Week 11 Thoughts
In my household we support both the two seeds and two teams currently missing the playoffs. What a variance.
I come to you this Friday (sorry I’m so late) afternoon with news.
For the first time since week two, excluding the week nine disqualification, Mother’s name is NOT in the winner’s circle.
The reign of terror has finally come to an end. This time by ethical means.
In even better news… I WON. And thus, completely aware of my hypocrisy, I will blindly support this new period of tyranny for it is mine.
Speaking of a return of tyranny…
Jets 14 Patriots 27. The Cat is back. Brutally for the Jets they were not one of the mice who got to play during the Patriots five year hiatus. The Bills won the division every year and the Dolphins made the playoffs but the Jets are, well, the Jets. Now, that’s saying something because they took a 7-0 lead in this game, and giving up touchdowns to this team is certainly a choice. Happily Mike Vrabel’s defense ran the “give up points on the first drive then become Fort Knox” play again and the Patriots won their league leading ninth game in fairly comfortable fashion. Just four days after a tough outing, Drake Maye returned to his accurate best and TreVeyon Henderson backed up his two touchdown day against the Buccaneers with three against the Jets. This team could very well be the number one seed come January. The Empire is Striking Back I fear.
Commanders 13 Dolphins 16. I almost picked the Commanders here, but not because I have much faith in them. The Dolphins, Bills win aside, are just so unpredictable, but mainly unpredictably bad. And boy did they try to lose this game. However, Marcus Mariota gifted Miami an interception in OT and even the Fins couldn’t mess that up. Score one for Brother and I.
Packers 27 Giants 20. I am very torn about this game. The Packers win a game they should but again, they are not winning against bad teams in the fashion you want Super Bowl contenders to. Flip the coin and you can’t get to the big game if you aren’t winning games and I hear you, me. Fair enough. The reason I’m torn and may give the Packers a pass is this Giants team. Very early in the season, after they scored 37 against the Cowboys, I thought the Giants were exciting. Then many of their important players suffered brutal injuries and I thought they were dead. And, while I still think that, this team is fighting it’s tail off. So maybe this is actually quite a good win for Green Bay.
Texans 16 Titans 13. The most interesting thing about this game was my brother picked the Titans. I didn’t even know that was an option, evidenced by my shock when he gleefully mentioned they might win. Only when I reread his pick list did I see the “it” where I had erroneously seen “ex”. Thankfully, Davis Mills and co. didn’t lose to the worst team in the league and suddenly I was up one on both of my competitors.
Panthers 30 Falcons 27. The Falcons have really committed to this “really threaten to win the game only to lose in devastating fashion at the end” bit. They led by 11 at half time and held a five point lead with 1:09 left in the fourth quarter. You just can’t lose that game, particularly after losing to Colts last week in identical fashion. This team was 3-2 after beating the Bills on Monday Night Football. They’ve lost five straight. Meanwhile, the Panthers are 6-5, and yo-yoing between close win, embarrassing loss, repeat.
Bears 19 Vikings 17. We all took the Vikings, and with 50 seconds left in the game I felt really good about that pick. My anti Bears agenda was back on track. And then, they did it. Again. Another Caleb Williams game winning drive and this time against a defense I can respect. The astonishing part is the Bears are not only 7-3 and on a three game win streak. They sit in first place in the NFC North. Green Bay and Detroit what the bleep are you doing. The Bears?????. I guess it’s impressive they’re doing the reverse Falcons but I can’t pretend that I think the Bears are a good team.
Chargers 6 Jaguars 35. This was a 6-7 (grow up) game in the second quarter and the only thing that maddens me more than Justin Herbert’s offensive line, an apt name because that’s exactly what it is, is the Jags loss to the Texans last week. Couldn’t you have flipped the games you did that? Herbert was bad and the Chargers were flattened as Jacksonville scored five TDs in six redzone trips. I’m suddenly quite worried about LA. They can’t block at all.
Buccaneers 32 Bills 44. Josh Allen isn’t human. I love Drake Maye and I think he’s got as good a chance as anybody to win the MVP but the best quarterback in the league today is number 17 in Buffalo. The Bills scored six touchdowns on Sunday, which is a great day on offense no matter who you are. Allen threw for three, again a great day by any quarterback’s standard (Matt Stafford of late aside). And the other three TDs you ask? Who scored those? That would be Mr. Allen. Three rushing TDs for the Bills QB. So, for those of you counting at home, yes. He accounted for all of the Bills TDs. I really hope this Josh Allen doesn’t show up against the Patriots in week 15.
