Champions League Final Recap

                                                                                                                                  By: Adamo Marinelli

August 29th, 2020

     On August 23rd, Bayern Munich beat Neymar and Mbappe’s Paris St. Germain 1-0 in a stellar game to capture their 6th Champions League Title. This piece will recap the game and explain how Bayern Munich has become a dynasty.

     Bayern Munich dominated in possession time, 62% - 38%, and outshot PSG 12-10 en route to their victory. 

     Kingsley Coman was the hero, scoring the only goal for Bayern in the 59th minute by heading a spectacular cross pass from Joshua Kimmich into the back of the net.

     Bayern Munich moved the ball better, connecting on 84% of their 515 passes, compared to PSG who connected on 74% of their 322 passes.

     Bayern Munich’s keeper, German all-star Michael Neuer, stopped all 3 shots on goal that he faced. PSG keeper, Keylor Navas wasn’t as successful in net, making only 1 save on 2 shots against.

     In short, all aspects of this game was dominated by Bayern Munich. Offense, defense, transition attack, and capitalizing on chances.

     Paris St. Germain played well almost everywhere except around their opponents’ goal. They had so many chances, but couldn’t capitalize, missing many opportunities from in the box and also hitting several posts. That was their demise.

     Bayern Munich played better around their opponents’ goal, they missed some opportunities as well, hitting multiple posts but they were able to score one time, which was enough to seal the win.

     Another incredible aspect of this win is that Canadian midfielder Alphonso Davies, at only 19 years old, has won the biggest honor in European Football. His future is very bright. 

     The most stunning aspect, however, is how Bayern Munich built their team. They did it so efficiently and obtained so much talent, yet they accomplished the task by using a moderate budget.

     Bayern’s Champions League semi-final lineup cost them 80 million Euros; their Finals matchup costs them about the same.

     Eight of their players make an annual salary of fewer than 1 million Euros, including Alphonso Davies. Only two players make over 20 million Euros: Phillipe Coutinho makes 24.5 and Robert Lewandowski makes 20 million. Incredible work from the management to put together such a skilled lineup so inexpensively.

     Looking to some other notable stars being signed to other teams, 80 million Euros doesn’t sound like much at all.

     80 million Euros is less than a third of what PSG paid for Neymar and nearly half of what they spent to sign young sensation Kylian Mbappe. 

     Manchester United spent 110 million Euros on Jadon Sancho and Harry McGuire cost the same as Bayern’s entire starting lineup. 

     Juventus spent 100 million Euros on 35-year-old Christiano Ronaldo, one of the best soccer players to ever live and whichever team lands Lionel Messi - another of soccer’s all-time greats - whether it be Manchester City, PSG or another club, they will likely spend over 100 million Euros. 

     While Real Madrid was busy winning three consecutive Champions League titles, while Barcelona was spending more money on its core than any other European team, and while Juventus undid several years of chemistry by signing Ronaldo, Bayern was quietly and effectively building a super team, all while watching their spending.

     When Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery left the team, management quickly brought in Serge Gnabry, a player who left England as an Arsenal flop but has excelled in Bayern and Ivan Perisic, who was supposed to be slowing down his career but is as productive now as ever to replace them.

     Kingsley Coman, Philip Coutinho, and Leroy Sane, in addition to Serge Gnarby (Ivan Perisic is now playing for Inter Milan), create a core of wingers that has a perfect balance of youth and veteran experience.

     Manuel Neuer, David Alaba, and Jerome Boating are still in starting roles, however, Alaba has moved to the center midfield to accommodate Alphonso Davies’ incredible talent on the at the left-back spot and on the left side of the attack, ahead of the talented Lucas Hernandez.

     Joshua Kimmich and World Cup winner Benjamin Pavard both playing on the right shows the incredible amount of depth this team has.

     In the middle, the beefed-up Leon Goretzka has become the world’s best box-to-box midfielder alongside Thomas Muller and Thiago Alcantara using a perfect balance of brains, brawn, and beauty in his game.

     In addition, Robert Lewdanski has been phenomenal this season, scoring 55 goals in 47 games.

