2015

2015 in 15 Quotes

Posted on by DylanHornik

In the immortal words of Borat Sagdiyev, 2015 was a “great success. Very nice.”

New York saw some of the greatest storylines of the past 365 days in sports. It truly was a roller coaster year, there were the highs of playoff races, the lows of teammate quarrels, and everything in-between. An historic year like 2015 surely dished out its fair share of quotes as well. These snippets will always remind us of the Big Apple’s big year in sports. The quotes are in no particular order.

  • “He struck him out! Tears of joy for the 2015 Mets!”-Gary Cohen

An extremely appropriate call of the Mets’ division-clinching final out against the Cincinnati Reds in September. After 9 long years filled with tears of agony, this team was special. After acquiring Yoenis Cespedes and Tyler Clippard, this team rolled through the second half of the season right into October, where they beat the Dodgers in a scrappy 5-game series and swept the Cubs at Wrigley Field to win their first pennant in 15 years. They lost the World Series in 5 games but gave fans hope for the future.

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The Mets were the best New York sports storyline of 2015. (Photo: Getty Images)

  • “It just went off in my hand” -Jason Pierre-Paul

It was a strange year for Jason Pierre-Paul. He blew off parts of three fingers on his right hand in a July 4th fireworks mishap, and poignantly stayed silent on the details of the accident for months. He finally opened up this month to Michael Strahan in a Fox Sports interview and this quote just about sums up his situation. Pierre-Paul missed the first half of the season for the Giants, who will miss the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year.

  • “Going forward, we’re going to be a tough team. We’re going to be an intelligent team. We’re going to do things the right way.” -Todd Bowles

In a drastic regime change, Jets owner Woody Johnson fired the boisterous Head Coach Rex Ryan and General Manager John Idzik and hired the reserved Todd Bowles and Mike Maccagnan. After missing out on the playoffs the last four years, Bowles and Maccagnan have the Jets in position to earn a wild card berth with a Week 17 win against Ryan’s Bills. Maccagnan has pushed the right buttons, acquiring Pro Bowl receiver Brandon Marshall and gritty quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick to complement their tenacious defense. Bowles has gotten his team to play inspired football after calling them out for a lack of hustle mid-season.

  • “This is hard.” -Derek Fisher

In his first year as the Knicks head coach, Derek Fisher could only sum up their 65-loss season in three words. They didn’t have the roster depth to be competitive in 2014-15, and Phil Jackson unsuccessfully tried to implement his Triangle Offense. Carmelo Anthony played in only forty games before knee surgery shut him down. It wasn’t all bad for the Knicks, though, as they used their high draft pick to select Kristaps Porzingis, who has helped to turn the fortunes of the team around (see below).

  • “Hitting home runs doesn’t make you a good father, it doesn’t make you a good friend, and it certainly doesn’t make you a good teammate.” -Alex Rodriguez

After sitting out the entire 2014 season due to a suspension for performance-enhancing drugs, Alex Rodriguez seemed to have found the Fountain of Youth. In his age 40 season, he bashed 33 homers and had an OPS of .842 in 151 games, easily his best season since 2008. He kept a low profile off the field as well, straying away from scandals or weird magazine photo shoots. He was a key part of the Yankees’ run to the AL Wild Card game.

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Alex Rodriguez hit 33 homers this year, including his 3,000th hit. (Photo: Getty Images)

  • “Holy S***!” -Victor Espinoza

While not a New York sports team story, it happened on the dirt track of the Big Apple, so it fits right in. Racehorse American Pharoah won the first racing Triple Crown since Affirmed in 1978. Pharoah led wire-to-wire in the Belmont Stakes in Elmont, winning by over five lengths and giving trainer Bob Baffert his first Triple Crown on his fourth try. Espinoza, the jockey in the final race, was caught candidly expressing his elation over his triumph ny national TV cameras.

  • “It ain’t over ’til it’s over.”-Yogi Berra

An iconic expression from a baseball legend, Berra passed away this September at the age of 90. Berra, a three-time MVP and 13-time World Series champion, was known for his off-color witticisms as well as his stellar on-field production. The Hall of Famer hit .285 over his 20-year career, managed both New York teams, had a cartoon bear created in his honor, and left us with sayings like “It’s deja vu all over again,” and “when you come to a fork in the road, take it.”

  • “Wow. It’s great to be home.” -Chris Mullin

The Golden Boy of the Red Storm returned this spring. Mullin, a Hall of Fame basketball player and the greatest player in St. John’s history, came back to his alma mater to become its next head coach. It will be an uphill climb for Mullin with no prior coaching experience and no recruiting foothold in the five boroughs, but he enlisted in the help of fellow HOFer Mitch Rochmond and recruiting genius Barry Rohrssen. The young Red Storm have played well in a win against Syracuse and a tough loss against Indiana.

  • “Well, you’re not going to do anything about it.” -Geno Smith

The phrase heard ’round MetLife. After supposedly improving his game all offseason, Geno Smith uttered this sentence to IK Enemkpali over not paying a $600 plane ticket, which led to Enemkpali breaking Smith’s jaw with a right hook. This led to Ryan Fitzpatrick’s coronation as the starter, and his consistent play has led the Jets to double-digit wins. Smith, meanwhile, has rode the bench since recovering from his injury and doesn’t look like a part of the team’s future plans. Enemkpali, meanwhile, was cut by the Jets and signed by the Bills, led by, of course, Rex Ryan.

  • “They thought, skinny white guy, he’s not going to be physical. But I still fight for those rebounds.” -Kristaps Porzingis

After the dismal season last year, the Knicks drafted Porzin-God, who is playing like the Rookie of the Year and a breakout star in the league. The team is playing competitive basketball in the Eastern Conference along with a healthy Carmelo Anthony. Porzingis so far has averaged 13 points and eight rebounds per game, and the Knicks are within four games of a playoff spot at this point.

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Kristaps Porzingis is outplaying every rookie so far this year for the Knicks. (Photo: Brad Penner/ USA Today)

  • “We didn’t always agree, but we never departed from one another without a hug and a handshake. I’m going to miss him, I won’t forget him.” -Bill Torrey

Torrey, the former General Manager of the Islanders, said this about legendary coach Al Arbour. Arbour passed away this August at the age of 82. He led the Islanders to four straight Stanley Cups in the early 80’s and is hailed as a legend by Islanders fans. It came as the Islanders were about to move from their original home in Uniondale to their sparkling new digs at the Barclays Center. Arbour will forever be linked to the original Islanders, and the lore of his dynasty will be forever remembered in the rafters of the arena.

  • “Being an adult means being accountable. Being a baseball player means that others look up to you.” -CC Sabathia

In an announcement that shocked the baseball world, CC Sabathia announced at the end of this season that he would check himself into an alcohol rehab facility. Sabathia finished with a 5.90 ERA in 2015, but a weekend road trip to Baltimore with the team let the wheels fall of for him. The baseball community should be proud that a fallen star, like the former Cy Young Sabathia, was able to step away from the game and see a bigger problem for himself. Manager Joe Girardi has said that he sees Sabathia in the rotation for 2016.

  • “We just ran out of juice” -Derek Stepan

That’s exactly what the Rangers did in the 2014-15 playoffs. They won and lost each of their first 13 games game by one goal, winning their first two series 4-1 and 4-3. However, they lost the conference finals to the Tampa Bay Lightning in 7 games, and looked pretty tired doing so. Their final two losses were shutouts at home to give the Lightning a berth in the Stanley Cup. The veteran defensemen have led the Rangers to the sixth-most pints in the Eastern Conference this season and a 14-5-1 home record.

  • ” I think we can truly give something for the fans in New York City to cheer about.” -Josh Saunders

If you don’t know who Josh Saunders is, that’s understandable. He’s the goalie for NYCFC, who played their inaugural season this season at Yankee Stadium. They played to an audience that was top-five in the MLS in attendance, and gave the established Red Bulls a true rival. While NYCFC failed to make the playoffs, they have star power in Frank Lampard and David Villa. The Red Bulls were one step away from the MLS Cup Final, showing that soccer is one the up-and-up in New York for the first time in a long time.

  • “I know it’s been 15 years since the Bills made the playoffs. Well get ready, man, we’re going.” -Rex Ryan.

Rex Ryan stayed in state after being fired from the Jets in January, going to the division rival Bills and bringing his braggadocio with him. An improved roster in Buffalo (they added star running back LeSean McCoy to go along with big-play threat Sammy Watkins) and a quarterback change led to a glimmer of hope. This season hasn’t really gone as planned for Ryan and Buffalo, thought, who will miss the playoffs yet again. However, he does have a chance to play the ultimate spoiler role when he faces the Jets in Week 17 while they vie for a playoff berth.

There you have it. 2015 was a great year and, in the words of DJ Khaled, Let’s hope for “another one.”

