After a weekend that saw four teams advance after winning their respective divisional playoff games, the Conference Championship games are now set with two tickets to the Super Bowl on the line.

The Packers and Buccaneers will face off at Lambeau Field in Green Bay to kick off Championship Sunday, and the nightcap will see the Bills visit Arrowhead Stadium to take on the Kansas City Chiefs.

Let’s break down both of the games and make a prediction as we set our eyes on the two teams which will face off to try to take home football’s biggest prize.

AFC Championship Game: Buffalo Bills vs. Kansas City Chiefs

The conference’s best two regular-season teams will match up as the Chiefs host the Bills. This will be a matchup between the reigning champions and a team that hasn’t been to a Super Bowl in nearly three decades.

The Chiefs are still unsure if star quarterback and reigning MVP Patrick Mahomes will play after suffering a concussion in their win over the Browns last Sunday, but it appears he will play.

Kansas City has not been tested like this so far this season, and the Bills have a “nothing to lose” attitude. Much of their success will hinge on how much of an impact Josh Allen’s arm can make and if they can slow down KC’s deadly offense.

While they might be able to do so partially, the Chiefs are once again the strongest overall team in the league and we expect them to survive a close battle on Sunday and advance to their second consecutive Super Bowl.

Prediction: Chiefs 24, Bills 20

NFC Championship Game: Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Green Bay Packers

Tom Brady left the New England Patriots in what was considered the riskiest move of his career, but after leading a once-mediocre franchise to the NFC Championship Game, he proved that he continues to be one of the league’s elite.

Aaron Rodgers’ Packers will have their hands full at Lambeau Field, and their secondary will get quite a workout against Brady and his top-notch pack of wide receivers.

The Packers, however, will not miss out on their chance to claim the title at their home field and we expect them to win a nail-biter.

Prediction: Packers 35, Buccaneers 34

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The NFL regular season has reached its halfway point, which means that it’s time to start thinking about which teams we can expect to compete for a Super Bowl berth.

There are a few teams that are clearly favorites to compete for a title in the AFC (think the Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs, and Baltimore Ravens), but there’s a big group of teams in the other conference which have been pretty good without being excellent this season whose statuses are still up in the air.

Let’s take a look at some of the good, but not great, teams in the NFC which look like a decent bet to make the playoffs but whose Super Bowl contention statuses are still to be determined.

Green Bay Packers (6-2)

The Packers are seemingly in the hunt for a playoff berth and a Super Bowl bid every season and that’s once again the case in 2020. Aaron Rodgers might not have long left in the league, but he’s hit his stride this season, throwing for 24 touchdowns and just 2 interceptions this season despite a fairly average receiving corps and a sputtering run offense.

In the wide-open NFC, betting against Rodgers would be a mistake. The team has holes and its defense is decidedly average, but a hot Rodgers in the playoffs would be plenty to lead them all the way to the big game.

Status: Contender

New Orleans Saints (6-2)

The Saints had the biggest win of any team in Week 9, absolutely demolishing Tom Brady’s resurgent Buccaneers by a 34-3 final score. This was New Orleans at its best: its secondary confused Tom Brady and forced 3 interceptions and Drew Brees was nearly impeccable, throwing for 4 touchdowns and 0 interceptions.

Brees isn’t the player he once was, but he remains one of the most intelligent signal-callers in the game and has plenty of wide receiving weapons at his disposal. Can their defense be good enough to propel them forward to the Super Bowl? They just might be.

Status: Contender

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-3)

Tom Brady’s Bucs were the talk of the league during much of the first half of the season as the future Hall of Famer turned Tampa into a near-lock for the playoffs after years of mediocrity.

Nonetheless, this team isn’t even comparable to the Patriots teams that Brady won several Super Bowls during his tenure there. They’ve fallen short against the Saints twice (while getting severely out-coached), and they only have a 2-3 record against teams with winning records. This team appears to be a paper tiger.

Status: Pretender

Seattle Seahawks (6-2)

Let’s get one thing straight: Russell Wilson is the best quarterback in the league and is the odds-on favorite to walk away with this season’s NFL MVP Award. What he has done is truly outstanding, and he’s currently on a pace to challenge and break Peyton Manning’s record of 55 touchdown passes in a single season.

With that being said, what Wilson has done is so remarkable precisely because of just how bad this team’s defense is. They allow 455 yards per game, the league’s worst mark by a whopping 28 yards. They have no shot at showing down quarterbacks like Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, Drew Brees, and Kyler Murray, nor in the regular season nor in the playoffs. You can’t win in the playoffs without a functional defense, and Seattle doesn’t have one.

Status: Pretender

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After two thrilling seven-game series wrapped up this week, the NBA Conference Final matchups are set in both conferences and only four teams are left standing in the Orlando bubble.

Two of the season’s top teams, along with two underdogs who advanced to the Finals in surprising fashion, will meet up with a chance to play for the coveted championship trophy in what should be a thrilling pair of matchups.

Let’s take a look at each one and predict a winner.

Eastern Conference Finals: Miami Heat vs. Boston Celtics

The Heat got off to an early 1-0 lead in this series, whose Game 1 took place before the publication of this article. The Boston Celtics, who are considered to be the favorite in this matchup, will now have to win 4 of the next 6 games to advance to their first NBA Finals since 2010.

Boston has a dynamic squad lead by a superstar scoring trio of Kemba Walker, Jayson Tatum, and Jaylen Brown. Despite their relative lack of punch on the low block, this team can score with the best of them and plays solid defense. But will it be enough to beat the inspired Heat?

Miami, considered to be an afterthought in the Eastern Conference picture, has been led by inspired performances from Jimmy Butler and Goran Dragic, with Bam Adebayo emerging as one of the top youngsters in the league.

While the Heat did jump out to an early advantage with a three-point overtime win in Game 1, I like the Celtics to come back and win the series, seeing coach Brad Stevens take them to their first NBA Finals in his tenure.

