is a bonafide stud, it’s sad that he has Trubisky throwing to him. He’s just awful. Kenny Pickett time has to be on the horizon, but Tomlin isn’t an impulsive head coach. Tom would’ve just left Trubisky in Cleveland; two 3-and-outs in the 4th with your team down by 2pts? Enough is enough. 

Ravens/Patriots Preview

A bounceback week is a must after the collapse against the Dolphins last week. Marcus Peters was on a snap count, we probably won’t see that again, but he won’t see that speed again either - unless they see the Dolphins again in the playoffs. 

That being said, it’s still a concern on the backend of the defense. This was a lot of miscommunication and blow coverage, but that doesn’t change the fact that it was bad. The Pass Rush needs to step up to give the DBs a break.Dobbins practiced, but is listed as questionable and Stanley is still up in the air. 

The Ravens are favorites, but not by much. The running game is anemic at this point because it is heaping pressure on the defense, as was seen this past weekend against the Dolphins. The long, sustained drives that the Lamar Jackson Ravens have put up since he came into the league, this is a drastic change. The O-Line is not getting a big push and the running back room isn’t exactly elite. The Ravens are still playing well, and Lamar is playing MVP caliber already, but these are serious concerns.  

The Patriots aren’t a powerhouse, but an argument could be made that they are in the Top 15 in Offense, Defense, and Special Teams. They have a decent running game, something the Ravens are struggling with on defense a bit so that’s something to keep an eye on. The Ravens should handle this task fairly easily, but the Ravens have some concerns, and Lamar ain’t one. 

Week #3 Preview

• Bears vs. Texans - The Bears are favored, which is weird. The Texans aren’t good, but neither are the Bears. Bears fans are idiots, but we all knew that. The guy playing is affected way more by a loss than the fans…full stop. We’re both taking the Texans here though. Why are the Bears favored again?

• Bills at Miami - A big matchup here in the AFC East. The Dolphins are shocking some people in the first 2 weeks, and the Bills as we know are SB favorites. The Bills have a lot of injuries adding up on defense. Hill & Waddle could have a huge day. We’re split here, Tom is taking Miami and Chris is taking Buffalo

• Raiders at Tennessee - Vegas is favored here, but it’s basically a push. They both stink, but the Raiders have more weapons/upside. Just throw a dart at the wall and go with whatever you hit here.

• Chiefs vs. Colts - Mahomes has a great record against Gus Bradley, and guess who the Colts have at D-Coordinator. Pittman and Pierce come back for Indy, but it won’t matter. We’re both taking Kansas City. Taylor is honesty really the only fantasy play here

• Bengals at Jets - Tom is taking the Jets to cover, that’s the story here. Mixon & Chase for Fantasy here from Cincy. If you’re playing a Jet, we’re sorry; and we hope it’s Flacco. 

• Lions at Vikings - A pretty interesting game in an NFC North matchup. Both offenses have a little swagger this season. The Lions Defense and Run Game are surprisingly good. There should be a lot of points here with Cousins, Goff, Swift, and St. Brown. Tom is taking Detroit to cover, and Chris is taking Minnesota. 

• Panthers vs. Saints - The Panthers are terrible, Baker is terrible, Bradford won’t be better. We agree the Saints should take this one. McCaffery is starting to be a little bit of a concern because his usage is weird so far this season. 

• Commanders vs Eagles - **Hour #2 12:45-13:45** Wentz/Hurts is the media tagline. Wentz played well last week in Detroit, but the Eagles are an absolute matchup nightmare for almost anyone right now. This could be a long day for Washington. We’re taking Philly here. There are points in this one though so stack up some players from both sides.

• Chargers vs. Jags - The Herbert rib injury is a major concern and listed as questionable. It’s a pick’em at the moment, and Chargers fans should be worried. Lawrence will be tested by this Charger’s D, but if the Jags run the ball this could be an “upset”. Robinson, Lawrence, Kirk, all fantasy starts, in our opinion. Tom is taking LA, but Chris is riding with Jacksonville. 

• Rams vs Cardinals - The Cardinals stink, and Kyler is carrying them until DeAndre Hopkins gets back. This could be a bounce back for the Rams though to put up some numbers.It’s tough to know who to take from either team from a fantasy POV.  We’re both taking the Rams.

• Falcons vs Seahawks - Drake London, that’s pretty much it for the fantasy news from this one. Kyle Pitts should be on the list, but he apparently just blocks now. This is pretty much a push, Atlanta is better though. We’re both picking Atlanta for their first win. 

• Bucs vs. Packers - Two old guys going at it, this should be fun! There are a ton of injuries on both sides, but the Bucs seem to have an edge. There aren’t many weapons in GB, and the ones that are there are hurt. This could be a low scoring one. We’re both taking the Bucs

• 49ers at Broncos - The Broncos need to figure out the run game in the red zone, because they’re moving the ball. The 49ers are back to Jimmy G, and he looked alright. Wilson and Sutton are plays for fantasy, Kittle is back for San Fran. We’re split here, Tom is taking the Broncos and Chris is taking the 49ers. 

• Cowboys vs Giants - Daniel Jones vs. Cooper Rush, just riveting stuff. People will watch this, but it’s going to stink. That said, Chris is taking the Giants, so let’s just let that marinate…

Judge & Pujols Knocking on the Door

Aaron Judge is knocking on the door of Maris’ record at this point and chasing down a Triple Crown (.315/60HRs/128RBIs); we’re talking video game numbers. This performance is historic and has been fun to watch. The Yankees would almost certainly be out of the playoff picture without him. The haters will keep Ohtani in the picture,but realistically he’s done. This is Judge’s award, hands down.

Pujols is knocking on the door of the 700 club which is absolutely bonkers. He’s had leg and foot injuries for a decade now that slowed him down, but he could legitimately be the best right-handed hitter to ever play the game. His accolades are all well-deserved, and his career has been a joy for any baseball fan to witness.

Lastly, the O’s are NOT dead yet. Seattle is losing a little form and things are getting interesting!!

Week #2 Must Wins; Aaron Judge MVP; Lyles on the Bump vs. Toronto

Thursday Night Recap - Chiefs vs. Chargers

The two heavyweights in the AFC West got an early season look at each other and we were treated to a blockbuster game on Thursday night. Ultimately the Chiefs came away with a big win, and put bodies on Herbert to the tune of a rib cartilage injury that affected him for the rest of the game. The injury is definitely a concern because this is one of those injuries that can linger, so it’s something to keep an eye on. 

