#DO NOT RB THIS WITHOUT THE ADDITION IT MAKES THE POST SO MUCH BETTER CHECK THE NOTES

[spursthatjinglejanglejingle]

I am begging gay people to realize that Disco Elysium lacking a canon relationship between Kim and Harry is not a bad thing or something the fandom needs to "make up for". The game would be much worse thematically if the flirting and longing actually went anywhere, the whooleee point is that everyone in Martinaise is sick with nostalgia or half beaten to death by their need to keep hoping for something better.

I find their relationship interesting too but it's infuriating watching people who can't enjoy media without shipping the characters in it try to bring up not having a romance option with Kim as a criticism.

[adhdvane]

Talking about GW/U&F Under the Cut because it’s gunna be a long ramble

S here’s my rankings (I want to save these and post them in this entry for myself, I want to better keep track of how much I do so I can keep a log of how much stupid effort I end up putting into this godda.mn event each time to see how my progress goes) Individual:

i’m like both proud and dead (ignore dark team, this was fire favored but final rally zeus is light, so kill him with dark team). i could solo nm 100 just fine, like much better than pervious events, including the last wind gw in June 2020 (which does tell me hey, you’ve improved a lot on your fire team in the past year), it’s just soloing nm 100 took like ~10 minutes and required me paying attention. by day 3 burn out was real (despite there being no 24 hours interlude this year because of server issues delaying prelims, lol let me tell you when i went to check the prelims on my break to find out oops sorry we’re delaying prelims a day bc ppl had issues last night when we started at 3 am your time, rip). nm 95, you see, that i could make a full auto team for and just summon the devil and skill cast a couple of the skills click attack and then full auto, and ignore the game for like 4 to 4:40 minutes. so while i did do some nm 100 runs, i mostly defaulted to nm 95 (on another note i could 1 turn nm 90 with my break/od team bandit tycoon/5* tien/summer bea/5* zeta and so during prelims and round 1 that felt really good). on the one hand it hurts that i ignore my main fire set ups for favor a full auto team (rb/sieg/heles/izmir) but like how else do i survive doing that many godda.mn raids without total burn out (and i mean the only difference is playing relic buster instead of lumberjack so no using my prized ullikummi and swapping tien out for heles bc tien is less full auto friendly bc you don’t want her buff skill activating before her damage. also i mean it was nice to let heles get exp so i got her to lv 100 during the event bc i’d leveled her to 95 prior. she has some good damage nukes, and her additional atk/def down stackable meant coverage when sieg or izmir’s didn’t land properly). besides i still got to use my main fire set up and ullikummi when i did the nm 100 runs (look i love my fire ullikummi + lumberjack i will never shut up about how good it is and how happy i was i went through with it originally for a harp memeing only to discover WOW ITS JUST REALLY GOOD FOR MAINHAND PERIOD EVEN WITHOUT HARP MEMEING GRID). sure running nm 95 was. technically not optimal in terms of time/meat/tokens/honors but it was fckin optimal for my SANITY.

crew (day 4 at top - day 1 at bottom):

first of all slkdfsjk can’t believe i actually stayed above top 30,000. WOW THAT IS DEFINITELY A FIRST. third slkdjgsldf 3 of 4 won, one day i’ll get 4 of 4. tbh surprised i managed to win the last one (THE ONE AT THE TOP) (i was... i was raiding from 3 pm - 4:40 am it was bad... i wanted to hit the 400mil individual mark for the reward bc i was close and like it would suck if i was only a little bit away)... it did feel good to actually win some though, i haven’t had victories in a while because despite the fact every gw i was definitely getting more honors than i had the previous one it was getting harder to solo shit when i’m against crews with multiple ppl participating. (HELL LAST GW, THE WATER BOSSES, WAS THE FIRST TIME I ACTUALLY MANAGED TO GET BACK INTO FCKING MAKING THE SOLO C TIER AFTER SEVERAL GW WHERE IT DIDN’T HAPPEN BECAUSE THERE WAS A BIG LEAP IN HOW MANY HONORS THAT 36,000 CREW HAD AT THE BOTTOM. also like lol at work so i can’t really start doing prelims until i get home bc i decided i wanted sleep in the morning)

other:

