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novastories · 2 years

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You’re On Your Own Kid

Title and chapter inspired the song “You’re On Your Own, Kid” by Taylor Swift.

Summary: Aurora has a decision to make, but so much to look back on.

Disclaimer: This story is fictitious. All works are written by me and only posted here. Please do not copy, repost, or plagiarize on any other platform without my permission! The timeline and ages are changed to fit the story, not the movies. Some of these storylines/backgrounds are based on what I write or imagine for my Top Gun DR.

Warnings: Mild language? Mention of cancer. I never know what to put here. Just be cautious.

Word Count: 3.7k

A/N: The story is now finally getting somewhere. I’m so excited for all of you to read this chapter! Shoutout to my beta reader and editor @reginleight, who also inspired a new OC character.

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Warm air blew on Aurora’s skin as she stood in the sun with her fellow classmates, waiting to walk across the stage to receive both her diplomas from college. Today she was graduating from college with her family in the stands watching her. Her father had just flown in from one of his deployments. Amelia and Penny were there, and her stepfather, if you could even still consider him that, was absent.

After the divorce, Aurora became a rock for her mom when she needed to. Even though the twins had gone to schools across the country from Penny and Amelia, they still came back home when they could. Peyton went to the Naval Academy, and Aurora went to UVA, much to everyone’s surprise, since this would be the first time the two siblings would be separated.

Peyton had just finished his training at the Naval Academy and came just in time for Aurora’s graduation. Goose and Carole had flown in the day before, and Iceman and Sarah were also in town to watch her graduate. The only person who wasn’t there was Bradley. Bradley and Aurora had found their footing back after Christmas, as friends, but then something had happened.

Aurora had gotten word that her dad had tried to pull Bradley’s paper for the Naval Academy. Unsuccessful, but still something to note that he did it. Bradley had been mad. He was beyond furious that Maverick thought to do such a thing, and assumed Aurora took part in it, until Aurora had explained she had no idea why Maverick tried to pull his papers. Bradley was still a bit angry with Maverick to this day, but had put the anger away for his dad and his best friend.

On top of Maverick trying to pull his papers, Carole had also started getting sick. Ovarian cancer. Thankfully they caught it in time to operate. Those days had been a hard time for the Bradshaws and while grateful Carole had been cured, the news that she wouldn’t be able to have any more children was also saddening to find out. Aurora was simply thankful to still have her aunt, and would visit her often when she had moved to Virginia for college.

Although when Bradley was attending and finishing up at the Naval Academy, Aurora was finishing high school, they both still had time to write each other letters. Of course, Bradley would call in now and then but they found letters to be a better time when they were able to write about their days and send it off. After Aurora and Bradley both finished at their respective schools, they thought they would see more of each other, with Aurora going to UVA, and Bradley about to be stationed in Virginia. At least, that was what they were hoping for when Bradley finished flight school in Pensacola, Florida.

“You didn’t have to help me move into my dorm, B. You have to leave soon for flight school. You too Peyton, you literally start at the Academy in 2 days.” Aurora sighs out as she puts down a box onto her bed for the year. Bradley was right behind her, with a few other boxes, as well as Peyton who was also there helping his twin sister move into her new room.

“What, you think we’re gonna leave you by yourself, without giving you a proper goodbye?” Bradley smirks, setting down the boxes.

Peyton chuckles, “No, she thinks you’re gonna chase down any guy that looks her way.”

“Damn right I will.”

Aurora rolls her eyes but smiles at Bradley’s protectiveness. Even though they never discussed the kiss since that Christmas day, they both went back to being best friends. Little did she know, Bradley felt the same way she did. They both didn’t want to lose each other. She looks at Peyton.

“What if I can’t do this without Pey? I don’t remember the last time we were separated for this long. What if something happens and you're not here?” Aurora starts panicking. “What if I get a boyfriend and you're not here to give him the ‘I’m her brother and if you hurt her I’ll hurt you’ talk? Or worse, what if you get a boyfriend or girlfriend before I even date?”

Peyton had come out as bisexual to his family during their senior year of high school. Everyone in the family had supported him, with Aurora helping defend her brother when he started getting bullied at school. Gone was the shy girl, and out came a protective sister when she realized how much family meant to her.

Peyton laughs and hugs his sister to stop her rambling. “I will be just fine. I got the Benjamin-Mitchell blood in me. We’re fighters, we got this.”

Peyton turns to look his twin in the eye, drawing her out of her thoughts. “I’m worried about you though. You’ll be alright, Aurie? I’ll always be a phone call away.”

Touched by those words, Aurora smiles and drags Bradley in for a group hug with her and Peyton.

“Of course, I have you two to always check up on me.”

Peyton had a great time at the Naval Academy, while Aurora went through college on her own. It was a bit tough at first but she had finally found her footing once she got the hang of being on her own. While Bradley was at flight school, he had finally earned his callsign, and couldn’t wait to tell his best friend.

“Ok, it’s not my birthday, so why are you so excited for me to open this package?” Aurora sets her phone down on her apartment desk, with the camera still facing her as she was on a video call with Bradley.

“Because you finally get to know my call sign!” Bradley exclaimed excitedly, causing Aurora to gasp.

“Wait, so it’s not BradBrad? Damn I owe Peyton $20,” she teases. Bradley groans, as he was already impatient that he had to wait for the package to even get to Aurora.

“Just open it.”

“Okay fine, they should have called you Hothead because you’re so easily bothered.”

“So you’re calling me hot?” Bradley quips back at her.

Aurora rolls her eyes and sticks up her middle finger. She then proceeds to open the package and she takes out the item Bradley had sent her.

“Oh my gosh! Your callsign is Mother Hen!?” she cackles.

“Wait, What? No! It’s Rooster, dummy!”

“I don’t know. I think I like Mother Hen better,” Aurora teases. She holds up the rooster stuffed animal that he had sent her.

“That’s not gonna stick.”

“Oh, it so is!” she exclaims, hugging her new stuffed friend. Bradley took a screenshot of that moment.

After a year and a half, Bradley had finally graduated flight school. Aurora could remember that day. She’d gone to his graduation tapping out ceremony along with Carole, Goose, Maverick and Peyton. They all agreed that they would all be tapping him out, but the day of, Carole and Goose wanted Peyton and Aurora to tap him out.

“Wait, but Uncle, Auntie, it should be you two to tap him out. Why us two?” Aurora gestures between her and her brother.

“Because without you two, Bradley wouldn’t be here.” Carole simply says as Goose nods next to her.

Aurora was stunned, not sure why they didn’t just do a group hug to tap him out, but they all insisted that the twins do it. So as Aurora and Peyton find Bradley amongst his fellow graduates, she starts getting nervous. Peyton was subtly checking out the graduates while they weaved through the crowd.

They soon spot their best friend, who still was standing at attention, waiting to be tapped out. They approach him hand and hand, with Carole and Maverick trailing behind the twins, Goose capturing the moment with his camera.

“Look at this, the BAP trio, back together again!” Peyton speaks up, knowing Bradley couldn’t respond until he was tapped out. Aurora had tears running down her cheeks.

“We’re so proud of you Bradley,” Aurora beams at him. Bradley stood still, itching to hug his best friends. Aurora and Peyton then look at each other and go in for a group hug, tapping Bradley out. He instantly clung to both of them, tears running down everyone's faces.

“Thank you for being here,” Bradley whispers to them.

