Welcome to The Truda Report everybody. For the first time the NFL trade deadline was filled with blockbuster trades. Younger, and more aggressive GM's are willing to make moves, so that resulted in a lot for me to talk about today. I'll quickly touch on each major trade, and then highlight some of the bigger stories from the NFL the last couple of days. Make sure to share this article as it helps TTR grow. Also, game seven of the World Series is tonight, so make sure to watch as this has been an incredible series.

NFL Trade Deadline:
49ers 2nd Round Pick - Jimmy Garopolo:
The New England Patriots finally dealt Jimmy G.  Garopolo created a lot of buzz after preforming well in Tom Brady's absence at the beginning of last year. There is a big risk factor with him though, as he only has 94 pass attempts in his entire career, and was injured in only his second game. This move shows that the Niners clearly want to start their rebuild by getting a solid quarterback, and this is a good move in that direction. If Garopolo plays well the Niners have their quarterback for years to come, and if not he walks in free agency and they go after Kirk Cousins. On the Patriots end of things this shows a belief in Tom Brady's health and his ability to play another 2-3 years. This will be an interesting situation to follow in San Francisco.

Bills 3rd and 7th Round Picks - Kelvin Benjamin:
When your only offensive weapon is an injured Greg Olsen, I don't see the point in trading the best wide out on the roster. That's what the Panthers did though, as the Bills now get the number one receiver they needed. This make Carolina's offense weaker, obviously, but this should open up more opportunities for Funchess and McCaffrey. On the Bills side of things, they now become a real threat in the AFC. Their defense has been lock down all year, and now the offense should be able to keep up. By the way, for you fantasy players out there, this only make LeSean McCoy better, as defenses will have to stop stacking the box.

Eagles 4th Round Pick - Jay Ajayi:
As a Miami Dolphins fan, I can say with an incredible amount of knowledge on the situation that this was possibly the worst trade in NFL history. Ajayi has the traits of the best running backs in the game. Last year he led the league in forced missed tackles (aka juking ability) and in yards after contact (aka breaking tackles). Those two stats are the most important to me since something like yards per carry can depend on an offensive line. Speaking of offensive lines, the Dolphins have the worst in the NFL. Ajayi was hit in the backfield more than any other running back in the NFL this season, and it completely took away his ability to run successfully. We saw last year how lethal he could be with good blocking (three 200 yard games) but he didn't get the same help upfront this season. Miami was absolutely fleeced. On the Eagles end of things they now have a very deep running back core, and they could be the favorites to go to the Super Bowl.

NFL News:
Ezekiel Elliot's suspension has once again been reinstated. This is a big hit to the Cowboys as he has been incredible the last couple of weeks. The Cowboys are almost impossible to beat when their rushing attack is on point, and Zeke gave them that luxury the last couple of weeks. Now, with a tough stretch of games ahead, the Cowboys aren't in a good spot.

The NFL has now announced that Kiko Alonso will not be suspended for his hit on Joe Flacco, which concussed the quarterback. It was a had hit to the head, but ask anyone who knows football and they will defend Alonso. Flacco scrambled, tried to pick up the first down, realized he couldn't, slid late, and was hit hard due to it. Alonso was going full speed, was already leaning forward to hit Flacco low, and due to the quarterback sliding late, Alonso's shoulder went right into Flacco's head. I'm glad the NFL didn't suspend Kiko, not just because I'm a Dolphins fan, but because when you actually look at the play and don't just go with your gut reaction you realize Kiko wasn't in the wrong.

Welcome to The Truda Report everybody. Today I just want to quickly give my initial reaction to the World Series so far. I'm not a crazy good baseball analyst, but I think that this World Series deserves a quick spotlight. Make sure to share this article as it helps TTR grow.

This has been possibly the most entertaining World Series in my lifetime. Games 2 and 5 are ones for the ages as constant lead changes, great hitting, and overtime heroics have lead to Houston victories. Last night's game especially was incredible, with Clayton Kershaw pitching like the All Star he is, until the Astros ran all over him in the 4th inning. I, along with many, feel that this World Series is in the hands of Kershaw. He is a major reason the Dodgers lost last night, which could be the deciding factor in this series. If LA forces a Game 7, there is a chance Kershaw pitches again. If he once again can't contain the Astros bats, his legacy as one of the games best pitchers could suffer.

