Front 4: NFL Week 13

After outscoring Carlos in a tiebreaker, Kyle was able to get back to his winning ways in Week 11:

Week 11: Overall:

Kyle: 7(+1: Edelman 77 yards) Ryan: 30 Points

Carlos: 7(Green 0 yards) Carlos: 30 Points

Daisy: 5 Kyle: 27 Points

Ryan: 5 Daisy: 26 Points

As Week 13 approaches, the overall standings just got interesting as Carlos has stormed back to take a tie for the lead with Ryan. This week, along with Kyle and Daisy, they’ll be giving their predictions for the Giants/Steelers, Lions/Saints and more!

Chiefs@Falcons

Kyle: Falcons

Atlanta has already beaten the Broncos and the Raiders in the AFC West and I think they’re able to take down the Chiefs as well because Kansas City won’t be able to keep up with Matt Ryan and the Falcons’ high-powered offense.

Daisy: Falcons

Matt Ryan is the man. The Chiefs have allowed the 8th most points in the league which should give the Falcons the advantage.

Carlos: Falcons

The Falcons have had one of the best offenses this season. They score 32 points per game. On top of that, Kansas City has not been as great on offense and are only scoring around 22 points per game. Both defenses aren’t great and even though Atlanta does give up more points per game, I think the Falcons’ offense is good enough to get the win.

Ryan: Chiefs

Everything points towards the Falcons in this game, but despite the ugly loss to Tampa Bay two weeks ago, the Chiefs have still won 18 of their last 21 regular season games. They are the most consistent team in the league.

Dolphins@Ravens

Kyle: Dolphins

The Dolphins have put together a nice stretch of games, but this could be their toughest test yet and I think they pass as Ryan Tannehill continues his solid campaign.

Daisy: Dolphins

Glad this question isn’t on video… Jay Ajayi (whose name I still can’t pronounce) has been having a great season and I think he will continue to stay on track this week.

Carlos: Dolphins

The Dolphins are starting to believe they will be in the playoffs. They have won six straight and I think they will make it seven when they beat the Ravens. The Ravens have had an up and down season at 6-5. Joe Flacco hasn’t been great and that is why the Ravens aren’t doing better.

Ryan: Ravens

I still don’t think Ryan Tannehill is a good quarterback and he’s going to have to outduel Joe Flacco considering the Dolphins’ banged-up O-line and the Ravens’ stout run defense.

Giants@Steelers

Kyle: Steelers

This game is going to be a shoot-out and could come down to whoever has the ball last. I’ll take the Steelers because I’ll take their playmakers over the Giants’.

Daisy: Steelers

The Steelers will win this matchup because they are just overall a better team offensively and defensively. It will be close and thrilling game to watch.

Carlos: Giants

The Giants are red hot right now. They have won 6 straight and that will continue. Pittsburgh has the better offense and they have a weapon called Antonio Brown, but the Giants have a decent defense that is slightly better than the Steelers. New York has confidence in their secondary and I can see them holding Brown to minimum yards. They were able to hold AJ Green to 68 yards a couple of weeks ago and Collins at safety is going to be looking for more interceptions this week.

Ryan: Steelers

The Giants are not as good as their record would indicate and the Steelers are better than their record would indicate. While the Giants seem to pull wins out of nowhere, their defense (which has carried them so far) will be overmatched by the likes of Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown.

Which Super Bowl Winning QB Throws for the Most Yards?

Eli@PIT, Big Ben vs. NYG, Brady vs. LA, Rodgers vs. HOU, Flacco vs. MIA, Wilson vs. CAR

Kyle: Big Ben

Eli and Big Ben will be fighting for this honor, but I’ll take Big Ben in a coin flip. I expect him and Eli to both eclipse 350 passing yards.

Daisy: Aaron Rodgers

R-E-L-A-X… Relax. Aaron Rodgers is still an elite quarterback so watch him do work this Sunday.

Carlos: Tom Brady

Tom Brady will be facing a good defense against the pass in the Rams, but he will be the Super Bowl winning QB to throw for the most yards. Brady has been great since coming back from suspension, some even calling for him to be the MVP. He has thrown for 314 yards per game, 18 touchdowns and just 1 interception.

Ryan: Aaron Rodgers

Big Ben is a threat to go off on any given week, but Aaron Rodgers has thrown for over 300 yards in three straight weeks on the road and is rounding into form in time for a home game against the Texans. The Packers are trying to claw their way back into the playoff picture and will no doubt unleash Rodgers to lead them over Houston.

How Many Touchdowns Will Occur in the Lions/Saints Game?

Kyle: 9+

Points. For. Days.

Daisy: 5-6

I am going to go with 5. Each team has averaged at least 2 touchdowns per game so I expect not as much of a shootout that these two teams are capable of.

Carlos: 5-6

Drew Brees as always has been great. He has thrown 30 touchdowns so far and look for more along with Matt Stafford.

Ryan: 7-8

Both teams have great passing attacks and porous defenses. Brees might put up 10 touchdowns all by himself, but I’ll be conservative and stick with 7-8 touchdowns.

How Many Interceptions Will Blake Bortles Throw Against the Broncos?

Kyle: 2

I expect this game to be low-scoring and Bortles will be throwing plenty of times which means a couple of those passes are bound to end up in the hands of the Denver defense.

Daisy: 2

The Broncos defense is elite and I expect them to shine against Bortles.

Carlos: 2

Bortles will throw 2 interceptions in this game. He has not been the best at throwing the ball to the right team. He has 13 interceptions this season and the Broncos have been able to take the ball away from teams with 10 of their own interceptions.

