Tag: Green Bay Packers

NFL Season Predictions (That Will Absolutely Age Poorly)

We’ve made it. Fantasy draft boards are wiped clean, preseason panic attacks are in the rearview, and the NFL season kicks off tonight. Dallas heads to Philadelphia, and Jerry Jones is once again basking in the spotlight—not because the Cowboys are contenders, but because he just traded away one of the league’s best defenders. Only Jerry.

So, with chaos already underway, here are the NFL predictions that will almost certainly go wrong.

AFC Picks

  • East: Buffalo Bills
  • North: Baltimore Ravens
  • South: Houston Texans
  • West: Kansas City Chiefs
  • Wild Cards: Denver Broncos, New England Patriots, Cincinnati Bengals

The AFC is quarterback country. Each division winner boasts the top QB in that group, plain and simple. The Broncos? Not a one-year wonder—defense upgraded, offense loaded, and Drake Maye ready to pop. The Bengals? They’ll need fireworks weekly to cover up their defense, but Joe Burrow & Co. can drop 50 on anyone. Surprise miss: the Chargers stumble out of the picture.

NFC Picks

  • East: Philadelphia Eagles
  • North: Green Bay Packers
  • South: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
  • West: Los Angeles Rams
  • Wild Cards: Washington Commanders, Minnesota Vikings, Carolina Panthers

The Eagles stay perched atop the East, but Washington isn’t going away. Micah Parsons boosts the Packers into division glory, while Baker Mayfield keeps the Bucs rolling. The Rams emerge from a crowded West where everyone hangs around into December. Minnesota rides JJ McCarthy into a playoff berth, and Carolina is the shocker—sliding in while Detroit, with two new coordinators, slides out.

Awards & Big Finish

  • MVP: Joe Burrow
  • Defensive Player of the Year: Micah Parsons
  • Offensive Rookie of the Year: Ashton Jeanty
  • Defensive Rookie of the Year: Malaki Starks
  • Super Bowl: Ravens over Packers

Book it, screenshot it, and come laugh at it in January.

Only Jerry: Cowboys Ship Off Parsons, Keep the Circus Alive

Only Jerry: Cowboys Ship Off Parsons, Keep the Circus Alive

I was born in the mid-80s, but it was the early ’90s that stamped my sports fandom. Like most kids, I latched onto a team—though these days, after nearly 15 years covering sports, my rooting interest has morphed. Now it’s less about colors on a jersey and more about the people I’ve met, the players I respect, and, of course, my fantasy squads. (Yes, I still sneak in a guy or two from my childhood team. No, I won’t draft their rivals. Some habits die hard.)

That childhood team? The Dallas Cowboys. Blame—or credit—Drew Pearson. When I was five or six, my uncle took me to a sports bar plastered wall-to-wall with Cowboys memorabilia. Pearson, the legend himself, handed me a hat and signed it “Drew Pearson 88.” Next thing I knew, I was watching Dallas lift Lombardi Trophies in ’92, ’93, and ’95. Hook, line, sinker.

Thankfully, adulthood and a press pass pried me out of that fan-cage. I’ve been spared the heartbreak of watching Jerry Jones sabotage his own empire for three decades.

But Thursday? That old Cowboys sting flared again. Jerry traded away Micah Parsons—yes, the perennial DPOY candidate—for two first-rounders and Kenny Clark. On any other team this would be shocking. In Dallas? It was a classic “Only Jerry” moment.

The move echoes the Khalil Mack trade from 2018, when the Raiders shipped their star to Chicago. Difference is, the Raiders at least waited for the offseason. Jerry pulled the trigger a week before a primetime opener against the defending champs and division rival. Brilliant timing.

And the return? Let’s do the math. Mack netted the Raiders two 1s, a 3rd, and a 6th. Those became Josh Jacobs (a hit) and a cast of forgettable names like Damon Arnett and Bryan Edwards. Not exactly franchise-saving. Now Dallas is banking on Green Bay’s late-20s first-rounders. Look at their own recent picks in that range: Tyler Smith, Mazi Smith, Tyler Guyton. Two solid linemen, sure. But Mazi was supposed to fix the run defense already—and now Kenny Clark is here to cover that same hole.

The draft record is decent, but even that success often feels like it happened in spite of Jerry. Flash back to 2014 when the room had to drag him away from Johnny Manziel so they could take Zack Martin. One’s a bust. The other’s a future Hall of Famer. Guess which side Jerry was on.

Even if Dallas nails these two new first-rounders, what are the odds they stick around? Parsons bolted because contract talks went nuclear. Jerry openly admitted negotiating with Parsons himself instead of his agent—a move that might’ve crossed the CBA. Dak Prescott’s extension dragged to the last minute. CeeDee Lamb’s wasn’t any cleaner. This isn’t team-building, it’s soap opera scripting.

The truth is, Jerry doesn’t just want to win. He wants the spotlight. He’s the only owner who doubles as GM, makes weekly media rounds, and hires coaches who never actually get to steer the ship. Despite being 82, there’s zero sign he’ll loosen his grip.

