Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys feel like they already have the pieces to make a playoff run, which explains their lack of participation the rat race that is AMG free agency. This writer does not agree. The Cowboys seem to be a complete team on offense but for some reason can’t seem to put it together when it matters most. With their trio of stars approaching “old age” the Cowboys championship window appears to be closing. Some would say it was never really open in the first place. However, the Cowboys seem to be blind to fact that no one believes in them. After spending time with the team on the practice field, I ALMOST started to believe in them too. This is a team that seems stuck in their ways and is unwilling to change, and this will be reason their AMG fortunes ultimately remain unchanged as well.

Philadelphia Eagles

Veteran leadership seemed to be a priority for the Eagles this off-season. After shocking the Rams on the road in the wild card round, The Eagles feel like they are standing on the doorstep of NFC supremacy. Calais Campbell was brought in to help Fetcher Cox combat the run heavy schemes of their NFC East peers. Sterling Shepard was brought in to be a guiding light for the youngsters in the WR room, and finally, Matt Stafford. It has been made very clear that Jalen Hurtz is the starter at QB. However, Matt Stafford is being looked at as a viable option should his services be needed at some point this season. I fully expect the Eagles to be in the conversation late into the season.

Washington Football Team

After seven losses in one score games last year, the Washington Football Team believe they are ready to make the jump from pretender to contender. I am not sure this will be the case. Ben Vaughn appears to be the answer to the franchises long outstanding question mark at QB. After throwing for an ABSURD 5400 yards and 56 TDs last season, the only thing left for Vaughn to do is, maybe not turn it over 30+ times this year. If (and that’s a big IF after moving on from super star wideout Curtis Samuel) Vaughn can even shave 10 Ints off his total from last year, that would be a major boost for the Football Team. Now on to the elephant in the room…the defense. Washington held their opponents under 30 points only 5 times last season. Yes, you read that right….in 12 games last season the Football teams “HIGHLY OVERRATED DEFENSE” gave up 30 or more points. While I don’t see history repeating itself, this is not a problem that is easily solved. Considering the Football team just shipped off 1300 yards and 13 TDs, I really don’t see a way for the offense to make up for all the points the defense will allow.

New York Giants

If it aint broke, don’t fix it! That appears to be the motto of the AMG Season 6 champion New York Giants. Free agency was used to add a little bit of depth and it seems that the only possible change could be at the WR3 position. Most of the AMG world did not see the New York Giants coming last year, but you better believe people see them now. When I asked about the teams’ approach to defending their title, I received the only answer I ever could have expected… “We have to focus on taking the season one week at a time”

NFC East Prediction

Giants                   11-6

Eagles                   9-8

Cowboys             8-9

Football Team   4-13

Arizona Cardinals

Rodney Hudson’s retirement came as a shock to everyone, the Cardinals front office included. The void left by the announcement sent the Cardinals into scramble mode. A patchwork offensive line was constructed quickly during free agency. Judging by what I have seen during camp, the offensive line appears to be coming along nicely and I don’t expect it to be a problem for the Cards this season. The addition of two pass rushers in the first round was an excellent move in my eyes. Defensive end Jimmy Demps and outside linebacker Channing Melvin should be more than capable of replacing JJ Watts production from last year. Although I believe the Cardinals overperformed last season, I do believe that they are a good team. I fully expect them compete for an NFC West title this season.

San Francisco Forty Niners

The Niners had a very quiet off-season, and that isn’t a good thing. The front office is relying on the growth of is current roster to get them to the next level. Reigning NFC Rookie of the Year Carlos Gold put on a show last season and made the leap to super star status. Bosa, Armstead and Gold will have to put their best foot forward 17 times this season if the Niners expect to have a shot at even making the playoffs. You never like to count teams out, but I just don’t see a path for this team this season.

Seattle Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks are a team stuck in competitive limbo. They are very capable of competing, but just can’t see to put it all together. With no draft picks in the first 3 rounds, the Hawks were in desperate need of some free agent acquisitions. JJ Watt and the returning KJ Wright highlight a free agent class that hopes to recapture some of Seattle’s former defensive excellence. A player to watch is undrafted free agent CB Braxton Broussard. The coaching staff is very high on the young man out of Louisville, and he appears to be every bit as good as advertised.

