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julesrulessports · 3 years

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2021 NFL Mock Draft - With Mock Trades

It’s officially Draft Day, and I couldn’t be more excited! After many months of rumors and time spent watching film, I have put together my final mock draft, and it will include mock trades.

1: Jacksonville Jaguars - Trevor Lawrence (QB)

There’s not much needed to say here. Trevor Lawrence is a generational talent, someone that likely would’ve been the first overall pick after his freshman season. We’ve known for years that whoever landed the first pick of this year’s draft would turn in their card to select Lawrence as quickly as humanly possible. The Jaguars were just awful enough to be that team.

2: New York Jets - Zach Wilson (QB)

The Jets have had their eyes on Wilson ever since they played their way out of the Trevor Lawrence sweepstakes. Every year there’s a quarterback who surprisingly breaks out, and this year it was Wilson. While Lawrence is a generational talent, Wilson is more than just a consolation prize for New York.

3: San Francisco 49ers - Mac Jones (QB)

As much as I don’t want to buy into the rumors, it’s just about impossible not to when nearly the whole media world, including Ian Rapoport and Adam Schefter, is convinced that Mac Jones will be a 49er come Thursday. Jones is a high-floor, low-ceiling prospect. Kyle Shanahan wants a win-now quarterback who won’t take time to develop, and that’s why Jones fits.

4: Atlanta Falcons - Justin Fields (QB)

The Falcons seem to be choosing between Justin Fields and Kyle Pitts. I was 50/50 on this pick until two days ago, when reports came out saying the Falcons have been fielding offers for Julio Jones. That points to a rebuild, and if a rebuild is in the near-future for Atlanta, Fields is the pick.

5: Cincinnati Bengals - Ja’Marr Chase (WR)

Joe Burrow has been pushing for Ja’Marr Chase, and deservedly so. Both Burrow and Chase set record after record in LSU’s 2019-20 National Championship season. While protecting Burrow with Penei Sewell makes plenty of sense, any player that can help Burrow will be a great addition for the Bengals, especially if it pleases the franchise quarterback.

6: Miami Dolphins - Kyle Pitts (TE)

Here again, Penei Sewell makes sense. That being said, rumors are the Dolphins traded back up from #12 to #6 in order to get an offensive weapon. Kyle Pitts is just about the best non-quarterback in the draft, running and catching like a wide receiver while being in the mold of a tight end. He compares to Darren Waller, though possibly better if he gets anywhere close to his potential.

7: New England Patriots (via Detroit Lions) - Trey Lance (QB)

Rumors came out yesterday that the Patriots are willing to go as far as including star cornerback Stephon Gilmore in a trade in order to move into the top ten, and that truly shows how confident they are in this year’s quarterback class. While it would be no easy task making the jump from #15 to #7, Bill Belichick certainly has his eyes on a quarterback or two, along with the aggressiveness to make a big move. Under the coaching of Belichick and some time to learn from Cam Newton, Lance could grow into the best player from this year’s draft class.

8: Los Angeles Chargers (via Carolina Panthers) - Penei Sewell (OT)

It’s no secret that the Chargers are interested in Penei Sewell, and the Panthers are fielding trade offers, making this a match made in heaven. The Chargers can land a franchise left tackle, giving him the task of protecting former Oregon teammate Justin Herbert’s blindside for years to come in hopes of putting together a dangerous offense.

9: Denver Broncos - Rashawn Slater (OL)

Rashawn Slater has the ability to play all five positions along the offensive line, though he primarily played tackle at the collegiate level. Whether the Broncos decide to put him opposite Garrett Bolles or along the interior of the offensive line, he has a high floor along with an equally high ceiling. Between the targets Drew Lock already has, plus the addition of Slater, Denver would be giving the young quarterback everything he needs to succeed.

10: Dallas Cowboys - Patrick Surtain II (CB)

Patrick Surtain II is the son of a three-time Pro Bowl, one time All-Pro cornerback, and the younger Surtain may be the better. This is a perfect pick for the Cowboys, as value meets need.

11: New York Giants - DeVonta Smith (WR)

There are many who love DeVonta Smith, and Joe Judge is one. Smith became one of four receivers to win the Heisman, and the first in 20 years. While his weight is a concern, his talent is far from one. He has great hands and is a major threat once the ball is in them.

12: Eagles - Jaycee Horn (CB)

Jaycee Horn is the son of four-time Pro Bowl receiver Joe Horn. He’s the best press-man corner in the draft, using his size to jam receivers at the line of scrimmage and disrupt their route. The Eagles could also go with Jaylen Waddle, but rumors are they’re looking for one of the top two corners.

13: Carolina Panthers (via Los Angeles Chargers) - Micah Parsons (MLB)

After gathering more picks in a trade-back, the Panthers go with the best player available, Micah Parsons. Parsons is a sideline-to-sideline linebacker that has a nose for the ball. He always seems to be making plays, and he can go a long way in helping the Panthers build a young, disruptive defense.

14: Minnesota Vikings - Jaelan Phillips (EDGE)

What the future has in store for Danielle Hunter is a major unknown. Minnesota desperately needs to get some young bodies into the front seven. Jaelan Phillips ran a sub-4.60 second 40-yard dash at 6’ 5”, 260 lbs, and not only does he have superb athleticism, he also has the skills to go along with it. Phillips is the most talented edge rusher in the draft, but his injury history is concerning, even forcing him to temporarily retire from football. With the 14th pick, the Vikings can take the chance on him.

15: Detroit Lions (via New England Patriots) - Jaylen Waddle (WR)

The Lions pull off their ideal scenario, as they trade back while selecting a wide receiver they’re currently considering at #7. Jaylen Waddle was neck-and-neck with DeVonta Smith as Mac Jones’ best target until a broken ankle knocked him out for most of the season.

16: Arizona Cardinals - Zaven Collins (MLB)

The Cardinals need to upgrade on the defensive side of the ball, and Zaven Collins can help them do exactly that. At his pro day, the linebacker weighed in at 6’ 4”, 259 lbs, and despite the size, Collins logged a Relative Athletic Score of 9.54/10. The size and athleticism shows on tape, with it being difficult not to see him flying around the field and making play after play on the ball.

17: Oakland Raiders - Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (MLB)

The Raiders invested quite a bit of money in the linebacker position last offseason, but the defense still needs to be improved upon. Owusu-Koramoah has excellent range and can make play after play on the ball.

18: Miami Dolphins - Najee Harris (RB)

After adding Kyle Pitts to the offense, the Dolphins grab the best running back in this year’s draft. Not only would Tua Tagovailoa have the targets he needs to succeed, he’d also have the run game to lean on with the addition of Harris.

19: Washington Football Team - Christian Darrisaw (OT)

After adding wide receiver Curtis Samuel via free agency, offensive line is Washington’s biggest need. Christian Darrisaw is raw but oozes with potential.

20: Chicago Bears - Teven Jenkins (OT)

The Bears need to insert some young bodies into the offensive line, and selecting Jenkins would do exactly that. The former Oklahoma State offensive tackle is extremely powerful, creating big holes for the run game.

21: New Orleans Saints (via Indianapolis Colts) - Caleb Farley (CB)

Last week, Sean Payton identified cornerback as the Saints’ biggest need. They have interest in Caleb Farley and believe they’ll need to move above the Titans to land him. Farley was widely regarded as the second best corner in this year’s draft class up until an unfortunate back surgery caused him to slip down boards. While the back surgery is a concern, assuming he progresses well and reaches 100% or close to it, this would be a steal for New Orleans.

22: Tennessee Titans - Alijah Vera-Tucker (OL)

Offensive tackle has become a need yet again for Tennessee, as 2020 first round pick Isaiah Wilson struggled with off-the-field issues and was ultimately traded. The Titans can fill the need, this time with a high-character player who’s close to a sure thing. Vera-Tucker has the ability to play both tackle and guard at a high level.

23: New York Jets - Creed Humphrey (OL)

New York needs to address the center position early, and not only does Humphrey fill the need, but he’d be a good value pick.

24: Pittsburgh Steelers - Samuel Cosmi (OT)

The Steelers offensive line regressed last season, and they recently lost tackle Alejandro Villanueva in free agency. Cosmi is one of the best pass protectors in the draft class, arguably the best, and can be a key piece in rebuilding Pittsburgh’s offensive line.

25: Buffalo Bills (via Jacksonville Jaguars) - Travis Etienne

The Bills are interested in the former Clemson star, considering trading up for the running back. The Bills’ backfield is solid, but Etienne compares to Alvin Kamara with the potential to be better.

26: Cleveland Browns - Joe Tryon (EDGE)

The Browns revamped their secondary when acquiring John Johnson III and Troy Hill in free agency. Finding an edge rusher to pair opposite Myles Garrett was a top priority heading into the offseason, and it still should be even after the addition of Takkarist McKinley at the position. Tryon is athletic and he never takes a down off.

27: Baltimore Ravens - Kwity Paye (EDGE)

After losing both Yannick Ngakoue and Matt Judon in free agency, edge rusher has become a dire need for the Ravens. Kwity Paye is raw but versatile, with the ability to play standing up and with his hand in the dirt, and his athleticism (4.54 40 at 272 lbs) gives him lots of potential.

28: Indianapolis Colts (via New Orleans Saints) - Azeez Ojulari (EDGE)

Justin Houston, whose eight sacks ranked second on the Colts during the 2020 season, is currently a free agent and is unlikely to return. Denico Autry, who was third on the team with seven and a half sacks, signed elsewhere. The Colts desperately need an edge rusher, and Ojulari improved every season at Georgia, leading the SEC in sacks in 2020. This is a pick that marries need and value.

29: Green Bay Packers - Kadarius Toney (WR)

The Packers could use a wide receiver opposite Davante Adams, and Kadarius Toney would fit like a glove in Green Bay. Between his release, route running, hands, and ability to make plays after the catch, his playmaking is otherworldly.

30: Jacksonville Jaguars (via Buffalo Bills) - Trevon Moehrig (S)

The Jaguars filled their cornerback need by signing Shaquill Griffin, but the safety position could use some upgrading, especially with defensive backs being crucial for Joe Cullen’s defense. Moehrig has plenty of range, is versatile, and is a ballhawk.

31: Baltimore Ravens - Alex Leatherwood (OT)

After trading Orlando Brown Jr to Kansas City, the Ravens need to fill their hole at right tackle. Leatherwood has a high IQ and can be an impact player from Day One.

32: Cincinnati Bengals (via Tampa Bay Buccaneers) - Dillon Radunz

Despite having the sixth pick of the second round, a few of the teams ahead of the Bengals will be looking for an offensive tackle. Having opted for Chase over Sewell earlier, the Bengals trade up to the back-end of the first round and secure one of the top O-lineman available. Radunz has a unique level of athleticism for an offensive lineman of his size, and he has the skills to go along with it. He’s a bit of a project, but has phenomenal potential and can protect Burrow for years to come.

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junker-town · 5 years

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The NFL’s top trade candidates, broken down into 4 groups

Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images

It could be a busy trade market ahead of the Oct. 29 deadline and we’ve got a list of players who could be on the move.

Not all trades are the same.

Cornerback Jalen Ramsey was traded to the Rams because he was fed up with playing for the Jaguars. Emmanuel Sanders was sent to the 49ers because the Broncos knew the 32-year-old receiver was going to leave in free agency anyway. The Falcons shipped receiver Mohamed Sanu to the Patriots so they could start to dig their way out of a tricky salary cap situation.

With the trade deadline coming on Oct. 29, more deals are undoubtedly on the way.

Some teams need to get younger, others need to save money, and there are a few that just want value for players who won’t be on the team much longer.

Here are a couple dozen players who could be on a different roster when November begins:

Players headed for free agency

The trade deadline comes right around the midway point of the NFL season. For players on the final year of their contract, that leaves them less than 10 games away from becoming a free agent.

For some, it’s inevitable. Last year, Golden Tate was on the final season of his contract with the Lions and an extension looked unlikely. His 31st birthday was on the horizon and the younger duo of Marvin Jones and Kenny Golladay was filling the rest of the depth chart. It made sense for Detroit to send Tate to the Eagles for a third-round pick rather than wait for him to leave in the offseason.

Here’s a list of players set to hit free agency in March, who might not be in the long-term plans of their current team:

Robby Anderson, WR, Jets

New York’s inconsistent deep threat has been tough to figure out so far in his career. Now, he’s averaging just 2.8 receptions per game in 2019. That lack of production may push the Jets to move on from Anderson. The booming market for receivers makes now a good time to do it.

Vic Beasley, DE, Falcons

In 2016, Beasley was an All-Pro with 15.5 sacks. In the 37 games since, he has 11.5 sacks. He’s set to hit free agency in the offseason, but the Falcons are mostly trying to trade Beasley because he just hasn’t been very good. Perhaps another team can convince itself that the 2016 version of Beasley can return.

Kenyan Drake, RB, Dolphins

Miami is ditching players left and right, so it wouldn’t be surprising if it decided to do the same with Drake. He’ll be a free agent in 2020, and hasn’t scored a single touchdown in 2019. He finished 2018 with 1,012 yards from scrimmage and nine total touchdowns. If the Dolphins don’t plan on re-signing him, he should be another tank casualty.

Melvin Gordon, RB, Chargers

A long holdout that began in the summer didn’t end until Gordon reported to the team in the last week of September. Prior to that, Gordon was allowed to pursue a trade, but couldn’t find a viable option. Now that he’s averaging 2.3 yards per carry, the Chargers may be more willing to play ball with a team interested in acquiring the two-time Pro Bowl running back.

Chris Harris, CB, Broncos

Harris could fit in a few different categories here, but the No. 1 reason the Broncos should part with the 30-year-old cornerback is that he’s probably leaving after the 2019 season anyway. Harris even seemed to say as much to reporters earlier this year. A lot of teams could use secondary help, and the Broncos aren’t contending for a Super Bowl this year anyway.

Yannick Ngakoue, DE, Jaguars

Joey Bosa and Ngakoue are the only two players from the 2016 draft class with more than 30 career sacks. Ngakoue held out for a contract extension in the offseason and didn’t get one. He later told reporters “[the Jaguars] had a chance to sign me for a long-term deal but it didn’t get done.” With his contract expiring in March, Jacksonville could add even more draft capital by trading the 24-year-old pass rusher for a king’s ransom.

Leonard Williams, DE, Jets

Quinnen Williams is the future of the Jets defensive line and that makes a big extension for Leonard Williams unlikely — especially when he has zero sacks through six games. The 1-5 Jets could look to get what they can get for the former top-10 draft pick.

Players who are too expensive

It’s always smart to see the big picture. Spending to acquire or keep talented players is usually a good idea, but eventually the money runs out. Even if a team isn’t near the salary cap limit, it still makes sense to cut down on expenses whenever possible.

For teams that are especially strapped for cash — or maybe just ones that are thinking about the long haul — the trade deadline can be a good way to get rid of their most cumbersome contracts.

Geno Atkins, DT, Bengals

Atkins has been to the Pro Bowl seven out of the last eight years, so the Bengals probably don’t want to see him leave Cincinnati. But the defensive tackle will also be 32 in March and he’s due to count $14.2 million, $14.8 million, and $16.05 million against the salary cap in the next three seasons. A rebuild is on the way for the Bengals and getting value for a great player while ditching his contract could be a starting point.

Le’Veon Bell, RB, Jets

New Jets general manager Joe Douglas wasn’t the one who thought a four-year, $52.5 million deal for Bell was a good idea. That was Mike Maccagnan, who was fired as GM in May. Jets coach Adam Gase reportedly didn’t like the price tag of Bell. That’s why it wouldn’t be that weird if the Jets shipped away their prized free agent after only a handful of games.

Jamison Crowder, WR, Jets

Crowder was another Maccagnan acquisition earlier in 2019 on a three-year, $28.5 million deal. That’s a lot for a receiver with a career-worst 9.3 yards per reception and still no touchdown receptions. Considering the return Emmanuel Sanders and Mohamed Sanu got on the trade market, the Jets could be better off sending Crowder’s contract somewhere else.

Devonta Freeman, RB, Falcons

Only four running backs have a higher average salary than Freeman, he’s not playing up to that price tag. Freeman’s averaging 3.5 yards per carry and hasn’t had a 1,000-yard rushing season since 2016. With salary cap hell coming soon for the Falcons, it’d be a win for the team if it could find a team willing to take a chance on Freeman.

Von Miller, LB, Broncos

Denver would be wise to burn things down and start over. It already traded Sanders, but the real swing for the fences would be dealing away Miller. He’s due to count more than $25 million against the cap next season and $22.125 million in 2021. Miller turns 31 in March and only has 2.5 sacks so far in 2019. If a team comes with a lofty offer for the Super Bowl 50 MVP, the Broncos could really kick start their rebuild.

Trumaine Johnson, CB, Jets

The third Jets player in this section is the hardest to trade. Johnson got a five-year, $72.5 million deal fr in 2018, but now he has a tenuous grasp on a starting role in New York. If the Jets can convince a team to take on Johnson’s salary, they’d likely take peanuts in return just to ditch the contract.

Josh Norman, CB, Washington

The days when Norman was considered one of the premier shutdown cornerbacks in the NFL are long gone. Now he struggles to stop anyone and is costing Washington points. He’s due to count $15.5 million against the team’s cap in 2020, but will likely be cut before he ever sees that salary. Washington would love if it could get another team to take on that problem instead.

