State of New York, The Mecca of Basketball

       What does it mean to represent basketball in New York City? I'm talking New York, New York, Spike Lee, Patrick Ewing, Earl "The Pearl" Monroe, Clyde, The Oak man, Starks, Willis Reed. What do all these names have in common? Heart, desire, passion and intensity to say the least; something this current New York Knickerbocker team sorely lacks.
     
       After an embarrassing defeat to their cross-town rivals, the Brooklyn Nets, on Monday afternoon the New York Knicks dropped to 15-26 which is good enough for 10th in the Eastern Conference along with the Cleveland Cavilers. The spark of the recent 5 game winning streak has been completely put out and now the players are starting to really call into question the overall strategy of their head coach Mike Woodson.
We all know the definition of insanity, right? If not, here it is: Doing things over and over, expecting different results. Mike Woodson's defensive strategy of constant switching on picks so a defender doesn't initially get beat off the dribble could very well constitute insanity. How many times can you watch Andrea Bargani, who is to his credit a better post defender than most people thought he was, get switched on to a guard or small forward that he has zero chance of staying with and constantly get beat over and over, it's insane! The offense may not initially get to the basket but if they're able to constantly create favorable match ups they are going to shoot a high percentage from the field and they are going to beat you. Take it from Tyson Chandler who said, "They played to our defense as far their offensive scheme, knowing our rotations and knowing what we wanted to accomplish. Kind of putting us in vulnerable situations." (Ian Begley, NBA.com) after last night's 103-80 loss to Brooklyn. Tyson also let coach Woodson know his personal feelings about switching on defense, "I don't want to switch. I personally don't like it. You come with a defensive plan and then every guy kind of mans up and takes his responsibility, I think switching should always be your last resort." (Ian Begley NBA.com)  
       
       Defense should be all about responsibility and accountability played with heart, desire and passion which is what Carmelo Anthony saw wrong with yesterday's game, "That's the only thing that kind of bothers me: Today we didn't even fight. I felt like we didn't fight as a team, them guys from the jump ball just came in and it felt like they owned us." (Ian Begely NBA.com) Melo also explained that this is a situation he's not use to, not use to losing going all the way back to his National Championship at Syracuse in 2003. No team Anthony has been on for a full season since his NBA career started with Denver has lost more than 39 games and that was his very first season with the Nuggets. 
       
       So, how bad are things really in New York? Well today there are rumors being leaked that Beno Udrih, the third string point guard, has asked for a trade, not to New York but out of the Big Apple. Udrih came to New York after Kidd departed to be the third head of the point guard trio, making the veterans minimum and not expecting to play much. He then saw himself forced into action after injuries to Raymond Felton and Pablo Prigioni earlier this season and actually played pretty well. Udrih isn't flashy, super quick or anything close to a star point guard but he's solid for a back up and yet this man seemed to get blamed for everything that was going wrong with the Knicks! Simply unfair in my eyes. 
       
       Alright, let's finish this where we ultimately started, with Mike Woodson. This man was brought in under Mike D'Antoni, a guy who did not mesh well with Carmelo Anthony and was stubborn to change his offensive ways. He was fired. Mike Woodson takes over the team and in the inception he changed the culture, let the offense flow while inspiring his team to play some defense. Last season was the cultivation of a perfect storm for Woodson and the Knicks as they brought in veteran leaders to take that role off of Melo's shoulders to let him play his game. The offense and defense were in perfect harmony, flowing like the waters of the Hudson, just down town. This season with a mismatched roster and most of those veteran leaders gone, the Knicks have seen their share of bone headed plays late in games, JR Smiths antics and players constantly blaming themselves for their lack of energy. What I see is a roster that was poorly pieced together, scrambling to patch holes and bringing in the wrong players. A superstar who has elevated his game to a new level for this team, who brings it every single night seemingly producing a double double on a nightly basis and fans are still trying to run him out of town. Finally, a coach, much like Mike D'Antoni before him, stubborn in his ways to change his defensive philosophy which constantly puts his team in a bind on that end of the floor. If he doesn't change his ways and soon, change will be coming and going without him, just as fast as last seasons 54-28 record came and went with him....

Conference Championship Recap

So the NFL Conference Championships are now over and the Super Bowl is finally set, which means for the next two weeks every football analyst will be dissecting every facet of the Broncos and Seahawks until we've all talked ourselves in circles at least 15 times. For now, I will spare you all that torture by taking a look back at last weekends' Conference Championship games and see exactly how each of these two teams found themselves in the Super Bowl.

Since everyone has been gushing over Richard Sherman's post game interview after the NFC Championship game, that is as good a place as any to start. At first I was mostly shocked by what I was watching, not about his yelling or his emotion, but by how he took a quality team effort, and made it all about Sherman vs. Crabtree. I thought this was selfish and egotistical. I understand the emotion of making a huge play to send your team to the Super Bowl and I do not blame him for being upset at Crabtree after hearing about the history between the two, but come on, to go on national television and only talk about yourself and what you did without any mention of your teammates is just a selfish move. Now for the actual game.

