2015 NFL Team Preview: Tennessee Titans

Remember the Titans? If you don’t live in the state of Tennessee, it’s easy to do. They haven’t been good in awhile and honestly haven’t been on national television much either. They did select former Heisman trophy-winning quarterback Marcus Mariota with the second overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. That’s the biggest news since they gave Jeff Fisher the boot.

The Titans are in the unenviable position of being in the same division as the Indianapolis Colts. It’s hard to get into the playoffs when you’re getting lit up by Andrew Luck twice a year. They can’t blame the division much, since they do get to play Jacksonville twice as well.

How will Mariota fare in his rookie year?

Here is the 2015 NFL team preview for the Tennessee Titans.

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2015 NFL Team Preview: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Bucs come into the season after selecting the best quarterback in the 2015 NFL Draft. Former Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston gets to stay in the warm Florida weather. His job will be a lot harder in the pros. He’s no longer surrounded with five-star recruits, although Tampa Bay does have some blue chippers at wide receiver.

The NFC South was an embarrassment last season. Carolina won the division and made the playoffs with a 7-8-1 record. It didn’t help that Tampa Bay went 2-14 either. The Bucs wouldn’t need to improve much to contend within the division.

Winston goes into the season as the starting quarterback. Rookie quarterbacks haven’t fared well historically, but a few have done very well. Can Winston be an outlier?

Here is the 2015 NFL team preview for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

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2015 NFL Team Preview: St. Louis Rams

The Rams offense got a face-lift this offseason. They literally traded the face of the franchise (Sam Bradford) for what possibly could become the new face (Nick Foles). It was a trade that left many scratching their heads on both sides of the trade. People are still wondering what is wrong with Foles, that we don’t already know, that Philly would trade for the often-injured Bradford.

The NFC West has been one of the best divisions in the NFL. Seattle, San Francisco and Arizona have all made the postseason at least once (if not all three years) in the last three seasons. The Rams have been stuck in the basement. After selecting high in the last few drafts, are they ready to take it to the next level?

How will Foles fare in his first season with the Rams?

Here is the 2015 NFL team preview for the St. Louis Rams.

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2015 NFL Team Preview: Seattle Seahawks

I wouldn’t blame Seattle Seahawks fans if they spent the offseason locked in their bedrooms, dehydrated from crying for the last six months. The goal line interception during the final minute of Super Bowl 49 will sting for their rest of their lives.

The Seahawks bring back nearly everyone of importance from last year’s Super Bowl appearance. They also added Pro Bowl tight end Jimmy Graham. Seattle looks like one of the favorites in the NFC.

Can Seattle keep up their home dominance?

How much will the addition of Graham help Seattle’s passing game?

Here is the 2015 NFL team preview for the Seattle Seahawks.

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2015 NFL Team Preview: San Francisco 49ers

The rivalry between the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks was fun to watch. They would build their teams to beat the other. They would even claim each others players that were waived. Well, I guess we can put that rivalry to bed for awhile. The Niners are not the same team…in many, many ways.

The Niners are without head coach Jim Harbaugh who left to coach his alma mater. They also lost many faces on defense to retirement and off the field issues. Long-time running back Frank Gore even left town.

How will Colin Kaepernick fare without an elite defense?

Here is the 2015 NFL team preview for the San Francisco 49ers.

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2015 NFL Team Preview: San Diego Chargers

The San Diego Chargers have been playing second and third fiddle in the AFC West to Denver and Kansas City. They can’t seem to get over the hump.

Many have pointed the finger at quarterback Philip Rivers, but I don’t see him being the reason. Tight end Antonio Gates hasn’t been able to stay healthy and the rest of their receivers haven’t been up to the task. Also, Rivers misses a LaDanian Tomlinson-like running back. Ryan Matthews was not a fit there. They have yet to find the right running back.

The Chargers selected running back Melvin Gordon early in the 2015 NFL Draft. Could he be the answer in San Diego?

Here is the 2015 NFL team preview for the San Diego Chargers.

