New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady argues his point with line judge Mike Spanier (90) during the first half of an NFL football game against the New York Jets, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) Buckle up, this may take a while
From the "Talks too much" studios, man there's a lot of stuff converging.
NFL Power Poll
There are five 6-0 teams in the NFL, a record number of unbeaten teams this deep into the season. One will definitely fall this weekend as the Packers and Broncos play. Good times.
The other staggering fact with the large number of perfect teams heading into Halloween is the divide most of these teams are creating in their divisions. Other than the Carolina Panthers, each unbeaten has at least a two-game lead.
Top five
1. Patriots. Tom Brady was nearly flawless Sunday as New England rallied for a 30-23 win over the Jets. Brady was 34-of-54 - the Patriots dropped 10 passes - for 355 yards and two scores and was the team's leading rusher, too. His pace right now is staggering, with a projected 69-percent completion percentage and 5,477 yards and a 43-to-3 projected TD-to-interception ratio.
2. Packers. As great as Brady has been, Aaron Rodgers has been more efficient according to NFL passer ratings. We also know this: The Packers and the Patriots have the most trust in their quarterbacks inside any locker room in the league. In fact, we'd rate the list of QB-team-trust meter at Brady and Rodgers as 1 and 1A, followed by a jumbled list that includes Andrew Luck, Tony Romo, Cam Newton, the Mannings and most likely Carson Palmer, who has the one-loss Cardinals knocking on the door of the league's best teams.
3. Bengals. In the QB diaries of the league's elite, the trust factor of Andy Dalton will be decided rightly or wrongly come January in the postseason. There's two sides to that judgement coin: First, he has never won a playoff game and that hurts. But, did you know that Dalton is the top-rated quarterback in the league? Yes, ahead of the Brady-Rodgers super pact. Dalton also has the league's best array of weapons with A.J. Green - who is a better every down receiver than Brady or Rodgers have every had - tight end Tyler Eifert and a slew of capable surrounding parts.
4. Panthers. Newton's belief - and the team's belief in him - have carried the defensive-minded Panthers to a place where they look like they could really threaten Green Bay in the NFC. Carolina has two key ingredients: Newton carrying the offense in the fourth quarter (he's the top-ranked QB in the final period; he's only No. 28 overall); and inside linebackers Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis making so many plays sideline-to-sideline that the Panthers are comfortable with five defensive backs on the field. That latter fact is huge in a pass-first league.
5. Broncos. Defensively the Broncos are among the league's best and on pace to have more sacks than Bi-Lo. Offensively, they are making enough plays to win football games. There are nine starting quarterbacks in the NFL who were drafted No. 1 overall. Here's where that group ranks in passer rating - 4th (Palmer), 13th (Eli Manning), 16th (Alex Smith), 19th (Matt Stafford), 22nd (Jameis Winston) and 28th-though-31st. Those bottom four are Newton, Sam Bradford, Luck and Peyton Manning. It will be interesting to see how far the Broncos can go with this banged up and aged version of Peyton.
Not top five
28. San Francisco. Stunning to think that less than two years ago, this was one of the three best rosters in the NFL. Now, the former head coach is working miracles in Ann Arbor and the current head coach looks like the guy that coaches your kid's seventh-grade basketball team and is a little too into it for middle school sports. ("Come on Ref, call the THREE seconds.") And Colin Kaepernick the quarterback - who Ron Jaworski said had the skill-set to be the best ever in the NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE - looks more like Colin Kaepernick, the guy who grew an awesome beard to be Tevye in the community theater's presentation of Fiddler on the Roof. Seriously, there are now reports that Kaepernick has lost the locker room http://www.mercurynews.com/tim-kawakami/ci_29026904/kawakami-colin-kaepernick-and-49ers-whispers-blame, and that's never good.
29. Tampa Bay. Man, you let Kirk Cousins rip your heart out, and you have real defensive troubles. At least the Bucs can feel like have started to build an offensive foundation. Winston, Doug Martin and Mike Evans are a better QB-RB-WR trio than any of the bottom feeders have.
