What are the Jets and Cardinals Thinking?

artist depiction of Ty trying to make sense of the new NFL coaches

I need to watch "Bandersnatch" one more time before I write about it, there is a ton to unpack. But I promise that will be coming to you guys tomorrow. With that being said, I do need to talk about some more NFL coaching news. I said what I had to say about Matt LaFleur and the Packers yesterday. But, there are 2 more hires that have me even more startled and flabbergasted than LaFluer to Green Bay. The 2 in question you ask, Adam Gase to the Jets and, even worse, Kliff Kingsbury to Arizona.

Lets unpack the Gase hiring first. I know that he has somewhat of a background in offense, but you are going to go with a guy that has an overall losing record in his career as a head coach and struggled mightily in Miami the past 2 years? Why? How is this any different than what they have done the past 3 years with Todd Bowles? Hell, I think Bowles is a better head coach, who was put in a horrible situation. I assumed, much like a lot of other people, that the Jets would go with one of these young offensive gurus. Hell, I even read all the stuff about them willing to give Jim Harbaugh a "offer he couldn't refuse", like they're the god damn mafia or something. But no, they went with a guy with a career record of 23-25. A guy that couldn't develop Ryan Tannehill, although I don't think anyone really can. A guy that way overused a future hall of fame running back in Frank Gore. And a guy that couldn't get his defense to stop anyone. This is odd. As I said, I figured they'd go with a young offensive guy, or even a veteran coach with a slight background in offense. I thought they were primed to hire someone that has worked with Sean McVay, like his QB coach. Or I thought they would try and lure Josh McDaniels. I thought maybe they would go after a college coach with a high octane offense. Or, which if they had done this I would have cracked up, Mike McCarthy. But they chose Gase. I feel like anyone of the people I mentioned would have been a better hire, especially for Sam Darnold. He is young, but I feel like he has a bright future that will now be stunted. Gase is going to want to do the whole ball control thing and win ugly. That is not what the Jets need. They need to let Darnold fling it, take some lumps on the way and turn into the type of QB you can build an offense around. Hiring Gase is more likely to push Darnold's emergence back for awhile. I don't think it is too much to say that it may even ruin him. This is a head scratcher.

But what the Cardinals did may be the worst hire of the entire offseason. I usually don't agree with Stephen A Smith, pretty much never, but I do think he is right that this is a bad hire. He took it a bit too far, but his main idea behind his insane rant, I agree with. What has Kingsbury done in his entire coaching career to merit a job as an NFL head coach? He went 35-40 in his career at Texas Tech. He has had 3 straight losing seasons. And it's not like he is playing in the SEC. Texas Tech is a Big 12 team. Sure, they would start the year strong, but that would be against far inferior opponents. When they had to play the Oklahoma's and Texas' and even the Kansas State's of the world, his "explosive" offense was shut down. They couldn't do a thing against a semi competent defense. But he somehow turned that into a NFL head coaching job. What makes this hire even odder, he had to resign from USC as their OC just to get an interview. It wasn't a given that he would get the job, but he quit anyway just to interview. But, to make it more and more weird, it seems Arizona was just waiting for him to quit to interview him and give him the job. I mean, what the hell?! I know he coached Patrick Mahomes in college, but that was college. I know he pushed Baker Mayfield out of Tech for a different QB, but so what. I know he has ties to Sean McVay. But a NFL head coach he is not.

Also, I do not think his offense will translate to the NFL. I know that the NFL has become obsessed with the college game, and the wide open spread passing attacks, but what team in the NFL truly plays that way that is any good? Sure, the Browns started to play the spread a bit more after Hue Jackson got fired, but they finished with a losing record. The Ravens added some spread elements when Lamar Jackson took over, but they got bounced in the first round, and as much as I like Jackson, and think he will be a star, he fumbled far, far too much. Some may say the Rams run it, they do not. The Rams like to run the ball with Gurley to open the pass game. Everything goes through their running back. The only team left in the playoffs that run some form of spread is the Chiefs. But, they have a multitude of weapons. They have the right speed guys. They run the ball and they use the tight end. Who does Arizona have besides Josh Rosen, who I have already read that they may be willing to trade so they can take Kyler Murray? They have David Johnson, but he is not the same guy after his injury. He just doesn't have that explosiveness that he did 3 years ago. I love love love Larry Fitzgerald, but I think he might be older than me, and in NFL years he may as well be 100. Outside of those guys, I cannot think of one solid offensive NFL player. Their defense, especially if they trade Patrick Peterson, and I hope they do for his sake, is bad. And Kingsbury doesn't care about defense anyway.

This hire reminds me a ton of when Washington hired Steve Spurrier, except Spurrier actually won double digit games year after year and he won national titles. Kingsbury never did that. But Spurrier was supposed to revolutionize the game. And when they exploded in his preseason debut, everyone thought the game was going to change. I don't remember, did that happen? Did Spurrier win a bunch of games and super bowl's? Did he coach a ton of MVP's? Did he even last three years? No, no and no. And Kingsbury is a far inferior coach compared to Spurrier. This is bizarre. I cannot believe a team that I kind of like would hire such a poor coach to run their team. This is going to blow up in their face for sure. I'm certain he won't make it through his entire contract. Kliff Kingsbury is the new Lane Kiffin. He is failing upwards and it is puzzling. I'm shocked by this. It will never, ever make sense to me. What a weird thing to do.

The Packers made a strange hire, and then the Jets made a stranger one, and then the Cardinals upped them all and made the strangest of head coaching hires. To quote the great Vince Lombardi, “What the hell is going on out here”.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He is waiting for the Cincinnati Bengals to make all these hires look good when they bring in the top Madden player to run their squad.

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What are the Packers Thinking?

Artist depiction of Ty watching Packer’s games the next few years

The Packers hired a new head coach. I thought the search would go on a bit longer, but they "jumped" at the chance to hire Tennessee offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur.

I don't really know how I feel about this hire. I have gone back and forth since it was made official on Monday. Even last night when my wife asked me how I felt about it, I couldn't give her a real answer. I talked to my dad about it over coffee today, he is the reason I am a Packers fan, and I feel like we both came to a consensus.

We are not a fan of this hire.

Don't get me wrong, I like that they are trying to get a younger, offensive minded coach, but Matt LaFleur was the best they could do? I mean, what about Mike Munchak or someone from the Rams offensive staff or even a college coach? Why LaFleur? I made it clear a few weeks back, when they fired McCarthy, I wanted them to go after John Harbaugh or Bruce Arians. The Harbaugh thing was a pipe dream. I'm pretty sure he is going to stay in Baltimore, especially with the late choice to start Lamar Jackson. They have something real going on there. And Arians said he was only open to Cleveland, and then, all of the sudden the Buccaneers come from nowhere and he takes that job. It is mind boggling. I will say, I am glad that they stayed off the Josh McDaniels train. He would be just as certain to bail on that job just like he did to the Colts last year. I did not want them to even interview him. And after his comments yesterday, saying that he was staying in New England, it made me even happier that they didn't hire him.

With all that being said, and thought about for 2 days, I am still not on board with LaFleur. Sure, he was the QB coach when Matt Ryan won his MVP award. And yes, he was on the same staff as Sean McVay, and, by all reports, was just as smart as every other coach in the room. But when he was on his own as the OC in Tennessee, he did not do great. It actually looked like the Titans regressed. Marcus Mariota did not get much better. In fact, he was either hurt, or was throwing 6 yard passes. The run game was better, Derrick Henry had a pretty good season, but Green Bay doesn't have a running back on Henry's level. I like Jamaal Williams and Aaron Jones, but they aren't even in the top 20 of backs in the league.

Then we have the whole Aaron Rodgers conundrum. He is one of the best QB's in the league, that is not debatable. He can throw anyone open. He makes the pinpoint throws. He has turned marginal guys into production guys. Davante Adams and Donald Driver and Jordy Nelson, while solid receivers, they are not Julio Jones or Calvin Johnson or even Juju Smith Schuster. That is my biggest area of concern with this hire. I feel like the Packers are fine on offense. They had a rougher year than usual, but they are fine, as long as they have Rodgers.

The biggest problem with this team is the defense. That is why I wanted Harbaugh or Arians. They have good offensive minds, but they are defense first. So with the 2 of them out of the picture, why not a guy like Brian Flores or Vic Fangio? I wanted them to go defense with the head coach, and then let that guy hire a solid, young offensive coordinator. They could do the opposite of what the Rams did. They hired a young offensive guru, and then let him hire a great D coordinator to run that unit. The Packers should have done that, but hired a defensive minded head coach and let him go out and hire a young offensive guru. Hell, I would have been happy if they hired Fangio, and he went out and nabbed LaFleur as his OC for the team. But the Packers wanted to do the modernized offense thing, and I feel like this is going to go badly for them. I don't feel like a guy like LaFleur will be able to enter the facility and be taken seriously as a head coach. I feel like Rodgers is going to be that guy, and that is no good. I don't like when a player has to be the leader on the field and in the locker room and the film room. It's too much.

I hope I am wrong and LaFleur is the next Sean McVay, but I don't think that will happen. We will see.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He is looking forward to see who the other head coachless teams get. There is no way the Cincinnati Bengals will get a better name than Green Bay. Right?

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Clemson is the New Alabama

Last night was an absolute bloodbath in the College Football Playoff title game. And the team I thought would be putting on that beating, I was very, very wrong. I made no secrets about my thoughts on this Alabama team. I thought they were unbeatable. I wasn't one of those idiots that thought they could beat an NFL team, but I thought no one, including Clemson, would beat them in college. They appeared invincible. They ran rough shed through their regular season schedule. The only game they really struggled with was Georgia in the SEC title game, but they still won that one fairly easily in the end.

What I failed to realize was the fact that Clemson was doing the exact same thing all year. They also had one tough game, Syracuse, but they pulled away from that one late as well. As far as the rest of the their schedule, it was a cakewalk. Even when they played ranked teams, they crushed them. I was also a little skeptical of them starting Trevor Lawrence when they did, I am a Kelly Bryant fan. Well, I was completely, and absolutely wrong. Starting Trevor Lawrence was the exact right thing to do. Clearly the coaches knew something that not many other writers and bloggers did. Sure, Lawrence was a 5 star, top QB recruit in the country, but Bryant led this same team to the playoff last year, and he started out the year just fine. I was a bit stunned, and didn't question Bryant's decision to transfer at all.

But man oh man did this Lawrence kid look phenomenal in the 2 playoff games, the only 2 I saw him play in this year. He carved up what was supposed to be a top defense in Notre Dame in the semi final game. He had all kinds of time in the pocket, found the open receiver every time and shredded them. He did this, and so, so much more last night against a much, much better Alabama team. I mean, he looked like he was a fifth year senior out there. He was hitting all the open receivers. He was making pinpoint throws. He ran the read option perfectly. I have not seen a kid this good in my lifetime. Sure, Peyton Manning and Brian Griese and Tom Brady and Cam Newton and Deshaun Watson and so on and so forth were all great. At this very moment, Lawrence is already better, and he isn't even 20 yet. I can't believe he has to play 2 more years of college football. That would be like forcing this Zion Williamson kid to play three years at Duke. Lawrence is as ready for the pros, probably more so, than any of the underclassmen this year that declared for the draft. He is astounding.

All the praise doesn't belong solely to Lawrence. His receivers, his big time guy, are mostly underclassmen. The dude he hit for the 74 yarder to blow open the game is a true freshman as well. He has to play 2 more years of college football before he goes pro. Their running back, Travis Etienne, is only a sophomore. He struggled at first, but when he needed to pull off big gainers, he did. He ended the game with solid stats. He is also an excellent pass catcher. They also have a stable of guys behind him ready to go. Their O line was amazing. They protected the QB and opened up holes in the later stages of the game for the running backs to ice this game away. And that defense, which I have loved all year, made play after plays last night. Sure, they gave up nearly 400 yards of offense, but they held Alabama to 16 points, and zero in the second half. They had multiple goal line stands. They picked off the Alabama QB twice. They pressured him all night. And they were missing their star D lineman, and they didn't play the perfect game. And they still dominated what was supposed to be one of college football's most explosive offenses.

I have watched a good amount of Alabama this year, and that was the worst I have seen them play ever. They looked confused, slow, out manned and like the inferior team. It was astounding. Every time they cut to Saban's face, I was cracking up at how upset and outcoached he was. He is not used to this. He is like a human cheat code due to his dominance. That all shifted last night. Dabo Swinney and staff made him look like a third or fourth year coach. Saban is the greatest coach in college football history, but Swinney is now starting to join that conversation as well. I mean, he destroyed what many thought was one of Alabama's best offenses ever. He also exploited their suspect defense, with a true freshman QB. As much as I may dislike Swinney's fake "good old boy" shtick, I loved watching him never, ever take his foot off the gas. He wanted to shove it in Alabama and Nick Saban's face that he was the better coach with the better team last night. And he proved it.

This is the shift in college football. This is now the time that Clemson takes over as the dominant program in college football. As I said, they get the majority of this team back for the next three years. They are going to dominate the game for the time being. They are the Warriors of college football. They are the new Alabama. They are the best team, and will continue to be as long as Lawrence and Swinney and Brent Venables and Etienne and their deep, deep crop of super talented and very tall receivers are still there. And they have a top recruiting class year after year after year. They will continue to pull in top tier guys. Clemson is the new dynasty. They are the new rulers of college football. They are the force to be reckoned with, and they made that statement very loud and clear with the way they dominated Alabama last night.

That was as eye opening a beating as I have ever seen. Clemson put on a show last night, and the college football watching public needs to get used to them being the best of the best. That is where they are now, if they weren't already. Clemson is amazing.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He is looking forward to the day when he can tell his kids about a time before only Alabama and Clemson being the National Champion every year.

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What the Hell is Pro Bowler Kirk Cousins Thinking?

Really, what the hell Kirk

Last night was the Pro Bowl. I do not watch the Pro Bowl. It is the sorriest excuse for an "all star" game. The fact that it is the week before the Super Bowl speaks volumes to how dumb this "game" really is. Sure, the players are "all stars", but when you have 2 teams filled with 53 players each that do not have one single player playing in that game, you do not have the best of the best. Last night there was no Julio Jones, Tom Brady, Matt Ryan, Donta Hightower, Adrian Clayborne, none of those guys. Those guys are all preparing for the biggest game of the year. Without these players, the Pro Bowl has to add players like Phillip Rivers, Travis Kelce and Kirk Cousins. For as good as those guys are, or were, they are not even in the top three of their position in the NFL. The game is a joke.

