Super Bowl 50 Recap

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The 2015 NFL season officially concluded with Sunday's bout, but before I go into offseason/draft mode, let me get the obligatory gut reactions out of the way. Before I get into the actual game, holy s*** Thomas Davis is one tough SOB.

Peyton Manning

The Sheriff gets to go out on top, if he so chooses. It's great for the sport to see one of the best and most respected players in the history of the game to ride off into the sunset like Peyton Manning did. With that being said, this game does nothing to influence my opinion on him, and it shouldn't for anybody. Peyton Manning is one of the best players in NFL history regardless of what happened in Super Bowl 50, that's just a fact. Even though he was average at best in the Super Bowl, it is fitting that after so many years of Peyton getting the blame for his team not stepping up with him (not saying he was always perfect, but just as an example the Broncos/Ravens game with the Joe Flacco Hail Mary, if it was batted down then that's a win for Manning and the Broncos), he finally gets carried to a win of massive proportions. Peyton deserves it, and I'm thrilled for him, but once again, this changes absolutely nothing about his legacy.

Cam Newton

Every person tearing into Cam right now needs to really take a look at themselves. If you haven't seen Newton's post-game press conference, it is not close to as bad as everybody is making it out to be. Also when he left, it seemed like it was because he heard a Broncos player talking badly about him, but no matter what the reason was, the real question is who cares? It's a post game presser, after he lost the biggest game of his life, in which he was probably extremely disappointed in himself. He's an emotional person. He plays the game with his heart on his sleeve, and because of that he has extremely high highs, and really low lows. For some reason, that pisses a huge portion of people off. I honestly have no idea why, I guess people just love to hate. It's toxic though, and when you go on Twitter or somewhere on the internet and say unforgivable things about a human being who has fun playing a game, then you should really reexamine your entire life.

I feel like I needed to say all of that. Now onto Cam's actual performance and the fallout from that. Cam was rattled for sure, and it's not a surprise that he had one of his worst games of the year against this Denver defense. Look at what they have done to Brady, Roethlisberger and Rodgers this season. Miller and Ware just kept getting to Cam, and the vertical passing game the Panthers like to run didn't fare well all game. The entire Panthers offense looked off all game, Cam included, and it was just an old school ass kicking. What troubles me is Cam not jumping on Von Miller's second forced fumble. I've watched the play several times and even though it wasn't as bad as most think, he still should have jumped on it. It's the Super Bowl, you can't hold back at any point in the game. Cam has a lot to learn from this game, but I don't think any of it is about his attitude. Football needs somebody like Cam. Somebody who won't give cookie cutter answers to every question, somebody who actually has fun playing a GAME, and somebody who is in love with football so much and plays with such passion that he sometimes can't control his emotions. This isn't a bad thing football world, it's great.

Von Miller

John Elway is just going to end up giving Miller a blank check with his name on it, right? Von has a chance to become the highest paid player in football, and it's well deserved to. No matter what team he goes up against, he wreaks havoc. Remmers had no chance the entire day, and time and time again Miller would be right in the pocket blowing up the play. Between his performance in the AFC Championship Game, and in the Super Bowl, Miller consistently flashes unprecedented talent. The biggest moment of this Super Bowl that will stick with me for a really long time was his first forced fumble. He just ripped it out of Cam Newton's hand. He didn't hit the ball out, he took it away from him. My jaw just dropped. The entire play was such a beautiful display of power, speed, bend and  He's just a stellar all-around player.

Marshawn Lynch

HE RETIRED. ON TWITTER. IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SUPER BOWL. WITH A PICTURE OF CLEATS HANGING. HE IS AMAZING. I don't care if you hate the Seahawks, you gotta respect Marshawn Lynch. He isn't influenced by anybody else, he plays by his own rules and you have to respect that. Oh, and this isn't at all a hot take, but it's still worth mentioning, he should be in the Hall Of Fame. He has the numbers, he was one of, if not the best running back in the league at a certain point, and he was consistently dominant throughout his career. He also had so many wow moments, it seems like each game I would say at least a handful of times "How is he still up?". If Peyton Manning retires, he'll get all the headlines, but we'll already be without another great for the 2016 season.

