Tag: Detroit Lions

NFL Week 7 Reaction

New England Patriots (1-6) vs Jacksonville Jaguars (2-5)

Leave it to the Pats to make the Jags look good this year. This completely was a game the Pats could have won.

Overall, they got beaten physically. The defense got ran all over and the offense couldn’t run the ball.

On special teams, out kicking the coverage led to a long return TD.

Outside of Maye and the passing game, this team played bad today. On the flip side, it’s nice seeing that our offense can finally produce big plays. There’s a lot to build on.

Jerrod Mayo is starting to worry me as a coach. Going for 2 made absolutely no sense, when the Pats could have kicked an extra point and made it a one possession game. The decision to go for 2 and not get it, completely changed the dynamic of the game and makes it so much harder to win.

I also don’t like that every time the camera shows Mayo, he seems to have an annoyed look on his face, he shows no emotion, and never appears to be talking to any of his players or coaches. If your team is constantly losing, at least try to keep up their spirits instead of pouting on the sideline.

He called out the team after the game and said they were soft. We’ll see if that moralizes or demoralizes the Pats.

Houston Texans (5-2) @ Green Bay Packers (5-2)

Stroud struggled a lot this game, but the Texans still nearly pulled this one out. The Packers came through and won, which is a necessity for them in the stacked NFC North.

Detroit Lions (5-1) @ Minnesota Vikings (5-1)

The Lions continue to show they are the best team in the league. They can beat you in so many ways and pulled off another win in a great back and forth game.

Kansas City Chiefs (6-0) @ San Francisco 49ers (3-4)

Wow. That is all I can say about the Chiefs. They are the new Patriots, in the sense that they can change their identity and win any way. They used to be a high powered offensive team. Now they have morphed into a team that runs the ball well and plays amazing defense. Mahomes does’t put up gaudy stats, but makes the big plays when he needs to. Despite losing their top running back and top wide receiver, the train keeps chugging on.

The craziest stat to show how good the Chiefs have been defensively is that today they scored 28 points, which is the most they’ve scored in the last 16 games they’ve played. They are 13-3 in those games. Scary for the rest of the league.

The 49ers under Kyle Shanahan fall to 0-5 vs Andy Reid and the Chiefs. Both teams dealt with tons of injuries today, but the Niners did not get through it like the Chiefs did. Defensively, you can only shake your head. They held Mahomes to a QB Rating of 44.4 and still lost by 10 points. They have very little room for error, given their record, if they want to make the playoffs.

Baltimore Ravens (5-2) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-3)

The Ravens keep on rolling and Lamar is once again the MVP front-runner. This team is so good in all facets of the game and, dare I say, the best team in the AFC right now. I know Lamar and Co. have struggled vs the Chiefs. But guess what? Tom Brady and the Patriots started off 6-0 vs Peyton Manning including 2-0 in the postseason. The rest of their careers after that? Manning went 6-5 including 3-0 in the playoffs (all AFC Championship games). So just because Mahomes has his number now, doesn’t mean that will continue forever.

The Bucs night started off well with a 10-0 lead and Mike Evans scoring his 100th career receiving TD. Evans is the 9th WR to ever have 12,000 yards receiving and 100 TDs. Despite being so underrated, he’s going to Canton.

After that, things fell apart with Baker throwing some bad picks, the Bucs blowing their lead, and Evans and Godwin leaving with injuries. Evans looks like he’ll be week to week, but Godwin might be out for the year. This could be a massive blow to the Bucs playoff chances.

Game/Betting Picks Results

Game: 3-2 (18-8 This Season) (56-24 All-Time)

Spread: 3-2 (17-8-1) (56-22-2)

O/U: 2-3 (13-13) (42-37-1)

NFL Week 7 Predictions

New England Patriots (1-5) vs Jacksonville Jaguars (1-5)

The Pats head to London in a game they could actually win this year. Drake Maye has given this team all kinds of hope and hopefully the team continues to grow. We’re dealing with lots of injuries on the offensive line once again and Rhamondre might not play. I think the Pats win, cover (+6), and the over (42) hits.

Houston Texans (5-1) @ Green Bay Packers (4-2)

A great matchup between two up and coming teams. The Texans are dealing with tons of injuries to their defense. I think the Packers win, the Texans cover (+3), and the over (48.5) hits.

Detroit Lions (4-1) @ Minnesota Vikings (5-0)

A matchup of the two best teams in the NFC. I think the Lions win, cover (+1.5), and the under (50.5) hits.

