Best and Worst Of NFL Week Three

We're through the first three weeks of the NFL season and things are taking shape quickly. New England, Cincinnati, Denver, Green Bay, Carolina, Atlanta and Arizona have all managed to maintain their perfect records. Meanwhile the Saints, Bears, Lions and Ravens can't buy a win at the moment. If you think its tough not having a win in the league right now, try being the Pittsburgh Steelers. Sure they beat the Rams, 12-6, but they finished the game without Ben Roethlisberger, who joins the already growing list of star players this year who got hurt and are going to miss playing time due to a knee injury. San Francisco can't catch a break, as they've looked pretty bad the last two weeks. Miami got blown out by the Bills. Green Bay dominated the Chiefs, and it was nowhere near as close as that score indicated. So lets take a look at some of the best and worst performances from week three of the NFL Season.

Best:
Aaron Rodgers, Quarterback Green Bay Packers
Its no surprise that this guy is a good Quarterback. He is after all the reigning MVP of the entire league. Monday Night against Kansas City, he showed why. In their 38-28 win over the Chiefs, Rodgers went 24 of 35 for 333 yards and five touchdowns. He did indeed toss five TD passes against a team that was considered to be one of the top defensive teams in all the league. Now Rodgers has thrown ten touchdowns this year without throwing a pick. To make this seem even more impressive, consider this. Since the start of the 2011 campaign, he has 144 touchdowns compared to 25 interceptions. Talk about insane numbers.

Worst:
Josh McCown Quarterback Cleveland Browns
Things haven't gone well for McCown under center in Cleveland this season. The Browns are 1-2 on the year, both of the losses have come with McCown under center, the latest one being a 27-20 loss to the Raiders. McCown, who was sacked five times, completed 28 of 49 passes for 341 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. The pick turned out to be a killer for the Browns, as at the end of the game he had a chance to throw a game winning TD, but instead he missed Travis Benjamin and got picked off by veteran cornerback Charles Woodsen. Things really don't look good for McCown in Cleveland. You know things are bad when the fans started cheering for Johnny Manzel during the game.

Best:
Alfred Blue, Running Back Houston Texans
When Arian Foster went down with injury, the Texans were kind of left wondering what they were going to do at running back till Foster came back. In week three, they have found their answer. Over the first two games of the season, Blue had just 48 yards on 14 carries, both of which were Texans losses. Blue came back with a bang in the third game,s a 19-9 win over the Bucs. Blue gouged Tampa Bay for 139 yards and a touchdown on 31 carries. He had the fans screaming his name by the end of the football game. Sure, Arian Foster is set to return within the next couple of weeks, but Blue cemented his spot as at least a solid backup for the Texans. He has the ball for now and, if he can keep the momentum going from game three, its his job to lose

Worst:
Brandon Marshall, Wide Receiver New York Jets
I know its weird reading this name on this list but let me explain. He had himself a good game, catching ten passes for 109 yards and a touchdown. It's the one mistake he made that would even remotely put him here on the list. With about 4:45 left in the first half of the Jets loss to the Eagles, Brandon Marshall caught a pass that would have given the Jets a first down. Instead, in trying to make a play to get the team back in the game (they were down 17-0 at the time) he tried to lateral the ball back to Jeff Cumberland, the ball hit off an Eagles players bounced free and was picked up by Philly. He made up for this mistake by still having a good game, but one play like this can be a little hard to overlook. He even said it was the worst play made in league history.

Best:
A.J Green, Wide Receiver Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati is the best team in the AFC North at the moment, and this guy is one of the big reasons why. Look no further than the week three performance in the 28-24 win over the Ravens. Green finished with 10 catches for 227 yards, the most of any receiver in the league this week, and a pair of touchdowns. Take this into consideration will you. Green seems to have found a renewed connection with an improved Andy Dalton in Cincinnati. And considering the Bengals' top-notch skill-position group, it's going to be extremely hard for opposing teams to completely zone in on Green moving forward this season.

Worst:
Chicago Bears
Lets face up, this team is going to be a bad one this year. The only thing that is a positive for the Bears this season is their punter Pat O'Donnell. He had to punt a total of ten times in the 26-0 loss to Seattle on Sunday. And he had 384 yards, which is a huge day. Nobody can say O’Donnell didn’t earn his money. It can be said nobody on the Bears’ offense earned their paychecks, considering they were shut out and had 146 yards. You know its a sad sad day when the punter has more yards than the entire offense. Oh did I mention that this was the first time the Bears were shut out since 2002.

Best:
Chuck Pigano, Head Coach Indianapolis Colts
It had been a rough start to the year for Indy, who were a playoff team a season ago. They started this year off 0-2 and were ever so close to going 0-3 Sunday against the Titans. Indy walked away with a 35-33 win, which may have saved the job of coach Chuck Pigano. A lot of the players do really like playing for the guy, never giving up against the Titans and coming away with the victory. You just have to feel for the guy, with all the stuff going on around him. Think about what's happened with the Colts, they were a playoff team a season ago, one step away from a Super Bowl. Then they start this year 0-2 and the coach take shots at the team for whats gone down since then. Now they got a win and all seems right.

Worst:
Joe Philbin, Head Coach Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins' boss is in big trouble. Miami is off to a 1-2 start with a loss to Jacksonville and a 27-point rout at the hands of Buffalo in the Dolphins' home opener. With the signing of Ndamukong Suh, this was supposed to be the year Miami made a push in the AFC East. Instead, the Dolphins are in last place and Philbin looks like his first stint as a head coach will be done shortly if things don't turn around in a hurry. He can't seem to get things figured out. There were high expectations for the Fins but Philbin may not last long if things don't turn around in Miami.

Best:
Arizona Cardinals
There is no team that has really dominated through the first three weeks of the season like the Arizona Cardinals. Look what happened in week three. They BLASTED the 49ers by a 47-7 score. They woulkd have had a shutout had it not been for a Colin Kaepernick rushing touchdown. As it stands, the Cardinals have scored a total of 126 points over the course of three games. Carson Palmer has passed for 803 yards, nine touchdowns and only has two interceptions. Larry Fitzgerald looks like he’s in his twenties again, as he already has 333 receiving yards and five touchdowns. Additionally, the Cardinals’ ground game is solid, despite missing their lead rusher Andre Ellington. As for their defense, it is insanely effective in stopping opposing teams from scoring thus far tallying seven interceptions, six sacks, one safety, three pick sixes and one return touchdown.

Worst:
St. Louis Rams Turf
A little strange to be reading an inanimate object on this list but its worth putting here after what happened for the Rams. It was inside the Edward James Dome, as the Rams were getting set up for the home opener, that the turf caught fire. Yes you read that right. A pregame pyrotechnic show caught a spot near the end zone on fire and delayed Sunday's game 30 minutes. yeah its making things a lot easier for the team to possibly consider moving to LA, a move that has been rumored for quite a while now. The play on the field will determine that in the end, but a stunt like this makes it harder for wanting to keep the team around.

