The Sports Beacon

How the Philadelphia Eagles went from good to great in just one year

On November 20th, 2023 the Eagles were flying high after defeating the defending Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs 21-17, vaulting their season record to 10-1. Fast forward to January 7th, 2024 and this same Eagles team limped into the playoffs after losing five of their last six games enroute to a memorable late-season collapse. Adding further insult to injury, the team was dismantled a week later by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC Wild Card round, with a humiliating final score of 32-9.

One year later, the Philadelphia Eagles are Super Bowl Champions after dominating the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX, with the final game score of 40-22 failing to capture the blowout score of 40-6 the game held midway through the 4th quarter. So, how exactly did the Eagles go from an 11-6 team last year which barely made the playoffs and was bounced in the first round to a 14-3 juggernaut that scored the most points ever in a postseason run (145) enroute to an impressive Super Bowl triumph? There are plenty of reasons for their success, but here are the most important ones.

Vic Fangio hiring pays massive dividends

If you watched the Super Bowl this year and you still don’t believe that defense wins championships, then I really don’t know what to tell you as the Eagles defensive line dominated the Chiefs offensive line all night long in holding them to “22” (6) points.

Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio took over a defense that last season ranked 26th in total defense, 30th in scoring defense, and 31st in passing defense and he transformed the unit into one that ranked 1st, 2nd, and 1st in those stats this season.

Now, the team did add a few starting defensive players in veteran LB Zack Baun and rookie CBs Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean during the offseason, but the core of that defensive line (Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, etc). remained mostly unchanged. Elite coaching matters, and the Eagles made the right hire at defensive coordinator.

Free agent signings become contributors

Zach Baun led the team in tackles last season, while Saquan Barkley set the NFL’s single season rushing record, & Mekhi Becton stabilized the team’s offensive line. What do these players have in common? They signed with the team last offseason. These players (and other signings) played critical roles in the Eagles’ team success.

Going from good to great is never easy in the NFL, but adding new players to the team who make an immediate impact is a way to aid in the success of that process. GM Howie Roseman conducted a masterclass of an offseason, and it didn’t end with the free agents that the team signed either, as several rookies also made an impact.

Rookies make an immediate impact

CB Cooper DeJean was Pro Football Focus’ highest-graded cornerback last season, and he showed why PFF valued him so highly on the game’s biggest stage as his pick-six against Patrick Mahomes in the Super Bowl iced the game in favor of the Eagles. His rookie running mate at cornerback, Quinyon Mitchell, wasn’t far behind him in the PFF rankings as he ended up being ranked in 8th place amongst all NFL corners.

Rookies aren’t supposed to come into the NFL and immediately become All-Pro level players, but that’s exactly what happened for the Eagles as both DeJean and Mitchell spearheaded the team’s defensive renaissance in a historic season for the franchise. Now after mentioning the players who spearheaded the team’s defense, it would be remiss of me not to mention the guy who revitalized the team’s offense this season.

Kellen Moore gives the offense a new identity

Last but certainly not least, Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore deserves a ton of credit for orchestrating a dominant offensive unit that leaned heavily on the rushing talents of RB Saquan Barkley while mixing in big plays in the passing game. The offensive line didn’t miss any beats following the retirement of franchise center Jason Kelce in the offseason either, injecting third year C Cam Jurgens into Kelce’s former role while also adding RG Mehki Becton to fill the team’s void at right guard.

Moore basically knew what he had in Barkley and he decided to design the offensive unit around him, which led itself to an offense that held the fewest passing attempts (448), 2nd fewest completions (303), and 3rd fewest passing yards (3,517) amongst NFL teams, but the formula worked out quite well with championship rings for the franchise and a new head coaching position for Moore with the New Orleans Saints. This was a rare win-win hire for both the franchise and the coach even though the relationship only lasted one year, proving that the Eagles made the right call at OC.

All I wanted for Christmas this year was a Braves free agent signing (or trade)

This will be my reaction whenever the Braves decide to finally make a move this offseason…

It’s hard to fathom, but the Braves have done very little of note so far this offseason. The team currently has the exact same needs (OF, SS, SP, RP) as they did to begin their offseason, which began back in early October after an NLDS loss to the Padres.

Alex Anthopoulos has made some recent depth signings in the form of OFs Bryan De La Cruz and Carlos Rodriguez, as well as signing several relievers (RHP Davis Daniel, LHP Brian Moran, RHP Enyel De Los Santos) to minor league contracts; however, for a team that has already lost Max Fried, A.J. Minter, Charlie Morton, and Travis d’Arnaud to free agency this offseason, these signings feel insignificant.

It’s no secret that the Braves are operating with a tight budget after going up against the luxury tax over the past three seasons; however, there are reasons to believe that the team still has some money available to spend based on the findings in this piece. That said, let’s make a wishlist of players who are still on the market that the Braves may have realistic interest in signing or trading for as the 2025 season approaches.

