Sunday 12th Feb marked the end of the latest edition of the NFL season and with it brought a high scoring, entertaining game between arguably the two best sides in the league. So why did it feel so anticlimatic?
Let’s get this straight. It was by no means a bad game. Mahomes super-manned the chiefs to their second championship with him at the helm, following up his heroic MVP regular season, Jalen Hurts kept the Eagles in the game and in the lead for most of it using his much improved accuracy and his ability as a runner (apart from the fumble-6) and Harrison Butker kicked the game winner for the second successive game. But it all just felt so… expected. People expect miracles from Mahomes every game so it feels like a let down when he plays at a human level, people expected Hurts to continue his rise from the usurped Alabama QB to Super Bowl calibre QB, people expected a high scoring game. There felt like there was no underdog to root for, no magical storyline to be written because at the end of the game, neither team would have looked out of place hoisting the Lombardi trophy. It just happened to the team wearing red.
I underestimated the power of both of these offenses in my pre-playoff predictions. I assumed the meme of ‘Burrowhead’ would continue and that the Eagles offense would splutter against the best defence in the league. Obviously neither of these things happened. Kansas played extremely well to get themselves to the big game and so did the Eagles, albeit against a Christian-McCaffrey-at-QB-by-the-end 49ers team. There was no shock, no drama, no surprises. This is arguably a difference in itself when you look at past NFL seasons. The Bengals last year defying expectations and having one of the best immediate season turnarounds in recent memory, Tom Brady leading Tampa to a championship and in the process securing himself more rings than any franchise, the Philly special, THAT Patriots comeback against Atlanta, all drama filled, chock full of storylines. There was so much to keep even the most casual of football fans entertained and glued to their screens.
That in particular is why Super Bowl 57 felt like such an anomaly. Casual football fans who, while they probably appreciate good football like the stuff put on display Sunday, had no real reason to care for the whole 4 hours the event spans for on screen. I know the Chiefs were down by 10 and came back to win, but they’ve done that at least 3 other times this year. It felt, again, expected.
It bears repeating that the game was a good one, two squads of players at the absolute peak of the sport, showing the best the sport has to offer and demonstrating just how high the ceiling of performance can be in such a high pressure environment. The Chiefs were deserving winners and the Eagles unfortunate losers, there is no detracting from that. Here’s hoping though, that next year, February 11th, in Las Vegas, there is more to keep an eye on than just the score line. At the end of the day the NFL is an entertainment business as much as a sporting one. They’ve nailed one side of it this past year, it remains to be seen if they can add the other the next time around.
I always enjoy being able to write these prediction pieces and I’m even more excited considering it is the first time I’ve been able to dive into the world of international rugby in one of my posts.
*Editors Note – this was written before the first round of matches*
This year’s Six Nations Championship is gearing up to be one of the most fascinating in recent memory, not just because there is a World Cup around the corner, but because of how evenly contested it is shaping up to be. Wales and England head into the tournament with ‘new’ head coaches, Christophe Galtier looks to build up some momentum for his side ahead of the RWC, Andy Farrell’s Ireland team are looking to rewrite the narrative that Les Bleus are going to run away with the whole thing, Italy and Scotland are… just looking to not be terrible and build toward the future.
Let’s not waste anymore time though, this is how I believe the final Championship table will look come March 18th
1 ) Ireland
There are two major factors as to why this is surprising. The first is simply how good this French side is and the second is that I am English. Yet I just can’t help but think this is one of those times where in Week 2, Ireland beat France in Paris and are simply too good for everyone else and just don’t slip up, collecting the Grand Slam on their way to Six Nations glory. Sexton appears to be back close to his best form and that is a fantastic positive for Ireland – his form usually correlates with a green victory. Beyond him though, they have fantastic ball carriers all over the pitch, along with some of the most physically powerful forwards of any side in world rugby that can impose their will on opposing packs at set pieces. It’s really hard to look past Ireland in this Championship but now that I’ve said it, they’ll probably lose to Italy in Rome and I really will look silly…
2 ) France
Ok so the title might have been slightly clickbait but given how talented the team is, anything other than a Grand Slam might feel like a failure in Paris. They have depth, they have power, they have the fitness and they have the awesome power of Melvyn Jaminet’s boot. France’s kicking game is perhaps the best in the world, and allows them to turn tight situations into massive territorial gains. There has been an increased focus on kicking as the rugby world realises the tactical pressure that can be applied through a strong kicking game and for France, it is arguably the reason they head into October’s World Cup as favourites, regardless of what happens in this tournament.
3 ) England
Maybe it is the fact that I’m English but surely logic dictates that England cannot perform worse than they did in last years edition. A loss to Scotland on the opening weekend set the tone for that campaign, but this year’s squad should feel refreshed and rejuvenated following the appointment of former Leicester coach Steve Borthwick as head coach, who already has some big decisions to make. Does he keep with the double pivot of Farrell and Smith at 12 and 10 or does he decide that Smith is the future of this England team and mould the team around the strengths of the ‘Quins fly-half. Does he try to implement a new tactical system in preparation for the RWC or continue with the mismatched system used by Eddie Jones as that is what those in his squad are likely to be used to. His decisions will be key as to how quickly England can recover as a rugby powerhouse.
4 ) Wales
Despite a recent Six Nations win, Wales were a team that flattered to deceive under former coach Wayne Pivac. Hired from the Scarlets, Pivac was meant to return Wales to their glory days, playing fun, expansive, exciting rugby. Instead, Wales are now looking backwards, straight into the kiwi eyes of Warren Gatland. A return to more functional, defensively solid brand of rugby is in order for Wales, but I still don’t see it being enough to overcome the talent of Ireland, England and France. Definitely a team to look out for as the rebuild under Gatland takes place, but being competitive at this tournament and the World Cup might be a step too soon.
5 ) Scotland
Another you could put down to my English bias but Scotland aren’t a good team. They battle and they play hard with grit and determination, but when push comes to shove, they simply do not have the personnel. Gregor Townsend isn’t a world beater of a coach, but he is good enough to get World Cup wins and the occasional big scalp (think England in the 2022 Six Nations). There just is something that always seems to be lacking about Scottish sides, that final half yard, that final bit of flair to change or win a game. Until they find this, they’re forever destined to continue the cycle of bottom half finishes and early exits.
6 ) Italy
This may come across as disrespect, but someone has to be last. The Azzuri have come on leaps and bounds in terms of their ability in the last couple years and they are starting to develop some genuinely world class players. They’re young, energetic and somewhat naïve, which is likely what will cost them in big games. Still, a win over Wales last year will hopefully be a catalyst to picking up more wins in this years tournament and I wouldn’t be surprised to see them end higher in the final table at the end of the tournament.
FUN FACT: Graham Potter was on the field and played a part for Southampton during their famous 6-3 win over Manchester United during the 1996/97 season.
A little while back, one of my first posts on here in fact, was analysing the appointment of Thomas Tuchel at Chelsea and I asked the question, can he be Chelsea’s saviour? Well I think that was answered with a yes quite emphatically. Tuchel led Chelsea to its second Champions League Crown later that season and became a firm fan favourite.
