2015 Fantasy Football Preview: Quarterbacks

            We finish our fantasy football preview with a look at quarterbacks.

Tier-1 = Expensive Investments

 

A.Rodgers, GB

A.Luck, IND

            Aaron Rodgers and Andrew Luck are really good at quarterbacking in THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE. We enjoy watching them play. However, the cost to own them in standard drafts or auction is too rich for our blood. Using a second round pick on them means your passing up the chance for a stud runningback or receiver. The only chance I end up with one of these two on any of my rosters on draft day is if they are available in the third round.

Tier-2 = It’s the Water

 

R.Wilson, SEA

B.Roethlisberger, PIT

            Neither Wilson or Roethlisberger got enough credit last year for how productive they were last year for fantasy owners, but they are finally getting the respect the deserve with their current average draft price ending up in the fourth round (third round in 12 team leagues or larger). I’m not likely to choose either of them, unless I’ve already filled my starting RB slots within my first three picks.

Tier-3 = Priced to Sell

 

C.Newton, CAR

M.Ryan, ATL

T.Romo, DAL

            This is the tier I want my QB to come from on draft day. Cam Newton is one of the few quarterbacks who is “receiver proof”, meaning he could lose virtually any piece of his receiving core and still maintain the same value. The loss of Kelvin Benjamin doesn’t scare us at all, and if it means he ends up with 800 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns on the ground, it could boost his fantasy value. Matt Ryan should benefit from an improved offensive line, and should be in the running to lead the league in passing yardage. Tony Romo will have more opportunities to throw with DeMarco Murray in Philly, which isn’t a bad thing considering the talent on the Cowboys offensive line.

Tier-4 = Old Farts

P.Manning, DEN

D.Brees, NO

            Both of these guys are going before the guys in the previous tier in Yahoo drafts, but that doesn’t mean we have to rate them higher here. Both are entering the twilights of their career, and we’d rather bail out a year early than a year late. Brees might have the fewest pass attempts he’s ever had since joining New Orleans in 2006, and his upside is limited even more with Jimmy Graham out of town. Manning still has tons of weapons at his disposal, but Denver also will shift to a more run heavy approach to ensure Peyton is healthy for the playoffs.

Tier-5 = High-End Platoon Partners

E.Manning, NYG

R.Tannehill, MIA

P.Rivers, SD

            By our ranks, these three guys will be starting quarterbacks in 12-team leagues. That’s okay for us, but we’d probably use another pick on a back up to avoid unfavorable match-ups.

Tier-6 = Deflator!

T.Brady, NE

            It’s two weeks before opening night, and incredibly we still don’t have any idea what Brady’s final punishment will be (good job by you Goodell!). Even if Brady were to start Week 1, there are reasons to downgrade him in fantasy leagues. We’ll use snazzy bullet points.

-         Ryan Tannehill scored more fantasy points last year than Tom Brady.

-         Seriously, Ryan Tannehill, the guy that couldn’t even complete 25% of his passes that traveled more than 20 yards in the air last year.

-         With apologies to Julian Edelman, there still isn’t an elite wide receiver on the Patriots roster.

-         We covered it during our Tight End preview, but it bears repeating…do you like Rob Gronkowski’s chances of staying healthy for a second straight season?

-         LeGarrette Blount is in the fold early this year, which means the Pats could pound the ball on the ground even more this season.

For all those reasons, we’ll probably not have Brady on any of our fantasy rosters this year, unless we’ve filled up our starting QB-RB-WR slots and he’s available in the seventh round.

Tier-7 = Low-End (With Upside) Platoon Partners

C.Kaepernick, SF

J.Flacco, BAL

T.Bridgewater, MIN

M.Stafford, DET

            If you’re a crazy person who plays in a league that starts two QBs every week, these guys are the ones I want as my second quarterbacks. We still have a soft spot for Kaepernick, who is a strong bounce back candidate this year. The 49ers defense won’t be nearly as stout as it has been the past few years, meaning Kaepernick will have more opportunities to deliver. In real life we’re not sure Joe Flacco is a great fit for Marc Trestman’s style of offense, but the volume should translate to fantasy stats (it worked for Jay Cutler and Josh McCown!). Teddy Bridgewater is our favorite quarterback out of this group. The Vikings have weapons all over the place, and Bridgewater’s efficiency could deliver a Russell Wilson-esque stat line.

