All posts by HPSH Plaid Line

Croatia joins Schengen and switches to the Euro

February 9, 2023 HPSH Plaid Line Leave a comment

By: Aeden Evenson-McDermott

As the new year began and the world turned its focus to the up and coming 2023 calendar year, the ties between Croatia and Europe would be closer than ever before. Croatia has had EU membership since 2013. Various countries that are in the EU are not in the Schengen area and don’t use the euro.

A few examples to understand the complex system: Sweden is part of the Schengen area but doesn’t use euro as it still uses krona as its currency, and Ireland as an EU country isn’t Schengen. Thus, it prompts the question of how the EU, the Schengen area, and euro currency are intertwined? The EU and Schengen areas are separate components that do not imply the use of the euro currency.

Croatia, with a population of 4 million, got its independence in 1991 and the Balkan country got the green light into the EU in 2013. This major step for the country of Croatia has been celebrated in the deeper connection to Europe.

A bit of background on the Schengen zone; the zone spans in population of 420 million people, it allows for the goods, services, and people of countries to travel without restrictions in other Schengen countries. The less hassle of providing identity and travel documentation for customs allows for a bit more of easier travel.

The span that Schengen covers is 23 EU member countries along with four members of the European Free Trade Association.

Croatia, being the 27th country to join, also sets the bar for air travel check to expire in late March of this year.

The global use of euro also is prevalent, as it allows for a more stable currency to replace the current currency of the Croatian kuna which is less stable.

Some of the foreseeable benefits of joining include: it allows for more global trade partners and easier networking of shipments between countries, it also helps combat national inflation (which is key to keeping prices down), and with the more stable currency it allows for the markets to hopefully not exceed current prices. Additionally, the tourism industry, which currently makes up 20% of the country’s annual GDP, will also take off and recover from the pandemic with more incomes as well.

With getting the accession into Schengen and eurozone, there are many complex factors that allow for the official acceptance. Croatia needed a majority from both the European parliament and European Commission, along with all EU member states having unanimous agreement, which would allow for the official transition of Croatia.

With the voting from the European council, the results were as stated, with 543 MEPs in favor, 53 against, and 25 abstaining, which led to the Council having the final say in the big decision. The unanimous vote finally came in December of 2022, with the EU ministers of the council coming to a final consensus and confirming the vote.

There was a bit of resentment from the other regions of Romania and Bulgaria who were denied entry. The main cause of their denied entry was because of the corruption, and illegal migrations concerns, with the two countries.

As Croatia goes for the new milestone, it proves the EU is intact and remains focused despite the recent agressions from Russia in the war against Ukraine. It also deepens the connection with a more connected Europe with the most recent addition to the mix of Croatia.

As the Croatian prime minister, Andrej Plenković proclaimed, “Two strategic goals of a deeper EU integration”.

Baseball

Discussing the Minnesota Twins’ offseason trades and signings

February 8, 2023 HPSH Plaid Line Leave a comment

By: Abby Altman

What started off as a slow offseason for the Minnesota Twins has turned productive, with re-signings and free agents showing up left and right.

The Twins had a disappointing 2022 season, taking 3rd in the AL Central and missing the playoffs. Lots of pressure sat on the front office, as there was a lot that needed to be done in order to keep Minnesota in the conversation for the 2023 season.

The most important order of business to many fans was re-signing shortstop Carlos Correa. Correa signed with the Twins before the 2022 season for a 3-year deal with opt-out options after each year. After the 2022 season, Correa opted out of his contract with Minnesota and agreed to terms with the San Francisco Giants.

San Francisco found issues with Correa’s physical, and suspended his introductory press conference. Shortly after this, in a surprising overnight move, Correa agreed to a new set of terms with the New York Mets.

Once again, however, the team found issues with Correa’s physical, and his official signing was postponed yet again. The exact issue both teams found on the physical is unknown, but it was related to an ankle surgery Correa had as a prospect.

After New York and San Francisco postponed signing with Correa, the Minnesota Twins finally stepped up and brought Correa back. Minnesota and Correa agreed to a 6-year/$200 million contract. Correa passed his physical with Minnesota, becoming the highest paid player in Twins history.

