DALLAS vs TAMPA TIME TO TACKLE THE CHAMPS

By Mark Halpern

Well, it’s that time again for Dallas Cowboys football to return to prime time for week one in the NFL, and what better challenge than to take on the defending Super Bowl champs, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Last season we saw this proud football team miss the playoffs and sit at home and watch Brady win another ring. Last year the Cowboys were riddled with injuries to the offensive to defensive sides, most notably quarterback Dak Prescott. Once the Cowboys lost their star quarterback, the rest of the season went downhill and literally into the crapper. This season is starting with more promise, and let’s see why.

Offensively the Cowboys are back to full strength with the return of their lost leader in Prescott. Last season’s injury seems to be forgotten, and Dak is ready to run and gun. Zeke {979 yards on the ground last year career low} has lost a ton of weight and turned into pure muscle-making him look like the player they drafted in 2016. The wide receivers in Cooper {1000+ yards}, Gallup {843 yards} and Lamb {935 yards} are back and are the best in football at the position. This wide receiver core could have three 1000-yard receivers, which hasn’t been done in a long time in the NFL. More importantly, is that the offensive line has returned to almost 100% health for this year. This was a big reason the offense did so poorly last year. The line was significantly injured and only had two of its main starters past week four last season. The line was being held together by band-aids. Except for Zack Martin {which is no slight loss either} who will miss the first week due to covid-19, the line is ready to go. Now missing Martin is a significant loss because he is one of the field generals out there for the boys, so others like Tyron Smith or La’el Collins will have to lead. The Cowboys go up against a Tampa defense that was yielding 327 yards again for passing and running last year. We all hope that the Cowboys have the tools to blow this number out of the water if they are the team.

Defensively the Cowboys are a new-looking scheme. Dan Quinn comes in to run this defense that was close to last in the league, conceding almost 400 yards a game last season. For a team like the Buccaneers with capable receivers in Mike Evans {Perennial all-pro} Chris Godwin {All-pro} and bad boy Antonio Brown, the latter has been dealing with a knee injury. They also have two competent runners in Ronald Jones II and Leonard Fournette, who combined for 1200 yards rushing. So an offense that can produce like Tampa is licking its chops. Dan Quinn came in and overhauled this defensive, starting with the line. Demarcus “Tank” Lawrence and Randy Gregory are manning the lends with Dorrance Armstrong and Neville Gallimore joining in closing the holes. The Linebackers return in Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander Esch, and all-pro veteran Keanu Neal will join them. The Cowboys also used two of their draft picks in Micha Parson and Jabril Cox, who will create depth to this impressive core which is ranked in the top-5 in the NFL. They can cover, blitz, and force turnovers that this defense was towards the league’s bottom in creating. Trevon Diggs now mans the secondary, Jordan Lewis, Donavan Wilson, and veteran Malik Hooker, who brings significant experience and will help bring this secondary out from the ashes. The defense knows whom they are facing, and I do not expect them to play it safe. Tampa does not have a young offense that is suitable for this young defense, but what it lacks in youth gains in experience, so they must pick their moments.

The key to winning this game is not to let Tom Brady have time to do what he has done to opposing defenses over the past ten years and pick them apart. They must get to him and get to him early in the game. I expect the Cowboy’s defense to blitz a lot more than they did last season, which I hope creates problems for Brady. The offense must come out firing on all cylinders and not only open holes in the run game but get the ball into the hands of their speedy wide receivers. Look for Dak Prescott to have 300 yards passing and three touchdowns, Elliot to eclipse 100 yards running and score at least one touchdown, and Cooper and Lamb to each have 100 yards and a touchdown each. I expect the defense to sack Brady at least a few times and cause problems in the passing game because if they don’t, it will be a long night.

This game will be a hard-fought game on both sides of the ball, and when the final seconds run out, I expect the Cowboys to be victorious. I foresee a final score of Dallas 31 and Tampa 17.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers A Quest for Repeat Begins

By Robert Mills

ORLANDO – The time we have been waiting for is finally here, the start to the regular season! It seems like it was just yesterday the Buccaneers were celebrating a 31 – 9 blowout win over Kansas City in Super Bowl 55. They will start that journey back to that on opening night this Thursday, September 9th, at 8:20 pm. Based on everything we have seen from preseason and last year, I fully expect an exciting, high-scoring affair for this game. Between the Buccaneers headlines of returning all 22 starters from last season and the Cowboys being at full strength finally having Dak Prescott back from his gruesome ankle injury last season, the offenses will more than likely shine.

