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Sports. Honestly. Since 2011

Day: August 31, 2016

What to Expect From Georgia Southern vs. Savannah State

Posted on by Kyle Funderburk

Georgia Southern’s season opener with Savannah State is quickly approaching. Given the history of Savannah State football and the meetings between the two programs, the Eagles should see this as nothing more than a glorified scrimmage.

Here are four things fans should all expect out of Georgia Southern this Saturday:

What to Expect From Georgia Southern vs. Savannah State

1. More than 20 passes

A lot has been said on this site about the Eagles needing to improve their passing game and their efforts to do just that. Savannah State would be perfect opponent to get some passing practice before the schedule heats up.

The Eagles won’t need to pass the ball much to win. They could probably just fine handing off to Matt Breida, L.A. Ramsby and Wesley Fields, get 400 rushing yards and be just fine. But they need to pass the ball to get Kevin Ellison comfortable and confident passing for when they’ll need to in the future.

Their leading receiver from 2015, B.J. Johnson returns. But he only had 15 catches for 249 yards. His role should be amplified this year and he should receive his fair share of passes against Savannah State. With a good stable of backs, we should see several passes to running backs coming out of the backfield.

2. More than 50 points for the Eagles offense

Georgia Southern is 11-0 against Savannah State. In those 11 games the Eagles offense averages 45.5 points. In their last two meetings the Eagles scored 77 points in 2013 and 83 points in 2014.

Since then Savannah State hasn’t gotten any better, they’re still a team that only wins one or zero games a year. Georgia Southern however has a very mature offense with Breida and Ellison going into their senior seasons and Ramsby becoming a junior.

Whether the Eagles run the ball 45 times or open up their passing game, they are the superior team and one of their hobbies is beating up on Savannah State.

3. Less than 10 points for the Tigers offense

In the 11 meetings between these two schools, Savannah State averages just 5.8 points per game. They’ve only scored more than 10 points once and the Eagles have shut them out twice.

While the offense is a weapon for Georgia Southern, the defense is their backbone. They return six starters and all of them are on the front seven. That one open spot on the front seven is being replaced by Ukeme Eligwe who played a big part on Florida State’s 2013 national title team.

As stated before, Savannah State isn’t improving while Georgia Southern is getting better. Expect your typical, Georgia Southern thrashing of Savannah State.

4. 350 plus rushing yards by Georgia Southern

Do I really need to go into much detail? When you add backup quarterback Favian Upshaw, Georgia Southern’s top five rushers combined for 4,589 yards last year. That’s an average of 353 yards per game. And all five up them return with another year of experience. They should have no problem running free this Saturday.

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The Sound & the Fury: Why NYCFC’s loss to OCSC Signifies Nothing

Posted on by Martin Bihl

Okay well that sucked.

Yes, I saw it. The whole waterlogged mess. The bad coverage decisions. The shoddy defending. The poor passes. The sluggish attack. The general lack of passion on the pitch. And the rain, the rain and, oh yeah, the rain.

And sure, anybody who lives north of Edgewater Drive would have preferred that New York City Football Club hadn’t lost to a team that has won only five matches all season. That they hadn’t tightened up the race at that top of the Eastern Division. Or that they had taken advantage of Toronto FC’s loss to put a little breathing room between them and the rest of the division. So that they would be heading into Thursday’s match against D.C. United with that one win they needed already accomplished, and their place in the playoffs assured.

The Sound & the Fury: Why NYCFC’s loss to OCSC signifies nothing

But none of that happened. And NYCFC’s loss to OCSC has got every blue fan worried. Have City peaked? Have other teams figured them out? Does this begin the grand embarrassing slide that sees fans biting their nails down to the quick in the home finale against Columbus Crew as the team battles for the final playoff spot?

No.

Now, here’s why NYCFC’s loss to OCSC is not as bad as you think.

They rested R.J. Allen

One cannot over-emphasize the importance of Old Bridge, New Jersey’s favorite son to this team. He plays with passion and a fierce loyalty, takes no guff from opposing teams, and has a habit of lofting lovely crosses for NYCFC’s finishers to put into the back of the net (he has the team’s third most assists). All of which you’ll want on Thursday against D.C. United. Especially since you won’t have Ronald Matarrita, who will be on international duty for Costa Rica. In a sense, NYCFC’s loss to OCSC was not Allen’s loss, and that’s exactly the attitude you’ll need on Thursday. And beyond, of course.

They rested Frederic Brilliant

No, I don’t know why he wasn’t in Orlando experiencing NYCFC’s loss to OCSC firsthand. Maybe he has a fear of anthropomorphic mice. And while it would have been a great opportunity for him and Maxime Chanot to further develop their partnership, the guy’s played in 24 games for NYCFC this season. That’s more than RJ Allen, more than Ronald Matarrita, and one fewer than Jason Hernandez. That’s a lot for someone new to the league. Give him a break.

