Week 7, 2019

No firings this week, but I honestly think there might be at least one in the next week.

The Dallas Cowboys started the season off with a 3-0 record, letting everyone think they would be a Super Bowl contender this year.  Well, those three wins were against the Giants, the Redskins, and the Dolphins.  Three teams with a total of three wins between them.  Then Dallas visited the New Orleans Saints, hosted the Green Bay Packers, two very good and contending teams, then made another trip, this time to the New York Jets, who had not won a game this year.  Just like what happened with Green Bay, Dallas allowed the Jets to start fast and furious, then couldn't catch up.  The defense couldn't stop Sam Darnold and what now looks like a possible high-powered offense. 

After the game Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones, said that Jason Garrett's job is not in jeopardy.  They are focused on their Sunday night game with the Philadelphia Eagles that will determine an early leader in the NFC East.  It's already Thursday and there have been no changes to this stance.  Garrett says he's focused on the Eagles (they're playing in Dallas) and that's where he is at the moment.  During week 8, Dallas has their bye week.  If they lay another duck while playing for the division lead early in the season, which could end up helping decide a division title, I honestly anticipate Jones to make a change at the top spot.  Garrett is currently coaching in his 10th season and they have only won two playoff games during that time, with just three playoff appearances.  Which is more frustrating?  Not making the playoffs consistently, or, like Marvin Lewis in Cincinnati, have a really good regular season and always losing in the playoffs.  We will be watching this as the week unfolds Sunday night in Dallas.

On Wednesday, the Los Angeles Rams pulled off a trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars to receive cornerback Jalen Ramsey.  The Jaguars receive two first-round picks in 2020 and 2021, and a fourth round pick, also in 2021.  Ramsey is having a decent year with 13 tackles and 4 assists, he has no interceptions, though.  The Jaguars it seems now, are in a rebuild type mode since they're currently with a 2-4 record.  The Rams have struggled on defense, especially since losing in consecutive weeks to divisional rivals Seahawks and 49ers the last two weeks.  This acquisition may help them some, but their offense seems to be a bit confused.

Games from last week...

Philadelphia @ Minnesota — This was just a high-octane filled resurrection of what everyone thought would be a contending offense in Minnesota.  Quarterback Kirk Cousins completed almost 76% of his passes while throwing for 333 yards and 4 touchdowns, three of which went to wideout Stefon Diggs, who had expressed some discontent a couple weeks ago at not being utilized.  Had the Vikings not been throttled by the Packers a couple weeks ago, I would say they are turning things around.  They are, however, looking very good right now and I think would give Green Bay a good contest.  The Eagles have not really been consistent this season, they're 3-3, having beaten Washington, Green Bay, and the Jets.  Already up on Dallas with common opponents, they head to JerryWorld Sunday night to see who can be more inconsistent.

Houston @ Kansas City — Last week I said that the Texans would have to slow down the Chiefs if they wanted any chance of winning.  Well, they did, giving Kansas City their second consecutive loss, both at Arrowhead.  Patrick Mahomes is having an issue with an ankle he hurt against the Colts a couple weeks ago, so that could hobble him some.  Are the Texans for real?  They seem it.  They're a fun team to watch and they're relatively healthy.  Let's see if they can keep their momentum going as they head to Indianapolis this week.

Detroit @ Green Bay — Yes, I agree with everyone else that the Lions got royally screwed by horrible penalties on Monday night.  With the available technology that's available, and being used in other professional sports, there is absolutely no excuse that someone grabbing someones jersey should be misunderstood as sticking their hand in their face.  Okay, that's out.  Detroit was only able to get the ball into the end zone once, and that was in the first quarter.  Matt Stafford came out slinging the ball, starting with a 66-yard flea-flicker pass that got the crowd in Lambeau quiet.  No one, and I mean no one (not even the Patriots) can rely on your kicker to win games when you're up against a team led by Aaron Rodgers.  Had they been able to punch the ball into the end zone at least a couple of the other times they entered the red zone, the referees bad calls would not have been an issue.  And, for the record, I'm not a fan of Booger McFarland.  When discussing the "hands to the face" penalties with the official in the booth, McFarland was almost argumentative, despite the official attempting to explain how quickly things happen and how easy it is to miss things.  Which brings this full circle to the first statements I made in this paragraph.

Games to watch this week...

Cardinals @ Giants — Not sure if this game will eventually mean something this season, but this does showcase two of the top young arms in the league, ones that we will be watching for years to come.  Kyler Murray in Arizona has shown some toughness, starting from opening day.  He's struggled, which is understandable, but he has not quit.  Now he's won two straight games.  Hope he can keep this up.  