The big thing I will be watching this game is how the Buccaneers defense will handle its first actual test of the season. We did not get that gauge in the preseason due to many backups playing, and even though the Cowboys aren’t exactly considered lethal in offense (17th in 2020 based on PPG), that was without Dak Prescott. Expect to see a lot of pressure applied to Dak early on to set the tone. If there is one thing Arians is confident in, it’s the defensive line. However, the big story is that the Cowboys will be without OG Zack Martin due to league Covid-19 protocols. Now, for a Buccaneers fan, this is welcoming news, but if you are a Cowboys fan, you have every right to be genuinely worried, especially knowing the injury proneness of Dak Prescott. Martin is considered one of the (if not the) best guards in the NFL. His absence will create very difficult runs for Elliott and allow Buccaneers big guys in Vita Vea and Ndamukong Suh to wreak havoc in front of Dak. And to make matters even sweeter for the defense, if they close in on those two big guys, this will allow Jason Paul-Pierre (JPP) and Shaquil Barrett to make the rush on the outside to get sacks.

On the offensive side of the ball, the Buccaneers have a pretty favorable matchup. The Cowboys have recently gone through a complete defensive overhaul bringing in a new DC to change the scheme. This doesn’t change the fact the Cowboys had one of the worst defenses in the NFL last year, allowing almost 28 PPG. What we do not know is if this will carry over. With the weapons Brady will have at his disposal, even the best defenses in the league would struggle. That being said, Brady is not usually a deep pass thrower, so expect to see a lot of man defense from the cowboys. I do not expect to see a ton of pressure, as leaving even one person open for a split second is enough for Brady to make them pay. Also, I would like to see Gronk play a more blocker role again this year. I think their tactics from last season were almost perfect; why change a broken recipe?

Overall, I think everything is heavily in the Buccaneers favor. If Dak plays a hot game, I estimate a near 50 point spread with Buccaneers winning 31 to 17. If Dak does not play well, that could be an even bigger win. I do not see how they lose this game between the passing threats Tampa has and the stacked defensive line going against their anemic offensive line. Crazier things have happened, though, and let’s celebrate the official start to the 2021 NFL season!

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Final Roster

By Robert Mills

ORLANDO – With Week 1 of the regular season upon us, NFL teams have now trimmed down their rosters to the 53 players required. The Buccaneers are no exemption, and as of August 31st have announced that roster. In this article we will dig into the nitty gritty of that roster, and look at the offensive, defensive, and special teams roster choices. Looking at the top level, I agree with almost all of the choices made by the organization, but we will get into the questionable ones. Overall, 23 players were cut from the roster which included 7 veterans on both the offensive and defensive side. This is an indication that HC Bruce Arians knows what he is looking for in his players, and did not make these choices based on years in the league, but what every player will be contributing to this season. 

First, let dig into the offense. This side of the coin included 12 roster cuts including veterans such as QB Ryan Griffin and WR Jaydon Mickens. For most people the change at the QB position may come as a surprise, but seeing as Griffin was never a steady or reliable backup this move doesn’t surprise me. Excluding preseason Griffin only ever attempted 4 passes with the Buccaneers as a steady 3rd string, and this goes all the way back to the 2015 season when he was picked up by the Buccaneers. Though Blaine Gabbert may not be the league MVP at QB, he has been a reliable backup over the years averaging about a 75 QBR over the past 5 seasons (2 with San Francisco, 1 with Arizona, 1 with Tennessee, and last year with the Buccaneers). With Trask now being the future of the franchise, it was only expected he would be on the roster. The other interesting note from the offense is the Buccaneers have decided to go with 4 RB’s instead of the normal 3, and this is after cutting veteran RB C.J Prosise. I cant say I am shocked at this, as Prosise only had 1 run for 1 yard in all 3 preseason games. Though, I was expecting Giovani Bernard to also be on the chopping block. It will be rather interesting to see why they decided to go with 4 RB’s so we will have to watch that closely. 

