Where Did the 49ers Go?

 

What has happened to the San Francisco 49ers? They started out as the hottest team in the NFL at 5-0, but have lost three straight as they head into the bye. Many were saying this was the most complete team that we've seen in awhile in the NFL. So what went wrong?

There is definitely a mix of things that went wrong, but the major factor is injuries. The Niners have been without their number one wide receiver, Deebo Samuel, for a couple weeks and their top offensive lineman, Trent Williams as well. Along with these injuries, Brock Purdy has had a lingering concussion in which he played through on Sunday. 

Many people are quick to blame Brock Purdy for the 49ers struggles but I'm here to say that it hasn't been all him. The offense is much better when everyone is healthy unlike it is now. Purdy himself has not been one hundred percent healthy either. 

Just a year ago, Purdy was a third-string quarterback and a pick away in the NFL draft from being undrafted. Yet here he is today, clawing his way up the depth chart as Mr. Irrelevant and leading one of the best teams in football. No one really takes his success into account and pin the blame on him because of the recent struggles the Niners have faced. 

I still believe that San Francisco is one of the best teams in the league because when healthy they are complete on both sides of the ball. They now head into their bye week with a 5-3 record and can take the week to regroup. I have no doubt this team will get better and Brock Purdy will turn back into the phenom he was in the first 15 games of his career. The Niners are fine. 

The Jets are Here

 

As the New York Jets head into their bye week, they come off a thrilling upset victory taking down the lone remaining undefeated team, the Philadelphia Eagles. The defense has been dominating games and giving the Jets hope in a season that lost hope only 4 plays in. 

Just 6 weeks ago, many people gave up hope in the Jets when Aaron Rodgers tore his achilles just 4 plays into the season. The Jets quickly lost the next three games after the Rodgers injury, but then flipped the switch just a couple of weeks ago with a big win in Denver, followed by a massive one against the Eagles. 

Lots of experts had the Jets starting the season with their gauntlet of a schedule 3-3 with Aaron Rodgers at the helm. Rodgers has only been at the helm for 4 plays in 6 games and the Jets are still sitting at 3-3 after playing some of the top teams in the league. 

They took on both teams that were in last year's Super Bowl, beating one of them and the other one they came up a questionable penalty call away from taking that one as well. Along with the Chiefs and the Eagles, they took on two other playoff teams from last year in the Cowboys and Bills. 

The Jets defense has been the X-factor this season and we saw glimpses of it last season, but now we are seeing the full package on display. What makes this Jets defense great is their depth at every position. This past game against the Eagles, the Jets were down their top four cornerbacks and still found a way to win with two of their three active cornerbacks being from the practice squad. 

Even with this, the defense was able to force four turnovers against a lethal Eagles offense. Along with these four turnovers, this included a second-half shutout of the Eagles as well. The Jets have so much depth on their defensive line that game after game, they have to make either an edge or lineman a healthy scratch because there is not enough room for them come game day. What a great problem to have. 

Let's talk about Zach Wilson. All he has to do is be an average NFL quarterback and then let the defense and supporting cast do the rest. He doesn't have to attempt to do anything out of the ordinary or spectacular to try and help this team because it can easily backfire. 

The best example of this was the Eagles game where he didn't play very good or very bad, he was simply average. Obviously the red zone offense needs to improve, but I didn't really have a problem with his performance otherwise. Not many quarterbacks around the league have this good of a defense at their disposal that they can rely on like Zach does. 

The Jets now come out of their bye week to take on their in-house rival, the Giants, to try and put their record above the .500 mark as they enter a somewhat weaker schedule than their first six games. As long as the defense does their job and Zach Wilson plays average, this team can end the drought and finally make the playoffs in 2023.

An Underrated Football Position

 

Many people do not realize it but punters are arguably the most underrated position in the NFL. They change the dynamic of the game each and every time they go out there and could be a major factor for teams' success. 

We all know the skill positions, quarterback, running back, wide receiver, and tight end, are the most vital positions and are the big moneymakers on the team. But punters change the entire game with just the kick of the ball. 

Having a good punter is everything. Say you are backed up inside your own 10 yard line and you need to punt the ball away to your opponent. A good punt of 60 or more yards is going to back the opponent up to deeper in their own territory, making it harder to drive down the field as efficiently. 

A big leg can be a huge difference when it comes to flipping the field. Often worse punters are unable to punt it as far or we can see rare shanks occur. This gives the opposing team a huge advantage in field position and gives them momentum as well. 

Another underrated aspect of the position is pinning opponents back deep. Being able to punt the ball so it rolls inside the 10 yard line and does not roll into the end zone takes a lot of skill. With a punter who is able to succeed at this consistently, they make defenses' jobs a lot easier, playing against an offense with a condensed field to work with. 

So punters are obviously never going to get paid the big bucks like skill position players on offense and defense, but don't sleep on what punters can bring to the table. NFL teams should pay closer attention to the position and put the best guy out there that they can find to help their team win some ball games. 

Preview of the New York Knicks

 

Coming off their most successful season in almost a decade, the Knicks will trot out basically the same team they did a year ago, looking to compete with the best of the best in the Eastern Conference. 

