JD's Sportscorner

Week three action in the NFL was memorable in every way. Records were broken, there were comebacks, and eye popping stats not seen since the late 2000s. There were many winners and losers from Sunday, but some stood out more than others.

Winners: Carolina Panthers

It’s fitting to start with Carolina. The Panthers lost some key players in their victory Thursday night against the Texans but they should feel relief going into October. They’re the only undefeated team in the NFC South after three weeks.

Tampa Bay couldn’t keep up with the Matthew Stafford led offense in Los Angeles and it showed middle third quarter. The Rams won by ten and didn’t feel challenged most of the second half. New Orleans did get an easy win in New England, but even if both the Saints and Panthers tie at 3-1, Carolina has the tie-breaker and proved they can outlast Sean Payton’s team.

Undefeated in any division feels great after September. October will be a harder test for a team nobody expected to be above .500. A week and a half off came at the right time.

Joe Burrow and Zac Taylor

The Bengals played a worse game in week two than the scoreboard indicated. At one point, quarterback Joe Burrow threw three straight interceptions. Zac Taylor’s offense collapsed after a Roquan Smith interception was returned for a touchdown. The performance may be a reason why many analysts picked Pittsburgh to win handily against Cincinnati in week three.

Coach Zac Taylor could be on the hot seat most of this season, and he needed an early division win. He called more run plays than pass plays. The result was nearly perfect. Runningback Joe Mixon averaged five yards per run on 18 carries. Burrow threw three touchdowns and four incompletions. The offensive line was in complete control against an anemic Pittsburgh passrush. It was a rare game they didn’t give up a sack.

Thanks to a dominant performance, Cincinnati’s first division win of the year gives them the tiebreaker over an impressive Baltimore Ravens team. They also play the winless Jacksonville Jaguars Thursday night. Definitely a September to remember for the coach-quarterback duo.

Los Angeles Chargers

Justin Herbert is 1-1 against Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid in not even a season and a half of play. That’s impressive for someone who hasn’t gone to the playoffs. This wasn’t an end of the season game where Kansas City had nothing to play for. The Chargers got an early lead and found a way to win at the end, something we’re not used to seeing from the losing franchise.

Yes Los Angeles came close multiple times to losing in the fourth quarter, but Herbert and the offense wouldn’t concede. The Chargers closed out the game with a 16-7 scoring edge after the Chiefs came back to grab a lead in the third. It helps rookie coach Brandon Staley didn’t replicate the same mistakes as his predecessor. Staley’s time management and helping his quarterback by using timeouts correctly contributed to a six point win.

Some credit goes to receiver Mike Williams for a 100 yard game and two touchdowns (both scored in the final quarter). Without Williams, Herbert might have finished with a mediocre game and Los Angeles in last place. Williams could surpass his 2019 season highs if the offense continues high production.

Jacoby Brissett

Moral victories are slim in the NFL, but they stand out when multiple teams are involved. The Indianapolis Colts didn’t think quarterback Jacoby Brissett was worth developing or keeping. Hilariously, the Colts are 0-3 and don’t know who their quarterback is if Carson Wentz’s ankles give out. The Miami Dolphins wanted a quality backup behind starter Tua Tagovailoa in case he falters. It’s a wise investment.

Tagovailoa’s out for multiple games with fractured ribs, and last week Miami was just bad against a Buffalo Bills squad that’s playing like the best team in the AFC. Las Vegas was 2-0 and barely won late in overtime. Brissett’s a major reason why the game went longer.

Throwing over 200 yards but no touchdowns, Brissett managed the four quarters Miami stayed in through a solid running game and a defensive touchdown. Yet he completed the throws, ran for a touchdown at the end of regulation, and completed a two point conversion when it mattered most.

A lot of analysts and fans put too much stock into stats and not game-winning situations. Jacoby Brissett won’t lead the league or get the Dolphins to top five in passing, but he has a chance the next few weeks to get Miami back to .500. The next opponent is Indianapolis. Brissett could take a few positive steps with this offense October third.

Losers: Anyone/thing affiliated with the Detroit Lions

Half-time Sunday featured the honoring of former Lions wide-receiver Calvin Johnson’s Hall of Fame induction with a ceremonial ring. The fans in Detroit’s Ford Field rang boos down at Sheila Ford Hamp and the Ford family. They’ve been fed up with their running of the franchise for decades. Detroit has been worse since Johnson’s retirement and they weren’t winning playoff games in his prime.

Coach Dan Campbell’s doing his best and is a coach the Lions haven’t had in a long time (if ever). The team plays hard and every game was close at some point. The Baltimore Ravens were expected to win easily on the road and almost lost.

Detroit got calls that went their way on what many thought was a game winning drive. Then Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson and the offense faced a fourth and 19 at the Baltimore 16 with 26 seconds left. The Detroit secondary imploded on coverage and gave up a 36 yard catch to Sammy Watkins.

We all know what happened next.

For those who aren’t hardcore football fans or you’re just starting to learn about the sport, this isn’t the first time a kicker has set an NFL record for longest field goal made against the Lions. The record that was tied for decades at 63 yards originated from Tom Dempsey’s game winning kick against Detroit in 1970. The final score of that game was also 19-17. It has to stop somewhere…right?

Chicago Bears offensive line

The Bears offense Sunday had one of the worst games in the 21st century NFL. You have to go back to 2009 when the Kerry Collins led Tennessee Titans put up minus seven yards passing overall to find an offense that couldn’t do anything right. While quarterback play is a big reason the offense was non-existent, it started with an offensive line giving up more sacks than quarterback Justin Fields completed passes.

39 year old left tackle Jason Peters is at the end of his career and was tasked to face former number one pick Myles Garrett. Peters had little help at best and it showed. Right tackle Germain Ifedi, one of the worst busts on an offensive line this century, was bull-rushed constantly and gave up a sack to former Seattle Seahawk teammate Jadaveon Clowney. They couldn’t pass protect nor cover more than three seconds, yet they played the whole game. Guards Cody Whitehair and James Daniels were useless and second year center Sam Mustipher was overwhelmed.

Chicago somehow scored six points and didn’t lose a fumble. One has to think they can put up more than one overall passing yard against Detroit next week.

Seattle Seahawks

Two straight weeks Seattle had a double-digit lead against an opponent and both times they lost because of no second half adjustments. Russell Wilson was undefeated against Kirk Cousins and the Seahawks defense caught a break not having to face a top five runningback in Dalvin Cook. You wouldn’t know by the score.

The offense again looked great in the first half. The Shane Waldron playbook put 17 points on the board (missed field goal would be 20). DK Metcalf had a 100 yard game, Chris Carson ran for a long score and the offensive line gave quarterback Russell Wilson plenty of time.

The defense let Kirk Cousins do any and everything he wanted to in the Vikings’ first win of the season. The secondary played horrendous. Anyone who’s read Winners and Losers since last year knows Tre Flowers guards receivers such as sophomore phenom Justin Jefferson further apart like they’re the Indianapolis Greyhound bus station urinals. He then had the nerve to say, “we gotta watch more film. Sadly, y’all want me to be Richard Sherman.” His sorry ass of an NFL player shouldn’t be on the roster, but it’s been enabled and now it’s taking a toll.