Tier-8 = Bye Week Waiver Wire Dudes

S.Bradford, PHI

N.Foles, STL

R.Griffin III, WAS

C.Palmer, ARI

J.Cutler, CHI

A.Dalton, CIN

            None of these guys should be drafted in standard leagues with 12 teams or less, but this will likely be the best options you have when your starting QB is on a bye. Sam Bradford has the highest ceiling of this tier, but we need to see him get through at least one month of regular season play before we endorse him.

Tier-9 = Young Guns

J.Winson, TB

D.Carr, OAK

B.Bortles, JAC

M.Mariotta, TEN

            Here are our favorite options for those of you playing in keeper or dynasty leagues. We expect all four to have their moments (even Bortles, we like the Jags receiving core), but they will not be start-able on a weekly basis.

Tier-10 = We Only Included Them So We Could Rank 30 QBs

A.Smith, KC

B.Hoyer, HOU

R.Fitzpatrick, NYJ

            If one of these three are starting at any point during your fantasy season, something went terribly wrong.

Super Bowl XLIX Thoughts

            We’re going to list our Super Bowl observations in bullets, because why have organized, coherent thoughts in essay form?

-         Folks need to pump the brakes before anointing Super Bowl XLIX the greatest Super Bowl ever. It was certainly the most unbelievable ending I can think of (advanced metrics gave Seattle an 88% chance of winning when they had second and goal on the one yard line), but in terms of historical significance, others were more important. People don’t remember how big of a deal it was when John Elway won his first Super Bowl against Green Bay. Also, the Patriots were on their way to an undefeated season seven years ago when this happened.

-         I’m not sure what was more shocking, Seattle throwing on second and goal or Walter White showing up in a commercial. My jaw dropped for both events.

-         Speaking of commercials, I have a question for ad executives across America…

-         Off hand I remember four that emphasized fatherhood, a beer ad about a lost puppy, and the NFL’s too-little-too-late attempt to pretend they care about women with their “No More” campaign. None of those ads topped Nationwide Insurance’s critically panned ad where they had a ten year old say “BUT I DIED”. We need to bring back the Budweiser Frogs for Super Bowl 50.

-         Pepsi should’ve started slipping LSD into 20-ounce bottles so soda drinkers across the country could’ve better appreciated Katy Perry’s halftime show.

-         Lenny Kravitz was supposed to be Perry’s supporting act, and he was on stage for roughly 80 seconds. Weird.

-         The best decision of the night goes to NBC for deciding not to show a replay of Seattle cornerback Jeremy Lane snapping his wrist in half.

-         Speaking of that, that was what turned the game in favor of Tom Brady and the Patriots. The Seahawks don’t have the same depth at corner they had against Denver last year, and they simply ran out of guys to cover Julian Edelman, Danny Amendola, and Shane Vereen.

-         Tom Brady is a damn good quarterback, but we’re still taking Joe Montana over him as the greatest Super Bowl QB of all time.

-         It will be very interesting to see how Russell Wilson bounces back from that ghastly interception. Plays like that ruin careers.

-    The dude that made the circus catch for Seattle was on his way to being remembered for making one of the greatest plays in Super Bowl history until the Seahawks forgot they employed Marshawn Lynch.

-         We predicted the Patriots would be playing in the Super Bowl in August. No joke you can read it right here! That’s literally the last quality football prediction I made the rest of the season.

With all that said we bid a sad goodbye to the NFL for seven months. The league’s flaws were certainly exposed over the past 12 months, but a game like Super Bowl XLIX is a reminder of why America is so obsessed with THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE. We look forward to offering up our season previews for 2015 this summer. Until then, hang out with your family (remember football fans, some of you have kids), watch other sports (the NBA is ridiculous right now), or do whatever it takes to fill the void left by the NFL season ending. 