They essentially rested Jack Harrison

Yes, he’s 19. But he spent the first half of the season recovering from some sort of pelvic injury he’d played all last season with – a season, you should remember, that was just 11 weeks long. I don’t care how young your legs are, jumping from that to the MLS is an adjustment, so giving him a break just makes sense. Also they protected him from Nigel De Jong. I mean Brek Shea.

Steven Mendoza score

Scorers score. Except when they don’t. They’re streaky as hell, so getting Stevan Mendoza on the board again bodes well for the final seven matches. It adds another player that defenses have to pay attention to, it builds his confidence, and further integrates his style of play with that of his teammates. All good things in spite of NYCFC’s loss to OCSC.

Jefferson Mena got more minutes

Maybe you think that was bad idea, especially because he got schooled at least twice by Kaka on that goal in NYCFC’s loss to OCSC. But look at it this way – the more he plays, the more familiar he gets with the rest of the back line. And they with him. And the playoffs are a game of attrition – if you’re lucky enough to make a long run. You want to have as many game-ready options as possible.

NYCFC got a terrible match out of their system when it didn’t matter. Well, as much.

Everyone has a bad game. The trick is not to have a lot of them, and not to have them when it really matters. Orlando City didn’t matter. Not as much as the upcoming games against two of the worst teams in the league. Better to get it out of their system now.

NYCFC still have a comparatively easy schedule

And speaking of the two worst teams in the league… While NYCFC play a dangerous D.C. United on Thursday (and again in October) and an MLS-leading FC Dallas on the seventeenth, they also face a nice mix of sides who most likely wish the season were over already. In addition to Houston Dynamo and Chicago Fire, they play the New England Revolution and the Columbus Crew. Tell me there’s not at least one win in there somewhere.

But most importantly…

New York City FC head into the final seven games of the season having just had a really wonderful wakeup call. A reminder that you can take nothing for granted. That you have to play every game as if your life depended on it. For as any idiot can tell you, champions are the ones who stay focused, especially when their bodies ache and their brains hurt and as the season creeps in this petty pace from day to day, to the last syllable of recorded time.

Or at least until the next king is crowned.

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Linebacker Paul Kruger Signs With the New Orleans Saints

Posted on by Robert Deininger (Social Media Manager)

Free agent linebacker Paul Kruger has reportedly reached a deal with the New Orleans Saints. After meeting with multiple teams this week, Kruger has decided to sign with the Saints. That’s according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. 

Linebacker Paul Kruger Signs With the New Orleans Saints

Back in 2013 before Kruger signed a five-year, $40.5 million deal with the  Cleveland Browns, the Saints attempted to make a strong push in order to land the pass-rusher.

The now former Browns linebacker visited with both the Saints, as well as the Kansas City Chiefs on Tuesday following his release from Cleveland. Now that Kruger is apparently signing with the Saints, the Chiefs will have to look for help elsewhere when it comes to filling in for the injured Justin Houston.

The Saints push for a legitimate pass-rusher intensified when they lost Hau’ oli Kikaha to a torn ACL in which he suffered earlier this spring. Plus the Saints team’s play this preseason has been less than an impressive considering they’re missing a lot of pieces on defense.

Not only have the Saints reportedly signed Paul Kruger, but they also traded for Chris McCain this week. The Saints hope to have both players up to speed with what they’re trying to do defensively in time to help apply pressure on Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr in Week One.

Kruger, 30, is coming off a 2015 season in which the linebacker only recorded 2.5 sacks and twenty-seven tackles. He did, however, record  career-high in sacks with 11 in 2014. Despite being released by Cleveland, Kruger still believes he has a lot left in the tank, and he’s set on providing it.

Kruger was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the second-round of the 2009 NFL Draft out of the University of Utah. After spending four years with the Ravens, where he helped Baltimore win a Super Bowl title, Kruger signed a five-year deal with the Browns in 2013, but in 2015 saw his production begin to slip, and Cleveland found him expendable.

For Kruger’s career, he has 196 tackles, 33.5 sacks and two interceptions.

 

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Raising Bulls 31 August 2016

Posted on by Joseph Goldstein

Raising Bulls 31 August 2016

This week on Raising Bulls, Bill Twomey returns from the abyss to discuss a weekend full of questions. Did we see the first hiccup in the implementation of VAR? After we recorded the episode, news of FC Cincinnati‘s goal keeper Mitch Hildebrandt had his red card rescinded. VAR had decreed Hildebrandt had committed a denial of a goal-scoring opportunity with a foul on Brandon Allen in the box. While the contact was light, the penalty was deserved. However, Brandon Allen received the ball in an offside position, and the play should have been whistled dead.

The result helped push NYRBII further up the table, and should see the team enter the playoffs as the number 1 seed, potentially league-wide. We also discuss some offensive struggles and the return of form for the defense. John Wolyniec answers the burning question of if Brandon Allen will get his own Bradley Wight-Phillips-esque monument for his goal-scoring triumphs. Then we wrap up with a preview of Sunday’s game against Bethlehem Steel FC.

