UEFA Nations League Semifinal and 3rd place match recap

Adamo Marinelli

October 10, 2021

     The world-record streak has officially come to an end. Italy, the defending European Champions, had held the record for most consecutive games unbeaten at 37. 

     On October 6, a 2-1 loss at the hands of their rival Spain in the Nations League Semifinal marked Italy’s first loss in over three calendar years. Their last loss came on September 10, 2018, against Portugal in the Nations League.

     This is only Roberto Mancini’s third loss as manager of the team. 

     Italy losing a football game simply does not happen all too often. Their last loss in a competitive match on home soil since 1999. 

     But against Spain, despite getting several scoring chances, the chips did not land in the Azzurri’s favor.

     Leonardo Bonucci was dismissed in the 42nd minute after two extremely questionable fouls that were both marked as yellow cards. 

     Ferran Torres was the hero for Spain, scoring two incredible goals in the first half. 

     Italy’s defense wasn’t as physical and controlling of play as they normally are. They didn’t disrupt Spain’s offense and left opponents open in scoring position. 

     They started the game without Giorgio Chiellini, an all-star and defensive anchor, but that doesn’t change the fact they did not look like themselves. Italy’s defense normally dictates play, controls the time of possession and uses the counterattack to generate offense. That was not the case against Spain.

     Spain took an early lead, gained all the momentum, and never looked back. They played their usual ‘ticky-tacky’ style of football. They dominated the time of possession, 75% to 25%, they controlled momentum and handily outshot Italy, by a 13-8 margin. However, Italy had five shots on target to Spain’s four. 

     Spain, like Italy, is a well-managed team under Luis Enrique. They have a lot of talent at both ends of the pitch and are hard enough to beat at full strength. But when you are playing down by two goals and with only 10 men on the pitch, beating Spain is nearly impossible. 

     When Spain is winning a match, it makes it even easier for them to follow their game plan and lay back on defense and play keep-away as they are in no urgency to score, unlike their opponents. 

     Italy, despite being down to only 10 men for the entirety of the second half, played well, generating several scoring chances and preventing Spain from doing any more damage offensively. 

     Italy ended Spain’s shutout bid in the 83rd minute when Lorenzo Pellegrini scored a tap-in goal which came from an assist from Frederico Chiesa who ran the distance of the field, past two Spain defenders, after Chiellini cleared a Spain corner kick. 

     Since winning the EUROs a mere three months ago, Italy hasn’t quite looked like themselves in their last four games, winning one, drawing two, and losing one.  

     Despite their recent struggles, including a blowout loss to Spain, Italy started to right the ship with a pretty convincing 2-1 win against Belgium in the third-place match of the Nations League Tournament. Belgium was without Romelu Lukaku and Eden Hazard who were both sent home after dealing with muscular soreness following their semifinal loss to France. Italy was without Bonucci who was serving a one-game suspension. Belgium won the possession battle 60% to 40% but Italy controlled the pace of the game, played solid defense, and opened things up in the second half with two nice goals, and never looked back. Belgium outshot Italy 13-12 but Italy had five shots on target to Belgium’s four.

     This was an important win for Italy and showed their resilience and ability to overcome adversity after an uncommon loss.

     Italy still controls its own destiny in the World Cup qualifiers. Through six games, Italy is three points ahead of Switzerland, which has a game in hand, but Italy has the better goal differential. Italy and Switzerland play each other on November 12. If Italy wins that game, they’re in the World Cup for the first time since 2014.

The 2021 Blue Jays: So Close, Yet so Far

Adamo Marinelli

Oct. 6, 2021

     The Toronto Blue Jays took care of business with a commanding 12-4 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday to close out the season with a record of 91-71. They went to the locker room in a jubilant mood looking forward to the potential of playing postseason baseball in the next few days.

     However, a walk-off RBI single from Aaron Judge lifted the New York Yankees to a 1-0 win over the Tampa Bay Rays and a two-run home run from Rafael Devers in the ninth helped cap off a 7-5 win for the Boston Red Sox who trailed 5-1 earlier in that game against the Washington Nationals. 

     With a win from both the Yankees and the Red Sox, the Blue Jays were officially eliminated from post-season contention. They missed the playoffs by just one game. Of course, coming short of the playoffs hurts, but knowing that they played meaningful games in late September, early October is a success for this young team.

     The Blue Jays had quite the eventful season. They played their home games in three different ballparks and played well at each one, they lost many key players to injuries throughout the year, their offense clicked all season long, and their bullpen, after struggling for the first half of the season finally received some depth at the trade deadline which propelled the Blue Jays on a late-season run. 

     Despite a 91 win campaign, their best season since they went 93-69 en route to the ALCS in 2015, the Blue Jays finished fourth in the AL East. There were four teams in the AL East with over 90 wins. That is remarkable and shows how tough it is to win in the AL.

