Does anyone actually think that Tom Brady won’t be playing in the AFC Championship game tomorrow? Brady has a hand injury that has limited him in practice and there are national media member out there that are reporting that he won’t be playing against the Jacksonville Jaquars. This of course if laughable; even if Brady is injured it would have to be a lot more serious than what’s being reported for him not to play. I actually heard a media member who has a popular sports television show go on a rant about how the Patriots would regret trading Jimmy Garoppolo because of this injury. Will the hand injury affect Brady’s play? It might, but it’s difficult to believe that they’re actually reporting or maybe just thinking that he won’t play.
I understand that there hasn’t been much to report from these two upcoming series and with the baseball free agent market at a stand still there isn’t much to talk about, but this is one of the stupidest stories that the media has reported on in a while.
If someone allowed you to bet a which four quarterbacks would be starting in the two championship games tomorrow; how many would you have gotten right? My guess would be one and that would be Brady. If you had Blake Bortles, Case Keenum and Nick Foles as the other three out should be cleaning up in Vegas as a professional gambler.
Keenum and Foles are only playing because of injuries to other quarterbacks. In Keenum’s case it took two injuries to other quarterbacks to make him the Vikings starter. Remember that Bortles was so bad in the pre-season that Jacksonville started Chad Henne in the last pre-season game and actually considered going with him as their starter for Week 1.
Bortles has had his struggles throwing the football in the Jaquars two playoff wins, but they’ve won. Bortles is just 26 of 49 for 301 yards, Now there have been quarterbacks who have done that in one game. Bortles has 2 touchdown passes and hasn’t thrown an interception I the playoffs. What has really come to light in the playoffs is Bortles ability to run the football. Bortles has only been sacked two times in the Jaquars two playoff games and he’s ran with the football 15 times for 123 yards with a long run of 20 yards. Will Bortles new found rushing talent be on display against the Patriots on Sunday?
Foles was a break out star for Chip Kelly back in 2013 and he was solid the next season, but after that he’s had his struggles. Foles took over at quarterback for the Eagles when Carson Wentz went down with an injury and made three starts this season. In his one playoff starts against the Atlanta Falcons. Foles had great success on the run/pass options plays in the Eagles offense. Foles completed 23 of his 30 passes (76.7%) for 246 yards. Using the run/pass options Foles was able to get rid of the football quickly and was sacked just one time in the Eagles 15-10 win over the Falcons. Will Foles have the same success against the Vikings on Sunday?
After putting up big numbers at the University of Houston Keenum went undrafted and signed with the Houston Texans. In three seasons with the Texans Keenum made ten starts and was 2-8. He then spent two season with the Rams. one in St. Louis and one in Los Angeles. Keenum made fourteen starts with the Rams and went 7-7. The Vikings brought Keenum in to add quarterback depth as Sam Bradford was their starter and Teddy Bridgewater was still working his way back from injury that cost him the entire 2016 season. Bradford went down in Week 2 and ended up missing the rest of the season. Keenum stepped in making 14 starts for the Vikings going 11-3.
Now I’m sure even Vikings fans can admit that it took a little bit of luck to get Minnesota into the NFC Championship game, but Keenum was solid against a improved New Orleans defense. He went 25 of 40 for 318 yards; throwing one interceptions, but most importantly connecting with Stefon Diggs on the game winning touchdown pass. Keenum can also be a threat running the football, but likes to use that ability to extend plays in the pocket. New Orleans only sacked Keenum one time last week.
So over in the AFC we have the quarterback who many consider to be the greatest of all time against a former #3 overall draft pick that people where looking at as a bust coming into this season.
Then over in the NFC we have two journeymen quarterbacks who even if their teams went on to win the Super Bowl probably wouldn’t be the starters for their team coming into next season.
The NFL works in weird ways when it comes to who your quarterback ends up being.
While the free agent market in baseball is still at a stand still the St. Louis Cardinals have re-shaped their outfield through the trade market.
The Cardinals first went out and plucked Marcell Ozuna away from the rebuilding Miami Marlins. With the acquisition of Ozuna there wasn’t really room for Stephen Piscotty and Randal Grichuk in the Cardinals outfield.
In a class move the Cardinals sent Piscotty to the Oakland A’s; so he could not only continue his baseball career, but be close to his ailing mother who lives in the Oakland area.
It looked like the Cardinals where going to go with a four outfielder set up of Ozuna, Dexter Fowler and Tommy Pham along with Grichuk. That was until yesterday.
St. Louis traded Grichuk to the Toronto Blue Jays for two minor league right hand pitchers Connor Greene and Dominic Leone. By picking up Grichuk the Blue Jays have also re-shaped their outfield as earlier in the week they signed Curtis Granderson to a one year $5 million dollar deal.
Who knows if and or when the top free agents will actually be signed as there appears to be very little if any movement on contract talks. Luckily we’ve had some trades to keep us interested in baseball this off season.
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