Super Bowl 2016 Preview

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I'm seeing a lot of people who are absolutely shocked by the teams playing in the Super Bowl. Don't get me wrong, even though I thought Denver and Caroline would win, I'm still a little surprised too. I don't know why though. These are the top seeds from each conference, Denver's defense is one of the best, most complete defenses I have seen in years (sorry Seattle) full of game changing playmakers at every level of the defense. Carolina is such a complete team across the board. Sure, Cam Newton doesn't have the best weapons, but then again they just put up 49 points against one of the best defenses in the league in Arizona, and their defense is also stacked at every level. I truly believe that this is the best outcome of teams possible for the Super Bowl this year. The storylines to sell to the public are endless. On the field and off the field, media members are licking their chops at the opportunity to talk about "The Sheriff's Last Rodeo" or "Dabbin' to Greatness" whatever the ridiculous headlines will be. All of that will be fun, but I prefer to focus on the field, and damn are their some amazing battles that will happen in Santa Clara less than two weeks from today.

Thomas Davis Vs. A Broken Arm
I'll mostly be looking at specific match-ups, but I need to talk about TD first. Like most of you, I want nothing more than to see #58 play in the Super Bowl just two weeks after breaking his arm. He is one of the best guys in football, and he's also one of the most talented linebackers in the league. A few plays before his injury, he read a toss to David Johnson, shed a block, and tackled him for a huge loss. Look it up if you have time, I'm sure it won't be hard to find because it was spectacular. I don't know any other player in the league that makes that tackle, apart from maybe the guy he plays beside. He's an incredible player, and it would be a treat for any and every fan to see him play in the Super Bowl.

Luke Kuechly Vs. Peyton Manning
This is the match-up I'm most looking forward too. I know, it's not as straight forward as the other ones, Kuechly will have a big impact in the run game and Peyton won't target Luke that often. What I'm looking forward to is the pre snap reads, and the games best middle linebacker leading his defense against probably the smartest player in NFL history. LK is the leader of one of the best defenses in the NFL this season, and he's an incredible smart player too. Even though Peyton doesn't make as many pre-snap adjustments as he would in past years, he is still one of the best at finding the holes in your defense, and for Kuechly, he has to make sure that his defense limits the mistakes they make or Manning even in his current state will make them pay. Sidebar, it would be cool to see Kuechly go three straight games with a pick-6.

Kawann Short and Star Lotulelei Vs. Interior Broncos Offensive Line
Apart from Carolina's linebackers, their defensive tackles are what make this defense go. Short has been nothing short of spectacular this season, and Lotulelei has been great in his own right when healthy. Denver doesn't have the strongest offensive line, and there is a lot of potential here for KS and SL to have a field day. To counteract what I'm expecting to be a lot of interior pressure on Manning, they will have to get the run game going early or Manning will have to rely on a lot of quick throws. I'd expect some screens because avoiding the middle of the field should be a priority in the pass game.

Emmanuel Sanders Vs. Robert McClain
This is a bit of an assumption on my part, but I'm expecting Josh Norman to shadow Demaryius Thomas and McClain to mostly guard Sanders. If so, Sanders has a chance at having a big day. From what I've seen of McClain this year (granted not too much), he's been solid; but I'm of the belief that Emmanuel Sanders is actually the best Broncos receiver. He may not have the size or reputation of Thomas, but his route running and reliability, to go along with athletic ability makes him really stand out. If Peyton is going to try and attack a specific part of this Carolina defense, this is where I expect him to look. Sanders can win this battle and unless you're always double teaming him (which brings up other problems throughout the defense) then he will have his shot at a monster day. It just comes down to can Peyton get him the ball, and I think he can.

Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware Vs. Panthers Offensive Tackles
For whoever witnessed the brutality that Ware and Miller laid down against the Patriots in the AFC Championship game, I don't have to go into detail about how good these two are. The Panthers O-line has been really good as a group this year, and they have studs in the middle (Norwell, Kalil and Turner), but Cam Newton has made up for a lot of insufficiencies at tackle. I was completely wrong about Oher this season, as he has more than held his own at tackle, but in pass protection, he still hasn't been the ideal LT. Miller and Ware punished a QB who is known for getting rid of the ball as quickly as possible (among other things). If Carolina doesn't give their tackles help in pass protection, whether that's with TE's or running back's chip blocking, then Cam could be in real trouble.

