Best & Worst NFL Week Four

That's the beautiful thing about the National Football League. Anything can happen week to week. That's why the old saying goes that it's Any Given Sunday! Look at what happened at Metlife Stadium: A rookie gets a start and upsets an unbeaten team. We had a couple of big days from rookie running backs, and there's only two teams left with a perfect record after the first month of the season in Buffalo and Philadelphia. Still a lot more to dive into from the week that was, so let's get right into it. Here's the best, and worst, from week four around the NFL!

Best: Puka Nacua, Wide Receiver, Los Angeles Rams
There's dominating performances and then there's what Puka did on Sunday. The Rams handed Indianapolis their first loss of the season, a 27-20 win by LA. Try going for 13 catches for 170 yards and a touchdown in the win Sunday afternoon. Puka not only should grab offensive player of the week, he making a vert early case for offensive player of the year, and we only a month into the season. He's already got 42 catches for 503 yards. If somehow he can keep this up, he's on pace to finish with over 2,300 receiving yards. The record is 1,964 yards in a single season set by Calvin Johnson in 2012. Puka has been that good for the first month. 

Worst: Bryce Young, Quarterback, Carolina Panthers
It seems to slowly be getting worse for the former top overall pick. They got blown out, at home, on Sunday, to the tune of a 42-13 blowout against the Patriots. Young only threw for 150 yards. He's had one game all season where he's thrown for over 200 yards, that was in week two when he threw for 324. He can't find much mojo to work off  of and it is not looking like its going to get much easier. He has got to be able to find some sort of confidence to let the ball fly more. If he doesn't I'm not sure how much longer a leash he's going to have.

Best: Rookie Running Backs
It's safe to say that week four was a bigtime coming out party for the first two running backs taken back in April's draft. First, there's the day Ashton Jeanty had for the Raiders. The 6th overall pick went off in the Vegas 25-24 loss to the Bears, Jeanty had 21 carries for 138 yards and a touchdown. he almost got the Raiders the win all by himself. Oh and not to be outdone, there's Omarion Hampton, the 22nd overall pick by the Chargers. In a 21-18 loss to the Giants, Hampton had 12 carries for 128 yards and a touchdown. Those two guys had the top two rushing performances in the NFL this week. Pretty good for a couple first year guys.

Worst: Adonai Mitchell, Wide Receiver Indianapolis Colts
There had been some flashes of hope that things are going to get better for the Colts this season. Indy now sits at 3-1 on the season following the loss to the Rams, which we touched on earlier. Mitchell had a decent day with three catches for 96 yards. He had a chance to make an insane 75 yard touchdown catch but instead dropped the ball through the endzone, turning it into a touchback. Oh and he cost the Colts again late in the game. With the scored tied at 20 it looked like Jonathan Taylor ripped off a 53 yard score. What happened? Play was called back cause Mitchell got flagged for holding. Colts punted and Rams scored the go ahead touchdown on the insuring drive.

Best: Jaxson Dart, Quarterback New York Giants
At least one New York metro area team managed to get a win. The Giants walked away with a 21-18 win over the Chargers, which was the first loss of the year for the Chargers. Dart wasn't the flashiest in his first game, but he was good enough to get himself a win. He went 13 of 20 for 111 yards and a touchdown. Only downside was he was sacked five ti4mes on the day, but that's more of an indication of his offensive line than it was him. Still, you get your first start in the NFL, you get a win, and you do it against a previously unbeaten team. This is a good starting point. Lets hope the kid can build off of it.

Worst: New York Jets Discipline
Things were supposed to be better for the Jets this season. That's not to say that they'd be competing for a Super Bowl or anything, but they were supposed to be a bit more competitive. That hasn't happened. The Jets are now 0-4 following a 27-21 loss to the Dolphins on Monday Night Football. Gang Green took 13 penalties for 101 yards and fumbled the football three times on the day, which killed any chances they might have had. This was supposed to be a team that was going to play a more disciplined game and limit the turnovers. Neither has happened over the first month.

Best & Worst NFL Week Three

Week three has come and gone in the National Football League. To call it a wild week around the league would be an understatement. There was last minute heroics, teams that are starting to slip fast, and others that are looking fantastic right out of the gates. Lots to dive into and a whole lot more, so lets not waste anymore time. Here's some of the best, and worst, of the week that was in the NFL!

