With Kyrie Irving, Boston May Win It All

The Celtics continue to go from strength to strength this season but the odds of them dethroning Golden State continue to plummet. Boston has the league’s best defense under Brad Stevens. And the team has shrugged off an injury to Gordon Hayward to top power rankings charts across the board. The Celts have already beaten the Warriors and have the best record in the league, with Kyrie Irving putting forward a strong case to be named regular season MVP. Some claim that he Celtics could surpass the Red Sox and the Patriots in the popularity stakes. Whether or not you buy into that, it is certainly a great time to be a sports fan in Boston.

Green vs. Gold

But can Boston really beat Golden State when it counts? The sport books remain unconvinced. Betonline will have odds for the Celtics, review them. Favorites going into almost every game at present. But in future odds, Golden State is a -162 favorite to win a second consecutive NBA Championship. Boston is out at +1000. Odds makers don’t even favor the Green to win the East. The Cavs sit at -191 to win the conference and Stevens’ men +300. But underdog status will suit them. No pressure, and they can focus on creating an upset.

Fans have many positives to be taken from the Celtics’ win over Golden State on November 17. They restricted the reigning champs to just 88 points, their lowest score since Kevin Durant joined. The Celts made a real statement in the win. The rest of the league has takien notice. Semi Ojeleye marked Steph Curry out of the game. Marcus Smart was all over Andre Iguodola. And the Celtics executed Stevens’ plan perfectly. They won with hustle, heart and determination, a rock solid defense that can thwart any team in the league, and second-half momentum that often proves unstoppable.

Who Will be the Beast of the East?

The Celtics look to be heading for a collision with Cleveland in the east. Right now, they have the better end of that monster summer trade with the Cavs that resulted in Kyrie Irving head to Boston and Isaiah Thomas go in the opposite direction. Irving has been a blur with the ball in his hands and has scored at least 20 points on 50 percent shooting in five straight games. He is now third favorite to be named regular season MVP, behind only James Harden and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Meanwhile Thomas is still injured, but when he returns to action, the Cavs will be a formidable opponent. Thomas will have a point to prove if the Celtics meet the Cavs in the playoffs. LeBron James is a one-man wrecking ball, but after shutting out the dream team at Golden State so well, Boston need fear no one.

Al Horford looks nailed on for All Star status alongside Irving, while Jaylen Brown has come on leaps and bounds, building an outside case for All Star inclusion. Smart looks impressive when not shooting, and Jayson Tatum shines like a superstar of the future. Aaron Baynes, Marcus Morris, Ojeleye and Daniel Theis continue to play very well. Stevens has proved as good a coach as any in the business. Celts fans have a great deal to be positive about going into the festive period. If they keep it up, the odds on them will continue to plummet and Golden State’s period of domination could prove short-lived.

Patriots Fans Have Nothing to Worry About During the Last Month of the Season

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December Is Right Around the Corner

The Patriots begin the final stretch of the regular season next week in Buffalo. They took care of business in Denver, then in Mexico against the Raiders. Yesterday they played the Dolphins for the first time this season, and going in everyone figured it was going to be a blowout. Let’s face it: the AFC blows. Nobody is catching the Patriots. They have the easiest division in football. They have the greatest quarterback of all time on their team and a coaching staff that can make any opponent look bad.

Patriots Always Find Ways to Win

(Mexico City 11/19/17) New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady congratulates wide receiver Brandin Cooks’s touchdown during the third quarter of the NFL game against the Oakland Raiders at Azteca Stadium on Sunday, November 19, 2017. Staff Photo by Matt Stone

The Patriots always find ways to win games. The final stretch of the season includes Buffalo, Miami, Pittsburgh Buffalo and the Jets. According to the odds at freebets.org, in January we’ll be looking at a 14-2 team yet again. This is the 17th consecutive season the Patriots have a winning record. It’s unheard of, and it has to do with how smart the Patriots are, causing the rest of the AFC to look just plain dumb.

The Patriots and Everybody Else

The Steelers have no shot at beating the Patriots. None of the players want to play for the team anyway, and Big Ben is done after this year. Patriots fans can buy their plane ticket now for the Super Bowl cause that’s where they are headed. The state of the AFC will be like this until Brady retires. It has been a great run and of course we don’t want it to end. But I do wish the games were sometimes more competitive. At the end of the day it’s the Patriots versus everybody else.

Analyzing Each College Football Contender’s Chances for National Title Shot

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Whether justified or not, at the start of every college football season each fan base has hope. Hope that a committee of thirteen people who eat, sleep, and breathe college football all believe that your team is worthy. I will admit it, I have bias, and have been lucky enough to experience that hope come to fruition on multiple occasions since the start of the College Football Playoff. I am an Ohio State Buckeyes fan living in Columbus who will be attending the university next year. In 2014, when the Buckeyes made that late season run after Braxton Miller and J.T. Barrett went down, Ohio State’s destiny was in the hands of the committee. When Ohio State was announced as the fourth and final team to make the playoffs, it was the best feeling ever.

