Sports Krunch W/dkrom

1. Week 9 Takeaways Me:  -12 teams have three wins or less at the halfway point of the season. Last season, only one team (Cardinals) finished the season with three wins or less. That number is almost certain to rise this year. It will be fascinating to see by how much and whether or not it forces certain teams to try to “tank” harder for a better draft pick.    Matt: Home teams dominate after a season of historical success for road teams 2. Truth/Exaggeration -Minkah Fitzpatrick is a serious contender for DPOY honors -After the season, the Jaguars should trade either Nick Foles or Gardner Minshew  -Cam Newton has played his last snap as a Carolina Panther  -For the remainder of the season, the Chicago Bears must roll the dice and use Mitchell Trubisky the same way the Ravens used Lamar Jackson late last season -Three years from now, Lamar Jackson will be regarded as THE best QB from the 2018 draft class -The Niners and Saints are starting to separate themselves from the rest of th

1. Week 8 Takeaways Me:  -As Herm Edwards famously said “You play to win the game.” And it’s a MAJOR disappointment that many teams, in this new, uber-aggressive, offensive centric NFL still don’t get the point. Matt Nagy, WHY did you take a knee with 43 seconds left and one timeout left rather than gain more yards to make the game winning FG attempt easier. Broncos OC Rich Scangarello, WHY run a predictable draw on 3rd-and-5 rather than go for the kill to get the first down to ice the game? And Andy Reid, on a night when your defense struggled to contain Aaron Rodgers and Aaron Jones, AND when Matt Moore played very efficient football in place of Patrick Mahomes, WHY DID YOU PUNT on 4th and 3 near midfield with three minutes left in the game?? Hal: Welcome back Drew Brees! Cooper Kupp is on fire! 2. Midseason Awards Honor David Hal MVP Aaron Rodgers Aaron Rodgers Offensive POY Dalvin Cook Russell Wilson Defensive POY Stephon Gilmore Shaq Barrett Offensive ROY Gardner Minshew Josh Jacobs Defensive ROY

1. Week 7 Takeaways Me: -Four weeks ago, virtually every analyst and prognosticator (myself included) was calling Kirk Cousins a wasted signing for the Vikings. Fast forward to now, he’s made us all look like IDIOTS!!! The last three weeks, Cousins has completed 75.6% of his passed for 976 yards, 10 TD and 1 INT. He also is now tied for the league lead in yards per pass attempt AND he became the ONLY QB in NFL history with at least three straight games of at least 300 passing yards and a QBR of 130.0 or better. Nothing makes me happier than when players prove us wrong…so BRAVO Kirk Cousins and keep it up!!! Hal: The re-emergence of Aaron Rodgers and the Packers passing attack. Is Kyle Allen the new Dak Prescott and Cam the new Romo? 2. Truth/Exaggeration -The Indianapolis Colts should be a team NOBODY wants to play going forward -Lamar Jackson has a strong case for NFL MVP through the first seven weeks -The Bears should bench Mitchell Trubisky for Chase Daniel if he lays another egg this weekend -The Eagles s

1. Week 6 Takeaways Me:  -Officiating in the NFL (or in any sport) will NEVER be perfect, but it IS perfectible, and the NFL is ruining its product by not taking drastic steps to make it so. It is time for the so-called “Sky Judge” recommended by the coaches and for MUCH harsher penalties for officials with a habit of repeatedly blowing calls.  Matt: Defenses rule in the NFL right now. Patriots and 49ers, the two lone undefeated teams, are winning with defense. 2. Truth/Exaggeration -The Rams will regret trading two first-round picks for Jalen Ramsey in the long term -Jameis Winston is beyond repair, even for Bruce Arians -Freddie Kitchens should give up the play-calling duties to OC Todd Monken -With a healthy Sam Darnold, and the league’s easiest remaining schedule, the Jets are a team we shouldn’t be sleeping on in the playoff race -The Cowboys should NOT break the bank for Dak Prescott this offseason and make him play 2020 on the franchise tag instead -The Panthers, if they continue winning,