OF Jurickson Profar (free agent)

2024 stats: .280 avg / .380 OBP / .459 SLG

Profar makes some sense for the Braves in that they need a LF who can hit, but he won’t necessarily come cheap after turning in a career year for the Padres in 2024. The 31-year- old former top prospect of the Texas Rangers made the All-Star Game for the first time in his career after signing a one-year “prove it” deal last offseason. His .839 OPS led the Padres and ranked 11th among hitters in the National League.

Defense isn’t really Profar’s calling card, but much like last season with Jorge Soler the team could live with the defensive shortcomings in exchange for the impact bat. What type of contract that Profar wants after languishing on the open market for a while will determine the level of interest that the Braves will have in signing him.

SS Ha-Seong Kim (free agent)

2024 stats: .233 avg / .330 OBP / .370 SLG

Kim is the type of contact hitter that the Braves really need to add to their lineup this offseason as his career rates in chase % (98), whiff % (92), and walk % (96) are all excellent marks amongst the elite hitters according to his Baseball Savant page. The 29-year-old is also a plus defender who has 78 stolen bases in four MLB seasons. He doesn’t hit for much power, but the Braves wouldn’t need him to in their lineup.

Just how serious are the Braves about upgrading over Orlando Arcia this offseason? The answer to this question will determine whether or not they sign a guy like Kim. Arcia was one of the worst hitters in MLB last season, but his defense remains solid. Could the team sign Kim, which would then relegate Arcia to their bench? Perhaps.

SS Bo Bichette (Blue Jays)

2024 stats: .225 avg / .277 OBP / .322 SLG

Bichette represents an opportunity for the Braves to buy low on a 26-year-old player who has a career slash line of .290/.332/.466 across 6 MLB seasons with the Blue Jays. His Baseball Savant page reveals that he’s an above-average defender in terms of his range (Outs Above Average) but a below-average defender in terms of arm strength.

What would the cost be to acquire a player of Bichette’s caliber from the Blue Jays? He has one year remaining on his current contract, so any team that would trade for him would also likely be inclined to offer him a contract extension in the short term. Alex Anthopoulos likes to sign the team’s young players to long-term deals though, so this trade makes some sense for a team desperate to find an answer at shortstop.

SP Jordan Montgomery (DBacks)

2024 stats: 21 starts, 117 innings, 6.23 ERA

This trade makes plenty of sense for the Braves given a need in the starting rotation. Chris Sale, Reynaldo López, and Spencer Schwellenbach form an ideal trio at the top of the rotation, but with Spencer Strider’s availability in doubt for Opening Day due to his recovery from UCL surgery, the makeup of the rest of the unit is less certain.

The Diamondbacks are reportedly willing to take on part of Montgomery’s contract to facilitate a trade as well after the recent signing of starting pitcher Corbin Burnes. He’s coming off a down year too, which creates an opportunity to buy low on a good player making $22.5M in 2025, which is a bargain in today’s starting pitcher market. It’s hard to find left-handed starters in today’s game who offer both consistency and reliability, and Montgomery offers these qualities at a fraction of the market price.

RP Tanner Scott (free agent)

2024 stats: 28 games, 84 strikeouts, 1.75 ERA

Where there’s smoke there’s usually fire, & according to a recent report, the Braves have interest in signing Scott now that his asking price has (probably) come down. The bullpen is in need of reinforcements with A.J. Minter and Jesse Chavez being free agents and Joe Jiménez set to miss most of the 2025 season due to knee surgery. Adding a player like Scott would surely help to bolster the unit & provide insurance.

Signing Scott would effectively end A.J. Minter’s tenure with the Braves though, as it seems very unlikely that the team has enough money available to sign both players. These guys are two of the best lefty relievers in the game, and will be valued as such. That said, this conversation does segue into the next available player on my wishlist.

RP A.J. Minter (free agent)

2024 stats: 39 games, 35 strikeouts, 2.62 ERA

Minter is a player that the Braves are very comfortable with after he has spent his entire eight-year career in Atlanta developing into one of the best relievers in MLB. He wouldn’t be a new addition nor a sexy signing for the team, but bringing him back into the fold would strengthen the roster’s bullpen as it’s currently constructed. A.J. also wants to stay here, and perhaps he is willing to take a hometown discount in order to do so, especially considering that he’s still recovering from hip surgery.

If Alex Anthopoulos has confidence in A.J.’s ability to recover from his injury in short-order, why wouldn’t he look into re-signing the former Night Shift member? Re-signing Minter also seems unlikely to prevent AA from investing in any of the other guys (besides Scott) on this list to continue with bolstering the team’s roster.

The Atlanta Falcons should fire GM Terry Fontenot

With Saturday’s headline-grabbing news that the franchise plans to release QB Kirk Cousins before the start of the new league year on March 17th, it’s time to reassess whether or not the team’s regime should continue to stand as currently constructed. After all, the team just signed Cousins to a four-year, $180M contract this offseason. Perhaps signing a 35-year-old QB coming off a major injury wasn’t such a good idea..