One of the players I just mentioned I want to talk about today. As I already stated, I did not watch the game, but I do check Bleacher Report and ESPN.com in the morning, and I saw Kirk Cousins going full on Pete Rose while tackling and stripping the ball from Aqib Talib after an interception. I watched the full tape, and if I did not know better, I'd think that Cousins was playing in a very important late season game, or in the playoffs. He was going all out. When asked why he hustled so hard and went for the strip, Cousins said, "I wanted to win the game".

That is preposterous. This is not a "game". I cannot stress that enough. The players, with Cousins being the exception, go maybe 25 to 50 percent. There is no pass rushing allowed. You cannot try and block kicks. A fan ran on the field, and instead of being escorted off, he and Ezekial Elliot had a race. I mean, this game is pointless, but not to Kirk Cousins apparently.

I have so many questions as to why Cousins was trying this hard in the Pro Bowl. First of all, just why? Why put all that effort into a pointless, shameful excuse for an all star game? I get wanting to be competitive, I want to win when I play pick up basketball all the time, but even I have my limits. I know, when my team is down 10-2, we play to 11 by 1's and 2's, and the other team hasn't missed a shot, I save myself for the next game. I'll go about 65 to 70 percent, but I'm not going all out like Kirk Cousins.

Second, why do this when you are about to become a free agent and about to come into a lot of money? I know that these players have a real chance at getting hurt anytime they step on a filed or a practice field, but the Pro Bowl has always seemed like the one field where no one takes it seriously because of their big contracts. Kirk Cousins, while I think he is marginal at best, is going to get paid by someone. He will probably get franchised once again, but I think he still will get somewhere in the neighborhood of 18 million again this year, but then next year, if he stays healthy, he is going to get a major contract. So, why all the effort in the Pro Bowl? What if you broke your arm going for the strip? What if you fractured a finger on your throwing hand and you couldn't grip the ball? What if you separated your shoulder? There was so much more risk than reward going all out like that after throwing a meaningless interception. Who cares that you got picked off in the Pro Bowl? I would have let Talib walk into the end zone. I think Talib expected the same thing, but Kirk Cousins took this as seriously as he does any game. I have already said, I get being competitive and wanting to win, but you have to know your limits and the situation. This was such a pointless waste of time, but Cousins took it way, way too seriously.

Some people may like this, I just thought it was stupid. No one in any other all star game takes it this seriously, not even Russell Westbrook in the NBA all star game, and he is way better at his profession, more competitive too, than Cousins will ever be at football. Cousins is lucky that he didn't seriously hurt himself, and if I were a GM considering signing him, seeing this last night would definitely make me hesitate to give him any kind of long term deal. This was a mistake by Cousins, and he is so lucky that he didn't seriously hurt himself.

Finally, it was a very nice pick by Aqib Talib. It was awesome.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man. He remembered the Pro Bowl was on tv when he woke up this morning and heard something about pro football. Maybe next year he can set his DVR to miss it again. Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty's 2016 NFL Playoff Predictions

Ready to tee up with the playoffs

The NFL playoffs are set, and I'm here to tell you who I think will walk away as Super Bowl 51 champs. I was obviously wrong in my preseason predictions. The Panthers, and Cam Newton, had an atrocious season. They looked pretty bad all year long. I was way, way off on that one. I was right about the Patriots though. I did not think Brady's suspension was going to affect them that much, and it didn't. They went 3-1 without him and 11-1 with him, giving the Patriots the best overall record in the league at, 14-2. I was off on the Cowboys though. I thought they would not be good, no matter who the starting QB was, but they have a tremendous offensive line, and Ezekial Elliot and Dak Prescott played like seasoned vets all year. Will it happen in the playoffs? We will have to wait and see. With all that being said, lets get to how I see this playoff playing out.

I'll start with the AFC. From 6 to 1, we have Miami, Oakland, Houston, Pittsburgh, Kansas City and New England. Only 2 of these teams, in my opinion, have a legit shot to go to the Super Bowl. The Wild Card matchups in the AFC will be Miami vs Pittsburgh and Oakland vs Houston.

Miami has had an okay season, but they have not beaten anybody all that decent this season. They might have the shadiest 10 wins in all the NFL. They have a good defense, but not great. Their offense, especially with Ryan Tannehill out, who I do not think is that much better than Blake Bortles anyway, is not very good. They have excellent receivers, but with Matt Moore leading the offense, it doesn't matter. Jay Ajayi exploded in the middle of the year, but since then, he has been average. The Steelers, on the other hand, have a lethal offense. Even though he is a horrible, god awful human being, Ben Roesthelisberger can still sling it, and he always gets help from the refs. He has his whole career. LeVeon Bell is one of the best running backs in the league. Antonio Brown is one of the best receivers in the league. The Steelers have a decent offensive line. Where they struggle is defense. They get gashed a lot. But, with Matt Moore being the QB, and Ajayi coming down to Earth, I do not see the Steelers short comings on defense giving the Dolphins a shot in this game. Steelers win this game fairly easily, 28-14.

The other game would have been a blowout, had Derek Carr not broken his leg 2 weeks ago. I still think the Raiders are better, but that was a crushing loss to this team. The Raiders now have to rely on either Connor Cook or Matt McGloin. Yeesh. They still have Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree and Latavius Murray, but no Derek Carr is brutal. Their defense, while Swiss cheese at times, has played better lately. They did not look great yesterday, but they have stepped up since earlier this season. Houston is a laughingstock. They do not belong in the playoffs at all. They are more bogus than the Dolphins, but since they are in such a crappy division, they get to go to the playoffs with only 9 wins. They have no offense, except DeAndre Hopkins. But, he barely sees the ball since both Osweiler and Tom Savage are mediocre. They also have no running game and their defense is a joke. As I said, the Raiders will win, but this game will be ugly. Final score of 13-3.

So that would pit the Steelers vs the Chiefs and the Raiders vs the Patriots. These should be good matchups. I think the Steelers-Chiefs game could be great. I think the Chiefs will pull out the win, but it will be tough. The Chiefs have a better overall team, and their defense is much better than Pittsburgh's. I also think that the Chiefs will be able to hold onto the ball and run at will against the Steelers, thus making the Steelers strength, their offense, moot. Andy Reid will not blow this chance, and he will pull out a hard fought victory, 21-17.

The other game is going to be a bloodbath. The Patriots, after Brady's suspension, are out for blood. They want to destroy anyone in their way so that Roger Goodell has to hand them the Lombardi trophy. Unfortunately for the Raiders, without Derek Carr, they will be the Patriots first victim. Sure, the Patriots do not have the best defense, but it is serviceable, especially against a team without their star QB. And this Patriots offense is surgical. Brady picks apart secondary's. He has made guys like Julian Edelman and Danny Amendola household names. He's doing the same with Chris Hogan and Malcom Mitchell this year. They also seem to have limitless options at running back. They can go with Legarette Blount for power, James White for speed and Dion Lewis for a bit of everything. And even though they lost Gronk to injury, they have Martellus Bennett, and he is awesome, and very tall. The Patriots are ready to beat the shit out of some people. I have the Patriots winning big, 34-10.

That would give us a Chiefs-Patriots AFC Championship. This will be a good game. The Chiefs are the one team in the AFC that can compete with this Patriots team. They have guys that can shut down the Patriots skill players, but they do not have any real game changers, except maybe Tyreek Hill, on offense to score with the Patriots. I think it will be a very good game, maybe even come down to the wire like last year, but Andy Reid will rear his ugly head at some point, and Belichek will capitalize, as he always does. This will be a low scoring, hard fought Patriots win, 20-13. The Patriots will represent the AFC in Super Bowl 51.

As far as the NFC goes, the seeding from 6 to 1 goes, Detroit, New York, Green Bay, Seattle, Atlanta and Dallas. I legitimately feel like almost any one of these teams can make a run to the Super Bowl, and yes, I am including the Lions in the discussion.

The Wild Card matchups will feature the Lions vs the Seahawks and the Giants vs the Packers. The Lions are an enigma. This team had no business even being competitive this season, especially after Calvin Johnson retired. They had no running game. Stafford had never put it all together. The defense is good, but spends too much time on the field. But, somehow they managed to get 9 wins and make the playoffs. The Seahawks have been incredibly inconsistent all year. At times they look like the clear cut favorites, at other times, they look mediocre at best. They have a good defense, but they are not what they were 2 years ago, and they are missing some key pieces. They also do not get pressure like they used to. The offense is very average. Russell Wilson has not taken that next step towards the upper echelon of starting QB's. He may be hurt, but he just does not look like the guy that many thought he would turn out to be after the Seahawks won 2 years ago. I think he is a better version of Colin Kaepernick, but not by much. Their offensive line stinks. They cannot protect the QB, and they do not open up running lanes. They have good receivers, like Doug Baldwin and Jermaine Kearse, but they lost Tyler Lockett to a broken leg, and now they have no deep threat. They have also never really figured out how to use Jimmy Graham. He has become a mid tier tight end since the trade. With that being said, the game is in Seattle, so I do think the Seahawks will win, but it will be a very ugly game, much like the majority of the NFL this year. It will also be very low scoring, with a final of 10-6.

The other matchup, being a Packers fan, is my nightmare. I hate the Giants, and it is because they always seem to pull out some miraculous win, no matter how bad Eli Manning plays, or where the game is played. My only hope this season though, Tom Coughlin is gone, and Bob McAdoo is the coach, and he is as predictable as they come. Green Bay is also on a roll right now. Aaron Rodgers, after his selfish calling out of his teammates, has played lights out. So has Jordy Nelson and Davante Adams. Ty Montgomery has been a revelation. The offensive line is clicking. Hell, even the defense is playing better during their 6 game win streak. I'm always nervous when the Packers have to play the Giants though. I bad mouthed McAdoo, but Mike McCarthy is just as bad, possibly worse at times, but I do think the Packers will pull out the win. They have a better team, with much better skill players(yes, I think the duo of Nelson/Adams is better than Cruz/Beckham Jr), and I think Eli will make a big mistake. I have the Packers winning 28-23.

So that would give us second round matchups of Seattle-Atlanta and Green Bay-Dallas. Atlanta should easily beat the Seahawks. They have a better QB, better receivers, a better line and a better running game. They also do not have the injuries that Seattle has. I think Matt Ryan should be the regular season MVP. He's been great. So has Julio Jones. He has been un guardable at times. He is so tall and so fast and has great hands and runs great routes. The revolving door at running back works for them, and Devonta Freeman is coming on at the right time. Atlanta is a serious threat in the NFC. I have them beating Seattle fairly easily, 24-10. It will be close for a half, but Atlanta will pull away in the second half.

The other side has Green Bay-Dallas. This is supposed to be Dallas' year, right? They have everything going for them. They have home field throughout the playoffs. They have had a dominating year on the offensive side of the ball. They have the best offensive line in all of football. Ezekial Elliot and Dak Prescott are the future. Dez Bryant is playing better without Romo. This is supposed to be the year for them Cowboys, right? I do not know if it is my blind love for the Packers, or what, but I think the Packers will beat them, and I do not think it will even be close. The Cowboys will come out hot, but this is a team led by rookies, and I don't know about you, but I'd much rather have vets like Aaron Rodgers, Jordy Nelson, Julius Peppers, Davante Adams, Clay Matthews, some of which have won a Super Bowl, than rookies leading my team in the playoffs. This is not meant to take away from Dallas' great season, but I think the moment will be a bit too big for them. They have won a lot of games, 13, but some have been very ugly, and I just think their luck is going to run out. Maybe it is my blind love, it totally is, and my hatred for the Cowboys, it is that as well, but I think the Packers will go to Jerry World and win this game. I also think they will win by 2 scores, with a final of 28-17.

So that would give us Atlanta and Green Bay in the NFC Championship. this is where the Packers win streak ends. They have no one that can guard Julio Jones, and Matt Ryan is playing so god damn great right now. This will be a very high scoring game, close to the end, but Atlanta will win, 38-35. This game is going to be filled with offensive fireworks, and Atlanta has the better weapons on offense to do just that.

Super Bowl 51 will pit Atlanta and New England. This is a pretty good matchup, or at least I think so. Both teams have so so defenses, but they each have explosive offenses. The Super Bowl will be very high scoring, but in the end, I think New England puts it away, and Goodell has to hand that trophy over to Belichek and Brady. Atlanta will keep it close for three and a half quarters, but New England, behind Legarette Blount, not Tom Brady, will put this game away in the fourth quarter. I think the Falcons will be so keyed up to stop the Patriots pass game that it will open up the run game for New England. Blount is going to have a big game. He is the best of the three running backs the Patriots use, and they will ride him to a win in the Super Bowl. I expect him to go for over 100 yards and, at least, 2 touchdowns, and win the Super Bowl MVP. Like I said, it will be close for awhile, but New England will put it away early in the fourth, and win 38-28.

There you have it, my 2017 NFL playoff preview and picks.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. With the Packers and Wolverines, 2016 saw a lot of sports heartbreak. 2017 will not be a repeat for Ty's teams. Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

The Sad and Scary Death of Joe McKinght

I was going to review Childish Gambino's new record today, but that will have to wait until Monday because I need to address the horrible tragedy that happened to former NFL running back Joe McKnight.

I was watching ESPN yesterday, and I saw scrolling on the bottom of my screen, that McKnight had died at the age of 28. I could not believe it when I saw it. I thought it may have been one of those death hoax things, but as I dug deeper, I found out I was very wrong. I needed to know what happened to him.

I remember vividly watching him in college. I am not a USC fan by any means, but when he played there, I found him a joy to watch. He was on their team after the Reggie Bush/Lendale White era, in which their running game was second to none. I never thought they would be as good on the ground as they were with those guys, but Joe McKnight was damn near as good as they were. He was very fast. He burst through holes and kicked into second gear and ran away from defenders. He was patient when waiting for holes to open up. He was a good receiver out of the backfield. Hell, he could even block. He was the total package. He didn't win the Heisman like Bush did, but he was a very good college football player.

McKnight turned his college career into a halfway decent pro career. He was a fourth-round pick by the Jets, and since I followed him in college, I followed his pro career. He wasn't a great pro, but he was pretty decent. He became a key contributor right away, He was a change of pace back for the Jets. They put him in on third downs a lot, especially to run screen plays. He became a key guy on a decent Jets team. His career was cut short due to multiple injuries, but I always remembered him being a joy to watch. Like I said, he had world class speed and vision, and just did the right things on the football field. He was a much better college player, but he was still a decent pro.

