Soccer Preview 2021-22

 Soccer Preview 2021-22

Wednesday, August 4, 2021

10:06 PM

My favorite of the 3 previews. College football has gotten just a little too predictable : Alabama,  Clemson, Oklahoma, Ohio State - there you go, my playoff picks for the 2021 NCAA campaign. NFL is always fun, just because I think it’s the most difficult league to predict outside of hockey, although last year we really should've known the whole time. In any case, a nibble of the crazy European entity that just got even crazier over the last 72 hours.

England Premier League:

Winners: Manchester City. - why not? 4 of the last 5. 

2nd-4th: Manchester United, Chelsea, Leicester City. I struggled with this. I'll explain later.

5th-7th: Liverpool, Tottenham, Aston Villa. One of these is not like the others.

Relegation: Newcastle, Brentford, Watford. I feel bad for Bruce. The other two need just a bit more.

FA Cup winners: Arsenal. A mild surprise perhaps.

Carabao Cup Winners: Manchester City. - why not? 6 of the last 8.

City has some fun options to use this year. I hope they don't forget about Phil Foden... Manchester United and Chelsea will push City hard to the end, in my opinion. The only difference that separates them is the Pep factor. He does such a good job getting the best out of his team for 38 games. Tuchel did a great job in the knockout stages of Champions League. Ole is a tough manager to beat. But they just aren't able to get everything out of their players the way Pep does... Leicester and Liverpool will fight for 4th until the final day. This time I think it ends the other way, because I remember things getting stale with Jurgen Klopp at Dortmund. While I don't think Liverpool will be in the bottom half of the table like Dortmund was, I think they're going to struggle to get momentum this year. After the relatively easy fixture against Norwich in matchday 1, it gets tricky quickly. Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United all show up before matchday 10… I like Patrick Vieira going to Crystal Palace, I just think it will take awhile for him to settle in. It's a pretty settled squad though, outside of Andres Townsend, I didn't notice much movement. Maybe he can freshen up the squad with some of the youth… Love Leeds' roster, think they will just miss out on a European place. A good window before the end of August might change things, but for now I think they're just shy of Thursday night football… Everton, Southampton, Arsenal and West Ham will have quiet seasons. I could see West Ham maybe doing something exciting and really pushing for success in the Europa League... Only Mikel Arteta will feel the fire for finishing in the mid-table. But he could see another season with a cup win.

Ligue 1:

Winners: PSG. Can't imagine anyone saying anything different.

2nd-4th: LOSC, Marseille, Lyon. Really solid clubs, in really solid positions.

5th-6th: Monaco, Rennes. If Camavinga stays, Rennes has a shot at Europe.

Relegation: Strasbourg, Lorient, Brest. Thanks to BeIn Sports, I just picked the 3 I knew the least about. Only league I don't get in my sports package.

Coupe de France: PSG. Might as well. Good chance to improve my prediction percentages.

I wish I could see more of this league, but the only way to do it is to sign onto a $70 monthly package. When I can get Champions League, Europa League, and Europa Conference for $5, this makes no sense. So here we are in America, and not able to see Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Leo Messi playing together. If they're all fully fit, I can't imagine things going any other way. And if they can only score 2 goals a game? Gianluigi Donnarumma will be there to keep it tight at the back… I love Lille (LOSC), and every year, they get hammered by the vultures and lose top players. For some reason, they still have Renato Sanches who could be playing for Liverpool or Barcelona by now. He wasn't the key piece in their title run last year, but still is one of the more exciting players in world football. If he stays, they have the talent to still get that 2nd spot… On paper, Marseille made some of the best improvements in Europe… Monaco and Lyon should battle it out for that 4th spot, however because of coefficients, it means a Europa appearance instead of Champions League. Still a good finish in what is slowly becoming a better league.

La Liga:

Winners: Atletico de Madrid. The other two haven't convinced me.

2nd-4th: Real Madrid, Barcelona, Villarreal. The league isn't really strong enough to challenge these sides at the top, but maybe Sevilla surprises if Jules Kounde stays, and Real Sociedad has some interesting talent. 

5th-6th: Sevilla, Real Sociedad. May as well say it. 

Relegation: Rayo Vallecano, Mallorca, Espanyol. Didn't see much roster improvement to make me think any of them have a chance.

Copa del Rey: Sevilla. They're usually good for a cup. I'll make it domestic this time.

ESPN+ finally gets La Liga, and Messi, Neymar and Ronaldo are gone.  There are still some ultra talented players in La Liga, but they aren't on the star level that those three gave this league for multiple years. Atletico has held onto all of their star talents so far, and so I don't see why they can't repeat. If they are able to sign Dusan Vlahovic in the upcoming days to pair with Luis Suarez, then I don't see any club able to beat them. Vlahovic scored over 20 goals for relegation tested Fiorentina last season, having the likes of Saul, Thomas Lemar, Marcos Llorente, Rodrigo de Paul and Joao Felix will only encourage him to score more… Real and Barcelona had interesting off-seasons to stay the least. Zidane is no longer at Real Madrid, and Ancelotti wasn't able to bring in any of his targets. They've lost both of their starting CB's as well, and only David Alaba has come in to replace them. I rate Eder Militao very highly, but to step into Sergio Ramos's shoes would be tough for anyone… Barcelona lost what's his face this summer, and while no one loves Memphis Depay more than I do, I'm not sure a front 3 of Griezmann, Depay and Martin Braithwaite is going to chase down a title. There's still some time in the transfer window to make a change as it appears Sergio Aguero will be out for a few months, but with Ansu Fati still sidelined for a few more weeks with the knee injury and Pedri still resting up from a fantastic Euro, I think Barcelona might be chasing teams from the back, instead of leading the way.  

Bundesliga:

Winners: Borussia Dortmund. It feels like Bayern's time has come to an end. 

2nd-4th: Bayern Munich, RB Leipzig, Hertha Berlin. Germany usually has one surprise a year, why not go with the team from the capital. 

5th-7th: Borussia Moenchengladbach, Wolfsburg, Eintracht Frankfurt. This zone could be influenced by 5 or 6 teams, but these three have players capable of making that push. Bayer Leverkusen keeps selling those players. 

Relegation: Augsburg, Greuther Furth. Augsburg dumped a bit of salary, nothing exciting left. Furth should enjoy things for about 25 weeks. 

DFB Pokal: FC Schalke. Wouldn't that be something? 

While Dortmund essentially swapped Jadon Sancho for Donyell Malen, I think Marco Reus is ready to captain a Bundesliga winning side. Marco Rose got close in the past with Gladbach, and he's never had this much talent at his disposal. Gio Reyna should be ready to take that next step, and Erling Haaland has been beyond spectacular since his arrival in the Ruhr region... Bayern still has some time to add to the squad, but for the first time since maybe the 2000's, their depth is coming up a bit short. If any of Joshua Kimmich, Leon Goretzka or Robert Lewandowski miss extended time, counting on Eric Choupo-Moting, Marc Roca, and Corentin Tolisso might not be enough. And Tolisso might not be in the team by September either. They do have some young, exciting talent coming through the ranks like Fiete Arp, and Joshua Zirkzee, but I think both of them need a year or two before they can compete at the highest level. Jamal Musiala, not so much, but that's asking a lot of an 18 year old that's had limited first team experience... the reason I love this league so much is because from about the 4th place in the table to the 14th it could be interchangeable. Hoffenheim could make Champions League and I wouldn't be surprised, they could also be battling for relegation. I thought Bayer Leverkusen would be on the fast track for 4th at the beginning of the year, but losing Leon Bailey really hurts, and I'm not sure they have someone that can come in yet. Nadiem Amiri, and Kerem Demirbay are nice players, but enough to get Leverkusen into a Champions League place?

Serie A:

Winners: Juventus. I guess. This should be wide open for the first time in years, unless Cristiano Ronaldo can turn back the clock. 

2nd-4th: Atalanta, Inter Milan, AC Milan. Atalanta excites me. Losing Achraf Hakimi and Romelu Lukaku does not. 

5th-7th: Lazio, Napoli, Roma. I guess Jose Mourinho is working some magic? I like Sassuolo and Verona rosters more.

Relegation: Spezia, Venezia, Empoli. A battle of about 5 clubs, Torino and Salernitana escape.

Coppa Italia: Napoli. Still a bit of talent in this squad, they could definitely chase a trophy.

I could actually see any of the top 6 challenging for a title, but it's hard to not pick Juventus. Ronaldo, Enrico Chiesa and Paulo Dybala need to be great, but that could easily happen... The squad I'm most excitied about is Sassuolo. They remind me of Leeds United. High energy, and Giacomo Raspadori is the best player you've never heard of. He's already on the national team, and should be on a top 6 side next year. Reminds me a bit of Lorenzo Insigne or Antonio Di Natale... Roma will be fun to watch. Not because of the style of football; I'm intrigued to see what Jose will do with this roster, especially with star Leonardo Spinazzola out for a few more months. Edin Dzeko is likely gone, and Nicolo Zaniolo is still coming back from his catastrophic knee injuries. They still have a few talents in the roster, but where does Jose find his talisman?

Champions League:

Quarterfinalists: Juventus, PSG, Manchester City, Manchester United, Bayern Munich, Atalanta, Liverpool, Sporting Lisbon.

