Midseason Playoff Predictions

NFL.com just published an article in which their analysts picked which teams will make the playoffs based on the first half of the season, so I figured I’d do the same. Below are my midseason playoff predictions, along with the teams I picked at the beginning of the season so you can reference how wrong I was.

File:Baltimore Ravens, Washington Redskins (43659580034).jpg; Photo via Wikimedia Commons

AFC North

• Midseason Pick: Pittsburgh Steelers
• Preseason Pick: Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers have not skipped a beat without star RB Le’Veon Bell due to the emergence of RB James Conner (who is single-handedly keeping my fantasy football team in my league’s playoff picture). The Steelers’ opponent this week, the Baltimore Ravens, even had their defensive coordinator come out this week and say that stats reflect the Steelers being better without Bell. Defenses win championships, but offenses win the regular season and with or without Bell, the Steelers have the best offense in the AFC North. Watch out for the Ravens come playoff time, though, because if they can make it, their defense is one of the best in the biz.

AFC West

• Midseason Pick: Kansas City Chiefs
• Preseason Pick: Los Angeles Chargers

I will be completely honest: I did not see Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes coming like this. I figured he’d be a capable starter because coach Andy Reid isn’t dumb enough to part with a quality vet such as QB Alex Smith without an equally capable replacement but…WOW. Similar case here as with the AFC North, the Chiefs have far and away the best offense in the division and, therefore, will win it. I like the Chargers for their defense and they may do something special in the playoffs if they can make it there.

AFC East

• Midseason Pick: New England Patriots
• Preseason Pick: New England Patriots

As they do every season, the Pats started slow to try to trick us into believing Father Time had finally caught QB Tom Brady and his Pats. They’re picking up the pace now, in case you missed the shootout they won against Pat Mahomes’ Chiefs. Honestly, I think the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets have better defenses, but if you assembled the best possible offense from all three of the Bills, Jets, and Miami Dolphins rosters, that offense STILL couldn’t come ANYWHERE NEAR keeping up with Brady & Co. So, it’s the Pats’ division to lose once again.

AFC South

• Midseason Pick: Houston Texans
• Preseason Pick: Jacksonville Jaguars

I want to stick with my preseason pick in the Jags, but it’s clear that QB Blake Bortles no longer feels he has anything to play for after getting his contract extension based on last season’s performance. I do think the Jags will get RB Leonard Fournette back at some point and the team will pick it up, but by that time they will likely be too far behind the Jags to catch up. Unlike Bortles, Texans coach Bill O’Brien has a lot to play for because he still hasn’t gotten his team over the hump, and his coaching this season has reflected that. It’s also clear that QB Deshaun Watson and DE JJ Watt want to prove their injuries from last season will not hamper their production at all moving forward.

AFC Wildcard 1

• Midseason Pick: Los Angeles Chargers
• Preseason Pick: Houston Texans

This one’s easy. The Chargers have made it to the midway point (well, technically not quite since they already had their bye week) with just two losses: one to the 8-0 Los Angeles Rams, and the other to the 7-1 Kansas City Chiefs. They are one of the most balanced teams in the NFL and that, combined with the fact that the injury bug has not hit them too hard as of yet (knock on wood), should be more than enough to get them to the postseason.

AFC Wildcard 2

• Midseason Pick: Baltimore Ravens
• Preseason Pick: Kansas City Chiefs

The AFC East behind the Pats is out because none of their offenses are good enough (at least not yet). The AFC West behind the Chiefs and Chargers is facing a similar issue (although, it’s more of a defensive issue for the Oakland Raiders). The Cleveland Browns are out because they are still the Browns, as the firing of coach Hue Jackson and offensive coordinator Todd Haley proved. That leaves me with: the Cincinnati Bengals, the Tennessee Titans, the Indianapolis Colts, the Jacksonville Jaguars, and the Ravens. I knocked out the Bengals because I really don’t believe in Marvin Lewis. Eventually the Bengals will see what I see. The Titans are out because they lack offense. The Colts are out because they lack everything not named Andrew Luck. Suddenly I’m down to two. I REALLY wanted to pick the Jags just for the sake of keeping all six of my preseason AFC picks in the playoffs, but I thought it might be better to keep it a little more interesting and go a different direction. The Ravens have one of the best defenses in the league, ranking first in both yards per game allowed, as well as points per game allowed. QB Joe Flacco is playing above average, too, so I’m going Ravens over Jags for the last playoff spot in the AFC.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees laterals the ball to running back Julius Jones during the Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints football game Nov. 7, 2010, in Charlotte, N.C. The Carolina Panthers hosted color guard members from all branches of the military in recognition of Veterans Day. The Panthers lost to the Saints 34-3 (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Marie Brown); Photo via Joint Base Charleston

NFC North

• Midseason Pick: Minnesota Vikings
• Preseason Pick: Green Bay Packers

I’m big enough to admit when I was wrong. Leaving the Vikes out of the playoffs was probably my boldest prediction in my preseason playoff predictions. Through the first few weeks, it looked like I was correct. However, they have proven to be the most balanced team in the division, so I think they’ll pull it out after all. Don’t sleep on the Chicago Bears, though. If QB Mitch Trubisky and RB Jordan Howard can find some consistency they can easily steal this one from the Vikes because the Bears have the superior defense.

NFC West

• Midseason Pick: Los Angeles Rams
• Preseason Pick: Los Angeles Rams

I just admitted I was wrong, so now I’m going to admit I was right. SPOT ON PICK HERE. This one probably doesn’t need explaining, so I’ll keep it short: the Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers both suck (how about QB Nick Mullens, though? You like that!?), and the Seattle Seahawks don’t have a viable running game (even from QB Russell Wilson) yet.

NFC East

• Midseason Pick: Washington Redskins
• Preseason Pick: Philadelphia Eagles

I don’t think it’s out of the realm of possibility for any of the ‘Skins, Eagles, or Dallas Cowboys to win the division. Based on the trades all three teams made before the trade deadline (the Redskins got S HaHa Clinton-Dix, the Eagles acquired WR Golden Tate, and the Cowboys picked up WR Amari Cooper) they seem to believe that, too. The Eagles have the passing game, the Cowboys have the defense, and the Redskins have the balance. So, I’m going Redskins. I also thought they improved the most with their trade.

