DESERTED CARDINALS OF ARIZONA

 

         Arizona has always been known for its natural attractions.  The weather there is mostly dry, non-humid heat.   The cuisine is mostly southwestern with its unique Sonoran style of Mexican food with its bold flavors and plenty of chili peppers & spices, especially on the southern border of Arizona.  Other styles of food you can find out there are mesquite barbecued meats because of the mesquite trees that are Indigenous to Arizona.  The Velvet, Honey, and Arizona native mesquite trees can all be found there and are all very useful for their unique dishes.  Another reason people would be intrigued to visit or live in this southwest state is the beautiful natural sites all around including the Grand Canyon, Saguaro National Park, Monument Valley, and then of course the city of Tucson.  The NFL team that calls Arizona its home is about two hours north of Tucson in Glendale, Arizona.

 

CARDINALS FRANCHISE HISTORY:

        The Arizona Cardinals were established as a football team in 1898 as the Morgan Athletic Club in Chicago.  The Cardinals were the first football franchise in the United States and are one of only two original franchises still operating in the NFL.  The other active original team is the Chicago Bears.  Arizona hasn’t always been the home for the Cardinals though, they have moved multiple times and have had several different names along the way.  After they were known as the Morgan Athletic Club (1898), they became the Racine Normals (1899-1900), and then they were known as the Racine Street Cardinals (1901-1906, 1913-1919).  It wasn’t until 1920-1943 that they became the Chicago Cardinals and then again from 1945-1959.  In 1944, the Cardinals merged with the Pittsburgh Steelers and were named Card-Pitt due to a draft that had many players lost for at least a season if not longer. 

        Upon the 1960 season, the Cardinals moved to St. Louis where they played from 1960-1987 before making their way to the state of Arizona to become the Phoenix Cardinals (1988-1993) where they played their home games for 18 years at Arizona State University’s Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona.  It wasn’t until the 1994 season that the Cardinals changed their name yet again to the Arizona Cardinals which is still their name today.  Though the Cardinals are one of the two original American football teams they unfortunately do not boast a good winning percentage. They possess one of the worst in NFL history dating back to 1920 when they first took on the Cardinals name.  From 1920 to 2023, the Cardinals franchise had an overall win percentage of just 42.4%, they own the most losses by any franchise in NFL history with over 800 losses in the regular season, and as Arizona fans already know, they also own the current longest active championship drought in North American sports. (77 years since their last championship) In the Cardinals' entire history, they have won just two Championships that date back to 1925 and then again in 1947.  Since the NFL renamed their ultimate game from the Championship Game to the Super Bowl, the Cardinals have only made one Super Bowl appearance in 2008.

        The Arizona Cardinals are in a group of their own in the NFL, though it is not a group you would want to be associated with, as they are currently one of twelve NFL teams to have never won a Super Bowl Title.  These Cardinals have more than 200 more losses than wins in their respective team’s history.  It may not surprise you that the Cards have only made it to the playoffs nine times since the Super Bowl era was born.  They have had some pretty good teams over the past three decades, they were just never good enough to earn a title.  The division they play in (NFC West) is also considered one of the toughest in the NFL.  The other three teams in their division have all individually either played in or won the Super Bowl within the past 10 years.  In the NFC West, the Cardinals divisional opponents consist of the Seattle Seahawks, who won the Super Bowl in 2014, the Los Angeles Rams won in 2022, then there are the San Francisco 49ers who have been in two of the last five Super Bowls though have lost both of those games coincidentally to the same Kansas City Chiefs team twice.

 

KEN WHISENHUNT ERA:  

        During Ken Whisenhunt's time as the Arizona Cardinals Head Coach, the Cards seemed to be in better spirits.  The Cardinals enjoyed some success under Whisenhunt as he had led the Cardinals to six playoff games in his tenure and they enjoyed a playoff record of 4-2, however, his overall win-loss record was under .500, 45-51.  Most people probably forget that these Cards had one of the best wide receiver tandems in NFL history in future Hall of Famer, Larry Fitzgerald and his teammate of six seasons, Anquan Boldin.  Larry Fitzgerald was a staple for Arizona for 17 years and produced over 17,000 yards and 121 touchdowns within 263 games.  Larry is an 11-time Pro Bowler, 1-time All-Pro, and was voted to the HOF All-2010s Team.  Anquan Boldin was a 3-time Pro Bowler, 2003 AP OROY and a 1-time Super Bowl Champion.

        Another player that made the Cardinals a legit threat to the rest of the league was the 4-time Pro Bowl, 2-time All-Pro, 1-time Super Bowl Champ, Super Bowl XXXIV MVP, and 1999 PFWA OPOY quarterback Kurt Warner.  Kurt was one of the best overall QBs of the last thirty years with a much different story than most.  I don’t think there is another story in comparison to Kurt’s as he was originally a walk-on for the Green Bay Packers after going undrafted in 1994.  The Packers cut Kurt as he was not good enough in their opinion to even be their third string.  The funny thing is Kurt Warner ended his career with a trip to Canton, Ohio when he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2017.  Warner had a few stops along his way to Canton; after getting cut from the Packers he spent a few years with the Iowa Barnstormers (Pro indoor team) before arriving in St. Louis to play for the Rams.  It was this move that helped his career take off.  Fast forward to 2005 when Warner signed with the Cardinals.  Kurt was originally brought to Arizona to be a bridge QB and help develop the USC standout Matt Leinart; however, the opposite became the team’s destiny as Leinart never quite worked out and Warner had the Cards in the Super Bowl in his fourth year there.  For Warner, this was his third Super Bowl appearance, and he became the NFL’s second quarterback to take two teams to the Super Bowl.