Prediction: Celtics in 7

Western Conference Finals: Denver Nuggets vs. Los Angeles Lakers

No one expected the Nuggets to be just one series away from reaching the NBA Finals after they stormed back from a 3-1 deficit in their first round matchup with the Jazz, and after meeting up with the heavy favorite Los Angeles Clippers in the conference semifinals.

However, after a dominant Game 7 performance which saw the Nuggets overwhelm Clippers stars Kawhi Leonard and Jimmy Butler with a gargantuan defensive effort, they are now one more LA team away from reaching the Finals for the first time in the franchise’s history.

They won’t have it easy, however, as the conference’s top seed and the league’s best collection of talent awaits them in the Western Conference Finals. LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and company are hungry and have only dropped two games so far in this playoff run.

It’s certainly true that seeing the Nuggets topple yet another heavy favorite would be a thrilling story, but I just don’t think they have the talent to overcome Los Angeles’s star-studded squad.

Prediction: Lakers in 5

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The NFL, which is optimistic about its 2020 season taking place without a hitch despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, released its 2020 regular season schedule on Thursday.

The regular season, which will begin on September 10th and finish on December 27th, has a ton of big matchups in store and will provide plenty of intrigue after big moves this offseason saw some of the game’s most familiar faces moving to new teams.

Opening weekend is always a delight for football fans, and there will be plenty of juicy matchups to analyze and watch this season. Here are our top three picks for games to watch during the first round of games.

Houston Texans at Kansas City Chiefs

The defending Super Bowl champions will begin the defense of their title on Thursday night in the season’s opening game. Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs won’t have it easy, however, as they welcome DeShaun Watson and the Texans in a matchup of two of the league’s premier young quarterbacks.

The Texans and Chiefs faced off in the divisional round of last year’s playoffs, with the Texans stunning fans at Arrowhead Stadium after taking a 21-0 lead in the first quarter. Kansas City stormed back to win, however, in the first victory of a Super Bowl march in what was a thrilling 51-31 shootout. The season’s opening game this year promises much of the same thrilling action.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New Orleans Saints

Tampa Bay is going to be one of the most scrutinized teams in the 2020 season after they added former Patriots quarterback Tom Brady in one of the league’s most stunning moves. Joining him will be tight end Rob Gronkowski and a host of attention that will turn them into one of the league’s biggest draws.

They won’t have an easy matchup in Week 1, as they will visit the always-hostile Superdome and the 2019 division champion New Orleans Saints. Tom Brady and Saints QB Drew Brees, despite both being over 40-years-old, are still two of the league’s top signal-callers and should provide an entertaining matchup.

Los Angeles Chargers at Cincinnati Bengals

Are you looking for a game that should provide plenty of intrigue related to the 2020 NFL Draft? This Week 1 matchup might feature two teams that registered double-digit losses last season, but it also promises to feature the debuts of two of the premier players picked in this year’s draft.

Top overall pick and potential franchise savior Joe Burrow is expected to make his debut with his team in this Week 1 matchup at home against the Chargers, who selected quarterback Justin Herbert with the sixth overall pick this year. Week 1 could provide us with a fascinating showdown between these two prime targets to become NFL stars.

The post The 2020 NFL Season’s Most Intriguing Opening Week Games appeared first on SportzBonanza.

With the COVID-19 pandemic having postponed and canceled nearly all soccer leagues across the planet, decision makers have a tough task ahead of them. They must choose whether to restart their leagues in the coming months, scrap them and act as if 2019-20 never happened, or end the leagues with the current standings intact.

While some European leagues are looking to continue their competitions, such as Spain’s La Liga, others like France’s Ligue 1 have already announced their plans to not continue with the rest of the season.

In the case of the UEFA Champions League, the best solution to the dilemma would be to simply cancel the rest of the competition and look ahead to next season.

The last UEFA Champions League games that were played took place in early March, with half of the Round of 16 matches having had both legs completed. Four of the eight matchups, however, were unable to complete the second leg of draws.

That means that the Round of 16 would have to be completed, and the entirety of the two legs of quarter-finals and semi-finals matchups would have to be completed before two teams could even be decided for a theoretical final.

In total, five sets of games remain between a potential final, something that seems nearly impossible considering the current context of the sport.

Most European leagues that would be allowed to continue play will not be able to restart their leagues until early June at the earliest, meaning that the Champions League would be on a similar time table. These leagues will have to pack a lot of games into a short amount of time, requiring that at least two be played per week in most potential scenarios.

So, how would the Champions League even be able to fit into this potential scenario? It seems nearly impossible, and teams whose leagues do continue play would be at a huge competitive disadvantage compared to teams like Paris Saint-Germain, who won’t have domestic play to worry about.

While it might seem sacrilegious to end a Champions League campaign in his way, the circumstances resulting from the current global health crisis will make uncomfortable and unprecedented solutions necessary. Instead of putting players’ health at risk, both from a COVID-19 and a fitness perspective, the best solution is to simply write down this competition as a loss and look forward to starting anew in the fall.

The post Canceling the Remainder of the 2019-20 Champions League is the Fairest Solution For All appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The annual National Football League draft, which is set to take begin on Thursday, April 23rd, will have a different flavor than usual thanks to the current COVID-19 pandemic which is forcing the league to do a virtual version of the event.

However, the draft will still go on as planned, and will feature seven rounds of picks and both teams and amateur players looking to make moves that will bring them success in the future.

Let’s take a shot at predicting the top five picks of the draft, which could end up changing the fortunes of the franchises that select these players.

First Pick, Cincinnati Bengals

Joe Burrow, QB, LSU

Burrow is a near-lock to be the first overall pick in the draft, and it’s easy to see why. The Bengals need a quarterback and a franchise player, and the talented and steady Burrow is the perfect man to fill that role. Choosing a player who grew up in Ohio could even give Cincinnati the added plus of energizing a fan base that hasn’t had much to cheer about recently.