     No matter where you look on the roster, there is plenty of depth, skill, and a fine mix of youth and veteran leadership. This is all supplemented by excellent coaching and recruitment.

     Compare what Bayern Munich did to Barcelona, who spent a lot of money on players like Antoine Griezmann and Ousmane Dembele, none of which feature in their strongest lineup; Real Madrid who spent a lot of money on Gareth Bale and James Rodriguez who were both banished to the bench so that Sergio Ramos, Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and Raphael Varane start in their lineup and not to mention Juventus, who threw all their eggs into one basket, acquiring an aging Christiano Ronaldo, and you will realize which front office is the most clever.

     The era of super teams in the Champions League is very much still upon us. To build a super team, one must acquire talented players for every position, however, they must also do that without spending too much money on one particular player, which may cost them down the road.

NFL Division Winners 2020

By: Adamo Marinelli

August 28th, 2020

     With the NFL season scheduled to kick off on September 10th, I intend to analyze each division, predict a winner, and select three wild-card teams for each conference as well. In addition, based on each division winner’s record, they will be seeded appropriately. 

AFC East: Buffalo Bills

     The AFC East no longer begins to Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. The Dolphins had a fantastic draft this year, drafting their future QB Tua Tagovailoa and adding depth to their offensive line, their secondary, defensive line, and receiver. It will take some time for them to develop into contenders for the division and obviously, Tua would need to prove to be a capable starter for this to happen. They have a bright future under head coach Brian Flores. For the New York Jets, they sit in the same boat as the Dolphins. They are in a rebuild state and may be able to contend in a few seasons but not this year. They traded away Jamal Adams, their best player, to the Seahawks for a haul of future draft picks and they have the 2nd toughest schedule in the league, which will make it hard for their young offensive core to win games. In addition, they are missing several players like linebacker C.J Mosely, who has opted out due to COVID-19. Finally, the Patriots have the toughest schedule in the league this year, they have a large number of players in key positions opting out due to COVID-19 and are without Tom Brady, who has led them to success over the last 20 years. Either Cam Newton, who has several injury concerns or Jarett Stidham who has attempted only 4 passes in his career won’t be as good as Brady. They will have to go through a rebuild before enjoying another dynasty. The Buffalo Bills will win the AFC West in 2020 after nearly winning it last year. The Bills finished 10-6 in 2019 behind an incredible defense led by Matt Milano and Tre'davious White. The Bills had a top 3 defense overall and a top 5 defense against the pass. They only surrendered more than 25 points once and more than 20 points 4 times. They were also able to improve their run defense and points allowed from 2018 where they ranked 16th and 18th respectively. Their defense ranked among the best in franchise history because of a complete team effort. Sure, they had superstars, but every player in every position played their part and their depth helped them out when a starter was missing with injury. Their offense is still young and improving with Josh Allen as QB, Devin Singletary at RB, and John Brown at WR. It is still a mediocre unit but has a bright future. The Bills can easily win 10 games despite their tougher schedule. I say they can go 11-5 for the 3rd seed in the AFC. Many critics say the Bills didn’t beat any ‘real’ teams in 2019, their only win against a playoff team was against the Titans, who at the time was still starting Mariota. In other words, they only won against bad opponents, yet they beat the Steelers and Cowboys among others, which is very impressive. They are a tough team and they can keep up with many great teams with their talent. I wouldn’t count them out. Either way, they got a lot to prove this year. I predict the Bills will get the 3rd seed in the AFC with an 11-5 record, winning against the Titans and Broncos, getting the tiebreaker over both those clubs.

