Brandon's Breakdowns

Super Bowl LIV Predictions!

By: Brandon Carr

Super Bowl LIV is finally upon us. The biggest football game of the year will feature two of the best teams in the NFL. The San Francisco 49ers will be playing against the Kansas City Chiefs. The game will take place in Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida. Who will come up on top in the biggest game of the NFL season and take home the Lombardi trophy for their fans?….

KEYS TO THE GAME:

Can the 49ers defense stop Patrick Mahomes?

Patrick Mahomes has been nearly unstoppable this postseason. Mahomes has thrown for 615 yards, 8 touchdowns and 0 interceptions in his 2 postseason games this season. No matter what the defense has done, Mahomes has been able to pick them apart. What has made Mahomes even more of a threat is that he has become more of a runner with the football. Mahomes has ran for 53 yards in both of his postseason games which is something he normally doesn’t do as often. 49ers all pro cornerback Richard Sherman had this to say about Mahomes and the Chiefs offense, “I wouldn’t expect him to shy away from anything,” Sherman told NFL Network’s Deion Sanders at Super Bowl LIV Opening Night. “They’ve got some of the most dynamic playmakers in this league, they got a ton of speed. He’s got a ton of arm talent. He can get the ball wherever he wants it, when he wants it. He can move around the pocket. We got to find a way to get that solved. They have a great offense and obviously a ton of playmakers. That’s why they’re here, that’s why they made it to the show.” (NFL.com). Mahomes has a tough task ahead of him with this 49ers defense. The 49ers defense has been among the best defenses in the NFL this season. What they excel with the most is getting after the quarterback. They are number one in the NFL in quarterback hurries per drop back and number two in quarterback pressure per drop back (Pro-Football Reference). The 49ers defense in the postseason has been the healthiest they have been all season long and in their two post-season games, they have been pressuring the quarterback with 9 total sacks in 2 games and have forced 5 turnovers in that span as well. They have made a living this season of making the lives of opposing quarterbacks a living hell with that pass rush. Guys like Nick Bosa, Arik Armstead, Deforest Buckner, and Dee Ford have led the way for this unit.

This is a battle between two heavyweights. If the 49ers want to stop Pat Mahomes they are going to have to do everything they can from preventing him from rolling out of the pocket. I don’t doubt they get pressure on him, but Mahomes is most deadly when he is outside of the pocket which can spell trouble for the 49ers defense. The secondary for the 49ers which was first in the NFL this season in terms of passing yards allowed per game, needs to do whatever they can to cover these playmakers that the Chiefs have on offense and hope that their dominant pass rush can prevent Mahomes from extending the play with his legs.

Can The Chiefs Stop The 49ers Run Game?

The San Francisco 49ers have not only dominated teams with their defense, but they have one of the best running games in the NFL. The 49ers rank second in the NFL in rushing yards per game (144.1 YPG). The way head coach Kyle Shanahan’s system works benefits running backs immensely. The three headed monster that the 49ers have consists of, Tevin Coleman, Raheem Mostert, and Matt Breida. These backs all have skill sets that fit right in with Kyle Shanahan’s system. There is also one more guy in this backfield who is the engine that gets their running game going. A lot of the success stems from fullback Kyle Juszczyk. He is widely regarded as the best full back in football as the blocking that he provides creates gaping holes for these backs to succeed. Along with George Kittle who has improved his blocking this season to become one of the best blocking tight ends in the NFL. Just last week Raheem Mostert ran for 220 yards and 4 touchdowns against the Packers. Having the ability to rotate three great backs into the game and have a fullback and receivers who can block, it makes it really tough to stop.

The Kansas City Chiefs rush defense hasn’t been amongst the best in the NFL this season with them being ranked 26th in the NFL in rushing yards allowed per game (128.2 YPG). Although this number isn’t ideal for the Chiefs, in the AFC championship game, the Chiefs defense stepped up big time against the Tennessee Titans who were third in the NFL in rushing yards per game (138.9 YPG). The Chiefs held Derrick Henry, who was on a three game streak of rushing for 180+ yards, to only 69 yards rushing. After the game, Chiefs defensive end Frank Clark had this to say about stopping Derrick Henry, “Cause we’re the best defense in the world right now,” Clark told NFL Network’s James Palmer. “They come in here, they say they’re gonna run the ball. I know exactly what they were gonna do, you watching that film, you know what they’re going to do … Over 200 yards each game. I knew damn well we weren’t going to win the game if we let that happen. They come in here, he runs for 70 yards, they call him the best rusher in the league. We sending’ his a– home early.” (NFL.com). A big reason of why this was the case was because of the return of defensive tackle Chris Jones who may have played on a snap count, made an immediate impact to their rush defense.The confidence is high in that group and they will have to execute a similar game plan to stop this 49ers running game.

Although Tevin Coleman is dealing with a shoulder injury he suffered in the NFC championship game against Green Bay, the 49ers have the personnel to make up for Coleman’s injury. Raheem Mostert proved that. The Chiefs played their best game in terms of stopping the run all season and their defense is healthy. But I believe that the 49ers have been too consistent with their rushing attack to be shut down. The only chance I give the Chiefs is if Mahomes and their offense put up a lot of points and the 49ers have to throw the football more to keep up with their offense.

Jimmy Garoppolo: Jimmy Garoppolo hasn’t necessarily had to do too much this postseason to get to the Super Bowl. In his two post season games, Jimmy G has completed 17 out of 27 passes for 206 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception. Jimmy G has been just a game manager in those two games. However, he hasn’t faced another opposing offense as explosive as the Chiefs offense has been this season. The Chiefs and their offense have scored 86 points in their two post season games. Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid had this to say about Jimmy G, “Kyle does a great job with his blend of runs,” Reid said Tuesday at Miami’s J.W. Marriott Turnberry hotel. “That said, I wouldn’t slight Jimmy. Jimmy can throw the ball well when needed. If you look at his percentages and passer rating over the last few years, it’s up there in every situation. As well as they run the football and as well as they make you honor every gap and zone on the field, you can’t slight the pass game. Our defense is working hard on that, trying to make it right.” (NBCSports.com). Jimmy G is going to have to do more than what he has been doing in this playoff run. You can’t throw 8 passes and expect to keep up with the Chiefs. Jimmy G certainly has the weapons to keep up with Kansas City with George Kittle, Deebo Samuel, and Emmanuel Sanders to throw the football to. The Chiefs secondary has also been very good this season. They rank 8th in passing yards allowed per game (221.4 YPG). Jimmy G has the capability of scoring points with the weapons he has in the passing game, but it still will be a tall task to go blow for blow with Pat Mahomes’ offense.