I can just see Real Madrid getting an Atalanta, and the free flowing side giving them everything that they have. Chelsea will be going for a different title, and Atletico will draw a PSG or Bayern to really give them all they can handle. Sporting had one of the best domestic campaigns I've ever seen last season. Let's reward them with a final 8 appearance. 

Semi-finalists: Juventus, PSG, Manchester City, Atalanta. Maybe some fun draws. Not the best 4, but the potential of a difficult draw for Bayern makes me think they're gone from this comp too. 

Finalists: Juventus vs PSG. I really want this. Ronaldo vs the World (or at least Neymar, Mbappe and Messi) We haven't heard from him yet, which I find interesting. I bet he's fuming inside. Either that, or plotting his escape to join the trio in 2022. Maybe he beats them too. But I have a hard time picking Wojciech Szczesny over Donnarumma. So I won't. PSG to take it. 

Europa League:

Finalists: Napoli vs West Ham. Maybe they're all in. I like the attacking options at West Ham's disposal. Why not a run against some of Europe's more established sides. Sevilla out in the semi's.

Nate's World 11:

GK: Jan Oblak. Back to back La Liga titles is no easy task for a non Barca or Real side.
LB: Raphael Guerreiro. If Dortmund is to win, he'll be a major player.
CB: Ruben Dias. Leapfrogs a few to become one of the world's best CB's. 
CB: Matthias De Ligt. If Juventus is to win, he'll be a very important part of it.
RB: Dani Carvajal. I thought about others, but this kid is steady.
6: Kante. One more go around before the next age of top 6's are ready to challenge.
8: Bruno Fernandes. Almost world class last year, enters the conversation this year.
10. Mason Mount. Will carry Chelsea through some tough spells, if they win the EPL, look at him.
CF: Leo Messi. I'm picturing the most motivated of individuals.
CF: Kylian Mbappe. All those Messi assists have to go to someone.
CF: Erling Haaland. Almost picked Neymar, but 30 goals and a Bundesliga title is better. 

Nate's Favorite 11:

GK: Gianluigi Donnarumma. From age 16 man, I just love watching the guy. Reminds me of Peter.
LB: Luke Shaw. My favorite comeback story. Never lost faith in him, and so happy it's going well.
CB: Harry Maguire. I wanted him from day 1. Worth every penny. We were lost when he was out.
CB: Mats Hummels. Makes some mistakes, but I just feel better when he's at the back.
RB: Achraf Hakimi. Wish Dortmund had paid the fee, but PSG is getting next gen's best.
6: Declan Rice. England hates him, but all I see is a Michael Carrick 2.0.
8: Eduardo Camavinga. Along with Wayne Rooney and Michael Ballack, loved him from 1st sight.
10: Phil Foden. Still think he will be the next generation's best player. Fight me.
LW: Marcus Rashford. Hurry back, please.
CF: Erling Haaland. Can't pick against my 4th son. Even if he is 4th favorite.
RW: Mason Greenwood. Rather put him at the 9, but that's how good Haaland is. Next level soon.

Players to watch:

1. Yusuf Demir. (Barcelona) While I do think Foden is the best attacking midfielder of tomorrow, Yusuf Demir might be right behind him. Stumbled onto his YouTube videos when I was watching those of my other favorite Amad Diallo, and Demir should be better. Barcelona already got him, and if he's ready, he'll play a ton this year. Think Foden but right behind the striker. We share a birthday as well, so he'll always have my love and affection.

2. Pedri. (Barcelona) I mean really, not all is lost for Barcelona, even though they lost Messi last week. When Fati comes back, they could potentially have the world's 3 best teenagers playing in their side. Not to mention Ilaix Moriba who had an impressive run in the first team last season. If they do it right, we have the next group of all-stars that will chase the trophies of Messi, Iniesta and Xavi. Pedri is a little Iniesta and a little David Villa. If you saw him in the Euro's, you know what I mean. 

3. Mason Mount. (Chelsea) I continue to wonder why Chelsea keeps buying players in attacking positions. Hakim Ziyech. Kai Havertz. Christian Pulisic (albeit a different style of attacker). But while I'll never be the biggest Chelsea fan, he reminds me of when Wayne Rooney was in the Manchester United side and they started to buy players (Chicharito, Juan Mata, Shinji Kagawa) that could potentially push Wayne out. And Wayne kept his place. And United kept winning. The same thing could happen here. I think Mount is one of the few indispensable players in the Chelsea side. He loves the club, he puts them on his back, and this could be the year he approaches world class. Grealish for 100 million, and Mount for free. 

4. Jack Grealish. (Aston... Manchester City) This is a fun one too. I wasn't sure that the left side of Manchester City's attack was the problem. Ferran Torres did a job there. Raheem Sterling usually plays at the highest level. Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden can play on that side if needed. So why not keep the cash, and chase that #9 it seems they so desperately need? If Kane is in the team last year, don't they win the European Cup? So here comes Grealish, Torres moves into the striker position with Gabriel Jesus, and off City go again. If he blends in with no problem, then I look silly, and City might be challenging PSG for that ever elusive Champions League trophy. 

5. James Maddison. (Leicester City?) What an intriguing story. Here he is, the #10 on a team pushing for Champions League football, and maybe even a Europa League trophy, and his name keeps getting mentioned with Arsenal. Which is great, don't get me wrong, the club has a wonderful history, and usually battle for those Champions League places. But right now, Arsenal is in a bit of disarray. I don't think they're good enough to think about a top 4 place, let alone a European one. But here they come for Maddison. He is surrounded by talented players like Youri Tielemans, Jamie Vardy, Wilfred Ndidi and Harvey Barnes. For 36 weeks it looked like this group would be in Champions League. They added Patson Daka, who while not Haaland, did score plenty of goals for RB Salzburg, and Boubakary Soumare who may be the closest thing I've seen to Patrick Vieira in the last 10 years. So what does Madds do? Stay tuned to this story.

6. Thomas Muller. (Bayern Munich) Raumdeuter. The space interpreter. 10 years ago, I had no idea what that term meant, even after it was explained to me in English. He understands space? Great. So do I... but then I started to wonder. What are Muller's best traits? He's not typically fast. He's not a powerful player. Doesn't really beat defenders 1v1. He can't really whip in a cross. Doesn't really pressure defenders from his position. He doesn't really build attacks. Nothing special in the air. So why is he one of the best player's in the world?... Oh, Raumdeuter. He just finds the space necessary to put the ball into the back of the net. That's it. The only thing he's good at. 9 Bundesliga titles in a row. Watch him before he's gone. 

7. Atletico's midfield. I couldn't really put just one guy here, because it wouldn't be respectful to the other pieces in the unit. It's probably the group of players that I enjoy watching the most in the sport. For a lot of people, it's not aesthetically pleasing to watch. It's tactical, not technical. It's roles and expectations, not joy and excitement. Koke is a great passer of the ball, but I've never seen him beat a defender with a skill. Marcos Llorente is fit, but he doesn't ping a 40 yard pass over the top. Geoffrey Kondogbia doesn't chase players down like Kante, but he is a wall in front of the defenders. Saul won't rip shots from deep like Toni Kroos, but you can't give him space. They all just do their roles so well, and there's something for everyone. Carrasco plays well on the wing. Lemar cuts inside and delivers opportunities to the strikers. Angel Correa is difficult to win the ball off of. And now they've added De Paul to the mix, who can deliver a through ball at any moment. Any player for any game. Youth coaches, take notes.

8. Luis Diaz.  (FC Porto) Aiden wants me to put him in here. I've been waiting for the next James Rodriguez. For those of you that remember the 2014 World Cup, he was a revelation. He was smiling and enjoying the matches, yet he fought so hard to win games for his country. All the emotions made him very fun to root for. Diaz is built in a similar way, and Colombian to boot. Loves to cut inside. Scores goals at FC Porto for fun. I think he's a player that could make a big money move next summer, so listen to Aiden and enjoy these final months at my son's favorite club.

9. Erling Haaland and Facundo Pellistri. (Borussia Dortmund; Alaves) May as well finish with Logan and Lucas's favorite players, respectively. Haaland is already very well known, but even when he's not scoring goals, he is an absolute handful for opposing teams. A lot of Dortmund's goals will come from defender's mistakes, and Haaland has a lot to do with that. They get tired going toe-to-toe with one of the biggest and strongest physical specimens I've ever seen... Pellistri was signed by Manchester United last season, but we never really got to see him. He played in the reserves a bit, and then got sent on loan to Alaves. But, boy is he exciting to watch. He has a little Nani in him, but with composure in his attack. See his pre-season goal from a few weeks ago. He is back at Alaves for the 2021-22 season, but if you have ESPN+, gives this kid a glance. 

"These are the Champions" 🎵

We've made it. This is my favorite round of pretty much any competition in any sport. It's the 16 best teams in the world - usually. And if it isn't, well, everyone is still in with a shout for the next 3 months while also having to compete in a domestic competition. Imagine if the NFL went through a home/away March Madness style season, while also dealing with trying to do as best as they can in the regular season. That's pretty much what we have with Champions League knockout rounds. 