“Wouldn’t want to be anywhere else in the world,” Both Peyton and Aurora reply at the same time. They all look at each other and laugh, as Bradley pries himself out of the group hug and goes to hug his mom and dad, who were already in shambles, proud tears on their faces, while Maverick took over the camera to take pictures of the family.

After that, Bradley was finally stationed in Virginia, assigned to his squadron which meant Aurora got to spend a lot more time with her best friend, until his orders came through for his first deployment. It lasted six months, with Aurora already in her junior year she and Bradley relied a lot on their communication with letters. It never stopped Bradley from sending her flowers, or even small packages to her containing treats from wherever he was docked, or even postcards, while Aurora did the same, she would often send Bradley care packages to help him through deployment.

They kept in constant communication, even with them being miles apart from each other. Aurora was a bit sad when she found out Bradley wouldn’t be able to make her college graduation due to his next deployment, but she understood that.

“Psst, you alright Mitchell?” a voice calls out drawing her out of her thoughts. She looks and sees her girl best friend and roommate since freshman year seated next to her.

‘I’m fine Belmont, why do you ask?” she replies.

“You just look very deep in thought. Wouldn’t want you to miss your own graduation.”

Aurora laughs with her friend. Lucille and Aurora became great friends when they realized that they were going to be roommates. Lucille was graduating with a criminal justice degree, and going straight into law school in the upcoming fall semester. They had each other’s back throughout college, and soon became family to each other. Aurora was sad that her friend was moving all the way to California for her law degree, but was so proud of her for staying on her path to becoming an attorney.

“Aurora Benjamin-Mitchell, with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science, and a Bachelor of Arts in Aviation, Cumme Laude!” a voice calls out, drawing her back to the present.

There is a loud cheer as she crosses the stage, as she could spot her family from the stands, as she takes her diploma and shakes hands with the dean. She walks off smiling and waving at them, to which they cheer even louder. She laughs and goes back to her seat until the end of the ceremony.

—

“I’m so proud of you!” Penny hugs her older daughter tightly, after she had already hugged everyone else.

Aurora laughs. “Mom, you already said you were, we took pictures and everything just a few minutes ago.”

“I know, but I just wanted to say it again because I’m so, so proud of my little star.” Penny gushes as she squishes her daughter’s face. Aurora rolls her eyes, and locks eyes with her dad.

“Dad, a little help please.” she pleads to him. Maverick chuckles.

“Oh no kid, you’re on your own.”

She groans as Peyton helps pry their mom off the girl.

“Alright mom, we get it, Aurie is the favorite child.” Peyton jokes.

“Hey, I thought I was the favorite!” Amelia calls out, who was standing next to Maverick, hand in hand.

“Of course you are Ami, don’t listen to your older siblings, they’re just jealous.” Maverick leans to stage whisper to her. She giggles at Maverick’s antics, as the others roll their eyes. She looks to see her Auntie Carole, without Goose by her side.

“Hey, where’d Uncle Goose go?”

“Probably went to the car to take a nap. He’s getting really old.”

Penny smacks Maverick’s arm at his answer while everyone laughs.

“He’s getting your graduation present,” Carole answers Aurora’s question.

“You really didn’t have to get me anything, Auntie.” Aurora nervously says, thinking it was an expensive gift and she didn’t want her godparents to be giving her such a gift.

“Well, unfortunately we can’t return this gift,” Goose says from behind her.

She turns towards her uncle and gasps. Standing next to Goose was Bradley Bradshaw, her best friend in the flesh, and not on deployment like he had said. He was dressed in slacks and a polo shirt, holding a bouquet of flowers in his hand, pink peonies and white carnations.

Pink peonies meaning prosperity, and white carnations good luck, appropriate for graduation as well as it being Aurora’s favorite color combination.

She squeals at the sight of him before running into his awaiting arms and when he caught her, she’d truly felt like she was home. Like she had found the missing piece from today.

“Congrats princess, I’m so proud of you,” Bradley whispers into her ear. She clings on to him, never wanting to let go.

“Am I dreaming? You’re actually here?” she questions.

He pulls back to take a look at her face and smirks. “Why? Dream of me often, Mitchell?”

She smiles at him and cups his face. “Every hour, every minute, every second I breathe, Bradshaw.”

She pulls him back into a hug as he kisses her forehead. “Best surprise ever,” she whispers to him.

“Well there goes the car we got her ‘ey Pen?”

—

Carole and Goose went all out to celebrate not only Aurora’s graduation, but Peyton’s graduation as well. The twins had decided to do a joint party, like they normally do with birthdays and other big celebrations. The Bradshaws’ backyard had quite a few people. Mostly all family friends, since Aurora and Peyton’s friends had other celebration plans.

Lucille and Aurora had walked in, arms linked laughing at a joke Lucille had made. Aurora had made her rounds around the backyard, making sure to hug and greet everyone at the party. She talked a bit to Viper, who was Maverick’s old Top Gun instructor. He had made a joke saying he hopes to see her in the skies soon, to which Aurora just laughed it off lightly. She got to hear old stories from her Uncle Ice, and his backseater Slider, but her favorite interaction was when she had introduced her best friend to them.

“Uncle Ice, Slider, this is my friend Lucille. She just graduated and is headed to UCLA for law school. Lucille, this is my dad’s other wingman, callsign Iceman, and his RIO, Slider.” Aurora introduces them.

“Hi, it’s nice to meet you,” Lucille greets them, shaking their hands. “Your callsign is pretty neat. I also like slider burgers!”

The older men stood frozen as Aurora looks at her best friend in shock. She apologizes and excuses both of them, and drags her best friend away as they laugh at what had taken place.

“So, you tell your dad about what you’re doing next?” Lucille asks, as she takes a soda from one of the many coolers that were set out.

Aurora took a considerable sip of the drink in her hand before answering.

“Not yet. Think I could make a run for it before I make the announcement?”

“You try and run, I'll be right behind you following in your footsteps,” Peyton replies, coming up from behind the duo, with Bradley in tow wrapping an arm around Aurora’s waist. They had just come back from talking to another group of family friends.

“What’s the big announcement? And why haven’t you told me? You always tell me everything,” Bradley pouted at both the twins.

“Because Mother Hen, we don’t know if our dad will like what we have to say,” Aurora answers, as she chews the inside of her cheek. Nervously, she began playing around with her silver charm bracelet, adorned with a new charm Bradley got her, a graduation cap one. Bradley looks down at the girl who couldn't keep still. He knew her mind was racing but didn’t say anything about it.

“Seriously? That name is sticking?”

“Hell yeah!” Both twins answer.

“I don’t know, I'm still partial to Chicken Little,” Lucille answers as Bradley sticks up his middle finger in retaliation.

“Rory, Pey!” They turn and see Maverick calling out to them, gesturing for the twins to come up the steps leading to the house, as if it was a makeshift stage. Penny stood by him waving to them. It was time for the twins to tell everyone what was next.

“Showtime,” Peyton sarcastically mutters, as he yanks his sister out of Bradley’s arm and drags her to the crowd that was forming around Maverick and Penny, the two making room for the twins as they climbed the steps.

“Alright Pey, you first,” Penny says to him.

“What? Wait, maybe Aurora should go first.”

“Oh heck no, mom says you go first, besides you’re older!” Aurora points out.

Peyton groans, while Penny tells them to behave. He clears his throat before beginning to speak to everyone in the backyard.