College football is about to have the biggest and most meaningful championship weekend in the long history of the sport. Top-ten match-ups galore, all with an unprecedented impact on the playoffs. Whether your school is still in the hunt, you should be watching. The caliber of football will be amazing, and the stakes higher than ever. However, if your school is still in the hunt, you are probably asking two questions: “Do we deserve it?” and “What needs to happen for us to get in?”

Allow me to give you a guide as to what you should want to happen as I analyze each contender’s current resume as it stands as well as the best case scenario that COULD get your team a playoff berth.

(10-2) TCU Horned Frogs vs (11-1) Oklahoma Sooners – Arlington, Texas, Fox, 12:30pm

Oklahoma’s Resume:

Oklahoma has probably been the most polarizing team in college football this season. This title makes sense considering that they have one of the most polarizing player in college football: Baker Mayfield. Mayfield has torn up college football this season. His personality may certainly be questioned, but his talent should not. The resume should be all about what the team has done, but when you have a figure like Mayfield, he stands alone as a reason to consider Oklahoma for the playoffs. Do not get it twisted. If they defeat TCU, Oklahoma deserves a spot. This game is far from in the bag however. Even with the quality win in Columbus versus the Buckeyes, the Oklahoma defense has had a knack for giving up points, which could certainly make this rematch interesting. Oklahoma had one bad loss, and it was to an unranked Iowa State team. Other than that, with a win this Saturday vs TCU, the resume sparkles.

HOW THEY GET IN:

Plain and simple, win and they are in. Let’s be honest, love him or hate him; you want to see Baker Mayfield on the big stage again. While the game itself is far from ‘plain and simple’, if Oklahoma prevails, which is a big “if”, consider them a lock for the playoffs.

(11-1) Georgia Bulldogs vs (10-2) Auburn Tigers – Atlanta, Georgia, CBS, 4:00pm

Georgia’s Resume:

In review, Georgia’s season has been a long-awaited return to the top of the college football ranks. Former Alabama defensive coordinator, Kirby Smart, in his second season heading the program at Georgia has officially turned things around. Georgia has the fourth-ranked total defense in college football, and has only one blemish on its resume: a blowout loss to a school none other than the one they are about to face, Auburn. Georgia’s resume is highlighted by one quality win against #24 Notre Dame. The biggest test came against Auburn, when Georgia forgot to show up, getting blown out 40-17. Georgia has the chance of a lifetime. Make the committee forget about that loss by defeating Auburn this Saturday.

HOW THEY GET IN:

First things first, if Georgia doesn’t defeat Auburn they will be eliminated from contention. However, if they do beat Auburn, they will have a great case and an amazing chance at the playoffs. They will have a quality win against #24 Notre Dame, and a quality win vs top-ranked Auburn. With that comes the SEC Championship. With a win over Auburn, and assuming Oklahoma defeats TCU, they should be safe.

Auburn’s Resume:

Auburn may very well be the hottest team in college football right now. Led by Jarrett Stidham and Kerryon Johnson, Auburn has defeated both Georgia and Alabama while ranked #1 in recent weeks. One geek may say, “BUT THE COMMITTEE HASN’T EVER PUT A TWO-LOSS TEAM IN THE PLAYOFFS”, but do not listen to them. This season there are more teams with one and two losses than before. Auburn only has one bad loss, anyway, with the other probably the best loss a team can have: 14-6 vs Clemson in the second game of the season. The other loss coming to LSU certainly does not look great, but they defeated two #1 teams. ‘NUFF SAID.

HOW THEY GET IN:

If Auburn defeats Georgia again, they are in the playoffs.

However, Auburn fans, I would not lose all hope if Auburn plays well and loses to Georgia. They have destroyed them already, and defeated Alabama. Should Oklahoma lose, Ohio State win, and Auburn lose, I would not be surprised by the idea of Auburn sneaking in with the ACC winner, Georgia, and Ohio State/Alabama.

Crazy to imagine a three-loss team making the playoffs, but it could happen!

(11-1) Miami Hurricanes vs (11-1) Clemson Tigers – Charlotte, North Carolina, ABC, 8:00pm

Miami’s Resume:

Like Georgia, this season has been a long-awaited return to the top for Miami. The recent addition of head coach, Mark Richt, along with good recruiting, has brought back the Miami we all remember from the early 2000’s and before. Standing at a record of (11-1), Miami’s quality wins have come against #13 Virginia Tech, and the breakout game vs #3 Notre Dame. The Turnover Chain swept across the country after the upset victory vs Notre Dame. Their time in the sun didn’t last too long, though. A few weeks later they were upset by Pitt 24-14.

HOW THEY GET IN:

With a victory over Clemson, a team who many assume is the best team in the country, should all but guarantee a playoff spot for Miami. Defeating Clemson is probably the toughest task that any team has ahead of them this weekend. Dabo Swinney has a very good thing going on both sides of the ball for Clemson right now. The Turnover Chain will need to be in full effect against Kelly Bryant and that Tiger offense for Miami to pull through and clinch a playoff berth. Win and you are in.

