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Ranking the Four AFC South Starting Quarterbacks

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Ranking the Four AFC South Starting Quarterbacks
31 Mar

When scouring over the landscape of NFL teams and their starting quarterbacks going into 2015, few divisions are more interesting than the AFC South. Andrew Luck is the only locked-in starter inside the division that scares NFL defenses, while it’s possible that three of the AFC South’s teams could be directed by signal callers with a year or less of starting experience. The point? Luck and his Indianapolis Colts could yet again feast on the AFC South if these other young passers can’t find a way to quickly progress.

Let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves, though. First, let’s rank the top starting quarterbacks from the four AFC South squads as we countdown the days to the new 2015 NFL season:

4. Blake Bortles (Jacksonville Jaguars)

Bortles had flashes of solid play as a rookie, but overall struggled during a rocky rookie season that involved a lot of turnovers and losses. Bortles exhibited the mobility and arm strength that got him selected as the #3 overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, but he struggled with reads, concepts and decision-making. His division is soft on paper and it may not take much to see him take a huge jump, especially given the massive upgrades in talent around him – the team drafted running back T.J. Yeldon and signed tight end Julius Thomas.

It’s anyone’s guess if the added talent and extra year in Jacksonville’s system will give Bortles the time he needs to develops, but it’s certainly possible. However, until we see that steady progress, he’s cemented into the bottom of our 2015 AFC South quarterback rankings.

3. Marcus Mariota (Tennessee Titans)

Mariota is adjusting from a spread system to an NFL offense, which means he could face a lengthy and rough transition to snaps under center and connecting with wide receivers he’s never played with. We know he can hit on quick, short throws and execute in a system that is largely mapped out, but can Mariota read NFL defenses, make key adjustments and make intermediate and deep throws on a consistent basis? No one can know just yet, but the word on the street already is quite good, as Mariota seems to have a better understanding of the pro game that many believed he would. That’s giving him the early edge on incumbent starter Zach Mettenberger, who is a rock in the pocket in terms of mobility, but can really sling it.

Mariota will have a learning curve, but he was a dominant college player and has the athleticism to get himself out of jams. That won’t get him a stout ranking among passers in the AFC South just yet, but he’s also not dead last.

2. Brian Hoyer (Houston Texans)

Hoyer has jumped in front of Ryan Mallett for the time being, and due to knowing Bill O’Brien’s system and being the more cerebral passer of the two, appears to have a minor leg up in the quarterback competition. Mallett easily has his competition beat when it comes to arm strength, but Hoyer proved last year that he can help his team get wins when he has a solid defense and a strong running game around him. He did fizzle out in Cleveland down the stretch last year, but it’s at least arguable now that Hoyer gives the Texans their best chance to compete in 2015. That may not get them to the playoffs, but it does get Hoyer into second place in our AFC South quarterback rankings.

1. Andrew Luck (Indianapolis Colts)

This isn’t a competition and even if it were, only a handful of passers in the entire league could rival Luck. As it stands, he’s leaps and bounds above the rest of the passers in the AFC South, and his 2014 numbers tell you all you need to know. Luck played his best football to date, as he fired in a career high 40 touchdowns and over 4,700 passing yards, while adding another three scores on the ground. Easily one of the more dynamic players in the league thanks to his ability to kill defenses with his arm or legs, Luck is near the top of the league and the scary part is he’s only going to get better. That means good things for the Colts, who have made the playoffs every year he’s been under center, and even advanced to the AFC title game in 2014. For the AFC South and the rest of the league, that’s obviously bad news.

Think this order is messed up? Spin us your logic in the comments below!

Top 5 NCAA Football Games to Watch For in 2015

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Top 5 NCAA Football Games to Watch For in 2015
31 Mar

The 2014 NCAA football season was a blast, as fans got to see the first ever College Football Playoff go down. Year two comes in 2015, as numerous teams have title aspirations and a litany of NFL-bound stars will grace the field trying to prove their worth as they try to lead their team to the promised land.

