Category: NFL

Is Michael Vick a future Hall of Famer?

Keith Allison from Baltimore, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Will Michael Vick be cast into Canton?

By: Jake Rajala

The college football god, Madden cheat code, and the former dazzling dual-threat quarterback in the NFL, Michael Vick, officially hung up his cleats in the 2015 off-season. It wasn’t clear that Vick was special when he entered the league in his rookie season, but he was clearly on another level in his sophomore campaign (2,936 passing yards, 16 passing touchdowns to 8 interceptions, 777 rushing yards, and 8 rushing TDs). Vick was second in MVP voting (behind Peyton Manning) in 2004 by way of 2,313 passing yards, 14 passing touchdowns, a whopping 902 rushing yards, and leading his team to an 11-4 record.

It was well-noted that Vick caught the wrong type of spotlight for his role in dogfighting in the year 2007. He was given a tough sentence of 548 days in prison for his crime.

After his jail sentence, the former Falcons QB returned to a new team that still had a bird logo, the Philadelphia Eagles. He was the Eagles backup QB to Donovan McNabb in 2009, but he rose to become the Eagles QB1 in 2010. In the year that Apple released the iPad Tablet computer, Vick impressively and inspiringly won Comeback Player of The Year.

Vick also shined in the 2011 season (589 rushing yards, 3,303 passing yards, 18 passing touchdowns) and ousted modest numbers in 10 games the following season (2,362 passing yards, 12 passing TDs, and 332 rushing yards in 10 games). Although, it was clear that he lost his spark and ability to stay healthy after 2012. The left-handed QB didn’t start more than six contests in 2013, 2014, and 2015.

With that said, it was clear that Vick enjoyed the true definition of a roller-coaster NFL career. A fascinating, pivotal question surrounds the retired QB: Is Vick a future Hall of Famer?

I wholeheartedly believe that the former Falcons QB with an exciting playing style and inspiring comeback story should eventually be inducted into the HOF. He wasn’t the most prolific passing QB, but he holds the record for the most career rushing yards. Furthermore, it should be noted that he’s had numerous ungodly seasons. He may not have a Super Bowl ring, but neither does Tony Romo (who is also a HOF lock in my opinion). I’d also like to point out that Romo had seven quality seasons and Vick had six superb all-around seasons. Vick may be overly critical of his HOF chances, but I foresee the NFL figure that re-designed the QB spot giving a HOF acceptance speech and being cast into football heaven.

Is Anquan Boldin a future Hall of Famer?

Will Anquan Boldin be cast into Canton?

By: Jake Rajala

The gutsy and clutch wide receiver Anquan Bolden had one of the most unique NFL journies from the wide receiver position of all time. He entered the NFL in 2003 and it was safe to say he hit the ground running by hauling in 101 catches, 1,377 yards, and 8 touchdowns. His efforts in his rookie campaign led him to win Offensive Rookie of The Year.

Boldin flashed six more seasons of 1,000+ receiving yards (including four seasons of 1,100+ receiving yards) and most importantly: he won Super Bowl XLVII with a levitated Joe Flacco. It’s well-noted that Bold was a stud in the big dance by way of recording 104 yards and a TD. With that said, there is an intriguing, pivotal question surrounding the former Ravens WR: Is Boldin a future Hall of Famer?

I sincerely believe that Boldin is bound to make it into Canton. He may not have had an All-Pro season, but his insane level of consistent, quality play mixed with Super Bowl gold should place him in Canton. He sits at 14th all-time in receiving yards (which is ahead of Andre Reed, Steve Largent, and Torry Holt) & ninth in receptions ever.

Boldin was dubbed a HOF semi-finalist in his first season of eligibility last season. That’s undoubtedly a great sign that he should continue to climb the ladder in respect among HOF voters. The former scrappy WR that is willing to join the Cardinals ring of honor if asked, should soon find himself wearing a gold jacket and standing next to the likes of Jerry Rice in football heaven.

It’s guaranteed that former Arizona Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald will link arms with his brother in Canton after he officially retires.

Why the New York Giants can win the NFC East

All-Pro Reels from District of Columbia, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Who will win the NFC East?

By: Nathan Nguyen

Big Blue may not make the Super Bowl this year (like they did in 2011). But, even with all the circumstances last night, they pulled off the 20-12 win over the Chicago Bears. It’s safe to say all three stages of the game made their mark on Sunday, and we’re going to break it down right now.

