Tag: sports

2023-2024 NHL First Half Analysis, Questions, Power Rankings and Much More

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What a fun first half of the season. The Boston Bruins and Vancouver Canucks are tied for the league’s best record. Sam Reinhart, Sidney Crosby and Marc-Andre Fleury have dazzled and broken franchise or league records. Then there’s the case for who will win league MVP. The tone is set for the second half of the regular season. Here are the top takes, questions and answers as All-Star weekend closes.

Who is the most deserving of the Hart trophy this season?

David Pastrnak has the third most points behind Nikita Kucherov and Nathan MacKinnon half-way into the regular season.

There are a lot of names you could pick to win the Hart trophy (the NHL’s regular season MVP award). Usually the winner is either the league leader in total points or the deciding factor for a team getting into the postseason. This year it ranges from top goal scorer to best player. Auston Matthews’ 40 goals in 47 games is incredible. Nathan MacKinnon’s home point streak of 25 to start a season ties him for second all-time with the great Bobby Orr. MacKinnon’s play has opened up better scoring opportunities for depth players such as Logan O’Connor and Ross Colton. This is all without team captain Gabriel Landeskog and twenty goal scorer Valeri Nichushkin. There’s Nikita Kucherov, back in top form leading the NHL in points with 85. Kucherov’s a reason Tampa Bay’s the fifth seed in the east after 50 games. Boston’s David Pastrnak leads Boston in points, goals and assists. Dating back to the start of last season, Pastrnak has scored the most goals in the league with 94. Connor McDavid is a distant second with 84. The Bruins are also tied for the league’s best record with 71 points. Last but not least, don’t forget Connor McDavid has led Edmonton to the second best winning streak in NHL history with 16 straight victories. Voters want to see how the Oilers captain helps the team extend this streak.

It’s possible this becomes the most contested Hart race since the 2001-2002 season. McDavid’s won the trophy a few times and Matthews will probably win the Maurice “Rocket” Richard trophy at his scoring pace. That means the vote could be narrowed to Pastrnak, MacKinnon and Kucherov. What MacKinnon’s doing right now with no team captain and personal issues sidelining the third leading goal scorer on the team could give him the edge over the latter two.

Will any other coaches get fired before February ends?

Todd McLellan’s the latest to get the pink slip after Los Angeles won three of 15 games in January.

Los Angeles’ Todd McLellan was fired this past Friday after the Kings went 3-12 last month. The organization only extended his contract through the 2024-2025 season before the regular season began. Los Angeles is a playoff contender that needs a different coach who can elevate the team back to a playoff mindset.

There are a few others who could go before the postseason begins. Greg Cronin of Anaheim hasn’t done well with the young, talented core general manager Pat Verbeek’s drafted. The regression of Trevor Zegras and having only one 20+ goal scorer on the roster doesn’t reflect well on Cronin. He was hired in the 2023 offseason so it’s possible he gets another year, but the room for error is thin. Another name to consider is Don Granato in Buffalo. The Sabres’ playoff drought will extend another year unless the powerplay and defense quickly improves. Luke Richardson in Chicago and David Quinn in San Jose are other names to keep an eye on.

This is an annual question but what’s the biggest surprise of the year, or in this case, since last power rankings?

Zach Hyman and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins celebrating after a hard-fought win in Edmonton. The duo has picked up the scoring responsibilities when both McDavid and Leon Draisaitl have been shutout.

Luckily for Minnesota, their play has improved since the first power rankings was published. They’re still near the bottom in the west but there’s hope they sneak into the postseason. Edmonton’s turnaround after an awful two month start is eye-opening. I don’t think anyone had the Oilers winning 16 straight games even if captain Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl had zeroes in the stat sheets some nights. The team defense is central to the streak and Kris Knoblauch should be commended for the 180 degree turnaround.

There’s a good case for Winnipeg also being the top team in the western conference since December and Vancouver being a great pick for conference finals host, but anything could happen the final three months. Edmonton shouldn’t slow down anytime soon with who’s on the roster.

Interim Kris Knoblauch’s made the right changes to make Edmonton a contender again.

Here’s the second ever NHL power rankings on jdsportscorner.com. These show where all 32 teams objectively stand. Some teams will have tiebreakers based off of how they’d perform on a neutral site.

#32 Chicago Blackhawks (last ranking: 31)

Chicago’s been shut out four of their last six games. It’s understandable most of the roster is on injured reserve but what an awful stat the team has to look at before play resumes.

#31 San Jose Sharks (last ranking: 32)

I don’t think Quinn will get fired for two reasons: everyone knew San Jose would be terrible in another rebuilding year. That awful streak at the beginning of the season is still heavy on everyone’s minds. The other reason is how well the team has played since Christmas. They’ve won four of their last six games, building more confidence.

#30 Anaheim Ducks (last ranking: 29)

January 21st’s home loss to the Rangers summarized their season. Mason McTavish scored a goal, giving Anaheim a 3-1 lead. When the refs pulled it back due to the puck being played offsides, New York then scored all four unanswered goals the final period. The Ducks lost 5-2. Nothing is going right for this team.

#29 Columbus Blue Jackets (last ranking: 28)

If you take out the shutout win in St. Louis, Columbus gave up an average four goals a game in January. That’s a fraction into why they have the second worst scoring defense this season. It doesn’t matter who the team’s leading scorers are if the defense can’t keep the puck out of the net.

#28 Ottawa Senators (last ranking: 30)

Imagine how good this team would have been if D.J. Smith was fired after 2022 instead of coaching on an extended contract this season. Not only are the Senators playing better defense just over three weeks into the new year, they’ve beaten at least three playoff caliber teams. Ottawa could be a litmus test for who’s worthy of making the postseason by the start of March.

#27 Montreal Canadiens (last ranking: 24)

I know he’s only been in the league less than two seasons but at what point is there draft remorse over picking Juraj Slafkovsky first overall? Seattle’s handled Shane Wright’s ease into the league well even though they’re the youngest franchise. Montreal knew they’d be at the bottom for at least a few years. He could’ve developed more in the AHL instead of just playing most of last season. The Canadiens could use a more polished Slafkovsky with the injuries and roster holes this year.

#26 Minnesota Wild (last ranking: 27)

This team showed miniscule improvement from the last power rankings and somehow are seven points behind the last wildcard spot in the west. All Minnesota needs is one good month and they can be a headache before the postseason starts. There’s no reason the Wild should continue struggling with 33 games left.

#25 Arizona Coyotes (last ranking: 22)

The contenders are starting to play more serious, so it’s not a surprise Arizona’s fading into the background. There are a lot of positives for the Coyotes young core moving forward but there’s a lot of needed growth and roster depth to address.

#24 Buffalo Sabres (last ranking: 26)

If Granato is fired, it has to be after the season ends. The Sabres still play hard for him and given the state of the metropolitan division, they could make another run for the postseason. I don’t think he’ll be fired due to the team’s overall progress, but one has to wonder when owner Terry Pegula decides to move on.

#23 Calgary Flames (last ranking: 23)

Calgary’s 2024 includes:

  • a high chance Dillon Dube never plays on the roster again due to the sexual assault case in London, Ontario.
  • Had winning streaks of two and four with losing streaks of two and four.
  • Traded Elias Lindholm to rival Vancouver.
  • finished the first half of the season with the fourth worst power-play in the league.

That was only January.

#22 Washington Capitals (last ranking: 16)

The Capitals are one of three teams tied with 51 points in the east and on the outside of the playoff race. Washington is the worst of the three. While the defense is their strength, the Capitals are alarmingly a top three worst scoring offense in the league. Recall what I said in the last power rankings; how much longer will it take until certain names return?