Clemson’s Resume:

Clemson’s resume is filled with quality win after quality win. They defeated Auburn 14-6, at #14 Louisville, and at #12 Virginia Tech. Clemson has certainly proven themselves even with their ugly upset loss to Syracuse. They have one of the best head coaches in football, being the defending National Champion could help, and they seem unstoppable.

HOW THEY GET IN:

There are a few ways that Clemson could get into the playoffs. The first, and most direct way: Defeat Miami. If Clemson defeats Miami on Saturday night, then they will likely head into the playoffs as the #1 seed. The second, if they lose to Miami, but Oklahoma loses to TCU, while Wisconsin defeats Ohio State, and Auburn defeats Georgia, the committee could put them in over Alabama as the fourth and final team. The third, Clemson loses to Miami, Oklahoma defeats TCU, Ohio State defeats Wisconsin, and Auburn defeats Georgia. The committee would have to choose between Clemson, Ohio State, and Alabama.

(12-0) Wisconsin Badgers vs (10-2) Ohio State Buckeyes – Indianapolis, Indiana, Fox, 8:00pm

Wisconsin’s Resume:

Wisconsin’s biggest win this season was against #24 Michigan, a game that many didn’t believe that Wisconsin would win. Wisconsin is the only unbeaten Power-Five team left, and have the #1-ranked total defense. They have a clearly stout defense, withthe offense led by a stud freshman RB, Jonathan Taylor. Wisconsin has so many doubters because they haven’t had any “true” quality wins this season. Michigan isn’t truly a quality win. This resume is questioned, rightfully so, but that could all change Saturday night.

HOW THEY GET IN:

Wisconsin defeating Ohio State should, and probably will, get them in. as undefeated Big Ten champions. Unless the win is the ugliest win of all time, I do not see any way that the committee decides to put Alabama in over Wisconsin (assuming Oklahoma wins). With an ugly and unbearably boring win, it wouldn’t surprise me if the committee imagined an Alabama and Nick Saban vs Wisconsin game… who do you think would win? I would take Alabama right now, but this all depends on how Wisconsin plays/wins. Wisconsin just has to play well and win the game to avoid any discussion.

If Wisconsin does decide to win the ugliest type of 14-10 game, the “Alabama or Wisconsin” question would fade away. If Oklahoma loses and Clemson wins, they would both be in anyways.

Ohio State’s Resume:

Four weeks ago, Ohio State was all but eliminated from the playoffs. After a quality 48-3 win vs #12 Michigan State, then running the table, Ohio State’s hopes are alive. They have the quality win vs Michigan State, and they also have the win over #2 Penn State. They have two losses, one not completely awful, vs Oklahoma. The other is probably the worst loss a team can have, at Iowa 55-24.

HOW THEY GET IN:

Ohio State has no guaranteed path to the playoffs. With that said, they will be eliminated if they do not defeat Wisconsin on Saturday. The best thing that Ohio State can do for themselves is to absolutely route Wisconsin. Leave the best impression that they can. The easiest way for them to make the playoffs is to put on an amazing performance in a win vs Wisconsin, and for Oklahoma to lose. That would give the committee another reason for Ohio State to get in. The likely scenario has Oklahoma winning, though. Knowing that, it will come down to Ohio State as Big Ten Champions vs Alabama. Urban Meyer vs Nick Saban.

Alabama’s Resume:

Alabama by far has the slimmest odds of making the playoffs out of the listed teams. They do not have a true quality win, like Wisconsin, but they aren’t undefeated like Wisconsin. Alabama lost its only quality- level game against Auburn this week, two weeks after being on upset alert by Mississippi State. The game resume isn’t great, but again… this is ALABAMA we are talking about. They have Nick Saban, they have multiple first round picks, and they have been to the title game back-to-back years. The benefit of the doubt may apply to them.

HOW THEY GET IN:

Like I mentioned above, Alabama will be biting fingernails all weekend long. Alabama should out-cheer the biggest TCU fans this weekend. If Oklahoma loses to TCU, it practically opens up a spot for Alabama. The only scenario with Oklahoma losing that doesn’t look good for Alabama is if Miami defeats Clemson, and Wisconsin defeats Ohio State. That would put in the SEC winner, Miami, Wisconsin, and either Clemson or Alabama in. That is a tough match-up. Even if Oklahoma wins, Alabama can still make it, they just then become Ohio State fans. That would set up Ohio State vs Alabama for the fourth spot.

Every college football fan in the world should look forward to Saturday. It could be one of the best days in college football history.

Rask’s Rough Start Costing the Bruins

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Goaltender Change in Boston?

