The Chicago Bears are so desperate with their depleted secondary they just added a wolf to their sheep farm. The Bears just struck a deal with 27 year old safety CJ Gardner-Johnson who has had some run-in’s with Chicago receivers in the past. Last year Gardner-Johnson helped the Philadelphia Eagles win their second Superbowl in their franchise history giving the Kansas City Chiefs an old fashioned beat down. The Eagles traded Gardner-Johnson to the Houston Texans in the off-season where he played three games this season & then was released. The Texans head coach said CJ’s release, “was best for the team.”
This month CJ Gardner Johnson found another franchise interested in his services. He signed with the Baltimore Ravens on their practice squad. After a week it was called a mutual decision on his release. Now he will join one of his arch enemies while reuniting with his former coach Dennis Allen who was in New Orleans when he was there. Now Allen has the job of defensive coordinator for the Bears and is using his word to his employers that his guy CJ can get the job done and will not disrupt the team chemistry.
The Chicago Bears are 4-3 for the season. They won 4 straight games after starting 0-2 out of the gates. Last week Caleb Williams did not play well. The Bears defense kept their team in the game versus the Ravens against their 3rd quarterback of the season in veteran Tyler Huntley. The Bears new head coach Ben Johnson thinks Williams’ bad day was not all his fault as he was throwing the ball to the right spots in timing routes. That the receivers stopped their route short of the spot they were supposed to get to. With the Bears defense playing well and Williams showing improvement, maybe a guy like CJ Gardner-Johnson is what they need at this point to give this team a jolt. The Bears lost their best defensive back in Jaylon Johnson who has been sidelined for weeks and had surgery on his core muscle. Tyrique Stevenson is banged up with a shoulder issue and missed Sunday’s game versus Baltimore but is expected back this week. While Kyler Gordon will miss at least 3 more games as he is on the injured reserve. Gardner-Johnson was originally drafted by the Saints in the 4th round of the 2019 NFL draft. He can play safety and can cover the slot receivers which he did for Dennis Allen and the Saints. Last season for the Eagles he had 6 interceptions and returned one for a touchdown. He played in 16 games last year after only playing in 3 regular season games for the Lions in 2023. In seven seasons where he had two stints with the Eagles, Saints that drafted him, and the Lions and Texans. The Bears will be his 5th team already. He has 18 career interceptions of which he had 6 picks in two different seasons and both were with Philadelphia.
CJ Johnson-Gardner is a trash talker along with an instigator as the Bears in the past found out the hard way. In 2020 the Bears wide receiver Javon Wims punched CJ twice in the helmet. Wims said CJ took his mouth piece and spat on him. CJ at the time denied spitting on Wims. Javon would get suspended 2 games by the league for hitting CJ in the helmet. Then in 2021 the Bears met the Saints in the playoffs. The Bears had it in the game plan not to fall for any of CJ’s antics. Another Bears wide receiver may have not gotten the memo, Anthony Miller shoved CJ, and was ejected from the game.
Miller fell right into CJ’s antics and it was game over for the Bears receiver.
Remember when the Chicago Bulls traded for Dennis Rodman who was a Hall of Fame defender and his antics got in the heads of other players? Ask Karl Malone who could not shake Rodman’s antics in the championship series versus the Bulls. CJ Gardner-Johnson is not the missing piece for a Bears championship. Everyone hated Rodman when he played all those years with the bad boys, the Detroit Pistons. The Pistons were a thorn in the Bulls’ sides for years before Chicago slay their demons. The White Sox signed AJ Pierzynski, a key player that helped them win that 2005 World Series title for Chicago. Pierzynski all those years with the Twins he was hated by the White Sox fans. You hope Gardner-Johnson falls in with the Pierzynski and Rodman type guys you hated. Then loved when they are wearing your uniform and representing your city.
I’m not a fan of trash talking corner backs like CJ Gardner-Johnson. The Bengals teams that went deep in post-season seem to have multiple defensive backs that talked trash all game long. Gardner-Johnson has 2 career unsportsman-like conducts called on him. He has racked up six unnecessary roughness penalties in his career. Imagine all the stuff that he’s gotten away with. He certainly provoked those former Bears receivers to hit him in the heat of the moment. The Bears will need to win games to keep this clown happy and not become a cancer in the locker room. These types of guys can turn into a virus that spreads throughout the entire team. The ties he has with Dennis Allen will be important. I like that he can play multiple positions in the secondary. He certainly can help other Bears defensive backs get better by watching his coverage on offensive players. He can spark your team with a big time defensive play at a key point of the game. I think everything needs to be going well because he could also be the added fuel on the fire to send the Bears team into combustion mode. We’ve seen it before with the Jay Cutler’s of the world that wore Bears uniforms. Like an invasion of roaches, it takes awhile to get them all terminated from the locker room. The Bears are playing the Bengals this Sunday. We will see if Gardner-Johnson can contain their stud receivers like Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. The Bears already have the goofy Tyrique Stevenson in their secondary, a guy that did not cover Jayden Daniels’ Hail Mary pass last year because he was too busy taunting the crowd. Too many of these guys will set the fuse that burns the rest of your season away. The Bears are reaching here. It may work, but keep the fire extinguisher handy just in case.
It was the bigger games last week that screwed me. I went 49ers over the Buccaneers. Then the Lions failed me on Sunday night versus the Chiefs. Both Monday night games ended my week on a down note. My upset picking Saints over New England looked poorly executed. I did get Panthers right at home over America’s team. Who had Giants over Eagles? This season has been baffling when it comes to some of the outcomes. We will get back on the horse and throw darts at week seven picks.
OVERALL RECORD: (60-33)
MONDAY NIGHT RECORD OVERALL: (5-4)
THURSDAY NIGHT RECORD OVERALL: (4-2)
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS RECORD: (0-2)
WEEK 7
THE THURSDAY NIGHT GAME
PITTSBURGH STEELERS (4-1) AT CINCINNATI BENGALS (2-4)
The Thursday night game is being coined the Icy Hot bowl because of two over the hill quarterbacks. The Bengals landed Joe Flacco from the Browns less than two weeks ago, who is 40 years of age. Then the other old guy, Aaron Rodgers at 41 years of age, is off to a great start with the Steelers in his first season in Pittsburgh. Rodgers is 3-0 versus Flacco over his career. All three wins for Rodgers came in a Packers uniform. Flacco lost to Rodgers twice with the Ravens and once with the Broncos. Rodgers will have the Steelers offense humming against a bad Bengals defense who will be without their best defender Trey Hendrickson is the team’s best pass rusher. Eventually Flacco will get the Bengals offense rolling because he has two of the best receivers in the league to throw to. They will make him look better. All he has to do is get it to them. The Steelers defense likes to tally up the takeaways and I think they will get some versus Flacco, a guy still learning the Bengals offense being this is his second start with the team. Now he’s playing on a short week.
OUR PICK: STEELERS
SUNDAY MORNING (LONDON)
LA RAMS (4-2) AT JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (4-2)
The Jacksonville Jaguars’ home away from home is London, England. The Rams will not have Puka Nacua in their aerial attack as he’s out with an ankle sprain. The Rams still have another option for Matthew Staffords’ arsenal. That is Tutu Atwll who should pick up the slack of the Rams offense. The Jaguars lost to Seattle last week where their offense went dormant. Will the Jaguars try to force things into their rookie play maker Travis Hunter who plays both ways on the field? Jaguars upset the Chiefs on a Monday night game & then Trevor Lawrence gets sacked 7 times. The Rams are tied for 4th in the league in sacks. The Rams offense will be fine. My worry is the Jaguars will struggle on offense and make mistakes that will cost them in their own country.
OUR PICK: RAMS
THE SUNDAY TILT
CAROLINA PANTHERS (3-3) AT NEW YORK JETS (0-6)
When facing a team with no wins, like the Jets, it could feel like you’re going up against a caged animal with nothing to lose. The Panthers collected their three wins at home and are 0-3 on the road this season. The Jets are flying home from London where they played last week as they lost a close one to the Broncos. However Justin Fields was sacked 9 times by the Broncos. The good news for the Jets is the Panthers do not have that kind of pass rush the Broncos have. The Panthers are not very good at pressuring the quarterback.
The Panthers have been riding their back-up running back the last two games, Rico Dowdle who played very suave-like. He has set a Panthers record in a two game span piling up 473 scrimmage yards. The former Cowboy roasted his former squad Dallas last week. The Panthers starting running back Chuba Hubbard is expected back. I see the Panthers riding the Dowdle train a little bit longer. Fields will not have his top receiver to throw to in Garrett Wilson. The Panthers are 3-0 playing teams with losing records this season. I like that trend to continue here.
OUR PICK: PANTHERS
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (4-2) AT TENNESSEE TITANS (1-5)
The Titans fired their head coach this week as Brian Callahan did not last very long in Tennessee. Now to rub some more salt into the Titans’ current situation is the arrival of the former Tennessee head coach Mike Vrabel who was fired after the 2023 season concluded. The interim for the Titans is a guy named Mike McCoy. The Titans have 14 players still on that roster that played for Vrabel. Usually a team gets a spark with a different voice as they play loose, free, and dummy down the play book. The Patriots come into this one red hot looking to win their 3rd straight road game. The Titans are a complete disaster. The win they did get was gift wrapped by Arizona. Vrabel has the Patriots playing solid on both sides of the ball. He will leave town with a grin on his face getting back at the former franchise he coached at.
