Author: jminx94

Last Saturday’s AFC wildcard match-ups were really fun and worth the watch! The Houston Texans’ second half surge was epic and deserved overtime. The Titans went punch for punch with the Patriots, frustrating Bill Belichick. One wonders what would’ve happened if Tom Brady didn’t throw that interception at the one yard line, as that sealed the deal for the Titans (hmm, where have we heard this before?).

This week looks even better, so without further ado, here are my AFC Divisional round picks.

#6 Tennessee Titans v. #1 Baltimore Ravens

This game just feels like an upset waiting to happen. The Titans were in the top five against the run, and while they didn’t play the Ravens this season, Mike Vrabel and his coaching staff are probably still bitter about last year’s shutout to Baltimore at home. Ryan Tannehill is not inconsistent like Marcus Mariota. Baltimore’s pass rush is different especially with Terrell Suggs gone. Tennessee’s offense should not disappoint this week.

Many people will look past this, but a quarterback like Lamar Jackson hasn’t gone far in the playoffs for a very long time. Don’t misunderstand, he will win the Most Valuable Player award for this season, and will continually prove people wrong for passing over him and his skills. Unfortunately, he proved last year in the playoffs that compared to another veteran quarterback, that he can struggle, especially if the other team stays one step ahead. Tennessee was built to get physical, run the ball and gut out games, and in the playoffs, this is what gets teams to the championship final.

JD’s Upset Pick of the Week: Tennessee wins 24-16

#4 Houston Texans v. #2 Kansas City Chiefs

The first matchup between these two teams was exhilarating and gave us a boat-load of unexpected results. DeShaun Watson proved he can come up clutch and win big games on the road early in the regular season. Yes, Patrick Mahomes can do the same, and showed us how, but a lot of people knew when these two were drafted, it’s Watson who stands out and plays the best when pressure arises.

Kansas City’s defense has yet to play a quality offense in over a month and a half. They have shown improvement, but after having a bye week, Houston’s offense is the right test for Steve Spagnuolo’s crew. A key note here: these are basically the rosters that played in week six. This game could probably be closer than the last game; again coming down to the last possession.

JD’s Pick: Houston wins 27-24

JD’s Picks from Wildcard Weekend: 3-1

Last Sunday’s wildcard games shocked football fans around the country. Who would have thought that Carson Wentz would get injured in the first quarter? How many thought Kirk Cousins and the Minnesota offense would’ve not just performed better against New Orleans, but play their finest game of the season? How about Seattle winning by the same score against Philadelphia as they did in the regular season? Did you know the Saints are the first 13 win team eliminated from the playoffs on wildcard weekend history?

Both road teams Sunday will face their next challenges by playing the top two seeds in their conferences. Most analysts, including yours truly, didn’t give Minnesota a chance to win in New Orleans, and yet they have the daunting task of knocking off the 49ers in Santa Clara to open the divisional round of the playoffs. Which road team has a good shot to advance to the conference championship round?

#6 Minnesota Vikings v. #1 San Francisco 49ers

What’s still impressive about Minnesota’s win isn’t just how the offense showed up and did their job, but how the defense set the tone and dominated against the Saints’ front five. Coach Mike Zimmer did everything right, and the confidence level of the team will be felt for the start of this game. Running the ball consistently with Dalvin Cook, Mike Boone, Alexander Mattison & Ameer Abdullah can expose and possibly gut the 49ers interior if they have the chance.

There aren’t too many six seeds that match up well and have a good chance to take down a one seed, and this matchup is no different. The 49ers are the most complete team outside of their division, and they pummeled the NFC North winner Green Bay Packers on Sunday night months ago. The biggest issue the Vikings will have to face is the return of three 49er starters on defense who have been out for an average of a month and a half. Dee Ford, Jaquiski Tartt and Kwon Alexander are the boosts San Francisco needs to put away away their opponent and advance to the Championship game. Expect all three to look a bit rusty, but to pick up the pace around the second quarter and take control in the second half.

JD’s Pick: San Francisco wins 27-17

#5 Seattle Seahawks v. #2 Green Bay Packers

This matchup seems to be the polar opposite of the Minnesota-San Francisco matchup. While again we see an NFC West v. an NFC North showdown, there isn’t really a clear-cut winner. It’s been almost two decades since Seattle has won in Green Bay, but the Packers have struggled to win at home in the playoffs during that span. Russell Wilson has struggled against Green Bay throughout his career, especially in Lambeau Field. Aaron Rodgers has shown regression at a pace many didn’t expect. How do we find a winner here?