Let’s face it: the New York Giants do not need a quarterback.

Okay, that may be an overreaction.

Daniel Jones was obviously the starter at quarterback heading into the season. The same was the case against Chicago. He played well, even if he only threw for 87 yards. Call him Daniel Allen or Daniel Jackson, because his arm isn’t the only thing that can give defenses headaches.

You would think Chicago’s defense would adjust and prevent that from happening again. Well…

Yup, this team is a running team. Personally, I don’t blame coach Daboll for relying on the run. These wide receivers are not getting the job done. The best statline from a wide receiver on Sunday was Darius Slayton, who had one catch for 11 yards. The leading receiver against Chicago was Daniel Bellinger (three catches for 23 yards).

But, those shortcomings will be fixed soon. Hopefully. On the bright side, Saquon Barkley is officially back. 146 rushing yards plus 16 receiving yards? The Giants need to re-sign him ASAP because there is no running back out there that can make something out of nothing. For example:

Something to note: HOW ABOUT DANIEL JONES WITH THE BLOCK? This play was one to remember, as Barkley made something that looked like a big loss into a first down. It would lead to Daniel Jones’s second rushing touchdown of the day.

Unfortunately, Jones went down with an ankle injury in the second half. In stepped Tyrod Taylor. But, after 30 rushing yards and an interception, he would also get hurt himself.

So, who would step in and be the emergency quarterback? There was no other quarterback available to play. Right?

Well, that works.

How About That Defense?!

Yes, Justin Fields threw for more yards against New York than he ever did during the first three games of the season. Chicago still only scored 12 points.

This Giants defense is for real. Wink Martindale deserves all the praise in the world because of his defensive scheme. Fields was sacked six times and the offense was held to 5/15 on third down. New York also forced three fumbles against the Bears.

No wonder Justin Fields looked sad every time the camera pointed at him. Khalil Herbert was brought back down to earth, only putting up 77 yards on the ground after having 157 the week before.

Constant pressure on the quarterback and not allowing many big plays down the field was the theme for this defense against Chicago. It seems to be working, and this defense is having fun.

Up next, the Giants will travel to London to play against the Green Bay Packers next Sunday.

Is Robert Quinn a future Hall of Famer?

Keith Allison, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Will Robert Quinn be cast into Canton?

By: Jake Rajala

The pass-rushing warrior, Robert Quinn, is still seeking the blood of opposing quarterbacks at age 32. Quinn is coming off a monster 2021 season with second-team All-Pro honors as he unleashed 18.5 sacks, 22 QB hits, 17 TFLs, and 4 FFs. His 2021 campaign was almost as impressive as his 2013 season (19 sacks, 34 QB hits, 23 TFLs, and seven FFs).

It’s quite clear that Quinn has had two near-DPOY-winning seasons and that he’s enjoyed an impressive overall career (102 sacks, 175 QB hits, 108 TFLs). With that said, there is a fascinating, pivotal question surrounding the Bears DE: Is Robert Quinn a future Hall of Famer?

Before 2021, it didn’t appear that Quinn was impressive enough in his football journey to garner a gold jacket. After a surprisingly Amleth-like quest by the Bears pass rusher last season, I wholeheartedly believe that Quinn would be a HOF lock at this point.

Quinn doesn’t share the same background as J.J. Watt or Von Miller, but he does stack up well to the likely HOF-edge rusher Robert Mathis. Here is a sharp look at the career output by the former Colts pass-rusher:

  • 123 sacks
  • 141 QB hits
  • 108 TFLs
  • First-Team All-Pro
  • Five Pro Bowl honors
  • 54 FFs

It’s clear that Mathis has more PB selections, but Quinn has more AP honors, as Quinn was once first-team AP and second-team AP. Quinn already has more QB hits and the same number of TFLs as Mathis. Although, Mathis has won a pivotal Super Bowl ring with his team.

If Quinn retired today, I sincerely believe he would eventually give a HOF speech. However, I anticipate him to have a couple of more Pro Bowl seasons before riding off into the sunset. If he can oust another AP season and a couple of Pro Bowl seasons, he could potentially be a first-ballot HOFer.

Davis Mills or Trevor Lawrence: Who has the edge?

All-Pro Reels, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Will Davis Mills or Trevor Lawrence win this weekend?