D.J. Reed is an outdated Marcus Trufant at CB1. He’s small and gets beat regularly by bigger receivers and teeters on the edge of pass interference. He’s yet to cover DeAndre Hopkins and Brandon Aiyuk, two of the biggest pass catchers in the NFC West. The “replacement for K.J. Wright” gave up a touchdown to backup tight-end Tyler Conklin for Minnesota’s first score.

The Seahawk defense has successfully defended five passes this season. The only one Sunday was Carlos Dunlap’s tip at the line of scrimmage. Defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. has been gifted with All-Pros and Pro Bowlers, yet they play surprised when opposing quarterbacks throw screen passes to backup runningbacks. This team deserves to be at the bottom of the NFC West and should stay there if they can’t stop a mediocre quarterback tandem in Santa Clara next Sunday.

New York Jets

Adam Gase damaged Gang Green in a lot of ways. It’s too early to judge anything second overall pick Zach Wilson and head coach Robert Saleh do. The team’s that bad.

Vic Fangio’s Denver Broncos could’ve won 3-0 with a practice squad quarterback. The Jets’ offensive line is almost as bad as Chicago’s without Pro Bowler Mekhi Becton. The receiving core is damaged by lack of coaching from the previous staff. Nobody knows who the first string runningback is.

Saleh and Wilson will notch a couple of wins but this season could be uglier than last season, and that’s saying something.

The offseason flew fast. The Central and Pacific divisions are back and that means analysts choose which eight teams have the best shot at making the playoffs. Despite growth and better play by teams in both divisions, none went to the Stanley Cup Finals last season. Some have great rosters such as the Vegas Golden Knights and Colorado Avalanche. They just didn’t perform well in later playoff rounds than expected. Minnesota, Vancouver and Winnipeg are in the right direction. The Edmonton Oilers and Dallas Stars are locks to at least make the playoffs. Other teams in this conference need to step up and play better under pressure. It’s time to break down which four in each division can make the push to the playoffs for 2021-22.

Pacific Division

#1 Vegas Golden Knights

Unlike the central, this division is easier to pick which four teams can make the playoffs. Vegas traded their original star Marc-Andre Fleury to Chicago clearing salary cap space. 1B goaltender Robin Lehner will be the regular starter.

The Golden Knights retained most of last year’s core players. While they’ll face more quality opponents, almost none will be in their division, ensuring another title and top three seed.

#2 Vancouver Canucks

Looking back, it made sense why Vancouver landed last in the Scotia North. Like Dallas, the team played tired and out of rhythm after a deep playoff run not even six months before the 2021 season began. The final blow was almost everyone contracting COVID-19 during a crucial stretch to sneak into the playoffs.

General manager Jim Benning addressed the roster issues this offseason. Backup goaltender Jaroslav Halak is an upgrade over a mediocre year of Braden Holtby. The signings of Phillip de Giuseppe, Luke Schenn and Travis Hamonic help the defense and fourth line scoring, something not addressed since 2019. Benning hit it big when he traded for rookie of the year Jason Dickinson and traded older players with bad contracts to Arizona for stars Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Conor Garland.

Coach Travis Green proved he’s the best hire the Canucks made since Alain Vigneault over a decade ago. Vancouver’s re-vamped roster management shows they’re a favorite to land second place in the Pacific.

#3 Edmonton Oilers

In a division where four teams are in a build/re-build process, the Oilers should fare well with two league MVPs on their roster. General manager Ken Holland re-signed goalie Mike Smith and added veteran defensemen Duncan Keith and Cody Ceci to help.

Holland wanted more center and forward depth trading for Warren Foegele and signed Zach Hyman from Toronto. The team may have learned from previous playoff failures where both league MVPs were shut down and no one stepped up.

Unless Edmonton’s star players are injured most of the season, there’s no reason why coach Dave Tippett’s team can’t make the playoffs. The power-play is top three and the penalty kill should improve. Their playoff series will reveal if they’ve made real improvements.

#4 Seattle Kraken

Despite the hard-headed and terrible expansion drafting by inaugural general manager Ron Francis, Seattle has a good chance of reaching the playoffs. None of the California teams can contend and the Calgary Flames are in disarray after a forgetful season. The Kraken even drafted Calgary’s long-time captain Mark Giordano, creating a void in leadership.

The Kraken assembled one of the best defensive fronts a team could want. They landed Vezina finalist Philipp Grubauer from the Colorado Avalanche and wanted 1B goalie Chris Driedger. Outside of Giordano, Jamie Oleksiak, Adam Larsson, Vince Dunn, Jeremy Lauzon, Carson Soucy and Haydn Fleury are the defensemen. Star-studded offenses led by Alexandar Barkov and Connor McDavid will have fits trying to gain scoring chances or goals tallied against this unit.

The defense should be enough for Seattle to sneak into the playoffs. The offense might hold them to lower seeding. The first line includes Jordan Eberle, Yanni Gourde and Jaden Schwartz. Not bad but it’s not a true first line especially facing deep roster teams such as Tampa Bay or Colorado. It’s up to coach Dave Hakstol to bring the best out of Joonas Donskoi, Calle Jarnkrok, Mason Appleton, Alex Wennberg and Morgan Geekie.

Central

#1 Colorado Avalanche

In one of the deepest divisions in the NHL, the Colorado Avalanche are heavy favorites. Despite offseason losses of Grubauer and Donskoi, the Avs were able to retain most of their depth and add some players. Darcy Kuemper arrives in a trade from Arizona to be the 1A starter. If Kuemper can’t stay healthy, the return of Pavel Francouz is a boost. Francouz didn’t play much of last season but he can take strides to become better than his predecessor Grubauer.

Colorado should excel in the regular season. After the first round of the playoffs is where interest will rise regarding their further development past the second round.

#2 Dallas Stars

Unlike last winter where they only had a few months off and Tyler Seguin didn’t play most of the season, this year is filled with promise and hope for a deep playoff run. While rookie of the year Jason Dickinson and Jamie Oleksiak are on other teams, the Stars have most of the cup contending team back and added some players to stay ahead of timing and injuries.

The signings of Braden Holtby, Ryan Suter and Luke Glendening weren’t splashy but they help in a full season. Holtby’s a cup winning goalie who can fill in for Anton Khudobin should he tire. Ben Bishop is likely to play some point this season but Dallas can’t rely on the duo yet. Suter’s the veteran presence needed to ensure the younger defensemen (Miro Heiskanen for example) take the next steps to become elite. Glendening is a solid fourth line center who can lead the Stars to goals or scoring chances in front of the net, giving the team a spark if the top two lines can’t produce.

The Stars should be ecstatic to the start of this season. The Coyotes and Blues are in decline and Minnesota, Chicago and Nashville are question marks. Dallas has to use this opportunity with everyone back fully healthy to make another deep playoff run. Lucky for them there’s no Florida teams nor Carolina in this division.

#3 Winnipeg Jets

The Mark Scheifele suspension in the playoffs deflated what could’ve been a fun series against the Montreal Canadiens. The Jets proved last season despite the talent in the Scotia North they’re a quality team even at their lowest. Merged back into the central, Winnipeg can assert their claim for another playoff series if they show consistency on defense and depth scoring on offense.