OUR PICK: PATRIOTS
MIAMI DOLPHINS (1-5) AT CLEVELAND BROWNS (1-5)
One of these teams will get their second win of the year. This is a game between two bottom feeders of the NFL. For the Dolphins, the choke collar on their head coach has to be squeezing Mike McDaniel wind pipes as more losses pile up.
The Titans pulled the plug on their head coach. Will the Dolphins follow their path? The Browns offense has struggled so far with the insert of their rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel behind center. The perfect recipe to jump start your offense and a rookie QB is the Dolphins defense. The Browns defense can put a damper on most offenses in the league. and I think they will be able to dissect the fish like an 8th grade science experiment. Dawgs squish the fish in he DAWG Pound.
OUR PICK: BROWNS
LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (2-4) AT KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (3-3)
We wanted the Chiefs to be done for the season after starting out of the gates 0-2. Since then the Chiefs have gone 3-1 and gave the Lions a beat down on Sunday night football. Meanwhile the Raiders found the victory column for only the second time this season beating up on a bad Titan team. The Chiefs will have one of Patrick Mahomes’ weapons back on the field as they welcome back Rashee Rice. Mahomes and company now do not have to rely on the meathead, Travis Swift.
The Raiders are not doing anything well in their first six games. Geno Smith has resorted back to his Jets ways where his career started in New York wearing the silver and black. The Chiefs are hard to beat at Arrow Head stadium. Mahomes is playing well. The referees are back on the Chiefs payroll as they had no penalties on Sunday night versus Detroit. Poor Pete Carroll may be regretting coming back to the NFL as a head coach.
OUR PICK: CHIEFS
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (1-5) AT CHICAGO BEARS (3-2)
Can the Chicago Bears win 4 straight games after starting the season 0-2? The Saints have hung around in almost every game they played this season. The Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler is starting to get it. Rattler has played well. Can he keep up with the way Caleb Williams has been playing?
Williams pissed off an ESPN announcer last week in the win over the Commanders. Troy Aikman maybe did not like his painted finger nails. DRAMA!! Teams have scored multiple passing touchdowns on the Saints defense this entire season. Teams can run on the Saints defense as well. The Bears offense is starting to mix in the run into their offense as D’Andre Swift had a big game running the ball in the win versus Washington. The Saints will make this a game. The Bears defense can make stops and are good at forcing turnovers. This is a tough road game for New Orleans to pull off. When was the last time the Bears have won 4 games? Pinch me I may be dreaming.
OUR PICK: BEARS
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (4-2) AT MINNESOTA VIKINGS (3-2)
The Superbowl champs have suddenly lost two straight games. The Vikings are rested coming off their bye week looking to right their ship with the Eagles flying in. The Vikings will have their rookie quarterback back from the injured list, but he will not be starting in this one. Carson Wentz will face the team that drafted him. The Eagles offense has struggled in the last few games. Jalen Hurts has been holding on to the ball way too long. With a team that loves to blitz like the Vikings, look for the Eagles to hit on some short passes to get their star running back, Saquon Barkley, involved early and often in this one. I just can not see the Eagles losing three straight games. Wentz will make a few mistakes where Philadelphia defense will be all over it.
OUR PICK: EAGLES
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (5-1) AT LA CHARGERS (4-2)
The head coach of the Chargers, Jim Harbaugh, will be facing one of the teams he played for this Sunday, the Colts. When Harbaugh played for the Colts, he earned the nickname Captain Comeback for all his epic games where he led his team to a victory being down on the score board late in games. The Colts right now are the cream of the crop of the AFC. Jonathan Taylor is the number 1 running back in the NFL. Danny Dimes Jones has been reborn wearing the horseshoes on his helmet. Chargers have been riddled with injuries at the running back position. Justin Herbert has had another solid year behind center. The Colts have played an easier schedule most of this season. I like the Chargers defense to contain this Colts offense just enough for LA to generate the points needed to knock Jones and company off their horse and bring back down to earth. It will be a close game. The home team wins it for Captain Comeback.
OUR PICK: CHARGERS
NEW YORK GIANTS (2-4) AT DENVER BRONCOS (4-2)
Looks like the New York Giants have found the next Peyton Hillis of the NFL. The Great White Hope at the running back position for the Giants found themselves a beast name, Cameron Skattebo.
Skattebo already has tallied 5 touchdowns for the Giants. Just hope he does not land on the John Madden cover like Hillis who disappeared after landing on the video game. The Giants rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart has given this franchise life once again. The two rookies face an incredible challenge going up against the defense of the Denver Broncos. The Broncos have been like a saw mill on rookie quarterbacks. Last week they sacked Jets veteran quarterback Justin Fields 9 times. Both these teams beat up on the Eagles in the last two weeks. I like the Broncos offense to get back on track versus the Giants defense. That is the match up that wins this game for Denver. No rookie love in this one for the G-Men reborn.
OUR PICK: BRONCOS
WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (3-3) AT DALLAS COWBOYS (2-4)
This game has shoot out written all over it. Dak Prescott and that Cowboys offense is one of the best in the league. The Commanders have some injuries they are dealing with. Scary Terry McLaurin is out. The Commanders gave the Bears a victory on Monday night, a Jayden McDaniels fumble cost them. The Cowboys found out the hard way the Panthers are very tough to handle at their place. The Commanders won all the close games last year. This year they are not getting those W’s. The Commanders will still be able to produce points off the terrible Dallas defense. The Commanders defense is nothing to write mom about back home. The Commanders D will do just enough to secure this game for Washington.
OUR PICK: COMMANDERS
GREEN BAY PACKERS (3-1-1) AT ARIZONA CARDINALS (2-4)
The Packers are 3-0 in Green Bay. On the road it’s like the tale of two cities, they are 0-1-1. Arizona has their own problems. At home they are 0-3 for the season. On the road they are 2-1. The Cardinals have lost 4 straight games after starting out of the gates 2-0. Who is the starting QB this week for Arizona? Back up Jacoby Brissett played well last week filling in for the injured Kyler Murray in a close game versus the Colts. I think the Packers will get a solid game out of their defense with either QB they face. I’m not scared of the Cardinals running game without their number one back, James Connor. Jordan Love should be able to generate a good enough amount of points versus a Cardinal defense that has a rookie corner back in Will Johnson. Johnson has played well but dealing with Love stinks. The Packers have not been well balanced on offense in every game this season. Look for the running game to explode in this one as Josh Jacobs has big game.
OUR PICK: PACKERS
THE SUNDAY NIGHT GAME
ATLANTA FALCONS (3-2) AT SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (4-2)
The Falcons defense is worth talking about as they are allowing the league’s lowest in yards per game. Teams are only averaging 253.4 yards per game. The 49ers will be without Brock Purdy once again. Mac Jones has done very well filling in. The 49ers have been once again like last year with the Santa Clause list on the injury report. The Falcons took down the Bills last week on Monday night making last year’s MVP Josh Allen look like an average QB in the NFL. The 49ers found out what Baker Mayfield does best at the end of games as they lost to the Buccaneers. Is Atlanta a different team outside than inside the dome? The Falcons defense coordinator, Jeff Ulbrich, has ties to current 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh. Both were a part of that Jets team where Aaron Rodgers’ mood swings took down the entire team. Then 49ers Kyle Shanahan worked with Ulbrich on the same staff in Atlanta. That 2016 team that lost in the Superbowl by Tom Brady’s Patriots impressive comeback. No Fred Warner on the 49ers defense looking for guys like Drake London and Bijan Robinson to have their way with San Francisco’s defense. Jones is due for a rude awakening at some point. Falcons make a statement in this one.
OUR PICK: FALCONS
TWO MONDAY NIGHT GAMES
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (5-1) AT DETROIT LIONS (4-2)
Are we looking at an early NFC Championship here where two of the top teams in the conference crash on Monday night? Baker Mayfield has been playing without his top weapons. Mike Evans could return. The Lions were embarrassed in week 1 by the Packers. Then won 4 straight finding their mojo like the Lions of the old. Last week versus the Chiefs in KC, they hit a speed bump. The Buccaneers continue to win wild ones as Mayfield does at the end of games by closing out the other team with an impressive drive on offense.
The Lions will be without one defensive back versus the Buccaneers Brian Branch, who bitch slapped Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster after the game concluded last Sunday night. The league suspended him. I don’t see defense really being a factor in this game. The Lions have scored 30 or over points in 5 straight home games dating back to last year. Lions are mad. The Mayfield magic at the end will run out in this one. This one will be settled by the team having the ball in the last minute. My gut tells me it’s the Lions.
