NFL Season Outlook
By Brett Malamud
Football Fans, the waiting is finally over. Today marks the the start of the NFL season. For many teams comes a fresh start, a clean slate. For others, comes a window of opportunity. As is tradition, the opening day of any of the big four sports leagues means that it is time for me to unveil my season outlook. Here’s my division and playoff picks for this year.
AFC
AFC East
| Team | Record |
| New England Patriots | 12-4* |
| New York Jets | 9-7* |
| Miami Dolphins | 8-8 |
| Buffalo Bills | 6-10 |
NE- They’ve got Tom Brady and he still knows how to win. Not the coach (who I still believe would have been fired long ago had he spent more than one day as head coach of the Jets back in 1999), but Tom Brady. No further comment.
NYJ- While I am a known lifelong Jets fan, this is not an example of me being bias. The addition of Eric Decker should prove to be a huge step for a team that had no WR’s last year. Chris Johnson should really help in the backfield and will take pressure off QB Geno Smith. I may be crazy but I believe that the Jets will start the season at 1-7 before driving to win the final eight games to take themselves back to the playoffs, but ultimately fall during Wild Card weekend.
MIA- They’ll struggle at times on offense due to a weak offensive line.
BUF- Sammy Watkins could be a great addition but it doesn’t mean anything if he doesn’t have a strong QB.
AFC North
| Team | Record |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 10-6* |
| Baltimore Ravens | 8-8 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 8-8 |
| Cleveland Browns | 5-11 |
CIN- Andy Dalton and AJ Green will carry the team into the playoffs.
BAL- I feel like the Ravens will get into a groove in the final four weeks of the season, but will fall just short of the playoffs.
PIT- No major improvement from last year.
CLE- Predicting Week 5 for when Johnny Manziel sees the QB position fall into his lap. Still, they’ll miss Josh Gordon. Look for Jordan Cameron to have a great year though
AFC South
| Team | Record |
| Indianapolis Colts | 11-5* |
| Tennessee Titans | 7-9 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 5-11 |
| Houston Texans | 4-12 |
IND- Andrew Luck will lead one of the top offenses in the league on a journey that could go deep into the playoffs.
TEN- Jake Locker will be good, but not good enough.
JAX- Won’t be much better than last season.
HOU- Still have a lot of work to do on offense. Will have a fun defense to watch though.
AFC West
| Team | Record |
| Denver Broncos | 12-4* |
| San Diego Chargers | 9-7* |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 8-8 |
| Oakland Raiders | 4-12 |
DEN- The absence of Wes Welker looks like it could lead to the downfall of the Broncos but Peyton always finds a way.
SD- I think that Philip Rivers will be a top 4 NFL passer.
KC- A tougher schedule than last year means that the win total will go down. Unfortunately, they play the 49ers, Patriots, and Seahawks, in addition to their normal divisional schedule that includes the Broncos and Chargers for two games each. Still like the talent on this team and think that Jamaal Charles will have a big year.
OAK- Rough schedule for a weak team.
NFC
NFC East
| Team | Record |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 11-5* |
| Washington Redskins | 9-7* |
| Dallas Cowboys | 8-8 |
| New York Giants | 6-10 |
PHI- I really like the Eagles this year. Adding Sproles could make for some good dual RB packages with a lot of screens.
WAS- Another intriguing team. Reed, Garçon and Jackson can’t all be tightly covered, can they?
DAL- Distractions will lead to another season of an upset Jerry Jones and missing the playoffs.
NYG- A lot of people are overrating them, more specifically the New York media. They’re not going anywhere except for the basement of the NFC East. (*Eli-Face*)
NFC North
| Team | Record |
| Green Bay Packers | 11-5* |
| Chicago Bears | 8-8 |
| Detroit Lions | 6-10 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 5-11 |
GB- Aaron Rogers MUST stay healthy for this team to compete but I believe that he will.
CHI- Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall highlight a veteran team in a “win-now” mode. Will be tough to get to the playoffs unless the Packers stumble through the final stretch of the regular season.
DET- I think that their RB’s won’t be as strong as last year, and with a tough schedule down the stretch, the team will suffer.
MIN- They’re not ready to compete with the big boys of the NFL yet, but they’ll get there fairly soon.
NFC South
| Team | Record |
| New Orleans Saints | 12-4* |
| Carolina Panthers | 8-8 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 8-8 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 6-10 |
NO- The clear favorite. Another Championship could be on it’s way to NOLA.
CAR- Steve Smith will be missed but we’ll see if Kelvin Benjamin can fill that role
ATL- I believe they’ll scratch their way to .500
TB- I don’t see the offense in them that other people see. Their QB isn’t really that good and they don’t have a lot of options other than Doug Martin, who’s coming off a major injury, and Vincent Jackson, who will probably be doubled. Also the loss of Revis should prove to hurt them.