So, when this news flashed yesterday, as I said before, I could not believe it. First, he was 6 years younger than me. I am at that point in my life where I am older than the college athletes that I watch, and critique, so when someone this young dies, it literally shakes me to my core. Then, I thought that it was some kind of freak thing. Maybe he had a bad fall, maybe he had an unexplained illness that none of us knew about, maybe he was in the wrong place at the wrong time, I just couldn't figure it out.

But, later in the day, the news reported that the way he died was much, much more gruesome and disturbing than anything that I could ever think of. He was shot and killed by someone with road rage. What the hell? What has this world come to? Why does stuff like this happen so often now? Why are guns so readily available and easy to get? It is so, so sad. I mean, earlier in the week we had the terrible and disturbing situation at Ohio State, and now some gun loon, with a very short fuse, shot someone over something so insignificant. I get road rage, not as bad now because I have kids, but I have never, ever thought that someone that cut me off needed to be physically harmed. What in the hell is the matter with this person that felt they needed to shoot Joe McKnight? I heard that there was a confrontation, but it should never come to something as terrible as this. Why do crazy people get guns? And why do they think that they need to use them when they have any confrontation? Things can be solved so much easier by just using your words. Just talk. Calm the hell down and take a breath.

That is the problem. We have become a culture of people that act without thinking. It is sad. I mean, look at the election results, that was purely based on people not thinking at all. Then, we had the Ohio State incident, and now the tragic death of Joe McKnight. How much worse can 2016 truly get? This monster that took Joe McKnight's life, over some road rage, deserves to be put in jail for the rest of their life. This is a disturbed individual that thinks guns are a way to solve problems. That should terrify people.

This is such a sad and tragic event. Joe McKnight was so young and had a long, long life ahead of him. He seemed like he was a decent person. I do not remember him getting into trouble in college or in the pros. All the news when he was playing all seemed to be good things. He, at least on the surface, seemed to be a decent guy. I am literally scared at the readily availability of crazy people getting guns. Guns are a big, big problem in the world right now. Guns have always scared me, I have never even held one, and the fact that these gun nuts flaunt the fact that they have them is one of the scariest things in the world. Had this person been reasonable and used words instead of violence, Joe McKnight would still be alive today. This is a truly tragic, disturbing and sad thing that happened yesterday.

Stories like this make me scared for humanity, hate the NRA more than I already do and they just make me sad. Joe McKnight had so much ahead of him, but now that is all gone because of a disturbed individual. Rest In Peace Joe McKnight. You did not deserve this, and this is a sad, sad day for society.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

The Cleveland Browns are Hopeless

The new Browns mascot

After last night's terrible showing on Thursday Night Football, which the NFL needs to get rid of, I really think the Cleveland Browns are going to finish the season 0-16. I, like many other people, thought last night was their best chance to win a game. They were playing a Ravens team that had to gut out a tough win against the Steelers on Sunday. They had some guys injured, as does all teams, and Flacco and the Ravens offense has not be setting the world on fire by any means. The Browns usually stay in games too. They never really get blown out, but they can never seem to come through in the end.

Last night though, they looked abysmal. The Browns looked like the team that had a gritty, tough game 3 days before. They looked sluggish. They looked slow. They looked unprepared. They looked as bad as they have looked all season last night. They made Flacco look like a premiere NFL quarterback. The Ravens offense suddenly "got going". I don't put much stock into this offensive performance by the Ravens because the Browns make all teams look like they have elite offenses.

I totally put this loss on the terribleness that is the Cleveland Browns. They just can't do anything that resembles something good on a football field. They cannot run the ball at all. The line gets no push and they open no holes. The running backs are either running for their lives as soon as they get the ball from the QB, or they cannot break away from tacklers. They are bad. When your best receiver is Terrelle Pryor, that should alarm Browns fans. Pryor is a very good football player, but he is, by no means, a number 1 or 2 option at receiver on any other NFL team. He is more of a trick play or third option on a decent NFL team. But, other than Pryor, I cannot name one other receiver on their roster. Their tight end, Barnidge, used to be very good, at least a good fantasy option, but he has been non existent this season. The QB's aren't throwing to him, and that is a problem.

Then, we have the QB situation. I mean, how much worse can it get for this team? They have played so many QB's this year, and the problem with all these QB's, none are NFL starting caliber QB's. Last night they turned to Cody Kessler, and he wasn't even that good at USC. I mean, he was good enough to be a starter at a major power 5 university, but he should be a third string QB, at best, in the NFL. They have also started guys like Kevin Hogan, a rookie who benefited from David Shaw and Christian McCaffrey at Stanford last year, Josh McCown, who has been so mediocre in the NFL, I don't understand why he still gets chance after chance, RG3, who was great as a rookie in Washington, but he has become a shell of himself and he never learned how to properly slide, choosing to take multiple hits, and now can't stay healthy. Besides those three guys, the other names include, Charlie Whitehurst, Connor Shaw, Pat Devlin and Austin Davis. That is a TERRIBLE list of players. No team could win with guys like that starting at QB.

On the other side of the ball, the Browns defense just can't stop anyone. They're a myriad of reasons, but I think it is mostly due to spending way too much time on the field. The offense does little to nothing for them and then the defense is thrown back out there, usually in poor field position. Even with the addition of Jamie Collins, it won't matter. One good linebacker will not shore up all the problems this team has on defense. Like I already stated, they made Flacco look like a pro bowl QB last night, and he stinks.

Also, we cannot mention the Browns without talking about Johnny Manziel. He was a problem from the start. He never did the things he promised he would do, and they eventually cut him, which they needed to do, before the season started, but he had already done his damage. Manziel was also a HORRIBLE influence on their best offensive player, Josh Gordon, who went to rehab, now is out, and doesn't want to play for the Browns anymore.

This team is a mess. I think that Hue Jackson is going to be a good coach, he did a decent enough job at Oakland as the head guy, and he was a good coordinator for the Bengals, but he was put in a no win situation this year, especially when RG3 went down in the first half of the first game. This first season is a mulligan for him.

When I look at the rest of their schedule, I honestly do not see a win coming. They have 4 home game left, but they are against the Steelers, a loss, Giants, most likely a loss, Chargers, probably a loss and the Bengals, a loss. They also have to travel to Buffalo, probably a loss and at the Steelers, another loss. I just do not see a win coming from their final 6 games. Their best chance, in my opinion, is the Giants because Eli Manning is always capable of throwing a lot of picks, but the Giants defense will win that game for them. Others may say the Browns could beat the Chargers, but I think the Chargers could score 50 if they wanted. There is no way they beat the Bengals or Steelers because those teams are fighting for playoff spots, as are the Bills. This has been a rough year for the Browns and Hue Jackson, and I think it will end with an 0-16 record.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. At one point, Ty was sick of all the Browns talk. He now thinks we need to acknowledge their historic terribleness. 

The Stink of the Packers is Coming from Aaron Rodgers

This picture seems to come up whenever we talk about the Packers at midseason

Waking up this morning I read a story on Bleacher Report that had Aaron Rodgers saying that he was upset with the Packers sense of urgency, and the way that some of the players conducted themselves after they lost their second straight game, to the Colts, and now stand at 4-4.

Look, I agree that most of that team, my team, has no urgency and they do not seem to care about the outcome of the game. But, with that being said, I think it all falls on their leader, quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The fact that he is blaming everyone except himself is laughable. I watched the majority of that game yesterday, and he looked as aloof and uncaring as anyone on the team. He had no sense of urgency. When they got down 14-3 quick in the first quarter, he approached each play as if the score was tied, or the Packers were winning. He looked very ho hum and kind of disinterested yesterday.

That game wasn't just an outlier, Rodgers has looked that way the entire season so far. He has been the main guy with no sense of urgency. Earlier this year, while playing the Bears, the Packers defense kept doing what they needed to do, getting stops, but the offense, led by Rodgers, would go out there, run 3 stupid plays, and punt the ball. They were even down in the third quarter of that game before the Packers realized that they are much better than the Bears, and they eventually pulled away. But yesterday, earlier this year against the Cowboys and Vikings as well, the Packers have looked mediocre at best. I say again, that goes on the leader of the team, Aaron Rodgers.

I'm a huge Aaron Rodgers fan, but he has looked pretty, for his standards, average this year. People will say the line is the problem, or the receivers aren't getting separation, or they have no running game with Eddie Lacy out. Whatever. All those things have been true for three years now, but this is the worst the Packers have looked in that three year stretch. I don't know if it is Mike McCarthy's play calling, he needs to be fired, if the receivers are really this average, or if Rodgers has just thrown in the towel on this season so he can do more TV appearances and commercials. I'm embarrassed to call myself a Packers fan right now, and it is mainly because of the play from Rodgers. He has been holding onto the ball much too long. The line has been giving him time, but he has taken far too many sacks, or just thrown the ball away too much.

You watch ESPN, and they will chastise the line, not Rodgers. Then, others will say the receivers aren't getting open, which is true to an extent, but that was never a real problem until late last season, and all of this season. Rodgers used to be able to fit the ball into the smallest of windows, but his ball doesn't have the same zip that it used to have. I also do not think he trusts the receivers like he used to. The guys are good, Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, Davante Adams and Richard Rodgers are all decent, but for some reason, Rodgers is afraid to throw to them in tight windows. He looks like he'd rather take a sack or throw the ball away then take the chances he took 2 and 3 years ago.

Then there is the running game. Look, I know it is rough. Ty Montgomery has become their lead back, and he is a slot receiver, but that cannot be why they are so bad this year. Montgomery has actually looked pretty good running the ball out of the backfield. Eddie Lacy wasn't setting the world on fire, but he was capable of making the run game a threat. I feel like Montgomery is doing the same thing right now.

Rodgers won't go on a post game interview and praise the fact that a slot receiver has really stepped up in the run game for the team and is doing well, he just wants to talk bad about everyone but himself. This is the first time that I can say that I have seen Rodgers be selfish. He has always seemed like a team guy, but this interview made me very angry. I get that they are struggling right now, I watch them every Sunday, so I know, but to throw your whole team under the bus, that is cowardly. These superstar players never do this publicly either, well, at least not the real superstar players. You never see Tom Brady publicly blaming his teammates. Michael Jordan handled his business behind closed doors famously. Mike Trout hasn't come out and complained once about being on a terrible Angels team. And I do not know many hockey players, but I have never heard any stories about guys like Wayne Gretzky or Mark Messier calling out their teammates publicly. Rodgers should have handled it like those guys, namely Michael Jordan. To air stuff out for the mass media, in public, is a shameful and a me first take on your team.

I am upset, obviously. The Packers are tanking and their best player is blaming everyone but himself, even though he probably has the most problems on this team right now. This Packers season has not gone to plan, and to hear Rodgers say this stuff this morning has made it even worse. Hopefully they can turn it around, but I do not see that happening, not after these remarks from their "leader".

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. Not long ago he thought the Packers could turn it around. Read what he had to say. Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

The NFL is Terrible and It's Roger Goodell's Fault

Goodell's progress report

It has been a very tough year for the NFL. Ratings are down, the public perception on how the league treats domestic violence is in the toilet, the games stink, America's most popular sport does not have much going for it. While the NBA and MLB are going through a ratings renaissance, the NFL is starting to fall behind. The once unstoppable marketing and ratings machine of the NFL is starting to fall, and it is Commissioner Roger Goodell's fault.

Here at SeedSing we have written many times about how terrible of a job Roger Goodell does as the NFL commissioner. Nearly every single one of those posts concerns the stupid deflategate controversy that the commissioner would not give up on. Every time the league was dealt another loss on deflategate, Goodell acted like a sad spoiled child who was told that he could not take the Ferrari out for the night. Every press conference, or interview, was a lesson in how not to do public relations. Tom Brady and the New England Patriots have a whole bunch of haters, yet Goodell turned many of those haters into fans because of how idiotic the commissioner looked during the dumbest sports controversy ever. The terrible way the deflategate scandal was handled by the commissioner was comical in its terribleness.

Deflategate may have been stupid, but the way Roger Goodell has handled players accused of domestic violence is down right evil. When Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice was confirmed to be a domestic abuser, Goodell suspended him for two games. Two whole games for Rice who admitted to hitting a woman so hard she was knocked unconscious. Once TMZ released the elevator video, and people actually saw the much larger Rice hit his fiance, the public lost their mind. We, along with Roger Goodell, already knew that Rice had knocked a woman out with his punch, but seeing it really ignited the public's passion. Days after the tape was released, Goodell increased the suspension and instituted new tough penalties for domestic abuse. Once he was properly embarrassed for his lack of action, Goodell tried to regain some humanity by trying a new tactic. He failed this test, and unfortunately for the commissioner, many more tests were coming.

The most recent domestic abuse case to test the Goodell policy concerned New York Giants Pro Bowl Kicker Josh Brown. Brown was accused of abusing his wife on numerous occasions, many while she was pregnant. Goodell decided to give Brown a one game suspension because his ex wife, the one being abused, many times while pregnant, would not cooperate with the NFL investigation. After weeks of the NFL defending Goodell's horrible inaction, it comes out that yes Josh Brown is a domestic abuser, and the commissioner does not treat violence against women as a serious issue. The NFL once again failed a big test, and they failed because of Roger Goodell.

It is easy to blame Roger Goodell because he wanted all of this power to punish the players. Since he became commissioner, Goodell has continual sought more power over player discipline. There is no committee to dole out punishment, only the commissioner. Once granted this awesome power, Roger Goodell has used his pulpit to rail against the crime of under inflated footballs more than the crime of domestic violence. He has been more interested in banning players who smoke pot, than those players who abuse children. Goodell wanted this power, and he should therefore be the sole person responsible for the consequences.

It is not just domestic violence that Roger Goodell does not care about, it is also the players themselves. Once the Goodell era began, the NFL has been trying to expand their weekly influence beyond Sunday and Monday. Thursday Night Football was introduced, and has been the first culprit in watering down the NFL on the field product. Goodell does not care about what players think of the stupidity that is Thursday Night Football. The games on Thursday stink, and directly lead to the Sunday games stinking. While NBA Commissioner David Silver is listening to his players, Roger Goodell ignores his. The NBA product is getting better, while the NFL product is becoming garbage. The correlation is pretty easy to see.