Best: Isiah Rogers, Cornerback Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota handed the Bengals their first loss of the season, and it happened in a big way. Sunday the Vikings slapped around the Bengals to the tune of a 48-10 mauling, and doing it at home made it all the sweeter. Isiah Rogers was a huge reason for that performance. First, he stepped in front of a pass heading for Ja'Mar Chase and returned it 87 yards for a score. He wasn't done yet. He followed that up by stripping Noah Fant and taking that for 66 yards for his second defensive score on the day. He had more yards by himself then the Bengals did all day through the air. More on that coming up.

Worst: Jake Browning, Quarterback Cincinnati Bengals
Go back to the end of training camp in 2021 and Jake Browning was let go by the Minnesota Vikings, having never taken a snap for them. He joins on with the Bengals as the backup to Joe Burrow, and when he did get playing time he took advantage of it. He had a chance to do that on Sunday, against his former team no less. And he totally laid an egg. Browning was horrible on the day. 19 of 27 for 140 yards a touchdown and a pair of picks. One of those picks was a pick six early on, from which the Bengals could never recover from.

Best: Jonathan Taylor, Running Back Indianapolis Colts
A big day came around for the Colts on Sunday, to the tune of a 41-20 win on the road in Tennessee. Daniel Jones had himself a good day, throwing for 228 yards. That's good enough to help add to the lure of his redemption story that is the 2025 season, so far. But another story on the day was the play of Jonathan Taylor. Because of what Jones did through the air, it opened up the ground game for Taylor. He finished with 17 carries for 102 yards and, just as importantly, three touchdowns. Oh and I almost forgot to mention. That performance upped his season total to 338 yards on the ground, the most by any running back in the league so far this season.

Worst: New England Patriots Ball Security
The goal of the game of football is to hang onto the ball. When you have it, your not supposed to be giving it up. And you would think that a team coached by a guy the talent of Mike Vrable, would be able to hang onto the ball. But that didn't happen to New England on Sunday in a 21-14 loss at home to the Steelers. New England turned the ball over five times on the day, four of which came via the fumble. Rhamondre Stevenson had two himself while Antonio Gibson and Drake Maye had the other two. To make matters worse, two of those fumbles happened inside the Steelers five yard line. And those turnovers cost the Pats the game.

Best: Jordan Davis, Defensive Tackle Philadelphia Eagles
Things looked like they might be getting away from the Eagles on Sunday against the Rams. The Rams were up 26-7 before the Eagles found their game and fought back. But it was two major plays from Jordan Davis that we just as huge if not bigger than what the Eagles offense did. First Davis had a huge chase down and sack of Matthew Stafford late in the football game. Then, as the Eagles were attempting to kick a game winning field goal, which was from 61 yards out, was blocked by Davis. After the block, he had the ware withal to grab the ball and rumble all the way into the endzone for what was the game winning touchdown. Thanks to that play the Eagles walked away with a 33-26 win and remain unbeaten on this young season.

Worst: Michael Penix Jr, Quarterback Atlanta Falcons
There had been such high expectations on Penix when he was taken 8th overall by the Falcons in the 2024 Draft. But in six career starts, Penix has just two wins, one last year over the Giants and last week over Minnesota. Then he turns it around this week in a not so good way, as the Falcons got blanked 30-0 by the Panthers in Carolina. 18 of 36 for 172 yards and a pair of picks got him pulled for Kirk Cousins. He's looked rattled all day long, and those two picks showed the signs of that. He can't seem to get it figured out and unless he does fast, it could be a quick hook for him in Atlanta, a job he took over from a bad throwing Cousins last season.

Best & Worst NFL Week Two

What a week we had in the National Football League. By the time all was said and done, ten teams remain unbeaten, while another ten teams are still searching for their first win on the season. Last Sunday saw four games with former number one overall picks squaring off. We had some big games from offensive weapons, and other games saw some lack luster offensive outputs. So lets not waste anymore time and dive right into it. Here's some of the best, and worst, of week two in the NFL.

Best: Brandon Aubrey, Kicker Dallas Cowboys
You talk about a wild game on Sunday, look no further than this one. It wasn't pretty football but man was it fun. Dallas pulled out a 40-37 overtime win over the New York Giants. When the game went into OT, the teams tied at 37, we saw leads change hands five times in the 34th quarter alone. But the insanity of all of it was saved for the Cowboys thanks to the leg of Brandon Aubrey leg. He drilled the game winner from 64 yards out, a kick that might well have been good from 70. His heroics save the day in Dallas and sent the Giants to 0-2.

