1.Cleveland Browns: Myles Garrett, edge rusher (Texas A&M)
2.San Francisco 49ers: DeShaun Watson, quarterback (Clemson)
3.Chicago Bears: Marshon Lattimore, cornerback (Ohio State)
4.Jacksonville Jaguars: Jonathan Allen, defensive tackle (Alabama)
5.Tennessee Titans: Malik Hooker, safety (Ohio State)
6.New York Jets: Leonard Forunette, running back (LSU)
7.Los Angeles Chargers: Ryan Ramczyk, tackle (Wisconsin)
8.Carolina Panthers: Mike Williams, wide receiver (Clemson)
9.Cincinnati Bengals: Jamal Adams, safety (LSU)
10.Buffalo Bills: Mitch Trubisky, quarterback (North Carolina)
11.New Orleans Saints: Solomon Thomas, defensive end (Stanford)
12.Cleveland Browns: Marlon Humphery, cornerback (Alabama)
13.Arizona Cardinals: Corey Davis, wide receiver (Western Michigan)
14.Indianapolis Colts: Dalvin Cook, running back (Florida State)
15.Philadelphia Eagles: John Ross, wide receiver (Washington)
16.Baltimore Ravens: Sidney Jones, cornerback (Washington)
17.Washington Redskins: Malik McDowell, defensive tackle (Michigan State)
18.Tennessee Titans: Taco Charlton, edge rusher (Michigan)
19.Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Derek Barnett, edge rusher (Tennessee)
20.Denver Broncos: O.J. Howard, tight end (Alabama)
21.Detroit Lions: Takkarist McKinley, edge rusher (UCLA)
22.Miami Dolphins: Ryan Anderson, edge rusher (Alabama)
23.New York Giants: David Nokju, tight end (Miami)
24.Oakland Raiders: Quincy Wilson, cornerback (Florida)
25.Houston Texans: Forrest Lamp, guard (Western Kentucky)
26.Seattle Seahawks: Garett Bolles, tackle (Utah)
27.Kansas City Chiefs: Charles Harris, defensive end (Missouri)
28.Dallas Cowboys: Jabril Peppers, safety (Michigan)
29.Green Bay Packers: Christian McCaffery, running back (Stanford)
30.Pittsburgh Steelers: Budda Baker, safety (Washington)
31.Atlanta Falcons: Jarrad Davis, inside linebacker (Florida)
32.New England Patriots: Reuben Foster, inside linebacker (Alabama)
Monday, February 13, 2017
Thursday, February 9, 2017
Movie Review: xXx: Return of Xander Cage
I don't want to go around starting any big Hollywood rumors, but I think Dwayne Johnson has been sharing some of his patented Franchise Viagra with his pal Vin Diesel. Six years after revamping the Fast and Furious franchise, Diesel has worked his macho voodoo magic again by successfully reviving the long-dormant xXx franchise with the absurdly fun Return of Xander Cage.
Anyone that follows the Fast and Furious franchise will be quick to notice that Diesel and co. have applied the same formula (globe-trotting setting, racially-diverse ensemble cast, self-aware tone, a complete detachment from reality) that has made that series the gold standard for over-the-top blockbuster entertainment to Return of Xander Cage. While it may sound like a lazy gimmick to try and emulate the massive success the Fast and Furious films have enjoyed of late, employing that approach prevents Return of Xander Cage from repeating the sins of the prior films in the xXx series. Both the 2002 original and the Ice Cube-led sequel State of the Union took themselves way too seriously and lacked the type of camaraderie between its central cast that's needed to make these type of ridiculous action movies work. Without dealing with the constraints of a straight-faced delivery and making the wise decision to surround the titular hero with a colorful, well-matched band of sparing partners (led by Bollywood star Deepika Padukone, Chinese pop sensation Kris Wu and martial arts legend Donnie Yen, whose flare for scenery-chewing is much better utilized here than it was in Rogue One), Return of Xander Cage is able to become the dopey grin-inducing exercise in action movie excess that this franchise should've been from the jump.
Return of Xander Cage also benefits from having a much-more skilled director in D.J. Caruso (Disturbia, Eagle Eye) running the show. Unlike previous directors Rob Cohen and Lee Tamahori, Caruso boasts the precision to make the frantic action setpieces and cartoonish stunts work. He handles everything from standard fist fights to gun battles in a rapidly descending airplane with confidence and is talented enough to ensure that these scenes are fast-paced without ever becoming incomprehensible. Return of Xander Cage is pure escapism and given the sheer amount of dread that is engulfing the world at this moment in time, we need purely entertaining cinematic distractions like this more than ever.