“Hi, everyone! Thank you all for coming! I think I speak for both my sister and myself when I say we are so happy to see that all our friends and family are here. First I want to give thanks to our parents.”

“For we wouldn’t be here without them.” Aurora speaks up as she turns to smile at her parents, her stomach twisting in anticipation.

“And thank you to the Bradshaws for not only their hospitality, but for being the best godparents we could ask for.”

“And our best friends Bradley Bradshaw and Lucille Belmont for being our anchors.”

“Okay, stop stalling, just tell us already!” Goose shouts from his spot in the crowd, as everyone laughs and Carole tries to shush him. The twins give each other a nervous look before Peyton continues on.

“After getting my BAs in Aviation and Aerospace Engineering,” Peyton says, “I have decided to go to Technical School and become an Aviation Mechanic.”

Everyone gasps and after a bit of silence, cheers and claps for Peyton. The twins turn to Maverick and Penny. Penny had the look of a proud mom, whereas Maverick’s face was unreadable.

“What happened to wanting to be a Naval Aviator?” Maverick murmurs to Peyton.

“As much as I want to be in the skies, I think my love for Legos knew I wasn’t ever going to be in the skies as much. Plus, I love fighter jets, just not enough to pilot one. I hope you’re not too disappointed in me dad.” Peyton explains. Maverick pulls his son into a hug.

“I could never be disappointed. Just a bit shocked.” Maverick pulls out of the hug and taps Peyton’s shoulder. “I’m proud of you Pey. You’re gonna make us proud.” Penny then hugs her son and whispers something in his ears that makes his eyes almost water. He nods and turns to his sister who was beaming with pride.

“I’m happy for you, Pey.”

“Oh please, like you didn’t see that coming. I told you like a month ago.” They laugh and he pulls his twin into a one arm hug.

“And Aurora, what about you?” Maverick turns to look at her daughter. Aurora takes a deep breath and turns to the awaiting crowd. She spots Bradley in the crowd as he gives her a smile and thumbs up.

Aurora’s thoughts ran rampant in her head, her next words being the big life changer. She grabs her bracelet again as she fidgets with it in anticipation, hoping it would calm her down.

“With getting my degree in Political Science and Aviation, I have decided that-”

Aurora stills and turns to look at her parents. They smile at her, knowing her parents would support her decision. She grabs her twin’s hand and she thinks back to when she had made her decision.

“Wait, can you say that again?”

“I want you to work for me. You’ve already proved that you have the skill set to be a great asset here, and you already get along with the team.”

“But, this was just an internship, a requirement for one of my classes. Why me? You have a ton of willing candidates out there,” she turns to the gentlemen that stood in front of her.

He had a stern look on his face, serious about what he had asked Aurora. He was an older man that had white hair and stood up straight, with an expression showing he was serious. Aurora had gotten to know him and his team during her internship. He was intimidating and quiet at the same time. Everyone knew of him because he was just that intimidating. He took his job seriously, which was why Aurora was confused why he had approached her with a job offer on her last day of her internship, a few months before she was set to graduate.

��Because I see a potential in you,” he simply tells her.

“Ok, but I’m perfectly content in following my dad’s footsteps.”

He sighs “Rule #5”

“You don’t waste good,” Aurora mutters as she rocks back on her heels. She looks down at her wrist where her charm bracelet Bradley had given her sat. It brought her comfort as she thought about the situation in front of her,

She had memorized all the weird rules this man had when she worked with him for the past couple of months. No one but her brother knew about the internship. She didn’t even tell Bradley because she knew what he would say. She was old enough to finally make a decision on her own without having to tell her parents or her best friend about it.

“Exactly, and you are good. But you can be better,” he tells her, as she draws herself from her thoughts. She looks up and sees him make eye contact with her.

“So what do you say probie?” He approaches her with his arm extended for her to shake.

This was the moment. Follow her father’s path, or make her own name for herself.

“Ready to work for NCIS?”

---

If you would like to be on the taglist or removed, please let me know!

Taglist: @call-sign-jinx @sqrlgrl22 @luckyladycreator2

#top gun #top gun maverick #top gun fanfic #top gun maverick fanfic #top gun fanfiction #top gun maverick fanfiction #bradley bradshaw #bradley bradshaw x oc #bradley rooster bradshaw #bradley bradshaw fanfic #bradley bradshaw fic #dad!maverick #mom!pennybenjamin #top gun au #shrimp writes #shrimp writes stories #grateful shrimp #I'll Be Waiting Story

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sororanimarum-archive · 4 years

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current muse list.

primary:

-- claire bradley; fandomless oc. verses for: spn, tvd, lost. -- cora heart; tvd oc. -- baliey mayer; t100 oc. -- hannah parker; fandomless oc. verses for: tvd, t100. -- camilla salvatore; tvd oc.

secondary:

-- ariel van de zee; the little mermaid canon. verses for: spn. -- jim halert; the office canon. -- leilani peyton; fandomless oc. affiliated with @shesdaylight & @casanovarogue.

request:

-- rey kenobi; star wars canon-complaint. -- padmé amidala; star wars canon-complaint. -- king richard & queen staci of corona; affiliated with @shesdaylight.

#( muse list. )#ik i just posted about this but hey #why not

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nowat-shesdaylight · 4 years

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BLOGROLL OF HYPOTHETICAL MUSES I’D EVENTUALLY LIKE TO WRITE.

rules: name 3 - 10 muses you’ve considered or would like to write in the future !

raven reyes / the 100 canon / test muse ( @sororanimarum )

sharpay evans / high school musical

your current muses ( optional ) :

rapunzel carter-peyton / canon divergent rapunzel from tangled ( this blog )

claire bradley / fandomess spy oc. ( @sororanimarum )

cora heart / tvd oc ( sororanimarum )

ariel van de zee / the little mermaid canon ( sororanimarum )

jim halpert / the office canon ( sororanimarum )

leilani “lily” abigail peyton / daughter of rapunzel & tex ( sororanimarum )

bailey mayer / the 100 oc ( sororanimarum )

chuck bartowski / chuck canon ( sororanimarum )

elena gilbert / tvd canon ( sororanimarum )

hannah parker / fandomless oc ( sororanimarum )

blake winchester / spn oc ( sororanimarum )

camilla salvatore / tvd oc ( sororanimarum )

tagged by: @luminee thank you!!! tagging: @casanovarogue / @learnednothing / @hadncchoice / @headstrongblake / @damnfoxed / @survivormoves / @seesgood & you!

#[ literally i have NO IDEA who else i'd want to write so i'm going with the two that's always been on my mind ]#000 / constantly thinking about chicken parm ⟶ mun things.#000 / haven't any of you ever had a dream? ⟶ queue.

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writingguide003-blog · 5 years

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NFL 2018 predictions: our writers call the winners, losers and also-rans

New Post has been published on https://writingguideto.com/must-see/nfl-2018-predictions-our-writers-call-the-winners-losers-and-also-rans/

NFL 2018 predictions: our writers call the winners, losers and also-rans

Will the Eagles repeat? Will Aaron Rodgers and Andrew Luck return to restore their teams fortunes? And who will go down in flames?