The 49ers came out and played about as good a first half as they could have hoped for, except for settling for a field goal after the Russell Wilson fumble on the first play of the game. The defense played outstanding, as expected, and while Seattle's defense held the San Francisco passing game in check, Kaepernick did a terrific job of taking what was there and getting out of the pocket when he needed to. With a halftime score of 10-3 though, nobody in that stadium thought the game was over, nor should they have. The thing that most impressed me by the Seahawks in that game was their demeanor, especially in the second half after they really had nothing go right for them in the first half. Marshawn Lynch rushed for a total of 33 yards in the first half, Russell Wilson turned the ball over, something he very rarely does, and if not for the defense shutting out the 49ers passing game, they could have been down much more than just a touchdown. But Seattle never panicked. They stuck to their ground game, and it eventually paid off with a monster 40 yard run by Beast Mode which was really the turning point in the game.

San Francisco was able to respond with a beautiful throw and catch from Kaepernick to Boldin, but other than that the Seattle defense was absolutely dominant, forcing three second half turnovers, including an interception by Malcolm Smith in the endzone that essentially clinched the game for the Seahawks. A lot of people are blaming Kaepernick for the loss, and I cannot totally blame them considering he was responsible for two interceptions and a lost fumble. However, when you consider that a second-year player basically had to put the team on his back to go out and win a conference championship game, on the road, against a division rival, I give him a little more credit for just keeping his team in the game. The 49ers pass game was very inconsistent and any completions they did make were few and far between, which did not allow Kaepernick to get into a rhythm throwing the football. San Francisco also had absolutely no running game to speak of outside of the quarterback scrambling, which accounted for 130 of their 161 total rushing yards. The Seahawks defense was absolutely dominant, specifically in the second half and for any second-year quarterback to go into that environment and win is incredibly difficult, let alone when a trip to the Super Bowl is on the line. Kaepernick certainly did not play his best when his team needed him the most, but I will cut him a little slack considering he had to do it all himself.

In the earlier match-up of the day, the highly anticipated game between the Broncos and Patriots, Brady vs. Manning, was well, a little one-sided. After all the talk throughout the past week about the two quarterbacks going head-to-head in this game, it was slightly disappointing to see one simply dominate over the other (except for me being a Broncos fan, I couldn't get enough). Peyton Manning was absolutely amazing in the game, completing 32 of 43 passes for 400 yards and two scores. But beyond the numbers, the game plan and execution by the Denver offense was something to marvel at. The Broncos had two drives which lasted over seven minutes and spanned 80 and 93 yards respectively, both ending in touchdowns. This helped them control the ball for over 35 minutes of game time, compared to just over 24 minutes of possession for New England, keeping Tom Brady off the field, while also producing points for Denver.

On the flip side, LaGarrett Blount came into the game after rushing for at least 100 yards and one score in each of the Patriots' last three games going back to the regular season, including a 166-yard 4-touchdown day the week before against the Colts. It was a different story on Sunday though as Blount carried the ball just five times for six yards. It was not just Blount who was ineffective though, Stevan Ridley had only 17 yards on five carries, which led the team until the last Patriots possession when Shane Vareen picked up 25 yards on three ruhses, pushing his daily total to a measly 34 yards. In total, New England racked up just 64 yards on the ground, due in large part to the stoutness of the Broncos defense. If there's one thing that people who watch football know, it is that the best way to beat a team is to make them one-dimensional, and that is exactly what the Broncos did by taking away the Patriots' run game. I normally would not want the Patriots to be forced the throw the football more than necessary, but given the ball control the Denver offense had exhibited throughout the game, any incompletion by the Patriots offense was enormously detrimental to their ability to score points. The coaching staff recognized this late in the third quarter as they were down 17 points and elected to go for it on fourth and three despite being in field goal range. The play resulted in a sack by Terrence Knighton and after another long drive by the Broncos offense that resulted in points, effectively put the game out of reach. It was a full team effort by the Broncos to win this football game, highlighted by outstanding play from a defense that, despite going though plenty of ups and downs this season, seems to be hitting its stride at the perfect time, having allowed 17 points or less in each of their last four games.

So now the Super Bowl match-up is set, and while I will not bore you with in-depth analysis of the two teams right now, I do want to quickly preview the game, featuring the number one rated offense and the number one rated defense in the NFL this season. Clearly the biggest focus point of the Super Bowl will be just that, Peyton Manning's offense against Richard Sherman and the Legion of Boom. I am excited to watch this match-up for a couple reasons. First, Manning is so good pre-snap, reading a defense and making adjustments at the line, I am looking forward to seeing what Seattle does to counter-act this. Second, neither of these teams has faced an opposing offense/defense quite like what the other poses. The toughest offense Seattle has faces is New Orleans, and while Bees and Co. are formidable, they are not anything like what this Denver offense is capable of. Similarly, Denver has faced Kansas City twice this season, and won each time, but the play makers Seattle has, specifically in the secondary, are second to none in the NFL, this will truly be the unstoppable force against the immovable object.

