Who teams should look to draft on day 3

It’s inevitable that each year their are a handful of impact players that get over looked during the draft season. The result of this storyline for instance Chiefs running back Pacheco, a 7th round darling 2 seasons ago, or the latest and greatest retiree of the league, Jason Kelce, a 6th round center who’ll see Canton in 4 years. Whatever the size of the impact, any piece of significance from a third day drafted player is a success for a general manager and front office standpoint. Here are some names to remember as the NFL draft lurks within the next 7 weeks:

Tulu Griffin, WR, Mississippi State

2024 has two very deep positions which is an easy way to ignore lesser known names in the draft, this year wide receiver and offensive lineman are the two in particular with more prominent prospects. Lideatrick Griffin, AKA Tulu, visited the NfL Combine, competing with the likes of Brian Thomas Jr, Rome Odunze, and the rest of the talented group. Griffin stood out with his soft hands, his maturity in every drill, and his routes. Every catch was natural for him, adjusting to below the waist passes comfortably and eyeing in over the shoulder the targets the same. He holds a straight line on his crossers and his “go” route, keeping defenders at bay. A late round pick with great upside, expect him to be under the radar as long as the early weeks of next season when he can shine in practice to earn reps on game day.

Mohamed Kamara, Edge, Colorado State

Over the course of the NFL’s combine coverage this weekend , at least six or seven players were referenced to Maxx Crosby and his relentless. As a subjective viewer, there’s more than likely only one Crosby per a generation. Instead of using him as the template I’d like to use his comparison as the outlier that he is, and Mohamed Kamara is that DUDE. Kamara can single-handedly wreck an entire offensive game plan. He is first to the ball on 9/10 plays, and he needs two people to block him. In one on one rushes you won’t find another guy like him. He led CSU with 14 sacks and 38 qb pressures in 2023 alone. 14 sacks was fifth most in the entire country, but adding the pressures plus his run game physicality makes him more than valuable on day 3 and could see a day 2 nod if any front office feels the way I do about Kamara. Relentless and powerful are two characteristics that’ll follow Kamara to any of the 32 NFL teams that decides to choose him.

Anim Dankwah, OL, Howard University

Bull in a heard calves, a python in a corn snake cage you get the idea, Anim Dankwah is an astonishing beast of a man looking to protect any QB willing to trust him. At 6’8” and 350 pounds of magnificent muscle , he swallows the shoulders of pass rushers, casting cloud like shadows across the field as he lines up for every snap like it’s his last. Bull rushes won’t work with his size, and his upper body is strong enough to deflect rush moves like swims and chops with ease. Some team needs to take a chance on Dankwah, being from Howard U. is going to be a blemish on his résumé for certain teams but one lucky team will be thankful they didn’t pass on Anim.

Jha’Quan Jackson, WR, Tulane University

So the ultimate male question, does size matter? At 5’9” I’d have to argue no it does not for Jha’Quan Jackson. Watching his film from college he was clearly underutilized, the Tulane running back had over 1300 yards in 2023. However, dive deeper into the stat sheet and you’ll notice Jackson averaging 15 or more yards per catch each of the last three seasons, hitting 17 yards per catch this past season. He’s a playmaker with the ability to get open. In a league throwing the football more and more every year, he can surely find a home on a roster. More intriguingly so, if he found himself in a utility role with a west coast offense, he could be a high impact player early on in his career. Flaunting his route ability during Senior Bowl week, another successful step in his NFL journey. Putting coaches on notice with a consistent three or more yards of separation in 1 on 1 drills leading up to the Senior Bowl game this past February. Finally at the combine in Indianapolis this past weekend, Jackson was a natural pass catcher. His hands were as if a pocket perfectly made for a football, gliding through the gauntlet drill. His lateral quickness is his best asset and will make several NFL defenders miss on Sundays at the next level.

These are just four names that I feel, subjectively, will succeed at the NFL level. NFL front offices with far more experience will have their own opinions but don’t be shocked if these are players making impact plays for there prospective clubs. The gems of the draft are the hardest to find but an essential part of any winning team in any team sport. Don’t take for granted the prospects selected on day three of the draft or even not selected at all, they’ll be working the hardest to make an impression.

Follow with my Twitter page, @sportdispatch for another set of potential draft gems of 2024 next week!

Slew of talented prospects get spring invite

The spring season in baseball can be a lot of fun for fans that follow the game closely. Your favorite team calls up there top prospects to get an idea of the big leagues, new free agent acquisitions get to put on the new uniform, pitchers working on adjustments for the upcoming season, and so much more. In Washington, that excitement is overflowing the bottle that 2023 held.

Very rarely does the Nationals organization decide to sign any relevant free agents , but for a good reason. Their farm system is GM Rizzo’s pride and joy, growing youngsters through the ranks of the National’s system. The very system with household names around the league like Dylan Crews(#7 MLB rankings) and James Wood(#14 MLB rankings) and recently produced stars like Juan Soto, Trea Turner, and Bryce Harper. On that note though hopefully 20 homers is reasonable to expect from veteran DH/1B Joey Gallo. Slugging was a vacant stat from the Nats the past few seasons and this is a step in the right direction nonetheless.