Broncos Front 7 Vs. Panthers Run Game
Cam Newton plays a huge role in the success of Carolina's run game. This shouldn't come as a surprise to anybody. But between Malik Jackson, Sylvester Williams, Derek Wolfe, Von Miller, Brandon Marshall, Danny Trevathan and DeMarcus Ware, the Broncos have the athletic ability to contain Newton and Stewart. I don't have a ton of analysis on this specific battle, because these are just two terrific groups of players that execute extremely well. The fallout of this battle in the trenches will be huge though. If Carolina can get their run game going early, then their entire offense will open up, and it will allow Mike Shula (Panthers offensive coordinator) to open up the playbook and start to get really creative so he can stifle Denver's defense. On the other side of the spectrum, if Denver shuts down their run game, I can easily see Cam and the offense start to pinch and try and force plays, and when you're facing the best defense in the league you can't force anything or they will make you pay. Whoever wins this battle should have a big advantage in the Super Bowl, and it could be the key to winning.

Peyton Manning Vs. Turnovers
All I can think of is the Seattle Super Bowl a couple years ago. Manning was facing off against a young, hungry defense, and he got killed in the turnover battle. Seattle led the league in takeaways that season, and Carolina leads the league in takeaways this season. The Panthers embarrassed the Arizona Cardinals in the NFC Championship game, and it was mostly due to the fact that Arizona couldn't stop themselves from turning the ball over. With that being said, the current Broncos offense has Peyton playing a very safe game. He is making some throws, but they are to the outside in single coverage for the most part, and when he misses he is missing high so the cornerback doesn't have a chance at it. If Peyton is going to miss, that's where you want him to miss. If we get the Peyton Manning of early season, then it's already game over. But if we get the Manning who has played surprisingly well over the past couple weeks, the one who is limiting his mistakes and running a meticulous, take what they give you offense, then this is going to be one hell of a game.

Prediction
I went 2-0 last week, and am now 5-5 in the playoffs. So this is the tie breaker. The spread as of now is CAR -6. This is a really, really tough line. Carolina seems like the easy bet, but Denver has only lost one game by more than 7 points this season, and that was the game against Kansas City where Peyton Manning imploded. As of now, I'm predicting a really close game no matter who ends up on top, so I'll go Denver. If any quarterback can learn from his mistakes, it's Peyton Manning, and I don't see a repeat of Super Bowl 48 happening again. Although if I'm being forced to pick a winner straight up, then I'll go with Carolina.

My Pick: Denver +6

Byron Maxwell and Super Bowl "Guarantees"

Byron Maxwell, cornerback for the Philadelphia Eagles, recently guaranteed a Super Bowl berth. Here is my only reaction to his guarantee, and any other guarantee made by any player in history. So what? What are they supposed to do, think their team isn't going to make the playoffs? Super Bowl guarantee's among other things should actually be viewed as a positive statement. I inferred one thing from Maxwell saying this. What I inferred was that Maxwell really believes in Chip Kelly's team, and he thinks they can be very good. A very underrated attribute to good teams, is the coach getting the players to buy into the system. When every single player buys into what the coach is doing, they play their hearts out and leave everything on the field. This is the root of the common saying that a coach gets the most out of his players. A terrific example of this is the Seahawks over recent years. Believe it or not, a lot of their current star players weren't born star players. Michael Bennet and Cliff Avril were both castoffs from teams and they have become vital pieces in both the Seahawks Super Bowl appearances. It's important to get your players to buy into the system, and I think this shows that at the very least Byron Maxwell has bought into what Chip Kelly is doing, and I'm sure other Eagles players have too.