While Laurent Brassoit left in free agency, the Jets signed Brendon Dillon and retained their top defensemen. They made fewer moves than the Dallas Stars but as long as Paul Maurice is coaching, Winnipeg should find a way to make the playoffs and cause headaches in the first round.

#4 Chicago Blackhawks

I’m personally unsure if Minnesota will replicate last season’s success. No one thought they’d be fun/good to watch. Cam Talbot and team star Kirill Kaprizov should have highlight years, but questions remain on the third and fourth lines continuing production. Chicago meanwhile was a competitive team most of last year despite playing in the hardest re-aligned division. Kevin Lankinen is as good if not better than Alex Nedeljkovic among last year’s rookie goaltenders. The additions of Seth Jones and Marc-Andre Fleury are too big to ignore this team as a playoff contender.

General manager Stan Bowman didn’t stop there. They traded for Tampa Bay’s Tyler Johnson and snuck in space for Jujhar Khaira and Seth’s brother Caleb in the Duncan Keith trade to Edmonton. They re-signed Adam Gaudette in free agency, a forward needed on the third line.

Their defense gets a boost with the Jones brothers, Calvin de Haan and Connor Murphy back healthy. A goalie tandem of Fleury and Lankinen will give even quality teams like the Colorado Avalanche fits. Finally, the return of captain Jonathan Toews gives Chicago the leadership and discipline missed the second half of last season.

2021 West and Central division picks record: 6-2

The second week of NFL play was as fun, energetic and stunning as the first. While it’s still September, there’s been consistency from coaching to special teams mistakes. Time to see who/what stood out better after Sunday’s games.

Winners: Rams trading for Matthew Stafford

When general manager Les Snead traded quarterback Jared Goff and first round picks to Detroit for Matthew Stafford, the plan was to not just win a super bowl, but to find a quarterback who could carry an offense to win pivotal games leading up to. A 27-24 win in Indianapolis showed that gamble’s paying off two weeks into the season.

Stafford threw two touchdowns to receiver Cooper Kupp and more importantly guided Los Angeles’ offense in a tight second half. The Rams offense drained time off the clock so Colts quarterback Jacob Eason would not to see the field. Indianapolis had less than a minute to go 80 yards after Matt Gay’s 38 yard field goal.

The Rams play more quality opponents this season but starting 2-0 against two teams considered playoff caliber makes them a favorite to go deep in the playoffs.

Vic Fangio

Coach Fangio’s a legend whenever defense is brought up. It’s shameful sports pundits think he could be fired this season. Sunday puts those rumors to rest for at least a month.

The Jacksonville Jaguars will be horrendous this season and may not win more than two games. Down 7-0 early, Denver scored 23 unanswered. Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater threw two touchdowns and the defense intercepted first round pick Trevor Lawrence twice.

It’s tempting to dismiss the win against an easy opponent. They bullied the New York Giants to begin the season, winning their first two games. Denver closes out September against a flailing New York Jets team. Unlike the Kansas City Chiefs, the Broncos could be undefeated by October.

Teddy Bridgewater at quarterback and the roster close to full health makes a difference. The harder teams show up next month and will be Denver’s first big test before December fifth versus Kansas City.

Fans of rookie quarterback Justin Fields

Nobody outside the Bears’ coaching staff or front office wants Andy Dalton to be the starting quarterback in Chicago. Those people were ecstatic Fields got the nod after Dalton left mid-game over an ACL injury.

Justin Fields’ entrance energized the team and the Bears scored 13 points in his performance. While he threw an interception and was a reason Cincinnati came three points of sending the game to overtime, the rookie executed and played his best when he had to. His best drive was the last one where he found ways to run out the clock and force the Bengals to use their time outs, cementing the Bears’ first win of the season.

For anyone who wants to see good quarterback play in Chicago, those people might see the former Buckeye play at least half the season. A mobile quarterback gives coach Matt Nagy’s offense the best chance to win against playoff caliber teams.

Tom Brady and Mike Edwards

There’s something about the Atlanta Falcons that makes Tom Brady play some of his best football. The NFC South’s version of the Buffalo Bills had no answer for the five touchdowns Brady threw in the first game Tampa Bay played in a week and a half. His 129.2 rating is more eye opening when you see he threw under 300 yards.

He’s adding to the record book throwing for 154 touchdowns in his forties, a record that will take decades to surpass. Despite the great performance, it took a team effort to secure the win.

The defense didn’t have a good game after holding multiple double digit leads the first half. Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan got better but the defense stepped up to get a comfortable lead back. Defensive back Mike Edwards shut the door with not one but two interceptions returned for touchdowns, burying any hopes Atlanta had of a comeback.

The big names on Tampa Bay will get the headlines but players like Edwards help solidify the team, stepping up when needed. It’ll be a long time before we hear of a player having multiple touchdowns via interception in the same quarter.

Lamar Jackson

The Baltimore Ravens quarterback and former league MVP was 0-3 against Kansas City, the only team he’s faced multiple times and couldn’t beat. Sunday night looked like 0-4 until he stepped up the second half.

Jackson’s abilities include running the ball and making defenders miss. The porous Kansas City defense can’t stop the run and for sure can’t cover wide receivers ten or more yards without holding. He used that to his advantage running for two touchdowns in the second half and throwing the touchdown of the year to Marquise Brown.

Jackson’s best moment was a fourth down conversion to seal the win with under 40 seconds remaining. That tie breaker could loom large by Thanksgiving.

Losers: Anyone betting on the New Orleans Saints to be contenders

The thrashing of Aaron Rodgers on a neutral field is a reason most fans and analysts were high on New Orleans. This again proves that whatever we think after one week of play, it doesn’t hold up by the second.

Carolina played a perfect game against a Saints team that couldn’t muster 100 yards passing until the fourth quarter. Yes, there are coaches out due to COVID-19. Most of this roster is still familiar with Sean Payton, his coaching, and have played before.

All the bets on who makes the Super Bowl means nothing early in the season. Let’s have this discussion when the playoffs arrive since there will be a season of play to judge who can do what, not one or two games in September.

Minnesota Vikings

Minnesota started red-hot. Kirk Cousins threw three touchdowns to three different receivers. They led 20-7 early. That didn’t last long.

The Vikings scored 13 points the rest of the game and missed a game winning field goal. Minneapolis’ radio play-by-play announcer was devastated the kick went right after he called it good on-air. They’re 0-2 to start the season.

Coach Mike Zimmer isn’t the problem but one has to wonder how long he’ll stay after two crushing losses to start the season. Seattle, Cleveland and Carolina are their next three of four opponents before the bye week. That’s not promising.

Pittsburgh Steelers defense

The main topic is Derek Carr’s improvement and franchise record in passing yards two straight games. This conversation is different if Steelers star T.J. Watt doesn’t injure his groin in the first half. Pittsburgh gave up three field goals that half. There were no adjustments for the second.

Melvin Ingram III was the only other defender to sack Carr. The defense is among the league’s best and couldn’t beat a new look offensive line. It’s not like Las Vegas was hard to game-plan for either. Raider runningback Josh Jacobs is out for a few weeks and Peyton Barber doesn’t have the same skill level. It was one dimensional and the Steelers had no answers. The 61 yard touchdown Carr threw to receiver Henry Ruggs III was shocking and Daniel Carlson’s field goal with 20 seconds left deflated any good energies.

