Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: NFL Features

  • Bang the Table: Week Five

    Bang the Table: Week Five

    Player Of The Week:

    If you don’t have this man on your fantasy team, please go get him. Tyler Higbee is on a tear right now. He leads all tight ends in catches and is fourth in yards. The guy even plays special teams and sealed the win against Arizona. Momma, there goes that man!

    He’s becoming a really nice safety valve for Matthew Stafford in an offense that has not looked like the Super Bowl caliber it was. My hope is that Higbee finally finds the end zone against the Dallas Cowboys.

    Team of The Week:

    Ravens Flock, what is going on with your team? I am running out of words to describe the play I’ve seen. The defense ranks 30th in the league in yards allowed and 28th in yards per play. This is nasty work!

    Where is the vaunted Ravens defense that only allowed 10 points per game once upon a time? The defense that ran hard to the ball? A defense that took a quarterback’s lunch money before he even realized it was gone? I’m banging the table for the Ravens to find some sort of life against their division rival Bengals at home, with a very leaky offensive line.

  • NFL Week 2: Tuesday Tea

    NFL Week 2: Tuesday Tea

    Happy Tuesday, friends! As we turn the page on week two and prepare for a not-so-great on-the-paper matchup between two teams coming off frustrating losses, we have to take one last look at the week that was. Comebacks and collapses, individual greatness, and some seats becoming hotter quicker than expected (or not expected, in some respects), let’s look back like Thanos at the end of the Avengers and see what 8 things we liked from this last weekend, one from each division.

    AFC East


    I really liked what I saw from the Miami Dolphins. We aren’t the biggest fans of Tua, but Mike
    McDaniels is doing what he can to get his best players in space to do what they do
    best: run and run fast. Jaylen Waddle and Mike Gisecki had big people catches to extend
    drives or, in Waddle’s case, win the game, but all Tua really had to do was get the ball to
    Waddle and Tyreek Hill and let them go. The run game looked better this week as well, but
    speed kills in the NFL, and the Dolphins have it in spades.

    NFC East


    The Eagles defense was able to lock up an explosive Vikings offense. Darius Slay held
    all-world WR Justin Jefferson to 1 catch on 6 targets: in fact, Slay had more caught balls on
    Jefferson targets than Jefferson did when they were matched up. They pestered Kirk Cousins all game and could have the division clinched by Halloween.

    AFC North


    The Ravens are, very clearly, the best team in this division, but a monumental collapse has
    them tied with Cleveland and Pittsburgh this morning. Those two teams play on Thursday and, barring a tie, we will get one game of separation. The Ravens get the Patriots on Sunday, which should be a win for Lamar and Co. before they get a heavyweight fight versus the Buffalo Bills and Josh Allen. This loss to Miami is going to sting, because they could’ve been 3-0, with a little bit of a cushion in case they lose to Buffalo. Instead, they now need a bounce-back win to keep pace.

    NFC North


    The Lions are going to be a tough out. They run the ball, protect their QB, and have an emerging talent at WR. They, also, got 3 sacks and a world of pressure from their first-rounder Aidan Hutchinson, which should make Kirk Cousins very nervous come Sunday. The biggest thing you’re seeing from this team is that they show up, even when there is a talent gap, and if they can get the QB position right and have Jameson Williams returning? Look out.

    AFC South


    I picked the Jaguars to win this division before the season started, and after Sunday’s drubbing of the Colts, I feel really good about that. Trevor Lawrence is a stud, Doug Pederson taking a year off was genius, and they may have the premier young edge duo in the league in Josh Allen and number one pick Travon Walker. The Colts aren’t as good as people think (sorry, Meg), but to be shut out like this is concerning. The Jags are going to continue getting better, and Trevor Lawrence has the potential to really elevate them come playoff time. A date with the Chargers on Sunday will tell us a lot about where this team is right now.