David Jones is the new Eli Manning, or so Giants fans would have us believe.  He has played very well and is responsible for a couple of wins.  I think this will be a fun game and will go to whichever young quarterback makes the fewest mistakes.

Houston @ Indianapolis — The Colts have won four of their last five contests versus the Texans, including the playoffs.  Honestly, I think Houston is the better team this year.  Jacoby Brissett is playing well and has a good team around him, but I really like what I see Bill O'Brien doing in Houston.  Couple years ago I had them in the Super Bowl...not ready to go that far with them yet, but they should handle the Colts this week.  Interesting little note, too, this game features the last two teams the Chiefs played, in Arrowhead, and lost to.

Minnesota @ Detroit — The Vikings are riding high after their win against the Eagles last week.  The Lions are not happy with their loss Monday night.  This game has a lot of intrigue in that these are divisional rivals.  With Green Bay beating almost everyone they face, this could determine a wild-card game in January.

Baltimore @ Seattle — These are two very good teams.  Lamar Jackson is, so far, making good on his promise to lead the Ravens to the Super Bowl (yeah, I know, we still have a lot of games left) and Russel Wilson is, well, Russel Wilson.  Both of these very mobile quarterbacks will have the opposing defenses chasing them, or trying to stop them from making those amazing passes while running.

Philadelphia @ Dallas — This is the game of the week, being on Sunday night.  Two teams who hate each other.  No love lost here and they will both be fighting hard until there are nothing but zero's on the clock.  Can Dak Prescott rally his team to beat Carson Wentz and his?  Wentz got a monster deal in the off-season, which to me is kind of funny since he's not finished a season since he's been in the league.  Whereas, Prescott is waiting on the Cowboys to come up with a new deal so he can continue playing with the star on his helmet.

What to watch for...

Matt Bryant (Atl) can pass David Akers on the all-time points list by scoring just 5 points.

Frank Gore (Buf) needs 1 touchdown to pass Lenny Moore, Antonio Gates, and Adrian Peterson on the all-time touchdowns scored list.  Gore can also move past Barry Sanders to number 3 all-time with 189 rushing yards.

Adrian Peterson (Was) needs 119 rushing yards to pass Jerome Bettis on the all-time rushing yards list.  Also, Peterson is just 1 touchdown away from passing Frank Gore, Lenny Moore, and Antonio Gates for all-time touchdowns scored.

LeSean McCoy (KC) needs 104 rushing yards to pass Warrick Dunn for all-time rushing.

Terrell Suggs (AZ) can pass John Randall and Richard Dent with just 1 1/2 sacks this weekend against the Giants.

Week 6, 2019

The biggest news this week was, I think, the firing of Washington coach Jay Gruden.  Gruden had a losing record with only one playoff appearance during his tenure, that playoff game was a loss.  When asked about the firing, Jay's brother, Jon, coach of the Raiders, simply said, "Welcome to the club, bro."  In his place is former Raiders coach Bill Callahan.  Callahan took the Raiders to the Super Bowl the same season that Jon Gruden took the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to the Super Bowl, giving the Bucs their only championship.

Antonio Brown (Free Agent) is still trying to get money out of the Oakland Raiders and New England Patriots.  He never played a down for Oakland and only played one game for New England.  Although I don't know for a fact, but I'm fairly confident that in his contract is language addressing personal conduct.  I really don't know what Brown is thinking.  Honestly, despite his talent, I'm glad he's currently out of the league.  I hope he's able to learn a lesson from all this.

Vontaze Burfict (Oakland) lost his appeal of the season-long suspension due to his continued ignoring safety rules the league has imposed.  Again, when we are violent at work, even if we work in a violent job, there are things to keep us in check and we all have repercussions for our actions.  The $4 million he's been fined so far apparently wasn't enough to help him realize he's has to play nice.

Games of the Week...

Los Angeles Rams @ Seattle — This was a fun game but gave the Rams their second straight loss.  Seattle has been on a tear since getting beat by New Orleans a couple weeks ago and their backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.  This game went down to the wire, kept me on my seat until the final field goal that was missed by the Rams.

Baltimore @ Pittsburgh — The Steelers have been reeling since losing Ben Roethlisberger to a season-ending elbow injury.  They stayed in the game with a very good and potent offense of the Ravens.  Starting second-string Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph was knocked out of the game, literally, and is now week-to-week on concussion protocol.  Baltimore is just a good team, probably the best in the AFC North division.

