Key Dates For NHL

We talk about the big dates for the NHL. The big games marked off during the course of the season. Winter Classic, All Star Game, Olympic break, things like that. The Winter Classic is happening on New Years Day, a game which features the Blues and Wild from Target Field in Minnesota. We have a two week break for the Olympics this year. Oh there's more. The League just announced more key dates. 

-Monday, March 21 - NHL Trade Deadline (3 p.m. ET)
-Friday, April 29 - Last day of the NHL regular season
-Monday, May 2 - Start of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs
-Thursday, June 30 - Last possible day of the Stanley Cup Final
-Thursday, July 7 - Round 1 of the 2022 NHL Draft
-Friday, July 8 - Rounds 2-7 of the 2022 NHL Draft
-Wednesday, July 13 - Opening of NHL Free Agency (12 p.m. ET)

Any hockey fan can tell you, that the two most fun days on the hockey calendar, that have nothing to do with games being played, are trade deadline and free agency. Trade deadline is always fun to see what blockbuster moves are going to be made by the buyers and sellers. Then there's free agency kickoff. It's like Christmas morning for hockey fans. Seeing what big names get signed where, we're checking sites every minute or so to see who got moved.

Best & Worst NFL Week Three

Three games into the NFL season and we got plenty of good stuff to talk about. We had a record setting day for kickers and kick returns. We had owners getting booed in both New York (John Mara during Eli's jersey retirement) and in Detroit (Shelia Ford Hamp got booed during Calvin Johnson's Hall of Fame ceremony). We also had big upsets and thrillers taking place all around the NFL this past week, so lets not waste any more time. Here's some of the best, and worst, from the week that was in the league.

Best: Justin Tucker, Kicker, Baltimore Ravens
This one was the easiest thing to pick for the entire weekend. He has gone down as one of, if not the greatest kickers in the history of the NFL, and Sunday he showed the whole world why. Baltimore is going back and forth with Detroit all day and at the end of the day it came down to the leg of Justin Tucker. When called upon to come up with a big kick at the big moment, Tucker comes through. And he did on Sunday, hitting the game winning field goal as time expired. That happens a lot in the NFL. But what makes this kick more impressive was the distance. Tucker hit the game winning kick from 66 yards out. Yes, you read that correctly. A sixty six yard kick to win the game. Most impressive.

Worst: Matt Prater, Kicker Arizona Cardinals
We now switch from what was to what almost was. Hey, look Arizona still got the win regardless, beating the Jaguars 31-19. That's not what sticks out here, it's what almost sticks out that counts. Matt Prater has been known for hitting big kicks. He's got more kicks of 50 or more yards in NFL history than anybody, having hit 60 of them in his career. But it was this one that came short on Sunday that stung a little. Prater had a shot at a 68 yard kick, that's with the ball being right at mid field. The kick was short. And then returned, by Jamal Agnew. All the way back. For a 109 yard touchdown. Ouch

Best: Tom Brady, Quarterback Tampa Bay Buccaneers
A little strange seeing this name here, given the fact that the Bucs did lose to the Rams 34-24, but more on that later. Brady was sacked three times, but to his credit, he did all that he could. There was no help from the run game for the Bucs either, which explains why Brady threw 55 passes. But he did complete 41 of those passes, one of them for a touchdown. Oh and he threw for an eye popping 432 yards. He was the only QB to throw for more than 400 yards. Is there anything that man can't do when it comes to throwing a football?

Worst: Ben Rothlesberger, Quarterback Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh now sits at 1-2 on the year. This coming after a 24-10 loss to a division rival in the Bengals. The problem with the Steelers is Big Ben isn't getting any younger. He has no line to help him and they try to cover up his problems by drafting Najee Harris in the first round. Don't get me wrong, Harris has been decent, but it's not enough to mask the fact that Ben isn't the guy he used to be. They need to find a way to pull the plug, as he has struggled badly. Its never a good sign when Ben has to throw the ball 58 times in a game. Oh and to make it worse, he only completed 38 of those passes. He was also sacked four times and picked off twice. Yikes.