The Chargers have a great overall defense, but they cannot stop the run, which could prove to be a major issue down the stretch. They also don’t have a running game to write home about, so it’ll be all on Herbert’s shoulders moving forward. Herbert had a more “average” night, but still 300+ yards and 3 TDs. 

The Chiefs were productive again, but they also are showing signs of weakness. The receiving corps for each team played terribly. Mahomes did what he does, but it’s clear that he has slowed down a step and the run & gun tactics of the last few years may not be a guarantee, like they used to be. He still seems to always figure out a way, or for things to go his way, a la Tom Brady in his younger years. That being said, he’s hit 11 different receivers and 6 of them have TDs through two games - so who are we to judge?

NFL - Week #2 Picks & Fantasy FB 

Chris & Tom both went 9-7 last week, a fair start.

• Jets vs.. Browns - Flacco vs. Brissett; a humdinger! Cleveland looked better than expected in Week #1 and their defense is top notch. Barring any major mistakes Cleveland should be an easy lock this week, we both agree. 

• Commanders vs. Lions - Lions are the favorite this week. D.Swift looked REAL good last week and defensively they can hang but elite QBs and offenses should shred them. We’re both taking the Commanders here. 

• Bucs vs. Saints - Jameis looked solid last week, and M. Thomas did what he does. He is still one of the best WRs in the league. This Bucs team is beat up and a little shaky. We’re in agreement again here, we’re both taking the Saints. 

• Giants vs. Panthers - Saquon is back, we hope. He looked really good last week and that’s bad news for any defense. He’s got to be RB1 this week, and Carolina is going to struggle. We’re both taking the Giants here. 

• Steelers vs. Patriots - The Steelers offense is pretty bad, but the defense balances that out. Turbisky needs to chuck the ball around a bit. The Patriots are coming to town, but they don’t look good at all. Friermuth is the only real Fantasy FB highlight here. We’re both taking the Steelers. Tom is still a homer, but that’s ok. 

• Colts vs. Jaguars - The Colts didn’t look exciting last week and tied with the Texans. Taylor got his touches, as expected, and M. Ryan had a decent day. The Jaguars are bad, but Lawrence didn’t really look better in Week #1. We’re both taking the Colts, but they’re both not very good. 

• Ravens vs. Dolphins - **Hour #2: 00:15-01:16** This is a tasty matchup. Lamar is always the story with the Ravens, but Miami has a great defense with some pieces missing, too. Tua has two stud receivers now who can make the difference, in Hill & Waddle. The Ravens secondary is also banged up, which is worrying. Tom is picking the Dolphins and Chris is taking the Ravens. 

• Rams vs. Falcons - **MUST WIN** - we think this could be a must win for the Rams, and we’re looking for a Stafford bounce-back game. The weapons aren’t there and his O-Line is a problem, but the Falcons stink. That being said, Chris is taking the Falcons and Tom is picking the Rams.

• Seahawks vs. 49ers - T. Lance was terrible last week, so we’re looking at a bounce back; the O-Line was terrible though. We both agree, again, that Seattle covers the 9.5pt line. 

• Bengals vs. Cowboys - **MUST WIN** - The Bengals looked alright in Week #1, but the schedule doesn’t get easier. The Cowboys are reeling without Prescott, and just generally being the Cowboys, so this is an opportunity for Cincy. Mixon, Chase, & Burrow are definite starts. We both are taking Cincy here.

• Texans vs. Broncos - **MUST WIN** - The Broncos have a must win on their hands early on. Wilson & Denver played well, but turnovers were the killer. Broncos are 10.5 pt favorites, which is a little steep. Chris takes the Broncos to cover, and Tom disagrees.

• Cardinals vs. Raiders - The Cardinals are just not good, and they might not get better. D. Adams should eat, as usual. This should be a push, but the Cardinals are 5.5pt favorites. Tom thinks Arizona will cover, Chris is taking the Raiders. 

• Packers vs. Bears - Chris is just taking the Packers to cover 10pts; no questions asked. Tom is a little more skeptical because of the O-Line issues, more so than the receiving corps. Tom is taking the Packers to win outright, but probably not to cover. 

• Bills vs. Titans - The Bills are favored by 10pts; that should be an easy cover and Allen is up there in the QB1 discussion this week. No argument here, we both agree. 

• Vikings vs. Eagles - Philly is favored by 2pts, and this could be a preview of an NFC Championship matchup. We both think Minnesota will cover it easily. 

Orioles

The Baltimore Orioles this year, is the best turnaround year over year, in over 100 years. We’ll let that sink in…

The Wild Card may be out of the picture at this point as the boys have lost a little steam over the last few weeks. We are chasing Tampa and Toronto, so not all hope is lost, but it’ll be a tall task. Tampa has games against Houston to deal with and the O's still have 6 games left against Toronto. As we’ve been saying, the fate of the Orioles this season is in their hands. 15 wins with no major blips against Toronto could see the O’s sneak into the Wild Card. Either way, the fans can be excited about baseball in Baltimore again!

Judge Watch

We’re on Triple Crown watch at this point. Everyone hates the Yankees so he’s not getting a TON of airplay on this performance, but for baseball fans this is an absolutely silly display of non-steroid baseball prowess.He’s Batting .310 (2nd in the MLB), 57 HRs (1st in the MLB), 123 RBIs (1st in the MLB), which is absolutely incredible. He’s on the cusp of breaking huge Yankee records, and putting up Triple Crown numbers without steroids (in case we hadn’t mentioned), and a long-term contract. The man is going to get PAID!!!!!

No Contact for Lamar; Orioles still on the Bubble; Fantasy FB Lineup

Thursday Night Football

The NFL Opened up on Thursday and the Buffalo Josh Allen’s looked really good, as expected. It’s obviously too early to crown anyone, anything, but they are already cooking. The Rams look like they have some issues. We expected a regressession here anyway with the loss of Odell Beckham and Von Miller, but the O-Line was dismal. Stafford got abused by the Bills to the tune of 7 Sacks and 15 Hits, much of which was caused by Von Miller. It’s going to be a long season for the Rams if they can’t figure out these issues. 