          Second baseman Marcus Semien said, “We became the best team in baseball, but it was a tick too late.” He believes the Blue Jays will make the playoffs and could possibly win the division next season.

     The Blue Jays are quite frankly the best fourth-place team in recent MLB history. They didn’t have enough, in the end, to extend their season to a 163rd game, however, with the way their offense was dominating their opponents down the stretch, with the way their defense was executing at a high level, and with the way their starting rotation and bullpen limited opponents’ offensive success, they would have been a tough out for any playoff opponent and would have been a dark horse to win the World Series.

     However, this team knows it’s not the end. They are a very young team with a lot of talent and playing high-stakes games towards the end of the season is a great learning experience for these guys. 

     Also, next season, they will play all their 81 home games in Toronto instead of being forced to play in Buffalo and Florida because of COVID-19. Based on the way the fans in Toronto reacted to having the Blue Jays back, it will give the team the boost they need to win a few more games here and there. Also, the Blue Jays only played in front of 15,000 fans at the Rogers Center except for the last homestand of the season where they played in front of 30,000 fans. Imagine next year when Rogers’ Center is at full capacity with 53,500 people. Not to mention, playing in Toronto the entire year will reduce travel and help the team be more rested.

     The Blue Jays will use this shortcoming as motivation to be even better as a team next year, which a lot of World Series Champions do the season before they become World Champions.

     Many fans will look back to this season and point out the early season bullpen struggles for why the Blue Jays lost games and therefore missed the playoffs. At one point, the Blue Jays lost eight relievers to injury, which contributed to some late-inning losses. 

     They addressed this issue and added more talent and experience at the trade deadline, but they will have to continue improving the bullpen this offseason by adding one or two more veterans to help the young closers. Jordan Romano, Adam Cimber, and Tim Mayza are all reliable closers, but you can never have too much depth. Relievers like Mark Melancon, Kendall Graveman, and Ian Kennedy are all free agents that come at a modest price.

     However, it wasn’t just the bullpen. Charlie Montoyo made some questionable decisions regarding his rotation and who to play in the bullpen and when. Also, the offense struggled at some points during the year, albeit on a rare occasion.

     This will be an important offseason for the Blue Jays. The Blue Jays management and front office will do their own analysis and evaluation on where they came up short this year and how they can improve for next year. The Blue Jays have several key free agents like CY Young candidate pitcher Robbie Ray, and an electrifying second baseman Marcus Semien. I’d make it a high priority to sigh both of them as they both had tremendous seasons. 

     But if they could only afford to sign one, I’d take Semien, who contributes to this high octane offense on a regular basis and is a fantastic base runner and a great defenseman who can make any play look easy. He is also a great leader. 

     The Blue Jays could find another high-profile pitcher to be on the starting rotation in free agency and/or draft someone who they can develop. The Blue Jays pitching coach Pete Walker is one of the best in the league at getting his guys to make the necessary adjustments to deal with any scenario with several unique arsenals of pitches. However, Ray, a very talented pitcher, is not easy to replace.

     This offense, which was one of the best in the MLB this year is only going to get better next year after scoring over 260 HRs, having four players with over 100 RBIs, and having Vladimir Guerrero Jr. who tied Salvador Perez with a league-leading 48 home runs. If they can resign most of their key 2022 free agents like Ray, Semien, Kirby Yates, and Joakim Soria, their defense will get better, their starting rotation will improve and they will have a bullpen with lots of talent that plays consistently all season long. 

     If all goes to plan, barring any major injuries, next year, the Blue Jays have the potential not only to make the playoffs but also to win the AL East, one of the best divisions in the MLB.

2021 Panda Game Recap

Adamo Marinelli

October 5, 2021

     In the first battle for Pedro since 2019, the Ottawa U GeeGee’s held on to win a close game, 19-17 over the Carleton Ravens. The GeeGee’s have won three consecutive Panda Games.

      The COVID-19 pandemic forced the OUA to cancel the 2020 football season, including the Panda Game.

       A sold-out crowd of approximately 15,000 people braved the rain to see their schools compete against each other in the 52nd annual Panda Game.

      TD Place had full COVID-19 measures in effect for the game, including proof of being fully vaccinated to enter the stadium and masks to be worn at all times in the stadium.

      The rivalry was very strong between both schools and their fans after not being able to play in this game last year. 

     The Ravens took a 7-0 lead with a touchdown run from fifth-year running back Nathan Carter who broke the all-time Carleton rushing record. He broke Mark Brown’s record of 2,759 career rush yards which has stood since 1988. 

     The GeeGee’s scored 16 unanswered points, including a deep touchdown pass, two field goals, a safety, and a punt single, to take a 16-7 lead.  

      In the fourth quarter, the Ravens scored a touchdown and a field goal to take a 17-16 lead. The Ravens' comeback was aided by several GeeGee's turnovers including multiple fumbles, a few muffed punts, and an interception.