Best team that won’t make the playoffs

The part I feel confident in saying is that it will come from the NFC. Teams from that conference won 41 out of 64 games against AFC opponents in 2017 and trades like the one that sent Khalil Mack from Oakland to Chicago are hardly redressing the balance. Theres a lot of hype around the Giants after they upgraded the line and added Saquon Barkley, but Im not convinced they can bridge the gap in a year when the schedule looks grim. PB

Green Bay Packers. The thing about the Packers is that we don’t know how healthy Aaron Rodgers will be. If he’s playing like the Rodgers of old, they’re absolutely making the playoffs. If he struggles, the Packers probably end up having a losing record. Let’s split the difference here and say that Rodgers will be good, but not dominant, and Green Bay just miss the postseason. HF

Jacksonville. Jason Mendozas favorite team had the leagues easiest schedule during last years charmed run, their division is much-improved and their quarterback is Blake Bortles. No sale. BAG

The Lions will be balanced and explosive. They finally have a talented offensive line, featuring, at worst, an above-average player at every spot. Thats a decided advantage given the state of groups across the league. Matthew Stafford is surrounded by a stack of weapons, too. Defense will be their fatal flaw: the Lions lack speed up front. In the modern NFL, such things matter. OC

Non-playoff team from last year that will make the postseason

With a healthy Aaron Rodgers, the Packers are a safe bet to be contenders once more. PB

After trading for Jimmy Garoppolo last season, the 49ers ended their season on a 5-0 run. They thought the bounce was real enough to sign him to a historic five-year, $137.5m contract. Time will tell whether he ends up being more “next big hype” than “next big hope,” but it’s hard to see them missing out on the playoffs if he plays like he did at the end of last season. HF

Green Bay. The Packers were among the NFCs best teams last year when Aaron Rodgers went down for the season with a broken collarbone. They finished 7-9 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2008. Theyll be back. BAG

The Texans would have made the postseason last year were it not for Deshaun Watsons injury. Health will be the issue again this season. If they can keep their stars on the field Watson, JJ Watt, and Jadeveon Clowney they will enter the playoffs as one of the top seeds in the AFC. OC

MVP

The Packers should be a force again if Aaron Rodgers stays fit. Photograph: Jeffrey Phelps/AP

Aaron Rodgers made no secret at his sadness over the Packers decision to part ways with Jordy Nelson, but in Jimmy Graham he has a new red-zone target to enjoy. Im expecting a big year from the quarterback as he bounces back from the injury that kept him out for most of the 2017 season. PB

Jimmy Garoppolo. At this point in NFL history, we assume that the MVP will be a quarterback. If my earlier prediction that Garoppolo will drag the 49ers to the playoffs practically by himself pans out, then he gets serious MVP consideration. It’s also possible that the league has added incentive to hand the award to the current 49ers quarterback just to spite the former 49ers quarterback currently making the NFL’s life difficult. HF

Rodgers. How lucky for Green Bay the best player in the sport plays the most important position. Every year hes healthy, the Packers are among the last teams standing in January. BAG

Andrew Luck! He will bounce back to pre-injury levels, leading to all sorts of hyperbole and hardware. Luck is playing on the worst roster in a tough division. If he can drag the Colts to the postseason, he will have earned the award. OC

Rookie of the year

Saquon Barkley is the obvious choice, for both talent and opportunity in a Giants offense that has been so long without a viable running game. So just to be contrary, Ill take Broncos pass rusher Bradley Chubb, who looked sharp in preseason and should not face too many double teams with Von Miller lined up on the other side. PB

The Giants picked Barkley second overall in this years draft, something which is nearly unheard of considering how running backs are typically valued in the modern NFL. Given where the Giants drafted him, they expect that Barkley will start producing immediately and, if he does, its possible that he will run away with rookie of the year honors. HF

Barkley. The Giants will be terrible again but they have a top-five offense on paper and the Penn State career all-purpose yards leader will be responsible for a lions share of it. BAG

Given his position and the market he plays in, I think this is Sam Darnolds award to lose. However, I think the two most impactful rookies will be Denzel Ward (CB, Browns) and Josh Jackson (CB, Packers). Jackson has an outside shot of clinching the award because hell be playing in big-time games on the national stage, a requirement for non-quarterbacks or running backs. And hes more likely to top young corners in the big metrics: interceptions, passes defended etc. OC

Johnny Manziel Disaster Waiting To Happen Dept

A team playing in a city that wants to sue it? Yes, this can only end well. PB

We’re going to see the end of the Roger Goodell Era. At a certain point, there will be enough public pressure on Goodell from all sides that he realizes it’s just not worth it to remain as NFL commissioner. Maybe it will happen because of how he’s handling the anthem controversy. Maybe it will happen when yet another star player gets caught committing a horrific act of abuse and the league’s response ends up being appallingly inadequate. Whatever it is, it feels like at some point this season, an overwhelmed Goodell is going to accept a “golden parachute” offer and make a hasty but profitable exit. May God have mercy on whoever ends up having to clean up his mess. HF

Theres no fun in being right about these things. But trouble never seems to be far behind Tampa Bay quarterback Jameis Winston, whos already starting the season on a three-game suspension for allegedly groping an Uber driver. BAG

How about Johnny Manziel. Look at the state of back-up quarterbacks around the league. Somebody is going to talk themselves into Manziel at some point during the season, particularly if we get a spate of injuries. Manziel will suit up for at least one drive this season. It wont go well. OC

One bold prediction

Will Tyrod Taylor remain the Browns starting quarterback? Photograph: Ron Schwane/AP

The Colts will make the postseason. OK, this prediction relies entirely on Andrew Luck staying healthy, but in seasons when he starts 15 or more games, Indianapolis have gone 11-5, 11-5, 11-5, 8-8. People forget quite what a game-changer he is. Yes, there are lots of questions elsewhere on this roster, and his health is far from a certainty. But Frank Reich is a fine offensive coach, and the Colts did at least try to upgrade the pass protection this offseason. I can see a path to nine or 10 wins for this team in a shallow AFC. PB

This is going to sound like heresy here in New England, but there’s a very real chance we see Tom Brady, who just turned 41, decline this season. No we haven’t seen significant signs of trouble yet but, as we saw with Peyton Manning, when the end comes in the NFL, it comes quick. HF

The tricked-out Los Angeles Rams are coming off an 11-5 season and have emerged as a trendy Super Bowl pick, but theyll be doomed by a lack of chemistry and miss the playoffs as the San Francisco 49ers win NFC West. BAG

Jacksonville trade for Tyrod Taylor.Cleveland will start the season with Taylor at quarterback, but Baker Mayfield is primed to takeover. The Browns will use the first few weeks of the season to pump-up Taylors trade value. Taylor represents an upgrade over Bortles. If the Jacksonville quarterback struggles early, the Jags should seek a deal. OC

This year, the anthem protests will…

Be misrepresented by opponents as a protest against the national anthem and/or American values. PB

Continue to be the biggest storyline in football. It’s clear that the NFL’s attempts to determine the proper punishment for protesting players just reignited the controversy. It’s going to be another long season for the “stick to sports” crowd. HF

Make national headlines beyond the sports page as Trump hits the campaign trail to stump for his endorsees ahead of the midterm elections, which take place right after the seasons halfway mark. BAG

Lead to the decertification of the NFLPA. At this point, it feels like its the players only option if they want to make significant, long lasting changes. The NFLs middle class is declining. Elite players smartly used holdouts this preseason to get major paydays. Rookie contracts are as valuable and cost-effective as ever. Players in the middle, still the majority of the league, continue to lose their leverage. That, plus the bad will towards the owners and commissioner, could lead the players towards a drastic step. OC

