Tag Archives: NFL Draft

Red’s 2026 NFL Deadman of the Year Award

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Red’s 2025 NFL Deadman of the Year Award

Every year – at least when he bothers to provide his faithful readers with actual NFL picks – Red selects a player to receive the Deadman of the Year award.  This dubious honor goes to the player who might as well have been dead for all the good he did his team in 2025.  Those out for injuries generally are not up for consideration although some exceptions have been made in the past.  There were some serious contenders in 2025.  Patrick Mahomes’ performance confirmed the end of the Chiefs Dynasty and he was helped by lackluster numbers from Travis Kelce.  But both players would have had decent seasons for almost any other franchise.  JJ McCarthy clearly established that the Vikings made a huge mistake in showing Darn Old Sam the door.  C. J. Stroud continues to unimpress with a mediocre season lowlighted by his 4 INTs in the Texans second round playoff game against New England – who showed just how undeserving they were in the Superb Owl. If coaches were eligible, Pete Carroll would certainly be in the mix racking up the worst record in Raiders’ history.  If he had recovered from his Achilles tendon rupture, Red has no doubt that DeShaun Watson might have been a contender.  There is always 2026 DW!  After careful consideration and about 5 minutes of internet scrolling, this year’s award goes to a player who was not injured but whose underperformance  on the field merited him the honor. 

TUA TAGOVAILOA

Let’s start with the stats.  TT led the league in one category – Interceptions with 15 – including Hat Tricks in Weeks 6 and 7.   You might think that was somewhat offset by his 20 Touchdown tosses, but one must remember that he was benched after Week 15 after 14 games in favor  of Quinn Ewers a  rookie seventh round draft pick.  Not known as a runner TT managed to amass a mighty total of 42 yards rushing.  Sacks were not a huge problem with only about 30 beat downs.  Seemingly on the verge of maybe turning it around after a dreadful 2-7 start, the Fins had won 4 in a row going into the Steelers game.  Red must digress when he notes that passer rating is a stat that eludes him.  Somehow TT managed a 113.2 rating in what would be his  final game of the season – a 15-28 loss that really wasn’t that close in Pittsburgh.  The real kicker, however, was TT’s 4 year $212 million contract.  The Dolphins had to ditch him and will be sucking salary cap gas for another two seasons. Good luck in Atlanta Tua!  Maybe Q. Ewers is the answer, but I wouldn’t hold my breath.  Sad times on South Beach. 

Congratulations Mr. Tagovailoa – You are the 2025 Deadman of the Year.

Red’s 2026 NFL Picks – NFC East

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Red’s 2026 NFL Picks –  NFC East

Red traditionally starts with the NFL East.  Don’t ask why – because he doesn’t know. 

Philadelphia –  Let’s start with the two-time reigning NFC East and 2024 NFL champs.  2025 finished on a disappointing note.  After a nice 8-2 start, the Eagles lost 3 straight and floundered to a 11-6 finish not quite good enough to secure a first round bye.  That resulted in a Wild Card round close 23-19 loss to the 49ers.  Red notes that a surprising 22 games in NFL history have ended with that somewhat odd score.  Jalen Hurts (known to some as the most polarizing QB in the NFL) is still in his prime.  Can the experience of the venerable Red Rifle  aka Andy Dalton help Hurts overcome some of the errors of his ways?  Hurts has Saquon Barkley hoping to defy old man time for at least one more season.  He is effectively entering his 8th season have missed most of 2020 with only 19 carries. A few RBs continue to excel after 7 seasons but they are the exception to the rule.  As such, the Eagles had best not count on another 300 plus touches from Barkley in 2026.  And maybe that will not be necessary. The receiving corps gets a welcome addition in first round pick Makai Lemon and possibly free agent Marquise Brown.  Maybe Tank Bigsby lives up to his name to take some heat off of Saquon in short yardage situations.  What does not seem questionable is the Eagles defense.  Red expects the No Phly Zone to be in rare form in 2026.  Questions about a 5th offensive coordinator in 5 seasons are certainly reasonable, but HC SirIanni has shown that he knows how to win with a 59-26 record over 5 seasons – second in winning percentage only John Madden and Vince Lombardi.  Not bad company for a team that actually plays in the city in its name.  Eagles go 12-5 and win the East rather easily. 