History Books:
Tom Brady: Threw his 400th career TD pass, finding Danny Amendola over the middle for the score. With the pass, Brady joins Peyton Manning, Brett Favre and Dan Marino as the only guys to throw 400 or more in a career.

Mets Claim Division Title

It has been nine long years in the making, but the night finally happened. For the first time since 2006, the New York Mets are in the playoffs, as they have won the National League's Eastern Division! It happened as the Mets knocked off the Reds 10-2 on Saturday to wrap up the sixth division title in club history. It has been a long time coming for the organization, who at the start of the year wasn't pegged to finish above .500 this year.

Most prognosticators, myself included, had the Mets finishing around the middle of the Pack in the NL East this season, at least with what they had on paper coming into the year. Most people figured the pitching staff would carry the team, which they did for a big chunk of the season. As the trade deadline got closer, some started to worry if management would do something. And then all of a sudden, something changed. The Mets actually got hitters into their lineup. It all started on July 24th when the team made a deal with the Braves to bring in Kelly Johnson and Juan Uribe, two utility guys who could actually hit, into the fold. Then the bullpen got a boost on July 29th when they picked up Tyler Clippard. Finally, the day of the trade deadline, July 31st, Yoenes Cespedes joins the club. Ever since then the Mets we't on a wild tear, going 37-17 since the trade, helping to clinch the division. Ever since that long rain delay loss to the San Diego Padres, its been a vindication for the team. That's a day, July 30th, that was a tough pill for Mets fans to swallow. A day when the pen could hold a lead and the Mets fell 8-7 to San Diego. That was a day that some could look at as one of the true low points of the season. Then the Mets made the big move the next day, and now here we sit, going into the final week of the regular season, with the Mets having the division title locked up in their back pocket.

Here's some interesting stats (per WFAN) about the Mets winning the NL East. Of the six division title clinchers for the Mets: 9/26/15, Mets 10 at Reds 2, 9/18/06: Marlins 0 at Mets 4, 9/22/88: Phillies 1 at Mets 3, 9/17/86: Cubs 2 at Mets 4, 10/1/73: Mets 6 at Cubs 4, and 9/24/69: Cardinals 0 at Mets 6, onl.y this year and 1973 did the Mets win the division on the road. With this sixth division title, it marks the 4th most NL East titles in history. Only the Pirates (nine titles), Phillies (eleven titles) and Braves (twelve titles) have won more Eastern Division Titles in the National League than the Mets. Manager terry Collins has had a long wait in his own right. Terry will make his playoff debut as a manager in a little over a week. The 1,686 games Terry has managed put him 5th on the list of the most games managed before their first playoff game as skipper.

Now for a view of this from a fan perspective. It has been nine very long, hard years in the waiting. After 2006, there was hope among Mets fans. Many felt that the team was built and in place for the long haul. 2007 was the year of the epic collapse. Same story, but not as dramatic a collapse in 2008, the year Shea closed. Citi Field open and the Mets couldn't find their winning ways. Things seemed to go downhill in the new park. The organization spiraled out of control, in a few different ways from on the field to off the field issues, and it took nine years for things to get back on track. Well the Mets are back in business, and they certainly have the foundation to be a force for the next decade. But fans of this franchise know firsthand that there are no guarantees. Nothing can be taken for granted.

It is with great pride that I can share this video with my fellow Mets fans. Its been quite a long time since we've been able to hear, and see, this:


Rejoice my fellow Mets fans, because after nine years of suffering our patience has paid off bigtime as the New York Mets are the 2015 National League East Champions!

Baseball Legand Passes

One of the greatest characters to ever step foot on a baseball diamond has left us. Lawrence Peter "Yogi" Berra, known for his on the field play and off field quotes, died Tuesday at his home in New Jersey. He was 90 when he passed, death coming via natural causes. There was no denying his off the field quirks, he had quite a few. Some of his quotes have made their way into public lexicon over the years. More people today remember Yogi just for that. Its what he did on a baseball field that truly made him a legend, both as a player and a manager.

Nobody in the history of the sport was more of a winner than Yogi. Ten world series titles during his playing days, all with the New York Yankees. TEN. He was part of teams that won a third of every championship that the Yankees organization has ever won. Yogi was the backbone of those ten titles, which were won in 1947, 1949–1953, 1956, 1958, 1961, 1962, 1969, 1977, and finally 1978. Due to the longevity of his career, and the fact that he played in so many World Series, he was able to establish a few records. During his ten titles, Yogi established Series records for the most games (75), at-bats (259), hits (71), doubles (10), singles (49), games caught (63), and catcher putouts (457). He was also behind the plate for the perfect game Don Larson threw in game five of the 1956 World Series. The pictures of Berra leaping into Larsen's arms following the 27th out are among the sport's most memorable images.

Not only did Yogi have an impact during the playoffs, he came up big in the regular season as well. During a playing career that lasted from 146 to `965, he was an 18 time all star (1948–1961², 1962²). Yogi was a three time AL MVP 1951, 1954 and 1955). In fact he is one of only two catchers in history (Roy Campanella being the other) to win multiple MVP awards. Berra was excellent at hitting poor pitches, covering all areas of the strike zone (as well as beyond) with great extension. In addition to this wide plate coverage, he also had great bat control. He was able to both swing the bat like a golf club to hit low pitches for deep home runs, and chop at high pitches for line drives.

Five times, Berra had more home runs than strikeouts in a season, striking out just twelve times in 597 at-bats in 1950. As a catcher, Berra was truly outstanding. Quick, mobile, and a great handler of pitchers, Berra led all American League catchers eight times in games caught and in chances accepted, six times in double plays (a major league record), eight times in putouts, three times in assists, and once in fielding percentage. Berra left the game with the AL records for catcher putouts (8,723) and chances accepted (9,520). He was also one of only four catchers to ever field 1.000 for a season, playing 88 errorless games in 1958. He was the first catcher to leave a finger outside his glove, a style most other catchers eventually emulated. According to the win shares formula developed by sabermetrician Bill James, Berra is the greatest catcher of all time and the 52nd greatest non-pitching player in major-league history. Later in his career, Berra became a good defensive outfielder in Yankee Stadium's notoriously difficult left field.

Once his playing career ended, Yogi kept in baseball as a manager. He was able to lead both New York teams to pennants. First, he took the Yankees, in his only year as Yankee skipper, to the series in 1964, a seven game series loos to the Cardinals. Then from 1972-1975 he managed the Mets, leading them to the 1973 World Series, a six game series loss to Oakland. He finished his coaching career from 1988-89 with the Houston Astros. Yogi was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972, his 2nd year on the ballot.