The Ravens took a one-point lead into the final three minutes of the game, looking to snap their losing streak against the GeeGee's at the Panda Game. However, they could not hold on.

      With a minute left in the fourth quarter, GeeGee’s kicker Campbell Fair tied Lewis Ward’s Panda Game record with a 45-yard game-winning kick to secure the GeeGee’s 19-17 win.

      With Pedro the Panda staying at the University of Ottawa for another year, the Ravens will look to snap the losing streak next season. 

      With the loss, the Ravens fall to 1-2 on the season. With the win, the GeeGee’s improve to 1-2 on the year.

      While this game certainly means a lot to the current players and fans of both schools, some long-time alumni of both schools, particularly those who played university football, still get together every year and watch the game as an annual tradition.

      Despite added security, the damage and destruction after the game were still rampant in the Sandy Hill area which may pose serious implications regarding future Panda Games.

A playoff push to remember for the Blue Jays?

Adamo Marinelli

September 29, 2021

     The Blue Jays made the playoffs for the first time since their dominant 2016 season in a shortened 60 game campaign last year thanks to an expanded 16 team playoff bracket. This year, the Blue Jays hoped to use their talent to make the 10 team playoffs in a 162 game season.

     This season has been a wild ride for the Blue Jays. But overall, it has been a great one. 

     The Blue Jays offense showed sparks of excellence last season and it has only gotten better this season. 

     The Blue Jays added a lot of talent to their offense like George Springer and Marcus Semien, two players who can provide a spark on offense and can be a veteran presence to a young core consisting of guys like Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Cavan Biggio, and Teoscar Hernandez among others. 

     Guerrero Jr. has had an MVP-caliber season so far. At one point, he led the league in home runs, runs batted in and hits, and was going for the triple crown. He now is second in home runs with 46, second in hits with 183, and is seventh in runs batted in with 106. 

     It’s not just Guerrero Jr. who is talented offensively. Marcus Semien is fourth in the league in home runs with 43. Also, guys like Teoscar Hernandez and Bo Bichette can also hit homers regularly with 31 and 28 respectively this season. 

     The Blue Jays also have four players with over 100 runs batted in. Hernandez has 112, Guerrero has 106, Semien has 101 and Bichette also has 101.

     This team is loaded with youth and talent, especially on offense, and can beat any team on any given night as they’ve shown several times this season. 

     The Blue Jays spent most of the season sitting at around .500% going on winning streaks that would put them slightly above .500% and losing streaks that would put them slightly below .500%. 

      Given that they played their home games this season in Buffalo - they played in Buffalo last season too - they played pretty well, with their offense and starting pitching excelling on a normal basis. 

      The major problem was the inconsistency of their bullpen, which struggled to close games out - they had 17 losses while leading or tied after six innings -, struggled to keep games close in later innings for their offense, and which gave up many runs in late-game innings.  

     Their manager Charlie Montoyo was also criticized for his decisions regarding the bullpen. On several occasions, he put in an inexperienced pitcher to close out the game or took out someone who was playing well up to that point. The point being, the bullpen was the demise of the team thus far and needed fixing if the Blue Jays wanted any chance of making the playoffs.

     At the deadline, the Blue Jays made several moves to address their bullpen issues. Trevor Richards and especially Adam Cimber have been excellent down the stretch for the Blue Jays adding some extra depth to their core consisting of Kirby Yates, Jordan Romano, David Phelps, and Julian Merryweather. Joakim Soria has also been a great addition and can still pitch very well despite being 37. But left-handed pitcher Brad Hand did not pan out as the Blue Jays had hoped. He posted a 7.27 ERA and allowed 13 hits, three homers, and three walks over 8 2/3 innings in 11 appearances for the Blue Jays.

     The Blue Jays played 99 games this season in Buffalo. They came back to Toronto, on July 30th - trade deadline day - as energized as ever with a record of 51-48, right in the thick of the wild card race. 

     With their revamped bullpen closing out games, their offense rolling and their starting pitching rotation meeting and even exceeding expectations, the Blue Jays looked very good since their return home where they have gone 37-33. 

     That record is impressive, but in that time frame, the Blue Jays were better than they looked. They struggled in the middle of August losing 10 of 15 games most of which saw Ryu as the starting pitcher, but after making the switch to Robby Ray and Alex Manoah, the Blue Jays ended August and started September winning 15 of 17 games, going on a run that involved sweeping a four-game series against red-hot New York Yankees team in New York with Gerrit Cole pitching and scoring 44 runs in three dominant wins against the Baltimore Orioles. The offense exploded in that stretch, Ray played extremely well and the bullpen did their job closing out games with the help of their new additions. 

