The Cowboys Better Watch out for the Giants

Ever since week 1, the Cowboys have been on a 11 game winning streak. But their one loss was against the team they are playing this Sunday. The New York Giants. Here are three reasons why the Giants might beat the Cowboys.

1. The Giants have allowed the least amount of rushing yards to Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliot. Even though Elliot has gotten a lot better since then, the Giants defense only allowed 51 rushing yards from Elliot, and 2.5 yards per carry. The Giants have a defense that perfect for stopping running backs like Elliot. With Jason-Pierre-Paul on the outside, the eliminates the outside run game. Then, they have Damon Harrison and Jonathon Hankins at defensive tackle to clog up the middle.

2. The Giants have also allowed the lowest completion percentage of Dak Prescott. When they played each other in week one, Prescott completed just 55.6% of his passes.He also had zero touchdown passes. I think in this match up, Prescott throws one interception against this Giants secondary. They have a lot of talent in their secondary. Landon Collins has really improved this year. He is one of their hard-hitting safeties.


3. The Cowboys defense will not be able to handle the Giants offense. We have seen in past weeks when that defense has played teams with a stacked receiving core. When they played the Redskins on Thanksgiving, the Cowboys allowed 449 passing yards. The Giants have a similar offense. They have two amazing slot receivers in Victor Cruz and rookie Sterling Shepard. Then they have Odell Beckham Jr. on the outside who has had some big games against the Cowboys.  

I think the Giants will win this game 26-17. I think Dez Bryant will have 5 receptions for 43 yards. On the other side, I think Odell will have a big game with 7 receptions for 116 yards and a touchdown.

Can the Redskins Still Make the Playoffs?

After the Redskins have had two consecutive losses, people are starting to doubt their ability to make the playoffs. I think it's still possible for them to get a playoff spot. Here's why.

If you look at Washington's upcoming schedule, you'll see that 3 out of their last 4 games are against teams with losing records. They will play the Eagles[5-7], the Panthers[4-8], the Bears[3-9]. Their last game is against the Giants, who do have a winning record of 8-4. As long as the Redskins win their games, they mostly won't have to worry about other teams winning or losing. In my opinion, they pretty much have to win every single game left to make the playoffs. But if they start losing, it could get pretty hard. The Packers have been on a recent winning streak, and they definitely have a shot at the playoffs. They are 6-6 as well as the Vikings, who have been going downhill lately. They are mainly competing with the Buccaneers who are 7-5. The Redskins are 6-5-1, so they're not even a full game behind the Buccaneers. All it takes is a win for the Skins and a loss for the Buccaneers against the Saints, and the Skins would be in the playoffs.

Offense

The offense has been fine. The only thing with the offense is that they have to score on drives that the defense creates for them. With all the talent that they have, they should be doing much better than they are doing now. I think they should be throwing the ball down the field more to Desean Jackson. I have also been surprised by how much Kirk Cousins has been targeting Pierre Garcon. I thought going into this year, he wouldn't have the same amount of energy, but I was wrong. Otherwise, the run game is solid with Robert Kelley, who is hard to tackle, and Chris Thompson as their third down back.

Defense

Defense for the Redskins has been their problem. They can't seem to come up with a stop when they most need it. Against the Lions in week 7, they were up 17-13 with a couple minutes left in the third quarter, and the defense allowed a Matthew Stafford game winning drive. Last week against the Cardinals, they had them on 4th & 1, and they let them convert. A few plays after, they gave up a 42 yard touchdown pass. They were also horrible against third and long. Also, starting the game off  well on defense has been really hard for the Redskins defense. They usually end up giving the other team possession first, and their defense is just letting the opposing team to just march down the field. At the beginning of the season, the Redskins defense was actually creating some turnovers. But now, they are just giving up long drives and big plays. I also wish that Joe Barry [defensive coordinator] would let Josh Norman follow the opposing team's best receiver. When they put Kendall Fuller on the best receiver in the slot, it doesn't work out well. The pass rush has been pretty good. If the secondary can start covering better, they will turn into a good defense.

A lot of people are doubting that the Redskins will make the playoffs. It won't be easy, but I have a feeling that they will come away with a second straight year going to the playoffs.

Redskins vs. Cowboys Preview

 Happy Thanksgiving! We are now in week 12 of the 2016-17 NFL season and we have seen a lot of interesting things happen so far. Coming up later today will be our second Thanksgiving match up of the day. The Washington Redskins square off against the Dallas Cowboys. This will be another revenge game opportunity for the Redskins after losing in week two to the Cowboys 27-23.


Dallas is coming off a ten point win over the Baltimore Ravens while the Redskins
are coming off a 18 point win over the Packers. Both teams got a win on Sunday, and both teams had a pretty short week coming into this game. I'd say the Cowboys have more of an advantage in that factor. The Redskins played on Sunday night at home. The Cowboys were already playing at their home stadium and that is where the game will be played today.

So far, Ezekial Elliot has the most rushing yards in the NFL. The Redskins were the second best so far in containing Elliot, allowing 83 rushing yards. The Redskins defense also forced a fumble on Elliot in that week two game but also gave up some big plays.