Los Angeles Rams

Turns out that Tua to LA rumors were not true. For a few weeks, it seemed very likely that the Rams would make a change at QB. However, I applaud the Rams for not overthinking things and sticking with Keith Turner. After last seasons very disappointing wild card loss at home, it would have been very easy to panic, but the Rams didn’t flinch and that belief will do wonders for this locker room. The Rams are projected to start 3 rookies this season; LT Michael Cannon, TE Paul Clifford and CB Jamal Starks. Rookie WR Leo Williams will be a player to watch early this season to see if he can play his way into a permanent role in the offense. I fully expect the Rams to bounce back and win the NFC West for the third season in a row.

NFC West Prediction

Rams                     13-4

Cardinals              10-7

Seattle                  8-9

Forty Niners       6-11

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

“Singh-a-Mania” is running wild in Tampa and for good reason. Singh will become the first ever Punjabi Quarterback to start an AMG game. As a former resident of Yuba City, CA, home to the internationally renowned Sikh Parade I have personally witnessed the pride that is attached to Singh surname. Daniel “The Lion” Singh will step into arguably the best situation for any rookie QB. An offense that boasts 2 top tier Wideouts, A matchup nightmare at TE, and a running back that can control the game when called upon. My only concern is the exterior of the offensive line. Shaky tackle play could potentially be the Bucs Achilles heel this season. Look for them to play to Singhs skillset and give him multiple options on each play. Singh’s ability to read and react quickly could be the difference between winning and losing for the Bucs this season.

Atlanta Falcons

After trading for the eventual #1 pick in the AMG draft, the Atlanta Falcons followed up with the #1 rated draft class per Daddyleagues.com. It appears they will be starting 4 rookies on the defensive side of the ball this season. 5 if you count second the 2^nd defensive tackle spot. After a historic season for TE Kyle Pitts, I expect the offense to return to earth this season. A middle of the road offense plus a very young defense could potentially leave the Falcons on the outside looking in. Even if the draft class performs as good as it looks on paper, with their brutal schedule I don’t see the Falcons having enough firepower to make a run at the 6^th or 7^th spot in the NFC.

Carolina Panthers

Carolina is one of the more fascinating teams in AMG. You expect them to compete for a title every year, but it just seems like they can’t quite figure out the personnel piece. After starting 2 quarterbacks over the last two seasons, it appears as though the Panthers have finally found their franchise QB. Deshaun Watson looks to revitalize his career in Carolina after escaping the bottom of the AMG barrel (Houston). Watson and CMC are a match made in heaven and will be a nightmare for NFC South defensive coordinators for years to come. I fully expect the Panthers to find their way to the top of the NFC mountain this year after winning the NFC South. This is the best coached team in the division and they will play like it when it matters most.

New Orleans Saints

After going for it all and bringing in Jamar Chase this off-season, the Saints desperately needed someone to throw him the ball. Enter the GOAT….Tom Brady. After Tampa Bay decided to go younger a season ago only for that decision to backfire, it seemed as though the life was sucked out of Brady. Rumors of a potential mid-season retirement, locker room unrest and old age appeared to get the most of the once great QB. Now after one of the pettiest moves of all time, Brady turned down other potential suitors to sign with a division rival. I already have my flight booked for Brady’s return to Tampa in week 5. At age 46 I feel that Tom Brady has plenty left in the tank for one last run at football immortality.

NFC South Prediction

Panthers              14-3

Buccaneers         9-8

Saints                    8-9

Falcons                 5-12

CHICAGO BEARS

Fresh off a conference championship appearance, the NFC regular season king Chicago Bears have only gotten stronger. The addition of Von Miller, Yannick Ngakoue and Kareem Hunt in free agency adds a top tier level of depth to a team that competed for the NFC title in AMG Season 6. Justin Fields took the leap many expected him to, and the defense exceeded all expectations. CB Chris Wilcox will make the move from the slot to the outside, and rookie Antonio Pratt appears to have won the job at strong safety. I expect the Bears to ride their dominant defense to another NFC North title, and I would not be surprised if they represented the NFC in AMG Super Bowl 7.