:) oh boy a single sunlightstone shard that’s going to sit there forever and never do anything bc how the fck am i ever going to do this 10 times. draw box fcking 50 is what i’m on. it takes 10k to empty. i would need 8k more tokens. i would get 100 tokens per extra zeus run.... im not doing 80 more zeus runs... i’ll .... just have to hit “toke draw 100 times” 21 times to use the rest of the tokens which is annoying. i guess. AND NOW WE COME TO THE REASON WHY I PUT SO MUCH GODDAMN EFFORT INTO THIS GW. gbf is a bastard man that wants me to 5* the rest of the eternals (5 of them) before i can transcend shisu to 140 ( ´•̥̥̥ω•̥̥̥` ) i hate it. so in order to get enough rev weapons to work on my next 5* i needed to 36 box for fif (i have 1 fully uncapped copy of her rev from when i was initially going to have to recruit her normally but then seeds of redemption happened in 2020 and i got her free + 50 five-star fragments, since i already had a fully uncapped copy i thought fine she’ll go next bc less weapons needed and also i have one of every other element 5* so i wanted to do her or song either way. plus maybe if i can 5* her i can actually go do that gilbert quest lol). i WOULD HAVE LOVED TO BOXED NW QUARTZ. I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAVE BOXED NW QUARTZ AFTER I 36 BOXED HER. BUT I KNEW IF I DID THAT, I WAS PROBABLY GOING TO INEVITABLE HIT BOX 46 BC OF THE RATE I WAS GOING AND IT WOULD FORCE ME BACK TO REV STAFFS AND I’D END UP WITH EXTRA COPIES WHEN I COULD HAVE BEEN STARTING THE NEXT SET I NEED. so instead of boxing the quartz i wanted after i switch to harps and IT sUCK. also depending on if i get the harp draw from the 2000 token i have left... i might continue zeus farm until i get it bc then at least i’ll have an even uncap on my harps (4 fully uncapped, bc i actually had a 1* harp in stash already.... bc those were FROM RANDOM DROPS I’D GOTTEN FROM GW IN THE PAST)

uhg anyways... this was like one of the first times in like a very long time that i didn’t fully burn out by day 3/4. i pushed through to the end like a godda.mn maniac. even in my early days i often just went lol im done on day 4... last gw i thought i was insane bc i got like ~158mil total honors (and EARTH IS LIKE ARGUABLY MY LEAST DEVELOPED). and this time i got over 400mil :) next one is going to be hell because my wind has be improved to 100% double tia crit and i have a my developed full auto team. oh fcking boy. 

[dumbassscout]

i see a lot of 13 yr olds on tumblr these days, so id like to share some advice i wish i had known using tumblr at age 13.

this is also probably not an original idea from me lol, someone has got to have done this before. i would usually put this under a cut but ive decided not to for now

be aware that this site is like NOTORIOUSLY harmful. you may think you’re above it or too mature for it to hurt you, but trust me, you aren’t. since you will probably not be stopped by that warning, maybe take some precautions/keep some stuff in mind to stay safe.

i had tumblr savior for my first experiences with the site. im pretty sure it still works and it’s regularly updated, so take a look into that. it blocks posts with certain keywords from being seen on your radar, and can also push/allow posts with other keywords to always be shown. i would advise getting it or a similar extension to custom block triggering/harmful content.

don’t put other/more popular users in your fandom/community on a pedestal. they’re people behind a blog, just like you are. don’t feel intimidated by the people in your own community, they are just people the same way you are a person. they can mess up at times, and so can you.

making friends is a great thing on this site, but keep an eye on new online friends’ behaviors. it is exciting to meet new people, but you want to be aware of toxic friends. same goes for your mutuals. overall, keep people on this site at an arm’s length until you’ve gotten to know them enough personally to know that they’re genuine people. as you get older you can relax on this, but as a young teen it’s better to be hyperaware than to be blissfully ignorant as you get hurt.

onto more broad things, your theme doesn’t have to be perfect. you dont have to make a custom html/edited html website theme for your blog, you can leave it as tumblr default. if you enjoy organizing that, then by all means go ahead! but don’t feel like it is necessary for your blog, most of the time you will get a new theme set up and check on it on a month and find that it actually looks terrible to you. if you’d rather just have it as a basic/default site, then that is perfectly normal.

your blog’s theme/topic is your choice, and can be uniquely you. some people have many blogs for many things, just a few, or just one with everything. it is up to you how you want to do it! the themes you choose, topics, are up to you. fads and trends are cool but finding what works for you personally is way more fun. your blog is supposed to be fun. you are supposed to enjoy using tumblr. don’t compromise that for a trend. make your blog(s) however you want, however it pleases you. it can feel pressuring to have a perfect blog, but it’s better to just make your appearance the way it would make you happy.

also, tag systems are awesome! but they are not necessary unless you’re tagging trigger warnings. always tag those! but i know a lot of people have personal tagging systems to organize their blog, which is totally cool! but again, personal tag systems are not necessary, and if they feel unnecessary to you, don’t use them. but again, tag triggering content, especially if you are asked to.

archiving/deleting/creating new blogs is a whole other process. some people like to start with a clean slate every time they switch to a new fandom, and let their old user be archived or deleted. this is perfectly respectable (and probably the right thing to do) personally, i just switch my blog over to whatever im feeling that month and people can unfollow if they no longer enjoy my blog (i dont have that big of a following on this blog). it’s really a personal decision, and if you want to restart your blog you will know when to/if you want to.

reblog art, but never “repost” it. aka dont take the image and post it on your own blog, just reblog it from the original poster. its common sense but not everyone knows? idk

if you end up having some or many followers, make sure to check yourself. appreciate your followers, respect them. they are people with blogs. just like you. don’t let a high number inflate your ego way out of proportion, it’s easy to fall into that sense of power.