The players are not the only ones that Roger Goodell dislikes, the fans are also a big thorn in the commissioner's side. Goodell has been the most aggressive sports commissioner in forcing cities to pay for stadiums so the billionaire owners of the teams do not risk their own money. Yes, the job of a commissioner is to represent the owners, but the way Goodell goes about these scams would make a super villain jealous. Look no further than what happened with the St. Louis Rams to see how much Roger Goodell looks down on the fans who pay to see his league. The whole fiasco in San Diego is another Roger Goodell screw the fans special. In the commissioner's world, his job would be a lot easier if the fans just did not exist. That does not seem like a very sustainable business model. 

Just last weekend, Roger Goodell was in London, England for another disposable NFL game being played across the Atlantic. When asked by a reporter about the Josh Brown case, Goodell stood by the his decision to suspend the domestic abuser only one game. In order to cover his heartlessness, Goodell actually said the fans do not understand how the league deals with domestic violence. What Goodell is missing is that the fans know exactly how the commissioner treats domestic abusers. He lets them off easy while players who underinflate footballs, or dance in the endzone, or smoke pot, get the full punishment allowed by the commissioner. The fans are a lot more intelligent than Roger Goodell gives them credit for.

Whenever an issue has come up, Goodell has made the wrong choice. He ignored, and try to hide, any meaningful research being down on player concussions. He has threatened the players health, and overall competition, by insisting on the terrible Thursday Night Games.  He approves of weird rules that fans, and many of the television commentators can not even understand. Explain to a first time football watcher what a catch is. He gleefully goes after certain players, but if Peyton Manning is accused of something, the commissioner quietly pushes it out of the way. He insults fans, and blames the hardworking people who buy tickets to his bad game for the problems. If Roger Goodell is as smart as ESPN and Fox Sports tells us he  is, then maybe the commissioner really does hate the NFL and wants to see it destroyed.

By marginalizing his players, and insulting the fans, Roger Goodell is making people turn off the NFL. The commissioner's job is to make money for the owners, and after many years of incompetence, the money is starting to leave the NFL. Cities are starting to call the league on the terrible practice of demanding public money for privately owned stadiums. Youth football participation is falling off. Ratings are plummeting. Roger Goodell inherited a rapidly growing league, and every action he has made has directly affected the positive growth of the NFL.

The NFL still pulls in better ratings than the MLB or the NBA, but the gap is narrowing. The sports talk world will still go out of their way to defend Goodell and claim that on his watch the NFL has exploded. These sports talk hosts are giving up their journalistic integrity to defend an incompetent Roger Goodell because they are afraid of upsetting the NFL. Anything good for the league has been solely due a generation of great players, and coaches who have innovated. Goodell treats the best player in NFL history as a problem, and protects a kicker who abused a pregnant woman. There is no misunderstanding to see Goodell is wrong, once again, on the issues affecting the league.  

The fans have noticed that Roger Goodell's NFL is not very good. One bad decision after another has taken a great sport, and put it in the toilet. The fans are not to blame for misunderstanding Roger Goodell's bad management. Roger Goodell is to blame for making the NFL terrible.

RD

RD Kulik is the Head Editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. What do you think of the current state of the NFL? Tell us all about it. 

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty's 2016 Midseason NFL Redo

As we approach week 8 of the NFL season, I need to do my annual mid season revision. I did a 3 day preseason NFL preview, and like last year, I have some stuff that I got right and some stuff that I got wrong. Today, I want to pat myself on the back a little bit, but also eat some crow, especially with my Super Bowl and MVP pick.

Before I get started, I know that RD is putting up a big piece about this soon, but the NFL has been absolutely atrocious this season. I'll let RD do the majority of expounding on that, but I have eyeballs, and what they have seen has been terrible. The game is watered down and the teams are not that good. This first half of the season has been abysmal. Thank goodness for college football, which I will touch on tomorrow, at least that has been fun this year. Anyway, let's get to my mid season NFL review.

So, as you all know by now, I had the Panthers as the Super Bowl winners. I thought that they would come out and slay pretty much everyone in front of them. I thought that they would be pissed at how they performed in last year's Super Bowl, and want to make up for that. I thought Cam Newton would trash any defense that came his way. Well, I couldn't have been more wrong. The Panthers have been terrible this season. They are 1-5 as we speak. Their defense is dreadful. They cannot get off the field, and teams are putting up 30 plus points on them with ease. I did not think that they'd miss Josh Norman as much as they do. Luke Kuechly has been very, very average this year. Their D line is getting little to no pressure. They stink. The offense isn't much better. Cam Newton looks miserable out there. He is not playing with the joy that turned me into a fan. He is getting head hunted, and the NFL is doing nothing about it. But, he also seems more concerned with what kind of celebration he is going to do when he scores instead of just getting in the end zone. They have no running game. Their passing game, which added Kelvin Benjamin, has been pretty porous. The Panthers have been the biggest, by far, disappointment in the NFL this year.

Outside of the Panthers, the NFC is not really great. The Vikings are probably the best team in the NFC, but they just got absolutely shut down by the Eagles last week. They have an other worldly defense, but their offense is very bad. The Cowboys, very surprisingly, have been right near the top of the NFC this year. Ezekial Elliot is currently leading the NFL in rushing. The receivers, minus Dez Bryant, have been very good. Dak Prescott has been exceptional. He is doing the best job of managing the game. He makes no mistakes, hardly ever, and dinks and dunks all the way down the field. I'm not a Cowboys fan, but I hope that when Tony Romo and Dez Bryant come back totally healthy, they stay on the bench because you should not rock the boat. This team is 5-1 for a reason. Who knows what Jerry Jones will do, but he needs to keep Prescott in there, as long as this team keeps winning.

As far as some other NFC teams, the Cardinals have been very disappointing. Carson Palmer looks like a shell of himself. Larry Fitzgerald is still good, but getting older. Michael Floyd drops more than he catches. David Johnson and their defense has been their saving grace, but they are 3-3-1. The Seahawks are probably the most underwhelming 4-1-1 team in the NFL. Their offense is mediocre, but their defense, who gets away with penalty after penalty, week after week, is still good. They are dirty, but still elite. The Packers are mediocre. Their defense is average and their offense has been mind numbingly frustrating to watch. The Lions, Saints, Eagles, Buccaneers and Falcons are at, or near .500, but they will make no difference in the long run.

As much as I hate to write this, I think the Cowboys, if they stick with Prescott and the running game, will become the team to beat in the NFC. They could very well make the Super Bowl this year, that is how bad this season has been.

The AFC, while not much better, does have the very best team in the NFL. The Patriots are leaps and bounds above all 31 other teams, and they are filled with holes. Their defense is very mediocre. they do give up some big plays a bit too often. After his ridiculous 4 game suspension, Tom Brady has looked like a man possessed. He is the front runner for the MVP right now, after only 3 games. He has lit up the 3 teams he's faced. He is on pace, in 12 games, to surpass 4,000 passing yards. That's crazy. Gronk is fully healthy, and he is just as unstoppable as ever. Martellus Bennett is a great addition, and takes pressure off Gronk. The slot receivers that fill the rest of this offense are perfect for the Patriots system. LeGarette Blount has been a great runner for them this year too. He's on pace for 1,300 plus rushing yards and 15 plus touchdowns. They also have James White, great out of the back field and Dion Lewis will be back soon. The Patriots, even with their holes, are the cream of the crop in the NFL. Eat it Roger Goodell.

 As for the teams not playing at Gillette, the Broncos have a great defense, but their offense is very much below average. They can't sustain drives, and unless their defense gives the offense primo field position, they usually punt. That should rule out a return trip to the Super Bowl. The Steelers, who I was very high on before the season, are minus their QB for another 3-5 weeks. Try as he might, LeVeon Bell can only do so much. Without Roesthilberger, this team will not go very far. But, 9-7 could win that division, so who knows. The Raiders, another team I was very high on, have been great offensively so far, but terrible defensively. The still hold a 5-2 record, and I'd love to see them in the playoffs, but I worry that their defense will make it unlikely. The Chiefs, who I was not so high on, have been pretty good so far. Sure, they got thumped by the Steelers a few weeks ago, but other than that, they have played pretty well. The Bills are well on their way to another 8-8 or 9-7 season. The entire AFC South stinks. The Texans are the worst division leader in all of football. The Colts and Jaguars are bottom feeders and the Titans are so bad on offense, that will hold them back. The Harambes, AKA Bengals, have been very mediocre, and I'm sure RD will agree. The Chargers are bad, but actually kind of fun to watch either blow games late or win games late. The Dolphins and Ravens are destined to be .500, and the Browns may not win a game all year long. The Patriots are, not only the best team in the AFC, but the best team in football. They are 100 percent going to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl this season, barring any major injury.

That means I have the Cowboys playing the Patriots in Super Bowl 51. Yikes. The Patriots should win it going away, if this turns out to be the matchup. I have the Patriots as my new Super Bowl champs. I also have Tom Brady as the MVP. David Johnson might be more deserving, or Julio Jones may put up unprecedented numbers, or Ezekial Elliot may rush for 1,800 yards, but what Brady has done over 3 games, and will continue to do, just to twist the knife in Goodell, will win him the MVP. He is the greatest QB ever, and this season will prove that even further. As far as rookie of the year, I was way, way off on LaQuon Treadwell. This is clearly Elliot's to lose. He has been as good as advertised, and as much as I may dislike his demeanor and the way he carries himself, he has been great this year. I still have Jack Del Rio as my coach of the year. He has the Raiders at 5-2, as I already stated, and they are relevant again. But, I would not count out Bill Belichek. He won 3 of 4 without Brady, and now, they want to crush everyone in their path, as they should. And defensive player of the year should, and probably will be Von Miller. He is incredible and playing incredible. He should own this award for many years to come.

So, that does it for my mid season review. I got some stuff right, but way more wrong. I'm pissed about my love for the Panthers, but happy about my feelings for the Raiders. The NFL is in a rough place, but I still watch and will continue to watch. Come back tomorrow and I will have my mid season college football review. That will be much more fun to write.  

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He may think the Cowboys ccan make the Super Bowl, but in his heart he knows Jerry Jones will ruin the teams chances. Romo is Jones's guy after all. Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Are you Ready for some Fantasy Football?

Like all good fantasy games, one just needs a good roll of the dice.

Last night I attended my first of two, or possibly three, fantasy football drafts, and I'm here today to tell you the good and the bad of playing fantasy football.

I love fantasy football. It is so much fun. There is so much more good than bad while playing fantasy football. I love the drafting process. I think it is great to try and figure out who you are going to take, not in the first round, that is easy, but in the later rounds, when the pool of good fantasy players really thins out. I had a good time last night trying to figure out what third or fourth receiver, or second string running back I wanted to be on my bench in the 13th round. I really like the fact that I get to act like a GM basically. Now, I fully understand that a real GM's job is incredibly hard, and it has to be one of the most taxing things ever, but being a fantasy GM is wonderful. You get to pick the best players in football to be on your fantasy team. There is no wondering, "whose going to be my third stringer, that I will have to pay 6 figures", you get, at the very worst, back up tight ends that sit on your bench all season. It is so easy.

For example, I had the 8th overall pick last night, I took Cam Newton in the first round, but in the second round, I wanted a running back, and I had to choose between guys like Thomas Rawls, Latavius Murray, Eddie Lacy, Jamaal Charles and Matt Forte. They are all starters that will see the field a ton, so I picked Rawls. He played at Michigan for three years, and he was a beast last season, replacing Marshawn Lynch, so I pulled the trigger. It may have been a bit early, but who cares, it's fantasy football.

That's why being a fantasy GM is so much better than being a real GM. I also never have to worry about losing my job as a fantasy GM. I can take big risks, like taking QB in the first round, or drafting an unproven running back in the second round because I think he will have a good year, and I don't have to worry about an owner firing me. You know why? I'll tell you. I'm not only the GM of my fantasy team, I'm the owner too. I like this as well. Every decision is wholly mine, and mine alone. I don't have 6, 7 or 8 people telling me different things, I just have my own thought on my own picks. It's the best of both worlds. I make the decisions, and I have to live with them. For people who complain about their fantasy players, the next time you start to whine, remember, you picked these players because you are the owner and GM. You made the choice. I don't want to hear whining, unless a player gets injured.

Another thing I truly love about fantasy football, anyone can play. Fantasy football is literally a toss up. People will say that there is strategy, they are wrong. There is no strategy. This is all blind luck. Fantasy football is pretty much the same thing as picking teams in "March Madness". My wife, four or five years ago, used to laugh at me for playing this game, she called it. Now, she is the commissioner of our league. She is fully invested. She never liked football, barely watched it before she met me, but now, she is fully into fantasy football. She sits and watches Red Zone Network with me whenever one of her players has a chance to put up points for her team.

It's not just her that got heavily involved either. She has recruited friends of hers to play in our league. These friends have no interest in football, but due to my wife's blind love for the game, she has convinced them to join. She always tells them that it is fun, you need no strategy, you don't even have to draft your team, auto draft can do that and that it is oddly, but also very good, friendly competition. They have all played in our league for the last 5 years. Fantasy football is like a community of football and non football fans. That may be the best thing about it. I love fantasy football.

There is some bad as well. It can be frustrating waiting around for a live draft to end. Last night was the only live draft I do, and it took over 2 hours. I was told that was the fastest draft they have ever had. Going into minute 85 or 90, I was done, and I wanted to go home. I still have three picks to make, but it was all the waiting. The live draft is a bummer because there is no time limit in between picks. I much prefer online drafts because you can set up a time limit, ranging from 15 seconds to 1 minute. It goes so much faster. Last night, we would wait anywhere from 5 minutes to 15 minutes between each pick. It was very frustrating. Some people didn't even know when it was their turn, this also made me angry. There is also the worry of injury to a high draft pick. Anything can happen on the football field, and losing a high pick, someone you count on for a lot of points, they can go down in week one, and your team could be toast. I'm nervous that Cam Newton could get injured because I drafted him so high. Same with Thomas Rawls. But, that's life in fantasy football.

The last thing that angers me, or makes me upset, I find myself having to root for players on teams I despise. I loathe the Seahawks, but I want Thomas Rawls to succeed. That is a weird feeling. I will also find myself actively rooting against players I like on teams I like because I have players on other teams going against them. The week that I have Newton going head to head with Aaron Rodgers, the QB of my favorite team, I will root for a Green Bay win, but for it to be because of their running game or their defense, not because Rodgers had a big game. That is another curse of fantasy football. But, as I said earlier, the good outweighs the bad.