DETROIT LIONS

After a relative pedestrian season 6, the Detroit Lions once again turn to Jared Goof…I mean Goff to lead them to the post season. With newly acquired super star wide out Curtis Samuel, I expect Goff to take the next step. On the defensive side of the ball however, I see no hope. The Lions are hoping for a herculean effort out of 30-year-old Zadarius Smith while simultaneously praying that the secondary can stop anyone. This is like using duct tape to seal a leak at the Hoover Dam. The only saving grace for this Lions team is that they are well coached and can pull talent out of seemingly talentless players. After saying all of that, I fully expect the Lions to snag a wild card spot in a relatively weak National Football Conference.

GREEN BAY PACKERS

Move over Aaron Rodgers, there’s a new sheriff in town. Widely regarded as the top prospect in the AMG season 6 draft, Barry George was a solid candidate to assume the role of QB1 in Green Bay….

BUT…

Just when you think the Packers have it all figured out, they trip over their own untied shoelaces and draft a QB in the 2^nd round of the draft. Now I understand that every team needs a backup, but why would trade for a young QB and then draft an even younger QB to back him up?! George threw for 4000+ yards last season despite throwing 45 INTs. That is big production give how many possessions were cut short by turnovers. I honestly feel that the mid-2^nd round pick could have been used elsewhere to fill a roster spot on a team most of us believe is not Super Bowl caliber. On the defensive side of the ball, the Packers believed that pairing DE Grady Jarrett with DT Kenny Clark was a recipe for defensive excellence and they paid a hefty price for it. Almost $60 million to be exact. My father always told me defense wins championships…he must have a job in the Green Bay front office that I know nothing about.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS

The Minnesota Vikings believe that “[they] are the best in the [NFC] North.” That is a quote from general manager Porter himself. Imagine having that kind of confidence after finishing DEAD LAST in the NFC for the 2^nd year in a row, trading the number 1 pick in the draft and forfeiting 2 draft picks. I guess the only silver lining for the Vikings is that the QB class was very deep, and they were able to grab Mississippi State standout Mike Donnelly in round 2. However, you must believe that Vikings fans are thinking about what could have been. Carl Steinbach to Justin Jefferson for example, or Daniel Singh keeping defenses off balance with his mastery of the run pass option. Alas, the fans do not have a say in Minnesota’s roster construction. The Vikings are not competing for anything important this season, and we all know it. So, it is very important that Donnelly develop into a serviceable AMG quarterback. Look for Minnesota to lean on Dalvin Cook a little more this season to shoulder a little bit of the rookie quarterback’s transitional burden.

NFC North Prediction

Bears     13-4

Lions      11-6

Packers 4-13

Vikings  2-15

Welcome to the AMG power rankings for  Season 5. I will be updating this every game week.

 Packers take a huge blow losing to the #32 ranked Vikings, while the Rams benefit greatly from the bye week. Biggest mover down is the Packers, while the biggest mover up is the Vikings.

AFTER WEEK 11

1. Ravens (Brad) 9-1 (-)

2. Raiders (Slam) 9-1 (-)

3. Panthers (JB) 10-1 (+1)

4. Jaguars (Nanas) 9-1 (-1)

5. Dolphins (Zstar) 8-3 (-)

6. Colts (Jrdn) 7-4 (+1)

7. Rams (Nemo) 5-4 (+5)

8. Bills (Jamie) 5-5 (+2)

9. Cowboys (Cam) 6-4 (+5)

10. Chiefs (Lipp) 6-5 (-2)

11. Seahawks (GM) 6-4 (-5)

12. Falcons (Mi11er) 6-4 (+3)

13. Titans (Tron) 7-4 (+4)

14. Giants (Peyton) 5-5 (+5)  

15. Buccaneers (Redemption) 5-5 (-2)

16. WFT (Taut) 5-5 (-5)

17. Lions (Bomber) 6-4 (+1)

18. Bengals (Cpt) 5-5 (-2)  

19. Saints (EG) 5-5 (+1)

20. Packers (Iso) 5-6 (-11)

21. Cardinals (RZ) 5-6 (+3)

22. Steelers (XXX) 5-5 (+1)

23. Bears (Drako) 3-7 (+3)

24. Jets (Tjax) 2-8 (+1)

25. Chargers (Flair) 4-6 (-4)

26. Vikings (Porter) 2-8 (+6)

27. 49ers (Serp) 3-7 (+1)

