Miami DolphinsAllen Hurns knows the value of a mother. Together Hurns and his mother Erica Wilson started 88 Blessings Foundation to provide resources for single parents. 88 Blessings equip single parents with essential advice on topics ranging from financial stability to other issues. They also offer assistance both financially and emotionally and connect these single parents to sources that will aid them with whatever they may need. They make it clear that they are their wholeheartedly and fully support them through it all! They also ensure these single parents know through it all that they are not alone no matter what and that things can and will get better in due time- spreading an absolutely beautiful message of hope and solidarity for these strong, brave individuals!
Hurns’ 88 Blessings helps countless people in need and gives back in any way they possibly can. When Hurns sees an opportunity to provide support or assistance to those less fortunate he immediately jumps at it and offers his aid. For instance, when the coronavirus pandemic hit, Hurns saw fit to honor high school seniors part of the class of 2020 by creating the S.O.A.R. Movement which sends out care packages to the graduates to brighten their day. Also, Hurns has promised that when the pandemic is over, he will host a night out for the seniors to further celebrate and honor them. Hurns has been a part of aiding hurricane relief efforts, handed out Christmas gifts to children of single mothers, and has done so much more to impact so many lives.
Hurns inspiration is his beautiful mother Erica Wilson, the driving force and CEO of 88 Blessings, who is a strong, brave, resilient single mother to Hurns and his brother. She is a successful businesswoman and empowers others and uses her platform to enact change and encourages others to do the same. She is an absolute role model not just to her successful sons but to all! The apple does not fall far from the tree- it is no wonder why Hurns is such a giving, kind person, an absolute class act with a heart of gold. It truly is wonderful to see such a loving family using their platform in such a positive way, making a difference in the lives of others!
The Kansas City Chiefs won their first Superbowl in 50 years this past February. The team was lead to victory by their former MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Mahomes led the Chiefs to overcome a 10 point deficit in the fourth quarter of the game. While the Chiefs are expected to make another strong run for a championship title, there are a few teams that have had their potential flying quietly under the radar. Here are five teams that could surprise people with a strong season this fall.
Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons had a worrisome start to their 2019 season. Through their first eight games before their bye week, the team had only won one game. Atlanta had appeared to be heading for a top pick in the draft. Some fans had lost hope on the remainder of the season. However, after the bye week, the team came back with a new identity. The Falcons won six of their last eight games including wins against playoff-caliber teams such as the Saints and the 49ers. Atlanta finished their year on an impressive four-game winning streak, leaving their fans with high hopes for the next season. The team followed up their strong end of season performance by adding running back Todd Gurley in the offseason and drafting one of the classes best corners in A.J. Terrell out of Clemson. The Falcons improved on both sides of the ball and are definitely a team to look out for in 2020.
Denver Broncos
Late last season the Broncos handed over their offense to their rookie quarterback Drew Lock. Denver drafted Lock in the second round last year and knew he would eventually take over as the teams starting QB. It wasn’t until Week 13 when Lock finally got his chance as the starter. Lock definitely didn’t disappoint as he performed very well and helped the team win four of their final five games since he took over. Denver continued to support Lock this offseason by adding more weapons on the offensive side of the ball. The team signed running back Melvin Gordon to play alongside running back Phillip Lindsay. The Broncos also added two more weapons on the outside. Denver drafted wide receivers Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler in the first two rounds. Not only did the team add two fantastic receivers in the draft, but they already have Courtland Sutton who had a breakout season last fall. The team has set Drew Lock up for success after surrounding him with tons of talent. The ceiling is high for the Denver offense in 2020 as they’ll look to compete with the best of the best this year.
New York Giants
The Giants made plenty of big moves this offseason, including major changes to their coaching staff. New York hired former Patriots special teams and wide receivers coach, Joe Judge to be the next head coach of the team. Judge has since come in and made significant changes to the teams coaching staff. He brought in former head coaches such as Jason Garrett and Freddie Kitchens to coach alongside him. Despite the team having a poor performance last season, there were some bright spots that displayed their potential. Last offseason the team drafted quarterback Daniel Jones sixth overall and the pick came with lots of controversies. Jones took over as the starter in the third week of the season replacing the franchise’s great Eli Manning. Jones performed well despite having trouble with turnovers. He displayed flashes of qualities of a franchise leading quarterback. The Giants added some key players in free agency such as cornerback James Bradberry and linebacker Blake Martinez. New York continued their offseason by drafting one of the top offensive tackles in the draft in April. With a revamped defense and offensive line, the Giants will look to surprise people this season.
Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals made one of the biggest moves this offseason by trading for superstar wide our DeAndre Hopkins. Arizona fans were provided with much hope after watching their number one overall pick last April be named the NFL offensive rookie of the year. Kyler Murray provided a spark to the Cardinals offense that turned him into one of the most electric players in the league. However, the team did not stop after trading for a superstar. They followed it up with a fantastic draft. The team selected do-it-all player Isaiah Simmons from Clemson. Simmons was considered by many the most talented player in the entire draft. Arizona had been lucky enough for Simmons to still be on the board by the eighth overall pick and there was so chance the Cardinals would let him getaway. The team also took another top offensive tackle in Josh Jones in the third round of the draft. The Cardinals could quite possibly become a must-watch team this upcoming season.
Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins struggled badly at the start of last season. It seemed for sure that the team would end up with the first overall pick and likely not win a game all season. However, head coach Brian Flores kept his team fighting as they put on impressive performances against competitive teams late in the year. Despite having such a young and inexperienced roster, Miami was able to win a couple of games including beating their rival Patriots on the road in December. Miami landed arguably the top free agent corner in Byron Jones, giving them possibly the best cornerback duo in the entire league. The Dolphins also drafted what they consider to be their future franchise quarterback in this April’s draft with the fifth overall pick. Dolphins fans are extremely excited about their future as they believe their rebuild has been executed perfectly so far. The Dolphins will definitely be a sleeper team to watch this fall.
The New York Giants make a move to gain draft capital in the 2020 NFL Draft with the Miami Dolphins.
NFL analyst Ian Rapoport stated on Wednesday afternoon that the Miami Dolphins have begun gauging the cost of moving up in the draft, which could offer the Giants an opportunity to gain capital while still landing defensive playmaker, Isaiah Simmons.
Sources: The #Dolphins have called the teams in front of them for a possible trade up from No. 5 and are gauging the price to come up to No. 3 to potentially take an offensive tackle. We could see a run on tackles in the Top 10 like never before.
With Big Blue giving away the 68th overall pick to the Jets in return for Leonard Williams mid-season in 2019, GM Dave Gettleman can gain back some of that lost capital by moving back with a QB-needy team like the Dolphins, who supposedly are intrigued by the offensive tackles available.
It’s possible the Detroit Lions and Washington Redskins could also be in play to move back and ensure Miami gets their player of choice, but it ultimately comes down to who’s willing to accept the least in terms of assets. The Giants, who are only one slot ahead of the Dolphins, know how much they want a quarterback/tackle, especially after the recent news that they’re weighing their options.
It’s unlikely Big Blue can gain a high second-rounder in the draft, but they could package the 4th overall pick and the 99th overall selection to move back and acquire Miami’s second-rounder since they already have two first-round picks this year.
With World Backup Day landing on March 31, ESM counts down the finest second-string performances in the history of the New York Jets.
March 31 has given rise to “World Backup Day”. The “holiday” was founded by Youngstown State University student Ismail Jadun and encourages backing up personal data and files on the day before April Fools’ Day.
Backup has a different meaning when it comes to NFL quarterbacks. Often looked upon as the guy in the baseball cap, the backup quarterback may one of the most underrated positions in the four major sports. You never know if and when your data could be erased in the blink of an eye. Quarterback issues are likewise unsympathetic to best-laid plans, necessitating backup and contingency in all walks of life.
The New York Jets are in desperate need of a backup quarterback to work with franchise man Sam Darnold. Their cornerstone has missed six games over the past two seasons, and the Jets have gone 0-6 in such contests. There have been other times, however, that the Jets have been better prepared….
This is a story about a quarterback that won the Super Bowl with the Jets in 1968, an AFL legend that partook in Gang Green’s finest hour. Of course, the thrower in question is…Babe Parilli.