NFC South

• Midseason Pick: Carolina Panthers
• Preseason Pick: Atlanta Falcons

As fun as Fitzmagic is, it takes more than magic to reach the NFL playoffs (it’s also probably going to take more than magic to save coach Dirk Koetter’s job in Tampa Bay). Atlanta has been hit with the Los Angeles Chargers’ injury bug this season. The logical pick here is New Orleans, but I really like the Panthers. I think offensive coordinator Norv Turner is having some serious fun cooking up schemes for massive, mobile QB Cam Newton and versatile RB Christian McCaffrey. The unit seems to get better every week, especially with the recent return of TE Greg Olsen and emerging rookie WR DJ Moore. While the Saints currently possess the division’s best offense, I don’t think the Panthers are that far behind. I DO think the Panthers have a much better defense than the Saints this season.

NFC Wildcard 1

• Midseason Pick: New Orleans Saints
• Preseason Pick: New Orleans Saints

Even if my gut pick of the Panthers winning the NFC South comes to fruition, there is no way this insanely talented Saints team will miss out on the playoffs this season.

NFC Wildcard 2

• Midseason Pick: Chicago Bears
• Preseason Pick: Dallas Cowboys

In the North, there are the modern-era Monsters of the Midway and Aaron Rodgers. In the West, there is DangeRUSS. In the East, there are the reigning Super Bowl Champs. In the South, there is Fitzmagic and that team that blew a TWENTY-FIVE POINT LEAD IN THE SUPER BOWL (sorry, I’m a little salty that the Falcons are blowing this season this bad when I expected such great things out of them, even if it is due to injury). There are a lot of teams with legitimate shots at this spot with half the season to go. I’m going to make my friend happy (and my dad not so much) by taking the best defense in the conference to carry it’s inconsistent offense into the playoffs. First-year head coach Matt Nagy won’t have to buy himself any beers during the offseason if that happens.

2018 NFL Playoff Predictions 2.0

Below are my updated and official NFL Playoff Predictions for the 2018 season and here’s a link to the first version in case you want to see what changes were made.

Playoff Seeding

AFC

File: New England Patriots wordmark (c. 2000).png; Image via Wikimedia Commons

1. New England Patriots
2. Jacksonville Jaguars
3. Pittsburgh Steelers
4. Los Angeles Chargers
5. Houston Texans
6. Kansas City Chiefs

NFC

File: Philadelphia Eagles wordmark.svg; Image via Wikimedia Commons

1. Philadelphia Eagles
2. Atlanta Falcons
3. Los Angeles Rams
4. Green Bay Packers
5. New Orleans Saints
6. Dallas Cowboys

 

Wildcard Round

(6) Kansas City Chiefs @ (3) Pittsburgh Steelers- (3) Pittsburgh Steelers

(5) New Orleans Saints @ (4) Green Bay Packers- (5) New Orleans Saints

(5) Houston Texans @ (4) Los Angeles Chargers- (4) Los Angeles Chargers

(6) Dallas Cowboys @ (3) Los Angeles Rams- (3) Los Angeles Rams

 

 

Divisional Round

(3) Pittsburgh Steelers @ (2) Jacksonville Jaguars- (2) Jacksonville Jaguars

(3) Los Angeles Rams @ (2) Atlanta Falcons- (3) Los Angeles Rams

(4) Los Angeles Chargers @ (1) New England Patriots- (1) New England Patriots

(5) New Orleans Saints @ (1) Philadelphia Eagles- (1) Philadelphia Eagles

 

Conference Championships

(2) Jacksonville Jaguars @ (1) New England Patriots- (2) Jacksonville Jaguars

(3) Los Angeles Rams @ (1) Philadelphia Eagles- (3) Los Angeles Rams

 

Super Bowl

(2) Jacksonville Jaguars vs (3) Los Angeles Rams- (2) Jacksonville Jaguars

Jacksonville Jaguars | by Keith Allison; Photo via Flickr

2018 Fantasy Football Weekly: May 24

Football Field|by danxoneil Football Field|by danxoneil; Photo From Flickr

You probably remember my Way Too Early Fantasy Rankings from a couple of weeks ago. Well, I’ve changed my mind on what I said in that post; My 2018 fantasy football analysis is no longer going in alphabetical order–it’s all over the place. It’s in complete chaos. The good news is that NFL.com has opened their mock drafts, so I have a more updated list of players to work with, including the rookies. That also means I can base my rankings more on where players should be drafted, rather than how many points they will score this season (ex: QBs will score the most points, but the gap between the best and the worst QBs is significantly less than the gap between the best and the worst RBs and WRs). Anyway, I’m trying to get my poop in a group (s*** together, if you prefer). Here is my first official Top 25 2018 Fantasy Fooball Ranking, in the order in which you should draft them:

 

1. Le’Veon Bell, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers (NFL.com ranking: 1)
2. Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Dallas Cowboys (3)
3. Todd Gurley, RB, Los Angeles Rams (2)
4. David Johnson, RB, Arizona Cardinals (4)
5. Alvin Kamara, RB, New Orleans Saints (6)
6. DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Houston Texans (10)
7. Julio Jones, WR, Atlanta Falcons (12) 

   

   Julio Jones catching a pass; Photo from Wikimedia Commons

8. Leonard Fournette, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars (9)
9. Antonio Brown, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers (5)
10. Kareem Hunt, RB, Kansas City Chiefs (8)
11. Devonta Freeman, RB, Atlanta Falcons (18)
12. Odell Beckham Jr, WR, New York Giants (11)
13. Saquon Barkley, RB, New York Giants (7)
14. Melvin Gordon, RB, Los Angeles Chargers (13)
15. Michael Thomas, WR, New Orleans Saints (15)
16. LeSean McCoy, RB, Buffalo Bills (17)
17. Mike Evans, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (20)
18. Keenan Allen, WR, Los Angeles Chargers (14)
19. Christian McCaffrey, RB, Carolina Panthers (19)
20. Dalvin Cook, RB, Minnesota Vikings (16)
21. Davante Adams, WR, Green Bay Packers (22)
22. AJ Green, WR, Cincinnati Bengals (21)
23. Adam Thielen, WR, Minnesota Vikings (24)
24. Rob Gronkowski, TE, New England Patriots (23)
25. TY Hilton, WR, Indianapolis Colts (29)

