Posted on by Michael Halpern

2016 Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Top 20 Second Basemen

The top 20 fantasy second basemen are not a particularly inspiring group of players. Former mainstays Dustin Pedroia and Brandon Phillips still couldn’t crack the list, as it is deep with mediocrity.

2016 Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Catcher/First Base/Shortstop/Third Base/Outfield(Top 25)/(Top 50)/(Top 75)/Starters(Top 25)/(Top 50)/(Top 75)/(Top 100)/Closer/Top 250 Overall

1) Jose Altuve HOU – Added power to his already impressive hitting profile last season. 2016 Projection: 90/14/64/.309/36

2) Dee Gordon MIA – Established himself as the real deal in 2015, but don’t expect him to keep up that .333 AVG. 2016 Projection: 85/5/49/.301/52

3) Robinson Cano SEA – Triple-slashed, .331/.387/.540, with 15 homers post all-star break. I’m smelling a bounce back season. 2016 Projection: 83/22/91/.293/4

4) Matt Carpenter STL – Hit 28 homers last season, after hitting 25 total homers in his career up until that point. The power is for real, but don’t expect 28 again. Played 11 games at 2B in 2015. 2016 Projection: 97/21/79/.277/3

5) Brain Dozier MIN – Gives you everything but AVG. 2016 Projection: 92/23/79/.245/13

6) Anthony Rendon WASH – Expected to be fully healthy coming into this season. Should bounce back from his injury riddled 2015. 2016 Projection: 87/19/77/.284/9

7) Rougned Odor TEX – Everyone’s favorite sleeper, and it is easy to see why. Hit 12 homers in only 68 post all-star break games as a 21-year-old. 2016 Projection: 80/20/76/.271/10

8) Ian Kinsler DET – Just keeps on chugging, putting up another top 5 2B finish last season. Should continue to rack up strong counting stats hitting atop Detroit’s lineup. 2016 Projection: 95/14/72/.283/9

9) Jason Kipnis CLE – Can’t count on him to really produce in any category except runs. I’m likely passing this year. 2016 Projection: 84/11/65/.272/14

10) Jonathon Schoop BAL – Another popular sleeper pick. Smashed 15 homers in only 305 at-bats last season. 2016 Projection: 70/22/78/.255/4

11) Addison Russell CHI-NL – Consensus top 10 prospect last year. Didn’t set the league on fire like some of his fellow rookies, but hit much better in the 2nd half. I’m buying his upside. 2016 Projection: 72/18/72/.268/10

12) Matt Duffy SF ­– Came out of nowhere to finish as a top 100 fantasy player. Should provide a little bit of everything. 9 games played at 2B in 2015. 2016 Projection: 70/11/67/.286/14

13) Daniel Murphy WASH – Carried the Mets offense with his power explosion during the 2015 playoffs. He isn’t Babe Ruth, but there is a good chance he will set a career high in homers in 2016. 2016 Projection: 70/17/73/.287/5

14) Starlin Castro NYY – Hit .295 after making an adjustment to his batting stance in the 2nd half. Still only 26 years old, don’t write Castro off just yet. 2016 Projections: 74/14/71/.283/7

15) Ben Zobrist CHI-NL – Will be hitting atop a stacked Cubs lineup in a good hitting ballpark. Joe Maddon loves to run too. 2016 Projection: 83/15/65/.273/8

16) Brett Lawrie CHI-AL – Hasn’t lived up to the potential of his rookie season, but is worth the shot at this point in the rankings. 2016 Projection: 69/18/74/.267/7

17) Howie Kendrick LAD – You know what you are getting with Kendrick. He will hit for a high AVG and not hurt you too much in any other category. 2016 Projection: 79/10/67/.290/10

18) Kolten Wong STL – Decent power/speed combo with upside for more. Might sit vs. lefties at times, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. 2016 Projection: 73/13/64/.264/15

19) Logan Forsythe TB – Triple-slashed, .281/.359/.444, with 17 homers, and 9 steals in a break out season last year. Remarkably consistent the entire year. Might be for real, but I can’t completely buy into the AVG. 2016 Projection: 74/16/65/.264/8

20) Neil Walker NYM – Won’t kill you but probably won’t help you all that much either. 2016 Projection: 68/17/67/.264/3

By Michael Halpern
Email: michaelhalpern@imaginarybrickwall.com

Posted on by Michael Halpern

2016 Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Top 20 First Basemen

We continue our 2016 fantasy baseball rankings with the top 20 first basemen. The position is strong and deep, as usual, but I would still target one of the elites.