On the defense and special teams 11 roster cuts took place and yes that also includes veterans, most notable being CB Antonio Hamilton. Hamilton actually had a pretty good preseason, taking 105 total snaps and recording 11 tackles in the 3 preseason games. Unfortunately for him though, that position is currently pretty well stacked with talent. Competing with players such as Carlton Davis III and Sean Murphy-Bunting who most people would probably say are two of the best cornerbacks in the league. Hamilton was essentially competing for the 5th and final roster spot for cornerback, and his only competition for that spot was Dee Delaney. While Hamilton had a great preseason, Delaney had a BETTER preseason recording 9 tackles and 2 interceptions. 

For the most part, these are very solid choices. We should watch closely to see if having 4 RB’s will have any sort of affect on the offensive game plan. The big thing to watch right now is how the Buccaneers will address having K Ryan Succop, DL Ndamukong Suh, OL Nick Everett and OL Earl Watford on the reserve/COVID-19 list. If they become active before week 1 vs the Cowboys, more roster moves will need to take place. Overall though, I give these roster picks a solid B+. I think the better alternative to having 4 RB’s would have been to drop Bernard. By doing so, they could have kept TE Tanner Hudson as a backup. Having only 3 TE’s seems dangerous considering 2 TE’s are continually in each snap with the offensive play calling used by Arians. With that being my only real complaint, I believe the cuts were fair, and cant wait for the season to officially start! The Buccaneers will open week 1 against the Cowboys, check out my pre-game analysis as I break down all the details.

Cincinnati Bengals Final Roster

By Liam Sullivan

The Cincinnati Bengals had some surprising roster changes after their final preseason game. General Manager Duke Tobin has made a lot of interesting changes.

Offensive Guard and Ohio State Product Michael Jordan (not the basketball player) was cut. Ironically, he is heading to the basketball Michael Jordan’s home, as he will be playing for the Carolina Panthers.

Austin Seibert, a Placekicker from Oklahoma, was cut and traded to the Detroit Lions.

Another kicker, an NFL veteran who has played for almost ten seasons, a Texas A&M product, Randy Bullock, was cut. He has yet to be claimed by any team.

One surprising move with the team depth is Colorado product, and former Cowboy Chidobe Awuzie will be playing over Eli Apple. Apple had had a notably defensive career with the Giants when in 2016, he had an excellent rookie season. Apple played on the Saints from 2018-19 and the Carolina Panthers in 2020.

Joseph Ossai is on the Injured Reserve, so it is astounding that Maryland product Keandre Jones will not be playing in his place.

As for the Quarterback situation, both Kyle Shurmur and Eric Dungey were cut. Dungey, a Syracuse product, has never made it to the final cut of any team in the NFL, the other two teams being the Giants and the Browns. He played for the Dallas Renegades of the XFL before the COVID-19 pandemic folded the league.

One other strange edit to the team is cutting Tight End and LSU National Champion Thaddeus Moss. His career began last season for the Washington Football Team.

NFL TEAM SONGS 2021/2022 Beginning Of The Year

By Mark Halpern

So this article is just like my Cowboys version, but this represents what I think the team’s songs are based on what they look like before the season. At the end of the season, I will do another article on songs based on their final record.

Arizona Cardinals: Satisfaction by The Rolling Stones

Atlanta Falcons: I Still Haven’t Found What I Am Looking For by U2

Carolina Panthers: Wannabe by The Spice Girls

Chicago Bears: I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor

Dallas Cowboys: Enter Sandman by Metallica 

Detroit Lions: What’s New Pussycat by Tom Jones

Green Bay Packers: It’s The End of The World as we know it by R.E.M.

Los Angeles Rams: I Got A Feeling by The Black-Eyed Peas

Minnesota Vikings: I Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing by Aerosmith

New Orleans Saints: All I Wanna Do by Sheryl Crow

New York Giants: Under Pressure by Queen and David Bowie

Philadelphia Eagles: I Wanna be Sedated by The Ramones

San Francisco 49ers: Hello by Lionel Richie

Seattle Seahawks: U Can’t Touch This by MC Hammer

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: We Are The Champions by Queen