2018 Way Too Early Fantasy Football Rankings 1.0

Football on a Field; Photo from Flickr

You may have noticed that my Fantasy Football page reappeared a couple of days ago. I’m working on my complete fantasy football analysis over there. I’m working in alphabetical order by last name, so it my take a while. The good news is, fantasy football drafts on nfl.com don’t start for more than a month, by which time you should have sufficient information to crush it in your fantasy football leagues this season. In the meantime, I took the liberty of creating this short Top 25 ranking for the upcoming fantasy football season. Please note: Don’t take these rankings super seriously. I simply took the Top 25 fantasy point scorers from last season and re-ranked them based upon how I think they’ll perform this season. I have yet to do thorough analysis on most of these guys, so these rankings should change a lot over the next month+. Undoubtedly, this season’s actual Top 25 will not contain the exact same 25 players from last year (for example, I would be SHOCKED if Tyrod Taylor ended up in the Top 25 again this season. I would be SHOCKED if he ended up in the Top 25 QBs.); This is just a starting point to give you guys a taste of where I’m going. Here we go…

Carson Wentz; Photo from Wikipedia

1. Carson Wentz, QB, Philadelphia Eagles (Last Season: 6)
2. Todd Gurley, RB, Los Angeles Rams (2)
3. Dak Prescott, QB, Dallas Cowboys (12)
4. Tom Brady, QB, New England Patriots (4)
5. Russell Wilson, QB, Seattle Seahawks (1)
6. Cam Newton, QB, Carolina Panthers (3)
7. Jared Goff, QB, Los Angeles Rams (14)
8. Phillip Rivers, QB, Los Angeles Chargers (9)
9. Matt Ryan, QB, Atlanta Falcons (20)
10. Kirk Cousins, QB, Minnesota Vikings (7)
11. Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers (11)
12. Drew Brees, QB, New Orleans Saints (10)
13. Le’Veon Bell, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers (13)
14. Blake Bortles, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars (15)
15. Matthew Stafford, QB, Detroit Lions (8)
16. DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Houston Texans (23)
17. Alvin Kamara, RB, New Orleans Saints (18)
18. Melvin Gordon, RB, Los Angeles Chargers (19)
19. Alex Smith, QB, Washington Redskins (5)
20. Kareem Hunt, RB, Kansas City Chiefs (16)
21. Case Keenum, QB, Denver Broncos (17)
22. Marcus Mariota, QB, Tennessee Titans (25)
23. Andy Dalton, QB, Cincinnati Bengals (24)
24. Mark Ingram, RB, New Orleans Saints (22)
25. Tyrod Taylor, QB, Cleveland Browns (21)

2018 NFL Draft Class Rankings

I previously promised a more in-depth look at my plus-minus system; Here it is in my ranking of the draft classes from the 2018 NFL Draft. The plus-minus system reflects the overall value of each teams’ collective drafts. The greater the plus is, the greater a value a team got. The minuses are reaches-players who were drafted earlier than they should have been. The the greater a minus is, the more consistently and/or greatly a team reached throughout the draft.

1. Minnesota Vikings: +207

Best Value Pick: Colby Gossett, OG, Appalachian State (+89)

Worst Value Pick: Mike Hughes, CB, UCF (+4)

The Rest:

• Brian O’Neill, OT, Pittsburgh (+10)
• Jalyn Holmes, DE, Ohio State (+19)
• Tyler Conklin, TE, Central Michigan (+15)
• Daniel Carlson, K, Auburn (+70)
• Ade Aruna, EDGE, Tulane (N/A)
• Devante Downs, LB, California (N/A)

2. Dallas Cowboys: +165

Best Value Pick: Bo Scarbrough, RB, Alabama (+90)

Worst Value Pick: Leighton Vander Esch, LB, Boise State (-5)

The Rest:

• Connor Williams, OT, Texas (+19)
• Michael Gallup, WR, Colorado State (-3)
• Dorance Armstrong, EDGE, Kansas (+28)
• Dalton Schultz, TE, Stanford (+27)
• Mike White, QB, Western Kentucky (+9)
• Chris Covington, OLB, Indiana (N/A)
• Cedrick Wilson, WR, Boise State (N/A)

3. Green Bay Packers: +126

Equanimeous St. Brown (Notre Dame WR) vs Nevada; Photo from Youtube

 

 

Best Value Pick: Equanimeous St Brown, WR, Notre Dame (+128)

Worst Value Pick: Cole Madison, OG, Washington State (-35)

The Rest:

• Jaire Alexander, CB, Louisville (-20)
• Josh Jackson, CB, Iowa (+26)
• Oren Burks, LB, Vanderbilt (-23)
• J’Mon Moore, WR, Missouri (+51)
• JK Scott, P, Alabama (-1)
• Marquez Valdes-Scantling, WR, USF (N/A)
• James Looney, DE, California (N/A)
• Hunter Bradley, LS, Mississippi State (N/A)
• Kendall Donnerson, EDGE, Southeast Missouri (N/A)

4. Jacksonville Jaguars: +100

 

 

Best Value Pick: Ronnie Harrison, S, Alabama (+49)

Worst Value Pick: DJ Chark, WR, LSU (+10)

The Rest:

• Taven Bryan, DT, Florida (+11)
• Will Richardson, OT, North Carolina State (+30)
• Tanner Lee, QB, Nebraska (N/A)
• Leon Jacobs, EDGE, Wisconsin (N/A)
• Logan Cooke, P, Mississippi State (N/A)

5. Seattle Seahawks: +75

Best Value Pick: Jamarco Jones, OT, Ohio State (+77)

Worst Value Pick: Will Dissly, TE, Washington (-53)

The Rest:

• Rashaad Penny, RB, San Diego State (-27)
• Rasheem Greene, DE, USC (+33)
• Shaquem Griffin, LB, UCF (+37)
• Tre Flowers, S, Oklahoma State (-27)
• Michael Dickson, P, Texas (+35)
• Jake Martin, EDGE, Temple (N/A)
• Alex Mcgough, QB, Florida International (N/A)

6. New York Jets: +71

Best Value Pick: Parry Nickerson, CB, Tulane (+64)

Worst Value Pick: Chris Herndon, TE, Miami (-60)

The Rest:

• Sam Darnold, QB, USC (+1)
• Nathan Shepherd, DT, Fort Hays State (+9)
• Foley Fatukasi, DT, Connecticut (+57)
• Trenton Cannon, RB, Virginia State (N/A)

7. New York Giants: +38

Best Value Pick: RJ McIntosh, DT, Miami (+17)

Worst Value Pick: BJ Hill, DT, North Carolina State (-17)

The Rest:

• Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State (+1)
• Will Hernandez, OG, UTEP (+13)
• Lorenzo Carter, LB, Georgia (+16)
• Kyle Lauletta, QB, Richmond (+8)

8. Tennessee Titans: +37

Best Value Pick: Luke Falk, QB, Washington State (+34)

Worst Value Pick: Dane Cruikshank, S, Arizona (-21)

The Rest:

• Rashaan Evans, LB, Alabama (0)
• Harold Landry, EDGE, Boston College (+24)

9. Baltimore Ravens: +31

Best Value Pick: Deshon Elliott, S, Texas (+53)

Worst Value Pick: Kenny Young, LB, UCLA (-51)

The Rest:

• Hayden Hurst, TE, South Carolina (-9)
• Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville (+5)
• Orlando Brown, OT, Oklahoma (+46)
• Mark Andrews, TE, Oklahoma (+10)
• Anthony Averett, CB, Alabama (+29)
• Jaleel Scott, WR, New Mexico State (-41)
• Jordan Lasley, WR, UCLA (-11)
• Greg Senat, OT, Wagner (N/A)
• Bradley Bozeman, C, Alabama (N/A)
• Zach Sieler, DE, Ferris State (N/A)

10. Philadelphia Eagles: +25

Best Value Pick: Josh Sweat, EDGE, Florida State (+66)

Worst Value Pick: Avonte Maddox, CB, Pittsburgh (-48)

The Rest:

• Dallas Goedert, TE, South Dakota State (+7)
• Matt Pryor, OT, TCU (N/A)
• Jordan Mailata, OT, Australia (N/A)

11. Carolina Panthers: +16

Best Value Pick: Kendrick Norton, DT, Miami (+71)

Worst Value Pick: Rashaan Gaulden, CB, Tennessee (-53)

The Rest:

• DJ Moore, WR, Maryland (-5)
• Donte Jackson, CB, LSU (+8)
• Ian Thomas, TE, Indiana (+30)
• Marquis Haynes, DE, Ole Miss (-23)
• Jermaine Carter Jr, LB, Maryland (-12)
• Andre Smith, ILB, North Carolina (N/A)

12. Buffalo Bills: +1

Best Value Pick: Harrison Phillips, DT, Stanford (+47)

Worst Value Pick: Taron Johnson, CB, Weber State (-52)

The Rest:

• Josh Allen, QB, Wyoming (-4)
• Tremaine Edmunds, LB, Virginia Tech (+10)
• Siran Neal, S, Jacksonville State (-19)
• Wyatt Teller, OG, Virginia Tech (+19)
• Ray-Ray McCloud, WR, Clemson (N/A)
• Austin Proehl, WR, North Carolina (N/A)

13. Indianapolis Colts: -5

Deon Cain official Clemson Career Highlight; Photo from Youtube

Best Value Pick: Deon Cain, WR, Clemson (+118)

Worst Value Pick: Braden Smith, OG, Auburn (-44)

• Quenton Nelson, OG, Notre Dame (+2)
• Darius Leonard, OLB, South Carolina State (-25)
• Kemoko Turay, EDGE, Rutgers (-42)
• Tyquan Lewis, DE, Ohio State (-26)
• Nyheim Hines, RB, North Carolina State (-30)
• Daurice Fountain, WR, Northern Iowa (+46)
• Jordan Wilkins, RB, Ole Miss (-4)
• Matthew Adams, LB, Houston (N/A)
• Zaire Franklin, LB, Syracuse (N/A)

14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: -9

Best Value Pick: Jack Cichy, ILB, Wisconsin (+77)

Worst Value Pick: Jordan Whitehead, S, Pittsburgh (-56)

• Vita Vea, DT, Washington (+2)
• Ronald Jones II, RB, USC (+6)
• MJ Stewart, CB, North Carolina (-54)
• Carlton Davis, CB, Auburn (+22)
• Alex Cappa, OT, Humboldt State (-15)
• Justin Watson, WR, Pennsylvania (+9)

15. Cincinnati Bengals: -14

Best Value Pick: Sam Hubbard, DE, Ohio State (+24)

Worst Value Pick: Mark Walton, RB, Miami (-27)

• Billy Price, C, Ohio State (-15)
• Jessie Bates III, S Wake Forest (+6)
• Malik Jefferson, LB, Texas (-9)
• Davontae Harris, CB, Illinois State (+3)
• Andrew Brown, DE, Virginia (+7)
• Darius Phillips, CB, Western Michigan (-3)
• Logan Woodside, QB, Toledo (N/A)
• Rod Taylor, OG, Mississippi (N/A)
• Auden Tate, WR, Florida State (N/A)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

16. Houston Texans: -19

Best Value Pick: Justin Reid, S, Stanford (+40)

Worst Value Pick: Keke Coutee, WR, Texas Tech (-57)

The Rest:

• Martinas Rankin, OT, Mississippi State (+18)
• Jordan Akins, TE, UCF (-42)
• Duke Ejiofor, DE, Wake Forest (+22)
• Jordan Thomas, TE, Mississippi State (N/A)
• Peter Kalambayi, EDGE, Stanford (N/A)
• Jermaine Kelly, DB, San Jose State (N/A)

17. Los Angeles Chargers: -23

Best Value Pick: Kyzir White, S, West Virginia (+49)

Worst Value Pick: Uchenna Nwosu, LB, USC (-44)

The Rest:

• Derwin James, S, Florida State (+9)
• Justin Jones, DT, North Carolina State (-19)
• Scott Quessenberry, C, UCLA (-18)
• Dylan Cantrell, WR, Texas Tech (N/A)
• Justin Jackson, RB, Northwestern (N/A)

18. Detroit Lions: -25

Best Value Pick: Tyrell Crosby, OT, Oregon (+96)

Worst Value Pick: Tracy Walker, S, Louisiana (-91)

The Rest:

• Frank Ragnow, C, Arkansas (-45)
• Kerryon Johnson, RB, Auburn (-25)
• Da’Shawn Hand, DE, Alabama (+40)
• Nick Bawden, RB, San Diego State (N/A)

19. Washington Redskins: -32

Best Value Pick: Tim Settle, DT, Virginia Tech (+78)

Worst Value Pick: Geron Christian, OT, Louisville (-87)

The Rest:

• Da’Ron Payne, DT, Alabama (-2)
• Derrius Guice, RB, LSU (+43)
• Troy Apke, S, Penn State (-64)
• Shaun dion Hamilton, ILB, Alabama (N/A)
• Greg Stroman, CB, Virginia Tech (N/A)