CONCLUSION

This game has the potential to be one of the best Super Bowl games we have had in a long time. These two teams are both very well coached and both have great personnel. I believe that this will come down to what team has the ball last. It will be a high scoring affair, I don’t believe the 49ers will be able to stop Mahomes and I don’t believe the Chiefs will limit this 49ers running game. Although that could spell disaster for the Chiefs since Mahomes could be kept on the sidelines the entire game, I think Mahomes is too good and he will drop as many points as it takes for his team to win their second Lombardi trophy in franchise history. I like the Chiefs in a shootout and get a narrow win against the 49ers.

Prediction: 38-35 Chiefs.

Super Bowl MVP Prediction: Patrick Mahomes

References:

https://www.pro-football-reference.com

https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/49ers/why-andy-reid-wont-overlook-49ers-passing-game-super-bowl-54

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001099412/article/sherman-49ers-must-solve-patrick-mahomes-mobility

My Thoughts About Kobe Bryant

By: Brandon Carr

Yesterday, the world lost a legend. Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna and 7 others were involved in a helicopter crash that killed everyone on board. The NBA community and many others were in a state of disbelief and are in grief for this tragic event. I wanted to give my thoughts about Kobe Bryant.

When I was first starting to get into sports, I remember watching my first Celtics game. They happened to be playing against the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA finals. It was game 3 in the series and the game was played in Staples Center. I remember watching the game and I was wondering, who in the world is this number 24 for the Lakers? It seemed like he was scoring all of the points for the Lakers. His name was Kobe Bryant. He and his Lakers ended up winning that game 87-81 to make the series 2-1 Celtics. Kobe dropped 36 points that game. From there is where I became a fan of basketball.

Kobe was one of those guys who I continued to follow throughout the years. He was someone who whenever the Celtics played against the Lakers, I was afraid of Kobe single-handedly winning the game for the Lakers. He was that good of a basketball player. I remember when I first started watching YouTube, I would watch sports highlights. Kobe was one of the first athletes I looked searched. When I searched his name, I saw a video that was titled, “Watch All of Kobe’s 81 points in 3 minutes.” I could not believe what I saw. I was in total disbelief. This was the game where Kobe dropped 81 points against the Toronto Raptors. I didn’t think that scoring that many points was possible. From there, I watched more of his highlights and saw how great Kobe was as a basketball player.

I will never forget what Kobe did the last game of his NBA career. The game itself was a spectacle to watch, with how they honored him in that game and with all of the people that showed up for that game, it truly was a special moment. Kobe decided to go out that game the way only Kobe would. Kobe dropped 60 points that game and won the game for the Lakers against the Utah Jazz. After the game when Kobe finished giving his speech, he ended the speech with one of the most infamous quotes in sports history, “mamba out.” Kobe would kiss the microphone and dropped the mic. A moment that would never be forgotten in the sports world.

Kobe was one of those guys who I always had a great deal of respect for. I hated when the Celtics would play him, but he was someone who got me into the game of basketball. I loved watching Kobe play the game of basketball. I was always so fond of how he inspired so many kids and other athletes to work hard. Mamba mentality is something that resonates with so many athletes because of that endless pursuit to perfect your sport. Even with anyone shoots a basketball or they roll up a piece of paper and shoot it into a trash can, everyone always says, “Kobe” before they shoot it. That is how much of an impact Kobe has made in our lives.

It still hasn’t set in for me yet that Kobe Bryant is no longer with us and he died in such a tragic and sudden accident. A message that I would give to those who are reading this, is to really be grateful for what you have in your life. Tell your family and friends that you love them and always give your support to others. You really never know when something like this could happen to anyone else.

To Kobe Bryant, thank you for all the memories that you gave to me and many others. He truly was one of the greatest players of our generation and was an amazing husband and father to his family. He will never be forgotten in the sports world.

NFL Conference Championship Predictions (2020)

By: Brandon Carr

Photos from: 49ers.com and AthlonSports.com

There are only three football games left in the NFL season. Two of these games are this Sunday and they happen to decide what two teams will be playing in this year’s Super Bowl….

Tennessee Titans @ Kansas City Chiefs

3:05pm (CBS)

Photo taken by: Frederick Breedon/Getty Images

Injury Report

Titans:

Jayon Brown/Questionable (Shoulder)

Jack Conklin/Questionable (Shoulder)

Rashaan Evans/Questionable (Foot)

Adoree’ Jackson/Questionable (Foot)

Cody Hollister/Questionable (Ankle)

Adam Humphries/Questionable (Ankle)

David Long/Questionable (Knee)

Chiefs:

Chris Jones/Questionable (Calf)

LeSean McCoy/Questionable (Illness)

Matt Moore/Questionable (Illness)

Background: After upsetting the number one seeded Baltimore Ravens, the sixth seeded Tennessee Titans are one win away from advancing to their first Super Bowl since 1999. The Kansas City Chiefs after coming back down 24 points to the Houston Texans are also one win away to the Super Bowl. The Chiefs have not appeared in a Super Bowl since 1969. Both of these teams played in Week 10 of this season. The Titans ended up winning this game 35-32 off of a game winning field goal. Both teams now meet again who both are looking to end a long streak of not being in the Super Bowl; but only one can come out on top…..