For the Cowboys to win, they have to stick with the run game. The Redskins have one of the worst rushing defenses in the NFL, and I don't think Dak Prescott could get it done by passing if the Skins let Josh Norman cover Dez Bryant. Of course the Cowboys have many other weapons, but if the Skins defense can lock down Dez, that's a huge advantage in my opinion.

For the Redskins, I think they can really attack that Dallas secondary with Kirk Cousins on fire lately. Barry Church and Morris Claiborne will not be playing in this game, and I'm looking for Cousins to be throwing some deep balls. Also, with Robert Kelley, who has played really well in these past few weeks, they can really balance out the pass and run. Because both defenses are not that reliable, I'm predicting this game to be very high scoring.

To me, if the Redskins want to win, they have to get off to a really good start and keep it that way. That is the only way I can see them winning. I don't think they can win in a close game against these red hot Cowboys.

Prediction: Cowboys 31, Redskins 27

Packers add Christine Michael going into game against Redskins

This week, the Redskins opponent will be the Green Bay Packers. The Packers are 4-5 and really struggling right now. Last week, they lost to the Titans 47-25. The Redskins have a 5-3-1 record and are coming off a 26-20 win over the Vikings.

Going into this game, I was thinking it would be an easy one for the Redskins, but my thoughts changed after I found out about Christine Michael being signed by the Packers. I have no idea why the Seahawks would want to let go of Michael, but it was probably because of the performance of C.J. Prosise on Sunday night against the Patriots. Prosise had 66 rushing yards and 7 receptions for 87 receiving yards. Prosise is a very versatile running back. And the fact that Thomas Rawls is close to coming back from his injury, put Michael in a bad position.

The Packers have been struggling a lot in the run game, so Michael is a perfect fit for them. The Redskins have had trouble stopping the run this year, so Michael might give the Redskins defense some problems.

The reason why the Packers offense hasn't been able to get going early in games is because they didn't have a true running back. They became too predictable and they started to have to come from behind in games. Now with Michael, their offense will be unpredictable, and once again dangerous. I have a feeling Aaron Rodgers will have a big game this weekend.

Also, a big part of why the Packers have been losing, is because of Clay Matthews being out consecutive games. He is a big part of that Packers defense. This week he will be returning and will probably help out the defense a lot.

The last time the Redskins played the Packers was in the playoffs last year. The Packers won 35-18, in a come from behind win. The Redskins will definitely be looking for revenge this time around, and I think they will get it.

What the Redskins Have to do to beat the Vikings

One team that has definitely exceeded expectations this year is the Minnesota Vikings. They will be clashing with the Washington Redskins this Sunday. Both teams have been going downhill lately. But I'm going to focus on the Redskins and what they will have to do to win. 

     In the red zone they have to convert with touchdowns at least 50% of the time. They can't just come away with a field goal every time. Red Zone scoring will be especially tough this week. But even the dominating Vikings defense has some holes in them. We saw it a couple weeks ago. Jordan Howard[Bears running back] completely annihilated the Vikings defense, so we know they aren't flawless. Howard rushed for 153 yards and a touchdown in that game. One of the best teams in the NFL lost to one of the worst teams in the NFL. So I don't think the Redskins winning is a long shot at all. I think that once the Redskins get down into the red zone, they have to stay with the run game because they tend to pass a lot once they are in the red zone. Robert Kelley has been their most productive running back this season with Matt Jones being very inconsistent. He is very hard to bring down and so far the Redskins have done a good job of utilizing him. His yards after contact has been amazing. That is part of the reason why he is averaging 5 yards per carry. 

     The Vikings running game has been struggling a lot. So the Redskins defense will force them to pass a lot. Once that starts happening, they have got to put pressure on Sam Bradford. A good match up to watch will be Stefon Diggs vs Josh Norman. Diggs is probably the NFL's fastest wide receiver while Norman is one of the leagues best cornerbacks. Norman had a frustrating week before the bye, being penalized 5 times. He also got fined for criticizing a ref. Both wide receiver and corner back are 6 feet tall. I think Stefon Diggs has speed over Norman, but as long as Norman keeps Diggs out of the middle of the field, he will be okay. Norman is a very physical cornerback, and I think in this matchup, being physical will be an advantage. 

The Redskins have to control the line of scrimmage. Blocking for Kirk Cousins will be very critical. Trent Williams just got suspended for 4 games and they will be weak at the left tackle position. 

We know that this Vikings defense is one of the best with taking the ball away, so it will be key for Kirk Cousins to not throw any interceptions. I think if he throws 1 or more interception, they lose, and if he throws no interceptions, they win. 

Prediction: Redskins 20, Vikings 14

Could the Browns get their first win on Sunday?

The Cleveland Browns are 0-8, and the worst football team in the NFL. Having not won a single game yet, people might think I'm crazy when I say this, but, I think the Browns will get there first win against the 6-1 Dallas Cowboys. Here is why.