        This Cards Super Bowl team had a magical run on their way to the 2008 Super Bowl.  They had an elite offense behind their pass catchers in Fitzgerald and Boldin, but they also had a good offensive line and one of the better running backs of the 2000s in Edgerrin James.  Their defense also had some dawgs with defensive end Antonio Smith, Linebackers, Chike Okeafor and Karlos Dansby, then their defensive backs.  This team posed a major threat with two of the best safeties in the game Antrel Rolle & Adrian Wilson.  En route to their first Super Bowl appearance, they had to play three straight games before reaching their ultimate goal, the Super Bowl, as they had a regular season record of 9-7 and did not lock up a first-round bye week.  In the Wild Card round, they beat the Atlanta Falcons 30-24, and in the Divisional round, they faced the Carolina Panthers and prevailed 33-13.  The NFC Championship Game had the Cards host the Philadelphia Eagles which they were also victorious 32-25.  They had everything going for them until they got to the Super Bowl where they played an unbelievably great coached team in the Pittsburgh Steelers.  We all probably remember how that game ended, however, if the Cardinals had scored a touchdown from only two yards out with 18 seconds on the clock before halftime, then the outcome could’ve been completely different.  Instead, we all watched as Kurt missed Boldin on what looked to be a 2-3 step slant when James Harrison stepped in front of him to intercept the pass and bring it the length of the field back to the endzone.

 

CURRENT 2024 CARDINALS:

           This current Arizona team is much different from the top down.  Their current Head Coach is Jonathan Gannon who was signed to a five-year contract before the 2023 season.  Before Gannon was announced as the Arizona Cardinals Head Coach he made a name for himself as the Philadelphia Eagles Defensive Coordinator during the 2021-2022 seasons.  Gannon is now in his second season as the Cards’ Head Coach, and you must figure this will not be his last regardless of the team’s record at the season’s end.  I firmly believe this is the truth in Glendale, Arizona, as last season was a throwaway year.  Gannon could only watch as his team suffered a terrible season-long defeat after losing their superstar quarterback, Kyler Murray.  Kyler went down in December of 2022 to an ACL tear, but once he returned to full health Kyler looked very good.  Regarding fantasy football, Murray had ranked eighth among all starting QBs from weeks 10-18 last season once he was back under center.  He also ranked sixth in fantasy points per game.  Kyler has a win-loss record of 29-37-1 in the regular season along with losing his only playoff game in his six seasons as an NFL starter.

        Kyler is a very talented player who shows special abilities.  He is a dual-threat QB who can extend plays using his legs, even behind somewhat less desirable O-line play.  Kyler is very accurate with his deep ball throws; he has great awareness both in and outside the pocket.  He has speed that most quarterbacks do not possess and can take off when the pocket crumbles around him.  He is also like Lamar Jackson given his vision as a runner, which he has shown through his ability to make tacklers miss with his natural, God-given athleticism and agility.  He also always makes sure he never takes a big hit in the process.  Murray always leaves it all out on the field every Sunday.  Now he has some shiny new toys that the Cardinals have brought in the past couple of off-seasons through the Draft and free agency.

        General Manager of the Cardinals Monti Ossenfort has taken some swings in the NFL Drafts that have been major hits.  When you see the Tight End Trey McBride accumulate over 1,100 yards on 90 receptions for Colorado State you don’t think twice about drafting him if he were to fall to your team.  Monti did exactly that and in his rookie season, he showed some flashes but shared snaps with veteran TE Zach Ertz.  McBride’s second year he caught fire catching 81 passes for 825 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns, while only starting 12 games.  Now Trey is in his fourth year and is the sole number-one Tight End for the Cards.  Ertz is now a part of the Washington Commanders, and I project McBride to have a fruitful statistical season.  I project Trey McBride to have 88 receptions, 1,050 yards, and 8 TDs.

        Another major draft pick that will help change the trajectory of the Cardinals’ offense and team, in general, would be, none other than Hall of Famer and longtime Indianapolis Colt’s wideout Marvin Harrison’s son.  Marvin Harrison Jr. looks to be every bit of a franchise receiver.  At Ohio State, he wowed Buckeye fans in his sophomore year when he caught 77 receptions for 1,263 yards and scored 14 touchdowns.  He nearly repeated this production his junior year with 1,211 yards and 15 total TDs minus 10 receptions (67 rec as a junior).  With Marvin Jr. as the Cards' true number-one option in the passing game, I can see him producing at a high level for the next several years with Kyler Murray at the helm.  I like Marvin Harrison Jr. to record about 98 receptions for about 1,280 receiving yards and around 12 touchdowns this season.  In his first game as a pro, he had a dud, but in his second game, he showed up and showed out, scoring twice in the first half against the division-rival Los Angeles Rams.  Marvin's final stat line for week two was 4 rec, 130 yards, and 2 TDs.

        When it comes down to it, I certainly believe that this team is now in a good place, under good management, and has a good coaching staff.  The Cardinals are full of untapped potential and young talent on offense and defense.  Kyler Murray in my opinion, is an immensely talented quarterback, though maybe not a top-ten QB at this given time.  Having James Conner in the backfield is also very helpful as he is a hard runner with good vision and doesn’t turn the ball over.  Then you add in Harrison Jr., Trey McBride, wideouts Michael Wilson, and Greg Dortch and that is an offense that can wreck even the best of defenses.  Through the first two weeks of the season the Arizona Cardinals are now 1-1.  In week one Arizona lost to Buffalo 34-28 and in week two the Cards shredded the Rams 41-10.