KEYS TO THE GAME
Derrick Henry: Derrick Henry is the hottest player in the NFL right now. He has been unstoppable this postseason. Henry is the first player in NFL history to rush for 180+ yards in three consecutive games. No team has had an answer for Derrick Henry and the Kansas City Chiefs are going to have their hands full. The Chiefs rank 26th in the NFL in rushing yards allowed this season, which isn’t a good sign when facing Henry. Chiefs linebacker Anthony Hitchens had this to say about how to stop Derrick Henry, “You’ve got to just take his legs out,” Hitchens said. “We’ve talked all week about killing the engine. Hit him in his thighs and his legs, chop them down. When you tackle him high he tends to carry you for about 4-5 more yards. Hit him low, all legal within the game, but you’ve got to just hit him lower.” (Chiefs Wire). There clearly is a game plan that is in place to stop Derrick Henry for the Chiefs, but that is a tall order for the Chiefs defense. If Derrick Henry can run wild on this Chiefs defense and control the time of possession, then Patrick Mahomes will spend a lot of time on the sidelines this game.

Keeping Up With The Chiefs Offense: The Kansas City Chiefs offense is one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL. Chiefs wide receiver, Tyreek Hill had this to say about his offense, “I feel like nobody in the NFL can guard any of us, and that’s no disrespect to nobody,” Hill told reporters on Wednesday, via NFL.com. “That’s just the confidence that I got in myself and the wideouts I’ve got around me, including the tight ends and the running backs. I feel like no DB unit, no secondary unit, no linebacker, any defense can guard any of us. So man-to-man is just easy for us to beat. If you just allow us to run through zones, it’s even easier.” (ProFootballTalk). Hill clearly is very confident in his offense to put up points this game. Which he should be because the Chiefs just last week put up a whopping 51 points on the Houston Texans’ defense. Patrick Mahomes led the way with 374 total yards and 5 total touchdowns. Tight end Travis Kelce also had a monster game with 10 receptions for 134 yards and 3 touchdowns. However, the Titans defense has gotten hot at the right moment, giving up 25 points in the two post season games they have played. The Titans defense has talked about how confident they are in stopping this Chiefs high powered offense. Safety Kenny Vaccaro said, “They have Patrick. They have all of this speed. I don’t care. We’re going to find a way to win.” (B/R Ty Dunne). Kevin Byard of the Titans also had this to say, “Nobody in our room fears anybody. Nobody fears the amount of talent they have, because we have talent, too.” (B/R Ty Dunne). The Titans defense is riding on confidence as well and they are going to have to play their best football this Sunday in order to win this football game.

Ryan Tannehill: Ryan Tannehill has been just a game manager in these postseason wins. He has not thrown for over 100 yards in any game yet this postseason which needs to change this Sunday. The Chiefs will put up points this game, no matter how good the Titans defense has been this postseason. Derrick Henry can’t be the reason of why the Titans win this game. What happens if this game turns into a shootout? How is Ryan Tannehill going to keep up with Patrick Mahomes? He will have to play his best game yet against a Chiefs defense who is 6th in the NFL in passing yards allowed per game. A couple of big throws from Tannehill won’t get the job done, he will need to have a huge outing to give his team a chance to win.

Conclusion: This game will come down to the wire even if the Chiefs are 7.5 point favorites at home. I don’t think the Chiefs are going to have an answer for Derrick Henry, no matter how many guys they put in the box. There has been no answer for this guy in the second half of the NFL season. Especially if Chris Jones misses this game for Kansas City, it will be even harder to stop this guy. However, this doesn’t mean that the Titans are going to win because I believe that the Chiefs offense may be too much for the Titans defense. There are way too many weapons for these guys to handle and even if the Titans control the time of possession this game, I think Mahomes and this offense is too much for this Titans team to overcome. The Chiefs have not lost a game since they lost to the Titans in the regular season. I trust Patrick Mahomes more than I trust Ryan Tannehill to come through in a shootout, which I think will end up happening in this game. I like the Chiefs to hold off the Titans and advance to their first Super Bowl since 1969.

Prediction: Chiefs 35-30

Green Bay Packers @ San Francisco 49ers

6:40pm (FOX)

Photo taken by: Scott Strazzante / The San Francisco Chronicle

Injury Report

Green Bay:

Danny Vitale/Questionable (Knee)

San Francisco:

NONE

Background: The Green Bay Packers are coming off of a huge win against the Seattle Seahawks at home. They now have to travel on the road to play the San Francisco 49ers. The Packers have not appeared in a Super Bowl since 2010 where they would beat the Pittsburgh Steelers. The 49ers last Super Bowl appearance was 2013 where they lost to the Baltimore Ravens. These two teams played in Week 12 of this season and the 49ers blew out the Packers 37-8. Now these two teams will meet again with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line. Only one of these storied franchises can represent the NFC in this year’s Super Bowl. Who will it be?….

KEYS TO THE GAME

Who Steps Up For The Packers?: The Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams tandem has gotten their groove back at the right time. Adams last week posted 8 receptions for 160 yards and 2 touchdowns against the Seahawks. However, Adams has a tough assignment this Sunday. Richard Sherman has had a resurgence this year. He has reestablished himself as one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL. According to PFF, Sherman “allowed just 52.9% of the targets thrown his way to be caught (27 catches, 51 targets) and allowed one reception longer than 20 yards.” This made Sherman PFF’s highest rated cornerback this season. Last time Adams went up against the 49ers, Adams posted 7 receptions for 43 yards and 1 touchdown. The Packers are going to need someone else to step up for them in their passing game. Guys like Allen Lazard, Geronimo Allison, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and Jimmy Graham are all accountable. One of these guys needs to step up in this game to give Rodgers another option besides Davante Adams. Out of all of these guys, I give Allen Lazard the best chance to step up as he has been a guy Rodgers has trusted this season who has flashed in some games. Last week, Lazard was held without a catch, that needs to change this week. If Rodgers has to lean on Adams this game, the Packers are going to have a hard time moving the ball through the air.