respect people’s pronouns. even if you for some reason have a disagreement with them, or you don’t understand why/how their identity works, just use the correct pronouns that they ask you to. it costs you zero dollars and zero cents, and is incredibly respectful

as a young teen, don’t get involved/let yourself get buried in tumblr-wide discourse. examples of this include the bi vs pan debate, flag discourse etc. most ppl who i know who were attentive to things similar to that at a young age ended up being affected negatively by it. pay some attention to what pertains to you and also pay attention to what you can identify as right or wrong, but don’t let people’s opinions on your dash influence you in times of discourse. go and look at both sides of those kinds of debates if you’re interested, and form an opinion from there.

speaking of which, sometimes people will just post their takes on literally anything and youll come across it. take everything with a grain of salt unless there is links to proof (if applicable, not always needed). sometimes bad takes just havent had someone to reblog and disprove yet.

speaking of discourse, there is always discourse on this site in every fandom, every community. form your own opinions always, but keep your moral compass in mind. don’t compromise your morals and sense of right and wrong to enjoy certain fan-media. if something seems off, it probably is.

people make mistakes, and if someone did something kind of shitty/had a terrible take/belief (not irredemably shitty, those ppl do not need ur attention) and they genuinely apologize for the shit they did and learn from it, move on. leave some shit in the past, holding grudges isnt good for your mental health and people change. but again, always take things with a grain of salt.

you dont need a high follower count to get traction on your posts. it might help, but you can have a low follower count with high interaction or a high follower count with little to know interaction. the best advice i have is to tag what it is relevant to, whether it’s a fandom, aesthetic, etc and people who regularly check those tags will find it.

if you ever get anon hate for some reason, just delete it from ur inbox n move on. ppl who send anon hate want to see you post it and respond to it. if they said some really really MEAN shit though, it may be best to talk to a friend about it for comfort, or take a break from tumblr for a hot min. most importantly, report it, close your ask box/change it to no anonymous asks.

if at some point you choose to voice your opinion about a highly debated topic at the time, be aware that people who disagree might attack you for it. be aware, and be safe about it.

a lot of people swear by xkit. i have never used it in my life, but from the looks of it, it makes using tumblr so much more bearable. it breaks sometimes with tumblr updates, but apparently it’s worth it. again, look into it, but it’s not necessary to use the site.

do niche shit. start sideblogs without a plan in mind. make aus, make art, make writing, or make nothing at all. reblog the things you love wherever you want them to be reblogged. comment on people’s creations if you love them, they probably would love to hear how much you enjoyed it. appreciate how wonderful the better part of this site is, enjoy the free access to view and appreciate others’ creations and ideas.

i would put a lot more on here, but i feel like 20 is probably too much already. if anyone has anything to add, definitely rb with ur addition

overall, do the things you love on here, keep yourself safe, and be respectful of others.

[buddyrabrahams]

15 biggest disappointments of NFL Week 4

Week 4 featured a few surprises — hello Houston! — while some teams continued impressive trends of winning or disappointing trends of losing. You had the Titans get blown out, the Dolphins’ offense fail to produce once again, and four teams slipped to 0-4. Some team units had abysmal performances on Sunday, and some star players had down days.

Here’s a look at the 15 biggest disappointments of Week 4 in the NFL.

Amari Cooper, WR, Raiders

The Oakland Raiders’ offense was anemic for the second week in a row, and Cooper was at the center of the disappointment. Cooper had just two catches for nine yards on eight targets. He dropped a pass in the fourth quarter, giving him an NFL worst seven drops on the season. Then when the Raiders were making a final effort late in the game to try and take the lead, a pass intended for Cooper was intercepted. One could argue he could have done more on the play.

After consecutive 1,000-plus yard seasons to start his career, Cooper has been a total disappointment this season with just 12 catches for 110 yards and one touchdown. That’s the kind of stat line fantasy football players were hoping to see weekly from the receiver!

New England’s defense

The Patriots were hoping that Dont’a Hightower’s return would help stabilize one of the NFL’s worst defenses, but it was not to be as New England once again struggled to stop an opponent at home. Cam Newton’s Carolina Panthers entered the game looking like an inferior opponent, having struggled with inconsistency during the season. But they came into Foxboro and posted 444 yards on a comparatively modest 60 plays. New England forced two turnovers, but it wasn’t enough, as they still lost 33-30. There has to be serious concerns about how bad this unit has been all season.

Nick Folk, K, Buccaneers

Let’s give some credit to where it’s due: yes, Nick Folk did make the game-winning kick for the Bucs on Sunday to help them win 25-23. But the game wouldn’t have come down to that kick if Folk hadn’t made so many errors earlier in the game. The 32-year-old missed a 46-yard field goal early in the second quarter, a 49-yard field goal attempt early in the third quarter, and he missed an extra point in the first quarter. That’s seven points he left on the table that he is expected to convert. “It’s probably the worst you can feel after a game-winner,” Folk said of his feelings following the game.

