Truth-B-Told

Truth-B-Told is a sports blog with debatable topics, predictions and rankings. This is a sports blog for the fans, by a fan. - Forrest F.

[truth--b--told-blog]

2018 NFL Mock Draft

1st Overall, Browns: Sam Darnold

Truth: Browns finally score on a franchise quarterback eager to turn the franchise around. Expect Darnold to sit behind Tyrod Taylor going into the season.

2nd Overall, Giants: Saquon Barkley

Truth: Giants pass on a quarterback, and take the most talented player in the draft. First franchise running back for the Giants since Tiki Barber.

3rd Overall, Jets: Josh Rosen

** 4th Overall, Bills: Josh Allen **

Truth: Bills trade multiple picks to the Browns in exchange for the 4th overall pick, and grab a developmental quarterback with high upside.

5th Overall, Broncos: Quenton Nelson

6th Overall, Colts: Tremaine Edmunds

7th Overall, Buccaneers: Denzel Ward

Truth: The Bucs addressed pass rushers in free agency, and now look to help the secondary, drafting the best corner in this years draft.

8th Overall, Bears: Roquan Smith

Truth: Bears get a linebacker that resembles Derrick Brooks. While undersized, Smith brings incredible speed and solid tackling. Smith could be the best player in the draft this year. 

9th Overall, 49ers: Minkah Fitzpatrick

10th Overall, Raiders: Derwin James

Truth: Derwin James will be able to step in day 1 as a starter for the Raiders, opposite Obi Melifonwu, and in a few years will have the potential to be an all pro.

11th Overall, Dolphins: Baker Mayfield

Truth: A dark horse in the quarterback needy teams, Miami nabs the face of the future picking Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield. Miami can choose to start Tannehill and ease Mayfield into the NFL learning as a backup.

** 12th Overall, Browns: Vita Vea **

13th Overall, Redskins: Calvin Ridley

Truth: New quarterback Alex Smith gets a new weapon to help compliment Jordan Reed and Josh Doctson. Ridley is the best receiver in this years draft, with ability to be another redzone target for Washington.

14th Overall, Packers: Josh Jackson

Truth: A young corner who will need time to truly catch up to the speed of the NFL, has endless potential with a massive ceiling. Having only played 1 full season, sample size of work is small. However, 8 picks shows that the talent is there.

15th Overall, Cardinals: Mason Rudolph

Truth: Cardinals make a shocking decision and decide to go with Mason Rudolph, hoping that he can be a franchise quarterback in a few seasons.

16th Overall, Ravens: Orlando Brown

17th Overall, Chargers: Will Hernandez

18th Overall, Seahawks: Harold Landry

Truth: While it would not surprise me to see Seattle nab Mike Hughes, the Hawks instead nab Landry, an explosive edge rusher which will help replace Michael Bennett and potentially Cliff Avril.

19th Overall, Cowboys: Bradley Chubb

Truth: In some mock drafts, Chubb goes as high as 3. This is a steal for the Cowboys, who will look to bring more pressure off the edge this season.

20th Overall, Lions: Da’Ron Payne

21st Overall, Bengals: Lamar Jackson

Truth: Marvin Lewis is back for another year, but a change is definitely needed. A quarterback competition between Andy Dalton and Lamar Jackson should help both. Even if Dalton wins out, the Bengals could still create packages to bring Jackson into the game.

** 22nd Overall, Browns: Isaiah Wynn **

23rd Overall, Patriots: Mike Hughes

Truth: An extremely raw talent, Hughes has the potential to develop into a solid starting corner. Patriots nab him for his ability to return kicks as well as hoping that he can turn into a solid number 2 corner.

24th Overall, Panthers: Derrius Guice

Truth: While the Panthers drafted McCaffery last season, he is more used on 3rd downs and in the slot. This pick is a replacement for Johnathan Stewart to help gain yards on 1st and 2nd down.

25th Overall, Titans: Leighton Vander Esch

26th Overall, Falcons: Taven Bryan

27th Overall, Saints: Deon Cain

28th Overall, Steelers: Justin Reid

Truth: An instant help to the Steelers secondary. Brother of Eric Reid, Justin will help take on the role of secondary leader. 

