2021 NCAA March Madness Recap

Adamo Marinelli

April 9, 2021

The Gonzaga Bulldogs headed into the championship game with a perfect record of 31-0, dominating teams across the country all season long, looking to be the first team since the 1976 Indiana Hoosiers to be crowned as undefeated National Champions. 

     I expected the championship game to be close, however, the Bears dominated from start to finish and never looked back on route to their first national championship.

     Unfortunately, for Gonzaga, they ran into a brick wall, the Baylor Bears, who outmatched the Bulldogs with their strong defense and their excellent three-point shooting ability on their way to a dominant 86-70 win for their school’s first-ever National Championship. 

     The Bears never trailed last night; they were the more aggressive team; they moved the ball well; they played shutdown defense, especially in the paint where Gonzaga excels offensively; and they shot the ball very well, both from three-point range and from the field and limited the Bulldogs’ good looks. The Bears played lockdown half-court defense all game long, forcing 14 turnovers compared to only turning the ball over 9 times. The Bears also dominated the rebound battle, 38-22, especially on the offensive glass, 16-5, which led to several second-chance points. 

     The Bears limited the Bulldogs’ three best players, Drew Timme, Corey Kispert, and Jalen Suggs to 12, 12, and 22 points respectively. For the Bears, Jared Butler, Davion Mitchell, and Macio Teague went off with 22, 15, and 19 points respectively. 

     The Bears shot 44.8% from the field and 43.5% from 3 point range. The Bulldogs shot 51% from the field (but took 18 fewer shots than Baylor) however, they only shot 29.4% from 3 point range, which was the difference in the game. The three-point shot, the lockdown defense, and the rebounds were the difference in this game for Baylor.

     However, this tournament’s only great game was not just the finals. Look at Gonzaga and UCLA’s final four-game, which is arguably one of the best games in NCAA history. With teams like Duke, Virginia, and Kansas opting out due to COVID-19 cases, it opened the door for many other teams to have a shot at the title. 

     This year, like all others, there were several huge upsets and several Cinderella stories. For example, Loyola Chicago and UCLA. 

     UCLA started their tournament in the first four against Michigan State where they quickly got off to a 14 point deficit. After losing 4 straight games entering the tournament, it looked like UCLA would be one and done. However, they rallied behind their best players: Johnny Juzang, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and Cody Riley and came back to beat Michigan State in overtime. UCLA cruised by Brigham Young University (BYU) and Abilene Christian University (ACU) in the first two rounds of the tournament before needing overtime to upset 2 seed Alabama after a late three from Alabama’s Alex Reese sent the game to overtime. 

     In the elite 8, a gritty defensive and mistake-free performance led them past 1 seed Michigan 51-49 in a very close but thrilling game. In the final four, they took Gonzaga to the line. They never let the game get out of hand, they kept up defensively, got turnovers, shot the ball well and it took a half-court heave at the buzzer from Jalen Suggs to take down Gonzaga. With head coach Mick Cronin, UCLA looks like they have a good future.

     Loyola Chicago also had another memorable tournament, all thanks to their talent, good coaching staff, and of course, Sister Jean. They beat Georgia Tech 71-60, in a pretty evenly matched game, but in the round of 32, they pulled off one of the other biggest tournaments knocking off 1 seed Illinois 71-58. Loyola Chicago played great defense and shot the ball well. Unfortunately, their magical run came to an end against 12th seed Oregon State in a close, defensive game, 65-58. Oregon State is another lower-seeded team that had a great tournament, playing great basketball, making it all the way to the elite 8 before losing a close game to Houston. 

     This was an interesting tournament because due to COVID-19 many powerhouse teams like Duke, Virginia, and Kansas opted out and that opened the door for many other teams to get a chance at the title. This tournament proved that all you have to do is qualify for the tournament. Once you get in, everybody has a chance. Illinois, a number one seed projected to reach the final four was bested in the round of 32 by Loyola Chicago. Michigan, another number one seed was bested in the elite 8 by UCLA in a great defensive performance. Two of the four number two seeds were eliminated before the Sweet 16: Ohio State was stunned by 15th seed Oral Roberts (who advanced all the way to the Sweet 16) in the first round and Iowa was upset by 7th seed Oregon (who also advanced all the way to the Sweet 16).

     This tournament had some amazing games, many memorable upsets, and will be hard to beat next season. 

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NFL 2021 Mock Draft 1.0

Adamo Marinelli

April 8, 2021

At the end of April every year, all 32 NFL teams have the opportunity to improve their roster with a plethora of college superstars. Here is my first-round mock draft. 

1st overall - Jacksonville Jaguars: Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson: He is a generational talent with a strong arm, high football IQ, athleticism, and pin-point accuracy and the Jaguars have been spinning their tires finding a franchise QB. It’s an obvious choice. 

2nd overall - New York Jets: Zach Wilson, QB, BYU: After a successful 2020 season - Wilson, who has a strong arm, accuracy and is extremely athletic and mobile - will be helpful in boosting the firepower of this mediocre offense that just added new weapons like Corey Davis.

3rd overall - San Francisco 49ers (via Miami from Houston): Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State: The 49ers gave up a big haul to move up, signifying they have their franchise QB. Fields is an NFL-ready talent with a big arm, accuracy, and athleticism. He is one of the best QBs in a good class.

4th overall - Atlanta Falcons: Penei Sewell, OL, Oregon: While the Falcons could definitely grab a franchise QB for the future, or address their secondary, the offensive line is a huge focus for a team that has given up 41+ sacks for three straight years. Sewell is a generational talent at left tackle with great size, strength, elite foot quickness, and agility to make blocks. 