 A lot of people forget about the weapons that the Browns have on offense. For the past few weeks, rookie wide receiver Corey Coleman has been out with an injury. This week, he will be back, and will be playing alongside Terrelle Pryor, another one of its dominant receivers. Browns also have a very tall tight end in Gary Barnidge.  Cody Kessler is not a very good quarterback but when he has all of those receivers to throw to, the Cowboys' secondary will have a tough time.

The Browns backfield is also very talented. Isaiah Crowell hasn't been mentioned a lot this year. He has been playing very well. He is averaging 4.9 yards per carry. Duke Johnson is also a very dynamic back. He is more of a pass catching back than Crowell. If the Browns can balance out the run and the pass and make themselves unpredictable, I think they have a good chance of scoring a lot.

Defense will be a problem for the Browns. Dak Prescott has been playing some great football, but we have seen him make some mistakes in the past couple games. Ezekiel Elliot has been one of the best running backs in the league so far. And then you have all the pass catchers - Dez Bryant, Cole Beasley, and Jason Witten. As long as the Cleveland defense can get some stops, I think they will be fine.

For Cleveland, it hasn't been about lack of talent or bad coaching. Almost every game this year has been a close one. They just need to close out games. The reason why they're 0-8 is because they can't finish out games and I have a feeling it will start this weekend.

Prediction: Browns 23, Cowboys 19

How Jeremy Lin has helped the Nets so far

Last year, the Nets struggled a lot. They posted a 21-61 record in the 2015-16 season. But over the off season, they made a lot of changes. Starting with a new coach, Kenny Atkinson, and a bunch of other new players, it's safe to say that the Brooklyn Nets are a completely different team.

One key player they acquired is Jeremy Lin. The Nets were in need of a true point guard after not having good results with Donald Sloan and Jarrett Jack, former Net point guards. And so far, it looks like the Nets have found the right guard. Their record isn't great, but there are a lot of bright spots in this Nets team. And Jeremy Lin is creating a lot of it.

Bojan Bogdonavic was not a big factor in the Nets offense last year. Part of the reason why was because he wasn't getting the ball as much as he needed to. This year so far, Lin has been getting him the ball a lot. Last year, Bogdonavic averaged 11.2 points per game. This year, he is averaging 15.4.

Brook Lopez has been very efficient so far. Lin has been getting him the ball a lot. He admitted after the season opener against the Celtics that he needed to do a better job of getting Lopez the ball. He has been doing that well within the past few games. Now I think that Lopez has to do a better job of getting the ball back to Lin after he gets it in the paint. He has to remember that not every shot is a good shot when he is posting up.

I have also noticed that the Nets take a lot of threes. Once Grevis Vasquez and Randy Foye come back from their injuries, I can't even imagine what the Nets 3 point attempts per game will be.

Overall, Lin has helped the Nets a lot. As of right now, he has a hamstring injury and will be out for at least two weeks. It will be interesting to see how the Nets play without him.

Is Dak Prescott the Real Deal?

A lot of people have been noticing the stellar play of Dak Prescott, but it's easy to say that he has been playing well. In my opinion, I'm going to have to see a little more from Prescott before I can say he is the real deal. Let flash back: In week one against the Giants, Prescott threw 25 for 45, 227 passing yards, and no touchdown passes. It looked like there were a couple good passes that he made, but you can't win games when you're relying on your running back to score. The quarterback has to contribute too.

In week two, the Cowboys played the Redskins. Their defense was still developing, and Prescott made a bunch of great plays on them.

In week three, they played the Bears, another bad defense. I wasn't surprised that Prescott threw for 247, a passing touchdown, and a rushing touchdown.

 It seems like Prescott will be playing a lot of bad defenses if you look at the Cow-

boys schedule. Part of the reason for that is because of how bad they did last year. But do I think Prescott is better than Tony Romo? Yes, I do. So far, Prescott has made better decisions, and he has good mobility, something that Romo doesn't have.

This week, they play the Packers, and I think they will test how good of a quarterback Dak Prescott is. It's not just the defense, it's also how good the offense on the other team is. Aaron Rodgers will definitely have a big game. That will put Prescott into moments when he has to make key plays and decisions.

Prediction: Packers 34, Cowboys 17

Redskins vs Eagles Preview

After a slow start, the Redskins have really stepped it up. They have won three games in a row and are looking for more. Quarterback Kirk Cousins hasn't been perfect but the Redskins defense has been showing that they can hold off a high powered offense.

The Eagles are coming off a heartbreaking loss after a 3-0 start. The Lions beat them by one with a score of 24-23. Carson Wentz has really been impressive. He has only thrown one interception, and he's also thrown 7 touchdown passes. He plays very much like a veteran quarterback when he is only in his rookie year.

One thing to worry about for the Redskins:

One thing the Redskins will have to worry about is the Eagles running game. They have a lot of depth at the running back position. They have Ryan Mathews as their powerful back; Darren Sproles as a pass catching and third down back; and Kenjon Barner has become a good running back for the red zone. The Redskins defense has had a tough time dealing with the run this year so that will be an area where the Eagles can attack the Skins.