Bengals 12 Steelers 34. One month to the day of Joe Flacco and Aaron Rodgers giving us the Geriatrics Bowl we got the duel of the 40-year-olds again. Except this time Flacco threw a pick six to basically wrap up the game for Pittsburgh while Rodgers injured his hand and had to leave the game. My coworker went to watch this game and in his words “witnessed a real steel city win live and it was electric unfortunately.” We, along with my brother and my dad, wanted another world class performance from Flacco. My mother picked the Steelers. To be fair, everyone in the world knew the Bengals lost the game the second they tried to go for two in the first quarter.
49ers 41 Cardinals 22. Brock Purdy returns and immediately throws three touchdown passes while Christian McCaffery continues to be the foundation upon which San Francisco’s offense stands. Despite being the joint biggest (along with the Giants) advertisement for casts, braces and boots, they’re 7-4 and properly in the fight for a wildcard spot. Meanwhile it was a very good win against the Cowboys last time out for the Cardinals but they are obviously the worst team in their once again stacked division. They should go spend some time with the Raiders.
Seahawks 19 Rams 21. So I picked the Hawks and my brother and I had a very deep discussion about why. He wasn’t impressed but he understood. Then in comes my mother trying to stir up derision betwixt us because she also picked the Rams. Now I will say Big Game Sam Darnold lives. Like Daniel Jones at times this season, the former New York quarterback seemingly has flashbacks of playing in the Big Apple and crumbles. All of that being said, just like Jones’ Colts against the Steelers, the Seahawks had four turnovers and almost won this game. If they had they would’ve won me the week right there. But after the Rams held on we three went into Sunday Night Football tied.
Chiefs 19 Broncos 22. I was certain the Chiefs were going to win this game. I know the Broncos defense is elite but I didn’t have much faith in their offense. They did it again. The new Fourth Quarter Kings put together a tremendous drive to seal the win against the team that has held that title for the past several seasons. And, despite this being exactly the way they’ve won most of their games this season, I was shocked. 9-2 are the Broncos. Meanwhile the Chiefs are… is wobbling the right word? They’re 5-5, haven’t beaten a playoff team and haven’t won a one score game. They legitimately could miss the playoffs and at the start of the season that was unfathomable.
Ravens 23 Browns 16. The Ravens, now winners of four straight, are becoming the masters of the ugly win. Their win against the Bears wasn’t pretty, neither was their win against the Vikings and boy was this win not pretty. Lamar Jackson threw two picks and no touchdowns for the first time in his career. But they’re only a game back of the Steelers in the fight for the division and they haven’t played each other yet. Meanwhile just another four sack day for Mile Garrett. The Matthew Stafford of Sacks?
Lions 9 Eagles 16. I picked the Eagles because I picked against them last week against the Packers and that lost me the chance at sole victory. Imagine my shock to see “Lions” on the other two lists. I know the Eagles didn’t look good against the Packers but their defense was fantastic and this game was in Philly. Detroit plays in a dome. Well the Eagles beat a very good team in very convincing fashion, at least on one side of the football. The Lions went 0/5 on fourth down and at one point in the second half Jared Goff had completed two passes from 18 attempts. Despite all the distractions the Eagles keep winning and I don’t think I’m picking any team to go into their building and beat them come playoff time. Right now that’s exactly what has to happen because they’re your number one seed in the NFC.
Cowboys 33 Raiders 16. A game that happened. Can the NFL start flexing some of these games please? Why are we being subjected to the Jets and Raiders in primetime?
My brother made an observation this week. He still hasn’t won a week on his own. It’s been a brutal year for the kid. While I must admit him winning is better than the alternative, now that I have returned to winning ways he can keep picking the Titans.
Again I have to aplogise for getting this out after Thursday Night Football. Brother and I are already down 0-1. Keep us in your prayers please.
My writing time has been filled up this week. The Bruins are out West so every game starts two minutes before midnight and the Ashes started last night.
My sleep schedule packed his bags this morning and headed to the airport. I’m not going to see him again till late January when the Australian Open is done. Nice guy though.