The Historic Holiday Season

Posted on by DylanHornik

Cue the Andy Williams song, because it’s the holiday season. That means stretching the buttons on your reindeer-patterned cardigan to their absolute limits while taking 25 shots for Kobe Bryant’s 25 shots. It also means wearing in your favorite spot on the couch while watching Peyton Manning wear in his favorite spot on the bench.

This holiday season is one we haven’t seen in almost 20 years. While athletes like Bryant and Manning, the all time greats that have graced our TV’s this generation, are still making headlines, they’re not doing so with their wildly impressive play. Instead, these fading giants are speaking about their farewell tours (Kobe) and their desires to continue to play the game they love (Manning).

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Peyton Manning, benched in favor of the younger Brock Osweiler, plans to play in 2016 even though sports moves towards a younger crowd of athletes (RantSports Photo).

What does it all mean? The season of giving is bringing its philanthropy to a whole new level, handing the reins of superstardom from one generation to another, albeit gradually and deliberately. The guys that I grew up watching, the ones that set all the records and established new styles of play, don’t want to give away what they’ve worked so hard to build just yet. It took Kobe two injury-plagued seasons plus a slow, retreating start to the season for him to realize that maybe, just maybe, this should be his last go. Peyton Manning still hasn’t figured that dying quail spirals out of an ailing shoulder attached to a surgically repaired neck are a telltale sign of retirement and front-office leadership. It’s just too hard for them to think that they aren’t the spritely 19-year-olds that they were when they began their rise to the top.

Speaking of young bucks, now is the time. Not 2014, not even 2015, but 2016 will be, mark my words, the year of the under-25 athlete. We saw flashes throughout the summer and fall, with Bryce Harper’s meteoric rise to the MVP and the hype around the Chicago Cubs’ baby-faced corps of hitters. Now, we’re seeing the likes of the Latvian Liberator, Kristaps Porzingis, the wizard of Os(weiler) grinning and winning in Denver, and even studs like Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel skating through the NHL.

As these teenagers learn directly from the greats, Osweiler from Peyton, D’Angelo Russell from Kobe, Kristaps from Carmelo Anthony and Dirk Nowitzki, I can’t help but wonder if we will ever see another generation of athletic prominence that we have witnessed since the late 1990’s. Seven of the top 20 scorers in NBA history played a significant amount of their career in the 2000’s. Five of the most prolific QB’s ever (Brady, Manning, Brees, Favre, Rodgers) did their damage in the Disney Era. In a period of baseball marred by PEDs and a lack of top athletes in the sport, we saw on of the most naturally talented players ever, Alex Rodriguez, start his career as the second coming, only to be caught up in the dark side of his times.

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Kristaps Porzingis is two years older than me, 18 inches taller than me, exponentially more talented than me, and got to learn from Carmelo Anthony and Dirk Nowitzki. (NYDN Photo).

This is exactly why I love the holidays; the season really is about giving. The aging are giving what they can to the young and talented, the young and talented are giving excitement and free air to the fans, but can this new generation of hyper-athletic, hyper-selfish athletes give back to the sports that give them a home in the same way we’ve recently seen? Only Father Time will tell.

When a Friendly meets Hostility

Posted on by DylanHornik

Leon Trotsky once said, “You may not be interested in war, but war is interested in you.”

Tragedy struck the city of Paris, France in the same vein on Friday. Radical militants attacked six different locations in and around the city, killing over 120 people. The bloodbath is the largest attack on France since World War II.

One of the sites that faced a spine-chilling, life-threatening scenario was outside Stade de France in Saint-Denis. During an international friendly between France and Germany, two suicide bombings and a third explosion went off just outside of the stadium. The match ended in a 2-0 victory for France, but by that time hundreds were already dead.

Sporting events are supposed to be a sort of safe haven for the human race. In these instances, we’re allowed to forget about the myriad problems that we face on a daily basis, not to mention those that loom larger than us that are out of our control. What happened on Friday night is nothing short of a cataclysm on all fronts, but the very fiber of life that keeps millions of us level-headed was ripped, just a little bit, for a short time.

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While the soccer match continued, an unfathomable horror went on outside the gates of Stade de France.

When the explosions were heard inside the stadium, around the 15th minute, it was met immediately with an uproar from the crowd, a mixture of excitement, fear, and a pure adrenal reaction that comes from an event of that nature (a video can be seen here). President Francois Hollande was taken away from the area. From there, it wouldn’t be long before the fans inside the confines of Stade de France were aware of what was happening so harrowingly close to them. The haven of sports, if only for a split-second, was breached by something unimaginable.

Then, match officials and executives made a controversial, but what turned out to be ingenious, decision. They decided to withhold information about the attacks on Paris from the players and fans until the match concluded. They decided to use the inherent comfort, a virtual bubble secluding the match from the outside world, to their advantage to prevent fear and panic from striking the fans and players. They made it seem as if  nothing was happening, and the fans went along with it, cheering and booing normally and appropriately, even doing “The Wave” at one point. Officials saved their fans from clouding their own heads with nightmarish scenarios of what was happening, and let them enjoy themselves as much as they can.

After the match was over, the blinders that shade spectators from reality retracted, and everyone in the stadium knew of the sheer horror that, at that time, fully infected the entire country. Some exited under their own volition, players retreated into their locker rooms to check in on family members and friends, but something interesting happened. Many fans flooded the pitch and stayed there long after the match ended. They hugged one another, checked cell phones, and generally loitered under a haze of controlled panic.

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Thousands of fans went on the field after the game in reaction to the attacks on Paris.

The safety net that sports naturally provides is on full display. Instead of attempting to wrap their head around what just happened in their city, they stayed inside the arena, conferred with fellow fans, and decided to sidestep real-life tragedy, just for a little while longer. In that moment, the human race needed sports as much as sports needed the human race. A soccer friendly turned tragic became friendly again, with thousands of fans helping each other cope.

We have seen it happen before. Sports have an uncanny ability to heal in times of tragedy and loss. Whether it’s Mike Piazza’s go-ahead home run in the first game after the September 11th attacks, David Ortiz’s “Boston Strong” speech after the Boston Marathon bombing, or Steve Gleason blocking a punt and scoring in the first game in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, sports can soften the blow of extreme adversity.

I, and everyone sound of mind and spirit, feel the pain of the massacre in Paris. During the pain and suffering, soccer provided an alternative for several thousand people. I hope everyone affected by these attacks has something to lean on to lighten the immense weight of loss that they carry.

The 2015 Mets: Do Not Look Back

Posted on by DylanHornik

Keep your heads high, New York Mets fans. This team was special in more ways than one, from keeping themselves alive with an anemic offense for the first half of the year to storming past the rest of the National League in October, this was a dream season in reality.

The World Series was a bit of a debacle, but New York can take solace in the fact that if they played their best baseball, they easily would’ve won it all. It was just the wrong combination of slow offense and untimely errors that led to the team’s demise, if you can even call it that. The Mets blew past 28 other teams, but couldn’t close against the 29th.

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In what became the pinnacle of the Mets season, they defeated the Dodgers in a 5-game NLDS, then swept Chicago Cubs in the NLCS (Getty Images).

Now the team will look ahead to what will be one of the most interesting offseasons in recent memory. They will look to wash the taste of a bad finish out their mouth, like they have tried to do for the last decade, but they’ll do so as real contenders and probably the favorites to repeat as National League Champions. The Wilpons and General Manager Sandy Alderson will be in a position unique to the franchise, where they’re already a very good team, but they need to replace or re-sign some key players to stay as competitive as they were this year.

The nucleus of the team under contract can probably get them back to the playoffs again next year. The starting pitching will return, as will most of the lineup, but two significant pieces could be missing come April. Yoenis Cepsedes and Daniel Murphy are free agents that got them to October and kept them in the postseason. Cespedes hit .291 with 35 homers in the regular season, for sure a career year for a talented player. Murphy hit seven homers in the first two round of the playoffs, one off the record for the most dingers in the playoffs ever.

The two were key pieces in 2015, but neither of them should be re-signed. Cespedes was the ultimate streaky hitter for the Mets. He was cold for the first part of August, went on a torrid hot streak to urge the Mets past the Nationals in the NL East, then cooled down towards the end of the year. He hit just .222 in the postseason, including .150 in the World Series. The Mets do not need an extreme Lucas Duda (who is another notorious consistently inconsistent hitter) in the middle of their lineup. Reports have already surfaced that the team won’t try their hardest to bring him back, and for good reason.

Oct 21, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; New York Mets second baseman Daniel Murphy hits a two-run home run against the Chicago Cubs in the 8th inning in game four of the NLCS at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Caylor Arnold-USA TODAY Sports ORG XMIT: USATSI-245774 ORIG FILE ID: 20151021_jel_ca2_052.jpg

Daniel Murphy played above his normal value for most of the playoffs. Mandatory Credit: Caylor Arnold-USA TODAY Sports

Anyone who watched the Mets play in the regular season knows that the playoff version of Daniel Murphy is definitely not the same one you’ll get from April to September. Even he cooled off in the World Series, showing that the pressure of the biggest stage in baseball can affect the hottest of hitters. His defense is also a liability at best, and nonexistent at the worst. With the incredible pitching corps that the Mets have, they need a better defender than Murphy, whose errors were direct causes of multiple World Series losses.