With the addition of Correa, combined with SS Royce Lewis and SS prospect Brooks Lee, the Twins’ infield is looking strong and sharp.

Another infield move the Twins made was trading Luis Arraez. Arraez has had a huge impact on the Twins’ lineup over the last few years, winning the AL batting title in 2022. On January 21st, Minnesota traded Arraez to the Miami Marlins in exchange for RHP Pablo López, as well as 2 prospects, 1 infielder and 1 outfielder.

Trading Arraez made many fans unhappy, as he was not only an incredibly talented player but also a key teammate to have in the locker room. The trade, however unhappy it made fans, is seen by many as a success on Minnesota’s part. The Twins needed pitching, and a Correa-Lewis-Brooks infield is hopefully strong enough without Arraez.

For pitching, Minnesota acquired López in the Arraez trade. They also agreed to terms with RHP Chris Paddack for a 3 year extension, and agreed to terms with RHPs Jorge Alcalá, Jorge López, Tyler Mahle, and Emilio Pagán, and LHP Caleb Thielbar on one-year contracts. Kenta Maeda will also make his return after receiving Tommy John surgery in the 2021 season.

The Twins opening day rotation is expected to include Joe Ryan, Kenta Maeda, Pablo López, Sonny Gray, and Tyler Mahle. Other pitchers including Bailey Ober and Louie Varland will be on standby if/when injury strikes again.

Minnesota has been fairly quiet when it comes to building up the bullpen. The club’s president of baseball operations Derek Falvey says that “If we were to do anything at this point, it would likely be to add depth in the middle. We’ll keep an open mind, but [relief pitching is] not a priority.”

After the 2022 trade deadline, Minnesota acquired Jorge López from Baltimore, but López is going to be trying to recover from a rough finish to his 2022 season.

Other relievers likely to be in the club’s bullpen include Caleb Thielbar, Emilio Pagán, Jorge Alcalá, Trevor Megill, Johan Durán, Griffin Jax, and Jovani Moran.

Last year, the Twins’ bullpen was 15th in the league in combined ERA, dead center in the MLB.

Minnesota, however, did trade 2 pitching prospects in exchange for star defensive outfielder Michael A. Taylor. The Twins also signed free agent OF Joey Gallo this offseason. These outfield additions bring many possibilities to light, including using injury prone Byron Buxton as a DH more frequently.

It is unknown what Minnesota will do with their large cast of outfielders, but it is a strong group defensively.

On offense, however, Minnesota’s ability is unknown. Luis Arraez was by far the team’s best offensive weapon, and now the team relies heavily on power hitting more than they will with on base percentage.

Minnesota’s outfield has the potential to be one of the best in the league. Byron Buxton, Max Kepler, Joey Gallo, Michael A. Taylor, Nick Gordon, and Gilberto Celestino all have the potential to start at one point or another in Minnesota’s outfield. The right combination of players and injuries could put Minnesota’s defense far above the rest of the league.

Other moves made by the Twins include trading Gio Urshella for Alejandro Hidalgo, a young pitcher from the Los Angeles Angels. The Twins moved on from Urshela as they appear confident in José Miranda’s abilities at 3rd base, and building up the starting pitching rotation is a priority.

Hidalgo will likely spend some time in the minors before he begins to impact the Twins rotation.

Behind the plate, the Twins made just 1 move that should hopefully be enough to hold down the catcher’s position. Christian Vasquez and Minnesota agreed to a 3-year, $30 million deal in one of the most important positions that Minnesota lacked last season.

Minnesota has signed several young pitchers, so having an experienced, successful catcher behind the plate is a strong, underappreciated move made by the Twins front office.

The Minnesota Twins’ front office has been busy, and seems to know exactly what they want out of this offseason. Whether or not this will be enough to make them contenders this season is yet to be seen, but these moves seem to put the Twins in a position for an upgrade from 2022.

Science/Nature

What animals are going extinct?

February 7, 2023 HPSH Plaid Line Leave a comment

By: Maya Breininger

As children grow up, they are accustomed to a variety of animals that are represented in everyday occurrences. In children’s books – the cow goes moo, the horse goes neigh, and rhinos go…extinct? Unfortunately, yes, commonly known animal species such as rhinos, whales, leopards and gorillas are all on their way to extinction. Try and write that in a children’s book.

