Ten Things I Think
1. I think JJ Watt is to defense what Terrell Davis was to offense. Both players were uber-dominant, but for only a very short period of time. TD ran for over 1,500 yards in three consecutive seasons for the Broncos, including in 1998 when he scampered for an unbelievable 2,008 yards. JJ Watt, in his peak from 2012-2015, racked up four First-Team All-Pro selections and three Defensive Player of the Year Awards. Both Davis and Watt were brilliant, but only for a handful of seasons. TD was recently enshrined in Canton, and JJ will certainly follow, but imagine if both could have only stayed healthy for the duration of their respective careers.
2. I think that Tua Tagovailoa - Alabama’s quarterback phenomenon - being a lefty will hurt his draft stock. This sounds so silly, but I truly believe it. Now, Tua isn’t draft eligible until the 2020 NFL Draft, but I assure you that his handedness will play a role in some being skeptical of him as a passer. As it stands now, there are zero left-handed starting quarterbacks in the NFL. It really shouldn’t matter, but receiving a pass from a lefty does have a different feel to it than snagging one from a righty. This is not to say that Tua will not go on to have a successful career, in fact I think that he will, but I will be interested to see how Tua’s handedness affects where he gets drafted.
3. I think the Yankees should start J.A. Happ in the AL Wild Card Game. Tanaka and Severino both have nastier stuff than Happ, but they are also more prone to having a disastrous outing. What the Yankees need in their one game Wild Card is a safe, sturdy option and Happ is just that. With their dominant bullpen, if Aaron Boone can get five innings from his starter with three runs or less allowed, I think he will like his chances. Happ likely won’t shutout the A’s, but he certainly won’t get shellacked either.
4. I think the Jets need to pursue Le’Veon Bell. They could trade for him now or sign him outright this offseason, but by whatever means necessary the Jets need to ensure that Bell is wearing green and white come opening day of the 2019 season. The Jets have ample cap space and desperately need an offensive playmaker. On top of that, their rookie quarterback is making peanuts relative to the rest of the league at his position and thus it is the responsibility of the Jets front office to surround Sam Darnold with explosive weapons that will allow to thrive in the bright lights of New York.
5. I think, dollar for dollar, that Andrew Wiggins is the worst player in the NBA. That is a damning indictment of the former number one overall pick, but I could make the argument that Wiggins has actually gotten worse since entering the league. With that said, he has somehow managed to trick Timberwolves management into awarding him with a lucrative 5 year/$148 million contract.
6. I think the Patriots - Dolphins game is the biggest matchup on this weekend’s NFL slate. And quite frankly, it’s not all that close. Think about this: if Miami can go into Foxboro and eke out a victory, Adam Gase’s squad will have a three and a half game lead over Brady and Belichick in the AFC East. I would have a hard time envisioning the Patriots losing this matchup, but if they do, the sirens will be going off in New England.
7. I think Khalil Mack is the best defensive player in NFL. At this point is this really even debatable? I don’t think so. Mack has compiled a forced fumble and a sack in each of his first three games in a Bears uniform; he’s as close to Lawrence Taylor as there has ever been. Mack is a total game-changer and a potential, not only Defensive Player of the Year, but league MVP.
8. I think that Brandon Ingram is being overlooked. I truly believe that he could be the second-best player on an NBA Championship team someday. Ingram just turned 21 years-old earlier this month and already has two NBA seasons under his belt, the last of which he averaged more than 16 points per game while shooting nearly 40% from behind the arc at 6’9”. If Ingram can continue to improve that would be a huge development for LeBron and the Lakers.
9. I think that the four teams most capable and well equipped to win the World Series are in the American League. Talk about conference imbalance. The Red Sox, Astros, Indians, and Yankees are, in my estimation, the four best teams in baseball. I could see any one of them hoisting the World Series trophy and I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised.
10. I think I have been really impressed by Dwayne Haskins and Justin Herbert. The former is the quarterback at Ohio State and the latter the quarterback at Oregon. Both have large frames, strong arms, and are quite mobile. In the modern NFL that is everything a coach and GM want from their leader.