1. Week 5 Takeaways Me:  -The NFL may not be the passing league many think it is. Per Rick Gosselin of the Dallas Morning News, in Week 5, there were nine 300-yard passers and nine 100-yard rushers. The combined record of those passers last week? 4-5. The combined record of those runners? 8-1. Yes, passing is still king in the modern NFL, but running the ball is no less essential than it was in 1991. Just ask the 49ers, Colts, and Raiders who are off to excellent starts in large part due to their ground games. Hal: 10 games where we had teams within one score in the 4th quarter!!!!! 2. Truth/Exaggeration -The Raiders will finish 2019 with a better record than the Chargers -Vontaze Burfict should never play another down in the NFL -Freddie Kitchens and Adam Gase are more likely than not to be one and done head coaches barring dramatic improvement from their teams -Russell Wilson is now tied with (or even ahead of) Patrick Mahomes in the race for 2019 NFL MVP -The AFC North is the worst division in the

1. Week 4 Takeaways Me:  -So much for the regression of the Bears defense. They neutralized Dalvin Cook, easily the NFL’s most dynamic RB through the first three weeks MINUS Akiem Hicks AND Roquan Smith. Moreover, Chuck Pagano helped get career days out of their respective replacements in Nick Williams and Nick Kwiatkowski. -2019 hasn’t been kind to the blue chip prospects of the 2018 NFL Draft. Saquon Barkley (high ankle sprain), Denzel Ward (hamstring issue), Bradley Chubb (torn ACL), Roquan Smith (away from team indefinitely due to mysterious personal reasons), Josh Rosen (set up to fail…again). Hal: 2. Quarter Pole Awards Honor David Hal MVP Patrick Mahomes Patrick Mahomes Offensive POY Christian McCaffrey Keeenan Allen Defensive POY Shaq Barrett Shaq Barrett Offensive ROY Gardner Minshew Daniel Jones Defensive ROY Nick Bosa Brian Burns Comeback POY Dalvin Cook Dalvin Cook Coach Of The Year Matt Patricia Bruce Arians Assistant Coach Of The Year Todd Bowles (Bucs DC) Mike Pettine (Packers DC) 3.

1. Week 2 Takeaways -Me: The NFL MUST make its officials full-time employees after a lot of disastrous missed calls on Sunday. Here are a few that stood out. Even though it didn’t make the difference in the game, Jared Goff’s arm clearly wasn’t going forward and Cameron Jordan should’ve had a fumble-six. And while most of the attention in that wild Bears/Broncos game is going to be on the roughing the passer call on Bradley Chubb that shouldn’t have been (and rightfully so), the game shouldn’t have been still in play late as a careless, inadvertent whistle robbed the Bears of a Kyle Fuller pick-six. Are officials mainly to blame for the final outcome in that thrilling finish at Mile High? Of course not. But the NFL clearly needs people willing to devote every second to improving their officiating craft so we don’t have as many of these mistakes in the future -Hal: Patrick Mahomes just keeps IMPROVING!!!! 2. 2-0 teams (Contender or Imposter) -Bills -Ravens -Packers -Seahawks -49ers 3. This or That -Which of th

1. Week 1 Takeaways Me:  -Smaller (6’0” or under), faster wide receivers are the newest trend in the NFL….and Sunday showed you why, In recent years, the NFL seems to have preferred speed over size in the draft when it comes to WR. See John Ross in 2017, and Marquise “Hollywood” Brown this year. Both combined for 11 receptions, 305 yards and 4 TD’s in Week 1. Also, DeSean Jackson, in his return to Philly, went 8/154/2 and Redskins rookie Terry McLaurin went 5/125/1 in the same game, and could’ve had another long TD if not for a Case Keenum overthrow. -Titans D could be the NFL’s best this season Hal: 2. Truth/Exaggeration -If the Dallas Cowboys offense maintains the level of play they showed against the Giants all season long, Kellen Moore will be a head coach in 2020 -Dalvin Cook will be a serious contender for the 2019 NFL rushing title if he stays healthy -Gardner Minshew will steal the starting job away from Nick Foles in Jacksonville if he continues to play the way he did on Sunday and help

