Wednesday: Top 5 moves in NFL free agency

It’s Wednesday and time for this week’s Top 5.

I’m going to stray away from college basketball today in light of another big signing in the NFL last night. I know, it’s been a while since I’ve talked about anything but college basketball, but other news is starting to pick up.

So this week’s topic: Top 5 moves in NFL free agency.

1.     DeMarcus Ware, from Dallas to Denver: When teams play the Broncos, they are most likely passing a lot because they have to play from behind so often. This is why a pass rusher is so vital to Denver right now, especially when Von Miller can’t seem to stay healthy or pass a drug test any more. Ware is still a viable threat to take down the quarterback every play, even though he’s almost 32 years old. He managed 6 sacks last season, despite missing three games due to injury. And those were the first games he’s ever missed as an NFL player. Look for Ware to make an immediate impact for the Broncos.  

2.     DeSean Jackson, from Philadelphia to Washington: This one might surprise you, but I love this pick up for the Redskins. Robert Griffin III doesn’t have any deep threat receivers. Pierre Garcon and Santana Moss are both solid receivers, but are getting up there in age. Jackson, even with the locker room baggage he carries, will make an instant impact for the Redskins. RGIII has always been able to throw a pretty deep ball and that threat might open up some running lanes for him as well. 

3.     Aquib Talib, from New England to Denver: Like I said earlier, whoever plays Denver better be prepared to pass the ball because you’re going to be down. Talib is another great pick up for the Broncos, especially since Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie signed with the Giants. Talib is an upgrade from Rodgers-Cromartie though, and will likely take the opposing team's best receiver. He will also bring some swagger back to a defense that got destroyed in the Super Bowl.

4.     Jared Allen, from Minnesota to Chicago: Allen is one of the best pass rushers to play the game and deserved to be signed by a contender. The Bears aren’t that far away from being a legitimate Super Bowl threat, and this signing makes them that much closer. Out is Julius Peppers, who’s contract and inability to stay healthy became a burden for Chicago. In is Allen, who has had seven straight seasons of double digits sacks. A fantastic move for the Bears.

5.     Knowshon Moreno, from Denver to Miami: This move was the quietest on this list and I thought it warranted a little more excitement. The Dolphins are another team that isn’t that far off either. They have a great defense and a rising star at quarterback in Ryan Tannehill. They weren’t getting anywhere in the run game with Daniel Thomas, so Moreno makes perfect sense to me. Many don’t realize how good Moreno was last season, rushing for almost 1,000 yards and seven touchdowns in a pass-heavy offense. He’ll make an impact for Miami. If he doesn’t, expect this:

 Top Videos:

-Steph Curry hits another game winner to help the Warriors knock off the Mavericks last night. 

-Tiger Woods will have to wait another year to get that Green Jacket again. 

-The NCAA women's Final Four is set after Stanford and Maryland won last night. 

Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Reach me at: award6344@gmail.com           

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram: @_andrewward

Wednesday: Top 5 teams most likely to win Super Bowl XLIX.

Hump day! Time for Wednesday’s top 5.

With the conclusion of the NFL season, this week’s edition will take a look at what to expect next year. 

So this week’s topic is: Top 5 teams most likely to win Super Bowl 49.

1.     Seattle Seahawks, 2014 Super Bowl champions: Seattle is a pretty easy No. 1 in my mind. The Seahawks are the youngest team in the league with an average age of 26. They should return everyone from the best defense the NFL has seen in years. Not to mention quarterback Russell Wilson, running back Marshawn Lynch and the entire receiving core will be back as well. Seattle will be the clear favorite all year long and will have an insane amount of pressure. I have no doubt that the Seahawks can win it all again, but one thing to consider is money. Right now, they have everyone on the cheap. But their stars are going to want their payday soon. Will it be this year? I don’t know, but whenever it is, it’s going to effect this team in some way.

2.     San Francisco 49ers, lost in NFC title game: The 49ers are basically the same team as Seattle. Strong defense, solid running game, a passionate head coach. However, the key to this team is quarterback Colin Kaepernick. When he’s playing well, the 49ers rarely lose.  When he’s not playing well, they struggle. This team is good enough to win without good quarterback play, but that’s been the difference between Seattle and San Francisco over the last year. Seattle has had more consistency at that position. The 49ers have a defense to match the Seahawks, but right now they are a step behind because of Kaepernick. However, that gap is closer than you think.

3.     Denver Broncos, lost in Super Bowl: This might be the last year Denver can remain competitive. Peyton Manning isn’t getting any younger, even though he played the best season of his career en route to the league’s MVP award. He’s still got talent around him. Wes Welker, Demaryius Thomas and Julius Thomas might be the most dangerous trio in the NFL. Knowshon Moreno and Montee Ball are no slouch at running back either. However, the thing I worry about with this team is defense. Offensively, the Broncos can play with anyone. But what happens when the offense stalls like it did in Super Bowl 48? Can the defense keep them in games? Denver is still the best team (at least on paper) in the AFC, but it’s going to take a defensive revamp to challenge the NFC for the Super Bowl.

