Who Claims the Final NFL Playoff Spots?

                                                                                                                                By: Adamo Marinelli

December 30, 2020

     Entering week 17, only seven of the 14 playoff spots have been locked up. The week 17 slate of games has a lot of playoff implications. Several teams are still fighting for a chance to lock up their division and others are simply trying to secure a postseason berth. 

     I will go over every single game and discuss the scenarios for each team to get into the playoffs and/or win their division. I will also predict who will win their division, which teams will clinch playoff spots and the seeding in both conferences. 

Vikings at Lions: No playoff implications, both teams have been eliminated from the playoffs. 

Falcons at Buccaneers: The Falcons have been eliminated. The Buccaneers have already clinched a playoff spot but cannot win the division: the Saints have the tiebreaker over the Bucs.

Jets at Patriots: No playoff implications, both teams have been eliminated from the playoffs. With the Jets’ second win this season over the Browns, the Jaguars have clinched the first overall pick.

Dolphins at Bills: The Bills have already won the AFC East, and the Dolphins control their own destiny for the playoffs: win and they’re in.

Steelers at Browns: The Steelers have already clinched the AFC North. Ben Roethlisberger has been given the week off. If the Browns win, they will clinch a playoff spot. 

Cowboys at Giants: No-one has won the NFC East yet. If the Cowboys win and the Washington Football Team loses to the Eagles, the Cowboys will win the division. The Giants have beat Washington both times, so if they win and the Football Team loses to the Eagles, the Giants win the division.

Ravens at Bengals: The Bengals have been eliminated from the playoffs. The Ravens simply need a win over the Bengals or a Browns loss to the Steelers to get a wildcard spot.

Jaguars at Colts: The Jaguars have clinched the first overall pick and have been eliminated from the playoffs for a while now. The AFC South is still up for grabs with the Colts and Titans both falling to 10-5 in week 16. The Titans have the tiebreaker over the Colts so the Colts need to win and the Titans to lose to win the division or they need to win and have either the Dolphins, Browns, or Ravens to lose to clinch a wild card spot.

Titans at Texans: The Texans have been eliminated for a few weeks now. The Titans just have to win in week 17 to clinch the AFC South and a playoff spot as they have the tiebreaker over the Colts.

Cardinals at Rams: The Rams simply have to win to clinch a playoff berth. However, that task is considerably harder with Jared Goff missing the game with a broken thumb. The Bears hold the seventh seed with their week seven win over the Cardinals. The Cardinals need to win and have the Bears lose to the Packers to get in. If the Bears win, Arizona is out.

Saints at Panthers: The Panthers are eliminated from the playoffs. The Saints have already won the NFC South. If the Saints win, and the Packers and Seahawks lose, the Saints can clinch the number one seed.

Packers at Bears: The Packers have won the NFC North and can clinch the number one seed if they beat Chicago or if Seattle loses to San Fransisco. The Bears can clinch a playoff berth with a win or a Cardinals loss. 

Chiefs at Chargers: No playoff implications here. The Chargers have been eliminated from the playoffs already. The Chiefs have won another AFC West title and locked up the AFC’s first seed with an ugly win over the Falcons. 

Seahawks at 49ers: The 49ers have already been eliminated from the playoffs. The Seahawks have won the NFC West with a week 16 win over the Rams and can clinch the number one seed in the NFC with a win and a loss from the Packers and Saints.

Raiders at Broncos: No playoff implications, both teams have been eliminated from the playoffs. 

Football Team at Eagles: The Eagles were eliminated with a blowout loss to the Cowboys. The Football team has the tiebreaker over the Cowboys so with a win and a Cowboys loss, they will win the lackluster NFC East and earn a playoff berth.