20. Denver Broncos: -43

Best Value Pick: Troy Fumagalli, TE, Wisconsin (+40)

Worst Value Pick: Royce Freeman, RB, Oregon (-62)

The Rest:

• Bradley Chubb, DE, North Carolina State (+2)
• Courtland Sutton, WR, SMU (-3)
• Isaac Yiadom, CB, Boston College (-53)
• Josey Jewell, LB, Iowa (-2)
• DaeSean Hamilton, WR, Penn State (+1)
• Sam Jones, C, Arizona State (+34)
• Keishawn Bierria, ILB, Washington (N/A)
• David Williams, RB, Arkansas (N/A)

21. Los Angeles Rams: -45

Best Value Pick: Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, LB, Oklahoma (+34)

Worst Value Pick: Brian Allen, C, Michigan State (-62)

The Rest:

• Joseph Noteboom, OT, TCU (+14)
• John Franklin, DE, Stephen F Austin (-38)
• Micah Kiser, LB, Virginia (+3)
• John Kelly, RB, Tennessee (+4)
• Jamil Demby, OG, Maine (N/A)
• Sebastian Joseph, DT, Rutgers (N/A)
• Trevon Young, EDGE, Louisville (N/A)
• Travin Howard, LB, TCU (N/A)
• Justin Lawler, DE, SMU (N/A)

22. Oakland Raiders: -49

Maurice Hurst Jr.; Photo from Wikipedia

Best Value Pick: Maurice Hurst, DT, Michigan (+117)

Worst Value Pick: Brandon Parker, OT, North Carolina A&T (-108)

• Kolton Miller, OT, UCLA (-25)
• PJ Hall, DT, Sam Houston State (-44)
• Arden Key, LB, LSU (+32)
• Nick Nelson, CB, Wisconsin (-21)
• Johnny Townsend, P, Florida (N/A)
• Azeem Victor, LB, Washington (N/A)
• Marcell Ateman, WR, Oklahoma State (N/A)

23. Miami Dolphins: -54

Best Value Pick: Kalen Ballage, RB, Arizona State (+35)

Worst Value Pick: Durham Smythe, TE, Notre Dame (-40)

The Rest:

• Minkah Fitzpatrick, DB, Alabama (-1)
• Mike Gesicki, TE, Penn State (-16)
• Jerome Baker, LB, Ohio State (-32)
• Cornell Armstrong, DB, Southern Mississippi (N/A)
• Quentin Poling, LB, Ohio (N/A)
• Jason Sanders, K, New Mexico (N/A)

24. Cleveland Browns: -54

Best Value Pick: Antonio Callaway, WR, Florida (+39)

Worst Value Pick: Chad Thomas, DE, Miami (-60)

• Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma (-12)
• Denzel Ward, CB, Ohio State (-5)
• Austin Corbett, OG, Nevada (-23)
• Nick Chubb, RB, Georgia (-24)
• Genard Avery, LB, Memphis (+31)
• Damion Ratley, WR, Texas A&M (N/A)
• Simeon Thomas, DB, Louisiana-Lafayette (N/A)

25. New England Patriots: -62

Best Value Pick: Sony Michel, RB, Georgia (-4)

Worst Value Pick: Ja’Whaun Bentley, LB, Purdue (-30)

The Rest:

• Isaiah Wynn, OT, Georgia (-7)
• Duke Dawson, CB, Florida (-21)
• Christian Sam, ILB, Arizona State (N/A)
• Braxton Berrios, WR, Miami (N/A)
• Danny Etling, QB, LSU (N/A)
• Keion Crossen, DB, Western Carolina (N/A)
• Ryan Izzo, TE, Florida State (N/A)

26. Chicago Bears: -62

Best Value Pick: Bilal Nichols, DT, Delaware (+17)

Worst Value Pick: Joel Iyiebuniwe, LB, Western Kentucky (-58)

The Rest:

• Roquan Smith, LB, Georgia (+1)
• James Daniels, C, Iowa (0)
• Anthony Miller, WR, Memphis (-22)
• Kylie Fitts, EDGE, Utah (N/A)
• Javon Wims, WR, Georgia (N/A)

27. Pittsburgh Steelers: -71

Best Value Pick: Marcus Allen, S, Penn State (+27)

Worst Value Pick: Terrell Edmunds, S, Virginia Tech (-65)

The Rest:

• James Washington, WR, Oklahoma State (-9)
• Mason Rudolph, QB, Oklahoma State (-4)
• Chukwuma Okorafor, OT, Western Michigan (-44)
• Jaylen Samuels, RB, North Carolina State (+24)
• Joshua Frazier, DT, Alabama (N/A)

28. Atlanta Falcons: -77

Best Value Pick: Isaiah Oliver, CB, Colorado (+13)

Worst Value Pick: Deadrin Senat, DT, USF (-55)

The Rest:

• Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama (+12)
• Ito Smith, RB, Southern Mississippi (-47)
• Russell Gage, WR, LSU (N/A)
• Foye Oluokun, LB, Yale (N/A)
• Trey Quinn, WR, SMU

29. Arizona Cardinals: -91

Best Value Pick: Christian Kirk, WR, Texas A&M (+14)

Worst Value Pick: Mason Cole, C, Michigan (-71)

The Rest:

• Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA (+5)
• Chase Edmonds, RB, Fordham (-39)
• Chris Campbell, CB, Penn State (N/A)
• Korey Cunningham, OT, Cincinnati (N/A)

30. New Orleans Saints: -92

Best Value Pick: Natrell Jamerson, S, Wisconsin (-9)

Worst Value Pick: Rick Leonard, OT, Florida State (-46)

The Rest:

• Marcus Davenport, DE, UTSA (-11)
• Tre’Quan Smith, WR, UCF (-26)
• Kamrin Moore, CB, Boston College (N/A)
• Boston Scott, RB, Louisiana Tech (N/A)
• Will Clapp, C, LSU (N/A)

31. Kansas City Chiefs: -137

Breeland Speaks; Photo from Twitter

Best Value Pick: Armani Watts, S, Texas A&M (+26)

Worst Value Pick: Breeland Speaks, DE, Ole Miss (-123)

The Rest:

• Derrick Nnadi, DT, Florida State (+3)
• Dorian O’Daniel, LB, Clemson (-43)
• Tremon Smith, CB, Central Arkansas (N/A)
• Reginald McKenzie, OG, Tennessee (N/A)