Worst: Kaleb Johnson, Running Back Pittsburgh Steelers
There had been some hope going into the season in Pittsburgh that Johnson might be a good back to run the ball with in their backfield. He was a factor in this game, just not the way the Steelers wanted. It's bad enough they got blown out, losing 31-17 to Seattle (at home no loess). Johnson had one rush for one yard on the day. That's bad enough. It was made worse when he let a kickoff bounce through his hands early in the fourth quarter and simply did not go try and recover it. The Seahawks recovered the ball in the end zone for a touchdown to extend their lead from three points to 10. Yikes.

Best: Detroit Lions Offense
If beating the Packers in week one was good, what they did against the Bears was even better last week. They followed that up with a big win over the Bears, a really big win. Try a 52-21 win at home over Chicago. They rang up 511 yards of offense allowing those 52 points. Amon Ra St Brown (115 yards and three TDs) and Jameson Williams (108 yards and a touchdown) each had massive days. Oh yeah, and they managed to really get something out of the run game this week, which racked up 177 yards among six different ball carriers.

Worst: New York Jets
Now which team is the real New York Jets? The team that almost pulled out a win against the Steelers in the opener, or the team that showed up against Buffalo at home on Sunday? They got the doors blown off 30-10 at home by Buffalo, a game that was never even close. The D couldn't stop the Bills run game, while the offense couldn't get anything right. Justin Fields is out for at least next week, going down with a concussion. Things have to get better for the Jets right? Right?

Best: Daniel Jones, Quarterback Indianapolis Colts
There had been some question marks for Daniel Jones going into this season, taking over in Indy. He hadn't done good when he was with the Giants. Looks like it was the Giants system that failed, because he looks like a totally different quarterback in Indy. He went into Denver, which is a tough place to play, and di a fine job. Indy beat Denver 29-28 at home, and Jones game was a big part of it. He finished 23 of 34 for 316 yards and a touchdown. That's become a sign of things that its not the quarterback, its the system. look at what happened with Sam Darnold and Geno Smith leaving New York and becoming at least serviceable to good at this level. Sure, Jones has less time in his new city so he hasn't been able to really establish it yet. But after the first couple of games, the return on investment looks really good.

Worst: Joe Burrow, Quarterback Cincinnati Bengals
I really do feel bad for Joe Burrow. He looked like he might be able to get the Bengals back on track. until injury struck. Cincinnati got a win over Jacksonville on Sunday, beating the Jags 31-27 at home. Burrow left the game with injury. Turned out to not only be turf toe but it will cost him most of the season. He had to have surgery on it to be able to correct the problem. Just when it looks like things might be going in a great direction for Cincy, they now have to rely on Jake Browning to get them through the next stretch until Burrow comes back this season.

Best & Worst NFL Week One

And with that, the first week of games in the National Football League is in the books. And a wild one it was. Spitting circus in Philly, wild night cap in Buffalo, bigtime rookie debut of sorts for Minnesota. We also saw some decisions that made ones scratch your heads. There's a lot to take in from the opening week around the league. So let's not waste anymore of your time. Here's the best, and worst, from week one in the NFL.

Best: Aaron Rogers, Quarterback Pittsburgh Steelers
If there was ever a time and place to stick it to an old team, Sunday afternoon in Metlife Stadium was the spot. Arron Rogers, the 41 year old gunslinger for the Steelers, went in against his old team and showed flashes of his old self. Rogers helped lead the Steelers to a 34-32 win over the Jets with an almost vintage performance. Sure the mobility isn't there quite like it used to be. But what he did do was make quick decisions and go 22 of 33 for 244 yards and four touchdowns. Is this Aaron Rogers here to stay? We will find out in the coming weeks. But if it does, then Pittsburgh could be a big threat in the AFC North.

Worst: New York Giants Front Office
I'm almost not totally sure who to put the blame on here for the Giants. Yes, you are playing a very good team in Washington in the opener. Yes you lost 21-6 to said Washington team, who is in the opinion of most a playoff bound team this year (possibly). But what the Giants did was destroy whatever good hopes they might have had coming out of training camp and the preseason games. Going with Russel Wilson over rookie Jackson Dart is making that hot seat even hotter for Brian Daboll. The Giants couldn't seem to do anything right in the opener, which makes me wonder. Who's going to get canned first for the Giants. The head coach or general manger.

Best: Derreck Henry, Running Back Baltimore Ravens
Credit has to be given where its due in Baltimore. Derreck Henry did everything he possibly could to try and win the Ravens the game Sunday night in Buffalo. Henry finished the day with 18 carries, two of which went for touchdowns, and 169 yards on the ground. Those yard totals were the most amongst NFL runners in the opening week. He did almost everything he possibly could to help the Ravens win that game. Its the rest of the tea that failed to show up. Why? See below.