4/5 Stars
Wednesday, February 8, 2017
2017 NFL Mock Draft (Pre-Combine #1)
1.Cleveland Browns: Myles Garrett, edge rusher (Texas A&M)
2.San Francisco 49ers: DeShaun Watson, quarterback (Clemson)
3.Chicago Bears: Malik Hooker, safety (Ohio State)
4.Jacksonville Jaguars: Leonard Forunette, running back (LSU)
5.Tennessee Titans: Marshon Lattimore, cornerback (Ohio State)
6.New York Jets: Jamal Adams, safety (LSU)
7.Los Angeles Chargers: Ryan Ramczyk, tackle (Wisconsin)
8.Carolina Panthers: Mike Williams, wide receiver (Clemson)
9.Cincinnati Bengals: Reuben Foster, inside linebacker (Alabama)
10.Buffalo Bills: Mitch Trubisky, quarterback (North Carolina)
11.New Orleans Saints: Solomon Thomas, defensive end (Stanford)
12.Cleveland Browns: DeShone Kizer, quarterback (Notre Dame)
13.Arizona Cardinals: Corey Davis, wide receiver (Western Michigan)
14.Indianapolis Colts: Jonathan Allen, defensive tackle (Alabama)
15.Philadelphia Eagles: Dalvin Cook, running back (Florida State)
16.Baltimore Ravens: Marlon Humphery, cornerback (Alabama)
17.Washington Redskins: Malik McDowell, defensive tackle (Michigan State)
18.Tennessee Titans: John Ross, wide receiver (Washington)
19.Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Derek Barnett, edge rusher (Tennessee)
20.Denver Broncos: O.J. Howard, tight end (Alabama)
21.Detroit Lions: Taco Charlton, edge rusher (Michigan)
22.Miami Dolphins: Takkarist McKinley, edge rusher (UCLA)
23.New York Giants: David Nokju, tight end (Miami)
24.Oakland Raiders: Quincy Wilson, cornerback (Florida)
25.Houston Texans: Cam Robinson, tackle (Alabama)
26.Seattle Seahawks: Garett Bolles, tackle (Utah)
27.Kansas City Chiefs: Charles Harris, defensive end (Missouri)
28.Dallas Cowboys: Jabril Peppers, safety (Michigan)
29.Green Bay Packers: Sidney Jones, cornerback (Washington)
30.Pittsburgh Steelers: Ryan Anderson, edge rusher (Alabama)
31.Atlanta Falcons: Jarrad Davis, inside linebacker (Florida)
32.New England Patriots: Christian McCaffery, running back (Stanford)
2.San Francisco 49ers: DeShaun Watson, quarterback (Clemson)
3.Chicago Bears: Malik Hooker, safety (Ohio State)
4.Jacksonville Jaguars: Leonard Forunette, running back (LSU)
5.Tennessee Titans: Marshon Lattimore, cornerback (Ohio State)
6.New York Jets: Jamal Adams, safety (LSU)
7.Los Angeles Chargers: Ryan Ramczyk, tackle (Wisconsin)
8.Carolina Panthers: Mike Williams, wide receiver (Clemson)
9.Cincinnati Bengals: Reuben Foster, inside linebacker (Alabama)
10.Buffalo Bills: Mitch Trubisky, quarterback (North Carolina)
11.New Orleans Saints: Solomon Thomas, defensive end (Stanford)
12.Cleveland Browns: DeShone Kizer, quarterback (Notre Dame)
13.Arizona Cardinals: Corey Davis, wide receiver (Western Michigan)
14.Indianapolis Colts: Jonathan Allen, defensive tackle (Alabama)
15.Philadelphia Eagles: Dalvin Cook, running back (Florida State)
16.Baltimore Ravens: Marlon Humphery, cornerback (Alabama)
17.Washington Redskins: Malik McDowell, defensive tackle (Michigan State)
18.Tennessee Titans: John Ross, wide receiver (Washington)
19.Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Derek Barnett, edge rusher (Tennessee)
20.Denver Broncos: O.J. Howard, tight end (Alabama)
21.Detroit Lions: Taco Charlton, edge rusher (Michigan)
22.Miami Dolphins: Takkarist McKinley, edge rusher (UCLA)
23.New York Giants: David Nokju, tight end (Miami)
24.Oakland Raiders: Quincy Wilson, cornerback (Florida)
25.Houston Texans: Cam Robinson, tackle (Alabama)
26.Seattle Seahawks: Garett Bolles, tackle (Utah)
27.Kansas City Chiefs: Charles Harris, defensive end (Missouri)
28.Dallas Cowboys: Jabril Peppers, safety (Michigan)
29.Green Bay Packers: Sidney Jones, cornerback (Washington)
30.Pittsburgh Steelers: Ryan Anderson, edge rusher (Alabama)
31.Atlanta Falcons: Jarrad Davis, inside linebacker (Florida)
32.New England Patriots: Christian McCaffery, running back (Stanford)
Tuesday, February 7, 2017
The Best and Worst of Keanu Reeves
The "Best and Worst" series profiles the best and worst work of an
actor starring in one of the week's new theatrical releases. This week I
take a look at the filmography of "John Wick: Chapter 2" star Keanu Reeves.