One thing to worry about for the Eagles: One area where the Eagles will struggle is defending the pass. Kirk Cousins has so many weapons to throw to, and I don't think the Eagles will be able to keep up with all of them. They have the speed of Desean Jackson, who lately hasn't been getting the ball as much as he would like. They also have Jamison Crowder who is similar to Jackson in terms of speed. They have the veteran in Pierre Garcon. And an unguardable tight end in Jordan Reed. No safety or middle linebacker can match up with Reed.

Key to Win for Eagles: Defend the pass well and make Kirk Cousins turn the ball over.

Key to Win for Redskins: The offensive line has to stay away from holding calls after big offensive plays.


Game Prediction: Redskins 31, Eagles 23

I think Kirk Cousins will throw for over 300 yards and have no interceptions. Carson Wentz will throw for about 250 yards and also have no interceptions.

Why the Panthers will lose to the Vikings

A team that has been pretty under the radar this season so far has been the Minnesota Vikings. A lot of people are predicting the Panthers to beat them on Sunday. Here is why the Vikings will beat the Panthers.

The loss of Adrian Peterson made everyone give up on the Vikings, but I don't see why. If you look at the past two games that Adrian Peterson has played in, he hasn't even done well at all. Against the Packers, he had 12 carries for 19 yards, only averaging 1.6 yards per carry in that game. In week one, against the Titans, Peterson had 19 carries for 31 yards, also averaging 1.6 yards per carry in that game. Concerns for Minnesota should not be with the running game. They still have Matt Asiata and Jerick Mckinnon. Mckinnon is arguably a better third down running back than Peterson.

Staying on the offensive side, a player who has stood out to me has been Stefon Diggs. Diggs has played very well over the past two games. Against the Packers good defense, he racked up 9 receptions, 182 receiving yards, and a touchdown. I think he will make a big impact on Minnesota's offense.  

One problem that Minnesota will have is guarding Kelvin Benjamin. Nobody in the Vikings secondary has the height and the strength of Benjamin. Mostly Benjamin's height is what kills other teams. The Vikings tallest cornerback is Xavier Rhodes, and he is still 4 inches shorter than Benjamin. But I do think the Vikings will limit the deep balls thrown to Benjamin because of there safeties. They have a little bit more height than the cornerbacks of Minnesota. 

In week one, Cam Newton had trouble against the Denver defense in the second half. He hasn't seemed to play very well against top ranked defenses. Minnesota is one of those. I think the front seven will provide a lot of pressure on Newton, which will force him into throwing inaccurate passes. That will lead to turnovers.

I think the Vikings will come away with this game, with a score of 17-10 over the Panthers. I also think the Vikings defense will get 4 sacks on Cam Newton. 

Who do you think will win? Comment below.  

What is holding back the Redskins offense?

It's never good to start the season off with a loss. The Redskins started off the season with an embarassing loss against the Pittsburgh Steelers with a score of 38-16. The game actually did start off well for the Reskins. Their defense had intercepted one pass from Ben Roethlisberger, and Dustin Hopkins[redskins kicker], punched in two fireld goals. But from the second quarter and on the Steelers offense and defense took over. The Redskins did have a mini comeback in the third quarter that made it an eight point game, but it wasn't enough to stop the Steelers offense.

Last season, the Redskins did not have a single win against a team with a record over .500 and I hope it doesn't turn out that way again this year. They are also 0-9 when Kirk Cousins throws 2 or more interceptions. With all the tools that the Skins have on offense, they should have been racking up points on the scoreboard against the Steelers. They have Desean Jackson as a deep threat, Jordan Reed as a mismatch for every safety or middle linebacker, and Pierre Garcon as a slot receiver.

The problem with the Redskins now, is that they have become too much of an obvious team. When they lost Alfred Morris, they really didn't have a single reliable running back. This is making defenses drop back into zone coverages.

Until the Redskins find a consistent, and reliable running back, the offense might have some problems thoughout the season.
 

3 Reasons why the Redskins will beat the Steelers

3. The Skins have a much improved secondary. Specifically at the cornerback position. I'm not just talking about Josh Norman. They also brought in Greg Toler from the Colts and drafted Kendall Fuller. They also still have Bashaud Breeland who is a great one-on-one coverage cornerback. I don't think that the secondary is going to absolutely shut down star wideout Antonio Brown on the Steelers. But I do think they will make it tough for him.

2. In my opinion, the Skins offense is one of the best in the league. While they lack running talent, they have so many talented pass catchers. I could go on and on naming all of the Redskins talented receivers and tight ends. The top five right now are Jordan Reed, Desean Jackson, Pierre Garcon, Josh Doctson who they drafted from TCU, and Jamison Crowder. The Steelers defense can't keep up with all of those guys. 

1. Le'veon Bell and Martavis Bryant on the Steelers are not going to be playing. Those guys are two of there biggest weapons on offense. Ben Roethilisberger only has one good option now, and that is Antonio Brown. Once the Redskins defense sees that, they will start to make it tougher for Brown.

Who do you think will win? Comment below.     

Do Rockets have a chance against the Warriors?

