NFL Quarterback Rankings 2015

How about some quarterback power rankings right before the season starts! There's no way this could go badly...

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Tier 1 – The best of the bunch. These players will make their respective teams Super Bowl contenders year in and year out. They raise the level of play of their teammates, and cause havoc to opposing defenses on a weekly basis.

1. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers

Who else but Rodgers? I'm not trying to make some controversial choice for the best quarterback in football; I'm trying to make the right one. I don't care what stats or metrics you use to measure the best QB, but Rodgers is just that, the best QB. He played on one leg all throughout the playoffs and still would have made it to the Super Bowl if the Packers stopped a 2-point conversion or recovered an onside kick by Seattle. He has the best arm in the league (strength and accuracy), he is very mobile and athletic, he is one of the smartest QB's in the league and he has one hell of a hard count too. He makes plays that no other QB in history could make, and he is a no brainer choice for the best QB in the league.

2. Tom Brady, New England Patriots

After Aaron Rodgers at number 1, I have 4 players ranked pretty close, but the reigning Super Bowl MVP edges out the rest of them. I don't care about DeflateGate or any of the crazy drama of the 2015 offseason; Brady is still one of the best QB’s in the NFL. His deep ball is below league average, but he hasn’t relied on that in since the Randy Moss days and he wins through short-intermediate passes up the seams to Gronk, or at the sidelines. The past few years he really hasn’t had much offensively to work with other than Gronk, yet he raises the level of play of his teammates, and finds ways to pick apart opposing defenses with Josh McDaniels and Bill Belichick. 

3. Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers

This was actually a tough ranking. Big Ben had an unbelievable year last season. Statistically, it was better then one of the guys I ranked ahead of him (Mr. Brady), yet there should be a bit of an asterisk when comparing stats with Brady. Ben has arguably the best running back and wide receiver in the NFL with Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown, and he also has a surprisingly good O-line with a big contribution from rookie Martavis Bryant too. But this is about Roethlisberger not his teammates. Ben is an elite QB, and should be treated as one by opposing defensive coordinators.

4.  Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts

The young buck is ready to run with the bulls now. I don’t even know if that’s an actual saying, but my point is Andrew Luck is a top tier QB today. Throughout his first 3 years, the most highly touted QB prospect since Peyton Manning has gone through his lumps, yet he has shown so much promise that everyone knew he would eventually become the face of the NFL (with his fancy neck beard). Luck has had to throw the football a ton, as his defense has never been that good, yet he finds ways to score. He has the arm, the vision, the mobility, the accuracy (for the most part) and the intangibles that every single coach loves to work with. That’s not to say he doesn’t go through some struggles, as

Tier 2 – These players have the talent to win a Super Bowl and step up for their team when they need them most, but they can’t do it all by themselves. They need some help from teammates for their teams to be considered real Super Bowl threats.

5. Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos

Is it tough to put Manning in anything but the elite tier? Yup. Manning is still an incredible quarterback, and he will continue to pick apart defenses no matter how much his arm lacks in strength. Manning is always the smartest player on any side of the ball, and he is a year removed from breaking both the passing yards and passing touchdowns record. What is giving me pause about putting Manning in the elite tier is that he has come down to earth from his record breaking season two year ago and even though his raw numbers can be deceiving (stat friendly offense), he has shown some regression in his play.

6. Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys

The always polarizing Tony Romo is fun to rank. Spoiler alert, he’s good people. Really good. Sure, Romo played behind an elite offensive line last year, with a great running back, and one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. That doesn’t mean he’s bad though. Romo stepped up and was the biggest piece in the 2014 Dallas Cowboys playoff team. He has an incredible feel in the pocket, an arm that can make all the throws and is one of the toughest players in the NFL. Romo can win the ‘Boys a Super Bowl. I’m not saying he will, but with him at the helm they have their guy, they just need a good supporting cast (*cough* Defense *cough*).

7. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints

I’m not entirely sure what the Saints are trying to do with their identity change, because they still have one of the better QB’s in the NFL Brees’ collapse just like Manning’s is way overblown, as he can still sling it. Brees wasn’t as sharp as he has been in the past last year, but most NFL teams would much rather have him as their QB. He’s such a smart quarterback, with incredible pocket presence and still can make all the throws on the field.

8. Phillip Rivers, San Diego Chargers

My personal favorite throwing motion of a quarterback comes from this man. Rivers may look like he’s shot-putting the football, but he has the best touch in the NFL. Whether it’s a fade or a bullet pass on a slant, he can get it where it needs to be. Rivers was an MVP candidate for the first half of last season, and even though he slowed down in the second half quite a bit, he has the ceiling to be an MVP candidate. San Diego should be really working to lock up their franchise QB, because they can win with this man behind center.

9. Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks

Two Super Bowl appearances in the last two years and I have him 9^th? Well there was slight regression from 2013-2014, which was very troubling because he was on the verge of the elite tier if he built of his Super Bowl winning season. He still isn’t asked to do too much, and it definitely works for Seattle so this isn’t a shot at the team because they clearly can win with non-elite QB play, but Wilson still has to evolve in the pocket to move up into the elite tier for me. Nevertheless, he is a terrific quarterback, and should continue to grow to a point where he is firmly set in the elite tier.

10. Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers

This might be my most polarizing ranking, but screw it I like Cam Newton. He has gotten almost no help on offense, yet Cam somehow keeps this team competitive. His offensive line is atrocious, and he still doesn’t have any receivers that can stretch the field for him, but he is one of the hardest players to game plan for. He is one of the few people that can actually beat you with his arm and legs, and he is only getting better. Cam could eventually move into the elite tier if he begins to master the mental side of the game.

Tier 3 – Good quarterbacks, but to really be considered as playoff contenders, they need the rest of their team to step up too. They can play at a high level but don’t raise the level of play of their teammates as much as the guys ahead of them. Will help their team more then they will hurt them, but consistency can be an issue.

11. Matt Ryan

Ryan is a stat-sheet monster, and two years ago he would have been on the verge of the elite tier, but he has struggled to help keep Atlanta competitive. He’s still a very good QB, and is definitely Atlanta’s franchise quarterback, and even though he won’t wow you in any one aspect of his game, he is more than solid across the board.

12. Ryan Tannehill

The $96 million man surprised me last year. He’s really evolved in all aspects of his game, and even though he still struggles with his deep ball accuracy, he is learning to pick apart defenses with short accurate throws. Tannehill also is extremely athletic (former WR at Texas A&M) and can use his legs to keep opposing defenses on their toes. I wouldn’t be surprised if Tannehill moved into the top 10 at QB this coming season.

13. Matthew Stafford

Stafford to me is an enigma. He is one of the most talented QB’s in the league, yet his poor mechanics and decision-making keep him from being elite. He has arguably the strongest arm in all of football, and his accuracy has been surprisingly good these past few years. Stafford does a good job at getting his playmakers (Calvin Johnson, Golden Tate) the ball, yet this season I want to see if Stafford can raise the level of play of the rest of his teammates and cut down on the atrocious decisions.

14. Teddy Bridgewater

The funniest part of the 2014 NFL draft was when Teddy Bridgewater slipped to the end of the 1^st round. Just to clarify, I don’t mean it’s funny that he fell, I mean that it’s funny so many QB teams passed on such a talented young QB, and someone who could end up being a perennial Pro Bowl player for years to come. Bridgewater doesn’t have elite arm strength, but what he does have is excellent decision-making, and terrific accuracy. As he continues to develop his game, he should be a premier starting NFL quarterback.

15. Carson Palmer

Palmer has had a strange career. Drafted 1^st overall by Cincinnati, he became one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL in his second season. Then his unfortunate violent knee injury seemingly derailed his career. Yet here he is, once again a very good NFL QB (not necessarily elite, but still good). Palmer has one hell of an arm; the only thing really holding him back is his inconsistent decision-making.