Ryan: 1

Bortles protects the ball pretty well and while the Broncos defense is elite, they haven’t recorded an interception in 5 of their last 7 games. If the Jaguars get behind he could be forced to throw and be pressured into more dangerous passes, but I don’t expect more than one pick.

Who Will Have More Receiving Yards: Odell Beckham Jr. or Antonio Brown?

Kyle: Antonio Brown

It’s impossible to choose between both of these stellar receivers so I’ll take the better dancer.

Daisy: Antonio Brown

Antonio Brown! The Steelers look good right now and I think their defense will shut Odell down.

Carlos: Odell Beckham Jr.

The Giants defense is better overall and that also gives Odell the advantage to do his thing and show why he is one of the best wide receivers in the NFL.

Ryan: Antonio Brown

Both receivers will be heavily involved in this important matchup, but it’s never smart to bet against Antonio Brown. Volume is key as Brown gets 28.8% of the Steelers’ targets, which is second in the league. Also, Janoris Jenkins might be too busy tweeting and nursing his burn wounds after Terrelle Pryor torched him last week to keep up with Brown in this matchup.

How Many Points Will the Colts beat the Jets by?

1-10, 11-20, 21-30, 30+, Jets Win

Kyle: 1-10 Points

The Colts haven’t won by more than 8 points all season so I’ll say they beat the Jets, but not by more than 10 points.

Daisy: 11-20 Points

Andrew Luck is playing on Monday so the Colts are hands down going to win by 11-20 points.

Carlos: Jets Win

Both defenses aren’t great at all, but the Jets are slightly better. They can come a long way in a close game for my team. The Colts offense is better and they do have “Luck” on their side, but the Jets are at home and have only given their fans one win at home and the fanbase deserves another one.

Ryan: Jets Win

The Jets gave the Patriots a good fight last Sunday and even if Andrew Luck plays on Monday, he’s no Tom Brady. Nick Mangold could be back and Matt Forte should get back to his dominant ways against a soft defense, allowing Fitzpatrick to just…. just please don’t touch anything Fitz, just don’t do anything stupid.

Redskins@Cardinals

Kyle: Redskins

The Cardinals’ only wins this season are against the Jets, Bucs, and the 49ers twice. The Redskins offense will be too much and will probably put an end to Arizona’s slim playoff hopes.

Daisy: Redskins

Washington is coming off a tough loss on Thanksgiving so I think they will be out to find redemption. Their loss against Dallas will definitely fuel them this week.

Kirk Cousins — Eagles at Redskins 10/04/15

Carlos: Redskins

The Redskins are fighting to stay alive in the NFC East and to make a push for the playoffs. The Cardinals do have the better defense, but this game is about want and the Redskins want this game and want to reach the playoffs.

Ryan: Redskins

The absence of Jordan Reed makes this a tougher game to call, but I still think the Skins pull it off. Kirk Cousins might be a legitimately good QB and Washington’s defense might be better than the Cardinals defense.

Upset of the Week

Kyle: Bills over Raiders

The Raiders are due for a close loss agasint an average team and I think that loss comes this week against the Bills. Buffalo plays up to their competition and their defense should be able to make things tough for Derek Carr and company.

Daisy: Bills over Raiders

The Raiders are looking like serious playoff contenders and are definitely the favorite to win in this game, however, I think the Bills’ defense will slow down the Raiders passing attack to give them a shot at the upset.

Carlos: Jets over Colts

The “upset” of the week will be the Jets over the Colts.

Ryan: Jets over Colts

J-E-T-S JETS JETS JETS!

Tiebreaker: Lowest Scoring Game

Kyle: Broncos@Jaguars

Daisy: Bills@Raiders

Carlos: Jets@Colts

Ryan: Dolphins@Ravens

There you have it! Do you agree with our predictions? Let us know in the comments and be sure to stay tuned for Week 14 next Sunday!

Front 4: NFL Week 9

Our newest member, Carlos, was able to win rather easily and climb the overall leaderboard:

WEEK 8: OVERALL:

Carlos: 7 points Ryan: 16 points

Ryan: 4 points Carlos: 15 points

Daisy: 4 points Daisy: 14 points

Kyle: 2 points Kyle: 13 points

As we reach the half-way point of the season, each passing week is getting more and more interesting. This week the Front 4 team will debate the huge AFC West showdown between the Broncos and the Raiders. Aaron Rodgers, Andrew Luck, DeMarco Murray and Melvin Gordon are also all topics of discussion as Week 9 of the NFL season is set to kick off.

Will the Broncos or Raiders Win on Sunday Night Football?

Carlos: Broncos

The Broncos will take over 1st place in the AFC West. It will be a close game and even though the Raiders offense has been good, scoring 26 points per game, Denver’s defense has been outstanding and has carried them. Also, the Raiders are at home and for most teams that would be an advantage, but the Raiders’ only two losses have been in Oakland. They look way better on the road with a 5 – 0 record.

Ryan: Broncos

The Raiders always make it hard on themselves to win, but Derek Carr always finds a way to overcome the mistakes. That’ll be hard to do against the best defense in the league. I would love to see Derek Carr, an elite two-minute quarterback, get the ball down a touchdown late in the 4th. Barring that epic showdown, I’ll say the Broncos make the most of Oakland’s mistakes and get the win.

Daisy: Raiders

Oakland and Denver are coming into Sunday night with quite a few similarities. Both share a 6 – 2 record in the same division [AFC West] and both are on a two-game win streak. Denver has one of the league’s best defenses, while Oakland has Derek Carr. Carr is coming off a great game against Tampa Bay and I think he will continue to add to his impressive 2016 campaign with a win against the Broncos.