This year is going to be so different from any other stage that I honestly have no idea what to expect. Because of COVID, some teams might not have any home games at all, and it looks as if most of Europe is still playing under the empty stadiums rule. Home field is out the window, but while last season was crazy in the way that each round only resulted in one match, this time both teams will have a "Home game", but even through this first round, nobody has any idea where the games will be played and what teams get to play at home vs travelling to a neutral site within a country that has less restrictive regulations for COVID-19. So I was contemplating on whether I should make predictions or not; I don't think I will because anything can happen and it's as much a guessing game as ever. I'll just present opinions on teams, and whether I think they have what it takes to win this very unusual tournament experience. (Ok, boys want to do predictions haha)

Note* In my beginning of the year preview, I believe I had Bayern playing Juventus in the final. While I still think Bayern has a good shot at getting there, Juventus has been rather disappointing this year and it would really be a surprise if they were to do it. Can't say who I see in their place though. 

1. RB Leipzig vs Liverpool

I'm obsessed with this matchup. It's heavy metal football (Liverpool) vs the true counter attacking methods of sitting deep, winning the ball, running and crossing (RB Leipzig). Leipzig have played quite well so far this year, and knocked out Manchester United in a must win game. They're still putting pressure on Bayern Munich to win the Bundesliga, but the deeper they get in this tournament, the less likely of a chance I think they have in Germany. Liverpool is struggling ever since the passing, er injury of Virgil Van Dijk. Liverpool is having a hard time generating goals, and are making so many mistakes at the back. Yet, they still have Mo Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino in attack, and that means the goals can start pouring in at any time. So, essentially what should happen is if Liverpool press from kickoff and put Leipzig under serious pressure, they're probably going to get through this leg quite easily. When RBL has to come out and chase the game is when they get into a bit of trouble. Here's the kicker. If Liverpool don't put away many of the opportunities that they're bound to get from the great attacking positions they generate, Leipzig is going to have so many 3v2's and 4v3's. And they are going to get them against a GK Alisson Becker who is on probably the worst from of his career. RBL usually plays a 5-3-2, but with wingbacks that are as high - or higher - than their attacking midfielders. If they can force Trent Alexander Arnold or Andrew Robertson into some turnovers high up the pitch, look out. 

RB Leipzig likely formation - 5-3-2 Counter-Attack

Liverpool likely formatin - 4-3-3 Gegenpress

RB Leipzig player to watch: CB Dayot Upamecano. I'm intrigued to see how he performs after signing that big deal with FC Bayern. He's a top level defender when on form, his matchup vs Mo Salah will be amazing. 

Liverpool player to watch: CF Roberto Firmino. He's had a very interesting season, after years of being dominant from their pressing forward position. Some of his turnovers have led to opposing goals, and momentous swings of confidence within the team. If he can press well against the Leipzig back 3 and win some balls in good areas, Liverpool can salvage their season with a deep run in Europe.

Predictions: Dad - RBL; Aiden (10) - Liverpool; Logan (8) - RBL; Lucas (8) - RBL

2. PSG vs Barcelona

Mouth watering. Or it would've been, if Neymar didn't get hurt and will now likely miss this matchup. While it's not really that devastating for PSG because they have a plethora of options in attack, it does take the temperature down a bit for this battle of his current club vs his former one. In their last game, Moise Kean played in the attacking role, and he was able to put the ball in the back of the net, so there shouldn't be too many worries there. I think PSG will go with their normal 4-2-3-1 with Kylian Mbappe, Kean and Julian Draxler sitting just behind Mauro Icardi. PSG usually starts on the front foot, and I'm curious to see which midfield twosome will sit behind these attackers. The game will probably be won or lost with those selections. Barcelona is just now starting to fire on all cylinders after sputtering to get through the first couple months. The only reason they're even playing PSG is because they let Juventus get the best of them on the final matchday. They do have a bit of an injury crisis, but Messi will be around for this, playing in his new CF role. He's been good as of late, both goals against Alaves were beauties. Barcelona will likely play through the middle and try and provide Messi with as many key chances to score as he requires. My only concern for Barca is whether Frenkie De Jong goes back into midfield, or whether he will be forced to play in defense for another game. 

PSG likely formation - 4-2-3-1 direct style, that really looks like a 4-2-1-3. 

Barcelona likely formation - 4-3-3 possession based

PSG player to watch: CF Kylian Mbappe. Whether your new to the sport because you love reading this silly little blog I like to send out periodically, or watch soccer religiously, I think it's safe to say that Mbappe just draws the eyeballs to the TV screen the same way we are drawn to Mona Lisa's delightful smile, or Van Gogh's Starry Night. When he's on form, he rates as one of the best players in the world, and when he gets behind the defenders, it generally always ends up in his favor. 

Barcelona player to watch: CF Leo Messi. In what still might be his final season with Barcelona - or just one of another 4-5, Messi has changed the way we view the game, and his goals and skills have been breath-taking and awe-inspiring. He will go down as one of the best players we have ever seen, and he's done it so many different ways. He's been an astute dribbler. He's been a wide playmaker. A goal-scoring winger. A false 9 drawing out defenders to provide for Luis Suarez and David Villa. And now he leads the Barcelona attacking line himself. Enjoy him while you still can - he's the Tom Brady of the global game.

Predictions: Dad - Barcelona; Aiden - PSG; Logan - Barcelona; Lucas - Barcelona.

3. Sevilla vs Dortmund

Six weeks ago, everyone was excited for this matchup between two of Europe's most over achieving sides. Dortmund won a rather simple group in the early stages, and Sevilla battered Krasnador and Rennes, but couldn't get a goal past Chelsea. Now, haha well, it's gone two very different ways for these 2 sides. Dortmund struggled through the holidays, fired their manager and are praying for points every time they hit the field. Losing Axel Witsel was disasterous for them, and since he's been gone they've only won 2 matches, including a cup game against 2nd division FC Paderborn. Sevilla meanwhile have lost once since early December and have a very commanding 2-0 lead against Barcelona in the Spanish cup. It should be easy. Sevilla likes to run the game from midfield and with Ivan Rakitic and Oliver playing well, have the resources to do so. Dortmund is still seeking a new identity without Witsel; while they've kept their very familiar 4-2-3-1 formation, they can't find the right combination of midfield to keep opponents out of their own goal, while feeding Marco Reus and Erling Haaland themselves. 

Sevilla likely formation - 4-3-3 Narrow and Compact

Dortmund likely formation - 4-2-3-1 High-Line possessive based

Sevilla player to watch: CM Ivan Rakitic. Had a great run at Barcelona, but just seems to really thrive during his times at Sevilla. As a former FC Schalke man, might he take delight in knocking out their biggest German rival?

Dortmund player to watch: ST Erling Haaland. When he's scoring goals, Dortmund is hard to keep up with, but he doesn't offer much else when things aren't going well. He's been pushed back into the lineup maybe before his injury allowed, and now we're seeing the frustrations for doing so. A comprehensive victory over Sevilla could fix things for Haaland and Co.

Predictions: Dad - Sevilla; Aiden - Dortmund; Logan - Dortmund; Lucas - Dortmund.

4. FC Porto vs Juventus

Another intriguing matchup. Reading up on the history of these two sides, FC Porto has never beaten Juventus in Champions League play (0-1-4). It would have been hard to do so, the only time that Porto have been flying high in the recent era is when Jose Mourinho was leading the show back in 2004. And for reasons still unknown, Juventus was bounced out of Europe by Deportivo La Coruna that year (although 2004 is the year in soccer that I will never, ever, ever understand as FC Porto beat Monaco in the Champions League final, and Greece won the European Championship). This year Porto has been good, but not great, and in their matchups against Manchester City, sat back and absorbed tons of pressure, which makes me think that the same will happen against Juventus. (My oldest son loves FC Porto, so we get to see a lot of them). They usually play some variation of 4-4-2, but against City we saw a 5-4-1 with wingbacks at the Etihad, and 5-3-2 with a more direct style at home. Juventus have been a little off the pace this year with 6 draws and 3 losses in the Serie A, and the lone loss against Barcelona in Europe. They have been very versatile in attack, and have been getting goals from a number of players this year. It's dried up a little recently, but I still think Juventus can score a few goals during these two matches. 

FC Porto likely formation - Could go a lot of ways, I see a 5-3-2 counter attack against Juve.

Juventus likely formation - 4-4-2 possession based w a free role for CR7

FC Porto player to watch: ST Moussa Marega. Could probably be playing for a top club by now, and he's been one of the two prolific players for FC Porto this campaign. I think he really likes it there though, and has come through some adversity over the years to be one of Porto's most indispensable players. If he can get a goal or two in the first match, this tie could come down to the final minutes.

Juventus player to watch: CF Cristiano Ronaldo. I picked the other two giants (Mbappe, Messi) may as well pick the 3rd. He can change a tie on a dime, and he's done it to Porto before (see goal against them in 2009). He only needs a moment to make the full 180 storyline about him. In what might be his last real run in a side that can win Champions League, he should have some extra motivation. Enjoy him while you can, too.

Predictions: Dad - Juventus; Aiden - FC Porto; Logan - Juventus; Lucas - FC Porto

5. Atletico Madrid vs Chelsea

The second week of matchups start with these two. It's probably the only one of the four that should be close. Chelsea looks rejuvenated under their new manager Thomas Tuchel, and they've won 5 in a row. Some might say that they haven't played anybody, but it seems to me that Manchester United lost to Sheffield United at home, while Liverpool has lost 3 in a row at home. You just have to beat who's in front of you. Which is what Atletico Madrid have been doing all season. They're not very enjoyable to watch; they play a very rigid 4-4-2, aren't afraid to set up deep in their own half, and just expect Luis Suarez or Joao Felix to score a goal. It's worked for them all season. This may setup a little differently then - Edouard Mendy has been one of the best keepers in Europe this season, so Atletico may be forced to play a little more. I see something similar to their series against Liverpool last campaign. They'll play it tight at home, and push the envelope a little bit more at Stamford Bridge. 