Most people, when they think of Yogi Berra, know him more for his catchphrases. Those "Yogisms"  where just his wacky way with words. Here's just a few of the quotes that Yogi was known for:

"It ain't over till it's over."
"It's déjà vu all over again."
"When you come to a fork in the road ... take it."
"Never answer an anonymous letter."
"I didn't really say everything I said."
"I want to thank you for making this day necessary."
"We made too many wrong mistakes."
"You can observe a lot by watching."
"The future ain't what it used to be."
"It gets late early out here."
"If the world were perfect, it wouldn't be."
"If the people don't want to come out to the ballpark, nobody's going to stop them." 
"Pair up in threes."
"Why buy good luggage? You only use it when you travel."

Yogi Berra, one of if not the greatest catcher to ever step behind the plate. He will be forever missed!

Best And Worst Of NFL Week Two

Sports has a way of throwing a monkey wrench into some plans. Some teams in the National Football League did what was expected of them this week. While some others totally laid an egg, getting upset along the way. A few surprises are the fact that the Colts (for the 2nd year in a row), Seattle, Baltimore and Philadelphia are all winless. Sure it sucks that teams haven't bee able to win yer, others are dealing with players who are hurting Dallas is going to be without Tony Romo for 8-10 weeks with the shoulder injury being the biggest name to be taken out with an injury. DeMarcco Murray can't find a hole to run through to save his life right now. The Jets defense has already forced more turnovers in the first two weeks of the year than they did all of last year. Chicago has been whooped up on good in their first two games, while New Orleans has had just as much trouble. With all that being said, here's a look at some of the best and worst performances of week two in the NFL.

Best:
Jameis Winston, Quarterback Tampa Bay Buccaneers
His first NFL start didn't go quite as planned for the rookie QB. His 2nd NFL start went much better for Winston. Jameis went 14 of 21 for 207 yards and a pair of touchdown (one passing one rushing). He was sacked three times and fumbled once, which was the only downside for this ballgame. Oh year his performance was good enough to help the Bucs pull out a win in New Orleans against the Saints. Famous Jameis looked good in the ball game, able to pick up his first win in the NFL. To make it more impressive was the fact that it came on the road at the Superdome, a tough place to play in.

Worst:
Keenan Allen, Wide Receiver San Diego Chargers
At this time last week, people were talking about how well Allen played in the Chargers opener. In the opener against Detroit last week, Allen went off for the 15 catches for 166 yards. It looked like he might be set for a breakout season. Well we can put that discussion on hold for a little while. Why? Because he was nowhere to be found against the Bengals in week two. Allen had 2just two catches for sixteen total yards. SIXTEEN yards receiving for a guy who's supposed to be a top flight receiver. The Bengals defense did a great job of being able to shut him down and hld him at bay. Question is can he bounce back next when they play the Vikings.

Best:
Adrian Peterson, Running Back Minnesota Vikings
Welcome Back to the NFL Adrian Peterson. Just three seasons ago, Peterson was a 2,000 yard rusher. The last time he played a full season in the NFL, Peterson finished with 1,266 yards on the ground. It was well documented his off the field issues last season, which caused him to miss all but one game. In his first game this year he was held in check against the 49ers. Well week two against Detroit, who a season ago was one of the top five defenses against the run, Peterson found his game again. He finished the day with 29 carries for 134 yards. Peterson's run game allowed the Vikings to come away with a huge 26-16 win against Detroit, reestablishing the Vikings as one of the better running teams in the league.

Worst:
DeMarco Murray, Running Back Philadelphia Eagles
Its really been a tough year in Philly for Murray. Last year he was the leading rusher in the entire NFL. He finished last season rushing for 1,845 yards, by far the best numbers in the entire league. Now, not so much. This season, he has carried the ball 21 times through two games, scoring one touchdown. His rushing yards total for the year, is something like eleven yards. You did read that correctly, DeMarco Murray has rushed for eleven yards so far this season, two of which came on thirteen carries in the loss to the Cowboys in week two. It's been a rough start to the season for the NFL rush king, but the great ones always find a way to bounce back

Best: 
New York Jets Defense
One of the biggest problems that the Jets defense was them being able to defend against the pass. Lets face facts the Jets secondary was getting lit up like a cheap cigar a season ago, making it tough to watch Jets football last year. But that was last year. This year is very very different. A season ago, the Jets scored twenty points off turnovers all year. In the first two games of this season, they already have 234 points off turnovers in just two games. Yeah I'd say that's a vast improvement. Just look at what the defense did on Monday night against the Colts. Forced five turnovers, three interceptions and two fumble recoveries. I think the defense has returned back to the form Jets fans had become used to seeing. If the offense can do its job everything will be just fine.

Worst:
Houston Texans Offense
Not having Arian Foster running the football is really hurting this Texans football team. To make matters worse, the team still seems to have no clue what they want to do at QB. Ryan Mallett and Brian Hoyer both have been spotty through two games. Think about this. After relieving Hoyer last week, Mallett had his own rough outing Sunday. His 244 yards came on 58 passes, many of which were launched to no one in particular. Yeah that's pretty bad. If Houston wants to have any chance to right the ship and get back into things, they had better figure it out fast or its going to be a long season.

Best:
Derek Carr, Quarterback Oakland Raiders
After getting blanked by the Bengals in the opener, Oakland is trying to get back on a winning track. Well they managed to pick up their first win of the season, beating the Ravens 37-33. A lot of it had to do with the play of Starter Derek Carr. He had himself a pretty nice day. It did stink that he was sacked once and picked off once. But he more than made up for it by going 30 for 46 for 351 yards and three touchdown tosses. He was a little sloppy last week but more than made up for it in the win over the Ravens

Worst:
Matthew Stafford Quarterback Detroit Lions
Last year, this Lions team was a playoff team, finishing the year 10-6. To start this year off, it doesn't look too good for the boys from the Motor City. Matthew Stafford hasn't exactly been proving his worth at the moment. Don't get me wrong he's still one of the premier QB's in the entire league. But Sunday he didn't really look like it. Sure he had an OK day throwing the ball, going 32 of 53 for 286 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Ringing up 286 yards passing really isn't that bad of a day for anybody in the NFL. The only problem is that it took Stafford 53 attempts to get there. That's not good. Detroit hasn't really been able to establish a running game, which isn't really an excuse as to why Stafford is having such trouble throwing the ball. He keeps this pace up, its going to be a long season for the Lions.

Best:
Antonio Brown, Wide Receiver Pittsburgh Steelers
He's at it again man. After hauling in 9 passes for 133 yards in the opener. Then, when it looked like he couldn't outdo himself, he did in week two. Pittsburgh steamrolled the 49ers 43-18. Brown had another monster day, snagging another 9 passes, this time for 195 yards and a score. Brown was targeted 11 times bduring the game, completely dominating the secondary of the 49ers. In fact he only needed one catch to achieve 400, which makes him the third-fastest player to get to 400 catches. He ties Hall of Famer Kellen Winslow Sr. who also hit this milestone stat in 72 games.