I love fantasy football, and I will continue to play it until they no longer provide the service. It is a lot of fun, and I highly recommend that everyone try it at least once in their life. My mom even tried it once, and she had a good time doing it, so anyone can have fun. Go out and be a GM and owner and enjoy a season of fantasy football. I bet you will grow to love it.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. His fantasy team Bush did Harmabe is going to get their legs swept by the Cobra Kai. Ty has a twitter, go follow him @tykulik.

We Should not let Colin Kaepernick's Football Irrelevance Take Away from the Importance of his Protest

This means different things to different people, and that is ok.

I have had about a week now to process this whole Colin Kaepernick situation, and I think I'm finally ready to give my take.

First off, I have absolutely no problem with his choice to not stand for the national anthem. Why do we have to stand for the anthem anyway? It's been put into our heads since we were kids, but when I am at a sporting event, I cannot wait for the anthem to be over so I can sit down and enjoy myself.

Secondly, his reasoning, I totally agree with. There are a lot of problems in this country right now. There are racist police officers and people that are getting away with murdering minorities, and that is a very big problem. Our country is becoming a scary place for minorities, and when one person cannot take a stance without getting raked over the coals, that's frightening. Kaepernick is no Malcolm X or Muhammed Ali, not even close, but he is allowed to take a stance and protest. For all the crazy right wingers, this country was built on free speech, which Kaepernick is doing, so don't call him out for being un American, he is doing one of the most American things anyone can do. I fully stand by, and respect Kaepernick's choice to not stand for the anthem, just like I did with Mahmoud Abdul Rauf's choice to not stand for the anthem back in the 90's in the NBA, after converting to the Muslim faith. These athletes are people, just like you and me, and they have a right to their opinions. You don't have to like, or agree with them, but they can have an opinion. So, yeah, I fully stand by Kaepernick's reasoning for doing this protest. More power to you Mr. Kaepernick.

I do have some problems with the person, not the protest. First off, for people to compare what Kaepernick is doing to the Ali protests of the Vietnam War, or everything that Malcom X and Martin Luther King Jr did for civil rights, stop it. Colin Kaepernick is not a leader, or an athlete of great stature, so these comparisons need to stop right there. He is not Ali, Malcolm X, MLK or even Jesse Jackson or Jim Brown. He is not nearly, nor will he ever be, as important and influential as those guys were and are. When I want to hear about civil injustices from athletes, I will pick old Ali quotes, or just listen to what Jim Brown has to say. They are so much more influential and important than Colin Kaepernick.

I feel like Kaepernick's actions, I don't mean to sound crass, is a bit of a stunt to keep his name in the mouths of sports analysts and journalists. I personally have not even thought about Colin Kaepernick the football player, in two or three years. The 49ers and Kaepernick have become irrelevant. Colin Kaepernick has not been the same QB since Jim Harbaugh put all his eggs in his basket and traded away Alex Smith and built his offense around the young moblie QB's talent. Sure, he led them to a Super Bowl, which they lost, but since then, the 49ers have been terrible.

First off, they fired Harbaugh after he and the owner just couldn't get along. Then, they gave Kaepernick a huge extension and decided to completely build around him. Then, the 49ers started to lose players left and right to free agency, trades or retirement. Last season watching the 49ers was horrendous. They looked so bad on offense, I would leave the room when the Red Zone Network would switch over to 49ers games. They just couldn't move the ball. Kaepernick's biggest threat, his legs, became neutralized. Teams figured him out. He just couldn't make the necessary throws to compete at an NFL level. It got so bad for him, the 49ers benched him for Blaine Gabbert. That's right, the same Blaine Gabbert that couldn't cut it in Jacksonville, supplanted Kaepernick as the starter. The 49ers still stunk, but Kaepernick did not see the field again after this benching.

Going into this season, it was widely known that the 49ers hadn't picked a QB yet. In fact, they were shopping Kaepernick, until they hired the incredibly overrated Chip Kelly as coach. Some, not me, seem to think that Chip Kelly can get something out of Kaepernick. I disagree. During the preseason Kaepernick has not performed well. He sat the first two preseason games, then all anyone talked about was him sitting during the anthem in the third preseason game because his on field performance was atrocious. Again, he couldn't make the reads or the throws necessary to succeed in the NFL. But, he did keep his name in the news for sitting during the anthem.

This is my biggest problem. Yeah, the GM's that are coming out and saying mean things about him, where have all you assholes been when people bring up all the assault and abuse from current players. I didn't hear any "anonymous" GM's taking Adrian Peterson or Greg Hardy to task for what they did, which is about ten thousand times worse than what Kaepernick is doing, but he is not as good a player as those two are, so these "anonymous" GM's keep their mouths shut on them. But, they bring the hammer down on Kaepernick. What a joke. But, all these reasons above are why I think this may be a publicity stunt just to keep his, meaning Kaepernick's, name in the sports news. He is not a good QB anymore. He is a shell of himself. He doesn't play with the reckless abandon and love that he did a few years back when he was running all over Green Bay in the playoffs. He has become a mediocre QB, fighting for the starting job on a mediocre team. The 49ers are very bad, and Kaepernick cannot keep that starting job on lock.

Like I said at the top, I wholeheartedly stand by the message he's trying to get across, I just don't think they have the right messanger. I wish someone like Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady or Cam Newton were the ones doing the protest. I think that QB's like those guys should join in with Kaepernick's protest, there is still time, because they would be able to shed some real light on the problems going on in the US right now. And, I wonder how "anonymous" GM's would react if Brady, Rodgers or Newton joined in. Would they curse those guys out? Would they say that they are locker room cancer? Would they say that they wouldn't want them on their teams? No, no and no. Those GM's would not say one word. So, yes Colin Kaepernick, I wholeheartedly support you and your protest, but I wish you were more of a relevant player, because that would make this protest that much more important. People would have to look at this problem much more seriously if you were a better, more important player. The talking heads at ESPN and at SI wouldn't be able to just push it aside and say that this doesn't matter because Kaepernick is irrelevant. If it were any of the other three QB's I mentioned, this protest would have some real momentum.

Anyway, you be you Colin Kaepernick, and stand up for what you believe in. I cannot say it enough, I fully support him, but he is irrelevant. This is the true definition of a double edged sword. No one wins because of the irrelevancy of the player bringing the message.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. Follow Ty on twitter @tykulik.

Give it Up Tim Tebow

Tebow is not getting to first base anytime soon

Why won't Tim Tebow just give up, and give in to the fact that he is destined to be a commentator on ESPN for the rest of his life? He is very good at doing that, or hosting shows that have to do with pumping people up. Basically, he is a good looking young man, that had his shot at the NFL, couldn't cut, but has found something that he really thrives at doing. He is really, really good on TV, much to my surprise.

With the news that he is going to be holding a workout for 20 MLB teams this week, he still hasn't given up on his pro sports dream. There are many, many problems with his new plan to become a pro baseball player. First off, as I have already stated, he is great on TV. He exudes charm and professionalism while doing television spots, or talking college football. I do not like Tim Tebow, the person, at all, but damn, he is good on TV. He should just stick with that. He is really good. Next, he hasn't played competitive baseball since he was in high school. Sure, he was a decent high school player, he hit over .400, and had some power, but, I played with kids at my high school, who had no shot at the pros, that were much, much better baseball players than Tim Tebow. High school baseball is not that tough. you have to be incredibly good, Bryce Harper good, in high school, to be considered a top prospect that can make the majors at a very young age.

This leads me to the next problem with Tebow and playing pro baseball, he is 29. I know that is young in regular life, but in pro sports, that is ancient. Sure, baseball players can play well into their late 30's and early 40's, but the guys that have careers that last that long, they have been playing professionally since they were in their early 20's. Late 20's, early 30's in baseball, that is getting near the twilight of your career. Take Albert Pujols for example. When he broke into the majors, he was considered an older rookie, at 21 years old. Sure, he proceeded to be dominant for the next ten years, but when he left the Cardinals for the Angels, at 31, his career has fallen on harder times. He is not the feared hitter he was when he was younger. He was only 2 years older than Tebow is right now before his career kind of started to break down. Pujols is an all time great, but he is 36, and many people consider him past his prime. Hell, they considered him past his prime when he was 32 or 33, only three years older than Tebow currently is. Why would a team want to take a chance on a guy that may only give them one, two years tops, of good baseball.

Another player to look at, one that may not be as famous, or as respected as Pujols, Ryan Howard. Here's another 36 year old player, that was great for one or two years, in his early 20's, that has fallen off the map. He doesn't have really what it takes to be as feared as he once was. He gave the Phillies three great years, but after getting hurt, and older, he is not the same. His best days were in his mid 20's. He was younger than Tebow when he was mashing the ball, but now, he just doesn't have it.

That is just 2 examples of players that were great when they were younger than Tebow currently is, that have fallen on rough times. You could even look at some other people that have tried the whole crossover from one pro sport to another. Michael Jordan comes to mind first. He is the greatest basketball player of all time, but he could not hack it in double A baseball. He barely hit over .200, and he went back to basketball ASAP. Russell Wilson, who was drafted out of high school to pro baseball, also couldn't hack it in double A, hitting in the low .220's. Deion Sanders was great at football, and he was decent at baseball, gaining the leadoff spot for a pretty good Braves team in the 90's, but he was not nearly as good at baseball as he was football. He was also much younger when he played both sports professionally. The most famous person, that was successful at playing two pro sports at a very high level, was Bo Jackson. Tim Tebow is not even close to being anywhere near Bo Jackson's athleticism, and he never will be.

Basically, this all seems to be a publicity stunt, or he just won't let this dream of being a pro athlete die. He had his chance at pro football, and he couldn't cut it. He couldn't make the reads, the throws or run an offense the way it needs to be run professionally. Sure, he may be better than some teams second and third string QB's currently, but no NFL team is going to give a 29 year old washed out, spread option QB, that can't throw, a contract. It's not happening. And with the MLB, I mean, who is going to sign a guy that is almost 30? You don't sign with a team and then immediately become a pro, unless you are Robin Yount or Ken Griffey Jr, both hall of famers. You have to go through the minors. You have to take your lumps, and if you are lucky, you get called up after two or three years of bouncing around on buses and staying in dingy motels. I don't think Tebow can handle, or even wants to handle, that lifestyle. He is used to the finer things in life now. He had his shot, and he had a very short career in the NFL, but he made it.

I know hundreds of thousands of people that would give an arm to have his NFL career. He needs to let the dream die. No GM in the MLB will sign him. He is too old and too much of a distraction. Major league baseball likes to draft young kids, usually 18, 19 or 20, and let them grow in their minor leagues system, and then bring them in the pros when they are 21 or 22. That's how it goes.

Sorry Tim Tebow, but your pro sports window has passed, and just let the dream die. Pro baseball is not happening for you.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He once held an open workout for professional soccer. The problem was not Ty's age, it was the fact he did not like soccer and therefore was not good. Follow Ty on twitter @tykulik.

The SeedSing 2016 NFL Predictions and Picks

Time to hand out a few game balls

To round out my NFL preview, today I will pick each division winner and who I think will be the two wild cards from each conference. I will also pick the Super Bowl teams and winner. As well as team picks, I will also pick the offensive and defensive players of the year, the offensive and defensive rookies of the year, the coach of the year and the overall MVP. This blog is going to be short and to the point. One sentence as to why I pick each team is all I'm giving myself. If you want to know other reasons I like these teams, you can read my 8 part preview that I finished yesterday.

Let's start with the AFC. The AFC East will be tricky because of Brady's suspension, but I still think the Patriots will win. Brady will come back on fire, and he will, on his own, will this team to the division title. The rest of the teams are either not ready, or not good enough to dethrone the juggernaut that is the Patriots. The AFC West will, most likely, be the toughest division in all of football, with three of the four teams finishing over .500, but I think the Broncos will win it. Their defense is just too good, and they won't give up a lot of points. If the offense averages 20, that would be absolutely huge for them. But, watch out for the Chiefs and the Raiders, they are both coming to dethrone the Broncos. The AFC North will also be a three team race, maybe 2, the Ravens aren't that good, but the Bengals and Steelers will fight it out all season. I see the Steelers winning because they have one of the best offenses in all of football, and their defense is pretty decent. The AFC South is still a joke, but it is getting better. Tennessee still stinks, but the Jaguars are putting together a competitive team. This all comes down to health and performance, and I think the Colts will rebound and win the division, but the Texans will be tough. As far as the wild cards go, I'm going to have to go with the Bengals and the Raiders. The Raiders are going to be good, and the Bengals have become mainstays, even if they cant get out of the first round.

For the NFC, let's start with the lowly NFC East. As I stated many times in my preview, a team with a losing record, like the Cowboys or Giants, could win this division, but I think Washington has the best players and the talent to easily repeat. They will get bounced after one round, but they will make a second straight playoff appearance. The NFC West is a two team race, between the Cardinals and the Seahawks, but the Cardinals are a much, much better team than the Seahawks. If the Cardinals don't win this division with ease, it should be deemed a disappointment. They have the best offense, and their defense is right there with Seattle. Arizona should cruise. With the NFC North, again, we have a two team race between the Packers and the Vikings. I just don't see, especially if they are at full health, how the Packers do not win this division. They have one of the best QB's in all of football, and they have a pretty good defense. Green Bay should win by 2 games. The NFC South is all about the Panthers. They are my best team in the NFL this year, and a lot of other writers agree with me. The Panthers could win their first 10 games and sew up the division with 6 weeks left. They are the cream of the crop. As far as the wild cards from the NFC, I have Minnesota and Seattle, but this may be a last shot for both teams.

I like the Patriots and the Broncos to meet again in the AFC Championship, this time the Patriots will come out on top. And for the NFC Championship, I like the Cardinals and the Panthers, another rematch, with Carolina winning.

That means Super Bowl 51 will be Carolina-New England. As much as I want to pick the Patriots, just so they can shove it in Goodell's stupid smug, arrogant face, I think the Panthers are too good, and they will learn from last season's disappointing loss in the Super Bowl. Carolina is my pick to win Super Bowl 51.

