Take It To The Bank: NFL Week Nine
By Brett Malamud
Digg for gold
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Stefon Diggs has scored 43 fantasy points over the last three weeks, making him one of the most intriguing names on the fantasy football waiver wire. He’ll take on a St. Louis Rams defense that has a tough secondary. I’m not sure that this will be a huge outing, but Diggs should still be considered as a flex play.
Big Ben’s Back
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger returned from a sprained MCL injury last weekend, completed 28-of-45 passes for 262 yards, with one touchdown and three interceptions Sunday against the Bengals.. Not such great numbers. I think that this week, Big Ben returns to his old self, and has a big day against an Oakland Raiders defense that has allowed the most passing yards in the league. Look for wide receiver Antonio Brown to have a huge day as well.
Same Face, New Place
Headlines were made this week as the Denver Broncos traded two sixth round picks this week to acquire two time pro bowler, tight end Vernon Davis. This had me intrigued for the main reason that quarterback Peyton Manning loves his tight ends. Let’s take a look back. Julius Thomas had 24 touchdowns from Manning in his final two seasons as a Bronco. I think that can be Davis this season, and am highly attracted by the potential that this trade has. He does have two other tight ends on the roster to compete with (Owen Daniels and Virgil Green), but there’s a reason why Denver traded for him. I say take a number and stash Davis on your bench this week.
The time to pick up Vernon Davis is now (Via Fox)
Waiver Wire Pickups
Last week we saw many players go down with major injuries, crippling fantasy teams everywhere. Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell tore his MCL and PCL, and he is done for the season. DeAngelo Williams is going to replace him, and if you were lucky enough to snag him on the waiver wire, he should be in your lineup right away. Chicago Bears running back Matt Forte suffered damage to his MCL and will be out for a few weeks. Enter Jeremy Langford. I expect him to have a big week against the Chargers on Monday Night Football.
Your Bold Prediction
Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski takes on the Washington Redskins this week, who have allowed the 12th fewest yards per game to tight ends. Of course, they’ve yet to face Gronkowski and I’m predicting three touchdowns today from Gronk.
Brett Malamud is an English Rhetoric 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
2015 NFL Mock Draft 1.0
By Ryan Crawford
The hot commodities of this draft include the two intriguing quarterbacks, two high level running backs, a batch of very good interior defensive linemen, three dynamite edge rushers and a group of wide receivers that just might rival last years extraordinary crop. Here’s my initial mock draft for 2015. There’s sure to be many changes before long.
1. TAMPA BAY BUCS – Jameis Winston – QB – Florida State
Lovie Smith and the Bucs badly need a franchise quarterback and Jameis Winston can be that guy. Questions about his maturity and too many interceptions are the major red flags. I think the Bucs jump at the opportunity to snag such a high level QB prospect and hope the potential problems work themselves out.
2. TENNESSEE TITANS – Leonard Williams – DT – USC
I do not think the Titans are enamored with developing Marcus Mariota at QB. Williams might be the top talent in the draft and fills a huge need in the middle of the Titans defensive line.
3. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS – Randy Gregory-OLB- Nebraska
Jaguars are looking to upgrade on defense and Gregory is a stud.
4. OAKLAND RAIDERS – Amari Cooper-WR-Alabama
Take your choice between Cooper, White, Parker etc. but there is a clear need at the receiver position and the Raiders will have plenty to choose from. Cooper seems to be the cream of the crop.
5. WASHINGTON REDSKINS – Landon Collins – S- Alabama
Best safety in the draft fills a huge void for the Redskins.
6. NEW YORK JETS – Dante Fowler – DE/OLB – Florida
Bigtime explosive pass rusher is a welcome gift for the defensive minded new head coach Todd Bowles.
7. CHICAGO BEARS – Shane Ray – DE – Missouri
Watching the Bears play defense last season was somewhat frightening for Bears fans. Ray is a pure pass rusher who should put some pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
8. ATLANTA FALCONS – Danny Shelton -DT- Washington
Another team with a bad defense…seeing a trend down here? Danny Shelton was a monster at the senior bowl and should anchor the middle of the Falcons line for years.
