Where do the Yankees go from here?

The New York Yankees won 100 regular season games in 2018. They won a one game wild card game against the Oakland Athletics. However, they were unable to defeat the Boston Red Sox in the divisional championship series. The 2018 season was not a failure, but it was a disappointment. A team that came within one game of the World Series in 2017, was not able to reach the American League Championship Series.

The Yankees have not won a World Series since 2009. For the 9th straight year the Fall Classic will not involve the Bronx Bombers.

The Yankees have a strong and young core in place. Third baseman Miguel Andujar and second baseman Gleybor Torres are rookie of the year candidates. Shortstop Didi Gregorius is a solid defender and hitter. Rightfielder Aaron Judge is one of the game's best hitters. Designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton had a good debut season in pinstripes. First basemen Luke Voight emerged as a force in the Yankee lineup. Aaron Hicks is good player. Luis Severino is a front line starter who should continue to pitch well for New York.

So, the Yankees have a good core that should serve them well next season. However, this season proved that they are not a championship team. So, what do they need to do to become a championship team?

Free agency always presents challenges for teams. How much money should a team spend? What positions should be prioritized? Should a team stay under the luxury tax? These questions face the Yankees as they get ready for the off season.

Free agents Bryce Harper and Manny Machado have been linked to the Yankees. Of course, many free agents are linked to the Yankees because of the team's vast financial resources and their history of success.

Harper is only 26 and he is in the prime of his career. However, he will seek a 10 year contract between 300 to 330 million dollars. That is a hefty price for any player. The Yankees are already strong in the outfield. Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton are among the game's most feared hitters. Both are capable of hitting between 40 and 55 home runs a season. Both have high batting averages. Additionally, the Yankees have Aaron Hicks who has played well for the team. Judge, Stanton and Hicks have all battled injuries, but so has Harper.

Harper does not seem like a need, but a luxury. Stanton is not sure thing because of his susceptibility to injury that he displayed with the Miami Marlins. However, the Yankees are committed to 9 more years with Stanton. They have made a long term lucrative commitment to the slugger. Additionally, Judge, will seek an expensive pay day when he becomes a free agent. How much money do the Yankees want to invest in the outfield? Unless they traded Stanton to the Los Angeles Dodgers, his preferred trade destination when he was with the Marlins, it makes little sense to sign Harper.

Machado is a good player as well who is also in his prime. Like Harper, Machado is reportedly seeking a 10 year deal in the 300 million dollar range. Machado has said that he would prefer to play short stop, however, the Yankees have Didi Gregorius at the short stop position. The Yankees would either have to part ways with Gregorius or ask Machado to move to third base if they signed him. However, if they did this, they would have to part ways with Miguel Andujar who just completed a stellar rookie campaign. Conceivably, they could get good players for either Andujar or Gregorius. This depends on how foundational the Yankees think Andujar or Gregorius is. Are they definitely a part of the Yankees as they move forward? Or do they want to add Machado, and deal either Andujar or Gregorius for prospects or major league players. This is a decision that Brian Cashman and the Yankee front office need to make.

If the Yankees show serious interest in Harper and Machado, it is unlikely that the team could sign both. However, with the Yankees nothing can be ruled out.



The Yankees have a team option on Brett Gardner. The Yankees can pick up Gardner's option for 11 million dollars. Gardner has been the Yankees' primary base stealer for several years. However, Gardner turns 35 next season, and his speed will decline. Garner is a solid player, and along with CC Sabathia, one of the two remaining players from the 2009 World Series Championship. He has spent his entire career with the Yankees. Perhaps the Yankees pick up his option in order to add to their depth in the outfield and retain Gardner's veteran presence in the clubhouse. However, the Yankees could also decline the option and bring up an outfielder from the minor leagues or sign a free agent. This is a decision that the Yankees' front office will have to make during the off season.

Hicks is third year arbitration eligible, which means if the Yankees choose to resign him for one year, they must pay him 4.49 million dollars for 2019. Hicks and the Yankees could also avoid arbitration by signing a short term deal. Hicks has played well for this year. Whether or not the Yankees try and bring him back may depend on who the Yankees sign in free agency and whether or not they pick up Gardner's option.

Andrew McCutchen was a valuable addition to the Yankees for the stretch run. However, they may not be able to find a place for him on next year's team. The Yankees still owe Jacoby Ellsbury 44 million dollars for the next two years. Gardner, Hicks, Judge and Frazier make it a crowded outfield in New York. There simply may not be room for McCutchen, which is too bad because he played well in pinstripes.

The Yankees also need to make a decision on Garry Sanchez. In this past season, Sanchez only hit .186. Two years ago he hit 31 homeruns, while this past season he hit only 18 home runs. He also lead the majors with 18 passed balls. Do the Yankees continue to work with Sanchez on his defense? Do they hope that his hitting ability returns next year? Do they consider trading Sanchez for a good pitcher? If they do part with Sanchez could Austin Romine be a full time catcher? These are some of the questions that the Yankees face at the catching position. Nevertheless, it's likely that the Yankees stick with Sanchez. The organization believes he has a high ceiling and that he has good potential. However, Sanchez is 26 years old. At what point do the Yankees stop talking about potential and start expecting more from Sanchez? It's a tough decision for the Yankees, but they will probably stick with Sanchez as the every day catcher.

Additionally, the Yankees need to think about who will be next year's first baseman. Greg Bird has played three injury plagued seasons for the Yankees. He has not hit as well as they thought he would. Over his first three seasons, Bird has played in 46,48 and 82 games. He has not hit more than 11 home runs in a season and he has not driven in more than 38 runs in a single campaign. His batting average was .261 during his rookie season, but has declined to .190 and .199 the past two seasons. These numbers are unacceptable for a first baseman.

Conversely, in a short time, Luke Voight has emerged as a good hitter for New York. Do the Yankees open up the position to competition in next year's spring training? Do Bird and Voight compete for the position? Do they begin next season in a platoon situation? Do the Yankees think outside of the box and consider signing Harper to move to first base? These are some of the questions that the Yankees have at the first base position.



If the Yankees are going to compete with the Red Sox and the Astros next year, they need to improve their pitching. Patrick Corbin and Dallas Keuchel are the best two free agent pitchers available. The Yankees should consider signing one or both of them.

Corbin was 11-7 with an ERA of 3.15 and a WHIP of 1.05. Corbin struck out 246 batters this past season. Corbin throws sliders, sinkers and fastballs. He does not have an overwhelming fastball. He usually pitches between 80 and 90 miles per hour. Once in a while, he throws a change up. Corbin is an upstate New York native who grew up rooting for the Yankees. He would appear to be a good fit in pinstripes.

Luis Severino will return as the team's ace or at least as a front line starter. Severino was the team's best starting pitcher this past season. He was 19-8 with an ERA of 3.39. His WHIP was 1.14 and opponents batted .238 against him. He lead the team in strikeouts with 220. Severino is a valuable member of the rotation. The Yankees need to acquire pitchers of similar talent to compete with Houston and Boston.

Severino is eligible for arbitration over the off season. Will the Yankees offer Severino a long term deal or will they let the case go to arbitration? If they let the case go to arbitration, the Yankees and Severino should be able to figure out a middle ground. Or the Yankees and Severino could agree to a contract of about 40 million for four years. Severino may want to wait until he is a free agent to sign a more lucrative contract for more years. Either way, the Yankees and Severino should be able to work things out.

