NFL 2019 Week 2 Recap

Hello readers! The 2nd week of the National Football League regular season has come to an end. There were quite a few blowouts, some very close games and some snoozers of games. We will talk about those games as well as a NFL 100 spotlight. Let's get to work!

NFL 100: A Spotlight

When it comes to blowouts in championship games, you don't see a lot of them. Whether it be the weather is terrible, or that both teams are so evenly matched that a blowout wasn't in the picture, let alone a 10-point margin. What if I told you that there's a blowout that still stands nearly 80 years later. 

That game was the 1940 NFL Championship game between the Chicago Bears and the Washington Redskins. The Bears were coming into that game with a 8-3 record and the Redskins were coming into that game with a 9-2 record. The game was held at Griffith Stadium on December 8th, 1940. 

The Bears and Redskins had previously met prior to the championship. It was on a week 11 matchup where the Redskins would win the game 7-3. The game was decided on a bad call and the Bears called foul on the referees. Chicago would remember that game and felt that they should've won the game. 

The Bears that year had Sid Luckman at quarterback who threw for 941 yards with four touchdowns and nine interceptions. The Bears leading rusher was Ray Nolting had 373 rushing yards with a touchdown. Gary Famiglietti would have 320 rushing yards and four touchdowns. They also had Bronco Nagurski. 

The Redskins had flingin' Sammy Baugh on their team. Baugh would throw the ball for 1,367 yards with 12 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Dick Todd was the Redskins leading rusher with 408 rushing yards and had 4 touchdowns. 

Going into the game, one advantage that the Bears had was George Halas' T-formation a new innovation that wasn't used until after that season (with probably a good reason). Compared to the single-wing formation that most teams used at that time. Sid Luckman would use the T-formation to perfection and into this game. 

The game's scoring was started with a Bill Osmanski 68-yard rushing touchdown, the score was at 7-0 Bears. Sid Luckman would run it in to the endzone with a 1-yard rushing touchdown, the score was now 14-0. Joe Maniaci would get into the endzone with a 42-yard run, 21-0 Bears at the end of the 1st quarter. Sid Luckman would get a passing touchdown from a 30-yard play from Ken Kavanaugh, the score was 28-0 at the end of the 1st half. 

The 2nd half would get started with a 15-yard interception return from Hampton Pool, the score was 35-0 Bears. Ray Nolting would get a touchdown too from a 35-yard rush, while missing the extra point, 41-0 Bears. The Bears defense would continue their onslaught on Sammy Baugh with a 34-yard interception return for a score, 48-0 Bears. Chicago's defense came with another pick-six from a 24-yard interception return from Bulldog Turner, 54-0 Bears. Harry Clarke would run it in with a score on a 44-yard touchdown with a missed extra point, 60-0 Bears. Gary Famiglietti and Harry Clarke would finish off the blowout with a 2-yard rush and a 1-yard rush to run the score up 67-0 and 73-0 respectively. The game was finally over. The Bears were champions of the NFL for the 4th time. 

The next year the United States was plunged into another World War in 1941 and the NFL was not immune to the draft as teams would lose players, forcing teams to merge for a time. The Bears would be no exception. Chicago would go on to win NFL championships in 1941, 1943 and 1946. The Bears and Redskins would meet again in 1942 and the Redskins would exact some revenge on them winning the game 14-6. It would be Washington's last championship until Super Bowl XVII. 

Week 2 Recap

Note: TW is me, CV is Cardinal Viking my roommate.

Tampa Bay 20, Carolina 14: TW: Panthers; CV: Panthers

Well the game was somewhat of a snoozefest. The Panthers had no touchdowns in the game as they would rely on the leg of Joey Slye and did manage to get a safety. Cam Newton threw the ball for 333 yards with 0 touchdowns or interceptions. It was a quiet day on the ground for Christian McCaffrey with 16 carries for 37 yards rushing. Jameis Winston threw the ball for 208 yards and got a passing touchdown. Peyton Barber got 82 yards rushing on 23 carries for a touchdown. 

All-time series: Panthers lead series 23-15

Next week: Tampa Bay: vs NY Giants; Carolina: @ Arizona

TW: 0-1; CV: 0-1

LA Chargers 10, Detroit 13: TW: Chargers; CV: Chargers

The surprise of the week as the Chargers took on the Lions on the road. Philip Rivers threw the ball for 293 yards and an interception. The interception was the deciding factor in the game as Darius Slay was there at the right time. Austin Ekeler would get 66 yards rushing and a touchdown. Matthew Stafford of the Lions struggled early in the game but would make up the two interceptions with 245 yards passing and two touchdowns in the game. Bummer Chargers fans. 

All-time series: Chargers lead series 7-5

Next week: LA Chargers: vs Houston; Detroit: @ Philadelphia

TW: 0-2; CV: 0-2

Jacksonville 12, Houston 13: TW: Texans; CV: Texans

The Jaguars would ultimately fail in the 2-point conversion late in the game but a win is a win for the Texans. DeShaun Watson would throw the ball for 159 yards but would get a rushing touchdown on a 2-yard play. Gardner Minshew threw the ball for 213 yards and a touchdown. Minshew would also run the ball for 56 yards, Leonard Fournette, his running back would run it for only 47. DJ Chark would have the only receiving touchdown in the game for the Jaguars. Need a better offensive showing from the Texans if they want to go far. 

All-time series: Texans lead series: 22-13

Next week: Jacksonville: @ Tennessee (Thursday night); Houston: @ LA Chargers

TW: 1-2; CV: 1-2

Minnesota 16, Green Bay 21: TW: Packers; CV: Vikings

The Packers would put up 21 points in the first half and wouldn't need anymore for the rest of the game. Aaron Rodgers would throw the ball for 209 yards with two touchdowns. The tale of the game is the two running backs. Aaron Jones of the Packers would get 23 carries for 116 yards and a touchdown while Dalvin Cook got 154 yards on 20 carries with a touchdown. It was a rough one for Kirk Cousins with 230 yards passing with a touchdown and two interceptions. Packers defense put up a good fight but hopefully the offense gets more than just 21 in a game. 

All-time series: Packers lead series: 61-54-3

Next week: Minnesota: vs Oakland; Green Bay: vs Denver

TW: 2-2; CV: 1-3

Seattle 28, Pittsburgh 26: TW: Steelers; CV: Seahawks

Ben Roethlisberger goes out and Mason Rudolph goes in. Rudolph would throw the ball for 112 yards and two touchdowns and an interception. Ben Roethlisberger would throw the ball for 75 yards before exiting with an injury. James Conner would get only 33 yards on 11 carries with a touchdown. Russell Wilson would throw the ball for a perfect 300 yards with three touchdowns. The Seahawks running tandem of Rashaad Penny and Chris Carson would combine for 122 yards for a touchdown. The season couldn't start any worser for Pittsburgh. 

All-time series: Seahawks lead series: 10-9

Next week: Seattle: vs New Orleans; Pittsburgh: @ San Francisco

TW: 2-3; CV: 2-3

San Francisco 41, Cincinnati 17: TW: 49ers; CV: 49ers

The 49ers offense took control early and never relinquished the lead. Jimmy Garoppolo threw the ball for 297 yards for three touchdowns and an interception. Matt Breida ran the ball over the Bengals defense, gaining 121 yards with 12 carries. Jeff Wilson got some love scoring two touchdowns on the ground for San Francisco. Andy Dalton had a good game despite the blowout throwing the ball for 311 yards for two touchdowns and an interception. The Bengals running game couldn't get a lot going with Joe Mixon getting 17 yards on 11 carries. The 49ers are heading home after starting the season on the road. 

All-time series: 49ers lead series 12-4

Next week: San Francisco: vs Pittsburgh; Cincinnati: @ Buffalo

TW: 3-3; CV: 3-3

Indianapolis 19, Tennessee 17: TW: Colts; CV: Titans

The Jacoby Brissett train keeps rollin' and he gave the people of Nashville something to talk about as he got the Colts their first win of the season. Brissett threw the ball for 146 yards for three touchdowns and an interception. Jordan Wilkins was the leading rusher for the Colts with 82 yards on the ground with five carries. Marcus Mariota would throw the ball for 154 yards and a touchdown. Derrick Henry would also get a touchdown too with his 15 carries for 81 yards. The Colts get to go home finally for week 3. 

All-time series: Colts lead series 34-16

Next week: Indianapolis: vs Atlanta; Tennessee: @ Jacksonville (Thursday night)

TW: 4-3; CV: 3-4

New England 43, Miami 0: TW: Patriots; CV: Patriots

The last time New England came to Miami, the "Miracle at Miami" happened. The Patriots wouldn't let any opportunity for the Dolphins to come back. Tom Brady didn't miss a beat throwing the ball for 264 yards and two touchdowns. Newly acquired Patriot Antonio Brown would score a touchdown. Brady would also get a rushing touchdown in the game while Sony Michel would get 85 yards on the ground with a touchdown. The Miami quarterbacks were... let's just say poor. Ryan Fitzpatrick threw for 89 yards and three interceptions before Josh Rosen tried to salvage the damage with 97 yards passing and an interception of his own. At least you scored 10 against Baltimore last week Miami!