29th Overall, Jaguars: James Daniels

30th Overall, Vikings: Carlton Davis

31st Overall, Patriots: Rashaan Evans

32nd Overall, Eagles: Ronnie Harrison

[truth--b--told-blog]

2016-2017 NFL Regular Season Standings Predictions

      NFC WEST

**Seattle Seahawks: 13-3

*San Francisco 49ers: 10-6

Los Angeles Rams: 7-9

Arizona Cardinals: 6-10

Truth Is: Many are favoring the Arizona Cardinals this year, and sleeping on the 49ers. While Arizona has an incredible roster, they are one injury away on offense from being a below .500 team. I don’t trust Carson Palmer to stay healthy this year. San Francisco is going to score A LOT of points with new head coach Chip Kelly, which is the perfect solution to having a very mediocre defense. Niners shock the world and nab the wildcard spot. The Rams are...The Rams. Great front seven, and Todd Gurley. Jeff Fisher, this isn’t another 8-8 team...This is more like a 7-9 team. Seattle is a powerhouse, who will continue to run the NFC for years to come with a young core on both offense and defense.

     NFC EAST

**Dallas Cowboys: 10-6

New York Giants: 9-7

Washington Redskins: 8-8

Philadelphia Eagles: 5-11

Truth Is: This may pain you to hear, but the Dallas Cowboys are legit. They have the best offensive line in football, along with a great plethora of running backs. That, along with top receiver Dez Bryant, and proven quarterback Tony Romo, show that pending injury, they are the team to beat in the East. New York is a dangerous team as well, but you’re asking a lot of first year head coach Ben McAdoo to expect any sort of playoff run this year. There is a lot to like about Washington’s offseason, and yes Kirk, I like that. But I don’t trust you, or the Redskins to repeat as division champs. Philadelphia will struggle with Sam Bradford and Carson Wentz both seeing reps this year.

      NFC SOUTH

**Carolina Panthers: 10-6

Atlanta Falcons: 8-8

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 8-8

New Orleans Saints: 7-9

Truth Is: The Panthers had one of the best seasons ever last year, even after losing their top wideout Kelvin Benjamin. They will repeat as division champs, but in a much more competitive division. Atlanta will compete, but fall short as usual. Tampa Bay will see Jameis Winston and Mike Evans continue to develope their connection, but as a young team, will still have some growing pains. I believe this will be the year that New Orleans realizes they need to move on from Drew Brees, and will look to find the quarterback of the future for their squad next offseason.      

      NFC NORTH

**Minnesota Vikings: 11-5

*Green Bay Packers: 10-6

Chicago Bears: 7-9

Detroit Lions: 5-11

Truth Is: Whoa, calm down Packers fans. I can already hear the Pack saying, “We got Jordy back!!” I know, and I still think you are only a ten win team. Aaron Rodgers and company will do just enough to make the playoffs, while the Minnesota Vikings continue the growth of Teddy Bridgewater. Adding Laquan Treadwell this previous draft, they are going to claim the division once again, pending any kicker issues...The Bears will score, with Jay Cutler putting up respectable numbers, but that defense will cost the team games and resemble nothing of legendary Bears’ defenses of the past. Detroit will have Golden Tate to rely on, who I believe is a quality number one receiver. The problem is that is all they are going to have to consistantly rely on, and with Matt Stafford at quarterback...That’s not a good thing.

-----------------------------------------

      AFC WEST

**Kansas City Chiefs: 9-7

Oakland Raiders: 8-8

Denver Broncos: 6-10

San Diego Chargers: 6-10

Truth Is: This division is one of the biggest toss ups for me. I really like San Diego. It just seems that every year, they find a way of dissapointing, and coming off last season, I see them improving but not enough to really compete for the division. Denver is going to have a great defense, but defense doesn’t play quarterback. Oakland is on the rise and is going to ball this year in all phases of the game, but I still see them being a year away from really overtaking this division. Kansas City wins it with a conservative, yet successful offense led by Alex Smith and a healthy Jamal Charles, while having one of the best defenses in the league.

