The Wildcard games this weekend were really good, a lot of close games and teams moving on to the divisional rounds. I really thought the Jaguars and Eagles would win their matchups but we will have a new super bowl champion. Let’s update my predictions with results! My prediction winners I selected correctly will be bolded. 🙂 I am excited for the next round of games.
The matchups & My Predictions
Sat. Jan 10
Rams/Panthers – winner Panthers
Winner : Rams
Packers/Bears – winner Bears
Sun Jan.11
Bills/Jaguars – winner Jaguars
Winner: Bills
49ers/Eagles- winner Eagles
Winner: 49ers
Chargers/Patriots – winner Patriots
Mon. Jan 12
Texans/Steelers- winner Texans
This weekend will be the divisional round games to determine who make it to the conference championship games. Here are the matchups and my predictions!
Sat. Jan 17
Bills/Broncos- 4:30pm
Winner: Broncos
49ers/Seahawks-8:00pm
Winner :Seahawks
Sun. Jan 18
Texans/Patriots-3:00pm
Winner:Texans
Rams/Bears-6:30pm
Winner: Bears
It will be interesting to see how these games go. These are only my predictions. I will say I am rooting heavily for the Houston Texans. I really think this is their opportunity to go really far in the playoffs and make a deep run. A win against the Patriots will solidify them as a championship football team. Each round is only going to get tougher but I really believe they can do it. CJ Stroud is built for this and his team is ready.
As always let me know your predictions in the comments 🙂
Meet me here next week as work our way to the super bowl!
If Sunday was any indication of how wild the playoffs may be then get ready for a fun ride.
The road to the super bowl begins this weekend with the wild card games.
The matchups & My Predictions
Sat. Jan 10
Rams/Panthers – winner Panthers
Packers/Bears – winner Bears
Bills/Jaguars – winner Jaguars
Sun. Jan 11
49ers/Eagles- winner Eagles
Chargers/Patriots – winner Patriots
Mon. Jan 12
Texans/Steelers- winner Texans
These matchups are going to be good to watch. The defending champ Eagles begin their quest to repeat.
The Bills/Jaguars game will be interesting, Trevor Lawrence is heating up and will definitely be giving his all. The Jags are on a win streak right now looking to make a huge playoff push.
The all eyes matchup will be the Texans/Steelers game on January 12.
Talk about a thriller of a game between the Ravens and Steelers coming down to the final 2 seconds. The Steelers captured the division title and the final playoff spot by the skin of their teeth but win and you are in right?
On the other hand, the Texans have been building momentum this season behind a great defense and smart decision making by CJ Stroud. I am really excited for him and his team.
I am going to keep this post short so I can come back and update it as the games finish.’
Let me know your predictions, who do you have winning and moving on to the divisional round games?
Happy Friday! We made it through another week and in this case a holiday weekend!..Enjoy the extended break.
Jalen Hurts a phenomenon in the NFL and has rose to superstardom while keeping his humility about him.
Jalen recently became the highest paid QB (prior to Lamar Jackson’s deal). A trip to the superbowl, averaging over 7,000 yards combined within the last two years with a 101.5 rating ending the 2022 season. Jalen doing all of this on the field while off the field he was in the process of completing his master’s degree!.
Let’s take a dive into his journey…
Jalen a fellow Leo (Aug.7) native of Houston, TX had quite the journey.
He dominated in highschool averaging over 2,000 passing yards,26 touchdown passes, rushing for 1,391 yards in his senior season.
Jalen ultimately committed to Alabama University where he would play for 3 years and dominate as a starter and backup to Tua Tagovailoa.( crazy to know they are team mates but how his NFL career is going)
Bama won the National Championship in 2017.
Jalen finished his bachelor’s degree but with one year left of eligibility he transferred to Oklahoma to complete his master’s degree in Human Relations as well. While at Oklahome he shined bright, continued to dominate as a quarterback and even finished 2nd in Heisman voting to Joe Burrow.
2020 was such a tragic, stressful year with the huge loss of Kobe Bryant-huge eagles fan, a pandemic that was spreading like wildfire with many lives lost, not to mention adjusting to those first few months of cabin fever quarantine, Tiger King binge anyone? lol
Sports was the thing keeping us together during it. The NBA bubble announcement for that summer was the excitement we needed as well as the NFL draft.
