Super Bowl LIII

The Broken Plane Podcast

Season 2, Episode 43
Super Bowl LIII

0:00 - 8:19 Intro/Twitter Fan of the Week @eve_deified
Twitter...@TheBrokenPlane
Email...TheBrokenPlanePod@gmail.com
Hotline...(503) 902-1006
8:19 - 13:54 Pod Announcements
Fleet Speak Ends
TBP Fantasy Football Reminders
13:54 - 58:56 TBP 2018 NFL Awards
Coach of the Year
Executive of the Year
Comeback Player of the Year
Defensive Rookie of the Year
Offensive Rookie of the Year
Most Valuable Player
58:56 - 1:03:50 Super Bowl Talk
1:03:50 - 1:07:41 Brian Cushing Hired as S/C coach w/Texans
1:07:41 - 1:08:29 Outro

2018 NFL Post Conference, Pre-Super Bowl Bye Week

The Broken Plane Podcast

Season 2, Episode 42
2018 Playoff Bye Week

0:00 - 5:35 Intro/Twitter Fan of the Week @KarlWallin1
Twitter...@TheBrokenPlane
Email...TheBrokenPlanePod@gmail.com
Hotline...(503) 902-1006
5:35 - 9:55 Pod Announcements 9:55 - 42:13 Conference Championships
Rams @ Saints
Patriots @ Chiefs
42:13 - 48:25 #AskADude

@TheBrokenPlane what's your thoughts on the LA vs. NO game?
Also, who will be SB MVP?

— Jay Lewis (@JayFjve) January 21, 2019

48:25 - 51:54 Early Super Bowl Discussion
51:54 - 52:44 Outro

Denver Broncos: 2019 Free Agent Breakdown

Ahh, free agency! It can be exciting. It can be nerve-wracking. It can be something you ignore altogether. No longer! We're bringing you a look at each team's upcoming free agents and what we think. We're going alphanumericabetically by team mascot, in case you were wondering.

This is a team that is not too far off getting back into the playoff picture in a real way, in our opinion. We were not huge fans of Vance Joseph, but did not necessarily think he earned a firing either. It's hard to succeed with the quarterbacks he had. How much input did he have in choosing Case Keenum? We don't know, maybe someone can help us out. Despite what Keenum did in Minnesota, we tend to believe he's actually the quarterback we saw prior to 2017. This defense is good, and there is a lot to like on the offense. Just waiting for the right quarterback to come along.

There are some names up for free agency who matter to the Broncos, so let's dive in.

Special Teams

1. Casey Kreiter (LS) - Kreiter has been snapping the long ball for Denver since 2016. He was handpicked by rival AFC coach Anthony Lynn of the Los Diego San Angeles Chargers to the Pro Bowl. Kreiter is a restricted free agent so Denver will have every opportunity to bring him back, and they're probably planning on it, him being a Pro Bowler and all. It might cost 'em though!

Defense

1. Tramaine Brock (CB) - After trading Aqib Talib to the Rams, Denver moved on Brock. He had been a reliable piece of San Francisco's secondary for seven year before stopping in Minnesota. Brock then proceeded to look completely lost and the Vikings only let him on the field for 51 defensive snaps. Perhaps Elway found a value veteran to fill the void Talib left? No, unfortunately not. We don't think he'll be back in 2019.
2. Bradley Roby (CB) - Elway took a chance on Roby's abilities when handing over the starting spot opposite Chris Harris to Bradley. It did not work out. According to ProFootballFocus, Roby allowed a 117.3 passer rating on throws to his coverage. With new head coach Vic Fangio and new defensive coordinator Ed Donatell (also from the Bears) in charge of the defense, it's tough to say what will happen here. Donatell is a DBs coach, if he likes what he sees in Roby, a return is possible.
3. Jamar Taylor (CB) - If there is one thing you do not want, it is a reject from the worst team in the league. Jamar Taylor was brought in late by Denver after Arizona released him in November. Granted, the Broncos' secondary was toast, Brock and Harris were both hurt. Taylor is a desperation player and we doubt Denver facilitates a return.
4. Dymonte Thomas (S) - Second-year undrafted free agent Thomas is primarily a special teams player who managed to see some extra defensive duty with the casualty rate in the secondary this season. He picked off Baker Mayfield, which is something not a lot of people can say. We admit to not knowing who this is, so we do not know whether he'll return in 2019.
5. Shaquil Barrett (LB) - The Broncos found a gem five years ago when they plucked Barrett post-draft and plugged him into the lineup. The problem is, now he's stuck behind Von Miller and Bradley Chubb. He could be content to rotate in when one needs a breather. Or he could look for a starting job and some money elsewhere. Our money is on Barrett finding a home outside of Mile High. He's too good to play fewer than 300 snaps.
6. Shane Ray (LB) -  Ray is in a simliar situation to Barrett in that he's stuck behind two, dare we say, future Hall-of-Famers. The difference is that Ray is not good enough to warrant a large snap share. Like we said before with Roby, this may depend more on the coaching staff's perceived fit than anything else. Ray would be a fine rotational backup for the right price.
7. Deiontrez Mount (LB) - A torn ACL and a torn Achilles tendon adds up to 12 games played for Deiontrez since 2015. He missed all of 2018 and hit IR over the summer with the Achilles injury. Fun Fact: Mount picked off Jameis Winston in his first game with the Titans in 2015.
8. Jerrol Garcia-Williams (LB) - The former Rainbow Warrior out of Hawaii University made the Broncos roster in 2017 as an undrafted free agent and contributed on special teams. Garcia-Williams suffered an ACL tear last August and missed all of 2018. Good luck to him on finding an NFL job as he works his way back.
9. Joseph Jones (LB) - Yet another special teamer, Jones made a ton of plays for the Broncos this year. Playing in all sixteen, he finished with 15 total tackles, a nice number given about 8 chances per game. He's got a good shot to stick around and we think is one of the better special teams players out there.
10. Zach Kerr (DE) - Kerr was brought in two years ago after a failed stint in Indianapolis. The Colts opted to let Zach walk rather than tender the restricted free agent in 2017, so Denver gave him a shot. It actually worked out fairly well, the deep rotational end logging nearly 400 snaps and grading out average compared to his peers. Though he'll probably never become a true force in the league, he could have a role with Fangio's defense.
11. Domata Peko (DT) - The Big Man in the Middle for Denver over the past two seasons after spending his first 11 with Cincinnati, Peko is not long for the league. We think the veteran still has some left in the tank, and would be a valuable piece in the defense as Fangio begins to build his unit for (hopefully) years to come. There is some good defensive tackle talent in this year's draft, but Peko would be a great mentor for a rookie. A one- or two-year contract for Denver is how we expect Domata to finish his career.
12. Shelby Harris (DT) - So, um... Oakland drafted this guy in the seventh round in 2014, waived him in September of his rookie season, shuffled him on and off of their practice squad for two seasons, and then gave up. Then the Jets and Cowboys gave him a look before Denver swooped in January of 2017 and turned him into one of the best interior men in the league. A monster run-stopper who plays pass-rush just fine, Harris finished 2018 with 8 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, and an interception on Ben Roethlisberger in the end zone that sealed the victory over Pittsburgh. He should be back.

Offense

1. Jordan Taylor (WR) - Jordan has some of the best hair in the league. It's right up there with Alex Anzalone and Clay Matthews. If Denver wants to remain in the hunt for Best Coiffed Team, they'll need to re-sign Taylor. He's recovering from surgery on both hips though, so his return is dependent on health.
2. Tim Patrick (WR) - As usual, the Ravens whiffed on wide receiver scouting. They signed Patrick as an undrafted free agent two summers ago and then waived him to make room for Larry Donnell (???). The Broncos eventually gave Tim a shot, and he made his first NFL appearance this season. Fighting his way into the rotation behind Demaryius Thomas, Emmanuel Sanders, and rookies Courtland Sutton and DaeSean Hamilton, Patrick emerged as a favorite target of Keenum's by the end of the season and looks like a promising talent out wide. He earned significant playing time the final four games of the season in Thomas' (trade) and Sanders' (Achilles) absences, and made the most of it, finishing with 19 receptions and 242 yards. We think Patrick will be a handy 3rd/4th option for the quarterback.
3. Jeff Heuerman (TE) - The first of a gaggle of Broncos Tight Ends up for free agency. Heuerman flashed some receiving ability this season with halfway decent quarterback play. Unfortunately broken ribs and a bruised lung cut his season short, but he played well enough to have shown he belongs in an offense. He might get some attention from other teams around the league in search of a breakout offensive tight end, and with the options Elway has at the position, Heuerman might end up elsewhere. Whoever gets him will have a nice piece.
4. Brian Parker (TE) - If you were anything like us, you also wondered who Brian Parker was. Turns out he's a bubble guy who was on Denver's practice squad before being called upon to help out this year. This isn't the tight end you're looking for. *waves hand*
5. Matt LaCosse (TE) - LaCosse is another tight end the Broncos had correctly identified as good, but didn't appear as such due to horrendous quarterback play. Even with Case Keenum, LaCosse showed he has what it takes to contribute on offense. Not a superstar by any means, but a reliable target with a solid set of hands. He'll most likely be back with Denver next year since he's an exclusive rights free agent.
6. Jared Veldheer (RT) - We are torn on Veldheer returning to Mile High. On the one hand, he was just fine. On the other hand, he was just fine. Denver will need to be looking for more out of their RT and perhaps it depends on where the draft goes. There's certainly nothing tragic about Jared returning, but we'd like to see them make a move to really solidify the position.
7. Elijah Wilkinson (RG) - Wilkinson found his way into the starting lineup after regular RG Connor McGovern had to move to center, filling in for Matt Paradis (fractured fibula). Wilkinson was a replacement-level player who showed he can sustain in fill-in situations. A natural tackle, Wilkinson has a great shot to return with the flexibility he affords the offensive line.
8. Matt Paradis (C) - One of the best centers in the league, Paradis suffered a fractured fibula in the week 9 game versus Houston. These were the first snaps he missed in his professional career. The Broncos were looking to extend him last summer after giving him his RFA tender. No doubt, they'll want to bring him back, and with new offensive line guru and coach Mike Munchak now on board, we think Paradis will view a return as desirable.
9. Gino Gradkowski (C) - Gino has floated on the periphery for many an NFL team. He's the guy you turn to when things get bad. He probably won't begin 2019 on an active roster, but he sure as hell will finish on one.
10. Billy Turner (LG) - After all the injuries the offensive line sustained this year, it's a good thing the Broncos had Turner to turn to. He logged the third-most offensive line snaps, and played decently across the season too. Turner even turned in a team-of-the-week performance against the Chargers week 11. He'd be a nice depth/emergency guy and if they need him as a starter it wouldn't be a disaster.
11. Max Garcia (LG) - The Broncos drafted Garcia in the fourth-round of 2015 and he's been protecting quarterbacks and opening running lanes since. Unfortunately, an ACL tear this season limited him to only 242 snaps just four games after he'd moved into the starting lineup. We think he moves on and finds a starting job somewhere else.
12. Kevin Hogan (QB) - There are worse clipboard holders out there. Not many teams survive a backup quarterback entry, so unless Denver looks at a QB in the draft, there's a decent shot Hogan is back. 