Films starring Keanu Reeves that I've seen:
Point Break
Little Buddha
The Matrix
The Replacements
The Matrix Reloaded
The Matrix Revolutions
Street Kings
The Day the Earth Stood Still
47 Ronin
John Wick
Knock Knock
Keanu
Best Performance: John Wick (2014)
Reeves has a very particular set of skills as an actor and no film has highlighted them more than John Wick. The role of a cold, revenge-driven hitman that comes of retirement to get back at the thugs that killed his beloved dog was the part that the notoriously stoic and cool Reeves was born to play.
Worst Performance: 47 Ronin (2013)
Keanu's notable lack of emotional range has led to a number of really awful performances (The Day The Earth Stood Still, Little Buddha, Knock Knock) over the course of his lengthy acting career, but none of them were more painful to watch than his lifeless work in the martial arts/fantasy/action crossover bomb 47 Ronin. I found myself questioning whether or not Reeves had a pulse as he slogged through a seemingly endless series of meandering monologues in this shockingly dull sack of shit movie.
Best Film: The Matrix (1999)
The Wachowskis have pissed me off to no end with the stream of garbage they've released in the last 15 years, but since they gave the world The Matrix, I'll never not give their work a shot. This visionary masterpiece redefined the way action scenes are choreographed in Hollywood and featured one of the most vivid, fascinating universes in the history of cinema. It's a shame that the Wachowskis majorly dropped the ball with the sequels because The Matrix had the potential to evolve into an all-time great sci-fi franchise.
Worst Film: Little Buddha (1993)
I was fully prepared to name 47 Ronin Reeves' weakest film until I was reminded of this grade-A cinematic abortion while reviewing his filmography ahead of writing this piece. I don't remember a whole lot about what transpired during Little Buddha, but I recall watching this in a history class during my freshman year of high school and wanting to gouge my eyes out due to how unrelentingly boring it was.
Thank you for reading this week's installment of "The Best and Worst of". Next week, I'll take a look at the best and worst work of "Fist Fight" star Tracy Morgan.
Films starring Keanu Reeves that I've seen:
Point Break
Little Buddha
The Matrix
The Replacements
The Matrix Reloaded
The Matrix Revolutions
Street Kings
The Day the Earth Stood Still
47 Ronin
John Wick
Knock Knock
Keanu
Best Performance: John Wick (2014)
Reeves has a very particular set of skills as an actor and no film has highlighted them more than John Wick. The role of a cold, revenge-driven hitman that comes of retirement to get back at the thugs that killed his beloved dog was the part that the notoriously stoic and cool Reeves was born to play.
Worst Performance: 47 Ronin (2013)
Keanu's notable lack of emotional range has led to a number of really awful performances (The Day The Earth Stood Still, Little Buddha, Knock Knock) over the course of his lengthy acting career, but none of them were more painful to watch than his lifeless work in the martial arts/fantasy/action crossover bomb 47 Ronin. I found myself questioning whether or not Reeves had a pulse as he slogged through a seemingly endless series of meandering monologues in this shockingly dull sack of shit movie.
Best Film: The Matrix (1999)
The Wachowskis have pissed me off to no end with the stream of garbage they've released in the last 15 years, but since they gave the world The Matrix, I'll never not give their work a shot. This visionary masterpiece redefined the way action scenes are choreographed in Hollywood and featured one of the most vivid, fascinating universes in the history of cinema. It's a shame that the Wachowskis majorly dropped the ball with the sequels because The Matrix had the potential to evolve into an all-time great sci-fi franchise.
Worst Film: Little Buddha (1993)
I was fully prepared to name 47 Ronin Reeves' weakest film until I was reminded of this grade-A cinematic abortion while reviewing his filmography ahead of writing this piece. I don't remember a whole lot about what transpired during Little Buddha, but I recall watching this in a history class during my freshman year of high school and wanting to gouge my eyes out due to how unrelentingly boring it was.
Thank you for reading this week's installment of "The Best and Worst of". Next week, I'll take a look at the best and worst work of "Fist Fight" star Tracy Morgan.
Saturday, February 4, 2017
Super Bowl 51 (Super Bowl LI) Prediction
Conference Championship Record: 1-1 (Correct: Patriots Incorrect: Packers)
Overall Record: 6-4
New England Patriots over Atlanta Falcons: Here we are again. The league's top scoring offense and the league's top scoring defense duking it out for the Lombardi Trophy. WHO WILL COME OUT ON TOP IN THIS MATCHUP OF THE CENTURY!?!?!?!??!
I'm one of the few assholes on the planet that is not buying into the super-competitive shootout narrative a majority of footballs fans have attached to this game. Not only do I think that Super Bowl 51 isn't going to be a shootout, I believe that it's going to be a Buccaneers/Raiders or Seahawks/Broncos-esque beatdown.