So far this season the Bruins have been inconsistent. That doesn’t come as a surprise to many due to the youth of this team. The Bruins had won four straight, their longest winning streak of the season until Sunday’s loss to Edmonton. The surprising thing is the main reason behind their longest winning streak of the season is due to their backup goalie, Anton Khudobin. The Bruins’ number one goaltender Tuukka Rask has gotten off to a rough start. If he does not improve his play, then there could be a new number one goaltender in Boston.

Photo Credit: Fluto Shinzawa

Rask’s Rough Start

On Sunday night Rask had an opportunity to make his case and he didn’t capitalize. With the play of Khudobin, some have started to say Rask may lose his job. Rask has often been criticized heavily in Boston and this year his numbers don’t help his case. After Sunday’s game Rask now has just three wins and nine losses in twelve starts this season. He is giving up almost three goals a game and has yet to record a shootout. Last year he recorded a career high of eight. So far this season he ranks near the bottom in most goaltender statistics while Khudobin ranks near the top. It is not impossible for Rask to get on a role and carry this team, but time may be running out.

Photo Credit: Harry How/ Reuters

Youth Movement

The Bruins have many young players on their roster. So far this season these players have at times made mistakes in front of Rask leading to goals. Rask has carried the Bruins in the past by stealing games. This year he hasn’t come up with those big saves nearly as much. That is where Khudobin has excelled and is why the Bruins have won with him in net. if Tuukka can start to make the difficult saves than his results may change and the Bruins could rise in the standings.

Photo Credit: Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press via AP

Moving Forward

This season is Bruce Cassidy’s first full season as the Bruins head coach. Early he’s made it clear that paychecks don’t matter but performance will dictate who plays. If Rask wants to remain the starter then he will have to play better. Rask has been the Bruins number one goaltender for the past six years. He’s won a Vezina and almost carried the Bruins to a championship in 2011. Rask has been one of the best goaltenders in the league at times throughout his career. With his job on the line it’s time for Rask to remind people of the player he is.

HOF: A Case for Moose and Schill

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In our continuing series of articles on this year’s Baseball Hall of Fame ballot, we now turn our attention to two guys who didn’t enhance their stats through the needle. Unlike the greatly debated case of Roger “the HGH was for my wife” Clemens, Mike Mussina and Curt Schilling have never been linked to PEDs. Each deserves induction.

As I mentioned here, neither Moose nor Schill have Clemens numbers, but they also don’t have his PED baggage.

The Standard for the Hall

We used to believe that the standard for Cooperstown was 300 wins and 3,000 strikeouts. That is actually far from the truth.

There are 75 pitchers in the Hall of Fame. Taking away those who were exclusively or predominantly relief pitchers, including Eck, Rollie Fingers, Gossage, Bruce Sutter, and Hoyt Wilhelm, we’re left with 70. We should also take out Babe Ruth, Satchel Paige, and John Smoltz from the sample.

Ruth only pitched a couple of years and is in the Hall for his bat. Paige, certainly an all-time great, only pitched in the major leagues for part of six seasons after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier. Smoltz earned induction based on a balanced career of excellence as both a starter (213 wins) and closer (154 saves).

Thanks to our friends at www.baseballreference.com, we know what the average starting pitcher in Cooperstown looks like. They pitched for 18 years, went to four All Star Games, won 253 games, lost 176, had an ERA of 2.98 and struck out 2,153. And, for those readers who appreciate modern, second-order stats, they have a WAR (wins above replacement) of 70 and a WHIP (Walks/Hits per Inning Pitched) of 1.197.

Mussina by the Numbers

Mike Mussina was a great pitcher, but he meets none of the traditional marks for Cooperstown. His 270 career wins are below the magic 300 but are above the Hall average. He also lost fewer games than the typical HOFer.

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The five-time All Star struck out 2,813 and had a career ERA of 3.68. His career WAR (83.0) was better than the average Cooperstown pitcher and his WHIP (1.192) is nearly identical. Mussina won seven Gold Gloves, but he never finished higher than fourth in Cy Young award voting.

Schilling Beyond the Numbers

I won’t pretend to be entirely objective about Curt Schilling. I’ve known him for years since his retirement and know that he’s not the caricature some in the media portray him to be. His Hall candidacy ceased resting on his baseball resume a few years ago. His numbers are beyond Hall worthy except for his wins total.

Schill (216-146, 3.46 ERA, 3,116 Ks, 79.9 WAR and 1.137 WHIP) finished second in the Cy Young award three times, and was a six-time All Star. His low win total is often used as an excuse for those who keep him off their ballot. There are 18 starting pitchers in the hall with fewer than 216 wins.

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No pitcher in the Hall has Schilling’s post season resume. The three-time world champion is universally understood as the greatest post-season pitcher of the modern era.

In 12 post season series, Shilling went 11-2, had an ERA of 2.23, a WHIP of 0.968, and was a League Championship Series (1993) and World Series MVP (2001). You would need a Pentagon super computer to calculate Schilling’s post season WAR. When the weather turned cold and the competition heated up, against the best hitters in the game, Curt Schilling was the best in baseball.