All-time series: Dolphins lead series: 55-53

Next week: New England: vs NY Jets; Miami: @ Dallas

TW: 5-3; CV: 4-4

Dallas 31, Washington 21: TW: Cowboys; CV: Cowboys

Dak Prescott of the Cowboys gave the Cowboys two reasons for him to renew his contract: his arm and his two legs. Prescott threw the ball for 269 yards for three touchdowns and ran the ball for 69 yards. Ezekiel Elliot was the leading rusher in the game with 111 yards and a touchdown. Case Keenum threw the ball for 221 yards and two touchdowns while Adrian Peterson ran the ball for 25 yards on 10 carries with a touchdown. The Blue Jersey curse didn't effect the Cowboys at all in the game while the Redskins look to get points to win. 

All-time series: Cowboys lead series: 72-45-2

Next week: Dallas: vs Miami; Washington: vs Chicago (Monday Night)

TW: 6-3; CV: 5-4

Buffalo 28, NY Giants 14: TW: Giants; CV: Giants

Well the team that actually plays its games in New York [state] won the game today. Josh Allen threw the ball for 253 yards and a touchdown. The Bills running game ran over the Giants defense as Frank Gore got 68 yards with a touchdown, Devin Singletary got 57 yards with a touchdown, and Josh Allen would run for 21 yards with a touchdown. Eli Manning threw the ball for 250 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions while Saquon Barkley got 107 yards on the ground with a touchdown. Gotta give some love to the Buffalo Bills who are 2-0 somehow. 

All-time series: Series tied 7-7

Next week: Buffalo: vs Cincinnati; NY Giants: @ Tampa Bay

TW: 6-4; CV: 5-5

Arizona 17, Baltimore 23: TW: Ravens; CV: Ravens

In a game that I thought the point margin would be much larger, Kyler Murray gave us reason to take notice of him. Kyler Murray would throw the ball for 349 yards with zero touchdowns. David Johnson ran the ball on seven carries with 14 yards and a touchdown. Lamar Jackson of the Ravens threw the ball for 272 yards and two touchdowns. He would also run the ball for 120 yards on 16 carries. 

All-time series: Ravens lead series 4-1

Next week: Arizona: vs Carolina; Baltimore: @ Kansas City

TW: 7-4; CV: 6-5

Kansas City 28, Oakland 10: TW: Chiefs; CV: Chiefs

All the scoring in the game was done in first half and the Chiefs 28 points in the 2nd quarter was all that was needed to get the victory. Patrick Mahomes threw the ball for 443 yards with 4 touchdowns. LeSean McCoy played some part in the offense with his 23 yards rushing on 11 carries. DeMarcus Robinson caught the ball six times for 172 yards and two touchdowns. Derek Carr threw the ball for 198 yards for a touchdown and two interceptions. Josh Jacobs ran the ball for 99 yards with 12 carries.

All-time series: Chiefs lead series 66-53-2

Next week: Kansas City: vs Baltimore; Oakland: @ Minnesota

TW: 8-4; CV: 7-5

Chicago 16, Denver 14: TW: Broncos; CV: Bears

The Bears seemed to find their answer in kicker but the game itself was a stinker to high heaven. Quite a few questionable calls like the roughing the passer on Mitchell Trubisky and the question of how much time was left on the clock on that last pass play. Regardless, Joe Flacco threw the ball for 292 yards for a touchdown and an interception. Royce Freeman ran the ball for 54 yards. Mitchell Trubisky threw for 120 yards with no touchdowns. David Montgomery ran the ball for 62 yards and a touchdown. 

All-time series: Series tied at 8

Next week: Chicago: @ Washington; Denver: @ Green Bay

TW: 8-5; CV: 8-5

New Orleans 9, LA Rams 27: TW: Rams; CV: Rams

It wasn't a pretty game for the Saints and their season is definitely in jeopardy with Drew Brees out for almost two months. Brees would only get 165 passing yards before going out of the game with a thumb injury. Teddy Bridgewater didn't fare much better getting only 38 yards passing. The Saints running game didn't get a lot of yardage with Alvin Kamara getting only 45 yards. Jared Goff threw the ball for 283 yards and a touchdown and Todd Gurley ran for 63 yards and a touchdown. Goff also ran it in for a touchdown as well. 

All-time series: Rams lead series 43-34

Next week: New Orleans: @ Seattle; LA Rams: @ Cleveland

TW: 9-5; CV: 9-5

Philadelphia 20, Atlanta 24: TW: Eagles; CV: Eagles

The Eagles were off just a bit in this one, same for Carson Wentz. Wentz threw the ball for 231 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions, including rushing in for a touchdown on a 3-yard play. Miles Sanders didn't get much in the run game with 28 yards on 10 carries. Matt Ryan was slinging the ball all game, getting 320 passing yards with 3 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. Julio Jones got 106 receiving yards with two touchdowns. You finally get a hard-fought win Atlanta.

All-time series: Eagles lead series 20-15-1

Next week: Philadelphia: vs Detroit; Atlanta: @ Indianapolis

TW: 9-6; CV: 9-6

Cleveland 23, NY Jets 3: TW: Browns; CV: Browns

The Browns got back on track with a win against the Jets to finish off Week 2. Baker Mayfield threw the ball for 325 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Nick Chubb got some solid yardage as he ran the ball for 62 yards and a touchdown. The Jets didn't get much going on either side of the ball. Trevor Siemian was the starter for the Jets but was out and in goes Luke Falk. Falk got 198 yards and not much else for the Jets. Le'Veon Bell got 68 yards on 21 carries but had a fumble in the game that might've been a touchdown. The Jets season is going to get much worse when they have to go to Foxborough next week. 

All-time series: Browns lead series 15-12

Next week: Cleveland: vs LA Rams; NY Jets: @ New England

TW: 10-6; CV: 10-6

Cardinal Viking:

2017: 167-89

2018: 156-98-2

2019:

Week 1: 11-4-1

Week 2: 10-6

Overall: 21-10-1

My record: 

2012: 164-90-2

2013: 162-92-1

2014: 172-83-1

2017: 164-92

2018: 156-98-2

2019:

Week 1: 12-3-1

Week 2: 10-6

Overall: 22-3-1

See you guys on Wednesday for the Week 3 picks! 

-Tom

MLB 2019 Week 8 Recap (5/13/19 - 5/19/19)

First pitch (1st Inning)

Hello readers! Another week of Major League Baseball action is in the books! With the week's passing more teams start to look legit, others not so much, and for the rest well, the end of the season can't come sooner. In this week's column, I'll talk about the state of baseball at the moment, a recap of all 30 teams this past week, and a great pitching performance in the "Final Out." Let's get started.

The state of baseball right now is at a crossroads. On one side, you have the owners that are more than willing to change the game, like putting in a pitch clock, limiting commercial breaks between innings, and limit how many batters a pitcher has to face. On the other, you have the players that aren't willing to take that change to heart.

This battle between owners and players is nothing new to baseball. In an era when the owners were more conservative and the players more progressive, you had playeres wanting to end the Reserve Clause, end segregation in the game (although Branch Rickey was the one that was more progressive in getting Jackie Robinson to the Major leagues), and give the players more money.

Back to today, the game is much more slower, with managers going more to their bullpens often, frequently changing their pitchers to only face one batter for matchup purposes, batters often battling against the pitcher to get the right pitch they want,  less balls in play, and more home runs (though I can definitely say that I like home runs). I hope the game becomes faster as its games often run a lot longer than the 2 1/2 time window for a game. It won't matter unless both sides come together on an agreement, forcing these new rules won't help much. Often times the players are the game's worst enemies when  it comes to change. If it means shortening the schedule, so be it.

American League

American League East (2nd Inning):

Baltimore Orioles (5th in AL East; Week Record: 1-5; Overall Record: 15-31; Week Runs Scored: 17):
The Orioles took 0 out of 2 (2nd game of series was postponed; make-up date for 8/12) against the Yankees and took 1 of 4 against the Indians. Baltimore had another rough week and they took on some tough competition. At least you're not the Marlins, though you're pretty much the American League's version of the Marlins. Sorry Baltimore.

This week: 4 games vs New York (AL); 3 games @ Colorado

Boston Red Sox (3rd in AL East; Week Record: 2-3; Overall Record: 24-22; Week Runs Scored: 18):
The Red Sox took 1 of 2 against the Rockies and took 1 of 3 against the Astros. The team still can't consistently win strings of games. Earlier in the season its the starting pitching, now its the bullpen causing many Red Sox fans headaches. Offense is still doing well in getting runs but its hard to get enough runs when your pitchers give up so many. The team will get better but this is something that needs to be addressed now.