Desmond Trufant, CB, Falcons

Another solution to the Falcons’ aforementioned upcoming salary cap disaster would be to trade Trufant. Unlike Freeman, the veteran cornerback is still playing pretty well. He’s just not playing well enough to warrant eating cap hits between $14.15 million and $16.15 million in the next three seasons. Plenty of other teams would be capable and willing to pay that price, though.

Players who are too old

It always feels awkward calling someone old when they’re only around 30, but the sports world is a weird place.

You: "I'm only 35, I have my whole life ahead of me." Sports Broadcaster: "Here comes the oldest player in the league. He's 32. A miracle."

— Troy Johnson (@_troyjohnson) December 6, 2016

For many teams — especially ones that know they have rebuilding to do — the trade deadline can be the right time to offload aging veterans and see what their young replacements can do.

Carlos Dunlap, DE, Bengals

Spoiler alert: Here’s the first of three consecutive Bengals on this list. The team’s Super Bowl window is 100 percent closed, and there are a few older players on the roster who could fetch value on the trade market. Dunlap, who turns 31 in February, is one of those players after six straight seasons with at least 7.5 sacks. He’s not going to make the Bengals a contender, but a team already set up for a playoff run could use his help.

Tyler Eifert, TE, Bengals

While he’s only 29, the 2015 Pro Bowler is about 38 in football years. Eifert missed 15 games in 2014 due to an elbow dislocation, six games in 2016 with an ankle injury, four more games in 2016 due to back injuries, 14 games due to another back surgery in 2017, and 12 games in 2018 with an ankle fracture. He’s been healthy in 2019, but not very productive. The Bengals would be fine moving on with C.J. Uzomah and Drew Sample at tight end.

A.J. Green, WR, Bengals

The last of the Bengals trio is the one they insist isn’t for sale. Green doesn’t quite have Eifert’s injury history, but he’s now missed 20 games (and counting) since the beginning of the 2016 season. Green turned 31 in July and is probably the most valuable asset on the Bengals roster. If Cincinnati decides it’s rebuild time, trading Green makes sense.

Reshad Jones, S, Dolphins

The only other player on the Dolphins roster with at least 10 seasons under his belt is Ryan Fitzpatrick. Miami is tanking and there’s not much logic in keeping around aging veterans. There aren’t many tradable players left for the Dolphins, but Jones is one. Dumping his $15.63 million and $14.55 million cap hits in the next two seasons is just a bonus.

Patrick Peterson, CB, Cardinals

Around this time last year, Peterson requested a trade out of Arizona. He has since apologized and the Cardinals have turned away callers interested in trading for the eight-time Pro Bowler. Calling him old is a stretch, considering he’s 29 and has never missed a game due to injury, but getting younger would be the only reason for the Cardinals to move on from Peterson. He’s still a great player and a relatively affordable one too.

Players who just don’t fit

Sometimes a player just doesn’t work on a certain roster. A scheme change could make someone a square peg trying to fit in a round hole, and a crowded depth chart could force a player out of town.

The Patriots didn’t really want to trade Jimmy Garoppolo in 2017, but Tom Brady wasn’t going anywhere, so eventually their hands were tied.

Here are a few players who just don’t fit into the plans of their current team and would be better off somewhere else:

O.J. Howard, TE, Buccaneers

The 2017 first-round pick looks like the odd man out of the Bruce Arians and Byron Leftwich offense in Tampa Bay. After scoring 11 touchdowns in his first two seasons and recording 56.5 yards per game in 2018, Howard’s numbers have tanked in 2019. He’s only averaging 29.3 yards this season and hasn’t caught a single touchdown. The Buccaneers would benefit from sending Howard to an offense that actually uses tight ends.

Josh Rosen, QB, Dolphins

Miami gave up a second-round pick during the 2019 NFL Draft to see if Rosen could develop into its quarterback of the future. It’s hard to imagine the Dolphins still think that’s a possibility. They’re careening toward the top pick of the 2020 NFL Draft (or at very least, close to the top) and will probably take a quarterback there. While Rosen’s value is hurt by his 52.0 passer rating in 2019, there are certainly teams that wouldn’t mind seeing what they can get out of a top 10 pick who’s still just 22.

Solomon Thomas, DE, 49ers

The San Francisco defensive line is really freakin’ good and it’s not because of Thomas. The No. 3 pick in the 2017 NFL Draft is just a rotational player with DeForest Buckner, Arik Armstead, Nick Bosa, Dee Ford, and Ronald Blair all outplaying him. Thomas is expendable and could have a bigger role in a defense that isn’t so stacked up front.

Trent Williams, OT, Washington

Washington doesn’t really want to trade Williams, but it doesn’t have much of a choice. The left tackle appears content to sit out for as long as it takes for the team to send him elsewhere. Washington isn’t in a rush to get a deal done, but sooner is better than later.

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thrashermaxey · 5 years

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Ramblings: The fallout from suspensions, key injuries, Hughes signs and more (Mar 11)

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Now available for pre-sale – the 13th annual Interactive Playoff Draft List. Pre-order it here. It will be released the Friday before the season ends. If you bought the Ultimate Fantasy Pack in the summer, this will be included in that purchase. It is not included in the Keeper Fantasy Pack.

When Troy Terry picked up three points on Friday he became the first Anaheim rookie to do it in back-to-back games. He was shut out on Sunday but now is the time to go all in on the youngster, who has transitioned to the pro game very quickly and I think will have a productive campaign next season. Even Sam Steel is one to look at as well.

As an aside, I was looking at Steel’s Frozen Pool page and then I went to search on Google for his DobberProspects’ page when I remembered – Frozen Pool now automatically links the two. So I went to Info/Analysis on Steel and sure enough, there was the link. Research made easier. Steel has 34 points in 41 AHL games while Terry has 41 in 41. The Ducks are in transition now, whether they admit it or not.

Invasion of the Finns: never before has the NHL seen four Finns tally 30 goals in the same season. The last time three did it was 2005-06 with Teemu Selanne, Olli Jokinen and Jere Lehtinen. Right now Sebastian Aho and Mikko Rantanen are there, with Patrik Laine and Aleksander Barkov knocking on the door with 29. The next international tournament (be it the World Cup or the Olympics) will be interesting, with this country really making strikes over the last decade.

Quinn Hughes has signed with Vancouver! If what I understand is correct, he can’t play 10 games or he will become eligible for Seattle expansion. However, I would put money on him playing nine games and burning the first year of his three-year entry deal. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made an impact quickly. The Canucks are desperate for a puck-moving defenseman. I posted my Top 200 Fantasy Prospect Forwards rankings Sunday and will have the Top 50 Fantasy Prospect Defensemen up for Tuesday. Hughes is No.2 on that list (there’s a sneak peek for you).

Now over to you, Dante Fabbro.

Vladimir Tarasenko missed Saturday’s game with a UBI and now word has come out that he will be “re-evaluated” in 10 days. That pretty much says to me that he’s gone for at least three weeks and this could be something even more serious. Line combinations on Saturday, his first game out, looked like this:

28.8%

O'REILLY,RYAN – SCHENN,BRAYDEN – SCHWARTZ,JADEN

21.2%

BOZAK,TYLER – MAROON,PAT – THOMAS,ROBERT

20.7%

SANFORD,ZACH – STEEN,ALEXANDER – SUNDQVIST,OSKAR

10.6%

BARBASHEV,IVAN – BLAIS,SAMMY – MACEACHERN,MACKENZIE

As for Jake Allen, he came off a shutout on March 7 and was put right back in there the very next game. I thought he played great Saturday, despite the OT loss – the Sharks dominated in the third and Allen was the reason it even went to overtime. Back-to-back Quality Stars for Allen and four out of his last five. The Blues really want to settle in on a goalie heading into the postseason, so Jordan Binnington (Winnington) will get the next start I’m sure – but he’ll be on a short leash. We’re closing in on the final 10 games and I feel like that will be the cutoff and one goalie will start eight of those 10.

Jakub Voracek has been suspended for two games for this hit:

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I’ve never seen a player get suspended for straightening up his back like that before and I have mixed thoughts on it. Yes, he saw him coming, but could that be explained away as trying to prevent getting pushed from behind? Did his elbow swing back and catch him? Could he have gotten out of the way? Just such a gray area. I guess if it was intentional and brutal it would have been five or more. Josh Bailey returned to the game.

Voracek played with Sean Couturier and Oskar Lindblom last game. Claude Giroux had been playing with JVR and Nolan Patrick. The line shuffling now will likely take Nolan Patrick off the Claude Giroux line and perhaps reunite Giroux with Couturier and Travis Konecny. But that’s purely a guess.

The news is crazy these last few days in terms of key guys missing time. Jack Eichel has also been suspended for two games for this hit to the head:

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The initial Zadorov hit, while his shoulder missed the head – I think he planted his helmet on Eichel’s on purpose and he should have been suspended. Eichel’s suspension is cut and dried (unlike Voracek’s).

Samuel Montembeault, a goalie I have been a fan of for quite some time, now boasts a 2-0-1 record for the Panthers after starting two straight for them on the weekend. The team is playing well in front of him and he hasn’t been truly tested yet. But right now he is Florida’s best option in the pipeline and since this is a young team on the rise (yeah, I’ve said this for two years now but it’s gonna happen), this could end up being the perfect storm. Montembeault isn’t great, but he’s the team’s best at what could be the right time. The Cory Crawford, the Chris Osgood, or the Jordan Winnington.

Trading away Gustav Nyquist didn’t help Michael Rasmussen any. The rookie is still seeing nine minutes per game. They could be ruining him. I don’t like prospects who get stuck at nine minutes per game for an entire season. Rarely works out for them.

Jacob Trouba, a subject of the Top 10 list later Monday, saw 6:42 of PP time for the Jets on Sunday and came up empty. With Josh Morrissey and Dustin Byfuglien out, this is his time to show us a glimpse of what he can do.

While Trouba saw 6:42 on the power play alone, Jack Roslovic saw 6:45 of ice time, period. Roslovic, who is also a subject of the Top 10, had an assist in the contest.

After 19 consecutive games with a point, the mighty Bruins were stopped by the Penguins 4-2. Brad Marchand was minus-3.

Danton Heinen, who subbed in for David Pastrnak on the Marchand line, picked up two assists. He has 14 points in his last 16 games. He had 14 points in 39 games before that. Pastrnak is still out for another week.

With two points Sunday, Jake Guentzel has 53 in his last 51 games.

Jared McCann also had two points Sunday and he has eight in his last seven games. I remember poolies jumped on him really quickly when he surprisingly made the Canucks as a 19-year-old in 2015. He was rushed. The Stratford native (as am I) is now in his fourth NHL season, though he was mostly in the minors for one of them, so I consider this his third. He’s clicking with Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel. We’ve learned from Conor Sheary (and going further back – Colby Armstrong) that there is no guarantee with this plum placement when an entire summer disrupts the chemistry, I do have more confidence in McCann’s upside and pedigree than I had with Sheary. And ten times out of ten I would roll the dice on just the ‘chance’ that it continues on into next season.

The 3M line was at it big time for the Flames Sunday. Mikael Backlund, Matt Tkachuk and Michal Frolik combined for 11 points. For Frolik, the biggest beneficiary of this arrangement, he tallied four assists after having gone six games without a point.

After starting off with a bang, tallying 13 points in 11 games, Brandon Pirri has just three in his last 16 including a goal on Sunday against the Flames.

Goals in back-to-back games for Carl Grundstrom in his NHL debut for Los Angeles. The Kings picked up Grundstrom from the Leafs in the Jake Muzzin trade. He also dished out three Hits, though it seemed like more. He’s already drawing comparisons stylistically to Dustin Brown, and I suspect he can put up similar numbers at his peak (55-plus points, 250-plus hits). He didn’t look out of place and I think there is a spot waiting for him on the big club in the fall.

Read Grundstrom’s fantasy scouting profile and PNHLe graph here.

It’s as if signing the big contract has helped Jakob Silfverberg turn the corner. He now has points in five straight games, seven in that span. And that’s on a team that is really just not scoring. We know this song and dance already, though. Every year, without fail, in either the first or the second half he produces like a 70-point player but in the other half of that season he produces like a 20-point player. If only we could get an advanced heads up on which half will be which. With the GM coaching the team right now, I feel pretty comfortable with Silf continuing for the duration. Bob Murray needs to make his latest big signing look like a good one, and you can see it in Jakob’s minutes – both at ES and on the PP.

Frozen Tools update: A new stat has been added, as well as two new reports. The stat is PPPts/60 which, obviously, is a player’s power-play points rate if broken up into 60 minutes of PP time (to match the regular pts/60 stat). It gives us a great look at how effective players have been on the power play and in my case at least it helps me evaluate how a young offensive player is trending/developing.

Also, goalie home/away splits are in now. Just go to the Report Generator, select goalies, and one of the buttons is cleverly entitled “Goalie Home/Away”.

DobberProspects update: Each scouting profile not only has our upside and certainty ranking at the top, scouting observations in the middle and the Elite Prospects career stats at the bottom…but now it has Mason Black’s fun pNHLe chart at the bottom. It takes a player’s stats in a given league at a given age and averages it out against history, spitting out his NHL potential upside. This didn’t get up and perfected until middle of last week (though I had posted it in last Monday’s Ramblings).

See you next Monday.

from All About Sports https://dobberhockey.com/hockey-rambling/ramblings-the-fallout-from-suspensions-key-injuries-hughes-signs-and-more-mar-11/

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jasonheart1 · 6 years

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Renck: Broncos keys to victory vs. Cardinals

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- This much remains clear: Thursday is a critical game. How big depends on the outcome. If the Broncos lose to the Cardinals -- a one-win team -- the temptation to make changes will increase dramatically.

Last week, Broncos CEO Joe Ellis offered tepid support of coach Vance Joseph, stopping well short of a vote of confidence. Wednesday, Ellis did not rule out a midseason coaching change if the Broncos failed to rebound from their current four-game spiral.

"We did it in 2010 (with Josh McDaniels), I think. So we’ll see, we’ll see," Ellis told The Athletic at the owners meetings Wednesday. "I’m trying to stay focused on one game at a time and see where we go from there, and having conversations with (general manager) John (Elway) and see where we go."

So for all those who think speculation about Joseph's status is media driven, well, I can't help you. If management is committed to a coach for the season, they squelch talk with definitive statements or action. The Broncos, who are 1-11 in their last 12 road games dating to 2016, are keeping all options open as they assess a season that has turned sour following a 2-0 start.

It ties back into Von Miller's press conference, which echoed what teammates told me. Multiple players believe they need a victory to secure Joseph's job. It doesn't mean Joseph will be fired following a loss, but the sense of urgency is real.

"I wouldn't say it's must-win, but we are going to kick their ass, though. Make sure you put that up there," Miller said defiantly. "They are going to get our best this week. Last week, the week before that, whatever, this week, Thursday night prime time, they are going to get the Broncos' best."

If nothing else, this game between teams with a combined 3-9 record has some juice. One Arizona radio station calls it "The Pink Slip Bowl," believing Cardinals offensive coordinator Mike McCoy could be fired with another dreadful performance. Can the Broncos find a way to succeed for the first time in a month? My Denver7 keys to a victory:

The Unreal McCoy

The last time a team allowed back-to-back 200-yard rushers and 593 yards? In the lyrics of Outkast -- "Forever, forever, ever, forever, ever?" -- and throw in a never for good measure. Arizona's David Johnson is up next. If he goes off, no jobs should be safe. Seriously. McCoy is potentially coaching for his employment, with coach Steve Wilks saying, "I would say all our jobs are in jeopardy, including mine if we don’t win.”

A former hybrid star in 2016, Johnson has struggled this season in McCoy's offense, rushing for 297 yards on 92 carries. Working in the Broncos' favor, McCoy continues to misuse Johnson in the passing game, settling for dump-offs. The keys are simple for the Broncos: run blitz since the Cardinals almost always run up the middle. Stop scheming the attack to allow the runner to bump outside, and limit the missed tackles with better effort and toughness.

Back it up

Miller promised a win. What made it so odd is he never talks trash or provides bulletin board material. As the face of the franchise, he made public what he has told teammates. It was a fascinating show of confidence. Now he has to back it up. A strip sack would go a long way in accomplishing that against a depleted Arizona offensive line.

Be Ready for Uptempo

Rookie quarterback Josh Rosen boasts three starts. He showed proficiency in the uptempo attack last Sunday against Minnesota. The numbers suggest the Broncos should feast, but Sam Darnold had a similar resume and torched Bradley Roby in a rout two weeks ago. If the Broncos can't produce pressure against's McCoy's three-wide scheme, the irony would be rich. Per the Arizona Republic's Kent Somers, the Cardinals offense is putrid: 1,323 yards, fewest by an NFL team through its first six games since 2009; 302 plays, fewest since 2005; 21.9 percent third-down conversion rate, lowest since 2010.

Run for it

The Broncos own the blueprint for collecting yards between the 20s. The red zone? Not so much. But this week, running the ball will pay dividends. The Cardinals' rush defense is awful. Arizona has allowed an NFL-worst 10 rushing touchdowns, with opponents averaging a league-best 34 carries per game. The Broncos need to trust Phillip Lindsay and Royce Freeman -- with Andy Janovich as a lead blocker -- to do work to set up play action.