16. Eli Manning

Eli should really send Odell Beckham Jr. and Ben McAdoo each a nice gift basket because they are going to help make him a very rich man (even more so then he already is). Eli put forth a very nice bounce back season partially due to the fact he had one of the best receivers in the league now catching passes for him and a new, much more efficient offensive strategy in place. He still has his struggles and he can be very inconsistent, but Eli shows flashes of that same Super Bowl winning quarterback.

17. Joe Flacco

Joe Flacco struggled at times this past year, but he also wasn’t asked to do much more then stretch the field, and manage an efficient offense. He is lucky to play behind an elite offensive line, but Flacco takes advantage of that and knows how to play to the best of his abilities. He has a low ceiling but a high floor, just a solid QB.

18. Alex Smith

Alex Smith fits this tiers description, but consistency isn’t his issue. There aren’t many questions about Smith going into the season he just is an average quarterback at best. He’s a game manager and that’s about it. He’s very reliant on the talent around him, as he’ll play up or down to that level.

Tier 4 – There are a lot of questions here. Whether it’s health or consistency, most of these players are in prove it years.

19. Sam Bradford, Philadelphia Eagles

Bradford could (and should) skyrocket up these rankings. He needs to stay healthy, but he is in a great situation with Chip Kelly, a good offensive line, and what should be a great run game. He showed in preseason that he still has the tools that made him the top pick years ago, and I expect him to shoot up these rankings. At the same time, there isn’t enough of a sample size of him being a successful NFL quarterback.

20. Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals

I’m not a big fan of Andy Dalton whatsoever. Frankly I questioned putting him this high, but he has his moments. He’s surrounded with great talent with the Bengals, yet is very inconsistent. This is a put up or shut up year for the Bengals, and I don’t know if he’s up for the tall task ahead of him.

21. Jay Cutler, Chicago Bears

The Bears are in for a long season, but Jay Cutler isn’t as bad as most people seem to think. Before last season there were some people picking him as a dark horse MVP candidate. Now I think he is far away from that level, but he’s a passable QB that can put up some big numbers. Bears definitely need to find their QB for the future because Cutler isn’t it, but it could be worse for them too.

22. Colin Kaepernick, San Francisco 49ers

I’m curious as to what Kaep we will get in 2015. My guess is not the Super Bowl appearance one. Kaep struggled last year, and I don’t know if Jim Tomsula will be the guy to get the most out of him in 2015. San Fransisco is also in for a long year.

23. Nick Foles, St. Louis Rams

Foles is not the 27 touchdown 2 interception quarterback that he was with the Eagles a couple years back. He’s not even close to that (granted nobody really is except for Aaron Rodgers). Yet I’m actually a fan of the situation he’s in in St. Louis. For the most part, what he’s going to do is stretch the field for them to open up what should be a run first-run often offense. If he can successfully stretch the field, then St. Louis will be able to win some games this year. He still folds under pressure from opposing defenses though and he needs to improve to be thought of as even a league average quarterback.

Tier 5 – These are the young guns. This tier is very fluid, as these players could move up much higher as soon as this season, yet as of now they haven’t shown enough to truly threaten NFL defenses.

24. Geno Smith, New York Jets

I’m putting Geno Smith here over Fitzpatrick even though Fitz is starting the season because Geno should be the guy when he’s back. I don’t know what the issues are in the Jets locker room, but when Geno is on the field he can be very inconsistent, but he can also look like a star. The last month of last season Geno Smith was terrific and he should look to build off that momentum this season. He’s still young enough to become a very good QB, but the jury is out on him at this point so he has to prove people wrong.

25. Jameis Winston

Will Winston take the league by storm like RGIII or Andrew Luck did in their rookie seasons? I doubt it. That also doesn’t mean I don’t think he’s going to be a star either. Jameis will move up these rankings at some point in the future, whether that’s the first month of the season, or next year. He’s a very talented young quarterback with a great arm and a terrific head for the game and soon enough he should be at least a second tier QB.

