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NFL Week 15 Winners and Losers

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Week 15 featured a plethora of the season’s best match ups on paper. Chiefs vs Chargers, Panthers vs Aaron Rod- I mean the Packers, Seahawks vs Rams and of course: New England at Pittsburgh. Many of you probably know how the latter ended and are filled with either joy or rage based on geographic location. If you do not know how it ended, New England won 27-24 thanks to another heroic performance by Tom Brady, as well as a controversial call. Both teams played well enough to win and appear to be on a collision course to meet in the AFC Championship, therefore neither made the Winner or Loser list this week. Anyways, With playoff implications running haywire, let’s see who prevailed and who failed.

P.S. this week’s winners and losers lists are predominantly focused towards teams with playoff scenarios

Week 15 Winners

Dallas Cowboys: 20-17 W @ Oakland

I feel as though Dallas has been featured in this segment on almost a weekly basis. I guess that says something about the inconsistency of Dak and company sans Ezekiel Elliott. The Cowboys have very quietly won three straight games. This win streak has them right in the thick of wild card contention. Dallas will have to win their last two games, which will be tough. In Week 16 they host Seattle and then travel to Philly to face the Wentz-less Eagles. Good news for Dallas: Zeke returns this week and they are seemingly a completely different team when he plays. His return makes their final two games look a lot more winnable. I don’t think any team wants to face Dallas with a well-rested Zeke come playoff time.

Cowboys playoff scenarios: if Detroit loses one of their final two games AND New Orleans, Atlanta or Carolina lose their final two games, then Dallas will earn a wildcard spot.

Detroit Lions: 20-10 W vs Chicago

Okay, a 10 point win at home vs the 4-9 Bears? Big deal. Certainly not the most impressive win, but it was not unimpressive. More importantly, Detroit did what they had to do to remain in playoff contention. This win improved their record to 8-6. Perhaps the best news for Detroit this week was Aaron Rodgers being placed on IR. This means that in Week 17 Detroit will get to host the Rodgers-less Packers, making it a very winnable game. Well, before I get ahead of myself they still have to rely on teams above them to collapse as well as win at Cincinnati in Week 16. Should not be a very tall task versus a team that has been outscored 67-14 over the past two weeks. But hey, you never know. I mean, wouldn’t that be the most Lions-y thing to do?

San Francisco 49ers: 25-23 W vs Tennessee

I feel as though the Niners deserve a spot under this column. Jimmy G and company delivered a quality win over a quality opponent. Jimmy G carried the load offensively going 31-43 with a TD, no picks and a 89.5 QBR. This performance included a clutch fourth quarter drive. Jimmy G took the Niners down the field from their own 25 with a little over a minute remaining. After going 3-4 for 45 yards, Garoppolo set up the 45 yard game-winning field goal for Robbie Gould. And just like that, San Fran has now won three straight with Jimmy under center.

Okay, so San Fran is still just 4-10 and has absolutely no shot at even coming close to a playoff spot. However, the Niners deserve this high praise for heading in a very good direction towards a bright future. Plenty of other franchises are probably jealous of San Fran due to the fact that they have found a franchise QB. quality QB’s are a hot commodity nowadays. However, San Fran still lacks a few key pieces on both sides of the ball. Also, they really need to work on red zone efficiency. During their 3 game win streak they have scored just three touchdowns while kicking 15 field goals. Too many points left on the board.

Side note: imagine next year’s NFC West with a much improved 49ers squad?

Image result for jimmy garoppolo 49ers win

Week 15 Losers

Seattle Seahawks: 42-7 L vs LA Rams

Cringe-worthy loss in week 15 for Seattle. Of course, key injuries have made it nearly impossible for Seattle to dominate like in years past, but come on, 42-7 at home with massive playoff and division title implications on the line? Not impressed. This loss really made the playoffs seem like a stretch for this years Seahawks. Still though, credit the Rams, who rolled into Seattle seeking revenge from their last meeting and got what they wanted. Also, credit Todd Gurley for being pretty much unstoppable. He ran for 152 yards and three TD’s on 21 carries. Oh and he had three catches for 28 yards and another TD. Imagine if it was a close game and Gurley remained in the lead-back role for all four quarters? He probably would have had six touchdowns and 300 total yards. Oh… right, this was supposed to be about the Seahawks. Oh well, it’s onto Dallas for Seattle for a true “must win”.

