2019 Season: Wildcard Round

NEW YORK 23
BALTIMORE 21
The New York Jets (12-5) won a huge game on the road to beat the Baltimore Ravens (9-8) in the opening round of the NFL playoffs.
Sam Darnold was fantastic, moving the Jets offense up and down the field all afternoon finishing with  281 yards passing.  The Jets quarterback picked up crucial 3rd downs and put the game away when his team needed him most.
"That was a tough D to play against.  Credit to the guys getting open today." Darnold said after the game.
New York moves on to take on the number one seed and undefeated Buffalo Bills in the divisional round. It will be the 3rd match up between the AFC East foes.
"Third times the charm, right?" Coach Chad Pennington said. "We like our chances.  The playoffs are a new season."

NEW ENGLAND 45
KANSAS CITY 24
The New England Patriots (12-5) won their wild card matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs (9-8) in blow-out fashion 45-24.
Marcus Mariota showed everyone why he was worth the mid-season trade the Pats made, throwing for 306 yards and 3 touchdowns before being pulled in the 3rd quarter when the game was clearly out of hand.  Mariota had a perfect passer rating of 158.3 and has given the New England brass plenty to think about as he is set to become a free agent after the season.
Next week's matchup with the #2 seed Tennessee Titans will have extra intrigue as Mariota will be facing his former team.
"Just happy to get the W today." Mariota said. "It's just another game next week.  All the other story lines are your guys' job."

2019 Season: Week #17

MIAMI 17
NEW ENGLAND 48
New England (11-5, 3-3 AFC East) completed their turnaround season after a 1-4 start and qualified for the playoffs with a win over the visiting Miami Dolphins (9-7, 1-5 AFC East).
Things were tight early when another electrical storm (the 2nd of the season) disrupted the game.  When the fans returned to the stadium, Miami had the ball and was driving.  Then on 3rd and goal from the one-yard line, quarterback Jacoby Brissett made a crucial error and threw an interception to Byron Murphy that was taken back 104 yards for a pick six.  Miami battled back and scored on a Leornard Fournette run to tie it 7-7.  That's when things began to unravel for the 'Fins.  Derwin James forced a fumble in the red zone on George Kittle and drove down to score.  After another touchdown by the Pats put Miami in a hole, it looked as if the Miami offense was ready to get back in the game when James forced another fumble on a deep Kittle reception.  New England would go on to score and put Miami's playoff hopes on ice.
Lost in the disappointment of missing the postseason for a 2nd year in a row, was the exceptional play of Fournette who passed the 2,000 yard mark and moved into 4th place for single season rushing  with 2,059 yards.
"Man, to be a 2,000 yard rusher?  That's something you dream about as a kid.  I would've rather made the playoffs, but this is something that can never be taken away."
As for the Patriots, they ended up with the #5 seed and head to take on #4 Kanas City in a rematch of their week 14 game.

NEW YORK JETS 21
BUFFALO 30
The Buffalo Bills (16-0, 6-0 AFC East) completed their magical undefeated regular season joining the 1972 Dolphins and 2007 Patriots with a 30-21 win over the visiting New York Jets (11-5, 2-4 AFC East).
Buffalo got off to a quick start but New York kept it close for most of the game, even taking the lead at one point late on a Chris Harris pick six.  However, Aaron Rodgers responded with a 75 yard touchdown drive to regain the lead and Buffalo never looked back.
"I needed that.  Had a bad couple of throws up to that point.  I appreciated coach calling all passing plays on that drive to show confidence in me." Rodgers said.
The loss dropped New York to the #6 seed as they lost the tie-breaker with New England on division record.  They will travel to Baltimore in a rematch against the Ravens.
Buffalo will get a well deserved week off before they continue their march towards perfection.  The road to the Super Bowl will go through Upstate New York.

2019 Season: Week #16

PITTSBURGH 20
NEW YORK JETS 27
The New York Jets (11-4) punched their ticket to the playoffs in a tightly contested win over the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday.
Coach Chad Pennington, fresh off his contract extension, moved to 7-0 as head coach.  The Jets coach let everyone know they are not content with just getting into the dance.
"We know this team can make noise.  It's about getting hot at the right time and this team is clicking on all cylinders." Pennington said after the game.
Pittsburgh made it a tough all afternoon as they had the lead most of the game, but a crucial stop in the 4th quarter followed by Ben Watson's 3rd touchdown of the game turned the tables and New York was celebrating.  What's really remarkable is the Jets were supposed to be in full rebuild mode this season and instead they are heading to the postseason.  The only question now is, will they be the #5 or #6 seed?
The Jets move on to take on the Buffalo Bills for week 17.

CINCINNATI 12
MIAMI 35
Leonard Fournette single handily kept the Miami Dolphins (9-6) playoff hopes alive with 244 yards rushing and 3 touchdowns in a win over the visiting Bengals Sunday in a South Beach downpour.
"We not done." Fournette said emphatically after the game.
Quarterback Jacoby Brissett broke the touchdown drought he had all season with two touchdown passes, both to George Kittle.
"Just keep fighting.  That's all we can do." Kittle said.
On another note, rumors were swirling after the game about the future of Dolphins franchise as a few sources have reported that there may be a huge shake up in Miami after the season.  When reached for comment, the current GM stated, "Our focus is on this season."
Miami will hope for a Buffalo win over New England later today to stay alive which would set up a play-in game next week against the Patriots in Foxborough.

BUFFALO 20
NEW ENGLAND 17
In what is likely to be considered the game of the year, the Buffalo Bills (15-0, 5-0 AFC East) held off the New England Patriots (10-5, 2-3 AFC East) 20-17.
Buffalo raced out to a quick lead 7-0 on a precision drive by quarterback Aaron Rodgers and things looked to be going Buffalo's way early.  However, after a punt by New England, Rodgers threw an interception setting up a New England field goal.  From there, the game was a dog fight.
After a Julio Jones TD reception and a Buffalo field goal to close out the half, the Bills took a 20-10 lead into the half.  From then on out the two defenses flexed their muscles and traded stops and turnovers including a Patriots scoop and score on a Damien Williams fumble that brought them to within three.  However, the Buffalo defense was relentless as they have been all season and when it was time for New England's final drive, Myles Garrett got back-to-back sacks on Marcus Mariota and Jalen Ramsey sealed the game with a 4th down interception.
Buffalo goes for perfection next week at home versus the New York Jets.
New England, who had won nine in a row, will be playing for their playoff lives against the Miami Dolphins in what will essentially be a play-in game.  Winner gets in, loser goes home.

2019 Season: Week #15

NEW YORK JETS 34
BALTIMORE 7
The New York Jets (10-4) kept rolling in blowout fashion with a dominant win over the Baltimore Ravens (7-7) on Thursday Night Football.  Sam Darnold was on his game and the 2nd year QB put things out of reach early with two touchdown passes on the teams first two drives.  The first of which was a 70 yarder wide receiver Quincy Enunwa took to the house.  Enunwa has shown his value to New York this year as a tackle-breaking sure-handed receiver.
"I've had some success lowering my shoulder this year.  Always just fighting for that extra yard man." Enunwa said.
The recent surge after the firing of Coach Adam Gase has given the Jets brass something to think about with interim coach Chad Pennington.
"We are happy with the job Chad has done.  As with any personnel position, we will evaluate at the end of the season and make a determination on future employment." The Jets GM said after the game.
Pennington will continue his season-long interview as the Jets take on the Pittsburgh Steelers in week 16.


MIAMI 22
NEW YORK GIANTS 27
The Miami Dolphins (8-6) playoff hopes took a big hit with a tough loss against the New York Giants Sunday.  Miami is not eliminated from playoff contention, but now will need some help to get in.
"We just didn't get it done today." Quarterback Jacoby Brissett said. "I have to be better.  Man, to still not find the end zone on a touchdown pass this season is crazy.  Just have to keep grinding and hope for some help next week.  Big Bills fans next week."
Brissett threw a crucial pick six in the 4th that made things difficult.  Lost in this all was Miami had a pair of 100 yard rushers in Leonard Fournette and Mark Ingram.
Miami takes on the Cincinnati Bengals next week.

BUFFALO 45
PITTSBURGH 3
The Buffalo Bills (14-0) put the rest of the NFL on notice with an emphatic 45-3 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Pittsburgh.
The questions about whether or not the Bills will go undefeated are getting louder and the '72 Dolphins are likely getting nervous that their record will fall after seeing the Bills lock down defense and scorching offense eviscerate the Steelers.
Aaron Rodgers is heating up at the right time with six touchdown passes Sunday and 11 in his last two games (not to mention no interceptions).
"Playing good football at the right time.  That's big in this league." Rodgers said.
Myles Garrett added to his NFL sack record with three more big ones, bringing his total to 27 on the year.
"Man, this is starting to feel like a video game." Garrett said.
Buffalo takes on division rival New England in Foxborough next week.

