Football. The game that has made Americans look like assholes every time they talk about sports with someone from another country. A game that has brought our countries love of controlled violence, alcohol, and gambling all into one multi-billion dollar industry that becomes this countries obsession from August-February. Oh, I love it.
NFL this year has been an interesting grab bag of expectations being met and a whole lot of others falling short of where we thought they would be. I'm just a college kid who plays Division 3 football and these are just some thoughts that I have had on the season so far.
Brady is the best of all time:
After serving a four-game suspension to start the season and finally put deflate-gate to rest, ole Tom came out and decided to take out his hatred of Roger Goodell on every other team in the league. With twelve touchdown passes and zero interceptions through four games played Brady has come into the season of the rookie QB and has shown that he is still the goat. Tom Brady is not a system quarterback. The success of Jimmy Garoppolo, followed by Jacoby Brissett led a lot of critics to diminish Brady's success and labeling him a system quarterback. Tom Brady is the best quarterback of all time. The best statistical post season QB of all time, probably going to retire with more yards TDS and wins than any other quarterback, and he's married to Gisele. Long live the king.
The Jaguars are still the Jaguars
With a revamped defense, a quarterback with sky high expectations, and an explosive receiving core, the expectations for Jacksonville were sky high and many expected them to be a playoff contender. Then it came time for them to actually play the games and the Jaguars reminded everybody who had faith in them who they were. With Blake Bortles struggling and their defense being sub standard once again the Jaguars are in the midst of yet another miserable season. (2-5) at the time of this article and coming off of a loss to the Tennessee Titans, which is embarrassing in it's own right, Jacksonville is well on it's way to still not having a ring to its franchise's name.
Matt Ryan is going to win the MVP and still lose in the first round of the playoffs
Averaging over three hundred passing yards a game and leading the Falcons to the lead of the NFC South which is the division of last years Superbowl loser and 2015 MVP, Matt Ryan has put himself in the front running for MVP this year. For Christ's sake the man threw for three hundred yards to one receiver in a game. At the same time though, while they have beaten some high level teams such as Denver and Green Bay they have also lost to teams such as the Buccaneers and Chargers. With a defense that is mediocre at best and a hit or miss run game I do not see the Falcons making it past the wildcard weekend.
Rookie QB's are doing Rookie QB Things
Carson Wentz and Dak Prescott are this years pair of standout rookie quarterbacks filling the shoes of Winston and Mariotta from last year who filled the shoes of Bortles and Carr from two years ago. This years pair of rookie standouts have burst onto the scene with minimal turnovers, leadership ability, but most differently from all the other standout rookies before them, THEY ARE WINNING GAMES. The Cowboys are sitting with a two game lead on top of the NFC East and the Eagles are tied with the giants right behind them. Both of these young players look to be some of the new headlining faces in the NFL.
Tony Romo is Done For
Two straight years of injuries for Jerry Jones' adopted son opened the door for a new face at QB in Dallas and Dak Prescott has stepped up and dominated. The leading candadite for rookie of the year has led a team that has struggled for years to make the final leap from average to contender. Dak has also done all of this without Dez Bryant for the most part. Part of the success lies on the shoulders of Dak's fellow rookie standout Ezekial Elliot and the dominating offensive line that they both play behind but Dak's lack of turnovers, ability to lead the offense, and his explosive play making ability as a true dual threat have cemented him in the starting spot even when Romo is healthy. Romo is still a good quarterback and the Cowboys will win games with either Prescott or Romo at the helm but Dak takes them from middle of the pack to super bowl contender.
The NFC North has lost its luster
A few years ago when Aaron Rodgers was the MVP, the lions had one of the best offenses in the league with Calvin Johnson and Matt Stafford hooking up for touchdowns from anywhere on the field, the bears had a recieving core of Brandon Marshal Alshon Jefferey and Martellus Bennett with a healthy Jay Cutler throwing to them, and the Viking had the best running back of the decade in AP, the NFC North was easily the best division in football. This year though the Packers are average at best and the Lions and Bears are looking for moral victories more than actual victories. The bears are looking for the first pick in next years draft the Packers are hoping for a wild card birth and the lions are in irrelevant purgatory where they arent good enough to make the playoffs and not bad enough to forfiet the season entirely. The only bright star in such a dark sea are the Minnisota Vikings who have fought through injuries and have ridden their defense to one of the best records in the NFL.