Jay Ajayi, RB, Dolphins

Ajayi’s London homecoming very much did not go according to plan. Perhaps a nagging knee issue had something to do with it, and his lack of carries — he had just 12 — was probably the biggest catalyst, but it was not a memorable day for the running back. Ajayi managed just 46 yards on his 12 carries, with 15 of those yards coming on one play. The Saints controlled the football and the game, starving Ajayi of oxygen. He’d have wanted to do better in his hometown, but instead, he’ll have to put this one behind him quickly.

Kenny Britt, WR, Browns

Britt was targeted eight times but made just three catches on Sunday. He was plagued by a litany of dropped passes, including one that resulted in an interception. That wasn’t his only issue, either, as he also committed a false start. His 52 yards marked his second-highest total this season.

The Browns are now 0-4. You have to be pretty bad to stand out as a particularly poor option on a team like this, but Britt is certainly doing so. All this for a guy given a $32.5 million contract with $10.5 million guaranteed.

Joe Flacco, QB, Ravens

As the Ravens struggled against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Flacco was asked to throw a lot to try to get Baltimore back into the game. He was not up to the task. The veteran quarterback completed 31 of his 49 attempts for 235 yards, but his one touchdown and two interceptions told the story. The offense managed just that one touchdown plus a field goal and was never really in this game as Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers thoroughly outplayed Flacco and the Ravens. Flacco put it best after the game when he said of his play, “I sucked.” His teammates didn’t help him much by dropping five passes and allowing him to be sacked four times.

Matt Ryan, QB, Falcons

For the second consecutive game, Ryan had a nasty habit of turning the ball over. He followed up three interceptions at Detroit with two more at home against the Buffalo Bills. After a nearly flawless season last year, Ryan is only two interceptions shy of matching the seven that he put up in the entire 2016 season. Ryan threw for 242 yards and a touchdown, but the Falcons lost at home to Buffalo, and the quarterback’s performance simply was not up to his usual standards.

Antonio Brown, WR, Steelers

The NFL’s leading receiver entering the week was not much of a factor against Baltimore. Brown was held to four catches for 34 yards — both season-low marks. He also did not have a play of at least 15 yards for the first time since 2013, according to Pro Football Focus. He was part of a bizarre play where he was unable to complete a catch and the ball popped out for an interception. For good measure, Brown threw in a sideline temper tantrum after Ben Roethlisberger failed to see him wide open on a play. He’s a lock to play much better in the future.

Tennessee Titans defense

There’s no way to avoid landing on a list of disappointments if your unit gives up 50 points (seven points were scored on a pick-six). The Titans’ season had been off to a fairly good start, but Deshaun Watson and the Houston Texans picked them all apart on Sunday. The numbers were about as bad as you could possibly imagine — 446 total yards, 33 first downs, nearly six yards per play. Houston even came fairly close to racking up 200 yards both through the air and on the ground, falling 26 rushing yards short. The Titans’ defense put together a thoroughly embarrassing performance.

Chargers owner Dean Spanos

What’s happening in Carson is bad and needs to be recognized. The Chargers moved to Los Angeles as the second team in a market already saturated with entertainment options — a market that had gone without an NFL team for over two decades. They’re currently playing in a soccer stadium with a capacity of 27,000. They’ve had three “home” games so far that are turning out to be neutral field games at best. On Sunday, Eagles fans took over and turned the stadium into a home game environment like one seen in Philly. The Chargers didn’t need to move away from San Diego, but Spanos decided to move them anyhow.

Maybe the Chargers will start winning. Maybe their popularity in the LA and Orange County areas will increase over time. But for now, the move is not going well and certainly leading to embarrassing results. The team’s players deserve better.

Adam Thielen, WR, Vikings

Thielen had quickly become Minnesota’s preferred big-play receiver, racking up a pair of big games to start the season. Not only was Thielen held in check by the Detroit Lions on Sunday, but he was responsible for a backbreaking turnover that ended the Vikings’ hopes of a comeback victory. With under two minutes left and the Vikings driving into Detroit territory down a touchdown, Thielen caught a Case Keenum pass, turned to run, and then fumbled the ball and the game away. He had just 49 yards on five catches, and when you add in the turnover, Thielen had a very bad Sunday.

Jason Witten, TE, Cowboys

Dallas’s offense struggled through parts of the second half, with quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receiver Dez Bryant both facing moments of vulnerability. It was Witten, however, who was a virtually invisible part of the offense. The tight end was targeted just twice by Prescott and made one catch for nine yards as Dallas lost to the Los Angeles Rams. It’s not as if Witten has been completely gameplanned out of the Dallas offense — he’s just two weeks removed from a ten catch performance — but this is the second consecutive week that the veteran has been more or less anonymous.