     That run got the Blue Jays back into the wild card race and it got their fanbase riled up, thinking about a return to the playoffs. After their dominant 8-1 win over the AL East division-leading Tampa Bay Rays on September 13, they had a one-game lead on the Boston Red Sox and the Yankees for the first wild card spot. 

      After the Blue Jays’ crucial, albeit dramatic 6-5 win over the Yankees on September 29, 2021, they now sit at 88-70 on the season, one game back of the 89-69 Red Sox - who own the second AL wildcard spot - and two games back of the 90-68 Yankees - who own the first AL wildcard spot. 

      With four games left on their calendar, it is a must-win for the Blue Jays down the stretch. If they can beat the Yankees tomorrow evening and then sweep their final three-game series against the Orioles, not only could the Blue Jays make the playoffs, but they could be the number one wild card team in the AL, which means hosting a playoff game at Rogers Center in front of 30,000 electric fans.

The stakes are high, the bar is set, let’s see what happens. The players are ready for postseason baseball in Toronto and suffice to say, so are the fans.

Ottawa Redblacks’ Mid-season Report

Adamo Marinelli

September 26, 2021

     Nearing the midway mark of a shortened CFL season, the Redblacks are sitting at 1-5 and have been outplayed in each of their last five games, all of which have been losses.

     Through six games, the Redblacks have the worst offense in the CFL. They have scored a league-worst 87 points (14.5 points per game) and have a CFL worst 1626 total offensive yards. The Redblacks’ offensive struggle is mainly due to Matt Nichols and Dominique Davis - the Redblacks’ two quarterbacks - both struggling this season to move the ball downfield and keep drives alive. 

     The Redblacks lead the CFL in two and outs, have lost most of the time of possession battles, and cannot keep drives alive. As a result, their defense is on the field for too long each game. To try to spark the offense, they brought in Devlin Hodges, an ex NFL QB for the Pittsburgh Steelers, which is a move that will hopefully spark some life into their offense.

     The Redblacks also have one of the worst defenses in the CFL. A unit that has a lot of talent and was supposed to be good under defensive coordinator Mike Benevides has struggled for most of this season. The Redblacks are giving up a league-worst 30 points per game and getting beat on the ground and through the air. In their five losses, they have been outscored 167-71. 

     The Redblacks have the second-worst pass defense - giving up just under 280 passing yards per game and 10 TDs through the air -  but are the fourth-best defense against the run only giving up 110 yards per game and 3 rushing TDs on the year.  

     The Redblacks struggle to get stops to get off the field on second down, they struggle to get turnovers - their defense has recorded only four interceptions, good for 7th best in the CFL - and they struggle to pressure the opposing QB, recording a CFL worst 10 sacks. 

     Their offensive line has not helped their young offense, allowing 20 sacks, the second-highest in the league behind the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. When the offense gets behind in down and distance, especially with many young and new pieces, it is difficult to keep drives alive. When their offensive line gives protection, the Redblacks offense punts and turns the ball over frequently.

     The Redblacks, despite their early-season struggles, still have some hope. They brought in several pieces on both sides of the ball, including Hodges to try and give the team a spark. Also, as the offense and defense get more time practicing with each other, their play on both sides of the ball will improve. 

     I wouldn’t be surprised if Hodges ends up being the starting quarterback in a few weeks' time. He is talented with his arm and his legs and can make defenses pay. However, it will take him some time to adapt to the CFL game. The move doesn’t automatically make the Redblacks playoff contenders.

     However, I do not believe any coaching changes are in order. This year is the first season this group has had together. In Paul LaPolice’s stint with the Blue Bombers, it took 4-5 years to build a team that eventually went on to win the Grey Cup. Things are difficult now, but the Redblacks know they can only go up from here. Hopefully, their rise to relevance will start soon. 

     In addition, the Redblacks are only 3.5 games back of the division lead. Six of their last eight games are against division opponents, so anything is possible. 

NFL Division Winners and AFC/NFC playoff seeding

Adamo Marinelli

September 8, 2021

With the opening game of the 2021 season less than a week away, it is time to predict which teams will win their division and what the seeding will be in the AFC and NFC playoffs. 

In the AFC East, the Buffalo Bills are the only true contenders to win the division. The Jets are still in a rebuilding phase, even with their new gunslinger Zach Wilson, their new head coach, and the weapons they have around Wilson, like Corey Davis who is a threat. Their defense also isn’t great. They lack talent at several positions defensively and have multiple injuries. The Patriots are moving forward with Mac Jones as their starting quarterback. They added some talent to a very limited wide receiving core like wide receivers Kendrick Bourne and Nelson Agholor and tight end Hunter Henry, but those guys will likely not be enough to push the Patriots over the Bills. Their running back core and offensive line are decent. Also, all of the defensive players that opted out last year will be back this season and they added some additional talent to their defense like linebacker Matthew Judon and defensive end Montravius Adams. However, this is a middle-of-the-pack defense at best that is facing many injuries, like cornerback Stefon Gilmore. It will not have enough to win the division. But they will remain competitive under Bill Belichick, who always finds a way to win. The Dolphins - who have an excellent defense, a talented group of wide receivers and running backs, a good offensive line, and a top 15 defense - are better than the Patriots and Jets and are a few pieces away from contending for a division title, but with the uncertainty behind QB Tua Tagovailoa, the Dolphins won’t win the division. For now, the honour belongs to the Bills - who went 13-3 last season and only look more dangerous this season. Their passing attack is excellent, their defense is elite and Josh Allen is only getting better. The only question is their running game, but Devin Singletary has the talent and the offensive line to be a top 15 running back in the NFL.