Even more expectations lay within the young prospects, especially those on the list for call-ups in the spring. The organization posted an official first round of players selected for spring training, Crews and Wood headline the list but it features an array of talents such as 20 year old 3B/SS Brady House, OF Robert Hassell III, and INF Trey Lipscomb. House can fill a big time hole at 3B , and brings a consistent .312 average to the lineup, while Lipscomb won minor league defensive player of the year at third base, he can be the utility role player every winning organization has, the ability to play all four infield positions and with a solid average in the minors as well (.272 with 29 doubles) .

Fans can look forward and up in Washington with the roots of the roster growing up before our eyes right now. A playoff push is in the sights and it very well could be Dylan Crews leading the way. I recommend getting to the Rochester Red Wings games any chance you can get this season to get an early access pass on the future of the National’s!

Peters Era in Washington

1991, thirty three years. 33 long years with weightless, glimpses of hope amidst countless tumultuous moments. That’s how long it’s been since the Commanders have won a championship in the National Football League. An Emmy for a drama series would have been earned before this’s team could have found its way to a Super Bowl. However the lemons in DC are being squeezed every day for the franchise’s fresh lemonade, starting with the changing of leaders at the helm.

Josh Harris has been impressive to start as he has taken the reigns of the historic Washington football team. He then elected to hire experienced winners Rick Spielman and Bob Myers too assist in a search for more of the same caliber of men, Winners. The three had to make there first decision together in hiring a top tier general manager for heading the football operations, including tough player business choices that will have to be made.

On January 15 the Washington Commanders announced they would be hiring Adam Peters for the GM role (commanders.com). Peters will have to prove he’s the right man for the job but the search for a winner was a success. From Super Bowls in New England to another in Denver, Peters started as a winner and never looked back. His most recent tenure was as assistant GM of the dynamic San Francisco 49ers. John Lynch’s comments regarding Adam were loaded with praise and some advice for any succeeding leader, stay humble. Lynch sat with Sports Illustrated (si.com) and explained Mr. Peters was integral throughout their organization’s success and also why he’s ready for this larger role in DC.

Cultural progress has been ongoing since Washington hired Ron Rivera back in 2020 and he made a huge impact in the morals of the entire building. Unfortunately morals aren’t winning championships to be frank. The goal of the new regiment is to keep the freshly integrated character of the building while adding an abundance of winning. The next step in the process should be finding the right person in a head coach to lead a team of players that want the same thing, to win. Keep following to see who they feel can accomplish this tremendous turn around.

Playmakers to watch in 2023

After an overly anticipated preseason week one , some names standout against the rest. Then again some still don’t get the recognition they deserve. The guys on this list have shined in week one and should get some mention for it! Every week will be three new names from the prior weekends games, giving respect to the guys who deserve it and might not see much love in the mainstream media. That said, here’s the first three guys who stood out to Sport Dispatch:

Dane Jackson- Buffalo Bills starting cornerback opposite of Tre White, an aggressive tackler who found an interception in preseason week one. Playing with White , you can see the tremendous growth in man coverage, and confidence from play to play. Without anymore critical errors, Dane Jackson has proven to be worth the developmental time the Bills invested into Jackson’s early playing career. He will enter his fourth season primed to make some noise.

2023 prediction: 65 total tackles*, 4 INTs *(1 will be on Jets QB Rodgers), and at least 1 forced fumble. (*=career high for season totals)

Emmanuel Wilson- Green Bay Packers 3rd/4th running back by the time preseason is almost a certainty. Currently the 6th man on the depth chart behind big names like AJ Dillon and Aaron Jones. Playing time after the preseason may have been isolated but after a debut such as Wilson’s, the Packers coaching staff might be drawing up some extra play calls with Wilson in design. 111 yards on 6 attempts plus 2 touchdowns! Gigantic numbers for an undrafted rookie already on his second team of his career. Denver signed Wilson post draft but released him three days later. Look for #31 to make some more noise in the preseason games against the Patriots and Seahawks. Green Bay surely won’t feel comfortable trying to carry him on the practice squad this year meaning he should be one of the 53 man roster spots the Packers can maintain.

2023 prediction: 20 attempts, 160 yards, 2 touchdowns

Tyrie Cleveland- Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver , listed behind the main five guys on the depth chart, getting a spot on the Eagles 53 might be a stretch. However Cleveland caught five balls for 68 yards and was clearly comfortable on the field in his preseason outing against the Browns. He was Mariota’s go to guy trying to connect ten times throughout the game, a display that another team could appreciate and pay him for. This time of year is riddled with injury snd performance decline , Cleveland could easily find a home in the coming weeks and be a contributor for said team as well. The other bright spot to Tyrie is his special teams gunner ability, making tackles and covering kicks without hesitancy will always boost someone’s chances of earning a spot.

2023 prediction: on a new team (Bucaneers), 40 catches, 325 yards, 5 touchdowns

Sport Dispatch

Rejuvenated Nats origination making strides

August 9th 2023 isn’t going to be such a great day inside the walls of Nationals Park. For the fans when you see 08/09 on the calendar you’ll remember the infamous no hitter from Michael Lorenzen, of the Philadelphus Phillies. Very impressed watching the outing live on the television, it’s hard to do anything but tip your cap and keep from reminiscing too long if you’re from the DMV. The silver lining of the day for the organization however shouldn’t go unnoticed!

