2019 NFL Mid-Season Check In

The 2019 NFL regular season is nearing the halfway point and many expert preseason predictions have gone the way of Ben Roethlisberger – done for the year. The NFL Most Valuable Player Award has been a quarterback competition yet again. The quest to overtake reigning MVP Patrick Mahomes is getting tighter with two QB’s gaining ground.

Just before kickoff of week 7  Mahomes was joined by Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson as the +230 favorite according to the FanDuel Sportsbook with the Houston Texans’ Deshaun Watson just behind at +550. Those odds will likely change following Houston’s 30-23 road loss to the Colts and the Seahawks’ loss to Baltimore but still provides a snapshot of the 2019/20 season.

Top Teams At the Moment

The Chiefs have stumbled after a fast start. Mahomes injured his ankle sometime before back-to-back losses in weeks 5 and 6. The 24 year old suffered a dislocated kneecap during a week 7 win and will be out at least three weeks.

Seattle has gone 5-2 behind the stellar play of Wilson. He has shown why the Seahawks made their passer the highest paid quarterback by average annual value with 15 TD’s and 1interception. Houston has started 4-3 which includes a win over Mahomes in Kansas City. An improved offensive line unlocked the potential of NCAA champion QB Watson. His MVP case was gaining serious momentum before throwing two interceptions in a week 7 loss in Indianapolis.

Elsewhere in the AFC, the Patriots are on top of the East as usual but several teams are trying to shock the entire league. The Buffalo Bills moved to 5-1 after a Week 7 win and are front runners to get a wildcard or win the AFC East if the Pats stumble. It would be just the Bills second playoff appearance in 19 years.

In the NFC the San Francisco 49ers join the Patriots as the league’s only undefeated teams. Coach Kyle Shanahan’s squad is 6-0 after a shutout win in rainy and mud-soaked Washington. San Francisco seemingly finds a different way to win each week but remain undefeated for the first time since 1990 through six weeks.

Notable Trades So Far

The NFL trade deadline isn’t until 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, October 29th but some high profile trades have gone down already. The first blockbuster was on September 1st when the Texans traded 3 draft picks including 2 first rounders and two players to Miami for wide receiver Kenny Stills and offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil. The trade has benefited Houston in the short term as Tunsil helped shore up their offensive line.

On the same day, in an unrelated trade, the Texans acquired a third round pick and two linebackers for Pro Bowl defensive end and former number 1 overall draft pick Jadeveon Clowney. The DE would not sign his franchise tender with Houston and wanted more money than the team was willing to offer.

The other trade of note this year happened on October 15th when the Jacksonville Jaguars shipped disgruntled corner Jalen Ramsey to the Los Angeles Rams. Ramsey wants to become the highest paid CB in the league.

The Dallas Cowboys started the year 3-0 with an explosive offense. Their beginning schedule may have been fool’s gold as they have gone 3-1 since but a 37-10 beat down of division rival Philadelphia is sure to bring renewed optimism.

The pro football calendar is nearing the halfway point but legendary Patriots coach Bill Belichick likes to say, “football season doesn’t start until after Thanksgiving.” That motto gives hope to teams that have started slow but is a word of warning to even the best in the NFL.