By: James Parker

Davis Mills of the Houston Texans and Trevor Lawrence of the Jacksonville Jaguars are two young talented quarterbacks in the NFL. Both possess a huge amount of talent but maybe at struggling teams with limited tools around them in offence. But which one will come out on top this season?

Davis Mills

Since Deshaun Watson was traded to the Cleveland Browns during the offseason, Davis Mills officially took over center for the Houston Texans. Many people knew Mills had talent, but could the young quarterback take over from the talented Watson and drive this team to win games?

With limited tools at his disposal, Mills had a tough opening match against the Colts. Many thought Mills would struggle in the season opener but ended the game with 240 passing yards and two touchdowns and the match finished in a tie, 20-20. Week two offered a tougher challenge for the young quarterback, facing the strong defense of the Denver Broncos. In a low-scoring match where opposing quarterback, Russell Wilson showed signs of inconsistency in his new team, Mills also struggled, only completing 19 passes for 177 yards and zero touchdowns. Mills and the Texans were defeated 9-16.

Things did not get any easier for Mills in weeks three and four, also tasting defeat to the Bears and Chargers respectively. Mills and the Texans are still searching for their first win of the season. Could their first win come this week against Lawrence and the Jaguars? Time will tell.

Trevor Lawrence

Following the well-known issues within the Jaguars organization last year, Trevor Lawrence was hoping for better things than his debut season, and to show everyone exactly why he was a ‘generational talent’.

First, up for Lawrence and the Jaguars were the Washington Commanders, a team that fans thought could bring the Jaguars an opening week victory. Unfortunately, Lawrence was only able to finish with one passing touchdown, and the Jaguars slipped to a 22-28 loss.

Weeks two and three brought better things to the Jaguar fans, with Lawrence seeming to gain confidence as time went on. First throwing for 235 yards and two touchdowns in a 24-0 blowout against the Colts. Lawrence continued his good form going into the week three matchup with the Chargers, leading the Jaguars to a 38-10 win. Lawrence ended the game with 262 yards and three passing touchdowns.

Week four was a different story, with Lawrence only completing 11 passes for 174 yards and two touchdowns in a 21-29 loss to the undefeated, Philadelphia Eagles. Lawrence will hope to bounce back against the winless Texans this week and show everyone exactly who has the edge at quarterback.

Best landing spots for Will Fuller

Keith Allison from Hanover, MD, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

What is the best landing spot for Will Fuller?

By: Jake Rajala

The free agent wide receiver Will Fuller has yet to link with an NFL squad in the 2022 NFL season. The double-edged sword of Fuller could be best described between the 2020 & 2021 NFL seasons. He had career-high figures in yards (879), touchdowns (8), receptions (53), and YPC (16.6) in the 2020 campaign. In 2021 — he sadly played in a mere two games due to injuries to his finger and groin.

Well, Fuller is healthy but unwilling to ink with an imperfect partner. So, I’m going to untwine five logical destinations for the explosive wideout.

Baltimore Ravens

I’d love to see the Baltimore Ravens be as aggressive in 2022 as the Los Angeles Rams were in 2021. Lamar Jackson is at the top of his game & he currently is second in MVP odds by Draft Kings. They have a stud in Rashod Bateman and an ascending star with Devin Duvernay, but Fuller could have a unique role as a deep-threat and be the x-factor in their offense.

Indianapolis Colts

Before pulling the plug on Frank Reich or Matt Ryan, the Colts GM Chris Ballard should bring in a new toy to help their offense shine. Indy has Matty Ice and Jonathan Taylor, but they’re missing stable WR talent. It may be wise to add another veteran to join third-year WR Michael Pittman Jr. and rookie WR Alec Pierce.

Chicago Bears

The sky is undoubtedly falling for Justin Fields at this point. He’s accumulated two passing touchdowns and four interceptions in four contests. A part of the reason that Fields has bled is due to the fact that the Bears are blatantly aching for WR help. Fuller could be a potential upgrade at WR1 over Darnell Mooney (8 catches for 121 yards).

New Orleans Saints

Similar to the Colts, the New Orleans Saints can’t afford to lose two out of their next three games. A key reason that the Saints lost their prior match-up to the Vikings is that Michael Thomas was injured. It’s worrisome that MT is already dealing with an injury after being MIA over the past two seasons with various injuries. Perhaps Who Dat Nation should consider inking the former Texan for an insurance policy at least.