Kyle: Raiders

The Broncos are 8-2 in their last ten games against the Raiders dating back to 2011. However, the Raiders split the two meetings last year and the games were each decided by less than a touchdown. The Raiders have improved and I think this will be Derek Carr and Jack Del Rio’s biggest test by far. If the Raiders win, and I think they do, they’ll have to be considered one of the top teams to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl.

How Many Points Will the Cowboys Win By?

0-10, 11-20, 21-30, 30+, Browns will win

Carlos: 11-20

The Browns offense isn’t the greatest, but it can still put up 20 points a game. The defense has been the issue because they allow 30 points per game. Look for another solid performance from Dak Prescott who has a QBR of 81.4 which is good enough for number 3 in the league.

Ryan: 11-20

Ah the Browns. The Browns make me feel good about my own football team. Ok, maybe not good, but the Browns are just terrible. Still, they are a professional team and they did just upgrade their defense so I’ll say they lose by a respectable 11-20 points.

Daisy: 11-20

I feel bad for the Browns because their schedule isn’t getting easier any time soon. As cool as it would be for the Browns to get their first win against the Cowboys, I have to be realistic. The Cowboys will stomp all over the Browns and win by 20 points.

Kyle: 11-20

Four of the Browns’ eight losses have come by six points or fewer. That shows that they’ve been at least competing in half their games. They’ll be going against a Cowboys team that’s on a role, but has been bit by the injury bug of late, especially to their defense. I think the Browns put up some points, but lose by two touchdowns.

Will Andrew Luck or Aaron Rodgers Throw for More Yards in the Colts/Packers Game?

Carlos: Aaron Rodgers

The Colts defense allows 402 yards per game which is 29th in the league. On top of that, Green Bay only allows 321 yards per game which is number 7 in the league. I’ll take Rodgers over Luck.

Ryan: Aaron Rodgers

Rodgers has been rounding into form recently and is facing one of the softest defenses in the league. Luck has been fantastic this season, but he is constantly under pressure.

Daisy: Andrew Luck

Luck is ranked 7th in passing yards so far this season. Even though I think Aaron Rodgers and the Packers have the advantage with their team returning to Lambeau Field, Luck will produce more passing yards.

Kyle: Andrew Luck

I picked Rodgers last week against Matt Ryan and he let me down. Rodgers is only throwing for 248 yards per game and that doesn’t give me much confidence even against a poor Colts defense. I’ll take my chances with Luck.

How Many NY Teams Will Win?

Giants vs. PHI, Jets @ MIA, Bills @ SEA

Carlos: One

The Jets will be the only team from New York to win. The Jets are coming off two victories and need this game if they have any plans of making the playoffs. Both teams have similar numbers on both sides of the ball. The only slight advantage the Jets have is in total yards. The Jets have produced about 2700 yards compared to Miami’s 2400.

Ryan: Two

I think the Giants and Jets will both win this week so technicallyyyyyyyy *pushes up nerd glasses* no team that plays in New York will win.

Daisy: One

The only favorable outcome I see for New York this weekend is in the Jets game. There you go Jets fans. This is your chance.

Kyle: One

All three teams are on the road against tough teams. I think the Bills have a shot to pull off an upset because we’ve seen crazier things on Monday Night Football. (I’m looking at you Vikings)

Will DeMarco Murray or Melvin Gordon Have More Rushing Yards in the Titans/Chargers Game?

Carlos: DeMarco Murray

Murray has the slight advantage because he averages more yards per attempt. Murray averages 4.7 yards per attempt and Gordon averages 3.6 yards per attempt. The numbers will be close because Tennessee and San Diego have both been good at stopping the run.

Ryan: Melvin Gordon

With Derrick Henry proving a reliable Option B, look for the Titans to give DeMarco Murray a little less than his usual workload in this one, while Melvin Gordon continues his streak of games with 22+ touches.

635996998377398435-nas-titans0524-010 — via The Tennessean

Daisy: DeMarco Murray

DeMarco Murray leads the AFC in rushing yards and is only second in the NFL behind Zeke. I don’t expect that to change this week as he rushes for more yards than Gordon.

Kyle: DeMarco Murray

The Titans and Chargers have two of the best defenses when it comes to stopping the run. The Titans only allow 82 yards a game while the Chargers allow 86. Both running backs are going to have tough match ups, but I think Murray rushes for more yards to improve on his stellar season of 94 yards per game which is good enough for second place in the NFL.

Higher Total in LA on Sunday: Todd Gurley Rushing Yards or Lakers Points

Carlos: Lakers

The Panthers have not been a great team, but the one thing they have been able to do is stop the run. The Panthers have only allowed 561 rushing yards this season. The Rams have not had a good running game so this isn’t a favorable match up. As for the Lakers, they have been able to average 107 points per game and the Suns have allowed teams to score 112 points per game.

Ryan: Lakers

The Lakers are averaging over 100 points per game this season and the Suns allow a preposterous 112 points per game. Suffice it to say that Todd Gurley will be facing a tougher defense even if the Panthers don’t show up.

Daisy: Lakers

The Rams are averaging 80 yards per game this season so I am going to go with the safe choice and choose the Lakers here to score a ton against the Suns.

Kyle: Lakers

Despite the Panthers’ poor play, they’ve only allowed 80 rushing yards per game. The Lakers are coming off a huge win over the Warriors. In their two home games this year the Lakers have scored 120 and 117 against the Rockets and the Warriors. A match-up against the Suns should mean plenty of points once again.

