Ten Things I Think
1. I think the NFC North is, by far, the NFL’s most competitive division. With Khalil Mack now bolstering the Bears defense, Chicago is no longer a walkover. The Packers have Aaron Rodgers, the Lions have Stafford, and the Vikings were one game a season ago from going to the Super Bowl. I really believe it is possibly that all four of these teams wind up with somewhere between eight and ten wins.
2. I think Kevin Knox will win the NBA’s Rookie of the Year this season. He is in a dire situation, but is poised to post lofty numbers in a Knicks offense that will likely run through him with Kristaps Porzingis hampered as he recovers from an ACL injury. The Kentucky product, Knox, can shoot the three, create off the dribble and facilitate for his teammates. I wouldn’t say that he will be the best player from this class a decade from now- I think that will be Luka Dončić- but Knox will assert himself as a force in the Big Apple.
3. I think Paxton Lynch, much like JaMarcus Russell, had all of the physical tools, but lacked the proper mentality to thrive as a quarterback in the NFL. At 6’7” and 245 pounds with a cannon dangling on the right side of his frame, Lynch certainly passed the eye test, but above the shoulders he proved to be fragile.
4. I think Joe Mixon will emerge as a Le’Veon Bell-lite for the Bengals this season. His patient running style is evident, his capability as a pass catcher is well documented, and his overall playmaking could potentially catapult the Bengals to the postseason. The second year back out of Oklahoma has a very real chance to emerge as the AFC North’s top back, especially if Bell’s holdout continues.
5. I think the Lakers will be the second-best team in the Western Conference this season. Yeah, they’re young; yeah, there will be growing pains, but they have LeBron James at the peak of his powers. He will crave the challenge of leading a young team to heights no one thought was possible. People are acting as if the Laker’s current roster is worse than the one LeBron left in Cleveland, which simply isn’t the case. It will be close in the west with Utah, OKC, and Houston behind Golden State, but my money is on the best player on the planet finding a way.
6. I think Jalen Ramsey and his unceasing trash-talking is good for football. The NFL needs to have vibrant personalities, not robots trapped behind facemasks. The more players that are outspoken, and introspective, and articulate the more interest there will be in the game. That is part of the reason the NBA is blossoming; their superstars are not afraid of expressing themselves.
7. I think it will be tough for the Raiders to keep Amari Cooper. For those who don’t know, Cooper and Khalil Mack are both represented by super-agent Joel Segal. I am not saying it is an irreparable relationship at this point, but the way the Raiders mishandled the entire Mack situation does not bode well for retaining their star receiver.
8. I think the AL MVP race is fascinating. Mookie Betts and J.D. Martinez have had seasons that I am not even sure they thought were possible. Betts is hitting .339 with 29 home runs and 71 RBI’s while flashing the leather in Boston’s outfield, while Martinez is making a legitimate run at the Triple Crown. Will he get it? I would say it’s 50-50, but I do think when it comes to MVP votes Betts and Martinez being teammates hurts their respective cases and thus enters Jose Ramirez. The Indians third baseman has slugged 37 long balls, driven in 97 runs and has an on base percentage hovering around .400. These last three weeks of the season will likely decide who stakes claim to the prestigious honor.
9. I think Patrick Mahomes will be a top-ten NFL quarterback this season. The Chiefs second-year signal caller has all of the physical ability in the world and I feel that, in Andy Reid’s offense, he will thrive. Alex Smith was a solid quarterback in Kansas City and now in Arrowhead they have upgraded to a guy who can sling it 80 yards on a dime. The entire AFC will soon be fearing Mahomes in the same way they do Big Ben and Brady.
10. I think Brandon Marshall will have a revival playing in Seattle with Russell Wilson. The physical wide receiver had season-ending surgery early last year with the Giants, but has seemingly found a home with Pete Carroll and the Seahawks. I expect Marshall to fill the void left with the departure of Jimmy Graham and serve as Russell Wilson’s primary red zone target. Double-digit touchdowns are not out of the question.
