DID THE BILLS STRIKE GOLD ON NATHAN PETERMAN?
Add ESPN quarterback guru Jon Gruden to the list of analysts on board with Nathan Peterman as a future starting QB for the Buffalo Bills.
Said Gruden, “He is sharp. I think he’s going to be a real good pro quarterback.”
Extremely wishful thinking: Could Peterman be Buffalo’s version of New England’s Tom Brady.
Peterman was the eighth QB selected in the 2017 college draft and No. 171st pick overall.
Brady famously was the 199th overall pick and the seventh QB picked in the 2000 draft. The QBs chosen ahead of him were Chad Pennington (18th), Giovanni Carmazzi (65th – never played in the NFL but did have a brief career in the CFL), Chris Redman (75th), Tee Martin (163rd), Marc Bulger (168th) and Spergon Wynn (183rd by Cleveland).
The bottom line: Enough respected analysts are touting Peterman that I believe there is a good chance that he was a fifth-round steal for Buffalo...I believe Peterman is a cinch to make Buffalo’s 53-man roster because he’d almost certainly be snapped up by another team if the Bills put him on the practice squad or exposed him to waivers...I believe he is more certain to make the active roster than T.J. Yates or Cardale Jones.
THE FIRST VEGAS TOTAL OVER-UNDER WINS FOR THE BILLS IS ONLY 6
The first Las Vegas list of over/under wins for the 2017 NFL season suggests that the Buffalo Bills will not be burdened by inflated expectations.
South Point Casino has posted Buffalo’s over/under wins at six. I think Buffalo is good for at least seven wins.
Here’s the breakdown by divisions:
AFC East – Patriots NFL-most 11 wins (why not? New England has won at least 12 games for seven straight seasons)...Dolphins 7.5...Bills 6...Jets 5.5
AFC North – Steelers 10.5...Ravens 9.5...Bengals 8.5...Browns 4
AFC South – Titans 9.5...Colts 9...Texans 8-5...Jaguars 5.5
AFC West – Raiders 9.5...Chiefs 9...Broncos 8.5...Chargers 7.5
NFC East – Cowboys 9.5...Giants 9...Eagles 8.5...Redskins 7.5
NFC North – Packers 10...Vikings 8.5...Lions 8...Chicago 5
NFC South – Falcons 10...Panthers 9...Saints 8.5...Buccaneers 8
NFC West – Seahawks 10.5...Cardinals 7.5...Rams 5.5...49ers 4.5.
FIVETHIRTYEIGHT COMPUTER LOVES WARRIORS...SHORTCHANGING CAVS?
The trusty FiveThirtyEight computer posted probabilities for the eight teams advancing to the NBA conference semifinals to win the NBA championship.
The computer made Golden State the healthy favorite. That figured. But it spit out little respect for the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers.
Here were the odds to win the conference finals Golden State 76 percent...Boston 45 percent...Toronto 23 percent...Cleveland 17 percent...Washington 14 percent...San Antonio 12 percent...Utah 7 percent...Houston 6 percent.
Odds to win the championship Golden State 69 percent...San Antonio 9 percent...Boston 8 percent...Houston 4 percent...Utah 4 percent...Toronto 3 percent...Cleveland 2 percent (I believe the computer needs some new parts)...Washington 2 percent.
Westgate Las Vegas Superbook posted these odds to win the championship: Golden State 5-to-12 (bet $12 to win $5)...Cleveland 7-to-2...San Antonio 8-to-1...Boston 20-to-1...Houston 20-to-1...Toronto 40-to-1...Washington 60-to-1...Utah 80-to-1.
WILL AARON JUDGE START IN THE ALL-STAR GAME?
We keep waiting for Yankees slugger Aaron Judge to cool off. It hasn’t happened yet.
Judge had 2 HRs and 4 RBI in New York’s 11-5 home win over Toronto Tuesday night. In his last 5 games, he has 5 HRs and 10 RBI.
A few weeks ago, I was wondering if fans would make Judge a starting outfielder for the American League in this summer’s All-Star Game as a write-in.
The All-Star Game official ballot went online this week and Judge is on it. His chances of starting in the 2017 All-Star Game went way up.
He has the numbers (so far), imposing size (6-foot-7 and 280 pounds), power, athleticism and charisma to be voted in. His numbers entering Wednesday: .313 batting average (26-for-83), 26 runs, 12 HRs, 25 RBI, and 1.219 OPS (.424 on-base percentage + .795 slugging percentage).
He leads the American League in runs, HRs and OPS (Mike Trout is second at 1.160) and second in RBI is Minnesota’s Miguel Sano (27).
The Yankees used to have lots of starting outfielders in All-Star Games. Babe Ruth started in the first two All-Star Games in 1933 and 1934.
Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle , Dave Winfield, Reggie Jackson and Bobby Murcer were chosen many times.
The most recent outfielders to start in All-Star Games were Rickey Henderson and Winfield in 1988, Paul O’Neill in 1997, Bernie Williams in 2000, Hideki Matsui in 2003 and Curtis Granderson in 2011 and 2012.
Judge also has a chance to be the 10th Rookie of the Year for the Yankees, following Gil McDougald, Bob Grim, Tony Kubek, Tom Tresh, Stan Bahnsen, Lou Piniella, Thurman Munson, Dave Righetti and Derek Jeter. He’d definitely have the highest uniform number (99) on the list.
SHORT SHOTS
Westgate Las Vegas Superbook NFL Week 1 odds list Buffalo as a 6 ½-point favorite over the visiting New York Jets. New Bills coach Sean McDermott gets an early break from the schedule-maker.
NFL.com’s Chad Reuter’s “snap grades: for the 2017 NFL draft had only three “A” grades: Buffaslo, Houston and Pittsburgh. He gave the Bills a grade “A” for each of the three days.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...
Wednesday May 3 – Domantas Sabonis (21)...Ben Revere (29)...Joseph Addai (34)...Tyronn Lue (40)..Ron Hextall (53)....Jeff Hornacek (54)...Rod Langway (60)...Greg Gumbel (71)...Norm Chow (71)...Davey Lopes (72). Frankie Valli (83) can sing Happy Birthday.
Thursday May 4 – Karlos Williams (24)...Victor Oladipo (25)...Rory McIlroy (28)...Kyle Singler (29)...George Hill (31)...Kevin Slowey (33)...Derek Roy (34)....James Harrison (39)...Mastthew Barnaby (44)...Dawn Staley (47)...Fred Stanfield (73).