#21 New Jersey Devils (last ranking: 17)

I knew this team wouldn’t replicate last season’s success but wow they’ve taken hit after hit. Michael McLeod and Cal Foote probably won’t play another game for the franchise (they’re in the same sexual assault case as Dillon Dube) and Jack Hughes’ upper body injury has limited the offense. Instead of worrying about trading for Ducks goalie John Gibson, New Jersey has to continue coaching up the younger defensive players and make some smaller trades for offensive scoring depth.

#20 New York Islanders (last ranking: 14)

Unlike many, I’m not enthusiastic about Patrick Roy being the interim coach. In fact, I find it sinister not only is he the current coach, but this move was decided by Lou Lamoriello after Marc-Andre Fleury became the second winningest goalie in NHL history, surpassing Roy after shutting out the Islanders on MLK Jr. Day. For anyone who doesn’t know, Roy resigned from Colorado for not getting his own way against franchise great and general manager Joe Sakic. The resignation led to the franchise’s 48 point season with then-rookie coach Jared Bednar unable to implement anything with Roy’s former assistants. If Lamoriello believes this will make New York better, he’s in for a rude awakening.

#19 Pittsburgh Penguins (last ranking: 18)

There’s been chatter defenseman Erik Karlsson could get traded due to differences in his style of play versus the Penguins’ three franchise stars. Pittsburgh is a top three team in defense but bottom five in offense and they badly need scoring depth. A trade makes sense.

#18 Seattle Kraken (last ranking: 21)

In Seattle’s last four losses, one was against San Jose and two were 2-0 leads against playoff hopefuls. Those losses will contribute to where the Kraken land before playoffs start.

#17 Philadelphia Flyers (last ranking: 14)

The sexual assault case in London, Ontario hits Philadelphia hardest. Goalie Carter Hart might not play another game with the franchise. That could upend the Flyers season unless there’s a trade for someone like John Gibson or Mackenzie Blackwood. Without Hart, Philadelphia isn’t going to the playoffs. They’re already the eighth seed not even three weeks after he went back north.

#16 Nashville Predators (last ranking: 13)

It’s easy for sports pundits to say a playoff caliber team up 3-0 against Ottawa should 100% win the game. Nashville squeaked out wins in January they shouldn’t have, so there’s nothing to complain about. What will be interesting is what new general manager Barry Trotz decides to do with this roster by the trade deadline and what changes are made depending on the Predators making the playoffs.

#15 Los Angeles Kings (last ranking: 11)

Looking back, McLellan’s fate was sealed when franchise star Drew Doughty came back to practice and then ripped three teammates online. Management saw the defensive stats and made the right move. There’s no way the number one penalty killing unit should miss the playoffs.

#14 St. Louis Blues (last ranking: 25)

The Blues dealt Vancouver two of their three losses in January, lost to Boston in overtime and pummeled the Rangers. They’re in prime position to stay in one of the lower wildcard spots the second half of the season. I don’t know if Drew Bannister should keep the coaching job at the end of the season but I can concede the short-term changes are helping the team.

#13 Detroit Red Wings (last ranking: 20)

Detroit claims the best stat of the first half of the season: whenever Red Wings games are televised, they’re the most watched team in the U.S. Audiences want to see Detroit at the top of the league again. Viewers watched the Wings win 20 points in January, the most the franchise has won for that month in over a decade. We’re getting closer to seeing them be a serious playoff threat.

#12 Edmonton Oilers (last ranking: 19)

That’s better. I did say this team would be in a higher spot once the defense and goaltending showed true improvement. Well, they’ve won 16 straight, one short of the league’s all-time record. While I’m curious how they’ll bounce back after a loss, the Oilers haven’t given up more than three goals in a game since their December 22nd road win against the Rangers. Kris Knoblauch’s made the defense a priority and it’s why Edmonton could have a deep postseason run.

#11 Tampa Bay Lightning (last ranking: 15)

Andrei Vasilevskiy is almost back to his Vezina form. What’s helped him is Tampa’s power-play jumping to the league’s best at 30%. When the power-play starts cooling off (they all do, it’s inevitable), we’ll see how good this team is on defense.

#10 Toronto Maple Leafs (last ranking: 10)

January is a microcosm of what this team is: they’ll beat the bad teams and get some wins against some good teams, but they’ll also lose to the great ones and a few younger and hungrier teams. Yes, the Leafs are a good team, but they’re absolutely not better than the other nine on this list. That’s fine, as long as they don’t play them in the postseason.

#9 New York Rangers (last ranking: 7)

The initial power rankings list I wrote up a week before typing on here had the Rangers at number one. Thankfully that was a rough draft. New York’s been gradually slipping and one has to wonder if the Peter Laviolette all-offense-and-no-defense style of coaching is starting to take over sooner than expected. They need to take advantage of the softer February schedule as soon as the All-Star break ends.

#8 Carolina Hurricanes (last ranking: 9)

New York’s slippage is Carolina’s gain. Even if the Hurricanes didn’t win all their January games, they’re mostly back to their dangerous selves. Those first two games after the All-Star break will show audiences how good this team is.

#7 Dallas Stars (last ranking: 8)

After Los Angeles, Dallas is the one team out west that would want to re-do January. Losses to Montreal, Nashville and Philadelphia countered resounding wins against Minnesota, Los Angeles and New Jersey. They also struggled with Detroit, Anaheim and Washington. Coach Peter DeBoer better renew the focus this month.

#6 Vegas Golden Knights (last ranking: 4)

Much like Dallas, Vegas didn’t do themselves any favors looking dangerous one game and looking garbage the next. Part of the Golden Knights’ issue has been goaltending, so that can get sorted out after a one week break. This is when coach Bruce Cassidy has to drive home they’re the better team with 32 games left.

#5 Boston Bruins (last ranking: 6)

The NHL Network found an amazing statline on the 27th: Boston’s defensemen core had 97 points before the All-Star break (it’s now 100 with Charlie McAvoy, Hampus Lindholm and Brandon Carlo each adding one). The Bruins are tied for the best record in the league while their defensemen are in the bottom half of the league in points.

#4 Florida Panthers (last ranking: 5)

Florida was up and down to start 2024 but Sam Reinhart will get a big contract once the season is over. Nobody thought he’d have 37 goals after 49 games. Even if the Panthers enter a difficult part of the schedule, they can count on Reinhart to be in the score column.

#3 Winnipeg Jets (last ranking: 1)

Hilariously, that sensational point and winning streak Winnipeg put together after the last power rankings was published ended when John Tortorella’s Flyers outplayed them in a home shutout loss. The Jets also lost two close games to Toronto and got thrashed in TD Garden against Boston (most opponents have dealt with that the last two years). Those aren’t shameful results. On the contrary, it ensures Winnipeg will play more determined this month.

#2 Colorado Avalanche (last ranking: 3)

The most dangerous part of coach Jared Bednar’s Avalanche (outside that awful first year) has been how the team plays their best hockey the second half of the regular season, especially in March. Both Winnipeg and Dallas had chances to stay ahead of Colorado before the end of January. Now they’re going to find out why giving their mountain rivals any room to work around is a bad idea.

#1 Vancouver Canucks (last ranking: 2)

Vancouver did what playoff teams should do and that is dominate their schedule versus the easier teams most of January. February will show audiences how high the playoff ceiling can go. They’ll be facing most of the Cup favorites in both conferences. Trading for Elias Lindholm shows they’re ready to take the next few steps and have more than a deep playoff run.

Quinn Hughes has the third most points on the Canucks with 62. A good number of analysts also see Hughes as a Hart trophy candidate this season.

Ben Johnson tells Seahawks, Commanders he’s staying with Lions

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Seattle SeahawksNFLstnbreakingdetroit lions2+

And now at the 11th hour a mean, hard-breaking curveball has been thrown into mix of the Seahawks’ search for their next head caoch.