Parilli made a name for himself as the quarterback of the American Football League’s Boston Patriots. While Parilli’s 3,465 yards and 31 touchdowns during Boston’s 1964 campaign may seem almost commonplace in today’s NFL, those marks stood as Patriot records until Tom Brady broke them during his historic 2007 tour.
Since Joe Namath sometimes had trouble finishing games, Parilli was brought in as his understudy in 1968. He would come up particularly big during the final weeks of the AFL season. Parilli’s play allowed the Jets to enter the postseason with a full-wave of momentum. A Houston Oilers loss on Thanksgiving gave the Jets the East Division title, leading to Namath taking the second half off in the final three games of the regular season. In the first, Parilli led a fourth quarter come against the Miami Dolphins at Shea Stadium, throwing three touchdowns in the frame (two to Don Maynard) in a 35-17 win. He would go on to throw a pass in Super Bowl III against Baltimore while relieving an ailing Namath and wound up with a ring after the Jets won the game 16-7.
Parilli played one more year with the Jets, once again in relief of Namath. He never started a game in New York, but, notably, the Jets won each of the ten games in which he partook.
11/15/70: L.A. Woodall
Reality quickly came for the Jets after their Super Bowl title. They earned another division title in 1969 but the bottom fell out in 1970 to the tune of a 4-10 record. Namath’s injuries (as well as a threatened retirement) had reached a breaking point by then, forcing them to find insurance in the form of second-round pick Al Woodall.
The Duke alumn mostly struggled as a Jets quarterback and was out of football by 1974. He did, however, earn one shining New York moment during a November visit to Los Angeles to battle the Rams. The Jets entered with a 1-7 mark but wound up shocking the City of Angels to the tune of a 31-20 victory. Woodall’s 261 yards and three touchdown passes wound up being his career-best and his efforts just might’ve cost Los Angeles a playoff spot. The Rams finished their season 9-4-1, one game behind San Francisco for the NFC West crown and a half-game behind Detroit for the NFC’s wild card.
Woodall was able to extend his 15 minutes of NFL fame as the win over Los Angeles began a three-game win streak. The other bookend of that streak was a 20-10 win over defending NFC champion Minnesota two weeks later.
9/12/99: Give ’em the Tup
After a surprise appearance in the AFC title game, expectations were high for the century-ending New York Jets. However, hopes of a return trip were immediately dashed at the onset of the season, when Vinny Testaverde went down without contact, suffering a torn Achilles during a Week 1 visit from the New England Patriots. For the Week 1 divisional tilt, head coach Bill Parcells made the unusual move of naming punter Tom Tupa the primary backup. Tupa was a college quarterback at Maryland, but he hadn’t thrown on a full-time basis in seven years. The choice put Parcells in an awkward spot: if Tupa was lifted from the game for emergency quarterback Rick Mirer prior to the fourth quarter, he could not come back in. To the shock of many at Giants Stadium…including the New England defense…Tupa’s first play from scrimmage resulted in a 25-yard touchdown pass to Keyshawn Johnson, one that gave the Jets the lead back.
From there on out, Parcells’ will to keep Tupa under center was tested by a relentless New England pass rush. Tupa was sacked three times and lost a fumble that was recovered by Willie McGinest in the end zone. But just as Mirer momentum was brewing, Tupa seemed to sway Parcells back his way every time. He would end up throwing another touchdown pass (this one from seven yards out to Fred Baxter) and had the Jets well in the ball game, which stood at a 27-22 New England lead entering the final quarter.
However, with the emergency caveats removed, Parcells fully entrusted the offense to Mirer. The Jets took the lead thanks to a pick-six from Brian Cox, but Mirer wound up throwing two interceptions, including one on the Jets’ final drive, that allowed the Patriots to escape East Rutherford with a 30-28 win. Tupa finished the game 6-of-10 for 165 yards and two scores.