Will the Saints or 49ers Reach Their Average Passing Yards Per Game?

Saints(1st): 326 PY/G, 49ers(Last): 161 PY/G

Carlos: Both

The 49ers defense allows 407 yards a game which means the Saints will easily be able to throw all over them. The 49ers will not be successful against the Saints, but will atleast be able to get to their average passing yards per game as well because of the Saints mediocre defense.

Ryan: Both

Both defenses are just awful. Just awful. Meanwhile, Drew Brees is not awful and Colin Kaepernick is not 161 yards awful. Kaep gets over the threshold in garbage time while Brees runs up the numbers in a must-win game for the Saints.

Daisy: Both

I think both teams will remain consistent and play to the averages.

Kyle: Both

Colin Kaepernick threw for over 160 yards against the Bills in his last game so he should be able to do more of the same against this Saints defense. I also have confidence in Drew Brees to pick apart this 49ers defense.

Will the Steelers/Ravens Game be Decided by 7 Points or Less?

Carlos: Yes

Both teams come in with losing streaks so they’ll both be looking for a much needed win in a close game. Both defenses have been pretty good as Baltimore has a slight edge by allowing 19 points per game while the Steelers have allowed 21 points per game. Where Pittsburgh has the best advantage is in scoring. The Steelers score 24 points per game compared to Baltimore’s 19 points per game.

Ryan: Yes

Divisional games are always close and a rivalry like Steelers-Ravens just brings out the best in the players. There’s no way either team is giving up an easy win one way or the other.

Daisy: Yes

In the past two years the Steelers have managed to defeat the Ravens just once and the last two times these teams faced each other the game was decided by a field goal. I think that pattern continues and the game will be decided by less than a touchdown.

Kyle: No

The Ravens won both match-ups last season by a field goal in low scoring games. The first match up this season between division rivals could be dependent on whether or not Big Ben takes the field. He’s currently a game-time decision. The Steelers have more play makers and that’ll be the difference in this one as Pittsburgh wins by 10 points.

How Many Times Will the Chiefs Pick off Blake Bortles?

Carlos: Three

The Chiefs defense will be too much for Bortles to handle and it will lead to a long game for him and Jacksonville. When he has faced teams that force a lot of takeaways, he has not played well. Oakland picked him off twice a couple weeks ago and Baltimore got him three times earlier in the season.

Ryan: Two

The Chiefs may be the best in the league at intercepting the ball, but Bortles has thrown three picks in a game this year just once. He’ll be dropping back a lot just like last week, but I say he does slightly better and only throws two picks.

Daisy: Two

The Chiefs will pick off Blake Bortles twice in this game and I think Marcus Peters will be a big reason why.

Kyle: Zero

This game screams upset. The Chiefes will be without Alex Smith, Jamaal Charles and Spencer Ware. On the other side of things, it seems like everyone on the Jaguars team, coaching staff and front office is on the hot seat. Bortles is due for a signature game and just maybe this is it.

How Many Last Place Teams Will Win?

Jets@MIA, Browns vs. DAL, Jaguars@KC, Chargers vs. TEN, Panthers@LA, 49ers vs. NO

Carlos: One

The Jets are coming off two victories and need this game if they have any plans of making the playoffs. This game will not be an easy task for the Jets. Both teams have similar numbers on both sides of the ball. The only slight advantage the Jets have are in total yards. The Jets have produced 2,700 yards compared to Miami’s 2,400. Of the Jets’ three wins, two have come on the road so this could be their chance to add their third road victory.

Ryan: Two

I already picked the Jets to win, but none of these other teams inspire much confidence. I can see a desperate Panthers team rising to the occasion, but it’ll take a lot for these other teams to earn a victory in week 9.

Daisy: Three

The Jets, Chargers and Panthers should all be to help their chances of getting out of 4th place in their divisions.

Kyle: Two

If the Panthers want to keep any playoff hopes alive they HAVE to beat the Rams and I think they’re able to. The Browns and 49ers are going to have tough times finding a win. That leaves the Jets, Jags and Chargers. All three have winnable games, but I don’t trust any of them to actually pull through. I’ll stick with my upset, though, and say the Jaguars finally get a solid win.

Tiebreaker: Which Player Will Rush for the Most Yards in Week 9?

Carlos: DeMarco Murray

Ryan: Ezekiel Elliott

Daisy: Ezekiel Elliott

Kyle: Le’Veon Bell

Do you agree with our predictions? Let us know in the comments how you think Week 9 of the NFL will play out.

Twitter: @YourSitchTweets

Front 4: NFL Week 5

Before reading the Front 4: NFL Week 5 article, check out our debut video for the Front 4 series and be sure to subscribe to the YourSitch Youtube channel!

WEEK 4 RESULTS

Daisy 4 points

Kyle: 3 points

Adriel 2 points

Ryan 2 points

After Daisy correctly predicted 4/10 questions in Week 4, she heads into Week 5 as the champion. This week the Front 4 team welcomes Carlos Delcid to the stage as he attempts to rise to the top against Daisy, Kyle and Ryan.

For Week 5, the panel focuses on the return of Tom Brady, match-ups between the AFC and NFC, upsets and, of course, Ryan Fitzpatrick. Let’s see what the Front 4 team came up with and let us know if you agree or disagree with their predictions.

In Tom Brady’s Return, How Many Points Will the Patriots Beat the Browns By?

