NFL
CONFIRMED: Why Hurricane QB Cam Ward is certain to win the Heisman Trophy
CONFIRMED: Why Hurricane QB Cam Ward is certain to win the Heisman Trophy
The new NCAA Heisman odds are out, and according to the sharps, it’s a two-man race between Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward and Colorado Buffaloes two-way player Travis Hunter to decide which player is college football’s best.
Both players sport +185 odds on FanDuel, leading one to believe they’re neck and neck in the Heisman Trophy race heading into Week 11, with Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel (+350) and running back Ashton Jeanty of Boise State (+500) a somewhat distant third and fourth. Ward and Gabriel are seniors; Hunter and Jeanty have another year of college eligibility ahead of them.
Both players are great, and playing both sides of the ball as Hunter (wide receiver and cornerback) does is an admirable addition to any player’s résumé. But if you ask Miami New Times, the smart money’s on Ward to hear his name called at the 2024 Heisman Trophy ceremony on Saturday, December 14. When it comes to which of the two top candidates most deserves the Heisman, there should be no debate.
Here’s why Ward, not Hunter, deserves to hoist the Heisman Trophy at season’s end.
Numbers Don’t Lie
Travis Hunter may play two positions on the football field, but less isn’t always more. Look no further than one of Ward’s targets in Miami to find a player putting up more significant numbers on the offensive side of the football.
Hunter’s receiving stats don’t even exceed Miami’s Xavier Restrepo, who boasts 856 yards and nine touchdowns. Hunter’s versatility is impressive, but numbers matter if we’re talking about a Heisman. Feelings be damned.
Ward’s numbers tell the story of a true Heisman contender. Leading the nation in touchdown passes with 29 and second in total passing yards (3,146), Ward is setting the pace in college football.
Advantage: Cam Ward
MVPs Win Games
The Heisman Trophy winner traditionally comes from teams at the top of the national title hunt. Ward fits the bill, while Hunter and Colorado are barely hanging on to hopes of playing for a conference crown, much less a national title.
Miami is a spotless 9-0, and Ward is the driving force behind multiple comeback victories. Colorado is a 5-2 football team — one win coming via Hail Mary — and owners of slim playoff hopes, even as the field has expanded to 12 teams this year for the first time.
Ward’s performance has kept Miami on the path to the playoffs. That’s what MVPs do while putting up big numbers. That’s what spells a Heisman winner.
Advantage: Cam Ward
QB > WR/CB
Pressure makes diamonds. But it also makes Heisman Trophy winners.
Travis Hunter may play double the snaps Cam Ward takes each game, but the pressure-per-snap is lopsided in the direction of Miami’s signal caller. There is no more important position in all of sports than quarterback. They’re the pitcher, catcher, and point guard all wrapped in one.
Shadowing wide receivers on the 100th-best team in the NCAA simply does not compare to the pressure of touching the ball on every snap for the University of Miami.
Advantage: Cam Ward
Playoff Picture: Missing Hunter
The NCAA is a business, and like the NFL or NBA, the organization certainly wants to run marketing campaigns around its Heisman Trophy winner playing for a title, not preparing for the CVS Bowl in New Mexico and the NFL draft.
The Heisman should go to a player who elevates his team to greatness, which would mean participating in the expanded 12-team playoff field this season. It’s almost a given that Miami will be a part of that tournament and that Colorado, currently ranked No. 21, will not.
Advantage: Cam Ward
Strength of Opponents
More wins versus better opponents — seems like a box every Heisman Trophy winner would want to check.
If not for Florida State being all-time bad (1-8!), Miami would still have a Top 20 strength of schedule. Still, as of today, it sits in the top 50.
Ward has faced one of the most demanding schedules in the nation and thrived, showing up against top-tier competition and delivering impressive numbers under pressure. He’s climbing all-time leading passer lists after just nine games.
On the flip side, Hunter and Colorado have the 80th-ranked strength of schedule in the nation.
If the idea is to play the best against the best in the biggest games college football has to offer, the odds-on favorite to win the Heisman Trophy should be Cam Ward — in a landslide. Not Travis Hunter.
NFL
DEAL DONE: Kansas City Chiefs Owner Clark Hunt Make a Handshake Deal Of $789.5 Million Contract with Former Chiefs’ QB Alex Smith
DEAL DONE: Kansas City Chiefs Owner Clark Hunt Make a Handshake Deal Of $789.5 Million Contract with Former Chiefs’ QB Alex Smith As new General Manager following………..
Alex Smith’s time with the Kansas City Chiefs is remembered as a pivotal era that brought consistency and respectability back to the team. When the Chiefs traded for Smith in 2013, they were coming off a 2-14 season and in desperate need of stability at quarterback. Smith, who had spent the previous eight seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, brought exactly that. Known for his conservative but reliable style, he was tasked with helping a team that had struggled to find long-term success and was often overlooked in the AFC.