Needless to say, college football fans are in for several marquee matchups that should yield plenty of star players and some gritty play. We’ve narrowed an exciting schedule down to five must-see college football games that, for one reason or another, die hard NCAA football fans won’t want to miss out on. The crazy part? These killer games come before bowl season even starts:

Texas Longhorns @ Notre Dame Fighting Irish (Sep. 5th)

Charlie Strong is trying to build the prestigious Longhorns back into a contender and Brian Kelly is aiming for the next positive step towards a national title. It’s possible neither make it happen in 2015, but this is a battle everyone will want to see. The craziest part is this is a huge game for college football in general, as these two sides haven’t graced the same field in almost 20 years (1996).

Wisconsin Badgers vs. Alabama Crimson Tide – Cowboys Classic in Texas (Sep. 5th)

This game is played on a neutral field and jumps out off the schedule for two reasons: these are two very good teams from arguably the two best conferences in the nation and this is also a matchup we just don’t see very often. The Badgers run the ball as good as anyone in the country and could have a defense to mess with the Crimson Tide. On the flip side, if the Badgers can’t attack Alabama’s studly defense through the air, this one could be a blowout. Fans from both sides are going to be very interested to see how these two play each other and this could go down as one of the better games of the year if everything breaks right.

Alabama Crimson Tide @ Georgia Bulldogs (Oct. 3rd)

Here are the Crimson Tide again, who figure to be in the running for the nation’s best team. Naturally, Alabama has one of the best coaches and best systems in the nation, and they’re typically always a threat to make a run for the title. We could have this entire top-five list consist of their top games, but that’d get a tad boring. Instead, this battle with the hated Bulldogs should come in as their most-hyped SEC battle (slightly above a clash with the Auburn Tigers). Not only do these teams hate each other, but this could be a preview of the SEC championship and should boast two elite teams that could easily be undefeated coming into this showdown.

USC Trojans @ Oregon Ducks (Nov. 21st)

If the Ducks or Trojans want to vie for the NCAA title in 2015 they’ll have to beat each other up first. USC has dominated this conference rivalry throughout history (37-19-2), but the Ducks have been by far the better team over the past several years. The Trojans obviously want to return to their previous elite level, though, and the best way to do that is to take down one of the best teams in the nation in the Ducks. It’s extra sugar on top that Oregon is a hated rival.

Ohio State Buckeyes @ Michigan Wolverines (Nov. 28th)

Is there a better matchup on the 2015 college football schedule than Ohio State and Michigan? Even when these two teams aren’t playing elite football the rivalry and heat brought into this matchup generally still makes for entertaining football. It’s going to be as heated as ever with Urban Meyer leading Cardale Jones and a Buckeyes team that won the title a year ago against Jim Harbaugh and his band of misfits. The Wolverines may not be ready to compete at Ohio State’s level just yet, but Harbaugh is as fiery as they come on the sidelines and should have his team ready to try to shock the world.

Think another college football showdown belongs in our top-five or want to rank them for us? Hit us up with some logic in the comments below!

Ranking the Four AFC West Starting Quarterbacks

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The AFC West is a lot more competitive than people give it credit for and in 2015, the growth of the Oakland Raiders just might make it the deepest division in the NFL. That might be a slight reach, but the rise of Derek Carr could come this season after the former Fresno State product made solid strides as a rookie in 2014. Of course, Carr still can’t hold a candle to the legendary Peyton Manning, who is back yet again to make one last Super Bowl run with the Denver Broncos.

In a division that clearly has the old and young at the quarterback position, something may have to break eventually. Manning and Carr aren’t the only two signal callers in the AFC West, though, so let’s get to know the division a little bit better by ranking the four starters at arguably the most important position in the AFC West:

4. Derek Carr (Oakland Raiders)

One could make a case for Carr to be pushed one spot higher in these AFC West quarterback rankings, but that ultimately would have more to do with pure talent and upside than what he’s done in the NFL to this point. Carr definitely had real flashes of greatness in his rookie season, when he put up 21 touchdowns to just 12 interceptions. Carr didn’t hurt himself in year one and wasn’t really the main reason Oakland failed in 2014, but he also wasn’t the reason they succeeded often enough, either. Carr has good size, great arm strength and better pocket presence than advertised, so the sky appears to be the limit for him as he gets ready for his second year in the league. While his talent and potential are exciting, we still need to see more. For now, he’s stuck at the four spot behind three more proven passers.