1. Truth/Exaggeration   -Given the Seahawks acquisition of Jadeveon Clowney, nobody should be surprised if the Seahawks either give the Rams a season-long run for their money in the NFC West or win that division altogether  -Regardless of how far the Dallas Cowboys go in 2019, they will regret in the long run not extending Dak Prescott before Zeke Elliott -With the Dolphins trading away Laremy Tunsil, one of the NFL’s rising young stars at a premium position, it screams to you that not only are they tanking 2019, they are tanking for a QB in the 2020 draft whether that be Tua Tagavoiloa or Justin Herbert -Houston Texans ownership must fire Bill O’Brien if the Texans don’t make it to the AFC Championship game this season 2. Packers at Bears -While most people are eager to see how Aaron Rodgers looks in this Matt LaFleur offense tonight (and rightfully so), I am even more eager to see how this Packers defense looks. Brian Gutekunst has quietly built a unit that I believe has the potential to

1. If the Bucs 2019 season can be summed in two words, those words are clearly Jameis Winston. This is the final year of his rookie contract and to give him his last best chance, the Bucs lured the QB whisperer himself Bruce Arians out of retirement to be their new head coach. Arians track record speaks for itself and if he can’t get the best out of Jameis, nobody can. If Jameis underwhelms this season, do you see the Bucs doing all they can to get the QB they want in the 2020 draft? 2. The fantasy appeal for this Bucs passing attack under Arians is mouth-watering. You obviously have Mike Evans (20.2 ADP) but Chris Godwin (43.4 ADP) is somebody the fantasy community and the Bucs are equally high on. Evans himself said he and Godwin are competing for that WR1 role. Would it surprise you if Godwin had as many or more receptions, receiving yards and TD’s as Evans?  3. Last year, the Bucs had one of the worst defenses in the NFL. While they may have added Todd Bowles, who is a fantastic DC, as well a poten

1. No pick in the 2019 NFL Draft was panned by the media more than the Giants selection of Daniel Jones at six overall. And this preseason, Jones has looked like a man on a mission to prove all the doubters wrong as through three games, he is 25/30 (83.3% completion rate), 369 yards, 2 TD’s and 0 INT. Eli Manning will begin the year under center, but if the Giants offense struggles badly the first two weeks, should Jones be starting in Week 3 or sooner? 2. Outside Saquon Barkley, no player on this Giants offense has more fantasy appeal than Evan Engram. Per Fantasy Football Calculator, his ADP is currently around 58 overall, slightly behind O.J. Howard. Would you be comfortable taking Engram as your starting TE at that juncture, or would you wait a round or two to take Jared Cook (72.2) or Vance McDonald (77.9)? 3. On paper, this Giants pass rush is one of the most uncertain units in the league. They are counting on second-year player Lorenzo Carter (a 2018 third-round pick) to supply the pressure off the e

Is Rob Gronkowski going to come back out of retirement? Does Sam Darnold have the supporting cast he needs for a breakout season? Is Brian Flores the right guy for the Dolphins? How good is this Bills defense? Our right-hand man Hal Bent joined us to answer these questions and a lot more about the 2019 AFC East!! Lots of great fantasy advice in here too!!!!

Good morning, afternoon, or evening wherever (or whenever) you are ladies and gentlemen! This is Sports Krunch with DKrom, I’m your host David Kromelow. Just three weeks from the moment of this recording, the centennial season of the National Football League will kick off. And in that spirit, we continue with the sixth round of our 2019 NFL division-by-division preview series with a look at the AFC North. And to help us analyze all things Bengals, Browns, Ravens, and Steelers it is a pleasure to welcome back Pete Smith back to the program. He currently is the editor for Browns Maven, a source all Browns fans should check out. How are you Pete, it’s great to have you back! 1. The Bengals hired Zac Taylor mainly because he worked with Sean McVay. And when you look at this Bengals offense…the pieces just might be there to replicate what the Rams have done on offense the past two seasons. You have a legitimate bellcow RB in Joe Mixon who can play the Todd Gurley role. And you have a trio of WR’s in A.J. Green, T

Good morning, afternoon, or evening wherever (or whenever) you are ladies and gentlemen! This is Sports Krunch with DKrom, I’m your host David Kromelow. 2019 NFL training camps are in the books and the 100th season of the greatest sports league in the world begins just three weeks from this Thursday night!!! And in that spirit, we continue with the fifth round of our 2019 NFL division-by-division preview series with a look at the NFC West. And to help us analyze all things Cardinals, Niners, Seahawks, and Rams, it is a pleasure to welcome Matt Barr to the program for the very first time. Matt is the co-host of the “4th and Gold” podcast, a MUST-listen for all 49ers fans. How are you doing Matt, it’s great to have you with us! 1. Kyler Murray may only be the second QB standing 5-10 or under in the Super Bowl era, but you can’t deny he has the potential to forever alter how the QB position is evaluated and scouted. As Kurt Warner pointed out during the draft, there are definitely similarities to Russell Wilso