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My AFC Standings Predictions

1. Chiefs, 14-2

2. Bills, 12-4 (loss to Dolphins, tiebreaker over Steelers)

3. Steelers, 12-4 

4. Titans, 11-5 (both teams win in week 17, but Titans have the tiebreaker over Colts)

5. Colts, 11-5

6. Dolphins, 11-5 (win over Bills)

7. Browns, 11-5 (win over Steelers)

Notable eliminations: Ravens (Browns beat Steelers, so Ravens do not get in)

My NFC Standings Predictions

1. Packers, 12-4 (despite loss to Bears, Packers have the tiebreaker over Saints)

2. Saints, 12-4 

3. Seahawks, 12-4 (they win, and Packers lose, but Saints win, they don’t get #1 seed)

4. Washington, 7-9 (beat Eagles, Cowboys lose Giants)

5. Buccaneers, 11-5

6. Rams, 10-6 (they beat Arizona, got in)

7. Bears, 9-7 (a win against the Packers and an Arizona loss clinched a playoff spot)

Notable eliminations: Cardinals (they lost to Rams, Bears won final two games and have the tiebreaker over the Cardinals)

In a wild year, we can only expect a wild end to the season and a wild but entertaining postseason.

Here are my playoff predictions:

My Super Bowl Winner: Packers

Super Bowl Matchup: Packers vs Bills

AFC Finalsist: Chiefs

NFC Finalist: Buccaneers

How will the Toronto Raptors do this season?

By: Adamo Marinelli

Dec. 24, 2020

    The Toronto Raptors have built a team with a reputation for excellent defense, transition play, and outstanding bench depth with head coach Nick Nurse. 

     Nurse is a talented coach with experience in the G-League and in Europe in addition to his tenure as an assistant coach and head coach in the NBA. 

     The Raptors were always a team that flew under everybody’s radar. For the first half of this decade, they struggled to reach the playoffs. From 2014 until 2018, they were eliminated in early rounds. They struggled especially against Lebron James’ Cleveland Cavaliers. It wasn’t until 2018-19, when they won their first NBA championship. That is when they started getting the recognition they deserved for Masai Ujiri’s effort to build this team’s core and Nurse’s effort to coach this team into a group of resilient hard workers. 

       This year, the Raptors have a competitive team and have moderate expectations this season. They may not be a championship contender anymore, but they have a lot of talent and can still be a top 4/5 team in the Eastern Conference and can even make it to the second round of the playoffs. 

     In the last three seasons, they finished first, second, and second in the East. Last season, after the Raptors lost Kawhi Leonard, they were predicted by many to miss the playoffs or to barely make the playoffs. The Raptors finished 53-19, second in the East, and were bested by the Celtics in their title defense. If history tells us anything, the Raptors can exceed expectations and have proven doubters wrong time and time again. 

     Despite this talent, there are always some analysts who still doubting the Raptors, especially in American media. 

     Notable losses in free agency include Marc Gasol who signed with the Lakers and Serge Ibaka who signed with the Clippers. 

     Both losses were significant, but Gasol is 35 years old, nearing the end of his career. His play was declining rapidly in his last year with Toronto. 

     Ibaka was a prolific scorer in the paint and a great defensive presence around the rim, who blocks shots and gets rebounds. Last season, Ibaka really improved his shooting, especially from beyond the arc. 

     The Raptors who had no centers left on their roster, splurged by offering Aaron Baynes a 2 year, $14 million deal. Baynes has talent. He averaged 11.5 points and 5.6 rebounds last season for the Pheonix Suns. He can take on a heavy workload and can defend in the paint, rebound well, and is an effective shooter, even from downtown. The Raptors can let him go next summer if they need to free up cap space for their long-term plan.

     They even brought in forward De’Andre Bembry to a two-year, $3.7 million contract for depth off the bench. 

     Despite having their plans fall through to sign Giannis Antetokounmpo, they were able to resign several key pieces of their young core. 

     In addition to bringing back Pascal Siakam on a four year, $130 million deal, they also resigned Fred Van Vleet to a four year, $85 million deal and they just resigned O.G Anunoby to a four year, $72 million deal.

     They also brought back Canadian Chris Boucher who is a crucial piece of the youth the Raptors are developing along with Matt Thomas, Terrence Davis, Patrick McCaw, etc.

