NFL Week Three Preview
By Brett Malamud
-Buccaneers (0-2) at Falcons (1-1), Thursday @ 8:25 PM EST
The Buccaneers travel one state over to the confines of the Georgia Dome. The Falcons come in after their offense was virtually shut down by Cincinnati last week. I think that coming home will heal the woes and that Matt Ryan will come back strong tonight. Verdict: Falcons
-Chargers (1-1) at Bills (2-0), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
I watched the Bills game last week and there wasn’t much excitement, other than the Sammy Watkins touchdown play and the C.J. Spiller kickoff return for a touchdown. I think that after taking down Seattle last week, the Chargers should roll through the Bills. Verdict: Chargers
-Cowboys (1-1) at Rams (1-1), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
The Cowboys beat the Titans last week and DeMarco Murray and Dez Bryant looked great. The Rams third-string quarterback Austin Davis went 22/29 for 235 yards and no interceptions, as St. Louis slightly edged out Tampa Bay. If Davis continues at that pace this week, it could make for a close game, but I’m still going with the Cowboys. Verdict: Cowboys
-Redskins (1-1) at Eagles (2-0), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
Kirk Cousins is now at the helm for the Redskins and it’ll definitely be noticeable. Cousins went 22/33 and completed his first 12 passes. Not bad for a guy coming in cold off of the bench. I don’t think they’ll get past the Eagles though, after they’ve rolled as of late. The duel back combo of LeSean McCoy and Darren Sproles continues to be the story and should be it again this week. Verdict: Eagles
-Texans (2-0) at Giants (0-2), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
The Giants stink. They took a loss to the Drew Stanton led Arizona Cardinals after quarterback Carson Palmer was announced as inactive for the game. The G-Men turned the ball over the ball four times, much to the disappointment of head coach Tom Coughlin. The Texans, on the other hand, won in Oakland last week. I’m gonna take the Texans here because the defense will be too strong for the Giants. Verdict: Texans
-Vikings (1-1) at Saints (0-2), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
The Saints are 0-2. Seriously? They’re so great but have had some not so great moments. A last second field goal decided their fate last week in Cleveland. I’ve got to take them here, especially after the beat down that the Patriots gave Minnesota. Verdict: Saints
-Titans (1-1) at Bengals (2-0), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
The Titans couldn’t find a way to beat the Cowboys. Jake Locker showed some promise, throwing for 234 yards with a touchdown. The Bengals come in fresh off a win at home against the Falcons, and my belief is that they’ll stay undefeated after this week. Verdict: Bengals
-Ravens (1-1) at Browns (1-1), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
The Browns shocked the Saints last week, winning on a field goal in the final seconds. Baltimore came together after losing Ray Rice and didn’t allow a touchdown to the Steelers last week on Thursday Night Football. Still, Joe Flacco only threw for 166 yards. I think the Browns continue to shock and take this game in another close one. Verdict: Browns
-Packers (1-1) at Lions (1-1), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
The Packers were down 21-3 to the New York Jets. They came all the way back, beating the Jets 31-24. Aaron Rodgers looked pretty invisible in the first quarter and a bit of the second quarter, but powered back in the second half and finished the day off with 346 passing yards and three touchdowns. The Lions showed that Megatron was human, as Calvin Johnson could not be found in the end zone last week. Instead, the lone Lions touchdown went to Fullback Jed Collins. I think the Packers stay hot and win this one. Verdict: Packers
Calvin Johnson looks to get back in the end zone this week vs. the Packers (Via Getty)
-Colts (0-2) at Jaguars (0-2), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
The Colts lost…to the Eagles. And I say it that way because the Eagles looked fantastic. But the Colts looked good too. They were edged out at the last second and so the loss might sting a bit, but I know they’ll come back strong this week against the Jaguars, who were slaughtered by Washington last week. Verdict: Colts
-Raiders (0-2) at Patriots (1-1), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
There shouldn’t be much debate here. The Patriots woke up last week, and beat down the Vikings by a score of 30-7. They’ll take on the Raiders in what could be an ugly result. Verdict: Patriots
-49ers (1-1) at Cardinals (2-0), Sunday @ 4:05 PM EST
I have been and am still pushing hard on this Cardinals defense. I’ve said it all along, I really like their defense. They forced four Giants turnovers last week at MetLife Stadium. This will be their toughest test yet, as they take on the 49ers. The Niners, however, didn’t look right at home in the second half of the inaugural game of their new stadium. Instead, quarterback Colin Kaepernick forced passes throughout and the Bears rallied to beat them. I think that the woes will stop and that Kaepernick will lead his team to the victory. Verdict: 49ers
-Broncos (2-0) at Seahawks (1-1), Sunday @ 4:25 PM EST