Worst: Rest Of The Baltimore Ravens
You score 40 points and have a three score lead late in the football game......and still manage to lose 41-40 to the Buffalo Bills. In Buffalo. How does that happen? A total meltdown over the final five minutes is what happened. Derreck Henry had a monster day. You had a 15 point lead with four minutes left, and became the first team in NFL history to score 40 points and rush for over 235 yards and lose. It was a total meltdown in a big game. Yes, it's week one. but losing a game like this to a team that, let's be honest here, is a favorite in the AFC in the Bills. That going to make things just that much harder for the Ravens as the season rolls along.

Best: Rookie Tight Ends
There's two guys in particular who stick out from the tight end class in the 2025 NFL Draft. Tyler Warren of the Colts (taken 14th overall) and Harrold Fanning Jr of Cleveland (taken 63rd overall). Warren had 7 catches for 78 yards in he debut win over Miami. Only guy in the Colts lineup who had more yards was Michael Pittamn with 80. As for Fanning, he also had 7 catches on the day, for 63 yards. That was good for 3rd on the Browns that day (even though it was a 17-16 loss to the Bengals). Both guys were able to find openings in the opposing defense and give their quarterbacks some solid options. If both guys can keep this up as the season wears along, they could have massive impacts on their teams and the playoff pictures.

Worst: Mike McDaniel, Head Coach Miami Dolphins
We talked earlier about the Giants management being on the hot seat earlier on. Well you can make the same argument for Mike McDaniel in Miami. The Dolphins went into Indy and got steamrolled by the Colts, to the tune of a 33-8 loss. Judging by some of went down on the field on Sunday, the Dolphins seem to be getting tired of the schtick from McDaniel. If they quitting on him in week one, who knows how long he's going to stick around.

Best: Green Bay Packers Defense
There had been high expectations on the Green bay Packers before camps even opened this year. They got even higher when Micah Parsons was added into the mix. So what did they do to show that off? They opened up at home against old friends the Detroit Lions. And held said Lions team to just 13 points in a 27-13 Green Bay win. That Packers defense sacked Jared Goff four times on the day. They also held them to just 62 total yards of offense in the 2nd half and 246 total yards. It was a big statement early on by Green Bay.

Worst: Younghoe Koo, Kicker Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons were supposed to be the team to challenge the Tamp Bay Buccaneers for the top spot in the NFC South this season. But after one week, the Falcons are already possibly exploring options for a new kicker. Younghoe Koo missed a huge kick late in the game that would have tied it for the Falcons at home, but ended up missing the kick. Atlanta's coaching staff said, at this point, he is still the teams starting kicker. But if he keeps missing big kicks like this, it could be sooner rather than later if the plug gets pulled.

Baseball Legend Passes

When the late 80s New York Mets come up in conversation, one of the names that gets brough up is Davey Johnson. The man at the helm of one of the most fun baseball teams every, and a stretch for the best teams in Mets franchise history, Davey had a lot to handle. And handle it well he did. Word has come down that, at the age of 82, Davey has passed away.

He was more than just a great manager, he was a pretty good ballplayer in his own rights.

Davey played for 13 years in the Majors, eight of which were with the Baltimore Orioles, where he was best known. He also played three years in Atlanta, two in Philadelphia and one with the Chicago Cubs. He was a lifetime .261 hitter, with 136 home runs  and 609 driven in. Solid enough numbers for a playing career. Once his playing career ended, his really great work in the game took off.

In 1984, Davey was given the helm to manage the New York Mets, a position he held until getting fired 42 games into the 1990 season. From there, he managed the Cincinnati Reds from 1993-95, then Baltimore for 1996 and 1997, then the Dodgers for 1999 and 2000, and finally the Nationals 2011 to 2013. During those 17 years as a manager, Davey had a record of 1,372-1,071. His best work was with the Mets, going 595-417 in his seven season in New York. During that time he lead the Mets to the 1986 World Series title, and another division title again in 1988. His career .562 winning percentage is the sixth highest among managers with at least 1,300 wins.

Davey was a great baseball mind, he knew how to get the best out of his players. He pushed the right buttons and knew how to handle the personalities he had. Need proof? Look at what he was able to do with the wild bunch he had with the Mets in the mid to late 80s. He was able to stay around the game for another two decades, but his best work was with those 80s Mets teams.