Second Pick, Washington Redskins

Chase Young, DE, Ohio State

Chase Young might just be the best player in the draft on a pure talent level, and while Washington might be tempted to select a quarterback here, we think they will ultimately pick the game-changing Buckeye here. Young is a destructive pass-rushing force that will give an immediate boost to a team that needs talent at all positions on the field

Third Pick, Detroit Lions

Jeff Okudah, CB, Ohio State

Looking to shore up a leaky pass defense like the Lions have had lately? Jeff Okudah, the top secondary player in this year’s draft, is a no-brainer for the team here. Detroit allowed the most pass yards in the league last year and only intercepted 7 balls, so Okudah would be a great addition for them to take a step forward in this regard.

Fourth Pick, New York Giants

Tristan Wirfs, OL, Iowa

The Giants are a pretty big wild card in the draft, with no real read on them having a clear preference for any player in particular. With Daniel Jones looking like the team’s current preference at QB, they probably won’t take a signal caller, so we think that they will take Wirfs, the best pass-blocker in the draft, with the #4 pick.

Fifth Pick, Miami Dolphins

Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon

Much has been written and debated about who will be the second quarterback taken in this year’s draft. The discussion centers around Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa and Oregon’s Justin Herbert, which most drafts have going in the top ten. We think the Dolphins will take the big, talented right-hander from Oregon over Tagovailoa, however, due to his cleaner bill of health and his more traditional QB traits.

The post Predicting the Top Five Picks in the 2020 NFL Draft appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Can you believe that there is only a month and a half left until the end of the NBA regular season? Teams are in full playoff push mode, looking to grab the best seed that they can for the long and grueling playoff slate that begins in April.

While sixteen teams will make the playoffs, in our opinion, there are two teams, one from each conference, that are clear NBA title contenders based on how they have played this season and the talent on their rosters.

Here are the two NBA championship contenders most likely to triumph in the playoffs.

Los Angeles Lakers: Western Conference

The Lakers are the best-positioned team to win the NBA title this year based on their lethal combination of talent, both from veterans such as LeBron James and Anthony Davis as well as young stars like Kyle Kuzma.

LeBron James, in his 17th NBA season, continues to be a dominant force. The three-time NBA champion is averaging 25.5 points per game and leading the league with 10.6 assists per game. He is a tremendous, multi-dimensional talent who puts the Lakers in a different stratosphere based on his production, talent, and experience.

Davis and James are the fiercest 1-2 combination in the league, and complimentary players such as Kuzma, Avery Bradley, and Danny Green should be enough to make them the title favorites come playoff time as long as they can stay healthy. They’re the most talented team in the NBA, and they have the playoff experience and mental fortitude to win a championship.

Milwaukee Bucks: Eastern Conference

The Bucks are the unquestioned top team in the NBA’s Eastern Conference this season. Why? The answer to this question revolves around one single player who is becoming the most transformative player in the league: Giannis Antetokounmpo.

The Greek Freak is the leading candidate for the NBA MVP Award, averaging 29.7 points and 13.7 rebounds per game with absurd efficiency. He is the clear star and leader of the team, and he works with a supporting cast that allows him to shine.

Don’t think the Bucks are only about Antetokounmpo, however. Under-the-radar veteran pieces such as Khris Middleton (21.1 points per game) and Eric Bledsoe (a strong PG defender and a good ball distributor) are enough to propel their team past a dependence on their superstar. This might just be the team that will lift the title in June.

The post These Two Teams are the Strongest NBA Title Contenders appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Major League Baseball Spring Training has kicked off, meaning that real baseball games are just around the corner. The teams have more than a month of practices and exhibition games to go before the regular season gets going, but the excitement for a new season is palpable already.

This offseason was full of significant transactions that have changed the baseball landscape, bringing new faces to new teams. Let’s take a look at the three free agents who joined new teams that are set to have the biggest impacts on their new squads.

Anthony Rendon: Los Angeles Angels

The Angels signed arguably the biggest free agent of the winter, locking up third baseman Anthony Rendon for the next seven years at a cost of $245 million.

The Orange County club has underachieved since Mike Trout, the best baseball player in the world, debuted as a full-time player in 2012, making the playoffs once since then. Rendon should help them get closer to that goal and provide Trout with much-needed lineup support.

Rendon has hit at least 25 home runs and batted .300 for the last three seasons. At age 29, he is at his peak and should help the Angels become a playoff threat.

Gerrit Cole: New York Yankees

Gerrit Cole escaped the mess that is the Houston Astros organization this offseason for the Bronx, inking the richest contract in the history of baseball for a pitcher.

Cole turned the Yankees from merely one of the best teams in the league into a World Series favorite. The 2019 AL Cy Young Award winner turned into one of the premier pitchers in the game while in Houston, recording a sub-2.90 ERA and 275 or more strikeouts the past two seasons.

If Cole can successfully navigate the hitter-friendly combines of Yankee Stadium, he could be the missing piece that leads the Yankees to their first World Series title since 2009.

Marcell Ozuna: Atlanta Braves

Marcell Ozuna was an underrated name on this offseason’s list of free agents. Why? The Dominican-born outfielder had a slightly down 2019 season, batting .240 and 29 home runs while struggling with bad luck with a .257 BABIP.

Ozuna did, however, show plate discipline improvement that should make him one of the premier power hitters in baseball in 2020 if he continues to mash home runs. His signing represents a huge upgrade for the Braves, who have had Nick Markakis entrenched in the left-field position that their new signing is expected to occupy.

Adding Ozuna to a lineup that already has Freddie Freeman, Ozzie Albies, and MVP candidate Ronald Acuña Jr. turns the Braves into World Series contenders if their young pitching staff can continue to make strides forward.