Green Bay ranks 23rd against the run defensively and offensively has looked mediocre at best. Running back Aaron Jones seems to be the most dangerous player for the Packers, and the Seahawks have proven to stop the run against their opponents. While Marshawn Lynch may not be the main back unless it’s near the endzone, Travis Homer has proven he can be a great first option. It’s possible that Duane Brown can return for this game. The left side of the offensive line played well against a great front for Philadelphia last Sunday, and anything that can help the interior bodes well for Russell Wilson and his timing.

Seattle’s receiving corp is another advantage. Davante Adams is the big target for Aaron Rodgers and Jimmy Graham can handle some of the load, but outside of those two names, it’s a question of who may step up. Seattle won’t have to worry about a battered receiving corp. They can just disrupt past the line of scrimmage. On the flip side, Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf will create problems against a mid-league defense regarding the pass. Jacob Hollister and David Moore are trusted to make clutch plays when neither Lockett or Metcalf have been open.

JD’s Prediction: Seattle wins 24-20

JD’s Postseason Picks so far: 3-1

Unlike the AFC, the NFC’s playoff teams were locked into the playoffs after Week 16. Seeding however wasn’t determined until San Francisco escaped with a win in Seattle in the final seconds of Week 17. Both San Francisco and Green Bay will have the first round off as they get to recover some depth and have much needed rest. Without further delay, here are the predictions for these upcoming NFC wildcard weekend games.

#6 Minnesota Vikings v. #3 New Orleans Saints

There is truly no more lopsided matchup than this one. Kirk Cousins, who has struggled most of his career against teams with winning records will have to be close to perfect if the Vikings are to beat New Orleans in the Superdome. Minnesota’s defense has been suspect for a good part of the season, especially in the secondary with Xavier Rhodes having poor performances in must-win games.

If this wasn’t enough, Drew Brees and New Orleans’ offense has stepped up the second half of the season and has looked like their old selves. There are valid concerns with the receiver talent and depth, however it appears as if Drew Brees has figured part of that out by developing better chemistry with tight end Josh Hill and receiver Tre’Quan Smith. Coach Sean Payton has also found better ways to use Taysom Hill when it matters most.

On the flip side, New Orleans’ defense has stayed stout, showing why they’re in the top five against the run and are in the upper half of teams that have given up the least amount of yards per game. The linebackers and the secondary will be key to keeping Cousins and company in check.

JD’s Pick: New Orleans wins 31-17

#5 Seattle Seahawks v. #4 Philadelphia Eagles

There aren’t too many disappointing teams in the playoffs, but these two are the big ones. Seattle gave up not just first place in the division, but the first overall seed twice in the second half of the season. Injuries have piled up on the offense, with three running backs and some of their best offensive linemen done for the year. The return of veterans Marshawn Lynch and Robert Turbin provide desperately needed running back presence, and flexible big man George Fant’s move to left tackle will also help, but the pass rush remains a concern.

The Philadelphia Eagles meanwhile, have the most major injuries heading into Sunday. The receiving corps has been battered throughout the season, meaning the tight-ends have stepped up. While Zach Ertz didn’t have physical contact in practice this week, he could possibly be a game-time decision since he’s cleared to play. Their offensive line has been banged up too, with starting tackles Lane Johnson and Jason Peters both injured for a good part of the season. Defensively their secondary has been hit-or-miss, while ranking third in the league against the rush. The Eagles need a strong start, propelled by the defense holding Seattle in order to get a win.

Both teams are battered, but one has been consistent. Seattle is 7-1 on the road, with a slugfest win against the Eagles after their bye week. The Seahawks saw more from the defense that they can exploit, especially since their receivers are getting better. The same can be said about Philadelphia, however with Ertz and Johnson’s injuries being a factor, this might have the same result.

JD’s Pick: Seattle wins 23-13

JD’s 2019 regular season picks record: 56-50

What a wild finish the AFC playoff picture turned out to be. There weren’t many pundits who thought the Ravens could even win their division, let alone be the number one seed. Almost next to no one thought the Patriots would fall to the third seed after starting off 8-0. Then there’s the comeback of quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who led the the Tennessee Titans to the playoffs and made the offense dangerous. Baltimore and Kansas City will have the week off to heal and watch their conference games. So without any further delay, here are the AFC wildcard weekend picks.