Masihiro Tanaka is the team's second best starting pitcher. He has not been an ace, however, he has been an effective pitcher since he signed a 7 year 157 million dollar deal with the Yankees. He has completed 5 of those years. He is signed for two more years for 45 million dollars.
Tanaka is 64-34 with a 3.59 ERA in five seasons with New York. The Yankees hope that he can continue to pitch effectively the last two years of his contract.

J.A. Happ was acquired by the Yankees from the Toronto Blue Jays during this past season. He is a free agent. The Yankees may be interested in signing Happ to a short term deal during the offseasosn. Happ, a left hander, pitched well for New York in 2018. Overall, between Toronto and New York, Happ went 17-6 with a 3.65 ERA in 2018. With New York, he went 7-0 with an ERA of 2.69 and a WHIP of 1.05. He helped the Yankees secure home field advantage for the wild card game. If Happ and New York can agree to a short term contract, then he may return to the Yankees in 2019.

CC Sabathia just completed his ninth season in pinstripes. Sabathia and Gardner are the only two players who remain from the 2009 championship team. David Robertson also played on the 2009 championship team. However, he was traded by the Yankees and eventually reacquired by the team.

Sabathia pitched well for New York in 2008. Sabathia started 29 games for the Bronx Bombers. He went 9-7 with an ERA of 3.65 and a WHIP of 1.31. He pitched game four of the ALDS. The Yankees could offer Sabathia a one year deal to stay with the team. However, the Yankees may choose to not re sign Sabathia. The Yankees may instead choose to sign a couple of free agent pitchers, sign Happ or bring up a minor league pitcher to join the Yankee rotation. It's possible that Sabathia may conclude his career with another team. Sabathia has said that he wants to play next year. However, it may not be in New York.

If Sabathia has played his last game in the Bronx, he will leave behind many memories. He has been a good pitcher for New York for close to a decade. He has been a valuable member of the Yankees' rotation. He has been a true work horse and a consistent hurler for the Yankees. He has earned a lot of respect in his 9 years in pinstripes.



Minor league prospect Justin Sheffield is a candidate for the starting rotation for next year. Sheffield was acquired by the Yankees in the deal that sent Andrew Miller to Cleveland. Sheffield is a 23 year old left handed pitcher who is considered the Yankees' number one prospect. Sheffield has pitched well in the minor leagues. Last year, he spent time with Trenton and Scranton. With double A Trenton, he went 1-2 with a 2.25 ERA. He struck out 39 and walked 14 batters. With triple A Scranton, Sheffield went 6-4 with an ERA of 2.56. He struck out 84 batters and walked 36. He could be ready to join the Yankees' rotation in the spring. At the very least, Sheffield could join the Yankees if a starter gets injured.

Sheffield's fast ball is between 92 and 97 miles per hour. He also has a good sinkerball and a good slider. He has a change up as well. Sheffield has a good repertoire of pitches. He can continue to improve all four of his pitches as he hopes to join the Yankees' rotation in 2019.
Keuchel is 12-11 with a 3.74 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP. He struck out 157 batters this season. Keuchel's major pitch is his sinker. However, he also throws sliders, fastballs and change ups. His pitches vary from 80 to 90 miles per hour.

The Yankees had a decent bullpen. Aroldis Chapman was a good closer who finished with 32 saves. Chapman had a 2.45 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP. Opponents batted only .136 against him. He will return as the team's closer. He is signed through 2021 at 17.2 million per year.

Dillon Betances will likely return as the set up man. Betances was 4-6 this year with a 2.70 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP. Opponents batted .186 against him. Betances is up for arbitration in 2019 and is a free agent in 2020. The Yankees can sign Betances to a short term contract or take their chances in arbitration. Betances is a solid set up man who has been a reliable member of the bull pen.

Chad Green was another effective member of the Yankees' bull pen. Green was 8-3 with a 2.50 ERA and a WHIP of 1.04. Opponents hit .229 against him. Green is scheduled for pre arbitration in 2019 and arbitration in 2020. Players who are elible for pre arbitration can be signed for the league minimum salary, which is 570,000 annually. The Yankees should keep Green on the roster. If Green and the Yankees cannot agree on a yearly contract or short term deal, New York should renew his contract for the league minimum. He has been too reliable for the team to be let go.

Zach Britton was a good late season addition. While with the Yankees, the left hander was 1-0 with a 2.88 ERA and a WHIP of 1.16. Opponents batted .196 against him. The Yankees should consider signing Britton to a one year deal. Britton provides a reliable left handed option out of the pen. He can be a left handed specialist or a pitcher that can come in for one inning to provide the team support.

A.J. Cole was 3-1 with a 4.26 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP. Opponents batted .258 against him. Cole does strike out a lot of batters. He struck out 49 batters in 38 innings. However, his ERA is too high. The Yankees could find someone better than Cole.

David Robertson is a free agent. Robertson returned to the Yankees last season after spending an earlier stint with the team. Robertson was a valuable member of the Yankees bullpen. Roberton was 8-3 with an ERA of 3.23. His WHIP was 1.03, which was the lowest WHIP among all pitchers on the Yankees roster this season. Robertson is a free agent, whom the Yankees should try to sign to a one or two year deal. Robertson made 13 million for this past season. The Yankees should see if they could sign him for less money, but they should still express their interest to Robertson. He was a valuable member of their bullpen this past season.



Aaron Boone will return as manager. Before this season, Boone had no managerial or coaching experience. Boone was hired because Cashman felt that the Yankee clubhouse needed a manager who communicated better to the players. Boone was criticized for sticking too long with Severino and Sabathia in games 3 and 4 of the ALDS. Both did not pitch well, and some observers thought that they needed to be replaced sooner by the bullpen.

Boone seemed to have done a decent job in his inaugural season. He appears to be a good manager. Next year, he will try and get the Yankees to the World Series.

As Boston and Houston get ready to play the American League Championship Series, the Yankees prepare for an offseason. The Yankees' front office will figure out how to improve their team as they prepare for the 2019 season. They have many questions to answer. How they answer those questions may determine if the Yankees can make it further in the playoffs next season.

The complete game has become an artifact in modern day baseball

In 1975, Jim "Catfish" Hunter, of the New York Yankees threw 30 complete games. In 1980, Rick Langford, of the Oakland A's threw 28 complete games. In 2018, in contrast to Hunter and Lankford, 6 pitchers lead the league in complete games with only 2. The last time that anyone pitched at least 10 complete games was 1999 when Randy Johnson finished 12 games for the Arizona Diamondbacks. The complete game has become an artifact in professional baseball.

Will White pitched a record 75 complete games for Cincinnati in 1879. Old Hoss Radbourn completed 73 games for Providence in 1879. In 1883, Pud Galvin went the distance 72 times for Buffalo. From 1876 to 1979 it was commonplace for the best starting pitchers to pitch complete games. In the 1980's it became less of an expectation. The game started to become more specialized as teams relied on relief pitchers. Eventually, things became even more specialized as each relief pitcher accepted a specific role out of the bullpen. Some pitchers became middle relievers, while others became set up men or closers. Still others became left handed specialists who were expected to get left handed batters out.

Cy Young threw 749 complete games, which is the most in history. Galvin threw 646 complete games. Tim Keefe completed 554 games and Kid Nichols threw 532 complete games. Walter Johnson threw 531 complete games. CC Sabbathia and Bartolo Colon lead active players with 58 career complete games.

In 1952 Robin Roberts threw 28 consecutive complete games to end the season. He began the 1953 season with 22 straight complete games. In 1980, Langford completed 22 consecutive games.

