What if there’s only one truly good team in the NFL this year? With all the talk of parity in the recent years, we’ve come to expect to see a handful of championship caliber teams each season, and this year was no different. Everyone held the Chiefs in the highest regard, the Saints seemed due for a title run, the Eagles were healthy and there seems to be a handful of potential contenders as well. But through five weeks of action, its starting to look like it’s just the Patriots and then everyone else. Whether due to injury or some shortcoming, to this point, no other team has shown that they might have what it takes to unseat the champs. KC’s O behind Patrick Mahomes is nearly unstoppable, but the D is highly questionable. The Saints are missing Drew Brees, the Eagles are up and down . . . is there any team that can measure up to the champs? Meanwhile, MLB’s Playoffs got off to an exciting start, with three Game 5’s and a few upsets to boot. And if that weren’t enough to sate our sports jones, the NBA has returned, albeit in preseason form, and definitely not in China. So sit back, the NFL season is nothing like we expected, MLB Playoff are bringing the excitement back to baseball, the NBA is on deckington and we’re breaking down how it’s all unfolding, next on the Roundup Podcast, so let’s get rolling . . .

Does the NFL ever get a bit too predictable for you? The Patriots and Chiefs keep winning, the Dolphins and Bengals keep losing, you start to think you’ve seen this all before. But then Week 4 happens, all hell breaks loose and everything you thought you knew goes out the window. Underdogs of the NFL, please step up and let the upsets commence. It all started on Thursday Night Football, as the Eagles went to Lambeau and somehow upset the Pack. Then on Sunday, we saw Baker and the Browns go into Baltimore and roll the revamped Ravens. The upstart Bucs put up double nickels to obliterate the undefeated Rams in LA, undrafted backup QB Kyle Allen and the Panthers go into Houston and beat the Texans, the Titans exposed the struggling Falcons at home. . . no home field seems safe after what we saw last week. You wanted thrills, you got them, but after the Week 4 roller coaster ride, you may have had to trade in your beer for some Dramamine.  It just goes to show, the old adage “any given Sunday” exists for a reason and you can never get too comfortable predicting the outcomes in the NFL. But after four weeks of action, some weaknesses have been exposed and some strengths revealed in certain NFL teams, and maybe, just maybe, these can help us make some sense out of what we’ve seen so far. So sit back, the NFL season is already out of control, MLB Playoff are underway, the NBA is on deckington and we’re breaking down how it’s all unfolding, next on the Roundup Podcast, so let’s get rolling . . .

We’re all glad the NFL is back. Lazy Sundays, (sometimes) exciting prime-time matchups, the thrill of competition, and at the end of it all, the stories. Daniel Jones is a huge feel good story after his debut Sunday, and to say he shocked the world might only be a slight exaggeration. The Niners and Bills have been feel good stories as well, surprising everyone with 3-0 starts. But not every plot line is so idyllic, and some team’s storylines have viewers wondering “what happened?” Everyone would love to know what happened with Antonio Brown, but it’s up to the courts to figure that one out. What I want to know is what happened to the Eagles. They were among the Super Bowl favorites coming in, but at 1-2 and looking up at a loaded Cowboys team, something’s gone wrong. And while we’re at it, what happened to the Chargers, coming off a 13-3 season, or the Browns, or the Falcons, or the Panthers? These teams were supposed to be good. And while we’re at it, what happened with NFL officiating. After multiple high profile miscalls, the NFL seems to have responded by calling more penalties, but overcompensation can’t erase past mistakes. The only result of refs calling tighter games is a general loss of flow in the action, which negatively affects both the play on the field and the viewer’s experience. We already love the NFL, no need to sell us. Just let us enjoy the games, and the stories, on those perfect lazy Sundays. So sit back, the NFL season is already out of control, MLB pennant races are in full swing, the NBA is on deckington and we’re breaking down how it’s all unfolding, next on the Roundup Podcast, so let’s get rolling…

Last week we warned against Week 1 overreactions in the NFL, advising caution in evaluating early season performances. But there are certain events that transcend the subjective, specific turning points in a team’s fortunes that will objectively alter our outlooks moving forward. Big Ben going out for the year for the Steelers? Thats a turning point, and to say it basically eliminates them as contenders, well, that’s no overreaction. Eli Manning being benched in favor of rookie Daniel Jones is a turning point for a franchise that has had the same QB for the past 16 years, but contrary to Giants fans’ expectations, it won’t be a turning point in their season. In fact, the Giants will likely be worse as they play out their schedule, but moving forward, change was a necessity. And in Jacksonville, the Jaguars face a turning point for their franchise, but whether it’s for better or for worse remains to be seen. If the team trades Jalen Ramsey, I see things getting worse, but maybe the situation can be improved with a coaching change instead. After Week 1 we were just getting our bearings, but as the games plays out, certain teams hit turning points in their seasons, and you really start to get an idea of where each team is heading, for better or for worse. So sit back, the NFL season is already out of control, MLB pennant races are in full swing, the NBA is on deckington and we’re breaking down how it’s all unfolding, next on the Roundup Podcast, so let’s get rolling…

With the opening slate of NFL games in the books, naturally, what followed was the inevitable, time-honored tradition of Week 1 overreactions. Everyone warns against jumping to conclusions after just one game, it's everything or nothing, never or forever, but everyone seems to do it anyways, so today, we’re debunking (and maybe bunking; is that a word?) all of these overreactions. Are we really shoveling dirt on the Bears, the Falcons, the Steelers and the Texans’ seasons after one game? Remember back to last season, when the Texans, Colts, Saints, Seahawks and Bears all lost WK 1 and still made the POs, so lets not get too carried away. Yes, Mitch Trubisky looked less than capable of running the Bears’ offense, but the D was monstrous, and yes, Baker Mayfield got pounded into the turf, when he wasn’t throwing picks, but that was on the offensive line, and if you don’t think Baker bounces back against the Jets this week, my boy has a surprise for you. And no, despite his emerging greatness, Lamar Jackson likely won’t lead the Ravens to 16-0. And then there’s the Patriots. . . so sit back, the NFL is back in a big way, USA Basketball takes a big L, and we’re breaking down how it’s all unfolding, next on the Roundup Podcast, so let’s get rolling…