Buffalo was still a little rusty, as expected, but they could have had a much better day. They forced three turnovers but didn’t really take advantage of them. It could’ve been far worse, or better, depending on your perspective. The defense was missing their starting corners, but didn’t really have much of an issue. The question will be if Josh Allen can survive, because he kept running and he’s going to continue to take a beating. The receiving corps is talented, but needs time to find themselves. 

NFL - Week #1 Preview & Fantasy FB Highlights

• NO Saints @ Atlanta Falcons - Marcus Mariotta against the Saints defense is a match made in heaven for New Orleans. We both agree on this one - Saints should take this one. Tom isn’t as high on the Saints as Chris though. 

• SF 49ers @ Chicago Bears - Trey Lance vs. Justin Fields, we both expect SF to cover and win outright. The Bears are bad, and the 49ers defense is so good. No Kittle so his back-up is a flier 

• Pittsburgh @ Cincinnati - Cincy to cover 6.5pts, but this game is usually a wild one. Chase and Burrow are obvious picks for Fantasy and the Steelers defense are a great bet.

• Philadelphia @ Detroit - Detroit has become a movement because of Hard Knocks. This is the first sell-out in Detroit in a very long time, but Philly is the favorite here. Swift is a great, consistent reception hawk. Hurts and Brown should be a lethal fantasy combo as well. 

• New England @ Miami - This new Miami team puts their stamp on the league, and the division. Waddle & Hill should both have great days, and Tua along with them. New England didn’t really get any better, so we both picked Miami here. 

• Ravens @ NY Jets - Lamar and the crew are favored by 6.5; Tom doesn’t think that’s enough. Mark Andrews, Lamar, and whoever gets the carries, Drake or Davis should all put up points. 

  • Bonus Coverage: Lamar’s contract didn’t get done, surprise! Next year’s franchise tag will be $47.28mil guaranteed and Lamar isn’t concerned about it. 

• Jacksonville @ Washington - these teams are terrible, but Jacksonville is favored by 2.5pts. Chris loves Jacksonville, Tom thinks the Commanders STINK. Wentz and Lawrence are the obvious fantasy choices here. 

• Cleveland @ Carolina - It’s the Baker Mayfield Revenge Tour! Cleveland with Brissett should still roll this team. The Browns defense should limit Baker’s impact. McCaffery should be productive. This is a push - Chris picks Carolina and Tom picks Cleveland. 

• Indy @ Houston - The Colts are sort of the obvious choice here and we both agree. Matt Ryan and Jonathan Taylor are the major Fantasy players along with Davis Mills. 

• Giants @ Tennessee - Titans are favored by 5.5 pts. The Giants are just awful and the Brian Dabol experiment is probably futile. Tom picks the Giants to cover, Chris does not. Henry is the fantasy story here

• Green Bay @ Minnesota - GB is favored by 1.5, but they are missing their new #1 and have rookies on at wideout. The Vikings are no joke though and can put up a lot of points. We’re split here with Chris picking Minnesota, and Tom Green Bay. Jefferson, Cousins, and Cook are the big names along with Rodgers, for fantasy purposes. 

• Chiefs @ Cardinals - KC without Tyreek, but we don’t think that’s an issue. The Cardinals still have a lot of growing to do. Mahomes, Kelce, and Murray are the fantasy studs here.

• Raiders @ LA Chargers - Herbert in Fantasy and Chargers to cover 3.5. This could be a high-scoring affair. Play all your skill position players on either of these teams. Devante Adams, Hunter Renfro, Austin Ekeler. 

• Tampa @ Dallas - TB12 and the crew are hard to bet against. Dak has some ankle soreness, but this team still needs to prove itself. TB has the O-line issues which could factor in, but overall Tampa is better on paper.

• Broncos @ Seattle - Broncos are favored and Seattle is rebuilding a bit with Geno Smith at the helm. Wilson is the major storyline here with his return to Seattle. We both expect the Broncos to take this one.

O’s/Red Sox at the Yard

The O’s dropped 3 of 4 to Toronto prior to this series. The pitching has given way a little bit here in the last few weeks. The double-header was deflating and they really struggled to get going after that. The Blue Jays certainly seem like they’re on the ascendency, but this was definitely a blow to the Wild Card race and ego.

The season is in their hands though. They have three more games against Toronto in the middle of September, but even when they were winning they weren’t gaining ground. Seattle and Tampa have continued to do their jobs to make the race what it is. They are still young and learning who they are, and this might not be their year but we can’t be disappointed. 

The O’s need to take care of business against Boston this weekend to make sure they keep pace heading into the final few weeks of the season. They will most likely need perfect baseball from here out to sneak in. 

CFB Week #2 Preview

• #1 Alabama @ Texas - Alabama is favored by 20, and that feels low. Texas is getting a home line there. Alabama rolls, and covers the line. We both agree here. 

• #24 Tennessee @ #17 Pitt - This should be a VERY good game. Tennessee is favored by 6, and we both agree they win and cover. 

• #20 Kentucky @ #12 Florida - Tom picks Florida and Chris is going with Kentucky. Both teams are young and talented, and finding their identities. 

• #9 Baylor @ #21 BYU - BYU is favored by 2.5 which is a little surprising. Baylor had been whispered about for a final four spot so this is either disrespect to them or heaps of respect to BYU. Baylor to cover though, we agree.

A lot of good games around the NCAA this weekend even beyond these. Keep an eye out for some entertaining matchups this Saturday!

CFB Playoffs to Expand; Serena Cruising at US Open; Gunnar needs a new Helmet

CFB Playoff Expansion

The NCAA announces that the College Football Playoffs will expand from 4 teams to 12. There is a lot of money to be made, so this seems like a no brainer. That being said, there aren’t really 12 exciting teams to wedge into a playoff system. Some years even 4 teams is too much; since the beginning of the CFB Playoffs there have rarely even been 6 teams worth watching. 

College Football is just in a weird place right now, and expanding the CFB Playoffs probably isn’t going to change that, at least not in the short-term.  Oh, and Tom forgot we talked about USC joining the Big 10…we did!

