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Hacksaw’s NFL Preview-Thursday Podcast-1:30pm
You Tube-Lee Hacksaw Hamilton
Hot Topics on Table-Stay for Fans Forum
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AFC EAST:
BUFFALO..Win by default..Josh Allen, James Cook, young wide receivers and proven tight ends. But it’s not an NFL high ranked defense there any longer. Drafted 5-on defense but Max Hairston won’t be ready to start the season…Add on WR-Josh Palmer and Elijah Moore should help.
NEW ENGLAND..Mike Vrable changes the culture and changed alot of the roster. But he has Drake Maye as his big time QB, a load of free agents to fill holes on defense, but a real need for the right skill people to put around the quarterback. Keep an eye on RB-Tre’Veyon Henderson….9-veteran free agents coming in will start and 3-high picks will be starters. Big jump coming.
MIAMI..Something seems very wrong in South Florida. Quality players leaving. A troubled player staying. And the annual keep-Tua-healthy debate. All their DBs are gone from a year ago. The young running back always seems hurt. Tyreek Hill does not seem to be the same player any longer. DT-Kenneth Grant will help the front but they look think at skill spots… Mike McDaniel is on the hot seat.
NY JETS…Aaron Glenn faces a big challenge to turn this around, and he is trusting journeyman QB-Justin Fields and a rebuilt defense. But the talent level is way down. Garrett Wilson and Sauce Gardner need more help. The depth chart on offense looks like a grab-bag of roster pickups.
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AFC NORTH::
BALTIMORE…Lamar Jackson has done everything but win on Super Bowl Sunday. The front office has done everything to put the right players around the quarterback, from Derrick Henry to receivers and tight ends. And the defense is loaded. Malachi Starks-Mike Green are Ravens type players. The time is right.
PITTSBURGH..They have what they have not had in recent years, a difference maker at quarterback, and they do, now Aaron Rodgers. The defense is typical Steel-tough. DK Metcalf arrives to compliment the receivers and tight ends. It looks like a complete team, and Mike Tomlin needs something he has not had in a long time, a playoff win. Getting Jalen Ramsey and draft pick Derek Harmon are huge pickups.
CINCINNATI..The firepower is fabulous, Joe Burrow and his receivers. The defense seems deficient, again and again. They need to be in the playoffs. I fear they are wasting the quarterback’s career. Why draft a #1 pick who had 1-sack last year? Can you protect the QB? Who will stand out on defense?
CLEVELAND..Big paydays for pass rusher Myles Garrett, but not big time players on offense. Lots of talent on defense, but a history of injury issues on the offensive line and at running back. Is there a quarterback for the future there? They seem stuck with the Deshaun Watson mistake? Like drafting the DT-LB early but the health issues still loom. Kevin Stefanski’s job seems impossible.
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AFC SOUTH:
HOUSTON..A super job of roster building by the front office and coaching by DeMico Ryans. And yet an overhaul of the offensive front to better protect CJ Stroud. Pass rushers Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter are outfront and dangerous..Key is getting veteran RBs healthy and on the field, and making sure the new OTs can hold up.
JACKSONVILLE..Liam Coen takes over as coach, brings a dynamic playbook, and has a mandate to make QB-Trevor Lawrence dangerous. Fun to see how they deploy Travis Hunter. Important they stay healthy. Are these the right RBs on the roster? But it is a weak division.
INDIANAPOLIS..Daniel Jones takes over after the franchise gave up on Anthony Richardson. Do they have enough skill people? Getting TE-do everything Ty Warren is an upgrade. Can they keep the defense healthy? A likely long season.
TENNESSEE..Cam Ward takes over and it will be a long learning curve season. This is a major rebuild. Love the Jeffrey Simmons-built defense, but they cannot be on the field 60-minutes per Sunday. .
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AFC WEST:
KANSAS CITY..The season turns on what happens at LT-RT and if the Chiefs get yes answers to better protect Patrick Mahomes. They want to be explosive, and think the combo of receivers and tight ends, with Mahomes hitting explosive plays, means KC is an elite team again. The defense is big-physical but needs more help for Chris Jones. Losing Rashee Rice for critical games against the Chargers-Ravens-Lions-Eagles during that 6-week vacation will be challenging.
DENVER..Sean Payton-Bo Nix, a pretty good combo. Now they add JK Dobbins, Evan Engram and some skill draft picks. Oh by the way the defense is loaded, healthy, and dynamic at all three levels. Keep an eye for names like Barron–Greenlaw–Tufnaga. Big upgrades.