Image result for russell wilson loss vs rams

Los Angeles chargers: 30-13 loss @ Kansas City

I was really hoping that the Chargers would prove to me that they are legit. I can not help but root for those guys. Phillip Rivers is often criticized for turnovers and poor attitude. However, he is a very good QB and is putting together a very solid season. Entering this game he had 19 TD’s and just three interceptions over his past 10 games. His most impressive characteristic in my opinion is his competitiveness. If you watch this guy, it is easy to tell he wants to win. Some claim he is a cry baby or a poor sport, I think those people are confusing his fire and passion for whining. Anyways, it was time for LA to prove to the league they are for real. Fighting for the division title on the road, a win could have been a statement,  so what did they do? Flop.

Fortunately, it is not over for LA who currently hold a record of 7-7. Kansas City is only a game ahead in the AFC West while Buffalo, Baltimore and Tennessee are also only a game ahead in the wild card race.

Oakland Raiders: 20-17 loss vs Dallas

What was supposed to be a fantastic season for Oakland turned out to be a disaster. The home loss to Dallas put Oakland at 6-8 for the season. Theoretically, the Raiders could still sneak into the playoffs but the Chiefs, Chargers, Ravens, Titans, Dolphins and Bills would have to lose a combined 8032753238203 games, pretty unlikely. Really not sure what to think of this team moving forward. Hoping, for their sake that this year was the fluke and not last year, but I am not convinced. Also, what the bleep was Derek Carr thinking trying to score on that final play of the game? I understand he was trying to win the game for his team, but he already had the first down and needed just a field goal in order to tie the game. It would have been first and goal from the three yard line had he just ran out of bounds. This one is one is on him. Come on Derek Carr, you’re better than that… or are you?

Image result for derek carr loss

 

 

*Questions or comments? Find me at @MLBfromNH (Kevin Civiello)*

 

 

Three Teams That the Patriots Should Worry About

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I am a Jets fan, which I’ve shown in previous articles. The Jets are bad, and got worse after the injury to Josh McCown. They’re done and are doing what their original plan was: tank. But, still being a football fan, I’ll talk about the best team in the AFC. That’s the Patriots. They pulled off another miraculous comeback win against the Steelers, thanks to Rob Gronkowski and a classic Big Ben play. The Patriots look primed to make it to the AFC Championship again.

Is there anyone who can stop the Pats from getting yet another AFC crown? There are three teams that the Patriots should look at worrying about down the final stretch of the season. The teams? They’re the Jacksonville Jaguars, Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Buffalo Bills. Before you exit the article, let me make the case for each team. They are all good football teams that have their individual reasons in why they could defeat the New England Patriots.

The Case for the Jaguars

“Sacksonville” has applied pressure consistently on any opponent throughout the year and have earned their nickname. They have the most sacks in the league. The Patriots have a decent line, but it is not the best. The cornerbacks in Jacksonville are the best in the league as well, limiting to opponents to just 169 passing yards per game this season. Brandin Cooks, Gronk and Co. will have tough match-ups ahead of them if New England faces the Jags. Blake Bortles is playing consistently, and Leonard Fournette is one of the best backs in the league. The Jags rolled the Texans 45-7, and did not have Allen Hurns, Marquise Lee or Fournette this past week.

The Jags have everything it takes to play in the cold as well: a great defense and a top-tier running back. It will be a challenge for Bill Belichick and the Pats coaching staff to limit the playmakers on both sides of the ball for Jacksonville if the two AFC powerhouse teams face each other this January. If this showdown does occur, NFL fans should buckle up. They are in for a great game.

The Case for the Steelers

Yeah, Gronk dominated the Steelers’ defensive backs. Yes, the Pats held a very good Pittsburgh offense to 24 points. But, if this match-up goes down in January, coach Mike Tomlin may want to look for a solution to Gronk. The task will not be easy, but maybe the Steelers’ staff can muster something up, which should include a double team.