     We haven’t seen a lot from the Raptors’ 2021 draft class because of the limited preseason games and short training camp but Raptors' fans have every right to be excited for the two rookies. In the limited action he did get, Malachi Flynn could create plays with his excellent passing skills, shoot effectively, and defend well in space, even against bigger guys. It makes sense, as Flynn considered to be a solid pick for the Raptors with no glaring weaknesses and is someone who can contribute right away. Jalen Harris’s strengths are athleticism and creating off the dribble but his defense and playmaking can improve. 

      The most important part of a team’s long term success is consistency. With their young core players like Siakam, Van Vleet and Anunoby resigned, the rookies and younger players developing under veteran leadership like Lowry and Baynes can focus on playing winning basketball. This team has the potential to make some noise this season.

      It is an unusual season, as the Raptors are playing in Tampa Bay due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, but if the Raptors stick to their gameplan consisting of a strong, physical defense that causes turnovers, a fast-paced offense that can move the ball and take advantage of turnovers, they can match well with a lot of teams. 

     In terms of a record, I can see the Raptors winning 48 of 72 games this season. In terms of seeding in the Eastern Conference, I believe the Celtics, Heat, Nets, and Bucks will win 58, 56, 55, and 52 games, respectively, and therefore the Raptors will finish 5th place in the East and would play the Bucks in the fourth round of the playoffs. 

     Without a doubt, this season will be different, but it will be an exciting season to watch nonetheless. 

     Happy Holidays, everyone!

Broncos’ depleted secondary faces a huge uphill battle against an explosive Bills’ offense

By: Adamo Marinelli

Dec. 19, 2020

     The Denver Broncos (5-8) are six-point underdogs against the Buffalo Bills (10-3), who are riding a three-game win streak and can clinch their first AFC East title since 1995. The total points for this game is set at 49 points. 

     The Denver Broncos have only three healthy cornerbacks ahead of today’s game: Will Parks, De’Vante Bausby, and Michael Ojemudia, a rookie out of Iowa. 

     Bills’ QB Josh Allen has developed into an elite talent in the third year of his career and is considered to be in the MVP race this season. My MVP is Aaron Rodgers but Allen has been excellent this year.

     On top of that, the Bills have one of the best receiving cores in the league, led by Stefon Diggs, John Brown, and Cole Beasly. In addition, rookie Gabriel Davis is having an outstanding rookie season, and Dawson Knox, their tight end has been reliable all year.

     With A.J. Bouye suspended and injuries to Bryce Callahan, Duke Dawson, Essang Bassey, and Kevin Tolliver II, the Broncos will need to play a lot of nickel and dime defenses and will need a lot of help from their safeties to contain a red-hot target in Diggs who recorded 10 catches for 130 yards and one TD in their week 14 win over the Steelers. 

     I’d suspect a lot of zone schemes, but with Allen being an extremely mobile QB, the Broncos need to bring a lot of pressure to help out the secondary and force the ball out of Allen’s hands quickly. 

     However, the Broncos would need to blitz at least five or six guys if they want to apply adequate pressure to Allen, meaning that would leave man to man matchups in the secondary. The Broncos do have some veterans in their secondary, like all-pro safety Justin Simmons, but it also has a lot of youth and inexperience. Man coverage could be an advantage for the Bills. 

     Another one of Allen’s strengths - in addition to his strong arm and scrambling ability is his ability to throw crossbody and/or across the field. He has the ability to lead everyone to one side and then throw the ball across the field to an open target. This is something the Broncos’ coaching staff will have to prepare for. They will also have to contain Allen and not let him run wild.

     On the other side of the ball, Drew Lock and the offense had their best game of the season. Lock completed 21/27 passes for 280 yards, four TDs, and zero INTs, for a rating of 149.5, the third-highest single-game rating in team history. Drew Lock will need to have another flawless game and the Broncos’ offensive line needs to win their matchups against a gritty, tough Bills defensive line if they want a chance to win.