Worst:
Byron Maxwell Cornerback Philadelphia Eagles
Lets face facts here folks, it really has been a rough start to the season for the Eagles. You can point the finger at anybody you want. Be it Murray, Sam Bradford, Chip Kelly and many mores. ONe guy who needs to be looked at is Byron Maxwell. He was given a huge $63 million contract this offseason to help fix the Eagles' cornerback issues. He was targeted by Atlanta in Week 1. Then, with the Eagles barely holding onto hope against the Cowboys, he was torched by the Brandon Weeden-to-Terrance Williams combo for a 42-yard touchdown that looked like Williams was playing against air. That sealed the loss. So it hasn't eaxctly been easy for Maxwell or anybody else in Philly during the first two games of the year.

Yanks Clinch Subway Series

For the first time since Interleague Play began, the Mets and Yankees squared off for a three game series in September. To make this series even more intriguing, there were plenty at stake in the series, as it had playoff implications for both baseball clubs. For the Mets, it could have helped shrink their magic number and increase their lead in the division. While the Yankees could have closed the gap in the AL East against Toronto, all the while building a cushion in the wild card race. Much like their meeting at Yankee Stadium back in April, things went the way of the Bombers.

Friday night was the opener of the series, a night which saw the Mets provide the power in the ballgame. Thanks to homers from Daniel Murphy, Lucas Duda and Juan Uribe, the Mets walked away with a 5-1 victory. With the Duda homerun, it was the first longball that Lucas has hit since August 2nd against the Nationals. Mets Rookie starter Steven Matz actually pitched better than Yankees ace Masahiro Tanaka. Both starters went six innings, and yes Matz did throw more pitches than Tanaka (Matz also gave up more hits than Tanaka did), but Matz damage was minimal compared to Tanaka. The Mets controlled the opener and were able to even up the season series at two games apiece. That's as close as the Mets would get in the weekend series.

Game two on Saturday, it was the Yankees using the longball in the victory. Carlos Beltran hit a three run shot in the opening inning, followed by a Brian McCann two run shot in the 6th. That was all the offense the Yanks would need, rolling two a 5-0 win. The Bronx Bombers needed guys to step up on offense now that Texaira is out hurt, that's where Beltran and McCann came in for this matinee in Queens. Michael Pineda got the start for the Yanks, allowed only four singles in five and a third innings to win for just the second time since the All-Star break. Penadia had been one of the more reliable starters for the Bombers most of the year, but had cooled off a little here in the 2nd half of the season. New York's pen was able to keep the Mets offense quite and off the board with a combined six relievers. Nobody on the Mets was able to really hit the ball hard against the Yanks, the team failing to support starter Noah Syndergard (who struck out eight in six innings of work, while allowing the two homers). Thor had a good start for the Mets but the offense just wasn't there to support him.

Now, for the rubber match Sunday night. It was the big pitching matchuup (by name anyway) as Matt Harvey went against CC Sabathia. The big story from this game was the sloppy play of the Mets, Matt Harvey's early exit and the Yankees taking full advantage of it.  Harvey held the Yankees at bay for five innings, allowing only one hit and walking one while striking out seven. Once Harvey was pulled due to innings limit (more on that shortly), the Yankees ran wild, pounding out eight hits and eleven runs, seven of which were earned, en rout to an 11-2 blowout win. Dustin Ackley (three run homer) and Greg Bird (three run shot) provided the major source of power for the Bombers. Beltran, Chase Headly, Bryan McCann, and Jacoby Elsbury provided the rest of the offensive punch for the Yankees. Sabathia kept the Mets quite over six innings, striking out seven and walking three, all while allowing only one run. Daniel Murphy's botch on a ground ball, and Travis d'Arnaud bad throw allowed the Yankees to blow the game open in the 6th. Very sloppy game by the Mets all around after Harvey left. The Yankees win the Subway series 4-2, taking the series for the first time since 2012.

A couple of thoughts about this series. From the Yankees side, the bats seem to wake up over the final two games, especially in the power department, something that's going to be big coming into the series this week with the Blue Jays. By taking the series from the Mets, the Bombers are now just 2.5 games back of the Jays. That's huge for the Bombers, because it could now set the table to overtake Toronto for the division, depending on how things play out over the next three days.

What this series really showed was some question marks for the Mets. Their lead is now six over the Nationals in the East. I can't really see the Mets having a repeat of what happened eight years ago, but it does leave one to wonder. Another thing that struck me was how quiet Yoenis Cespedes was in this series. He was hit with a pitch on the hip in the opener against Tanaka, which may have had an effect on him. He had one hit in the entire series. Was it him getting hit on the hip that threw him off in the series? Was it the Yankees pitching staff being that good that they were able to stop him? We will find out over the next couple of days.

One final thought from the series and that is what happened Sunday with Matt Harvey. Look I know the Mets are trying to keep him within his innings limit (another argument entirely which was revealed today, we'll wait for more info to come out). Harvey was only supposed to go five innings, but I'm sorry he should have been kept in the ballgame. He was pitching lights out Sunday night, being able to keep the Yankees at bay through his five innings. Once he was taken out, the Yanks jumped all over the Mets pen. The Mets mishandled this whole thing with Harvey, now it looks like it cost them a game on Sunday. I understand that they are trying to keep their star pitcher healthy, but I would like to think that a team would really start doing that once they have a playoff spot locked up. Wait another week or so when you know the division title is in the bag, that's the best time to really give him time off and manage innings, not when your in the heat of a playoff race.

Best And Worst Of NFL Week One

Opening week of the NFL season is in the books. There was plenty of craziness from the opening week of the season. A few upsets were played out, such as Buffalo knocking off the Colts and San Francisco running over Minnesota. We saw the two top QB's square off, with Marcus Mariotta having a big day, while Jamies Winston wasn't quite as effective. Carlos Hyde ran wild, while Adrian Petterson was held in check. Looking at the boxscore can only tell some facts. Just watching the game will tell you a whole lot more. So with that being said, here are some of the best and worst of the opening week of the NFL Season.

Best:
James Jones, Wide Receiver Green Bay Packers
Here's a guy who's had a rough road to the opener. Here's a guy who had been a steady target for the Packers from 2007 to 2013. Then after spending a year with the Raiders last season, he was cut by them. Jones then signed with the Giants but was cut on September 5th. The very next day, September 6th, he signed back with the Packers, who needed a wide out with Jordy Nelson's injury. In the Packers opening week in against the Bears, Jones had four grabs, two of which went for TD's and totaled 51 yards receiving. The Packers showed faith in him by bringing him back and Jones didn't disappoint.

Worst:
Adam Jones, Defensive Back Cincinnati Bengals
The man formerly known as Pacman Jones has been able to keep his nose clean and his name out of the headlines recently. Early in his career, if you remember, got into quite a bit of trouble. Well, week one against the Raiders, he was back in the news. In Sunday's game, he ripped off the helmet of Raiders rookie receiver Amari Cooper, then bashed Cooper’s head into the helmet. Fortunately for the Bengals, Jones avoided a suspension and will just be fined for the incident. He got lucky that the punishment wasn't way worse. I had thought he was past this, but I guess it got him.