5th overall - Cincinnati Bengals: Rashawn Slater, OL, Northwestern: The Bengals did draft their franchise QB last year in Joe Burrow, however, he got hurt because of a lack of protection. The offensive line is a must here. Slater is a versatile prospect with athleticism and good fundamentals. His ideal role will be center but he can play tackle for a west coast offense. 

6th overall - Miami Dolphins (via Philadelphia): Ja’Marr Chase, WR, LSU: The Dolphins developed a great defense last season under head coach Brian Flores and appear to have their franchise QB in Tua Tagovailoa. What the Dolphins need is an elite receiver for Tua to throw to. Chase is arguably the best receiver in the class, with speed, agility, and good hands. 

7th overall - Detroit Lions: Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida: Pitts is a generational talent at the tight end position. He has the biggest wingspan of any wide receiver or tight end in a long time, he is explosive off the line, speedy, agile, can run routes, and has good hands to make plays downfield. He is also a great run blocker. Pairing Pitts and Hockenson together is insane. 

8th overall - Carolina Panthers: Mac Jones, QB, Alabama: The Panthers floated between Teddy Bridgewater, Kyle Allen, and Philip Walker at QB last season. I see them getting stability with Jones in the draft this year. Physically, he isn’t the most athletic or talented, but his fundamentals are great and his football IQ is high. Not to mention, he fits schematically with the Panthers, which makes this move make sense. He will develop under Sam Darnold. 

9th overall - Denver Broncos: Micah Parsons, OLB, Penn State: The Broncos made some serious improvements to their secondary, bringing back key pieces and adding new ones. Parsons, alongside Von Miller and Bradley Chubb, can make the pass rush a top 5 unit in the NFL. He is a great athlete, with speed and agility and can rush the passer. His size and instincts are good too. His coverage can improve, but he can be good despite character concerns. 

10th overall - Dallas Cowboys: Patrick Surtain, CB, Alabama: The Cowboys’ secondary was one of the worst, if not the worst in the league last season. Surtain is a very good choice in the secondary and will improve any defense he plays for. He is a shutdown, cover corner, and excels in man defense. He has a high football IQ, speed, agility, and great hands. 

11th overall - New York Giants: Kwity Paye, EDGE, Michigan: The Giants could go wide receiver to add more depth to help Daniel Jones excel, but an edge rusher is exactly what Gettleman’s Giants need to bolster their defense even more. For his size, he is explosive off the line, speedy, agile, physical, can shed blocks and his turning ability can help him get past tackles. 

12th overall - Philadelphia Eagles (from San Francisco via Miami): Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina: His pro-day performance consisting of a 4.4 40-yard dash, a 41.5-inch vertical, a 133-inch broad jump, proved he is a blue-chip prospect in this year’s draft. He has an athletic combination of speed, agility, length and can become a lockdown corner. The Eagles need help all over their secondary, this pick would be wise.

13th overall - Los Angeles Chargers: Christian Darrisaw, OL, Virginia Tech: Justin Herbert had an outstanding rookie campaign but needs protection, especially on the blindside, if he wants his production to continue. Darrisaw is a pure left tackle, is physical, strong, has good size, and is good at run blocking and pass blocking. This is a great pick alongside Corey Linsley at center.

14th overall - Minnesota Vikings: Devontae Smith, WR, Alabama: The Vikings could address their offensive line and pass rush here, but Smith won the Heisman for a reason. He is fast, explosive off the line, a great route runner, and has great hands. With Theilen, Jefferson, and Smith, the Vikings’ receiving corps could be one of the best in the NFL.

15th overall - New England Patriots: Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State: The Patriots signed several wide receivers and tight ends to help their offense. Trey Lance is a great QB who received comparisons to Deshaun Watson. Lance has a big frame, but is speedy and agile and can move outside of the pocket to evade pressure to extend plays. He has a strong arm, is pretty accurate, and is dangerous if given a running lane. He should thrive with the new tools.

16th overall - Arizona Cardinals: Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech: The Cardinals need a cornerback to solidify their secondary. A strong secondary will allow their linebackers more time to rush the QB, something they can do with J.J. Watt. He has all the characteristics of an NFL CB: size, speed, length, ball skills, he can do it all. He can make up any cushion down the field with his 4.3-second speed.

17th overall - Las Vegas Raiders: Teven Jenkins, OT, Oklahoma State: After shipping RT Trent Brown to the Patriots, Jenkins, a natural right tackle is a good athlete, with strength, agility, aggressiveness, and is well-leveraged. He may not be the best tackle on the board but his impact is undeniable on tape.

18th overall - Miami Dolphins: Creed Humphrey, C, Oklahoma: The Dolphins had the 11th worst rushing attack in 2020. With Humprhey’s strength, size, tenacity, and consistency, he will help to create holes in the interior of the offensive line for whoever is in the backfield. As the best center in the draft, he’ll help boost the rush attack and that will open up the passing game for Tagovailoa.

19th overall - Washington Football Team: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB, Notre Dame: Owusu-Koramoah is an intense heat-seeking missile in the box who can rush the passer, shed blocks and he also has the flexibility to shift into the slot. He is versatile enough to stop the run and can also play pass coverage against slot receivers. He and Chase Young would be deadly.

20th overall - Chicago Bears: Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama: The Bears appear to have a quarterback, at least for the short term, with Andy Dalton. They franchised tagged Allen Robinson and Waddle would provide a deep threat option for Dalton, quick separation from cornerbacks, the explosiveness of the line, and an elite yards after catch ability.

21st overall - Indianapolis Colts: Joseph Ossai, EDGE, Texas: The Colts have a great offensive line, a young run game, and a new quarterback, in Carson Wentz who had his best year under Colts’ coach head coach Frank Reich. One of their biggest needs is a pure pass rusher. Ossai has an elite combination of explosiveness, length, speed, and agility. It’ll take some time to refine his pass-rushing arsenal, but there is a huge upside.