#5 Buffalo Bills v. #4 Houston Texans

Wow what a fun matchup this looks to be. Houston’s offense mirrors well with Buffalo’s defense, with Tre’Davious White v. DeAndre Hopkins as one of, if the not the featured highlight. A week off for DeShaun Watson will pay off, and the defense gets an added boost with J.J. Watt coming back from the injury report.

Say whatever you want about both these teams (especially the Bills not appearing exciting on offense), the best part of this game will be the effort and determination of both teams. Sean McDermott is a great candidate for Coach of the Year, leading the Bills to ten wins in a season for the first time this century. Josh Allen has progressed behind his offensive line, looking more like the shot caller the Bills wanted him to be when they drafted him.

Both teams will have to face a strong running game from the other, though when it comes down to it, it’s who can throw down field and make the plays on the run with more creativity. This leans more towards DeShaun Watson as he proves to exceed, if not become a much different and dangerous player. If Watson takes control of this game early, Buffalo may be in trouble.

JD’s pick: Houston wins 27-23

#6 Tennessee Titans v. #3 New England Patriots.

Well, that was quite a surprise from New England for Week 17. Not only did they lose to a division rival that had nothing to play for, they lost out on a bye week they really needed. New England has to not just play one home game, but probably two road games if they win this saturday, making things harder on an offense that’s looked anemic for at least the last eight weeks. The Patriots have yet to take full advantage of Mohamed Sanu’s receiving skills. This could be the game he breaks out since Tennessee’s pass defense is ranked 24th in the league.

Tennessee on the other hand has turned the heat up on offense, and it hasn’t just been with Ryan Tannehill. Mike Vrabel’s offensive staff has finally figured out how to use rookie receiver A.J. Brown and to plug in Derrick Henry as the starting runningback. The results couldn’t have been better, as the Titans are number three in the league running the ball. The defense has been hit or miss this season, though there’s been consistency against the run (the defense ranks 12th in the league).

There are other non-statistical factors that give the Titans the edge. Mike Vrabel comes directly from the Bill Belichick coaching tree, and when the Titans played the Patriots in 2018 (with Marcus Mariota as the starting QB no less), they thumped them. Vrabel was able to take away multiple key pieces for Brady on a consistent basis and knock him around. While the result could be different, New England’s offensive line has struggled a good part of the season, which should give the Titan pass rush optimism.

JD’s Upset Pick of the Week: Tennessee wins 23-21

JD’s overall record the regular season: 56-50

The 2019 regular season was full of fun and weekly surprises. Almost every team had a story new buzzing every month. Few teams were consistent week-by-week, but as the year and the decade closed, there are key takeaways to focus on for the playoffs and next season.

Older/veteran head coaches have bested younger ones.

While Rams and Bears coaches Sean McVay and Matt Nagy enjoyed success last year, 2019 was a big let down for both them and their teams. It didn’t help that both teams’ GM’s may have doomed the future of their tenures by trading away draft capital and using a lot of cap space on questionable players, so these issues showed on numerous occasions, most notably opponents bound for the playoffs. New Bengals coach Zac Taylor struggled more than many expected, and the Bengals wound up being the worst team in the league. At the opposite end, coaches John Harbaugh, Pete Carroll, Andy Reid and Bill Belichick each enjoyed another ten win or better seasons. Harbaugh’s Ravens are the best team (record-wise) in the NFL and have the probable league MVP leading the way.

The running game mattered a lot this season

Yes, the position of running-back is dwindling, and yes, fullbacks have been out of fashion, but this season sparked the resurgence and a need for both. San Francisco for example uses Kyle Juszczyk frequently with the three RBs they have to gash defenses. Baltimore has a blocking tight-end behind Lamar Jackson at times to make sure Gus Edwards gets better blocking or for Jackson to turn it up a notch when he runs. In fact, Baltimore broke a 48 year record the 1978 Patriots held with the most rushing yards ever in a season. San Francisco of course, came in second.

These two teams aside, Carolina depends on Christian McCaffrey to be the focus for their offense. Aaron Jones is the most dependable Aaron for Green Bay going forward, and Minnesota has a three headed monster at running-back, even if one those (Dalvin Cook especially) goes down. New England, Kansas City, Tennessee and Philadelphia are getting into the playoffs thanks to their running games.