    Like the Broncos, the Bills’ defense is significantly better against the pass than against the run. Both teams have played well against the pass all season long; the Bills do have the better secondary though, especially with all the Broncos’ injuries. Both teams have struggled against the run as of late, so it should be a good game for the running backs on both teams. Whatever team finds success with the run, their pass game will open up. The Broncos need to run the ball with Gordon and Lindsay a lot today to open up play action, which Lock excels at. 

     Another thing for the Broncos, their kicker Brandon McManus, who has been having an incredible year was ruled out of this game after being in close contact with someone who later tested positive for COVID-19. I don’t know how efficient Taylor Russolino, their replacement kicker will be, so I expect Vic Fangio and Pat Shurmur to elect to go for it more on short fourth downs in Bills’ territory today. 

     This will be an exciting game to watch, no matter who wins.

Expectations for Team Canada at the World Juniors

                                                                                                                                 By: Adamo Marinelli Dec. 19, 2020

     Team Canada - captained by Kirby Dach, a center on the Chicago Blackhawks - appears to be one of the most talented teams on paper in advance of the tournament in Edmonton, Alberta.

     Six members of Canada’s Gold Medal team in 2020 have returned in 2021 for a chance to repeat as World Champions. 

     Team Canada’s roster was finalized yesterday and is loaded with talent at every position, boasting a total of 20 first-round picks from the last two draft classes. In addition, their coaching staff is extremely well renowned.

     According to an article on Sporting News by Jackie Spiegel, Team Canada are the heavy favourites to repeat as champions for the first time since they won four consecutive titles from 2005 to 2009. 

     Team Canada has a chance to win the Gold medal on home soil for the first time since they won in 2015, with Montreal and Toronto hosting the tournament.

     Team Canada is ranked by many analysts to have more talent on their roster than the other powerhouse teams like Russia, United States, Finland, Sweden, and Germany. 

     According to several oddsmakers, Canada is the heavy favourite to win Group A at -225 odds. Finland is their only real competition at +250 odds, Germany and Switzerland are both tied with +2500 odds to win their group and Slovakia is a big underdog with +4000 odds.

     Group B is significantly the tougher division to win, with Russia, the United States, and Sweden being the powerhouses atop of this group, each country with excellent rosters filled with talent and depth and great coaching staff. Russia is the favourite to win this group with +135 odds, the United States has +225 odds to win the group and Sweden has +300 odds to win the group. The Czech Republic and Austria remain huge under-dogs. 

     Both Team Canada and Team Russia are projected to win their groups and are both projected with the highest odds to finish in the top three best teams in the entire tournament; Canada has -500 odds to do so and Russia has -225 odds. 

     If Team Canada and Team Russia were to meet in the 2021 Gold Medal game, it would make for some interesting betting odds and some exhilarating hockey to watch on T.V. 

     Canada is the slight favourite to win the Gold Medal over Russia if they were to meet in the Gold Medal game. Canada has +160 odds to win the Gold Medal, Russia has +275 odds. The United States has the next best odds to win it all at +425 according to Draft Kings.

     Regardless of how each team looks on paper and what the odds say, it is going to be an amazing tournament when it starts on Christmas day. As team practices continue to get underway, all teams have their sights set on one goal - winning the Gold Medal. 

COVID-19 Updates:

     On December 18th, eight German players and two Swedish staff members tested positive for COVID-19, according to the Canadian Press. 

     The IIHF says all eight Germans will remain in self-isolation until Christmas Eve on Thursday. 

     The two Swedish staff will self isolate until Monday if they are deemed no longer a threat to spread the virus. 

The Best Fantasy Football Athletes in 2020 by Position

Half PPR - After Week 14

QB:

1.  Kyler Murray, AZ, 336.44 pts (3231 pass yds, 23 TDs, 10 INTs)

2.  Patrick Mahomes, KC, 333.72 pts (4208 pass yds, 33 TDs, 5 INTs)

3.  Russell Wilson, SEA, 321.70 pts (3685 pass yds, 36 TDs, 12 INTs)

4.  Aaron Rodgers, GB, 317.30 pts (3685 pass yds, 39 TDs, 4 INTs)

5.  Josh Allen, BUF, 315.34 pts (3641 pass yds, 28 TDs, 9 INTs)

Kyler Murray has been electric for the most part this season, using his arms and his legs. With the help of weapons around him, he is keeping the Cardinals in the playoff race.