I think that this series is also solidifying the idea of Jose Altuve as the AL MVP. Many still want to believe Aaron Judge or Mike Trout could end up winning the award, but this Postseason is proof of Altuve being the clear winner. He is averaging .344 at bat right now, has 7 homers, and 13 RBIs. The stats don't say it all though. Altuve continues to come up clutch in big moments this Postseason. The Astros wouldn't be here without him.

Overall this series has been incredible, and with the games heading back to LA, the Dodgers have to win the final two at home to bring home a pennant. I'm extremely excited to see how the rest of this series plays out, and if it is just as exciting as the beginning, this will be one of the great match ups in history.

Welcome to The Truda Report everybody. Usually on a Tuesday I'd give my reaction to the biggest story lines coming out of the NFL from that said week, but today I'm doing something different. On Fox Sports 1 Colin Cowherd said a couple things on his show that rubbed me the wrong way, so I want to quickly give my take on that. Make sure to share this article as it helps TTR grow.

Before I start I want to give some quick background. Colin Cowherd, on his show The Herd, claimed that the Patriots proved themselves to be the clearly superior team to the Falcons this past Sunday. I completely agree with that, and I have no issues. What I did find to be wrong is what I'll be discussing below. 

"The Patriots are one field goal away from 6-1."
Cowherd said on his show that the Patriots, a 5-2 team, are one field goal away from 6-1. That may be true, but they also very well could have been 2-5. The game against the Houston Texans week three of this year the Pats should have lost. Brady almost threw 2 interceptions on that final drive, and he fumbled the ball after being sacked. In all three instances, the ball was either dropped by a defender or the Patriots luckily recovered the football. If the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had an NFL caliber kicker on their roster they also would have beaten the Patriots. Three missed field goals lead to the Bucs 19-14 loss in week five. Two weeks ago the Jets were robbed of a touchdown when Austin Seferian Jenkins had his touchdown nullified and the ball given to the Pats because of a fumble call that clearly wasn't a fumble. 99% of non Patriots fans who watched that game all agreed that the Jets should have gotten the touchdown, which would have left the Jets only down three. The Jets defense held the Pats to two punts to end the game, and if they had gotten the touchdown not only would they have had the momentum, they would have had a chance to win the game. 

I guess what I'm saying overall is that the Patriots are not what their record shows. They have not been themselves this year and continually win close games due to a lucky call of fluke play. They are in NO WAY, a 6-1 team.

​"The 28-3 lead is the anomaly, not that the Patriots came back from down that score."
Cowherd said on his show that the fluke in last year's Super Bowl was that the Falcons had a 28-3 lead, not that the Patriots came back from down that score. Everything that I just explained in the above paragraphs refutes what Cowherd said. THE PATS ARE NOT THE TEAM THEY USED TO BE. They are very close to being a bad team this year, and that is not like them. For the first time in over five years, the AFC East Champion is not a given. The Pats defense looks old and slow just like it did in the first half of the Super Bowl last year. The Pats are relying completely on the passing game and on multiple occasions defenses are taking away short routes forcing Brady to struggle and throw the ball deep...just like in the first half of last year's Super Bowl. I completely disagree with Cowherd, and if anything I believe that the second half of the Super Bowl is the anomaly. The first half and the 28-3 deficit has been more reminiscent of New England this season than anything else, and if it weren't for coaching errors on the Falcons side of the ball (which the Pats don't struggle with because everyone can agree Bill Belicheat is probably the greatest coach of all time) then we would be standing here talking about the Falcons odds to repeat as Super Bowl Champs.

As a Miami Dolphins fan I obviously have biases about the Patriots, but I have done everything to keep those under check while evaluating New England this year. I don't like how the media always gives the Pats the benefit of the doubt when their play is questionable. Admittedly, New England has earned that right with their excellence over the last decade and a half, but someone needs to stand up and really take a long, hard look at this team. They have issues, just like every other roster in the NFL. Don't just overlook the issues, analyze them and make a smart judgement about where New England is really headed this season, and seasons down the road. They aren't who they used to be.

Welcome to The Truda Report everybody. Today I'll be quickly going through the two biggest games last night (Cavs vs. Celtics and Warriors vs. Rockets) and giving you my takeaways from the first games of the season. I know it's early, but that's part of why I'm doing this. I've seen a lot of talk about what the impact of these two games will have on the rest of the season, and I'm here to tell you what to buy into and what you can ignore. Make sure to share this article as it helps TTR grow.

Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Boston Celtics:
This game, unlike the one I'm going to talk about next, has huge implications for the rest of the season. Only six minutes into his playing career as a Boston Celtic, Gordon Hayward went down with a gruesome leg injury. He went up for an alley oop, was contacted in mid air, and fell down awkwardly on his leg. His left ankle was dislocated and jutted out at a ninety degree angle. His tibia was also fractured, which almost surely puts an end to Hayward's season. It was both a horrifying and sad moment, and its impact not only emotionally but talent wise for the Celtics can't be put into words. Boston was poised to be an incredible competitor for Cleveland this year, and without Hayward, the Celtics don't stand much of a chance. The Eastern Conference once again looks to be Cleveland's.

Golden State Warriors vs. Houston Rockets:
This game was definitely not as impact as Cleveland and Boston's was. Many are making a huge deal out of the fact that Houston upset the Warriors in a 122-121 thriller, but there is absolutely nothing to take out of this game. To start, the Warriors had a huge lead in the second half, and laziness due to it being the first game of the season is what caused them to let the Rockets back into the game. Secondly, Kevin Durant was 0.001 of a second away from winning the game with a buzzer beater. If slow motion cameras didn't have the highest quality frame rate, the replay overturning Durant's basket wouldn't have seen the ball barely touching KD's hands as the buzzer went off. It may be fun to talk about the Warriors being 0-1, but there is nothing to buy into here. There was one thing that was a little disconcerting though, and it was Draymond Green leaving the game with an injury. He is having a MRI done on his knee, but it isn't expected to be anything serious. Overall, this game isn't one to look into for clues about the way this season is going to play out.

Welcome to The Truda Report everybody. A lot happened this week in the NFL so I'm going to quickly hit on the biggest story lines. Before I get into that though I would like to quickly mention that my New York Yankees have cut the Astros Lead to 2-1 in the ALCS, and I'm seeing another great team in the making. Make sure to share this article because it helps TTR grow.

Aaron Rodgers:
My Super Bowl pick for this year was the Green Bay Packers, because I said Aaron Rodgers would once again lead his team to the promised land. Well, Rodgers can't even lead his team to the Playoffs this year. In Sunday's game against the Minnesota Vikings Rodgers took a huge hit and broke the right side of his collarbone. Brett Hundley, the Packers backup QB, has been with the team for a couple of years and knows the system, but he is obviously no Rodgers. If I'm Green Bay's general manager, I'm picking up the phone and giving Colin Kaepernick a call.

Tom Brady:
The Patriots won a very close game against the New York Jets this week, and all of the talk has been about what was an incredibly terrible call which negated a Gang Green touchdown. I don't really want to focus on that though. What I want to point out is that Tom Brady, in winning that game, has become the NFL's most winningest quarterback in all of history. I don't think Tom Brady's the GOAT, but I will afford him this: He is the WOAT (Winningest Of All Time).

Falcons Flashback:
The Atlanta Falcons watched a lot of Super Bowl 51 game tape before this weeks game against the Miami Dolphins. After heading into half time with a dominant 17-0 lead, the Falcons proceeded to get shut out in the second half and lose 20-17. As a Miami Dolphins fan I'm ecstatic, but as an analyst I'm now officially worried for Atlanta. They can't keep doing this to themselves, or they'll never be able to win a Super Bowl. The best teams close.

Winning and Losing for the First Time:
On Sunday Night Football the New York Giants won their first game of the season against a very good Denver Broncos team. Just a couple hours before that, the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the previously undefeated Kansas City Chiefs, leaving no team undefeated for the rest of the year. Once again, the '72 Dolphins record lives on.

Welcome to The Truda Report everybody. I don't have much to write today but I just wanted to post something about the two biggest story lines in sports today. Make sure to share this article as it helps TTR grow.

Yankees Come Back:
As a New York Yankees fan I can attest to the notion that all of us are walking on water today. It is most definitely true. I haven't felt this good about this team in 5 years, and although New York has to take on the Houston Astros in the next round, who are arguably the best team in the MLB this season, I'm happy with this season. We didn't perform to the best of our ability for a long stretch of the season, and yet we are making up for it now. This is a young squad that has the ability to get better season after season. I think this is going to be the Aaron Judge era for the Yankees, and this series is the official beginning to it. (By the way I know people are going to say, "but Judge didn't play well!" That doesn't matter to me because he is young, and as time goes on he'll get better.)

Ezekiel Elliot's Suspension Reinstated:
In just the last hour it has been reported that Ezekiel Elliot's six game suspension has been upheld by a federal appeals court. The NFL reportedly is going to enforce it immediately, which means that an already struggling Dallas Cowboys team will be without an offensive star. Elliot can still appeal again, but in the meantime it is expected that he will have to sit out games.