Then the question is; who should they sign? It would be a uniquely ironic situation if the Mets were able to sign pending free agent Ben Zobrist, who just beat them as a member of the Royals. He is the prototype of what the Mets need at the second base position: he hits well, plays good defense, and can be moved around the infield in case someone in the infield (David Wright) isn’t 100 percent healthy. He won’t be the power bat, averaging 17 homers a season, but he’ll be the perfect fit in the second spot of the lineup, where Wright has been miscast all year.

What about Cespedes’ spot? It’s very possible that the Mets don’t sign an outfield bat, with the trio of Juan Lagares, Michael Conforto, and Curtis Granderson playing well. However, Lagares played with an injured arm for most of the year, and making a big signing will take the pressure to play off of him. If they do sign a free agent, they’ll probably go with someone that can play centerfield or right field, giving them the option to move Curtis Granderson around.

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Mets fans are appreciative of what Yoenis Cespedes did for the team, but in all likelihood he will not be back come March. (Photo: Getty Images)

If they sign an outfielder, it will be someone with power to give them a middle-of-the-order presence not named Duda or d’Arnaud. That’s why Justin Upton is a viable option, albeit one with a high price. He hit .251 with 26 homers while playing in the worst offensive ballpark in the major leagues. He’s shown flashes of raw hitting potential and many think he’s on the verge of a breakout year if he’s given the opportunity to be the guy.

There are numerous possibilities, but the biggest realization is that the team can NOT go back to the way they were just a few months ago. Every player who’s coming back next year now knows what it feels like to have the greatest prize in the sport taken away from them. They’ll know that they need to finish. They know that they can’t be complacent with mediocrity, like they have been for so long. the front office also knows that it’s up to them take them to the next level, like they did moments before the trade deadline in July.

Remember, this is all looking forward, which is exactly what the Mets should do now. It was a great season, no doubt about it. There were countless memories made and history happened, so it’s understandable that fans and players are upset. The future is high, though, and this won’t be the last time we’ll all be in this position.

The Mets Fans’ Guide to Watching the Postseason

Posted on by DylanHornik

It’s been a while since we’ve been here, right?

Nine whole years have come and gone since the Mets last played in the postseason. For reference, the first iPhone came out the next year, Twitter was only 7 months old, and I was 9 years old playing my first year of little league. A lot has changed since then, and many fans may have thrown out their playoff cheering etiquette. After all, the last taste of postseason baseball that we have is a called strike on a 3 on a curveball from a rookie closer on a team that won 83 games. Yuck.

Now it’s 2015. The Mets won 90 games and beat out the Los Angeles Dodgers, or as I like to call them, “The Phillies of the West” (I’m looking at you, Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins). That series may have been confusing due to the odd combination of great pitching, takeout slides, non-retaliation, lifeless offense, and, dare I say, smart Daniel Murphy baserunning.

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Daniel “Rickey Henderson” Murphy looked like a genius and a god in Game 5 (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo).

We’re heading into a series with a more poised opponent, the Chicago Cubs, as the home team. This means that Mets fans will have to be on their “A” game cheering from the stands, the bars, and the couches. That being said, here’s how to handle the biggest series for the Mets in nearly a decade.

If the team happens to lose a game, please do not freak out. It’s a best-of-7 series, not a winner-take-all scenario, in case you forgot how deep rounds of the postseason like this worked. One game will not make or break the series, and you can be assured that the team knows that they need to win to have a chance to advance. If the Mets happen to lose and you’re at the game, this is not grounds for crying, moaning, or whining (although slight complaining is allowed) until they’ve lost 3 games and are facing elimination. Then all of the blubbering and heartbreak that your body will allow can commence.

Conversely, a Mets win, while it brings us closer, does not guarantee us a World Series berth. Elation and joy will naturally come as a part of the unseen territory that we a re currently in, but with that may come delusions of grandeur of a World Series win and a ticker-tape parade. I know this is relatively new to Mets fans, but the NLCS needs to be taken one game at a time, for our own sanity.

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The 7 Line Army, the epitome of die-hards who have suffered through the worst Mets seasons and are now feeling playoff baseball for the first time.

Every home run and run scored is big. However, jumping up and down at the sight of a sacrifice fly or RBI ground out is unsavory and a major breach of playoff watching etiquette. Larger celebrations of this nature are approved only in the 7th inning or later and the run gives the Mets the lead. Take, for example, Daniel Murphy. When he scored on Travis d’Arnaud’s sacrifice fly in the 4th inning of Game 5 against the Los Angeles Wimps- uh, I mean Dodgers- a simple applause of approval is all that was necessary. His 7th inning go-ahead homer off of Noah Syndergaard-hair-wanna be Zack Greinke elicited jumps and screams of mass hysteria from my dorm room, and rightfully so.

Of course, there will always be storylines surrounding each player from each team. Proper playoff fandom requires a fanatic to pick a single player from the opposing team to absolutely hate. When I say hate, I mean despise, I mean Chase Utley despise. It’s a fun, but maybe not the most mentally sound, way to let off some steam from some things that have angered you in the series (no, really, I hate Chase Utley). This deep into October may seem like a strange wonderland of pumpkin spice and camaraderie, but let’s not forget about the players that hurt the Mets at the plate and at second base on a takeout slide. Sorry, I mean players that can potentially swing the series in favor of the opposition.

Don’t be like Dodgers fans. That’s an important lesson that we learned from the NLDS after dispatching them in 5 games. After Murphy’s dinger put the Amazin’s up by one (only one!) the crowd was gone, sent back into the lifeless abyss of an impending first-round exit. They didn’t try to lift their team’s spirits at all; instead they deflated with each 100 MPH fastball. That is not how to cheer for your team in the biggest game of their season; the phrase “Loyal ’til the last out” should mean something.

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No caption needed.

Lastly, and most importantly, Mets fans should act like we’ve been in this situation before. Although we’re the scrawny freshman invited to his first frat party, let’s try to pretend that we can hang with the big boys in terms of cheering, booing, and watching. This requires watching every inning of every game possible to ensure that you don’t miss a second of potentially life altering baseball. Be cool about it, don’t geek out over Wilmer Flores hitting an opposite field bloop single in the bottom of the second of Game 1. Go crazy when he rips an inside fastball from Jake Arrieta over the ivy in left field in the 8th inning of a crucial Game 5. Know when to cheer and when to jeer, but deep down inside love every minute of it.

Poll: Assessing the Jets so Far

Posted on by DylanHornik

The New York Jets have surprised a lot of people in the first two weeks of the NFL season, using a swarming defense and mistake-free offense to roll to a 2-0 start. A lot of pundits have the defense tagged as the best and most relentless in the NFL, but little can be said about the offense other than its small turnover rate (a +8 turnover margin so in 2 games in 2015).

I’ve decided to take the power out of the hands of the professional analyst and get the pulse of the fan base in this post.

The question: Are the Jets legit? The answer: Up to you.

Vote in the poll below and comment why you think so.

The Underdog’s 2015-2016 NFL Preview

Posted on by DylanHornik

The perfect weather. The perfect game. It’s time for America’s sport, the only place where severely injuring someone is (momentarily) celebrated: Football. Here’s a full preview of every NFL team, including outlooks, record predictions, playoff predictions, and I pick not one, but two Super Bowl Winners. Without further ado, let’s play football!

Chicago Bears: Last Season: 5-11

This will be a rough year for Da Bears. Their biggest weakness is their offensive line, where the lone bright spot is Kyle Long. While Long has been described as an “athletic freak” during his transition to right guard, there is little to no hope for a line that allowed 41 sacks in 2014. That, coupled with Alshon Jeffery’s nagging injuries and Kevin White’s stress fracture in his leg, basically spells disaster for the offense. Defensively, the group is led by vet Jared Allen, Kyle Fuller, and Antrel Rolle. The defensive backfield has the ability to create takeaways, 19 picks last year, and set up the offense, but it seems as if the offense won’t be able to score. Prediction: 4-12.

Cincinnati Bengals: Last Season: 10-5-1

After not making the playoffs but not winning a game in each of quarterback Andy Dalton’s first 4 seasons, the Bengals look to change that with a more experienced and more talented supporting cast. Jeremy Hill had over 1,100 yards as a rookie last year and he projects to be one of the most productive running backs on the ground this year. A.J Green hopes to stay healthy after injuries limited him to 13 games last year. One of the most naturally gifted receivers in the game, Green hopes to help Dalton in the air. Dalton had just 19 TD’s compared to 17 INTs in what appeared to be a step back last year. With these pieces, including wideout Mohammed Sanu and tight end Tyler Eifert, who played in just 1 game last year, the offense is poised for a pick up. The defense is littered with big names such as Carlos Dunlap, Geno Atkins, Rey Maualuga and Dre Kirkpatrick. This squad should improve upon their 21.5 points per game allowed last season with Kirkpatrick slated to make a huge impact at corner. Prediction: 11-5.

