FROM THE PRESS BOX – With the holiday season in full swing, we enter an exciting time of the year in the sports world.
MLB winter meetings wrap up on Thursday, there’s only a few weeks left of the NFL season and the NHL and NBA seasons are finally starting to heat up.
Oh, and we’re almost to the conference slate of the college basketball season.
It’s time to jump right in.
Here’s the latest batch of Ebs’ Hot Takes.
Enjoy.
Josh Allen will lead the Buffalo Bills to the playoffs in 2019. It’s fair to expect a Chicago Bears-like turnaround from the Buffalo Bills next season.
Why?
There are three main reasons.
Josh Allen, close to $90 million in cap space and a top-5 defense.
What’s not to like?
Allen has been impressive this season, and that’s with one of the worst offensive lines in the league and absolutely no weapons on the outside.
Josh Allen, a star in the making?
@3rd_Goal loves what he sees from Buffalo's rookie QB. pic.twitter.com/qwovOvCPab— Pick Six Podcast (@picksixpod) December 11, 2018
Buffalo is currently primed to draft in the top 10 this spring. They’ll have the opportunity to draft either an offensive lineman or a play-making pass rusher. Both would be welcome additions.
From there, the Bills can address the wide receiver position, interior offensive line help, a No. 2 corner and depth later on in the draft and in free agency.
But overall, what Allen has showed in eight starts is promising. If this is what he can at his floor, a lot of fun is in store in the future.
That's our quarterback. ? #GoBills pic.twitter.com/fXCJpVVCFP
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) December 13, 2018
The Toronto Raptors will win the East. How can you not be impressed with the Toronto Raptors’ win Wednesday night against the Golden State Warriors. On the road, too.
Despite the Philadelphia 76ers’ addition of Jimmy Butler and Boston Celtics’ seven-game sun streak, the Raptors are still the team to beat.
Kawhi Leonard has been a monster for the Raptors so far. The team as a whole is meshing. It’s a nice pairing between Leonard a Kyle Lowry and the rest of the Raptors have been able to feed off of it.
Toronto finally has its superstar to take it to the next level.
I bet Leonard signs an extension in the offseason, too.
Before Thursday is out, a big deal will go down at the MLB winter meetings. So much for the “hot stove.” More like lukewarm Easy Bake Oven.
After the reports of the New York Mets, Miami Marlins and New York Yankees discussing a massive three-team trade centered around J.T. Realmuto (Question: Why does everyone want him?) and Noah Syndergaard that never came to fruition, all we’ve seen so far are small moves.
Quite frankly, this week has been boring. But with one day left, I could see some movement.
Does any clarity come regarding Manny Machado or Bryce Harper? Do the Mets finally trade for Realmuto?
We’ll see.