Tomes have been written about Schilling’s off the field activities. His failed company, his departure from ESPN, his political positions, and his social media presence. Some writers, including Boston’s “favorite” curly-haired boyfriend, have used one or more of these things to justify keeping Schilling out of the Hall. Many of these same writers ignore Curt’s long and substantial charitable work and his Roberto Clements award, but have no issues voting for steroid users who cheated, like Bonds and Clemens.

The Case For Both

If the Hall is really about baseball, and voters truly care how pitchers performed within the context of their era, than both Schilling and Mussina must be inducted. That these two pitchers accomplished what they did, in an era when juiced hitters were breaking every offensive record and when new and smaller ballparks popped up every year, is simply amazing.

To compete clean in the steroid era and achieve to their standard cannot legitimately go unrewarded. Of the pitchers who faced Barry Bonds, the poster child of the steroid era and the most prolific power hitter in history, at least 100 At Bats, Schilling held him to a lower batting average (.263) than both Greg Maddux (.265) and John Smoltz (.275). Both are in the Hall. Both were elected on their first ballot.

Jake Debrusk: Future NHL Superstar

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Every time a team rebuilds fans search for players to latch onto. Most fans and writers have been drawn to the fabulous talent of Charlie McAvoy. Rightfully so though, because McAvoy is a special player. But another young prospect on this team with exceptional talent has been flying under the radar. Jake Debrusk has been highly touted since being drafted number 14th overall in the 2015 NHL draft. For the first time Debrusk has flashed the talent that scouts have been raving about since his youth hockey days.

Backstory

Jake Debrusk has always had the heart and passion for the game. But early on in his hockey journey he lacked a scoring touch to go along with his determination. Jake Debrusk is the son of former New York Ranger Louie Debrusk. He has always been viewed as the guy who will do the dirty work in the corners. Through the early stages of his development this was crucial for him because his exceptional goal scoring ability was still developing. He is not a physical hockey player, only being 6 feet tall and weighing in at 188 pounds. However, he does have the grit and determination to do whatever it takes to get high percentage shots. This eventually got him drafted by the Swift Current in the 7th round (137th overall) in the 2011 WHL Bantam Draft.

Breakout

In 2013-2014 the hard-working mentality of Debrusk helped him lead all Swift Current rookie forwards in goals (15) and assists (24) through 72 games. Debrusk’s speed and shot began to develop to catch pace with his exceptional hockey IQ. However, it was not until the 2014-2015 season that Debrusk flashed his full potential. The young left winger opened the eyes of scouts everywhere, scoring 42 goals and adding 39 assist to account for 81 points, which ranked 4th in the WHL among left wingers. Debrusk showed that scoring ability that so many scouts around the league had been waiting for making him a highly touted prospect. In his final two regular season games he propelled the Broncos to a playoff spot scoring 7 points, 3 goals and 4 assist.

Adversity

After the winger’s stellar season he rapidly rose draft boards across the league. Many projected that he would be a late first round pick. The Boston Bruins thought highly of the Edmonton native, drafting him with the 14th overall pick in the 2015 NHL draft. However it was not all smooth sailing. Debrusk’s pro career started off on the wrong foot. The ex-Bronco failed a conditioning test only a few months after the 2015 draft. On top of that the young sniper’s WHL season was a bumpy one. With injuries plaguing Debrusk causing him to play only 24 games for the Broncos. The once potential NHL superstar was rapidly losing stock as each day passed.

Perseverance

Debrusk took the same approach off the ice as he would on the ice, grinding out every shift. Despite the sobering start to his pro career, the rookie continued to push through and thrived in the AHL. Posting impressive numbers across the board with 19 goals, 40 points, and a +11 rating. His hardworking nature and exceptional sniping ability had transferred to the pro game better than anyone believed it would. The wing once thought to be bust all of the sudden was the next great forward in the Bruins’ farm system.

Entering the season Debrusk was put into a top 6 role by Bruce Cassidy due to his exceptional scoring ability. After a rather pedestrian start the rookie looked tepid at times. In the past few weeks Debrusk has shown why he was such a highly touted prospect. Using both his speed and strength along the puck to create prime scoring chances for him and his line mates. Debrusk has always head the work ethic and the brain to play at the NHL level. But now with his rapidly improved offensive game, the sky is the limit for number 74.

Is Eli Manning’s Career Over?

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The New York Giants’ coach Ben McAdoo announced around 3 PM on Tuesday that longtime starting quarterback Eli Manning will be benched for Sunday’s game against the Raiders for Geno Smith, as announced in a press conference held by McAdoo. This will bring an end to Eli’s 210 game streak of starting in an NFL regular season or postseason game. McAdoo also stated that rookie Davis Webb would get a shot to at some point this season. Webb, who was a third-round pick drafted from California, was highly praised for his natural athletic ability and big arm, according to Mike Mayock. Webb’s decision-making, however, was cited as poor and “robotic”, along with being a poor scrambling quarterback.