Every loss Pittsburgh’s taken to the Raiders since 2006 has cost them a spot in the playoffs. Denver and Seattle have better offenses and could play a Steelers team at their most vulnerable. Mike Tomlin needs some solutions by October.

Tre Flowers

I am once again wondering why one of the worst cornerbacks to play in the NFL has a starting job or is on an active roster. Flowers, who plays like he can’t see out of both eyes, was tasked with trying to tackle Tennessee Titans runningback Derrick Henry.

Not only was there no tackle, he had no idea Henry would run inside and not out. Tre Flowers cannot read a field if his life depended on it. His best attribute is tackling and even that’s suspect. One would expect with a 30-16 lead, the secondary could stop a runningback. We learned Flowers can do neither.

Atlanta Falcons

The Jacksonville Jaguars and New York Jets look awful to start the season and are taking a lot of jokes. We can cut them some slack because of new quarterbacks and coaches. Atlanta is not a laughing matter.

Arthur Smith was brought in to bring better out of a team led by veteran quarterback Matt Ryan. His contributions include the worst loss to start the season in the entire NFL and a Tom Brady and Mike Edwards highlight reel. This team is so bad they cut their punter Cameron Nizialek after Sunday’s loss.

If the Falcons can’t beat the Washington Football Team or either the New York Giants or Jets, this could be one of the ugliest seasons in franchise history, and that’s saying something.

It was a wild start to the decade in the NFL. COVID-19 was a major reason for last year’s smaller attendance and eye-opening play. The incumbent Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers set records last season and miraculously retained most of their winning roster. Outside of Tampa, the Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers and Los Angeles Rams are the top picks to challenge for a Super Bowl appearance. As expectations and hope arise for all sixteen teams, let’s see which teams have the best shot at making the 2021 playoffs.

NFC North: Green Bay Packers

This is franchise star Aaron Rodgers’ last season in Wisconsin, cementing the Packers return as favorites in the famed black and blue division.

Minnesota’s defense can’t cover receivers or rush the passer consistently. It’ll be seen when they play Los Angeles, Seattle and Arizona. Detroit could be a challenge with a run-first offense, but their defense needs to close out games in second halves versus quality opponents and division rivals. The Chicago Bears added some key players in the draft and free agency. Eddie Goldman returns to bolster the defensive line and both Justin Fields and Andy Dalton are fresh faces for the quarterback position. The offensive line is a weak point that may not be figured out until middle of the season, and the Packers with Aaron Rodgers aren’t a team to make mistakes against in the standings.

The Packers’ defense got better in last season’s latter half and was a reason they almost made the Super Bowl (despite Kevin Kings’ blatant pass interference penalty). Both Za’Darius and Preston Smith stepped up on pass rush and coverage when they needed to. Jaire Alexander is an underrated name at the cornerback position and Adrian Amos is thriving at free safety.

Rodgers’ targets Marquez Valdez-Scantling, Allen Lazard and Robert Tonyan took the next steps to becoming reliable targets for whoever the quarterback in Green Bay is. Look for these three guys to add even more to their game this year and become leaders for when Rodgers moves on.

South: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New Orleans Saints

In last year’s preview, I described this division as, “the haves and have-nots”. It’s still under that title since the Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons chose to “re-build” and “re-tool” in ways that sets them back for the future. The Saints and current Super Bowl champions want to face each other in the playoffs for a second straight year.

Tampa Bay re-signed almost all their stars from last season. Chris Godwin was franchise tagged while Antonio Brown, Leonard Fournette and Rob Gronkowski took less money in order to return to the Super Bowl. General manager Jason Licht paid good money re-signing Lavonte David and Shaquil Barrett to multi-year deals. The Buccaneers believe they didn’t play their best game of the season (even in the Super Bowl) because the unit didn’t have much time to practice together and learn Bruce Arians’ and Todd Bowles’ schemes. An added regular season game gives the returning roster the chance and time to perfect execution. Tampa isn’t just the favorite to repeat a championship win, but they’re favorites to win first in the NFC South because they have depth and incredible talent at every position no other team in the NFL can replicate.

If Tampa somehow doesn’t win first place in the NFC South, it’s because New Orleans breaks out and returns to form on offense before Drew Brees withered. Jameis Winston is the favorite to start and while he is known for turnovers, he’s a quarterback who makes receivers better and isn’t afraid to go deep. One year backing up Brees and learning what Sean Payton expects of a franchise passer going forward is what Winston needed after five up-and-down seasons in Tampa Bay. The former number one pick has the receivers to work with in Michael Thomas, Tre’Quan Smith, Deonte Harris and Nick Vannett. If he keeps the turnover ratio low, the Saints will be one of the hardest teams to beat in the league.

New Orleans has the players on defense to stifle an offensively deep team like the Buccaneers. Marshon Lattimore is one of the best cornerbacks in the league. Malcolm Jenkins gets better the older he gets and Marcus Williams are a great safety tandem. David Onyemata’s six game suspension hurts the pass rush and could be the team’s weak spot. Cam Jordan can’t be the main guy sacking quarterbacks all season. Marcus Davenport and Shy Tuttle need to step up in order for this defense to be as stout as their champion division rival.

NFC West: Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers

The two teams with the most pressure to win right now are the Seahawks and the Rams. Both made headline trades the past two years in order to stand out in the playoffs and win another championship in the 21st century. This offseason, Seattle wasn’t splashy like the other three teams, but they conducted necessary steps in the right direction to appease star quarterback Russell Wilson. Los Angeles did the opposite completing a blockbuster trade with Detroit for veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford. The Seahawks added muscle on defense while the Rams re-signed breakout defenders.

General manager John Schneider’s made necessary moves first trading for guard Gabe Jackson. He solidifies an offensive line where the only weakness is starting center Ethan Pocic’s health for 17 games. Schneider signed former Ram tight end Gerald Everett after the trade for Jackson. Everett is a good target if/when Will Dissly isn’t on the field. Coach Pete Carroll brought in another Ram Shane Waldron to be the new offensive coordinator and passing game coach. Seattle’s offense with Brian Schottenheimer crumbled when opposing defenses expected deep-ball throws and adjustments weren’t made. Waldron and Everett can implement a better, layered system that ensures Seattle takes control of games early and often against quality opponents.

For the first time since 2013, Seattle’s front seven looks championship caliber. The addition of Carlos Dunlap II as a pass-rush threat solidified Seattle with one of the best defenses the remaining six weeks of the last year’s regular season. Despite the score against the rival Rams in the playoffs, the defense was a reason they played them close. In the offseason, Dunlap re-signed for less money and the Seahawks added more pass-rush. The front consists of L.J. Collier, Benson Mayowa, Alton Robinson and interior tackles Poona Ford and Rasheem Green. The signings of Kerry Hyder Jr. and Robert Nkemdiche gives the Seahawks seven players to rest and substitute in pivotal games, an advantage when playoffs approach.

Even though Jarran Reed went to Kansas City, Seattle’s pass rush is crucial to how well the rest of the defense plays. Shaquill Griffin signed to Jacksonville, so the top cornerbacks will be D.J. Reed and Ahkello Witherspoon. While star safety Jamal Adams was re-signed, his partner Quandre Diggs is a free agent after the season. The pair’s shown they work well together from the short time had in the secondary. They play well especially with dominating pass-rush or in deep pass coverage. Added help from Marquise Blair (coming back from a torn ACL) and Ryan Neal can ease pressure off the top two corners.