Inside job for Case

The run game only matters if Case Keenum makes opponents pay. He received the contract he wanted from the Broncos. The Broncos have not received the play they expected. Keenum, whether because of a new offense, a sore knee or regression to mean, has not found traction. He has more interceptions this season than he did last year. That said, he played well indoors last season, going 8-1 with 12 touchdowns and two picks. Perhaps a night in the State Farm Stadium bubble can help him get his groove back.

Stay hot

The Broncos' problems are numerous. Among them? They fizzle in the second quarter, if not the first half. They have scored 23 second quarter points. Only two teams are worse. There's no excuse this week. Arizona has scored 24 second-quarter points. The key for Denver is staying in the game. They have been outscored 200-72 in the first halves of their past 12 road games. They have lost 11 of those games.

Be Smart

The best way for the Broncos players to support Joseph is to play well and stay disciplined. Stupid penalties crush them on the road. They haven't won a meaningful road game since Dec. 4, 2016. Red faces are one thing. Lose this game, and there could be pink slips. I said after the Jets loss I would not pick the Broncos to win on the road until they, you know, won. But if not now, then when?

Renck Prediction: Broncos 21, Cardinals 18

Enjoy this content? Follow Denver7 on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and download the Denver7 app on iOS and Android devices for continual access to breaking news, weather and sports.

Want Broncos news? Denver7 Broncos insider Troy E. Renck is your source. He talks to the players, covers the games and reports scoops on Denver7 and the Denver7 app. He is a CU grad who has covered pro sports in Colorado since 1996, including 14 years at The Denver Post. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter and TheDenverChannel.com’s Broncos page. Troy welcomes most of your emails at [email protected].

from Local News https://www.thedenverchannel.com/sports/broncos/broncos-keys-to-victory-over-cardinals

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julesrulessports · 3 years

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2021 NFL Mock Draft - No Trades

1: Jacksonville Jaguars - Trevor Lawrence (QB)

2: New York Jets - Zach Wilson (QB)

3: San Francisco 49ers - Mac Jones (QB)

4: Atlanta Falcons - Justin Fields (QB)

The Falcons seem to be choosing between Justin Fields and Kyle Pitts. I was 50/50 on this pick until this morning, when reports came out saying the Falcons have been fielding offers for Julio Jones. That points to a rebuild, and if a rebuild is in the near-future for Atlanta, Fields is the pick

5: Cincinnati Bengals - Ja’Marr Chase (WR)

6: Miami Dolphins - Kyle Pitts (TE)

7: Detroit Lions - Penei Sewell (OT)

The Lions have been fielding offers for the 7th pick, and ultimately they’ll probably trade back. However, for my first of what will be two mock drafts, I have decided not to include trades. If Detroit does stick to their current spot, Sewell is the obvious pick. Sewell set all kinds of records during his time in Oregon, and he’ll be a franchise left tackle for the next decade plus.

8: Carolina Panthers - Rashawn Slater (OT)

The Panthers are another team fielding trade offers but again, no trades in this mock. Rashawn Slater has the ability to play all five positions along the offensive line, though he primarily played tackle at the college level. The Panthers are one of a handful of clubs that have Slater ranked above Sewell, so they’d be ecstatic if he’s available when their pick comes around.

9: Denver Broncos - Micah Parsons (MLB)

Vic Fangio is entering a make-or-break season, so he’ll do everything he can to put together a defense he’s more than confident in. Parsons is a sideline-to-sideline linebacker that has a nose for the ball. He always seems to be making plays, and the Broncos defense can regain its disruptive ways with the addition of the talented linebacker.

10: Dallas Cowboys - Patrick Surtain II (CB)

Patrick Surtain II is the son of a three-time Pro Bowl, one time All-Pro cornerback, and the younger Surtain may be the better. This is a perfect pick for the Cowboys, as value meets need.

11: New York Giants - DeVonta Smith (WR)

12: Eagles - Jaycee Horn (CB)

13: Los Angeles Chargers - Christian Darrisaw (OT)

Christian Darrisaw is raw but oozes with potential. The Chargers have the necessary offensive weapons for Justin Herbert to succeed, but it’s time to protect him, and Darrisaw can do exactly that for many years to come.

14: Minnesota Vikings - Jaelan Phillips (EDGE)

What the future has in store for Danielle Hunter is a major unknown. Minnesota desperately needs to get some young bodies into the front seven, and Jaelan Phillips, despite his concerning injury history, has sky-high potential.

15: New England Patriots - Trey Lance (QB)

Trey Lance falling would be ideal for New England. He has phenomenal potential and they could have him sit and learn from Cam Newton. Lance’s game, in some ways, is similar to Newton’s. Give Lance a year to learn from Newton and the coaching of Belichick, and he can be the steal of the draft and one of the best players in the league.

16: Arizona Cardinals - Jaylen Waddle (WR)

Rumors have linked the Cardinals to receivers in a potential trade-up, but in this scenario, they land Waddle at 16. Jaylen Waddle was neck and neck with DeVonta Smith as Mac Jones’ best target until a broken ankle knocked him out for most of the season. Pairing Waddle with Hopkins would give the Cardinals one of the best wide receiver duos in the game.

17: Oakland Raiders - Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (MLB)

18: Miami Dolphins - Najee Harris (RB)

19: Washington Football Team - Alijah Vera-Tucker (OL)

After adding wide receiver Curtis Samuel via free agency, offensive line is Washington’s biggest need. Vera-Tucker can play both the tackle and guard spots and help turn around what has been a dismal Washington offensive line for the past few years.

20: Chicago Bears - Teven Jenkins (OT)

21: Indianapolis Colts - Kwity Paye (EDGE)

Justin Houston, whose eight sacks ranked second on the Colts during the 2020 season, is currently a free agent and is unlikely to return. Kwity Paye is raw but versatile, with the ability to play standing up and with his hand in the dirt, and his athleticism (4.54 40 at 272 lbs) gives him lots of potential.

22: Tennessee Titans - Alex Leatherwood (OT)

23: New York Jets - Caleb Farley (CB)

The Jets have a pair of young cornerbacks in Bryce Hall and Bless Austin, and while both are good, neither has quite the potential that Farley has. Farley was widely regarded as the second best corner in this year’s draft class up until an unfortunate back surgery caused him to slip down boards. While the back surgery is a concern, assuming he progresses well and reaches 100% or close to it, this would be a steal for New York.

24: Pittsburgh Steelers - Creed Humphrey (OL)

Pittsburgh needs to address the center position early, and not only does Humphrey fill the need, he’d be a good value pick.

25: Jacksonville Jaguars - Trevon Moehrig (S)

26: Cleveland Browns - Joe Tryon (EDGE)

27: Baltimore Ravens - Joseph Ossai (EDGE)

After losing both Yannick Ngakoue and Matt Judon in free agency, edge rusher has become a dire need for the Ravens. Ossai has superb speed and change of direction in addition to versatility and an exceptional motor. Those traits helped him reach 15.5 tackles for a loss, 5.5 sacks, two passes defended, three forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery during the 2020 season.

28: New Orleans Saints - Rondale Moore (WR)

Michael Thomas dealt with injuries throughout the season, causing him to miss nine games, and Emmanuel Sanders was released. Rondale Moore is a do-it-all type of player. He always finds ways to get open, is explosive with the ball in his hands, and can even take reps at the running back position.

29: Green Bay Packers - Kadarius Toney (WR)

30: Buffalo Bills - Travis Etienne (RB)

The Bills are interested in the former Clemson star, and may be considering trading up for the running back. The Bills’ backfield is solid, but Etienne compares to Alvin Kamara with the potential to be better.

31: Baltimore Ravens - Dillon Radunz (OT)

After trading Orlando Brown Jr to Kansas City, the Ravens need to fill their hole at right tackle. Radunz has a unique level of athleticism for an offensive lineman of his size, and he has the skills to go along with it. He’s a bit of a project, but Baltimore has shown they can develop offensive lineman extremely well.

32: Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Christian Barmore (DT)

With Ndamukong Suh and William Gholston being 34 and 29, Tampa Bay stands to get younger at the defensive tackle position. Christian Barmore is an elite run stuffer who’s shown the potential to develop into a solid pass rusher from the interior of the defensive line.

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thegloober · 6 years

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Top 10 Calder Trophy candidates for 2018-19

The rookie race feels more exciting every year given the impact speedy young prospects can make on the game these days. So many of the sport’s brightest stars, from Connor McDavid to Auston Matthews to Patrik Laine to Mathew Barzal, are peach-fuzzers.

Barzal, the first rookie with an 85-point year since Evgeni Malkin, won the Calder Trophy after a couple seasons of marinating, reminding us the current draft class doesn’t always have to yield the best rookie. That may be the case again in 2018-19, with several draftees from previous years competing with the 2018 class. Here are my top 10 Calder Trophy candidates.

1. ELIAS PETTERSSON, VANCOUVER CANUCKS

He’s done nothing to dissuade our confidence. He destroyed the Swedish League last year as a teenager, winning the MVP, playoff MVP and scoring title. He was the league’s best junior-aged player ever, and he quickly answered any questions about how his game would translate to North America by dazzling in the pre-season with highlight-reel moves. He has a real chance to succeed Henrik Sedin as a franchise playmaking center for years to come. Don’t be surprised if Pettersson ends up feeding passes to Brock Boeser on a line by season’s end.

2. CASEY MITTELSTADT, BUFFALO SABRES

The Sabres could deal away Ryan O’Reilly because they were ready to hand the dynamic, speedy, competitive Mittelstadt the keys to a scoring-line role. Does that mean second or third line to start the year? It doesn’t really matter in this Top-Nine world. What we do know is Mittelstadt is a special playmaker who will have quality linemates – Conor Sheary and Kyle Okposo for now.

“What I didn’t realize until I was around him is how competitive he is,” said Don Lucia last season during his final venture as Minnesota Gophers coach, when he shepherded Mittelstadt. “He’s always looking at me, ‘Get me out.’ Some guys are always saying, ‘OK I’m ready coach, put me out there.’ So I’ve seen that side. On the bench, he’ll get mad. Not that he’s mad at anybody. He wants to win. He wants to be out there in a pressure situation. It’s like that relief pitcher stepping out on the mound in a big moment. You’ve got to want the ball. You can’t shrivel up, and Casey’s not gonna do that. My sense is the bigger the moment, the more he wants it, and the better he’ll play.”

He’s a mentally strong player who models his game after Sidney Crosby’s. Bet on Mittelstadt to play his best now that the lights get brighter in the NHL.

3. ANDREI SVECHNIKOV, CAROLINA HURRICANES

Goals get rookies noticed. Just ask Matthews, Alex Ovechkin, Teemu Selanne and Pavel Bure. The two names above Svechnikov will make headlines for setting up others, while Svechnikov is probably the best bet to lead rookies in goals. He’s a powerful young specimen with a deadly shot. His line deployments might vary, but we know he’s made the Hurricanes for now, and his talent will take care of the rest. If he can just survive the nine-game hump and avoid getting returned to major junior, he’ll earn enough opportunities to light the lamp 25 or more times as a freshman.

4. RASMUS DAHLIN, BUFFALO SABRES

Dahlin has shown time and again that he’s a truly special blueline prospect, the type who will mature into a minute-munching Clydesdale blending magical offense with shutdown defense. He truly is worth the hype. But Dahlin won’t necessarily get noticed for his offense in Year 1. Only two 18-year-old blueliners in history have even reached the 40-point mark. That doesn’t mean Dahlin can’t win the Calder, of course. Aaron Ekblad did it at the same age. I have Dahlin behind a few players poised to win votes with flashy offensive totals, but Dahlin will begin altering the Sabres’ fate immediately. He also doesn’t mind the buzz at all. He thinks it’s the coolest thing ever when people try to compare him to Nicklas Lidstrom or Erik Karlsson claims Dahlin will be better than him.

“It feels exciting when so many good players talk about me,” Dahlin told me a few weeks before the 2018 draft. “It’s amazing – I’m feeling like I want to be better and better and better because I’m on a good path, and why stop? You know what I mean? I can’t explain it in English but, like, when I hear that, I get a boost inside me and just go out and train and work hard.”

5. MIRO HEISKANEN, DALLAS STARS

Working in Heiskanen’s favor if we’re comparing his Calder chances to Dahlin’s: (a) Heiskanen is more likely to play for a competitive, playoff-contending team; (b) Heiskanen is a safer bet to face insulated matchups in Year 1 if John Klingberg and Esa Lindell take on the toughest assignments. Facing weaker opponents might mean fewer defensive zone starts for Heiskanen and the chance to post better numbers on both sides of the puck. Then again, given his heady, mature game, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Heiskanen emerge as Dallas’ most trusted shutdown defenseman by season’s end. He handled huge responsibility in the Finnish League. He’s going to be a true foundational piece for Dallas.

6. JESPERI KOTKANIEMI, MONTREAL CANADIENS

What do we prognosticators know, eh? Filip Zadina gets sent to the AHL, while Kotkaniemi, considered a reach at third overall, shows enough skill in the pre-season to land himself a job at the NHL level, tabbed to center Jonathan Drouin and Joel Armia. Kotkaniemi certainly isn’t a lock to light it up in Year 1, but he has a great chance to carve out a big role early because the Habs have so little competition at center. That’s the very reason they drafted him. Maybe they were smarter than many of us gave them credit for on draft day.

7. BRADY TKACHUK, OTTAWA SENATORS

It’s a wasteland in Canada’s capital, no doubt. But the gutting of Ottawa’s roster creates opportunities for what is actually a pretty strong prospect crop. Brady should be a difference-maker just like his brother Matthew was two years ago, and some talent evaluators say Brady makes Matthew look like “the nice one.” Whatever Brady does this season, it’ll make headlines.

8. TROY TERRY, ANAHEIM DUCKS

No rookie lands in a more favorable situation to start the year. Corey Perry’s torn meniscus frees up the right wing spot on Anaheim’s first line alongside Rickard Rakell and Ryan Getzlaf, and Terry gets the first crack at it. He flashed some serious skill at the University of Denver and with the U.S. world junior squad and has a real shot to pile up points if he sticks on that line for an extended period.

9. HENRI JOKIHARJU, CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS

Say hello to Duncan Keith’s opening-night defense partner. ‘Joker’ couldn’t have a better mentor, and it appears he’ll be thrust into significant minutes immediately. It’s sink or swim. If the Blackhawks overachieve this year, it’ll likely be because Jokiharju elevates the defense above expectations, which would earn him some Calder attention.

10. ANDREAS JOHNSSON, TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS

He was the AHL’s best player last season, especially in the playoffs, where he piled up points and won the MVP award. He had his struggles in camp, earning some pointed public words from coach Mike Babcock, and may start the season on the fourth line. But Johnsson has great speed, a nose for the net and a chance to climb the depth chart quickly at left wing. It’s not inconceivable he beats out two of Josh Leivo, Zach Hyman and Patrick Marleau at some point, which would mean Johnsson ends up with John Tavares or Auston Matthews. Even a third-line assignment would put Johnsson with Nazem Kadri.

Other Calder Trophy candidates to consider: Martin Necas, Carolina Hurricanes; Ryan Donato, Boston Bruins; Kailer Yamamoto, Edmonton Oilers; Jordan Greenway, Minnesota Wild; Henrik Borgstrom, Florida Panthers; Filip Chytil, New York Rangers; Robert Thomas, St. Louis Blues; Michael Rasmussen, Detroit Red Wings; Sam Steel, Anaheim Ducks; Kristian Vesalainen, Winnipeg Jets; Valentin Zykov, Carolina Hurricanes; Dillon Dube, Calgary Flames; Barrett Hayton, Arizona Coyotes; Juuso Valimaki, Calgary Flames; Alex Formenton, Ottawa Senators; Carter Hart, Philadelphia Flyers; Thatcher Demko, Vancouver Canucks

Tags: awards, lists, nhl, predictions

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About the Author

Matt Larkin

Matt Larkin is senior content producer at The Hockey News and has been part of the team since 2011. He’s your one-stop shop for deep-dive player interviews, predictions, statistics, fantasy player rankings, player safety and hair tips. Catch him weekly as host of The Hockey News Live and The Hockey News Podcast.

Source: https://bloghyped.com/top-10-calder-trophy-candidates-for-2018-19/

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yahoo-shutdown-corner-blog · 6 years

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2018 NFL Preview: Browns try something new, actually invest in a quarterback

yahoo

Yahoo Sports is previewing all 32 teams as we get ready for the NFL season, counting down the teams one per weekday in reverse order of our initial 2018 power rankings. No. 1 will be revealed on Aug. 1, the day before the Hall of Fame Game kicks off the preseason.

(Yahoo Sports graphic by Amber Matsumoto)

At the NFL scouting combine, long before Baker Mayfield knew he’d be the Cleveland Browns’ top overall pick — a few weeks before the Browns themselves knew — Mayfield took on the challenge that will define his career.

“If anybody is going to turn that franchise around it would be me,” Mayfield said.

Good luck, Baker. He landed on a team that is 2-41 since Oct. 11, 2015 and has fielded so many terrible quarterbacks, it’s a running NFL joke.

However, there’s reason to believe this time is different. Mayfield is unlike any other quarterback the Browns have acquired this century.

