TravyFootball by Travers Cummings
Before I dive into my season preview, I want to give a quick shoutout to the late Brian Gory—aka Ivan Bigg, aka Mr. Tomato, and a few other aliases he was known by. Brian was the one who encouraged me to start writing this weekly article for the ASD newsletter, knowing full well I had absolutely zero writing experience. To say he was impressed with what I produced every week would probably be an understatement—and maybe even an exaggeration—but here I am, four years later, still doing my thing. Almost every week, Roger Jones, Brian, and I would exchange emails about the happenings in the NFL. It’s going to feel a little sad not having those conversations anymore, but I know Mr. Gory is “up there,” smiling down on us and continuing his favourite NFL pastime—hating on Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys!
The start of the NFL season always feels like Christmas in September for me—and for many others. I look forward to it every year, but this season carries even more intrigue. Will Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson finally reach a Super Bowl? Can Patrick Mahomes continue his dominance of the AFC? Will the 49ers bounce back from a dreadful 2024 season? (Yes!) All of these questions will start to be answered when the Eagles and Cowboys kick off the year next Thursday night.
The NFC North might be the most interesting division to watch, with the Bears, Lions, and Vikings all going through major changes in the offseason. The Bears hired a new coach in Ben Johnson (the former Lions OC). The Vikings are starting fresh with QB JJ McCarthy, who missed all of his rookie season with a knee injury. And the Lions? They pretty much lost their entire coaching staff, who left to pursue other opportunities.
Other storylines to watch for:
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Pete Carroll returning to the sideline after taking a year off—if you can stomach watching Raider games.
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Aaron Rodgers with the Steelers, and how far his 41, soon-to-be 42-year-old body can carry them.
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Year two for Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders—will he suffer a sophomore slump, or take the next step into the elite QB class?
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The Dallas Cowboys—because, well, it’s the Cowboys. There’s never a dull moment with that team.
I’ll finish off with a Super Bowl prediction. Unlike previous years, when my biased opinion would default to San Francisco, I can’t in good faith make that pick again. The 49ers will be much improved from last season, but they’re not quite contenders. So, with that being said, I’m picking the Baltimore Ravens over the Philadelphia Eagles. Lamar Jackson finally gets his ring!