VIKTOR THE VIKING'S VITAL VICTORIES

 

PURPLE PEOPLE EATERS:

            Long ago, a Professional American Football team destroyed every one of their opponent’s offenses every single week.  This was because of the Minnesota Vikings' lethal defensive linemen which consisted of five of the most feared men in professional football.  If you don’t know what I am referring to, I am talking about Alan Page, Gary Larsen, Jim Marshall, Carl Eller, and Doug Sutherland.  Their constant dominance between 1967 and 1977 put the Vikings on the map and would become one of the best defenses in football history.  The Minnesota Vikings quickly became a popular team because of their fearsome defenses.  Their nickname at the time was “The Purple People Eaters”.  This group of men that turned the Vikings into every opponent’s nightmare was heavily predicated on this team’s successful decade of defense.  During their decade of defensive dominance, Minnesota won ten NFC Central division titles within eleven years.  Minnesota never won the Super Bowl with The Purple People Eaters, although they still managed to do something special in that era.

           During the Minnesota Vikings' years of defensive supremacy coached by their Head Coach Bud Grant, they were known for having a powerhouse defensive line that both restricted their opposing teams and also constricted the offenses on the other side of the line.  As one of the NFL’s best defenses to ever play, The Purple People Eaters set some highly, unlikely repeated feats.  In 1969 the Vikings gave up only 3.4 yards per attempt, while only allowing the second-lowest total points per game (9.5 ppg) in NFL history.  In 1970 this same defense only yielded 10.2 ppg, in 1971 the purple and gold ended the season second in the fewest yards allowed while also ranking first in the NFL in ppg (9.9).  1971 was a special year for their defense, allowing twenty or more points only once that season.  Minnesota had reached yet another benchmark with their suffocating defense in 1975 by becoming the first NFL team to end the season leading the league in total defense, pass defense, and rush defense. 

     Indeed, The Purple People Eaters had a fantastic decade-long run and appeared in four Super Bowls (1970,1974,1975,1977) though unfortunately for the Vikings and Minneapolis, Minnesota they lost all four games.  Their reward didn’t exactly come in the results that they and their die-hard fans of Minneapolis would have hoped for, yet they did get something out of it.  While not everyone was recognized for the purple and gold through their defensive golden years, four men had received the best possible honor you can outside of hoisting the Lombardi.   Alan Page, Carl Eller, Jim Marshall, and Gary Larsen eventually all ended up in Canton, Ohio when they were inducted into the Hall of Fame.  Though they may not have ended up with those prestigious Super Bowl Championship rings that could’ve been passed down for generations through loved ones.  They instead got some of their player's faces sculpted into busts that will live on forever in the NFL’s Hall of Fame.  

 

KEVIN O’CONNELL ERA:

           When the 2022 NFL season approached, the previous Offensive Coordinator of the Los Angeles Rams (2020-2021) Kevin O’Connell along with, at the time, Washington Redskins (2019) coaching various other positions such as quarterbacks coach, (Cleveland Browns, 2015, San Fran, 2016, Washington 2017-2018) special projects, and passing gamer coordinator was hired to replace the Minnesota Vikings previous head coach (Mike Zimmer) of several seasons.  Before O’Connell arrived in Minnesota, he came fresh off a Super Bowl victory with the Los Angeles Rams who beat the Cincinnati Bengals in a closely contested 23-20 win.  In Kevin O’Connell’s first season as the Vikings' Head Coach, they won the NFC North with a surprising 13-4 record, however, what was even more surprising was that they ended up losing to the New York Giants in the NFC Wild Card game at home 31-24.  For both Kevin and the Vikings to win the division in his first year was crazy, especially because Aaron Rodgers was still on the Green Bay Packers at the time plus the Detroit Lions were on the start of an upswing, just barely missing the playoffs due to a tiebreaker to the Seattle Seahawks that had beat the Lions earlier that season. 

 

2024 MINNESOTA VIKINGS:

           Some of Minnesota’s top familiar faces have been shipped out of town in the last few seasons, like superstar wideout Stefon Diggs.  In 2020 Diggs was the first big name that left the Vikings after being traded to Buffalo and since has been traded again this past offseason to the Houston Texans.  They also decided to release their old running back Dalvin Cook plus yet another Pro Bowler, wide receiver, and hometown hero Adam Thielen.  After Thielen’s ten seasons as a Viking, he was signed by the Carolina Panthers as a free agent just a few seasons ago.  Still, with all those missing offensive pieces, they continued to be very good on offense because of Head Coach & offensive guru Kevin O’Connell and quarterback Kirk Cousins.  In with the new out with the old right?  That’s exactly how the Vikings handled their business, even with Kirk Cousins.  Kirk was injured last year as he suffered a torn Achilles back in week eight of last season.  As heartbreaking as it was seeing Kirk’s last season as a Viking cut short due to such a grueling injury, it was pretty much assumed before the injury that it would’ve probably been his last one there regardless.  Kirk turned 36 years old in mid-August and he never quite brought Minnesota to the promised land, so this is the business side of things in the NFL. 

          Now we start the J.J. McCarthy era, actually, we will have to put that on pause until next season.  McCarthy ended up on IR (injured reserve) and needs a complete Meniscus repair.  This dreadful injury came in a preseason game where McCarthy oddly enough threw a touchdown.  On the play in which he got injured, there wasn't any contact, and J.J. walked off the field without showing any signs of an injury.  J.J. McCarthy was drafted in the first round of this year's NFL Draft and is fresh off his National Championship Win, where he played under now ex-Michigan Head Coach Jim Harbaugh who signed a massive deal to be the Los Angeles Chargers' new Head Coach.  J.J. was very efficient as the Michigan Wolverines quarterback in his junior year, he completed over 72% of his passes.  However, his numbers do not reflect that of a top-caliber quarterback as he threw for 2,991 passing yards, 22 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions.  J.J. may not have had the greatest stats but fortunately for him, he was not asked to produce at a high level given Michigan’s stout defense alongside their efficient ground game. 