Rams coach Sean McVay has the most pressure on him out of all four head coaches. He didn’t like working with Jared Goff, so he has another chance to show his offensive system with a quality passer in Stafford. There are more issues Los Angeles has to address this season. Starting runningback Cam Akers tore his achilles the first day of training camp. The Rams will use a number of runningbacks for competition starting with Darrell Henderson Jr. Henderson’s sophomore season was better but he’s not someone who scares defenses stopping the run.

Look for Los Angeles to throw the ball at least 70% of offensive possessions. An aging offensive line and lack of receiver depth could cause all three teams in the NFC West to blitz more than the previous two or three years. Outside of division games, the Rams play the best defenses in the league, starting with Chicago September 12th. If McVay and company have a winning record going into their bye week, they’ll be a top three team in the NFC.

The San Francisco 49ers had a rough 2020 season. They started with no fans in their own stadium and ended where they shared home games in State Farm Stadium with the Arizona Cardinals. It was the third season Kyle Shanahan’s team was plagued by injuries, highlighted again by quarterback Jimmy Garappolo.

Trey Lance will be the quarterback of the future, but the returns of not just Garappolo but defensive phenom Nick Bosa ensure the 49ers are one of the more underrated teams this season. DeMeco Ryans has large shoes to fill with the departure of defensive coordinator Robert Saleh to the New York Jets, but he’s anchored a defense as a captain before. If San Francisco clinches the seventh seed, they’ll give teams in the conference headaches ranging from their balanced running attack and massive wide-receivers to their attack-first front five and aggressive secondary. They just need to stay healthy for around twelve games this season.

NFC East: Dallas Cowboys

Yes, last year featured the worst division winner in NFL history. There are hopes this year’s division winner won’t be under .500. Washington is inept at quarterback, Philadelphia is re-building most of their roster and the New York Giants are in absolute turmoil (seriously? a whole roster brawl to kick off training camp?). This leaves Dallas as the easy pick in the east.

Credit Mike McCarthy for wanting quarterback Dak Prescott to ease into both practice and onto the field after gruesome ankle injuries last season and shoulder issues in training camp. The addition of defensive coordinator Dan Quinn will make Dallas a fun, must-watch team. Most analysts and fans don’t have an NFC east team making it far in the playoffs, but if Quinn makes the Cowboys defense look anything similar to Seattle’s Legion of Boom during his tenure, Dallas has a shot to win at least one playoff game.

It was a wild start to the decade in the NFL. COVID-19 was a major reason for a lot of last year’s lack of attendance and eye-opening play. After the Kansas City Chiefs won the Super Bowl in early 2020 the rest of the AFC invested heavily on pass rush defensively and better blocking on offensive lines. As we look ahead to another fun and high expectation-filled start to the 2021 season, questions focus on Kansas City’s chances to make their third straight Super Bowl versus better built teams in Indianapolis, Cleveland and Denver.

AFC South: Tennessee Titans, Indianapolis Colts

There are many surprise picks in this conference for 2021 due to untapped potential, better coaching/stability and the seventh playoff spot. This division seems the simplest because the Colts and Titans have better rosters, coaching and management over Jacksonville and Houston. The only debate could be who wins the division.

Indianapolis needed a new and younger quarterback once Philip Rivers retired after a playoff loss in Buffalo. The Colts added former first overall pick Eric Fisher at left tackle to compliment the best offensive guard in the league. Sadly, Carson Wentz and offensive guard Quinton Nelson suffered the same foot injury their first week of training camp. They’ll be out a few more weeks and may come back in October (max). DeForest Buckner, Rob Windsor and J.J. Nelson had additional injuries and the Colts can’t enter a tight race banged up with a low-vaccinated roster especially since coach Frank Reich caught COVID-19.

Indianapolis has a lot to manage and figure out and although they may not win the division, the defense led by Darius Leonard and Xavier Rhodes ensures when Wentz and Nelson fully adjust and return at full health, they can win a number of games to get back into the playoffs. It will just be harder to face teams on the road for three games rather than having at least one or two home games.

Indianapolis’ lack of health and the belief of an 0-3 start (Seahawks, LA Rams and Titans the first three weeks. Yikes!) are the Tennessee Titans’ gain. It’s possible the Titans struggle with their first half of the schedule like the Colts do. If that happens the division outlook shifts. For now, Tennessee gets the benefit of the doubt. The addition of Julio Jones takes double coverage off of A.J. Brown. Josh Reynolds and Anthony Firkser should have break-through seasons. Then there’s the best runningback in the league dishing out punishment to defenses (see above).

Speaking of defenses, Tennessee’s was awful last season. In the offseason, they overhauled the secondary, signed Bud Dupree in the offseason and added DeNico Autry for the defensive front. Drafting defensive players in the first four rounds and coaxing Janoris Jenkins to lock up a cornerback position will make this an interesting team to watch early in September. Their divisional game against the Colts aside, they need to pressure quarterbacks Kyler Murray, Russell Wilson and Zach Wilson to show they’re different from last year’s division winning team.

AFC West: Kansas City Chiefs, Denver Broncos

First glance, it’s a no-brainer the Kansas City Chiefs win this division. Look closer and it’s closer than many expect. Denver and Los Angeles should improve this year and the Raiders found the blueprint on how to beat the Chief offense.

That said, don’t expect the Raiders to do much. Their overhaul of the offensive line and chaotic secondary ensures this team will finish last. It’s possible the Chargers snatch a playoff spot if either the Colts or Titans fall behind and can’t patch up their issues on defense.

The two teams to focus on are Denver and Kansas City. I’m not sold on Chiefs general manager Brett Veach’s tinkering of the roster. Cutting Eric Fisher and trading for Orlando Brown Jr. is a head scratching move when they could’ve had both. Kyle Long came out of retirement to start at right guard. There were good signings such as center pick Creed Humphrey to back up free agent addition Austin Blythe. This helps quarterback Patrick Mahomes II see the middle of the field. He’ll have to throw the ball more since runningback depth dropped off minus the addition of Jerick McKinnon. One figures injuries will be a factor and questions arise on depth along the rest of the line. This means Mahomes will be relied on more. The receiving core is solid, yet there are questions on Travis Kelce and if he can continue his production at 31.

Veach didn’t address the cornerback position, a red flag considering Brashad Breeland wasn’t re-signed after two straight Super Bowl appearances and Charvarius Ward was burned by Buccaneer wide-outs. While Tyrann Mathieu and Daniel Sorensen are a solid safety duo, they can’t defend everyone. Frank Clark’s court trials spoil a bulked up defensive front that added Jarran Reed from Seattle and Taco Charlton. Overall, Kansas City didn’t scare many teams after blowing out the New York Jets last year, but they are the conference pick and have earned it because of how the other 15 teams have yet to play better.