Chicago @ Oakland — This was the first game of the season that NFL is playing across the pond.  The Raiders seemed a lot more prepared than the Bears did.

Tampa Bay @ New Orleans — After the week the Buccaneers had last week in Los Angeles one would automatically think their fire would last another week.  Not so.  Bridgewater is earning himself a starting position with someone next season.  I think he's making himself the "Comeback Player of the Year" if he were to qualify.  He has this Saints playing some really good football without their fabulous Drew Brees.

Arizona @ Cincinnati — Kliff Kingsbury got his first NFL win playing at a very confused looking Bengals team.  I'm sure Zac Taylor will eventually be a good coach.  He can have the confidence that he works for an organization that kept Marvin Lewis around for more than a decade while he never won a playoff game.

Green Bay @ Dallas — Okay, first off, I stated this was in Green Bay in last weeks' blog.  My bad.  Honestly, though, it seemed the Packers were at home in the first half.  The Cowboys looked lost and flat.  One thing I learned, though, watching this game, Dallas doesn't quit.  They fought back and only lost by 10-points.

Cleveland @ San Francisco — A bludgeoning, spanking, complete disaster.  The Browns couldn't do anything against a very stout 49ers defense, and they couldn't stop a high-powered offense.  Maybe all the hype of Cleveland in the off-season was premature.  What I've seen is Baker Mayfield holding on to the ball too long, so it seems that perhaps their receiving corps needs something, or the offensive line needs to hold better.

Stats...

Had some computer issues that I'm still working through, so I won't be able to share any of that this week, but should be back and going next week.

Games of the week...

Philadelphia @ Minnesota — The Eagles have beaten who they need to, including the Packers, and are in the lead in the NFC East.  The Vikings, however, have had some issues with being consistent.  Their records are similar, but I'm not really sure the teams are themselves.

Houston @ Kansas City — The Texans have had some very good wins, scoring over 50 on the Falcons last week.  The Chiefs, however, were slowed way down by the Colts last Sunday night.  If Houston wants any chance to win this game, they will have to imitate what Indianapolis did on defense to keep Kansas City in check.

Detroit @ Green Bay — Oddly enough this could have huge implications for the division championship.  Currently the Lions are a game and a half behind the Packers.  Possibly the only real threat to Green Bay this season.  Really looking forward to this game.  It's Monday night, will be the only game on.  Should be good.

Week 5, 2019—More drama

****We at PIX are saddened by the passing of Arizona Cardinals owner Bill Bidwell.  He was a good example of a leader and family man.  Always known for his humor and friendliness, he will be missed by everyone in the football family.****

Imagine yourself at work, you're about to head into the break room for more coffee, when all of a sudden a co-worker runs at you and, with his head, hits you in the head then walks away laughing.  Do you think that co-worker would be employed by your company long?  Or even not have a police report filed against him?  That's exactly what happened on Sunday with Jason Doyle of the Indianapolis Colts.  After making a reception, Vontaze Burfict, recipient of over $4-million in fines over the course of his career, launched himself at Doyle as Doyle was getting up after making a catch.  Within a day the NFL suspended Burfict for the remainder of the season.  Can you imagine an unnecessarily violent person being allowed to be employed at your company after having so many things leveled against him?  Even a suspension would seem insignificant.  The NFL should suspend Burfict, not only for the season, but for life.  There is no place in the league for this kind of unruly behavior.  Yes, this is a contact sport and can sometimes have violent hits, but hits that are outside the rules of play, especially if they are deliberate, should not be tolerated.  We will see if the suspension holds for the entire year, or what happens.

Games of the Week:

Philadelphia @ Green Bay—This was a very entertaining game to watch last Thursday.  The Eagles decided they didn't want to look mediocre on a national platform so they went into Green Bay and squeaked by the Pack in a close game.  Both quarterbacks are good, one has time on his side, but this is going to be a fun rivalry as the years progress.

Kansas City @ Detroit—Patrick Mahomes did not have a touchdown pass for the Chiefs high-powered offense.  Matthew Stafford looked locked in.  I'm thinking this Chiefs team may be the best one we've seen with this regime.  Their defense was stingy and made heads up plays.  The Chiefs barely beat Detroit to remain undefeated.

New England @ Buffalo—Tom Brady was, well, Tom Brady.  Except he only scored 16 points on a clearly inferior Bills team.  Buffalo, however, didn't just roll over and quit, they had 10 points of their own and their defense at least slowed down the Patriots offense.  Prior to this game, the Patriots had averaged over 35-points per game.  So what Buffalo did was very impressive, and they're a young team.  I'd watch out for them to see what they can get done in the near future.

