When does the next season start?

 

We are already a few weeks into the season for the English Premier league and it's national affiliates. This is after they restarted after suspending play when Coronavirus first spiked in Europe and finished the 2019-20 season. As American sports figure out how 2021 is going to look, there are some important differences to consider when next season doesn't seem very normal either for certain sports.

First, even though England is a mess compared to much of western Europe, they have a much better handle on the pandemic than the United States does. Second, soccer players play all the time as it is. There are international competitions, domestic tournaments and club cup competions on top of the regular season, so a turnaround of just a couple of months, and a compacted schedule aren't challenging issues to overcome for soccer players.

Baseball and football won't really see their 2021 season affected. I think at this point, most leagues are comfortable with the efficacy of frequent testing and self imposed quarantining, especially when traveling. Most cynically, I think the low frequency of serious complications among athletes has rendered the disease an acceptable risk for most top brass. Expect MLB and the NFL to have games as scheduled in 2021, with or without fans.

The NBA and NHL could be a little bit hairier. First, these sports traditionally have offseasons that stretch from June to October, and those generally tend to be pretty hard breaks. They have long seasons that can be grueling, and the unions in those respective sports are going to demand that they receive the same leave they would in a typical year. I suspect there will be a compromise, particularly in the NBA, which will try to realign with the college game as much as possible. Even then, I don't see the Association back before the new year. February would give them the same break.

The NHL could be in a real pickle. Canada didn't want the Blue Jays crossing the International Border because of virus concerns, and the limited capacity for quarantining and testing in a baseball season. This has been circumvented by MLS with their three Canadian teams because of a longer lead between games. The NBA can have Toronto play in Buffalo, like the Blue Jays, and they might defuse the situation. The NHL has 7 teams that play in Canada, on an 82 game schedule. If they come back in January or February, it seems likely that the pandemic will be at it's worst worldwide, with the epicenter right here in the USA. 

Getting hockey teams back and forth across a border closed to everyone else seems like a pretty unlikely scenario, given all the aforementioned limits to testing and quarantines. They can't play a full season in a bubble. It would probably be safest to move the other two dozen teams to Canada for the year, but that doesn't seem particularly likely. If I had to guess, the 2020-21 NHL season is in peril. 

At least we will have soccer as a replacement game with a lot of international players, low scores and nets, right? 

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The NFL playoffs are pretty much set

I know that injuries can and do happen in the NFL, and those can really throw things off, but a look at the playoff picture about halfway through the season doesn’t really reveal too many weak spots, does it? It looks to me like all the teams in the playoffs right now are still going to be there when January rolls around.

The cream of the crop has been pretty well established, and it is the four teams with byes, if the season ended today – The Saints, Rams, Patriots and Chiefs. The other in playoff position have either played very well of late, have distance between them and the next team up, and otherwise lack any particularly glaring deficiencies. Take a look at the NFL playoff picture:

Oh, shoot. Yeah, I forgot about the Bears. Sorry about that. They’re definitely not making the postseason.

Are the Browns actually on to something?