9. NEW YORK GIANTS – Brandon Scherff- OT- Iowa
The Giants most important job is to keep Eli Manning upright so he is able to get the ball to Odell Beckham Jr, Victor Cruz and Ruben Randle. This load should help accomplish that goal.
10. ST LOUIS RAMS – Marcus Mariota- QB- Oregon
Rams are thrilled to see Mariota drop into their laps and will jump at the chance to replace the often injured and highly paid Sam Bradford
Could Marcus Mariota slip to the Rams at 10? (Via SportsChat)
11. MINNESOTA VIKINGS – Kevin White – WR- West Virginia
White ran a 4.35 at the combine. At 6’3″ with top flight speed, he can be a dynamic weapon for Teddy Bridgewater
12. CLEVELAND BROWNS – Devante Parker- WR- Louisville
Parker is another top weapon to be contended with and the Browns have major concerns at the wide receiver spot with Josh Gordon being a major question mark.
13. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS – Vic Beasley-DE-Clemson
Beasley is a prolific pass rusher who will be called upon to play OLB because of his size. Certainly the Saints will require some defense sooner or later. Had a great combine.
14. MIAMI DOLPHINS – Ereck Flowers- OT- Miami
Another massive body in front of Ryan Tannehill could be just what the doctor ordered for the Dolphins.
15. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS – Arik Armstead –DE/DT-Oregon
New coach, new ideas but there will be a big need to retool the ferocious 49ers defense and Armstead is a mountain of a man for the defensive line.
16. HOUSTON TEXANS – Andrus Peat – OT- Stanford
The Texans need to build up their offensive line and Peat is great place to start
17. SAN DIEGO CHARGERS – Eddie Goldman- DT- Florida State
With all the weapons they have on offense, the Chargers can use a little defense and this guy is a force in the middle of a four man front
18 KANSAS CITY CHIEFS – Dorial Green Beckham- WR- Missouri
Green-Beckham is just one of those guys who could not seem to find his niche in college but oozes talent. The Chiefs are a team that had no touchdowns last year from a wide receiver. Seems like a match to me.
19. CLEVELAND BROWNS – TJ Clemmings- OT- Pittsburgh
The Browns continue to build up their offense. Now if they can only figure out the quarterback situation then they can start to move the team forward.
20. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES – Trae Waynes – CB – Michigan St
Not sure how I got Waynes to drop down this far, especially after he ran a 4.30 in the combine, but the Eagles would be thrilled if he did and snatch him up quickly.
21. CINCINNATI BENGALS – Bud Dupree- DE/OLB- Kentucky
Called a physical freak of nature, this future NFL edge rusher will help the Bengals defense immensely. Ran a 4.56 in the 40 yard dash and has a 42 inch vertical leap and did a 138 inch broad jump. All while weighing in at 270 lbs. Oh My!!
22. PITTSBURGH STEELERS – Malcolm Brown- DT- Texas
A mountain for the middle of the Steeler defensive line.
23. DETROIT LIONS – LaEl Collins – OT – LSU
The Lions have a few holes on their offensive line and Collins looks like he’ll be a pretty good one. At 6’5″ and 322 lbs, he projects at left tackle.
24. ARIZONA CARDINALS – Jaelen Strong- WR- Arizona State
At 6’4″, this blazer is another stud in the crop of highly sought after receivers. A local product, the Cards are thrilled to scoop him up at 24.
25. CAROLINA PANTHERS – Marcus Peters – CB- Washington
Regarded as the number two cornerback in the entire draft, Peters is a very physical corner who fills a major need for the Panthers.
26. BALTIMORE RAVENS – Melvin Gordon-RB-Wisconsin
The Ravens are in dire need of a top flight running back and Gordon is considered the best of a strong group.