          When Michigan’s Head Coach needed to rely on the passing game, he knew that McCarthy wouldn’t turn the ball over, which is apparent as he only threw 11 total interceptions in his collegiate career.  In J.J.’s sophomore and junior seasons, he averaged about 200 yards through the air per game and had a passer efficiency rating of 155.0 or higher.  Like I said above McCarthy may not have had eye-popping statistics in Michigan, but he did end up finishing tenth in Heisman Trophy Voting in 2023.  That alone shows how good of a player he was when you think about how many teams and players there are in the nation.  I know that McCarthy will be itching at the bit to get back out on the field as soon as he is healthy again and I figure he must be dying to be able to throw some darts to the Viking’s incredibly talented wide receiver Justin Jefferson.

         Justin Jefferson is an elite standout player not just for Minnesota but is also highly regarded throughout the league as one of one.  You have Ja'Marr Chase, Tyreek Hill, and Justin Jefferson at the top of the list of wide receivers in the NFL.  There are a couple of other great receivers, but most people in the league would tell you that they are the top dawgs right now.  Justin Jefferson started his dominance as an LSU Tiger in 2019 as a junior when his ex-QB, now Cincinnati Bengal Joe Burrow helped him achieve insane numbers in just 15 games (111 rec, 1540 yds, 18 TDs).  From that time on, a star was born.  During Jefferson’s rookie NFL season fans watched him ball out, grabbing 88 receptions, 1,400 yards, and scoring 7 touchdowns.  In his second season, he continued to further elevate his game once again hoisting in 108 passes, 1,616 yards, and 10 TDS.  In 2022 Justin made it to his third consecutive Pro Bowl while receiving a First Team AP All-Pro nod.  That season he was targeted 184 times, caught 128 balls for 1,809 yards, and brought in 8 touchdowns.  He averaged 106.4 receiving yards per game in his third year before missing seven games last season.  Jefferson recently made NFL history this week for tying a record as the fastest player to reach 6,000 receiving yards in only his sixty-second career game.  This benchmark matched Jefferson to an all-time great Hall of Fame NFL receiver Lance Alworth who set this incredible record in the 1960’s while playing for the San Diego Chargers.

         There are a lot of unknowns for the Minnesota Vikings and their fans for this season.  What is known is that they have a hell of a Head Coach, a great Defensive Coordinator in Brian Flores, a very reliable backup quarterback Sam Darnold, and a top wideout in Jefferson.  They pose a threat both on offense and defense with a very talented roster plus they brought in some good veterans like ex-Packer’s runner Aaron Jones alongside a slew of defensive vets.  Even in one of the toughest divisions in football, the sky is the limit for these Minnesota Vikings.  Throughout the first two weeks of the season Minnesota finds themselves in sole possession for the division lead in the NFC North at 2-0.  Week one may come as no surprise as they beat the lackluster New York Giants 28-6, then this past Sunday the Purple & Gold hosted last year’s NFC Champs and came out on top with a massive upset winning 23-17 against the San Francisco Forty-Niners.             

THE REAL DEAL CITY OF STEEL

 

                When you think of the NFL amongst all the great owners across the league, it often seems that there is one name that isn’t talked about nearly enough, the Rooney family.  The Pittsburgh Steelers have long been one of the most prestigious teams in all of football.  The Steelers are one of the oldest franchises in the NFL as their inaugural season was way back in 1933.  This franchise dates back to the early 1900s, almost a century old, yet remarkably so the Rooney family ownership continues.  The Rooney family and the Pittsburgh Steelers began their relationship in 1933 when Art Rooney purchased the franchise for $2,500.   It all began for Art as a franchise fee that he then purchased for $2,500 to obtain ownership of a team that could be based in the city of Pittsburgh.  Art Rooney was already a well-known sports figure to the public before bringing a football franchise to Pittsburgh.  Art loved baseball and it obviously showed when he decided to name his new NFL team the Pittsburgh Pirates which was also the name of Pittsburgh’s MLB team.

                The Pittsburgh Steelers have had a long list of head coaches since the team was established 91 years ago.  This organization has had a bunch of good head coaches over that time.  However, in my opinion, there may be a tremendous number of people who'd be willing to say that the last three coaches they’ve had are probably the best in this team’s respected history.  Let’s go to the team’s 14^th head coach, Chuck Noll.  Noll had coached the Rooney-owned Pittsburgh Steelers for an incredible 23-year stint.  In Noll’s time with the Steelers, he coached them to four Super Bowl titles.  He was only one of four head coaches in NFL history to have coached one team for 23 consecutive years.   After Chuck Noll retired, the Steelers hired their now-previous Super Bowl-winning coach Bill Cowher, who served as the Steelers' head coach from 1992 to 2006.  Cowher had also led them to their fifth Super Bowl win.   

                When Bill Cowher chose to retire and be a studio analyst for The NFL Today, Cowher left behind a still talented roster for a new head coach to acquire to continue to add towards the Steeler’s Lombardi Trophy count.  During Mike Tomlin’s first season as Pittsburgh’s head coach, he excelled immediately, winning the AFC North with a 10-6 record, while they also finished as the number one defense.  Tomlin set records for most wins in the first two seasons as Steelers head coach plus he became the only coach in team history to win the division each of the first two years.  He turned heads left and right in the Steel City, winning over all of Pittsburgh’s hearts.  I mean how could he not; the man did everything you could possibly do to earn the fan's trust; he even defeated their AFC North rivals the Cleveland Browns the first time he matched up with them, which is yet another achievement that no other previous Steelers head coach had ever accomplished.  During the 2008 NFL season, Mike led the Steelers to their sixth Super Bowl victory.  Two years later Pittsburgh was back in another Super Bowl after missing the playoffs altogether in 2009, though unfortunately, this time Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers played spoiler in a 31-25 win over the Steelers.