THE ONE , the truth, the tiger Dylan Crews has notched his first grand slam in an outstanding performance! 4-5 hitting with a walk and a grand slam to end the evening for the youngster. Beyond his years in his entire approach, Crews will be baseballs top prospect in the coming months , no doubt about it! His teammates are crushing the baseball too, Andrew Pickney is batting .500 through 28 ABs and YO-YO Morales is just barely sub .400. Those three rookies are standing out immediately post the July draft. Don’t forget the premiere prospects in Wood and House also , and you can imagine a team down the road that contends in several of the top offensive categories like slugging and OPS.

It’s an exciting time to be a Washington National! The young, care free, but can do attitude is gassing up the atmosphere in Washington DC. If you’re a fan of high class baseball with some smiles, then I would recommend this organization to you. While 2023 hasn’t brought a ton of awards or honors, a high praise for the GM Rizzo and skipper Davey Martinez. It’s rare to see such a highly cooperative group of men come together for a common goal but the entire team seems to be on board with the rebuild and the hardest earned surprises that may lie ahead. Try to catch up with the team before they go on the tyrant of winning to better appreciate the growth to come!

Sport Dispatch

Have the Baltimore Raven’s created an offensive powerhouse?

Looking into the end of the Ravens 2022/23 campaign, it’s hard to miss the injury riddled roster. Those things happen unfortunately and usually at the worst of times, for instance last year Lamar Jackson looked more calm and poised inside the pocket than ever before, but a turn pcl in his knee kept him from battling on. The biggest change for the fierce purple might be the offensive coordinator. Greg Roman is a top notch offensive mind but it seems Jackson has outgrown the simplicity of just a ground attack.

Raving over new OC, Todd Monken, a jokingly 6 thousand yard passing season was claimed via Lamar(1). Although highly unlikely to reach that mark, he might set new records personally for passing under the new regiment. Don’t count on Monken giving up entirely on the ground game, of course he would remind you too, don’t fix what don’t broke! A clear advantage is there to be had through “Action Jackson” and his speed but also a healthy J.K.Dobbins. Coming into the league, Dobbins was an elite playmaker from The Ohio State University taken in the second round of a loaded running back class. The league has yet to see a full healthy season but he’s ready to unleash on the league this year.

Harbaugh, head coach of the Ravens, hasn’t spent the money in free agency like alot of other coaches, however this year was different. In many ways the off-season was full of the drama you might see with the New York or California teams. The face of the franchise needed more than one new reason to stay in town. That reasons name came out to be Odell Beckham Jr. Drama surrounds OBJ anywhere he goes, for better and worse! This juicy story has been a great one so far but as fans of football know, it may not end that way with Beckham.

The Baltimore Ravens made changes this off-season unlike any other. There considered now a preseason elite offense, something also new to culture. An overloaded offense now can alleviate any excuses the Ravens have had in the past, and brings a new light to their tunnel. “Bmore” should get prepared for an exciting 2023 no matter what. The team from the harbor could be a sleeper come January.

Football Bylined

(1) https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/news/_/id/3916387/lamar-jackson

Will going from lurker to head hunted affect the Eagles?

Coming off the losing side of the Super Bowl finale, normally isn’t a step toward league favorite the following year yet here we are. The Eagles added talent this off-season that is unique for a team already so talented, 3 defenders from the national championship team along with two aged veterans who might’ve retired otherwise. Incredible would be an understatement in describing Howie Roseman’s chess moves this offseason.

Big questions linger quietly though , Jalen Carter for instance didn’t slip to number 9 overall for no reason. His character is in question respectfully, and he’s aware of that as he made clear in his statements returning to the NFL combine back in April. However the best place for him to land amongst NFL rosters would be in Philly surrounded by the guys he trusts already to lead his maturity progress (even as a Washington fan I hope for).

Leadership is all across the board from Sirianni coaching to AJ Brown on the field, but losing both coordinators provides another hurdle. Fortunately they promoted within for the positions new hires , but things always change slightly no matter what. The veterans on the roster returning such as Jason Kelce and Brandon Graham will be more vocal than ever before. The defense lost a key piece in the secondary, Chauncey Gardner-Johnson is lights out from snap 1 until the final whistle. He’ll fit like a glove in Detroit with Dan Campbell, but that leaves a void for the Eagles. The new staff will have to find “their guy” to fill the role left behind. Look for Illinois draftee Sydney Brown to be a loud presence early on!

All of this leads to my biggest point , the Eagles for the past decade have been a threat to knock off the top team. Now they are the top team and that requires a whole new level of focus to stay alive. Can they even win the NFC East again with Dallas pushing harder than ever ? Watch the 23/24 NFL season and find out!

Football Bylined

Unanimously, immediately after day two of the 2023 NFL draft , the football world agrees that Philadelphia had already “won the draft”. There was still an entire day of drafting left and Howie Roseman acquired 4 Georgia bulldogs in 48 hours time essentially booking a ticket to the NFC title game at the minimum next season. Besides the growing super villain Eagles, other franchises made out pretty well too!

Depending on what you consider a win for a team may substantiate other opinions, but for the basics, filling team needs with the highest ranking prospects is generally a solid way to consider early draft grades. Starting with the mighty Bills of Buffalo, without a doubt under the radar heading into draft weekend, are shining brighter than shooting stars. Giving Josh Allen the best hands of the entire class in Dalton Kincaid. On day two they went and stole a first round graded interior lineman O’cyrus Torrence from Florida. Two stars added to an endless roster already, plus a solid linebacker to help fill out the depth chart is a win on draft weekend for the Bills.