Washington  –  The former OTNAs if you have to ask you have not been paying attention) who play in Maryland are a sexy pick to challenge for a playoff spot in 2026 after a disappointing 5-12 record last season.  Let’s face it – an 8 game losing streak is tough to overcome.  And on top of that, the Commandos were the first NFL team ever to lose four consecutive games by 21 or more points.  But as all NFL fans know, every year one formerly pathetic excuse for a professional football team rises from the dustbin and makes the playoffs.  Red is not calling the Commandos his “2026 NFL Team of Destiny” just yet, but he thinks that the DC faithful will not be dissatisfied in December.  Jayden Daniels and Terry McLaurin are back. New additions include  Laremy Tunsil who may have something left in the tank, Deebo Samuel a reliable option at WR and Von Miller and Will Harris on defense. Dan Quinn is an experienced and successful Head Coach and while memories are short, this team did go 12-5 in 2024.  Commanders will finish 10-7 with an outside shot at a Wild Card spot.

New York –  The New York Football Giants who play in New Jersey. Most predict the Giants to be around 7-10 in 2026.  Red certainly has no love lost for Trump bootlicker Jaxson Dart, but he is a competent NFL QB with a good crop of receivers.  Red does like Tyrone Tracy, Cam Skattebo and if they stay healthy the Giants’ rushing attack will take a lot of pressure off of Dart. Abdul Carter looks like a superstar in the offing at outside LB for a defense that could set a new team sack record. If they knock off the Cowboys in Week 1, they have 3 very winnable games in their next 6 when facing, the Titans, Cardinals and Saints.  A 4-3 record going into their bye week sets them up nicely.  It gets much tougher after that and some upsets will be needed to bring home an 8-9 record and win the tie-breaker with Dallas for 3rd spot in the East.  Giants 8-9.

Dallas –  The Cowboys (who play in Arlington) are clearly in decline.  Since back to back to back 12-5 seasons, the team has won only 7 games the past two seasons and of course, missed the playoffs.  Since 1996, the Cowboys have won a grand total of 4 playoff games.  If you are not a math whiz that is one playoff win on average every 7.5 seasons.  So first, what do the Cowboys have going for them this season.  They still have the best kicker in the league in Brandon Aubrey and added George Pickens at wide receiver.  The defense was not technically the worst in the NFL in 2025 but it wasn’t for lack of trying.  Only the Jets gave up more points and only the Bengals and Commandos gave up more yards per game. The run defense was bad, but the passing defense was truly atrocious giving up more yards per game than any other team. (NOTE:  If defenses could win Deadman of the Year – the Cowboys would have swept the field.  Maybe Red needs to rethink his award strategy!) Yes, the defense will not be as truly terrible as it was in 2025, but . . .   Anyhow, Red will continue here with his traditional beef.  A team that has not really sniffed a chance at a Conference Championship appearance, much less a Superb Owl in 30 years gets 9 national TV appearances yet again.  That includes the big time Week 1 Sunday night game, one more Sunday night game against Green Bay in October followed by a Monday night showdown with the Eagles, the mandatory Thursday night game, another Monday nightery  in December and 4 late afternoon Sunday games including the prime Thanksgiving spot.  Only one of the late pm games is time zone related when they play the Rams in late December.  Cowboy haters will have their hands full.  Cowboys go 8-9 and round out the bottom of the NFC East.

Red’s 2026 NFL Picks – NFC North

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Red’s 2026 NFL Picks – NFC North

The old black and blue division is not so black and mostly blue these days.  Red hates picking this division more than he hates tuna salad.  These teams would do well to move to the CFL.

Green Bay –  Red goes against the majority of the pundits with this pick.  Red has lots of love for Mr. Love coming off a career year.  He has good targets in Watson, Reed and rookie Matthew Golden.  Josh Jacobs is a good workhorse back.  The defense will be challenged with Micah Parsons out for the first part of the season and what may be a somewhat shaky secondary.  Why is Red picking the Pack?  Your guess is as good as his.  Games against the Lions in late October and to close out the season could determine the Packers fate.  Red goes out on a limb to call it a 12-5 season for the Packers.

Detroit  – The Lions are the betting line favorite to win the North yet again despite tanking it last year.  Red was unimpressed with just about everything this team did last season.  After winning the division in 2023 and 2024, the Lions finished dead last in 2025.  Yeah, behind the Vikings.   Okay, the Lions were a bit more than decimated (look up the actual definition) by injuries last season.  They still have offensive standouts in Gibbs (now backed up by Isiah Pacheco), and St. Brown.  TE is a question mark.  And who could not like defense with names like DJ Wonnum and Rock Ya-Sin. The last place finish does afford the Lions a relatively easy schedule.  No other team gets to play the dregs like the Titans, Saints, Jets,  Dolphins, Giants and Cardinals. It’s easy to see six wins right there.  With a bit of luck in the division, the Lions could be looking at ten wins or more.  Red goes all in for the Lions to get a Wild Card spot at 10-7.