If a team looks too good to be true, it’s probably because they are

Exhibit A: The Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns. So many people believed the Browns and Bears would not just win the divisions, but go deep in the playoffs, with both quarterbacks taking the big next steps. None of that happened. In fact, Cleveland regressed so much that general manager John Dorsey and the team have parted ways, this coming after Freddie Kitchens was fired hours after the teams’ Week 17 loss to the Bengals.

We appreciate that Sports Illustrated looked at the Chicago Bears honestly and predicted the right amount of regression. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio was a bigger loss than a lot of pundits thought, and Akiem Hicks going down twice with an elbow injury during the season showed how vulnerable their defensive front was. Throw in the issues (all of them, not just Mitchell Trubisky) on offense, and the team was lucky to finish 8-8.

As yours truly predicted at the beginning of the year, the NFC West still is the superior division in the NFL. 

The Los Angeles Rams came into the season as division and conference champions. How’d they do this year? Third place in the NFC West and eliminated from playoff contention the second to last week of the regular season. They went 1-3 against the two teams that finished above them, and will have to deal with salary cap issues for years to come, something Les Snead knew and still sold out for a championship, to which was never won. Seattle botched two chances to not just win the division, but the number one seed for the playoffs. While they squeaked out almost all their wins, coach Pete Carroll and Russell Wilson showed they can move the team past qualified opponents, especially San Francisco. Ratings for Seattle in prime-time were some of the most watched games of the season. People like watching these teams consistently compete and win in ways that feel unfathomable.

Speaking of San Francisco, yours truly had them in the playoffs, but only as the sixth seed. They exceeded many expectations, and if the defense can hold up in the playoffs, they can win a championship. The way they dealt with a three team scheduled stretch in which their opponents’ winning percentage was above .800, and came out 2-1 (with the one loss by three points) shows how this team is ready, and both GM John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan deserve the credit and awards. Though, if we get to see Seattle and San Francisco in the playoffs again, you can bet the ratings will be high and the game will be fun.

Before I reveal which team won this poll, I’d like to break with objectivity and say thank you to everyone who participated in the poll. I was surprised at how few people participated, even though there was a good amount of feedback and voting. There’s still strong support for this blog and it’s deeply appreciated.

Now, time to reveal the best NBA Champion of this decade. The winner the public chose is…

The 2017-2018 Golden State Warriors!

The third consecutive Conference title and championship appearance for the Golden State Warriors, this one would feature two teams that would lose one game each heading into the Finals. The Warriors won 15 games in a row during their playoff run to set an NBA record, while finishing 16-1 and post the best winning percentage (.941) in NBA playoff history. They blew out the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first two games before winning the next two out of three by a combined 14 points, averaging over 113 points per game in the series. Free agent acquisition Kevin Durant won the Finals MVP that year. In a total average of 39 minutes on the court per game, Durant put up medians of 35 points, eight rebounds and five assists (35-8-5).

Q: What made this team stand out from the rest?

A: Some of the stats mentioned above with records being set show the Warriors dominating everyone they played. This was the season where Golden State had to answer back after setting records as the best season in NBA history while also failing to win a championship against the Cleveland Cavaliers in an epic seven game collapse. There was a lot depth and star talent that made the team stand out and be in the conversation of top four team in the league. When Kevin Durant decided in early July he was going to the Bay area, there was a sense that the Warriors would be next to unstoppable to beat. There’s a good argument to be made about the reaction to when LeBron James decided he was going to go to Miami and Chris Bosh followed suit. The counter was it took them an extra season before they got their first title in the decade. The Warriors came out of the gate in the regular season well, but became their best selves in the playoffs.

The author’s choice of NBA Champion of the decade: 2017-2018 Golden State Warriors

Q: Why pick this team as supposed to the other two or other nine for that matter?

A: There are only two teams to repeat this decade: the Heat and the Warriors. Yes, the Lakers went to two titles before the 2009-2010 season, but that team was well balanced compared to what happened when LeBron went to Miami. As stated earlier, the Heat took the first two seasons with three superstars to win a championship. The Warriors won a title before Kevin Durant came to the Bay area and had a good case for winning if Draymond Green wasn’t suspended the last two games. the second championship with Durant showed they were vulnerable, but not this one.

Q: What makes this team stand out from the rest?