Since then though, the world is a drastically different place. Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, Roman Abramovich was forced to sell Chelsea to an American consortium led by Todd Boehly, in order to keep the club from becoming extinct as a result of direct UK Government sanctions. Opinions on the new ownership group aside, they decided to have their own hierarchy in place. Out went technical directors Petr Cech and Marina Granovskaia and in came Christopher Vivell from RB Leipzig and Laurence Stewart from AS Monaco. Another casualty of the regime change was the aforementioned Thomas Tuchel. Replacing the man at the helm of the first team squad was a coach who took an unorthodox route to the top.
Graham Potter really started appearing on many people’s radars while in charge of Swedish outfit Östersunds. From a lowly position, Potter transformed the way they played and led them to a magical Europa League run, being drawn against and beating Arsenal along the way. This led to a gamble from Swansea City to bring the English coach back to the mainland and Potter again impressed and earned a move to the top flight, with Brighton the club to acquire his services. He achieved either record setting or equalling points tally’s in each of his seasons on the south coast and this, along with his reputation as a ‘progressive’ and ‘unconventional’ coach is what convinced Chelsea’s new bosses to pull the trigger and spend almost £16m to take him to Stamford Bridge.
Potter hasn’t endured the greatest start to his career in West London. A multitude of signings, some under his watch and some not, since the beginning of the summer all needed bedding in, the mentioned change of ownership and structure, and the losses of players on key positions, both to other clubs and the injury list forced him to adapt his teams and his style, beyond what he was ordinarily used to or planned for. The fact that at one point, Chelsea’s injured XI looked like a stronger side on paper than the one that was being put out onto the grass spoke volumes for how much change there has been within this Chelsea side this season. At all of Potter’s other clubs and a few others around the current Premier League, there would be no talk of him being on the hot seat less than a year into his tenure. The club and supporters would recognise these as issues beyond reasonable control, which gives relief and confidence to those in charge that they have a chance to put their stamp on things in the long run. The problem is, this isn’t any of Potter’s other clubs… this is Chelsea.
The Stamford Bridge faithful have grown used to constant success, albeit with a few down years sprinkled in amongst the silverware. These down years almost always resulted in a change of manager, a change of results and the inevitable silverware would come back again. Abramovich’s time in control of Chelsea saw 14 managers take to the touchline in 19 years, not exactly the model of continuity and patience. For the new owners, this policy of hire and fire wasn’t sustainable and they preached change. They preached patience. They preached continuity. While these values are ideal, they’re also alien to Chelsea. It is this conflict of the past and the envisioned future that is causing Potter to be questioned.
Make no mistake about it, Graham Potter absolutely should be given more time – the suggestion he should be sacked is quite frankly ludicrous. He very likely has a vision for the team, his team, in terms of personnel and it will take a few transfer windows to achieve this. In the January window, they’ve brought in Andrey Santos, Benoit Badiashile, Mykhailo Mudryk , Enzo Fernandez and have a deal in place for the summer to acquire Christopher Nkunku. These are young, talented players who can be role-moulded exactly how Potter needs them. He’s a versatile manager who expects his players to understand the nuances of tactical systems so they can seamlessly switch between them, but this process takes time. It takes patience. It takes continuity. It takes Graham Potter remaining as head coach of Chelsea for at least the foreseeable future.
There have been a few middling Premier League clubs over recent years that seemed like they were going to smash the metaphorical glass ceiling, forever dispel the use of the term ‘Big 6’ and cement themselves as a truly elite team in the English game.
Most recently it was Leicester. After their shock title win in 2015/16, they slowly built a very solid team that challenged very well for two-thirds of most seasons. They had European football, they were making big signings, they’d won other pieces of silverware… yet they never truly seemed to belong near the summit of the league. The last few transfer windows have been full of mistakes and mismanagement, leading to what looks like a relegation battle for the remainder of the 2022/23 season. A far cry from that Wednesday night under the lights at the Wanda Metropolitano.
Leicester vs Atletico Madrid, 2017
Way back in 2014/15 and 15/16 it was Southampton. Two 7th place finishes left supporters dreaming of perennial European football ambitions, traversing the continent and challenging for major honours. Saints fans hoped their club would be the next big thing in English football, the next elite club up. Southampton could never shake the label of a feeder club to the likes of Liverpool and other top sides though , they could never hang onto their talent long enough to have a sustained run of success. They too, like Leicester, couldn’t sustain levels of performance like the so-called ‘Big-6’ could year on year. They too, like Leicester, are mired in a fight to escape the drop this year.
Going even further back, the best of the rest in the early 2010’s was undoubtably Everton. Year on year, pundits and supporters would wonder whether the Toffees could crack the top 4 (Liverpool were in a down period and City were just starting to get good) and win the prospect of Champions League nights at Goodison Park, having seen so much European history just across Stanley Park at Anfield. As if to complete something of a hat-trick of own goals, Everton, just like Southampton and Leicester, are also bogged down near the foot of the table.
Everton in the Europa League/UEFA Cup 2010
Newcastle United are something of an enigma at the moment. They look like they’ve learnt lessons from those that came before them but with a couple of key differences. They’ve bought smart and haven’t been afraid to do so (unlike Everton and Leicester) and they’re not just a developmental team (unlike Southampton). Unlike the three teams however, Newcastle have their own very storied history and extremely wealthy ownership, surpassing that of even Manchester City. Newcastle seem like a team set up for an extended run of success.
This season in particular is key for the Magpies. They’ve played fantastic football so far through the first half of the season, rightfully having a comfortable hold on a European spot, while the likes of Liverpool, Chelsea and Spurs are faltering below expected levels. If Newcastle manage to remain where they are in May, they will have a fantastic chance at becoming a silverware chasing side, like the traditional big boys of late. This is no easy feat though, just ask Leicester, so it will be interesting to see how Eddie Howe guides his side through the back-half of the campaign with drastically different expectations to when they started.
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 04: Newcastle manager Eddie Howe celebrates with the fans after the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Burnley at St. James Park on December 04, 2021 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
Personally, I see Newcastle being able to sustain this push on the established sides. They seem to have good transfer strategies in place, with enough money to buy whoever their model determines is best placed to improve the team. Coupled with that the draw to new players of Champions League football, a loyal fan base who stuck by even through relegations, and a forward-thinking, inventive manager, and the recipe for Newcastle to become an English football powerhouse just like Manchester City have become is all there. Only time will tell whether they realise their immense potential.
After 18 gruelling weeks of play, the playoff picture is finally set, the 1 seeds are established (sort of) and 14 sides are daring to dream of lifting the Lombardi in Arizona on the 12th February 2023. Before that game though, there are 3 rounds of playoff games to get through and I’m here to tell you exactly how it is going to pan out.