Best:
Marcus Mariota, Quarterback Tennessee Titans
He was one of the big name QB's to come out of the NFL draft this past June, He's the reining Heisman Trophy winner, which just adds a little bit of extra pressure to his game. In his first ever NFL game, he went 13 of 16 for 209 yards. Oh and he was one of two QB's week one (Tom Brady being the other) to throw four TD passes in a game. Marcus threw the four in the first half of the win over the Bucs. Yeah I'd say that's a pretty good way to start off an NFL career.

Worst:
Brian Hoyer, Quarterback, Houston Texans
Hoyer had a rough go of it as the starter in Cleveland a season ago. Now he moved on to Houston, a team with some talent on the offensive side of the football. So your thinking, OK this is going to be good, the Texans have a QB again, they're going to be good. Well, based on his performance in week one, that may not be the case. Hoyer wasn't that great against Kansas City in the opener. After going 18 for 34 for 236 yards with an interception and a lost fumble against the Chiefs, Hoyer found himself back on the bench watching Ryan Mallett lead the Texans. Now, he has to agonize through an entire week wondering if he’s lost another starting job for good.

Best:
Keenan Allen, Wide Receiver San Diego Chargers
The 3rd year wide receiver for the Chargers is looking to bounce back. He wasn't hurt last year, but his numbers were down. He started his NFL career two years ago with a 1,000 yard receiving season. Last year he finished with 770, so he's got a little something to prove. He starts the new season off with 15 grabs for 168 yards in the Chargers win over the Detroit Lions. The fact that he was able to snag 15 catches against the Lions, who had a top five defense in the NFL last year. Plus, his 168 yards  receiving were the best numbers of any wideout in the NFL in the opening week of the season.

Worst:
Kirk Cousins, Quarterback Washington Redskins
Its been a long, hard road for the Redskins. Ever since RGIII hurt his knee in the playoffs. He hasn't been the same and the Skins are still trying to find an answer. They decided to sit RGIII in favor of Cousins in the first game of the year, but it didn't quite go as planed. Cousins was 21 for 31 for 196 yards and a touchdown, but he also threw two interceptions. That runs his updated tally of interceptions to 17 in 10 starts. This leads one to wonder out loud, when do you possibly go to Colt McCoy?

Best:
Alex Smith, Quarterback Kansas City Chiefs
Smith had himself a day in the Chiefs win over the Texans, finishing the day 22 of 33 for 243 yards and 3 TD's. All this while leading the Chiefs. Heading into the contest, some weren't sure how well the KC offense would work against a tough Houston Defense. The Chiefs actually turned it around on the Texans, with Alex Smith and his cannon arm leading the charge.

Worst:
Oakland Raiders 
Heading into this season, Oakland was trying to build up some momentum and positive vibes around their football team, which they had started to do. Then they took the field in week one and it all started to fall apapr, at least in the opening week it did. Oakland fell behind Cincinnati 30-0 and were getting booed lustily. To make matters worse, starting quarterback Derek Carr hurt his thumb and could miss time.

Best:
Rex Ryan, Head Coach Buffalo Bills
There were quite a few eyes on Western New York in the first game of the season for the Buffalo Bills. It was the first game under new head coach Rex Ryan, who's trying to lead his new team to the playoffs, something that hasn't happened in Buffalo since 1999. Well it got off to a flying start. Buffalo opened the season with an impressive 27-14 trouncing of the Indianapolis Colts. Next up, with the New England Patriots coming to town, Ryan is already starting to fill reporters’ notebooks with juicy quotes about his excitement for the matchup. Stay tuned, there will be more where that came from. Never doubt that Rex will have something good to come up with.

Worst:
Tom Coughlin, Head Coach New York Giants
I'm not sure whether this should fall on Coughlin or Eli Manning. But whatever the case is the Giants really need to get their stuff worked out. Case in point, just look at what happened in the 4th quarter. New York should've left Dallas with a victory. But poor clock management, mostly not being able to milk it while opting to throw near the goal line on the penultimate drive, gave Tony Romo the opportunity to craft a successful comeback. The Giants had a full 40 seconds on the playclock, but didn't use all of it (I put the blame for that on Eli) and then a bad decision to try and throw it in near the goal line (that falls on the Coach). Either way it didn't end well for the Giants

Magic Coming Back In Queens

Its really amazing how fast things can change in the world of sports. Look no further than the case of the New York Mets. Coming out of the all-star break, the team was sitting just four games over .500 and floating around a possible playoff team. Now here we are in the middle of September, the Mets are 19 games over .500, guaranteed to have a winning season since 2008, and have 9.5 game lead (as of this writing) in the division over the Nationals. Since the trades that brought in Kelly Johnson, Juan Uribe and Yoenis Cespedes, this offense has gone from the lowest scoring team in the NL to the highest. This does lead one to wonder is the magic really back in Queens?

Right now I say oh yes the magic is back in Queens at the moment.Looking back to the time around the all-star break, you would have thought, as a Mets fan, that once the team fell behind, that the ballgame was over. There was no offensive life. Now when the Mets fall behind, most Mets fans think that the comeback is on, that no lead is too tough to overtake. Just look at the 15 come from behind wins, which are the most in the Majors, that the Mets have strung together and it really gives the fans something to cheer about in Queens. The last two games have proven that no late inning deficit is too big to overcome. Saturday the Mets took a lead on a Cespedes homer, but the pen gave it back, leading to a tie game. Cespedes struck again in the 9th, grounding into a fielder's choice to shortstop, scoring Kelly Johnson. Johnson had given the Mets the lead back when he knocked in Eric Young Jr with a single. Him scoring on the Cespedes play just padded the lead.

And then there was the win on Sunday against the Braves. Conforto gave the Mets the early lead, but John Niese couldn't hold the lead. The Mets and Braves traded the lead until Atlanta Jumped out to the 7-4 lead in the 8th. Once in the 9th the Mets had two on and two out, with Daniel Murphy at the plate. With two strikes on Murphy, he cracked a three run bomb to tie the ball game and send it to extra innings. Then the Mets took control and scored three more runs to take the game 10-7.

There's just a different vibe around this baseball team over the last few months. It seems as if almost that when fall behind, there's no reason to worry because the offense is going to pick the team up and come through in the clutch. Cespedes has been knocking the cover off the ball since joining the Mets. Cespedes now has 16 homers and 41 RBIs in his first 40 games with the Mets. The Elias Sports Bureau notes that he is only the second player since RBIs became an official statistic in 1920 to switch clubs mid-season and record at least 15 home runs and 40 RBIs within his first 40 games playing for his new team. Hank Sauer was the first to do so with 15 homers and 47 RBIs over his first 40 games for the Cubs in 1949 after being traded by the Reds (WFAN).  It hasn't been just him, although he has indeed been a big factor. The return of David Wright and Travis d'Arnaud have been a big factor. Wilmer Flores has been knocking the cover off the ball since the non-trade. Kirk Nieuwenhuis had a big homerun against Washington earlier this month. It seems on like any given night, a new offensive hero can step up for the team.