OUR PICK: LIONS
HOUSTON TEXANS (2-3) AT SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (4-2)
The Texans have won two straight games and are coming off their bye week to even their record at 3-3 for the season. The Seahawks dominated the Jaguars. They sacked Trevor Lawrence 7 times in that game. Sam Darnold is living up to the contract he signed with the Seahawks during the off-season. He will be challenged by a Texans defense who have been solid all season. The Texans run defense has been brilliant. Look for Seattle to get it done going air born. The biggest weakness in this match up is the Texans offensive line. Seattle has a strong push up the belly of the field which should cave in those Texans big guys in the trenches. CJ Stroud will be on the run most of the game. That’s where Seattle will take advantage of his mistakes and put the Texans on ice.
It’s about time a head coach goes postal on one of their own players for being football stupid. On Sunday, the Arizona Cardinals could have broken the game open versus a bad Tennessee Titans team. Third year running back Emari Demercado for the Cardinals in the 4th quarter broke through the defense and was on his way for a 76 yard touchdown run. Instead of crossing the goal line with the ball in his hands being chased by a Titan defender, he just drops the ball on purpose before he actually hits pay dirt. The referees ruled the play a fumble, turnover of downs, and a touch back. The Cardinals would have had a 21 point lead in the 4th quarter. Demercado, a 26 year running back out of TCU, thought he crossed the line with the touchdown. At the time it was more important to him to show boat and look cool for the cameras. The Titans would end up winning this game. After the play, Jonathan Gannon, head coach of the Cardinals, went ballistic on his running back. They say he even got physical with his running back. Gannon should not strike any of his players. Giving the running back a verbal conversation needs to happen because this stuff keeps happening in the NFL.
Last year wide receiver Adonai Mitchell for the Indianapolis Colts, did the same thing as Emari Demercado. It was the Colts versus the Rams and Mitchell nonchalantly dropped the ball before the goal line thinking more of the celebration than the team. These players looked at themselves on the jumbotron in the middle of the play to see their glory on the gridiron first hand. In the NFL, every time a player gets a first down every player has to get up and mock the referee with the signal that so and so got his team the first down. Every time a defender gets a turnover, why does the entire defensive unit have to celebrate by the cameras in the end zone? In the 1990’s the Dallas Cowboys were blowing out the Buffalo Bills in the Superbowl. The Cowboys defender, Leon Lett, recovered a fumble and was rumbling and tumbling down the side line looking like an easy touchdown. He was celebrating the score before he got across the goal line. The Bills wide receiver Don Beebe chased the almost 300 pound defender down knocking the ball out of hand before he got it across the goal line. Lett was holding the ball out like a loaf of bread.
That game was out of hand as the Cowboys were destroying the Bills. Lett would get the Superbowl ring, but that one play has plenty of humiliation attached to his career. No one will recall how many sacks Lett had or how many championships the man won. They will recall the idiot celebrating way too early and getting the ball knocked out of his hand.
The Arizona Cardinals started the season out of the gates with a 2-0 record. Now they have lost the last three games by a total of 5 points. The Cardinals make history with all three straight losses coming off a walk off field goal. The Cardinals lost their first game to the 49ers in week 3 by a kick at the end of regulation. Then in week 4, Seattle beat Arizona with a walk off field goal. Joey Slye did the same thing last Sunday to help the Titans win 22-21. The Cardinals shot themselves in both feet versus the Titans after the fumble by Emari Demercado. With 4:55 left in the 4th quarter, the Cardinals defender Dadrion Taylor-Demerson intercepted a tip ball thrown by Titans QB Cam Ward. The interception could have sealed this game for Arizona. When Taylor-Demerson came crashing to the ground with the intercept, he fumbled the ball. The ball bounced around until Titans receiver Tyler Lockett secured the ball in his hands in the end zone for another Titans score. It all started with the showboating by Emari. Eventually Slye would get the chance to walk off the Cards after the Titans defense forced Arizona to punt and got the ball back. The Titans then drove down the field and set up Slye for the kick. He made it the third straight walk off kick in a row to end Arizona’s week with a loss.
Growing up watching the Bears in the 1980’s, Da Coach Mike Ditka would not deal with shenanigans like Emari Demercado trying to be too cool for school. When Ditka coached the best running back on the planet, Walter Payton would hand the ball to the referee after each time he scored a touchdown. Act like you have been there before was Sweetness’ philosophy. Do you remember when Ditka unleashed his bark on his quarterback Jim Harbaugh? The same Harbaugh that coaches the Chargers. Harbaugh may not be showing his rage on the side lines, but I bet money he would not take this kind of non sense from his third string running back. Head coaches like Ditka would have cut his Cardinal sin the next day. The NFL owners pay big money for their head coaches and they want results. If the Cardinals miss the playoffs by one game, this is the one that will be pointed to. Losing to a bad Tennessee team with a rookie QB who has not been good is unacceptable. When you give the bad team the game, your locker should be cleared out. Especially for Tom Foolery. When playmakers do these things, it can cost a guy like Jonathan Gannon his livelihood being his first head coaching gig.
Jonathan Gannon did apologize to his running back. He realized his team lost the game because of more than one play. That fumble play by Emari took the sails out of the Cardinals flight in that game. How quickly the Titans turned things around like that. You would think Emari will learn from his bone-headed blunder in the future. Will the Gannon rage scare other players presently or in the future? Not wanting to win for the name on front of the jersey rather than win for his own name on back of the jersey. Nobody knew who Emari was before his blunder on Sunday. If he did not fumble, they would have said that a 3rd string running back that scored a touchdown in garbage time. This sounds better than your head coach going nuclear on you before a live studio audience.
Here we go again! Another NFL season is upon us. Almost every franchise is feeling pretty good about their team with a 0-0 record. We could be optimistic or you know that your team or even my team will be horrific. I know we will see some new blood in the post-season which happens every season. It seems like the best teams that have separated themselves from the pack are the usual suspects in the NFL post-season.
I still have the Chiefs winning the AFC West. Can anybody in the AFC knock out the Chiefs? That is the biggest question. We saw them get a beat down by the Eagles last year which was epic. Not sure I really want to see the Eagles fly back to the Superbowl this season. I’d like to see new blood. I’d like to see the fighting Swifties of Kansas City get their medicine quickly and be dispatched early into the post-season. We have new coaches for some teams. I see some improvement there. Not drastic. My early guess is the Saints will be the worst team this year in the NFL. Could it be their year to do badly and next draft the Saints could be taking another Manning named Archie? My predictions are not going to be perfect. They may be a house of cards. I have predicted every team’s record and which teams will make the post-season. I posted a single comment for each team during the regular season as well. Then I have a Superbowl prediction at the end of it all.
AFC CONFERENCE
The AFC will be a grindhouse this season with many solid teams. I know it is the tougher conference.
AFC EAST
#1.BUFFALO BILLS (13-4) Bills defense will play on a higher level all season including playoffs.
#2. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (8-9) Mike Vrabel starts the resurrection of the Evil Empire in football.
#3.MIAMI DOLPHINS (7-10) Mike McDaniel is fired before the season ends.
#4. NEW YORK JETS (5-12) Justin Fields goes back to the Bad News Bears ways.
AFC NORTH
#1. BALTIMORE RAVENS (12-5) Lamar Jackson will get closer than last season to the Superbowl.
#2.CINCINNATI BENGALS (10-7) Bengals defense becomes a dumpster fire during the post-season.
#3. PITTSBURGH STEELERS (8-9) Aaron Rodgers clinches Mike Tomlin’s first ever losing season.
#4.CLEVELAND BROWNS (4-13) Which QB are the Browns going to draft in 2026?
AFC SOUTH
#1. HOUSTON TEXANS (9-8) That offensive line could be “danger danger Will Robinson” to their young QB.
#2.INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (8-9) Anthony Richardson along with Daniel Jones are busts at the QB position.
#3. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (7-10) Are Jacksonville fans still sold on Trevor Lawrence?
#4. TENNESSEE TITANS (3-14) Rookie QB hiccups will occur!!
AFC WEST
#1. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (11-6) Travis Kelce takes Taylor Swift’s last name. Travis Swift takes the field.
#2. DENVER BRONCOS (10-7) Bo Knows Nix!!!
#3. LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (9-8) Pete Carol’s masterpiece is brewing.
#4. LA CHARGERS (7-10) Year 2 Jim Harbaugh and his Chargers will be doomed by the tougher schedule.
AFC PLAYOFF SEEDS: #1. BUFFALO, #2. BALTIMORE, #3. KANSAS CITY, #4. HOUSTON TEXANS
AFC WILD CARDS: #5. CINCINNATI, #6. DENVER, #7. LAS VEGAS
NFC CONFERENCE
NFC EAST
#1.PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (11-6) The Eagles will still win their division in hard fought contests every week. They will get knocked out early in post-season.
#2.WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (10-7) No surprises from the Commanders this season. Hail Marys will be defended well.
#3.DALLAS COWBOYS (9-8) The Cowboys defense will improve despite trading their best rusher.
#4. NEW YORK GIANTS (4-13) Throw a dart at the QB board and miss. Russell Wilson walks away from the game.
NFC NORTH
#1.DETROIT LIONS (12-5) How will Dan Campbell’s two new coordinators fair? Business as usual.
#2.GREEN BAY PACKERS (11-6) The youngest team in the league is getting better each season.
#3.CHICAGO BEARS (8-9) Is Ben Johnson the QB whisperer??