EAST RUTHERFORD, UNITED STATES: New York Jets’ quarterback Ray Lucas (L) is chased out of the pocket by the Miami Dolphins’ Rich Owens (R) in the second quarter of their game at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey 12 December, 1999. AFP PHOTO/ Henny Ray ABRAMS (Photo credit should read HENNY RAY ABRAMS/AFP via Getty Images)
12/12/99: Feeling 22
There’s a reason you won’t see any antics from Mirer on this list. Parcells chose him to take over for Testaverde, but that faith was not rewarded. Mirer posted a mere 66.6 passer ratings over six starts, during which they went 2-4. With the team sitting at 2-6 and the playoffs an afterthought, Parcells turned the offensive reigns over to Ray Lucas. The Harrison, NJ native was in the midst of building a respectable career as a backup after starring at Rutgers. Parcells gave him his first NFL chance, as the Tuna brought in the undrafted Lucas in as a backup quarterback during New England’s Super Bowl run in 1996. Lucas was one of several Parcells-related transfers to New York when the latter took the Jets’ job a year later.
Under Lucas, the Jets were able to gain back respectability, especially over an exhilarating December. The former Scarlet Knight led the Jets to three consecutive fourth quarter comebacks, starting with the erasure of a 13-6 deficit at The Meadowlands against the Dolphins. Lucas helped the Jets put up 22 unanswered points as they scored on each of their three full offensive possessions in the third. Two throws found their way to Johnson for scores, allowing the Jets to earn a 28-20 win over a Dolphins team contending for a playoff spot.
Lucas posted a 6-3 record as the Jets starter en route to an 8-8 campaign. He would earn another fourth quarter comeback win when the Jets visited Miami two weeks later, creating a sandwich yet another last-frame victory in Dallas.
12/2/12: Raising Arizona
This is the story about a Jets quarterback that came from the hallowed football ground of Tuscaloosa, Alabama and led Gang Green to a crucial victory.
The hero in this tale is, of course, Greg McElroy.
In December 2012, the Jets and Arizona Cardinals met in a game that set quarterbacking back decades. In NFL football, a quarterback could throw the ball an infinite number of times into the ground and still emerge with a comparatively sizable passer rating of 39.6. Somehow, starting quarterbacks Mark Sanchez and Ryan Lindley both failed to beat 30. Neither eclipsed the century mark in yardage and combined to complete 20-of-52 passes. Arizona managed to earn just five first downs, but somehow nursed a slim 3-0 lead for a majority of the game.
With the Sanchez era in its dying acts, the Jets mercifully removed him for McElroy in the second half. The insertion of the former national champion and seventh-round pick drew cheers from a bored MetLife Stadium crowd. His statline was simple…a mere 5-of-7 for 29 yards…but he did what Sanchez could not: score. McElroy found tight end Jeff Cumberland for a one-yard touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter, which was somehow enough to earn the Jets a 7-6 win and keep their playoff hopes alive for another week.
When the Jets were eliminated a week later, McElroy earned his first, and what became his only, career start. He was sacked 11 times in a loss to the San Diego Chargers, suffering concussion symptoms. He never partook in another regular season down in the NFL.
11/9/14: Vick Over Pitt
The 2014 New York Jets hoped to showcase the No. 7 of the future in Geno Smith.
They did get to show off a certain man with the numeral…albeit one from the past.
Michael Vick’s penultimate season with the Jets, albeit in the unfamiliar number of one. Vick was called upon to replace a struggling Smith with the Jets reeling at 1-6. The third and final game of his starting tenure produced a rare victory, as the Jets upset the 6-3 Pittsburgh Steelers by a 20-13 final at MetLife Stadium. Two touchdown passes from Vick, including a 67-yard bomb to T.J. Graham, allowed the Jets to jump out to a 17-0 lead in the first quarter. Vick also made history during the game by becoming the first quarterback in NFL history to break the rushing plateau of 6,000 yards.
It’s no secret that the New York Giants are sitting in a great spot with the number four overall pick. April’s draft could still become much more interesting if things go a little differently than expected.
The Miami Herald’s Armando Salguero suggests that the Miami Dolphins might prefer Oregon’s Justin Herbert over Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa. Per Salguero, the Dolphins are not fully sold on Tua’s durability. The Alabama star suffered a season-ending hip injury against Mississippi State. This was not the first setback for Tua. In the 2018 season alone, Tagovailoa suffered injuries to his knee, quad, and ankle on three separate occasions. This string of knocks could certainly raise serious concerns for a team searching for their franchise QB.