0-10, 11-20, 21-30, 30+, The Browns will win

Daisy: 21-30

In Tom Brady’s return, I definitely see a blowout coming against the Browns. That being said, it won’t be as bad as everyone thinks as the Browns keep the deficit below 30 points.

Kyle: 11-20

The last two times these two teams met, the outcomes are actually quite surprising. In 2013, it took two late touchdowns from Tom Brady to give the Patriots a one-point win. Then in 2010, a Browns team quarterbacked by Colt McCoy was able to come up with a 34-14 win over the Patriots.

That being said, I think the Browns put up a fight, but Brady is never in real danger and the Patriots win by 18.

Ryan: 30+

Tom Brady is back for Week 5 and the NFL season is pretty much over. Put it in the books. Brady is gonna tear through the league and win the Super Bowl with ease. Could he have gotten an easier game to start off with either? Patriots will be outta sight by halftime.

Carlos: 21-30

The New England Patriots will have no difficulty beating the Cleveland Browns. Look for an angry Brady; a QB that is looking for blood to make up for the four weeks of stats he missed out on. Not only that, but the Patriots defense have held teams to an average of 16 points per game which is good enough for 4th in the NFL. Combine that with a poor Browns defense that has allowed close to 29 points per game and there is no way the Browns can stop the future Hall of Fame quarterback.

Which Rookie Quarterback Throws For the Most Yards in Week 5?

Dak Prescott vs. CIN, Carson Wentz vs. DET, Cody Kessler vs. NE

Daisy: Carson Wentz

Wentz will beat out the rest of his rookie competition against a Lions team that looks great one week and then looks terrible the next. This could turn out to be one of those terrible weeks for the Lions.

Kyle: Cody Kessler

Kessler throws for the most yards, but mainly because he’ll be playing from behind most of the time so the Browns are going to need to throw the ball often. Garbage time passing yards look the same in the newspaper as close-game passing yards.

Ryan: Carson Wentz

Wentz looks to be the most polished QB of the bunch so far and he’s coming off a bye week to face a poor Lions defense. The Eagles D actually hasn’t allowed a passing touchdown this season so his upside might be capped by a potential blowout but I still think Wentz has a solid day and throws for more yards than Prescott and Kessler.

Carlos: Carson Wentz

Carson Wentz is coming off a bye week and will be looking to keep that undefeated record intact. Wentz will throw for the most yards, but it won’t be by much because Prescott will put up a fight as well. In the end, the rest and and an iffy lions team will give Wentz the edge in yards this week.

Will Either Team From Last Year’s NFC Championship Game Fall to 1-4?

Cardinals @SF, Panthers vs. TB

Daisy: Cardinals fall to 1-4

The Cardinals and the Panthers aren’t looking so good to start of the season. I think the Cards are going to continue that trend and fall short against Chip Kelly’s 49ers this week. Carson Palmer isn’t going to be available in this game due to the concussion he suffered last week, so they’re short at the Quarterback position and their backup QB didn’t fare too well as he threw 2 interceptions once he came in late against the Rams. Also, Carlos Hyde has been fantastic for the 49ers with 5 rushing touchdowns through the 1st four weeks so look for him to continue his hot streak against the Cardinals.

Kyle: Neither

No. I don’t care who’s QB for the Cardinals, they NEED a win. A loss to the 49ers would almost certainly end their season. The same could be said about the Panthers. Even if Cam doesn’t play, that defense should not and will not allow Jameis Winston to end their season.

Ryan: Neither

The Cardinals have been one of the most disappointing teams in the league so far but I believe that a date with the 49ers will be exactly what they need to get back on track. I expect the Cardinals’ offense to put up big numbers in this one and move them to 2-3 on the season.

Meanwhile, the Panthers take on a Bucs team that has been disappointing since their week 1 win at Atlanta. Jameis Winston hasn’t really taken that next step forward so far and while the Panthers D has been suspect, I expect them to take care of the Bucs, so no, neither team will drop to 1-4.

Carlos: Both

The NFC championship teams from a year ago seem to be fighting for the basement of there divisions. The loser from the Cardinals/49ers game will be in last place in the NFC West and the loser of the Panthers/Bucs game will be in last place of the NFC South.

Both the Cardinals and Panthers will lose again due to QB injuries. No Carson Palmer can be very bad for Arizona as they’ll be asking Drew Stanton to lead the team. With 12 touchdwons and 18 interceptions in his career, it’s going to be a tough task. As for the Panthers, Cam is having concussion problems and is OUT Monday night. The quarterback is the most important piece and if that piece is missing, it is extremely hard to win.

Which WR Ends Week 5 in 1st Place in Receiving Yards?

Julio Jones(488), Marvin Jones(482), AJ Green(468)

Daisy: AJ Green

Out of the three defenses that these receivers are going up against, AJ Green has the best match up as he lines up across from the Cowboys defense. The Cowboys aren’t on the same level defensively as the Broncos or the Eagles so they could be in for a long day. Sorry Kyle…

Kyle: AJ Green

I have to go with AJ Green. The Cowboys defense is still suspect and with both Julio and Marvin going against some tough competition in the Broncos and Eagles, Green is the clear choice.

Ryan: AJ Green

Julio Jones faces a tough matchup against the Broncos and the Eagles D has been tremendous against the pass all year, so I expect AJ Green to lead the league in receiving yards by the end of Week 5.

Carlos: AJ Green

By the end of week 5, AJ Green will be first in receiving yards. The Broncos and Eagles defenses are top 5 in the league this year and will hold both Jones’s to minimum yards. Look for Green to have a big to jump from 3rd to 1st as it shouldn’t be too hard with Mr. Regular Season, Andy Dalton. I’ll be bold and also predict 2 touchdowns by Green.