If the Giants don’t improve their offensive line, Webb is a poor choice at quarterback, as the Big Blue line is the most depressing thing in sports since The Butt Fumble. Webb is not even an average scrambling quarterback. And when I say their line is depressing, that’s quite an understatement. They suck, a lot. It’s a disgrace to offensive lines to call the New York Giants offensive line an offensive line. It’s more like a collection of semi-mobile practice dummies trying to protect a school of fish against a shark. Nothing’s going to go over well. But anyways, back to Eli Manning. Will Eli be back next season for the Giants, another team, or will he retire? Let’s look through Steve Tisch and John Mara’s options.

What the Giants Should Do with Eli

Eli Manning is still a serviceable quarterback in the league, but his contract severely limits his trade value. Despite the Giants 2-9 record, Eli has set a career low for interceptions per pass attempt (1.8%) and has a 2:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio this season. My fellow contributors at Boston Sports Extra also pointed out that a lot of his passes haven’t been as risky as in years past. This can be seen through his completions of 20 yards or more. Manning has completed only 20 passes of such quality, where his career average is about 44 per year. Even though there are still five games left to go this season, Eli has been throwing the long ball less often, leading to less chances and therefore, less interceptions. Given, his talent at wide receiver is about the worst in the league. After Sterling Shepard, Roger Lewis is the best receiver on the New York Giants. He is a passable WR3 at best, and should not be a focal point of any NFL offense at this point.

For the Big Blue, they should build the offensive line through the draft this year. Eli should remain the starter at least for the beginning of next year, and if it is determined that Eli is incapable to play quarterback. Manning will then have an option year, which the Giants will have to pay $6.2 million to opt out of the contract. Jim Mara and Co. should then let Eli go, let him retire, and let him go off into the sunset as a New York Giant.

Who Could Be Interested in Eli

The Giants should at least see what they can get for Manning, despite his $22.2 million salary cap hit next year. They could get a late-round pick for him, but the need for a veteran quarterback is rare as of now. Not many teams are in contention with a quarterback problem, and most other teams are looking to draft a quarterback in this year’s draft, besides three.

The Minnesota Vikings are the first team that could throw an offer the Giants way for the youngest Manning brother. All three quarterbacks (Bradford, Keenum, and Bridgewater) are free agents this upcoming offseason. The reality to this situation is that the Vikings will sign one of these three, as they have all proven to be above average quarterbacks and will cost significantly less money than is on Eli’s contract, and they will not be getting just a rental, which Manning is.

Tom Coughlin’s Jaguars

The Jaguars would be another team that could look at Manning. A possible Bortles-for-Manning swap? I highly doubt it, but part of me wouldn’t be surprised. Tom Coughlin loves Eli, and Eli loves Tom Coughlin. The Giants are looking for a young quarterback, and Bortles is only 26. He’s had his most consistent and mistake-free year so far, and hasn’t had his top target, Allen Robinson, this season. Given, Eli hasn’t had Odell Beckham, Jr. either. But, the Jaguars are doing well with Bortles, he makes sense in the long run for their organization, and they just opted in to keep Bortles for next year, which includes about $20 million if he is on the roster after June 1.

John Elway and the Broncos

This would be such a typical John Elway move. What’s more typical for Elway than to go out and get Eli Manning to finally settle the terrible saga that is the Broncos quarterback carousel since Peyton Manning left? Nothing. Elway has been putting the most sub-par quarterbacks in since Peyton left. Eli’s a rental and would allow Elway to draft another awful quarterback and let him “develop” under Eli. But, will it actually happen? Probably not. Eli retiring would be much more likely. But hey, hypotheticals are fun to think about.

Manning’s contract runs through next year and he has an option for the 2019 season. No one should worry about the 2019 season, as Manning will probably be retired by then. As pointed out before, the Giants would waste $12.4 million if they drop Eli.

What Manning Should Do

Manning will be 37 on January 3, which is getting old for any NFL player besides kickers, who are immortal (@JasonHanson, @AdamVinateri). He is a two-time Super Bowl champion and two-time Super Bowl MVP. He will forever be known for beating two dominant Patriots teams in the Super Bowl as well. If I am Eli Manning, I’m retiring after this season. In turn, Manning could ask the ownership to grant him a position either in the front office or as a coach. He has had a solid career, he should be able to give it up now. If he truly cares about the Giants and everyone that has given him a chance to succeed in the NFL, he would rid the Giants of a massive amount of money that could help the team succeed in the future. Eli has a good mind as a quarterback, and could contribute to the Giants process of getting over him.

Honestly, I have no idea what Eli could be thinking. In his interview after practice on Tuesday, he seemed defeated. His tone of voice was straight up depressing and hopeless, exactly like this season for the Giants. Retirement has to be weighing on his mind, and must feel like a semi-truck in his thoughts. I feel bad for him, he is a much better quarterback than advertised. He’s a potential Hall of Fame quarterback that will forever be overshadowed by a meme.