Another team that impressed in Kansas City would be the Saints, who didn’t pick until 29th due to a trade with, guess who, yeah that’s right, Philadelphia(who eventually landed the top product in the draft with the traded pick). Mindful of the potential missed prospect early on, Dennis Allen and the front office reeled in a nice haul this year. On day one , Clemson defensive tackle Brian Breese, a former potential top five pick struggled with injuries throughout college but when healthy, he’s unstoppable. An athletic edge rusher from the fighting Irish, Isaiah Foskey. After that they swiped Kendre Miller from TCU, who most thought was a top five running back and a big body for moving short distance chains. On day three they really stepped it up more by grabbing Saldiveri and Haener! Top class picks at this point in the draft, Saldiveri is an iron shield of a lineman. Haener might be the most under valued quarterback in the draft, he is deadly accurate and has the poise of QB1.

This years draft produced 41 trades, just to establish the enticement from teams around the league for these young prospects. Hoping the best for each one individually, but selfishly excited to see who sets themselves apart as the top of the class ten or fifteen years from now. In the end that’s when the real winner of each draft class comes to fruition. Good luck to the undrafted free agents waiting for a call as well!

Football Bylined

Terry McLaurin, Premier Person and Athlete

In sports culture, the capital of the United States hasn’t quite been up to par with expectations as a whole. Narrowing down to just football the gap from the top is significant and unappealing for fans. When it comes to the football athletes, negativity can begin to dissolve though. Building blocks are in place via incredible personalities flooding the locker room. Shining the brightest in the room is DC‘s finest, Scary Terry McLaurin.

How did the Commanders steal this quality person from the other 31 NFL clubs? McLaurin is unique when it comes to professional athletes, even as a person in general! Caring would be an understatement character trait but it draws an outline to the masterpiece. From personal experience at OTA’s and preseason games Terry would be the last one signing autographs for kids, greeting each individual child genuinely with many thank you’s and hugs! Supporting events in the community for everyone to come together is another popular choice for him, and for fans to meet the kind soul in person too!

Getting to the teammate benefits that Terry provides, an underrated aspect from our hero. Many times in the moments heading to kickoff you’ll find any team huddled up, listening to a motivational speech or phrase from the team captain. Come game day for the Commander’s it’s no different, and yes the man in the center of the huddle is TMac! Pumping the whole team up for 60 minutes of war. Local media get access to the DMV locker room and the comments regarding him are always superior. Not one player has had an issue with our guy and that means as much as anything for a teams unity and that might be something Washington Football hasn’t seen possibly ever..

The most obvious reason number 17 is “him”, the unmatched statistical output from his first four years in the league. According to ESPN.com Scarry has accumulated 4281 receiving yards, over 1,000 yards per season on average! He’s also hauled in 21 touchdowns , which totals up to 126 offensive points, that’s impressive. What makes it most impressive is that it’s been accomplished with a multitude of quarterbacks, some of who weren’t quite starting caliber passers. The other number that stands out comes from Next Gen Stats, the percentage of air yards a single player acquired in relation to the team they represent. McLaurin posted a mind boggling 34%! That’s over one third of the teams air attack coming through “him”.

Creating a legacy on and off the field in D.C. Terry appreciates the fans, and is as genuine as the sand on the beach. It would be an honor for any team to host an athlete with his gratitude. In recent history the most comparable athlete in the DMV would be Ryan Zimmerman of the Washington Nationals baseball team (beloved 16 year veteran all in Washington). Washington Commander fans please don’t take for granted what every sports city desires, a real life hero!

Reference

ESPN- https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/3121422/terry-mclaurin

Next Gen Stats- https://nextgenstats.nfl.com/stats/receiving#yards

Prospects of 2023 showing great potential via the combine

All we hear about as fans is the top three or four guys at each position. Then writers like us praise those prospects even more with gaudy articles boasting there stats from the combine and pro days, and the all star games too. How about the guys projecting on day 2 or even day 3, they’re working even harder and deserve some attention to.

The nations top passer is one you might not even know! The Davey O’Brien Award given to college football’s best quarterback went to Max Duggan, projecting to be only a 3/4 round pick showed impressive arm strength and accuracy at the combine, but his mental make up is what sets him above the competition. In Mariuccis whiteboard breakdown on NFL Network, Duggan was highly attentive, and able to dissect anything Steve put in front of him! Along with workouts are the press conferences where questions are posed to prospects. When you first hear Georgia quarterback , Stetson Bennett IV, on the podium he sounds like an offensive coordinator or coach that has been through the ropes already. He’s extremely mature for a rookie though, and he spun the football as well as anybody in the field drills in Indy. Before throwing he even impressed with a 4.64 40 yard dash time. Bennett would be able to set in immediately for any offense and be competitive immediately.

A total of 50 wide receivers were invited to the combine this year and they all have some sort of upside waiting to be tapped. A few notable standouts from the group weren’t the expected names though, such as Joshua Downs from North Carolina, and Jalen Brooks of South Carolina. Downs put up over 1000 yards the past two seasons at UNC with two separate qbs, impressive on its own. Downs brings a natural set of hands and an excellent display of body control on contested catches. After the catch is just as important in the game today and that’s where Brooks shows top notch ability. The gauntlet drill at the combine is the test to show your hands and quickness , running a straight line across the field and catching about 6 passes before turning up field. Jalen Brooks had the best reps. Brooks looked unbothered by the miscue on passes in the drill and his burst after the catch is incredible.

