By Tim Clark / / Column, Tim's Two Cents, Football
Tim

The NFL takes a respite this week, as teams cut down rosters and prepare for the opening kick off the following week. This week seems like the perfect time to preview the NFL season. I have consulted with The Two Cent Cracked Crystal Ball(#TCCCB) and have my predictions set.

AFC East

I know one thing for sure in this division. The New England Patriots are going to stink. There will be no happy ending for Robert Kraft’s team. Other than that, I have no idea what will happen. Here is my two cents.

  • The Dolphins will score a lot of points. The Dolphins will give up a lot of points.
  • The Jets have a very good roster, aided by the additions of offensive linemen Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses. Plus they drafted Ola Fashanu to help the line. Breece Hall is a really good back. Garrett Wilson is a really good wide receiver. Then there is everyone’s favorite fountain of misinformation, Aaron Rodgers. He used to be really good, but is now 40 and coming off a tough injury. I personally think Rodgers is more likely to slow the Jets progress than launch them into the Super Bowl conversation.
  • The Bills still have Sean McDermott as their head coach, which is not a compliment. The Bills still have Josh Allen as their quarterback, which is the highest of compliments. Can Allen survive without Stefon Diggs? Sometimes addition by subtraction is a good thing.
  1. Bills 10-7
  2. Dolphins 10-7
  3. Jets 9-8
  4. Patriots 4-13

AFC North

This division is expected to be so competitive that Hard Knocks couldn’t pick just one team to cover. This could be the tale of four quarterbacks. One coming back from injury who can do it all, one who can’t win in the playoffs, one who may go down as the most overpaid player in history, and one who may be replaced by week three. Here’s my two cents.

  • The Bengals look a whole lot better with a healthy Joe Burrow. He will only remain healthy if the offensive line is improved. If Burrow is kept clean, look for a big year in Cincy.
  • Justin Fields is probably better than Russel Wilson, but is either a true answer? More on that and the Steelers in next week’s column.
  • The Browns defense is really good. The Browns offense is really not good. It is an offensive league.
  • The Ravens lost some key players, and I still maintain residency on my lonely island of not thinking Lamar Jackson is a championship quarterback.
  1. Bengals 10-7
  2. Ravens 10-7
  3. Steelers 9-8
  4. Browns 7-10

AFC South

It appears the NFC South is CJ Stroud’s world and Trevor Lawrence will have to live in it. So will Anthony Richardson and Will Levis. This is a division on the rise, which is a difficult direction to go in this powerful conference. Here is my two cents.

  • CJ Stroud will not have a sophomore slump thanks, in part, to the addition of wide receiver Stefon Diggs and running back Joe Mixon. That doesn’t mean the Texans will repeat since they have a first place schedule this year.
  • The biggest addition for Houston may be edge rusher Danielle Hunter.
  • Trevor Lawrence should bounce back if his offensive line allows it. Gabe Davis and rookie Brian Thomas give him two more deep threats. 
  • Do not sleep on the Colts. If Anthony Richardson stays healthy look out. He is loaded with weapons on the offensive side. Head coach Shane Steichen had the Colts on the cusp of the playoffs with Gardner Minshew at quarterback.
  • Tennessee, we have a problem. Maybe Mason Rudolph can rescue another flailing team.
  1. Colts 11-6
  2. Jaguars 11-6
  3. Texans 10-7
  4. Titans 4-13

AFC West

Can Taylor Swift spur the Chiefs to yet another Super Bowl? Patrick Mahomes certainly thinks so. Two elite coaches in the division, Sean Payton and Jim Harbaugh, will attempt to challenge the Andy Reid legacy. Here is my two cents.

  • One would assume the Chiefs will eventually hit an emotional rut. The Patriots and Tom Brady never did. They just kept winning.
  • Jim Harbaugh is a nut, but the guy can motivate and coach. The Chargers should look a lot different. For Justin Herbert’s sake they better.
  • Denver and Vegas are just not in the same class right now. Bo Nix might give Denver fans a small glimmer of hope. Of course, he might not.
  1. Chiefs 13-4
  2. Chargers 10-7
  3. Broncos 5-12
  4. Raiders 4-13

NFC East

The Cowboys owner is an eccentric, meddling nut. The coach is the definition of “eh”. The Eagles are playing Family Feud with QB Jalen Hurts and head coach Nick Sirianni at the eye of the storm. The Giants have a coach on the hot seat because he is saddled with an inept quarterback. Is it possible that the Commanders are the team that has it together in this division? Here is my two cents.

