I know many of you remember my shtick on WZZO with Bearman and Keith. I know you do because people still yell, “Gaaaaryyy Laubach!!”, when I see them around the Valley.  Some woman even yelled it when I was getting on an elevator on a cruise ship somewhere in the Atlantic.  I would chit-chat with Bearman and Keith on Monday mornings and make my NFL picks on Friday mornings.  My picks were often spot on and it was always a fun time.

Someone at RCN thought it would be a good idea to continue offering up my thoughts on a weekly blog and make NFL picks each week – thus, “Gary’s Guesses”. It seemed like a good idea at the time and for many years I looked like I knew what I was doing.  Until this season -it has been almost impossible to confidently pick any NFL game.

Sure, I can always pick the Browns to lose (1-21 the past two seasons) and the Patriots to win (although they just eked out a win over the Jets so even the Patriots are a bit shaky). As I prepare to make picks again this week, how do I account for:

The Packers losing Aaron Rodgers?

The Giants beating Denver Sunday night without any notable receivers and still being just 1-5?

The Ravens who look like a different team every week (they just lost to the Bears)?

Speaking of the Bears, how do I deal with a team that is almost a sure bet to lose, except when they don’t, like this week?

Dallas losing Ezekiel Elliott this week through Thanksgiving, given that they are only 2-3 with him?

The Falcons losing two straight to lesser teams?

The Cardinals – did you see them against the Eagles?

The 0-6 49’ers, who have lost their last five games by 3 or fewer points?

A decent Oakland team that has lost 4 in a row?

The Lions looking good and then not?

The Dolphins, Lions, Texans, Jets, Jaguars, Chargers, Saints, Steelers, Rams, etc.?

Despite my misgivings and going 10-18 the past two weeks, I will make my guesses again. But my confidence is certainly shaken.  I hope no one is using my picks as their picks.  I am on the verge of just using a Ouija board.  I couldn’t do any worse. One of my friends, a Steelers fan, implores me to pick them to lose every week knowing they would then win.

In fact, except for the Browns, who I can count on to lose every week, the most dependable team right now looks like (dare I say it), the Eagles! And now, I have just jinxed them!!

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS) 

1. NFL officiating sure creates controversy every week. Take a look at this call that cost the Jets a touchdown against New England:The Jets lost by 7.
2.  http://www.espn.com/video/clip?id=21033522
3. #2 Clemson lost to Syracuse in a shocker, 27-24, which allowed Penn State to move up to #2 without even playing a game. Can they stay there with Michigan at home, Ohio State, and Michigan State on the road up next? Win those three in a row and no one will doubt their ranking.
4. Speaking of Penn State, Saquon Barkley was back home in Whitehall this past weekend and attended the Whitehall-Bethlehem Catholic game on Friday night. He was kind enough to grant us an interview during our broadcast. He was his usual modest self and, in fact, was hoping not too many people would know he was there. He told us he did not want to detract from the game. Truth be told, he is a bit too famous these days not to be noticed. He graciously signed autographs.
5. I am enjoying the baseball playoffs after watching very little during the regular season. The starting pitching is awesome, almost unhittable. Defense has been outstanding. The games are extremely tense right up to the last out. The pace is still a bit taxing, however.
6.  I am happy to report that Mike Joseph and I are in the Colonial League this Friday night with a great match-up: Notre Dame at Saucon Valley. Game two on Friday is Nazareth at Liberty, an important game in the AAAAAA district picture. Saturday the Lafayette Leopards, tied at the top of the Patriot League at 2-0 will take on the Bucknell Bison at 3:30. At 7:00, Bethlehem Catholic takes on Freedom.

Gary’s Guesses: NFL Picks – (LAST WEEK – 6-8; OVERALL – 49-41 – 54%)

Week Seven

KANSAS CITY

TENNESSEE

JACKSONVILLE

PITTSBURGH

MINNESOTA

JETS

BUFFALO

CAROLINA

NEW ORLEANS

RAMS

DALLAS

SEATTLE

DENVER

NEW ENGLAND

PHILADELPHIA

As many of you know, I taught school for almost thirty years. In all of those years, I only encountered one protest concerning the American flag.  Throughout the US, a school day began with the Pledge of Allegiance as everyone, teachers and students combined, stood and, in unison, said, “I pledge allegiance to the United States of America…”

On one occasion, a student in my homeroom refused to stand and recite the pledge. After he did that the first time, I asked him why he refused to stand.  He said that he was protesting America’s involvement in Viet Nam and the country’s aggressive stance throughout the world.  I was not happy with his stance, but I also understood everyone’s right to protest.