Best: Bryan Edwards, Wide Receiver, Las Vegas Raiders
Not that many people had the Raiders pegged as an unbeaten team at this point in the season but here we stand. That's where we stand after the Raiders beat Miami 31-28 in Overtime on Sunday. Bryan Edwards is in his second year in the league and the 3rd round pick from 202 has done little this year to make much noise. Through four quarters on Sunday, he had just one catch for 23 yards. In overtime, Edwards shined, make two HUGE catches. One was for 30 yards, while the other went for 32 yards. He finished with there catches for 89 yards. Those two OT catches were critical in getting the win for the Raiders

Worst: Rookie QB's
If your names are Mac Jones, Zach Wilson, Justin Fields and Trevor Lawrence, your having a bad time. Through the first three weeks of the season, those four signal callers are a combined 1-9, with Wilson Fields and Lawrence each looking for their first career wins. Yes I get the fact that rookies have trouble adjusting to this league, and quarterbacks are no exception. Oh and it's also worth noting that Wilson and Lawrence are tied for the league lead with seven picks each.

Best: Los Angeles Football
Both teams that reside in Los Angeles looked great last week. Like really great. Start with the Rams, who beat the Bucs 34-24. Matthew Stafford threw for four touchdowns in the game. The Rams look like major players in the NFC West. As for the AFC West team in Los Angeles, Justin Herbert lead the Chargers to a big 30-24 win over Kansas City. Mike Williams had a big day with 122 receiving yards for the Chargers. Both teams from the City of Angels just beat the two teams that were in the Super Bowl last season. Unreal man, unreal.

Worst: New York Football
No I don't mean the team that actually place in the state of New York (Buffalo Bills duh). The teams with New York in their name have now gone a combined 0-6. And it seems like its the same song and dance with these two teams. The Jets look lost on the field and haven't put up much of any fight in these games. And the Giants have lost their games in heartbreaking fashion. It seems like, no matter how many things they try and change for the Giants and Jets, they are still the Giants and Jets

Best & Worst NFL Week Two

Week two has come and gone and what an eventful one it was. We still have nine teams sitting with unbeaten records: Rams, 49ers, Cardinals, Bucs Panthers, Broncos and Raiders. We also have a few teams such as the Jets, Jaguars, Colts, Giants, Lions, Vikings and Falcons who are all looking for their first wins on the season. Injuries are starting to pile up around a few spots as well. Indy is going to be without a QB for a while as Wentz is dealing with ankle issues. We also had some pretty high scoring games and bounce back performances in week two. With all that being said, here's a look back at some of the best and worst from week two.

Best: Lamar Jackson, Quarterback Baltimore Ravens
One of the biggest knocks against Lamar Jackson early in his career, is that he couldn't get it done against one of the heaviest hitters in the AFC. Jackson had never been able to beat Mahomes and the Chiefs in his career. Sunday, that finally happened. Baltimore knocked off the defending AFC Champions in a thrilling 36-35 win. The only downside in the pass game for Jackson was the fact that he got picked off twice. He also had completed under 20 passes on the day, finishing with just 18 completions. How then did he finish with a best performance? Because of his legs. He had 16 carries for 107 yards on the ground, being one of only four runners in the entire league this week to run for over 100 yards. And he's a quarterback! That's showing me flashes that Lamar still has the movement in his legs and is showing flashes of what we saw in his MVP year.

Worst: Rookie QB's
It not just rookie's who had a bad week, a few second year QB's underperformed this week as well. The worst offender for me of the bunch was Jets starter Zach Wilson, who got picked off four times in his second career start, this coming against New England. It seemed like every time you turned around, Wilson was throwing to a wrong colored jersey. We will get into the Jaguars in a bit, but top overall pick Trevor Lawrence looks like he is having a little trouble adjusting to the pro game. He's looking shakey at times over his first two starts in the Sunshine State. Mac Jones looked average against the Jets

Best: Derrick Henry, Running Back Tennessee Titans
One of the best running backs in football, Henry found his footing again in week two. Tennessee pulled off a big 33-30 win over Seattle, and in Seattle no less, and Henry was a big reason for that. Henry had 35 carries, for a league leading 182 yards and three scores. This should come as no surprise, as Henry is one of the best backs in the league. He had a down week, by his standards, in week one. But he bounced back nicely to lead all of the NFL in rush yards in week two. What makes this so good is that it was against what is considered not only one of the best rush defenses in the league, but doing it in a very tough place to play in Seattle.