#4. MINNESOTA VIKINGS (7-10) No inserting a rookie QB like a light bulb and winning double digit games this season.
NFC SOUTH
#1. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (9-8) Baker Mayfield is the only QB in the NFC South.
#2. ATLANTA FALCONS (7-10) Growing pains for Michael Pennix.
#3. CAROLINA PANTHERS (6-11) Bryce Young will continue to get better. Not by wins though.
#4. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (2-15) Worst QB room in the league with a rookie head coach. No Way Jose!!
NFC WEST
#1. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (12-5) Don’t sleep on the 49ers. The talent is still there.
#2. LA RAMS (11-6) The Rams aerial attack may be compared to the Kurt Warner attack back in St. Louis when they were the greatest show on turf.
#3. ARIZONA CARDINALS (9-8) Kyler Murray really is not the answer for this franchise.
#4. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (7-10) Sam Darnold regresses for Seattle’s offense.
NFC PLAYOFF SEEDS: #1. SAN FRANCISCO, #2. DETROIT, #3. PHILADELPHIA, #4. TAMPA BAY
NFC WILD CARDS: #5. LA RAMS, #6. GREEN BAY, #7.WASHINGTON
THE SUPERBOWL
This Superbowl will finally have new blood. No Chiefs/Eagles rematch on this blog.
The Buffalo Bills finally break out of the AFC grindhouse and make it to the big game. Then in the NFC where anything can happen, Baker Mayfield gets hot at the right time and gets the Buccaneers back into the Superbowl.
The Buccaneers will lose their first ever Superbowl while the Bills finally win their first ever to slay the 1990’s dragons when they lost 4 big games in a row. I like Josh Allen doing what he does putting up the big offensive numbers like the Bills offense will still do. I said the Bills defense will finally play a big part in getting this team over the playoff hump as it carries over in the big game.
Is it too early to determine that Anthony Richardson may be a first round bust for the Indianapolis Colts? Can you pull the plug on a guy after two seasons who’s only played in 15 games and is only 23 years of age?
Richardson was drafted in the first round by the Colts 4th overall in the 2023 NFL draft from the University of Florida. How many chances to give a number one pick, especially the guys that play quarterback I’m thinking have nine lives in the NFL like Morris the cat? If Richardson was a fish and the field was his tank of water, he has been in and out multiple times for injuries or his poor play making him gasp for air and flop around. Suddenly Colts fans are having nightmares of one of their greatest quarterback busts in their history, Jeff George.
Jeff George was supposed to be the “real deal can’t miss” quarterback of the draft. The Colts selected George number 1 overall in the 1990 NFL draft out of University of Illinois. I watched him play for the Fighting Illini, and he had a cannon for an arm. George was born and raised in the state of Indiana so it seems like it was meant to be with the Colts hitting a home run on this pick. George would last 4 years in Indianapolis out of his 12 year career that featured stops in Atlanta, Oakland, Minnesota, and Washington. In 52 games over a 4 year span, George’s record as a starting QB for the Colts was 14-35 as he made 49 starts wearing the horseshoe on his helmet. George was simply a bad dude, not in a good way. He demanded to be traded. He would have arguments with coaches on the field wherever he played it seemed. He was not a good teammate on and off the field. A cancer in the locker room is putting it simply. He even made gestures in bad taste to fans in the stands. In 12 seasons he only had three winning seasons as a starter. He played in 131 NFL games in his career and as a starter he had a 46-78 record well below .500. He completed 57.9% of his passes and threw for 27,602 passing yards. He did throw 154 touchdown passes, but he a was gunslinger and threw 113 interceptions. This is a guy that had all the talent in the world but was too pig-headed to use these traits for good not evil purposes like the money and fame.
In two seasons, Anthony Richardson is strutting down Jeff George lane, but he is not the asshole the former University of Illinois quarterback was. Richardson only played in 24 college games. Basically he became the starter his last season on the college gridiron. Every team knew he was going to be a project that they had to mold into a true NFL quarterback. His athleticism is top notch. I’m not sure why the Colts even played him in the very first season he was drafted. You could make a case for him sitting on the sideline for one full season which could help his development. Patrick Mahomes sat most of his first season as he got action in a meaningless game at the end of the season for the Chiefs, who had their playoff position that year settled. Last season, Richardson completed only 47.7% of his passes. He tallied 1,814 passing yards in 11 games. He threw 8 touchdown passes to 12 interceptions. Surprisingly he went 6-5 as the starter for the Colts last year. In two seasons he has an 8-7 record as a starter. He has completed once again only 50.6% of his passes which is very bad. He has tallied up 2,291 passing yards. He has 11 touchdown strikes to 13 interceptions.
This season the Colts are going with another bad quarterback as their opening day starter – Former Giants QB Daniel Jones. Jones has one winning season under his belt in six seasons. Jones is a former first round pick by the Giants in the 2019 NFL draft as he was selected 6th overall. His starting record as a QB is horrific as his record is 24-44. His completion rating is much better than Anthony Richardson’s over his career at 64.1%. Jones has thrown 70 touchdown passes compared to 47 interceptions. This looks like an upgrade on paper. Jones will be looking to prove something after being dumped by the Giants. He is a better option giving the Colts a balanced offense. He can utilize all the talented receivers the Colts have as well. At which Richardson had problems. The Colts have a star running back in Jonathan Taylor. With Richardson, the opposing defenses can key on Taylor and Taylor only. Last year the Colts offense thrived with Joe Flacco behind center.
Will the Colts consider trading Anthony Richardson? Being athletic is not always the recipe at being a true quarterback in the NFL. You know in this league some coach is licking their chops to coach Richardson and mold him into a QB. Richardson has been in and out of the water so much he may be scarred right now being a back up in Indianapolis. He may need new scenery to develop. He may be a bust right now but a guy that is a late bloomer down the road like Sam Darnold. I believe he will have more chances like 9 lives, a number one pick gets compared to a 7th rounder. Present day in the NFL they expect these quarterbacks to establish themselves right away thrown to the wolves. Some can swim right away, but most cannot as teams move on quickly. I’m not feeling sorry for the Colts as they had legends behind center like Peyton Manning, who won them a Superbowl. They had Andrew Luck who was a solid QB for years for the Colts. Right now Richardson is on Jeff George Boulevard in his Colts career. Not with the bad attitude. George was able to at least complete passes down the middle of the field where Richardson will run more. He will get hit more in the open field. He will take on more injuries and eventually most running QB’s that can’t throw the ball with accuracy have a short shelf life in the NFL.
In 2020, Henry Ruggs III was drafted 12th overall in the first round of the NFL draft by the Las Vegas Raiders. He was the first ever pick by the Las Vegas Raiders in their first season in Sin Town after leaving Oakland. He was a talented wide receiver coming out of a big college football program at the University of Alabama. He would now be making millions and more millions of dollars living out his dream playing the game he loved his entire life. Being in Las Vegas could be naturally a distraction with loose women, fast cars, drugs and alcohol along with gambling which could be the whammy of hexes. No young man should ride that line as the ending is always no good. Young people are stupid and we have all been there ourselves. In his second year in the NFL, it was the fast car with the girl in the passenger seat going at an unbelievable high speed which ended killing a woman named Tina Tintor and her dog. Ruggs and his girlfriend at the time would survive that horrific night on November 2nd, 2021. Ruggs would end up going to jail as he was sentenced to 3-10 years charged with a felony DUI and misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter. In 2026, he will have his first parole meeting and he says he wants to still play football in the NFL and once again for the Raiders.
As a rookie, Henry Ruggs III’s first year in the NFL was decent. He played in 13 games, he was targeted 43 times, and caught 26 balls. He had racked up 452 receiving yards with two touchdowns. In his second year in the NFL, Ruggs played in 7 games before he got his Corvette up to a speed close to 160 MPH on a Las Vegas highway. In 7 games he was targeted in year two, 36 times. He caught 24 balls. In year two he already had the same amount of catches, yards, and touchdowns he did his rookie season. He racked up 452 receiving yards with another two touchdown catches. In 20 NFL games, Ruggs III had 50 catches for 921 receiving yards and hauled in 4 touchdown catches. By his numbers alone, he was starting to adapt and understand the NFL game while playing at a higher level. The NFL now plays 17 games per season so Ruggs III was on his way in year two to murder his rookie season numbers. If he played 9 more games, the standard 16 at the time, he should have had over 1,000 receiving yards and close to 100 catches and lets say 6 to 7 touchdowns. Now he’s starting to sound like a number 1 guy on a NFL team. If Ruggs III made the right decisions and not have drove his car while intoxicated with his girlfriend in the passenger seat. Who he had a kid with. He would have certainly made millions more dollars after playing out his rookie contract. Obviously if he stayed healthy on the field.