NFC West
| Team | Record |
| Seattle Seahawks | 13-3* |
| San Francisco 49ers | 11-5* |
| Arizona Cardinals | 8-8 |
| St. Louis Rams | 3-13 |
SEA- Nobody will be stopping them. Clear Super Bowl favorite coming in to this season
SF- A major Super Bowl contender. Think they’ll get taken down though by the Saints in the Superdome in the Divisional round.
ARI- Their defense will carry them to a .500 record.
STL- You can’t win without your QB. A hurt Bradford leaves the Rams with nowhere to hide.
*Denotes that the team will clinch a playoff spot
AFC Championship
I’m going to take the Colts over the Broncos
I’m being a bit risky here with my pick, but hey, it’s not like a team hasn’t made a run in the playoffs (like this guy)
NFC Championship
Saints over Seahawks in an upset
I really do like this Saints team and think that they’ve got what it takes to take down the top dog in the NFL.
SUPER BOWL XLIX
Saints over Colts
I believe that Drew Brees will deliver the title after leading his team through the 49ers and Seahawks. I also think that he’ll winning the Super Bowl MVP in addition to the NFL Offensive Player of the Year.
Can Drew Brees bring another title to NOLA? (Via AP)
I hope that everyone enjoys this NFL season. Stay tuned in to Dabuzzza this season as we bring you weekly analysis and fantasy football picks.
Brett Malamud is a Computer Science Major at Binghamton University. He is the co-founder of dabuzzza.com. His favorite athletes are Derek Jeter and Todd Bertuzzi. You can follow him on twitter at @brettnyy
AFC South Preview
Jadeveon Clowney hopes to have a huge rookie season for the Houston Texans (Via ThaCover)
Jack Allen is a writer for dabuzzza.com. He is a fan of the New York Mets, New York Islanders, New York Knicks, New York Jets, Seattle Seahawks, Seattle Mariners, Queens Park Rangers, and West Virginia Mountaineer football and basketball. His favorite athletes are David Wright, John Tavares, Geno Smith, Allen Iverson and Charlie Austin. He is a very passionate and determined fan. You can follow him on twitter @JackAllen99.
2014 NFL DRAFT
The NFL Draft starts at 8:00 PM EST tonight. You can follow the draft coverage here
| Pick | Team | Player | Position | College |
| 1 | Houston Texans | Jadeveon Clowney | DE | South Carolina |
| 2 | St. Louis Rams (From WSH) | Greg Robinson | OT | Auburn |
| 3 | Jacksonville Jaguars | Blake Bortles | QB | Central Florida |
| 4 | Buffalo Bills (From CLE) | Sammy Watkins | WR | Clemson |
| 5 | Oakland Raiders | Khalil Mack | OLB | Buffalo |
| 6 | Atlanta Falcons | Jake Matthews | OT | Texas A&M |
| 7 | Tampa Bay Buccanners | Mike Evans | WR | Texas A&M |
| 8 | Cleveland Browns (From MIN) | Justin Gilbert | CB | Oklahoma State |
| 9 | Minnesota Vikings (From CLE) (Via BUF) | Anthony Barr | OLB | UCLA |
| 10 | Detroit Lions | Eric Ebron | TE | UNC |
| 11 | Tennessee Titans | Taylor Lewan | OT | Michigan |
| 12 | New York Giants | Odell Beckham Jr. | WR | LSU |
| 13 | St. Louis Rams | Aaron Donald | DT | Pittsburgh |
| 14 | Chicago Bears | Kyle Fuller | CB | VA. Tech |
| 15 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Ryan Shazier | LB | Ohio State |
| 16 | Dallas Cowboys | Zack Martin | OT | Notre Dame |
| 17 | Baltimore Ravens | CJ Mosley | LB | Alabama |
| 18 | New York Jets | Calvin Pryor | S | Louisville |
| 19 | Miami Dolphins | Ja’wuan James | OT | Tennessee |
| 20 | New Orleans Saints (From ARI) | Brandin Cooks | WR | Oregon State |
| 21 | Green Bay Packers | Ha-Ha Clinton Dix | S | Alabama |
| 22 | Cleveland Browns (From PHI) | Johnny Manziel | QB | Texas A&M |
| 23 | Kansas City Chiefs | Dee Ford | DE | Auburn |
| 24 | Cincinnati Bengals | Darqueze Dennard | CB | Michigan State |
| 25 | San Diego Chargers | Jason Verrett | CB | TCU |
| 26 | Philadelphia Eagles (Via CLE) (From IND) | Marcus Smith | DE | Louisville |
| 27 | Arizona Cardinals (From NO) | Deone Bucannon | S | Washington St. |
| 28 | Carolina Panthers | Kelvin Benjamin | WR | FSU |
| 29 | New England Patriots | Dominique Easley | DT | Florida |
| 30 | San Francisco 49ers | Jimmie Ward | S | Northern Illinois |
| 31 | Denver Broncos | Brandon Roby | CB | Ohio State |
| 32 | Minnesota Vikings (Via SEA) | Teddy Bridgewater | QB | Louisville |
Draft Day Trades:
- Bills acquire No. 4 Pick (Sammy Watkins) from Browns for No. 9 pick (Anthony Barr), plus 2015 1st & 4th round picks
- Browns acquire 8th pick (Justin Gilbert) from Minnesota for 9th pick (Anthony Barr)
- The Cardinals traded No. 20 (Brandin Cooks) to New Orleans for No. 27 (Deone Bucannon) and their third-rounder, Pick No. 91.
