It’s time to start buying and selling our thoughts and some important questions that caught our mind this week. As we do every week, Aman, Dan, and I will each buy or sell topics of issues.
“Baker Mayfield and Nick Chubb” by Erik Drost is licensed under CC BY 2.0
This week we will discuss whether or not the Cleveland Browns have what it takes to win the AFC North and make the playoffs as a lot of us could be expecting. We’ll also be discussing the chances of one of the best soccer teams in the world as they try to top their league. And of course, there’s always baseball talk with the Boston Red Sox looking to make a push for the playoffs. Let’s see what we got to see about it.
Rahim: The Cleveland Browns, not the Pittsburgh Steelers, win the AFC North?
Dan: I BUY that the Cleveland Browns will win their division, not only this season but many seasons to come. The Browns with this team will be a dominate force in the AFC North division for a long time. Yes, I know it sounds like a shock, but think about it from a talent level.
They have such a good young core on both sides of the both and it will be tough to handle them, especially if everyone plays well together.
I mean I think having Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry on the same team is a great thing. We saw it happen at LSU during their college days, so why not now? It’ll help both of them say focused on football rather than off-the-field things.
Aman: I sell the Cleveland Browns finishing first in the AFC North and I have the Pittsburgh Steelers regaining the title. The Browns possess an intriguing team this season, without a doubt, but I still think it will take a few games in the beginning for the Browns to figure out their playing style and a winning combination.
With that being said, I’m sure the Browns feel like they can finish second in the AFC North and make the playoffs, perhaps one or two wins less than the Steelers.
The Browns might have more famous stars on their roster this season but the Steelers have the advantage of experience, especially when it comes to comparing the quarterbacks Ben Roethlisberger and Baker Mayfield.
Also, we’re gonna have to wait and see if Mayfield can continue the magic across multiple seasons like how Roethlisberger has done.
Aman: Atlético Madrid will finish above Real Madrid this season in La Liga?
Rahim: This is a hard buy because I am a fan of hating Real Madrid as all Barcelona fans are, but I think Real Madrid is just @£&#_*”+%$~ and the deserve to lose. I love that fact that they have been struggling lately and it makes this an easy buy for me. With Atlético’s recent 7-3 win over Real, it proves that they are ready to be ahead of Real and take the La Liga.
Unfortunately, they still have to worry about Barcelona who continues to get better with the addition of Antoine Griezmann. That will hurt Atlético a bit because Griezmann was a former member of their squad, but they should be good enough to finish ahead of Real.
Dan: Now I am not much of a soccer or La Liga guy, but I’m selling this. I just think that Atlético has lost too much talent recently that it’ll be harder for them to be a top two team in La Liga.
Like Rahim said, Barcelona is most likely going to win La Liga again this season. Looking at the squads, Atlético doesn’t have as many stars as they did in the past. But maybe this will the year we see them do it. It will be tough because both Barcelona and Real Madrid got better despite losing one of the best players, so I sell that Atlético finishes ahead of Real Madrid.
Dan: Despite winning 3 of 4 over the division leading New York Yankees, the Boston Red Sox will still miss the playoffs regardless of what happens in their next 3 game series with the Yankees.
Aman: It’ll be disappointing. It’ll be somewhat upsetting. But it will make the MLB wide open. I buy the Boston Red Sox missing the playoffs this season.
If the Red Sox lose their next three-game series as Dan mentioned, it’s definitely game over. The Red Sox’s difficult start earlier in the season is one that’s too hard to recover from. Along with that, the other American League teams which will likely make the playoffs ahead of the Red Sox currently have 60+ wins, meaning by the end of the regular season, they could be well ahead of the Red Sox.
Another team Boston fans will need to keep their eyes open for are the Los Angeles Angels, who have 56 wins compared to Boston’s 59, and could easily overtake Boston if the Red Sox lose just a few matches.
Rahim: I buy this as well! But I’m only looking at the playoff history of the Red Sox the year following a World Series win. They have had the worst record or been in the Wild Card. This year they are fighting for one of the two Wild Cards.
But it is a tough road ahead of them. We have seen the Red Sox’ battle through the early season struggles and be in a five team race for the two spots.
Regardless of their recent win streak against AL East’s best, New York Yankees, Boston still have their hands full with 52 games left and currently 7th in the playoff picture behind the Tampa Bay Rays, Oakland Athletics, and Cleveland Indians.
I do expect to see two of those teams finish ahead of the Red Sox and keep them out of postseason, so I’ll buy this question.
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There you have it! Now, what do you think?
- Will the Cleveland Browns win the AFC North over the Pittsburgh Steelers?
- Will Atlético Madrid finish above Real Madrid this season in La Liga?
- Can the Boston Red Sox make a playoff push after their recent winning streak against the New York Yankees?
Let us know your thoughts in the comment!
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