Defensively it is harder to stand out via the combine but certainly some prospects showed out more than others. “Stepping back” ,watching the quick twitches and the awareness through drills, Cam Young of Miss. St. was the first to pop! He has a nasty aggression displaying every rep , and probably a starting 43 DT in the league. Hopefully a veteran will take him under their wing in camp and teach him some pass rush moves that would makes Young an elite defensive tackle. The other massive human on defense to watch for would be Dante Stills. The down side of his game was solely playing in the Big 12 , where he couldn’t display his run stop abilities. Stills dominated Big 12 O lines the past two seasons and then went to the combine and ran really fast, 4.85 in the 40 yard dash. After the speed was shown , Dante showed how flexible he is with a drill involving picking up and setting a towel on the ground in a specific manner. Stills will be a force in the NFL that o-lines will have to account for!

Almost 260 prospects will be draft at the end of April and these are only six names that will shock us in 2023. There will be plenty more to rise and fall through the draft process but the guys putting in work behind the scenes deserve all the love. Not everyone can be a first round pick and the end goal should be the same for all the prospects right now, to make an NFL roster before being a casualty of player cuts in the fall. Keep an ear out for other hidden gems and we can get their stories out in the public eye together!

Football Bylined

Boiling with talent, but will DC put it all together?

In March hearing a reference to boiling isn’t so bad, especially on the east coast in “Commander Country”. The stew has been stirred up again in the Dan Snyder pot, this time another financial issue relating to a 2020 loan he withdrew from the organization without any permission from the minority owners (40% to Snyder’s 60% stake). Unfortunately it’s not surprising to see the flames burning higher amongst the bitter end.

When April comes, Washington fans can find some sunlight again though as they hold the 16th pick in the draft. Not expecting a giant leap forward, a playmaker on offense or defense is very plausible. Major needs at key positions like tackle and linebacker might hold a higher priority to the staff, most mock drafts see the Commanders landing a stud at defensive back. DB is definitely the deepest position in the draft this year with 62 athletes invited to the combine. Stars who have potentially caught the eye of the staff are Devon Witherspoon, an aggressive, handsy corner has a highlight reel that Jack Del Rio is probably still watching! Meanwhile Rivera is in Indianapolis for the combine this week watching Christian Gonzalez jump 41.5” in the vertical jump! Even if those two aren’t available for Del Rios’s defense, theirs a new commander of the offense who would love to add a freak athlete tight end such as Dalton Kincaid from Utah. Bienemy coming in to town as OC and asst. Head Coach should mean a valued opinion for all of the draft choices this team is preparing to make.

Daron Payne , a monster of a man. Easily a top five defensive tackle in the league and the most important of free agents for the Commanders. An agreement to the franchise tag is a positive step, and soon talks will ramp up for a long term deal. Note the unique approach to the leagues philosophy of locking down two premier interior defensive lineman. The other important free agent to retain will be Cole Holcomb, who Rivera has personally groomed and praises often. Leading the team in tackles there should be no reason to not stake a claim in Cole’s future.

Rivera might feel a little extra pressure to succeed after hiring Bienemy. But only added pressure equals higher goals and more attention to detail to obtain said goals. Look for a surprise finish in the division next season , predicting second to only Philadelphia! The new owners would be proud of a competitive playoff bid surely, whoever that at may be. Hopefully for D.C.’s sake the dark tunnel is coming to a light., and they can take command of their future.

Football Bylined

Does Philadelphia face an uphill battle?

Reaching the pinnacle of the NFL, why would the Eagles be faced with any sort of challenge? Facing another premier franchise like the Chiefs and coming up just short is admirable, especially only after year three with fierce Sirianni at the helm. After reading this you might agree that the Eagles indeed stand at the bottom of a hill filled with obstacles.

First and foremost, two days after tremendous efforts in Super Bowl 57, offensive coordinator Shan Steichen is packing bags and heading to Indianapolis, taking over as the head coach of the Colts. After calling the plays for a top ten offense, and headlining it with the top rushing attack, he may find difficult to replace. Keep in mind Jalen Hurts is a great QB but so far has only seen Steichen’s offense in the pros. With his athletic ability , Philly should look for an established coach who can further Hurts along in his process of becoming a franchise QB.

Now they’ve got the franchise leader they want to build around , but how much do they pay him? He’s going to demand a high asking price which is deserved, but at this current time he’s got one year left on his rookie deal and can’t let this upcoming season go south. One appearance in the championship game is great for any individual, but in Philadelphia they expect to win it and come back for more. Hurts has seen several coordinators in college so hes prepared for this situation as best he can be.

Defense would be considered the strength of this team though and replicating the success from 2022 will be almost impossible. Setting sack records , turning the ball over more than anyone in the league, it was an incredible performance this year from Gannons defense. Gannon is also interviewing and could leave the tram this off-season as well. Along with losing their coordinators , some leaders on the defense were older additions on year deals such as Quinn, Suh, and others that provide the field and locker room support. A name to look at for a replacement coordinator position might be Vic Fangio. A well respected defensive mind who can keep the sack kings reigning.