32. San Francisco 49ers: -261

Best Value Pick: Mike McGlinchey, OT, Notre Dame (-11)

Worst Value Pick: Fred Warner, LB, BYU (-83)

The Rest:

• Dante Pettis, WR, Washington (-16)
• Tarvarius Moore, S, Southern Mississippi (-78)
• Kentavius Street, DE, North Carolina State (-45)
• DJ Reed, CB, Kansas State (-28)
• Marcell Harris, S, Florida (N/A)
• Jullian Taylor, DT, Temple (N/A)
• Richie James, WR, Middle Tennessee (N/A)

2018 NFL Draft Grades

Last time, I covered the best values in undrafted free agent signings. Today, I will be grading the draft classes from the 2018 NFL Draft. I have used a plus-minus system for each team to determine the overall value of each teams’ collective drafts (you will see this in greater depth in my next post, which should be published in the next day or two). For now, here are my letter grades in alphabetical order by team location:

Arizona Cardinals: C-

• Day 1: A
• Day 2: C
• Day 3: F-

Atlanta Falcons: C-

• Day 1: A+
• Day 2: C+
• Day 3: F-

Baltimore Ravens: B-

• Day 1: B+
• Day 2: A+
• Day 3: F

Buffalo Bills: B-

• Day 1: A
• Day 2: A+
• Day 3: F-

Carolina Panthers: B-

• Day 1: B+
• Day 2: C+
• Day 3: C

Chicago Bears: C

• Day 1: A-
• Day 2: B-
• Day 3: F-

Cincinnati Bengals: C+

• Day 1: B-
• Day 2: A-
• Day 3: F+

Cleveland Browns: C

• Day 1: B-
• Day 2: D-
• Day 3: C+

Dallas Cowboys: A

• Day 1: B+
• Day 2: A-
• Day 3: A-

Denver Broncos: C

• Day 1: A
• Day 2: F+
• Day 3: C+

Detroit Lions: C-

• Day 1: F+
• Day 2: F+
• Day 3: B+

Green Bay Packers: A-

• Day 1: B-
• Day 2: B+
• Day 3: A-

Houston Texans: C+

• Day 1: A-
• Day 2: A-
• Day 3: F

Indianapolis Colts: C+

• Day 1: A
• Day 2: F
• Day 3: B+

Jacksonville Jaguars: B+

• Day 1: A+
• Day 2: A+
• Day 3: D+

Kansas City Chiefs: D+

• Day 1: A-
• Day 2: F-
• Day 3: D+

Los Angeles Chargers: C+

• Day 1: A+
• Day 2: C
• Day 3: D+

Los Angeles Rams: C+

• Day 1: A-
• Day 2: A-
• Day 3: F-

 

 

 

 

 

Miami Dolphins: C

• Day 1: A-
• Day 2: C+
• Day 3: F+

Minnesota Vikings: A+

• Day 1: A
• Day 2: B+
• Day 3: A+

New England Patriots: C

• Day 1: B
• Day 2: B-
• Day 3: F

New Orleans Saints: C-

• Day 1: B
• Day 2: B-
• Day 3: F-

New York Giants: B

• Day 1: A-
• Day 2: A-
• Day 3: D+

New York Jets: B

• Day 1: A-
• Day 2: B+
• Day 3: C

Oakland Raiders: C-

• Day 1: C
• Day 2: F+
• Day 3: B-

Philadelphia Eagles: B-

• Day 1: A-
• Day 2: B+
• Day 3: D+

Pittsburgh Steelers: C-

• Day 1: F-
• Day 2: C
• Day 3: C

San Francisco 49ers: F+

• Day 1: B
• Day 2: F-
• Day 3: F-

Seattle Seahawks: B

• Day 1: C
• Day 2: A
• Day 3: C+

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: C+

• Day 1: A
• Day 2: B-
• Day 3: D-

Tennessee Titans: B-

• Day 1: A-
• Day 2: A-
• Day 3: D-

Washington Redskins: C+

• Day 1: A-
• Day 2: C+
• Day 3: D-

 

2018 NFL Draft Leftovers

For the next week-ish, I will be wrapping up my 2018 NFL Draft analysis. This post will feature a few undrafted free agent signings that occurred after the draft, drawing from the players on my prospect rankings list whose names did not get called because their names SHOULD HAVE been called and they are, in my opinion, the ones most likely to end up on a 53-man NFL roster next season. To see who was selected by whom over all 256 picks of the 2018 NFL Draft, you can head over to my NFL Draft Tracker page. You can also find the full list of undrafted free agent signings on SB Nation. Here are my top undrafted free agents:

JC Jackson (Maryland CB) vs Wisconsin-2017; From Youtube

 

78. JC JACKSON, CB, Maryland- This 3rd round talent signed with the NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS after the draft. Leave it to Bill Belichick to pick up the best player who went undrafted this year.

95. QUENTON MEEKS, CB, Stanford- The top 2 guys on my board that didn’t hear their names called are both CBs, and are both 3rd round talents! I’m very surprised by that; It’s hard to have too many good CBs. The JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS know that, as they signed Meeks to learn under the best CB duo in the NFL: Jalen Ramsey and AJ Bouye.

102. DESMOND HARRISON, OT, West Georgia- Harrison was a highly-rated recruit coming out of high school who went to the University of Texas before off the field issues forced him to transfer to West Georgia. The off the field issues are likely what led to him going undrafted, but the CLEVELAND BROWNS decided to take a flier on his talent.

106. TARVARUS MCFADDEN, CB, Florida State- Another talented CB, this 4th round talent will be taking his talents to the Bay to play for the SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS, who reportedly gave him a significant signing bonus for an undrafted free agent. It’s probably partially because the 49ers don’t have any talented CBs (outside of Richard Sherman), but that does still make a statement about McFadden’s talent.

118. TONY ADAMS, OG, North Carolina State- The JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS are the only team with two undrafted free agent signings in my top 5. Adams will have a tough time cracking the starting lineup, especially considering the Jags signed the top free agent offensive lineman this season in the form of OG Andrew Norwell, but Adams has the talent to pull it off.

120. TEGRAY SCALES, ILB, Indiana- LOS ANGELES RAMS; Maybe the replacement for the traded Alec Ogletree?

129. JOSH ADAMS, RB, Notre Dame- PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

Hercules Mata’afa; From Twitter

130. HERCULES MATA’AFA, DE, Washington State- MINNESOTA VIKINGS; Hercules is probably my favorite player who went undrafted. My understanding is that teams aren’t really sure where to put him. He played DT in college, but is more OLB sized. He’s got skills to display at whatever position he ends up playing for Skol!