[Yahoo Fantasy Football leagues are open: Sign up now for free]

The Browns’ never-ending run of quarterback play is nearly impossible in the modern NFL. Aside from Derek Anderson’s 2007 season (3,787 yards, 29 touchdowns), the Browns haven’t had a quarterback reach 3,400 yards or 19 touchdowns in a season since their NFL re-entry in 1999. Over the past two NFL seasons, there were 35 instances of a quarterback hitting 3,400 yards and 19 touchdowns. The strange part about the Browns’ quarterback ineptitude is they never truly invested in the position.

Mayfield is the first quarterback the Browns have drafted higher than No. 22 overall since Tim Couch, the franchise’s first pick in 1999. Since then there were desperate mid-round picks (Charlie Frye! Colt McCoy!), later first-round picks (Johnny Manziel, Brady Quinn and Brandon Weeden all went 22nd overall) or discount free-agent pickups like Robert Griffin III who predictably fell flat. Despite almost two decades of failure at quarterback, the Browns never paid up to fix it.

The ROI for quarterbacks in the draft drops quickly. Waiting to pick a quarterback until the late first round is little more than a hopeful dart throw, and mid-round picks are often wastes. It’s rare to hit the Russell Wilson/Dak Prescott lottery. The Browns never seemed to understand that. With the Mayfield pick, they finally are paying to get off the hamster wheel.

For all the bloviating about the inaccurate nature of the NFL drafts, No. 1 overall picks at quarterback during the Super Bowl era almost always become solid players:

1970: Terry Bradshaw, Hall of Fame 1971: Jim Plunkett, two-time Super Bowl champ 1975: Steve Bartkowski, two-time Pro Bowler 1983: John Elway, Hall of Fame 1987: Vinny Testaverde, two-time Pro Bowler 1989: Troy Aikman, Hall of Fame 1990: Jeff George, bust 1993: Drew Bledsoe, four-time Pro Bowler 1998: Peyton Manning, future Hall of Fame 1999: Tim Couch, struggled with expansion team 2001: Mike Vick, four-time Pro Bowler 2002: David Carr, struggled with expansion team 2003: Carson Palmer, three-time Pro Bowler 2004: Eli Manning, two-time Super Bowl champ 2005: Alex Smith, three-time Pro Bowler 2007: JaMarcus Russell, bust 2009: Matthew Stafford, one Pro Bowl 2010: Sam Bradford, bust 2011: Cam Newton, three-time Pro Bowler 2012: Andrew Luck, three-time Pro Bowler 2015: Jameis Winston, one Pro Bowl 2016: Jared Goff, one Pro Bowl

That’s a good list. Of the 22 quarterbacks taken No. 1 in the Super Bowl era, 16 made at least one Pro Bowl. Plunkett didn’t, but he helped the Raiders win two titles. Two of the bad picks were thrown to the wolves on expansion teams, so they should get a pass. That leaves Bradford (who has an injury excuse, and has had some good moments), George and Russell. And George ended up with 27,602 yards and 154 touchdowns (spoiler alert: I have nothing positive to say about Russell). If Mayfield ends up like all the other sorry Browns quarterbacks, it will be an upset. When you pay up for a quarterback, it usually works out to some extent.

Mayfield deserved to be No. 1. It would have been just like the Browns to ignore the analytics (the numbers mostly love Mayfield), get scared off by Mayfield’s height and take a lesser quarterback who fit the traditional mold of a No. 1 pick. But the Browns said they knew after a private workout on March 22 that Mayfield was the one.

“I personally knew when I walked away from the Norman, Oklahoma, workout,” Browns general manager John Dorsey said, according to the Akron Beacon Journal. “I just kept it to myself for a while. I kind of knew, but that was the moment that I said, ‘Maybe, you know, that’s the guy.’”

If Mayfield is The Guy in Cleveland – finally – what the Browns have put together elsewhere looks pretty good.

The defense wasn’t that bad last season. The offense was bad, drowning in a barrage of turnovers from quarterback DeShone Kizer, who never improved as the year went on. But the Browns will have eight new offensive starters from the beginning of last season. Only the three interior line spots are the same. Tackle Joe Thomas retired, but the other seven changes should be considered upgrades. Eventually, when teams spend a ton of money on free agents and keep picking high in the draft, it should all come together. Ask the Jacksonville Jaguars.

There are questions if Hue Jackson is the right coach. He won a power struggle with fired general manager Sashi Brown, but he did a putrid job last season. The Browns weren’t good last season, but they weren’t 0-16 bad either. Jackson needs to quickly prove the Browns aren’t wasting another season with him screwing up some intriguing talent.

All those talented young players – Myles Garrett, Jamie Collins, Jarvis Landry, Kevin Zeitler, David Njoku, Jabrill Peppers, Emmanuel Ogbah, Josh Gordon, Carlos Hyde, Nick Chubb, No. 4 overall pick Denzel Ward (seriously, the Browns have collected some difference makers) – probably won’t matter if Mayfield doesn’t pan out to some extent. Jackson insists Tyrod Taylor is the starter indefinitely this season, and it’s understandable that a coach on a 17-game losing streak hopes a veteran can win a game before the rookie takes his lumps. But the moment the Browns used the first pick on Mayfield, it became his team. Unless Taylor pulls a Case Keenum and has a great year with a better cast (that’s really strange to say in relation to Cleveland), the Browns will have to answer a lot of questions about why Mayfield can’t win the job.

The Browns have to step out of the quicksand at some point, at the quarterback position and as a franchise. Jackson’s record as Browns coach is 1-31, but it goes deeper than that. Since an overtime win at the Baltimore Ravens on Oct. 11, 2015, they have lost 41 of 43 games. Everyone is supposed to be able to turn things around quickly in the NFL. The Browns are the only team that can’t do it.

Mayfield says he’s the catalyst for a long-awaited turnaround. Cleveland prays he’s right.

Baker Mayfield went No. 1 overall, the first time the Browns have used a top-20 pick on a quarterback since Tim Couch. (AP)

When you have more than $100 million in salary-cap space and a stockpile of draft picks, you’ll add a ton of volume. A trio of trades brought on defensive back Damarious Randall, quarterback Tyrod Taylor and receiver Jarvis Landry. Among the probable starters added in free agency were running back Carlos Hyde, offensive tackle Chris Hubbard, cornerback E.J. Gaines and slot cornerback Travis Carrie. Despite misguided criticism, Mayfield was the right pick at No. 1 and cornerback Denzel Ward was a fine pick at No. 4. Nick Chubb could unseat Hyde and be a very good back out of the second round. We can’t ignore that the Browns lost future Hall-of-Fame tackle Joe Thomas to retirement, but they added a lot. GRADE: A-

While the offense flailed around, the defense showed signs of life. Defensive end Myles Garrett battled injuries but still showed flashes of being a star. Safety Jabrill Peppers played a million miles away from the line of scrimmage most of last season, but defensive coordinator Gregg Williams felt he had no better option at free safety. If Damarious Randall can play free safety, Peppers can finally make an impact in the box. Denzel Ward should calm down a terrible cornerback situation, and free agents E.J. Gaines and T.J. Carrie will help too. Emmanuel Ogbah and Jamie Collins are disruptive players in the front seven. The defense will keep the Browns in games.

It’s Hue Jackson. I was all for hiring him, and keeping him around after his 1-15 first season with a stripped-down roster. But time and time again last season, it looked like Jackson was in over his head. A debacle at the end of the first half against the Detroit Lions last season summed up how bad the Browns have been coached. Cleveland had 15 seconds left at Detroit’s 2-yard line, ran a quarterback sneak (really, that happened) and ran out of time before the end of the half. It was an amazing sequence of incompetence, even for the Browns. Jackson has had two years, and there’s not one positive thing to say. DeShone Kizer was mismanaged and never progressed last season (Kizer was traded to the Green Bay Packers, and he had to feel like he was given a life raft). When you look at the similarly talent-poor 2017 rosters of the New York Jets and Browns, and realize that Todd Bowles lifted a shaky Jets team to five wins while Jackson couldn’t manage one, you should have serious questions about Jackson. He has not done a passable job. Maybe giving up total offensive control to new coordinator Todd Haley will help. However, it’s surprising he survived for a third season.

Hue Jackson has said Tyrod Taylor will start and there is no competition with Baker Mayfield.

“Tyrod’s our starting quarterback. Baker’s our No. 1 pick,” Jackson said, according to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. “He’s our quarterback of the future. I’ve said that since this happened. I don’t think that will change.”

That is a bit odd. Just because a coach says something to the media doesn’t make it a contract, but it seems Jackson is serious. It would go against recent history. Since 2007, when JaMarcus Russell didn’t start Week 1 because of a holdout, five of six No. 1 picks at quarterback started Week 1. Jared Goff was the exception, but the Rams had a terrible coaching staff (feel free to draw your own comparison to the 2018 Browns). The Browns traded an early third-round pick for Taylor — I don’t like trading a valuable pick for a short-term bridge quarterback, but whatever — and it seems like they want to get something out of their investment.

Myles Garrett didn’t disappoint as a rookie, at least when he was healthy. Garrett played 11 games and was fantastic. He had seven sacks and played the run well too. According to Pro Football Focus, Garrett had 37 total pressures and he graded out as their No. 12 edge defender. That’s great for a rookie who missed five games. It’s early but he looks like the type of star the Browns can build a defense around.

From Yahoo’s Brad Evans: “Josh Gordon’s fantasy potential is similar to his unknown number of abs: rock solid. Last year, off a two-year disappearance from professional football, he showcased world-class skills. Over five games, he enticed 26.4 percent of the target share, averaged a ridiculous 2.09 yards per route, 17.5 average depth of target (second among WRs) and chipped in 11.5 fantasy points per game. Extrapolate his 18-335-1 line over 16 games and he would’ve finished at 58-1072-4, nearly the same number of total fantasy points in .5 PPR as T.Y. Hilton. Again, that’s nothing to scoff at considering the forced vacation and his horrendous quarterback play. Keep in mind, he finished 86th among receivers in catchable targets percentage. DeShone Kizer, who would miss the Lake Erie from five yards out, overthrew him routinely.

“With mouths to feed, Gordon won’t repeat his massive target share form 2017, but less could lead to more. Tyrod Taylor and Baker Mayfield are enormous upgrades. Remember, Gordon tallied godlike numbers in 2013 with the likes of Jason Campbell, Brandon Weeden and Brian Hoyer under center. Keep stealing him at his average draft position of 43.8 (WR19).”

[Booms/Busts: Fantasy outlook on the Browns.]

[Yahoo Fantasy Football leagues are open: Sign up now for free]

According to Pythagorean expectation, which uses points scored and allowed to figure what record a team should have had, and Football Outsiders’ expected wins, the Browns had a profile of a 3.3-win team. They won zero. No other team in the NFL was more than three wins off either Pythagorean expectation or FO’s expected wins. Not to keep harping on Hue Jackson, but the Browns should not have gone 0-16.

CAN THE BROWNS TRUST JOSH GORDON?

Gordon has earned all of the skepticism that comes his way. There hasn’t been any bad news about him in a long time, but it wouldn’t surprise anyone if he gets in trouble again. He showed late last season why the Browns kept the light on for him through multiple suspensions. In five games he had 335 yards, averaging 18.6 yards per catch. That’s with terrible quarterback play. He’s still just 27 years old. There’s no question that if he stays out of trouble, he can be a No. 1 receiver. But, caveat emptor.

Josh Gordon lookin yoked… pic.twitter.com/jUncF4V1sP

— Astros Insider (@AstrosNation713) June 8, 2018

When you look up and down the roster, you can talk yourself into a breakout. Maybe it’s just because we want the Browns to emerge as a fun story, but they have good players at just about every position group. If Tyrod Taylor or Baker Mayfield are competent at quarterback the Browns could hover around .500, though it’s still hard to believe a team that has lost 41 of 43 can compete for a playoff spot.

I’d hope a team with this much talent won’t go 0-16 or 1-15 again, but they shouldn’t have gone winless last season. This coaching staff has to do a better job. This process has to show progress.

“Let’s just be honest, this is where we are,” Jackson said this offseason. “We’re a 1-31 organization over the last two years. I think it’s time to win. I think our fans deserve to see something different. I think our organization deserves to do something different. I think our players should expect to be different and play different.”

You want to believe in something better for Cleveland. But would it shock you if they’re picking first overall again in 2019?

The Browns won’t end up as the worst team in the NFL. Their win total in Las Vegas is about 5.5, and they could go over that. Yet, they have to be No. 32 in our Power Rankings until they prove otherwise. Even a 6-10 season is a staggering improvement; it’s hard to improve by six wins in the NFL. I figure the Browns should break this miserable losing streak somewhat early, perhaps against the New York Jets on a Thursday night in Week 3. If they’re winless by Halloween, it’s impossible to imagine Hue Jackson will still be their coach. Let’s predict some progress with five or six wins – led by a nice Baker Mayfield rookie season – to give Browns fans hope that better days are coming. Being a playoff contender might be a couple years off, but that’s where Cleveland should be trending by season’s end.

– – – – – – –

Frank Schwab is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @YahooSchwab

#_author:Frank Schwab #_uuid:1b79ef8a-f5c4-3469-b3e8-8d834970394c #_lmsid:a077000000CFoGyAAL #_revsp:99add987-dcd1-48ae-b801-e4aa58e4ebd0

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junker-town · 5 years

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How likely every NFL team is to ruin its 1st-round pick

Why would you assume that your team is not gonna screw this up?

The NFL Draft is a time of relentless optimism for everyone. That player you get will set the course for your team’s future. Your franchise took the best player available, the perfect thing for its needs, or both. Draft grades from Night 1 all take a really big assumption: that teams won’t screw this up after the selection. That’s a bad assumption.

Due to a myriad of possible circumstances (coaching changes, front office ineptitude, bad deployment of the player, stunted development, you’re the New York Giants, etc.) literally anything can happen to your first-round pick. Many of these teams will screw this up and fail their multimillion-dollar investments. I’ve ranked each pick 1-5 on a RUIN SCALE, with 5 being the most worried I am about a player not panning out through little fault of his own.

1. Cardinals: Oklahoma QB Kyler Murray

Kyler Murray is exceptional, but the Cardinals are sticking him behind an offensive line that’s basically an OSHA violation. Kliff Kingsbury’s vertical passing schemes may be cutting-edge, but if Murray never has enough time to find an open receiver, good luck with that.

He’s also throwing to a receiving corps whose best player is 36 years old. Even if Larry Fitzgerald is a first-ballot Hall of Famer, this is not the ideal situation for a quarterback to step into. Thank God Murray knows how to stay out of trouble.

RUIN SCALE: 5

2. 49ers: Ohio State DL Nick Bosa

San Francisco now has a logjam on the DL. The Niners have taken a defensive lineman in four of the last five first rounds, and how they deploy all that talent is going to be interesting moving forward. Maybe you fully shift Solomon Thomas inside? Or trade him, as is rumored.

But if the team doesn’t ruin him, the fanbase might ...

Bosa, 21, a talented pass-rusher out of Ohio State, recently deleted several tweets about political and racial subjects. Asked why he had done so, he told ESPN it was in his interest to scrub his social media accounts. “There is a chance I might end up in San Francisco,” he said.

So, to summarize some of the tweets from next year’s likely No. 1 draft pick, Nick Bosa: 1. Black Panther is the worst Marvel movie. 2. Beyoncé’s music is “trash.” 3. Kaepernick is a “clown.” Alllllllllllllllrighty then.

— mike freeman (@mikefreemanNFL) May 14, 2018

Nick Bosa on his past use of social media and coming to liberal area of country: “I love the Bay Area and I’m excited to play there. I was a little insensitive in some of the things I said. I’ve learned a lot in the past few months." #49ers

— Eric Branch (@Eric_Branch) April 26, 2019

RUIN SCALE: 3

3. Jets: Alabama DL Quinnen Williams

I’m serious: not even the Jets can screw up Quinnen Williams. The Jets were saved from themselves, because they reportedly couldn’t trade out. They were forced to take probably the safest player on the board.

Jets couldn’t find a trade partner. Picking....

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 26, 2019

They tried to screw this pick up by getting out of it. They’re forced into competency.

RUIN SCALE: 0

4. Raiders: Clemson DL Clelin Ferrell

The problem isn’t that Ferrell isn’t good. It’s that he’d probably still have been there when the Raiders drafted again later in the first round, and there were better edge rushers. And that’s the problem with the Raiders these days specifically. They have all the picks they can want, but at some point, you have to nail the picks and win. This isn’t doing that.

RUIN SCALE: 5

5. Buccaneers: LSU LB Devin White

The Bucs will be inserting him into a defense that literally hasn’t been good in 15 years.

RUIN SCALE: 5

6. Giants: Duke QB Daniel Jones

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

RUIN SCALE: 12

7. Jaguars: Kentucky DE/LB Josh Allen

Here’s a list of the first round draft picks made by Jags GM Dave Caldwell.

2013: Luke Joeckel (didn’t pan out)

2014: Blake Bortles (didn’t pan out, and was overpaid after a bidding war between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Jacksonville Jaguars)

2015: Dante Fowler (kinda panned out, but traded before the end of his rookie deal for scraps and was usurped by third round pick, Yannick Ngakoue)

2016: Jalen Ramsey (an All-Pro!)