Dallas @ New Orleans—How 'bout those...wait, the Saints didn't score a single touchdown, yet held the Cowboys, who had averaged over 32-points per game, to just 10 and they beat them.  Kicker Will Lutz provided all the points for the Louisiana team, but the Saints defense held the Cowboys in check.  Even holding Ezekiel Elliott to a mere 1.6-yards per carry (not good, since he's now the highest paid running back in the NFL).

Games to Watch

Los Angeles Rams @ Seattle—Again we have a good game for the Thursday night lineup.  Seeing that these two teams are in the same division, this could have huge implications.  Two of the best young quarterbacks, one more mobile than the other, one more methodical.  This is a rivalry to watch, like Manning-Brady only we get to see it twice a year.  This could determine who wins the division, possibly a home field in the playoffs scenario, just lots to watch here.  This will be very exciting to watch.

Baltimore @ Pittsburgh—Only a rivalry interest here.  The Steelers are pretty pumped that their 2nd year quarterback Mason Rudolph, from Oklahoma State, won their first game for them on Monday night.  The Ravens, though, are pretty embarrassed by the shellacking they took Sunday at home, at the hands of the resurgent Browns.  I'm fairly confident that Baltimore will prevail in this, but it's always a good game.

Chicago @ Oakland—This is in London, that's always fun, but this is the first time that Khalil Mack will be facing his old team after he was traded in the 2018 off-season.  Will Derek Carr be running for his life?  Can the Raiders' offensive line be able to subdue a voracious Mack?

Tampa Bay @ New Orleans—A couple weeks ago this would not have as exciting as it is right now.  The Bucs scored more than half a hundred on the Rams last Sunday, in LA.  The Saints upset a potent Cowboys offense.  Another fun one, and could have playoff implications.

Arizona @ Cincinnati—Snoozefest?  Maybe.  My wife told me the other night that at lease someone from this game will have a win after this week.  I reminded her of the possibility that it could tie and we wouldn't know who was better.

Dallas @ Green Bay—Will the Cowboys drop their 2nd straight game?  Will Green Bay drop their 2nd straight game?  Including the NFL Playoffs the Packers have won 7 of their last 8 games against the Cowboys.  This will be a fun ride, and it's put in the late window on Sunday giving more people a chance to watch.

Cleveland @ San Francisco—I love how teams can grow and get exciting with the passing of time.  The Browns hurled over 40-points at the Ravens last week, while the Niners stopped a young Pittsburgh team two weeks ago, before their bye.  This is in the Bay, so I think San Fran has a slight advantage, but Cleveland demolished Baltimore at home, too.  Very excited to see this game.

Things that happened...

Matt Bryant (Atlanta) was not allowed to get the 5-points he needed to pass David Akers.

Frank Gore (Buffalo) who had a monster game against the Patriots, did not score a touchdown, so he's still waiting to pass Lenny Moore.

Terrell Suggs (Arizona) was not able to pass Jared Allen in career sacks, but he did tie him.  Another sack puts him at the #11 spot for career sacks.

Adrian Peterson (Washington) got enough yards to pass not only Edgerrin James, but also Tiki Barber on the all-time Scrimmage Yards rankings.  Currently he's #14 on that very impressive list.

Larry Fitzgerald (Arizona) passed Tony Gonzalez and is second only to Jerry Rice in receptions.  He's 223 away from the top spot, a very good couple of years, if he plays that long.

Robbie Gould (San Francisco) had the week off, so he wasn't able to climb his points ladder.

What to watch for...

Robbie Gould (SF) and Mason Crosby (GB) both have the opportunity to pass Norm Johnson for points scored, they each need 4-points.

Matt Bryant (Atl) needs 5-points to pass David Akers for points scored.

Frank Gore (Buf) needs 1-TD to pass Lenny Moore for scoring TDs.

LeSean McCoy (KC) needs 148-yards rushing to pass Warrick Dunn on the rushing yards list.

Terrell Suggs (Ari) needs just 1 sack to pass Jared Allen for all-time sacks.

Week 4, 2019

We talked a lot about injuries last week, with Ben Roethlisberger, Drew Brees, and San Darnold in addition to Nick Foles out in Jacksonville.  Well of those four teams, two of them won.  Very impressive for those backup quarterbacks. 

Garden Minchew, who seems to have a huge fan base all of a sudden, lit up the Tennessee Titans last Thursday.  I feel bad for Foles since he was looking good at the start of the Kansas City game just before his injury.  But, maybe he will heal quick enough to get the Jaguars into the playoffs.

