Who will be the surprise NFL team to contend next season?

Despite the salary cap in the NFL, it’s typically the same group of teams (usually those featuring a star quarterback) who contend year in and year out.  But every season there’s one or two franchises that seem to come out of nowhere and actually contend.  Last year it was the Kansas City Chiefs and the New York Jets.  Who will it be in 2016?

I’ve got my eye on the Buffalo Bills. I know, I know, the New England Patriots have won the division practically every year since 2000, and as long as Tom Brady is at the helm, they’ve got a shot to beat anyone.  And this is the Bills we’re talking about…

But I think this team is ripe for glory in 2016.  They had a respectable 8-8 showing last year and with head coach Rex Ryan now entering his 2^nd season in charge, he’s had proper time to really inject his will on the team.  What does this mean?  Expect the Bills to have a very tough defense this year.

Buffalo has two tremendous cornerbacks in Stephon Gilmore and Ronald Darby.  Additionally, their drafting of Shaq Lawson and Reggie Ragland suggests they are looking to establish a formidable defense.  Though their overall performance was average last year, the team did rank well in takeaways, and these big plays could make the Bills very competitive.

And while we basically assume that any Rex Ryan defense will be strong, the opposite is expected of his offenses.  I expect this to change in 2016.  Quarterback Tyrod Taylor got his first real opportunity last season and passed with high marks.  His 99.4 QB rating was 7^th best for starters and was equal to league MVP Cam Newton.  His 6 interceptions displayed a maturity not often seen in first-year starters and bodes well for his future.  This team will go as far as Taylor takes them.  With LeSean McCoy and Sammy Watkins as primary offensive weapons, the Bills will put up more points than people are used to in 2016.

Perhaps one thing that heavily points in the Bills’ favor this season is Tom Brady’s 4-game suspension to start the year.  The Patriots may find themselves in a deep hole; one that a good team like the Bills can take serious advantage of.  Expect the Bills to be the surprise team in 2016, and make a strong run to the NFL playoffs behind an 11-5 record!

Who won the NFL Draft?

It’s hard to judge an NFL draft so quickly, but in the ever thirst for NFL football coverage, rash and hasty judgment must be made!  Hundreds of players heard their name called this weekend, but which NFL team did the best?  Of course it depends on a variety of factors, such as did a team answer a specific need?  Can the players they chose fill in immediately?  Did the team choose exciting, high-speed players or a trough of big guys to fill the lines?  Does it matter?

With all these questions aside, my pick for the best 2016 NFL draft is awarded to the Tennessee Titans, who made several smart trade deals before settling on their top pick, offensive lineman Jack Conklin, who’ll immediately give Marcus Mariota the protection he needs.

The trade out of the top pick gave the Titans a full stable from which to work with, and gave them the ammunition to move back up to 8 to select Conklin. With three picks in the second round, the Titans boosted their defensive line with Kevin Dodd and Austin Johnson, which should help alleviate their struggles stopping the run.

However, my favorite pick for the Titans was Alabama running back Derrick Henry, who will join up with 2014 NFL rushing champ DeMarco Murray to make a quite formidable backfield for the Titans.

I won’t go into the later round picks because they so rarely pan out, but with 10 total draft picks Tennessee had more bites at the apple than most teams, and this should help them immensely long term should 1 or 2 of the later picks grow into starters.

All in all, you have to commend the Titans for what they did in this draft, dangling the bait of the top pick to the Los Angeles Rams and turning it into a host of picks before trading up to get their guy for the O-line in Conklin.  I feel that this team is on the up and probably won’t be picking near the top of NFL drafts anytime soon!

Who Are the Early Candidates for Super Bowl Contenders?

Make no mistake about it; the NFL is all about the Super Bowl.  For all the accolades, touchdowns, and victories cheered on every Sunday by football fans, winning America’s biggest game is truly what pro football is all about.  So two weeks into this 2015 NFL season, who are the true candidates that are ready to contend for Super Bowl 50 in Santa Clara next February?  Here are the 5 contenders ready to fight for this game:

1. Green Bay Packers – Having avenged the tragic 2014 NFC Championship game loss to the Seattle Seahawks, #AaronRodgers and the Packers are definite contenders for this year’s Super Bowl.  By far the top quarterback in the league, Rodgers simply took over the game and fired his team to victory, having already overcome injuries to his two best offensive weapons, #JordyNelson and #EddieLacy.  But everyone knows that defense wins championships, and concerns have always followed the Packers’ back end.  However, with several game changing turnovers that ended both the #Seahawks and the #Chicago Bears games, the team looks ready and capable to take their play to Super Bowl heights.
2. New England Patriots – The defending champs have picked up right where they left off last season. #TomBrady has performed tremendously in both opening games, racking up 7 touchdowns to 0 interceptions.  He simply will not age graciously into that good night!  Meanwhile #RobGronkowski has developed into not only the best tight end in the NFL, but possibly the best pass catcher overall as well.  His combination of size, speed, and power make him largely unplayable, and he should continue to have a huge year.  Having defeated both the Pittsburgh Steelers and the division rival #BuffaloBills to start the year, earning Brady a 5^th Super Bowl is a definite possibility.
3. Pittsburgh Steelers – How can they be in contention given that they already lost? Well, the Steelers lost to one of the league’s best teams in the Patriots, and the way they returned in Week 2 suggests that everything will be all right.  Quarterback #BenRoethlisberger is playing better than he ever has, while Antonio Brown has been electric in the passing game.  Backup running back DeAngelo Williams has been playing like he did in his earlier Carolina Panthers days, while Le’Veon Bell’s return will certainly boost this team to yet another level.  Obviously there defense is having to move on from the retired Hall of Fame safety #TroyPolamalu, but guys like Cameron Heyward, Ryan Shazier, and Bud Dupree are building a new future of hard hitting Steeler D.  While the offense is playing so well, all the defense has to do is slow opponents down and Pittsburgh just might win another Super Bowl.
4. Arizona Cardinals – Carson Palmer is having a career year in Phoenix, like he did for much of last year before an injury ruined the Cardinals’ 2014 Super Bowl hopes. #LarryFitzgerald is still carrying on strong and the running back duo of Chris Johnson and Andre Ellington is proving to be effective. With a stellar defense highlighted by guys like Tony Jefferson, Calais Campbell, and Tyrann Mathieu, the Cardinals could well usurp the Seahawks and finally take control of the NFC West.
5. Denver Broncos – They aren’t playing pretty by any means, and very well could have been 0-2 to start the season, but the Broncos have been pulling out miraculous wins the likes of which we’ve only seen when Tim Tebow was at the helm! Winning ugly is a big part of the NFL, and when it comes to gritty NFL playoff encounters, this may be just the recipe for winning a trip to the Super Bowl.  I think we’ve definitely seen age start to catch up with quarterback #PeytonManning, but his experience and knowledge could push them through, while a stellar defense makes the key plays.  Aqib Talib, DeMarcus Ware, #VonMiller, and Brandon Marshall are extremely talented, and we might just see a Peyton Manning team led by strong defensive play that wins the 2015 Super Bowl.  Wouldn’t that be something?