This isn’t the only reason that the GM should be driven out of town however, as his trade excursions, free agency signings, & draft choices have left much to be desired. From Matthew Judon to Marcus Mariota to Kyle Pitts, this team has seen more than its fair share of mistakes since Fontenot took over as the General Manager in 2021. Let’s take a look at a few of the more high-profile mistakes that the team has made in recent years & assess what went wrong as the team’s braintrust is on the hot seat.

Kirk Cousins signing

The Kirk Cousins signing looks even worse now with the aforementioned news that the QB is expected to be released before next season combined with the fact that the veteran was recently benched in favor of a rookie QB (Michael Penix, Jr.) in Week 16. There simply wasn’t any logic behind signing a 35-year-old QB who was coming off of a major Achilles injury to a four-year, $180M deal with $100M guaranteed, along with then immediately selecting his successor (Penix) in the 1st round of the draft.

This decision will ultimately set the team back several years, as there will be dead cap hits spread out between 2025, 2026, and 2027 that will impact the team’s ability to sign marquee free agent players in those years due to a relative lack of cap space. All in all, the team will have given up too much for a 7-7 record & 16 INTs this year.

Matthew Judon trade

Speaking of giving up too much for little return on investment, the 2025 third-round pick that the Falcons will send to the Patriots next year for Matthew Judon’s services looks even worse in hindsight then it did at the time that the transaction was made. Thankfully, the team hedged their bets on Judon at the time of the trade by refusing to sign the 32-year-old pass rusher to a second contract before playing for the team. Still though, the player’s on-field production (3.5 sacks) leaves much to be desired..

The Marcus Mariota experiment

Marcus Mariota signed a two-year, $18.75M deal with the Falcons in 2022 in the wake of the team’s abrupt trade of starting QB Matt Ryan to the Indianapolis Colts. How anyone in the Falcons organization ever came to the conclusion that Mariota would be a viable replacement for Ryan is beyond my understanding as a journalist. Mariota was an embarrassment for the franchise from the start, with the low point being this bad pass attempt in a Thursday night game against the Carolina Panthers.

Deshaun Watson fiasco

Not only did the team miss out on signing Deshaun Watson (really dodging a bullet there), but the PR nightmare that followed included the dismissal of QB Matt Ryan. So not only did the team publicly miss out on signing QB Deshaun Watson, but Matt Ryan was traded away as a result, and from there Fontenot made several mistakes in his attempts at filling the void at the quarterback position with the failed signing of Marcus Mariota, the ill-advised drafting of Desmond Ridder, & the Cousins contract.

Fontenot attempted four key unsuccessful strategies (Watson, Mariota, Ridder, and Cousins) in his failed attempts to replace former franchise QB Matt Ryan, and these moves have resulted in opportunity costs that have set the franchise back for years. That fact alone is grounds for dismissal, but Fontenot has been given a long leash.

Kyle Pitts selection

An anonymous executive with 20-plus seasons of NFL personnel work made the following statements regarding Kyle Pitts in a recent interview, “one of the biggest disappointments I have ever scouted. Some flashes, but rarely regularly involved in the offense… [he’s] definitely a bust based on expectations and who they passed up.”

Here are just a few of the players that Fontenot passed over in the 2021 NFL Draft in favor of selecting TE Kyle Pitts with the No. 4 overall pick: WR Ja’Marr Chase (No. 5), WR Jaylen Waddle (No. 6), OT Penei Sewell (No. 7), & EDGE Micah Parsons (No. 12). Selecting any of these players would have made sense for the team at the time given their roster needs, but Chase & Sewell in particular are on Hall of Fame trajectories. Fontenot’s selection of Pitts is actually emblematic of his first draft class as a whole, which outside of Drew Dalman (C) has failed to produce any main starting players.

Beyond that, one could say that the selection of Kyle Pitts over other talented players is emblematic of Terry Fontenot’s tenure as General Manager of the Atlanta Falcons. There were many decisions that were made during his tenure thus far where all of the options were considered and ultimately the worst option would always win out. That’s why, in this sportswriter’s humble opinion, it is time for the team to move on.

End of an Error: Giants cut Daniel Jones

The Daniel Jones era is over in New York.

The Giants certainly took a chance when they selected QB Daniel Jones out of Duke with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, and the gamble didn’t pay off at all. Daniel Jones was benched by the New York Giants this week after 70 middling starts. He was later relegated to fourth-string quarterback before being released on Friday.

Jones started 70 games for the Giants franchise in his nearly six seasons in the NFL, compiling a 24-45-1 career record as a starting QB for three different head coaches. He was given a long leash to establish himself as a franchise quarterback; however, despite being given a contract extension in 2023, he never really managed to do so.

Draft Profile

Daniel Jones’ NFL draft profile gave him a prospect rating of 6.3 out of 8.0, which indicated that he should be drafted between rounds 1 & 2, but that he was regarded as an “eventual plus starter” and not a Year 1 starter (6.7) nor a Pro Bowl talent (7.0). NFL writer Lance Zierlein listed the following weaknesses in Daniel Jones’ collegiate game, weaknesses that would continue throughout his NFL career to date, “attempts throws into some impossible windows. Showed willingness to throw it up for grabs rather than take sack. Loose ball handling in the face of pressure leads to fumbles.”