According to a report by Tom Pelissero at NFL network, Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson has informed both the Seahawks and the Commanders that he’s staying in Detroit.

#Lions OC Ben Johnson informed the #Seahawks and #Commanders that he’s staying in Detroit, per sources.

Johnson is still only 37 and will be a hot head coaching candidate again next year. But first, he wants to take another shot at bringing a Lombardi Trophy to Detroit. pic.twitter.com/lPg2Po33sx

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 30, 2024

Johnson did the same thing last year, bowing out of the head coach race in order to stick with the Lions as OC. Nevertheless, this time around it comes as a shock as Johnson was the hottest head coach candidate still on the market. The most-recent reporting suggested that the Commanders were going all out to get him, but the Seahawks were still in the running.

Speaking of Seattle, today the team is interviewing Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, whose chances of landing the head coach job just went up.

More Seahawks Wire stories

Ranking all 32 NFL teams by cap space going into 2024

2024 AFC Conference Championship Playoff Pick

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Three games remain. Four teams with two in each conference. The remaining two in the AFC are the west winning Kansas City Chiefs and the north division winning and conference leading Baltimore Ravens. Both teams have fast offenses, star quarterbacks, elite defenses, and bright-minded veteran head coaches. Time to determine who will advance to the Super Bowl.

#3 Kansas City Chiefs v. #1 Baltimore Ravens

Kansas City’s Travis Kelce (87) will have the focus of Baltimore’s secondary. The Chiefs need the receiving core to have their best game of the season Sunday.

The last time quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes II and Lamar Jackson faced off was week two 2021. A lot has happened for both teams since that Monday night game. Baltimore has the better and more talented offense while the Chiefs have struggled most of the season to score more than 21 points a game.

The biggest matchup will be Mahomes’ play-calling at the line of scrimmage versus Ravens captain and middle linebacker Roquan Smith. Smith is easily Baltimore’s best at the position since All-Pro Hall of Famer Ray Lewis retired after the 2012-2013 season. Roquan Smith captains the best scoring defense (16.5 points per game) that also had the most sacks in the league (58). His team-leading 158 tackles sets the tone. Mahomes must deceive Smith early and often to get an edge over him and the Ravens defense. It’ll be harder for the Chiefs to replicate last week’s offensive success against a defense at full health.

Buffalo’s receivers gave Kansas City’s secondary a lot of problems last Sunday. While Stefon Diggs is the focus of most defenses, the Bills found ways to move the ball on defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s secondary without Gabe Davis. Odell Beckham Jr., Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman and Nelson Agholor are too much for each member of the Chiefs secondary to cover one-on-one. The linebackers and front four will also have to deal with tight-ends Charlie Kolar and Isaiah Likely added in the passing game. Last but not least, there’s the endless possibility of Lamar Jackson extending plays past three seconds with his legs.

If anyone doubts how close this could be, keep in mind Ravens star tight-end Mark Andrews will return (via USA Today and PFF; Andrews not playing versus Houston was a late Friday decision) Sunday. Kansas City played against a Buffalo defense that didn’t have their leading tacklers and star linebackers, squeaking out a three point win. Baltimore will be ready against the reigning Super Bowl champions.

Prediction: Ravens win the AFC championship 31-21 and advance to Super Bowl LVIII

AFC divisional round playoff picks record: 1-1

2024 AFC playoff picks record: 3-2

2024 NFC Divisional Round Playoff Picks

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The NFC wildcard weekend had everything audiences wanted. History was made with Detroit’s first playoff win since the fall of the Soviet Union. Green Bay defied predictions and crushed the Cowboys, ending their winning streak of 15 games at home. The remaining four (the San Francisco 49ers had a week off) teams have a great shot at getting to both the conference championship and the Super Bowl. Even with an inexperienced Packers team remaining, no team is an easy out. It’s time to analyze which two teams have the best chance at making the next round.

#7 Green Bay Packers v. #1 San Francisco 49ers

Jordan Love (10) and Aaron Jones (33) are becoming a problem for any serious title contender in the NFC.

Green Bay shocked many by thumping the Cowboys last Sunday. Coach Matt LaFleur made sure the offense dominated time of possession when the game was close and drew up the right trick plays. San Francisco is not Dallas, and that more pressure on LaFleur to find specific weaknesses against the NFL’s most complete defense.

The 49ers offense also has a better offensive line and better playmakers than the Cowboys. Many will find out why Green Bay defensive coordinator Joe Barry is constantly ridiculed with his play-calling when receivers Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk take control. The Packers have been a pleasant surprise this season after their first half stumble, but their season ends Saturday night in Santa Clara.

Prediction: 49ers win 31-13

#4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers v. #3 Detroit Lions

Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) could play more loose and free Sunday after getting Detroit their first playoff win in over 30 years. That could make Detroit’s offense more dangerous.

Another regular season re-match, Detroit could play more loose after getting their first postseason win since the early 1990s. They’re gifted with another home playoff game after Green Bay defeated Dallas last Sunday. That means Ford Field will be one of the loudest buildings in U.S. sports this weekend.

The Buccaneers demolished Philadelphia on Monday night. Quarterback Baker Mayfield has improved this year and Tampa’s defense tackles well and plays mean. It’s the matchup Lions head coach Dan Campbell wanted as he’s instilled a physical, dominant mindset in the Motor City .

Detroit’s offensive line and receivers will determine how well the team does in the divisional round. Amon-Ra St. Brown and Sam LaPorta were decisive in the week six win in Tampa Bay. If the Lions want to make the championship round, their secondary has to disguise coverages and the offense must dominate time of possession.

Prediction: Lions win 28-14

NFC wildcard weekend predictions record: 2-1

2024 AFC Divisional Round Playoff Picks

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Wildcard weekend wasn’t competitive in the AFC. Kansas City, Houston and Buffalo controlled their games and won with few scares. The remaining four (the Baltimore Ravens had a week off) teams have a great shot at getting to both the conference championship and the Super Bowl. Even with an inexperienced Texans team remaining, no team is an easy out. It’s time to analyze which two teams have the best chance of making the next round.

#4 Houston Texans v. #1 Baltimore Ravens

Houston’s C.J. Stroud (7) is close behind Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson for most valuable player. Despite the week one thrashing, both teams mirror each other on every side of the ball.

A lot has changed since Baltimore’s dominant week one win in Houston. Second overall pick C.J. Stroud IV is the NFL’s rookie of the year, and could get some league MVP votes due to how he’s propelled the Texans this far into the postseason.

Both teams mirror each other well. They have layered, dynamic offenses and stout defenses. Where they differ is depth at runningback and receiver. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson finally has the help he wanted for years with Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman and Odell Beckham Jr. at receiver and Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar at tight-end. Jackson’s favorite option Mark Andrews will also return. Houston can only do so much with so little.

Prediction: Ravens win 34-21

#3 Kansas City Chiefs v. #2 Buffalo Bills

As long as this game doesn’t reach overtime, Buffalo’s has the advantage as Josh Allen (17) and company have looked unstoppable since Thanksgiving weekend.

This matchup will have every casual and serious football fan’s attention. This time in part three of Patrick Mahomes II v. Josh Allen, Kansas City plays their first road playoff game since 2015 (sans Super Bowl appearances). The Bills are at home and just as last weekend, there will be multiple winter weather advantages in western New York.

The big difference outside receiving depth will be Kansas City’s adjustment on the road in a hostile, winter environment. Mahomes has yet to play winter football in another venue especially with high winds. While both offenses will have to match and read different coverages, Buffalo’s tight end duo of Dawson Knox and Dalton Kinkaid might deal more damage toward the Chiefs linebackers, giving receivers like Stefon Diggs and Khalil Shakir more one-on-one opportunities. This is when Kansas City would benefit with a few more receiving options.

