Games I watched (some of)
Bengals 20-34 Ravens
I found it curious that while Joe Burrow was grabbing his wrist and jumping around like he was on fire, no one bothered to mention that his throwing hand was swollen up like a T-giving turkey! Dude, he looked like he had a cartoon hand! And they're saying, "Hmmm....looks like he's in pain...." You think so? Looks like he should hooked to an IV right now! Anyway, another Ravens thumping where--come on, man--the other team's QB looked like he'd just been bit by a viper. I know the Ravens have a good record, I'm not saying they suck, I'm just saying their opponents lose more games than the Ravens win. Maybe they can keep that magic going, but I don't see how they go deep in the playoffs just waiting for everyone else to self-destruct--that ain't gonna work on the Chiefs. Oh, and if QB Burrow is done, then the Bengals are done.
Steelers 10-13 Browns
How was that opening drive not a safety? QB Pickett had both feet on the goal line when he was tackled. And on the very next play the RB was clearly still in the end zone. I guess it didn't matter because the Browns defense more or less crushed the Steelers all day and the Browns' 3rd string QB, I thought, soldiered nicely through a tough Steeler D and a pack of teammates that refused to catch passes that hit them in the hands (dude, TE Njoku was making plays last week against the Ravens, this week it was like the ball had a curse on it or something, he refused to make a catch!). The Browns are now without QB Watson for the rest of the season but (unlike the Bengals), I don't think the Browns are finished. They've got a hell of a D-line, a pretty good running game and have already gotten more good backup QB play than any team can expect, so I think they'll hang around for a while as the Bengals fade and the Steelers prove that they're truly not any good.
Jets 6-32 Bills
See? When Buffalo doesn't commit an unending series of dumb penalties, dumb mistakes and dumb turnovers, they're still actually a pretty good team. The talk of burying the Bills was premature simply because all their losses so far are self-inflicted and not the result of actually being up against a better team. As for the Jets, I dunno, man, they've been way more successful than I thought they'd be--and I was factoring them having Aaron Rodgers at QB! I just don't see how they get any more W's, they're worse than the Steelers at every phase of the game (I don't understand how they win either). If the Bills quite making the dumb mistakes, they'll be fine, in fact it seems plain to me they will be in the mix with the Chiefs and Ravens (and Texans?) well into January.
The rest of the slate
Bears 26-31 Lions
The Lions waited til the last minute to get it done against the Bears, not a good sign. Yes, division games are always wonky but a beat up mutt like the Lions ought to be savoring every opportunity to drop a beatdown and while they delivered some heartbreak to Bears fans momentarily high on the delusion of possibly winning a game, that doesn't help the punters that had the Lions -10.5! Come on, Lions, be the tough guy from the R-rated movie we all want you to be and quit f'n around!
Chargers 20-23 Packers
I think Chargers HC Staley is the worst coach in all of sports. If the Chargers went to a back alley in Calcutta and found a withered old lady that forsooth with chicken bones, they couldn't do worse than this guy. A coin flip would be right more often than this guy. The Packers got a nice W at home, you know their season isn't over, they can still get hot, I would not be so shocked.
Raiders 13-20 Dolphins
Everyone keeps thinking of the Dolphins are that team that dropped 70 on the Broncos and I don't think they are that team. They're good but they're not great. The Raiders are definitely much better since they made staff changes and their rookie QB (McConnell) certainly has had moments so far, perhaps they've got something there.
Giants 31-19 Commanders
Both of these teams are sorry and I hate myself for even knowing that they played each other.
Cowboys 33-10 Panthers
The Panthers are the worst team in the league. Fortunately, they already have the QB of the future because they've already traded away next year's draft pick--which could be the #1 pick. Ooof! The Cowboys didn't even try hard in this game and they are the kings of pummeling bad teams.
Titans 14-34 Jags
The Titans look pretty much done and their rookie QB looks like a rookie QB. The Jags are one of those teams that is more impressive to everyone else than they are to themselves, I think. When they stop talking themselves out of games, they'll win more like this.
Cards 16-21 Texans
The Texans keep piling up W's and though one would like to see them smack around a second-reate squad like the Cards, a W is a W. And the Cards with Kyler Murray aren't great but they are kinda scary (which is why talk of trading Murray makes no sense, right?).
Bucs 14-27 Niners
The Bucs play hard on the road but they're not as good as the Niners. The Niners seem to be over their injuries (for now) and rolling again.
Seahawks 16-17 Rams
Those NFC West teams never do what you think they're going to do head-to-head, right? Felt like the Seahawks were the better team but not on this day. What does this portend for these two squads moving forward? No idea.
Yeah, I'm backwards: I think the Eagles are clearly the best team in the NFL right now and the Chiefs are merely 'in the mix' in the AFC, where virtually every team is still in it. So this score doesn't surprise me. This is cold comfort for the Eagles, I'm guessing they would've rather won the Super Bowl, but, hey, you're out there to win every game you can and this must be something like revenge. I think the Eagles will face stiff competition from the Niners but otherwise I have no second thoughts about them winning the NFC again. As for the Chiefs, I dunno, man, Mahomes is still awesome but I'm not sure there's anything else awesome going on in KC right now; they may be better than everyone else in the AFC but they may not.
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