  • Cee Dee Lamb got paid, and that is a good thing for Mike McCarthy and Dak Prescott.
  • The Eagles have the most talent, but will they be able to function with a quarterback and coach that don’t see eye to eye?
  • Jayden Daniels has some good weapons to break into the league with. None better than underutilized Terry McLaurin.
  • The Giants may have to blow things up after this season.
  1. Cowboys 12-5
  2. Eagles 11-6
  3. Commanders 7-10
  4. Giants 4-13

NFC North

Lions and Packers and Bears, oh my. And if Sam Darnold can find his groove, add the Vikings to that list. I love the NFC North this year. Here is my two cents.

  • The Lions are loaded(for Bears I guess). They were on the doorstep last year. Can they kick that door in? Did Dan Campbell learn a lesson going for idiotic fourth downs. Macho only takes you so far.
  • Jordan Love will need to have a full season like his last 7 or 8 games a year ago. The check the Packers signed certainly says they think he will.
  • I said it a year ago. I said it on the day of the NFL draft. I will say it again. Caleb Williams is going to be a superstar. The Bears have a better team than most realize. The offensive weapons are I,pressive, and the defense is no joke either.
  • Sam Darnold gets his last chance to show he can be an NFL starting quarterback. Throwing to the best receiver in football, Justin Jefferson, should help his cause.
  1. Lions 12-5
  2. Packers 10-7
  3. Bears 10-7
  4. Vikings 9-8

NFC South

The old “somebody has to win this thing” type of division. Here is my two cents.

  • The Saints stink. They still have some names in Kamara and well, Kamara. Head coach Dennis Allen should probably polish his resume.
  • Carolina stinks. Maybe worse stench coming off this team than the Saints. Bryce Young is bound to improve. If he doesn’t get your label maker ready with those four letters, B-U-S-T.
  • Did Baker Mayfield prove the critics wrong or just delay his burial?
  • Kirk Cousins has proven he can take a team to the playoffs. A healthy Cousins coupled with the offensive weapons the Falcons have could make Atlanta relative again.
  1. Falcons 9-8
  2. Bucs 8-9
  3. Saints 6-11
  4. Panthers 4-13

NFC West

The Niners currently rule the roost, but the Rams are mounting a comeback. Seattle and Arizona won’t keep up with the Purdys and Staffords. Here is my two cents.

  • It is amazing to me that the Brandon Aiyuk saga has not found a resolution still. The Niners will miss that production if Aiyuk doesn’t suit up.
  • Christian McCaffrey is the MVP favorite in my mind. He does it all for San Francisco.
  • Sean McVay is the best coach in the NFL. What Kyle Shanahan has done for no name Brock Purdy, McVay has done for no names Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua. Do not sleep on the Rams. If Stafford is healthy they could be right there.
  • Kyler Murray should have played baseball.
  • It is going to be weird not seeing Pete Carroll jumping around the sidelines in Seattle. It won’t matter if Seattle can’t upgrade from Geno Smith at QB.
  1. 49ers 12-5
  2. Rams 10-7
  3. Seahawks 6-11
  4. Cardinals 5-12

As 2024 turns to 2025, the NFL playoffs will commence. Like most sports, the NFL playoffs have become a bit more unpredictable. Here is hoping we don’t have to see another Chiefs/Niners Super Bowl. Enough already. Under consultation of the Cracked Crystal Ball here is my two cents on the NFL Playoffs.

AFC

  1. Chiefs
  2. Colts
  3. Bengals
  4. Bills
  5. Jaguars
  6. Ravens
  7. Texans

In the end I have this boiling down to Kansas City and Cincinnati. Those two teams have played some crazy games over the last several years. This time Joe Burrow will get the job done, on his way back to Louisiana for the Super Bowl.

The Cincinnati Bengals win the AFC.