Jardine’s Means : How We Will Beat the Bills

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Fresh off a lovely victory over the very sad, chippy Miami Dolphins and we are “on to the Bills”. I have a question for everyone: how is Suh still allowed to play in the NFL? Sorry I digress, and back to the matter at hand. The Patriots play this coming Sunday against the Buffalo Bills and their multiple personalities. Will the Patriots be facing the scrappy Bills team that just defeated the Chiefs? Or will they be facing the squad that looked like a bad high school team and were passing out interceptions like Santa passes out presents? Either way, it will require a solid game plan to take this Bills team down. Let me tell you what I feel are the keys to defeating the Bills and keeping our winning streak alive.

AS USUAL IT STARTS WITH BRADY

The key for the Patriots to beat any team is to rely on Tom Brady. That is not exacting rocket science to come up with that little tidbit. Basically the Patriots will be as good as Brady is, which is stellar most days. Tom Brady’s success may also be predicated on the running game being efficient. Against the chippy Dolphins, RB Dion Lewis ran for 112 yards and opened up the passing game. By controlling the ball with the run, the passing game and the play action will shred the Bills.

Once the run is established, expect the Patriots to pick apart the Bills with their passing game. The Bills tend to play a huge amount of basic zone coverages such as Cover 2, and Cover 3 in their defense. This defense is key if the Bills are able to get some pressure on Brady. If the Bills are not able to put pressure on Brady then this game will be an air show and the Bills will get whooped.

KEEP THE BILLS’ D LINE IN CHECK

The Bills are going to try desperately to get to Tom Brady and disrupt his rhythm. This also sounds like a broken record, but it is the key to the Bills’ defensive success. Being a little vulnerable in the defensive secondary, the Bills need to get pressure on Brady. The Bills also need to stack the box and stay close to the line to control any running game.

It goes without saying, Brady and friends should be well prepared for the Bills and what they may bring. Brady has more weapons on offence then some nations have in their armouries to defend a country. Picking just the right weapon to go to is what Brady does so well and has for about a hundred years.

If Brady is getting a lot of pressure then expect to see a lot of screen passes and a lot of short crossing patterns. This allows Brady to get rid of the ball quickly and gain positive yards. Having the blocking of our O-line on point, then expect some of these Bills’ line rushes to be met with gashing running plays. Having Brady keep the Buffalo’s D line off-balance should allow for another Patriots’ victory.

For the Patriots want to wear out an opponent’s D line, then there is only one answer. All that would be required to wear out the Buffalo defense is up tempo no huddle. This mantra of mine seems to wear out defenses, limit substitutions, and allow the Pats to get the lead. Let’s hope the Pats just do this and do not require me screaming at my TV.

STOPPING MCCOY AND CONTAINING TAYLOR

When drawing up a game plan to face an opponent, the Patriots’ staff tend to focus on one or two players to stop. The theory is that it would be harder for the other players to beat them then it would be for the stars. In the case of Buffalo, the Patriots will have to stop Shady McCoy and all of the aspects that he brings to the Bills’ offence. McCoy is a great runner and also one of the better backs in the NFL at pass catching. I would expect McCoy to be the personal assignment of Patrick Chung who will try to disrupt McCoy’s day. I also expect that McCoy will see a lot of Devin McCourty as well depending on the play.

The Bills’ starting QB Tyrod Taylor can be a dangerous weapon for their offence. If Taylor is allowed to scramble around and keep the Patriots’ defense off-balance then he will be quite effective. Lessening Taylor’s impact on the game is key. Taylor must be forced to be a passer first. Also by keeping contain on Taylor, the Patriots limit the damage he can do with his legs. Taylor is better passer then he was when he first started in the league, but it is still his weakest aspect.

CLOSING WITH A VICTORY

If the Patriots’ coaching staff prepares their team like they always do then I like their chances. Taking what the defense gives you and executing is the key to Brady’s game. Controlling the tempo of the game with the up tempo, no huddle should allow the Pats to come away this Sunday with another victory. I guess we will all just have to tune in and find out for sure, but I like our chances.

Boston Celtics’ Ups and Downs – Week 6

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Week six of the NBA season was a busy one for the Celtics. A four-game week saw another impressive come-from-behind win in Dallas, a gritty victory on the road in Indiana with a depleted roster, and the unfortunate end to one of the more improbable win streaks in the league. The Celtics have bounced back from the end of the streak with two straight wins, but they need to clean some things up if they want to start another winning streak. Let’s jump in and check out the Ups/Downs!

The Ups

Aggressive Al Is Not so Average

Al Horford’s shooting came back to earth after a scorching week. And with the drop in efficiency, his scoring numbers decreased as well. In three games against Dallas, Miami, and Orlando, Horford had just 15 points on 6-20 shooting. But, in typical Horford style, he stepped it up against Indiana when it was needed.

