PART II
5) BUFFALO
BILLS-
ANOTHER YEAR, ANOTHER SEASON FILLED
WITH HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR QUARTERBACK JOSH ALLEN AND THE BUFFALO BILLS. AT THIS POINT THERE IS TWO THINGS WE ARE USED
TO HEARING WHEN IT COMES TO THE BILLS.
JOSH ALLEN IS A TOP 3-4 QB IN THIS LEAGUE UP THERE WITH THE LIKES OF
MAHOMES, JACKSON, AND JOE BURROW. THE
OTHER IS CAN THE BILLS FINALLY TAKE DOWN MAHOMES AND THE KANSAS CITY CHIEFS. THE LATTER HAS OBVIOUSLY YET TO BE DETERMINED
AND THE FORMER, AS WE HAVE SEEN SO FAR THROUGHOUT THIS SEASON IS STILL VERY
TRUE. THE BILLS HAVE LOOKED VERY STRONG
THIS SEASON FOR THE MOST PART, BEATING UP ON TEAMS THAT WE EXPECT THEM TO, SUCH
AS THE JAGS, TITANS, AND SEAHAWKS. THEY PUT
47 UP AGAINST THE JAGS, 34 ON THE TITANS, AND SCORED 31 ON SEATTLE. NO DOUBT THE OFFENSE HAS LOOKED GOOD AT
TIMES, BUT THEY ALSO WEREN’T DOING IT ON A CONSISTENT BASIS.
AFTER BUFFALO PARTED WAYS WITH THEIR
EX-ALLSTAR WIDE RECEIVER STEFON DIGGS, ELECTING TO SHIP HIM OFF TO HOUSTON IN
THE OFFSEASON WAS A MOVE THAT NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE UNDERSTOOD. I GUESS THE THOUGHT WAS THAT MAYBE THEY WERE
READY TO FULLY UNLEASH RUNNINGBACK JAMES COOK ALONG WITH POSSIBLY RUNNING A LOT
OF TWO TIGHTEND SETS (DALTON KINCAID & DAWSON KNOX). THEY DID BRING IN SOME BODIES AT THE WR
POSITION WITH NFL EXPERIENCE, SIGNING CURTIS SAMUEL, MACK HOLLINS, AND MARQUEZ
VALDES-SCANTLING. ON TOP OF THAT THEY
ALREADY HAD KHALIL SHAKIR (STANDOUT FROM BOISE STATE), PLUS THEY ALSO DRAFTED
WIDEOUT KEON COLEMAN (FLORIDA STATE) IN THE SECOND ROUND OF THIS PAST NFL DRAFT. I THINK THEY FELT REALLY GOOD ABOUT WHAT THEY
HAD, BUT REALLY, SHAKIR PROVED TO BE THE ONLY ONE GETTING INVOLVED ENOUGH TO
HELP ALLEN AND YOU COULD TELL JOSH WAS GOING TO GO BACK TO WHAT HE LIKES TO DO
BEST, PLAYING HERO BALL.
BUFFALO’S OFFENSE HAS 336.5 YARDS
PER GAME SO FAR RANKING OUTSIDE OF THE TOP TEN (13TH). THEY ARE SCORING 28.8 POINTS A GAME (5TH)
AND ARE IN SECOND PLACE IN THE TURNOVER MARGIN (+1.4 PER GAME) WHICH BODES WELL
FOR ANY TEAM THAT IS TRYING TO FIND TRACTION WHILE ALSO TRYING TO STAY IN THE
MIX WITH THE STILL UNDEFEATED KANSAS CITY TEAM FOR THE TOP SPOT IN THE AFC. JOSH ALLEN IS SOMEHOW JUST BARELY OUTSIDE OF
THE TOP TEN IN PASSING YARDS (11TH) WITH 1,766 YARDS, EVEN WITH THE
STRUGGLES THEY HAVE SHOWN FROM THEIR RECEIVERS EARLY ON THIS SEASON. THEIR RUNNINGBACK JAMES COOK IS NOT IN THE
TOP 20 IN RUSHING YARDS, THOUGH HE IS TIED FOR 3RD PLACE IN RUSHING
SCORES WITH 7 TOUCHDOWNS. ALLEN ALSO HAS
A BIG PART IN THEIR OFFENSES RUSHING SUCCESS AS THE BILLS RANK 12TH
IN RUSHING YARDS PER GAME (122.3 YPG).