2017: Leonard Fournette (maybe good, maybe not, and is a running back you took at the third pick, which is questionable anyway)

2018: Taven Bryan (played him in the wrong position most of the season)

RUIN SCALE: 4

8. Lions: Iowa TE T.J. Hockenson

Every five years, the Lions take a tight end. In 2009, they took Brandon Pettigrew (whom they cut after seven seasons), in 2014, Eric Ebron (whom they cut after four, and who went on to have a career year with the Colts).

The Lions can totally screw up Hockenson, a very good football player, and we’ll be right back here 2024. But maybe Matt Patricia can use Baby Gronk the right way.

RUIN SCALE: 3

9. Bills: Houston DT Ed Oliver

Buffalo is low-key assembling a solid defense. Adding Oliver to the front on the inside is a pretty savvy move. There is one way that the Bills could really screw this up, though. It would be to alter his pretty unique stance.

“He basically proved to [former defensive line coach A.J. Blum] and proved to himself that this is the stance he could come out of. It was compact, but at the same time extremely explosive. Short legs or not, I think that’s a tribute to his leverage.”

Even though Blum prides himself on fundamentals, he had to think outside the box here. Oliver says if NFL teams want “to make me sorry, then go ahead and fix it.”

RUIN SCALE: 3

10. Steelers: Michigan LB Devin Bush

The last time Pittsburgh traded up to get a defender in the first round, they landed Troy Polamalu. I’ll give em the benefit of the doubt here.

RUIN SCALE: 1

11. Bengals: Alabama OT Jonah Williams

Williams is a really good and technically sound lineman who’ll become the left tackle for Andy Dalton’s blindside. The problem is ... Dalton has struggled in the past under pressure, and actively makes things worse for his offensive line at times.

RUIN SCALE: 3

12. Packers: Michigan DL Rashan Gary

Green Bay is getting a pretty massive makeover on defense. As long as Gary stays out of Aaron Rodgers’ way, he’ll be fine.

RUIN SCALE: 2

13. Dolphins: Clemson DL Christian Wilkins

Please don’t screw up the most fun player in this draft, Miami.

RUIN SCALE: 1

14. Falcons: Boston College G Chris Lindstrom

I watched the draft with two Falcons fans, who immediately got up to get beers when the pick was made. Their team has now added five guards since the offseason started.

RUIN SCALE: 5

15. Washington: Ohio State QB Dwayne Haskins

Well, they systematically ruined the last QB they drafted. Fare thee well, Dwayne.

RUIN SCALE: 26

16. Panthers: Florida State DE Brian Burns

Basically the only bad thing about Burns is his weight, and adding nearly 20 pounds since the end of his college season is a good sign.

RUIN SCALE: 1

17. Giants: Clemson DL Dexter Lawrence

I’m sorry, we just have to go back to this first.

Gettleman says #NYG had same grade on Daniel Jones and LB Josh Allen.

— Kimberly Jones (@KimJonesSports) April 26, 2019

In a backwards way, there isn’t much doubt in my mind that Lawrence will be fine in the long run. But my worry is because of the retrograde thinking of the Giants’ front office. A space-eating defensive tackle should be just fine.

RUIN SCALE: 2

18. Vikings: NC State OL Garrett Bradbury

Minnesota had to take an offensive lineman here and did. My only fear is that the offensive line just doesn’t gel with a bunch of new pieces and a new offensive scheme.

RUIN SCALE: 2

19. Titans: Mississippi State DL Jeffrey Simmons

This is a very good player, with a very serious crime in his past. No jokes or grades here.

20. Broncos: Iowa TE Noah Fant

The Broncos had a ... pretty good first round, trading down from the 10th pick and still getting a good player? I don’t know. Better not trust it.

RUIN SCALE: 4

21. Packers: Maryland S Darnell Savage

The Packers were an abomination on the back end last season for a few reasons. Inserting a rookie in the mix could work, or the youth could come back to bite them as they get shredded in shootouts.

RUIN SCALE: 4

22. Eagles: Washington State OT Andre Dillard

About as bulletproof a pick as they could make here, considering:

Despite a ridiculously large amount of snaps in pass protection – Andre Dillard put forth the draft class' 2nd-highest pass-blocking grade! #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/tU1cWJq2yY

— Pro Football Focus (@PFF) April 26, 2019

Adding Dillard to an already-good line is a strong move.

RUIN SCALE: 2

23. Texans: Alabama State OT Tytus Howard

Houston really needed to improve the position, and it did. This unit’s been bad in front of Deshaun Watson, and it’s held the team back. But do you trust Houston’s offensive line coaches to maximize new talent at the position?

RUIN SCALE: 4

24. Raiders: Alabama RB Josh Jacobs

Jacobs can do it all, and now the Raiders need a running back who can with Marshawn Lynch retiring. One thing John Gruden should get credit for is the way he uses running backs (remember that when you’re doing a fantasy draft in August).

RUIN SCALE: 1

25. Ravens: Oklahoma WR Hollywood Brown

The Ravens have a wide receiver! How about that?

RUIN SCALE: 1

26. Washington: Mississippi State DL Montez Sweat

I — they’re drafting well right now. I really don’t know what to do with this information.

RUIN SCALE: 4 (on principle)

27. Raiders: Mississippi State DB Jonathan Abram

Oakland coordinator Paul Guenther’s defensive scheme is hella complex. Good communication is a must. There’s gonna be a learning curve.

RUIN SCALE: 3

28. Chargers: Notre Dame DT Jerry Tillery

Yeah, give me all the Los Angeles defensive front players. Tillery, Melvin Ingram, and Joey Bosa together.

RUIN SCALE: 1

29. Seahawks: TCU DE L.J. Collier

It’s the Seahawks. He plays defense. This is easy.

RUIN SCALE: 0

30. Giants: Georgia CB Deandre Baker

I am just still so stunned by what this team did earlier.

Gettleman says he fell in love with Daniel Jones at the Senior Bowl. “After the three series I watched, I saw a professional quarterback. So that’s when I was in full-blown love.” #Giants

— Pat Leonard (@PLeonardNYDN) April 26, 2019

The good news: Baker’s a pretty good corner opposite Janoris Jenkins. With Jabrill Peppers at safety, this sounds like a pretty decent corps on the back end.

Bad news: You’d love ‘em to go up against a really really wide receiver in practice every day to get better. If only New York still had such a player around.

RUIN SCALE: 3

31. Falcons: Washington OL Kaleb McGary

Falcons lining up like this now pic.twitter.com/AaZIZ8AUTa

— Drafting Daniel Jones to own the libs (@JasonKirkSBN) April 26, 2019

RUIN SCALE: 5

32. Patriots: Arizona State WR N’Keal Harry

God damnit.

RUIN SCALE: -10

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thrashermaxey · 6 years

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20 Fantasy Hockey Thoughts

Every Sunday until the start of the 2018-19 regular season, we'll share 20 Fantasy Thoughts from our writers at DobberHockey. These thoughts are curated from the past week's "Daily Ramblings".

Writers: Michael Clifford, Ian Gooding, Cam Robinson, and Dobber

1. Nazem Kadri was extremely hot and cold during 2017-18. After a strong first two months of the season (13 points in 17 games), Kadri cooled off to a 12-game pointless drought that lasted all through December. Then it was back to the previous scoring pace (32 points in 41 games). Once all was said and done, Kadri had posted his second consecutive 30-goal and 55-point season.

So, with John Tavares now in the fold, will Kadri be able to repeat his production from the past two seasons? The easy take is to assume that he will be shifted toward a more defensive role. Something that is also lost among the Tavares hype is that several other scorers have departed from the Leafs, including Tyler Bozak and James van Riemsdyk. The Leafs’ first and second-power play units logged very similar ice time totals, so a spot should remain on whatever unit Kadri was on.

There’s also a couple of other factors that could help Kadri during the Tavares era in Toronto. For one, Tavares will help the power play, as his 30 PPP was more than anyone on the Leafs. As well, teams will probably focus on using their top shutdown units against the Tavares line and the Auston Matthews line. This should mean better scoring opportunities for Kadri. With 19 power-play points (fourth on the Leafs), Kadri shouldn’t be going anywhere.

We, in fantasy hockey, tend to think of the top two lines as the place to be for forwards. But, strong teams nowadays focus on rolling three solid forward lines. If Kadri centers the third line, that isn’t such a bad thing. He could have another quietly effective season on a Leafs’ forward group that is one of the deepest in the league. (aug1)

2. Interested in any Flames' forward prospects could make the opening-night roster as a result of Troy Brouwer being bought out? I don't think there are any obvious names but July 1 signing Austin Czarnik was thought to be someone who had an excellent shot to make the Flames' opening night roster. His chances only improve now. Czarnik has scored at a point-per-game pace in the AHL over the past three seasons but could not crack the Bruins' deep roster. (aug4)

3. Kyle Connor was not one of the Calder Trophy finalists but there was a valid argument that he should have been listed as one of the top three rookies. Connor led all freshmen in goals with 31, which is a number that placed him in the top 30 overall in the goals category. Over a full season, he was on pace for 61 points, checking in at 57 points in 76 games.

If you believe the voters in Cage Match Tournament #2, Connor will not reach 70 points this season (technically 71 points, since the question was will he exceed his career best pace by 10-plus points). Only 13 percent of the voters believe that Connor is due for that type of breakout. Of course, this is a point pace that assumes he will play a full season. The average NHLer does not play a full 82 games, so it might be safer to assume that Connor should reach 60 points in his sophomore season.

Connor was boosted by playing on a line with two of the NHL’s top scorers in Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler for over half of the season. His production may suffer if he is moved down to a secondary scoring line but you can’t blame him for the linemates that he is matched up with. The fact that he has a proven track record with Scheifele and Wheeler should only help his cause on draft day.

You may want to move Connor down your pre-draft rankings if your league counts hits or penalty minutes, however. Among all Jets players, Connor had the lowest hits per game played total, averaging just one hit every four games. In terms of penalty minutes, only Andrew Copp had a lower penalty minutes total than Connor (16 PIM) among Jets players who played at least 60 games. (aug3)

4. Jack Hughes is the projected consensus first overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft and for good reason. He’s the first U17 player to record two points-per-game in the USHL this past season. He centered a ridiculous line with Oliver Wahlstrom and Joel Farabee on the U18 team and those three should hook up again for the US at the WJC too.

I often get asked hypothetical questions on Twitter such as: “Who would go first overall if they were in the same draft, Jack Eichel or Hughes? Or how about, Rasmus Dahlin or Hughes?”

I scouted a ton of USNTDP games last season and watched Auston Matthews and Eichel closely in their lead-up to being drafted, and Hughes was more dynamic at the same age. He is one of the best pure talents I’ve ever seen. He has speed that makes you think of Connor McDavid. Hands and creativity that are reminiscent of Patrick Kane, and a motor that doesn’t quit. The cerebral, crafty, and playmaking center will be a pillar in the NHL for a very long time. So, start loading up on 2019 lottery picks in your leagues because those who are lucky enough to land the top spot next year will be adding an instantly-productive star to their squad that has an extremely high ceiling. (aug2)

5. Sleeper Alert! I believe people are very much snoozing on what Kailer Yamamoto could do next season. There’s a reasonable chance that he ends up beside Connor McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins at evens right off the hop. That’s a top 10 spot to secure in the league.

Yamamoto cracking the Oilers' lineup fresh from the draft floor last fall was impressive. He lasted his nine games before heading back to Spokane of the WHL. And the transition was difficult for him. He struggled to replicate the outlandish numbers that we'd become accustomed to. Even at the World Junior Championships, where he was expected to be a standout, he flew a little too far under the radar. However, something clicked in the New Year. Upon returning with his WJC bronze medal in hand, Yamamoto went on a tear that saw him produce 17 goals and 51 points in the final 25 contests. He concluded his final junior season with 21 goals and 64 points in 40 games. That 1.6 points-per-game sat seventh most in the league and his 1.2 primary points-per-game sat 10th.

Heading into 2018-19, two things need to happen for the Oilers to jump back into the playoff picture:

– They desperately need to fix their power play woes and overall offensive potency. – They need solid goaltending.

Yamamoto won't be able to solve the issues in the crease (although a bounceback by Cam Talbot is quite plausible). He will, however, be able to contribute on the offensive side of things. Edmonton's power play was a DEAD LAST in the entire NHL last season. How a team can roll out McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and company and end up 31st on the PP is beyond me. That plummeted their overall goals-per-game output to 20th in the league.

Down the stretch, McDavid found chemistry with Nugent-Hopkins and oft-castoff, Ty Rattie. Rattie will get some rope to hold that spot on the RW next season but Yamamoto's speed and elite offensive instincts will be breathing down his neck. If he can pry that spot away, he'll be in the running for the best fantasy value of the year. (july30)

6. It was a difficult first season in Montreal for Jonathan Drouin. Brought in to be groomed as the No.1 center, Drouin struggled at the position with a low 42.5 percent faceoff success rate just one symptom. The adjustment unfortunately also affected his scoring numbers, as he only totaled 13 goals and 46 points to go with a brutal minus-28. For a player that was drafted in the top 100 in most fantasy leagues, that wasn’t much of a return.

So, is Drouin an effective rebound candidate? A better question might be whether Drouin will ever be capable of meeting his upside. In spite of the perceived low point total, Drouin reached a career high in assists (33) and only fell seven points shy of his career high from a season earlier. Drouin was also a minus-13 during that 2016-17 season in Tampa Bay. So, assist-heavy point totals and poor plus-minus have been a part of his recent history with two different teams.

Given the fact that Drouin might be outside of the top 100 in single-season leagues, he might be a buy-low candidate to consider. To give you an idea, I offered Matt Duchene for Drouin in one keeper league and was turned down. There are more league rule factors at play than what I can describe here, but this particular owner knows the value of what he still has. Either that, or he’s not interested at all in Duchene, which is a whole other discussion.

If you believe in a Drouin rebound/breakout/whatever you want to call it, you’ll cite the fact that he is only 23 years old. Maybe you’ll even mention the breakout of his former junior teammate, Nathan MacKinnon. Remember that MacKinnon’s value seemed to have hit rock bottom at this time last season. Now he’s an MVP finalist. That’s not to say that will happen with Drouin but he may have needed a season to adjust to his surroundings. If there is less turmoil in Montreal in 2018-19, that will also help. (aug1)

7. Although John Gibson is just 25 years old, he has already established himself as a reliable NHL netminder when he has stayed healthy.

Gibson played in a career-high 60 games last season, while his .926 save percentage was the fourth-highest among goalies who played at least 40 games. I believe it was Mike Clifford who first brought this up but Gibson’s save percentage while killing penalties was an incredible .916. That is a good six points higher than the next-highest goalie who played at least 25 games (Carter Hutton) and nine points higher than the next-highest goalie who played at least 40 games (Semyon Varlamov). The Ducks’ core might be getting older and they might be a bubble playoff team at this point but they should be solid in goal for the next little while. (aug5)

8. Carey Price, Matt Murray, Cam Talbot, and Braden Holtby failed to even come close to their 2017-18 preseason rankings as top-tier goalies. Those were the first four goalies off the draft boards in many leagues last season! Of those four, the best save percentage was from Talbot (.908 save percentage), while the best goals-against average was from Murray (2.92 goals-against average). Those aren’t numbers that will win you your fantasy league but they could have played a major part in you not winning your league.

So yeah, investing a first-round or even a second-round pick in a goalie is risky business. Something you will know all too well if you drafted Holtby, Murray, Price, or Talbot last year. I’d much rather draft scorers and hope like crazy that I don’t get dragged into a goaltending run early. (aug4)

9. It's not $9 million, but it's still quite a short-term haul. The Senators and Mark Stone have agreed to a one-year contract worth $7.35 million.

Whether he stays in Ottawa long-term isn't the only fantasy-related issue with Stone going forward. In spite of finishing with 1.07 PTS/GP in 2017-18 (14th among players with at least 50 GP), Stone has averaged just 64 games played over each of the last two seasons. Band-Aid Boy trainee material, maybe? So sure, you can project a point-per-game pace for him again, but you'll also need to deduct some games played from him again. But with this being (another) contract year and perhaps showcasing himself for other teams if the Sens continue to be a mess on and off the ice, Stone should be highly motivated to have a big year.

Another thing to consider about Stone in multicat leagues: He has never taken more than 160 shots in a season. This is from a combination of factors including the aforementioned injuries the past two seasons, as well as the gift of being able to consistently shoot at between 15-17 percent. Imagine what kind of fantasy monster he could be if he increased his shot totals! (aug4)

10. Do we really know how valuable William Karlsson is? After all, he jumped from being a 20-25 point checker to a nearly 80-point top liner. The 2018-19 season will give us a better idea of who Karlsson really is.

I know that Karlsson simply didn’t slow down all season – not even in the playoffs. Yet he finished the season with an amazing 23.4 percent shooting accuracy, a number that was matched only by Alexander Kerfoot (who scored 19 goals in spite of taking just 81 shots). In the playoffs that dipped to 14 percent, but he managed to score seven goals in 20 games because he took 2.5 shots per game (50 shots), an increase from the 2.25 shots per game he averaged during the regular season. So, if Karlsson is to equal his 2017-18 production, he must shoot more.