At opposite, Denver and coach Vic Fangio are in win-now mode. What happened with the Broncos last year wasn’t poor game planning. There was a period the Broncos averaged three season-ending injuries a day, something unheard of in sports. Sophomore receiver Jerry Jeudy can relax knowing he won’t have the pressure to catch every third down pass. Cortland Sutton, Noah Fant, KJ Hamler and Tim Patrick should grow more since they’re all back from season ending injuries. Even if quarterback Drew Lock falters, Teddy Bridgewater’s veteran play shows his reliability and calm under duress. It helps Melvin Gordon III is the full starter and should gain the yards when needed.

The Denver defense should shine with the returns of Von Miller, Bradley Chubb and Kareem Jackson. Kyle Fuller was signed quickly after Chicago surprisingly put him on waivers and incoming general manager George Paton drafted Pat Surtain II. While many question how will defenses perform with major additions, almost no one questions Vic Fangio-led defenses. They won’t win the West, but Denver is a playoff caliber team most AFC rosters won’t want to play.

AFC North: Cleveland Browns

Probably the second easiest division to decipher in the conference. The Bengals aren’t a team that can compete against their division rivals, much less outside it. Their re-build continues if last year’s number one pick Joe Burrow keeps his legs whole. Pittsburgh faded fast after an eye-opening 11-0 start, never recovering and Ben Roethlisberger looked past his prime. It’s possible they go 9-8 because Mike Tomlin does enough for his players to stay .500 at worst.

Former Raven receiver Willie Snead IV went off on offensive coordinator Greg Roman for the lack of development with Lamar Jackson and the receiving core. Jackson wants to stop running the ball ten times a game (minimum). The rest of the offense agrees, yet general manager Eric DeCosta might have made it worse. Sammy Watkins isn’t the receiver to bet on when free agents Kenny Golladay and A.J. Green were available. The loss of pass rusher Matt Judon will be felt on defense. It could get ugly for Baltimore when the season starts.

Two years ago, yours truly wasn’t sold on the Cleveland Browns winning a division title. Many things had to go right for coaching, quarterback play and defense. Two years later, the Browns have answered with a quality coach in Kevin Stefanski, better maturity and efficient play from Baker Mayfield and re-tooling on defense that can ensure the team can go deeper in the playoffs. First round pick Denzel Ward, free agent addition John Johnson III and the return of Grant Delpit ensure the secondary can take a minimum one step forward since last year’s secondary was porous.

Cleveland’s roster on offense will be hard to stop with the their receiving depth, a top five offensive line in football and the best runningback tandem. The laughingstock days of the Cleveland Browns are officially over.

AFC East: New York Jets, Miami Dolphins

The west will be a fun watch, but the east is the best division to tune into this year. Buffalo returns one win away from a Super Bowl trip, Bill Belichick added high profile players to the Patriots this offseason, Miami is showing progress in their rebuild and the New York Jets have the coach and quarterback duo they wanted.

People criticize Lamar Jackson for the things Josh Allen (and Kyler Murray) does. Allen’s a running quarterback who posted career highs last season. Despite his success with Stefon Diggs, a terrible Chiefs secondary found the formula to stop long Bills drives. Allen’s shown he can get his team the three points, but not the seven against a top team like Kansas City. It happened early in the regular and postseason. It’s possible the Bills had their best season with their quarterback and coach duo.

New England added a lot of key names to their team, but will it help in the middle of their schedule? The Patriots open up against two division rivals, New Orleans and then the champion Buccaneers led by Tom Brady. Their best receivers are tight-ends, and they can’t carry the passing game if the best wideout is Nelson Agholor. Their bye is week 14, with Tennessee and Indianapolis before that. Bill Belichick is one of the best coaches in the game and anything can happen, but it’s possible the Patriots miss the playoffs again.

The Jets are the upset pick to win this title in any of the eight divisions. There’s a lot to love about this team. At the top, Robert Saleh is a coach with a working brain (something many people thought Adam Gase did not have). He’s creative, aggressive and builds his players up in every facet of the game. Watch out for New York’s improvement in coverage and pass rush with Saleh’s coaching. They could well be a top ten or top five defense in the league.

The passing game was why the Jets were one of the worst football teams anyone watched the past 15 years. Trading Sam Darnold to Carolina and drafting Zach Wilson second overall should innovate the offense. Their main strength is the offensive line. Adam Gase couldn’t identify his playmakers at runningback and it showed with his option to start almost 40 year old Frank Gore over Le’Michal Perine. Perine should’ve been a playmaker and a leader on offense. He has the chance with Saleh as coach and will be paired with newcomer Tevin Coleman. The two could be the underrated backfield duo to watch out for. The receiving group rounds out to Braxton Berrios, Jamison Crowder, Corey Davis, Denzel Mims and D.J. Montgomery. They showed flashes last year despite a terrible gameplan. No doubt they’ll improve and give defenses problems.

Second place in the east will go to the team with better roster depth. Brian Flores proved he’s the right coach moving forward. He’s a big reason the Dolphins were in the middle of the standings instead of the bottom. Jacoby Brissett was signed to backup and assist franchise quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, a move that should pay off when November rolls around. First round pick Jaylen Waddle boosts the receiving core already comprised of DeVante Parker, Preston Williams, Allen Hurns, Albert Wilson and reliable tight-end Mike Gesicki. The defense should be, if not more consistent than last year. Tua’s second year steps forward and a running game that can give a rising offense balance should secure Miami a playoff spot and maybe more.

In early July, the Tampa Bay Lightning accomplished something only one team this century and eight NHL teams had: they repeated as Stanley Cup Champions. When the play clock reached four zeros and players started celebrating, the other 30 teams were both relieved and excited. Relief over the season finally reaching the end and excitement for who could be poached from the champion’s roster.

The 2020-21 champions had a roster of unparalleled depth top to bottom most hockey fans hadn’t seen since the Detroit Red Wings of two to three decades ago. The salary cap didn’t increase, and it lead to cap casualties before the expansion draft. The roster celebrated their accomplishment and partied hard, yet not even a week and a half passed when general manager Julien BriseBois traded the rights of Barclay Goodrow to the New York Rangers. Then the draft came.

Yanni Gourde, Tyler Johnson, Blake Coleman and Luke Schenn were either drafted, signed or traded to different teams. Their famed third line was gone less than 12 hours into free agency. However Tampa did retain some of the depth, finding enough money to re-sign Cal Foote, Ross Colton and Alex Barre-Boulet.

In free agency, the Lightning brought back Zach Bogosian and added fresh faces in Corey Perry, Brian Elliott and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare. Perry and Bellemare are to replenish and fill space on the third line. The Elliott signing ensures depth and veteran presence when starter Andrei Vasilevskiy needs rest in the regular season. The debate among hockey analysts and fans after these signings are the chances Tampa Bay has to win a third straight title, something last decade’s Penguins team failed to do.

Last article, the Florida Panthers stood out as a team rapidly becoming a Stanley Cup contender. Tampa’s additions of Bellemare and Perry fit because they can both score and play physically. They’re third or fourth line players. The retained depth ensures Barre-Boulet or Colton is promoted as the last of the three line-mates. Foote, Barre-Boulet/Colton and Mathieu Joseph round out the fourth line. Additional depth will come from minor leaguers having a chance to prove themselves.

Defense and goaltender won’t be an issue, but depth offensively could be if injuries arrive early season. The Lightning and Panthers are solid playoff candidates. Toronto is still on the rise and the Boston Bruins haven’t shown decline. The Metropolitan will be tight with both the Rangers and Islanders being favorites and the Capitals and Penguins reliable in their playoff trips. Tampa has to be in the top four of the Atlantic for a favorable playoff spot.