ONE THING YOU CAN SAY ABOUT THEM
FROM A DEFENSIVE PERSPECTIVE, THAT IS VERY HELPFUL FOR BUFFALO IS THAT THEY ARE
FINDING WAYS TO GET THE BALL BACK ON DEFENSE, RANKING 5TH IN
TAKEAWAYS WITH 14. THEIR ALSO ONLY
LETTING UP 18.3 POINTS PER GAME TO TEAMS (6TH) AND THEY ARE GETTING
TO THE OTHER TEAMS QB ENOUGH TO CAUSE SAID TURNOVERS. BILLS ARE TIED FOR 12TH WITH 20
SACKS SO FAR. IF THEY WANT TO SUCCEED,
THEY NEED TO CONTINUE WITH THEIR PASS RUSH AND TURNOVER SUCCESS WHILE THEY
CONTINUE TO GET HEALTHY ON THAT SIDE OF THE BALL. IT ALSO HELPS THAT THEY MADE A MOVE IN
TRADING FOR A RELIABLE TRUE NUMBER ONE WIDEOUT IN AMARI COOPER THAT CAN HELP
KEEP THEM MOVING THE CHAINS AND KEEP THEIR DEFENSE OFF THE FIELD AND FRESH.
EARLY INDICATIONS SEEM TO SHOW THAT
EVEN WITH ALL THE OFFSEASON HYPE OF A DIVISIONAL RIVAL THAT MAYBE THIS IS STILL
BUFFALO’S DIVISION AS THEY ARE THE ONLY TEAM OVER .500 IN THE AFC EAST AS OF
RIGHT NOW. THEY DID HOWEVER ALMOST SLIP
UP AND LOSE TO THE CARDINALS IN WEEK ONE, ALONG WITH ALMOST LETTING A WIN SLIP
AWAY TO THE JETS IN WEEK SIX. THEY ALSO
BLEW OUT THE MIAMI DOLPHINS (31-10) AMONG A LOT OF CONTROVERSY ON A PRIMETIME
THURSDAY NIGHT GAME WHEN THE WORLD WITNESSED YET ANOTHER CONCUSSION TO DOLPHINS
QB TUA TAGOVAILOA. TUA HAS SINCE
RETURNED AND WE’D EXPECT THAT THEY WILL BE GIVING THE BUFFALO BILLS THEIR ALL
THIS UPCOMING SUNDAY AFTERNOON.
BUFFALO IS GETTING READY TO FACE
THEIR HARDEST STRETCH OF GAMES THE NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS STARTING WITH A HEALTHY
MIAMI TEAM, THEN THEY HEAD DOWN TO INDY TO PLAY JOE FLACCO AND THE COLTS WHO
STILL LOOKS LIKE A PRO BOWL CALAIBER QB.
THEN WE WILL SEE A MUCH ANTICAPATED REMATCH IN A RIVALRY TYPE GAME
BETWEEN MAHOMES AND ALLEN BEFORE THE NINERS COME TO TOWN. BUFFALO STILL HAS TO PLAY THE RAMS, LIONS,
THEN THREE STRAIGHT DIVISION GAMES AGAINST THE PATRIOTS TWICE AND ONE MORE GAME
AGAINST RODGERS AND THE JETS. IM NOT SO
SURE THAT BUFFALO WILL BE CONSIDERED THE TEAM TO BEAT IN THE AFC, BUT HEY, YOU
NEVER KNOW. THEY DID GET DEMOLISHED AT
THE HANDS OF THE RAVENS, SO I BELIEVE IT MAY WIND UP COMING DOWN TO ANOTHER
LAMAR VS MAHOMES AFC CHAMPIONSHIP. SO,
IF THE BILLS WANT TO STOP THAT KIND OF TALK, THEY HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS
IN WEEK 10 WHEN BIG RED AND THE CHIEFS COME TO TOWN.
4) WASHINGTON
COMMANDERS-
WAIT, REALLY? THE COMMANDERS? YES, I SAID IT, IT IS NOT A TYPO. THE WASHINGTON COMMANDERS LOOK LIKE A TOP
TIER TEAM. I KNOW THAT SOUNDS A LITTLE
STRANGE GIVEN ALL THEIR RECENT HISTORY OF FAILURES WITHIN THE
ORGANIZATION. THEY HAVE HAD BAD
COACHING, A TERRIBLE OWNER, AND SO MANY DISAPOINTING SEASONS ALONG WITH DRAFT
BUSTS AND A GUY THAT ENDED UP HAVING HIS CAREER END DUE TO MANY INJURIES (QB
RGIII). THAT ALL SEEMS TO BE BEHIND THEM
AT THIS POINT. WE DO HAVE ANOTHER TEN
WEEKS REMAINING SO MAYBE WE JUST FORGET THIS WAS EVER WRITTEN IF IT ALL BLOWS
UP IN SMOKE.