A: Golden State’s commitment to dominating their opponents is the biggest factor. The Warriors throttled most of their opponents, especially in the playoffs. Their first round opponent, the Portland Traiblazers, were blown out in three of the four games played. Their second round opponent, the Utah Jazz, lost every game by double digits. In the Conference Finals, San Antonio took it to Golden State in the first game, but got crushed the last three. No one in a stacked Western Conference had an answer or even a win against the Warriors.

Golden State had depth that was envied across the league. Andre Iguodala, Shaun Livingston, Matt Barnes, David West and JaVale McGee were the big names that filled in when the superstars needed rest. When this second unit got going, they left no doubt who would win.

The NBA season began October 22nd and there are a lot of expectations for teams in the Eastern Conference. Kawhi Leonard has gone back to the West after his one year championship stint with the Toronto Raptors. While Kevin Durant is out for this year, Kyrie Irving could give the Nets a boost and give them one seed bump for the playoffs. The Detroit Pistons and Miami Heat could each build off of some acquisitions last year and in the offseason. It is time to reveal who the top eight teams might be.

1). Milwaukee Bucks

Last year’s number one seed will probably repeat with most of their core intact, minus one or two players. As long as the reigning MVP is on the team, there’s a pretty good chance Giannis Antetokounmpo will lead the Bucks back to the number one seed, and improve since last playing. No dealing with Kawhi Leonard in the playoffs or conference this time.

2). Philadelphia 76ers

Adding Al Horford will make a difference and not just with height and veteran leadership. Horford brings a lot to the team when it comes to knowledge and has made every team he’s been on better in almost every facet of the game. The Sixers barely lost to the Raptors in a seven game series last year, and could be the favorites in the Eastern Conference to make the Finals. While JJ Redick going to New Orleans does hurt the shooting game a bit,  the Sixers playing physically with Horford, Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons will make the important games close, so it’s an even trade-off.

3). Boston Celtics

Exit Kyrie Irving, enter Kemba Walker and Tacko Fall. This year’s Celtics team looks like the real deal and scarier than in last years. Kemba played at a good level in Charolette for years, and Fall did well in college before going to the draft early. He could wind up being a draft steal considering how Boston plays better as a team under Brad Stevens’ coaching. Expect them to be much better than last year for sure.

4). Indiana Pacers

The Pacers should feel good about this season, especially with Kawhi leaving the Eastern Conference. The Pacers could be the fourth best team in the conference if they play as hard and competitive as they did last year. If the injuries start piling up, there’s still a good culture and coaching.

5). Brooklyn Nets

While Kevin Durant is out for this season, Brooklyn’s acquisitions of Kyrie Irving and DeAndre Jordan will still put this team in the right place to make an impact in the playoffs. Yes, Kyrie Irving has become a bit of an issue with the Nets right now, but they have to implode spectacularly in order to not make it to the playoffs. The Nets have more talent than the next three teams that will be listed, and much better depth.

6). Orlando Magic

Minus what happened in the last four games against Toronto, the Magic did pretty well for the season. Locking up Nikola Vucevic the way they did in the offseason will be a breather, and if Mo Bamba gets going during winter, this team has a real shot of winning the division. Additions of Al-Farouq Aminu and Michael Carter-Williams will help the bench keep them in games. Give credit to GM John Hammond for building this roster the way he has.

7). Detroit Pistons

Not a pretty pick, but Dwayne Casey worked his magic last year with Blake Griffin leading the charge. With Derrick Rose there (and running point at times with Reggie Jackson out), Detroit will have a say for the playoffs. While they’re not as good as Indiana or Milwaukee, but the Pistons have to like their chances to make the playoffs as a later seed, especially with Cleveland and Chicago bottoming out in the league and not just the division.

8). Miami Heat

Finally, there’s the Miami Heat. When Jimmy Butler decided to sign with them this past offseason, it put the Heat back in the playoff conversation. Erik Spoelstra has proven he can coach and develop talent well enough, and the Heat have at least eight rookies that can grow and be critical towards making the playoffs. Goran Dragic, Kelly Olynyk and Dion Waiters help with depth, something a number of the other teams on the brink don’t have.

To see who else has a realistic shot of making the playoffs in the East, look at who’s left. Mentioned above in the Detroit section was how bad the Bulls and Cavaliers will probably be, and that is 99% guaranteed. Washington and New York look to be awful as well, either because there’s no depth or the front office is a mess. The Hornets have a starting five that would make a great bench. Atlanta is still developing and putting the pieces together, and Toronto lost Kawhi Leonard and key pieces such as Danny Green in the offseason.