- The Browns traded Pick No. 26 (Marcus Smith), and their third-rounder, Pick No. 83, to move up to No. 22 (Johnny Manziel)
- Vikings acquire the 32th pick (Teddy Bridgewater) for the 40th pick and 108th pick
Amid all of the hype for other players this season, expect Clowney’s name to be called first at the NFL Draft (Via Jeff Blake/US Presswire)
______________________________________________________________
Brett Malamud is a Computer Science Major at Binghamton University. He is the co-founder of dabuzzza.com. His favorite athletes are Derek Jeter and Todd Bertuzzi. You can follow him on twitter at @brettnyy
2014 Mock Draft 2.0
By Ryan Crawford
My mock draft 1.0 was devoid of the early QB run that was expected and mock draft 2.0 follows the same pattern. I think that now that the QB situation has gotten murkier and that there will be a lot of moves both up and down that do not involve the QBs. Houston at 1 and St. Louis at 2 are both candidates to move down. With St Louis having 2 and 13 I believe there is no doubt that Rams GM Les Snead will be moving all over the place. We heard rumors for months that every pick from 3 to 7 could also be in play. Here’s my most recent stab at it.
1. HOUSTON TEXANS- Jadaveon Clowney-DL- South Carolina
Clowney is still the best player in the draft. I don’t think it’s a question at this point that he goes number one. I think the question is who makes the pick. Probably will be the Texans but the Falcons are interested and there are a couple of rumors about the unknown suitors as well.
2. ST. LOUIS RAMS- Greg Robinson- Tackle- Auburn
I do not think the Rams make this pick but if they do it will be the manchild Robinson or WR Sammy Watkins. Could Cleveland move up a couple picks?
3. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS- Khalil Mack-OLB- Buffalo
This is what I wrote in Mock 1.0 and I’m sticking with it. “The Jags need a QB bad and if they jump it would probably be Bortles but I think they wait till later rounds to grab the QB and keep building their defense”
Khalil Mack will be one of the first few selected in this year’s NFL Draft (Via AP)
4. CLEVELAND BROWNS- Sammy Watkins-WR-Clemson
I’m convinced the Browns will not pick a QB with this pick and word is they are so intrigued with Watkins that they may move to 2 to get him.
5. OAKLAND RAIDERS- Mike Evans- Wide Receiver- Texas A & M
To me this is the toughest pick of the draft. If one of the elite 4 drop it becomes a no brainer but if not, hmmmm… I’m gonna slot big receiver Mike Evans in here as it is imperative that the Raiders get a receiver, so why not one of the best?
6. ATLANTA FALCONS- Taylor Lewan- Tackle- Michigan
The Falcons need linemen to protect Matty Ice and Lewan is rising up the board. I still think they have a realistic shot at going to number 1 for Clowney.
7. TAMPA BAY BUCS- Odell Beckham Jr- WR- LSU
I think the Bucs will trade down for multiple picks but if not they grab the third wide receiver in seven picks. Don’t sleep on Beckham Jr. One of my favorites in the draft.
8. MINNESOTA VIKINGS- Aaron Donald-DT-Pittsburgh
Vikings need to rebuild the defensive line and this guy is a great place to start. Maybe a QB in round 2?
9. BUFFALO BILLS- Jake Mathews- Tackle- Texas A&M
I had Eric Ebron in Mock 1.0 but that was before I realized Jake Mathews might be available. A no brainer as the Bills need a tackle badly.
10. DETROIT LIONS- Darquez Dennard- Cornerback- Michigan State
The Lions should go for a corner or a receiver here but with the run on receivers, they can get the top rated corner.
11. TENNESSEE TITANS- Justin Gilbert- CB- Oklahoma State
Johnny Manziel? Not yet…. Defense wins championships and a corner is a priority.
12. NEW YORK GIANTS- Eric Ebron- TE- North Carolina
It’s no secret the Giants are in dire need of a top flight tight end. Best tight end in the draft drops into the Giants lap at 12.
13. ST LOUIS RAMS- . Johnny Manziel-QB-Texas A&M
No way the Rams pick at 13. Maybe up or maybe down but not 13. My hunch from Mock #1 had the Cowboys getting Johnny Manziel at 16. It seems my hunch from a month ago has gained a little traction in the media but I’m not sure he gets that far because word is the Rams love him. Could you imagine if the Rams didn’t have to trade a boatload of picks for a running QB with a rocket arm and he turned out better than RGIII?? Is that Daniel Snyder we hear sniffling? Wow.
14. CHICAGO BEARS- Ra’Shede Hageman- DT- Minnesota
Bears need defensive line help. Hageman is a rock on the line and will help.
