Sports

9/4/2019

2019 NFL Season Preview

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I feel like I never really knew when the NFL began. I always thought it started in 1929, but that may have been the NHL. I knew the origins of Major League Baseball started in the late 1800s, and that the NBA really began in the 1950s. The NFL has always seemed to be that bastard child that was kind of born out of nowhere and now it grew up and it’s more famous than all of its other legitimate children put together.

What other sports organization owns and entire day of the week?

The NFL begins its 100th season on September 5th, and there’s a lot to discuss.

From contract holdouts to helmet bullshit and beyond, I want to jump right in. I’ll give you my ten bold predictions for this NFL season, followed by a brief rundown of how I think this season will shape up, along with a way-too-early Super Bowl prediction.

Back to Football!!!

10 Bold Predictions for the 2019 NFL Season

1. The Cleveland Browns will miss the playoffs.

The new-look Browns are the sexy new team in town: (left to right) Baker Mayfield, Odell Beckham, Jr. Miles Garrett.

It’s no secret the Browns are one of the sexier picks to shake up the AFC’s playoff picture this year- and yes, I know I said that last year (and possibly the year before). But it’s for real this time. With the addition of Odell Beckham, Jr., the Browns have now solidified their offense as one of the best in the conference (at least on paper). Jarvis Landry and Beckham make an excellent one-two punch at wide receiver, giving second-year starter Baker Mayfield two really great options to throw to. Second year RB Nick Chubb has solidified himself as one of the better running backs in football, and- oh, by the way- they also signed Kareem Hunt after he was cut by the Chiefs. The last few offseasons for Cleveland have been very good, but we’ve never seen anything like this. The Browns are poised to make their first playoff appearance since 2002, which would end the league’s longest current playoff drought.

Don’t let anyone fool you, though. The Browns are still the Browns. They’ve got a new head coach in Freddie Kitchens, who will have to deal with picking up the pieces from the coaching staff of former head coach Hue Jackson, not to mention bringing together a rather loaded roster of stars, albeit a loaded roster with an average age of 25. It will be difficult for him to match the enormous expectations placed on both him and his team this season. On top of the coaching turnover, the Browns have some holes on the defensive side of the ball, mainly in the secondary. After they traded Jabril Peppers to the Giants in exchange for Beckham, they’ll be relying on Morgan Burnett- who had a mediocre year in Pittsburgh last year- and Demarious Randall- who is playing for a contract extension- down the field at safety this year. At Corner, we’re looking at two very young starters: second year DB Denzel Ward, and rookie DB Greedy Williams. I’m going to go out on a limb here and say the Browns will give up a lot of points based on sheer inexperience in the secondary.

Another thing to consider is their schedule. Between mid-September and the end of October, the Browns will play a Monday night game at Metlife Stadium against the Jets, followed by a Sunday night game at home against the Rams (Cleveland’s first SNF appearance since 2008), two away games at Baltimore and San Francisco (also on Monday night), then a game on a short week at home against Seattle, followed by a bye week… after which they travel to Foxboro to play the New England Patriots. And did I mention two games in three weeks against the Steelers in weeks 11 and 13? If the Browns are to make the playoffs, they’ll need to prove it. If they can, they’ll certainly have earned it.

2. Juju Smith-Schuster will finish with more catches, receiving yards, and touchdowns than Antonio Brown.

Initially I wrote this right after Antonio Brown inked a deal with the Oakland Raiders. And then I started editing it right after AB was making a huge deal out of wanting to wear his old helmet instead of the league-mandated newer ones. And now after sitting on it, the entire thing has (supposedly) been resolved. And now I can get on to the fact that Juju Smith-Schuster will have a better season in 2019 than Antonio Brown will.

Brown had some choice words for Smith-Schuster after the second year receiver from USC wished him well on his way out the door as AB left for Oakland.

Harsh.

But ever since Brown reached Oakland, it’s been a shit show.

And it’s karma like this that makes me give predictions like the one you’re reading now.

Smith-Schuster’s first two seasons in the league have been stratospheric- he put up over 1,900 yards in his first 25 games, the fourth most ever in that category. He had two fewer receptions than Brown last season but put up 200 yards more than his counterpart.

And Brown being gone means that Smith-Schuster is now Ben Roethlisberger’s top wideout target.

The Steelers have something to prove this year, having missed the playoffs last year and having two major offensive weapons (the other being Le’Veon Bell, who departed for the Jets after holding out for all of last season) depart for greener pastures. With teams like the Browns on the upswing, Juju Smith-Schuster and the rest of the Steelers offense will need to step it up to make it known to the league that they can still compete.

And in the span of time it took me to write this entire prediction, Antonio Brown has filed and LOST yet another grievance with the league over his damn helmet.

This is a reminder that the league made Tom Brady change his helmet that he had been using for, like, 15 years, and the guy went out and won the Super Bowl again last year.

This year’s going to be fun.

3. The Giants will win more games this year than they did last year (5).

A tale of two Elis: Manning (front) and Daniel Jones (back).

... And Daniel Jones will not replace Eli Manning as starter.

Man, do I love New York sports. Even when they try to suck, they can’t do it right. Example A: the New York Football Giants.

They’ve been gutted. And when being gutted is defined as losing one player (an elite receiver in his prime… to the Cleveland Browns of all placers), that’s not really saying much.

And after bungling the draft by taking Daniel Jones from Duke 6th overall at quarterback (and passing on Dwayne Haskins) as heir apparent to the steadily declining Eli Manning, things are looking even worse.

Now, I won’t lie. The Giants offensive line is actually halfway decent. They’ve also got what amounts to the best running back in football, Saquon Barkley, who is entering his sophomore season with lofty expectations. In their current state, the Giants will be looking to build around Barkley for the future. Many anticipate their 2019 season will be an attempt to… let’s say, “position” themselves to favorably land Trevor Lawrence or Tua Tagovailoa in next April’s draft.

Here’s the kicker- they won’t. Because the Giants will win more games this year than they did last year.

Jones has actually looked pretty solid this preseason. In the four games this past month he’s gone 29 of 34 for 416 yards and 2 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. He is working with a modest receiving group as well that includes Sterling Shepard, Golden Tate, and tight end Evan Engram.

“Danny Dimes,” the folks on Twitter are calling him. Cute, right?

The unfortunate issue is that Manning has also looked pretty good, too. In his first two games this preseason, Manning has completed all 5 of his passes, and led the Giants on a nice 79-yard scoring drive in their second game against Chicago.

I think Jones excelling at the position takes a little bit of the pressure off Eli for this season, as his likely farewell tour will have the added security of a capable backup should he not be able to compete at a high level. Ceremonially, I can’t see the Giants giving the starting job to Jones halfway through the Eli’s final season unless Manning drops the first 5 or 6 in a row.

Which brings us to strength of schedule. The Giants have the 5th easiest schedule in the NFL (a combined opponent winning percentage of .473) this season, which involves a lighter stretch of games right in the middle of the season (vs. Arizona, at Detroit, at New York Jets- the latter of which is technically a home game since it's in New Jersey). The Giants also get favorable matchups against the Bills and Dolphins, as well as two games against Washington, in which New York will want to show Dwayne Haskins why they passed him up.

Mark this up as a positive prediction for New York sports. The New York Giants go 6-11 in 2019. Count it.

4. Patrick Mahomes will not surpass 40 touchdown passes this season.

Regression is natural, even for reigning NFL MVPs.

Patrick Mahomes dazzled us all with throwing 50 touchdown passes last season, directing the Kansas City Chiefs’ high-powered offensive attack, in large part thanks to his bevy of weapons: Tyreek Hill, Kareem Hunt, and Travis Kelce, all of whom had career years this past season.

But the current NFL MVP now has a target on his back. And the Chiefs have had a (let’s say) tumultuous offseason.

First came the release of Kareem Hunt after video surfaced of him kicking a woman in a hotel hallway. Next came the investigation of an alleged battery against Tyreek Hill, leaving serious question marks about the Chiefs’ top two offensive weapons in Mahomes’ arsenal, which meant Sammy Watkins would have been Kansas City’s top receiver.

The investigation against Hill finished with no conclusive evidence, allowing him to return to the team. Very recently, the team just signed LeSean McCoy, to pair along with Damien Williams and Darwin Thompson at the RB position. This Chiefs team isn’t one with a major facelift, but it is different than last season, and that’s what matters.

And then there’s the whole “target on their backs” thing, especially when it comes to other teams that have been chasing them.

Take the Los Angeles Chargers, for example.

The Chargers finished with an identical record to Kansas City last year, earning a Wild Card spot thanks to losing a head-to-head tiebreaker. LA looks a lot better this year, perhaps even without the help of Melvin Gordon.

Philip Rivers is perhaps the best active quarterback to never have won- or even appeared in- a Super Bowl. With receivers like Keenan Allen and Mike Williams at his disposal, not to mention Hunter Henry, who is poised to become one of the premiere tight ends in football this season, there’s no reason the Chargers should fall second to Kansas City again this year. The Chargers are out for blood this year.

But a solid opposing team isn’t why Patrick Mahomes won’t repeat his feat from last year. History is also not on his side.

There’s only one other quarterback who has thrown for 40 or more touchdowns in consecutive seasons: Drew Brees. Mahomes hasn’t quite reached that level of mystique yet. And with an astounding second season like Mahomes had, defensive coordinators will have had an entire offseason to prepare for what the young QB has to offer. And if the running back situation resolves itself (Williams and Thompson are both supposed to be pretty suitable replacements for Kareem Hunt), we could even see a more balanced attack on the ground for Andy Reid’s high-powered Kansas City offense. But don’t be surprised if Mahomes doesn’t crack the 40-touchdown mark this year.

5. Nick Foles will finish as a top-10 quarterback.

Nick Foles has had the strangest path toward the title of “potential franchise quarterback.” He was mediocre in Philadelphia, bounced around St. Louis and Kansas City, came back to Philly and won a Super Bowl (not to mention game MVP), and has now been shipped off to Jacksonville- a team in major need of an offensive upheaval after moving on from Blake Bortles- all before the ripe age of 30 years old.

Now the Jaguars don’t have a bad team. Seriously. They’ve still got a great defense that led them to an AFC Championship two years ago, and a not-too-shabby offensive attack that is led primarily by Leonard Fournette. Of course, last year they were decimated by injury, and everyone wondered why they sucked so much. Players like Marquise Lee, Austin Sefarian-Jenkins, and Fournette all went down with significant season ending injuries. But they should all be back this season, poised to improve on their dismal 5-11 campaign from 2018.

Foles is a significant upgrade from Bortles. He is entering “seasoned veteran” status, having bounced around a few times and, oh, leading his team to a Super Bowl win as a BACKUP. He makes those around him better and can thrive in high-pressure situations. He’s also going to have a good, young group of receivers to work with; players like Lee, rookie Josh Oliver, and second year receiver Dede Westbrook. I really think we might see an unexpected playoff run from Jacksonville this year, and it is due in part to Foles' involvement in the franchise.

6. The Broncos and Redskins will finish with identical records.

"Let's both agree to suck next season." Keenum (right) went to Washington. Flacco (left) was replaced and went to Denver.

It’s a tale of two quarterbacks: Case Keenum and Joe Flacco. And I’m out to prove that one is just as mediocre as the other.

Keenum went from Denver to Washington in order to make room for the Broncos signing of Joe Flacco. Flacco was traded from Baltimore because Lamar Jackson is an objectively better quarterback than he is.

A mediocre Flacco is as good as a half-decent Case Keenum. And because the two have essentially the same quarterback, they’ll finish with the same record: 5-11.

7. The Los Angeles Rams will miss the playoffs.

The Super Bowl hangover is a real, real thing. The last two NFC Champions, the Falcons and Eagles, went from earning playoff byes to clinging to final Wild Card playoff spots the following year. The Rams will be no different, as I predict they’ll miss the playoffs, not just due to a competitive division that includes the Seahawks and 49ers (the latter looking to rebound from a lost season where Jimmy Garoppolo tore his ACL), but also due to a talent regression on the field.

Now, don’t get me wrong. The Rams have all the pieces (or, at least, one piece) that could very well make a run at a Super Bowl. Aaron Donald, the reigning NFC Defensive Player of the Year, is now in the second year of his enormous contract, led the league in sacks last year, and shows no signs that he won’t be one of the most talented and most dominating defensive forces in the NFL. But there are still questions about the interior of their offensive line- not to mention I still stand by the idea that Jared Goff is a mediocre quarterback at best- not to mention the performance of Todd Gurley, whose playing time was significantly impacted after a knee injury allowed CJ Anderson (who signed with Detroit this April) to take the lead as the Rams’ feature back down the stretch. We can also blame the schedule for the Rams’ projected woes this season: Their first ten weeks feature four east coast trips, which is followed by a home game the week after… and don’t forget about Super Bowl LIII ½ in week 2 against the Saints. The Rams have lofty expectations to get back to the Super Bowl after falling short back in February, but Sean McVay’s team will have an uphill battle if they want to avoid that Super Bowl hangover this year.

8. Josh Rosen and the Dolphins will make Kyler Murray and the Cardinals look silly.

Please don’t take this as “the Dolphins and Cardinals will have opposite records.” That’s not where I’m going with this. I am simply implying that Josh Rosen will make the Cardinals wish they never traded him.

The reasoning is this: Arizona’s offense is straight up terrible. Sure, they’ve got David Johnson, but the supposed fantasy rushing stud has been a dud the last three years. They’ve got Larry Fitzgerald, but he’s easily 90 years old by this point. And then there’s the offensive line which is in shambles. Pair it with a division that includes Seattle, San Francisco and the reigning NFC Champions, and there go six of Arizona’s potential wins this season. Another factor is Kliff Kingsbury, who may have other things to juggle other than his quarterback in his first stint as an NFL head coach.

Rosen might have it made a little better in Miami- and I think it’s because Ryan Fitzpatrick will eventually run out of FitzMagic once again, leaving room for Rosen to come in and save the day. The Dolphins’ offensive line is just a little bit less in shambles than Arizona’s is, Rosen will have a little bit of help thanks to running backs like Kalen Ballage and Kenyan Drake, both of whom are good pass catchers.

Arizona is one (or five) offensive linemen away from being solid enough for Kyler Murray to thrive. I just think Rosen and the Dolphins are better off this season. It’s not much, but I think Miami finishes with a better record than Arizona…

And that Rosen passes Murray in passing yards, touchdown passes, completion percentage, turnover margin, and passer rating.

You know. The basics.

9. Melvin Gordon will play this season.

I never thought that Ezekiel Elliott was going to go unsigned by the Cowboys this year. And sure enough, Jerry Jones made it happen- Dallas signed the two-time rushing champion to a 6-year, $90 million deal two days before the opening of the NFL season.

It seems like Melvin Gordon and the Chargers just keep moving further and further away from an agreement, though. First came the request for a contract extension, then came Gordon’s trade request and the team’s subsequent allowance of him to talk with other teams, until finally LA’s front office noted that any negotiations with Gordon’s contract would be tabled until after this season.

The Chargers aren’t completely lost without Gordon. They’ve still got Austin Ekeler and Justin Jackson, both of whom were excellent when Gordon was out with an injury this season. If LA wanted to let Gordon walk and trade him to another team, I don’t think it would kill them.

That said, we could be looking at teams like the San Francisco 49ers, Baltimore Ravens, or Green Bay Packers as potential suitors for Gordon. And if the Chargers trade him to any of those teams, you best believe he’ll play. I fully expect LA to pony up and trade him so they can stop embarrassing themselves with this whole circus they’ve bungled themselves into.

10. The Patriots will finish with a top-5 defensive unit.

The Patriots’ defense looks ready to defend its title, even with a few minor changes to be had this offseason.

The secondary is as good as ever, and that’s where New England’s defensive strength lies. Stephon Gilmore, both McCourty twins and Patrick Chung are four of the best pass defenders in football, with Gilmore potentially being the best cornerback in the game himself. Even newer players like Joejuan Williams look prepared to make names for themselves. The secondary is also deep- let’s not forget about Duron Harmon, J.C. Jackson, and Jonathan Jones.

At linebacker, everything remains relatively unchanged, with Kyle Van Noy and Dont’a Hightower remaining forces in the middle. A familiar face returned this season- Jamie Collins is back at the outside linebacker position, who signed a one year deal after coming over from Cleveland.

Up front, the defensive line is probably the most This-way-or-that-way front four in football. Michael Bennett, Lawrence Guy, Danny Shelton, and Deatrich Wise, with rookie Chase Winovich coming off the bench. Winovich made a great showing in preseason, and it’s possible he could be the x-factor of the Pats’ defensive line.

Moreover, the strength of the defense all lies in how they’re coached. The team rode its defensive schemes all the way to a Super Bowl last year, holding the league’s second highest-scoring offense to three points (not to mention shutting out the league’s highest-scoring offense in the first half of the AFC title game). If Bill Belichick has that same mindset going into this season- and he should, considering the offense is already moving toward a run-first offense to get as much out of Tom Brady as humanly possible- I imagine New England will have the same success this year. Pair it with the league’s fifth-easiest schedule, and don’t be surprised if a record-setting seventh Lombardi Trophy comes to Foxboro in February.

Projected NFL Standings:

AFC East

New England 12-4
Miami 7-9
New York Jets 6-10
Buffalo 5-11

Until Tom Brady and Bill Belichick both retire, the Patriots aren’t losing the division. They also just got Josh Gordon back. Enjoy!

AFC North

Baltimore 10-6
Pittsburgh 10-6
Cleveland 9-7
Cincinnati 7-9

The AFC North has the potential to be one of the most competitive divisions in the NFL this season. The defending AFC North winner Ravens are looking to continue their success from last season with Lamar Jackson, who will now have Mark Ingram to use full time, not to mention a strong young group of receivers which includes rookies Marquise Brown and Myles Boykin. The Steelers should- theoretically- be out for blood this season after missing the playoffs thanks to a heart-breaking loss to the New Orleans Saints forcing the fate of their playoff destiny out of their hands. The Steelers also have a lot to prove after two entirely different but equally weighty fiascos, namely the distractions and subsequent departures of Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown. They should be in great hands though, as James Connor not only equaled, but surpassed Bell’s output last season, and Juju Smith-Schuster did the same over Brown- and Brown played 15 games last year. The Browns, as previously discussed, have what could be a highly explosive offense for the foreseeable future. What people aren’t about are the Cincinnati Bengals. RB Joe Mixon has established himself as the feature offensive weapon for the Bengals, and Tyler Boyd had himself a breakout year last year (not to mention that he’s projected to go ahead of A.J. Green in most fantasy football drafts). Distractions like Vontaze Burfict, Adam “Pacman” Jones and Marvin Lewis are all gone. Andy Dalton is entering the twilight of his career, and he’s looking to prove that he’s still got it. It’s a new era for the Cincinnati Bengals, and if they can string a couple of division wins together, they’ll be right in it.