AFC North: Baltimore Ravens 

     The Cincinnati Bengals have hopefully found their franchise QB in the draft after selecting Heisman trophy winner Joe Burrow 1st overall. They had a great draft, improving many positions of need, however, it may take a few years to compete for a division crown under head coach Zach Taylor, especially with the red-hot Ravens, Steelers, and rising Browns. Regarding the Cleveland Browns, they are a team that had high expectations for the 2019 season after having a stellar draft the previous season. However, with Freddie Kitchens as the bench boss, the Browns had an underwhelming season finishing 6-10 with an offense and defense that ranked in the bottom half of the league. This year with Kevin Stefanski, a brilliant offensive mind, as head coach and another year of development under the belts of the young players on their roster like Baker Mayfield, the Browns, in theory, should be able to compete for a wild card spot, as they do have the 4th easiest schedule next season. They do have a fully healthy roster and have some notable superstars like Nick Chubb and Odell Beckham Jr. to lead them to success. Whether they actually get a wild card spot is another question. They’ll be close. In terms of the Pittsburgh Steelers, who have the 2nd easiest schedule, they finally have a healthy Ben Roethlisberger at QB, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they are a guarantee to make the playoffs. If they do make the playoffs, it will be a wild card spot, they aren’t winning the division over the Ravens. Big Ben is 38 now and there are some questions about whether he will prove to be a viable starter in 2020. The long term QB future in Pittsburgh is also quite questionable. They have lost some star players on offense like Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell but have replaced their talents with the likes of James Connor, JuJu Smith Schuster and they still have one of the better defenses in the NFL with players like T.J Watt and Devin Bush rushing the passer and covering the run and Minkah Fitzpatrick and Joe Haden in the secondary. This team has some questions but has the potential to make the playoffs, as the 6th seed. Finally, the Ravens will win the AFC North for the 3rd consecutive year. They have too much talent on their roster, especially on defense and in their run game not to win the division. If QB Lamar Jackson has another incredible season like last year, it’s no doubt that the Ravens will win the division. They have the easiest schedule in the NFL as well this year, in terms of strength of schedule, that is another bonus. I think there will be a little bit of regression, in other words, I see the Ravens finishing 12-4 not 14-2, but it is still pretty good. If only the Ravens could win a playoff game with their current roster. They are 0-2 under Lamar Jackson and don’t want to keep losing. That’s the real question. I believe the Ravens will finish 13-3 and claim the 1st seed in the AFC for the 2nd year in a row, beating the Chiefs in week 4 for the tiebreaker. 

AFC West: Kansas City Chiefs

     Even though the defending Super Bowl champions appear to be huge favorites to repeat as AFC West champions, I don’t believe it will be as easy as a task that many people are making it out to be. The Denver Broncos had arguably the best draft this year and look to be a very competitive team this season. They have a healthy Bryce Callahan back to add to a very good secondary consisting of Justin Simmons, Kareem Jackson, and A.J Bouye along with many others. They also have a healthy Bradley Chubb back who alongside Von Miller on the outside will wreak havoc on opposing quarterbacks and opposing backfields in the run back. Despite losing Derek Wolfe on the defensive line, they brought in Jurrell Casey to add to a top 10 defensive line in the league consisting of Shelby Harris and Adam Gotsis among others, forming a unit that can apply pressure from the inside. This will be a gritty Vic Fangio led defense in his 2nd year as head coach. In 2019, they had a top 10 passing defense allowing the 11th fewest pass yards and 5th fewest passing TDs. Against the run, they allowed the 16th fewest yards and 5th fewest TDs. They are a capable team and with a healthy defensive line back, they will cause more turnovers and get more sacks than in 2019. Furthermore, they have an energetic and skillful Drew Lock at QB, who has even more weapons to throw to with the addition of Jerry Jeudy and K.J Hamler in the draft alongside Courtland Sutton and Noah Fant in their 3rd and 2nd seasons respectively. With the addition of receivers Jerry Jeudy and K.J Hamler, the Broncos’ wide receivers average out to the same 40-yard speed as the Chiefs’ receivers, one of the fastest cores in the league. Having speed, guys that can score points, and a good defense is the key to beating the Chiefs. The Broncos also signed Graham Glasgow to improve their offensive line which is an improving unit with Garret Bolles and Dalton Risner and added Melvin Gordon to strengthen their running back core. Lindsay is explosive, Gordon will be used for pass-catching and in the goalline scenarios. They should have enough talent under Lock and Fangio to acquire 10+ wins and the 5th seed. The Chargers moved on from their long time quarterback Philip Rivers and lost Melvin Gordon to the Broncos. However, they acquired long-time Bronco Chris Harris Jr. to play alongside all-star cornerbacks Casey Hayward and Desmond King and well-renowned safety Derwin James. Their offense might have some questions with Tyrod Taylor at QB, however, their secondary is elite and their defensive line is pretty solid too, with players like Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram among others. Their fate rests with their defense. The Raiders are a brand-new team after their move to Las Vegas. The Raiders did go 7-9 last season, finishing 3rd in the division behind the Chiefs and Broncos, however, NFL analysts are saying it is a fluke 7-9 with wins against the Bengals, the Lions and two against the Chargers. They have a decent roster, a good coach, and had a good draft, but it is hard to see this team winning 9 or more games, having only 1 winning season since 2003. Finally, the Chiefs are talented all over the field. After their 2018 campaign, where Mahomes threw for over 5000 yards and 50 touchdowns, yet their defense was virtually non-existent which led to an AFC conference championship loss to the Patriots, they improved their defense greatly in 2019 and finished with the 7th best defense in 2019. Their pass defense was significantly better than their run defense, but they still got the job done against the run, especially when it mattered most, limiting Derrick Henry to virtually nothing in the AFC championship game. Their offense still remained one of the best in the league with Tyreek Hill, Sammy Watkins, Mecole Hardman, Travis Kelce, Damien Williams, etc. Mahomes threw half the touchdowns he did in 2018 but still was effective enough to lead his team to the Super Bowl. They will be scary in 2020, potentially looking at another 12-4 record. I believe the Chiefs will finish the season 12-4, claiming the 2nd seed in the AFC, finishing one game behind the Ravens. 