Worst: Jacksonville Jaguars
This is getting off to a very rough start for Urban Meyer coaching in the NFL They got blasted in their home opener, 23-13, by the Broncos. This put them as one of the seven teams in the league without a win two weeks into the season. That's bad enough. To make it worse, the Jaguars put out a statement over social media, saying hang in there with us, we're going to get better. It's not even October yet and the Jaguars are already doing something like this. It's a red flag and its only two weeks into the season. Yikes

Best: Sam Darnold, Quarterback Carolina Panthers
One of the biggest surprises through the first two weeks of the season has been the Carolina Panthers. This week, they smacked around a decent Saints team to the tune of a 26-7 Panthers win. Sam Darnold had himself a day, throwing for 305 yards and a couple of touchdowns. Yes he got picked once, but he still had the two throwing touchdowns and he ran for another one. What's even better is that in his first two games of the year, he's thrown for over 275 yards in each game. Why is that a big deal? Well he never really did that much during his time with the Jets. He had done that a grand total of six times during his tenure in New York. You can tell from his play in the first two games, he's more comfortable and is in a better system here in Carolina than he was during his time in New York

Worst: Miami Dolphins
I guess somebody forgot to wake the Dolphins up Sunday. A lot went wrong for Miami Sunday. First there was the fact that they got blasted 35-0 by the Bills. It was a complete no show by the Fins, who were expected to be a decent team this season, and still possibly could be. But, to add insult to injury, the Dolphins could be playing a little while without Tua Tungaviloa, who going to miss some time with a possible rib injury. It made a Sunday worse when the team laid a huge egg against the Bills. Granted it was playing Buffalo, who is still considered one of the top tier teams in the AFC. Still I'd like to think that, for a divisional game, Miami would have shown more life then they did.

Best: Cooper Kupp, Wide Receiver Los Angeles Rams
The Rams are starting to show again that they are a big threat in the NFC West. They are now 2-0 following a 27-24 win over the Colts. A big reason for that was Cooper Kupp. Nine catches, two of which were for touchdowns, went for 163 yards. He was playing like a man possessed on Sunday. Indy did all they could and still couldn't find a way to stop him. Kupp is showing flashes of having the potential to be a major threat again in the NFL. He's got the talent and skills and now he got a good quarterback under center again throwing to him. 

Worst: New York Giants Running Game
For the third year in a row, the Giants have started the season 0-2. This coming after a 30-29 loss to Washington on Thursday night. Sure, the stupid offside penalty at the end of the game hurt their cause. But what's showing up even worse is the lack of a run game. When quarterback Daniel Jones has lead the Giants in rushing in the teams first two games, there's a problem. Yes I know that Saquon Barkley is coming off the injury from a season ago. He's trying to get his legs back under him, but through the Giants first two games it's not happening. It's not just Barkley, its the Giants as a whole that are having trouble getting out of the blocks with the run game, which needs to improve and quickly if the Giants are going to have a chance to have an even halfway decent season

NHL Goes National

Sporting events. Where would they be without broadcasters. The men and women who make the games come alive. For somebody like me, listening to the broadcasters call the games (no matter the sport) is as much fun as the sporting event themselves. There are a rare and privileged few who have the skill level to be able to make their living calling the sports they love.

With the national television deal for the National Hockey League and NBC coming to an end at the end of last season, they needed to find a new television home on a national scale. Not only do they have one, they actually have two for the upcoming 2021-2022 season. ESPN and TNT will be the primary networks covering the league on national networks in the US. The networks have formally announced their on air staff for league coverage next season.

TNT:
Studio Hosts: Liam McHugh, Wayne Gretzky, Anson Carter, Rick Tocchet, Paul Bissonnette
Play By Play: Kenny Albert (Lead), Brendan Burke
Color Commentators: Eddie Olczyk (lead), Darren Pang, Keith Jones (inside the Glass)
Contributors: Jennifer Botterill, Tarik El-Bashir, Jackie Redmond

ESPN:
Studio Hosts: Barry Melrose, Mark Messier, Chris Chelios, Cassie Campbell-Pascall, Ryan Callahan, A.J. Mleczko, Rick DiPietro and Hilary Knight
Play By Play: Sean McDonough, Steve Levy, Leah Hextall, John Buccigross and Bob Wischusen
Color Commentators: Ray Ferraro, Bryan Boucher, Kevin Weeks
Contributors: Blake Bolden, Emily Kaplan, Greg Wyshynski

As far as what channels are covering what games, here is what is known so far. ESPN will carry 75 games on either ESPN+ or HULU. Then an additional 25 games will be carried on cable by either ESPN or ABC, while ESPN has exclusive rights to opening night games, the All-Star Game, and other "special events". ABC will air four of the seven games during the Stanley Cup Finals.