What this could mean for the Giants’ draft plans.
It is nothing new to suggest Miami could use their draft capital to third with the Detroit Lions to acquire Tua. They very well could do the same for Justin Herbert.
This wouldn’t change things for the Giants if they were to stay at four. They’d still have their pick of an offensive tackle, or a defensive playmaker, such as Clemson’s Isaiah Simmons. However, if Tua is still available at four, the return for a trade back by the Giants could increase.
It has already been well documented that the Los Angeles Chargers and QB Philip Rivers have parted ways. The Carolina Panthers and Cam Newton’s divorce seems inevitable. As well, with the young QB guru Joe Brady on board, a new signal-caller makes plenty of sense. Let us also not forget Jon Gruden and the Las Vegas Raiders. Although going from fourth to the twelve spots is unappealing, acquiring another first-round pick (Las Vegas owns the 19th pick as well) is not something to easily shy away from.
These teams have already been rumored as potential trade partners for the Giants. However, if Tua and his talents are available, that bidding war could become much more intense.
What could the Giants get for the 4th overall pick?
As ESM’s Anthony Rivardo suggested last week, the New York Giants return on a trade back from fourth for a QB could already be large. If one of these quarterback-needy teams prefers Tua’s skillset to Herbert’s and Tagovailoa is available at four, the likelihood of a future first-round pick being in the return increases significantly.
It is far too early to speculate let 2021 NFL Draft and remaining optimistic for the 2020 NFL season is important. However, for a team that is really not soon making any deep playoff runs, these extra picks this year and beyond are critical. Although Dave Gettleman has never traded back in the first before, now would be the year to do so.
The New York Giants may have received some inspiring news outside of their organization for their NFL Draft plans on Tuesday. Everyone knows how the quarterback position can make NFL teams do some pretty wild and creative things. The Giants could be in prime position to capitalize.
When will Tua Tagovailoa be ready?
In November, Tua Tagovailoa had major hip surgery after sustaining a season-ending injury against Mississippi State. Many wondered how significant the injury would be to the mobility of one of the most sought after QB prospects in quite some time. On Tuesday, Tua and the NFL received some promising news.
Tagovailoa’s agent, Leigh Steinberg, reported that the quarterback could be back to throwing and working out before next month’s NFL Combine. Although he will be at the Combine, he will not be participating in the NFL’s workout. Instead, expect Tua to show off his recovery in a scheduled throwing session before the Combine, or at Alabama’s pro day in March.
Who is Joe Brady?
Also on Tuesday, the Carolina Panthers announced the hiring of LSU QB coach, Joe Brady, as their offensive coordinator. Many New York Giants fans may be familiar with that name, as he has been linked to Matt Rhule throughout the hiring process.
Joe Brady has quickly become one of the hottest names in the coaching ranks. A grade assistant at Penn State from 2015 to 2016, Brady found himself making quite a leap into the NFL. After his stint at PSU, Brady was hired by the New Orleans Saints as an offensive assistant from 2017 to 2018. That is when LSU came calling, making Brady their passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach.
This past season, Joe Brady was honored with the Broyles Award, given to college footballs top assistant coach. His work with eventual Heisman Trophy winner, Joe Burrow, has been recognized as one of the greatest seasons ever. The Ohio State transfer finished off his Heisman season by breaking the FBS single-season record for touchdown passes with 60, including 12 in the College Football Playoff alone. That success paid off, not only for the eventual 1st overall pick in Burrow but also catapulting Brady into the offensive coordinator role with the Carolina Panthers.
How does this help the New York Giants?
The Giants, picking 4th overall in April’s draft, could be in prime position to capitalize on what could be a rush on top QB prospects.