A key piece was missing from this past weekend, and that was Antonio Brown. The greatest receiver in Steelers history should be back come playoff time after tearing his calf muscle in the first quarter. Le’Veon Bell should be there, along with rookie standout JuJu Smith-Schuster, with Martavis Bryant, etc. The Steelers defense is adequate enough to hold the Patriots to under 30, as seen Sunday. That can give the Pittsburgh offense enough room to outscore the Patriots. But it all starts with limiting Gronk, which is the toughest challenge for any defensive coordinator in the NFL today.

The Case for the Bills

Lol. That’s probably the first thought going through anyone who read that I consider the Bills a danger to the Pats. That could be true, but the Bills face the Pats next week, meaning they could get the Pats out of home field advantage. The Bills are also actually in the playoff picture, and winning out would give them a playoff berth. If the Bills happened to play the Patriots for a third time, it’d be in Foxborough. Probably not an ideal location for the Bills, but it’s the hand they are dealt.

Sean McDermott is a good coach, but probably won’t outcoach Belicheck. They would be forced to rely on LeSean McCoy and, I don’t know, actually use that athletic freak they acquired from Carolina? Charles Clay can also be a guy Tyrod Taylor relies upon, like we saw against the Dolphins. The defense of Preston Brown, Micah Hyde and Tre’Davious White will have to try to limit Rob Gronkowski, something that will be very difficult to do for a defense that simply does not have the raw talent to defend a 6’7″ monster.

Patriots Steelers: Game of the Year

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Patriots Travel to Pittsburgh

Football: AFC Playoffs: New England Patriots QB Tom Brady (12) calling signals vs Pittsburgh Steelers at Gillette Stadium.
Foxborough, MA 1/22/2017
CREDIT: Erick W. Rasco (Photo by Erick W. Rasco /Sports Illustrated/Getty Images)
(Set Number: SI702 TK1 )

The Patriots travel to Pittsburgh to take on the Steelers Sunday for the game of the season. Both teams are trying to get the number one seed in the playoffs. The Patriots couldn’t get anything going in Miami while the Steelers took care of business against the Ravens. Belichick wasn’t too happy with a reporter asking if the Patriots overlooked the Miami game on Monday shaking his head.

Tom Brady Has an Injury

DENVER, CO – NOVEMBER 12: Tom Brady (12) of the New England Patriots and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels talk in the second quarter against the Denver Broncos. The Denver Broncos hosted the New England Patriots at Sports Authority Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado on Sunday, November 12, 2017. (Photo by John Leyba/The Denver Post via Getty Images)

Tom Brady is battling an Achilles injury which has kept him out of practice last week. Brady did practice yesterday and will be ready to go on Sunday. The Patriots don’t usually lose two in a row and tend to have a breakout game after playing a bad one. Brady loves the “in decline” talk that the loud mouths say on TV. He proves them wrong and shuts the haters up that say he doesn’t have it anymore.

Bill Belichick’s Thoughts on Pittsburgh

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick speaks to the media following an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Sunday, Oct. 29, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer) ORG XMIT: NYOTK

Belichick spoke to the media yesterday at his weekly press conference talking about the Steelers saying:

“Pittsburgh is having a great year, very talented team, playing very well right now. They’ve been playing well all year but especially over the last couple of months. They’ve put a lot of big wins together, played a lot of good football at the most critical times of the game when they needed to. It’s a well-balanced team, very explosive on offense, good on defense, good in the kicking game, have a lot of great players, well coached, tough, hard-nosed, physical team. We’ve had a long history of great competitive games with [them]. I’m sure it will be a great environment there Sunday afternoon.”

I really don’t see the Patriots losing this game. They have Gronk back this week which was a huge miss on Monday. The Patriots will be fine; they really don’t usually play well in Miami anyway. I don’t mean to make excuses, but the Patriots are the best at having a bad game one week to completely turning around the following week.