Buffalo Bills: Last Season: 9-7

This offseason was one of change for the Bills. They hired Rex Ryan as their new head coach, added LeSean McCoy and Percy Harvin on offense, and named Tyrod Taylor their starting quarterback. Taylor should be in position to run a fast-paced, big play offense with McCoy, Harvin, and Sammy Watkins lined up outside and Greg Norman as the offensive coordinator. Watkins is a big play threat (982 yards as a rookie in 2014) that should help Taylor ease his way into the starting job. After a slow start, McCoy picked it up last season and finished with 1,300 yards. He figures to be the biggest pawn in Buffalo’s offensive scheme, which ran for only 1482 yards in 2014. However, their line in suspect at best, which means Taylor may have to use his feet too often. On defense, the line is their biggest strength with Mario and Kyle Williams lining up with newly-rich Marcel Dareus (who is suspended for the first game). Their defensive backfield is nothing special and could be burned frequently (only 58 passes defended last year). Even with all of the additions, I still don;t think they will gain ground in the AFC East. Prediction: 9-7.

Denver Broncos: Last Season: 12-4

Returning essentially the same personnel as last year with new head coach Gary Kubiak, the Broncos yet again look like favorites in the AFC. Peyton Manning is still a top-tier QB at age 39, and he still has Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders out wide to throw to after totaling over 4,700 yards and 39 TDs last year. After losing Julius Thomas to free agency, the team picked up reliable tight end Owen Daniels, who has had at least 500 yards receiving in 6 of his 9 pro seasons. C.J Anderson (849 yards in 15 games) will take on starting duties at running back following the release of Montee Ball. New defensive coordinator Wade Phillips will look to veterans DeMarcus Ware, Von Miller, and Chris Harris Jr. to provide a spark. 1st-round draft pick Shane Ray will learn and develop as a backup to Ware, meaning he’s learning from one of the best to ever play his position. For the Broncos, it will be how they finish with an aging nucleus and cutting down on their 20 giveaways. Prediction: 13-3.

Cleveland Browns: Last Season: 7-9

Oh boy. This team could contend for the playoffs if their offense wasn’t so horrible (54.6 completion percentage and 3.6 yards per carry in 2014). It doesn’t seem to get better for that side of the ball this year with Josh McCown at the helm of a squad of skill position players that have no real NFL credibility. Watching rookie Duke Johnson could be special behind a pretty good offensive line, but in today’s game you can’t win if you can’t throw. The defense, however, has the potential to be nasty. First-round pick Danny Shelton will look to open up holes for Karlos Dansby and Paul Kruger to get in the backfield. Throwing on them will be tough as well, with Joe Haden and Tramon Williams playing corner and Donte Whitner at safety. They led the league with 97 passes defended and were 2nd with 1,164 tackles total last year. If the offense can score, this team can fight, but it looks like another sub-.500 year in Cleveland. Prediction: 4-12.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Last Season: 2-14

The Bucs were really bad last year. Luckily, they got the first overall pick and used it on James Winston. He looked nothing more than an average rookie during the preseason. He does have a good offensive line to protect him and some real weapons like Vincent Jackson (1,002 yards in 2014) and Mike Evans (1,051 yards in 2014) to throw to. Doug Martin hopes to put in a full year’s work for the first time since his rookie year in 2012, when he ran for 1,400 yards and 11 TDs. The problem will be holding a lead on defense. While there are some bright spots like cornerback Alterraun Verner and defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, it doesn’t look like the 25th ranked defense from last year will improve. All told, if Jameis can get over his rookie jitters, this team won’t be as bad as last year. Prediction: 5-11.

Arizona Cardinals: Last Season: 11-5

The Cardinals surprised a lot of people last year with their success, and they’re out to prove that it wasn’t a fluke. Carson Palmer hopes to play a full season after starting out hot last year (11 TDs and 3 INTs in 6 games) but injuring his knee. He still has legend Larry Fitzgerald at wide out, who had 784 yards in 14 games despite a merry-go-round at quarterback and Michael Floyd turned into a very reliable 2nd option. Andre Ellington hopes to factor into the offense more after gaining just over 650 yards in 2014, but this is still a pass-first attack. The offensive line hopes to stay strong again after allowing just 28 sacks last season. What this team really hangs its hat on, however, is defense. Although Todd Bowles is gone, the opportunity to be dominant is still present. Calais Campbell is a monster on the D-line that spearheaded a rush defense that ranked in the top half last year in yards allowed. Tyron Mathieu and Patrick Peterson hope to bring life to a pass defense that fell off the table towards the end of the year. If this team can stay healthy, unlike last year, that stability can bring another 10-win season. Prediction: 10-6.

San Diego Chargers: Last Season: 9-7

Unlike Chargers teams in recent memory, last season’s version showed a middling offense but surprisingly good defense. Phillip Rivers had a career year with 31 TDs and 18 INTs to go with a 66.5 completion percentage and 4,286 yards. Malcolm Floyd, Keenan Allen, and Ladarius Green all figure to be back in the fold in the passing game. Allen and Floyd each had at least 700 yards receiving, and Green in finally the top tight end after the retirement of Antonio Gates. The third-worst rushing attack last year seems to have gotten better with the addition of first-round pick Melvin Gordon, which also provides some stability to a position that saw 3 different starters last year. Their defense will still be pretty good, led by Manti Te’o and Melvin Ingram, both of whom missed significant time last season. Eric Weddle is still the best free safety in the game, and he anchors a defensive backfield that isn’t great, but can get the job done. This team will be more like the mid-2000’s Chargers squad, harkening back to the days of LaDanian Tomlinson. Prediction: 11-5

Kansas City Chiefs: Last Season: 9-7

Last year’s edition of Kansas City could’ve been so much better if they had some offense to support their number 2 ranked defense. On paper, this team doesn’t look bad on the offensive side of the ball. Alex Smith does have some weapons besides Jamal Charles (1,033 rushing yards in 2014) to look for such as tight end Travis Kelce, speedster Jeremy Maclin, and professional runner D’Anthony Thomas. Smith only threw for 3,265 yards and 18 TDs last season, partially because he was sacked 45 times. The line needs to keep him on his feet and give him time to find his weapons in the open field. This si by no means a deep-ball passing game, but Kelce can be used in short-yardage situations and Maclin can take the ball up the field on screens. This defense, though, is relentless. Justin Houston had 22 sacks last year (I know!) and they still have linebackers Tamba Hali, Derrick Johnson, and Josh Mauga. The defensive backfield is led by Phillip Gaines and Eric Berry, who’s status is uncertain after battling lymphoma for much of last year. Rookie Marcus Peters was a top cornerback prospect coming out of college, and he has prototype size and raw talent. I think that their offense improves this year, and postseason hopes are high. Prediction: 12-4.

Indianapolis Colts: Last Season: 11-5

This team is legit. The front office helped out Andrew Luck by adding Andre Johnson and Frank Gore to ensure that he won’t miss Reggie Wayne and that he has a real running attack. Most importantly, the offensive line need to continue to do a good job of keeping Luck on his feet so he can hopefully throw for 4,700 yards and 40 TDs again (they allowed only 25 sacks last season). Gore comes over from San Francisco after running for at least 1,000 yards in 8 of his first 10 seasons. The additions, plus T.Y Hilton, Coby Fleener, and Dwayne Allen should make this the best offense in the NFL. Defensively, they need to take the ball away more, as the team had a -5 turnover different last season. Trent Cole comes over from Philadelphia to bring an experienced edge rush to get Vontae Davis chances at some interceptions. If that happens, I don’t know if there’s a better team in the league. Prediction: 14-2.

Dallas Cowboys: Last Season: 12-4

After being pretty dominant last year, the Cowboys had to deal with one big change in particular; DeMarco Murray’s departure to Philadelphia. They haven’t really dressed the issue, going with a running back by committee to start the year. That doesn’t mix well for Tony Romo, who thrives off of the play action. Romo had a great year, throwing only 6 picks while completing just under 70% of his passes. He does have perhaps the best receiver in the game in Dez Bryant, who caught 88 passes for 1,320 yards and 16 TDs in 2014, as well as sturdy tight end Jason Witten, and some nice role players like Cole Beasley. Their defense is very average playing under the “bend don’t break” scheme. Morris Claiborne hopes to get back on track after missing parts of the last two seasons with injuries, and the Cowboys may have drafted the most naturally gifted defensive player in Byron Jones (44 inch vertical and 12 foot broad jump). Losing Murray hurts, but the ‘Boys still look good for this season. Prediction: 10-6.

