Top 5 Questions facing the AFC East teams

BF 5How long can BF stay with their stadium situation?
4Can WR Watkins stay healthy all year?
3Will the D be as good as in 2015 as it gets older at key positions like DT?
2Can BF keep the run game going with McCoy and more stable O line?
1Can Taylor offer the kind of passing game to truly contend in the AFC East?
MI 5Can MI really challenge NE for the AFC East title?
4Will D additions of Timmons, Allen & McDonald help?
3Will the high priced D finally live up to their salaries?
2Can MI get as much out of Jay Ajayi as last year 1,272 yards, 8 touchdowns?
1Can Adam Gase push Ryan Tannehill to the next level?
NE 5How much longer will Tom Brady still be effective?
4When will TE Gronk be healthy & can he survive a complete season?
3Will the D be as effective in the playoffs with the loss of Ryan, Sheard & Long?
2Will the O additions be enough to keep NE at the top of the AFC?
1Will a rush-by-committee be enough to earn one
Read more at FryingPanSports

Thanks to all the Cavs fans.

Cav Crowd

NOTE: Today on NNR Samantha Bunten of NBC Sports and I discussed the Browns Minicamp and Game 6 of the NBA Finals.

I wanted to say thanks to all the Cavs fans all over the country. Those that attended the game can be proud of the support you gave the team. You were wonderful in both volume and energy.

Those that cheered outside the Q can be proud of the way that they treated Golden State fans and handled the injuries and loss of the title. There were few if any arrests, no burning cars, or ransacked businesses. You all showed the rest of the country how to act even in a loss.

Things will be different next year.

That is what I think. Tell us what you think by commenting here or tweeting me @NNRonDSN.

NOTE: News, Notes and Rumors podcast are BACK. Check out our thoughts on Fridays about the games coming up and Monday on the results of the weekend. My co-host is Samantha Bunten of NBC Sports. Podcasts can be heard on https://fryingpansports.com/radio-show/. Thanks for your support.

Bill Smith is a former coach of several semi-pro teams, has officiated both football and basketball, done color Read more at FryingPanSports

The Cavs were 1 missed free throw away from the Title.

Cav Crowd

NOTE: Congratulations to LeBron James and the Cavs for a great effort in the finals. No one would have guessed that they would be competitive without 3 of their best 5 players. Tomorrow on NNR Samantha Bunten of NBC Sports and I discuss Game 6 of the finals and the future of the Cavs.

Despite the injures to Kyrie Irving (21.7 points per game), Kevin Love (16.4) and Anderson Varejao (9.6) the Cavs came within 1 point of winning the title.

Game 1 came down to a last second possession by the Cavs to win the game in regulation. But if they had made 1 more missed free throw, they would have had a 1 point lead and could have just held the ball to win. Another possibility would have been if the refs had not decided to call traveling for the 1st time all game on Timofey Mozgov in the previous possession. While Irving was hurt in OT, the Cavs would have won the title with that game 1 win with or without their starting point guard.

The Cavs went on to win Game 2 in Oakland and Game 3 in Cleveland. Since the format of the finals … Read more at FryingPanSports

The team that wins game 4 will win the title.

NBA Gm3

NOTE: On NNR Samantha Bunten of NBC Sports and I review game 2 of the NBA Finals.

Statistics back up my position that whichever team wins game 4 will win the title. If the Cavs win and go up 3 games to 1, they have a great chance to win the title. In the past since the format of the NBA playoffs went to the 2-2-1-1-1 format 84% of the teams that went up 3 games to 1 won the title.

If the Warriors win game 4 they take back home court advantage. Statistically the vast majority of teams that have a 7th game at home win that game and the title.

A major question about the game is which Stephen Curry will we see? If it is they 4th quarter SC that led the Warriors to a 36 point quarter, the Cavs are in trouble. If it is the SC that played in the first 3 quarters, the Cavs have a good chance. Part of that will depend on Curry’s ability to shoot more accurately and the rest will depend on Matthew Dellavedova’s ability to keep pressure on Curry. Dellavedova has been outstanding on defense and contributed … Read more at FryingPanSports

The NBA refs are the worst in pro sports.

NBA Zebras

NOTE: Today on NNR Samantha Bunten of NBC Sports and I review game 2 of the NBA Finals.

You would hope that in the NBA finals you would get the best of the best officials. These guys in both games were deaf, dumb and blind.

The zebras are still allowing the game to deteriorate to tackle basketball. That is going to get worse as the series continues. It can lead to injuries and fights. There is no excuse for the zebras allowing the play to get that physical. But even tackle basketball is inconsistent. At times they call touch fouls outside that would not be fouls during the regular season.

When the announcers are more accurate calling fouls and violations, the refs are not doing their jobs. It is not a case of the calls going to one team and not the other. This was just a case of the zebras swallowing their whistles. But there again, the calls are totally inconsistent. They decide to call traveling in the last 2 minutes of game 1 when they had ignored it all game long.

All any coach wants is consistency. Call it close or let them play a little. Coaches and … Read more at FryingPanSports

Has anyone seen this man?

Kevin Love

NOTE: On NNR Samantha Bunten of NBC Sports and I analyzed the depth chart of the Browns. There will be no shows until Thursday the 28th. Paul Banks of the Washington Times will be my guest to talk Browns and Cavs. On the 29th Samantha and I will talk about which teams have done the best and the worst with both Free Agency and the draft.

I fully expect to see the picture of Kevin Love on milk cartons soon. He has not been on the bench watching his team struggle to a 3-0 advantage over the Hawks. We assume he has been busy rehabbing the injury.

However, his absence says a lot about the chances he will stay with the Cavs or move on. If he can not be bothered to watch the team try to win him a ring what chance is there that if he gets one he will resign with the Cavs? The answer is clearly not much of a chance we will see him in a Cavs uniform next year.

There are 3 critical questions we have to ask here. First, is there a better chance Love returns if the team wins a … Read more at FryingPanSports