Offseason Outlook 2015: Green Bay Packers

Offense

This is the best offense in the league. Aaron Rodgers is, in my humble opinion, the best quarterback in the NFL, and it isn't that close. He has a cannon of an arm, incredible pocket presence and awareness, can throw footballs into windows that no other player can, and is one of the smartest players in the National Football League. He also has the best hard count in all of football. That isn't one of the most vital attributes to have, but it's awesome to watch. What could be better than having the best QB in the NFL? How about having the best wide receiver group in the NFL! I do believe that Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, and Davante Adams lead the best group of receivers in all of football. Nelson is "sneaky athletic", well actually he's just athletic and very fast, but announcers always seem surprised when he breaks away for a 60 yard touchdown. He also has the best body control out of any receiver in football, and that is a very underrated trait. Seriously, watch some YouTube videos of his sideline catches, they are awesome. He's really just an elite receiver, and does almost everything at an extremely high level. On top of that, the Packers have the best slot receiver in Randall Cobb. He isn't exclusively a slot receiver, but he dominates there. He is also a terrific end zone target for Rodgers, and when A-Rodg extends the play, he is amazing at getting open and being on the same page as his QB. The Packers also have Davante Adams, who I think is in for a huge year. He had a slow start to 2014, but really showed a lot of promise. His huge game against New England in week 13 showed what he can do, and expect him to take on a bigger role in 2015. As depth, the Packers also have a lot of young talent in Jared Abbrederis, Jeff Janis, and the recently drafted Ty Montgomery (Although his impact will be on primarily special teams). At tight end, the Packers don't have star talent. Andrew Quarless has shown himself to be a solid starter, and Richard Rodgers could potentially be very good, but at this point in time both players are only decent starters. In the backfield, the Packers have one of the NFL's brightest young stars in Eddie Lacy. He is so physical, and a terrific addition in the passing game too. Also, he has the best spin move in the NFL, it's so violent and quick. Behind him, Green Bay has James Starks who is one of the best backup running backs in football. Starks is so underrated, but he does everything well. He isn't elite or special at one specific thing, but he has the speed and elusiveness to break off long runs, the power to run between the tackles, and has great hands in the passing game. Green Bay's offensive line really helps these running backs shine. Their entire starter group is very strong. They have one of the best guards in football in Josh Sitton. He is the leader of this line, and is very strong in the running game, but he is almost unbeatable in protecting Aaron Rodgers. Opposite him, they have another amazing guard in T.J. Lang. Another great overall guard, and he goes through stretches where he completely shuts down opposing defensive players. At center, the Packers have sophomore Corey Linsley. He might have been the biggest surprise out of every rookie in the NFL. A 5th round pick in 2014, he started his career playing at Seattle, and the stage didn't look to big for him at all. I'm expecting some more development out of him and he has a chance to become an elite center, which would give the Packers arguably the best interior offensive line in football. At tackle, Green Bay has David Bakhtiari and Bryan Bulaga. Bakhtiari is solid but not spectacular, although he is still young and should get even better next season. Bulaga may have been the best free agent signing in (Well, resigning) in the NFL, and he is a great right tackle in A-Rodg's offense. This offense is scary good. I can't see a weakness they have. They have the best QB in the NFL to pair with the best wide receiver group in the NFL. They will be the best offense in football next season, just like they were in 2014. I know that's not really a bold prediction, but I'm going for what is right not what is bold. I think the scariest part of this offense, is that every player on it is signed through at least 2016, so they will most likely be together for a long time too. This is a dynasty level offense, it's very young, led by the premier quarterback, has a great offensive line, a dynamic passing attack and an awesome run game. Like I said, scary.