NEW ENGLAND 27
CINCINNATI 13
The Patriots remarkable win streak reached 9 games as New England (10-4) moved one game closer to reaching the postseason with a win over the host Bengals.
Alvin Kamara was all the Patriots needed to get the job done as the back had 201 yards rushing on 24 carries and a pair of touchdowns.
"AK had it going today.  We saw an opportunity to establish the run game based on our scouting, so hats off to our advanced scouting team." Coach Chris Petersen said.
Petersen's quote brought up more questions about the Patriots scouting methods, particularly whether or not they have been filming the sidelines of opposing teams.
"Those accusations are malarkey.  We do things the right way here." New England owner Bob Nabisco said.
It remains to be seen whether the shadow of these accusations will impact the Patriots moving forward.  They have two tough division games against Buffalo and Miami standing in their way of qualifying for the playoffs.  They need to win just one of the two games to get in.  However, if they drop both they would likely be the odd man out based on tiebreakers.

MVP Race Update

Wow what a freaking 3GML Season so far. The Bills are undefeated, charging their way to a
potentially historic and record setting season. The Dolphins and Jets who were supposed to be
rebuilding are playing tremendous football and are in playoff contention with 3 weeks remaining.
The Patriots started the season as the most disappointing team in the NFL and then after
changing quarterbacks have won 8 straight games, the 2nd best run in the NFL. With just 3
weeks to play everything is up for grabs, including MVP races, a perfect season, and 2 more
wildcard spots.

As far as the MVP race goes it seems like this is a Buffalo Bills award it just depends on whose
name is getting etched on the plaque. The front runner was, and may still be, Myles Garrett who
now owns the NFL record for sacks. The question of who votes for him after his alter-ego pulled
a WWE move on a quarterback is maybe the greatest question in end of year voting in the
history of the 3GML. Garrett has been a complete nightmare for everyone who has tried to block
him this year and his impact in the head to heads has been impossible to ignore.

The other defensive player from the Bills with a legit chance to take home the hardware, is the
greatest 3GML player of all time - Geno Atkins. He could end up with the trophy due to a few
interesting factors. Number 1 is this award is almost as much about the story and it would be
fantastic for the best player in league history to end up getting the greatest award in the sport.
The 2nd piece to this is he is having an insane year as well, with over 20 sacks from an interior
line position, which may be even more impactful than Garrett’s numbers off the edge. The 3rd
and maybe most important aspect of this is that there may be some in the league, including his
own GM who won’t cast a vote for Garrett due to the “off the field, but on the field in another
universe” situation, which could propel Atkins to the award.

The 3rd and final Bill with a legit shot to win the award is the signal caller, Aaron Rodgers. If
Rogers continues to take care of the football and move the team up and down the field he could
easily find his way to the trophy. While I feel like the team has truly been led by the defense, its
impossible to deny how impressive Rodgers has been this season. He almost never turns it
over, completes a high percentage of his throws and doesn’t take many sacks. He also has a
ton of weapons around him, including someone who could definitely get some MVP votes in
Brandin Cooks, and the fact his offensive line is arguably the best in the league certainly helps
but damn he’s been impressive. In a game this year where turnovers have been the biggest
factor, his ability to avoid turnovers has been maybe the 2nd biggest factor in this 3GML
iteration.

That segue leads to what has been FAR AND AWAY the most important piece to the 3GML
season which is of course the “Enforcer” impact. While the Dolphins have regressed a bit in the
past few weeks the guy who was the MVP leader for a long time was Jamal Adams whose
enforcer roots have led to him setting and NFL record with 13 forced fumbles through 13
games. A lot of these plays have led directly to points’ and it means that at times this season,
his Dolphins defense had a better chance to score than the Fin’s O. His impact on the game
with a roster that was rated at the bottom of the league simply can’t be ignored. It was easier to
be conservative and play within the confines of the offense when you can sit back and wait for
Adams to make a game changing play, which is precisely what he did in big wins against
Baltimore and throughout his incredible record-setting season. Add in a pick 6 and someone
who could lead the league in tackles and you have a legit MVP candidate.

The other players with legit shots to win the MVP at this point in the season are few and far
between but a handful of guys have really made a push led by the second enforcer in the game
Derwin James. If it weren’t for Adams insane numbers, James would be in consideration for the
award as well. He has forced nearly as many fumbles and the last fumble rumble 6 against the
Chiefs iced the game for the Pats. Julio Jones and Brandin Cooks have been matchup
nightmares and certainly are in the running as well. Leonard Fournette was having a year in
which he was in the conversation before slowing way down the last two weeks. And a resurgent
Jets team who have won 5 straight since a coaching change have been led by really under the
radar play of Sam Darnold who is on pace to set an NFL record for completion percentage and
leads the NFL in that stat currently. The top 3 look secure but the other 7 players who can
receive votes and help in their Hall of Fame candidacy are certainly in play. Linemen could get
votes this year as well, with maybe rookie Eric McCoy, LT Kelvin Beachum who has still yet to
give up a sack, or the most impactful power run blocker in the league Quentin Nelson beginning
his Hall of Fame campaign. This may be the most fun MVP vote ever, with the race still pretty damn wide open with 3 weeks to go. Can’t wait.

2019 Season: Week #14

MIAMI 3
NY JETS 15
Chad Pennington and the New York Jets (9-4, 2-3 AFC East) continued their march toward the postseason with a convincing 15-3 victory over the Miami Dolphins (8-5, 1-4).
After a rocky start to the season, the Jets have reeled off several impressive victories as the calendar flipped to November.
The game turned on a fake punt in the 3rd quarter which led to three points.
"We wanted to come out aggressive," Pennington said. "That helped push us closer to the win today."
HB Leonard Fournette had a chance to push his team to the front later in the 3rd but fell short of the goalline. The team ended up failing on 4th-and-goal, ending their hopes of putting seven on the board.
"The D came up huge today," Xavien Howard said. "Our O (offense) controlled the game on the ground to keep us on top."
The Jets now control their own destiny while the Dolphins, once the darlings of the NFL with their unexpected start to the season, face an uphill battle to make the postseason.
"We're not happy," Jerry Daniel said. "There will be a price to pay in our locker room for that performance."
The team announced the release of WR Jordan Matthews and LG John Sullivan after the game. Both players had key errors (drop and missed block) in the game.
New York now faces the Baltimore Ravens while Miami will take on the New York Giants.

BALTIMORE 7
BUFFALO 37
The Buffalo Bills (13-0) continued their perfect season with an emphatic 37-7 win over the reeling Baltimore Ravens.
HB Todd Gurley went down early to dampen the mood on the afternoon with what looks like a season-ending injury.
"Tough for him to go out like that," Aaron Rodgers said. "Todd's meant the world to this franchise."
After the Gurley injury, Rodgers took control leading his team to 28 straight points.
Backup Damien Williams played well in relief for Gurley in his new role as lead back.
"Next man up," Williams said. "We have a good thing going - it's my turn to try to help our side."
MVP candidate Geno Atkins picked up another 3.0 sacks for the game as he gets closer to the NFL record.
"It was a true team win today," Atkins said. "We are not going to take our foot off the gas."
The Bills will now take on the Pittsburgh Steelers.

KANSAS CITY 27
NEW ENGLAND 41
The New England Patriots (9-4) stayed hot in convincing fashion with a 41-27 victory over Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs (8-5).
The ground and pound duo of Alvin Kamara and Phillip Lindsay combined for 132 yards to keep the chains moving for the Pats.
On defense, Derwin James was a difference maker with three forced fumbles including one that taken to the house for "fumble rumble."
"No one wants to play us right now." James said.
New England heads to the jungle to take on the Cincinnati Bengals before two crucial division games against the Bills and Dolphins.