Miami Dolphins: Last Season: 8-8

A lot of people like the Dolphins this year to improve because of the way that Ryan Tannehill played last season. He had virtually no decent options in the passing game, yet still threw for 4,045 yards and 27 TDs. Now he has Kenny Stills, Greg Jennings, and rookie DeVante Parker to help him out. Lamar Miller ran for nearly 1,100 yards last season, meaning he should improve upon that number with a better throwing attack. If they can keep Tannehill upright, the Dolphins should score a lot of points. They have a nasty defensive line after picking up Ndamukong Suh, adding him to Cameron Wake, but the talent level on that side of the ball drops after that. Brent Grimes is the only other noteworthy player on that Dolphins defense, and he can’t stop the pass all by himself. They will get burned, and that’s the only thing holding this team back. Prediction: 6-10.

Philadelphia Eagles: Last Season: 10-6

They made a lot of moves this offseason, but I don’t think that the Eagles made themselves significantly better. They swapped quarterbacks with St. Louis, now being led by Sam Bradford. They added DeMarco Murray in free agency, swiped linebacker Kiko Alonso, and drafted wide receiver Nelson Agholor, just to name a few transactions. Bradford doesn’t fit in well in Chip Kelly’s offensive system, but Murray does as a runner, so he might run for 1,800 yards again, on the edges, Bradford doesn’t have many options (Riley Cooper is the #1 receiver). Nick Foles only threw for 2,100 yards last year anyway, so it sounds like a frustrating year of sweeps and powers for Bradford, who has arm talent but can’t stay healthy. Alonso is anchoring a defense that was horrible against the pass last year, giving up over 4,000 yards through the air. Walter Thurmond and Byron Maxwell hope to change that as newcomers. It’s going to be interesting to watch Kelly’s treatment of his personnel, which is limited on offense, and how much this defense can carry this team. Prediction: 8-8.

Atlanta Falcons: Last Season: 6-10

Last year was frustrating for the Falcons, whose offense was efficient but their defense was atrocious. Like really, really bad. And it didn’t get a whole lot better, either. Their offense will be roughly the same; Julio Jones will continue to be a stud and Matt Ryan will hide their lack of running game well (Steven Jackson was their leading rusher last season with about 700 yards- he’s gone). Scoring has never been the problem for them; it’s been stopping the other team that’s the thing. They allowed over 4,400 yards in the air and 1,800 on the ground. Atlanta did draft potential star Vic Beasley, but one player rushing the edge won;t help their lack of depth in the secondary or their lack of true leadership in the defensive huddle. Prediction: 7-9.

Giants: Last Season: 6-10

A rough year is brewing for the G-Men. After Eli Manning’s career year (4,400 yards, 30 TDs) and subsequent contract extension (4 years, $84 million) and the emergence of superstar Odell Beckham Jr. (1,300 yards in 12 games), I thought the Giants could make another stride this year. I was wrong. Their offensive line has been decimated, and they’re starting a rookie at left tackle as well as a guy named Marshall Newhouse. That doesn’t bode well for Manning, who needs to stay upright to repeat his numbers with Beckham and the return of Victor Cruz, who tore his patella last year. On defense, the lack of Jason Pierre-Paul hurts a pass rush that had the 4th most sacks in the league last year. They look to aging vets Cullen Jenkins and Robert Ayers to supply pressure on the ends, and Jon Beason (4 games last year) to supply the leadership. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Prince Amukamara are pretty good corners, but they’re being helped by untested safeties Cooper Taylor and Landon Collins. If Manning doesn’t get murdered in the backfield by opposing defenses and if the defense surprises people, they Giants could be good. Spoiler: They won’t. Prediction: 5-11.

Jacksonville Jaguars: Last Season: 3-13

These Jags are still a ways away from being competitive, but they will take a small step forward this season. They added monster tight end Julius Thomas to give Blake Bortles a touchdown target (12 TDs each of the last 2 years). It’s a shame that they have no real first option at wideout, because Allen Hurns and Allen Robinson are good second options. T.J Yeldon hopes to make an impact on the running game that was near the bottom of the league last year, and Bortles himself should look to cut down on his rookie mistakes (17 INTs). The Jacksonville defense isn’t anything to write home about, either. Jared Odrick is a big boy at defensive end, but there’s no talent around him so blocking schemes can be drawn up around him. Damon House shouldn’t be a number 1 cornerback in the league, but he is, and he needs to improve on his measly 1 pick last year. Baby steps, Jacksonville. Prediction: 4-12.

New York Jets: Last Season: 4-12

Ah, what a typical Jets offseason. Everything looked promising after signing Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie, trading for Brandon Marshall, and drafting Leonard Williams. Then Geno Smith got punched in the face, and now everyone is down on the Jets’ outlook. Smith’s absence might be a good thing for the offense, which was one of the worst in the league when passing (2,946 yards and 15 INTs). Ryan Fitzpatrick is more savvy (played in offensive coordinator Chan Gailey’s system) and will be more open to throwing the ball downfield to playmakers like Marshall and Erick Decker, who racked up almost 1,000 yards last season. This team will have to hang their hat on defense, where it looks like nothing will be completed through the air. That’s drastically different from last year, when they had the worst pass defense in the NFL. Teams just won’t throw to Revis, so look for a lot of picks by Cromartie. The run stoppers up front are huge, too, headlined by Williams, Mo Wilkerson, and Damon Harrison. Quinton Coples finally looks like he can be the edge rusher that they want him to be, and David Harris always makes the tackle. If “Fitzmagic” can play smart, the Jets can be a decent team. Prediction: 8-8.

Detroit Lions: Last Season: 11-5

Ndamukong Suh is a big loss in the middle, but they adeptly replaced him with Haloti Ngata. That equals another year of being the top rush defense (league-best 1,109 yards allowed), especially with a healthy Stephen Tulloch (ACL tear last year). Their front 7 is strong, but the back end isn’t up to par with the rest of the league. Good safety play by James Ihedigbo and Glover Quin can mask the average play of Darius Slay and Rashean Mathis, and that’s not out of the question. They do pick off a lot of passes (3rd most in the league), but the Lions give up a lot of yardage in the air. Offensively, Matt Stafford will have a healthy Calvin Johnson and a confident Golden Tate (1,331 yards in 2014) at his disposal. In the backfield with him is Joique Bell (over 800 yards) and dynamic rookie Ameer Abdullah. This team will be very, very similar to last year’s squad, which is good for head coach Jim Caldwell. Prediction: 10-6.

Green Bay Packers: Last Season: 12-4

Another perennial playoff team with Aaron Rodgers at the helm, this year’s Packers team looks to continue their dominant run through the NFL over the last few seasons. There might not be a better quarterback than Rodgers, who threw for 4,381 yards and 38 TDs in 2014 (with only  5 INTs) en route to an MVP award. That was with str receiver Jordy Nelson, who is lost for the year with an ACL tear. Instead, he looks to throw to established option Randall Cobb (1,200 yards and 12 TDs last year) and untested DeVante Adams. Eddie Lacy should continue to make a name for himself after rushing for 1,100 yards last year and spearheading a top-10 rushing attack with Rodgers’ ability to scramble. Clay Matthews and Julius Peppers need some help on defense from their average secondary to really put their stamp on the league, though. Ha-Ha Clinton Dix is becoming a good safety, and Sam Shields is an above-average corner, but the other spots need to play above their talent level to improve a pass defense that allowed 26 TDs through the air in 2014. All in all, it still looks like an impressive season for the Cheeseheads. Prediction: 13-3

Carolina Panthers: Last Season: 5-8-1

A sub-.500 team in the playoffs? Yup, it happened last year, as things didn’t really come together for the Panthers in 2014. A dazzling offense led by Cam Newton was stagnant in the air with only 3,500 yards and 23 TDs between Newton and Derek Anderson. The running game was good, highlighted by Jonathan Stewart’s 809 yards and Newton’s 539. However, that was also with budding wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin, who is gone for the year after tearing his ACL in training camp. Philly Brown and Ted Ginn Jr. are hardly replacements for the production Benjamin had in his rookie year (1,008 yards, 9 TDs), but Pro Bowler Greg Olsen is back and he also sported a 1,000 yard season in 2014. The defense was supposed to be the pride and joy of this squad, but it ended up being pedestrian, especially against the run. Luke Kuechly hopes to change that and repeat his 100-tackle season last year. Star Lotulelei is a monster on the D-line, and he should improve on a down season a year ago. The secondary looks average yet again, with Roman Harper and Charles Tillman anchoring the 15th best pass defense from 2014. This team could b so good, but injuries cost them dearly. Prediction: 7-9.