15. PITTSBURGH STEELERS- Zach Martin –T-Notre Dame
Looking for another Tackle, Martin is being described by pundits as one of the safest picks in the draft.
16. DALLAS COWBOYS- Dee Ford- DE- Auburn
Cowboys are looking for defensive help and Ford will help offset the loss of DeMarcus Ware. I expect the Cowboys to be another team that tries to trade down.
17 BALTIMORE RAVENS- Brandin Cooks- WR- Oregon State
Ravens rumored to be trading down as well but can really use another weapon for Joe Flacco and Cooks is Tavon Austin redux.
18 NEW YORK JETS- Calvin Pryor- S- Louisville
Another quote from Mock 1.0: “Yes I know the Jets need another receiver badly but this guy is a hammer and Rex is drooling at the thought of a young Ed Reed. The Wide Receiver class is very deep and they will get a couple in later rounds”. We will stay with this pick for Mock 2.0.
19. MIAMI DOLPHINS- Morgan Moses-Tackle- Virginia
It’s no secret that the Dolphins need some serious help on the offensive line and this guy should slot in at one of the tackles.
20. ARIZONA CARDINALS- Kony Ealy- DE/LB- Missouri
Could this be a QB landing spot? My guess is there are enough QB prospects for the Cards to look in round 2 or 3. Ealy fills big defensive needs for the Cardinals.
21. GREEN BAY PACKERS – CJ Mosley- ILB- Alabama
The Packers need a lot of help on defense and Mosley makes a lot of sense in this spot.
22. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES- Anthony Barr- OLB- UCLA
A PAC-12 Linebacker for Chip Kelly to help keep Romo, RGIII and Eli in check.
23. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS- HaHa Clinton-Dix- S- Alabama
Chiefs are absolutely thrilled that Dix drops down this far and quickly gobble him up.
24. CINCINNATI BENGALS- Teddy Bridgewater- QB- Louisville
We will see if all the rumors about Bridgewater landing here are true. My gut is no but I’m gonna take a shot anyway.
25. SAN DIEGO CHARGERS- Louis Nix- NT- Notre Dame
It seems that everyone who did a mock draft has Nix going to the Chargers. Can you say Perfect Fit? A strong nose tackle prospect.
26. CLEVELAND BROWNS- Blake Bortles-QB-UCF
In my first mock I had Bridgewater dropping down this far. Now I have Bortles dropping to the Browns. Either way it’s a good spot for the Browns to pick their QB of the future.
27. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS- Ryan Shazier-OLB- Ohio State
Staying with my choice from Mock 1.0: “The Saints need to improve their defense and Shazier is a good step in that direction. He can play inside or move outside if needed at the linebacker spot”. Kony Ealy is now an option here as well.
28. CAROLINA PANTHERS- Kelvin Benjamin- WR- Florida State
Clearly one of the biggest needs on this team is a big go-to target for Cam Newton.
29. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS- Kyle Fuller- CB- Virginia Tech
Too good a player to pass up and of course Revis will be a Free Agent at the end of the year anyway (sound familiar??)
30. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS- Marqise Lee- WR- USC
My first Mock choice for the Niners stays in play. “In need of another young receiver, 49ers are thrilled to get Lee at 30”.
31. DENVER BRONCOS- Kony Ealy- LB/DE- Missouri
Can you ever have enough pass rushers and defenders? I think not.
32. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS- Austin Seferian-Jenkins TE- Washington
They probably trade down a few and pick up a couple of picks from a team looking to jump the top teams in round two for a QB. Think Derek Carr, Jimmy Garoppolo, Zach Mettenberger or AJ McCarron??
Other Potential 1st Round Picks (besides the QBs)
DeMarcus Lawrence DE Boise St
Joel Bitonio G Nevada
Jason Verrett CB TCU
Timmy Jernigan DT Florida State
Bradley Roby CB Ohio State
Davante Adams WR Fresno State
2014 Mock Draft 1.0
By Ryan Crawford
Let me start off by saying this is a very interesting draft. While there are multiple Quarterbacks that everyone talks about, I don’t think they are on a level with many of the QB’s that have been top ten picks in the past. Of course the teams that generally need Quarterbacks reside in the top ten. You would expect some of those teams to trade down for some additional value but I don’t anticipate the teams looking to move up paying a steep price to move. Teams generally overpay for franchise QB’s and these guys don’t fit that description. Don’t expect teams to jump up for the strength of this draft, which are Wide Receivers, Tackles and a couple of Defensive studs at the top. The result will be a cat and mouse game and alot of picks that people will be shocked at, both high and low. It will be one of the hardest drafts in years to predict. Good luck to the experts on this one. Should be a lot of fun…
1. HOUSTON TEXANS- Jadaveon Clowney-DL- South Carolina
Texans need a QB but not at #1. Clowney is still the best player in the draft.