132. BYRON PRINGLE, WR, Kansas State- KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

150. JOE OSTMAN, LB, Central Michigan- PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

154. KEVIN TOLIVER, CB, LSU- CHICAGO BEARS

156. GODWIN IGWEBUIKE, S, Northwestern- TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

157. JEFF HOLLAND, EDGE, Auburn- DENVER BRONCOS

158. HOLTON HILL, CB, Texas- MINNESOTA VIKINGS; Hill was one of Mike Mayock’s favorites, too, but he fell out of the draft because of off the field issues. The Vikings took a chance on unbelievable talent. (Sidenote: What’s going on with off the field issues at Texas?) (Sidenote sidenote: Texas has too many ON field issues to be dealing with off field issues, too.)

164. TONY BROWN, CB, Alabama- LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

166. JARYD JONES-SMITH, OT, Pittsburgh- HOUSTON TEXANS

Wildcard: JAKE ROH, TE, Boise State- ATLANTA FALCONS; I had to include a Boise State player, especially since he did NOT go to the Cowboys! Sadly, Roh is the only ex-Bronco to have signed an undrafted free agent deal so far.

2018 NFL Draft Caps

Every April, NFL and NCAAF fans experience the excitement that is the NFL Draft.

College football fans can’t wait to see how many players will get drafted from their favorite university, who those players will be, when those players will get drafted, and where those players will go.

NFL fans can’t wait to see who’s got next for their favorite franchise. Fans of teams with the highest draft picks are hoping for a franchise QB that will lead their team to the playoffs and the Super Bowl for a decade and a half (or longer), and fans of teams with lower draft picks are hoping for that one perfect pick that fills the hole that would prevent them from continuing and building upon their success from the previous season.

New League Year’s Day is in March but in the football world, Christmas comes after that, in late April and early May, in the form of the NFL Draft.

It’s important to remember family during the holiday season, and in the case of Football Christmas, that family is your team: the players, the coaches, the owner(s), the trainers, the food vendors, and of course, your fellow fans.

Just like traditional Christmas, Football Christmas wouldn’t be complete without commercialization…I mean, uh…wonderful presents that embody the true meaning of Christmas 😉 Obviously, draft picks are the presents to which all of us football fans look forward to the most:

• Most of them will turn out to be those crappy toys that break within five minutes of you taking them out of the box (draft busts). Bummer. But…
• A small number of them will be worthwhile. Maybe you’ll get an average starter-level player that hangs around for 10 years; Those are the toys that aren’t our favorites. They weren’t THE item on our list, but they are last for long enough and are just enjoyable enough that we grow to appreciate them. Maybe they’ll even get a Pro Bowl nod or two?
• Then an even smaller number of them are the quality players; These still weren’t THE gift on our list, but we definitely wanted them and are pleased the moment we open them. They are the toys we play with on a regular basis, but not every day. They’ll likely get several Pro Bowl nods and maybe even a spot on an All-Pro team.
• Then, the most rare of all: THE gift. This isn’t just the top toy we wanted this year, it’s the top toy we’ve wanted the last FIVE years. Not only do we play with these toys everyday, but we can hardly go anywhere without them: The Hall of Famers. These are your franchise QBs like Peyton Manning, Dan Marino, and Tom Brady. These are your electrifying offensive players like Jerry Rice, Barry Sanders, and Shannon Sharpe. These are your game-altering defenders like Lawrence Taylor, Ray Lewis, and Rod Woodson. They’ll make the Pro Bowl almost every year (if not literally every year) and they’ll also make multiple All-Pro teams. Maybe they’ll even win a MVP award?

Yes, toys are awesome. But, sometimes you get stuck with clothes. Well, I’m here to tell you that in the case of Football Christmas, clothes can actually be a little exciting. I’m talking about the annual NFL Draft Caps brought to fans (and to draftees) by New Era. (For the record, I’m not sponsored by them or anything, I just happen to be a big fan of their quality. I don’t recall ever having gotten a New Era cap that I didn’t enjoy.) The 2018 NFL Draft Caps were just recently revealed and well, they deserve to be talked about.

This year’s theme: Team Mottos. Below are some of my favorites and least favorites. If you want to get one for yourself or check out ones that I do not mention, you can find all of them here.

Favorites

1. New York Giants: “Big Blue”- Obviously,  I had to mention my team’s hat. “Big Blue” is a nickname the Giants have had for ages and I think it looks great on a hat.
2. New York Jets: “J-E-T-S”- Not even leaving the same stadium from the last one on my list, I love the Jets hat. The motto is their team’s chant. It’s not exactly the most original chant, but it’s a classic.
3. Seattle Seahawks: “We are 12”- I like this one a lot because the hat features the 12 flag as part of the slogan. The Seahawks are the only team to use something besides words and their team logo in their Draft Cap’s design.
4. Cleveland Browns: “Dawg Pound”- Another classic slogan makes my list. Also, aside from their logo, this hat is devoid of that ugly orange team color.
5. Chicago Bears: “Monsters of the Midway”- Though the team has recently lacked the ability to incite fear that is usually associated with monsters, it’s another classic slogan.
6. Buffalo Bills: “Billieve”- The greatness of the play on the word believe is just the tip of the iceberg when you consider the fact that the “bill” is actually a physical part of the hat. This one actually made me laugh.

Least Favorites

1. Pittsburgh Steelers: “Steel City”- Yes, Pittsburgh is the Steel City, but the Steelers are the Steel Curtain. C’mon New Era!
2. Miami Dolphins: “Go Phins”- The Jets hat lacks originality in a fun way. The Dolphins hat lacks originality in a boring way.
3. New England Patriots: “Do Your Job”- I can hear these words coming out of Coach Bill Belichick‘s mouth, but that doesn’t make them fun or interesting to put on a hat unless there is a likeness to Belichick right next to them, which (SPOILER ALERT!), there is not.
4. Jacksonville Jaguars: “Black and Teal”- Congratulations, you can name colors.
5. Arizona Cardinals: “Rise Up Red Sea”- So, they stole the Atlanta Falcons “Rise Up” slogan, and decided that stealing wasn’t bad enough, they should also make it sound dumber.
6. Houston Texans: “We Are Texans”- I am human. I don’t think I need to put that on a hat to make that true.

