⚾️ Baseball Walk-Offs, QB News, + Our AFC North Preview

Good Morning, Blitzers!

In today's edition, we're diving into the gritty world of the AFC North, breaking down each team's prospects for the upcoming NFL season. We'll also catch you up on some headline-making NFL player news, including Tua Tagovailoa's candid comments and the Commanders' new QB1. Plus, don't miss our MLB game highlights, featuring some electric walk-off home runs. Let’s go!

WTF Stat: The AFC North is the only division in the NFL in which no member team has hosted a Super Bowl in their stadiums. The division, however, has won eight Super Bowl titles (six for Pittsburgh and two for Baltimore) in total.

🏈 Tua Tagovailoa, the Miami Dolphins quarterback, candidly discussed the difference between his positive experiences under current coach Mike McDaniel versus his negative experience with former coach Brian Flores. Tagovailoa said, “You could be the president of the United States, you have a terrible person telling you things that you don't want to hear or probably shouldn't be hearing, you're going to start believing that about yourself. And so that's what sort of ended up happening." Under McDaniel, Tagovailoa's performance has improved significantly, leading to a lucrative contract extension and his first Pro Bowl selection.

•  🔥 Take: Sheesh… tell us how you really feel. “If you woke up every morning and I told you that you suck at what you did, that you don't belong doing what you do…. How would it make you feel?” Uhh Tua, I have this same conversation every morning with the mirror.

🏈 The Commanders have officially named rookie QB Jayden Daniels as their starting quarterback. The announcement, made by head coach Dan Quinn, was expected since Daniels, the 2nd overall pick in the NFL draft, had been working with the first team in training camp for three weeks. This decision marks the seventh consecutive year Washington will start the season with a new quarterback.

• 🔥 Take: Crossing my fingers for you Commanders fans, all I ask is that you protect this man, don’t give him the RGIII treatment, or let him do something like this or this, the NFL is different.

🏈 Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert returned to practice on Monday after being sidelined with a plantar fascia injury in his right foot since July 31. Herbert had been expected to be ready for Week 1 and took part in 7-on-7 drills, showing "pinpoint accuracy" and looking "great," according to coach Jim Harbaugh.

•  🔥 Take: Quick, name me one skill player on the Chargers roster… You can’t, right? He’s going to have to have more than ‘pinpoint accuracy’ to make the offense go this year.

NFL SEASON PREVIEW - AFC NORTH

All four teams exited the 2023 regular season with winning records. Pound for pound the best division in the NFL, it’s very likely that they see at least three teams in the playoffs again, but which three? Welcome to the AFC North.

1. Baltimore Ravens

QB Lamar Jackson and the Ravens returned to the top of the AFC North last season after back-to-back disappointing seasons. Did they rest on their laurels? Nope. They went out and got RB Derrick Henry and RB Dalvin Cook to bolster the running game. The defense is projected to be the best unit in the league, led by LB Roquan Smith and CB Marlon Humphrey. As long as they stay healthy, this may be the year the Ravens find themselves competing for the Lombardi.

Biggest Additions: RB Derrick Henry, RB Dalvin Cook

Biggest Departures: LB Patrick Queen, EDGE Jadeveon Clowney, RB Gus Edwards, RB J.K. Dobbins, WR Devin Duvernay, G Kevin Zeitler, QB Tyler Huntley

Biggest Question: Do they have enough talent in the passing game to avoid becoming one-dimensional?

Playmakers: WR Zay Flowers and TE Mark Andrews - Andrews is in the conversation for best tight end in the game, aside from Mr. Taylor Swift, and Flowers showed explosive playmaking ability in his rookie season.

Name You Should Know: S Kyle Hamilton - Following in the footsteps of other great Ravens safeties, the do it all former Golden Domer is a force to be reckoned with.

Sleeper: EDGE Odafe Oweh - The sack totals in his first three years won’t blow your toupee off, but he’s a freak athlete with the chops to make QB’s lives difficult.

Projection: 13-4

2. Cincinnati Bengals

A year after getting back to the AFC championship game in 2023, last year the Bengals were derailed by QB Joe Burrow’s calf injury. Even with backup QB Jake Browning under center, they still limped their way to a winning record (9-8). Burrow is back, and with him, hope that the Bengals can get back to the promise land.

Biggest Additions: OT Trent Brown, S Geno Stone, TE Mike Gesicki, RB Zack Moss, S Vonn Bell, OT Amarius Mims (R)

Biggest Departures: RB Joe Mixon, TE Irv Smith Jr., CB Chidobe Awuzie, OT Jonah Williams

Biggest Question: Can the new additions to the offensive line keep Joey B on his feet and on the field?

Playmakers: WRs Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins - One of the best WR tandems in the NFL. With their best friend back under center should be back to their old tricks…torturing defensive coordinators.

Name You Should Know: DE Trey Hendrickson - somehow under the radar, despite being 2nd in the league in sacks with 17.5 last year. He’s had 10+ sacks over the past three seasons.

Sleeper: RB Chase Brown - Backfield mainstay Joe Mixon jumped ship leaving a vacancy for first mate to captain Joe Burrow. Reports out of camp are that Brown is the guy to do it.

Projection: 12-5

3. Cleveland Browns

The defense is led by arguably the biggest freak athlete in the league in DE Myles Garrett and a fierce secondary. The Browns gave up the least amount of yards per game in the NFL last year. The problem? QB Deshaun Watson couldn’t stay healthy and Nick Chubb’s knee exploded (NSFW) early in the season resulting in some pretty poor offensive play. Even if the offense doesn’t reach expectations, this is still a playoff-caliber team with an elite defense and a brick wall for an offensive line.

