2020 Season - Week #1

 2020 3GML SEASON

Week #1

HOUSTON TEXANS @ Kansas City Chiefs

KANSAS CITY - After a fast first quarter, the Kansas City Chiefs (1-0) outlasted the Houston Texans (0-1) 31-26 at Arrowhead Stadium on Thursday Night. 

The expansion Texans rolled out their ground-and-pound attack with mixed results. HB Raheem Mostert dropped a sure touchdown early but bounced back with a strong game finishing with 81 total yards and TD.

“We’ll find our footing,” Mostert said. “That is a good team over there; If we see them again I think it’ll be different.”

Newly paid MLB Zach Cunningham played well all night with 7 tackles and strong coverage throughout.

“Fans are out there buying my jersey - I gotta represent,” Cunningham said. “We’re still getting to know each other - We’ll be alright.”

Recently acquired fan favorite Ryan Switzer scored a TD early in the 4th quarter while the game was still in reach. The slot receiver trended on Twitter for most of the night due to his electric run-after-the-catches and plucky disposition.

“I can’t really explain the love I receive, but I’ll take it,” Switzer said. “Hashtag...Thanks?”

The Texans face another tough test next week as they take on Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens. 

GREEN BAY PACKERS @ Minnesota Vikings

MINNEAPOLIS - In a defensive struggle the Green Bay Packers (0-1, 0-1 NFC North) fell 17-21 against the Minnesota Vikings (1-0, 1-0).

Late in the 4th both Harrison Phillips and Casey Hayward came up with crucial plays to put the team in a position to potentially steal the game late. 

For most of the game reigning NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers continued his strong play from a year ago against a tough NFC North opponent. But late in the 4th quarter Rodgers tried to fit a pass into a tight window and was picked off to end the game.

“Every day I get to put on this Green Bay Packers jersey is an honor,” Rodgers said. “Our sole job this year is to bring the Lombardi trophy home to Lambeau Field. We just didn’t get it done today.”

Rookie Justin Jefferson hauled in his first NFL TD after the break - The LSU product looks to be a keeper for the Pack.

“Great feeling to get on the field,” Jefferson said. “We just gotta keep grinding and get back at it.”

Budda Baker flew around the field all night to justify his new contract. The fourth year player is looking to step into a leadership role this year in Green Bay.

Green Bay will look to rebound next week against the Detroit Lions. 

Arizona Cardinals @ SAN FRANCISCO 49ers

SAN FRANCISCO - In a battle of dual threat quarterbacks, Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals (1-0, 1-0 NFC West) outlasted Teddy Bridgewater and the San Francisco 49ers (0-1, 0-1) with a 28-24 win.  Murray was electric and used his legs to do the most damage including the go ahead touchdown late in the fourth.

San Francisco was able to move the ball most of the day but a critical interception by Bridgewater when the 49ers were trying to go ahead late sealed the deal.

“I have to be better.  This was a battle between two great teams and we were going toe to toe all day.  We’ll get them back in their place later this year.”

Coach Kyle Shanahan, however, was not happy with his team’s defensive effort.  

“Deandre Hopkins was allowed to do whatever he wanted out there today.  I’ll have to look at the tape but there will be some words with our secondary in meetings this week.”

Bay Area talk radio will likely be debating a pair of Shanahan’s 4th down decisions Sunday afternoon.  Early in the game on a 4th and goal, the Niners went for it and came up empty.  Later, when many would have argued they should have gone for it, he kicked the field goal.

San Francisco will look to bounce back in New York against the Jets next week.

3GML Season Just Around the Corner

We are mere days away from the start to the 2020 3GML season.  Here are a few headlines we're following as the season approaches.

Houston - How will the Texans look after a massive rebuild?  Houston blew up their roster and participated in the NFL's fantasy draft process over the off-season.  Their roster is still in the process of gelling during camp and we want to see if GM TH put a team together that competes or needs to time to marinate.

San Francisco - Will the talent on this roster outside of quarterback be enough?  It's not that these other positions are an area of weakness, rather, they will likely be asked to do a lot.  Teddy Bridgewater will be the man under center this season and while he's shown flashes, there were some big mistakes made last season in the 3GML.  If we see a similar pattern emerge, the rest of the 49ers roster will need to step up in an extremely tough division.  There's a lot of talent on this roster and GM CD is hoping the will be a buffer if the QB play experiences some hiccups.

Green Bay - Who is going to play cornerback to start the season? - With Greedy Williams banged up and likely to miss significant time and Mackensie Alexander potentially facing a suspension for his arrest earlier this week, the Green Bay packers are looking at a big hole in their secondary.  Stalwart Casey Hayward is still back there so it could be worse, but after him on the depth chart?  Things get interesting with unproven and inexperienced players.  It is looking very likely the Packers will need to sign someone to be their number two for the start of the season.

3GML Training Camps Set to Open July 28th

The year 2020 had been slogging along without much hope for peace and happiness, particularly in the United States. With many sports league cancellations, a digital NFL Draft and a divided country, all looked lost. 

As fate would have it, one of sports most recent abject failures stepped up to provide sports fans and the rest of the world with good news. 