This is my matchup of the week. A rematch of last season’s Super Bowl sees the Broncos headed to Seattle to face the Seahawks. The Seahawks took a loss last week to the Chargers. Marshawn Lynch was not much of a factor, only rushing for 36 yards. Wes Welker is back this week after the NFL and NFLPA agreed on a new drug policy, freeing him from the remaining four games on his previous suspension. I think that the attention on Welker should free up Demaryius Thomas and Julius Thomas. I like the Broncos this week to quiet the 12th man. Verdict: Broncos
-Chiefs (0-2) at Dolphins (1-1), Sunday @ 4:25 PM EST
The Chiefs almost took down Peyton Manning and the rest of the Denver Broncos last week, but they didn’t. Instead they dropped to 0-2 and their defense has allowed 50 points through only two games. On the other side of the field will be the Miami Dolphins, who shocked everyone back in week one, when they took down the New England Patriots. Last week was a different story and they couldn’t get anything going, taking the loss to the Buffalo Bills. The Chiefs are desperate for a win in the competitive AFC West, and I think they’ll get their first of the year here. Verdict: Chiefs
-Steelers (1-1) at Panthers (2-0), Sunday @ 8:30 PM EST
The return of Cam Newton brought a great performance by the Carolina Panthers offense. Newton was 22/34 for 281 yards and a touchdown as he defeated “Donkey Kong Suh and [his] fellow Auburn teammate Nick Fairley.” The Panthers look ahead now to this week’s matchup at home against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday Night Football. Simply put, the Steelers couldn’t score a touchdown last week on Thursday Night Football. This week they’ll play their second game in a row in a primetime slot. I think that they’ll lose this one as well, and the nation will see the flaws of this struggling team. Verdict: Panthers
-Bears (1-1) at Jets (1-1), Monday @ 8:30 PM EST
Ah, the Jets. Many of you know how much I love the Jets, and how I continue to root for them, even in the darkest of times. Well, last week was one of those times. The Jets went up 14-0 within the first seven minutes of the game. Then, the Jets were up 21-3 in the middle of the second quarter when things started to unfold. Capped off by an 80 yard laser to Jordy Nelson for a touchdown, the Jets collapsed and lost 31-24. As far as bright spots, there were not many. Eric Decker looked good, but how long until defenses double team him on every play? Chris Johnson played an awful game, and finished the day with 21 yards on 12 carries. Instead, the running back who looked the best was Chris Ivory, who had just 43 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries. I’m not sure they’ll bounce back this week though, facing the Chicago Bears. The Bears had three fourth-quarter touchdowns to take down the 49ers. I don’t think that the Jets secondary can handle Brandon Marshall, who scored three touchdowns last week. Jay Cutler is 8-4 on Monday Night Football with 20 touchdowns in only 12 games. The trend of touchdowns for him should continue this week, and you can bet that Jets head coach Rex Ryan will be upset with that. Verdict: Bears
NFL Week 2 Preview
By Brett Malamud
Week one proved to be a great week of football that was full of crazy catches and games coming down to the wire. Let’s hope week two can bring the same level of excitement. Here’s my picks for this week:
-Steelers (1-0) at Ravens (0-1), Thursday @ 8:25 PM EST
The Steelers escaped a major comeback at the hands of the Cleveland Browns. Now they’ll face their rivals, the Baltimore Ravens, who were narrowly defeated at home against the Bengals, under the bright lights of M&T Bank Stadium in primetime. Crowd noise will be a factor, but I’ll take the Steelers here in a close one. Verdict: Steelers
-Dolphins (1-0) at Bills (1-0), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
Pretty even matchup here as these AFC East foes duke it out. The Dolphins are coming in red hot after defeating the almighty New England Patriots. Buffalo is also coming in with some momentum as well, after shocking the Chicago Bears in overtime. The addition of Knowshon Moreno has proven to be great for Miami thus far, especially after he ran for 134 yards on 24 attempts with a touchdown. I’m going to take the Dolphins here. Verdict: Dolphins
-Jaguars (0-1) at Redskins (0-1), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
I’m going to be brutally honest, I will not tune in to this one. After watching the Texans dispose of the Redskins offense last week, I can regretfully say that I am not interested in the team, with the exception of Alfred Morris, DeSean Jackson, and Jordan Reed (who has been a major disappointment to my fantasy team), as they are amongst the players on my three fantasy football teams (thankfully, each is on a different team). I’m taking the Jaguars, who took a 17-0 lead into halftime last week against the Eagles. Verdict: Jaguars
-Cowboys (0-1) at Titans (1-0), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
Now we come to the Cowboys, who were manhandled last week when they faced the San Francisco 49ers, and at one point were down 28-3. The game included two fumbles from the Cowboys offense, one of which was taken all the way back by the 49ers defense for a touchdown. The Titans had a great showing out of quarterback Jake Locker, who threw for 266 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. I’m going with the safe bet of picking the Titans to win this one. Verdict: Titans
-Cardinals (1-0) at Giants (0-1), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