27. DALLAS COWBOYS – Maxx Williams- TE – Minnesota
The heir apparent to Jason Witten, the Cowboys are on the lookout for a young tight end that they can develop. Williams has great hands and top speed. Reminds some of a young Jeremy Shockey.
28. DENVER BRONCOS – Devin Funchess- WR- Michigan
Broncos are in salary cap dilemmas with the Thomas boys. If they franchise Demaryius Thomas, they might lose Julius Thomas. Either way they should be in the market for a pass catching tight end with speed to play receiver and Funchess certainly fits the description.
29. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS – Cedric Ogbuhei- OT- Texas A & M
When you have a quarterback with the ability of an Andrew Luck, you must wisely do anything and everything to protect him. A big tackle helps and Ogbuhei oozes with potential.
30. GREEN BAY PACKERS – Denzel Perryman – ILB – Miami
The Packers just released veteran A.J.Hawk and Perryman is a highly regarded prospect who could step into that inside linebacker role.
31. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS – Kevin Johnson- CB- Wake Forest
The Legion of Boom was a little banged up by the end of the season and with Byron Maxwell slated for free agency, a young corner might be just what the doctor ordered.
32. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS – Mike Bennett – DT- Ohio State
Another big body for the defensive front should help the Patriots continue to dominate the NFL.
Other Potential 1st Round Picks
Todd Gurley- RB- Georgia
Trey Flowers – DE- Arkansas
Shaq Thompson- OLB – Washington
Eli Harold- DE- Virginia
Breshad Perriman- WR- Central Florida
Quinten Rollins – CB- Miami (Ohio)
Studs and Duds: NFL Week 14
By Brett Malamud
Here’s week 14’s edition of Studs and Duds:
Stud: Le’Veon Bell, Pittsburgh Steelers
Bell was the top fantasy point scorer in ESPN standard leagues in week 14. Bell had 185 rushing yards and a touchdown. He also had 50 receiving yards and a touchdown through the air.
Le’Veon Bell was definitely a stud in week 14 (Via USA Today)
Dud: Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos
Manning failed to throw a touchdown pass this week, snapping his 51 game streak. He’ll take on the Chargers in week 15
Stud: Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers
Newton played great against the Saints, passing for 226 yards and three touchdowns. He was in a car accident on Tuesday afternoon but was okay and was released from the hospital Wednesday morning.
Dud: Brian Hoyer, Cleveland Browns
Hoyer was unable to get the victory against the Colts, and now finds himself as the backup as Johnny Manziel will start for the Browns in week 15 against the Bengals.
Stud: Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons
Jones played stellar against the Packers on Monday night. He hauled in 11 catches for 259 yards and a touchdown. The Falcons will host the Pittsburgh Steelers in week 15.
Dud: Demaryius Thomas, Denver Broncos
Thomas had his worst week of the season, bringing in just two catches for 11 yards.
Stud: AJ Green, Cincinnati Bengals
Green had a very similar line to Julio Jones this week. The Bengals wide receiver caught 11 passes for 224 yards and a touchdown against Pittsburgh. The Bengals will head into Cleveland for a week 15 matchup with the Browns.
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
Studs and Duds: NFL Week 11
By Brett Malamud
After an interesting week, here’s week 11’s edition of Studs and Duds:
Stud: Jonas Gray, New England Patriots
It always seems that the Patriots have a running back that comes out of nowhere. Gray was another example of that. He finished the day with 38 carries for 199 yards and four touchdowns.
Jonas Gray had a huge week 11 (via AP)
Dud: Eli Manning, New York Giants
Five interceptions will definitely land you on this list.
Stud: Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Mike Evans has become the top wide receiver in Tampa Bay. He had a huge day, hauling in seven catches for 209 yards and two touchdowns.
Dud: Ben Tate, Cleveland Browns
Tate was waived on Tuesday after rushing for minus-9 yards on just two carries.
Stud: Jamaal Charles, Kansas City Chiefs
Charles was great against the Seattle Seahawks. He had 20 carries for 159 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
Dud: Denver Broncos
Denver couldn’t get anything going and took a rough loss to the St. Louis Rams.