2019 Season: Week #13

PHILADELPHIA 43
MIAMI 10
The Philadelphia Eagles (5-6-1) kept their fading playoff hopes alive with a dominant 43-10 victory over the Miami Dolphins (8-4) Sunday afternoon.
In a must-win game for the Birds, Jordan Howard and company ran wild over an inept Miami side looking to inch closer to a playoff berth of their own.
"We were expecting the game to be closer," Carson Wentz said. "But tonight was our night."
Miami QB Tyrod Taylor was abysmal. The Virginia Tech product was able to keep his team in the playoff hunt with smoke and mirrors for the past 10 weeks, but this night was a night to forget.
"I let everyone down," Taylor said. "I'll keep grinding for my team."
As Taylor left the podium, head coach Jerry Daniel embraced his QB but then turned stoic on the mic.
"Tonight was not what we expect here in Miami," Daniel said. "I just informed Tyrod that he's not going to be with us moving forward. Jacoby (Brissett) has been cleared to play and he'll be back next week against the Jets."
The MVP hopes of SS Jamal Adams were all but extinguished with a quiet night while his teammates were being shredded for 43 points.
"I don't care about no trophies," Adams said. "We still control our destiny - Ya'll can argue about toys and trophies man. We need to win games and play as a team."
The Dolphins will now head to the Meadowlands for a crucial divisional matchup with the Jets.

NEW YORK 27
CINCINNATI 17
The Jets (8-4) stayed perfect for interim coach Chad Pennington with a routine win over a struggling Bengals (4-8) team.  The win was the Jets fourth in a row and combined with Miami's loss earlier in the day pulled the Jets into a tie for second in the division.
The combination of quarterback Sam Darnold and running back Kalen Ballage was all New York needed on the day as Darnold (286 yds, 88% completion percentage) was quietly efficient with the ball and moved the Jets up and down the field while Ballage (105 yds, 3 TDs) kept the chains moving in short down situations.
"We just seem to be clicking at the right time." Ballage said.  "We like the momentum we are gaining under coach.  We know all it takes is an invitation to the dance."
New York hosts what may be the biggest game of the year next week when they welcome division rival Miami to town.

BUFFALO 36
DALLAS 10
The Buffalo Bills (12-0) became the first AFC team to punch their ticket to the playoffs with a 36-10 win over the Dallas Cowboys (7-5).
The game was billed as great matchup all week but ended up being a one-sided affair that was over early.  The Buffalo defense again set the tone with a dominant performance.
Myles Garrett had four sacks on the day setting the NFL record at 23 with four games still to play.
"Just thankful for all the guys in that locker room.  We have a great culture in there that helps keep all of us focused on the goals this team has." Garrett said in his press conference.
Buffalo's safeties John Johnson and Adrian Amos both had pick-sixes on the afternoon as Tom Brady struggled all day to move the ball down field.
"I would put this defense up against anybody.  Nobody getting easy yards against us." Amos said.
The question for Buffalo moving forward, is whether or not to take their foot off the gas in an effort to keep everyone healthy.  We'll find out next week as the Bills travel home to take on Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens.

NEW ENGLAND 20
HOUSTON 17
The run continued Sunday for the New England Patriots (8-4) as they won their 7th in a row over the Houston Texans (3-9).
Things looked poor early for the defending champs as they found themselves in a big hole 17-3.  After grinding in out and climbing back into the game 17-13, New England was in trouble as Houston was ready to answer with a scoring drive of their own.  However, Tre Boston made what is likely the defining play of the season for the Pats as he intercepted the Deshaun Watson pass in the end zone and essentially sealed the game.
"Huge play for our D.  I just watched his [Watson's] eyes and reacted." Boston said.
The win moves New England into second in the division after a 1-4 start and if the playoffs started today they would be in as the 5 seed.
New England tried to keep their magic season going with. a huge matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs next week.

MVP Odds After Week 12

Aaron Rodgers - Buffalo 3:1
Jamal Adams - Miami 3:1
Leonard Fournette - Miami 7:1
Geno Atkins - Buffalo 10:1
Derwin James - New England 15:1
Kenny Stills - New York 20:1
Todd Gurley - Buffalo 25:1
Desmond King - Miami 25:1

2019 Season: Week #12

MIAMI 40
CLEVELAND 17
A week after a disheartening division loss to the Buffalo Bills, the Miami Dolphins (8-3) put the Cleveland Browns (3-8) away late, 40-17, in northeast Ohio.
Baker Mayfield's club hung in until late in the 3rd quarter before the sophomore signal caller tossed a game-ending pick-six to CB Desmond King.
"I didn't see him," Mayfield said. "Good play, ended the game."
King and his defensive teammates controlled the game throughout with edge rusher Whitney Mercilus racking up 4.0 sacks as Mayfield was pressured all game.
"We are all admittedly frustrated with how last week went down," Mercilus said. "We don't need to talk about it anymore - It is what it is. But we think we can play with anybody and we want a chance to do more damage in the playoffs."
HB Leonard Fournette continued his torrid rushing pace with 175 rushing yards on 25 carries with a TD.
Tyrod Taylor, who most likely will give way to Jacoby Brissett next week, played well in stretches with a pair of TD passes while targeting All Pro George Kittle most of the game.
The Dolphins next play a strong Philadelphia Eagles team next Sunday.

OAKLAND 24
NEW YORK JETS 45
The New York Jets (7-4) stayed alive in their hunt for a playoff spot with a win Sunday over the Oakland Raiders (3-8).
The Jets offense was hard to stop amassing a whopping 526 total yards including 341 through the air against a weak Raiders secondary.
"Guys were just getting open.  It was nice to have options out there today." Quarterback Sam Darnold said after the game.
After struggling to get things going earlier this season, running back David Montgomery had the breakout game New York had been waiting for.  Montgomery only had 8 rushes, but he made them count, totaling 89 yards with a touchdown.
"It's been frustrating man.  I knew I had this in me." Montgomery stated.
New York travels to Cincinnati next to take on the Bengals.

DENVER 10
BUFFALO 34
Buffalo's (11-0) playoff aspirations came one step closer to reality Sunday as they dismantled the slumping Denver Broncos (3-8) on a cold afternoon in upstate New York.
The Bills defense was the story today as they completely shut down Joe Flacco and the Bronco offense.  On the first pass play from scrimmage, Budda Baker intercepted a Flacco attempt and got things rolling for the day.  He would add another in a strong team defensive performance.
Geno Atkins thrust himself into the 3GML MVP conversation with an astounding five sacks on the afternoon.  This brings him to 18.5 for the season and within a half sack of the NFL lead, currently held by teammate Myles Garrett.
"My job is to put pressure on the quarterback.  That is what I tried to do today.  I've been on this team for a while now and I think this is the best defense we have ever had." Atkins said.
Both Atkins and Garrett are on pace to break the NFL record of 22.5 held by Michael Strahan.  Watching them down the stretch may be the NFL equivalent to teammates Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle chase Babe Ruth's home run record in 1961.  Who will end up on top?  Only the last five games will tell.
Buffalo will next face one of their stiffest challenges on a short week, playing the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving day.

DALLAS 27
NEW ENGLAND 29
The Patriots (7-4) stretched their win streak to six in an impressive win over there Dallas Cowboys (7-4) on Sunday.
Things looked dire for the defending champs when they went down 21-10 late in the second quarter.  That's when the ball game changed due to one man.  That man was Derwin James.  James forced a fumble and returned it for a touchdown to get New England back into the game.  Later, James broke up a Tom Brady pass that allowed Byron Murphy to intercept it in the endzone.  Add to that a game high 11 tackles and you have a player sneaking his way into defensive player of the year conversation.
"I like our mentality lately.  We don't give up and play hard every down." James said after the win.
The Patriots went up 29-21 late before Tom Brady led the Cowboys on a touchdown drive late in the 4th.  However, they came up just short on the 2-point conversion and New England ran out the clock for the victory.
New England travels to Houston next to try and keep their playoff hopes alive.

MVP Odds After Week 11

Jamal Adams - Miami 3:1
Aaron Rodgers - Buffalo 3:1
Leonard Fournette - Miami 8:1
Todd Gurley - Buffalo 10:1
Julio Jones - New England 15:1
Desmond King - Miami 20:1

2019 Season: Week #11

NEW YORK 20
WASHINGTON 18
The Jets (6-4) have made it two in a row now for interim coach Chad Pennington with a 20-18 nail biter over Washington (3-7).
New York took a 20-9 lead into the start of the 4th quarter before Washington made it interesting.  After an early 4th quarter field goal made it 20-12, Washington got the ball back with around five minutes on the clock and worked their way down the field to score a late TD and bring it to 20-18.  On the two point conversion, Washington tried a run up the gut but free agent addition Trey Flowers blew up the line and left no doubt the try was short.
"I wasn't going to let this thing get to overtime.  We were going home with the W right then and there." Flowers said on the field after the game.
The win keeps New York in the discussion for playoffs.
Pennington was asked about the team's postseason aspirations and said, "We like our chances.  No other division in football has all four teams above .500 so we still have some work to do.  But I will go to battle every Sunday against anyone with the guys in the locker room."
The Jets will take on the Oakland Raiders next week and try to keep pace in the tough AFC East.