Patrick Mahomes’ skill mixed with the plethora of the Chiefs’ offensive weapons has proved to be one of the deadliest offenses in the league and has led to their 12-1 record.

Russell Wilson started the season on record pace; it looked like he would surpass Peyton Manning’s record. Despite slowing down since he’s keeping Seattle in their division race.

Aaron Rodgers has become the fastest QB to pass for 400 TDs. His talent and the guys around him make this offense the best in the league. He is in the MVP race with Mahomes. 

Josh Allen has officially proved his haters wrong. He is having a terrific season, wreaking havoc on defenses with his arms and legs and his Bills lead the AFC East with a 10-3 record.

 

WR:

1.  Tyreek Hill, KC, 262.50 pts (77 rec, 1158 yds, 14 TDs)

2.  Davante Adams, GB, 241.90 pts (91 rec, 1144 yds, 14 TDs)

3.  D.K. Metcalfe, SEA, 210.50 pts (69 rec, 1180 yds, 10 TDs)

4.  Stefon Diggs, BUF, 196.80 pts (100 rec, 1167 yds, 5 TDs)

5.  Keenan Allen, LA, 193.00 pts (99 rec, 975 yds, 8 TDs)

Tyreek Hill showed again this season why he is one of the best and fastest receivers in the NFL. He is electrifying each time he touches the ball and is a nightmare for defenses. 

Davante Adams is on pace to have the best year of his career this season. He is a speedy receiver, with good hands. He is a deep threat and a monster in the red-zone. 

D.K. Metcalfe is showing the league why he was a first-round talent. He has been of the best and most reliable receivers this year. He is already drawing comparisons to Megatron.

Stefon Diggs has been a delightful surprise this year. He came to Buffalo with a goal to succeed and he has sure done that. He is an excellent route runner and is always open for Allen.

Keenan Allen has consistently been there for Justin Herbert, two of the bright spots on an otherwise lackluster Chargers team that has underperformed several times this year.

RB:

1.  Dalvin Cook, MIN, 275.90 pts (1352 rush yds, 14 TDs)

2.  Alvin Kamara, NO, 264.70 pts (723 rush yds, 10 TDs)

3.  Derrick Henry, TEN, 254.60 pts (1532 rush yds, 14 TDs)

4.  James Robinson, JAX, 213.10 pts (1035 rush yds, 7 TDs)

5.  Aaron Jones, GB, 183.80 pts (823 rush yds, 7 TDs)

Dalvin Cook has been a scoring machine this season and has consistently been overachieving both in the run and passing game. Their offense runs through Cook. 

Alvin Kamara has stepped up this season, especially in Drew Brees’ absence. He has been effective running in the red zone and has been very involved in the Saints’ passing game.

Derrick Henry is on pace to win another NFL rushing title. He has eight games over 100 rush yards and two with over 200 yards. He is a strong runner, and elusive, and difficult to tackle. 

James Robinson has been the only bright spot of an otherwise very inconsistent and lackluster Jaguars offense. He always finds gaps to run through and is good in pass block.

Aaron Jones has been explosive for the Packers’ run game, he is a strong runner in the open field, elusive, a red-zone threat, and really opens up the passing game for the Packers. 

TE:

1.  Travis Kelce, KC, 222.16 pts (90 rec, 1250 yds, 9 TDs)

2.  Darren Waller, LV, 163.70 pts (84 rec, 817 yds, 7 TDs)

3.  T.J. Hockenson, DET, 132.70 pts (58 rec, 657 yds, 6 TDs)

4.  Robert Tonyan, GB, 130.30 pts (46 rec, 533 yds, 9 TDs)

5.  Mike Gesicki, MIA, 118.20 pts (44 rec, 602 yds, 6 TDs)

Travis Kelce has shown this year why he is the best tight end in the league. His route running, size, strength, and ability to catch in traffic and break tackles in phenomenal. 