AFC South

Houston 10-6
Jacksonville 10-6
Tennessee 8-8
Indianapolis 5-11

Well damn. Andrew Luck retired. This leaves open a whole mess of things. Jacoby Brissett is a fine quarterback, but I think he’s going to need some experience for a full season before the Colts make any headway. Brissett will show flashes of brilliance, but the impact of Jim Irsay ruining two franchise quarterbacks until they were catastrophically injured and had to leave the team will be too much for the rest of the team to bear.

As for the rest of the division, I think Nick Foles leads a ragtag group of Jaguars to a 10-6 record, ultimately winning a must-win game to- guess who- the Jacoby Brissett-led Indianapolis Colts in week 17, just squeaking into the playoffs over the Cleveland Browns, who fall to 9-7 after an upset loss to Cincinnati.

Tennessee falls back to earth again as Marcus Mariota and Derrick Henry both rediscover that they are mediocre.

The only team left is Houston, who, even after losing Lamar Miller, picked up Carlos Hyde, who is a halfway decent running back. Deshaun Watson and DeAndre Hopkins are coming off career years, but Watson’s star is only getting brighter. Houston wins the division once again.

AFC West

Kansas City 12-4
Los Angeles Chargers 12-4
Denver 5-11
Oakland 4-12

The AFC West is going to be a dog fight this year. Kansas City is anxious to repeat its success; Los Angeles is anxious to get over the hump as Philip Rivers begins to descend the hill of his career. The Raiders’ failure to win football games leads to their incredibly toxic environment spiraling out of control, leaving them plummeting toward the bottom of the standings. Denver has Joe Flacco as their quarterback and zero weapons.

NFC East

Dallas 11-5
Philadelphia 10-6
New York Giants 6-10
Washington 5-11

This entire division is a tale of running backs. Even with Saquon Barkley as their offense, New York doesn’t have the tools it needs to get to .500. As for Washington, Case Keenum is not an upgrade from Alex Smith, and they’ll likely be relying on Adrian Peterson to be the horse that he once was. The real battle will be at the top of the division, with Philadelphia in a dog fight against its upstart defending division champion, the Dallas Cowboys, who have (just recently) extended Ezekiel Elliott for 6 more years and $90 million more. The Eagles are stacked at the RB position, with four that can do as much damage as one. The lineup of Jordan Howard, Miles Sanders, Darren Sproles and Corey Clement should make defenses worried, but it all depends on how Carson Wentz does on his return from yet another season-ending injury. As for Big D, we’re still not sure how good Dak Prescott is yet. But if the second coming of Amari Cooper is any question, it should be a good indication of things to come this season. If Dallas gets rolling, look out.

NFC North

Chicago 12-4
Minnesota 11-5
Green Bay 8-8
Detroit 3-13

Chicago has the best defense in the NFL, there’s no doubt about it. Also, side note, how is it that the addition of one player can completely alter the face of a defense, and why didn’t Khalil Mack make this kind of difference in Oakland? The Bears should win this division. Hopefully they have a kicker who can handle the wind this time around. Minnesota should also be fine, as Kirk Cousins, mediocre as he may be, still has Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs to throw to.
Also, until Green Bay returns to form, can we hop off this “Aaron Rodgers is the GOAT” train? Tom Brady has done way more with a lot less, and we’ve all seen that Aaron Rodgers with less is freaking pitiful. One quarterback wearing #12 does not a whole team make. As for Detroit, they’re trying so hard. It’s going to be really funny when Matt Patricia becomes the first coach to lose his job this season.

NFC South

New Orleans 11-5
Atlanta 10-6
Carolina 6-10
Tampa Bay 4-12

If there’s one team with a chip on its shoulder this season, it’s the New Orleans Saints, who are anxious to avenge their loss from the NFC Championship last season featuring the "PI call not heard around the world". One team close at hand is Atlanta, as Matt Ryan looks to return to MVP form. I think he can, with both and Julio Jones still at the top of their respective games. It still remains to be seen if Cam Newton’s ankle injury will linger, and because that team also doesn’t quite know what a receiver is (unless their name is Christian McCaffrey… or until we see the advent of D.J. Moore), I can’t count on them winning more than 6 games. Everyone is high on Tampa Bay this season for some reason… but I still can’t figure out why. Jameis Winston is still their quarterback. Give it another year or so. When Mike Evans wants out, we might see some mutiny.

NFC West

Seattle 10-6
San Francisco 10-6
Los Angeles Rams 9-7
Arizona 4-12

There’s no whoever gets out of this division will have earned it. Seattle somehow continues to succeed, given that Russell Wilson is one Tyler Lockett injury away from throwing the ball to himself. It still remains to be seen if Jimmy Garoppolo is still worth San Francisco’s time, considering he blew out his knee last year and threw five interceptions in a row during practice this preseason. You all already know my thoughts on the Rams and how a major regression and jealousy among players regarding Jared Goff’s $134 million extension and why it was given to a mediocre player like him. The only remaining piece of the puzzle is Arizona, where 4-12 might actually be hyperbole. Seattle wins this division in some sort of absurd tiebreaker.

And those standings leave us with...

AFC Playoff Teams

New England (12-4)
Kansas City (12-4)
Houston (10-6)
Baltimore (10-6)
Pittsburgh (10-6)
Jacksonville (10-6)

NFC Playoff Teams

Chicago (12-4)
New Orleans (11-5)
Dallas (11-5)
Seattle (10-6)
Minnesota (11-5)
Philadelphia (10-6)

And now... some purely gut-reaction playoff picks!

Wild Card Weekend:

3. Houston Texans vs. 6. Jacksonville Jaguars

Predicted Score: Houston 24, Jacksonville 17
The game was over when: JJ Watt strip sacks Nick Foles on a crucial fourth down play in Houston territory.

4. Baltimore Ravens vs. 5. Pittsburgh Steelers
Predicted Score: Pittsburgh 34, Baltimore 20
The game was over when: Pittsburgh goes up 17-0 in the first quarter, silencing the Baltimore crowd.

3. Dallas Cowboys vs. 6. Philadelphia Eagles
Predicted Score: Dallas 23, Philadelphia 21
The game was over when: Dak Prescott his Amari Cooper for 68, setting up Ezekiel Elliott's game winning touchdown from two yards out.

4. Seattle Seahawks vs. Minnesota Vikings
Predicted Score: Seattle 13, Minnesota 6
The game was over when: Kirk Cousins throws his fourth interception of the game, this one to Bobby Wagner, who returns it for a touchdown late.

Divisional Round

1. New England Patriots vs. 5. Pittsburgh Steelers
Predicted Score: New England 41, Pittsburgh 24
The game was over when: Pittsburgh pulled into the parking lot.

1. Kansas City Chiefs vs. 3. Houston Texans
Predicted Score: Houston 34, Kansas City 32
The game was over when: Tyreek Hill's potential game-winning touchdown is called back for offensive pass interference, and Patrick Mahomes is sacked on the very next play, allowing time to expire.

1. Chicago Bears vs. 4. Seattle Seahawks
Predicted Score: Chicago 28, Seattle 3
The game was over when: Russell Wilson's first pass attempt results in a strip sack for Khalil Mack.

1. New Orleans Saints vs. 3. Dallas Cowboys
Predicted Score: New Orleans 48, Dallas 30
The game was over when: New Orleans stops Dallas on a crucial third down inside the red zone, forcing the Cowboys to settle for a field goal instead of a touchdown that would have put them within 7.

AFC Championship
New England Patriots vs. Houston Texans
Predicted Score: New England 28, Houston 17
The game was over when: Julian Edelman's punt return touchdown puts the Patriots ahead for good.

NFC Championship
Chicago Bears vs. New Orleans Saints
Predicted Score: New Orleans 20, Chicago 16
The game was over when: Chicago misses a field goal in the first quarter, allowing Drew Brees to march down the field and score a touchdown.

Super Bowl LIV
New England Patriots vs. New Orleans Saints
Predicted Score: New Orleans 24, New England 21
The game was over when: New England's pass defense goes cold, and Drew Brees' pass to Michael Thomas burns Stephon Gilmore for a long touchdown in the third quarter.

Fight me.

What kind of predictions for this NFL season do you have? Leave a comment down below.

The NFL Season begins Thursday, September 5th, as the Green Bay Packers take on the Chicago Bears.

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3/19/2019

March Madness 2019: The Great Mascot Death Bracket II

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March Madness 2019: The Great Mascot Death Bracket II

IT IS MARCH, AMIGOS.

And that means it’s time to take the NCAA Tournament brackets and turn them upside down.

Last year, I had this idea (not that it was my idea to begin with… let’s say inspiration) to take all the mascots involved in the March Madness tournament and pit them all against each other, and determine which one would come out victorious in a winner-take-all, fight-to-the-death steel cage match, or something like that.

And thus, the Great Mascot Death Bracket was born.

The concept is simple. If the mascots, not the basketball teams, were to duke it out (lol, Duke) in a fight to the death, who would win? No holds barred, anything goes. A lot of my picks are logical, some of them are because I say so. Also, fair warning, there are those colleges who foolishly pick dogs as mascots, and I feel so much regret in saying that there will likely be many doggos killed off in this tournament.

But it’s all fictional, of course.

Now let’s figure out what the hell an Aggie is and start killing off some mascots.

LET THE MADNESS BEGIN.

East Region

Round of 64

ENTRY BATTLE ROYALE (1) Duke Blue Devils vs. (16) North Dakota State Bison vs. (16) North Carolina Central Eagles

The Blue Devil is named for the french “les Diables Bleus,” a nickname given to the Chasseurs Alpins, the French Alpine light infantry battalion during World War I. An eagle is an eagle, and a bison is a bison. Imma give the ELITE FRENCH SOLDIER the benefit of the doubt in this opening round game.

Winner: Duke Blue Devils

(8) Virginia Commonwealth Rams vs. (9) Central Florida Knights

In this game, there are animals, and there are guys with swords and armor. This is an easy one. Those Rams horns are tough, but I don’t think they’re any match for the knight’s sword and shield.

Winner: Central Florida Knights

(5) Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. (12) Liberty Flames

An adorable bulldog against a candle. And again, a flame could mean anything, but in this case, the flame is a candle. I think the dog goes up to the candle and sniffs at it (and realizes it’s probably a really interesting smelling Yankee Candle or something) but then sneezes on it. The flame is snuffed out. The bulldog wins.

Winner: Mississippi State Bulldogs

(4) Virginia Tech Hokies vs. (13) Saint Louis Billikens

So a Hokie is, in layman's terms, a chicken. A Billiken is a charm doll. So we basically have two satanic worship tokens. It really all depends on which one will charm the other one to death. The Billiken looks the creepiest, so I think it’ll use its juju to ensure the chicken is sacrificed to the gods of March Madness.

Winner: Saint Louis Billikens

ENTRY BATTLE ROYALE: (6) Maryland Terrapins vs. (11) Belmont Bruins vs. (11) Temple Owls

Here we have three animals, one of which is a bear. The Bruin will crunch down on the terrapin’s shell, ending the turtle’s tournament run. Bears can also climb trees, which mean that not even the owl is safe from the bear’s clutches. The Bruin tears through his competition on the way to the next round.

Winner: Belmont Bruins

(3) LSU Tigers vs. (14) Yale Bulldogs

This is one of those sad moments where we have to eliminate a dog from the competition. The tiger’s got the edge. Sorry, Eli.

Winner: LSU Tigers

(7) Louisville Cardinals vs. (10) Minnesota Golden Gophers

An underground creature against a sky creature is a tricky situation. Why would the sky creature ever want to go underground? Can the underground creature even get up high enough to attack the sky creature? There’s a lot of waiting game to be played here. I think the edge goes to the cardinal, who can attack the gopher with a vicious air attack whenever he pops out of the ground. The cardinal blinds the gopher with his sharp talons (do cardinals have large talons?), and moves into the next round. Also, what makes a gopher golden?

Winner: Louisville Cardinals

(2) Michigan State Spartans vs. (15) Bradley Braves

The Spartan’s armor will do some good against those vicious tomahawks coming from the brave. The Brave might be a fierce warrior, but I think the Spartan has a bit more formal training, especially in hand-to-hand combat. Sparty on.

Winner: Michigan State Spartans

Round of 32

(1) Duke Blue Devils vs. (9) Central Florida Knights
The Blue Devil is still riding through on his tank. The knight is no match for early 20th century war technology. Pretty sure the Blue Devil has a gun, too. Allons-y to the next round, Duke!

Winner: Duke Blue Devils

(5) Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. (13) Saint Louis Billikens
The Bulldog uses the Billiken as a chew toy. Next!

Winner: Mississippi State Bulldogs

(11) Belmont Bruins vs. (3) LSU Tigers
Ooooh, these bouts between tigers and bears are my favorites. Both are strong, fierce, and threatening. According to the trusty internet: “... tigers are known for killing… bears for its diet… bears constitute 8% of its diet.” In addition to that incredibly vague piece of information, I value the tiger’s speed over the bruin’s bulk. Those sharp teeth can do a lot of damage in not a lot of time.

Winner: LSU Tigers

(7) Louisville Cardinals vs. (2) Michigan State Spartans
The Spartans carried javelins, which could be used to throw and strike enemies at long distances. With one incredibly accurate shot, the Spartan kabobs his dinner for the night.

Winner: Michigan State Spartans

Sweet 16

(1) Duke Blue Devils vs. (5) Mississippi State Bulldogs
Aww man. Sorry, pupper.

Winner: Duke Blue Devils

(3) LSU Tigers vs. (2) Michigan State Spartans
I imagine that the Spartan had to come across some crazy animals in his time. I mean, have you ever seen the crazy animals from 300? At least, I think there are crazy animals in 300. Regardles, Sparty will handily deal with a measly tiger. Next victim.

Winner: Michigan State Spartans

Elite 8

(1) Duke Blue Devils vs. (2) Michigan State Spartans
It’s a matter of technology here. The Spartan has a sword and a shield, but the soldier has a gun and can pick the Spartan apart with pinpoint shooting. The Blue Devil rolls on to the final four.

Winner: Duke Blue Devils

Duke advances to the Final Four

West Region

Round of 64

ENTRY BATTLE ROYALE: (1) Gonzaga Bulldogs vs. (16) Fairleigh Dickinson Knights vs. (16) Prairie View A&M Panthers

The Knight has a sword. It will only have to kill the panther, since the panther’s probably going for the animal lower on the food chain first. Sorry, bulldog. Another one bites the dust.

Winner: (16) Fairleigh Dickinson Knights

(8) Syracuse Orange vs. (9) Baylor Bears

The bear eats the orange. Because fuck Syracuse.

Winner: Baylor Bears

(5) Marquette Golden Eagles vs. (12) Murray State Racers

Most horses can only run for so long before getting tired. I think when he does, the eagle is going to pick him clean, vulture style.

Winner: Marquette Golden Eagles

(4) Florida State Seminoles vs. (13) Vermont Catamounts

A catamount is a cougar native to the Yukon. The Seminole is native to Florida, so I’m confident that it won’t have any knowledge of what a catamount brings to the table. The big cat eats him alive using its cunning, natural intuition for the terrain, and speed. Also “catamount” is a far superior name to “cougar” or “mountain lion.”

Winner: Vermont Catamounts

ENTRY BATTLE ROYALE: (6) Buffalo Bulls vs. (11) Arizona State Sun Devils vs. (11) St. John’s Red Storm

What color do the Sun Devils and Red Storm have in common? Red. Neither of them stand a chance against the irate Bull, no matter how arbitrary a “red storm” is.

Winner: Buffalo Bulls

(3) Texas Tech Red Raiders vs. (14) Northern Kentucky Norse

So a raider is a pirate. The Norse are actual vikings. It’s a battle of ocean men who survive by killing other ocean men. Just as a rule, I think that vikings are tougher than generic pirates, so I think the Norsemen bring down the hammer on the red pirate guys.

Winner: Northern Kentucky Norse

(7) Nevada Wolfpack vs. (10) Florida Gators

One alligator against a pack of wolves. Hmm. See ya later, alligator.

Winner: Nevada Wolfpack

(2) Michigan Wolverines vs. (15) Montana Grizzlies

These two faced each other last year. A wolverine’s bite is so powerful they’ve been known to topple moose. Also...

Winner: Michigan Wolverines

Round of 32

(16) Fairleigh Dickinson Knights vs. (9) Baylor Bears
Grizzly bears can run at up to 40 miles per hour. One false step and that knight becomes Leonardo DiCaprio in The Revenant. The bear, fueled by the power of the vitamin C that he just snacked on, will maul the knight based on pure brute strength.

Winner: Baylor Bears

(5) Marquette Golden Eagles vs. (13) Vermont Catamounts
That cougar is going to eat that bird for lunch.

Winner: Vermont Catamounts

(6) Buffalo Bulls vs. (14) Northern Kentucky Norse
THOR BRINGETH THE HAMMER.

Winner: Northern Kentucky Norse

(7) Nevada Wolfpack vs. (2) Michigan Wolverines
Wolverines might be cool, but the wolf pack have the numbers game. The wolf pack may lose one or two, but they’re not going to let a singular wolverine push them around.

Winner: Nevada Wolfpack

Sweet 16

(9) Baylor Bears vs. (13) Vermont Catamounts
The bear has been on a tear as of late, and I think his thick skin is enough to ward off the catamount’s bites and scratches, wearing him down until the bear can just overpower him.

Winner: Baylor Bears

(14) Northern Kentucky Norse vs. (7) Nevada Wolfpack
And now that we’re back into humans fighting animals… Vikings used animal pelts as clothing. Look! There are enough wolves to have one pelt for each member of the crew! Those Vikings and their spears are going to make some mincemeat of these wolves. Man, I really wish I could see what happens at the end of The Grey.

Winner: Northern Kentucky Norse

Elite 8

(9) Baylor Bears vs. (14) Northern Kentucky Norse

Whether it’s on the football field or in the death bracket, the Vikings have the edge. Using their modern stone-age technology, fueled by Led Zeppelin music, the Norsemen send the bear to Valhalla as a sacrifice to Heimdahl.

Winner: Northern Kentucky Norse

Northern Kentucky Advances to the Final Four

South Region

Round of 64

(1) Virginia Cavaliers vs. (16) Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs

UGH WHY DO WE HAVE TO SLAY DOGGIES.

Winner: Virginia Cavaliers

(8) Ole Miss Rebels vs. (9) Oklahoma Sooners

Those Sooners on the frontier were tough as nails. They even had to ward off things like cholera. The rebels, derived from the Confederates during the Civil War, come from around the same time period. But from what I’ve seen in almost every movie about westward expansion and about the Civil War, most of the rebels are portrayed as scared young boys (and like, 14 or 15 years young), and the frontiersmen are all portrayed as scruffy, hardened men. The Sooner is going to shoot the Rebel because he has no patience for weakness.