    NFC South


    The Bucs are in trouble, in large part because Tom Brady looks like a man who is only on the
    field because he doesn’t want to go home and work on his marriage. It’s Tom Brady, what do
    you expect me to do? The Bucs’ offense averages 19 points a game, with none of the
    vaunted big plays we are used to seeing from Brady and this crew. Mike Evans is
    suspended because he doesn’t like Marshon Lattimore putting him in a car seat, and they’re
    relying on Scotty Miller and Breshad Perriman to lead this passing attack. Throw in the OL
    issues, and the Bucs have the making of a one-and-done team if the Saints don’t keep them out entirely.

    AFC West


    Russell Wilson had one more completion than the Broncos had penalties, for those keeping
    score at home. Through two games, the Nathaniel Hackett offense looks like it did when he was calling plays in Jacksonville: uneven and like it doesn’t know what it wants to be. They paid Wilson A LOT of money to make this offense move, and so far the results are not good. They’re already two games behind Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs with a Sunday night tilt against a very good 49ers team. This could get uglier than a Master P sneaker real quick.

    NFC West


    The Niners were my pick to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl but that was before Trey Lance got hurt. I thought Lance’s mobility and big play potential would open up this offense in a way that Jimmy Garrapolo just doesn’t. With Lance out for the year, I just don’t think the Niners have enough at QB to compete with Stafford, Rodgers, and Brady. With that said, they can rush the passer, and that’s usually been their recipe for success under Kyle Shanahan since he’s only had limited QBs to work with. The run game is currently 4th in the league in yards, so I think they’ll lean on that even more with Jimmy, but you’re going to have to score points in bunches come playoff time. How they look going forward is going to be fascinating.

  • Around The League: AFC North

    Around The League: AFC North

    Last time, we looked at arguably the worst division in football. Today, we look at, arguably, the best division in football. In one corner, you have a Pittsburgh Steelers team who will always be well-coached no matter who plays QB. In another, you have a Baltimore Ravens team who saw half their team snapped away due to injury like the Avengers. In the third corner, a Cleveland Browns team that will rightfully be without the QB they traded the farm for most of the season. And then in the last corner rests the reigning defending conference champion Cincinnati Bengals, coming off their best year in years and aiming to finish the job they started last year. 

    Let’s boogie. 

    1. When does Kenny Pickett start? The Steelers will have a first-round QB to start the season, so in that regard, it is no different than when they had Ben Roethlisberger. Which first-round QB it will be? Well, that’s the question. Mitch Trubisky signed in the offseason and has looked solid if unremarkable. Kenny Pickett, to the surprise of many, has actually looked like he belongs, and that’s without the assortment of weapons he should have when the season begins. Najee Harris, Diontae Johnson, and Pat Freirmuth should be all systems go when the season starts, and the Steelers’ defense has added pieces and should return to form this year. While Trubisky should be able to navigate an early season terrain, it might make more sense for the Steelers to see what they have in their young QB sooner rather than later. 
    2. Can the Bengals repeat? The most significant difference from Joe Burrow’s first season to last year can be summed up in two words: Ja’Maar Chase. Sure, the Bengals spent on the defense, and you saw that come together really well, but Chase was the most game-changing rookie WR since Odell Beckham, Jr. He opened things up for Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd, and helped cover up A LOT of OL deficiencies. In year two for him, it will be interesting to see how defenses cover him because the Bengals go as he goes. If defenses have figured him out, there is a good chance the Bengals don’t repeat.
    3. Can Jacoby Brissett win enough to have the nasty man’s return matter? Jacoby Brissett is not a good QB, and the Browns would’ve been better off trading for Jimmy Garrapolo to salvage their season. Instead, they chose not to acquire a good QB (or, at least, a QB that could run their offense well enough to where the defense can carry them), and will now try to tread water for 11 games until their franchise QB can make a late-season run. With Nick Chubb, a really good OL, Amari Cooper at WR, and two solid TEs, he won’t have to do much under normal circumstances, but the Browns begin on the road versus Carolina before taking on an improved Jets roster. They then get Pittsburgh, Baltimore, New England, Cincy, and the Chargers over five of the next seven games. The Browns could be 0-9 before Thanksgiving, and then it won’t matter if the QB is coming back because the season will be over.
    4. Who catches Lamar’s improved passes? Before getting hurt, Lamar was showing great strides at QB from the pocket. He was, also, beginning to develop chemistry with Rashod Bateman, who led the Ravens WRs in first downs. This off-season saw the Ravens trade Hollywood Brown, and add Coastal Carolina TE Isaiah Likely and Iowa State TE Charlie Kolar. It is a lot to ask rookie TEs to contribute in year one, which means Bateman and TE Mark Andrews will be asked to carry the Ravens’ passing attack. Whoever emerges after them is in line for heavy-duty targets, and will go a long way towards determining if the Ravens return to the top of the division.
  • Around The League: AFC East