Prediction: Bills win 41-38

AFC wildcard weekend picks record: 2-1

January 2024 NBA Power Rankings: We Need to Talk About Kevin

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Kevin Durant (35) wondering how to attack Minnesota’s defense.

Earlier this month, Yahoo Sports’ Ben Rohrbach wrote a thought provoking article on Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant and his roller coaster career. The respected writer listed many of Durant’s accomplishments on all four franchises he’s played with, but also the drama and negative storylines that have followed.

Before continuing, let’s all admit not every obstacle Durant’s faced is because of him. The Seattle SuperSonics moved to Oklahoma City because owner Clay Bennett decided on a different, friendlier venue. Kevin Durant left Golden State because of an incompetent medical staff that made certain leg injuries worse and lied about them. Any player in any sport would’ve made the same move.

Anyways, how would you feel if Los Angeles Lakers and league star LeBron James did even half of what Kevin Durant has done? James has faced constant criticism no matter the media outlet. Most of it borders on or is absolute hatred stemming from his 2011 decision to leave Cleveland and play in Miami. Durant’s goal mirrored LeBron’s where he teamed up with certain superstars to create a championship dynasty.

While both James and Durant won two championships with the second team they played for, one went back to his home state and played for the team that drafted him, while the other wanted to create a new legacy on the opposite coast. Hilariously, the player that did the first option is still the most criticized and hated player in the league despite him winning his hometown team’s first ever NBA championship. The latter blew a 3-1 series lead against the 73-9 Golden State Warriors and then signed with them in free agency. Can you imagine if LeBron James was embarrassed by the Boston Celtics or San Antonio Spurs in a seven game series when he was in Cleveland, and then signed with them in free agency? Basketball fans would do more than scorn NBA leadership.

This isn’t even half of what Kevin Durant’s done. We can understand the decision to start fresh with a far away east coast team but only if there’s a well, thought-out plan. Reuniting with close friends and doing whatever you want is a bad look, especially if that friend causes the most drama and doesn’t play at least 41 games each year they’re on the roster. Don’t forget that close friend took an anti-vaccine stance during the first worldwide pandemic of the 21st century. Again, how would LeBron James be viewed if this happened to him?

Predictably, Durant’s time in Brooklyn didn’t live up to the expectations. So he forced his way back to the western conference via trade to Phoenix. At the time, the Suns’ coach was Monty Williams. Phoenix had a dual guard threat in Devin Booker and Chris Paul. Since Durant’s arrival, the highlights include a first round playoff series win against the Clippers without Kawhi Leonard and Paul George (they both sprained their right knees), a lopsided 4-2 second round playoff series loss to the eventual champion Denver Nuggets, Williams being fired, Paul signing with the Warriors in free agency and a trade for Washington Wizards star Bradley Beal. The latter move hasn’t worked so far because Beal’s injuries have limited team chemistry with the other two stars. Phoenix has lost a lot more games than expected, posting a 21-17 record as of this publishing. Now there’s a report saying Durant is, “disgruntled and losing patience.”

To those reading this: when do we hold Kevin Durant to the same threshold many have branded on LeBron James? James has been bashed in the media for numerous reasons, but not for bailing on a team midseason. Everyone would remember an epic 3-1 postseason series collapse against a historically great team had James been on that end. If LeBron cost his team a trip to the championship because half of his foot was behind the three-point line to tie or take the lead in a game seven, it would be branded as a stain on his legacy of being a top 4 player (minimum) of all-time. All of this has happened with Kevin Durant. Yet many aren’t as quick to criticize him as they are the league’s all-time scorer. Let’s be objective and understand the athlete most of us have watched since being drafted second overall may be more of a problem than a solution.

Phoenix’s Kevin Durant blows past Utah’s Talen Horton-Tucker (5) in a November win. Many wonder if Durant will finish out the year in Arizona.

Here’s the first ever NBA power rankings on jdsportscorner.com. These will show where all 30 teams objectively stand. Some teams will have tiebreakers based off of how they’d perform on a neutral site.

30. Detroit Pistons

There are so many things to say about Detroit but here’s the most objective one: while nobody expected them to make the playoffs, almost everyone had them improving and having a better record before the All-Star break. The 2023-2024 Pistons might be historically awful, which is saying a lot.

#29 Washington Wizards

I’ll add that if there was a prediction on which team would have four wins by mid-January, Washington would be the easy choice due to their awful roster and free agency spending. The Wizards are lucky Detroit’s mind-bendingly bad.

#28 Charlotte Hornets

The good news is LaMelo Ball’s back, so there should be improvement. The bad news is there’s nothing Charlotte’s good at without him.

#27 San Antonio Spurs

San Antonio leads the fantastic four of awful basketball teams. Victor Wembanyama is wonderful to watch and Gregg Popovich has a passion to coach again. The Spurs must build around their league changing center once the season ends.

#26 Portland Trailblazers

Once their regular season ends, we’ll probably look back at Portland’s hiring of Chauncey Billups as the franchise’s lowest point since the Jail Blazers era. There’s no way the Trailblazers should be last in points per game.

#25 Memphis Grizzlies

Much of Memphis’ awful 2023 season will be centered on Ja Morant, but a former second overall pick are and should not be the main reasons. The injuries to Desmond Bane, Steven Adams and Marcus Smart have taken a toll on the offense, making it one of the worst units in the league.

#24 Toronto Raptors

After trading Pascal Siakam, it’s official Toronto’s rebuilding and has given up on the season. Take a look at the roster outside Siakam and make an argument this team can compete for the playoffs.

#23 Atlanta Hawks

Atlanta has to be relieved there are other bad teams dominating news headlines. Quin Snyder was hired and given more freedom to improve the Hawks both on and off the court. They’ve had one winning streak of more than two games since the season began and that was at the end of October.

#22 Golden State Warriors

I don’t know if the championship window has closed but there are two moves that have to be made before the All-Star break. The first is management trading players and improving the roster. The Warriors can’t ignore the issues at center anymore. They’re in need of better scorers and team defense. The second move is firing coach Steve Kerr. When you have multiple players saying they aren’t being developed right, it’s a coaching issue. Kerr got Golden State to six finals appearances and won four of them. He deserves the praises for making the team a dynasty. Unfortunately, the stars of those teams are older and the younger players aren’t seeing improvement. The changes would bring more confidence to a team struggling to hold fourth quarter leads.

#21 Brooklyn Nets

If the playoffs were held today, the Nets would be in the play-in due to their tiebreaker over Atlanta. This is another reason Snyder should be scrutinized more. He has Trae Young and Dejounte Murray, a good guard duo while coach Jacque Vaughn has led three, three game winning streaks with Mikal Bridges as the team’s leading scorer.

#20 Chicago Bulls

As a Chicago native, it brought me a certain amount of personal satisfaction hearing the Bulls faithful boo Jerry Krause’s Ring of Honor induction. Krause was very good at the job for which he was hired and paid handsomely for. He was also a petulant, childish, jealous and egotistical little man who knew he would never have the regard or respect of the great players he bullied and punished time and again. Despite the elite statuses of both Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, neither were paid what they were worth because the Jerrys (Krause and the team owner Reinsdorf) were notorious in being cheap businessmen. Phil Jackson (who received a standing ovation and cheers right after Krause’s booing) was told he was being relieved from his job no matter how the 1997-1998 season ended. NBA legends such as Kevin Garnett were adamant they’d never play for Chicago due to how those in Illinois witnessed management’s treatment towards the best sports dynasty of the 1990s. So unless it’s former players or Illinois residents saying otherwise, anyone standing up for Jerry Krause has no idea who they’re talking about. In the 29 years I’ve lived in Chicago, there have only been three people in sports business where sports analysts (especially radio) cheered when news broke of their deaths. Krause was one of them.