Amid all of the hype for other players this season, expect Clowney’s name to be called first at the NFL Draft (Via US Presswire)
2. ST. LOUIS RAMS- Greg Robinson- Tackle- Auburn
This guy is a mountain with huge upside. I expected Rams to try to trade down but the price might not be worth it if someone is not coming up to get a QB or Clowney.
3. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS- Khalil Mack-OLB- Buffalo
The Jags need a QB bad and if they jump it would probably be Bortles but I think they wait till later rounds to grab the QB and keep building their defense.
4. CLEVELAND BROWNS- Sammy Watkins-WR-Clemson
Another QB needy team that will wait till later. Any QB coming in to a situation with Josh Gordon and this stud receiver will look better anyway.
5. OAKLAND RAIDERS- Jake Matthews- Tackle- Texas A & M
If Al Davis were alive, this pick would have Johnny Manziel written all over it. Does anyone ever really know what the Raiders will do? Matthews is the smart pick for a team in need of protection up front.
6. ATLANTA FALCONS- Taylor Lewan- Tackle- Michigan
The Falcons need linemen to protect Matty Ice and Lewan is the third tackle off the board early.
7. TAMPA BAY BUCS- Darqueze Dennard- CB- Michigan State
Defense, Defense, Defense for new coach Lovie Smith as the Bucs secure one of the top corners in the draft.
8. MINNESOTA VIKINGS- Blake Bortles-QB-UCF
Vikings sit tight and grab the only QB they really wanted for new coach Mike Zimmer.
9. BUFFALO BILLS- Eric Ebron- TE- North Carolina
Bills snag a big time weapon for second year QB EJ Manuel.
10. DETROIT LIONS- Mike Evans- WR- Texas A&M
Could go corner here but teaming Evans with Megatron makes too much sense and scares the heck out of opposing secondarys.
11. TENNESSEE TITANS- Justin Gilbert- CB- Oklahoma State
With the secondary defections in free agency, a big need for Titans is filled with this pick.
12. NEW YORK GIANTS- Anthony Barr- OLB- UCLA
Giants are in need of strong defenders and haven’t had a linebacker with this much potential in years.
13. ST LOUIS RAMS- Ha Ha Clinton Dix- S- Alabama
If the Rams can’t trade down off the 2nd pick, look for them to trade down here to add more picks later on. If they use the pick, a good safety is a big need and Dix is one of the top two. Calvin Pryor also a strong possibility
14. CHICAGO BEARS- Timmy Jernigan- DT- Florida State
The Bears need to beef up the defensive line and Jernigan brings the beef in a big way
15. PITTSBURGH STEELERS- Aaron Donald-DT-Pittsburgh
The Steelers stay in town to pick the speedy, strong Donald. Another team that needs to rebuild its defense and this is a good start.
16. DALLAS COWBOYS- Johnny Manziel-QB-Texas A&M
Nothing more than a hunch on my part, but imagine this guy playing for America’s team. Jerry Jones is never one to miss a good marketing opportunity and Tony Romo is 33 and not exactly Peyton Manning or Tom Brady. Makes sense from so many vantage points.
17. BALTIMORE RAVENS- Odell Beckham Jr-WR-LSU
Ravens can really use another weapon for Joe Flacco and Beckham Jr is one of the best. Brandin Cooks could go here as well.
18. NEW YORK JETS- Calvin Pryor- S- Louisville
Yes I know the Jets need another receiver badly but this guy is a hammer and Rex is drooling at the thought of a young Ed Reed. The Wide Receiver class is very deep and they will get a couple in later rounds.
19. MIAMI DOLPHINS- Morgan Moses- OT- Virginia
It’s no secret that the Dolphins need some serious help on the offensive line and this guy should slot in at one of the tackles.
20. ARIZONA CARDINALS- Bradley Roby- CB- Ohio State
Even with the addition of Antonio Cromartie, the Cards could use a young corner and this guy has all the talent in the world
21. GREEN BAY PACKERS – Kony Ealy- DE/LB- Missouri
The Packers need a lot of help on this side of the ball and the versatile Ealy can play multiple spots. CJ Mosley is a possibility here as well.
22. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES- Brandin Cooks-WR-Oregon State
Doesn’t take the Eagles long to replace Desean Jackson with this speedster whom Chip Kelly knows well from his Oregon days.
23. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS- Kelvin Benjamin-WR-Florida State
Chiefs need more weapons for Alex Smith and Benjamin is a big target.
24. CINCINNATI BENGALS- Jason Verrett- CB- TCU
Marvin Lewis is concerned about his secondary and the corners are starting to run so he grabs a very good prospect in Verrett
25. SAN DIEGO CHARGERS- Louis Nix- NT- Notre Dame
A strong nose tackle prospect, Nix is a great fit for the Chargers D.
26. CLEVELAND BROWNS- Teddy Bridgewater- QB- Louisville
How many times have we seen this one. The guy a team was considering at 4 drops to their next pick at 26. The last time we saw this was with Geno Smith and the Jets last year. The Browns can’t believe their good fortune and the shouts of joy are heard all the way from Cleveland.
27. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS- Ryan Shazier-OLB- Ohio State
The Saints need to improve their defense and Shazier is a good step in that direction. He can play inside or move outside if needed at the linebacker spot.
28. CAROLINA PANTHERS- Zach Martin –T-Notre Dame
Looking for another Tackle, Martin falls right into the Panthers lap.
29. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS- CJ Mosley- ILB- Alabama
Another defender for the Patriots. A wide receiver is a possibility here or trading down as the Pats like to do.
30. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS- Marqise Lee- WR- USC
In need of another young receiver, 49ers are thrilled to get Lee at 30.
31. DENVER BRONCOS- Dee Ford- DE- Auburn
Think the Broncos need more defense? Me too. Another guy to rush the passer
32. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS- Ra’Shede Hageman- DT- Minnesota
What do you get the team that has everything? Another weapon for Russell Wilson? Another defender for a team full of stud defenders? Some protection for the offense? Just get the best guy available and at this point that is Hageman.
Broadway Johnny?
By Brett Malamud
Finally the time has come and the wait is over. After making his mark in the NCAA, Johnny Manziel has declared himself eligible for this year’s NFL draft. The Heisman winner is a projected top-ten pick with many even placing him in the top-five. While Manziel is a scrambling quarterback, he averaged 317 passing yards per game for a total of 4117 yards. This is 408 yards more than he threw for last season, a season in which he won the Heisman Trophy. In improving his passing game, Manziel had to take a step back in tucking the football and running. He rushed for only 53% of what he had rushed in 2012. However in the end, the touchdown totals remain to be consistent. Manziel finished with 47 touchdowns in 2012 and 46 touchdowns in 2013. Not too shabby when you consider the fact that Manziel threw for more yards than Andrew Luck did in any of his seasons at Stanford.
Manziel does have his problems though. He has been in the news for his behavioral issues. He was arrested back in 2012 for getting in a late night fight and possessing a fake ID. The issues continued even after he won the Heisman Trophy. He overslept while attending the Manning Passing Academy. He was kicked out of a University of Texas fraternity party. He also voiced his displeasure with Texas A&M by tweeting that he “can’t wait to leave College Station” after he received a parking ticket. His taunting on the field became quite the story during the 2013 season, and was regularly featured on ESPN. But the most notable issue came in early August 2013. The NCAA began investigating whether Manziel accepted payments from autographs that he had signed in January 2013. While it is widely believed that he did accept the money, the NCAA could not find any evidence and suspended him for only the first half of the season opener against Rice.
Johnny Manziel will enter the 2014 NFL draft as one of the top quarterbacks available (via Scott Halleran/Getty Images)
Right now if you look at the NFL draft order, Houston has the first pick. The Texans need a quarterback and are expected to draft Louisville QB Teddy Bridgewater. The St. Louis Rams have the second pick and while it seems that they might need a quarterback, they have showed no indication that they want to dump Sam Bradford. The third and fourth picks belong to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Cleveland Browns respectfully. Both teams need a quarterback. The Oakland Raiders sit in the five spot and the Vikings sit at the eight spot. It’s possible that they could each want to draft a QB as well. UCF quarterback Blake Bortles is on the board as well but it’ll be interesting to see which QB gets drafted first.
An interesting pick for Manziel though could be the New York Jets. The Jets currently hold the 18th pick. Now I’m not saying that Manziel is going to slip to the 18th pick. We did see Brady Quinn slip to the 22nd pick back in 2007, after being projected to go in the top ten. Manziel is not likely to slip based on the amount of teams needing quarterbacks. Therefore, only way the Jets can get Manziel will be by trading up picks to draft him. I think that a run at Manziel could be what the Jets need. Now I know some people look and they’ll say, “why would they do that?” Well, they’ve done it before. Back in 2009, the Jets traded up to the fifth pick to select USC quarterback Mark Sanchez. Now I know that didn’t turn out to be such a great decision now that Sanchez has lost the starting position, but Manziel is a bigger threat than Sanchez ever was. The Jets current starting quarterback, Geno Smith, had the lowest QB rating in the entire league. General Manager John Idzik stated at the end of their week 17 game that they will “look at quarterbacks” in the offseason. It is this statement that shows that Idzik doesn’t believe that Smith is “the guy.” If the Jets want to get their hands on a reliable quarterback for years to come, they must trade up and select Johnny Manziel.
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Brett Malamud is a Computer Science Major at Binghamton University. He is the co-founder of dabuzzza.com. His favorite athletes are Derek Jeter and Todd Bertuzzi. You can follow him on twitter at @brettnyy
NFL Week 12 Predictions
By Matthew Wieselthier
Sunday:
1:00 PM ET
Lions 27, Buccaneers 21
Tampa Bay has hit its first hot streak of the year. Two straight wins and almost stealing a win against Seattle, it would only make sense to go with the hot streak. However, they have beaten the Dolphins and Falcons, both of which are not great teams with not much upside for the season. They have also only showed up in the first half, having to fight through the second half to grind out their wins. The Lions are not a team you can do that against. Even if you beat them in the first half, the offensive weapons in Detroit’s pocket are too great to just play one half against. The marquee matchup will be WR Calvin Johnson vs. CB Darrelle Revis, but with the rest of the Lions weapons, they should be able to take the second half and win at home.