2016 Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Catcher/Second Base/Shortstop/Third Base/Outfield(Top 25)/(Top 50)/(Top 75)/Starters(Top 25)/(Top 50)/(Top 75)/(Top 100)/Closer/Top 250 Overall

1) Paul Goldschmidt ARI – The gold standard. 2016 Projection: 101/31/115/.308/17

2) Miguel Cabrera DET­ – Many are worried about Cabrera’s health, but he is completely healthy coming into 2016. He feels good, strong, and like he can do anything. He told reporters earlier this off-season, “I feel good. I feel strong, like I can do anything.” 2016 Projection: 98/30/112/.324/3

3) Anthony Rizzo CHI-NL – Everyone’s favorite shiny new toy. But just can’t bump him over Cabrera quite yet. Still a 5-category beast. 2016 Projection: 99/33/108/.285/12

4) Edwin Encarnacion TOR – Coin flip between Encarnacion and Chris Davis for this spot. Both are going to mash. Davis will give you a few more homers, Encarnacion a better AVG. 2016 Projection: 94/37/110/.271/3

5) Chris Davis BAL – Look up one inch. 2016 Projection: 97/42/118/.258/2

6) Joey Votto CIN – The Reds are crumbling around him, but I’m not letting a guy who just put up a 1.000 OPS fall beyond this point. 2016 Projection: 95/28/85/.310/8

7) Jose Abreu CHI-AL – A bit of an unknown compared to the first six names on this list. Still provides elite upside. 2016 Projection: 89/33/108/.288/1

8) Eric Hosmer KC – There is a real drop off after Abreu. I like Hosmer’s solid 5-category production over the more established sluggers ranked below him. 2016 Projection: 93/20/92/.290/8

9) Adrian Gonzalez LAD – Safe and unexciting. Consistently good hitter in the middle of a good lineup. 2016 Projection: 82/26/98/.280/1

10) Albert Pujols LAA – The elite all-time greats like Pujols can defy the typical aging curve. He is ahead of schedule coming back from off-season foot surgery, and might be ready for opening day. 2016 Projection: 79/32/93/.263/3

11) Prince Fielder TEX ­– Logged 18 games at 1B last year, so make sure to check your league’s eligibility rules. The weirdest mix of upside, downside, and reliability, if that makes any sense. 2016 Projection: 80/26/100/.283/0

12) Buster Posey SFG – Wrote about Posey in my 2016 Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Top 20 Catchers post. 2016 Projection: 73/21/90/.312/2

13) David Ortiz BOS – 9 GS at 1B in 2015. Age defying beast. Ride him into the sunset. 2016 Projection: 71/31/101/.271/0

14) Freddie Freeman ATL – Talented young hitter who would rank higher if he was hitting in the middle of a better lineup. 2016 Projection: 78/24/89/.287/3

15) Kendrys Morales KC – Proved last season that his horrible 2014 was just a fluke. Hits in the middle of a strong KC lineup. 9 GS at 1B in 2015. 2016 Projection: 75/23/94/.280/0

16) Mark Teixeira NYY – Was enjoying a bounce back season in 2015 before fracturing his shin. Great source of affordable power if he can stay healthy. 2016 Projection: 76/30/95/.252/1

17) Brandon Belt SFG – Solid across the board production, but does not standout in any category. 2016 Projection: 78/20/80/.278/8

18) Byung-ho Park MIN – Jung-ho Kang’s success last season has raised the expectations for Park coming into 2016. Park smashed 105 homers his last two seasons combined in Korea. 2016 Projection: 76/23/81/.269/5

19) Lucas Duda NYM – Homers and RBI’s. Not much else. 2016 Projection: 72/28/90/.247/1

20) Carlos Santana CLE – Down year in 2015, but not ready to jump completely off the bandwagon yet. Silver lining, he stole 11 bases last season. 2016 Projection: 73/23/84/.243/6

By Michael Halpern
Email: michaelhalpern@imaginarybrickwall.com

Posted on by Michael Halpern

Jim Gaffigan, The Jim Gaffigan Show Review

Jim Gaffigan is a pioneer in the stand-up comedy world, blazing a trail for food obsessed people everywhere. He made “food comedy” a category all unto itself. You have to only watch his famous 5-minute bit on Hot Pockets to see what I mean. But Gaffigan is more than just a food comic. He has quietly built a reputation as one of the best stand-up comedians in the world. And he has now taken that finely tuned comedic material, and poured it into his new, aptly named show, The Jim Gaffigan Show.