Stud: Le’Veon Bell, Pittsburgh Steelers
Ben Roethlisberger struggled a bit, but Bell picked up the pieces. The Steelers running back had 33 carries for 204 yards and a touchdown.
Stud: Green Bay Packers D/ST
The Packers brought back a punt return, an interception, and a fumble all for touchdowns. Green Bay ended up forcing four turnovers against the red hot Philadelphia Eagles.
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
Studs and Duds: NFL Week Ten
By Brett Malamud
I was pretty impressed in many of this week’s performances. Of course, with great success from your team comes great failure from your opponent. Here’s week ten’s edition of Studs and Duds:
Stud: Marshawn Lynch, Seattle Seahawks
Beast mode is an understatement as Lynch was phenomenal against the Giants. He had 21 carries for 140 yards and four touchdowns. His fantasy owners must have been happy as he scored 40 points this week in ESPN standard leagues.
Marshawn Lynch had a huge week against the Giants, rushing for four touchdowns (Via Getty)
Dud: Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals
Dalton was awful on Thursday Night Football. He completed 10-of-33 passes and finished the night with just 86 yards, no touchdowns and three interceptions. He’ll try to refocus for next week’s him matchup against the Saints.
Stud: Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
Rodgers torched the Chicago Bears on national television Sunday night. He threw six touchdowns, with all six coming in the first half. He was pulled in the third quarter.
Dud: Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers
Brown’s numbers dropped off this week. He caught eight passes for 74 yards, which isn’t really that bad. Well why is he on the duds list then? Oh, that’s right. Brown had two lost fumbles, giving him just three fantasy points for the day in ESPN standard leagues
Stud: Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos
Were you expecting anything else? Manning threw five touchdown passes in the Broncos’ rout of the Oakland Raiders.
Dud: Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers
Newton, who hadn’t thrown a touchdown pass since week 7, finally threw one to kelvin Benjamin for a score. The only problem? The Panthers were so far out of reach that the game didn’t matter anymore. Newton threw three interceptions and lost a fumble in a very shaky performance in week 10. He’ll return to Carolina to face a favorable matchup with the Atlanta Falcons in week 11.
Stud: Dez Bryant, Dallas Cowboys
After two straight games that had Bryant with less than 35 yards receiving, Dez came alive on Sunday in London. Facing the Jacksonville Jaguars, Bryant hauled in six catches for 158 yards and two touchdowns. He’ll head into the bye week this week.
Stud: New York Jets
Finally! The Jets took it to the red-hot Pittsburgh Steelers and came away with a 20-13 win for just their second win of the season. They’ll have a bye in week 11.
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 Six Predictions
By Brett Malamud
Thursday is here and that can only mean one thing. Yes, get ready for another week of football with the week six predictions:
Byes: New Orleans Saints, Kansas City Chiefs
-Colts (3-2) at Texans (3-2), Thursday @ 8:25 PM EST
Thursday Night Football this week could turn out more intriguing than not. The Texans will attempt to knock off the Colts in Houston. The Texans have the most takeaways in the NFL and have allowed the fourth fewest points in the league. Andrew Luck hopes to change that. Luck passed for 312 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions last week. With that performance, Luck passed for at least 300 yards in four out of his last five games. As he heads to Houston, I believe he’ll do just that and lead the Colts to the victory. Verdict: Colts
-Steelers (3-2) at Browns (2-2), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
Down 28-0, the Browns stormed back to take a 29-28 shocker in Tennessee last weekend. This week they return home and turn their attention to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers had a rough time in Jacksonville, barely escaping with a 17-9 victory over the winless Jaguars. Roethlisberger wasn’t anything special, throwing for less than 300 yards. This week’s matchup could pose well for Cleveland and I think they’ll get it done, disposing of the Steelers. Verdict: Browns