Defense

No one will mistake this defense for being as good as their offense. With that being said, this is still a pretty good D. They finished in the top half of the league last season, and I think they could be even better in 2015. On the D-line, the Packers are still trying to find their footing. The past few years they have been desperately trying to draft good players on the defensive line, but they just haven't had great luck. Mike Daniels is the exception, as he has turned into an incredible defensive end. His motor seemingly never stops, and his repertoire of pass rush moves have grown to a point where he is a real threat in not just running situations anymore. Beside Daniels, the Packers signed B.J. Raji to a one year prove it deal. After being hurt for all of 2014, Raji will look to capture his 2010/11 form where he was one of the best nose tackles in football. As added depth, the Packers still have Letroy Guion who was solid in lieu of Raji's injury. Opposite Daniels, Datone Jones will seek to expand his role in this defense. He is another first round defensive line pick by the Packers, and he was solid last season but he has the ceiling to be a lot better. This linebacker group is an interesting conundrum. On the inside, the Packers are probably going to be playing Clay Matthews there in 2015, but that's not a problem as he was really good inside in 2014. They might miss him outside, but he'll still get snaps outside in obvious passing situations, and they desperately need him inside because of their lack of depth. Beside Matthews, Carl Bradford, Sam Barrington, or the recently drafted Jake Ryan will be playing. My bet is on Jake Ryan, I think he is the most talented of the bunch, but Bradford has a pretty good shot too. Those three players aren't reliable players at this point in their careers though, so the need for Clay on the inside is obvious. Outside, the Packers have Julius Peppers who had an incredible career resurgence, and Nick Perry who was a lot better than people think in 2014. Those two should bring the heat, and with Clay inside, the Packers have a trio of outstanding potential pass rushers. The Packers secondary seems very controversial. I'm a big fan of their versatility, but there are potential problems that they could run into that I will address. At cornerback, Green Bay has Sam Shields. He is a very physical player, and I think a very solid number one CB. As GB's number 2 cornerback Casey Hayward will take over for Tramon Williams. This is where it can get controversial. Hayward was the Packers best cornerback last year, but he did his work in the slot. There is a sense of unknown if his skills will translate to the outside. He dominated in the slot, but I think he has the ball skills and athleticism to be a very good CB opposite Shields. In the slot, Micah Hyde and Damarious Randall will see the most action. Hyde has been a very good SCB before, and Randall has the talent and ball skills to become a high impact player immediately. The versatility in this defense comes in Hyde, Randall, and 2nd round pick Quentin Rollins. All three of those players can play outside, in the slot, and at safety (Some people think that's where they fit best) and it gives the Packers a lot of options on how to approach opposing offenses. Dom Capers is a good defensive coordinator, so I believe that he will utilize the talent that the Packers have in their secondary to the best of their abilities. At safety, Green Bay has a great young duo in Morgan Burnett and Ha Ha (Ha'Sean) Clinton-Dix. Clinton-Dix has a chance to be really special, and I think he will make the biggest jump out of any Green Bay defender this season. Burnett had the best year of his career last season, and he has established himself as a leader of this defense. Another huge plus from the Packers investing in their secondary is that because their offense is so good, teams will be forced to play catch up and throw the ball. The Packers versatility and talent will allow them to be extremely opportunistic and force turnovers as well as shut down opposing air attacks. There is a lot to like about this Packers defense. They have a lot of pure talent in the secondary, and a ton of versatility there too. Up front, they have some star power with Daniels, Peppers and Matthews. Their inside linebacker depth is a tough pill to swallow, and their defensive line (Apart from Daniels) has some questions too, but this is a top 10 talent level defense with the pieces they have added. I'm not going to confuse them for Seattle or Kansas City's defense, because they aren't in the elite tier of defenses. I think they will sneak into the top 10 of defenses this season, and they will be led by that young, talented secondary. 

The 2015 Green Bay Packers are the best team in the NFL. Their offense will receive all of the headlines, and rightfully so, but their defense will be very good in 2015 too. This team seems almost destined for a Super Bowl Berth. They are one of the few elite teams that improved going into the 2015 season, and they were so close to a Super Bowl appearance last season before their collapse. That collapse happened with Aaron Rodgers playing basically on one leg too. If Rodgers stays completely healthy this season, then I don't see how any defense, even Seattle, can stop this offense. Green Bay is in an amazing situation right now. The Bears are in shambles, the Lions lost their best defensive player to free agency, and the Vikings still seem about a year away from really competing. The Packers just have to stay healthy, and play up to their standards and they have the best shot at the number one seed in the NFC, home field advantage throughout the playoffs, and a Super Bowl appearance in the Bay Area.