      AFC EAST

**New England Patriots: 11-5

New York Jets: 9-7

Miami Dolphins: 7-9

Buffalo Bills: 6-10

Truth Is: Let me get this straight...Somehow this suspension is a punishment for the Patriots? You get to see what the future holds in Garoppolo for four weeks avoiding any quarterback controversy, you get Brady back week five, where he will be one hundred percent healthy AND pissed off, ready to prove the world he is the best of all time...Doesn’t sound like a punishment to me. The G.O.A.T and company win this division, while the Jets look just as good as last year, but fall short again. Miami makes strides but Tannehill doesn’t deliver. Rex Ryan coaches his last season in Buffalo with Tyrod Taylor not doing much of anything.

      AFC SOUTH

**Indianapolis Colts: 9-7

Jacksonville Jaguars: 8-8

Houston Texans: 8-8

Tennessee Titans: 7-9

Truth Is: He’s back. And healthy. Andrew Luck will be the difference maker. With that said, I see things going back to the way thigns were. Colts score a lot and win close games, Houston is average, and both Titans and Jaguars fans are left dissapointed. Yes, there is a lot to like in the Titans and Jaguars future (looking at you, Marcus Mariota and Blake Bortles), and yes, they will compete in the upcomming years. But that is not this year. Indy wins and that’s the AFC South for you.

      AFC NORTH

**Pittsburgh Steelers: 12-4

*Baltimore Ravens: 10-6

*Cincinatti Bengals: 9-7

Cleveland Browns: 7-9

Truth Is: I truly believe this is the year that we get back to gold versus purple meaning something. The Ravens had a disastourous 2015 season plagued by injury after injury. Quite the same could be said about Pittsburgh, even though they hung on to make a playoff push. I think the Steelers fire on all cylinders and with the division while Anotnio Brown breaks the recieving record. Baltimore will be right there come post season, as will the Bengals. This division is incredibly tough, and will have three teams make the playoffs. Also, don’t sleep on the Browns. They are finally making steps in the right direction and will make some noise in the years to come.

** = Division Winner

* = Wild Card

[truth--b--told-blog]

2016-2017 Regular Season Predictions

Seattle Seahawks

Win Vs. Dolphins; 31-6

Seattle will start the season off at CenturyLink 1-0, with the defense being too much for Ryan Tannehill and company to compete with.

Win Vs. Rams; 17-0

Seattle will be getting a quarterback in only his second game in arguably the loudest stadium coming off a dominant win in week 1. While the Rams defense will keep them in the game, the offense will fail to score a single point.

Win Vs. 49ers; 31-10

It will take more than three weeks for the Colin Kaepernick/Chip Kelly offense to mesh. San Francisco’s secondary will struggle to contain Graham/Baldwin/Kearse, as Seattle scores at will.

Loss at Jets; 20-17 (OT)

Seattle’s first away game will prove to be too much, as Revis island along with creative head coach Todd Bowles will find a way to overpower the suspect Seattle offensive line. Game managing quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick will limit turnovers and be able to do just enough to get the win.

Bye Week - Record: 3-1

Win Vs. Falcons; 23-10

Seattle will have a bye week to prepare, and will put the last game behind them, limiting the explosive Atlanta offense and getting the run game going strong. Being at home doesn’t hurt, either.

Win at Cardinals; 31-28

In a game with two elite defenses, the offenses will shine, as both Seattle and Arizona are able to put up high scores. The key will be which quarterback turns the ball over late, and that quarterback won’t play for Seattle.

Win at Saints; 24-10

This will be a Saints team that is a lot better than most are anticipating, and in a division where every win will be crucial, the Saints will be playing for a playoff spot already. Sadly, Seattle will put them down with relative ease at home rushing all over a suspect Saints defense.

Win Vs. Bills; 41-13

The inexperienced Tyrod Taylor will struggle early and often on Monday Night, turning the ball over seemingly every drive. Buffalo will have no chance to circle the wagons, as Seattle dominates carrying them to 4-0 following the bye week.