I guess it’s to be expected in the Communication Age, but the usual summer sports wasteland was unseasonably eventful. The NBA just refused to go away after the Finals, with more than a month of headline worthy transactions coming through well into July. By that time, NFL training camps were opening and the teams just rolled into the preseason. Meanwhile, MLB was always on in the background, the ever-present soundtrack to the summer, now streaming from my phone instead of from a radio. No summer sports drought this year, and in the blink of an eye, the sports seasons change and it becomes prime time. And it all starts tonight, as the NFL regular season kicks off with the Packers and Bears, so let the games begin! This is it sports fans, the moment we’ve all been waiting for, and as always, we’re here for you, each and every week, covering each and every NFL game, the coming NBA season, and occasionally sprinkling in some MLB talk as the Playoffs approach. So sit back, the NFL season is finally arrived and we're breaking down how it’s all unfolding, next on the Roundup Podcast, so let's get rolling. . .

Over the past few weeks, we’ve set out to preview the upcoming NFL season and prognosticate the outcomes. We started in the East, with what appears to be another clear path to a division title for the Patriots, and another knock-down, drag-out brawl between the rival Cowboys and Eagles. From there, we set our sights out West, eying the potential battles between the Chargers and Chiefs, and the Rams and Seahawks. Last week, we went down South, both divisions loaded with contenders, and Gaber was super-high on the Colts, but who knew Andrew Luck would suddenly walk away from the game just weeks before the season? Just goes to show how everything can change in an instant, how fluid the NFL really is. So we have to keep that in mind as we move on to the North, and what look to be the two most competitive divisions in football. In the AFC North, the Browns are the new public team, the Steelers are the favorites, but can Lamar Jackson and a stellar D carry the Ravens to a division title? And in the NFC North, expectations are high for the Baby Bears, but Aaron Rodgers is back in the saddle for the Packers, and you can’t sleep on the Vikings. We’re gonna make a lot of calls here, but the only thing we really know for sure is that something unexpected is bound to happen to spoil the season for some unlucky team. So sit back, the NFL season is less than a week away, real football is almost here, and we're breaking down how it’s all unfolding, next on the Roundup Podcast, so let's get rolling. . .

We all know that NFL quarterbacks get the big bucks, and there’s good reason why. If you look at the QB situations of various teams, the differences between the sure things and the question marks at the position are the difference between the contenders and the would -be’s. The Pats have Tom Terrific, the Chiefs, Mahomes, the Saints, Drew Brees, so you know they’ll be fine, but what if your star QB is injured, like Andrew Luck or Cam Newton? Suddenly your Super Bowl contender may be looking in from the outside. In the South, AFC and NFC alike, there are more question marks than sure things at QB, as we wait to see if Marcus Mariota, Jameis Winston, Deshaun Watson and Nick Foles have what it takes to lead their talented teams to the Playoffs, and whether Luck and Newton can stay upright through January. In the NFL, now more than ever, it’s a QB’s world, and we’re all just living in it.  So sit back, the NBA news cycle has finally slowed but MLB is in the dog days of summer, the NFL season is rapidly approaching, and we're breaking down how it’s all unfolding, next on the Roundup Podcast, so let's get rolling. . .

It’s just like Eric Dickerson said on the Dan Patrick show the other day; “you can smell football season in the air”. Even as Major League Baseball slogs through the dog days of summer, you can just sense that big things are coming. September approaches, and with it, MLB pennant races, the NFL season and NBA training camps. In a matter of weeks we’ll go from the slowest time of the sports calendar to the most exciting, as the Big Three in American sports near their annual October convergence, the only time of year when all three are active. For the moment, the indefatigable NBA news cycle has slowed, but MLB pole positioning has started and NFL training camps are in full swing, and today, we’re looking at the West Divisions of the NFC and AFC, loaded with contenders, like the Chiefs, Chargers and Rams, as well as storylines, like those out of San Francisco, Arizona, Seattle and Oakland. The long, hot summer days just seem to grind by sometimes, but there’s plenty of action and excitement to look forward to. So sit back, the NBA news cycle has finally slowed but MLB is in the dog days of summer, the NFL season is rapidly approaching, and we're breaking down how it’s all unfolding, next on the Roundup Podcast, so let's get rolling. . .

In a sports era where everyone seems to be testing the free agent market or holding out in order to “secure the bag”, leaving money on the table seems counter-intuitive. But when a legend like Tom Brady routinely signs for less than market value, he’s giving his team an advantage in the form of the opportunity to spend more on other players, and you’ve seen how that’s worked out for him. You can’t fault any player for wanting to make as much as possible in their uncertain career window, but it’s no coincidence that the most successful teams often have the most favorable contracts. Even the GOAT, Michael Jeffrey Jordan himself, the richest American pro athlete ever, was paid under market value most of his career. And that brings us to the Golden State Warriors and Draymond Green, signing for well under market to keep the Warriors core together. A lot has to go into the decision to leave up to $100 million on the table, but we think we might have some idea of why Day Day chose to take a discount to stay in the Bay. So sit back, the NBA wheels keep turning, the NFL season is rapidly approaching, MLB has the spotlight and we're breaking down how it’s all unfolding, next on the Roundup Podcast, so let's get rolling. . .