WCBN SPORTS
  • Home
  • The Team
    • Charlie Brigham
    • Adam Bressler >
      • Articles
    • Joshua Tenzer >
      • Articles
    • Jared Greenspan >
      • Articles
    • Zachery Linfield
    • Zach Corsun
  • About Us
    • Notable Alumni
  • Blog
    • NFL
    • MLB
    • NBA
    • NHL
    • XFL
    • NCAA Football
    • NCAA Basketball
    • Sports Business
    • Sports Media
  • Media
    • Podcasts
    • Photos >
      • Michigan Football vs Rutgers (September 25, 2021)
      • Michigan Football vs Northwestern (October 23, 2021)
      • Michigan Football vs Indiana (November 6, 2021)
      • Michigan Football vs Iowa (December 4, 2021)
      • Michigan MBB vs Maryland (January 18, 2022)
      • Michigan Football vs Colorado State (September 3, 2022)
      • Michigan Football vs Connecticut (September 17, 2022)
      • Michigan Football vs Maryland (September 24, 2022)
      • Michigan Football vs Nebraska (November 12, 2022)
      • Michigan MBB vs Penn State (January 4, 2023)
  • Contact
  • Donate
  • Home
  • The Team
    • Charlie Brigham
    • Adam Bressler >
      • Articles
    • Joshua Tenzer >
      • Articles
    • Jared Greenspan >
      • Articles
    • Zachery Linfield
    • Zach Corsun
  • About Us
    • Notable Alumni
  • Blog
    • NFL
    • MLB
    • NBA
    • NHL
    • XFL
    • NCAA Football
    • NCAA Basketball
    • Sports Business
    • Sports Media
  • Media
    • Podcasts
    • Photos >
      • Michigan Football vs Rutgers (September 25, 2021)
      • Michigan Football vs Northwestern (October 23, 2021)
      • Michigan Football vs Indiana (November 6, 2021)
      • Michigan Football vs Iowa (December 4, 2021)
      • Michigan MBB vs Maryland (January 18, 2022)
      • Michigan Football vs Colorado State (September 3, 2022)
      • Michigan Football vs Connecticut (September 17, 2022)
      • Michigan Football vs Maryland (September 24, 2022)
      • Michigan Football vs Nebraska (November 12, 2022)
      • Michigan MBB vs Penn State (January 4, 2023)
  • Contact
  • Donate

Pistons Week in Review

11/29/2017

0 Comments

 

By: Bogart Lipe

Andre Drummond, who is playing like if a lovechild between Shaquille O’Neal and Steve Nash existed, can shoot free throws now. To celebrate, we’ll have an article every week whose length is based on Andre’s free throw percentage. For example, 0.500 from the line calls for a 500 word article, 0.700 is a 700 word article, and so on. So here we go. Andre Drummond is shooting 0.618 from the free throw line so here are 618 words on the Pistons’ week.

This is not a fluke. We are 19 games into the season, and as such, there’s a large enough sample size to make an educated decision on whether the Detroit Pistons are a good team (which they most definitely, without a doubt are), or a mediocre team, or a bad team (both of which they most definitely, without a doubt are not). This is to say, the Detroit Pistons, the second best team in the East with a 13-6 record, are a good basketball team and there is proof.

The Pistons are the only team to beat both the Warriors and Celtics on the road. This is a fact. The Pistons are also the only team to beat the Celtics by double digits this year. This is another fact. You could say, “Well now you’re nitpicking stats aren’t you? Those seem fairly specific do they not?” And you may have a point, but not really, because as I previously mentioned, these are facts and facts are real and facts are not to be disputed. On multiple occasions, the Pistons have gone into hostile environments, puffed their chests out, and have not only hung with elite NBA teams but outplayed them, sometimes thoroughly so. This past week, they went into Oklahoma City to face the Thunder, a team with 3 bona fide stars, and won by 1 in an incredibly tense game that saw each of the Thunder stars fail to shoot higher than 41%. But let’s talk about arguably the biggest game thus far for the Pistons, a game in Boston against the Celtics that the Pistons won 118-108. And in that thinking, I’d like to present one more fact: Andre Drummond is a basketball monster who does not care about you or your happiness and would rather crush you and whatever less athletic tall man you task with trying to control him on both ends of the floor.

You may have heard Andre had quite the game Monday night. Against the 18-3 Celtics, he scored 26 points (on 10-12 shooting and 6-8 from the line), grabbed 22 rebounds, handed out 6 assists, and had 4 steals. You may think to yourself, “Wow that’s a really nice stat line, how does that stack up historically?” Great question. To start, he’s the first player to have those stats since 1990, when Charles Barkley did it. Also, he was the first visiting player in Boston to have 25 points, 20 rebounds, and 5 assists since Wilt Chamberlain. Being the first to do something since Wilt Chamberlain is notable at the bare minimum. At the maximum, I could stand here vindictively and confident and claim Andre is a Hall of Famer in the making and we should all get used to seeing his name and “first since Wilt Chamberlain” being used in the same sentence. But I digress.

The Pistons are back to playing to their potential and everyone has contributed (I haven’t even mentioned the sweet shooting Tobias Harris, who had 31 Monday night). The team is playing an exciting brand of basketball and next up are the Suns tonight, the Wizards on Friday, the Sixers on Saturday, and the Spurs on Monday. This week will prove to be a challenge for the Pistons, against teams with high hopes for playoff appearances and deep runs into the postseason. The Pistons must beat the Suns, and will have two chances to avenge earlier losses in the year to each the Wizards and Sixers. Both games will be emotional (can’t wait to see you Joel), and it’s imperative the Pistons once again stand up to the challenge and continue their recent momentum to further prove that this team is here to stay.

0 Comments

Ignas Brazdeikis: a smaller, more aggressive Evan Smotrycz

11/28/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
-Alex Kremer

​Evan Smotrycz. Unless you’re a diehard Michigan basketball fan, that name means nothing to you. Or maybe you have heard of him. Maybe you remember his two years in the maize and blue. Or maybe you remember his two years playing in Crisler, but with the Maryland flag on his chest. Either way, you’ll see a more aggressive version Smotrycz in a Michigan jersey next year when the number 44 (247sports) rated high school senior moves to Ann Arbor. His name is
Ignas Brazdeikis and he hails from the great white north. His 6-8, 220 pound frame is very similar to Smotrycz, albeit a bit shorter. But what is eerily similar is the style of play between the two. Both are elite three point shooters who will always look to either knock down 3’s at high percentage or initiate offense from the high post. This is where Beilein should be really excited to utilize Brazdeikis. His passing ability is slightly worse that Smotrycz’s, but he still has above average court vision. With that he’ll be able to control the offense from the post and have it run through him. He will be so effective there because he is such a threat to score from every level.