22nd overall - Tennessee Titans: Rashod Bateman, WR, Minnesota: The Titans could go cornerback with this pick, after moving on from both of their corners, but after trading Corey Davis and Adam Humphries, I think they go receiver. Bateman is very athletic, but despite his smaller frame, can succeed in the NFL. He is a speedy receiver with great hands and body control and excels at YAC. 

23rd overall - New York Jets: Zaven Collins, LB, Tulsa: With new defensive-oriented head coach Robert Saleh, Collins should make a great addition at linebacker adding to a core of C.J Mosely, Blake Cashman, and Jarrad Davis. Collins offers an elite combination of size, athleticism, and strength. He also has a high football IQ, can read the field and opposing plays very well, and is a strong tackler who can excel on the Jets’ defense

24th overall - Pittsburgh Steelers: Najee Harris, RB, Alabama: Harris is an elite talent at running back, with speed, explosiveness, elusiveness, physicality, and he is a true workhorse running back that can run inside or outside. His versatility allows him to catch passes out of the backfield and he can make defenders miss. The Steelers had the worst running game in the league which caused their offense to be one-dimensional. He will improve the Steelers’ backfield immensely. 

25th overall - Jacksonville Jaguars: Greg Newsome II, CB, Northwestern: Ever since the Jaguars lost Jalen Ramsey, they have been inconsistent in their secondary. Newsome is a sound investment at cornerback. Newsome is an excellent athlete with the length to disrupt passes, and he’s also astute and reads the field well. He’s tough, athletic, and has excellent technique to shut down opponents. If he stays healthy, he’ll be a great addition.

26th overall - Cleveland Browns: Azeez, EDGE, Georgia: At 6’4”, 249 pounds, he is the perfect size to be a pure pass rusher in a base 3-4 scheme. He has the speed, agility, physicality, the juke moves to rush the passer, and has the strength to shed blocks. He can also stop the run. He doesn’t have the size to be a 4-3 defensive end, but is versatile and can transition to LB.

27th overall - Baltimore Ravens: Terrace Marshall Jr., WR, LSU: The Ravens brought in Sammy Watkins, who is a reliable target. They also have a pretty good run game. To help out Lamar Jackson develop, even more, Marshall Jr. is a good late first-round choice. Marshall boasts an elite size/speed combination, and he is a player who can make plays all over the field. He also has a good route running ability, good body control, and can make plays after the catch.

28th overall - New Orleans Saints: Jamin Davis, LB, Kentucky: The Saints had to shed a lot of salary to get under the cap. The Saints could go cornerback or defensive line, however, after cutting Kwon Alexander, the Saints feel linebacker is the best route. Davis is very athletic, had a great college career, and put up incredible numbers at his pro day, including a 4.48 40-yard dash, a 42-inch vertical, and a 132-inch broad jump. He can stop the run and he is physical. 

29th overall - Green Bay Packers: Kadarius Toney, WR, Florida: The Packers could go with a center after the departure of Corey Linsley, however, they have depth on the o-line, versatile players that can play multiple positions, and a multitude of picks later in the draft to address OL. Toney is agile, athletic, explosive off the line of scrimmage, which creates separation from CBs, has good hands, and can make huge plays after the catch. He would excel with Matt Lafleur.

30th overall - Buffalo Bills: Jaelan Phillips, EDGE, Miami: The Bills still have a talented defense, with a great secondary and a good linebacker core led by Matt Milano and Trumaine Edmunds. However, they became an offensive-oriented team last year with Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs. Philips is arguably the best edge rusher in the draft. He has exceptional hand quickness, explosiveness, juke moves, block-shedding ability, and precision for his experience level. He has promise despite injury concerns.

31st overall - Kansas City Chiefs: Alijah Vera-Tucker, OL, USC: There were some concerns about the Chiefs offensive line after the Super Bowl and they cut both of their tackles, Eric Fisher and Mitchell Schwartz. They brought in guard Joe Thuney and will have guard Laurent Duvernay Tardiff back, who opted out last year. Vera-Tucker is versatile and has excelled at both the tackle and guard positions. With size, athleticism and strength, he’ll stabilize the o-line.

32nd overall - Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Christian Barmore, DT, Alabama: The Bucs brought back all 22 of their starters, which is incredible but rare. With no glaring weaknesses or needs,

this signing will provide even more depth to an already phenomenal defense. He had a great year with the Crimson Tide. He flashed athleticism, strength, and heavy hands-on tape, and rotating behind veterans like Ndamukong Suh, Vita Vea, and William Gholston is beneficial.

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Any updates or potential trades will come as needed in a mock draft 2.0.

Analyzing the Toronto Raptors’ trade deadline moves

By: Adamo Marinelli

March 27, 2021

     In one of the most highly anticipated trade deadlines for the Toronto Raptors, all fans were left shocked by the results of it. 

     The Raptors had an 18-26 record entering free agency and had lost nine of their last 10 games. 

     This team looked utterly defeated and rumours of an overhaul were getting louder. There were rumors that the Raptors - at the right price - would move on from Kyle Lowry and Norman Powell, two of the best players on the team this season. 

     There were also rumors that the Raptors would go after a true center, after playing the first half or more of the season without one. 

      The Raptors were surprisingly busy at the trade deadline, but not exactly in all the ways we expected. 

     The Raptors did trade SG Norman Powell - who has been playing the best basketball of his career, averaging 19.7 points per game, 3.0 rebounds per game, 1.8 assists per game, has been shooting lights out from the field and from three, and has been very good defensively - to the Portland Trail Blazers for SG Gary Trent Jr., who is a young talent who can shoot the ball well and play good defense and SF Rodney Hood who can be a veteran mentor to the young guys on the team. 