New England Patriots: Last Season: 12-4

Don’t we just love the “Gate” ridden, allegedly cheating, Super Bowl Champions? They’ve already played their first game, a 28-21 victory over the Steelers. I gathered a few things from that win. First, a pissed off Tom Brady is really bad for the other 31 teams. He threw for 288 yards and 4 TDs, all of them to his tight ends, and looked even better than the stats showed. On the ground, their committee of Dion Lewis, Brandon Bolden, and LeGarrette Blount is the only weak spot offensively, as they gained only 80 rushing yards. Brady knows this, so he completed a pass to 7 different receivers, a trend that should continue all season long with no definitive star wide receiver and some really good tight ends in Rob Gronkowski and Scott Chandler. On defense, they played the ‘bend don’t break” scheme perfectly, allowing the Steelers to throw for 351 yards and run for 134 yards. However, they only gave up 2 real TDs as the third one was scored in garbage time in the 4th quarter. This type of shoddy defense may not work so well going forward against good teams like the Steelers. I don’t think that this is a Super Bowl team, but Bill Belichick is a nefarious hooded genius and may surprise us. Prediction: 13-3.

Oakland Raiders: Last Season: 3-13

The Raiders seemed to have improved a lot in the offseason, making the fans’ hopes a little higher for this year. They added the best wide receiver in the draft in Amari Cooper to help out 2nd year quarterback David Carr (3,200 yards, 21 TDs in 2014). Their offensive line will be good again after allowing only 28 total sacks a year ago, so that will help Carr’s quest to lead the offense through the air. My goodness is this running attack back, though. Latavius Murray is listed as their first-string running back, which isn’t really good at all. Maybe he’ll split carries with Taiwan Jones (who?). The only area that they really needed help in (32nd in rushing offense last year) they didn’t improve. This defense, however, is big and bad. Khalil Mack is an absolute animal and he’s only in his 2nd year. Justin Tuck and Curtis Lofton provide the experience and some solid play at D-end and linebacker. They added Aldon Smith to their edge rush after he was released by the 49ers due to legal troubles (classic Raiders). The secondary looks promising as well, with D.J Hayden hoping to play a full season in the NFL for the first time in his career. He is still under the tutelage of safety Charles Woodson, who has become a sage in the defensive backfield (4 INTs in 2014). Like the Jaguars, this team will make baby steps. Prediction: 4-12.

St. Louis Rams: Last Season: 6-10

Jeff Fisher swapped quarterbacks with Philadelphia in the offseason, and I think that the Rams got the better end of that deal. Nick Foles is an established arm in the pocket, and he has some interesting weapons in Kenny Britt and, most notable, Tavon Austin. Austin has all of the tools but just hasn’t panned out yet in the NFL, so it will be interesting to watch him with Foles, who threw for 2,163 yards in half a season last year. The O-line needs to keep him on his feet and reverse their 47 sacks allowed in 2014. The strongest part of the offense will be the running game with Tre Mason and first-rounder Todd Gurley getting touches. That is a nice two-headed monster in the backfield that can create plays off of play-action for Foles. This defense has one of the best from 7’s in the game, headlined by Chris Long, Robert Quinn, James Laurinaitis, and Alec Ogletree. It’s the secondary that will get burned often with Trumaine Johnson and Janoris Jenkins starting at corner. T.J McDonald is an outstanding safety, but he can’t doit by himself. With the tough luck of playing the Seahawks and Cardinals twice, I think that this team may stay exactly where they were. Prediction: 6-10.

Baltimore Ravens: Last Season: 10-6

The Ravens were a good team last year, winning 10 games, but they had a lot of off-field problems (read: Ray Rice). Now with that out of their heads, they can focus on playing good football. Joe Flacco has a big target in rookie Breshad Permian, but he had a case of the drops in college and needs to fix that to be a deep threat. Steve Smith Sr. said that this will be his final year, and he hopes to finish off with yet another 1,000 yard season (1,065 yards in 2014). Justin Forsett is the most underrated running back in the league (1,266 yards last year) and he will continue his upward ascent into the top tier or RB’s in the league. The defense is led by linebackers Terrell Suggs, C.J Mosley (133 tackles) and Courtney Upshaw. This was a top-10 defense last year primarily because of their ability to stop the run (1,412 yards allowed), and it looks no different this year. The secondary will have it’s lapses, but Will Hill is a stabilizing force at free safety. You can never count the Ravens out, and they just might make the playoffs again in 2015. Prediction: 9-7.

Washington Redskins: Last Season: 4-12

Kirk Cousins definitively takes over after a hotly debated QB competition, and he should run an offense that fits their personnel much better than Robert Griffin III would. He has playmakers on the edges with DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon, and Alfred Morris (1,074 yards last year) will line up with him in the backfield. The key will be to cut down on turnovers (18 INTS by 3 QBs) and to keep Cousins upright (58 sacks allowed in 2014). Jackson and Garcon are both big play threats whenever they touch the ball, so it is imperative that Cousins finds a way to give it to them. The defense is horrible against the pass (35 TDs allowed and only 7 INTs) and mediocre against the run (1,722 yards and 11 TDs allowed). That won;t change much this year with a subpar linebacking corps and no edge rush, giving opposing QBs all the time they need to make their reads. Last year was marked by inconsistency, this year will be more of the same, even with a stable QB situation (for now). Prediction: 3-13.

New Orleans Saints: Last Season: 7-9

The Saints have the most prolific QB in the league, solid running back depth, and decent pieces at wide receiver, but still only won 7 games? Yup. Drew Brees threw for almost 5,000 yards again last year but threw a lot of interceptions (17) and was sacked a good number of times (30). His receivers are average ad untested in Marques Colston and Brandin Cooks, who played in only 10 games his rookie year in 2014. Mark Ingram will now combine with C.J Spiller to form a formidable rushing attack, one that scored 17 TDs on the ground last year. This offense is like lightning, but the defense is really bad. They were in the bottom 10 in the league against the pass and even worse against the run last year. The lack of linebacking depth is the main culprit, but they didn’t really have secondary help, either, Brandon Browner comes over to try to help out Kenny Vaccaro and Jairus Byrd who form a nice safety tandem. If Browner does what he can do, he can eliminate a side of the field. It;s the other side that Saints fans should worry about. Prediction: 10-6.

Seattle Seahawks: Last Season: 12-4

I still think that the Seahawks should’ve won the Super Bowl last year. They were the hardest hitting and luckiest team I’ve seen in recent memory. They had the top defense again last season, but now they’re missing a big player in Kam Chancellor, who is holding out for a new contract. Richard Sherman will continue to shut down the number 1 receiver on each team, and K.J Wright and Bobby Wagner (80+ tackles for both of them) will continue to clog up the middle for the top-ranked rushing defense (1,304 yards and just 8 TDs against). Russell Wilson made the necessary plays and got lucky more than a few times en route to his second Super Bowl berth in 3 years, but now he has a huge target in tight end Jimmy Graham. Imagine Wilson scrambling out of the pocket with the defense closing in, and he dunks it to Graham for a big 3rd down conversion? We’ll see that more than enough, I’m sure. Marshawn Lynch knows why he’s here, to score touchdowns (13 last year). This Seahawks team is strong again, and is a trendy Super Bowl pick for the third straight year. Prediction: 12-4.

Pittsburgh Steelers: Last Season: 11-5

I really like this team on offense. Ben Roethlisberger has a lot of weapons at his disposal, and he showed it in their opening game, throwing for 351 yards in a 28-21 loss to the Patriots. He’ll continue to put up big numbers with Antonio Brown (9 catches, 133 yards, 1 TD in the game) and Martinis Bryant when he returns from a 4-game suspension. Le’Veon Bell will return from his one-game suspension, but they didn’t miss a beat with DeAngelo Williams in the backfield (21 carries, 127 yards). Bell might be the most well-rounded running back in the league with his ability to catch and block as well. The “Steel Curtain” looked more like a velvet sheet on Thursday night, allowing Tom Brady to rip into them for 288 yards and 4 scores. They have no real thumper or presence in the secondary, but Ryan Shazier will come into his own at linebacker. They have a big D-line with Cameron Heyward and Stephon Tuitt up the middle. They limited the scrawny Patriots rushing attack to just 80 yards. That will be the bright spot for the Steelers’ defense. The offense will carry them, but how far until the defense falls Prediction: 9-7.

Houston Texans: Last Season: 9-7

I don’t know how this team finished with 9 wins a season ago. They played 4 quarterbacks and the one that started the majority of their games (Ryan Fitzpatrick) is gone. Now Brian Hoyer has the reigns of an offense that is also without Andre Johnson but a fully confident DeAndre Hopkins (1,236 yards in 2014). Arian Foster has injury troubles again, but if he gets right, he can really help out Hoyer by  doing what he does best: running. He had 1,246 yards and 8 touchdowns in 13 games last year, expect similar numbers this year. J.J Watt is the best defensive player in the game without question, and he worked extra hard this offseason to make an even bigger impact than what he did last year (78 tackles, 5 fumble recoveries). The defense overall is stellar, especially against the run (6 TDs on the ground allowed last year). Kareem Jackson and Jonathan Joseph need to step up and stop the pass, as the secondary allowed nearly 4,00 yards through the air in 2014. I think that the QB stability will help this team, and the young defense will steadily improve. Prediction: 8-8.