Week 9 NFL Thoughts

            We’re still banning ourselves from picking all but one game this week, but we’re once again running some extended pre-game thoughts you can chew on before 1pm (Eastern) tomorrow.

This Might Be the Most Crowded “Least Valuable Fantasy Player” Field Ever

            For grins and giggles, let’s run through the candidates as chosen from anyone who on average, was chosen within the first 30 picks in Yahoo fantasy leagues.

1. LeSean McCoy (average pick 1.4) – He’s been healthy, but has only scored one touchdown during his first seven games of the year.
2. Adrian Peterson (3.5) – I don’t think we need to revisit his story again.
3. Eddie Lacy (5.6) – Lacy is on pace for 856 rushing yards, which isn’t what you’re looking for with the fifth pick.
4. Calvin Johnson (6.2) – This one is injury related, but Megatron should have ample opportunity to redeem himself if you were able to keep your team in playoff contention while he’s been absent.
5. A.J. Green (12.5) – Ditto.
6. Montee Ball (12.8) – If you drafted your team the old fashioned way, there’s a good chance Ball was your second round pick. He was mediocre before getting hurt, and now will be second on the depth chart after Ronnie Hillman has taken the Broncos offense to another level.
7. Zac Stacy (28.4) - Drafted near the end of the third round, Stacy can be found on numerous waiver wires across the country. After averaging less than four yards per carry in 2013, we should’ve seen this coming.
8. Doug Martin (30.4) – Widely considered a bounce back candidate this season, Martin has been an unmitigated disaster. Selfishly, he’s my choice for this award as I invested in him in not one, but two leagues this year.

         This debate would be much more fun if Peterson wasn’t involved, as he clearly dominates the category. Regardless, it hasn’t been a fun year of fantasy football.

Cardinals (+2.5) over COWBOYS

            We really should sit Romo for this game to ensure we have him healthy for the stretch run. Arizona runs some of the best blitz packages in THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE, and we’re asking for a season ending injury if toss Romo out there. I’d play Weeden, pound the rock with Murray, and hope Carson Palmer throws four interceptions.

Manning vs. Brady Never Gets Old

            The modern day equivalent of Bird vs. Magic, it’s important to treat every match-up between these two future Hall of Famers as their last. We like Denver to win Sunday not because of Manning, but because of the Broncos dynamic pass-rush duo. We saw how much trouble the Patriots had with the Chiefs earlier this season, and Denver can offer up a similar threat with Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware.

Ben Roethlisberger is the Most Underrated QB in Football

            Big Ben has two Super Bowl rings, won another AFC title, and just became the first person on planet Earth to throw for over 500 yards in two NFL games. He’s a damn good quarterback who doesn’t get nearly enough credit from anyone except Jim Nantz.

We Don’t Like any Double Digit Underdogs This Week

            If I had to choose one this week, I guess I’d give St. Louis a fighting chance in San Francisco.

I Have No Idea Who is Going to Make the Super Bowl

            Parody has been a big deal for a long time now in the NFL, but I can’t remember a season where there was one dominant team and about ten others with a punchers chance at making a Super Bowl run. The playoffs will truly be a complete crapshoot.

2014 AFC East Preview

            Our first division preview of the summer takes us to the AFC East, which should just be called “the thing the Patriots win every year as long as Tom Brady is under center”. For each team, we list last season’s record, this year’s schedule, key veterans for each squad (we borrowed the rankings and categories from Pro Football Focus, so don’t get pissed at me when you see that Tom Brady isn’t rated as a Blue Chipper), and the top rated rookies (we borrowed everyone Scouts Inc. rated as an 80 or higher).