The Dominance Of The 49ers Front Seven: The 49ers defense has now gotten healthy at the right time of the season. Last week they reminded everyone of why they have one of the best front sevens in the NFL. Last week they completely neutralized Dalvin Cook in the running game. Cook was held to only 26 yards of total offense, while the Vikings offense as a whole was held to only 193 total yards. The main reason for this dominance was because of their ferocious pass rush. Kirk Cousins was sacked 6 times in that game and was pressured throughout the game. When the Packers played this team in Week 12 of the NFL season, Aaron Rodgers was sacked 5 times in that game. The Packers run game overall was solid as a unit they ran for 117 yards total in that game. However, Dee Ford and Kwon Alexander didn’t play in that game and now they are back in the 49ers lineup. The Packers offensive line is going to have its hands full this Sunday with guys like Nick Bosa, Dee Ford, and Arik Armstead coming their way. If the 49ers defensive line can terrorize Rodgers all game, then they will win this game. The Packers are going to have to find ways to get the ball out of Rodgers’ hands quick and Rodgers will have to make a lot of throws from outside the pocket this game in order to ward off this pass rush. The Packers running game with Aaron Jones, needs to be able to be effective this game to make Rodgers’ life easier. Considering what the 49ers just did to the Vikings rushing attack, the Packers are going to have their hands full.

Jimmy Garoppolo: Jimmy G’s postseason debut last week wasn’t anything to write home about. He threw for 131 yards 1 touchdown and 1 interception with a QBR of 74.7. The 49ers leaned more on their rushing attack in the win against the Vikings with 206 total rushing yards as a unit. I expect Aaron Rodgers to put up more points than what Kirk Cousins was able to do last week, which means Jimmy G needs to be more effective this game. Jimmy G last week only threw the ball 19 times, I am expecting that number to go up between 25-30 times this game. This Packers defense is also very slept on. The Packers last week sacked Russell Wilson 5 times and was a big factor in giving the Packers the edge that game. The duo of Preston and Za’Darius Smith both had 2 sacks a piece in that game. Jimmy G has to be able to not make mistakes this game with this defense. Look for guys like George Kittle and Deebo Samuel to be receiving a lot of work in the middle of the field where Jimmy G accels. The 49ers have the ability to win this game running the ball, but Jimmy G will just have to do more than what he did last week and have a great outing.

Conclusion: Aaron Rodgers knows how important this game is for his legacy. He knows all of the people who have been doubting him this season and all of the people who have knocked him for making one Super Bowl. However, I don’t believe that his team can stack up with what the 49ers have. The 49ers are the most balanced football team in the NFL. They can beat you a number of different ways and I believe that it once again will be too much for Aaron Rodgers to overcome. I like the 49ers to win this game and advance to their first Super Bowl since 2013.

Prediction: 27-17 49ers

References:

https://twitter.com/PFF_49ers/status/1218291908738310144?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Eembeddedtimeline%7Ctwterm%5Eprofile%3APFF_49ers%7Ctwcon%5Etimelinechrome&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pff.com%2Fnfl%2Fplayers%2Frichard-sherman%2F6306

Grading NFL Head Coaching Hires (2020)

By: Brandon Carr

All of the NFL teams that were in need of a new head coach have found their guy. But how good exactly were these hirings?….

Photo taken by: Tom Pennington/Getty Images

Mike McCarthy (Dallas Cowboys)

Background: Mike McCarthy was the head coach of the Green Bay Packers from 2006-2018. He won 6 division titles and Super Bowl 45 as the head coach of the Packers. McCarthy had been fired in the 2018-2019 season after he and the Packers had struggled that season when McCarthy as the head coach finished with a 4-7-1 record. He had been out of football during the 2019-2020 season until he was hired by the Dallas Cowboys.

Good Hire?: Mike McCarthy will have a lot of pressure heading into this situation. This Cowboys team has Super Bowl aspirations and the fans expect that from this team after they finally fired Jason Garrett. One of the biggest reasons why McCarthy was fired by the Packers was because of his offensive system being “stale.” Now McCarthy had stated in his introductory press conference that he had focused more on analytics in the offseason. This would mean that he has hopefully caught up to what the league has been doing with their offenses. Dak Prescott will improve under McCarthy as he has been known for working with quarterbacks over his coaching career. McCarthy has also been given the greenlight by Jerry Jones to hire his own staff which is a good thing for Dallas.

I think McCarthy isn’t a flashy hire like most Cowboys fans wanted with the likes of Lincoln Riley or Urban Meyer. However I think McCarthy is a better head coach than Jason Garrett and is overall a solid head coach. He can say that he has won a Super Bowl before which helps gain the trust of your players.

Grade: B+

Kevin Stefanski (Cleveland Browns)

Background: Kevin Stefanski had been the offensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings before getting hired by the Browns to be their head coach. He has been with the Vikings organization since 2006 working multiple different positions in the Vikings coaching staff. He was the quarterbacks coach, running backs coach, tight ends coach, assistant to the head coach, assistant quarterbacks coach, and offensive coordinator at one point before taking the Browns head coaching job. Stefanski was a first time offensive coordinator for the Vikings this season. The Vikings finished 16th in total offensive yards, 23rd in passing yards, and 6th in rushing yards.

Good Hire?: A lot of Vikings players have talked about how much of a great leader Stefanski is in meetings and in the locker room. This is great to hear from the players who are showing their trust and giving their praise for Stefanski. Although being in the NFL since 2006, Stefanski has only been with one team his entire career and has only been under 3 different head coaches in his time around the Vikings. He now goes to a team that just experienced major disappointment this past season and a team currently without a general manager. He will get the chance to work with a talented offense with guys like Baker Mayfield, Odell Beckham, Jarvis Landry, and Nick Chubb. With this roster, stepping into this team will expect high expectations.

I can buy into what the Vikings players said about Stefanski. Now can he bring this same leadership and communication skills to a team that is filled with personalities? He will need to in order to get this team on the right track. I don’t like how he has been an offensive coordinator for one season but I expect him to do better than Freddie Kitchens ever was.

Grade: B-

Ron Rivera (Washington Redskins)

Background: Ron Rivera had been the head coach of the Carolina Panthers from 2011-2019. He had won 3 division titles and reached one Super Bowl as the head coach of the Panthers. He had been fired by the Panthers this season after 2 disappointing seasons in a row. He was the first coach to be hired by a new team. With that, Rivera was given a 5 year contract by the Redskins to be their new head coach.

Good Hire?: Ron Rivera was given the keys to do what he wants as the head coach of the Washington Redskins. He has already started to form his new staff with the hiring of Scott Turner as his offensive coordinator and Jack Del Rio as his defensive coordinator. He has a young football team to work with that has a lot of talent.