After all, in my English class I taught a unit called Books That Changed the World.  One of those books (a pamphlet, actually) was Thomas Paine’s Common Sense.  That treatise was a call for America’s thirteen colonies to break away from England and become a nation unto itself.  For Paine, this call to action just made “common sense”.

The most important impetus for this action, according to Paine, was “if a government requires you to do something you believe is morally wrong, you are morally obligated not to do it.” This is exactly what this student believed he was doing.  Would I be hypocritical to deny him that right?  I believed I would be, but I sought out higher authorities for their position.  They decided he did not have to stand, but he needed to go out in the hall during the Pledge.

This is where the NFL player protest has gotten. Players on some teams may either stand or kneel.  However, some owners are now insisting the players, who wish to protest, “go out into the hall” by staying in the locker room while the Anthem is being played.  Some owners have threatened that if a player does not stand, he will not play and may even lose his job, ala Colin Kaepernick.

I am somewhat mystified how a protest against what are perceived as unwarranted shootings by police by some has been turned into disrespecting our troops and our country, but it has. But for every action, there is usually a reaction.  That has certainly been the case here.  Thomas Paine was well-aware that if you protested, you must be willing to accept the consequences of those actions.  Gandhi knew that; Martin Luther King knew that; Nelson Mandela knew that and all of them paid the consequences in order to create change.

So whether a player decides to stand, kneel, or stay in the locker room, it is a personal decision with potential consequences. But isn’t that how great changes in the world have come about?

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS) 

1. ESPN’s Mel Kiper, Jr. and Todd McShay both agree that Penn State’s Saquon Barkley is the best running back in college football. How will he fare in the NFL draft? Here is their take:
   http://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/20960145/mel-kiper-todd-mcshay-just-how-good-penn-state-nittany-lion-runnning-back-saquon-barkley
2. What is happening in the NFL? Jacksonville crushes Pittsburgh; the Giants are 0-5 with a completely depleted receiving corps; Dallas has a losing record; New England has already lost two games and is tied with the Jets and Bills in the standings… I could go on and on. Has the cliché, “On any given Sunday…” ever had more meaning? And the Eagles are in first place! Is this the world as we know it?
3. The Lafayette Leopards are 2-0 in the Patriot League after another nail-biting win over the favored Fordham Rams. They won 14-10 after trailing 10-0 at the end of three quarters. This is the first time since 2013 that the team is 2-0 in the League. They ended up as Patriot League champions that year. Dare we dream?
4. I have to offer some praise to Bob Andrews, the highly respected referee in the Parkland-Beca game on Friday night. If you watched our broadcast, we were quite critical of a number of calls in the first half. One call actually kept Beca from scoring a touchdown on a fumble. The officials said it was not a fumble. Our replay showed otherwise. There were three other calls that seemed to be unwarranted or incorrect. I saw Bob at the Lafayette game the next day and he had watched our replay that morning. We discussed each play. He was in agreement with some of our opinions and disagreed with others. He felt each one would become a teaching lesson for his fellow officials. We both learned from the experience.
5. The games may not be as meaningful this Friday night, but, boy, should they be entertaining. Bethlehem Catholic hosts Whitehall and points should come in abundance. That game will be followed by Freedom at Nazareth and points should come in abundance. Did I just repeat myself? You might be up late, but you should have fun watching.

Gary’s Guesses: NFL Picks – (LAST WEEK – 4-10; OVERALL – 43-33 – 57%)

Week Six

CAROLINA

WASHINGTON

ATLANTA

HOUSTON

NEW ORLEANS

BALTIMORE

GREEN BAY

NEW ENGLAND

ARIZONA

JACKSONVILLE

KANSAS CITY

OAKLAND

DENVER

TENNESSEE

Did “quadmester” get your attention? It is a word (much like semester and trimester) or it isn’t, but I used it to signify that, for the most part, one-quarter of the NFL season is now completed. I know that the Bucs and Dolphins did not play in Week 1 due to Irma, but, come on; there have been enough games to begin to fool around with what we currently know. Here are ten ramblings about the season so far (in no particular order):

1.  The Browns and 49ers are not good now and will not be good in the next trimester (notice the theme this week) either.
2. Don’t gamble on the NFL for awhile. There have been numerous upsets the past two weeks (Panthers over New England, Jets over anybody, the Rams over the Cowboys, the Bills over the Falcons – need I go on?). I would assume there are quite a few who are already out of their survivor pool. Don’t start a new one. It might be that kind of year.
3. The Rams are in first place and Seattle is not in the NFC West. The Jets are tied with the Patriots in the AFC East, but the Bills are in first place. The Eagles are in first place!
4. The Buffalo Bills have given up an average of 13.5 points a game – in the NFL!
5. The Dolphins were supposed to be good, but have lost to the Jets and the Saints with one total touchdown the last two weeks (and that came on the last play of the game against the Jets). They’re not so good.
6. What’s wrong with the Patriots? Their defense! How long will Bill Belichick stand for these results before heads begin to roll?
7. If I said a New York team might be the worst team in football, you and I would think I was talking about the Jets. But the New York Jets are 2-2 and the New York Giants are 0-4.
8. Why is anyone a Cleveland Browns fan? They, too, are 0-4.
9. On a positive note, the Los Angeles Rams are the most surprising team so far with their 3-1 start, especially after their 4-12 season a year ago in St. Louis. Is head coach Sean McVay that much better than Jeff Fisher? The next 13 weeks will tell.
10. Go Eagles! So far, they have really been fun to watch and, did I mention, they are currently in first place in the NFC East. WITH ONLY A  TRIMESTER TO GO!