NEW ENGLAND 36
PHILADELPHIA 24
The New England Patriots (6-4) won their 4th game in a row over the Philadelphia Eagles (4-5-1) to officially revive their season after a 2-4 start.
Julio Jones was a one-man offensive juggernaut for the Pats, giving the Eagles secondary fits when it mattered most.  Jones caught seven passes for 123 yards and a touchdown that will likely be considered for catch of the year.  With a defender all over him, Jones leapt up and grabbed the ball a the highest point in the back of the end zone, then managed to get both feet down before he was pushed out of bounds.
"I was definitely in the zone today.  It felt great to be out there.  We'll see if that one gets on 'You got Mossed!' next week." Jones said after the game.
Meanwhile, the defending champs finally got all-pro running back Alvin Kamara going, much to the delight of fantasy owners everywhere.  Kamara finished with 23 carries for 153 yards, 75 of which came on a game clinching touchdown run late in the 4th quarter.
New England will try to keep their win streak alive next week as they host the 6-3 Dallas Cowboys.

BUFFALO 40
MIAMI 24
Buffalo (10-0, 4-0 AFC East) continued their march to perfection with a solid win in a torrential downpour over Miami Sunday afternoon (7-3, 1-3 AFC East).
The weather wreaked havoc at the end of the first quarter when the power went out and players were left in very little light due to the blackened skies.  When the lights came back on the Bills were up big 24-0 and looked well on their way to victory after 3 early Aaron Rodgers touchdowns.
Miami showed what they are made of and steadily willed themselves back into the game.  Down 31-10, the Dolphins D stepped up and made stops allowing their offense to pull them with a score 31-24.  Things looked even better after Miami forced a punt with 5 minutes to go.  However, a coffin corner punt by Matt Haack backed up the offense and Harold Landry sealed things with a sack for a safety.
"Just trying to help the team.  Geno and Myles are absolute studs on the other side, I was just trying to make some noise from my side." Landry said after the game.
Unconfirmed reports have disgraced former Jets coach Adam Gase exiting the electrical room at Hard Rock Stadium around the time of the black out.  The NFL league office had no comment regarding these reports.
Miami will try to regroup in Cleveland next week, while Buffalo returns home to take on the Denver Broncos.

MVP Odds After Week #10

Jamal Adams - Miami 3:1
Aaron Rodgers - Buffalo 4:1
Myles Garrett - Buffalo 4:1
Leonard Fournette - Miami 7:1
Todd Gurley - Buffalo 8:1

2019 Season: Week #10

MIAMI 34
INDIANAPOLIS 20
The Miami Dolphins (7-2) kept the train rolling with a convincing 34-20 victory over the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Field.
Desmond King and Jamal Adams again controlled the skies, stifling the Colts attack throughout.
"We are really coming together at a great time," King said. "That win last week (versus the Jets) was huge for us to get a win in the division. Now it's time to work toward securing a playoff berth."
Leonard Fournette again was a force with 155 yards rushing and a pair of TDs.
Miami will now set its sights on a road date with the division-leading Buffalo Bills in what could be a snowy morning up north.
"They are the class of the NFL in my opinion," Jerry Daniel said. "They beat us handily in our place last time. We did some good things, but if we want to get to their level, we gotta give them a closer game one of these days."

BUFFALO 38
CLEVELAND 0
After struggling to put points on the board last week against Washington, the Buffalo Bills (9-0) exploded for 38 in a rout over the Cleveland Browns (3-6).
Aaron Rodgers threw 3 touchdown passes to Brandin Cooks on the day and Todd Gurley added two more on the ground late.
"When Juju went down (to injury), coach slid me over to the slot and Aaron just kept throwing me the ball.  Good team win today."  Cooks said after the game.
Equally impressive was the Buffalo defense who pitched their 2nd shut out of the season.  Cleveland was held to 198 total yards and Baker Mayfield struggled most of the game.
"You think I like this. God. Man. Seriously? I'm pissed."  Mayfield said at his locker room surrounded by reporters.
Unconfirmed reports have started popping up of reporters stating they saw former New York Jets coach Adam Gase wandering around aimlessly in the Browns locker room as the media was ushered out of the room.  No word yet on if Cleveland's offense struggles are related to this sighting.
Buffalo stays on the road next week for a divisional matchup against the red-hot Miami Dolphins.

NY GIANTS 23
NY JETS 41
The New York Jets (5-4) won the battle of New York with a resounding 41-23 victory over the New York Giants.
Second year man Kalen Ballage was a force all game in his first real action on the season with 122 yards rushing and 3 touchdowns.
"There was talk all week of us putting young guys in and if we were committed to winning," Ballage said. "Where all the critics at now? Coach Chad (Pennington) called a run-heavy game and we paid it off with a win."
The Jets defensive stars also showed up in a big way for their interim coach as Jadeveon Clowney was unblockable with 4.0 sacks while CB Xavien Howard picked up a pair of INTs including a pick-six.
"Playoffs are in our grasp," Howard said. "We need to just stack more wins on top of wins."
The Jets will now take on the Washington Redskins to keep their playoff hopes alive.

BREAKING NEWS: Adam Gase OUT as Jets Head Coach

NEW YORK (NY) -- The New York Jets, fresh off their humbling 27-10 defeat against the Miami Dolphins, have fired Head Coach Adam Gase while naming former Jets QB and current Offensive Coordinator Chad Pennington Interim Head Coach.
During his first season with the Jets, Gase led the team to a 4-4 record, but had many puzzling interactions with players and reporters which have graced the New York newspaper back pages all season.
"We appreciate Adam's effort this season, but it just didn't work for us," the team's owner said. "I'm confident we have the right GM at the helm, but this coaching staff was not our future."
Pennington will now have to steady the ship for the remainder of the 2019 season. Although the team is not eliminated from playoff contention, sitting at 1-3 in the loaded AFC East could prove to be problematic for the team's postseason odds.
"I'm going to give our rookies some more looks," Pennington said. "But I've been an underdog my whole life. We can still win this season."
On his way out of the building, Adam Gase was seen wearing what looked to be a Halloween costume from the 1980's 'Ghostbuster' movie.
"Yeah, Halloween was last week," Gase said. "So what do you think I'm wearing this for now? Sprinkle - Skipping. Exactly. Meaningless words? I think not? Ghost? No, a Raven nevermore? Sure. Why am I the way I am - You protest, mock? I do. I am human."
Gase then walked with his head held high toward his car - sitting in the passenger seat for the next two hours.

MVP Odds After Week 9

Jamal Adams - Miami 4:1
Myles Garrett - Buffalo 4:1
Aaron Rodgers - Buffalo 5:1
Leonard Fournette - Miami 10:1
Todd Gurley - Buffalo 15:1
Bradley Chubb - New England 30:1

2019 Season: Week #9

WASHINGTON 9
BUFFALO 19
The march to perfection is still alive after the Buffalo Bills (8-0) got a hard-fought win over Washington (3-6) Sunday in upstate New York.
The Bills struggled more than usual against a Washington defense that gave the number one offense in the NFL fits throughout the day.
"I'll have to look at the tape, but yards were hard to come by today." Aaron Rodgers said in his post-game presser.  "Tip your cap to the job they did out there to slow us down, but we made plays when it counted and got the W."
As we've seen throughout the season, the Bills defense stepped up and shut down the Washington offense.  After today's game, the Buffalo D has only allowed an average of 9.75 points per game, by far the best in the NFL.  If they were able to keep this pace for 16 games, they would barely break the 2000 Ravens record of allowing 10.3 points a game.
Coach Eric Bieniemy was having none of this talk, however, when he was asked about the 19 year old record.  "Look, we've played 8 games and have a long way to go.  The only record that matters to the guys in that locker room is being 1-0 each week."
Buffalo hits the road to take on the Cleveland Browns next week.

NEW ENGLAND 33
BALTIMORE 10
The Marcus Mariota era began with a win as the New England Patriots (5-4) won their 4th game in a row over the Baltimore Ravens (4-4).
Mariota was 21-25 for 235 yards and a touchdown.  More importantly though, he didn't turn the ball over, which was something the Patriots have been struggling with this season.
"It was a little bit like drinking out of a fire hose trying to get the playbook down in a week.  I know it's only going to get better with the bye next week allowing me to study up."  Mariota said.
The New England defense continued their strong play this season and looked the part of a playoff-caliber squad.
The Ravens stayed with in striking distance for most of the game and were driving in the 4th quarter when linebacker Demario Davis intercepted an ill-advised pass from Lamar Jackson and took it to the house to put the game away for good.
"That felt good man.  This team is ready to make some noise.  We coming." An excited Davis said on the field after the game.
New England heads into their bye next week.