This week: 4 games @ Toronto; 3 games @ Houston

New York Yankees (1st in AL East; Week Record: 4-1; Overall Record: 28-17; Week Runs Scored: 26):
The Yankees took 2 of 2(2nd game of series was postponed; make-up date for 8/12) against the Orioles and took 2 of 3 against the Rays. Up and down week between the Rays and Yankees for 1st and 2nd place in the division with the Yankees taking sole possession of first place. The Bombers are at a good spot right now with some of their key players coming back like James Paxton and Troy Tulowitski later in the week. I still feel that this battle for first will rage on until possibly July. Definitely not over.

This week: 4 games @ Baltimore; 3 games @ Kansas City

Tampa Bay Rays (2nd in AL East; Week Record: 3-2; Overall Record: 27-17; Week Runs Scored: 15):
The Rays took 2 of 2 against the Marlins and took 1 of 3 against the Yankees. The Rays have been a nice surprise on the year with dominant pitching but would ran into a hungry, damaged Yankees team. Tampa gave the Bombers somewhat of a fight but would ultimately lose. I feel if the Rays can get a bat or two prior to the deadline they can get a postseason berth.

This week: 2 games vs Los Angeles (NL); 4 games @ Cleveland

Toronto Blue Jays (4th in AL East; Week Record: 3-3; Overall Record: 19-27; Week Runs Scored: 28):
The Blue Jays took 1 of 2 against the Giants and took 2 of 4 against the White Sox. It was a better week for Vlad Guerro Jr as he keeps on getting homers and solid defense, which the Blue Jays sorely needed. I don't see Toronto getting back into the division race but if Vlad Jr keeps giving the fans a show, they'll keep coming back. He can be someone that this team can build around.

This week: 4 games vs Boston; 3 games vs San Diego

American League Central (3rd Inning)

Chicago White Sox (3rd in AL Central; Week Record: 3-3; Overall Record: 21-24; Week Runs Scored: 17):
The White Sox took 1 of 2 against the Indians and took 2 of 4 against the Blue Jays. It was an average week for the Southsiders. They have a great team batting average but they don't get runs and they can't keep opposing bats from getting runs. It's a hot mess.

This week: 4 games @ Houston; 3 games @ Minnesota

Cleveland Indians (2nd in AL Central; Week Record: 4-2; Overall Record: 25-20; Week Runs Scored: 40):
The Indians took 1 of 2 against the White Sox and took 3 of 4 against the Orioles. Shane Bieber had a great start on Sunday throwing the rubber for the Wahoo's, striking out 15 batters. Granted it was the Orioles. The Indians offense, quiet before the week, got into a slugfest this week putting up 40 runs, helping out their pitching. It was badly needed.

This week: 3 games vs Oakland; 4 games vs Tampa Bay

Detroit Tigers (4th in AL Central; Week Record: 0-6; Overall Record: 18-26; Week Runs Scored: 12):
The Tigers took 0 of 3 against the Astros and took 0 of 3 (4th game was suspended; to be completed on September 6th) against the Athletics. Getting hits is a part of offense, leaving men on base isn't. The Tigers offense is in dire straits and I don't think its improving until later in the future. The loss of Tyson Ross will be a factor as he is hit with an arm injury in the week.  No saves for Shane Greene, obviously.

This week: 3 games vs Miami; 3 games @ New York (NL)

Kansas City Royals (5th in AL Central; Week Record: 2-4; Overall Record: 16-31; Week Runs Scored: 23):
The Royals took 1 of 3 against the Rangers and took 1 of 3 against the Angels. Danny Duffy got the only two wins that the Royals got this week. Outside of him, their rotation is not that great. Their offense is better than the Orioles but not by much since the Royals have one more game than the O's.

This week: 2 games @ St. Louis; 3 games vs New York (AL)

Minnesota Twins (1st in AL Central; Week Record: 5-2; Overall Record: 31-16; Week Runs Scored: 52):
The Twins took 2 of 3 against the Angels and took 3 of 4 against the Mariners. Nelson Cruz gets hit with an injury of the wrist and will spend time on the injury list. Their offense in runs scored is astonishingly good. Just about as good is their pitching who can get quality starts which means more healthy bullpen.

This week: 3 games @ Los Angeles (AL); 3 games vs Chicago (AL)

American League West (4th inning)

Houston Astros (1st in AL West; Week Record: 5-1; Overall Record: 31-16; Week Runs Scored: 37):
The Astros took 3 of 3 against the Tigers and took 2 of 3 against the Red Sox. Houston continued its win streak into this week until they lost to Boston on Sunday. The loss of George Springer could be huge but it was only a lower back injury that will put him out until Tuesday. This team looks really good and only bad luck could derail this team from reaching back to the World Series.

This week: 4 games vs Chicago (AL); 3 games vs Boston

Los Angeles Angels (2nd in AL West; Week Record: 3-3; Overall Record: 22-24; Week Runs Scored: 27):
The Angels took 1 of 3 against the Twins and took 2 of 3 against the Royals. Mike Trout hit his 250th home run of his career before turning 28. Matt Harvey could become a bright spot on the Angels rotation as he picked up his 2nd win of the season. If he becomes even a sliver of the stuff that he had during the glory days as a Met, the Angels hit a bargain with him as he is what the Angels desperately need, starting pitching!

This week: 3 games vs Minnesota; 3 games vs Texas

Oakland Athletics (5rd in AL West; Week Record: 3-2; Overall Record: 22-25; Week Runs Scored: 36):
The Athletics took 0 of 2 against the Mariners and took 3 of 3 (4th game was suspended; to be completed on September 6th) against the Tigers. Good to see Khris Davis back to the A's lineup after suffering a sore hip. The Athletics had a better week putting up offense against some weaker clubs but if you want to get back to the postseason you need to get series victories against these teams.

This week: 3 games @ Cleveland; 3 games vs Seattle

Seattle Mariners (4th in AL West; Week Record: 3-3; Overall Record: 23-26; Week Runs Scored: 28):
The Mariners took 2 of 2 against the Athletics and took 1 of 4 against the Twins. The Mariners have fallen off quite a bit since their hot start back in April. They're supposed to be getting some fresh talent in Tommy Milone who has posted a 4-2 record in their Triple-A affliate to start on Tuesday. Unfortunately I don't see them making a Wild Card berth.

This week: 3 games @ Texas; 3 games @ Oakland

Texas Rangers (3rd in AL West; Week Record: 4-2; Overall Record: 21-23; Week Runs Scored: 41):
The Rangers took 2 of 3 against the Royals and took 2 of 3 against the Cardinals. Their offense won't give up until the last out. They have played some tight baseball so far this year. The rough part is their division is the Astros and mostly non-contenders.

This week: 3 games vs Seattle; 3 games @ Los Angeles (AL)

National League

National League East (5th inning)

Atlanta Braves (2nd in NL East; Week Record: 4-2; Overall Record: 25-22; Week Runs Scored: 35):
The Braves took 2 of 3 against the Cardinals and took 2 of 3 against the Brewers. Atlanta took on some top contenders in the Brewers and Cardinals this week and they stepped up for the opportunity. They did lose Jacob Lindgren from the bullpen due to an elbow injury but will return on the 24th. Freddie Freeman is a workhorse carrying his team throughout the season. He leads the team in batting average, home runs and runs scored. He has also hit a home run consecutively for 4 games.

This week: 4 games @ San Francisco; 3 games @ St. Louis

Miami Marlins (5th in NL East; Week Record: 3-2; Overall Record: 13-31; Week Runs Scored: 13):
The Marlins took 0 of 2 against the Rays and took 3 of 3 against the Mets. You actually read that right, folks! The Marlins swept a team. They still have the potential to have a 100+ loss season but they might as well have fun and get wins. Should be noted that the Marlins posted two shutouts during that series. Good job Miami, you actually had a good week out of mostly bad weeks so far.

This week: 3 games @ Detroit; 3 games @ Washington

New York Mets (3rd in NL East; Week Record: 1-5; Overall Record: 20-25; Week Runs Scored: 19):
The Mets took 1 of 3 against the Nationals and took 0 of 3 against the Marlins. You read that right, the Mighty Mets got swept by the Marlins! Their offense is so quiet and can't get anything right. First the New York Jets GM gets fired and then the Mets get swept by the worst team in the majors. Poor New Yorkers.

This week: 4 games vs Washington; 3 games vs Detroit

Philadelphia Phillies (1st in NL East; Week Record: 4-3; Overall Record: 27-19; Week Runs Scored: 27):
The Phillies took 1 of 4 against the Brewers and took 3 of 3 against the Rockies. Philadelphia had a week of ups and downs dropping a series victory against the Brewers but would take down a below average Rockies team, sweeping them in style. Bryce Harper still hasn't gotten his batting average above .240 but did have hits in the last 4 games which should help his confidence.

This week: 4 games vs Chicago (NL); 3 games @ Milwaukee

Washington Nationals (4th in NL East; Week Record: 3-3; Overall Record: 19-27; Week Runs Scored: 30):
The Nationals took 2 of 3 against the Mets and took 1 of 3 against the Cubs. The distance between them and the Marlins is about 6 wins which is to most a safe distance. A lot of pundits had them winning the division and their predictions so far have backfired, Brian Dozier is not the same player that he was when he was a Twin and their bullpen combusts faster than a wildfire.