The past couple of games for the Rockets and Warriors have been pretty crazy.

 For the Rockets, in Game 3, they came away with a win, but then got completely blown out in Game 4. They also lost Patrick Beverly because of an injury.

On the Warriors side, they devastatingly lost Game 3 because of a last second James Harden shot.

 Then, in Game 4, the Warriors win the game, but Stephen Curry gets injured again. He will be out for at least two weeks.

That will be enough time for the Rockets to remove that cushion they gave the Warriors. But the question is, do the Rockets even have what it takes to beat a Warrior team that is already great without Stephen Curry? I do not think they can. Here why.

 Defense

The Rockets have to close out on shooters much quicker. Pretty much everybody on the Warriors                   [ except centers ] are good three point shooters. In Game 4, the Rockets were getting killed from beyond the arc. Draymond Green and Klay Thompson were on fire in the second half, after Curry left the game. When Curry was out, there were more opportunities for other guys to score, and especially Klay Thompson got to show everybody how good of a shooter he was. Guys like Leandro Barbosa and Dwight Clark really showed what they could do towards the end of Game 4. The thing is with the Warriors, if one guy gets injured, the next man can step up. That's why they're the best team in the league. And the Rockets couldn't stop them. Everybody was knocking down threes for the Warriors.
Now that the Rockets have lost Patrick Beverly, it gives them less of a boost on defense and offense, but specifically defense, because a lot of the energy on defense comes from him.

Rebounding

The Rockets big men have to work harder on getting rebounds. Too often, the Warriors have gotten second chance points and that has been hurting the Rockets. Dwight Howard and Clint Capela need to work harder.

Missed Opportunities

The Rockets need to be able to finish off plays on fast breaks. A couple of times in Game 4, the Rockets were on a fast break but couldn't convert on layups. If you want to beat a team like the Warriors, you have to do all of those little things. They end up making a big difference.

Comment below on who you think will win this series.

Keys for the Hornets in Game 4 against Miami

The Charlotte Hornets are coming off a much-needed win against the Miami Heat to make the series 2-1, still in Miami's favor. The Hornets got a lot of help from Jeremy Lin and Kemba Walker. They also played game three without Nicolas Batum and still won. And once again, they will be playing at home. Here are three keys to winning for the Hornets in Game 4.

1. Get Jeremy Lin, and other guys coming off the bench involved

In game three, Jeremy Lin had 18 points and four assists. Also, Frank Kaminsky, who replaced Nicolas Batum in game three, had 15 points and 6 rebounds. The Hornets have to get those guys involved to win the game. It can't just be Kemba Walker trying to do it all by himself, or Al Jefferson waiting for the ball to come to him in the post. The ball has to move around a lot.

2. Play well collectively on defense

The Hornets have had trouble on helping on defense. On pick and rolls with Hassan Whiteside, the Hornets have been doubling the ball handler and leaving Hassan Whiteside wide open. The next Hornet is too late to rotate and Hassan Whiteside gets an easy dunk. The Hornets need to start defending the paint better and helping each other out on defense.

3. Take high quality shots

The Heat have a great defense and the Hornets are not going to get past all of their great defenders with keeping the ball in Kemba Walker's hands until the shot clock runs down and they have to put up a bad shot. Look to get the ball in the post to Al Jefferson sometimes but not always because then the Heat will start doubling the ball. The Hornets need to have a well balanced offense. There is also more scoring opportunities for other guys on the team since Nicolas Batum won't be playing, so the Hornets should take advantage of that.

What Teams Could RG3 Go To

Until last year, it has been hard to be a Redskins fan. Particularly for one reason. Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin lll [ also known as RG3 ], now has had three consecutive disappointing years. During his first bad year, I thought it was just because he was coming back from an injury and all that. The Redskins went 2-14 and obviously did not make the playoffs. The second year, I thought RG3 would bounce back. He did not. He got injured in week two and when he returned, he wasn't all that good. I was beginning to lose hope by the time the 2015-16 season came around. And again, RG3 got injured, this time, during week two of the preseason. Kirk Cousins replaced him and the Redskins went on to win the NFC East. Now that the 2015 season is over, RG3 is a free agent. One question a lot of Redskins fans are wondering about is this: Which team will RG3 go to. We already know that Bruce Allen confirmed he won't be with the Redskins next season. Here are two very good possibilities for him.

Denver Broncos


We know that RG3 wants a starting job. There could be an opportunity for him in Denver. Think about it: Peyton Manning is getting old. That would mean that RG3 would have to win the starting job over Brock Osweiler which he has the ability to do. RG3 has the skills and the talent. Also, with C.J. Anderson in the back field, RG3 might be able to utilize the read option again. The only thing that is holding him back right now is his decision making. A lot of his injuries have come from him trying to make a play and scrambling in the pocket. Also, I do not know if Gary Kubiak's offensive style would fit RG3.