                One thing you may’ve heard over the past 17 years, that should come as no surprise is that during head coach Mike Tomlin’s tenure with Pittsburgh, he's never had a losing season.  You can say it's because of the defense or because of the teams scouting or whatever, but one thing is clearly says is that he’s pretty much a top 10 coach All-Time in NFL history.  This is of course just my opinion, but I would love to know how other people feel about Mike Tomlin’s career.  He’s currently in his 18^th season and as of now I firmly believe that coach Tomlin will not only continue to be their coach for the next 4-6 years, I also believe when his coaching career comes to an end that he will for sure be a first ballot Hall of Famer.  If you asked me whether I believe if Mike Tomlin would manage to win another super bowl in Pittsburgh, I think I would probably say no, however Tomlin can certainly coach for another 20 years if he chooses and though I may say no to him getting another title where he is it doesn’t mean he can’t somewhere else.    

JACKSON VS MAHOMES PART 5

 

                We’ve finally made it to opening night of the 2024 NFL season.  A lot of things have changed since last year’s NFL season came to a close with the Kansas City Chiefs bringing home their second straight Lombardi Trophy.  Players have been released, traded, signed to new deals or had their contracts extended.  Players have both held out & held in hoping to be compensated more appropriately with their increased level of play.  The matchup to kickoff this season is last year’s regular season MVP Lamar Jackson vs the Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes.  The Ravens often haven’t fared too well when playing against Mahomes and the Chiefs.  In Lamar’s career he has a record of 1-4 when matching up with Kansas City, going 68 of 121 passing (56% completion) for 750 yards, four TDs, and two interceptions, and sacked 10 times. 

                                Patrick Mahomes, who is now a two-time NFL Super Bowl Champion, has thrived when facing off with Lamar, beating him and the Baltimore Ravens four out of five times.  The Chiefs almost always seem to come away with the win when playing Baltimore no matter the location.

 

    MAHOMES VS JACKSON GAME SCORES:

1)               CHIEFS 27, RAVENS 24 OT (2018) 

                    CHIEFS 33, RAVENS 28        (2019)

3)              CHIEFS 34, RAVENS 20        (2020)

4)                RAVENS 36, CHIEFS 35        (2021)

5)               CHIEFS 17, RAVENS 10        (2024)

 

MAHOMES STATS:                                                       JACKSONS STATS:

1)      35/53, 377yds, 2TDs, 1INT, 95.5 RATE                         13/24, 147yds, 2TDs, 100.5 RATE

2)      27/37, 374yds, 3TDs, 132.0 RATE                                  22/43, 267yds, 70.6 RATE

3)      31/42, 385yds, 4TDs, 133.5 RATE                                  15/28, 97yds, 1TD, 73.1 RATE

4)      24/31, 343yds, 3TDs, 1INT, 131.5 RATE                       18/26,239yds,1TD,2INT,78.8 RATE

5)      30/39 241yds, 1TD, 100.5 RATE                                     20/37,272yds,1TD,1INT,75.5 RATE

 

     In the five career games against one another Patrick Mahomes also added a few rushing yards, a total of 50yds.  Lamar, who is obviously more known as a dual threat, versatile type of quarterback has made a career off of his ability to use his legs and running awareness to not take any big hits.  This only adds to his overall gameplay as a dual threat QB, which is why he is one of the best in the NFL today and is now a two-time NFL MVP.  In his five matches with KC Lamar ran for a combined total of 357yds and 3 rushing touchdowns.  There are a few new players on both teams that I think will have their presence felt in tonight’s sixth matchup between these two superstar quarterbacks.  The Ravens top acquisition of the offseason ex-Titans running back Derrick Henry, along with a few new starters on Baltimore’s O-line, plus a healthy Mark Andrews could only mean good things to come for the Ravens.

Kansas City has also made some changes to their offense in the offseason. Chiefs have done a complete overhaul to their WR room and for good reason seeing how they led the entire NFL in drops last season.  Out with the old and in with the new right, especially if what was old didn’t work.  Well boy did they address this previous thorn(s) in their side by signing ex- Raven & Cardinal wideout Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, he is looking to miss some time with a shoulder injury.  They also brought back Juju Smith-Schuster for his second stint in KC, and the most exciting receiver, the rookie Xavier Worthy.  Worthy is the fast speedster out of Texas that the Chiefs have been missing since Tyreek Hill left for the Miami Dolphins a few years ago.  KC also resigned big man center Creed Humphrey to a four-year $72 million extension, which included $50 million guaranteed to make him the highest paid center in NFL history.

The Ravens bringing in Derrick Henry was purposely for a matchup like this when they must go throw for throw with the guy that the world is proclaiming as the new G.O.A.T of the NFL in Patrick Mahomes.  I don’t think many people realize that Henry has managed to be a big difference maker whenever he is going against Mahomes.  The stat says that whenever Henry and Mahomes two teams play one another the Kansas City Chiefs have actually averaged a TD less per game than whenever they play any other team.  The other outstanding statistic says that when King Henry runs against a Steve Spagnuolo coached defense that he ends up running for 5.7 yards per clip, which is his highest total against any opponent.  Henry also averages 111.8 yards per game which is good for his second highest total against an opponent.

Tonight, should be a great game in my opinion and I know the Chiefs are the best team and have the best QB and tight end in the NFL.  The Ravens now in my opinion have the best running back in the NFL along with a top five quarterback of their own and quite possibly the best defense in the league.  I believe the Ravens will upset the Chiefs at home to start the season.  You can put me down for Baltimore 27- KC 24 as my predicted final score.