This week: 4 games @ New York (NL); 3 games vs Miami

National League Central (6th inning)

Chicago Cubs (1st in NL Central; Week Record: 3-3; Overall Record: 27-17; Week Runs Scored: 32):
The Cubs took 1 of 3 against the Reds and took 2 of 3 against the Nationals. It was an average week for the Cubbies. They would certainly be the best team in baseball but I somewhat question that. They got beat by a cellar team in the Reds and they took down a rather below average Nationals team. They did beat some quality competition earlier this month but I question how good they can be.

This week: 4 games vs Philadelphia; 3 games vs Cincinnati

Cincinnati Reds (5th in NL Central; Week Record: 3-3; Overall Record: 21-26; Week Runs Scored: 18):
The Reds took 2 of 3 against the Cubs and took 1 of 3 against the Dodgers. Cincinnati breathed a breath of relief after Yasiel Puig getting injured during Sunday's game and will be back on Tuesday. It was a meh week taking on the class of the division and getting a series victory to show for it. Unfortunately they ran into the best team in the league and got clobbered.

This week: 2 games @ Milwaukee; 3 games @ Chicago (NL)

Milwaukee Brewers (2nd in NL Central; Week Record: 4-3; Overall Record: 0-0; Week Runs Scored: 0):
The Brewers took 3 of 4 against the Phillies and took 1 of 3 against the Braves. Christian Yelich having a great season would be an understatement. Yelich hit his 19th home run on the season, and its past mid-May! The unsolved mystery remains whether or not the Brew Crew can get a solid starter to help them get quality starts come October.

This week: 2 games vs Cincinnati; 3 games vs Philadelphia

Pittsburgh Pirates (3rd in NL Central; Week Record: 4-3; Overall Record: 0-0; Week Runs Scored: 31):
The Pirates took 1 of 3 against the Diamondbacks and took 3 of 4 against the Padres. The team is very strange. They can take it to the Cardinals and Padres but would lose to the Diamondbacks. I feel that their pitching is one of the better in the division and can get them far when their offense is hitting it off. Credit to Starling Marte to getting two stolen bases.

This week: 3 games vs Colorado; 3 games vs Los Angeles (NL)

St. Louis Cardinals (4th in NL Central; Week Record: 2-4; Overall Record: 24-23; Week Runs Scored: 31):
The Cardinals took 1 of 3 against the Braves and 1 of 3 against the Rangers. In the month of May, the Cardinals are 5-13. Pretty bad record. The offense is there to help them out its more on the bullpen to close out when they need it. Hopefully maybe this week they can get back to a winning track.

This week: 2 games vs Kansas City; 3 games vs Atlanta

National League West (7th inning)

Arizona Diamondbacks (2nd in NL West; Week Record: 3-3; Overall Record: 25-22; Week Runs Scored: 36):
The Diamondbacks took 2 of 3 against the Pirates and took 1 of 3 against the Giants. Eduardo Escobar is having quite a season in Arizona and he has been a big component to an offense that had lost quite a few quality position players in the offseason. It was an average week for the Dbacks who could use some help in the pitching department. Their offense is fun to watch.

This week: 3 games @ San Diego; 3 games @ San Francisco

Colorado Rockies (T-4th in NL West; Week Record: 1-4; Overall Record: 20-25; Week Runs Scored: 20):
The Rockies took 1 of 2 against the Red Sox and took 0 of 3 against the Phillies. Colorado held off the onslaught that Chris Sale gave them and eked out a victory in Boston and then their week was awful after that. Trevor Story has been struggling and their pitching that should've been good just hasn't been getting it done. I'm starting to regret picking them to win the division. They're just not there.

This week: 3 games @ Pittsburgh; 3 games vs Baltimore

Los Angeles Dodgers (1st in NL West; Week Record: 4-1; Overall Record: 31-17; Week Runs Scored: 22):
The Dodgers took 2 of 2 against the Padres and took 2 of 3 against the Reds. The class of the league had another great week as they kept pulling off wins on their pitchers arms and the bats of their position players. Cody Bellinger having a good year as well.

This week: 2 games @ Tampa Bay; 3 games @ Pittsburgh

San Diego Padres (3rd in NL West; Week Record: 1-4; Overall Record: 23-24; Week Runs Scored: 12):
The Padres took 0 of 2 against the Dodgers and took 1 of 3 against the Pirates. The team is getting there but not at the cusp of a postseason contender, yet. The offense needs to show up and get them runs on the board. Their pitching will be there to get outs but Manny Machado can only do so much and baseball is a team game despite all the talk of individual numbers.

This week: 3 games vs Arizona; 3 games @ Toronto

San Francisco Giants (T-4th in NL West; Week Record: 3-2; Overall Record: 20-25; Week Runs Scored: 18):
The Giants took 1 of 2 against Toronto and took 2 of 3 against the Diamondbacks. It was a good week for the Giants on offense, not great but not the awful expectation that we normally see from them so far this year. If they can get enough runs on the board, they're pitching can take care of the rest as they have one of the better rotations in the league.  Cool to see Bruce Bochy at a San Jose Sharks game.

This week: 4 games vs Atlanta; 3 games vs Arizona

League Leaders & Notes(8th Inning):

In honor of Armed Forces Day, Major League Baseball wore specialized caps in honor of the event.

In the American League, your batting leaders are: Michael Brantley (Astros) with a .331 batting average, George Springer (Astros) with 17 home runs and 42 RBI's. Their pitching leaders are: Domingo German (Yankees) with 8 wins, Tyler Glasnow (Rays) with 1.86 ERA, and Shane Green with 15 saves.

In the National League your batting leaders are: Cody Bellinger (Dodgers) with .409 batting average, Christian Yelich (Brewers) with 19 home runs, Josh Bell (Pirates) with 43 RBI's. The pitching leaders are: Brandon Woodruff (Brewers) and Zach Greinke (Diamondbacks) with 6 wins, Zach Davies (Brewers) with 1.54 ERA, and Kirby Yates (Padres) with 17 saves


The Final Out (9th inning):

In an era where the home run and offense is the name of the game, its often overlooked when you see a great pitching performance by a starter or by the bullpen. On Tuesday night last week, Chris Sale had a great night throwing the rubber striking out 17 Rockies in 7 innings. While Sale would get a no­-decision in the game its still fun to watch. That and I'm a Red Sox fan and I couldn't think of anything worthy for a video other than this. I'll see you all next week for another recap!

NFL 2018 Divisional Recap + Conference Championship Picks

Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action has passed us by but another one is fast approaching us. The NFL has finished up its 2nd week of playoff competition in the Divisional round and the next round is the Conference Championship games. The column will cover the Divisional round games plus my picks to who goes to the Super Bowl. Let's get to work!

Divisional Round Recap

Indianapolis 13, Kansas City 31: TW: Colts; CV: Colts
The critics of the Kansas City Chiefs came in with high hopes and left with bitter disappointment. The Chiefs completely dominated the game from the offense, defense, and special teams. It was their first home playoff win in nearly 25 years. Andrew Luck has had some success against the Chiefs in the playoffs. Luck would finish the game with 203 passing yards with a touchdown (the only touchdown all game for the Colts). The Colts running game of Marlon Mack didn't get anything going with only 46 yards rushing, certainly a credit to the Chiefs defense. Patrick Mahomes would pass the ball for 278 yards for zero touchdowns. The Chiefs rushing game gave them all the offense they needed. Damien Williams, Tyreek Hill, Darrell Williams, and Patrick Mahomes would all score a rushing touchdown each. Damien Williams was the leading rusher with 129 yards. Kansas City gets to stay at home for the AFC Championship Game.

TW: 0-1; CV: 0-1

Dallas 22, LA Rams 30: TW: Rams; CV: Rams
There was some doubt that the Rams would win the game. I was certainly one of them. With how well the Cowboys handled themselves on defense as well as their rushing attack. It would be the Rams that would hang on to win them the game. Dak Prescott threw the ball for 266 yards for a touchdown. Prescott would run for a touchdown as well. Ezekiel Elliot could only muster 47 yards rushing with a touchdown of his own. Credit to the Rams rush defense to keep Elliot at bay. Jared Goff threw the ball for 186 yards with zero touchdowns in the game. It would be the Rams running game that gave them all the offense they needed. CJ Anderson and Todd Gurley would finish the game with 100+ yard games running the ball. CJ Anderson would run it for 123 yards for two touchdowns while Gurley would get 115 and a touchdown as well. The Rams will be on the road for the NFC Championship Game.