As far as awards go, I like Cam Newton as both, the offensive player of the year and MVP. His time is now, and he will not back down. He has gotten better every year, and I don't see any regression from him. He is awesome. As far as defensive player of the year, I like Luke Kuechly. He is the star defender of one of the better defenses in the NFL. That makes a clean sweep by Panthers in awards and titles. The offensive rookie of the year will probably be some 6th or 7th round pick that a lot of people are overlooking, or if they had the nerve to give it to a lineman, I'd pick Laremy Tunsil, but I think someone like Derrick Henry, who was a second round pick, and will get every opportunity to play for Tennessee or, more likely, Corey Coleman at Cleveland or Laquon Treadwell in Minnesota. Let's go with Treadwell since Minnesota is so much better than Cleveland. For defensive rookie of the year, it will be tough because there are a lot of good, young defenders, but I think I will go with Jalen Ramsey. He may get beat deep sometimes, but he will be a good corner from day one in the NFL. My coach of the year has got to be Jack Del Rio. I love what he has turned the Raiders into, and he will deservedly win this award this year if the Raiders live up to the hype I have put on them.

So that does it for my 2016 NFL preview. Let me know why I'm right or wrong, and football will be here before we know it, thank goodness. Come back tomorrow when I finish off my football previews with my college football preview.

Ty

Editor's Thoughts - I have no major differences with Ty on the playoff teams. I think Kansas City could be better than the Raiders and I do not believe in Seattle. It pains me to say that Tampa Bay could sneak into the playoff picture. Also, the Cincinnati should be called Harambes will win the AFC North. The Cincinnati squad will (FINALLY) win not one, but two playoff games to face Arizona in the Super Bowl. The Queen city will be overjoyed.

The Cardinals will destroy the Bengals by 30-40 points.

RD

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. RD Kulik is the Head Editor and frequent contributor to the X Millennial Man Podcast. Follow Ty on twitter @tykulik and make RD happy by supporting SeedSing with straight cash.

Ty Ranks the 2016 NFL Teams: Perfectly Cooked Porterhouse Edition

Now, for the final four. I legitimately believe, nor would I be surprised, if any one of these teams won the Super Bowl. Hell, two of the final four may end up playing each other. These teams are the best of the best. They have the best players, the best offenses, the best defenses, they have it all. These the elite.

At number 4, I have the defending Super Bowl champs, the Denver Broncos. The Broncos defense is so incredibly good, but since I've started with offense the whole preview, I'm not going to change now. Sure, Peyton Manning retired, and sure, he is a first ballot hall of famer, but he was the not the reason the Broncos won the Super Bowl. He played very, very poorly last year. They won in spite of him. Now that he is gone, they do have a question at QB. They traded for Mark Sanchez, why would anyone do that, and they have Trevor Simien on the roster, but he wasn't even good enough to be the primary QB at Northwestern, but they did draft a QB, Paxton Lynch. I wasn't high on any of the QB's in this draft, but Lynch is one of the taller ones, he has an okay arm, and he can run. But, the Broncos don't need an all world QB, they just need a game manager. I'm sure Sanchez will start the season as QB 1, but I bet by week 4 or 5, Lynch will be in there. The Broncos running game was supposed to be good last year, but it was non existent. CJ Anderson and Ronnie Tillman were supposed to be a great 1-2 punch, but neither of them did much of anything. They were mediocre last year, but I expect some kind of bounce back. The Broncos do have great receivers. Emmanuel Sanders and Demaryius Thomas are both great, even though Thomas drops a lot of balls, but they don't have a good QB throwing to them. They will get open, but will the QB, whoever it is, get the ball to them. The o line is just fine at pass blocking, but their run blocking needs to get better. Now, where the Broncos shine is defense. They are one of the best defenses in the history of football. They absolutely stifled the Patriots and Panthers on their way to the title last year. Von Miller is probably the best linebacker in football. He is a great pass rusher, run stopper and can cover. He is the total package. They lost Danny Treveathan, but that won't hurt them that much. When Aqib Talib isn't getting into mysterious bar fights, he is a great shut down corner. He plays dirty, but he has found a way to get away with it. Bradley Roby is a ball hawk. If he has a chance at a pick or a fumble recovery, he will get there. He is always in the right place at the right time. DeMarcus Ware is a beast off the edge. He is unblockable, and the best thing for him was getting out of Dallas and going to Denver. And TJ Ward and Chris Harris are exceptional defensive backs. The Broncos defense is loaded, and they will once again carry the to a division title and a deep playoff run. I think they finish 12-4.

At number 3, I have the New England Patriots. I know that Tom Brady is suspended for 4 games, but they won when he got hurt and Matt Cassell was the QB. Jimmy Garrappolo is better than Matt Cassel. He will keep them afloat until Brady gets back, and when he does get back, Brady will be on a mission. Goodell poked the bear, and the rest of the NFL is going to suffer for it. The Patriots don't have much of a running game, which is their Achilles heel. Dion Lewis and Legarrette Blount are fine, but they are not even middle of the field in the NFL. But, the Patriots have receivers all over the field, and they have the best weapon in all of the NFL in Gronk. Yeah, Julian Edelman, Danny Amendola and Chris Hogan are fine. But, Gronk is the man. He catches everything, he is unguardable, he is the best red zone threat in all of the football and he is the biggest and fastest player to ever play his position. They also got Martellus Bennett to pair with him as well. That will be deadly. The Patriots o line needs work, but the speed that Brady gets the ball out of his hand, that neutralizes any deficiencies I think they have. The Patriots defense is serviceable. The can get stops when they need to and they can get pressure. I know Rob Ninkovich just got hurt, but he will be back by October. They did sign Chris Long this offseason. That was a huge, yet very quiet singing. Chris Long is awesome. They still have Malcolm Butler, and he is a very good corner. Jamie Collins and Dont'a Hightower are still roaming the linebacker duties, and they are both good. The Patriots, as they have been the entire 21st century are good. They may not miss Brady all that much for the first four games, and when he comes back, look out, he will be on a mission to destroy. I say they split the first four games, then win 11 of the next 12 and finish at 13-3.

At number 2, I have the Arizona Cardinals. This is the Cardinals last chance with this team to make a deep run, but they have the talent to do just that on both sides of the ball. Carson Palmer is a very good regular season QB. He puts up big numbers and plays very well, during the regular season. He is a perennial pro bowler and even pops up in the MVP conversation from time to time. But, in the post season, he is a different QB. He looks flustered and makes way too many mistakes. they got whipped in the NFC Championship, and I believe he had 6 turnovers in that game himself. Maybe this is the year he rights the ship. David Johnson proved to be a very good running back last year. He is like a bowling ball. He runs low to the ground, carries tacklers and gains the tough yards. They also have a resurgent Chris Johnson. He looked like his old self at times last year, and that should scare their opponents. The run game in Arizona is solid. Then, they have one of the greatest receivers of all time in Larry Fitzgerald. This guy has done everything and then some for this team. He is the consummate teammate and pro. There is not one bad thing I will say about Larry Fitzgerald, he is great. And if Michael Floyd can stay healthy, they have a great 1-2 punch with him and Fitzgerald. Floyd can stretch the defense with his speed and Fitzgerald does the dirty work. The Cardinals o line is very good. They do an excellent job of pass protecting and they open some huge holes for the run game. Arizona's defense is also very good. They have a great d line, led by Calais Campbell. They can stop the run and sack the QB. They have decent linebackers that are much better run stoppers than cover guys. But they have two of the best secondary players in football in Tyrann Mathieu and Patrick Peterson. I personally think Peterson is the best corner in the game. He always guards the other teams best receiver and he usually shuts them down. He is also an excellent return man. Mathieu is a ball hawk and an extremely hard hitter. He loves to tattoo guys, and he will get some pick sixes and fumble returns for TD's. Being a defender, he has a nose for the end zone. I'm a big Tyrann Mathieu fan. Arizona is the cream of the crop in their division, and I say they win it going away with a 13-3 record.

Now for number one. I have the Carolina Panthers as the best team in football this year. They were the best team last year, and they only got better this offseason. They have one of the best QB's and athletes in the NFL in Cam Newton. Newton is huge, he is fast, he is accurate, he has a rocket arm and he makes the right decision always. Cam Newton is rapidly becoming one of the best QB's in the game. He has no flaws, except for his ego, but that is not a big deal. Then, they have good running backs in Jonathan Stewart and Mike Tolbert. they are both similar in the fact that they are bigger running backs and that they crush would be tacklers. They are great compliments to Newton. Then, the way they got better this offseason, Kelvin Benjamin returns from injury. He is so big and so fast and has excellent hands. He gives Newton the threat he needs on the outside. But, let us not forget Ted Ginn Jr and Devin Funchess and Cory Brown. All these guys stepped up last year in Benjamin's absence, and they all played pretty well. Then, they have Greg Olsen at tight end. He is so good, so durable and so reliable. The dude just puts up numbers and I think he is Cam Newton's favorite target. He gets a lot of red zone attention. The Panthers o line is the best in the NFL. They protect Newton, they open holes, they do everything and they do it all exceptional. This team is lethal on offense. Then on defense, they have some damn good players. Luke Kuechly is one of the best linebackers in the game. He is a sack and tackling machine and he is a very good cover guy. They also have Thomas Davis out there at linebacker, and he is right there with Kuechly is talent. The d line is great. Kawann Short, Kony Ealy and Star Lotulelei wreak havoc in the backfield. The secondary did lose Josh Norman, but they have guys that can do the job. The ageless wonder Cortland Finnegan is back there. And Leonard Johnson and Tre Boston are good secondary players. They are not Josh Norman, but I don't think the Panthers will be too hurt without him. The Panthers are exceptional and they should have won the Super Bowl last year, they just got outplayed. This team may flirt with perfection again, but I say they finish 14-2 and they will have a fairly easy road back to the Super Bowl.

That is my countdown of all 32 NFL teams. Come back tomorrow when I will pick my Super Bowl winner and award winners. And come back Friday for my college football preview.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He remembers the days of ESPN arguing for Blaine Gabbert over Cam Newton as Carolina's number one pick. Those guys at ESPN sure are smart. Follow Ty on twitter @tykulik.

Ty Ranks the 2016 NFL Teams: Sleeping in on a Sunday Morning Edition

Then there were 8.

I'm down to the last 2 days of my countdown of the NFL. These are the good teams. They are not the best of the best, but a couple of things break their way, they could find themselves in the Super Bowl. These teams are nearly complete, and they are legit contenders. On with the countdown.

At number 8, I have the Minnesota Vikings. This team took a real big step forward last year. The offense is led by a child abuser, and all out human monster, Adrian Peterson. I know he is a very good running back, but that does not change the fact that he purposefully beat up his 4 year old and showed no remorse for it. Yes, he is good, but every time he gets hit on the field, I hope he gets injured. People who beat up children deserve the worst. At QB, I really want to like Teddy Bridgewater, and maybe this is the year he finally puts it all together. He checks down way too much, but they did draft Laquon Treadwell, who I think can be a good NFL player and he also has Kyle Rudolph at tight end. He is a machine at catching the ball. I also like Stefon Diggs, and he has a full year under his belt. Cordarelle Patterson hasn't put it together yet, and this year may be his last chance, but he can still be good. The Vikings o line is pretty decent as well. Where I think this team is underrated is their defense. They're very formidable. The defensive line is decent, anchored on each end by Danielle Hunter and Everson Griffen. The linebackers are very good, led by Chad Greenway and Anthony Barr. The secondary has very good players, namely Harrison Smith and Andrew Sandejo. They may not be the brightest names, but they are all very good players on a very good defense. Mike Zimmer has also proven to be a capable head coach. This Vikings team is getting better, and they will challenge Green Bay again. I say they finish the season 11-5.

At number 7, I have the Pittsburgh Steelers. Now, first off, I cannot stand this team. They are whiny babies, they complain about everything that doesn't go their way, they are basically the LA Clippers of the NFL. But, they are good. Their QB, another piece of human garbage, is Ben Roethlisberger. When he isn't out allegedly sexually assaulting young females, he is a good to great QB. He is such a terrible person, but he is durable, plays injured and makes throws, so he gets a pass from idiots like Roger Goodell and ESPN. The running game will miss LeVeon Bell after he skipped another drug test and got suspended for four games, but a guy like D'Angelo Williams or Fitz Toussaint will pick up the slack. I know Toussaint fumbled away the playoff game last year, but he is a good enough back that he will get over it, and probably put up decent numbers until Bell gets back. Williams, while older, still runs hard and gains yards. They still have old reliable, Heath Miller at tight end, so that position is still very good. At receiver, they have the wonderful and prolific Antonio Brown. I don't care what kind of stupid hair cut he has when he makes as many catches as he does, racks up as many yards as he does and scores as many TD's as he does. Antonio Brown is awesome. And he is not the only threat. They also have Markus Wheaton, who is very good. The Steelers offense could be lethal. They also have a pretty good defense as well. Guys like James Harrison, Ryan Shazier, Alvin Dupree, William Gay, Jarvis Jones and Shamarko Thomas are all very good at their jobs. They can pressure and cover. This team, as much as it pains me to say it, could very easily make their way, and possibly win, the Super Bowl this season. But, they do have questions. Can Roethlisberger stay healthy and out of trouble? Same for Bell? will Antonio Brown be tired from carrying this team last year? And when will Mike Tomlin make another bone headed decision, because we know it's coming. I think the Steelers will be good, if everything breaks their way. I have them at 12-4.

At number 6, I have the hometown team of our head editor, the Cincinnati Bengals (ed note: Go Bengals). First off, I hope they change their name to the Harambe's, because that would be absolutely incredible. Anyway, they still have Andy Dalton at QB. This guy has to be so frustrating to watch if you are a Bengals fan. He will look great one play, then do something that only Tony Romo does on the next play. He chucks way too may passes in the air as well. He is a complete wild card. But, he does have receivers that are willing and able to try and track down those errant throws. AJ Green is a highlight reel on almost every play. His catches are almost as spectacular as Odell Beckham's. Green is one of the upper echelon receivers in the NFL. Tyler Eiffert is about as reliable as they come. The Bengals need a first down, they go to him. They need 5 yards, they go to him. they need a jump ball in the endzone, it's Eiffert or Green. They also have Brandon LaFell, who I don't think is that bad. The Bengals running game is top notch. They have two awesome backs in Giovanni Bernard and Jeremy Hill. Hill is explosive and Bernard is the bruiser, They both could start on almost any team in the NFL, but they choose to split time, and they are an exceptional duo. The Bengals defense has kind of turned into the old version of the Raiders. They are good, but they are dirty. Look no further than their playoff game last year. Yeah. Vontaez Burfict and Adam Jones are very good, but they are selfish and get way, way too many personal foul penalties. Dre Kirkpatrick is a good corner, but he plays opposite Jones, so that is a no win situation for him. Carlos Dunlap is a good linebacker, but all anyone talks about is Burfict and the penalties. Same for Ray Meauluaga. Very good, but gets overlooked. Carlos Dunlap is a good defensive end too. This Bengals team is good, but can they get out of their own way. I think this may be the last real chance that they have, and they should, at the very least, make it to the second round of the playoffs. I say the Bengals finish 11-5.