"Right place, right time mate," Adam Gase said. "Glad I could help."

After being fired during the middle of the 2019 season, Gase spent much of his time in awkward situations - mostly with perceived ghosts hiding around AFC East stadiums. 

Gase, on what he called a "scouting trip" in Wyoming, was bitten by a rattle snake. The former Dolphins and Jets Head Coach walked a presumed 27 miles to a gas station while his leg swelled to seven times its regular size. Instead of asking for the staff to call 911, Gase asked for a Mountain Dew Code Red and to fill up a gas canister for him. Gase, after drinking both the gas and the soft drink, began doing jumping jacks. All of this is well documented, but long story short, once the police arrived and hooked Gase up to an IV and tested his blood, they realized that the rattle snake venom and Mountain Dew mixed was an effective cure for COVID-19. 

The world was saved.

"I'm just glad the Jets hired me back," Gase said. "And I'll find that damn rattler some day."

Now, with the world back on track, NFL Training Camps are set to open on July 28th.

Look for a few more splash signings for the 3GML squads particularly. 

San Francisco has been in talks with Everson Griffen while the Houston Texans are reportedly wanting Colin Kaepernick to join their team to backup Cam Newton. 

We are all excited for football to be back for the 2020 season. 

"I know I'm new here, but we're coming for the Lombardi Trophy," Jadeveon Clowney said. "Time to get back on the field."

Houston Expansion Draft Complete

The Houston Texans wrapped up their expansion draft and have a new roster to ready roll out in 2020.  With the first pick, Houston selected Left Tackle Jake Matthews from the Green Bay Packers.  GM TH stated, "Jake is a bright tackle we can build our offense around."
The Texans went on to select two more offensive lineman with picks two and three, choosing Center Brandon Linder from Jacksonville and Guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif from Kansas City respectively.  Houston rounded out the top five with Running Back Marlon Mack from the Colts and Defensive End Tyrone Crawford from Dallas.
By the end of the night, Houston had selected 43 players from around the league.  Experience ranged from rookie contracts to experienced vets.  Some other noteworthy names include WR Sterling Shephard, Tight End Kyle Rudolph, Safety Patrick Chung and Quarterback Josh Rosen.
The Texans then went on to sign free agents Cam Newton to be their starter at quarterback and Linebacker Nigel Bradham to lead the defense.
How will Houston fare in the upcoming 3GML season?  Stay tuned!

Houston to Participate in Expansion Draft

BREAKING: The Houston Texans will participate in their second expansion draft in team history after GM TH convinced the NFL to approve the process.   The terms were agreed upon late last night and Houston will select 43 players from an expansion pool consisting of players from the remaining NFL teams.  Each team will place five players into the pool but no more than two can be selected by the Texans.  Additionally, teams can only select one player with 10 or more years experience to be made eligible.  If a player is selected, Houston would be responsible for the player's entire contract and the previous team would have no cap penalty for the transaction.

When reached for comment, GM TH said, "We wanted a fresh start.  Our team was built by Bill O'Brien, so ownership and I agreed it was time to turn the page.  I talked to coach [Lincoln] Riley last night and he was excited for the challenge."

Usually the expansion process happens before the NFL Draft, so the Texans will be at a bit of a disadvantage when it comes to building a competitive team.  They will only have the expansion draft and free agency to put together its roster.  All things considered, it may be a few years before the Texans are on the right side of .500.

QBs Set to Dominate the Headlines in 2020

For the past five seasons the AFC East has ruled the NFL like the SEC has dominated college football. While Alabama and LSU have continued to lift trophies (along with Clemson from the ACC), the AFC East teams had been passing the Lombardi trophy through the division ranks.
After Buffalo's 19-0 perfect season and an anticipated spreading of arguably the league's four most respected General Managers throughout the league, you could hear a collective sigh of relief from beleaguered fans wanting some sort of changing of the guard atop the standings.
With three of those four GMs taking jobs in different conferences and divisions, we will now see if any of these highly decorated executives can vault their new teams to the top.
In Green Bay, the talk of the season will be the potential passing of the torch from future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers to highly touted rookie Tua Tagavailoa from Alabama.
"I'm not going to say I was thrilled by the pick," Rodgers said. "But I understand that the organization is thinking not just about the present ,but the future."
The Packers are still poised to win now. In addition to Tagavailoa the team also added WR Justin Jefferson from LSU to appease their current QB.
For the San Francisco 49ers, the storied franchise will hope for a healthy season for Teddy Bridgewater as the team aims to determine if they have their long-term solution at the game's most important position or if they need to find a different answer.
"Throughout his career, he's someone who makes everyone around him better," Kyle Shanahan said. "I think he's the perfect fit for us, for our offense, for where our team wants to go."
Waiting in the wings is Marcus Mariota who took over admirably for Bridgewater midway through last season and led the team to the playoffs.
The question in Houston is who will start during the 2020 season. The Texans will have options in the upcoming expansion draft and in free agency, but will they be able to choose a franchise QB?  The eyes of the NFL world will be on Houston and their upcoming decision.
As the Miami Dolphins get ready for 2020, the team kept the world guessing about their final QB plans and ultimately settled on Andy Dalton to take the reins this season. After trading for Cam Newton, drafting Jalen Hurts and then releasing Newton following the draft, Dalton became available and was quickly scooped up by the Dolphins.
"Andy Dalton's, I think, a very underrated quarterback," GM EP said. "His teammates (will) love him to death and he's productive in the NFL, he values the football."
Miami's calling card will be their defense. If Dalton can protect the football and have a 'Ryan Tannehill-esque' season, the Dolphins could surprise as this year's Tennessee Titans.