On to Pittsburgh

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Wow, that game was awful. Another loss down in Miami and an ugly showing by the Patriots to fall one game behind the Steelers heading into next week’s match-up. Despite what the scoreboard said, this might have been the ugliest game the Patriots have played all season. Kenyan Drake ran wild and Jay Cutler was routinely hitting open receivers. Then you have the 0-11 on 3rd downs. 0-11! This was the Patriots’ first game since a 24-10 loss to the Phoenix Cardinals in Week 5 of 1991 where they failed to convert on third down. That team was quarterbacked by the legendary Hugh Millen. Based on how the offense looked last night, I think Millen may have been on the field again.

Why This Might Not Be a Bad Thing

Hear me out; yes the Patriots looked terrible and fell behind Pittsburgh in the standings. If the Patriots win this coming week, they jump back ahead due to head-to-head tiebreaker, so they control their own destiny. I don’t think it’s a bad thing to drop a game late in the year. The Patriots were just humbled, shown they are not invincible by a very mediocre team. Moving forward, maybe they approach each game with more meaning. I’ve always thought since 2007 the Patriots would have been better off dropping that regular season game to the Giants. As it stands, the Patriots eight game winning streak came to an end; they know they are not indestructible. But again, they just won eight straight, this is a good team, don’t look into this loss too much.

Moving Forward

The Steelers better watch out. Coming off an embarrassing loss, the Patriots will likely be firing on all cylinders next week with home field on the line. The Patriots have typically played well coming off a loss during the Belichick-Brady era. I expect this coming week to be no different. The Patriots have won four straight matchups with the Steelers and eight of the last ten. During that four game streak the Patriots have averaged 34 points per game. Over those previous ten games, including the losses, they have averaged 30 points per game. They have historically had the Steelers number. One of the losses came with Matt Cassel at quarterback in 2008.

In addition to those factors, Rob Gronkowski will be back. At least part of the reason the Patriots offense was all out of sorts was the absence of Gronk. Gronk is so hard to cover that defenders have to hold him constantly to stay with him, and oftentimes are allowed to do so by the refs. With 849 yards and 7 touchdowns on the season, Gronkowski is a huge part of what the Patriots do on offense. Gronk has also played five games against the Steelers and averaged 99 yards per game while scoring eight times.

Another positive on the offensive side of the ball is Chris Hogan. Yes, he only had 1 catch for 1 yard this week, but the whole offense was out of sync. Hogan himself was just coming back after missing over a month. He was also limited in practice all week leading up to the game. With a full game back under his belt, I think Hogan will be up to speed and ready to contribute more.

Rob Gronkowski of the New England Patriots celebrates after scoring his third touchdown of the game in the fourth quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers September 10, 2015 (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

 The Steelers

The thing working in the Steelers favor is they have a home game. The Steelers have been a much better home team over the last couple years. Their offense is lethal at home, but only mediocre on the road. Roethlisberger has thrown 64 more yards per game at home than on the road so far this year, while tossing four more touchdowns in one less game. Last year he averaged 81 more yards per game at home while throwing 20 touchdowns there as opposed to only nine on the road. Taking this back to the beginning of the 2015 season, Ben Roethlisberger has played 18 home games and 21 road games. During that time he has averaged 64.5 more passing yards while playing at home. He has also thrown 50 touchdowns versus 19 interceptions at home, 24 touchdowns against 23 interceptions on the road. It is clear this offense is dangerous at home.

What to Expect

I think the Patriots offense will come out clicking. Brady will be firing on all cylinders while they effectively mix in runs with Dion Lewis and Rex Burkhead. I predict the Patriots will score on their first drive of the game and not look back. The Steelers will do some scoring of their own to stay within striking distance, with a late field goal bringing them within one possession.

Patriots 34  Steelers  27

Every AFC North’s Fantasy Football Sleeper of 2017

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The AFC North has some good talent year in and year out when it comes to fantasy football. Guys like Antonio Brown, Le’Veon Bell, A.J. Green, etc. all play in the AFC North. We also have three talented quarterbacks in that division as well. Ben Roethlisberger, Joe Flacco, and Andy Dalton are all QB1/QB2 options when it comes to fantasy football. The AFC North remains competitive year in and year out, because they have some star talent in that division.  Take a look at the list that @thefrizz87 and I put together for the sleeper pick on each team in the AFC North.

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