Packers 28, Vikings 13
Even undrafted third-string QB Scott Tolzein can handle this dreadful Vikings defense. Ranked 30th in the league, the Vikings have yet to stop any team from bulldozing them. The Packers starting lineup may mostly be in the infirmary right now, but the ones on the field should be able to stop the Vikings offense, which has the 25th best passing game in the league. Very simple, the Packers will take this game easily.
Texans 27, Jaguars 10
The Texans are the best terrible team there is. They are ranked 8th in offense and tops in the league in defense. They just can’t seem to close out games. Despite being strong at basically every part of the game, the Texans are out of playoff contention and having a very disappointing season. The future should be bright however with QB Case Keenum proving to be a viable option at starting QB.
Chiefs 17, Chargers 14
Andy Reid’s bid to coach his new team to a perfect season is finally over. The Chiefs fell to the Broncos last week and now they have to restart the streak and don’t have an easy team to do it against. Division rival Sand Diego Chargers may have a losing record, but they are a fighting team and don’t lose easily. QB Philip Rivers is having a comeback season and is leading the 4th best passing offense in the NFL. However, the Chiefs defense has been one of the tops in the league all season and has 6 returning Pro-Bowlers from that side of the ball.
Panthers 34, Dolphins 17
The Panthers are the hottest team in football winning six straight games and looking good doing it. Despite being underdogs in their last two matchups, they have come out on top, controversial calls or not. And their defense can do most of the talking for them. Led by former Defensive Rookie of the Year Luke Kuechly, Carolina has the 3rd best defense in the league. That should bode well for them against the 31st best offense in the league of the Dolphins.
Browns 21, Steelers 20
The Browns are doing much better than anticipated, especially after trading RB Trent Richardson to the Colts. However, that deal seems to have helped the Browns record wise, who are .500 since trading him away after a 0-2 start. They are also impressive passing wise surprisingly, still able to go through the air despite going through so many QBs this season. Their defense is where they shine though, being 4th in the league and have been stopping even the top offenses in the league.
Bears 19, Rams 12
The Bears have been injured and that’s been a major cause of their loses this season. Even with QB Jay Cutler injured, Josh McCown has been a suitable replacement and the running game of RB Matt Forte has been quite good this year. The Rams are also injured at QB and terrible in general, having a good game here and there but not good enough to say they could win any game.
Jets 22, Ravens 17
The Jets have been on and off every other week. According to the pattern, this week they should be on. And it seems like they should be, they have the 9th best defense in the league led by their defensive line and linebackers. They also are very good in the running game, whether it be Chris Ivory or Bilal Powell taking the lead. The Ravens have also been very shaky this season, with the 3rd worst offense in the league, headlined by their lack of a running game with Ray Rice. For both teams though, this is a must win to stay in the AFC Wild Card hunt for the 6th seed.
4:00 PM ET
Raiders 20, Titans 13
The Raiders may not have a good passing game, but they have one hell of a running game. Ironically, the best rusher for them is QB Terrelle Pryor. He can make a throw when he needs, but he’s better with his legs. The Titans are trying to make a resurgence from their strong start but are not looking too hot lately. The Raiders should be able to take this one, as they are able to in odd situations.
Cardinals 24, Colts 21
The Cardinals have been strong all season, and Andre Ellington having his dreadlocks pulled out last week shouldn’t stop that. On the other hand, the Colts have been shaky the past few weeks, including last week when they squeaked out a Thursday Night win against the Titans. The Cardinals have looked really good lately, helped out by the 9th best defense in the league.
Cowboys 38, Giants 27
The Cowboys have a top QB this year in Tony Romo. They just need a healthy RB in Demarco Murray, who is continually injured. The Giants may have won four straight, but they haven’t played any great competition. The Packers would have been a quality win if they weren’t in the infirmary now. Playing a quality opponent like the Cowboys should bring the Giants back down to Earth.
8:30 PM ET
Broncos 47, Patriots 24
The Broncos are the best of the best, with both sides of the ball working together better than any other team. Now with LB Von Miller back, the defensive side has come back into action and the offense is tops in the league with QB Peyton Manning at the helm. The Patriots have been weak on both sides of the ball this year, especially defensively. That can’t help with Broncos top offense. Expect trouble for New England tonight.
Monday:
8:40 PM ET
49ers 23, Redskins 14
Robert Griffin III is probably the biggest disappointment of anyone this year. He has shown no upside and is probably the main reason for the Redskins poor record. Even going against an even worse passing offense (the worst in the NFL) in the 49ers shouldn’t help him. That being because QB Colin Kaepernick is finally getting back to where he was, piece by piece. The defense is also very strong, 9th in the league and should easily stop the Redskins offense to end off Week 12.