    Around The League: AFC East

    We are back with another installment of Around The League, and this time we are looking at the AFC East. Home to Hunter’s favorite team (the reigning defending division champion Buffalo Bills) and me and Nate’s favorite team (the reigning defending division dwellers New York Jets), one thing is for sure and two things for certain: we are both rooting against the New England Patriots. With the charcuterie board set, let’s take a look at this division, which really means looking at the signal callers. 

    1. Who is Mac Jones throwing to? Fresh off a Pro Bowl season (replacement nods count), the Patriots decided to help their young QB by *looks around* doing nothing. Ok, they went and got Devante Parker, who fans have been waiting to see a breakout season from. Maybe this is the year? In any event, the Patriots had another uneven draft, and now enter this season with the worst pass-catching group in the division. To top it off, they also lost their offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, and have decided to let two gentlemen with no play-calling experience on the offensive side of the ball do just that. Lastly, they traded one of their better offensive lineman (Shaq Mason) to the Bucs once they lost their starting guard. Good to see Bill Belicheck still wants to help Tom Brady succeed. The true sign of love is how we love our people from a distance, and Bill nailed it. He should have really focused on helping his second-year QB though. 

    2. Can Zach Wilson take the leap? Speaking of helping a second-year QB, the New York Jets did exactly that and then some this off-season. Last year, they gave Zach Wilson WRs Corey Davis and Elijah Moore, the former a solid veteran and the latter a dynamic rookie WR that should’ve been drafted earlier than he was. This year, the Jets drafted Ohio State WR Garret Wilson and RB Breece Hall, re-signed Pro Bowler Braxton Berrios, and signed TEs Tyler Conklin and CJ Uzomah and OL Duane Brown and Laken Tomlinson. Most importantly, and unlike New England, they kept OC Mike LaFleur, which means Zach enters year two in the same offense as last year but with much more talent around him. He seems to have avoided a major injury in the first preseason game and looks to be back in time for the week one tilt versus the Ravens, and the offense will go as far as he has developed. 

    3. Is this the beginning of the end of the Tua era in Miami? Whereas the Jets will have the same offensive scheme this year, the Dolphins similarly went to the 49ers tree for their new scheme and hired former 49ers OC Mike McDaniel to be their head coach. They then went out and added a franchise LT, talented RB, traded a former first-round WR within the division, and then made a blockbuster trade with the Kansas City Chiefs to acquire All-Pro WR Tyreek Hill. Like the Jets, this now all falls on the young QB for Miami. This season becomes doubly important when you consider that the Dolphins were just docked draft picks for telling Brian Flores to do on purpose what the team was well-equipped to do by accident: lose games. Armed with less capital, but no less averse to making a big trade if needed, and with a much-hyped QB draft class for next year, this could be Tua’s last shot to impress the coach that did not draft him. 

    4. Can Josh Allen finally beat Patrick Mahomes when it counts? Whereas the three other teams in the division have questions about their QBs, the Buffalo Bills have answered theirs. Josh Allen took the leap last year and became a legitimate MVP candidate, and he looks set to build on that with the emergence of Gabriel Davis and the continued development of Dawson Knox. The MVP award might be in his near future, but there’s one thing Josh Allen has not been able to do: beat Patrick Mahomes when it matters. I know the Bengals are the media darling given their surprise run to the Super Bowl last year, but the Chiefs are still the top dog in this conference and all signs point to Allen having to go through Mahomes if he wants to reach the Super Bowl that’s eluded these Bills fans for 20+ years. The AFC is a juggernaut of QB talent right now, and they also have the best young QBs in the league, and the Bills have one of the better ones across the entire league. In order to be solidified as the guy in the AFC though? He’s gotta go through Pat, and we will see if this is the year he does just that. 