Under head coach Andy Reid, who also joined the Chiefs in 2013, Smith quickly became a stabilizing force. His leadership, smart decision-making, and ability to limit turnovers allowed the Chiefs to establish a competitive identity. In Smith’s first season, the Chiefs achieved an 11-5 record and made the playoffs, a dramatic turnaround from the previous year. The Chiefs built a system around Smith that focused on efficiency, balanced offense, and minimizing mistakes. He became known for his “game-manager” style, which prioritized careful decision-making over high-risk plays, but he was also capable of making big plays when needed, especially with the help of running back Jamaal Charles and later tight end Travis Kelce and wide receiver Tyreek Hill.
During his tenure from 2013 to 2017, Smith led Kansas City to four playoff appearances and consistently strong regular-season performances. He earned Pro Bowl selections and helped change the perception of the Chiefs as a playoff contender. One of his most notable seasons came in 2017, when he threw for over 4,000 yards and led the league in passer rating. This breakout year showed Smith’s ability to adapt and evolve, even with the drafting of rookie quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who was seen as Smith’s eventual successor.
The Chiefs traded Smith to the Washington Football Team after the 2017 season, officially transitioning to Mahomes as their new quarterback. This move set the stage for Mahomes to lead the Chiefs to their first Super Bowl victory in 50 years, but Smith’s role in setting the foundation for that success was widely acknowledged. His professionalism, resilience, and contributions to the Chiefs’ success earned him respect from both fans and teammates, and he remains a significant figure in the franchise’s history.
Smith’s time with the Chiefs wasn’t just about wins and losses; it was about reestablishing a winning culture in Kansas City. He helped make the Chiefs a regular contender in the AFC and left a lasting legacy as the bridge between two eras, paving the way for Mahomes and a new chapter in Chiefs’ history.
NFL
Jordan Love slips down the rankings after the loss to Detroit.
Jordan Love slips down the rankings after the loss to Detroit.
NFC North quarterback power rankings Week 10: Jordan Love needs to get healthy
The Green Bay Packers have reached their bye week, and as many fans have pointed out, it could not come soon enough.
Remarkably, after nine weeks of football, every single team in the NFC North still does not have a losing record. The Packers have a good shot at making the playoffs but still have work to do.
That said, let’s take a look at where the NFC North quarterbacks rank entering Week 10.
NFC North quarterback rankings: Jordan Love unable to keep up with Jared Goff
4. Caleb Williams, Bears
Well, the Bears have come back down to earth a bit. Chicago has lost back-to-back games out of the bye week, including an ugly 29-9 defeat to the Arizona Cardinals. Caleb Williams was rather pedestrian in that game, going 22-for-41 for 217 yards without a touchdown or interception. Even Aaron Rodgers can’t help but laugh at the Bears.
Chicago was unable to find the end zone, and the offense was shut out in the second half while also allowing a safety. While this isn’t all Williams’ fault, he was a key piece, putting him in the basement of our rankings for the week. The Bears face a rising New England Patriots team in Week 10 and risk going under .500 if Drake Maye can out-gun Williams.
3. Jordan Love, Packers
The big Week 9 showdown with the Lions didn’t go as planned for the Packers, as a hobbled Jordan Love struggled. Love, like Williams, was held without a touchdown pass on his stat line, completing 23 of 39 for 273 yards and an ugly pick-six to Kerby Joseph.
Love has endured a bumpy 2024 season. He has looked incredible at times and is tied for seventh in the NFL with 15 touchdown passes. On the flip side, he also is tied for the league lead in interceptions with 10, despite missing two games.
As a whole, the interceptions haven’t been overly critical. However, in the Packers’ three losses, his turnovers have come at bad times and resulted from bad decision-making. He can clean this up, but if he is to rise in these rankings, it will need to come sooner rather than later.
2. Sam Darnold, Vikings
The Vikings were able to right the ship after two straight losses with a 21-13 win over the Joe Flacco-led Colts. Sam Darnold had perhaps one of his more pedestrian games so far, finishing 28-for-34 for 290 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions. Darnold was also sacked four times, one causing a fumble that led to the Colts’ lone touchdown.
Sometimes, you don’t have to be great; you just have to be good enough. Despite a slow start, Darnold and the Vikings were able to rebound and pull away from Indy when it counted most.
1. Jared Goff, Lions
Jared Goff and the Lions are kings of the NFC North after taking down the Packers last Sunday. Goff continues to be incredibly accurate and efficient, completing 18 of 22 passes for 145 yards and one touchdown.
The Lions coasted in the second half after building a 24-3 lead. Green Bay mounted a bit of a comeback that ultimately fell short with a failed onside kick. Goff will lead the Lions to the Lonestar State for their matchup against the Houston Texans on Sunday Night Football.