WASHINGTON HAS A ROOKIE QB THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN SLOWLY
ERASING LAST YEARS HISTORIC ROOKIE PERFOMANCE BY TEXANS QUARTERBACK C.J. STROUD,
AMASING AN ALL-TIME HIGH COMPLETION PERCENTAGE IN THE FIRST FOUR GAMES OF AN NFL
CAREER (82.1%). FURTHERMORE, DANIELS ALSO
BROKE AN ALL-TIME COMPLETION RECORD FOR A ROOKIE QB IN A GAME, COMPLETING 91.3%
OF HIS PASSES (21-FOR-23). THIS KID IS
CERTIANLY SOMETHING SPECIAL AND THE REST OF THE LEAGUE SHOULD NOT TAKE HIM
LIGHTLY, ESPECIALLY THE REST OF THE NFC EAST.
WHAT MAKES HIM EVEN TOUGHER FOR OPPOSING TEAMS IF HIS ABILITY TO RUN IF
NEEDED, HIS VERSATILITY IS GOING TO HAVE ANY DEFENSE ON ITS HEELS AND HELP THE
COMMANDERS ASSERT THEMSELVES RIGHT IN THE THICK OF THINGS FOR A PLAYOFF
OPPORTUNITY AS SOON AS THIS SEASON.
DAINELS IN CURRENTLY IN 2ND IN COMPLETION % TO ONLY JARED
GOFF OF THE DETROIT LIONS (71.8%). HE IS
ALSO RIGHT BEHIND JOSH ALLEN IN PASSING YARDS, THROWING FOR 1,736 (12TH). WASHINGTON HAS GATHERED SOME SAVY VETS TO
HELP OUT THEIR ROOKIE BY ADDING NAMES LIKE TIGHTEND ZACH ERTZ, RUNNINGBACK AUSTIN
EKELER, AND BRINGING BACK IN JAMESON CROWDER (CURRENTLY ON IR). ON TOP OF ALL THAT TALENT THEY ALREADY HAD A
TOP OPTION ON THE OUTISDE IN TERRY MCLAURIN (SCARY TERRY) WHO CAN FINALLY
SHOWCASE JUST HOW “SCARY” HE CAN BECOME WITH A TRUE FRANCHISE QUARTERBACK
THROWING HIM PASSES. MCLAURIN RANKS 4TH
IN THE LEAGUE WITH 579 RECEIVING YARDS, TIED FOR 12TH WITH 4 TDS,
ALONG WITH 72.4 YARDS A GAME (9TH).
ENOUGH CAN’T
BE SAID ABOUT HOW GOOD THIS OFFENSE HAS REALLY BEEN THIS SEASON. WASHINGTON RANKS 3RD IN THE LEAGUE
WITH 412.4 YARDS PER GAME, 3RD IN RUSH YARDS PER GAME (165.8), PLUS
THE PASSING ATTACK IS GOOD ENOUGH TO BE A TOP TEN UNIT AS THEY ARE IN 9TH
IN PASSING YARDS WITH A ROOKIE UNDER CENTER (230.5 YPG). I THINK THAT IT SHOULDN’T GO UNNOTICED THAT
THIS IS NOT ONLY COMMANDERS HEAD COACH DAN QUINN’S FIRST YEAR THERE, BUT ALSO
THAT ITS KLIFF KINGSBURY’S FIRST YEAR BACK IN THE NFL AFTER THE ARIZONA
CARDINALS PARTED WAYS WITH HIM WHEN HE WAS LET GO AT THE END OF THE 2022
SEASON. HALFWAY THROUGH THIS YEAR THEY
ARE COMMANDING EVERYONES ATTENTION AND LOOK MORE THAN CAPABLE OF BEING A
PLAYOFF CONTENDER. DAN QUINN AND HIS
DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR DO NEED TO FIGURE OUT THEIR ISSUES ON THAT SIDE OF THE
BALL TO CATCH UP TO THE OFFENSE. THEY
ARE RANKED 11TH IN TAKEAWAYS AND HAVE 21 SACKS, RANKING 7TH
IN THAT CATEGORY, THOUGH THEY NEED TO DO A MUCH BETTER JOB AGAINST BOTH THE RUN
AND PASS TO LIMIT THE YARDAGE THEY’VE BEEN ALLOWING THIS SEASON. LASTLY IT IS WORTH NOTING THAT THE COMMANDERS
ARE ONLY CONCEDING ROUGHLY 21 POINTS A CONTEST, THAT PLACING THEM IN 10TH
LEAGUEWIDE (20.9 PPG).
THE COMMANDERS ARE SITTING PRETTY IN 2ND PLACE IN
THE NFC WITH A 6-2 RECORD AND HAVE ALREADY BEATEN TEAMS SUCH AS THE BENGALS,
CARDINALS, AND THE BEARS. THEY PLAYED A
STRONG 60 MINUTES AGAINST THE RAVENS THOUGH ENDED UP LOSING BY A TOUCHDOWN AND
ALSO LOST ON OPENING WEEKEND WHEN THEIR ROOKIE WAS TESTED AGAINST A TALENTED
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS TEAM. THEY HAVE
THREE DIVISION GAMES IN STORE FOR THEM OUT OF THEIR NEXT FOUR CONTESTS. THEY ALSO HAVE THE STEELERS AND THE FALCONS
WHICH ARE BOTH CURRENT POSSIBLE PLAYOFF TEAMS FOR THIS SEASON. THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES FOR WASHINGTON IS MORE
THAN LIKLEY THEIR KEY DIVISION MATCHUPS AS THEY STILL PLAY DALLAS AND PHILLY
TWICE.
