I was 40,000 feet in the air when the news hit.

Well the news hit me from all over.  I was on my way back from a family trip and settling in for what would be the longest 14 hour flight of my life (and that’s without the KP news).  That’s life traveling with a toddler on an international flight.

I logged into the complementary 20MB of Wifi* to notify my parents that we had successfully made our connecting flight and we were on our way home** when the texts started flying in.  Completely out of sync and order.

*= You think i’m made out of money?!?!?!
**= You’re never too old to be the irresponsible kid.

The first message I got was “holy shit they did it.  F%^&’ing Knicks”.  As a Knicks fan that can mean any one of 100 different scenarios.  I knew I had to go right to the source hardwired into all of the comings and goings of the NBA- Adrian Wojnarowski’s twitter feed and I was met (read smacked) with this:

and as i scrolled up….this:

In the span of an hour the Knicks franchise had changed.

How did we get here?  How did this happen?  I tried to make sense of it with friends who themselves couldn’t figure it out.  With a 14 hour flight in which i got maybe an hour of sleep, a few days, and some cryptic Kristaps snaps I’ve made sense of a few things which you may be asking as well:

1. Who won the deal?  The short answer?  We don’t know.  Dallas traded expiring contracts, an unprotected pick, a disgruntled young player who realized he would never be “the guy” when “THE GUY” was on the roster, and a lottery protected pick without any assurances that Kristaps would sign.

The Knicks traded their franchise superstar coming off an ACL injury and cleared out a bunch of cap space on the off chance that two of the most wishy-washy superstars of this generation would possibly sign with them.

Cool.

Ultimately we won’t know who won until July 1 and even then this could be a wash.  The Knicks could sign Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant to max deals and the Mavs could get KP to sign a 5 year $158M extension and both teams will have gotten from this deal what they wanted.

To me the only way one side or the other would win this deal is if they sign Kyrie and KD and the Knicks flip the Mavs picks, Kevin Knox, and this year’s unprotected 1st to the Pelicans this summer for Anthony Davis then the Knicks won this deal.  If the Knicks don’t sign either of those guys and KP goes on to sign an extension with the Mavs and he and Doncic turn into Nash and Dirk 2.0 for the next decade then the Mavs won this deal so there’s tremendous risk on both sides.

  2. Did the Knicks sell low on Kristaps?  It depends on what side you believe.  According to Marc Stein of the New York Times,  Steve Mills and the Knicks organization felt like Kristaps was becoming “detached” and felt the need to shop him quietly in January to assess what the return would be.  You can understand why the Knicks would feel that way: it was just a year ago that KP blew off an exit meeting with Phil Jackson the former Knick legend and GM*, and then came the contradictory IG post KP put up of him running when the Knicks had just earlier in the day said he hadn’t.  You could excuse the Knicks organization for assuming something was up.

*= Oh i’m well aware of how that sentence looks.

But this is after all the Knicks.  And every Knicks fan knows that they are never the innocent ones.  This is the same organization that removed access to a Daily News reporter because of a few articles that put the organization and its owner in a bad light* and refused to give media access to an entire radio station because of an over the top radio editorial by Maggie Gray of WFAN.

*= some would call this telling the truth.

The Knicks, if you’ve been living under a rock for the last two decades have lacked direction and any direction they HAVE had has been like Michael Scott following a GPS right into a lake.    I won’t recall them all in this article because for one there’s way too many and second, I would need to be placed on concussion protocol from banging my head against the desk.

So its awfully discomforting to watch “sources say” that Kristaps showed up to the now famous five minute meeting and it went from, per Woj’s twitter account, the Knicks coming away with the feeling that he wanted to be traded to Kristaps requesting a trade during this meeting.  Then came the hit pieces about Kristaps brother Janis being upset that he didn’t have a bigger role in the organization.

I would say this is normal but this is the same organization that was sued by one of its former beloved players after being physically escorted out of the arena while a game was going on so the idea of normal has to be shifted.

I’m going to split the difference down the middle.  The Knicks have been very upfront about their goals heading into this season.  They were going to lose.  A lot.  This was reported, discussed and dissected from every angle.  So KP being upset over the direction of the franchise may not have had much to do with how much they were losing but rather where he fit into their future.

Here’s what I think: He’s coming off an ACL injury and the Knicks were linked to Kevin Durant and they were shopping their other contracts (Hardaway and Lee) to create a second max slot for a second superstar.  With Anthony Davis including the Knicks on a list of teams he would sign a long term extension with* I’m sure KP’s camp thought he would be used as a main piece in a trade with the Pelicans and they wanted to take back some control.