 

BRONCOS CORNER IS SURTAINLY THE NFL'S BEST DB

 

            The Denver Broncos team has been built off tough players and hard workers, showing up & standing on business.  When you look at the history of the Denver Broncos players, coaches, and management, there aren’t really that many people who have been detrimental to the team through any form of media, whether online social media or with the press.  Denver hasn't had players that level of vocal cockiness to them.  The players there usually take a more conservative outlook regarding anything that goes on in-house or anything personal.  Broncos country usually doesn’t draft or sign the flashy type of players that are normally superstar-type players, not because they dislike those players or because of their abilities out on the field.  The men they usually bring in are all about their business, football!  You won't find many players in their history who are concerned with their own personal agendas or making sure their stats come first before the team's success.

              To the casual sports fan, when you really think about it, outside of the Denver Nuggets winning the NBA Championship in 2023 and the Colorado Avalanche winning the Stanley Cup in 2022, the Colorado Buffaloes had been the most popular team discussed within the sports world recently outside of the state of Colorado.  Even that being said, let’s be honest here, if Coach Prime (Deion Sanders) wasn’t the Head Coach of the Colorado Buffaloes they probably wouldn’t be discussed as widely as they’ve been recently.  Some of the Bronco’s all-time greats were not the most vocal players, like Champ Bailey, Terrell Davis, Rod Smith, Demaryius Thomas, or Ed McCaffrey.  Even current Broncos Pro Bowl wide receiver Courtland Sutton or All-Star cornerback Pat Surtain II just leave it all out on the field and don’t seem to get too involved with all the antics involved with pre-game and post-game smack talk. 

              With a player like Surtain this is exactly the type of player you’ll receive, he's more of a quiet and highly effective guy on the field.  Pat Surtain II is an elite NFL cornerback who's known for making his presence felt through physical gameplay that also possesses an elite-level football IQ.  Pat has great awareness and good communication with the rest of the defense when playing in zone d.  He is great at wrapping up when tackling opponents in the open field and has great size and length combined with the ability to go up and get the ball at the highest point.  At Alabama, Surtain II started 38 of 41 games for the Roll Tide.  He recorded 117 tackles (82 solos), four interceptions (69 yards, 1TD), 27 passes defensed, four forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries in three seasons as their top corner.  He was named as the defensive MVP of the 2021 Rose Bowl.  The Denver Broncos drafted Pat Surtain II ninth overall in the 2021 NFL draft.   

 

 His rookie NFL season marked a great good one, as he started 16 games.  Pat mustered up 58 total tackles, which was 16 more than he’s ever accomplished in a single season up to this point in his football career.  The star defensive back also managed to pull down four interceptions with 14 passes defended.  Upon Surtain’s second season, he played in 17 games as opposed to 15, (2022 NFL added an extra week) posting 60 total tackles, 2 interceptions, 10 passes defended, 1 forced fumble, 2 tackles for loss, & 1 QB-hit.  Surtain received a Pro Bowl nod while being named an All-Pro in his second season.  Year three was also a pretty good season for the young corner who set a new career high in both total tackles & solo tackles.  Pat tallied 69 combined tackles (59 solo), 1 interception, and 12 passes defended on his way to his second Pro Bowl selection.

                       

           PS2 is notorious for his ability to shut down passing lanes anywhere around him, no matter if you’re an average receiver or even if you are Davante Adams.  Having him on your defense is like a cheat code, thus his nickname PS2.  Just ask Superstar receiver Davante Adams of the Las Vegas Raiders, who was held to just 2 receptions on a total of 11 yards in last season’s week one matchup against Surtain and the Broncos.  In this matchup between Adams & Surtian, he shadowed Davante 61.5% (16/26 snaps) while Adams was only targeted 5 times and Pat had 3 passes defensed.  This is exactly why Pat doesn’t get a lot of opportunities to make plays on the ball and probably won’t wind up with a large number of interceptions since NFL QBs tend to stay away from Surtain’s side of the field.  There was a stat for his rookie season that said he had only allowed a 10.7 passer rating to QBs in man coverage, throwing the ball in the dirt every play gets a passer rating of 39.6.  Next Gen Stats shows that this season Pat has allowed just 15 catches for 148 yards on 198 routes run against him by opponents' top receivers.  Even in Denver's Monday Night matchup against the Browns, his old Alabama & Broncos teammate Jerry Jeudy only caught 2 passes for 20 yards when covered by Surtain. 

            The Denver Broncos certainly have a top-three cornerback in Surtain, though I’d argue he’s number one.  Though the way he has played this year, I don't think there would be a whole lot of arguing there.  The Denver Broncos locked Pat up in the long term, inking him to a new four-year contract extension before the start of this season, paying him $96 million with $77 million guaranteed  This deal pays Surtain a yearly amount of $24 million, which now makes him the highest paid defensive back in the NFL by about three million (2nd is Antoine Winfield Jr. $21.025).  PS2 is a staple to this defensive unit and team in totality and is just one reason the Denver Broncos are playoff-bound this season.  He became tied for 11^th in terms of annual salary for all defensive players.  Oh, and the extension keeps Pat tied to the Broncos for the next six seasons so good luck to the rest of the league that must face this man because it’s never an easy task.

 

BARKLEY COMES HOME TO PHILLY

 

                                March 13, 2024 was a special day for Philadelphia Eagles fans everywhere.  This marked the day that Saquon Barkley inked a deal with the Eagles that would solidify him coming back home.  Saquon may’ve been born in New York, but he was raised in the state of Pennsylvania where he played both his high school and collegiate football careers.  Barkley played his high school football at Whitehall High.  Barkley’s high school is in Whitehall Township, Pennsylvania, just about an hour outside the city of Philly.  As a standout high school running back Barkley rushed for an unprecedented 3,646 yards while accounting for 63 touchdowns between his sophomore to senior years.  His senior year he rushed for well over 1,000 yards when he caught fire running for 1,856 yards and had 31 touchdowns.