AFC South: Tennessee Titans 

     The Tennessee Titans had a 2-4 record and a very sluggish offense with Marcus Mariota at the helm. A 16-0 loss to the Broncos in week 6 was the final straw for Mariota. Ryan Tannehill - who was underwhelming in his time in Miami with a lack of a supporting cast - took over in week 7 and led his Titans to a 7-3 record over the final 10 weeks of the season to clinch the final playoff spot in the AFC. That is where they made an improbable run in the playoffs, beating the Patriots in the wild card game and the first seed Ravens behind Derrick Henry’s massive performance, only to lose in the AFC championship game to the Chiefs. The Tennessee Titans’ offense relies heavily on their run game in order to open up the middle of the field for play-action passes later in the game. Despite losing defensive lineman Jurrell Casey, their run defense is still elite. It was 4th best in 2019 behind the Broncos, Steelers, and Saints. Their pass rush was mediocre, however, that was likely a result of less blitzing to avoid leaving big gaps in the defensive line to run through. Their pass defense and secondary is ranked in the middle of the league. All of this will be enough to finish with a 10-6 record, good enough for the AFC’s 4th seed. They will beat the Texans twice, getting the tiebreaker. The Houston Texans are a pretty good team in the regular season - however, they always crash and burn in the playoffs - last year being no exception, blowing a huge lead to the Chiefs. After trading Deandre Hopkins to the Cardinals for a washed-up David Johnson, the Texans lost a massive piece of their offense. Hopkins is always the guy they go to when they need a big play or deep ball downfield. Their defense is very good. Due to a strong pass rush that makes opposing quarterbacks uncomfortable, led by J.J Watt and Zach Cunningham among others and a strong secondary led by Gareon Conley, Bradley Roby, and Justin Reid, the Texans ranked 2nd best in defensive passer rating and had a top 10 rush defense. They have enough defensive talent and enough depth surrounding Deshaun Watson to snag the 7th seed in the AFC. The Jaguars and Colts are both teams that should not expect to make the playoffs this season, barring a miracle. The Jaguars have lost almost all of their elite defensive players from their amazing 2017 season and have still not found a viable option at QB. Nick Foles was shipped to the Bears and Gardiner Minshew is good but has question marks surrounding his ability to start all 16 games. He appears to just be a solid backup. Finally, the Colts have appeared to have found a short term solution at QB with Philip Rivers. However, they will not be competitive until they draft a young QB to be their future and until they continue to surround him with young talent. They have one of the best offensive lines in the league, led by left guard Quenton Nelson and left tackle Anthony Costanzo. They also have young talent at wide receiver and running back with T.Y Hilton, Michael Pittman Jr., and Jonathan Taylor but are not done rebuilding. Their defense is a mediocre unit in both run and pass and can still use some improvement.