The Miami Dolphins, picking 5th, have been linked to Tua Tagovailoa for nearly more than a year. The phrase “Tank for Tua” was often iterated following a Dolphins loss in the 2019 season. With five picks in the first two rounds, including three in the first, Miami has all the ammo necessary to ensure that they get the coveted quarterback. They may aim to trade up above the New York Giants, knowing that the Lions, who pick 3rd, could also be a potential partner for another team in the QB market. It seems unlikely that the Washington Redskins would be willing to give up the highly regarded Chase Young, but what if Miami calls with an offer they can’t refuse?
Another team of intrigue is the Carolina Panthers. Cam Newton’s time with the Panthers seems like it has a real chance of being over. The oft-injured QB is heading into the final year of his contract. If the Panthers were to move on from Cam, he would free up more than $19 million in cap space and cost only a $2 million cap hit. So how does this help the Giants?
Panthers give New York Giants another option.
The Panthers seem poised to claw into the new era with changes across the board. Hiring the young Matt Rhule and bringing in an even younger, quarterback savvy offensive coordinator screams overhaul. Bringing in a guy that turned Joe Burrow from transfer to record-setting Heisman winner, National Champion and likely 1st round pick, could spell QB change in Charlotte. Carolina may not have the same resources as Miami would to sway Washington, or even Detroit, but what about the Giants?
It’s no secret that the Giants need all the help they can get. Unfortunately, that may mean a process extending beyond this season. Would an offer of multiple draft picks, including a pick or two in the 2021 Draft, be enough to get Dave Gettleman to trade down for the first time in his career? If Carolina does move on from Newton, expect them to try to get into position for Oregon QB Justin Herbert. Herbert, a 6’6″passer with excellent mobility, often draws comparisons to none other than Cam Newton. It seems like a perfect fit to me.
Is the Chase Young dream still alive?
Probably not, but let’s speculate for a minute. What IF the Miami Dolphins use multiple 1st round picks to sway the Redskins out of the 2nd pick? What IF the Panthers, Chargers, or even Raiders get Detroit to budge from the 3rd pick in order to get Justin Herbert? I know, I know… that’s a lot of “if’s” and a lot of luck. However, is it that unlikely? Could the Giants still end up with the pass-rushing prospect they’ve needed?
The New York Jets narrowly avoid a second straight loss. They’ve now won four of their last five games.
The New York Jets were led by their kicker Sam Ficken in today’s game. He made all three of his field-goal attempts, including the game-winner as time expired.
The Jets offense was up-and-down al day. Sam Darnold mostly played well int this one, with his big blemish being his one interception. He did throw for 270 yards on 55.6% passing, 7.5 yards per attempt, and two TDs. Those aren’t the best numbers, but they are tainted by his teammates. Darnold saw at least four of his passes dropped.
The Jets offense finally ran the ball effectively. They ran the ball 32 times for 112 yards. That’s only good for a paltry 3.5 yards per carry, but it was good enough to keep the Dolphins off the Jets passing game.
For a third straight week, Robby Andersonled the way for the Jets receivers. He had 117 yards and 1 TD on 7 receptions.
The Jets defense had an uncharacteristically bad day against the run. The Dolphins had 112 yards rushing on 27 attempts. which is good for 4.5 yards per carry. That’s well over the Jets season average of 2.9 yards coming into the game.
The Jets pass defense was better than it appeared during the game. Ryan Fitzpatrick threw for only 245 yards on 56.8% completion with zero TDs and one INT. The Dolphins passing game was aced by Isaiah Ford who had 92 yards on six receptions.
The Dolphins were unable to get into the end zone despite moving the ball at will. The Jets forced Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders to kick eight field goals, he made seven.
Sam Darnold led a game-winning drive with only one minute 29 seconds left on the clock. An overturned pass interference call on a third and 17 saved the drive.
The Jets have their toughest test all season on Thursday when they head to Baltimore. They will see Lamar Jackson and the Ravens in prime-time. The Jets open up at 14.5 point underdogs in that game.
On Sunday the New York Jets will look to wash off the stink of their two most embarrassing losses this season.
The New York Jets are set to play the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. This will be the second meeting between the two teams this season, the Dolphins won the first.
The Dolphins are coming off a victory against the Philadelphia Eagles Meanwhile, the Jets are coming off a second loss to a win-less team this season.