AFC Midseason Recap and Predictions (4 of 4)
By Dan Lagnado
In part one of the midseason recap and predictions, the AFC East was covered, in part two of the midseason recap and predictions, the AFC West was covered and in part three of the midseason recap and predictions, the AFC North was covered. To round out the AFC, we will head over to the AFC South:
Division Winner: Indianapolis Colts
Last year’s #1 overall pick has lived up to the hype. Andrew Luck once again, is putting together a fantastic season for the 6-2 Colts. Luck has thrown for 13 touchdowns, compared to only three interceptions, and has enabled Colts fans to forget about their last first round quarterback. Luck hasn’t had much of a running game this season either even with the trade for Trent Richardson, who the Colts keep hoping will have his breakout game. Luck leads his team in rushing touchdowns with three. Of course Luck now is without his favorite target, Reggie Wayne for the rest of the season, but he had done well at spreading the ball around to other receivers all season. Look for T.Y. Hilton, another second year stud, Darrius Heyward-Bey and tight end Coby Fleener to pick up Wayne’s targets and contributions. The defense took a hit this offseason with the departure of longtime pass rusher Dwight Freeney, yet Robert Mathis was eager to take his place. Mathis has 11.5 sacks this season, which accounts for more than half of the team’s total. The Colts secondary has also improved with the acquisition of Laron Landry to go along with Vontae Davis and Antoine Bethea, all of whom rank in the top five on the team in tackles. Look for Indy to keep on rolling into the postseason with a fairly easy schedule the rest of the way.
Andrew Luck and the Colts hope to run away with the division title (Via AP)
The Tennessee Titans got off to a roaring start winning three of their first four games. However an injury to starting quarterback Jake Locker and inconsistent play has led to three consecutive losses in their previous four games, dropping their record to 4-4. Locker, despite his injury has put up very impressive numbers this season with eight touchdowns and only three interceptions. However, he has been plagued by a weak running game. Chris Johnson, who a few seasons ago rushed for 2000 yards, had only 366 coming into this week. Against the Rams this past week, CJ rushed for 150 yards and two touchdowns. Still, without consistent production out of Johnson, the pressure has been placed on Locker, who for the most part, has done all he can against tough defenses in the past few weeks. The Titans will look to regain the momentum they had earlier in the season and make a playoff run coming out of their bye week.
The Houston Texans have been one of this season’s biggest disappointments. After a playoff appearance last season, the Texans had high hopes that they could compete for another division title. However, the performance has not been up to par. Arian Foster has been injured all season. Matt Schaub has been uncharacteristically inaccurate. The defense, though very good against the pass, has been porous against the run. This has not been a winning formula as the Texans right now are 2-5. The season started very well for Houston. They had won their first two games against tough opponents. And then everything fell apart. Matt Schaub went through a three game stretch where he threw an interception (nine total INT and eight TD) returned for a touchdown in three straight games and then was injured. Even when Schaub was healthy he was not the starter. Case Keenum is the starter, at least for the time being, for the Texans. Houston has gotten very good things from rookie wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins who, along with Andre Johnson, could provide potent weaponry for Houston in the future. This past week against the Indianapolis Colts, Johnson had 229 yards and three touchdowns. However, there were not many targets towards other receivers. Arian Foster has also run effectively when he’s been healthy, as he averages more than 4 yards per rush. Brian Cushing and JJ Watt lead the Texans defense. Watt has five and a half sacks this season, down from his pace of last year, though still on pace for double digits by the end of the season. Cushing leads the team in tackles as well as having one and a half sacks and an interception. The Texans, as a playoff team last year, clearly have the talent to be a potential AFC powerhouse. However, Case Keenum is not the quarterback to lead them to the “promised land” this season.
What is there to say about the Jacksonville Jaguars? There seems to be no end to the suffering of Jags fans. It seems that every year the Jaguars get a high draft pick and every year it doesn’t seem to help. The Jaguars currently are the worst team in the NFL at 0-8 and are in danger of joining the 2008 Lions as teams to go 0-16. The Jags have trailed for 86% of their time on the field and though their schedule is not the toughest, they have not shown the ability to either score, or stop the opposing offense. They are last in points per game and last in opponent’s points per game. Blaine Gabbert has shown that he is not the answer for this offense despite having Maurice Jones-Drew, Justin Blackmon and Cecil Shorts as weapons. Jones-Drew is a Pro Bowl caliber player. Blackmon and Shorts are young and talented wide receivers, though Blackmon has dealt with substance abuse issues in his short career and now has been dealt a second suspension. If he can manage to stay on the field Blackmon has shown how explosive he is. Until the Jaguars find an effective quarterback they cannot be expected to be much of a threat to anyone this season or in the future. In a draft class that is quarterback heavy, I would look for the Jaguars to try to draft their franchise quarterback once again.
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Dan Lagnado is studying communications, law economics and government at American University. He’s a fan of both the Mets and Jets and has been writing about sports for four years. You can follow him on twitter at @dlag1995
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