Jalen was drafted by the Eagles in the 2nd round, pick 53. Already having to prove his worth, he went from a third-string quarterback, to backup QB, to replacing Carson Wentz altogether as the STARTER. It doesn’t matter how you start but how you finish. Jalen had a breakout rookie season but was benched in a loss to Washington.
Coaching change and some faith Jalen was permanently named a starter and helped lead his team to the playoffs in 2021 & the superbowl in 2022. Although both ended in losses. I know the progression of success for him has continued to not only fuel him but his team. I mean look at his journey. From backup to permanent starter to one of the highest paid quarterbacks in the league. Jalen has made himself a household name now, stepped out on faith by having an all female team (agent included), and earned another collegiate degree while being scrutinzed, doubted, praised,& loved. His journey is uniquely his.
Your journey is uniquely yours. Embrace it, Don’t be afraid from it, and take it from someone who had to jump through hoops in highschool just for my work to be taken seriously so I could graduate, no obstacle big or small was going to stop me from crossing the stage.
I love to write. I’ve embraced my ability more so now as an adult then when I was younger. This blog started as a college class assignment and now has turned into another passion of mine.
I appreciate all of my readers! Good Luck to Jalen & the Eagles on the upcoming season.
Happy Memorial Day! no blog Monday! see you next friday
-M.B.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – OCTOBER 16: Jalen Hurts #1 of the Philadelphia Eagles looks on after the game against the Dallas Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field on October 16, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
This blog won’t be super long so let’s jump right in.
The NFL released it’s football schedule for every team.
As I was just doing a dive on each team’s schedule, I wanted to go over a few of my favorite matchups.
Week 1: 9/7/23
Lions/Chiefs- chiefs winning- Defending Superbowl Champs start their quest for another one! Let’s go Mahomes!
Bills/ Jets- Jets winning (Aaron Rodgers debut) I think he will do well in NY. New Team, Fresh Start. Let’s See!
For my steelers fans:
3 games I’m looking at
09/24- in LasVegas vs the Raiders
10/08- at home against Lamar Jackson (Ravens)- Division matchup. I love those games. They are lowkey to me rivalry games.
11/26- in Cincy vs the Bengals. My family being from ohio they love the bengals!( more than the browns on some days lol).. My late uncle was a die hard steelers fan. I’ve always loved watching both teams play honestly. Coach Tomlin is a good one! & How fitting this game falls on one of my best friends birthdays 🥳! I will definitely be tuned in.
Alright let’s head to the DMV!
Washington Commanders
First let me say Hallelujah!! The team finally is sold!! Took way too long but hey it’s done and now we can focus on rebuilding, and bringing the fun back to this franchise. They were really being held back. I’m excited to see what the future holds.
Week 4: 10-1- Eagles in Philly.. I love watching Jalen Hurts..! so let’s see how this rivalry game goes 🙂
Week 5-10-5- at home against Justin Fields(OSU alumn) I love watching former buckeyes dominate 🙂
My hope for Washington this season is just to win as many games as possible! Outside of hockey & the WNBA; The NBA, Football, & Baseball teams have all been struggling to make the post season. So I’m hoping with the Snyder era ending we can bring playoff sports back to the DC area. We need it!!
Honorable Mention Games:
Week 3: 09/24- Texans at Jaguars- Let’s go CJ Stroud!
I got the opportunity to watch him play for Ohio State in person! He is the real deal! I wish him all the best!
Week 1: 09-10- Raiders at Broncos
Week 9: 11/05- Bills at Bengals- Damar Hamlin! Hopefully he will back on the field this season! Wishing him all the best!
Let me know your thoughts for the season!
Who are your top picks! Drop a comment below or hit me on twitter:@bballmypassion
As always I appreciate my readers!
I have a real special blog coming end of next month :)!
In my life, I am constantly reminded that I am not alone. 2019 has been a year of ups and downs as well as lots of thoughts about my future. Knowing that God is in full control and often protecting me from things keeps me going but it also makes me wonder why. I am a good person, I treat people better than myself and yet I am always treated less than. Seeing positive stories helps me to remember the bigger picture and that I will be okay.
I am taking life one day at a time, it’s all I can do.
Lamar Jackson is a true testament to having patience, faith and seeing ultimate results. From his time at Louisville, to being 32nd in the NFL draft, Lamar hasn’t been negative but has used it as an opportunity to fuel him and his team. Since being in the NFL, he has turned the Baltimore Ravens into a superbowl team while making history for himself. In a short period of time he passed Michael Vick for the most rushing yards. He is the leading MVP contender with his ultimate goal of winning a superbowl.