Loss at Patriots; 28-24

The two best teams in the NFL. Rematch of Super Bowl 49. Sunday Night Football. What more can you ask for? Seattle and New England keep it even the entire game, with New England getting the win on a late Tom Brady touchdown pass.

Win Vs. Eagles; 30-9

After the heart breaking loss last week, Seattle will be playing to keep pace for the number one seed in the NFC. New head coach Doug Pederson and Carson Wentz keep it close for as long as they can, but Seattle runs away with this game in the second half.

Win at Buccaneers; 24-17

This is a trap game for Seattle, and it’s at the dreaded 10:00 AM start time. With that said, Seattle does just enough to hold off the Buccaneers, taking advantage of a late Buccaneers turnover.

Win Vs. Panthers; 19-17

Cam Newton and company seemingly always play in Seattle every regular season. Last season, the Panthers won both contests. This year, Seattle’s defense limits a Cam Newton/Kelvin Benjamin led offense to under twenty points and Steven Hauschka kicks 4 field goals to win game MVP. Seattle finishes 4-0 against the NFC South.

Loss at Packers; 30-21

Coming off tough close games against the Panthers and Buccaneers, Green Bay will be playing a banged up Seahawks team. It’s a close game throughout, with the Packers pulling away late in the fourth quarter.

Win Vs. Rams; 20-17

Every time the Seahawks play the Rams in late December, it’s a tough, close scoring game. This year is no difference, as Jared Goff and Todd Gurley have started to mesh well and hold a lead until late where Seattle jumps in front.

Win Vs. Cardinals; 21-0

With this being the final regular season game at CenturyLink, and Seattle still be competing for the number one seed in the NFC, I see Seattle coming out and dominating early. Seattle blanks Arizona, sending Cardinal fans to question what is happening with their offense.

Win at 49ers; 30-25

This game will be even closer then the score indicates. By this point, Kaepernick and Kelly put their top five scoring offense up against the top 5 defense of the Seattle Seahawks. Everything is meshing for the 49ers at this point, but sadly, so is everything for Seattle. Seattle steals the game late to claim the number one NFC seed, while San Francisco has to have help to get into the postseason.

Overall Record: 13-3.

Final Analysis: Seattle in my mind had the perfect draft. C.J. Prosise will challenge Thomas Rawls for the starting running back spot, and Germain Ifedi will help fill out the offensive line at both guard and tackle. While the schedule is tough at certain points, there is never one point where Seattle is in danger of losing 2-3 games in a row. They also start off with three straight home games, which is huge for them momentum wise. Seattle’s biggest competition to the number one seed this year realistically is Green Bay, as they will have Jordy Nelson back and have arguably the best quarterback in the NFL. The Panthers will struggle due to their division getting better around them, and the Cardinals will struggle offensively as age will catch up to them. It should be a great year to be a Twelve.

Truth-B-Told. - FF

[truth--b--told-blog]

2016 NFL Mock Draft

1st Overall Pick - Los Angeles Rams - Jared Goff; QB; California

2nd Overall Pick - Philadelphia Eagles - Carson Wentz; QB; North Dakota State

3rd Overall Pick - San Diego Chargers - Laremy Tunsil; OT; Ole Miss

4th Overall Pick - Dallas Cowboys - Joey Bosa; DE; Ohio State

5th Overall Pick - Jacksonville Jaguars - Jalen Ramsey; CB; Florida State

6th Overall Pick - Baltimore Ravens - Myles Jack; LB; University of Southern California

7th Overall Pick - San Francisco 49ers - DeForrest Buckner; DE; Oregon

8th Overall Pick - Cleveland Browns - Vernon Hargreaves III; CB; Florida

9th Overall Pick - Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Shaq Lawson; DE; Clemson