​That said, there is a difference between the two. Throughout Smotrycz’s career both in Ann Arbor and College Park, he was content being a solid starter, but a backup option. Brazdeikis is an alpha dog. He hunts for his shot every time down the court and he’s one of the most skilled scorers in the entire country. The two both struggle with defense, which is what kept Smotrycz on the bench early in his freshman year. Smotrycz was never a good post defender and Ignas doesn’t have the footspeed to be one either. So his offense will always be his calling card, but with enough time his defense should come along for him to be at least competent. However, like many of Beilein’s teams, his elite offense will always be better than his defense. So when he steps foot on the court for the first time, just know Michigan will have a player who is a smaller, more aggressive Evan Smotrycz. Let’s just hope he stays all four years.


Picture
0 Comments

Why Josh Gordon Still Has the Potential to Be One of the Greats

11/27/2017

0 Comments

 

By Eric Margolin



​I want to preface this whole post by saying this is all conditioned on Josh Gordon staying clean and playing multiple full NFL seasons, something he has not shown he can do in the past. Furthermore, this is not a commentary on the NFL’s drug policy. Whether or not I think players should be allowed to smoke marijuana to ease the pain from playing a sport, where 300 pound men run at you at full speed, is irrelevant. Now back to the point.
​


Coming out of college, Josh Gordon wasn’t drafted in the NFL draft because of his off-field issues. Instead, he was picked by the Cleveland Browns in the 2012 supplemental draft. As he transitioned to the NFL, scouts had many problems with his style of play. Teams cited his lack of speed, quickness, and polished route running, as some of the top on-field reasons to avoid drafting him. However, Gordon’s measurables were off the charts. At 6’ 3’, 225 lbs he was the same size as All-Pro receiver Demaryius Thomas, his vertical jump and hand size were the same as future Hall of Famer Larry Fitzgerald’s, and his broad jump, vertical jump, and 40-yard dash time were similar to those of Jerry Rice. Gordon was an athletic freak heading to the NFL.


In his first season, this insane athleticism translated to on the field success. In his first season Gordon had the third most receiving yards, fourth most receptions, and second most touchdowns of all rookie wide receivers. However, Gordon’s breakout season came in 2013. Gordon led the league in receiving yards, ranked in the top fifteen in touchdowns, and ranked number one in YPC (for qualifying receivers), despite being suspended for two games. For his efforts Gordon was selected to the Pro-Bowl and named first team All-Pro. In his third year Gordon’s season was again marred by another suspension, only allowing him to play five games, catching no touchdowns and only netting 303 yards. Since then, Gordon hasn’t played an NFL game.
 


When he’s on the field, Gordon is one of the best pass catchers to play the game. For his tenure with the Browns, Gordon was the only bright spot on the team. Despite catching passes from six different quarterbacks (the best of whom was Brian Hoyer, a perennial backup) in three years, he continued to produce at the highest level. He gained 200 yards in consecutive games with Brandon Weeden throwing him the ball. BRANDON WEEDEN! He was matched up against some of the top cornerbacks in the league on a week to week basis, and burned every one. In his record breaking 2013 season, he had less than fifty receiving yards only once. In Jerry Rice’s best season (1995) he had three games where he didn’t hit fifty yards (with Steve Young throwing the ball I might add). Gordon has shown he can produce without any other weapons on a team, a skill very few star players have.


I want to end with a definition of what makes a great wide receiver. I’ve boiled it down to five categories: measurables, on-field success, ability to overcome bad circumstances, winning games, and ability to stay on the field. I hope I’ve shown that Josh Gordon easily checks off the first three categories. However, when he plays the Browns have gone an abysmal 10-25. This is the biggest knock against Gordon. I could try and argue that it’s not his fault the Browns are always bad, but great players find ways to win games. The final knock against Gordon is his inability to stay on the field. He has played a total of thirty-five NFL games since he was drafted in 2012 due to multiple suspensions for violation of the league’s substance abuse policy. In 20 seasons Jerry Rice missed a total of 17 regular season games, a total Gordon surpassed by the end of his third season.
Josh Gordon was reinstated earlier this month, and will be allowed to play again in Week 13. Not much has changed in Cleveland since he last suited up for the Browns in December 2014. The Browns are still bad, still searching for franchise quarterback, and will most likely finish with a losing record for the tenth consecutive year. The only question left in Cleveland is this:“Can Josh Gordon live up to his potential?”

Image via Cleveland.com


0 Comments

Michigan Football Season Wrap Up

11/26/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
By Alex Drain

So here we are. Michigan finishes the 2017 football season 8-4 and 5-4 in Big Ten play. Entering the season, the realm of possibilities was between 8-4 and 12-0. The projection based on S&P+ numbers had Michigan pegged for 8.9 wins. So in some ways, the season wasn’t too unexpected. But as always, the roller coaster of the moment is more treacherous than the long view of the program. Frustration, disappointment, hope, all the emotions are there as Jim Harbaugh wraps up season #3. The honeymoon is over. It’s go time now. How should we view the wreckage of 2017, the impending 2018 run, and the future of the program? Let’s take a look:


Sorting through the wreckage of 2017
Michigan homers were extremely optimistic on the outlook for 2017. Realists adhered to the 8.9 win projection. So 8-4 doesn’t seem too bad. The basic facts of the scenario, none that Harbaugh really could have avoided, created issues for the team. Let’s start with the offensive line, where Michigan lost three starters from the 2016 team, Ben Braden, Kyle Kalis, and Erik Magnuson. The 2017 team was dependent on Grant Newsome, who Harbaugh had recruited to fill the gap between those three and the young highly touted tackle recruits joining Michigan this season. Unfortunately, Newsome’s catastrophic knee injury last season sidelined him for the entire 2017 campaign. This forced Mason Cole to move back to left tackle from center and created a gaping hole at right tackle. No one would dare start a true freshman at that position, so they were left with two very bad options: Nolan Ulizio and Juwann Bushell-Beatty.

The other downside of that injury is that it forced Patrick Kugler into action at center, a former star recruit whose development was severely stunted by Brady Hoke. Kugler was given many chances over his five years at Michigan, including the middle of last season when Newsome went down. Ben Braden moved to LT and it opened up a slot at guard. Yet instead of the 4th year Kugler, true freshman Ben Bredeson got action and was pretty terrible. If Kugler wasn’t better than that iteration of Bredeson….. uh oh. The combination of a very bad RT and a center who couldn’t set protection accurately, along with a pair of sophomore guards, created a mess. It was unable to maul weaker opponents like in past seasons and when they faced more elite competition, problems arose. In pass protection, it was a disaster. Michigan allowed 34 sacks, among the most in the country, and forced their QB’s to face pressure all season long. It also broke their best 2 QB’s, Wilton Speight (week 4, out for the year) and Brandon Peters (week 12, missed OSU game).

The final issue offensively was the receiving corps. Freshman receivers suck. That’s just a fact. The elite high school recruits are used to using their physical tools to get open and thus, aren’t as polished as they need to be to compete at the collegiate level. Michigan recruited four 4-star and above WR’s in the 2017 class. Of those 4, only Tarik Black was polished enough to be a force early on. And he was lost for the year in week 4. Michigan lost to graduation their only three dynamic pass catchers from the 2016 team and without receivers who knew what they were doing, the offense was permanently stunted. It should be of little surprise that given the combination of a disastrous offensive line and no viable receiving options, Michigan’s quarterbacks struggled. Wilton Speight looked shaken and without confidence, John O’Korn was just mechanically terrible, and Brandon Peters was raw. And the situation around them didn’t help one bit.