3) BALTIMORE RAVENS-
I HONESTLY
WANTED TO PLACE THE CHIEFS HERE, I REALLT DID.
THE FACT REMAINS THE CHIEFS BEAT THE RAVENS TWICE NOW IN THE PAST EIGHT
MONTHS AND I HAVE TO TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION. THE RAVENS FOUGHT TOOTH AND NAIL AND
SHOULD’VE ACTUALLY BEAT KANSAS CITY IN WEEK ONE, BUT THEIR TIGHTEND LIKLEY’S
FOOT WAS ON THE WHITE LINE, THUS HE WAS OUT OF BOUNDS AND THEY DID NOT SCORE
THE GAME WINNING TOUCHDOWN. I AM BY NO
MEANS A BALTIMORE RAVENS FAN, STILL, THAT GAME HAUNTED ME. I AM NOW GOING ON ALMOST 5,500 WORDS AND THIS
ARTICLE IS HONESTLY BECOMING MORE OF A NOVEL THAN A READABLE PIECE, SO I WILL
BE EXTRMELY GREATFUL FOR ANYONE THAT TAKES THE 3.5 HOURS IT WILL TAKE TO READ
IT. WITH THAT BEING SAID I WILL DO MY
BEST TO KEEP THESE LAST THREE TEAMS SHORTER THAN THE OTHERS.
THE RAVENSE
ARE OBVIOUSLY ONE OF THE TOP ELITE NFL TEAMS AND IM SURE FANS OF BALTIMORE OR
NOT WE CAN ALL PRETTY MUCH AGREE ON THAT.
LAMAR IS ALREADY A TWO-TIME MVP AND HIS NUMBERS THIS YEAR ARE PROBABLY
GOING TO DEFLATE THOSE OTHER TWO MVP SEASONS AS HE HAS ALREADY AMASSED OVER
2,000 YARDS AND ON PACE FOR ROUGHLY 4,200 YARDS BY THE END OF THE YEAR. LAMAR ALSO HAS THROWN FOR 17 TDS AND LIMITED
HIS TURNOVERS TO ONLY 2 INTERCEPTIONS.
WHAT HE HAS BEEN ABLE TO DO SO FAR THIS SEASON IS COMPLETELY
INSANE. ON TOP OF LAST YEARS SUCCESS IN
THE REGULAR SEASON AND PACING THE ENITRE LEAGUE IN RUSHING YARDS, THEY WENT OUT
AND MADE SURE NOT A SINGLE TEAM WOULD OUT RUSH THEM BY ADDING DERRICK “KING”
HENRY. IV’E SAID IT BEFORE AND I’LL SAY
IT AGAIN, THIS MOVE SHOULD BE AN ILLEGAL OR PENALIZED MOVE BY THE NFL WHEN YOU
ALREADY HAVE A GUY LIKE LAMAR JACKSON ON YOUR TEAM. NONETHELESS THE RAVENS ARE AVERAGING 200 YDS
A GAME ON THE GROUND THIS SEASON, WHICH IS ALMOST 40 YARDS PER GAME MORE THAN
THE NUMBER TWO TEAM IN THAT CATEGORY.
WHAT THEY ARE ABLE TO DO IS COMPLETELY ABSURD, BUT KUDOS TO THEM FOR
SIGNING THE KING OF GROUNDWORK. HENRY IS
ON PACE TO POSSIBLY BEAT THE ALL-TIME SINGLE SEASON RUSHING RECORD AND WILL
MORE THAN LIKLEY BEAT HIS OWN. HE HAS
946 RUSHING YARDS THUS FAR AND AVERAGES A LEAGUES BEST 118.3 YPG, ALONG WITH
6.5 YPC, AND ALSO LEADS ALL RUSHERS WITH 9 TDS.
THEIR
OFFENSIVE SCHEME HAS THEM IN FIRST IN THE LEAGUE WITH TOTAL YARDS PUTTING UP A
WHOPPING 452.1 YPG. IN ADDITION TO THAT BALTIMORE IS ALSO AVERAGING THE 2ND
MOST POINTS PER GAME (30.3). THEY HAVE
AN OFFENSIVE THAT WILL SMACK YOU AROUND CONSISTANTLY WITH NO REMORSE THAT’S THE
RALITY. THEIR DEFENSE IS WHERE YOU CAN
GET TO THEM. YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO RUN
ON THEM AS THEY HOLD TEAMS TO A LEAGUE BEST 69.9 YARDS A GAME, BUT YOU CAN
CERTIANLY THROW ON THEM WITH THEM GIVING UP AN UNPRECIDENTED 291.4 YPG (32ND). IT IS PRETTY CRAZY, TO HAVE THE NUMBER ONE
RUN DEFENSE AND BE DEAD LAST IN PASS DEFENSE.