Yet, the Dolphins still rank 29th in offensive DVOA. That’s because they have no other talent on the team. Their running game has failed to get off the ground this year. Their leading rusher is Mark Walton who has 201 rushing yards this season. The Dolphins top two RBs in rushing yards don’t even meet the low bar that Le’Veon Bell has set this season. That’s how poor their running game is.
Meanwhile, DeVante Parker is having a breakout year for the Dolphins. He’s healthy for the first time in his career this year and he’s taking advantage of it. He has 854 receiving yards on 53 catches, which puts him on pace for 1,138 yards. Parker had never had even 800 yards receiving before this year.
Part of Parker’s success is that he’s finally healthy, but that’s not the big reason. The big reason why is because the team lacks talent. Parker is the only player on the team with more than 60 targets and at least 40 receptions.
When an overflow of targets go one way it’s easy to inflate numbers. Parker’s numbers aren’t as good as they look at first glance. He has just a 57% catch rate and 9.2 yard per target. Those numbers aren’t too different from Robby Anderson who is having a hugely disappointing year. The only difference is that Parker gets more volume.
Defense
The Dolphins defense is the worst in the NFL by DVOA. The Dolphins defense is on pace to allow 503 points this season. that would be the second-most in NFL history.
Their passing defense has been especially horrendous. IT rates as the worst in the NFL by DVOA. They have the worst pass rush in the NFL backing up that awful secondary. The Dolphins are dead last in pressures and sacks. There is nothing good to say about their passing defense. The Jets should shred it, but they failed to do so just a few weeks ago, so anything is possible.
The Dolphins run defense is a little better rating 29th in DVOA. That shouldn’t matter much on Sunday. The Jets rarely run the ball anymore, with Bell running the ball only nine times last week. Even if the Jets did run the ball it wouldn’t matter much since Bell might not play.
There’s no statistical reason to believe the Dolphins should win this game, but that didn’t stop them a few weeks ago. The games aren’t played on paper for a reason. Any given Sunday anything can happen.
Week 9 of the NFL season is going to feature the New York Jets vs the Miami Dolphins, a game so bad that it might be good. The Miami Dolphins have been so bad that it looks like they’re trying to lose on purpose. The Jets have been so bad that wearing the team jersey would’ve made you win best clown costume at a Halloween party last week. Tuning into this game is going to be the equivalent of watching two turtles run the Boston Marathon, slow painful torture for the eyes. However, if you’re rooting for the better draft position this is going to be a key game for the Jets. Whichever way you slice it this game is going to be a mess.
Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins have looked decent by their standards with Ryan Fitzpatrick at QB the last 3 weeks. If they can continue coming out hot, especially with a Jets defense that has trouble stopping teams in the first half, then they might be able to take an easy victory against a division rival. If the Dolphins want to win, they must find a way to stop Le’Veon Bell and get pressure on Sam Darnold. It would be a huge morale booster for the Dolphins to win this game because they’ll be playing for revenge against their ex-head coach Adam Gase who is on the Jets sideline now.
New York Jets
Adam Gase must win this game. That’s it, that’s all I have to say to him. If Adam Gase losses against his ex-team who also happen to be the worst team in the league, then the Jets should make him walk back to New Jersey and fire him when he finally reaches One Jets Drive. A loss against the Dolphins would be catastrophic in every sense for the Jets. An already disgruntled locker room will become as toxic as Chernobyl if they lose to the Dolphins.
Prediction
Unfortunately, I cannot say with 100 percent certainty that the New York Jets will win this game against the Miami Dolphins. This game could go either way I can see either team winning, it but I’ll give the Jets the advantage in this one. I think that the Jets will go down to the south beach and take care of business with a 21-7 win over the Dolphins. As a Jet fan, I’m hoping they lose against the Dolphins as it’ll be the best thing for the franchise moving forward in terms of getting rid of Gase, but as always, the Jets will let me down when it matters most.
Over the past 20 years Tom Brady and the New England Patriots have ruled the AFC East only giving up the division title twice, but how long can he go? Entering the 2019 season at age 42, Tom Brady will most likely not be able to sustain his success for the next 2 years. This begs the question, which young AFC east QB will take over when Brady finally decides to hang up the cleats? We’ll be examining the three second-year QB’s from the Dolphins, New York Jets, and Bills to find out who will take over once the captain of the evil empire is gone.