His impact on the game will never be forgotten!

Hockey Legend Passes

There have been more than a fair share of outstanding netminders that have graced the crease in the National Hockey League. Too many to list here. One of those names was Ken Dryden. His on ice exploits were well documented, as were what he did off the ice post playing career. Yesterday the hockey world lost Dryden at the age of 78 after a long cancer battle.

His on ice exploits were the stuff of legend. Dryden began his playing career in 1970, but didn't take over full time until the start of the 1971 season. He would stay in the nets  until the end of the 1979 season. All that time was spent playing for the Montreal Canadiens. His list of accolades during that time is long: 397 games played, 258 wins, 2.24 goals against, .922 save percentage 46 shutouts. Calder Trophy 1972, Vezina Trophy five times, Conn Smyth Trophy once, Stanley Cup six times, all star game five times, Hockey Hall of Fame induction. When his playing career ended, he started out as a commentator, calling the 1980, 1984 and 1988 Winter Olympics. From there, he stepped into a management role in the game. Beginning in 1997, he worked in a management role for the Maple Leafs and Canadiens, roles in which he held until 2004.

In 2004, he left the hockey world and entered the Political relm. Holding down positions in Canadian office from 2004 until around 2013. During his playing career, Dryden finished his law degree, which helped him parlay into a successful political career after his hockey life ended.

Having two great careers, one on the ice and another off of it, are something most people only really dream of. Ken was able to do both and do both very very well. He impacted so many peoples lives, in different ways. He did amazing things on the ice, and off it as well in the role of management for two of the leagues most notable franchises. Then when he stepped into the political game, he did so with the intent of making lives better of the Canadian people. His impact on not only the game of hockey but the betterment of his country will be felt forever.

It truly was a well lived life!

Big Week For Junior

At the start of spring training this year, there were some high expectations for the young guys with the Tampa Bay Rays. One of the guys who had high expectations placed on him was Junior Caminero. This year, he has more than lived up to the hype. Earlier this week, Junior became only the second player in the history of the franchise to hit 40 or more in a season. He hit the mark at home Tuesday night against the Seattle Mariners.

He joins Carlos Pena in 2007 (who hit 46 that year) as the Only Rays players to collect 40 or more in a year. It's also just the 18th time in 27 years that a Rays player has ever clubbed more than 30 or more home runs in a single season. He's also tied for 10th on the Rays list for most RBI's in a season at 102 (and counting). That's joining some pretty good company, but more on that in a second.

For a team that's been around for 27 years, the fact that there's only two guys that have ever hit 40 or more homers in a season says a lot about the two guys that have done it. Junior has been carrying this team to this point. Which is pretty impressive, because at the time of this writing the Rays are 70-69 and in 4th place in the AL East. Oh and they are two and a half games back in the wild card race in the AL at the moment as well. The way he's been playing, he's a big reason why the Rays are even still sniffing a playoff spot this late in the season. And there's still a lot of time left for them to make noise.

As for his standing in Rays history, hitting 40 or more home runs for this club is a pretty big deal. He's got an outside shot of hitting two more milestones this season with a little over three weeks left in the season. He's got a chance to pass Carlos Pena's club record of 46 homers in a season. And he's also got a chance to become the first player in Tampa Bay history to crack the magical 50 home run mark. Both would be major power marks to hit. Oh but he's not done. He's also got a shot at passing Pena's club mark of 121 RBI in a season, which Pena set in 2007. Right now, Caminero is sitting at 102 RBI which is tied for 10th most in a season in club history.

So lets see if the Rays can not only make the playoffs, but Junior can set a couple of club records.

2025 NFL Season Preview

The time has finally arrived. Time for talk and waiting has ended. The 2025 season is here for the National Football League. All thirty two teams are at an even footing, with the end goal the same for all of them. Hoisting the Vince Lombardi Trophy in early February as the champions of the pro football world. So lets not waste any time and dive right into it. Here's how things are going to go down during the 2025 National Football League Season!

There are some familiar faces that will be playing in new places this season. Sam Darnold (Seattle), Russel Wilson (Giants), Justin Fields (Jets), Aaron Rogers (Steelers), Davante Adams (Rams), Najee Harris (Chargers),  DeAndre Hopkins (Ravens), Joey Bosa (Bills), DeBoo Samuel (Washington), Geno Smith (Raiders), and Jalen Ramsey (Steelers) are just some of the names that moved teams this offseason.

With that out of the way, lets break it down. Here's how we see this season going down.