The post These MLB Free Agent Signings Will Have the Biggest Impact on Their New Clubs appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Champions League Round of 16 matchups are just around the corner. The first legs of this knockout round will start up next week with some high-profile games.

Let’s take a look at the pairings for this year’s edition of the Round of 16 and predict a winner for each one.

Atletico Madrid vs. Liverpool

The reigning champions of the tournament certainly didn’t get an easy draw here, as Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid are always up for a good battle.

However, with Los Colchoneros floundering without Diego Costa and Joao Felix and Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool dominating any team that happens to wind up in front of them throughout this entire season, we think Liverpool will move on.

Pick: Liverpool

Borussia Dortmund vs. Paris Saint-Germain

One of the most promising Round of 16 matchups comes between Borussia Dortmund and PSG, two teams full of young stars.

Borussia Dortmund could end up escaping through if Erling Haaland and Jadon Sancho give them an edge after the matchup’s first leg in Germany, but I ultimately think that the combination of Kylian Mbappe and Neymar, who has never played as well as he is now, will be too much for the Dortmund defense.

Pick: PSG

Atalanta vs. Valencia

Who would have ever expected a Round of 16 tie between these two teams?

Valencia, who shocked many by winning their group in the group stage of the tournament, got a favorable draw against Atalanta in the first knockout round. Los Che have been inconsistent under Albert Celades, but we think that their quality is a bit too much for Atalanta to handle.

Pick: Valencia

Tottenham Hotspur vs. RB Leipzig

Perhaps the biggest “pick ’em” of the Round of 16 is this clash between last year’s finalists in Tottenham against RB Leipzig.

The German side might surprise many who aren’t familiar with their quality. Dani Olmo and Timo Werner will have a big chance to shine on a world stage in this tie, and we think that they will pull off the upset against a disheveled Spurs side.

Pick: RB Leipzig

Chelsea vs. Bayern Munich

Two European giants meet up in this juicy Round of 16 matchup, as Bayern will look to solidify its status as one of the tournament favorites.

Chelsea barely escaped from the group stage, and the uber-talented German champions will be out for blood. While Frank Lampard’s tenure at the Blues might be off to a promising start, we think that Bayern’s quality and experience are too much for them to handle.

Pick: Bayern Munich

Napoli vs. FC Barcelona

Barcelona meets up against Napoli in this Round of 16 matchup with some genuine upset potential.

The Catalans are still getting used to playing under new manager Quique Setien, but have shown signs of improvement lately. Leo Messi is still Leo Messi, and we think that they will move on to the next round with the help of a little bit of magic from the diminutive Argentinian.

Pick: Barcelona

Olympique Lyon vs. Juventus

After last year’s disappointing early exit at the hands of upstart Ajax, Cristiano Ronaldo’s Juventus will look to avoid another upset at the hands of Lyon.

The Old Lady has one of world soccer’s best collections of talent, and it seems inevitable that they will cruise past their Ligue 1 opposition. Could a huge upset be in the cards, though? We doubt it.

Pick: Juventus

Real Madrid vs. Manchester City

Arguably the most intriguing Round of 16 matchup is this one between Champions League giants Real Madrid and Manchester City, the team that has been chasing this title for the better part of the past decade.

Zinedine Zidane’s Blancos got off to a slow start this season, but have taken flight over the past couple of months. Leading La Liga and getting outstanding performances from Karim Benzema and the ageless Sergio Ramos, we think that they will pull off the upset against Pep Guardiola’s Man City, which isn’t the squad it once was.

Pick: Real Madrid

The post Predicting the Champions League Round of 16 Matchups appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Borussia Dortmund made one of the splashes of this winter’s soccer transfer window after acquiring the rights to striker Erling Haaland from Red Bull Salzburg for a fee of $22 million.

One of the most sought-after young names in Europe, Haaland chose to make the move to Germany and one of Europe’s most highly-regarded clubs due to their skill for developing young talent.

It appears that this move, so far, is working out brilliantly.

Haaland made his Dortmund debut on January 18th, coming on as a substitute in a Bundesliga matchup at FC Augsburg. With his team losing 3-1, the young Norwegian striker scored a stunning hat trick to lift his team to a 5-3 victory.

The 19-year-old is a soccer wunderkind, having scored 31 goals in only 23 games this season. What’s most impressive is the skill that he has shown for scoring goals against top teams, having netted eight goals in the Champions League group stage in 6 games with Red Bull Salzburg this year.

With Borussia Dortmund in fourth place in the German top flight, 7 points off of leaders RB Leipzig, and still alive in the Champions League group stage, Haaland is set to help this team in a big way in the short-term. Dortmund’s Bundesliga title hopes probably depend upon his ability to improve the team, and their chances to upset Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League knockout stage have improved drastically since signing him.

Haaland is a special talent in soccer, and at only 19, he has set himself up to be able to help Dortmund for years to come. The squad is full of young attacking talent such as Jadon Sancho, Julian Brandt, and Giovanni Reyna, and will very likely become one of the continent’s most dangerous attacking sides over the next few seasons.

This puts Borussia Dortmund in a unique position to become one of European soccer’s most dominant squads in the near future. While they still probably need a bit more experience to compete for Champions League glory, it’s easy to see them becoming perennial kings of the Bundesliga and threats to take home soccer’s biggest title.

Haaland’s goal-scoring ability as a striker perfectly complements the rest of Borussia Dortmund’s attacking talent, and the team’s decision to sign him for a very reasonable price was the biggest win in this year’s winter transfer window.

Fans of the Black & Yellow should rejoice as Haaland and the rest of their team’s young talent leads them to future glory.

The post Borussia Dortmund’s Signing of Erling Haaland is the Transfer Move of the Winter appeared first on SportzBonanza.

After a weekend that saw four teams advance after winning their respective divisional playoff games, the Conference Championship games are now set with two tickets to the Super Bowl on the line.