30. Ravens. Man, didn't you used to be Joe Flacco? Side question: Can we please stop the narrative that we want repented and respectful athletes? Greg Hardy is a bad human being who gets chance after chance no matter how callous or criminal his actions. Ray Rice made an awful mistake and has followed every step laid before him by the league and the law. Hardy gets chance after chance because he can get to the quarterback. Rice gets nary a phone call because people are worried that he's lost a step - which is way worse in his profession than losing your judgement. And that's the nature of the realm of sports, which is fine and basic. But let's stop pretending that we need to hear apologies or remorse.
31. Titans. Bad roster with an overachieving defense. Seriously, the Titans have three losses by three points or less, and other than the late meltdown against the Colts, the defense has keep Tennessee competitive. And with that statement comes this question - and the definition of overachieving - who is the best Titans defender?
32. Lions. How bad have things become for Detroit? Jim Bob Cooter is now the Lions' offensive coordinator. There endeth the lesson.
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Kansas City Royals' Chris Young wears his glove with his kids monogrammed on the thumb during batting practice for the Major League Baseball World Series against the Kansas City Royals Monday, Oct. 26, 2015, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum) The World Series starts tonight.
It's 30 years to the day since the Royals' last World Series title, clinching on this date by winning Game 7 against the Cards in 1985.
It's 29 years to the day since the Mets' last title, clinching on this date by winning Game 7 against the Red Sox in 1986.
The fundamental question will be can the Mets starting pitching continue to run roughshod over its opponents.
We think it will, and we think at its core, the Mets' pitching strength is bases in the most precious asset in sports.
Speed.
Postseason pitching is about power. It's why John Smoltz was so successful and Greg Maddox so inconsistent.
Every pitch is heightened in the playoffs. It's part of the drama and fun. And power pitching offers a larger margin of error.
When Smoltz missed his spot with a 97-mph heater, it could have been trouble. When Maddox missed with a change or a cutter, it was almost assuredly extra bases.
And these Mets are flush with power arms. The trio of Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergard are averaging better than 96 mph per fastball in these playoffs. That's amazing.
Yes, the Royals are more experienced and are in their second consecutive World Series.
But the Mets are well-stocked, and whether it's baseball or backgammon, you can't go against speed.
We'll go Mets in six with deGrom getting the MVP.
Here's a look at where and when this series will take place.
2015 WORLD SERIES SCHEDULE
*All games air on Fox. First pitch is at 8:07 p.m. ET and the pregame show starts at 7:30 p.m. ET, except where noted otherwise. Full pitching match-ups and rosters haven't been announced yet. We'll update when more information is available.
Tuesday, Oct. 27
Game 1 - New York at Kansas City
Matt Harvey vs Edinson Volquez
Wednesday, Oct. 28
Game 2 - New York at Kansas City
Jacob deGrom vs. Johnny Cueto
Friday, Oct. 30
Game 3 - Kansas City at New York
Yordano Ventura vs. Noah Syndergaard
Saturday, Oct. 31
Game 4 -Kansas City at New York
Chris Young vs. Steven Matz
Sunday, Nov. 1
Game 5 - Kansas City at New York
Edinson Volquez vs. Matt Harvey
*if necessary
* First pitch at 8:15 p.m. ET, pregame at 8 p.m. ET.
Tuesday, Nov. 3
Game 6 -New York at Kansas City
Jacob deGrom vs. Johnny Cueto
*if necessary
Wednesday, Nov 4
Game 7 - New York at Kansas City
Noah Syndergaard vs. Yordano Ventura
*if necessary
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FILE - In this Friday, May 22, 2015 file photo, Cleveland Cavaliers center Tristan Thompson (13) moves past Atlanta Hawks forward Paul Millsap (4) during the second half in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals of the NBA basketball playoffs in Atlanta. The Cavaliers and free-agent forward Tristan Thompson have agreed in principle on a five-year, $82 million contract, ending his holdout, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2015. (AP Photo/David Goldman, File) Bounce, bounce
The NBA starts tonight.
For some of you this is not a big deal, but we have become an NBA fan again.
In the 1980s and into Jordan's Bulls, the NBA was fun. College hoops was fun too.