Defensively, the team was forced to replace 10 starters and yet, Michigan’s defense remained very strong. As good as 2016’s? No. But good enough to have a better record than they did. They shut down Wisconsin consistently until appearing to fold after watching Brandon Peters be knocked from the game. They held Ohio State, S&P+’s 4th best offense in the country entering the game, to under 300 yards with only a few minutes to go in the fourth quarter, when they once again folded after John O’Korn’s crushing interception. Put simply, the defense was good enough to give Michigan a chance to beat the two teams playing this Saturday for the Big Ten title. The offense wasn’t up to snuff. In the meantime, Rashan Gary became the monster we all thought he would become, Chase Winovich broke out, Devin Bush became one of the nation’s top LB’s, Mo Hurst became a first round NFL pick, and David Long and Lavert Hill began to form their own No Fly Zone. Yes, the safeties were the weak point of the unit, but to lose 10 guys and remain a Top 10 defense by every important metric is damn impressive. We should accept the fact that as long as Jim Harbuagh is Michigan’s head coach, he’s going to field a defense good enough to win titles.


A look at 2018
Entering the season, realistic folks saw 2018 as the year. And it’s not hard to see why. Let’s take a look at a potential depth chart

WR 1                 Left Tackle -              Left Guard -          Center -         Right Guard -        Right Tackle                     WR2
DPJ                  Grant Newsome      Ben Bredeson      Cesar Ruiz       Mike Onwenu       Stueber/Filiaga             Tarik Black

                                                                                               QB
                                                                                     Peters/Speight

Tight End                                                                               RB                                    
Gentry/McKeon                                                           Evans/Higdon                

Now this depth chart is depending on the health of Grant Newsome’s knee. Who knows about how it will turn out, but a quick look at his Twitter reveals that he is working his ass off to rehab and has every intention of returning for the 2018 season. If he could come back, that would be a massive boost. It would, at the very least, maintain the same quality of pass protection as Mason Cole at that spot. Meanwhile, the guards Bredeson and Onwenu will return, and both made big strides as the season went on. As they enter their junior year, Michigan will look to them to carry the weight of the line. Plugging in Cesar Ruiz at center is important, not just because he’s a natural center prospect who should be ready to play, but because he’s Not Patrick Kugler. Losing him alone will be addition-by-subtraction. Also, Ruiz got several starts at the end of the season when Onwenu went down with injury, giving him some much needed seasoning. That means that if all goes well health-wise, Michigan will run four guys out on the offensive line who have started at least three games in their career. In 2017, they only started two such players. Finally, the RT position should be seized by one of the young tackles who spent this season redshirting, learning the playbook, and bulking up. Whether it’s Andrew Stueber or Chuck Filiaga, Michigan should have elite talent at that position, which also at the very least, is an upgrade over 2017. How they will perform, no one knows. But in terms of talent and preparedness, it’s a big step up over this year.

Most importantly, the skill players all return, with Evans and Higdon the starters in the backfield, Kareem Walker getting more carries and O’Maury Samuels likely getting some garbage time looks. At TE, Sean McKeon and Zach Gentry both return, and Michigan will bring all of their WR’s back, DPJ, Tarik Black, Kekoa Crawford, Grant Perry, Eddie McDoom, Nico Collins, Nate Schoenle, and Oliver Martin will all return. Ben Mason plugs in at fullback for Khalid Hill but he had already started getting snaps late in the season. It will largely be a continuation of what there was this year and in at least two positions, there should be improvement. A whole offseason of practicing together will be big.

And then there’s QB. Will it be Speight? Or will it be Peters? Sorry Evan, it’s not going to be Joe Milton. And it’s probably not going to be Dylan McCaffrey. In a season that will come with high expectations, look for Harbaugh to turn to one of the two guys with substantial starting experience. I give the edge to Peters, as he was an actual Harbaugh recruit and he certainly has more raw talent. But Speight was also one of the best QB’s in the conference in 2016 before his injury. It will be a long battle but whoever wins the job will have lots of scrutiny and pressure, high expectations, and will have to play in tough environments next year (more on that in a bit).

Now onto the defense, as we look at the depth chart:

               Defensive End-              Defensive Tackle-               Defensive Tackle-                Defensive End-    
               Rashan Gary                    Aubrey Solomon                     Bryan Mone                     Chase Winovich*

                                              OLB                                       MLB                                     Viper
                                  Devin Bush Jr.                Anthony/Ross/Singleton            Khaleke Hudson

CB                                                                                                                                                                                                   CB
Lavert Hill                                                                                                                                                                              David Long

SS                                                                                                                                                                                                   FS
Josh Metellus                                                                                                                                                                       Tyree Kinnel

This unit could return as many as 9 starters, with the other two spots being filled by elite recruits. Winovich is the question mark, as he could leave for the draft or he could return. If he leaves, then expect Carlo Kemp or whoever else to fill in at DE. 5 star sophomore Aubrey Solomon plugs in on the defensive line for Maurice Hurst, and he’s gotten quite a few snaps throughout the year, so he should be game ready. Bush and Hudson both return, as does the entire secondary. I could see Michigan upgrading at safety, given that that was the team’s weakness, but if not, Metellus and Kinnel should be the guys. Mike McCray leaves at MLB and will be replaced by the winner of a positional battle between Jordan Anthony, Drew Singleton, and Josh Ross, all of whom will be more athletic than McCray, which could be a boost to the defense right there. With so many guys returning, I expect that this defense will take a step forward and go from a top 10 unit to a top 5 unit. Michigan will be good enough defensively to go to the promised land.

As for the schedule, it’s a tricky one. Michigan faces Notre Dame in South Bend in week 1, which will be a big measuring stick. Notre Dame is perpetually overrated and will lose half their team to graduation, including 4 of 5 offensive line starters. It’s a game Michigan should win, and it will set the tone for the entire season. Then the Wolverines get Western Michigan, SMU, and Nebraska in Ann Arbor, before traveling to Evanston to play Northwestern and then hosting Maryland, a nice 5 game stretch to gain some confidence. The second half of the schedule is much tougher, playing Wisconsin at home in week 7 and at MSU in week 8. Then comes the bye week before a home game against Penn St., a road game at Rutgers, a home game against Indiana, and then The Game in Columbus. It’s a schedule with its fair share of very good opponents, no question. But that shouldn’t stop a great team from winning the conference.


The future of the program and expectations
As I mentioned earlier, the honeymoon period is now over for Jim Harbuagh. Coaches should always be given three years before they can really be judged. In three seasons, he has amassed a 28-10 record (.737), and an 18-8 record (0.643) in Big Ten play. He’s took a broken down program and resuscitated it, reeling in Top 5 recruiting classes in the process. But the monkey on his back continues to be the 1-5 against MSU and OSU mark, and an equally dismal mark against top 10 teams. But the important question is: how close are they to getting over the hump?