TW: 1-1; CV: 1-1

LA Chargers 28, New England 41: TW: Patriots; CV: Patriots
The Patriots continued with their playoff success while Philip Rivers remains winless against Tom Brady. The Chargers quarterback threw the ball for 331 yards while scoring three touchdowns and a pick. The Chargers running game didn't get a lot going as Melvin Gordon could muster 15 yards rushing with a touchdown. Any chance of Tom Brady slowing down remains to be in question. Brady would throw the ball for 343 yards with a touchdown. The biggest offensive contributor was Sony Michel. Michel ran the ball for 129 yards for three touchdowns. Rex Burkhead would get a touchdown as well in the game, running the ball for 12 yards. It was a dominant game but in garbage time the Patriots defense came a bit into question. They will need to play stellar football next week when they head to Kansas City for the AFC Championship Game.

TW: 2-1; CV: 2-1

Philadelphia 14, New Orleans 20: TW: Saints; CV: Saints
Around this time last year, Nick Foles was leading the Eagles to what would become their championship run. The similarities were too hard to dismiss to this year. The Saints would end any hope of a repeat for the Eagles. Nick Foles threw the ball for 201 yards for a touchdown and two picks. Those two interceptions were from Marcus Lattimore. Foles would score a rushing touchdown as well. The Eagles running game of Wendell Smallwood could only muster 33 yards, qualifying him to be the Eagles leading rusher. Drew Brees threw the ball for 301 yards with two touchdowns and a pick. Alvin Kamara was the Saints leading rusher with 71 yards. The Saints stay at home for the NFC Championship Game next Sunday.

TW: 3-1; CV: 3-1

Conference Championship Picks

LA Rams (14-3) @ New Orleans (14-3) (FOX): TW: Saints; CV: Rams
The Rams got a win against the Cowboys and the Saints beat the Eagles last week in the Divisional round. The game is a rematch of a Week 8 game that the Saints would end up winning 45-35. The game was high scoring, high on offense game. I would expect this one to be much of the same. The biggest advantage that the Saints have is the crowd noise. Communication will be a factor for the Rams. If they can take the crowd out of the game early and keep them out of it, they have a chance to win. The Saints defense will need to get their A+ game on when it comes to rush defense as the Rams had a lot of success running the ball against the Cowboys. The Rams didn't have Aqib Talib during that Week 8 game as well. Could be a factor but I feel with Drew Brees at the helm of the ship, I think they will be the NFC representative in the Super Bowl.

New England (12-5) @ Kansas City (13-4) (CBS): TW: Patriots; CV: Patriots
The Patriots beat the Chargers and the Chiefs beat the Colts in the Divisional round. The two teams are teams that love to throw the ball. Weather will be a factor as the temperature could reach the single digits with some wind. Despite the weather, I feel that there will be points scored in the game, just not in the 40+ range. The keys for the Patriots is to get Rob Gronkowski involved in the offense as well as playing rock-solid defense as Patrick Mahomes will not be intimidated by zone defenses. The key for the Chiefs will keep the same success with their rushing game against the Patriots defense. The Chiefs defense needs to contain Tom Brady and the Patriots running game. Keeping Tom Brady off his rhythm will be a factor in the game. The Patriots don't particularly do well in road playoff games, with the exception of neutral site games like the Super Bowls the Pats were in. Despite all this, I feel the Patriots will still edge out on the Chiefs and give the Patriots their 11th conference title.

I'll probably do a short Conference Championship recap post shortly after the games are done. It'll either be on Sunday or Monday. I plan on keeping the Super Bowl post a separate post. Until then, have a good weekend and enjoy the games!

-Tom

NFL 2018 Week 11 Picks

Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action is soon to be upon us. The league is entering its 11th week of competition. In this column, I'll give my take on Le'Veon Bell not reporting to the Steelers, the 50th anniversary of "The Heidi Game," the latest playoff standings, and of course the picks! Let's get started.

Saved By The No Bell

The latest news out of Pittsburgh is that star running back Le'Veon Bell did not report to the Steelers facilities by early this week in order to participate in the remainder of the 2018 season. The decision to not come shouldn't have been that big of a surprise as much as the media was trying to make a case for it. It felt that it was expected for Bell to not come at all.

It's a smart move for the Steelers as they have a running back that is capable of carrying the load in an offense that is very balanced. James Conner walked into a situation that was a very low risk, high reward. In as little as one game into the 2018 season, the Steelers already knew the answer to who would replace Bell in the Steelers offense. Low risk in that he had the motivation to be in more and provide to the Steelers offense and the high reward of being just as good, if not better, than Bell.

For Le'Veon Bell it means that he will become a free agent at the end of the season and common sense would suggest that the Steelers should not franchise tag him since he obviously wants more money. The only reason why he held out was that he wanted more money so why give him even more. That's my two cents on it at least.

The Game That Changed It All

Picture it, you turn on the TV, turning it to CBS, half expecting that the news program "60 Minutes" would be on at its normal time at 7:00 pm (eastern time) but instead you see a football game on. In today's circumstances, the game would be on until its conclusion, but what if I told you that was not the case in 1968.

On November 17th, 1968 the New York Jets traveled to Oakland to play the Raiders in a game that started at 4:00 pm Eastern time, it would not end until after it's supposed 7:00 Eastern time slot. Heck, the 4th quarter started at 6:20 pm Eastern, any doubts that the game end before 7 died with it.

The game was televised on NBC and had Curt Gowdy and Al Rogatis as the commentators for the game. The network kept promoting the movie, Heidi, a family, Made-For-TV movie based off of an 1880 novel of the same name, as they were contractually obligated to show it, instead of the football game. By the time the network switched from Jets-Raiders to showing the movie the score of the game was 32-29 in favor of the Jets. By the end of the game, the Raiders would score two touchdowns, one from a 43-yard pass from Daryle Lamonica to Charlie Smith and from a 2-yard fumble return.

NBC switchboards on the east coast would blow out, the number of angry phone calls was staggering, the damage had been done. At the time there was only a handful of channels for people to choose from, and movies like Heidi came very seldom. You can't blame NBC for it really, either way, they would get angry phone calls from either non-football fans or football fans. There were no rules in regards to showing the game in its entirety.

Ultimately, the two teams would meet again in the American Football League playoffs for the AFL Championship, the Jets would get some revenge and would ultimately upset the NFL champion Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III. So in the end, it would change how the NFL was shown on television. Even if it happened nearly 50 years ago, it's still fun to look back at history.

Playoff Picture: Week 11

AFC:

1st seed: Kansas City Chiefs (9-1)
2nd seed: Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2-1)
3rd seed: New England Patriots (7-3)
4th seed: Houston Texans (6-3)
5th seed: Los Angeles Chargers (7-2)
6th seed: Cincinnati Bengals (7-3)

Wild Card:

Cincinnati @ New England
LA Chargers @ Houston

In the hunt:

Tennessee Titans (5-4), Miami Dolphins (5-5), Baltimore Ravens (4-5), Indianapolis Colts (4-5), Cleveland Browns (3-6-1), Jacksonville Jaguars (3-6), Denver Broncos (3-6), Buffalo Bills (3-7), NY Jets (3-7), Oakland Raiders (1-8)

NFC:

1st seed: Los Angeles Rams (9-1)
2nd seed: New Orleans Saints (8-1)
3rd seed: Chicago Bears (6-3)
4th seed: Washington Redskins (6-3)
5th seed: Carolina Panthers (6-3)
6th seed: Minnesota Vikings (5-3-1)

Wild card:

Minnesota @ Chicago
Carolina @ Washington

In the hunt:

Green Bay Packers (4-4-1), Atlanta Falcons (4-5), Seattle Seahawks (4-5), Dallas Cowboys (4-5), Philadelphia Eagles (4-5), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-6), Detroit Lions (3-6), Arizona Cardinals (2-7), NY Giants (2-7), San Francisco 49ers (2-8)

Some of the big games that have big implications is the Vikings-Bears game on Sunday night, the Packers-Seahawks game on Thursday night, as well as the Eagles-Saints game for the late slate on Sunday. If the Vikings beat the Bears then they would be ahead of the Bears due to the head-to-head factor.

Cool video of the week:

As I had talked about earlier in the column, I talked about "The Heidi Game" between the New York Jets and the Oakland Raiders. In some parts of the country, the game switched to the movie, while the rest of the country still watched the game in its entirety. This video on YouTube wasn't the game-to-movie footage, but rather the game showed until the final whistle. The footage that had the AFL had rules in regards to showing games past its time slot. Anyways here is this week's cool video the week!

Week 11 Picks

Week 11 of the National Football League will begin in Seattle, Washington, and end in Los Angeles, California. There will be 13 games on the week's slate. The week features a Thursday night game, seven early games, three late games, a Sunday night game, and a Monday night game. The Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, and San Francisco 49ers are on a bye week. FOX will have the doubleheader, and CBS will have the single, regional game. Let's get to the picks!

Green Bay (4-4-1) @ Seattle (4-5) (FOX/NFL Network): TW: Packers, CV: Seahawks

The Packers got a win against the Dolphins and the Seahawks lost to the Rams last week. The game will be on my birthday, as I turn 30 years old. The last time the Packers were playing on my birthday they would lose to the Lions at home for the first time in 20+ years. Hoping for a different result. The game I feel will come down to if the Packers defense can keep the Seahawks offense at bay and the Packers offense gives the ball to Aaron Jones at least 20+ times in this game. Go Pack Go!