Some shooters have a consistently high shooting percentage, which is their normal. Yet Karlsson’s previous shooting percentage was around the 6-8 percent mark when he suited up for both Columbus and Anaheim. I’d be willing to raise that shooting accuracy projection a few more points now that he’s getting better scoring opportunities on the top line. But, we have to plan for some regression here. Forty goals again? Don’t count on it. Thirty goals might be a more realistic projection. But, he is a top liner with a strong team now and should be treated as such. (aug5)

11. Jeff Skinner was traded to the Sabres for a handful of magic beans: prospect forward Cliff Pu, a second-round pick in 2019 and a third-round and a sixth-round pick in 2020. That return obviously doesn’t consist of anything that can help the Canes today, although I do realize that they had to trade Skinner soon because he’s on the final year of his contract and reportedly seemed unlikely to re-sign in Carolina. Pu was the top right wing in the Sabres’ system, according to Dobber Prospects, so there’s that for the Canes.

Yes, this trade absolutely helps Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart, and of course Skinner himself maybe more than anyone. It also potentially hurts Conor Sheary, who I wrote about for Bubble Keeper Week, though Casey Mittlestadt might not be a bad consolation prize. Our own Cam Robinson covered the Fantasy Impact of this trade for you. Not just from the Buffalo side, but also the Carolina side, unlike another fantasy impact piece that I read from another website. So I can’t really see much that he didn’t cover on this deal, although I’ll take one question from the comments.

12. I think the Skinner trade improves the chances that Valentin Zykov makes the Hurricanes. Not only could he make the team but he could also be featured in a prominent role. To jog your memory, Zykov impressed as a late-season callup for the Canes, scoring seven points over ten games. Zykov also has the advantage of playing left wing, the same position as Skinner, so there’s definitely an opening. His NHL success was largely on the top line with Sebastian Aho and Teuvo Teravainen, so he could even find himself back on that line!

I like Zykov as a potential deep sleeper, even more so now that this trade has gone done. Andrei Svechnikov seems to be a slam dunk to make the Canes, while Martin Necas’ chances also seem very good. Both Svechnikov and Necas impressed at the Canes’ prospect camp last month. This is a trade that certainly helps the kids in Carolina, so you’ve got a few rookies to choose from in their lineup. (aug3)

13. The Winnipeg Jets came to terms with restricted free agent, Nic Petan. The 23-year-old and his agent were surely pushing hard for a one-way contract but had to settle for a one-year, two-way deal that pays him $874,125 in the NHL and a ‘paltry’ $70K in the minors.

Petan has been stuck behind an abundance of talent in the Peg. He suited up for 54 games with the big club in 2016-17, while seeing two minutes per night on the power play. However, that total was reduced to just 15 NHL contests last season with virtually no opportunities on the man-advantage. Petan was amongst the top players in the American Hockey League last season when he produced 15 goals and 52 points in as many games. However, the logjam of forwards in front of him in Winnipeg, coupled with the two-way contract, means he’s likely destined to end up there for long stretches again next season.

This screams of a player in need of a fresh start in an organization that can facilitate his terrific playmaking abilities but forgive his weakness in the corners. There should be at least a handful of bottom-feeders making calls to general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff regarding the former Portland Winterhawks star. Pure speculation here but Canucks’ coach Travis Green was behind the bench in Portland when Petan was racking up triple-digit campaigns. He’s already showed an affinity for having his former junior stars in Vancouver with Derrick Pouliot and Brendan Leipsic in the fold; perhaps Petan could find his way back to the west coast. We all know Vancouver could use a little more offence. (aug2)

14. The New York Rangers inked restricted free agent Ryan Spooner to a two-year contract worth $4 million per season. The former Bruin shone brightly upon joining the Rangers. He recorded two goals and 13 points in his first eight games on Broadway, while seeing between 15-19 minutes a night. Twelve of those points came at even strength. Not a bad show of faith to your new club.

The 26-year-old came back to earth after that, recording just one goal and three points over the final 12 games as New York sunk near the bottom of the standings. Yet, he still managed to set or tie career-highs in goals (13), even-strength points (34), points-per-game (0.69), hits (66), and time on ice (15:18).

The Rangers have him on a friendly contract and are hoping he can fill in as the team’s third center behind Mika Zibanejad and Kevin Hayes. Spooner will continue to work on the second power-play unit and create offence at even-strength. He’s a streaky player that can be utilized as a streamer off the wire. Just don’t hold on for too long. (aug2)

15. I’ve mentioned how important shot totals are. It should go without saying that they’re important for every player, including Sonny Milano. They might be the reason that his NHL career hasn’t gotten off the ground. In 55 games last season, Milano took just 69 shots on goal. That’s barely over a shot per game. He may have even been lucky to score as many goals as he did (14), as his shooting percentage calculated out to about 20 percent.

Milano’s 2017-18 NHL proportion of goals to assists (14g-8a) look nothing like his career totals in other leagues, where he resembles more of a playmaker. That should be somewhat surprising, as his most frequent linemate was Oliver Bjorkstrand, a player with some offensive upside. Bringing in Riley Nash could help the former first-round pick, as this could provide the Jackets with a solid third line.

For now, though, I’d prefer to take a wait-and-see approach with Milano. He just finished his first full NHL season, yet the talented Milano isn’t likely on my sleeper radar yet. (aug5)

16. Blackhawks’ Gustav Forsling is expected to miss the first month of the season after undergoing wrist surgery that will require about 14 weeks of recovery time. After starting the season with four assists in five games, Forsling made it onto one of my fantasy teams for a brief stretch. Finishing the season with 13 points in 41 games, Forsling holds some value in deep keeper leagues. (aug1)

17. Claude Giroux was late becoming a full-time NHLer, with his first full season coming at the age of 22. Was it really his fault they let him toil in the QMJHL and AHL before bringing him up? He had 48 goals and 112 points in 63 games in his D+1 year and 38 goals and 106 points in 55 games in his D+2 year. They had him start 2008-09 in the AHL and he was over a point per game for nearly half the season. While I don’t know the circumstances around keeping him off the full-time roster for so long (maybe Philly fans can shed some light in the comments), he appeared ready offensively long before he got to the NHL for an 82-game season.

Over the last eight years, he ranks 2nd in points (only Sidney Crosby is ahead), 5th in points per game (ahead of names like Alex Ovechkin, John Tavares, and Ryan Getzlaf), and 1st in assists. Those are very impressive numbers that span nearly a decade.

There’s always the question of hardware. There are zero MVPs, zero scoring titles, and zero Cups. Those things matter to HOF voters. If the Flyers win a Cup in the next few years, this is a different conversation for a lot of people. The final sticking point is usually one of whether he was considered one of the top players of the sport at a given moment. I think some people might remember the ‘Baton Has Been Passed’ arguments from years ago which were always silly. Giroux did have a five-year span (2010-2015) where he led the league in points. Guys like Crosby and Ovechkin were certainly still the impact players ahead of him but of the non-generational players, it’s hard to look down your nose at a player who led the entire league in scoring for five years.

A final determination cannot be made right now, obviously. Giroux is heading into his age-31 season and there’s no telling what the future holds. What if he puts up a couple more 90-point seasons? What if he puts up a couple more 90-point seasons *and* adds a Stanley Cup? Or, maybe he continues hardware-less for his career, 2017-18 proves an anomaly, and he returns to the production levels of 2015-17? Regardless, where he stands right now, outside of the guys that are clearly HOF-bound, Giroux is at, or near, the top of the next tier. (july31)

18. Dylan Larkin had 63 points last year, and only eight of the came on the power play. Not only that, he was the first forward in a decade to tally at least 63 points while shooting under seven percent. The last forward under the age of 25 to do it was Brad Richards in 2002-03. That’s not actionable fantasy information, I just found that interesting.

Anyway, it’s not hard to see Larkin having a monster season this year. He had a career-best in individual points percentage but the level he found himself shouldn’t be a concern. He was at about 73 percent and the top playmakers and producers in the NHL, names like Anze Kopitar, Artemi Panarin, Nathan MacKinnon, Taylor Hall, and Johnny Gaudreau found themselves in the 70-80 percent range. If the belief is Larkin is a burgeoning star (that is my belief), his IPP level isn’t a concern.

If that shooting percentage rebounds (it will; he can’t shoot 3.7 percent on the power play again), and he can boost his power play production overall, there could be a huge year coming. If Larkin pushed to be nearly a point-per-game player this year, it wouldn’t surprise me in the least. He’ll probably be on a lot of my teams. (july31)

19. Former Hobey Baker winner Will Butcher isn't the most defensively responsible player but he knows how to execute offensively. The 23-year-old jumped right into the fire to begin his rookie season. He scored a goal and 15 points in his first 19 games and had the fantasy world buzzing. He was seeing north of three minutes per night on the top power-play unit and 16 minutes overall. The team sheltered him at even-strength but starting him in the offensive end 60 percent of the time.

As the season wore on, his numbers began to slide a tad. By the 60-game mark, he had accumulated 30 points, but he lost a full minute off of his power play time per night. After recording 14 power-play points in his first 40 games, he earned just two PPAs in a 20-game stretch. That bumped him down to the second unit. Butcher refused to slink into the night. He produced 14 points in the final 20 games. Seven of those points came from the power play.

His 44 points in 81 games were good for a share of 21st most by NHL defenders with Dougie Hamilton. That’s ahead of players such as Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Nick Leddy, Rasmus Ristolainen, Zach Werenski, and Ivan Provorov. Most of those players will be kept. Will Will Butcher? (I don't think I've ever written Will Will before)

Heading into 2018-19, his place in the lineup remains unclear. He was the team’s best option to run a power play featuring the reigning Hart Trophy winner in Taylor Hall and Nico Hischier. His performance down the stretch should earn him the first look on the top unit once again but he’ll need to prove consistent. If I'm a betting man, I'd say Butcher's will continue to produce a good amount of power play points in the future and should be capable of replicating his 40-plus point output. That's worthy of a keeper spot for most leagues. (july30)

20. A word to the wise: Do not give up on Dylan Strome just yet. 2018-19 will be a telling season for the 21-year-old. His eight points (3-5-8) during the final 10 games last season represent a window into the potential we've been waiting on.

Projecting his place in Arozona’s lineup next season only makes this keeper decision more difficult. The Coyotes went out and traded for Alex Galchenyuk and immediately stated he will be given every opportunity to play the middle of the ice. Derek Stepan is a proven top six center who has chemistry with the team’s best forward, Clayton Keller. That leaves Strome to battle with Christian Dvorak and Brad Richardson for a shot as one of the bottom six pivots. Realistically, barring injury to Stepan or Galchenyuk, Strome will end up playing on the wing. Likely somewhere in the middle six. His role on the power play should stay consistent with what we saw down the stretch last season – him working the half wall and quarterbacking things on the second unit.

Holding onto Strome will be an effort in perseverance. He has the pedigree. He’s proven to have impressive skills and has filled the scoresheet at every level. You’ll be banking on a player that likely won’t return huge value this coming season but holds tremendous upside yet to come. I know I'd be keeping him over a veteran player who you can count on for 50-points. Swing big. That's what fantasy hockey is all about! (july30)

Have a good week, folks!!

from All About Sports https://dobberhockey.com/hockey-home/20-fantasy-hockey-thoughts/20-fantasy-hockey-thoughts-35/

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thesimplyluxuriouslife · 6 years

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183: International Travel Prep List

~The Simple Sophisticate, episode #183

~Subscribe to The Simple Sophisticate: iTunes | Stitcher | iHeartRadio

The arrival of the holiday issue of The English Home in my mailbox brought a larger smile to may face than previous years. As I flipped through the pages of recommendations by the editors of special holiday events in which to partake in London and around the city (Liberty London holiday windows, visiting the Borough Market, and strolling down Regent's street), I immediately began to add the ideas that caught my eye and interest to my itinerary. After five years since my last visit to England, TSLL will be returning for the kick-off of the holiday season, and to say I am excited is to only express a morsel of my eagerness to arrive in the land of Jane Austen. As such, I am fine-tuning my preparation for international travel. Five years ago I shared a three part series on International Travel which is also included in TSLL's first book with further details not included on the blog. With each trip I have since taken requiring a passport, my travel experience deepens and prompts me to want to share what I have discovered.

1. Check Visa requirements and Renew Passport, if necessary

A simple check on this U.S. government website will confirm whether or not you need a Visa or merely your passport to travel to the international country on your itinerary. For example, if traveling to Australia from the U.S., you will need a Visa. A U.S. passport is valid for 10 years (five years for children under 16) and the renewal fee for an adult passport book is $110 (an additional $30 for a passport card). On the website, it states that renewals take between 4-6 weeks, but to be safe, do it at least 3 months in advance.

2. Apply for a TSA Pre-Check or Global Entry

One of the best $85 I spent was going through the process to receive my Known Travel Number (KTN). In fewer than five minutes in any U.S. airport, I was moved through security without having to take my shoes off or empty my bags. I do still have to run my carry-on through security, but I was able to remain clothed and not take out all of my personal items. The ease set the tone for the trip that was pleasurable and less harried. Remember to renew within five years. Now for international travelers, the TSA Pre-Check works for our departures, but once we are abroad, we will have to go through international airport security unless we have a Global Entry number. While not all countries are a part of the Global Entry program (check here to see which are), there are certain travel frequency requirements to meet in order to obtain this status. The cost is $100 (also must be renewed every five years).

~the red smiley face was the note to the TSA security check that I was TSA Pre-Check, and I moved swiftly through the security line~

3. Reach out to your financial institutions (credit card and checking) to alert them of your travel destinations Once you know which credit or debit cards you will be taking on your travels, call your bank to let them know where you will be traveling abroad and during which dates. Why? If you have a bank that keeps careful track of where you spend your money as to alert you to any fraudulent purchases, they could prevent your card from being used while you in a destination you normally aren't. Simply let them know and you will be set.

4. Pack the proper adapters and converters

In my first post regarding international travel, I recommended a brand of adapters that while they worked, I found them to be too flimsy and often don't stay in the socket (the post has since been updated). So the hunt began for a new brand which I found and am happy to report is affordable and very sturdy. Made by Ceptics and offering adapters for nearly any country you may be traveling to, I paid $7 for three adapters fit for the United Kingdom and Hong Kong. Check this post out for converters and for what purpose you will need them (most laptops convert automatically) - scroll down to #4.

5. Purchase necessary sleep aids to alleviate jet lag as much as possible

I have yet to not experience jet lag whatsoever. And even when I am convinced I am not experiencing it at the time, inevitably, upon reflection, I was. However, taking an over-the-counter sleep aid isn't a bad idea to try to sync your body on the plane sooner rather than later. Bring a sleep mask, and perhaps even change into pajamas if your flight is extra long.

6. Educate yourself about the culture

If you've never traveled to your destination, do your homework. Come to understand the customs and expectations, and if the country speaks a different language, learn the basic greetings (hello, thank you - see a more detailed list here - check out #7 on the list).

7. Check the driving license requirements

If you are planning on renting a vehicle, check to see if the country you will be driving in requires an international driving license. Some countries simply need your driver's license from the country you are from, but others are more particular. Rick Steve's writes about driving in Europe here and here is a link to AAA which will issue you an IDP for $20 (good for one year).

8. Purchase transportation passesd in advance

If when you arrive you will be using the local transportation (subway, metro, tube, busses, etc.), consider purchasing in advance (if available), the necessary cards. For example, London makes available in advance of your arrival their Oyster card for visitors, as well as offering discounts on the fare prices. I particularly like knowing my transporation from the airport and for the first day is taken care of as due to the lengthy travel itinerary, I am quite exhausted and merely want to arrive at my accommodations and settling in without more stress of the unknowns.

9. Pack a neat and well-stocked travel tote for toiletries

The 3.3 ounce rule applies to liquids and lotions if you are taking your travel tote in your carry-on, so pack thoughtfully. I just found these TSA approved squeezable liquid containers on Amazon which come with pre-made labels. If you are bringing your travel tote full of toiletries and/or make-up, finding the perfect sized tote is the goal. It has taken me some time to find this item. Having gone through a rolled up cloth and mesh version and a plastic version just to name a few, I finally found a leather travel tote with a couple of different compartments and zipper pouches that fit the exact size I needed. (View my list of items for a travel tote here.) This striped toiletry tote also caught my eye.

10. Invest in sturdy and secure luggage

After going through at least three suitcases in which the handle would either be ripped off, the zipper broken or the compressable handle becoming extremely loose, I realized I should have taken my own advice and applied it to travel luggage: invest in quality. Rimowa and Tumi are two top well-known and trusted brands making their luggage available in sturdy aluminum. I happend on a great deal last spring and purchased my Tumi at a fraction of the full-price from Neiman Marcus. Save up, and purchase what you can afford and you won't have to waste money on buying multiple pieces that don't do their job.

11. Reserve your taxis before you leave

If you will need a taxi to and from the airport as you leave your home, as well as when you arrive at your destination, make the reservations ahead of time. Peace of mind and not having to pull your luggage through the local transportation is a simple investment if you have more than a carry-on. As well, when you hop (okay, who am I kidding, after a transcontinental flight, it is more like lumbering) off the plane, seeing your name on a piece of paper with your driver waiting to take you to your accommodations with a nice soft bed is a welcome sight.

12. Prep your home

Depending upon the season and weather, tend to details of home care and home sitting if necessary. As well, alert your mail carrier and newspaper delivery to be held or speak with a trusted neighbor to enjoy the newspaper while you are traveling.