10th Overall Pick - New York Giants - Corey Coleman; WR; Baylor

11th Overall Pick - Chicago Bears - Leonard Floyd; OLB; Georgia

12th Overall Pick - New Orleans Saints - Sheldon Rankins; DT; Louisville

13th Overall Pick - Miami Dolphins - Ezekiel Elliot; RB; Ohio State

**TRADE ALERT** 14th Overall Pick - Buffalo Bills (formerly Oakland Raiders) - Darron Lee; LB; Ohio State

15th Overall Pick - Tennessee Titans - Ronnie Stanley; OT; Notre Dame

16th Overall Pick - Detroit Lions - Jack Conklin; OT; Michigan State

17th Overall Pick - Atlanta Falcons - Reggie Ragland; LB; Alabama

18th Overall Pick - Indianapolis Colts - Taylor Decker; OT; Ohio State

19th Overall Pick - Oakland Raiders (formerly Buffalo Bills) - Josh Doctson; WR; Texas Christian University

20th Overall Pick - New York Jets - Eli Apple; CB; Ohio State

21st Overall Pick - Washington Redskins - Kevin Dodd; DE; Clemson

22nd Overall Pick - Houston Texas - Laquon Treadwell; WR; Ole Miss

23rd Overall Pick - Minnesota Vikings - Will Fuller; WR; Notre Dame

24th Overall Pick - Cincinnati Bengals - William Jackson III; CB; Houston

25th Overall Pick - Pittsburgh Steelers - Karl Joseph; S; West Virginia

26th Overall Pick - Seattle Seahawks - Robert Nkemdiche; DT; Ole Miss

27th Overall Pick - Green Bay Packers - Kentrell Brothers; LB; Missouri

28th Overall Pick - Kansas City Chiefs - Tyler Boyd; WR; Pittsburgh

29th Overall Pick - Arizona Cardinals - Artie Burns; CB; University of Miami

30th Overall Pick - Carolina Panthers - Derrick Henry; RB; Alabama

31st Overall Pick - Denver Broncos - Paxton Lynch; QB; Memphis

Which Quarterback is better?: I truly believe Carson Wentz will be the best quarterback in this draft. I think Jared Goff has a ceiling similar to that of Nick Foles. If I am Philadelphia, I pray that the Rams are not bluffing and they truly believe that Goff is the answer. 

Steal of the Draft: If Ronnie Stanley falls to Tennessee at 15, they will have the steal of the draft. A big offensive tackle that can start day one is rare to find, especially midway through the first round. Another steal will be if Jalen Ramsey falls to 5, because a case could be made for both San Diego and Dallas to take him. He has number one overall potential.  

[truth--b--told-blog]

Official Super Bowl 50 Game Prediction -

Denver Broncos (14-4) versus Carolina Panthers (17-1)

Levi’s Stadium - Santa Clara, California - Sunday, February 7th, 2016

For this being the biggest game in NFL history, Super Bowl 50 sure has a lot of small storylines. Can Peyton Manning solidify his legacy as one of the greatest and go out on top? Is that Broncos defense one of the top defenses in NFL history? Can Cam Newton put himself in Lebron’s league? Okay...Maybe not that one, but you get the point.

There has been a lot of talk that this game will be completely one sided, with the Carolina Panthers running away with victory early. For that to happen, Carolina will need to continue using the run game as their main weapon of attack. The option will be a huge contributor as to if they can dismantle the spirit of Denver’s defense early. Another huge factor in a Carolina victory will be how often Greg Olsen can get the ball with those Denver linebackers covering him in man. If Denver allows them to connect willing and often, this won’t be a close contest.

I am completely in the minority, as I see this being extremely close. I don’t see blowout written on this at all. Peyton Manning will protect the football and embrace the role of game manager, which is all he should do. Denver will need to use the run game to drive downfield, and utilize screen passing and slants to get Demaryius Thomas the football. If Thomas can get his hands on the ball, he is a threat to go all the way on every play. Denver’s defense is the real wildcard here. Can they stop Cam Newton’s rushing attack forcing Cam to throw the football? That is the key defensively to stopping the Panthers, and up until this point, nobody has been able to do that except the Falcons, handing Carolina its only loss on the season.

This will not be a repeat of Super Bowl 48, that saw the Broncos obliterated by the Seattle Seahawks in a 43-8 blowout. Denver learned a lot from that game, and can not afford to be blown out again. I see this game being extremely close, with Cam Newton playing well and scoring points, but turning the ball over late keeping Denver in this game. I think Super Bowl 50 will be the first Super Bowl to go into overtime, and following a Panthers turnover in overtime, a field goal by Denver to win Super Bowl 50 and send Peyton out on top with another Super Bowl ring.