Henry Ruggs III spoke publicly for the first time about the tragic accident he caused to kill Tina Tintor and her dog on that night speeding to get to another party. It was at the Hope for Prisoners group held in Las Vegas where he spoke and wished he could go back to make things right. He would need a time machine to go back in time to save the girl he killed, who was 23 years of age. He is saying all the right things and apologized to the Tintor family. Not just for killing their daughter but bringing up the memories of the horrific accident when his face appears in the papers or his story goes on social media. He never addressed the family of the girl he killed face to face. He says he would like to apologize to them face to face to show them the real Henry Ruggs III. He admitted he was trying to escape the pressure of being a first round pick on a NFL team with stunts like living in the fast lane. He would like to play football again and even stay in Vegas where he is being incarcerated and play for the Raiders. He has had time to reflect about the situation and improve his mind set spiritually talking about it while praying and finding the Lord is my guess.
How do you get so intoxicated at a Top Golf place earlier in the evening, where Henry Ruggs III and his girlfriend were at before racing over to their next place? His alcohol limit was off the charts after he plowed into Tintor’s car. His girlfriend, Je’nai Kilgo Washington, needed arm surgery after the crash. Ruggs III was sentenced in May of 2023 as he took a plea agreement over the reckless driving charge. He also had a loaded hand gun and being intoxicated while possessing a gun is another law he broke. He has transferred to a transitional housing unit as his life seems to being closer to getting back to normal. His parole date is August 6th of 2026 and if he gets out, he will only be 27 years old. If he makes it back into professional football, his name would be in the headlines for the Tintor family to read about. Do you trust guys like Henry Ruggs III to have a second chance in life for being so stupid? This story will not stop future young men in their 20’s from driving like assholes. The more money they’ve got, the faster the car. We see it every day if you take a drive on a highway. People driving whatever car beyond it’s speed with no turn signals and cutting people off. No wonder we have road rage in life. Guys will say whatever they think the other person wants to hear to get what they want. Will the Tintor family be there to try to close the door on Ruggs III for longer time served? I know after Top Golf, he was not driving that fast wanting to kill somebody that night. Accidents can happen & that’s why they are accidents. I hope the Tintor family does have a say in the matter because losing somebody at 23 years of age in something like that is heartbreak for the rest of their life. If Ruggs III gets out and makes it back to the NFL, how is he going to escape the pressure the next time with the ghost of Tina and her dog on his shoulder when he’s on the field? Being only 27 years old does not mean you have all the answers. Serving time could improve a man’s mindset but for how long? What team will take a chance on a guy with this heavy load on his shoulders bringing this to your team’s locker room? I know lots of things have to happen before we do see Ruggs III back on the NFL gridiron. With that type of money, these guys in professional sports could afford the best car services to take these guys out to paint the town red. Not sure why they don’t use them because this guy may have been a number one receiver right now for somebody getting the bigger money. It’s the Tintor family we have to back, regarding their decision on anything to do with Ruggs III getting out early.
We are through with half of the second UFL season and I bet we are all confused. Is it a bird, a plane, a stallion, Renegade? I really don’t thing we have that super Stallions team right now. The best team in the league in the first half are the Defenders. The Stallions are falling. The BattleHawks are soaring again. The Showboats season has not sunk yet. The power rankings once again are a mess. We have another team on top of the power rankings making their second appearance as king of the mountain. We have a new bottom dweller. Are the Roughnecks making a run? We will try to sort it out as we kickoff the second half of the UFL with week six power rankings coming at you in plane bird style, that is not super. Enjoy the bottom dwellers to the top in our newest power rankings segment.
#8. SAN ANTONIO BRAHMAS (1-4)
XFL CONFERENCE: It did not take long for the Brahmas to fall back to the bottom of the UFL power rankings. The Brahmas are back in their comfort zone and fell two spots from last week.
ANOTHER ALAMO SLAUGHTER
Another slaughtering at the Alamo has occurred. This time it was the hometown Brahmas being trampled on by the Roughnecks at the Alamo dome. How do you beat the best team in the league one week and follow that up with a clunker to one of the worst teams in the UFL, Houston? They should load up the entire herd of Brahmas and send them packing to the slaughterhouse for mustering a total of 189 yards of offense that equaled to 3 points. The Roughnecks put a beat down on the Brahmas, 27-3, in an embarrassment in front of the San Antonio faithful bringing back old memories of the bad Gunslingers teams the city witnessed in the original USFL.
The Brahmas played their best game in week 4 defeating the undefeated Defenders and doing it through all three phases of their football team. Last week then they averaged 2.8 yards per play. Made it to the red zone twice the entire game. The defense was terrible. The quarterback play was horrific. The Brahmas still trot out Kellen Mond behind center like he has turned the corner. Which his stats tell a different story completing 4-9 passes for 35 passing yards. The Brahmas even gave the X Roughneck QB a try. Jarrett Guarantano was about the same as Mond completing 6-15 passes for 29 yards. Both QB’s threw an interception. I’m confused how this team beat the Defenders. The fix was in.
#7.MEMPHIS SHOWBOATS (1-4)
USFL CONFERENCE: Moved up one spot from last week.
The Showboats’ entire season was sinking as they were the last team to finally put a W in the win column. It happened on Friday night lights as the Showboats took down the Stallions. Many are saying the Showboats used an illegal banned substance called flex seal.
Maybe the head coach of the Showboats, Jim Turner, read my power rankings segment as I mentioned they needed to try anyone else at QB.
The Showboats gave Dresser Winn his first UFL start of his career and all’s he does is win. Who is Dresser Winn? Winn played his college ball at UT Martin wherever the hell that is. He also played up north in the CFL (Canadian Football League) for the Edmonton Elks. He has been in the Rams camps as well. He’s 26 years old and he lit up the Stallions defense who are very solid this season. Dresser connected with his favorite target in this one, Dee Anderson, on a 78 yard deep ball for a score. The Stallions tied this game up and sent it to overtime. Anderson caught the clincher 2 point conversion in the OT face off rules of the UFL, the best out of three times at the 2 yard line. The Showboats scored also on a missed kick by the Stallions trying to connect on a long field goal. Isiah Hennie caught the ball in the end zone and ran it all the way back for a touchdown which a 108 yard play. With Dresser behind center, the Showboats receivers finally got the ball. Winn finished his master UFL debut completing 17-29 passes for 235 passing yards. Can Winn guide these Showboats to the post-season with a second half run?
#6. HOUSTON ROUGHNECKS (2-3)
USFL CONFERENCE: Moved up one spot from last week.
The Roughnecks notched their second win of the 2025 season. Houston has doubled their win total from the 2024 season. The Roughnecks shut down the Brahmas stampede and momentum San Antonio had after beating the hot DC Defenders squad in week 4. The Roughnecks defense has kept this team in games with the shaky quarterback situation all year around. They held the San Antonio herd to a 118 total yards last Sunday. The Roughnecks defense allowed only 3 points a field goal.
Marvin Moody leads this Roughnecks defense in tackles as he had 5 last Sunday which was tied for the team high. Rayshad Williams collected his second interception of the year off the Brahmas’ bad quarterback play. The Roughnecks had two interceptions in the game. The Roughnecks QB situation has improved as they inserted spring veteran Jalan McClendon behind center and he made his first start of the year and gets the win. McClendon showed last week that he is the best available that Houston has in moving this offense up and down the field. The Roughnecks running backs scored two rushing touchdowns in this one which was enough as Houston scored a season high of 27 points on a decent San Antonio defense. Suddenly Houston looking like they can make a run at a post-season spot as they are approaching the rear view mirrors of the Panthers and Stallions who both lost last week.
#5. BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS (3-2)
USFL CONFERENCE: The Stallions are not galloping free and far ahead of the competition as they dropped one spot from last week in the power rankings.
I don’t think I ever had Skip Holtz’s Stallions in the bottom 4 of the spring power rankings. Here they are at number 5 after losing to the Memphis Showboats in overtime. The same Showboats who notched their first win on Stallion meat. With Matt Corral still injured. The Stallions former MVP Alex McGough is still on the IR with no timetable of returning. The Stallions turned to their 3rd starting QB of the season with spring veteran Case Cookus.
Case Cookus made his first start of the year against his former team, the Showboats. Cookus was originally with the Philadelphia Stars of the USFL as he guided them to the first championship of the reboot. The Stars played the Stallions in that title game as Cookus’ team had the lead until he got hurt. You know what happened after that. Cookus first start started out of the gates very slow. The Stallions defense was not crisp like they normally have been. Cookus is a gunslinger and will need to adjust his game to Skip Holtz’s offense. He completed 15-33 passes for 145 yards as he had two touchdowns and one interception. He threw a nice deep ball to his tight end Jordan Thomas for a touchdown strike. Cookus even had 83 yards on the ground which is not like him as he is a pocket passer. The Stallions made a comeback but lost in overtime. Maybe it took a half for Cookus to knock off the rust.
The Stallions brought their first championship quarterback out of retirement this week. J’mar Smith will be the emergency QB if called upon.
#4. ARLINGTON RENEGADES (3-2)
XFL CONFERENCE: Dropped one spot from last week
The XFL conference has three teams that look like they have a shot at the UFL second season title. The Renegades are one of them. Despite the 3-2 record, this team is not consistent this season. One week they look like they are the best team in the league and solid on all fronts. Then they lay a clunker as one of their units will fail them. The Renegades were up by 11 points on the DC Defenders in the 4th quarter. The Renegades have a true star on both sides of the ball that stand out. Donald Payne on the Renegades defense was having a solid game.