The last major obstacle in front of the defending NFC champion will be bringing back key pieces like center Jason Kelce, and edge rusher Brandon Graham who might be considering retirement after there luxurious and long careers. Tough tasks lay ahead for Sirianni but if he takes time to recoup from the stress of this past season and he will have a clear mind to conquer the challenges. The NFC east will be a hard enough to overcome with Dallas surging and the Giants finding there own identity this year too.

On the bright side, there’s two first round draft picks , they could let the new coordinators have a pick to entice them to come even more. If we see the Eagles back in the Super Bowl next year, a lot of credit has to be given to coach Sirianni and General Manager Howie Roseman. There are expectations for this team now, but will they live up to them or fall short like they had against Andy Reid’s Chiefs?

Flying Where to Next?

Football Bylined

Keep tabs on Carolina Panthers

In terms of stability that owner David Tepper has preached, his organization has fallen short. Nonetheless the powder blue and black proudly march into the 2023 off-season with high hopes of progress. The year prior ended on a higher note than it started which might be about all you can positively sum up, but looking deeper into the roster and staff there may be some potential getting overlooked. Steve Wilkes filled in post the midseason firing of “the savior” ,Matt Rhule.

College offenses have continually failed in the Pros but that didn’t stop Rhule from trying to rebuild his previous success at the universities of Temple and Baylor. Without a long term answer at quarterback and seemingly less trust from the rest of the roster led to turmoil amongst the offense. However, among the defensive front you’ll find some of the hidden gems that could be appetizing for the newly named head coach, Frank Reich and defensive coordinator, Ejiro Evero. The latter was renowned across the league and predicted as a successor for a number of head coaching jobs , chooses this enticing defense to coach up instead and improve his resume even more which speaks for itself. The former, Frank , is a known quarterback coaching talent which plays to perfectly into the Panthers hand.

With names such as Dj Moore, Brian Burns, Derrick Brown and many others, it should be a relatively quick turnaround. New coach Reich will address his QB room either via the draft or free agency, but don’t overlook the current situation. A former highly rated draft pick sits in that room waiting for his opportunity, one Matt Corral who was injured in the preseason during his rookie campaign. He and Reich may hit it off at the training complex and decide they want to move forward together , which seems likely as the current situation stands. The team sits ninth in drafting order, unless they trade up , it’s unlikely they land the qb1 Reich wants at the helm. As for free agency you’ll see many average quarterbacks plus the potential of Bmores stud, Lamar “action “ Jackson. Going all in for Jackson just isn’t what Reich’s history displays. A young, strong armed quarterback, who is easily moldable, the most important key to coaching in any instance. Reich may look to build off the strong running attack Wilkes was able to portray later in the season!

Going with Evero for the defensive coordinator position continues to provide the stability that Tepper has wanted all along. From the roots of coaching greats like Dom Capers and Sean McVay, Evero brings a fast paced, playmaking defense that relies heavily on pressure from the front 4. Praised many times for leadership and people skills as well, Reich should trust Evero early on with the young talent he’s inherited.

Predicting a turn around coming soon, these Panthers have new life currently being pumped into the entire organization. The division they sit in proves to be wide open after infamous Brady retires from the Buccaneers. A division title has to be the goal for the new staff, and seems very attainable. Keep a loose eye on the Panthers upcoming season, they’ve been provoked, now they’re on a hunt to keep pounding.

Provoked, but Keep Pounding

Football Bylined

Podcast with Jason and Travis Kelce

A ranking is merely a popular opinion but what does it actually justify? The number one podcast over the past few months on every chart you can find, you’ll notice the same title retaining the top spot week in and week out. The New Heights Show featuring Jason and Travis Kelce hold the number one current pod out and a top five all time, according to the rankings. At this point though it is undeniably accurate for them to be on top. Even after so much success, the Kelces are eyeing an even bigger prize, The Lombardi Trophy. Yes, both brothers, will meet head to head in Arizona for a chance at the Super Bowl! Coming soon, the Kelce Bowl, will be the most watched football game in history, just like the podcast is!

Jason the older brother, a center for the Philadelphia Eagles, has more of a leading personality to keep the show relatively on track. As for the younger, sillier brother, Travis keeps the punch lines and outbursts rolling. The two together obviously come with natural chemistry but the performance from every show is addictive. Insights from the field and the locker rooms, first hand experience in many of the leading topics around the league, creative bits, and unmatchable energy are blending smoothly across each episode.

Every Wednesday the brothers return to the screen for an entire 90 minutes or more , giving more content then the average 30 minute shows we’re used to. Keep your ears on, don’t miss the segment called, “No Dumb Questions just Dumb People”, my personal favorite. Those random questions that bring some extra light to football. An example of a recent debate was to answer, “which animal would an NFL team benefit from the most if properly trained?” The responses are great, Jason chooses an elephant and Travis tries to find an animal to stop Jason’s elephant. Highly recommend tuning in each Wednesday for the highest rated pod on social platforms.

Football Bylined

New Heights Show Review

AFC Championship

Considered the best matchup of the season thus far and maybe for years to come, Cincinnati and Kansas City duke it out in Missouri. Limping far less than expected Mahomes was still considered questionable with an ankle sprain from only one week prior. Joey “Burr” as cool as ice coming into the game. Kc starts it off with two field goals from Butker. McPherson bangs one of his own through the uprights bringing the score to an astonishing 6-3. Travis Kelce is on his “A” game scoring a touchdown just before half time on a 4th and 1 play. The Bengals slow start could have come from the 4 first half sacks allowed. 13-6 at the half isn’t as many points as to be expected from these two super powers but the quality of play was top notch!