Atletico Madrid likely formation - 4-4-2 contain, until late in the tie.

Chelsea likely formation - I think Tuchel will go with 3-4-3 wing play, but he's full of surprises.

Atletico Madrid player to watch: GK Jan Oblak. The world's best goal keeper in my opinion. I'm always surprised when he concedes, and he is so commanding of the 18. He is good enough to certainly win a matchup on his own, and with Abraham looking to miss time during these fixtures, Chelsea might really struggle to score. 

Chelsea player to watch: RM Callum Hudson-Odoi. Once upon a time, I thought he was going to be the wonderkid of the early 20's. Flying down the left wing, quicker than the full backs, whipped in a good cross, a better Sterling. Clearly, he's let me down. But maybe it was Frank. Under Tuchel, he has seen a bit of a resurgence, and might be one of the few players that's locked down a spot in this new formation. 

Predictions: Dad - Atleti; Aiden - Atleti; Logan - Atleti; Lucas - Atleti

6. Lazio vs Bayern

I wish I could say Lazio has a shot here. When fully fit, they have a lineup that could do some damage. They destroyed Borussia Dortmund in the capital. Ciro Immobile is one of the best strikers playing right now in Europe. Their 3-5-2 formation is really difficult to go up against. But for some reason, I keep going back to - It's Bayern freaking Munich. Bayern really shouldn't have any problems here. They can play most styles of football, and have the personnel to accommodate the wishes of the manager. If they let Lazio play, they'll have Leroy Sane and Kingsley Coman charging down the wings. If Lazio sit deep, Leon Goretzka and Joshua Kimmich put pressure on the midfield and usually create opportunities for themselves or for Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Muller. If Lazio comes out to try and clog the midfield, Bayern shifts the ball to Alphonse Davies and Benjamin Pavard on the wings. Really no suitable options for Lazio here.

Lazio likely formation - 3-5-2, but with fluidity. Look for Sergej Milinkovic-Savic in a free role.

Bayern likely formation - 4-2-3-1 High defensive line.

Lazio player to watch: CM Sergej Milinkovic-Savic. One of my favorite midfielders in the world. He can do it all really, and I honestly thought he was going to be the player that settled into the Manchester United midfield instead of Bruno Fernandes. It's okay to be wrong once in awhile though. SMS is a good enough player to pick a pass, run down a winger, and put one past the keeper though. If he goes off, this leg might get a little more interesting.

Bayern player to watch: All of them. Haha, but this team really intrigues me. When firing, they can't be beat. I'll pick CDM Joshua Kimmich, only because his movement around the pitch is unmatched, and he's the best in the world at what he does. Watch him in the final 3rd.

Predictions: Dad - Bayern; Aiden - Bayern; Logan - Bayern; Lucas - Bayern

7. Atalanta vs Real Madrid

Another David vs Goliath. But in this one, Goliath is on his knees a little bit. Real had a tough group stage experience; they didn't qualify for this round until the final day, and they lost twice to Shakhtar Donetsk. They have also been inconsistent in the La Liga, sitting five points behind Atletico while playing two more games. Atalanta is right in the mix for a Champions League place in Italy, but will they maybe sacrifice going hard in the league for a chance to knock off these giants? They set up in my favorite formation - the 3-6-1, (triangles everywhere!) which allows for fluidity in midfield and goals can be generated from anyone on any side of the field. Their back 3 isn't very solid though, and Real might break through their defending lines. Zidane has Madrid playing well lately in their forever present 4-3-3, and they're getting goals from Karim Benzema which is a must if they're going to absorb the pressure that Atalanta will force upon them. I see the Madrid midfield lining up a little deeper than normal, maybe encouraging Atalanta to play with the ball a bit, and encourage less bodies in the box so Benzema can have more opportunities to penetrate. 

Atalanta likely formation - 3-6-1 balanced. They play well with and without the ball.

Real Madrid likely formation - 4-3-3, direct possession. Zidane's staple. 

Atalanta player to watch: LWM Robin Gosens. I used to cringe when the German National team put him on the left side of midfield, but over the last 18 months, he's probably become one of Germany's best players. Most likely to mark Marco Asensio, he's got a huge task ahead of him. But it might be the matchup that spurs Atalanta on to bigger things. 

Real Madrid player to watch: LM Eden Hazard. Does he cross his legs while sitting on the bench? Which body part is going to bother him next? Is he capable of a cameo appearance before the end of the season? It's shocking to me how he has fallen off since his big move to Real Madrid from Chelsea, and I'm not sure Zidane would trust him even if he was fully fit to play in these matches. Zidane says he could be back in time, and I think if he gets minutes, every single one of them will be scrutinized to the 9th degree.  

Predictions: Dad (I wavered here) - Madrid; Aiden - Madrid; Logan - Madrid; Lucas - Madrid.

8. Borussia Moenchengladbach vs Manchester City

BMG has been exciting to watch this season, while not necessarily getting the results that they crave. They currently sit 7th in Germany, and really struggled to get to this point in Europe. Their coach just announced that he will be leaving them at the end of the season, which is a huge blow. Last season, they were running the Bundesliga for awhile, and their exciting counter-attacking style of play, is difficult to deal with as an opponent, but fun to watch as a fan. Now they lose the comforts of their home field and will play Manchester City in Budapest, Hungary. Man City is on absolute fire. They're cruising through the Premier League, cruised through the Champions League group stage, and could win both domestic cups this year. They've done this without having two of their best players (Sergio Aguero/ Kevin De Bruyne) for parts of the season, and a makeshift defensive line, although now that seems to be fixed since the arrival of Ruben Dias, and the resurgence of John Stones. I like this for BMG only because they don't need the ball to be successful, and against Man City, will probably only have it for 30% of the time.

BMG likely formation - 4-2-3-1, although quickly changes into a counter 4-3-3.

Man City likely formation - Tiki-Taka 4-3-3. Movement is fluid, also looks like a 4-5-1 with a 9 that can drop deep. 

BMG player to watch: With all the injuries, I'll pick CAM Lars Stindl. He's been steady for years, might be the face of the club, and is going to have to hit some passes to really make the City backline work, otherwise their stay in Europe is going to be rather short.

Man City player to watch: Ilkay Gundogan. What he has done since De Bruyne went out injured is nothing short of amazing. He is scoring goals, getting into really good attacking positions, helping out on the defensive side, and not turning over the ball in tight situations. He might be one of the best players around in the last 3 months. He should make easy work of Gladbach here.

Predictions: Dad - City; Aiden - City; Logan - City; Lucas - City.

Who wins it all? Dad - Bayern; Aiden - Real Madrid; Logan - Juventus; Lucas - City. 

NFL Playoff Predictions - Championship Round

 Championship Round

Thursday, January 21, 2021

8:49 PM

That was brutal. 2 out of 4 when I should've known better. Of course Josh Allen would do just enough to win, and the speed of the Bills defense… they were sensational and I think they could spring a surprise on the Kansas City Chiefs. On the other side, of course Drew Brees needs to retire because he can't throw an accurate pass come the 4th quarter, and of course Tom Brady would rush for a TD. I need to be better, redemption will be served if I can nail the Super Bowl on the head. Let's get started.

Green Bay vs Tampa Bay. 

A battle of the bays. I've waited years to be able to write that, but the Packers were garbage when Brad Johnson was leading the Buccaneers to a Super Bowl, and Tampa Bay has been trash for most of my life. I think for a lot of football fans, this was the plan for the end of the season. Myself? I had anticipated a Cowboys vs Saints NFC Championship game so that's what I know. But now that we are here, I'm really looking forward to this. Both as a fan of the Packers and as a fan of the sport.

The first time they met, it was boring and not close. Green Bay jumped out to an early lead, but looked uncomfortable, and after a couple of Aaron Rodgers' INT's, were really never in it. Tampa started conservatively, switched to a bold open offense, and then shut the door with clock management in the 2nd half. This time it should be different. First, the game is on the slow, trudging field at Lambeau. If the forecast is right, it's going to be chilly with a chance of snow. This could play into the hands of the Packers. Outside of MVS, the Packers do a great job of holding the football, and the running backs can all make plays out of the backfield. Where the Buccaneers are good is in their aggression; they blitz really well, but their linebackers are almost better dropping back into coverage and stepping into passing lanes. It's a very difficult team to throw against, as Brees can attest to. I think the Packers will need to get into a mindset of keeping the Buccaneers offense off the field, and doing so with long, run heavy drives. Tampa on the other hand just need to do what they've been doing - be patient, be smart, take what the defense gives you, and make big plays on defense. They remind me of the Baltimore Ravens of the past few years with their ball hawking skills. This game will be won in the turnover battle, just like the last one was.

Packers 31-24.

Kansas City vs Buffalo.