Winner: Oklahoma Sooners

(5) Wisconsin Badgers vs. (12) Oregon Ducks

Badgers are omnivores and eat anything. Ducks can only eat anything that will fit in their beaks, like fish or worms, or the scraps of bread people toss from the pier. The badger gobbles that poor duck up in one fell swoop.

Winner: Wisconsin Badgers

(4) Kansas State Wildcats vs. (13) California-Irvine Anteaters

An anteater brings a seven-foot-long sticky tongue to the party against the generic wildcat. The problem is that the anteater only eats one thing: ants. It has no teeth. Although, it is impressive that it can eat up to 35,000 ants PER DAY. The wildcat will bite right through the anteater’s tongue in some weird french-kiss-gone-wrong scenario.

Winner: Kansas State Wildcats

(6) Villanova Wildcats vs. (11) Saint Mary’s Gaels

Another generic wildcat. Joy. A Gael is a native of Ireland. My money’s on the tough Irishmen who won’t let Villanova win another national championship.

Winner: Saint Mary’s Gaels

(3) Purdue Boilermakers vs. (14) Old Dominion Monarchs

The Boilermakers are folks who do hands-on work with train boilers. They get down and dirty, working to make sure that the train boilers are running smoothly on coal. They’re blue collar workers, and they will TOPPLE THE MONARCHY. LONG LIVE THE PROLETARIAT UPRISING. Also Purdue’s actual mascot is the Boilermaker Special. An ACTUAL LOCOMOTIVE TRAIN. Good luck, everybody else.

Winner: Purdue Boilermakers

(7) Cincinnati Bearcats vs. (10) Iowa Hawkeyes

A bearcat is not some kind of incredible super bear-cat hybrid. He is an adorable, vicious animal that will bite your face off. But for me, the edge actually goes to Iowa.

Jeremy Renner and Alan Alda take no prisoners. With Renner’s Hawkeye as the muscle and Alda’s Hawkeye as the brains and medicine guy, these two could be unstoppable.

Winner: Iowa Hawkeyes

(2)Tennessee Volunteers vs. (15) Colgate Raiders

Pirate with gun against regular Tennessee guy with no gun. The volunteer just volunteered to be here, he had no idea what he was getting into! He has a family! Have mercy! All he did was try to help!

Winner: Colgate Raiders

Round of 32
(1) Virginia Cavaliers vs. (9) Oklahoma Sooners
Gun beats sword. It’s science. Also, the Sooner’s majestic mountain beard alone could probably beat up the Cavalier and his handlebar moustache.

Winner: Oklahoma Sooners

(5) Wisconsin Badgers vs. (4) Kansas State Wildcats

OH SHIT THAT BADGER WAS LIKE “I’MMA FUCK YOU UP, WILDCAT. YOU BETTA STEP BACK.” Badgers foreverrrrrr.

Winner: Wisconsin Badgers

(11) Saint Mary’s Gaels vs. (3) Purdue Boilermakers
It’s a locomotive train. Irishmen are tough, but they’re gonna look real dumb standing in front of a train.

Winner: Purdue Boilermakers

(10) Iowa Hawkeyes vs. (15) Colgate Raiders
I think Renner’s Hawkeye can fire like five arrows at the same time. This is like some Peter Pan-against-Captain Hook type stuff. The pirates may have guns, but they Hawkeyes have Jeremy Renner and Alan Alda. Easy win for the Hawkeyes.

Winner: Iowa Hawkeyes

Sweet 16

(9) Oklahoma Sooners vs. (5) Wisconsin Badgers
Sooners know how to trap their food. That badger doesn’t have a prayer.

Winner: Oklahoma Sooners

(3) Purdue Boilermakers vs. (10) Iowa Hawkeyes
CHOO-CHOO, BEEYOTCH.

Winner: Purdue Boilermakers

Elite 8

(9) Oklahoma Sooners vs. (3) Purdue Boilermakers
Technology wins. It’s conestoga wagon (yeah, I play Oregon Trail) against steam train. The boilermaker sees your wagon and raises you ONE TRANSCONTINENTAL RAILROAD.

Winner: Purdue Boilermakers

Purdue advances to the Final Four

Midwest Region

Round of 64

(1) North Carolina Tar Heels vs. (16) Iona Gaels

Tar Heels, by nature, have sticky feet. They would be sitting ducks against a pissed-off Irishman.

Winner: Iona Gaels

(8) Utah State Aggies vs. (9) Washington Huskies

An Aggie is one who makes his living in agriculture. That said, I am highly positive that a farmer has methods of dealing with pesky dogs who try to trample through his garden and eat his crops. Using things like an invisible fence, pesticides, or just a straight up gun, the Aggie makes sure that poor beautiful husky won’t come around his garden every again.

Winner: Utah State Aggies

(5) Auburn Tigers vs. (12) New Mexico State Aggies

Then again, this particular aggie is dealing with a freaking TIGER. Tigers eat both meat and plants, but they mostly eat meat. Screw your plants, farmer. This cat wants to eat YOU.

Winner: Auburn Tigers

(4) Kansas Jayhawks vs. (13) Northeastern Huskies

The husky uses its jumping skills to snag the jayhawk right out of the air.

Winner: Northeastern Huskies

(6) Iowa State Cyclones vs. (11) Ohio State Buckeyes

A cyclone is a tornado. Iowa State’s mascot is Cy the Cardinal technically, but I like the image of a tornado better. A buckeye is a nut from a tree. I don’t think mother nature is taking too many prisoners in her path of destruction.

Winner: Iowa State Cyclones

(3) Houston Cougars vs. (14) Georgia State Panthers

These two are… basically the same thing. I’m gonna give it to Houston, because I’m willing to be that T’Challa doesn’t stand much of a chance against an actual mountain lion. His heart wouldn’t be able to kill it, or something.

Winner: Houston Cougars

(7) Wofford Terriers vs. (10) Seton Hall Pirates

The terrier is a very fast dog. I’m gonna give the upset to the dog here, as he gnaws on the pirate’s peg leg long enough that it collapses and he falls into the ocean.

Winner: Wofford Terriers

(2) Kentucky Wildcats vs. (15) Abilene-Christian Wildcats

So, in the case of two teams having the same mascot, I’ve taken the best player from each college and pit them against each other in a game of one of one-on-one (or sometimes, I just combine the mascots like last year’s winner, the ClemsBurn SuperTigers). Here is a list of players who were drafted from the NBA from Abilene-Christian:

1964- Jim Reynolds (Cincinnati Royals)
1968- John Godfrey (Los Angeles Lakers)
1972- Kent Martens (Cleveland Cavaliers)
1973- Willie Calvert (Cleveland Cavaliers)

Take your pick.

De’Aaron Fox, Malik Monk and Bam Adebayo were all taken in the first round from Kentucky LAST YEAR.

You know what? Fuck it. No one wins. I hate Kentucky, and no one who goes to Abilene-Christian has the ultimate dream of going to the NBA. No one wins.

Winner: No one.

Round of 32

(16) Iona Gaels vs. (8) Utah State Aggies
The Aggie likely has potatoes. The Gael… well, he’s from Ireland. I think we have our winner here. The Aggie starves the Gael out by refusing to share his potatoes.

Winner: Utah State Aggies

(5) Auburn Tigers vs. (13) Northeastern Huskies
WHY TIGER WHYYYYYYY.

Winner: Auburn Tigers

(6) Iowa State Cyclones vs. (3) Houston Cougars
Cyclones can reach speeds of up to 300 miles per hour on land and have a damage path up to a mile wide and 50 miles long. The cougar is bound to have a rock fall on it and trap it or something. Weather takes no prisoners.

Winner: Iowa State Cyclones

(7) Wofford Terriers vs. N/A because Wildcats are stupid
This is like another one of the Westminster Dog Show incidents. The terrier wins again by walkover.

Winner: Wofford Terriers

Sweet 16

(8) Utah State Aggies vs. (5) Auburn Tigers
Time to pull the rug out from underneath. The Utah State Aggies mascot is big blue, an ox. That Tiger is going to eat that ox for lunch.

Winner: Auburn Tigers

(6) Iowa State Cyclones vs. (7) Wofford Terriers
Oh, Toto… I’m not sure we’re in Kansas anymore…. Or in Dorothy’s arms.

Winner: Iowa State Cyclones

Elite 8

(5) Auburn Tigers vs. (6) Iowa State Cyclones
Tigers are not known to hibernate, meaning the poor cat would be left in the open at the mercy of the weather. The cyclone would cause mass destruction across the land, and the tiger would get caught in the crossfire.

Winner: Iowa State Cyclones

Iowa State advances to the Final Four

Final Four

(2) Duke Blue Devils vs. (14) Northern Kentucky Norse
The French soldier has been through a lot. Surely he’s prepared to take on a group of...

NOPE. VIKINGS. They bludgeon the poor Frenchie and roast him over the fire. The Norse Force is on to the championship.

Winner: Northern Kentucky Norse

(3) Purdue Boilermakers vs. (6) Iowa State Cyclones
I was really having trouble figuring this one out. A cyclone is a cyclone, but a steam locomotive is a freaking steam locomotive. So I googled “train vs tornado” and this is what I found:

Winner: Iowa State Cyclones

National Mascot Death Bracket Championship

(14) Northern Kentucky Norse vs. (6) Iowa State Cyclones

On the trip to the New World, or at least on a journey anywhere, vikings are prone to run into inclement weather. Of course, things are a little easier if Thor is on your side. The god of thunder helps clear a path for his fellow Norsemen as the cyclone dissipates. Because science.

Winner: Northern Kentucky Norse

This bracket was weirdly sponsored unofficially by Marvel? Because Avengers: Endgame is in theaters April 26th.

Who's your favorite mascot? What other absurd scenarios for this can you think of? Who's your pick to win the National Championship? Leave a comment down below.

The 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament begins Thursday, March 21st starting at 12:30pm on the networks of CBS.

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2/5/2019

10 Takeaways from Super Bowl LIII

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10 Takeaways from Super Bowl LIII

I get it, casual football fan.

To you, I’m sure Super Bowl LIII was… boring.

I’m sorry the high-powered Rams offense and the Tom Brady-led Patriots couldn’t bring you the 74-point, 1000-yard offensive showcase that the Pats and Eagles did last year. And for the two squads this time around to manage only 16 points in the lowest scoring Super Bowl ever? It has to be a let down.

This game was WEIRD, man.

Even the halftime show was weird.

But hey, it was close the entire time except for the very end.

I mean, you know me. I’m only a LITTLE bit invested in it.

At 4:30pm (two hours before game time), I told my friend I could already feel my heart rate accelerating.

After Sony Michel scored in the fourth quarter to put the Patriots up 10-3, my heart rate did begin to decrease a little bit.

And as we speak, the Patriots are taking their victory parade through the streets of Boston.

They won their sixth Super Bowl championship on Sunday- weeks after I publicly wrote them off and declared them dead.

I whiffed. Like badly.

Man, six titles. The 99-day Boston sports drought is over. What a crazy ride this season was.

Let’s recap.

The Patriots established the run early, but Tom Brady’s second pass attempt of the game was intercepted. Fortunately for New England, they forced the Rams to punt.

And punt.

And punt.

And punt again.

Rams punter Johnny Hekker was busy in this game, punting on the Rams first eight possessions. It was just up to the Patriots to capitalize on the Rams not being able to do anything with the ball.

They didn’t do themselves any favors when Stephen Gostkowski missed a field goal in the first quarter on New England’s second drive of the game.

But after the teams traded punts for three possessions, Gostkowski finally connected on a 42-yard field goal. 3-0, New England.

It would stay that way heading into halftime.

The halftime show was… underwhelming. We’ll talk about that later.

In the second half, it was more of the same. Just when it seemed like both offenses were about to get something going, the opposing defense would make a stop. Through the first half, the Rams (who had the second-ranked offense in football) managed only 57 yards.

LA nearly managed to break through in the third quarter, though. Brandin Cooks beat Stephon Gilmore and was left all alone in the end zone, and Jared Goff’s pass looked like it might put the Rams ahead. But Jason McCourty made an excellent recovery, and knocked the ball out of Cooks’ hands before he was able to maintain control. The Rams had to settle for a field goal,
and Greg Zuerlein connected on a 53-yard field goal, capping off a 10-play, 42-yard drive that tied the game at 3 heading into the fourth quarter.

It was from there that Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels made some slight adjustments that almost immediately yielded results. The teams traded punts before the Patriots got the ball on their own 31.

Tom Brady hit Rob Gronkowski for 18 yards, then Julian Edelman for 13 yards. He hit Rex Burkhead with a short pass for 7, putting the ball at the Los Angeles 31. On the next play, Brady went back to Gronkowski, completing a pass for 29 yards that put the Patriots in the red zone for the first time.

Sony Michel punched it in from the 2, finally scoring the game’s first touchdown.

On the very next possession, Jared Goff threw off his back foot toward the end zone intended for Cooks. This time, Gilmore stuck with his man, and intercepted the underthrown ball.

9 plays and 72 yards later, all of them coming on the ground, Gostkowski nailed a 41-yard field goal, and that would prove to be all she wrote.

In a game that was supposed to be a Super Bowl shootout, it was the defenses of the two teams that ultimately claimed the day.

Julian Edelman was named the game’s MVP, as he was the most productive offensive player, with 10 catches for over 140 yards.

Bill Belichick became the oldest coach, at 66, to win a Super Bowl. Tom Brady became the oldest quarterback, at 41, to win a Super Bowl.

Despite the lack of scoring, there’s a lot to unpack here. Here are my ten immediate reactions to the game.

1. Patriots MVP- Bill Belichick.
This win was an important notch in Bill Belichick’s belt. With no outstanding players (at least not overtly), it came down to the coach’s game plan that made the difference. The defensive scheme work time and time again confused Jared Goff, to the point where you could see his uneasiness creeping in on him as the game wore on. From changing defensive plays inside 15 seconds on the play clock, to keeping constant pressure on Jared Goff and shutting down the running game, Belichick’s defensive mastery harkens back to Patriots victories like that in Super Bowl XXXVI, where they held the “Greatest Show on Turf” to 17 points while forcing three turnovers, and multiple AFC playoff games, against Peyton Manning and the Colts (2005, when the Pats held the league’s best offense to 276 yards and 3 points), and Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in this season’s most recent AFC Championship game. Much like the Red Sox under the direction of Alex Cora, Bill Belichick showed us why he is the best coach in all of football with his preparation and proper execution.

2. Rams MVP- Johnny Hekker. I guess.
If you can him an MVP. Hekker did a lot of work in the game, punting 9 times. He also set the record for the longest punt in Super Bowl history at 65 yards. But aside from that, the Patriots’ scoring drives came on punts that landed outside the New England 20 yard line. Honestly, it could have been the Rams defense for keeping the Patriots to 13 points. It could have been, but they lost. Last time I checked, losing teams don’t have MVPs.

3. In a season dominated by offense, this Super Bowl showed us that defense hasn’t gone away.
I think this season spoiled us. I think players like Patrick Mahomes have spoiled us. Not to put this all on the 2018 NFL MVP, but he did throw for 50 touchdown passes this season, and his Chiefs were lighting up opposing defenses. And when we saw a 54-51 instant classic between the Rams and Chiefs on a Monday night (or even a 43-40 game between the Chiefs and Patriots), everyone assumed that this offensive gun show was just the new way of the NFL now, that defenses were becoming obsolete because teams with great offenses could score pretty much at well. Take a look at coaches like Sean McVay, even. He’s young, pretty (that has nothing to do with it but his physical appearance was a main talking point at my Super Bowl party), and has a great football mind. He’s made headlines with his near-photographic memory. It’s flashy, it’s new, and because the new kid was successful in such a high-profile, exciting way, we all thought the league was turning into the high-powered offense show. This Super Bowl showed us that defense still wins championships. The Patriots’ defensive unit, a squad devoid of a real A-list star, played cohesively and dominated. The Rams didn’t run a single play inside the red zone. High-powered offense, who?

4. The blame for the Rams offensive ineptitude can be placed on Jared Goff...
The guy looked like a deer in the headlights. What stood out to me is his obvious unraveling as the game progressed. On the Rams’ first drive, Goff was flushed out of the pocket, then slyly got rid of the ball, throwing it away before stepping out of bounds. On a play in the 2nd quarter, on 3rd down, he was flushed out of the pocket once again, pressured by three Patriot defenders. Rather than chucking the ball away, he took a 14-yard sack, sinking to his knees in what looked like total defeat and concession to the play. The Patriots would change their defensive plays inside the 15-second mark on the play clock and Goff had no idea what to do. Now, it is not Jared Goff’s fault that his pass intended for Brandin Cooks (that should have put the Rams ahead) was knocked away by Jason McCourty. McCourty made an excellent defensive play. But the Gilmore interception in the fourth to ice the game was absolutely his fault. It was a terrible throw, on the run, off his back foot, and under thrown. Goff’s a good player, but he didn’t look ready for prime time in this game.

5. But the real blame deserves to be placed on Sean McVay. He’s not as smart as we think he is.
I feel like the Rams spent so much time on defense trying to contain Tom Brady and the Patriots offense, that they completely forgot to develop their offense. It’s like they just thought that their offense was good enough and just kind of left it as-is to “play their game” against the Patriots. McVay got 100% outcoached in this game. He conceded that in his postgame speech; talking about “buzz sequences” and “quarters strategies” or “packages” or whatever. I’m convinced that he’s just using football jargon to make himself sound smarter than he actually is. I was so surprised that the Rams didn’t come out and try to catch the Patriots off guard with some no-huddle, or some more play action, or perhaps even running the ball on 3rd and short instead of trying to force the ball to your receivers that were being covered to no end, especially late in the game when it began to turn into a stalemate. It’s like McVay had this whole game plan developed, except he did it in reverse. They ran the ball early, and then we never heard from Todd Gurley again (I think he was hurt). 27 of the Rams’ plays went for zero or negative yards. He focused too much on defense and forgot to coach the offense. He could have made some adjustments and those never happened. When you play the Patriots, and especially in a high-stakes game like the Super Bowl, you better be ready to play a full 60-minute game that is constantly in motion. Bill Belichick would rather tell you nothing and make you think he’s stupid than try to prove he knows everything. Now, McVay is not a bad coach. But he’s got a lot of learning to do in order to be a truly great one. This time, the master is the victor, not the pupil.

6. The halftime show was hot garbage.
Again, if you were a casual fan, everything about the four-plus hours of game sucked. And that includes Maroon 5, Travis Scott, and Big Boi’s performances during the halftime show. Was there no one else, NFL? Have you really burnt bridges with every other big name performer that we had to listen to Maroon 5 sing “She Will Be Loved”??

This was probably the most bizarre group of performers ever assembled for a halftime show. Adam Levine looked like he was having the time of his life, clearly. And he just kept taking off clothes. Now, I’m not going to lie, I like Maroon 5. I don’t think they’re bad. But I just think they were a bad pick. And cramming Travis Scott and Big Boi (but not Andre)? This whole thing was a culmination of the NFL’s connection to the outside world. Bland and out of touch.