Javan Rhinos, a species of rhino found in South-East Asia, are close to inevitable extinction due to diseases, natural disasters, pollution, inbreeding, and an imbalance with the food chain. Around 70 Javan Rhinos remain, and they are contained in the country of Indonesia.

This horned mammal is not the only one on its way out, as the African Forest Elephant is extremely endangered, seeing as their population has decreased around 86% over the past 30 years. It’s heartbreaking to think that these big playful animals are close to being non-existent, especially considering the familiarity we had with them while growing up.

The epidemic of extinction doesn’t only affect those on land, it also ventures to the seas where it claims its next victim, the North Atlantic Right Whale. There are fewer than 340 of these whales left, directly due to being hunted by humans, and destroyed by pollution. Their name even comes from the way they float “up-right” when killed. Another tragic movement where animals around us are executed in mass genocides for amusement.

The wrath of humans has also extended to our cousin-like primates, the Eastern and Western Lowland Gorillas. They are close to extinction due to extreme levels of disease, excessive hunting of rare animals, and disruption with their natural habitats. Gorillas are aggressive and territorial creatures that were never meant to cross with humans, along with the other animals on this list. Their extinction is a result of humans, interfering with the food chain, encroaching toxic waste and polluting the environment, hunting animals for pure amusement, and so much more.

The animal I’ve chosen to wrap up our list is the Malayan Tiger, with only 120 individuals left in the wild, and the species predicted to be extinct within the next decade. It is one of the six subspecies of tigers, and they live in southern Thailand. These beautiful creatures in nature are close to dying off, again as a result of humans.

One thing to keep in mind when reading this list is that the earth changes; it moves and evolves along with its inhabitants. However, humans are the only species that have physically changed the earth to meet their environmental needs, unlike animals who evolve to fit within their environment.

This also proves that far after humans have gone extinct, the earth will be just fine. Humans are the one running themselves and others around them to extinction. For more information on how you can help, check out the sources below.

Basketball, Dance Line, Gymnastics, Hockey, Nordic Skiing, Scoreboard/Schedule, Wrestling

Sports schedule for: Feb 6-11

February 6, 2023 HPSH Plaid Line Leave a comment

ATHLETIC EVENTS SCHEDULE: FEBRUARY 6 – FEBRUARY 11
MONDAY	FEBRUARY 6
TIME	BUS TIMES	EVENT	LOCATION
*4:15pm / 6:00pm*		*Girls Basketball vs. Washington*	*HOME*
TUESDAY	FEBRUARY 7
TIME	BUS TIMES	EVENT	LOCATION
10:30am / 11:15am	7:30am	Nordic Ski Section Races	Battle Creek Regional Park
*4:15pm / 6:00pm*		*Girls Varsity Basketball vs.* *Concordia Academy*	*HOME*
5:30pm / 5:30pm 7:00pm	JV/C: 4:30pm V: 5:45pm \| 8:45pm	Boys Basketball vs. Johnson	Johnson High School
WEDNESDAY	FEBRUARY 8
TIME	BUS TIMES	EVENT	LOCATION
5:00pm / 7:00pm		Boys Hockey vs. St. Paul Academy	Drake Arena
THURSDAY	FEBRUARY 9
TIME	BUS TIMES	EVENT	LOCATION
*4:15pm / 4:15pm* *6:00pm*		*Boys Basketball vs. Humboldt*	*HOME*
5:00pm	3:30pm \| 7:30pm	Wrestling Quadrangular vs. Como Park St. Thomas Academy / North St. Paul	St. Thomas Academy
FRIDAY	FEBRUARY 10
TIME	BUS TIMES	EVENT	LOCATION
*4:15pm / 6:00pm*		*Girls Basketball vs. Central*	*HOME*
*6:00pm*		*Gymnastics Conference Meet*	*HOME*
SATURDAY	FEBRUARY 11
TIME	BUS TIMES	EVENT	LOCATION
	8:45am \| 3:00pm	Dance Team Invitational	Kennedy High School
12:00pm / 1:30pm 3:00pm		Boys Basketball vs. Simley	Simley High School
*5:00pm / 7:00pm*		*Boys Hockey vs. Spring Lake Park*	*HOME*

School Life

Seasonal depression at Highland

February 3, 2023 HPSH Plaid Line Leave a comment

By: Alexa Ramirez

As we get further into the intense Minnesota winter, many people have become affected by seasonal depression. This being something so common in a place with such a long winter, I wanted to explore how it is, or can be connected to school, and how that can change.