Both of these teams played in the Monday Night Football doubleheader in week one and each of those games was a polar opposite of the other. The Cardinals rallied late, scoring two touchdowns in the final quarter. Carson Palmer looked phenomenal, and his night was highlighted by a 63 yard bomb to Michael Floyd, who also had an impact on the game (although he didn’t score a touchdown). The other game was rather one-sided and the Giants were done from the opening whistle. Eli Manning was intercepted twice and there wasn’t much room for Rashad Jennings to run. The Giants should struggle this week against a tough defense. Verdict: Cardinals
-Patriots (0-1) at Vikings (1-0), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
The Patriots were shocked last week, taking a tough loss to the Miami Dolphins. They’ll travel to Minnesota to face the Vikings, who had an excellent game last week by shutting down the Rams in St. Louis. My gut tells me that the Patriots will come back strong and win the game. Verdict: Patriots
-Saints (0-1) at Browns (0-1), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
The Saints lost a heartbreaker in Atlanta after fumbling the football in overtime. Drew Brees tried out his new toy in Brandin Cooks and liked what he saw. Cooks has one less catch than Jimmy Graham, hauling in seven receptions for 77 yards and a touchdown. The Browns rallied against the Steelers from a 24-point deficit but ultimately lost on a field goal as time expired. The Browns may give the Saints a run for their money at the beginning of this game, but I think the Saints pull away in the second half. Verdict: Saints
-Falcons (1-0) at Bengals (1-0), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
On the other end of the Saints’ heartbreaking loss was the Atlanta Falcons. Didn’t Matty Ice look great? I mean, seriously! 448 yards. FOUR HUNDRED AND FOURTY EIGHT YARDS! A Falcons franchise record for him with that, and he even threw three touchdowns. I do like the Falcons’ addition of Devin Hester, who was targeted six times and caught five of those for 99 yards. The Bengals blew a 15 point lead but scored a touchdown with just over five minutes left against the Ravens. I don’t see it shaping up that way this week, because instead I see the Falcons going up early and not looking back. Verdict: Falcons
Matt Ryan ran through the Saints defense last week and hopes to do the same this week vs. the Bengals (Via AP)
-Lions (1-0) at Panthers (1-0), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
The Lions looked fantastic last week, but after all, they were playing the Giants, who blew coverage after coverage. It seems that nobody could stop Calvin Johnson, who made the most ridiculous catches. The Panthers will get Cam Newton back but I don’t see much changing. The Lions are just too good right now. Verdict: Lions
-Rams (0-1) at Buccaneers (0-1), Sunday @ 4:05 PM EST
Another boring matchup on the week two slate sees the Sam Bradford-less, touchdown-less St. Louis Rams, squaring off with the team that had the worst ranked defense in the NFL last season. The Rams might have lost their backup as well, with Shaun Hill going down last week with a strained quad. Doug Martin did nothing last week, piling up a whopping nine yards on nine carries. I’m pulling for them this week though, and this could be the week that Doug Martin comes back to form. Verdict: Buccaneers
-Seahawks (1-0) at Chargers (0-1), Sunday @ 4:05 PM EST
This seems to be one of the more intriguing battles this week. The Chargers took a loss, but looked good against the Arizona Cardinals. The Seahawks also looked good in their game, taking down the Packers. I’m going to take the Seahawks here, but I’m sure that San Diego will compete throughout. Verdict: Seahawks
-Texans (1-0) at Raiders (0-1), Sunday @ 4:25 PM EST
The Texans defense is electric. They were great against the Redskins. The Raiders were not, and took a loss to the Jets. I see the Texans defense as too much of a threat to the Oakland offense. Verdict: Texans
-Jets (1-0) at Packers (0-1), Sunday @ 4:25 PM EST
This could be a really close game, but it could also turn ugly and end up as a blowout for Green Bay. The Packers look to bounce back against the Jets after being defeated by the Seahawks last Thursday. The Jets have assembled a bit of a new offense, with Chris Johnson and Chris Ivory as duel threats in the backfield. Johnson caught five passes and one touchdown out of the backfield in addition to his 68 rushing yards. Eric Decker also played nicely, racking up 74 yards on five receptions. Ultimately, I see the Packers taking this one, but not by much. Verdict: Packers
-Chiefs (0-1) at Broncos (1-0), Sunday @ 4:25 PM EST
The Chiefs weren’t themselves on defense last week. They were picked apart by Jake Locker and allowed him to drive down the field, resulting in two touchdowns. This week they’ll face an even tougher task: Peyton Manning. The 38 year old took down his former team, the Indianapolis Colts, in a showdown with Andrew Luck. Peyton found Julius Thomas in the end zone three times and utilized the acquisition of Emmanuel Sanders. The Chiefs are no match for the top team in the AFC. Verdict: Broncos
-Bears (0-1) at 49ers (1-0), Sunday @ 8:30 PM EST
The Niners dominated the Cowboys throughout. Rookie Carlos Hyde scored a touchdown and Vernon Davis caught two. The Bears lost that shocker to the Buffalo Bills last week and I’m not sure their defense can keep up with the Niners’ fast west coast offense in the inaugural game for Levi’s Stadium. Verdict: 49ers