13. Pack your carry-on

Whether you are taking an item of luggage with you as a carry-on or not, you will want to stock your travel tote that will be traveling with you on-board with the necessities. Below is a list of items to consider:

sleep mask

reading, viewing and listening material (downloaded is applicable)

earbuds

empty water bottle

sleep aid

basic beauty bag (facial wipes, concealor, moisturizer, dry shampoo, mascara, blush, facial oil, lip moisturizer, hair brush)

favorite tea bags (if you're a tea drinker like myself)

work material (laptop, tablet, etc.)

phone charger

reading glasses & contact solution with case

wallet

passport

14. Confirm accommodations

Make sure you have the proper addresses, arrival times are clear, and the hotels, vacation rentals, know when you will be arriving if at a unique time.

15. Confirm Online Check-In for Flight 24-hours before departure

Most airlines allow you to check-in online from your phone/computer 24-hours in advance to expedite check-in should you just have a carry-on. Other airlines also allow you to choose your seating for free at this time as well such as British Airways.

16. Download helpful apps

From an app to help you find free wi-fi at many international airports around the world (only $1.99 - WiFox), to transportation apps for your city, as well as Uber and the airlines you will be traveling on so there will be no need for a paper ticket, download them before you wake up early and head to the airport.

17. Now take a deep breath

You are ready to relax, open your mind to the many experiences that await you and enjoy your trip. If you'd like to see exactly where I am going and what I am enjoying, be sure to follow along on Instagram (@thesimplyluxuriouslife) ~VIEW SIMILAR TSLL POSTS ON TRAVEL HERE

~Why Not . . . Travel Internationally? Part Deux (what to pack)

~Why Not . . . Travel Internationally? Part Trois (how enjoy your visit to the fullest)

Petit Plaisir:

~Chocolate Almond Praline Cookies

~click here for the recipe

This episode was sponsored by the following:

~Swap.com

Save 40% with code SIMPLE40 on your first order through November 30th

Receive free shipping on orders over $10

Free shipping code: C4Y7FP4XJERY

Download the Episode

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watchingthesuperbowl · 7 years

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Notes taken during Super Bowl XXXVI

PREGAME

This is a Sky Sports simulcast of a Fox production. No more Channel 4, it appears.

The Sky Sports pre-produced open is just absolutely awful. The guy is using words that don't mean what he thinks they mean.

Sky Sports open: "They are underdogs personified, led by Tom Brady, a backup quarterback who nobody had heard of before he stepped out of the shadows to get a grip on a team of unknowns and has-beens to become overachievers." Dude, he threw for 369 yards and four touchdowns while winning the Orange Bowl as a starting quarterback when he was at Michigan. If you hadn't heard of him, you weren't a football fan.

Patriots are one of the biggest underdogs in Super Bowl history. 14 points, it appears.

"Kurt Warner was the Cinderella story of the 34th Super Bowl. Is Tom Brady to be the Cinderella story of the 36th?"

Sky Sports package about the Rams. This is actually well-written and well-conceived. They should have let this reporter do the cold open. Martz discusses the offense. Martz runs plays based on what the defense does. They break down the winning play in XXXIV. Trips right, single coverage with a safety. They knew the safety would help on the slot receivers, leaving Bruce one-on-one.

Drew Bledsoe: Not surprised at how well Brady has played. I've seen him in practice.

Bledsoe: Didn't like losing my job due to injury. Didn't agree with it, but we're in the Super Bowl now.

Bledsoe: We're friends, but it's awkward sometimes and changed our relationship.

Bledsoe drives a Mercedes, Brady drives a Dodge Ram pickup truck.

Bledsoe: Impressive to see how well Brady prepares, and his preparation is meticulous. Has as good a command on what we're doing and what the defense is doing as anyone I've ever seen.

Back to the Sky Sports studio. Analyst calls Brady "What'shisname".

Analyst: Brady has a bad ankle. I'm the Rams, I blitz him. And if Bledsoe comes in, I blitz him too. Brady is nervous. He could be great, and he could be real bad. They've got Bledsoe if he's bad.

Oh, hey, there's Paul McCartney. He's performing before the game. Fox runs a graphic describing him as a 13-time Grammy winner, as if he needs an introduction. "Okay, everybody clap your hands for freedom!" He does a song about his rights given by God to live a free life. It's apparently called Freedom and is his response to September 11, 2001. It's sort of garbage, and I say that as someone who loves most of McCartney's work.

Now a bunch of Patriots sound bites about Belichick. This is a Pam Oliver Fox package, chopped up and rebuilt.

The studio "expert" is apparently Mark Collins, former Giants DB. I am decidedly not a fan of his media work.

Patriots WR Terry Glenn is holding out, may not get a ring if New England wins.

One-on-one interview with John Madden, which is awesome. Madden says the Rams are the better team, but the winner is always the team that plays better on the day. Both interviewer and Madden say special teams may be big for the Patriots.

Madden describes Rams offense as the best ever assembled. I'm not going to say he's wrong, but IMO the Niners were better circa Super Bowl 29. This Rams offense is awesome, though.

Introductions: Rams offense. 40% of the starting offensive line played in the MAC, so that's cool. Pat Summerall doing the introductions.

Introductions: Patriots. They come out en masse, not introduced individually.

Star Spangled Banner: Boston Pops and Mariah Carey

Coin Toss: Roger Staubach and George H.W. Bush. Rams win the toss and will receive.

Rams beat Patriots 24-17 in Week 10.

Dick Stockton and Darryl Johnston in the booth, apparently. I think this is a Sky Sports-specific commentary team for this game.

FIRST QUARTER

Yo Murphy back to receive the opening kickoff. A big deal is made of his time with the Scottish Claymores. Heck of a return, out to the Rams' 39.

Fox using the umlaut in Tom Nutten's name. Cool.

Rams doing Ram things, across midfield quickly and nearing field goal range within the first minute.

2nd and 18, Warner goes deep into double coverage to Torry Holt. Apparently Holt beat CB Tebucky Jones and Law was there to assist. Drive stalls at the New England 40. John Baker will punt, and for once this strategy pays off. He kicks it out of bounds inside the 5.

First play for the Patriots, Brady to Troy Brown for 21 on a slant. That's very Rams of them.

Brady is the third QB to lead his team to the Super Bowl in his first year as a starter. Kurt Warner and Vince Ferragamo (both Rams) are the other two.

Johnston: When the Patriots go shotgun formation, left guard Mike Compton plays center and center Damian Woody plays left guard. They've been doing it all year. He's never seen that before. Neither have I.

Patriots stall near midfield and punt. Ken Walter, one of two recent NFL players to go to Kent State and not play football there. (Antonio Gates is the other.)

Patriots in their third Super Bowl, all in New Orleans.

Four of Warner's first five pass attempts have been to Holt.

Cool play alert: Running back Marshall Faulk lines up as a wide receiver, then goes in motion and runs a jet sweep.

Warner converts a third down in which he's pressured and improvises a pass. One play later, they're across midfield.

Huh. Rams run a middle tight end screen. Johnston says the Rams have used that play all season long and it's one of their favorites. Mike Martz knows more about offense than I do, but that seems like an ugly play.

Rams stall just inside the New England 35. Jeff Wilkins comes on to attempt a 50 yard field goal, and it's right down the middle. 3-0 Rams.

Cutaway: Trainer working on Kurt Warner. Cramp? Back muscle issue? The commentary team doesn't even reference the shot, so I have no idea.

Team that scores first in the Super Bowl is now 25-10.

Patriots go three and out. Defensive end Grant Wistrom with great coverage on running back Kevin Faulk to prevent a third down completion.

Stockton: People are talking about Marshall Faulk as if he's one of the greatest, or maybe even THE greatest of all time. Pump the brakes, Dick. He's great, but he's not Brown or Payton. Rookie LaDainian Tomlinson is about to replicate Marshall Faulk's career, albeit without the Super Bowl ring.

Quarter ends with Rams on top 3-0.

SECOND QUARTER

First quarter stats: Rams 89 total yards and 5 first downs, Patriots 50 and 2.

Sky runs a graphic of World Bowl champions.

Third and 15, Warner throws to Az Hakim, who's surrounded by four Patriots defenders. Two of the Patriots crash into each other and Hakim gains some additional yardage.

Wait, did the Rams just call a quarterback draw with Kurt Warner? They did. Bananas. It gains five yards on 2nd and 10. After an incomplete third down pass, Jeff Wilkins is on and misses a 52-yard field goal wide left.

Third down, Brady deep for David Patten. Knocked away by Kim Herring, who won a ring last year with the Ravens. Doesn't matter. Holding, defense, first down.

Patriots don't accomplish much and punt. Rams will take over at their own 20.

Coming up at halftime, a live performance from U2. "Music" from Barenaked Ladies, which means it's...not live? I dunno.

First and 10 Rams from their 39. Warner under pressure, tosses it up, a terrible throw under pressure and Ty Law picks it off. He's gone with a pick six. 7-3 Patriots.

Stockton: Patriots felt like if they could get out of the first quarter with the game close, they'd be in good shape.

Johnston: Nobody beat the St. Louis Rams this sesaon. They've beaten themselves when they lost.

On a first down play, Az Hakim makes a catch past the first down marker but inexplicably runs backwards behind the marker. Second and inches, but a run is stuffed on second down and Warner throws incomplete on third down. Hakim blew it. Rams will punt.

A promo for www.NFLJapan.co.JP. Huh.

Stockton: There is no question the Patriots have stolen the momentum.

Marc Edwards getting the ball here. Three touches for the fullback on this possession.

Fox graphic: Fewest points the Rams have scored this year in the first half: 9, twice.

Promo for NFLEurope.com. Sky shows video of Kurt Warner as an Amsterdam Admiral.

Patriots punt and the Rams take over with 1:52 left in the half. They're deep in their own half of the field.

Inside handoff to Az Hakim! Clock running, Rams at their own 20 with around 90 seconds left before halftime.

Warner completes a pass deep downfield to Ricky Proehl, who almost immediately fumbles. Terrell Buckley recovers and runs it back to the Rams 40 or so. If you're a Rams fan, you're beginning to feel some indigestion.

Patriots driving in the two-minute drill. A big third down run from Kevin Faulk makes it first and goal from the 8 with 36 seconds left.

First down, Brady throws into the end zone to David Patten, who makes an incredible falling, off-balance catch. Perfect throw, perfect catch. This is a stunning turn of events. The Rams were two-touchdown favorites.

They're going to review it to make sure he had the ball and was in bounds. He did. It's a touchdown. 14-3 Patriots. This is the Rams' largest deficit of the year.

Rams take a knee after the kickoff. It's 14-3 New England at the half. The team leading at halftime is 27-7 all-time in Super Bowls.

HALFTIME

U2 performs. "Beautiful Day". Then a tribute to September 11, 2001 victims as they play "MLK" and "Where The Streets Have No Name". Victim names are projected onto a screen behind the band and scrolled. U2 lost me in the early 90s and has never really gotten me back, but they absolutely nailed this halftime show. Perfection.

Back to the Sky studio. Mark Collins shows off his Super Bowl rings.

THIRD QUARTER

Patriots receive the second half kickoff. Decent return to the 30 or so.

A couple of big runs from Antowain Smith to start the half and the Patriots have moved into Rams territory.

The drive stalls near the Rams' 45 and Ken Walter will kick it away. Rams take over inside their 20.

After a penalty, the Rams have a 1st and 18 from their own 8, but they take care of it right away. Warner hits Hakim, who weaves through defenders for a first down. Next play, Warner to Bruce down the middle of the field, and they're out to the 50.

That's more or less where the Rams' first drive of the half ends. They'll punt. Patriots take over near their 15.

New England feeding Antowain Smith. 17 yards on the first play of the drive. He's gotta be up near 100 yards now, midway through the third quarter.

End around! David Patten for 22. Looked for a moment like he might score.

Smith: 14 rushes, 84 yards. Now 15 for 85.

Drive stalls near the Rams' 35. They punt, and it goes into the end zone. Net of 15 yards. Whee! Belichick was thinking field position, I assume.

Stockton: Rams' deepest penetration is to the Patriots' 32 yard line.

Promo for American Bowl 2002 in Osaka: Washington vs. San Francisco. The first preseason game of the year, next August.

Marshall Faulk beginning to heat up. Rips off a couple 8-12 yard chunks outside. Rams get to midfield.

Patriots defense looking a lot like Belichick's Giants in XXV. Allow catches, but no yards after the catch.

Warner with a terrible throw, picked by Otis Smith, who returns it to the 33. Torry Holt fell and Warner was throwing to a spot.

Run/pass option to Kevin Faulk, but he's sacked. I guess it'll go down as a three yard rushing loss, but that was a sack. He wanted to throw. (As it turns out, this was recorded as a sack.)

Another trick play with Kevin Faulk. Direct snap to the running back as Tom Brady acts like the snap went over his head. Nearly enough for a first down, but sets up Adam Vinatieri for a 37 yard field goal. Got it. 17-3 Patriots, with 1:18 left in the third.

All 17 Patriots points have come off of Rams turnovers.

Video of Adam Vinatieri kicking for the Amsterdam Admirals.

Johnston: I like the calm St. Louis is showing on offense. They don't seem shaken, there's no sense of panic despite a 17-3 deficit.

Rams out near midfield again after a couple of completions. Third quarter ends with New England up 17-3.

FOURTH QUARTER

Team that's ahead after three quarters is 30-5 all-time in Super Bowls.

Third and 6, Warner finds Hakim across the middle to convert. They're unside the 45. Next play, Kurt Warner scrambles, buys time, and somehow finds Ernie Conwell for nine yards.

Rams still not panicking, doing their thing, taking their time. This is a big drive, but they're not forcing anything.

BIG play to Marshall Faulk coming out of the backfield. He gets man coverage against Mike Vrabel, which is a huge mismatch. Gets to the 9. First and goal.

Warner throws into traffic on second down. Lawyer Milloy nearly picks it off. Not a great throw. Next play, nearly picked off again. Ty Law probably should have had that ball for the Patriots. Bruce was running a fade route and never looked for the ball.

The Rams will go for it on fourth down, needing two touchdowns in the next 10:29.

Rams have scored on 37 consecutive Red Zone possessions. 27 TD, 10 FG. Last time they didn't score was against New England in Week 10.

Fourth down, Warner can't find anyone open and scrambles, eventually decides to take off and run with it. Tackled at the 1 yard line and fumbles. Tebucky Jones scoops and takes it 97 yards for a touchdown...but there's a flag on the field. Defensive holding. First down, Rams. Huge, huge play. Replay shows Willie McGinest essentially tackled Marshall Faulk while Faulk was trying to run a pass pattern.

First down from the Patriots' 1, Faulk up the middle, stuffed.

Video of Paul Tagliabue with a personalized FC Barcelona jersey. It's soccer, Paul. It's sort of like football with no hands.

Second and goal, Rams spread the defense and Kurt Warner waltzes in on a quarterback sneak. I don't think I've ever seen a quarterback sneak up the middle from the one yard line where the QB goes in basically untouched. 17-10. Rams are alive.

Daryl Johnston and Nick Halling chat about FC Barcelona playing exhibition games in the US. Halling snarkily asks Johnston if he'd go to the games and Johnston emphatically says yes. He says soccer was the first sport he played. Halling is audibly surprised and a bit impressed.

Patriots go three-and-out. They'll punt with 7:55 left in regulation and the Rams down by 7 points.

It's a good punt, and there's a penalty on the Rams. St. Louis will start at its own 6.

Rams convert a third down inside their own 10 with a clutch pass from Warner to Bruce. It's only five yards, but it's good enough for now.

2nd and 10, Warner with a beautiful pass downfield to Ricky Proehl. The Patriots blitzed and paid the price. Rams nearly out to midfield, needing a touchdown to tie the game. Less than 6:00 left in regulation.

Huge sack on second and 10. Willie McGinest sacks Warner for a loss of 16! Rams now facing 3rd and 26, around 4:00 on the clock, no timeouts.

New England calls its timeout. Wow. That's odd. They're giving Martz and Warner time to think. Neither team has any timeouts left.

Stockton: This would be the second-biggest Super Bowl upset of all time, behind the Jets in Super Bowl III.

Neutral zone infraction on the Patriots. Five yard penalty. 3rd and 20 or 21 from midfield. Warner throws into traffic. Incomplete to Torry Holt.

Rams will...punt? Okay. They'll punt. It goes into the end zone. 3:44 left, Patriots with the ball, Rams have no timeouts and might not get it back. 17-10 New England.

Smith run, loss of 2. Clock will be under three minutes before the next snap. Dump pass to Smith, gain of 4. Clock will be below 2:20 before the third down play. Pitch to Smith, gain of 2. Two minute warning, Patriots to punt.

Holding against the Patriots on the punt. Penalty declined. 30 yard punt gives Warner great field position on their own 35.

Complete pass underneath to Az Hakim, who shakes a tackle and gets an additional 12 yards. They're inside the 40.

Now it's Yo Murphy! A swing pass for 12, getting out of bounds. Yo was lined up in the backfield and it confused the defense.

Next play, a fade to Ricky Proehl, who gets away from Tebucky Jones and weaves his way into the end zone. The Rams are an extra point away from tying this game. They get it. 17-17. This could be the first overtime Super Bowl in history.

Johnston: "The only question is, did St. Louis score too quickly and give New England too much time?"

Good coverage on the kickoff. Troy Brown tackled inside the 20. 1:21 left, tie game.

