NFL WEEK 4 RECAP and AL WILD CARD PREVIEW

NFL WEEK 4 RECAP and AL WILD CARD PREVIEW

 

 

 

This week in the NFL we were faced with many byes, a game in London, and no new controversy enabling all of us to continue raking Roger Goodell through the coals. So, in other words, not as fun of a week as those previously. However, we did learn a lot about a number of teams and can see the paths most of these teams will be taking the rest of the year. The NFC South is a division no team wants to win. The Saints and Panthers have underachieved tremendously, Atlanta, along with Pittsburgh in the AFC are the two streakiest teams in the league and you never know what you’re going to get week to week, and Tampa Bay is a bottom three team in the league. The NFC East will be more competitive than most people imagined as both Dallas and New York have emerged as a top team alongside Philadelphia. Let’s not be so quick to hand Chip Kelly this division so early. The Colts and Andrew Luck look like they will be making their third straight trip to the postseason thanks to a mediocre division and a Texans team who will continue to come back to Earth with Ryan Fitzpatrick under center. The Patriots continue to look very un-Pats like this season as Tom Brady has no offensive line whatsoever in front of him and can’t even get past his first read without fearing for his life. If Ryan Tannehill can keep playing like he has against these Pats and the Raiders this week then this is Miami’s division to lose, but that is a pretty big if though. The NFC North will be a lot of fun with the Lions, Bears, and Packers fighting it out as the season goes on. The Broncos had the week off but the Chiefs and Chargers both showed that they cannot be taken lightly. Next Sunday can’t get here fast enough as there are some good games on the slate, but now onto the most important sporting event of the week, the MLB Playoffs.

Tonight the AL Wild Card will be decided when the Oakland A’s travel to Kansas City to take on the Royals in what is sure to be an amazing environment at Kauffman Stadium. Oakland fell apart in the second half and finds themselves in a play-in game that they really had no business being a part of. Leading the league in run differential and having the best record in baseball not too long ago is not what you want to be hearing about your squad come the end of game 162. Kansas City broke the 29 year playoff drought they were going through and is more than ready to play this game, especially with Big Game James Shields on the mound. When the Royals traded for Shields this was the exact type of scenario they envisioned. Knowing they could hand the ball off to a true ace with the season on the line and a guy that has previously done well in the situation is very comforting for Kansas City. However, as bad as Oakland has been in the second half they are also sending a guy to the mound that has thrived in pressure situations and big games. Jon Lester was built for these situations. It also helps that many of Kansas City’s best hitters are left handed and should be neutralized by Lester. This will be a close game and very well pitched but I see Oakland coming away with a victory and traveling to Anaheim to face their division rival Angels in the ALDS.