Sure there have been some snags. The pitching at times hasn't looked great as of late. Jon Niese has hit a rough patch of giving up five or more runs (he's given up five or more runs in four straight games). Haravey, as has been well documented, is dealing with the innings limit and trying to figure out how to save his arm possibly for the playoffs. deGrom has has his hiccups in his last couple of starts, but is still a steady force in the rotation. Bartolo Colon has been pitching lights out as of late as well, tossing the only complete game of the year (to date) last week against the Nationals.

Everything seems to be falling the Mets way over the last couple of months. The offense is clicking and picking up the team when its needed most. Pitching has been steady as of late. This team has a good groove going right now. Now the question is how far can this team go come October? That question will be answered in about a month or so. For now, this Mets club has the fans believing in this team again. Its fun being a Mets fan again this late in the season. It gives hope in the Orange and Blue again come the post season. The magic is indeed back again for the team in September and its long overdue!

2015 NFL Season Preview

The time has finally arrived. NFL FOOTBALL IS BACK. That's right the 2015 NFL Season is ready to kick off, with a lot at stake this year. Thirty two teams all fighting for the right to hold the Vince Lombardi Trophy high above their heads at Levi Stadium on February 7th. I mean think about what's happened this offseason. Tom Brady gets suspended, then it gets overturned. New England gets set to move on with their star QB back in the mix. The Jets revamp their defense and secondary, plus get some new offensive weapons to work with. Seattle is looking to shake off that bad play calling in the Super Bowl and bounce back. San Francisco is looking to move on from Jim Harbaugh and see how their fare under new head coach Jim Tomsula. We get the debut of the two highly praised QB's from the draft, Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota.

Also lets not forget some of the new faces in new places. We saw a lot of guys get moved around during the offseason. Just to name a few moves: Darrelle Revis (Patriots) and Antonio Cromartie (Cardinals) both returned to the Jets, Tramon Williams left Packers for Cleveland, and Byron Maxwell went from the Seahawks to the Eagles. Greg Hardy went from the Panthers to the Cowboys, while defensive tackles Ndamukong Suh skipped out on Detroit to head for Miami. Terrance Knighton (Redskins). Nick Fairley (Rams), Dan Williams (Raiders) and Vince Wilfork (Texans) all moved on to new cities. From an offensive perspective, we saw some pretty big names change locations as well. Like guards Mike Iupati (Cardinals), James Carpenter (Jets), and Orlando Franklin (Chargers) were on the move. So too was center Rodney Hudson (Raiders). Then we hit the skilled offensive positions, which saw wide receivers Jeremy Maclin (Chiefs), Eddie Royal (Bears), Torrey Smith (49ers), and Andre Johnson (Colts), plus running backs Demarco Murray (Eagles), Frank Gore (Colts) and Ryan Mathews (Eagles) all head on the move to new cities.

Now then, lets not waste any more time shall we. Here now is how we here at Solly On Sports see the 2015 NFL Season playing out.

NFC East:
Philadelphia Eagles: 10-6*
Chip Kelly has a totally revamped offense to work with from a season ago. They took a step backwards at the QB position by trading Nick Foles for the often Injured Sam Bradford. Then they expect Jordan Matthews to step up in the receiving game, while the job of running the ball will be divided up among DeMarco Murray, Darren Sproles, and Ryan Mathews, which makes it a very lethal combination in the running game. The secondary is improved from a season ago. The changes that were made were good, and good enough to pull off a division title.

Dallas Cowboys: 10-6*
It's going to be a backwards step for the Boys this season. Dallas lost its top back in DeMarco Murray, who's now carrying the load in Philly. Tony Romo, while still a very good QB isn't getting any younger and a defense that's going to be without Greg Hardy for the first month of the year due to suspensions. Dallas is still a good team, but they aren't going to be quite as good as they were a season ago

New York Giants: 9-7
There's still a few question marks with this Giants team. Sure they have an emerging superstar in the form of Odell Beckham Jr. but the question mark is going to be the health of Victor Cruz, who's coming off the knee surgery. Eli Manning is looking to have a bounce back season, but with a few players on his offensive line having moved around, it may make things interesting again for Big Blue. With those question marks, throw in Rashad Jennings, Andre Williams and Shane Vereen running the football. The Giants haven't had much success being able to run the ball the last couple of seasons, so here's hoping Jennings can get healthy and be able to run the ball trouble free this season. Now from the defensive side of the football, there are still some question marks with this team. First, and the biggest one, being Jason Pierre-Paul. How is he going to respond from injury? Will he even play this season, what with the contract dispute and all for the Giants? Then there's the defense as a whole. Last year, they couldn't stop the run to save their lives. This year, they have Steve Spagnuolo returning to take back his defense and try and improve it. The Giants will get above .500 but they are going to be lapped by teams who have a better running game.

Washington Redskins: 3-13
Yes these guys are going to be that bad. Sure they still have Alfred Morris running the ball, while Pierre Garcon and Jordan Reed will be the primary targets in the passing game. But who's going to throw the ball is going to be of much debate. RGIII has been replaced as the starter by Kirk Cousins. The defense looks to be OK at best but considering some the teams that the Redskins are going to be facing this season are going to make this a very tough year in Washington.

NFC North
Green Bay Packers: 12-4*
This year, the Packers looked to be primed to win the NFC North for the 5th year in a row. They took a big hit with the loss of last years top wide receiver in Jordy Nelson going down for the year with a torn ACL. So the team is going to rely a lot on Randall Cobb and Davante Adams. Knowing how well Aaron Rodgers has played the last few seasons, including his MVP year last year, it proves that he can find a way to make it work. In his career as a starter, Rodgers has had only one season in which he was under .500 (2008 when he went 6-10, every other year he's had a winning record). Throw in how well they can run the football with Eddie Lacy coming out of the backfield, Green Bay's offense will do just fine.

Detroit Lions:10-6
Matthew Stafford had a bit of a rough go of it a season ago, getting sacked 45 times during the regular season. The running game took a bit of a hit when Reggie Bush left for San Francisco, so Joique Bell will have to step up the running game. Yes they still have Golden Tate and Calvin Johnson catching passes from Stafford, as well as Eric Ebron and Brandon Pettigrew at tight end. What's making me nervous about Detroit is the run defrense. A year ago they were the best rush defense in the entire league. But now Ndamukong Suh is gone, signed as a free agent with the Dolphins. The pass rush and run stop has been hurt. Haloti Ngata was brought in to help but I'm not sure if its going to help. With the fact that they're facing Adrian Peterson (twice), Marshawn Lynch, Matt Forte, Jamaal Charles in first half, its going to be a good test for the Lions in the first half.

