Sports

[Spurt]

@teganslaw  @gardenman 

Here's USA Today's Predictions for 2019:

I don't agree with the Redskins rankings.  Our defense looks darn good.  Now the WR's are unproven.  And who knows if Trent will be back. RBS look good, Guice is active for camp, so he must be healthy and ready to go.

2019 QB’s > 2018 QB’s - Keenum in the fold; Haskins drafted

2019 RB’s > 2018 RB’s - Peterson re-signed; Guice returns; Love added

2019 WR’s = 2018 WR’s - Youth and talent added, but unproven

2019 TE’s = 2018 TE’s - Unit remains unchanged

2019 OL > 2018 OL - Veterans returning healthy and promising rookies should bolster unit

2019 DL = 2018 DL - Although I expect a jump from this young group

2019 EDGE > 2018 EDGE - Drafting Montez Sweat is greater than the loss of Preston Smith

2019 LB’s = 2018 LB’s - Losing Zach Brown and signing Jon Bostic is a push

2019 CB’s > 2018 CB’s - A healthy Dunbar and improvement from young CB’s make us better

2019 S’s > 2018 S’s - Landon Collins was a huge addition to the back end of the defense

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A Redskin anayst said....

While having the most key injuries to starters in 2018, and going through four different quarterbacks, the Redskins still managed to go 7-9. Now, despite improvements in almost every positional category, and a return to health of the majority of the 2018 injured players, most prognosticators have the Redskins as a burning garbage heap in 2019.

How can this be? Am I missing something they aren’t? Does the national media know something???

I’m a glass-half-full guy, but I’m also a realist - yet for the life of me, I can’t see how others view this team as one of the worst in the league...

[gardenman]

@Spurt 

I think the Redskins' QB situation is the issue with their predicted record. You just don't know what to expect. Trent Williams wanting a trade and possibly forcing Ereck Flowers into being a starting left tackle is scary also. If things play out right, the Redskins (and Giants for that matter) could go 10-6. I'm a bit more optimistic about the Redskins than the Giants though.

I'm not sure what the prognosticators see in the Vikings to make them 12-4. That seems absurdly optimistic to me. The Steelers at 11-5 might be a bit optimistic also. The Niners will have to show me something before I'd think they'd win the west. You never know what will happen in the NFL though. The Cards and Dolphins could be in the Super Bowl. You just never know.

[teganslaw]

The Colts' at 10-6 seems about right. The Redskins should do better than what is predicted; someone doesn't like the team much to put them so low.

The 49ers were hyped last year and didn't  do much. They have to show more before I'd have them winning their division. 

I don't know why the Texans are in last place. Maybe it's because of the coaching (Texan fans want O'Brien gone) or because of Clowney's situation. Their O-line needs to be improved, also. 

Remember Ryan Leaf? He has turned his life around and got a job on ESPN as a college football analyst. 

[Spurt]

@teganslaw  @gardenman 

 I saw an interview and story about Ryan Leaf....I am glad he got help and has turned his life around....A remarkable story...

Yep, those predictions are all over the place,,,,

I didnt clarify that my Redskin thoughts were posted above the predictions and it looks like Im in the same frame of mind as Rick Snider and I posted his comments below the chart. 

Rick went on to say a lot of people looked at the brutal schedule and saw a 1-4 start, which very well could be a reality...but I'm more inclined to go with an overall 7-9 or 8-8 finish providing the team can stay fairly healthy ....  a big IF....I think the season will start with veteran QBs and they will not throw an inexperienced QB full force to the wolves with that difficult part of the schedule...and depending how it goes from there will determine whether or when Haskins get a chance.  I do think Gruden will continue with his plans to rely more on a strong running game...

And I do think Flowers gets released and if Williams doent come back they go with Christian....

I dont think the 49ers will make that big of a jump.....

I am pesimistic about the Vikings too, yes Capt Kirk has had a year to adjust, but can he win big games, or is he just a QB with good stats on paper...and what happened to that defense that virtualy, disappeared????