Arizona Cardinals

The Arizona Cardinals still don’t have DeAndre Hopkins and they could benefit from an illustrious WR face right now. The Cardinals sit at 2-2, which is tied with the three other NFC West squads for the division lead. It would be enticing to see the Cardinals add another FA, such as Fuller, and then be more surprisingly dangerous than the Seattle Seahawks.

5 things to know about AJ McCarron

Keith Allison, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

What to know about AJ McCarron

By: Jake Rajala

The GMEN are expressing deep interest in free agent quarterback AJ McCarron. Per ESPN, it seems doubtful that Daniel Jones will be ready to compete against the Green Bay Packers next weekend. So, the rightful question is: who exactly is AJ McCarron? Well, I’m going to untwine five things to know about McCarron.

  • Bama royalty

McCarron was a legend at the college football powerhouse, Alabama. In his junior season, he ousted a whopping 30 passing touchdowns to three interceptions. He didn’t slow down in his senior season (as he threw 28 passing TDs to seven ints). Most importantly, he is the only QB to win consecutive BCS National Championships (2011, 2012).

  • He is married to Katherine Webb

McCarron is married to Katherine Webb. She is a model and she was also named Miss Alabama in 2012. It’s clear that the two are a power couple. The duo shares two kids together (Trip & Gunnar). She caught attention for her glow in the 2013 BCS National Championship game.

  • McCarron had a winning record as a rookie

McCarron didn’t translate extremely well from the college ranks to the NFL level, but he did oust a winning record in his rookie campaign (2-1). In his rookie season, he also ousted six passing touchdowns to two interceptions and a 66.4% completion percentage. Although, he didn’t shine in his lone start in 2019 (where he lost the match-up).

  • He has a brother that played D1 football

It’s safe to say that football is in the blood of McCarrons. He has a younger brother named Corey, who played TE momentarily at Alabama, but then switched to Tennessee to play FB.

  • Atlanta Falcons

McCarron’s last stop in the NFL was with the Atlanta Falcons. He didn’t have a sexy journey with ATL, however. He landed on IR after suffering a torn ACL in Week 2 against the Miami Dolphins.

Is Keenan Allen a future Hall of Famer?

Will Keenan Allen be cast into Canton?

By: Jake Rajala

The Los Angeles Chargers were flat-out stunned when former Cal WR, Keenan Allen, was available for them to draft in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft. Allen absolutely proved to be a steal for the Chargers in his first season by recording 1,046 yards and a whopping eight touchdowns. Clearly, Allen had some Antonio Gates blood in him by defying expectations and ascending to be a star for the Chargers.

In 2017, the crisp route-runner, Allen, made his first Pro Bowl by obtaining 102 catches, 1,393 yards, and six TDs. Furthermore, he won CPOY in the same season (after playing in one game in 2016). Allen also made the PB in 2018, 2019, 2020, and even 2021.

With that said, it’s clear that the Chargers WR1 has been an elite wideout over the past several seasons and one of the best Chargers WRs of all time. So, there’s a grand, enticing question surrounding the illustrious WR: Is Keenan Allen a future Hall of Famer?

If Allen retired today, I don’t believe he would deserve to be cast into Canton. However, he has been a beacon of consistent dominance since 2017. If he can garner two-three more Pro Bowls, he should have enough production and top-end seasons to receive a gold jacket. Allen was a bit of a late bloomer, so he didn’t start clocking Pro Bowl seasons until his fifth NFL season. Nonetheless, he is on the right path with the mega-arm QB Justin Herbert to register a few more prolific seasons.

Similar to Michael Thomas and other elite WRs, his biggest flaw has been injury habits, but Chargers fans know all too well that he has the work ethic to bounce back after dealing with injuries. In 2022, Allen is currently MIA with a hamstring injury. He should be able to return within a few contests & reach for the stars in the frigid AFC West division.

What happened to Percy Harvin?

Reflecting on the electric Percy Harvin

By: Jake Rajala

In 2009, it seemed like Percy Harvin arrived on the NFL field as a Minnesota Viking with more rage than the Wolverine against Stryker. The former Florida Gator registered 790 receiving yards, six receiving touchdowns, 135 rushing yards, and two KR touchdowns as a rook. His well-rounded efforts in his rookie campaign led him to garner Offensive Rookie of The Year honors.