The past two weeks I was able to post on a Tuesday, because I had a feeling of what would happen when the game would begin. I've waited until a quiet Thursday night, and still nothing from the Chiefs camp. This is a tough one; I hate head injuries and I think in a lot of cases players are rushed back and the result of it is the player is never the same again (Justin Morneau, Brandon Stokley just to name a few). You want to have your top guys playing and especially at this time, due to the impact of how important these games are. I think this is a little different in only that Patty is so young, and also, the kid already has a Super Bowl ring. If he's not ready to go, I think you gotta sit him - there will be other seasons. Thus so, I am going to treat this AFC Championship game like he isn't in there, but if Patty is 100% and everything checks out peaches and cream, well, Chiefs 37 Bills 27.

Chad Henne. One of my least favorite quarterbacks of all-time, albeit for personal reasons. Yet, he is serviceable enough, and you can't take away anything from his arm. He can chuck it around a bit. Andy Reid is probably coming up with a delicious game plan, one that may remind you of the great west coast quarterback that Reid had while he was in Philly -  A.J. Feeley. Every once in awhile, Donovan McNabb would get injured and miss a few games and Andy Reid had to rely on a guy that wasn't great, but wasn't afraid to make a few throws and win a game. Well, he led the Eagles to the #1 seed in the playoffs, although they ended up getting beat at home by the Buccaneers (rushed McNabb back too soon???) Well, enough story time. 

These Buffalo Bills are no joke. If Henne has to lead the Chiefs to the promised land, I'm a little worried. I think McDermott takes this game into overdrive and has Allen try and throw the ball 50 times. Not that the Chiefs can't get into a shoot out with their speed and weapons on offense, but Henne has not been battle tested, and as the Ravens learned, the defense is relentless. Josh continues on the up tick of a new legacy, Allentown is going to become a thing, and Buffalo is on the way to Super Bowl #5.

Bills in a wild one 38-35.

NFL Playoff Predictions - Divisional Round

 I didn't get every game wrong last week! Feels pretty good. Let's get to it.

Green Bay Packers vs Los Angeles Rams

I still have a hard time not typing in St. Louis… seems like the most straight forward matchup of the weekend. Besides their hiccup at home against Minnesota, their terrible quarter against the Buccaneers, and an overtime mishap against the Colts, Green Bay played just about the perfect season. The offense was explosive and didn't rely on a singular weapon like I thought it might, Jaire Alexander was able to shut down one side of the field, and Adrian Amos played the backline almost perfectly and got a well deserved all-pro honor. They were really only vulnerable when the passing game wasn't working, and that didn't happen too often. Only the Carolina Panthers game comes to mind. 

I really liked McVay's game plan for the Seahawks last week. Deliver no mistakes and an established run game, and most playoff games can be won. He understands that as well as anyone in the league, maybe more than anybody else. They got to the Super Bowl not with the arm of Jared Goff, but on the legs of Todd Gurley. Then they drafted the player that I thought would be the best rookie RB, Cam Akers, and while he had his struggles early on, this is his back field now. He is a mix of strength and speed, but sees the holes really well, and can carry the pile a yard or two. Damon Harrison will be a much needed player in this matchup. If Goff and Aaron Donald were 100%, I think this game goes down to the wire, but Matt LaFleur can match wits with McVay, and I think Aaron outplays whatever QB lines up on the other side.

Packers in a 28-17 win.

Buffalo Bills vs Baltimore Ravens

I know that there's a game that matches two NFL legends against each other happening this weekend - Baker Mayfield and Patty Mahomes - but this is the toughest game for me to predict. The quarterbacks are young, the running games are inconsistent, and outside of Mark Andrews and Stefon Diggs, there's not one playmaker in the passing game that I would count on in the late minutes of the game. I like both defenses just enough to keep the QB's honest, and not make this game a rout in favor of either side. Josh Allen did look good in Buffalo's first playoff win since I was a teenager… and a very young teenager at that. Voice cracking and everything. Thurman Thomas was my favorite player in the league at the time, nostalgia cracking at the seams. Baltimore had yet to exist then. Baltimore is built a little differently than Indianapolis, where Indy wanted to get to the QB, Baltimore wants you to throw, they blitz well, and that's how they take their risks. A turnover or two for Buffalo, and this game gets interesting. Josh Allen statistically punishes teams that try to blitz him. On the other side, Lamar Jackson had a beauty of a 4th quarter last week. It was a tight, emotional game, and I think he grew immensely from that moment. This is still a team that last year ran rampant through the AFC. Then they had a strange hiccup against the Titans, and they were gone. 

I keep going back and forth on this game. Lamar plays brilliantly. Allen can't be stopped. Diggs will make Marcus Peters cry. Diggs is out of big time playoff moments. Neither team has the running game that can be successful in keeping the other quarterback of the field. I think the drives will be quick, and both teams will be looking for the big play. If there's anything I've learned over the years watching football, it's that you can't always have what the heart wants. I'm dying for Rodgers vs Allen. There's a possibility I might be left with Rodgers vs Lamar, or worse.

Ravens upset the Bills (sort of) 33-28.

Kansas City Chiefs vs Cleveland Browns

These last few weeks have gone on for so long, that I've forgotten that for 3 months the Chiefs were the best team in football. They were lighting up teams every single game, and they were doing it with one of the most fluid passing games that I've ever seen. Then, it got a little tight with the Saints, and it got unusually interesting against the Falcons, before the last match of the season was a wash. And because of this, it feels like the Cleveland Browns have been the best team in football lately. National media? Cleveland Browns. Twitter? Cleveland Browns. Television? Cleveland Browns. Commercials? Baker Mayfield. 

I have this uneasy feeling that all of this will end in a few days time. I think the Chiefs are rip roaring and ready to go, and I think the Browns' feel good. It has a bit of that feeling from last year when the Houston Texans came ready to play, jumped out to an absolutely ridiculous lead, and well. The Chiefs are the Super Bowl champions. Lest we forget, the Browns had a pretty similar lead against the Steelers last week, and let them get back into the game. Not in my wildest dreams do I see Patty Mahomes throwing 4 interceptions, and even with Clyde Edwards-Helaire sitting out, it really shouldn't be that difficult. Chuck a few to Travis Kelce, chuck a few to Tyreek Hill, and the job should be done.

Chiefs 42, Browns 31.

New Orleans Saints vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers

I think if the Packers were eliminated, I would enjoy this more. Unfortunately for me, if the Rams win this weekend, I'm not going to want to watch another quarter of football. If the Pack win, I'm hoping for a slugfest. If we weren't around, I'd want 900 passing yards and 90 points. 

These two teams have been very strange this season. At the beginning of the year, I thought they would be the two best teams in the NFC, and both of their matchups would be close. Instead, the Saints have just smashed the Buccaneers twice, and in the second game, it looked like Tom Brady was going to cry. I mean, it was really ugly. Almost as bad as thinking it was 3rd down, when it was actually 4th. But the Bucs have been resilient if nothing else. They added Antonio Brown and Leonard Fournette to positions of great strength, and really, it may have been unnecessary to do so. Tyler Johnson was doing just fine, and Ronald Jones is a horse. So now they have all these weapons and just one football for them. But it's Tom Brady, no one is complaining, and they must like their chances in round 3.

I do too, if I'm being honest. The Saints are a weird one for me. My Super Bowl pick back in September, they had signed Emmanuel Sanders and really looked like a well oiled machine. Then they laid an egg against the Raiders, lost at home to the Packers (which in hindsight was very costly), eeked out 3 point win after 3 point win, before dropping the two games late to the Eagles and Chiefs. Finally, in a playoff game where they could make a statement, they casually force Chicago's hand and escape with a victory. Not a convincing one, however. It was never in doubt, but they tried to make it so. So this is where it gets tricky. The Bucs seem to be firing on most of their cylinders, Tom looks good, play calling is sublime, and Washington never really stood a chance. New Orleans on the other hand, dallied, and dallied some more. Against a very, VERY average Chicago Bears team. But they've crushed the Bucs twice. With a flip of a coin…

Saints over the Bucs 28-24.

NFL Playoff Predictions - Wild Card Round

 Wild Card Round

Monday, January 4, 2021

10:48 PM

I stopped making predictions a few years ago when I got every single game WRONG over the course of the entire wild card weekend, and the divisional round. 0 for 8. Now I know that my favorite sport switched from football to soccer (football) awhile ago, but I still thought I knew what I was talking about… at least a little bit. Well, this new year has inspired me to start writing a little bit more, and I guess I'm good at talking about sports? Well, we shall see. To make it a little more interesting for these playoffs, I asked all 3 of my children to partake in the prediction process; if I'm capable of going 0 for 8 again, then I deserve to get roasted by my boys. They live for it.

Buffalo Bills vs Indianapolis Colts.  

It should be the easiest game of the weekend. If it wasn't for Aaron Rodgers to play out of his mind for an entire season, Josh Allen would be the NFL MVP. In his 3rd season. That's crazy to me. The weapons are good, but not great, the running game is average, but not good, and the play calling has been a little interesting at times. What Allen has going for him is this: he has a Ben Roethlisberger type arm, with Aaron Rodgers escapeability. I should've known when he came into US Bank stadium a couple of years ago that he would be special, and now I have no problem saying it. He might be right there with Pat Mahomes as an elite QB of the next generation. 