4.     Carolina Panthers, lost in NFC divisional round: The Panthers might still be a year away from winning a title, but they are still impressive. Cam Newton emerged as an MVP candidate last season, but it was the defense that shined the brightest. Led by linebacker Luke Kuechly, Carolina was one of the NFL’s top defenses. It smothered its opponents. The key to this upcoming season will be whether the offense can keep up pace. The Panthers run the ball well and have some weapons on the outside, but the offensive line is inconsistent in protecting Newton. If Carolina wants to contend with Seattle and San Francisco in the NFC, it needs to find a way to score against those stingy defenses.

5.     Indianapolis Colts, lost in AFC divisional round: It’s time to give Andrew Luck the credit he deserves. The guy urged his team to victory against the Chiefs in the Wildcard round. He throws the prettiest deep ball I’ve seen in a while—other than Aaron Rodgers—and he’s the most intelligent guy on the field, except when they play Denver. Not only that, he’s a born leader. The Colts have some holes to fill. They need some help at linebacker and in the secondary. Running back Trent Richardson needs to find his stride again. But as long as Luck is running this team, they have a shot to win any game.

Top Videos

-Check out this insane circus shot by the Pacers’ Lance Stephenson.

-A Kansas star might not go to the NBA next year? 

-Speaking of Kansas, Andrew Wiggins apparently has unlimited range. 

Thanks for reading! Keep updated on the signing day news both nationally and in Nebraska today! A lot of big time athletes are making big time decisions today. Best of luck to them and their families! Have a great rest of your day! 

Reach me at: award6344@gmail.com

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram: @_andrewward

Friday: Super Bowl Prediction

The weekend has arrived! And it’s time to preview this weekend’s biggest games.

Apparently there’s a big game in the NFL Sunday, so let’s start with that one.

The Marquee Matchup

Super Bowl, Denver vs. Seattle, Sunday, 5:25 p.m. (CST), FOX:

This is a dream matchup for me. The No. 1 offense vs. the No. 1 defense. The game’s best quarterback vs. the game’s best cornerback. Two of the best coaches in the game going head-to-head. It’s what every sports fan wants. Denver is the favorite by three points, mainly because it steamrolled through the regular season and playoffs. Seattle, on the other hand, gutted out most of its wins, using tough defense and a bruising run game. It’ll be an intriguing battle to say the least.

Seahawks corner Richard Sherman respects Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning, but hasn’t backed down from his statement earlier in the week, saying the future Hall of Famer throws “ducks.” Granted, Manning’s arm strength probably isn’t the same as it once was, but expect him to challenge Sherman Sunday. If we know anything about Manning, he’s always going to let his play talk for him.

That won’t be the only matchup worth watching. How about the Seattle pass rush vs. the Denver offensive line? Manning has yet to be sacked this postseason, a reason why his numbers remain out of this world. Or how about the Bronco defense vs. Marshawn Lynch? Manning has been great in the playoffs, but Lynch has been just as good. The Broncos will have their hands full trying to stop the Seattle running back.

All right, it’s time for a prediction. I think Manning and Denver’s offense score some points. However, Seattle controls time of possession throughout, with Russell Wilson being a fantastic game manager. The Seahawks defense halts a Manning drive in the final minute and Lynch runs for over 100 yards and a couple touchdowns to claim the MVP award. Seattle 28 Denver 24.

Second Tier

No. 17 Duke @ No. 2 Syracuse, Saturday, 5:30 p.m., ESPN:

Believe it or not, there are other games this weekend. And this college basketball game is a pretty good one. For the first time these two legendary programs will face off as conference foes. The Orangemen enter the game undefeated, while Duke is coming off a win against No. 18 Pittsburgh. This game is all about the freshmen. Syracuse’s Tyler Ennis (12.4 points per game, 5.4 assists) is the most underrated freshmen in the game and Duke’s Jabari Parker (18.8 ppg) will likely be a first team All-American selection. The key factor in this game though will be C.J. Fair. Parker tends to struggle on defense and Syracuse’s best player could have himself a heck of a game Saturday. The Orange stay undefeated. Syracuse 81 Duke 76.