Be sure to check out the other 31 teams as well!

49ers || Bears || Bengals || Bills || 

Buffalo Bills: 2019 Free Agent Breakdown

Ahh, free agency! It can be exciting. It can be nerve-wracking. It can be something you ignore altogether. No longer! We're bringing you a look at each team's upcoming free agents and what we think. We're going alphanumericabetically by team mascot, in case you were wondering.

If you aren't a Bills fan, Buffalo outperformed expectations. After making the playoffs in 2017 because nobody else wanted in, Beane opted to jettison his quarterback (Tyrod Taylor) and his best offensive lineman (Cordy Glenn) in favor of Josh Allen. The defense was sound, very much so in fact, and kept Buffalo in a lot of games (it even won a few for 'em). Offense is the key focal point for improvement this spring and summer, but adding another playmaker on defense couldn't hurt either.

Luckily for Buffalo, a lot of their talent is not up for negotiation this year, but let's see who is.

Special Teams

1. Matt Darr (P) - Darr was brought up to Buffalo midseason after an injury to rookie punter Corey Bojorquez. The injury to Bojorquez came under interesting circumstances. Bojorquez averaged 45.1 Y/P on 45 tries with a long of 60. Darr hung a 40.5 on 20 punts with a 55 max. He's not coming back. Bojorquez is Buffalo's Punter of the Future.
2. Reid Ferguson (LS) - A snapper of snaps snapped much snappier and further than your standard snap, long snapper Snap Snapperson is only 24 years old and looks to be snapping longer-than-usual snaps for the Bills long into the future. He'll be back.

Defense

1. Vontae Davis (CB) - Technically, Davis is a free agent. He retired at halftime of the Bills' week two match versus the Los Diego San Angeles Chargers. A veteran who spent time with Miami and Indianapolis, Davis ran into injury troubles late in his career and then opted to hang 'em up rather than play for the Bills. He's not welcome in Buffalo, but it would be entertaining to see him sign with a division rival and have to play a game in Buffalo next season. Fingers crossed!
2. Lafayette Pitts (CB) - Pitts went to Pitt but sadly was not ever involved with the Steelers. The restricted free agent is a special teamer who doesn't hold much value on the defensive side. Due to the way RFAs are tendered, Buffalo would have to offer Pitts more than he's really worth. He'll probably not be back with the Bills in 2019.
3. Lorenzo Alexander (LB) - The Ageless Wonder, Lorenzo has been flourishing in his mid-30s with Buffalo. He picked up 6.5 sacks, 11 tackles for loss, 10 quarterback hits, and notched 2 interceptions for good measure. He plays on special teams too, though a little less often that the previous two years. He still appears to have something (a lot?) left in the tank, we think Buffalo would do well to bring him back on another one-year deal.
4. Deon Lacy (LB) - Special teamer through-and-through, Lacy is an exclusive rights free agent. He was in on 8 tackles this year which is a solid number for a guy on the field about 20 snaps a game. We admit to not know what Buffalo management may be thinking here, but he seems likely to return.
5. Eddie Yarbrough (DE) - Yarbrough is an undrafted free agent who will be entering his third NFL campaign in 2019. His playing time took a bit of a hit as he went from 464 defensive snaps in 2017 to 307 this year. He's an exclusive rights free agent, so the Bills would have to really hate him to not bring him in again. Not sure if he's guaranteed to stick through training camp and into the season though.
6. Jordan Phillips (DT) - Miami waived Phillips and Buffalo pounced, bolstering their front rotation with Phillips behind Kyle Williams, Star Lotulelei, and Harrison Phillips. While Jordan didn't perform particularly well, he did manage to defend 4 passes and bring down three men for a loss in very limited snaps. There is reason to believe he could see a heavier workload next year if Buffalo believes in him.
7. Kyle Williams (DT) - And now we'll get into why Jordan Phillips could be sticking and playing for the Bills in 2019. Kyle Williams, the lifetime Bill, announced his intention to retire following the final game of the 2018 season. Kyle is currently seventh all-time in games played for Buffalo (183) and fifth on the Bills' sack list despite playing tackle. He'll be missed up front.

Offense

1. Taiwan Jones (RB) - This man has made a career out of doing virtually nothing on the field. He plays limited special teams snaps and rarely sees the ball on offense. He must be one hell of a teammate. We suspect he'll end up being a coach, perhaps of the positional variety, before too long. Buffalo could do better, and should.
2. Deonte Thompson (WR) - We hated to start two consecutive blurbs with "This" so we started it with this sentence instead. This surprised us. Deonte Thompson has been in the league since 2012. Go figure. He also played for Baltimore, which is TK's team ["Never heard of him"]. Deonte split time between Buffalo and Dallas this year. Playing in five contests for the Bills, he logged 3 receptions on 10 targets. Buffalo can do better, and should.
3. Logan Thomas (TE) - Buffalo has an interesting player here. Thomas was the quarterback at Virginia Tech for 3 seasons and came into the league as such. He tried to catch on as a clipboard holder in Arizona, Miami, and New York (Giants) before Detroit helped transition him to tight end. Standing 6'6" and nearly 250 lbs, Thomas makes a picture-perfect pass-catching blocker man. We'd like to see Buffalo, who are dreadfully deprived in the tight-end department, bring him back and also utilize his passing ability once or twice over the season.
4. Jordan Mills (RT) - The Bills need to protect Josh Allen if they want to succeed. They also need to run the ball effectively. That starts and ends with the offensive line. Jordan Mills is part of the problem. He's never been great, he's barely good (by NFL standards, mind you), and he shouldn't be starting. Buffalo needs to move on from the human equivalent of the word "meh."
5. John Miller (RG) - Surprisingly, there is only one "John Miller" in the league right now. There have been three others, plus two named "Johnny Miller." Anyway, we could copy+paste the same thing from Jordan Mills down here to John Miller. Instead, we'll just say that John is slightly less of a problem than Jordan, but the Bills should look elsewhere in 2019.
6. Ryan Groy (C) - Somehow Sean McDermott felt Ryan Groy was worthy of a starting spot along the middle of the offensive line. It makes us seriously question his judgement. Not that Russell Bodine is a clear upgrade, but Groy lost the starting spot after just 2 games and Bodine kept hold until his broken fibula late in the season thrust Groy back into the fold. We hope Bodine comes back healthy, as he's serviceable if the guards and tackles are solid. It doesn't matter if Groy is back or not as long as he's a backup or the backup's backup.
7. Jeremiah Sirles (LG) - Lastly is Sir Sirles of ... dang! Lakewood, Colorado. Sirles played all of 138 snaps on offense for Buffalo following a few seasons with Minnesota prior. Beane made waves by signing Sirles to a one-year extension just days ago on January 16th. This is not the kind of move we were hoping to see, but what do we know. This is the team that saw things in Ryan Groy.

Be sure to check out the other 31 teams as well!

49ers || Bears || Bengals ||

Cincinnati Bengals: 2019 Free Agent Breakdown.

Ahh, free agency! It can be exciting. It can be nerve-wracking. It can be something you ignore altogether. No longer! We're bringing you a look at each team's upcoming free agents and what we think. We're going alphanumericabetically by team mascot, in case you were wondering.

The Bengals came out of the gate hot, winning four of their first five in 2018. Then Andy Dalton, A.J. Green, and a slew of other key players got hurt and things fell apart. It didn't help that the decision was made to bring Hue Jackson into the mix. He's gone now. Marvin Lewis is too. The regime of mediocrity has been expelled and now we look toward a bright and promising future led by Zac Taylor.

For now, let's dig into these free agents and discuss where we think they might end up in 2019.