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NFL Divisional Sleepers to Watch and Wager

The NFL preseason is giving handicappers their first glimpse of the league’s landscape in 2015. And while exhibition results should be taken with a grain of salt, it’s never too early to start thinking ahead to divisional races – especially when considering NFL division futures. Here are three sleepers to keep in mind when sports betting handicapping who could shock their way to the top this season:

Minnesota Vikings (+700 to win NFC North)

Adrian Peterson’s return instantly makes the Vikings offense a threat, something that just wasn’t there in 2014. Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater looked good at the end of the year and the franchise rewarded him with a brand new toy in WR Mike Wallace. This is Year 2 under head coach Mike Zimmer, who injected his intensity into a defense that limited opponents to 21.4 points per game – 11th best in the NFL. The road to the NFC North crown goes through Green Bay, but don’t count out the resurgent Vikings.

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2015 NFL Team Preview: Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers always seem to put together a team worthy of preseason hype. ‘Experts’ pick them to either win the AFC North or make the playoffs year after year. I guess when you have the same leaders on the field, it’s hard to pick against them.

The Steelers lost some of their leaders on defense this offseason. Troy Polamalu, Brett Keisel and Ike Taylor are no longer wearing black and yellow this season. It’s not a rebuilding year, they are just retooling on defense.

The Bengals and Ravens both look like contenders in the AFC North. Can the Steelers win another division title under Mike Tomlin?

Here is the 2015 NFL team preview for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

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Toy Crazy: Mattel’s WWE Elite Series 38

I’m a self-confessed vintage toy nerd. I collect vintage wrestling action figures from the 80’s & 90’s. I started purchasing some vintage toys out of nostalgia. Well, WWE and Mattel sucked me into their new stuff. I now buy a few figures a month. You can view photos of my collection on my Instagram account.

Every Elite series released this year has been great. The last dud was Elite series 32, but they made up for it with all the recent releases. Elite 36 and 37 were two of the best series they’ve released period.

The WWE Superstars included in Elite 38 are “Macho Man” Randy Savage, Bradshaw, Farooq, Adam Rose, Daniel Bryan & Roman Reigns.

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2015 NFL Team Preview: Philadelphia Eagles

NFL purists hate Eagles head coach Chip Kelly. They have said the up-tempo offense he ran at Oregon would never work in the National Football League. Kelly is now in his third year and he keeps proving his naysayers wrong.

The Eagles made some bold moves this offseason. They traded their starting quarterback and starting running back and let most of the veterans on the offensive line walk. Kelly uses the ‘next man up’ ideology often used in college. NFL players have a limited shelf-life, so he kicks them to the curb, albeit a little early.

Philly has went 10-6 in both seasons under Kelly. Can they hit or better than mark in 2015?

Here is the 2015 NFL team preview for the Philadelphia Eagles.

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2015 NFL Team Preview: Oakland Raiders

The Raiders have been really bad for a decade. They have went through head coaches like Taylor Swift has went through boyfriends. Unfortunately for Oakland, they can’t profit off them by writing a song (although Tom Cable rhymes with some adorable words).

Quarterback Derek Carr had a nice rookie season. His receiving corps got an influx of talent this offseason. They drafted Alabama’s Amari Cooper and signed Michael Crabtree. Carr didn’t have much talent to throw to last year, so I expect a lot from him this season.

The AFC West has been dominated off and on by everyone in the division BUT the Raiders. Can they surprise everyone and keep the division race close?

Here is the 2015 NFL team preview for the Oakland Raiders.

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2015 NFL Team Preview: New York Jets

Rex Ryan got the boot this offseason and the Jets hired another defense-first head coach. Todd Bowles improved the Arizona Cardinals defense and turned them into one of the best in the league. Defense isn’t the problem in New York…it’s their piss-poor offense that will cause their downfall in 2015.

Quarterback Geno Smith will start the season on bench with a broken jaw. A linebacker teammate punched him during training camp after Smith refused to reimburse the teammate for travel expenses to an event Smith never showed up for. Here’s some advice, kids…don’t piss off someone whose job is to hit people for a living.

Here is the 2015 NFL team preview for the New York Jets.

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