He had a sack, forced fumble, and 4 tackles. Payne in crunch time in closer mode did not shine as the Defenders tied the game. You want Payne to be that pain in the arse to close out the other team. Then on offense the Renegades have one of the best QB’s in the league in Luis Perez. Which is a big reason why this team should be in the post-season. It’s a league without much QB talent. Perez had another big day at the office – one touchdown pass which was a 63 yard strike to Deontay Burnett. He had 268 passing yards. Yet in crunch time he serves up the interception when things are knotted late. Perez has led this Renegades team to an XFL championship a few seasons ago. He can get the job done. This Renegades team has a definite pattern they need to break out of.
#3.MICHIGAN PANTHERS (3-2)
USFL CONFERENCE: The Panthers fall two spots from last week after being perched on top of the power rankings coming into week 5.
The Panthers imploded late in a game versus the BattleHawks. The Panthers were up by 14 points in St.Louis. The BattleHawks second string QB made the start in this one. Max Duggan did not play well in week 4 versus the Renegades. The good signs to the Panthers success and future of this team this season is the play at their QB position. Bryce Perkins is playing at a high level this seasons. Another 235 passing yards through the air. Two more touchdown passes.
The two-headed monster at the running back position could be a scary thing late in games wearing out opposing defenses. Toa Taua had a pair of rushing touchdowns versus the BattleHawks. He had 74 yards on the ground. Now he has 139 rushing yards for the season with 3 rushing touchdowns. I do like the Panthers defense. They crumbled letting Max Duggan escape the pocket and using his legs to gain chunks of yardage. The Panthers look and feel like the best team in the USFL conference. They have to get over their hiccups versus the Stallions though. They will be in the thick of things in the second half.
#2. ST.LOUIS BATTLEHAWKS (3-2)
XFL CONFERENCE: Moved up 3 spots from last week
The BattleHawks looked like road kill after losing Manny Wilkins to a season ending injury last week. The buzzards and vultures of the UFL were circling. The BattleHawks would soar once again with the horn frog behind center. Max Duggan’s redemption in front of the home crowd gives St.Louis fans hope for the post-season. Duggan was a complete disaster filling in for Wilkins. Duggan completed 9-12 passes for 124 passing yards with a touchdown pass. Then with his legs, he had two touchdowns on 10 carries for 70 yards. The BattleHawks trailed by 14 points in the second half.
Do you remember Hakeem Butler? He has missed some games with an injury. The big, tall, and lanky St.Louis receiver was targeted by not one but two BattleHawks quarterbacks. Butler had two catches for 124 receiving yards and a pair of touchdown catches. One from Duggan. Then the game winner from Blake Jackson who hooked up with Butler for the game winner on a 57 yard strike. St.Louis needs Duggan or if Jackson is the guy to play well, this team has a shot.
#1. DC DEFENDERS (4-1)
XFL CONFERENCE: Moved up one spot from last week to be at the top of the power rankings once again.
The Defenders finish the first half of the season with the best record in the league. They did come across a major hiccup in week 4 being knocked off their perch by a bad Brahmas team for their first loss of the year. This Defenders team lost their head coach before the first week. He bolted to the college game along with their defensive coordinator following him out the door. Things looked bad last week when they were down to the Renegades looking to give DC back to back losses. The Defenders came back from 11 points down and stunned their division rival, Renegades, in a 37-33 comeback win. Jordan Ta’amu had a 300 yard passing game with three touchdown passes. He leads the UFL in both passing yards with 1,213 yards and touchdown passes as he had 9 of them in 5 games. Versus the Renegades he completed 23 passes out of 46 attempts which is a 50% completion percentage which is not very good. For the year, Ta’amu has completed 88 passes out of 177 attempts which gives him a 49.7% completion percentage for the year. I would want my QB with a much higher completion percentage. In spring football it may be okay. This Defenders team seems to be about the right place right time as their free safety Josh Proctor was picking off Luis Perez late in the game with a tie score.
If Jordan Ta’amu is going to complete his passes at the right time of the game as they did versus the Renegades, it will not matter what his completion percentage or interception totals are. This team is living on the edge. The Defenders rushing attack is pretty much their quarterback. They really don’t have a true number one receiver. The defense thrives on getting turnovers. If the Defenders get to that championship game and are not Johnny on the spot, they will most likely lose. If teams face the Defenders and have a clean game, they could beat this team. In spring football there may not be such a thing as a clean game. We will see how long the beer snake has bite in the second half.
In week two of the young 2025 spring football season, we already have a new number one perch high and above the season power rankings. Is it time to take the Stallions to the glue factory as they were snake bitten in DC? Some musical chairs in the top 5 spots of the power rankings going into week two. I think the teams that live under the stairs will be there for most of the season. Okay, let’s unveil week two power rankings in the UFL starting with the bad all the way to the top of the food chain. It could be the Battlehawks or Bob freaking Stoops. Enjoy!!!
#8. HOUSTON ROUGHNECKS (0-1)
USFL CONFERENCE: SAME SPOT FROM LAST WEEK
Last week pointed out one of the major problems head coach Curtis Johnson and this Roughnecks team have – the quarterback and their offense. In the first Friday game in the UFL history, Houston was blown out of the waters at home by St. Louis. The Roughnecks were down 31-0 by the time they were moseying on in the end zone. Houston you have a problem at the QB position. The new guy, Anthony Brown, did not give this non-existent fan base any hope by completing 5-11 passing for a whopping 21 yards. It was the back up QB, Nolan Henderson, who connected with Houston’s only threat, Justin Hall, for the only score of the day. Nolan Henderson did okay and may not be the answer for the Roughnecks as they had this scoring drive in garbage time.
The Battlehawks defense did knock Nolan around, but he showed he may be the better option than Brown. Justin Hall seems the only threat on the Roughnecks these days. Hall scored the only touchdown for Houston. Hall has been in Houston when this team was called the Gamblers in the USFL reboot.
Maybe this Houston franchise should go back to their original name, the Gamblers. In 2022 & ’23, the Gamblers on the jersey went 8-12 in 2 seasons in the USFL. Since adopting the Roughnecks, this Houston squad is now 1-10.
#7. MEMPHIS SHOWBOATS (0-1)
USFL CONFERENCE: Same spot from last week
The Memphis Showboats are sort of in the same boat as the Roughnecks. They too have a solid play maker, named Jonathan Adams, who tallied up 93 receiving yards with one touchdown. The Showboats have two quarterbacks right now dueling it out to be the man behind center for the season. Both quarterbacks have spring football experience. Troy Williams, who is a former Pittsburgh Mauler, played for Memphis last year. He completed 8-11 passes for 104 passing yards but threw an interception. Then EJ Perry who completed 10-17 passes with an interception. Perry has experience playing for the Michigan Panthers. Adams has to take on extra credit to give these guys a bigger window so they can get him the ball. The Showboats scored 12 points & that doubled the total of what Houston scored. The Showboats’ new interim head coach Jim Wilson was thrown into action when Ken Whisenhunt had to leave the team for personal reasons only a week away from the first game. The Showboats were okay under Wilson as they opened up at home and lost to a solid team in the Michigan Panthers. The Showboats fan base have their own personal club like the Bills Mafia as they name themselves the Yacht club.
I love it, but where was the Yacht club in the home opener for Memphis? Was the entire fan base out on the water on a three hour tour and then became shipwrecked on some island. That leads up to the million dollar question: Ginger or Mary Ann?
#6. SAN ANTONIO BRAHMAS (0-1)
XFL CONFERENCE: Dropped 2 spots from last week
I was not impressed with Wade Phillips’ team in week 1. The Brahmas defense gave up the most points in the first week to the Renegades. The Brahmas defense was a big part of what brought this team to the championship game last year. It seems like their defense lost some of its juice they had in their attack style. On offense, same ole story about having a quarterback that is developed. Kellen Mond made his first spring start and he completed 17-31 passes for 159 passing yards. He did not throw any interceptions but was sacked twice and completed the majority of his passes which were short not down field. It was the Brahmas rushing attack that is still solid as John Lovett and Anthony McFarland combined for 105 yards on the ground. It took the Brahmas until the 4th quarter to find the end zone. The best thing for the Brahmas was their kicker made his first field goal since high school ball.
Donald De La Haye aka Deestroying it, got the Brahmas on the board with a 39 yard field goal. De La Haye was on the Brahmas last year but did not attempt a field goal as he was injured in week 2 and done for the season. De La Hoye leads the league in followers on YouTube . In college the NCAA came down on him about his videos at Central Florida University where he quit playing college football to keep doing his thing on social media. De La Haye’s second field goal attempt did not look very promising as it was a longer attempt but sailed far away from the goal post.
#5. DC DEFENDERS (1-0)
XFL CONFERENCE: Moved up one spot from last week.
Can a beer snake swallow a Stallion? It was the Defenders defense that swallowed Stallions QB Alex McGough 8 times in eight sacks on the former USFL MVP. It was an impressive victory for the Stallions and the new head coach Shannon Harris who just got the job a week before the season started when Reggie Barlow bolted to Tennessee State for the head coaching job there.