Houston (6-3) @ Washington (6-3) (CBS): TW: Texans, CV: Texans

The Texans were on a bye week and the Redskins got a win against the Buccaneers last week. The two teams look evenly matched as both teams feature two good running attacks. I feel it will come down to the quarterback play. I trust DeShaun Watson more than Alex Smith as Watson has put up better numbers over the last few weeks than Smith has. The Texans defense is quite good as well as long as JJ Watt is in the lineup. Overall, I trust Houston to get the job done. 

Pittsburgh (6-2-1) @ Jacksonville (3-6) (CBS): TW: Steelers, CV: Steelers

The Steelers got a win against the Panthers on Thursday night and the Jaguars lost to the Colts last week. The game was originally slated to be on Sunday night but was flexed out due to the Jaguars not being as good as they were at this time last year. I had picked the Jaguars a few times too much over the season and I have to jump off their bandwagon for this week. Ultimately the Steelers should win with stellar offense and with the distraction of Le'Veon Bell off their minds they should get a win. I hope.

Tennessee (5-4) @ Indianapolis (4-5) (CBS): TW: Colts, CV: Titans

Both teams got a win last week as the Titans beat the Patriots and the Colts beat the Jaguars. The game features two interesting offensive attacks, two proven quarterbacks in Marcus Mariota and Andrew Luck. The Colts have put up better offensive numbers than the Titans even though the Titans blew out the Pats 34-10 last week. The game will come down to the Titans offense vs Colts defense matchup. If one side of the ball dominates the line of scrimmage then the favorable team should get the win. I trust Andrew Luck a bit more. Sorry Titans.

Dallas (4-5) @ Atlanta (4-5) (FOX): TW: Cowboys, CV: Cowboys

The Cowboys got a win against the Eagles and the Falcons lost to the Browns last week. The Cowboys should get the win as they have offensive weapons in Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliot, and Amari Cooper. The Falcons defense is ranked 30th in overall defense so far this season, 29th in pass defense. The Falcons can make a case to keep it close but I don't trust them in this matchup.

Tampa Bay (3-6) @ NY Giants (2-7) (FOX): TW: Giants, CV: Buccaneers

The Buccaneers lost to the Redskins and the Giants beat the 49ers last week. The game might've looked like a playoff matchup at the start of the season but its pretty far from it now. I'm going for the Giants because if their defense can shut down Tampa's running game forcing them to pass the ball, making them one-dimensional they have a shot to win the game as the Bucs have the #1 passing offense in the league so far. The Giants are 10th in pass defense. Something has to give in this one, and I'll take the home team. 

Cincinnati (5-4) @ Baltimore (4-5) (CBS): TW: Ravens, CV: Ravens

The Bengals lost to the Saints and the Ravens were on a bye week last week. The Bengals have fallen off the AFC North division race since the last time these two teams played each other early in the season. I like the Ravens in this matchup as they still have a solid, great defense that can shut down offenses and if they can cause harm to the Bengals offense, then they should pick up a victory as the Bengals defense is banged up. Could be a field day for Joe Flacco.

Carolina (6-3) @ Detroit (3-6) (FOX): TW: Panthers, CV: Panthers

Both teams took losses last week as the Panthers lost to the Steelers and the Lions lost to the Bears. The game will come down to if the Panthers offense can continue doing what they've been doing all year, relying on the arm and legs of Cam Newton and the legs and arms of their running backs and wide receivers. The Lions are falling apart and I don't think they can keep up with the Panthers offense, let alone get into a rhythm against the Panthers defense. 

Denver (3-6) @ LA Chargers (7-2) (CBS): TW: Chargers, CV: Chargers

The Broncos were on a bye week and the Chargers got a win against the Raiders last week. The Chargers have been on a roll, winning six straight games and they play a Broncos team that is desperate into getting back into winning ways. Case Keenum has been a decent QB for the team so far but I like the rejuvenated Philip Rivers and the Chargers offense. I like Melvin Gordon getting rushing yards and Keenan Allen getting the receiving yards. Get it done Chargers!

Oakland (1-8) @ Arizona (2-7) (CBS): TW: Cardinals, CV: Cardinals

Both teams took losses last week as the Raiders lost to the Chargers and the Cardinals lost to the Chiefs. The game could be a low-scoring, close affair as the two teams on offense are meh. The Cardinals have Larry Fitzgerald and he alone can dictate how well this game can be played. That's mostly the reason why I like the Cardinals in this game, I can't trust the Raiders enough to give them a benefit of the doubt. 

Philadelphia (4-5) @ New Orleans (8-1) (FOX): TW: Saints, CV: Saints

The Eagles lost to the Cowboys and the Saints got a win against the Bengals. The defending champs are in a big hole and if they want to get back into the postseason, they need to win this game. Against a team that can put up quite the offensive numbers, I don't see the Eagles winning this one. In the Superdome, the crowd can be quite loud and the Eagles will need to take the crowd out early in order to win. Steep hill for the Eagles to climb and I trust the Saints to win. 

Minnesota (5-3-1) @ Chicago (6-3) (NBC): TW: Vikings, CV: Vikings

The Vikings were on a bye week and the Bears beat the Lions last week respectively. The game will be one of the better games of the week. Both teams are top 5 in overall defense and they have good offenses. The game will depend on whether or not the Bears can run the ball against a Vikings defense that is 3rd in run defense. The Bears have yet to play really good competition and we will learn a lot about the Bears this week. I like the Vikings in the matchup. I just hope Stephon Diggs and Adam Thielen will be in the game. 

Kansas City (9-1) @ LA Rams (9-1) (ESPN): TW: Rams, CV: Rams

Both teams got wins last week as the Chiefs beat the Cardinals and the Rams beat the Seahawks. The game will be one of the higher scoring games on the season, it will be a great game on ESPN that has had made it a joke to have bad games on Monday night. The two teams combine for an 18-2 record, 871.1 total offensive yards per game and both quarterbacks have thrown for over 50 touchdowns. The game will come down to which defense can stop the other team enough to score more points in the game. The Rams defense is probably the better of the two and I'll take them in this one. Great way to end the week with a game like this. 

Local TV Schedule (courtesy of 506sports.com, subject to change):

CBS Single:

Pittsburgh @ Jacksonville

Jim Nantz, Tony Romo

FOX Early:

Carolina @ Detroit

Kenny Albert, Charles Davis

FOX Late:

Philadelphia @ New Orleans

Joe Buck, Troy Aikman

For more information on which game is played in your area, check out: NFL Maps: Week 11

Records:

Tom (me)
2018:
Week 1: 10-5-1
Week 2: 6-9-1
Week 3: 8-8
Week 4: 12-3
Week 5: 6-9
Week 6: 10-5
Week 7: 10-4
Week 8: 11-3
Week 9: 9-4
Week 10: 7-7
Overall: 89-57-2

Cardinal Viking
2018:
Week 1: 8-7-1
Week 2: 9-6-1
Week 3: 5-11
Week 4: 9-6
Week 5: 9-6
Week 6: 6-9
Week 7: 12-2
Week 8: 10-4
Week 9: 8-5
Week 10: 9-5
Overall: 85-61-2

See you guys on Monday for the Week 11 Recap column, enjoy the games, and have a great weekend!
-Tom

EDIT #1: Put in Cardinal Viking's picks for the games. 

NFL 2018 Week 9 Picks

Hello readers! The time has come yet again to write up and post a column for the National Football League's 9th week of competition. The 9th week of the season is the mid-way point of the year, pretty much from here on out the week's get to the double digits and the playoff picture gets a bit clearer. We're still a few weeks away from really getting into the "playoffs" discussion. In this column, I'll talk about trades in the NFL, a recap of the trade deadline's moves, and of course the picks.

Trades in the NFL

When it comes to trades in sports, you usually hear more about trade news from such sports leagues like the NBA, MLB, and the NHL. A trade in the NFL, you don't really hear about it as much. Most often than not the reason for this is that the season is shorter, most teams are happy with what they have on their rosters, and the draft picks are in general more valuable as you can find a diamond in the rough than the other sports. Not also to mention that you have a free farm system in the NCAA to back you up.

If a team would trade something, that specific team would trade their player for a future draft pick. The name of the game is what you get out of that trade than what you give. If you trade your star wide receiver for a lower round draft pick (like a 5th rounder) then it wouldn't be as valuable since you get to pick later in the draft. It's all about relative value.

Secondary help in Washington, running back depth in Baltimore, and more.

The Green Bay Packers perhaps made the big news on trade deadline day as they would send Ha-Ha Clinton Dix and Ty Montgomery to Washington and Baltimore respectively. Clinton-Dix, the 5th year man out of Alabama, has recorded 27 tackles with three interceptions. Montgomery, ran the ball 26 times for 105 yards and a touchdown on the season. The Packers received a 4th-round pick for Clinton-Dix and a 7th-round 2020 pick for Montgomery.

