NFL Week Five Cheat Sheet with Caps & Nats Thoughts
Within the past week, DMV sports fans saw one championship-caliber team with a generational star limp to a subpar finish, and a title-defending outfit with a future hall-of-famer return to the playing surface with a flourish.
The 2018 Major League Baseball season started with the Washington Nationals as favorites to win the National League East and compete for a World Series crown. Former Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player Bryce Harper entered the campaign in the final year of his contract and fans could feel the championship window sliding shut. After a 21-0 drubbing at the hands of the Colorado Rockies Sunday, the Nationals finished a disappointing 82-80, eight games behind the Atlanta Braves and a playoff position.
The best player in Nationals history is now a free agent, and the D.C. baseball club has multiple holes to fill as they face a more competitive division the Braves and Philadelphia Phillies on the upswing. Harper has express interest in remaining a Nat, but Washington could man their outfield with Juan Soto, Victor Robles, and Adam Eaton at a much cheaper price and still have money to bolster current weak spots. Matt Weyrich of FederalBaseball,com sees acquiring a second basemen, catcher and a left-handed starter as top priorities for the upcoming offseason.
While the local baseball season went out with a whimper, the hockey season has initiated with significant excitement.
The Washington Capitals dropped the puck on their defense of the 2018 Stanley Cup Wednesday by raising the championship banner to the rafters at Capital One Arena and throttling the Boston Bruins 7-0. Washington is definitely a contender for the 2019 title, but repeating as the National Hockey League champion has proven to be a monumental task. The Pittsburgh Penguins recently repeated as the possessors of Lord Stanley's cup, but the last team to do so before them was the Detroit Red Wings of '97 and '98.
Overcoming the figurative championship "hangover" is one thing, but the Capitals might have to battle a literal hangover following a serious celebratory binge this summer. This hard-partying Washington team certainly looked like a contender on opening night and returns 18 of 20 players that suited up in the Stanley Cup finals. By keeping rising star Evgeny Kuznetsov, veteran Nicklas Backstrom, high-scoring defensemen John Carlson, and 2016 Vezina Trophy winner Braden Holtby, Washington has a competent core to compliment Alex Ovechkin and legitimately contend for a second straight title, according to Dave Stevenson of PuckProse.com.
Seven years ago during my first stint along the Potomac, I bought a three-game package of tickets for the Nationals 2011 season. I had always wanted to live in a "major league" city with all the Top Four professional sports leagues and be a season ticket holder of some kind. Clearly, I didn't have the time or money to invest in a full season ticket plan, but I became a regular of sorts in a small way and loved it.
This winter, Santa got one of my girls a Harper jersey, and the other a Trea Turner number 7 shirt. I had every intention of getting my entire family to Nats Park at least once this summer, but we never made it happen. Turns out, we didn't miss much.
During the National's summer of discontent, I unabashedly jumped on the Capitals band wagon as they surged to their first-ever title. I am now the proud possessor of a five-game flex package and look forward to taking all of the HOTPO staff to Capital One Arena for some hockey this year. I don't want to miss much.
OK, to the NFL Week Five Cheat Sheet!
Baltimore (-3.0) at Cleveland: I actually very interested in this game, but the Baltimore defense will put this game out of reach by the end of the third period. -- RAVENS
New York Giants at Carolina (-6.5): Carolina should boost the morale of all those suffering from hurricane season with an easy victory over a bad New York team. -- PANTHERS
Atlanta at Pittsburgh (-3.0): Both of these teams were supposed to be good, but have spent September dropping winnable games. -- STEELERS
Denver (-1.0) at New York Jets: Denver lost to a very good Kansas City Chiefs team on Monday, but definitely showed they can run the ball and hit hard...fun team to watch. -- BRONCOS
Miami at Cincinnati (-6.0): I can't remember if I picked Cincy to be a playoff team (should have), but I know I predicted Miami to miss the playoffs (nailed it). -- BENGALS
Jacksonville at Kansas City (-3.0): We do not have this game on in our market, but you must watch it if it is on yours. -- CHIEFS
Green Bay at Detroit (pick 'em): I don't understand why there is no line for this game. I seriously laughed out loud when I came to this one, because it was such an easy pick. -- PACKERS
Tennessee (-6.0) at Buffalo: Talk about an easy pick. The road team is favored by a touchdown here, and Tennessee is not necessarily impressive (not what you would call a "strong swimmer"). -- TITANS
Oakland at Los Angeles Chargers (-5.5): Los Angeles is the type of team that will lose this game to a much less talented team from Oakland, but I am not putting my name on that. -- CHARGERS
Arizona at San Francisco (-3.5): Now that Niner QB Jimmy Garoppolo is out for the season, there is no reason to watch what will most likely be the worst game of the day. -- NINERS
Minnesota at Philadelphia (-3.5): These two teams played in the NFC title game last year, but have looked lacking so far this year. -- EAGLES
Los Angeles Rams (-7.5) at Seattle: Los Angeles is favored to win in Seattle by a touchdown -- incredible. A thoroughly enjoyable read by Greg Bishop and Robert Klemko of Sports Illustrated outlines the Seahawks fall from power. -- RAMS
Dallas at Houston (-3.5): Both of these teams beat bad squads last week, so let's see which mediocre team can float to the top of the toilet. -- TEXANS
Washington at New Orleans (-6.0): I wish I had Tuesday off so I could stay up and watch what should be a high-scoring affair. -- SAINTS
Our HOTPO photography staff is honestly lacking. That is a photo of the Washington Post NHL preview on the left, but you probably can't tell the one on right is the report from most likely last game by Bryce Harper in Nats uniform. Oh, on television is Capitals home opener against the Boston Bruins. See what we were trying to do there? I know, took some explanation. What is undeniable...I love print sports media.