Darren Waller has been excellent for the Raiders this year. He has excelled in a young offense. He is speedy, dangerous in the open field. He can break tackles and rack up YAC. 

T.J.  Hockenson is a great route runner, he has big hands and can catch very well even in traffic. He is a good pass and run blocker and has been a blessing to this offense.

Robert Tonyan is having the best year of his career. His reps increased when Davante Adams and Allen Lazard missed time to injury. He is a deep threat and a red zone threat. 

Mike Gesicki has benefitted from a rejuvenated and youthful Dolphins’ offense with Tua Tagovailoa at QB. He has been a reliable target and has been rewarded in Miami. 

Teams with the most skill players:

GB – 4 (QB, WR, RB, TE)

KC – 3 (QB, WR, TE)

SEA – 2 (QB, WR)

BUF – 2 (QB, WR)

MIN – 1 (RB)

TEN – 1 (RB)

NO – 1 (RB)

AZ – 1 (QB)

LV – 1 (TE)

DET – 1 (TE)

MIA – 1 (TE)

JAX – 1 (RB)

LA – 1 (WR)

QB Conundrum for the Broncos

Adamo Marinelli

Nov. 30, 2020

Denver Broncos’ backup QB Jeff Driskel tested positive for COVID-19 early in the week before the game against the New Orleans Saints. 

     Drew Lock, Blake Bortles, and Brett Rypien were all in close proximity with Driskel - on November 24 while reviewing game film - after Driskel had tested positive. 

     As a result, the NFL ruled out all four Denver Broncos QBs for their week 12 game against the red-hot New Orleans Saints who had won seven consecutive games coming into Denver.

     After the NFL denied the Broncos from starting their offensive quality control coach Rob Calabrese at QB, they turned to undrafted rookie Kendall Hinton, a wide receiver on the Broncos’ practice squad. He played three seasons at QB at Wake Forest before converting to a wide receiver after several injuries cost him the starting role in college.

     The Broncos struggled in their 31-3 loss against the Saints. At QB, Hinton completed 1-9 passes for 13 yards and two INTs. 

     The Broncos were the first team since the 1998 San Diego Chargers to have more interceptions than completions in a game.

     Considering Hinton learned he would be starting against the Saints less than 24 hours before the game, had no practice time, and hadn’t thrown a meaningful pass in nearly three years, the expectations were not high coming into the game. 

     However, Hinton deserves credit. He came in and tried his best against an elite Saints’ defense. 

     The real issue here is that Lock, Bortles, and Rypien, knowing Driskel tested positive for COVID-19 did not wear a face mask when in close proximity to him. 

     The NFL put these protocols in place to limit outbreaks. The Broncos’ QBs were negligent and choose not to obey the protocols. It is the team’s responsibility to ensure all players follow protocol - it is not the NFL’s. 

     “I was disappointed on a couple of levels, that our quarterbacks put us in this position, that our quarterbacks put the league in this position, we count on them to be the leaders of this team, so that's disappointing,” HC Vic Fangio said after the loss. 

     “They got lax with their masks, I guess, and they got lax with their distancing, I guess,” Fangio added.

“I haven't done a good enough job of selling the protocols to them when they're on their own,” Fangio admitted. “That’s on me.”

     The Broncos brought this upon themselves. The NFL had the right to not postpone this game.

     There were some frustrations from Broncos players about how the game should not have been played yesterday.

     Offensive tackle Calvin Anderson tweeted: “At this point, I don’t think you can deny there is a clear double standard for game postponements…”

     He is likely referencing when the Broncos lost their bye week after their game against the New England Patriots game got pushed back from week five to week six because Patriots’ QB Cam Newton and CB Stephon Gilmore tested positive for COVID-19. Newton and Gilmore tested positive so the Denver-New England game got pushed back, but when the Broncos get an outbreak, their game against the Saints was not pushed back. 

     I understand the frustration, but Newton did not do anything irresponsible to catch COVID-19. The Broncos knew the protocols in place, but all the four QBs decided to not follow it by not wearing a mask to protect themselves. 

