The Broncos Have a New Starting QB 🐎, Votto Hangs Up the Cleats ⚾️ + Our NFC North Preview

Good Morning, Blitzers!

Happy almost Friday! We've got ourselves some NFL, College Football, and MLB news hot off the presses. Plus, we have our NFC North Preview, and the week of walk-off hits continues, including an incredible helmet toss. Helmet tosses can't be taught; you have to be born with it, and Jesse Winker was born with it. Ready to dive in? Well, giddyup!

WTF Stat: Each team in the NFC North has been one win away from a perfect regular season, except the Lions. The 1985 Bears, 1998 Vikings, and 2011 Packers all went 15-1. The Lions tied their best win total ever last year with their 12-5 season.

🏈 Broncos rookie QB Bo Nix, has been named the starter for the team's opener against the Seahawks. This makes Nix the first Broncos rookie QB to start a season opener since QB John Elway in 1983. Nix, who was the 12th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, impressed during preseason, leading scoring drives in six of seven possessions over two games. Nix beat out veteran QBs Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson.

• 🔥 Take: I thought the Broncos made a huge mistake reaching into the first round to draft Nix. But he’s shown pretty quickly that he belongs… So I’m going to sit this one out.

⚾️ Joey Votto, the longtime Cincinnati Reds first baseman, has announced his retirement at age 40. A six-time All-Star and the 2010 National League MVP, Votto spent his entire 17-year MLB career with the Reds, recording a .294 batting average, 356 home runs, and 1,144 RBIs.

• 🔥 Take: Is Votto a Hall of Famer? I believe any player that has a long career, has the counting stats, and was top 5 player in the league for 5+ years should be in. Votto meets those requirements, as he was incredible from 2010-2013 and 2015-2018. From the analytical department, he finished with a 64.5 WAR (average for Hall of Famers is between 50 to 70). He’s top 60 all-time in both OBP and OPS. Put him in.

⚾️ Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz made history last night by becoming the fifth player in MLB history to achieve at least 20 home runs and 60 stolen bases in a single season. De La Cruz is the youngest Reds player to steal 60 bases in a season and the youngest player in MLB to do so since 2005. The other members of the 60/20 club include: Ronald Acuña Jr., Ricky Henderson (3x), Eric Davis, and Joe Morgan (2x).

• 🔥Take:  He’s only 22! With him and 24 year old Hunter Greene the Reds are a couple of pieces away from being a real contender. Now if they could only up their spending (they sit 25th in payroll this year and are spending ~$67 million less than league average) .

🏈 Iowa football coach Kirk Ferentz and assistant coach Jon Budmayr are facing one-game suspensions due to a violation related to the recruitment of transfer quarterback Cade McNamara, according to reports. Ferentz, the longest-tenured FBS coach, is being suspended following an NCAA investigation. The incident involves McNamara, who transferred to Iowa in December 2022 after previously playing for Michigan. McNamara is competing for the starting QB role at Iowa. The first game of the season is against Illinois State on August 31.

• 🔥 Take: Really NCAA? We’re still doing these types of investigations? We have teams putting QR codes on their helmets to raise funds for NIL. Pretending you have some sort of power anymore is just sad.

NFL SEASON PREVIEW - NFC NORTH

This next division has the potential to be must-watch television. Rivalries and superstars abound in the frozen tundra of the NFC North.

1. Detroit Lions

“I don’t care if you have one ass cheek and three toes, we’re going to kick your ass.” The mantra of head coach Dan Campbell finally came to fruition in 2023 when the Lions won its first division title since 1993, first playoff game since 1991, and a few bounces away from a Super Bowl appearance. The 2024 Lions come into the season with the rare, “high expectations.” With most of the team back, the Lions are equipped for another deep run in the playoffs.

Biggest Additions: CB Carlton Davis, DT DJ Reader, OG Kevin Zeitler, EDGE Marcus Davenport

Biggest Departures: TE Zach Ertz, S Tracy Walker, WR Josh Reynolds, OG Jonah Jackson, S C.J. Gardner-Johnson

Biggest Question: Was 2023 a flash in the pan or are the Lions a mainstay power in the NFC?

Playmaker: WR Amon-Ra St. Brown - the dude with the biggest chip on his shoulder emerged as one of the most consistent receivers in the NFL last season, top 5 in receptions, yards, and touchdowns last year.

Name You Should Know: DE Aidan Hutchinson - Posted double-digit sacks in 2023 and should continue an upwards trajectory into the upper echelon of NFL pass rushers.

Sleeper: WR Jameson Williams - The Lions let veteran Josh Reynolds walk, opening the door for former first round pick Williams to show he can be the Robin to St. Brown’s Batman. This is a make or break year for Williams.

Projection: 13-4

2. Green Bay Packers

Welp, here we go again. The Packers let a QB sit for a number of years and then when it’s his time to shine, he’s great. QB Jordan Love led the Pack back to the playoffs in 2023 and a first round win over Dallas before a narrow loss to eventual Super Bowl runner-up San Francisco. The Cheeseheads believe they have their QB for the next 15 years and will be a mainstay in the playoff hunt.

Biggest Additions: RB Josh Jacobs, S Xavier McKinney, OT Andre Dillard, S Javon Bullard, K Greg Joseph

Biggest Departures: OT David Bakhtiari, RB Aaron Jones, S Jonathan Owens (no more Simone Biles magic), OL Jon Runyan, Jr.

Biggest Question: Who becomes the dude in the packed WR room?