AND ANOTHER THING. Don’t show me Spongebob and then give me Travis Scott singing Sicko Mode. How DARE you.

7. Sony Michel has come into his own and I apologize for everything I’ve ever said about him.
Michel has been brilliant for the Patriots on ground in the latter half of the season. In this game alone, he rushed 18 times for 94 yards and a touchdown. But more than that, he’s turned into the sturdy, solid, every-down back the Patriots haven’t had since Corey Dillon was in the backfield.

My one qualm is that I wish his selection had been in a later round of the draft, but I am pleased to see Michel has blossomed into a good running back, and I hope the Patriots don’t screw it up with him in three years.

8. Tom Brady has at least one (or more) playoff runs left in him.
There is no “cliff.” Let me just say, first and foremost, that this “cliff” everyone wants Brady to fall off does not exist. He is not going to wake up one morning and suddenly be like Charles Barkley from Space Jam. The dude is a phenomenal athlete, and this season has shown me that he’s got the stuff to continue playing at a high level. Between the ages of 39 and 41, the guy has won two Super Bowls, and in the one he lost, he threw for 505 yards, which was a Super Bowl record.

It has never been about going out on top for Tom Brady. He will stop playing once he feels he is no longer able to. I think he wants another ring, another MVP, another passing record. He wants more. And the rest of the world is going to have to live with the fact that the man that Father Time forgot is going to be torching defenses for the foreseeable future.

9. The Patriots got hot at the right time.
In my funeral for the Patriots a few months ago, I said that I hoped that Bill Belichick hadn’t shown us the full potential of his team, and I think we saw that during this playoff run. It started with a dismantling of the Chargers, and then two great defensive showings against the Chiefs and Rams. Even after dismal months to open and close the season, they got the job done- even after everyone counted them out. Again.

I almost feel like Belichick could be recycling old game plans from his first go-around of Super Bowls: his teams aren’t fantastic on paper, but they play strong, hard-nosed football, and they’ll beat you on the ground as well as on the defensive side of the ball.

But whether Brady is throwing for 500 yards, or the defense gets 7 turnovers, what matters is that the Patriots were playing the best football at the right time. Their 18-1 season in 2007 showed us that it doesn’t matter how good you play in September. If you don’t play well in January and (especially) February, nobody cares. The Patriots played their best and smartest football when it mattered most. Love them or hate them, they earned this one.

10. You are a slave to the Super Bowl.
That’s right. Even if you have a negative opinion on the game. If you watched the game and found it boring and did nothing about it, you are a slave to the game.

Why were you still watching if the game was boring? Just turn it off. Don’t bitch about it on Facebook or Twitter about how boring it was, just turn it off! If you liked defense, that game was incredible. Just because it wasn’t another 41-33 game doesn’t mean it wasn’t a good game.

You can call it boring all you want. But you can’t stop watching. That’s the effect this game has on people- it will make you wait for things to get exciting. But don’t complain when you get let down by it. You chose to watch it, not the television.

Rant over.

Anything I missed? Tell me your thoughts from the Super Bowl! Leave a comment down below.

Don’t forget to check out my other Super Bowl article, the Top 10 Super Bowls of All Time, by clicking HERE.

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2/3/2019

Top 10 Super Bowls of All Time

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Top 10 Super Bowls of All Time

Well, Super Bowl LIII is in the books.

And let me just say outright that it doesn’t make this list.

But, for what it’s worth, the Super Bowl has given more than a few games to remember. In honor of Super Bowl Sunday, let’s take a look at the best Super Bowl of all time.

Honorable Mentions:

Super Bowl XIII

Pittsburgh Steelers 35, Dallas Cowboys 31
January 21, 1979
Orange Bowl- Miami, Florida

If you explain to someone in the 1970s what the NFL was like, look no further than Super Bowl XIII, which featured the Steelers and Cowboys- definitively the two best teams of the decade. The Steelers offense featured Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, Lynn Swann and John Stallworth. On defense, the “Steel Curtain,” including “Mean” Joe Greene, Jack Lambert, Jack Hamm, and Mel Blount. The Cowboys, led by coach Tom Landry, had an impressive group of their own, led by future Hall of Famer Roger Staubach, Tony Dorsett and Drew Pearson.

In the third quarter, with the Steelers leading 21-14, Staubach spotted tight end Jackie Smith wide open in the middle of the endzone. Smith slipped in the end zone and could not hang on to the pass, which would have in all likelihood tied the game. The Cowboys had to settle for a field goal to make it 21-17, only to see the Steelers pile on two more touchdowns to make it 35-17. The Cowboys would not go quietly, scoring twice with under seven minutes to play, but the Steelers recovered the onside kick to ice it, with a 35-31 victory.

Super Bowl XXXVIII

New England Patriots 32, Carolina Panthers 29
February 1, 2004
Reliant Stadium- Houston, Texas

Everyone remembers this game for Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake’s infamous moment at the halftime show. But there was a game surrounding it, thank you very much. Super Bowl XXXVIII was scoreless for the first quarter and a half, and it looked to be headed in the direction of a low scoring football game. But the teams combined for 24 points in the last 3:05 and never looked back. The Carolina Panthers, who the year before finished 1-15, actually led in the fourth quarter of the game, as Jake Delhomme hit Muhsin Muhammad with an 85-yard touchdown pass to put Carolina up 22-21. But Tom Brady and the Patriots struck back with an 11-play, 4-minute drive to regain a 29-22 lead. The Panthers would tie it thanks to a pass from Delhomme to Ricky Proehl (who tied Super Bowl XXXVI for the Rams), but simply left too much time on the clock for Tom Brady (not to mention a kickoff from John Kasay that went out of bounds), as the Patriots drove down to the Carolina 28-yard line, allowing Adam Vinatieri to make the game-winning 45-yard field goal. The Patriots would win their second Super Bowl in three years. I would say this game really marked the beginning of the Patriot dynasty, as New England would win their third Super Bowl the next year.

Super Bowl XLVI

New York Giants 21, New England Patriots 17
February 5, 2012
Lucas Oil Stadium- Indianapolis, Indiana

The New York Giants finished the season 9-7, which was the lowest ever winning percentage for a Super Bowl winning team (56.3%). The Patriots, who finished 13-3, were looking for their fourth Super Bowl title, and to avenge their loss from four years earlier, when the Giants had spoiled their potential undefeated season. Still, the Giants needed overtime to defeat the 15-1 Green Bay Packers in the NFC Title Game, and the Patriots lucked out on a missed field goal from Billy Cundiff in the AFC Championship Game. But here they were.

The Giants jumped out to a 9-0 lead before the Patriots roared back with 17 unanswered points. The Giants would add 6 more, and the two would enter the fourth quarter with New England up, 17-15 (of course, what would a Super Bowl with the Patriots be if not close and absurdly dramatic). With 4:06 left in the game, New England had the ball at the Giant 44-yard line on 2nd and 11. Tom Brady fired a pass to a wide open Wes Welker at the New York 21. Welker, famous for his solid hands, dropped the pass, which would have made the Giants burn their last time out and all but put the game away had he completed it. The Patriots had to punt, and Eli Manning once again worked his playoff magic, connecting with Mario Manningham on a 38-yard gain, where Manningham managed to keep both feet in bounds on the play. The Patriots famously let Ahmad Bradshaw score a touchdown to put the Giants up 21-17, giving Brady and the Pats 57 seconds to drive down the field and score. They could not, and the Giants handed Bill Belichick and New England their second Super Bowl loss in 4 years, bringing the New England dynasty into serious question.

Super Bowl XLVII

Baltimore Ravens 34, San Francisco 49ers 31
February 3, 2013
Mercedes-Benz Superdome- New Orleans, Louisiana

Everything changed when the lights went out. The Ravens were running away with the game, leading 28-6 after the opening kickoff of the second half, thanks to three Joe Flacco touchdown passes, and Jacoby Jones returning the second half kickoff for a touchdown. But then came the power outage (thanks, Beyonce!), stopping play for 34 minutes- one of the more bizarre episode the Super Bowl has ever known. But once the power was restored, everything changed for Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers.

San Francisco went on a tear in the third quarter, scoring 17 unanswered points to bring the score to 28-23 heading into the fourth quarter. With just over 10 minutes remaining, and the Ravens up 31-23, Colin Kaepernick scampered 15 yards for an electrifying touchdown run, putting the Niners behind by only 2. However, Kaepernick’s attempted two point try fell flat, and the pass sailed over the head of Randy Moss, keeping the game 31-29 with 9:57 left. The Ravens tacked on another 3 with a Justin Tucker field goal, but a 34-29 game was still within reach for San Francisco, as they got the ball back with just over four minutes left. San Fran made it all the way back to the red zone, but were stopped by the Ravens defense in a terrific goal line stand, turning the ball over on downs. Ravens punter Sam Koch iced a Baltimore victory by running out of his own end zone for a safety with 4 seconds left to play. In the battle of the Harbaugh coaches, John was victorious. The Ravens defense carried them all season long, and it was fitting that Ray Lewis finished his career on top with a 34-31 Super Bowl victory.

Super Bowl V

Baltimore Colts 16, Dallas Cowboys 13
January 17, 1971
Miami Orange Bowl- Miami, Florida

Ah, the Blunder Bowl. A record 11 turnovers. But hey, this was the first Super Bowl to be played after the completion of the AFL-NFL merger, so that has to count for something. Super Bowl V is most notable for the game’s final play, as Jim O’Brien hit a 32-yard field goal with 5 seconds to play to break a 13-13 tie, and give the Baltimore Colts their first Super Bowl championship.

The Colts overcame a 13-6 deficit in the fourth quarter, even after losing Johnny Unitas before halftime. Earl Morrall, the Colts backup, looked shaky, as he threw an interception on the first play of the fourth quarter. However, Tom Nowatzke’s 2-yard touchdown run tied the game at 13 with just over 7:30 left to go. The teams traded punts, and the Cowboys ended up in Colts territory with less than two minutes to play. But a costly penalty (an absurd 15-yard-plus-a-spot-foul-for-OFFENSIVE-HOLDING; thank goodness the NFL amended the rule in 1974) pushed the Cowboys back into their own territory, and and interception gave the ball back to Baltimore. With nine seconds to play, kicker Jim O’Brien was called on to be the hero for the Colts. He succeeded.

Another fun fact about this game is that the MVP went to Chuck Howley. Howley’s two interceptions were, to that point, a Super Bowl record.

Did I mention that Chuck Howley played for the Cowboys? The 70s were a weird time, man.

The Top 10

10. Super Bowl XXXII

Denver Broncos 31, Green Bay Packers 24
January 25, 1998
Qualcomm Stadium- San Diego, California

The Packers were defending champions, and 11-point favorites against an aging John Elway and the Denver Broncos. What strikes me most about this game is the play of Denver RB Terrell Davis, who, despite suffering a migraine headache and missing most of the second quarter, rushed for 157 yards and a Super Bowl record three touchdowns.

With the game remaining close pretty much all the way through, the Packers battled back from early turnovers and a 17-7 deficit, and tied the game at 17 early in the third quarter. Brett Favre wasn’t going away quietly. But John Elway and the Broncos, poised to shake their previous Super Bowl demons (having lost their franchise’s last four appearances- not to mention the AFC’s 13-game losing streak in the Super Bowl), had plans of their own. Elway hit Ed McCaffrey for 36 yards, putting Denver at the Green Bay 12 yard line. On 3rd down, Elway scrambled and dove for a first down. He was hit by LeRoy Butler and Mike Prior while airborne, that he was spun around in a play that would become known as “The Helicopter.” The play kept the Bronco drive alive, and Davis would score the touchdown, capping off a 92-yard march down the field. Green Bay would score early in the fourth to tie it, but both defenses tightened up after that. With 1:45 to go, Davis punched in his third rushing score of the day, putting the Broncos up for good, and winning them their first Super Bowl title.

9. Super Bowl XXIII

San Francisco 49ers 20, Cincinnati Bengals 16
January 22, 1989
Joe Robbie Stadium- Miami, Florida

“Isn’t that John Candy?” asked 49ers QB Joe Montana before leading a game-winning drive to win Super Bowl XXIII. Leave it to Montana to be endlessly cool and awesome. These two teams had met previously in Super Bowl XVI, which the 49ers won, 26-21. But this time, unlike the game seven years prior, Cincinnati had upper hand for much of the contest. Thanks to a 93-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Stanford Jennings, the Bengals found themselves up 7 heading into the fourth quarter.

But again, this is Joe Montana and Jerry Rice we’re talking about here. San Francisco orchestrated a four-play, 85-yard drive, ending with a 14-yard strike from Montana to Rice to tie the game at 13. After some great defensive play, Cincinnati made it back to the 49er side of the field, and Jim Breech nailed a 40-yard field goal to put the Bengals back on top, 16-13. Due to a penalty by San Francisco on the ensuing kickoff, the 49ers found themselves at their own 8 yard line with 3:10 left to go. Montana proceeded to pick the Bengals apart, finding receivers like Rice and running backs like Roger Craig for medium to large chunks of yardage, all the way down the field. Finally, with just over 30 seconds left, Montana fooled the Bengals and found John Taylor for the game-winning touchdown. Jerry Rice was named MVP, with 11 catches for 215 yards and a touchdown- though Joe Montana could have easily been named MVP in his own right thanks to that masterful drive.

8. Super Bowl XXXVI

New England Patriots 20, St. Louis Rams 17
February 3, 2002
Louisiana Superdome- New Orleans, Louisiana

We’re here, 17 years later, telling this story again. David vs. Goliath. Of course, the roles in 2019 are reversed. But back in 2002, it was the Patriots, led by then-second year player, first year starting QB Tom Brady, who entered the Superdome as 14-point underdogs against Kurt Warner and the St. Louis Rams- the “Greatest Show on Turf.”

Early on, it was the Patriots defensive efforts who stifled the Rams, leading to a pick-six by New England cornerback Ty Law (congrats on the Hall, Ty!). Brady would capitalize on third Rams turnover by finding David Patten in the back of the endzone to put the underdog Patriots up 14-3 at halftime. They’d add a field goal to increase the lead to 17-3. The spread was officially covered. But in the fourth, everything changed. What was originally a scoop and score touchdown by Patriots DB Tebucky Jones was called back by a penalty, and the Rams took advantage of the new set of downs- cutting the lead to 7 on a Kurt Warner touchdown Run.

Later in the fourth, Warner would orchestrate a fantastic drive with passes to Az-Zahir Hakim and Yo Murphy, a long rush by Offensive Player of the Year Marshall Faulk, and finally a touchdown pass to Ricky Proehl to tie the game at 17 apiece. The problem with this is that no one new who Tom Brady was yet. So the 1:20 left on the clock was no problem for the young starter. Even with no timeouts, Brady led New England down the field, highlighted by a long catch by Troy Brown that put the Patriots in field goal range. Adam Vinatieri’s 48-yard field goal sailed through the uprights as time expired, and the Patriots had won their first Super Bowl in franchise history. And that was all we would ever hear from the Patriots until the end of time.

7. Super Bowl XXV

New York Giants 20, Buffalo Bills 19
January 27, 1991
Tampa Stadium- Tampa, Florida

From the National Anthem on down, you could tell that this game was going to be a special one. It was the Bill Belichick-led defense of the Giants, against the no-huddle, K-gun offense of the Buffalo Bills. While neither team was really able to make up anything through the air, it was Buffalo who was able to dominate on the ground, as Thurman Thomas tore it up for 135 yards and a touchdown. Even though the Giants took the lead in the 3rd quarter on an Ottis Anderson touchdown run, Jim Kelly and the Bills came right back on offense, and executed a 63-yard drive at the end of the third quarter and the beginning of the fourth, which Thomas capped off with a touchdown. 19-17, Buffalo. Jeff Hostetler and the Giants countered with their own long drive, this one 14 plays for 74 yards. Even though New York failed to get into the end zone, Matt Bahr’s 21-yard field goal put the Giants back up by one.

Okay, now for the heartbreak. The Bills finally got the Giants to punt, and they did so with 2:16 left to play. Kelly was brilliant on the Bills’ last drive, and Thomas managed to squeeze a crucial seven yards from the 36 to the Giants’ 29-yard line, setting up a potential game-winning field goal with 8 seconds to play.

And then Scott Norwood happened. The 47-yard field goal wasn’t even close. It sailed wide right, and the Giants ran out the clock, and defeated the Bills in the closest Super Bowl game in history. Don’t worry, though. The Bills would make it back to the Super Bowl the next year. And the next year. And the next year.

They’d lose all of those, too.

6. Super Bowl XXXIV

St. Louis Rams 23, Tennessee Titans 16
January 30, 2000
Georgia Dome- Atlanta, Georgia

This is perhaps, at least by physical standards, the closest Super Bowl of all time. Mike Jones stepped up to tackle Kevin Dyson at the one yard line, sealing a 23-16 victory for the Rams.

The Titans were propelled to the big game thanks to “The Music City Miracle,” a magical lateral kickoff return for a touchdown to defeat the Buffalo Bills. The Rams and “The Greatest Show on Turf” offense had to turn to Kurt Warner, an undrafted QB who started in the place of Trent Green, and ended up defying all expectations, finishing the year with the best offense in football. But despite out gaining the Titans in the first half, 294-89, the Rams only had a 9-0 lead by halftime. They’d go up 16-0 midway through the fourth. But Steve McNair, Eddie George and the Titans rallied- they scored three times for 16 unanswered points to tie the game.

Of course, the Rams weren’t done. On the first play after the ensuing kickoff, Warner found Isaac Bruce for 73-yards, putting the Rams up 23-16. It was Warner’s only completion of the fourth quarter, but it turned out to be the winner. McNair and the Titans found themselves at their own 12 with 1:48 to go, but effective ball movement and penalties committed by St. Louis allowed Tennessee into the red zone, with McNair escaping trouble on 3rd down and finding Kevin Dyson for 16 yards. The Titans used their final timeout with six seconds to go from the St. Louis 10 yard line, setting up one of the most famous plays in Super Bowl history.

McNair hit Dyson on a quick slant over the middle, but he still had a ways to go to reach the endzone. Mike Jones quickly wrapped Dyson up and brought him down at the one yard line as the clock ran out. The image of Dyson reaching for the goal line is one of the most memorable image in Super Bowl history. But this win for the Rams was the start of something truly special, as they would dominate the league offensively for the next three years.

5. Super Bowl LII

Philadelphia Eagles 41, New England Patriots 33
February 4, 2018
U.S. Bank Stadium- Minneapolis, Minnesota

The greatest offensive showcase in Super Bowl history. One punt. Over 1000 yards of offense. 74 points. A trick play. The Patriots, coming off the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history the year before, traveled to Minneapolis for a rematch with the Philadelphia Eagles, a franchise looking for their first Super Bowl championship. This Eagles team finished 13-3, but it was thanks partially due to their backup quarterback Nick Foles, who took the place of Carson Wentz after the rookie tore his ACL in December.