  • NFL Weekly Vibe Check: NY Jets

    NFL Weekly Vibe Check: NY Jets

    The NY Jets are in uncharted territory. They seem to be in this weird twilight zone where they are having positive reactions from the talking heads around the league and encouraging results from their staff and players. Not to mention when they have been in the news for non-football-related activities, for the first time in a long time, the public discourse is positive. This isn’t the same LOL-Jets we’ve been used to. So yes, maybe it’s a little early for a vibe check and a look at some newsworthy events surrounding the Jets with rose-colored glasses. However, to play Devil’s advocate, in seasons past it hasn’t been far off to already start emulating Ethan Hawke in First Reformed and start journaling in an empty room with a full bottle. While this isn’t going to be a breakdown of all the passes Wilson threw in 7 on 7 or anything like that, this is going to be a quick look at some of the recent stories surrounding the Jets and some of their key players.

    First and foremost, let’s talk about Mekhi Becton. ALL OFFSEASON we heard that, despite his constant workout videos, pictures he took with fans, and his own word, he was out of shape and overweight. ALL OFFSEASON. While he may not have been able to rehab as well as he or the team wanted after his injury in week 1 of last year, the media story surrounding him was that it never got any better. Seeing the tweets from the beat writers you would expect Becton to literally have to be wheeled up to camp fresh off losing the starring role in Deron Aronofsky’s The Whale to Brendan Fraser. In most years, the doom tweeting and borderline gaslighting of the fans with the Becton story would have become a self-fulfilling prophecy. In any other year in the past 10, he would have rolled up to camp overweight and underprepared. However, this year? This time? He came looking ready, in shape, and the scary mountain of a man he was drafted to be. Becton switching to Right Tackle and lining up next to AVT could and should form a terrifying wall for the next 10 plus years. Becton showing up, and proving the beat wrong, is step one to making that prediction a reality. *Sigh* and then he got hurt. I will be off crying on a cliff.

    Last, but not certainly not least, Zach Wilson was recently in the news. Now, I’m not going to rehash what anyone who has a twitter or was near a phone or tv for a week knows. I’m not going to debate the validity of the rumor (it’s almost certainly not true). However, one thing did stand out: the Jets were in the news, they were being joked about, their player was in the headlines and it was not another buttfumble, another seeing ghosts, or a mono situation. This was a harmless, silly off-season story. So why even address it? Well, this is the first time in a long time I can remember the Jets being in the news for something non-football related that wasn’t used to run the boring LOL Jets takes and jokes. This is just as an important piece to the vibe check as Becton actually being good to go up until yesterday. The view around this team is changing. The vibes around this team are changing, and they are changing for the better.

  • Around The League: NFC East

    Around The League: NFC East

    As we barrel towards week one and teams try to make it out of training camp and preseason in one piece, our eyes turn to what the regular season can bring each team. Each week, we’ll look around the league to ask one question about each team, division by division. We begin in the NFC East, where there is a lot of transition and questions for every team. However, the heavy emphasis is on the pass catchers.

    1. Is CeeDee Lamb ready to be the best WR on a playoff team? The Dallas Cowboys traded veteran WR Amari Cooper and opted to go younger at the position while elevating Michael Gallup to the undisputed number two WR. The reason they felt comfortable doing that is that CeeDee Lamb took the production leap in year two with 79 catches for 1102 yards and 6 TDs. Now entering year 3, he will be asked to lead this Cowboys passing attack that will be in the next year of Mike McCarthy’s offense. An All-Pro season for Lamb would not be shocking, as Dak Prescott will also now be two years removed from his devastating knee injury. If Prescott and Lamb are on, the Cowboys are the favorites in this division.

    2. How dynamic of a duo will AJ Brown and Devonta Smith be? The Philadelphia Eagles opted for the more proven commodity this off-season when they dealt one of their first-round picks to the Titans for stud WR AJ Brown. Instead of adding another WR from a deep WR class, they felt having the big body Brown to pair with former Heisman winner Devonta Smith was the better route, and I can’t say I blame them. AJ dealt with injuries last year but did post back-to-back 1000-yard seasons his first two years. He will help QB Jalen Hurts badly, and will open things up for Devonta in Nick Sirriani’s offense. Brown is, arguably, the best WR in the division.