26. Marcus Mariota

I actually think Mariota will put up better numbers than Jameis earlier on, but it’s a little bit of Alex Smith syndrome. He won’t be asked to do much, at least early on, with the Titans, but Mariota should move up these rankings as well. He’s a talented quarterback that will play on the safer side but also limit interceptions. I do think that the Titans found their franchise quarterback.

27. Derek Carr

Depending on whom you talk to, Carr either had a spectacular rookie season or a train wreck of a rookie season. I lean more towards the former, as I was impressed with the poise of the former 2^nd round draft pick. Derek Carr had arguably the worst weapons in the NFL last season, and even though the offense asked very little of him, he still shined at times. Don’t get me wrong, he has to improve his game a lot but it was a great start, and Oakland fans should be very happy with their young quarterback.

28. Blake Bortles

I am very excited for Blake Bortles in 2015. He looked great in the preseason, and seemingly is starting to put his tools together. His mechanics seemed greatly improved, and he was getting through his reads while also handling pressure from opposing defenses well. Granted, last year was really rough at times, and he needs to stick with these changes he’s made this offseason. I’m a fan of his, and hope to see him shoot up these rankings one day.

Tier 6 – You know what you have in these players, and it’s not good. These teams will not be able to win while starting these quarterbacks unless a miracle happens. A team with a QB in this tier should be actively looking to replace them.

29. Kirk Cousins

RGIII would have been ranked higher. It seems as if Washington really likes to stand in their own way. I don’t think RGIII would have had a very successful season with Washington, and a split between the two is definitely for the best, but this is Kirk Cousins we’re talking about. He’s the younger Josh McCown and that’s not a compliment to him. It’s going to be a long year in Washington.

30. Josh McCown

Oh boy. I am not a fan of Josh McCown as a starting NFL quarterback. I think he is a good backup, but you definitely don’t want him as your starter. He is not the same player he was for half a season with Chicago a couple years ago, and NFL teams seem blind to this fact. I’m very excited for the new and improved Johnny Manziel to start at some point this season though (which he will).

31. Brian Hoyer

This guy eventually lost his job to the 2014 version of Johnny Manziel. So basically what I’m saying is he’s not an ideal starting quarterback for an NFL team. On the bright side, next year’s QB class should be good though.

32. Tyrod Taylor

Tyrod Taylor intrigues me. I think he could be solid because he fits into what the Bills want to do on offense. Unfortunately he also has a very low floor and could get lit up by opposing defenses. So pick your poison Buffalo, pick your poison.

#DeflateGate

So the news today is that Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots, will not appeal. That means that he accepts the $1 million fine, and the loss of his 2016 1st round draft pick, and 2017 4th round draft pick. This has absolutely nothing to do with Brady's appeal, the expectation is that Brady will still appeal, and his suspension will probably be overturned to 2 games.

This all seems a little strange to me, as the initial reaction from the Patriots was an extraordinarily negative one, and that they were going to fight through the entire process. I think the media is missing something, because the initial reaction from Kraft and this decision don't add up. Unfortunately I think the situation isn't quite over yet, and there's going to be Deflate-Gate 2: Revenge of the Pats.