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)

1. Penn State ids 5-0 for the first time since 2008 and find themselves #4 in the nation. Saquon Barkley right now is the Vegas favorite to win the Heisman Trophy. He leads the nation in all-purpose yardage. This past weekend he ran the opening kickoff back for a TD and actually threw a pass for a TD. Amazing!!
2. The Rams moved from St. Louis to Los Angeles this year, but their uniform jerseys remained the same and do not match their helmets or their pants. The NFL due to a “uniform alteration” timing rule would not allow it. Their helmets and pants are blue with white stripes and the jersey is blue with gold numbers.
   
3. The Eagles are 3-1 – oh, my!! They are in first place in the NFC East. And, how about Jake Elliot? After winning the game the week before against the Giants with a 61-yard field goal, he made four more of 40+ yards this week (with a 53-yarder). The Eagles, also, can run the ball, a huge asset in the NFL. The Eagles next take on the Arizona Cardinals in Philadelphia.
4. The Lafayette Leopards put up plenty of firsts this past Saturday in Worcester, Mass. By beating Holy Cross on the last play of the game, they attained their first win of the season; achieved a Patriot League victory in the first league game; took over first place in the PL; and gave Coach John Garrett his first-ever win as a college football coach.
5. Bethlehem Catholic travels to Parkland this Friday in a battle of two unbeaten teams. You can watch the match-up LIVE on RCN at 7:00pm. Whitehall and Freedom follow at 9:30. Lafayette tries to win their second Patriot League game on Saturday at 3:30pm. Northampton plays Liberty Saturday night on RCN at 7:00pm.

Gary’s Guesses: NFL Picks – (LAST WEEK – 10-7; OVERALL – 39-23 – 63%)

Week Five

PITTSBURGH
RAIDERS
NEW ENGLAND
PHILADELPHIA
SAN FRANCISCO
BUFFALO
GIANTS
RAMS
MIAMI
JETS
CHICAGO
HOUSTON
DETROIT
DALLAS

I know I have previously espoused the virtues of the NFL Red Zone in this space. But making the wild assumption you may have missed that particular blog (and, boy, is that a possibility), allow me to once again toot the horn of a product that any rabid football fan should have.

For those who might be unfamiliar with the channel, it is owned and operated by the NFL. It brings bits and pieces of every Sunday afternoon game, guaranteeing that you will see “every touchdown of every game” and they never fail in that mission.  They call it “whip around coverage” and as each game heads towards moments of excitement The Red Zone takes you there.  For an avid fantasy football player or fan, it never disappoints.  Scott Hanson is the host and does a masterful job setting up the video.

If you needed any proof of how addicting this channel can be, just ask someone who had The Red Zone this past Sunday. There were five games that were decided in the final seconds of regulations or overtime and you could see all those finishes on one channel.

The Giants, desperate for a win (0-2 going into the game), looked like they were on their way to an overtime against the Eagles and the Giants had all the momentum. However, they were beaten in the last second by a 61-yard field goal by Jake Elliot. The Red Zone had all the excitement of the last two minutes.

The Atlanta Falcons had a four-point lead when Detroit’s Golden Tate caught what appeared to be a last second winning touchdown. A “pick” penalty was called against the Lions, 10 seconds were run off the clock due to the penalty and Atlanta won the game.  There were plenty of “couch potato” second-guessing moments in those final seconds and The Red Zone offered up all the evidence you needed.

The Houston Texans had a fourth and inches on the Patriots 18-yard line with @2:30 to go and a two-point lead. The Texans chose to kick the field goal.  Of course, Tom Brady took New England down the field, escaped a potential interception, and threw the game-winning touchdown.  I guess it was another “Ho-hum” for Brady, but not for those of us watching The Red Zone looking for an upset by a team that was a 13.5 point underdog.

I do not like the NFL overtime rule which allows a team to score a touchdown for the win, without ever giving the opponent a chance to possess the football. That is what the Chicago Bears did to the Steelers on Sunday.  There was plenty of chaos at the end of this one, but The Red Zone kept us informed.