    3. How much does Terry McClaurin help new QB Carson Wentz? One of the more underrated WRs in football, McClaurin is coming off his second straight 75+ REC, 1000+ yard season. He chipped in 5 TDs playing with literally nobody at QB, so now he gets former first-round pick QB Carson Wentz. Wentz is coming off a season where he threw for 3563 yards, 27 TDs, and 7 INTs: to put that in perspective, that would have been the highest TD total for any Washington Commander QB since 2017. Wentz struggled down the stretch, but he didn’t have a WR like McClaurin, and how good they connect early will open things up for rookie WR Jahan Dotson and this passing attack.

    4. What Giants WR steps up for QB Daniel Jones? The worst WR group in this division belongs to the New York Giants, as I think Kenny Golladay would be squarely 7th overall if you ranked the top two of each team. Kadarius Toney had little impact last year, and Commanders’ rookie WR Jahan Dotson is better than Toney was coming out. Sterling Shepherd is a solid C WR, and is reportedly on the chopping block. Make no mistake, a lot of Giant fans expecting Daniel Jones to take a Josh Allen-leap need to point out where the Stefon Diggs and Cole Beasley of this offense are. The Giants need Toney to flash more than what he’s shown (I still believe he was overdrafted), and they need Golladay to return to his Pro Bowl form or they’ll be drafting in the top 5 next year. At this point, it won’t matter who the WRs that remain on this team are because they’ll be taking a QB and starting from scratch.

  • Steelers Preseason Preview: Better Without Ben

    Steelers Preseason Preview: Better Without Ben

    For the first time in 18 seasons the Pittsburgh Steelers have a QB not named Ben, under center. For fans this is a bittersweet moment and a changing of the guard. A constant of the franchise, and for at least 16 of those 18 seasons, a dependable top half-of-the-league QB is gone. There is uncertainty in Pittsburgh; however, in spite of this change Pittsburgh has a chance to be a better team this season.

    How? How are they going to be better when we know the division got better? First, Cincy retooled their O-line and are coming off a Super Bowl birth. Second, Baltimore can expect to have a bounce back year after adding to an already solid defense and Lamar is still the most electric QB in the league. Third, the Browns, while morally bankrupt, added a former top 5 QB (if he returns to form of two years ago and isn’t suspended). I hear all of that. However, let’s look at what Pittsburgh did the last two years of Ben’s career.

    In Roethlisberger’s final two seasons the Steelers finished at 12-4 and 9-7-1. Those Steeler teams accomplished this with a 40-year old statue with a limited arm at QB. 31 other starting QBs in the league could have one of their feet cemented in concrete and they would still have moved at a faster pace than Big Ben did from 2020-2021. In his final two seasons, Ben’s yards per attempt hovered around Sam Darnold’s with the Jets numbers (averaging around 6.25). That isn’t good. Especially when Pitt has an exciting and diverse receiving core and now one of the most exciting and versatile running backs in the league.

    I say all this not to trash Ben, but to point out that whether it’s new first round pick Kenny Pickett or Mitch Trubisky, the Steelers are going to have a more mobile and MUCH MORE athletic QB for this upcoming season. On top of that, even if they put together an average season this team should be able to compete for a Wild Card spot. Look what they did with a walking corpse under center? 12 wins!? HOW!? T.J. Watt and Minkah Fitzpatrick is how. Guess what? They’re still there and so is Najee Harris. There is an argument to be had that Ben held Pittsburgh back in 2021.

    All this to say, it’s an exciting time for Steeler fans, no matter who takes the majority of the snaps this year. As long as Pickett or Trubisky don’t become turnover machines, they will be taking control of a team that is very well rounded. This Steelers team isn’t going to be easy to beat, and isn’t that all you want with a rookie QB or a reclamation project QB?