They’ll face everyone’s best starting with Pittsburgh on October 12th. If they cruise into the playoffs around the number five seed (minimum), their state rivals and New York’s metropolitan teams could be the serious bets to send them home without a parade.

Until the Rangers show they’re the real deal, and the Islanders and Panthers win definitively over the Lightning in a playoff series, this team is the sure bet to win three in a row and begin the first dynasty of the 21st century.

As the Olympics concluded August 8th, there were performances we’ll see as memorable and historic. Well, now you can vote for which ones you liked most! The 2021 Tokyo Olympics poll is up! Who would you say were your most memorable or favorite gold-medal performances?

Anyone who’s read from here or followed Pro Talk’s facebook page before the decade knows polls like this help this page and are a part of my work since I’ve started this from the ground up. A lot of you have been wanting me to do a poll for a long time, and now the chance is here.

Please read the instructions for this fun event. If you have questions, feel free to ask in the comments below. The three populous votes will be featured in a September article on site, and Pro Talk’s Wesley Woods and yours truly will write out our three best separately.

RULES TO FOLLOW

– Vote for three and three only (more than three nullifies your full vote)

– Don’t vote on more than one account (votes on two accounts of one person will be nullified)

– Only those who won at least one gold medal qualify for votes. Do not add someone who took silver/bronze only. That vote won’t count, however, if you think of a different name/team that did win gold and that performance stood out, you’re free to add it to the list of options.

The link for the poll is below

https://strawpoll.com/wxjyqbfb2/r

The Tampa Bay Lightning repeated as Stanley Cup Champions in Amalie Arena with a cheering, sold-out crowd. Andrei Vasilevskiy was named most valuable player in the playoffs. Nikita Kucherov was intoxicated ten minutes after hoisting the trophy on ice. As much as it pains some folks to admit, Montreal wasn’t the toughest team the Lightning faced in the playoffs. Fans and analysts alike wondered, talked on and shared views on who they thought gave the back-to-back champions their hardest fight.

Keith Jones opened up the topic post-game saying Florida was by far Tampa’s toughest series. He wasn’t alone in this thinking.

Analysts Bill Lindsay and Mark Parrish agreed. Lindsay discussed Florida’s offensive pressure (minus game six) giving Vasilevskiy trouble and engaging the Lightning in multiple fights early to stay edgy. Parrish gave credit to coach Joel Quenneville for offensive growth and capitalizing on Vasilevskiy’s one-on-one weaknesses.

The New York Islanders were close to reaching the finals and would have if Tampa wasn’t in the playoffs. Outside of them, the Florida Panthers are a top pick to reach and even win the cup finals in the next year or two. The offense is top five and they’ve accumulated some of the best coaching in the league.

After Quenneville’s first season, Bill Zito was hired as general manager to build a roster needing better defense. Adding Radko Gudas, Brandon Montour and Gustav Forsling were good starts. Zito added depth as physical and gritty as Tampa’s third and fourth line, signing Patric Hornqvist, Ryan Lomberg, Anthony Duclair and Mason Marchmant.

Goaltending is a weak-spot, but it’s possible Zito’s found solutions. Before the pandemic, Sam Montembeault played like a draft steal with starter Sergei Bobrovsky faltering. While Chris Driedger was drafted by the expansion Seattle Kraken, Spencer Knight could compete for the starting spot. He’s the first goaltender born in the 21st century to win a regular and postseason game. His intensified focus in elimination games makes him play better.

The Panthers are mirroring the process Tampa Bay uses. A deep, offensively gifted roster, a physical and passionate third and fourth line and added depth on defense. Both teams are relocated back in the Atlantic division and face pressure to get back into the playoffs within a stacked eastern conference.

This figures to be what the Battle of Alberta was since both teams are two of the best in the league. Florida has ways to go before they can topple the Lightning, yet there are ways to accomplish this.

• Better special teams: The biggest areas of improvement. Main talk centered on goaltending before Spencer Knight got the go in the playoffs, and Montembeault can further develop with Driedger gone. Fixing the penalty kill is a need. The lethal combination of Steven Stamkos on one end and a healthy Nikita Kucherov on the other overwhelmed the Panthers early and often. The absence of Aaron Ekblad is one reason, but the d-core of Weegar, Montour and Forsling need to step up (especially the latter two since they’re on a playoff team). On the other end, the power play for the Panthers was average at best in the regular season and held the team back in the playoffs. Florida’s power play numbers were abysmal going one-for-eight, zero-for-four, two-for-three, two-of-13, one-of-seven and zero-for-two in six games. Outside of the third game, that’s terrible for a team that’s top five in the league on offense. The power play is where Florida should excel when at least an extra man is on ice, not hurting them the longer a series goes.

• Defense from star players: It’s something all teams go through with star players. How bad do Aleksander Barkov, Jonathan Huberdeau and Frank Vatrano want to get past the Lightning and win a championship? This is what made Nikita Kucherov, the best player after winning league MVP in the 2018-19 season and Steven Stamkos, after scoring 50+ goals in three seasons evolve. The extra edge while keeping games high scoring is a step closer to getting past the defending champs.

• Better timed and consistent fighting: The first two games of the series were some of the best games in the first round and brought back memories of old-school hockey. The league doesn’t have a lot of that right now and the Panthers can use that as the winning formula moving forward. Game one resulted in four lead changes, four power play goals, 17 minor penalties, 34 penalty minutes, 79 shots on goal and one suspension. Florida won game five as a response from game four’s one-sided score, but that game four is a good contrast from game one. The fighting, penalties and even Anthony Duclair’s slash on Kucherov went too far and weren’t centered on competition. Playing more physical from game one when the series is even means more than dirty play trailing by four.

• Staying reliable on offense: Florida’s offense was up and down the six game series. Usually a team consistently scoring an average of three or four goals a game, 14 of the 17 goals were scored in three games. They won two of those three. When they scored two or under, they lost the remaining three. Granted, Andrei Vasilevskiy wound up continuing his undefeated streak after losing one game (a major reason he won the playoff MVP trophy). The Panther offense had one game where they had under 30 shots at the net. Not every goal will be easy or clean to score, but they should feel good knowing there’s continued growth and consistency on offense to make them a true threat.

Everyone will look at the Islanders, New York Rangers and the Carolina Hurricanes as top teams to de-throne Tampa and make the cup finals. Those teams need to take Florida just as serious if not more since coach Quenneville’s team has yet to hit its peak.

After a longer than usual postseason, the best two teams advanced to the finals. Both teams deserve to play after what they’ve gone through with injuries and games played. To have two teams that haven’t been to the NBA Finals in at least two decades is special and should be appreciated. While it is sad one team has to come out victorious, the winner will be remembered for years, if not decades to come. Time to break down who finally takes the Larry O’Brien trophy home.

#2 Phoenix Suns v. #3 Milwaukee Bucks

Before June 30th, the Suns’ best season came in Charles Barkley’s MVP season in 1993. The first of the big four pro-sports teams in Phoenix, Monty Williams and Chris Paul did everything to get to the finals, including two series-winning games in Los Angeles’ Staples Center. Devin Booker, DeAndre Ayton and Jae Crowder are playing the best basketball in their careers. The Suns’ success stems from passing the ball well, leading opposing defenses to break down before charging into the paint or shooting from long to mid-range.