CFB Saturday - Big Game Preview

• #11 Oregon at #3 Georgia -in Atlanta, you’d think Georgia has the leg up here, but 1st week blockbusters aren’t unusual.  The bulldogs are favored by 17, which is a bit much, but they are loaded. Oregon does have a little advantage in new Head Coach Dan Lannin, former DC for Georgia. 

• #5 Notre Dame at #2 Ohio State - Notre Dame is capable of knocking off a big shot like OSU, but they are still certainly the underdog. The O-Line probably has two first-round picks, and TreVeyon Henderson is maybe the best back in the country, too. 

THE 70-WIN BALTIMORE ORIOLES

We were saying last week that they would be tested over the next week with Houston and Minnesota, and they got through them 4-2 and continue to remain in the WIld Card hunt. This is an incredibly impressive performance against two great teams. 

Kyle Bradish has been the highlight over the last few games. Gunnar Henderson was added and made an immediate impact. He will be playing 2nd this evening, but the kid looks like a bonafide stud. His bucket keeps sliding off that sweet flow of his, but it doesn’t matter if he keeps raking and making web gems. We’ll keep it short, because we keep repeating how incredible this is, but it’s amazing how much this team has grown. 

AL East Race

Meanwhile in the AL East, the Yankees have absolutely crumbled. Aaron Judge is still chasing Maris’ 61 home run record, but the team is absolutely lost around him. At the All-Star Break they were on pace to win 120 games, and they may not even break 100 at this point. The injury bug has hit them, and caused lineup problems around Judge. 

Tampa Bay is only 6 games back now, and could make a run if things go well. They have figured things out over the last month and are playing arguably the best baseball in the division besides the O’s. Toronto keeps on winning, so the O’s only gained half a game on that crucial road trip, but they have 7 remaining games against Toronto, so their fate is in their hands.

Russell Wilson’s Contract Extension

The Denver Broncos made a decision, and it’s probably a bad one, but it’s too late now. Wilson landed a $245m, 5-Year Extension that will see him under contract until he’s 40 years old. Desperation is a stink cologne, and Elway has a track record of being an absolutely terrible QB scout. Now the expectation might be a little high, because they haven’t really had a decent QB since Peyton Manning. Defensively they are arguably a Top 10 unit. The offensive line is much better than what Wilson has had for the past few years, and there are some weapons around him. 

All of that being said, the division is insanely good and Russell isn’t getting younger, if we hadn’t mentioned it. This could be good, or could be bad, but the amount alone makes this a big time move with some big risk. 

Tom is picking them for the Super Bowl though, against the 49ers apparently. So there’s that. 

Serena at the US Open

Serena cruised into the 3rd Round attempting to go out on-top as it appears this will be her last US Open after the most prolific Women’s Tennis career in history. She knocked off the #2 Seed Anett Kontaveit in the 2nd Round, and Ajla Tomljanovic tonight in the 3rd Round. 

It’s bittersweet having watched Serena, and previously Venus sort of grow up on TV through the years. She is truly the best to have ever done it, so as sports fans, it can be sad to see one of our heroes walk away from the game. Cheers to Serena Williams; the G.O.A.T!

NFL Honors Predictions

League MVP

Josh Allen is currently the favorite at +700 to win the League MVP. Last Year he had 4400 yards, 36 touchdowns, and was Buffalo’s 2nd leading rusher. It will be a tough job repeating, but he’s certainly more than capable.

Tom has been flipping a coin between Herbert and Jackson, but he’s taking Jackson based on his improvements with bulk and throwing mechanics. He’s chasing down a big contract. All of the signs point to him having an absolute statement year, but we’ll have to see how it pans out. The question mark is around the supporting cast, but it’s debatable that the roster is no worse than 2019

Chris is in the Herbert camp. He added 7 more touchdowns in Year #2 from 31 to 38 TDs. and about 800 more yards. He’s a mobile guy, with a little more talent around him and a legitimate case to make a run for MVP. It will be an exciting year if all of these guys stay healthy and play well.

Offensive Player of the Year

Justin Jefferson, Jonathan Taylor, Ja’Marr Chase, are all frontrunners with some Honorable Mention guys that can absolutely sneak in there. Tom is taking Jefferson, because he’s an absolute stud. He racked up the most yards in the first two seasons of any player in NFL History, so it’s hard not to take him here. 

Chris is in the Trevor Lawrence camp. He’s passionate about a successful Year #2 for the main man down in Jacksonville, and he is in a much better situation with Urban Meyer gone. He’s got all the tools, and a few decent weapons around him to make a big leap. It’s Jacksonville though, so let’s temper those expectations. 

Defensive Player of the Year.

Tom is homering with T.J. Watt, and that’s valid. He obviously was DPOY last year and he has every chance at repeating with that unit remaining one of the best in the league. He led the league with 22.5 sacks last year, after racking up at least 13 in the previous three years. He’s a bonafide stud.

Chris is taking Myles Garrett, who everyone knows is capable of absolutely monster numbers when healthy. He racked up 16 sacks last year and has 4 consecutive years of at least 10 or more. The QB situation in Cleveland is going to put some pressure on the Defense until Watson comes back from suspension, and Garrett can easily anchor that defense. 

Offensive Rookie of the Year **Hour #2 - 55:50-56:13**

Tom homers again (surprise) and goes with Kenny Pickett in Pittsburgh. It’s looking like he’s going to take the reins to start the year and he has the tools to make some waves this year. 

Jahan Dotson, WR in Washington is Chris’ choice for OROY. Another young man with the tools to make some waves, but in a much less favorable position than Pickett. If he gets “good” Carson Wentz, he can certainly have a very productive year. If he gets “bad” Carson Wentz, well, we know how that turns out.

Defensive Rookie of the Year 

We have a unanimous opinion here - Caden Hutchinson in Detroit looks like he’s about to be an absolute problem. He may not have the stats, being in Detroit, but he will be disruptive in the run game all year.  That was easy!

The “Tom on the Phone” Episode, Chet Holmgren Injury, CFB Players with Pro Upside

The Orioles keep on keeping on!

Bottom 9th, 2 Outs, Rookie at the plate, and it doesn’t matter Chicago finds a way to lose, and Baltimore finds a way to win. The game goes to extras, and they steal another win against a, “should-be” competitive baseball team in the White Sox. As Tom mentions, this game was a microcosm of both teams’ seasons. 