-Patriots (3-2) at Bills (3-2), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
A battle in the AFC East sees the Patriots travel to Buffalo to face the Bills. Tom Brady threw for 292 yards and two touchdowns against the Bengals. Brady heads into this one with a career 22-2 record as a starter against the Bills. The Bills escaped with a last second field goal in Detroit, but with Kyle Orton leading the team at quarterback, I’m not sure they’ll match up with New England. Verdict: Patriots
-Panthers (3-2) at Bengals (3-1), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
Cam Newton has been a huge disappointment thus far for fantasy owners, more specifically in the run game. Newton has not ran the same way that he used to. Last week, he finished with six carries for nine yards. He’ll face a tough Bengals defense this week. The Bengals come off of their loss to the Patriots last week. I think they’ll bounce back though and take down Cam Newton. Verdict: Bengals
-Jaguars (0-5) at Titans (1-4), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
Here is my Game of the Weak. How many times am I going to say that the Jaguars stink? I seem to say it each and every week, but it’s finally setting in that they’re simply put: awful. They still have yet to win a game, although they gave the Pittsburgh Steelers a run for their money last week. I’m taking the Titans, who I’ll take off of the hook this week, even though they’re not the best of teams either. Verdict: Titans
-Packers (3-2) at Dolphins (2-2), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
The Dolphins come off of their bye week and welcome the Green Bay Packers. The Packers had that huge blowout against the Vikings last Thursday and come into this one with their heads held high. The Dolphins will have a tough task in slowing down Aaron Rodgers. I’m taking the Packers. Verdict: Packers
-Lions (3-2) at Vikings (2-3), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
The Lions will have a tough time if they cannot get Calvin Johnson in the lineup. The wide receiver has a high ankle sprain and has been bothered by it all week. If he can’t go, keep an eye on Golden Tate. He’ll get the majority of targets from Matt Stafford. The Vikings were embarrassed by the Green Bay Packers last week. Minnesota was without quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, but this week will be different. I’m expecting a close game, with the Lions taking the victory. Verdict: Lions
-Broncos (3-1) at Jets (1-4), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
Earlier today, Dabuzzza writer Jack Allen had a piece on the Jets small chance at beating the Denver Broncos (Which you can check out here). I’m a Jets fan, and while I can relate to Jack’s optimism, I just can’t see any good outcomes this week for Gang Green. The Jets have been a disgrace this season, and that starts at the quarterback position. Geno Smith had the worst game he’s ever had in San Diego. He was 4-for-12 with 27 passing yards and an interception. Head coach Rex Ryan turned to backup quarterback Michael Vick in the second half last week, opting to pull Smith out. The Jets lost their fourth straight game and were shutout by the Chargers. Rex Ryan’s job has been put in jeopardy and if the Jets hoped that they can move past their struggles, they’ll most likely have to wait until next week. Peyton Manning comes off of a game against the tough Arizona Cardinals defense that saw him throw for 479 yards and four touchdowns. Do you really think that the Jets defense is great? Sure, they’re pretty good on the run but their secondary? There’s no way that the Broncos lose this one. They’ll send the Jets into their Thursday night matchup in New England with a loss. Verdict: Broncos
-Ravens (3-2) at Buccaneers (1-4), Sunday @ 1:00 PM EST
The Ravens took a loss to a red-hot Colts team last week. The Buccaneers kept up with the Saints for the entire game, before falling to them. But, the Buccaneers put up 31 points, much to my surprise. Doug Martin will need to take over the game to win. With that, I’m taking still Joe Flacco’s Ravens. Verdict: Ravens
-Chargers (4-1) at Raiders (0-4), Sunday @ 4:05 PM EST