Now, unless it's two megapowers in college or it's March, the NCAA version has deteriorated to the point that we have a greater appreciation of the skills of their professional counterparts.
The NBA, in truth, has it's greatest array of widespread talent at any point in its history.
Look at the great players and teams across the league, and for the first time in league history, there are at least 10 teams that could win the title.
Yes, it starts with LeBron and Cavs. Then goes to the defending champion Warriors and reigning MVP Steph Curry.
But the Spurs could win it all. So could the Rockets and the Clippers and the Grizzlies. What about the Thunder and potentially the Pelicans, who have the next big thing in Anthony Davis. (OK, so he's already arrived, but this is the year he goes 28-12-3 with 4 blocks a game.)
Then you add in the Bulls, if Derrick Rose can ever stay healthy. The Wizards will be better. The Hawks won 60 games, and the Heat will be much better if they can get well.
So, no the Celtics, Lakers and Knicks (Side question: Is there a more overrated franchise in national attention than the Knicks?) are not among the story threads in the current fabric of the league, but for the first time every that really doesn't matter.
And since the season starts tonight, here's our predictions:
Rockets get the 1 seed in the West. Bulls get the 1 seed in the East. (Warriors will struggle a little with the weight of the title; Spurs and Cavs are mature and smart enough to know rest is more important than a few extra wins.)
MVP: Anthony Davis over James Harden in a close vote with LeBron still better than both.
Scoring champ: Kevin Durrant with Davis finishing second
Rebound champ: Dwight Howard with Davis finishing second
NBA Finals: Cavs over Spurs and a host of the San Antonio folks ride into the sunset.
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This and that
- More on the digital movement: We talked about league broadcast fees and cord cutting some last week. Here's a factual statement to those trends. Yahoo worked with the NFL to stream live the Bills-Jaguars game from London on Sunday morning. They promised advertisers 3.5 million streams according to Fortune magazine. They got almost 10 times number with 15.2 million viewers with 33.6 million streams. And why is this such a big deal for all of the leagues? More than a third of that traffic came from outside the U.S. and it reached 185 countries worldwide. Yep, Comcast and Direct TV may not hit Madagascar, but Al Gore's interwebs do.
- The OKC Thunder are an immensely likable basketball team on the floor. They are immensely likable off it too. Here the Thunder visited a bunch of victims in the hospital from the Homecoming parade tragedy at Oklahoma State http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/kevin-durant--other-thunder-players-visit-osu-parade-victims-in-hospital-021127357.html.
- Major props to the Ohio State fan who carved his pumpkin to look a lot like the stunned Michigan fanhttp://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/eye-on-college-football/25354854/look-ohio-state-fan-carves-pumpkin-to-look-like-sad-michigan-fan after the Wolverines' loss to Michigan State. Well-played indeed.
- (Pretend we're using the 30-for-30 TV guy voice). What if I told you there was a guy that had a math equation to figure out if a shot was going to go in. What if this guy made it work in real time and changed the way we watched sports. OK, we're back, and amazingly, an astrophysicist and Mark Cuban are working on that very scenario http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/can-an-astrophysicist-change-the-way-we-watch-sports/.
- UTC is No. 4 in the country; it's highest ranking in school history. UTC also is expecting Terrell Owens back for homecoming this weekend. That's cool. He is a natural for the UTC football Rushmore. Who else is there? (Side note: Russ Huesman on Press Row on Monday said T.O., Davis Tull, B.J. Coleman and Buster Skrine. Yes, his are loaded toward more current players. We'd likely go T.O., Tull, Jacob Huesman and maybe Charlie Long. Thoughts?)
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Today's question
OK, we're sorry there's not enough college football today. Hey, it's a busy time.
There's a Rushmore above, and feel free to offer NBA or World Series picks.
If you need a couple of True or False (it's Tuesday after all), well, fine.
True or False: UTC runs the table (other than FSU) and gets a top-four seed.
True or False: Without Seth Russell, Baylor still gets into the college football playoff.
True or False: Miami is the second best coaching job out there behind USC?
Discuss, and remember the mailbag.