Wildcard Round
San Francisco 49ers def. Seattle Seahawks
This is one of those that feels like it should be a non-contest. The 49ers have arguably the best defence in the league and the Seahawks effectively snuck in the back door to get into the playoffs. Given how Seattle was expected to perform at the start of the season, this would still be exceeding expectations since they made it this far. Score prediction:49ers 31-14 Seahawks
Jacksonville Jaguars def. LA Chargers
The Jaguars hype train continues. Trevor Lawrence and Doug Pederson are going to roll into SoFi stadium and beat the Chargers in their own backyard, casting doubt over whether Brandon Staley is really the man to take the Chargers to the next level. This could all pan out differently if LA decides not to handicap Justin Herbert but personally, I don’t see it. Score prediction: Chargers 20-22 Jaguars
Buffalo Bills def. Miami Dolphins
Another cut and dry game, especially with the Dolphins now confirmed to be missing Tua. Skylar Thompson has performed well enough so far as a rookie but his immediate ceiling is very clear and it definitely isn’t high enough to take them past Buffalo at Highmark stadium. Score prediction: Bills 34-12 Dolphins
New York Giants def. Minnesota Vikings
The first upset of my predictions. I don’t see any reason why Danny Dimes can’t lead the G men past a very suspect Vikings team, that could quite possibly be the worst 13-4 team in NFL history. In multiple games this season the Vikes have allowed 30+ points and that is part of a potent recipe to lose playoff games. The other is having a quarterback that is notorious for not showing up in big games. Score prediction: Vikings 17-20 Giants
Cincinnati Bengals def. Baltimore Ravens
The argument for this one is near identical to the one above in the Bills – Dolphins game. Baltimore are very likely to be without star QB Lamar Jackson again as he struggles with injury, and it’s shown how heavily their offense and scheme relies on him being the man under centre. Meanwhile, the Bengals are really rolling, carrying heavy momentum into the post-season and the Burrow to Chase connection is firing on all cylinders. Score Prediction: Bengals 35-10 Ravens
Dallas Cowboys def. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
To round out the Wildcard round, I have Dak and his band of Cowboys winning on the road at Raymond James Stadium. Despite Prescott’s recent struggles, the Dallas roster is just too stocked with talent to falter against a Bucs team that staggered to win the worst division in the league. Almost certainly Brady’s last season in Florida, could it also be his last ever NFL game as well? Score prediction: Cowboys 28-14 Buccaneers
Divisional Round
San Francisco 49ers def. Dallas Cowboys
Wins against the Seahawks and Bucs would pair these two up against each other in the Divisional, and I can’t see even that stacked Dallas offence being able to score freely on the best defence in football. Compounding this, I doubt the Cowboys could stop the physical and skilful 49ers run game. McCaffery looks almost back to his best, and his best is elite. Mr Irrelevant leads San Francisco to yet another Conference Championship game. Score Prediction: 49ers 19-14 Cowboys
Philadelphia Eagles def. New York Giants
The divisional round is where the 1 seeds now enter the picture and I believe the Brian Daboll first year turn around for Big Blue comes to a screeching halt in Philly. A healthy Jalen Hurts is a massive danger and the Eagles clearly play to his strengths as well as having two of the best linemen in their position in Jason Kelce and Lane Johnson. Score Prediction: Eagles 31-20 Giants
Kansas City Chiefs def. Jacksonville Jaguars
Another entry of a 1 seed to put a stop to another fairytale season. No one would’ve expected the Jags to make it this far but when coming up against Mahomes coming off a bye week? Make sure you get those tickets booked back to Florida nice and early. Despite a probable loss however, this will have been a very successful year for Jacksonville and they’d be poised to make another good run next year. Chiefs 31-15 Jaguars
Cincinnati Bengals def. Buffalo Bills
This matchup (rematch-up?) will likely be one of the more emotional games in recent NFL history given the events of week 17 in the regular season. Despite this though, I see the Bengals overcoming the Bills in what is likely to be a closely run shootout. I place Burrow and Allen on about equal level, but the Cincinnati defence appears superior to the Bills and will be rolling with a lot of good form. Score Prediction: Bengals 36-34 Bills
Conference Championship
San Francisco 49ers def. Philadelphia Eagles
Despite the Eagles fantastic regular season record, they aren’t carrying tons of momentum into the Playoffs and two of the players mentioned above are likely still going to be carrying injuries (Jalen Hurts & Lane Johnson). Philly have also shown this season that they struggle without Hurts, whereas the 49ers seem virtually unstoppable with their endless ‘next man up’ policy. A victory on the road sends the team from Santa Clara with its last-pick-of-the-last-round QB to a sensational Super Bowl berth. Score Prediction: Eagles 23-26 49ers.
Cincinnati Bengals def. Kansas City Chiefs
For all the Chiefs firepower on offence this season, they had more last year and still couldn’t overcome the Bengals at Arrowhead. Cincinnati has become something of a bogey team for Kansas in recent times, the last three matchups going the way of the cats. Joe Burrow has complete control and mastery over this Bengals offense and I don’t believe the Chiefs have the talent or scheme to slow him down enough to allow Mahomes to win the shootout. Back to back Super Bowl games for Joe Shiesty. Score Prediction: Bengals 30-28 Chiefs
Super Bowl
Cincinnati Bengals def. San Francisco 49ers.
Remember when I said the 49ers were virtually unstoppable? Unfortunately we live in the real world, not a virtual one. I expect this to be an extremely close, back and forth game, but I ultimately expect the experience and talent of Burrow to elevate his team above Purdy and obtain revenge for last years final defeat to the Rams. This could definitely be one of many rings for Joe Burrow. Score Prediction: Bengals 21-18 49ers.
Even though it feels like the height of summer, the new Premier League season is just around the corner and with fantasy leagues being more popular than ever, it is definitely time to be building your ultimate league winning squad. But who to pick? Premier League clubs have been adding and improving their squads since the summer window opened which gives us, as fantasy manages, even more choice, so allow me to guide some selections you may be stuck on. Or don’t. But don’t say I didn’t tell you so…
Goalkeepers
Premium keepers are much more affordable this year which means it can be tempting to use the spot on an Allison or Ederson (both 5.5m), but the correct choice here is Mendy (£5.0m). If Chelsea’s defence is anything like what it can be he’s likely to rack up clean sheet points, especially with a good run of early fixtures. Forster (£4.0m) is an excellent choice for a reserve goalkeeper as he has the pedigree of a starting one and plays for a team that is bolstering it’s defence, so if he’s called upon, expect him to play well.
Defenders
I felt it important to have 5 starting-capable defenders, allowing for rotation through difficult fixtures in the early weeks. Alexander-Arnold (£7.5m) is an absolute must with Liverpool’s stout defensive record and his penchant for assists. Cancelo (£7.0m) is in for the same reason and his RB/LB versatility ensures he’s even more likely to get game time in City’s rotation system. The second and final Chelsea player in the team, Reece James (£6.0m), is a bargain at this price for his potential attacking output alongside Trippier (£5.0m) who is a very influential player both in attack and defence for Newcastle. The last player in the defence is recently transferred Nico Williams (£4.0m). Likely to be an early benchwarmer in my team but starting for Forrest, he is great value for minimal value and could be a crucial part of the recently promoted team.
Midfielders
Potentially the entire teams star man, Son (£12.0m) was a difficult choice over Salah (£13.0m) but that extra mil plus a very similar goalscoring output along with the momentum Spurs carry into the new season gave him the edge for this team. With the departure of Sadio Mane over the summer and how well he played last year, Luis Diaz (£8.0m) is an excellent choice to grab a slice of a very potent Liverpool attack without breaking the bank. If Ronaldo was to leave United (as of writing he is still there), then picking up Jadon Sancho (£7.5m) could be the steal of the season. Even despite United’s attacking woes last year, Sancho still ranked well for chances created and in Ten Haag’s side, this could definitely lead to tangible output. The last two players in midfield are Neto (£5.5m) and Andreas (£4.5m). Both players are great value at those prices and are likely to be key parts of the way both Wolves and Fulham operate this coming season.