     I think it was a good move to sell high on Norman Powell, especially when he is playing the best ball of his career as a starter, but I do believe the Raptors could have gotten more for Powell. They probably could have gotten a first-round pick or a few second-round picks for Powell. 

     Powell was under contract until the end of the 2022 season, however, I worry the Raptors might have gotten even less for Powell at next year’s trade deadline, especially if his play drops off, which is a possibility. And I do not want Powell to leave in free agency next season for nothing, so the deal wasn’t all bad.

     For the Blazers, Powell will be a great addition to a very talented core of Damien Lillard, C.J. McCollum, Carmelo Anthony, etc. They should be able to make an extended run in the playoffs, sitting at sixth place in the western conference.

     In terms of a grade, I give the Raptors a B+. They sold high on Powell and got a young piece to add to their core of Fred Van Vleet, Pascal Siakam, and OG Anunoby, and a crafty veteran but could have gotten a few draft picks for Powell too.

     The second move they made was trading guard Matt Thomas to the Utah Jazz for a future second-round pick. 

     I did not expect Thomas to be traded, however, Head Coach Nick Nurse has not played Thomas a lot this season and that has led to underwhelming stats for Thomas. He has only played in 26 games this year, for most of those games, he only played in garbage time, which explains the 2.6 points per game, 0.8 rebounds per game, and 0.3 assists per game. 

     Unfortunately, for the Raptors, they are losing out on Thomas’ excellent three-point shooting ability but his defense was not up to standard for Nick Nurse, which resulted in limited playtime. 

     For the Jazz, Thomas coming off the bench could provide a boost to the Jazz’s team shooting ability which will help the Jazz continue to dominate the Western Conference.

     For the Raptors, a future second-round pick in return for Thomas is a good return considering he only has two years of NBA experience and for someone who unfortunately gets little playing time. This trade gets a B. 

     The third trade the Raptors made was trading guard Terrence Davis to the Sacramento Kings for a future second-round pick.

     Terrence Davis has the potential to be an all-star in the NBA but with his inconsistent performance last season and the criminal charges he faced at the beginning of the season, it was only a matter of time before the Raptors traded Davis. 

     For a youngster who has only two years of NBA experience, acquiring a draft pick is a good return especially if you are on the outside of the playoffs looking in, like the Raptors who are in the midst of a minor rebuild. 

     Davis is coming off the bench like Thomas but is receiving more playing time than Thomas and his stats are not much better. He is averaging 6.9 points per game, 1.9 rebounds per game, and 1.1 assists per game this season, while shooting 41% from the field and 36% from three, a downgrade from last season. 

     The Raptors get a second-round pick to help with their rebuild and to build a better team in the future and the KIngs get a guard who has the potential to be an all-star but who is inconsistent at times. 

     Now, the trade that didn’t happen. The Raptors did not end up trading Kyle Lowry at the deadline and the best Raptor of all time is set to become a free agent at the end of the season. 

     According to ESPN NBA analyst Adrian Wojnarowski, the Raptors did not trade Lowry because they could not find a deal that compelled them to move on from Lowry. 

     In other words, teams did not trade for Lowry because teams were underpaying for him: they weren’t willing to give the Raptors what they thought Lowry was worth. 

     And to be honest, I am glad the Raptors did not sell Lowry for less than what he is worth because he is quite possibly the best Raptor of all time. The Raptors can’t disrespect Lowry by trading him for peanuts.

     Part of the reason teams were not willing to buy high on Lowry, despite the fact he is playing amazing basketball, even at age 35, is because he is a free agent at the end of the season, and given his high salary expectations, teams were unsure if they had the budget to sign him long term.

     For the Raptors, given their lackluster record at this time and how the Bulls who are 10th place in the East (one spot ahead of the Raptors at 11th in the East) jumped through hoops to improve their roster at the trade deadline, I think it would be in the Raptors’ best interest to tank the rest of the season and get a lottery pick to fill their needs (either for a pure center or someone who can create their own shots). This will be better for the Raptors in the long term.

Toronto Blue Jays’ 2021 free agency recap & season expectations

By: Adamo Marinelli

Feb. 19, 2021

     The Toronto Blue Jays benefited from the expanded playoff bracket in 2020. It was their first postseason berth in four years. They were swept in two consecutive games by the first seed Tampa Bay Rays but the young, talented team showed a lot of grit playing their home games in Buffalo and a lot of promise for the future.

     The Blue Jays meant business in free agency this season. They improved their starting pitching, bullpen, and improved their defense, both in the infield and outfield. 

     In addition to their young core consisting of Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Hyun-jin Ryu, Bo Bichette, Cavan Biggio, Randall Grichuk, Rowdy Tellez, and Lourdes Gurriel among others, they added superstar George Springer to improve the outfield, they brought in Marcus Semien at shortstop and they brought in Kirby Yates, David Phelps, and Francisco Liriano to help their bullpen, which was their biggest position of need last season. 

     The Blue Jays have Hyun-jin Ryu as their day-one starting pitcher. He was the Blue Jays’ best pitcher last season and has a lot of talent and a high ceiling entering year two of his four-year deal. Nate Pearson is second on the rotation. He does have a lot of talent but missed time last season due to an injury. 

     After that, it gets a little shaky. The next spots on the rotation would go to Robbie Ray, who gets a lot of strikes, but walks batters often; Thomas Hatch, who had an impressive rookie campaign last year; and Tanner Roark who struggled mightily last season. Another starting pitcher alongside Ryu and Pearson could go a long way against the talented competition in the AL. The Blue Jays showed interest in both Taijuan Walker and James Paxton, both viable options.