Stephon Gilmore, CB, Patriots

The Patriots’ defense as a whole already made this list, but Gilmore deserves a specific mention here too. New England’s high-priced free agent was benched to start the second half of the team’s loss to Carolina, though he quickly reentered the game after an injury. He was a part of a couple of coverage busts in the second quarter. And in addition to allowing a touchdown when targeted, he also was called for two penalties, including a killer illegal use of the hands penalty that extended the Panthers’ final drive instead of forcing them to punt. He was also called for illegal use of the hands in the third quarter of the game.

Mike Glennon, QB, Bears

Perhaps it’s a bit unfair for Glennon to be featured here. After all, expectations were never particularly high for him in the first place. However, we’re four games into the season and there is already talk of a quarterback change in Chicago. Glennon has turned the ball over eight times in those four games, including twice more against Green Bay on Thursday. The Bears aren’t going anywhere this season no matter who their quarterback is, but Glennon hasn’t even shown himself to be a competent game manager.

from Larry Brown Sports http://ift.tt/2xRP9At

[cover32-yahoopartner-blog]

Titans Chiefs pregame thoughts

Titans Chiefs pregame thoughts

Both teams are not expected to play their starters much at all. Titans coach Mike Mularkey stated that the Titans starters would play a series or two. This is not going to be an exciting game in a typical fashion.

Coach Mike Mularkey stated that he wanted to make sure everyone played, especially those that have yet to play in a preseason game.

I’m uncertain which players have not played, but taking a guess here: Wide receiver Giovanni Pascascio, Darrius Sims, Tim Semisch, Mark Spelman, and Manny Abad. I do think the last three have played a few snaps.

There are many Titans that have not played much at all. This should also be the week they get to play.

AROUND COVER32

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Mekhale McKay is probably not playing. The Titans will make an announcement before the game. It looks like they will have to make a decision on the tall athletic rookie without much tape at all. McKay did well in the spring and at the start of camp.

I am curious of Darius Jennings will play defense.

Chiefs backups that are interesting:

Rookie Patrick Mahomes II was a well-publicized addition. The Chiefs just traded with the Browns to add Center Cameron Erving, but he is listed as a tackle. Is that an oops or Andy Reid “up to something.”

The Chiefs just traded with the Browns to add Center Cameron Erving, but he is listed as a tackle. Is that an oops or Andy Reid “up to something.”

Kansas City also added inside linebacker Reggie Ragland in a trade with the Buffalo Bills.

DeAnthony Thomas is a running back playing receiver. He has always been interesting to watch.

Running back Spencer Ware injured his knee during the Chiefs week three game. Kareem Hunt, CJ Spiller, Charcandrick West, and Devine Redding are probably all hoping to make a big impression as Reid makes plans to replace Ware.

Waiver Wire thoughts

It’s unclear just how quickly teams will begin releasing players. The Titans could conceivably release a dozen players right after they get off the team plane. The players that are way down the depth chart realize their fates. This is unsurprising and it may be viewed as a foregone conclusion. It’s unclear when the rest of the players that will be cut.

It would be wise to release at least a few players initially. The Titans have 90 players and their roster is full. If someone they covet is released by another team, they will need an open roster spot in order to pick them up.

The Houston Texans and Dallas Cowboys canceled their game so that the Texans can return home and be with their families during this Hurricane and flooding. Without a week four game, they could conceivably start cutting players right away.

Suppose the Cowboys cut a lineman that the Titans want. Would the Titans release a player to pick him up? Or would they honor Mularkey’s statement of allowing all the players to play?

Another issue- Suppose the Cowboys wish to cut a player, have him clear waivers, and sign that player to the practice squad. If they make their cuts early, other teams have plenty of time to scrutinize the Cowboys cuts and possibly pick this player up.

Back to the Titans and cuts

I think the Titans are in the market for a talented outfielder. I am convinced that Denzel Johnson is the answer, but I am not sure they agree.

I think the Titans are not happy with their backup centers. Typically a team will have a backup that can play both guard and center. It’s not common to have “just” a backup center. Josh Kline, Corey Levin, and Tim Lelito have been uninspiring at center.

Charcandrick West was mentioned above. A couple weeks ago, the Chiefs were reportedly trying to trade West because he seemed like he wouldn’t make the roster. West is a nice talent at running back. He has starting experience and excellent hands. David Fluellen should be safe as the Titans third string running back, unless a high caliber running back is released like West. I expect the Chiefs to keep West after Ware’s injury.

The Titans don’t really have a run stuffing special inside linebacker to compliment Avery Williamson. Wesley Woodyard might be better suited to be their veteran backup. Linebacker IS commonly a position with surprise cuts. It would take a special talent to force a change here, but the Titans will surely be watching the waiver wire for one.

Coach Mularkey usually has more tight ends than he has now. I am not seeing any prior roster with less than four. The Titans are only expected to keep three. If a good blocking veteran tight end becomes available, I could imagine the Titans adding one. There isn’t a push here with all of their additions at wide receiver. This is just if a talent hits the waiver wire.