Tennessee Titans: Last Season: 2-14

My pick for the worst team in the league! They did draft QB Marcus Mariota, but something about an undersized running QB doesn’t bode well for me in the NFL. The rushing attacks was very bad last year (only 1,400 yards and 6 TDs) but Bishop Sankey developed in the offseason and could surprise some people. Mariota has no real receivers; Harry Douglas is their number 1 option. Dealanie Walker is a top-tier tight end in the game with 890 yards last year. Marietta should look to him as safety net if/when his wideouts don’t produce. The defense is bad, plain and simple. They ranked almost dead last against the run last year (over 2,000 yards allowed), and they were below average against the pass (3,773 yards and 28 TDs allowed). Derrick Morgan and Brian Orakpo are really solid linebackers, but there’s really no other help for this defense. It looks like another year of futility in Tennessee, and it may stay that way for a couple years. Prediction: 2-14.

Minnesota Vikings: Last Season: 7-9

All hail AP! The return of Adrian Peterson will really, really help out this team, especially 2nd year QB Teddy Bridgewater.He ended with an average campaign by the numbers (2,900 yards and 14 TDs in 12 games) but he played much better than that the last few weeks of the season. He will be a better arm than he was last year, especially with new option Mike wallace coming over from the Dolphins. Peterson is back with a vengeance, and he’s so angry he might run for 4,000 yards. Just kidding. But a big year seems to be on the horizon for one of the best backs ever. That will really help a team that was middle-of-the-pack in rushing last year with Matt Asiata leading the way (14th in rushing years in 2014). The line needs to keep Bridgewater upright unlike last year, when they surrendered 51 sacks between 3 different QBs. The defense needs to shore up against the run (almost 2,000 yards allowed), but it looks like that won’t happen with this front 7. A patchwork secondary did fairly decent against the pass last year (7th in yards allowed, 17th in pass TD allowed), but I don’t think they’re so lucky this time around. A lot of question marks for this team, and that doesn’t translate into NFL wins. Prediction: 6-10.

San Francisco 49ers: Last Season: 8-8

Last season was really disappointing for San Fran. Colin Kaepernick did not play the way he has in recent years, throwing only 19 TD passes and 10 INTs. He also only ran for 600 yards, which is unusual for a QB who carves up defenses with his legs. They lost 1,000 yard back Frank Gore to Indianapolis, meaning the running game rests solely on Carlos Hyde and Reggie Bush. That’s not the best case scenario for first-year coach Jim Tomsula. They did pick up deep threat Torrey Smith for Kaepernick to throw to, meaning he can show off his strong arm. They also have offensive line troubles, as the QB was sacked 52 times last season. A good defense last year went to waste, and now they don’t have Aldon Smith, Patrick Willis, or Chris Borland. Their D-Line takes a hit as well, as only Glenn Dorsey returns. The 49ers have always hung their hat on defense, but with a depleted front 7, they can’t expect similar numbers from last year. That means the offense will be behind the 8 ball fro most of the game, which isn’t good for a mediocre attack either. Prediction: 5-11.

AFC Playoff Picks: Steelers, Patriots, Colts, Broncos, Chiefs, Bengals

NFC Playoff Picks: Packers, Cowboys, Seahawks, Saints, Lions, Cardinals

Super Bowl L Winner: Indianapolis Colts over Green Bay Packers

Underdog Super Bowl Pick: Chiefs over Lions

The 2015 NL MVP Goes To…

Posted on by DylanHornik

In mid-July, if I was told that the New York Mets would be the odds-on favorite to win the National League East, I would have laughed in your face. Yet here were are in early September and the Amazin’s hold a sizable lead in their division. I can’t say I saw it coming in March, but it was believable in August.

Why? Sandy Alderson. That’s why.

Actually, the moves that the oft-maligned General Manager strung together in the weeks leading up to the Trade Deadline that started the chain reaction which led to the Mets sitting pretty. Acquiring Kelly Johnson and Juan Uribe in a single move helped out the offense a tad, and getting Tyler Clippard for a mid-level prospect bolstered the bullpen. Even those transactions pale in comparison to perhaps the best deadline deal in recent baseball memory. Getting Yoenis Cespedes for the final 2+ months of this season, now, is way more important and awe-inspiring than the Mets brass could have imagined.

In fact, Cespedes is having an MVP-caliber stint with the Mets. Not only that, he could garner some votes if the Mets run away with the NL East. What’s more, he should finish in front of the probable winner, Bryce Harper.

9/1/15 - Philadelphia Phillies vs. New York Mets at Citi Field - New York Mets center fielder Yoenis Cespedes #52 hitting a 2-run homer in the 5th inning.

9/1/15 – Philadelphia Phillies vs. New York Mets at Citi Field – New York Mets center fielder Yoenis Cespedes #52 hitting a 2-run homer in the 5th inning. Photo: Charles Wenzelberg

This all, of course, depends on the interpreted definition of the Most Valuable Player award. If you are of the school of thought that the honor should be given to the best player on the best team, then it shouldn’t be either of these guys. If that’s the case, it should probably go to Andrew McCutchen, who is hitting .301 with 21 homers for a Pirates team that holds the second-best record in the league. Maybe you think it should go to the player with the best overall stat line. Then it should go to Paul Goldschmidt, with a .318 average, 27 homers, 97 RBI and 101 walks, or Nolan Arenado, who sports a .286 average but leads the NL with 37 homers and 107 RBI.

In my opinion, the MVP should go to the player who has had the most impact on a contending team, combined with the ability to come up clutch. This is where the Cespedes vs. Harper debate begins. In his short 35-game stint with the Mets, Yoenis Cespedes has hit .307 with 13 homers and 34 RBI to go along with a .660 slugging percentage. Compare that to his .293/18/61 with a .506 slugging percentage in 102 games with Detroit. He’s clearly switched his performance to an extra gear in the midst of a division race.

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These two stars have led their teams in different directions since August 1st. Photos: Chris Humphreys/USA Today Sports, Jonathan Newton/Washington Post

Bryce Harper is having one of the greatest seasons from anyone age 22 or under in baseball history. Right now, his .465 on-base percentage is the second highest for a single season aged 22 or under in history (only Ted Wiliams’ .552 in 1941 is better). His .640 slugging percentage is 3rd highest in the same age range in history. Besides the historical context, he’s hitting .333 with 34 homers and 83 RBI, all of which rank in the top 10 in the league. Harper currently sits atop the NL with 101 runs scored, and all of this comes for a team that has been fighting for a playoff spot all season.

Sounds like a runaway for Harper, right? Not really. If you think about it, the true value in a player comes when the games matter most, such as games against heated rivals fighting for the division lead. Against the Mets this season, Harper has been atrocious, hitting .214 with just one homer and 4 RBI in 56 at-bats, striking out 18 times as well. The frustration has shown in the locker room as well, making some controversial comments about the Mets, essentially saying that they didn’t earn their first-place moniker and that they aren’t ready for the big time. If you can’t produce in the clutch and make constant excuses about your current standing, how much value do you really have?

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Can Bryce Harper be the MVP of a sliding Nationals team? Photo: WTOP

On the flip side, Cespedes has hit .294 in 17 at-bats against Washington including some key hits (like this bases-clearing double to nearly erase a 6-run deficit that you can see here). Not only has he produced in general, but he comes up clutch in the important games. His value is placed in his ability to make hitting contagious as well. Since he was shipped over from Detroit, the Mets offense has averaged over 6 runs per game (tops in the NL), and they broke a club record by hitting over 40 homers in a month as a team. Overall, Cespedes has stayed out of the limelight in the media as well, letting other players like captain David Wright be the spokesman for the team’s recent success, which is a savvy thing for the breakout star to do.

I’m not saying that it’s a lock that “Yo” will beat out Harper for the most prestigious annual award. It’s entirely probable that Harper will still win the award, and Cespedes will finish far back in the polls. However, in order to make sure that the right choice is made to basically be the face of the league for the next year-plus, every facet needs to be considered. Cespedes has been the man for a team that has taken utter control of their division, while Harper’s stats haven’t helped the Nats at all.

The 5 Best/Worst Sports Fights Ever

Posted on by DylanHornik

This season held so much promise for the New York Jets. A revamped defense, more talent on offense, and a new Head Coach/General Manager tandem with a refreshing philosophy. Then this week, the team announced that incumbent starting QB Geno Smith will miss up to 10 weeks with a broken jaw after a fight with linebacker IK Enemkpali. It was learned that the fight was over a $600 plane ticket, and that Geno Smith was being “smug” and “provoked” Enemkpali into delivering the ultimate Haymaker. The feisty linebacker was released, and Smith is scheduled to seek a second opinion before deciding on surgery.