Offseason Outlook 2015: Miami Dolphins

Offense

What a difference an offseason makes. The Dolphins are coming in with a revamped roster, and a new swagger. Offensively, they will bank on Ryan Tannehill. He has a lot of differing opinions about him, but the truth is that he is a good quarterback. Not spectacular, but he was above average last year and he's still young so expect even more development. The running back situation relies almost solely on Lamar Miller this year, and he had a very underrated year so that isn't a bad situation to be in. I'm also a big believer in Jay Ajayi who was drafted in the 5th round this year by Miami, if he stays healthy he can be a terrific compliment to Miller. There was a lot of turnover for the Dolphins at the wide receiver position. Jarvis Landry is still going to be leading the pack, most likely playing out of the slot most of the year, but new additions in Kenny Stills, Greg Jennings and first round pick DeVante Parker make this an exciting and talented group. If the Dolphins get DeVante Parker to step up immediately, then look out rest of the NFL because this can be a very explosive offense. Parker has terrific hands and size so he will be a perfect red zone target for Tannehill. Speaking of red zone targets, the Dolphins also signed Jordan Cameron to a 2 year/$15 million deal to replace Charles Clay who they lost in free agency to the Bills. While Cameron doesn't exactly have Clay's flexibility, he could be a better asset in the passing game and for the development of Tannehill. On the offensive line, the Dolphins are in a tricky situation. Brandon Albert is healthy, which will have a huge impact on the Fins. They also have Mike Pouncey who is a good center, and Ja'Wuan James who showed real promise last year at tackle. The issue is that their guards on the roster are not good. There is no way around this, they lack talent at guard and it could hurt them once the year starts. That being said, don't let the lack of depth inside sway you from believing in this offense. It will produce, and most likely it will produce more then last year. I'm sure fans are happy about trading the ever so frustrating Mike Wallace as well, and the weapons for Tannehill look a lot better. There should be a lot of growth in this offense, and a top 10 offense is not out of the question. In fact, they finished 11th in points per game last year, a top 10 offense should be expected from this Dolphins team.

Defense

Ndamukong Suh. The big man on campus. His arrival brings a lot of excitement to an already talented Dolphins defense. Suh is an elite defensive tackle, and paired up with the Dolphins other elite defensive linemen in Cameron Wake, they should have no trouble in bringing the heat on opposing quarterbacks. Oliver Vernon, who is the DE opposite Wake, also showed a lot of promise last year, and could be even better this year. The Dolphins saw a bit of a transformation on defense this year too, as they traded Dannell Ellerbe and released Phillip Wheeler. They have Koa Misi at ILB, who was a quality starter last year, and Jelani Jenkins at weak side line backer who showed tremendous flashes but struggled with consistency. In the secondary, the Dolphins have a star cornerback in Brent Grimes. He can shut down the opponents number one wide receiver and is a very valuable asset for this Miami squad. The Dolphins also have Reshad Jones at safety who is a great player, and they re-signed Louis Delmas who will be a solid starter for them this year. They lack the depth at cornerback to have a shutdown secondary, as their second cornerback and slotback are both unproven players. This is a defense with a lot of star talent on it. There are some holes at cornerback and potentially linebacker, but if Wake, Suh, Grimes, and Jones play up to their potential, this defense will wreck havoc on opposing offenses. Expect them to end the year around the top ten in fewest points allowed per game as this is a talented squad, but there still are some questions.

This could be the year for the Dolphins. The Patriots are not looking as strong as reigning Super Bowl champions should look because of DeflateGate and Tom Brady is suspended. The AFC East is an incredibly tough division with all the roster moves every team has made, but the Dolphins were on the brink of a playoff berth last year, and one should be expected this year. It's still tough to bet against Brady and the Pats for the division, but a wildcard berth and a playoff win or two isn't completely out of the question for a young, talented Dolphins squad.

Offseason Outlook 2015: New England Patriots

Well after Deflategate, I figured I may as well look into the Patriots team. And even with some roster losses, it still looks pretty freaking awesome.