4. New York Jets

2013 Record = 8-8, Second in AFC East, Missed Playoffs
2014 Schedule = Raiders, @ Packers, Bears, Lions, @ Chargers, Broncos, @ Patriots, Bills, @ Chiefs, Steelers, BYE, @ Bills, Dolphins, @ Vikings, @ Titans, Patriots, @ Dolphins

Blue Chippers = None

High Quality Players = DE Muhammad Wilkerson, DT Sheldon Richardson, DT Damon Harrison
Solid Contributors = WR Eric Decker, WR Jeremy Kerley, LT D’Brickashaw Ferguson, C Nick Mangold, CB Dimitri Patterson
Impact Rookies = S Calvin Pryor (1-18, Louisville), TE Jace Amaro (2-49, Texas Tech)

Good News = There’s a 0% chance Mark Sanchez will take a snap under center.

Bad News = Did you watch Geno Smith last year?

Outlook = The 2013 New York Jets were one of the worst 8-8 teams in the history of THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE, which is truly a testament to much maligned Head Coach Rex Ryan. They had the seventh worst point differential in the league, getting outscored by 97 points. Chris Johnson has the potential to reintroduce big plays into the Jets running game. Eric Decker is better suited as a #2 receiver, but he’s still better than anyone Gang Green trotted out last year. More so than any other team in the AFC East, the Jets need mammoth contributions from their offensive and defensive lines to cover up for their deficiencies under center and in the secondary. At least the secondary has the promise of Dee Milliner (he was awesome in December after looking terrible his first three months in the league) and rookie Calvin Pryor to provide long-term stability, but Geno Smith gave little indication he’s a viable franchise quarterback. It will take either a titanic progression from Geno, or yet another career resuscitation by Michael Vick, to carry the Jets into playoff contention. 

Prediction = We’re guessing the defense will keep them in games, and possibly even steal a couple at home, but New York’s abysmal quarterback situation drops their record closer to where it should’ve been last year. 5-11

3. Miami Dolphins

2013 Record = 8-8, Third in AFC East, Missed Playoffs
2014 Schedule = Patriots, @ Bills, Chiefs, Raiders (London), BYE, Packers, @ Bears, @ Jaguars, Chargers, @ Lions, Bills, @ Broncos, @ Jets, Ravens, @ Patriots, Vikings, Jets

Blue Chippers = DE Cameron Wake

High Quality Players = LT Brandon Albert, DT Randy Starks, CB Brent Grimes
Solid Contributors = QB Ryan Tannehill, HB Knowshon Moreno, WR Mike Wallace, WR Brian Hartline, WR Brandon Gibson, TE Charles Clay, DT Jared Odrick, SS Reshad Jones
Impact Rookies = T Ja’Wuan James (1-19, Tennessee), WR Jarvis Landry (2-61, LSU)

Good News = Mike Sherman isn’t around to call dumb plays.

Bad News = Junior bully Mike Pouncey will miss at least the first half of the season.

Outlook = Miami had one of the weirder seasons of any team last year, which makes sense considering they dealt with the first ever pro sports bullying scandal. After putting themselves in position to control their own destiny with a dramatic Week 15 victory over the Patriots, Miami only managed to put up seven points combined against Buffalo and the Jets to stumble to an 8-8 finish. The Dolphins canned General Manager Jeff Ireland (infamous for asking Dez Bryant if his mother was a prostitute during Bryant’s NFL Combine interview), but inexplicably left Head Coach Joe Philbin in charge. There are quality players up and down the roster, but the Dolphins have failed thus far to put it all together. Ryan Tannehill had a solid season in 2013, but needs to improve his deep ball accuracy to fully take advantage of Mike Wallace. Miami’s offensive line play was abysmal last season (Tannehill was sacked 58 times), and the Dolphins were wise to make that a priority. Brandon Albert comes from Kansas City to solidify left tackle, and first round pick Ja’Wuan James will handle the right side. James was probably a reach, but we’ve seen plenty of offensive line picks get panned at first glance (see Travis Frederick last year for Dallas). Knowshon Moreno provides some punch to the running game, but his greatest asset is the ability to pass protect. Defensively, Miami slipped in almost every meaningful category from their 2012 performance. Cameron Wake is one of the criminally underrated defensive players in the league.