Raising Bulls is a podcast dedicated to the New York Red Bulls of the USL. Each week, Joe Goldstein, Bill Twomey and Anthony Merced will be recapping the week that was. They will also be previewing each of the team’s upcoming matches. They will also be joined by guests each week from all levels of the NYRBII organization. If you care about the future of the New York Red Bulls, you’re listening to Raising Bulls.

2016 NFC North Breakdown by Position: The Offense

Posted on by Dalton Tompkins

During the month of August, the Last Word On Sports NFL department will be breaking down every division in the league by position. This article contains a position-by-position breakdown of the NFC North offenses. The breakdown will contain “the best” at each unit followed by “the rest” in descending order.

2016 NFC North Breakdown by Position: The Offense

Quarterback

The Best: Green Bay Packers

The Rest: Detroit Lions, Chicago Bears, Minnesota Vikings

The Green Bay Packers enter 2016 with arguably the best quarterback in football commanding the huddle.  Aaron Rodgers had a pedestrian season in 2015, putting up numbers that most quarterbacks would love to have.  He threw for 3,821 yards, 31 touchdowns, and eight interceptions.  With a healthy Jordy Nelson set to return to the lineup after missing all of last season, Rodgers is poised to see an uptick in production this season.

Matthew Stafford is entering his eighth season as the starting quarterback for the Detroit Lions.  Stafford will be asked to throw a lot of short to intermediate passes in the Lions’ new up tempo offensive game plan.  Which could be a boon considering Stafford’s skillset and the weapons around him.  In 2015 Stafford threw for 4,262 yards, 32 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions.  All while leading the division in completion percentage (67%).

The Chicago Bears might not be a great team in 2016, but any success they do have will all be tied back to Jay Cutler.  Cutler’s risk taking style has always left him open to criticism.  Some may say that Cutler is overrated, but ultimately the jury is still out.  Although he has all the physical strengths and traits coaches look for in a signal caller, Cutler has always lacked the mental makeup, awareness, and ball protection skills to put it all together for a full season.  Yes, at any given moment he can make the perfect throw, but his consistent ability to be inconsistent is what drives coaches and fans alike insane.

The Minnesota Vikings were in the perfect situation to develop a young quarterback.  Entering his third NFL season, Teddy Bridgewater was primed for a statistical breakthrough in production.  Unfortunately, during Tuesday’s non-contact team practice Bridgewater dislocated his knee and tore his ACL, thus ending his season before it even started.  Suddenly, the Vikings number one option at quarterback is Shaun Hill.  Minnesota is also scouring the market for potential signal callers.  The injury to Bridgewater is absolutely devastating for a team that was really counting on their young quarterback.

Running Back

The Best:  Minnesota Vikings

The Rest:  Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, Chicago Bears

Adrian Peterson is entering his 10th season in the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings.  During any season in which he played at least 13 games Peterson has finished with no less than 1,266 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns.  Which is right around where he should finish again this season.  Being the physical specimen that he is, Peterson would have to be injured or cut from Minnesota’s roster to not finish as the best running back in the NFC North.

The Green Bay Packers head towards the 2016 season with high hopes for Eddie Lacy to return to his dominant form.  At several different points in the season last year Lacy looked heavy and sluggish.  A strict diet and hard work during the offseason led to a slimmer, more agile Lacy once training camp rolled around.  All signs are pointing to Green Bay having a solid running game with Lacy leading the way in front of backup running back, James Starks.  Nonetheless, it won’t take much for Lacy to top his 758 yard mark from last season.

The Detroit Lions have a stable of able bodied running backs including second year starter, Ameer Abdullah.  Abdullah carried the ball 143 times last season, averaging 4.2 yards per carry.  He also chipped in with over 1,000 return yards on the year.  Along with Abdullah, Theo Riddick will also share the load and should see an uptick in third down opportunities as well.

The Chicago Bears are left to fill the void of perennial Pro-Bowl running back, Matt Forte.  Jeremy Langford filled in nicely for an injured Forte last season; and while his projections for this season seem a bit high, it is justified in the sense that he should be getting almost all the carries on early downs and he should have a decent role on third downs too.  Behind Langford is where it gets tricky, the Bears have no proven, quality depth behind him.  Journeyman Jacquizz Rodgers and Ka’Deem Carey would both be in line for expanded roles if Langford went down with an injury.

Wide Receiver

The Best:  Green Bay Packers

The Rest:  Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings

As long as wide receiver Jordy Nelson comes back at full strength (or close to it), the Packers receiving core is as deep as ever.  With Randall Cobb returning to his prominent slot role that he filled so well before last season, things are definitely looking up for the Green Bay wide outs.  Albeit having a perennial pro bowl quarterback at the helm doesn’t hurt.  Look for Rodgers to let it fly on a regular basis this season.

Alshon Jeffery will lead the Chicago Bears receiving core into 2016.  Along with Kevin White, the duo could be a dominant force on the outside for Jay Cutler and the offense.  The only problem lies on the health of both receivers, who have both missed significant time in their young careers.  Additionally, Cutler’s up and down style of play may prevent the receivers from really hitting their true potential any time soon.