NEW YORK JETS 10
MIAMI 27
The Miami Dolphins (6-2, 1-2 AFC East) took down their rivals from up north, the New York Jets (4-4, 1-3) 27-10 Sunday afternoon on home soil.
HB Leonard Fournette was a man possessed rushing for 160 yards and the game-sealing TD in the 4th quarter.
"For us, every game is going to be close," Fournette said. "Tonight it was our night, but we ain't sleeping on this team when we play them again."
Much-maligned Sam Darnold had one of his better games of the season despite the pair of interceptions on his ledger. The sophomore QB finished with 336 yards through the air and was able to find receivers despite enduring constant pressure.
"Wasn't our night tonight," Darnold said. "We gotta tip our caps and move on to face the Giants."
Miami's defense took their cue from Fournette's dominance and forced five Jet turnovers on the night. Jamal Adams again forced a pair of fumbles to wipe out any scoring threat by the Jets.
The Dolphins will look for win number seven next week against the Indianapolis Colts.

Quarterback Change in New England

The New England Patriots made some noise this morning by trading for quarterback Marcus Mariota from the Tennessee Titans.  In the deal, the Pats shipped a 4th round pick to Tennessee for Mariota who is on his 5th year option.

"We really appreciate all that Teddy (Bridgewater) has done for us up to this point, but we decided that Marcus Mariota gives us the best chance moving forward.  We know Teddy will be ready if we need to go to him again in the future." Coach Chris Peterson said in Mariota's introductory press conference.

"Just happy to try and help this team win.  This division is the toughest in football and we have an uphill climb, but I know this team is up for the challenge." Mariota stated.

New England likely made the move due to Bridgewater's propensity to turn the football over in crucial situations.  He is among the league leaders in passing yards and touchdowns but also has 12 interceptions through 8 games.  

We will see if the move pays off for the Patriots who are thinking playoffs or bust.

MVP Odds After Week 8

Jamal Adams - Dolphins 3:1
Aaron Rodgers - Bills 5:1
Myles Garrett - Bills 5:1
Todd Gurley - Bills 9:1
Bradley Chubb - Patriots 25:1

2019 Season: Week #8

NEW YORK JETS 23
JACKSONVILLE 9
The New York Jets (4-3) got their season back on track in dominating fashion against the Jacksonville Jaguars (5-3).  New York looked to be sellers before the trade deadline with moves unloading Mike Daniels and Robby Anderson.  However, they sent the signal to their locker room that they weren't giving up on the season when they acquired superstar cornerback Chris Harris from the Denver Broncos last week.  Harris had an immediate impact for the Jets as their secondary completely shut down the Jags passing attack holding them to 143 yards in the air and grabbing 2 interceptions.
"I was a little surprised when I got the call from my agent, but the Broncos are looking to rebuild and this is a business.  When Coach Gase called me into his office, I felt much better about the move.  We had a good conversation. I was happy I could contribute today." Harris said.
The New York offense was much more run heavy than in last weeks loss to the New England Patriots, with 45 rush attempts to just 23 pass attempts.
"Coach and I talked a bit after last week and we agreed we had to get the run game going." Running back Duke Johnson said.
New York takes on division rival Miami next week in South Beach in a game that could have major playoff ramifications.

MIAMI 26
PITTSBURGH 20
The Miami Dolphins (5-2) endured a hard fought rock fight to prevail over the Pittsburgh Steelers 26-20, Monday Night at Heinz Field.
Miami's defense again carried the team with four takeaways, including a 38-yard pick-six by safety DJ Swearinger late in the 2nd quarter.
"We are hungry over here on D," Swearinger said. "Jamal (Adams) over there killing people - I just need to get my shine too."
Adams, one of the league's leaders for Defensive Player of the Year and even league MVP, racked up 11 tackles, four tackles for loss, and another pair of forced fumbles - his 10th and 11th on the year.
"We are a grind it out ball club," Adams said. "Our offense wears you down to score late and we eat your heart."
HB Leonard Fournette had a slow start but took over the game late with 102 of his 145 rushing yards in the second half. The LSU product finished the game with a 4th quarter TD dagger after the team's 4th takeaway.
The Dolphins next take on their division rivals, the New York Jets.

PHILADELPHIA 13
BUFFALO 33
The Buffalo Bills (7-0) stayed hot with a 33-13 win over the visiting Philadelphia Eagles (3-4-1).
The Buffalo defense got things going with a Casey Hayward interception on the first play from the scrimmage.
"Did you guys see that toe tap?  I got to put my receiving skills on display for that one.  I asked Coach to put me in on offense after that.  He wasn't having it." Hayward joked after the game.
Hayward's pick ended up foreshadowing the afternoon as the Bills caught three passes from the Eagles QB when all was said and done.
Offensively, the Bills did just enough to keep the game out of reach and were paced by Aaron Rodgers' 234 yards and 2 touchdowns.
"We're a close group of guys.  The energy in the locker room is contagious.  It's a fun group."  Rodgers said when asked about what was so special about this team.
The Bills stay at home to take on Washington next week.

CLEVELAND 11
NEW ENGLAND 18
The New England Patriots (4-4) won their 3rd game in a row to climb back into the playoff picture with a 18-11 dog fight win over the visiting Cleveland Browns (3-4).
Teddy Bridgewater did just enough in the 4th quarter to give the Pats a victory with a touchdown drive late.  This was after a disastrous start that had him throw 3 interceptions including a pick six.
"I have to be better if I want to keep this job." Bridgewater said after the game.
Rumors have started swirling that the Patriots are running out of patience with their signal caller and may be looking elsewhere to keep their postseason hopes alive.
"Teddy is our quarterback right now." Coach Chris Petersen said after the game doing nothing to quell the rumor mill.
New England travels to Baltimore to take on Lamar Jackson and the Ravens next week.

MVP Odds After Week 7

Jamal Adams - Miami 4:1
Aaron Rodgers - Buffalo 4:1
Myles Garrett - Buffalo 8:1
Todd Gurley - Buffalo 10:1

2019 Season: Week #7

MIAMI 0
BUFFALO 20
Buffalo (6-0, 3-0 AFC East) continued it's perfect season with a dominant 20-0 divisional win over the Miami Dolphins (4-2, 0-2 AFC East).  In a game where weather was definitely a factor, Miami was held to 68 total yards of offense.  The pounding rain made footing difficult and the Dolphins O struggled to gain traction against the number one rated defense in the NFL.
"Man, this is exciting." Cornerback Jalen Ramsey said in the post-game press conference.  "This is the kind of team I wanted to join.  We love what we have at all three levels on D."
The Bills offense moved the ball with ease, amassing 414 total yards of offense, but struggled to score touchdowns in the red zone.
"We've had a couple of games like this now." Coach Eric Bienienmy said when asked about his team's struggle to get the ball across the goal line.  "We have to do a better job of execution when the field shortens."
In the Miami locker room, there was visible frustration.  Quarterback Tyrod Taylor struggled to get rid of the ball when he needed to and took many "coverage" sacks.
"I have to get the ball out faster.  I just guess my timing is a bit off when we only pass 10 times a game." Taylor said after the game.
Miami will try to regroup in Pittsburgh against the Steelers on Monday Night Football.  Buffalo will stay at home and try to remain unbeaten against the Philadelphia Eagles.

NEW ENGLAND 30
NEW YORK JETS 13
The New England Patriots (3-4, 2-2 AFC East) let everyone know they aren't rolling over on their season any time soon with a solid 30-13 win over the New York Jets (3-3, 1-2 AFC East) on Monday Night Football.  The defending champs have now won two games in a row and are looking to get their season back on track after a rough 1-4 start to the season.  They may have found a formula that works with the two-headed run attack of Phillip Lindsay and Alvin Kamara, who combined for 105 yards on the ground.
"It's our job to move the chains and take pressure off Teddy so he doesn't end up in 3rd and longs all night." Lindsay said after the win.
Bridgewater only attempted 26 passes and 3 of them were touchdowns to Julio Jones.
"It's nice to get the W to go along with the stats this time.  They whooped us last time in our house and it was nice to repay the favor" Jones said.
The Jets on the other hand are left at .500 after two straight losses.  Sam Darnold was asked to throw the ball 63 times when the run game struggled to get going early.  New York combined to rush only 9 times 18 yards.
When asked about his pass heavy attack after the game, Coach Adam Gase said, "I called Coach Walsh before the game and developed a game plan we thought would work."
Gase was asked by reporters if he meant Coach Bill Walsh who passed away in 2007.  He replied, "I said what I said."
New England looks to get to .500 next week at home against the Cleveland Browns while the Jets head to Jacksonville to take on the Jaguars.