A tale of two divisions: the loaded, hungry and physical Central, featuring the Cinderella Stanley Cup Champion St. Louis Blues will be a force to reckon with and will compete with the likes of the Atlantic to show who’s best. On the other, a grayer, murkier and not as predictable Pacific which will feature at least two pretty good teams and plenty of questions after. Can the Calgary Flames get it together and drive to the top again? Will Dave Tippett tip the scales for the Oilers? Is this the year Arizona breaks out and makes the playoffs? Will the Kings be the comeback team in 2019-2020? It’s time to analyze which eight teams in this conference have the best shot.

Central Division: St. Louis Blues, Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, Nashville Predators

A possible new era has arrived to begin a new decade; the St. Louis Blues will probably not be at the bottom of the division or the NHL by the time January 3rd hits, but could possibly be slugging through to number one, since no one really had an answer for the duo of Craig Berube’s coaching and Jordan Binnington in net. They even re-tooled and tweaked the roster and might be better than when they won the Cup.

Behind the current champions, the sleeping giants of Colorado could finally break out and do some serious damage in the conference, as was written on this site a few months back. Dallas seems to have made smart adjustments to their roster and added in players who could get them a fifth or sixth seed. As for Nashville, they still have enough gas in the tank to get them into one of the lower seeds, but they’ll have to gut it out against Chicago and Winnipeg.

Pacific Division: Las Vegas Golden Knights, San Jose Sharks, Arizona Coyotes, Edmonton Oilers

The Vegas Golden Knights were close to making the second round, and then had a terrible call go against them. They came out and pummeled the Sharks their first two games, and could go on a tear against any team they face. Although St. Louis won the championship, this is the team to beat in order to have a level playing field in the West. Even with the injury to Nate Schmidt, this team is still stacked.

San Jose, minus their epic playoff series win last season against Vegas will probably play second fiddle to them for most of the season, but they shouldn’t focus on that yet until April. For now, they need to get their roster going and make getting to the playoffs the goal. They have to play better defense and gel more as a unit, but they seem solid enough to get in.

Arizona has to break out at some point, right? They’re more of a defensive minded unit and led by both exceptional goaltenders Darcy Kuemper and Antti Raanta. The addition of Phil Kessel will help the offense put more pucks in the net, they just need to get to a strong start the first three months of the season.

Then there’s the dark-horse and wild-card pick of the Edmonton Oilers, who picked the right coach in Dave Tippett to make the team play better on-ice and be better off-ice. Edmonton may not be a top three team in the division, but they’ll be the team that will require opponents to put 100% in to beat them.

It’s been quite an offseason as both divisions in this conference have found ways to re-tool and rebuild on the fly. With Alex Ovechkin announcing a possible retirement in 2021 and the Columbus Blue Jackets’ roster makeover, the 2019-2020 eastern conference could have some new faces who stand out during the playoffs. Although the Boston Bruins didn’t win in the cup finals this past spring, they should be good enough to get back into the playoffs, barring injuries. It’s time to predict the eight teams that have the best chances of making the playoffs in this conference.

Atlantic Division: Tampa Bay Lightning, Boston Bruins, Florida Panthers, Toronto Maple Leafs

Unless injuries take their toll and everything falls apart, the Lightning, Bruins and Leafs stand out as the heavy playoff favorites in this division. Detroit, Ottawa and Buffalo just don’t have enough firepower to make it, and could possibly be the worst teams in the league…again. Tampa Bay, Boston and Toronto all are blessed with depth and stars who know how to pass, score and win in the regular season. As for Montreal and Florida, it’s heads or tails; heads being solidly getting in or tails barely missing out. Florida added a top tier goalie in Sergei Bobrovsky along with new coach Joel Quenneville. These top two additions give Florida an edge to possibly snatch the sixth seed (at least).

Metropolitan Division: Washington Capitals, Pittsburgh Penguins, New Jersey Devils, Philadelphia Flyers

The first two teams listed have made the playoffs, consistently ranking as a top seed. Though there’s skepticism on how the Caps and Pens will fare in the playoffs this upcoming season, they seem poised to return strong and could take the top two spots in the Metropolitan. The rest of the division though is filled with questions. Could the Islanders and Hurricanes replicate the magic they had last season? Both rosters have a lot of questions which could take them a while to figure out. Are the New York Rangers ready to make the next step and return to the playoffs? The addition of hot handed scorer Artemi Panarin sure helps, but will Alexandar Georgiev prove he’s ready for the big stage? How will the Columbus Blue Jackets re-group since most of their roster was poached in free agency?