Washington Football Team: Horse With No Name by America and George Martin

Baltimore Ravens: Gonna Make You Sweat by C and C Music Factory

Buffalo Bills: Rebel Yell by Billy Idol

Cincinnati Bengals: When The Going Gets Tough/The Tough Get Going by Billy Ocean

Cleveland Browns: Seven Nation Army by The White Stripes

Denver Broncos: Rocket Man by Elton John

Houston Texans: Runaway Train by Soul Asylum 

Indianapolis Colts: The Boys are Back in Town by Thin Lizzy

Jacksonville Jaguars: Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana 

Kansas City Chiefs: Thriller by Michael Jackson

Las Vegas Raiders: Take on Me by A-HA

Los Angeles Chargers: Lightnin Strikes by Lou Christie

Miami Dolphins: Paradise City by Guns and Roses

New England Patriots: {Everything I do} I Do it for You by Bryan Adams

New York Jets: Tubthumping by Chumbawamba

Pittsburgh Steelers: Glory Days by Bruce Springsteen

Tennessee Titans: Hey Ya by Outkast

    So this is my take on the N.F.L. teams and what I see for this season. Check back after the Super Bowl for what song their season represents.

DALLAS COWBOYS 21/22 SONGS THAT REPRESENT POSITIONS

By Mark Halpern

Being a Dallas Cowboys fan for as long as I have been, my soul has been through every emotion while watching this team for 38 years. I have noticed that over the years, I have looked at the positions and thought of songs that have represented each position. So, for this year, I will list the positions and the songs that I think best represent them. At the end of the season, I will put the songs that best describe how they finished. If they make it to the Superbowl, then the next part of this piece won’t be written until February 2022. Let’s look at what my expectations/emotions are feeling right before week 1. However, first is a song for all our unvaccinated players in the NFL.

Unvaccinated players: Don’t stand so close to me by The Police

Quarterback: Walk This Way by Run DMC/AEROSMITH

Running back: Thunderstruck by AC/DC

Full Back: I’ll Be There by The Jackson 5

Wide Receiver: You’re The Best Around by Joe Esposito 

Tight End: No Scrubs by TLC

Offensive Line: I’m So Excited by The Pointer Sisters

Defensive Line: Take A Chance On Me by ABBA

Linebackers: Here Comes The Boom by Rise of The North Star

Defensive Backs: Danger Zone by Kenny Loggins

Safeties: Bad To The Bone by George Thorogood and The Destroyers

Place Kicker: I’m Still Standing by Elton John

Punter: Shake It Up by The Cars

Coaching Staff: Eye of The Tiger by Survivor

Owner: Respect by Aretha Franklin.

     I hope you found this as fun as I did. Check out the Songs I picked for every team in the NFL. I will be doing the same idea with songs for the beginning of the year that I think best represents them and one song for the end of the year.

Jacksonville Jaguars Season Preview

By: Noah Trombley

The 2021 NFL season is almost upon us and with it comes the shocks and excitement that can only come from NFL football. The Jacksonville Jaguars are one of the teams who could provide us with some shocks this year and really make some noise even when it comes towards the end of this season. 

The Jaguars have a lot of offensive firepower that could make them a tough team to deal with this year. Obviously the main key to unlocking the Jaguars offensive potential is going to be the number one overall pick, Quarterback Trevor Lawrence. In the preseason Lawrence went 31/44 with 2 touchdowns, no picks and was only sacked 3 times. This kid will be something special in this league, he shows amazing poise and patience in the pocket, even when under heavy pressure, and does not make bad throws or force the ball into coverage. The main question this year will be how quickly can Lawrence adjust to playing starters in the league and will his talent come through this year or does he need a couple years under center to really breakout and show us the level he played at Clemson with. The one thing you can say about Lawrence this year is that he is surrounded by some amazing playmakers and good talent at both the receiver and running back positions. Dj Chark, Laviska Shenault, and James Robinson form a very competent offensive core around Lawrence and will allow him to really take shots and try and be a big time playmaker. Shenault went for 600 yards last year in his debut season and DJ Chark has proven he can go for over 1000 yards. Robinson has also proven very efficient as he rushed for 1070 yards last year on a 1-15 team. So two receivers who can have the potential to go for over 1000 yards receiving and a running back who can rush for over 1000 yards will definitely allow the Jaguars offense to be able to carry them this season. 

The defense on the other hand is another story entirely. A lot of players on the defensive side are going to have to step up from what they’ve done in previous seasons in order for this defense to stop anyone. 2nd year cornerback C.J Henderson showed some flashes last year during his rookie year but did get burned a few times and only came away with 1 interception on the year. The addition of Shaquill Griffin should lighten the load for Henderson but he will be the key for the Jaguars secondary and needs to play up to the 9th overall pick standards. Finally Linebacker Josh Allen is another key piece the Jaguars need to get going this year. Allen had 10.5 sacks his rookie year and looked to be ready for a huge sophomore season last year but injuries slowed his progress. Jacksonville needs to keep him healthy so they can generate some pressure on quarterbacks this year. 