With Jaylen Brown (personal) and Marcus Morris (rest) inactive against the Pacers, Horford upped his aggression on the offensive end and gave the Celtics some much-needed points. He knocked down threes and roasted defenders with some Olajuwon-esque post moves to the tune of 21 points on 8-15 shooting, his most shots in a single game this season. Horford will undoubtedly give what the game needs from him, but a more aggressive Al is never a bad thing.

A More Efficient, and Dangerous, Kyrie

Over the first 17 games, Kyrie shot over 50 percent from the field just four times. He shot at least 50 percent from the field in all four games this past week. Chalk it up to early season struggles or the weight of a franchise on your shoulders, but Kyrie has certainly turned his shooting numbers around. Kyrie messed around and shot 59.5 percent from the field this week, an even more impressive stat considering both the difficulty and volume of shots that he takes. A 47-piece in the overtime win against Dallas highlighted the week, but Kyrie getting more comfortable in the offense should have Celtics’ fans drooling.

Improved Play from Celtics’ Bench

The Celtics’ bench were atrocious coming into this week. Ranked near the bottom of the league in bench points, Boston was in need of a few sparks. Terry Rozier and Marcus Smart weren’t shooting well, but the Boston reserves turned it around. Rozier decided to never miss a shot again, scoring 40 points on 15-20 shooting over the past two games. Smart found a shooting rhythm against Indiana after being inserted into the starting lineup. Semi Ojeleye has been more aggressive on offense and Aron Baynes has proven to be a very capable bench scorer. Consistency is key, and with five straight games in Boston, hopefully the second unit can find their groove.

The Downs

Slow Starts Are Starting to Catch up to the Celtics

To be fair, the Celtics have been abnormally good at coming back from early, or late, deficits. They did it against the Mavericks and Pacers this week alone. But how long can that last? Their winning streak ended against Miami when they couldn’t dig themselves out of a tough start, and you have to imagine that they won’t be able to keep up their heroics all season. The comebacks are entertaining, but I have thought Brad Stevens would much rather just play well for the whole game instead.

The Celtics Need to Shoot Better (Duh)

Despite having the best record in the league to date, the Celtics are ranked 27th in field goal percentage. The Celtics aren’t the Golden State Warriors. They can’t sleepwalk through half of a game and then just flip the switch and score a million points. Their comebacks have been because of their defense. If the defense starts to slip, these comebacks will be fewer and farther between. This team will be scary when their shots start to fall, they just need to get their first.

Free Throws, Free Throws, Free Throws

I’m going to keep harping on this, mainly because this is my weekly column AND I WILL WRITE ABOUT WHATEVER I WANT TO WRITE ABOUT, DAD! Wait, sorry that got away from me a little bit there. Regardless, it fills me with rage to watch the Celtics miss free throws. They have moved up to 14th in the league in free throw percentage, but they are still leaving too many points at the charity stripe.

Short Term Solution for the Bruins’ Season

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So far the Bruins’ season has been full of questions with few solutions. The Big Bad Bruins for better or worse have been the team’s identity. Well at least it was until recently. This year’s Bruins team lacks a definitive identity. They are not skilled enough to play up-tempo, eye-popping hockey. But the Bruins are also not tough and gritty enough to grind out close games on a consistent game to game bases. So far this hockey team has won games in different ways, but as we have seen they’re very inconsistent.

Weakness

Watching the games outside of Pastranak, Marchand, and maybe Krug or McCavoy, this team is not built to play fire wagon hockey. The recent success that the Bruins have come across has been a result of pure effort. Cassidy needs to keep the pedal to the medal in order to keep the arrow pointing up. Sunday night’s 4-2 loss to the Oilers showed exactly what happens when the Bruins try to play a more finesse style of hockey.

This loss to the Oilers is a painful one to swallow. The Bruins coughed up what should have been a guaranteed two points against a widely underwhelming Oilers team. Edmonton came into the TD Garden concluding a terrible five game road trip, and having lost four out of their last five games. While Boston was playing their best stretch of hockey this season, after winning an emotional matinee matchup against the Penguins. But the Bruins got away from their game and as a result ended up playing the Oilers game.

Grit

Now when the Bruins have been good this year it’s not because of the talent level. It’s because the Bruins have played with fire, and grit that has worn down less prepared teams. That type of wear-you-down hockey is what the Bruins need to continue to pursue if this season is the main priority. Too often the Bruins try to make the extra pass in the offensive zone, or on the breakout. As a result the bigger, faster, and more talented teams have been able to dictate the terms against Boston.

So how can the Bruins make this season interesting? By embracing the physical, gritty style of hockey that has been the key to the Bruins success as an organization. Rather than trying to wow the crowd through the neutral zone, start dumping the puck into the corners and make the other team work. Also, the Bruins have to suffocate the neutral zone much more than they are currently doing. Quicker teams have been able to gather great speed off the rush which has led to prime scoring chances.

While up tempo hockey is exciting, it has gotten the Bruins in trouble. Slow it down, finish checks, and make the other team outwork you. That’s the key to the Bruins having any substantial success this season.