The Jim Gaffigan Show centers around Gaffigan’s life as a stand-up comedian living in Manhattan with his wife and five children. The major themes of the show are food, family, friends, work, religion, and well, more food. In one scene, Gaffigan’s wife mocks him for getting banned from Big Gay Ice Cream, an ice cream shop in New York. His idea of cheating in Las Vegas is eating an entire red velvet cake in his hotel room alone at midnight, and then sheepishly lying to his wife about it, telling her he only ate half of the cake at midnight and the other half in the morning. He gets into a fight at the airport after eating another person’s momentarily unattended fries off their plate. The man has a problem, and it is hysterical.

While Gaffigan is certainly the star, Ashley Williams kills it in her role playing his wife, and carries more than her fair share of the weight. She is so convincing, that when I first saw the show, I thought it might have actually been Gaffigan’s real wife playing the role. Adam Goldberg plays the role of Gaffigan’s best friend, portraying a typical New York comic like Dave Attell. Michael Ian Black plays the role of Gaffigan’s wife’s gay best friend and ex-boyfriend. The obvious tension this creates between Gaffigan and Black is hilarious.

The Jim Gaffigan Show has flown mostly under the radar, which is odd because Gaffigan is an extremely popular stand-up comedian. Maybe it is because the show airs on TV Land, which despite its name, has yet to make much of a mark in the TV world. But the show deserves more exposure, and in the current comedy landscape where depraved humor is flourishing, it is nice to see a legitimately funny show that also has a heart. You can watch the first five episodes of Season 1 here. The schedule for Season 2 has not been released yet.

By Michael Halpern
Email: michaelhalpern@imaginarybrickwall.com

Posted on by Michael Halpern

Tyler O’Neill, 2016 Fantasy Baseball Prospect Sleeper

First, the bad news. Tyler O’Neill, OF, is a Seattle Mariners power hitting prospect. The prospect corpses of Dustin Ackley, Justin Smoak, Mike Zunino, and Jesus Montero still hover over this franchise. The 2014 6th overall pick, Alex Jackson, has actually regressed since joining Seattle. Their history isn’t pretty, and Mariner fans deserve our pity … and Seattle is a rainy city (ok, I think that will begin and end my foray into the poetry game). The bad news does not end there. O’Neill strikes out a ton (30.5% K%) and doesn’t walk much (6.5% BB%), either. So why would I like this guy at all? Because when O’Neill does make contact, he absolutely scorches the ball, and he is still only 20 years old, so there is plenty of time for improvement.

O’Neill triple-slashed, .260/.316/.558, with 32 homers, and 16 steals in 106 games played in the High-A California League last season, a hitter’s paradise. He made legitimate improvements during the season, doing his best work after returning from the 2015 Pan-Am games on July 23rd. From that point forward, he slashed, .280/.381/.702, with 16 homers in only 41 games. O’Neill credited his improvement to a new batting stance that allowed him to cover more of the plate, unlocking his power to all fields. He then put up .733 slugging percentage in the Arizona Fall League, jacking 3 homers in 31 PA. And about those Pan-Am games I mentioned earlier, he only won a gold medal with Team Canada, hitting 3 homers, one of which was a 3-run bomb to give Canada a 3-1 win over Cuba.

O’Neill’s best underlying skills are his plus bat speed and exit velocity, which have become the sexy stats du jour in the baseball community, especially with strikeouts sky rocketing around MLB. No longer is striking out the kiss of death, but when you do make contact, you better make it count. O’Neill also has a reputation for being an extremely hard worker. He wanted to improve his speed last off-season, and he did just that, stealing a career high 16 bases in 2015.

The risks are very real, but in fantasy baseball it is all about upside, and Tyler O’Neill is pure upside right now. In his prime, I will give him the projection of 73/25/88/.249/9, with room for much more if he can cut down on his strikeouts. His ETA is 2017-18.

By Michael Halpern
Email: michaelhalpern@imaginarybrickwall.com

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Who Is the Best Impractical Joker?

Hold up … before you crucify me for daring to pick a favorite Impractical Joker, which is like being forced to pick your favorite child, or pick your favorite dish at a Chinese restaurant (ok, this one might be just me), I want to highlight this is not about picking a favorite in that way. My favorite Joker can change episode to episode, and even within episodes. And we all know the key to the show is the genuine friendship between the guys, with the whole being greater than the individual parts.