The Packers and Buccaneers will face off at Lambeau Field in Green Bay to kick off Championship Sunday, and the nightcap will see the Bills visit Arrowhead Stadium to take on the Kansas City Chiefs.

Let’s break down both of the games and make a prediction as we set our eyes on the two teams which will face off to try to take home football’s biggest prize.

AFC Championship Game: Buffalo Bills vs. Kansas City Chiefs

The conference’s best two regular-season teams will match up as the Chiefs host the Bills. This will be a matchup between the reigning champions and a team that hasn’t been to a Super Bowl in nearly three decades.

The Chiefs are still unsure if star quarterback and reigning MVP Patrick Mahomes will play after suffering a concussion in their win over the Browns last Sunday, but it appears he will play.

Kansas City has not been tested like this so far this season, and the Bills have a “nothing to lose” attitude. Much of their success will hinge on how much of an impact Josh Allen’s arm can make and if they can slow down KC’s deadly offense.

While they might be able to do so partially, the Chiefs are once again the strongest overall team in the league and we expect them to survive a close battle on Sunday and advance to their second consecutive Super Bowl.

Prediction: Chiefs 24, Bills 20

NFC Championship Game: Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Green Bay Packers

Tom Brady left the New England Patriots in what was considered the riskiest move of his career, but after leading a once-mediocre franchise to the NFC Championship Game, he proved that he continues to be one of the league’s elite.

Aaron Rodgers’ Packers will have their hands full at Lambeau Field, and their secondary will get quite a workout against Brady and his top-notch pack of wide receivers.

The Packers, however, will not miss out on their chance to claim the title at their home field and we expect them to win a nail-biter.

Prediction: Packers 35, Buccaneers 34

The post Predicting the 2021 NFL Conference Championship Games appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The NFL regular season has reached its halfway point, which means that it’s time to start thinking about which teams we can expect to compete for a Super Bowl berth.

There are a few teams that are clearly favorites to compete for a title in the AFC (think the Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs, and Baltimore Ravens), but there’s a big group of teams in the other conference which have been pretty good without being excellent this season whose statuses are still up in the air.

Let’s take a look at some of the good, but not great, teams in the NFC which look like a decent bet to make the playoffs but whose Super Bowl contention statuses are still to be determined.

Green Bay Packers (6-2)

The Packers are seemingly in the hunt for a playoff berth and a Super Bowl bid every season and that’s once again the case in 2020. Aaron Rodgers might not have long left in the league, but he’s hit his stride this season, throwing for 24 touchdowns and just 2 interceptions this season despite a fairly average receiving corps and a sputtering run offense.

In the wide-open NFC, betting against Rodgers would be a mistake. The team has holes and its defense is decidedly average, but a hot Rodgers in the playoffs would be plenty to lead them all the way to the big game.

Status: Contender

New Orleans Saints (6-2)

The Saints had the biggest win of any team in Week 9, absolutely demolishing Tom Brady’s resurgent Buccaneers by a 34-3 final score. This was New Orleans at its best: its secondary confused Tom Brady and forced 3 interceptions and Drew Brees was nearly impeccable, throwing for 4 touchdowns and 0 interceptions.

Brees isn’t the player he once was, but he remains one of the most intelligent signal-callers in the game and has plenty of wide receiving weapons at his disposal. Can their defense be good enough to propel them forward to the Super Bowl? They just might be.

Status: Contender

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-3)

Tom Brady’s Bucs were the talk of the league during much of the first half of the season as the future Hall of Famer turned Tampa into a near-lock for the playoffs after years of mediocrity.

Nonetheless, this team isn’t even comparable to the Patriots teams that Brady won several Super Bowls during his tenure there. They’ve fallen short against the Saints twice (while getting severely out-coached), and they only have a 2-3 record against teams with winning records. This team appears to be a paper tiger.

Status: Pretender

Seattle Seahawks (6-2)

Let’s get one thing straight: Russell Wilson is the best quarterback in the league and is the odds-on favorite to walk away with this season’s NFL MVP Award. What he has done is truly outstanding, and he’s currently on a pace to challenge and break Peyton Manning’s record of 55 touchdown passes in a single season.

With that being said, what Wilson has done is so remarkable precisely because of just how bad this team’s defense is. They allow 455 yards per game, the league’s worst mark by a whopping 28 yards. They have no shot at showing down quarterbacks like Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, Drew Brees, and Kyler Murray, nor in the regular season nor in the playoffs. You can’t win in the playoffs without a functional defense, and Seattle doesn’t have one.

Status: Pretender

The post Super Bowl Contender or Pretender? NFC Edition appeared first on SportzBonanza.

After two thrilling seven-game series wrapped up this week, the NBA Conference Final matchups are set in both conferences and only four teams are left standing in the Orlando bubble.

Two of the season’s top teams, along with two underdogs who advanced to the Finals in surprising fashion, will meet up with a chance to play for the coveted championship trophy in what should be a thrilling pair of matchups.

Let’s take a look at each one and predict a winner.

Eastern Conference Finals: Miami Heat vs. Boston Celtics

The Heat got off to an early 1-0 lead in this series, whose Game 1 took place before the publication of this article. The Boston Celtics, who are considered to be the favorite in this matchup, will now have to win 4 of the next 6 games to advance to their first NBA Finals since 2010.

Boston has a dynamic squad lead by a superstar scoring trio of Kemba Walker, Jayson Tatum, and Jaylen Brown. Despite their relative lack of punch on the low block, this team can score with the best of them and plays solid defense. But will it be enough to beat the inspired Heat?

Miami, considered to be an afterthought in the Eastern Conference picture, has been led by inspired performances from Jimmy Butler and Goran Dragic, with Bam Adebayo emerging as one of the top youngsters in the league.