I love Ron Rivera as a head coach. He is widely considered as a tough nose attitude coach who is hard on his players. He will bring an attitude to the locker room which what this Redskins team needs. He has had success in this league and will build a new culture in this Redskins organization. I love this hire for an up and coming Redskins team.

Grade: A

Matt Rhule (Carolina Panthers)

Background: Matt Rhule has been a coach in football since 1998. During that time he has been a coach for multiple college teams. Most notably, he has been the head coach of Temple and Baylor. He was the head coach of Temple from 2013-2016 where he finished with a 28-23 record. He then departed for Baylor where he would be the head coach from 2017-2019. He finished with a 19-20 record. When the Panthers head coaching job opened, he was the only interview for the Panthers and was given the job. He was given a 7 year deal worth 60 million dollars to be their next head coach.

Good Hire?: Matt Rhule is versatile as he has coached offense, defense, and special teams at one point in his coaching career. Rhule also has had a history of improving programs when he has taken the reigns as a head coach. He took Temple from a 2-10 record in 2013 to a 10-3 record in 2016. With Baylor he did the same thing. He took Baylor from a 1-11 record in 2017 to a 11-3 record in 2019. He now has the opportunity to try and do this with an NFL team.

Matt Rhule has a lot to prove. This is a brand new environment for him. He had been with an NFL team once and that was being the assistant offensive line coach of the New York Giants in 2012. Other than that, Rhule has had no other NFL experience. I believe that he has a very talented team to work with along with great ownership. This gives Rhule a good chance to be a successful head coach at the next level.

Grade: B

Photo taken by: Rich Schultz/Getty Images

Joe Judge (New York Giants)

Background: Joe Judge previously had been on the New England Patriots coaching staff as their special teams coordinator from 2012-2019. This past season, he was also the Patriots wide receiver coach. Before the Patriots, Judge was the special teams coordinator for the Alabama Crimson Tide. Judge was hired by the New York Giants to become their new head coach. He was given a 5 year deal worth over 5 million dollars per season.

Good Hire?: Joe Judge has had the luxury of being coached under two of the best coaches to coach the game of football, Bill Belichick and Nick Saban. Both of these coaches have publicly stated how bright Judge is as a football mind. That is the type of praise you want from two of the best to ever do it in their respective areas. New England has been known to having one of the better special teams units in football over the years with Judge being their coordinator.

I think that this hire has a lot of potential to be a great hire considering who Judge has worked with in the past, however now he has to control an entire team. Giants ownership and upper management are not considered to be very good so that isn’t the best thing for a new head coach. I think Judge has a lot of talent to work with on this roster however, especially on the offensive side of the ball. He is coaching in one of the biggest sports markets in the world and will have to face pressure right out of the gate. Overall I think that this hire has potential to work but it could also flop due to Judge being just a special teams coordinator for most of his career mixed with bad upper management.

Grade: C+

These head coaches have a lot of expectations this upcoming season. Can they turn these franchises around? Only time will tell….

NFL Divisional Round Breakdown (2020)

By: Brandon Carr

After a wild Wild Card weekend, we are now into the divisional round of the NFL playoffs. These next four matchups will determine the conference title games for next week. Here is what to expect in these four games….

Minnesota Vikings @ San Francisco 49ers

4:35pm EST (NBC)

The 6th seeded Vikings are coming off of a huge upset in New Orleans beating the 13-3 Saints. Their playoff schedule doesn’t get any easier as now they have to play the 1st seeded San Francisco 49ers.

KEYS TO THE GAME

Kirk Cousins vs Jimmy Garoppolo: Kirk Cousins has received a lot of backlash in his career in terms of him beating good teams. He shut a lot of people up last week as Kirk came through in the clutch in overtime; making the best throw of his career to Adam Thielen to set up the Kyle Rudolph touchdown. He now has the opportunity to silence his critics again, as he goes up against the 49ers number one ranked pass defense. The Vikings are going to need Kirk Cousins to have more magic in him to pull off this game.

Jimmy Garoppolo has never taken a snap in a playoff game before. However, he was part of those New England Patriots Super Bowl winning teams and he saw first hand how Tom Brady prepared for a playoff matchup. Garoppolo in his last game looked good against the Seahawks he needs to continue playing at a level like that. Jimmy Garoppolo has to play his best football in order for his 49ers to move on.

Both of these quarterbacks have a lot to prove this game. Both quarterbacks can’t make mistakes, as cliche as that may sound.

The Battle of Running Games: Both teams are coming into this matchup with two of the best running games in football. The 49ers are second in the NFL in rushing yards per game and the Vikings are 6th.

Dalvin Cook looked healthy and like himself last week. Cook finished with 130 yards from scrimmage with 2 touchdowns. Cook is the best player on this Vikings offense. If he’s healthy and playing at a high level, the 49ers need to watch out. Cook has established himself as one of the top running backs in the league. The 49ers rush defense is not particularly great as they are 17th in rushing yards allowed per game.

The 49ers rushing attack is what can lead them to a championship. They have one of if not the best backfield in football. Raheem Mostert, Matt Breida, and Tevin Coleman all will get touches in this game. Kyle Shanahan knows how to get his running backs involved and the Vikings rush defense is 13th so it’s about league average.

Both defenses need to be able to limit the running games for both teams. Make one of these two quarterbacks beat you.

The Return of Kwon Alexander: What isn’t being talked about enough is the return of 49ers linebacker Kwon Alexander. He had been placed on IR on November 5th with a torn pectoral. His versatility was missed for the 49ers defense as he is one of the better linebackers they have on the roster. He can cover and is fast enough to play sideline to sideline. He will provide the 49ers defense with a nice boost in stopping Dalvin Cook.

WHO WINS?

I believe that this game will be closer than what most people think considering the momentum that the Vikings now have beating a really good Saints team in their building. But I believe this 49ers defense will get after Kirk Cousins and the 49ers offense will do a better job at controlling the clock than the Vikings offense.