That being said, it’s hilarious Jerry Reinsdorf’s hiring of current executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas has done almost nothing. As soon as Karnisovas left Denver, the Nuggets became a complete team and then won their first championship in franchise history. Well done Jerry.

#19 Houston Rockets

Ime Udoka was a great hire for the Rockets, who are a top ten rebounding team. There isn’t enough star talent to push this team into the play-in but they’re much better and it shows each night.

#18 Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers are fortunate Golden State is imploding because if not, there would be a lot more heat on both coach Darvin Ham and general manager Rob Pelinka. Los Angeles is inconsistent and part of that is due to the roster Pelinka’s built. If anyone should get fired from the organization, it has to be him.

#17 Utah Jazz

Funny what winning six games out of seven will do in a conference packed together with teams one or two wins apart from each other. Coach Will Hardy is getting the most out of a roster many expected would be lower in the standings by mid-February.

#16 Phoenix Suns

While above was centered around Kevin Durant, Phoenix is just as inconsistent as the Lakers, but with more stars. They’re 5-3 this month and one of those wins was a 22 point fourth quarter comeback against Sacramento. They shouldn’t have been in that position against a division rival. How the Suns perform on their seven game road-trip starting next Wednesday will tell us where this team is mentally.

#15 Orlando Magic

The Magic are where I thought they’d be when I made my 2023-2024 season picks. They’ve learned from the past few years of blowout losses how to play better offense and defense, but they’re still young and inexperienced compared to most playoff-bound teams. They’re losing closer games but teams see the maturity.

#14 Dallas Mavericks

Another streaky team that fits where they’re ranked. Dallas is playing well without Luka but it’s debatable on how long that lasts.

#13 Cleveland Cavaliers

It’s wild to see how this team has a lot of talented players and keeps maturing but could wind up being the third best team coming out of the central once the playoffs begin. Cleveland’s won six straight and is one game ahead of Indiana.

#12 Indiana Pacers

Wow. They really got Pascal Siakam. Starting with the hiring of Rick Carlisle, Indiana’s upside is fantastic. They’ve already swept the season series against Milwaukee and have the best scoring offense and field goal percentage in the league. Siakam playing with Tyrese Haliburton and Myles Turner will make this a more dangerous team and a hard out once the playoffs start.

#11 New York Knicks

New York has only two losses this month for a combined eight points (four point losses to the Mavericks and Magic). Outside of back-to-back games against last season’s finals teams, the Knicks should win out the rest of the month.

#10 New Orleans Pelicans

This team really needs the best out of Zion Williamson because the next month and a half (minus the All-Star break) will test how ready the Pelicans are to take the next step and show they’re at least a playoff contender who can make it to the second round.

#9 Sacramento Kings

Mike Brown’s a great coach but the blown leads against Milwaukee, Phoenix and Indiana could damage the team’s confidence especially when there’s no consistency in the pacific division. They can’t have any more fourth quarter collapses the rest of January.

#8 Miami Heat

Bam Adebayo is the second leading scorer, top rebounder and averages the third most assists for Miami’s offense mid-January. That might be why the Heat are starting to pull away from the southeast division race.

#7 Los Angeles Clippers

The big question with the Clippers always is, “are they ever going to reach their max potential?” when the playoffs start. We’re months away from that being answered but viewers have to appreciate how better team chemistry between Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Russell Westbrook and James Harden has led to a 23-7 record since November 7th (the best stretch in the NBA in that span).

#6 Oklahoma City Thunder

I really wanted Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to win last year’s MVP because you never know if a player can replicate a season quite like he could for Oklahoma City. Thankfully, he’s gaining a lot more attention and more people want him to win an MVP this season. The Thunder are dangerous when he takes charge. Gilgeous-Alexander has led OKC to the second best record in the western conference. That’s a phenomenal accomplishment.

#5 Milwaukee Bucks

Milwaukee should be higher on this list but their defense is atrocious. Of course when you trade for Damian Lillard, someone of Jrue Holiday’s caliber has to go. It’s still mind-boggling to watch how easily opponents score on the Bucks.

#4 Minnesota Timberwolves

I know, they’re the best team in the west but there’s a lot with this team to question. My critique is how Minnesota will perform the closer we get to the postseason. Will Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns play more aggressive when it matters most or will they shrink away?

#3 Philadelphia 76ers

Anyone keeping up with the NBA knew Nick Nurse was going to be a great hire for Philadelphia to take the next steps towards a finals appearance. It’s shown with point guard Tyrese Maxey. Reigning MVP Joel Embiid finally has a reliable second option when he has off-nights. If Nurse is able to find a third option before the postseason, the 76ers could become the east’s top team.

#2 Denver Nuggets

The reigning champions picked up where they left off and are one of the hardest units to beat. Michael Porter Jr. being the third main scoring option is a nightmare for the other 29 teams to work through.

#1 Boston Celtics

Everything is going right for coach Joe Mazzulla in his second season. Free agent signing Kristaps Porzingis leads in averaged block shots and is third in total scoring, rebounding and field goal percentage. That takes pressure off stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

2024 NFC Wild Card Weekend Playoff Picks

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The 2023-2024 NFL regular season is over. 14 teams in two conferences (seven in each) have a chance at winning the Vince Lombardi championship trophy. For those unfamiliar with the updated playoff format, an extra team was added. That means there’s one bye week for the top seeded team in each conference and a Monday night playoff game. Everyone wants to know which three teams in the NFC advance to the divisional round, so here are the best picks come Sunday.

#7 Green Bay Packers v. #2 Dallas Cowboys

Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is the NFC’s best player this wildcard weekend. Although their passing game is great, Dallas’ running game needs to improve if they want to make it to the conference championship.

Dallas has won an impressive 15 straight home games (including playoffs). Dak Prescott is a worthy MVP nominee given how many analysts didn’t think the Cowboys would come close to winning the NFC East. The defense has also been one of the best in the league.

That said, Green Bay is on a roll right now. Runningback Aaron Jones’ last three games were all 100 yard performances. The Packers are 7-3 since Halloween with wins against Detroit, Kansas City and a Minnesota team that almost made the playoffs. You can bet coach Matt LaFleur will call run plays against a Dallas defense that struggles against the run. Jones being the go-to option also neutralizes pass rushers DeMarcus Lawrence and Micah Parsons.

The deciding factor will be the Cowboys receivers against Green Bay’s secondary. CeeDee Lamb, Brandin Cooks and Martavis Bryant are better and more consistent than the trio of Corey Ballentine, Darnell Savage and Jaire Alexander. The Packers will make this close, but the home team should get a well earned win.

Prediction: Cowboys win 27-23

#6 Los Angeles Rams v. #3 Detroit Lions

Jared Goff (16, white) and Matthew Stafford face off against their former teams in what will be Detroit’s first home playoff game since 1994.

Head coach Sean McVay surprised everyone and led Los Angeles to ten wins with a bunch of rookies and new players on all three sides of the ball. Rookies Puka Nacua, Kobie Turner and Quentin Lake have elevated the play of their teammates while dominating at their positions. Detroit’s defense might have a hard time not just defending Nakua and number one team receiver Cooper Kupp, but trying to hold any leads the offense gets.

While coach McVay has been in loud stadiums before, nothing will prepare him nor any other team for how loud, festive and fun Ford Field will be in hosting Detroit’s first playoff home game since 1994. Injuries to receivers Kalif Raymond and Sam LaPorta are a valid concern but the Lions boast the best offensive line in the league and the best runningback tandem in David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs. Expect Detroit to own the time of possession and keep Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford off the field as they desperately try to win their first postseason game in 33 years.