There was one punt in this game. Just one. And, to that effect, hardly any defense at all. The Eagles torched the Patriots on offense from the start, jumping out to a 16-12 lead early in the game. Then came the trick play in question. Foles lined up his offense, then faked like he was going to talk to his offensive lineman, only to have the ball snapped to Corey Clement, who handed the ball to TE Trey Burton. Foles went out for a pass and was left uncovered, and Burton found him for a shocking score, putting the Eagles up 22-12 at halftime.

But of course, Tom Brady and the Patriots cannot be counted out. Managing to keep the game close, New England battled back in a fury, with Brady completing touchdown passes to Rob Gronkowski and Chris Hogan, eventually the lead 33-32 with 9:22 to go. Philly wouldn’t go down quietly. Foles and the Eagles went on a 14-play, 75-yard drive that chewed up 7:01, finishing with an 11-yard touchdown pass from Foles to Zach Ertz, and the Eagles were back on top, 38-33 after a failed two-point try.

Still, there were over two minutes to go, and New England was about to get the ball back with a chance to win the game with a touchdown. But on the second play of the drive, defensive end Brandon Graham stripped Brady of the ball for the game’s only sack. The Eagles tacked on another field goal. 41-33. Still, there was 1:05 left to go. Alas, a few Hail Mary attempts fell short, and the Eagles pulled the upset for the first Super Bowl victory.

The Patriots gained 613 yards in the game, the most ever allowed in a Super Bowl by one team, and the most ever allowed in a loss. Brady passed for 505 yards, a Super Bowl record. But it was Nick Foles’ heroics, and his 373 yards and 3 touchdowns that earned him MVP honors.

4. Super Bowl XLII

New York Giants 17, New England Patriots 14
February 3, 2008
University of Phoenix Stadium- Glendale, Arizona

An undefeated team. A catch. An upset for the ages. We’re clearly entering the “everyone beats the Patriots” section of the list. New England finished the year 16-0, becoming only the second team in NFL history to finish a regular season undefeated since the 1972 Miami Dolphins, and the first team to ever win 16 games in a regular season. Their opponents, the New York Giants, finished with a respectable 10-6 record and would be a Wild Card team. However, their defense was solid and, if Eli Manning showed up (which, I mean, he did, otherwise the Giants wouldn’t be here), New York was a force to be reckoned with.

For a game featuring one of the best offenses in NFL history- Tom Brady’s 50 touchdown passes and Randy Moss’ 23 touchdown catches- it was extremely surprising that the game was 7-3 at halftime. It came down to the fact that the Patriots’ defense could not get off the field on third down- the Giants held the ball for over 30 minutes, and took advantage of New England’s failures to convert on third down, as Manning found David Tyree to put New York up 10-7 in the fourth. Brady would find Randy Moss to counter, putting the Patriots up 14-10 with just over two minutes remaining.

And then, absurdity. The Giants had to go 83 yards in 2:39. On 3rd and 5 from the Giants 44-yard line, Manning dropped back to pass and was immediately pressured by multiple Patriots, including Adalius Thomas, Richard Seymour, and Jarvis Green, all three of them being able to grab at least a fistful of jersey. Manning evaded all three of them, and fired the ball downfield to David Tyree, who made a leaping, one-handed grab, and came down with the ball pinned to the back of his helmet, keeping the drive alive.

Every time I watch that play, I am shocked that Tyree catches that ball.

The Giants proceeded to drive down the field, where Manning found Plaxico Burress in the endzone with 39 seconds to play, putting the Giants up 17-14. A couple of Brady Hail Mary passes fell incomplete, and the Giants completed the upset. There would be no undefeated season for the Patriots.

3. Super Bowl XLIII

Pittsburgh Steelers 27, Arizona Cardinals 23
February 1, 2009
Raymond James Stadium- Tampa, Florida

No one thought the Arizona Cardinals had a prayer to be in this Super Bowl at the start of the season. Still, the Cardinals and Steelers gave us an instant classic in Tampa. Remember Kurt Warner? Well, this was his comeback tour, having regained the starting job with the Arizona Cardinals. The Steelers won Super Bowl XL, and were looking to become the first franchise in NFL history to win six Super Bowls.

The Steelers jumped out to a 10-7 lead, but Arizona was driving down the field as halftime neared. With the Cardinals at the Pittsburgh 1, Warner’s pass for Anquan Boldin was intercepted by James Harrison, who returned it the length of the field for a 100-yard pick six, increasing the Steelers’ lead to 10 at halftime. In the third, the lead increased to 13. But when the fourth quarter rolled around, Arizona finally got rolling. They scored 16 unanswered points, including a safety and two Larry Fitzgerald touchdowns, the second one on a dramatic, 64- yard catch and run to put Arizona ahead 23-20 with 2:37 left to play.

On the ensuing drive, though, it was Roethlisberger and the Steelers who went to work, picking apart the Cardinals defense, en route to a 6-yard touchdown pass from Big Ben to Santonio Holmes, the game’s MVP, who made a fantastic catch in the back of the end zone while falling out of bounds. The Steelers snatched victory from a valiant Arizona Cardinals squad, and became the first team to win six titles, surpassing the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers for most all time.

2. Super Bowl LI

New England Patriots 34, Atlanta Falcons 28 (OT)
February 6, 2017
NRG Stadium- Houston, Texas

This was the first Super Bowl to ever require overtime to decide a winner. But what makes this game the second best Super Bowl is that it wasn’t much of a game to begin with- at least in the first three quarters. The Atlanta Falcons were all over the New England Patriots in the first half, jumping out to a 14-0 lead in the second quarter. They capitalized on Patriots turnovers, and the play of Devonta Freeman, Matt Ryan, and Julio Jones was terrific. But what put the Falcons up 21 was Robert Alford, who intercepted Tom Brady’s pass and returned it 82 yards to the house. A Stephen Gostkowski field goal made it 21-3, but Tevin Coleman and the Falcons came right out after halftime and scored a touchdown. 28-3.

But there’s a reason we talk about 28-3.

The pessimist I am, I always thought this game was out of reach for New England. When James White scored New England’s first touchdown, Gostkowski missed the extra point. 28-9.

Gostkowski made a field goal. 28-12. It’s a two score game with 9:44 to go.

When Dont’a Hightower sacked Matt Ryan, forcing a fumble, and Alan Branch recovered at the Atlanta 25, I still didn’t think it was enough. Brady found Amendola, and James White added the two point conversion on the Kevin-Faulk-esque direct snap. 28-20. Okay.

Then came the Julio Jones catch. The absurd, diving catch along the sidelines, in New England territory. Now it had to be over.

But then Ryan took a sack. And then there was a penalty to push the Falcons out of field goal range. New England could get the ball back with 3:30 to go. Problem was, they were at their own 9 yard line. In order to score a touchdown, the Patriots would have to complete a drive that would be their longest of the year.

But then Brady found Hogan. And Malcolm Mitchell. And then Edelman.

EDELMAN.

Brady picked the Falcons defense apart, and James White found the end zone from two yards away. 28-26. Amendola added the two point conversion. Tie game.

Incredibly, the Patriots had all the momentum. And then, there was overtime.

When the Patriots got the ball first, you knew it was over. In 3 minutes and 58 seconds, New England drove down the field, and James White found the end zone, completing the 25-point comeback, and winning New England its 5th Lombardi Trophy.

1. Super Bowl XLIX

New England Patriots 28, Seattle Seahawks 24
February 1, 2015
University of Phoenix Stadium- Glendale, Arizona

I am adamant that this is the greatest Super Bowl of all time. The way it was played. The way it was a game the entire time. The catch that almost ended New England’s season. The shocking twist at the end. Super Bowl XLIX had it all.

The Patriots and Seahawks were the two best teams in the league during the 2014 season. The Seahawks looked to repeat as Super Bowl champions. The Patriots were looking for their first title in 10 years. The game line was a toss up. This game was going to be epic.

After a scoreless first quarter, the two teams exploded offensively, trading touchdowns twice. Tom Brady hit Rob Gronkowski to go up 14-7 with 28 seconds left. But the Seahawks, not to be outdone, drove 80 yards in 29 seconds, and Russell Wilson hit Chris Matthews for an 11-yard touchdown. 14-14 at the break.

In the third, it was all Seattle. Marshawn Lynch was unstoppable on the ground. Steven Hauschka tacked on a field goal to make it 17-14, and Wilson found Doug Baldwin to make it 24-14. To this point, no team had ever come back from down from 10 or more in a Super Bowl.

Enter: Tom Brady and the Patriots.

Using two long drives that chewed up a combined 8 minutes of clock time, Brady found Danny Amendola and Julian Edelman to come from behind, putting the Patriots up 28-24 with 2:02 to go.

On the first play after the 2 minute warning, Wilson found Lynch on a pass for 31 yards. He would find Jermaine Kearse for 33 more on a crazy pass that fell into Kearse’s arms after being batted up in the air. The crazy play gave the Seahawks the ball at the New England 5 yard line with 1:05 to go.

Marshawn Lynch brought the ball to the one yard line, and everyone thought he would punch it in from the one yard line. But on the next play, Wilson dropped back to pass, and his throw intended for Jermaine Kearse was intercepted by Malcolm Butler at the goal line.

One of the worst coaching decisions in Super Bowl history has affected the Seahawks franchise ever since.

The Patriots won Super Bowl LI in one of the greatest comebacks of all time. But the back and forth nature of the game define Super Bowl XLIX as the greatest Super Bowl of all time.

What’s your favorite Super Bowl? Leave a comment down below.

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1/4/2019

2019 NFL Playoff Predictions

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2019 NFL Playoff Predictions

January is a busy time for me. I go from cramming my Best of the Year spread into a week (even though I said to myself I would have it done earlier this year and I lied), right into a prediction list for the 2019 NFL playoffs.

I’m on my toes for the most part, though. As is common for the new year, I’m feeling reinvigorated heading into 2019. We’ll see how long it lasts.

Just like always, we’ll take a look at the big storylines from this season, then move into judging me for how wrong I was in my ten bold preseason predictions from August of last year, and finally look ahead to the playoffs that start this weekend.

And just like every year for the NFL, nothing went as planned.

Patrick Mahomes, in his second season in the NFL, passed for 50 touchdowns.

The big story of the year was the Kansas City Chiefs, who, behind Patrick Mahomes and his record-setting pace of scoring touchdowns, reached the top of the AFC this year at 12-4. With a near fatal offensive attack, which features Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce, Sammy Watkins, and (for a while at least) Kareem Hunt, the Chiefs led the NFL in yards and points per game during the regular season, never scoring fewer than 27 points in a game. And in order to beat them, you’ll probably have to be good on offense as well- in the four games the Chiefs lost this year, they averaged 37.5 points in those games. Their defense isn’t great, but Kansas City is exemplary of this new, high-octane offense brand of professional football.

They're baaaack...

The Patriots have numerous question marks heading into the playoffs. There are questions in regards to the health of Tom Brady, who many have clocked a decline in play for the New England QB. The team had and then lost Josh Gordon. Their defense is suspect. The wide receiver group is not nearly as strong as it was last year. And still, the Patriots ended up with an 11-5 record, and, thanks to some luck from other teams losing at timely points, the #2 seed in the AFC. They’ll have a bye week and a home game in Foxboro. Whether it will yield dividends remains to be seen.

Deshaun Watson has been stellar for the Texans this season.

After a 4-12 campaign last year, the Texans remained healthy for all of 2018 and rode a nine game win streak after starting 0-3 to a final 11-5 record, the AFC South title, and the #3 seed in the AFC.

Mitchell Trubisky has led an underrated Bears offense to a 12-4 record and an NFC North title.

The NFC was all about surprises, as the Green Bay Packers stumbled to a 6-9-1 record, and the Minnesota Vikings also failing to make the playoffs at 8-7-1. The NFC North went to the Chicago Bears, whose trade for Khalil Mack seems to have paid off. Mack had 12.5 sacks this year. The Oakland Raiders, Mack’s former team, have 13. You can see the difference, no? Mitchell Trubisky is blossoming into one of the better quarterbacks in this league, and Tarik Cohen is going to be very good for a long time.

Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara might be the best running back tandem in football right now.

Speaking of being very good for a long time, Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints are back in the playoffs as the NFC’s top seed. With both Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram leading the charge of the ground, and Michael Thomas leading the NFL in receptions, Drew Brees’ MVP caliber season brought the Saints a 13-3 record. They enter with the best Super Bowl odds at 21%.

Todd Gurley was a force at the running back position for the Rans.

The Los Angeles Rams, as expected, were huge players in the league this year, with Jared Goff showing that he’s going to be a stud for a long time. With receivers like Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp and Brandin Cooks in the mix, as well as Todd Gurley, the Rams were lighting up teams left and right- they even took down the Chiefs in a 54-51 classic in week 10.

As for me, I actually won my fantasy football league this year- and I mean I legitimately won a league I cared about winning.

This drink is for you, George Kittle. Thank you.

And now, let’s see how I fared with my preseason bold predictions:

1. The Cleveland Browns will still finish last in the AFC North.
Prediction: Incorrect

The Browns finished in third place at 7-8-1, thanks to the emergence of Baker Mayfield, who led all rookie QBs with over 3,700 passing yards and 27 touchdowns. After the team fired coach Hue Jackson, the Browns went 5-3 under Williams, which included a three-game win streak over the Panthers, Broncos, and Bengals. The Browns have a lot to look forward to with Mayfield, Nick Chubb, and Jarvis Landry leading the charge in seasons to come. They finished 1.5 games ahead of the Cincinnati Bengals, who finished in 4th at 6-10.

2. Jimmy Garoppolo will lose his first game of his career in week one.
Prediction: Correct

The Vikings defense, as expected, swallowed up Garoppolo in his first start of the 2018 season in a 24-16 win. Mike Hughes’ interception return for a touchdown put Minnesota up by fourteen, only to see the Niners try to chip away at the lead. They were not able to close the gap they had shortened to eight, and the Vikings handed Jimmy G his first loss as a starter. Garoppolo would later tear his ACL in week three and be lost for the season, and San Francisco tumbled to a 4-12 record.

3. For the third year in a row, a rookie will win the rushing title (namely, Saquon Barkley)
Prediction: Incorrect

Despite finishing with more touchdowns and a better yards per carry average, Saquon Barkley finished second in total yards to this year’s rushing title winner, Ezekiel Elliott. Zeke didn’t even play the last game of the season, but still edged the outstanding rookie by 127 yards. Barkley, however, did lead all rookies in rushing yards, finishing with almost 300 more than Broncos RB Phillip Lindsay.

4. The Cowboys will be leading the NFC East before they collapse at the end.
Prediction: Incorrect

I would say this could not be farther from the truth, as the Cowboys finished atop the NFC East with a 10-6 record. Thanks to the second coming of Amari Cooper, who totaled 725 yards and 6 touchdowns (including 3 in a back-and-forth game against Philadelphia, the same game I said the Cowboys would spiral after losing… which they didn’t) since coming to Dallas from Oakland, the Cowboys have subtly become one of the better teams in football. The Eagles did manage to salvage a playoff spot, but the Cowboys, much to my chagrin, won the division and will play a home playoff game this weekend. Jason Garrett has still not been fired.

5. Michael Thomas will lead the league in receiving yards.
Prediction: Incorrect

Thomas finished with the most catches in the league this year, but he finished 6th among receivers in total yards, behind Julio Jones, DeAndre Hopkins, Mike Evans, Tyreek Hill, and Juju Smith-Schuster, with 1,405 yards on the season and 9 touchdowns. Still, Thomas managed to be Drew Brees’ favorite receiver, with 28.5% of targets on the season. As for Odell Beckham? Well, his team missed the playoffs, and he didn’t finish in the top 15 in catches, yards, yards per catch, or touchdowns. So much for the “Triple Crown” of receiving, I guess.

6. Helmet to Helmet contact and tackles will reduce significantly by the end of the season.
Prediction: Mostly incorrect

Since I could not find any unnecessary roughness penalty stats that are specifically helmet-related since the new rules were implemented, I’m going to call this prediction mostly incorrect. There was a no-call on Kareem Hunt, a running back, when he tried to run through Justin Simmons using the crown of his helmet as a leading point (although this was later turned into a $26,000-plus fine). I would say that just about every single penalty where the helmet was used as a point of contact (that I saw, and truthfully, my work schedule prevented me from doing very much in-depth football viewing this season) was a justified call. The referees, from an eye-test-only standpoint, did a good job of calling it. There were 197 unnecessary roughness penalties called this season, in comparison to 212 called a year before, but who knows if there was any correlation between helmet-to-helmet hits and regular unnecessary roughness penalties?

What really frustrated players (and made headlines) was the roughing-the-passer penalty, as 15 penalties were called for roughing the passer in just week one, and 48 over the first five weeks- 19 more than were called in the first five weeks of the 2017 season. So we’ll see what happens next year.

7. The kneeling won’t stop and nobody cares what you think about it.
Prediction: Correct

In September, the NFL froze its established policy on the national anthem, meaning that, while the policy of the NFL is to “stand and show respect for the flag and the anthem,” no players or team could be fined or disciplined by the NFL for violating the rule.

In the long run, this is good for everyone. It’s an unnecessary policy that should never have had to been established in the first place- honestly, this whole thing should be a complete non-issue and it’s spiraled out of control.

In the short term, it makes Roger Goodell and the rest of the NFL’s owners look like idiots for going back on the policy that they created. And, honestly, I think that’s wonderful.

8. Nick Foles will start for the Eagles in week 1, then a different team in week 17.
Prediction: Incorrect

In fact, we’re at the same place we began at the end of the 2017 season. When Carson Wentz went down in week 14 with a fractured vertebrae, Foles once again took control of the Eagles offense, ending the season 3-0 since then, and leading Philly back to the playoffs, giving them a chance to defend their title. The team I suggested the Eagles trade him to, the Broncos, ended up going 6-10, good for third in their division. Case Keenum still doesn’t know how to throw a football. The Eagles, on the other hand, made the right move by keeping Foles on the roster, and now they have a chance to put us through Groundhog Day once again in 2019.

9. Joe Flacco will lose his starting job to Lamar Jackson by the end of the season.
Prediction: Correct

Given, this was due to injury, but with the Ravens in the playoffs, and Joe Flacco in fact cleared to play, Lamar Jackson is the current starting QB for Baltimore. Jackson has been stellar in the role, going 6-1 down the stretch to win the AFC North with a 10-6 record. Like I said he would, Jackson brings a new angle to the Ravens offense- the mobile quarterback threw for over 1,000 yards, and ran for another 554 during his seven games as starter. Whether or not he leads the Ravens back to success in the playoffs remains to be seen.

10. The simplified catch rule won’t make catches any easier to define.
Prediction: Incorrect

Yeah, I was wrong on this one. If there are fewer steps to take in defining a catch, typically all a replay official has to do is look for those three things. Two feet down, control, and a football move reaching for the line to gain. It’s not that hard, I guess.