AFC East champ

The Patriots. Again. PB

Even if Brady does lose a step or two in the upcoming season, it shouldn’t be enough to prevent the Patriots from winning their division. Bill Belichick is still the head coach and the competition in the AFC East once again doesn’t look likely to provide much competition. HF

New England. Weve seen cracks in the Brady-Belichick-Kraft triumvirate over the past two years and the three-time MVP quarterback, who turned 41 last month, will inevitably slow down at some point. But the baked-in advantage of a trash division all but ensures a 15th AFC East title in 17 seasons for the Patriots. BAG

Nobody in AFC East has caught up with the Patriots yet. New Englands biggest flaw in the past couple of years has been speed in the front-seven. They added Adrian Clayborn in free agency and see Derek Rivers return, an edge-rusher who missed his rookie season with a knee injury. Those names might not mean a great deal to you right now, but they are improvements to the weakest part of an already loaded team. OC

AFC North champ

Antonio Browns Steelers are the team to beat in the AFC North. Photograph: Don Wright/AP

Between LeVeon Bells extended holdout, the Ryan Shazier-shaped hole in the middle of the defense and Ben Roethlisbergers 14 seasons of wear and tear, it is no foregone conclusion that the Steelers retain their division crown. But if the running back does return to the field in time for week one, then they will once again be hard to beat. PB

This might be the toughest call in the AFC, as the Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens should both be equally tough outs, no matter who they’re playing. The Steelers, however, just seem like a scarier team. Maybe the edge is that Roethlisberger has that uncanny knack of completing plays despite being pulled apart by the opposing defense while Joe Flacco is Joe Flacco. HF

Pittsburgh. Anyone but the Steelers, where bona fide stars Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown and Bell (maybe) will feature, would be a surprise after winning four of the last five AFC North titles, although an improved Baltimore side will likely challenge for a wild-card spot. BAG

Im all for the excitement in Cleveland. The team has youth, talent, and exciting players on both sides of the ball. Baltimore may have the top defense in the league; at any rate its the most versatile. And keep an eye on Cincinnati. The Bengals are sliding under-the-radar. They have as fearsome a pass-rush as anyone, and just enough explosiveness on offense to make opponents worry. Still, this is the Steelers division to lose. The only thing I can see derailing Pittsburgh is another injury to Roethlisberger. OC

AFC South champ

Ive already made my case for the Colts as a more competitive team than many have predicted. Houston ought to be stronger, too, with Deshaun Watson and JJ Watt both back from injury. Tennessee won nine games last year and made useful additions on either side of the ball in Dion Lewis and Malcolm Butler. The Jaguars are still my pick, though, thanks to that suffocating D. PB

This division feels like it’s going to go down to who manages to have a comeback player of the year caliber season. If Luck plays like a franchise quarterback again, the Colts have the edge. If Watt plays like the force he once was, the Texans could take control of the division. I like Watt’s chances. HF

Houston. The emerging star Watson should pick up where he left off before getting injured last year. Watt is back, too. Throw in the additions of Tyrann Mathieu and Aaron Colvin and the Texans should have enough to overtake the Jaguars. BAG

With Watson back in the fold and a star-studded defense at every level, the Texans have the makings of a division champion. There are issues around the edges: Houstons offensive line has less talent than any in the league; depth on defense is an issue. Health will likely be the deciding factor. OC

AFC West champ

With a competent kicking game, the Chargers might have taken the division last year. It is no guarantee that Caleb Sturgis can provide it, but his modest 81% career success rate is still a great deal better than the 66% achieved by a hapless cast in 2017. PB

The Chiefs season may come down to how good Patrick Mahomes ends up being in his first full year at quarterback, but this feels like a team that can pick up enough wins in the regular season to capture the division and then go on to suffer an Andy Reid-assisted flameout in their first playoff game. HF

The Chargers. Philip Rivers is back at the stick of last years top-ranked passing offense and the defense is better than it gets credit for. They finished strong, winning nine of their last 12 games after going winless in September. It should be enough to end Kansas Citys two-year reign atop the division. BAG

Preseason injuries have tortured the Chargers, again. Still, LA are poised for a deep playoff run They still have the top edge-rushing duo in the league, a great secondary and a seasoned quarterback. OC

NFC East champ

When will Carson Wentz return to the field? Can he perform at the same MVP level that he achieved before his injury last year? Does it really matter, given that the Eagles won the Super Bowl with Nick Foles anyway, and beefed up an imposing defensive line rotation with Michael Bennett and Haloti Ngata since then? PB

The reigning world champions should be the favorites to once again to win their division. It will be interesting to see how things go with Wentz set to take the reins back from Foles, but that probably goes into the category of Good Problems To Have. HF

Philadelphia. Its been 13 years since a team in the NFLs glamour division has won it twice in a row, but theres every reason to believe the Eagles will break the schneid. Theyre deep on both lines, theyve added a couple nice pieces on defense (including Michael Bennett and Sidney Jones) and Wentz was playing at an MVP level until he went down to injury. BAG

The Eagles should go back-to-back. They have an embarrassment of riches all over the field. Watch for second-year cornerback Sidney Jones. He missed his entire rookie year with an achilles injury. If he bounces back to his pre-injury level, he will be an instant star. Of course, all this presupposes that Wentz returns in week three. If not, Philly will be in trouble. OC

NFC North champ

The Vikings won 13 games last season and believe they will be better with Kirk Cousins behind center and a healthy Dalvin Cook in the backfield. But as long as the Packers have an upright Aaron Rodgrs, theyre going to be hard to pick against. PB

It feels weird picking the team that will be starting Cousins over the team starting Rodgers, but the latter is a question mark and Minnesota feel like they are going to win out thanks to the talent they have on the defensive end of the ball. It wouldn’t be a huge surprise if the division comes down to tiebreakers, however. HF

Minnesota. One could argue the splashy addition of free-agent quarterback Kirk Cousins to a team coming off a 13-3 campaign made the Vikings the NFLs most complete team. But the Packers, benefitting from the return of Rodgers and a revamped defense, will push them till the end. BAG

This is a true toss-up. The Bears trading for Khalil Mack changes the entire dynamic of the division. Vic Fangio is coming for Mike Zimmers best-defense-in-the-division crown. Chicago are young and have lethal speed at every level of its defense. Out in Green Bay, theres that Aaron Rodgers guy to deal with. And you cant rule out the Lions making a run, either. On balance, though, I like the Vikings chances. Theyre the more proven team on either side of the ball. Kirk Cousins represents an upgrade over Case Keenum at quarterback. Dalvin Cook returning from injury will help push Minnesota over the top. OC

NFC South champ

Will Drew Brees win another Super Bowl as his career winds down? Photograph: Gerald Herbert/AP

Hey, remember how the Saints were one miracle play away from going to the NFC Championship game last year? Yeah, they really havent lost a lot of pieces since. This will be another very competitive division, but a team that can turn to Drew Brees when the running game isnt working, rather than the other way around, is a team in very rude health indeed. PB

The Saints signed Brees to a two-year extension back in March with the hope that he had at least one more season of playing like Drew Effing Brees in him. While he’s eyeing records held by legends like Brett Favre and Peyton Manning, one has to think that his goal will be returning to the Super Bowl. It’s not out of the question. HF