By definition, seasonal depression is a type of depression that’s related to changes in seasons. It typically ends at about the same time every year and affects people most during fall and winter months. Mayo Clinic has reported that 44% of students experience seasonal depression, and it left me wondering how it may have affected, or be affecting, our student community here at Highland.

To start these interviews, I chose to keep them anonymous and to keep them simple. I asked them 1. How they think seasonal depression and schoolwork are connected for them, or for students around them, and 2. What advice they’d give to someone struggling with seasonal depression. These were all freshman students who are experiencing their first winter at this school, and I gave them full range with their answers. These were their responses:

Student 1: “I get slight seasonal depression, and it’s mostly based on how gray it is. The weather throws me off so much and it’s hard to deal with. And yes, school is a factor. Being worried about having everything turned in by winter break is stressful, plus having homework while even having a break is worse. For teachers to assign homework to students who will be on vacation or with their family, it’s hard to do all the homework. I know that this year is the last day of my break. I spent a long time catching up on work. I’d say it’s connected because teenagers (aka us) are already stressed about it in the first place. Also, having more and more homework loaded on top of each other even though teachers haven’t graded during the break also brings stress, because it might be too late to make up for not-so-great work.”

“Advice I’d give would probably be to take a while to yourself. I spend all my breaks either with my family, stressing, or doing homework, also stressing a bit. So, just taking a while to do absolutely nothing for a little bit helped me a lot.”

Student 2: “I think the winter makes me lose interest in doing my schoolwork because of how dark and cold it is here. Also, since right now we’re in the stretch of having fewer breaks we get a lot of homework and projects and the bad weather and little sunlight makes it difficult for me to have motivation and want to get stuff done.”

“I would recommend studying or doing your schoolwork with other people to get motivation, and not being afraid to ask your teachers for another day or two to finish an assignment you’re having a tough time with. I also think that it’s important to not only spend time in school and at home, I think it’s good to get out of the house when you can. as well as reaching out to your friends and family to spend time together.”

Student 3: “They are connected cause school work relies on your mental health to be stable and good and seasonal depression usually happens during the winter months when school is at its hardest”

“My advice would be to ask for help and find things that occupy your time other than school.”

My overall takeaway from these interviews was that any student experiencing seasonal depression is definitely not alone! Many people are experiencing it in their own way, or give it some kind of thought. Along with their recommendations, some things a reader struggling with, or experiencing, seasonal depression could do would be:

– Looking for clubs or sports in school that might fill any free time you don’t want

– Be active. It doesn’t have to be anything extreme, make sure you’re listening to yourself. But doing things like going on walks, playing sports, or any fun activity outside, have been shown to help especially during the winter months when time outside is hardest to achieve, is when it’s most important to make an effort to get outside and catch any sun there may be.

– Try new things. Recently this winter, I’ve been trying yoga classes which have been fun for me to do and have given me a new focus. Things like those or like new books and shows can be helpful for someone looking for a new activity to put your energy towards.

– Take care of yourself. Doing the simple things go a long way in making you feel accomplished and fulfilled. Making sure you’re making your bed, showering, drinking water and eating enough, and spending time with loved ones are all examples of small things that make a big difference.

Of course, everyone’s experience is different and what works for me or for the people interviewed in this article might not be the same for everyone, and at the end of the day reaching out is always a good idea.

Some sources here in Minnesota made just for teens can be found on: https://www.mnteenmentalhealth.org.

Stay healthy!

Wrestling

Highland Park wrestling team

February 2, 2023 HPSH Plaid Line Leave a comment

By: Irene Cohen

Image taken from the HPSH Wrestling Instagram page: hp.wrestling

Today I am interviewing Gabe Wright, senior captain of the wrestling team. Gabe has been on the wrestling team for 6 years, and for the entirety of those years he has always been an exceptional athlete. Today he will be updating us on how the HPSH wrestling team has been doing in this 2022-2023 season.