The Detroit Lions addition of Marvin Jones was a necessary one.  For the first time in nine straight seasons, the Lions are preparing for a season without Calvin Johnson.  After deciding to hang it up, Jones comes into town looking to replace Johnson on the roster and in his role on offense.  Surely Jones won’t compare to the likes of Megatron, but his tremendous skillset isn’t too far off.  Now in a pass-happy offense compared to the one he was in with Cincinnati, Jones has a real opportunity to prove his value in the NFL.  Along with Jones is Golden Tate, a receiver who always seems to be open.  Look for Tate to secure over 100 passes this year and lead the team in receiving yards.

The Minnesota Vikings receivers were already considered to be one of the weaker units in the entire NFC, plus the injury to Bridgewater also complicates chemistry development among all the receivers who have to rebuild new timing and rhythm with a different quarterback this late in training camp.  Players like Steffon Diggs, Charles Johnson, and Cordarrelle Patterson were all expected to take that next step in their development.  Meanwhile, adding a talented rookie to the mix like LaQuon Treadwell only helps brighten the future of the team.  While the depth chart isn’t likely to be shaken up dramatically, it remains to be seen how the Vikings plan on using all of their receivers.  It’s basically a disaster scenario for one of the most important position groups on the team.

Tight End

The Best:  Green Bay Packers

The Rest:  Chicago Bears, Minnesota Vikings, Detroit Lions

Many would argue that the Packers don’t have the best tight end in the division, but the pairing of Richard Rodgers with Jared Cook makes a ton of sense.  Having two players of that caliber at tight end instantly makes them the best tight end group of the NFC North.  Rodgers has shown the ability to make tough catches, and Jared Cook has never had the luxury of playing with a solid playmaking quarterback; but with his size and speed he should see a lot of targets from Aaron Rodgers in 2016.

Moving along to the Chicago Bears, it’s apparent that tight end Zach Miller is a legit candidate to break out this season.  With Martellus Bennett gone to New England, Miller is the lone man atop the depth chart and he should see significant volume from Jay Cutler throughout the year.  Miller has been underrated to this point in his career, but that could all change this season.

For the Minnesota Vikings, tight end Kyle Rudolph has seen his fair share of big moments.  But the six year veteran out of Notre Dame has also shown signs of inconsistency each season he’s played in the NFL.  Perhaps a replacement level quarterback like Shaun Hill could target Rudolph more often as more of a traditional safety blanket.  Until more clarity on the situation arises the entire Minnesota offense is in flux.

The Detroit Lions tight end situation is becoming clearer as the season rapidly approaches.  Eric Ebron is recovering from an ankle injury that could cause him to miss the opening game.  If he is forced to miss any time it will likely be a combination of Cole Wick and Andrew Quarless taking over at tight end.  Many speculated that it would be Matthew Mulligan taking over in the absence of Ebron however the Lions released Mulligan on Monday and clearly intend on going a different route.

Offensive Line

The Best:  Green Bay Packers

The Rest:  Minnesota Vikings, Detroit Lions, Chicago Bears

The offensive line for the Green Bay Packers has undergone a lot of scrutiny over the past few seasons.  But in 2015, the group showed that they can be the best unit in the division.  T.J. Lang at left guard and Josh Sitton at right guard make up one of the best guard pairings in the NFL.  Plus, long time veterans like Bryan Bulaga and David Bakhtiari bring that extra element of experience to the table for the Packers week to week.

The Minnesota Vikings have done a decent job patching up their offensive line this past year as they were in complete desperation mode heading into the 2015 season.  Although, the line held together for the most part, the team decided to upgrade at guard during free agency.  The Vikings signed left guard Alex Boone to be the leader of the offensive line.  All the team needs now is for Matt Kalil to solidify his spot at left tackle to provide the protection needed for whoever lines up under center for the Vikings.

The Detroit Lions have had a hard time keeping Matthew Stafford up right for most of his career.  The offensive line issues continue onward into 2016 as well.  With a solid but unspectacular core of young linemen, the Lions will need to scheme their protection plans properly in order to give Stafford a chance to succeed in Detroit’s new up tempo style.  Along those lines, it only makes sense for the team to transition to a quick, pass-first offense to help mask their weaknesses.

The Chicago Bears lack depth at almost every position on the roster.  The offensive line notwithstanding, right guard Kyle Long and right tackle Bobbie Massie are the only ones who have truly earned their starting spots.  Other than that, the offensive line could be shuffled around all season until a stable collective unit emerges, if at all.  2016 could be a very long season for Jay Cutler behind that atrocious arrangement of offensive linemen.

Check out the NFC North defensive breakdown.

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2016 NFC North Breakdown by Position: Defense and Special Teams

Posted on by Dalton Tompkins

During the month of August, the Last Word On Sports NFL department will be breaking down every division in the league by position. This article contains a position-by-position breakdown of the NFC North defenses and special teams. The breakdown will contain “the best” at each unit followed by “the rest” in descending order.