Offense

Yes, Tom Brady is suspended the first four (probably 2) games. That's irrelevant, the Patriots still have one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. When a team has an elite QB, they are going to have a potent offense no matter what. Luckily it's not just Brady, the Pats have some weapons too. Rob Gronkowski is the cream of the crop when it comes to New England. Gronk puts in work, and having that type of premier talent helps Brady (or Garoppolo) out big time. New England also signed Scott Chandler, and they have Timothy Wright, so TE depth is not an issue either. At wide receiver, Julian Edelman, Brandon LaFell, and Danny Amendola are the three that the Pats will be counting on. All three are solid wide receivers, with Edelman being the best of them, but nothing crazy should be expected out of them. New England has built a respectable offensive line. Nate Solder at left tackle, and Sebastian Vollmer at right tackle are a formidable duo. Inside is where they struggle. Brian Stork is very young and he could still end up being a good center, the recently drafted Tre' Jackson should help with the depth at guard, and Ryan Wendell is decent too. Josh Kline also put in a solid year last year, but he'll be monitored this year and possibly replaced if the time comes. At running back is where the Patriots have issues. This is a very, very thin group of unproven backs. It is led by LeGarrette Blount, who could be okay in an increased workload, but will start the season suspended. The depth is James White, Jonas Gray, Brandon Bolden, and Travaris Cadet. This group is unproven and unspectacular, but knowing Bill Belichick he will get 200 yard games from each of them at some point. The offense is still centred around Tom Brady, and it will rely on him until he retires, but we'll cross that bridge when we get there because right now the Pats offense looks threatening again, and should have no trouble being in the top 5 in points scored, like they have been for the past 5 years.

Defense

Bill Belichick has built one heck of a defense. The only real hole is at cornerback. The loss of Revis, Browner, and the releases of Dennard and Arrington hurt. Now the Patriots will rely on Super Bowl hero Malcolm Butler, Logan Ryan, and Bradley Fletcher to shut down opposing wide receivers. So that is pretty rough. The Pats front seven is deadly though. Vince Wilfork is another big loss, but they drafted Malcolm Brown to be an interior pass rusher, which is not really what Big Vince was for, but nonetheless he can be a difference maker inside. Their duo at DE is Rob Ninkovich and Chandler Jones who are both very good players. If Chandler Jones can stay healthy, expect a monstrous season out of the long armed pass rusher. They also signed Jabaal Sheard who I think will end up being the biggest bargain value in free agency. He'll be a great pass rusher, and can play the run well too. The scariest part about New England's defense is definitely their linebackers. Dont'a Hightower, Jerod Mayo (hopefully he can stay healthy), and Jamie Collins are all outstanding players and will be the difference in the Patriots having an okay defense, or an elite defense. Fortunately for the Pats they resigned their biggest priority this offseason. Not Darrelle Revis no, but Devin McCourty. He is the heart of that secondary, and he'll patrol center field for them making big plays and playing incredible football. This defense should see some regression, as they had big losses at cornerback and they lost Vince Wilfork too. Although that shouldn't worry Pats fans, as they are getting Jerod Mayo back for hopefully more then 6 games this year, and the development of their young linebackers and Chandler Jones should make up for some of the losses.

Pats fans are used to this, but an 11-12 win season should be expected again this year. The AFC East did get a lot stronger this offseason, and Tom Brady is suspended, but that won't be enough to keep them out of the playoffs. Eventually another team will win the AFC East, just not this year, especially after the offseason the Pats had with them being under investigation for Deflategate. Expect them to come out swinging this season.

The Patriot Way

This article is not about deflategate. Assuming Tom Brady's suspension holds, even though I doubt it will, he will miss a quarter of the season. If they go 0-4 (not saying they will just hypothetically) then that might be to much to come back from. So obviously losing Tom Brady hurts, but how does the team look with Garoppolo and how much of a downgrade is he from Brady?

The Patriots aren't in a horrible position right now contrary to what certain media members are implying. They have all offseason to prepare Jimmy Garoppolo to be Tom Brady's short-term replacement, and in limited time last year in the preseason and in relief of Brady for a handful of games he looked like a solid QB. It's a small sample size to analyze, but Bill Belichick is a smart coach, and Josh McDaniels is a terrific offensive coordinator, so they will put him in a situation to succeed. With that being said, Tom Brady has raised the level of play of every player around him for the past decade and a half, but Jimmy isn't Tom. So even though fans should be cautiously optimistic, there still should be the obvious expectation that the offense will drop off in some capacity. The exact drop off of talent from Brady to Garopollo is unknown at this point, but what can be analyzed is what should be expected in the first four games for the Patriots.