     The Blue Jays also improved their bullpen and signed closer Kirby Yates, reliever David Phelps, and reliever Francisco Liriano who they signed to a minor league deal and who has a chance to compete for a roster spot at spring training. These guys will help immediately improve a questionable Blue Jays bullpen consisting of Jordan Romano, A.J Cole, Ross Stripling, etc.

     The Blue Jays were not afraid to go big during free agency. Their goal is to become true contenders for a World Series title instead of being a team on the fringes hoping the dominoes fall the right way for them. With all the talent on their roster, the Blue Jays have the potential not only to make the playoffs but to have a deep playoff run.

      The Blue Jays’ offense is young and despite having a lot of talent it can be shaky at times. With impact hitters like George Springer - who is a World Series MVP and one of the best players in the MLB - on their roster in addition to the young guys they had the previous season, it could very well be the boost they need to be a top 10, even possibly top 5 offense in the MLB. However, the Blue Jays are a mostly right-handed team - only Biggio and Tellez swing left - and the Blue Jays also have no switch hitters. There is no single solution, no number one players to sign, which reduces the urgency of the Blue Jays to make a move. There are many interesting players available in both free agency and on the trade market, like Brad Miller and Marwin Gonzalez or Colin Moran and Adam Frazier, respectively. 

     The Blue Jays hope to return to a bit of normalcy this year. Despite starting the season in Dunedin, Florida at their spring training facility, if restrictions loosen, they may be able to play some home games in Toronto, which will be huge for the confidence of this young squad. 

     The Blue Jays hope their new normal can be a return to the playoffs after missing the postseason for four consecutive years before 2020. 

     However, it won’t be easy for the Blue Jays. They play in a tough AL East division in a tough AL conference with many skilled teams all battling for a playoff spot.

     The Blue Jays’ biggest competition in the AL East is the World Series finalist Tampa Bay Rays. Next, are the New York Yankees and Boston Redsox who had an off-year last season. 

     It would be difficult for the Blue Jays to win their division. They do have a lot of talent on their roster and if they make a few more moves before the season, it is a strong possibility but I predict the Rays win the AL East. The Blue Jays will give the Rays a run for their money though. The Blue Jays will finish second in the AL East, earning a wildcard spot and both the Yankees and Redsox will finish below the Blue Jays.

     I believe the Oakland Athletics will repeat as AL West champions and the Chicago White Sox will claim the AL Central title after being one game back of the Minnesota Twins last season. The Blue Jays will battle the Cleveland Indians in the AL wild-card game and win. They will move on and play the number one seed Rays in the ALDS. 

      Whether the Blue Jays can beat the Rays is another story, and anything is possible, but that will be an interesting series no matter what.

Super Bowl 55 - Analysis and Predictions

V.S.

             Kansas City Chiefs (14-2)                             Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11-5)

Sunday, February 7, 2021 

Raymond James Stadium

Tampa Bay, Florida

6:30 pm ET

     Tampa Bay: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers become the first team in NFL history to host a Super Bowl in their home stadium after their impressive defensive performance propelled them to victory over the NFC leading Green Bay Packers in the NFC title game. 

      The Chiefs, after not appearing in a Super Bowl for 50 years, are set to play in back-to-back Super Bowls and have their sights set on becoming the eighth team to win back-to-back Super Bowls in NFL history. 

       The Chiefs do have a lot of talent on their roster and one of the best coaches in the NFL but looked rather questionable and somewhat inconsistent in the second half of the season. From week nine until week 16, they won all their games - which is impressive - by a margin of only seven or fewer points. 

     For as dominant an offense as they normally are, many were not quick to guarantee the Chiefs would be back in the Super Bowl for the second straight year with other teams in the AFC like Cleveland, Buffalo, and Baltimore.

      However, they were able to secure the AFC’s first seed, squeak past the Browns in the divisional round after Mahomes was ruled out with a concussion in the third quarter and they outmuscled the Bills defensively in the AFC championship.

      Their defense is not the best, but is good situationally, ranking top 10 in points allowed, interceptions, and takeaways. However, they are not the best at rushing the passer finishing 19th in sacks and were bottom half in the league in pass yards and pass TDs allowed. They are 11th worst in rush yards allowed but kept opposing running backs out the endzone well, finishing 10th best. 

      Tyran Mathieu is one of the best safeties in the league and he will need to have a good game defensively to help limit Brady and the Buccaneers' offense.

     On the other side of the ball, the Chiefs have one of the best offenses in the NFL and a multitude of weapons in both the run and pass game. They are much better in the passing game, however.

     They lead the league in pass yards, rank third in pass TDs, sixth in points scored, and first in total yards. In the run game, they were less impressive finishing 16th in yards and bottom 10 in the league in rush TDs. 

      Regardless, the Chiefs are tough for any defense. If your team drops too many guys into coverage, the Chiefs will run the ball - they are not the best running team, but they can run the ball well if needed. If you load the box to stop the run and play zone defense, Mahomes will pass the ball to one of his receivers who will find a hole in the zone, or to the reliable Travis Kelce - who always seems to be wide open. 

      Opposing defenses need to apply constant pressure on Mahomes, by blitzing with four or five guys to have enough players to play man defense with safety help too. They need to contain Mahomes, keeping him in the pocket, to avoid letting him scramble to buy his receivers time.

     The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a lot of talent on offense and defense too, which has helped them get to the Super Bowl. 

      They started the year 6-2, lost three of the next four games - including losing 27-24 to the Chiefs in week 12 after being torched by Tyreek Hill in the first quarter - to fall to 7-5. They have won seven straight games; four in a row to finish the season 11-5, then proceeded to beat the Washington Football Team in the wild card game, beat the Saints - who they lost to twice in the regular season - in the divisional round after forcing four turnovers and beat the Packers in a great defensive performance in the NFC title game.