Finally, the Bills beat the Broncos (the same team that demolished Dallas the previous week). There was a bizarre penalty in this one that allowed the Bills to kick a field goal and put the game out of reach.  This was just another upset in a weekend of upsets that you could have experienced by watching The Red Zone.

The Red Zone costs $59.99 for the season on RCN. This past weekend, it was well-worth the investment.  Actually, it’s true every weekend.

And… at the end of the day, they show every touchdown from every game, as promised!

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS) 

1. This space has recently become my Saquon Barkley weekly call-out and this week is no exception. If you missed Penn State against Iowa on Saturday night (I did not, thanks to TIVO), go back and watch it. Whitehall’s Barkley had his best day ever rushing for 211 yards. He had 94 yards in receptions and set the Penn State record for all-purpose yards in a game. The Iowa coach said about Barkley, “The big difference in the game was that running back. He is a phenomenal player”. By the way, Penn State won on the very last play of the game 21-19.
2. With the NFL and the NBA players now angry at the President, is MLB and the NHL far behind?
3. Derek Jeter will soon be in charge of the Miami Marlins as the head of business and baseball operations. He will dismiss the current president and before that dismissal, Jeter wants him to fire Andre Dawson and Tony Perez (both Hall of Famers), Jeff Conine (former great Marlin player), and former manager Jack McKeon. This team will, obviously, be Derek’s team.
4. The World Champion Chicago Cubs should clinch their division this week. Lafayette’s Joe Maddon is the manager and they seem ready to defend their title in October as they currently are playing great baseball. If I can’t root for the Phillies in the postseason, then I’m a Cubs’ fan.
5. Parkland travels to Whitehall this Friday for a big rivalry match-up LIVE on RCN at 7:00pm. Lafayette opens the Patriot League season on Saturday afternoon in Worcester, Mass. at 1:00pm. That is where I will be. Northern Lehigh travels to Pen Argyl for a 7:00pm game.

Gary’s Guesses: NFL Picks – (LAST WEEK – 9-7; OVERALL – 29-17 – 63%)

Week Four

GREEN BAY

NEW ORLEANS

DALLAS

HOUSTON

DETROIT

ATLANTA

BALTIMORE

CINCINNATI

NEW ENGLAND

JACKSONVILLE

ARIZONA

PHILADELPHIA

GIANTS

DENVER

SEATTLE

KANSAS CITY

Penn State beat Georgia State on Saturday afternoon by a 56-0 score. This was their third win of the year, all over much lesser opponents – Akron – 52-0 and Pittsburgh – 33-14.  Games one and three would be best described as “guarantee games”.  The opponent is “guaranteed” a nice paycheck for playing Penn State and Penn State is “guaranteed” a win.  Pitt is down in quality from many of their past teams, so this game proved to be no challenge either.  All the teams have valid reasons for the match-ups: the losers for the money and the winner – well, Penn State head coach James Franklin probably said it best:

“The most important thing you can do, year-in and year-out, is schedule in a way that’s going to give your team the best chance to win your conference.”

That’s all good advice if you are the team that wins, but how about the teams that have no shot at winning? For example, Lafayette’s football team really took it on the chin this past weekend when they traveled to #7 Villanova to play the Wildcats.  Villanova completely dominated the game by a 59-0 score and it could have been worse if Villanova hadn’t stopped throwing the ball in the second half.  It was 49-0 at the half.  And this game was not for the money.

Lafayette had already lost two games by a 31-12 score to Monmouth and 38-24 score to Sacred Heart. Both of these teams were laden with 5-year players who had a red-shirt season (an extra year to develop as a football player).  Lafayette and the Patriot League do not allow red shirts except for injury.  There is no extra year of physical maturity for the Leopards.

Up next for the Leopards is Princeton, a team they have beaten only three times in 48 tries. Their remaining non-conference opponent will be Harvard.  The Crimson leads in this series 16-3 over Lafayette and have won five in a row.  In the last 12 non-conference games, Lafayette has only two independent wins in the past three years – Wagner and Central Connecticut State.

John Garrett, the first-year Lafayette head coach, inherited a schedule which offers little chance of winning a non-conference game and a slim chance of winning a Patriot League game this year. They have only one Patriot League win in the past two years (over non-scholarship Georgetown).  But, at least, the playing field is level when you play within the conference.  Lafayette will just have to get better and will if they are not totally demoralized before the conference games begin.

I am well aware the schedules are developed years in advance (already in stone through 2020) and Coach Garrett knew what he was getting into when he accepted the job. Coming up in the next three years, Lafayette will play Delaware, William & Mary, Army, and Navy.  Beating Delaware and/or William & Mary would be considered big upsets.  Army beat Lafayette last season 62-7 and the Leopards will be no match for Navy.