RAVENS ALSO HAVE NO PROBLEMS ANNOYING OTHER TEAMS
QBS AS THEY ARE
CURRENTLY IN 4TH PLACE IN THE LEAGUE IN SACKS (24). NEEDLESS TO BE SAID THE RAVENS ARE ONE OF THE
FAVORITE TEAMS TO MAKE IT BACK TO THE AFC CHAMPIONSHIP AND POSSIBLY EARN A
SUPER BOWL BERTH FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A HANDFUL OF YEARS. BALTIMORE IS IN 6TH PLACE IN THE
AFC HEADING INTO WEEK 9 WITH THE PITTSBURGH STEELERS A GAME IN FRONT OF THEM,
BUT I DON’T SEE THE STEELERS WINNING THE AFC NORTH. I THINK I WILL JUMP ABOARD THAT TRAIN WITH
THIS OFFENSIVE MACHINE LED BY THEIR MACK TRUCK OF A RUNNER IN DERRICK HENRY.
2) KANSAS CITY CHIEFS-
I KNOW THIS
IS THE ONLY UNDFEATED TEAM REMAINING THIS SEASON WITH A PERFECT 7-0
RECORD. HOWEVER, I DON’T SEE THEM THREE
PEATING. LET’S LOOK AT A FEW REASONS WHY
THIS IS MY BELIEF. ONE REASON IS BECAUSE
THEIR STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE, YES KANSAS CITY BEAT THE BALTIMORE RAVENS IN WEEK
ONE, ALTHOUGH THAT GAME CAME DOWN TO THE LAST PLAY AS TIME RAN OUT AND IT VERY
WELL COULD’VE WENT TO OVERTIME AND ENDED DIFFERENTLY. THE FACT REMAINS THEY DID WIN THAT GAME,
WHICH IS ULTIMATLEY THE REASON WHY I HAVE THEM RANKED NUMBER TWO IN THIS
ARTICLE. THEN KC’S NEXT TOUGH MATCHUP
CAME THE FOLLOWING WEEK WHEN THE CHIEFS BEAT THE CINCINNATI BENGALS IN A HOME GAME
WHERE KC WON BY ONE POINT IN A GAME THAT HAD A CONTROVERSIAL CALL GO THE
CHIEF’S WAY. AGAIN, THE IMPORTANT THING
IS THE FINAL RESULT OF THE GAME AND WE MUST GIVE CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE.
ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE HAS BEEN ALL THIS TALK OF JOE BURROW BEING THE BETTER QUARTERBACK
BECAUSE OF HIS PAST SUCCESS AGAINST PATRICK MAHOMES.
THIS SEASON
THE KANSAS CITY CHIEFS HAVE LOOKED PEDESTRAIN AT TIMES ON OFFENSE, BUT THEY DO
RANK JUST OUTSIDE OF THE TOP TEN IN YARDS, COMING IN AT 11TH (348
YPG). THEY ARE RANKED 13TH IN
RUSHING (122.1 YPG), 12TH IN PASSING (225.9 YPG), AND ARE 9TH
IN POINTS (24.7 PPG). ALTHOUGH, ALL
THINGS BEING CONSIDERED, SUCH AS THE FACT THAT KC DID LOSE BOTH THEIR TOP
WIDEOUTS IN RASHEE RICE AND THE RECENTLY ADDED MARQUISE “HOLLYWOOD” BROWN TO
INJURIES, I THINK THERE IS SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT THEM STILL BEING RANKED IN
THE TOP 15 PASSING ATTACKS IN THE LEAGUE.
THOSE PLAYERS NOT BEING AVAILABLE TO MAHOMES IS A HUGE REASON WHY THEY
HAVE LOOKED LIKE A SUBPAR OFFENSE MOST OF THIS SEASON, PLUS THEY DID ALSO LOSE
THEIR TOP RUNNINGBACK IN ISIAH PACHECO.
THE GOOD NEWS FOR ANDY REID’S TEAM IS THAT THEY FINALLY SEEM TO HAVE
GOTTEN TIGHTEND TRAVIS KELCE GOING, THEY SIGNED RUNNINGBACK KAREEM HUNT, AND
THEY BROUGHT IN VERTERAN ALL PRO WIDE RECEIVER DEANDRE HOPKINS VIA A TRADE WITH
THE TENNESSEE TITANS THAT HAD THEM SEND A CONDITIONAL 2025 5TH ROUND
PICK.