The two teams that seem to have answered most of their questions seem to be the latter picks, the Devils and the Flyers. The media has questioned and ridiculed the Flyers for…<fill in any reason here> It seems “nothing” they do can be right. Ironic, considering their new coach Alain Vigneault has been to a Stanley Cup Finals with a roster who’s best player was a goaltender. Carter Hart could continue to blossom into a top netminder if he takes the next step this season, and depth has to be something that continues at the same pace if not better. If this team can stay healthy, playoffs and even top three in the division is a possibility.

As for New Jersey, the addition of P.K. Subban this past offseason and drafting Jack Hughes at number one overall makes the Devils a serious playoff contender, even if they’re the seventh or eighth seed. Taylor Hall and company should be back to healthy again (a good amount of the roster was injured last year in a competitive division) and Cory Schneider should be able to get more playing time as the starter. There are a lot of tempting looks this team can give, and there’s more that can be answered here than with a team like the Islanders or the Rangers. While they probably won’t be the top team in the Metropolitan, there’s a good chance they could force the hands of the teams that are serious about going into the postseason.

The Devils traded for PK Subban to add depth and defense.

First overall pick Jack Hughes could immediately make an impact for the Devils this season, as he’s hailed as the next Conor McDavid.

The first four weeks of this season have been exciting to watch. From the Detroit Lions and Arizona Cardinals tying in Week One to Tampa Bay having a historic scoring Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams, the 2019 season has lived up to expectations a quarter of the way in. It’s been proven before that the first four weeks don’t always show the total picture of who will do what, but there are significant flashes of what can stay true while the season progresses. Here’s some things that could possibly hold true before Week Five.

• Those laughingstock teams that have had an awful decade or so will get the last laugh. The predictions of the Cleveland Browns being on top of the division, while contested, drove the conclusion that the team would be much better than in years past. While they’re 2-2, they’ve played some quality teams and could still show us they’re the real deal. In the meantime, teams that have been laughed off for being choke perfectionists seem to be gaining respect in the league. Both the Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions have played hard and have one loss total after September (with the Lions adding a tie). The Raiders have the tiebreaker over the Chargers to stay in second place for now, and the San Francisco 49ers are at the top of the NFC West, with two 3-1 teams behind them. If all four teams can keep this up, they’ll be tough to face heading into December.
• There’s a fresh, clean slate for all the teams in the AFC South heading into October. Who would’ve thought after Andrew Luck retiring, the Texans cashing out, and then Nick Foles being knocked out for the season that none of it would matter since every team would be 2-2? The Texans are still the favorite to win the division, but the other three teams have shown they are capable of taking that away. Tennessee has two quality wins on the road in Cleveland and Atlanta, Jacksonville may have a keeper in Gardner Minshew II, and the Indianapolis Colts, (minus their performance at home against the Raiders) were the closest to a 3-1 record. Whoever wins this division could possibly be the luckiest, and will have to win at least 3 games against their other rivals.

• New England is the favorite to get to the Super Bowl…again, and it will stay that way until a team can fully knock them off their pedestal. Take the NFC out and there doesn’t seem to be a team that can dethrone the Patriots within their conference. The Bills, while coming close, probably won’t be a scare within the AFC East. The Ravens and Browns can’t figure things out just yet, and the best chance team Kansas City can’t stop them when it matters. Unless the Patriots get bit by the injury bug, it’s theirs to lose.
• Despite all the hype with passing the ball, running-backs have been the biggest key factor so far. Need more proof? Ezekiel Elliott averaged less than 2 yards per carry for Dallas in a two point loss to the Saints this past Sunday night. The Browns and the Jaguars rode to victory on massive games from Nick Chubb and Leonard Fournette. Kerryon Johnson has helped turn the Detroit Lions into a two-way threat while taking pressure off Matthew Stafford, and the rest of the NFC North has established theirs (insert Dalvin Cook here). Last but not least, Melvin Gordon has returned after the Chargers stumbled for three straight weeks. In fact, the worst teams right now have struggled to run the ball. While Washington has had some injuries with their RB core, Miami, the Jets, Denver and Arizona have had poor performances running the ball.