I dont think the Texans did enough to protect Watson, and some positions are pretty long in the tooth, I think O'brien is on the hot seat , fans definitely dont like him and want him gone, he didnt support re-signing Clowney....they are always on the edge of success, but not quite there...

 I think Mahomes will take a slight step back, opponent defensive coaches will find ways to slow him down some, and it will be interesting to see what that Chief defense does....

And although the Steelers seemed to have calmed the waters, its left a hole in talent, and Ben's a year older and he's no Tom Brady....

I think the Saints will have a special drive in them this year after getting so close last season to the SB....And sorry I'm not sold on the Falcons.....

Oh well....as the saying goes...THAT'S WHY THEY PLAY THE GAMES!!! Cant wait!!! 

[gardenman]

Whoo hoo! The Eagles have their first training camp practice today! Now each day becomes a bit nerve-wracking as every new Twitter post or update has you fearing a major injury. Hopefully we'll come out of camp in relatively good shape. Pretty nearly every team loses a guy or two for the year once the pads go on though. You just hope it's not someone critical. Every team will have a few hamstring or other soft tissue injuries that will have a guy sitting out a few days, but those don't really worry you too much. It's the things like torn ACL's or torn Achilles, that scare you. You do want to make sure the guys with soft tissue injuries let them truly heal before getting back on the field though. If not they can set themselves back for even longer.

The Eagles starters appear pretty much locked in. The linebacker opposite Bradham is still an open spot but we've got like seven guys vying for it. Other than that the starting lineup looks pretty much set.

Hopefully Miles Sanders has his hamstring healed and is ready to go. He sat out the OTA's with a bad hamstring and we could really use him healthy. It's not a desperation thing, but he'd be a nice new puzzle piece. He had fumbling issues in college that the Eagles are convinced they can fix, but you can't fix them if he's not on the field being tested.

A fair number of veteran guys will be either sitting out practice for a bit or going easy as they recover from last season's injuries, but you know what you've got with them already, so as long as they're ready for week one, you don't mind that too much.

The Eagles still have an empty roster slot. The Packers cutting Mike Daniels might have the Eagles considering putting a claim in for him to fill that spot. He'd be a fourth Pro-Bowl caliber defensive tackle which would give the Birds a ton of depth at that spot. They rotate those guys a lot and he'd be one more rotation piece. We'll have to see if he clears waivers today or if the Birds or another team claims him. 

Our rookie receiver JJ Arcega-Whiteside will get his first real taste of pro football today and will start the adjustment process. It won't be terribly hard for him as he's been playing like a pro at the college level, but these DB's are bigger, stronger and faster, so there's still an adjustment period. He's got a leg up though having already played a pro style of offense.

Things are looking good for the Eagles right now, but that can all change with a bad injury at a spot where you really don't want a bad injury. Our least deep position may be center. Jason Kelce, the starter, is among the best in the league. Behind him we've got "some guys" but no one who seems special. Wentz may be the most important guy on the roster, but Kelce is maybe second in that order. Losing him for any period of time could really hurt. 

Next Thursday we get the Hall of Fame game, so we're just one week away from seeing NFL football. (Of a sort anyway.) That'll be Denver vs. Atlanta. Two of the more mysterious teams entering the 2019 season. Will Joe Flacco be the QB Denver needs? Are the Falcons still a contender, or slipping? We won't learn much from that first preseason game but it'll be fun to see a real game again.

[Spurt]

Loved this: 

Jay Gruden on Josh Norman jumping over a bull: "I knew the bull wouldn't hit him.... Josh avoids contact." He added: "Just kidding Josh."

@gardenman 

An interesting comment on Golic and Wingo:

Lou Riddick was talking about how loaded and talented the Eagles offense is....but he said Wentz needs to dial it back, and needs for his teammates to take some of the burden off of him.  To prevent Wentz from getting injured Wentz doesn't need to do it all himself........and then he added, what he needs to do is play like.... Nick Foles....all the guys laughed and said....awkward!!!LOL!!!