NFC

  1. Lions
  2. 49ers
  3. Cowboys
  4. Falcons
  5. Eagles
  6. Packers
  7. Bears

This boils down to the Niners and Lions once again. This time the game will be in Detroit, with the rabid Lions fans creating an electric atmosphere. The Lions will get it done at home without Dan Campbell needing to make any silly decisions. Detroit wins the NFC and goes to their first ever Super Bowl.

The Detroit Lions win the NFC.

Super Bowl LIX

L

Honolulu blue will swarm the Big Easy in early February. Joe Burrow will be looking to light another victory cigar.

Detroit 31 Cincinnati 24

The Lions shock the football world by winning their first ever Super Bowl.

Two Cent Takes

College Football

~Just days after picking Florida State to squeak into the playoffs, the Seminoles went to Ireland and lost in overtime to overwhelming underdog Georgia Tech. I had concerns about FSU, and they were realized immediately. Remember, Mike Norvell was on the hot seat not that long ago.

~Week zero got us off to a flying start, and week one should provide some good games. Some interesting story lines exist. West Virginia’s Neal Brown is desperately trying to work the under appreciated angle for his team as they host Penn State. Miami goes to Florida in a recruiting battleground state rivalry game. But the best storyline happens Saturday night when Mike Elko, now head coach at Texas A&M, goes up against his former Duke QB, Riley Leonard, when the Aggies host Notre Dame.

~Two picks for Two Cents:

  • USC +4: Lincoln Riley and the Trojans want to shut up Paul Finebaum and the SEC wonks. Would be a nice win for the Big Ten as well.
  • West Virginia +8: I’ve gone back and forth on this one and ultimately I don’t think Penn State makes that cover in week one. Drew Allar needs to prove himself before I think the Nits are blowing decent teams out.

MLB

~Man, are the pennant races heating up. September is going to be interesting.

  • The Yankees have overtaken Baltimore and I think they will hold off the O’s.
  • Here comes Kansas City. The Royals have closed to within a game of Cleveland. The Twins are only two games out. All three are going to make the playoffs.
  • Houston is up 4 on Seattle. With a new manager, the Mariners are trying to do whatever they can. Unfortunately hitting isn’t one of those things.
  • Give Atlanta credit. Despite one major injury after another, the Braves are only 6 behind scuffling Philadelphia. The Braves have stretched their wildcard lead to 3 games over the Mets.
  • LA continues to hold off Arizona and San Diego, but both are within striking distance.

~Please make Justin Verlander commissioner of baseball immediately after he retires.

 

 

Golf

~The Tour Championship will be decided this weekend, with Scottie Scheffler getting a two shot lead on Xander Schauffele and more on the rest of the field. It is a wonky setup, but the players seem to have accepted it and really want to win this thing. I have no problem with them trying to tie a bow around the season with a season points championship. I think Schauffele overtakes Scheffler and wins. 

The Weekly Shiny Penny

Barry Bonds should be in the Hall of Fame. I know, I know. But there were no rules in place saying steroids were illegal. This past weekend Bonds, along with his manager Jim Leyland and all time favorite Manny Sanguillen, was elected to the Pirates Hall of Fame.

 

 

A Penny For My Final Thought…

‘The Pittsburgh Pirates are moving O’Neil Cruz to centerfield.

Time will tell whether this move pays off.

It has been handled in typical Pirates form. Rather than wait until the offseason and ask Cruz to get some work in centerfield in Winter ball then again in spring training, they are throwing him to the wolves now.

Cruz was apparently not super receptive to the move. He always wanted to be a shortstop and, though he made far too many errors, he makes some electric plays. Many of Cruz’s errors are mental lapses, which he can still have in centerfield.

As recently as a week ago Ben Cherington had this to say about Cruz.

 

 

Now the move gets made and Cherington has reversed his thoughts.

 

 

Another thing to consider is the Pirates don’t have a readily available replacement at shortstop. Isaiah Kiner-Falefa is more utility player than pure shortstop. Liover Peguero has not exactly set the world on fire at AAA, though I do think he should get a shot

Again, time will tell if this move pays dividends.

It certainly wasn’t a well laid out plan.

The most disappointing aspect of this move is that one should fairly assume that those in charge, will remain in charge.

The first game after the announcement was a disaster. The Pirates lost 18-8 and ended the game with Rowdy Tellez on the mound.

What an unmitigated disaster.

Just my two cents…