THE CHIEFS HAVE BEEN MUCH BETTER ON DEFENSE THAN OFFENSE SO
FAR THIS YEAR. I’M SURE THAT IS NOT A
HOT TAKE GIVEN THE FACT THAT PEOPLE HAVE EYES AND HAVE SEEN THAT THE CHIEFS
HAVE ONLY REALLY PLAYED THREE TEAMS THAT HAVE BEEN PLAYOFF CALIBER TYPE TEAMS
SO FAR THIS SEASON AND IN REALITY, TWO OF THOSE TEAMS HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN FAR FROM
THEMSELVES THIS SEASON. SURE, THE
BENGALS PLAYED KC IN WEEK TWO BUT THEY ARE CURRENTLY A 3-5 TEAM THAT IS SITTING
IN 9TH PLACE IN THE AFC. THE
OTHER TEAM IS THE SAN FRANSCICO FORTY-NINERS AND THEY HAVE BEEN DISMANTLED BY
INJURIES WHICH HAS RESULTED IN THEM SITTING AT 4-4 RIGHT NOW. ALL’S I’M SAYING IS THAT I FIRMLY BELIEVE THE
CHIEFS HAVE HAD QUITE POSSIBLY, ONE OF THE EASIEST SCHEDULES IN THE NFL, IF NOT
THE EASIEST SO FAR THIS YEAR AND I DON’T THINK IT IS ALL THAT SURPRISING SEEING
THEM UNDEFEATED THROUGH THE FIRST 8 WEEKS OF THIS SEASON.
LET’S GET TO THE DEFENSIVE NUMBERS FOR KANSAS CITY. LIKE LAST YEAR, CHIEFS DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR,
STEVE SPAGNUOLO HAS THIS DEFENSE PLAYING THEIR BUTTS OFF AND CURRENTLY HAS THEM
RANKED 5TH IN THE LEAGUE IN OVERALL YARDS ALLOWED TO OPPONENTS (295
YPG). THE CHIEFS ARE ALSO HOLDING TEAMS TO
UNDER 18 POINTS (17.6 PPG) A CONTEST AND RANK 5TH IN THAT CATEGORY
AS WELL. I THINK THE MOST IMPRESSIVE
DEFENSIVE STATISTIC SO FAR FOR THIS CHIEFS TEAM IS WHAT THEY’VE BEEN ABLE TO DO
ON THE GROUND, CEDING THE SECOND LEAST RUSHING YARDS PER GAME TO ADVERSARIES,
ALLOWING JUST 82.3 YPG (2ND).
AGAIN, THEY HAVE NOT PLAYED THE TOP ELITE TEAMS JUST YET (OUTSIDE OF
BALTIMORE RAVENS), BUT THEY WILL HAVE A FEW CHALLENGES TO FACE IN THE UPCOMING
WEEKS AHEAD STARTING WITH BAKER MAYFIELD AND THE TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS THIS
UPCOMING MONDAY NIGHT. TAMPA BAY WILL BE
WITHOUT THEIR TOP TWO WIDEOUTS, THOUGH BAKER HAS BEEN HAVING AN INCREDIBLE
SEASON TO THIS POINT AND I EXPECT HIM (EVEN WITH BACK UP RECEIVERS) TO BE A
HANDFUL FOR THE CHIEFS DEFENSE. THE
FOLLOWING WEEK THE CHIEFS WILL MEET THEIR DIVISIONAL FOES, WHO HAVE BEEN PLAYING
DEFENSE PRETTY MUCH BETTER THAN ANY OTHER TEAM THIS YEAR, THE DENVER
BRONCOS. IN YEARS’ PRIOR (SINCE PEYTON
MANNING ERA) THIS WOULD BE AN EASY FEAT THAT KC COULD PROBABLY WRITE OFF AS AN
AUTOMATIC WIN, HOWEVER, SEAN PAYTON AND COMPANY HAVE BEEN LOOKING BETTER AND
BETTER EVERY SINGLE WEEK ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BALL. THE BRONCOS WILL BE READY TO PLAY PLUS MANY
MAY’VE FORGOTTEN THAT DENVER HAD ACTUALLY BEAT THE CHIEFS IN ONE OF THEIR TWO
MEETINGS LAST SEASON.
AFTER THAT THEIR SCHEDULE DOES NOT GET EASIER AS THEY WILL
PLAY THEIR RECENT RIVALS IN THE BUFFALO BILLS IN BUFFALO. I WOULD’NT TAKE THAT GAME LIGHTLY EITHER, NOT
THAT THEY WILL, WE ALL KNOW HOW GREAT QB JOSH ALLEN IS, BUT NOW THEY POSE A
TRUE DOWNFILED THREAT ON THE OUTSIDE AFTER TRADING FOR WR AMARI COOPER. FROM THAT PONT ON THE CHIEFS WILL HAVE THREE
MORE DIVISION GAMES, ONE AGAINST EACH RIVAL, RAIDERS, CHARGERS, (BACK-TO-BACK
HOME GAMES) THEN THE BRONCOS AGAIN THE LAST GAME OF THE YEAR. THEY WILL ALSO PLAY THE TEXANS AND STEELERS
WHICH COULD PROVE TO BE TOUGH GAMES FOR KC.