CHARGERs…GM-Joe Horwitz has packaged back-to-back deep drafts. It means they are young around QB-Justin Herbert. If Najee Harris can be a trust worthy tough guy running back, if Omani Hampton is the real deal. If Quentin Johnston arrives as a consistent receiver, then this will be a dangerous offense. But the loss of a LT, a knee ailment to his new RG, and the fact they lost 3-veteran defensive lineman, worries me.
RAIDERS..A new era, with a proven leader, Pete Carroll, a big play QB-Geno Smith, and the arrival of Ashton Jeanty brings explosiveness to Las Vegas. But there are holes everywhere on defense, the loss of DT-Christian Wilkens and alot of veterans on the back seven. They will be fun to watch, but they don’t have enough people. They need name tags for the back seven on defense. Need to patch all the holes on OL.
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NFC EAST:
PHILADELPHIA…They won the ring with every type of talent Howie Roseman could stockpile. But this has been a strange off season. A number of young players on defense left as free agents. His RT-has injury issues. His RG-left as a free agent. They are good, the best in the division, but might not be the same team. The spent their top five picks on defense.
WASHINGTON..What a surprise team last year. Can Jayden Daniels repeat it? Can Deebo Samuels add something alongside Terry McLaurin. The defense is grossly under-rated.
DALLAS..Jerry Jones makes changes, but are they for the best? Last year was a wreckage of injuries, and now Micah Parsons is gone. They are young and athletic on defense , but do they have enough to work with Dak Prescott. Can George Pickens match the dangerous Cee Dee Lamb? Is there really a heavy duty running back there?.
NEW YORK GIANTS…A very different type team. Very good defense, and you add Abdul Carter. Russell Wilson will run the offense with Jaxson Dart waiting in the wings. The wildcard will be keeping Malik Nabers healthy…Love the front seven
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NFC NORTH:
GREEN BAY…Big play offense with Jordan Love and a staff of young wide receivers, and add on Matt Golden, and a strong run game. Now you add Micah Parsons to a fierce pass rush. QBs on other teams are headed for nightmare games.
DETROIT..Dan Campbell has built some tremendous rosters, but now two years in a row, injuries have torn apart key parts of his roster, across both lines. Jared Goff -Jamhyr Gibbs lead an offense that will remain dangerous. Can the defense get healthy-stay healthy? 5-key guys missed last year that side of the ball, and they are back led by Aiden Hutchinson.
MINNESOTA..A great mystery despite the success of coach Kevin O’Connell. A 3rd different starting QB in 3-years, and this is an untested JJ McCarthy. A load of pass catchers and a pair of running backs, plus a fierce pass rush in a rebuilt defense. Can a green QB drive the Purple to a great season?
CHICAGO..New coach Ben Johnson, young QB-Caleb Williams and a flurry of young wideouts, plus a TE-Courtland Loveland, means the offense will be fun to watch. They have added to the defense too, but look at the division they are in.
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NFC SOUTH:
TAMPA BAY..Baker Mayfield has arrived as a star, and the catalyst of all things the Bucs represent. Need to keep the WR group healthy. Do they have a legitimate big time back. No doubt the defense is fierce, including that front seven..
ATLANTA..Michael Penix, it’s your team. If not a pretty good insurance policy backup Kirk Cousins takes over. Like the TE-WR-combo. They are ailing in the OL. Wonder if they have enough defense, though they drafted pass rusheers.?
CAROLINA..Big year coming for Bryce Young, forced fed as a top draft pick, then came back strong after last year’s benching. Now you give him Teta McMillon and Xavier Legette in the last two drafts, could be better on offense. Defense-I don’t know.
NEW ORLEANS..Team in trouble despite having Chris Olave and Alvin Kamara on the roster. Who’s your QB? Can you protect him? Do you have enough people to defend? .
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NFC WEST:
LA RAMS..Came within a snowball throw of getting to the Super Bowl last year. Now a very young defense, a developing OL, and a cross section of talent around Matthew Stafford, means this could be a complete-deep-dangerous team. Keeping Stafford healthy will be huge.
SEATTLE..Is Sam Darold the real deal after that great Vikings season? Will they miss DK Metcalf? Can they keep their running backs healthy? How much gas does Dooper Kupp have left. How deep is the defense beyond that front?
ARIZONA..Jon Gannon preaches-teaches defense and is pretty good. Now you have Kyler Murray and a better receiving corps go to go with veteran running backs, maybe it is a break thru season. Do like adding DE-Josh Sweat and drafting Walter Nolen.
SAN FRANCISCO…Last year was awful, this year might be as bad. Yes Brock Purdy and Christian McCaffrey lead the offense, and you add RB-Brian Robiinson, but the receiver corps has been wiped out by injuries. Add in salary cap losses and veterans departing. They spent 5-draft picks on defense. It might worse than last year’s (6-11) campaign.
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