Prediction = We don’t think Ryan Tannehill has another jump in progression, and their rushing attack will struggle to be average. Fittingly, so will the team. 7-9

2. Buffalo Bills

2013 Record = 6-10, Last in AFC East, Missed Playoffs
2014 Schedule = @ Bears, Dolphins, Chargers, @ Texans, @ Lions, Patriots, Vikings, @ Jets, BYE, Chiefs, @ Dolphins, Jets, Browns, @ Broncos, Packers, @ Raiders, @ Patriots

Blue Chippers = DT Kyle Williams

High Quality Players = HB C.J. Spiller, DE Marcell Dareus
Solid Contributors = LT Cordy Glenn, HB Fred Jackson, DE Mario Williams, MLB Brandon Spikes
Impact Rookies = WR Sammy Watkins (1-4, Clemson), T Cyrus Kouandjio (2-44, Alabama)

Good News = They will return their entire pass-rushing unit that set a franchise record for sacks last season.

Bad News = Bon Jovi might buy the team.

Outlook = Are the Buffalo Bills the Sacramento Kings of the NFL, or are the Kings the Bills of the NBA? Both are going for bust to try to make playoff runs when the odds seem hopelessly stacked against them. Like the team we just discussed, the Bills are also leaning on a second year quarterback to make gains. E.J. Manuel showed promise last year, but injuries forced him to miss six games. Some of those durability issues can be attributed to a shoddy offensive line, but Buffalo was aggressive in free agency and the draft in patching that unit up. The Bills traded next year’s first round pick to move up five spots and draft Sammy Watkins. Watkins has game changing talent, and needs to develop immediate chemistry with Manuel in order for the Bills to make a playoff run. Defensively, Buffalo was great at rushing the quarterback, but often appeared indifferent to opposing runners. Without star middle linebacker Kiko Alonso (blew his knee out in mini-camp), they need their defensive lineman to be more aware of opposing ground games. Former Patriot Brandon Spikes will also provide a lift in this department.

Prediction = A mostly healthy Manuel helps Buffalo scratch and claw its way just over .500, which at least keeps the pick they are sending to Cleveland in the mid-teens. 9-7

1. New England Patriots

2013 Record = 12-4, AFC East Champions, Lost AFC Championship Game
2014 Schedule = @ Dolphins, @ Vikings, Raiders, @ Chiefs, Bengals, @ Bills, Jets, Bears, Broncos, BYE, @ Colts, Lions, @ Packers, @ Chargers, Dolphins, @ Jets, Bills

Blue Chippers = TE Rob Gronkowski, CB Darrelle Revis, FS Devin McCourty

High Quality Players = QB Tom Brady, LT Nate Solder, RT Sebastian Vollmer
Solid Contributors = WR Julian Edelman, WR Danny Amendola, LG Logan Mankins, DE Rob Ninkovich, DE Chandler Jones, DT Vince Wilfork, MLB Jerod Mayo, OLB Dont’a Hightower, OLB Jamie Collins
Impact Rookies = QB Jimmy Garoppolo (2-62, Eastern Illinois)

Good News = Rob Gronkowski has already been cleared for contact, and should be healthy (at least for a little while) Week 1.

Bad News = Despite Tom Brady posting his lowest quarterback rating in a decade, New England did nothing to improve the wide receiver core.

Outlook = It’s weird to think that in Tom Brady’s fifteenth year in the league New England boasts some of the best young talent in the league, but it’s true. The Patriots employ plenty of players entering their sophomore or junior NFL campaigns that if a leap is made, will catapult them into the top of the AFC. This depth was likely the reason they made riskier draft picks than you normally see from a Bill Belichick team. When Brandon Browner returns from a drug related suspension in Week 5, the Patriots could have the most dominant defensive unit that isn’t based out of the NFC West. Inking Darrelle Revis to fill the void left by Aqib Talib was a masterstroke, and we also like adding former Saint Will Smith to add depth at defensive end. Jamie Collins and Chandler Jones should both make a run at high quality status by the end of the season.