  • Road To Training Camp: The New York Jets

    Road To Training Camp: The New York Jets

    Hope. A word that has become a paradox for Jets fans. In one aspect, at the beginning of every NFL team’s season we all have hope. However, unless you’ve been delusional or maybe even high, the Jets haven’t sniffed any real hope in almost a decade. The last 12 years of Jets fandom is like Andy Dufresne’s time in Shawshank. It’s not been good. Sure, maybe you’ve made some friends along the way, looking at you SunGawd, but really there hasn’t been much to love or hope for in the last 12 years. 

    I know I sound like Red, speaking of Shawshank, talking about how hope is a dangerous thing, but for the first time in a long time the Jets are giving people hope. Real hope. Let’s look at some of the things that have happened since Adam Gase was sent packing:

    THEY FINALLY CHANGED THE REPORTING STRUCTURE AND ARE ACTING LIKE AN NFL TEAM WITH A COACH REPORTING TO A GM AND NOT TO THE OWNER.

    To any fan of a well-functioning franchise this seems obvious, but it’s something that pre-Joe Douglas, fans did not have. I never understood how in spite of all the “LOLJets” takes and the Trey Wingo’s of the world cowardly making snarky jokes on Twitter, they always left out the weirdest Jetsiest Jet thing of them all. For the longest time, Woody Johnson had a coach report to him and a General Manager report to him separately. I’m not here to relitigate the past, but that is truly baffling and the first step in the right direction, the first step to HOPE, began here ending that ridiculous structure. 

    Joe Douglas hired the person that seems to be the right guy, at least in the present moment. Robert Saleh was a top assistant coach in the league last offseason. However, the Jets had hired top assistants before. Again, despite the narrative in the media, the Jets usually landed a top name on the coaching market. The pairings just never really worked, Bowels and Maccagnan were the most recent version of this. However, this time? This time feels different. Saleh and Douglas seem to work well together. The drafts seem fairly evident of that. In fact, the biggest contention between the two seems to fall on a player that was drafted before the Saleh era. There was an article that came out before the draft from (citation here, I honestly can’t find it) that detailed how the coaching staff and the front office including the scouting department got together and outlined what they wanted and needed in players. This is what well-functioning-and dare I say high functioning-franchises do!!

    That story alone was enough to light the embers of hope in any Jets fan’s soul. Listen, it’s basically been SEVEN years of no expectations for the Jets. The bar was so low, it was in hell. Jets Twitter as a whole was just asking not to get embarrassed week in and week out. There are realistic expectations this year. This could be and should be a FUN team to watch this year! Forget records, forget highlight plays, when was the last time this team was fun? 2011 Sanchez? Probably, yeah. For that reason alone, the fact that with LaFleur, Wilson, Hall, Moore, Davis, G. Wilson we think we can have fun? That alone is enough of a reason to feel that thing that has been missing from this fanbase for a long, long time: Hope. 

  • Bang The Table, Round 2

    Bang The Table, Round 2

    Meg Hall

    2nd Year Breakout: I’m probably going to sound like a homer, but I’m banging the table for Kwity Paye of the Indianapolis Colts. After being sidelined with a hamstring injury and an ankle injury early, the lights “came on” for Kwity in the second half of the season. He had 4 sacks and was extremely disruptive behind Deforrest Buckner with 10 QB Hits. It seems others noticed Kwity as well, landing him on the 2021 PFWA All-Rookie Team. If he can stay healthy, look for him to light it up.

    Team: The Jets have long since been a team that most fans don’t take serious since the infamous “butt fumble”, but I’m banging the table for them to make a huge jump in 2022. I love what Joe Douglas has done. I think he knows that they had to put some talent around Zach Wilson. He went out and got some shiny new “toys” in Garrett Wilson, Breece Hall and Jeremy Ruckert to pair with Elijah Moore (who is criminally underrated), Michael Carter, C.J. Uzomah, Braxton Berrios, and Denzel Mims. There’s a youth movement happening at Florham Park. My bold prediction for the Jets is that they will have their first winning season since 2015.