Former MVP Matt Ryan leads an Atlanta Falcons offense featuring an embarrassment of riches, among them Julio Jones, Devonta Freeman, Tevin Coleman, Mohamed Sanu, Austin Hooper and Justin Hardy. No shortage of playmakers on defense, either. New Orleans and Carolina should contend but look for the Falcons to contend for the NFCs top overall seed. BAG

I have no confidence in this pick. I love the offense that has been put together in New Orleans. But I still dont entirely trust all the young pups on defense. Granted, I hardly trust Steve Sarkisian calling plays for Atlantas offense, but I trust it a little more. Side note: I think Tampa have the potential to be a true dumpster fire. OC

NFC West champ

Ive picked Gurley and Donald to win player of the year awards already. It feels like a stretch to suggest that anyone other than the Rams would win this division if they do. PB

Could the Rams end up being good enough this season to actually get Los Angeles to buy into them? Maybe not, but they have the opportunity to stay in the public consciousness long enough that people stop forgetting that they no longer play in St Louis. HF

The 49ers started 1-10 before Jimmy Garoppolo got a chance under center and closed out with five straight wins. If the Rams bold gamble to reach the Super Bowl doesnt pay off, look for the Niners to take advantage. BAG

The Rams have transformed the nature of the NFC West in a couple of years thanks to a pair of coaching hires (Sean McVay and Wade Phillips) and a raft of free-agent moves and trades. Do win-now moves always work out? No. But the Rams were smart with who they targeted this offseason. They reenforced strengths and improved upon weakness. Their secondary reads like an All-Pro list. Their defensive line is even better. The 49ers will push them close, but ultimately the Rams have too much quality to disappoint. OC

AFC wildcards

Ravens and Colts. PB

Ravens and Jaguars. HF

Chiefs and Ravens. BAG

Jaguars and Colts. OC

NFC wildcards

Vikings and Bears. PB

49ers and Panthers. HF

Saints and Packers. BAG

Packers and 49ers. OC

NFC championship game

Rams over Eagles. PB

Saints over Eagles. HF

Eagles over Falcons. BAG

Vikings over Packers. OC

AFC championship game

Patriots over Chargers. PB

Steelers over Patriots. HF

Patriots over Chargers. BAG

Patriots over Texans. OC

Super Bowl LIII

The Patriots and Eagles have the tools to reach the Super Bowl again. Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

Rams over Patriots. After becoming the NFLs youngest head coach in modern history, and then the youngest coach of the year, Sean McVay completes the set by becoming the youngest to win a Super Bowl as well. Better yet, he does it against the most successful of them all. PB

Steelers over Saints. Old guy quarterback showdown! Roethlisberger will be 36. Brees will be 40! As a game, however, it might end up being anticlimactic. One can imagine Brees burying Pittsburgh in touchdowns, picking up MVP honors and announcing his retirement live on television. At least that’s the Hollywood ending, we should know by now that Super Bowl games rarely follow the script. HF

Eagles over Patriots. Its down to Carson Wentz, really. But if Philadelphias third-year quarterback makes a full recovery from his knee injury and can regain the MVP form he showed during his breakout sophomore campaign (where he threw for 33 touchdowns against only seven interceptions), the Eagles will become the first team in more than a decade to repeat as Super Bowl champions. BAG

Vikings over Patriots. Dumping Case Keenum for Kirk Cousins pays off. The Vikings skill-positions are as talented as any group in the league. Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen might be the best two-man receiving tandem around. Dalvin Cook is a special talent. Add that offense to a top-tier defense and you have a potent championship formula. I have the Patriots suffering another heartbreaker in the Super Bowl. There are concerns with their receiving group and offensive tackle spots. But they still have Brady at the peak of his powers, and a potentially frisky defense that has filled in its holes. No other team in the AFC has the same proven quality. OC

Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/us

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junker-town · 6 years

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NFL coaching grades 2019: How each team’s new hire rates

The NFL’s needy teams turned to some budding offensive minds — but will they pay off?

The 2018 NFL season saw one quarter of the league move on from its entrenched head coaches. Now, in 2019, a new wave of sideline generals are ready to make their mark on the league — and it’ll be a heady brew of young, emerging minds and reliable old standbys.

Bruce Arians called off his retirement after a single year to mentor Jameis Winston with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Kliff Kingsbury made the jump to Cardinals head coach without spending a minute as an NFL assistant. Vic Fangio is getting his first shot at a head coaching position at age 60, more than three decades after taking his first NFL assistant job. Freddie Kitchens had never ranked higher than “quarterbacks coach” on an NFL coaching tree before 2018, and now he’s the Browns’ sideline general.

It will take years to figure out who got 2019 right (mostly — the Cardinals only needed one season to determine they’d seen enough from 2018 hire Steve Wilks), but that doesn’t mean some decisions make more sense than others in the face of an evolving NFL. So which teams look the smartest with their head coaching choices? And who is taking on the biggest risk in hopes of a turnaround?

Let’s dole out some snap judgments and way-too-early grades for 2019’s hirings so far:

Arizona Cardinals: hired USC offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury

The most surprising hiring of 2019 came when Arizona replaced Wilks with a coach who’d been fired by Texas Tech less than two months earlier. Kingsbury emerged as a potential candidate not long after being hired at USC, and wound up making the jump from the college ranks to the NFL — where he hasn’t been seen on a sideline since a training camp stint as a Bills backup quarterback in 2006 — despite the university’s best efforts.

Kingsbury’s success with future NFL quarterbacks at a lower tier Power 5 outpost like Texas Tech was enough to supersede that lack of pro experience. He turned Patrick Mahomes from a three-star quarterback to a top 10 draft pick, made Davis Webb a third-round choice, and even spent a year with Baker Mayfield — though that ended with Mayfield famously transferring to Oklahoma. His Texas Tech offenses ranked third, ninth, first, second, and fifth in passing yards per game among FBS programs in his five years on the job.

Arizona is hoping that mastery will help Josh Rosen live up to the potential that made him the 10th overall pick of the 2018 draft. Rosen was a disaster as a rookie, but he wasn’t exactly surrounded by talent. Kingsbury and a cast of dynamic playmakers will give him the tools he needs to succeed, though the Cardinals will have to bring in a potent defensive mind to look after the other side of the ball. Arizona ranked 26th in the league in points allowed this past season, but holding this year’s No. 1 overall pick should help fix that.

Grade: C+. There’s no denying Kingsbury’s success with passing offenses ... but that was at Texas Tech. The Cardinals are trying to jump the line in order to find the next Sean McVay, and hiring Kingsbury is a gamble.

It could pay off in a big way. While Kingsbury may have only gone 35-40 with the Red Raiders, he was trapped in a recruiting heat sink in Lubbock, Texas, that prevented the caliber of player he could slide onto his depth chart. He’ll have more weapons to use than ever before in Arizona. Will he be talented enough to cobble them into a playoff contender, or will he just be the Cards’ next failed head coach?

Cleveland Browns: hired interim offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens

Kitchens only has two months of coordinator experience at any level, college or pro, under his belt. But what a two months they were. Over the course of eight games, he turned Baker Mayfield from a first-year project to an offensive rookie of the year frontrunner — and the difference between Mayfield’s output under Kitchens and former OC Todd Haley is stark.

Kitchens’ stock soared as the league trended toward relatively inexperienced offensive minds in the mold of Sean McVay and Matt Nagy. Rather than face losing the man who helped guide the team to its best eight-game stretch since 2007, the Browns made him their head coach. Now they’ve got to hope he can keep their offense rolling while finding the right coordinator to unlock the budding potential of their defense.