*= Bullshit.

He’s a 7 foot 3 guy thats coming off a leg injury.  Medicine has come a long way since the 90’s where that type of injury may have been a career altering injury but the list of really tall guys with a history of leg injuries that came back to have great careers is basically nil.

So no, I don’t think the Knicks sold low on Kristaps if this meeting really was the breaking point where a trade may or may not have been requested.  It also shows that the Knicks had prepared for this moment, per Marc Stein’s report, by canvassing the league in January prior to pulling the trigger quickly.  What they got was what they wanted, salary relief, draft assets and a young player to develop through their player development system.*

*= stop laughing.

       3. Did KP want to be a Knick? That’s a question for KP but most of the evidence suggests no.  I’m sure his camp wasn’t sold on KP’s place within the framework of what the Knicks are potentially building to: the new super team.  Were the Knicks prepared to max him out with a 5/$158M?  Perhaps but now we’ll never know and the Knicks were well within their right to question his loyalty if they even got a whiff that he wasn’t sold on their future together.

4. Does this deal affect other teams?  Well yeah.  If you’re the Warriors the thought of losing Durant didn’t just surface the morning of the Kristaps deal.  They’ve been dealing with that reality for some time.  But the Celtics had to be surprised waking up to Kyrie’s “ask me July 1” as rumors swirled that the Knicks would use the second max slot to team Kyrie with Durant.  Both are contenders for championships this year and beyond but both teams require keeping Durant and Kyrie respectively to maintain their dominance so there is a bit of scrambling here that affects them.

Let’s take this a step further.  Say this summer, the Knicks somehow realign the stars and rid themselves of their toxic karma to bring the two in-their-prime superstars to New York to make them a contender, it would hurt the Celtics and hurt the Warriors (but only slightly). Those are two organizations that aren’t just going to let these star players walk and have their collective shit together.

If you’re the Celtics and you want to keep Kyrie now is the time to make an all-in play for Anthony Davis who was rumored to be interested in teaming up together.  But Anthony Davis’ dad*, citing the Isiah Thomas trade, has made it clear his son isn’t interested in signing a long term deal in Boston.

*= So far this year, Kawhi’s uncle, Anthony Davis’ dad and Kristaps brother has altered the NBA.  Amazing.

Of course that hasn’t stopped the Celtics from asking the Pelicans to wait because ::wink wink:: it’ll be worth the wait.*

*= Here’s a live picture of Danny Ainge making an offer to Dell Demps:

The Celtics scrambling to keep the Pelicans from trading AD to the Lakers for…..their entire roster*, created an opportunity for other would be contenders in the East, like the Sixers who traded for Tobias Harris.

*= A live shot of the Lakers bench after seeing what the LA-brons offered the Pelicans for AD.

How does this affect the East?

The Clippers owe their 2019 first round pick to the Celtics but its lottery protected.  The Celtics are hoping to use that pick as one of the tasty assets that they can offer to the Pelicans in a trade.  They need that trade to convince the here-today-gone-tomorrow Kyrie that there is a future in Boston with a better roster.  The Clippers were able to clear one max slot with this trade and are capable of clearing even more if they trade Gallinari.  More importantly they are sacrificing a playoff run this year (and the value of the pick) to be financially set to offer a max contract for….drum roll please- Kawhi Leonard who is from the Southern California area.

You remember Kawhi don’t you?  He plays for the Raptors who just traded for Marc Gasol.  The Raptors made that deal to try and convince Kawhi that if he sticks around an entire country can be his and they will continue making win-now moves.  Another team that sees Boston in a moment of weakness?  The team with the best record in the Eastern Conference and the best player in the conference: the Milwaukee Bucks who just managed to flip Thon Maker and some second round picks into Nikola Mirotic (via Stanley Johnson).

That’s before you begin to consider what trade rumors do to Boston’s locker room.  If every player is available in a trade, like rumors would suggest with the Lakers, how will the young guys on Boston feel when they are asked to give their all for a playoff push?  Boston has underachieved this season as it is.

The Warriors on the other hand are good either way.  They are likely headed towards their third title in a row, fourth in five years and  comparisons to dynasties before.  Durant leaving could provide Steve Kerr’s group with the needed motivation.  Remember the threesome of Klay, Curry and Draymond were one game away from winning 73 games and a title so they aren’t going anywhere but they will go from being THE favorites to a favorite.