Prediction: Lions win 33-13

#5 Philadelphia Eagles v. #4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers

One has to think Philadelphia’s Jalen Hurts (1, green) will finally snap out of a slump and lead the Eagles to another playoff win…right?

By far the worst playoff game on paper, both Philadelphia and Tampa Bay are struggling to keep their Super Bowl hopes alive. The Eagles couldn’t beat either the Cardinals or Giants, two of the worst teams in the league, in back-to-back weeks. Philadelphia gave up at least 27 points in each game. Tampa Bay’s offense has been atrocious, putting up 22 points in the two games played after Christmas.

The one thing in the Buccaneers’ favor is their defense. The Eagles offense won’t have A.J. Brown and Philadelphia’s running game is inconsistent. Tampa Bay will have more chances with quarterback Baker Mayfield to score against what’s now one of the worst defenses in the league called by coordinator Matt Patricia.

Prediction: Buccaneers win 20-10

2023 regular season playoff picks record: 3-4

January 2024 NHL Power Rankings: This Winter is Winnipeg’s

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Winnipeg’s Mark Scheifele (55) and Connor Hellebuyck (37) congratulating each other over a recent home win.

After being swept against last year’s reigning Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights, head coach and long-time hockey guru Rick Bowness called out the Winnipeg Jets for a letdown performance. The big takeaway was how Winnipeg had, “no pushback” against a more physical western conference foe that’s used to having their way against the newest Canadian team.

Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff was one of the first people in the organization who listened what the respected coach had to say and made crucial offseason decisions. He started by re-signing franchise cornerstones (forward) Mark Scheifele and (goalie) Connor Hellebuyck to long-term deals. Many analysts were confused at these moves given how Winnipeg barely scraped into the postseason needing their stars to play their best. The most reasonable expectation would be for the Jets to trade either if the following seasons showed more decline and to eat the dead money from both their long-term contracts.

Cheveldayoff was just getting started. He traded former third overall pick Pierre-Luc Dubois to Los Angeles for a haul of needed depth and star players, including forwards Gabriel Vilardi and Alex Iafallo. Additional forward depth was added in free agency with the signings of Nino Neiderreiter and Vladislav Namestnikov. Former Jet Laurent Brossoit was re-signed to backup Hellebuyck for when the star needs rest.

Winnipeg began the season as a question mark for almost every sports pundit. They have the right pieces, but could Rick Bowness put everything together and get more out of a roster that’s been criticized annually for not playing defense? Well, we’re finding out not only has Bowness succeeded, but that the Jets are one of, if not the best team in the NHL.

Bowness’ Jets are so good right now that Arizona’s head coach André Tourigny said, “They’re a really good team. They’re not just a good team, they play maybe the best hockey in the NHL. They’re really stingy and poised with the puck.” The Coyotes are one of the better teams with a chance of stealing a wild-card spot due to their gritty, physical play. Yet Arizona was thrashed 6-2 at home by Bowness’ team this past Sunday.

Winnipeg has turned into one of the league’s best defensive teams while the offense is overwhelming opposing defenses. Even more eye opening is their 11-1-2 record without last year’s (their) second leading goal scorer Kyle Connor.

While it’s possible the other 29 teams find ways to figure out how to fluster the Jets, the conference and the league are on notice.

Winnipeg’s ran up 25 goals in their last six homes games, including a 4-2 beatdown on Minnesota December 30th, 2023.

Here’s the first ever NHL power rankings on jdsportscorner.com. These will show where all 32 teams objectively stand. Some teams will have tiebreakers based off of how they’d perform on a neutral site.

#32 San Jose Sharks

Coach Dave Quinn made the mistake of saying he found the winning formula once the Sharks got to 12 points in November. They have 23 by mid-January.

#31 Chicago Blackhawks

Everyone who pays attention to the NHL knew Chicago would be awful this season. The good news is that first overall pick Connor Bedard will be the league’s next superstar barring more injuries. Now the team has to build around him after their regular season ends.

#30 Ottawa Senators

Interim coach Jacques Martin is respected in Canada’s capital for how he coached and matured the mid-2000s Senators teams that went on to make a Stanley Cup finals appearance. It’s still early but he’s struggling on how to work with this team and what he can get out of captain Brady Tkachuk. Ottawa is one of two teams that hasn’t won a game since the calendar year began. This once again confirms D.J. Smith kept his job longer than he should have.

#29 Anaheim Ducks

While most analysts are focusing on trade rumors with starting goalie John Gibson (again), former third overall pick Trevor Zegras recorded four goals the first half of the season before landing on injured reserve with a broken ankle. Anaheim is ahead of three other teams for total goals this season. This team is awful and worries more about making highlight reels instead of finding ways to build up a winning culture.

#28 Columbus Blue Jackets

The Jackets have the second worst scoring defense in the league. One could counter that’s because the offense doesn’t score as much but Columbus is in the middle of the standings in scoring. In a weak Metropolitan division, management has to reassess coaching hires.

#27 Minnesota Wild

There hasn’t been a more disappointing team this season than the Wild. Firing coach Dean Evason barely made an impact after three weeks and many are left wondering if this is just a bad luck season or if a serious re-tool of the roster is needed.

#26 Buffalo Sabres

I have a lot of respect for coach Don Granato. He inherited not just an awful roster when he started coaching the Sabres, but awful situations involving players quitting on the team and Jack Eichel’s trade rumors. All took place during the COVID-19 lockdown games. However, it seems he’s not the answer for Buffalo moving forward. Give Granato credit for making the Sabres a more attractive job opening for when that happens.

#25 St. Louis Blues

It doesn’t matter what the Blues do this season. All audiences will remember how general manager Doug Armstrong’s gradual gutting of the roster led to a backstab firing of coach Craig Berube. Not only will Berube be one of the most sought after coaches in the offseason, St. Louis will have to address why they have a bottom five offense in the league with no top talent available.

#24 Montreal Canadiens

The re-build underway will take a while to complete, and it’s most visible on defense. Sam Montembeault is a solid goalie but he needs more help in front of him.

#23 Calgary Flames

Calgary is 8-4 after snapping a four game losing streak mid-December. Yet they look mediocre and there’s nothing to feel excited about. That doesn’t bode well once March arrives.

#22 Arizona Coyotes

Earlier it was mentioned Arizona is a solid team that could sneak into the playoffs. Ask anyone who’s watched the Coyotes play this season and they’ll tell you this could be the fourth best team in the central division. Coach Tourigny is doing a great job with the young roster.

#21 Seattle Kraken

General manager Ron Francis gets an A+ for picking goalie Joey Daccord in the expansion draft. The young netminder has given up four goals in four games to start 2024 and is a reason the Kraken have both won eight straight and recorded a point in twelve straight games. Daccord was left open by Ottawa because they preferred Filip Gustavsson as the starter. Well, both goalies are starting and could have decorated careers…just not in Canada’s capital.

#20 Detroit Red Wings

Anyone who follows hockey closely and knows what goes on is fully aware of what general manager Steve Yzerman’s doing. Detroit had no talent outside of captain Dylan Larkin or Tyler Bertuzzi when he was hired, even in the minor leagues. The Red Wings are a top five offensive team with a porous defense. You can bet this is what Yzerman foresaw and already knows how to fix it.

#19 Edmonton Oilers

Their resurgence could be due to interim coach Kris Knoblauch, but again the question of how far this team goes relies on team defense, especially who starts in net. Until that’s definitively answered, Edmonton will remain a middle-of-the-pack team.

#18 Pittsburgh Penguins

Sidney Crosby having more goals than Washington’s Alex Ovechkin halfway through the season is something no one expected. Even wilder is Jake Guentzel leading the Penguins in points with 45.