In the AFC North, the division can go to either the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Baltimore Ravens, or the Cleveland Browns. The Cincinnati Bengals got their franchise quarterback back from injury and drafted several skill players on offense and defense to fill some major holes in their roster, however, their offensive line is still a major problem and their defense is a subpar unit. Instead of drafting an offensive lineman in the first round of the last draft, they took wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, who is talented but struggled immensely in preseason games. They could shock a lot of people this year and make a surprise run, but I believe that they will need a few more years before they can compete for the division. The Pittsburgh Steelers have an excellent defense, - specifically, their front seven led by T.J Watt -, they drafted arguably the best running back in last year’s class to help their offense avoid being a one-dimensional unit, and still have one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, despite his struggles and injuries in recent years. Finally, Mike Tomlin has never had a losing season as a head coach. However, the Steelers’ offensive line is still underwhelming - you can’t run the ball if you can’t block - the secondary is middle of the pack and they have the toughest schedule in the NFL this season. They will not win the division. The Ravens and Browns are both loaded with talent on both sides of the ball. The Browns added some big names on defense in both free agency and the draft to get younger and faster. Baker Mayfield is only getting better after leading his team to a playoff win last season. The Browns also have one of the best run games in the NFL with Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt and Odell Beckham Jr. is back from injury. The Ravens have a top 10 overall defense and an explosive young QB in Lamar Jackson who can beat you with his arms and his legs. They also have a lot of talent around Jackson and only added more in the offseason. Their offensive line is very stable too, which will give Jackson time to throw and move the ball downfield. However, I believe the Browns win the AFC North on a tiebreaker with the Ravens.

In the AFC West, the Chiefs are still the favourites to win, but all three other teams are making significant strides to catch up with Patrick Mahomes and company. The Denver Broncos have one of the best defenses in the league and are loaded at defensive line, at linebacker, and in the secondary. They have a lot of weapons at skill positions on offense, at wide receiver, running back, and tight end. Their offensive line is not great, but not bad and their quarterback battle was won by Teddy Bridgewater. He is not an elite quarterback by any means and his touchdown ceiling isn’t super high, but he doesn’t make many mistakes - which has been the issue at QB in Denver for a while. Drew Lock has potential but just makes too many mistakes forcing the ball downfield. The Los Angeles Chargers have found their franchise QB in Justin Herbert and his talent, decision-making, athleticism, and poise make him look like a 10-year veteran. They improved their offensive line in the draft and Keenan Allen and Austin Ekeler are dangerous at receiver and running back. They also hired Brandon Staley, a talented new coach as well, which will propel them upwards after years of disappointment under Anthony Lynn. Their defense is solid, but it will hold them back this season as they lack depth at pass rusher, linebacker, and in the secondary. They too, will not be able to keep up with the Chiefs. The Las Vegas Raiders are another team that despite having talent has underperformed the last few seasons. They have a handful of skill players on offense to aid Derek Carr, like Henry Ruggs, Josh Jacobs, and Darren Waller at tight end. However, behind Ruggs, John Brown is 30 years old coming off an injury and the others are irreplaceable. Also, the Raiders are playing in a very tough division and are arguably the worst of the four teams on paper. Finally, their defense is trending downwards, and getting older. Gruden faces immense pressure to get a winning season after recording two losing seasons and one season at .500%. The Chiefs, after a disappointing blowout Super Bowl loss, only improved their secondary, their run defense, their pass rush, and their offensive line in the offseason. Patrick Mahomes is still incredibly talented and this team is loaded with weapons all over the place on offense. Andy Reid is still a top 5 coach in the NFL and this team is extremely difficult to stop. Chiefs will take the division for another year with relative ease and finish just behind the Bills in the playoff picture. Next season, it may not be as easy for the Chiefs to win the division.