Grade: A-. The Browns saw what worked and stuck with it. Kitchens doesn’t have a wealth of experience, but he proved he’s capable of turning Mayfield into a franchise quarterback over the span of just eight games as a rookie. This was a smart, common sense hire for Cleveland that may blow up in its face anyway because of the Browns of it all.

Denver Broncos: hired Bears defensive coordinator Vic Fangio

While the rest of the NFL zigged, John Elway zagged, turning away from the league’s trend of promoting young offensive-minded assistants to instead turn his team over to a 60-year-old defensive coordinator. Vic Fangio has spent 19 of the last 20 years as an NFL DC, with the only break coming in 2010 when he commanded Stanford’s defense (the Cardinal allowed just 323 yards per game that fall).

Hiring a touted defensive mind makes sense, especially for a team in the AFC West. Fangio will pit his defense against the dynamic scoring of the Chiefs and Chargers four times per season, and it’s clear Denver was in no position to consistently out-score their rivals. Bringing the architect of Chicago’s dominant defense into the fold sends a message; the Broncos are going to drag their opponents down into the muck and try to out-slop them in low-scoring affairs.

Fangio is a respected assistant finally getting his shot at the top job. He’ll have plenty of opportunities to build the Broncos back into a top-five defense, especially with the high-impact pass rushing duo of Von Miller and Bradley Chubb (26.5 sacks, 47 QB hits in 2018) bookending his linebacking corps. His mission now will be to translate the techniques that made his Bears’ 2018’s top-ranked defense into Denver’s scheme — which will probably need him to add some extra help in the middle of his defense.

His bigger problem will be leveling up an offense that has only ranked among the league’s top 15 scorers three times since 2005 — and all three came with Peyton Manning behind center. Adding Case Keenum as a free agent has yet to pan out for the Broncos, and while a beat-up offensive line and undrafted free agent tailback Phillip Lindsay overachieved, Denver still scored fewer than 21 points per game.

Fixing that issue is now Fangio’s problem. And while he’ll likely have some support from Gary Kubiak, hiring an outside mind to help run the offense will be difficult in a year where rising playcallers are getting promoted to head coaching jobs with regularity.

Grade: B. Elway’s playing to his strengths, and Fangio’s ability to build the league’s top-ranked defense around Khalil Mack is the type of plan that should translate around Von Miller and the rest of the Denver defense. Fangio is a safe hire, but the success of his tenure may depend on whether or not he’ll be able to turn whomever is taking snaps at Mile High Stadium into even a league average quarterback.

Green Bay Packers: hired Titans offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur

Green Bay turned to a Great Lakes native to replace Mike McCarthy, snagging former Saginaw Valley State quarterback LaFleur after one underwhelming season as the Titans’ offensive coordinator. The rising star didn’t do much for Tennessee on paper — the club scored fewer points and won fewer total games with him in the fold than it did in 2017 — but there were signs of life contained within that helped convince the Packers that LaFleur was their man.

Despite alternating between a hurt Marcus Mariota and a very Blaine Gabbert-y Blaine Gabbert and dealing with a Week 1 season-ending injury to 2017 leading receiver Delanie Walker, LaFleur was able to up the Titans’ offensive efficiency (from 5.2 yards per play to 5.3). His schemes turned Derrick Henry into a late-season beast (585 yards, seven touchdowns in his final four games) and turned Mariota into a dynamic runner in a season where shoulder and elbow injuries shredded his passing accuracy.

The latter half is what will either make or break his tenure in Wisconsin. LaFleur’s penchant for run-pass options made him a trendy pick, and his ties to Sean McVay and Kyle Shanahan’s coaching trees give him a background pushing both veteran and emerging young passers into stars. He was the Falcons quarterbacks coach in 2015 and 2016, a run that ended with Matt Ryan leveling all the way up to league MVP. He was McVay’s offensive coordinator in 2017, and while he didn’t call his team’s plays, he still helped turn Jared Goff from replacement level player as a rookie to one of the league’s top passers.

That’s the experience the Packers are counting on after a relatively underwhelming season from Aaron Rodgers. The two-time MVP suffered from a lack of targets, and the result was the lowest touchdown rate of his pro career as well as his lowest Total Quarterback Rating. Turning him back into an All-Pro will be LaFleur’s prime directive — and a modest bounceback from one of the league’s top passers could make the 39-year-old head coach look brilliant in his first year on the sideline.

Grade: C+. LaFleur looks like a boom-or-bust hire, a candidate with a background developing quarterbacks and engineering wide-open offensives, but without much of a track record on which to fall back. The good news for him is that Rodgers gives him one hell of a learning curve. The bad news is any struggle will shave another year off Rodgers’ rapidly closing window of contention. LaFleur may have worked his way up to one of the NFL’s softest landing spots, but that also means he’ll be under scrutiny if he can’t win immediately in Green Bay.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: hired former Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians

Arians’ retirement lasted 370 days before the chance to coach Jameis Winston — a passer he’d mentored when Winston was just a bright-eyed 12-year-old at a southern football camp — dragged him back into the world of press conferences and tape study. He’s already gone on record telling Rich Eisen he plans to build around the former No. 1 overall pick, even if the 25-year-old quarterback only has one year remaining on his contract.

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Rolling with Winston makes sense given a lack of better immediate options in the draft or free agency, but it’s a risky proposition none the less. Arians will have to rein in a QB who is entirely inconsistent on the field — he managed to tie for the league lead in interceptions seven weeks into the season despite playing in only four games — and a constant victim of his own terrible judgment off it.

Arians will also have to build up one of the league’s worst defenses to get the Bucs back on track, though that’s an area where he’s had success in the past. Tampa Bay rated out among the league’s top six defenses (in terms of yards allowed) four times in his five-year tenure with the Cardinals. He’s even got his defensive coordinator from 2013-14, Todd Bowles back to run things on that side of the ball.

Grade: B+. Hiring Arians means he’ll either sink or swim based on Winston’s performance. The fifth-year quarterback closed out 2018 on a hot streak, but his volatile game could leave the Buccaneers stuck in limbo. Hiring Bowles was a nice touch, and it’s easy to see this team making major strides in 2019. The question is whether Arians and Bowles can transform an up-and-down roster into an actual contender, especially in the crocodile skin-tough NFC South.

New York Jets: hired former Dolphins head coach Adam Gase

The Dolphins hired Gase in 2016 the last time “hot young offensive minds” were all the rage in coaching hires. They wanted him to turn Ryan Tannehill into a true franchise quarterback. Three seasons later, the team fired Gase and is expected to finally move on from Tannehill.

The Jets are hiring Gase because 1) “hot young offensive mind” and 2) to develop quarterback Sam Darnold. Sounds familiar. It’s gotta work this time, right? Right?

The good news for Gase and the Jets is that Darnold just finished his rookie season and showed moments of promise during the campaign. In other words, this isn’t quite as impossible of a task as making Ryan Tannehill elite. But that’s only one thing on Gase’s to-do list.

He’s also being asked to turn a team mired in perpetual chaos into a contender. The Dolphins expected him to do the same thing, in the same kind of dysfunctional environment. Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan has a poor track record of personnel decision in his four seasons on the job. So there’s not much for the new coach to work with. This looks like a situation where the Jets will be blowing it all up again in 2-3 seasons.