Defense

1. Darqueze Dennard (CB) - Dennard was the Bengals' first round selection in 2014 and struggled to see the field his first few seasons due to lack of talent and lack of health. His presence on the field increased over the last few seasons, but Dennard has rarely been a bright spot, although he hasn't been a liability in the secondary either. It may be time to move on from the one-hopeful defensive back.
2. Tony McRae (CB) - Primarily a special teamer who got light fill-in duty for the Bengals, McRae was an undrafted free agent in 2017 who'll now be an exclusive rights free agent this spring. He filled in anonymously as injuries struck and didn't make a case for his dismissal, so he could be back in 2019 on another one-year deal.
3. Brandon Wilson (S) - Much like McRae, Brandon Wilson has found a home on special teams for Cincinnati. He has value there and performs reliably, making six special teams tackles this season. We think it is highly likely he returns.
4. Preston Brown (LB) - Preston Brown was brought in after four terrific seasons with Buffalo in which he logged at least 109 total tackles each year. Unfortunately, Cincinnati has been cursed to ruin all linebackers who dare reside there. After staying healthy in Buffalo, playing in 128 games (all of them), he immediately struggled with injuries before finally succumbing to a knee injury and finishing the season on IR. We'd like to see Preston return for another season and see if he can't rekindle the magic he cast over his first four campaigns, and think he could be had at a reasonable price due to the down season. 
5. Vincent Rey (LB) - The veteran lifetime Bengal is sun-setting, moving nearly exclusively to special teams this season. Nick Vigil looks promising, or at least he did early in the season before the knee injury. It's time for a changing of the guard at linebacker for Cincinnati and Preston Brown should lead the charge, mixing in with Vigil and a new youth movement.
6. Michael Johnson (DE) - Johnson has long been the third wheel, mostly unrecognized outside of initiated Bengal faithful in favor of Geno Atkins and Carlos Dunlap. A steady and consistent piece of the pass rush for years, Johnson finally faded hard in 2018. Only logging a half-sack, he began bleeding snaps to up-and-comer Sam Hubbard. Johnson may stick around as a deep depth piece, but he could generate interest from other teams. We think it's time the Bengals let him walk.
7. Kasim Edebali (DE) - Kasim played two defensive snaps and 9 special teams snaps for the Bengals in 2018. When he first broke into the league as an undrafted free agent out of Boston College in 2014, the Saints used him in their rotation to marginal success. He has eight career sacks, but has been ineffective over the last few season. He is inconsequential.
8. Josh Tupou (DT) - The second-year defender has shuttled on and off of Cincinnati's practice squad, and made his way into a handful plus one of games this season. He closed out 2018 being involved on 9 tackles. Look for him next year if you must.

Offense

1. Tyler Eifert (TE) - Eifert is a monster, there is no denying it. Once upon a time the Man with the Mullet logged a 615-yard, 13-touchdown season. But four of the last five seasons have involved Eifert battling a multitude of injuries, most notably a back issue and the recent ankle break, have limited him to only 28 of a possible 80 contests. As you can see below, basically all of Cincy's tight ends are free agents, but Eifert could return and is a quality player. Any team looking to find the next Eric Ebron will be looking Eifert's way this spring.
2. Tyler Kroft (TE) - Tyler might be every bit as talented as Eifert is, but with the added benefit of a less-checkered injury history. Hauling in 7 touchdowns for the Bengals in 2017, Kroft suffered a foot injury this season and landed on the IR. We think Kroft is more likely to return than Eifert, but Kroft could see more interest from other teams in free agency making it tough for Cincinnati to re-sign him.
3. C.J. Uzomah (TE) - Next man up! The Auburn product has shown well in his time, filling in for the Tylers. He's not quite as dynamic and the red zone threat has never been as high, but his 66% catch rate is solid for a third tight end. The Bengals have an interesting dilemma here in choosing which offensive tight ends they want to fight for this year.
4. Matt Lengel (TE) - Lengel came to the Bengals via the Houston Texans' practice squad after the Tylers injured themselves. He stayed on to help on two-tight-end sets and special teams duty, but is probably just a fringe guy to help fill in when injuries strike. He could land anywhere next season.
5. Bobby Hart (RT) - And so it begins. We debated whether we should even devote key-presses to this group. The Bengals have a lot of work ahead of them as far as the offensive line is concerned. Hart was picked up after the Giants waived him. He started all 16 for Cincinnati and was not a complete dumpster fire. The Bengals should not look at bringing him back in 2019.
6. Jake Fisher (RT) - Fisher is a restricted free agent, which means the Bengals have the option to match any offer that comes his way. Once a second-round pick, he was famously awarded the prestige of getting work at all five offensive line positions by OL Coach Paul Alexander. This is not a sign that things are going well. The Bengals should not look at bringing him back in 2019.
7. Andre Smith (RT) - The longtime Bengal began 2018 with Arizona and started 8 games before being waived after Week 12. Injuries to Cordy Glenn and Jake Fisher meant Cincinnati had a reason to bring the familiar face back. He helped out most in the final game of the season, logging 23 of his 26 snaps with Cincy in 2018. Andre will be 32 in a week and was waived by the worst offensive line (Arizona). The Bengals should not look at bringing him back in 2019.
8. Alex Redmond (RG) -  Redmond came into Cincinnati's possession post-2017 NFL Draft as an undrafted free agent. He left UCLA being receiving academic ineligibility even though most scouting outlets had him pegged as one who was not ready for the NFL. Alex started 15 games for the Bengals this season and performed at the same level as any of his teammates (not well). The Bengals should not look at bringing him back in 2019.
9. Trey Hopkins (RG) - What can be said about Trey Hopkins that hasn't already been said about the other members of Cincinnati's Free Agent Offensive Linemen? I'll tell you what: Hopkins logged the best game by a Bengals center (according to ProFootballFocus) in THREE. YEARS. during their 37-34 win over Tampa Bay. Joe Mixon had his best game of the season, finishing with 123 yards and 2 touchdowns on 21 carries for 5.86 Y/C. All due to Hopkins' outstanding run blocking. Nevertheless, the Bengals should not look at bringing him back in 2019.
10. Cedric Ogbuehi (LT) - If you were to look up "disappointment" in the dictionary, well, you know the rest. Cincinnati's first round selection in 2015, Ogbuehi's fifth-year option was declined by the Bengals and he's been a dead man walking ever since. Cordy Glenn was acquired during the 2018 draft as the Bengals preferred to move down than ever watch Ogbuehi play meaningful snaps again. He'll get a chance at a fresh start somewhere else (Arizona?).
11. Tom Savage (QB) - THE BENGALS SHOULD NOT LOOK AT BRINGING HIM BACK IN 2019

Be sure to check out the other 31 teams as well!

49ers || Bears || Bills ||

2018 NFL Conference Championships

The Broken Plane Podcast

Season 2, Episode 41
2018 NFL Conference Championships

0:00 - 6:12 Intro/Twitter Fan of the Week Anders - @Brakes_out
Twitter...@TheBrokenPlane
Email...TheBrokenPlanePod@gmail.com
Hotline...(503) 902-1006
4:30 - 6:14 iTunes Reviews!
6:14 - 40:39 Divisional Recap
Chiefs/Colts
Rams/Cowboys
Patriots/Chargers
Saints/Eagles
40:39 - 50:40 #AskADude
50:40 - 52:15 Conference Championship Preview
Saints/Rams
Chiefs/Patriots
1:01:10 Hank Stram Mic'd Up SBIV
1:02:40 - 1:07:38 Thanks/Outro

Chicago Bears: 2019 Free Agent Breakdown

Ahh, free agency! It can be exciting. It can be nerve-wracking. It can be something you ignore altogether. No longer! We're bringing you a look at each team's upcoming free agents and what we think. We're going alphanumericabetically by team mascot, in case you were wondering.

Chicago had quite the turnaround in 2018. Head Coach Matt Nagy and Offensive Coordinator Mark Helfrich brought some nice wrinkles to the Bears offense. To anyone who was paying attention, the Defense was already solid, adding Khalil Mack and Roquan Smith made it that much better. Going from 5-11 in 2017 to 12-4 this year is quite impressive. For even more on the Bears' free agency, be sure to check out this podcast episode of Bear With Me over on Windy City Gridiron.

The free-agents-to-be for Chicago are listed below, we'll check in and see who's who.

Special Teams

1. Pat O'Donnell (P) - A sixth round pick by the Bears in 2014, O'Donnell has been steady in his 5 seasons. The 44.9 yards per punt average is just fine, though on the lower end of the spectrum. Pat put 28 of his 62 punts down inside the 20 yard line, slightly better than league-average. There is no reason for Chicago not to bring O'Donnell back on a long-term deal.
2. Patrick Scales (LS) - Patty Snaps has been getting the ball back to O'Donnell since 2015, but missed 2017 with a torn ACL. Who knew you couldn't snap on a gimpy knee? Anyway, he'll probably be back snapping super-snaps next year and beyond.

