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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)

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

Studs and Duds: NFL Week Two

By Brett Malamud

The injury bug seemed to be going around NFL stadiums this week as star after star went down with injuries. Robert Griffin III will likely miss the rest of the season (or most of it anyway) with a dislocated ankle. DeSean Jackson, Jamaal Charles, AJ Green, and Knowshon Moreno all left the field with various injuries. Some players stuck out in good ways, and others in bad ways, prompting this weeks edition of studs and duds.

Stud: Aaron Rodgers

Aaron Rodgers saw his Packers down 21-3 halfway through the second quarter to the Jets. He led the charge in what was a wild comeback, throwing for 346 yards with three touchdowns, good enough for 27 fantasy points in ESPN standard leagues.

Dud: Colin Kaepernick

Kaepernick threw three interceptions and looked like he was trying to force passes, resulting in a tough loss at the hands of the Chicago Bears. He’ll try to bounce back in Arizona next week.

Stud: Brandon Marshall

Brandon Marshall was a game time decision headed into the Bears Sunday night contest in the inaugural game of Levi’s Stadium. Marshall hauled in three touchdowns on the most ridiculous catches.

Dud:Matt Cassel

Not much explanation needed here as Cassel chalked up four interceptions this week versus the Patriots. It’ll be tough to bounce back, as the Vikings head to New Orleans to face the Saints.

Stud: Antonio Gates

Antonio Gates was back to his old self on Sunday, racking up three touchdowns. The trend may continue, but based on his inconsistency, I would keep an eye on him as a fantasy owner.

Dud: Rob Gronkowski

Gronk was much of a disappointment this week. The Patriots tight end only lined up for 28 of their 67 snaps and finished with four catches for 32 yards.

Stud: Darren Sproles

What can you say about this guy? The former Saint looked right at home in his new offense, scoring a huge game-tying 19 yard rushing touchdown. But it wasn’t his rushing yards (four carries for 26 yards) that were the story, but rather what he did with the ball in the air. Sproles proved that he is still a threat when Nick Foles drops back to pass. Sproles had seven catches for 152 yards, which not only led all Eagles receivers, but led all receivers on Monday night.

Darren Sproles showed how valuable he can be to the Eagles last night in Indianapolis (Via Philly)

Darren Sproles showed how valuable he can be to the Eagles last night in Indianapolis (Via Philly)

Stud: Kirk Cousins

Coming in off of the bench cold after Robert Griffin III departed with injury was no easy task for Cousins, although it looked that way. He proved that he can lead Washington’s offense while Griffin is out. 250 yards and two touchdowns in route to a 41-10 win over the Jaguars, is something that Cousins should be very proud of. We’ll see how he continues to play next week against Philadelphia.


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 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)

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?

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

NFC East Preview

By Jack Allen
The Philadelphia Eagles are coming off a great season. Last year, rookie head coach Chip Kelly reinvented his up tempo Oregon offense in Philadelphia and lead them to the playoffs. Midway into the season, starting quarterback Michael Vick got hurt opening the door for University of Arizona graduate Nick Foles. Foles had a great year and was rewarded by starting a playoff game at home against the New Orleans Saints. They lost in heartbreaker, but due to the experience, Nick should adapt into being able to step up in big games. Lesean McCoy holds high expectations this year coming off a career year. Losing Desean Jackson will not hold up this offense. The Eagles still have weapons like Jeremy Maclin, McCoy, and Zach Ertz. Many are expecting a breakout season from the young tight end Ertz. It should be a good season for the City of Brotherly Love. I’m going to predict a Wild Card Weekend win, and a Divisional Round loss.
This maybe a surprise to many of you. Yes, the New York Football Giants are back. By signing former Raiders RB Rashad Jennings and drafting Heisman candidate Andre Williams from Boston College, I think that the final hole in their offense has been filled. With a proven clutch quarterback in Eli Manning and good wide receivers Victor Cruz and Ruben Randle, the G-Men look very intriguing. Defensively, losing Justin Tuck wasn’t great, but they still have some good assets there as well. With a season that begins at Ford Field in Detroit under the Monday Night lights, my belief is that the Giants will make the playoffs in the Wild Card slot on the backs of Eli and head coach Tom Coughlin. They’ll probably make an early exit, but the fans will be happy to be there.
This next part was very hard. For me, it came down to the Giants or Redskins for that final NFC playoff spot. Washington had a magical run two years ago with Robert Griffin III HEALTHY. When he wasn’t healthy, it was another miserable season in DC. With him at 100 percent, it’s hard to keep them out of the post-season with Alford Morris and other offensive weapons. Newly acquired Desean Jackson should put up some good numbers with the young quarterback. With a tough division and a long season, it’s going to be a close finish if Griffin is healthy. It’s very possible they clinch a playoff birth if RG3 can stay healthy. I say, they fall just a little short.
Finally, “America’s Team,” the Dallas Cowboys. With chances over the last three seasons to sneak into the playoffs in week 17, my belief is that the Cowboys will not have that chance for a long time. Definitely not in this era, with the up-and-coming Redskins and Eagles, will Dallas find their way through. With a much needed improvement on defense and a quarterback with a high tendency to choke, they need serious changes in Texas. Is Tony Romo the future? I know he didn’t play in the win and in game last season, but I’m not so convinced he would’ve won it himself. Jerry Jones was recently in the news regarding his frustration with Romo and his worries about passing on QB Johnny Manziel in the draft. With good division opponents, the Cowboys antics will be unheard and ignored while the other teams are all having over .500 seasons. Im predicting the firing of Jason Garrett after this season.
Jerry Jones can prove to be a distraction to the Cowboys this season (Via AP)

Jerry Jones can prove to be a distraction to the Cowboys this season (Via AP)

Prediction
Eagles- 10-6
Giants- 10-6
Redskins- 9-7
Cowboys- 7-9

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)

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

 

Thursday Night Football Preview: Vikings vs. Redskins

By Matthew Wieselthier

NFL Network has been celebrating their 10th year on air in style with special events and all sorts of fun. They are also in their second full year of doing Thursday Night Football for the entire NFL season. However, they don’t seem to be getting many good games to cover. This continues tonight as the Washington Redskins (3-5) head to Minnesota to take on the Vikings (1-7).

The Redskins are starting to turn things around. Two weeks ago, they took the Broncos to the extreme, in what ended up just being a 4th quarter breakdown of the Redskins and led to their demise. Last week they beat a favored San Diego Chargers team after going to OT and winning in the extra period. Now they have a chance to string two wins together in Primetime. Robert Griffin III has been playing progressively better since coming off his ACL injury last season and the team overall is starting to look like the playoff team of last year.

Robert Griffin III leads the Redskins into Minnesota to face the Vikings (Via Getty)

Robert Griffin III leads the Redskins into Minnesota to face the Vikings (Via Getty)

The Vikings seem to have no upside. They have gone through three quarterbacks, and are now going back to their first in Christian Ponder. No part of the team has looked particularly strong, including the man who many consider the best running back in the game, Adrian Peterson. They could have possibly picked up some momentum though after their last game, when the Dallas Cowboys won on a last minute drive by Tony Romo and the Cowboys offense.

On the short week for both teams, the Redskins will prevail over the Vikings 35-24.

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Matthew Wieselthier is the Sports Director at WPOB 88.5 FM, Plainview.  He is also the PA announcer at all sporting events at POBJFKHS.  You can follow him on twitter at @wieselsports66.