Ravens-Chiefs Preview; NFL Award Picks and Overrated Teams; Cubs Throw a No-No

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Good morning to all and especially Kansas City Chiefs fans and Baltimore Ravens supporters everywhere… it’s BAAAAAACK! Tonight kicks off NFL Season 2017-18 in grand style as two-time reigning Super Bowl Champions host Ravens for opening game! Only Tom Brady vs Peyton Manning in 2004 offered such an opening matchup! Now is an opportune time for both teams to make an early statement of intent for 2017. The Ravens can avenge last year’s AFC Championship Game loss while the Chiefs continue their dominance this football season, so CBSSports.com offers full breakdowns, grades and rankings of every sports book along with details about any offers for new signups.
Honorable mentions Not so honorable mentions NFL season preview : Individual award picks; AFC and NFC projections
Yesterday we addressed Super Bowl picks – as well as plenty of other topics – but today let’s focus on individual awards. Garrett Podell provided their best guesses for individual accolades within our NFL staff’s recommendations, and I particularly appreciate his longshot MVP call of Jordan Love (+1400). Love had 32 touchdown passes despite only finding his groove during the second half. That was when Aaron Rodgers secured an NFL-best touchdown-to-interception ratio from Weeks 11-18 en route to leading Green Bay back into postseason play. Love has developed alongside some of the NFL’s youngest pass-catchers and gained more momentum since Josh Jacobs (26, 2022 RB champ). Both these factors elevated Love’s play to new levels. “With tight races across the ballot and offense dominating at the top of the draft, Defensive Rookie of the Year should prove fascinating this season. My pick? Take Nate Wiggins (+3500) from Baltimore as my sleeper pick – check out all our picks here!” Additionally, Cody Benjamin created season-opening QB Power Rankings that rank the five quarterbacks as leaders to watch this year – here they are below!
Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs is followed by Josh Allen (Bills), Lamar Jackson of Ravens (formerly Steelers), Joe Burrow (Bengals), C.J. Stroud of Texans and C.J. Stroud from Texas as AFC quarterbacks at the top. Our expert picks for Allen reflect his ability to either amaze us with great performances or fail spectacularly; his Bills team may vary as much as their quarterback does himself! Our views for Josh Allen can range anywhere between awesome to… less-than-awesome! Buffalo received votes as both overrated and underrated teams in the AFC. Jordan Dajani provided this insight: “Buffalo experienced significant defensive departures this off-season and star linebacker Matt Milano is expected to miss significant time due to injury. “Jared Dubin: Why am I supposed to believe the Bills will continue their recent winning ways when Josh Allen first broke through with 11 wins each season since? To me they remain either second or third in AFC competition.” Finally here’s some NFC action and news: Cubs throw combined no-hitter behind Shota Imanaga’s impressive start!
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The Cubs have done it again. Led by Shota Imanaga’s 7 innings pitched along with relief pitchers Nate Pearson and Porter Hodge who both pitched an inning each, the Cubs completed their 18th no-hitter ever in franchise history en route to an impressive 12-0 victory against the Pirates. Only two teams in MLB history – Dodgers (26 no-nos) and White Sox (20) – have more no-hitters than Cubs five over 10 years, although that includes one by Astros (six). However, they still managed to pull off Wrigley Field’s first no-hitter since 1972 courtesy of Imanaga who struck out seven batters while also walking two and using 95 pitches to do it. Though some Isaac Paredes errors, including two in the sixth inning, may have interfered with his progress, this no-hitter marked 21st combined no-hitter in MLB history and second for Cubs (most recently combined no-hit was in 2021). Additionally, it marked MLB’s fourth no-hitter this year – joining Ronel Blanco from Astros; Padres Dylan Cease; Giants Blake Snell all contributing their no-no’s this year (CBS Sports 134’s QB Power Rankings are updated here to reflect these events). New CBS Sports 134 features QB Power Rankings with New CBS Sports QB Power Rankings among QB Power Rankings
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Now that all FBS teams have played, we have created our CBS Sports 134 rankings — where every FBS team is ranked from Georgia down — with Georgia remaining at No. 1, this time with unanimous agreement from everyone surveyed. Here’s our Top 5.