NFC:
NFC East:
1. Philadelphia Eagles (12-5)*
2. Washington Commanders (10-7) (WC)*
3. Dallas Cowboys (8-9)
4. New York Giants (4-13)

It seems like that its going to be the 2nd year in a row and the 3rd time in the last four years that the Eagles will walk away with this division title, and defend their world championship. With the core group of talent brought back on both sides of the football this season, who's to say that the Eagles don't repeat in this division. This year's going to be a little tougher, dealing with the AFC West and NFC North, along with their own division. But with the talent on this team, despite losing talent on both sides of the football in the offseason, another twelve win season is possible. Right behind them is going to be the Commanders, who are coming off a terrific year last year. The offensive line got a boost in the offseason, adding a guy the talent of Laremy Tunsil, and Deebo Samuel at wide receiver. The talent is there, but they have as tough a schedule as the Eagles. And the big question is can Jayden Daniels repeat what he did in his awesome rookie year or is he going to take a step back? Even if he does, the team is still good enough for ten wins and a wild card. The window is quick closing more and more for the Cowboys. New head coach and new defensive coordinator in Dallas, plus the looming contract issues for Micah Parsons could hang over their heads. Injuries look like they might take their toll on Dallas early on in the season. Sure, they were able to add George Pickens but they aren't the kind of team that is built to win high scoring, shootout type of games. Finally, there's the Giants, who are the hard luck team in this division. Yes, there might be a lot of good, young talent on this Giants team, but with Russel Wilson starting the year under center, it doesn't look good. There might be a chance they  go to Jackson Dart during the year, but that won't help. Maybe giving the team with the toughest schedule on the season four wins is giving them too much credit or hope.

NFC North:
1. Green Bay Packers (11-6)*
2. Detroit Lions (10-6) (WC)*
3. Chicago Bears (9-8)
4. Minnesota Vikings (7-10)

This is going to be another dogfight at the top of the division for who walks away with the North Crown. Giving the edge out of the North has to go to the Packers. They have given Jordan Love plenty of weapons to work with this season. Love has the option to get the ball to Matthew Golden, Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs, Dontayvion Wicks, Tucker Kraft and Luke Musgrave. Now, that receiving core may not set the world on fire on star power, but its a very reliable group and a balanced attack for the Pack to run with. There may be some level of concern with the Green Bay secondary, so that'll be something to keep an eye on as the season goes along. Still, the Packers are good enough this year that they should be able to take the North. Right behind them are going to be the Lions, who still have big expectations on their shoulders. What is going to hold back Detroit this year is the fact that they lost both their offensive and defensive coordinators in the offseason. They also saw the retirement of two of the key members of their offensive line. Lets not get things twisted, there's still plenty of talent on this Detroit club, and it will be enough to get them into the playoffs. But it not just enough there yet to get past Green Bay for the division. A team that's going to be on the rise this season is going to be the Bears, who are looking for their first winning season since 2018. Caleb Williams will improve in his second season under new head coach and play caller Ben Johnson. It will also help keep Williams upright with three new improvements to that offensive line. They might be good enough to just get over .500, but its going to be tough. Why? because the only team with a tougher schedule than Chicago is the Giants. Brining up the rear in the North is going to be the Vikings. There's no doubt you still have one of the best receivers in the game in Justin Jefferson in Minnesota. But Sam Darnold isn't there this season, and JJ McCarthey is under center. That's going to leave a lot of questions. There's going to be holes and question marks in Minnesota this year, which is going to see them take a big step back from what they did a season ago.

NFC South:
1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-8)*
2. Atlanta Falcons (8-9)
3. Carolina Panthers (7-10)
4. New Orleans Saints (3-14)

There won't be a whole lot of change in this division this season. One thing is for sure, the division title will once again go to the Buccaneers. Sure, they are going to be without Chris Godwin for a little time Tristan Wirfs down as well. So at the start of the year it going to be a rough go to kick the year off. But it makes things easier at the end of the year when you consider that the last six games are against teams that missed the playoffs last year. Also, with the talent that Tampa has on both sides of the football, there's no doubt in my mind that they should be the team to beat at the top of this division. Now is the time for the Falcons to really find out what they have under center from the beginning of the year. Michael Penix Jr will be the go to guy from the beginning of the year, and he showed in the final three games of last season that he can go under center at this level. You got some good talent to run with and catch passes on offense. Atlanta's defense seems average at best from the get go, which is why the Falcons are going to be on the outside looking in. Now a team that's going to be taking a big step in the right direction this year in this division is going to be the Panthers. This year with be a gigantic test for how far along Bryce Young is coming along as a starter in this league. With the team he has around him, he has a chance to at least hit a seven win season if everything falls right and he can find his game. If things go south and fast, so with Carolina. They will be fighting for a top pick again next April if they don't get the play they need from their signal caller. Same thing can be said about the Saints this year as well. You got a new head coach in New Orleans in the form of Kellen Moore. Derek Carr and Tyrann Mathieu both retired. You have to rely on a new gunslinger in Spencer Raattler, who had a rough go of it last year. It going to be a long season in New Orleans. Maybe giving the Saints three wins this season is asking too much for this football team.