2016 NFC North Breakdown by Position: Defense and Special Teams

Defensive Line

The Best:  Minnesota Vikings

The Rest:  Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears

With a defensive front line oozing of talented players such as Linval Joseph, Sharrif Floyd, and Everson Griffen it’s now or never for the Vikings.  Griffen looks to follow up his 10.5 sacks last season with even more this year.  Minnesota had a total of 22 takeaways in 2015.  Turnovers are somewhat fluky when it comes to statistical analysis.  However, most people can agree that it all starts with the initial pressure up front.  Simply put, the Vikings have a legit shot to produce solid pressure and force plenty of turnovers again in 2016 with a defensive line this dominant.

The Detroit Lions learned how to live life on the defense frontlines without Ndamukong Suh last season.  From the right defensive end spot, Ezekiel Ansah offered superior production all year long.  Ansah finished the season with 14.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries.  Now entering his age 27 season, Ansah is entering the prime of his career and still has room to improve.  Adding Haloti N’gata during the offseason will only help the cause in Detroit.

In Green Bay the ironclad unity of the environment in Lambeau Field thrives when high effort players succeed.  In a defense designed for the line to eat up blocks to free up linebackers in space, it’s difficult to accumulate high tackle totals from year to year.  Especially from the defensive tackle position.  Nonetheless, Mike Daniels has back to back seasons of at least 41 tackles and four sacks.  Solid production from the former Iowa Hawkeye.  Along with Kenny Clark and Letroy Guion this defensive line unit appears to be steady if not impressive.

The Chicago Bears have a severe lack of talent and depth along the defensive line.  Akiem Hicks has nine and a half sacks in his career (five seasons), including none in 2015.  Hicks along with Eddie Goldman (four and a half sacks as a rookie last season), and rookie Jonathan Bullard are all presumed starters on the frontlines.  Not good.  Not good at all.  Very few teams have it worse than the Chicago Bears do along the defensive line.

Linebacker

The Best:  Chicago Bears

The Rest:  Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Detroit Lions

The combination of Pernell McPhee, Jerrell Freeman, Danny Trevathan, and Willie Young at the linebacker positions is scary.  At some point offenses will adjust accordingly, but for right now this might be the most complete position group on the entire Chicago roster.

In Green Bay, another year goes by with Clay Matthews lurking somewhere between the line of scrimmage and the middle of the field.  Considering Sam Barrington at middle linebacker and Julius Peppers as the right outside linebacker, the amount of blitz variables at the defensive coordinators disposal are just absurd.

An up and coming young group of linebackers will wear purple and gold for the Minnesota Vikings this fall.  Eric Kendricks and Anthony Barr both project to be near the top at their respective positions throughout their careers.  Plus, Chad Greenway has been a staple on defense for the Vikings for over a decade now.  There lies a lot of potential in this group.

Detroit claims the lowest grade in the linebacker department heading into this season.  Kyle Van Noy, Khaseem Greene, and Jon Bostic highlight this rather unimpressive unit.  Rookie Antwione Williams is one of the only bright spots here, as he is advanced beyond his years in stopping the run.  He will just need some coaching up on the coverages and assignments on third down.

Cornerback

The Best:  Minnesota Vikings

The Rest:  Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, Chicago Bears

During the second round of the 2016 NFL draft the Vikings took Mackensie Alexander.  At that spot, he was an absolute steal.  Walking away from that selection, all Alexander has to do is be serviceable during his rookie campaign.  He won’t be asked to step in and be an every down player right away.  Within a dynamic Minnesota defense, and under the tutelage of veterans Terence Newman and Xavier Rhodes, Alexander should be hitting his stride towards the end of the season.

Sam Shields skillset and coverage ability alone almost vaulted the Packers towards “The Best” title on this list, however the lack of depth behind Shields is somewhat concerning.  Although, Green Bay does have two solid second year players at the position in Damarious Randall and Quinten Rollins.  Randall was a starter last season and finished the year with 58 combined tackles and three interceptions.

Presumably, the Detroit Lions will start Darius Slay and Quandre Diggs at cornerback to start the season.  With Nevin Lawson handling slot responsibilities from the nickel position.  At first glance this doesn’t seem too bad, until you realize the Lions don’t have much help behind their corners over the top.  Slay makes this unit look better than it actually is.  Number two receivers on opposing teams could feast on Diggs and Lawson all year long.

The only reason the Lions didn’t finish last in this group is because they share their division with the Chicago Bears.  The Bears have not been able to put a decent defense on the field since before Brian Urlacher retired.  With a cornerback unit featuring Tracy Porter and Brandon Boykin alongside Kyle Fuller, at least they can only get better.

Safety

The Best:  Minnesota Vikings

The Rest:  Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, Chicago Bears

Harrison Smith would be near the top of the list amongst all defensive players in the NFC North.  There isn’t another safety in the division that’s even close to his caliber.  But alongside him is strong safety Andrew Sendejo, another competent playmaker at the back end of a stout defense.