Pittsburgh Steelers @ New England Patriots: Thursday, September 10th, 2015
This will be the Patriots first test, but at least they have it at home. Facing Ben Roethlisberger is never an easy task, especially to open a season up. Luckily for the Patriots, the Steelers will be without their star running back Le'Veon Bell. The Steelers should be a good team this year, but this is a winnable game. The Steelers defense is still not back to an elite level, and even though they added some young talent in the draft, this is one of the better teams for Garoppolo and the Pats to launch their season with. Offensively, Pittsburgh will be a huge challenge. The loss of Darelle Revis will be tested early and often, as the Steelers have one of the best wide receivers in the NFL in Antonio Brown, and very few cornerbacks have the speed to keep up with him. I think this game ends up being close, as both of these historic franchises will come out swinging, but I predict the Patriots to come away with the win at home 27-23. (Yes I know it's way to early to predict scores, so complain if you will, but everybody else is doing their hot takes so I don't want to feel left out.)

New England Patriots @ Buffalo Bills: Sunday, September 20th, 2015
Wow so they have ten days between games. Just realized that. Theoretically this will be Garoppolo's last game because Brady will most likely win his appeal and get it down to two, so they can focus on this one game for 10 days, which is terrific for the Pats. Unfortunately for them, it is against a scary Buffalo Bills defense. The Bills are going to bring the heat in this game, especially under new head coach Rex Ryan who for some reason always plays the Patriots really hard. I think this will be a tough game for New England to win, and I actually have the Bills winning this in a tight game 17-16.

Jacksonville Jaguars @ New England Patriots: Sunday, September 27th, 2015
Like I said before, I am completely expecting Tom's suspension to be reduced to 2 games, but at this point it is 4 so let's look at the Jags game. The Jaguars are a young up and coming team (I go in depth on them in an offseason outlook article if you're interested) but on paper they still are no match for the Patriots even without Brady. Expect Gronk to have a big game here and for Bill Belichick to be too much to handle for the Jaguars. I'm giving the Pats a 27-17 win.

New England Patriots @ Dallas Cowboys: Sunday October 11th, 2015
The Patriots have a bye in week 4, so they face the Cowboys in week 5 which will be Brady's last game not playing if his suspension stands. On paper, this isn't a bad matchup. Dez Bryant will be a lot to handle for the Patriots, but apart from Dez, this is a pretty good game to not have Tom for. The Cowboys defense is slowly starting to take shape, but even though they have been drafting to fill needs on defense recently, they shouldn't strike fear in any team's hearts just yet. This is another great matchup for Gronkowski, as Dallas on paper at this point in the offseason has no linebacker, safety, or cornerback that can guard him. Garoppolo shouldn't be under too much pressure this game. Dallas has some good young defensive ends, but up the middle they are very thin. Dallas was not a good passing defense last year either, so expect Josh McDaniels to draw up some plays to attack them through the air from the get go. I expect Dallas to put up some points, but the Patriots will still be too much for them to handle as they win 24-23 in a close game.

If the Patriots can pull a 3-1 start to the season without Brady, then look out rest of the NFL. Bill Belichick has been lucky enough to have an elite QB for most of his coaching career, but that doesn't mean he can't win without one (*cough* Matt Cassel *Cough*). So even though part of me wants to predict wins for the Steelers and Cowboys over a Brady-less Patriots team, Belichick is too smart to not have something dangerous up his sleeve, and it should be expected from the rest of the NFL too.

The NFL Just Deflated The Patriots Balls

Wow. The hammer has been dropped, and it is heavy. The Patriots will be fined $1 million, they will lose their 1st round pick in 2016, 4th round pick in 2017 and on top of that Brady is suspended 4 games next year. The expectation is that Tom Brady will appeal and the suspension will be reduced to 2 games, but the loss of draft picks come as a shock. This in a sense is a bigger team loss then the Bountygate scandal the Saints had a few years ago as they lost two 2nd round picks among personnel suspensions and a fine of $500,000. This is a big blow although in a way it was expected. Although this just makes the Patriots scarier next year, once they get Brady back, they are still the team to beat and it seems like the NFL may have just poked the bear.