Long story short, he was never worthy of being selected with the No. 6 overall pick. Jones’ profile warned that, “[he] is more of a Day 2 than Day 1 draft pick,” while his NFL player comparison was Ryan Tannehill, who was himself a mid-tier starting QB. This is a classic example of what happens when a team reaches for a QB in the draft.

Turnover woes

Turnovers have been Daniel Jones’ Achilles heel, as he has compiled nearly as many turnovers (73) as total touchdowns (85) with an average of 1.04 turnovers per game. For comparison’s sake, Jameis Winston has an average of 1.26 turnovers per contest in his career; however, the reason why Jameis has moderate success in comparison to Jones is that his yards per attempt number (7.7) is higher than Jones’ mark of 5.9.

Some of these turnover woes are attributed to the G-Men having the worst offensive line in the league since 2019, but the quarterback still needs to take care of the ball. He has accumulated more turnovers (73) than starts (70) in his brief career to date. The team gave him ample opportunities to improve this facet of his game, but he was never able to despite the team showing faith in him by extending his contract.

Contract decisions

The Giants organization declined to pick up the fifth-year option on their QB in 2022. This was the correct decision at the time, as Jones had failed to improve upon a solid rookie season in his two years afterwards, throwing for less yards and TDs each year. Jones responded by proving himself in his contract year in 2022, setting career high marks in passing yards (3,205), passing touchdowns (15), & yards per attempt (6.8).

Despite his record and propensity for turnovers, the Giants then decided before the 2023 season that it would be wise to sign Jones to a 4-year, $160M contract extension. Unfortunately, their QB suffered through what was the worst season of his career in 2023 while dealing with an awful neck injury before tearing his ACL after six starts. Fast forward to 2024, and Jones put together yet another ineffective season in which he completed 63.3% of his passes for 2,070 yards, 8 touchdowns, & 7 interceptions. After 10 starts this year, the team’s brass decided that they had seen enough of Jones.

Closing thoughts

The Giants franchise braintrust deserves their share of the blame for Jones’ failure, as they drafted him higher than he ever should have been drafted, cycled through three head coaches during his tenure, and never put him in a position to succeed due to an underwhelming supporting cast & consistently lackluster offensive line. These failures were then compounded when the team signed Jones to the massive contract extension, as the organization didn’t understand the limitations of Jones.

That said, the player should have shown some signs of improvement over 70 starts. His best season to date is still arguably his rookie year in which he completed 61.9% of his passes (6.6 yards per att.) for 3,027 yards, 24 touchdowns, & 12 interceptions. He had a decent year in 2022 that set him up for the contract extension, but outside of that he never managed to shed his label of being a turnover-prone game manager. Most franchises would’ve given up on their QB much earlier, but the Giants showed unwavering faith in their quarterback that would ultimately prove to be misguided.

Falcons are NFL trade deadline losers

The Falcons have decided to head down Losers Street.

The Atlanta Falcons organization will regret their decision to forego adding much-needed reinforcements on the defensive line as the NFL trade deadline has passed. Adding legitimate talent to a pass-rushing unit that has struggled to produce in 2024 should have been the priority, as the unit has been the team’s kryptonite this season. Several opportunities were presented for the team to make a move(s) to upgrade the unit, but the trade options were inexplicably turned down in favor of the status quo.

Opportunities were available

The Lions, Chiefs, and Steelers all traded for pass rushers on Tuesday’s deadline for fifth, sixth, & seventh round picks respectively; meanwhile, the Falcons decided to remain content with having Matthew Judon and Arnold Ebiketie as their primary pass rushers on an underwhelming defensive line that struggles to create pressure.

Players like Za’Darius Smith, Josh Uche, and Preston Smith would have been instant impact starters for the team, & each player would certainly have upgraded the unit. Azeez Ojulari, Emmanuel Ogbah, and Jadeveon Clowney were amongst players who were not traded but that would have made sense for the Falcons to make a move for. Marquee names such as Myles Garrett and Maxx Crosby were theoretically available as well, though it would have been a tall order to negotiate acquiring their services.

One clear and obvious need

A mediocre pass-rushing unit has been the Falcons Achilles’ heel for over a decade. In other words this isn’t a new issue but a recurring one that needs to be addressed. Coaching changes, scheme changes, and personnel changes during this time have failed to produce any meaningful results in Atlanta’s struggle at rushing the passer.

This year though, the rest of the team’s roster is actually in decent shape, outside of needing some depth at positions like offensive line, wide receiver, and linebacker. That’s why it was so strange to see the Falcons stand pat at the trade deadline, as it seemed rather clear and obvious that the team had only one need worth addressing. Not only that, but their status as NFC contenders made upgrading the team worth it.

Division is there for the taking

Don’t look now, but the Dirty Birds are comfortably leading the NFC South division. They have a 6-3 record right now, with the 4-5 Buccaneers standing in second place. The Panthers are a dumpster fire, while the (S)aints recently fired their head coach. Here we are in early November and the team already has a 94.7% chance to win the division, which tells you all that you need to know about the state of the NFC South.