NFC East: Dallas Cowboys

     The NFC East was by far the weakest division in 2019. The Philadelphia Eagles won the division with a lackluster 9-7 record, the Dallas Cowboys were a game worse at 8-8. The Washington Football Team and the New York Giants were two of the worst teams in the league finishing with a 3-13 and 4-12 record respectively. Honestly, this division appears to be one of the weakest overall in the league which will make for another underwhelming race this season. Since 2016, the Cowboys have rotated winning the division on a yearly basis. Since the Eagles won the division in 2019, I believe the Cowboys will win it in 2020. However, it won’t be easy. The Eagles, like the Cowboys, have an offensive line that is top 5 in the league. Both Dak Prescott and Carson Wentz are young quarterbacks with loads of potential to continue succeeding at an NFL level. The Eagles have the 12th best defense in the NFL tied with the Broncos, and the Cowboys have the 19th best defense overall. The Eagles gave up the 10th fewest yards against, the Cowboys gave up 9th fewest. The Eagles gave up the 19th fewest passing yards, Cowboys the 10th. However, the Eagles gave up the 3rd fewest rushing yards, Cowboys the 11th fewest. The Eagles had the 13th most sacks and were bottom 10 in the league in interceptions, due to their inconsistent secondary. The Cowboys were 19th best in sacks and 3rd worst in the NFL for interceptions. So, the Cowboys defend the pass better and the Eagles defend the run better. On offense, the Cowboys had the 3rd best offense and the Eagles had the 14th best. The Cowboys were 1st overall in yards, 2nd overall in pass yards, and 5th overall in rush yards. The Cowboys had more passing and rushing touchdowns mainly because of the higher level of skill on their roster. The Cowboys have Ezekiel Elliott, one of the best running backs in the league and Amari Cooper, a top 20 receiver. The Eagles have and will continue to rely on a committee of running backs and receivers to succeed due to their many injuries. Wentz had 4000 passing yards without a single receiver eclipsing 500. The division is up in the air for one of these teams. However, I believe the star athletes for the Cowboys will be enough to win the division, getting the 4th seed in the NFC finishing 10-6, with the tiebreaker over the Eagles. For the Washington Football team, QB Alex Smith was cleared to play full-contact football again, a year and a half after his gruesome leg injury. He will compete with Dwayne Haskins for a starting job. Rookie receiver Terry McLaurin had an amazing year in 2019 and is one of the bright spots on this offense that ranks bottom 5 in the league. Their offensive line took a step back with their left tackle Trent Williams leaving to San Francisco in free agency. Their defense is also bottom 10 in the NFL. They have a lot of work to do before they contend for the division. The Giants face a similar story. They had a decent draft this season, using their first-round pick to bolster their offensive line and using their other picks to continue adding depth to their o-line and other positions of need like safety, cornerback, and linebacker. They have Saquon Barkley, another running back that is one of the best in the NFL and what appears to be their franchise QB in Daniel Jones, who had a fine rookie season, however, they have some work to do before they can win this division with a mid-tier rush focused offense and a defense that is bottom 5 in the NFL.