It's a widely-known fact that the only way you can beat the Patriots is if you get Tom Brady out of his rhythm early by repeatedly hitting him and the Falcons don't have a good-enough pass-rush to accomplish that rarely-achieved feat. The Patriots are going to hone in on league sack-leader Vic Beasley and there's no one else on this defense that comes anywhere close to matching Beasley's impact as a pass-rusher.
In addition to having a below-average pass-rush, the Falcons defense is wildly inexperienced (6 of their 11 starters are in either their 1st or 2nd second year in the league) and pretty poor on the whole, which makes them a prime candidate to get steamrolled by the Patriots offense. They have looked much better over the last month and their performance against the Packers high-powered offense was outstanding, but they don't have the coverage skills or volume of consistent playmakers to handle the Patriots trademark short-to-intermediate passing attack or the platoon of running backs (LeGarrette Blount, Dion Lewis, James White) they like to deploy at various points of the game. Considering that the Patriots scored 34 points against a very good Texans defense in the Divisional Round, they could easily hang 50 on this highly flawed unit.
Of course the reason this game is being prematurely billed as a Super Bowl classic is because of the Falcons electric offense led by MVP Matt Ryan., but like the Broncos in 2013, I expect this historically-excellent offense to get buried on the NFL's biggest stage. While the Patriots defense definitely isn't as dominant as their number 1 ranking indicates, they're talented enough on all 3 levels to prevent this lauded offense from having one of their patented 30-40 point scoring outbursts. Malcolm Butler is more than capable of ensuring that Julio Jones doesn't have a monumental impact on the game and the Patriots 3rd-ranked run defense should be able to shut down the overrated combo of Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman, which should kill the versatility that drove their improbable NFC Championship run.
Barring the 2011 Patriots Swiss cheese secondary making a surprise cameo in Houston, the Falcons are going to get the ever-loving shit kicked out of them on Sunday and Patriots fans wet dream of Rahga Goodell handing the GOAT TB12 the Lombahdi Trophy will come true. My only hope is that Sunday night will be the last time I ever hear the terms "Deflategate", "Revenge Tour" and "New England Patriots Super Bowl Champions" for the rest of my wretched existence.
Overall Record: 6-4
New England Patriots over Atlanta Falcons: Here we are again. The league's top scoring offense and the league's top scoring defense duking it out for the Lombardi Trophy. WHO WILL COME OUT ON TOP IN THIS MATCHUP OF THE CENTURY!?!?!?!??!
I'm one of the few assholes on the planet that is not buying into the super-competitive shootout narrative a majority of footballs fans have attached to this game. Not only do I think that Super Bowl 51 isn't going to be a shootout, I believe that it's going to be a Buccaneers/Raiders or Seahawks/Broncos-esque beatdown.
It's a widely-known fact that the only way you can beat the Patriots is if you get Tom Brady out of his rhythm early by repeatedly hitting him and the Falcons don't have a good-enough pass-rush to accomplish that rarely-achieved feat. The Patriots are going to hone in on league sack-leader Vic Beasley and there's no one else on this defense that comes anywhere close to matching Beasley's impact as a pass-rusher.
In addition to having a below-average pass-rush, the Falcons defense is wildly inexperienced (6 of their 11 starters are in either their 1st or 2nd second year in the league) and pretty poor on the whole, which makes them a prime candidate to get steamrolled by the Patriots offense. They have looked much better over the last month and their performance against the Packers high-powered offense was outstanding, but they don't have the coverage skills or volume of consistent playmakers to handle the Patriots trademark short-to-intermediate passing attack or the platoon of running backs (LeGarrette Blount, Dion Lewis, James White) they like to deploy at various points of the game. Considering that the Patriots scored 34 points against a very good Texans defense in the Divisional Round, they could easily hang 50 on this highly flawed unit.
Of course the reason this game is being prematurely billed as a Super Bowl classic is because of the Falcons electric offense led by MVP Matt Ryan., but like the Broncos in 2013, I expect this historically-excellent offense to get buried on the NFL's biggest stage. While the Patriots defense definitely isn't as dominant as their number 1 ranking indicates, they're talented enough on all 3 levels to prevent this lauded offense from having one of their patented 30-40 point scoring outbursts. Malcolm Butler is more than capable of ensuring that Julio Jones doesn't have a monumental impact on the game and the Patriots 3rd-ranked run defense should be able to shut down the overrated combo of Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman, which should kill the versatility that drove their improbable NFC Championship run.
Barring the 2011 Patriots Swiss cheese secondary making a surprise cameo in Houston, the Falcons are going to get the ever-loving shit kicked out of them on Sunday and Patriots fans wet dream of Rahga Goodell handing the GOAT TB12 the Lombahdi Trophy will come true. My only hope is that Sunday night will be the last time I ever hear the terms "Deflategate", "Revenge Tour" and "New England Patriots Super Bowl Champions" for the rest of my wretched existence.