John Garrett is one of the most positive individuals I have ever met. But when you are an Akron or Georgia State week in and week out, it is very difficult to instill that same positivity in the players and the fans.

If you don’t believe me, re-read Penn State’s Coach James Franklin’s quote:

“The most important thing you can do, year-in and year-out, is schedule in a way that’s going to give your team the best chance to win your conference.”

Lafayette needs to pin the message on the wall and remember it as they schedule for 2021. Please schedule a “guaranteed” win.

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS) 

1. I’m sure many of you saw the play, but in case you missed Whitehall’s Saquon Barkley’s catch and run on Saturday here it is:He set the Penn State record for career receiving yardage for a running back in this game.
2.  https://www.roarlionsroar.com/penn-state-football/2017/09/2912/key-play-georgia-state-saquon-barkley-brandon-polk-trace-mcsorley
3. Tom Brady of the Patriots took last week’s loss rather personally. He threw for 447 yards and three touchdowns in the Patriots’ win over New Orleans. In terms of consistent success, the Denver Broncos keep on winning as they stifled Dallas this past Sunday.
4. The Cleveland Browns have not been favored to win a game since Week 14 of the 2015 season. They won that game, by the way, 24-10 over San Francisco in Cleveland. They have not been favored to win a road game since Week 7 of the 2014 season (they lost to the Jaguars 24-6). The Browns are 2.5 point favorites to beat the Indianapolis Colts in Indianapolis this week.   I picked the Colts.
5. East Stroudsburg South beating Central Catholic and Palisades drubbing Southern Lehigh were the most surprising high school football outcomes this past weekend.
6. We have an inter-city rivalry on Friday night when undefeated Bethlehem Catholic plays Liberty at 7:00pm. Lafayette takes on Ivy League champion Princeton on Saturday night at 6:00pm on RCN-TV. There are also plenty of Celtic Classic festivities this weekend on RCN-TV. 

Gary’s Guesses: NFL Picks – (LAST WEEK – 11-5; OVERALL – 21-10 – 68%)

Week Three

LA RAMS

BALTIMORE

INDIANAPOLIS

PITTSBURGH

MIAMI

DENVER

NEW ENGLAND

CAROLINA

TAMPA BAY

ATLANTA

PHILADELPHIA

TENNESSEE

KANSAS CITY

GREEN BAY

OAKLAND

DALLAS

Anyone who competes wants to win, not to finish third. And if you are part of a team, you certainly don’t want to be traded.  Neither helps anyone’s self-esteem.  Recently, both of those outcomes were part of Jon Dorenbos’ life experiences.

You may recognize the name due to one or both of his vocations. You see, Jon Dorenbos prior to this season spent 11 years with the Philadelphia Eagles as their long snapper.  Just before this NFL regular season was to begin, he was traded to the New Orleans Saints.

Last TV season, he was on America’s Got Talent and finished in third place.  He demonstrated a number of his magical skills as well as an endearing personality.  It was as if the judges and the audience liked him as much for his personality as they did for his magic which, by the way, was exceptional.

Because of that show, people learned about Jon’s very difficult early childhood life. His father murdered his mother and spent Jon’s childhood in prison.  He made a point of saying that magic had saved his life while growing up and certainly AGT changed his life.  He appeared on the Ellen Degeneres show and became famous throughout the US.

The irony of this newfound fame as a magician was that spending 17 years as a long-snapper in the NFL, he was pretty much anonymous. Long snappers only gain any sort of fame if they mess up and Dorenbos almost never did.  He was so steady in his performance that no one, for the most part, knew his name.

By finishing third on AGT, he was rewarded and, just this past week, by being traded he was rewarded again. How would that be?  When a player is traded, they must undergo a physical.  Dorenbos’ follow-up physical revealed that he had an aortic aneurysm and he would need to have open-heart surgery.  The physical may have saved his life.

Dorenbos was one of the most popular Eagles in the locker room and the team was upset when he was traded. They rallied around him when they heard the medical news.

So, to recap:

Dorenbos’ life changes by his appearance on AGT.

He gets traded to the New Orleans Saints and must undergo a physical.

The trade probably saved his life – no physical + no knowledge of the heart problem.

The heart surgery will probably negate the trade and he will become an Eagle again.

It is obvious that magic is at work here in all aspects of his life. Just get through the surgery!