How Many Interceptions Will Ryan Fitzpatrick Throw Against the Steelers?

0, 1, 2, 3+

Daisy: 1

Everyone has been killing Fitz and we have two Jets fans with us on this panel so I’m going to go easy on him and say he’ll get picked off only once.

Kyle: 1

Fitzpatrick has thrown nine interceptions in his last two games. It’s unheard of. The Steelers still have a serviceable defense, but I think a part of me just doesn’t want to see another awful game from Fitz because if he throws multiple picks, his job could be in jeopardy.

Ryan: 3+

The Fitz Magic of last season seems to have run out and while the Steelers defense isn’t as legendary as in previous years, it won’t stop Fitzpatrick from throwing at least three picks in this one.

Carlos: 0

This week the Jets will surprise a lot a of people and bounce back. You heard it here first. Fitzpatrick is a team leader and doesn’t want to lose his job. He fought so hard to even get a contract and I doubt he wants to sit on the bench and let Geno Smith take over. The Steelers are a great team, but they are beatable as the EAGLES taught us. Gang Green needs to show their heart and Fitz will show why he deserved a contract. 0 picks because I have faith in Ryan.

In AFC vs. NFC Match-ups, Which Conference Picks Up More Wins?

Colts	Ravens	Texans	Broncos	Bengals	Bills
Bears	Redskins	Vikings	Falcons	Cowboys	Rams

Home team BOLD

Daisy: AFC

I think the struggling Colts will defeat the Chicago Bears, but only if they take advantage of Kevin White’s absence. The Ravens will bounce back from their loss to the Raiders last week. The Vikings will continue their hot start and beat the Texans. Denver will have a tough game against the Falcons, but will remain undefeated. I also see the Bengals and Bills pick up wins.

Kyle: AFC

Realistically, I could see the AFC sweeping this. The Colts and Ravens have winnable games at home while the Bengals and Bills should be able to go on the road and beat the Cowboys and the Rams. The Broncos have a tough match up at home against the Falcons, but I think being at home helps seal the win. The Texans have a chance to pull off the upset of the week and I wouldn’t be surprised one bit if they did it.

Ryan: Tie

This is a tough one so I’ll go with a 3-3 split. I think it’ll come down to defense in most of these games, with the Vikings, Rams, Bengals and Broncos all coming out on top because of their D. The other two games are complete toss-ups and for your random stat of the week, since 2008, the Redskins and Ravens are tied for the most one-score games in the league with 24 so expect that game and the Colts-Bears game to come down to the final possession.

Carlos: Tie

In the AFC vs NFC matchups, the conferences will tie 3 to 3. It’s as simple as the home teams will win. Sometimes being at home just carries you to the W.

Will the AFC East or NFC East Have More Wins?

Daisy: AFC East

The AFC East will get wins from the Patriots and the Bills while the only win from the NFC East will come from the undefeated Eagles so that means, unfortunately, it’ll be another week of hearing Eagles fans brag about their perfect season so far.

Kyle: AFC East

The Patriots are the only one of the eight teams that has an almost definite win. The rest of the AFC East is unreliable as the Jets have the Steelers, the Bills have the Rams and the Dolphins play the Titans. As for the NFC East, the Cowboys and Giants play the Bengals and Packers which will be tough. The Redskins and Ravens will do battle and that could go either way. It then comes down to the Eagles coming off a bye to play the Lions. The Eagles should be able to win, but I’ll trust Tom Brady over a rookie quarterback.

Ryan: Tie

The Patriots will roll; the Jets will roll over. The Bills will run into a brick wall and the Dolphins will get run over. 1-3 for the AFC East. Meanwhile, the Cowboys will fall short to the Bengals, the Eagles will beat up on the Lions, the Giants will throw a temper tantrum in a loss to the Packers and the Redskins will lose by one point to the Ravens. Not a good week for the East leads to one victory each.

Carlos: Tie

The AFC East and NFC East will both have 2 wins. The Dolphins aren’t good. The Bills are not consistent. The Giants are facing a tough Packers team that is coming off a bye. The Redskins have a good Ravens team in their way. I think the Pats, Jets, Cowboys and Eagles get W’s for their divisions.

Which QB With Their New Team Will Throw For More Yards in the Texans/Vikings Game?

Brock Osweiler or Sam Bradford

Daisy: Brock Osweiler

Despite throwing some interceptions early in the season, I think Brock is able to turn a corner agains the Vikings. He has more potential than Bradford and should be able to throw for more yards on Sunday.

Kyle: Brock Osweiler

Brock Star. The Texans have allowed a league-low 163 passing yards a game and Sam Bradford isn’t known for his flashy numbers. I think Bradford finishes below 200 yards, while Brock eclipses the 200-yard mark.

Ryan: Sam Bradford

The Vikings defense has been playing too well for me to have any confidence in picking Brock Osweiler so I’ll go with the efficient, yet unspectaular Sam Bradford to get the job done in this one.

Carlos: Sam Bradford

Sam Bradford is doing what he needs to do in order to help the Vikings win. They are undefeated and I see Bradford having a nice 200 yard day along with one touchdown to lead the Vikings to another win.

Will the Rams Score At Least 20 Points Against the Bills?

Daisy: No

I’m not sure if the Rams will even get 14 points, let alone 20. The Rams have gotten off to a great start, but I think they fall back to earth with a loss against the Bills.