Welcome to The Truda Report everybody. I want to touch on the game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Houston Texans that took place Sunday Night, and then also talk quickly about other big stories from week five. Make sure to share this article because it helps TTR grow.

SNF:
Sunday Night Football revealed a lot to me about the rest of this NFL season. One, the Chiefs are a Superbowl Contender. I can't name a team in the AFC I would take to beat Kansas City right now. Alex Smith is having an MVP worthy season right now, and rookie running back Kareem Hunt is absolutely spectacular. Their defense is also one of the best in the league, which makes them even more dangerous in my opinion. Lastly, Andy Reid is working wonders as head coach, and I think he is slating himself to be coach of the year.

Two, the Houston Texans have found their quarterback. Deshaun Watson has been spectacular for them the last two weeks and is playing well in the clutch. I'm glad that Bill O'Brien stuck with him through his rough games because it is certainly paying off right now. Houston has an incredible defense (one that always give them a chance to upset top teams), and now their offense may finally be able to click too. 

This brings me to my third and final realization. This season is going to be a waste for the Texans. J.J. Watt got injured in the SNF game (out for the season) and the man that helped pick up Watt's slack last year, Whitney Mercilus, is also now injured and out for the year. Both of these players are obviously key to Houston's defense, and I think this is going to cost them a shot at making a run this year. I really liked their chances now that Watson was playing at a high level, but this is a huge setback.

Other Takeaways:
The New York Giants need to tank. I hate saying since I thought they would win the NFC East this year but this team needs the highest draft pick they can get. Saquon Barkley should be entering the draft this year, and he is by far the best running back prospect since Adrian Peterson. The Giants have everything they need except an offensive line and a running back, and since you can't rebuild a line with one player if they draft Barkley their offense will suddenly become so much better. Tank, New York.

Seattle is in trouble. I hate to say it but it's true. Their defense continues to be spectacular but the offensive line is horrific, causing everyone on that side of the football to struggle. I just don't see a way in which this Seattle team even makes the NFC Championship game if they don't figure out something on offense. Twice already this year Russell Wilson has had to bail this team out himself, and that isn't the formula for winning football.

Aaron Rodgers is the greatest quarterback of all time. I already knew he was the most talented, but this weekend his comeback victory against the Cowboys solidified this belief for me. I can't name a single quarterback that can single handedly carry his team to victory over some of the best teams in the NFL year after year. Rodgers never has a defense to work with, never a running game, and this year his offensive line is garbage too. That doesn't matter though, because Rodgers will always show up in the biggest moments and deliver. No other QB has done what Rodgers has, so never mind Tom Brady's 5 Super Bowls (which are team achievements by the way), Rodgers is the GOAT.

Welcome to The Truda Report everybody. Today I'll be giving my pick for tonight's TNF game, and I'll also talk a little bit about the Patriots season so far. Make sure to share this article because it helps TTR grow.

Pick and Pats Talk:
Tonight I'm taking the Patriots to win this game. I really want to call upset in favor of the Buccaneers, but after starting 2-2 I don't see Bill Belichick allowing his team to drop below .500 more than a quarter way through the season. Both team's defenses have been underwhelming so far, and honestly I think this game goes to the offense with the biggest plays tonight. Tampa definitely has the ability to do that with weapons like Mike Evans, Desean Jackson, and now Doug Martin (who is returning from suspension) but I can see players like Cooks and Gronkowski gashing the Bucs secondary as well. In the end it comes down to Belichick, but the fact that this game is up in the air is something I want to talk about.

Tom Brady is aging. The Patriots defense is aging. New England's pass catchers are aging. Everything about the Pats is getting older, slower, and less effective. It showed last year in the Super Bowl when the young Atlanta Falcons absolutely dominated New England until the play callers screwed everything up by not running the ball. It's now showing this year as we have seen Kansas City beat them and a, to be completely honest, underwhelming Panthers team dominate them offensively. The Pats tried to get younger by acquiring Brandin Cooks via trade this off season, but it wasn't the offense that needed the youthful boost. This team's defense is currently the worst in the league and is on pace to be the worst ever. Opposing offenses are dismantling them, and this does not bode well for the remainder of their season. Just knowing that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a real chance to upset New England tonight is scary for fans of the Patriots, because the start to this season is showing the dynasty is coming to the end. Brady hasn't been playing great to start this year, and I wonder just how long he has left.