The one quality I appreciate and admire the most about Lamar is his positivity and smile. He owns up to his mistakes but also lets his work speak for itself. I often think back to the top right picture and draft night. Lamar wasn’t picked until later in the NFL Draft, so many people who knew of his skillset, talent and yet passed him by.
Patience,Faith and knowing that everything will work itself out is what I am striving for.
Lamar is now in the position to be the best Quarterback in NFL history. It is a pleasure to watch him play and I can’t wait to see what is to come.
The right opportunity will present itself, I just have to keep having patience, strong faith, and the results will come.
Go Ravens! lol..Do you think they will win the superbowl?
For as long as I could remember, I have been a Washington Redskins fan. I have gone through the highs and lows with the many changes this team has gone through. The Redskins have gone through so many quarterbacks, that each time there is a glimmer of hope and then each time there is a let down.
From Mark Brunell to Jason Campbell to Rex Grossman to RG3 to Kirk Cousins to Colt McCoy to Alex Smith to Case Keenum, so many different era of players and each in their own right have left their mark.
In Keenum’s position he is most remembered for his 2017 run with the Minnesota Vikings and leading them to a 12-1 record and game winning touchdown drive by Stefon Diggs to beat the Saints. Keenum had a lot of promise and then he was traded to DC. For as long as I have been watching football, fans have so much hope with each quarterback change and always expect this quarterback to be the one who will lead us out of the trenches and back into the playoffs.
Coming to a new team, is like starting a new job. You have to feel everyone out and learn the system and procedures. If you want my honest opinion, I feel that the Redskins should have started McCoy for the first few games if he was healthy enough, which would give Keenum a little more time to learn the system. With quarterbacks, there is always high expectations and if you don’t meet those expectations, the fans will let you hear it. All in all this is a learning experience for everyone and I hope once everyone is healthy that the Skins can get some wins and hopefully a quarterback we can rely on and believe in again.
I always have hope for any team I root for, I just hate watching us lose. So I’m keeping an open mind that Keenum can potentially be that guy for us but we need some wins and we need to communicate. Now all we can do is watch, wait, and see. It is still a bunch of games left for the Skins, but their schedule only gets harder but I still have hope. Go Skins! Let’s get back in the WIN column. 🙂
Thanks to everyone who reads my blogs! Please feel free to leave any comments/feedback below or tweet me @bballmypassion….
August is here! which means end of summer and football!
It’s seems as though we just finished watching the Super Bowl.
I look at the preseason as the pregame because it is the final push for some players to prove they belong on their team. It is also the preview of some new look teams like the Cleveland Browns or teams that are rebuilding like the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants.
The NFL is also under the microscope again with the fight against injustice in regards to minority players and how they are treated. News broke this week that Jay-Z has partnered with the NFL, after saying he wouldn’t perform at the super bowl. I think at this point in order to push change and make a real splash you have to “get in the game”. Most people and even some NFL players are disowning Jay-z for his decision because it looks as though he is out for money. Sometimes when you are trying to change a system that has been so rigged, you have to get off the bench and play. You have to get in good with the decision makers and become a decision maker yourself. It’s same way with Meek Mill’s Reform foundation. He partnered with Patriots owner Kraft, who a lot of people aren’t fond of but with his money and his platform, he can at least try to evoke change.
Most people think big change…HAPPENS OVERNIGHT or in an instant. Once we realize that it takes time and small steps everyday, you then will see the results. You shouldn’t stop fighting for something you really believe in even when you can’t see the big picture in the beginning.
I’m sure this will story throughout the entire NFL season, so I am going to definitely continue to read and follow up on this.
This is just the pregame getting us ready for the real game….It’s going to be a good one!
Let me know your thoughts..Who will be the top NFL team? How do you think the NFL will adapt to Justice Reform?… Did Jay-z make the right decision?
You probably saw the title of this week’s blog and have the same face as this guy…..lol I know I did! Man I’m still processing the ongoing trades that happened during the week of March 13th. We all knew Antonio Brown, and Le’veon Bell from Pittsburgh would both be leaving and moving on to other teams but what we didn’t know was the curve ball, ankle break trade that was coming. So if you are ready….Let’s jump in..