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS) 

1. The NFL season started with a shock on Thursday night when the Chiefs beat the Patriots 42-27. It also started “Gary’s Guesses” off with a loss in his first pick of the year.
2. The Eagles got a much needed win over Washington on Sunday. The offense, defense, and special teams all played well. Now they must travel to Kansas City (see above) this Sunday against Andy Reid. The Chiefs are favored.
3. Penn State plays another easy opponent this week before they venture into the Big Ten against Iowa. They will play back-to-back games against Michigan and Ohio State in late October.
4. Undefeated Easton takes on undefeated Parkland this Friday night. The game will be LIVE on RCN-TV at 7:00pm followed by the Liberty at Whitehall game at 10:00pm.
5. Lafayette takes on #7 Villanova on Saturday night at 6:00pm on RCN-TV. Watch Nazareth and Bethlehem Catholic battle immediately following the Lafayette game.

Gary’s Guesses: NFL Picks – (OVERALL – 10-5 – 67%)

Week Two

CINCINNATI

BALTIMORE

CAROLINA

ARIZONA

TENNESSEE

KANSAS CITY

NEW ENGLAND

PITTSBURGH

TAMPA BAY

LA CHARGERS

OAKLAND

DALLAS

LA RAMS

SEATTLE

GREEN BAY

DETROIT

Week One

NEW ENGLAND

BUFFALO

ATLANTA

HOUSTON

PHILADELPHIA

ARIZONA

OAKLAND

TAMPA BAY

CINCINNATI

PITTSBURGH

INDIANAPOLIS

GREEN BAY

CAROLINA

DALLAS

MINNESOTA

DENVER

 

For Eagles fans, the NFL season begins on September 10, when they travel to Washington.

Last week, I took a look at how I saw the AFC shaking out in the Divisions. This week I will focus on the NFC.

NFC West

1. Seattle Seahawks – Only the Cardinals and tough road games stand in the way of the Seahawks easily winning the West. Seattle has the Packers, Giants, Cowboys, and the Titans on the road. The good news is they do not play any back-to-back road games.
2. Arizona Cardinals – Any team with Larry Fitzgerald has a shot at winning every game. QB Carson Palmer had a good year in 2016. This team could surprise as the divisional winner, but if not, they should get a wild card berth.
3. Los Angeles Rams – There are favorable schedules and unfavorable schedules. The Rams have the latter. Imagine playing in London after a game on the East Coast and another on the East Coast the week after. Wade Phillips is the new head coach (hard to refer to him as “new”). They won four games last year. The Rams should get a few more this season.
4. San Francisco 49ers – Kyle Shanahan is the new head coach after Chip Kelly’s dismal stay (2-14 last year). They should improve overall, but their record may not. No competition for last place in this division. The 49ers have it sewn up.

NFC South 

1. Atlanta Falcons – They won the NFC last year and probably should have won the Super Bowl. It will be interesting to see how much that loss carries over to this season (it often does). Their OC Kyle Shanahan is in San Francisco, but there is no doubt this is one of the most talented teams in the NFL. I’m betting on them again.
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – QB Jameis Winston and receivers DeSean Jackson and Mike Evans make the Bucs a contender for the division title and certainly a playoff team. They have the Falcons twice toward the end of the season along with the Packers.
3. New Orleans Saints – This team is on the downslide after back-to-back 7-9 seasons. They have not improved much at all and their top players are getting old. The saving grace here is they should be better than the Panthers.
4. Carolina Panthers – Cam Newton is the key again and his surgically repaired shoulder is a question mark as is the protection he will get from his offensive line. I am anxious to see how they use Christian McCaffrey (short passes and long runs = long passing yardage).

NFC North

1. Green Bay Packers – Great quarterback with great receivers and a weak division will give the Packers the division title again. They do have tough openers with Seattle and Atlanta the first two weeks and only two home games after Thanksgiving. Keep Rodgers healthy and they are a lock to win the North.
2. Detroit Lions – Matt Stafford continues to improve and so do the Lions (two winning seasons the last three years). They open with the Cardinals, Giants, and the Falcons. If they win one of those, they may have a good season.
3. Minnesota Vikings – Oh, how do you pick the Vikings? They seem to underachieve every year. Sam Bradford had a great start last season and quickly fizzled out. They cannot run the ball. They do play decent defense and that can and should be their strength.
4. Chicago Bears – They have been the North’s last place team three years in a row and this year should be no exception. They will start 0-4 against Atlanta, Tampa Bay, Pittsburgh, and Green Bay. No chance to recover.

NFC East

1. Dallas Cowboys – I know you want me to pick the Eagles here, but I just can’t do it. Even with the suspension of Ezekiel Elliot, the Cowboys still have a great offensive line to keep a running game going and Dak Prescott is coming off an outstanding season. Their defense should be even better than last year. It hurts to say it, but Dallas wins the East.
2. New York Giants – No Eagles here either! The Giants have a solid quarterback and one of the best receiving groups in all of football. If they get a ground game, they may actually be able to upend the Cowboys. They play four road games in their first six, so a good start is critical.
3. Philadelphia Eagles – The schedule is a bear – just playing the East teams twice is a formidable task. I like Doug Pederson and Carson Wentz, but the offensive line needs to create a running game and the defensive line needs to protect the secondary. I hope I’m wrong about their East standing.
4. Washington Redskins – They have had two consecutive winning seasons, but this won’t be another. Opening with Oakland and Kansas City will make them 0-2. Kirk Cousins is still a mystery as is this whole team. 