The White Sox have wasted a season and talented roster to win a tick over 60 games at this point. LaRussa seems to have lost his touch in his old age, and the team itself has just underperformed. They were a favorite to win the AL Central, but at this point the Guardians have the bull by the horns and the Twins are still flirting around with them. 

The Orioles have overperformed with a young roster of talent that is beginning to bear fruit after a long few years of re-building. Brandon Hyde has commended this squad’s grit and determination when approaching each game, and we see this night-in and night-out. The fanbase also has a lot to look forward to with the expectation to grow and promote some more youngsters like Henderson and Jackson. They come into a big series against Houston, who are 41-9 in their last 50 games, which could be decisive in the continued race for the Wild Card.

We continue our look at each NFL team, this week, we look at the most influential non-QB players on each roster for the AFC Divisions. 

AFC North

• Baltimore Ravens - Chris thinks Stanley and Humphrey are the linchpins on either side of the ball for the Ravens. Tom agrees in the units, but goes with Linderbaum and Peters for his picks. The moral of the story is to protect Lamar to maximize his potential and return to an elite pass defense to give the D-Line time to attack the QB

• Pittsburgh Steelers - Chris is taking Najee Harris & Minkah Fitzpatrick for the Steelers to have a good year and make a difference on both sides of the ball. Tom, a Steelers fan, takes the entire O-Line, and Tyson Alualu

• Cincinnati Bengals - Chris starts it off with Ja’Marr Chase and Tom with La’el Collins on the offensive side of the ball. Trey Hendrickson is the unanimous pick here on the Bengals Defense. 

• Cleveland Browns - Another unanimous decision on Nick Chubb from the boys, until Watson gets back. Denzel Ward for Chris, and Myles Garret for Tom on the Defense. 

AFC East

• Buffalo Bills - Chris is looking at Dion Dawkins, and Tom goes with a coach, Ken Dorsey, on the offense. Defensively, it’s Ed Oliver for Chris; this is a big year for him. Tom goes with Tre’Davious White, but Chris has a little doubt here.

• Miami Dolphins - Chris admits this is biased, and goes Jaylen Waddle. Tom picks Chase Edmonds to have a productive year with Tyreek drawing attention this year. Jaelen Phillips for Chris, and Xavien Howard for Tom, round out the defense. 

• New England Patriots - Chris is choosing Hunter Henry at TE, and Tom is running with Damien Harris at RB for the Pats, but he could blow it, too. Chris goes with Jason Mills on the outside, and Tom picks the ex-Raven, Matthew Judon to rack up sacks on the Defense 

• NY Jets - Duane Brown is Chris’ pick with Wilson out, and Flacco starting. Tom has some trouble here, but Breece Hall could make a difference. Quentin Williams for Chris, and Tom picks Carl Lawson, Williams needs to breakout and Lawson is back healthy. 

AFC South 

• Jacksonville Jaguars - Cam Robinson is Chris’ pick on offense to protect Lawrence. Travis Etienne is who Tom is looking for, this season after an injury shortened year. Tom is looking at Travon Walker to have a good year, and Josh Allen is Chris’ pick here on defense. 

• Indianapolis Colts - Jonathan Taylor is the unanimous pick here, but Cam Robinosn,  and Pittman Jr. make honorable mention. Stephon Gilmore is Tom’s choice on D. DeForest Buckner is Chris’ pick on the Indy D-Line. 

• Houston Texans - Dameon Pierce on offense and Stingly Jr. on defense are on both Chris & Tom’s radars this year. UNANIMOUS!!

• Tennessee Titans - Taylor Lewan is Chris’ choice on the O-line. Tom is looking at Treylon Burks to semi-fill A.J. Brown’s shoes. Jeffery Simmons on the D-line for both Chris & Tom for the Titans. 

AFC West

• Denver Broncos - Jovante Williams is Chris’ pick, and it’s Courtland Sutton for Tom, on the offense. Randy Gregory and Bradley Chubb, for Chris & Tom respectively, on the Denver defense. 

• Kansas City Chiefs - Chris takes Travis Kelce, especially with Hill gone. Tom is on the RB train, and Edwards-Helaire is his pick; they need to run the ball. We forgot about the defense on this one, but if they score 50 pts a game it’s sort of a non-issue. 

• Las Vegas Raiders - Offensively, Darren Waller is Chris’ pick. Tom is looking at Josh Jacobs. On the Defense, Chris likes Max Crosby. Tom cops out again with the whole Secondary unit, but he’s right. 

• Los Angeles Chargers -  Chris is taking Austin Ekeler at RB, and Tom is leaning towards Mike Williams at WR; combined they can really give teams trouble. Derwin James, is the unanimous pick, but Tom goes as far as to put the whole D-line on the list. They have to be better. 

NBA Headlines

Chet Holmgren is the talk of the town after picking up a season-ending Lisfranc injury during a Pro-Am Exhibition. The national media has been quick to jump on the whispers about his build, and whether or not he could handle the physicality of the NBA. As Chris says, “cowards laugh, when heroes fall.” It’s a poor take. Do better!

That being said, this may be a blessing in disguise, sort of like Blake Griffin, where a year to bulk up, and experience the league from the locker room might benefit Chet in the long run. This also brings some things into play for Victor Webanyama toi Oklahoma. We wouldn’t say the Thunder are going to tank it, but the NBA doesn’t really mind teams that do. 

Charles Barkley is out here talking trash again, about Kevin Durant. He called him “Mr. Miserable”, but it is getting a little played out. We understand that Barkley doesn’t think too highly of Durant, but it’s a little cheap.  Most other pundits have nothing but nice things to say about Durant, so this feels like a reach. Charles has a right to say what he wants, but as fans, it’s getting old. 

AL & NL MVP, NFL Win/Loss Predictions, and “The Last Watson”

Watson Suspension

Hopefully this is the last time we have to discuss this topic, because it’s pretty much a joke. Watson’s suspension has officially been upped to 11 games with an additional $5million dollar fine. Watson continues to claim his innocence, but apologizes for it anyway. He’s not remorseful at all, and his words and actions reflect that. The Browns will probably be out of the playoff picture by the time Watson returns, because Brissett is garbage. 