NFC North: Green Bay Packers

     This division honestly has 3 potential contenders to win it. The Detroit Lions are in the midst of a rebuild, but the Bears, Vikings, and Packers are all contenders for the NFC North. This will be an interesting division race. The Lions are about to enter their 3rd season under head coach Matt Patricia. The Lions have a 9-22-1 in the last two seasons. Patricia and GM Bob Quinn were retained, however, ownership expressed disappointment in the team’s lack of success. Ownership’s expectation for this year is to contend for the playoffs. The Lions focused a lot on their offensive line and running backs in free agency and the draft, so they will have a better run game than last season. Stafford should also have a much better season this year, after being limited to only 19 TDs and 5 INTs in 8 games before suffering a season-ending injury. Their defense which acquired some pieces in the secondary and in the pass rush department should improve after finishing 31st in the league in yards allowed per game (400.4) and 26th in points allowed per game (26.4) in 2019. They may finish with a .500% record or slightly over, that won’t be enough to win the division, though. The Bears have had one of the strongest defenses in the league since adding Khalil Mack. They have one of the best defensive fronts in the NFL with Akiem Hicks, Khalil Mack, Roquan Smith, and the addition of Robert Quinn in free agency. The Bears’ secondary, which features all-stars like Eddie Jackson and Kyle Fuller also improves after drafting Jaylon Johnson. On offense, with the addition of Nick Foles from Jacksonville, they should have some well-needed competition for current QB Mitch Trubisky who has been underwhelming ever since he was drafted second overall in 2017. Training camp will decide who gets the starting role. Their offense definitely has some pieces and their offensive line is improving, but they won’t win the division either. The Vikings had a lot of success last season, finishing second in their division with a 10-6 record. They beat the Saints in the wild card game only to lose in the divisional round to the 49ers. The Vikings are mainly bringing back the same contributors from last year, with some exceptions like wide receiver Stefon Diggs, who was traded to the Bills and cornerbacks Xavier Rhodes who was released after struggling last season and Trey Waynes who signed elsewhere in free agency due to a high price tag. They did draft Justin Jefferson in the first round, maybe he will be the team’s future at receiver. The Vikings drafted 15 players in 2020, filling in many skill positions with young talent. If even 5 or 6 players have a good rookie season, this team could be scary. However, this team will have a lot of new players in 2020 because a handful of veterans left the Vikings. This means a lot of the rookies will be thrust into starting positions and many veterans from other teams will have to adjust to the Vikings’ offensive and defensive playbooks. On paper, this team looks like they will take a step backward with all the new personnel. It won’t be a big step backward, but it will be a step backward nonetheless. Finally, the Green Bay Packers went 13-3 last season in Matt LaFleur’s first season. They experienced plenty of success in the passing game with Aaron Rodgers, even though he only had one main target in Davante Adams, the other receivers like Geronimo Allison and Marquez Valdes Scantling were there as a backup or for 2nd reads. Aaron Jones had another spectacular season on the ground, experiencing great success in the red-zone especially. He and Jamal Williams should have great success this year. Their defense was also one of the best in 2019, only allowing 15 rush touchdowns and 19 passing touchdowns. They also had 25 takeaways, which ranks top 6 in the NFL. And their offensive and defensive lines are both pretty talented units. This team is poised to finish atop the NFC. I believe Green Bay’s stout defense and decent offensive arsenal should be enough to finish 12-4 and claim the NFC’s 3rd seed. 