It was Anthony Hines III who put on a clinic on defense for the Defenders. He had 6 tackles with 2 sacks and fumble recovery. The Defenders have a QB that has plenty of experience in the spring football league as Jordan Ta’amu had another solid game behind center. He completed 17-37 passes for 211 passing yards & one TD pass, along with 1 interception. The Defenders only put up 18 points which was enough to give the champs their first loss of the season. The Defenders crowd looks like something out of the Big Bang Theory or some Dungeons and Dragons club that meets there to drink plenty of beer to feed the snake. I only moved the Defenders up one spot because I need to see more. Was this victory just a lucky win by them or will they be contenders? Last year this team were pretenders.
#4.BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS (0-1)
USFL CONFERENCE: Dropped 3 spots from last week.
The Stallions have fallen off their perch on the spring football mountain as they tumble in DC in week 1. The Stallions are the only winnless team I have in the top 4 of the power rankings because they are Birmingham and let’s not forget they have won three straight titles. The Stallions did suffer a loss last year. This Stallions team is still stacked with talent. Having Alex McGough back behind center everyone thought Birmingham would be unstoppable. The Defenders exploited something on the Stallions offensive line and sacked the former MVP 8 times. The Stallions defense only gave up 18 points which is a good thing to take from this loss. Tae Crowder had a big game for the Stallions on the defensive side of the ball.
He had 11 tackles and defended one pass. Do you think Tae is related to the Crowders in Kentucky?
I know Skip Holtz will have the Stallions back on track by week two. I think the Defenders will show their true colors next week as the team we thought they were.
#3. MICHIGAN PANTHERS (1-0)
USFL CONFERENCE: Dropped one spot from last week
Even though the Panthers did win last week, to me they dropped one spot because of their dueling banjos at the QB position that do not impress me. The Panthers defense is tops in the league. They can run the ball with the best of them in the league. They have a top playmaker at the wide receiver position in Marcus Simms.
The final piece to this Panthers team puzzle is the quarterback position which does not fit. The Panthers banjos have no strings and I’m not sure if you combined Bryce Perkins and Danny Etling into one Quarterback that you would have a top passer in the UFL. The Panthers should just stick with Perkins because he can run with the ball and can escape the pocket. One of these guys just needs to be the game manager and not screw up on game day. That defense will keep them in every game. Imagine if the Panthers had a top passer, they would be a championship team.
#2. ST. LOUIS BATTLEHAWKS (1-0)
XFL CONFERENCE: Moved up one spot from last week.
I guess if you are a Battlehawks fan you can say AJ who? Referring to AJ McCarron one of the top QB’s in the UFL last year as St. Louis moved on in a different direction. Maybe the Panthers should give McCarron a call. Just saying.
The Battlehawks wanted a mobile quarterback and that is where Manny Wilkens comes in. He razzled and dazzled the Roughnecks defense with his legs and arm. Wilkens threw for 189 passing yards with no interceptions. He also ran for two touchdowns on 43 rushing yards. The Battlehawks rushing attack is something to keep an eye out for. They set a new UFL record with 273 rushing yards of which 74 of them came from a Jarveon Howard who had 115 for the night. Then St. Louis star running back had 98 rushing yards. The Battlehawks defense only gave up 6 points.
#1.ARLINGTON RENEGADES (1-0)
XFL CONFERENCE: Moved up 4 spots from last week
The Renegades made the biggest jump in the power rankings moving up 4 spots and taking the number one spot.
Did you buy the King of the Spring fling’s new book? Luis Perez learned the QB position from watching YouTube videos. He has bowled more than one perfect game. He has helped the Renegades win an XFL title & now he is a published author. Perez was not the star of the Renegades in week one as he quietly completed 20-25 passes for 164 passing yards. The Renegades put the most points on the board in week 1. They did their damage with the running game and the Renegades defense was awesome.
Kalen Ballage galloped for a 77 yard run for a score. He led the Renegades rushing attack with 9 carries for 110 yards. The Renegades’ other running back De’Veon Smith who has been playing for Arlington for years, had 3 carries for 3 yards and 3 touchdowns. I think the Renegades had all 3 phases of their game playing at top level. They can run the ball. They have a solid defense. Most importantly they have one of the best quarterbacks in the league. The weakness in the UFL is the play at the quarterback position.
When Pete Carol was signed by the Las Vegas Raiders, you knew the “win now” mentality was going to be the plan for the oldest head coach in the league. You knew the Raiders would go in another direction with their quarterback room from last season that featured Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell. Many thought the Raiders would sign free agent Russell Wilson and Carol was set for their own reunion back in their Seattle days. The Raiders inquired about Matthew Stafford. The Rams were not going to trade their starting veteran quarterback. The free agent waters had some other interesting names like Sam Darnold, Justin Fields, and if you have the oldest coach in the NFL… why not get the oldest Quarterback in the league in Aaron Rodgers. Instead the Raiders went with Carol’s other guy from his Seattle days and struck a deal with the Seahawks bringing Geno Smith to Vegas baby! The Raiders will give Seattle a 2025 3rd round pick and the 34 year old Smith will be set for reunion with his old coach from Seattle.
Geno Smith was originally drafted by the New York Jets back in the 2013 NFL draft in the 2nd round 39th overall. After going 8-8 in his rookie season, Smith struggled after his first year in the league with the Jets. After 4 seasons the Jets pulled the plug on Smith. Smith bounced around the next two seasons before finding a back role for the Seahawks, as he backed up Russell Wilson. The Raiders will be Smith’s 5th NFL organization as he suited up one season each with the Giants and Chargers. Smith finally got another shot at the starting job when Wilson and Pete Carol’s relationship soured and he was traded to Denver. For the Jets, Smith had a 12-18 record as a starter dressed in green. For Seattle he will leave with a winning record of 28-24 in 5 seasons. He made two pro-bowls in 2022 & 23 both with Seattle where he resurrected his NFL career. In 11 seasons Smith has played in 94 games and has a record of 40-42 as the starter. He has tallied up 19,143 passing yards for his career with 105 touchdown passes to 72 interceptions.
Why Geno Smith over Russell Wilson? Wilson would have not cost the Raiders to give up any draft capital. I think the Raiders could have gotten Wilson cheaper as well. Wilson played 11 games last year for the Steelers where he was 6-5 as the starter. Wilson tallied 2,482 passing yards completing 63.7% of his passes. He threw 16 touchdowns to only 5 interceptions. Wilson had the Steelers in the driver’s seat to win the AFC North. The Steelers struggled at the end of the season and backed in the playoffs as a wild card, before they were quickly dispatched from the post-season after 1 game. Geno Smith completed 70.4% of his passes last season. He went 10-7 as a starter as he tallied up 4,320 passing yards. He threw 21 touchdown passes compared to 15 interceptions. He had Seattle in the driver’s seat in the NFC West, but the Seahawks would also fold down the stretch and miss the post-season. Wilson is 36 years of age and he can’t move like he used to back in his Seattle days. Smith is two years younger but has the ability to escape the pass rush with his legs. I think Smith has the stronger arm and can throw the ball down field better than Wilson can. Smith is more of that gunslinger mentality as Wilson is better at being careful with the football. Both guys are pretty much equal, but I would give Smith the edge. I think it comes down to Pete Carol probably has more trust with Smith than his old Quarterback he won the Superbowl with back in his Seattle days. I think Smith would get more respect in any locker room as Wilson is high maintenance and gets under most players’ skin with the special treatment he needs.
What is Seattle doing retooling or rebuilding? The Seahawks have one quarterback on their roster, former Washington Commander Sam Howell. In 2023 Howell chucked the ball 612 times that season which is by far the most passing attempts in the league. Howell has been in the league only 3 seasons and was back up to Geno Smith last year. He has played in 20 games and has a 5-13 record as a starter. In 2023 he tallied up 3,946 passing yards while throwing 21 touchdown passes but also threw 21 interceptions. He seems like Jameis Winston reincarnated. The Seahawks could be linked to Sam Darnold as their next starting quarterback. The Seahawks have freed up money by dealing Smith to the Raiders. Smith is the 19th highest paid QB in the league and is in his final year of a 3 year deal worth 75 million. The Seahawks were about 10 million apart with an extension for Smith. Seattle was looking to pay Smith 35 million per season, but his people wanted him to be paid 45 million per season. Seattle also has one of their top wide receivers in D.K. Metcalf who wants out and is seeking a trade. Even if you trade Metcalf, the Seahawks still have some interesting pieces for whoever their next starting quarterback will be. Jaxon Smith-Njigba is a top receiver in the league. They have a pair of solid running backs in Zach Charbonnet and Kenneth Walker III. The Seattle defense played well last season.
The Raiders made a splash before this trade locking up their best asset on defense in Mad Maxx Crosby as he will be paid the most money by a player not being a quarterback in NFL history. The Raiders have brought in Chip Kelly to be the team’s offensive coordinator. Last year the Raiders ranked 29th in the NFL averaging 18.2 points per game. Kelly has had successful offenses that he had run in the NFL. Kelly was not a good head coach in the NFL. Kelly is most known for his exploding offenses at the college level. The Raiders have one of the best tight ends in the league. Brock Bowers may be the newest Travis Kelce in the entire NFL. Bowers in his rookie season caught 112 passes for 1,191 receiving yards and 5 touchdown catches. The Raiders will need another wide receiver. The one they currently had in Jakobi Meyers did have a nice season as well catching 87 balls for just over 1,000 yards and he caught 4 touchdowns. The Raiders will need a better running game than what they had last year. If the Raiders can add a few more guys to this high tempo offense Kelly likes to run, things may have gotten even more interesting in the AFC West.