The NFL absolutely botched this, as they do with pretty much everything surrounding discipline of superstars. Watson CONVENIENTLY returns for the Browns trip to Houston so the NFL saves face, and rakes in the money for the game that they know will garner huge ratings. 

It’s a joke; the NFL is a joke. He probably shouldn’t be in the league, but by December nobody will even remember it. 

O’s head to Boston

O’s fans should, and can, continue to be optimistic and positive about both the remainder of this season and the seasons to come, because it looks like they are starting to come good. There was some pessimism last year about what was on the field, and in the dugout, but that seems a distant memory.

The O’s head to Boston for a big series in terms of the Wild Card race as we get into the final month and a half of the season. This could be a big series to shut the door on Boston and gain some momentum into the stretch. There are so many A.L. East games left, so the O’s hold their fate in their own hands. 

A lot of young talent has matured and settled in nicely into the Big League grind. The pitching has been a revelation, especially in the bullpen, which has sustained this current run. The hitting has been hot and cold, but the pitching has kept them in games. 

There is still a gap in talent compared to the teams around them. At this point, perfect baseball is the benchmark to have a chance to get a Wild Card spot and to have any chance of getting past that point. No matter what happens, this is a successful season and is just the beginning. 

Oh, and Adley Ruschman is a future superstar, in case we hadn’t mentioned it before!

MLB MVP & Cy Young Races

MVP Races

A.L. and N.L. MVPs are pretty much locked at this point with Aaron Judge and Paul Goldschmidt, respectively. 

The only other realistic A.L. MVP candidate would have to be Shohei Ohtani, he has become a well-rounded hitter seeming to focus on more contact and “ball-in-play” type approaches at the plate. That doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of his pitching abilities, which have continued to be elite. He has more strikeouts this season, than last, when he won the MVP!

The Yankees are struggling, but that has nothing to do with Aaron Judge, who is slashing .297/.394/.663 currently with 40+ HRs and 100+ RBIs. We definitely think Ohtani belongs in the conversation, but it’s pretty hard to see how Aaron Judge loses this award this year. 

Goldschmidt in St. Louis has been absolutely rock solid all year slashing .335/.417/.622, and the usual mid-to-late season slump that usually hits him has not come around this year. That being said, the N.L. race is a bit more open with Freeman or even Machado in there with a shout, but with those numbers it’s hard to see anyone but Goldschmidt claiming the crown this year. 

Generally speaking though, we agree that both A.L. and N.L. MVPs are just about set. 

Cy Young Races

In the American League….Justin Verlander. That is all. 15 Wins, 1.95 ERA, 148 Ks…that is all. Nobody is anywhere even close. We are continuing to watch one of the best pitchers to ever play the game, and that doesn’t come up enough. Verlander is special, and we’ve been lucky to watch him for a long time. 

The National League is a bit more open! Arguments could be made for Alcantara, Burnes, Scherzer, and Fried, but much like the MVP races, this seems like it’s a done deal for Tony Gonsolin, too. He has stepped up with injuries to Kershaw and Beuhler to carry the staff with 15 wins and a 2.12 ERA. Alcantara in Miami is probably the only REAL contender, but unfortunately the team around him will probably hold him back, on almost any other roster he’d be a lock.

NFL Record Predictions:

AFC Divisions

AFC North

• Baltimore Ravens - Record Prediction:13-4 - We both agree they win the division as long as they stay healthy. They are the best team, on paper, in the division.

• Cincinnati Bengals - Record Prediction:11-6 - We can most likely expect a regression. They haven’t added anything exciting really, and it’s only natural to see some regression after a Super Bowl run

• Pittsburgh Steelers - Record Prediction:10-7 - There are some QB questions but Tomlin and Co. know how to get it done, and the defense is Top 10, maybe Top 5, easily. 

• Cleveland Browns - Record Prediction: 5-12 - No Watson. They’re going to stink until he comes back

AFC South

• Jacksonville Jaguars - Record Prediction: NOT 11 Wins  - We didn’t settle on a record here because Chris has apparently lost his mind (11-6) and Tom has his feet on the ground. They should be better, but not really. Chris is calling the Jags for this division

• Indianapolis Colts - Record Prediction: MAYBE 11 Wins - We disagree here as well, so no prediction. Tom is high on the Colts with Matt Ryan and Jonathan Taylor combining forces; enough so that he compared him to Matt Stafford leaving Detroit. Chris, isn’t buying it and has them at 9-8. 

• Tennessee Titans - Record Prediction 9-8 - They’ll stink, too. They lost their stud receiver and didn’t replace him. Oh, and Tannehill is still under center. This division is mediocre at best.

• Houston Texans - Record Prediction 4-13 - Davis Mills will be slinging it around, but they’re not going to win games. They’ve got a long way to go. 

AFC East

• Buffalo Bills - Record Prediction:14-3 - this is a no brainer, the division is fairly weak and the Bills are lightyears better than the competition. We both agree here. 

• Miami Dolphins - Record Prediction:11-6 - are shaping up to turn a corner. They have a good Defense, the O-Line has been revamped, and of course the addition of Tyreek Hill. If Tua “arrives” there could be some interesting conversations later in the year. 

• New England Patriots -Record Prediction:9-8 - Mac continues maturing and the Pats look solid as they continue to rebuild. 

• New York Jets - Record Prediction:3-14 - it’s the 37 year old Joe Flacco show now and those of us from Baltimore know how that goes, especially with no weapons, O-Line, and just being the Jets.  

AFC West

• Kansas City Chiefs - Record Prediction:12-5 - The Chiefs are still the standard in the west, but this is a competitive division, probably the most competitive. They lost Tyreek Hill, but added JuJu. The cliff isn’t that steep. We both agree on that. 

• Los Angeles Chargers - Record Prediction: 11-6 - we have some disagreement here, but they are capable of winning this division. They haven’t corrected their problems; run defense, speed at wideout, etc. 

• Denver Broncos - Record Prediction: 10-7 - Russell Wilson is boring, the Broncos are boring, but they’ll be decent

• Oakland Raiders - Record Prediction: 9-8 - The Raiders secondary and O-line are atrocious, and in this division that’s a major problem. They didn’t address this but they snagged Adams. Tom thinks they are better than 9-8 but not enough to catch the Chiefs. 

