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Have the Chiefs Done Enough to Return to the Super Bowl?

Posted on | May 24, 2021 | No Comments

The Kansas City Chiefs were dismantled in the Super Bowl by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, failing in their bid to become the first franchise in 16 years to win back-to-back Vince Lombardi Trophies.

Patrick Mahomes was harassed by the Buccaneers’ defense for the entirety of the contest, which resulted in the Chiefs’ inability to score a touchdown for the first time with the 26-year-old as their starting quarterback. Injuries to starting tackles Eric Fisher and Mitchell Schwartz loomed large, while their replacements failed to rise to the occasion.

Jason Pierre-Paul and Shaquil Barrett were a constant presence in the backfield and not even Mahomes’ brilliance was enough to overcome the deficiencies on the offensive line. Tom Brady and the Buccaneers’ offense had the upper hand over the Chiefs, mustering 31 points with relative ease to claim the crown.

It was a missed opportunity for Andy Reid’s side to cement their place as a dynasty, although two titles in three years would still be considered a great achievement for the current roster. The Chiefs are the leading contenders in the NFL odds on bet365 to win Super Bowl LV as Reid and general manager Brett Veach have made strides to overcome their issues that cost the team last term.

After releasing Fisher and Schwartz, the Chiefs made a significant move in free agency by signing Joe Thuney to the most expensive contract signed by an offensive guard after a stellar run with the New England Patriots. They then traded away their first-round pick in the 2021 Draft to acquire tackle Orlando Brown from the Baltimore Ravens. The strengthening of the line continued as the Chiefs used their second-round selection on center Creed Humphrey, ensuring that Mahomes will have no issues with protection this season when it comes down to the crunch.

Kansas City have also bolstered their roster with defensive tackle Jarran Reed and cornerback Mike Hughes. The idea is to hand defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo useful pieces to maneuver in a bid to stymie their opponents after failing to hold back the Buccaneers.

On paper, the Chiefs appear to have the strongest chance to return to the Super Bowl. Only the Buccaneers may have a better roster, although it remains to be seen if Brady can keep operating at a high level at the age of 44. Mahomes is in the prime of his career and he will be hungry to prove a point after his campaign ended in disappointment at the hands of the GOAT for a second time.

An area of concern will be the depth of weapons the Chiefs have at their disposal. The trifecta of Mahomes, Tyreek Hill, and Travis Kelce has wreaked havoc on the league. However, Hill was off form in the Super Bowl, while Kelce will be 32 before the start of the new season and it is likely that the Chiefs have seen his best football. Mecole Hardman, Byron Pringle, and Demarcus Robinson have been solid support pieces, but they are unlikely to be able to carry the load if Hill or Kelce miss time due to injury or suffer a decline in 2021.

Mahomes’ excellence can bring out the best of the talent around him, but it could be a cause for concern, especially with an additional game to play in the new campaign.

Category: Other Sports
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Phoenix Suns Have Perfect Blend For NBA Championship Run

Posted on | March 12, 2021 | No Comments

The Phoenix Suns were once a permanent fixture in the NBA post-season after reaching their first NBA Finals in 1976. The franchise was beaten by the Boston Celtics, but in a 35-year run of consistency, Phoenix only failed to reach the playoffs seven times.

Their longest drought came between 1985 and 1988 after finishing ninth in the Western Conference for three-straight years. However, the Suns soon returned to form and forged their way to their second NBA Finals, only to be beaten by the dominant Chicago Bulls team of 1993, featuring Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. The next 17 years yielded three further appearances in the Western Conference Finals, but the step to the NBA Finals was too great. The last run in 2010 resulted in a narrow defeat to the Los Angeles Lakers as Kobe Bryant and company emerged victoriously.

Since then, Phoenix has not returned to the playoffs, enduring the worst run of their NBA tenure. It has been 10 years since the franchise has featured in the post-season, but those dark days appear to be at an end. After 33 games of the 2020/21 season, the Suns boasted a 22-11 record, sitting in the fourth seed in the Western Conference. There is a small element of confidence that Monty Williams’ men can make a run, being backed in the odds on NBA betting on bet365 at +2800 to win the NBA Championship in 2021.

The Suns have a quality roster at their disposal built around the star of the team, Devin Booker. The 24-year-old is one of the leading guards in the NBA and can score at will. He averaged 25.5 points per game in his opening 25 games to start the term. Booker is more than capable of upping the ante, although it could be a positive sign that the guard is being asked to do less than in previous seasons. He has improved on his level of performance season-upon-season. The sky is the limit for such a talented player on the court, and it has been a tremendous shame that he has not been able to showcase his skills in the playoffs, even though that wait could soon be over.

Deandre Ayton has delivered on his draft position, becoming one of the best defenders in the league. He pulls his weight at the other end of the court, averaging 14.9 points per game. Between Booker and Ayton, the Suns have a formidable partnership that will be their core for the next 10 years. Mikal Bridges and Cameron Johnson are also operating at a high level this term. These players, both at the relatively young age of 24, have been more than useful in easing the pressure on their star men.

Perhaps the most important addition during the off-season was the signing of Chris Paul. The 35-year-old was missed in crucial moments by the Houston Rockets in his two-year tenure at the franchise but returned to form the last term at the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Suns believed that he had more than enough left to give and Paul is providing the vital veteran leadership that Phoenix required to allow Booker and Ayton to blossom. Paul has been a perennial All-Star during his tenure in the NBA, but has not won a title.