The 2019 3GML Season So Far

Now that we are about a third of the way through the 3GML season, our friends at TBHague wanted to go through the season and give a synopsis on some of the highlights, lowlights, surprises, and odds on the remainder of the season. 

MVP Frontrunners

At this point in the season you start to get a really good feel for who the final four or five candidates are going to be in the MVP race. While injuries, changes in playing style, a late season run, or any litany of things could change the order, typically it’s almost impossible for someone to make a run when they aren’t receiving votes early in the season. Through 5 or 6 games you have to be able to make a solid case or at least somewhat of a case to be the Most Valuable Player in the 3GML universe. This next list we are dividing into two tiers.

The Long-Shot Tier:

10. Trumaine Johnson, CB New York Jets 

VEGAS ODDS: 125:1

A very long shot here coming in at 125 to 1 right now. That said, TJ does lead the league in interceptions with 4 and couple that with 3 pass breakups. Adding 29 tackles at the corner spot, and making several big time plays on a defense that has survived via the takeaway, Johnson has a small shot at making a run toward an unlikely MVP. James Bradberry a couple years ago almost won the award with a huge interception based season, maybe this is the year a corner wins the most coveted award in 3GML.

9. Julio Jones, WR New England

VEGAS ODDS: 100:1

Jones is a very long shot to win this award but perhaps if the disappointing Patriots make a hard charge to reach the playoffs Jones can make a play. He leads the 3GML with 677 yards through 6 weeks, and could turn games around with huge plays down the field. His MVP odds rely largely on the next week’s game against the Jets in what amounts to an elimination game for New England.

8. Brandin Cooks, WR Buffalo

VEGAS ODDS: 100:1

Cooks has been a huge force in the receiving game for the Bills. He is their big play guy, and has 216 RAC yards through 5 games. His 4 touchdowns lead the divas as do his 118.4 receiving yards per game. He’ll have a hell of a time ousting the 4 teammates ahead of him on this list but if he can keep taking slants 77 yards to the house like he did 2 weeks ago maybe Cooks can deliver some big time plays down the road to insert himself directly into the MVP discussion.

7. Eric McCoy, C Miami

VEGAS ODDS 100:1

What a crazy stat that this guy as a rookie is in the number 7 spot in Vegas MVP odds. But let’s think about this a bit. The team has lost its starting quarterback, star Tight End and had a preseason over under in wins of 5.5. They are already 4-1 on the strength of a power and movement based run game and an offensive line much bigger than the sum of its parts. McCoy has been the best linemen on the team, has only given up 1 sack in 5 games and last week was the highest graded game he’s played this season. A continued improvement from the pivot could lead him to getting MVP votes this season.

6. Quentin Nelson, G Buffalo

VEGAS ODDS 85:1

The best linemen in the NFL was acquired via CPU trade this offseason and sets up shop in upstate New York. Nelson has absolutely mauled so far this year in being one of the best players in the 3GML universe. Nelson is a dominant player and hasn’t allowed a sack in 342 snaps. Rodgers never even gets breathed on in this season and a huge part of that is the dominance that is QN in front of him. The odds of a linemen getting an MVP award are virtually nil, but right not Vegas has 2 in the top 10. 

Guys with a Legit Shot:

5. Desmond King, DB Miami

VEGAS ODDS 50:1

He might not win this award but it won’t be because he doesn’t make plays all over the place. In week 1, his fumble return TD won the game for Miami. This past week the team is losing against Washington and King makes yet another game altering pick. He has 160 defensive return yards, and 3 picks, 2 fumble recoveries, to go along with 5 deflections. He’s a big time playmaker who is also on pace for over 80 tackles. Unsung hero but a legit shot at an MVP award.

4. Todd Gurley, RB Buffalo

VEGAS ODDS: 25:1

The guy with the best chance of getting on the plaque twice is this guy. After a rookie season that saw TG set the NFL record for receptions and get him an OROY and an MVP award he’s been solid if understated the past 3 years. Add in Nelson in front of him and a budding star in Risner and Gurley is once again in prime spot to be an MVP. He leads the 3GML in carries with 118, has 3 touchdowns and is on pace for over 2000 rushing yards. His 26 broken tackles leads the conference. Pair that with the fact his team is 5-0 and you have a potential champ. 

T3. Leonard Fournette, RB Miami

VEGAS ODDS: 12:1

The reason his odds are higher than Gurley’s are simply because the Dolphins don’t throw and the Fins couldn’t win without him. He has 5 more yards that TG right now but 3 more times has hit paydirt. This past week he dominated in a win for Miami and his two runs coming out of the lockerroom with his team down 10 were two of the biggest runs of the year. Its simply his importance to his team that gives him the edge currently.

T3. Aaron Rodgers, QB Buffalo

VEGAS ODDS: 12:1

The guy tied with Fournette for the 3rd best odds is the guy who is my odds on favorite at this point and where TBHague things the money should be placed with 10-11 games to go. Rodgers has been outstanding leading the league’s best team. He has a 116.4 rating and an 11-2 touchdown to interception ratio. The main thing though is that he simply has avoided negative plays, only being sacked 4 times, and completing 78% of his passes. This may be the year that the award goes to a QB. 

2. Myles Garrett, DE Buffalo

VEGAS ODDS: 10:1

Garrett has been a game wrecker this year for the Bills. He was the biggest factor in the team beating the Jets in week 1 and his 10 sacks are more than the next 3 players in the 3GML COMBINED. He pairs that with 7 tackles for loss and you have a guy who has owned the league this season. The only thing that has held him back isn’t that he hasn’t dominated, which he has, but the guy in first has simply had perhaps the greatest first 5 games in NFL History for a defender. 

1. Jamal Adams, S Miami

VEGAS ODDS: 2:1

A 2:1 favorite to win the award is the guy who just won player of the week for week 6. Adams has been a one man wrecking crew, Adams has 9 FORCED FUMBLES HIMSELF, has deflected 2 passes, picked off another one adds 9.6 tackles per game which leads the 3GML, including 5 for loss. The team is 4-1 and would likely be 2-3 without him. The pick 6 he had against Washington this past week, the forced fumble in week 1, and the 4 fumbles he forced against Dallas all were game winning plays. The other few guys on this list have had incredible years, but Adams has changed the game this year and the enforcer is the MVP by a mile and a half at the 1/3 point in the season.

BIGGEST SURPRISES

The biggest surprise so far in this season has been the play of the Dolphins. With a litany of injuries this year the team has still managed to get out to a 4-1 start. Behind a league leading running game and a defense that forces more turnovers than anyone, the opportunistic Dolphins are eyeing a playoff spot and are only one game behind the dominant Bills. 

A close second would be the Pats starting out the year at 2-4 after a nice win this past week. The team had high aspirations but the loss of Andrew Luck has been too tough for New England to recover from early in the year.

MOST IMPORTANT STORY FOR EACH TEAM MOVING FORWARD

Buffalo -

Can the team keep the momentum rolling and get the number 1 seed? The Bills have dominated through 5 games and realistically only a major injury or two could derail them from the top spot in the AFC. They simply have too much talent and a first round bye is huge with the new style of NFL play against the CPU this season.

Miami -

Can the team keep winning games relying on turnovers? The short answer is no. They can’t keep forcing 3.33 turnovers per game moving forward. That would be an NFL record and you can’t see that continuing for an entire season. At some point Tyrod Taylor needs to make plays with his arm, a huge throw while getting hit this past week in crunch time was the biggest throw of Taylor’s career so far. Maybe he can build on that.

New England - 

Can they get consistent play from Bridgewater? Teddy has really struggled in the team’s four losses. He has thrown 13 touchdowns and is on pace for over 5000 yards so we can say that he’s struggling but honestly the Pats play the closest thing to a wide open attack that we have in the Madden universe. He also has 7 interceptions and has taken 26 sacks so far. If they get the good Teddy, the team can beat anyone, if they get the mistake prone Bridgewater this team will need to start selling off pieces.

New York Jets - 

Can this team keep overachieving? The Jets have 3 wins and yet are scoring fewer than 20 points per game, are a bottom 5 team in defense, have been outscored by 40 points and have lost 2 games at home. Somehow though they have a winning record and are sniffing playoff contention. The team needs to keep finding ways to win one score games with the understanding that they may get blown out from time to time. 

MOST POSITIVE SURPRISE FROM EACH TEAM SO FAR

Buffalo - 

Dalton Risner, C - He’s been excellent in the middle of the line so far. Handling his business week in and week out. He hasn’t been as dominant in terms of blowing people off the ball as McCoy but he’s been one of the most steady players on the best line in football.