     They have several weapons that Tom Brady can pass to, including Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Rob Gronkowski, Cameron Brate, and Scotty Miller. The Bucs ranked third in the league in points scored, second in pass yards, second in pass TDs. However, they finished bottom five in the league in rush yards but can get into the endzone on the ground finishing top 15 in rush TDs. 

      Tom Brady has been very efficient in the red zone and has had many pass attempts of over 20+ yards this season, and been quite successful in that area.

      The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a tremendous defense. They are the best rush defense in the NFL allowing the fewest rush yards and TDs. They are slightly worse against the pass, finishing 21st in pass yards and 20th in pass TDs allowed. They finished the season allowing the 13th most points in the league.

     The Bucs do have the advantage in sacks, finishing with the fourth-most sacks in the league compared to the Chiefs at 19 and they have created more turnovers on defense, ranking fifth best in takeaways; the Chiefs were 10th best. 

     Mahomes is elusive and speedy, so he is hard to sack. But, left tackle Eric Fisher will miss the Super Bowl with an injury, so the Bucs will try to use that to their advantage. If Jason Pierre Paul and Devin White have a good of a game as they did in the NFC championship game generating pressure and sacks, the Chiefs might have to use some extra tight end formations to help block. 

      Both offenses are very good, however, the Chiefs have the slight advantage. Both defenses are very good, however, the Bucs have the slight advantage. Whichever team makes the most defensive plays and generates the more turnovers will win this game. 

       For the Chiefs, the keys to victory are to use blocking schemes with extra tight ends to make up for the loss of Eric Fisher and to avoid letting Mahomes be under constant pressure. They must also use the run game to open up the passing game and vice versa. Basically, if the Bucs have a lot of guys up front, throw the ball downfield, if they have a lot of guys playing coverage, run the ball. Also, the Chiefs need to generate pressure on Tom Brady without blitzing and that starts with Chris Jones. If they can get pressure without blitzing, they can double cover the Bucs’ best offensive weapons like Mike Evans and Rob Gronkowski, this will help out their secondary and make their lives easier. Also, the secondary has to play lights out. Like I said, whichever defense gets the most takeaways will win this game. The Chiefs secondary is not the best but it excels in the spotlight. It needs to play well tomorrow night. Also, the Chiefs are sneaky good with trick plays, they need to find an appropriate time to run a trick play for big yardage or take some shots downfield with Hill.

     For the Bucs, the keys to victory include protecting Tom Brady from the Chiefs’ pass rush, which can be pretty dangerous. This will give Brady time to find open receivers downfield; they need to attack the Chiefs’ secondary because they have skilled players to do it. Someone will always be open. Also, the running backs need to be effective for the Bucs to open up the Chiefs’ secondary. Most importantly, the Buccaneers cannot squander any offensive possessions and must trade field goals for touchdowns, because we know the Chiefs can score at will. They also cannot turn the ball over, like they did several times against the Packers. Unlike the Packers, the Chiefs can make you pay. Finally, they need to generate pressure without blitzing five or more guys, their four-man defensive line must generate pressure on its own or with one other linebacker, to keep Mahomes in the pocket and to allow the Bucs to play man coverage - even perhaps double cover Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce - with safety help.

      This game will be extremely entertaining and it will be a close game because both teams are very talented on offense and defense. However, I believe the Bucs’ secondary will make one more play defensively than the Chiefs - whether it be a sack or an interception - and the Bucs will win a close, high-scoring game 35-32.

      Will Brady win his seventh Super Bowl ring and solidify his legacy as the best QB to ever play the game or will Mahomes and the Chiefs run it back? Let me know what you think. Tune in to Super Bowl 55 tomorrow night at 6:30 EST to find out.

NFL Playoff Predictions 2021

By: Adamo Marinelli

January 7, 2021

AFC wild card:

(7) Colts vs (2) Bills: The Colts have a good team, especially their defense, but the Bills have been one of the best offenses in the NFL to finish the year and they are on a six-game win streak, winning each game by at least 10 points. Josh Allen is a threat with his arms and legs and the Bills have a lot of weapons. I do think Philip Rivers and Nyheim Hines will have a great offensive performance and keep the game relatively close until the 2nd half, but the Bills will win 38 - 24. 

(6) Browns vs (3) Steelers: The Browns got into the playoffs with a week 17 win over the Steelers. The Steelers started 11-0 and have since been vulnerable: not being able to set up a run game, big Ben has been forced to pass over 45 times a game. The Browns have an amazing run game with Kareem Hunt and Nick Chubb and setting up a run game to win time of possession is huge in the playoffs. They'll do just that and the Browns will upset the Steelers, 31 - 27.

(5) Ravens vs (4) Titans: Both of these teams have an excellent rushing attack. The Ravens rush by committee with Lamar Jackson, J.K. Dobbins, and Gus Edwards. They rushed for over 400 yards in their week 17 win. The Titans have Derrick Henry who rushed for over 2000 yards this season, winning the rushing title by a huge margin. Both offenses are good, but I believe the Titans offense just has more weapons and history on their side against Baltimore to make up for their suspect pass rush and 29th ranked secondary. The Titans will run the ball well, control the clock and not turn the ball over to win a close one 27-25. Lamar’s struggles continue.

NFC Wild Card: 

(7) Bears vs (2) Saints: The Bears earned the final wild-card spot in the NFC with an 8-8 record. Both their quarterbacks struggled mightily this season - Mitch Trubisky’s stats were helped out by an easy strength of schedule to finish the year. Against a talented and gritty Saints secondary - which has been slightly less effective to close out the year - it will be tough trekking for the Bears, who will have to rely heavily on their run game. Even without Alvin Kamara, the Saints still have a potent offense. Saints win, 33 - 21. 