WCBN alum and eternal pessimist Kevin Cline predicted before the Ohio State game that it would be 31-3 in favor of OSU and saying “I just want it to be exposed how far away from elite or great (Michigan is)”. Well Kevin, we saw how far away Michigan is: down 4 with the ball on their own 30 and 3 minutes to go. When you examine the record against top 10 teams, you see that consistently, Michigan had their chances to win the games. Against FSU in the Orange Bowl, OSU the last two years, Wisconsin this year, and MSU in 2015, this was the case. So, no the program isn’t miles away. They’re really close. But until it happens, these issues will continue to nag Harbaugh.

And this leads us to 2018. And 2019 for that matter. These next two years will determine Jim Harbuagh’s fate in Ann Arbor. Put simply, Jim Harbaugh has to win a Big Ten title in the next two years, or his tenure is a failure. Plain and simple. He entered in tough conditions, no question. He took over a program that was in much worse shape than say, when Urban Meyer took over OSU. And in terms of rivalry opponents, that is true too. He’s competing on a yearly basis against one of the 5 greatest coaches in college football history running an established juggernaut, along with a Top 10 college football coach bringing his program to a 50 year high. It’s not like he’s facing John Cooper and John L. Smith.

But the excuses stop now because Harbaugh finally has his guys. He’s recruited the players he wants at every position, and a quick look at the depth chart shows that the only Brady Hoke players that will start next season are Bryan Mone, Winovich (if he returns), and Speight (if he’s the starter). This will be a Harbaugh team. His guys, and with elite talent. It’s time that they go out and win. Looking at the Big Ten, Michigan is going to have the best combination of talent and experience in the conference. Only Ohio State can rival the raw talent of Michigan and only Michigan State can rival the experience of Michigan in terms of returning starters. The Wolverines should have a high preseason ranking and the expectation should be a Big Ten title. Anything less than that is a failure. This is a two year window where it’s now or never. Yes, there are questions at tackle and at quarterback, but every team has questions. It’s just the great ones solve those. It’s time to prove that the Michigan Wolverines are a great team.
0 Comments

Pistons Week in Review

11/22/2017

0 Comments

 

By: Bogart Lipe

Andre Drummond, who is playing like if a lovechild between Shaquille O’Neal and Steve Nash existed, can shoot free throws now. To celebrate, we’ll have an article every week whose length is based on Andre’s free throw percentage. For example, 0.500 from the line calls for a 500 word article, 0.700 is a 700 word article, and so on. So here we go. Andre Drummond is shooting 0.617 from the free throw line so here are 617 words on the Pistons’ week.

The Pistons are confusing. They are confusing because earlier this year, they beat the Clippers (which was impressive because they were actually playing an acceptable brand of basketball at the time, which they are not right now) and the world-beater Warriors on back to back nights. They are confusing because only a few weeks later, the same Pistons lost to the Bucks, Pacers, and Cavs in the span of 6 days. The Bucks are a decent team, with an alien named Giannis who doubles as a basketball player. However, Giannis did not beat them. Khris Middleton beat the Pistons, which is just not a thing the Pistons can let happen, especially against a division rival. They also turned the ball over and were blocked 16 times a piece. And when you get blocked 16 times in one basketball game, you will most likely not win that basketball game.

Then, the Pistons played the Pacers, an objectively bad team. Victor Oladipo got Avery Bradley’d (6-19 from the field), and the Pistons had a 22 point lead in the 3rd quarter. Then the Pistons gave the game away quickly, but it’s hard to recall how quickly. It’s hard to tell because Lance Stephenson started hitting shots, and when Lance Stephenson starts hitting shots, let alone contested long range shots, it’s hard to have a grip on reality and time because everything feels like 2012 again. So the Pistons went into the fourth up 10 and lost by 7. So that was not a good back to back sequence of games.

Next, the Pistons played the Timberwolves and did not play well again for the first three quarters. The team kept turning the ball over, ending with 19 turnovers, but were able to force 20 Minnesota turnovers. Behind late game heroics from My Point Guard Reggie Jackson, the Pistons were able to fight back to lead the T-Wolves by 3 with under 20 seconds left. Then, Avery Bradley fouled, or at least the refs think he fouled, Jimmy Butler on a three point attempt with only a few seconds left. Butler, an exceptional free throw shooter, hit the first two as expected. Then Reggie Jackson, god bless his wholesome heart, stepped in and interrupted the flow of the final free throw attempt. And, because Reggie Jackson is not only smart but also clever and crafty, Butler was phased and barely missed the last free throw. After two Pistons free throws and another near miss by Butler at the buzzer, the team made a magical escape out of Minnesota with a win.

And finally, and by far the least climactic, the Pistons were stonewalled by the visiting Cavaliers. LeBron looked like 2012 Game 6 in Boston LeBron in the first quarter, and the Cavs did not look back. The Pistons lost by 28, and it could’ve been much more. The Cavs made 16 threes, the Pistons looked exhausted, and Andre Drummond had two ridiculous streaks ended. His 12 rebound game streak came to an end at 16, tied with Moses Malone for most to start a season since 1979. In addition, he failed to register 15 rebounds and 4 assists, a previous 7 game streak that was the longest for a player since 1986.

So now here we are. The Pistons play in Oklahoma City Friday and in Boston Monday against the ultra-hot Celtics. The key will be Friday, a game the Pistons may need to win in order to avoid a prolonged slump that may only accumulate in Boston on Monday. At 11-6, the Pistons have still had a fabulous start, but it is important to settle down, take care of the ball, and stay afloat in the early season.

0 Comments

TURKEY, FAMILY, AND FOOTBALL: YOUR ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE NFL’S THANKSGIVING SLATE

11/20/2017

0 Comments

 
By Teddy Gutkin

Thanksgiving is a tradition like no other.  It’s a time of year where families gather to feast, spend quality time with one another, buy under-priced electronics on Black Friday, and, of course, watch football.  That’s right, it’s almost time for one of America’s finest traditions, and I’m not talking about Thanksgiving dinner.  I’m talking about over 10 hours of NON-STOP football, and while the matchups may not be great on paper, I think all three of this year’s games have the potential to be absolutely epic.  Let’s take a look at what these games have in store for us this year.

