Weekly Takes - Monday, September 12 Edition

Weekly Takes - Monday, September 12 Edition

1. The hope, if you are the Maple Leafs, is that the Zach Aston-Reece PTO turns into a contract, as he checks off every box you want in a fourth liner.

He can forecheck, he is elite defensively, and he has playoff experience. He and Nicholas Aube-Kubel on opposite sides of each other on the fourth line is the kind of the fourth line the Leafs have been lacking over the years.

2. It is tough to blame MLB for trying to speed up their games, because the pace of play truly is awful.

Even the most die-hard baseball fans do not want to sit around a ballpark for four hours.

3. Forgot to write out my Week One NFL picks last week, so here is who I took coming into opening weekend…

• Rams (+2)

• Ravens (-6.5)

• Steelers (+6)

• Eagles (-4.5)

• Panthers (pk)

• Colts (-7)

• Patriots (+3.5)

• 49ers (-6.5)

• Jaguars (+2.5)

• Saints (-5.5)

• Raiders (+3.5)

• Giants (+5.5)

• Packers (-1.5)

• Cardinals (+6)

• Bucs (-2.5)

• Broncos (-6)

Survivor Team Pick: Broncos

In total, I went 4-11. The toughest week of the NFL season was exactly that.

4. Outside of the wildness of all the missed kicks, the Steelers win over the Bengals was a lot like their victories from last season.

Their pass-rush was unstoppable, their secondary made splash plays when needed to, their run game was non-existent, and their skilled players made plays when needed to on a game-winning drive.

The only real difference was that their run defence was a lot better.

It is hard not to think that this team could be a playoff team – and then some – if Kenny Pickett was the team’s starting quarterback over Mitch Trubisky.

Trubisky was fine – he did not turn the ball over and used his mobility to extend plays that the team was not able to extend last season – but this team’s ceiling is still limited with him at quarterback.

5. Here is the reality with someone such as Trey Lance: Being a quarterback in the NFL is not easy. It is frustrating if you are contending for a Super Bowl the way the 49ers are to be patient with a young quarterback, but this is what they have to do to take the next step. They reached their ceiling with Jimmy Garoppolo.

6. Sunday should confirm what everyone should have known about Baker Mayfield already: He is “a guy” – not “the guy.” There is no “dog” in him.

7. One of the takeaways from week one of the NFL season? The Lions and Texans will not be cakewalks this season. They greatly improved in the offseason and show it “in stadium” on Sunday.

8. After a tough offseason and a tough week one, it is starting to become clear: We are witnessing the end of the New England Patriots as we know them.

9 Brain Daboll checked off every box for the Giants when they hired him in the offseason to become their next head coach.

One week in and he is the real deal.

10. My Week Two NFL Picks…

• Kansas City (-3.5)

• Commanders (+2.5)

• Steelers (+1.5)

• Browns (-6)

• Panthers (+2.5)

• Dolphins (+2.5)

• Jaguars (+4)

• Rams (-10.5)

• 49ers (-9)

• Raiders (-3.5)

• Texans (+10.5)

• Packers (-9.5)

• Titans (+9.5)

• Vikings (+3)

Survivor Team Pick: Rams

11. Isn't it great that the NFL is back?