Biggest Additions: WR Jerry Jeudy, LB Devin Bush, QB Jameis Winston, LB Jordan Hicks

Biggest Departures: QB Joe Flacco, LB Anthony Walker, Jr. RB Kareem Hunt

Biggest Question: After Watson’s disappointing debut season, what version of the former Texan QB are they getting?

Playmakers: DEs Garrett and Za’Darius Smith - Only five sacks for Smith in 2023, but the pair are still one of the best pass rushing duos in the league.

Name You Should Know: CB Martin Emerson - In his second year the Mississippi State alum picked off four passes, look for that number to increase.

Sleeper: QB Jameis Winston - He may not be the starter, but if QB Deshaun Watson goes down, there are weapons aplenty in that offense for him to thrive…but at the very least he’ll be crushing pregame speeches.

Projection - 11-6

4. Pittsburgh Steelers

How does Mike Tomlin do it? Offensive coordinator drama, the combo of QB Kenny Pickett, QB Mitch Trubisky, and QB Mason Rudolph starting at QB and the Steelers STILL made the playoffs. So to make his life easier, he brought in QB Russell Wilson and offensive coordinator Arthur Smith…wait what? I said, easier. Sigh. The defense is still great, so there’s still a chance for this team to make a repeat trip to the playoffs, but I doubt it.

Biggest Additions: QB Russell Wilson, QB Justin Fields, LB Patrick Queen, WR Van Jefferson, OL Troy Fautanu

Biggest Departures: QB Kenny Pickett, QB Mason Rudolph, WR Diontae Johnson

Biggest Question: Is Russell Wilson or Justin Fields the answer to the recent offensive woes in the Steel City?

Playmakers: EDGE TJ Watt and S Minkah Fitzpatrick - Watt led the league in sacks will continue to harass QBs and Minkah is a beast on both the run and the pass.

Name You Should Know: WR George Pickens - Very productive in his first two seasons, and the Steelers had enough faith in him to trade away WR Diontae Johnson, and make him the #1 guy this year.

Sleeper: WR Calvin Austin III - New OC Arthur Smith loves his gadget players and Austin (and his 4.32 in the 40 speed) fits that mold.

Projection: 8-9

• New York Mets 4, Baltimore Orioles 3 : Francisco Alvarez blasted a walk-off home run in the ninth inning to send the Mets’ faithful into a frenzy. Alvarez, who had been in a slump, hit a no-doubter on a 3-0 fastball for his first game-ending hit in the majors. J.D. Martinez and Tyrone Taylor also contributed with a two-run homer and an RBI single, respectively, helping the Mets close in on a National League wild card spot. Ramón Urías tied the game for the Orioles in the seventh inning with a homer, but Alvarez’s late-game heroics secured the Mets' win.

Key Highlight: Ladies and gentlemen, this is how you celebrate a walk-off home run, take notes:

• Houston Astros 5, Boston Red Sox 4: Yainer Diaz hit a walk-off shot to complete the comeback victory. The Astros had tied the game in the eighth with an RBI single by Mauricio Dubón. Despite making four errors, Houston secured their 11th win in 12 games. The Red Sox took an early lead with a leadoff home run by Jarren Duran and a two-run homer by Masataka Yoshida.

Key Highlight: Another walk-off, phenomenal announcing here:

• Arizona Diamondbacks 9, Miami Marlins 6, Rookie Adrian Del Castillo powered the D-Backs to a 9-6 win over the Marlins with his first career grand slam and six RBIs. Del Castillo, a Miami native and former University of Miami player, has been on fire since his call-up, hitting .333 with 14 RBIs in nine games. He also recorded his first career stolen base. The Diamondbacks, who are 29-13 since July 1, got additional home runs from Joc Pederson and Jake McCarthy. Arizona starter Brandon Pfaadt allowed four runs in 5 1/3 innings. Despite a rally from the Marlins, Arizona held on for the win.

Key Highlight: Have a day rook:

• San Diego Padres 5, Minnesota Twins 3: Jackson Merrill's three-run double propelled the Padres to a 5-3 victory in a matchup of playoff contenders. Michael King pitched six solid innings for San Diego, allowing two runs while striking out six. The Padres, who have been on a hot streak with a 21-5 record since July 20, bounced back after a tough series in Colorado. Twins pitcher Zebby Matthews, making his second major league start, allowed five runs (two earned) over five innings. The Twins took an early 1-0 lead, but the Padres responded quickly and held on for the win, with Robert Suarez securing his 28th save.

Key Highlight: Anyone else think he’s got a little Freddie Freeman in this swing?

See the full MLB scoreboard here and the current standings here.

On this day in 1938, Yankee legend Lou Gehrig hits his record setting 23rd grand slam. A record he would hold until 2013 when Alex Rodriguez surpassed him. Gehrig is most famous for his consecutive games played streak which he held for 56 years until Cal Ripken Jr. passed him in 1995. Gehrig's streak ended when he took himself out of the lineup due to an undiagnosed ailment, later confirmed as ALS, now commonly known as 'Lou Gehrig's disease'

Trivia Time Answer

D. Johnny Unitas - The Baltimore Colts quarterback had a streak of 47 consecutive games with a touchdown pass, a record that stood for 52 years before being broken by Drew Brees (with 54 in a row). What makes the streak so impressive is that Unitas started 101 fewer games than Brees and he attempted 5,000+ fewer passes in his career.