Burrow looking confident puts a touchdown of his own up on the board in the third quarter giving fans the early stages of a nail biting finish. Mahomes launches a missile to Valdes Scantling to take 20-13 lead. Without any hesitation Zac Taylor And Joe Burrow march the offense right down the field , finding their superstar Ja’Marr Chase on a deep ball in double coverage! Perine punched in the football tying the game up at 20. The nail biter continues, stressing each team and all of their support just a little more. Winding down toward the end of regulation as Cincinnati has slowed Kelce. Forcing the Kansas City offense to function via different weapons, Valdes Scantling showed up again and again for Mahomes. With two minutes to go Burrow fires a shot into a tight window for Higgins that gets tipped by rookie safety Bryan Cook and intercepted by rookie cornerback Joshua Williams. At this point a fresh breeze fell over the potential MVP ,a calming sense of confidence of his own, Mahomes and his bum ankle walk into the huddle knowing what’s at stake, a Super Bowl birth. Unsurprisingly through a scramble on a broken down play, 15 powers through late contact jumping up noticing the flag on the play. Ossai of the Bengals is called for unnecessary roughness which pushes the ball to the Cincinnati 23 yard line and Butker sends another beautiful kick right down the middle. All the doubt surrounding his ankle might’ve been the chip on the shoulder KC needed to prevail but however the case , KC will be traveling to Arizona to fight against a dominant looking Philadelphia Eagles team. Can KC scrap it out for a second Super Bowl for Mahomes and Reid together?

AFC championship

Football Bylined

NFC Championship

Philadelphia isn’t the most fun for a rookie QB any normal Sunday, but make it the conference championship game and the town is on another level. If that isn’t intimidating enough for the young Purdy , the Eagles flew all over the field this year leading the league in sacks and QB pressures. Busting out of the gate , Hassan Reddick has two first half sacks and a fumble forced and another recovered. One of Reddick’s sacks led to Brock Purdy exiting the game with an elbow injury too. Unfortunate for San Francisco but Shannahan marches the team forward with the longtime NFL veteran, Josh Johnson. Philly hasn’t had to use their young quarterback quite as much , having huge success on the ground with Sanders and Scott, each with a touchdown in the second quarter alone!

Coming out of the locker room the 49ers were looking for any sort of momentum they could generate. If you’re still waiting for the gold and red to make their surge , don’t hold you’re breath. Purdy was forced back on the field after Johnson suffered a head injury on a pressure play. The Eagle’s ground game couldn’t be stopped and they found another two touchdowns on the ground, Sanders and Hurts. Philadelphia may need to bolster there passing game to stay as dominant as they looked Sunday.

NFC Championship

Football Bylined

As the 2022 season ended, changes are inevitable. Unlike recent years however not just the head coaches were held accountable for poor performance. Many teams parting ways with offensive and defensive schemers also. Teams such as the Rams and Chargers in L.A. and others offer appetizing jobs for new coaching talent looking for new opportunities. There are several teams still looking for a head coach as well though, Carolina , Arizona. Denver, Indianapolis, and Houston , all of which have a fresh start in mind.

Aspiring coordinators and coaches ready themselves for interviews, hopefully impacting them all positively. A name to watch for potential head coach vacancies are going to be Eviro, the Broncos previous defensive game coordinator has consistently been a household name in head coach talks. His best fit might be in Houston or Carolina with young pieces on the defense to build around his scheme. Byron Leftwich is also another great candidate with a offensive attack that’s ready , he could bring the experience needed to win playoff games.

What happened to Indianapolis the past fees is abnormal, not having a quarterback to lean on has royally impacted the teams ability to sustain any success. However bringing in an experienced defensive leader like Dan Quinn could flip the tables for what Indy tries to establish as an identity. Pat Shurmer , a veteran offensive coordinator with excellent QB resumes such as Brett Favre, is someone that should be considered for teams on the brink of success, who may need a little maturity or wisdom to the locker room. The Arizona Cardinals could also be a landing spot for these experienced guys that can bring instant stability.

Young teams who might need a spark on offense should consider Bienemy from KC and even Gregg Roman who the ravens parted ways with. Roman provides an offense that has been on top of the league for years running the ball and playing smart hard nosed football. Most teams with vacancies will look at the Mcvay and Shannahan coaching trees but coaches like zac Taylor and Doug Pederson should be in the consideration for tree setters also, having large amounts of success wherever they’ve been. Coaching hires can turn teams around in many ways and this time next year we’ll see who was the best hire from this off-season.

For Hire

Football Bylined

Forecasting showcases and predictions

When the season started nobody was expecting a Jaguars playoff run, or a Brock Purdy led 49ers team. We as an NFL fan base couldn’t predict many incidents from the dramatic 22/23 football season but as each year does , left so many surprised and in awe. Saturday will host Jacksonville @ Kansas City, along with the Giants heading to Philadelphia for the frigid night game matchup. Looking into the earlier game, KC stands tall as the favorite not only for today but for the entire playoff run. Andy Reid is the most experienced head coach in this years playoffs and that will lead the Chiefs to an early victory routing the Jaguars. When the Chiefs celebratory charades end you’ll be tuning into the matchup of the day as New York travels south for their third head to head matchup with the Eagles. The divisional foes split the regular season contests ,going one and one respectively but the Giants seem to have a momentum swing that could bring down the number one seed. Daniel “Bones” Jones needs to breath deep and play complimentary football and that may see the Giants through to a conference game birth!