     The NFL made an example of the Broncos.

Road Warrior Blue Jays Clinch Postseason Berth

                                                                                                                                    By: Adamo Marinelli

Sept. 25th, 2020

     Buffalo, New York: What an incredible accomplishment for this young team to make! Last night, with their 4-1 win over the New York Yankees, the Toronto Blue Jays clinched their first postseason berth since October 2016, four years ago. 

     The 2020 roster looks very different than their roster the last time they made the playoffs. Very few of their players from 2016 still remain on the current roster. However, in 2015 and 2016, the Blue Jays were one of the oldest teams in the MLB based on average age. They were due for a rebuild that would provide talented youth at all positions. Over these last few drafts and free agency periods, the Blue Jays got younger and improved their triple-A team in the process. Even John Gibbons, the ex-manager is gone. Charlie Montoyo has done well replacing him. 

      The Blue Jays clinching the playoffs is even more impressive when you consider they were homeless at the beginning of the season. To prevent COVID-19 cases from rising, the Canadian Federal Government did not allow the Blue Jays to play at the Rogers Center in Toronto. They attempted to have their ‘home’ games in Pittsburgh, but when their municipal government shut that idea down, the Blue Jays settled on playing their ‘home’ games at Sahlen Field, in Buffalo, where the Blue Jays’ triple-A team plays. 

      The Blue Jays took advantage of the MLB’s expanded playoff structure and will likely enter the playoffs as the 7th or 8th seed in the American League Conference. They clinched a playoff spot with a 30-27 record, and they still have with still three games left on their schedule to improve their seeding. 

     Even though they are in the postseason, their ability to succeed in the playoffs is hindered as a result of injuries to key players like closer Ken Giles, which significantly drops bullpen productivity. This means the Blue Jays’ starting rotation needs to play well; and they need to get production from pitchers behind Hyun Jin Ryu. Their defense also has to play mistake-free. 

     In addition, because this is such a young team, making the playoffs (even though there are six more teams in the playoffs this year compared to in a normal year) is a huge feat. There are few expectations on how far the Blue Jays go in the playoffs, but if there is a phrase this team is familiar with, it is resiliency and hard work. So you can never count them out.

     They are likely to play the AL-leading Tampa Bay Rays in the best of three wild card series. The Rays won the season series 6-4 but the Jays outscored the Rays 48-44. The Blue Jays lost twice via walk-off to the Rays so their closers need to perform.

     This will be a great series to watch and it will be nice to see the Blue Jays playing October baseball again!

Kicking for Redemption

                                                                                                                                    By: Adamo Marinelli

September 15th, 2020

     Denver, Colorado: Tennessee Titans’ kicker Stephen Gostowski missed three field goals and one extra point, but was still the hero against the Denver Broncos last night, kicking the game-winning field goal from 25 yards out to help the Titans win 16-14. 

     Both teams left a significant amount of points on the board. The Titans left 10 points on the board by missing three field goals and an extra point. The Broncos left three points on the board by not electing to kick a field goal on 4th down near the goal line in the second quarter and coming up short on 4th down. 

     In hindsight, this field goal would have given the Broncos a 17-13 lead late in the fourth quarter, forcing the Titans to go for the touchdown instead of a game-winning field goal. 

     However, I understand the play call. As a coach, you have to give your young offense a vote of confidence early in the season by letting them go for it.

But in the NFL, you cannot leave points on the board. I would have gone for the field goal.

     Both defenses were very good against the ground and the pass. Both offenses were efficient for most of the game.

     The Broncos limited Derrick Henry to only 116 yards on the ground. Without Von Miller, that is impressive for a young defense. Most of that yardage was gained on non-explosive plays too. Quiet yards, so to speak.

     Despite losing A.J Bouye to a shoulder injury late in the 2nd half, the Broncos secondary played well too. Michael Ojemudia and Essang Bassey played well for their first NFL game without a preseason. Ojemudia would have had his first interception, but a very questionable penalty on Alexander Johnson proved costly and took it away.