3. Alex Smith (Kansas City Chiefs)

Smith has maximized his ability under Andy Reid in Kansas City, as he lacks major arm strength but in this system can roam free and kill defenses with his accuracy and athleticism. Smith has been at his best with the Chiefs and in two seasons has proven that his game managing style is plenty good enough to lead a franchise. That being said, Smith has only moderate high level success in his career and has major physical limitations in the passing game. He could prove some doubters wrong now that he has Jeremy Maclin at his disposal, but for now he doesn’t touch what Philip Rivers and Peyton Manning bring to the table.

2. Philip Rivers (San Diego Chargers)

Rivers proved yet again in 2014 that he’s a total baller that can beat anyone in any given week. Rivers helped the Chargers to a hot start early in the year and even played a flawless game in a big win over the Seattle Seahawks. Rivers has always been held back by mediocre talent around him, but gives it everything he has on a weekly basis. Turnovers ended up being a big issue for him again in 2014, but he’ll head into 2015 looking to get the Bolts back into the playoffs. He’s far and away the second best passer inside this division, but he still doesn’t quite hold a candle to the great one – Peyton Manning.

1. Peyton Manning (Denver Broncos)

Manning has only one Super Bowl win under his belt, but he has all of the important records and is easily the most prolific and most cerebral passer the game has ever seen. Longevity and effectiveness continue to go hand in hand for the 39-year old quarterback, as he enters 2015 as good as ever between the ears. Manning suffered through a leg injury that hindered his performance down the stretch late last year, but was otherwise his normal elite self through the first 12 weeks. He’s lost some bite on his deep ball, but the placement, timing and accuracy are all still there. As long as he’s healthy going into 2015, this isn’t a close call. He’s still king of the AFC West and one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, in general.

Think we got the order wrong? Let us hear who should be #1 in the comments below!

Clippers Unveil New Logo For 2015-16 Season

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The 5 Worst Playoff Collapses in NBA History
31 Mar

The Los Angeles Clippers have been taking some serious steps forward as they try to get closer and closer to being a legit NBA title contender. Changing owners last year was one big move, as it helped team morale after decades of dealing with the controversial Donald Sterling. The team itself took their game to a new level during this year’s playoffs, too, as they topped the defending champion San Antonio Spurs in round one and were one win from advancing to their first Western Conference Finals in team history.

With the positive change lately, new Clippers owner Steve Ballmer clearly has his sights set on using it to better the team. He’s taken the initiative himself, as he’s reportedly hitting the streets to help market the team’s bold new re-branding of sorts. While the Clippers arguably already had a slick looking logo (see it here), Ballmer and co. went for a more modern look with a big letter C encasing L.A.

Bad History

Ballmer has reportedly been trying to pull off some type of rebranding ever since taking over the Clippers two years ago, and his vision is finally coming to life. Thanks to a dark history that involved Sterling and a whole lot of losing, Ballmer could be correct in assuming the Los Angeles players and fans could be receptive to a fresh start.

“Let’s face facts,” Ballmer said while appearing on Conan O’Brien’s late night show to promote the rebranding, “You look at the history of the Clippers, it’s not a happy history.”

The big concern, of course, should be whether or not the direction Ballmer and the Clippers went in was the right one.

Good Change?

A case can be made that L.A.’s old logo and jerseys were just fine, although some felt that the cursive writing of the logo on the jerseys were out-dated. The new logo is certainly different, but lacks any real flash and comes off as generic. In fact, there have been ties to it looking like it came straight out of the 2006 NBA Live video game, while it’s worth noting that if you’re not paying attention you might confuse it with the Chicago Cubs logo.

Ballmer and the Clippers did more than give the logo a face-lift, though, as they also added alternative jerseys for L.A. to use. The red jersey looks just as slick, if not better, as their old red jersey, but the black jersey is a total miss.