The Green Bay Packers should get great production from the back end of the defense as well.  Morgan Burnett still has something to prove, Ha Ha Clinton-Dix will only get better, and Micah Hyde is a wild card who has flashed a lot of potential in nickel coverage as well as in the return game.  If he can learn to be a centerfield ball hawk then the sky’s the limit.

Glover Quin and Rafael Bush highlight the defensive backfield for the Detroit Lions.  Tavon Wilson should see reps at both spots, too.  Teams like to go deep on Detroit’s cornerbacks so look for their safeties to be alert over the top early and often.  A lot of the big plays Detroit gave up last year were mainly due to busted coverages, patching up those areas of weakness could go a long way in stabilizing the defense overall.

The Chicago Bears are the lowest of the low on this list.  If they could be placed lower than fourth in the division it would’ve been done.  Adrian Amos is fairly certain to be the starting free safety when week one rolls around.  Harold Jones-Quartey and Deon Bush are both vying for time at strong safety.  Needless to say, neither one will make that big of a difference on a terrible defense.

Special Teams

The Best:  Minnesota Vikings

The Rest:  Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, Chicago Bears

The Vikings will line up Cordarrelle Patterson at kick returner and punt returner throughout the entire season.  Every time he touches the ball he has a chance to score.  Couple that with one of the top kickers in the league, Blair Walsh; and that instantly makes the Vikings the best special teams unit in the division.  Punter Jeff Locke is no slouch either.

Some combination of Jeff Janis and Micah Hyde will handle most of the return duties for the Packers.  Mason Crosby will still be handling the field goals and extra point tries.  And Tim Masthay is always a solid choice to pin the opposition deep should the Green Bay offense falter.

The Detroit Lions primary punt return man will be Golden Tate this season and Ameer Abdullah will handle the kickoff return duties.  Tate has shown electric ability when he gets the ball in space, and Abdullah has breakaway speed should he find a crease.  All this combined with Matt Prater at kicker and punter Sam Martin makes the Detroit Lions an intriguing special teams unit to keep an eye on.

The Bears trouble areas seem to be growing.  There are so many areas of concern on the roster that the team probably chooses to intentionally overlook the special teams.  However, Marc Mariani will still bring some semblance of a return game to the windy city, and Robbie Gould is one of the best windy city kickers of all time.  Needless to say, punter Pat O’Donnell will most likely be a busy man this season.

Coaching

The Best:  Green Bay Packers (Mike McCarthy)

The Rest:  Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears, Jim Caldwell

McCarthy is in the middle of his run of genius game planning as a head coach.  His ability to regroup his players throughout the course of a game is uncanny.  His 65% win percentage represents his true value to the franchise.

Mike Zimmer will have his work cut out for him after losing starting quarterback Teddy Bridgewater to a devastating knee injury.  But, with a strong nucleus built up around the rest of the team, the Vikings only need to get by in the passing game and still be a solid playoff contender.

John Fox has the most difficult job in this division.  His roster is by far the weakest and most inept of talent.  However, Fox has done more with less in the past and he will most likely be coaching for his job towards the end of the season if the Bears are still somehow alive in the playoff hunt.  Otherwise he could be done before then if the team starts out poorly.

Jim Caldwell is without a doubt on the hot seat.  After much speculation that the team would let him go after last season, everyone was surprised to hear that Caldwell would return to coach the team again in 2016.  Knowing what is on the line, expect a lot of the unexpected as the coaching staff in Detroit pulls out all the stops to get the team back on track towards a playoff appearance.

Check out the NFC North offensive breakdown.

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Chicago Cubs’ Pitching Continues to Excel

Posted on by Connor Jennings

At the end of August, it’s hard to believe that the have won 84 games already. It is almost certain that they will surpass the 100 win mark in September, and Joe Maddon is playoff ready.

Chicago Cubs’ Pitching Continues to Excel

The main reason for the success is not only the stellar bats, but it’s also the incredible pitching.

The Chicago Cubs pitching has been outstanding this season. Not only have the starters been great, but the bullpen has, too. Sure, they’ve had their ups and downs, but overall, they have pitched tremendously.

Jake Arrieta– As the reigning Cy Young Award winner, Arrieta continues to impress his fans, his teammates, coaches, and his opponents. With a 16-5 record and a 2.84 ERA, there is no argument that he will be a candidate for the Cy Young Award for a second year in a row.

Jon Lester– As another potential Cy Young candidate, Lester also impresses everyone he pitches around with his 14-4 record, and a 2.70 ERA.

John Lackey– Lackey continues to be Lackey. With the occasional mishap on the mound, he always seems to find a way out of it, after all, he didn’t come to Chicago for a haircut.

Jason Hammel– Maddon has a tendency to take Hammel out earlier than Jason wants. Hammel has expressed his emotions on the field while walking out. Maddon said yesterday that, “everything is fine” between him and Hammel. Hammel has a 13-7 record with a 3.21 ERA.

Kyle Hendricks– Hendricks is the underdog this season. While everyone was focused on Arrieta, nobody paid attention to Hendricks who is the best pitcher the Cubs have at the moment. Hendricks has a record of 13-7, with an outstanding ERA of 2.09.