     That unnecessary roughness penalty, Vic Fangio’s choice not to take timeouts as the Titans were driving up the field for a game-winning field goal, the choice to go for it on fourth down in the second quarter, and a few overthrows by Drew Lock were the only mistakes in the game for the Broncos. 

     Here is why Fangio elected to not take his timeouts, allowing the clock to run from 1:33 to 0:49 after Derrick Henry’s 13-yard run. 

     “It was two-fold,” Fangio said. “One, their field goal kicker obviously had been having his problems so I didn’t want to extend the drive where they could get closer.

“Number two, we would have used a timeout, but we got the running back out of bounds. We would have used a second timeout, but they threw an incompletion which would have given us one when we got the ball back so that was part of the thinking there.”

     I have two problems with this reasoning. Firstly, call a timeout after Henry’s 13-yard run to keep the clock at 1:33 instead of letting it go to 0:49. Then you have the out of bounds run, incompletion, and the go-ahead field goal and you give your offense 1:20 seconds with two timeouts to respond to a potential game-winning field goal instead of 0:25 seconds.

      Secondly, they were already close to the endzone. They were already in field goal range after Henry’s run. Gostowski missed three field goals all over 41 yards. Despite his struggles, a kicker of his caliber would likely not miss a 25-yard field goal. Meaning you need to use your timeouts to give your offense a chance to get their own game-winning field goal.

      Despite all this, I won’t bang Fangio for his logic. I would have used a timeout, but he knows more than I do about coaching. Regardless, Denver has a good team, and when they get Courtland Sutton, Philip Lindsay, and hopefully A.J Bouye back in week two, they should be fine.

     The Broncos played good offensively, moving the ball up the field using the run game consisting of Philip Lindsay and Melvin Gordon and also using their young receivers like Jerry Jeudy, Tim Patrick, DaeSean Hamilton, and their tight ends like Noah Fant. Fant caught a TD from Lock and Gordon recorded his first rush TD as a Bronco. 

     Their offensive line played well - they did not give up a single sack or get called once for holding. They opened up run gaps in the opposing defensive line and gave enough time for Lock to connect with his receivers. Lock played well too. He recorded 216 passing yards, one TD, and 0 INTs and was consistently escaping the pocket to buy his receivers more time and keep the play alive. If Denver is patient with him, and he develops a bit more, he may be their franchise guy.

     With under seven minutes to play in the game, the Broncos had the ball twice and could only take under four minutes off the clock. This gave the Titans time to get a drive going. The Broncos need to improve closing out games.

     However, the Titans showed why they were the best red-zone offense in the league last year, scoring two touchdowns and the game-winning field goal on their three red-zone appearances. Denver’s best red-zone defense last year couldn’t stop them.

     Early in the game, knowing the Broncos had to use a lot of resources to cover Derrick Henry in the run game, the Titans got huge chunks of yards through the air, using their play-action game. Especially against the Broncos’ young cornerbacks, Corey Davis, A.J Brown, and Adam Humphries were able to consistently move the chains. Ryan Tannehill was efficient, throwing for 249 yards, two TDs, and 0 INTs.

     They stopped doing this in the second half, which led to a few three-and-outs but was still effective on offense all game long.

     The Titans' defense played well too, limiting Gordon to 78 yards, and Lindsay to 24 yards before he left the game with an injury in the second quarter. They played well against the Broncos receivers but got beat on several instances. Most importantly, they were able to get key stops on the Broncos’ fourth and goal chance in the second quarter and when the Broncos were trying to drain the clock in the fourth quarter with a 14-13 lead. 

     They also forced Gordon to fumble deep in Denver territory which led to the Titans’ first touchdown and tied the game at 7-7. If that fumble doesn’t happen, the Titans offense, which had looked not at its best might not have scored any points in the first half. 

     Mistakes were made and points were left off the board for both teams but overall it was a very good game to watch, especially considering there were no preseason games played. The future is bright for both of these teams, who will both be competing for an AFC playoff spot this season. Especially the Broncos, with all the youth they have on offense and all the talent on defense.

     Broncos visit the Steelers in week two, Titans host the Jaguars.