In the AFC South, it is a race between the Indianapolis Colts and the Tennessee Titans. The Texans have arguably the worst roster in the entire league and may not even have Deshaun Watson under center considering his off-field legal issues. The Jacksonville Jaguars have a bright future with quarterback Trevor Lawrence and head coach Urban Meyer, but will not be strong enough to compete for a division title this season. Meyer is unproven as a coach in the NFL despite all his college success. Also, Lawrence as good as he is will have a hard time behind the lackluster offensive line, and rookie running back Travis Etienne is out for the year with an injury. Of course, they still have the reliable James Robinson but every weapon lost hurts in Jacksonville. The Titans’ offense will be looking stronger than ever, with Derrick Henry coming off a 2000+ rush yards season where he recorded 17 touchdowns. They also have Ryan Tannehill, a very underrated and talented QB, throwing the ball to A.J Brown and Julio Jones, two very dangerous wide receivers. Jones automatically puts the Titans into the conversation of teams who can contend for the Super Bowl. The only concern for the Titans is if Tannehill gets injured - he has a long history of injuries - they don’t really have a backup to take his spot. They are also in a tough division with Indianapolis and their defense is suspect in some areas. The Colts also look very good with a spectacular defense, a top 5 offensive line, and a decent group of skill players including running back Nyheim Hines. Carson Wentz, the new quarterback in Indy was supposed to miss most of the season after surgery but now looks ready for week one. He is a great quarterback with a lot of potential and a high ceiling. He has a great roster around him and is working with Frank Reich, the coach responsible for his miraculous 2017 year in Philadelphia. With the roster around him and his coach, he will revert back to prime form and lead the Colts to a division win finishing in front of the Titans with a tiebreaker.

The NFC East is still the worst division in the NFL despite having the most combined Super Bowl victories. The Eagles are a complete mess right now. They are projected to have one of the worst records in the NFC. They have a lot of weak spots on their roster, are dealing with some injuries, and have a lot to prove under Nick Sirianni - their new head coach - and Jalen Hurts, their young, but athletic quarterback. They addressed their receiver core by drafting Heisman trophy winner Devonta Smith, but their secondary is still questionable and their offensive line is mediocre due to injuries and some retirements. But their pass rush and defensive line are pretty talented units. They won’t make the playoffs, but they will win 6-7 games. The Cowboys have a great offense that can score at will, led by Dak Prescott, Amari Cooper, and Ezekiel Elliott but their defense, especially their secondary, is still one of the worst units in the league. Even with their offense producing at a high level like at the beginning of last year, they won’t win over 10-11 games if their defense can’t make a stop. They didn’t address their secondary enough in the offseason to make a significant improvement. However, they did address their pash rush - which should help their secondary a bit - and their offensive and defensive lines are still good. The Giants have a top 15 defense with a good pass rush and an even better secondary but Daniel Jones is likely not the long-term answer at quarterback. Offensive coordinator Jason Garrett isn’t ideal for a team contending to make the playoffs. Also, running back Saquan Barkley is back from an injury, behind an abysmal offensive line and how effective he will be is still unknown. I believe the Football Team will win the NFC East. They have a great core of skill players like wide receiver Terry Mclaurin and running back Antonio Gibson, two young players that excelled last season; a spectacular defense, led by defensive end Chase Young; and a good offensive line. Under QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, their ceiling is a division win and a playoff game, but with a franchise QB, it could be even higher.

The NFC North will more or less belong to the Green Bay Packers for the third year in a row. The Detroit Lions have a new head coach in Dan Campbell, who spoke aggressively about his team’s expectations in his introductory press conferences. Dan Campbell is very charismatic, but will he be able to win consistently in the NFL is the question. The Lions have a lot of holes on their roster, they lost Kenny Golladay to the Giants, and going from Matt Stafford to Jared Goff is a huge downgrade. The Lions’ secondary is lackluster, and they don’t have much of a pass rush either. Losing Matt Prater, one of the best kickers in the league hurts but they have a well-rounded coaching staff to mentor their young roster. Finally, they have a pretty favorable schedule and they have a good offensive line to run behind and open up the passing game. However, I believe the Lions finish with only 3-4 wins in a learning season for players and coaches. The Bears are another team that will be around .500%. They will likely be starting Justin Fields after moving on from Mitchell Trubisky. Even if they don’t start Fields, Andy Dalton is a better choice than Trubisky. They have a great core of wide receivers led by Allen Robinson and Marquise Goodwin and a good backfield with Tarik Cohen and David Montgomery. Their defense, specifically their pass rush is strong with guys like Khalil Mack and Roquan Smith. Their secondary is where the Bears lack, especially at cornerback, but their safeties aren’t exactly elite either. Combine that with a tough schedule and the fact that the Bears have one division win in 10 years, their ceiling is a wild card spot. The Vikings do have an improved defense this season, a great offensive line, one of the best running backs in the league in Dalvin Cook, and an elite wide receiver duo with Adam Theilen and Justin Jefferson. The question is whether Kirk Cousins can carry this team to relevance. They should be able to keep up with the Packers for the division title but will fall short of a division win. The Packers will be able to win the division using the same formula they used in the previous two seasons. Aaron Rodgers will have another career year despite management not drafting any wide receivers in the last few drafts to help him out. Davante Adams will pick up where he left off, Aaron Jones will have success running the ball behind the Packers’ excellent offensive line to help open up the passing game from Rodgers. The Packers are well-coached and have a lot of talent on their roster. Finally, the Packers’ defense, especially their secondary will exceed expectations. Their run defense was worse than their secondary last season, but based on their moves this offseason, it is trending in the right direction. They look like a top seed in the NFC in what could be Rodgers’ ‘last dance’.