While the Heat did jump out to an early advantage with a three-point overtime win in Game 1, I like the Celtics to come back and win the series, seeing coach Brad Stevens take them to their first NBA Finals in his tenure.

Prediction: Celtics in 7

Western Conference Finals: Denver Nuggets vs. Los Angeles Lakers

No one expected the Nuggets to be just one series away from reaching the NBA Finals after they stormed back from a 3-1 deficit in their first round matchup with the Jazz, and after meeting up with the heavy favorite Los Angeles Clippers in the conference semifinals.

However, after a dominant Game 7 performance which saw the Nuggets overwhelm Clippers stars Kawhi Leonard and Jimmy Butler with a gargantuan defensive effort, they are now one more LA team away from reaching the Finals for the first time in the franchise’s history.

They won’t have it easy, however, as the conference’s top seed and the league’s best collection of talent awaits them in the Western Conference Finals. LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and company are hungry and have only dropped two games so far in this playoff run.

It’s certainly true that seeing the Nuggets topple yet another heavy favorite would be a thrilling story, but I just don’t think they have the talent to overcome Los Angeles’s star-studded squad.

Prediction: Lakers in 5

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The NFL, which is optimistic about its 2020 season taking place without a hitch despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, released its 2020 regular season schedule on Thursday.

The regular season, which will begin on September 10th and finish on December 27th, has a ton of big matchups in store and will provide plenty of intrigue after big moves this offseason saw some of the game’s most familiar faces moving to new teams.

Opening weekend is always a delight for football fans, and there will be plenty of juicy matchups to analyze and watch this season. Here are our top three picks for games to watch during the first round of games.

Houston Texans at Kansas City Chiefs

The defending Super Bowl champions will begin the defense of their title on Thursday night in the season’s opening game. Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs won’t have it easy, however, as they welcome DeShaun Watson and the Texans in a matchup of two of the league’s premier young quarterbacks.

The Texans and Chiefs faced off in the divisional round of last year’s playoffs, with the Texans stunning fans at Arrowhead Stadium after taking a 21-0 lead in the first quarter. Kansas City stormed back to win, however, in the first victory of a Super Bowl march in what was a thrilling 51-31 shootout. The season’s opening game this year promises much of the same thrilling action.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New Orleans Saints

Tampa Bay is going to be one of the most scrutinized teams in the 2020 season after they added former Patriots quarterback Tom Brady in one of the league’s most stunning moves. Joining him will be tight end Rob Gronkowski and a host of attention that will turn them into one of the league’s biggest draws.

They won’t have an easy matchup in Week 1, as they will visit the always-hostile Superdome and the 2019 division champion New Orleans Saints. Tom Brady and Saints QB Drew Brees, despite both being over 40-years-old, are still two of the league’s top signal-callers and should provide an entertaining matchup.

Los Angeles Chargers at Cincinnati Bengals

Are you looking for a game that should provide plenty of intrigue related to the 2020 NFL Draft? This Week 1 matchup might feature two teams that registered double-digit losses last season, but it also promises to feature the debuts of two of the premier players picked in this year’s draft.

Top overall pick and potential franchise savior Joe Burrow is expected to make his debut with his team in this Week 1 matchup at home against the Chargers, who selected quarterback Justin Herbert with the sixth overall pick this year. Week 1 could provide us with a fascinating showdown between these two prime targets to become NFL stars.

The post The 2020 NFL Season’s Most Intriguing Opening Week Games appeared first on SportzBonanza.

With the COVID-19 pandemic having postponed and canceled nearly all soccer leagues across the planet, decision makers have a tough task ahead of them. They must choose whether to restart their leagues in the coming months, scrap them and act as if 2019-20 never happened, or end the leagues with the current standings intact.

While some European leagues are looking to continue their competitions, such as Spain’s La Liga, others like France’s Ligue 1 have already announced their plans to not continue with the rest of the season.

In the case of the UEFA Champions League, the best solution to the dilemma would be to simply cancel the rest of the competition and look ahead to next season.

The last UEFA Champions League games that were played took place in early March, with half of the Round of 16 matches having had both legs completed. Four of the eight matchups, however, were unable to complete the second leg of draws.

That means that the Round of 16 would have to be completed, and the entirety of the two legs of quarter-finals and semi-finals matchups would have to be completed before two teams could even be decided for a theoretical final.

In total, five sets of games remain between a potential final, something that seems nearly impossible considering the current context of the sport.

Most European leagues that would be allowed to continue play will not be able to restart their leagues until early June at the earliest, meaning that the Champions League would be on a similar time table. These leagues will have to pack a lot of games into a short amount of time, requiring that at least two be played per week in most potential scenarios.

So, how would the Champions League even be able to fit into this potential scenario? It seems nearly impossible, and teams whose leagues do continue play would be at a huge competitive disadvantage compared to teams like Paris Saint-Germain, who won’t have domestic play to worry about.

While it might seem sacrilegious to end a Champions League campaign in his way, the circumstances resulting from the current global health crisis will make uncomfortable and unprecedented solutions necessary. Instead of putting players’ health at risk, both from a COVID-19 and a fitness perspective, the best solution is to simply write down this competition as a loss and look forward to starting anew in the fall.

The post Canceling the Remainder of the 2019-20 Champions League is the Fairest Solution For All appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The annual National Football League draft, which is set to take begin on Thursday, April 23rd, will have a different flavor than usual thanks to the current COVID-19 pandemic which is forcing the league to do a virtual version of the event.

However, the draft will still go on as planned, and will feature seven rounds of picks and both teams and amateur players looking to make moves that will bring them success in the future.

Let’s take a shot at predicting the top five picks of the draft, which could end up changing the fortunes of the franchises that select these players.

