Cowboys VS. Chargers Preview

Author: Jack Casabonne

Editor: Brian Symons

In Week 1, the Los Angeles Chargers did the Dallas Cowboys a favor and defeated their divisional rival. With a 20-16 win over the Washington Football Team, LA has started their season off on the right foot. Unfortunately for Dallas, they’re still searching for their first win after dropping a 31-29 nailbiter against the former Super Bowl champions. However, things won’t be easy in Week 2 for Dallas as they are expected to be without starters DeMarcus Lawrence, Randy Gregory, La’el Collins, and Michael Gallup. Dallas will need to emphasize these three matchups against the Chargers in order to get into the win column for this season.

Terence Steele vs. Joey Bosa

As an undrafted rookie, Steele saw significant playing time last season as Dallas dealt with injuries to both Tyron Smith and La’el Collins. Unfortunately, Collins is going to miss time again this season, albeit to a suspension rather than an injury. While the Cowboys signed veteran swing tackle Ty Nsekhe this offseason, he will also be unavailable for Week 2, as he spent Thursday night in a hospital while being treated for a heat-related illness after practice. This means Steele will get the starting nod at right tackle, as Dallas is reluctant to slide Zack Martin over to tackle. Steele had many growing pains as a rookie, starting 14 games in 2020. This may be his hardest task yet, as Bosa is one of the elite pass rushers in the game. Bosa has been a stud since being selected 3rd overall in the 2016 Draft, just one pick before Ezekiel Elliott. The Cowboys need to keep Dak upright, and this responsibility will fall firmly on the shoulders of Steele.

Dorance Armstrong vs. Rashawn Slater

The Cowboys were one of only two teams in the league to not record a sack in Week 1. As has been the case for consecutive seasons, Dallas truly lacks any interior pass rush, allowing offensive lines to shift protection towards defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence. However, now Dallas has to rush the quarterback without either of their starting defensive ends. Lawrence is projected to miss 6-8 weeks due to a broken foot, while Randy Gregory tested positive for Covid-19 this week and is unlikely to be cleared by gametime. This means Tarrell Basham and Dorance Armstrong are the likely starters against a Chargers’ offensive line that contained Washington’s feared defensive line in Week 1. Additionally, rookie Rashawn Slater completely shut down Chase Young, a premier pass rusher. Armstrong is in the final year of his rookie contract and is looking to take the next step forward following an impressive training camp and preseason. It’ll be crucial for Armstrong to pressure Justin Herbert, as he will be able to pick apart the secondary if he has ample time in the pocket.

Cedrick Wilson vs. Asante Samuel Jr.

With Michael Gallup being put on IR due to a calf injury, Cedrick Wilson is the next man up for Dallas. Wilson will probably line up in the slot for the majority of his snaps, where the former Boise State standout will be able to focus on his impressive route running. Wilson was able to put up 24 yards on 3 catches, including a first down, against Tampa’s secondary. However, this task could prove to be more of a challenge against Los Angeles due to the matchup. Rookie cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. looked extremely impressive against Washington. Playing in 47 snaps, the son of former NFL defensive back Asante Samuel absolutely locked down Washington’s receiving core. He was targeted 4 times, while only giving up 2 receptions for 15 yards. This resulted in a 59.4 passer rating when targeted, which is an elite metric. Dallas is going to need the passing game to thrive in order to put points on the board, and this matchup could prove to be the difference maker for the final score.

SPORTS ARE OUR UNIVERSE

The State of the Green Bay Packers

Author: Max Greenberg

Editor: Brian Symons

Let’s just say that things have not started off well for the NFL’s version of the “Last Dance.” All of us knew that it has not been smooth sailing for the Green Bay Packers for the past five months, but we thought they could put it aside and turn in another great season. After all, that is what happened last year.

Their first game against the New Orleans Saints was anything but an indication of that. They looked the exact opposite of what they were in 2020, losing 38-3 in a game where the score told the story. It was so bad that Aaron Rodgers was benched for his expected eventual replacement in Jordan Love.

Now, many will bring up reasons for this loss, such as that Rodgers had barely practiced all summer and just needs a few games to get back into the swing of things. And yes, he is the reigning league MVP and the Packers should have by far the best team in the NFC North.

But you cannot look at this game and everything out of the Packers organization throughout the offseason and say with confidence that everything is going to be alright. Yes, the Saints are well-coached and Jameis Winston had a very good game, but this loss says more about the Packers.