Offseason Outlook 2015: Baltimore Ravens

Offense

This is a talented Ravens offense that is coming off of a very strong year. The loss of Gary Kubiak as offensive coordinator hurts, but getting Marc Trestman is another strong option, and frankly that might not be a downgrade at all. Joe Flacco is coming off of a solid season, but more should be expected out of the former Super Bowl MVP this year because the Ravens have surrounded him with talent. Out wide, Baltimore has Steve Smith who is coming off a good year as the number one option for Flacco. Smith started out really strong and cooled off during the middle of the season, so consistency is the biggest issue here for him. The Ravens drafted Breshad Perriman to replace Torrey Smith, and Baltimore needs his speed as they don't have very many people other than him to stretch the field. I think he'll take over the number two wide receiver spot early on in training camp as he is their most talented option for that spot. Perriman is also good for this offense because his blazing speed mixes so well with Flacco's big arm. Marlon Brown will be in the slot, and he had a solid year last year. Hopefully with regular playing time this year, he can grow and become an even bigger end zone threat for Flacco. At tight end, the Ravens drafted Maxx Williams in the second round, and he should be expected to be the starting TE straight out of the gate. Baltimore lost Owen Daniels to Denver, but Maxx has higher upside and could be in for a big season behind a QB who often looks for his TE's. At running back the Ravens retained Justin Forsett's services, which was smart because they are thin at the position and he had somewhat of a breakout season last year. Lorenzo Taliaferro is penciled in as their number 2 back, and in scarce playing time last year he was solid. The Ravens offense is one that still uses a fullback, and they have a very good one in Kyle Juszczyk (I had to look up how to spell his last name). He is a versatile player and is only entering his second season of getting actual playing time, so he should continue to grow. The bread and butter of this Ravens offense is their O-line. They have the best tandem of guards in the league with Marshal Yanda and Kelechi Osemele. These two are absolute maulers, and are also terrific in pass protection. I would say that Yanda is easily the best guard in the NFL too. At left tackle, they have Eugene Monroe who is coming off a good season protecting Joe's blindside. At right tackle, they have 2014 breakout player Ricky Wagner, who is coming off a terrific year. He took the biggest leap out of any Raven that year, and it might have been the most vital to their team too because without him they had a huge hole at right tackle. At center they also have a solid player in Jeremy Zuttah, so this O-line is absolutely stacked. I would expect another big year out of this offense. They finished top 10 last year, so another finish in the top 10 seems about right. I'm interested to see the effect of changing offensive coordinators has on this offense, as this is their third in three years. Marc Trestman did get a lot of Josh McCown and Jay Cutler, so there is no reason to believe he won't utilize Joe Flacco to his fullest abilities either.

Defense

This defense is so good. Even with the injuries and struggles of their secondary last year, they were still a top 10 D, and in fact almost top 5. Up front, the loss of Haloti Ngata should be noted, but it might not be as big of a loss on the field as many seem to think. Timmy Jernigan will take over as the left defensive end in the 3-4 defense, and he had a good year last year in spot duty last year. He may even outplay Ngata this year, but I'm getting ahead of myself. Beside Jernigan, the Ravens have a really good nose tackle in Brandon Williams. He was a key cog in their defense last year, and definitely did not get enough credit for how well he played. Chris Canty is opposite Jernigan, and he had a solid year last year too. The real threat of this defense is in their linebackers. From left to right, they have flat out talent that all had terrific years last year. Elvis Dumervil and Terrell Suggs are both terrific pass rushers, and Courtney Upshaw provides excellent depth too. In the middle, C.J. Mosley had an incredible rookie season, and if he continues his development he will be among the elite ILB's in no time. Beside him, Daryl Smith had a shockingly good year, and even though he is getting older he should have another great year. The secondary that had so many questions all throughout last year looks a lot more solidified this season. Jimmy Smith and Lardarius Webb are a formidable duo at cornerback, and Smith especially is one to watch for a big breakout year this season if he can stay healthy. In the slot, the Ravens got a big upgrade in Kyle Arrington who will replace Asa Jackson who struggled mightily in 2014. At safety, the Ravens may finally be moving on from Matt Elam if he doesn't improve, which is definitely the smart thing to do. He is coming off of a rough season, and the Ravens can't afford the negative coverage grades he consistently gets. Beside him, Will Hill had a very strong year overall, and should look to build off of that possibly beside Kendrick Lewis if he replaces Elam as a starter. Health is the biggest question with this secondary, because it was the reason why this defense wasn't as good as it could have been last year. If Smith and Webb both keep healthy, then this secondary should bounce back to have a nice season. Overall, this defense has so much talent that it will be hard for it to have a bad year. The Ravens know how to build a team, and the roster they currently have proves just that. Suggs and Dumervil are still the key players in this defense, and as long as they continue putting pressure on opposing offenses, then expect player like Mosley, Williams, Smith and Hill to thrive. I'm going to guess a top 5 finish for this defense. Just based off of getting healthy, and how close they were to a top 5 finish last year, they should be able to achieve that goal.