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS) 

1. Despite the truly understandable pessimism of boxing fans, the Mayweather – McGregor fight turned out to be a good fight. Mayweather’s strategy of wearing down McGregor worked, but McGregor certainly battled to the very end. So Mayweather ends his career over $300 million richer and McGregor picks up $100 million and enhanced the image of the UFC. Each fighter won in a way.
2. The Dustin Johnson-Jordan Spieth battle on Sunday was just as entertaining. Two golf heavyweights battling it out in the Northern Trust and going an extra hole to determine the winner made for great drama.
3. The Iron Pigs and now Phillies Rhys Hoskins has just been ridiculous – 11 home runs in 64 at bats (the fastest to that number in major league history) and in 18 games. At that pace, he would have hit 99 home runs in a season!
4. There were a couple of surprises in high school football this past week – Palisades beat Notre Dame and Wilson destroyed Pen Argyl. Our Saturday game this week is Palisades at Wilson. Interesting. Friday night has Emmaus at Whitehall. Good football early!
5. “Gary’s Guesses”, my weekly NFL predictions, will return next week. The blog will take a week off for the holiday, but the “Guesses” will be there next week.

Thursday, September 7, is closing in fast and that is opening night for the 2017 NFL season. NBC will have the AFC matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and the New England Patriots in Foxboro.

So it seems only appropriate to make my AFC predictions for this season. I will have my NFC forecast next week.

AFC West

1. Oakland Raiders – Tough start with three of first four games on the road. Derek Carr is, obviously, the key and the Raiders appear to be very solid. One should note that this may be the toughest all-around division in the AFC. There is no easy road for any team, but the Raiders appear to be strong enough to win the AFC West.
2. Kansas City Chiefs – Their non-divisional schedule includes the Giants, Cowboys, Texans, and Patriots on the road and their divisional schedule is exceptionally tough. They have plenty of offensive weapons and a strong defense. The Chiefs finish the season with three straight home games and that could help them win the division.
3. Denver Broncos – As Trevor Siemian goes, so go the Broncos. He was great early last season, not so great in the second half. They have seven away games in the final 11 weeks. That could be problematic.
4. Los Angeles Chargers – They’re out of San Diego, playing in the smallest stadium in the league (30,000), and the hardest team to figure. They are talented and could actually vie for the divisional title. This one is tough to call.

AFC South 

1. Tennessee Titans – The Titans haven’t been in the playoffs since 2008, but this should be their year. If they keep Marcus Mariota healthy and his broken leg is totally healed, the Titans could have an outstanding regular season.
2. Houston Texans – I’m betting on Bill O’Brien here, because the Texans certainly have their problems at quarterback – the quarterbacks have a total of two NFL starts. The Texans need to win early games on defense and hope they eventually have an offense.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars – This team is better and has the potential to be very good. Running game has been upgraded with Leonard Fournette and Tom Coughlin is in the front office. Can Blake Bortles have a good year at quarterback?
4. Indianapolis Colts – The Colts didn’t do much in the off season and were just mediocre last year. Andrew Luck is coming off shoulder surgery, the defense is poor, and the offensive line is porous.

AFC North

1. Pittsburgh Steelers – Their early schedule looks easy; their skill position players are as good as it gets and no one questions their defense. All of this is a formula for a great deal of success.
2. Baltimore Ravens – The ravens are desperate for a playoff berth – it’s been two straight years that they have not played in the post season. They shored up their defense, but did little to make the offense better. Ravens fans are desperate for a winner – so is Coach John Harbaugh.
3. Cincinnati Bengals – I never know what to do with the Bengals. They often do not play to their capability, but also seem better than their record. I picked them third – so be it.
4. Cleveland Browns – I always know where to pick the Browns. Dead last. Quarterback is an ongoing problem, but they are better on the offensive line and at receiver. Still last, however.

AFC East

1. New England Patriots – This is a lock! They have won 14 East titles in the last 15 years. The division is weak; the team is stronger with Gronkowski back and healthy; and Tom Brady is still playing. Oh, and there’s Bill Belichick. They may not lose at all.
2. Miami Dolphins – No Ryan Tannehill after he tore his ACL. Jay Cutler at QB and a new head coach in Adam Gase. This is a weak division (except for New England) so a playoff spot is not out of the question.
3. Buffalo Bills – Sean McDermott is at the helm of the Bills, so their defense should be strong. The offense will be run by Tyrod Taylor or Nathan Peterman or T.J. Yates (who?) and that is their biggest problem.
4. New York Jets – This team could be worse than Cleveland and will not make the playoffs for the seventh straight year. Their goal is a high draft choice in 2018.