As for Turner sports, they have the rights to up to 72 exclusive national games per-season, which can air on either TNT or TBS, as well as the rights to the NHL Winter Classic. Turner will have national rights for the Stanley Cup Finals in odd number years beginning in 2023

Winners & Losers NFL Week One

Week One of the NFL season is in the books, and what a wild week it was. We had high scoring games all over the place, with a couple of games having to go to overtime. Some of the rookies this year had impressive debuts, while some other veterans had come up short in the opener. There's a lot to get into so lets dive right into it. Here's some of the best and worst from week one.

Best: Joe Mixon, Running Back Cincinnati Bengals
You wanna talk about having yourself a week, that's what happened with joe Mixon on Sunday. In the Bengals 27-24 win over the Vikings, Mixon was the star of the show for the Bengals. Nothing against Joe Burrow who had a fine day, but Mixon really was the star, carrying the ball 29 times for 127 yards and a touchdown. He kept the Bengals offense going in a tight affair against Minnesota. Now its a question of can he do it again, or something close to it, next weekend in Chicago?

Worst: Green Bay Packers Offense
This was, by far and away, the toughest and most embarrassing loss for anybody in week one. I mean, you'd like to think that the Packers would have shown some effort and heart, but that wasn't the case, as the Saints rolled over the Packers to the tune of a 38-3 win. Rogers threw a couple of interceptions (in fact he threw half of his total from last season in this game alone). The defense couldn't stop a beach ball and New Orleans was all over them from start to finish. Yes it is only week one and yes the Saints are a solid team, but still its something that shows some signs of concern if you're Green Bay.

Best: Chandler Jones, Linebacker Arizona Cardinals
This was a huge statement game for the Cardinals, on both sides of the football. But what stood out most in the Cardinals 38-13 win over the Titans, was its defense. most notably the play of Chandler Jones. The big story was JJ Watt in his first game in the desert, but it turned into the Chandler Jones show. He had five sacks, to lead all defenders league wide. Oh, and that also set a franchise record for Arizona for a single game. He finished runner up for the defensive player of the year two years ago, the season in which he finished with his career high for sacks with 19. Now that he's in a new setting in Arizona, and has JJ Watt playing next to him, this could be a big season for Jones if game one was any indication.

Worst: Urban Meyer, Head Coach Jacksonville Jaguars
Making the transition from coaching in College to the pros isn't easy. Urban Meyer found out the hard way in his debut at the pro level. his Jaguars got blasted 37-21 by the Texans. Talk about a rude awakening into the league. Oh, but that's only the half of it. There have been several reports floating around that there were several issues with Meyer and his own players as early as Sunday morning. Combine that with the negativity around college coaches adjusting to the NFL and it doesn't mix well. The result of his first game wasn't helping matters for Meyer. He better get this figured out with his team, and better get it figured out quick.

Best: Tyreek Hill, Wide Receiver Kansas City Chiefs
It's been known for a long time now that Hill is one of the very best receivers to every step foot on an NFL field. In the Chiefs first game of the year on Sunday, a 33-29 win over a very game Browns team, Hill did, well, Hill things. Eleven catches for 197 yards and a touchdown. Yeah Hill is kind of good. He was able to outdo Deebo Samuel's 189 yard performance, which is saying a lot. But then again, its Tyreek Hill after all

Worst: Tennessee Titans Defense
We touched on it earlier what the Cardinals defense did against the Titans. But now here's what it looked like from the other side. Not only did they give up 38 points, but they looked horrible in doing so to boot. Shane Bowen, the Titans defensive coordinator had no answer, or adjustments for that matter, for Kyler Murray. Kyler was kinda good on Sunday, threw for 289 yards, four touchdowns, and added another on the ground. That's not to take anything away from the Arizona offense, which is good and has the potential to be very good. But this shows horrible signs on Shane Bowen's defense for not being able to adjust. Yes it's just one game, but could be possible cause for future concern in Tennessee.

Best: Las Vegas Raiders
One of the wilder games of the opening week closed out the week. Vegas pulled out a 33-27 overtime win. IT was an insane game with an amazing final drive at the end of regulation to even tie the game as time expired. Then they thought they won half way through OT, came up short. Made a huge defensive stop before finally winning the game. This game showed a lot for the Raiders, it was a statement game. It proved that they aren't going to be a pushover this year. The raiders are going to make a lot of noise.