A couple of wide receivers also got traded. Demaryius Thomas was traded to the Houston Texans for a 4th and 7th round picks. Denver would also trade a 7th-round pick to Houston as well. Thomas has received 402 yards and three touchdowns on the season. Golden Tate would be traded to Philadelphia for a 2019 3rd round pick. Golden Tate has 517 yards receiving for three touchdowns on the season. As far as who was the real winner of it all, it would be the Oakland Raiders. We shall see if these moves pay off for these teams in the future.

Cool video of the week

This week's cool of the week is a sort of a throwback to what the NFL was like 10 years ago. The NFL was a totally different place in 2008. Such things were: Tom Brady was out for the season due to a knee injury, the Patriots would not win the AFC East, Vince Young was a promising star in the league, Marshawn Lynch was playing for the Buffalo Bills, Brett Favre was traded to the Jets, and a promising quarterback named Aaron Rodgers would start his first full season in the NFL. The Youtube channel, KTO, is a pretty cool channel, check out the channel's other work.

Week 9 picks

Week 9 in the NFL regular season starts in Santa Clara, California and ends in Arlington, Texas. The Jacksonville Jaguars, Indianapolis Colts, Arizona Cardinals, Cincinnati Bengals, New York Giants, and the Philadelphia Eagles are on a bye week. CBS will have the single, regional game, and FOX will have the doubleheader. There will be a Thursday night game, seven early games, three late games, a Sunday night game, and a Monday night game. A total of 13 games. Let's get to the picks!

Oakland (1-6) @ San Francisco (1-7) (FOX/NFL Network): TW: Raiders; CV: Raiders

Both teams took losses last week as the Raiders lost to the Colts and the 49ers to the Cardinals. I might go on a whim and give the Raiders a nod in the matchup. CJ Beathard could not be starting due to a wrist injury and if that's the case then Nick Mullens would get the nod. The Raiders have some stability on the quarterback with Derek Carr and the Raiders defense could have a decent game against the Niners. Really bad game for Thursday night, which sadly goes together. 

Chicago (4-3) @ Buffalo (2-6) (FOX): TW: Bears; CV: Bears

The Bears got a win against the Jets and the Bills lost to the Patriots last week respectively. The Bears have been playing well on offense and had a rebound game against the Jets last week after giving up 30+ points to the Dolphins and Patriots. I feel the Bears will dominate on both sides of the ball as the Bills have no real answer on offense and their defense could give some trouble to the Bears but I'm not holding my breath on the Bills getting the upset. 

Pittsburgh (4-2-1) @ Baltimore (4-4) (CBS): TW: Steelers; CV: Steelers 

The Steelers got a win against the Browns and the Ravens lost to the Panthers last week. The game will come down to the Steelers offense vs the Ravens defense. Which one will break the other? Ultimately I like the Steelers chances in this one. If the Steelers can make a few big plays against the Ravens defense, with either Antonio Brown and James Conner helming the offense for Pittsburgh, I'll take them. The Ravens could very well win the game as well since they are at home. It's a huge game for both teams if they want to gain some ground on each other in the division. 

Atlanta (3-4) @ Washington (5-2) (FOX): TW: Redskins; CV: Redskins

Falcons were on a bye week and the Redskins got a win against the Giants last week. The game will come down to which offense shows up for the Redskins. Washington is 25th in overall offense on the season. The defense should be fine as they did pick up Ha Ha Clinton-Dix from the Packers this week. Alex Smith will need to step up in the air attack as the Falcons will try to focus on Adrian Peterson and try to shut him down. I'll take the Redskins due to their running attack and tight defense. 

Detroit (3-4) @ Minnesota (4-3-1) (FOX): TW: Vikings; CV: Vikings

Both teams took losses last week as the Lions lost to the Seahawks and the Vikings to the Saints. The game will come down to which team shows up for the Vikings. Will it be a dominating defensive effort for the Vikings or will it be like last week's Saints game for them? In a tight divisional race, I'll give the Vikes a benefit of the doubt as they still have a solid defense and an offense that can get going in a hurry. Give me the Purple & Gold. 

Kansas City (7-1) @ Cleveland (2-5-1) (CBS): TW: Chiefs; CV: Chiefs

The Chiefs got a win against the Broncos and the Browns lost to the Steelers last week respectively. The game will come down to if the Chiefs can avoid the trap game and get a win a hostile Cleveland crowd. If the Browns can avoid doing Browns things then they have a chance in the game. I can't hold my breath as the Browns did get rid of Hue Jackson earlier in the week. I'll take the Mahomes Train for another week. 

NY Jets (3-5) @ Miami (4-4) (CBS): TW: Dolphins; CV: Jets

Both teams got losses last week the Jets lost to the Bears and the Dolphins to the Texans. The game is really and truly a toss-up game. Not based on the fact that both teams are good, but that they're really bad. I'm only really taking the Dolphins because they're at home and the Dolphins offense is slightly better than the Jets. Not also to mention the last time that both teams were playing each other, Sam Darnold had a terrible game. 

Tampa Bay (3-4) @ Carolina (5-2) (FOX): TW: Panthers; CV: Panthers

The Buccaneers lost to the Bengals and the Panthers got a win against the Ravens. The game will come down to who will start for the Buccaneers this Sunday. Will it be Ryan Fitzpatrick or Jameis Winston? Such questions at quarterback have me questioning on if they can win. I'll take the Panthers in this one as they have a fun offense to watch and can play defense with the big boys (13th overall defense). Cam Newton could have a big game. 

Houston (5-3) @ Denver (3-5) (CBS): TW: Texans; CV: Texans

The Texans got a win against the Dolphins and the Broncos lost to the Chiefs last week. The game will feature a return of Demaryius Thomas to Denver. The game could be quite the offensive showcase for both teams but they also play good defense as well. Vegas as the Broncos as a 1-point favorite in the game. It's really a toss-up matchup. 

LA Chargers (5-2) @ Seattle (4-3) (CBS): TW: Chargers; CV: Chargers

The Chargers were on a bye and the Seahawks beat the Lions last week. The game is a really good matchup if you do enjoy offense vs defense. I like the Chargers in the matchup as they have a versatile offense, and it will depend on if they can have success against the Seahawks defense as it is ranked 5th in overall defense. The game will really come down to which team can control the line of scrimmage more. 

LA Rams (8-0) @ New Orleans (6-1) (FOX): TW: Saints; CV: Rams

Both teams got wins last week as the Rams beat the Packers and the Saints beat the Vikings. The game is the marquee game of the early/late games as both teams offenses are very stellar. The only question will be whether or not the Saints defense can rise to the challenge of stopping the Rams running game and forcing the Rams into being a one-dimensional offense. If they can do that they have a shot at forcing the Rams to lose for the first time this season, thus laying the ghosts of the 1972 Dolphins to rest for another year. Geaux Saints!

Green Bay (3-3-1) @ New England (6-2) (NBC): TW: Packers; CV: Patriots

The Packers lost to the Rams and the Patriots beat the Bills last week. The game is certainly a good one on paper but as far as both defenses goes, not so much. The two offenses feature two quarterbacks that wear #12 and are both quite good. The game will come down to which defense can step up and give their team's offense the best chance to win the game as both offenses will put points on the board. Don't let me down for another week, please Packers! 

Tennessee (3-4) @ Dallas (3-4) (ESPN): TW: Cowboys; CV: Cowboys

Both teams were on a bye last week. The week finishes up with a decent matchup in Texas. The Cowboys will have a new weapon in Amari Cooper to showcase how well he can run against a Titans defense that is ranked 11th in the league. The game will come down to which offense shows up to play. I'll take the Cowboys in the game as they might get a boost in the passing attack with Cooper in their lineup, as well as Ezekiel Elliot doing Ezekiel Elliot things. 

Local TV Schedule (via 506sports.com, subject to change):

CBS Single:

Kansas City @ Cleveland

Greg Gumbel, Bruce Arians, Trent Green

FOX Early: 

Detroit @ Minnesota

Thom Brennamen, Chris Spielman

FOX Late:

LA Rams @ New Orleans

Joe Buck, Troy Aikman

For more info on which game will be on in your area, check out: NFL Maps: Week 9

2018:
Week 1: 10-5-1
Week 2: 6-9-1
Week 3: 8-8
Week 4: 12-3
Week 5: 6-9
Week 6: 10-5
Week 7: 10-4
Week 8: 11-3
Overall: 73-46-2

Cardinal Viking
2018:
Week 1: 8-7-1
Week 2: 9-6-1
Week 3: 5-11
Week 4: 9-6
Week 5: 9-6
Week 6: 6-9
Week 7: 12-2
Week 8: 10-4
Overall: 68-51-2

Enjoy your Halloween, the weekend and the week's games. I'll see you guys on Monday for the week's recap column!
-Tom

NFL 2018 Week 5 Picks

Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action is upon us. Such action that will include an interconference rivalry renewed, the oldest continuing interdivisional rivalry also gets renewed and possibly Drew Brees breaking yet another record. This column will cover what possibly is the best month of sports out of the year, the cool video of the week and the week's picks/predictions.