______________________________________________________________

Final Score

Denver Broncos 23, Carolina Panthers 20 (Overtime)

Bold Prediction -

Super Bowl MVP: Chris Harris Jr.

[truth--b--told-blog]

Forrest’s Five - Top NFL Rookies of the 2015 Season

1) Marcus Peters; CB; Kansas City Chiefs - Pick #18 Overall

Truth-B-Told - Eight interceptions. 64 tackles. Two pick sixes. And a forced fumble. No, those are not the stats of Darrelle Revis. Nope, not Richard Sherman’s stats either. Those are rookie-yes, ROOKIE, cornerback Marcus Peters stats out of the University of Washington. Slated originally to be a top ten pick, Peters fell in the draft due to character concerns after being kicked off his college team. While Peters play making abilities were never questioned, it looks like he has his off the field issues handled and turned out to be an absolute home run for the Chiefs.

2) Jameis Winston; QB; Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Pick #1 Overall

Truth-B-Told - After an awful 2-14 year, Tampa needed a lot of pieces to help rebuild the once Super Bowl winning franchise. After the releasing of 34 year old starter Josh McCown, it was clear the Buccaneers were going to draft a signal caller. After a long off season, the team went with Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston to mixed reviews. As a starter for FSU, Winston went 26-1 and won the Heisman as a freshman. Winston struggled early in his first pro season, but would eventually settle into a rhythm and ended up with the third most passing yards of a rookie, ever. That, along with 28 total touchdowns, is why Winston is worthy of a number two ranking. The future is bright for the fans of Tampa Bay.

3) Todd Gurley; RB; St. Louis Rams - Pick #10 Overall

Truth-B-Told - After a devastating ACL tear that ended Todd Gurley’s collegiate career early, there were many questions on if he could ever get back to form. And in his first year, Todd Gurley proved he could. After missing the first three games of the year, Gurley would debut with an unspectacular 9 yards off 6 carries against the Steelers. However, following that, Gurley would go on to rush for an amazing 566 yards over the next 4 games (averaging 6.4 yards a carry), a feat never accomplished by any other running back in NFL history. While his season ended on inconsistent performances, Gurley proved he will be a solid franchise running back for the greater LA area.

4) Thomas Rawls; RB; Seattle Seahawks - Undrafted

Truth-B-Told - It’s alright if going into this season, you didn’t know who Thomas Rawls was. The entire NFL didn’t, but by the end of the year they sure would. Rawls started off third on the depth chart, but due to injuries to Seattle’s backfield, would see action quite frequently. In just 12 NFL games, Rawls ran for an impressive 830 yards and 4 touchdowns. I think the most impressive stat is that was off 147 carries, averaging almost 5.5 yards a carry. The question leading into next season is can Rawls carry the weight of the backfield consistently, with rumors lurking that current starter Marshawn Lynch is considering retirement. Either way, I think he has earned the title of mini-Beast Mode, at least for this season.

5) Amari Cooper; WR; Oakland Raiders - Pick #4 Overall

Truth-B-Told - Is it finally safe to say the mighty Oakland Raiders future is bright again? In 2014, the Raiders nabbed their quarterback of the future drafting Derek Carr in the second round, and this year, gave Carr an early Christmas present in the play making wide receiver out of Alabama, Amari Cooper. Cooper was projected to be the best wide receiver in this years draft, and has lived up to every expectation of it. Cooper scored only 6 touchdowns this year, but caught 72 balls for 1,070 yards. In comparison of rookie seasons, Amari Cooper has 100 more receiving yards and double the touchdowns of arguably the greatest receiver of all time, Jerry Rice. The AC/DC connection is just beginning, so sit back and enjoy the show.