While the new logo and jerseys are somewhat questionable, it’s nice to see the Clippers moving on from their old look and trying new looks. Even more important is what Ballmer is trying to do in general, and that’s distance this current rendition of the L.A. Clippers from a team that lost regularly and got used to it. New jerseys and a different logo won’t make or break the Clippers, but it could provide a refreshing feeling as they go into the 2015-16 NBA season and try to pick up where they left off last year.

Love or hate the new Clippers logo? Tell us in the comments below!

Johnny Manziel Ditches Money Sign Celebration

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Predicting the Top NFL Quarterback Battles
31 Mar

The summer is used for NFL rookies to get affiliated with their new teams, new free agents to find their role in new cities and veterans to establish the type of chemistry that will last for an entire year. While all of that is going down, Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel is just trying to grow up.

After a rookie season where the troubled former Texas A&M star quarterback started just two games and did little to impress, Manziel had to know he was on thin ice with the Cleveland Browns. That may have been a huge reason why he spent over a month at a rehab clinic for unspecified reasons. But regardless of why, Manziel seems to finally be on the right track as training camp slowly approaches.

The latest sign that the second-year pro finally has his mind right? He’s ditching the controversial “money hands” touchdown celebration. Fans only got to see it in preseason play and one time on a touchdown run against the Buffalo Bills during the regular season, but the clearly wiser Manziel has decided to “retire” the much-hated (and also much-loved) celebration.

“The money sign will not be back”, Manziel confessed in a recent interview. “I will not be making it”.

Whether Cleveland’s coaching staff or front office suggested the money hands celebration to hang’em up or it was Manziel’s own idea, it may be a sign of maturation that Manziel is ready to move on from childish antics that aren’t necessarily becoming of a professional, successful NFL franchise passer.

So, what does it all mean? On the surface, it could mean that “Money Manziel” is no longer a thing and that the darkness that was previously hanging over the man the nation has come to know as Johnny Football may finally be lifted permanently.

It’s too early to tell if all of the would-be positive changes Manziel has processed will lead to better production on the field or if he’ll even get a true chance to prove himself. For now, Manziel is just a wide-eyed backup behind starter Josh McCown. He still doesn’t have the offense completely down and by all accounts has quite a ways to go in the next two months before he could give McCown even the slightest of pushes.

Ditching the money sign flash is a step in the right direction, though, and one Manziel absolutely needed to make. His persona was a colorful and entertaining one, but it was also one of a brash party boy who had little regard for himself or anyone else. That’s not the mark of a very good person and it certainly isn’t the foundation in which to build a long, successful NFL career. The fact that Manziel has realized that and is trying to do the right things speaks volumes. Now we can let his play do the rest of the talking.

Think Money Manziel’s disappearing act is a tease and Johnny Football is destined to be a bust? Let us hear your thoughts in the comments below!

LeBron James and the Top 5 NBA Superstars

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LeBron James and the Top 5 NBA Superstars
31 Mar

It’s possible LeBron James could be the MVP of the 2015 NBA Finals even if his Cleveland Cavaliers don’t win the title. He’s simply been that good. King James did look to wear down with only 20 points in a game four loss, but he stormed back to score 40 points for the second time in this series (fourth time with 30+), along with yet another triple double in game five. After the game five loss, James expressed confidence in his ability to lead the Cavs to the title because he’s “the best player in the world”.

Arrogant? For sure. Accurate? Probably.

That arrogant, yet truthful answer got us to wondering; is James in fact the best basketball player in the world right now, and even if it’s just that easy, who comes close to making him anything less than the king of the NBA? We decided to find out by ranking what we perceive to be the top five players in the NBA today:

5. Blake Griffin, PF, Los Angeles Clippers

I’ll take votes for Anthony Davis, Russell Westbrook, Chris Paul and many others. But after LeBron James, was there really anyone better in the playoffs this year? Griffin tired out and the Clips ended up losing in round two despite having a 3-1 lead over the Houston Rockets, but he was a constant triple-double machine and was scoring at a career rate. He’s only improved over the past two years, to the point where he has a consistent jumper and can even hit a three when needed. Griffin is still putting his game together, but he still has even more upside to be tapped into and we got a glimpse of it during this year’s playoffs.