NFC West:
1. San Francisco 49ers (12-5)*
2. Arizona Cardinals (10-7) (WC)*
3. Los Angeles Rams (9-8)
4. Seattle Seahawks (7-10)

It seems like its another season in which the West title goes through the 49ers. It does help your cause this year when you have drawn the easiest schedule in the league, which San Francisco has done. Sure, Deebo was traded, but there's still plenty of offensive weapons for Brock Purdy to get the ball too. Kittle and Aiyuk are great at catching the ball, and there's hope that Christian McCaffery can return to his old form. Things go that way, it could be a very good year out in San Francisco. The team that might be closest to catching them this year is the Cardinals. After missing the playoffs a season ago. Now that Marvin Harrison Jr has a year of service under his belt, he'll be more of an option for Kyler Murray to use in the passing attack, which will be more dangerous than it was a year ago. Him and Zay Jones make for good targets, as does James Connor running the football. What will be of interest is that over the final month and a half of the season will see Arizona play four of six on the road. The other team to finish above .500 in this division will be the Rams. They don't have Cooper Kupp anymore, having replaced him with Davante Adams. Him and Puka Nakua are a solid one two pass catching core for Matthew Stafford to get the ball to. Question is how well are the gun slingers going to be able to get the ball out to those pass catchers. Finally we have the Seahawks rounding things out in the West. Geno Smith, DK Metcaff and Tyler Lockett are all gone. Sam Darnold takes over under center with Cooper Kupp being his primary target. The only thing that could even get Seattle close to the .500 mark for the year is the defense. They are solid, and with a defensive minded head coach, that side of the ball will keep them in most games this year. But what's going to hold them back is the fact the offense seems to have taken a step or two back from what it was just a season ago.

AFC:
AFC East:
1. Buffalo Bills (12-5)*
2. Miami Dolphins (8-9)
3. New York Jets (7-10)
4. New England Patriots (6-11)

As if there was any doubt here that the Bills would be the best team in the AFC East. As long as Josh Allen is still under center in Buffalo, there's a better than even chance that the the AFC East title stays in Western NY. Buffalo has a chance to build its division lead early, with a first half of the schedule against under .500 teams from a season ago (save Baltimore in the opener). Barring any injuries on either side of the football, there's plenty of talent in Buffalo for them to not only roll to a division title, but have an outside shot at another deep playoff run. Right behind them are an underachieving Dolphins team who are a lot closer to taking steps back then they are being a contender. Another classic case of fools gold in Miami. They have a lot of what seem to be winnable games early on in the year. It's the back half of Miami schedule that are going to be really tough. Sure, the Miami offense on paper looks like it could be really really good. It's how well they are going to hold up that's going to be the million dollar question. Now there is some level of optimism with the Jets, but lets be real here, its going to be another season of underachievement and missing the playoffs. Sure, Justin Fields has taken over under center, and he's got weapons in Hall and Wilson on the offensive side of the ball. It's how well can they click. The defense seems like it could be decent. New York has a brutal schedule to contend with this year under new head coach Aaron Glen. Closing things out in this division again will be the Patriots. Under new head coach Mike Vabrel, New England might be able to start taking steps in the right direction to be an improving team. Look, they have a stretch this year where they might be able to hold serve. But the problem is they lack the firepower to really be able to put much on the board. It's going to be a long season in New England.