Grade: D. Maybe Gase will be fine, but we haven’t seen anything from his track record as a head coach to think he will. His biggest accomplishment so far has been pulling Jay Cutler out of retirement in 2017 to lead a 6-10 team. Gase also didn’t have much support from his players when the end came in Miami either. That’s never a good sign for a coach’s career. He got wrapped up and/or consumed by the organizational disarray in Miami, so it’s folly to think he can overcome or be a part of the solution in New York.

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javiermoor4680-blog · 6 years

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Flip This Catcher, Paulino Traded Two Times In One Day

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Nevertheless, this year, Manning is without his Kansas City Kansas typical receivers and the new guys might not be in sync with the Manning methods. But, nonetheless a powerful team, so look for them to come in 2nd in the division. T-Rex in The Legends Buying Middle in Kansas City Kansas, Kansas, is one of my kids' preferred locations to consume. The restaurant is complete of roaring, animatronic dinosaurs, "jungles," and huge saltwater aquariums. Upstairs is an Ice Age-themed eating area, and downstairs are a volcano room (view out for volcanic eruptions!) and an "underwater" space.

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gryffieverse · 2 years

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| INTRODUCTION VIDEO | GENERATION: 1 |

in order of appearance:

Henry Van Tassel Griffin McAllister Felix Averill Raleigh Holt Peyton Bradley Lorelai Austen Sam Coleman Seven Austen Eli Moore Will Ryder Steve Noah Darling Demo Buttergood Mo Darling Paris Gardiner Iida Barstad Tori Milligan Todd Monroe Charlie Meadows Lee Sargent William McAllister

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jasonheart1 · 6 years

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Renck: 7 things to ponder on Broncos

DENVER -- Clarity arrives unexpectedly.

It hit me at 6 a.m. Monday morning as I sat across Mark Schlereth co-hosting on 104.3 The Fan. We talked Rockies pitching -- with Bryan Shaw on the DL, can someone please examine Jake McGee's calf? -- childhood music favorites and, of course, the Broncos.

Optimism reigns this time of year. No losses speckle the record. Players remain, for the most part, healthy. An argument can be crafted for the Broncos to contend. Is that realistic? I see the Broncos as an eight-win team battling for a postseason berth into December. It will take a minimum nine victories to sneak under the velvet rope, possibly 10. Denver is better. With a few days to digest, it's time to look back at seven offseason developments that will determine whether the Broncos avoid back-to-back losing seasons for the first time since 1972.

1) Case Closed

Quarterback Case Keenum requires no C on his chest. No Walt Whitman recital needed. He is the captain of the offense. He commands the huddle, and players view him as the leader. It's hard to be The Man if you don't know if you are The Man. No controversy this season. Keenum holds the keys to the offense. Here's what impresses me about Keenum. All the small things matter. That typically leads to big things. He is a film rat. He practices with purpose. I am not saying he's Peyton Manning. No one is. But Keenum brings an attention to detail and accuracy that should help the Broncos' offense finally operate at something beyond a sitting heart rate. Mark it down, if Keenum posts a 3-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio and/or throws fewer than 10 picks, the Broncos will end their two-year playoff drought.

2) Unleash Von

Outside linebacker Von Miller receives roughly eight realistic sack attempts a game, in my opinion. Teams game plan against him, and quarterbacks release the ball quickly to negate his rush. The Broncos learned the hard way last season that they need to be more creative with Miller. The easiest way to spring him loose is to create a threat on the opposite side with Shaq Barrett, Bradley Chubb, and when his left wrist heals, Shane Ray. The second way? Exotic packages. Line him up in different spots. Use three outside rushers in some packages. Miller represents the Broncos best player. He must be maximized through scheme tweaks. Defensive coordinator Joe Woods knows this now more than ever.

3) Born to run

When Vance Joseph took the job, he planned to employ a physical offense built around a reliable running game. Then Trevor Siemian went off against the Dallas Cowboys, and by all appearances, offensive coordinator Mike McCoy decided to drive the ball down the field in the passing game with three-wide sets as if Manning were taking snaps. Um, yeah, that stunk. It led to sacks, picks and numbing ineffectiveness. Joseph fired McCoy, and Bill Musgrave took over. His time as OC provided a peek into this season. He will run the ball. Keenum delivered a career season in Minnesota because the Vikings committed to the ground attack. The Broncos possess the youngest running back room in the NFL, but require Royce Freeman to contend for offensive rookie of the year honors to rebound. I believe the kid starts in September.

4) Harris leads the way

With Aqib Talib gone, the Broncos lost their voice, and a slice of their edge. Talib played with swag, and had teammates' respect because he had their backs. With Talib gone, Bradley Roby is poised to step up. He must become a more consistent practice player to achieve stardom. He has a role model on the opposite side. With Talib in Los Angeles, it's past time Chris Harris Jr. serves as a captain. Harris is ready for the role. Everyone believes the No Fly Zone will drop off. Harris coined the term. He is prepared to show why the secondary remains legit. There are plenty of leaders on the defense, but Harris' presence needs to grow.

5) Bark at the moon

Defensive end Derek Wolfe smiles again. It's a reminder of how well his neck surgery went. Wolfe is invaluable because of his nastiness and versatility. He can provide an inside rush and stop the run, but struggled to dominate because of pain the past two seasons. A healthy Wolfe provides a leader, a rudder, and deepens a defensive line that unearthed surprises in Domata Peko and Shelby Harris last season. Add DeMarcus Walker to the group, and the Broncos should be stout up front. Good teams win at the line of scrimmage.

6) The kids are all right

The juxtaposition between the last two rookie classes remains striking. The Broncos drafted captains with high football IQ in April. It reflected in their quicker development. Receivers Courtland Sutton -- because of body control, and freak athleticism -- and DeSean Hamilton -- he takes better routes than Google Maps -- shone in workouts. The Broncos seem bent on getting them on the field. If the two combine for 50 catches and 5 touchdowns, it would provide a lift. The X-factor is tight end Jake Butt. The Broncos need a threat in the middle of the field. He showed encouraging signs in camp. If he develops into a red zone threat, teams will no longer be able to bracket Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders.

7) Let's be real about line in sand

I can argue the Broncos will bounce back. But there are more "ifs" than a Rudyard Kipling poem. If the stars shine, if the coaching staff improves dramatically, if the rookies excel -- you get the picture. The offensive line concerns me. Jared Veldheer must prove he's better than he showed at right tackle in Arizona. Ron Leary has to navigate a sore knee. And there's a question mark at right guard where I expect Connor McGovern to beat out Max Garcia. This is where coaching matters. The new line coaches are switching to shorter pass-blocking sets -- no more deep drops. This can camouflage weaknesses and combined with Keenum's quick release, give the group a chance. And did I mention, they need to run the ball?

In June, everything seems clear. The picture painted remains positive. Then comes training camp, and two words: prove it.

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Want Broncos news? Denver7 Broncos insider Troy E. Renck is your source. He talks to the players, covers the games and reports scoops on Denver7 and the Denver7 app. He is a CU grad who has covered pro sports in Colorado since 1996, including 14 years at The Denver Post. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter and TheDenverChannel.com’s Broncos page. Troy welcomes most of your emails at [email protected].

from Local News https://www.thedenverchannel.com/sports/broncos/renck-7-things-to-ponder-with-broncos-training-camp-month-away

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