4. James Harden, SG, Houston Rockets

As great as Griffin is, few are as explosive as Harden, who put the Rockets on his back all year despite having to play about half of the season without an injured Dwight Howard. Harden did more than that, though, as he showed up big time when the Rockets stormed back from a 3-1 series hole in round two and even gave the Warriors some tough fights in the Western Conference Finals. Harden is easily one of the game’s top scorers and is an automatic free throw shooter who can get to the line at will. He even improved defensively this year and could get even better before the 2015-16 NBA season rolls around.

3. Kevin Durant, SF, Oklahoma City Thunder

I will hear the argument that Westbrook belongs in this spot due to Durant missing a large portion of the season with lingering foot woes. He just wasn’t himself this year even when he was on the court, but he’s otherwise been a complete stud throughout his career. He’s probably second to LeBron James overall, but with a down season, he slides into the third spot.

2. Stephen Curry, PG, Golden State Warriors

Can you really knock on the league’s MVP? Not only does he have that awesome hardware, but he also helped the Warriors to the league’s best record and top seed, and proceeded to nail ridiculous shots at such a rate that they seemed routine. Curry holds the NBA record for three’s made in a season (a record he’s broken twice now) and has proven yet again during these NBA Finals that he’s one of the toughest covers in the league. In fact, an argument can be made that the only thing that can really stop him is himself.

1. LeBron James, SF, Cleveland Cavaliers

Shocked? You shouldn’t be. It’s true that the chosen one hasn’t live up to expectations of a Michael Jordan (six titles), but James has won two NBA championships, has been to six NBA Finals series and right now is carrying a fairly average Cavs roster on his back. Not only is Cleveland still within striking distance of their first ever title, but James has powered them this far without Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving. He’s not just getting by on scraps, either, as he’s put up monstrous numbers across the board. Beyond this series, James is probably the best player we’ve ever seen from a physical perspective and at 30 years old, he’s yet to exit his prime.

Think someone else deserves the top spot over James? Let us hear who you think is the best NBA player in the world in the comments below!

Posted in NBA

Ranking the Four AFC North Starting Quarterbacks

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It’s mid-June, so we continue to count the days until NFL games hit the schedule. The real ones don’t come for quite a while yet, but we’re already back to seeing some of our favorite names hitting the field in August when the preseason action starts. Because of that, it’s time to start processing things for the new season.

To get us primed for another great year of pro football action, we’re taking a look at each division and seeing how each team’s starting quarterback stacks up against the competition. This time we’re onto the AFC North. Let’s break down their top passers and see who is the cream of the crop of one of the more competitive divisions in all of football:

4. Josh McCown (Cleveland Browns)

This will be the journeyman’s first season in the AFC North, and it could easily end up being his last, as well. The 35-year old McCown gets a chance to lead a rising Browns squad back to the playoffs, but will have to do so in a very tough and competitive division. McCown looked like a reborn passer with the Chicago Bears in 2013, but regressed back to his career mean in a forgettable 2014 season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

It’s possible he’s not even the guy under center in the end, as the troubled Johnny Manziel could finally have it together enough to take over Cleveland’s starting quarterback job. For now, though, it’s McCown, and very little he has done to this point should give anyone much confidence he’ll be anything more than average for the Browns. Because of that, he’s without a doubt at the bottom of the AFC North quarterback rankings heading into 2015.

3. Andy Dalton (Cincinnati Bengals)

Head coach Marvin Lewis pretty much admitted Dalton is what he is at this point, as he suggested it’d be more difficult to try to find a new passer that is better than try to work around Dalton’s weaknesses. There are quite a few of them (weak arm and failure to come up big in clutch moments), but Dalton has put up decent stats and for better or worse has helped his Bengals to the playoffs in all four of his NFL seasons. He has enough talent to work with to make it a fifth this year, but he’s overall a fairly pedestrian talent. He also hasn’t won a Super Bowl like the two guys ahead of him in this division, so his spot at #3 overall is cemented for now.