Tyler Kepner points out that three pitchers have won CY Young awards without throwing a complete game during there award winning season. Max Scherzer(2013), Jake Peavy (2007) and Roger Clemens (2001 and 2004) each won CY Young Awards despite not going the distance once during their award winning season.

Kepner points out that "Teams are increasingly careful with pitchers' workloads, and pitchers rarely exceed 125 pitches per outing." Kepler says that in 1993, "there were 304 instances of a pitcher throwing 125 pitches in a game." However, in 2013 there were only 14 such cases. Kepler points that Scherzer did not have one game where he pitched 125 innings in 2013.

Although, teams routinely try and keep pitchers from throwing more than 100 games, in 1984, Nolan Ryan threw 235 pitches in a 13 inning game for the California Angels against the Boston Red Sox. During the same game, Luis Tiant, of the Red Sox pitched all 15 innings. The Angels won 4-3, and Tiant got the loss despite pitching all 15 innings.

In 1997, the Braves' Greg Maddux needed only 76 pitches to throw a complete game against the Chicago Cubs- his former team. Maddux was very efficient that day. He threw only 13 balls. So, 63 of his 76 pitches were thrown over the plate. He had 6 strikeouts and limited the Cubs to only one run. Mike Oz of Yahoo Sports points out that "Aaron Cook threw a 74 pitch complete game for the Rockies in 2007 and Carlos Silva also went 74 pitches for the Twins in 2005." Such efficiency is rare. Most pitchers need many more pitches to throw a complete game. If pitchers could be as efficient as Maddux was that day, than complete games would be more common.

The complete game has simply become more rare today. Peter Gammons makes the following points. He says that between 1950-59, 328 pitchers threw at least 10 complete games in a season. Between 1960-69, 313 pitchers threw at least 10 complete games in a season. Between 1970-79, 382 pitchers threw at least 10 complete games in a season. Between 1980-89, 154 pitchers threw at least 10 complete games in a season. Between 1990-99, only 27 pitchers threw at least 10 complete games in a season. Between 2000-13, James Shields threw 11 complete games in 2011 and CC Sabathia threw 10 complete games in 2008. They are the last two pitchers to throw at least 10 complete games in a season. There has simply been a steady decline in the number of complete games thrown by major league pitchers.

Today pitchers rarely go nine innings. Teams have too much money invested in pitchers. So, they try and conserve their arms. Today's game is more specialized as well. Teams have middle relievers, set up men and closers. The bullpen is a big part of a team today. However, the biggest reason for the decline in complete games is the pitch count.

Teams often take a pitcher out after 100 pitches. Whether or not 100 pitches in an arbitrary number or not is debatable. Some doctors say that pitchers begin to tire after 100 pitches, so it makes sense to take them out of the game before they do damage to their arms.

Dieter Kurtenbach of FoxSports says "How did we come to decide that 100 pitches were too many? Well, it seems that the number was arbitrary...There's no data to suggest that 100 is the magic number of fatigue, after which injuries increase at an alarming rate.There's no information that's been collected that labels the 100th pitch as a saturation point of effectiveness either." So, according to Kurtenbach, there is nothing magical about the number 100. A player does not suddenly become fatigued after throwing his 100th pitch.

However, the likelihood of injury increases the more a pitcher throws. So, with each pitch after 100, a pitcher's chances of being injured grows. The number 100 may have been established for a good reason. Kurtenbach says "Baseball Prospectus has a metric, called Pitcher Abuse Points, that aims to quantify pitchers' overexertion. But in order to establish what exertion is, there has to be a baseline. That threshold? You guessed it: PAP operated under the assumption that fatigue set in at 100 pitches. Under 100 pitches, the metric claims, and there's no stress. For every pitch thrown after number 100, the stress compounds at a factor of three." So, every pitch after 100 may increase the likelihood that a pitcher may get injured. Throwing a baseball is stressful. With each pitch that stress could increase. So, trying to keep a pitcher at or below 100 pitches is a reasonable goal.

Nevertheless, not everyone believes that pitch counts help pitchers avoid injuries. John Bradbury and Sean Forman did a study in 2012 that was published in the The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, which was entitled "The Impact of Pitch Counts and Days of Rest on Performance Among Major League Baseball Pitchers." The study concluded that "Although the belief that overuse can harm pitchers is widespread, there exists little evidence to show that the number of pitches thrown and the days of rest affect future performance and injury among adults."

While Bradbury and Forman found no connection between the number of pitches thrown in a game and injury, they did find that "each pitch thrown in the proceeding game increased earned run average by 0.007 in the following game. Bradbury and Forman also found that "each pitch averaged in the preceding game 5 and 10 games increased the ERA by 0.014 and 0.022, respectively." This suggests that as the season wears on, starting pitchers become slightly less effective. There appears to be a cumulative effect on the pitcher's performance. Understandably, Bradbury and Forman found that the performance of older pitchers were effected the most.

While many focus on one game, Bradbury and Forman found that "the impact of the cumulative pitching load is larger than the impact on a single game." The arms of starting pitchers were most effected by the length of the season more than by the number of pitchers thrown in a single game.

Obviously, the findings of Bradbury and Forman are not definitive. It's very possible that some pitchers are adversely effected by a large number of pitches thrown in a single game. Every pitcher is different. Each person's body responds differently to stress and work.

Velocity and bad mechanics could also lead to injuries. Pitching puts stress on the arm, and if the mechanics are bad or if someone throws fast consistently, that could lead to injury as well. Jonah Keri of grantland.com points out that "velocity is a factor. All things being equal, throwing 95 miles per hour is more stressful than throwing 90. But throwing 95 miles per hour with good mechanics is less stressful than throwing 90 miles per hour with bad mechanics. Throwing 95 miles per hour with proper rest is less dangerous than throwing 90 miles per hour without rest." So, Keri emphasizes the importance of good mechanics and proper rest. Theoretically, good mechanics and proper rest could help a pitcher avoid injury even if he was throwing fast.

The myriad of different perspectives show that there are multiple factors that determine whether a pitcher can avoid injury. Pitchers need to get the proper rest for their arms, observe good mechanics and throw at a velocity that is appropriate for their arm strength.

Pitching is an unnatural motion that puts strain on the elbow. Injuries to pitchers may come from how hard pitchers throw rather than the number of pitches that they throw. Pitchers throw harder today than they did in the past. That could explain why some pitchers get injured. For instance, for two years in a row Boston's Chris Sale has struggled in the second half of the season. For two consecutive years Sale has spent time on the disabled list. Sale is a hard thrower whose injuries may have come from the speed of his pitches.

Sometimes has pitchers age they are encouraged to develop another approach to pitching. For instance, pitchers may have to develop another pitch and rely less on their fastball. CC Sabathia and Andy Pettite adjusted their pitching style at the end of their careers for the New York Yankees.

Sometimes knuckle ball pitchers such as Tim Wakefield, Charlie Hough and others were able to pitch into their 40's because the knuckle ball does not require a lot of speed. A knuckle ball pitcher puts less strain on his arm because he relies on an off speed pitch rather than a fastball. The knuckle ball pitch "floats" to the plate. It is difficult for a batter to time a knuckle ball pitch.

Doctors, general managers and field managers are learning more every year about how to keep pitchers healthy. Keeping pitchers healthy is not an exact science. There are many variable involved. Starting pitchers need a certain amount of rest in between starts and need to adjust their velocity if their arms are getting tired.

The focus on pitcher's health has made the complete game an artifact in baseball. It's unlikely that the complete game will ever become commonplace again. However, what is rare is more valuable. So, as the complete game becomes more rare, it becomes more meaningful when it does occur.