Thursday, February 2, 2017
2016 NFL Year-End Awards
Primary Awards:
MVP: Matt Ryan, quarterback (Falcons)
Prior to the start of this season, I thought Matty Ice's days as a top-flight NFL quarterback were over. He promptly proved me wrong by going on to have the best season of his 11-year career. Ryan was the model of efficiency and dominance in one of the most pass-happy offenses in the league, throwing for 4,944 YDS and 38 TD's while completing a ridiculous 69.9% of his passes and only throwing 7 INT's.
Honorable Mentions: Tom Brady (Patriots), Aaron Rodgers (Packers), David Johnson (Cardinals)
Offensive Player of the Year: David Johnson, running back (Cardinals)
David Johnson's 1st full-year as an NFL starter was nothing short of remarkable. The 2nd-year back proved why he's one of the NFL's most lethal young players by leading the league with 2,118 all-purpose yards (1,239 rushing, 879 receiving) behind one of the worst offensive lines in football and keeping the Cardinals offense afloat while Carson Palmer struggled for a majority of the year.
Honorable Mentions: Ezekiel Elliott (Cowboys), Antonio Brown (Steelers), Odell Beckham Jr. (Giants)
Defensive Player of the Year: Khalil Mack, defensive end (Raiders)
2016 will go down as the year Khalil Mack evolved from promising young player to full-blown superstar. Mack served as the Christ-like savior that kept this undisciplined and largely talent-deprived Raiders defense from completely falling apart every Sunday. His two-way playmaking abilities (73 tackles, 11 sacks) and knack for forcing fumbles at key moments single-handedly clinched multiple victories for this young squad.
Honorable Mentions: Von Miller (Broncos), Aaron Donald (Rams), Bobby Wagner (Seahawks)
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Ezekiel Elliott, running back (Cowboys)
For the 3rd time in 4 years, a borderline unstoppable workhorse running back is taking home offensive rookie of the year. Elliott reaffirmed why he was a top-5 overall pick in the draft by serving as the catalyst for the Cowboys offensive resurgence with a league-leading 1,631 rushing yards and 16 total TD's.
Honorable Mentions: Dak Prescott, quaterback (Cowboys), Jordan Howard, running back (Bears), Michael Thomas, wide receiver (Saints)
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Joey Bosa, defensive end (Chargers)
Joey Bosa's 2016 season pretty much mirrored what Odell Beckham Jr. did in 2014. After missing the first 4 games of the season with injury, Bosa came in and immediately took the NFL by storm with his dominant play. The Ohio State-bred edge rusher looked like a perennial Pro Bowler as soon as he took the field, picking up 41 tackles, 10.5 sacks (tied for 13th in the league) and 23 QB hurries (tied for 16th in the league) in just 12 games on a Chargers defense that is average at best. If his rookie campaign is any indicator, Bosa is going to be a Von Miller/Khalil Mack/Justin Houston-esque matchup nightmare for opposing offenses in no time at all.
Honorable Mentions: Jalen Ramsey, cornerback (Jaguars), James Bradberry, cornerback (Panthers), Leonard Floyd, outside linebacker (Bears)
Comeback Player of the Year: Jordy Nelson, wide receiver (Packers)
This was the only award that I had a really difficult time picking a winner for. There was an usually high volume of players that bounced back from either a major injury (Jimmy Graham, Cameron Wake) or a god awful season in 2016 (DeMarco Murray, Byron Maxwell). After extensive internal debate, I have to give the nod to Jordy Nelson. A 31-year old receiver picking up over 1,200 yards and leading the league in receiving touchdowns a year after suffering a brutal ACL tear is just unbelievable.
Honorable Mentions: DeMarco Murray (Titans), Jimmy Graham (Seahawks), Cameron Wake (Dolphins)
Coach of the Year: Dan Quinn (Falcons)
Jack Del Rio and Adam Gase were definitely strong contenders for this award after leading their teams to their first playoff berths of the 2010's, but I was ultimately more impressed with what Dan Quinn was able to do in Atlanta this season. Quinn showed a ton of resilience by leading Falcons to an NFC South title (and eventually an NFC championship) with minimal personnel or roster changes from the 2015 team that famously imploded down the stretch-losing 7 of their final 9 games-after starting 5-0.