Let’s just put it this way, if you are a player on a team and you have wanted out of there, and you return for one more season knowing you will be gone the next, are you going to play with top-notch motivation? I mean, the Bulls won the NBA Championship in the Last Dance season, but they were a proven dynasty with already five chips under their belts. The Packers, on the other hand, have been more known for their drama than winning when it matters most.

There might be people out there who believe in conspiracy theories and will make a case that Rodgers is going to throw games this year. There is next to no chance that that is the case, but right now, it looks like all of the noise is affecting the team on the field.

So how will the Packers go from here? Again, it is just one game, and some teams tend to play much sloppier in Week 1, but if they do not win their next game, they are in real trouble.

They are returning to Lambeau Field to take on one of the NFL’s worst teams in the Detroit Lions, who are one of the Packers’ division rivals. If they cannot win this one, it might be time to start thinking about life without Rodgers, and without any more Super Bowls.

This is an extreme long shot, but if the Packers are struggling at the time of the trade deadline, do they cut their losses and ship off Rodgers and Davante Adams? I mean, why pass on a MASSIVE haul for those two and lose them for nothing?

Let’s get one thing right -- the end for this Packers core is nearing, and the results so far indicate that it could be coming sooner rather than later.

SPORTS ARE OUR UNIVERSE

The Updated Cy Young Race

Author: Spencer Reyes

Editor: Fran Attie

As the 2021 MLB season comes to a close, many different awards are being given to the top baseball players in the world. Some award races are a lot closer than others.

The National League has become very interesting as teams and players are making their last push towards both the playoffs and their prospective awards. The American League has been lacking as far as pitching is concerned, when comparing with the National League, so it’s pretty easy to narrow it down to two candidates, Robbie Ray and Gerrit Cole. Both of their teams have had their ups and downs throughout the season, but recently, the Yankees and the Blue Jays have given their fans playoff hopes. As of this past week, Toronto and New York are the top 2 spots in the Wild Card Race.

Robbie Ray has risen from an early dark horse candidate to a top-tier pitcher in the American League. The former 12th round pick from 2010 has had the best season of his 8-year professional career. Currently, he is posting a 2.64 ERA, and is on track to beat his personal season strikeout record. To put this into perspective, Ray had a 6.62 ERA in 2020, and a 4.34 in 2019. The last time he recorded an ERA anywhere close to 2.64 was in 2017, when he had a 2.89 ERA. And although Ray has had a huge comeback story, Gerrit Cole seems to be the go-getter for the 2021 AL Cy Young.

Cole currently leads the AL in wins, complete games, SO/9, and K/BB. He has continued to post similar stats from 2018 until now, including an average ERA of 2.74. Cole has continued to prove that he is the number one option for these year’s AL race.

As I mentioned before, the National League Cy Young is up for grabs with almost 6 different candidates. According to Baseball Prospectus, 8 of the top 9 pitchers in baseball are from the NL. It’s safe to say that Trevor Bauer will not be repeating his 2020 season as he has been suspended for the rest of 2021. The most recent top 3 pitchers of the bunch have been Corbin Burnes, Max Scherzer, and Zack Wheeler.

Corbin Burnes, along with Brandon Woodruff and Freddy Peralta, has propelled the Brewers to 1st place in the NL Central. Burnes is sitting in 2nd place in the National League regarding ERA, SO’s, and WHIP. The pitcher above him in each of these categories is the newly wed Dodger, Max Scherzer. After having an impressive set of 19 outings for the Nationals in 2021, he has been lights out with Los Angeles with an ERA of 0.88, and a total of 72 SO’s, averaging 9 strikeouts per game. Another superstar has stepped up to the mound and performed exceptionally well in 2021, and that is the former 6th overall pick in 2009, Zack Wheeler. Since joining the Phillies last season, Wheeler has gone from 2nd or 3rd in most rotations to becoming the ace and overthrowing Aaron Nola, who was slated to be the next big slinger for Philly. Baseball Reference, Baseball Prospectus, and FanGraphs all have Wheeler as the Cy Young winner for 2021.

Although these 3 aces have almost locked up their spots in this award race, fans cannot count out Kevin Gausman, Walker Buehler, and Brandon Woodruff. As September comes to a close, the MLB will have a much clearer picture of who will lead the NL pitchers for 2021.

SPORTS ARE OUR UNIVERSE