Might Get Interesting

No. 6 Kansas at No. 25 Texas, Saturday, 3 p.m., ESPN

The Jayhawks might be the hottest team in college basketball right now, but expect a fight from the Longhorns Saturday. Texas has won five straight, including wins against its last three ranked opponents. Kansas is the best team it’ll face yet, but the fact that the Longhorns are at home makes a difference. Andrew Wiggins and Joel Embiid lead the way for the Jayhawks but the difference in this game will be Perry Ellis. He led the way in a win against Iowa State earlier this week, and seems to be the difference maker in most games. I think Kansas wins, but it’s going to go down to the wire. Kansas 76 Texas 74.

Things I Missed

-Check out my game story from Nebraska’s win against Indiana last night.

-NBA All-Star teams have been selected. Here are the rosters.

-Cool discussion by Outside the Lines’ Bob Ley with wounded veterans who participated in the NFL alums vs. wounded veterans’ football game.

-President Obama claims the Sochi Olympics are safe after some speculation.

Thanks for reading! Have a great weekend everyone!

Reach me at: award6344@gmail.com

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram: @_andrewward

Friday: Prediction time, NFL Conference Championship style

Happy Friday everyone! It’s time to breakdown the weekend. I’ll pick two or three BIG games, look at some of the key matchups and predict the winner.

This week, it’s all about the NFL conference championships.

AFC; New England @ Denver, 2 p.m. (CST), CBS

1.     Peyton Manning vs. Tom Brady: Let’s be honest, this is what this game is all about. ESPN Radio personality Collin Cowherd said it best on his show a couple weeks ago; we have to stop giving Manning a free pass. Yes, he’s going to be one of the greatest quarterbacks ever to play the game. But his postseason record and his record against Brady, which stands at 4-10 all time, taints that legacy. If Manning wins Sunday afternoon and then wins the Super Bowl, he might be considered the greatest ever. The same goes for Brady, who already has three Super Bowl rings. But Manning needs to win this game more.

2.     Denver passing game vs. New England secondary: There’s no secret to how the Broncos torch their opponents. It’s through the air. Denver led the league in passing by more than 30 yards per game. New England ranked just 21^st in pass defense this season. But the secondary came up big in pressure situations against the league’s top offenses, including a win against Denver. The Patriots also dominated Andrew Luck and Indianapolis, forcing three interceptions. If New England wants a win, Aqib Talib, Alfonzo Dennard and company need to play well.

3.     Denver front seven vs. New England running attack: LeGarrete Blount ran all over Indianapolis last week, rushing for more than 250 yards and four touchdowns. He seems to have kick started the entire Patriot rushing attack. Denver’s defense ranks only 25^th in the league in rush defense, giving up more than 100 yards a game. This matchup will be crucial. If the Patriots can establish the running game that means they can control time of possession and keep Manning off the field.

4.     Prediction: These teams produced the best game of the season earlier. They are both so similar, but I just have a hunch about this one. Tom Brady’s bunch dominates the line of scrimmage and Manning throws a crucial interception late. Patriots 31 Broncos 28.

NFC: San Francisco @ Seattle, 5:30 p.m. (CDT), FOX

1.     Marshawn Lynch vs. San Francisco front seven: Nobody runs on the 49ers defense like Lynch. The Seahawks running back has three 100-yard games in six attempts in his career. The San Francisco defense has only given up two other 100-yard rushers in 42 games since Lynch was traded to Seattle. Last time Lynch played San Francisco in Seattle, he tallied 98 yards and went for three touchdowns in a Seattle route. Look for a little San Francisco revenge in this one.

2.     Seattle secondary vs. Collin Kaepernick: Kaepernick probably still has nightmares about his performance the last time he traveledto Seattle. He threw three interceptions that game and didn’t even complete half of his passes. However, he has been playing significantly better since, but he will face his greatest challenge in the Seahawks secondary. Richard Sherman and company are the best in the business, giving up just 172 passing yards a game this season. Kaepernick will have to look for ways to use his legs in order to loosen up the tight Seattle coverage.

3.     Pete Carroll vs. John Harbaugh: These teams are practically mirror images of each other. Both play great defense and run the ball. This game will come down to the better-coached team, and there are two great ones here. Carroll and Harbaugh may have different methods of coaching, but they both do one thing similarly: they win. How will this game be won? A little trickery in the offense? A bad play call that leads to an easy score? This will be a fascinating chess match between two phenomenal coaches. 

4.     Prediction: The 49ers are hot right now, and everyone is telling me that they will win this one. But my gut is telling me to go a different direction. Marshawn Lynch runs for 100 yards and Russell Wilson leads a game-winning touchdown drive in the final minute. Seattle 21 San Francisco 17.

Things I missed:

Stuff that I didn’t get a chance to mention during the week.

-I wrote about Shavon Shields struggles on offense for the Nebraska men’s basketball team earlier this week.

-Check out this feature about the guys who snap the ball to Manning and Brady.

-The Wooden award is Creighton's Doug McDermott’s to lose.

Thanks for reading! And have a great weekend!