Honorable Mentions: Jack Del Rio (Raiders), Adam Gase (Dolphins), Ben McAdoo (Giants)
All-Pro Teams:
Quarterback:
1st team: Matt Ryan (Falcons)
2nd team: Tom Brady (Patriots)
Running Back:
1st team: David Johnson (Cardinals), Ezekiel Elliott (Cowboys)
2nd team: DeMarco Murray (Titans), Le'Veon Bell (Steelers)
Wide Receiver:
1st team: Antonio Brown (Steelers), Julio Jones (Falcons)
2nd team: T.Y. Hilton (Colts), Odell Beckham Jr. (Giants)
Tight End:
1st team: Travis Kelce (Chiefs)
2nd team: Greg Olsen (Panthers)
Tackle:
1st team: Donald Penn (Raiders), David Bakhtiari (Packers)
2nd team: Andrew Whitworth (Bengals), Tyron Smith (Cowboys)
Center:
1st team: Matt Paradis (Broncos)
2nd team: Alex Mack (Falcons)
Guard:
1st team: Kelechi Osemele (Raiders), Marshal Yanda (Ravens)
2nd team: Zach Martin (Cowboys), Brandon Brooks (Eagles)
Defensive End:
1st team: Khalil Mack (Raiders), Cameron Jordan (Saints)
2nd team: Cameron Wake (Dolphins), Oliver Vernon (Giants)
Defensive Tackle:
1st team: Aaron Donald (Rams), Damon Harrison (Giants)
2nd team: Calias Campbell (Cardinals), Ndumakong Suh (Dolphins)
Outside Linebacker:
1st team: Von Miller (Broncos), K.J. Wright (Seahawks)
2nd team: Vic Beasley (Falcons), Lorenzo Alexander (Bills)
Inside Linebacker:
1st team: Bobby Wagner (Seahawks), Sean Lee (Cowboys)
2nd team: Dont'a Hightower (Patriots), Zach Brown (Bills)
Cornerback:
1st team: Aqib Talib (Broncos), Chris Harris Jr. (Broncos)
2nd team: Malcolm Butler (Patriots), Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (Giants)
Safety:
1st team: Eric Weddle (Ravens), Landon Collins (Giants)
2nd team: Kam Chancellor (Seahawks), Eric Berry (Chiefs)
Kicker:
1st team: Justin Tucker (Ravens)
2nd team: Matt Bryant (Falcons)
Punter:
1st team: Johnny Hekker (Rams)
2nd team: Pat McAfee (Colts)
Return Specialist:
1st team: Tyreek Hill (Chiefs)
2nd team: Cordarrelle Patterson (Vikings)
Special Teamer:
1st team: Matthew Slater (Patriots)
2nd team: Dwayne Harris (Giants)
Miscellaneous Awards:
Top Surprise Teams:
5.Buccaneers
4.Cowboys
3.Lions
2.Dolphins
1.Falcons
Biggest Underachievers:
5.Cardinals
4.Vikings
3.Bengals
2.Broncos
1.Panthers
Breakout Players:
10.Jamison Crowder (Redskins)
9.Trey Flowers (Patriots)
8.Melvin Gordon (Chargers)
7.DeShawn Shead (Seahawks)
6.Zach Brown (Bills)
5.Jay Ajayi (Dolphins)
4.Lorenzo Alexander (Bills)
3.Vic Beasley (Falcons)
2.Matt Paradis (Broncos)
1.Landon Collins (Giants)
Underachieving Veterans:
10.Richard Sherman (Seahawks)
9.Allen Robinson (Jaguars)
8.John Brown (Cardinals)
7.Stephon Gilmore (Bills)
6.Sheldon Richardson (Jets)
5.Cam Newton (Panthers)
4.Doug Martin (Buccaneers)
3.Brock Osweiler (Texans)
2.Todd Gurley (Rams)
1.Muhammad Wilkerson (Jets)
Top Rookies:
10.Carson Wentz (Eagles)
9.Tyreek Hill (Chiefs)
8.Cody Whitehair (Bears)
7.Jalen Ramsey (Jaguars)
6.Jack Conklin (Titans)
5.Michael Thomas (Saints)
4.Jordan Howard (Bears)
3.Dak Prescott (Cowboys)
2.Joey Bosa (Chargers)
1.Ezekiel Elliott (Cowboys)
Biggest Rookie Letdowns:
10.Jonathan Bullard (Bears)
9.Pharaoh Cooper (Rams)
8.Roberto Aguayo (Buccaneers)
7.Cyrus Jones (Patriots)
6.Shaq Lawson (Bills)
5.Darron Lee (Jets)
4.Germain Ifedi (Seahawks)
3.Laquon Treadwell (Vikings)
2.Jared Goff (Rams)
1.Myles Jack (Jaguars)
MVP: Matt Ryan, quarterback (Falcons)
Prior to the start of this season, I thought Matty Ice's days as a top-flight NFL quarterback were over. He promptly proved me wrong by going on to have the best season of his 11-year career. Ryan was the model of efficiency and dominance in one of the most pass-happy offenses in the league, throwing for 4,944 YDS and 38 TD's while completing a ridiculous 69.9% of his passes and only throwing 7 INT's.
Honorable Mentions: Tom Brady (Patriots), Aaron Rodgers (Packers), David Johnson (Cardinals)
Offensive Player of the Year: David Johnson, running back (Cardinals)
David Johnson's 1st full-year as an NFL starter was nothing short of remarkable. The 2nd-year back proved why he's one of the NFL's most lethal young players by leading the league with 2,118 all-purpose yards (1,239 rushing, 879 receiving) behind one of the worst offensive lines in football and keeping the Cardinals offense afloat while Carson Palmer struggled for a majority of the year.