*******************************

The potential of this trade is far reaching which is why as a fan of the Knicks I went from being horrified of this trade because its the Knicks to being strangely optimistic.  The KD rumor has been around for some time and his current media blackout in Golden State is basically fueling the fire for a change.

Things have never been this much in favor for the Knicks since they went to Houston up 3-2 in the 1994 NBA Finals and…well…..

Again this can all go wrong for the Knicks and their past suggests that Knick fans be prepared for the worst. We could ultimately strike out for both major free agents.  They could panic and lock up Kemba Walker and Tobias Harris to two max slots and continue to be the laughing stock of the NBA because all this (Read KP) would’ve been all for naught.

Or things can magically go right.  Even if the Knicks strike out on that second star to pair with KD they could roll that cap space until another star decides he’s done with his current situation because if the last 10 years have taught us anything its that a superstar will always become available and maintaining flexibility is the biggest asset you could have.  It means not sacrificing first round picks except for absolute sure things.  The Knicks are building a culture.  That will take time, especially when you are trying to restore the roar back to the Garden.

Knicks fans like me have longed to hear it and if Kristaps didn’t want to be part of the next winning team here in NY then so be it.  I won’t hold a grudge or boo KP next time he shows up.  New York isn’t for everybody and I recognized, that save for a guy flipping us the bird on the way out, there isn’t a reason to boo that player for recognizing that either.  Its a point of pride to say you’re from New York- you’re a survivor more or less.

So good luck Kristaps.  I’m not hoping for your knee to be like paper mache.  I hope you go and have success except if it directly affects the Knicks.  As for the Knicks?  This is a franchise that’s continuously tripped over its own feet for the last two decades so even if the worst scenario plays out I’m completely prepared for it.

Oh and by the way I never sent that text to my parents to let them know I boarded my connecting flight.  I went on that 14 hour flight and my son slept for maybe one hour and when we landed my parents lit into me for forgetting them.  Once again, the Knicks ruined my life.  Hopefully on July 1, they will make it all better.

It’s tough when you’re the last person to realize a relationship is not going to work out.  Even worse when it’s playing out in public.  

But that’s the position Carmelo Anthony is in and it’s hard not to feel sorry for him. 

Melo came to New York with the label of savior which, during this week, we all can agree is too heavy a cross to bear.  He was greeted as a Native New Yorker even if we took loose liberties with the term.  He was going to be Bernard King 2.0- the superhero who made New York believe but whose career was cut short due to injuries.  

He came at the cost of a number of building blocks.  His desire to play in New York, the Mecca of basketball and media capital of the world, had its ulterior motives.  He wanted to come but ONLY if he was traded- so he could get a bigger contract thanks to NBA salary cap rules. He wanted to come to play in the Garden but threatened to play for Brooklyn who desperately looked for credibility and a chance to eat away at the Knick fan base.  He could get New York and play for the upstart.  His wife Lala could have better opportunities as well.  

James Dolan, the beleaguered owner of the Knicks, blinked and forced a trade of assets rather than bring Melo to NY in the offseason.  Melo was greeted as a hero- but it was apparent that he wanted to win on HIS terms.  

He didn’t want to play defense at the expense of wasting energy that could be better used to get buckets.  He refused to play the point forward position for then head coach Mike D’Antoni or play as a small 4.  These are now considered staples of the modern NBA game and James Harden- in D’Antoni’s first year as coach of the Rockets- has turned into a top 3 MVP candidate.  As a point forward. 

Relationships are built on trust and it was clear that Melo had none for the Knicks.  But let’s face it- this organization shouldn’t be trusted to run a hot dog stand.  Melo also was domineering and wanted control and it to be about him.  

His jealousy arose when Linsanity’s improbable rise happened.  Incapable of believing that anything good could happen to the Knicks that he was not personally being given credit for he froze out the young point guard.  The icy relationship made it easy for the Knicks NOT to swallow the “poison pill” and allow him to go to the Rockets in free agency.  

The one year he saw on court success he was surrounded by veterans and more importantly true leaders.  In 2012 the Knicks won 54 games, clinched the Atlantic division title and 2 seed and defeated the Celtics in a playoff series.  Unthinkable for Knicks fans who had gone through a period of absolute garbage basketball.  

But that was quickly erased in 2013 when the Knicks continued their rotten ways and gave up two first round picks for a guy that was about to be released.  The kind of crippling- pay $5 for NYC tap water put into empty used Poland Spring bottles from a dude standing on the side of a busy intersection- move reserved for complete morons.  It was like a self fulfilling prophecy- one step forward three steps back.  