At number 5, I have my team, the Green Bay Packers. This team got absolutely ravaged with injuries last year and still almost made the NFC championship game. Aaron Rodgers is solidly in the top 3 of the best QB's playing right now. He has a great arm, runs when needed, throws into minuscule windows and puts up huge numbers. He is the engine that runs this offense. Eddie Lacy, if he loses weight and doesn't get hurt, makes the Packers run game a threat. When he is in there, and running hard, he is tough to take down, and he puts up numbers. I am an Eddie Lacy fan, but he has to show me a good, full season. I do like James Starks as his backup though. He is tall, finds holes and gashes teams for big, big runs. At receiver, this is where is gets dicey. If Jordy Nelson comes back fully recovered, than at least the Packers have one elite wideout. Nelson is very good and they missed him a whole lot more than I though they would last year. Randall Cobb is also very good, but he gets hurt way too much on returns, and he takes a beating going over the middle. He is small, but he plays big. After those guys, it's thin. I do like Richard Rodgers at tight end, but the fact that they are trying out Kellen Winslow Jr tells me they don't have a lot of faith in him. The Packers o line is the weak point of the offense. /they don't protect that well, and they open up very few lanes. They need work. The defense is good, but I feel like it can be better. When you have guys like Julius Peppers, Clay Matthews, Jake Ryan, Mike Daniels, Ha-Ha Clinton-Dix and Sam Shields, you should be better than middle of the pack. They give up big plays way too often. I also want Peppers and Matthews to talk to the guys that accused them of PED's, so they can clear their names. The bottom line, as long as Aaron Rodgers is the QB, this team will be competitive. I see a better year from Lacy and having Nelson back will really help out. I also think the defense will, and should, play a lot better. I think the Packers reclaim their stop at the top of the division and they win 12 games doing that.

Come back tomorrow for the last four teams of my countdown.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He is building an eternal flame in his backyard to remember the greatest ever, Harambe. Follow Ty on twitter @tykulik.

Ty Ranks the 2016 NFL Teams: Shirt Fresh Out of the Dryer Edition

It's a new week, so that means we are back to my NFL countdown. I started last week with the worst and worked my way all the way to 4 teams that have a legitimate shot at making the playoffs this year by the end of the week. Starting today, I have 12 total teams left, so we are near the cream of the crop of the NFL. Today, I even have some division winners. I also have a few surprise teams, based on where I have them ranked. This is the good part of the NFL. These last 12 teams are all hyper competitive, and they have full fledged stars, and up and coming super talents. Okay, on with the countdown.

Coming in at number 12, I have the Indianapolis Colts. This team was ravaged by injuries last year, namely to Andrew Luck. I really think Luck is a great NFL QB. He is going to take that next step to the upper level, and I think it will happen this season, if he stays healthy. He had a ruptured spleen last year, and you could tell just by watching that he was in some serious pain. The fact that he even played as many games as he did was remarkable. The problem with Luck though, he does take way too many chances and that causes costly errors. The Colts also don't really have a running game. Yeah, they signed Frank Gore last year, but he was past his prime a few years back. He is still serviceable, but not the threat he once was. He still grinds out tough yards, but he has no break away speed anymore, not that he ever really had any at all. Gore also doesn't have that great of a line to run behind either. They also don't protect Luck all that well, he was sacked a lot last season, when he played. What the Colts do have, besides Luck, is a decent group of wideouts. T.Y. Hilton has become a household name for NFL fans. He is a deep threat, but he is also a very good possession receiver. They also have Donte Moncrief, who is a taller version of Hilton, just not as polished yet. They also have the ageless wonder, Deion Branch at receiver. He is old, but he is still good. The Colts have names on defense, but the results are not there yet. The defense has guys like Robert Mathis, Vontae Davis and D'Qwell Jackson, who are all good, but they still give up a lot of points. If the defense can shore it up, they have the talent to be in the top 10 of the league. They do also have the best kicker, maybe in the history of the NFL, in Adam Vinateiri. He is as automatic as they come. The Colts should win their division. As I said last week, the Texans and Jaguars are coming, but the Colts still have Andrew Luck. I say they rebound from last year, go 11-5 and win the division.

At number 11, I have the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs may be the most milquetoast team in all of football, but they win games. Andy Reid is a very good regular season head coach, so this team can always put together a very competitive team, they just don't win playoff games. Alex Smith may be the best game manager QB in the NFL. He makes the check down play a bit too much, but he usually makes the right throw. He very rarely gets picked off, which is huge for this team. Jamaal Charles, when he is healthy, is one of the best backs in the league. He's fast, he's shifty and when he is the open field, forget about trying to catch him, he's gone. But, he does get injured a ton. He has torn ACL's, suffered multiple concussions and gets nicks and bruises all the time. They have a good tight end in Travis Kelce, but he is a very poor man's version of Gronk. He doesn't have the size and speed or the hands of Gronk, but he is a reliable tight end. The Chiefs finally have a good receiver in Jeremy Maclin. He is very fast and has good hands. But, much like Charles, Maclin gets hurt a lot. He also alligator arms passes sometimes, leading me to believe that he doesn't like contact. But, he is still a very good receiver. Other than Maclin though, the Chiefs are thin at receiver. On the other side of the ball, the Chiefs are very stout. They have great players on defense with guys like Derrick Williams, Donatari Poe, Eric Berry, Justin Houston, Marcus Peters and Tamba Hali, amongst others. The Chiefs defense can get pressure, stop the run and cover the pass. The Chiefs are good, but they are the third best defense in their own conference, that's the problem. The Chiefs division is very, very good. I say they finish 10-6, but that will only good enough for third and they will miss out on the playoffs.

Coming in at number 10, I have my biggest mover from last season, the Oakland Raiders. Now, before you laugh this team off, they have gotten really good the past couple of seasons, and they have done most of it through the draft. First off, I think Derek Carr is a very serviceable QB right now, but I believe that he will become one of the better QB's in the league very soon. He has a great arm, makes good choices most of the time, and finally has some threats at the skill positions. Derek Carr is one of the better draft choices that the Raiders have made in a long, long time. Another great draft pick they made happened last year when they took Amari Cooper. Cooper proved in his rookie year that he was as advertised. He does the dirty work, i.e., going over the middle and jumping up for poorly thrown balls. Cooper also has speed, runs great routes and finds open spaces all over the field. Amari Cooper is awesome. They also have Michael Crabtree, who is still a very viable receiver, when he has a good QB. At running back, they looked thin, but Latavius Murray really showed up last year when they needed a good running back. He runs hard and grinds out yards. Their offensive line is also very, quietly, good. But, this Raiders defense is on the verge of being one of the top defenses in the NFL. They are so good, so fast, attack the other team, and they aren't dirty about it anymore. The defense is led by another great draft pick, Khalil Mack. Mack is so, so good. He is a dominant linebacker. He can tackle, he can cover and he is the leader of this unit when they are on the field, and he excels at all these things. They also signed Bruce Irvin this offseason away from Seattle, and now he is teaming up with Mack. Oof, that is a devastating duo at linebacker. They also have a good defensive line and secondary, but this defense is led by the linebackers, as defenses should be. I really like what the Raiders have done, I hope they don't move to Las Vegas, and they've done most of it through the draft. This team is good, and they should win 11 games this year, and compete for a playoff spot, but it will be from the wild card. I really enjoy this Raiders team.

At number 9, which is a fall for them, I have the Seattle Seahawks. I kind of feel that the shine is off this Seahawks team. They don't seem to be as dominant as they were 2 years ago. I feel that some people on their team, Russell Wilson, have let their ego get in the way of their game. Wilson was a fine game manager, but when he was the QB of a Super Bowl championship, I feel like he got way too much credit, and he let that get to his head. you could see it in his play last year. He tried to make throws that he can't possibly make. He also started to blame everyone else on the team for his short comings. Wilson is a slightly better version of Colin Kaepernick, he just happened to be on a team with one of the greatest defenses of all time. Then, they let Marshawn Lynch essentially walk away for nothing because he and Wilson couldn't coexist. They chose the QB over, at the time, the best running back in the league. I know Lynch was hurt a lot last year, but when he was in, he was great. Then, they struck gold with Thomas Rawls, who was a revelation, but he broke his ankle. The running back position is a big, big problem for this team, and they rely on the run more than any other NFL team. At receiver, they have just okay players. Tyler Lockett and Doug Baldwin are fine, but they are just kind of blah to me. They have Jimmy Graham, but they use him more for blocking than receiving, and that is not his strength. He is not a good blocker at all, but he is an all world receiver. They need to figure out how to use him properly. Their o line stinks as well. They simply cannot protect anyone. The defense is still good, but people have figured out how to neutralize their weapons. They lost Bruce Irvin, but they still have Bobby Wagner and KJ Wright. They are fine, but they are not Bruce Irvin. They do have a good d line, with guys like Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril. They can stop the run, but their days of pressuring the QB seem to be gone. The secondary is the best part of their defense, but it is not the "Legion of Boom"(what a stupid, self proclaimed nickname) anymore. Richard Sherman is great, but not like he was a few years ago. He gets beat deep more now, and he doesn't put fear in opposing QB's like he used to. Earl Thomas is a very good safety, but he also has lost a step or two over the past couple of years. Brandon Browner, in my opinion, has become a better over all cornerback than Richard Sherman, but no one talks about him. But, the cream of the crop in the secondary is Kam Chancellor. He is a great hitter and ball hawk. Chancellor may be one of the best secondary players in all the NFL. The Seahawks can still win this porous division, but they will probably only win 10 games. They still have a very stout defense, which will keep them in games, but the offense is not as good as some will lead you to believe, and they will continue to regress. Also, Pete Carroll is not as good a coach as some writers think he is.

Come back tomorrow for the next four teams.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. His dislike for the Seahawks is legendary, but he will still give credit where it is due. Follow Ty on twitter @tykulik.

Ty Ranks the 2016 NFL Teams: Cool Summer Breeze Edition

Welcome to day 5 of my NFL countdown. We are finally past the mediocre half of teams in the NFL, and we are now going to be getting to teams with real shots at making the playoffs, and advancing fairly far. For the most part, if not all of them, the rest of these teams will be .500, or much, much better. We are finally at some good teams. On with the countdown.

Coming in at number 16, I have the New York Jets. The Jets were almost going to be on the earlier part of my countdown, but they signed Ryan Fitzpatrick to a one year deal at the very last moment before I started my notes for this list. Now, Fitzpatrick is not an other worldly QB, but he is decent. He set Jets passing records last year, and he is a whole hell of a lot more liked and reliable than Geno Smith. You never hear of anyone punching Fitzpatrick so hard that they break his jaw. He goes in and does his job, and he has gotten better the longer he has been in the NFL. I think Fitzpatrick is a pretty decent QB to lead what could be a playoff bound Jets team. At receiver they have two very good targets in Eric Decker and the wonderful Brandon Marshall. Decker goes over the middle and makes the circus catches, but Brandon Marshall is the far superior pass catcher on this team. He catches everything that comes his way, he is tall and he is fast. Brandon Marshall is a great, great football player. They absolutely upgraded their running game by signing Matt Forte. He is going to make opponents respect the run game, and the pass game will benefit. He is also a very good pass catcher coming from the backfield. I like this addition a lot. The offensive is good too. The Jets also have a pretty good defense as well. Muhammed Wilkerson is a very good d lineman. Leonard Williams is a fast defensive end, who can wreak havoc in the backfield. David Harris is still one of the most steady linebackers in all of the NFL. And Darelle Revis is one of, if not the, best cover corners in all of football. The Jets are a team on the rise, and they could be a big factor this year. I think they will be pretty decent, but they will also blow games because that's what they do. The Jets will be 10-6 and may push their way into the playoffs.

At number 15, I have the Buffalo Bills. Is this the year that the Bills finally take that next step? Is this the year they win, or are near the top of their division? Is this the year they put it all together? They just might. I'm actually a pretty big fan of Tyrod Taylor at QB. He seems to almost always make the right decision. He uses his legs when necessary, throws the ball to the right receiver, and throws it away when the play breaks down. LeSean McCoy, when healthy, is a great running back. He is the focal point of the offense, and that is the way it should be. He is great at running the ball, and a very good receiver out of the backfield. Sammy Watkins is a star in the making at receiver, they just have to get him the ball more. He is so dynamic with the ball in his hands, and he is an awesome football player. The o line, while not great, is serviceable. Sure, they lost Mario William, but they have Shaq Lawson to replace him. They also have guys like Reggie Ragland, Stephon Gilmore and Marcell Dareus on their defense. The Bills may be the team that takes the most advantage of the Brady's four game suspension. They have the players that have the know how and the goods to come out of the gates hot and challenge the Patriots. This may be one of the better teams that Rex Ryan has had the ability to coach. But, Rex Ryan is what is holding this team back. He is just not that good of a head coach. Because of Ryan, I think the Bills will go 10-6, but they have the players to be 12-4, or even 13-3.

At number 14, I have the team from Washington. They are the only team in their god awful division that can win double digit games. They have Kirk Cousins back, who proved that he may be a decent NFL QB. He is another guy that doesn't try to make miracle plays, he usually makes the right play. He can check down to other receivers, he will throw the ball away, and he will run when called on to. I think he is making a big mistake by betting on himself and not signing a long term deal, but we will see. At running back, they have some good guys. I really like Matt Jones. He is a good, big and durable back. He is very competent. Then, they have a plethora of good receivers. Guys like Desean Jackson, stretches the field with his speed, Pierre Garcon, great possession receiver, Santana Moss, old, but reliable and rookie Josh Doctson, who won't be counted on as the top threat, but will make some plays. They also signed Vernon Davis this off season, and I like that a lot. He is a great safety blanket for all the QB's he's played for. Then, on defense, they have decent d lineman and linebackers, but they have D'Angelo Hall, and they signed Josh Norman, who may be the best defensive back in all of the NFL. That is huge for Washington, because they will play the Giants twice, and they now have a corner that can shutdown Odell Beckham JR. The Washington defense is good. This team has all the tools to repeat, and repeat as division winners with ease. I think they do that to the tune of 11-5. They will feast on the teams in their division. They may get 8 of their 11 wins from their division alone.