Harvin was a major weapon with the Vikings in 2010, but he noticeably had a mystical 2011 season. In the year that Charlie Sheen was fired from Two and a Half Men (2011), the versatile Harvin unleashed 87 catches, 967 receiving yards, six receiving TDs, 345 rushing yards, and a kick return TD.

It would be an understatement to say Harvin was efficient with his squad from the Twin Cities in the year that world didn’t end, 2012. In 2012 – Harvin unveiled 677 receiving yards and unsurprisingly a return TD in nine contests. Unfortunately, his injury habits ruined his 2012 campaign.

The former Vikings RB/WR/KR was then transported to the Seattle Seahawks on March 12th of 2013.

The magic of Harvin didn’t surface in the 2013 regular season, but he was healthy & playing with a vengeance in the Super Bowl in Feb. of 2014. In Super Bowl XLVII, Harvin dazzled with an 87-yard kick-return TD. It was clear that the team with the Legion of Boom was dominating in every phase of the showdown.

Harvin began the 2014 season with the Hawks, but he was then shipped to the Big Apple to play under Rex Ryan in mid-October. Between his former NFC West squad and his new AFC East team in 2014, he was a modest skill player (685 total yds in 13 games).

The Jets moved on from Harvin’s services after the 2014 season — due to him underperforming & owed $10.5 million dollars.

Yet, it shouldn’t have seemed like the world was coming to an end for Harvin after 2014. He was bound to hit 27 years old shortly after being cut by NY, so it would seem probable that he could be an effective swiss army knife with the right team for a few more seasons.

Harvin brought his Super Bowl dust to another AFC East team, Buffalo Bills (who also had Rex Ryan as the ring leader), in the 2015 off-season. The story of Percy Harvin with the Bills Mafia was that Harvin had hip issues. Furthermore, He even missed the entire 2015 pre-season due to hip injuries and he only played in five games due to his worn-out hip. He only mustered out 218 receiving yds and 31 rushing yds. I believe the combination of situation, injuries, and age caught up to Harvin. He officially retired after the 2015 season — as it was clear that his heart and body were no longer interested in competing between the white lines.

Harvin officially un-retired to join the Bills in November of 2016, but he only caught one pass, recorded one rushing attempt, and had five kick returns in the regular season.

Is Tyron Smith a future Hall of Famer?

Keith Allison from Hanover, MD, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Will Tyron Smith be cast into Canton?

By: Jake Rajala

The Dallas Cowboys have a freak talent at left tackle by the name of Tyron Smith. The Texas legend, Duane Jerry Jones, drafted Smith ninth overall in the 2011 NFL Draft. The rampage by Smith was established in 2013 (when he made his first Pro Bowl). It didn’t take long for him to be a cream of the crop OT after 2013, as he garnered first-team All-Pro honors in 2014. The behemoth-like figure also snatched AP honors in 2016. In his entire career, Smith registered a whopping eight Pro Bowl selections.

With that enunciated, there is a pivotal, intriguing question surrounding the Boys LT: Is Smith a future Hall of Famer?

I have zero doubt that Smith is a HOF lock at this point in time. He has been a true John Wick-like figure for the Boys OL over the past decade. His accumulation of awards led him to be named to the 2010s All-Decade team. It would be more than a shame if one of the top OL in that span would not be cast into football heaven.

Smith may be a Goliath-like football player, but he isn’t sinless. The Cowboys OT missed three contests in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019. In 2020, he even sadly missed 14 contests. The story of his injury habits arose in 2021 (six missed games) and he has yet to play in 2022. He may be gifted, but he has struggled to maintain an imposing, on-field presence in his NFL journey.

Similar to fellow Cowboys royalty, Tony Romo, Smith has failed to win a World Championship in his career. Nonetheless, Smith certainly still has time at 31 years old to win a Super Bowl. It should be noted that former elite Rams LT Andrew Whitworth won a Lombardi trophy at the age of 40 last season. The potential cap casualty in Dallas, Smith, may not win an SB ring with the Boys, but he can surely aspire to taste the Super Bowl triumphs elsewhere.

I expect Smith, who is coming off a Pro Bowl season in 2021, to play a few more seasons in this league. If he can garner a couple of more Pro Bowl seasons or win a Super Bowl with a loaded squad, he should cement himself as a first-ballot HOFer.

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