Kansas City Chiefs (5-0) @ San Francisco 49ers (3-3)

A Super Bowl rematch as the Niners biggest tormentor comes to Santa Clara. The Chiefs have played well in spite of injuries to great offensive players. I think the Niners get revenge, cover (-2), and the over (47) hits.

Baltimore Ravens (4-2) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-2)

One of the best primetime games of the year so far. I think the Ravens win, cover (-3.5), and the over (49.5) hits.

Game/Betting Picks Results

Game: 0-0 (15-6 This Season) (53-22 All-Time)

Spread: 0-0 (14-6-1) (53-20-2)

O/U: 0-0 (11-10) (40-34-1)

NFL Week 6 Reaction

Washington Commanders (4-2) @ Baltimore Ravens (4-2)

The Ravens keep steamrolling along. Both QBs balled out in this game and both teams have bright futures ahead this season and beyond. Derrick Henry playing so good even at age 30 is so much fun to watch. He passed 10,000 yards rushing and is closing in on 100 TDs. He is a future Hall of Famer.

Houston Texans (5-1) @ New England Patriots (1-5)

Those red uniforms absolutely POP in Fall New England weather.

I don’t understand why the Pats continue to defer. They CANNOT play from behind. They need to be tied or have the lead so they can run the ball, grind out drives, and set the tone. It’s ridiculous. They let the Texans get the ball and score, then went 3 and out, then let the Texans score again. And the game was over after two possessions.

The Pats lack of discipline and penalties is absurd. You are bad enough as is, stop giving other teams more chances. So many good plays they make are negated by dumb penalties.

Drake Maye is so athletic and showed flashes of why we drafted him so high. That throw to Kayshon Boutte was Boutte-ful (sorry). We have not had a throw like that since Brady was QB and it feels so good to finally see a long, explosive play. His ability to keep plays alive with his feet and scramble is huge too and is helping our offense look more modern.

Yes, he had three TOs but had some deep passes, 3 passing TDs, and a handful of yards rushing. This was the first time we scored over 20 points and had a 200 yard passer. It feels so nice to have an offense again. It was a great debut overall and given how bad our O-line and skill players are and how good the Texans are, I’d give the debut an 8/10.

Sadly, the O-line is still terrible and we were dealt even more injuries today. Drake Maye and Antonio Gibson consistently never had a chance on passing and running plays.

Demario Douglas is showing flashes of becoming a good slot guy for the Pats. We haven’t had that since Jakobi Meyers was foolishly not resigned.

I would have liked to see the Pats run a mock two minute drill at the end of the game. You had 3 timeouts and plenty of time, why not use the timeouts and go for a score?

The officials were absolutely awful. A bogus pass interference helped lead to the first TD. Then a missed facemask call preceded Drake Maye getting stripped sacked and the Texans scoring their third TD. It was an embarrassment of a performance by those refs. I don’t get why refs aren’t held accountable for being terrible. If you fine the bad refs that made awful calls and/or suspend them without pay for a game for consistently being awful they might actually be competent at their jobs.

The Texans are really good and might be able to topple the Chiefs in the playoffs.

Detroit Lions (4-1) @ Dallas Cowboys (3-3)

Blowout Central. The Lions are great this year and look like the best team in the NFC. They are such a well-rounded team and have so many weapons on offense plus the best offensive line in the league.

It just sucks to see what happened to Aidan Hutchinson. It’s awful whenever any player gets a gruesome and brutal injury. Especially so when he’s one of the best players in the league and a leader of a Super Bowl contender. I hope and pray he can make a speedy and full recovery.

Brady said it and it’s true: Why are the Lions pulling out all these great trick plays in a blowout? Save them for a big game that is close in score.

The Cowboys look lost. Outside of CeeDee Lamb, they don’t have another reliable option offensively. Defensively, they are so banged up. This looks like it might be Mike McCarthy’s last year in Dallas.

Buffalo Bills (4-2) @ New York Jets (2-4)

New coach, same old Jets. Another game lost they definitely could have won. Two missed field goals and a bad pick at the end of the game doomed this team.

Even though the Jets season seems close to combustion, they could easily be 4-2 and a top the AFC East. It’s just a matter if they can right the ship of they internally collapse.

The Bills have their ups and downs, but they consistently find ways to win games.

Game/Betting Picks Results

Game: 3-1 (15-6 This Season) (53-22 All-Time)

Spread: 2-1-1 (14-6-1) (53-20-2)

O/U: 3-1 (11-10) (40-34-1)

NFL Week 6 Predictions

Washington Commanders (4-1) @ Baltimore Ravens (3-2)

Two of the most exciting QBs in the league face off in what should be one of the best games of the weekend. I think the Ravens win, Commanders cover (+7), and the over (51.5) hits.