Prediction: 24-20 49ers

Tennessee Titans @ Baltimore Ravens

8:15 EST (CBS)

The 6th seeded Tennessee Titans, coming off of a huge win in Foxborough against the defending champion New England Patriots. They now take their momentum against number one seeded Baltimore Ravens.

KEYS TO THE GAME

Lamar Jackson: Lamar Jackson has been near unstoppable this season. No team has found an answer in stopping him as he can beat you with his legs and his arm. Titans head coach Mike Vrabel said this about stopping Lamar Jackson, “other than try to tie his shoelaces together, not many people have had success…. They have the best player in the league who’s impossible to tackle. A great scheme. I think on any other day, it would be fun to watch but not when you’re trying to prepare for them and stop them.” Lamar last season in the playoffs had a game that he would like to forget against the Los Angeles Chargers. Lamar had 248 total yards 2 touchdowns but he had 2 turnovers and fumbled the ball 3 times. Now as he has improved drastically and knows what a playoff atmosphere feels like, he will feel more comfortable out there. It will be hard for Tennessee to stop this Ravens offense if Lamar isn’t rusty from his 3 week break.

Derrick Henry: Arguably the hottest player in the NFL right now, Derrick Henry is coming off a huge performance against the Patriots in the divisional round where he put up 204 total yards and a touchdown. In 6 of the last 7 games Henry has played, he has ran for over 100 yards. Henry has the ability to wear down defenses with his huge frame and running at your throat type of mentality and play style. The Ravens number one priority has to be to stack the box and not let Henry wear them down.

Ryan Tannehill: The Titans offense last week may have won, but they need to put up more than 14 points in order to keep up with the Ravens. Ryan Tannehill needs to be more effective in this game. Tannehill only had 8 completions for 72 yards last week. That is not going to be enough to keep up with this Ravens offense. Tannehill had the most success with running play action. The Titans need to incorporate this more into their game plan to keep the Ravens defense on their feet. Ryan Tannehill can’t be just a game manager this game, he needs to have a big night for the Titans to pull off the upset.

WHO WINS?

This game will more than likely be the most physical football game this weekend. It will feature a lot of running of the football. Most of the Ravens starters have not played since Week 16 against the Browns so there will be rust they need to shake off. I do see this game being close in the first half, but I believe the Ravens will shake off a slow start in this game and run away with this game in the second quarter.

Prediction: 27-13 Ravens

Houston Texans @ Kansas City Chiefs

3:05pm EST (CBS)

The 4th seeded Houston Texans after a hard fought victory in overtime against the Buffalo Bills will go into Arrowhead Stadium to go up against the 2nd seeded Kansas City Chiefs.

KEYS TO THE GAME

Injuries: Both teams have some players who are dealing with some injuries heading into this game.

Texans starting safety, Jaheel Addae and starting cornerback Jonathan Joseph are both questionable to play with injuries. Receivers Will Fuller V and Kenny Stills are also questionable heading into this game. These are all starters in the Texans lineup and would be huge losses for this team.

Two of Kansas City’s best players are dealing with injuries. Defensive tackle Chris Jones and star tight end Travis Kelce are both questionable heading into this game. Both would be big time losses for the Chiefs offense and defense. Starting cornerback Morris Claiborne is already ruled out with a shoulder injury and rookie starting safety Juan Thornhill tore his ACL in Week 17 is out for the season.

Both teams are dealing with key players with injuries and will need to hope for the best for their availability on Sunday.

Deshaun Watson vs Patrick Mahomes: The battle between two of the NFL’s best young quarterbacks. Both were taken in the same draft and both have been successful at the next level. These two quarterbacks played earlier this season and Deshaun Watson got the victory over Pat Mahomes’ Chiefs. This is the next battle in their saga.

Deshaun Watson is coming off of a clutch performance against the Buffalo Bills where he brought his team back down 16 points and won the game in overtime. The Texans offensive line will need to protect Watson better this game as last week Watson was sacked 7 times. He can’t be superman again this game. He will need to have more time in the pocket in order for the Texans to have a chance.

Pat Mahomes is looking to extract revenge for the loss the Texans handed this team earlier in the season and him and his squad are more motivated than ever to win the Super Bowl this year. He hasn’t been the MVP that we saw last season where he put up amazing numbers, but he has an easier challenge in this game with a Texans defense that has been awful this season.

Both quarterbacks will have great games and it will be tough to determine who will outdo the other, but that may be what determines the outcome of this ball game.

Carlos Hyde: The biggest reason why the Texans beat Kansas City this year was because of a huge game from running back Carlos Hyde. Hyde ran for 116 yards and scored two touchdowns that game. The Chiefs rush defense needs to be better this game if they want a chance. The Texans can control this game if they are able to run the football and keep Mahomes off the field.

WHO WINS?

This game I believe will be seen in a lot of playoff matchups coming in the future. Watson vs. Mahomes will be a battle in the AFC for years to come. This upcoming matchup will be a battle, but I believe that the Kansas City Chiefs passing attack will be a lot for the Texans defense to handle. Watson I think will make an effort to try and will his team back into this game but it won’t be enough. Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid has also been known for being successful after having a bye week, so I expect that he will have his guys ready.

Prediction: 30-24 Chiefs

Seattle Seahawks @ Green Bay Packers

6:40 PM EST (FOX)

The 5th seeded Seattle Seahawks who are coming off of a big win against the Philadelphia Eagles, go into Lambeau Field to take on the Green Bay Packers.

KEYS TO THE GAME

Russell Wilson vs Aaron Rodgers: Both of these quarterbacks are the only two quarterbacks in the playoffs who have won a Super Bowl as the starter. They both have had many battles in the past and this is another one to add to their saga.

Russell Wilson this year had himself an MVP season with 4000+ passing yards and 30+ touchdown passes. He once again finds himself in a do or die situation in the playoffs. He is going to a stadium where he has not played particularly well in. Wilson is 0-3 all time in Lambeau Field in his career with 3 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. However, Seattle this season have been awesome on the road with an 8-1 record on the road. Wilson will need to shake off the house of horrors that Lambeau Field has given him and play a great game.