Backup quarterback is commonly mentioned for the Titans. While I am not a Matt Cassel fan, the organization seems to be. There really isn’t a need to have three quarterbacks. They could add one, but I don’t think it’s likely.

The Titans are a very good team and a well-built team. I do not expect them to be active on the waiver wire this year as in prior years.

Update:

The Titans have waived/injured Mekhale McKay and Cornerback/Safety Jeremy Boykins.

[racingtoaredlight]

The official RTARL 2017 college football preview issue, vol. 1: Conference USA

Huddie William Ledbetter, a.k.a., Lead Belly (or Leadbelly), will be our guiding voice for this college football preseason. Are you not excited? There are only 14 posting days left before College Football Season is upon us!

I laid out the blueprint for these last week and I’m sticking to it so far through this, the first post.

CONFERENCE USA

The Forgotten Conference. I call it the forgotten conference because I actually forgot about it existing last week. I’ve hidden the evidence by updating the preview of the previews post but rest assured, CUSA was not listed on there until yesterday afternoon.

Their conference logo sucks, their conference sucks, their naming convention where they want people to write C-USA sucks. You know what? I still love them. These 14 teams are only important for the college football completist or the hardcore gambler.

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EAST DIVISION

Western Kentucky

This is a terrible prediction. They’re replacing the head coach, the top two WRs, the top RB and the best offensive lineman in school history but they have the same QB as last year. So I’m saying they win the conference.

Middle Tennessee State

They’re the consensus choice to win the conference and they should be but I hate the QBs name so I’m picking against them. Richie James is the obvious star on offense after two huge years. He’s in the RTARLsman hunt.

Florida International

I like Butch Davis more than Lane Kiffin so I’m riding with FIU here but I don’t know much about their players. I guess they have two potentially good RBs but they lost the only player who was actually good last year. It’s been a long time since Butch Davis stalked a sideline so this is probably overly hopeful.

Florida Atlantic

Lane Kiffin is back in charge of a football team which surely means disaster at some point but when? I bet it happens between the regular season and the bowl game but won’t be surprised if it’s several weeks before then.

Marshall

Borderline bowl eligible seems like a bad thing in the context of the Rakeem Cato years but compared to last year it's pretty good. Glass half full! The defense could be (let's not stretch it to should be) pretty good by CUSA standards but the offense still seems kind of trashy, which is odd but it happened last year. Hopefully I'm wrong and they end up better than tied with Lane Kiffin. I've been sort of rooting for the Thundering Herd since the Randy Moss days.

Charlotte

It doesn’t speak well of my expectations for Old Dominion that I’ve got Charlotte ahead of them. This is not based on much other than seeing ODU play last year and thinking they suck. Charlotte is a recent addition to 1-A after decades as schedule fodder.

Old Dominion

When ODU joined 1-A a few years ago they had a QB that was good enough to make an NFL roster. I don’t think they have anybody that can make an NFL roster anymore and I’ve got them ranked below Charlotte which means I expect them to be among the dregs of the country.

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WEST DIVISION

Louisiana Tech

This is hilarious because they lost a ton of really high level talent from last season but Louisiana Tech is as much of a sure thing to win their division as anybody in college football. There isn’t another team on this side that should be “good” in any context.

UTSA

The Fightin’ Cokers aren’t really the Fightin’ Cokers anymore but they progressed a little last season. That’s something.

University of North Texas

The 096ers have had one good season in my life and they aren’t quite ready to do that again I don’t reckon. BUT! They also showed some incremental improvement last year.

Southern Miss

A long time ago Southern Miss was the giant killer among small programs but Brett Favre was a young QB the last time his alma mater was legitimately good. They’ve mostly sucked a lot but maybe they’ll turn a corner this year?

Rice

This is just throwing darts now. Rice is in Texas so maybe they’ll pull off a TCU style transformation at some point? In the early days of media TCU and Rice produced the biggest stars in the game and then they stopped having any good players for about 6 decades. Rice hasn’t actually started doing that again.

UTEP

They could finish as high as second in the division but you might be able to do that and finish 4-8 for the year.

UAB

They’re back! What a weird stupid chapter in college football history it was when the program got cut. Well, a two year death penalty isn’t usually conducive to winning as much as a single game so adjust your expectations accordingly.

CHAMPION: Western Kentucky

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Richie James, WR, MTSU

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Jaylon Ferguson, DE, La. Tech

WATCHABILITY ADVICE: There are potentially 5 teams worth checking for and at least 7 you probably shouldn’t watch without money on the line. It could be as many as 10 teams not worth seeing.

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2017 NFL Preview: The Eagles' world now revolves around Carson Wentz

Shutdown Corner is previewing all 32 teams as we get ready for the NFL season, counting down the teams one per weekday in reverse order of our initial 2017 power rankings. No. 1 will be revealed on Aug. 2, the day before the Hall of Fame Game kicks off the preseason.

There were 267 games, counting playoffs, in the NFL last season. You could argue the Philadelphia Eagles’ performance against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 3 was the most impressive in any of those 267.