The next aspect I will be focusing a lot on is Marshawn Lynch against the Broncos run defense. As I said earlier, the Denver defense has been playing its best football lately despite all the injuries, but their run defense has been ranked in or near the top ten all season long. Terrence Knighton and rookie defensive tackle Sylvester Williams will have a tough task trying to get into the Seattle backfield to get to Lynch before he gets going, but the linebackers and safeties will need to react quickly because there is no tougher back in the NFL to bring down than Beast Mode himself, and limiting his yards after contact will go a long way in controlling that Seattle defense and limiting play-action possibilities.

Make sure you like the Facebook page to stay updated on all the blog posts we have coming out for you, with all our new members we should be getting four or five posts out a week so you don;t want to miss them.

-Lee

Championship Weekend Preview

After another great weekend of NFL Playoff action we are left with just four teams remaining with a chance to go to the Super Bowl. First, I would like to recap the Divisional Round games and let you know what I learned after last weekend. One of the biggest surprises of the weekend came in New England, not that the Patriots won the game, but by how they won, racking up 235 yds and six touchdowns on the ground. To me this proves just how great of a coach Bill Belichick is, the way he schemes and prepares for each opponent and not to mention his attention to detail when assembling his roster. When you couple his genius with Brady’s ability to make timely throws in that game against the Colts, this team certainly deserves to be where they are.

Moving on to Denver, not a whole lot surprised me in the game against the Chargers except for the Broncos’ seemingly lackadaisical offensive approach, particularly in the second half. After the tipped-pass interception in the endzone at the end of the first half, Denver came out in the second looking content to simply hold on to their 17-point lead, rather than add to it. Sure they scored one more touchdown, but this was the same formula that came back to bite them in last years Divisional Round loss to Baltimore, and if not for a couple Manning-to-Thomas third down conversions late in last weekend’s game, they have been looking at another early exit from the postseason. I do not, however, expect a similar approach to this weekend’s game against New England considering what is at stake.

On the NFC side of things, the 49ers took care of their business down in Carolina on the heels of another solid performance by Colin Kaepernick and an outstanding game by Anquan Boldin, who just seems to come up big when his team needs it. What I learned most from watching this game though, was Cam Newton’s resilience, or lack there of. Newton played a great first half aside from a tipped pass that was picked off by Patrick Willis. Newton seemed confident, strong, and was making all of the throws right on the money, including a beautiful pass to Steve Smith for the Panthers’ first score. However, after Kaepernick scored on a touchdown run and pulled out Newton’s Superman celebration, Cam seemed to crumble. His throws were errant, he seemed all to happy to scamper off the field after each failed third down conversion, and overall the pressure of the 49ers defense seemed to just get in his head. At one point in the second half the TV cameras caught Newton mouthing the words “Come on” after his defense failed to get a stop on a third down, not exactly what I want to see from someone who is supposed to be a team leader. There are no questions about Cam’s abilities on the football field, but he is going to have to overcome his ego and build thicker skin if he ever wants to be considered great.

In the Northwest, the Seahawks did what they do well to earn themselves a trip to the NFC Championship game, run the football, don’t turn it over, and play great defense. A lot of people are saying Seattle was “exposed” in that game against the Saints, and my question to them is, how? Russell Wilson managed the game as usual, Lynch went beastmode yet again, to the tune of 140 rushing yds and two touchdowns, and their defense held Drew Brees and Co. to just 15 points, while also allowing Jimmy Graham to catch just one pass for eight yards. This is typical Seahawks football and even though the Saints had a chance down eight in the fourth quarter, you never had the feeling that Seattle would lose that football game. The only thing I really learned from watching that game is that Seattle is poised to make a Super Bowl run, and they will not back down from anyone who tries to get in their way.