Minnesota Vikings: 9-7
Teddy Bridgewater took big steps last season, looking like a polished QB. Now they have a rejuvenated and returning Adrian Peterson, who at age 30 still has something to prove. Bridgewater has Mike Wallace, Kyle Rudolph and Charles Johnson to throw to in the passing game. The offense looks like it could hold its own, but the defense looks average at best. Minnesota has a good shot to finish above .500 this season. They have some big test's before their week five bye, when the face the Lions Broncos and Chargers. That'll be a real test to see what this team is made of.

Chicago Bears: 5-11
Chicago may have shot themselves in the foot with Jay Cutler. He's a good QB there's no denying that, but he was benched in week 16 last year. Because the Bears have so much money invested in him, they have to use him. Also consider that his backup QB is Jimmy Clausen, who's a good QB but it leaves the Bears in a bit of a hole if Cutler's play goes south. Chicago also took a hit when the traded Brandon Marshall to the Jets, leaving them with little depth at the receiver position behind Alshon Jeffery. Don't get me wrong, Kevin White, Eddie Royal and Martellus Bennett are decent pass catchers, they can't fill Marshall's shoes. The defense really lacks depth.

NFC South
New Orleans Saints: 9-7*
New Orleans took a bit of a hit on the offensive side of the ball, when they sent Jimmy Graham to the Seahawks. They still have a high powered offense with Marques Colston, and Brandin Cooks being able to catch passes from Drew Brees. The running tandom of Mark Ingram and C.J. Spiller is going to be tough to go against for an opposing defense. New Orleans defense is solid, but what helps the Saints out is their favorable schedule. But the biggest thing that the Saints are going to have to work on from last year is their play at home. They were bad at the Superdome last season, something they really need to improve apon this year if they want to win the division.

Atlanta Falcons: 8-8
They're going to be in contention with the Saints for the division title this season. Mike Smith is out, being replaced by Dan Quinn. Its going to be a big change of pace on the sideline for the Falcons. They have a high powered offense. Matt Ryan has his go to targets in Roddy White and Julio Jones. The running game could be good, depending on how well Devonta Freeman plays. Atlanta has a decent Defense, which is going to make things interesting near the top of the NFC South this season.

Carolina Panthers: 6-10
That record is being nice to the Panthers. yes they have probably the best defense in the entire division, and that's saying something. They brought back ten of their eleven starters from last season, a year in which the Panthers had one of the top ten defenses in the entire league. Its the offense that could hurt Carolina this year. Yes Cam Newton is a great QB, but is he a miracle worker? Without Kelvin Benjamin, who's out with a torn ACL, its putting more pressure on Greg Olsen and Ted Ginn Jr. Its going to be a rough year in Carolina.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 4-12
Some interesting things are going to take place in Tampa Bay this season. The passing game has targets in Mike Evans and Vincent Jackson. Plus a returning and healthy Doug Martin should take some of the pressure off the pass game. But the question mark is going to be Jameis Winston. Can the kid adjust to life in the NFL and is he really as good as his Heisman year in college? Will it even translate well to the NFL game? Only time will tell. With the schedule the Bucs have and with a decent defense, it could be a long year in Tampa.

NFC West
Seattle Seahawks: 13-3*
The Legion Of Boom is still one of the most feared defenses in the entire league. That's not going to change. The offense actually got better, at least at the big positions. Jimmy Graham was brought in to play tight end, adding yet another weapon to aid QB Russell Wilson. Graham joins Marshawn Lynch, Jermaine Kearse and Doug Baldwin. Seattle was one call away from a second consecutive Super Bowl, it's tough to imagine how much that play will have an effect going forward. One thing for certain is losing Max Unger at center will hurt. Opening on the road at St. Louis and Green Bay should tell us a bunch about whether this prediction is out of the box. Still I think the Seahawks are the best team in the West and are going to prove that again this season.

St. Louis Rams: 10-6*
Its been a long time in St. Louis. The Rams haven't had a team finish at .500 or better since the 2004 rams went 8-8 and made it to the Divisional Round of the playoffs (they were blown out 47-17 by Atlanta). Now the Rams have a quarterback, in Nick Foles, who has had a better track record of staying healthy (at least compared to Sam Bradford), throw in a decent pass attack and you might have something. Catch potentially battered Seahawks in opener and may not get full dose of Le'Veon Bell in his Week 3 debut. After Oct. 11 game at Lambeau Field, Rams leave St. Louis once in subsequent five weeks, good time for Nick Foles to find groove.

Arizona Cardinals: 9-7
Arizona has a pretty good schedule ahead of them this season. They have an average defense in Arizona, which could hold up and keep them in a couple of games. Arizona finished last year on a three game losing streak, a lot of that had to do with the fact that Carson Palmer was hurt. He's going to be key for the Cards this season. Palmer needs to stay healthy if Arizona wants to stay around and get back to the playoffs for a 2nd year in a row. The Cards still have Larry Fitzgerald, who is still a star in this league but is getting up there in age and isn't quite the explosive receiver he once was. Arizona lacks a running game, Sure they have Chris Johnson, but he's second string behind Andre Ellington, which says a lot. The Cards are still very good but they can't overcome the Rams and Seahawks

San Francisco 49ers: 3-13
San Francisco is taking a major step backwards. Jim Harbaugh is out, having left to coach at Michigan. In to replace him is Jim Tomsula, looking to try and bring the 49ers back, but this year it's not going to happen. Reggie Bush comes in to replace Frank Gore in the backfield, while Anquan Boldin and Vernon Davis are really the only bigtime targets for Colin Kaepernick to throw to. Torrey Smith isn't that special. A schedule that includes the AFC North and NFC North doesn't look particularly forgiving to a team that lost so many key vets to retirement and is adjusting to regime change as well.

Switching gears, lets head over and look at the American Football Conference

AFC East
New England Patriots:13-3*
Ever since the 2000 season, the AFC East title has gone through New England. Well almost every season (2002 it was the Jets and 2008 the title went to Miami) the Patriots have been the class of the AFC East. This year is going to be no different. Tom Brady will not miss any games as the suspensions was lifted. So he will take very snap again, unless he gets hurt. Defensively they lost Revis, but there's still plenty of talent on that side of the ball, but Malcolm Butler will make up for it. With Brady calling the shots on offense and all the parts back from last season, the Patriots won't miss a beat.

Buffalo Bills: 10-6*
The streak comes to an end this season. Buffalo hasn't made the playoffs, or had a winning record for that matter, since 1998. This is the year that the streaks snap. Tyrod Taylor is the only question I really have with this team. Can the kid adjust quickly to the NFL? Matt Cassel and EJ Manuel sit behind him on the depth charts. I would have felt more comfortable with Cassel as the starter over Taylor. But when your throwing to Sammy Watkins, Percy Harvin and Charles Clay, it leaves you a little more hope. And when you have a guy like LeSean McCoy running the football, when he's healthy, it gives you a little confidence in the Bills. Then there's the defense. With Rex Ryan as head coach, you just know that the Buffalo defense is going to improve. They were a top five defense last year, and will be again this year. Its going to be good enough to get them into the playoffs.