If the Jaguars get all these pieces working right they can be a big surprise team this year that no one will see coming. The ceiling for the Jaguars is 10=7 and the floor is 4-13.

Buffalo Bills 2021 Mafia

By Lawrence Lang

With the preseason in the rearview mirror, the Buffalo Bills have made their final roster cuts to make the 53-man roster. Some notable cuts from the Bills were Jake Fromm and Davis Webb, with both quarterbacks having sub-par performances in the preseason had Mitchel Trubisky risen to the top to earn the back-up QB spot behind Josh Allen. But not all is lost for Webb as the Bills signed him to the practice squad for now. Looking at the Running Back position, the Bills kept five running backs in Matt Breida, Reggie Gilliam, Taiwan Jones, Zack Moss, and Devin Singletary, making it an exciting field for that position considering the running backs have combined five career touchdowns.

Notable Wide Receivers on the roster are Stefon Diggs, Emmanuel Sanders, and Jake Kumerow, who himself showed off in training camp and preseason, so it was no surprise to see him cut. The most interesting Wide Receiver to stay was Cole Beasley, as that most thought he would be released due to his stance on the covid and vaccination protocol. Still, it would be foolish for the Bills to release him as well, as he is a go-to on the field and one of Allen’s favorite weapons.

Looking at the Rookies who also made the Bills roster, you had
Outside Tackle Spencer Brown and Tommy Doyle
Defensive End Boogie Basham and Greg Rousseau
Safety Damar Hamlin

On the defensive side, the Bills kept 11 Defensive linemen, six defensive ends, and five defensive tackles which is an exciting move on the Bills part seeing that they could have saved a few other players at other positions (cough cough third-string Qb cough cough. But if this strategy pays off, the Bills can have depth on their defense and can be one of the best in the league. Notable players that made it
(DT) Veron Butler, Ed Oliver
(DE) Carlos Basham, Jr Efe Obada and Greg Rousseau
(LB) Tremaine Edmunds, Tyler Matakevich
(CB) Levi Wallace, Tre’Davious White.

On special teams, Bills kept Kicker Tyler Bass and Punter Matt Haack Reid Ferguson returns as the team’s long snapper after he was cut on August 31st in a procedural maneuver. The Bills re-signed him as soon as possible, and as we know now, Bills got the deal done real quick.

Looking to the big picture now opening kickoff week, the Bills will look to start the season off with a win when they face the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, September 12th at 1 PM.

Five Keys For the Arizona Cardinals

By Michael Rifkin

Last season the Arizona Cardinals were 8-6 with two games left to play and secure a playoff spot; they lost both games, went 8-8, and are still searching for their first playoff appearance since 2015. The heat is on in the desert for third-year coach Kliff Kingsbury to make the playoffs. Here are five keys for the Cardinals to get back to the playoffs.

1. Consistency. The biggest thing for any team is to be consistent. In 2020 the Cardinals started the season 2-0, defeating the reigning NFC champion 49ers and the eventual NFC East champion Washington Football team. Then they lost back-to-back games to Detroit and Carolina, games like that the Cardinals are going to need to win to make the playoffs. This season they start with two challenging games, the Tennessee Titans and Minnesota Vikings, which they might have to battle out for a wild card spot.

2. Offseason additions. The Cardinals made some splashes this offseason adding a few veterans. Future Hall of Famer JJ Watt is at the top of the list. Watt signed a two-year contract with the Cards after ten seasons with the Houston Texans. Watt in 2020 had 52 tackles, five sacks, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery. But the most critical number for Watt in 2020 was 16. Watt played in every game for Houston. Watt has 531 tackles, 101 sacks, 25 forced fumbles, and 16 fumble recoveries in his career. Pairing Watt with Chandler Jones, who is coming off a biceps injury in 2020, gives the Cards a dynamic duo. They also drafted Zaven Collins out of Tulsa to help with the pass rush after losing pass rusher Hasson Reddick to the Panthers in free agency. On the offensive side, they added running back James Conner from the Steelers. In 2020 Conner ran for 721 and 4 touchdowns. Adding him to the backfield with Chase Edmonds can give the Cards thunder and Lightning. They also added receiver AJ Green from the Bengals. Over the last few seasons, Green’s production has slipped a bit. But playing opposite Deandre Hopkins, I expect Green to be prominent in the Red zone for the Cards.