Kansas City Chiefs

Andy Reid has experience working with mobile quarterbacks. For example, Alex Smith is one of them. Alex Smith is similar to RG3. He too has running ability. Also, if you remember when Andy Reid was the head coach for the Eagles, you would know that Michael Vick played quarterback for them back then. I don't know if RG3 would be a starter there, but he could learn something, playing with a veteran quarterback like Alex Smith. And again, with a good running back in Jamaal Charles, RG3 could also utilize the read option in that situation too.

Comment below, and tell me which team you think RG3 will go to.

Also follow me on twitter. My username is southpawdrblr.

What Position Do The Redskins Have The Most Struggles With

The Washington Redskins are coming off a great year. A year in which they made the playoffs. There were a lot of ups and downs to that season. But we are only going to focus on one thing. What position are the Redskins targeting this off season? Here are a couple of positions I think they might need.

The Redskins are in need of a safety. They had just acquired Dashon Goldson last year and Kyshoen Jarrett. Dashon Goldson was a good fit last year but they need someone to back him up. One possibility for the Redskins are Eric Berry, the 4 time pro-bowler. Berry is a free agent. The all-pro safety currently plays for the Kansas City Chiefs. He has been one of the best and most impactful safety's in the NFL ever since he entered the league. But chances are, Berry will stay in Kansas City. The Chiefs defense needs a leader like him. For the Chiefs, it would be safe to keep Berry, because Tamba Hali and Derrick Johnson are in free agency too.

I do not know what the Redskins should do with Pierre Garcon and Desean Jackson. They are both good quality players. Pierre Garcon provides toughness and has good hands. Desean Jackson provides play making and speed. If they gave up one of those receivers, they could possibly get a really good player in return.

The Redskins secondary is looking really good. They have Bashaud Breeland and Chris Culliver who will be healthy going into the 2016-17 season. Breeland made a big impact for the Redskins. He covered multiple star receivers such as Odell Beckham Jr., and Brandon Marshall. Culliver got injured midway through the season but he was looking good. So far, I do not think the Redskins need a lot in the secondary other than maybe a safety. They should save their salary space for a different group of players like the defensive line.

How Jeremy Lin Has Impacted The Charlotte Hornets

The Charlotte Hornets have finally clung to the 8th spot in the Eastern Conference after beating the Indiana Pacers 117-95. A lot of people have been talking about Kemba Walker and how he has helped the team more then anyone, but Jeremy Lin in my opinion is the Hornets key player. He has helped them late in games and has made some key plays.

Lin has had some games where he has filled in for Kemba Walker. It seems like in each one of those games, he has played well. One recent start for him was when the Hornets played the Cavaliers. The Hornets won that game by a score of 106-97. Lin had 24 points and 8 assists. He had some crucial buckets late in the game that led the Hornets to a win. As a starter, Jeremy Lin averages 17.8 points per game and 4.7 assists. If I were Steve Clifford [ Hornets head coach ], I would start Lin over Walker. If he gives you wins, start him, it's simple.

Playoff Picture

If the playoffs started today, the Hornets would be playing the Cavaliers. There are two ways this series could go.

1. Kemba Walker gets the start over Jeremy Lin and the Cavaliers cruise to a victory. When Walker is on the floor, the ball tends to not move around a lot and it is a one man show. That strategy is not going to work against the Cavaliers defense. Against a team like them, it is going to take more than one person to win that series.

2. Jeremy Lin gets the start and the Hornets win the series. Offensively, Lin is a better ball distributer than Walker, and gets other people involved. When he is in, the ball moves around a lot more. Defensively might be a struggle for Lin guarding Kyrie Irving, but Lin is a solid defender, and I have a feeling he will limit Irving. If he does that, the next guy to move on to is Lebron James, and if Michael Kidd-Gilchrist comes back, he will be the one defending James. After those two people, Cleveland does not have a bunch of other scoring options.

The Hornets season depends on what happens to one player. That player is Jeremy Lin. It also depends on Steve Clifford and the decision he makes. And Kemba Walker and what happens to him in the future. But remember that the playoffs don't start until April. Until then, we will see what happens.

Should the Redskins let go of Alfred Morris?

The Redskins are going to have to make a couple big choices. But one of the bigger ones involve running back Alfred Morris. They have the choice to let him go, or hold on to him. It is a huge choice to make. To me, it seems like Alfred Morris is the most reliable running back on the Redskins. He might not be the quickest or most explosive running back on the team but he does not turn the ball over often. Morris is coming off a disappointing year. He had 751 rushing yards and just one touchdown. The Redskins running game as a group did not do well in the 2015-2016 season at all. Before Morris's poor rushing year, he had consecutive 1,000 yard rushing seasons for three years. It was his first year below 1,000 rushing yards. Morris also only averaged 3.7 yards a carry.

If the Skins do let go of Morris, they still have a couple of other good weapons in the running game. They have Matt Jones who is a pretty explosive back, and he can also give you good quality runs. Then they have Chris Thompson who is a great back that you can dump the ball off to in the backfield. They also have Pierre Thomas, an extra veteran back that they signed late in the season.

So if the Skins do let go of Morris, they will still have a solid running game. I personally like Morris but now think it is time for the Redskins to move on from him and see what awaits them on the road ahead.