Melo got older and the wins got harder to come by.  Eventually Knicks fans became upset. 

Enter Phil Jackson.  Almost like a counselor introduced to salvage a marriage.  He was going to fix the Knicks and restore order.  But it always felt like he was learning on the job.  

Lesson one- don’t give anyone NOT named Lebron James a no-trade clause.  He gave Melo  one.    Lesson two- if you want to believe that Melo is a team player expect him to leave some dollars on the table so roster holes could be fixed.  He didn’t.  Melo signed for the max- ensuring that no matter what Melo was going to get his.  

Ultimately Melo is the selfish half of a hapless relationship.  Unwilling to give up for the other- he wants it all.  He wants to do it on his terms.  

It wasn’t until this year that he demonstrably returned the boos.  When he hit a game winner he refused the applause.  Knicks fans were still willing to cheer him but now ONLY when he did something good for them.  Suddenly he was losing control.  

Knicks fans found a new guy.  He’s younger and he’s got a few more tricks than Melo.  He could be transcendent.  All anyone seems to agree is that Melo should step aside and let the young man fly.  

But when has that ever been Melo’s style?  

Melo wants acceptance and love but he wants money and fame and respect.   He wants to be known as one of the best players in game in line with his banana boat buddies all while NOT playing defense.  He wants on his terms.  

Now he “sees the writing on the wall”.   He said he will have a long talk with Knicks President Phil Jackson and the idea is to have all the cards on the table.  The Knicks would love to acquire draft capital or young cost controlled talent in return for Melo. While his value may not be so high thanks to that contract and trade kicker- he still has value as a very expensive 3rd option.  

Melo will need to accept that he’s not the savior anymore.  Melo needs to accept the reality that he is not needed in NY anymore and sometimes not wanted.  Melo needs to accept the reality of the situation.  The situation he forced.  The situation he created.  It’s all been leading to this moment.  

It’s over.  

The Winter Meetings are upon us which means most of us baseball loyalists will be checking our smartphones like we can somehow alter our team’s fortunes in signing the guy we want them to sign.

But the Hot Stove season is rife with lies and innuendo meant to steer us in a different way.  Meant to get us excited and build up angst.

In that regard the Mets signed the one guy i wanted them to sign so I am already satisfied with the output thus far.  But I thought a better way of giving my predictions (read my best case/worst case scenario for the Mets), would be to get through the thicket of news I’ve heard and give my best guesses on what to expect.

1. The Mets will trade Jay Bruce and/or Curis Granderson- in 2013 when the Mets signed Curtis Granderson it was a modest signing but not headline worthy but this is what it did.  Granderson switched sides in the Yankees/Mets civil war and brought a measure of class and universal respect to the team.  It also brought leadership, one i’ve always felt was overrated when it came to giving David Wright props.  In that vein I think Granderson is the guy the Mets want to keep and Bruce the guy they want to trade.  Granderson is the older player (by 5 years) and the one with the bigger financial commitment for next season ($15M vs. $13M) but teams want Granderson for the same reason the Mets want to keep him: his leadership.  To me the news that more want Granderson sounds like teams want to undercut Bruce’s value and hope the Mets sell low which is why I think Granderson will be the guy to go.  Bruce didn’t hit much for Mets after being traded and the feeling is that teams may shy away from a guy who can’t play in the spotlight of a pennant race which the Mets expect to be in next season barring a catastrophic season.  My hunch is that the Mets trade Bruce for a prospect pitcher OR a reliever who they will try to march right up through the system to assist in the bullpen.
2. The Mets will trade Conforto for a major reliever- I don’t buy it.  I think the Mets will listen to offers but this would be a TERRIBLE time to trade Conforto.  The Mets had as much to do with his horrible season as Conforto constantly managing to platoon a guy who had an idea when he came up to the plate.  Especially after letting Murphy go, the Mets should be valuing a player who hits for average which almost every single scout and prospect site says he will.  He will also hit for power, but ONLY if you play him.  The Mets were inconsistent in explaining Conforto’s lack of AB’s by noting their concern in their defense, but then how to explain Wilmer Flores’ playing time?  The Mets defense is contingent on their starting rotation being excellent and their offense bludgeoning teams to death.  Conforto should have been afforded more AB’s and this is where the Mets get into trouble.  When you get into bed with a guy like Yoenis Cespedes you do so with the understanding that you have to placate him a little.  The Mets however have allowed him to dictate where he plays (he would prefer playing left field).  Having Granderson and Bruce at right means Conforto’s only hope to get regular AB’s would be centerfield which leaves another problem- how to get Juan Lagares AB’s.  My hunch is that the Mets explore Conforto at 1st to get him regular AB’s and protect themselves against Lucas Duda’s back.
3.  The Mets will move Zack Wheeler to the bullpen-  This is a development I’m in favor of even if excellent baseball writer Mark Simon is not:

But I think this helps bring Wheeler along slower while also giving guys like Seth Lugo and Robert Gsellman who deserve a shot at innings in the rotation a chance at just that.  I like Gsellman for the bullpen because of his arm and the fact that he has that bowling ball sinker that gets a ton of weak contact.  Seth Lugo’s spin rate also created some historically bad contact but I prefer him over Gsellman in the rotation as part of a six man rotation to start the season just so that the Mets keep their fragile pitching staff rested.  Much of their pitching woes should be plugged in by internal solutions.  If it worked for the rotation why can’t it work for the bullpen?  My hunch is that it will be Wheeler who gets moved to 7th inning duty to start the season and when Familia returns, the Mets will add innings to expand him into a long reliever role and more if play or situation warrants.

4. The Mets are looking to trade one of their starting pitchers for positional talent- I don’t see it.  If they learned anything last year its that you can’t have enough pitching.  Their offense, if healthy can score enough runs to win more games than not.  The best use of their resources would be to lengthen your pitchers careers by asking them to pitch fewer games.  The six man rotation, one I’ve personally called for on this page, is now a necessity and can no longer be considered foolish.  Not when the Mets have this kind of pitching staff.  Not when this isn’t a forever kind of thing.  In fact I think they should start off with a six man staff and then when August and September games come you have a much more rested staff that can push through the dog days and give the Mets the kind of shot in the arm they need.  Why can’t the Mets employ some form of common sense to give their players a chance and be smart about getting them back to the normal 5 day routine as the season wears on?  My hunch is that the Mets employ a 5 man rotation and one of Wheeler, Lugo and Gsellman spend considerable time wasted in Triple A.

A few thoughts from the Giants 22-16 win over the Chicago Bears.