    GAME 1: Minnesota Vikings vs. Detroit Lions, 1:30 on CBS
    Lions Thanksgiving Day Record: 37-38, Last Win: 2016 vs. Vikings
    Vikings Thanksgiving Day Record: 5-2, Last Win: 2000 vs. Cowboys

            The Rundown:

Playing in their 56th consecutive Thanksgiving game, the Lions will look to continue their 3-game win streak against a white-hot Vikings defense.  Led by Harrison Smith, Everson Griffen, and Erick Kendricks, this unit held Jared Goff and the Rams to 7 points (their lowest total of the season), and Case Keenum continued his breakout campaign with 280 passing yards and a touchdown toss to leading receiver Adam Thielen.  Thielen has combined with Stefon Diggs to become one of the league’s most dominant, and surprising, wide receiver duos, and the two have combined for 97 catches, over 1,400 yards, and 8 TDs to lead an offense that many wrote off to begin the season.  The Lions, meanwhile, are sitting pretty at 6-4, and, unsurprisingly, quarterback Matthew Stafford has been a major reason for this team’s solid campaign thus far.  The signal-caller has thrown for 2,760 yards, and has thrown 19 touchdowns against just 5 interceptions.  Marvin Jones and Golden Tate have been the focal point of the Lions’ receiving corps, each toting over 600 yards and combining for 9 touchdown grabs.  The Lions will likely struggle to run the ball against a talented Minnesota front seven, but look for running backs Theo Riddick and Ameer Abdullah to make an impact in the passing game out of the backfield.  That being said, the Vikings are the hottest team in the NFL right now outside of New Orleans and Philadelphia, and their punishing defense and dazzling offense has transformed them into bonafide Super Bowl contenders.  Look for the Vikings to pull away late in the fourth and snap Detroit’s three-game winning streak in Thanksgiving Day games.

Minnesota beats Detroit 27-17

GAME 2: Los Angeles Chargers vs. Dallas Cowboys, 4:25 on FOX
Chargers on Thanksgiving: 2-1-1, Last Win: 1969 vs. Oilers
Cowboys on Thanksgiving: 30-18, Last Win: 2016 vs. Redskins

            The Rundown:

You wouldn’t believe me if I said it two weeks ago, but the hottest team heading into this mid-afternoon tilt isn’t the Dallas Cowboys...it’s the Los Angeles Chargers.  The Bolts scored a whopping 54 points against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, and totaled 5 interceptions in the first half alone, making Bills quarterback Nathan Peterman’s first career start one that no one will forget (and not in a good way).  Their offense wasn’t too bad either, with Philip Rivers throwing 2 touchdowns (both to Keenan Allen), and Melvin Gordon and rookie running back Austin Ekeler both scoring two touchdowns on the ground.  Meanwhile, the Dallas Cowboys fell apart on primetime against the 8-1 (now 9-1) Philadelphia Eagles, allowing 30 consecutive points in a 37-9 loss.  Quarterback Dak Prescott clearly felt the loss of his star running back Ezekiel Elliott (who’s currently serving a 6-game ban for domestic abuse allegations), tossing a career-worst 3 interceptions.  This game seemed like it had a ton of potential to be a thrilling contest when the games were announced prior to the season, but this one has the potential to get ugly for “Dem Boyz”.  Chargers take this one in Jerry World.

Prediction: Los Angeles beats Dallas 31-16

    GAME 3: New York Giants vs. Washington Redskins, 8:30 on NBC
    Giants on Thanksgiving: 7-4-3, Last Win: 1982 vs. Lions
    Redskins on Thanksgiving: 2-7, Last Win: 2012 vs. Cowboys

            The Rundown:

Odell Beckham, Jr. vs. Josh Norman on Thanksgiving Day?  Yes, please!  Oh, right.  What had the potential to be a thrilling primetime duel between Beckham, Jr., the star wide receiver for the New York Giants who is out for the season with an ankle injury, and Redskins cornerback Josh Norman is now merely a fantasy.  Instead we will be treated to the exciting matchup of Norman and Roger Lewis.  Yay!  In all seriousness, this is the worst game of this year’s Thanksgiving slate, and it’s not even close.  This matchup will see a terrible Redskins defense against an anemic Giants, and a quietly potent Redskins offense against a Giants defense that, last week against the Kansas City Chiefs, actually resembled the dominant unit we saw last season when they won 11 games.  Despite being 2-8, the Giants have a real shot at winning this game, and Orleans Darkwa, who had 70 rushing yards and a score last week, has a chance to go off against a porous Redskins run defense.  The Redskins are in desperate need of a bounce-back win after two consecutive losses, including a heartbreaker in New Orleans this past Sunday that saw them squander a 15-point lead in the fourth quarter.  Kirk Cousins will need to come up big if the Redskins want to save a season that’s sinking faster than the Titanic, but I can’t see them pulling this win out, especially after their performance on Sunday and Cousins’ well-documented woes in primetime contests.  Giants win a slugfest here to close out Thursday’s action.  

Prediction: New York beats Washington 15-10


​
0 Comments

Who Are These Pistons?

11/15/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
By Alex Drain

As we entered the 2017-18 NBA season, I was rather astounded at some of the previews for our hometown Detroit Pistons. The most optimistic projections among most legitimate analysts was that the team would be lucky to finish above .500. That kind of projection was rather astonishing given that it was just a year ago that the team finished 44-38 and prior to last season the estimate was modest improvement and a solid #5 seed. So what caused expectations to plummet so dramatically? Certainly a 37-45 season where nearly every player regressed was a reason, but the belief that bounce backs combined with the addition of Avery Bradley couldn’t net this team more than 5 wins was a tad strange.



Well, we’re now 16% into the season and the Pistons are 10-3, having won 5 straight and 8 of 9 overall, and sitting at #2 in the Eastern Conference. So the question becomes, who are these Detroit Pistons and are they for real? Let’s take a look:


What’s changed?: The most notable change with this group of players is that there have been key bounce-backs and improvements among the primary contributors. The most obvious one is Reggie Jackson. Jackson was the focal point of Detroit’s offense in 2015-16 and the knee injuries that derailed his season last year didn’t just mitigate his impact, it made him straight up bad. But the 27 year old PG is back to his old form this season, averaging 16.3 PPG (compared to 14.4 last year), .442 FG% (.419), .365 3PT% (.359), 6.1 APG (5.2), and 1.1 SPG, a career high. He’s back to being an offensive catalyst and he’s doing less of the scoring when compared to two years ago. Why? He’s finally been given real weapons.
The first is Tobias Harris, who has been the main beneficiary of the decision to trade Marcus Morris. Harris is now a full time starter and has added a dangerous three point shot to his repertoire, allowing him to average 20.1 PPG. He can drive and score or catch-and-shoot and is a perfect weapon to have in a system that is now much more open to passing. The only attribute that his game is lacking is the ability to draw fouls consistently. If he could do that, he could take his play to a higher level, but for now, he’s bordering on All-Star status. The other weapon is Avery Bradley, who is a huge improvement over Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Bradley is in many ways, what the Pistons always wanted KCP to be, a legitimate three point shooter and elite perimeter defender to pair alongside Reggie Jackson. Shooting .414% from beyond the arc, Bradley allows the court to be stretched more than KCP did because defenders must respect his prowess. While his game still can get better (he needs to cut down on turnovers), Bradley seems to be fitting in well with the Pistons new system. Stanley Johnson has also taken a step forward. His defense continues to be stellar, as he held to Giannis Antetokounmpo to 29 points on just 13 of 27 shooting. But he’s also been very strong offensively since a dismal first game against Charlotte. In the season opener, he was 0-13 overall and 0-6 from three. Since then? He’s shooting .484% from the field and .394% from three for a solid 9 PPG on 7 attempts per game, with very low turnovers (0.9 per game). He’s seemed more comfortable being the fifth offensive option and that’s key for Johnson’s development. At only 21, he can still grow considerably and this season, he just needs to be a very good defender, pass the ball to the main scoring options, and make the few shots he takes.
    And then there’s Andre Drummond. For two years the Pistons tried the Drummond post-up circus and it just didn’t work. It killed the offensive rhythm and efficiency and he was just bad at it. He was never natural looking and this offseason, Van Gundy abandoned it to reconfigure Drummond. Drummond is now a main passing option in the offense and the results have been positive. His best assist percentage had previously been 6%. This year it’s 14.1%. That change has opened up more looks for the other aforementioned scorers in the offense. Then there’s his defense, which has improved for sure. He’s still a long way from being in asset on that end of the floor, but he’s not atrocious anymore. His WS/48 is at an all-time high, as is his box plus/minus. His free throws have also been a well talked about point of improvement. He’s currently at a .632 clip, which is a massive improvement over his old ghastly .355 number. Perhaps most importantly was how he bounced back to go 4/6 on Friday night after going 0/7 on Wednesday, proving that he’s not falling back into his old habits. He still has his occasional ugly shooting game (4 of 17 against GSW, 6 of 15 against IND), but the reconfiguring of his game has a lot to like and a lot of room for growth.
    Put simply, the pieces just fit together better than they did last year. Bradley is an improvement over KCP, and Johnson + Harris is miles better on both ends of the floor than the Morris + Harris/Morris + Leuer lineups the Pistons went with last year.