Win/Loss Predictions for the 3GML

Now that the NFL schedule has been released, our experts make predictions for each and every member of the 3GML.

Green Bay Packers

Week 1 - @ Vikings - L

Week 2 - vs. Lions - W

Week 3 - @ Saints - L

Week 4 - vs. Falcons - W

Week 5 - BYE

Week 6 - @ Buccaneers - L

Week 7 - @ Texans - W

Week 8 - vs. Vikings - W

Week 9 - @ 49ers - W

Week 10 - vs. Jaguars - W

Week 11 - @ Colts - W

Week 12 - vs. Bears - W

Week 13 - vs. Eagles - L

Week 14 - @ Lions - W

Week 15 - vs. Panthers - W

Week 16 - vs. Titans - W

Week 17 - @ Bears - W

Record - 12-4

Division Record - 5-1

Division Finish - 1st

Toughest Division Opponent - Minnesota

Easiest Division Opponent - Detroit

Toughest Non-Division Opponent - New Orleans

Easiest Non- Division Opponent - Jacksonville 

Toughest Back-to-Back - @ Tampa Bay, @ Houston

Summary: Green Bay plays a tough road heavy schedule early with games at, Minnesota, at New Orleans, at Tampa Bay, at Houston, and at San Francisco.  If they can come out of the first 8 weeks at 4-4 or better, the second half of the season sets up nicely for them with a heavy slate of home games and only two teams that made the playoffs in 2019 (Philadelphia and Tennessee).  Pay attention early to the games against the Saints, Buccaneers, and 49ers as the outcome could play a major role in playoff seeding.

Houston Texans

Week 1 - @ Chiefs - L

Week 2 - vs. Ravens - L

Week 3 - @ Steelers - L

Week 4 - vs. Vikings - L

Week 5 - vs. Jaguars - W

Week 6 - @ Titans - L

Week 7 - vs. Packers - L

Week 8 - BYE

Week 9 - @ Jaguars - L

Week 10 - @ Browns - L

Week 11 - vs. Patriots - L

Week 12 - @ Lions - L

Week 13 - vs. Colts - L

Week 14 - @ Bears  - W

Week 15 - @ Colts - L

Week 16 - vs. Bengals - W

Week 17 - vs. Titans - L

Record - 3-13

Division Record - 1-5

Division Finish - 4th

Toughest Division Opponent - Indianapolis

Easiest Division Opponent - Jacksonville

Toughest Non-Division Opponent - Kansas City

Easiest Non- Division Opponent - Cincinnati

Toughest Back-to-Back - @ Kansas City, vs. Baltimore

Summary: Houston starts their season with the two toughest AFC opponents in Kansas City and Baltimore.  The only silver lining is they get the Ravens at home.  The Texans would love a split here but it's not likely.  After their Week 8 bye, they face only two 2019 playoff teams in New England (minus Tom Brady) and Tennessee but look for this team to still struggle after its expansion draft.  The Colts will present a challenge to Houston in the division so keep an eye on weeks 13 and 15 when they play each other twice in three weeks.

San Francisco 49ers

Week 1 - vs. Cardinals - W

Week 2 - @ Jets - W

Week 3 - @ Giants - W

Week 4 - vs. Eagles - W

Week 5 - vs. Dolphins - W

Week 6 - vs. Rams - W

Week 7 - @ Patriots - W

Week 8 - @ Seahawks - L

Week 9 - vs. Packers - L
Week 10 - @ Saints - L

Week 11 - BYE

Week 12 - @ Rams - W
Week 13 - vs. Bills - L

Week 14 - vs. Redskins - W

Week 15 - @ Cowboys - L

Week 16 - @ Cardinals - L

Week 17 - vs. Seahawks - W

Record - 10-6

Division Record - 4-2

Division Finish - 1st

Toughest Division Opponent - Seattle

Easiest Division Opponent - Los Angeles Rams

Toughest Non-Division Opponent - New Orleans

Easiest Non- Division Opponent - New York Jets

Toughest Back-to-Back - vs. Green Bay, @ New Orleans

Summary: The Niners may have one of the toughest schedules in the league with seven games against 2019 playoff teams and multiple games against teams on the upswing (Arizona, Dallas, and Washington).  Their toughest back-to-back is really a back-to-back-to back with the Seahawks, Packers, and Saints all in a row.  After a hot start, San Francisco could be cooled down by this trifecta of solid teams.  The NFC West is looking like it could be the toughest in all of football so if the 49ers can get to 10 wins, it'd be a successful campaign.