                                Just as Saquon played his high school football not too far from Philadelphia, he was also lucky enough to play his college football career inside his home state of P.A.  He went to Penn State to play for the Nittany Lions and showed everyone how good he would be his freshman year posting 1,076 yards rushing with a total of 8 touchdowns.  Upon his sophomore season he looked like a mad man out there while compiling 1,496 rushing yards, 402 receiving yards, and 22 total touchdowns (18 rush tds).  By the time Barkley reached his senior year he already had numerous NFL teams looking at him and hoping that he’d bring his elite skillset and style of running to their offenses.  In his Senior year and final season at Penn State he ran for another 1,271 yards, recorded 18 touchdowns on the ground, caught 54 passes for an additional 632 receiving yards and another 3 tds through the air.

                                After incredible play from this unbelievably talented football player on both the high school and college levels he was certainly ready for the big leagues, and they were obviously ready for him.  In the 2018 NFL Draft the New York Giants elected to draft Saquon Barkley with the 2^nd overall pick keeping him somewhat around the area of where he had lived his entire life up to this point.  In his rookie season as a Giant, Barkley yet again outdid himself and showed everyone he was poised to be a top tier NFL running back.  With 1,307 rushing yards & 11 tds, while also being an elite receiving threat posting 91 receptions for 721 yards and another 4 tds.  Saquon recorded a total of 2,028 scrimmage yards with 15 tds and left teams legitimately perplexed and often pondering what they could do to slow him down.  Following his colossal rookie NFL season his numbers were slightly grounded his second time around accounting for a total of 1,441 yards and a combined total of 8 touchdowns.  Year three brought a lot of disappointment for New York fans as Barkley only played in two games before suffering both an ACL tear grade 3 & MCL strain.  After his injuries in 2020 many fans feared he wouldn’t be the same player and speculated that his explosiveness would be gone, and his career would be over.  Next season Barkley’s numbers yet again suffered when he got hurt in week 5 when he ended up with a low-ankle injury against the Dallas Cowboys.  Over the next two seasons as a member of the New York Giants, Barkley started to reclaim his rookie form even while enduring some more minor injuries.  2022 Saquon recorded 1,650 total scrimmage yards, 1,312 rush yards and 10 total touchdowns, 2023 1,242 scrimmage yards, 962 rush yards, and 10 total tds.

                                In conclusion, from my perspective, I think that Barkley returning to the city of brotherly love and his home state of Pennsylvania will only revive and rejuvenate his career.  I know that the Eagles lost their future Hall of Fame center in Jason Kelce and his presence, football knowledge, and game play will most definitely be missed.  Having a running back of this caliber widens the overall outlook of this offense with Barkley’s abilities not just as a runner but also his greatness as a receiving threat coming out of the back field.  I like what the Philadelphia Eagles are doing here with all their moves in the offseason to help Hurts and the whole offense plus the moves that led to bringing in veterans on the defense.  If the Eagles do not finish first or second in the NFC East and make another playoff run this year it will certainly be a head scratcher.

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES HISTORY & 2024 OFFSEASON MOVES

 

       The Philadelphia Eagles have been a prominent team in the NFL and have been around for almost a century.  Ever since their arrival to the NFL in 1933 when the Eagles were founded by a group of men who had bought the Frankford Yellow Jackets franchise and turned them into the eventual Philadelphia Eagles.  Before the first Super Bowl, the NFL’s top game was called the AFL-NFL World Championship Game (1966-1969) & the NFL Championship Game (1933-1965) before that.  Philadelphia has had some great coaches in the franchise’s history.  In the 1940s under head coach Earl “Greasy” Neale (1941-1950), the Eagles found themselves as a top team in the league, they had won two NFL Championships (1948-1949) as well as six division titles.

   From their previous success in the 40’s it wasn’t until four decades later that they would reclaim their elite status again.  Dick Vermeil coached the Philadelphia Eagles (1976-1982) and brought them to a super bowl in 1980 when they lost to the AFC’s Oakland Raiders 27-10 in Super Bowl XV.  2004 was the next time Philly got to the pinnacle of the sport by winning the NFC Championship Game en route to their second Super Bowl appearance.  As I highlighted coach Andy Reid's career success in my article about the Kansas City Chiefs, Andy did a lot for this organization as the Eagles head coach, (1999-2012) although winning a Super Bowl wasn’t in the cards.  Doug Pederson was the next head coach that accomplished winning an NFC Championship to bring these Eagles back to another Super Bowl.  This time the results would be different as the Eagles ran into the likes of head coach Bill Belichick and his New England Patriots for the second time in Belichick’s tenure for a championship title.  The Eagles upset future Hall of Famer Tom Brady and the Pats while successfully converting on a specially designed play “The Philly Special” in which backup quarterback Nick Foles was on the receiving end of a fourth-and-goal touchdown.  This touchdown was crucial for the Eagles as they wound up winning Super Bowl LII in 2017.

   As the 2024 season approaches, the Eagles have made significant moves in both the NFL Draft and free agency to bolster their roster. This article will shed some light on the current state of the Eagles, while also focusing on key offseason additions and their potential impact on the upcoming season. The Eagles General Manager Howie Roseman made several strategic picks in the 2024 NFL Draft, aiming to address both immediate needs and future potential on both sides of the ball. Some notable draft picks include:

PFF GRADES:

CB- Quinyon Mitchell — Philadelphia fortifies its 28th-ranked coverage unit with arguably the most talented cornerback in this class. Mitchell led all FBS cornerbacks in PFF overall grade in the past two seasons. His outstanding athleticism and ability to make plays off-coverage make him a perfect fit in Vic Fangio’s defense.