Defense

1. Bryce Callahan (CB) - The Bears' slot corner had a great season that ended in injury. Prior to going down, Callahan played 14 games contributing heavily to Fangio's pass defense unit that finished seventh in yards allowed. Callahan managed to put pressure on the quarterback consistently as well. He's going to be a hot commodity (as far as slot corners go anyway) and the Bears may miss out if they don't come with cash.
2. Marcus Williams (CB) - Williams is a journeyman DB who joined Chicago for the final 2 games of the season after Bryce Callahan was placed on IR. Williams logged 12 defensive snaps and 17 on special teams. He'll most likely be looking for work elsewhere in 2019.
3. Adrian Amos (S) - A mainstay in the Bears secondary since his drafting in the fifth round of 2015, Amos has turned into one of the better value picks in that draft. A second-tier safety in the league this season, he came down with 3 interceptions (1 in the playoffs) and 11 passes defended (2 in the playoffs). He and free safety Eddie Jackson formed a nice duo in the middle of the field and we'd like to see Chicago bring him back. We think Chicago would like to see themselves bringing him back too.
4. DeAndre Houston-Carson (S) - If you're looking for a special teams player this is your man. He probably won't be a top priority for the team, but it's not unlikely they bring him back to continue on kickoff and punt coverage.
5. Aaron Lynch (LB) - Lynch was was fifth round pick of San Francisco in 2014 and started strong with 6 sacks in each of his first two seasons. 2016 and 2017 saw a huge dip in production and the Niners let him walk. Chicago gave him a one-year prove-it deal and, in limited snaps, he appears to have proved it. Three sacks, four tackles for loss, and eight QB hits in only 33.6% of Chicago's defensive plays is impressive. He may have played too well for Chicago to afford him.
6. Isaiah Irving (LB) - An undrafted free agent signing in 2017, Irving is now an exclusive rights free agent. Chicago may be looking at him to return especially if Lynch departs. It could also come down to whether or not they look at a linebacker in the upcoming draft.
7. Nicholas Williams (DE) - Sometimes known as "Nick," Nicholas came into the league as a seventh-rounder in 2013 with Pittsburgh. He's had cups of coffee with Kansas City and Miami as well. After playing a grand total of 44 defensive snaps (4.2%), it appears to not matter much whether the Bears bring him back.
8. Roy Robertson-Harris (DE) - Heading into 2018, we thought RRH was going to blow up (in a good way). His promising rookie season in 2017 seemed to indicate big things ahead. He didn't have a poor season by any means, but was overshadowed by Akiem Hicks, Eddie Goldman, and Bilal Nichols. This may work out in Chicago's favor, as Robertson-Harris is an exclusive rights free agent, they may be able to re-sign him for some high quality depth at a very reasonable price.

Offense

1. Benny Cunningham (RB) - Benny is a fan-favorite after joining the Bears last season following his rookie contract with the Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams. Strictly a depth/emergency piece behind the dynamic duo of Jordan Howard (power) and Tarik Cohen (finesse), Cunningham only handled the rock 11 times this year. Jordan Howard is entering his final season on a rookie contract, so we wonder if Chicago may be looking to draft a running back this spring, waiting in the wings should Howard look elsewhere for his big payday deal. Cunningham is young too with limited wear, he could stick around.
2. Michael Burton (FB) - Please leave a comment if you were aware Michael Burton existed as an NFL player. Michael is a fullback. Fullback is an antiquated position in today's NFL. Michael played 49 offensive snaps for Chicago and another 50 on special teams. If the Bears opt to bring him back, you can count that as a wasted roster spot. We're sure Mike is a great guy, though!
3. Kevin White (WR) - A very high draft pick in 2015, Kevin was the seventh overall selection for a Bears franchise searching for its Anquan Boldin to Alshon Jeffery's Larry Fitzgerald. Kevin could not stay healthy, unfortunately, missing his rookie season after his shin's stress fracture needed surgery. The 2016 campaign was no better as he logged only 4 games before a high ankle sprain and broken fibula sent him back to the IR. 2017? You guessed it! One game, the first game of the season, before exiting early with a fractured scapula. The most recent season saw Kevin begin a regiment of heavy milk-drinking and it paid off as he put in 9 games of work to the tune of 4 receptions. We look forward to seeing Kevin on another team in 2019 and hopefully becoming a reliable third fiddle on the receiving corps.
4. Josh Bellamy (WR) - Bellamy was the fourth receiver for Chicago, but did see extensive time on special teams. We see no reason why Pace and Nagy would not opt to offer him another one-year deal as a primary special teamer with emergency wide receiver duties, so he may be back again.
5. Daniel Brown (TE) - Blocking tight ends have a place in the NFL and Daniel is one of them. He's transitioned primarily to special teams blocking this season. It appears as though Coach Nagy does not run a ton of two tight end sets. Trey Burton saw 860 offensive snaps and no other Bears TE topped Dion Sims' second-place value of 195. It appears Brown is fairly inconsequential in Nagy's offensive vision. He may be moving elsewhere this summer.
6. Zach Miller (TE) - Please pray for Zach Miller as he continues to recover from a dislocated knee injury from the middle of the 2017 season. The injury might have cost him his leg and doctors advised he may never be able to run again. The Bears signed Miller to a one-year deal out of pure class and character last year and moved him to the reserve/PUP (physically unable to perform) list. We hope Miller gets a shot at playing again should his leg allow it. He's a solid player.
7. Ben Braunecker (TE) - The Bears brought Ben Braunecker back bin b2018 bfrom bthe bpractice bsquad. He filled Zach Miller's vacated active spot and played a lot of special teams for the Bears but also helped block on offense occasionally. He's a restricted free agent, so Chicago will have first crack at bringing him back. 
8. Bobby Massie (RT) - Massie finished his third season with the Bears after leaving Arizona as a free agent. While he was perfectly fine at right tackle for Chicago, Massie was basically average. He played well enough to possibly generate some interest and bring in some decent cash for himself, and Chicago might be forced to look elsewhere to round out their front five. 
9. Rashaad Coward (RT) - If you listened to the Bear With Me podcast we linked to above, you heard what Robert thinks the Bears should do with Rashaad Coward, and we agree with him. Coward came in as an undrafted free agent in 2017 and played fill-in duty for one game...as a defensive tackle. Offensive Line coach Harry Hiestand appears to have turned DL-to-OL convert Coward into his pet project. Coward saw no field time in 2018, but the Bears may be willing to take a chance on Coward and sign a cheap veteran or draft a prospect in April to compete in training camp for that starting spot.
10. Eric Kush (LG) - The starter at left guard to begin the season, Kush kept the seat warm while Chicago eased second round rookie James Daniels into the starting role. By week eight, Kush had moved to a reserve role and at season's end he was playing sparingly as a special teams offensive lineman. He could return as depth or search for a chance to start elsewhere (Arizona?).
11. Bryan Witzmann (LG) - Veteran fringe player Bryan Witzmann was added midseason when Kyle Long hit IR with a foot injury. Witzmann started 7 games and filled in admirably, but he's bound to land elsewhere in 2019.

Be sure to check out the other 31 teams as well!

49ers || Bengals || Bills || 

San Francisco 49ers: 2019 Free Agent Breakdown

Ahh, free agency! It can be exciting. It can be nerve-wracking. It can be something you ignore altogether. No longer! We're bringing you a look at each team's upcoming free agents and what we think. We're going alphanumericabetically by team mascot, in case you were wondering.

The San Francisco 49ers are in an interesting spot for 2019. This is a team with a solid front office, promising coaching staff, and exciting young roster. Injuries to two key offensive pieces in running back Jerick McKinnon and quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo meant 2018 would be a struggle. San Francisco has a lot to look forward to though with McKinnon and Garoppolo set to return, plus the emergence of players like George Kittle and Matt Breida.

Let's take a look at the impending free agents and see where San Francisco might go in the coming season.

Special Teams

1. Robbie Gould (K) - The 36-year-old placekicker signed on with San Francisco heading into 2017 on a 2-year deal and played well. Converting on 72 of 75 field goals for a 96% success rate puts him first in that span among kickers who attempted at least 30 field goals. The 49ers would be smart to re-sign Gould as he's been the most reliable kicker in the league. 
2. Bradley Pinion (P) - Pinion is coming off his rookie deal after being drafted in the 5th Round of the 2015 Draft by the 49ers. While there hasn't been anything worrisome about his performance over the last 4 seasons, he's fallen near the bottom of the league in Yards per Punt. Over the 4-year span he's been in the league, Pinion's 43.71 Y/P average is near the bottom. Hanging onto Pinion isn't a problem, and he should come at a price that is favorable to the franchise.
3. Kyle Nelson (LS) - Nelson has been snapping snaps that are longer than normal snaps snapped by regular snapper (AKA "center") Weston Richburg since 2012 in the NFL. Kyle has been with San Francisco since 2014. Sadly, Kyle Nelson was popped with a suspension in December of 2018 for violating the NFL's PEDs policy, and so the 49ers called on second-year long snapper Colin Holba to finish the season on special teams snapping duty. Holba is under contract through 2019, so we expect Nelson to be ignored by San Francisco this summer.

