Ten Things I Think
1. I think Blake Bortles has turned the corner. There are no two ways about it: On Sunday, the Jaguars much maligned quarterback went toe-to-toe with Tom Brady and outplayed the five-time Super Bowl champion. Bortles appeared comfortable in the pocket and was able to make a wide assortment of throws, many that were missing from his repertoire in years past. If the Jaguars can get performances like they did Sunday from their signal caller, with their stout defense and dominant running game, it is not a stretch to declare Jacksonville Super Bowl favorites.
2. I think Urban Meyer is a fraud. Watching Tom Rinaldi grill the Ohio State head coach in an interview over the weekend and seeing Urban wither, showing very little remorse for his actions, or inaction, was repulsive. For a coach who preaches to his players, above all else, “honesty” and “respect women”, I think it is fair to label Meyer a hypocrite.
3. I think Michael Thomas is a top-three receiver in the NFL. The past couple of years, in some order, the top-three have been Antonio Brown, Odell Beckham Jr., and Julio Jones. Now it is clear to me that Michael Thomas belongs in that group. I’d take the Saints wide out over Julio. Through two games, Thomas has 28 catches for 269 yards and three scores. Pretty darn impressive, even if his quarterback is a future Hall of Famer.
4. I think this is Nick Saban’s best team he has had during his tenure in Tuscaloosa. That is saying something considering he has won five national titles at Alabama and has had 65 players drafted into the NFL since his reign began in 2007. Tua adds a passing element that has been sorely lacking in the Tide’s offense. Not only do I think that Alabama will go undefeated and win another National Championship this season, but I would be surprised if they are even tested. They are head and shoulders above the rest of the country.
5. I think Kirk Cousins is better than Alex Smith. The two have been compared endlessly since the Redskins traded for Smith, which effectively was Cousins’s ticket out of town. While Smith is unquestionably more mobile, Cousins can sling it like only a handful of quarterbacks can. It also says something when the Chiefs trade away Smith and their offense becomes more dynamic and the Vikings acquire Cousins and instantly become the favorites to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.
6. I think the Yankees Most Valuable Player this season has been Miguel Andújar. Judge has missed a large portion of the season, Stanton has been hit or miss, but Andújar, as a rookie, has quite literally carried the Yankees the last six weeks and has been consistently excellent all season. He is hitting .296 with 24 home runs and 83 runs batted in. That should be good enough for the AL Rookie of the Year, and perhaps some AL MVP votes as well.
7. I think boxing needs a more objective measure of scoring fights. There should not be a fight in which three judges score the contest and all three of them come to different conclusions as to who should be victorious. I understand that boxing is an art, and by definition, is subjective, but by having such ambiguous standards and scoring methods, it does nothing but raise skepticism and cynicism amongst observers.
8. I think the state of professional football in Florida is in a surprising place. All three teams in The Sunshine State – the Dolphins, Jaguars, and Buccaneers- find themselves 2-0 as they head into Week 3. The Dolphins rekindled their roster this offseason, gutting much of their talent in order to strengthen the locker room. The Buccaneers are shredding opposing defenses without their starting quarterback. Meanwhile, the Jaguars, after a crushing defeat to New England in the Conference Championship Game, annihilated Brady and Belichick on Sunday. I am not certain how long it will last, but for the time being the state of Florida is undefeated.
9. I think Kyler Murray’s success at Oklahoma raises questions surrounding Baker Mayfield. The Sooners quarterback has put up comparable numbers to Mayfield and he has no intentions of testing the NFL waters; he was selected by the Oakland Athletics in the first round of this past MLB Draft. Is Mayfield a once in a generation talent or the product of a system in Norman that is super conducive to high-level success at the quarterback position? Considering that Lincoln Riley, Oklahoma’s head coach, has been and will continue to be sought out by NFL teams, I am not positive it was Baker and not the system that was the engine for the Sooners.
10. I think Steelers are fine. Yes, they are winless through two games, but there should be no panic in Pittsburgh. Even without Le’Veon Bell, their offense has been explosive. It’s been their defense that has been a bit shaky, but that unit will improve with time. It certainly helps the Steelers cause that the AFC North is weak this year when stacked up to the other divisions in the NFL; nine wins might be their golden ticket.