            Offensively New England chose to stand pat instead of bringing in top-flight talent. We’re still the most intrigued by second year player Aaron Dobson (we wrote that last year too, but he dropped that prediction along with nine other passes on a Thursday night against the Jets), who possesses the physical tools to be a number one receiver. Everything becomes easier for Tom Brady if Rob Gronkowski can just stay on the field, but with each additional physical ailment it’s hard to foresee him suiting up for more than ten games. If I were Belichick, I’d consider limiting his snaps to red zone possessions only for the first half of the year. We like the combination of Stevan Ridley (provided he stops fumbling the ball) and PPR monster Shane Vereen in the backfield. Brandon Bolden has also proven capable at times.

Prediction = Dobson takes a leap, Shane Vereen stays healthy, and Brady gets his quarterback rating over 100. Couple that with a top-5 defense, and we predict that the Patriots will be playing for the Lombardi Trophy in February. 13-3

Click here to read about the AFC South
Click here to read about the NFC East
Click here to read about the NFC South
Click here to read about the AFC North
Click here to read about the NFC North
Click here to read about the AFC West

2014 Fantasy Football Quarterback Rankings

            The tier system worked so well for my fantasy teams last year that we are breaking it out again for our 2014 Fantasy Football preview. As the off-season progresses these rankings will be updated on this page as necessary (quarterback should be the least volatile position, barring a catastrophic injury). We start at quarterback.

 

Tier 1 – The Sure Things

A.Rodgers, GB

P.Manning, DEN

D.Brees, NO

            Not a whole lot to say about these guys, other than barring injury, they are the surest bets on the board. We’ll rank Rodgers first because he’s the youngest, and provides some decent rushing stats that you won’t get out of Brees and Manning. I won’t get any of these quarterbacks in my re-draft leagues, but certainly wouldn’t mind acquiring one in an auction. If you do pay the price, don’t bother drafting a back up.

Tier 2 – The Next Best Things

C.Newton, CAR

A.Luck, IND

M.Ryan, ATL

M.Stafford, DET

            Cam Newton was in Tier-1 last season, but without Steve Smith his receiving pool is as shallow as it has ever been. That hasn’t bothered Newton before, but the uncertainty drops him from the third round a year ago to the fourth or fifth this year. This is probably the last year that Andrew Luck is not ranked in the top group for the next decade, while Stafford and Ryan are the best bets for piling up high volume passing totals. I’ll sign off on not having a back up on your initial roster if you end up with a player from this group, as that gives you the best combination of loading up on elite skill players early, and rolling the dice on late-round lottery tickets late.

 

Tier 3 – High Ceilings, Low Floors

C.Kaepernick, SF

P.Rivers, SD

N.Foles, PHI

T.Romo, DAL

R.Wilson, SEA

R.Griffin III, WAS

B.Roethlisberger, PIT

J.Cutler, CHI

T.Brady, NE

            Last year, our quarterbacks ranked seven through sixteen were split into three tiers, but this year they are all lumped in together. You could make a compelling case that any of these QBs could finish the year as a top-5 fantasy quarterback, and then immediately follow that with a strong argument that they could finish outside the top-20. Kaepernick is our favorite of this group, as he will have a vastly improved receiving core to work with than he did for the majority of last year. Robert Griffin III probably deserves his own tier as the biggest boom or bust quarterback of the year. In a perfect world, you’ll be able to draft two of these guys on your roster and work a platoon.

Tier 4 – Qualified Bye Week Subs

A.Dalton, CIN

E.Manning, NYG

R.Tannehill, MIA

A.Smith, KC

C.Palmer, ARI

J.McCown, TB

J.Flacco, BAL

            None of these guys should be drafted as your franchise fantasy quarterback (unless you enjoy losing), but these will be your best options to cover your starters bye if you choose to utilize the waiver wire to cover your starting QBs off week. Tannehill is still the most intriguing long-term value in this group, but he’s burning daylight in terms of delivering on his potential. 