NFL
NFL Star Bound for Greenbay Packers put up Custom Las Vegas ‘Dream Home’ on the Market for $6 Million—After Quitting Raiders
NFL Star Bound for Greenbay Packers put up Custom Las Vegas ‘Dream Home’ on the Market for $6 Million—After Quitting Raiders
NFL running back Josh Jacobs is ready to turn his back on Las Vegas once and for all in the wake of his transfer from the Raiders to the Green Bay Packers—a move that prompted him to put his custom-built Nevada “dream home” on the market for a hair under $6 million.
Jacobs, 26, who signed a contract with Green Bay in 2024, previously played for the Las Vegas Raiders from 2019 to 2023. During that time, he spent two years building an ultra-modern mansion on a plot of land he purchased for $750,000 in 2021.
Completed in 2023, the three-bedroom, 3.5-bathroom property sits just a 15-minute drive from the stadium where the Raiders play and train.
However, the football pro was only able to enjoy the proximity to his former team’s HQ for a matter of months before he made the move to the Wisconsin-based Packers, where he has been having what pundits describe as a “spectacular season,” completing 767 rushing yards and three touchdowns in the first half of the season.
While it remains to be seen whether Jacobs will choose to put down permanent roots near his new team’s home base, he has clearly decided that a return to Las Vegas is not in the cards.
From homeless to football star
The athlete, who experienced homelessness in his youth, lived in motels rooms with his father and four siblings and even spent some time sleeping in his father’s car in Tulsa, OK, he revealed in a candid 2018 interview with ESPN.
He told the outlet that he “normalized” his situation and ultimately believes that the circumstances of his upbringing were an “advantage” because it helped him to learn how to “grind.”
“I wouldn’t get complacent because I never had it easy,” the University of Alabama alum explained.
After being chosen by the Raiders as the 24th pick in the first round of the 2019 draft, Jacobs signed a four-year contract worth a staggering $11.9 million, including a $6.7 million signing bonus.
He wasted no time in showing gratitude to his family, revealing in January 2020 that he had used his first big paycheck to buy a home for his father.
During his time with the Raiders, Jacobs made his mark as the 2022 rushing yards leader and a two-time Pro Bowl section. In addition to his professional accolades, he enjoyed a personal first: the design of his first home.
“Jacobs’ journey and his achievements are incredibly moving. This isn’t just a home; it’s a symbol of his hard work and dreams coming true,” says listing agent James Meadows, with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Nevada Properties, in a statement.
Custom-designed mansion
Designed by the player, who spent years creating the single-story estate, the layout is accessed through a courtyard entrance with a fire pit. Inside, find floor-to-ceiling pocket windows that connect to the outdoors, with a backyard that has a half basketball court and a lap pool.
Just one year old, the build, set behind tall hedges on almost an acre, spans 5,304 square feet and includes three bedrooms and four bathrooms.
Highlights of the single-story, open-plan residence include a chef’s kitchen with white marble countertops and contrasting black cabinetry. Adjacent to the kitchen, the living area features a dining space and a living area with a white marble fireplace, wet bar, and a glass-enclosed wine wall. The home also features a media room and a six-car garage.
The primary suite boasts oversized windows and direct backyard access. The en suite, marble-clad bathroom comes with a glassed-in shower and a closet with built-in shelving.
Playful backyard
Designed for entertainment, the resortlike backyard sports a half basketball court and a covered patio with a built-in grill. There’s also a lap pool with a spa and two Baja decks.
The outdoor sanctuary overlooks undeveloped land, offering views of the surrounding mountains.
Located in Augusta Canyon at Southern Highlands Golf Club, the home includes community amenities such as seven parks with walking trails, a fitness center, a private golf course, spa services, and swimming pools.
Raiders ‘hot spot’
“I would call this the neighborhood of champions,” Meadows says in his statement. “It’s a hotspot for Raiders staff and players. Derek Carr lives here during the offseason, and even former Raiser’s head coach Jon Gruden lived here.”
He adds, “Plus, you can’t beat the location–just a quick 15-minute drive to the Las Vegas Strip, and perfectly situated between their practice facility and the stadium.”
Bigger and better?
Although Jacobs’ contract with the Raiders was sizable, it pales in comparison with his $48 million, four-year signing with the Packers, which will see him earn an estimated annual salary of $12 million.
Needless to say, the sporting superstar can afford to have his pick of the most exclusive—and priciest—homes in the Green Bay area, which currently have a median listing price of $319,900.
And should he wish to once again design a custom home, there are several plots of land for him to choose from, including a 37-acre lot on the market for $13.875 million, a more modest 14-acre lot listed for $5.2 million, and a sizable 167-acre lot with a $5 million price tag.
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