First Pick, Cincinnati Bengals

Joe Burrow, QB, LSU

Burrow is a near-lock to be the first overall pick in the draft, and it’s easy to see why. The Bengals need a quarterback and a franchise player, and the talented and steady Burrow is the perfect man to fill that role. Choosing a player who grew up in Ohio could even give Cincinnati the added plus of energizing a fan base that hasn’t had much to cheer about recently.

Second Pick, Washington Redskins

Chase Young, DE, Ohio State

Chase Young might just be the best player in the draft on a pure talent level, and while Washington might be tempted to select a quarterback here, we think they will ultimately pick the game-changing Buckeye here. Young is a destructive pass-rushing force that will give an immediate boost to a team that needs talent at all positions on the field

Third Pick, Detroit Lions

Jeff Okudah, CB, Ohio State

Looking to shore up a leaky pass defense like the Lions have had lately? Jeff Okudah, the top secondary player in this year’s draft, is a no-brainer for the team here. Detroit allowed the most pass yards in the league last year and only intercepted 7 balls, so Okudah would be a great addition for them to take a step forward in this regard.

Fourth Pick, New York Giants

Tristan Wirfs, OL, Iowa

The Giants are a pretty big wild card in the draft, with no real read on them having a clear preference for any player in particular. With Daniel Jones looking like the team’s current preference at QB, they probably won’t take a signal caller, so we think that they will take Wirfs, the best pass-blocker in the draft, with the #4 pick.

Fifth Pick, Miami Dolphins

Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon

Much has been written and debated about who will be the second quarterback taken in this year’s draft. The discussion centers around Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa and Oregon’s Justin Herbert, which most drafts have going in the top ten. We think the Dolphins will take the big, talented right-hander from Oregon over Tagovailoa, however, due to his cleaner bill of health and his more traditional QB traits.

The post Predicting the Top Five Picks in the 2020 NFL Draft appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Can you believe that there is only a month and a half left until the end of the NBA regular season? Teams are in full playoff push mode, looking to grab the best seed that they can for the long and grueling playoff slate that begins in April.

While sixteen teams will make the playoffs, in our opinion, there are two teams, one from each conference, that are clear NBA title contenders based on how they have played this season and the talent on their rosters.

Here are the two NBA championship contenders most likely to triumph in the playoffs.

Los Angeles Lakers: Western Conference

The Lakers are the best-positioned team to win the NBA title this year based on their lethal combination of talent, both from veterans such as LeBron James and Anthony Davis as well as young stars like Kyle Kuzma.

LeBron James, in his 17th NBA season, continues to be a dominant force. The three-time NBA champion is averaging 25.5 points per game and leading the league with 10.6 assists per game. He is a tremendous, multi-dimensional talent who puts the Lakers in a different stratosphere based on his production, talent, and experience.

Davis and James are the fiercest 1-2 combination in the league, and complimentary players such as Kuzma, Avery Bradley, and Danny Green should be enough to make them the title favorites come playoff time as long as they can stay healthy. They’re the most talented team in the NBA, and they have the playoff experience and mental fortitude to win a championship.

Milwaukee Bucks: Eastern Conference

The Bucks are the unquestioned top team in the NBA’s Eastern Conference this season. Why? The answer to this question revolves around one single player who is becoming the most transformative player in the league: Giannis Antetokounmpo.

The Greek Freak is the leading candidate for the NBA MVP Award, averaging 29.7 points and 13.7 rebounds per game with absurd efficiency. He is the clear star and leader of the team, and he works with a supporting cast that allows him to shine.

Don’t think the Bucks are only about Antetokounmpo, however. Under-the-radar veteran pieces such as Khris Middleton (21.1 points per game) and Eric Bledsoe (a strong PG defender and a good ball distributor) are enough to propel their team past a dependence on their superstar. This might just be the team that will lift the title in June.

The post These Two Teams are the Strongest NBA Title Contenders appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Major League Baseball Spring Training has kicked off, meaning that real baseball games are just around the corner. The teams have more than a month of practices and exhibition games to go before the regular season gets going, but the excitement for a new season is palpable already.

This offseason was full of significant transactions that have changed the baseball landscape, bringing new faces to new teams. Let’s take a look at the three free agents who joined new teams that are set to have the biggest impacts on their new squads.

Anthony Rendon: Los Angeles Angels

The Angels signed arguably the biggest free agent of the winter, locking up third baseman Anthony Rendon for the next seven years at a cost of $245 million.

The Orange County club has underachieved since Mike Trout, the best baseball player in the world, debuted as a full-time player in 2012, making the playoffs once since then. Rendon should help them get closer to that goal and provide Trout with much-needed lineup support.

Rendon has hit at least 25 home runs and batted .300 for the last three seasons. At age 29, he is at his peak and should help the Angels become a playoff threat.

Gerrit Cole: New York Yankees

Gerrit Cole escaped the mess that is the Houston Astros organization this offseason for the Bronx, inking the richest contract in the history of baseball for a pitcher.

Cole turned the Yankees from merely one of the best teams in the league into a World Series favorite. The 2019 AL Cy Young Award winner turned into one of the premier pitchers in the game while in Houston, recording a sub-2.90 ERA and 275 or more strikeouts the past two seasons.

If Cole can successfully navigate the hitter-friendly combines of Yankee Stadium, he could be the missing piece that leads the Yankees to their first World Series title since 2009.

Marcell Ozuna: Atlanta Braves

Marcell Ozuna was an underrated name on this offseason’s list of free agents. Why? The Dominican-born outfielder had a slightly down 2019 season, batting .240 and 29 home runs while struggling with bad luck with a .257 BABIP.

Ozuna did, however, show plate discipline improvement that should make him one of the premier power hitters in baseball in 2020 if he continues to mash home runs. His signing represents a huge upgrade for the Braves, who have had Nick Markakis entrenched in the left-field position that their new signing is expected to occupy.

Adding Ozuna to a lineup that already has Freddie Freeman, Ozzie Albies, and MVP candidate Ronald Acuña Jr. turns the Braves into World Series contenders if their young pitching staff can continue to make strides forward.