Add all of this up, and it’s easy to see why the Falcons should have been much more aggressive in their attempts to add a veteran pass rusher at the NFL trade deadline. The team ranks last in the NFL heading into Week 10 with just 9 sacks on the season. There are NFL players such as Trey Hendrickson (11) and Dexter Lawrence (9) who have more sacks individually this season than the Falcons do as an entire defense. That’s a huge problem, one that this writer believes will hamper the team later on.

Braves strike first as MLB offseason begins

The Los Angeles Dodgers have been declared 2024 World Series champions, which means that the 2025 MLB offseason has officially begun and is currently underway. Why is that important? Well, the Braves are one of a small handful of teams to have already begun making offseason transactions, as Braves GM Alex Anthopoulos isn’t wasting any time at all in getting his team ready for the upcoming 2025 MLB season.

Coaching staff shakeup

Alex Anthopoulos recently decided to fire longtime hitting coach Kevin Seitzer and assistant hitting coach Bobby Magallanes, with catching coach Sal Fasano let go too. These decisions certainly weren’t easy ones for the Braves GM to make, as all three coaches were integral to the 2021 staff that helped the Braves win the World Series. Not only that, but just over year ago the team’s hitters put together a historic season.

That said, when Chipper Jones called out the team’s hitting approach in a September podcast interview, most of us here in Braves Country surely took a moment to listen. Chipper’s comments on the matter were strong ones in saying that, “working with the Braves for the last couple of years [was] very frustrating… I can’t stand giving away outs, I can’t stand strikeouts… all of these [small] things that really help you accumulate numbers, they don’t care. 100 RBIs, so what? I want to hit 40 dingers… Having worked with Alex Anthopoulos, they want slug & they want guys who get on base at a high clip, but they don’t promote enough, I think, the getting on base part.”

New hitting coach hired

The announcement from the Braves regarding coaching staff changes occurred on October 10th, and on October 24th the team announced that they have acquired one new replacement as Tim Heyers joined the coaching staff as the team’s hitting coach after previously serving in the same position for the Texas Rangers from 2021-2024.

Heyers was interviewed shortly after his hire, where he said that he believes in three core principles, “game planning, swing decisions, and our movements in the batter’s box… if you [become] dominant at those [core principles], then that helps your team be prepared, be disciplined, and also become more fluid. The fluid part of it is very important because you have to be able to score the runs in multiple different ways.”

This is a big hire for a team that desperately needed a change in hitting philosophy. Yes, there were a myriad of injuries last season, but many of the team’s star players (when healthy) performed far below what their normal expectations were at in 2024. Chipper Jones gave his seal of approval on the hire shortly after the announcement.

Jorge Soler traded for starter

Jorge Soler will forever be a legendary figure in Atlanta, but it was time for the team to move on after reuniting with the former World Series MVP in a midseason trade. The Giants played him strictly at DH before he was traded back to the Braves, where he frequently played in the outfield because the team needed his bat in their lineup. He proved that he is a DH-only type of player, as he struggled in the outfield before Eli White became his primary defensive replacement in the game’s latter innings.

With Marcell Ozuna entrenched as the team’s DH, it made little sense for the team to carry and pay for two players with similar profiles who shared an offensive position. That said, the team decided to trade Soler to the Angels on Thursday in exchange for RHP Griffin Canning and an additional $26M of payroll flexibility between 2025/’26. Canning is a 5th starter candidate, but this transaction was primarily a salary dump.

Former prospect re-acquired

RHP Royber Salinas, who was previously shipped to the Oakland A’s as a part of the Sean Murphy trade package, was later claimed on waivers by the Braves on Friday. Salinas is expected to miss extended time in 2025, but there is a possibility that he could return in 2026, and given the Braves’ success with past reclamation projects, who knows? He could end up being a valuable contributor at some point later on.

Other big decisions looming

November 4th is a key date on the Braves’ calendar, as MLB teams have until 5 days after the World Series to make decisions on contract options & pending free agents. Braves players that could see their one-year contract options exercised by or before the deadline include DH Marcell Ozuna ($16M), C Travis d’Arnaud ($8M), LHP Aaron Bummer ($7.5M), and RHP Luke Jackson ($7M), though Jackson’s may get declined. Max Fried, Charlie Morton, A.J. Minter, and Whit Merrifield are amongst the Braves free agents who could receive new contracts before free agency opens on Nov. 4th.

Fried seems likely to test free agency at this point, but Morton, Minter, Merrifield, and others could re-sign with the team before the deadline if their prices are right. Everyone has assumed that Morton would retire following the 2024 season, but he reportedly wants to pitch for one more year at a $10-$15M rate before hanging it up. Minter underwent hip surgery in August, so maybe he takes a hometown discount.

The Braves have done a great job of getting their offseason started with a bang early on, but there is still plenty of work to do as the November 4th deadline approaches.

Which NFL team is the most overrated?