Worst: New England Patriots Run Game

Its bad enough that the Patriots lost their season opener. It made it even worse losing to a divisional opponent. That's what happened in week one, which was a 17-16 loss to the Dolphins. Yes, Damien Harris had 100 yards on the ground on 23 carries. But he and Rhamondre Stevenson both lost fumbles. And both of those fumbles came at the worst possible times. The Harris fumble was the worst one, coming on the Patriots final drive on the nine yard line with just over three minutes left. The coaching staff won't tolerate such nonsense and if things don't shape up, expect some major changes to come in new England and quickly

2021 NFL Season Preview

The time has arrived. The National Football League is set to kick off the 102 season in the history of the league. All 32 teams start the season with the same clean slate, all trying to end up at SoFi Stadium on February 13th, playing for the game's ultimate prize. A few major changes have been made to the league this year, the biggest one being adding an extra week to the regular season. Everyone keeps the bye and will now play a seventeen game regular season.

Lot of faces have changed places since the end of last season. We start with the coaches as Atlanta (Arthur Smith), Detroit (Dan Campbell), Houston (David Culley), Jacksonville (Urban Meyer), LA Chargers (Brandon Staley), NY Jets (Robert Saleh), and Philadelphia (Nick Sirianni) all have new head coaches.

We also have players switching places as well. Matthew Stafford and Jared Geoff were traded for each other. Carson Wentz got traded to the Colts, Sam Darnold to Carolina, Teddy Bridgewater to Tennessee, Julio Jones to Atlanta have all been via the trade market. Andy Dalton (Chicago), Ryan Fitzpatrick (Washington), Mitchell Trubisky (Buffalo), Tevin Coleman (Jets), Wayne Gallman (San Francisco), Mark Ingram Jr. (Houston), Phillip Lindsay (Houston), Sammy Watkins (Baltimore), Nelson Agholor (New England), Corey Davis (Jets), Will Fuller (Miami), A. J. Green (Arizona), and Kenny Golladay (Giants), are just a few of the big names that have changed teams this offseason

So here we go. Here's how we see the NFL season going down for 2021!

NFC West:
1. Los Angeles Rams: 12-5*
2. Seattle Seahwaks: 12-5 (WC)*
3. San Francisco 49ers: 11-6 (WC)*
4. Arizona Cardinals: 6-11

A second place finish in the West last year for the Rams will now be flipped on its head to a first place title win, thanks to having all the weapons back from last year and adding a solid starting QB in Matthew Stafford. No promise how long Stafford will be able to be THE guy in Los Angeles, but he gives the Rams the presence under center they really need. The Seahawks are going to be without KJ Wright for the first time, since he signed on with a new team, so it changes the dynamics of the Seahawks defense, But with Russell Wilson still under center, Seattle should still be a bigtime threat. What's going to get the 49ers back into the fold is health. Jimmy Garoppolo, Raheem Mostert, George Kittle, Deebo Samuel, Nick Bosa and Jaquiski Tartt are all back and healthy and that's going to make a big difference. Still be tough to compete with Seattle and LA but the healthy guys back will be a big improvement for the Niners. As for the Cardinals, it going to be an interesting season in the desert. They added JJ Watt and AJ Green, but how well is Kyler Murray going to progress? With the wheels falling off for the Cards at the end of last year, tihey hoping to not have it repeat the same again this year.

NFC South:
1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 12-5*
2. New Orleans Saints: 9-8
3. Carolina Panthers: 8-9
4. Atlanta Falcons: 5-14

Very different look to the South this year. The top is going to remain the same as the Buccaneers are going to be really hard to play against again this season. The champs brought back almost the entire roster from last season, which was a high powered offense and one of the best defensive units in the entire league. Don't be surprised if the Bucs have another deep playoff run in them again this year. The dropoff here comes behind the champs. The Saints are going to try to win the division again for the fifth year in a row, but its going to be a tough task without having Drew Brees under center. Having Jameis Winston take over is a bit of a roll of the dice, but there still enough weapons here, New Orleans can still finish with an above .500 record. New QB under center for the Panthers could lead to a higher standard. Sam Darnold now gets a fresh start in a new city, gets reunited with an old friend in Robbie Anderson, and gets a healthy Christian McCaffery to hand the ball off to. Panthers may miss the playoffs, but it will be a big improvement from last year. Big question in my mind is what does Matt Ryan have left in the tank for the Falcons? Sure he has a new weapon to work with in Kyle Pitts at tight end and he still has Calvin Ridley to throw to as well. Other then that, there leaves a lot to be desired in Atlanta.