The 2018 Major League Baseball season started with the Washington Nationals as favorites to win the National League East and compete for a World Series crown. Former Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player Bryce Harper entered the campaign in the final year of his contract and fans could feel the championship window sliding shut. After a 21-0 drubbing at the hands of the Colorado Rockies Sunday, the Nationals finished a disappointing 82-80, eight games behind the Atlanta Braves and a playoff position.
The best player in Nationals history is now a free agent, and the D.C. baseball club has multiple holes to fill as they face a more competitive division the Braves and Philadelphia Phillies on the upswing. Harper has express interest in remaining a Nat, but Washington could man their outfield with Juan Soto, Victor Robles, and Adam Eaton at a much cheaper price and still have money to bolster current weak spots. Matt Weyrich of FederalBaseball,com sees acquiring a second basemen, catcher and a left-handed starter as top priorities for the upcoming offseason.
While the local baseball season went out with a whimper, the hockey season has initiated with significant excitement.
The Washington Capitals dropped the puck on their defense of the 2018 Stanley Cup Wednesday by raising the championship banner to the rafters at Capital One Arena and throttling the Boston Bruins 7-0. Washington is definitely a contender for the 2019 title, but repeating as the National Hockey League champion has proven to be a monumental task. The Pittsburgh Penguins recently repeated as the possessors of Lord Stanley's cup, but the last team to do so before them was the Detroit Red Wings of '97 and '98.
Overcoming the figurative championship "hangover" is one thing, but the Capitals might have to battle a literal hangover following a serious celebratory binge this summer. This hard-partying Washington team certainly looked like a contender on opening night and returns 18 of 20 players that suited up in the Stanley Cup finals. By keeping rising star Evgeny Kuznetsov, veteran Nicklas Backstrom, high-scoring defensemen John Carlson, and 2016 Vezina Trophy winner Braden Holtby, Washington has a competent core to compliment Alex Ovechkin and legitimately contend for a second straight title, according to Dave Stevenson of PuckProse.com.
Seven years ago during my first stint along the Potomac, I bought a three-game package of tickets for the Nationals 2011 season. I had always wanted to live in a "major league" city with all the Top Four professional sports leagues and be a season ticket holder of some kind. Clearly, I didn't have the time or money to invest in a full season ticket plan, but I became a regular of sorts in a small way and loved it.
This winter, Santa got one of my girls a Harper jersey, and the other a Trea Turner number 7 shirt. I had every intention of getting my entire family to Nats Park at least once this summer, but we never made it happen. Turns out, we didn't miss much.
During the National's summer of discontent, I unabashedly jumped on the Capitals band wagon as they surged to their first-ever title. I am now the proud possessor of a five-game flex package and look forward to taking all of the HOTPO staff to Capital One Arena for some hockey this year. I don't want to miss much.
OK, to the NFL Week Five Cheat Sheet!
Baltimore (-3.0) at Cleveland: I actually very interested in this game, but the Baltimore defense will put this game out of reach by the end of the third period. -- RAVENS
New York Giants at Carolina (-6.5): Carolina should boost the morale of all those suffering from hurricane season with an easy victory over a bad New York team. -- PANTHERS
Atlanta at Pittsburgh (-3.0): Both of these teams were supposed to be good, but have spent September dropping winnable games. -- STEELERS
Denver (-1.0) at New York Jets: Denver lost to a very good Kansas City Chiefs team on Monday, but definitely showed they can run the ball and hit hard...fun team to watch. -- BRONCOS
Miami at Cincinnati (-6.0): I can't remember if I picked Cincy to be a playoff team (should have), but I know I predicted Miami to miss the playoffs (nailed it). -- BENGALS
Jacksonville at Kansas City (-3.0): We do not have this game on in our market, but you must watch it if it is on yours. -- CHIEFS
Green Bay at Detroit (pick 'em): I don't understand why there is no line for this game. I seriously laughed out loud when I came to this one, because it was such an easy pick. -- PACKERS
Tennessee (-6.0) at Buffalo: Talk about an easy pick. The road team is favored by a touchdown here, and Tennessee is not necessarily impressive (not what you would call a "strong swimmer"). -- TITANS
Oakland at Los Angeles Chargers (-5.5): Los Angeles is the type of team that will lose this game to a much less talented team from Oakland, but I am not putting my name on that. -- CHARGERS
Arizona at San Francisco (-3.5): Now that Niner QB Jimmy Garoppolo is out for the season, there is no reason to watch what will most likely be the worst game of the day. -- NINERS
Minnesota at Philadelphia (-3.5): These two teams played in the NFC title game last year, but have looked lacking so far this year. -- EAGLES
Los Angeles Rams (-7.5) at Seattle: Los Angeles is favored to win in Seattle by a touchdown -- incredible. A thoroughly enjoyable read by Greg Bishop and Robert Klemko of Sports Illustrated outlines the Seahawks fall from power. -- RAMS
Dallas at Houston (-3.5): Both of these teams beat bad squads last week, so let's see which mediocre team can float to the top of the toilet. -- TEXANS
Washington at New Orleans (-6.0): I wish I had Tuesday off so I could stay up and watch what should be a high-scoring affair. -- SAINTS
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