I’ve conducted a research study of sorts to answer this question in a mailbag-style format, and I just want to thank each of you who participated in creating this article. Twenty six people voted in the research poll, and a few more voiced their opinions. I’ll begin each section of the article by listing a person’s pick for most overrated NFL team along with their reasoning why followed by a rebuttal from The Sports Beacon. Without further ado, which NFL team is most overrated as midseason approaches?

Eagles (Dylan’s pick)

“Six games for the Eagles, and they have zero points [scored] in the first quarter [combined]. They got [lit up a few weeks ago] by my boy Baker [Mayfield] as well.”

Read that first sentence again, as the Eagles haven’t scored one single point in the first quarter of ANY of their six games played so far this season, a truly historic feat. They are a tough team to cast judgement on though, given that they’ve played in a lot of close games with the exceptions of both a blowout win (28-3 over the Giants) and a blowout loss (33-16 to the Buccaneers) on their ledger, culminating in a 4-2 record.

Nonetheless, the Eagles were far and away the clear “winners” of the research poll with 10 total votes for them along with two others who voted for them off the record. Recency bias plays a role here, as we remember last year when the team started 10-1 before losing five of their final six games & getting bounced in the Wild Card round.

Have the Eagles played any worthwhile opponent yet? That is the question from me. Yes, they defeated the Packers 34-29 in Week 1, but that was a mistake-filled contest. A Week 10 game against the Commanders should reveal if the Eagles are overrated.

Chiefs (Gabe’s pick)

“I mean, look at their wins this year. They are all super lucky or have involved some crazy situations. They have barely won all of their games, either they just happen to get some magical call from the refs… or they win against the handicap 49ers squad.”

“But when they win people are all like well of course they [should be] winning they have Mahomes but it’s not really him, it’s their defense, so they’re truly not as good as people think they are, they are just lucky as hell with some refs in their pockets.”

I was initially surprised to hear that several NFL fans (seven total voters) consider the Chiefs, the league’s last remaining undefeated team, as an overrated NFL squad. Then again, the Chiefs’ average margin of victory this season is right at seven points. They haven’t won any of their games by more than thirteen points this season, and four out of their six games this season have been decided by seven points or fewer.

My question becomes, which team is really going to step up and beat them though? It’s not like they play in a particularly tough division, and they’ve already defeated the Ravens, Bengals, and Chargers in terms of their interconference competition. Sooner or later some team is going to expose the Chiefs issues, but until that time comes it’s difficult to bet against them in their quest to three-peat as champions.

49ers (Doug’s pick)

“The 49ers, based on the [team’s rash of] injuries [to their star players], could [end up] not making the playoffs this season, which would be a surprise to many people.”

This was bound to happen, given that the team has been fighting against both the Madden Curse on Christian McCaffrey and the Super Bowl hangover all season long. I would argue that this is the most overrated team based on where all of us expected them to be before the season began, as many had them as the best team in the NFC.

That said, the poll question asks about which team is currently the most overrated team in the league, & nobody would say that the 49ers are overrated at the moment. Nevertheless, they were tied with the Chiefs with 7 total votes in the research poll.

Steelers (JT’s pick)

“The media loves [hyping them up]. They’re tied in their division with the Ravens. They can’t decide on a QB, so any team in that division has a chance to beat them.”

Much like the Chiefs, the Steelers have mastered the art of “winning ugly” so to say. Still though, it seemed that their formula for success was working before the team surprisingly decided to bench Justin Fields in favor of QB Russell Wilson last week.

That decision makes me skeptical that they will end up being successful in the long run, as I don’t believe in benching a quarterback while the team is on a win streak. They also have yet to play a legitimate opponent, so it will be interesting to see how they fare as the divisional games begin, with a Week 10 game vs. the Ravens on tap.

Vikings (Stacey’s pick)

“The Vikings remind me of Texas [in college football]. They haven’t really played anybody up until this point, & so I’m not sure if we can take them seriously or not.”

Okay, so (surprisingly) nobody voted for the Falcons in the poll, which meant that I had to get creative and come up with an alternative team in the Minnesota Vikings. Two people voted for the Vikings in an unofficial capacity though, and the choice is a relevant one given that they just lost to the Lions and they play the Rams tonight.

The NFC North is the best division in football right now, so one way or another my belief is that we will find out if the Vikings are overrated as the season goes along. I’m not sure if I would go as far to say that one two-point loss makes them overrated, given that they also defeated two legitimate teams in the Packers and Texans as well.

The Verdict

Drumroll please… it’s the Philadelphia Eagles! They need to start scoring points in the first quarter & beat a good team before any of us can take them seriously again. Many of us had them pegged as the second or third best team in the NFC heading into the season, and right now they’re in second place within their own division.

This is a team loaded with star power, but they have yet to really form an identity. Last year, their identity was built upon the “tush push,” but since Jason Kelce has retired & teams have prepared to stop the play, how will they form a new identity? I’m not sure if this team features the resilience necessary in order to make such a change, given how the 2023 season ended & the loss in Super Bowl LVII before that.