The post These MLB Free Agent Signings Will Have the Biggest Impact on Their New Clubs appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Champions League Round of 16 matchups are just around the corner. The first legs of this knockout round will start up next week with some high-profile games.

Let’s take a look at the pairings for this year’s edition of the Round of 16 and predict a winner for each one.

Atletico Madrid vs. Liverpool

The reigning champions of the tournament certainly didn’t get an easy draw here, as Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid are always up for a good battle.

However, with Los Colchoneros floundering without Diego Costa and Joao Felix and Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool dominating any team that happens to wind up in front of them throughout this entire season, we think Liverpool will move on.

Pick: Liverpool

Borussia Dortmund vs. Paris Saint-Germain

One of the most promising Round of 16 matchups comes between Borussia Dortmund and PSG, two teams full of young stars.

Borussia Dortmund could end up escaping through if Erling Haaland and Jadon Sancho give them an edge after the matchup’s first leg in Germany, but I ultimately think that the combination of Kylian Mbappe and Neymar, who has never played as well as he is now, will be too much for the Dortmund defense.

Pick: PSG

Atalanta vs. Valencia

Who would have ever expected a Round of 16 tie between these two teams?

Valencia, who shocked many by winning their group in the group stage of the tournament, got a favorable draw against Atalanta in the first knockout round. Los Che have been inconsistent under Albert Celades, but we think that their quality is a bit too much for Atalanta to handle.

Pick: Valencia

Tottenham Hotspur vs. RB Leipzig

Perhaps the biggest “pick ’em” of the Round of 16 is this clash between last year’s finalists in Tottenham against RB Leipzig.

The German side might surprise many who aren’t familiar with their quality. Dani Olmo and Timo Werner will have a big chance to shine on a world stage in this tie, and we think that they will pull off the upset against a disheveled Spurs side.

Pick: RB Leipzig

Chelsea vs. Bayern Munich

Two European giants meet up in this juicy Round of 16 matchup, as Bayern will look to solidify its status as one of the tournament favorites.

Chelsea barely escaped from the group stage, and the uber-talented German champions will be out for blood. While Frank Lampard’s tenure at the Blues might be off to a promising start, we think that Bayern’s quality and experience are too much for them to handle.

Pick: Bayern Munich

Napoli vs. FC Barcelona

Barcelona meets up against Napoli in this Round of 16 matchup with some genuine upset potential.

The Catalans are still getting used to playing under new manager Quique Setien, but have shown signs of improvement lately. Leo Messi is still Leo Messi, and we think that they will move on to the next round with the help of a little bit of magic from the diminutive Argentinian.

Pick: Barcelona

Olympique Lyon vs. Juventus

After last year’s disappointing early exit at the hands of upstart Ajax, Cristiano Ronaldo’s Juventus will look to avoid another upset at the hands of Lyon.

The Old Lady has one of world soccer’s best collections of talent, and it seems inevitable that they will cruise past their Ligue 1 opposition. Could a huge upset be in the cards, though? We doubt it.

Pick: Juventus

Real Madrid vs. Manchester City

Arguably the most intriguing Round of 16 matchup is this one between Champions League giants Real Madrid and Manchester City, the team that has been chasing this title for the better part of the past decade.

Zinedine Zidane’s Blancos got off to a slow start this season, but have taken flight over the past couple of months. Leading La Liga and getting outstanding performances from Karim Benzema and the ageless Sergio Ramos, we think that they will pull off the upset against Pep Guardiola’s Man City, which isn’t the squad it once was.

Pick: Real Madrid

The post Predicting the Champions League Round of 16 Matchups appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Borussia Dortmund made one of the splashes of this winter’s soccer transfer window after acquiring the rights to striker Erling Haaland from Red Bull Salzburg for a fee of $22 million.

One of the most sought-after young names in Europe, Haaland chose to make the move to Germany and one of Europe’s most highly-regarded clubs due to their skill for developing young talent.

It appears that this move, so far, is working out brilliantly.

Haaland made his Dortmund debut on January 18th, coming on as a substitute in a Bundesliga matchup at FC Augsburg. With his team losing 3-1, the young Norwegian striker scored a stunning hat trick to lift his team to a 5-3 victory.

The 19-year-old is a soccer wunderkind, having scored 31 goals in only 23 games this season. What’s most impressive is the skill that he has shown for scoring goals against top teams, having netted eight goals in the Champions League group stage in 6 games with Red Bull Salzburg this year.

With Borussia Dortmund in fourth place in the German top flight, 7 points off of leaders RB Leipzig, and still alive in the Champions League group stage, Haaland is set to help this team in a big way in the short-term. Dortmund’s Bundesliga title hopes probably depend upon his ability to improve the team, and their chances to upset Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League knockout stage have improved drastically since signing him.

Haaland is a special talent in soccer, and at only 19, he has set himself up to be able to help Dortmund for years to come. The squad is full of young attacking talent such as Jadon Sancho, Julian Brandt, and Giovanni Reyna, and will very likely become one of the continent’s most dangerous attacking sides over the next few seasons.

This puts Borussia Dortmund in a unique position to become one of European soccer’s most dominant squads in the near future. While they still probably need a bit more experience to compete for Champions League glory, it’s easy to see them becoming perennial kings of the Bundesliga and threats to take home soccer’s biggest title.

Haaland’s goal-scoring ability as a striker perfectly complements the rest of Borussia Dortmund’s attacking talent, and the team’s decision to sign him for a very reasonable price was the biggest win in this year’s winter transfer window.

Fans of the Black & Yellow should rejoice as Haaland and the rest of their team’s young talent leads them to future glory.

The post Borussia Dortmund’s Signing of Erling Haaland is the Transfer Move of the Winter appeared first on SportzBonanza.