Honorable Mentions: Ezekiel Elliott (Cowboys), Antonio Brown (Steelers), Odell Beckham Jr. (Giants)
Defensive Player of the Year: Khalil Mack, defensive end (Raiders)
2016 will go down as the year Khalil Mack evolved from promising young player to full-blown superstar. Mack served as the Christ-like savior that kept this undisciplined and largely talent-deprived Raiders defense from completely falling apart every Sunday. His two-way playmaking abilities (73 tackles, 11 sacks) and knack for forcing fumbles at key moments single-handedly clinched multiple victories for this young squad.
Honorable Mentions: Von Miller (Broncos), Aaron Donald (Rams), Bobby Wagner (Seahawks)
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Ezekiel Elliott, running back (Cowboys)
For the 3rd time in 4 years, a borderline unstoppable workhorse running back is taking home offensive rookie of the year. Elliott reaffirmed why he was a top-5 overall pick in the draft by serving as the catalyst for the Cowboys offensive resurgence with a league-leading 1,631 rushing yards and 16 total TD's.
Honorable Mentions: Dak Prescott, quaterback (Cowboys), Jordan Howard, running back (Bears), Michael Thomas, wide receiver (Saints)
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Joey Bosa, defensive end (Chargers)
Joey Bosa's 2016 season pretty much mirrored what Odell Beckham Jr. did in 2014. After missing the first 4 games of the season with injury, Bosa came in and immediately took the NFL by storm with his dominant play. The Ohio State-bred edge rusher looked like a perennial Pro Bowler as soon as he took the field, picking up 41 tackles, 10.5 sacks (tied for 13th in the league) and 23 QB hurries (tied for 16th in the league) in just 12 games on a Chargers defense that is average at best. If his rookie campaign is any indicator, Bosa is going to be a Von Miller/Khalil Mack/Justin Houston-esque matchup nightmare for opposing offenses in no time at all.
Honorable Mentions: Jalen Ramsey, cornerback (Jaguars), James Bradberry, cornerback (Panthers), Leonard Floyd, outside linebacker (Bears)
Comeback Player of the Year: Jordy Nelson, wide receiver (Packers)
This was the only award that I had a really difficult time picking a winner for. There was an usually high volume of players that bounced back from either a major injury (Jimmy Graham, Cameron Wake) or a god awful season in 2016 (DeMarco Murray, Byron Maxwell). After extensive internal debate, I have to give the nod to Jordy Nelson. A 31-year old receiver picking up over 1,200 yards and leading the league in receiving touchdowns a year after suffering a brutal ACL tear is just unbelievable.
Honorable Mentions: DeMarco Murray (Titans), Jimmy Graham (Seahawks), Cameron Wake (Dolphins)
Coach of the Year: Dan Quinn (Falcons)
Jack Del Rio and Adam Gase were definitely strong contenders for this award after leading their teams to their first playoff berths of the 2010's, but I was ultimately more impressed with what Dan Quinn was able to do in Atlanta this season. Quinn showed a ton of resilience by leading Falcons to an NFC South title (and eventually an NFC championship) with minimal personnel or roster changes from the 2015 team that famously imploded down the stretch-losing 7 of their final 9 games-after starting 5-0.
Honorable Mentions: Jack Del Rio (Raiders), Adam Gase (Dolphins), Ben McAdoo (Giants)
All-Pro Teams:
Quarterback:
1st team: Matt Ryan (Falcons)
2nd team: Tom Brady (Patriots)
Running Back:
1st team: David Johnson (Cardinals), Ezekiel Elliott (Cowboys)
2nd team: DeMarco Murray (Titans), Le'Veon Bell (Steelers)
Wide Receiver:
1st team: Antonio Brown (Steelers), Julio Jones (Falcons)
2nd team: T.Y. Hilton (Colts), Odell Beckham Jr. (Giants)
Tight End:
1st team: Travis Kelce (Chiefs)
2nd team: Greg Olsen (Panthers)
Tackle:
1st team: Donald Penn (Raiders), David Bakhtiari (Packers)
2nd team: Andrew Whitworth (Bengals), Tyron Smith (Cowboys)
Center:
1st team: Matt Paradis (Broncos)
2nd team: Alex Mack (Falcons)
Guard:
1st team: Kelechi Osemele (Raiders), Marshal Yanda (Ravens)
2nd team: Zach Martin (Cowboys), Brandon Brooks (Eagles)