How the Pistons match up against the league: Surprise, the Western Conference is the NBA’s best conference. You could’ve woken up from a coma you fell into in 2003 and that sentence would still be true. Boston, at 12-2 seems to be elite. Can the Ewing Rule really apply to Gordon Hayward? But outside of that, the East is a mystery. Toronto has been a perennial good-not-great team and seem to be declining. Washington looks like they have the potential to be a top four squad. Milwaukee has the talent to be in that conversation. And then there’s Cleveland. Having LeBron James will always make you in the title conversation, but they certainly haven’t played like it, at just 7-7 on the season and needing big performances from James to carry them against teams like Washington and New York. So check back around Christmas when it comes to the Cavs. In terms of stats, the Pistons look like a good team: they are 5th in the NBA in +/-, at +5.3, behind only Oklahoma City, Houston, Boston, and Golden State, all objectively good teams. In terms of opponent’s PPG, they have the 7th best defense in the NBA. This team certainly passes the stats test.

Are they for real/how good are they?: This is what we don’t know. On paper, they should in theory be 12-1, as a home loss against the improving but still mediocre 76ers and a road loss to Lakers should in theory be wins. But every team has let down games. Perhaps most impressively is the fact the Pistons have beating teams that they should beat and doing it consistently, without the frequent letdowns that these teams of the last 10 years have had. Just doing that alone can get you 48 wins. But it’s the question of is this team an actual late round playoff contender that’s the real question. These next 14 games are going to tell us the answer. Starting on Wednesday, the Pistons are going to undergo the toughest stretch of their schedule, without question. They play 9 of 11 on the road (with one of those home games being against Cleveland), before returning home to host Golden State, Boston, and Denver. In that 14 game stretch, they play 11 bona fide playoff teams, along with Indiana, Phoenix, and Philadelphia (two of those three on the road). If the Pistons can play to a draw and emerge 7-7 in that stretch and 17-10 on the season, I think we can believe that they are a top 3 team in the East. That record would put them on pace for 52 wins and have us beginning to think about 2nd round playoff matchups. A 5-9 finish would be sobering but wouldn’t destroy the season. A 9-5 finish and 2 things will happen: a) we will run out of Kool Aid to serve and b) it might be time to start thinking about what trade deadline piece can give the Pistons a shot to rival Boston and (maybe) Cleveland

Image Credit:
https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/10/858460920-atlanta-hawks-v-detroit-pistons.jpg.jpg
0 Comments

Comparing NBA Players to Rappers

11/11/2017

0 Comments

 

By Teddy Gutkin

Rap music is a huge part of NBA culture.  The NBA is a huge part of rap culture.  Seemingly every NBA player wants to dabble in rap, and rappers often look up to NBA players and rap about how their games are similar to basketball stars.  This got me thinking: which NBA players resemble rappers, and vice-versa?  Without further ado, let’s get right into it!

LeBron James is…..Kendrick Lamar

This one’s easy.  The best player in the world is the best rapper in the world.  These two have garnered acclaim throughout their storied careers, and seemingly every time a big rapper or NBA player breaks onto the scene people try and hype them up as the “next LeBron” or “next Kendrick.”  Both of these guys have also won a plethora of accolades, and often refrain from using social media when working on their biggest projects (Kendrick recording his albums, LeBron playing in the postseason).  Oh, and did I mention that seemingly everyone in the rap game and the NBA wants to work with LeBron/Kendrick?

Stephen Curry is…..Drake

Both of these guys are arguably the most famous players in their respective fields, and have helped redefine the areas they specialize in.  Curry has become the leader of a recent three-point revolution, and Drake has helped blend Caribbean influences into the rap genre.  However, despite their success, neither of these guys are the best in their fields.  Drake will never be as good as Kendrick, and Curry will never be as good as LeBron.

Kawhi Leonard is….Big Sean

Kawhi Leonard and Big Sean are both tremendous talents, though it often feels like their work goes unnoticed despite being lightyears ahead of some of the individuals who receive more recognition.  Big Sean consistently puts out number 1 albums, just like Leonard racks up Defensive Player of the Year awards and All-Star appearances, though it seems that not enough people acknowledge their incredible achievements.

Kevin Durant is….Kanye West

Kanye West is the type of rapper that you either worship or hate with a burning passion.  Same can go for Kevin Durant.  Both KD and Kanye were among the most acclaimed in their respective fields during the early parts of their careers, though the public’s opinion has begun to deteriorate in recent years, whether it be Kanye’s lackluster records and overpriced Yeezy shoes or Durant’s departure from OKC to join a superteam in Golden State.  


Russell Westbrook is….Lil’ Wayne
Like Westbrook was a part of a stacked Thunder team in the early 2010s, Lil’ Wayne was once part of a hit hip hop group called The Wet Boyz.  However, Wayne and Westbrook saw their group members depart, and ended up having the best seasons/albums of their careers after being forced to perform on their own.  

James Harden is….Travis Scott

You get an easy layup right away with this comparison: Travis Scott is the biggest rapper to come out of Houston in the last decade, and Harden is the biggest star on a stacked Rockets squad.  It’s also worth noting that both Scott and Harden are unbelievable performers on their solo songs/teams, and more than capable of holding their own, though the presence of other stars, like Eric Gordon on the Rockets or Kendrick Lamar’s feature on “Goosebumps,” elevates them to another stratosphere.  