3. Early season success. Before their Week 12 bye, the Cardinals will have played each team in their division at least once, with them finishing their season series with the 49ers in week 9. But as mentioned earlier, they play the Titans and Vikings to open and play the Browns and Packers. The Cardinals also play the Jaguars and Texans, so if they win the games they are supposed to and win a few more, they will be in the running for a playoff spot.

4. Rondale Moore, the rookie out of Purdue who was taken in the second round, gives the Cardinals an x-factor on offense. Moore gives the Cardinals some speed whether he lines up on the outside of the slot. He can also be utilized in the running game, so it will be interesting how Kliff Kingsbury uses his new toy.

5. Cornerbacks. With the recent news of Malcolm Butler thinking about retirement, and Patrick Peterson now playing for the Vikings, the Cardinals will need Byron Murphy, a second-round pick out of Washington in 2019, to step up. Murphy has 129 total tackles and one interception in his first two seasons in the NFL. The Cardinals should place a call for either a veteran cornerback to be opposite or call the Jaguars on CJ Henderson, a second-year player out of Florida. Each team in the NFC West has an excellent receiving duo, so the Cardinals must find someone opposite Murphy to compete. 

Chiefs Keys to Victory

By Michael Rifkin

The Kansas City Chiefs have been in the last two Super Bowls and are the envy of the rest of the AFC. A lot of the competitors in the conference tried to make splash moves to beat the Chiefs. The Cleveland Browns, who the Chiefs defeated in the AFC Divisional playoffs and will play in week one, worked on their defense, including signing former number one overall pick Jadeveon Clowney. The Tennessee Titans traded for star wide receiver Julio Jones from the Atlanta Falcons and signed pass rusher Bud Dupree from the Pittsburgh Steelers. The New England Patriots, the team that ran the conference for the last two decades, made a flurry of moves, including signing pass-catchers Nelson Agholor, Kendrick Bourne, Hunter Henry, and Jonnu Smith, who will all catch passes from rookie Mac Jones.

The Patriots also will be bringing back seven players on defense who opted out of last season due to Covid. New England also signed star pass rusher Matthew Judon from the Baltimore Ravens. This offseason saw New England spend more money than ever under future Hall of Fame coach Bill Belichick. And there is the Buffalo Bills, the team the Chiefs defeated in the AFC championship game who will bring back the same team for the most part but will get back defensive tackle Star Lotulelei who opted out of last season due to Covid. If the Chiefs want to get back to their third consecutive Super Bowl in a very competitive AFC, here are five keys to doing that.

  1. Offensive line. The lasting memory of the Super Bowl was Patrick Mahomes trying to run away from the Buccaneers pass rush. This offseason, General Manager Brett Veach made this his target. They traded for left tackle Orlando Brown from the Ravens. They signed Joe Thuney from the Patriots and Kyle Long out of retirement. Rookies Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith will also help out the revamped line.
  2. Clyde Edwards-Helaire. The second-year running back out of LSU ran for 803 yards and four touchdowns. He averaged 4.4 yards per carry in his rookie season. Now with an entire offseason of minicamps and OTA’s, watch him have a breakout season.
  3. L’Jarious Sneed. The 2020 fourth-round pick out of Louisiana Tech had three interceptions and seven passes defended in nine games played in his rookie season. He was limited to nine games because of a fractured collarbone in week three vs. Ravens. 
  4. Patrick Mahomes. Yes, it took until reason four to bring up the best quarterback in the game. Mahomes last season had a 66.3% completion percentage and 4,740 Passing yards with 38 touchdowns and six interceptions. With players like Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill helping him, the Chiefs offense might be unstoppable if the before-mentioned Edwards Helaire takes a step forward.
  5. Schedule. Because the Chiefs won the AFC West again, they have a schedule where they need to be on their game early. Week 1 they play the Browns, Week 2: Ravens, Week 5 Bills, Week 9 Packers, Week 16 Steelers. So throughout the season, the Chiefs will go up against the best the NFL has to offer, and if they can get through it, they will go into the playoffs battle-tested.