Miami - 

Eric McCoy  C - Easy pick here as he’s in the MVP discussion through week 6. McCoy has consistently gotten the reach blocks that other centers can’t get and has shows a good ability to anchor in the pass game. If he keeps playing like this the OROY is going to come down to the two centers.

New England -

Eric Ebron TE - What a start to a season for Ebron. He has 49 catches to lead the 3GML league, 529 yards which puts him in position to end up with almost 1400 yards. He’s been the player who has most consistently moved the chains and while we all knew he was a good option, he has been the most reliable player on the Pats so far.

New York -

Trumaine Johnson CB - In real life he can’t get on the field, in 3GML the Jets are relying on him. In a zone and blitz heavy scheme you have to have ball hawks and TJ leads the 3GML in INT’s so far, all while being a reliable tackler and playmaker. He gets beat here and there but he bounces back more often than not.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT FROM EACH TEAM SO FAR

Buffalo - 

Backup RB’s - The team only has 26 carries from players who aren’t Todd Gurley so far and 6 are kneel downs. The other 20 carries have gotten the team 68 yards for a 3.4 yard average, which is the lowest average in the 3GML. If Damien Williams can’t get them going then Gurley will have to continue to get 20 carries per game. Can he stay healthy all year to continue to carry that type of load?

New England -

Ben Jones C - He has given up 7 sacks so far and that isn’t even all of it. His continued issues anchoring and allowing heat up the middle has forced a small quarterback off his spot consistently. Jones is on pace to allow 18 sacks this season, which would be a league record, and not in a good way. Particularly as he’s a center and almost all pressure in Madden comes off the edge.

Miami - 

Olivier Vernon & Shaq Barrett DE’s - They have combined for 2 sacks this season. Miami has survived by playing bend don’t break and getting turnovers from Jamal Adams, that can’t continue for 16 games. This guys eventually have to get pressure or the Fins will fall apart from their super impressive 4-1 start.

New York - 

Xavien Howard CB - Howard hasn’t been bad by any stretch. Teams typically aren’t picking on him a ton but he’s not grading out super well either. He has zero interceptions, only 2 PBU’s and has simply just been okay. The team paid a ton of money and draft capital to get a superstar and they’ve gotten adequate play outside.

GUY WHO MIGHT BE A SNEAKY ALL LEAGUE GUY FROM EACH TEAM

Buffalo -

Budda Baker - In a league with 2 of the 5 enforcers it’ll be extremely tough for Budda to get himself on to an all league team. That said he is on pace for 100 tackles, has 6 TFL, 2 int, 2 PBU, and a forced fumble. On top of that he has consistently made plays each and every week playing in different spots in zone coverage. Might be a long shot but he might be my league flex at this point.

New England -

Danny Trevathan - He’s so damn solid it’s annoying. It seems like he has 7-12 tackles very game including a couple for loss. He’s good in coverage, is underrated as a blitzer, and makes plays all over the field. In a league where finding all around linebackers is increasingly difficult DT is a good one.

Miami - 

James Bradberry - The most underrated corner in the 3GML right now is the former Bill, Bradberry. He only has 3 PBU so far an 0 INT but in a system where you’re supposed to keep it in front of you he’s been great at simply doing his job. Teams have started to throw away form him at this point and he’s quietly having a damn good season.

New York - 

Kelvin Beachum - He’s been quietly the most consistent pass blocker on the Jets this season. He’s given up 0 sacks so far in 320 sacks, not missing one snap. While there are some other solid candidates, and he’s given up some pressures no one has gotten home yet. Quietly consistent from the vet.

BIGGEST IDEAS THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE YEAR

Do the Patriots start the sell off to not be in the awful position of being too late in the draft to get a QB but not good enough to make the playoffs? They only have 2 more weeks to make the decision. 

Do the Bills make ANOTHER splash trade to go all in? The move for Ramsey was a gigantic upgrade but how much do they want to sacrifice in the “ALL IN” mode they’re in? They could really use an impact player as an insurance policy to Gurley or even a really good backup quarterback should Rodgers go down. 

How does Miami balance going for it with a surprising run vs knowing they are likely still a couple seasons away? With two weeks left are they truly buyers? If they are they have to figure out a way to get more pressure and they need a corner upgrade sooner rather than later as Paul Richardson torched them. The move for Anderson was bold, do they have another one in them?

Are the Jets really sellers? They have survived the first 5 games at 3-2 despite not being very good. You watch that team and they are simply lacking depth and high end talent. They just sold expiring contracts in Daniels and Anderson this week. Are players like Vonn Bell, Brandon Copeland, or Steve McClendon the next to go or is this team trying to walk the delicate balancing act of winning now and later? 

2019 Season: Week #6

DALLAS 45
NY Jets 14
The surprising New York Jets (3-2) crashed back to Earth Sunday morning with a crushing 45-14 loss at home to Tom Brady and the Dallas Cowboys.
The Jets never seemed to get it going against the star-studded Dallas lineup.
Quarterback Sam Darnold did not play well accounting for five turnovers on the day.
"Not my best effort," Darnold said. "But we'll keep grinding."
Darnold, fighting through mono, was seen walking away from an enraged Mike Daniels multiple times in the MetLife tunnel.
Daniels, who has struggled to make an impact this season after being added late in the preseason, did not mix words when asked about his conversations with Darnold.
"That mono-a** QB did nothing for us today," Daniels said. "Put me out there and I can hit Byron Jones in the hands all day too. I'm sick of the vanilla O (offense). (Adam) Gase out here talking to ghosts at practice man. It's crazy over here."
Gase, to his credit, refused to address the Daniels outburst.
Sitting at 3-2, the Jets are still in a great spot after their early season gauntlet of a schedule.
The team will now set their sights on the reeling New England Patriots (1-4) who are in desperate need of a win to keep their postseason hopes alive.

NYG 14
NEW ENGLAND 32
The Derwin James led New England Patriots (2-4) pulled out a much-needed win over the New York Giants by a score of 32-14 at Gillette Stadium.
James was all over the field forcing a pair of turnovers and blanketing tight ends and slot receivers in coverage all game.
"We needed this tonight," James said. "As the Champs, we are getting everyone's best shot. It's time to show what champions are made of."
Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater played good enough to win, but left some points on the field despite the team's double-digit margin of victory.
"We have high standards here," Bridgewater said. "We were a pick to repeat in preseason and despite Andrew (Luck) retiring, my goal is to keep those hopes in place."
The Patriots will look to put together their first winning streak of the season as the aim to get revenge on the New York Jets next week.

WASHINGTON 20
MIAMI 23
Younghoe Koo's 44 yarder as time expired gave the Miami Dolphins (4-1) the win over the Washington Redskins as their improbable run toward relevancy continued Sunday afternoon in Miami.
With HB Leonard Fournette's dominant 196 rushing yards with a TD, the Dolphins also picked off a trio of Alex Smith passes in a game that should not have been as close at the end.
Jamal Adams took a Smith pass to the house to take the lead early in the second half to give his team the lead. Desmond King then picked off a pass on the next play from scrimmage in what looked to be a play that should have buried the 'Skins.
"I appreciate the coach having faith in me," Fournette said. "But we didn't put them away when we should have earlier."
WR Paul Richardson scored on two massive plays including a 65 yarder to tie the score with under a minute remaining in regulation for the Redskins.
But Quarterback Tyrod Taylor orchestrated a game-winning drive to set up Koo for his game-winner.
On 3rd-and-6 from his own 38 yard line, Taylor lofted a pass down the seam to second year TE Mike Gesicki. The former Penn State Nittany Lion hauled in an improbable catch in field goal range to put his team in position for the win.
"With George (Kittle) out we needed everyone to step up today," Gesicki said. "On that last drive, it was my turn to answer the call."
Miami will now take their talents to Buffalo to take on the undefeated Bills with first place in the division on the line.

MVP Odds After Week 5

Aaron Rodgers - Bills 4:1
Myles Garrett - Bills 5:1
Todd Gurley - Bills 6:1
Jamal Adams - Dolphins 10:1
Sam Darnold - Jets 25:1
Leonard Fournette - Dolphins 25:1
Julio Jones - Patriots 60:1
Trumaine Johnson - Jets 125:1

2019 Season: Week #5

BUFFALO 30
TENNESSEE 7
The Buffalo Bills (5-0, 2-0 AFC East) stayed perfect in dominating fashion, beating the Tennessee Titans 30-7.  Buffalo's defense has looked unreal since the addition of Jalen Ramsey and that continued today as the Bills didn't allow the Titans offense to score a point.  Their 7 points in this game came defensively and through 5 games, Buffalo's defense has only allowed 3 touchdowns.  Not to be forgotten is a Bills offense that put up 517 yards in the win including 379 yards passing from Aaron Rodgers (3 TD, 1 INT).
"I pride myself on not turning the ball over and one got away from me today.  Overall I thought we moved the ball well and we keep getting better each week." Rodgers said after the game.
Buffalo heads into their bye atop the AFC East standings.