Where does veteran Geno Smith fit in the pecking order of the AFC West at the quarterback position? You have to still rank Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs number one. Is Chargers Justin Herbert number two? His performance in the post-season last year versus Houston was weak. The Rise of Bo Nix for the Broncos may be the 2nd best QB in the division. Herbert and Smith could equal out behind Nix and Mahomes. The head coaching in this division is unbelievable. Remember the Chiefs, Chargers, and Broncos made the post-season last year leaving only the Raiders at home from the AFC West. Andy Reid, Sean Peyton, and Jim Harbaugh all explain why three teams made the post-season. Pete Carol and the Raiders are behind the 8-ball looking in, but today they improved their team with Smith behind center. The Raiders will need more pieces to be able to leap frog some of these division rivals. For the long haul I see the Raiders getting better as a team. They may grab a wild card spot next year or the year after. The Raiders and post-season don’t go together like the days of “just win baby” which now was decades ago. I don’t see the Raiders winning a Superbowl with Geno Smith as their quarterback. Smith is nowhere close to being the Rich Gannon style of QB who blossomed like Geno late in his career and led the Raiders to a Superbowl appearance. The Raiders need a true number 1 QB to go along with the rise of a Max Crosby and Brock Bowers. It is always good to talk about the silver and black finally getting their act together.
The job as a kicker or punter in the NFL was always a quiet position. They were two positions that were known as your outcasts on the team’s roster over the years. Kickers and punters don’t get down and dirty. The only time you would hear about a punter was if their kick was blocked or if he somehow botched the punt and it cost your team. The regular kicking job was a different story as you are either loved or hated. If you deliver a game winning kick on Sunday, they may be hoisted on the team’s shoulders in celebration. If these kickers miss a game winning field goal, they may be shunned in the locker room by their teammates. They may receive hate mail with death threats. The kickers/punters jobs are no longer the guy from the soccer team booting the ball for his team. No longer the foreign guy kicking the ball for your team. The positions have evolved as they are no longer the hush puppy on the sidelines. In the game of football, many players turn into savages in a violent game. It’s no longer the big guys in the trenches that have lost their marbles on the football field. It’s no longer the primadonnas at the wide receiver position talking foolishly. Suddenly the kicker and punter are contributing to those dramatic off the field stories like the rest of the players.
We start with our Deshaun Watson of the kicking world. The last player from the Baltimore Ravens team that won the 2012 Superbowl is Justin Tucker. He’s 35 years old and has played 13 seasons in the NFL, all with the Ravens. Tucker has played in 212 NFL games and has hit 417 field goals while knocking through 524 extra points. He has made quite the name for himself on the football field kicking winning field goals and burying long distance kicks through the uprights from high 50’s to 60-something yards out. He is a 7 x Pro Bowler and was part of the HOF All Decade 2010’s team. Tucker, like Watson, has the same problems on the massage table as he wants to fondle the merchandise. So far 16 massage therapists have come out of the woodwork just like in Watson’s case as he had more. All of them from the Baltimore area which makes sense. All the allegations are from 2012-’16 so Tucker eventually stopped. Or found the right girl with everything in the package deal. He exposed himself during the massage and probably handled all the girls stroking them on the inner thigh while leaving a wet spot on the table when concluded. More details will emerge.
Other recent news is a former Viking punter from 2005-’12 was arrested in California at a city council meeting. Chris Kluwe is 43 years old and he spoke at the meeting as he made his feeling clear that he is not a Donald Trump supporter. He compared the Make America Great Campaign to the Nazi Party. He compared Trump to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler. He had to be dragged out of the meeting during his speech as things got heated. It was the Huntington Beach city council that were installing a plaque at the local Library of Donald Trump’s slogan Make America Great Again and giving MAGA their support. This is not the first time Kluwe has had words against this same library who were banning books a few years back. Kluwe said he’d rather play video games than be a politician which the Democrat party has been knocking at his door. He may consider running as multiple topics have him venting against the Trump regime. He played in 127 games in the NFL which was 8 seasons all with the Vikings. He says when he became an activist for gay rights and same sex marriages, his career was terminated by the Vikings and the NFL after the 2012 season.
The Kansas City kicker used his soap box in 2023 in a commencement speech at his Alma Mater, Georgia Tech University. Harrison Butker is the opposite of what Chris Kluwe is preaching. In that speech he said women that get degrees get excited more about getting married and having children than having a career. This is freedom of speech. It can be true and false, just an opinion. He goes on saying Catholic leaders are pushing ideologies on the youth of America. He ripped Joe Biden’s stance on abortion. Made comments on Pride month and the LGBTQ community. Butker did not get in trouble for his speech but did get some backlash. It’s freedom of speech but using all your political stance in a commencement speech is a little odd. He did not do it on the Chiefs clock. Maybe Butker and Kluwe will debate in the future of this country.
Then you have a former Buffalo Bills punter who was drafted in 2022 in the 6th round who got cut from the team because he was involved in a group rape back at his college, San Diego State. Matt Araiza calls himself the punt god. The girl in this sticky situation said she was 18 years old and she was at the college campus partying. She was only 17 years of age. At first it was said that Araiza got oral sex from the Jane Doe 17 year old, outside somewhere during the parties. Then led her back into the house where his teammates got a turn on Jane Doe as she was drunk and most likely everyone had a fair share. It went on for over an hour where three of the punt god’s teammates gave her a ride. The Bills did cut ties with Araiza who turned out to be innocent as the case was dropped. Araiza played his first season in the NFL with the Chiefs this season and played all 17 regular season games including the playoffs. You have to wonder why this kid put himself into a situation like this. Sure he is probably innocent, but some truth even if it’s a sliver of it means this kid made a bad decision. I blame the girl as well and whoever she hangs out with should not be called a friend of the future. She may have been embarrassed and was caught in a pickle or more. Someone could have paid her to go away. Maybe the others got the blame. The nickname punt god… give me a break. Kick the ball and that’s it. Do your job.
Marquette King played 84 games as a punter in the NFL. He played six seasons in the NFL 5 with the Raiders and one with the Broncos. He is now kicking in the UFL United Football League for the Arlington Renegades as he may tell you the NFL black balled him. King was a solid punter and he still is presently. In football, every player has to use the referee’s signal for first down when they achieve one. You have your touchdown celebrations. You have your sack dances on defense. Now on a turnover from all the defenses in the league you have, your group dances for that particular celebration. It’s really pathetic. King had his punt dances which would draw flags from the referees. King would also get in fights with the special teams coaches because he would call his own plays on the field. Like instead of kicking the ball, he’s going for the first downs and not getting them – putting his team in bad field position. Which some of these calls surely resulted in losses which head coaches are not going to like. King is a talent as he is also a pop and hip hop artist. Just do your job on the field and do your other stuff on your own time. No fan wants to see their punter dance or call plays on the field. Stay in your lane. King suffered an injury in his last season in Denver which may be the NFL’s excuse not to bring him back.
I remember when Todd Sauerbrun was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the second round of the 1995 NFL draft from West Virginia University. He purchased a sports car he showed up to training camp in with vanity license plates that said “Hang Time.” It’s better than punt god. Why does a punter or kicker have to be flashy or use their position as a soap box opportunity? Justin Tucker is hot garbage like Deshaun Watson. The old days you never heard anything about kickers or punters off the field. Present days with social media everything is game and out there to read. You would think being in the spotlight just playing the game would be hard enough and not add off the field issues to the situation. All athletes are under the microscope. For Tucker he should be arrested. For Harrison Butker and Chris Kluwe, wait until your career is over and then get into the politics game. Look what happened to Colin Kaepernick. No team wants him bringing that kind of baggage to any locker room in the league. It would be stupid talking about day in day out “Colin this Colin that.” He was just an average QB. If a player is average or below average and your off the field issues are loud, you’re expendable. Marquette King is a solid punter but an easy change of the light bulb as a replacement. I think Tucker will be out of a job soon. Even if Tucker was winning Superbowls with the Ravens, he would still be kicked out the door. He is not a QB. Even though Watson should be done in the NFL because he not a very good QB anymore. The Browns are heavily invested and have their hands tied. Only a few kickers and punters play in the NFL. Only 32 punters and 32 kickers. Maybe some teams keep an extra kicker to do kick offs. Imagine how many kickers and punters that play in college and want a job in the NFL. Many!! You can replace a kicker and a punter easily. The best referees are unknown in the game. The best punters in the league are unknown. The best kickers you know because they convert when they are called upon in the clutch. Tucker will not be remembered now by those big kicks. He will be remembered as a sexual predator like Watson. Two peas in the same pod could compare their war stories on the massage table. The world has turned the footballer into a common savage like all of the others.
The Wild shamrock 