In order to maintain their success into September and October, the pitching must continue to be solid.

Last week, Maddon began to limit the pitch count to no more than 100 pitches in an outing, which is completely acceptable as he preserving them for the playoffs.

Another Cubs Note: Tommy La Stella, who has been the target for criticism for the past month  for not reporting to the Triple-A Iowa Cubs, has rejoined the team. He is expected to speak with the media shortly.

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Warriors Lament a Season Ending Loss

Posted on by Jovilisi Waqa

The National Rugby League (NRL) round robin competition is nearing it’s end. After 26 solid weeks, the Minor Premiership title is at stake. For some, the challenge of the ‘finals series’ awaits. For others, it is another case of de ja vu–the Warriors lament a season ending loss.

Post-match, the team made a for a sorry site last sunday afternoon. Losing 24-36, it was certainly not the sides finest moment. In their 22 year history they have only made the finals 36% of the time. This season was the fifth since the last qualified for the semifinals, so the expectations in February and March were well and truly dashed.

They have spent up large this season, bringing in stars like Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Isaac Luke. The duo were heralded to rescue the Auckland-based franchise from their long drought. Each would bring their wealth of success; Tuivasa-Sheck with the Roosters and Luke with the Premiership winning Souths Rabbitohs. However, injuries and lack of form by Luke hindered their integration.

Being the New Zealand team in the Trans-Tasman rugby league competition; dominated by Sydney-based franchises, has always been difficult. In a team consisting mainly of talented Kiwi representatives with a sprinkling of Australian-sourced talent, the mix has never been perfect. As has often been the case, they are captained by a State of Origin player, in Ryan Hoffman. Leadership has often been admired by others, but that fact alone has not brought success over the whole season.

At times, the side was brimming with confidence. Some magnificent victories have been bookend by lackluster efforts. For the most, they drifted from incredible to utter failure. For the faithfuls who were at Mount Smart Stadium on Sunday, it was a hard pill to swallow.

Triple-try blitz undoes good work

In a game they dominated for long periods, again they failed miserably during the last 10 minutes. The 36-24 loss to the West Tigers ended their slim hope for finals footy.

The Warriors gave up the lead twice in the match. They led 18-12 at the break and amazingly 24-18 with 10 minutes to go. Fans were cheering loudly, maybe that was the reason for a series of crucial errors in those ten minutes. They lost focus and it cost them the game–an all to familiar sight of the Warriors game in the last five seasons.

Winger David Fusitu’u dropped bomb clean that started the triple-try blitz that shut the crowd down like a thunderstorm. Veteran Manu Vatuvei failed to execute minutes later, in a somewhat familiar sad case of ‘what now’. The horror show only brought smiles to Tigers fans, who were the only ones crowing in Auckland.

The mood turned sour, with fans leaving under a dark cloud. No semi finals and nothing to show for 25 rounds of ups-and-downs. It was summed up best when Hoffmann later told media:

“You need that urgency and desperation to get the ball and defend your try-line and we didn’t do that in the last 10 minutes . We are first-grade footballers , you can’t have minutes when we are not on.”

The three soft tries they let slip in those frantic last minutes cost them the game, and ultimately their season. The boys from Auckland know that they only have themselves to blame. For Cappy and his men, it is ‘back to the drawing board’.

Warriors Lament a Season Ending Loss

The Auckland-based side haven’t reached the last eight in the last five seasons. It is also the fourth time since 2011 that they have lost three or more of their final four games in the season. It was the same old story, as the Warriors lament a season ending loss.

”We just threw it away to be honest with you,” Andrew McFadden, Warriors coach post-match on nrl.com. ”Tonight’s performance was on the back of the last couple, just too many errors and (we) gave away soft points.

”It’s really shattering to be honest with you because we got the chance Saturday night [after Penrith beat the Gold Coast 15-14 to keep the Warriors hopes alive] and we threw it away today.”

That just about sums up the season. High hopes but when push comes to shove, left wanting. And now the pressure is applied from all sides. Fans are dejected. The management will self-analyze the squads credentials. Media will examine the results, it will be up to the players on the field (yet again).

Team Bonding Vital For Next Season

Team bonding will be key to the Warriors next season. The camaraderie between players and the coaching staff needs to be at it’s highest in a professional sport. It appears something is missing: the will to dig deep ,defend stoutly for the man next to you and to fight for survival. It has been evident that something has been missing?

Some will say it is simply being One. They should rally together and learn to put games to bed. What they in fact do is self-destruct (see Sunday’s result) The obvious focus on their performance and some off-field exploits mid season, appear to have changed the culture. Self assessment may have dented the old Warriors flamboyance. Many believe they have become too hesitant.

Most of all, what they need is to be consistent and ruthless to avoid another heartache. Bringing in Graham Henry and Eroni Clarke in the middle of the season to motivate players worked for a while, but you feel it would been better if it was from the beginning.