Anthony Davis is….J. Cole

AD is one of the best players in the NBA, and J. Cole is one of the best rappers on the planet.  However, it seems that they often have to do their work alone.  While AD got DeMarcus Cousins to join him in New Orleans, he previously had to carry the Pelicans on his own night in and night out, putting up video-game numbers the same way that J. Cole churns out acclaimed albums despite not having any featured artists.  Also, it seems that both J. Cole and AD are unquestionably among the best in their fields, though they also receive the most questions when their names are brought up with the best.  

Kyrie Irving is….Quavo

Quavo is probably going to leave Migos to pursue a solo career.  Kyrie left LeBron in Cleveland to become the star player in Boston with the Celtics.  Both Quavo and Kyrie know that they can do bigger things when they are the center of attention, and care more about enhancing their own future success instead of remaining with a group that looked to be on the verge of something legendary.  

Damian Lillard is….Chance the Rapper

Both Lillard and Chance came from humble beginnings (Lillard playing at Weber State and Chance making free mixtapes for streaming sites), but now find themselves near the top of their respective fields.  Chance seemingly always turns in great verses, especially on his features, just like Lillard always finds a way to come through for the Blazers in crunch time.  It also doesn’t hurt that Lillard is likely the best rapper among NBA players.  

Kristaps Porzingis is...Anderson .paak

You could make an argument that Phil Jackson is the Dr. Dre of the NBA.  He has helped to revolutionize offense as we know it, and his system helped two of the best players of the last 20 years (Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant) reach their full potential.  However, Dre has been fairly quiet since signing Kendrick Lamar, though he did sign a rapper/singer/drummer who appears destined for stardom: Anderson .paak.  Likewise, Jackson recently picked Kristaps Porzingis for the New York Knicks (the only real good move of his tenure), who has blossomed into a future superstar with his ability to shoot, drive, and play tremendous defense inside.  Both Porzingis and .paak are unlike anything their respective fields have seen in quite some time, and both figure to hear their names listed with the best in the NBA and rap as their careers continue to progress.  

Giannis Antetokounmpo is….Childish Gambino

Like Gambino, Giannis is finally seeing his star shine.  Gambino had already received acclaim for his role on the sitcom Community, though he has since blossomed into one of the most talented artists in the world, writing, directing, and starring in his own TV Atlanta (which earned him 2 Emmy awards,) producing a hit album (Awaken, My Love!) and booking parts in the Han Solo movie and The Lion King remake.  Simply put, there is no one like Gambino in the entertainment world right now, just as there is no one like Giannis.  The “Greek Freak” can seemingly play any position, reach the basket from the three-point line in 2 steps, throw down thunderous dunks over anyone who crosses his path, and send shots into the stands with thunderous rejections.  These two look like they can be the future of their industries, and play a huge part in revolutionizing both basketball and rap.  

What rappers do you think resemble NBA player?  Do you agree with these comparisons?  Let me know in the comments below!

​(Image via USA Today)  


​
0 Comments

Wolverines Start the Season off Strong: George Mason-61 Michigan-75

11/10/2017

0 Comments

 

By Eric Margolin

On a night meant to commemorate the record breaking 2016-2017 season, the Michigan Women’s basketball team started this year off on the right foot with a 75-61 victory over the George Mason Patriots. The night started with a banner raising ceremony commemorating the team’s WNIT championship last season. As the banner rose to the rafters of the Crisler Center every member of last year’s team was introduced and applauded. Despite the score, the game itself was a hard-fought battle until the end, each team trading blows until the end. However, despite this blow for blow battle, Michigan led the game for 36 minutes, over 90% of the game. Both teams used 2-3 zones, forcing each side to shoot three pointers in bunches. But Michigan’s real advantage came in the rebounding category. The Wolverines out rebounded the Patriots 54-26, due in large part to solid play from Michigan’s frontcourt. Almost half of those rebounds were on the offensive glass (23), resulting in 18 second chance points.

However, this game wasn’t all peaches and cream for the Maize and Blue. The Wolverines allowed 7 of their shots to be blocked and turned the ball over 18 times. At times, the offense looked stagnant, relying on their stars to make plays by themselves. Getting the ball to your star players is important, but in order for those players (and the team as a whole) to be truly great, everyone has to be ready and willing to take control of the game. On the defensive side of the court the Wolverines were good, but not great. They allowed George Mason guard Nicole Cardano-Hillary to score 22 points, 13 of which came in the first half. Coming out of breaks, Michigan often looked sluggish and disorganized. Yet, Michigan overcame all of these struggles and is 1-0 on the season.


MVP
Senior Katelynn Flaherty showed exactly why she was named to the Preseason All-Big Ten Team dominating in every facet of the game. The starting point guard looked like she couldn’t miss all game, scoring 29 points on 59% shooting. Flaherty’s quickness allowed her to beat defenders to basket, while her sweet stroke from the outside kept them guessing. This scoring prowess was crucial after a sluggish start to the second half. After George Mason pulled within two points Flaherty took control, scoring five points and making three crucial defensive stops to halt the Patriot’s momentum. Flaherty was an offensive superstar, finishing the game with 5 assists and 6 rebounds to go along with her game-leading 29 points.


Monster on the Glass
Preseason All-Big Ten center Hallie Thome was a force to be reckoned with down low. After every miss Thome always seemed to be in the right place at the right time, grabbing what seemed like every missed shot. By the end of the third quarter she had a double-double in points and rebounds, finishing the game with fifteen points and twelve rebounds. While Thome sometimes looked a little lost in Michigan’s 2-3 zone, her violent block with 7 minutes left in the 4th quarter helped jumpstart the Wolverines on an 11-3 run to end the game.


New Faces
Despite returning three starters from last year’s team, Michigan is looking for major contributions from this year’s freshman class. Hailey Brown started at power forward for the Maize and Blue, and finished with ten boards and two blocks. While her shooting percentage (18%) wasn’t great, it’ll improve as she become more accustomed to the college game and coach Kim Barnes Arico’s system. Another helpful freshman contribution came from guard Deja Church, who finished with seven points on 3-6 shooting. She looked very comfortable in the offense, and came up clutch at the end of the first half, making a long two as the shot clock expired and drawing a fantastic charge as time ran out in the first half.


Final Thoughts
Michigan solidly beat George Mason but still has a lot of work to do if they want to make a run in the NCAA tournament. This team has fantastic shooters, solid defenders, and young players who are ready to contribute now. While it’s still early, I look forward to watching this team grow and reach their full potential, hopefully culminating in another banner going up this time next year.