NFC Divisions

NFC North

• Green Bay Packers - Record Prediction:11-6 - They are the class of the division even though it’s a shitshow, still. They lost Devante Adams, but also beefed up an already stellar defense. They still lost in the Playoffs, so whatever. 

• Minnesota Vikings - Record Prediction:10-7 - The Vikings lost 9, one-score games last year so the defense is still the concern. The Offense is nasty with Cook, Jefferson, and Cousins slinging it. 

• Chicago Bears - Record Prediction:4-13 - Justin Fields could be good, if he didn’t play for this team. This is also not the new coaching staff’s guy. The Bears are just awful, but are somehow better than the Lions. 

• Detroit Lions - Record Prediction: LOSE - It’s sort of amazing they still are capable of paying professional athletes to play football and live near Detroit. They’re terrible. 

NFC South

• New Orleans Saints - Record Prediction:11-6 - We disagree here just a bit, but not like Jacksonville. Winston and the cast around him can definitely snag this division with a little bit of uncertainty with Brady & Tampa. The Red Rifle is there, too, just in case!

• Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Record Prediction:9-8 - Also a contender for the division with a 45 -year old Brady, Evans, Jones, etc. The defense is Top 5, but things are shaky in paradise. 

• Carolina Panthers - Record Prediction:7-10 - BAKER! They’ll stink because Baker stinks and the rest of the team isn’t very good. Maybe next year.

• Atlanta Falcons - Record Prediction:5-12 - They won 7 Games last year largely because of Matt Ryan, and he’s gone. They’re going to be awful.

NFC East

• Philadelphia Eagles - Record Prediction:12-5 - The Eagles are looking pretty damn good. The addition of AJ Brown, and Goddard only boost Hurts’ upside.

• Dallas Cowboys - Record Prediction: 9-8 - The question marks at WR are a major issue.Zeke is finished, except for as an expensive blocker, and Dak Prescott is still their QB.  

• Washington Commanders - Record Prediction:9-8 - We disagree here, Tom does not see this team winning 9 games, but the division and Conference are weak, so maybe? Oh, and they have Carson Wentz under center

• New York Giants - Record Prediction:5-12 - This is probably accurate. They stink, and will continue to stink. Saquon and Sterling are rotting in NY.

NFC West

• Los Angeles Rams - Record Prediction:13-4 - the only question mark is Stafford’s health, but they improved slightly after a Super Bowl win, so they have to be the favorite here. 

• San Francisco 49ers - Record Prediction:12-5 - This team is Super Bowl ready with the move to Trey Lance under Shanahan. They are an exciting prospect, but they still have to go through LA.The Defense is probably Top 3, and the surrounding cast of characters are outstanding; Samuel, Kittle, etc. This will be a fun division to keep an eye on. 

• Arizona Cardinals - Record Prediction:10-7 - Murray improves and has some new weapons but they’re still looking up.

• Seattle Seahawks - Record Prediction:3-14 - The Seahawks get to play sports on TV, so that’s fun. They’re going to be terrible though. 

Deion Sanders HoF Jacket; Fantasy Football Headlines; AL Wild Card Race

A.L. Wild Card Race

The O’s are still trending upwards as they head out for a trip to Tampa and the start of a string of division games that will make or break the season, essentially. If we look at the trends around them though, they are looking like a good bet to snag a wild card spot with some struggles and inconsistency going on with the rest of the division a.k.a. the other Wild Card contenders.

The Mariners are also cruising and are absolutely in the mix. They’re also getting steamrolled out of a shot at their division crowd by a World Series contender in Houston. The Yankees are sliding and far too dependent on Aaron Judge and HRs, in general. They got worked by St. Louis, and  just lost a series in Seattle. There is a bit of concern there if you’re a Yankees fan. 

We keep saying it, but what a season for the O’s; regardless of how this ends, this is already a win! Rutschman is a stud, and he’s still so green to the league. The upside is ridiculous…with this whole team. The vibes in Baltimore are pretty good! 

Oh, and the Dodgers are absolutely bonkers! 

Pre-Season Openers

It’s that time of the year! It’s Week #1 of pre-season, so it’s entertaining (somewhat) but there isn’t too much to read into, for most teams and players.

The Ravens looked pretty good through the depth chart. The first team basically had the night off so the rookies and journeymen got their try-outs. Huntley looked average, which is accurate. Despite what Rappaport and Schefter have to say, he’s not worth a 1st-Round Pick, and clearly not worth anything, because nobody came calling. 

Lamar is looking big, strong, and by all accounts throwing the ball better than he has yet in his career. The receiver slot is still a bit of concern for the Ravens, as usual, but it’s always concerning. 

It’s just a good old-fashioned college-style QB try-out down in Carolina. Wentz got hammered by the media about his performance, history, and expectation, and he was his boring self. Deshaun is going to play, we just don’t know when. Brissett is not the answer, in case anyone thought otherwise. There’s a lot to look forward to for neutral entertainment this season in the NFL. 

Fantasy Football Strategy

Our analysis is based off of a 12-team, PPR league, so just keep that in mind with some of our selections here. Generally speaking though, we both agree that it’s paramount to maximize your first four rounds to make sure you avoid any major mistakes. A league can be won or lost in those first four rounds.

Quarterbacks

Josh Allen at QB #1 even without Dabol; Lamar is probably QB #2, or at least interchangeable with Allen. Mahomes is easily QB #3. The grab bag of other guys, according to Tom, starts with Jalen Hurts and maybe a late flier on Tua. Chris likes Derek Carr and Kirk Cousins with a flier on Trevor Lawrence, as a little surprise pick.There are a lot of decent names at this position so waiting late isn’t necessarily a bad thing in the right situations. 

Running Backs

Unanimous RB #1 has to be Jonathan Taylor, but maybe a little regression from last year. Which isn’t a bad thing at 1800 yards last year. Christian McCaffery is probably RB #2, even with the nightmare situation at QB in Carolina, both Chris & Tom aren’t really buying it. Derrick Henry is ranked a little lower than normal after the injury, but we all know what he’s capable of. Saquon is another flier with huge upside if he stays healthy. 

This is another position that doesn’t need to jumped on early with a deep pool of talent most likely available in mid to late rounds that will put up RB #1 numbers week-in and week-out; Mixon, Chubb, Cook, etc. J.K Dobbins is ranked in the 20s, and he could win a league for you with Baltimore’s red zone production. Unless you’re pick #1-#4 overall there is a great argument for waiting a round or two to take a RB.