Castoff QBs define 2024 NFL season so far

The 2024 NFL season has been full of surprising developments, from the Vikings leading the entire NFC with a perfect 4-0 record, to the Steelers becoming strong contenders in the AFC despite QB Russell Wilson dealing with a lingering injury. These developments have been made possible thanks in large part to the good play of quarterbacks who were highly drafted but cast off by their previous franchises.

Coaching & scheme fit make a difference here as these quarterbacks have turned their careers around while playing for franchises that believe in their capabilities. Having a crop of young starting quarterbacks who always play with a chip on their shoulders is a good thing for a league headlined by great starting quarterback play.

Without further ado, let’s dive in to analyze this year’s crop of starting QBs & what makes them special as they have defined the 2024 NFL season at the quarter mark.

Sam Darnold

Originally drafted by the Jets, the Vikings new QB1 recently played for the Panthers and 49ers as well before signing a one-year, $10M deal with the team this offseason. That deal looks like a bargain now after the team lost rookie QB J.J. McCarthy, who was slated to be their starting QB, to a season-ending meniscus tear back in August.

Enter Sam Darnold, who has played quite well over the first month to the tune of 932 passing yards at 8.8 yards per attempt, a 68.9% completion rate, and 11 passing TDs. He has helped to transform this team that was believed to be one of the worst in the league heading into the season into one of the NFL’s best teams at the quarter mark. Not too shabby for the QB who admitted to “seeing ghosts” while playing for the Jets.

Justin Fields

The Steelers new QB1 hasn’t officially been declared the team’s starting quarterback by their head coach, but that hasn’t stopped him from acting like one in September. All that it cost the Steelers to acquire his services from the Bears was a sixth-round pick that will (likely) escalate to a fourth rounder based on playing time incentives.

Justin Fields has played mostly error-free football up to this point with 830 passing yards at 7.6 yards per attempt, a 70.6% completion rate, and 6 TDs (3 pass, 3 rush). He hasn’t been perfect, but his key ability to take care of the football has enabled the Steelers to play within their identity by winning games through their stellar defense. The QB known for his bad turnovers has flipped the script with a new team in 2024.

Geno Smith

The man who never wrote back is someone that most NFL fans should root for as his career has been anything but ordinary despite recent success with the Seahawks. Can anyone blame him for flaming out after playing for the Jets, Giants, & Chargers (three of the worst-run organizations in the entire league) in his first 6 NFL seasons?

All that Smith ever needed was an opportunity for redemption, as he finally got his second chance in 2022 after being Russell Wilson’s backup for 2 seasons in Seattle. He posted career high numbers across the board that season before coming back down to Earth in 2023, and now he’s leading the league in several passing statistics including passing yards (1,182), passing yards/game (295.5), and completions (115).

Baker Mayfield

Mayfield understands that the NFL is a business, as he was pushed out of Cleveland in favor of Deshaun Watson, lost a quarterback competition to Sam Darnold, and had to beat out Kyle Trask in order to finally become the Bucs starting QB last year. He was rewarded with a three-year, $100M deal this offseason after throwing for 4,044 passing yards at a 64.3% completion rate and 28 passing touchdowns in 2023.

Baker recently engaged in an offensive shootout with Kirk Cousins on Thursday Night Football, a shootout in which he threw for 180 yards and three touchdowns while completing 79% of his passes and adding 42 rushing yards on his six carries. The former No. 1 overall pick has been sensational for Tampa Bay in the wake of Tom Brady’s retirement, as he’s found a team that believes in his dynamic skillset.

The bottom line

Quarterbacks such as Mayfield, Smith, Fields, and Darnold have been the stars of the 2024 NFL season despite the various trials and tribulations along their journey. In a league that is too often searching for answers at the quarterback position, it’s important to remember that marrying a talented player to the correct scheme and coaching that player to maximize their full potential is an ideal recipe for success.

Big week ahead in Georgia sports

Fans of Georgia sports teams are in for a treat this week as there are several pivotal games set to be played throughout the week, & all of them are rivalry games to boot. The Atlanta Braves, Georgia Bulldogs, and Atlanta Falcons will all have their seasons defined (to varying degrees) by their performance in these key matchups this week.

The Braves season will come down to a three-game series at home against the Mets, as this is a win-or-go-home scenario for the team that has battled injuries all season. Next, the Georgia Bulldogs will battle the Alabama Crimson Tide in a road matchup. Could the ‘Dawgs make a big statement in this game now that Nick Saban is retired? Finally, the Falcons have homefield advantage against the rival New Orleans Saints. It’s only Week 4 in the NFL, but anytime the Falcons and Saints play it’s a big game.

Braves vs. Mets (Tuesday-Thursday at 7:20 PM on Bally Sports)

The Braves are in the unenviable position of being behind the Mets (2 games) & the Diamondbacks (1.5) for the last National League Wild Card spot with a week to play. In all likelihood, the team needs to win this series & receive help from other teams in order to make the postseason, but they do hold the tiebreaker over the DBacks. They would also hold the tiebreaker over the Mets with a series win or sweep here.