                                                 New England vs. Denver, Sunday at 3:00

This is the matchup that every football fan has been waiting to see, Manning vs. Brady with a bid to the Super Bowl on the line. In the next few days you will hear a lot about Manning’s record versus Brady, especially in the postseason, but really, none of that matters now. Manning is on a new team and if you have not noticed, Brady is working with a much different cast of characters than in years past. This game is Broncos vs. Patriots, and whichever TEAM plays better on Sunday, will earn a trip to East Rutherford, NJ on February 2. The Broncos defense took another huge hit in that win over San Diego last Sunday, losing cornerback Chris Harris Jr. with a torn ACL. This season-ending injury is one of five the Broncos defense has had to endure this year, including safety Raheem Moore who has not played since November 17 and would have been eligible to return to action this weekend but has not received clearance from the Broncos medical staff. Denver now will most likely turn to veteran Quentin Jammer to fill the spot left by Harris Jr., and also added depth at the position by signing former Patriot Marquise Cole, who was waived by New England December 26. The weakened Denver secondary makes one assume that Brady will be airing it out on Sunday, but given their recent success in the run game, a more balanced attack would make sense. For both of these teams, the offensive line play will be huge in this game. Whichever defense is able to produce pressure on the opposing quarterback will have the advantage. In this respect, I give the edge to Denver, despite being without Von Miller and defensive end Derek Wolfe. Denver got to Phillip Rivers four times in the Divisional Round, including one sack by newcomer Jeremy Mincey. On the Patriots side, they got to Andrew Luck three times last weekend, but their two best pass rushers were almost non-factors in the game and given the Broncos have the best offensive line in football in terms of protecting the quarterback, Chandler Jones and Rob Ninkovich will need to step their game up this Sunday. While the running game was huge against Indianapolis, this game will ultimately come down to the play of the two quarterbacks. The Broncos defense applied pressure all game last Sunday, but with a weakened secondary, they might have to turn up that pressure, which could mean more blitzing, leaving a lot of one-on-one coverage on the back end. Both these quarterbacks will get theirs at some point in this game, and I have a feeling this one will be a game for the ages. That said, I feel the homefield advantage and the arsenal of weapons Denver has at its disposal will be just enough to best the Pats this weekend (I also don’t see 7 drops by Broncos receivers again).

Final score prediction: Denver: 31   New England: 30

                                                     San Francisco vs. Seattle, Sunday at 6:30

If we were talking about any team other than the 49ers going into Seattle this weekend, I would say they have little chance of winning this football game, especially after being outscored 72-16 in their last two trips to Century Link Field. However, San Francisco has been on a role the last month and a half and this is their third consecutive trip to the NFC Championship game, so I do not see them being intimidated what so ever by this staunch Seattle defense or by their raucous 12th Man. Another benefit the 49ers have is two physical, talented, and most importantly, healthy, wide receivers, something they did not have in their last two trips to the Northwest. Even last week against New Orleans, Seattle only had to concentrate on Marques Colston and Jimmy Graham as the two main targets for Drew Brees, and Colston was able to get open plenty, especially in the second half of that game. Having three major targets could be a problem for the Seahawks, but if anyone is up to the challenge it’s the Legion of Boom. I also do not think Lynch will be able to rack up 140 rushing yds this time around, which will put a little more pressure on the play of Russell Wilson. Wilson has been outstanding in his career so far in the NFL with his decision making and precision passing and I have no questions about his mental toughness, but this will be the first time for him on a stage this big and it should be interesting to see how he responds. One thing the 49ers can not let happen is have a slow start. Playing at home and with that defense, Seattle is too good to relinquish a double-digit lead if they can force an early turnover. It will be critical for Kaepernick to continue his good decision making and escape the pocket when necessary, however if the Seattle defense gets early pressure on him and he gets uncomfortable in the pocket I would not be surprised to see him run to soon and give up bigger plays down field. It will also be key for Frank Gore to continue his productive play, especially getting the San Francisco offense into third and short opportunities. One thing we know for sure we will see in this game is a lot of physical play, plenty of chippy-ness and a lot of jawing between players. I may be going against the popular opinion on this one, but I just have a hunch that San Francisco will not be denied another Super Bowl appearance, I like the 49ers on a late field goal.

Final score prediction: San Francisco: 20   Seattle: 17

Thanks for reading and remember to keep checking back each week for a new post. Once the NFL Playoffs are over I will be getting into some NBA and college basketball action, as well as keeping an eye on any baseball moves that are made heading into spring training.

Batting 1,000 and Looking to Close Strong...My Sunday Predictions.

Damn, 2 for 2 yesterday. Pretty close on all of the scores (besides Indy sucking that bad) and right on the key players. Now that I've said that my predictions today will probably be completely wrong. Lets find out...

                                                            #5 San Francisco 49ers

                                                                            v.

                                                             #2 Carolina Panthers

This game is going to be a street fight! Both of these teams are well-rounded, young, physical teams. This is going to be playoff football at its best! Just sit back and enjoy the game.

KEY PLAYER

In the playoffs, when two teams are as evenly matched as these teams are, it always comes down to Quarterback play. Both of these Quarterbacks are young players trying to advance to the next level of Quarterback play in the NFL. Cam Newton is having his best year of his career and he easily could have been the Key Player, but it has to be Colin Kaepernick. Kaepernick has already reached a Super Bowl and had a lot of expectations on him this year. Unfortunately, he responded to those expectations with an up-and-down season. Luckily for the 49ers, his play has greatly improved as the season has gone on. He is making better decisions and is showing his composure in tough situations. I see this game coming down to Kaepernick and the plays he either makes or doesn't make.