Aaron Rodgers has been receiving a lot of hate this year, saying that the Packers quarterback has had an off year. However Rodgers this season still threw for 4000+ yards and 26 touchdowns with only 4 interceptions. Rodgers hasn’t had much postseason success and has stated how important this opportunity is for him and his team. Rodgers hasn’t won a Super Bowl since 2010. Seattle’s defense hasn’t been particularly good this season so Rodgers will have a chance to prove his doubters wrong.

DK Metcalf: DK Metcalf is coming off of his best performance in his young career. He posted 7 catches for 160 yards and a touchdown. He will likely draw a lot of attention from this Packers defense and Seattle may need to look for guys like Tyler Lockett to step up this game. It will be hard for Metcalf to duplicate his performance, but he will receive a lot of looks from Russell Wilson. Keep an eye out for how he does this game.

Aaron Jones: The Packers have been one of the top rushing teams in the NFL and it starts with Aaron Jones. He will need to be the focal point of this Packers offense to take the pressure off of Aaron Rodgers. He has been a weapon in this Packers offense and if Seattle lets him run wild, they have no chance of winning this game.

WHO WINS?

Both of these teams have two quarterbacks who have won the Super Bowl and bring experience to the team. However, they both also have a lot of guys who haven’t played many playoff snaps and that could be a big factor in this game. Seattle has one advantage and that is coaching. Matt LeFleur is still a first year head coach. Pete Caroll has been the head coach for the Seahawks since 2010. That matters when it comes to getting your guys ready for a playoff game. I think this will be a close game between two of the best quarterbacks in the NFL and it will come down to the wire.

Prediction: 20-17 Seahawks

It will be a great weekend of football and best of luck to all of these teams.

Why Luka Doncic Will Be The Greatest Dallas Maverick Ever.

By: Brandon Carr

Photo taken by Brace Hemmelgarn (USA TODAY Sports)

Luka Doncic has been one of the biggest stories in the NBA this season. He is one of the best players in the NBA and he is only 20 years old. NBA hall of famer Jerry West made a statement regarding Luka Doncic’s future. “[Luka] will be the best player Dallas has ever had. I have great respect for Nowitzki, but Dirk is not him.” (The Dallas Morning News). I agree with Jerry West’s statement. Here is why…..

NUMBERS DON’T LIE

As of today (January 8th 2020), Luka Doncic is currently averaging 29.7 PPG (3rd), 9.7 RPG (17th) and 8.9 APG (3rd). He also leads the NBA in triple-doubles with 11 on the season. These are staggering numbers for a 20 year old kid playing in the NBA. LeBron James when he was 20 years old averaged 27.2 PPG (3rd), 7.4 RPG (28th), and 7.2 APG (6th). Luka Doncic clearly as of right now, had the better numbers than what LeBron James did at 20 years old; even with LeBron playing more minutes per game than Luka is.

Dirk Nowitzki has never averaged as many points as Luka is right now in his entire career in a season. The most Nowitzki has ever averaged in a season was 26.6 PPG. Luka Doncic is the more complete all around offensive player than Nowitzki, but Nowitzki is still the better shooter from three than Luka. Right now, Luka is shooting 33.1% from three point range and Dirk in his career shot 38% from three point range. Luka is still only 20 years old so his shooting percentages can improve if he keeps working on his shot.

All of Luka’s numbers can improve as he will only get better. Think about how far Giannis Antetokounmpo has come in his career. His numbers only have gotten better every single season of his career. Luka is one of the most talented players in the NBA and his monster numbers will only get better.

The only knock on Luka is his defense. Luka’s defensive win share is ranked 158th in the NBA with a 0.076 rating. The reason behind this low number is the offensive workload that Luka Doncic has to put in night in and night out. This number can improve if he doesn’t have to carry as much of a workload each night. A scout from an eastern conference team said this about Luka’s defense, “He’s not a bad defender,” the East scout said. “He’s smart. He knows where to be. I wouldn’t call him a liability. You can’t ruthlessly attack him. His defense is good in a team setting. It’s just a matter of if he can get to the point where he’s a little more switchable and a little more able to guard in isolated scenarios one-on-one.” (Yahoo! Sports). Luka’s basketball IQ is among the best in the NBA and his defense can improve. Dirk was a good defender in his time in the NBA, Luka can improve his to get to that point.

EXPERIENCE

I understand what Dirk Nowitzki has done for the city of Dallas. He won them an NBA championship in 2011 and played 21 seasons in the NBA and has more experience than Luka Doncic. But I believe that Luka has the ability to win a championship for this Mavericks organization; just like Dirk did for them.

Luka has been playing professional basketball since he was 16 years old. Two years after making his debut for the Real Madrid basketball club, he led his team to a EuroLeague championship at 18 years old. He also won the EuroLeague MVP and the Final Four MVP that historic year. He already knows what it takes to win a championship in a professional setting and that mindset carries over wherever you go. Now the Mavericks obviously need to surround Luka with pieces he can accomplish this with. Kristaps Porzingis I believe is a good second option to pair with Luka and this team can continue to add more pieces to the puzzle. I believe if general manager Donnie Nelson can do this, Dallas will be a threat in the western conference for years to come.

I understand that Luka has not played in an NBA playoff game in his career, but the Mavericks are currently the 6th seed in the western conference and they will more than likely have a playoff matchup in the spring. Luka again has an advantage over a lot of current NBA players and that is already having that experience of winning a championship in a professional league. I am confident he can play at a high level in the playoffs.

CONCLUSION

Dirk Nowitzki is one of the greatest power forwards to ever play in the NBA. He revolutionized the game by being one of if not the greatest stretch big man in NBA history. He has meant everything to the city of Dallas and the Mavericks organization. I am not taking anything away from the greatness of Dirk Nowitzki and I don’t even know if Luka can live up to the impact Dirk has made. However, Luka Doncic I am confident in saying, will be a better and more accomplished player than Dirk ever was in his career.

Luka’s sheer talent and ability are far better than what Dirk ever had in his career and if Luka continues to get better and his numbers go up, he will pass Dirk in a lot of statistical categories. Luka would be the MVP front runner if Giannis Antetokounmpo and James Harden were not in the NBA. But again Luka is only 20 years old and has years to win that award and other awards in his NBA career.