NFC West: San Francisco 49ers 

     All 4 teams in this division have a chance to win it. Starting with the Cardinals, their team, particularly their offense improved greatly after acquiring DeAndre Hopkins in a trade with the Texans. He is one of the most impactful receivers in the game and can be used in a variety of different scenarios. Their offensive line is improving greatly, being the 21st best unit in 2019 after having the worst line in 2018. Their entire offensive line minus their right tackle had a pass-blocking grade above 70. With more targets to throw to, their offensive line should continue to improve. Their defense was one of the worst in most categories in 2019 but saw a great improvement in the last month of the season. Cornerback Patrick Peterson believes the chemistry reached its peak in December which will help for next season. In addition to Chandler Jones and Jordan Hicks, they added defensive tackle Jordan Phillips, edge rusher Devon Kennard and inside linebacker De'Vondre Campbell, a trio of proven NFL starters. Moving on to the Rams, they did release Todd Gurley to save some cap space, but they did add several young players in the draft such as running back Cam Akers, wide receiver Van Jefferson and tight end Brycen Hopkins to an offense that already has a significant amount of talent with athletes like Cooper Kupp, Robert Woods and Darrel Henderson. Their defense is one of the best in the business upfront and in the secondary. Aaron Donald is a force in the pass rush and run blocking game and Jalen Ramsey is a cornerback who covers half the field on his own. This just limits what opposing offenses can do. They have a lot of depth to work with. Their demise is their offensive line. They were one of the best units in 2018 and they fell to 2nd worst in the league in 2019. Rob Havenstein, their solid right tackle had a huge regression in 2019, his overall grade fell from an 83.6 to a 50.9 and their left guard Rodger Saffold and center John Sullivan had to be replaced for younger talent. Replacing them has gotten off to a slow start. Their right guard Austin Blythe, similar to their right tackle saw his grade drop from a 73.4 to a 50.3. The key to this line’s success is their RG and RT. Moving on, the Seattle Seahawks are another really good team in this division. They have a lot of young talent surrounding Russell Wilson, who is currently one of the best quarterbacks in the league. Their offensive line is one of the worst in the league; however, it is better at run blocking than blocking the pass. This is good for the Seahawks who focus a lot on the run game, with Chris Carson, Rashaad Penny, and Carlos Hyde. In addition, despite the offensive line’s struggles, Wilson has been pressured on over 40% of his dropbacks since 2012, yet has a 79.6 passer rating under pressure, the best in the NFL. The Seahawks defense has only improved with the addition of Jamal Adams, one of the best safeties in the NFL. In addition to Adams, the Seahawks also added CB Quinton Dunbar to really add depth to their secondary already consisting of Shaquil Griffin, Quandre Diggs, etc. This should be enough for the 5th seed. Finally, we have the 49ers, who will win the division again. The San Francisco 49ers had a dominant season last year, riding an incredible defense and a 3 headed monster running attack to the Super Bowl, where they ultimately were defeated by the Kansas City Chiefs. They had the 1st seed in the NFC with a 13-3 record. The 49ers will ride an incredible defense, led by Dee Ford and Nick Bosa - an incredible pass rusher - to victory. Other key pieces of their defensive line success in 2019 like Arik Armstead and Ronald Blair III have re-signed this offseason. They did send Deforest Buckner to the Colts for the 13th overall pick, who they used to select DL Javon Kinlaw, who is a highly regarded prospect. They ranked 2nd overall in total defense and 1st in pass defense due to an incredible performance from the defensive line. Their secondary led by Richard Sherman was not too shabby either. Their offensive line is a top 10 unit in the league with the addition of left tackle Trent Williams to an already stacked offensive line consisting of Mike McGlinchey, Tom Compton among others. Williams and McGlinchey are stellar run blockers and pass protectors. Their 3 headed monster rushing attack was 2nd best in the league in 2019 and will only get better with an improving o-line. George Kittle is also one of the best tight ends in the league and is one of many weapons available for QB Jimmy Garoppolo. I see the 49ers finishing 13-3, good enough for 1st in the NFC with tiebreaker wins over the Saints and Packers. 