Spencer Schwellenbach, Chris Sale, and Max Fried are the Braves starters for this series, while the Mets counter with Luis Severino, David Pederson, & Sean Manaea. Matt Olson has been hot as of late for the Braves, while Luisangel Acuña (Ronald’s brother) has been on a tear for the Mets since being called up to The Show on 9/15. Regardless of the final outcome, neither team will be lacking in motivation for this series as there are a variety of postseason scenarios that are in play for both teams.

Georgia at Alabama (Saturday night at 7:30 PM on ABC)

Georgia and Alabama have dominated the college football landscape in recent years, culminating in each team winning multiple National & SEC Championship trophies. Carson Beck and Jalen Milroe have ensured that neither team has taken a step back. Both teams are 3-0 heading into this pivotal showdown between SEC heavyweights.

It’s only Week 5 in college football, but this matchup could decide who wins the SEC. These two teams actually last played each other in the SEC Championship Game in December, with Alabama winning it 27-24 over Georgia in Mercedez-Benz Stadium. Now that Nick Saban is retired, the Bulldogs are favored by two points in this game. One way or another, games between these top teams always come down to the wire.

Falcons vs. Saints (Sunday afternoon at 1:00 PM on FOX)

For the first time in what feels like an eternity, the Falcons have emerged as a team that the national media (and Falcons fans) actually want to pay attention to in 2024. Despite their loss to the Chiefs on Sunday Night Football, this team has proven in consecutive primetime games that they can hang with the contenders of the league. Kirk Cousins has looked shaky at times while coming off an Achilles injury, but his receiving core (Drake London, Kyle Pitts, Darnell Mooney, Bijan Robinson) is good.

Meanwhile, the Saints came crashing down to Earth last weekend against the Eagles after putting up historic offensive numbers on the Panthers and Cowboys defenses. With both teams coming off of a tough loss, it’s important for the Falcons to win and build positive momentum to remain competitive in this tough NFC South division. Will they be able to take care of business at home against their hated division rival?

NFL Week One Takeaways

Week 1 of the NFL season is in the books, meaning that there is so much to discuss. There were some great games (Chiefs vs. Ravens), some not-so-great games (Eagles vs. Packers), and everything in between (Steelers vs. Falcons) during opening week.

Some teams (like the Lions) proved themselves to be Super Bowl contenders, while other teams (like the Panthers) are already looking towards the future and the Draft. Without further ado, let’s dive in and take a look at what all happened in Week One.

The Chiefs are still the team to beat

The NFL kickoff game between the Chiefs and Ravens was absolute cinema, with a game-changing Ravens touchdown being overturned serving as the climactic end. This was a great game and a solid way to start the NFL season, featuring two AFC heavyweights who each looked as though they were already in midseason form.

Kansas City is still on top of the NFL hierarchy and the team to beat in the league. Not only are the Chiefs superior to most NFL teams in terms of elite coaching and quarterback play, but these days they get all of the calls from the referees to boot. It’s just so tough to beat them, and especially when they’re playing at Arrowhead.

NFL Sao Paolo Game is a disaster

Don’t let the final score fool you, there was sloppy football played on Friday night. The field in Brazil was horrendous, with players slipping and sliding all night long, resulting in an untimely injury to Packers QB Jordan Love in the Eagles 34-29 win.

Not only was the field bad, but the refs made matters worse in calling 17 penalties. There were four turnovers between the two teams, and there could have been more. Both teams looked rusty and not as crisp as you would expect to see on national TV.

Panthers, Giants, Browns struggle

Speaking of teams that looked rusty & out of sync, what happened to the Panthers? They mustered only 10 points in their 47-10 blowout loss to the New Orleans Saints.

Giants QB Daniel Jones threw yet another pick-six, and this time he actually had Vikings defenders feeling bad for him and the Giants offense’s awful performance.

Browns QB Deshaun Watson was similarly dreadful in the team’s 33-17 loss to the Cowboys, & it’s too bad that Cleveland is stuck with him due to his guaranteed deal.

Trouble brewing in “The Jungle“

This meme of Ja’Marr Chase learning the Bengals playbook thirty minutes before kickoff was funny, and it was timed well after the team’s 16-10 loss to the Patriots. Zac Taylor’s Bengals teams start slow every year, and this has turned into an issue. Add in the fact that the team has two talented receivers who each want to be paid (while neither seems interested in playing) and there is some trouble in paradise.

Lions prove that they are for real

Everyone should remember the last time that they saw the Lions play, as they famously blew a 17-point lead in the NFC Championship Game against the 49ers. Rewriting that script would mean the team getting back to their identity, rushing. That’s exactly what the team did against the Rams, as their final drive to win the game in overtime proved that they have the premier offensive line in the league.

The Lions demonstrated that that they can close out games in the fourth quarter. They trailed the Rams in time of possession (34:56 to 29:45), total plays (74 to 61), and first downs (26 to 21) yet they were still able to find a way to win in overtime. Could the Lions continue to establish themselves as legit contenders in the NFC?