[redwingsgal]

That graph is a bit brutal, @Spurt .  I see more than three wins in our season.  

I do like the SB picks and the winner.  I have hoped for a long time that Rivers gets one.  Let's hope the predicitons are wrong!  Or it will be a long season!!!

[teganslaw]

RB Spencer Ware is the only Colts player on the PUP list. (muscle injury). It's not too serious and he should be OK in a week or so. 

Elliott didn't attend the Cowboys' training camp; he has until Friday to report.  Melvin Gordon and Michael Thomas are also missing their training camps because they want new contracts. Trent Williams isn't expected to join the Redskins anytime soon. A lot of teams could be missing valuable players. 

I think some of those predictions will be wrong. Things will become more clear in a month or so. 

[gardenman]

@Spurt 

Riddick isn't wrong, but with the weapons available and a solid o-line, and two or more good runningbacks, Wentz should be able to play it much safer. Just before he got injured last year he and Alshon started hooking up more. Alshon always says, "If you're in trouble, throw it to me and I'll make the play whether I'm covered or not." As long as that connection stays solid, Wentz should be able to avoid trouble.

 When you look at this Eagles offense, it's hard to find a way to attack it. Go nickel or dime and you give up big yards to a runningback. Stay in base defense against this offense and good luck finding a linebacker who can cover Ertz or Goedert. Cheat the safeties up to cover those guys and watch Alshon and DeSean feast against man coverage. Add in a Darren Sproles coming out of the backfield, and the offense is nearly unstoppable. Matching up man to man against Alshon or DeSean is a bit suicidal. Ertz and Goedert are wide receivers in a tight end's body. Add in Agholor, JJ Arcega-Whiteside, Mack Hollins, and more wide receivers and this offense looks really potent.

For defensive coordinators it's really a question of how do you want to get beat? Go nickel or dime and you can protect against the quick deep pass down the field, but you'll likely give up six yards or more a run. Stay in base, keep the safeties deep and you stop the deep ball, are a little safer against the run, but then have to figure out how to cover Ertz, Goedert and Sproles. You're looking at giving up ten to fifteen yards a play in that scenario. Stay in base, cheat the safeties up to help cover the tight ends and help in the run game, and you risk the homerun ball. It's a challenging offense to defend. There's just no good answer.

Wentz is a hard guy to pressure because of his size and agility. Send a blitzer and you take one more guy out of coverage. Play a simple zone defense and Jeffery and DeSean will stretch it leaving big holes for the tight ends and Wentz has the arm strength to fit the ball into tight holes. Ask any defensive coordinator how to stop the Eagles and they'll shrug. The Cowboys can be controlled by taking Elliott away. The Giants are the same with Barkley. That Eagles offense just has an answer for everything right now. The Redskins don't really look scary on offense right now.

When this Eagles offense is in gear, like in Super Bowl 52, it's nearly unstoppable. Bill Belichick is a defensive mastermind and he had no answer. Most of the time a team has a weakness and a strength. It's really hard to find a weakness on this Eagles offense. Jordan Howard and Miles Sanders give the Eagles a powerful one-two punch at running back. Corey Clement and Darren Sproles are pretty good third and fourth string guys. It'll be a fun offense to watch.

[gardenman]

At this point the Cowboys need Ezekiel Elliott a lot more than Zeke needs the Cowboys. Expect to hear JJ and the coaching staff raving about their kid runningbacks, but they aren't close to Elliott. The Cowboys need to bite the bullet and work out an extension of some sort that gives Elliott a signing bonus now and the Cowboys a relatively low cost escape hatch down the road. They've also got Dak and Amari to work out deals with. Their overall cap space right now is around $4 million, but their top 51 (minus the 39 others on the roster now) gives them about $24 million to play with. If you divide that $24 million three ways (signing bonuses for Zeke, Amari Cooper and Dak) you're looking at around $8 million each this year. Bear in mind Wentz got something like $16 million in a signing bonus. The Cowboys have an interesting few weeks coming up.