The Chargers come off of a 31-0 shutout over the New York Jets. Were the Chargers really good or were the Jets just really bad? I think it was a bit of both but more from the Jets being bad. Chargers rookie running back Branden Oliver ran for 114 yards and a touchdown. Oliver also caught four passes for 68 yards and a touchdown. The Raiders fired their head coach and brought in Tony Sparano as the interim head coach. They’ll come off the bye, still winless. Expect that to remain the same after they host San Diego. Verdict: Chargers
-Bears (2-3) at Falcons (2-3), Sunday @ 4:25 PM EST
Chicago took that loss to the Panthers to drop them below .500 for the season. The Bears turned the ball over four times, an inexcusable number. Atlanta headed into MetLife Stadium ready to take advantage of Eli Manning. They headed out with a loss though, after blowing a ten point lead. Matt Ryan still looks good though, and playing in the Georgia Dome should help to propel them to a victory. Verdict: Falcons
-Cowboys (4-1) at Seahawks (3-1), Sunday @ 4:25 PM EST
This is my game of the week. Seahawks Quarterback Russell Wilson completed 18-of-24 passes for 201 yards and two touchdowns. Wilson also had 11 carries for 122 yards and another touchdown. The Seahawks had two more touchdowns that were taken away by penalties in their win over Washington. Dallas escaped Houston in overtime. Can Tony Romo handle the 12th Man? I don’t think that he can, and that Seattle will defeat the Cowboys. Verdict: Seahawks
Tony Romo hopes to beat the Seahawks this week (Via AP)
-Redskins (1-4) at Cardinals (3-1), Sunday @ 4:25 PM EST
The Redskins fell to the Seahawks last week, and the Cardinals to the Broncos. The Cardinals defense should manhandle the Redskins offense in route to the victory Verdict: Cardinals
-Giants (3-2) at Eagles (4-1), Sunday @ 8:30 PM EST
The Giants had a comeback effort against the Falcons last week. The Eagles, meanwhile, had an average game against the St. Louis Rams at home. This Sunday Night Football matchup should be a good one though, as most Giants-Eagles games are. I’m going to go with my gut and take the Eagles. It’ll be a close one though. Verdict: Eagles
-49ers (3-2) at Rams (1-3), Monday @ 8:30 PM EST
The St. Louis Rams stuck with the Eagles last week, losing by just six points. Austin Davis threw for 375 yards and three touchdowns, two of which to wide receiver Brian Quick. It’s safe to say that the young quarterback looks settled in. The 49ers come off of a win against the Kansas City Chiefs. However, five out of their six scoring drives only went for field goals. The offense will have to continue to work on getting into the red zone before they start running into trouble. I’m gonna pick them here though. Verdict: 49ers
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
Studs and Duds: NFL Week Five
By Brett Malamud
This week, Peyton Manning came back in full force and the Jets ended their day with zero points on the scoreboard. Here’s week five’s edition of Studs and Duds:
Stud: Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos
Although he threw 2 interceptions, he finished with 479 yards and 4 touchdowns against a tough Arizona Cardinals defense. Next week, Manning heads into MetLife stadium for the first time since losing last season’s Super Bowl. The only difference? He’ll be facing the awful New York Jets defense rather than the Seattle Seahawks.
Dud: Alfred Morris, Washington Redskins
The Redskins just couldn’t get anything going on the ground against the Seattle Seahawks, and Alfred Morris’ stat line reflects that. Morris finished the day with 29 on 13 carries. Washington will take on the tough defensive team in Arizona, when they face the Cardinals.
Stud: Demaryius Thomas, Denver Broncos
Thomas set a franchise record against the Arizona Cardinals when he racked up 226 receiving yards on eight catches. Thomas will face the Jets and their weak secondary next week. Expect big points, fantasy owners.
Demaryius Thomas had a lot to celebrate this week after setting a franchise record this week (Via AP)
Dud: Chris Johnson, New York Jets
Johnson disappointed many this week, gaining just 24 yards on seven carries, and losing a fumble. Next, he’ll face the Denver Broncos and that doesn’t pose well for him.
Stud: Arian Foster, Houston Texans
Foster came off of a week in which he had six yards on eight carries, and impressed. He finished the day with 157 rushing yards on 23 carries and two touchdowns. In addition, he also had two catches for 15 yards against the Dallas Cowboys.