Houston Texans (4-1) @ New England Patriots (1-4)

Drake Maye makes his NFL debut against one of the best teams in the AFC (GULP!) The Pats should have some early game energy and come out pretty good, but it won’t last long. I think things get ugly and the Texans win, cover (-6.5), and the over (37.5) hits. At least the Pats will look good because they’re wearing their red Pat the Patriot throwbacks aka The Best Uniforms in all of Sports.

Detroit Lions (3-1) @ Dallas Cowboys (3-2)

The Thanksgiving staples face off just as Fall is getting started. The Lions are better and healthier than the Cowboys. I think they win, cover (-3), and the under (52.5) hits.

Buffalo Bills (3-2) @ New York Jets (2-3)

The Jets have had the most Jets week since Bill Belichick resigned on a napkin. I mean literally if any other NFL team had the week the Jets just had, I would be shocked – even the Browns. But since it’s the Jets and they are one of the most poorly run franchises/businesses in the entire world, you just have to shake your head, laugh, and be thankful you aren’t a Jets fan. If you are a Jets fan? At least the Yankees and Mets are still playing and you probably have something else to root for.

Despite my thoughts on the Jets, I think they will win Monday, cover (+2), and the over (41) hits. I think teams with interim coaches get a little bump after their original coach is fired, because it lights a fire under the team. I also think Rodgers will be pissed and come out and play well. Furthermore, the Bills have tons of injuries and the Jets are simply healthier.

Post Draft Thoughts

So much success in the NFL is based on where you play, especially at quarterback. No matter how much talent you have, a terrible organization, coach, and team can derail a career. Now that we know where the top 6 QBs and a couple other top prospects are playing, below I predict how their careers will turn out.

Caleb Williams:

Going to Chicago has historically been where careers go to die for QBs. However, if one QB can buck that trend, it’s Williams. He is so talented and the fact that his pro comparisons are Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes tells you how good he is. Unlike with Justin Fields, the Bears have actually done a great job of surrounding him with amazing weapons and a solid Oline. How great he will be will come down to how well the coaching staff develops him. Regardless, the Bears history of never having a QB throw for 4,000 yards or 30 TDs will end soon.

I think he will be a really good to great QB in the NFL. He will make multiple Pro Bowls and help the Bears compete in a really tough division. My main apprehension with him is he seems like a diva type player. That’s fine with wide receivers like TO and OBJ, but when it comes to quarterback, that type of personality tends to not work out. Look at guys in the league who are star QBs: Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, etc. They are not controversial and outspoken personalities. They always say the right things and are tremendous leaders. I just get the vibe that Caleb will not be a great leader and might causes some issues off the field similar to Kyler Murray and Aaron Rodgers. Once again, I think he’ll be really good to great, but will definitely cause some headaches for the Bears.

Jayden Daniels:

It’s great to see another LSU QB have a massive progression, win the Heisman, and be a top pick in the draft. That shows how great his work ethic is. His athleticism is off the charts and he will be one of the most athletic QBs in the league right away. It’s also reassuring that Daniels put up the numbers he did while playing in the best conference in college. He will be able to make an immediate impact and having an OC like Kliff Kingsbury is also a plus.

My one apprehension with him is that he is not super well built. This is something that can be fixed, but with a terrible Oline and being a guy that runs so much, it could be an issue.

Overall, he has a pretty good group of weapons around him with Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson at WR and Austin Ekeler and Brian Robinson Jr at RB. I think he has an average to solid career as a starter, but is not anything special.

Drake Maye:

I have super high hopes for Maye. He was my favorite QB in this draft, so the fact the Pats got him at #3 is a steal in my opinion. He reminds me a lot of Andrew Luck and Justin Herbert in terms of his combination of size, athleticism, and arm talent. He will just have turned 22 at the start of next season and will have time to develop under Jacoby Brissett. He is extremely tough, is a great kid, and played well through some perseverance and tough situations last year.

The biggest question with Maye has nothing to do with him, but the Patriots. First off, they have the worst roster in the league, especially when it comes to Oline and WR. They drafted some wide receivers and offensive lineman after Maye, but they still need to surround him with weapons and guys who can block. Also, how will the coaches develop him? Jerrod Mayo is a defensive coach so it will mainly be the responsibility of Alex Van Pelt, who is relatively unproven.

I believe he will develop into the Patriots franchise quarterback. He has the tools to succeed in New England, with a big frame and big arm that will serve him well in the terrible Foxboro weather. He obviously won’t be Tom Brady, but I think he can be a better version of Drew Bledsoe. He should be a multiple time Pro Bowler and lead the Pats back to contention for years to come.