2. Joe Flacco (Baltimore Ravens)

Flacco has been nothing if not consistent, as he’s limited turnovers and produced winning records throughout his career with the Ravens. He also had an elite run during Baltimore’s Super Bowl run in 2012 and was clutch in a big Super Bowl in over the 49ers. He’s never been a stat machine and he seemed to regress in 2013, but he turned things around last year again and seems like a legit franchise passer. Despite not always putting up the best numbers, Flacco looks the part, as he has a cannon for an arm and a very solid pocket presence. If the Ravens were a team that threw the ball 600+ times a game every year, we might look at him a little differently, and possibly in a positive fashion. That being said, he’s probably still not the top dog in the division.

1. Ben Roethlisberger (Pittsburgh Steelers)

The crown belongs to Big Ben, who has claimed two Super Bowl titles and has put up better numbers across the board than any other passer in the AFC North. He’s had numerous tight battles with the #2 man, Joe Flacco, and he’s kept the Steelers in the playoff hunt for the majority of his career. It only makes sense for Roethlisberger to still be atop the division, as he’s the oldest starting quarterback in the AFC North and has every other passer beat statistically, both for his career and with his career best season performances. With studs like Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown still around him, the 33-year old gunslinger just might be as good as he ever has been right now.

Think the order is jacked up? Give us your AFC North quarterback rankings in the comments below!

2015 NBA Free Agency: Bucks Looking at Brook Lopez and Tyson Chandler

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2015 NBA Free Agency: Bucks Looking at Brook Lopez and Tyson Chandler
31 Mar

There is bound to be a lot of movement during the 2015 NBA free agency period. Several of the big names will wait to option out of deals for the 2016 summer (when max contracts will be the biggest we’ve ever seen), but others may see this summer as the best time to jump ship. Some players have expiring deals, want to get out of bad situations, or simply see themselves finding the best long-term deal now rather than trying to wait it out for another year.

There are probably too many players to track with how NBA rumors fly around, but we’re starting to hear team’s plans start to come to fruition. One of those teams is the Milwaukee Bucks, who already dipped their hand in the NBA player transaction pool yesterday when they traded away forward Ersan Ilyasova. The Ilyasova trade looks small on paper, but it freed up some cash and also allows Jabari Parker a clear path to big minutes in his second season, when he returns from a torn ACL next year.

Of course, the Bucks look to be a team on the rise during the 2015-16 NBA season, as head coach Jason Kidd already helped get them to the playoffs in his first season at the helm and will surely be aiming to advance to round two next year. To do that, they’ll need to work to upgrade in at least one very obvious spot this summer: center.

Trading Ersan Ilysova didn’t just free up a little bit of cash. It gave the Bucks $23 million extra to play with, which may convince them to finally land a true center they can work with. Larry Sanders is out of the mix and was a headcase, and as solid as Zaza Pachulia was at times last year, he just isn’t the answer.

For the moment, that puts two quality NBA centers front and center: Brook Lopez and Tyson Chandler.

The Case For Tyson Chandler

Chandler played with Kidd in Dallas and New York and enters free agency with his deal with the Mavericks ending. With Dallas having eyes for Los Angeles Clippers big man DeAndre Jordan, it’s entirely possible Chandler may follow the money this off-season. That didn’t work out for him last time with the Knicks, but he’s already won a championship and may be excited about the opportunity to work with Kidd again. He doesn’t bring much to the table offensively and could slowly be exiting his prime, but he’s still a defensive stopper than can win on the glass.

On paper, Chandler is a win for a young, defensive Bucks team. Milwaukee thrives on defense first and with Chandler locking down the post, they’d suddenly be a complete defensive team and would then simply have to figure out how to produce more consistent offense.

The Case For Brook Lopez

Lopez could solve the latter issue where Chandler can’t, as Lopez proved during the playoffs and down the stretch this past regular season that when a team runs it’s offense through him, it usually works out for the better. Lopez has his own downside as a negative defender who can block shots but doesn’t hit the boards consistently and loses his man too often. That being said, Kidd coached him during the 2013-14 NBA season with the Brooklyn Nets, and while they didn’t necessarily have an awesome relationship, there could be enough of a connection there to build from.