The Eagles’ 34-3 victory was dominant in every single way. The defense shut down a Steelers’ offense that is one of the best in the league. Carson Wentz threw for 301 yards. The Eagles rushed for 125 more. And this was against a Pittsburgh team that advanced to the AFC championship game.

That was the high point of the season. The Eagles lost four of their next five (the four losses by a combined 19 points) and nine of their next 11. But that Steelers game is a snapshot into what the Eagles hope they can become. That’s the ceiling. And most of that optimism is due to Wentz.

When teams trade a ridiculous amount to move up and draft a quarterback, it’s rarely a good idea. The caveat, however, is that if a team hits on the pick it’s worth whatever they gave up. It’s rarely smart to judge any decisions based on the result rather than the process, but it’s hard to get around it in this case. The Eagles seem to have done well to move up and get Wentz.

It’s fair to be skeptical about Wentz. There were times in the second half of the season in which he simply wasn’t a good quarterback. He finished with 16 touchdowns and 14 interceptions, which is rough. Though, he wasn’t exactly working with a great supporting cast last season. Here’s what Wentz showed, at times, as a rookie: leadership, arm strength, mobility, a natural feel for playing in the pocket, the ability to make accurate throws into tight windows, reading complex defenses and making correct adjustments. Did he do all of that all season? No. There were times he played too fast, his accuracy waned and he made some poor decisions … but he was a rookie. That’s expected, especially without much at receiver or running back to help out. But that incredible excitement from early in the season, which peaked at that Steelers game, wasn’t out of line. It would be wise to invest in Wentz now, because he’s going to be really good.

What the Eagles learned after that Steelers game is that Wentz needs help. It’s a practically useless argument to compare Wentz and fellow NFC East 2016 rookie quarterback Dak Prescott, because their situations were so different. Prescott played behind one of the best offensive lines ever, with a great rookie running back and a true No. 1 receiver in Dez Bryant. Wentz was pretty much asked to do it all himself. Wentz had no reliable running game, a leaky offensive line during Lane Johnson’s suspension and some really poor receivers. The Eagles couldn’t put him through that again.

Philadelphia signed Alshon Jeffery to be the lead receiver. Torrey Smith was added as a deep threat. LeGarrette Blount was signed to give the Eagles a semblance of a running game. The line should be pretty good if Johnson quits getting suspended. Wentz has help now.

What the 2016 Eagles proved is that simply adding a promising quarterback brings hope for the whole franchise. Wentz looked outstanding at times and like a rookie at others, but he displayed the physical skills and the mental aptitude that scream “future star.” When teams like the Chicago Bears, Kansas City Bears and Houston Texans gave up a ton to move up in this year’s draft to take a quarterback, it’s at least in part due to Wentz. The Eagles gave up way too much to move up to draft Wentz, but they clearly have zero regrets.

The Eagles have to feel like they have their quarterback in place. They also saw last year what happens if Wentz doesn’t have enough help. This offseason was spent making sure that doesn’t happen again.

Carson Wentz and Zach Ertz celebrate a touchdown last season. (AP)

I like the additions of Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith. Jeffery is a rare talent when healthy, and Smith’s decline with the San Francisco 49ers can be reasonably blamed on him having to play for the 49ers. I wonder if LeGarrette Blount is one of those players who is infinitely better in the comfortable womb of the New England Patriots, but he’s worth a shot for one year and $1.25 million. Defensive end Derek Barnett, the team’s first-round pick, was wildly productive in college. I did not like the pick of injured Washington cornerback Sidney Jones in the second round, because when do high picks for seriously injured players ever work out? Jones tore his Achilles tendon in March. But there is obvious upside if he gets back to 100 percent. In free agency the team lost solid pieces like outside linebacker Connor Barwin, defensive tackle Bennie Logan and cornerbacks Nolan Carroll and Leodis McKelvin, but nothing too devastating. Trading for Ravens defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan helps offset the loss of Logan. Grade: A-minus.

Amazingly, an actual NFL team used Dorial Green-Beckham and Nelson Agholor at receiver last season. Green-Beckham is gone and Agholor might not be far behind. Replacing them with Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith (with Jordan Matthews in a more complementary role) is a massive upgrade. The Eagles’ passing game wasn’t very good last season, ranking 30th in yards per pass play. That will improve.

Cornerback was an issue last season, and I’m not sure how it is any better. Second-round pick Sidney Jones might not play all season because of an Achilles injury. Jalen Mills, a seventh-round pick last year, probably will start. Alongside him will probably be rookie third-round pick Rasul Douglas or Patrick Robinson, who will turn 30 in September. In a division with Kirk Cousins, Eli Manning and Dak Prescott, this cornerback situation is scary.

There was plenty of chatter this offseason in Philadelphia about Carson Wentz’s mechanics. Probably an insane amount of chatter, but the market is intense and Wentz is the new star in town. Wentz worked with quarterbacks guru Adam Dedeaux in the offseason. Eagles quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo explained that the team wanted to tighten up Wentz’s release by having him hold the ball higher. Nothing major.