Kyle: No

The Rams are 3-1, yet, they’ve only scored 20 or more points once. I say that continues and they score 17 points and that could actually end up being enough to beat Rex Ryan and the Bills. Dare I say the Rams will be atop the NFC after week 5?

Ryan: No

Considering the Bills just shutout the Patriots I’ll say they keep the Rams under 20 but still lose the game. As strong as the Bills defense has been, I think the Rams D has the better game and helps them improve to 4-1.

Carlos: Yes

The Rams will score 21 points and be able to hold on for the win. This will not be a flashy, offensive game and expect a low-scoring affair.

Upset of the Week

Daisy: 49ers over Cardinals

I’m sticking to what I said earlier and going with the 49ers to take down the Cardinals without Carson Palmer.

Kyle: Texans over Vikings

I’m going Texans over Vikings. Sam Bradford has been pretty much perfect so far. The Vikings have been almost perfect so far. All that perfection has to take a step backwards eventually. The Texans have a solid defense and it’s time for the Vikings train to slow down just a bit.

Ryan: Bears over Colts

It’s not so much that the Bears inspire confidence, but more that I don’t trust the Colts, especially coming back from London with a loss last week. I’m surprised they don’t have a bye this week and I think that means another L for them.

Carlos: Jets over Steelers

The Jets will defeat the Steelers. Man, that sounds good. As I mentioned before, the Fitz will have no interceptions and the Jets defense should be able to keep them in the game. The secondary has struggled, but the team has what it takes to bounce back this season and it starts with a win against Pittsburgh.

Do you agree with our picks? Let us know in the comments who you think will be the champion after Week 5.

7 Things Other Sports Can Learn From Soccer

By Ryan McAdams

The start of another soccer season is upon us and so is another season of me having to explain at length that not every game ends zero-zero. Rather than me tell you why you should love soccer, here are seven things that it does better than the “Big Four” American sports. Take note NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL!

1. Promotion/Relegation

One of the coolest things about each new soccer season is when new teams are added to the league. At the end of the season, the bottom three teams in the top tier league are replaced with the top three teams in the league below them.

135060 — Watford celebrates being promoted to the Premier League in 2015 (Source)

For example, in the Premier League, Newcastle United, Norwich City and Aston Villa finished at the bottom last year and will be replaced with Burnley, Middlesbrough and Hull City. One of the top benefits of this would be the obliteration of tanking. A team like the 76ers or Braves wouldn’t be able to throw complete seasons away for draft picks because they would risk dropping down to the second-tier league. This would make more teams competitive and create more drama for teams that otherwise have nothing to play for. Instead of Sabres fans cheering at their team losing a game to give them a better draft pick, that win becomes super important to the Sabres remaining in the NHL.

Additionally, you’d get to see new teams, players and jerseys each year when new teams get promoted to replace whoever happened to get relegated that year. One last bonus this plan adds is that money hungry leagues (all of them) can add expansion teams without the traditional negatives that come with adding new teams. Las Vegas wants a football team? Sure thing! But they start in the lower division and have to work their way up to the NFL without the ridiculousness of an expansion draft.

2. Loans

In soccer, players are allowed to be loaned to other clubs for a season or partial season in exchange for that team paying the players salary. Usually this occurs when teams want a young player to have more regular playing time than they can offer, or when they want to sell a player that’s hard to get rid of. The concept of loans in other sports leagues leads to a wide range of fascinating possibilities.

For my favorite football team the Jets, I love the possibility of loaning Geno Smith to another team to see if he can develop into anything resembling a starter, while the Jets still attempt to reach the playoffs with Ryan Fitzpatrick. Maybe Christian Hackenberg is loaned to the Browns after RGIII and Josh McCown suffer season-ending injuries and turns into a star by the end of the season due to regular playing time (ok this is a little too biased, reeling it in a little).

ny-jets-quarterbacks-elsa — MFW the Jets still can’t field a decent QB (Source)

Combining loans with the aforementioned promotion/relegation two-tiered sports leagues idea, we get even cooler possibilities. Maybe the Mets finally give Brandon Nimmo some playing time by loaning him to the Reds as part of the Jay Bruce deal, allowing Nimmo to avoid the corner-outfield logjam in Flushing for a year and giving the Reds an exciting young player to try and avoid relegation. Maybe instead of awkwardly backing up Brett Farve for three seasons before his eventual retirement/unretirement, Aaron Rodgers could have been loaned to the Las Vegas Cardsharks in League 2 and honed his craft there. Rodgers could have developed into an elite quarterback faster (theoretically), the Packers would have realized it’s time to move on from Farve (theoretically) and the Cardsharks could have rode Rodgers to a promotion to the NFL. Everyone wins!

If we attempt to reach an even crazier scenario with loans, maybe instead of leaving Cleveland in chase of rings, LeBron asks to be loaned to Miami for just a year instead, then returns to the Cavs without ever having to have to go through The Decision. Maybe Mike Trout is loaned to the Blue Jays for the rest of the year to create the most ridiculous lineup ever and give him a shot at a ring that he clearly won’t have any time soon in Los Angeles. Maybe JR Smith gets loaned to a team that lets him play games shirtless. The possibilities are endless!