Baltimore is one of the most consistent franchises in football. John Harbaugh is a terrific coach, and he has a great front office too. They know how to build a roster, coach it up, and in general get the most out of their talent. The offense has a terrific core that it has built around, and even though it isn't as strong in the skill position player department as other elite teams, it uses its dominant O-line to make smart plays and put points on the board. Their defense isn't as flashy as Seattle's, but again it is smart and deep across the board, and the Ravens scheme to minimize their weaknesses and utilize their strengths. A playoff berth is very likely for this good Ravens squad, and a Super Bowl berth is not out of the question either. I predict an AFC championship game exit, but I would not be shocked in the slightest if they went on to win it all next year. They are just that good.

The "Short" NFL Player Dilemma

This article was supposed to be a small description of the Chargers cornerbacks in their Offseason Outlook article. I started writing it, and I got very invested because it is actually an amazing situation when you really think about it. What's amazing is that the Chargers two best cornerbacks are both only 5'9. Maybe I'm the only one who is shocked by that, but I could say that a thousand times and it would still surprise me. In today's NFL, receivers are getting bigger and bigger, and because of that, some teams just draw the line in the sand at cornerback and only want them to be 6 feet tall or they won't draft them. Theoretically, I can understand that because 5'9 seems almost tiny going up against 6'5, 230 lb wide receivers. Yet these two cornerbacks, who again are both only 5'9, are making it their personal vendetta to make any team that passed over them because of their height pay. To go on a brief tangent here, Kevin White (6'3, 215 lbs) has gone on record saying that Jason Verrett is the toughest cornerback he has ever faced. Granted he hasn't played a down in the NFL, but he did face some tough CB's in college; and the reason why he said that, is because it is completely true. Verrett makes every WR he faces make them earn whatever yards they get off of him. It starts at the line, he may only be 5'9, but he plays like he is 6'5. He has terrific explosiveness right from the snap, and he has incredible footwork and anticipation to mirror the receiver and not give up an inch of ground. Verrett was passed on by the Browns who drafted Justin Gilbert ahead of him, then the Bears that drafted Kyle Fuller ahead of him, then the Bengals that drafted Darqueze Dennard ahead of him. The reason he was drafted behind those players is not because of talent, but because of his size. In his scouting report on NFL.com, the first thing Mike Mayock says in his weaknesses section is that he does not look the part. The rest of his "weaknesses" are just other ways of saying he's short. Mayock gave him a 2nd round grade. This has absolutely nothing to do with Mike Mayock either, obviously he can miss on certain players just like everybody, and if he gave him a 2nd round grade then he gave him a 2nd round grade there is nothing more to it. I understand the stigma in the NFL about small players. Sometimes they don't work out. Especially at cornerback, almost every NFL team wants big tall cornerbacks like Richard Sherman. The reason why I'm turning this into it's own article is because NFL teams need to wake up. I actually have no problem with putting height or size as a weakness or strength when scouting NFL players. A lot of the times it can be useful scouting scheme fit and all. Except when NFL teams completely take a young, talented player off of their board because of it. Drawing an arbitrary line in the sand and as a franchise saying you won't draft players under a certain height can cripple your franchise. Your team could miss out on the next Russell Wilson, Drew Brees, or Jason Verrett just because they were too short to play professional football. That was also the biggest knock on Wilson too right? He was too short, how could he even see over an NFL offensive line. Well personally I think that hasn't been too big of a problem for him on his way to back-to-back Super Bowl appearances after only 3 years in the league. Maybe this frustrates me because I'm 5'9 and am waiting for my shot in next years NFL draft, and that's why I need an entire article to complain about this completely arbitrary (I know I have said it is arbitrary a lot but it truly is) line that prevents players under a certain height at a specific position being drafted. Or maybe I see something wrong with the way certain teams are scouting players and I want my voice to be heard. Whatever the reason is, the Chargers are going to reap the rewards this season if/when Jason Verrett proves that he can stay healthy so Verrett and Flowers can be a dominating duo.