Attackers
Taking a gamble on a player who has come in from abroad and never played in the Premier League is obviously a huge risk but the upside with Haaland (£11.5m) is an opportunity I can’t look past. City are likely to create so many chances this year that even if the infamous xG stats catch up with him, he is likely to be contending for the golden boot. In this team he is paired alongside the man he replaced at City, Gabriel Jesus (£8.0m). Finally with a chance to be the regular main man in Arsenal’s front line, don’t be surprised if once he finds his range, he can’t stop scoring. And last but not least is definitely a squad filler, though could score some point from time to time rotating in for Leeds, Sam Greenwood (£4.5m).
Let me know who you chose for your squads and why in the comments!
Feels very weird to be starting something like this over half way through a season but hey, that’s what I get when I take 6+ months off from writing!
I figured rather than deep dive stats like I have done in the past with my pieces, I’m going to do these round-ups ‘off cuff’. No stats. No hidden meaning. Just pure thought spilling straight onto your screens. With that being said, let’s go ahead and talk about week 10 of the NFL regular season…
The NFL this year seems particularly full of these shock upsets to the point where they no longer seem quite as shocking. This one was though. Lamar Jackson and his purple gang waltzed into Hard Rock Stadium and, like everyone else, expected a comfortable victory against a Dolphins team that has managed to underachieve in almost every category this year. The porous defence managed to find some Flex Tape to fix its gaping holes and holding the flying Ravens offence to just 10 points. Jackson’s MVP campaign also appears to have hit a large bump in the road in Miami. He couldn’t find a rhythm against the Dolphins, the 30th ranked D coming into week 10. Not exactly the stuff MVP’s are made of…
Buffalo Bills (6-3) 45 – 17 New York Jets (2-7)
After another of those ridiculous games I mentioned above, Buffalo firmly got itself back on track with a 45-17 drubbing of the AFC East meme brigade. The Bills should be playing like this against teams like that, and thankfully Josh Allen was able to brush off the nightmares of Josh Allen (the other one) to lead a comfortable, albeit highly expected victory. On the other sideline, the Mike White Express came to a screeching halt, showing once again why back-ups backup. His 3 INTs didn’t matter in the overall flow of the game as the Bills realistically were not going to lose in consecutive weeks to basement dwelling NFL teams, but it did show that Zach Wilson definitely will have his starting job back when he is healthy.
Seattle Seahawks (3-6) 0 – 17 Green Bay Packers (8-2)
For the first time in his NFL career, Russell Wilson was shut out. Part of this has to be down to rustiness, he has been out for numerous weeks with a finger injury that required surgery but credit has to go to this Packers defence, slowly creeping up on everyone as a genuinely elite unit in the NFL, even while having an injury list that is about 7 pages long. The game as a whole was pretty abject, the only two TD’s of the game coming in the 4th Quarter, but the Packers will take it, rumbling on as the NFC’s No.1 seed going into Week 11. The Seahawks should be at panic stations right now, as it is clear even Chef Russ can’t save this Kitchen Nightmare in Seattle.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-3) 19 – 29 Washington Football Team (3-6)
I don’t think any quarterback in NFL history has relished facing Tom Brady more than Washington stand-in/starter Taylor Heinicke. Clearly wanting revenge for last years play-off game, Heinicke ran the show, complimented by a rare off day for Brady. His accuracy and decision making was very off the mark for the man who prides himself on having the highest personal standards in the league, culminating in a win no one saw coming, not even those in DC. The only negative to come out of this for the Football Team was the news that last years Defensive Rookie of the Year Chase Young is down for the season, a crucial part of their defence.
Atlanta Falcons (4-5) 3 – 43 Dallas Cowboys (7-2)
Another team with a point to prove after an unexpected loss in Week 9, Dallas absolutely dismantled the Falcons, who surprisingly came into this game possessing the final NFC play-off spot. Prescott looked in the groove and his receivers were able to consistently create separation, leading the Cowboys to be able to rack up the score and exercise those Denver demons. The Falcons didn’t do too much wrong other than… well, being the Falcons, but just came up against a far superior opposition starting to perform nearer to the level that the talent that they possess deserves. With no doubt that they’ll win the NFC East, it will be interesting to see how Dallas stacks up against other contenders in the remainder of their schedule.
New Orleans Saints (5-4) 21 – 23 Tennessee Titans (8-2)
Personally, I’m still not convinced by this Titans team as genuine Super Bowl contenders. I’m not entirely sure what it is because this team are even finding ways to win without their one man wrecking ball and they’ve already beaten numerous teams you would call contenders, but it just doesn’t seem like their brand of football will hold up in January, coming up against aerial attacks and wealth’s of post-season experience. The Saints on the other hand, are desperately missing kicker Will Lutz, a missed PAT near the start of the game forcing them to go for two at the death and ultimately coming up short. In a season where kicking standards feel lower than normal, this game was another prime example.
Jacksonville Jaguars (2-7) 17 – 23 Indianapolis Colts (5-5)
The Colts are absolutely not as good as their .500 record suggests, beating up on teams they absolutely should like the Jags and Jets, yet crumbling when they play any sort of half decent team. The fact that this game was decided by 6 points reflects poorly on Indi, against a Jags team that apparently have decided to protect star QB Trevor Lawrence with the O-line equivalent of paper mache. Both teams have an awful lot of work to do in terms of roster building, though there’s a danger the Colts record could blind the front office to this at seasons end.
Detroit Lions (0-8-1) 16 – 16 Pittsburgh Steelers (5-3-1)
So close yet so far for Detroit who, after the recent upturn in fortunes for the Browns, must be a prime candidate to be the new Factory of Sadness. Managing to avoid being the first team in NFL history to go 0-17, the Lions had many chances to pull one of the biggest upsets in the season, yet blew them in typical fashion. But the fact that this Pittsburgh team very almost lost this game reflects far worse on them. Like the Colts above, they are playing much worse than their record and both offence and defence felt very flat for the Steelers at home. They need a bounce-back game asap or it could be a very disastrous run-in for Pittsburgh.
Cleveland Browns (5-5) 7 – 45 New England Patriots (6-4)
Cleveland are unfortunately mega-banged up of late, with both top running backs unavailable for a team very reliant on its rushing attack. It arrived into Foxborough to face a Pats team annoyingly hitting their stride of late, winning their last 3 quite convincingly. Mac Jones is the bookies second favourite for Offensive ROTY and is playing remarkably well for a player many had written off as a bust prior to the season, myself included. If New England continue in this efficient fashion, they will be serious contenders come play off football in the wildcard, potentially even as AFC East champions if the Bills have another couple unforeseen stumbles.
Minnesota Vikings (4-5) 27 – 20 Los Angeles Chargers (5-4)
As of late, the Chargers season has taken a sharp nose dive off of a cliff. Things looked very promising for Brandon Staley’s men 6 weeks into the season but too many unforced, very Charger-like errors have reduced them down to close to .500 and lost their grip on the wildly unpredictable AFC West. Minnesota on the other hand look like a team who have finally figured themselves out. Cousins had a clean but unspectacular game, which is all he needs to do given the receiving talent on the Vikings roster. The news regarding the ever-changing Dalvin Cook situation is concerning however, as without him, teams could look to play more 2 safety shell coverages and force Captain Kirk to beat them with his arm.