Final prediction record: 3.5

I’ve said before that I’m really terrible at predicting things like that.

Speaking of other things I was bad at, let’s take a look at how I fared from my standings predictions from earlier this year. I predicted all 32 teams’ records and potential playoff seedings.

I correctly predicted six out of twelve playoff teams:

New England (AFC East winner, #2 seed- predicted as AFC West winner and #1 seed)
Los Angeles Chargers (2nd AFC West, #5 seed- predicted as AFC West winner and #3 seed)
Houston (AFC South Winner, #3 seed- predicted as #6 seed, Wild Card #2)
Philadelphia (2nd NFC East, #6 seed- Predicted as NFC East Winner and #3 seed)
New Orleans (NFC South Winner, #1 seed- Predicted as NFC South winner and #1 seed)
Los Angeles Rams (NFC West Winner, #2 seed- Predicted as NFC West winner and #4 seed).

Not bad. As for the records, I predicted those… less well. Of 32 NFL teams, I corrected predicted the correct records of the following teams:

Tampa Bay (5-11)
New Orleans (13-3)
Washington (5-11)

So that’s fun.

Here are my updated playoff predictions. These Wild Card games are going to be FUN.

Wild Card Weekend

#6 Indianapolis Colts (10-6) at #3 Houston Texans (11-5)
Saturday, January 5th, 4:35pm (ESPN)

Andrew Luck and the Colts surprised us by clinching the AFC South with a 10-6 record, despite starting the season 1-5. The Texans became the team we thought they’d be before Deshaun Watson got injured last year. Indy is a good team with a solid defense, but I like Houston at home in a close one. Both games between the two have been decided by three points- I think this one is no different.

Prediction: Houston 27, Indianapolis 24.

#5 Seattle Seahawks (10-6) at #4 Dallas Cowboys (10-6)
Saturday, January 5th, 8:00pm (FOX)

I have never been sure as to what Seattle is. Apparently, they’re still very good at playing football despite missing the playoffs at 7-9 last year. Russell Wilson is playing like the quarterback we know, taking passing the ball to a new level altogether. As for Dallas, they’ve re-emerged as a team with firepower on offense and an underrated defensive unit. This one will be a shootout, I think. But I like Seattle. We’ll get the bad Dak Prescott (and I think we will, it’s Dallas in the playoffs), and the Seattle defense will be able to hold Zeke and Amari Cooper to minimal damage.

Prediction: Seattle 31, Dallas 23.

#5 Los Angeles Chargers (12-4) at #4 Baltimore Ravens (10-6)
Sunday, January 6th, 1:05pm (CBS)

The last time these teams met, Baltimore won on their home turf. I’m predicting the same thing this time around. I know it’s time for Rivers to win a ring, but this Chargers team has been both hot and cold this year with the virtue of a relatively easy schedule. They have the ability to play down to their competition, and I don’t think they’ll be able to figure out Lamar Jackson and company, while the top-ranked Ravens defense takes care of keeping the damage minimal. The Ravens go on to Kansas City.

Prediction: Baltimore 26, Los Angeles 13.

#6 Philadelphia Eagles (9-7) at #3 Chicago Bears (12-4)
Sunday, January 6th, 4:40pm (NBC)

The Bears wanted Philadelphia. They could have sat back and taken a loss to Minnesota but they didn’t. I think the Bears know they can handle Philly. Nick Foles might be good to go but that doesn’t mean he’s Superman and will be playing without any semblance of injury. Chicago silences the haters and stifles the Eagles dreams of a championship repeat.

Prediction: Chicago 35, Philadelphia 21.

Divisional Playoffs

#4 Baltimore Ravens (10-6) at #1 Kansas City Chiefs (12-4)
Saturday, January 12th, 4:35pm (NBC)

Kansas City is the best offense in football. But I think the defense has something to say in this matchup. Another thing to note is that Kansas City’s defense is not that great- they’re the worst rushing defense in football- which bodes well for Lamar Jackson and Gus Edwards. In a miraculous upset (especially since the Ravens were given a 1.3% chance to win the Super Bowl), I think the Ravens defense avenges their OT loss from earlier this season at Arrowhead, forcing a crucial turnover of Patrick Mahomes late in the game, and moves on to the AFC Championship.

Prediction: Baltimore 30, Kansas City 27.

#3 Chicago Bears (12-4) at #2 Los Angeles Rams (13-3)
Saturday, January 12th, 8:15pm (FOX)

Teams that are cold in December typically don’t fare well in January. They lost two in a row to the same Bears and the Eagles, and gave up 32 points to a weak Niners team in week 17. I think the Bears come out swinging, and Khalil Mack gives Jared Goff fits all day long. Even with a fresh Todd Gurley, this Rams team is battered with injuries; they’re not the same team they were to start the season.

Prediction: Chicago 24, Los Angeles 15.

#3 Houston Texans (11-5) at #2 New England Patriots (11-5)
Sunday, January 13th, 1:05pm (CBS)

Of all the coaches that are former associates of Bill Belichick who have beaten the Patriots- Matt Patricia, Mike Vrabel, etc.- Bill O’Brien is the only one who hasn’t figured the hoodie out. Not to mention, the Patriots were the only team in the league this year to go undefeated at Gillette Stadium- a place the Texans have never won. This is the tomato can game for the Patriots. Tom Brady makes the league just a little nervous with this win.

Prediction: New England 37, Houston 24.

#5 Seattle Seahawks (10-6) vs. #1 New Orleans Saints (13-3)
Sunday, January 13th, 4:40pm (FOX)

It’s hard to bet against the Saints with the way their offense has been rolling. Even though Seattle has momentum, the Saints are just overwhelming if they get rolling. Seattle’s porous defensive line makes for a field day for Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram, and Drew Brees is able to beat the Seahawks through the air. Marshon Lattimore has quietly become one of the best corners in football, and he’ll take away Doug Baldwin, one of Russell Wilson’s top targets. The road to Atlanta goes through New Orleans.

Prediction: New Orleans 28, Seattle 10.

Conference Championships

NFC Championship
#3 Chicago Bears at #1 New Orleans Saints
Sunday, January 20th, 3:05pm (FOX)

It’s the Bears’ vaunted defense against the Saints’ potent offense in a very loud Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Despite the presence of Khalil Mack, the Saints have so many ways to beat you on offense, and a good enough defense to keep you from scoring just enough times. The pressure’s on New Orleans to win one more big one before the best days of Drew Brees’ career is over, and I think they do. Mitchell Trubisky is inexperienced and it’ll show, as early mistakes come back to haunt the Bears. Growing pains are normal, though. The Bears will back soon.

Prediction: New Orleans 30, Chicago 10.

AFC Championship
#4 Baltimore Ravens at #2 New England Patriots
Sunday, January 20th, 6:40pm

As a Patriots fan, I’m scared of Joe Flacco. I’m not scared of Lamar Jackson. Here’s a stat for you- the Patriots are 11-0 against rookie quarterbacks at Gillette Stadium. Jackson is no different, and he’ll be swallowed up by Trey Flowers and the New England defensive line. This isn’t to say that the Patriots’ defense won’t make big plays too: a late interception by Duron Harmon sends the Patriots back to the Super Bowl for the third year in a row.

Prediction: New England 31, Baltimore 26.

Super Bowl LIII

Sunday, February 3rd, 6:30pm (CBS)
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta

#2 New England Patriots vs. #1 New Orleans Saints

I am sticking with my guns and keeping my prediction from the start of this year intact. Both teams are still in it, so why not?

New England is an underdog for the first time since their 2001 win in Super Bowl XXXVI, but they won’t play like it in the opening quarter, as a quick throw to James White puts the Patriots up 7-0 on the game’s first drive.

From there, the Saints defense keeps the game locked down, keeping New England to field goals only while Brees and the offense get going. Alvin Kamara breaks loose a long run on the way to a Brees touchdown pass to Michael Thomas, then again to former Patriots tight end Benjamin Watson. Tom Brady, down 5 with the ball late in the fourth quarter (like he was at the end of Super Bowl LII), is picked off by Marshon Lattimore, sealing a win for the Saints. In the end, Brees ends with three touchdown passes, and a Super Bowl MVP, before using his speech to announce his retirement at the end of the game, going out on top.

Prediction: New Orleans 24, New England 19.

Call me out. Leave a comment down below.

The playoffs start Saturday, January 5th!

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12/30/2018

Top 100 Sports Plays of 2018 (Part 4)

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Top 100 Sports Plays of 2018 (Part 4)

PART 1 PART 2 PART 3 PART 4

Well friends, here we are. It's the top 25 plays of 2018. If you've made it this far, thank you for reading. If you skipped right to this section, welcome! You've reached the top of the mountain!

Of the top 100 plays, this section of the list is a combination of both the best and the most iconic plays of 2018.

Let's get right to it.

25. 9/24- Vance McDonald stiff arms defender and takes it to the house
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

There are stiff arms, and then there is complete domination of your defender. Vance McDonald shows no mercy to Bucs FS Chris Conte and takes it to the house. Iconic.

24. 6/3- Bradley Zimmer dives to make a great flying catch
Cleveland Indians vs. Minnesota Twins

You'll believe a man can fly after you watch Bradley Zimmer take flight to take an extra base hit away in this game against the Twins.

23. 11/14- Tom Kuhnhackl gets tripped, slides puck in the net from his back
New York Islanders vs. Vancouver Canucks

This is absurd. This is some Alex Ovechkin-like nonsense. Somehow, SOMEhow, Kuhnhackl is able to put one in the back of the net from his dang back. You could probably try this again another hundred times and still not be able to replicate it.

22. 5/26- Gareth Bale game winning bicycle kick puts Real Madrid ahead
UEFA Champions League Final
Real Madrid vs. Liverpool

There's something beautiful about a good bicycle kick. Here, Gareth Bale puts Real Madrid ahead for good with this stunning kick that finds the top left corner of the net in the UEFA Champions League Final.

21. 3/1- LeBron dribbles through Tristan Thompson’s legs to himself
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Philadelphia 76ers

Look at LeBron James out here nutmegging his own teammates. He's just so damn good, he owns God's username and password and will do with it what he pleases.

20. 7/13- Billy Hamilton reaches way over the fence to rob Matt Carpenter
Cincinnati Reds vs. St. Louis Cardinals

The dismount is a tad silly, but the catch is absolutely absurd, as Billy Hamilton climbs the wall and reaches over the fence to take a home run away from Matt Carpenter.

19. 4/16- Frederik Andersen paddles puck away from open net
Eastern Conference Quarterfinal, Game 3
Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Boston Bruins

On first glance it's really hard to tell just how wide open that net is for David Pastrnak to shoot at. But Freddie Andersen comes up with the save of the playoffs, sealing a much-needed win for the Leafs against their rival Boston Bruins.

18. 7/1- Kevin Pillar climbs the wall to rob Nicholas Castellanos of a home run
Toronto Blue Jays vs. Detroit Tigers

I have said it before. I will say it again. Kevin Pillar is SUPERMAN. He's gonna climb the fence again (because what else is new) to take a home run away from Castellanos. Just a day at the office for Mr. Pillar.

17. 1/6 - Marcus Mariota throws touchdown pass to himself
AFC Wild Card Game
Tennessee Titans vs. Kansas City Chiefs

Brett Favre's first ever NFL pass was to himself. Who's to say that Marcus Mariota hasn't one-upped him here? The Titans QB scrambles and barely makes it to the line of scrimmage before his pass is batted... right back into his hands, where he dives toward the end zone to give the Titans a much-needed score.

16. 3/31- Zlatan Ibrahimovic blasts his first goal with LA Galaxy
LA Galaxy vs. Los Angeles FC

Well, this one ain't fair. Zlatan is ageless, and he shows that by blasting his first goal in America from just over the mid-field stripe. He would add another header to put the Galaxy up 4-3, but this one to tie it just electrifies the crowd. LA FC got Zlatan'd on this day.

15. 3/21- Sidney Crosby bats puck to himself and scores
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Montreal Canadiens

What we've got here is your basic game of hot puck-tato. Sidney Crosby, in all his insanity, uses his excellent hand-eye coordination to tip the puck to himself, and rifle it past Carey Price for the goal.

14. 12/21- Sami Vatanen makes stop to keep it out of the net, Taylor Hall scores on breakout
New Jersey Devils vs. Ottawa Senators

Now this is one hell of a sequence. The Devils make the stop not with their goaltender, but with Sami Vatanen. On the ensuing breakout, the Devils get the odd-man rush, with Taylor Hall scoring the goal, lighting a fire under both the crowd and the team. Watch it and feel the madness.

13. 5/31- Jayson Tatum dunks on LeBron James
Eastern Conference Finals, Game 7
Boston Celtics vs. Cleveland Cavaliers

This is your reminder that Jayson Tatum is really good at basketball. He makes a poster out of the King, slamming it home over LeBron James.

12. 6/4- Jessie Warren makes great diving snag off bunt and turns two
Women's College World Series, Game 1
Florida State Seminoles vs. Washington Huskies

A DIVING STOP FROM OUT OF NOWHERE! Jessie Warren had to have known this bunt was coming, otherwise she wouldn't have made the excellent diving play. She also has the IQ to throw it to first and double up the runner. This is awesome.

11. 5/5- LeBron goes off the window for game winner
Eastern Conference Semifinals, Game 3
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Toronto Raptors

We all know that Toronto didn't have a prayer in this series. When LeBron's shot kisses the glass on the way in, you could hear all of Canada's collective hearts breaking, as the King had once again ripped them out of their collective chests.

Also, LeBron totally knew this was going in as soon as he let it fly.

10. 1/8 - Alabama wins national championship on bomb from Tua Tagovailoa
CFP National Championship
Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Georgia Bulldogs

Georgia had Alabama on the ropes. It was 2nd and 26. Bama was out of field goal range. And yet, this guy, who came into the game midway through and started dominating, throws a 41-yard bomb to DeVonta Smith, winning the national title for the Crimson Tide. Georgia should be ashamed of themselves.

9. 2/27- Mikael Granlund bats puck in after it bounces off his chest
Minnesota Wild vs. St. Louis Blues

I see players bounce pucks on sticks all the time. It's not often you see a player full on soccer-ball it from his chest, and bat it into the net. That's exactly what Mikael Granlund does here. Electrifying and truly stunning.

8. 9/23- Tiger wins his first tournament in five years with tap in putt
TOUR Championship, Final Round

That's right, nerds. The golf shot of the year is a two-foot tap in putt from Tiger Woods, who, with this putt, claimed his first PGA Tour victory in five years. Also, come for the putt, stay for the thousands of people following Tiger around as he walks up the 18th fairway at East Lake. No one makes golf what it is like Tiger does.

7. 2/22- Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson’s shootout goal wins gold medal for US
2018 Winter Olympics- Women's Ice Hockey Gold Medal Game
United States vs. Canada

If you needed a better look at how DIRTY Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson's game winning goal was □ https://t.co/wkOWa0qwZl pic.twitter.com/7GRRCOkoNk
— #TokyoOlympics (@NBCOlympics) February 22, 2018

It came down to a shootout for the United States and Canada, and this delicious goal from Jocelyne Lamoureux dekes Shannon Szabados out of her skates, serving as the golden goal for the Americans, as goalie Maddie Rooney would stop the next Canadian shot. The U.S. women won the gold medal, four years after blowing a 2-0 lead to Canada in the gold medal match in Sochi. This one is all about redemption and finesse.

6. 2/28- James Harden crosses up Wesley Johnson, stares, drains 3
Houston Rockets vs. Los Angeles Clippers

Let me walk you through this one: James Harden crosses up Wesley Johnson so badly that Johnson falls down. Johnson fell down so hard that Harden STARED AT HIM AND WAITED FOR HIM TO GET UP BEFORE DRAINING A THREE IN HIS FACE. James Harden has ice in that beard. Cold. Blooded.

5. 12/9- The Miracle in Miami: Dolphins double-lateral touchdown to beat Pats
Miami Dolphins vs. New England Patriots

We don't have to talk about this one.
Fun fact: The Patriots radio call of this play features 35 seconds of stunned silence.
Fun fact: The Dolphins didn't make the playoffs.

4. 10/17- Benintendi robs Alex Bregman to win game 4
American League Championship Series, Game 4
Boston Red Sox vs. Houston Astros

At least Alex Bregman didn't leave us waiting, as he swung on the first pitch from Craig Kimbrel, hitting it into shallow left field. With the bases loaded, anything could have happened if the ball had gotten by the Red Sox left fielder. But it did not, and Andrew Benintendi came up with one of the best plays of the year, winning game four for the Red Sox.

3. 2/4- “The Philly Special”; Eagles pull off trick play pass to Nick Foles for TD
Super Bowl LII
Philadelphia Eagles vs. New England Patriots

We don't have to talk about this one either.

2. 3/31 and 4/1- Arike Ogunbowale's back-to-back buzzer-beaters win Title
NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament- Semifinal and National Championship
Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. Connecticut Huskies and Mississippi State Bulldogs

Never had a player hit buzzer-beaters in both the semifinal and National Championship game before. Arike Ogunbowale made herself into a household name when she hit one with one-second to play against UConn... and then did it again to win a National Championship with an even crazier shot against Mississippi State. Thanks to Arike, Notre Dame are your NCAA Women's basketball champions.

1. 1/14- "The Minneapolis Miracle"; Stefon Diggs 61-yard walk-off touchdown
NFC Divisional Playoff
Minnesota Vikings vs. New Orleans Saints

And finally, our number one play of 2018.

All Marcus Williams had to do was not duck. Had he not ducked, he probably would have made the play on Stefon Diggs, and we wouldn't be sitting here talking about this play.

Instead, we are. Stefon Diggs' 61-yard touchdown won the game for the Vikings, and, since it has its own nickname, etched itself forever in NFL history, and on this year's list of top plays.

And with THAT, we have reached the end of the top 100 sports plays of 2018.

Are there any that we missed? Leave a comment down below.

<<< PART 3 (49-26)

Also, be sure to check out the rest of According to Andrew's Best of 2018 spread by clicking HERE.

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12/30/2018

Top 100 Sports Plays of 2018 (Part 3)

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Top 100 Sports Plays of 2018 (Part 3)

PART 1 PART 2 PART 3 PART 4

Welcome back to the top 100 plays of 2018! If you're looking for parts one, two, or four, click the links above. In part three, we'll be taking a look at entries 49-26.

49. 11/25- Chris Carson does flip over defender
Seattle Seahawks vs. Carolina Panthers

It's one thing to jump over a guy, it's quite another to finish the flip and land on your feet and keep going. *Cues Super Mario jump sound effect*

Holy catfish.

48. 10/20- Chris Taylor saves some runs with great running catch
National League Championship Series, Game 7
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Milwaukee Brewers

With NL MVP Christian Yelich at the dish and the tying run at second, things looked pretty hairy for the Dodgers. Enter: Chris Young.