ALL-IN-ALL I DO THINK THAT BOTH THE BRONCOS AND CHARGERS ARE STARTING TO
SHOW SOME FIGHT IN THE AFC WEST AND ARE TREDNING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION TO GAIN
SOME MOMENTUM, HOWEVER THIS IS STILL OBVIOUSLY THE KANSAS CITY CHIEFS DIVISION
FOR NOW. THE CHIEFS WILL MORE THAN LIKELY
END THE SEASON ON TOP OF THE WEST WITH A RECORD OF AROUND 15-2 AT BEST OR 13-4
AT WORST.
1) 1) DETROIT
LIONS
LADIES & GENTS, I WOULD FIRST
LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU AND I GREATLY APPRECIATE EACH AND EVRYONE OF YOU THAT
ACTUALLY MADE IT THIS FAR READING THIS INCREDIBLY LONG ARTICLE, IT MEANS THE
WORLD TO ME. THAT BEING SAID LET’S GET
BACK INTO THE NUMBER ONE TEAM ON MY LIST, THE DETROIT LIONS. DETROIT HAS LOOKED NOTHING SHORT OF THE BEST
OVERALL TEAM IN THE LEAGUE THIS SEASON AND IF THEY END THE SEASON THE WAY THEY
HAVE PLAYED UP TO THIS POINT IT WILL NOT BE SURPRISING AT ALL TO WATCH THEM HOIST
THEIR VERY FIRST LOMBARDI TROPHY IN THEIR FRANCHISE’S HISTORY. THE LIONS WERE FOUNDED BACK IN 1930, NOT ONLY
HAVE THEY NEVER WON THE SUPER BOWL IN THEIR NINETY-FOUR YEAR EXISTENCE, BUT
THEY’VE ALSO NEVER EVEN PLAYED IN ONE.
THAT’S SAYING A LOT FOR A TEAM THAT IS NORTORIOUS FOR HAVING ONE OF THE
BEST PLAYERS THE LEAGUES’ HISTORY HAD EVER SEEN (BARRY SANDERS). THE LIONS HAVE AN OVERALL RECORD OF 591-707-34
PRIOR TO THE START OF THE 2024 REGULAR SEASON AND ALSO OWN A POSTSEASON RECORD
OF 9-14, INCLUDING LAST YEARS LOSS IN THE NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME.
DETROIT HAS ONE OF THE BEST COMPLETE
OFFENSES IN THE ENTIRE LEAGUE THIS SEASON AND HAS ALREADY SCORED 234 TOTAL POINTS
IN SUCH TIME. THEY CURRENTLY LEAD THE
NFL WITH 33.4 PPG AND ARE RANKED 6TH IN YARDS (385.1 YPG). LIONS ALSO LEAD ALL NFL TEAMS IN TURNOVER
MARGIN WITH +1.4 (T/0 MARGIN PG). DETROIT
HAS ONE OF THE BEST OFFENSIVE LINES IN THE GAME, PLUS A RUNNING GAME THAT
FEATURES TWO OF THE BEST RUNNING BACKS IN THE LEAGUE. YES, IT SHOULD BE ILLEGAL TO HAVE BOTH A
DOWNFIELD BRUISER DAVID MONTGOMERY AND A PASSING DOWN BACK (ANKLE BREAKER) IN
JAHMYR GIBBS (7TH IN RUSHING YARDS).
DETROIT IS 6TH IN RUSHING YARDS (156.7 YPG) PLUS MONTGOMERY
IS CURRENTLY TIED FOR THIRD IN RUSHING TOUCHDOWNS THIS SEASON, (7 TDS) WHILE
GIBBS IS TIED FOR 6TH WITH 6 SCORES OF HIS OWN. THEIR QUARTER BACK JARED GOFF IS AT THE HELM
OF THIS OFFENSE THAT IS ALSO RANKED 10TH IN PASSING YARDS (228.4) AND HAS HAD HIS OWN SUCCESSES THIS SEASON AS
HE IS CURRENTLY NUMBER ONE IN COMPLETION PERCENTAGE, (74.1%) WHICH SHOWED BACK
IN WEEK FOUR IN A HOME MONDAY NIGHT MATCHUP WITH THE SEATTLE SEAHAWKS WHEN THE
WORLD SEEN GOFF COMPLETE 100% OF HIS PASSES (18/18, 292 PASS YDS, 2TDS, 1 REC
TD).