In the NFC West, we will be treated to a four-way race this season. All four teams can win the division if they stay healthy. The Arizona Cardinals led by their athletic QB Kyler Murray have a high ceiling. Murray was fantastic in his rookie season and is only going to get better. All-star wide receiver Deandre Hopkins and Christian Kirk lead a group of skilled wide receivers and James Conner and Chase Edmund will make a good duo in the backfield. Their defense is slightly better than it was last season, where it was a top 10 unit in defensive efficiency. Kliff Kingsbury, who has faced a lot of criticism has the weapons to make a playoff push, whether he can lead his team to the playoffs is another question. The Seattle Seahawks started last season as one of the best offenses in the league and Russell Wilson was in the MVP competition as one of the best QBs for the first half of the season. Their defense, especially the secondary suffered in the first half of the season. They were close to the top of the league in both pass and rush yards given up. For the second half of the season, their defense improved drastically but their high-powered offense slowed down. They are well-coached under Pete Carroll and have a lot of talent on their roster. If they can put their offense and defense together, they can make a run in the playoffs. The San Fransisco 49ers have been in injury purgatory for the better part of two years after their Super Bowl run in 2019. Last season, they lost Nick Bosa and Dee Ford to season-ending injuries and they lost George Kittle, Jimmy Garoppolo, and Raheem Mostert for significant points of the year. They are basically fully healthy entering this year; everyone that was on IR last year is preparing to start in week one. They are looking very good right now. They have an electrifying new quarterback in Trey Lance, are well-coached under Kyle Shanahan, and brought in veteran center Alex Mack to help improve an offensive line that struggled last season. They still have an elite run game with Raheem Mostert, rookie Trey Sermon and Jeff Wilson Jr. and they have a deep wide receiver room with guys like Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, and George Kittle, one of the best tight ends in the game who gets WR #1 numbers when healthy. Their defense is also very skilled, they were a top 10 unit in both the pass and rush game even with all the injuries. They’ll only be better when healthy. They retained most of the current core and stockpiled more talent in the draft. My only concern is how well Lance will do at the NFL level and how all the players will rebound after injury. This is why I have the Los Angeles Rams winning the division by one game. The Rams have a stellar defense - that was the best in the league last season - with several talented players led by cornerback Jalen Ramsey and defensive tackle Aaron Donald, two superstars at their respective positions. They also made a big splash this season by acquiring Matt Stafford. He is still an above-average QB with a high football IQ, arm strength, and accuracy. The Rams have a great offensive line and a lot of skilled players around Stafford like Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp, Darrell Henderson, and Tyler Higbee. The Rams are extremely well-coached under offensive-minded Sean McVay but have a well-rounded coaching staff that emphasizes the fundamentals. This team has the potential to win the division, and I think they will. The loss of running back Cam Akers hurts a lot though. 

Finally, the NFC South will be more or less belong to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After a Super Bowl win last season, the Bucs managed to bring back all 22 of their starters (11 on offense, 11 on defense) and acquired even more talent through free agency and the draft, like running back Giovanni Bernard. No team has ever brought back all 22 of their starters, so what the Bucs did is simply impressive. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Bucs make it back to the Super Bowl or at least the NFC championship. The Atlanta Falcons are continuing their rebuild and despite having some good pieces - like Calvin Ridley and Deion Jones - they are not good enough to win the division. The Saints in the post Drew Brees era will also struggle to find consistency. Michael Thomas is on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list to start the season and neither Taysom Hill nor Jameis Winston is a long-term option at QB. However, Alvin Kamara will find some success behind a relatively stable offensive line and their defense is good enough to lead them to 8-9 wins. Finally, the Carolina Panthers, despite having a generational talent in Christian McCaffrey do not have much else to be happy about. Quarterback Sam Darnold is still young and has the potential to succeed in a new offense especially with former teammate Robby Anderson. But it is not guaranteed Darnold will find success in Carolina. They addressed their secondary - which was a major issue in 2020 - by drafting CB Jaycee Horn, which will help but will not fix their issues. They are also in a tough division with the reigning Super Bowl Champions. Finally, Matt Rhule, though charismatic is 5-11 in the NFL as a head coach, which isn’t great but understandable for a first-year HC. They also need help at the tight end position and there may be some issues at center if Matt Paradis’ play continues to decline. They have a bright future but will have a tough year in 2021.