The Browns are a bad football team. They've been bad on a pace that seems completely unsustainable. And yet, here they are, sustaining how bad they are. This offseason, though, they've been making a lot of moves, and at least on paper, all of those moves make a lot of sense. For some reason.
The Browns were winless last year. It's tough to put a shine on that particular turd. If there was one thing they did well, it was stop the run, which is actually pretty impressive when you get down to it. Their opponents were usually ahead, and likely running the ball a heck of a lot to wind the clock. And still, they were a top ten defense against the run.
Other than that though, the Browns were pretty bad. I won't say much more than that, as a Colts fan. The Browns finished higher in every single one of the primary categories -- Rush Offense, Pass Offense, Rush Defense and Pass Defense -- than Indianapolis. And Cleveland seems to be executing a plan more well thought out than Indianapolis',
I digress. We haven't even had the draft yet, but consider all the offensive upgrades the team has already made. They have Tyrod Taylor now at quarterback, Jarvis Landry as a top wide receiver and Carlos Hyde as running back. On defense, they completely revamped their secondary, and they will have Myles Garrett, last year's top pick, as their primary edge rusher.
Oh, and they have 2 picks in the first 4 this year.
The first pick will be a quarterback, who will suddenly end up in what I consider to be the perfect situation. Whoever they pick won't be asked to start right away, instead learning under a vet, and practicing with talented,veteran skill players. The offensive line is not a liability for the Browns, even with Joe Thomas' retirement, so whomever gets drafted will also be kept upright. The Browns are actually going to put a new quarterback in a position to thrive,
And then there is pick number 4. The world is their oyster. With so many other quarterbacks expected to come off the board, the other top players, like Bradley Chubb and Saquan Barkley, will still be available at #4. Walter Football has the Browns taking Chubb, which would mean that the Browns would have a fearsome edge rush of Chubb and Garrett.
I know what it's like to be tied to a team that seems perpetually the victim of bad luck, so something will go wrong, without question, this offseason. If not, there is a heck of a lot to be excited about with the Browns for the next couple of years. The Browns are a bad football team, but they might soon be good.

Let's make some playoff predictions

In the interest of honesty, I must be very clear... My NFL predictions this year were very bad. I picked the Seahawks to win the Super Bowl, and they aren't even in the playoffs. I also picked Bon Jovi to play halftime, and now we know that Justin Timberlake will be the halftime act instead, so my track record isn't great. With that in mind, let's look at what the playoffs have to offer.

Tennessee Titans @ Kansas City Chiefs - The Chiefs are a dynamic offensive threat, which seems ill at odds with the perception of the Chiefs for so long. The Titans were the team I expected to win the AFC South, but that was largely because I thought they were in a very soft conference, not because they were especially talented. The Chiefs seem like the better team, because of their playmakers. The Titans have a better quarterback, but the Chiefs are just better. Pick: Chiefs

Atlanta Falcons @ Los Angeles Rams - Yes, the Rams have been stellar all year, but the fact is, they are sending 2nd year quarterback in a 2nd year stadium and a first year coach into the playoffs against the defending NFC champion. The Falcons aren't substantially worse than they were last year, but the AFC South was much stronger this year than last. I think they are battle tested enough to get through a game in Los Angeles. Pick: Falcons

Buffalo Bills @ Jacksonville Jaguars - What world are we living in that these two teams are both in the playoffs? Against each other? What?!  And during the season, the Bills traded one of their best defenders to the Jaguars. And the Bills decided one week, while they were in the throes of a playoff race, they decided to replace their quarterback in one of the greatest catastrophes in recent NFL history. The Jaguars have been so bad for so long it seems incredible that they are this good, but in fact, it's not smoke and mirrors, and finally, the breaks have gone their way. There is NO WAY the Bills should win this game, or even be in the playoffs. Obviously... Pick: Bills

Carolina Panthers @ New Orleans Saints - These are two good teams in what should be the highlight of the weekend. More than any other game of the weekend, I think it's a toss up. The Saints are a better offense, while the Panthers are a better defense. Two playoff tested quarterbacks, and two playoff tested teams. In this season in which nothing makes sense, the Panthers traded their best receiver, Kelvin Benjamin, to the.... to the BILLS. What?! Ugh, I'm just picking the home team. PICK: Saints

That brings us to the Divisional matchups.
Atlanta Falcons @ Philadelphia Eagles - For all the successes that the Eagles have had this year, they haven't been the same since Carson Wentz was injured. The Falcons are 7-3 after a 3 game losing streak early in the year. They are in a good spot, the Eagles are not. Pick: Falcons

Buffalo Bills @ New England Patriots - The Patriots have a long history of getting gifted some terrific matchups in the playoffs. They will not lose to the Bills in January. Unless, of course, they are so stunned that the Bills are in the Divisional round of the Playoffs and don't come to play. Which isn't happening. Pick: Patriots

Kansas City Chiefs @ Pittsburgh Steelers - Definitely more than in the NFC, the AFC seems to have a severe break between the top two teams in the playoffs and the bottom 4. All that said, if there is a team that can beat the Steelers in this round, its the Kansas City Chiefs, with their big playmakers could put enough points on the board to put a scare into Pittsburgh. A scare, yes, but I think they don't have the necessary killer instinct. Pick: Steelers.