So Cowboys fans, buckle in. That 30-year Super Bowl drought isn’t ending soon. Parsons gone, dysfunction steady, and the Jones Show still center stage. Only Jerry.

2020 NFL Draft Recap: NFC North

Chicago Bears

Favorite Pick: Round 2, Pick 50 Overall – Jaylon Johnson, CB, Utah – Likely to be a situational corner early on with Kyle Fuller, Artie Burns, and Buster Skrine the corners ahead of him, Johnson will have a shot to leap ahead of Skrine this season and become the nickel back on a great defense. He has good size and toughness that will allow him to play press and line up against big receivers and even a tight end when needed.

Least Favorite Pick: Round 2, Pick 43 Overall – Cole Kmet, TE, Notre Dame – I love the player, but this is early even for me and it gives the Bears something like 10 TEs on their roster. With Jimmy Graham in the twighlight of his career, Kmet could easily be the top TE on the team by mid-season, but Mitch Trubisky and Nick Foles means the team is still going to struggle.

Day Three Sleeper: Round 5, Pick 155 Overall – Trevis Gipson, Edge, Tulsa – He can play with his hand in the dirt or upright as a blitzing backer, Gipson gets to learn from the best in the league Khalil Mack and another who is no slouch in Robert Quinn. He is a pass rush only type guy, so he will be situational, but has the upside to become a productive member of the Bears D.

Undrafted Free Agent to Watch: Trevon McSwain, DT, Duke – More of a tweener on the defensive line as he is not a run stuffer given he is 6’6” and weighed in at 285 lbs., but not really a natural pass rusher. He will likely be a running game option as depth on the back end of the roster.

Detroit Lions

Favorite Pick: Round 1, Pick 3 Overall – Jeff Okudah, CB, Ohio State – Hands down the best defensive back in the draft, Okudah goes to a Lions team that desperately needed corner help. The Lions gave up the most passing yards per game and tied for last in interceptions, they con only go up from there and Okudah is just the kind of guy to help.

Least Favorite Pick: None – The day two selections for the Lions were D’Andre Swift, Julian Okwara, and Jonah Jackson, all guys I really like. Swift will likely be the lead back early on given his biggest competition is Kerryon Johnson, while Jackson could be leading the way for him as the best guard on the roster. Okwara will have to overtake his brother, Romeo, on the defensive line to earn himself a starting gig, but the brotherly competition should be fun to watch.

Day Three Sleeper: Round 5, Pick 166 Overall – Quintez Cephus, WR, Wisconsin – Cephus was not the most highly touted receiver in this deep draft class, and there was plenty of inconsistencies from him in a run first offense, but he flashed brilliance. There was always one or two plays a game in Madison that made you sit up and take note of Cephus, the question is can he do it consistently, and if he can that ceiling is massive.

Undrafted Free Agent to Watch:  Hunter Bryant, TE, Washington – I felt there was a better chance Bryant went on day two than go undrafted, so this had to be the top target for the Lions. With Jesse James and TJ Hockenson ahead of him on the depth chart, he will be a matchup third option early on, but could easily surpass James early in the season.

Green Bay Packers

Favorite Pick: Round 2, Pick 62 Overall – A.J. Dillon, RB, Boston College – Despite popular reaction, I easily could have gone Jordan Love here although, that may just be an indictment on how poor the draft as a whole was for the Packers. Dillon is a huge, bruising back that can pound the rock. He can carry a heavy workload, but he really does not help much in the passing game so his fit with Aaron Rodgers and Aaron Jones remains to be seen.

Least Favorite Pick: Round 3, Pick 94 Overall – Josiah Deguara, H-Back, Cincinnati – He was listed as a tight end when drafted, but in reality he is a receiving fullback. The highest of upsides for him is to be a poor man’s Kyle Juszczyk…which isn’t worth a third-round pick.

Day Three Sleeper: Round 6, Pick 192 Overall – Jon Runyan, G, Michigan – A college tackle with great bloodlines, Runyan moving inside to guard becomes incredibly intriguing. They did go with a trio of interior offensive linemen in the sixth round, with Jake Hanson and Simon Stepaniak drafted later in the round, but it is Runyan I believe is the hit if there is only one in the group.

Undrafted Free Agent to Watch: A likely late round draft pick until he ran the slowest 40-yard dash among any corner, 4.65, but he had a good final season at Florida State. He is long but lean, so he isn’t much of a tackler, but his big hands allow him to win contested balls that typically go to the receiver. He will likely fit in as the last DB on the roster but could surprise people with a pick or two this season.

Minnesota Vikings

Favorite Pick: Round 1, Pick 22 Overall – Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU – Good route runner who can go up and the contested ball. At LSU he worked primarily as a slot receiver, a position Adam Thielen plays often, but he saw plenty of time out wide. He will immediately step in to the Stefon Diggs role and, while it will take time, he can get to that level.

Least Favorite Pick: None – Jeff Gladney may have been better suited as an early round two pick, but no way he gets back to the Vikings and this was a position of need, so I really have no issues with any of their picks in the first three rounds.