For now, we can marvel and watch one of the best young players the NBA has ever seen do his thing on the court. 10 years from now, we could be having a different conversation about Luka Doncic in his place in NBA lore.

References:

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/doncilu01.html

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/n/nowitdi01.html

https://sports.yahoo.com/heres-how-luka-doncic-can-get-even-better-155529782.html

LSU vs Clemson Preview

By: Brandon Carr

The 2020 College Football Playoff National Championship Game is quickly approaching. The battle between the number one ranked LSU Tigers and the third ranked Clemson Tigers will be a game to remember. The LSU Tigers are 5.5 point favorites to win the biggest game of the year with the over-under being at 69.5 points. The game is Monday January 13th at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The start time is 8:00pm on ESPN.

LSU

LSU has been the talk of this college football season starting with the emergence of quarterback Joe Burrow who won the heisman trophy this year with a staggering 5,208 passing yards, 55 touchdowns, and an FBS record 77.6% completion percentage. The way Burrow has turned around this LSU program has been very impressive. There was a reason why head coach Ed Orgereron wanted Burrow to transfer to LSU and why he made every effort to recruit him to the Tigers. The weapons that Joe Burrow has on this offense can’t be slept on. The trio of Justin Jefferson, Ja’Marr Chase, and Terrace Marshall Jr. have all been near unstoppable this year when taking the field together; making Joe Burrow’s life a lot easier. Clyde Edwards-Helaire has been a key player in this LSU offense because of what he provides the offense with his efficient running and catching out of the backfield. Joe Burrow’s biggest weapon however is Joe Brady. Brady was an offensive assistant last year for the New Orleans Saints and he has really taken the LSU passing offense to a historic level.

When talking about LSU you can’t forget about their great secondary. It starts with the cornerback duo of Kristian Fulton and Derek Stingley Jr. Kristian Fulton is a projected first round pick in the NFL draft this year and was PFF’s highest graded SEC cornerback of the season. Derek Stingley is one of the best young cornerbacks in college football. He is only a freshman and has earned himself first team all SEC honors. But the best player in this secondary may be safety Grant Delpit. Delpit this season was first team all SEC and was the winner of the Jim Thorpe award which recognizes the top defensive back in college football.

This LSU team is very loaded on both sides of the ball however they will have their hands full with Clemson.

CLEMSON

The defending national champions are still amongst the best teams in college football. It starts with their quarterback, Trevor Lawrence. Lawrence this season started off slow but he picked up his play and looks as deadly as he did in last year’s college football playoff. Lawrence has not thrown an interception since October against Louisville and has thrown 201 consecutive passes without one. Since the last time Trevor Lawrence has thrown an interception he has thrown for 1,897 yards and 22 touchdowns. Lawrence has the necessary weapons to complement his talent. Receivers Justyn Ross and Tee Higgins are both big bodied receivers that have made Trevor Lawrence’s job easier this season. But the guy who makes this Clemson offense electric is running back Travis Etienne. Etienne is one of the nation’s most explosive running backs and has lived up to that name. His 1,536 rushing yards, 18 rushing touchdowns, and his whopping 8 yards per carry give Clemson a dynamic player out of their backfield who is capable of breaking off a big play on any given touch.

For Clemson’s defense, it revolves around linebacker, Isaiah Simmons. Simmons was a safety before converting to linebacker in 2017. Since then, Simmons has turned himself into one of the best linebackers in the nation. Simmons this year was the winner of the Butkus award which recognizes the nation’s top linebacker. He is the leader of this Clemson defense that lost a lot of key players to the NFL draft last year but they are amongst the best defenses in college football with them being number one in fewest points given up on the season second in fewest yards given up. Clemson’s defense will face its toughest challenge of the season against LSU.

KEYS TO THE GAME

Joe Burrow vs. Trevor Lawrence: This is the talk of this matchup. Two of the nation’s best quarterbacks dueling it out on the biggest stage in college football. The team that wins this game will rely on who’s quarterback can get them to that point. Joe Burrow has had an unworldly type of season with LSU who has and is on his way to breaking multiple FBS records. Trevor Lawrence has been known as one of the best quarterbacks in college football for two years and has never lost a game in his collegiate career with a 25-0 record, yet he’s the underdog once again. Both of these quarterbacks have something to prove in this game and both will bring their A-game to this contest. But who will outdo the other? That will be the biggest reason of determining the outcome of this game.

Clemson’s Pass Defense vs LSU Pass Offense: Clemson has had one of the best defenses in the nation this season they have been among the top in rankings in terms of yards given up and points given up. Most importantly they have given up the least passing yards per game. They happen to play the best passing offense in college football. This is a battle of two heavyweights. Clemson has not seen a passing offense as explosive as LSU’s has been this season. Will Clemson’s secondary be able to hang with these LSU receivers?

Both Team’s Pass Rush and Both Team’s Offensive Line: What is not being talked about enough is that Clemson has had the better pass rush and the better offensive line this season than LSU has. In terms of FBS rankings, Clemson is 12th in total sacks and LSU is 32nd in total sacks. Clemson has the advantage in pass rush over LSU. However, that number is not as staggering as this number. Clemson has given up the 11th fewest sacks and LSU has given up the 94th fewest sacks in college football. That is a huge advantage for Clemson. Will Clemson be able to take advantage of this? That could determine the outcome of this game. No matter how good the LSU defensive backs can be if their front seven can’t get to Trevor Lawrence it will be hard to cover the Clemson receivers for a long period of time.

WHO WINS?

Both of these teams have had huge storylines heading into this game. LSU has had a season of the ages. From Joe Burrow going from a transfer quarterback to the heisman trophy winner and potential number one overall pick of the draft, transforming LSU to one of the most prolific passing offenses in college football history with Joe Brady. To LSU playing this game in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome at home, this team has a chance to write the perfect ending to this storybook season. Clemson has a chip on its shoulder, they have a chance to repeat as national champions as the underdog once again. Dabo Swinney and Clemson would be talked about as the new dynasty in college football. Both teams have chances to make history. But only one can come out on top.

Prediction: 26-24 Clemson.