THE
ONE AND ONLY FLAW I THINK I SEE WITH THIS TEAM THAT COULD POSSIBLY HURT THEM
WOULD BE THEIR DEFENSE. THEY WERE
ALREADY GIVING UP AROUND 350 YARDS A CONTEST, (349.4 YPG) THAT RANKS 20TH
LEAGUEWIDE, MOSTLY A RESULT OF THE PASS DEFENSE (247.6). THEIR RUN DEFENSE IS CURRENTLY 5TH
BEST, ONLY ALLOWING 101.9 YPG. THE OTHER
PLUSES FOR THIS DEFENSE IS THAT THEY HAVE BEEN HOLDING OPPONENTS TO JUST 19.1
POINTS PER GAME (8TH), WHILE ALSO ACCUMULATING A TOTAL OF 15
TAKEAWAYS (2ND) THROUGH THE FIRST HALF OF THE SEASON. THEY WILL BE NEEDING A LOT OF HELP WHEN IT
COMES TO THEIR PASS RUSH (T-12TH) WITH ONLY 20 SACKS THIS SEASON AND
NOW IT WILL BE MORE DIFFICULT THAN EVER TO GET BETTER AFTER LOSING THEIR BEST
PASS RUSHER AIDAN HUTCHINSON A FEW WEEKS BACK AGAINST THE DALLAS COWBOYS AFTER
SUSTAINING BRUTAL LEG DAMAGE THAT BROKE BOTH HIS TIBIA AND FIBULA. ONE OPTION FOR THE LIONS IS TO MAYBE SWING A
TRADE THAT COULD LAND THEM ANOTHER PASS RUSHER BEFORE THE NOVEMBER 5TH
TRADE DEADLINE THAT IS COMING UP QUICK.
PRIMED FOR A POSTSEASON/SUPER BOWL RUN
THE LIONS HAVE BAISCALLY BEEN THE MOST DOMINANT TEAM IN THE ENTIRE LEAGUE THIS
SEASON, EVEN BEING IN WHAT HAS LOOKED TO BE THE TOUGHEST DIVISION IN ALL OF
FOOTBALL. DETROIT STARTED THIS SEASON BEATING
A PRETTY GOOD LOS ANGELES RAMS TEAM (SINCE HAS BEEN PLAGUED BY NUMEROUS
INJURIES, INCLUDING THEIR TOP TWO WRS) IN AN OVERTIME VICTORY (26-20). WEEK TWO WAS THIS TEAMS ONLY LOSS SO FAR,
WHEN THE BUCCS CAME BACK INTO TOWN AND GOT THEIR REVENGE FROM LAST YEARS
PLAYOFF LOSS TO DETROIT (16-20). THEN
WAS THE LIONS CLOSELY CONTESTED WIN IN ARIZONA (20-13), FOLLOWED BY THE MONDAY
NIGHT WIN AT SEATTLE (42-29), (GOFF’S PERFECT GAME) THE BLOWOUT IN DALLAS
(47-9), (ON JERRY’S BIRTHDAY) THE TWO POINT WIN THAT TOOK AWAY THE VIKINGS UNDEFEATED
RECORD (31-29), THEN YET ANOTHER DISMANTLING TO THE TITANS (52-14). THIS UPCOMING GAME MAYBE THEIR BIGGEST
CHALLENGE TO DATE AS THEY WILL HEAD TO LAMBEAU FIELD TO TAKE ON THEIR NUMBER
ONE RIVALS, THE GREEN BAY PACKERS. IT
DOESN’T END THERE IN TERMS OF TOUGH MATCHUPS FOR THE LIONS AS THEY WILL PLAY
THE HOUSTON TEXANS ON SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL NEXT WEEK. ON TOP OF THAT THEY STILL HAVE BATTLES AHEAD
WITH THE COLTS, BEARS (TWICE), BILLS, NINERS, PLUS TWO MORE VISITS AS THEY HOST
THE PACKERS IN WEEK 14 AS WELL AS THE VIKINGS IN WEEK 18. AS I HAVE PREVIOUSLY STATED THIS NFC NORTH
DIVISION IS THE TOUGHEST IN THE NFL (EVERYTEAM IS OVER .500) WITH ITS 4TH
PLACE TEAM CURRENTLY CHICAGO AT 4-3. IF
THEY WANT TO WIN THE SUPER BOWL IT IS PIVOTAL FOR THEM TO WIN THEIR DIVISION AS
WELL AS THEIR CONFERENCE TO MAINTAIN HOMEFIELD ADVANTAGE FOR THE PLAYOFFS. I THINK THEY SHOULD WIN THE NORTH AND SEE
THEM ENDING OUT THE REGULAR SEASON WITH A RECORD OF 14-3 AT BEST OR 13-4 RECORD
AT WORST.
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