-Eagles (1-0) at Colts (0-1), Monday @ 8:30 PM EST
Interesting matchup here as the Eagles face the Colts on Monday Night Football. Andrew Luck threw for 370 yards against the Broncos. Darren Sproles and LeSean McCoy are a deadly combo for Philadelphia. Should be a great offensive duel but I’m taking the Colts at home. Verdict: Colts
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 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 West Preview
Khalil Mack will begin his NFL journey in Oakland as a member of the Raiders (Via Sports Kings)
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)
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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
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
AFC Midseason Recap and Predictions (2 of 4)
By Dan Lagnado
In part one of the midseason recap and predictions, the AFC East was covered. Now we will move on to the AFC West:
Division winner: Denver Broncos
This prediction may seem controversial given the current standings of the division. The battle for the top spot really is a two horse race at this point. The Broncos and the Chiefs seem poised to battle it out until the end. However, I give the edge to Denver for reasons to be explained later in this article.
The Broncos have far and away the NFL’s best offense: first in points scored, first in total yards per game and first in passing yards per game all thanks to MVP candidate Peyton Manning. This is a team that made the AFC Championship last season and has come back even better, with even more weapons both offensively and defensively. In addition to Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker, Manning now has Wes Welker and rookie tight end Julius Thomas. The defense gained Shaun Phillips to help the pass rush along with Von Miller, who recently returned from suspension. This has helped the defense compile 22 sacks on the year. The Broncos currently have a 7-1 record heading into their bye week.
Peyton Manning hopes to walk off as a Super Bowl champion at the end of the season. (Via US Presswire)
The Kansas City Chiefs on the other hand boast a very powerful defense. They rank first in the NFL in points allowed, fifth in total yards allowed and fourth in pass yards allowed. They are arguably the biggest surprise team of this season after coming off a two win year. With a new quarterback in Alex Smith and a new coach in Andy Reid, the Chiefs now sit in first place at 8-0. Justin Houston and Tamba Hali have 20 sacks combined along with five forced fumbles. Smith, Jamaal Charles and Dwayne Bowe lead the offense. Smith has continued his consistent play from last season with nine touchdown passes and only four interceptions. However, despite the undefeated start, this is a team with some flaws. Their last two games, against disappointing Browns and Texans teams, were won by only a combined six points. Jason Campbell and Case Keenum nearly led their teams to giving KC their first loss. How can we expect them to keep Peyton Manning in check two times in the next four weeks if Campbell and Keenum give this defense trouble? That said, look for KC to easily lock up a Wild Card birth and a potential third matchup with Denver in the postseason.
The San Diego Chargers have comeback from a disappointing season with a very impressive first seven games. Their 4-3 record would be good enough for better than third place in almost all other divisions. Yet, because of the two powerhouses at the top, that’s where they find themselves. Quarterback Phillip Rivers is an early Comeback Player of the Year candidate and has thrown for 15 touchdowns and only five interceptions after a 2012 season that saw him account for 30 total turnovers. Rivers and tight end Antonio Gates have reestablished the connection that they have had for many years and Gates leads the team in receiving yards. The defense, though allowing yards, is still sixth in the NFL in points allowed. If the Chargers continue their strong play, they can find themselves in a position for a Wild Card position as well.
The Oakland Raiders have seen quite a bit of disappointment in the past few seasons. Though they currently sit in last place with a sub-.500 record (3-4), there are many reasons to have high hopes for the future. One of these reasons is Terrelle Pryor. In his first season starting, Pryor has shown that he is capable of being a dual threat quarterback and can lead this team to many wins as he matures. Pryor is supported by a corps of young, fast wide receivers including Denarius Moore and Rod Streater. If the Raiders can manage to get Darren McFadden running in the way that he did last year, look for them to be competitive in the second half of the season, and potentially play spoiler for other teams’ playoff chances.
The AFC West has emerged this season as potentially the best in the AFC. Both the Chiefs and Broncos seem primed for a playoff run, with the chance of being joined by the Chargers. The two upcoming matchups between Kansas City and Denver might prove to be the key to the tight race for first place and San Diego’s consistency will be key for their Wild Card push. It’s important not to count out Oakland as Terrelle Pryor continues to develop as a quarterback who can win with his arm or his legs.
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