Defense

1. Jimmie Ward (DB) - Ward has been in San Francisco since his drafting by them as the 30th pick in 2014. Injuries limited Jimmie to 16 games across the last two seasons, and he finished this year on IR with a broken arm. A rotational piece who is unable to stay healthy and easily replaced in the draft or free agency, we'd expect Ward to land elsewhere in 2019.
2. Greg Mabin (CB) - An exclusive rights free agent, San Francisco can hang onto Mabin without fear of poaching from another team if they are interested. Mabin logged heavy time on special teams, but his use on defense is reserved for emergencies. If they value him on special teams, he could see another season in the red and gold.
3. Antone Exum (S) - After he flamed out in Minnesota, Exum made his way to the Bay in 2017. It did not go well as rarely saw the field in his first season with San Francisco. A different story in 2018, though, Exum finished 3rd for the 49ers in total DB snaps behind Richard Sherman and Ahkello Witherspoon. Injuries to the secondary paved Exums path onto the field, but he made the most of it and played well enough. He could have earned himself a modest backup job on this defense.
4. Tyvis Powell (S) - Powell started the season with San Francisco, but played sparingly and eventually wound up cut in November. The Jets added him to their practice squad, but the 49ers came calling when Witherspoon landed on IR for the final games of the season. Powell is a fringe piece and could end up anywhere.
5. Mark Nzeocha (LB) - Special Teams ace Mark Nzeocha doesn't see much time on defense (5th in linebacker defensive snaps) but is a useful piece defending returns. He also made it onto the Pro Bowl roster, but it may have been less to do with merit and more to do with a slew of German compatriots boosting his voting numbers out of national pride. Nzeocha was born in Neusitz, Germany and went to high school in the country as well. We think San Francisco will look to retain his services.
6. Elijah Lee (LB) - If you haven't heard of Elijah Lee, you're not alone. The former seventh round pick in 2017 only burst onto most people's radars in week 14 when he moved into a starting role for San Francisco. Supplanting Malcolm Smith for the Will Linebacker spot, Lee did not disappoint. He was one of only a handfull of weak side linebackers to log 10 total tackles in the final three games of the season. A great player for Kansas State, Lee looks in line to flourish as a starter for a promising San Francisco defense.

Offense

1. Alfred Morris (RB) - Mercenary veteran running back Alf popped in to back up Jerick McKinnon and ended up seeing plenty of work following McKinnon's ACL injury in preseason. Hot and cold all season, Morris was mostly average, finishing with 428 yards on 111 carries for a 3.9 Y/C average. With McKinnon expected to be back in 2019 and Matt "The Revelation" Breida still in the stable, Morris probably will be unnecessary in the stable for Shanahan. 
2. Raheem Mostert (RB) - A most gruesome arm-break ended Mostert's breakout season short. The definition of journeyman, Mostert has been with Philadelphia, Miami, Baltimore, Cleveland, New York Jets, Chicago and San Francisco since entering the league in 2015. After a four-game stretch that saw him post 250 yards and a touchdown on 28 runs for a Breida-like 8.93 Y/C, the ex-Boilermaker broke his arm bracing for a tackle versus Oakland. It is Mostert's emergence that leads us to believe Alfred Morris will need to find work elsewhere. The 49ers look blessed with a trio of talented running backs.
3. Mike Person (RG) - Person is a member of the San Francisco offensive line starting 5. He was perfectly average in 2018. Not the worst guard you ever did see, but you can always go for an upgrade, right? Person came over from Indianapolis and showed he can be relied upon. We'd expect John Lynch to look for an upgrade, but wouldn't be surprised to see Person back with the team in 2019 either.
4. John Flynn (LG) - Technically, there is someone named John Flynn who will be a free agent this spring. 

Be sure to check out the other 31 teams as well!

Bears || Bengals || Bills ||

TBP's NFL Mock Draft 2019 - Drafting The Teams: Part 2

Let's get back into the drafting of teams for the TBP Mock Draft. The first 16 picks were made in Part 1, if you missed it. We're completing the drafting process here. Jonah, you're on the clock!

Jonah: I’ll take Buffalo. They go after a target for Allen and they could be good again. That kid will silence some doubters if he hasn’t already. Maybe get a OT like Cajuste to shore up the line. Either way, lots of potential.

Campbell: I'll snag the Panthers. They need some OT and OL to protect Cam, similar to the state that Indianapolis went through with Luck. Carolina needs more OL help and another play-maker for a WR

JB: I'll take the Dolphins. I don't know much about them right now, so it will be good to catch up.

TK: You stole my pick! Alright, fine, I'll go with Denver. I don't dislike the Broncos, but I haven't been particularly warm on them either. So should be fun to dig into where their roster lies and what could help boost it up. I wish they'd get a quarterback I could root for.

Jonah: I’ll take New York (Giants). Definitely see them go for a QB, but at 6 it should be interesting.

JB: There are NO QBs worth taking high in the draft this year. I'd rather see them work to sign a FA and get some kind of value out of the pick. RGIII, Tyrod Taylor and Teddy Bridgewater are all available. Sign them to a contract that can be dumped if it doesn't work out and wait to draft a QB if you still need one. #FirmOpinion

TK: Man, if NYG went for a QB from this class and whiffed... first of all that would be hilarious, but also, Mara/Tisch probably clean front-office house very soon

JB: Also, something to be considered, what happens to the Giants when Barkley hits his 2nd contract? If you thought you couldn't afford Bell... Barkley is going to be better. They need to be able to get a franchise QB, and pretty quick.

Campbell: I’ll stick with the same old middle-of-the-road draft. Taking my scouting talents to the Atlanta Falcons. Big yikes this year! Need a definite upgrade on OL and Defense as a whole.

TK: I like it. The teens are your stomping grounds!

Campbell: Exactly! First rounders that are in the teens are still good, but don’t get as much focus.

JB: I'll take KC. I'm interested to see if they keep Bob Sutton. If they do or not I think they need to target the Defense. Lots of holes on that side of the ball. Probably best available

Jonah: KC needs some LBs. Terrible against the run.

JB: Yeah. They need help. I want them to get a different DC. I don't know if the troubles are schematic or not. It's hard to tell, but better talent won't hurt.

TK: Exactly, can't hurt to get a new DC at this point. Take a chance Andy! I'm going with Green Bay's natural pick. Looking forward to continuing to stockpile that defense with more weapons. Jonah, you can opt for an offensive piece late with the NO-acquired pick. But I'd prefer you give them MOAR DEFENSE.

Jonah: I'll go Cincinnati. I have no idea what you do to fix that roster, but they are already at a deficit in the coaching department.

Campbell: Oh, this is going to be fun. Imma pick the Steelers, had high expectations in the middle of the season, don't know what went wrong, but with AB situation, I am excited to see how this draft plays out.

TK: Thank you, I was beginning to wonder if they would be the last team left and I’d get them by default.

Campbell: It is always a mystery with them because their drafts haven't always been the biggest eye catcher and then a year or two down the line, their draft picks are suddenly All-Pro or contributing a lot.

TK: Yeah, it's the worst.

JB: Gimme the Titans. I'll go into detail on why they should be moving away from Mariota.

TK: Oooh exciting! Not too often you see a team give up on a legit QB with no backup plan. Don't think they'd actually do it. Trading for Flacco makes a ton of sense though.

JB: No, they won't do it. But they should be thinking about it. positioning themselves to move in that direction.

TK: I'm going to draft for Oakland at the Chicago position. I don't think it'll be too hard to draft for need with that team, but I am curious to see how much better my pick will be than what Gruden ends up whiffing on.

Jonah: I'll take Philly Philly.

Campbell: Dilly Dilly! I'll take the Chargers. They have a solid team, will want to start developing a young WR. I think they need to improve their OL or grab a TE early on.

JB: I'll grab the Patriots.

TK: And that leaves me with the Houston Texans. I'm probably targeting an offensive lineman, but we'll see where the players shuffle out.

That's all folks! The Broken Plane Mock Draft drafting of the teams is complete. Who's got the most exciting set of teams? Who chose poorly? Let us know down below!

TBP's NFL Mock Draft 2019 - Drafting The Teams: Part 1

It's time to take a look at who will be making selections for each team in the upcoming TBP Mock Draft. Let's get to it. Jonah, you're on the clock!

If you don't know what it is we're doing here, pop back to the Intro real quick!

Jonah: Los Angeles Rams. The Rams have a good solid young offensive core and one of the best defensive players to ever grace the field in AD.

Campbell: I'mma snag that mediocre Washington football team.

JB: Seattle Seahawks. I haven't been right about any of the picks the Seahawks have made since Schneider and Carroll got there in 2010. So this will be great!

TK: True to form, I'm taking Baltimore rounding out the first round of homer picks. Looking forward to picking up where Ozzie left off, hopefully somebody from 'Bama is available around 30-32 range!

Jonah: Green Bay via New Orleans. My first two are based solely on interest and not wanting the first 3 or 4.

Campbell: Browns. 'Cause you gotta trust the process.

JB: I want the Raiders. I want to see which young kid will not be turned into an All-Pro player. Do you guys think Mayock is going to be the difference in personnel decisions? Do Mack and Cooper get moved if he's with the team last fall?

TK: Did Gruden just force a positional hire for a guy who can act as a figurehead while Gruden does whatever he wants? Mayock can go in front of a camera and spew positive spin on any player Gruden chooses thanks to his 50 years as an “analyst” on TV. What a joke. I hope the Raiders wallow in 4-12 purgatory for Gruden’s entirety.

JB: I can't decide if I love it, or hate it that Mayock has no front office experience. On the one hand, DUDE HAS ZERO EXPERIENCE. On the other hand, THERE IS STILL HOPE FOR ME!!! WOOHOO!

TK: I’m going Detroit Lions in round 2. I was a big preseason believer in Patricia and a defensive turnaround and I hope they prioritize that side of the ball. Jim Bob Cooter and Stafford really let me down, but I think the offense will be okay.

JB: I was big on Patricia too, but the things coming out about him now that the season is over, especially the stuff about him being chronically late, bothers me. The entire job is about attention to detail. Lack of promptness is indicative of a larger problem.

TK: Ugh. I hadn’t heard about that, it’s unfortunate. I also had forgotten about his sexual assault indictment and the incident with the reporter (it’s about respect, fix your posture). I’m kinda regretting the Lions pick now.