PREDICTION

I have faith in Kaep and 49ers. It's going to be a great game!

Final Score: San Francisco 24 Carolina 21

                                                          

                                                              #6 San Diego Chargers

                                                                           

                                                                               v.

                                                             #1 Denver Broncos

If history has taught us anything, it has taught us how dangerous San Diego can be. Every year a Wild Card team catches fire and wreaks havoc upon the other playoff teams. San Diego's defense has awoken and even held this very Denver team to 20 points in Denver. Granted, Wes Welker didn't play that game, but although Denver has improved on offense, their defense has been reduced to nothing. With the loss of Von Miller, Denver's defense is a non-threat. 

This is going to be another great game, 2 great Quarterbacks, 2 great coaches, and 2 teams looking to stay alive.

KEY PLAYER

I know most people are going to say it needs to be Ryan Matthews, Danny Woodhead and the rest of the Chargers Runningbacks, but they'd be wrong. Yes, those guys are going to be impactful in controlling to the clock and limiting Denver's offensive chances, but Peyton's play is going to determine who wins this game.

If Peyton plays an average game and only leads a few scoring drives then Denver will lose. But if Peyton plays like Peyton and leads scoring drives on most of his drives, then it doesn't matter if San Diego controls the clock. Limiting Peytons scoring chances is important, but if he still scores on most of them, then it does nothing. 

PREDICTION

I'm going with the underdog here. Peyton's arm strength looks like it is dwindling and Denver looks vulnerable with this terrible defense. Mike McCoy will find a way to pull this game out.

Final Score: San Diego 27 Denver 24

I hope everyone enjoys the last 2 games of the divisional round. Check in around Wednesday/Thursday for the next post. Have a great week!

The Weekend Forecast...My "Fearless" (Sorry Josh) Predictions for the Divisional Round

4 teams gone, 8 teams left. We are slowly getting closer to Super Bowl XLVIII. With that said I decided to write a very short post about my predictions for the upcoming games. So without further-ado  here they are...

                                                            #6 New Orleans Saints
                                                                            v.

                                                             #1 Seattle Seahawks

This game has some special meaning to Seahawks fans. 3 years ago, Seattle made the playoffs as the first 7-9 team division champion. Experts everywhere were saying how bad this team was and how the NFL needed to change their playoff system so teams like the Seahawks don't get in. How did the Seahawks respond? They went straight Beast-Mode and beat the New Orleans Saints.

This year it's a little different. Seattle is now the #1 team in the NFC and almost unbeatable at home. But over the last few weeks Seattle has been showing some weaknesses and even lost a game to Arizona in CenturyLink Field.

The Saints on the other hand are coming off a huge win against Philly! New Orleans has been known as a Super Bowl contender when playing in the Superdome, and an average team outside of it. But last week New Orleans became a different team. They pounded the rock and controlled the clock to beat a very good, very hot Philadelphia team.

KEY PLAYER

Mark Ingram is going to be the key of this game. If he can play the way he did against Philly and allow New Orleans to control the tempo of the game, then they have a real chance to beat Seattle at home. Seattle's front 7 isn't the best against a bruising Runningback like Ingram, and nothing quiets a building like long drawn-out drives.

PREDICTION

Although I think New Orleans will keep it close, you can't bet against Seattle on their home field.

Final Score: Seattle 21 New Orleans 17

                                                            #4 Indianapolis Colts

                                                                            v.

                                                             #2 New England Patriots 

The games between these two teams used to be instant classics, but now that #18 is gone it has a different feel. Andrew Luck is now at the helm and will look to start his own story of classics against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.

Look for this game to be a high powered game with lots of offense. Both defenses are hurting. We'll see if the come back kid can beat the evil empire of the New England Patriots.

KEY PLAYER

TY Hilton has become a serious offensive threat in the wake of Reggie Wayne's injury. Hilton is a playmaker with a crazy amount of speed, and at anytime can turn momentum in favor of the Colts. If New England is going to win tonight, they need to figure out how to stop TY Hilton.

PREDICTION

History tells us to pick the team with the best Quarterback in the playoffs. That, without a doubt, is Tom Brady. It's going to be close, but look for Tom Terrific to shine in Foxboro. 

Final Score: New England 35 Indianapolis 31

Look for my post tomorrow which will feature Sundays games. Enjoy the weekend everyone!

The Price is Right!...What is the True Value of Jadeveon Clowney?

For the better part of two years now Jadeveon Clowney's name has been associated with the 2014 NFL Draft. Last year we heard insane suggestions like he should just sit out a year to preserve his draft stock, which obviously worked out for Tyrann Mathieu and Dez Bryant, although granted, they didn't decide to miss the year (for those who don't know they dropped, Tyrann for instance dropped to the third round). Nonetheless, people, or should I say, experts (cough:cough) were saying the most ridiculous things about this kid. Then came the hit....