Chicago  – The Bears had seven 4th Quarter comebacks in 2025 – some of them being fairly wild.  The Bears also were plus 22 in the turnover department.  The odds of both of those things happening again in 2026 are pretty slim.  The Bears are also going to be overly dependent on their very strong rookie class.  That bodes well for the future, but maybe not just yet.  The Bears defense will remain the core of the team and keep them in a lot of games.  Thieneman and Elliott are on track to be very good players. Red just doesn’t see the Bears repeating.  They will fight with the Lions for the last Wild Card spot.  Bears go 10-7.

Minnesota – Red has already given the Vikings the boo bird for letting Darn Old Sam slip away and win an NFL Championship.  What is the fix?  Bringing in Kyler Murray to compete with JJ McCarthy for the starting job?  Red wonders what went into that decision.  There is no doubt that the Vikings have one of the best receiving corps in the business with Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, Jauan Jennings and TJ Hockenson (that’s a lot of J’s).  Fantasy players have to scroll down pretty far to find Jordan Mason and Aaron Jones (yet more J’s) on the RB list.  The Vikings look like a throw to set up the run team.  That requires some to make throws.  Red doesn’t see it.  Vikings miss out at 7-10.

P.S.  If you haven’t watched a CFL game you are missing out. 

Red 2026 NFL Picks – AFC North

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AFC – North

Remind Red which teams are in this division.

Baltimore  – Red went heavily in on the Ravens in his top tier fantasy team last season and the result was – not so good.  In the immortal words of W. Bush (channeling The Who), “Fool me once – shame on you [awkward pause] – you can’t get fooled again.”  Unfortunately, it is all too easy to fool Red these days.  A new HC in Jesse Minter might breathe some life back into what was a rather moribund offense in 2025.  But there are a lot of question marks at WR and the O line looks mediocre at best.  The defense is still solid and Derrick Henry remains a stud.  The Ravens have what is likely the easiest opening stretch in the league. Their first six games are against the Colts, Saints, Cowboys (in Rio de Janeiro), Titans, Falcons and Browns.  Not one of those teams had a winning record last year.  But 4 of those games are on the road.  If the Ravens can get off to a 5-1 start, then maybe just maybe.  Red is back in the fold calling it 11-6 for the Ravens.

Cincinnati –  Perhaps the most underperforming team in 2025.  Joe Burrow is back and the Bengals can win with him – if he stays on the field.  That is the big question.  But with the ageless Flacco Joe waiting in the wings . . .   There is no shortage of offensive talent at WR and RB if the helmsman is steady.  Defense is good enough. The schedule is about average.                                                                                                                                                                 Bengals are maybe in at 9-8.

Pittsburgh – The Tomlin era is over and the pundits don’t have much faith in the Stealers’ chances in 2026. If you are one of the Stealers faithful thinking that Mike McCarthy is going to lead them to the promised land, Red has choice real estate in southern Iran he would like to sell you.  Red has seen an AI projection having A. Rodge throw for 4141 yards and 20 TDs.  Red knew that AI was a scam or perhaps in debt to the Mob. The team did invest in new talent this year getting WR M. Pittman, Jr., RB R. Dowdle and some decent draft picks.  The defense has been the linchpin of this team for quite some time, but the crew underperformed in 2025 and isn’t getting any younger.  The schedule is not great either.  The Falcons, Browns twice, Saints (in Paris), and Titans are likely wins.  It’s hard to pick out another 4-5 wins.  Red calls it 7-10 for the Stealers.

Cleveland – If you are a Browns fan, here are your choices.  Dupe or masochist. If you are a Browns quarterback here are your choices.  Really there is no choice, you will be lucky to get out alive.  In turn, the Browns will be lucky to go 4-13 and win a couple of games by accident. 

Bill O’ the Clown Triumphs in First Round of 2020 NFL Draft

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All you Texans’ fans can be proud of what Head Coach/GM Bill O’Brien did in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft.  Absolutely nothing.  Red was expecting Bill to trade away some more draft picks and All-Pro talent to pick up a player in the first round that the experts had going in the third round at best.  So Kudos to Bill for sitting on your hands.

It won’t last.