He is indeed back. The return of Super Cam to Charlotte went a lot better than most, probably even Newton himself expected, with a touchdown through the air and a typical rush to boot. It isn’t realistic to expect that sort of production on a weekly basis but right now, anything is an upgrade over the hapless Sam Darnold. Arizona on the other hand shouldn’t be too concerned, especially being without Murray and Hopkins and that early season unbeaten run has given them the ability of a cushion, allowing them to rest their stars without having to rush them back after injury.
Philadelphia Eagles (4-6) 30 – 13 Denver Broncos (5-5)
Riding a high of an upset win against the Cowboys, Denver should’ve fancied themselves to go back to back against an inconsistent Eagles team who are likely to have two top 10 picks in the 2022 Draft. Instead we got another damp display from the Broncos, summed up by QB Teddy Bridgewater’s effort (or should I say lack of) on Darius Slay’s scoop and run. The win for Philly will do wonders for second year signal caller Jalen Hurts but provides no answer for where this Eagles team is headed, which is a concern.
Kansas City Chiefs (6-4) 41 – 14 Las Vegas Raiders (5-4)
Will the real Pat Mahomes please stand up? The former regular season and Super Bowl MVP looked back like his old self in dispatching the Raiders whose season is falling apart at the seams given off-field events in recent weeks. Kansas’s offence has not felt right all year but still maintained a position near the top of EPA leader boards and showed in Vegas what happens when everything begins to click again. The question for the Chiefs is whether this level of cohesion can be maintained, but as it stands, they have pole position in the AFC West.
Los Angeles Rams (7-3) 10 – 31 San Francisco 49ers (4-5)
From one pre-season MVP candidate to another, Stafford seems to have reverted to a Detroit factory model in the last two primetime games, both of which have resulted in the Super Bowl fancied Rams dropping two very winnable games. They feel eerily similar, two picks each, the second of which being housed and a largely dysfunctional Rams offence. With all the Free Agent splashes and flashy trades, LA is very much in win-now mode, which is something they’re going to have to re-figure out during their bye week if they are to achieve their lofty goals this campaign.
The 2021 NFL draft is taking place in Cleveland this year at the end of April, with the best college prospects presumably excited to find out in which cities they will begin to forge their professional careers. With this in mind, it’s always fun to predict where these young stars will end up, given some of the shocking decisions made by GM’s over the past 5 years (Looking at you, Chicago…). Quick point to note, I’ve made these choices based on both what is a need for the particular team and what is available on the board at the time. Now that that’s sorted, lets get into the predictions!
1) Trevor Lawrence QB – Jacksonville Jaguars
The consensus number 1 pick from Clemson. Lawrence has been labelled a generational talent by many outlets and is a solid choice to be the face of the Jaguars franchise for years to come, especially under first year coach Urban Meyer. With a strong arm and an innate ability to read and pick apart a defence, the only potential worry could come from dealing with the pressure of all the hype and the weight of being the number 1 overall pick, but I can’t see this being an issue at all.
2) Zack Wilson QB – New York Jets
This pick was effectively locked in when the Jets traded former No. 3 overall pick from 2018 Sam Darnold to the Panthers. Wilson shone at the BYU pro day and produced good numbers in the Combine drills. He has a great ability to make off-platform throws and is able to make something from nothing – a key trait when you play for teams in rebuilding mode. New head coach Robert Saleh and new offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur get a very special player to kickstart the revival of the Jets.
3) Justin Fields QB – San Francisco 49ers
Given the unanimity of picks 1 and 2, the 2021 NFL draft effectively starts at this pick. The 49ers gave up a shedload of capital to get the Dolphins to move from 3 and with the uncertainty surrounding QB Jimmy Garoppolo, I have the third best QB in the draft going to the Bay area. The Ohio State product was effective while leading the Buckeyes to the National Championship Final, creating some initial hype of him going at number 2 or even at 1. With his talent at San Francisco, he could either start straight away if Garoppolo moves on (unlikely) or sit for a year behind Jimmy G, learning from Kyle Shanahan in the meantime. In this case, the 49ers would be a very dangerous team in his second year.
4) Kyle Pitts TE – Atlanta Falcons
In my opinion, Kyle Pitts is the best football player in the 2021 NFL draft class. Controversial take given the generational talent QB at the top of this mock draft but spending any time watching Pitts’s tape for the Florida Gators and you will understand why. At 6’6″, 245lbs and still running a 4.40 40, Pitts is an absolute matchup nightmare. With his size, he can be used as a traditional Y tight-end or use his speed and athleticism lined up wide that even some corners struggle to cover, let alone line-backers. The Falcons take the best player to give Matt Ryan a truly lethal weapon.
5) Penei Sewell OT – Cincinnati Bengals
Sewell forced teams interested in his services to evaluate his 2019 tape, opting out of the 2020 season, allowing others like Rashawn Slater to enter the picture for the best lineman in the class. Even with a years less film however, the Oregon blindside blocker is still above the rest. Cincinnati’s main issue last year was protecting their golden goose, shown no more obviously by the fact he sustained a season ending injury as a result of practically non-existent blocking all year. Sewell is a huge piece in rectifying this, a perfect match.
6) JaMarr Chase WR – Miami Dolphins
There are rumours that this years WR draft class is better than the studded class of 2020 and Chase is a big reason why. Another who opted out of the 2020 college season and watched as the LSU Tigers fell to a 5-5 record, Chase has been referred to in multiple interviews as the best receiver most college corners have played against. With a 40 time is the 4.3’s, he has the speed to stretch the field and be a deep threat but also precise route running means he is a threat anywhere on the field. The Dolphins would’ve also likely selected JaMarr Chase at 3 if they didn’t trade down, but now they get the best wideout and a load more picks to continue building around second year QB Tua Tagovailoa.
7) Trey Lance QB – Detroit Lions
Even with the first monster trade of the off season which saw long-time QB1 in Detroit Matthew Stafford move on to the sun of Los Angeles and former No.1 overall pick Jared Goff go the other way, it’s pretty obvious that the future of the QB position for the Lions is far from decided. Unless they give up a lot of draft capital to move into the top 3, the top QB’s will already be gone but Lance is also a good player and I don’t see the Lions passing on him. The North Dakota State prospect has a monster arm and good accuracy, he just lacks that something special the likes of Lawrence, Wilson or Fields have. There is also the chance that the 49ers take Mac Jones at 3, meaning that Fields could fall to Detroit here.
8) Jaylen Waddle WR – Carolina Panthers
The Panthers deciding to move on from Teddy Bridgewater after 1 season by replacing him with Sam Darnold eliminates them from the QB sweepstakes in my books. There’s a chance that they do take a player like Mac Jones and have him develop, but I just doubt they’d use a premium pick for that purpose. A year removed from taking defensive players in every round of the draft, they have a choice of two outstanding Alabama WR’s. For me, they go with Waddle but it could just as easily be Smith. Darnold gets a very good offensive weapon either way to pair with Robby Anderson.