Baker Mayfield's debut gives the Cleveland Browns reason to hope

Last season, Baker Mayfield was the most accurate quarterback in division one college football. Mayfield completed 70% of his passes. The Cleveland Browns chose Mayfield with the first overall pick in last year's draft. The Browns are hoping that Mayfield's success in college can translate into the NFL.

Mayfield did not play in the first two games this season. However, when starting quarterback Tyrod Taylor went out of the game with an injury in the second quarter, Mayfield was called upon to rally the Browns who were trailing the New York Jets 14-0.

On his first pass, from the Cleveland 34 yard line, Mayfield threw a perfect 10 yard pass to Jarvis Landry who was in between two defenders. Landry advanced the football to the Cleveland 49 yard line. On his next pass, Mayfield completed a pass to David Njoku at the New York 35 yard line. The pass was behind the defender, but the receiver made a good catch. The Browns were moving up the field.

On the next play, Mayfield was sacked and fumbled the football. The ball was picked up by offensive lineman Joel Bitonio and advanced for a nine yard gain. Mayfield was bailed out by Bitonio on this play. On the next play, Mayfield threw a good pass to Landry over the middle for a 16 yard gain to the Jets' 27 yard line. Then Mayfield threw a side line pass that was intended for Antonio Callaway, but broken up by Morris Clairborne. The Browns settled for a 45 yard field goal by Greg joseph to make it 14-3.

On the next drive Mayfield completed a 20 yard play action pass to Njoku. It was a quick 7 yard pass, which Njoku advanced 19 more yards. The pass showed Mayfield's quick release and decisiveness. On the next play, Mayfield showed his mobility by eluding a few pass rushers and completing a side line pass to running back Duke Johnson for a first down. The play highlighted Mayfield's escape ability and his decision making. The Browns could not score on the drive.

The Jets took over. ,Anderson made a catch but fumbled. Denzel Ward, the Browns' rookie defensive back, picked up the football and advanced it to the Jets' 7 yard line.

As the Browns took over first and goal, Mayfield made a mistake and threw the football into double coverage. The pass was almost intercepted. This pass along with his earlier fumble, showed Mayfield's inexperience. The Browns settled for a 27 yard field goal by Joseph. The Jets lead had been reduced to 14-6. The Browns were very much in the football game.

On the next possession, with the ball at the Cleveland 14 yard line, Mayfield threw a short 7 yard pass to Landry who advanced the ball 10 more yards for a first down. Mayfield did a good job of taking what the defense was giving him. He did a good job of finding an open receiver who was able to turn the play into a decent gain.

Then from the New York 30 yard line, Mayfield threw his best pass of the evening. He threw a pass to Landry who caught the ball despite being closely covered by safety Doug Middleton, whose coverage could not have been much better. The pass was thrown precisely where it needed to be thrown and it was an excellent catch by Landry. The Browns had the ball at the Jets 1 yard line. From the one yard line, running back Carlos Hyde scored a touchdown.

On the two point conversion, the ball was snapped to running back Johnson, who flipped the ball to Landry who passed the ball to Mayfield for a two point conversion. The game was tied at 14-14.

In the 4th quarter, the Jets had the ball at their own 35 yard line when running back Bilal Powell ran for a 20 yard gain. After two plays, the Jets faced 3rd and 10. Darnold completed a 13 yard pass to Jeron Kearse to give the Jets a first down. On 3rd and 7, the Jets once again got a first down when Darnold completed a pass to Quincy Enunwa The drive stalled from there, and Mike Nugent kicked a 28 yard field goal to give the Jets a 17-14 lead. The Browns would once again have to come back if they wanted to get their first win of the season and their second win in 34 games.

On their next possession, the Browns had the ball on their own 25 yard line. On second and 10 Nick Chubbs ran 10 yards for a first down. Later in the drive, with the ball at their own 45 yard line, Nick Chubbs ran ten yards for the first down. Then Mayfield completed a 15 yard pass to Duke Johnson to get the ball to the Jets 45 yard line. Then, on first and ten, Mayfield completed a 20 yard pass to Rashad Higgins. The pass was behind Higgins, but he made a good catch.

With the ball at the Jets 25 yard line, Mayfield completed a pass to Antonio Calloway for a first down. Then Mayfield completed a pass over the middle to Landry. The Browns had the ball first and goal from the Jets 7 yard line. Chubbs carried the ball to the New York one yard line. From there, Hyde scored on a touchdown run. After the extra point, the Browns lead 21-17.

With under two minutes remaining, the Browns intercepted a Darnold pass. The Browns held on for the first victory of the season and their second win in thirty four games.

On the evening, Mayfield finished 17-23 for 201 yards. He threw no touchdowns and no interceptions. Mayfield's debut was efficient. He took care of the football, except for his one fumble which was recovered by his teammate. Mayfield can build on his performance this weekend against the Oakland Raiders.

After the victory, in an interview with the NFL Network, Mayfield said "We finally put the pieces together a little bit." Baker showed respect for the Cleveland fans when he said, "This crowd deserved to see that first win at home." Mayfield said that he was not thinking about the other Browns quarterbacks who had struggled in the past. Mayfield said "The past is the past. It's time to hit the reset button."

Additionally, he said that he sensed the energy of the home crowd when he entered the game. Mayfield said that the energy of the fans "builds confidence in us." Mayfield gave credit to this teammates and said "I did not do this by myself. I had a lot of guys play well around me."

Mayfield's performance gave the Browns hope for the future. However, there are other young players that give the Browns reason to hope as well.

Landry is a go to receiver what will help to make Cleveland's offense stronger. After spending 5 years in Miami, Landry signed a free agent contract with Cleveland. So far, he looks to be a good addition to the Browns' offense. He should help Mayfield get acclimated to the NFL. Landry has enough speed to get open and he has good catching ability. Landry lead the NFL with 112 receptions last season.In 2015, he was targeted a league high 166 times by Dolphins' quarterbacks. Landry gives Mayfield the reliable receiver that a rookie quarterback needs.

Hyde is 8th in the NFL in rushing with 203 yards. He provides the Browns with a reliable running back who can take some pressure off of Mayfield. Hyde spent four seasons with San Francisco. Though Hyde never rushed for 1,000 yards, he did rush for 988 yards in 2016 and 940 yards in 2017. Hyde is strong near the goal line and should be able to score some rushing touchdowns this season.

Cleveland's defense is rated 13th in the NFL this year. They are giving up 19.7 points per game. Their passing defense is ranked 12th, while their rushing defense is ranked 16th. There is room for improvement. However, they are off to a decent start.

Denzel Ward may be the defensive play maker that Cleveland has been looking for. Ward has two interceptions already and he has been a force in the Cleveland secondary. Ward was taken out of Ohio State with the fourth overall pick in the first round of the 2018 NFL draft.

The Browns have one win over the past two seasons. Last year they were outscored 410-234. The previous year they were outscored 452-264. In 2016 and 2017, the Browns were not a competitive football team. However, this year they are 1-1-1 and they seem much more competitive.

The Browns have been searching for a top notch quarterback since Bernie Kosar was released form the team in the mid 1990's. They used first round draft picks on quarterbacks who did not pan out. Additionally, they did not select Jerad Goff or Carson Wentz in 2016. However, in Mayfield, the Browns may have their franchise quarterback. If they can continue to acquire talent through the draft, then the Browns can build a decent football team.

Start spreading the news...The New York Yankees have a good shortstop

Didi Gregorius has hit over 20 home runs three seasons in a row. He has hit more home runs in a season than any other Yankee shortstop. This year he has 26 home runs, which surpassed his own team record of 25 home runs that he hit last year.