Giannis Antetokounmpo may not start the series but that doesn’t mean Milwaukee’s guard tandem of Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton can’t lock down the Suns’ Devin Booker and Chris Paul. Brook Lopez is playing some of his best basketball since his old days in Brooklyn. If he plays against DeAndre Ayton like he did against the Hawks last round, Phoenix may have some issues they can’t patch up.

Pivotal matchup: Monty Williams v. Mike Budenholzer

If it wasn’t for Coach Williams, the Suns wouldn’t be in the NBA Finals. Even without Chris Paul on the court, dating back to last season in playoff (or play-in) games, Phoenix is undefeated with Williams on the bench. His second coaching stint has revealed how much he’s learned being an assistant, and that’s translated on the court. Meanwhile Mike Budenholzer has made the necessary adjustments that eluded him in past series and seasons, allowing the Bucks to play some of their best basketball of the season when their two time MVP has been injured.

The biggest issue for Milwaukee is when Giannis comes back from injury. Most fans wouldn’t think that to be true, but the Bucks would have to juggle their lineups at least three games in a series where the chemistry could be at its best. Monty Williams has shown he can adjust a lineup and make sure a team like the Suns play their best basketball late in a series.

Prediction: The Phoenix Suns win the series and their first NBA Championship 4-2

What a wonderful round of playoff hockey. The remaining four teams now play outside of their divisions this postseason. All of them can play physical lock-down defense, score at pivotal times and have top-tier coaching. It was determined after the third games of last round the winners of the central and eastern divisions would play in the eastern conference finals and the winners of the western and northern divisions for the western conference. Without further delay, here are the picks on who advances to the Stanley Cup finals.

#2 Vegas Golden Knights v. #4 Montreal Canadiens

There couldn’t be more polar teams. Vegas remained a top five team all year. A deep roster with fantastic coaching, the Golden Knights are four games away from advancing to the second Stanley Cup finals in franchise history. Montreal’s general manager Marc Bergevin added depth this offseason, taking in whoever could fit better and score more than last year’s roster. Dominic Ducharme became the coach after the firing of Claude Julien and the Canadiens remained good enough to be a top four seed in the offense heavy Scotia north.

Vegas is on a roll. The Golden Knights beat two teams they didn’t have winning records against in dramatic fashion. Former Canadien Max Pacioretty’s had a point in all seven games he’s played. Like last year’s champion Lightning, Vegas boasts three elite layers of defensemen, a Vezina finalist/one of two top Conn Smythe nominees, and at least four lines of forwards and centers that wear teams down. The Golden Knights shut down the best offense in the NHL, shut down the top rookie, and offensively beat down two of the best defenses in the league.

If Montreal has a shot at winning this series, coach Ducharme has to play his team to the style Vegas plays. There’s a strong argument the Canadiens’ top three layers of defensemen are on the same level as Vegas’, and Carey Price looked as good if not better than Marc-Andre Fleury during Montreal’s seven game winning streak. There are four solid forward and center lines that contribute to scoring, dominance in the offensive zone and penalty killing.

Pivotal Matchup: Peter DeBoer’s line changes v. Dominic Ducharme’s easing younger players into the series

Both teams have the right players. It’s the coaching that determines how they’ll be used and who has the upper-hand consistently. DeBoer faces questions on elevating his second line since they’ve scored and played better than the first or having the fourth line be moved higher because of the physical style of play used. The same goes for Ducharme on considering when to play his top line without breaking them up and how often should rookies such as Cole Caufield play this series. Even if one coach makes the right adjustment, the other can find an answer the following period.

Verdict: Both teams play exceptional on defense. The biggest mismatch is the scoring ability of Vegas’ forwards and centers compared to Montreal’s. Brendan Gallagher for example is a solid two-way forward. He’s a pest at the front of the net and blocks shots without being told to. However he isn’t on the same level Golden Knight’s forward Mark Stone is. Vegas’ players are in their prime, are well-rounded and can shift to any style of play, finding more ways to exploit the Canadiens.

Prediction: Vegas wins series 4-0

#3 Tampa Bay Lightning v. #4 New York Islanders

Hockey fans and analysts are in for part two of a special series many watched in last year’s playoff bubble. The reigning champs and the best underdogs in the last three years go at it again in what is a coaching contest of the ages. Barry Trotz’s press conferences alone drew the ire of the Boston Bruins and un-did Bruce Cassidy’s temper after game four. Tampa’s Jon Cooper is leagues ahead of Cassidy, creatively keeping his players ahead but wary the Lightning would again face the Islanders’ suffocating defense.

New York doesn’t have captain Anders Lee, but Lou Amoriello’s trades for Travis Zajac and Kyle Palmieri paid off last round. Both scored and lead the offense to three commanding wins after the Bruins took a 2-1 series advantage. Mathew Barzal scored at critical times and the best fourth line in hockey scored in two of the last three games. Coach Trotz emphasizes defense but his team can play physical and commanding offense when they need to score or close a game.

Coach Cooper and the Lightning have to be relieved they’re out of the Central division, downing two of the league’s best teams in six games or less. Tampa’s fourth and fifth lines propelled them past Carolina, a sign that every forward and center should be defended carefully. If the postseason ended, Nikita Kucherov would be the other of two Conn Smythe finalists. Forget the number of points tallied, he’s the reason Tampa has the best power-play in the playoffs and why even the best goalies are on edge when the puck is on his stick.

Pivotal matchup: the whole Islanders offense v. the Lightning defense

Unlike the Boston Bruins, there’s no shortage of elite defenders for Tampa. General manager Julien BriseBois knew his team needed an additional defenseman for depth in the playoffs and traded for David Savard. Norris trophy (best defenseman award) candidate Victor Hedman’s rested more with two more lines holding leads, a recipe for more playoff runs. Jan Rutta, Ryan McDonagh, Erik Cernak, Mikhail Sergachev, Luke Schenn and Cal Foote round out a defensive unit that can counter most offenses.

The Islanders though, aren’t like most offenses. The importance of Mathew Barzal showing up in the most important games puts more pressure for Tampa to finish a series early. Casey Cizikas, Matt Martin and Cal Clutterbuck cause havoc by hitting teams’ first two lines to rattle them early. This eases the Islander stars to play their best offense. Jordan Eberle, Josh Bailey, Anthony Beauvillier, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Brock Nelson, and the former Devils Zajac and Palmieri put pressure on defenses to play perfect. Vezina nominated goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy needs to play his best hockey of the playoffs if Tampa wants a chance at repeat championships.

Verdict: Defensemen depth determines who wins. New York doesn’t have three stout lines the way Tampa does. Noah Dobson, Andy Greene and Braydon Coburn may crater to Tampa’s third line of Yanni Gourde, Barclay Goodrow and Blake Coleman the longer the series goes. Hockey lovers should enjoy a repeat bid for one of the best rosters assembled in the 21st century and bid farewell to New York’s Nassau Colosseum.

Prediction: Tampa Bay wins series 4-1

Stanley Cup second round record: 1-3