47. 10/23- Marchand and Pastrnak make mincemeat of the Senators with great passing
Boston Bruins vs. Ottawa Senators

"In your face!" - Jack Edwards, noting the fantastic moves of Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak.
I'd say that's pretty apt for this one.

46. 9/1- TJ Vasher’s Odell Beckham Jr.-like catch
Texas Tech Red Raiders vs. Ole Miss Rebels

Odell would be proud of this one, as TJ Vasher goes airborne and stays in bounds for a fantastic catch.

45. 6/3- Steph Curry hits loooooong three to beat shot clock
NBA Finals, Game 2
Golden State Warriors vs. Cleveland Cavaliers

When the shot clock winds down to zero, some players fire up desperation threes. If you're Stephen Curry, you throw up J's like you're at the Y and you drain them.

44. 7/12- Mookie Betts finishes 13-pitch AB with grand slam
Boston Red Sox vs. Toronto Blue Jays

Mookie Betts is the American League MVP for a reason. He takes a thirteen pitch at bat and deposits the last one over the Green Monster for an electrifying grand slam. I'm tellin' ya, it's time to party!

43. 1/2- Carter Hutton is able to recover and make save on bouncing puck
St. Louis Blues vs. New Jersey Devils

This save is absurd. Hutton is able to make one save, then bring his left leg forward in order to block a rebound and keep the puck out of the net. This is all about the yoga here.

42. 11/25- Joel Embiid shakes defender, does alley oop to himself of the glass
Philadelphia 76ers vs. Brooklyn Nets

THE DISRESPECT, JOEL EMBIID. No regard for human life on this one.

41. 2/10- Andrei Vasilevskiy makes behind the back glove save
Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Los Angeles Kings

Okay, Andrei, now you're just showing off. He's already going to win the Vezina in 2019, but making saves like this, behind your back?? WE GET IT. YOU'RE A GOOD GOALIE.

40. 10/13- Reliever Brandon Woodruff homers off Clayton Kershaw
National League Championship Series, Game 1
Milwaukee Brewers vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

Clayton Kershaw is a good pitcher. Relievers typically don't get to hit at all, much less get hits. So you can imagine my surprise when I saw that a RELIEVER hit a home run against Clayton Kershaw in the first game of the NLCS. Purely epic.

39. 10/27- N’Keal Harry makes one-handed catch from his back
Arizona State Sun Devils vs. USC Trojans

Homeboy is literally ON HIS BACK while he makes this one-handed grab. Eat your heart out, Odell Beckham. You have competition.

38. 8/12- David Bote’s pinch-hit, walk off grand slam lifts Cubs over Nationals
Chicago Cubs vs. Washington Nationals

Aside from the obvious "home run to win the World Series," I think the "down by three, walk-off grand slam" is the most home run in baseball. Watch as David Bote comes off the bench for an epic walk-off grand slam for the Cubs.

37. 7/4- Keon Broxton robs Brian Dozier of a home run
Milwaukee Brewers vs. Minnesota Twins

Keon Broxton goes over the fence, and I mean waaaaay over in order to make this snocone grab. Also, fun fact, this game happened on the Fourth of July. Hooray, America!

36. 12/12- Niven Glover throws down crazy dunk
Oak Ridge vs. Edgewater

My high school only ever had one guy who was just tall enough to dunk. This high schooler from Texas, Niven Glover, goes between his legs for a rim-rattling dunk.

35. 5/16- Marc-Andre Fleury denies Mark Scheifele twice to preserve lead
Western Conference Finals, Game 3
Vegas Golden Knights vs. Winnipeg Jets

What a year it was for Marc-Andre Fleury, carrying the Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup Final. Here, he stops Mark Scheifele on not one, but two shot attempts.

34. 3/3- Julian McGarvey makes the steal and hits 75-footer to win Sectional Championship
Ardsley (NY) vs. Tappan Zee (NY)

To nail a long buzzer-beater is one thing. To intercept a pass, and then quarterback a 75-foot buzzer-beater is quite another. Julian McGarvey does just that, winning the New York sectional championship for Ardsley.

33. 9/29- Davion Davis one handed catch
Central Arkansas Bears vs. Sam Houston State Bearkats

What makes this one-handed catch better than the other one-handed grabs on this list (and there are a lot of them)?

It's because Davion Davis makes what is essentially a backhanded one-handed grab.

32. 5/30- Braden Holtby lays out for paddle save to keep game close
Stanley Cup Final, Game 2
Washington Capitals vs. Vegas Golden Knights

It has become known in hockey as "The Save." In a 3-2 game, with the Caps on the verge of evening the Stanley Cup Final, Braden Holtby made this incredible save on Alex Tuch to keep the game in hand.

31. 11/24- Kendrick Rogers one-handed grab to extend game in 3OT
Texas A&M Aggies vs. LSU Tigers

This game was absolutely bonkers. Seven overtimes. But in the third overtime, Kendrick Rogers made THIS catch to extend the game. He was pretty much the MVP, and for good reason.

30. 12/13- Andrei Vasilevskiy make the crazy scorpion save
Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Toronto Maple Leafs

When the announcers think the other team has scored and they haven't, that means you've done something right. Andrei Vasilevskiy somehow gets a piece of the puck by lifting his skate up and denying a goal.

29. 7/29- Jackie Bradley, Jr. makes running grab and crashes into Green Monster
Boston Red Sox vs. Minnesota Twins

Jackie Bradley is a crazy good outfielder. And this could be a potentially scary play since he tumbles into the big wall out there in centerfield.

28. 12/1- Celtics and Marcus Smart make incredible passes for Jayson Tatum finish
Boston Celtics vs. Minnesota Timberwolves

Basketball is a team sport. Basketball is a team sport. Basketball is a team sport. Also, Marcus Smart should be the highest-paid Celtic in history.

27. 10/19- Anthony DuClair falls down, still manages to finish and score
Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Philadelphia Flyers

Anthony Duclair blows a tire, and then pulls out ALL the hands to coral the puck and score on this ridiculous goal. Now you're just showing off, because this is absurd.

26. 3/11- LeBron filthy no-look pass to Kevin Love fakes out the Lakers
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Los Angeles Lakers

Yes, in 2018 LeBron played for the Cavaliers. And he faked literally everyone on his future team out with this incredible pass to Kevin Love, who finishes for two.

Only one more part to go! Click the link to see the top 25!

<<< PREV: Part 2 (75-50) NEXT: Part 4 (25-1) >>>

Be sure to check out the rest of According to Andrew's Best of 2018 spread by clicking HERE.

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12/30/2018

Top 100 Sports Plays of 2018 (Part 2)

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Top 100 Sports Plays of 2018 (Part 2)

PART 1 PART 2 PART 3 PART 4

We're back with part two of our four-part best play extravaganza! You can find the rest of the parts (or part 1, if for some reason, you stumbled here first) in the links above.

Here are plays 75-51:

75. 10/11- David Pastrnak undresses Oiler defenders en route to goal

These are straight mitts of marinara for David Pastrnak. This guy's so good. Whatcha gonna do when Pastamania runs wild on you, brother?

74. 4/12- Filip Forsberg dangles through defender’s legs and scores
Western Conference Quarterfinals, Game 1
Nashville Predators vs. Colorado Avalanche

This is nothing new for Filip Forsberg, as the guy has a deke move named after him. Here, he goes through his own legs and toys with the Colorado defenders en route to a very nifty goal in game one.

73. 12/23- Luka Doncić hits three with .6 seconds left
Dallas Mavericks vs. Portland Trail Blazers

Luka-mania is upon us, and let me tell you, I am HERE for it. With .6 seconds left, Doncić sends the Mavs bench into a frenzy as he ties the game at 107 with an impossible three-pointer.

72. 7/20- Joey Wendle makes crazy glove flip for the out to nab Justin Bour
Tampa Bay Rays vs. Miami Marlins

"Can Eovaldi get it?" Nope, but Joey Wendle can, using his glove to make a great flip to first to nab Justin Bour for the out. I love great baseball IQ.

71. 12/8- Keldon Johnson half-court shot to tie game
Kentucky Wildcats vs. Seton Hall Pirates

Seton Hall controlled this game (and they'd win in overtime)- but Kentucky showed why they're a force to be reckoned with (and will not go away) as Keldon Johnson nails this buzzer-beater from half court to send it to OT.

70. 4/28- Odubel Herrera pulls one back from the bushes
Philadelphia Phillies vs. Atlanta Braves

I don't really know why there are brushes within reaching distance at Citizens Bank Park, but there are. They're no match for Odubel Herrera, though, as he is able to pull the ball back in play, saving a home run.

69. 1/5 - Carey Price makes one save, rolls over to make another save
Montreal Canadiens vs. Tampa Bay Lightning

For all the smack I talk about the Canadiens, Carey Price is a force to be reckoned with. He makes a Dominic Hasek-like save (in overtime, no less) against two Lightning players to keep the game tied. Ridiculousness.

68. 1/26- Blake Peters nails 80-foot shot to beat the buzzer
Evanston Township (IL) vs. Maine South (IL)

The first thing to know about this play is that Blake Peters is a freshman. The other is that this play is now known as the "Peters Prayer." Please enjoy a 14-year old nailing an 80-foot game-winner.

67. 12/16- Patriots make great special teams coverage play
New England Patriots vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

This is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen in my entire life pic.twitter.com/qrBJNQ7YwN
— The Checkdown (@thecheckdown) December 16, 2018

The Patriots use not one, not two, but THREE different players to pin the Steelers deep off a punt. This is some baller special teams coverage if I've ever seen some.

66. 2/6- Brian Elliott makes stick save with some help from Claude Giroux in OT
Philadelphia Flyers vs. Carolina Hurricanes

How many sticks does it take to keep the puck out of the net? Two apparently. Brian Elliott starts with a great paddle save, and Claude Giroux has great hand-eye coordination to bat the puck away from the crease. A solid tandem, no?

65. 6/13- Mitch Haniger and Jean Segura make great play on Luis Valbuena
Seattle Mariners vs. Los Angeles Angels

The bat flip is legendary. The throw is mutant. The tag is even niftier. I love baseball.

64. 9/23- Josh Allen hurdles defender
Buffalo Bills vs. Minnesota Vikings

Say what you want about Josh Allen and the Bills, but the guy can run. Dude has some serious ups as he leaps over the Vikings defender here.

63. 2/27- Ja’Quan Newton buries UNC with buzzer-beating 3
Miami Hurricanes vs. North Carolina Tarheels

Man, I do love a good college basketball crowd silencer. After UNC tied the game with a clutch three with only seconds to go, Miami player Ja'Quan Newton thrust the dagger into the hearts of the Tarheels, winning the game for the Hurricanes.

62. 9/19- Steven Matz behind the back snag and double play
New York Mets vs. Philadelphia Phillies

Ah yes, the ol' behind the back snag. You're slick, Steven Matz.

61. 11/29- Elias Pettersson makes a great pass for the goal while falling
Vancouver Canucks vs. Vegas Golden Knights

This is some great awareness by Elias Pettersson here, to be able to keep control of the puck even though he's tripped, to finding Brock Boeser, who slaps it into the empty net.

60. 8/11- Ramon Laureano doubles up Eric Young with crazy throw from centerfield
Oakland Athletics vs. Los Angeles Angels

The best play in baseball is the outfield assist. Watch this, as Ramon Laureano doubles up Eric Young with an out-of-this-world throw from the warning track.

59. 11/13- Pekka Rinne essentially throws his stick behind him to block shot
Nashville Predators vs. Anaheim Ducks

I'm not quite sure what this save is. Does he... throw his stick at the puck? Or does the puck actually hit him in the back? How does the stick get back there? Regardless, it's a great save. Post your comments as to how you think Rinne makes this save.

58. 10/16- Tony Kemp goes up onto the wall to rob Steve Pearce of a hit
American League Championship Series, Game 3
Houston Astros vs. Boston Red Sox

If this had fallen for a hit, it would have blown the game open for the Red Sox. Instead, Tony Kemp makes an outstanding catch, further emphasized by the loud bang made when the ball hits the wall from inside his glove.

57. 2/3 - Dominic Green hits game-winning 3 after layup is swatted away
Arizona Wildcats vs. Washington Huskies

I can imagine that Washington was pumped to find that the game-tying jumper was blocked. Problem was, there was still time for Dominic Green to bury a game-winning three pointer for Arizona.

56. 4/11- Sidney Crosby tips one in out of mid-air
Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, Game 1
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Philadelphia Flyers

What else is to be expected from Sid the Kid? And in a playoff game, no less! Crosby somehow redirects this puck into the net after a blast from the point. Crazypants.

55. 2/6- Giannis Antetokounmpo jumps over Tim Hardaway on dunk
Milwaukee Bucks vs. New York Knicks

Does it need repeating that Giannis is a freak of nature? I didn't think so. He jumps OVER a dude on his way to a dunk. You're welcome.

54. 9/16- Keelan Cole one-handed grab
Jacksonville Jaguars vs. New England Patriots

This was Jacksonville's version of the Super Bowl (since they shit the bed and finished 5-11 this year). As is nature in every Super Bowl against the Patriots, there's some crazy circus catch. This one by Keelan Cole is no different.

53. 2/11- Casey Cizikas one handed shovel goal
New York Islanders vs. Calgary Flames

Well this is a new way to score a goal. I'm curious to see what kind of direction this puck takes off the stick of Casey Cizikas as it goes past Mike Smith. I dig it.

52. 9/29- Juwan Johnson makes crazy one handed grab
Penn State Nittany Lions vs. Ohio State Buckeyes

This is on the first drive of the game for Penn State. Imagine what a crazy one-handed catch would do for both your team and the crowd! I can't imagine what would happen if you were to squander all of that momentum in a crucial moment in the game...

51. 10/27- Max Muncy ends 18-inning game with walk-off home run
World Series, Game 3
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Boston Red Sox

And 18 innings later.... Max Muncy ends the longest game in World Series history with a blast that will long live in Los Angeles Dodgers lore.

50. 12/9- Juju Smith-Schuster toe-tap touchdown
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Oakland Raiders

In the pros, it's two feet down with possession. This one was called incomplete on the field, but replay showed that Juju had both feet in bounds and control of the ball, completing the absurd touchdown catch.

We are halfway done! Be sure to check out parts three and four of the best plays of 2018 by using the links above (or below), and take a look at the rest of According to Andrew's Best of 2018 spread by clicking HERE.

<<< PREV: Part 1 (100-76) NEXT: Part 3 (49-26) >>>

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12/30/2018

Top 100 Sports Plays of 2018 (Part 1)

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Top 100 Sports Plays of 2018 (Part 1 of 4)

PART 1 PART 2 PART 3 PART 4

Every year, the Best Plays list gets longer and longer. It started with 10, then expanded to 50, and for the last year, it's been the top 100 plays of the year.

And because this is probably my favorite list to compile (that, and it has the most research involved), I have kept the list at 100. There were so many iconic plays to cover, I even split it up into FOUR different lists, just so that it's more manageable to look at.

And with that in mind, let's get to it. No honorable mentions, just 100 of the best plays from 2018.

100. 8/16- Umpire catches bat flip from Castellanos homer
Detroit Tigers vs. Minnesota Twins

Nicholas Castellanos hits a home run here, but that isn't the story.
"No bat flipping on my field," says home plate umpire Manny Gonzalez.

99. 9/29- Fan plunks Giancarlo Stanton from the Monster as he rounds second
Boston Red Sox vs. New York Yankees

This is an impressive throw. The Green Monster is 38 feet high, and to hit a guy on one hop as he rounds the bases is probably a good 150 feet. It's also quintessentially Boston, to throw at an opposing player. Props to Stanton for tipping his hat to the guy, though.

98. 6/9- Lorenzo Cain saves Orlando Arcia’s error by making the catch
Milwaukee Brewers vs. Philadelphia Phillies

Good for Lorenzo Cain, helping out his teammate before Orlando Arcia completely makes a fool of himself by dropping the ball.

97. 4/1- Bruins keep the puck in with an extra attacker, score with 3.8 left to tie it
Boston Bruins vs. Philadelphia Flyers

How the Bruins are able to keep this puck in, I have no idea. However, they do, and manage to get it to Patrice Bergeron, who ties the game just before the horn, sending it to overtime.

96. 11/1- Braden Holtby blocks an open net and sprawls for a second save
Washington Capitals vs. Montreal Canadiens

The guy isn't a Vezina Trophy winner and Stanley Cup champion for nothing. One of the best plays in hockey is the cross pass and tap into the wide open net. Braden Holtby stones Brendan Gallagher, and the save spurs a goal for Lars Eller in OT down the other end.

95. 12/5- Zion Williamson goes off the backboard to R.J. Barrett
Duke Blue Devils vs. Hartford Hawks

Hartford is my alma mater. They deserve this. Watch as Zion Williamson passes one off the glass, and as R.J. Barrett slams it home in this vicious alley-oop.

94. 10/25- Kenny Stills and Devante Parker combine for bizarre catch
Miami Dolphins vs. Houston Texans

So, this one is caught by Kenny Stills, who is then hit by a Houston defender. The ball comes loose and is batted forward by another Houston defender, and lands in the awaiting arms of Stills' teammate, Devante Parker. This one is good for 46 yards. Unreal.

93. 9/14- J.R. Martin's behind-the-back deke, then Hail Mary touchdown
North Gwinnett (GA) vs. Walton (GA)

Watch closely: North Gwinnett HS (Suwanee, GA) quarterback evades a defender by tucking the ball behind his back, and then finding Garrison Manor for the game-winning Hail Mary touchdown pass.

92. 11/8- The weirdest flea flicker ever is good for two points
SDHSAA Class 9A Football Championship- Howard Tigers vs. Canistota/Freeman Pride

It started off as a run.

It didn't end up that way. #SCtop10 (via @SDPBSports) pic.twitter.com/0v7BeaG3rW
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 8, 2018

The play starts as a run, ends up as a pass, and is good for two points in what has to be the strangest point-after-touchdown attempt ever. Canistota/Freeman would win the game in a 46-14 rout.

91. 9/1- Devin Duvernay’s leaping touchdown grab
Texas Longhorns vs. Maryland Terrapins

Full extension, outstretched fingers, touchdown. This one is just sweetness.

90. 5/28- Jackie Bradley, Jr. makes over-the-shoulder grab in deep center
Boston Red Sox vs. Toronto Blue Jays

Making a basket catch over your shoulder is no easy feat. But Jackie Bradley Jr. is no ordinary outfielder. This clip is a little tough to see at first glance, but Bradley makes a nice grab going backwards toward the deepest parts of Fenway Park.

89. 4/1- Travis Konecny undresses the defense with a toe drag goal
Philadelphia Flyers vs. Boston Bruins

Travis Konecny makes this look easy, as he corrals a puck in mid air, then is able to deke four Bruins on his way to a pretty looking goal.

88. 10/24- Sidney Crosby goes through the defender’s legs to score
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Edmonton Oilers

Hold... hold... hold... make you look silly... score.