#17 New Jersey Devils

For those who didn’t read the regular season predictions, it’s not a surprise the Devils aren’t as hot as last year. Their 13 game winning streak was a big reason they made the playoffs. Now other eastern conference teams have a better idea of how to play coach Lindy Ruff’s young squad. Also not surprising is how porous the goaltending is, nullifying any contributions from the offense and special teams.

#16 Washington Capitals

Many are stunned the league’s second best all-time scorer having eight goals after 39 games. I am not. The injury to Nicklas Backstrom is that crippling to where Alex Ovechkin has to facilitate the offense in ways that’s not scoring a hat-trick once a week. Add in Spencer Carbery being a first year head coach still figuring out how to improve a gradually aging roster without depth and this is what you get.

#15 Tampa Bay Lightning

Here’s something more jaw-dropping than Alex Ovechkin’s lack of goal scoring: the Lightning are the fourth worst NHL team in goals against. This is with Andrei Vasilevskiy starting 20 games.

#14 New York Islanders

There’s no player in the league with more pressure than Ilya Sorokin right now. Former starting and now backup goalie Semyon Varlamov is on injured reserve, so the Islanders can’t rely on someone else outside Sorokin who gives them a good chance to win. Yet the number of losses due to blown leads continues to worry the franchise.

#13 Nashville Predators

On paper, Calgary and Nashville are almost the same. Performance-wise, the Predators find ways to win despite facing depth issues and ongoing trade talks. That’s why ownership and management matter before the games are played.

#12 Philadelphia Flyers

The hiring of John Tortorella could go down as one of the best moves in franchise history. Not even two full seasons in and the Flyers look like a team threatening to uproot the eastern conference favorites’ playoff hopes. Philadelphia isn’t there yet, but they’ve bought into Tortorella’s philosophy, barely resisting his changes. That’s a big development.

#11 Los Angeles Kings

The Kings’ seven game losing streak is a problem, but not too dire. They’ve only played 38 games and have the best defense in the league even with Pheonix Copley on injured reserve. Los Angeles needs more offense not based off the rush.

#10 Toronto Maple Leafs

This team is the litmus test for who the true championship contenders are. Toronto’s a great offensive team and has solidified roster depth, but having Martin Jones as the de facto starting goalie is a weakness only the best teams will exploit.

#9 Carolina Hurricanes

Outside of a road game in Boston, Carolina should win every game this month especially since the offense is out of a slump and the defense has stabilized.

#8 Dallas Stars

The remaining eight teams are very hard to choose in numerical order. There’s a case for all eight having any spot, and those criticizing the take that a team that’s had the most eight-goal scored games (three) should be eighth, I understand. Keep in mind that Jake Oettinger isn’t starting because of a lower body injury. Dallas also has a combined losing record against the next seven teams. That’s how hard and competitive the NHL is.

#7 New York Rangers

Names are being thrown out by pundits on who should be league MVP. Mika Zibanejad is a worthy candidate for anyone who watches New York. Yes, Artemi Panarin will be considered because he’s the team leader in points, goals and assists, but ask yourself would the Rangers have a 30% power-play if Zibanejad isn’t the most guarded or harassed player by opposing defenses? He’s that versatile.

#6 Boston Bruins

To set the record straight, even if the Bruins had the most points in the NHL right now, I wouldn’t have them as number one or two. They’re in a slump and are finally feeling the effects of no Patrice Bergeron. The schedule is going to get rocky and Linus Ullmark’s lower body injury is another challenge after last year’s record breaking regular season.

#5 Florida Panthers

As I said at the start of the 2022 season, the Paul Maurice hiring was one of, if not the best hiring for any team. After a Cinderella run to the Stanley Cup finals, the Panthers have a top three defense, a top five penalty kill, and physically wear out opponents every night to force enough power-play chances. Oh, and Matthew Tkachuk is starting to heat up.

#4 Vegas Golden Knights

I want the current champions to be higher but their scoring slump combined with the hard decisions of which goalie should start each night is a concern. They went from tied for first in the conference to trailing Vancouver by six points. Ouch.

#3 Colorado Avalanche

What Nathan MacKinnon is doing right now should earn him the Hart Trophy, even before the All-Star break. The Avalanche are playing phenomenal without captain Gabriel Landeskog, and it’s because MacKinnon is a top three player in the game.

#2 Vancouver Canucks

The firing of Bruce Boudreau was awful, but that’s forgotten because of how Rick Tocchet has finally elevated the team and brings the best out of a well constructed roster. Vancouver has the best scoring offense and their top point leader is J.T. Miller. Tocchet is the easy Jack Adams pick if the Canucks win the pacific.

#1 Winnipeg Jets

Everything coach Rick Bowness and the Jets have done this season pales in comparison to these two stats: they’ve had 31 consecutive games giving up three goals or less. Second, of their last 19 games they’ve given up two goals or less in all but one: an overtime 3-2 loss to Montreal. The last time Winnipeg gave up more than three goals was November 2nd. We’re witnessing an incredible run.

Jets coach Rick Bowness is having one of his best years as an NHL coach, bringing the team back to 2018 levels of good.

2024 AFC Wild Card Weekend Playoff Picks

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The 2023-2024 NFL regular season is over. 14 teams in two conferences (seven in each) have a chance at winning the Vince Lombardi championship trophy. For those unfamiliar with the updated playoff format, an extra team was added. That means there’s one bye week for the top seeded team in each conference and a Monday night playoff game. Everyone wants to know which three teams in the AFC advance to the divisional round, so here are the best picks come Saturday.

#5 Cleveland Browns v. #4 Houston Texans

The resurgence of Joe Flacco’s career (15, white) has many picking Cleveland to go far in the postseason. Flacco has never lost a wildcard weekend game he’s started.

This regular season matchup was a one sided game where Houston didn’t have rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud IV. The Browns did any and everything they wanted to, embarrassing the Texans until the game was out of reach. Trust Houston’s rookie duo of Stroud and head coach DeMeco Ryans to perform a lot better after re-watching the film and making adjustments.

Unfortunately for the Texans, it won’t matter. Cleveland has the better defense, offensive line and postseason quarterback in Joe Flacco, who’s never lost a wildcard game and ended his last postseason run with a championship.

Prediction: Browns win 27-20

#6 Miami Dolphins v. #3 Kansas City Chiefs

Miami’s Tyreek Hill will be the main focus of Kansas City’s hard-hitting secondary. The sub-zero temperatures and no Jaylen Waddle could be the Dolphins’ undoing.

Miami lost crucial games that could have locked up the east and a first round bye. The Dolphins didn’t win their division, so they’re awarded a first round trip to Kansas City in freezing temperatures against a well-rested Chiefs team.

While Miami is reeling from injuries, Kansas City finished top ten in passing yards and has one of the best defenses in the league. It’ll be hard for the undermanned Dolphins to play four focused quarters in one of the league’s loudest stadiums.

Prediction: Chiefs win 24-13

#7 Pittsburgh Steelers v. #2 Buffalo Bills

The AFC’s best player this wildcard round is arguably Buffalo’s Josh Allen. The Bills quarterback led a top ten offense in passing and total offense.

Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin kept his streak of not having a losing season alive thanks to starting third string quarterback Mason Rudolph the last three games of the regular season. The Steelers are rewarded by playing the second hottest team in the conference. Tomlin’s defense will be without star linebacker T.J. Watt, but free safety Minkah Fitzpatrick will return.

Buffalo’s Josh Allen has been one of the NFL’s best players since Thanksgiving, guiding the Bills from three games out of first place to decisively winning the AFC East last Sunday. Receivers Stefon Diggs, Dalton Kinkaid and Dawson Knox will face little resistance against a banged up secondary.