This is the hit heard and seen around the world. It was a bone-shattering hit that made Michigan fans (like myself) cry and South Carolina fans jump so high and scream so loud that you would think they just got lucky for the first time. This play was shown on Sportscenter for what felt like forever! I get it, it's a great hit, but is it that great of a play? If you watch the video you can see that NO ONE blocked Jadeveon Clowney, allowing him to get a clean hit on the Runningback as the back was receiving the handoff. I don't care who you are, if you get that clean of a release off the ball, then you'd kill the Runningback the same way. The point is, this play didn't show me anything about Jadeveon's skill. What it did show me is that football, just like basketball, can apply the rule "ball don't lie" (South Carolina got the ball robbed from them the play before). So let's assess this kid's true talent.

Every scout is saying that he is a physical freak, and they're right. He's a 6'5/260 behemoth with great quickness and acceleration, and when given the chance, can lay the wood. After that point they run out of reasons why they love him so much. I don't mean to be a schmuck to Jadeveon, he is a hell of an athlete, but he wouldn't be the first person to look the part of an NFL player and not be any good at the next level (JaMarcus Russell anyone?). So I need something more than just some physical traits to believe that this kid is deserving of a #1 or top 10 pick.

The next complement this kid gets is pass rushing. So does he have close to double digit sacks or he at least have good pass rushing skills right? Eh, not really. He only racked up 3 sacks, and even though I'm not huge into statistics, you can't tell me someone is an elite pass rusher and he racks up under 5 sacks. From watching him on film I can see that his exterior pass rushing skills are bad, not average, bad. He doesn't understand the art of edge rushing at all. To my surprise though, he actually showed some talent when making inside moves on Tackles. When making moves to the inside his dominance really showed. He was able to shed the opposing players hands easily and use his speed and power to get between the Guard and Tackle to create pressure. Although this is good, if you're going to play Defensive End in the NFL you need to know how to edge rush.

Well is he good against the run? No, no, no. He can't shed blocks, plain and simple. He can get some penetration, and if not blocked, he will chase you down. But if you run at him, you'll probably beat him. The most frustrating thing about his run stopping ability is the look of confusion in his play. When he engages the Tackle he starts looking into the backfield, but not like a veteran would, like he's a kid at a M. Night Shyamalan movie, sitting their waiting to be surprised in the next scene. He is so confused, that when he does finally figure out what is going on, the play is already behind him.

Now you're probably thinking to yourself, well why would anyone want this kid? Is it his motor? No, his motor might be his worse part. When I talked over my evaluation with a colleague he raised the observation that his lack of awareness on the field is because he's not trying. This would make sense. Players that play with high motors, also have high motors off the playing field too. They practice and study just as intense. If this kid just felt like taking time off, leading to his confusion on the field then that might be worse than not knowing what's going on. I don't know about you, but I'd rather have a kid have no idea what he is doing and going 100% than a kid who just doesn't care and because of it, is lost.

The reason you do want this kid though is the exact reason I touched on earlier, he is behemoth and can become an all time great, but he won't get there with just any team. In order to become great he needs a three things.

1) A good, stable coach who can get the most out of him and teach him.

2) A place where he won't be asked to start. If he can just be a pass rushing specialist then he could work out, mainly because he won't have to think, just do.

3) He needs to go to a division without a mobile Quarterback. When rushing a mobile Quarterback you need to keep your lanes. If he does his inside move without a stunt being called, he'll surrender his entire flank leaving a HUGE lane for the Quarterback.

Okay, let's take a look at the top 3 fits.

1) Houston Texans-- He is not worthy of the #1 pick, but if Houston says screw it, then it would actually be a good fit. I have a lot of faith in Bill O'Brien. He'll get the most out of him and put him in spots to succeed. It also helps that he has Brooks Reed and Whitney Mercilus as starters, so there is no need to teach Jadeveon how to either be a 3-4 OLB or how to read offenses. The biggest reason of why this works is because they play in the weakest Quarterback driven division in the NFL. Won't be too hard to sack Blaine Gabbert and whoever is playing Quarterback in Tennessee.

2) Kansas City Chiefs-- If he drops to Kansas City then it might be worth grabbing him. Kansas City has two great pass rushers in Tamba Hali and Justin Houston and a good coach (outside of clock management) in Andy Reid. This would work out great for KC. They could play Jadeveon on passing downs as the groom him to eventually take Tamba's spot. Although there are good Quarterbacks in this division, they are all pocket passers. Peyton and Rivers aren't going to be running the option anytime soon.