Jonah: J! E! T! S!

Campbell: I'll take the Vikings. Fairly certain that they'll need a running back.  Cook, Murray aren't getting it done. 615 yards is pitiful.

TK: Oh really? Not feeling Dalvin Cook for the future, eh? I am operating under the impression he'll get it moving another year removed from the injury.

Campbell: Probably, I just don't know. The entire Vikings team sucked the back-end of the season. I don't know if it was QB issues of WR issues or just entire O issues.

TK: As a Washington Football Team fan, you should know, this is all Kirk Cousins' fault!

Campbell: I hope Washington pick up Lawrence in 2 years.

JB: I got the Cardinals, and whoever their new coach turns out to be. Does anyone really have faith that Kliff Kingsbury can walk into the desert and right the ship? Has an offensive-minded college coach ever walked into the NFL and turned a team around?

TK: Why would there be a ship in the desert? Kliff seems like a great hire for OC. Not sure I'd go giving him the reins though. He had Mahomes and they went 5-7 & 7-6. You're basically hiring two HCs if you hire him because he's not going to do jack with the defense, so whoever your DC is needs to be HC-level too. And they'll probably not get along.

JB: I guess the question would end up being "Who is Kingsbury's Wade Phillips?"

TK: I'm taking the Colts. Really love how this team has turned out under Reich, Eberflus, and to a lesser extent Sirianni. I think their offense is fairly complete at this point and looking to strengthen the defense should be a key point of emphasis.

Jonah: Oakland for me. All those first round picks, bound to hit gold somewhere. I still have faith that Gruden begins a rebuild to his liking. I think the Cardinals are in trouble, by the way.

TK: The Cardinals do look in a bad spot. If I were in charge, I'd prioritize a stable coach, and just dump money and assets into the offensive line.

Campbell: I'll take the Jags because I know that they will be targeting a QB in the first round, and figuring out their WR situation. They have Donte [Moncrief] and Dede [Westbrook], yet if they could add a third WR (similar to what the Rams did) then they could finally compete in their division.

TK: Do you think Keelan Cole was a "one-hit wonder" from his 2017 750-yard season? And no confidence in D.J. Chark turning a corner?

Campbell: DJ Chark barely played, so I would assume that he gets benched for the majority of the season next year or plays very little. I would expect the Jags to focus on O line, QB, and secondary in this upcoming draft.

TK: I wonder if Chark gets an opportunity. Moncrief is a free agent, so there's a chance he's not back. Though I'm sure Jacksonville would like him to return. Think you're right on their draft needs though.

JB: Might as well have 3 of the first 4 picks! I'll take the 49ers. They already have talent on the roster. I'd like to see them look at LB or the secondary... or draft a QB. That'd be good. A fourth QB to compete with Garoppolo, Mullens, and Beathard!

TK: I'm not going to let you have all the fun. Snagging Tampa Bay to pair with my Lions for a set of solid top 10 picks to teams that need more than a single top 10 pick to fix what's broke. Secondary is the glaring need, but can I find it without reaching?


That's the first half of The Broken Plane Mock Draft drafting of the teams. Weigh in if you like, we'd love to hear from you!

Introducing the TBP 2019 NFL Mock Draft

The NFL regular season has wrapped up and we are in the thick of the playoffs. Most of our teams' seasons are over, some for quite some time (we're looking at you Arizona and Oakland), and sights are now set on a fresh season.

The first step in moving on from the finished season is looking at where our teams will attempt to strengthen the rosters via the draft. The great thing about the NFL draft is that talent can be had virtually anywhere. Sure, the chances are slim, especially when you move into Day 3, but a halfway decent team who just missed the playoffs (Pittsburgh, Tennessee, Minnesota) can still find a game changer with a pick in the teens. Heck, two of the five rookies nominated for the Pepsi Rookie of the Year award were drafted in the second round (Nick Chubb and Darius Leonard), and a 3rd nominee wasn't even drafted (Philip Lindsay)!

This year, we felt like the time was right to jump headfirst into the NFL Draft with a mock of the first round. But we wanted to spice things up a bit. Should we each mock all 32 picks? Should we split the picks? Should we invite a couple of our dedicated fans to help us out?

Of course we went with the third option and are happy to have two people joining us who have become great friends of The Broken Plane! If you've listened to our podcast at all, you've likely heard us talk about Jonah. We're so grateful to have found him on Twitter and that he's stuck with us for as long as he has. Jonah was our first guest on the show, as well as our first repeat guest on the show! Now he's going to feature in this series of blog posts on the 2019 Mock Draft!

Rounding out the quartet is Campbell. I don't remember how we found him, or he found us, but maybe he does and can shed some light, but we're glad Twitter brought us together. Campbell has provided plenty of great topics for us to ramble on about, and even called in to the legendary TBP Hotline! We're excited to have Campbell help us out for this project as well!

How about a little information on format? The 32 first round draft picks will be divided equally among Jonah, Campbell, JB, and TK; 8 apiece. We'll be holding a "draft" of the 32 slots for each of us to select the teams we want to make selections for. After the Super Bowl is complete and the official draft order is set, the four of us will commence with the drafting. The pick will be made and a short explanation will accompany each selection in order to justify why it was made. Simple!

One last point that we feel merits attention. As some of you may be aware, each franchise does not own their first round pick in the upcoming draft. Chicago sent theirs to Oakland in exchange for Khalil Mack. Dallas sent another to Oakland in the Amari Cooper deal. And Green Bay owns New Orleans' choice after the Saints traded up for Marcus Davenport in 2018's draft. To work around this, our draft will specify those picks as separate from the selection of Oakland's or Green Bay's natural picks. For example, should Campbell decide he wants to draft for Oakland, he has the choice of selecting Oakland's natural pick (Oakland) or one of their acquired picks (Oakland via Chicago, Oakland via Dallas). A mock drafter is NOT required to select all picks for a franchise.

We hope you're all excited for the TBP Mock Draft. We plan to have our pick selections soon!

2018 NFL Divisional Playoffs

The Broken Plane Podcast

Season 2, Episode 40
2018 NFL Divisional Playoffs

0:00 - 6:12 Intro/Twitter Fan of the Week Tracy - @JayngoL
Twitter...@TheBrokenPlane
Email...TheBrokenPlanePod@gmail.com
Hotline...(503) 902-1006
6:12 - 8:05 A-A-A-Adam & The Jets
8:05 - 22:22 TBP HOtline - Garet - @HugeBeardo
22:22 - 25:02 Colts/Texans Recap
25:02 - 29:15 Colts/Chiefs Preview
29:15 - 34:53 Seahawks/Cowboys Recap
34:53 - 39:10 Cowboys/Rams Preview
39:10 - 46:25 Chargers/Ravens Recap
46:25 - 52:15 Chargers/Patriots Preview
52:15 - 58:02 Eagles/Bears Recap
58:02 - 1:06:40 Eagles/Saints Preview
1:06:40 - 1:18:46 New Head Coaches
1:18:46 - 1:20:20 Playoff Picks
1:20:20 - 1:24:55 Outro

NFL Preseason Predictions: The NFC

Earlier this week we talked through our 2018 preseason record predictions for the AFC, division by division. Now we are going to take a look at the NFC and see how our views of the teams prior to the season lined up with how things transpired in 2018. If you missed the AFC installment you can find it here.

We've created some handy graphics (one for each division) to visualize where JB and TK thought each team would end up, and alongside them, the actual 2018 record. JB's preseason predictions are in green, TK's in purple (Go Ravens!), and the real deal in black. Also, please note the four teams with ties are graphed as finishing with an extra half-win. That's Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Minnesota, and Green Bay

In conclusion: the National Football Conference

TK: Boy, did I whiff on Dallas! It feels like a cop-out to say that I just don't really like them too much so I gave the wins to their opponents. But looking back at the schedule and where I put the losses, I stand by them. Jacksonville, New Orleans, and sweeping Philly: turn those wins into losses and Dallas sits at 6-10.

JB: I don't feel bad about my predictions. The only one I didn't see coming was the Giants. I figured with OBJ back, and Barkley in the backfield they would be able to cobble together an 8-8 record. Turns out they're worse than I thought. The time has come for replacing Eli Manning. I don't think they made a mistake in drafting Barkley (best value at that point in the draft), but they have to live with the fact that there aren't any blue chip QB's in the 2019 draft class.

TK: If they wriggle their way out of this mess in a timely fashion, then job well done to Gettleman and Co.! I'm expecting them to be bottom feeders until the mid-2020s at least! The good news for the G-Men though is that none of these other franchises look stable long-term. Will Wentz get healthy/return to form? Is Dak Prescott good? Will Washington EVER find a quarterback? I like Philadelphia's chances the best as Wentz has looked truly talented and probably needed more time than he took to fully recover. Pederson and Schwartz also make a really good pairing in my opinion.

JB: I'm willing to give Wentz the benefit of the doubt. The injury that is keeping him out of this years playoff run is different from the ACL/MCL that kept him out last year. I firmly believe that Wentz should have been held out longer this year. I understand that the Eagles were off to a rough start, and Wentz helped correct for that initially, but he wasn't in peak form. Another off-season under his belt will put him right where he needs to be.