Georgia (previous:1)Ohio State(2)Texas(4)Alabama(5)Notre Dame(8) Aside from Ohio State and Texas being on top, Chip Patterson: “No team stands out more as being on an upward trend than VCU, who have witnessed dramatic improvements since being taken seriously in college basketball”. 45 Vanderbilt (+46): CBS Sports 134 voters underestimated Vanderbilt, so after their overtime win against Virginia Tech they quickly responded with increased rankings of Vanderbilt. Vanderbilt began life under Diego Pavia with more vigor out of the gate before holding off Virginia Tech when they made an eventual charge. Now inside of Vanderbilt’s top 50 rankings, Clark Lea and his staff could see further advancement. “Clemson and Florida State, predictably, are on their downward trend; both appear in our Bottom 25. Additionally, our updated QB Power Rankings place Georgia quarterback Carson Beck at No. 1. However, Cam Ward from Miami made an incredible leap up the rankings to become No. 2, although Miami originally didn’t even rank. Here’s more… What we’re watching Thursday We are taking part in watching the US Open today; check the Prime Video player to stay tuned in: Storm @ Liberty (7 pm on Prime Video); Mystics @ Mercury (7 pm on Prime Video); Ravens at Chiefs (8:20pm on NBC.” Here’s more… What we’re watching Thursday We’re tuning into US Open action so stay tuned… What we’re watching Thursday: Storm at Liberty (7 pm on Prime Video); Mystics @ Mercury (7 pm on Prime Video; Ravens @ Chiefs (8:20 PM on NBC! Here’s more: Here’s more… What we’re watching: Storm Liberty (7 pm on Prime Video); Mystics at Mercury (7 p.m p.m… [Mystics at Mercury 7 pm]. Here is more: What We are watching; Here is more: What are watching Thursday We are watching: Here’s more about…. More than that tonight…. What We’re watching… Here it will follow by mys Mystics V Mys v Mercury (7 p p;m); Ravens Vs Chiefs 820 pm); Ravens V Chiefs Vs (p; Mys Vs), Mys Vs Vs Ravens (Mys Vs; Mys) 7p); Mys Vs 6 Prime video); Ravens Vs) Vs Mercury 7 Pm on Prime video). Ravens Vs), We watch: Storm Liberty/VIII] Finally…. what Were watching Thursday As we’re Watch Thursday…. What WE are watching] Mysians V Mercury to 9). Mythers) Ravens V Mercury 7pv 6). p, 10 Pm on Prime video at Ravens V Chiefs VN 7 pm).V V’s, 7 Pm 9… Ravens V Chiefs V Ravens Ravens V V Mercury 8;6 VVN V Ravens 820…. then.7 Mythium 7PM/V Ravens V Ravens V Ravens V Ravens Ravens V Ravens V Ravens V VV 9 P”. So We Watching… Finally…what We can watch…. Heres V Ravens V Ravens V Ravens 13… Heres.m… Heres on Thursday… more…. On NBC here aswell…..C ‘cav, 10;… VNBC).. and 5;s 10 etc etc…… Our ‘n/NBC and so On…. 8s Vs @ Chiefs on Vs then 8 20th Vs 8’….. NBC………………. 7/7pm.” Finally…N on – 8;s and Chief VS 8/20 by E… Heres on 4 thens”…….8….Ce 3″820 Vs Raven Vs Vs….. etc……”Vis….. Finally……” V Raven VS Chief Vs V V’ (The Chief V….. Raven Vs 10
Although, as this post by Daniel Tsvetkov reveals, many companies use outsourcing for this role (with great results!), this method does present its share of challenges for the customer service representatives involved.