NFC North
1. Green Bay Packers 13-4*
2. Chicago Bears: 8-9
3. Minnesota Vikings: 8-9
4. Detroit Lions: 4-13

We can argue this till we are blue in the face, but facts are, this North division is still the Packers division And this is going to be done with an angry Aaron Rogers, who's got something he wants to prove to Packers management. Also, the Pack have one of the most dynamic offenses in the game today, making it even harder for them to beat. The rest of the division is tough to pick. The Bears have the defense that can keep them around .500 this year, as it has the talent to be a top ten defense. Questions remain in Chicago on the other side of the ball. Nick Foles will be starting under center and how healthy and effective is he going to be? Receivers could be good but otherwise, meh. Same thing can kind of be said for the Vikings as well. Still have a massive threat in Dalvin Cook running the ball, but Kirk Cousins still has to really prove he was worth that contract and then some. The Vikings are good but not quite where they need to be to get over the hump. Then you have the Lions, who are going to be in the basement this year. Stafford gone and in comes Jared Geoff, trying to get himself back on the right track. Even so, he's got no real weapons to work with. Gonna be a long year in the Motor City.

NFC East
1. Washington Football Team: 10-7*
2. Dallas Cowboys: 9-8 (WC)*
3. New York Giants: 8-9
4/ Philadelphia Eagles: 6-11

This division was a tough one to try and figure out between the top three teams. What sticks out about Washington was, and is, a dark horse in this division. Ryan Fitzpatrick is taking over under center in DC and could still have a little more magic left in those legs and that arm of his. They may not have the flashiest team in this division, but Washington has a balanced team and could do it again this year. Next best team to challenge them this year are the Cowboys, who if healthy could disrupt a lot of people plans. The boys get the services back of Dak this year. Zek looking to have a bounce back year and when they have Lamb and Cooper in the receiving game, the Boys could be good. Just depends on the defense. IF all stays the course, it will be enough to help the Boys make the playoffs. Another big test is going to come from the Giants, who have some of the same questions. Big Blue could be good on the defensive side of the football, its just the offense has some things to look at. Daniel Jones is going into his 3rd year, now with a healthy Sequan Barkley in the back field and Kenny Golliday joining a pretty good receiving core. New York is just hoping it can mesh well. Then there's the Eagles, who could be in for a long season. Jalen Hurts now gets fully control in Philly and he's got a new weapon to work with in DeVonta Smith. But outside of him and Zach Ertz, the pass catching game doesn't look too good, neither does the run game. Gonna be a long year in the city of brotherly love.

AFC West:
1. Kansas City Chiefs: 13-4*
2. Los Angeles Chargers: 10-7 (WC)*
3. Denver Broncos: 9-8
4. Las Vegas Raiders: 6-11

The Chiefs are the defending champions of the AFC West, and they'll be back on top of the mountain again this year. The core group of the AFC Champions is still here in tact, with Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce leading the offensive charge. Darius Harris leads the defensive unit which is still as solid as it was a year ago, so don't be surprised if KC has another deep run in them. This is a Chargers team that's coming off an under .500 season a year ago, but will be able to build off that. Justin Herbert has some weapons to be able to work with. New Head Coach Brandon Staley can give Herbert what he needs to not only be good, but take his game to the next level. This team is taking steps in the right direction. In a battle for the lower half of the division, the Broncos are the one team that can finish right or around .500. Teddy Bridgewater takes over under center and has Melvin Gordon and Jerry Jrudy to work with, so that's something to go off of. And having Von Miller leading the defense could keep them in a few games. They seem like they could be a possible hit and miss team. Then there's the Raiders, bringing up the rear, re loading their team with talent. Carr and Mariotta are going to be figuring out who's under center this year. They have weapons with Drake in the backfield and Ruggs catching passes but it doesn't leave much hope. Vegas defense leaves something to be desired.