Brian Cashman acquired Gregorius in 2015 to replace future hall of famer, Derek Jeter. Those are big shoes to fill. However, Gregorius has done his best to fill them. Gregorius has fulfilled whatever expectations the Yankees had for him.

After a modest season in 2015, Gregorius has had three good seasons in a row. In 2016, Gregorius hit .276 with 20 home runs and 70 runs batted in. In 2017, Gregorius hit .287 with 25 round trippers and 87 runs driven in. This year, so far, Gregorius has hit .268 with 26 home runs and 84 runs batted in. Since 2016, Gregorius has consistently been one of the best hitting short stops in major league baseball.

Gregorius has also improved his ability to hit left handed pitching. When the Yankees acquired Gregorius, he struggled against southpaws. However, this year Gregorius is hitting .268 against lefties, only one point lower than his average against righties.

Additionally, Gregorius has been a good fielder. He has a .989 fielding percentage this year, which is the best in the major leagues for short stops who have played in at least 100 games or more. He has made only 5 errors this season. Gregorius has been a sure handed shortstop since the Yankees acquired him. Gregorius has shown good range and good throwing ability at short stop.

Gregorius was born in the Netherlands. He moved to Curacao when he was 5. Later, he was scouted and drafted by the Cincinatti Reds. He was later eventually traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Baseball has been a part of his family's life for a long time. His paternal grandfather was a professional baseball player. His father was an amateur player, and his mother was a talented softball player. His brother also played baseball.

In an interview with Meredith Marakovits, of the yesnetwork, Gregorius discussed the influence of his family. Gregorius said that even as a two year old, he would go onto the baseball field with a small bat and a small ball. Gregorius wanted to be included in the game even at a young age.

Gregorius talked glowingly about his father, who played professional baseball until he was 49 years old. Gregorius discussed how his father encourages young people to play the game the right way. Gregorius said that his parents and his brother helped him to get better at baseball. All three were interested in baseball.

Gregorius' mother said that he always wanted to play baseball. She said that she did not realize that he would one day make it to the big leagues, but that she knew for a long time that he would be a good player. She said that when his team lost, he always was disappointed. She said that he was often the captain of the squad.

Gregorius said that his mother always went with his father, brother and him to the different games even if it required much traveling. He said that he appreciates all his parents have done for him. He said that he is trying to give something back to his home town because he remembers when he was young and how much the professional players helped him and his friends.

Gregorius laughed when he discussed the billboards of him that are present in his hometown. However, he remains humble about it. He emphasized how much he wants to give to the community. He emphasized how he wants to help people in his home town of Curacao.

In one of his first interviews after joining the Yankees, he talked about the trade and what it would be like to play for the Yankees. He discussed various topics with Jack Curry, of the yestnetwork.

Gregorius said that he was excited to join the Yankees because it was unexpected. He as surprised by the trade, but he was eager to join a team with a winning tradition. Gregorious emphasized that his major priority was to win a championship.

Gregorius downplayed the expectations that he would face as someone who was replacing Jeter. He said that he would take it day by day. He showed Jeter respect, and suggested that it meant a lot to him to follow in Jeter's footsteps. However, he focused on his own goals as a player and his own responsibilities to the team.

Gregorius showed gratitude towards the Reds- the team that helped him to develop as a player. Gregorius referred to hall of famer Barry Larkin's influence on him. He discussed how Larkin helped him to become better defensively. Gregorius said that he would take 200 ground balls before practice. The defensive practice helped Gregorius to become a top flight defensive short stop. Gregorius also discussed how Ken Griffey, jr. helped him to improve offensively.

Gregorius talked about how the playing fields of Curacao helped him to become a good fielder. The playing fields in Curacao are hard and sandy. So, he had to adjust to bad hops on the field. This helped him to stay alert and expect the baseball to take unexpected hops. It is easier in the United States because the baseball fields are better cared for and easier to field on.

Gregorius also proudly discussed the influence that his family had on him. Baseball and softball has been a big part of his family's life for a long time. Gregorius said that he "grew up on the field," and was always playing baseball and developing his game.

Gregorius has also become famous through his twitter account. At hashtag "Start Spreading the News", Gregorius gives a summary of Yankee wins. Gregorius has an emoticon for each Yankee player and describes the pitching and the hitting of players who had a good game. The twitter postings are both creative and informative. They also reflect Gregorius' fun loving and outgoing personality.

The Yankees have many good players, so it may be easy to lose sight of Gregorius. Aaron Judge is the reining American League rookie of the year. Giancarlo Stanton is the reigning National League MVP. Gleybor Torres and Miguel Andujar are rookie of the year candidates. Gary Sanchez hit 31 home runs last season. Aaron Hicks has developed into a good player in New York. Luke Voight has emerged into a fan favorite this season.

However, Gregorius should not be overlooked. He has provided much consistency as a left handed hitter and a sure handed fielder. Start spreading the news...The New York Yankees have a good shortstop.

Dwight Howard should not change his game. Instead, he should be a better team player

Recently, Dwight Howard said that he wants his game to evolve. He said that he would like to become a player similar to Kevin Durant. Howard suggested that this will help him to play until he is 40 years old.

A player should not model himself after another player. Each player has a unique skill set. Every player has a skill set that helps him to contribute to a team. Howard's skill set is different than Durant's skill set.

Howard is an interior player. He does not have perimeter skills. He can score down low close to the basket. He can set screens for the pick and roll. He can roll to the basket to get a pass or a rebound. On defense, he can protect the rim. He can block shots. Additionally, he can get offensive and defensive rebounds.

If Howard wants to improve his game, he should practice free throws. He has been a subpar free throw shooter for his whole career. If he could improve his free throw shooting ability, he could help Washington during the upcoming season.

Howard's belief that he should evolve his game comes from the direction of the NBA. For a while now, the NBA has marginalized the role of the center or power forward. The role of the back to the basket center or power forward has been phased out by a league obsessed with perimeter play. This is unfortunate. There should still be a role in the NBA for a back to the basket center or power forward.

In today's NBA, teams believe that the lane should be unclogged so that perimeter players can drive into the lane for a basket or to draw a foul. If players do not get a shot, they can pass the ball back out to the perimeter. Teams think that the back to basket center or power forward clog the lane, which makes it difficult for a guard to move unencumbered towards the basket.

However, the back to the basket front line player can get scoring opportunities or draw a foul just as well as a guard can. A front line player can hit a jump hook, make a layup, or pass the ball back to the perimeter if a scoring opportunity does not exist. Making room for an interior threat on offense gives a team more diversity. It gives the team another scoring option. It makes no sense to phase out the back to he basket player.

As the NBA has marginalized the role of the back to basket player, centers and power forwards have felt pressure to develop a perimeter game. They have felt pressure to shoot outside shots and develop three point shooting ability. However, this is not their natural strength. It is never good to ask players to deviate from their strengths. A good team utilizes each player's strengths and minimizes each player's weaknesses.

In the past, the back to the basket player was more respected. George Mikan, Kareem Abdul Jabaar, Bob Lanier, Hakeem Alujawon, Robert Parrish and other centers were valuable part of a team's game plan and offensive approach. They had their back to the basket as they roamed the paint and called for the basketball. They were assertive offensive players who understood their roles. They utilized their strengths and did not deviate from their role. It would be good if the NBA could incorporate more of this into the modern game.

Howard's trainer also suggested that he wants to lose weight so that he can get up and down the court quickly. This is understandable and would be a good way to improve his game. The game is fast paced, and players need to run up and down the court quickly. Players need to be athletic and nimble. They need agility and flexibility. This kind of improvement or evolution is understandable and advisable. However, Howard's basic game should not evolve or change.