Dud: Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are still winless, falling to the Pittsburgh Steelers this past week by the score of 17-9. They dropped to 0-5 with the loss. Their schedule becomes much easier over the next three weeks, facing the Tennessee Titans at LP Field in Nashville, before coming home to face the Cleveland Browns and Miami Dolphins. I’d like to think they’ll compete and escape one of these matchups with a win, but with the football that they’ve been playing lately, it’ll be a tough task.
Stud: Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks
Playing on Monday Night Football, Wilson completed 18-of-24 passes for 201 yards and two touchdowns. Normally that would be ok and could help to win a football game. But the ground game from Wilson added to his great performance. In addition to the passing game, he had 11 carries for 122 yards and another touchdown. He had two more touchdowns that were taken away by penalties.
Dud: New York Jets
The New York Jets thought that they were escaping from this studs and duds list, however they are not. The Jets were shut out 31-0 by the San Diego Chargers in a complete letdown out west. They’ll host the Denver Broncos next week, and I’d be shocked to see them compete with them after watching this week’s performance in San Diego.
Stud: Branden Oliver, San Diego Chargers
Coming in for the injured Donald Brown, Oliver had 114 yards on 19 carries with a touchdown in the Chargers’ rout of the New York Jets. In addition, he had four catches for 68 yards and another touchdown. He plays the Oakland Raiders next week in another favorable matchup.
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 North
By Jack Allen
Yes, what you see is what I believe. Under starting quarterback Brian Hoyer last fall the Browns went 3-0 before Hoyer suffered an ACL tear. With the 22nd overall pick this last spring the Browns selected Texas A&M’ phenom quarterback Johnny Manziel. We’ll see whether Manziel sits under Hoyer or takes the starting position. With a good defense and an offense ready for a good quarterback, I really believe this is THE year in Ohio. The city is ready for a return to the playoffs. With Hoyer and Manziel as a one two punch, and with a healthy defense, the Cleveland Browns are definitely a scary team in the AFC North.
Johnny Manziel hopes to make this a huge rookie season (Via USA Today)
The Cincinnati Bengals haven’t won a playoff game in almost 25 years. With an identical roster, I don’t think this team is good enough for their division’s up and coming competition. After a terrible performance at home in the Wild Card playoff game against San Diego, I think its going to take time for Andy Dalton and the Bengals to get back to the dance. They have a good offense, but in my opinion, it’s nothing special and not good enough. This divisional I think will be the biggest surprise, and a let down to NFL analysts this season.
The 2013 Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens struggled last season, but eventually gave themselves a chance that they blew in the final two weeks of the season getting outscored 75-24. Head Coach John Harbaugh and quarterback Joe Flacco had a legendary defense in the year they won the Super Bowl. Without that defense, I firmly believe this team isn’t even good enough to compete for a playoff birth. Last season they had an easy schedule and were lucky to be in any type of playoff race. They set themselves up for a wild card birth, but they still blew it. They did add Steve Smith this offseason, but until Joe Flacco can return to that great form and more improvements around the whole team, they won’t be headed anywhere. Former pro bowl running back Ray Rice will return in week 3 after he serves a two game suspension.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are going to come across the realization that it’s time for some big changes after this season. After missing out on the playoffs in a heart breaking fashion last year, they aren’t going to have the same chance with this team. With other teams in the AFC getting better, this will be a real “Shift in Power” for the Steelers in the wrong direction. Mike Tomlin should be on the hot seat after their struggles. They are going to be in need of a better receiving core, and perhaps a young quarterback. Roethlisberger is 32 years old and so it wouldn’t be a bad idea to stock up on an understudy to Big Ben. Steel City, prepare for a major let down this upcoming season.