The Pittsburgh Steelers have been a staple team in the NFL for as long as I have been watching football(forever). I have been a football fan watching more games since I was 12, analyzing games for the last few years though, I really enjoy the business aspects of sports but that’s another blog to come. We all know the Steelers Big 3; Big Ben, AB, and Bell. Every team has their go to guys but as with any team players and coaching staff tend to grow apart and decisions about futures must be made. It is no secret that both Antonio and Le’veon had their own issues with their current team and pay etc. It is also no secret that they have been vocal about it which in some cases can be good but in most cases with high profiles players it’s sometimes not so good. We never get the full story on things because we are not in the locker room, in practice, or even in the trenches. Teammates spend most of the season with their team, and as fans we only see the end result or what is reported to us without getting the full story. There are always three sides to every story: Side A, Side B, and the ultimate truth, which I always say God always knows before we even say anything. It was announced that Antonio would be traded to the Oakland Raiders( most people thought the Buffalo Bills )-can’t believe everything you read! Le’veon after much speculation and guessing from everyone finally announced he signed with New York Jets. Change is good! ( I am learning that all to well in my own life, to just embrace the changes life throws at you). It can only go up from here right?
I wish nothing but success and happiness to both Brown and Bell. At the end of the day, they are doing what is best for them! I am ready to see what the future holds for the Steelers as they rebuild, Raiders as they adapt, and Jets as they refuel. What are your thoughts? I would love to know….Are you happy, frustrated, don’t care, or waiting to see what happens like everyone else?
Moving On…..Heading to New York! Hang on and Buckle Up!
Landon Collins, Landon Collins, Landon Collins…..Said his name so you if you don’t know who he is, well you are about to find out. He just signed a 6 year $84 million dollar deal to join the Washington Redskins in the Safety Position. We all know the best safety the redskins ever had whose life was cut short was Sean Taylor. Sean made such a impact in the short time he was here. Those will be big shoes to fill but Landon will do what needs to be done. The question came up regarding the number he would wear. #21 is sacred for Redskins fans(die hard fans at that). Clinton Portis said in a interview recently that he wouldn’t mind for someone to wear his number #26, he is finally okay with that. Sean’s number is sacred and should be retired by Washington so no one can ever wear that number again. Landon was gifted a game worn signed Sean Taylor jersey by Dan Snyder and that in itself would just give me chills. I hope Landon chooses to pick his own number and still pay homage to Taylor in any way he knows how. We honestly don’t know Washington’s motives, we know the Skins need some help. We have Peterson but if we want to potentially make a run in our division (NFC East) then we have go get some players that can help us do that. I think Landon will be a good fit for DC. I just will be waiting to see what happens…. Let me know your thoughts, would you drop the Skins if they let Landon wear #21?….
Then came the jaw dropping trade of 2019 so far…..Giants Fans I am sorry…..like I really am because nobody could see this coming.
I remember just scrolling my phone on twitter right before it was announced, refreshed and well there it was…..
Odell Beckham Jr, has been traded to the Cleveland Browns to rejoin one of his former teammates. Jabril Peppers was also included in this trade as well. I had to read the headline at least 5 times to myself to comprehend what happened.
My first thought was Why? Odell had signed a long-term contract prior to this news which made it seem by his team that he wasn’t going anywhere. Why trade someone that you give the intention on keeping long term. I will never understand that logic. If someone can explain that to me, I am all ears…As I am still processing this news, my first thought is what is the real reason? It is going to come out sooner or later…. I rather know the truth then be strung along like people want me around when they don’t. That’s how I felt with this news. It’s like a smack in the face… and you can’t just be okay with it all of a sudden. Although Odell is still young, he is very smart and intellectual. He has built trust with his teammates, coaches, business executives. I think this is going to take some time for him to really process everything. He is going to have to rebuild his trust with his new team and they are going to trust him as well. With any change or big decision , there will be hesitation always. Guards and Walls will be up until they slowly are broken down. That will take time….I think once Odell has had some time to gather this thoughts, feelings, he will be okay. I don’t expect this to go away but he now has a chip on his shoulder. He will have a phenomenal season, he is talented and knows how to play the game! Hopefully this move to Cleveland will be good for him. Everything happens for a reason, he was supposed to be traded. We may not see the big picture now but it always comes together. Odell will be just fine!
This news sent shock-waves everywhere though….but come august the earthquake is coming….With moves everywhere, the upcoming NFL Season just became one to watch. It is entertainment but more importantly it is a business. These were executive business decisions that were made. Some we clearly understand and some will take time. It will all come together and with positive, flourishing results! 🙂
I just wanted to take some time to share my thoughts….
As always I appreciate all my readers!- Leave a thought or comment
Sports Impact Everyone 