The reason it might not be the easiest game of the weekend, is because of DeForest Buckner and Darius Leonard. I only got to see them twice because of the crappy bias the NFL seems to have against the Colts - I can't remember ever seeing them in primetime outside of the game against the Green Bay Packers. I also watched them run roughshod over the Minnesota Vikings. But in those two games, their defensive line made it very tough for Kirk Cousins to throw comfortably, and even Aaron Rodgers didn't have a typical Rodgers game. Can they make Josh Allen uncomfortable? I believe they can, I also think that they will. And he's too good. 

Bills in a 31-24 win.

Aiden: Buffalo

Logan: Buffalo

Lucas: Buffalo

Seattle Seahawks vs Los Angeles Rams.

This is my favorite matchup of the weekend, but after sitting on social media and an hour on NFL LIve, it seems like no one wants to talk about it. Sean McVay has a really good record against the Seahawks and they played them tough in both games this year. He won't be afraid to call the game the way he wants to; personnel and score don't really matter. I could see the Rams trying to get into a shootout with the Seahawks; I could also seeing this game being a defensive struggle filled with clock management play calling and conservative plays. I hope it's the first one.

Seattle is going to be a tough out in the NFC, and I'm surprised they weren't talked about this Monday morning. It was Tom's Bucs, and Aaron's Packers, and Drew's Saints. I know that all 3 QB's have rings and they aren't fazed by much. But Russell is right there in that group. He was one bad play call away from potentially having 2 rings. This game will be fun, but I think it will be won or lost in the X's and O's. Without the 12th man involved, and Jared Goff healthy, I'm calling for one of the few upsets of the weekend.

Rams squeak by 24-21.

Aiden: Seattle

Logan: Seattle

Lucas: Seattle

Washington Football Team vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers

When I saw Dak go down that warm Autumn day, I truly thought that Rivera's "Football Team" would be the ones to break out of this terrible division. Making my predictions before the season began, I really thought Dallas would be one of the challenging teams for the title this year, but Dak is just too important to everything that they do. We saw McCarthy turn down the high risk plays to almost nothing afterwards, Dallas was boring, but usually in games. It was the best he could do. Washington deserves this spot; Nate Sudfeld be damned. They have a tenacious pass rush, but unfortunately they're not really good at anything else. It was good enough to beat a battered up  Steelers team, but covering all the Bucs weapons and getting to Tom will be the toughest thing they have to do this season. 

Tom had a really good season, and they were a Saints sweep away from locking up a top 2 seed. When teams get to him, this team is very ordinary and have a hard time coming back from bigger deficits. The Packers game was a little different, Aaron threw 2 picks that turned a 10-0 lead into a 10-14 deficit, and Tampa just took over from there. But they are a team that loves to play with an early lead. They give the rock to Ronald Jones and occasionally Leonard Fournette, and ride the backs to victory. The key lies within. If Washington can get Tom into 3rd and longs, then they'll have a chance at 7-9, to make a splash in the NFC playoffs. I'm not one to bet against Tom though, I see the Bucs starting to realize that it's going to be the Wild West in the NFC this month.

Bucs win because of the early lead 28-16.

Aiden: Tampa Bay

Logan: Tampa Bay

Lucas: Tampa Bay

My wife: Washington Football Team ☺

Tennessee Titans vs Baltimore Ravens

Of course this would be the noon game. What a delicious story. The 2019 Ravens were the league's darlings and Lamar Jackson was coming off an MVP season. And then bang! Derrick Henry, and game over. This year had some friendly taps on the helmet and a few hands to the chests, just conflict among friends. No. Not really. No love lost between these two teams, and I think this game will be a real battle. Maybe not the closest game per se, but great for television.

I've been half right half wrong about this Titans team all year. For those that remember, they were my Super Bowl pick to come out of the AFC. I thought they would ride Derrick Henry to 2,000 yards (right), and play in tough defensive minded affairs (wrong). The Browns scored at will against this team, the Jaguars scored 30, the Packers casually scored 40 and the Texans put up 36 and 38. Tennessee has had to rely way more on AJ Brown and Ryan Tannehill than I could've possibly imagined, and I've always been of the opinion that relying on Tannehill is not a good thing for any NFL Franchise. I admit I was wrong, and had he not played as well as he did, the Colts are winning the AFC South. Baltimore is getting hot at the right time, and their offense is still very difficult to deal with. Lamar just doesn't make mistakes, and he has really learned how to be patient with his throws, and when and how to use his legs. This game should be high scoring, but it benefits both teams. Who does it benefit more?

Tennessee Titans in a thriller 34-28.

Aiden: Baltimore

Logan: Tennessee

Lucas: Baltimore

Wife as a tiebreaker: Tennessee

New Orleans Saints vs Chicago Bears

The AFC couldn't have picked a better time to add a 7th team to the wildcard playoffs. The NFC? Not so much. There were times this year in which I thought the Bears were one of the worst teams in football. Their offense couldn't get a first down on important drives, and their defense was giving up big plays, which was totally uncharacteristic of them. They were one bad quarter against the Vikings away from not making the playoffs, but low and behold, here we are. And what a delicious opportunity for the Bears. The Saints got a little taste of the COVID-19 virus, and while it didn't affect them in the least against the Panthers, I wonder if maybe the Bears can't cook up a game plan to contain the Drew Brees/Taysom Hill QB duo.

No, they probably can't. While I will never care for Sean Payton the human being, he is an offensive mastermind and he won't have to deal with a playoff team in a purple jersey this season. And the issue was never their offense. A huge whiff on Stefon Diggs in the miracle game, and Kyle Rudolph's mitts were just too big to tear the ball away from. Jimmy Graham is a shadow, and while I think Cole Kmet is the new Kyle Rudolph, it's safe to say Mitchell Trubisky isn't the new Kirk Cousins. Fortunately for the Bears, there are a tale of two Saints this year. There's the team that smashed the Buccaneers twice, played the Chiefs extremely tough, and made easy work of the Vikings, Broncos and 49ers. There's also the team that struggled to beat the Lions, lost to the Eagles, and needed a really questionable penalty call to beat the Bears in OT earlier this year… with Nick Foles as the Bears QB. That game told me everything about the Trubisky/Foles conundrum. Well Trubisky is back, but so is Michael Thomas. I know who I would rather have.

Saints start gaining momentum 27-14.

Aiden: New Orleans

Logan: New Orleans

Lucas: New Orleans

Pittsburgh Steelers vs Cleveland Browns

Uh…. Um… null and void? So if the head coach can't be in the facilities or on the field this weekend, how do they expect the Browns to perform at their very best, or even well enough to compete in the game? What if there is an outbreak at the Cleveland facilities this week? I'll try and guess based on the information that I have, but this game could be anything. Or played on Tuesday. Or not even at all.

The Cleveland Browns season has been nothing short of amazing. I know a lot of people were surprised with the Stefanski hiring, but I actually thought it was nothing short of brilliant. He has always gotten good QB play from his quarterbacks in Minnesota, and I think each and every one of them over achieved under his tutelage. Sam Bradford was not worth a 1st, but was still solid. Teddy played well until the injury. Case did nothing wrong. Kirk had decent numbers considering the neglect of the offensive line. So I'm thinking Baker and Kevin could be special. And for some moments they have been. That Ravens game was probably my favorite of the season. And while any QB that got 4 games vs the NFC East has likely looked good this year, I grudgingly admit that Baker did take it to another level to get the Browns to this level. Pittsburgh has been my biggest question mark this year. Coming into the season, I saw them as your typical 8-8/9-7 team. Then they get 8 wins in 8 weeks, and I start questioning my opinions as a football mind. Then they were who I thought they were, when I looked at their schedule and saw 15-1/14-2. Had they played that way the final 8 weeks, this game would be like another bye week. Their struggles concern me. But not as much as a head coach in quarantine. 

Steelers in a weird one 27-10.

Aiden: Pittsburgh

Logan: Pittsburgh

Lucas: Pittsburgh

NBA 2020-21 Predictions

 NBA Season Predictions

Sunday, December 20, 2020

11:30 P.M.

Where I want to be:

Where I really am:

The only way I can think of my blog posts this year is like comparing myself to Michael Jordan of Chicago Bulls fame. A few years ago I was on point, posting a few blogs every month, covering a variety of topics and getting likes and comments from friends and family both. Now I'm like the Washington Wizards version of Michael; my teammates don't like me, I don't really give a s*** anymore as every day I feel uninspired and disinterested. My defense has sagged off as of late, and I'm certainly not going to hit a game winner. It looks like my last post was a lazy interpretation on how I thought the NFL season might go, although predicting that the Saints would meet the Titans wasn't my worst guess. I like 3 other teams in the AFC a little bit more, but up until that debacle against the Eagles, the Saints looked like they were overcoming all adversity. Now I attempt to redouble my efforts, and become a solid writer in the way of Charlotte Hornets owner.  

Well outside of not paying attention to the quietest off-season of my lifetime, I think I have a handle on what teams can challenge for an NBA title vs those that have absolutely no chance of doing so. I will rank them accordingly, make some playoff predictions, and naturally a Nate's 9 to watch to complete. As always, feel free to make your own guesses in the comments and thank you for reading!

Eastern Conference: 

No chance: Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons, New York Knicks, Chicago Bulls.