This ranking is about appreciating the underlying skill, art, and performance of Joe, Sal, Murr, and Q, which often gets overlooked. We all watch the show to laugh, but there is a competition going on, as well. In order to find the “best” all around Joker, I broke it down into 4 categories: Versatility, Reactions, Guts, and Performance. I rank each Joker (1-4) within the categories, and the Joker who ends up with the least amount of points is our winner. Let’s get started:

Versatility – Whether saying stupid stuff to strangers in the park, or giving a business presentation to people dressed in suits, the Jokers need to blend in seamlessly in order to get the thumbs up.

1) Murr – One second he looks like “the government in a suit,” and the next he transforms perfectly into a pedophile lurking on the outskirts of a playground, or a pervert hiding in the bushes. A true chameleon.

2) Joe – Like Denzel Washington playing himself in every movie, Joe plays his different roles in a similar manner. He doesn’t change his personality around the role, he changes the role around his personality. It is a great shortcut if you have the ability to do it, and both Denzel and Joe do it well (I know you never thought Denzel Washington and Joey Gatto would be mentioned in the same sentence, but you were wrong).

3) Q – Will not overact a role, which makes him very believable. Finds a way to stay grounded in reality, no matter how crazy he is forced to act.

4) Sal – Wears his heart on his sleeve, and it does not lend well to blending into the more formal, business oriented tasks. He just can’t keep a straight face, but we love him for it.

Reactions – The Jokers can’t control how the public is going to react to their antics, but it is nonetheless a key part of the show. This category is for the Joker who gets the best reactions out of people.

1) Q – “Don’t call me mustache.” Need I say more?

2) Sal – This is where wearing your heart on your sleeve pays off. No matter what Sal says or does, people still feel comfortable around him, and very rarely clam up.

3) Murr – His ability to slip into any character is the same skill that makes people act a bit careful around him. He is almost too slick. But watching people slowly step away from him can be hysterical in its own right.

4) Joe – His own worst enemy, as he is just too damn funny. The people he is trying to get a reaction from, laugh just as much as we are laughing at home (and just as much as the other Jokers behind the camera as well).

Guts – Pretty self-explanatory.

1) Joe – Manages to keep his dignity no matter what he is forced to do. In fact, he is a master at turning whatever situation he is thrown in around in his favor.

2) Q – You can see Q flip a switch in his mind and decide he will do whatever it takes to win a task. He tried to grab another man’s crotch in the middle of a public park. If that won’t slow him down, nothing will.

3) Sal – You can sometimes see the hesitation on his face, but it does not prevent him from conquering his fears, and he seems to have a few of them (heights, germs, claustrophobia, hairless cats, etc …).

4) Murr – Random things will make Murr tap out when you least expect it. He will say some of the most offensive, crazy stuff on the show, but then refuse to say something relatively tame. The unpredictability lands him 4th in this category.

Performance – Although it is a competition, it is a TV show as well, and the masses must be entertained.

1) Sal – Can sing. Can dance. Has quick wit when he is not falling over in laughter. The total package.

2) Murr – Always has the big picture in mind. You can see him try to balance winning the task, with entertaining the fans at home.

3) Joe – Funny when he isn’t even trying. Dives belly first into every task, with comedy his number one goal.

4) Q – Has laser-like focus on winning the task, and might not always ham it up at the risk of a thumbs down.

Results:
Joe – 10
Sal – 10
Murr – 10
Q – 10

A four-way tie! This completely scientific study proves that it is in fact impossible to pick the best Impractical Joker. I should be ashamed for even trying.

By Michael Halpern
Email: michaelhalpern@imaginarybrickwall.com

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Jung-ho Kang, 2016 Fantasy Baseball Sleeper

Consider the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Jung-ho Kang’s knee injury a blessing in disguise, as it creates the last opportunity fantasy owners will have to draft Kang at anything that can be considered a value. Kang tore his left MCL and fractured his left tibia in a game last September, after being taken out at 2nd base by Chris Coghlan during a double play. His exact return date for next season is still uncertain, but he is expected to miss only a few weeks. Just enough time to scare off some of your opponents from drafting him, but not enough time to seriously hurt his overall 2016 fantasy value. And for Dynasty leagues, the missed time should not even make you blink an eye.