 

(6) Rams vs (3) Seahawks: The Rams beat the Cardinals with a backup QB to get into the playoffs. Even with Jared Goff, who is likely to return from his thumb injury, the Seahawks secondary will be a tough task. It started the year pretty underwhelming but has since improved, thanks to Jamal Adams’ role in coverage and pass rush. Russell Wilson and the Seahawks offense is not as overpowered as it was in the first half of the year but is still enough to win games. A strong mix of the run and pass game will help the Seahawks win, 24 - 16. 

(5) Buccaneers vs (4) WFT: The biggest strength of this young team is the defensive line headlined by all-star Chase Young and their young running back, Antonio Gibson. The Buccaneers’ defense has been pretty good all season long and they have a lot of weapons on offense, like Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Rob Gronkowski, Ronald Jones, etc. Brady started the season struggling but has since been clicking with his offense, throwing over 40 TDs. If Washington has any chance to win, they need to blitz Brady all game long and cause a constant disturbance in the backfield. If Brady can complete quick passes, it’s tough to stop. Bucs win, 28-17.

AFC Divisional Round:

(6) Browns vs (1) Chiefs: The Browns have a great running game and the one weakness this excellent Chiefs team has is their run defense, which is significantly worse than their pass defense. The Chiefs have one of the most explosive offenses in the league, especially with all the weapons they have such as Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill, and Travis Kelce. If the Chiefs get out to an early lead, which they are prone to do, and force the Browns to pass, it will be tough going for the Browns. Chiefs win a close game 28-21. 

(4) Titans vs (2) Bills: The Titans and Bills are both very well-coached teams with a lot of talent. Derrick Henry will be the key to victory for Tennessee and they will have to stick to the run, control the clock and keep Josh Allen and company off the field if they want to win. Meanwhile, Josh Allen has a lot of weapons around him and the Titans’ defense has been battered with injuries. Their pass-rush is non-existent and their secondary is struggling. It is ranked 29th in the NFL and has allowed 36 pass TDs this year which will not help their chances to win against a potent Bills’ offense. But, the Titans will keep it close. Bills win a high-scoring affair 38 - 35.  

NFC Divisional Round:

(5) Buccaneers vs (1) Packers: The last time these teams played, the Buccaneers looked like the number one seed in their rout of the Packers. It was Aaron Rodgers’ worst game of the season with no touchdowns and two interceptions. I don’t think that happens again. The Bucs have a talented defense both upfront and in the secondary. The Packers have the best total offense in the league ahead of the Bills and Chiefs. So it might be a challenge to score points for Green Bay. Their run defense is not the best, even after Holding Henry to under 100 yards in week 16. So if they can rely on the run game to keep Brady off the field and get a quick lead to minimize the Buccaneers rushing attack, they will win, 33 - 29.

 

(3) Seahawks vs (2) Saints: The Seahawks offense started the season very well and Russell Wilson looked like an early MVP candidate but in the second half of the season, it has been less deadly. Their defense, especially their secondary was one of the worst to start the year but has improved significantly statistically throughout the year. The Saints offense has been effective, with and without Drew Brees this year. Alvin Kamara has been great all year and will be the key to victory in the playoffs with Michael Thomas’ injury and in limiting Drew Brees’ pass attempts. Taysom Hill and Emmanuel Sanders have been great too. Their defense, which was stout against the run has gotten beat a few times this year but it is still talented. Saints win a close game, 23 - 21. 

AFC Championship:

(2) Bills vs (1) Chiefs: These are the two best offenses in the AFC, which should make a great game. An interesting matchup to watch will be the Bills’ third-best passing offense against a Chiefs’ secondary that does have a lot of talent, but ranks 20th in passing TDs allowed. Another interesting matchup is the Chiefs’ passing attack which ranks first overall against the Bills’ offense which gives up the 9th fewest pass TDs and the 13th fewest yards. Both teams had a rushing attack in the middle of the pack, the Chiefs had more yards, but the Bills’ found more success getting into the endzone on the ground. The Chiefs and Bills both have top 10 offensive lines, giving up the fifth and ninth fewest sacks. If the Bills’ can and use Allen’s arms and legs to get to an early lead and establish a run game to keep Mahomes on the side, they’ll win 38-35. 

NFC Championship:

(2) Saints vs (1) Packers: These two teams are the best offenses in the NFC. The Packers lead the league in points scored and have scored the most passing touchdowns and total touchdowns in the NFL. The Saints have the most rush touchdowns and are top five in total offensive touchdowns. The Saints defense has their hands full with Aaron Rodgers, who will likely be the 2020 NFL MVP; Davante Adams, the best receiver in the league, Marques Valdes Scantling, and Aaron Jones. They will need to generate constant pressure on Aaron Rodgers and disrupt his throws and rhythm. They will likely attack the left tackle spot, with David Bhaktiari tore his ACL before the playoffs started. The Saints offense has a tall task scoring enough points to keep up with the explosive Packers’ offense.  Alvin Kamara and Emmanuel Sanders will have to have huge games. The Packers will win, 41 - 32.

Super Bowl 55:

(2) Bills vs (1) Packers: This would be a fantastic Super Bowl and my ideal matchup. Both teams have a top three overall offense and both teams have an MVP caliber quarterback and several elite wide receivers. Green Bay has the better running game, but Allen is the more mobile of the two QBs. Statistically, the Bills and Packers have both given up the ninth fewest pass touchdowns, the Packers gave up the eighth fewest rush touchdowns, the Bills have up the 12th fewest rush touchdowns. The Packers gave up the seventh-fewest pass yards, 13th fewest rush yards, meanwhile, the Bills have given up 13th fewest pass yards, 17th fewest rush yards. Both teams have an explosive offense and a stout defense, however, the Packers have the slight edge offensively & defensively. It will be a high scoring game, with both quarterbacks excelling all game long, but the edge will be given to the Packers because they have a better run game than the Bills and they will control the time of possession and the clock just enough to allow the Packers to come out on top. The Packers will win their fifth Super Bowl 45 - 41. 

