NFL
By Larry Bisagni
Follow me @lbizzy
> Weekly snapshots will consist of quick observations. The rule will be three sentences or less per subject.
> KD has big money in the Valley, so unless it really goes off the rails and the Dubs don’t win it all, he’s not going anywhere. If it doesn’t get patched up, look for the Rockets, Lakers, Thunder (can you go home again?), Clips, and Wiz Kids come into play.
> Draymond Green means more to the Warriors than people outside the bubble see. Without him, the Dubs sag in the middle and become a 50 win also-ran.
> I don’t see Carmelo getting the touches he still thinks he warrants anywhere, but someone will pick him up. In the right system, he can be a contributor, but not the focal point for a contender.
> The Raptors and the Bucks ARE that good. The Wizards miss having an old head in the locker room. Pierce, Nene, and Gortat were glue behind the scenes.
> Layoffs can go either way. LeVeon Bell could go the way of John Riggins and write a serious second act, or the wheels could really fall off. I want to see athletes get paid, but I don’t know that he will get the payday he was looking for.
> I don’t know how many HC jobs will come open this offseason, but if I were a hotshot coordinator, I’d find Mark Murphy’s email address ASAP, because there will be an opening in Green Bay. Ditto for Tampa, Dallas, and at least one job in New York. Keep your eye on Jacksonville.
> Andrew Luck is all the way back. If he doesn’t lead the Colts to the playoffs, I’ll be shocked.
> Baltimore, you have until the end of the year to say your goodbyes to Joe Flacco. Even if Lamar Jackson stinks up the joint for the next month and a half, the days of spending a one on a quarterback to have him carry a clipboard for a couple of seasons a’la Aaron Rodgers are gone.
> While we are on the subject of The Pack, 12 is getting sneaky old. The heir apparent may be entering the building next April. Don’t be surprised to hear something along the lines of, “With the fourteenth pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers select quarterback…”
> I’ve personally seen NFL games played at RFK on worse turf. Something tells me that if the Rams and Chiefs weren’t the hottest attractions in the NFL, getting the game moved to Los Angeles wouldn’t have been as much of a priority. Mahomes v. Goff moves the meter.
> Nobody is winning uglier than the Washington Redskins, and while people are looking at the drop in passing yards and lack of flash, I’m looking at the ‘Skins front seven on defense, the ageless AP controlling the game on the ground, field position (Tress Way might mean more to their success than any punter ever), and Alex Smith having one of the lowest turnover ratios in the league. A dominant defense and mistake-free execution wins in any era, but so does health. The injury bug could start to be exposed.
> Notre Dame vs. The Cuse in Yankee Stadium feels more authentic than nostalgic. This could have something to do with both teams being ranked.
> The ‘Canes will make the necessary adjustments, but Mark Richt isn’t leaving The U. The bitter aftertaste of Al Golden is still too fresh on the palette.
> I don’t know who will be the #2 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, but Zion Williamson is becoming the biggest prize since at least Karl-Anthony Towns.
> Danny Hurley is moving the meter in Storrs. The Huskies are in the hunt by 2020.
> Speaking of the Hurley family, good move by my Alma Mater to shut down the USF/Arizona State game tonight. The air quality is that bad, my friends.
> I’d like to be more optimistic about Tiger v. Phil being particularly entertaining, but if it makes a lot of money, expect more gimmicky type of events between athletes past their primes. Maybe Floyd and Manny will tangle once again.
> I’m an old school seamhead. deGrom had a phenomenal season, but my Cy Young vote still would have gone to Max. The win is a metric that I still value.
> The Manny Machado “lack of hustle” talk is all bluster. He could possibly cash in for more than Bryce Harper. My guess is Philadelphia for Manny, and while the Giants will be tempted to pull the trigger on Bryce, I suspect he goes elsewhere.
> I don’t know whether Jimmy Rollins is interested in the job, but very smart middle infielders seem to have taken over for catchers in getting the nod to run the team. Baltimore is only an hour down the road from his home in New Jersey, and he’d turn the page from Buck Showalter.
> It’s early, but the Capitals clearly enjoyed winning the Stanley Cup quite a bit. That said, the steady presence of Barry Trotz is very missed. His Islanders are legit.