3) San Diego Chargers-- Although I hate the ex-Denver Bronco Defensive Coordinator turned Head Coach Dennis Allen, I love ex-Denver Bronco Offensive Coordinator Mike McCoy! He is a coach who looks at the players he has and creates schemes to make them successful, instead of the other way around like a lot of other coaches. He'll coach Jadeveon to be an All-Pro player, and he has the luxury to do that because he has Jarrett Johnson, Dwight Freeney and Melvin Ingram on his team. He can groom Jadeveon to eventually start along side Melvin Ingram, creating the perfect duo of player with talent and no motor, with a player with average talent and an amazing motor.

I understand I'm pretty much alone regarding my stance on Jadeveon Clowney (I figured that out when a waiter at a Long Island Italian Restaurant yelled at me telling me I was an idiot over my view. Seriously, a waiter, at Ciao Baby, seriously?). But nonetheless I stand behind my assessment. My warning to every NFL team about this kid is simple, buyer beware.

The Sure Thing, The Risk and The New Girl...Which Player Your Team Should Pick and Which One They Should Stay Away From

Happy Sunday Night(or Monday Morning depending on when you read this)! The weekend is behind us and with it 4 more teams have started their offseason transition leaving only 8 others. But this post isn't about them, it's about the teams who have known they've been out for a while now. For teams picking early in the draft the biggest question for them is Quarterback. When you have the top 5/10 picks you're usually a team in desperate need of change and when a team needs change 2 things happen, 1) The Coach goes 2) They draft a New QB. So let's take a look at the teams who have the top 10 picks in the 2014 NFL Draft.

1) Houston Texans--It's such a surprise seeing this team holding the #1 pick. Last year they looked like a team a QB away from a Super Bowl run. Although they are still a QB away, they are also the worst team in the NFL (record wise). Former Penn State and New England Coach Bill O'Brien is now at the helm, and he's going to need to look for a new QB. Matt Schaub, TJ Yates and Case Keenum will probably be cut when the NFL Offseason begins, so Coach O'Brien is going to need to find a QB fast!

2) St. Louis Rams--This team is the exception to my earlier statement. St. Louis is on the rise, but thanks to Washington's biblical meltdown, they have the #2 pick. Although I'm not a Sam Bradford fan, I don't know if there is a QB in the draft that I'd rather have over him going into next season.

3) Jacksonville Jaguars--Coach Gus Bradley is going to go into year 2 of his tenure with Jacksonville with a starting QB not named Blaine Gabbert. Although there are Quarterbacks in the draft that I do like for Jacksonville, I would love to see them give former Arizona QB, Matt Scott, a try at the starting job.

4) Cleveland Browns--God this team is garbage! No coach, no starting QB, no direction! Right now it looks like New England Offensive Coordinator/ former Denver Head Coach, Josh McDaniels, will be taking the helm. If so I hope he doesn't waste a draft pick on a QB. All of these QBs are going to need time to develop and Cleveland is obviously looking for quick results. Hopefully Brian Hoyer can come back from injury and play the way he did before his injury. If not, Jason Campbell is your next best bet.

5) Oakland Raiders--Dennis Allen is a terrible coach and keeping him was a bad move. With that said, I don't think Oakland needs to take a QB here. Matt McGloin played good enough to earn a shot next year.

6) Atlanta Falcons--Like Houston I'm surprised they were THIS bad. The Falcons need help, but it's not at QB.

7) Tampa Bay Buccaneers--Greg Schiano out, Lovie Smith in. This team has talent, but the coaching was horrendous last year. Let Lovie build his defense here and give Mike Glennon another shot at the starting job. Worse comes to worse, we've seen Lovie win without a QB (Rex Grossman lol).





8) Minnesota Vikings--Matt Cassel is probably your best bet here. The Vikings lost a ton of close games last year and because of that they need to build up their defense. Cassel will be serviceable for now until they find someone better, but don't reach for someone here just to say you drafted a Quarterback (Christian Ponder).

9) Buffalo Bills--This team is going to be good. Injuries killed this team all year. No need for a QB here.

10) Detroit Lions--I don't like Matt Stafford, but I like him more than anyone in the draft.

Now let's meet the three most talked about Quarterbacks in this years 2014 NFL Draft...

THE SURE THING

Louisville's Teddy Bridgewater is unanimously being projected as the first player off the Board in this years draft. Of the 6 Mock Drafts I read (Todd McShay, 2 from CBS, 2 from Draftbreakdown.com, BleacherReport and WalterFootball.com) they all had him going first overall. If he goes first overall I have a strong feeling that he'll be a bust. If you're expecting him to come in and dominate like an Andrew Luck, Russell Wilson, Cam Newton, etc. then you'd be wrong. Don't get me wrong though, he has the potential to be a great player in the league, but if he is asked to do too much he might go down as one of the biggest draft busts of all time. 