Miami Dolphins: 10-6
Miami has not had a winning record since winning the division in 2008. That trend is going to be broken this season. Miami has a solid starting QB in the person of Ryan Tannehill. Kenny Stills and Greg Jennings (when fully healthy) are going to be threats for Tannehill to work with. The running game, powered by Lamar Miller, does leave a little to be desired. The offense is going to do enough scoring to get by. What's really going to carry this team is the defense. Cameron Wake was good, now throw in Ndamukong Suh to the mix and it makes the pass rush and the run defense even more dangerous.

New York Jets: 9-7
This one really pains me to say but its true. Sure the Jets defense looks a thousand times better than it did this time last season. Geno Smith is out with the Jaw injury, so Ryan Fitzpatrick will start (for now at least), with work in progress Bryce Petty as backup (for now at least). Fitzpatrick has weapons to work with, as in Eric Decker and newest addition Brandon Marshall. The run game is still solid with Chris Ivory taking the ball. What has me worried is how steady the QB position is. The defense got a lot better with the return of Revis and Cromartie. The pass rush will be good once again, even with Sheldon Richardson missing the first four games due to suspension. Leonard Williams will have some big shoes to fill, but will be able to hold the fort till Sheldon returns. The Jets won't have as demanding a stretch of lethal QB's like they did last season, but its going to be a interesting ride for new head coach Todd Bowels and Company.

AFC North:
Pittsburgh Steelers: 10-6*
Its going to be a battle this year between them and the Ravens (once again) for the division. Le'Veon Bell is going to miss the first two games of the season, so DeAngelo Williams will be able to pick up some of the slack. Big Ben is coming off a record setting season a year ago, he still has weapons to work with like Antonio Brown, Martavis Bryant and Heath Miller. Although the Steelers are far removed from anything that resembles a steel curtain, they know how to put points on the board. And whether you win 35-31 or 17-13, a win is a win. They should have enough to take the division.

Baltimore Ravens: 9-7*
There is one thing that the Ravens have over the Steelers, that is their defense. Terrell Suggs is the longest tenured defender on that team, but there's still plenty of talent to go around on this team.Joe Flacco is still, well, Joe Flacco. One of the better QB's in the league, he's not quite near Big Ben's relm. Yes they have Steve Smith Sr (who's in his final season in the NFL) to catch passes and Justin Forsett running the football. I just don't think they can go punch for punch with the Pittsburgh offense. Baltimore's defense will be good enough to get them into the playoffs.

Cincinnati Bengals: 8-8
For a team facing consistency issues, a tough schedule in the first half might just put the Bengals in a precarious spot. To once again be a serious competitor in this tough division, they'll have to figure out a way to get more out of their defense that has steadily declined as of late. Cincy has a decent receiving core, but the question mark is going to be Andy Dalton. He's inconsistent, which is why the Bengals didn't do so hot near playoff time last year. The Bengals will come up short this year but still finish .500

Cleveland Browns: 4-12
With 21 interceptions last season, the Browns defense knows how to stop their opponents' passing game. But they don't fare as well against the run. Throw in the fact that they picked up Brian Hartline to the passing game and add in Dwayne Bowe to catch passes Cleveland doesn't have a QB. Johnny Manzel isn;t quite ready yet to take over the position

AFC South
Indianapolis Colts: 13-3*
One of the best teams in not only the AFC but the entire league may have gotten that much better. Sure they play in one of the weakest divisions in the NFL, but they may also be one of the most balanced teams in the entire league. Vontae Davis and Robert Mathis lead a stout and very tough defense. But lets look at the offense shall we. Andrew Luck is turning, quite quickly, into one of the elite level QB's in the entire leage. He has Frank Gore to hand the ball off to, even at 32 he may still have something left in the tank to prove. Andre Johnson, T.Y. Hilton and Dwayne Allen are all expected to have big years this year. This team is just oo good not to go on another deep playoff run.

Houston Texans: 7-9
With Houston, its the defense that stands above all else. J.J. Watt is the best defensive player in the game, hands down the best player at his position. Add in Vince Wilfork to that line and its going to be tough to defend against. Then add in a healthy Jadeveon Clowney, and its going to be even more lethal for teams to play against. Last year, the Texans finished above .500, but this year they flip the script and finish below .500. The Texans are going to have the 3rd easiest schedule in the entire NFL. BUt there's a few question marks on offense. Arian Foster is dealing with an injury bug and will miss a couple games at the start of the year. Brian Hoyer is now the one under center throwing the football, and Hoyer isn't the greatest QB in the world. He's not horrible but he's not great. The receiving core is OK but nothing special. Still there's enough talent to get them over .500.

Jacksonville Jaguars: 5-11
Yeah this team isn't going to be that good. Yes Blake Bortles has some upside, but that's about it. The Jaguars seem like they are moving in the right direction, as they get some of their youngsters a bit more experience. However, losing the No. 3 overall pick in the draft (Dante Fowler) doesn't exactly foreshadow moments of greatness are on the immediate horizon.

Tennessee Titans: 4-12
Tennessee now has something going for it at Quarterback with Marcus Mariota slinging the football. He has a couple of weapons to work with in Bishop Sankey and Kendall Wright, but that's about it. The defense is average at best. Let's have some patience with Marcus Mariota, who inherits a last-place schedule that still features trips to New Orleans and the AFC East gauntlet.

AFC West:
Denver Broncos: 11-5*
Nothing different in this division that's for sure. Peyton Manning has one maybe two good years left in the tank. Her has weapons to work with on offense, guys like Demaryius Thomas, Emmanuel Sanders, and Owen Daniels in the passing game. C.J. Anderson is going to take over the running game. What has me worried a little bit is the depth in Denver. If anybody on offense gets hurt, then the Broncos are going to be in a bit of trouble. Defense in Denver is going to be good once again.

San Diego Chargers: 9-7
This team could be in for another successful season this year. Philip Rivers still has stuff in the tank to try and prove. The backfield got an overhaul, what with Ryan Matthews leaving for the Eagles, so Branden Oliver will now get the bulk of the carries. Keenan Allen and Malcom Floyd are going to be getting the bulk of the passes. San Diego has a pretty balanced offense. Defense looks alright too, so the Chargers are going to be able to lock down another winning season.

Kansas City Chiefs: 8-8
With RB Jamaal Charles and OLB Justin Houston, they have a bona fide superstar on each side of the ball. But will either get enough help to make playoff return? O-line's ability to coalesce may be the key. Offense looks like it can hang, depending on the play of Alex Smith. Defense can hold its own but schedule is going to be interesting.

Oakland Raiders: 5-11
Having Michael Crabtree and rookie Amari Cooper catching passes from Derek Carr is going to help the young QB. But lets face facts the Raiders are just a bad team. But the foundation is quickly improving, and new coach Jack Del Rio worked some miracles under similar circumstances in Jacksonville.

Super Bowl 50
Indianapolis Colts over Green Bay Packers

There you have it the predictions for the 2015 NFL Season!

(All predictions were made BEFORE the start of the 2015 season)