TK: I hope so, I don't really care for any of the others in the NFC East, and that's me being very civil. Washington is in an interesting spot. They were doing ok with Adrian Peterson, Alex Smith, and a solid defense. I'm excited to see Derrius Guice next year. Curious what they'll do with AP, perhaps let them share the backfield for a season as Guice warms to the league and settles in from the ACL injury (that required 4 total surgeries, due to an infection). Also think Washington needs to look hard at moving Head Strength and Conditioning Coach Chad Englehart back to a second-fiddle role to combat the overwhelmingly high number of season-ending injuries.

JB: Everything you just said...everything...yes.

JB: Hindsight is 20/20, but looking at it now we probably should have seen the writing on the wall in Green Bay. Mike McCarthy was on thin ice after last year, and the rumor mill started spinning out the McCarthy vs Rodgers stories shortly after Rodgers went down with a knee injury. Rodgers was able to play through it, saving all of us from having to watch DeShone Kizer, but he was not "right" and everyone noticed. By the time he was healthy enough to play without the brace Green Bay was in a hole they couldn't climb out of.

TK: I will not accept that it was obvious heading into the season. That being said, I can't name why the Packers weren't actually good with all the talent they have. I should have been cooler on Detroit though. I was riding high off my 2017 Preseason Eagles pick and looking to make another splash to land a job with ESPN. Should have gone with Chicago, I guess! Is Chicago's season sustainable? The last few dominant defenses we've seen carry mediocre offenses haven't lasted multiple seasons (2017 Jaguars and Vikings, 2015 Jets). I just hope DC Fangio doesn't leave to take a head coaching gig.

JB: Football Outsiders tells me that Turnovers aren't something that can be predicted year over year. The Bears actually have fewer Turnovers this year (36) than last year (43). There is a good mix of youthful energy and veteran leadership in the Defense. I think they'll be around for a long time. I'm not sure about the offense. I like what Matt Nagy has been doing, but Trubisky looks erratic. I'm not sure I'd want to count on him to carry my team.

TK: I'm glad you and the boys at FO have eased my mind on the defensive performance, they appear to be doing it the right way, not smoke and mirrors (looking at you Jacksonville!). I agree Trubisky does look the picture of an incomplete picture. Over here in this corner you've got the beautiful beginnings of a work fit for the Louvre. But over in this other corner you've got something on my fridge that my five-year-old niece gave me (Thanks, Mia!).

JB: I had high hopes for Patricia in Detroit this year. Obviously things didn't pan out. Are my rose-colored glasses still on? Should Patricia be one and done? The stories coming out of Detroit about his casual relationship with time set off alarms in my head. I had thought that in order to be successful as a Head Coach you needed to be detail oriented. Blowing off some meetings and showing up 90+ minutes late to others does not inspire confidence. Also, the Defense, which is what Patricia is known for, didn't seem improved this year compared to last. What do you think TK? One more year?

TK: Patricia keeps disappointing me, from the sexual assault, to the verbal accosting of a reporter, and now the lackadaisical approach to promptness. I probably should just move on, I like Detroit and a lot of pieces on their roster though. When you dig into the defensive numbers, Detroit in 2017 was 27th in Yards per Game allowed vs. 10th in 2018 (355.8 to 335). They showed improvement on a league-wide scale in terms of Pass Yards Allowed and Run Yards Allowed, finishing 8th and 10th respectively. The offense took a nose-dive that finished in a belly flop in 2018, scoring only 324 points (25th) as opposed to 410 (7th) a year ago. Another year with Patricia and Pasqualoni to build their defense (and hopefully be done paying and waiting for Ansah) should make the defense look good. We'll see where their new OC takes them.

TK: The NFC South was one of our stronger divisions, maybe more so for me than you. Tampa and New Orleans pretty much spot on. I pegged Carolina for what they were too, though I'm surprised after the start they had and the groove they looked to be in after 8. The wheels came completely off though. Not many teams lose seven in a row and finish the season 1-7 by virtue of a punted week 17 divisional match-up, but Carolina did!

JB: Quick shout-out to Atlanta, for once again taking a stacked offensive team, and fail to finish over .500. I thought Sarkisian would be able to generate points, and they did (414 Points For). The problem was on the other side of the ball where DC Marquand Manuel struggled to get opposing offenses off the field and out of the end zone (423 pts against).

TK: So Atlanta's decision to fire Manuel and let Dan Quinn call defensive plays makes sense, but I don't get the dismissal of Sarkisian. Unless DQ and Dimitroff just don't like him? Can't wait to see where this one goes! Tampa Bay, we both felt, was legitimately a 4-win team. And they were, except for when they caught New Orleans by surprise on Opening Weekend. I'd love to see them overtake Carolina and Atlanta, but I don't see it happening with Winston.

JB: I don't think it was a good decision to fire Sarkisian. I think that was more of a shot across the bow to Dan Quinn. That being said, whoever the new OC is will need to put up points. I don't think the change at DC and Quinn calling plays is going to get it done. Carolina performed better than I thought they would, but still completely collapsed. Now that Marv "Verminator" Lewis is out in Cincy, Riverboat Ron Rivera becomes my new "Head Coach who should be fired."

TK: All signs point to Norv Turner actually miraculously fixing Cam Newton. His 2018 completion percentage finished at 67.9, toppling his previous high from 2013 of 61.7. He fought through a bum shoulder too, so you could envision a healthy Cam actually getting Carolina back to the playoffs. Get this man a wide receiver! They'll also need to find some defensive help this summer. I forgot to get to my original point though: could Hurney and Tepper opt to move Turner into the HC role?

JB: All of this and we don't mention the Division champs? The Saints are rolling down hill, and the road to Super Bowl LIII runs through the Super Dome. Drew Brees had an MVP-type year, even if he doesn't get it. It seems like we've said this before, if the Defense can keep up their end of the bargain the Offense can carry this team to a championship.

JB: The NFC West went pretty much as we predicted. Garoppolo going out in week 3 with the ACL injury derailed the 49ers. The bad news for the rest of the league is that a roster that already has talent will be adding to it in the draft. Nick Mullens and C.J. Beathard didn't do horribly, but I don't think anyone will mind seeing Garoppolo getting back on the field.

TK: Correct. San Francisco looks to be in a good position heading into 2019. The second pick might be worthy of a trade down to pull in even more. This could be a fun division next year. I can't believe the Seahawks made noise again. Why do the teams I hate always have to torture me? If they are good again next year ... *shakes fist at sky*

JB: Bad news for you and the rest of the NFC West. The Seahawks did what they did this year with a young team that will only get better. Barring injury they'll improve over the next 2-3 years. The upside for the rest of the division is that Russell Wilson is starting to show some wear and tear. He's clearly lost a step. Not quick enough to evade the pass rush all the time anymore. The good news for Seattle is that he's developed a good eye for reading defenses. He tends to hold the ball too long, but that has more to do with a combination of good coverage/poor pass protection than anything else.

TK: Yeah, sigh... yeah. Arizona! Five wins turned out to be pretty generous. I went in thinking Bradford still had something left [Narrator: He did not.]. I also wasn't paying attention to the offensive coordinator Wilks hired. An offensive line revamp is required, and it's not going to be pretty for Rosen for another season in all likelihood. Arizona should return their rookie center Mason Cole and THAT'S IT! There's a lot of work to be done here, but if Bidwill and Keim hire the right staff (not likely) there is a foundation build on.

JB: Well... They hired Kliff Kingsbury. The same Kingsbury that had just accepted a job as OC of USC. The same Kingsbury that didn't do well enough at Texas Tech to keep his HC job there. The same Kingsbury that Baker Mayfield ran away from after his Freshman year at Tech. Better than Wilks? Yes, but name for me please the offensive-minded college coach who came into the league and had success. I can not. There's a ton of work to be done on both sides of the ball from a roster standpoint. I don't have faith that Keim can get it done.

TK: Hammer, meet head of nail. Case closed. The Rams look great again. Neither of us saw the losses at Chicago and vs. Philadelphia, but boy did we nail that Saints game! The defense was not as dominant as I thought it would be, finishing 20th in points allowed. And that's with 6 games against Arizona, San Francisco, and Seattle! Sean McVay's offense is a well-oiled machine, the Rams finished only 3 games with fewer than 30 points. Kansas City had 4, New Orleans had 5. Yeesh.

NFL Preseason Predictions: The AFC

Well, well. What have we here? An actual blog post with written words from The Broken Plane? It can't be! But it is. You're welcome.

Our initial foray into the blogosphere will be the first half of a two-part entry in which we'll be looking back at our 2018 preseason record predictions for all 32 NFL teams and comparing them to the real-life results.

We've created some handy graphics (one for each division) to visualize where JB and TK thought each team would end up, and alongside them, the actual 2018 record. JB's preseason predictions are in green, TK's in purple (Go Ravens!), and the real deal in black. Also, please note the four teams with ties are graphed as finishing with an extra half-win. That's Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Minnesota, and Green Bay.

So without further ado: on to the American Football Conference.

TK: The AFC East felt fairly safe in that you could rely on New England winning at least 10 games and you could rely on Miami, Buffalo, and New York to finish below .500.

JB: The AFC East has been in lock-down for the last 18 years, so you could have made the picks without looking (and I did). It is fun to see that the Bills and Jets performed better than TK or I predicted. There may be a light at the end of this tunnel... Or is that a train... OH NO!!! LOOK OUT!!!

TK: Miami definitely gave me a scare as I had them being worse off than they actually were, but in the end they basically finished in my acceptable wiggle-room window. Opening the season 3-0 really killed my predictions as I had them starting 1-2, picking up the win over a traveling Oakland. But when you look at who they beat: Tennessee in Miami with Mariota exiting after suffering the first of 2 trillion injuries, and New York with a rookie quarterback in Sam Darnold, I suppose the extra wins aren't too surprising.