AFC South:
1. Tennessee Titans: 10-7*
2. Indianapolis Colts: 9-8
3. Jacksonville Jaguars: 5-12
4. Houston Texans: 2-15

Big changes were made for the Titans, a team that's already got high hopes for this season. Ryan Tannehill has plenty of weapons to work with on offense. Derek Henry is back as one of the best running backs in the league and Julio Jones was added as another major threat in the passing game. The defense in the music city isn't exactly elite, but they are very good never the less and will keep things going quite well for the Titans. The Colts are coming off the playoff appearance last season, and are now looking to Carson Wentz to help build off what they saw last season. For the pass game to do anything, they have to rely on Mo Alie Cox and when he healthy TY Hilton. If healthy, they should be able to complement the run game of Nyheim Hines and Marlon Mack. Defense looks like it could hang around a bit and keep the team in a few games, but not much to write home about. Then there's the Jaguars, who are looking to the future with Trevor Lawrence now under center. Carlos Hyde and Marvin Jones are going to be the primary weapons for Lawrence to work with. There's no doubt that the Jacksonville defense can keep them in a lot of games, the question is can the offense match suit? Finally the Texans, who look to move on to life without JJ Watt in the lineup on defense. Meaning there's a huge hole in that front seven to be filled in over in Houston. The defense could be a problem for the Texans, which might not be able to say the same about the offense which totally retooled. Tyrod Taylor is starting the year under center with Watson hurt. He got two new running backs and a couple new deep threats to work with. But there's no promises and it could be a long season in Houston.

AFC North:
1. Cleveland Browns: 12-5*
2. Baltimore Ravens: 11-6 (WC)*
3. Pittsburgh Steelers: 10-7 (WC)*
4. Cincinnati Bengals: 6-11

Pending a massive fall off, the Browns should be the team to take this division this year. This defense, lead by Myles Garrett, is poised to be a top ten, even a top five, defense again this season. On the offensive side of the ball, Baker Mayfield has weapons a plenty. His got Beckham and Laundry as his top targets to throw to, and with Chubb running the ball behind him, its going to be a good year in Cleveland. As for the Ravens, this is going to be a return to force in Baltimore. Lamar Jackson has good targets to throw to in Watkins and Andrews, while Gus Edwards will be running the ball. It all depends on the play of Jackson, who's looking to bounce back to his MVP form. This defense could be good in Baltimore, scary good. This could be a return to a winning season for the Steelers this year. Rothlesberger has four rookies to work with this year, his 19th year in the NFL. New running back in Najee Harris gives s a ground game to balance with Ju Ju. Chase and Ray Ray catching passes. The defense can still be good and with Mike Tomlin running the ship, you know that Pittsburgh is going to be in the fight. As for bringing up the rear of the division is the Bengals, who are still working on building themselves up in the right direction. Joe Burrow's back and healthy but he's lost weapons on his side of the ball. He got Boyd to throw to still but no Green. Mixon is back in the backfield which is good, but that's about it. This defense has taken a step backwards and this is going to be a long season in Cincy.

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

This one is easy to pick, it's the Bills division, the rest are just living in it. Buffalo added to its defense by bringing in Greg Rousseau and Carlos Basham, which is going to make a good defense even better. Josh Allen has plenty of targets in Diggs and Beasley back in the fold, and now he has Matt Braida in the backfield with Singletery. Buffalo is going to be very tough to beat again this season and will be right in the thick of things as one of the best teams in the entire conference. Behind them we see a change as the Dolphins will finally take a step to the next level. Tua Time is in full effect in Miami, and even with Will Fuller and Allen Hurns out at the start of the year, they will be back and will jump right into the mix with a decent offense. Miami's defense will surprise a few people and make some noise. At least enough to be able to get them to ten wins on the year. The biggest drop off is going to be the Patriots, who are still getting used to life without Brady. Cam newton was a total bust and isn't on the team anymore, so now the starting job falls on Mac Jones. Jones is getting a revamped offense to now work with. Nelson Agulor is going to be the primary pass catcher, and with him, James White and Hunter Henry, they will make a little noise. The Patriots will be able to put up some fight but its going to be tough this year. Closing out this division is going to be the Jets, who if the stars align MIGHT be able to be a close to .500 team this season. Zach Wilson takes over at QB and the rookie has Keenan Cole, Tevin Coleman and Corey Davis to go along with Crowder and Mims. The defense has Shaq Lawson and a returning CJ Mosely so they might surprise you. But for new head coach Robert Salah it's going to be a rough introduction to the new market.