Reviewing the 2018 Binghamton Rumble Ponies' season

The Binghamton Rumble Ponies' 2018 season began on April 5th in 31 degree weather. The wind chill factor made it seem like it was 21 degrees. Fans were decked out in coats, gloves and knit caps. Fans were drinking hot chocolate and coffee. The crowd was sparse, but enthusiastic.

The season began with Tim Tebow hitting a home run on the fist pitch that he saw as a Rumble Ponie. Binghamton beat the Portland Sea Dogs 6-0.

The season ended on September 3rd in 89 degree weather with a heat index of 96 degrees. The hot chocolate and coffee of April 5th was replaced by bottled water, beer and soda on September 3rd. Tebow, who began the year in sterling fashion, finished the year on the disabled list and was not in the stadium. The Rumble Ponies lost 8-7 to the Portland Sea Dogs.

Binghamton finished the year 64-76 in 5th place in the Eastern Division, one half game ahead of Portland. The Rumble Ponies had a home record of 36-34, and an away record of 28-42. They finished 37-45 in the division.

Binghamton finished second to last in attendance, with an average of 3,553 tickets being purchased for each game. Only the Erie SeaWolves finished with fewer fans in attendance. Nevertheless, the Rumble Ponies had their best attendance in 25 years. This is a cause for optimism and hope for the future. Binghamton is proud of the Rumble Ponies and lends support to the team.

Binghamton's longest win streak was 5 games. The team's longest losing streak was 8 games.

Luis Rojas was the team's manager this season. Frank Viola coached the pitchers. Luis Rivera served as bench coach, and Valentino Pascucci was the team's hitting coach. The Rumble Ponies are fortunate to have good coaches who are dedicated to player development. Their hard work paid dividends this year.

Levi Michael lead the team in batting with a .305 average. Michael also lead the team with 72 runs scored. Additionally, Michael swiped a team high 13 bases. Michael finished the season with tripe A Las Vegas.

Peter Alonso lead the team with 15 home runs. Alonso also hit .314 with 52 runs batted in for the Rumble Ponies this season. The talented first baseman fished the year with the New York Mets.

Right fielder, Jhoan Urena finished the season with a team high 63 runs batted in . Urena was voted the Eastern League Player of the Week for August 27th to September 4th. Urena hit .424 with 4 home runs and 13 runs batted in. Alonso, Jeff McNeil and Nabil Crismatt also won the weekly honor this year.

Mickey Janis lead the team with 10 wins and had a team low 3.60 ERA for Rumble Ponie starting pitchers. Janis also lead the team with 114 strikeouts and a team low WHIP of 1.36. Janis was clearly Binghamton's best starting pitcher this season.

Eric Hanhold lead the team with 8 saves. Additionally, Hanhold had an ERA of 2.84 with a 1.18 WHIP. Hanhold is currently with the New York Mets.

Players like McNeil, Alonso, Crismatt, Michael, Urena, Janis and Hanhold give the New York Mets hope for the future. The Rumble Ponies' coaches did their best to develop the talent of the players on the roster. The Mets may have a bright future because of some of the players who played for Binghamton this season.

Nothing can duplicate the sights and sounds of a baseball game. The sights and sounds blend in perfectly with the laid back rhythm and casual atmosphere of summer. The games and atmosphere of the stadium combine to make the summer more memorable. Fans who followed the team from April to September have many good memories.

Are the Dallas Cowboys on the verge of another successful era?

The Dallas Cowboys were a top notch franchise from about 1966 to 1984 when Tom Landry was their head coach. During that time, the Cowboys played in 5 Super Bowls and won 2 of them. The Cowboys defeated the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl VI 24-3 and defeated the Denver Bronco's in Super Bowl X 27-10.

The Cowboys were defeated by the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl V on the game's final play. They lost 21-17 to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl X and lost 35-31 to the Steelers in Super Bowl XIII. They also lost the NFL Championship games in 1966 and 1967 to the Green Bay Packers for the right to go to the first two Super Bowls. Additionally, they lost NFC championship games in 1972,1973,1980,1981,1982 and 1994.

For close to 20 years, the Cowboys set a high standard and frequently lived up to that standard. From 1985 to 1991, the Cowboys struggled to rebuild and win consistently. Then, in Jimmy Johnson's third year, the Cowboys won a playoff game. In Johnson's final two years, the Cowboys won back to back Super Bowls. Two years later, with Barry Switzer as coach, the Cowboys won their fifth Super Bowl in team history. Since then, the Cowboys have not made it back to the Conference Championship game.

The Cowboys were often in the thick of things. They were consistently relevant. The Cowboys were one of the marquee franchises in the NFL. However, for the last 22 years the Cowboys have been inconsistent. They have had some good seasons, but for most of the last two decades the Cowboys have been mediocre.

Over the last 22 seasons, the Cowboys have only 9 seasons of at least 10 wins or more. So, they have been average or bad for 13 of the last 22 seasons. The outstanding legacy of Tom Landry and Jimmy Johnson has been replaced by inconsistency. The high standards of the past have been replaced by acceptance of mediocrity. So, the Cowboys find themselves at a cross roads of sorts. Will they continue the inconsistent play of the past 22 seasons, or will they attempt to return to the foundation given by Landry and Johnson?

The team's struggles are attributable to various factors: Poor drafts, questionable head coach hirings, poor salary cap management and the inability to play well when it matters most. The poor drafts came from Jerry Jones' poor decisions. Jones' decision to never hire a general manager has left the team without a true leader who is an expert in football. Jones, a successful businessman, has not been a good general manager.

In fairness to the Cowboys, most teams have been inconsistent in the salary cap era. Most teams have struggled to be consistent since the salary cap was implemented. The salary cap makes it difficult for teams to retain their best players. The salary cap makes it difficult for teams to re sign their draft choices after their rookie contract is over. However, it is still necessary for the Cowboys to become more consistent. Excuses are not acceptable.

Regardless of the salary cap, Jones' choices for head coach have also been questionable. Dave Campo and Wade Phillips are better coordinators than head coaches. Chan Gailey guided the Cowboys to two consecutive playoff seasons, but was not retained for a third season. Bill Parcells helped rebuild the Cowboys. However, Parcells lacked the commitment to finish the job and left the Cowboys after four seasons. Jason Garrett will enter his 8th full season next year. The results under Garrett have been inconsistent, and if the Cowboys do not win at least one playoff game next year, Garrett may be fired.

Garrett has a good record during the regular season. Garrett is 67-53 during the regular season. However, he is 1-2 during the playoffs. Additionally, the Cowboys have only had 3 winning seasons in his 7 full seasons as coach. The team seems to take one step forward and one step backwards. The Cowboys have not been able to sustain success from one season to the next. The front office, coaches and players have to figure out a way to sustain success from one season to the next.

The Cowboys seem to be better run now than at any point since 1995. Jones has given more power to Will McClay who runs the Cowboys' draft and sets the draft board. Jones also seems open to listening to Garrett who makes good suggestions of who to draft. Additionally, offensive coordinator Scott Linehan and a defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli have imput into the drafts. The Cowboys have good scouts whose suggestions are taken seriously. The Cowboys appear to be headed in the right direction. Their most recent drafts have helped the Cowboys improve.