JB: The only pick I would like back is the Patriots. I overestimated the success they would have on both sides of the ball. It should come as no surprise that they're being exposed more and more each year. They haven't had a top 10 pick since... I'm not looking it up. [I'll look it up. It was 2008, linebacker Jerod Mayo. selected 10th overall. BUT! That was obtained via trade. New England moved #7 overall and #164 to drop back to #10, plus #78. They got the #7 pick by trading with San Francisco the year before. Their last natural top 10 draft pick was in 2001 when defensive end Richard Seymour was taken 6th overall. -TK] They've been performing on both sides of the ball with a roster made up of misfit toys. This is the real story of the Pats; doing more with less.

TK: I'm also very disappointed in Buffalo. Six wins is far too many for a team with so many things wrong with it. Josh Allen is nowhere near good enough to have finished with a respectable 5-6 record in games started. And the Bills' sixth win came on the shoulders of who now? MATT BARKLEY?! Unacceptable. There's no denying that defense is good though. If general manager Brandon Beane and head coach Sean McDermott can figure out a way to supply the offense with a couple dependable linemen and a decent pass-catching tight end and one more reliable wide receiver... and I suppose a new lead running back for that matter, Buffalo could be a team lingering in the playoff picture despite Josh Allen.

JB: I'm proud of the Bills. Still can't believe they took that Jugs-machine-rookie QB, played him most of the year, and wound up a game below .500. Does it change the way I look at the franchise? Maybe a little. I found myself tuning in to Bills games to watch Allen, but staying to watch Tremaine Edmunds. So impressive in his rookie year playing middle linebacker. Well done Buffalo

JB: Feels like we hit the nail on the head in the AFC North. We both had Pittsburgh and Cleveland doing better than they did, but only by a couple of games. We both fell a game short of where Baltimore ended up, but let's be honest; everyone fell a game or two short of that. Cincinnati over performed, but it wasn't enough to keep Marv Lewis in groceries. Good luck to the Bungles on filling that coaching vacancy. So far they've interviewed Vance Joseph and Hue Jackson.

TK: We probably would have been even further off on Cincinnati's win total had Andy Dalton stayed healthy. Say what you will, but he's a heck of a lot better than Jeff Driskel. They suffered through a ton of injuries (Eifert, Dalton, Mixon, A.J. Green, Gio) and that's just offense! I'm not entirely convinced Vance Joseph is a failure, his quarterbacks have been bad. Andy Dalton would be a significant upgrade for him, as ridiculous as that sounds.

JB: We both had Pittsburgh at 11 wins. I wonder what would have happened if Bell had been convinced to sign. Would he have bumped the needle to the tune of another win and a half? With Bell's contract, Brown's tantrum, Ben's age, and Tomlin's uhh... Failure to live up to high expectations? This may be the last time we see this version of the Steelers. It's disappointing and also satisfying to watch them implode.

TK: You know what, you're probably right. Bell probably gets them over the hump at the very least for the tie with Cleveland. I think that right there is enough to edge Baltimore out of the playoffs. Maybe they don't lose to Baltimore in the first match-up, or lose to Oakland. Who knows? Maybe they play worse!

JB: What a run for Baltimore to finish up the Regular Season and make the playoffs! Lamar Jackson and the Ravens' defense pull the team over the finish line, eking out the Steelers in the last game of the season. Tough for Flacco getting hurt, but good on Jackson for stepping in and having immediate success. Kudos to the Offensive coaching staff (looking at you Marty Mornhinweg) for designing and calling a game plan that he could be successful with. Jackson will still need to develop as a passer, but this is a great start. Very encouraging.

TK: Certainly encouraging as a Ravens fan, but I'm giving more credit to Greg Roman. He is on staff as the Assistant (to the) Head Coach and I suspect had much more to do with the offense's success, seeing as he was the OC for San Francisco during the Colin Kaepernick era. At any rate, you're right, he needs to develop in a major way this offseason. The AFC North is going to be a tough nut to crack in 2019. Cleveland may very well sit atop the division, Pittsburgh at the bottom. And that would be something. Pittsburgh hasn't finished in last in their division since 1988. Cleveland hasn't won it since 1989.

TK: The South was tightly contested, I'm proud to say I got fairly close on how this one shook out. Tennessee continues to disappoint, I think largely due to Mariota's inability to stay on the field. I have no idea where I'll view them for 2019, but I suspect somewhere near .500 as I don't trust him anymore. We'll see how the summer goes.

JB: I missed on Houston, Indianapolis, and Jacksonville to the tune of 5+ games each. Congrats to the Texans. They went on a great run this year. I still don't have any faith in them. I thought it would take the Colts a year or two to transition to Frank Reich as a Head Coach. Instead it took about 4 games. Good on them! The Jaguars unraveled faster than a sweater with a loose piece of yarn in a Peanuts cartoon.

TK: Nothing we both enjoyed more than watching Blake Bortles' stock come back down to earth. He is the epitome of "average quarterback." I look forward to seeing where they end up at the quarterback position in 2019. And the running back spot as well now, Lenny is digging himself a grave! And looks like you weren't wrong to have no faith in the Texans. They pert' near laid an egg at home in the Wild Card game. I'm loving this Colts team.

JB: Jacksonville fell off a cliff. It started with Leonard Fournette hurting his hamstring, and ended with Tom Coughlin publicly admonishing Fournette and T.J. Yeldon for not being enthusiastic enough on the sidelines during the last game. When Fournette went down so did the running game. Bortles wasn't able to generate 1st downs, or points from the passing game (417 Points For in 2017, 245 in 2018). Playing without the lead, the Defense wasn't able to match last years turnover numbers (45 in 2017, 26 in 2018), and ended up allowing more points (268 in 2017, 316 in 2018). The Offense was forced to play from behind, again putting pressure on Bortles to carry the team.

TK: You just had to reignite the Jaguars talk. You hate the Jaguars. I gave you an opening for the Colts, or even the Texans. I even tried to goad you into some Mariota talk (Go Ducks!) in the beginning. I don't like what OC Matt LaFleur did with Mariota this year, I wouldn't mind seeing Vrabel look elsewhere. I also wouldn't mind seeing Tennessee bottom out. Houston needs to fix their offensive line and I think they'll be fine. Indianapolis should add more defensive reinforcements, and Golden Tate.

JB: Mariota may be on his last legs in Tennessee. He's on the last year of his rookie deal, and at this point I don't think he's done enough to guarantee a 2nd contract as a starter. If Matt LaFleur returns as OC, it would be good if the team took a hard look at the QB position. Houston is close, and it was good to see J.J. Watt finish the year up playing instead of on the sidelines.

JB: FINE! I admit it. I missed the boat with Kansas City. I was pretty sure that Patrick Mahomes would take a few games to get acclimated to the NFL game. I also didn't see the cresting wave of scoring that the Chiefs would put up. Mahomes 50 TD/5000 Yds passing are incredible numbers. One of the great stories of the 2018 NFL season. On the other end of the spectrum, I feel pretty good about picking the Raiders to struggle this year. What I didn't see was the roster churn that the team would undergo. It feels like the franchise took big step backwards this year.

TK: If you say to me today that you had Kansas City pegged to be in the playoffs before the season started you're either a liar, a homer, or part of the organization itself. I had the good fortune of at least getting small glimpses of Mahomes before we made these predictions, otherwise I probably would have gone with fewer than 7 wins. As for Oakland, I started out buying all the horse manure Gruden sold. As the season wore on though, I became less sure that Gruden knew much of anything about coaching an NFL team. I think he lucked into a Super Bowl win.

JB: I was bullish on the Chargers going into the year, but broke an ankle jumping off the bandwagon after the 1-2 start. It turns out that those two losses were against Kansas City and the Rams. Two of the most explosive offensive teams in the league. It was easy to give up on the Chargers since I can't stand the man baby, AKA Fast "Philly" Rivers. Turns out they are probably the most complete team in the AFC, narrowly missing out on the Division Championship by means of losing the tie breaker to KC.

TK: I thought I liked Los Diego more than you, but apparently not. At any rate, I believed in them harder than you. They survived the road Wild Card game, overcoming a dominant defense and another sub-200 yard pass performance from Rivers. It feels wrong to hope they succeed after Spanos screwed San Diego though.

JB: The Broncos had troubles this year. It turns out Case Keenum isn't a franchise QB (duh?). Six wins wasn't enough for Vance Joseph to keep his job. I'm not sure where the team turns next for Head Coach. It sounds like Gary Kubiak might be wanting to return to the NFL, but as an Offensive Coordinator, not Head Coach. Would the Broncos consider bringing him back in that capacity? This seems like a team with some nice pieces. Looking at the roster it seems like they should have a better record than they do.

TK: They do have a nice roster. They dealt with injuries again (Jake Butt), but found out that rolling with four white ends is a legit offensive concept (see: Baltimore - Mark Andrews, Nick Boyle, Hayden Hurst, Maxx Williams). The grouping of Matt LaCosse, Jeff Heuerman, Brian Parker, and Jake Butt (plus bonus Troy Fumagalli) should help the Donkeys succeed next year. Kubiak had a nice season as the OC for Baltimore in 2014, getting them the 8th best scoring offense. That's a Baltimore best under Flacco. Denver brings in the right coach and things could get tricky in the West. I don't even think they'd need a new quarterback under Kubiak.