NEW ENGLAND 21
WASHINGTON 26
The nightmare start to the season continued for the New England Patriots (1-4, 1-2 AFC East) as they dropped their week 5 matchup against Washington (2-3).  The defending champs found themselves in a big hole early.  After an opening touchdown drive by Washington, Teddy Bridgewater threw an interception on his first pass attempt of the game.  The home team then worked their way down the field again and it was 14-0 early.  The Patriots didn't panic and battled all the way back to take a 21-20 lead late.  However, New England couldn't get the stop they needed on defense and Washington marched down the field to take the lead right back.  After a failed two point attempt, New England had the ball with under two minutes and a chance to win.  For a moment it seemed like they would do just that, marching down to the two yard line and calling timeout with 4 seconds left.  However, on the last play of the game, Bridgewater was sacked and the Patriots went home empty handed.
After the game coach Chris Petersen said, "We had a shot the end and just couldn't get it done."
Alvin Kamara wasn't as polite about things afterwards, expressing frustration with safety Landon Collins and his style of play. "Man, he was out there throwing his body at people in ways that is going to get someone hurt.  This isn't Madden, you can't just hit stick everyone.  The league needs to look at the tape.  We're just lucky no one was hurt."
New England will try to regroup in a short week before they travel home to take on the New York Giants on Thursday night.

NEW YORK JETS 17
PHILADELPHIA 13
The New York Jets defense continued their strong play of late leading the charge in a 17-13 win over the Philadelphia Eagles (2-2-1).  New York (3-1, 1-1 AFC East) pressured quarterback Carson Wentz all day totaling 5 sacks and putting the Eagles in 3rd and long situations all afternoon.
"We just wanted to go out there and show them who we are.  This D is one of the best in the NFL and everyone in that locker room knows it." Said Jadeveon Clowney.
The play of the game had to be a gutsy decision by coach Adam Gase to go for it on 4th and goal as time was winding down in the second half.  That call resulted in a touchdown and proved to be the difference maker in this game.
"I trust Sam out there to make good decisions and with how these two defenses were playing I felt it was worth the risk."  Gase said before he went on to swat at the air in front of him for some time and was escorted away by the coaching staff.
New York is in great position as they take on Tom Brady and the Cowboys next week at home.

MVP Odds After Week 4

Myles Garrett - Bills 3:2
Aaron Rodgers - Bills 3:1
Todd Gurley - Bills 10:1
Jamal Adams - Dolphins 10:1
Sam Darnold - Jets 33:1
Julio Jones - Patriots 45:1
Quenton Nelson - Bills 60:1
Trumaine Johnson - Jets 60:1

2019 Season: Week #4

LA CHARGERS 17
MIAMI 38
The surprising Miami Dolphins (3-1) continued their improbable start to the season with a dominating 38-17 victory over the favored Los Angeles Chargers in south beach.
Miami's defense led the way early, forcing a fumble on LA's first play from scrimmage.
Fourth year linebacker Reggie Ragland caused the fumble with a crunching hit on HB Melvin Gordon.
"We see Jamal (Adams) racking up those video game forced fumble stats," Ragland said. "I needed to get in on the fun."
Adams caused yet another fumble late in the first half - one that was returned by LB Jerome Baker to the house.
CB Desmond King also had a strong game with a pair of INTs including one in the end zone early while the game was still in doubt.
"Team win today," King said. "Defense was strong but Tyrod (Taylor) also came in and lit it up."
Taylor, recently acquired from these same Chargers, was lights out in Jacoby Brissett's absence completing 80% of his passes with a trio of TDs through the air.
All Pro TE George Kittle was confirmed to have a shoulder injury that may sideline him for the next five weeks, to put a damper on the party.
Miami nows heads into their bye in 2nd place in the AFC East.

BUFFALO 25
NEW ENGLAND 13
The Buffalo Bills (4-0, 2-0 AFC East) kept their win streak alive with a 25-13 win over division rival New England (1-3, 1-2 AFC East).  The Bills defense made it hard on the Patriots offense all game, including holding New England to 4 yards rushing.  New addition Jalen Ramsey had a tall task in his first game as a Bill, drawing Julio Jones as a match up.  He was up to the challenge though, as he held Jones to 5 catches and 65 yards.  More importantly, he kept him out of the end zone.
"I'm just glad to be here." Ramsey said. "I knew it was going to be tough following Julio around all game, but I think I'm the best corner in the game, so I can match up with anyone."
On offense, Buffalo did just enough to win against a very good Patriots defense.  Quarterback Aaron Rodgers (31-41, 346 yds, 3 TD) made some big throws on third down to keep the Bills moving and Brandin Cooks (13 catches for 140 yds) found himself open when his team needed him.
Buffalo heads to Tennessee to take on the Titans while New England heads to our nation's capital to take on Washington.

MVP Odds After Week 3

Myles Garrett - Bills 3:1
Todd Gurley - Bills 4:1
Jamal Adams - Dolphins 4:1
Aaron Rodgers - Bills 6:1
Sam Darnold - Jets 15:1
Julio Jones - Patriots 15:1
Leonard Fournette - Dolphins 25:1
Trumaine Johnson - Jets 50:1

2019 Season: Week #3

NY JETS 35
NEW ENGLAND 23
In a critical early season divisional matchup, the New York Jets (2-1, 1-1 AFC East) took it to the defending Super Bowl champions 35-23 in Foxboro. The Patriots (1-2, 1-1) never got going in a game that was never really in doubt.
"Not our best effort tonight," Chris Peterson said. "We were hoping to build off last week and just came out flat tonight."
Sam Darnold was lights out going 22-26 for 315 yards with 3 TD. A week after some unfounded trade rumors, Darnold played easily his best game as a pro.
"None of that bothered me to be honest," Darnold said. "I know who we are as an organization and where we are going - Tonight was a step ahead."
The Jets defense, who struggled in their opening divisional loss, played their best football of the season, pressuring QB Teddy Bridgewater throughout.
"We were hungry man," Trumaine Johnson said. "We've been written as underdogs but we are coming to be top dogs now."
The Pats picked up a pair of meaningless touchdowns late to make the score look respectable.
The Jets next head on their bye while New England heads to Buffalo to take on the division leading Bills.

MIAMI 34
DALLAS 28
The Miami Dolphins (2-1, 0-1 AFC East) stunned the Dallas Cowboys (1-2) 34-28 on a surreal night in East Texas.
Miami, led by their fiery defensive captain Jamal Adams, forced three turnovers while the Dolphins ground-and-pound attack punished the heavily favored Cowboys for 250 yards on the ground.
"We were dogs tonight," Adams said. "I'm out to make people have those nightmares Jon Gruden was talking about on Hard Knocks."
A week after their embarrassing loss to division rival New England, Dolphins fans also had to absorb the loss of fan favorite Jacoby Brissett for 10-weeks with a fractured elbow.
"I need to step up my elbow workout game," Brissett quipped. "I'm honestly devastated. We have a real chance to shock people and I can't be a part of it for a minute. I'll be back though."
In Brissett's absence, HB Leonard Fournette carried the load with 152 yards rushing and three TDs on the ground.
Rookie Ryan Finley went 2-3 through the air with one of his completions being fumbled by All Pro George Kittle.
"That can't happen," Kittle said. "I've honestly been a disappointment this year. My win shares are through the floor. I gotta do something different."
The Dolphins will now head home to take on Phillip Rivers and the Los Angeles Chargers.

BUFFALO 19
CINCINNATI 6
In a day where touchdowns were hard to come by, the Buffalo Bills (3-0, 1-0 AFC East) out kicked the Cincinnati Bengals (1-2) in a 19-6 victory.  Things looked like they had the last two weeks for the Bills offense as they marched down the field on their first drive and scored a touchdown on an Aaron Rodgers to Hunter Henry connection.  That would prove to be the only touchdown of the game for either offense the rest of the way.  The Bills offense moved the ball relatively well, but stalled in the red zone on multiple occasions.
Running back Todd Gurley stated, "We have a to do a better job of finishing."
The Bills defense did their job however, and kept the Bengals offense to just two field goals on the day.
"A W is a W and we have our D to thank for that." Rodgers said after the game.
Buffalo takes on the New England Patriots next week at home.