1. Landon Collins is a playmaker-  I’ve said it again and again- I still think there’s room for improvement overall- but he keeps making plays.  He’s improved weekly this season and we’ve seen his growth in how often he steps up during the game.  He just seems to be in the right place at the right time.  Cutler slipped making that pass and Collins just happened to turn before the receiver did to be able to come back to that ball.  He’s playing himself into a leadership role on this team my guess is that when this season is done we will probably be talking about his impact.
2. Tale of two halves- The Giants came out listless in a game many had cautioned was a trap game for the Giants.  After all a 2-7 team against a 6-3 team with 4 straight wins and trending up seems like a mismatch on paper but Giants fans like myself were prepared for the let down game and the report before the game didn’t really put me at ease by Kim Jones.  She reported that this was the loosest Giants team she had ever seen since she started covering the team in 2001.  Out came Cutler throwing fastballs to his receivers and Jordan Howard patiently picking apart the Giants defensive line to a tune of 88 yards.  And every Giants fan could be heard groaning with the “here we freaking go”.  The second half however, the Giants came out motivated, and eager to change the script.  The defensive line shut down the Bears running attack and made them one dimensional and as he has proven throughout his career, when the game is in the hands of Jay Cutler, he oftentimes throws him and his team out of a game.  A very resilient response by a team that can’t afford to take halves off against any team in the NFL and hopefully this game proved educational for the Big Blue.
3. Prevent Offense-  The first two drives of the second half resulted in touchdowns as the Giants scored in 3:56 and 3:15 and then went 5 consecutive punts with 4 of the 5 being 3 and outs and the only non 3 and out lasting all of 5 plays.  The Giants inability to run the ball with any consistency is going to be a major problem as the weather gets far worse and the schedule begins getting worse.  You need a solid run game in the Northeast playing through the elements.  Every remaining game will be played in less than ideal temperatures.  In those situations you can’t keep losing the time of possession battle and expect to come out with wins.  Its a situation worth keeping an eye on.
4. Missed PAT’s- As of this writing there are 10 missed PAT’s and its officially made one of the more boring aspects of football a bit more unpredictable.  This counts as the ONLY rule change during Goodell’s tenure that would count as something for the betterment of the game.  The game expected up to 50mph winds which lead to three missed PAT’s and two missed FG’s.  It may have played into how McAdoo called the game especially on that second 4th down call where it was on the Bears 33.  Again- with weather conditions worsening its going to be interesting to see if the Giants can’t trust their run game OR their FG kicker it may make the Giants overly reliant on the passing game.
5. 4th down play calling- It bears repeating every week.  Most analytically leaning writers will tell you the value in going for it on 4th and less than 5 in opponent’s territory but its shocking how many coaches play so safe.  And make no mistake that having been in the organization two years prior allows McAdoo to operate from a perspective that allows him to know what he can trust his QB to convert and what he can’t.  A first year head coach may not be as bold.  But McAdoo has exhibited a level of trust that shows that he won’t give up on possessions as easily as most conservative head coaches will.  Reminds you that sometimes football coaches are able to listen to reason and not all be Jeff Fisher’s.
6. JPP is playing himself into a big contract- At this point, Vernon’s contract may be what JPP’s side is aiming for, but if he keeps playing the way he has the last few weeks, it may be the starting point.  JPP is getting push at the point and he’s got some of that burst back.  Good for him.  He’s also playing the run extremely well.
7. Speaking of Olivier Vernon- There’s a man who’s living up to what many felt was a ludicrous contract (me included).  More than the sack numbers he’s played the run extremely consistent and now the sack numbers are coming.  He’s getting better and that’s coinciding with JPP playing better along with the rest of the line getting better and Landon Collins.  Its amazing what happens when the unit comes together.  The Spags element shouldn’t be lost here either.  Many (me included) had begun to lose faith in Spags and fell into the convenient “he had three great pass rushers- of course his defense was going to play well” theory but the entire unit has benefited from being in the system for over a year.
8. Turning Point of the Game- Landon Collins’ interception is the easy call here.  But here’s a close second- 4th and 2 on the Chicago 17 in the first quarter after Chicago marched down the field and scored a touchdown fairly easily.  Many people have unfairly suggested that Coughlin would have lost these games this year if he were still coaching.  I don’t think its that simple.  I think McAdoo just strikes a different chord and after 12 seasons Coughlin’s voice just started to get old in a locker room that was different from the one he won Super Bowls with.  Collins interception iced the game and once again saved the offense by shutting the Bears down in the second half.  They legitemately were an elite defense in hte second half.  Again, they are winning the games good teams win- its those five after next week that they have to worry about.
9. Looking ahead to the winless Browns- I’ll say it again.  Trap games exist.  This could be huge given the result of this Thursday’s Turkey Bowl between the Cowboys and Skins.  The Giants either have the opportunity to gain some ground on the Cowboys or put some distance between them and the Skins which will be huge later in the season when the Giants meet the Skins in the Nation’s Capital.
10. The Top 10-

A. Cowboys- Have earned this.  Huge moment with Romo’s press conference putting to rest any speculation for the rest of the season.  Aside from injury or a string of games of poor play Dak will be the QB for the Cowboys.

B. Patriots- Brady being a realistic MVP candidate without playing the first four games is a tribute to the machine in Foxboro.

C. Seahawks- Wilson clearly will be limited moving forward which compromises how great this team can be but this defense still balls the heck out and will need to continue to dominate.

D. Raiders- They have a young fearless QB and a fearless coach and those guys are always the most dangerous teams.

E. Giants- Yes- a five game winning streak vaults you into Top 5 status.  And the only difference between the Giants and the Dolphins is I trust Eli and Odell more than Ryan Tannehill and Jay Ajayi.

F. Dolphins- They looked dead 6 weeks ago.  Now they are second in the division and trending upward with an out of nowhere dominant run game.

G. Chiefs- Similarly I trust the Chiefs QB Alex Smith more than the Broncos Trevor Seimian.  Getting a guy like Justin Houston back is huge for a team that will need him over the next four weeks.  Big stretch coming.

H. Broncos- the defending Super Bowl champions can wrest control over the division but can Trevor Seimian actually do that?  We’re about to find out Sunday.

I. Falcons- They’re still Matt Ryan and Julio Jones but this year Ryan has been comfortable operating Kyle Shanahan’s offense and it shows.

J. Redskins- Their offensive line is playing well and keeping them in all the games but their real skill has been Cousins’ efficiency and not having a true number one receiver.  He doesn’t have to force the ball into a player in a critical situation.  Don’t underestimate that.