His accuracy isn't up to NFL standards. Although his passes are rarely out of reach, he consistently floats his passes high, which is going to get his receivers killed. You're not going to make many friends with your receiving core if you constantly leave them out to dry with high passes. He also doesn't have a great feel for the pocket. There are times when he feels phantom pressure and there are times when he doesn't even realize he's about to be killed. Pocket Presence is a terribly underrated skill and not having it can turn a QB with good physical skills into a bust (Blaine Gabbert).

The Best Place He Could Land:

Vikings QB Matt Cassel

The best place for Teddy Bridgewater to end up is Minnesota. If the coaching staff can block out the demands of the fan-base and allow Teddy to learn for at least a year under Cassel, then he'll be golden.

THE RISK

Texas A&M's Johnny Manziel is the most well known QB in this draft. Johnny Football is being seen as a risk right now because the scouts aren't sure if his game will translate to the NFL. This is showing in the Mock Drafts. Of the 6, he went as high as #3 to Jacksonville and all the way out of the 1st round in another one.

I'll admit that I'm a little weary about Johnny. It seems like he likes to leave the pocket a little too much, which I don't mind, but he isn't as fast as guys like Michael Vick and RG III. So don't expect his speed to kill anyone in the NFL. If anything he should scramble like Andrew Luck and Aaron Rodgers, rarely but timely. 

Another thing that scares me is that it seems like he was babied in Texas A&M. He doesn't go through all of his progressions or the playbook is only asking him to use half of the field. In order to be an elite QB, you need to be able to sit in the pocket and dissect a defense using all of your progressions and the whole field. But even with all of his faults I think he is the best QB in the draft. He is extremely accurate, keeps his eyes downfield, and above all, he is a winner. 

The Best Place He Could Land:

New Houston Texan Head Coach Bill O'Brien

Although I don't think he is worthy of the #1 overall pick, his best spot would be in Houston. Bill O'Brien is a good coach and he'll create a simple offense in which Johnny can prosper. In Houston Johnny would be surrounded by two elite playmakers in Arian Foster and Andre Johnson and an up-and-coming receiver in DeAndre Hopkins. Johnny can be exactly what Houston needs to get back to where they were in 2012.

THE NEW GIRL

If you haven't been following NFL draft talk then you might not know who this guy is. The man shown above is UCF QB Blake Bortles. Over the last few weeks this man has caught fire on draft sites.  In the Mock Drafts, many people have him going as high as #3 to Jacksonville and others are even claiming that he is the best QB in this years draft.

Don't buy into it. Although he looks the part of future great NFL QB, it doesn't mean that he is. At 6'4/230 this kid is easy to fall in love with. He gives each play his all, even if that means trucking over a defender on a run. He's got great arm strength and great accuracy. But where he really lacks is in his mechanics. His release is below average, his footwork is garbage and he stares down receivers. This is going to lead to A LOT of turnovers early in his career. I really wanted him to go back to school for another year to work on his mechanics but as of today he is entering the draft. Although he has the physical abilities to be a great player, I think his mechanics are too poor for him to be an elite player at the next level.

The Best Place He Could Land:

Jacksonville Jaguars Head Coach Gus Bradley

Gus Bradley needs to take a page out of his former Head Coach Pete Carrol's playbook. Pete Carrol has built a team around speed and an offense built around limiting mistakes. Coach Bradley can use Blake Bortles natural skills as a playmaker right out of the gate. Bortles is pretty good at running the option and he runs hard. If Bradley can use Bortles option skills and limit his passes as he coaches him up than Blake can be a really good QB. I still don't think he'll ever be elite, but he can definitely reach the level below it.

So there you have it. The first post is now in the books. The next one will be out Wednesday/Thursday. Have a good week everyone!

It's Time! (Sorry Bruce Buffer)

NFL Draft Logo (all rights belong to the NFL)

IT'S TIME! Can you feel it? The NFL playoffs are about to begin, the BCS games are starting to wrap up, and for 20 NFL teams the offseason has begun. It's the best time of year!

My name is Matt Stopsky and I'll be helping you cut through the bullshit of this years NFL offseason. For those who don't know me, here is a bit about myself. I played football for 7 years on Long Island, followed by 4 short coaching stints during college. While attending SUNY Plattsburgh's radio program (WQKE) I became known for my in-depth (and sometimes ridiculous) amount of NFL knowledge, especially when it came to the NFL draft.

Now, like I did back in college on my show the "Sports Sermon", I shall enlighten you on this years incoming draft and free agent class. I'm hoping to have a new post up every 2-3 days or so. If you have any questions feel free to hit me up on twitter @M_Stopsky.

The first article, which I hope to have out by Monday will highlight the three most talked about QBs in this years draft....

Louisville's Teddy Bridgewater
UCF's Blake Bortles
Texas A&M's Johnny Manziel

So fans of teams like Houston, St. Louis, Jacksonville, Cleveland, Tampa Bay and Minnesota...you may want to watch out for this post before your team gets burned.