9) Mac Jones QB – Denver Broncos
Denver drafted Drew Lock to be yet another John Elway heir-apparent, but as is the Bronco’s way, that hasn’t quite materialised. Given the pressure the front office has been facing and how much Lock struggled over the past year(s), it is reasonable to assume that Denver takes a punt with Mac Jones out of that Alabama championship winning team. Jones is a good pocket passer, some what of an anomaly in today’s NFL but had a bit of a difficult pro day in comparison to the other top QB’s in this class. By surrounding him with good talent, like Noah Fant and Jerry Jeudy, there’s a decent chance Jones finds success at Mile High. Fun fact, Denver are only one of two teams (alongside Seattle) to never have drafted at No. 1 overall.
10) Patrick Surtain II CB – Dallas Cowboys
It isn’t normal that not a single defensive player is drafted within the top 10 and this is only just saved from happening. Dallas had a remarkably poor defence last year and they take one of the, if not the, best corners in the draft to start to address the issues they had in the secondary. Another of the winning Crimson Tide team, Surtain’s experience against some of the best receivers in this class will stand him in good stead to be a week 1 starter in the NFL.
11) Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah LB – New York Giants
The Giants got surprisingly close to winning footballs worst division last year, but that isn’t down to the strength of their team. They won’t win with Daniel Jones at the helm but without moving up, they are out of range of most of the round 1 worthy QB’s, so for me, they take a hard hitting field general to bolster the line-backing corps. Owusu-Koramoah was a part of the Notre Dame team that made it to the playoff semi finals and has rare levels of speed, athleticism and agility, able to slip blocks easily and could be a blitzing threat from the middle.
12) Rashawn Slater OT – Philadelphia Eagles
Another NFC East team no where near being able to compete with the best teams in the league last year. The Eagles have had substantial changes from top to bottom, with the Super-Bowl winning pair of Doug Pederson and Carson Wentz no longer being with the organisation. The team looked better with Jaylen Hurts at QB and by trading down, have signalled their faith in the young star. There is a more than decent chance the Eagles take another first round wideout, but I think it’ll be better for them to sure up that offensive line in front of their new QB1. Slater is a very good prospect, with some even ranking him above Oregon’s Sewell. The Eagles manage to fill an important position for years to come here.
13) DeVonta Smith WR – LA Chargers
Heisman Trophy-winning receiver DeVonta Smith will be a great asset to whatever team drafts him. The former Alabama player was a key part of that championship team with crisp route running and an innate understanding of how to get open, Smith is best described as ‘slippery’. This feels like an opportunity the Chargers can’t pass up, pairing Smith with Keenan Allen and Offensive Rookie of the Year Justin Herbert will be absolutely lethal.
14) Kwity Paye EDGE – Minnesota Vikings
One aspect that seemed to be synonymous with the Minnesota Vikings was a stout, bend-but-don’t-break defence. Last years Vikings defence shattered into a million pieces. They seem to have had an issue with edge rushers over the past year and even though Paye was another to opt out of last year, he is a freaky athlete and will provide both a short term fix and long term solution to the Vikings pass rush problems. He still has room to improve but when you have the physical gifts that Paye possesses, it shouldn’t be difficult for him to realise his potential under Mike Zimmer.
15) Kyle Trask QB – New England Patriots
It wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest if New England trade up for a QB given how aggressive they have been in free agency. I feel with one more losing season that Belichick could call it quits, so I see him going all out to redeem last year and retake the AFC East. If they do remain at 15 however, Kyle Trask is a QB with a lot of upside, but likely isn’t ready to start week 1. Sitting behind Newton until he is ready, learning Josh McDaniels system, would aid his development tremendously.
16) Jaycee Horn CB – Arizona Cardinals
There are arguments to suggest that Horn is the best CB in the draft and has an outstanding college resume in terms of the receivers he has had to battle this year and last. He’s got good speed and long arms, allowing him to be in the right position to break up or intercept passes more often that not. He’s also fixed an issue he had in his sophomore year where he didn’t use his hands on the line at all and with Patrick Peterson leaving the Cardinals this offseason, Horn could be the perfect replacement, if not eventually better.
17) Micah Parsons LB – Las Vegas Raiders
Pure talent and athleticism wise, Parsons is the top LB in this class, but character concerns could see him drop to 17 and behind Owusu-Koramoah (as I’ve predicted). However, this is unlikely to deter John Gruden and the Raiders who after spending a boatload of cash last year in free agency, saw none of their line-backer problems fixed. The Penn State defender could be the answer to these issues and his no nonsense attitude could be a perfect fit in the desert.
18) Christian Darrisaw OT – Miami Dolphins
As further proof that they are investing in Tua, the Dolphins select the next best tackle on the board. Darrisaw isn’t majorly outstanding but he is extremely atheletic, very quick, strong and flexible with the ability to deal with a variety of pass-rush moves, he would be a good fit in that Dolphins line. He does need to fix the occasional lapses in concentration and sometimes throwing his hands too low, allowing them to be easily swiped down, but with some coaching he could become a very dependable fixture in the Dolphins team.
19) Greg Newsome II CB – Washington Football Team
Washington’s defence was its main strength in the run to the play-offs last year yet I still have them taking defence at 19. The Northwestern corner is a very talented prospect with good speed and physicality with the ability to recover when slightly beaten, Newsome is great value here at 19. Improving that already good defence in the poor NFC East will allow for Fitzmagic and that offense to find it’s rhythm early on in the year.
20) Kadarius Toney WR – Chicago Bears
There are an awful lot of holes in this Bears offense. I don’t believe they have solved the QB issue with the FA signing of Dalton and at 20 are well out of the range of any rookie that could be a long term solution. Don’t be surprised if they end up trading up to a significantly higher spot. Having said that, if they do choose to stay in this position, I can’t see Allen Robinson signing a long term deal and franchise tagging him in consecutive years will be very expensive for Chicago. The Gators receiver has speed to stretch the field and secure hands, meaning he would be a good no. 2 receiver this year for him or Mooney to step up as the top target in 2022.
21) Jaelen Phillips EDGE – Indianapolis Colts
Phillips is a freaky athlete. The former 5 star recruit plays hard every snap and is very aware as a run defender and has elite speed for an edge rusher to get around blocks. He does have some durability concerns having missed significant time due to injury over the past few years which could cause him to slip further and he occasionally gets his pad level too high off the snap to have an effective rush. The Colts are a solid team and have been sneakily adding players over the past two off-season’s and adding Phillips on that D-line increases the chance that these Colts can really do something in 2021.
22) Gregory Rousseau EDGE – Tennessee Titans
The Titans have been a very consistent football team over the past two seasons but one area that they’ve seemed to struggle is getting to the opposing QB. Last season’s offseason signing of Jadeveon Clowney didn’t help matters much and they have an opportunity to at least go someway to addressing this with Rousseau. The rusher out of Miami, Rousseau is big body and is projected to be an NFL starting calibre player within two seasons. With only one season of college football behind him however, there is risk in this pick, but arguably one the Titans feel is worth it.
23) Caleb Farley CB – New York Jets
The Jets second 1st round pick focuses on the other side of the ball to new franchise QB Wilson. Farley is a good corner, out of Virginia Tech, with great speed and has the ability to also cover mismatch TE’s, he has natural ball playing and defensive instincts. New York have struggled on defence since Jamaal Adams left for Seattle so they pick up a new leader of the Gang Green secondary.