Playmaker: RB Josh Jacobs - 2023 was terrible for Jacobs after leading the league in rushing in 2022, if he can get back to form in 2024, the Packers offensive attack could be scary.

Name You Should Know: WR Jayden Reed - Burst onto the scene as a rookie scoring 10 TDs (8 rec, 2 rush).

Sleeper: WR Dontayvion Wicks - Another rookie that showed some spark in 2023 and has an opportunity to establish himself as a primary target for Love.

Projection: 12-5

3. Chicago Bears

The Justin Fields era is over, the QB Caleb Williams era is here. The Bears didn’t want to give Williams an empty cabinet either, they stocked the offense with weapons drafting WR Rome Odunze in the top 10, signing WR Keenan Allen and RB DeAndre Swift. Head Coach Matt Eberflus’ seat is red hot after two tumultuous losing seasons to start his tenure in the Windy City.

Biggest Additions: WR Keenan Allen, QB Caleb Williams (R), WR Rome Odunze (R), RB DeAndre Swift, S Kevin Byard, TE Gerald Everett, S Jonathan Owens

Biggest Departures: QB Justin Fields, DT Justin Jones, WR Equanimeous St. Brown, WR Darnell Mooney

Biggest Question: How long does it take for Caleb Williams to get acclimated to the NFL? (Bonus: How many times does he cry in his mom’s arms after losing? We kid, we kid.)

Playmakers: WRs Keenan Allen, DJ Moore, Rome Odunze - In theory, there is no better trio of receivers in the league.

Name You Should Know: Montez Sweat - Pass rush specialist the Bears got for a bag of footballs from the Commanders, has 41.5 sacks in 71 games played (0.5 sacks per game).

Sleeper: RB Roschon Johnson - The 4th round pick out of Texas could see an increase in workload especially if Swift can’t stay healthy.

Projection: 8-9

4. Minnesota Vikings

Another team with turnover at QB, the Vikings set QB Kirk Cousins adrift, drafted Michigan QB JJ McCarthy in the first round and signed beleaguered form first round pick QB Sam Darnold. McCarthy is out for the year, so the keys to the Skol Kingdom belong to Darnold, who is 21-35 as a starter. This season screams, REBUILD for Minnesota in a very competitive NFC North.

Biggest Additions: RB Aaron Jones, QB Sam Darnold, EDGE Dallas Turner (R), EDGE Andrew Van Ginkel, DT Jerry Tillery

Biggest Departures: QB Kirk Cousins, EDGE Marcus Davenport, EDGE Danielle Hunter, WR KJ Osborn, RB Alexander Mattison

Biggest Question: Did enough of San Francisco’s winning culture rub off on Darnold to make a difference?

Playmaker: WR Justin Jefferson - the most talented wide receiver in the NFL. Even missing seven games he still caught 68 passes for over 1,000 yards in 2023.

Name You Should Know: S Harrison Smith - Year 13 for one of the most consistent players in his generation, dude lays the lumber.

Sleeper: EDGE Dallas Turner - Tied for the most sacks in the SEC in 2023, with Danielle Hunter out, the opportunity to take his throne is there.

Projection: 5-11

• New York Mets 4, Baltimore Orioles 3 : No, this is not a repeat of Tuesdays headline. The Mets won again 4-3 with a walk-off home run against the Orioles. Jesse Winker played the hero in the 9th this time. Mets starter Sean Manaea was outstanding, retiring the first 17 batters before losing his perfect game bid in the sixth inning. Mark Vientos and Francisco Lindor also homered, helping the Mets take two of three in the series.

Key Highlight: Incredible helmet toss, amazing flow. 10/10. No notes.

• Philadelphia Phillies 3, Atlanta Braves 2: Brandon Marsh's pinch-hit sacrifice fly in the eighth inning lifted the Philadelphia Phillies to a 3-2 comeback win over the Atlanta Braves. The victory extended the Phillies' lead in the NL East to seven games over the Braves. Phillies starter Aaron Nola pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowing two runs, while Matt Strahm earned the win with a scoreless seventh inning.

Key Highlight: Orlando Arcia = Orlando Arseeya later is gold Jerry, gold:

• St. Louis Cardinals 10, Milwaukee Brewers 6: Nolan Arenado hit a grand slam in the 10th inning, leading the St. Louis Cardinals to a 10-6 comeback win over the Milwaukee Brewers. The victory snapped the Cardinals' seven-game losing streak and ended the Brewers' six-game winning streak. The Brewers led 6-4 after Joey Ortiz’s two-run double in the eighth, but Cardinals capitalized on Brewers closer Devin Williams' control issues, tying the game in the ninth with bases-loaded walks.

  For the Brewers, rookie Jackson Chourio went 4 for 5 with 2 RBIs, becoming the youngest player with a four-hit game since Juan Soto 2018.

Key Highlight: Nice to see some highlights from St. Louis:

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

On this day in 1989, Nolan Ryan strikes out his 5,000th batter. If you watched the video you’ll see he actually struck out another Hall of Famer, Rickey Henderson. Ryan would finish his career with a 5,714 strikeouts, the best of all-time, and a record that may never be broken.

Yesterdays Trivia Time Answer

Which Big Ten school holds the longest consecutive bowl game streak and 2nd longest all-time?

A. Nebraska - The Cornhuskers appeared in an NCAA-record 35 consecutive bowl games from 1969 to 2003. Following an appearance in the 2016 Music City Bowl, Nebraska owns a 26-26 all-time record in bowl games. Florida state has the all-time record with 36 bowl appearances in a row. Georgia holds the current active streak at 27.

Check back in tomorrow for todays trivia answer and more info!