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS) 

1. Former Penn State quarterback Christian Hackenberg got plenty of playing time for the Jets this past Saturday night against the Lions. The Jets offensive line was just awful: they gained three yards in the first quarter; had two first half first downs; Hackenberg was sacked twice and he was two for six throwing for 14 yards. As I said in the blog, this team may be worse than the Cleveland Browns.
2. When you realize that five Major League baseball teams have lost 70 or more games and five more are in the high 60s for losses, the Phillies don’t look like the absolute worst team anymore. Is that ANY consolation for Phillies fans?
3. Lafayette and Lehigh met with the media this week. Lehigh has been picked to win the Patriot League for the second straight year and Lafayette was picked to finish last. But the games are played on the field. RCN and LSN will once again pair up to bring you Lafayette football.
4.  Congratulations to the Martins Creek Creekers for winning the Blue Mountain League championship this past week. The best of five series against the Iron Financial Orioles went to the fifth game and the Creekers won their seventh title. They have been part of the League for 72 years.
5.  “Gary’s Guesses”, my weekly NFL predictions, will return for the opening week of the NFL. I have averaged around 62% correct over the years, so you decide whether you put any trust at all in the predictions. Don’t blame me.

It’s Monday, August 14, and my first day back to work after a 9-night cruise to Bermuda, San Juan, St. Thomas, and a private island. My wife and I like to get away right after basketball season ends and right before football season begins.  All the weekends in between are pretty much taken up with sports.

If you cruise, you know that sports and national TV are not high priorities on the ship. There is a really nice flat-screen TV in the rooms, but most channels are commercials for the cruise company in the form of desired excursions, specialty restaurants, daily schedules, enticing spa treatments, and shopping tips.  Actual programming pretty much consists of keeping the children occupied with DreamWorks TV and programming for almost every nationality on the ship.  I did find a soccer game from time to time, but not much else.

It is even difficult to keep up with the news. CNN is on the dial and is about the only source for up-to-date information available.

So this is literally a vacation not only from the workplace, but a true vacation from sports. And my wife is not unhappy about that.  Filling the gap is beach time, great entertainment, big buffets and excellent dining.  For some reason, she finds this more appealing than baseball, golf, and preseason football.

We did experience a bit of reality “TV”, when one morning we were awakened by a Coast Guard helicopter right outside our balcony. They were there to airlift a passenger who had fallen and seriously injured themselves.  The ship had diverted off course in order to get the passenger to the hospital.  The helicopter lowered a man and a basket and eventually raised the patient to the chopper and got him to a hospital.  It was both sad and exciting.

Returning home meant reading nine days of the Express-Times and the Morning Call to catch up on, you guessed it, all the news and, especially, all the sports that I missed. What I immediately realized is that high school and college football is right around the corner.

The break was certainly a nice one. I, too, like good food and good entertainment, but when the song asks, “Are you ready for some football”, my answer is a resounding “Yes”.

I hope you are, too!!

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS) 

1. I was shocked like most Eagles’ fans that Jordan Matthews was traded to the Buffalo Bills. The Bills, I’m sure, were even more shocked when, during his first practice, he cracked his sternum. His availability is week-to-week.
2.  Did you like the trade for Matthews, who was the Eagles’ most reliable wide receiver? With the addition of cornerback Ronal Darby, the Eagles now have four young CBs (all under the age of 24), but they traded away Carson Wentz’s favorite target. Newly acquired receivers Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith are both on one-year contracts. The verdict on this trade is yet to come.
3. Bryce Harper was having an MVP season and could be a free agent next season. Saturday he slipped on the first base bag and injured his left knee. The injury looked extremely serious, but the Nationals are hopeful he will return this season and not need surgery. In most sports like basketball, slippery areas get wiped off for safety reasons. Baseball bases should get the same treatment. And with this injury to a superstar, the bases will be a topic of discussion, for sure.
4. Lafayette football media day is this week. The Leopards open their season amid the head coaching debut of John Garrett at Monmouth, September 2, at 3:00pm. Monmouth beat Lehigh last year, so this will be a true test for the Leopards. They will entertain Sacred Heart on September 9, and the RCN team will be there to bring you all the action.
5. The EPC South football division should be especially entertaining this season with outstanding running backs in the spotlight. Do you like Emmaus, Parkland, Beca, or a sleeper to win it all? Stay tuned.