Team Canada falls 2-0 to US, despite amazing tournament - World Junior Recap

By: Adamo Marinelli

January 6, 2021

     Team Canada were the heavy favorites to repeat as World Junior champions before the tournament started. During the tournament, Canada proved night in and night out that they were the best team. Unfortunately, they were bested by a very talented United States team in the Gold Medal game. 

     Before the Gold Medal game against the United States, Canada was the best defensive team at the tournament, allowing the fewest amount of goals; and they have been the best offensive team, scoring the most goals out of any team at the tournament. They have also outshot their opponents in every game, except in the quarterfinals against the Czech Republic. 

    Before the Gold Medal game, Canada had not given up a goal at even strength for the entire tournament; Canada did not trail once for the entire tournament; and they were always in the lead except when the game was 0-0. Canada had also only given up four goals.

     Canada’s physicality on defense and their forecheck was incredible the entire tournament and they gave very little room for their opponents to set up in the neutral zone. Canada had spent the majority of the tournament in their opponents’ offensive zone or in the neutral zone. 

     Canada’s goalie, Devon Levi, has had an amazing tournament. He was a perfect 6-0-0 and only allowed four goals before the Gold Medal game - all of which have come from the high slot. He did a good job containing shots and not allowing many rebounds. He tied a World Junior record with three shutouts in the tournament. In the loss to the US, he allowed two goals. Yet, he still set a World Juniors record for both save percentage at 0.964% and goals-against average at 0.75. 

     Canada went a perfect 4-0-0 in the group stage, beating Germany 16-2, Slovakia 3-1, Switzerland 10-0, and Finland 4-1. 

     In all four of those games, Canada was in complete control. They dominated time of possession, shots on goal, and spent the majority of the game in the attacking zone. They forechecked very well, were very physical on defense, did not allow their opponents to generate very many scoring chances and they constantly created turnovers. 

     In the quarterfinals, they beat the Czech Republic 3-0. It was a close game, and the Czechs played great defense, limiting Canada to 25 shots, their fewest total in the tournament. The Czech’s offense was firing on all cylinders, registering 12 shots in the first period, keeping the game close. Late in the first period, took control of the game, and after getting out to a 2-0 lead in the first period, they shut down the Czech Republic offense and only gave up 17 shots in the final 40 minutes. 

     In the semifinals, they dominated Russia 5-0, outshooting them 35-28. Canada was the better team, especially in the first period. They got out to a quick 3-0 lead outshooting the Russians 16-7 in the first period. They controlled the puck better, had more time of possession and the majority of the first period was played in Russia’s end. Canada would add two more goals cementing an excellent defensive performance, not allowing Russia to get many quality scoring chances. Canada’s forecheck was excellent, they caused a lot of turnovers and they won almost every puck battle. 

      It seemed that Canada’s goal to repeat as World Junior champions were very much in reach. This is one of the most skilled rosters Canada has put on the ice in World Junior history, containing 20 first-round draft picks from the last two seasons. Then, Canada hit a brick wall. Our neighbours to the south.   

     Many Canadians like to argue that Canada is a better hockey country and they produce better hockey players. The United States, however, has beaten Canada in four straight World Junior Gold Medal games: in 2004, 2010, 2017, and now 2021. 

     This Gold Medal game was played between the two best teams in the tournament. Canada had the number one offense and defense, the United States had the number two offense and defense. Both goalies have been fantastic too, but statistically, Devon Levi has had the edge over Spencer Knight. 

     However, the United States was simply the better team last night in their 2-0 win over Canada in the gold medal game. They were faster, they outshot Canada for the first two periods, they controlled time of possession, they won almost every single puck battle and the United States spent the majority of the first period in the Canadian end. The first goal by Alex Turcotte resulted after several consecutive shifts in the Canadian zone. The US generated a lot of pressure and got a lot of quality chances against Levi. 

     Early in the second period, Trevor Zegras - who was named the tournament MVP with seven goals, 11 assists and 18 points - scored to expand the United States’ lead to 2-0. The United States’ defense was excellent, they skated well, and like Canada had done all tournament forechecked well, caused Canada to commit turnovers and not be able to set up in the attacking zone to generate momentum. 

     After the 2-0 goal, Canada did a good job defensively, shutting the US offense down, limiting them to eight shots in the final 40 minutes, and only one shot in the third period. Whether or not the Americans were trying to sit on their lead, that is impressive defense and shows why Canada was the best defensive team. 

     In the second period, Canada’s offense started clicking and they moved the puck well, they started getting even in time of possession and they registered 25 shots on goal in the second and third period, many of those were quality scoring chances. However, the US defense bent but did not break and Spencer Knight stood on his head stopping all 34 Canadian shots for his third shutout of the tournament and the US won their fourth World Junior Gold Medal in 12 years. Canada has won three Gold Medals.

      Despite not winning the Gold medal, Team Canada still played well all tournament long and they had many amazing players. There were five Canadians on the top 12 scoring list including Dylan Cozens who finished with eight goals, eight assists, and 16 points, which was second only to Trevor Zegras.

     Congratulations to the US for their Gold Medal, Canada for their Silver Medal, and Finland for their Bronze Medal.

Will the United States be able to defend its World Junior crown next year? Or will Canada, Russia, or Finland get their revenge?