Both centers could work, but if Lopez can stay healthy (a huge problem for him in the past) and is willing to work to become a better defender, he’s far and away the better choice. Lopez would first have to opt out of his current deal with the Nets, not have a serious rift with Kidd and be okay with playing in a vastly smaller market.

If all of that works for Lopez, he could suddenly be the first or second option on a young and rising team, whereas a strong argument can be made that his Nets are aging and regressing rapidly.

Whether the Bucks go with Lopez or Chandler or just skip both remains to be seen, but they badly need to address the center position if they’re going to make any real progress next season. The top teams across the league have consistency at the center position, whether it be offensively or defensively and Milwaukee needs to find their way in that group as soon as possible if they want to keep climbing the ladder.

Think Lopez is the pick? Chandler should be the guy? Neither of these guys will work? Let us know in the comments below!

2015 NBA Finals Preview and Predictions

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Why You Can't Help But Love Stephen Curry
31 Mar

The 2015 NBA Finals are finally here, as Thursday gives us game one between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors. It’s a very interesting series at first glance, with the Western Conference offering up the best team and the #1 overall seed and the Eastern Conference pushing a Cavs team that proved through the playoffs they were the true #1 seed in their conference.

In a very real sense, this is a battle of the two best teams in the league. The Cavs and Warriors wasted little time getting to the league’s title game, as the two lost five games combined in these playoffs, with Golden State losing just one game at home. Of course, when two dominant teams meet each other in the final series of the year, something naturally has to break. Let’s analyze this matchup from every possible angle and come away with a predicted winner of this year’s NBA Finals:

Who Wants it More?

The Warriors haven’t won a title in 40 years and Cleveland never has, so it’s safe to say it’s pretty close. Of course, winning a very long time ago pales in comparison to never winning at all, so the Cavs will want this more. Of course, wanting isn’t always having.

Season Series

Cleveland and Golden State split their two games during the regular seasons (1-1), with both teams taking care of business at home. If that’s how the Finals go, the Warriors would win in seven games. Odds are it’ll go down a little differently, while the Warriors are the better team both at home and on the road.

Path to the Finals

Cleveland has been more impressive technically, as they have two sweeps during the playoffs and lost just two games to Golden State’s three. Of course, they also faced a weak Boston Celtics in round one and swept probably one of the worst #1 seeds ever in the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference Finals. So, sure, on the surface, the Cavs’ path to the Finals has been more impressive. Golden State got here in the tougher Western Conference, though, as they moved past the Pelicans, Grizz, and Rockets.

Coaching Edge

Is there an edge when it comes to coaching? If we’re talking experience, it’s not even close. David Blatt has years overseas and he’s even won titles. However, both Blatt and Steve Kerr are rookies, so it’s a borderline tie. That being said, Golden State’s Kerr has a better coaching staff, with Alvin Gentry as a headlining act. The Warriors might have the slight edge here, while Kerr has also been a total master when it comes to roster and in-game management.

Stephen Curry vs. LeBron James

Which star is bigger in this series? Who has more pressure? Who is easier to stop? The answers are: equal, James, and neither can probably be stopped. I think both could have their way in this series, but if one is going to struggle it’s going to be James. Not only is there easily more pressure on him (weight of that of a city, and all), but he’s also a one-man wrecking crew now that Kevin Love is down and Kyrie Irving is far less than 100%.

Biggest X-Factor?

J.R. Smith is easily the biggest x-factor for the Cavs and for the Warriors it’s got to be Andrew Bogut. Bogut has been solid on the boards and has blocked shots at a solid rate, but he can’t suddenly come up lame – or even worse – get hurt. He needs to own Timofey Mozgov just as he should and also keep Tristan Thompson off the offensive boards. For Cleveland, they need to be sure to help James offensively and a lot of that is going to come down to the floor spacers knocking down open jumpers. Smith is the key guy here, as he’s rather streaky at times. He’ll be good for 1-2 big games, but for the Cavs to win this series he might need 3-4 of them.