In the 2017 draft, the Cowboys selected cornerbacks Chidobe Awuzie and Jourdan Lewis as well as Xavier Woods. All three have strengthened their secondary. Defensive tackle, Taco Charlton, had a disappointing rookie season. However, he can still develop into a solid defensive tackle. All four of these players have added strength and depth to their defense. They should be even better in their second season.

In the 2016 draft, the Cowboys selected running back Ezekiel Elliott in the first round. He lead the NFL in rushing his rookie season. Elliott is a complete running back. He can run through the tackles and around the end. He can catch passes out of the backfield and block on third down. He accelerates in the open field and he can fight for the extra yard. He is the focal point of the Cowboy offense.

In 2016, the Cowboys also drafted defensive tackle Maliek Collins in the third round. Collins is a versatile defensive tackle who was an excellent choice in the third round. After a pass is completed, Collins can chase down a receiver and make a tackle. He never stops until the play is over. He can fight through blocks, put pressure on a quarterback and sack the quarterback. He can pursue running backs and prevent them from advancing. Collins' ability to stop the run and put pressure on the quarterback has helped the Cowboys become stronger on defense.

In 2016, Anthony Brown, as a rookie drafted in the 6th round, stepped into a starting position after the secondary experienced some injuries. Brown did not disappoint. Brown played with confidence and poise. He showed good instincts. He knew when to break on a pass and his timing was excellent. He was able to knock down passes and step in front of wide receivers and intercept passes. He showed the instincts and ability of a seasoned veteran. Brown helped to improve the secondary.



In the 4th round of the 2016 draft, the Cowboys selected quarterback Dak Prescott. At first, he was tabbed as the third string quarterback behind Tony Romo and Kellen Moore. Injuries to both Romo and Moore, created a starting opportunity for Prescott. The rookie quarterback led the Cowboys to a 13-3 season and a first round bye in the playoffs. During his rookie season, Prescott threw 23 touchdowns and only 4 interceptions. He completed almost 68% of his passes. He did not have as much success in his second year, however, he still was a steady and reliable quarterback. In his rookie season, Prescott made good decisions with the football on a consistent basis.

In his second year, Prescott's decision making was less consistent. However, he still has the qualities to be an effective quarterback in the NFL. Next year, Prescott should be able to lead the Cowboys on the field to a successfull season.

Prescott does many things well as a quarterback. He can roll right and find open receivers. He can pump fake and draw the safety in, which can lead to an open receiver or a receiver that has one on one coverage. Prescott does a decent job of making his reads and finding the open receiver. He's accurate and has a strong enough arm to make deep throws. He tries hard to protect the football and avoid turnovers. For the most part, he makes good decisions with the football. Additionally, he leads the team well and has command of the huddle. In a word, he has many of the qualities that teams look for in a franchise quarterback.

In 2018, Prescott was ranked as the best tight window passer in the NFL. A tight window throw is defined "as a throw when the intended receiver hd less than a yard of separation from the defender." Prescott completed a league best 45.8% of those kind of passes is 82.1, which was also the best in the NFL last season. His yards per attempt for these kind of throws is 6.23, which was 4th in the NFL last season.

However, despite Prescott's accomplishments, he could still improve. While head coach Jason Garrett acknowledges that Prescott has had good beginning to his career, he still says Prescott needs to improve. Garrett says that Prescott "can improve in every way. In every aspect of the position, he has to improve. And again he'd be the first one to tell you that." Garrett went on to say that Prescott needs to improve "his mechanics, the way he throws the football, his decisiveness, the way he throws the football, his decision making. Those things can get better and they will get better." So, despite Prescott's good start, thenCowboys are looking for him to improve.

The Cowboys are trying to create "a Dak friendly offense." They are trying to draft and acquire players who are compatible with Prescott's strengths. Instead of focusing on one receiver, Prescott will try and spread the football around to multiple players. He will not hone in on one receiver, instead he will throw the football to the open receiver. This approach, combined with the running of Elliott, should make the Cowboys' offense more effective.

While the Cowboys believe that Prescott will be with the team for a while, the Cowboys chose to move on from wide receiver Dez Bryant. From 2012 to 2014, Bryant was one of the best receivers in the NFL. During that period, he averaged 91 catches for 1311 yards and 13 touchdowns. He was a very consistent player for the Cowboys during that stretch. Due to his success, he received a 70 million dollar contract, 45 million of which was gauranteed.

However, over the last 3 years due to injury and poor play, Bryant's production has faltered. Over the last three years, Bryant has averaged 50 catches for 678 yards and 5 touchdowns. Many criticize Bryant's sloppy route running and his lack of consistency. Additionally, Bryant lead the NFL with 12 dropped passes.

Hopefully, Bryant will be a good fit for his new team, and the Cowboys will be able to rebuild their wide receiver corps.

In the day and age of the salary cap, how teams allocate their money makes a big difference in whether or not the team can be successful on the field. Teams need to get good play from players who make the most money. The Cowboys need to spend their money on players who can consistently help them win.

Free agency presents a real challenge for Dallas. The salary cap makes it difficult for teams to retain their best players. After a team drafts and develops a player, it may not be able to keep the player. This is frustrating for NFL teams. It's also difficult for the Cowboys who place a premium on re signing it's own players. The Cowboys stay away from spending big on free agents. Instead, the team prefers to sign their own players who they know and are comfortable with. The Cowboys may sign second and third tier free agents, but rarely sign first tier free agents who command a premium salary.

The Cowboys signed wide receiver Deonte Thompson of the Buffalo Bills. Thompson is a speedy wide receiver who may give the Cowboys a deep threat. Of course, Prescott will have to be able to get Thompson the football on deep throws. In any event, Thompson figures to stretch the field for Dallas. The Cowboys have not had a speedy wide receiver who can go deep for a while. Adding Thompson will give the Cowboys' offense another dimension.

The Cowboys also added Allen Hurns, a talented possession receiver for the Jacksonville Jaquars. Hurns will start and be counted on by Prescott. He will be an important part of the Cowboys' passing game.



Cole Beasley, last year's leading receiver, returns for another year. Beasley is a sure handed receiver who can get open underneath. He is not a number one receiver with impeccable speed. Nevertheless, he is a good receiver who understands how to get open pick up some yards after the catch. In 2016, Beasley lead the team with 75 receptions and 833 yards. However, his numbers went down last year. During the 2017 season, Beasley had only 36 receptions for 314 yards. If Beasley could come close to duplicating his numbers from the 2016 season, it would help Dallas' passing game.

The Cowboys were not able to re sign linebacker Anthony Hitchens. The Cowboys are trying to offset this loss through the drafting of Leighton Vander Esch. They are also hoping that Sean Lee and Jaylon Smith can play at a high level next season.

Under defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli, the Cowboys have been competitive, but they still need to improve. Under Marinelli's guidance, the Cowboys have adopted a bend, but do not break defensive philosophy. They like to keep the play in front of them and they guard against the big play. They do their best to make the play in front of them. The Cowboys rarely blitz, because they are concerned about being beat with a big play. This defensive philosophy helps the Cowboys to avoid giving up big plays, but it also prevents them from making many big plays on defense.

The Cowboys have been trying for years to create more turnovers. Marinelli has the defense practice trying to take th football away from the offense. However, Dallas still needs to create more turnovers. They need to create more fumbles and intercept more passes.

Offensively, the Cowboys are trying to create a system that is suited to Prescott's strengths. This system has been termed "Dak friendly." This system has been difficult for the team to define. Presumably, it will involve roll outs, short so intermediate passes, sideline passes and the run option. Prescott is the kind of quarterback who can help a team win. However, he cannot carry a team. So, a "Dak friendly" offense will have to involve a power running game behind an effective offensive line.