28. Browns (Spongy) 4-6-1 (-6)  

29. Texans (DB) 3-6-1 (-2)

30. Broncos (Oktoba) 2-8 (-1)

31. Eagles (Gov) 1-10 (-1)

32. Patriots (Dad) 1-10 (-1)

15 Shades of Gray

When you dream up your ideal receiver, what are some of the key attributes that come to mind? Speed, soft hands, size... all of these put together check every box on a scouts list. This past draft, the Dolphins took a shot on Lamont Gray. While Gray doesn’t possess elite speed, he is tall (6’3”) and creates separation at the line of scrimmage while running shorter routes. Gray, the 23 year year old Clemson product sat through 3 rounds worth of draft picks before hearing his name called first on the draft's third day. “It was a lot for me to process,” said Gray. “I had to keep asking myself if I was good enough.” The Miami Dolphins believed he was good enough and jumped to select Gray when his name was still on their board when their 4th round pick was up.

Gray's attitude and will to win, fueled an explosive first half of the season and he’s put the MBL on notice. In week 1, the rookie hauled in 5 passes for 154 yards and a touchdown. After that breakout performance, Gray immediately topped it in week 2 by catching 9 passes for 159 yards and 3 touchdowns. This sudden impact was more than the Dolphins could have ever hoped for and led to Gray being named rookie of the month for the first month of the season. 

After a few average weeks, and some criticism from the Miami media regarding a plateau in his potential, Gray responded with the game of his life.The Dolphins are on the road in New Orleans fighting to keep their season afloat. Gray took his game to the next level by catching 8 passes for 299 yards and 3 touchdowns. “I told myself that I wasn’t...that I couldn’t be denied.” Second-year quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has struggled at times this season, but credits Gray with opening up the Dolphins entire offense. “He is very deceptive on the field, so his route running creates space for other receivers.” 

The Dolphins’ season ended in the wild card round, in a 20-34 loss to Jacksonville. Gray stepped up and did more than his fair share, hauling in 4 passes for 142 yards and 4 scores. Even though the season did not go exactly as Miami would have hoped, the team has to be happy with the production they received from their fourth round pick. The big kid from the big name school has done nothing but put up big numbers on the games biggest stage. The Dolphins are quietly arming themselves with young talent on the offensive side of the ball and I for one believe that they could make a solid run at a Super Bowl title in the next few seasons. 

Eas(on)y Does It

Would you believe me if I told you that the second highest scoring offense and the number one ranked offense in total yards per game was led by a rookie QB? You should, because that is the reality we live in. Jacob Eason has been everything the Colts could have hoped for in his rookie season and more. Standing at 6’6”, Eason’s commanding presence in the huddle is more than visual. He plays with the confidence of a veteran, not someone who was picked in the 4th round of the draft out of the University of Washington. No one expected him to beat out the veteran, Phillip Rivers, in camp; but he did. Then no one expected him to keep the starting job; but he did. Rivers decline in arm strength and his rapidly deteriorating decision making made Eason the obvious choice. Eason has a very strong arm and has the ability to make all the throws. Eason is not very mobile and lacks the skills to evade pass rushers, so the Colts dominant offensive line will need to give Eason the time necessary to work through his progressions and make the smart play.

“He has gone beyond proving himself”
-Colts Head Coach Frank Reich

“He's really blown us away,” praised head coach Frank Reich. “We told him at the beginning of the year he has one season to prove himself worthy of a role… he has gone beyond proving himself.” In a results oriented business such as the NFL, it is hard to believe that one year to prove yourself worthy against the best this sport has to offer would be enough for a rookie quarterback. 3,400 yards and 31 touchdowns later, Eason has put us all on notice and turned the doubters into believers. The only thing he hasn't done to this point is turn water into wine, but I am sure he is saving that for the postseason.

With almost a full season of service under his belt Eason is sporting a passer rating of 121 and a completion percentage of 68% which has the Colts leading the AFC South. Eason has been the best QB in the AFC up to this point in the season and that has him in the MVP discussion. However, this does not mean he will win the AFC rookie of the year award. Fellow rookie and Colts teammate Jonathon Taylor is giving Eason a run for his money. Whether Eason wins the award or not, the Colts should be convinced that he will be their franchise QB for seasons to come.

Notable performances

• Week 1 @ Jacksonville: 20-32, 365 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs, 133 QBR

• Week 6 vs. Cincinnati: 15-20, 329 yards, 4 TDs, 0 INTs, 156 QBR

• Week 13 @ Houston: 17-22, 230 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs, 150 QBR