Playoff sniff: Charlotte Hornets, Orlando Magic, Washington Wizards

Gets in: Atlanta Hawks, Indiana Pacers, Philadelphia 76ers, Toronto Raptors, Miami Heat, Brooklyn Nets, Milwaukee Bucks, Boston Celtics. 

Playoffs: Boston vs Atlanta - Winner: Boston Celtics

Milwaukee vs Indiana - Winner: Milwaukee Bucks

Brooklyn vs Philadelphia - Winner: Brooklyn Nets

Miami vs Toronto - Winner: Miami Heat

Boston vs Miami - Winner: Miami Heat

Milwaukee vs Brooklyn - Winner: Milwaukee Bucks

Conference Championship: Miami vs Milwaukee - Winner: Milwaukee Bucks

Western Conference:  

No chance: Sacramento Kings, Oklahoma City Thunder.

Playoff Sniff: Minnesota Timberwolves, Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs, Portland Trailblazers, Memphis Grizzlies.

Gets in: New Orleans Pelicans, Phoenix Suns, Utah Jazz, Golden State Warriors, L.A. Clippers, Denver Nuggets, Dallas Mavericks, L.A. Lakers. 

Playoffs: L.A. Lakers vs New Orleans - Winner: L.A. Lakers

Dallas vs Phoenix - Winner: Phoenix Suns

Denver vs Utah - Winner: Denver Nuggets

L.A. Clippers vs G.S. - Winner: Golden State Warriors

L.A. Lakers vs Phoenix - Winner: L.A. Lakers (It'll be really close)

Denver vs G.S. - Winner: Denver Nuggets

Conference Championship: L.A. Lakers vs Denver - Winner: L.A. Lakers

NBA Finals: Milwaukee vs L.A. Lakers - Winner: Milwaukee Bucks

Synopsis: I really think everything that the Bucks have done this off-season will turn to gold. The extension of Giannis made complete sense, and they have full control until 2024. I love that they brought in Jrue Holiday and I think we'll really see how much better that makes an already good team this year. I'm a huge Dallas Mavericks guy, but I think the lack of a gritty playoff experience will bite them against Chris Paul and the Suns. I think the Suns might be the most difficult team for the Lakers to get by, but I do think it'll be personal - Paul wants to beat Anthony Davis and the Lakers. He's still bitter.  I love Boston this year as well, but there's something about Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo that I can't pick Boston to beat those guys yet. It's confounding. I really thought I could pick a Celtics-Lakers final, but I just can't pull the trigger. I also really like Ibaka on the Clippers, but that organization is jinxed. I'm only one guy sitting in front of a computer, I can't get rid of that hex.

Nate's 9 Players to Watch.

9. Kevin Durant. What is he going to do with Kyrie Irving and his 3rd NBA franchise? One part of me wants to love him - he wins wherever he goes, he's one of the best shooters I've ever seen, and seems like a good locker room guy, because he doesn't take himself seriously. But I don't like him because he's had James Harden, Russell Westbrook, Serge Ibaka, Klay Thompson, Steph Curry, and Draymond Green as teammates. And he couldn't seem to find happiness while playing alongside such NBA talent. This team is low-key very talented; Spencer Dinwiddie, Caris LaVert are nice supporting players, and evidently they're chasing James Harden as well. This season will tell us a lot about KD.

8. Paul George. The Clippers had dreams of making it to the finals last year, I think PG13 cost them their ambitions. They gave him a max deal, and I guess things will be different this time. Similar to KD, I wonder why he has problems where he goes. Indiana wasn't perfect, OKC felt awkward. What makes this time unique?

7. Devin Booker. The Suns have been built for Devin to be their star; near the end of the bubble experience he was playing his a** off. They brought in Chris Paul to take away some of the burden, this is the year that Booker should take that next step to be great. I always thought he would end up a Timberwolf, now that the dream is over, I'll have to enjoy watching the Suns.

6. LaMelo Ball. Charlotte needed a center piece and I think they have found it. For the next few years, the Wolves choice of taking Anthony Edwards will be scrutinized next to Ball. While I think that all 3 teams at the top took the right player for the franchise - how does D'Angelo Russell play with Ball? - Edwards might not be the early factor the Timberwolves need. Ball will be playing heavily for the Hornets from day one. Should be better than older brother, and not sure it'll be close.

5. Rajon Rondo/Trae Young. I like this signing for the Hawks. Rondo should be a great mentor for Young, and I really wanted for him to consider the Timberwolves before they were able to bring back Rubio. He defends, rebounds, and outside of some of his diva antics, is a pretty good locker room presence. I really like him for Trae Young, because I think his strengths translate to improving on Young's weaknesses. With the signing of Bogdanovic, Atlanta should be pushing for playoffs this year. 

4. Karl Anthony Towns. This is the time. If the Timberwolves are ever going to get out of this lottery situation and into the western conference playoff race, they need KAT to take that next step up. This might be the most talented roster he's ever been a part of. He has friends on the roster. He has a mentor on the roster. He has a guy, that in the college game, wasn't afraid to take on the big moments, so KAT won't need to do as much. I would love to see us win 40 games this year, but we are going to need an All-NBA Towns to do so. 

3. Luka Doncic. The Mavericks were literally on their way to being the new Timberwolves of the western conference. And then Doncic fell into their lap. In every sport over my lifetime, there's been a handful of guys where I see them play one time, and I can tell they're going to be great. Aaron Rodgers in football. Wayne Rooney in soccer. Johan Santana in baseball. They just seem to shine immediately, and nothing is too difficult for them. In fact, it looks easy. This is how I feel about Doncic. He can shoot. He can pass. He can defend. He can put the ball on the floor. He is a natural born leader, and maybe his most important attribute, he knows how to win. My top 4 has always seemed lacking - it's been Michael, LeBron, Kobe and Bird. I love Bird and I think he was great, but the other 3 were must watch television. I think I finally found my true 4th. 

2. Jamal Murray. I don't get fired up too often, but when I do, it's when the Timberwolves decide to draft Kris Dunn ahead of Jamal Murray. I really don't believe in drafting players to fit a team; in the NBA when you can only play five players at a time, and need 5 good players in most crunch times situation, that you give up the bigger talent to get the right player into your team. So we drafted the defensive minded Kris Dunn to maybe take the burden off of LaVine, Wiggins and Towns. Okay, I understand the thought process in that draft pick, but what they didn't see was Wiggins is afraid of the big moments, LaVine is a volume scorer that is flashy and fun, but has no killer instinct, and Towns needs a good distributor that can help him finish. Murray is a killer, that also makes his big man look better (Jokic). Dunn was a liability on offense that still couldn't guard the Westbrook's and Curry's off the world. And maybe with Murray the Timberwolves don't bring in Russell - who knows what that means for Towns' ego, but maybe we keep Butler around, and maybe we'll challenging in the deadly west. Murray is that good.

1. Jayson Tatum. I think he's ready for superstardom. He is quietly becoming the total package for the Boston Celtics. He can score like LeBron, maybe outside of the physical finish at the rim. He can defend the perimeter and keep up with the quicker forwards in the league. He can body some of the bigger forwards in the league. He is still maturing physically and developing the leadership skills that can make the Celtics his team instead of their tried efforts of making Gordon Hayward and Al Horford their leaders. He involves his teammates offensively, and can do the other things to keep the team in it, while Jaylen Brown and Kemba Walker are scoring. It wouldn't surprise me at all if the Celtics won the title this year, and it wouldn't surprise me at all if they were doing it with the league MVP. 

Note: The reason I have Boston bowing out early in the playoffs has nothing to do with Tatum. I think Walker will spend a majority of the playoffs on the injury shelf (he just can't seem to stay healthy all the time), and I think Marcus Smart may be missing as well. If this team can stay healthy, and establish an order within their core, they very well could be playing for a championship. Maybe in 2021. 

European Football 2020

Some normalcy! The Premier League starts up this weekend, and most if not all leagues will be firing away by Saturday of next week! Quick little flyer: COVID has really broken me down. While I’m an introvert at heart, I love, love, love seeing others succeed. To have my family cooped up in the house for the last 6 months has been very difficult, but we do have our lives, and we do have our health. Not everyone can say that. So while I’m excited about what’s to come in the wide world of sports, we’ve also been very humbled this year. Hug your loved ones close, and remember your blessings! Now I’m going to talk about mine!

Premier League:

Champions: Manchester City

Champions League: City, Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea

Europa League: Tottenham, Everton, Leicester City

Relegation: Aston Villa, West Bromwich, Southampton

F.A. Cup: Arsenal

Carabao Cup: Tottenham

Recap: All this only happens if Manchester United get Jadon Sancho, City gets 1 or 2 more reinforcements and Thiago Alcantara doesn’t join Liverpool. Things change drastically if these things don’t happen. Chelsea made tons of moves, but not in the places I expected them to. I thought Mason Mount, Tammy Abraham and Mateo Kovacic were good enough, but yet here come Kai Havertz, Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech. More talented players, sure, but the Premier League is much tougher defensively than the Bundesliga and Erdivisie.  I like what Ancelotti is doing, and I think Everton will be very difficult to beat this season. Plenty of draws will keep them far from the top 4, but they should have enough to get to Europe. I also think Dominic Calvert-Lewin will be the Premier League’s breakthrough player. He has the midfield to supply him with assists, and he’s always had the goal scoring ability to get to the next level. Crystal Palace, Leeds, Brighton and Burnley will experience quiet seasons. No long cup runs, no push for Europe, but another year in the top flight. I’m sure Leeds will elevate from those expectations and a few more additions could get them back to glory. Wilifred Zaha is still on Crystal Palace, which shocks me. He would look very good on a European night. I’m shocked that a Lyon wouldn’t consider him for a Memphis replacement or Ajax for a Ziyech. Newcastle and West Ham both added well, look for them to find safety at an early date. I hope we don’t say goodbye to Aston Villa, but something doesn’t sit right with me. An unbalanced eleven, maybe? West Brom feels safe, Southampton continues to sell.