Michael Penix Jr:

Easily the biggest shocker of the draft. I was initially shocked by what they did, but the Falcons explaining why they did it helped me make more sense of it. I just don’t agree with their reasoning.

Penix is going to be 24 before the season starts and is maybe the most “pro-ready” QB prospect in the draft. But they drafted him to be the developmental, eventual starter. He should have some good weapons around him when he does start, but when will that be?

They owe Kirk Cousins a ton of money and realistically can’t get out of the contact until 2026 when Penix with be 26 himself. Cousins isn’t amazing but he’s a good enough starter who probably won’t play himself out of the position. With all the uncertainty and an odd situation, I think Penix doesn’t end up being a long-term starter in the league.

J.J. McCarthy:

I like McCarthy, but easily think he was the most overrated player this draft. Compared to the other 5 QBs taken, I think he easily was the worst prospect and was benefited by his team more than any of them. With that being said, he is going to basically the perfect situation. He has a really good offensive coach in Kevin O’Connell, the best WR in the league in Justin Jefferson, a top 3 TE in TJ Hockenson, one of the best young WRs in the league in Jordan Addison, and new RB Aaron Jones. They even have a good offensive line. Furthermore, McCarthy can develop behind Sam Darnold if needed.

I think McCarthy will have a career similar to the man he is replacing – Kirk Cousins. His situation is just too good to be a complete bust. I see him putting up solid numbers but not being a guy who can win his team big games and take them far in the playoffs.

Bo Nix:

Nix lands in a spot with a good head coach, but a team that really lacks weapons. He’s accurate and has a ton of experience, but I just don’t think he has that high of a ceiling. Sean Payton has also been very impatient and critical of his QB and team since taking over and I don’t think that’s a great situation for any rookie QB. I think Nix ends up playing a good bit as a rookie, but I don’t think his career will mount to much and he won’t be a long-term starter.

Marvin Harrison Jr.

I think he is the best player in this class and the most exciting by far. Getting to play for a good QB in Kyler is also huge for him. He’ll be a Day 1 starter and should be an absolute stud for years to come.

Brock Bowers:

I think Bowers fits into the Raiders mold well. The biggest question is who is gonna be the QB throwing him the ball and how good will they be. However, he’s so talented that he should make an immediate impact and he has other weapons around him so defenses can’t just key in on him. He should be a long-term starter and make a handful of Pro Bowls.

Other Quick Points

With 6 QBs taken in the first round and all these other amazing offensive players at marquee positions like WR and OT, I think this draft will go down in history as one of the best ever.

The fact that round 1 of the NFL draft had a higher average viewership than last year’s NBA finals once again shows why football is the king of sports in the US.

Xavier Worthy should be a great pick for Chiefs. He fits in so well with Mahomes and that offense. The Chiefs have rebuilt their WR corps into one of the better ones in the league in just one year, showing why they are the dynasty that they are.

It’s still so early, but the Bears – Panthers trade from last year might go down as the worst trade in NFL history. If Bryce Young ends up being a bust, while Caleb is a stud that’s bad enough. But on top of that, the Bears got one of the best WRs in the league, a starting tackle, a starting CB, and still have another 2nd round pick next year. This is something to keep an eye on.

Edge Rusher and Defensive Lineman Rankings

Having a star edge rusher or interior defensive lineman who can wreak havoc is one of the most sought after weapons teams look for. Thankfully, there has never been more talent at these positions than there is now. Below is my ranking of these players:

1. TJ Watt EDGE, Pittsburgh Steelers

2. Myles Garret EDGE, Cleveland Browns

3. Micah Parsons EDGE, Dallas Cowboys

4. Aaron Donald, IDL, Los Angeles Rams

5. Nick Bosa EDGE, San Francisco 49ers

6. Chris Jones, IDL, Kansas City Chiefs

7. Maxx Crosby, EDGE, Las Vegas Raiders

8. Khalil Mack, EDGE, Los Angeles Chargers

9. Trey Hendrickson EDGE, Cincinnati Bengals

10. Aidan Hutchinson EDGE, Detroit Lions

End of Season Top 10 QBs

Below are my top 10 QBs in the NFL. I am not solely basing it off this year, but instead the last couple of years plus how I think they’ll perform moving forward.

1. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs

Do I even have to explain?

2. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals

Burrow had a tough year, first dealing with a nagging calf injury that hampered him the first 4 games, then going on IR after the 10th game of the year. During the 5.5 games he was healthy, he threw for 13 TDs and showed how good he is.

3. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills

Allen is the modern day Brett Favre. He is an absurd athlete who routinely makes jaw dropping plays. He will also go rouge every now and then and make you ask yourself what the hell he is doing. His 173 total TDs the past 4 years make up for those mistakes.

4. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens

Lamar balled out and won his 2nd league MVP this year. He is one of the most athletic players we’ve ever seen and can do things at QB that no one else in the league can. He needs to play better in the playoffs though.

5. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers

Herbert is insanely talented, but has struggled to win. The lack of coaching and injuries around him in the past is reasonable enough to blame. However, with Jim Harbaugh now his coach, there are no more excuses. He needs to start winning games and making runs in the postseason.

6. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles

Hurts is a special QB and a great duel threat. He had some up and down moments this year, but the season ended on a bad note. He will need to shake it off next year.

7. Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets

This season did not go as he wanted it to, however, I am still a believer that this all-time great will come back with a splash next year.

8. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys

Dak played great at times this year, but does not always bring it during big games.

9. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars

Lawrence struggled this year, especially when his team needed him down the stretch. He’ll need to work out some kinks this offseason to return to the player he was last year.

10. Brock Purdy, San Franciso 49ers

He is definitely aided by his coach and playmakers around him, but he still gets them the ball and plays great. My only concern is that he struggles to bring his team back if they get too far behind.

On the Bubble:

Jared Goff, Detroit Lions

He’s a solid starting QB, but is limited.

CJ Stroud, Houston Texans

Stroud established himself as one of the best young QBs in the league this year. Should he continue to develop, he could easily enter the top 10 next year.

Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings

Kirk’s absence shows the Vikings and the world how good he really is. He just doesn’t get it done in the playoffs.

Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins

He’s a very similar QB to Brock Purdy. I give Purdy the slight edge, because I trust him more in big games.

Russell Wilson, Denver Broncos

I still am a Russ believer. He played well this year despite the fact that he did not have that much talent around him. I think Sean Payton scapegoating him for all of Denver’s woes is laughable. He may not be at his peak anymore, but is still a good starting quarterback.

Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams

He rebounded well this year and led a young team to the playoffs. I still think he’s slightly overrated.

Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals

Kyler has all the talent in the world and he played well in limited action this season. I’m excited to see him back to full strength next year for an entire season.

Evaluating my Beginning of the Year Predictions

This was a wild year with many ups and downs in the NFL and CFB. At the beginning of the year, I made numerous predictions on what would happen this season and below are some of the best predictions I made:

  • I correctly picked the winner of 71% (42/59) of the games I covered this season.
  • I hit on 72% (42/58) of the spreads I picked this year.
  • I hit on 53% (31/58) of the over/unders I picked this year.
  • All told, I hit on 63% (73/116) of the betting picks I made this year.
  • Michigan won the CFP Championship.
  • Buffalo Bills, Kansas City Chiefs, Detroit Lions, and San Francisco 49ers won their divisions.
  • Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles, and Dallas Cowboys made the playoffs.
  • San Francisco 49ers made the Super Bowl
  • Kansas City Chiefs made the AFC Championship Game
  • Josh McDaniels got fired as the Raiders coach.
  • Ron Rivera was fired as the Commanders coach.
  • Bill Belichick and the Pats parted ways at the end of the year.
  • Jared Goff threw 30 TDs this year.
  • Kenny Pickett showed very few signs of looking like a quality starting QB.
  • Shane Steichen and the Colts surprised people.

Championship Week Reaction

Detroit Lions (3) @ San Franciso 49ers (1)

The 49ers are the most talented team in the league and have lived up to the massive expectations they had set for them. It was an amazing comeback and now they have a chance for redemption in a rematch vs the Chiefs. What a Super Bowl it’s going to be.

You have to feel for the Lions as their amazing year ends with a crushing blown lead. They are so young and talented, you have to believe they’ll back even better next year.

Kansas City Chiefs (3) @ Baltimore Ravens (1)

Wow. I picked the Chiefs to win and cover but it still shocks me a little. Baltimore was the better, more talented team this year. But the Chiefs are the Chiefs. They have the best QB and coach in the NFL and they know how to win. They remind me so much of the Pats dynasty, it’s crazy. They underwhelmed all year, but here they are back in the Super Bowl.

Now we just need Brock Purdy to be what Eli Manning was to the Pats.

Game/Betting Picks Results

Game: 2-0 (42-17 Overall)

Spread: 2-0 (42-16-1)

O/U: 0-2 (31-27-1)