Linehan, along with Garrett will need to design plays that take advantage of Prescott's strengths. He will have to design plays that can implement Prescott's ability to thrown into tight windows and throw on the run. This may also involve obtaining and acquiring wide receivers who can run routes that are suited to Prescott's strengths as a quarterback. It is is the job of the coaches to define what "Dak friendly" offense means. Then it is their jobs to implement the plays that are suited to Prescott.

A good offense needs counter moves as well. In today's NFL, the scouting is so advanced that teams can prepare for any offense or defense. Teams are aware of Prescott's strengths and what he likes to do as a quarterback. So, the Cowboys will have to keep teams guessing. They will have to be somewhat "unpredictable" as Jerry Jones as said in the past. Garrett and Linehan have to add wrinkles to the offense so that they can keep opposing defenses on their toes.

The Cowboys can continue to build their offense around the running game. Elliott is one of the game's best running backs and he is running behind one of the best offensive lines. The Cowboys can establish the run early in games, which would strengthen the effectiveness of the play action pass.

In addition to having a consistent offensive and defensive strategy, the Cowboys also have a good draft stategy. Jerry Jones, Stephen Jones, Jason Garrett, Scott Linehan, Rod Marinelli and the Cowboys' scouts all have roles in determining who the Cowboys draft. However, the man that brings everything together is Will Mc Clay, who is ultimately in charge of the Dallas draft board.



There are many different voices within the Cowboy organization, but Mc Clay helps bring all of the voices together. Mike Fisher of Dallas Fort Worth Radio says the following about McClay: "In addition to being the scouting guru, as he's often labeled, he is a unifier between ownership, coaching staff, scouting department and even the locker room." Mc Clay helps bring stability to the organization and the draft. He is someone who could serve as a general manager in other organizations. He could also be the general manager for the Cowboys, but that position is help by Jerry Jones. Nevertheless, Mc Clay's presence makes the Cowboys better. His presence helps the Cowboys to be the best team that they can be.

It will be difficult for the Cowboys to return to consistent excellence. The salary cap makes it difficult for any team to achieve sustained success or consecutive championships. However, the Cowboys need to prove that they can win even one championship in the salary cap era. So, far they have not done that.

The salary cap mitigates against the creation of dynasties because it makes it difficult for teams to keep their own players. Often, teams lose the players that they draft and develop. A team's best players often leave when they are free agents to make more money elsewhere. Therefore, teams have to try and win while dealing with the cap. Good teams that are well run can at least remain competitive every year even if they cannot win multiple championships. The Cowboys have to figure out how to remain a top notch team every year.

The 2018 NFL draft may help the Cowboys improve their team. They were able to address holes on their team and needs for improvement. The draft gave them some depth and may have given them some starting players.

In the first round, the Cowboys selected Leighton Vander Esch, a linebacker out of Boise State. He had 114 tackles last year. He moves well from one side of the field to the other. He is fast and a good tackler. He pursues the ball carrier well and is a hard worker. He has similar size to Brian Urlacher and Anthony Barr, two players who were both selected 9th in the first round of their particular drafts. It is uncertain whether Vander Esch can be as good as Urlacher or Barr. However, Vander Esch should start from day one and mitigate the loss of Anthony Hitchens who went to Kansas City as a free agent.

In the second round, the Cowboys drafted Connor Williams, an offensive lineman from the University of Texas. Williams grew up in the Dallas area. Williams played tackle in college, but may transition to guard. Williams was seen as a first round or early second round talent, but the Cowboys were able to select him with the 50th overall pick. He will bolster the team's offensive line, which is already the team's strongest unit.



Michael Gallup, a wide receiver from Colorado State, was the team's third round pick. Gallup was an All-American at Colorado state. Last year, Gallup caught over 100 passes for over 1,000 yards. Gallup could win a starting job or provide depth at the wide receiver position for Dallas.

With their first pick in the fourth round, the Cowboys selected Dorrance Armstrong, jr. a defensive end from Kansas University. Armstrong can rush the quarterback and bat down passes. As the quarterback steps up in the pocket, Armstrong can tackle him from behind.

In the fourth round, the Cowboys also selected Dalton Schultz, a tight end from Stanford. Schultz runs routes well, has good hands and can fight for every yard. Schultz can line up on either side of the line of scrimmage. He can line up on the line or in the slot. In addition to blocking at the line, he also can block down field. Schultz will not be a full time starter, but he can compete for snaps and get playing time.

In 2018, the Cowboys will have to adjust to the release of Bryant. Defenses may play an extra man in the box to stop Elliott. Defenses may not respect the Cowboys' receivers. The receivers will have to prove themselves so that defenses will take them seriously. The Cowboys have no certain number one receiver, so teams do not have to double team one of the receivers. Elliott is a good runner, but he will be more successful if defenses have to guard against the pass. The need to establish respect for their receivers will be one of the biggest challenges the Cowboys face in 2018.

However, the absence of a number one wide receiver may be good for Dallas. Prescott will not have pressure to force the football to one player. He can make his reads and pass the ball to the open receiver. The absence of this kind of pressure may give Prescott the confidence that he needs to make his own decisions. The Cowboys may do fine without a number one receiver. They may have enough cululative talent at the position to offset the need for a go to receiver.

Defensively, the Cowboys also will have challenges. Can Demarcus Lawrence prove that last year was not a fluke? Lawrence was one of the better pass rushers in the NFL last year. He finished with 14.5 sacks last season. Can he duplicate that next season?



The Cowboys face many questions entering the 2018 season.

Can Sean Lee stay healthy? Lee, when healthy, is one of the best linebackers in the NFL. He is the leader of the Cowboys' defense. He is a good tackler and leader. If he can stay healthy, he can anchor the Cowboys' linebackers and their overall defense.

The Cowboys' defense is improving. The team has made good draft picks and they are gradually becoming a solid defense. Will that improvement be enough for Dallas to be one of the better defenses in the NFC? Will they be able to create more turnovers this season? Marinelli puts a premium on creating turnovers, but so far the Cowboys have not been able to consistently create turnovers during Marinell's tenture as defensive coordinator.

Will the Cowboys be able to overcome the loss of Bryant and the retirement of Witten? Both experienced much success in Dallas during their careers. Both were go to guys in the Cowboys' offense. Prescott will have to spread the football around to different receivers. The Cowboys do not have a number one receiver. They do not have a go to receiver. So, they will have to rely on many different receivers.

Will Elliott remain active and avoid future suspensions? Elliott is a talented running back, but he needs to behave in a mature manner off of the field. He needs to stay out of trouble and avoid being suspended in the future.

Will the Cowboys' offensive line remain a strength? Dallas' offensive line is among the best in the NFL. Tyrone Smith, Zach Martin, Travis Frederick, Connor Williams and La'el Collins make up a formidable offensive line. The Cowboys' offensive line is especially good in the running game. They could still improve in the passing game, but they are the best run blocking offensive line in football. The Cowboys' offensive line needs to continue to be the major strength of the team.

The Cowboys need to continue to make good decisions in the draft. Successful teams build through the draft. Successful teams draft the right players and develop them. The best teams annually add talent to their team through the draft. It is the best way to build a good team. Draft picks in the NFL are very valuable. Teams need to draft starters in the first three rounds. Teams need to draft good back up players in rounds 4-6. Additionally, teams need to acquire good non drafted free agents. The Cowboys need to continue to develop through the draft. They need to accurately assess college players and pick the right players for their team.

The Cowboys may be on the verge of another successful era. They have improved over the last few years and appear to be headed in the right direction.