Image Via Michigan Women's Basketball

George Mason Patriots 
  
Michigan Wolverines
21-57
FG Made-Attempted
26-65
36.8
Field Goal%
40.0
9-28
3PT Made-Attempted
5-18
32.1
Three Point %
27.8
10-15
FT Made-Attempted
18-21
66.7
Free Throw %
85.7
26
Total Rebounds
54
8
Offensive Rebounds
23
18
Defensive Rebounds
31
17
Assists
13
8
Steals
5
7
Blocks
3
0 Comments

My Three Super Bowl Favorites (and a Second Half Sleeper) from Each Conference

11/8/2017

0 Comments

 

By Eric Margolin

The NFL is a league full of ups and downs. While the top teams are usually the same (i.e. the Patriots), the rest of the league is almost impossible to predict. This season specifically has been chalk full of surprises. From the high flying Eagles, to the tumbling Giants, the first half of this season has been one to remember. Two teams are still searching for their first win of the season, and almost every division is too close to even pick a favorite. If the playoffs are anything like this regular season, it will be a fun five weeks. Now that every team has played eight games, we can more clearly see their strengths and weaknesses. There are still many questions to be answered, and each one of these picks and descriptions could end up being totally wrong by the end of the season. With that in mind, here are my Super Bowl favorites and a sleeper from each conference.

AFC

1.New England Patriots

This is an easy pick. Although five of the last six Patriots games have been decided by eight points or fewer, this team has the offensive firepower to keep up with any team in the league. An offense that features one of the best quarterbacks in football, the best tight end in football, and a solid receiving core will always have a chance come playoff time. Not to mention one of the best football minds of our time in Bill Belichick. The biggest concern for this team is their lackluster defense. The Patriots defense ranks in the bottom half of the league in almost every category, and has not shown much improvement over the past nine weeks of football. This is not a good sign if “defense wins championships” However, they are 8th in the league in turnover plus/minus (+4) which could bode well for their impending playoff run.


2.Kansas City Chiefs

A team traditionally known for their stellar defense has become an offensive juggernaut in the first half of the season. They have beat opponents on the ground using rookie sensation Kareem Hunt’s combination of speed and power, while traditional game-manager Alex Smith has come alive and is 7th in the league in total QBR. With two receivers in the top 10 in receiving yards, this offense looked almost unstoppable in the first part of the season. However, the Chiefs’ defense has started to fall off this season, ranking 19th in points allowed and 29th in yards allowed. Moreover, since starting the season 5-0 the chiefs have lost three of their past four games. Because of their weak division this skid may not hurt their playoff chances, but if they don’t turn it around soon they may be knocked out early in the postseason.

 

3.Pittsburgh Steelers
​
Another team that in the past has prided itself on its defense, the Steelers are being carried by their offense this season. For the third consecutive year Antonio Brown is leading the NFL in receiving, and Le’Veon Bell is in the top five in rushing. After a slow start, Big Ben has started rising in the total QBR leaders. After a humiliating loss to the Jaguars the Steelers have rattled off three straight wins and lead their division by three and a half games. Pittsburgh’s defense has been above average this year, but the team’s turnover differential is (-1). If the offense can hold onto the ball and the defense can continue their stellar play, the Steelers could be dangerous come the postseason.


Sleeper-Jacksonville Jaguars

Yes, you did read the right. The Jacksonville Jaguars are here. Their young defensive core leads the league in points allowed per game, passing yards allowed per game and sacks. This defense is no joke and needs to be taken seriously by any offense they play. On the other side of the ball, the Jags offense is led by rookie running back Leonard Fournette who is third in the league in rushing touchdowns and sixth in the league in rushing yards. However, despite all of this, it’s hard to be confident in a team led by Blake Bortles. He is 16th in the league in QBR, 23rd in passing yards, and 18th in TDs. Excluding the Ravens in 2013, teams without above-average quarterbacks don’t win Super Bowls. If Bortles can turn it around in the second half, this team has a real shot to make a deep run in the playoffs.

NFC

1.Philadelphia Eagles 

The Eagles are looking like Super Bowl favorites with an MVP at quarterback. Carson Wentz leads the league in touchdowns, is fourth in passing yards, and third in QBR, and Is showing no signs of slowing down. The Eagles offense features big play threats at wide receiver, tight end, and now running back with recent acquisition of Jay Ajayi. This offense leads the league in yards per game, is second in points, and is showing no signs of slowing down. The Eagles defense has been average this season, but sometimes that’s all you need. Despite ranking 12th in points allowed, the Eagles are an opportunistic defense that is 4th in the league in turnover differential. Everything's coming together for this Eagles time and barring a major injury, they are the favorites in a crowded NFC.


2.New Orleans Saints

I do have a slight hometown bias for my Saints, but I don’t see any reason not be excited. The Drew Brees led offense is scoring twenty points per game (10th in the NFL) with Brees throwing the 4th most yards per game in the NFL. This year is different because the Saints finally found a rushing attack. The backfield duo of Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara is 7th in the NFL in rushing yards per game and 5th in rushing touchdowns. However, the biggest improvement in the Big Easy can be found on the defensive side of the ball. The Saints defense has been atrocious since their Super Bowl run in 2010, yet they now rank in the top half of the league in almost every defensive category. They are young, energetic, and ready to win now. That being said, the biggest flaw on this team is their youth. While the team itself is one of the oldest in the NFL, most of the defensive stars are young players who may not be ready for the big stage. But if they can rise to the challenge, watch out for the Saints come playoff time.


3.Minnesota Vikings

After losing Sam Bradford and Dalvin Cook to injury early in the year, the Vikings looked like they were out of the playoff hunt. Yet, one of the best defenses in the league and an admirable performance from Case Keenum has kept the Vikings relevant. Sporting a 6-2 record in a division decimated by injuries and inconsistency, the Vikings look like a lock for the playoffs. Their prospects got even brighter with the recent announcement that former Minnesota golden boy Teddy Bridgewater has been cleared to play. Before destroying his leg last preseason, Bridgewater had a total career QBR of 87.0 and threw for over 3,000 yards in 2015. This should give a major boost to an organization that needs one if they want to make a Super Bowl push this year.


Sleeper-LA Rams

The Rams were not supposed to be good this year. After a lackluster season from star running back Todd Gurley and an awful rookie year from first overall pick Jared Goff, many experts had the Rams drafting in the top 10 for the fifth year in a row. But under new head coach Sean McVay, the Rams have seen a major turnaround. McVay, 31, has lead the team to a 6-2 record and helped turn this offense into the highest scoring unit in the league. Moreover, the Rams defense is top 10 in points allowed this season, making them a tough team beat. While many say this team’s (and coach’s) youth may be a problem come playoff time, the Rams have shown they can hang with the big boys of the NFL. If they can hold on to the division and make the playoffs, this team can make a deep run in the 2017-2018 NFL playoffs.

​Image Via Getty Images

0 Comments
<<Previous

    Author

    Write something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview.

    Archives

    April 2022
    March 2022
    January 2022
    November 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    March 2016

    Categories

    All
    Adam Bressler
    Business
    Football
    Golf
    Jared Greenspan
    Joshua Tenzer
    Lacrosse
    Media
    Michigan Football
    MLB
    NBA
    NCAA Basketball
    NCAA Football
    NFL
    NHL
    Power Rankings
    Softball
    William Gregory
    XFL

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
Photo used under Creative Commons from Mike Sinko