Ligue 1:

Champions: PSG

Champions League: Rennes, Lyon

Europa League: Nice, Lille, Marseille

Relegation: Montpellier, Brest, Dijon

Coupe de France: Nice

Recap: PSG might experience a hangover this year, after losing such a close final to Bayern in Champions League. That said, I think even more distracting will be Real Madrid’s quiet pursuit of Kylian Mbappe. More on that later. But they do have tons of firepower, and I don’t think they’re quite finished shopping for players. It’ll be an interesting final weeks on who they bring in, if anyone. If they get Eduardo Camavinga, look out! Speaking of which, he might be good enough at 17 to help push Rennes into the Champions League again. It’s amazing what they were able to get from their team last year. I could see them surprising many others again, if they’re able to keep Camavinga. Lyon should be better this year, I’m baffled to how a roster that talented finish 7th last year and out of Europe. Look for them to bounce back. Nice is my favorite team in France right now, and Patrick Vieira is attempting to build something special. I just hope his eyes don’t get turned west. But they should battle for a European place. Lille and Marseille both had good campaigns last year, and I expect more of the same.

Bundesliga:

Champions: Bayern Munich

Champions League: Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig, Hertha Berlin

Europa League: Bayer Leverkusen, Borussia Moenchengladbach, VFL Wolfsburg

Relegation: Arminia (I love that they’re back though!), Union Berlin, FC Schalke (playoff spot)

DFB Pokal: Bayern Munich

Recap: Bayern is a cut above the rest of Europe and would really have to take a big fall to not win both trophies again this year. Bayer sold their best players, Leipzig sold their #9, Dortmund will probably sell Sancho before the deadline and Gladbach didn’t take that big step, although I do love their front 3 of Marcus Thuram, Breel Embolo and Alassane Plea. I really like the Hertha Berlin side that came out of COVID; Matheus Cunha and Lucas Tousart should be Bundesliga stars. It also helps that they lost in the first round of the Pokal, so they can redouble their efforts on finishing top 4. Wolfsburg is close too; Josip Brekalo could be a breakout star this year. John Brooks is everyone’s favorite American and their midfield is very deep. If anyone surprises for Champions League, my guess it’s VFL. I would miss FC Schalke if they left, but they need to do something and quickly. Their business strategy of losing top end talent for free at the end of their first deals is losing steam, and it’s not a very talented roster. If Amine Harit leaves before the window, my ambitious prediction may look a little more realistic.

Serie A:

Champions: Inter Milan (I’ve picked Juventus (correctly) last 8 years, may as well take a shot)

Champions League: Juventus, AC Milan, Atalanta

Europa League: AS Roma, Napoli, Lazio (as cup winners)

Relegation: Benevento, Crotone, Spezia

Italian Cup: Lazio (before the fire sale)

Recap: Probably the league I watch the least of the big 5, which is sad, because there are some really talented teams in this division. Atalanta made it all the way to the QF’s of Champions League, and had PSG until the final moments of their match. If they continue to improve (also in for Harit), they should be back in Champions League for a 3rd straight year. I’m excited that Lazio qualified for Champions League this year; their roster is very underrated and they have one of Europe’s best strikers in Ciro Immobile formerly of every semi-big club in Europe. Not sure if they’re ready for a title challenge, but they could be in a Euro place. If not, I could see them being strong enough to win the Coppa Italia. Inter Milan and Juventus should go down to the final weekends like last season, and I think Inter does have the squad to make that big push and bring a Serie A trophy back to the city of Milan for the first time since 2011. I’m excited for Achraf Hakimi, while I understand he’s not the greatest FB defensively, he is the best wing back going forward in all of Europe, if not the entire world. Juventus did make some good long-term acquisitions for the club; Weston McKennie will be a big one to watch, not only for Juventus, but fans of the US National Team as well. A prominent role in this club, could mean future captain for our country.

La Liga:

Champions: Real Madrid

Champions League: Barcelona, Atletico, Villarreal

Europa League: Sevilla, Real Sociedad, Osasuna

Relegation: Cadiz, Huesca, Deportivo Alaves

Copa Del Rey: Atletico

Recap: It’s weird watching all the Spanish teams sell, but not really buy. Valencia needs every dollar, and now they might be gone for awhile. Ferran Torres was a great signing for Manchester City, same goes for Dani Parejo at Villarreal. He is about as close to this generation that gets a Xavi as we will see, and he tried to stay loyal until the end. Every other week, Atletico is expected to sell Thomas Partey, who I believe is one of the best midfielders in Europe and makes things so easy for Saul, Koke, Carrasco, etc. As long as Jan Oblak stays, they will continue to have a chance. I’d love to see Joao Felix take another step this year, he was getting close at the end of last season, and he impacted the game against RB Leipzig almost immediately, even though it wasn’t enough. Real and Barcelona should be dueling it out for a title; I think Zidane is getting it right, but I still thought they might try and sneak in Kylian Mbappe this year. He just seems destined to be a Real Madrid player eventually. The same way Luis Figo, Zidane, both Ronaldo forwards and Beckham all were. James is off the books though, and they have the youth to replace him now. Vinicius, Rodrygo and Odegaard are ready for big La Liga minutes. Barcelona – I could spend an entire blog on their off-season. Let’s just say for the sake of someone’s legacy, I hope they get things right. If not, it’s going to be a very “messy” divorce. 

Champions League: Well this will probably be a crap shoot with all the different league starts and crowd capacity expectations. I think the usual suspects will probably be even better, as tactical and technical abilities make up for the lack of atmosphere. So the Marseille’s and AZ Alkmaar’s of the world might have tough time getting results. I finally got a final correct last year, let’s try for two in a row!

QF’s: Atletico, FC Bayern, Juventus, Inter Milan, Man City, Real Madrid, PSG, Liverpool

SF’s: FC Bayern, Juventus, Man City, Real Madrid

Final: Real Madrid vs FC Bayern. They just seem to strong not to make it. I think Zidane discovers the eleven that gets him success this year, and Eden Hazard will be much better. Pirlo will struggle to get past FC Bayern, and without a trophy, might get canned after being a Juve legend. I really like FC Bayern to go back-to-back, but as we’ve seen, only Zidane seems to know how to win “Rabbit Ears” on consecutive occasions. Real Madrid in a bit of an upset for me in 2021. 

Europa League: Every year I pick Sevilla to win, and you know what? I’ve been right more than I’ve been wrong. Let’s do it again.

Sevilla vs Tottenham I could see Jose using this as a platform to try and qualify for Champions League. The EPL looks really difficult this year, and while I think he’s added to the depth of Tottenham, I’m not sure if they’re any better. It would be a shock if they finished top 4 to me. Sevilla will be out of the La Liga race early, but I think it always sets up really well for them. Ivan Rakitic will captain his old side to their 5th (!!!) Europa League title with some huge wins along the way.

Nate’s 9 – World 11

GK: Jan Oblak

LB: Alphonse Davies

CB: Jose Maria Gimenez

CB: Andreas Christensen – haha just kidding, Virgil Van Dyke

RB: Trent Alexander-Arnold

10: Kevin De Bruyne

8: Toni Kroos - Goretzka if Bayern wins Europe

6: Casemiro

LW: Eden Hazard – Back in his rightful place

CF: Robert Lewandowski

RW: Kylian Mbappe

Nate’s 9 – My Favorite 11

GK: Dean Henderson – It’s time

LB: Alphonse Davies – He is a joy to watch

CB: Mats Hummels – rough year, but oh captain my captain

CB: Harry Maguire – forget the price, transformed United backline, played every minute 

RB: Aaron Wan-Bissaka – For years to come

6: Declan Rice – West Ham is relegated without his play

8: Paul Pogba – Transformed United when he came back

10: Bruno – Transformed United when he signed

LW: Marcus Rashford – Class guy, my favorite player

CF: Erling Haaland – I still can’t believe Dortmund got him. Destined for greatness

RW: Jadon Sancho – Either way, I win.

Nate’s 9 to watch out for:

1. Eduardo Camavinga. Will change the way 6’s play in the next generation 

2. Ferran Torres. Probably won’t get many minutes this year, but flew down the wing for Valencia

3. Mason Greenwood. Excited for year 2. Could score 20 goals this season

4. Fabio Silva. People don’t know it yet, but Wolves got the signing of the decade 

5. Vinicius Jr. If Real is to win almost everything, I need for Vinicius to be special

6. Gio Reyna. Dortmund almost needs to break these kids in early because they get sold so fast

7. Ansu Fati. He can help Messi get to where he wants to be again

8. Naci Unuvar. Ajax just keeps pumping them out. I hope he gets more minutes this year

9. Rodrygo. A hat-trick in his first Champions League start, best of the young Real 3