Senior players Shaun Johnson, Vatuvei, Luke, Tuivasa-Sheck, Beauden Thompson and Hoffmann have to lead by example. They need to set the bar for gifted youngsters like Fusitu’u, Solomone Kata and Tui Lolohea to aspire to. A strong bond must exist–the team is made up of 13 parts working together. After such introspection, only then will they find themselves in post-season competition.

Minor Premiership Title Chase To Go To The Wire

The battle for the top placed finish this NRL season will be between the Melbourne Stormers and Cronulla Sharks. A mere point separates the two teams going into the penultimate round. In a scintillating end to the regular season, these two teams go head-to-head on Saturday where the winner will claim the Minor Premiership Title.

The Stomers go into the game on back off a shock loss to the Broncos 16-26 last Friday. The Sharks however had a comfortable win over the Roosters 37-12. It will come down to the more confident side managing to seal the seasons end with a performance to match. Bookmakers have the Melbourne at short odds. It will be a fantastic match on Saturday at AAMI Park, Melbourne.

In reality, the Stormers are odd-on favorites to take the minor premiership and the way Suliasi Vunivalu has been scoring tries, Last Word On Sports says “just get the ball out to him”. The Melbourne side is a sure fire ‘finals footy team’. Being involved so often now, they should rise to the occasion and win this. Stormers by six over the Sharks.

Top Seven Places Sealed

Seven teams have all booked their finals spots. The top two sides are joined by the Canberra Raiders, defending champions the North Queensland Cowboys, Brisbane Broncos, Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and Penrith Panthers.

The final eighth spot will be a battle between Jarryd Hayne’s Gold Coast Titans side and the Warriors conquerors, the Wests-Tigers. Whoever can take maximum points will come out as finalist, and with crucial momentum going into the playoffs.

For the Titans, they have a home derby against their fellow Queensland side. Performing well recently, meeting the reigning champs the Cowboys is going to test their will.  In a ‘battle of the round’ that will pit two of the leading stars of the game–Hayne and Johnathan Thurston. Both Dally M medalist’s (see picture) Thurston has the upperhand with his in-form fowards laying the platform for him. Hayne however, has the uncanny ability to find space with ease against any tight defensive team.

By Monday, the finalists will be known. How teams finish in this round will determine their seedings in the playoffs and ultimately ,who will they face. It’s all to play for with Broncos, Stormers, Cowboys and Raiders as your likely semi-finalists. Like many rugby games; despite which code you are playing, in the finals ‘anything can happen’.

Unfortunately, as has occurred in the last few years, the Warriors will not be there. That is a shame, but if you consider the whole season, it is hard to justify that they did earn a position inside the Top Eight. In 2017, things must change–they cannot lose another season in the same, problematic fashion.

“Main photo credit”

Wozniacki vs Kuznetsova Headlines Day 3

Posted on by Bradey Bononcini

Two of the sport’s biggest names will fight for a spot in the third round of the US Open. As fate would have it, New York heralded the arrival of both Caroline Wozniacki and Svetlana Kuznetsova.

Kuznetsova, now 31 years of age, lifted the trophy here in 2004. She defeated Lindsay Davenport and Elena Dementieva take home the first of two Majors. Wozniacki, now 26, reached the final here in 2009, becoming the last teenager to reach that stage of a major.

Both players have had contrasting years. Kuznetsova’s season has seen her ranking soar back in to the top 10 while Wozniacki’s injury-plagued season has left her barely in the top 100 in the road to Singapore. The two met at Wimbledon this year where the Russian defeated the unseeded Wozniacki in straight sets. This will be their third meeting on Arthur Ashe stadium, the previous two being memorable three setters.

Wozniacki vs. Kuznetsova flashback

It looked as though the current French Open champion was going to cruise through her teenaged opponent in the fourth round at the 2009 US Open. With the top half of the draw completely opening up, Kuznetsova seemed due for another big run at a Major. 19-year-old Caroline Wozniacki had something else to say.

With Kuznetsova winning the first set 6-2, the second would head to a tiebreaker. Kuznetsova could smell victory at 5-5, being two points away from the quarterfinals. Not known for her offensive prowess, however, Wozniacki seared a backhand winner down the line to bring her up a set point, which she converted.

The final set went to a tiebreaker as well with Kuznetsova being unable to break through the defense of Wozniacki. After the Russian hit her final error, Wozniacki reached her first Slam quarterfinal. Her run would end at the hands of Kim Clijsters in the final.

Kuznetsova was not too complimentary of the young Dane in her post-match presser. She claimed that it was her that was playing too much within herself and making all the errors.

Two years later they would meet at the same stage. Wozniacki was #1 at this time and erased a 6-7 1-4 deficit to win in three sets. This time around, Kuznetsova complimented her opponent much more, declaring that she never gives up nor does she give anything away.

Other interesting stats and matches

The head-to-head series is tied at 6-6, their last two matches being on grass.

Novak Djokovic will attempt to avenge his Monte Carlo loss to Jiri Vesely in proceedings. Kvitova is first on Ashe against Turkey’s Cagla Buyukakcay. Spaniards Rafael Nadal and Garbine Muguruza headline the AA night session.