Broncos vs Panthers Super Bowl Preview

We are finally at the end of the 2015-2016 NFL season. But there will be one more game.

The Denver Broncos will be playing the Carolina Panthers. Both of those teams were the #1 seed team going into the playoffs. We have Cam Newton, playing in his first Super Bowl, and Peyton Manning playing in what will probably be his last Super Bowl. Both of these teams have come a long way but only one of them can win. I am going to be giving you two reasons why each team has a chance to win. First off, the Denver Broncos.

1. A couple weeks ago, the Broncos gave up just 18 points to the New England Patriots and the legendary Tom Brady. They have the #1 defense in the NFL. This weekend, it will probably be a harder task to contain the very versatile Cam Newton. Newton has a great arm and can run and pass. I think if the Broncos defensive line can keep Newton in the pocket and force him to throw the ball, guys like Aqib Talib, and Chris Harris Jr. in the secondary will make plays.

2. This is Peyton Manning's last Super Bowl. You have to think he is going to put something extra in. He played decent against the Patriots and he's had a two week rest. He also has the weapons that he needs. He's got Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders. Both of them are speedy and athletic.

Now, two reasons why the Panthers could win.

1. The Panthers have the more versatile quarterback in Cam Newton. If you saw what Cam Newton did to that dominant Arizona Cardinal defense, it's hard to tell if the same will happen against the Broncos. In my opinion, the Broncos do have a better defense. I'm not sure if it will be too easy for Newton this weekend. He might need to use his legs a little more than he usually has to.

2. This Panther defense harassed the Cardinals offense last week creating 6 turnovers! This week they face Peyton Manning who is not at all a versatile quarterback. I think it is safe to say that the Carolina defense is going to give Manning a hard time.

For this game, I am picking the Panthers to win 23-16. I think the Broncos defense will make it tough for Cam Newton in the beginning, but in the end, it is going to come down to talent, and that is something that Cam Newton has more of.

Are the Cavaliers a championship team again?

If you are a Cleveland Cavalier fan, you might be wondering, are the Cavs a championship team like they were last year? The Cleveland Cavaliers are 32-12. That is first in the Eastern Conference, and fourth overall. Last year, they went to the NBA Finals but sadly lost to the Golden State Warriors in a 4-2 series. Arguably, the Cavs could have won if point guard Kyrie Irving did not get injured in game one. But Steph Curry and Draymond Green pretty much dominated the Finals. Lebron James did put in a great effort, but it frustrates me when James is doing all he can and his teammates cannot help him out. In the Finals, from game two and on, it was Lebron James against the whole Warrior team. James did put up great numbers, but when you only have one guy contributing to the team, your not going to win games. I am going to be talking about the weapons that the Cleveland Cavaliers have that could take them to the finals.

Ball Handlers
The Cavs have a couple of good ball handlers. They have Kyrie Irving, arguably, the best ball handler in the NBA next to Stephen Curry. J.R Smith and Iman Shumpert are also some other guys on the Cavs who can handle the ball well. They will need good ball handlers when they play good defensive teams like Golden State and the Chicago Bulls.

Defenders 
Cleveland has a bunch of good and solid defenders. I'm starting off with Lebron James. He is a good lock down defender. He can cover some point guards like Stephen Curry and Derrick Rose. He averages 1.3 steals per game. Next up, Iman Shumpert. Shumpert is a very versatile player. He can shoot the ball efficiently, and he can also defend some elite point guards. He averages a steal a game. Lastly, Matthew Dellavedova. Stats don't show Dellavedova's defensive skill but he did a good job on Stephen Curry in the NBA Finals and he is a player who can come in for Kyrie Irving and do a solid job defensively.

Play Makers
To get to the finals again, the Cavs need play makers and that is something that they have a lot of. Kyrie Irving can make plays and create off of the dribble. He averages 15.4 points per game but his field goal % has gone down. J.R. Smith is another one. He can be a very good shooter. He can go on streaks with his three point shots. He averages 12.5 points per game.

What are you thinking Steve Clifford?! - Jeremy Lin has to remain a starter

It's hard to be a Charlotte Hornets fan when my favorite player isn't getting the playing time he deserves. However, Jeremy Lin, guard on the Charlotte Hornets has been playing more minutes due to the absence of Nicolas Batum. So while that does make me happier, it would make me even more happy if he stayed a starter. With the extra minutes Lin has been on the court, he has shown Hornet fans what he is capable of. In order for Lin to continue to thrive and contribute to the team, he must remain a STARTER. Here are three reasons why.

1. Did you know that Jeremy Lin averages 18.4 points per game when he is in the starting lineup? He also shoots at a good field goal % of 46.8%. From beyond the arc, he shoots 41.2%. Also, his assists go up to 4.3 a game when he starts. Now let's compare that to Nicolas Batum, the guard that Lin replaced. Batum averages 15.1 points per game as a starter. He shoots at a field goal percentage of 41.5%. From beyond the arc, he shoots 35%. Clearly, this shows that Jeremy Lin should be a starter.