Josh Allen
The signal-caller for the Buffalo Bills had a surprisingly good season manning an offense that had little to no talent. Allen had some help by having arguably the best defense in the league last year, but he still showed flashes of being a top QB in the league.
Allen put up 2,074 yards, 10 TD’s, 12 interceptions and a 52.8 percent completion percentage last season through the air. On the ground, Allen was a beast racking up 631 yards and 8 touchdowns. Allen’s ability as a dual-threat QB is frightening when you consider he has a 6’5, 240-pound frame and a cannon for an arm, sometimes launching balls over 70 yards downfield.
Allen showed a lot of progressions last year especially after coming back from an elbow injury he suffered Week 6 against the Texans. Allen became a more efficient QB after the injury throwing for an average of 207 yards, 1.33 TD’s and 1.17 interceptions from weeks 12-17 compared to 168 yards, .5 TD’s and 1.25 interceptions weeks 2-5. Josh Allen also played on a team with the ninth highest percentage of dropped passes at 8 percent according to PFF. Josh Allen has a lot of raw talent and can be the next QB up in the AFC East, but he must overcome his accuracy issues and make better decisions.
Josh Rosen
The 10th overall pick of the 2018 NFL draft had a very rough rookie season playing for the Cardinals finishing with the worst record in the league. Although the Cardinals finished with the worst record in the league Josh Rosen showed flashes of being a good starter.
Rosen finished the season with 2278 passing yards, 11 touchdowns, 14 interceptions, and a 55.2 completion percentage according to pro football reference. Rosen came out of college as very fundamentally sound QB with great footwork and flawless mechanics.
Many people look at the Cardinals season last year and assume that Rosen was awful because of their record, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Rosen was surrounded by absolutely no talent and it doesn’t help that the Cardinals were tied for fifth in the league for sacks allowed (52).
Unfortunately for Rosen, he might not be able to become the next QB up in the AFC East because he’s once again on the least talented roster in the league in Miami. The Dolphins are in full rebuild mode and are not committed to Rosen being their franchise QB. Rosen may find himself getting traded around draft time next season again.
The Dolphins are rumored to be in love with star Alabama QB Tua Tagovailola, they will be able to get him as their a favorite to land a top 5 pick this year. For Rosen to replace Brady as the face of the AFC east he must take a massive leap in his second year and become the franchise QB the Dolphins have lacked since Dan Marino.
Sam Darnold
The New York Jets franchise QB had an up and down rookie year passing for 2,865 yards, 17 TD’s, 15 interceptions and a 57.7 completion percentage. Coming out of the draft last year Sam Darnold was seen as the QB with the best chance to succeed in NFL.
The first half of the season for Darnold was very bumpy, he showed that at times he could be great, and other times that he wasn’t ready to play in the NFL. Darnold suffered a foot injury against the Dolphins week 9. After missing 4 weeks because of the injury Darnold came back and finished the season with his best stretch of football.
Darnold had the highest grade over the final month of the season according to PFF, giving Jets fans hope for the future. Darnold’s best traits are his accuracy and his ability to extend plays, which is the reason why so many people were in love with him in college. If Darnold wants to be the next man up he needs to work on his decision making, Darnold was tied for the third-most interceptions in the league this year. Darnold has all the attributes you look for in a QB he just needs to be quicker when making decisions for him to avoid turnovers.
After analyzing these QB’s I’ve concluded that Sam Darnold will most likely be the face of the AFC east when Tom Brady’s reign of dominance is over. Darnold has all the talent in the world and isn’t nearly as raw as Josh Allen is. Darnold spot on the roster for the next couple of years is secure unlike Rosen whose future with Miami after the season is murky. Darnold is the most likely to succeed out of all these QB’s and has a great supporting cast around him to help achieve that. I believe each one of these QB’s will take big strides into becoming better players this year but with all things considered Darnold is the favorite to take over.
Josh Allen 2019 Stats Prediction: 2,978 yards, 19 TD’s and 14 interceptions