Kang is getting some love in the fantasy community, but not nearly enough. He can flat out hit. In only 54 post all-star break games last season, he triple-slashed, .310/.364/.548, and hit 11 homers. That was good for a .913 OPS. In 2014, he hit 40 homers in Korea. I would not be surprised if he ended up with the highest OPS of any SS eligible player this season. Not that I would bet on it, but I think it is a very realistic scenario. People are talking about Kang like he is a solid hitter that should provide decent value, but the numbers dictate he can be much more than that. Solid hitter is his floor.

Kang comes with 3B eligibility, as well. While his true value lies at SS, you never know when positional flexibility will come in handy. The knee injury will most likely limit his stolen base totals for next season, but he was not known as a burner anyway, so it shouldn’t affect his value too much.

Pittsburgh absolutely stole Kang right out from under the league’s nose last off-season, signing him to a 4-year deal, with only $11 million guaranteed. There is also a fifth year team option for $5.5 million. The knee injury gives fantasy owners the same opportunity for 2016. I will give Kang the projection of 70/20/70/.284/4 in 130 games played. In Dynasty leagues, Kang should be your number one target after all of the flashy names are off the board.

By Michael Halpern
Email: michaelhalpern@imaginarybrickwall.com

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John Lamb Out Until Mid-April After Off-Season Back Surgery

I was literally in the middle of writing a “John Lamb, 2016 Fantasy Prospect Sleeper” post, when news broke that LHP John Lamb, Cincinnati Reds, will likely be out until mid-April after undergoing off-season back surgery last December. He was originally expected to be ready by Opening Day, but it was recently revealed he is behind schedule, and mid-to-late April is now the more likely return date.

This certainly puts a major damper on Lamb’s 2016 fantasy value. Cincinnati does not have a shortage of young starting pitcher options they can now turn to, and there is no guarantee Lamb’s rotation spot will be waiting for him when he returns. The door is open for Michael Lorenzen, Tony Cingrani, Brandon Finnegan, Robert Stephenson, Cody Reed, or Amir Garrett to grab hold of that final rotation spot before Lamb can even get healthy. Lamb might have to wait for an injury to regain his spot.

This also raises some doubts about his overall future fantasy value. Lamb has an ugly injury history to begin with. After undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2011, he didn’t fully recover until last season. In 2013, his once dominant fastball barely cracked the mid 80’s. In 2014, he built himself back up to the point where he was hitting the low 90’s, and then in 2015, he was hitting 95 MPH on occasion. He put up a pitching line of 2.67/1.17/117 in 111.1 IP at Triple-A last year. He struggled in his major league debut, especially with the long ball, but there were some positive signs. He struck out 58 batters in 49.2 IP, and his 4.16 FIP looked much better than his 5.80 ERA. He pitched a career high of 161 innings, and had seemingly put his injury problems behind him. Except, as we just found out, he didn’t.

Lamb still has a bright future, but this definitely is a cold reality check that we can’t ignore his serious injury red flags. For 2016, his value plummets, and looks more like a good waiver add. In Dynasty Leagues, his value doesn’t drastically change, but I would move him down a few slots.

By Michael Halpern
Email: michaelhalpern@imaginarybrickwall.com

Posted on by Michael Halpern

truTV, Those Who Can’t

truTV has exploded onto the comedy scene of late, headlined by their hilarious hit show Impractical Jokers. But they have since built on that success. Billy on the Street, The Carbonaro Effect, and Fameless continued their foray into the prank, gritty, man on the street comedies, each one putting their own unique, funny twist on the genre. What was once a channel dedicated to true crime and real life courtroom drama, is now one of the leading channels for cutting edge comedy. That was some pivot. And now truTV is attempting to up the ante even higher, trying their hand at scripted comedy with their new show Those Who Can’t.

Those Who Can’t is a mash up of shows like It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Workaholics, and The League. The show centers around four high school teachers, who as the school’s secretary scolds them during the first episode, “all act like children, and now (they’re) in charge of children.” Imagine being able to play out the worst version of yourself, actually acting on that passing thought you would normally dismiss as a horrible idea. That is who these characters are. Benjamin Roy plays a history teacher, Adam Cayton-Holland plays the Spanish teacher, and Maria Thayer plays the librarian. Andrew Orvedahl stands out in his role as the gym teacher. He is the loveable idiot that just can’t catch a break, but is too stupid to realize it. You can’t help but root for him, but at the same time, you know it is only going to keep getting hilariously worse for him.