24) Najee Harris RB – Pittsburgh Steelers
It was no secret that Pittsburgh’s run to 11-0 last year was heavily reliant on Big Ben throwing short routes across the field and once better teams wised up to the fact that the Steelers run game was non-existent, the season fell apart. If the Steelers use this pick on an elite running back, which is risky given the durability of halfbacks, it could just as easily be Travis Etienne out of Clemson but I’ve gone with Harris due to his better ability running between the tackles. Pittsburgh will be able to start to develop a run game, making them a much more dangerous team.
25) Tevon Jenkins OT – Jacksonville Jaguars
What better way to commit and build around a franchise guy than to shore up the line in front of him so he doesn’t end up like Joe Burrow last year. Jenkins was a monster for Oklahoma State in his games with an ultra-aggressive playstyle which dominates in the run game. He is also pretty agile for a lineman and can easily read the moves in which edge rushers throw his way. He would be a great addition to the rebuilt Jaguars offense.
26) Alijah Vera-Tucker OT – Cleveland Browns
The Browns did what everyone knew the squad was capable of and won a playoff game for the first time in what felt like forever, by leaning heavily on a superb run game of tandem back Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt. They are likely to keep with this same formula for the 2021 season and adding Vera-Tucker definitely bolsters this. He is an intelligent player who is more than able at tackle but with slight concerns about his arm length, could be shifted inside to guard. Either way it will be much harder to stop Cleveland’s ground and pound with this addition.
27) Elijah Moore WR – Baltimore Ravens
Another AFC North team with a reliance on the run game is the Ravens. 2019 NFL MVP Lamar Jackson has shown time and time again he is brilliant with his legs and in partnership with second year back J.K Dobbins, opposition defences will have to commit heavily to the box to negate the run, leaving the ever appealing option of play action passes to stretch the field. ‘Hollywood’ Brown has so far failed to live up to the expectations to be the Ravens No.1 receiver, opening up the chance for a new guy to come in an take this mantle, something I believe Moore can absolutely do.
28) Christian Barmore DT – New Orleans Saints
There is a rather strange feeling hanging around New Orleans after the inevitable departure of future hall of fame QB Drew Brees. The Saints appear to be content with allowing Taysom Hill and Jameis Winston to battle for the starting job, meaning they are unlikely to try to trade up for a signal caller. The squad is still extremely strong but after the free agency departure of Trey Hendrickson, they have a spot for the best D-tackle in this years draft class to provide pressure and run stuffing capabilities.
Jan 11, 2021; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Alabama defensive lineman Christian Barmore (58) tackles Ohio State running back Master Teague III (33) during the College Football Playoff National Championship Game in Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby-USA TODAY Sports
29) Zaven Collins LB – Green Bay Packers
In recent years, the Packers front office seems to be doing everything they can to not help Aaron Rodgers. They don’t have a bona fide No. 2 receiver nor a capable complement to Jaire Alexander but this low in the round all the best are gone, meaning that once again, Green Bay are a trade candidate to go up and grab a player like Farley. If they stay at 29, getting a new line-backer general like Collins isn’t a bad alternative.
30) Trevon Moehrig S – Buffalo Bills
GM Brandon Beane has been excellent for the Bills, carefully assembling a talented roster to become one of the best teams in the AFC. There isn’t much for them to improve on in this draft and Moehrig is an excellent safety. In partnership with Micah Hyde, Buffalo could have a great secondary tandem to counteract the pass-first offenses that have recently dominated the AFC. Speaking of which…
31) Liam Eichenburg OT – Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs found themselves getting badly humbled in last years Super Bowl. As I said in a previous post, QB Patrick Mahomes’ tendencies didn’t help out his offensive line and against a rush like the Buccs had, they were never likely to get anything going on that side of the ball. The Kansas decision was to cut both starting tackles from last year, both freeing up cap space and indicating the starting point to rebuild that line. Selecting Eichenburg from Notre Dame isn’t the flashiest pick but he will prove to be a solid tackle for years as the Chiefs try to climb back to the pinnacle of football.
32) Eric Stokes CB – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa has the luxury of either selecting for value or trading out of the first round and being absolutely fine, seeing as they managed to resign and restructure pretty much all of their championship winning team. The needs of the team are very little, other than maybe trying to find a successor for when Brady eventually leaves. That type of value isn’t here at the end of the first, so I have them taking a very talented but project corner in Eric Stokes. The former Georgia corner has great athleticism and physicality and speed but needs time to develop his instincts, something he can be afforded in the elite defence in Tampa Bay.
Thomas Tuchel is now 3 games into his managerial stint as Chelsea boss, taking over from Frank Lampard who left them 10th in the table and has experienced an almost immediate surge up the table from his side, who now sit 6th in the league after positive results against Burnley and Tottenham. But who is the man that the Blues have turned to, desperate to build on a promising campaign last year and a stuttering opening to this one? What are Chelsea likely to get from the man in charge further down the line?
Mainz origins
Tuchel is a graduate from the Ralf Ragnick University of coaches and is seemingly Jurgen Klopp’s replacement everywhere he goes. He started his career as the U19 boss at Mainz and managed to win a youth national championship with the side. This success led to his appointment as the head coach of the senior side after the previous first team coach was fired after a shock German cup loss. At the time, Mainz had the smallest budget in the Bundesliga (after Klopp had led them there), yet Tuchel managed to qualify twice for the Europa League despite the financial constraints. He knew his side were inferior in terms of talent yet were so well drilled and had a work ethic installed by Tuchel that enabled them to compete near the top places in the league. Key to this was Tuchel’s tactical philosophy that was super fluid. His side were able to seamlessly switch formation and tactics against any side, causing a headache for opposition managers.
Tuchel at Mainz
Emergence at Dortmund
As a reward for his efforts, Tuchel was appointed as Klopp’s successor at Dortmund after the German left for Liverpool. Many accounts of those under him at Dortmund described him as being very demanding of the players and very unforgiving when they didn’t give the required effort, echoing other accounts during his time at Mainz. Despite this he achieved greatly at Dortmund, being Bayern’s main title rivals and pushing them close every year. This was done through a combination of new learning approaches and a focus on embracing sports science research. Tuchel is a huge advocate of ‘differential learning’, a theory that players skills are not best honed by repetition but by an ever changing set of problems that demanded adjustment. He changed the culture at Dortmund, encouraging players to live a healthier lifestyle and a focus on recovery, the importance of treating the body right. He was also famous for his wacky training drills at Dortmund, such as narrowing one end of the pitch to be as wide as the goalposts, effectively making a triangular pitch, making defenders hold tennis balls when marking so they couldn’t grab and tussle with attackers and making players take extra touches with specific body parts, all to encourage quick thinking and improve players adaptability. The lack of a personal connection with players though was still at issue that followed him at his second German club, with many players finding him superb as a coach but hard to deal with on a personal level.