Day Three Sleeper: Round 4, Pick 132 Overall – Troy Dye, LB, Oregon – A guy I expected to go day steps into a veteran heavy linebacking group he can learn from. His size and ability to cover ground screams safety, but he is more of a linebacker in overall abilities. Look for him to be a backer who sees coverage on the tight end often, while being a sure-fire tackler in the run game.

Undrafted Free Agent to Watch: Another slot receiver to the Vikings may not seem like the greatest fit, but Davis has a shot to make it as a sixth receiver. He runs decent enough routes and relies on quickness over speed despite good length for a slot option. Nothing special, but easily a guy who could have been drafted on day three without anyone giving it a second thought, so this could be a sneaky pick up for the Vikings.

The Good, Bad, and Confusing of NFL Moves

We aren’t even a week into the new league year, but already there have been a ton of moves that will help shape the 2018 NFL season. Here is a quick take on the teams I feel have gotten better, worse, and completely confused.

Better

Chicago Bears – They have parted ways with Mike Glennon after giving the reigns over to Mitch Trubisky and brought in two solid backups. I feel like the idea of Chase Daniel is better than the quarterback Chase Daniel, but he is now in Chicago to be the primary backup and will land high on many people’s lists of top backups in the league. Time will tell if Tyler Bray will make the team, but he is another backup with experience.  The Bears are where highly thought of college receivers go to die, so it is about time they sign a big time receiver, and Allen Robinson gives Trubisky a real number one target. Add Prince Amukamara, Aaron Lyncch, Sam Acho,  and resign Kyle Fuller, and the defense gets a boost as well.

Green Bay Packers – Getting DeShone Kizer as the new backup to Aaron Rodgers is an upgrade, Muhammad Wilkerson for just $5M is all upside, and Jimmy Graham gives Rodgers a scary weapon at tight end. Will be interesting to see how the loss of Jody Nelson will impact the team.

Kansas City Chiefs – They dealt away Alex Smith to make room for Patrick Mahomes and brought in a stud receiver for him in Sammy Watkins. Kendall Fuller will take the place of the departed headache in Marcus Peters, while they also add linebacker Anthony Hitchens to an already solid defense.

Los Angeles Rams – Speaking of Marcus Peters, he is now in LA with the Rams, along with new acquisition Aqib Talib improve the Rams secondary, although they did lose talent up front.

Oakland Raiders – Goodbye Michael Crabtree, make room for Jordy Nelson. In addition to adding a reliable receiver, they are taking their chances on former Pro Bowl running back Doug Martin.

San Francisco 49ers – There won’t be a move that goes further under the radar than the 49ers signing Weston Richburg. He takes over as center along side two underperforming first round guards in Laken Tomlinson and Josh Garnett, making the raw talent in front of Jimmy Garappolo something that could become elite. They replace the departed Carlos Hyde with Jerick McKinnon and were the winners in the rush to get Richard Sherman after he was released.

Tennessee Titans – The Titans had DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry, two backs that run very similarly, but now part ways with Murray and bring in Dion Lewis who will serve as an excellent change of pace back and easy underneath target for Marcus Mariota. They also spend the money get Malcolm Butler as corner, and word is they will allow him to play.

Worse

Dallas Cowboys – Ready for the list of new players the Cowboys have brought in this season? Ok, here it goes:

 

Did you miss it? Yeah, they haven’t brought in anyone of note, their big signing has been the re-signing of their long snapper. Meanwhile they have said goodbye to Anthony Hitchens, Keith Smith will no longer be in at fullback, and Orland Scandrick has been released. Not a good sign for the Cowboys.

New England Patriots – Ok, maybe my fandom is getting in the way here, but I am not one to say “they always lose talent and somehow win the division”. I am one to say “you just traded Jimmy G for practically nothing after sending off Jacoby Brissett in the preseason, who is gonna be the QB of the future?” Add to that the departure of Julian Edelman (I don’t care if he didn’t play last year, he is still the best receiver the team had) and replace him with the always underwhelming Cordarrelle Patterson? Oh, and we already touched on the fact that Dion Lewis and Malcom Butler are gone.

Confused

Arizona Cardinals – Let’s face it, this tweet perfectly sums up the signing of Sam Braford.

 

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But they also sign Mike Glennon, one who we at The Stain have long been fans of. You also bring back Larry Fitzgerald but lose the Brown brothers, John and Jaron (not really brothers).

Cleveland Browns – Ok, you have picks one and four in the draft and seem to be debating between quarterback and running back…so you trade for Tyrod Taylor and sign Carlos Hyde? I am confused. You trade for Jarvis Landry, a very good WR, but you are going to have to give him a very large contract as he is currently under the franchise tag.

New York Jets – The Jets resigned Josh McCown and went out and brought in Teddy Bridgewater, which would be a solid QB room for a team who just might be a few good pieces away from being respectable…so they go out and trade away their 6th overall pick along with picks 37 and 49 and a second next year to jump up to three where they will no doubt add a QB? What a mess.