Wide Receivers

Last year, 70% of fantasy teams who won their league had Cooper Kupp. Does another one of those exist this year? 400 pts would carry someone deep into a Fantasy Football playoffs, almost guaranteed. 

There are quite a few WRs that could fit the bill that could be outside of the top 3 rounds. Tyreek Hill & Jaylen Waddle in Miami. DK Metcalf’s stock has plummeted, given the QB situation that’s not surprising, but he’s still a stud. Brandi Cooks consistently churns out WR1 or 2 numbers.If Deshaun plays the bulk of this year, Amari Cooper becomes a flier late round. Michael Thomas is ranked WR #29, and he should bounce back.  Chris is favoring Justin Jefferson and Ja'Marr Chase at #1 & #2 respectively, with Kupp rounding out the top #3. 

In short, load up on WRs, and don’t panic if you don’t get a Chase, Jefferson, Kupp - there is plenty of talent on the board. 

Tight Ends

Chris sticks Mark Andrews at #1, much to the dismay of Tom, who disagrees and is sticking with Kelce as #1. Hill’s targets need to go somewhere so the upside on Kelce is even higher this season potentially. 

George Kittle is an absolute stud if you’re outside of the first two picks to grab one of the other two. Kittle’s production is always high and with a young QB, the outlook is favorable. Kyle Pitts is another guy projected for a great year, if he can get in the endzone. Pat Friermuth, should have a great year as a deep pick. Zach Ertz is in a great position to have a good year, too. 

Tight-end is a position that can get a little dark outside of the Top 4 or 5 guys; a lot of waiver wire work and prayers on Sunday mornings. There is always one guy who can throw up 300+ points, but that’s about it. 

Choose wisely, or prepare for a problem spot on your roster throughout the season!

Trade Deadline WS Contenders; Watson Suspension; Aaron Rodgers & DMT

30th Anniversary of Camden Yards

Let’s just keep pointing out that Tom was wrong, and getting “wronger” with every O’s win. He’s going to love the Yard on a cool September evening!

30 years of the “Ballpark that forever changed baseball” this week, and the O’s are on the upswing way ahead of schedule. The fanbase was upset, and a bit disillusioned, after the Manicni and Lopez trades, while the team is in the middle of a Wild Card Race. That being said, it was the right thing to do. The Orioles added six (6) arms to the system for two journeyman players - however sentimental one of those two may be. 

The Orioles will be fine, and the moves were smart and calculated to keep the process moving forward. They are still very much in the hunt with big series’ coming up against Tampa, Toronto, and Boston. We all loved Mancini, but we’ll love extended playoff runs and a World Series much, much more!

Around the MLB

The Padres loaded up and FLEECED the Washington Nationals for Juan Soto and Josh Bell. That team is lethal from top to bottom. They added Josh Hader, which pleases Tom, the Cardinals fan. Brandon Drury is absolutely raking all of a sudden. At this point, they’ve got to be a favorite to go the distance in the NL, even with the Dodgers lingering around. 

The Brewers don’t make sense, and the Cubs just did nothing so the Cardinals should be in control of the division at this point. They picked up some Starting Pitching to help out Wainwright and McCallis. Paul Goldschmidt is consistently playing great baseball, and hopefully his mid/late-season slump is a thing of the past. 

World Series Favorites

We’re at the 100-ish game mark and it looks like the picture is pretty clear heading towards the playoffs. The A.L. favorites have to be the Yankees, Astros, Blue Jays, behind them the Mariners, Twins, and Rays. Seattle is an interesting squad, but they have the Astros to deal with. The Yankees got stronger at the deadline with Montez in and Galo out. Benintendi is also an interesting pick-up with A.L. East pedigree. The Astros are absolutely cruising, too. Verlander is just…wow. 

The N.L. have the Padres, Dodgers, and Mets, followed closely behind by the Braves. The second tier is probably the Cardinals and/or Brewers. Each one got stronger at the deadline whether by health or by wealth, getting guys back and picking up missing pieces. The Mets got DeGrom back and he looked good. The Braves maybe could’ve used a starter, but the core is locked up and healthy. 

Hall of Fame Game

“Watching Mark Davis eat those chicken wings was something”, Tom says, and we tend to agree here. The whole presentation is just outrageous at this point. It has to be a gimmick, right?

The football was pretty average, because it’s the Hall of Fame game. Besides the whole “culture revolution” storyline, it did seem like the Jags are playing with a more upbeat attitude. The Urban Meyer effect was talked about a lot, but maybe there’s just a little bit there. Josh Jacobs got a lot of touches in an early pre-season game, which is interesting from the Raiders. It feels like they may not know where they’re going at RB at this point. The Jags will still be bad, but it maybe won’t be as bad. 

Deshaun Watson Sussy

6 Games; that’s the story. 6 Games for his “premeditated predatory behavior”, according to Sue Robinson. We have been saying this would probably be the outcome, but it’s still sort of surprising that this would be a decision. That being said, Sue Robinson admitted that she used the NFL’s own historical practice on these sorts of cases in making her decision. She only reviewed what the NFL provided which was 4 of 5 cases, one having been thrown out for lack of merit. The NFL clearly doesn’t like looking in the mirror.

Now the NFL is appealing her decision, her first decision, because it’s not what they wanted as an outcome. They tried to deflect with the Dolphins “tampering” thing, but nobody really cares. The NFL continues to be a joke with how they handle discipline for serious issues, and minor issues alike. 

Grab Bag

Aaron Rodgers got enlightened on some Ayahuasca and saw the universe’s inception, or whatever, but he’s always been pretty vocal about it. He says it changed his life and how he approached the game. Back-to-Back MVPs don't hurt that argument.

Lebron and the Lakers are still a thing. The Lakers are going to be absolutely terrible. The Athletic wrote an article about their closing 5 and Tom “threw up [in his] mouth” so Lebron’s just chasing Kareem now! 

Marquise Brown was arrested whipping around at 126 mph in a 65 the other day. He had a lot of complaints about his time in Baltimore, and it looks like he’s off to a hot start in Arizona. This is just bonehead behavior, we’ll see how the Cardinals handle it.