3. Cups & Tournaments

On top of regular season games, there are multiple cups and tournaments going on throughout the year that teams participate in. These tournaments are great opportunities for small clubs (even from the other tiers) to make a name for themselves and for teams that wouldn’t normally have a chance at hardware to go for glory in an otherwise lost season.

maxresdefault1 — And really every season is a lost season if you’re the Browns (Source)

Imagine the Cubs avoiding the suffering of another World Series-less year as their season is redeemed by their brilliant run to the Jackie Robinson Cup (baseball’s tourney would be the easiest to name by far). Like soccer, these tournaments would run parallel to the season and offer hope, excitement and extra games to otherwise disinterested fanbases. Also, powerhouse teams like the Spurs or the Patriots would have to debate whether they want to ignore the cup(s) and put all their resources towards the league, or go for both if they think they can do it. Do you heavily rotate to focus on winning the championship despite being only a few wins away from a trophy in the Cup tournament?

New York Rangers fans could finally pretend their team matters with a Gretsky Cup victory, the Braves could shock everyone with hardware in a season they end up getting relegated to the second tier and the new Seattle Supersonics could upset the Warriors in the Brian Scalabrine Cup (working title) final in a legendary 2-OT game. While this probably wouldn’t work in the NFL due to player safety concerns, what fan of other leagues wouldn’t love to see more games, more playoff atmosphere and more excitement during the season?

4. Jerseys

When I first learned soccer teams get new jerseys made for them every year I thought it was dumb. It’s really just for teams to make more money each season, as crazy fans will end up buying at least a new jersey per season, if not all three (home, away, alternate). It’s a ton of fun to see teams wear throwback uniforms (unless you’re Chris Sale) so it actually makes a lot of sense for fans to be pumped up for new jerseys each year.

The release of these new threads always generates a lot of buzz in the offseason, creating more excitement during a time that usually has none. Sure, sometimes you won’t be crazy about one of your team’s jersey but everyone discussing their opinions on the looks just adds to the fun. Plus, it’s always fun to laugh at the ridiculous uniforms that your rivals will have to wear that year like these atrocities:

I mean, who approved those? But anyway this is a great idea because it’s a huge money maker for teams and leagues and the new designs will give fans something else to debate and argue over. Oh and this, from one team’s jersey launch:

5. Rule Consistency

The rules of soccer have, for the most part, stayed the same for as long as I can remember. And the one time they introduce new technology into the game (goal-line technology), it was a seamless transition that doesn’t take up game time and generally makes the game better and more accurate. Meanwhile in other sports:

And while the NFL can’t figure out the most basic of rules, the MLB and NBA are having trouble with replay. Both have recently implemented video review to help make sure umpires/referees get the call right. But neither has figured out how to have that happen quickly.

Video review on challenges or umpire reviews take excruciating long in baseball, a sport that has been trying everything to speed up their games. Basketball can’t efficiently review plays either and has been trying to tweak the rules to get rid of “hacking” for a while now. The NHL has actually had some good rule changes like taking out the stupid two-line pass rule but also implemented the trapezoid which is up for Dumbest Rule Change in Recent Sports History (not a real thing). Consistency goes a long way in gaining new fans and not pissing off existing fans with infuriating tweaks to da rules. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” should be adhered to by a lot more leagues.

6. Fan Songs

Every Big Four supporter gets behind their team in the most boring ways possible. “Let’s-go-[team]! Let’s-go-[team]!” Real creative Richard, they haven’t heard that one before, that’ll propell ‘em to victory. “D-Fence! D-Fence!” Thank god you were there to tell them you support them doing their job Deborah, what would they have done without you? It’s so uncreative that EVERY TEAM has a version of the same chants. And god forbid you have a stadium of split fans trying to out chant each other WITH THE SAME CHANT. You’ll have the entire stadium screaming “LETS-GO” and then a ridiculous mix of team names “CJOELTTSS!!!”

Meanwhile, in the rest of the world, fans have gotten much more creative and kick the crap out of our chants/cheers. If you watched any of the European Championships, you saw/heard Iceland’s fantastic and intimidating Viking clap:

THIS IS ALREADY A MILLION TIMES BETTER THAN ANYTHING WE HAVE AND THEY’RE JUST CLAPPING!

There are endless examples of great songs made by fans, but the best are when they’re making fun of athletes, like West Ham fans chanting at a former player that reminded them of a certain bald Harry Potter character:

There’s also a ton of great self deprecating chants like:

Do these chants actually help teams perform better? I don’t know, Google it. But it definitely sounds a lot better and is less boring that what we have now.

7. Less Commercials

Easily the best part of watching soccer is the uninterrupted flow of play. You get to enjoy 45+ straight minutes of gameplay, followed by a 15 minute break for halftime when TV gets all of its commercials out of the way/when you go refill the bowl of Doritos you spilled everywhere when your team scored and then another 45+ minutes of straight soccer homie. Never will you have to deal with the atrocities of the dreaded extra point-commercial-kickoff-commercial combo that watching football gets you.

Length of Game vs. Actual Gameplay–FIXED [OC] from dataisbeautiful

The above chart, which matches similar research online, gives you an idea of just how little action there actually is in other sports like football and baseball. Most of these broadcasts are made up of replays, analysis, commercials and players waiting around for the next play to start, with very little actually happening. All this is a part of soccer as well but in much smaller doses that lets you get into the flow of the game more.

I get that soccer isn’t for everyone (no sport is, especially NASCAR), and my reason for writing this article wasn’t to convince everyone to start loving it. Nor is it a perfect sport either (please don’t google flopping, racism in soccer, or European Super League). Rather, I thought it important to point out the things it gets right because while no sport has it all together, soccer looks to be leading the pack. And if the Big Four leagues are gonna screw around with their sports, they might as well learn a thing from a sport that has it’s shit together.

Ryan McAdams is a contributing editor for YourSitch.com

Twitter: @ryan7jets