Interviewer: So Gabe, how are you doing today?

Gabe: I am doing so swell and peachy today, thank you for asking!

Interviewer: Wonderful! Can you tell us how this season has been going in general so far?

Gabe: It’s been very good, on an individual and team level.

Interviewer: And how many teammates do you have this year?

Gabe: Around 30 of us show up to practice consistently.

Interviewer: How have the meets been going against other schools so far?

Gabe: Very good; our record has us set to be the conference champs this season.

Interviewer: And how is the team morale doing because of that?

Gabe: Very high; we’re all very proud of ourselves and motivated to work even harder.

Interviewer: How often do you have these practices?

Gabe: We usually do about 5-6 practices per week; we train different areas throughout the practice.

Interviewer: It sounds like the wrestling team is thriving this year, I’m glad your senior season is going so well!

Gabe: So am I, thank you for having me!

So, there you have it folks. Another Highland Park team absolutely thriving this season.

Note: This interview was conducted before the conference final, and Gabe was right, they did win the conference.

Music/Concerts

The top bass players of recent history

February 1, 2023 HPSH Plaid Line Leave a comment

By: Domingo Basso

Okay, well, since the electric bass is like the coolest instrument ever (very factual statement) I’m sure you’re wondering just who exactly are some of the best bass players in the world? Well allow me to show you what my research has led me to conclude. And before I continue, I’ll make the disclaimer that there is no truly factual best bass player(s) in the world, so this is, of course, based on my opinion.

My list of the top bass players will also align with that of one done by ‘Rolling Stone’ in a poll, so I highly recommend that article if you want to learn more. Anyways, enough with the introductions, here are some of the top bass players:

8: Victor Wooten-

Victor Wooten is a famous bass player who’s most known for his amazing jazz bass playing, great knowledge in music theory as a whole, and most of all his fantastic improvising skills.

7: Cliff Burton-

Cliff Burton, who’s known for his role as the bassist of the band Metallica, was a great influence for bassists in the future with his frequent use of pedals creating a more distorted and aggressive sound. He also would play his bass in a way that allowed it to be a more prominent sound in the band, even being mistaken for a lead guitar at times.

6: Jaco Pastorius –

Now, while the name Jaco Pastorious isn’t all that well known, the bass playing community highly respects this man for his sheer mastery over the instrument, having him be a very sought after musician to work with. This allowed him to work with the likes of: Weather Report, Joni Mitchell, Ian Hunter, Herbie Hancock and many others.

5: John Paul Jones-

John Paul Jones, known for his involvement as the bassist of the band Led Zeppelin, was a master at using the bass with his interesting percussive and rhythmic style inspiring many bassists around the world.

4: Les Claypool-

Les Claypool is known for being a bit of a weirdo and you can kind of tell that after listening to some of his music. His most famous music act was being the lead singer and bassist of Primus. Doing bass lines that are already very difficult to master, he pairs that up with also being the lead vocalist for the band, earning him a spot on this list. Funny enough, after Cliff Burton’s death, Metallica was in search of a new bassist and Les tried out for it but was eventually denied the role.

3: Geddy Lee-

Geddy Lee, known most for his role in the band Rush, is very talented at playing the bass. But, he also plays the keyboard for the band, as well as being the lead vocalist, so he earns a spot on this list for his sheer variety and key role in his band.

2: Paul Mcartney-

While Paul Mcartney (known for his role as the bassist of the band The Beatles) isn’t the most skilled bass player out there, he still manages to earn a spot on this list because of the amount of influence that he has over bassists around the world to this day. This arguably makes him one of the most famous bassists of all time.

1: Flea-

Finally, on the number one spot of my list is Flea, known for his role as the bassist in the band Red Hot Chili Peppers. I put him on the #1 spot because he’s a very well renowned slap bassist and really helped boost the popularity of the bass guitar (also I’m super biased, but that’s like, whatever).