2. If you don't start Jeremy Lin, there is a limit to what he can do. I understand the size difference between Jeremy Lin and Nicolas Batum. Lin is 6'3" and Batum is 6'8". But when it comes to winning, who cares! Sometimes being shorter is better because most shorter guards are quicker which is true in the case of Lin vs. Batum.

3. He distributes the ball consistently. He probably would average more assists if the Hornets big men were better. Almost half of the great passes he gives them end up being misses. Still, as a starter he averages 4.3 assists per game. While he is not a lock down defender, his defense has improved and he can guard some other shooting guards that might have a size advantage over him.

So please Coach Clifford, put him in!!!

The Reason Why Brady Lost To Manning

Yesterday, the New England Patriots surprisingly lost to the Denver Broncos by a score of 20-18. As a lot of people know, this was another Brady vs Manning match up. But when the game was on the line for the Patriots, it wasn't Tom Brady who made the bad decisions. Instead, it was head coach Bill Belichick who made the bad decisions.

If you noticed, Belichick passed up on two field goals on fourth downs in Broncos territory. The first one was a completed pass to Julian Edelman but behind the line of scrimmage The score was 20-12 at both of those points. If Belichick had let the kicker go out both of those times the score would have been 20-18 still in the Broncos favor. But we still have to remember that the Patriots got the ball back and scored the touch down. That would have made the game 24-20 and the game would have been over.

And on the offensive side of the ball, it wasn't that Peyton Manning played that great.

He was 17 for 32 on passing 176 yards and had 2 touchdowns. He had a couple of good passes though. And also a surprising 12 yard run that got the bench going. But overall, Manning did not play that great.

The Broncos defense controlled the game. They sacked Brady 4 times and got 2 interceptions off of him. They also stopped the Pats offense on that two point conversion at the end of the game. Brady did all he could and it wasn't like Manning was the better quarterback in that match up. It was just a couple of costly decisions that lost the game for them.

But now for the Broncos, they will be going on to face the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50.

Kirk Cousins vs RG3 Comparison

The Washington Redskins have made it to the playoffs in the 2015-2016 season with a 9-7 record to top the division.

Although, this time it was without Robert Griffin lll.

And instead, this year, Kirk Cousins has brought this Washington team to the playoffs. This was a Skins team that was 4-12 the year before and 3-13 two years ago.

I am going to be comparing Kirk Cousins from the 2015-2016 season, and RG3, from his rookie year.

One thing Kirk Cousins has done this year is break the franchise record for passing yards with 4,166 passing yards along with 29 passing touchdowns. RG3 did not do that. RG3 threw for 3,200 yards and 20 touchdowns.

Although the difference between Cousins and RG3 was that RG3 actually ran the ball consistently. RG3 ran for 815 yards along with 7 rushing touchdowns but also 9 fumbles.

But what about the passer rating.

 Cousins posted a 101.6 passer rating while Griffin posted a 102.4 passer rating.

And what about interceptions.

RG3 had just 5 interceptions while Kirk Cousins had 11. I guess you could argue about that since RG3 had missed a game due to an injury and also left  game early. Cousins started all games.

They both lost in the wild card round, so there is nothing to compare there.

But if you add up all of their total yards, Kirk Cousins is the winner in that match.

So I guess both of the QBs were pretty equal, and only time will tell which one of the two is a better QB.

Which Two Teams Will Play In The Super Bowl?

We are now in the NFC and AFC championship round.        

The teams that still remain are the Arizona Cardinals, the Carolina Panthers, the New England Patriots, and the Denver Broncos. I will be telling you who will win each game of the Conference Championship round.

Denver Broncos vs New England Patriots
We all know this is going to be another exciting Brady vs Manning match up. But let's not forget that the Broncos have one of the best defenses in the league. With that Broncos D-line and secondary, it's going to be interesting to see how successful Tom Brady and the Patriots offense is going to be. I have a feeling that the Pats are going to settle on the passing game early after finding that they aren't getting any success running the ball and the Broncos secondary is going to make things hard for Brady.

Then there is also the improbability of the Denver offense. They struggled against the Steelers defense until late in the divisional round game and I believe Peyton Manning will struggle against the Pats defense.

For this game I am picking the Patriots to win. As long as their defense can come through, I think the Patriots are going to the Super Bowl again. I am guessing a score of 23-17 in the Patriots favor.



Carolina Panthers vs Arizona Cardinals


After the Carolina Panthers beat the almost unbeatable Seattle Seahawks [in the playoffs], some people probably aren't expecting anything from the Arizona Cardinals but don't go that far yet. The Cardinals arguably could have a better defense than the Panthers and Cam Newton could struggle against that defense. Also, don't forget about Arizona's offense. They are very dangerous with a group of three great receivers. Michael Floyd, Larry Fitzgerald, and the speedy John Brown.

And then there is that dangerous Carolina offense with Cam Newton leading the charge. He will be tough for Arizona to defend.

I am also wondering who Patrick Peterson will cover. It could be either Greg Olsen or Ted Ginn Jr..

For this game, I'm picking the Panthers. The score will be 24-21.