[truth--b--told-blog]

Official NFC Title Game Prediction -

Arizona Cardinals (13-3) at Carolina Panthers (15-1)

Top Two NFC Seeds Collide

The top two seeds from the NFC do battle in Charlotte in what should be a classic match up. You have the 4th ranked defense of the Arizona Cardinals against the 6th ranked defense of the Carolina Panthers. On the offensive side of the ball, two quarterbacks up for the league MVP will be gunslinging and running the ball to lead their team to a Super Bowl. There are many similarities between both teams. They both have Heisman winning quarterbacks, have ball hawking secondaries and each team have an NFL veteran in their 11th season looking to go out with a Super Bowl ring. Jared Allen, the long time Viking and current Panther, has boasted 136 sacks in his 11 year NFL career. Larry Fitzgerald of the Arizona Cardinals, is two touchdowns short of 100 total career touchdowns, and has over 13,000 receiving yards in his career. 

For Carolina to win this game, Cam Newton is going to have to play like Cam Newton. He is going to need to make big plays with his feet to set up the threat of the deep ball, especially with a secondary that has Patrick Peterson and Rashad Johnson lurking on it. The Carolina defense will need to force Carson to throw the ball on third down, and trust that their tenacious pass rush will be able to force Carson to get the ball off quickly giving opportunity for turnovers.

The biggest opportunity the Arizona Cardinals have to win this game is to force turnovers, whether that be on the ground or by forcing Cam into making poor decisions throwing the football. On the field, Cam is like a running back and if you give him constant 5 yard gains on read options, you will not win this game, so shutting down the rushing attack of the Panthers will have to happen or it is going to be a long game for the Arizona defense.

In what I expect to be a really fun game, I see the Arizona Cardinals doing just enough to get past the Carolina Panthers. I trust that Arizona defense to limit Greg Olson, as well as Ted Ginn. Cam is going to be forced to throw into small windows and I just don’t see him being able to protect the football against a hungry Cardinals defense. 

______________________________________________________________

Final Score

Arizona Cardinals 27, Carolina Panthers 20

Bold Predictions -

Carson Palmer: 350 passing yards, 3 touchdowns

Cam Newton: 3 interceptions

Patrick Peterson: 2 interceptions

[truth--b--told-blog]

Official AFC Title Game Prediction -

New England Patriots (12-4) at Denver Broncos (12-4)

Brady Vs. Manning XVII.

Sixth Ranked Offense Vs. First Ranked Defense

This game is a must win game for both teams, obviously. But I feel this game has even more meaning than any AFC title game in history. If Tom Brady wins, he defeats deflategate. He defeats the entire AFC, and pretty much anyone who isn’t a Patriots fan. If he wins, what can people say then? If Peyton Manning wins, he can potentially make up for the disaster that was Super Bowl 48 against the Seattle Seahawks. If Manning beats Brady, the Manning Vs. Brady topic finds itself being able to be debated again. Manning needs this to prove his legacy as one of the greatest of all time is not followed with question and doubt. Brady needs this to prove his legacy isn’t tainted with question and doubt. Question and doubt…The two words both men are battling with in the late years of their careers.

A lot of the media talk will go to Peyton Manning and Tom Brady this week, and rightfully so. However, while the game will be dictated by how both quarterbacks play, it will also involve how well the Broncos defense matches up with the Patriots wide recievers and tight ends. It is no secret that Rob Gronkowski is going to play a major role in this game (as he does in every game he takes part in). While I do believe he will play a major role in making the defense cover him in double teams, I believe the biggest factor in a New England victory will be Julian Edelman. He is arguably the most underrated receiver in the league and continues to be the second favorite target of Tom Brady (only behind Gronk). The former Kent State quarterback will have to play a huge role for New England to be victorious, and with another week of recovery time, I see that being possible. 

For the Broncos to be successful, they are going to have to establish the run game early and not ask Peyton to do to much. On the field, there is nobody that comes close to reading the defense quite like Peyton Manning. At 39, while his arm strength and tight spirals might be a thing of the past, his football IQ is something that has not changed. That will be the key to victory for the Broncos. Peyton Manning is going to have to read the crazy blitz schemes Bill Belicheck is going to throw at that offense and make positive gains out of it while protecting the football and himself. And while I believe that will happen, I am not sure that the Broncos defense will be able to figure out how to stop the Julian Edelman/Rob Gronkowski/Danny Amendola trio. It’s a lot to ask of any team as indicated by the Patriots 28-8 record in the previous two seasons (including post season).