Tier 5 – Unqualified Bye Week Subs

S.Bradford, STL

J.Manziel, CLE

E.Manuel, BUF

T.Bridgewater, MIN

M.Vick, NYJ

M.Schaub, OAK

J.Locker, TEN

G.Smith, NYJ

R.Fitzpatrick, HOU

            One could also rename this group “Dynasty League Prospects and Washed Up Dudes. At gunpoint, Bridgewater is my pick to deliver the most fantasy value this season, but you shouldn’t waste a draft pick on any of these guys unless you are playing in 16-team league where you have to play two quarterbacks every week.

Conclusion = Quarterback is still the deepest position in fantasy (unless you’re playing in a 2-QB league, but that puts you in the minority), so even if I was playing in a 16 team league, I plan on being one of the last people to draft a quarterback. An early round pick is just too valuable to waste on a quarterback when you factor in the diminishing value of every other position as you get deeper into a draft. If I lockdown my two starting runningbacks, taking Aaron Rodgers early in the third is the only way I end up with a Tier-1 QB on my team. The same theory applies here for auctions, as I plan on spending my money elsewhere and grabbing a quarterback after the initial rush.

Top-16 Value Based Ranks – Based on the current average draft position based on Yahoo drafts, these is my wish lists for quarterbacks I plan on targeting for my teams.

C.Kaepernick, SF, 89.4

C.Newton, CAR, 51.9

M.Ryan, ATL, 57.8

A.Rodgers, GB, 21.1

A.Luck, IND, 48.6

M.Stafford, DET, 46.2

P.Rivers, SD 93.5

R.Wilson, SEA, 89.0

T.Romo, DAL, 89.0

B.Roethlisberger, PIT, 118.9

J.Cutler, CHI, 106.8

D.Brees, NO, 18.3

N.Foles, PHI, 69.2

R.Griffin III, WAS, 60.7

P.Manning, DEN, 11.4

T.Brady, NE, 58.0

 

10 Awesome Things That Happened This Weekend (1/17-1/19)

10. NASCAR Reportedly Looking to Expand Chase Field to 16
            With as watered down as the Sprint Cup Championship already is, they might as well up the field to 43. The biggest loser in this is Jimmie Johnson, who’s already earned enough scrutiny for the six championships he has won. If he breaks the series record for most championships in this format, old-school fans are going to potentially walk away from the sport for good.

9. Canucks and Flames Start Game With a 10-Man Brawl

            What happens when both coaches decide to have their checking lines start the game? This.

 

8. Rondo Returns

            It was refreshing to see the only player left for Boston that was a major contributor during their championship contending years on the court. The best part was that they lost to the Lakers, because every loss means more ping-pong balls in next year’s lottery.

7. Portland Wins in San Antonio
            Before No Credentials publishes there soon to be released NBA mid-season power rankings, we’ll have to seriously consider whether or not the Trail Blazers are a serious championship threat. Wins like they had Friday night in San Antonio add to their credentials.

6. Serena Williams Won’t Win Every Major This Year

            Sadly, I had no idea the Australian Open was even happening, so I was extra shocked to hear that Serena will not win it.

5. David Stern Fines Mark Cuban One Last Time
            I hope to someday be financially stable enough that I would actually ask for a $100,000 fine.

4. John Wall Makes the Shot of the Year

            I’ve watched this clip 25 times and I still can’t figure out how he made this shot.

 

3. Kevin Durant Drops Career High 54 Points on Golden State

            Durant concluded the weekend with his seventh straight 30+-point game against Sacramento. He has firmly put himself in pole position for the 2014 NBA MVP with his recent scoring barrage.
         
2. Peyton Manning Outperforms Tom Brady, Leads Broncos to Super Bowl
            Even though it was only a 10-point margin of victory, it felt like the Broncos were up by three scores the whole game. Rarely is a No Credentials pre-game prediction so spot on.

1. Seahawks Survive Last Second 49ers Drive, Win NFC Championship

            We haven’t seen a big game this physical since the Steelers-Ravens AFC Championship Game in January of 2009. Three Colin Kaepernick turnovers spelled doom for the 49ers.