Best month in sports? 

The month of October is a lot of things, cooler nights, dressing up in costumes, and pumpkin spice everything. Another thing that makes October quite a special month is SPORTS! What month out of the year do you get the National Football League, Major League Baseball, National Hockey League, National Basketball Association, College Football, College Hockey, and Major League Soccer all lodged into one month? None. Here's my case:

• MLB has its playoffs, baseball is still pretty exciting, perhaps to most. Currently in the Division Series part of it. 
• NFL regular season is on. Week 5 is this week. 
• NHL started its regular season yesterday (10/3/18). 
• NBA starts its regular season on 10/16/2018.
• College Football is into its 6th week of competition
• College Hockey starts its regular season this weekend.
• Major League Soccer is into its last month of the regular season, playoffs would start in late-October or early-November. 

You could make a case for March is a great month for sports. You have March Madness, MLB, NHL, and NBA in the same month as the snow starts to melt and the days get longer. You just can't beat October sadly. I do like my days getting longer though. :(

Cool video of the week

This week's cool video of the week is somewhat of a repetition of last year's cool video of the week. Last year we lost a great musical mind in Tom Petty. Petty,  who did the halftime show for Super Bowl XLII, puts on a great show and has quite the music library to him. The cool video is one of his best-known songs called "Running Down A Dream." Released on his first solo album Full Moon Fever in 1989. Enjoy. 

Week 5 of the NFL starts in Foxboro, Massachusetts and ends in New Orleans, Louisiana. The week features 15 games. There will be a Thursday night game, eight early games, four late games, a Sunday night game, and a Monday night game. FOX will have the doubleheader and CBS will have the single, regional coverage game. The Chicago Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaneers will have the bye week. Let's get to the picks!

Indianapolis (1-3) @ New England (2-2) (FOX/NFL Network): TW: Patriots, CV: Patriots
The Colts took a loss against the Texans and the Patriots got a win against the Dolphins last week respectively. The week starts in Foxboro with the Patriots and Colts renewing their old rivalry. The rivalry has lost some of its juice since Peyton Manning left the Colts in 2012 but the rivalry just needs one play or one fist fight to get started again. The Patriots got back to being what they were last week and I don't see them losing this game. Sorry, Indy!

Miami (3-1) @ Cincinnati (3-1) (CBS): TW: Bengals, CV: Bengals
The Dolphins lost last week to the Patriots and the Bengals got a win against the Falcons last week as well. The game features two 3-1 teams. I like the Bengals in the matchup as Andy Dalton has better weapons than what the Dolphins have. I feel the Bengals defense will have a good day holding the Dolphins offense at bay.

Atlanta (1-3) @ Pittsburgh (1-2-1) (FOX): TW: Falcons, CV: Falcons
Both teams got losses last week as the Falcons lost to the Bengals and the Steelers to the Ravens. The Steelers got a bit of good news as Le'Veon Bell will return to the team... in week 7-8. The game could become a shootout as both teams have quite the great passing attacks. If that becomes the case the game will come down to who can get the key turnover or defensive stop. I like the Falcons in this regard.

Baltimore (3-1) @ Cleveland (1-2-1) (CBS): TW: Ravens, CV: Ravens
The Ravens got a win against the Steelers and the Browns lost to the Raiders last week respectively. The Old Browns and New Browns renew their little divisional rivalry. The Browns are fun to watch yes, this is true, but I can't trust them to win a game against the Ravens who seem to be more well built than the Browns. Sorry Browns.

Denver (2-2) @ NY Jets (1-3) (CBS): TW: Broncos, CV: Jets
Both teams got losses last week as the Broncos lost to the Chiefs on Monday night and the Jets lost to the Jaguars. The Jets were certainly a darling in the NFL for a bit then things started to fall apart. I like the Broncos in the matchup as Denver's defense is still quite formidable and the Broncos offense is still quite good, especially the passing attack.

Green Bay (2-1-1) @ Detroit (1-3) (FOX): TW: Packers, CV: Packers
Packers got a win against the Bills and the Lions lost to the Cowboys last week respectively. The Packers on defense last week was spectacular and the offense still put up enough but wasn't quite as efficient as they should be. The Lions could make this game quite entertaining as they have quite a potent offense as well. Fun fact: this is the oldest continuing rivalry series in the NFL. Quite wild.

Jacksonville (3-1) @ Kansas City (4-0) (CBS): TW: Jaguars, CV: Chiefs
Both teams got wins last week as the Jaguars beat the Jets and the Chiefs beat the Broncos. The game is quite a good one, surprised this isn't a late game. Both teams have great offensive talent but the bigger difference is the Jaguars have a better defense than the Chiefs. Jaguars are 1st in overall defense, the Chiefs are in 32nd. Can't beat an opponent when you can't stop them. I make my case.

NY Giants (1-3) @ Carolina (2-1) (FOX): TW: Panthers, CV: Panthers
The Giants took a loss against the Saints and the Panthers were on a bye week last week. The Panthers seem to be more talented on offense on both the ground and air games. The Giants offense while looking good on paper but haven't quite the performances that they're accustomed to. I'll give the Panthers defense an edge as well I feel.

Tennessee (3-1) @ Buffalo (1-3) (CBS): TW: Titans, CV: Titans
The Titans got a win against the Eagles and the Bills lost to the Packers last week. The Bills were shutout last week against Green Bay and the Titans looked really good against the Eagles. The Titans were down 17-3 and won. The game will come down to who can score the most points and make the big play as both teams have good defensive talent, ultimately I chose the Titans because the Bills offense is atrocious.

Oakland (1-3) @ LA Chargers (2-2) (CBS): TW: Chargers, CV: Raiders
Both teams got a win as the Raiders beat the Browns and the Chargers beat the 49ers. The Chargers offense looks a lot better than the Raiders in my opinion. The Chargers defense looks better as well. Both teams look really good on paper but ultimately I feel the Chargers will get a win as the Raiders almost lost to the Browns last week. Pathetic.

Arizona (0-4) @ San Francisco (1-3) (FOX): TW: 49ers, CV: 49ers
Both teams got losses last week as the Cardinals lost to the Seahawks and the 49ers lost to the Chargers. The game just looks bad and it does look awful. The 49ers seem to be better on offense and defense as well. The Cardinals are abysmal on offense and they could very well accidentally win this game. Just turrible.

LA Rams (4-0) @ Seattle (2-2) (FOX): TW: Rams, CV: Rams
Both teams got a win last week as the Rams beat the Vikings and the Seahawks beat the Cardinals. The game could be a trap game for the Rams who haven't won a game in Seattle since Jared Goff has taken over as quarterback of the Rams. The loss of Earl Thomas just hurts the Seahawks on defense as well. Not a good sign for the Seahawks to get an upset.

Minnesota (1-2-1) @ Philadelphia (2-2) (FOX): TW: Eagles, CV: Vikings
Both teams ended up in the losing column as the Vikings lost to the Rams and the Eagles lost to the Titans. A rematch of the NFC championship game last season. Both teams look relatively the same as they did except for the quarterback position. The Vikings had Case Keenum, now Kirk Cousins and the Eagles had Nick Foles, now Carson Wentz. The game looks really good and the two teams should play better than what last season's score was. It was 38-7, wasn't it? I'll take the Eagles as they should have a good game on defense.

Dallas (2-2) @ Houston (1-3) (NBC): TW: Cowboys, CV: Texans
Both teams got wins last week as the Cowboys beat the Lions and the Texans beat the Colts. The battle for Texas is on. The Cowboys despite not having quite the offensive numbers that you're used to seeing in them, I still like them in the matchup based on the Cowboys defense and their rushing attack in Ezekiel Elliot.

Washington (2-1) @ New Orleans (3-1) (ESPN): TW: Saints, CV: Saints
The Redskins were on a bye week and the Saints beat the Giants last week. Drew Brees could break Peyton Manning's career passing yards record. He just needs 201 yards to do it. Safe to say he'll probably get it unless he gets injured or has a bad game. I don't see it happening but I still like the Saints offense on running the ball as Alvin Kamara is quite a quality running back.

Local TV Schedule (courtesy of 506sports.com):

CBS Single:
Denver @ NY Jets
Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts

FOX Early:
Green Bay @ Detroit
Thom Brennamen, Chris Spielman

FOX Late:
Minnesota @ Philadelphia
Joe Buck, Troy Aikman

For more info on which game is played in your area check out, NFL Maps: Week 5

2018:
Week 1: 10-5-1
Week 2: 6-9-1
Week 3: 8-8
Week 4: 12-3
Overall: 36-25-2

Cardinal Viking
2018:
Week 1: 8-7-1
Week 2: 9-6-1
Week 3: 5-11
Week 4: 9-6
Overall: 31-30-2

See you guys on Monday/Tuesday for the week's recap, enjoy the games, and have a great weekend!
-Tom