1. Last season, the Raiders offense was pretty much unwatchable even before they traded Amari Cooper. Now they have Antonio Brown, arguably THE best wide receiver of the decade, whom they acquired in a trade from the Steelers. They also signed Tyrell Williams, an EXTREMELY underrated vertical receiving threat and they also drafted Josh Jacobs, a multi-dimensional RB from Alabama. However, if these new weapons are to take the league by storm and the Raiders are going to surprise some people this season, Derek Carr must play like he did in 2015 and his MVP-caliber 2016 season as opposed to how he has performed the previous two seasons. This is likely Carr’s final chance to cement himself as the Raiders franchise QB as the team can save $16.5 million by releasing him after this season. Do you think Derek Carr is still capable of being that QB we saw in 2016, or are his best days behind him?  2. FANTASY FOCUS: Antonio Brown may be getting a gold jacket one day, but from a fantasy perspective this season, he

Welcome back to Sports Krunch with DKrom ladies and gentlemen, I’m your host David Kromelow. NFL teams are already filing into training camp and today, the Denver Broncos just held the first training camp practice of the 2019 season. Football is officially back and in that spirit, we continue our 2019 division-by-division preview series with a dive into the AFC South. And joining us to analyze all things Colts, Jaguars, Texans, and Titans is our good friend Jake Arthur, who is currently a contributing writer for colts.com, the official website of the Indianapolis Colts.  1. I am one of a minority of people who is higher on Nick Foles with the Jaguars than most. The reason why? New Jags OC John DeFilippo coached Foles during his magical run in Philly in 2017. Is it realistic to think that we’ll get more of the good Nick Foles than the bad one this season given DeFilippo’s presence? 2. FANTASY FOCUS: Would you be happy taking Leonard Fournette at his current ADP (3.06 per Fantasy Football Calculator), or w

Welcome back to Sports Krunch with DKrom ladies and gentlemen, I’m your host David Kromelow. After a brief six-month hiatus, I am pleased to announce that we are back and ready to give you more exciting NFL content from all angles. Whether it be your favorite team, fantasy football, the NFL Draft or anything NFL-related, we will have you covered like never before. And how fitting is it that we return right now since the first of 32 NFL training camps begins in just a few days. In that spirit, we begin our 2019 NFL division-by-division preview series with a look at the NFC North. And to help us break down all things Bears, Vikings, Packers and Lions is our good friend Jordan Reid. Jordan is one of THE best football minds out there, especially when it comes to the NFL Draft. Over the past year, his career has taken off and he is becoming one of the go-to guys for NFL Draft information and analysis. He now writes for The Draft Network, my personal favorite NFL Draft site and hosts his own podcast “The Draft Boar

One of the biggest potential steals of the 2019 NFL Draft was the Chargers selection of Delaware S Nasir Adderley in the second round (60th overall pick). I caught up with Nasir at the 2019 Reese's Senior Bowl and we discussed whether range or ball skills is the most important attribute needed to play safety in the NFL, his close friendship with his former college teammate and current Bears DT Bilal Nichols, the influence of Hall of Famer Ed Reed on the safety position and MORE!!!

Eagles beat writer Les Bowen (Philadelphia Inquirer) joined us to  discuss a laundry list of potential cap casualties for the Eagles this  offseason, Carson Wentz’s health, and the possibility of the Eagles  trading Nick Foles, which is bigger than you may think

Our old friend Dave Birkett, who covers the Lions and the  NFL for the Detroit Free Press joined us again. He discussed the  puzzling hiring of new offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell, Matthew  Stafford’s future, why the Lions are likely to let DE Ziggy Ansah walk,  and the Lions plans in the 2019 NFL Draft. Also,  Dave is on the Pro Football Hall of Fame Board of Selectors and we talk  about next week’s vote for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s 2019 class