With his leadership and the special talents of Booker and Ayton along with their complementary pieces in place, the Suns have a great shot at triumphing against the titans of the Western Conference.

Category: Basketball
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Sporting Events To Look Forward To In 2021

Posted on | January 13, 2021 | No Comments

2020 sporting events were severelyaffected by the global pandemic as many events have had to be played behind closed doors and so fans haven’t been able to witness their favourite sports. However, with the vaccine now being rolled out now across the globe, there is finally light at the end of the tunnel and so the events might be able to go ahead with fans in the arena, so we look ahead to the biggest events to look forward to in 2021.

The first even that we are looking forward to in 2021 has to be the Euros which originally was supposed to be played during 2020 but got postponed back to 2021 because was originally scheduled during the height of the pandemic. However now we are now witnessing the tournament this summer and many football fans will be hoping that fans will be allowed back in the stadiums to watch their nations pitch their campaign for the coveted European championships.

The next big event that we are looking forward to in 2021 is the Olympics which is being held in Tokyo and something we have been looking forward to for the past four years. Olympics is one of the most watched sporting events in the world and this year promises to be one of the most flamboyant this year as it promises to bring the Japanese culture to it. The Americans will be looking to reclaim their title as the Olympic champions but will have their work cut out by the Chinese this year as they promise to bring some serious heat this summer.

And finally, the Champions League final last year was shown behind closed doors which is a spectacle that not many football fans ever want to see again and hopefully the final this year can see fans return to the stadium for the final at least. The Champions League always promises to deliver the best football matches on the planet and this year’s draw certainly looks exciting for all neutral football fans.

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Category: Champions League, Football
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3 First and Second Round Draft Picks Who Have Shown Potential in 2020

Posted on | December 2, 2020 | No Comments

We may only be ten games into the 2020 NFL season, however, there have already been a number of rookies who have made a decent impression throughout the opening couple of the months. Many of this year’s draftees have been thrown straight in at the deep end, and we have picked out a trio of newcomers who have shown enough ability to suggest that they have a bright future at the highest level.

Chase Claypool

Chase Claypool played a starring role for Notre Dame, and although he was widely tipped to enjoy a successful NFL career, very few Steelers fans could have predicted the impact that he has had at Heinz Field during his 10-game stint in Pittsburgh. As of November 26th, the first-year receiver has 39 catches for 559 yards and has rushed nine times for 22 yards. With ten touchdowns in as many matches, the Canadian has made history, and his impressive run of form looks unlikely to end anytime soon. He is one of only four wide receivers in the history of the competition to achieve this feat, and the first in 60 years. His electric form has helped to put the Steelers on course for their first postseason appearance in three years, and he appears to have the ability and belief to succeed in this unforgiving division.

Tua Tagovailoa

There was plenty of hype surrounding rookie quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, and although his recent injury record was a little concerning, the Miami Dolphins opted to take a chance on the fifth overall pick. Although the 22-year-old has only played three times so far, his blistering performance against Arizona suggests that there should be plenty more to come from the 2018 Heisman Trophy winner. Although he wasn’t able to recreate those heroics against the Broncos, he certainly doesn’t suffer from a lack of confidence, and is unlikely to be too concerned about his second underwhelming performance of the season. The left-handed QB showed plenty of ability for the Crimson Tide, and won a number of accolades during his time in Alabama. His former college are renowned for producing high-quality players, and they are 2.38 favorites in the latest American football odds to win the NCAAF Championship this year.

Justin Herbert

The Chargers QB looks on course to win Offensive Rookie of the Year after a string of standout performances at Dignity Health Sports Park. Although his performances dipped at the beginning of November, he managed bounce back in style with a heroic display against the Jets on November 22nd. He finished 37-of-49 passing for 366 yards and recorded three touchdowns. He helped to carry his side across the line, and helped the AFC West side to end a run of three consecutive defeats. The sixth overall pick is likely to smash the all-time rookie passing yards and passing touchdown records this season, and despite being unexpectedly thrust into a starting role, he has managed to step up admirably.

It’s been a successful season for NFL rookies, and many of the division’s newcomers are likely to progress once again in 2021. Chase Claypool, Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert have all shown enough potential to suggest that they can kick on next season and become household names.

Category: Other Sports
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Who Are The Potential Champions League Winners Of 2020/21?

Posted on | November 6, 2020 | No Comments

With the Champions League fully underway again with many of us football fans being treated to weekly matches now to ensure that we will still see the final in the usual May month due to the season being delayed by the global pandemic caused by Covid-19. However, we are now halfway through the group stages and the dust is starting to settle allowing us to look at who are emerging to be favorites for the tournament.

Of course, we cannot look past last year’s winner in Bayern Munich who have looked unstoppable since with no team really being able to compete with the strength and depth of this Bayern squad. They are heavy favourites for the tournament currently priced at 11/4 and we struggle to see how they can be beaten in this year’s competition.

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Second favourites for the tournament are actually Manchester City priced at 9/2 which many are still questioning due to their slow and lack-lustre start to their campaign in the Premier League this year. However, they have started strong in the Europe having played 3, won 3 scoring 9 goals and only conceding 1. Pep Guardiola has ultimately got to win the Champions League with Man City to ensure that he isn’t deemed at failure at the Manchester club and it seems as if this might be his last chance.

Also looking strong from England would be that of their current champions in Liverpool who are surprisingly priced at 6/1. They have started this season in scintillating form, blowing past every opponent as expected and to be honest, at that price they might just be worth a punt with the star quality that they possess.

Category: Champions League, Football
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