A day in the life of Sidney Crosby.

87. 9/8- Tee Higgins reaches over defenders and spins away for touchdown
Clemson Tigers vs. Texas A&M Aggies

The catch is Moss-like. The spin and touchdown run is beautiful. This is a great play by a very talented young receiver.

86. 7/22- Cheno Guzman does a 360 and then casually rolls it in for a goal
San Antonio FC vs. Real Monarchs

This play comes to us from the United Soccer League, and features San Antonio FC player Cheno Guzman doing a nifty spin move to get past the defender, and then casually dribbling the ball into the net. Is this the equivalent of a classy celebration in American football?

85. 8/7 & 8/8- Adam Engel robs home runs in the same place on consecutive nights
Chicago White Sox vs. New York Yankees

I guess the best option would be to just not hit it at White Sox CF Adam Engel, who robs Greg Bird, followed by Kyle Higashioka on consecutive nights. Pretty impressive feats of both luck and skill.

84. 11/6- Miles Bridges slams home a great dunk
Charlotte Hornets vs. Atlanta Hawks

Where's the gravity, Miles? You know I love you, but come ON! This is filthy.

83. 4/15- Khris Middleton hits three with .5 seconds left to send game to OT
Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, Game 1
Milwaukee Bucks vs. Boston Celtics

As a Celtics fan, I thought this one was over. .5 seconds and an inbound from just over the mid-court line? Khris Middleton didn't want to go home early, as he buried the long three to tie it, shock the TD Garden crowd and send the game to overtime.

82. 9/1- Quentin Pounds reels in touchdown with one hand
Washington Huskies vs. Auburn Tigers

In college football, all you need is one foot in the end zone with possession. Quentin Pounds is able to just get both together in time for this crazy touchdown catch against Auburn.

81. 12/7- Northern Michigan goalie Atte Tolvanen scores goal
Northern Michigan Wildcats vs. Michigan Tech Huskies

GOALIE GOAL!!!! Goalie goals are like fat guy touchdowns or big guy three pointers. But sometimes, when the net is empty, and the stage is right, sometimes the goalie gets to be the first one through the high-five line. Northern Michigan goalie Atte Tolvanen finds the other net in this one.

80. 4/30- Terry Rozier goes through his legs and then alley-oops to Marcus Morris
Eastern Conference Semifinals, Game 1
Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers

This is Scary Terry channelling his inner Kyrie Irving. What HANDLES on this kid.

79. 3/31- William Karlsson goes between-the-legs for a spectacular goal
Vegas Golden Knights vs. San Jose Sharks

This takes some balls, going between your own legs and going top shelf. But William Karlsson has no fear, and buries it past Sharks goalie Martin Jones for the shorthanded goal.

78. 5/30- Gary Sanchez throws runner out at third after wild pitch bounces back to him off the backstop
New York Yankees vs. Houston Astros

I had thought the backstop at Yankee Stadium was either plastic or padding. I guess I was mistaken, and that it's brick (or something). Think of all the things that have to go right for this play to work: the ball has to come right back to catcher Gary Sanchez, and has to be in the correct position for him to wind up and gun it down to third base, where the runner is waiting to be tagged by Miguel Andujar. Crazy lucky, this one.

77. 1/1- Myles Boykin makes one handed catch, jukes defenders on way to winning touchdown
Music City Bowl
Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. LSU Tigers

I'm upset with Notre Dame football right now, but at least this was a good way to start the year (this is our very first play on the list). Myles Boykin makes a great one-handed grab on the way to score the winning touchdown against LSU.

76. 12/2- Flames’ Mike Smith makes a great skate save
Calgary Flames vs. Chicago Blackhawks

How much of this is luck, and how much of this is skill? Regardless, it's a fantastic skate save by Mike Smith to keep a sure goal out of the net.

And just so I can keep you guessing, that's the end of part one! You can find the other parts via the links at the top.

NEXT: Part 2 (75-50) >>>

And be sure to check out the rest of According to Andrew's Best of 2018 spread by clicking HERE.

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12/26/2018

Top 15 "Oh No!" Sports Moments of 2018

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Top 15 "Oh No!" Sports Moments of 2018

Kickers in the NFL this season are having a TIME.

For all the glory that sports can bring, sometimes they make you get up from your chair and just take a second. Sometimes they throw something at you so asinine, so incredulous, that you just have to bury your face in your hands and cry a little.

Sports have the ability to make you cheer and inspire you, but they’ve also got the ability to make you laugh at other people’s pain and just give a little “oh, no!” to that effect.

This is the opposite of the best moments from the sports year. These are the worst of the worst: the top 15 “Oh NO!” sports moments of 2018.

Dishonorable Mentions:

February 20th- Fergie's rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" at the NBA All-Star Game

I’m less inclined to knock Fergie for this one because singing the National Anthem is very difficult. It requires incredible range, it’s stupidly over-melodic, and the pressure is on (especially if you’re a recording artist) to be different from everyone else who’s ever sung it before.

Now, I’ll be honest. This is… a poor effort. But it’s not all bad. Give her credit for trying to jazz it up a bit. Carl Lewis still did it worse… although his doesn’t have a meme made out of it.

December 23rd- Steelers convert fake punt against Saints, except they don't

The Steelers, as of writing this, are in trouble. They sit outside the AFC playoff picture after being in control of their own destiny. In their week 16 game against the Saints, they decided a fake punt would be in order near midfield… even though they were winning by four with 4:15 to go. They didn’t get it.

#Steelers FB Roosevelt Nix celebrated with a first down signal, not realizing he was short of a first down. pic.twitter.com/evE1nxzlqN
— NFL Update (@MySportsUpdate) December 24, 2018

Roosevelt Nix, who ran the ball, thought he had it however. 7/10 on the celebration there, bud. Problem is, you’re a yard and a half short. The Saints would win the game, 31-28.

April 7th- Padres let infield fly drop, Astros score winning run from second

Hitting a baseball is hard. Having to communicate with other people is pretty hard, too. The Astros, to this point in the game, were 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position. But they had Derek Fisher on second with two outs in the bottom of the tenth inning with Alex Bregman at the plate. Then that ^ happened. Astros win, 1-0.

Baseball is hard.

The Top 15:

15. December 2nd- Georgia's fake punt fools no one, Bulldogs lose to Alabama

GEORGIA HAD THIS GAME WON. AGAIN. Just like in the National Championship, Georgia was beating Alabama in the 4th quarter, and they completely fell apart. Tied at 28, and the ball on the Georgia side of midfield on 4th and 11 with just over three minutes left, Georgia called its freshman quarterback, Justin Fields, onto the field to participate in punt coverage, hoping to catch Alabama off guard. It did not work. Alabama would win the game, 35-28, clinching the SEC Championship and going on to be the #1 seed in the College Football Playoff. THIS GAME WAS IN ATLANTA. WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE FAKE PUNTING ON 4TH AND 11???

14. August 10th, July 10th, & June 7th- Baseball's worst defenses

This is the first of a few double-whammys on this list. The first exhibit is the “walk-off strikeout” exhibit.

First, we’ll take a look at the minor league Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, who walked off with a rare bases-loaded, three-run, walk-off strikeout against the Burlington Bees.

Secondly, we’ll look at the Houston Astros’ walk-off against the Oakland A’s, which features some… interesting base running techniques, and just some poor, poor defense. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS TAG HIM.

Finally, this is a game between the Reds and Rockies, where both teams forget how to baseball on the SAME DAMN PLAY.

Sometimes sports make my heart hurt.

13. June 27th- Germany eliminated from World Cup by South Korea

This is Germany. They’re supposed to be really good at soccer. They just got eliminated by South Korea, who’s not supposed to be really good at soccer. And this isn’t some fluke knockout round loss, this was a dominant 2-0 loss is the group stage. The world was right to laugh at Germany. They’re supposed to be better than this. We were rooting for you. We were all rooting for you. Except not really, sucks to suck, see you at the Olympics.

12. September 22nd- Wake Forest kicker forgets to enter game, misses field goal

I think this is like a reverse Charlie Brown, where the guy actually forgets to kick the ball. I’m not really sure how you forget that your team is on the opponent’s side of the field, or how you forget that it’s fourth down. But Wake Forest freshman kicker Nick Sciba did. But even if you forget, no sweat right? You just have to take a little less time preparing and make the kick like normal. He didn’t It hit the left upright. Poor guy. Notre Dame would win the game. At least the field goal wasn't the difference, that would have sucked big time.

11. February 19th- Elizabeth Swaney at the Olympics is all of us

I’m sure we all watch athletes like Shawn White or Chloe Kim go into the Olympics and wow us both and make us want to try out skiing or snowboarding, thinking that one day, we might be able to do such things. In reality, Hungarian-American skier Elizabeth Swaney is all of us. I’m sure she’s just as petrified of that big halfpipe as we would be going up to approach our first trick. Of course, Swaney is a bona fide Olympic athlete, having gone to compete for her mother’s country of Venezuela, and then Hungary as a freestyle skier, slowly making her way up the rankings by just… skiing. Obviously she’s not a skilled Olympic athlete, but she’s got the brains to scam her way into the Olympics. She captured the dream. Not all heroes wear medals.

flipping back and forth between fergie and liz swaney and i just can’t on this monday eveningpic.twitter.com/3E0DcAFmsJ
— brithny zhang (@b_money_z) February 20, 2018

10. April 29th- Titus O'Neil and the Greatest Royal Tumble

Wrestling is the best. And sometimes, it goes beyond the best and makes its way onto this list. And the best wrestling moment of the year came back in April at WWE’s Greatest Royal Rumble event, a promotional event broadcast from Saudi Arabia. Titus O’Neil, head of the stable Titus Worldwide, entered the arena to take part in a 50-man, over the top rope battle royal, as entrant number 39. As he was charging down the ramp, the seriousness of the match was broken as O’Neil caught the edge of the ringside mat and bit it- hard- nearly sliding underneath the ring itself. Obviously, the announcers lost it and replayed it probably 15 million times on air during the event. This is the greatest thing to ever happen.

9. October 7th- Khabib attacks Conor McGregor's camp after UFC 229 win

From comical to serious, from the squared circle to the octagon, Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor was one of the highlights of the UFC calendar year. Or… lowlights, if you want to look at it that way. After weeks of hype, which included various personal attacks by each combatant- with McGregor even making comments about Khabib’s family, the fight got underway at UFC 229 in Las Vegas. The undefeated Khabib defeated McGregor by submission in the fourth round. But then things got hairy. After the match concluded, Khabib jumped the cage, and began violently whaling at any member of McGregor’s camp that got in his way- an unprovoked, idiotic act. Khabib cited the assailment as retaliation for McGregor making the bout “personal.” UFC president Dana White suspended both men in the aftermath of the event.

8. September 19th- Vontae Davis retires at halftime

Let’s face it- the Buffalo Bills are bad. They’re really terrible. They’ve got some glimmer of hope in Josh Allen, but let’s face it. When your starter during week one was Nathan Peterman, you’ve got some problems. Down 28-6 at halftime to the Los Angeles Chargers, cornerback Vontae Davis had had enough. And so the dude literally up and quit at halftime, reportedly telling his coaches that he was “done.” This is so totally disrespectful but so funny at the same time. It’s a microcosm of the Bills organization. David said he “meant no disrespect” to his teammates and coaches, and said in an interview that he came to the sudden realization that “he shouldn’t be out [there].” But I’ve never heard of this, at any level. Sounds like a sore loser to me! Only in Buffalo. #BillsMafia

7. April 6th- Sergio Garcia's Masters meltdown

laying golf is hard. Watching people play golf is painful. Watching professionals suck at the sport they get paid to be good at is soul sucking. Sergio Garcia even won the Masters Tournament a few years ago. And here he was in the first round of this year’s tournament, hitting five balls in the water on the 15th hole. He carded a 13 on the hole and would miss the cut. This one really does make you go “oh no…” Watch at your own discretion.

6. March 1st- Louisville gives up 5 in the final one second, loses to Virginia

And that’s not some kind of crazy 5-point play. This is a slow, painful, college basketball foul-shooting death we have here. Virginia, down four, with the ball, shoots a desperation three. FOUL. Two free throws later, there is a lane violation, which means it is Louisville’s ball, up by 2 with .9 seconds left. The dude TRAVELS. Virginia ball. On the inbound, Virginia’s De’Andre Hunter banked home the game-winning three, sealing the 67-66 win for the Cavaliers. There are so many things that you just have to not do- SIMPLE things, and you did ALL of them. You deserve to lose by a point, Louisville. Rick Pitino ruined the Celtics.

5. November 22nd- Kewan Platt's vicious cheap shot

Yeah there’s no reason for this. Dude plays for Fitchburg State, acting like he’s taking it so seriously he’s gonna go to the NBA or UFC or something. The kid from Nichols State, Nate Tenaglia, probably shoved Platt and the ref missed it or something, so this is what Kewan Platt decides to do, throw a vicious elbow a full second after the kid has let loose a three. And the way Tenaglia’s head snaps back, you would think that one inch in the wrong direction, and we’re looking at something far more serious. It’s pretty lucky that Tenaglia’s not seriously injured. Platt was suspended and “barred indefinitely” from campus after the cheap shot.

4. May 5th- 76ers drop confetti early thinking they've won; Celtics win in OT

In a way, I can understand the confusion here. It’s close enough to being a three, emotions are running high, and you’re in front of 20,000 people at the Wells Fargo Center who vehemently hate the Celtics, I get that. But keep your hand off the button until you know the score.

With 1.7 seconds left in game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, Sixers SG Marco Belinelli rattled home a long jumper to tie the game at 89 and send it to overtime. The Sixers’ confetti guy, however, thought the game was over (as did many of the Sixers), and released some confetti from the rafters. The referees ruled it a two, and the two teams would play overtime.

The Celtics would win. Awkward.

3. November 11th- Cody Parkey and the four uprights

It hasn’t been a good year for kickers in the NFL. Dane Carlson and Zane Gonzalez (who?) both lost their jobs after bad performances in week two. Mason Crosby missed four field goals and an extra point in a Packers 31-23 loss to the Lions.

And then there was Cody Parkey, who missed four field goals himself- all off the upright.

What you are about to watch are four different kicks. Oh, Danny boy; the pipes, the pipes are calling.

Here is all of Cody Parkey’s missed field goals today. pic.twitter.com/tAkxDRHTwP
— The Loop Sports (@TheLoop_Sports) November 11, 2018

2. December 2017 to December 2018- Nathan Peterman and the Buffalo Bills

And then there was Nathan Petermeme.

Sorry, allow me to use his full name. Nathan “Twelve Interceptions” Peterman

This guy is bad. Like, historically bad. The guy must have had a really good tryout, because he somehow made it to the NFL level, and poor management probably allowed him to start (then again it’s the Bills, so it was definitely poor management).

In the Bills’ week nine 41-9 loss to the Chicago Bears, Peterman’s statline was as follows: 38-49, with 188 yards, no touchdowns and three interceptions. Those three interceptions brought his total to 12 against 130 attempts, making his career interception rate 9.23%.

To put that in perspective: Aaron Rodgers had 1,000 career pass attempts before he threw his 10th interception. It took Nathan Peterman fewer than 100 to reach that mark. But on the bright side, the Oakland Raiders are undefeated since signing him. So that’s a sign of good things to come.

1. May 31st to June 8th- The 2018 NBA Finals

This one requires some serious explanation because it is an entire series…. Realistically though, we’re going to focus on just the beginning and the end.

So it’s the Warriors and Cavaliers for the FOURTH YEAR IN A ROW. It’s LeBron against Steph and KD. The Warriors have won two of the last three. We had our rubber match. The series against the Celtics would have at least been exciting. This was garbage.

Game one ended in bizarre fashion thanks to one J.R. Smith. With the Warriors leading 107-106, Cavs guard George Hill went to the free throw line, and knocked down the first, leaving it tied, 107-107. He would miss the second shot. Smith, thinking the Cavaliers had the lead, grabbed the rebound and dribbled it out to half court. LeBron James, dumbfounded, pointed to the basket as if to tell Smith that there was still time. There wasn’t, and the game would go to overtime, where the Warriors would win 124-114.

Games two and three (and four) were not close. The Warriors won game two 122-103, and took game three in Cleveland 110-102.

In game four, the Warriors took the lead at the start (coming out of the gate up 13-3) and never looked back, winning 108-85, their largest win of the series. With 4:03 remaining in the game, LeBron was taken out, his last action as a member of the Cavaliers. Kevin Durant was named MVP, and the Warriors (unsurprisingly) got better that offseason by signing DeMarcus Cousins.

This series was a stinker, and it’s our number one “oh no!” sports moment in 2018.

What moment in sports this year made you cringe? Leave a comment down below.

And be sure to check out According to Andrew’s Best of 2018 spread by clicking HERE.

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10 Bold Predictions for the 2019 NFL Season​

1. The Cleveland Browns will miss the playoffs.

2. Juju Smith-Schuster will finish with more catches, receiving yards, and touchdowns than Antonio Brown.

3. The Giants will win more games this year than they did last year (5).

4. Patrick Mahomes will not surpass 40 touchdown passes this season.

5. Nick Foles will finish as a top-10 quarterback.

6. The Broncos and Redskins will finish with identical records.

7. The Los Angeles Rams will miss the playoffs.

8. Josh Rosen and the Dolphins will make Kyler Murray and the Cardinals look silly.

9. Melvin Gordon will play this season.

10. The Patriots will finish with a top-5 defensive unit.

Projected NFL Standings:​

AFC East

AFC North

AFC South

AFC West

NFC East

NFC North

NFC South

NFC West

And now... some purely gut-reaction playoff picks!

East Region

West Region

South Region

​Midwest Region

Final Four​

National Mascot Death Bracket Championship

10 Takeaways from Super Bowl LIII

Top 10 Super Bowls of All Time

Super Bowl XIII

Super Bowl XXXVIII

Super Bowl XLVI

Super Bowl XLVII

​Super Bowl V

The Top 1010. Super Bowl XXXII

9. Super Bowl XXIII

8. Super Bowl XXXVI

7. Super Bowl XXV

6. Super Bowl XXXIV

5. Super Bowl LII

4. Super Bowl XLII

3. Super Bowl XLIII

2. Super Bowl LI

1. Super Bowl XLIX

2019 NFL Playoff Predictions

Wild Card Weekend

Divisional Playoffs

Conference Championships

Super Bowl LIII

Top 100 Sports Plays of 2018 (Part 4)

Top 100 Sports Plays of 2018 (Part 3)

Top 100 Sports Plays of 2018 (Part 2)

Top 100 Sports Plays of 2018 (Part 1 of 4)

Top 15 "Oh No!" Sports Moments of 2018

Dishonorable Mentions:

The Top 15:

Archives

Categories

10 Bold Predictions for the 2019 NFL Season

Projected NFL Standings:

Midwest Region

Final Four

Super Bowl V

The Top 10

10. Super Bowl XXXII