AFC South:
1. Houston Texans (10-7)*
2. Jacksonville Jaguars (9-8)
3. Tennessee Titans (5-12)
4. Indianapolis Colts (4-13)

For the third year in a row, the AFC North title will remain with the Texans. C.J. Stroud continues to grow as a leader under center for this team. He's got good weapons  He got plenty of weapons to work with and a solid defense on the other side of the football as well. They get off toa  rough start but they have the talent to overcome it as the season wears along. Houston should be the one standing alone in this division come seasons end. The only other team in this division that could finish with a winning record this year is going to be the Jaguars. Biggest thing that needs to happen in Jacksonville this year is keep Trevor Lawrence on his feet and healthy. He's got some good weapons in his pass and run game, the line just has to be able to hold up enough to allow the play to develop. They have the pass rushers in Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker that could help make this team a dark horse in this division as a challenge for the title. There's only one direction to go from here for the Titans, and that's up. It's not going to happen right away in Tennessee, but the pieces could be in place. It starts with new quarterback in Cam Ward. He's got the tools, lets see if he can put it all together at this level. He's got some good parts to work with in the form of Pollard, Lockett and Ridley. He just needs to be able to produce. Bringing up the rear in this division is the Colts, who are going to hit rock bottom this season. Daniel Jones became the starter in Indy, taking the place of Anthony Richardson from the outset. How long he stays there is to be determined. Facts are Indy is going to be a bad team for some time. It doesn't seem like its going to be getting better any time soon.

AFC North:
1. Baltimore Ravens (14-3)*
2. Cincinnati Bengals (10-7) (WC)*
3. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7)
4. Cleveland Browns (3-14)

For the third year in a row, the AFC North title will belong to the Ravens. And why not when you got a guy the talent of  Lamar Jackson leading this football team. Derek Henry is back, DeAndre Hopkins signed for a one year deal. Them with Zae Flowers and Mark Andrews make for a pretty balanced attack. They have a stacked defense, one that allowed the fewest yards and touchdowns against a season ago. A nice complement to that high powered offense. This should be easy for Baltimore to grab the division again this year. Right behind them just barely will be the Bengals. Sure there's going to be question marks about the health of Joe Burrow. If he can stay healthy and play the way he's expected to, Cincinnati will be just fine. Joe still has plenty of weapons to hook up with, so putting points on the board shouldn't be too hard in Cincy. The only thing that might hold them back, even slightly, from this win total is how well the defense can hold up. Same thing can be said about the Steelers, just on the other side of the football. The defense in Pittsburgh could be good, like really good, this season. When you add a guy like Jalen Ramsey to the defense, you going to get a lot better. Its the offense that has me slightly worried. Kaleb Johnson is taking over for Najee Harris in the backfield.DK Metcaf is the top target, along with Jonuu Smith. But throwing them the ball is going to be Aaron Rogers. There's no guarantees of what Rogers will be able to do. It will be enough to get them into the playoffs, but its taking a step back from a season ago. Bringing up the rear in this division is going to be the Browns, who will be lucky if they win three games all season. Sure, they got Joe Flacco under center, who somehow still has something left in the tank. He got David Njoku to throw to, along with Jerry Judy. Those two guys can't do it all, and Cleveland doesn't have a run game. Its going to be a long year in Cleveland.

AFC West:
1. Kansas City Chiefs (12-5)*
2. Los Angeles Chargers (11-6) (WC)*
3. Denver Broncos (10-7) (WC)*
4. Las Vegas Raiders (5-12)

Another year, another West title for the Chiefs. Sure, they won't be as good as a season ago, they will likely win three or four fewer games then they did a season ago. But Kansas City is still the class of this division. As long as Patrick Mahomes is healthy, you got a really good shot. You got a ton of talent on the offensive side of the football that could really put points on the board. Defense should do a fine job of shutting down the opposition. There isn't much out there on paper to say that KC won't relinquish the title. Right on their tails this year is going to be the Chargers. Jim Harbaugh took this team to the playoffs a season ago, and they going to be an even bigger threat to the Chiefs this year. The run game got a big improvement drafting Omarion Hampton in the first round. With him and Najee Harris running the ball, they could be good. Same with Ladd McConkey and a returning Keenan Allen catching Herbert passes, this team can put points on the board. Defense is going to be solid this year, so don't be surprised with the Chargers getting back into the playoffs. Another team getting to the playoffs out of the West will be the Broncos. Bo Nix and Sean Peyton will get even better in year two together. Evan Engram joins Cortland Sutton in the top pass catchers for Bo this year. They got a balanced offensive attack in Denver and a good line to allow it to get the time it needs to go to work. The defense will do a decent job keeping the opposition off the board and get back into the playoffs this season. Bringing up the rear in the West will be the Raiders. Sure they got a decent signal caller in Geno Smith and snagged a good running back in Ashton Jeanty high in the draft. The offense can put some points on the board in Vegas. Problem is, they may have a little trouble keeping the opposition off the board. Defense could be spotty at best.

Super Bowl: Ravens and Packers