The only person trying to rein in the shenanigans of the main characters is the school’s permissive, new age hippie principal, played by Rory Scovel. And he absolutely steals the show. His best intentions of trying to create a Zen, relaxed atmosphere, and always trying to see the best in people, is completely trampled on and taken advantage of by the teachers. Watching his attempts to stay “centered” and keep his composure, while the gang drives him to his wit’s end, is downright hysterical.

With Those Who Can’t, truTV has proven their recent run of success is no fluke. And by entering the genre of scripted comedy, they have created an entirely new avenue to keep growing and climbing in the comedy world. I can’t wait to see what direction Those Who Can’t takes as season 1 progresses, and hope to be able to call it one of my favorites by the time it is all said and done.

By Michael Halpern
Email: michaelhalpern@imaginarybrickwall.com

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2016 Super Bowl Prop Bets: Player to Score 1st TD

I am an expert at the “Player to Score 1st TD” Super Bowl prop bet. I’m not kidding. In Super Bowl 48, Baltimore Ravens vs. San Francisco 49ers, I hit on Anquan Boldin scoring the first TD at 15/1 odds. It was really awkward when I exploded in celebration like a maniac after that touchdown, at a party in New York that had no fans of either team. And then it happened again last year, hitting my Brandon LaFell pick at 17/1 odds. Ensue awkward celebration, except I wasn’t the only one celebrating this time. There were a few Patriots fans at the party. As a Jets fan, I would have rather celebrated alone.

After hitting on this bet twice in three years, I am now certain I have been blessed with a specific set of skills … to find the player who will score the 1st TD in the Super Bowl. Let me help you have an awkward celebration all of your own. The key is to find plausible options, with big odds. Picking the obvious names is no fun. This year, the Carolina wide receivers are calling my name. And all of them have good odds. Here is who I am liking:

Devin Funchess: 16/1 – I can just see Von Miller flushing Cam Newton out of the pocket, while Newton keeps his eyes downfield, and finds the 6’,4’’, 225 Funchess for a 28-yard TD down the sideline on Carolina’s first drive.

Jerricho Cotchery: 20/1 – Cotchery reminds me of a poor man’s Boldin. I can envision Newton standing tall in the pocket, as he fires a strike to Cotchery down the middle of the field for the game’s first TD.

Corey Brown: 14/1 – Not getting any premonitions here, but he seems like a logical option with good odds.

By Michael Halpern
Email: michaelhapern@imaginarybrickwall.com

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NFL Playoff Picks: Super Bowl

We finally made it! 21 long weeks of sitting on the couch every Sunday for 8-11 hours, eating all of our favorite fried foods and drinking our favorite alcohol, is finally about to pay off … by going to a huge party where there will be unlimited fried food and alcohol. Don’t question it. We deserve this.

I absolutely nailed my Championship Round picks by going 2-0, with spot on analysis. I would understand if you think I am some kind of betting savant. Because that means you probably simply didn’t read my other playoff picks columns. The perfect round brought my overall record to 5-4 (I tied the Broncos vs. Steelers game). The worst I can do is break even, but that is no fun. I want the glory.

Denver Broncos vs. Carolina Panthers
Spread: CAR -5.5

Peyton Manning who? It is Cam Newton’s league now. Or at least it is for this season. But great defenses have a way of playing spoiler to fairy tale endings. And that is exactly what Denver has, the #1 ranked defense in the NFL. The one that turned the New England Patriots offensive line into a joke, leading to Bill Belichick firing his offensive line coach. But the challenge goes both ways. The Broncos will not be going after relatively stationary targets Tom Brady and Ben Roethlisberger. Newton is bigger, stronger, and faster than many of the defensive ends and linebackers that will be chasing him. Newton vs. Denver’s front 7 will be a matchup that is truly fit for the biggest stage.

The Pick: Public money is pouring in on Carolina. The beat downs Carolina handed out to Seattle and Arizona are fresh in everyone’s mind. The memory of Denver getting crushed in the Super Bowl two years ago is also lingering. But this is not Peyton Manning’s Broncos like it was in 2014. This is a team with a dominant defense that has the ability to keep the Broncos in any game.

Take the Broncos plus the 5.5 points. This game is going to be a heavyweight slugfest, and I want the points.

By Michael Halpern
Email: michaelhalpern@imaginarybrickwall.com