Prediction:
1). Browns 10-6
2). Bengals 8-8
3). Ravens 6-10
4). Steelers 5-11
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)
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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 (3 of 4)
By Dan Lagnado
In part one of the midseason recap and predictions, the AFC East was covered and in part two of the midseason recap and predictions, the AFC West was covered. Next we will head over to the AFC North:
Division Winner: Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals are the only team above .500 in a division that includes two perennial defensive powerhouses, the defending Super Bowl champions…and the Cleveland Browns. The Bengals have made the most of their first two draft picks this season, Tyler Eifert and Giovani Bernard. Both have given an already powerful offense a boost. Andy Dalton has thrown for 16 touchdowns, 12 of those to AJ Green and Marvin Jones. Geno Atkins and the NFL’s leading tackler Vontaze Burfict lead the NFL’s fifth ranked defense (of all teams in the AFC North, who guessed the Bengals would have the top ranked defense?) This defense will have to deal with the loss of Rey Maualuga who was injured against the Jets. Currently sitting at 6-2 with a three game lead on the division, despite a tough schedule the Bengals seem poised to run away with this division.
Andy Dalton and the Bengals will try to win the AFC North this season (Via USA Today Sports)
8.5 months ago, the Baltimore Ravens were on top of the football world. And then everything changed. Ray Lewis and Matt Birk retired. Ed Reed, Anquan Boldin, Paul Kruger, Cary Williams, Bernard Pollard and Danell Ellerbe left either by free agency or were released. So far these losses have been hard to overcome. The Ravens are 3-4 and are only 1/2 game ahead of the Browns for second place. Joe Flacco, who signed a big contract extension after his Super Bowl MVP, hasn’t quite played up to the money with eight touchdowns and eight interceptions. Ray Rice is averaging less than three yards per carry and has struggled to stay healthy. Torrey Smith is the clear offensive leader but his teammates haven’t stayed healthy. Jacoby Jones has been injured and missed five games causing the Ravens to turn to rookie receiver Marlon Brown. Terrell Suggs and new addition Elvis Dumervil have combined for 13 sacks to provide most of the defensive highlights. While still possible for the Ravens to make a late season run, it will hardly be easy. Baltimore has a tough schedule going forward including two games against the first place Bengals.
The Cleveland Browns are having one of the most bizarre seasons that anyone has ever seen. The Browns were looking for even better seasons from their big second year players Brandon Weeden and Trent Richardson. As it turns out Weeden would start only two games (both losses) before being benched in favor of Brian Hoyer. Hoyer would go 3-0 in his starts before going down for the season with injury. The Browns then went back to Weeden, who would lose two more games before being benched again, this time for Jason Campbell. Richardson also only lasted two games before being traded to the Indianapolis Colts for draft picks. The Browns have actually performed better without last year’s high draft picks, going 3-1 in games not started by Weeden and 3-3 without Richardson. The main bright spots have been Jordan Cameron and Josh Gordon, who have accounted for nine receiving touchdowns. Defensive back Joe Haden has played proven to be one of the best year-in-year-out and rookie Barkevious Mingo has impressed in his rookie year with four sacks in his early career. While Cleveland is not going to threaten for a playoff birth terribly soon, the roots of a good team are in place.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are feeling the effects of time. This is hardly the same team that won two Super Bowls in the past decade. Instead, the Steelers sit in last place with a disappointing record of 2-5. Ben Roethlisberger has been inconsistent with eight TDs and seven INTs. The loss of Mike Wallace has had an impact on the offense though Antonio Brown has emerged as an offensive threat this season. The Steelers have also gotten decent play from their rookie running back Le’Veon Bell. Lamarr Woodley leads the team in sacks with five, however the rest of the team has only five total sacks as well. Perennial Pro-Bowler Troy Polamalu is also having a decent season. However, the bad certainly outweighs the good for this team. Many of the games have been close thanks to the defense, but the offense has not had the necessary firepower to win more games. With five tough games still on the schedule, it may be just about time for fans of the Terrible Towel to start looking towards 2014.
In the AFC North, look for the Bengals led by Andy Dalton and AJ Green to win the division, while the Ravens will try to fight through a tough schedule to get within striking distance of a Wild Card spot. It’s not an easy road for the defending champs but if anyone can conquer the adversity and make it the postseason, it’s the Ravens.
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