New expectations at PSG
Taking the PSG job was always going to be a high pressure job for Tuchel. The French top flight has been dominated by the Parisian club for so long, that winning the Ligue 1 title was hardly regarded as a success by the club hierarchy. The real aim was, and still is, the Champions League crown. As was expected, the German won two league championships in his two full seasons with the club and sources point to him finally having amended his personal relations with players, having managed to develop a stronger emotional connection with his players and this showed during the clubs run to the 2020 Champions League final, losing to Bayern Munich. The rotation in the starting teams was also present in Paris as well, winger Angel Di Maria the only player to start at least 80% of the games during the 18/19 campaign. Ultimately though, the personality that Tuchel possesses and the personalities of those high up at PSG was going to result in a clash sooner or later. He particularly fell out with director of football Leonardo, disagreeing over player personnel decisions especially and this was likely the key reason behind his departure in December. Yet even given the power struggles many managers have had with those in the structure at Chelsea, they still believed that Tuchel would be the best man to appoint.
Tuchel with Kylian Mbappe at PSG
Tactical style
The most interesting aspect of Tuchel’s tactical style is that there isn’t one pre-set style. If placed on a ‘coaching spectrum’ of sorts, he falls somewhere between Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola, two managers he has faced on many occasions in his career. The one consistency with Tuchel is that his teams tend to dominate the ball and control possession in the midfield areas. As a result of this, it’s likely he will favour a player like Jorginho rather than a player like Kante in the midfield berths and use him like Julien Weigl at Dortmund and Marco Veratti at PSG. When compared to Klopp, Guardiola and the man he replaced at Chelsea, Tuchel’s teams have had the second most ‘build up’ attacks (10+ passes in an attacking sequence), clearly demonstrating this possession oriented approach. Another consistency of Tuchel teams is the high press, his teams creating a high number of turnovers in the opposition third and this trend is likely to continue at Chelsea given the youthfulness and energy of the squad.
What to be expected at Chelsea
Fullbacks are a vital part of the modern game and the way in which they are utilised gives very clear indication as to the way the team will play. For example, Guardiola likes to tuck his backs infield, allowing them to act as slightly wide and deeper central midfielders whereas Klopp has his play with as much width as possible, acting as auxiliary wingers and creating overloads on the flanks. Tuchel is much more similar to Klopp in this regard. This was best seen at PSG with Thomas Meunier and Juan Bernat consistently positioned in advanced areas of the pitch, overlapping the likes of Di Maria and Neymar who occupied the channels inside of the opposition fullbacks. Chelsea have the personnel for this to work well. Summer signing Ben Chilwell and academy graduate Reece James fit these roles well and as a wingback, Marcos Alonso will be very useful as well over the rest of the season. The Chelsea squad is the 6th youngest in the league and will likely be prone to need to be rotated, another aspect that fits very well into the way Tuchel likes to run his squads. In terms of attackers, Timo Werner’s crippling lack of confidence under Frank Lampard was extremely surprising and one of the contributing factors to Lampard losing his job. The positive from this is that strikers Pierre-Emerick Aubemayang and Kylian Mbappe both had their best scoring seasons of their careers under Tuchel’s tutilage, which is a good sign that Werner can regain the form that made him one of the best strikers in Europe over the last few years.
Only time will tell whether the appointment of Tuchel was the correct decision from Chelsea, but the pieces are in place in the squad for the man in charge to hopefully lead Chelsea back to Premier League title contention.
The Kansas City chiefs, led by one-time (so far) regular season and Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes, are statistically the favourites to take home a second Lombardi Trophy in as many years, according to NFL.com. But is that second ring really such a sure fire bet?
Kansas City Chiefs players run onto the field before an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers Saturday, Aug. 24, 2019, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Boasting the leagues number 1 ranked offence with 4854 yards through the air and another 1799 on the ground, it seems teams simply couldn’t keep up with that high flying offence… except they could, most of the time. In the 16 regular season games the Kansas offence won 8 of their 14 games by only one score (within 8 points) and lost two of the remaining games. This doesn’t exactly inspire confidence that this is a team that could comfortably go out against any opposition and simply blow them out of the water with such a high scoring attack.
What could be the main reason that these games end up as close as they are at the end of the 4th quarter? The answer could actually lie with one of their greatest strengths – Patrick Mahomes himself.
I would also like to stress that Mahomes is absolutely a top 3 elite quarterback in the NFL and will be one of the greatest of all time if he continues developing the way that he is. With 4740 passing yards this season, a 38:6 TD to INT ratio and a pass completion rate above 66%, this fact was never in doubt. One of the biggest issues Mahomes has faced this season is the sacks that he takes. In the 2020 regular season Mahomes took 22 sacks in comparison to only 17 sacks in 2019.
Now, KC did lose star tackle Mitchell Schwartz this year so naturally without a top offensive lineman, it is likely that your quarterback will take more sacks. But. The line itself has actually held up pretty well this year, the issue comes with the size of Mahomes drop back when the play calls for a mid-to-deep range pass. Most quarterbacks will take a 5-7 step drop on these passes, to give them ample space to generate the power and velocity needed on the ball for these type of passes but Mahomes has a tendency to drop much deeper straight from the snap.
There are instances of him taking 10-11 yards back and the issue this causes is that the tackles dealing with speed rushers off the edge ideally try to to sweep the rusher round the back of the tackle box, behind the quarterback neutralising them completely. Except because Mahomes is so deep off the drop back, the rushers are being led straight into where he is and the linemen have absolutely no chance to stop it. Providing they beat the Browns on Sunday, they could face a Bills side with the 6th best pass rush in the league, which will only make this problem more apparent.
Given how many absolutely insane plays Mahomes has made doing exactly this is too many to count on one hand so the chances of him taking this tendency out of his game are slim to none so from a play calling perspective, a potential fix is to increase the volume of the short passing game which absolutely does not suit the Chiefs style of offense.
On the left, Buffalo’s Josh Allen On the right, Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson
Again, providing they beat the Browns, the Chiefs will face either Josh Allen’s Bills or Lamar Jackson’s Ravens in the AFC Championship game. Lets say for instance that the Bills make it to that game. As already mentioned, the Bills boast the 6th best pass rush in the league and have the 9th ranked secondary according to PFF which is likely to negate some of the power of those explosive, deep plays KC has become synonymous with. The tighter coverage will mean Mahomes is likely to hold the ball for longer periods of time in the pocket and 5 of his 6 INT’s this year have come from when he holds the ball for 2.5 seconds or more. Even if it is the Ravens who win on Saturday, they have the 5th best secondary according to PFF and is led by Marcus Peters who already has 4 picks this year. Either way it will be a problem for Mahomes and the Chiefs.
Finally, last season in their Superbowl run, KC created a habit of falling behind early and rallying late to win games, particularly in the post season. This is unlikely to happen two years in a row, yet the Chiefs have persisted with this habit of going behind in the 1st quarter of games. in 12 total quarters across the season, KC were trailing, and 9 of those was the opening quarter of the game. They are likely to face Buffalo who (if it isn’t already clear I expect to the AFC representative in the Superbowl) in a similar metric, of the 11 games they are leading by the end of the 1st quarter, they went on to win 10 of them, the only exception being the famous ‘Hail Murray’ against the Cardinals in Week 10. Unless the Chiefs get out to a fast start against the Bills in the AFC Championship game, their late game miracles might not be enough to save them.
Superbowl Prediction: Buffalo vs Green Bay, Green Bay to win
Sports Takes 