Sunday will be unforgiving with thrills, a “rematch” of the Bills @ Bengals that never was along with an exciting defensive nightmare of a matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and the San Francisco 49ers. The unfortunate events from earlier this season prevented one of the presumably great offensive showcases that has been, but Sunday features the rematch, Burrow vs Allen in there first ever dispute. The Bill’s fantasy like season should push them ahead in the end , sending Joe Cool home a couple weeks sooner than he expected. The night game Sunday looks to be special as well , with the defensive MVP front runners Bosa and Parsons on duty! Each looking to sepetate themselves from the other , Parsons playoff debut may show to be the difference for the niners and Nick Bosa. Please tune in this weekend to see how the NFL action unfold, don’t forget , Tom Brady is already eliminated!

Divisional Days

Football Bylined

FedEx field

Home

Super Wildcard Weekend Preview

Attention grabbing at its finest, the Around the NFL podcast put on a professional display of entertainment with this playoff preview. Dan and Mark try to recalculate how they’ll manage a comeback on Gregg in the weekly locked picks contest. The producer, Gravedigger, chimes in to point out the Jaguars were once a team with fork stuck in them referring to them missing the playoffs. A rainy weekend in Minnesota has Gregg believing the Vikings will run all over the not so giant Giants. Questioning the trust in the Vikings is reasonable after going over the team’s DBOA. Minnesota havent won by big margins and when they lose, well, it’s pretty ugly. The crew on ATN always find relative, supporting statistics aiding their opinions. A full on call to arms for Brandon Staley and the Chargers to bring the defensive scheming game plan when they face Jacksonville . Lawrence looks to be on point and the high powered offensive LA team will need to bolster down on backend to keep the reigns on the jaguars air attack. Sunday night holds the best rivalry of the weekend, Baltimore heads to Cincinnati. After talks of dirty play, Burrow’s Bengals are looking to prove a point. With Lamar”action”Jackson out, the Raven’s might just follow suit. A toss up on Monday in Dallas could be anybody’s game to win, Brady is a hard hand to bet against! Note the reference of former athleticism in the ol boys, it’s a surprise treat. The number one football show will be back again Monday for the recap of the exciting weekend ahead. A huge fan of zuesser and the gang , always supporting the show , with love.

Football Bylined

Thirty three points might seem too immense for the weak hearted, but as for the skol hearted in the north, they wouldn’t succumb to the defeat. An abysmal defensive first half for the Vikings, had the hopes of Indy fans shooting for the moon. Incompletions on offense from the lackluster protection is how the Colts would get an edge early on. Colts running back, Jonathan Taylor, led the charge early but then came halftime.

O’Connell has been known to be a players coach with exceptional scheming talent. He also has a keen sense for potential success on offense and was determined to get the skol hearted team shook into action. The player most pleased though from the deep purple offense, must’ve been KJ Osbourne because he finished with over 150 yards receiving by the end of the game. Quickly it’s 33-7 and after a field goal from Indy the Vikings found a few more struggles such as Cousins’s turnover or a Dalvin Cook fumble. They fought on. 36-14, 36-21, “blink, blink” …36-36 . It’s OT , the Colts played another faltering second half, and the screaming stadium erupts.

Gregg Joseph is the eventual hero kicking a clutch game winner as overtime winds to an end. Dalvin , one of many in purple, with a smile on their face , had his fourth consecutive season with over 1000 rushing yards. Osborne had a career day and CJ Ham had a pleasant game as well, bringing sparks of thunderous energy. Minnesota officially clinches the division and a playoff birth at 11-3. The Indianapolis Colts fall to 4-9-1 and ponder which direction the team is heading. The Vikings showed the SKOL heart and now own the biggest comeback in NFL history.

Football Bylined

Super Wildcard Weekend Matchup 1

Simply put, forecastable. At the end of 60 minutes, San Francisco finished on top, but what might get missed is the first half tease that Seattle served. Geno Smith, the first time starter in playoff football action, stood strong in his pocket looking as confident as he had all season. Their offensive line looked up for the challenge against the tenacious niners front and Kenneth Walker was enjoying that with over 50 yards in the first two quarters. San Francisco’s rookie first timer struggled early. Trying and missing to hit the deep ball in the second quarter several times allowed Seattle to stay dominant. A penalty on Jimmie Ward put the ball in field goal range for the Seahawks and Myers nailed it giving them a surprising 17-16 lead. Kyle Shanahans encouraging halftime words sparked the teams first drive score coming out, and they never looked back. Purdy’s struggles vanished, McCaffery went off , and the Seattle lights dimmed , fairly quickly. Turnovers , miscues, and exhaustion led to an insurmountable Dev deficit. The outcome that was expected surely came but don’t sleep on what the Seahawks are building. Pete Carrol will be back. The Niners can breath for a couple days and recover. They’ll find out who they face next weekend and start preparing.

Football Bylined

01/15/23