Johnston: The Patriots have plenty of time and a great kicker.

First play, dump pass to J.R. Redmond. Patriots at their 20 as the clock ticks under 1:00. Another short pass down the middle to Redmond gets 10. They spike it and stop the clock with 0:41 left. 2nd and 10 from their own 30.

Another pass to Redmond, this time for 11. Clock stops because he got out of bounds. 0:33 left.

Vinatieri's long is a 55 yard field goal. Postseason long is 46.

Brady rolls and throws to...nobody. Rams sideline freaking out because it probably should have been called intentional grounding. The call is not forthcoming. Brady was inside the tackle, but outside of where the tackle originally lined up.

Now Brady finds Troy Brown for 23 yards. Clock stops at 0:21. Ball at the Rams' 36. Would be a 53 yard field goal right now.

Brady to Jermaine Wiggins, a dump pass over the middle. Clock ticking at 0:15, this is tempting the fates...They have to spike it. 10...9...8...7...they spike it with 0:07 left.

Here's Adam Vinatieri, trying to win it. He's never missed a kick indoors. 48 yarder. GOT IT! The clock runs out and New England wins, 20-17.

POSTGAME

Stockton: This is the most dramatic Super Bowl game ever played. Did dude see the one two years ago? Because that was every bit as dramatic.

Johnston: Great representation by NFL Europe today. Vinatieri and Warner.

Stockton: Patriots lost three of their first four games, their quarterbacks coach had a heart attack, and then they lost their starting QB (Bledsoe) to injury. Won the Super Bowl anyway.

Stockton and Johnston both talk about how fitting it is that the Patriots would win the first Super Bowl after 9/11. *insert wanking motion here*

Sky Sports studio host: AFC East had lost its last eight Super Bowls. I don't wanna talk about it.

Studio analyst Mark Collins: Doesn't matter if there's one week off before the Super Bowl or two weeks off. All you're doing in the extra week is going to parties and getting free stuff.

Collins: Game-tying touchdown was an illegal pick play that wasn't called.

Collins: Vinatieri has to be the MVP. Only Patriot who stood out. Otherwise, everybody played very well but nobody was great.

Patriots owner Bob Kraft: New England fans have waited 42 years for this day and we're world champions. Happy to be associated with coaches and players who put team first. Talks about "this time in our country" and the "spirit of America". "We are all Patriots", he says. I can't speak for anyone else, but I was a Ram that day.

Bradshaw: People thought you were crazy when you traded a first round draft pick for Bill Belichick. Kraft: Best deal I ever made.

Belichick: Credit to players and coaches, and if we played next week, we'd still be the underdogs.

Belichick: Decided we needed to cover receivers more than rush Warner because he gets rid of the ball so quickly.

Belichick: We have two good quarterbacks - three, with Huard - and you can't have too much depth at QB.

Brady: Incredible. This is what happens when guys believe in each other. Gives credit to all his teammates. Dream come true.

Brady named MVP, wins a Cadillac Escalade. Says it's a team car and everyone's using it. Bradshaw says Brady will pay the taxes on it.

Vinatieri: Never been so proud to be a member of anything in my whole life.

Promo for NFL Europe coverage. April 13, Barcelona Dragons at Scottish Claymores.

Closing montage: U2, Beautiful Day.

#super bowl #super bowl xxxvi #rams #patriots #nfl #football #st louis rams #st. louis rams #st louis #st. louis #new england patriots #new england

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thegloober · 6 years

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Oregon Ducks Game Day Grades – Week 4

JUSTIN HERBERT: QB

STATS: 26/33, 346 yards passing, 1 TD, 1 INT, 11-carries 35 yards

DRAFT STOCK: 3rd Round

Justin Herbert did exactly what he was supposed to do. Play like a Heisman candidate. If the game ended in regulation, he would have only had three incompletions. He was spectacular. He controlled the offense like a magician, carving up the Cardinal defense with his arm. David Shaw, Stanford’s head coach, called Herbert a “hell of a quarterback,” referring to his team’s inability to keep the Duck QB in check.

There’s truly nothing else Herbert could have done to win this game. Despite all the hoopla and bad calls by the ref, especially the one that took a touchdown off the board for the Ducks, leading to the fumble and touchdown return for the Stanford defense in the third, Herbert had the Ducks in position to win the game.

Regardless of all of that, if the Ducks can pick themselves up off the canvas and rebound in Berkley against the No. 24 Golden Bears, there is no doubt in my mind that Herbert has yet another stellar performance as he had against Stanford; this time resulting in a victory.

GRADE: A+

TONY BROOKS-JAMES: RB

STATS: 6 carries, 27 yards, 1 touchdown

DRAFT STOCK: Undrafted

This was supposed to be the breakout game for Tony Brooks-James to solidify himself as the starting running back. That, however, did not happen. If anything, he proved he’s just not good enough to be the guy in a powerhouse program like Oregon.

TBJ is just too small to be a force in the PAC-12. Yes, the Duck’ fans are going to have LMJ, LaMichael James, pop into their heads and say ‘he did it,’ well TBJ doesn’t have the quickness, or more importantly the vision to be that good. CJ Verdell stepped up and showed he should be the Ducks guy. Verdell had 20-carries for 115 yards and a touchdown.

I see Verdell getting the nod as the starter after his performance against Stanford, although with TBJ’s speed, he will still see plenty of playing time. He will be limited to sweeps and any other run scheme designed to go wide.

GRADE: D

PENEI SEWELL: OG

DRAFT STOCK: Freshman

Despite four sacks, 7 tackles for a loss, four pass deflections, and one QB hurry, Sewell and the offensive line played amazing. For a team to defeat Stanford, they must control the line of scrimmage, and Sewell was apart of a front that did just that.

Penei Sewell played like a senior Saturday against Stanford. First and foremost he did not appear to be rattled at any point in the biggest game of his career; a Nationally televised game against a top-10 team. He was never lost during audibles, his pass blocking was textbook, he got off the ball quickly during run plays, and he helped Herbert and the Ducks offense control most of the game.

Just like Herbert, if Sewell plays like this for the rest of the season, the Ducks will be a force to be reckoned with. The offensive line proved that they can not only play fast like the old Chip Kelly Ducks but physical, smash-mouth football like Alabama, Ohio State, Stanford, and other top ten teams.

GRADE: A+

JORDAN SCOTT: DT

STATS: 2-tackles, 1 pass deflection

DRAFT STOCK: Sophomore

Jordan Scott definitely had one of his best games as a Duck, and in his case, numbers lie. If you don’t believe me, ask yourself this question. Did Darrelle Revis impact games for the New York Jets even if he didn’t defend a single pass? If you answered no, then go away. You don’t know football.

Scott made his presence known early by clogging up the middle of the line and getting off the ball so quickly that he found himself in the backfield blowing up plays.

Scott is too big and skilled not to be a factor, even if he’s not the one making the tackles. When he gets into the backfield immediately after the snap, just cause he’s not the player making the tackle doesn’t mean he’s not the one responsible for that stop. It’s like getting an assist in basketball.

That’s how he must play from here on out. Cal is 3-0 and the No. 24 team in the nation. They like to the throw the ball and attack quickly similarly to Oregon, so it will be up to Scott again to break down the pocket and make Cal QB, Chase Garbers, uncomfortably throwing the ball.

GRADE: A+

JALEN JELKS: OLB

STATS: 1 tackle

DRAFT STOCK: 3rd Round

Again, like Scott, numbers lie for Jalen Jelks. Jelks did his job play after play after play. What was his job you ask? It was to keep edge containment and force Heisman candidate Bryce Love back into the middle of the field where his help is. Yes, Love broke loose once leading to a 22-yard touchdown run, but that was it.

If you take that one run away, the defensive line won the battle in the trenches against a team that prides itself in winning that battle. That is Mario Cristabol putting his fingerprints all over this team. It is the strong physical presence Duck teams have been missing in the past.

There isn’t much negativity you can take away from the defense as a whole. The corners need to get better at tracking the ball in the air, especially against tall receivers like Stanford possesses, but other than that, Jelks and the d-line dominated this game. There is no doubt in my mind they fly into Cal and make life difficult for Garbers and Cals rushing attack of Patrick Laird and Marcel Dancy.

GRADE: A

TROY DYE: LB

STATS: 7 total tackles, 5-solo tackles, 1 pass deflection

DRAFT STOCK: 4th Round

Troy Dye had yet another monster game. He led the team in tackles, he had a huge pass break up on third down, and set the tone from the opening kickoff. Dye was reading the plays like Luke Kuechly, clogging up running lanes and making tackles. His ability in this game to read the play was what allowed him to stay unblocked. The quicker he diagnosed what was unfolding made it impossible for Stanford linemen to make it to the second level and block him.

Cal plays more of a style like Oregon. They want to spread you out and attack wide, yet this plays into Dye’s and the Ducks’ strength. Both teams are fast and athletic, which in terms could be a bit of a shootout in the beginning, but once Dye and this Oregon defense find their foothold, there will be no bending against the Golden Bears.

GRADE: A

Source: https://bloghyped.com/oregon-ducks-game-day-grades-week-4/

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auburnfamilynews · 7 years

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James Moran (@SmartestMoran) is the associate editor of Tiger Rag Magazine in Baton Rouge, where he covers the LSU football and baseball beats. This is his first appearance on the ‘Blogle, and I would describe his mood as… meh, LSU football, whatever. Other than that, he’s… WAIT, WHAT DID HE CALL CAM?!

1. What do LSU fans think of Auburn football right now?

I’d say most people around Baton Rouge realize Auburn is a step above LSU in terms of talent right now.

2. What’s the vibe like in Baton Rouge after the loss to Troy and the missed XP win over Florida?

There was definitely a sigh of relief in and around the program after the Florida win. After Troy, it was legitimately pondered if LSU would win another game this season. The team at least demonstrated it hadn’t packed in the season yet.

3. Will Ed Orgeron be the head coach at LSU in 2018? If yes, what would it take for him to be gone?

Absolutely. Considering his buyout, it’s hard to imagine a disaster scenario severe enough that he gets fired after one year. LSU is already paying a huge sum of buyout money to coaches as is.

4. Which two unheralded LSU Tigers should Auburn fans look out for and why?

If you’re not familiar with inside linebacker Devin White, you will be by the end of Saturday. He’s all over the field and leads the SEC in tackling.

Offensively, I suppose Russell Gage. He runs LSU’s jet sweeps (a huge part of Matt Canada’s offense) and has a propensity for hurdling defenders.

5. Which two Auburn Tigers worry you the most and why?

In terms of LSU’s defense, it’s got to be Kerryon Johnson. They’ve had intermittent issues stopping the run this season, and while the defensive front is getting stronger each week, Johnson is rolling downhill right now.

In terms of LSU’s offense, they’re worried about whoever Auburn rotates in along the defensive line. LSU could start three true freshmen along the offensive line as both of their starting tackles are battling injuries. That’s the staff’s biggest concern by far.

6. Where do you see each team having an advantage over other?

I think Auburn is a much deeper team along both lines of scrimmage and has the edge at quarterback and the kicking game. I’d say LSU still has a good enough secondary to blanket Auburn’s passing game if they can find a way to stop the run.

7. Who are your two favorite Auburn Tigers of all time and why?

Cam Newton won me a fantasy football championship once and was the most spectacular college football player I’d ever seen, so we’ll go with him even though he’s kind of a dick. Cadillac Williams had a pretty sweet nickname.

8. What’s your score prediction and analysis for this game?

I’m not really in the business of making score predictions, but I will predict that if the winning score is more than 20 points, LSU did not win the game.

9. Where will Auburn and LSU end up this season?

I think LSU goes 7-5 or 8-4. Can’t foresee any better than that with Auburn and Alabama left on the schedule. Still think Auburn wins 10 games, as I picked before the season.

10. Did you know that neither Auburn nor LSU invented “Sailor Mike?”

I did not know that. You learn something new every day.

from WarBlogle.com http://bit.ly/2xyKYuF

#IFTTT #Blogger #auburn #auburn fast #wareagle #AuburnFamilyNews #war eagle #sec #football news #aubu

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thrashermaxey · 6 years

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Ramblings: Stone Signs For One Year, Hellebuyck, plus more… (Aug 4)

Stone Signs for One Year, Connor Hellebuyck, plus more…

It's not $9 million, but it's still quite a short-term haul. The Senators and Mark Stone have agreed to a one-year contract worth $7.35 million. There's the obvious jump in pay for salary cap league owners from the $3.5 million he made, but the one-year contract has a more interesting layer to it: Stone, Matt Duchene, and Erik Karlsson are all on the final year of their contracts. So if the Sens continue their downward spiral, all three could top the list as potential trade deadline targets, or as a result UFAs if they are not either dealt or re-signed. This is huge because these are the Sens' top three players (up-and-coming prospects like Brady Tkachuk notwithstanding).

#Sens and Mark Stone agree to a one-year, $7.35M deal, avoiding arbitration. He has the 9th-most points from the 2010 NHL Draft (249), despite being drafted 178th overall. pic.twitter.com/KdR2gCtbTU

— Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) August 3, 2018

Immediately after I wrote about Stone (of course), Cody Ceci was awarded a one-year contract worth $4.3 million from arbitration. So you can add him to that list above. A couple years ago I thought Ceci would make his way into the realm of 40-point defensemen, but his career has since taken a different turn since the Senators decided to use him more as a defensive defenseman.

The Flames made it official, buying out Troy Brouwer's contract on Friday after he cleared waivers. If you're interested in any Flames' forward prospects could make the opening-night roster as a result of Brouwer being bought out, you'll see a few names listed in this posting from Flames Nation. I don't think there are any obvious names, but July 1 signing Austin Czarnik was thought to be someone who had an excellent shot to make the Flames' opening night roster. His chances only improve now. Czarnik has scored at a point-per-game pace in the AHL over the past three seasons, but could not crack the Bruins' deep roster.

Just a reminder to not forget about 2016 first-round pick Dante Fabbro, who has assured the Predators that he will play for them one day, just not this season. The Preds are deep on defense and will be for a while, so this is one prospect that you’ll have to wait on some more if you already have been. Fabbro will be back with Boston University this coming season, having recently been named co-captain.

As a cyclist in my spare time, I can say this would be an amazing ride. Even better, it’s for a great cause. Craig Cunningham’s brother Ryan will be riding his bike from Castlegar, BC, to Tuscon, AZ to raise heart awareness. For more on the cause, Craig’s story, and how to contribute, see the story in the Vancouver Province.

A while back, I had been evaluating goalies identified in the Goalies to Watch article in last season’s fantasy guide. I still had one goalie to cover, so I’m going to take care of that unfinished business now. This goalie is the third success story – one that had such a successful season that he has flown all the way to the top of Dobber’s Top 100 Keeper Goalies. That goalie is Connor Hellebuyck.

Although I didn’t draft Hellebuyck in any of my leagues, I take special pride in recommending him. I can specifically remember reading comments about his inclusion on the list along the lines of, “Hellebuyck was terrible last season” and “Doesn’t the author know that the Jets signed Steve Mason to be the starter?” Um, yeah, I knew when I wrote that. I was trying to buck the trend and help you target the post-hype sleeper. I knew that Hellebuyck had been pumped up to that point and was now being largely ignored. But I’m sure you can figure out which goalie was a Vezina Trophy finalist and which goalie is now looking for a job.

The Jets took the patient route with their team, and everything finally came together in 2017-18. It looked like it was going to be more of the same after the first two games, where Mason allowed a combined 11 goals. Then Hellebuyck took the ball and never looked back. It was at the time a wise move for the Jets to sign Mason, as they didn’t want to throw their young goalie into the hot seat after years of misery.

Should Hellebuyck be the first goalie chosen in single-season drafts? I would think that he would at least be in the top 3 given his performance last season. I will say that given the turnover from the top 5 goalies now versus the top 5 goalies at this time last season, a skater is probably going to be a safer pick than a goalie.

Top 10 keeper league goalies – June 2018

1 Connor Hellebuyck

2 Frederik Andersen

3 Tuukka Rask

4 Braden Holtby

5 Andrei Vasilevskiy

Top 10 keeper league goalies – June 2017

1 Braden Holtby

2 Matt Murray

3 Carey Price

4 Cam Talbot

5 Devan Dubnyk

Interesting how the only name that remained in the top 5 is Holtby, and he wouldn’t have even made it there had it not been for the Capitals’ Stanley Cup run. Murray has fallen to 10th, while Price has fallen all the way to 14th.

These two goalies, along with Talbot and Holtby, failed to even come close to their preseason rankings as top-tier goalies. Those were the first four goalies off the draft boards in many leagues last season! Of those four, the best save percentage was from Talbot (.908 SV%), while the best goals-against average was from Murray (2.92 GAA). Those aren’t numbers that will win you your fantasy league, but they could have played a major part in you not winning your league.

So yeah, investing a first-round or even a second-round pick in a goalie is risky business. Something you will know all too well if you drafted Holtby, Murray, Price, or Talbot in 2017-18. I’d much rather draft scorers and hope like crazy that I don’t get dragged into a goaltending run early.

For more fantasy hockey information, you can follow me on Twitter @Ian_Gooding.

from All About Sports https://dobberhockey.com/hockey-rambling/ramblings-stone-signs-for-one-year-hellebuyck-plus-more-aug-4/

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