This situation begs a lot of questions about the team and it’s leadership. Instead of answering those questions, I’m going to take on the subconscious inquiry that is “does this happen a lot?” The answer is yes, and some of them are as stupid as a plane ticket. However, some of them turn into career-ending and life-threatening situations. I ranked the 5 most headline-worthy scuffles between teammates in recent sports history. As Apollo Creed said to Rocky Balboa, “Ain’t gonna’ be no rematch.”

5. Tony Allen vs. OJ Mayo: Back in 2011, these two players, who are actually friends, were playing on the Memphis Grizzlies together. Mayo reportedly owed about $7,500 to Allen from a card game that the two played. Mayo refused to pay, and went on to berate Allen’s game and personal life. After teammate Zach Randolph (who appears on this list shortly) tried to settle the argument, Allen decided he had enough and hit Mayo several times in the face, head, and shoulder. The one hook that Mayo threw was avoided by Allen, who put in one more shot to Mayo’s eye for good measure. The result: A black eye and bruised face for Mayo and a hefty fine for Allen. All because of a card game.

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Allen (9) and Mayo (32) on the court for Memphis.

4. Ruben Patterson vs. Zach Randolph/Qyntel Woods: The early 200’s Trail Blazers are infamous for their run-ins with the law (earning the nickname “Jail Blazers”), but this fight is especially mettlesome because of the way it went down. Ruben Patterson, a registered sex offender and domestic abuser, was arguing with rookie Qyntel Woods. In steps Randolph as peacemaker again, but this time it didn’t turn out so well. Randolph ended up punching Patterson square in the face. The result: A $100,00 fine for Randolph, and just 4 more years of NBA ball for Patterson, who has been arrested 3 times since his departure.

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Randolph (center) and Patterson (right).

3. Michael Westbrook vs. Stephen Davis: When they were teammates on the 1997 Redskins, Westbrook and Davis were caught on TV scuffling. It ended with Westbrook beating the living daylights out Davis. Reports later said that Davis used a homophobic slur towards Westbrook, who acted out against it. This left the impression that Westbrook was gay, which he has denied since. In fact, in an interview with ESPN back in 2008, Westbrook claimed that the whole story has been misreported for years. The result: A successful MMA career for Westbrook, who has stated that he doesn’t like hitting people in the face, and a good NFL career for Davis, who was a 3-time Pro Bowler and the NFC rushing champion in 1999 and 2001.

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Footage of the altercation between Westbrook and Davis.

2. Marcus Williams vs. Bill Romanowski: This altercation ended in Williams retiring from the NFL at the age of 27. In a practice drill, Romanowski put Williams on the ground, ripped his helmet off, and punched him in the face. He shattered Williams’ orbital bone and injured his brain. This forced Williams to retire, and he sued Romanowski for $3.4 million. Williams claimed Romanowski was suffering from “roid rage”, and the judge awarded $340,000 on behalf of Williams. The result: A $7,500 fine for Romanowski, a dead dream for Williams, and a 2-year long lawsuit.

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The damage done to Williams.

1. Gilbert Arenas vs. Javaris Crittenton: It’s never good when teammates draw guns on each other in the locker room. The story goes like this: Crittenton was angry at Arenas, who refused to pay a gambling debt (the same card game that gave OJ Mayo a black eye courtesy of Tony Allen earlier in the list). This sparked a feud that continued for several days, when ultimately both sides drew unloaded pistols at each other in the locker room on Christmas Eve. Luckily, neither player shot and no one was hurt. The FBI got involved, and this whole situation turned into a huge mess for the Wizards. The result: Crittenton and Arenas were both suspended for the rest of the 2009-2010 season. Arenas “enjoyed” 3 more fruitless seasons in the NBA before going to China, and Crittenton was overseas the season after the incident.

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Ron Sachs/Rex / Rex USA ( 623635a ) Washington Wizards guards Javaris Crittenton (8) and Gilbert Arenas (0) Washington Wizards basketball team practice at the Verizon Center in Washington DC, America - 31 Dec 2009

Crittenton and Arenas. Photo by Ron Sachs

Chef Alderson: The Real Deadline Winners

Posted on by DylanHornik

Incredibly, the New York Mets actually made a big splash at this year’s Trade Deadline. General Manager Sandy Alderson pulled off three significant trades, including one with 10 minutes to go to acquire the stud outfielder Yoenis Cespedes from the Tigers. The fan base has been imploring the front office for weeks to pull off trades to make the Mets serious contenders, and it looks like they have done just that. Kudos to Alderson, owner Fred Wilpon and COO Jeff Wilpon for digging into their pockets to help the team contend, hopefully, into September.

There were teams that made bigger moves, of course. The Toronto Blue Jays acquired the top shortstop in the game, Troy Tulowitzki and an ace starting pitcher in David Price, as well as speedy outfielder Ben Revere and shutdown reliever Mark Lowe. The Houston Astros landed top-flight pitcher Scott Kazmir and superstar outfielder Carlos Gomez (only after a potential deal with the Mets fell through). It’s clear that the Mets didn’t get the biggest names, but they are still the winners of the Trade Deadline.

Why? It’s not because of who they got, but rather what they did not give up.

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Fulmer and Cessa were traded for Cespedes, who won the Home Run Derby at Citi Field in 2013.

In the three deals that they made, the Mets got rid of of 5 young pitching prospects. While it’s never a good idea to get rid of young pitching, that’s certainly the deepest part of the Mets’ prospect base (have you seen the rotation this year?). These pitchers aren’t on the team’s radar as potential call-ups for several years, and are not ranked highly in the farm system. Only after a strong first half of the season did Michael Fulmer and Casey Meisner crack Amazin Avenue’s top 10. Fulmer, who started this season at high-A Port St. Lucie, is tearing up AA Binghamton, with a 1.88 ERA in 86 innings. He figures to be a back-end of the rotation start if and when he reaches the big leagues. Casey Meisner, who just turned 20, is pitching to the tune of a respectable, but not awe-inspiring, 2.83 ERA since his promotion to Port St. Lucie.

The other three prospects, headlined by Luis Cessa, are not ones to call home about. Cessa has an 8.51 ERA since being promoted to AAA Las Vegas, and has allowed 10.4 hits per 9 innings this season. Cessa is also one year older than current phenom Noah Syndergaard. The 21-year old Rob Whalen has not progressed past the high-A club, and has regressed from a 1.94 ERA last year to a 3.20 ERA this year. John Gant, who I’ve admittedly never heard of, has struggled at AA this year, with a 4.70 ERA in 11 starts before being traded.

They didn’t get rid of any of their top non-pitching prospects, including Michael Conforto, who has seen MLB time this season, and Amed Rosario, who is supposedly the shortstop of the future. None of the “big four”, meaning Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom, Steven Matz, or Noah Syndergaard, were traded either, so their core of starting pitching will remain intact for years to come.

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The Mets made big acquisitions and did not trade their nucleus of pitching, including (clockwise from top left): deGrom, Matz, Harvey, or Syndergaard. (Photos: Ray Stubbletine, Getty Images, AP)

Obviously, there was some consideration that a couple of current major-leaguers could be shipped off elsewhere. The speculation during the proposed Gomez deal was that Zack Wheeler and Wilmer Flores would be shipped to Milwaukee. When Gomez found out about the trade via the fans, he broke down and began to cry on-field (I chronicled his strange night here). It turn out that the trade fell through, and Flores is still here. Wheeler was still being shopped around as late as yesterday afternoon, when he called Alderson and pleaded his case. According to Alderson, the call “actually had quite an impact…He really expressed his desire to remain a Met, his excitement for being part of the organization and being part of what is happening here.”

All told, the Mets got to keep both Flores and Wheeler, and it is definitely for the better. These are two young pieces that have devoted their heart and soul to the organization. After this near life-changing experience, Wheeler and Flores will play with the passion and fire that they used to become two sought-after prospects. Flores got his chance as a 16 year-old in Venezuela, when the Mets signed him on his birthday. He started the season as the starting shortstop, but has moved over to second base and is having one of the better years for a Mets hitter,with a .251 average and 11 homers (he hit a walk-off homer just two days after the Gomez deal fell through). Wheeler was a 21-year old stud when he was traded from the Giants system to New York in the Carlos Beltran deal. He emerged last year as a reliable righty who can provide veteran leadership to the young staff when he returns from Tommy John surgery next year, even though he is still only 25.

New York Mets' Wilmer Flores (4) tosses his helmet aside as he heads for home after hitting a walk off solo home run during the twelfth inning of a baseball game to beat the Washington Nationals 2-1, Friday, July 31, 2015, in New York. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

Wilmer Flores celebrates his walk-off home run, just days after being dangled as serious trade bait. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

The Mets added some key pieces for the stretch run, but it is those who remain Mets that will stay with the team that will have to most positive impact not only now, but for the next 3 or 4 years. Their window of opportunity is just beginning to open, and the pieces that are still in Flushing will be a part of the front office’s plan to become perennial contenders.