For more information, please visit:

Fashion/Make-Up

The fashion trend cycle

January 31, 2023 HPSH Plaid Line Leave a comment

By: Emilia Moberg

Throughout history, thousands of fashion trends have emerged and gone out of style. Typically, trends follow a multiple-decade cycle. For example, in the 1940’s pre-war era, wide-shoulder shirts and jackets and a-line skirts were popular silhouettes. Then, in the 1980’s, large, shoulder-padded blazers returned to the fashion sphere, completing the cycle.

However, largely due to the increase of global connection and mass industrial production in the past 5-10 years, fast fashion and “micro-trends” have taken over the fashion industry. Microtrends are trends that cycle in and out of style in a matter of months or weeks. In an article on Conciouslifeandstyle.com, Stella Hertantyo breaks down this new fashion cycle into five steps: introduction, rise, acceptance, decline, and obsolescence. A new style is introduced, then picks up relevance in fashion communities. Next, it is established into mainstream fashion consciousness and is often mass-produced. As the trend is fully incorporated into the mainstream, it is no longer fresh and exciting to consumers, and is discarded for newer trends to arise in its place.

The availability of mass-producing, fast fashion retailers, such as Shein, have fueled this rapid cycling. Additionally, social media competition drives the want to buy and consume more items to keep up with the trends.

There are pros and cons to this new trend cycle. Due to the desire for new products, designers have needed to get creative to fill the need. Mass production makes clothing cheap and fashion should be accessible to anyone who wants to participate in it. However, the fast fashion industry breeds overconsumption and has many environmental drawbacks.

One solution is sustainable clothing. However, it can be very expensive and inaccessible.

In my opinion, buying second-hand clothing is one of the best ways to expand your style and find quality clothing for cheaper prices, without participation in fast fashion.

Entertainment

Talking about ‘Serial’ podcast episode: “The Alibi”

January 30, 2023 HPSH Plaid Line Leave a comment

By: Leticia Bugg-Sam

*Warning: contains some spoilers*

It’s Baltimore 1999, Hae Min Lee, a popular high school senior student, was murdered. One day, she disappeared after school. Six weeks later, detectives arrested her classmate and ex-boyfriend, Adnan Syed, for her murder. Adnan says that he is innocent although he can’t remember that night.

Later into the podcast, he was high off of marijuana and also he was drunk. When Adnan got taken in for his story ,he told the detectives what happened and his story didn’t quite match up. It didn’t make any sense. Adnan was a careless person when his ex- girlfriend died; he would go out to parties, get high and get drunk.

A classmate at Woodlawn high school says that she knew where Adnan was when Hae disappeared that night. When Adnan got arrested Asia wrote him letters and one describes about him talking in the library on the night where Hae disappeared.

She also wrote another letter after Adnan was convicted.

Jay was another suspect because he knew where the car was and her dead body, but the detectives let him go because he hardly knew Hae and his phone was on him the whole time.

But then, on January 13, 1999, at 7:30 pm, Jay told Jenn that Adnan was gonna go, or had already killed Hae. The reason for that is because at 10:45 am Jay got a call from Adnan and at 11:00-11:30 he arrived at Jay’s house saying that he was going to kill Hae.

The next day, Adnan went to Best Buy and bought cleaning supplies. All the evidence that the detectives had, they still didn’t have a correct clue on who the murderer was. Adnan was the main one but the detectives were not sure if he was the murderer but even though his family had a lawyer that already knew his family very well and that they paid.

The detectives also knew that too. Adnan’s parents didn’t believe that he killed Hae too. He was put in prison, but later, when the detectives gave up on finding more evidence, they had no other choice but to let go of Adnan.

Football

This year’s most disappointing NFL teams

January 30, 2023 HPSH Plaid Line 1 Comment

By: Toby Martin-Kohls

All stats from this article were from Pro Fooball Reference and Sportrac. You can find more information here and here.

Every year in the NFL, each of the 32 teams has expectations, and their performances fall into three categoried: They perform better than expected, do about as well as predicted, or disappoint.

However, doing poorly doesn’t just qualify a team as a disappointment. For example, the Bears are one of the worst teams in the NFL, but nobody expected them to be a playoff team in the first place. They traded away a lot of star talent such as Roquan Smith for future draft picks, and Justin Fields looks to be making some promising steps.