    Dalbin Osorio

    2nd Year Breakout: Meg went the homer route, and I thank her for that because it made me not want to do that. I’m going the less obvious route and putting all my chips on the table for Travis Etienne. Now, I know what you’re thinking: he was hurt last year, so even 2 yards is an improvement over zero. I don’t disagree, but I’m going even further than marginal improvements: Travis Etienne will win the rushing title in 2022. Doug Pederson knows QBs, and the Jaguars have added Christian Kirk, Brandon Scherff, and Evan Engram to an offense that didn’t have a lot of talent. Etienne will be the beneficiary of a better Trevor Lawrence in year 2.

    Team: this isn’t just because Meg is my partner in print, but I’m going all in on her team: the Indianapolis Colts will win the AFC South. The Texans kind of stink, though they did have a really good draft. The Titans will take a step back until Malik Willis takes Ryan Tannehill’s job. And the aforementioned Jaguars will be better, but, good God, that defense is awful. Enter the rock-steady Colts, with a very good defense, the 2nd best RB in football, and a huge improvement at QB with the acquisition of Matt Ryan. Frank Reich is going to have his boys ready to play, and it wouldn’t surprise me to see them add Odell Beckham, Jr. to their WR room. This is as well-coached a team as there is in the NFL, with a GM not afraid to make the big move, and I think they make the playoffs and win the division.

  • The Superhero Mock Draft

    The Superhero Mock Draft


    Rules:
    All superheros are draftable
    Rosters include a QB, 3 Offensive Weapons, 3 Defensive Weapons
    No Variants

    Hunter is on the clock.

    Round One:

    The Defenders Draft Pick #1:

    Peter Parker, a.k.a. Spider-Man (WR)

    Dalbin’s reaction: Going young right off the bat doesn’t make me nervous. I’d be more concerned if Hunter chose a wide receiver that can catch (sorry Gwen Stacy).

    Hunter’s response: Betting on Parker learning from his mistakes in college. He’s a young guy but it’s his spirit, determination, and ability to adapt that catch my eye. The sticky fingers don’t hurt either.

    The Illuminati Draft Pick #1

    Steve Rogers, aka Captain America (QB)

    Hunter’s reaction: This is an intimidating pick. Incredible leadership ability and one of the most accurate throws in his class. Rogers was definitely someone we kept an eye on. Maybe could have picked someone with better arm strength though.

    Dalbin’s response: What better way to combat the kid from Queens than with the kid from Brooklyn? Throwing vibranium around means the adjustment to the pro game will take a minute, but please believe that the intangibles are through the roof.

    Round Two:

    The Defenders Draft Pick #2

    Clark Kent, a.k.a. Superman (QB)

    Dalbin’s reaction: A leader who never compromised his values despite what Injustice says. He’s faster than a speeding bullet, which means he’d revolutionize the game, so I’m really worried now. Defensively, I may have to draft someone with his mother’s name to stop him.

    Hunter’s response: Heard from a few scouts he’s resolved his conflict with Mr. Wayne. Some described it as a “rebirth.” I’m excited for his future as both a leader and an athletic talent, not to mention I think the camaraderie between Kent and Parker will result in Burrow and Chase levels of success.

    The Illuminati Draft Pick #2

    James Howlett, aka Wolverine (RB)

    Hunter’s reaction: A little guy, good for putting his head down and getting through the line. Scrappy and sturdy. I’ll need a sturdier, angrier linebacker if I have any hope of putting him down.

    Dalbin’s response: With the selection of Cap, I wanted someone with a strong relationship with him in the backfield, and the only person with a better relationship with Cap than Logan is Bucky, but I couldn’t draft a former war criminal who Cap himself didn’t pick. Logan is my Derrick Henry.

    Round Three:

    The Defenders Draft Pick #3

    Bruce Banner, a.k.a. The Hulk (LB)

    Dalbin’s reaction: Oh, dear God. I wouldn’t like when he’s angry and playing for Hunter means he will always be angry. This is a good way to counter my first two picks, but will the comics repeat themselves on a screen pass? We’ll see!

    Hunter’s response: Hulk smash.

    The Illuminati Draft Pick #3

    Barry Allen, aka The Flash (WR)

    Hunter’s reaction: Talk about a prospect with speed. No way I can draft anybody who can keep up with Allen, but I can draft someone (witch) crafty enough to get around it.