The Verdict?

The odds (quite literally) say the Warriors win this, and it might not even be close. I personally badly want that to be the case, but there is a methodic marching from these Cleveland Cavaliers. Even with Love down and the rest of his team looking like a fairly weak supporting cast, something tells me LeBron James simply won’t be denied. The Warriors are great and could easily win in five or six, but they have a rookie head coach and have never been here before. This is the fifth straight Finals appearance for James, and sixth in his career. That experience and James’ drive could be the ticket.

Think the Warriors are destined to win it all? Tell us why in the comments below!

Ranking the Four AFC East Starting Quarterbacks

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Ranking the Four AFC East Starting Quarterbacks
31 Mar

The 2015 NFL season is now just two months away from starting, as we can smell the preseason and before long we’ll be talking Super Bowl predictions and getting serious about fantasy football. As we count the days, a fun exercise is to break down rosters by ranking the top players at the most important positions. To get the ball rolling, we’ll break down the top four quarterbacks by division and rank them.

We’ll get started with the AFC East, where the defending Super Bowl champs reside, along with three very interesting teams that just might be able to challenge them for the first time in a long time. They all seem to have the defenses, coaching and/or supporting cast on offense to mix things up, but do they have the quarterbacks? Let’s break them all down and see how the four starting quarterbacks rank in the AFC East for 2015:

Tom Brady (New England Patriots)

Tom Brady is currently slated to serve a four-game suspension to start 2015, but he’s still New England’s main man under center and that ban could end up being overturned or reduced. That puts Tom Terrific atop the AFC East, even at almost 38 years old (in August). Brady had a slow start to 2014, but after tight end Rob Gronkowski returned to full strength he was borderline unstoppable. He capped a solid year with an MVP performance in his fourth Super Bowl win and despite his age, has lost very little when it comes to his skill-set. If this suspension sticks, he could come back angrier than ever with a serious chip on his shoulder. That’s the last thing the AFC East or the league in general needs.

Ryan Tannehill (Miami Dolphins)

It’s Brady and then Tannehill in this division, and it’s not even close. Tannehill has done well to improve in each of his three seasons, as the once raw passing prospect has developed into a very solid NFL starter. Tannehill put up career numbers in 2014, got a win against the Pats and just got paid this summer. With no real obstacles in his way, a good offensive system and a solid band of receivers around him, Tannehill could soar to new heights in year four. That could very well make the Dolphins New England’s top competition inside the division and everything rolled together makes Tannehill the locked-in #2 quarterback behind Brady.

Geno Smith (New York Jets)

Smith gets the third spot in these AFC East quarterback rankings pretty much by default, while he does have the talent, upside and weapons to rise to second if he finally figures everything out. A big quarterback with a solid arm and good athleticism, Smith’s real knock over his first two years has been decision-making. Smith has had some gem performances (vs. Falcons in 2014 and season finale in 2015), but he’s had a litany of poor showings, as well. He now has Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker as more than suitable weapons in the passing game and he’s running out of excuses. The talent is there for him to make a huge jump in year three, but only time will tell if Smith is the answer under center for the Jets.

Matt Cassel (Buffalo Bills)

Being worse than Geno Smith isn’t fun, but the Bills don’t really have a quarterback. You could pick from Cassel, E.J. Manuel or Tyrod Taylor and none of them make you think “yep, he’s better” when you compare then to Geno Smith. Cassel is a solid game manager but better suited as a backup, Manuel is too raw and Taylor has zero experience. Taylor could possibly be a hidden gem that shocks the league this year, but for now it looks like this is Cassel’s job to lose. With the Bills fully expected to lean heavily on the rushing attack and a good defense, Cassel could work well as the starter if he doesn’t make mistakes and plays within the offense. He offers almost no upside, though, and could end up being replaced at some point this year. Because of all that, there’s no way we can rank Cassel or any other Bills quarterback higher in this four-man totem pole.

Think these rankings are all jacked up? Re-rank them for us in the comments below!