New Orleans Saints @ Minnesota Vikings - Here it is, the big game for local fans. The Vikings have their situation, after so many issues, figured out. Case Keenum can throw, he has a lot of options, and their running game is still a valid option despite Dalvin Cook's injury. Their defense is dominant, and the game is being played at home against a team they've already defeated. Pick: Vikings

So, who will play in the Super Bowl?

Pittsburgh Steelers @ New England Patriots - The Patriots were bold enough to trade Jimmy "undefeated in the NFL" Garaoppolo, so they must feel like they have something with quarterback Tom Brady. I just feel like the Patriots are in a late Renaissance, and Brady, Belichick and the rest of the squad are out to prove that they aren't ever going to get too old to keep winning.  They did this last year, and they always seem able to beat the Steelers. Pick: Patriots

Atlanta Falcons @ Minnesota Vikings - The Cowboys and Bills are the only teams to play each other in consecutive Super Bowls, and I don't think we are going to see that happen again this year. The Vikings have a long history of completely blowing it in important games, and will be acutely aware of their history when they are facing the Falcons in the Championship. The good news is that the difference between this Vikings-Falcons NFC championship is that this time, the Vikings are going to be way better than Atlanta. Pick: Vikings

Super Bowl:

New England Patriots @ Minnesota Vikings - The ting about the Vikings of 2017 is that they just don't ever seem to rattle. They've stepped up to the plate in every test this season, from playing strong teams to losing their best players to injury, but they just keep on pounding. The Patriots have only lost to one team in the Super Bowl (twice, but still) and don't often waver in the face of adversity, like playing a road game in the Super Bowl. What does it come down to? What would be the most annoying thing? Usually, it's another Patriots victory, but as someone who lived in Chicago White Sox territory in 2005, I can tell you it's insufferable to live among fans of a championship team when you are not a fan of said team. The Vikings winning the Super Bowl would be so annoying. Pick: Vikings.

A Super Bowl Prediction

The NFL season is coming around tomorrow night when the Patriots welcome the Chiefs to town. I'm more of a baseball blogger these days, but I am still a football fan and have opinions. I feel like, since I just had my 4th fantasy football draft tonight, I have just as much insight into the league as anyone.
Since the Super Bowl is in Minnesota this year, but mostly because I know, at this point, nobody cares about who I think will finish third in the AFC West (Chargers, by the way) I'll cut right to the chase. The Seattle Seahawks are going to win the Super Bowl this year.

I think Seattle getting to the Super Bowl is the easiest choice I have this year. They don't have much competition in the NFC West, and should have home field against whichever other team emerges out of the NFC (I suspect the Packers will be good, as will the entirety of the NFC South) It gets tougher in the AFC.
The Patriots will always be the popular pick in the AFC, but I remember what happened the last time they opened the season with the Chiefs. Do you? Here is a hint. Matt Cassel had an NFL career because of it. Even if Tom Brady doesn't get hurt 8 minutes into the season, he is 40 years old, and the history of quarterback success at age 40 is very limited. The rest of the team is really good, and the AFC East is pretty bad, so they will definitely be a playoff team, but not one with a good shot at the Super Bowl.
But then what else is there in the AFC? The Raiders are a hot choice, but I don't like their running back situation, or Derek Carr coming back from a serious injury. The AFC South is a mess, but I think people will be surprised by the ease at which the Titans win the division. That leaves the AFC North. Ugh, I guess I'll pick the Steelers to win the AFC, but lose to the Seahawks.
Oh, and Bon Jovi will play half time.