NFC South: New Orleans Saints

     This division will look interesting with Tom Brady in a Buccaneers' uniform. The Saints won the NFC South by 6 games last season. It won’t be this easy to win the division in 2020, but the Saints will be able to get it done, in what may be Drew Brees’ last year. For the Carolina Panthers, they lost a massive piece of their defense when Luke Kuechly retired at a young age. They let go of longtime coach Ron Rivera, replacing him with new coach Matt Rhule, and they have made many changes to their roster. Expectations are low in Carolina heading into the 2020 season with a mediocre defense and a mediocre offense led by QB Teddy Bridgewater with the exception of all-star running back Christian McCaffrey. Their offense and ground game could be scary if their mediocre offensive line can withstand the pressure and their young defense could make some strides, but there are bound to be inconsistencies also. The Falcons made some splashes in free agency, signing running back Todd Gurley and tight end Hayden Hurst to add to their existing offensive core consisting of Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley, Ito Smith, etc. However, if this team wants success, it will have to start with the offensive line, a unit that posted the worst pass and run block grades in the Matt Ryan era. Their defense looks to be a bright spot, after being drastically better in the 2nd half of last season and improving even more with the addition of Dante Fowler Jr. in free agency and drafting A.J. Terrell, Marlon Davidson, Mykal Walker. For the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, they also improved in free agency on paper by adding Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski, however, Tom Brady is 43 years old and has been on the decline for a few seasons now. Tampa Bay has weapons on offense like wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, a good run game with Ronald Jones and Ke’Shawn Vaughn, but it is undetermined if Brady will be able to have a productive year when it comes to everything but short passes. Will he be able to get the ball downfield? But the Bucs’ receivers excel at getting yards after the catch so it should work. Their defensive front looks to be pretty good too with Ndamukong Suh, Shaquill Barrett, who led the lead in sacks last season and sophomore Devin White. Their o-line also improved by drafting LT Tristan Wirfs. This should be enough for a wildcard spot. Finally, the Saints should be able to win this division. Drew Brees is 41 years old and this may be his last season. He is still arguably a top 10 QB in the NFL and Michael Thomas is arguably the best receiver in the NFL, setting the yards and receptions record in 2019. Alvin Kamara is a potent force in the run game and can catch passes out of the backfield and Emmanuel Sanders is a great veteran receiver and Taysom Hill is a versatile weapon that can be used anywhere on offense. Their front seven led by Cam Jordan and Demario Davis should have another great year rushing the passer, which will lighten the load of their secondary led by Malcolm Jenkins, Marshawn Lattimore, and Janoris Jenkins. Their offensive line is among one of the best units in the NFL and should allow for a great rush attack and protect Brees. They will claim the 2nd seed in the NFC, finishing 13-3 losing to the 49ers but beating the Packers.

AFC Wild Cards: 

5. Denver Broncos 11-5: With a healthy Bryce Callahan and Bradley Chubb back, their defense should be another top 10 unit against the run and the pass. They will likely see a rise in turnovers too, with a healthy pass rush and secondary. Drew Lock has more weapons in the air and on the ground to work with which should prove to be another great season. 

6. Pittsburgh Steelers 11-5: With a healthy Big Ben back and a number of young weapons on both offense and defense in the Steelers’ arsenal, they should be able to win enough games on their difficult schedule to clinch a wild card spot. They lose the tiebreaker with Denver.

7. Houston Texans 10-6: The Houston Texans despite losing DeAndre Hopkins, one of the best wide receivers in the league to the Cardinals, they added Randall Cobb and Brandin Cooks to their receiving game, added David Johnson to aid Lamar Miller in the run game and they focused on their offensive line (one of the weaker units in the NFL giving up a lot of sacks) and their defense in the draft. They have the 8th toughest schedule, which will prevent a division win.

NFC Wild Cards: 

5. Seattle Seahawks 11-5: For the last 2 seasons, the Seattle Seahawks have been the team predicted to have a bad season, yet they’ve made the playoffs twice in a row. They have a lot of talent on both sides of the ball and they have a lot of talent surrounding Russell Wilson, including a decent offensive line (that is better at run blocking than pass blocking) an amazing core of running backs and young receivers like D.K Metcalfe.

6. Philadelphia Eagles 10-6: As I mentioned above, the Eagles have a solid defense overall, even though it is a better unit against the run. They have a special QB with a lot of potential in Carson Wentz and they have the talent and depth to keep playing well despite being struck by the injury bug. They should be able to make the playoffs.

7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 10-6: With Jameis Winston as QB, the Buccaneers’ offense experienced a high level of production, but also amassed a high level of turnovers. With Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski, who came out of retirement, the Buccaneers should have a high level of veteran leadership and talent on their roster to lead them to victory. They will focus more on the short passing game and the run attack more than the deep passing game though.

Conclusion: 

     The 2020 NFL season looks to be a very interesting one if it does end up happening. Barring a second wave of COVID-19 and the player boycotts to end racism and for equal human rights after the police shooting of Jacob Blake, the season will happen. If the season does happen, what’s your Super Bowl 55 pick? I have San Francisco over Baltimore.