The Knicks took the Eastern Conference champions from a year ago to six games in the semifinals before being eliminated. That concluded their first season with their new leader, Jalen Brunson. Brunson is everything the Knicks could've hoped for out of a guy who they signed to a 4-year contract in the 2022 offseason and is looking to have yet another big season this year. 

The question surrounding the Knicks, and seems to always surround the Knicks, is when will they land the big superstar that New York has been waiting for ever since the departure of Carmelo Anthony. They certainly have the assets both in players and an ample supply of draft picks for years to come. 

Brunson is great and has proven himself as one of the best guards in the league, but he needs some extra help to get this team to their final goal. The surrounding pieces around Brunson consist of most notably Julius Randle, RJ Barrett, and Mitchell Robinson. The core radius of the Knicks is made up of by these four players and although they had great regular seasons, some didn't show up when the brights shined the most. 

What I mean by the brights shined the most is the playoffs. The first round was great and everyone played to their fullest potential to take the series in 5 games from the Cleveland Cavaliers. Then came the struggles in the series against the Heat and we saw how vulnerable this Knicks team can be outside of mainly Jalen Brunson. 

To the eyes of many, the Knicks are caught up in the middle as they are not bad enough to land a good draft pick, but yet not good enough to be labelled a contender. This year they march out essentially the same team besides the subtraction of Obi Toppin and addition of Donte DiVincenzo. DiVincenzo is exactly the type of player this team needed in the series against Miami as he can go out there and be a consistent knockdown three-point shooter. 

The Knicks do indeed have one of the deepest benches in the league with Immanuel Quickley, Isiah Hartenstein, Donte DiVincenzo, and Josh Hart headlining this stacked bench. Those are just a few names in this rotation and DiVincenzo adds to that depth with his acquisition this offseason. 

At the same time, while DiVincenzo does improve this team, he does not make them a contender. So that will be the question this season for the Knicks, when will they pull the trigger and acquire that superstar to pair Jalen Brunson with. There have been many names floating around the Knicks, but no solid discussions have really made their course. 

I'm excited to see if the Knicks make any bold decisions this season and go all in for a guy that can take them to the promise land, or sit back and remain stable as the unit they are now. The Knicks are definitely a playoff team, and can win a series or two, but they are not at that contender level just yet. 

Brock Purdy is Underrated

 

Brock Purdy has been so special since he replaced Jimmy Garoppolo last season in Santa Clara. Purdy is undefeated in games that he has finished so far in his brief career, including two playoff wins as well. Early in the season, he has lead the Niners to an undefeated 5-0 record, with the Niners being the best team in the league.

Yet with all of these accomplishments, Purdy seems to fly under the radar in the top quarterbacks conversation. Purdy absolutely deserves to have his name up there with the best of the best in today's league. When you think of great 49er quarterback you think Steve Young and Joe Montana, well he has and is on pace to break even more of their records from their time in the Bay Area. 

Many people forget that Brock Purdy started last season as the 3rd string quarterback both Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo and the only reason why he took over was because of injuries. Not only this but he was also the last pick in the entire NFL Draft, deeming him to be named Mr. Irrelevant. What would of happened if he was never drafted? 

In Purdy's most recent game he absolutely tore up a stellar Dallas defense for four touchdowns in a 42-10 blowout victory. With the offense putting up these type of numbers and the defense holding their ground, the 49ers are looking unstoppable and at this point unbeatable as we continue down the season. 

A lot of people like to make the excuse that Purdy is just a system quarterback and the Niners can plug anyone into the position and they can make it work. I'm here to tell you this is certainly not true. In fact, what happened with their previous quarterback, Trey Lance. Purdy is a special talent and the Niners are very lucky to have found him as the last pick in the NFL draft. 

Preview of the Portland Trail Blazers

One of the most talked about teams this offseason, the Portland Trail Blazers will have a whole new look this upcoming season as they look to compete with the best of the best in the West. 

The biggest move that the Blazers made this offseason was trading the face of their franchise, Damian Lillard. Lillard was arguably the best Blazer of all time and dedicated his first 11 years to the franchise but grew unhappy with the organization as he approached his 12th year in Portland. 

The Blazers got a haul back for him as they dealt him to Milwaukee which involved a three-team deal with the Suns as well. They got back DeAndre Ayton, Jrue Holiday, and a couple of first round picks. They then dealt Holiday to Boston for Malcolm Brogdon and Robert Williams. So in the end the Blazers got the package they wanted in return to add to an already talented roster. 

Their second biggest move this offseason was drafting Scoot Henderson with the number three pick in the draft. Henderson will try to fill the big shoes of Lillard as possibly the next face of the franchise. He certainly has the talent, but lets see if it translates well over to the NBA. 

Portland has been a consistent playoff team throughout this past decade and this will be the first year they are without their leader, but they have a well put together team in his replacement. Their lineup should consist of players like Henderson, Anfernee Simons, Jerami Grant, DeAndre Ayton, Shaedon Sharpe, and some nice bench pieces in Williams and Brogdon as well. 

Don't sleep on the Blazers this season, although they underwent some major changes, it will be interesting to see how well this new team gels together to start a new era of Blazers basketball up in Portland.