Offseason Outlook 2015: Indianapolis Colts

Offense

Andrew Luck, T.Y. Hilton, Frank Gore, Andre Johnson, Donte Moncrief, Phillip Dorsett, Duron Carter, Coby Fleener and Dwayne Allen. So the answer is yes the Colts have some talent on offense. Andrew Luck is the best young quarterback in the NFL. He is already elite, and it won't be long before he is in the conversation with Brady and Rodgers for the best QB in the NFL. Some say he is in it now, but I digress. The weapons he has this coming year for the Colts are by far the most he has ever had, so expect another leap in development for Luck, which is downright scary for the rest of the NFL. Frank Gore has been proving me wrong for the past few years, so I'm going to stop betting against him. He is easily the best running back the Colts have had since Edgerrin James with Peyton Manning, and that will keep opposing defenses from only playing the pass. If either Donte Moncrief or Phillip Dorsett step up this year, then the Colts will have 3 very good wide receivers. Duron Carter is a question mark, as he is coming from the CFL and nobody knows what to expect. That being said, he is 6-5 and very talented, so they might have added one heck of a red zone target for Luck. On top of the WR's, Coby Fleener and Dwayne Allen are both solid tight ends that can be great red zone targets for Luck. The offensive line is still a question mark though. Anthony Castonzo is a good LT, and Todd Herremens was a good signing at guard, but there are question marks at every other position. Jack Mewhort can hopefully develop into a good player, but he is still young and unproven for the most part. Gosder Cherilus has not lived up to the contract he signed a couple years ago in free agency with the Colts, and the center position is entirely unproven and unspectacular. It would be smart to line Dwayne Allen up as a blocking TE a lot this season to give Luck more time in the pocket, so expect to see that quite a bit. The lack of a great offensive line still doesn't overshadow the fact that this was an elite offense last year, and they will be even better this year with the additions.

Defense

The Colts defense is looking better this year. The biggest addition for them isn't an addition at all, it's getting Robert Mathis back from injury. Even though Mathis is getting older, he is still an elite edge rusher, and a major pass rushing threat in which they lacked last year. They also signed Trent Cole to pair with Robert Mathis so they can really bring the pressure. Up front they have Arthur Jones and the recently signed Kendall Langford who are both solid defensive linemen. D'Qwell Jackson is a good run-stopper but a liability in coverage, and Jerrell Freeman is a solid all around ILB. Vontae Davis is the difference maker for the Colts. Without him their secondary might be one of the worst in the league, but he is a top 3 cornerback in football. Even though he doesn't get as much press as Richard Sherman, Patrick Peterson or Joe Haden, I would argue that he is better then Haden and Peterson, and on Sherman's level. Apart from Davis, their secondary is lacking. Greg Toler is okay at the other cornerback spot, and Darius Butler is a good slot corner, but the Colts safeties are huge question marks going into the season. This defense has talent, and Mathis coming back is huge, but don't expect too much from them. The only thing that matters is that will keep the Colts in games this year.

The Colts should be the favourites to win the AFC South going into the season. They are the only team in their division with an established QB, and lucky for them they don't only have an established one they have an elite one. They are stacked at the skill positions, and Luck will get more help then he ever has. They lost to the Patriots in the AFC championship game last year, and with the moves they made this offseason, a Super Bowl berth is not out of the question for Indianapolis.