At number 13, I have the Houston Texans. Now, this team is all about their defense. I think their defense could win a lot of games for them this year. They will have a lot of games that will finish 10-7 or 14-10, and they will win those because their defense is so good. But, I will talk about the offense first. Sure, they signed Brock Osweiler away from Denver, but I don't think he is as good as others think he is. But, the caveat, he is playing with a defense that is almost, but not really, as good as Denver's. They have similar defenses, so Osweiler won't have to do to terribly much on offense. They also signed Lamar Miller after letting Arian Foster walk. Miller is a decent running back, and he will put up similar numbers to what Foster has done the past few years. At receiver they have the awesome DeAndre Hopkins. I know he is in a contract situation right now, but they will figure that out, he is too important to this team. But, outside of the excellence that is Hopkins, they are thin at wide out. Will Fuller is fine, but not a real big threat. They have an okay o line as well. But, this team is not about offense. Their defense is stout, led by JJ Watt. There is no denying  his greatness, he is going to go down as one of the best of all time. They also have Jadeveon Clowney, who is due to have a big year, and Vince Wilfork, who is one of the best nose guards that has ever played. They have some great linebackers, even though some have been suspended for using steroids. Brian Cushing is said steroid user, but he is a good linebacker. I also like Whitney Mercilus. He has gotten better every year in the pros. Charles James and Quintin Demps are pretty decent defensive backfield players, they just don't get shine because their d line is so great. Houston should take over that division away from the Colts, but I don't know if Bill O'Brien is the coach to do that. He has held this team back since he was picked to coach them. I still think they are above .500, but I don't think they will supplant the Colts just yet. I like this team a lot, but I think they will finish 9-7, but it will be the most competitive 9-7 in all of football.

Come back next week for the rest of my countdown.

Ty 

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. Want to know what Ty has to say about the Olympics? Check out the new X Millennial Man Podcast premiering tomorrow. Ty has a twitter, go follow him @tykulik.

Ty Ranks the 2016 NFL Teams: Cold Beer on a Warm Christmas Morning Edition

Day four of my NFL preview. We finally have, at least one team, that I think will be right at .500, or slightly above. These next four teams are either regressing or taking a big step forward. I have a feeling that one of the teams I mentioned today, a lot of the readers will think I'm nuts, but I have a lot of hope. We are finally getting to some decent teams. Okay, enough preamble, let's get to it.

At number 20, I have my biggest shocker, possibly in my whole countdown, the Jacksonville Jaguars. I don't know what it is about this team, but I think they are on their way to becoming hyper competitive. I have liked what they have done the past couple of years, and I know they had a chance to win their division last year, but that division was a joke. But, I have a feeling they could really become a threat in that division sooner rather than later. First off, I think Blake Bortles is on the verge of becoming an upper level QB. He is never going to be elite (ed note: like Joe Flacco), but he is becoming more than just a game manager. He is starting to throw the long ball, and instead of just managing the game, he is starting to look like he can win some games for this team. He was a huge fantasy pick up for me last year too. I wasted a fourth round pick on Peyton Manning, but I feel like I struck gold with my 12th round pick of Bortles. He is going to become very good this season. Bortles also has 2 up and coming receivers that really blew up last year, and I see more good things from them in the future. Allen Hurns and Allen Robinson are going to become pro bowlers and upper echelon NFL receivers. They are fast, have great hands, run excellent routes and get to the right spot almost every time. Then, if he can stay healthy, Julius Thomas is one of the better tight ends in the league. He's big, has good hands, and since he is a former college basketball player, he is good at "boxing" out defenders and getting to balls other tight ends usually have no chance at. At running back, they have one of the better Alabama products in TJ Yeldon. He has great patience, looks for open holes and runs fast, but more importantly, hard. He could be the one Alabama back that can turn into a formidable pro. Their offensive line in commendable as well. On defense, if they can get some of the young guys they have on the field, they could be halfway decent. The defense will still be the problem for a year or two, but when guys like Dante Fowler, Myles Jack and Jalen Ramsey get their feet wet, they could be very good. I really like what the Jaguars are doing, but they may still be a year or two away, but they are coming. I say they go 7-9 this year, and that would be huge for them. They are going to be highly competitive this season.

At number 19, I have the Baltimore Ravens. Talk about a team that could not catch a break last year. Injuries and poor QB play really did them in. They do have good players at the skill positions, but Joe Flacco is not that good (ed note: not elite?). He's too error prone and makes the worst mistakes at the worst time. But, they do have Steve Smith and Breshad Perriman at receiver. Those guys are both good, and Steve Smith, who is old, has seemed to only have gotten better with age. At running back, after the entire Ray Rice situation, he's a monster, they have Justin Forsett, who I think is very good. He can get to the holes and rack up yardage pretty quick. Dennis Pitta is still there at tight end, so they still have a reliable safety blanket. Their defense is still good, but they have suffered attrition. Terrell Suggs is still there, but he may be the lone holdover from their Super Bowl win on defense. CJ Moseley, Jimmy Smith and Elvis Dumervil are all very good, and they signed Eric Weddle for next to nothing after the Chargers let him walk. Baltimore is bound for a turnaround, they are too good of a team with a very good head coach, but they unfortunately are in a division with the Steelers and Bengals, who I will get to next week, and that will keep them in third place. But, they are my first .500 team, because I think they will finish 8-8.

At number 18, I have the New York Giants. The Giants are one of the most annoying teams in all of football, but they seem to be bad one year, then good the next. This season comes after a very mediocre season from them. Odell Beckham, right behind Julio Jones, may be the next best receiver in all of football. He makes some of the greatest catches in the game, and he is a very hard guy to cover. They also have Victor Cruz, who is still good, despite being hurt almost all of last season. Rashard Jennings is a decent running back, and so is Shane Vereen. The problem with the offense is Eli Manning. He is an interception machine, and he makes so many ill conceived throws. Yeah, he has 2 Super Bowl rings, but it wasn't because of him. Their defense has the ability to be good, but they do make a lot of mistakes. Jason Pierre-Paul is an excellent pass rusher, but he also blew half his hand off playing with fireworks, so who knows if he will ever be the same again. Olivier Vernon is pretty good, so maybe he will become the new and improved version of Pierre-Paul. The linebackers are okay, and the secondary is ho hum. Their d line is where it's at for them. They also mercifully let Tom Coughlin go, but their hire of Ben McaDoo is very uninspired. The Giants play in a terrible division, and they could conceivably win with a 8-8 record, but I think they will finish at 7-9. 

My final team today, coming in at number 17, is the team I dislike the most, the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys are so incredibly overrated, it's disgusting. They have a very good team on paper, but they have proven that stuff doesn't matter. Tony Romo is the most overrated QB of all time, hands down. No one has ever been given so much credit for doing nothing other than being the QB of the cowboys. He always chokes in the playoffs, he always makes crucial mistakes, he cannot stay healthy, why do people think he is elite? He is so far from elite, it's preposterous. I'd rather have Eli Manning, Joe Flaco, almost any QB on any team I've already mentioned on this countdown before I'd take Romo. Romo stinks. They do have a good receiver in Dez Bryant, but he is always fighting with coaches and teammates and he can't seem to stay away from trouble off the field. Jason Witten is good, but old, and kind of overrated himself. Their running game in virtually nonexistent since DeMarco Murray left. I also don't buy the Ezekial Elliot hype. He played in a spread offense in college, and those guys don't translate well to the NFL. He may also be a girlfriend abuser with the stories that came out a few weeks ago. The defense played out of their minds two years ago, but they returned to their mediocre form last year. Guys can't stay healthy or out of trouble. Sure, they released that monster Greg Hardy, but they still have head cases like Rolando McClain on their roster. They also have oft injured guys like Sean Lee in their linebacking corp. The Cowboys aren't very good, but they are in the same division as the Giants, Eagles and Washington, so a bad record could very easily win the division. I think the Cowboys will find their way, somehow, to 8-8.

Come back tomorrow for my next four teams and a review of the Louis CK show I'm going to tonight.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He just does not see the little things Romo does to make the Cowboys great. At least that is what the Head Editor thinks. Follow Ty on twitter @tykulik.

Ty Ranks the 2016 NFL Teams: Day Old Donuts Edition

On to day three of my NFL preview. The next four teams are much better than the previous 8, but these teams have, at best, a slight chance of finishing at or above .500. Some were great a few years ago, others have potential, and some, they just haven't been up to snuff. Anyway, on with the countdown.

Coming in at number 24, I have the Atlanta Falcons. Man, this team is so, so much better on paper than they actually perform on the field. They should be at, or near the top of their division every season, but they, one way or another, always find a way to shoot themselves in the feet. They throw crucial pick sixes, fumble at inopportune times, or can't get that last stop that they need. Let's look at the offense first. They have, since Calvin Johnson may actually be retired, the best receiver in all of football in Julio Jones. Jones catches everything gets open in the smallest of cracks, is faster than almost everyone on the field, and has been very durable. But, after Jones, it gets a little suspect. Sure, Devonta Freeman exploded on the scene last year, becoming one of the best fantasy pick ups ever, but he faded at the end of the year, and I wonder if he was a one season wonder. I hope he's good, because I really like his game, but time will tell. Outside of Julio Jones, they don't have much at receiver. Roddy White is gone, and to take is place are guys like Muhammed Sanu and Devin Fuller. Those guys aren't, and probably don't have the potential to be, household names. Then, there is the conundrum that is Matt Ryan. He should be a great QB, but he seems more average to mediocre. Sure, he has some big passing numbers, but that is because of Julio Jones, not Matt Ryan. And this whole "Matty Ice" nonsense needs to stop. Yeah, he may have kept his cool under pressure in college, but he is an interception machine in the pros. He tries to fit passes into windows that no QB can. This may be the last we see of the Matt Ryan experience in Atlanta, and that maybe for the best. He just hasn't figured it out yet, and I don't think he will. On defense, they have big name guys, but no results. They can throw a Vic Beasley or a Courtney Upshaw or Adrian Clayborn out there, but these guys are stopping anyone. The Falcons give up a ton of points. They just don't have the necessary guys to truly stop anyone. Unfortunately Falcons fans, I think this team is a 6 win team again, blowing a lot of games late.

At number 23, I have the Miami Dolphins. Now, first things first, they could make me look like an idiot by making noise and leading that division after the first four games due to Tom Brady's suspension, but will they? I don't know. That is what is so frustrating about the Dolphins. I legitimately want to like them, but they are so hard to get behind. They have really good to great players on both sides of the ball, but they have nothing to show for it. This is the make or break year for Ryan Tannehill. I know they paid him a bundle, but if he doesn't perform this season, they may look to move on. Tannehill can't beat the good teams, and he plays down to lesser opponents. It's maddening watching someone who could be great play so poorly. Then, they have excellent receivers like Jarvis Landry and Davante Parker, but they are both under sized, and they have Tannehill throwing them the ball. That does not make for a great combination. I feel really bad for Jarvis Landry because he is very, very good. They went out and signed Arian Foster, who is great, but he simply cannot stay healthy. The offensive line made the best pick in the draft, grabbing Laremy Tunsil, but he is a rookie and it is always tough sledding for rookies. Then, on defense, they have guys like Ndamakong Suh, Cameron Wake, Kiko Alonso, Dion Jordan and they signed Mario Williams. Williams and Suh are household names, but they were both very subpar last year. Cameron Wake was hurt all year, so we will see how he comes back. Alonso and Jordan are young and fast, but very unproven. They have the names, but no results. Like I said, I could be way off, but I just don't see them taking the four game advantage because of their QB and running back situations. My gut tells me they finish 7-9 this year.

At number 22, I have the LA Rams, the team ripped away from Saint Louis so that douchebag Stan Kroenke could bet another million or so bucks. I was very high on this Rams team last year. I thought they had the potential to sneak into the playoffs. But, they under performed once again. They could not get anything going on offense, no matter how great Todd Gurley was. I love Gurley. I think he has the potential to be a big, big star. But, the rest of the offense, not so great. They will be starting number one overall pick Jared Goff at QB this year. You all know how I feel about rookies in the NFL, and I think Goff is going to be a major bust. He was another guy, a la Jay Cutler, that didn't really win in college, but for some reason, NFL scouts love him. sure he's tall, but his arm isn't great, and it will take him awhile to learn and deal with the speed in the NFL. His receivers are all downright crummy. I thought Tavon Austin would be good, I was wrong. Wes Welker is there, but he is old and has been concussed far too much. Other than those 2, it's all rookies or guys looking to make a team. Their offensive line is so so. Their defense should be all world, but they haven't quite put it together yet. Aaron Donald is a stud though. That guy is great. They have some good defensive backs, guys like Trumaine Johnson and EJ Gaines, but they haven't put it all together yet. They have good linebackers too, but they just haven't shown up fully yet. The defense can still be great, as I said, I love Donald and Quinton Coples and Mark Barron, but they just aren't elite yet. The defense will keep them in some games, maybe even win a few for them, but that offense, when opponents stack the box with 8, 9 and sometimes 10 guys, will sputter out and be ineffective. They could go .500, but I see 6-10 or 7-9 as more likely.

My final team of the day, coming in at number 21, I have the New Orleans Saints. This team was once, not that long ago, a perennial Super Bowl contender. but, Drew Brees has only gotten older, more hurt and not as efficient as he once was. Brees is a sure fire hall of famer, and probably top 15 QB of all time, but his best days are behind him. Then, to make matters worse, they let Jimmy Graham go last year and now they released Marques Colston. Those two were his safety blankets. He could rely on them more than anyone else, and they almost always came through for the team. Now, Brees is throwing to guys like Brandin cooks and Michael Thomas. sure, they are good, but they are not Jimmy Graham or Marques Colston. Their running game is average. Mark Ingram is another in a long line of Alabama backs that don't produce much of anything in the pros. Then his backup, CJ Spiller, he was cut from the Bills last year, so that should tell you all you need to know. The offensive line is fine, but not great. The Saints defense is an absolute dumpster fire. This team gave up over 50 points at least twice last season. They cannot stop anyone, Eli Manning included. They have no one that is, or ever has been, competent on defense. That's the biggest issue, they have to try and outscore teams, and that is not a recipe for winning in the NFL. The Saints have become a bummer team to watch. They are getting older at skill positions, mainly QB, and their defense is utterly atrocious. They will be lucky to be 6-10 next year.

That's it for today, come back tomorrow for the next four teams.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture Editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He still wears his vintage Tony Banks St. Louis Rams jersey to remember the bad days. Follow Ty on twitter @tykulik.