Defensive End:
1st team: Khalil Mack (Raiders), Cameron Jordan (Saints)
2nd team: Cameron Wake (Dolphins), Oliver Vernon (Giants)
Defensive Tackle:
1st team: Aaron Donald (Rams), Damon Harrison (Giants)
2nd team: Calias Campbell (Cardinals), Ndumakong Suh (Dolphins)
Outside Linebacker:
1st team: Von Miller (Broncos), K.J. Wright (Seahawks)
2nd team: Vic Beasley (Falcons), Lorenzo Alexander (Bills)
Inside Linebacker:
1st team: Bobby Wagner (Seahawks), Sean Lee (Cowboys)
2nd team: Dont'a Hightower (Patriots), Zach Brown (Bills)
Cornerback:
1st team: Aqib Talib (Broncos), Chris Harris Jr. (Broncos)
2nd team: Malcolm Butler (Patriots), Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (Giants)
Safety:
1st team: Eric Weddle (Ravens), Landon Collins (Giants)
2nd team: Kam Chancellor (Seahawks), Eric Berry (Chiefs)
Kicker:
1st team: Justin Tucker (Ravens)
2nd team: Matt Bryant (Falcons)
Punter:
1st team: Johnny Hekker (Rams)
2nd team: Pat McAfee (Colts)
Return Specialist:
1st team: Tyreek Hill (Chiefs)
2nd team: Cordarrelle Patterson (Vikings)
Special Teamer:
1st team: Matthew Slater (Patriots)
2nd team: Dwayne Harris (Giants)
Miscellaneous Awards:
Top Surprise Teams:
5.Buccaneers
4.Cowboys
3.Lions
2.Dolphins
1.Falcons
Biggest Underachievers:
5.Cardinals
4.Vikings
3.Bengals
2.Broncos
1.Panthers
Breakout Players:
10.Jamison Crowder (Redskins)
9.Trey Flowers (Patriots)
8.Melvin Gordon (Chargers)
7.DeShawn Shead (Seahawks)
6.Zach Brown (Bills)
5.Jay Ajayi (Dolphins)
4.Lorenzo Alexander (Bills)
3.Vic Beasley (Falcons)
2.Matt Paradis (Broncos)
1.Landon Collins (Giants)
Underachieving Veterans:
10.Richard Sherman (Seahawks)
9.Allen Robinson (Jaguars)
8.John Brown (Cardinals)
7.Stephon Gilmore (Bills)
6.Sheldon Richardson (Jets)
5.Cam Newton (Panthers)
4.Doug Martin (Buccaneers)
3.Brock Osweiler (Texans)
2.Todd Gurley (Rams)
1.Muhammad Wilkerson (Jets)
Top Rookies:
10.Carson Wentz (Eagles)
9.Tyreek Hill (Chiefs)
8.Cody Whitehair (Bears)
7.Jalen Ramsey (Jaguars)
6.Jack Conklin (Titans)
5.Michael Thomas (Saints)
4.Jordan Howard (Bears)
3.Dak Prescott (Cowboys)
2.Joey Bosa (Chargers)
1.Ezekiel Elliott (Cowboys)
Biggest Rookie Letdowns:
10.Jonathan Bullard (Bears)
9.Pharaoh Cooper (Rams)
8.Roberto Aguayo (Buccaneers)
7.Cyrus Jones (Patriots)
6.Shaq Lawson (Bills)
5.Darron Lee (Jets)
4.Germain Ifedi (Seahawks)
3.Laquon Treadwell (Vikings)
2.Jared Goff (Rams)
1.Myles Jack (Jaguars)
Wednesday, February 1, 2017
Predictions for the 2017 NFL Hall of Fame Class
The 2017 NFL Hall of Fame class will be announced on Saturday night during the "NFL Honors" ceremony in Houston. Here are the eight people I expect the Pro Football Writers of America to unjustly enshrine over Terrell Owens this year:
(*indicates senior inductee)
Issac Bruce, wide receiver (Teams: Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams, San Francisco 49ers)
Kenny Easley*, safety (Teams: Seattle Seahawks)
Joe Jacoby, tackle (Team: Washington Redskins)
John Lynch, safety (Teams: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Denver Broncos)
Kevin Mawae, center (Teams: Seattle Seahawks, New York Jets, Tennessee Titans)
Jason Taylor, defensive end (Teams: Miami Dolphins, Washington Redskins, New York Jets)
LaDainian Tomlinson, running back (Teams: San Diego Chargers, New York Jets)
Kurt Warner, quarterback (Teams: St. Louis Rams, New York Giants, Arizona Cardinals)
(*indicates senior inductee)
Issac Bruce, wide receiver (Teams: Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams, San Francisco 49ers)
Kenny Easley*, safety (Teams: Seattle Seahawks)
Joe Jacoby, tackle (Team: Washington Redskins)
John Lynch, safety (Teams: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Denver Broncos)
Kevin Mawae, center (Teams: Seattle Seahawks, New York Jets, Tennessee Titans)
Jason Taylor, defensive end (Teams: Miami Dolphins, Washington Redskins, New York Jets)
LaDainian Tomlinson, running back (Teams: San Diego Chargers, New York Jets)
Kurt Warner, quarterback (Teams: St. Louis Rams, New York Giants, Arizona Cardinals)
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