While I do believe this will be a close game due to a great defense and a great quarterback, I believe Tom Brady and the New England Patriots will do just enough to get a late field goal victory over the Denver Broncos at Mile High, solidifying Tom Brady as the better quarterback for good, and most importantly, moving the Patriots on to their 7th Super Bowl under the Belicheck/Brady era.

______________________________________________________________

Final Score

New England Patriots 23, Denver Broncos 20

Bold Predictions -

Julian Edelman: 150 receiving yards; 2 touchdowns

Peyton Manning: 2 interceptions; under 200 yards passing

Broncos defense: 6+ sacks on Tom Brady

[truth--b--told-blog]

Forrest’s Five - NFL Quarterbacks for 2015 Season

1) Tom Brady - TD: 36; INT: 7 - Yards: 4,770 - QBR: 102.2

Truth Be Told - Love him or hate him (more likely the latter), it’s becoming hard to deny this man as the greatest quarterback of all time. This season, he proved he can throw the football with regular PSI no problem. His third most passing yards in the league, 5 to 1 touchdown to interception ratio, and most passing touchdowns in the league make it hard to argue his number one overall ranking.

2) Cam Newton - TD: 35; INT: 10 - Yards: 3,837 - QBR: 99.4

Truth Be Told - “If you don’t like him, stop him.” Or at least try. If you looked at Cam’s receiving core in week 1, you might think 1-15 is more likely than 15-1. Cam managed to lead a team plagued by injury to an almost perfect record, and made receivers Ted Ginn Jr., Jericho Cotchery and Devin Funchess look like actual targets. That’s worthy of a number two ranking in itself. 

3) Russell Wilson - TD: 34; INT: 8 - Yards: 4,024 - QBR: 110.1

Truth Be Told - Game manager. That is the title Russell Wilson has had his entire career, that is, until this year. Wilson matured as a passer and showed he is much more a play maker than game manager, even with an injured backfield. His 4,000 passing yards and number one overall QBR back this up.

4) Carson Palmer - TD: 35; INT: 11 - Yards: 4,671 - QBR: 104.6

Truth Be Told - Absolutely amazing comeback. After tearing his ACL last season, most would not expect him to come back and have arguably his best NFL season as a pro. Coming into this season, most believed the Arizona Cardinals had a chance because of an absolutely stacked defense. Heading into the postseason, most are fearing this team because of a top 5 passing attack. #comebackplayeroftheyear

5) Aaron Rodgers - TD: 31; INT: 8 - 3,821 - QBR: 92.7

Truth Be Told - This will be the most debated pick on this list, and I can understand those arguments. Aaron Rodgers didn’t have his best NFL year, but what he did do was lead a team who had lost its top receiver in the preseason, along with having a very suspect offensive line, to a wild card berth at 10-6. I think when it comes to Rodgers and the Packers heading into the 2016 season, we all just need to R-E-L-A-X.

[truth--b--told-blog]

Credentials

Starting up a sports blog is serious business. I mean, what separates the great sports analysts and bloggers from your average fifth string couch quarterback? Is it where you went to school? Is it having a past playing the sport you are now critiquing? Could it be having inside connections to any team in any league? Honestly, it’s probably a bit of all three. 

So with that said, here are my credentials:

- Fan.

About me: I’m a fan. I’ve played high school ball (that bench was sure warm). I’ve grown up watching sports. I’ve lived in many places, from Seattle, to Houston, to the middle of nowhere Missouri. I am a proud fan of the Seattle Seahawks (que the bandwagon comments) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (I can’t explain that one) for the NFL. I don’t have a team in the NBA, but enjoy watching any game (a relative newby to the NBA). I don’t watch the NHL. Sorry, just not a big fan of grown men delivering shots to the head of other grown men. I’m a huge fan of Mixed Martial Arts (that’s irony, folks). 

 I don’t have any connections to anyone. I don’t have any special schooling. I’m just a sports fan. A die hard sports fan. And that’s my credential.