NFL Offseason 2018: The Veteran Cuts

I love March in the NFL. I get chills and goosebumps reading about some of the trades and free agent signings that go down this time of year. In fact, you could make the argument that it’s the best time of the year for the NFL. How is it better than Thursday, Sunday, and Monday gamedays? It’s the one time of year that fans for all teams have hope. Browns fans get to rejoice over their team’s acquisition of a new QB and Patriots fans get to smile mischievously about Bill Belichick’s latest under-the-radar move that will inevitably lead them to another Super Bowl. Of course, with trades and free agency comes the sad truth of quality players leaving fan bases that had become accustomed to seeing them playing for their team, all in the name of salary cap space. While many cuts will come in the next few days before the free agency period begins on March 14, here’s a look at some veteran cuts that have happened so far in the last month…

1. RICHARD SHERMAN, CB, SEATTLE SEAHAWKS– 32 interceptions, 99 passes defensed, and 2 touchdowns in 7 seasons with the Seahawks
2. BRAD WING, P, NEW YORK GIANTS– 80 punts inside the 20 in 3 seasons with the Giants
3. DOUG MARTIN, RB, TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS– 4,633 rushing yards and 26 rushing touchdowns in 6 seasons with the Bucs
4. DEMARCO MURRAY, RB, TENNESSEE TITANS– 1,946 rushing yards and 15 rushing touchdowns in 2 seasons with the Titans
5. MUHAMMAD WILKERSON, DE, NEW YORK JETS– 44.5 sacks and 10 forced fumbles in 7 seasons with the Jets
6. JONATHAN STEWART, RB, CAROLINA PANTHERS– 7,318 rushing yards and 51 rushing touchdowns in 10 seasons with the Panthers
7. MARTELLUS BENNETT, TE, NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS– 6 receptions for 53 yards in 2 games with the Pats
8. CHRIS IVORY, RB, JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS– 821 rushing yards and 4 rushing touchdowns in 2 seasons with the Jags
9. MIKE GLENNON, QB, CHICAGO BEARS– 833 passing yards and 4 passing touchdowns in 1 season with Da Bears
10. CHARLES JOHNSON, DE, Carolina Panthers- 67.5 sacks and 19 forced fumbles in 11 seasons with the Panthers
11. KURT COLEMAN, S, Carolina Panthers- 16 passes defensed, 11 interceptions, and 2 touchdowns in 3 seasons with the Panthers
12. JERRELL FREEMAN, LB, Chicago Bears- 120 combined tackles in 2 seasons with Da Bears
13. CHRIS BAKER, DT, Tampa Bay Buccaneers- 0.5 sacks in 1 season with the Bucs
14. BRIAN CUSHING, LB, HOUSTON TEXANS– 664 combined tackles, 13.5 sacks, 8 interceptions, 9 forced fumbles, 1 safety, and 1 touchdown in 9 seasons with the Texans
15. DARRELLE REVIS, CB, KANSAS CITY CHIEFS– 2 passes defensed in 5 games with the Chiefs
16. DAVID AMERSON, CB, OAKLAND RAIDERS– 45 passes defensed, 6 interceptions, and 1 touchdown in 3 seasons with the Raiders

#20: Personal Blog History!, Referees, and More

What you are currently reading is TheHaysWay blogging history. It is my first post written from inside an airport!

OKAY, so it’s not THAT exciting. But what is exciting is that I’m actually at the airport, about to go home for the first time since September! Anyway, I came to the airport way too early (about 4 and a half hours too early, to be exact), so it’s blog time.

Finished up my first college finals today, and I can honestly say that professors are insane. You always hear jokes and see memes about how finals are WAY harder than the rest of the class, but you will never know how true that is until you actually experience it yourself. They were borderline foreign language: that’s how different they were from what I’d learned in the classes. Luckily, when you go to class and do all of your homework throughout the term, you don’t have to worry about acing the final. Hard work actually does pay off!

The Oakland Raiders defeated the Houston Texans in Mexico City yesterday, and the referees were TERRIBLE! I don’t think I’ve seen the refs screw up that badly since the replacement refs in the Green Bay Packers @ Seattle Seahawks game. Yeah, they were that bad. The Texans should’ve won that game. To make matters worse, the Raiders still have a better record than the New York Giants with the win, so my friend will probably keep holding that over my head. Of course, he’s a DU friend and I won’t be back at DU until January, so I guess I won’t have to worry much about that.

Thanksgiving is just a couple of days away! This is the most meaningful Thanksgiving I’ve experienced because I’m coming off of living away from home for the first time. I look forward to all of the ‘F’s of Thanksgiving: Football (PLEASE Washington, beat the Cowboys), Food (my family is getting pizza for Thanksgiving instead of turkey because my sister and I don’t like turkey :).), and Family (for the first time since September. Actually, my mom came to visit in October, but that’s not the same as being home with my entire family.). I keep harping about the fact that I’m coming home, but now I’m actually on my way, so it’s different.

I’ve been sick for about a week and a half now, and I’m over it. Cough, runny nose, fatigue, eye irritation (that was brief, it’s gone already), nausea (that hasn’t been a factor the last few days, either), and today, I got to add stomach ache to the list. Seriously, I’m wondering when I’m actually going to get better. Mother nature, would you mind cutting me some slack? Nevertheless, I’m still wearing shorts today in Denver’s around freezing temperatures. There was snow this morning, too. I can go the distance!

Jacksonville Jaguars

Founded: 1995

All-Time Winning Percentage: 48.6%

All-Time Record: (140-148)

This one SHOCKED me. I know Tom Coughlin led them to a couple of AFC Championships when the franchise was first founded, but #20!? They haven’t done anything for the majority of the last decade! They don’t have a lot of historically great players to hang their hat on either. QB David Garrard is all that comes to mind for me. MAYBE RB Maurice Jones-Drew? Even now, with a young, ‘franchise’ QB, two great, young receivers, and a defense that they spent a bunch of money on during the offseason, they still are at the bottom of the pitiful AFC South. Will the Jags ever REALLY be good?

That’s all for TheHaysWay today, make sure to leave a comment on blogging inside of an airport and/or on college finals and/or on horrible referees and/or on Thanksgiving and/or on sickness and/or on the Jacksonville Jaguars and/or on whatever is on your mind, along with a much-appreciated like. If you are not yet a follower, become a follower to support my recovery from sickness. 🙂 Have a pleasant tomorrow.