“I’ve always felt good with where I’ve been at [mechanically], and I’m always trying to keep refining and getting better,” Wentz said, via Philly.com’s Les Bowen. “And yes, I do think it’s been talked about quite a bit, but you know, it’s the nature of the game.”

At least Wentz has taken the scrutiny, including play-by-play reviews of his throws in OTAs, in stride. As long as he plays in Philadelphia, everything he does will be dissected.

The Eagles went 5-1 when right tackle Lane Johnson played. They were 2-8 when he was serving a 10-game suspension. Here’s more, from Jeff McLane of Philly.com: “The Eagles scored 27.1 points per game, averaged 5.4 yards per play and allowed only 1.5 sacks per game when Johnson played. They scored 20.1 points, averaged 4.8 yards per play and allowed 2.4 sacks when he was suspended.” Johnson is a fantastic player, and the Eagles also had no decent options to replace him. When Johnson is in the lineup, the Eagles have a very good offensive line, and that’s big for Carson Wentz’s development.

From Yahoo’s Brad Evans: “Injuries and inept QB play soured Alshon Jeffery’s curtain call in Chicago. Brian Hoyer was respectable, but Matt Barkley is the football equivalent of the latest ‘Transformers’ movie – mostly crappy. Considering the limitations, Jeffery performed at a decent level. In the end, he tallied a WR3 line (on a per game basis) in 12-team formats.

“In Philly, Jeffery should pen a Rocky-like comeback story. Recall two years ago he closed out the season posting the 13th-most valuable WR output from Week 8 on. When featured and healthy he dominates. Torrey Smith, Zach Ertz and Jordan Matthews (if he isn’t traded) will compete for looks, but the offseason acquisition should command at least 23 percent of the targets share. That occurs and he notches a line around 85-1100-9. If you invest in RBs early, he’s an ideal target in Round 3 (37.3 ADP, WR19).” [Check out Yahoo’s Pressing Questions for the fantasy outlook on the Eagles.]

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The Eagles were the biggest outlier in Football Outsiders’ final DVOA rankings. The Eagles were ranked fourth in the NFL in that DVOA per-play metric. Only New England, Dallas and Atlanta ranked higher. Right behind the Eagles in the rankings were Pittsburgh, Kansas City and Green Bay. No other team with a losing record finished higher than 15th. The Eagles graded as a 10.3-win team according to FO’s metrics. Two units drove that ranking: the defense, which finished fourth, and special teams, which ranked first in the entire league. In particular new coordinator Jim Schwartz’s pressure-based scheme seemed to do wonders for the defense, and it should be a formidable unit again.

DOES FLETCHER COX HAVE AN EVEN BIGGER SEASON COMING?

Cox played very well last season, moving to defensive tackle in Schwartz’s one-gap scheme. He led the Eagles with 6.5 sacks and was often the best player on the field. Although Cox has been very good, he hasn’t had that transcendent season yet. He hasn’t made an All-Pro team. He hasn’t had a double-digit sack season either. Cox doesn’t turn 27 until December, and with another year to get comfortable in the scheme, maybe this is the year Cox checks off both of those boxes.

Last season the Eagles played a brutal schedule, ranked the second toughest in the NFL by Football Outsiders. It gets significantly easier this season, about the middle of the pack in the NFL. Combine that with a better offensive supporting cast, and the Eagles could improve by a few wins. They went 7-9 with a brutally tough schedule, a rookie quarterback and a subpar offensive cast in 2016. It’s a team that last season beat the Steelers, Falcons, Giants, Vikings and Cowboys (although Dallas was resting starters in Week 17). The Eagles still play in a tough division, but if Carson Wentz develops fast then the Eagles will be in contention for the NFC East crown.

The NFL has a full season of film to watch on Carson Wentz, and maybe those midseason struggles will be repeated. It’s not too hard to believe Alshon Jeffery could get hurt again, Torrey Smith has lost it and LeGarrette Blount won’t be productive outside of New England. The real key though is Wentz, and it would be disheartening for the Eagles to see him take a step back in year two. It goes without saying he’ll be under constant scrutiny if that’s the case.

I’d like to pick the Eagles for a huge leap, because I do believe in Carson Wentz and like their offseason moves, but I can’t pick them ahead of the Cowboys or Giants. It was even tough to pick them ahead of Washington, a team I think is a bit underrated. This has the look of a team that is a lot better on the field but it doesn’t necessarily show in the standings.

32. New York Jets 31. Cleveland Browns 30. San Francisco 49ers 29. Chicago Bears 28. Los Angeles Rams 27. Jacksonville Jaguars 26. Detroit Lions 25. Houston Texans 24. Buffalo Bills 23. Indianapolis Colts 22. Baltimore Ravens 21. Los Angeles Chargers 20. Minnesota Vikings 19. New Orleans Saints 18. Washington Redskins

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Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdown.corner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @YahooSchwab