Prediction: Bills win 37-20

2023 regular season playoff picks record: 3-3

NFL Week 15 Winners and Losers

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After many weeks of waiting, teams are finally clinching playoff berths. Some teams secured their divisions and have chances at the number one playoff seed. Even more exciting are the teams that had chances to clinch and couldn’t, setting up more anticipation for the holidays. It’s time to see who or what else stood out most for week 15.

Winners: Jake Browning

Cincinnati’s backup quarterback hasn’t just won the games he’s started the past three weeks, he’s been the better passer. Jake Browning is undefeated in his three starts for the Bengals, changing the AFC playoff picture.

Many assumed after franchise star Joe Burrow was put on injured reserve with a torn ligament in his throwing wrist that Cincinnati would finish last in their division. It couldn’t be more opposite with Browning under center. He’s elevated head coach Zac Taylor’s offense, averaging 32 points per game in three needed wins against playoff hopefuls Jacksonville, Indianapolis and Minnesota.

Many AFC teams are struggling with multiple backup quarterbacks, poor offensive play-calling and holding leads in the second half of divisional games. The Bengals have dodged all three of these issues with a confident Jake Browning leading the offense. While two of their remaining three games are against divisional opponents with similar postseason hopes, Cincinnati is in a better position to lock up one of the three wild-card spots.

Jacoby Brissett’s chance to be a starter again

Washington’s loss in Los Angeles might have sealed head coach Ron Rivera’s fate, but it didn’t seal backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett’s. The eight year veteran played less than a quarter and almost stole a win against the Rams.

Brissett came in with seven minutes remaining and the Commanders down 28-7. He finished both drives completing eight of ten passes for 124 yards, two touchdowns and an almost perfect passer rating. Los Angeles squeaked out a 28-20 win.

Jacoby Brissett has been an unfortunate journeyman passer the last five years. When given the chance, he can lead teams and give them hope for a postseason run. The high number of injured quarterbacks this season will make Brissett a popular target for general managers once the offseason begins.

James Cook

It was appropriate for Bills quarterback Josh Allen to tell the press after a dominant home win against Dallas that, “the win for me was like getting an ‘A’ on a group project when you did nothing.” On offense, James Cook put most of the work in for that ‘A’.

Cook diced Dallas’ defense all four quarters Sunday. He ran 25 times for 179 yards and a touchdown. He also had two catches for 42 yards and caught Allen’s only passing touchdown. His seven yards per run took so much time off the clock, Buffalo posted the fastest final of the late afternoon games.

The Bills have needed a runningback to take pressure off Allen from constantly making big plays. James Cook is quietly less than 200 yards away from a 1,000 yard rushing season. Buffalo might have found their young, franchise runningback that can attack defenses in a dimension the team hadn’t been able to do in prior years.

Baltimore Ravens (and yes, John Harbaugh’s coaching)

The first team in the AFC to clinch a playoff spot Sunday was Baltimore. After constant criticism against head coach John Harbaugh, he’s led the Ravens to a conference best eleven wins.

Baltimore took advantage of every Jacksonville blunder Sunday night. While the Jaguars wasted four scoring opportunities, Ravens quarterback and leading MVP candidate Lamar Jackson dazzled audiences with his performance. The team has dealt with injured play-makers on both sides of the ball this season but the difference is coach Harbaugh making all the right decisions that eluded him in 2022.

The Ravens have a top five scoring offense and total defense. The offense is also top ten in time of possession and total yards per game. Both upper management and the coaches took last year’s failures seriously and made necessary upgrades to make sure there wasn’t a repeat of last year’s monthly embarrassments. Baltimore is a true, Super Bowl favorite before Christmas.

Losers: Mike Tomlin

Consistency in sports journalism is something audiences look for and hold in high regard. Just as there was harsh criticism towards John Harbaugh, so there should be for head coach Mike Tomlin.

Saturday’s loss in Indianapolis when the Steelers had a 13 point lead might be the lowest point of Pittsburgh’s season. While the offense, led by backup quarterback Mitchell Trubisky started off with two easy touchdowns, nothing after went right. Despite firing unpopular coordinator Matt Canada last month, Pittsburgh’s gotten worse in almost every offensive category. Part of that is because starting quarterback Kenny Pickett’s missing time with an ankle injury. It’s believable if the Steelers’ problems were just on offense. However, star players on defense have also gone out with injuries. The defense is missing three impactful players and mostly plays better than an offense that won’t average more than 16 points a game.

A new issue creeping in is lack of discipline. The ejection of safety Damontae Kazee due to his vicious tackling of Colts receiver Michael Pittman Jr. adds to the growing concern of Tomlin’s management the past two months. Previously it was receiver George Pickens making media headlines with his angry tirades of not being involved in the offense. Now players on defense are getting ejected (and suspended by the league) for making dangerous plays.

Audiences who have watched the Steelers play the last few seasons will admit they’re one of the worst teams to watch almost every weekend. The organization has to consider serious changes on every level, including a head coach who’s helped re-build a roster that hasn’t won a playoff game since 2016.

Tennessee Titans

For anyone who watches a team lead by double digit points and wonder, “What’s the worst that could happen?”, Tennessee’s home loss to rival Houston (while wearing throwback jerseys of Houston’s original football team) will become a definition of what possibly could go wrong for many years.

After the Titans took a 13 point lead to start the second quarter, things went downhill. First, the Texans tied their rival late by scoring their only touchdown of the afternoon. Tennessee had led most of the game until Noah Brown caught the three yard score from Case Keenum. Rookie and possible franchise quarterback Will Levis struggled to evade defensive linemen and almost left with a serious injury. The Titans couldn’t move the ball past 19 yards on any of their second half possessions.

Things have gotten worse as not only the loss officially eliminated Tennessee from the postseason but star runningback Derrick Henry tweeted cryptic messages indicating he could move on if the organization doesn’t make necessary changes before January. Merry Christmas Titans fans.

Green Bay Packers

Heading into last Monday night, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur hadn’t lost in the month of December since his hiring in 2019. In one week, LaFleur’s lost two games against teams Green Bay was nationally favored to beat.

The Packers are in the thick of the playoff race and recently won two important games in Kansas City and Detroit. The confidence and good feelings Green Bay had after those wins are gone after being dominated against Tommy DeVito and Baker Mayfield-led offenses.

It’s easy to forget at times the Packers have one of the NFL’s youngest rosters. Audiences will wonder from a competitive viewpoint where would the team be if they focused on and won games against inferior opponents in one week. The losses sting more when looking at the close NFC North divisional standings and knowing the Packers own some tie-breakers.

Whoever decides to watch Christmas Eve’s Sunday night game

Christmas Eve is a wonderful time of year. Family, christmas carols, It’s a Wonderful Life and wrapping presents are what most people in the United States focus on before having a lovely holiday.

Any sane or rational minded person would also decide not to watch New England play Denver on Sunday night. The Patriots are trying their best to set NFL offensive standards back at least 50 years while Sean Payton either verbally grills his quarterback or whatever poor referees call penalties against his team.

The league decided not to flex New England’s win against Pittsburgh on Amazon two weeks ago and paid for it with low ratings. Perhaps we can all write to Roger Goodell (and Santa Claus! Think of the children!) to encourage more flexing of primetime games, no matter what network airs them. Two years of bad American football on Christmas is enough for one’s lifetime.

Notes: The writer, editor and publisher is officially on break with the publishing of this article. This is the last Winners and Losers for the NFL season. Wild-card weekend playoff picks will be up before January 13th.

Happy Holidays to you all. Many thanks to those who have read, liked, commented on and shared jdsportscorner.com articles this year. The first post of 2024 will contain updates of my growing writing career in the sports journalism field. May you all enjoy the rest of 2023.