    Dalbin’s response: The only worry with Barry was immaturity, but the speed is too tantalizing a prospect to pass up here in round 3.

    Round Four:

    The Defenders Draft Pick #4

    Mark Grayson, a.k.a. Invincible (S)

    Dalbin’s reaction: *An audible gasp exits from the Illumaniti war room, and it doesn’t come from a Captain Marvel variant while fighting the Scarlet Witch* I had Hunter’s word that he wouldn’t take Grayson. He was MY sleeper!

    Hunter’s response: If there’s anything Grayson is familiar with, it’s shocking betrayals from people he trusts. This is a defensive player who can be anywhere on the field, and no longer trusts anyone else to do his job for him.

    The Illuminati Draft Pick #4

    Harley Quinn (LB)

    Hunter’s reaction: A bit confused by this one. Quinn is brutal and unpredictable, the definition of a wild card, but I would have thought she’d end up on the offensive side of things. I’ll need to make some picks that can handle her chaos.

    Dalbin’s response: I needed a leader on defense, and who better than the person who leads DC’s best movie (Birds of Prey)? With the array of weapons, ahem, I’ll add around her, it’s really over for you jokers.



    Round Five:

    The Defenders Draft Pick #5

    Wanda Maximoff, a.k.a. Scarlet Witch (CB)

    Dalbin’s Response: She lacks vision, but the potential is through the roof now that she’s embraced her true self. A true mutant at the position, this might be Hunter’s best pick.

    Hunter’s response: There’s really no cap on her potential, and what she lacks in vision she makes up for with a fierce sense of team play. She’ll do anything to make sure her family comes out on top.

    The Illuminati Draft Pick #5

    John Stewart, aka Green Lantern (S)

    Dalbin’s reaction: How do I support the wild card in the middle of the defense? By giving her a player with range behind her. The best Green Lantern brings leadership skills and no desire to fall to the dark side like his predecessors from Green Lantern University.

    Hunter’s reaction: Egads! This was going to be my next pick. A truly multifaceted talent, with the ability to make up defensive plays on the spot. I’ll need someone with experience and endurance to get through Stewart, because there may be no going around.

    Round Six:

    The Defenders Draft Pick #6

    Hellboy (TE)

    Dalbin’s response: *A visible smirk is shown on the face of the new GM in the Illumaniti war room*


    Hunter’s response: Needed someone who could drop a shoulder, stiff arm, or block just as well as they can catch. Hellboy is the definition of that skill set. It’s almost like he’s got two different hands, one for the soft touch and one you hope he never uses on you.

    The Illuminati Draft Pick #6

    T’Challa, aka Black Panther (WR)

    Dalbin’s reaction: Completing my offense with a franchise player in round 6? Too hard to pass up. With Cap, Flash, Wolverine, and T’Challa on offense, we are talking vibranium over Baghdad.

    Hunter’s reaction: Hard to believe T’Challa was still on the board. He never fit into my offensive scheme, but I was praying to Bast that he didn’t fit the Illuminati’s either.

    Round Seven:

    The Defenders Draft Pick #7

    Scott Lang, a.k.a. Ant-Man (RB)

    Dalbin’s response: When we talk shifty, this is what we mean. Plus, when you singlehandedly save the universe by planning a time heist, you’d think there’d be more hype, but this might be Hunter’s best pick. Plus, there’s so much potential for him to play bigger than what he currently is.

    Hunter’s response: This is someone who can carry the ball anywhere on the field, and fits in perfectly with an offense designed to constantly adapt. Good luck catching a guy you can barely see breaking away downfield.

    The Illuminati Draft Pick #7:

    Diana, Princess of the Amazons, aka Wonder Woman (EDGE)

    Dalbin Reaction: Diana, Harley, and John on defense gives me range, versatility, and downright power. It’s the ultimate bend but don’t break defense, but one that will do what’s needed given the offense will score points.

    Hunter’s reaction: This pick makes me glad I have a quarterback with steel nerves. Nothing scarier than a Themyscira alum coming hot off the corner.