So, according to my predictions, the AFC seeding will look like this:

1. Bills 14-3

2. Chiefs 13-4

3. Browns 11-6

4. Colts 11-6

5. Ravens 11-6 (Browns have tiebreaker)

6. Titans 11-6 (Colts have tiebreaker)

7. Broncos 10-7 (tiebreaker over Chargers)

The NFC seeding will look like this: 

1. Bucs 14-3

2. Packers 13-4

3. Rams 12-5

4. Football Team 10-7

5. 49ers 11-6

6. Seahawks 10-7

7. Vikings 10-7

Anything can happen on any given Sunday and any team can overachieve and underachieve their expectations. By the end of this season, these predictions could be completely wrong, but it’s just how I see the standings playing out. Regardless, NFL football is back, baby! It's time to celebrate.

Ottawa Redblacks vs Montreal Alouettes Recap

Adamo Marinelli

September 4, 2020

The Redblacks’ offense finally showed some life under Dominique Davis, but in a 51-29 blowout loss against the Alouettes, the defense, specifically the secondary, simply flatlined. 

Coming into the game, both offenses struggled to find their rhythm. Redblacks’ QB Matt Nichols hadn’t thrown a passing touchdown in his first three games of the year and the Redblacks had only recorded one offensive score in that span. Alouettes’ QB Vernon Adams struggled in his last two games, throwing three touchdowns, two interceptions, and completing less than 50 percent of his passes. 

After last night, it was the Alouettes who found their rhythm on offense. Adams completed 18/23 passes for 288 yards, four touchdowns, and zero interceptions. 

The Alouettes had two receivers that went for over 100 yards. Geno Lewis had five catches, for 120 yards and two touchdowns and Jake Wieneke had seven grabs for 118 yards and two touchdowns. 

Running back William Stanback after being shut down for only 40 yards last week against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats exploded for 112 yards on 15 carries to help open up the Redblacks’ defense. 

The Alouettes’ offense found a nice balance between run and pass which kept the Redblacks’ defense guessing. The Alouettes’ receivers consistently found themselves open downfield and the Redblacks’ secondary could not make a stop all night, especially when they needed to. 

Matt Nichols started the game but could not get anything going in the quarter and a half that he played. He completed 2/5 passes for 23 yards and an interception. He was pulled for backup quarterback Dominique Davis, who provided the Redblacks’ offense with a much-needed spark. 

Davis finished his night completing 23/33 passes for 291 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. 

Davis threw the first two passing touchdowns of the Redblacks’ season - both to wide receiver Daniel Petermann who finished the game with seven grabs for 77 yards - and also rushed in a touchdown. Davis will get you yards and touchdowns but also throws a lot of picks. Just like New Orleans Saints’ QB Jameis Winston in the NFL.

The Redblacks’ 29 points last night was their highest output of the season and would have gotten them a win in any of their first three games, but against an explosive Alouettes' offense that scored on almost every drive, it was impossible for the Redblacks’ offense to keep up. Their defense also could not get a stop, which also did not make the offenses' job any easier.

Mike Benevides’ unit is normally very strong at rushing the passer, but they could not get enough pressure against Adams last night. Adams is a mobile, athletic quarterback, with a strong arm. When he has a clean pocket behind a good offensive line with limited pressure, he is able to play at his best and let his receivers go to work. That's when he's dangerous.

That happened yesterday. The Redblacks’ front seven could not disrupt Adams’ rhythm consistently. They only recorded one sack. All night long, Adams had all day to throw - thanks to the Alouettes' excellent offensive line - and the Redblack' secondary, who was left to dry, just fell apart as the game progressed. 

Turnovers also haunted the Redblacks again last night. Both Davis and Nichols combined to throw for three interceptions - Nichols’ interception directly led to an Alouettes’ touchdown - and the defense could not force a single turnover to benefit their offense. When you lose the turnover battle, it’s not often you’ll win the football game. This adage rang true tonight.

To put salt in the wound for the Redblacks, Alouettes’ defensive lineman Almondo Sewell joined in on the fun with a one-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter. 

The Alouettes improve to 2-2 entering their bye week, looking like a threat in the East Division, currently sitting second place while the Redblacks fall to 1-3 on the season, putting them last place in the division. 

The Redblacks still have a lot of questions to answer, particularly on the offensive side of the ball. I believe that based on what we saw last night Davis will be the starting QB moving forward. Hopefully, this will help kickstart their offense while limiting their turnovers. And on defense, they need to tighten up their secondary by applying more consistent pressure to opposing QBs. Forcing a few turnovers will also help them win games. When you get pressure on the quarterback, he has less time to throw, which leaves the opposing receivers less time to get open and make a play.

They will travel to Vancouver to play the BC Lions next week. Hopefully, head coach Paul LaPolice and his staff will do whatever it takes to get his team back to winning form. Only time will tell.