CB- Cooper DeJean — The Eagles add two top-10 players from the PFF board in the first two rounds of this draft, both at the cornerback position. DeJean projects as a movable piece in Vic Fangio’s defense who could theoretically end up outside, in the slot, or at safety. He’s been extremely productive in the Iowa secondary, allowing just a 45.0 passer rating into his coverage over the past two seasons.

EDGE- Jalyx Hunt — A small-school player, Hunt dominated the lower levels, racking up 78 pressures, 14 hits, and 14 sacks since 2022. He has athleticism, explosiveness, and power that many edge rushers in this class don’t possess. He needs development to win at the next level, but his traits give him a great chance at reaching his potential.

ILB- Jeremiah Trotter Jr. — Sure to be one of the biggest stories of the day, due to him heading to the same place where his father enjoyed an outstanding career, Trotter ranked fourth among all linebackers the past two seasons with a 91.3 overall grade. He also ranked fourth nationally in that time with a 92.1 coverage grade.

RB- Will Shipley — Shipley is one of the better athletes among running backs in this draft class, with a 99th-percentile PFF Game Athleticism Score. He was also solid with the ball in his hands and earned a PFF grade above 70.0 in all the past three seasons.  Shipley is very talented and can account for a bunch of catches out of the backfield in addition to spelling Barkley as a true runner.

G- Trevor Keegan — Supplementing the interior is a sound approach for the Eagles, who needed to fill some voids. Keegan didn’t allow a sack in 2023 and earned a career-high pass-blocking grade (80.7). He played eight games without allowing a single quarterback pressure. It’s both added depth for their interior plus a sneaky good pick as Trevor had taken snaps at center in the Senior Bowl, his versatility could prove as a highly valuable pick down the stretch without Jason Kelce around.  Has great size at 6-6, 320lbs

WR- Johnny Wilson — The massive receiver out of Florida State finally comes off the board in the sixth round. At 6-foot-6 and 231 pounds, Wilson ran an impressive 4.52-second 40-yard dash. While not a super-developed route runner, there is certainly a role at the next level for a vertical threat who converted 21 contested catches over the past two seasons.  His size alone will probably have him involved at times as a red zone threat or to divert defense attention from number one wideout A.J. Brown.

Mastermind GM Howie Roseman also had his Philadelphia Eagles plenty active in the free agency market, making several high-profile signings to address some key areas:

RB- Saquon Barkley – Barkley has been the cornerstone and best player on the New York Giants offense since being drafted back in the 2018 NFL Draft and will now be showing off his incredible skills, as both a runner and pass catcher on another NFC East team.  This was a no-brainer by both parties as Philly now replaces last year's running back D’Andre Swift, while Barkley, who was raised in the Lehigh Valley, comes home to play in front of his family and friends.

LILBs- Zack Baun & Oren Burks- Zack Baun has been brought in to become one of their starting Inside Linebackers after Nakobe Dean, had somewhat struggled last season.  Oren Burks was brought in for added depth and is penciled in behind rookie Jeremiah Trotter Jr.

RILB- Devin White- White has always been productive as a sure-fire tackler with over 560 total tackles in his first 5 years in the NFL.  His presence is always felt by quarterbacks across the league with 64 QB hits and 23 sacks in his career thus far.

WLB- Bryce Huff- Bryce Huff spent his first four years on the New York Jets where he was more of a rotational piece only starting 7 games total and all 7 came in 2021.  Still, Huff managed 10 sacks last season,17.5 total, 43 QB hits, and 65 total tackles.

SS- C.J. Gardner-Johnson- C.J. is happy to be back in an Eagles jersey as he was signed last year to a one-year deal in Detroit, but the Lions ended up starting rookie sensation Brian Branch.  Gardner-Johnson returns for a second stint in Philly where he excelled in their defense while having his best and most productive season back in 2022, when in 12 games he had 6 INTs, 67 total tackles, 61 solo, & 1 sack.  

While the Eagles made several key additions, they also saw some notable departures:

Philadelphia parted ways with some high-profile names like Safety Kevin Byard and electric running back D’Andre Swift.  Ironically enough they reunited as teammates, signing with the up-and-coming Chicago Bears in a tough NFC North division.

The Philadelphia Eagles enter the 2024 season with a revamped roster and high expectations. The combination of strategic draft picks and impactful free agency signings positions the team as a strong contender in the NFC East after last year’s spiral down the stretch.  With division rival Dallas Cowboys not making much noise in the offseason the Eagles seem primed to take the front seat in the East.  Key factors to watch this season include:

Offensive Synergy: Saquon Barkley's integration into the offense alongside Jalen Hurts will be crucial. Barkley’s ability to create both on the ground and as a pass catcher out of the backfield adds a new dimension to the Eagles’ attack.

Defensive Cohesion: The additions of Devin White and C.J. Gardner-Johnson are expected to elevate the Eagles’ defense. Their leadership and playmaking abilities will be vital in creating a cohesive and formidable defensive unit.

Depth and Versatility: The Eagles have focused on building depth across all positions, ensuring that injuries or underperformance can be mitigated. This depth will be tested throughout the grueling NFL season.

The Philadelphia Eagles have made significant strides in the offseason to enhance their roster and address key areas of need. With a blend of experienced veterans and promising young talent, the team is well-positioned to compete at a high level in the 2024 season. The success of their offseason moves will ultimately be measured by their performance on the field, but the current state of this team does suggest a promising future for the Eagles and their fans.  Head coach Nick Sirianni led the Philadelphia Eagles to Super Bowl LVII only to lose to the Kansas City Chiefs 38-35.   However, if the reports in the offseason are close to how Philadelphia’s Owner Jeffrey Lurie feels, then head coach Nick Sirianni could be on the hot seat this season if the Eagles find themselves off to a less-than-great start.