Here are three teams that have not lived up to expectations this season.

Los Angeles Rams

The Los Angeles Rams were fresh off a Super Bowl victory and even though there were key losses such as WR Odell Beckham Jr. and LB Von Miller, they were still expected to be contenders. According to Pro Football Reference, the Rams were tied for the fourth highest Super Bowl odds according to oddsmakers, only to completely collapse with little hope for the future.

In just one year, the Rams offense went from 7th in the league in scoring averaging 27.1 points per game to this year’s abysmal 26th ranked scoring team, averaging a mere 18.7 points per game. Of course, injuries played a critical role, with key posiiton players such as: Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp, and Aaron Donald all missing time.

But the biggest issue offensively had been the revolving door of offensive lineman. The Rams became the first team in the Super Bowl era to use a different starting five in each of their first nine games. This was on top of an already patchy unit that had lost starting LT Andrew Whitworth to retirement after last year’s Super Bowl run. Matthew Stafford also saw a regression from his previous seasons stats before he got injured.

Defensively, losing Von Miller to free agency was brutal for the Rams. Without a dominant edge rusher opposite Aaron Donald, this unit was average defending the pass, and Jalen Ramsey’s less than stellar play caused him to miss the Pro Bowl for the first time since his rookie season back in 2016.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

According to Pro Football Reference, only three teams had better preseason odds than the Rams to win the Super Bowl. Two of them are very much at the top of their game right now, but another team stands out with the Rams.

As the season started, things looked promising for the Bucs. They jumped out to a 2-0 start, but things fell apart quickly. They then lost five of the next six, and squeaked into the playoffs with a losing record.

In 2021, they were 2nd in the league in scoring, averaging 30.1 points per game. Fast forward to this season and they are 25th in scoring, averaging 18.4 points per game. If it wasn’t for their solid defense, this team would have been even worse off. So, how did they fall off offensively?

Coaching makes a big difference. In a stunning move, head coach Bruce Arians retired during the 2022 offseason. But the biggest problem was the offensive line. It’s become clear that the loss of key interior personnel has crushed this teams ability to run.

In 2021, the Bucs possessed 3 Pro Bowlers on their offensive line, OT Tristan Wirfs, OG Ali Marpet, and C Ryan Jensen. Ali Marpet surprisingly retired after last season at the age of 28 and Ryan Jensen tore his ACL in training camp before the season even started. So, take away two Pro Bowlers and throw in a bunch of injuries and what you get is the worst rush offense in the NFL, according to stats on Pro Football Reference. This consequently negatively affects the passing game.

Because of that, Brady has often looked out of rhythm. Also, with the loss of TE Rob Gronkowski to retirement, it’s clear that this offense lacks any sort of punch. The team as a whole looks flat on a consistent basis. Who would have thought that a regular season matchup between future hall of farmers, Aaron Rodgers and Brady would come up with a score of 14-12 on September 24.

The Bucs were dominated by the Dallas Cowboys 31-14 in the first round of the NFL Playoffs.

Green Bay Packers

In the recent history of the NFC North, the Packers have reigned supreme over the division, winning 8 division titles since 2011, including the last 3 before this season. This year they finished 3rd in the division, which was a surprise considering they were supposed to be one of the best teams in the NFC. They even got beat out by the 9-8 Lions who were supposed to finish near the bottom of the standings.

Since Matt LeFleur took over in 2019, Green Bay’s defense has ranged from league average, to above average, with their weakest season coming this year, and offensively what made them elite in the past was all the brilliant production with the lack of turnovers. That all changed this season, with QB Aaron Rodgers throwing double digit interceptions for the first time since 2010.

It was always known that once Davante Adams was traded, this offense was going to be in a bit of a transitional phase, but now it is evident that it was tougher than expected. Not only did Ridgers not play well this season, but the chemistry between him and his young receiving core has perhaps been the biggest obstacle this season. The Packers also have been one of the most penelized teams in the league this season.

With Rodgers signing a 3-year, 150 million dollar contract ahead of this season, it’s hard to see how the Packers will be competitive in the coming years with the salary cap. According to Sportrac, the Packers are currently projected to be $14 million over the cap for 2023.