Mason Rudolph in Pittsburgh wasn't horrible, but his inexperience was obvious and the 49ers took advantage of that.  Teddy Bridgewater showed how he was able to be a starter in Minnesota for a couple of season, before a devastating injury. 

The Jets?  Well, they're the Jets.  They went up against Tom Brady and the Patriots and I'm sure hardly anyone gave them much of a chance to win that.  Patriots backup Jarrett Stidham got in a few reps in some mop up time at the end of the game.

The New York Giants benched Eli Manning in favor of rookie Daniel Jones.  Jones had a great game, leading Big Blue back over the Buccaneers and winning on a last second missed field goal by the Bucs.  All the headlines are now, "Ooooh here is the next franchise quarterback of the Giants," "This is the future of New York."  I was impressed by his performance, he even ran for two touchdowns.  Let's not forget this is one game.  The Giants were 0-2 coming into this contest and a good performance by a rookie, against a mediocre team, is not enough to start carving his bust for a spot in Canton.  Let's give him a few years and see how he does.  How many times have we seen a player have a great rookie season, or a few really good games, then we never hear about them again?  It happens a lot.  I hope the kid succeeds and I hope Eli is okay with the fact that he's older and it might be time to move on.

Results from last weeks games to watch

Minnesota pretty much manhandled Oakland the entire game.  The Raiders did their best but came up way short.  I'm curious if Raiders owner Mark Davis is starting to dread the 10-year contract they signed with Jon Gruden a couple years ago.  I've not seen any improvement in how they play or the results of the games, they are flat and play almost confused at times.  Great example of how blind one can be if they don't focus on what's really important.  I hope I'm wrong, I like Gruden, but I just don't really see him being successful with the Raiders (in Oakland or Las Vegas) this time around.

Kansas City with their young superstar Pat Mahomes and Baltimore with their young superstar Lamar Jackson.  I really thought this would be a game of the week and it didn't disappoint.  Mahomes just did what he does and gave Jackson a lesson in flight.  LeSean McCoy scored a touchdown on the ground and through the air.  The tools Mahomes has at his disposal are powerful...and he's getting another back in a few weeks, when Tyreek Hill gets healthy from a collarbone injury.

New Orleans and Seattle.  Teddy Bridgewater hadn't started an NFL game in a couple of years, but he came in, and in a hostile environment, and gave the Seahawks their first September loss at home under Pete Carroll.  Brees will be back in a month and a half or so, and Bridgewater will have earned himself a spot for next year to be a starter somewhere.

Los Angeles Rams are a really good team.  I don't think they are as good as they were last year, though.  Cleveland is a good team and I think they are better than they were last year.  A year ago the Browns would not have made this game as exciting as it was.  Just like everyone else I was very excited about Cleveland this year, but I think I'm a bit premature.  I don't think they're quite there yet, with the killer mentality of putting teams away down the stretch.  Maybe they can hit that later on this year, and if they do, watch out.

Games to watch:

Philadelphia @ Green Bay. Rarely do we get a good match up on Thursday nights.  But we do this week.  I think the Eagles will still be a bit thrown off by their loss to the Lions last week and won't be able to hold down the Packers offense, especially with what seems like a revitalized Aaron Rodgers behind center.  Also, this is the first game this season being broadcast on Amazon Prime, in addition to Fox and the NFL Network.  If you have access, watch via Prime and, using the language controls, listen to "Middle Earth" option (if it's still available).  The announcers are two guys that are undoubtedly very good at calling soccer games, but they are doing American football.  They are good and entertaining, just a different way to listen.

Kansas City @ Detroit.  Basically, we have two undefeated teams here (3-0 @ 2-0-1).  Matt Stafford has shown some guts and endurance this year so far, the Lions may give the Chiefs some trouble, but I don't think enough to keep the Chiefs from winning.

New England @ Buffalo.  Normally this wouldn't qualify for a "game of the week" type scenario.  But both teams are 3-0, for one that's not surprising.  For the other, this is a big deal.  I've always kind of liked the Bills and would love to see this fall their way...but I've learned the hard way, and many times, don't bet against the Patriots.

Dallas @ New Orleans.  Another great Sunday night matchup.  Initially when Brees went out I appreciated that Dallas would not have to face the Saints with Brees there.  But, as I stated earlier, Bridgewater has done a great job so far.  With that being said, Dallas is on a tear.  Yes, the first three opponents were not in the playoffs a year ago (Giants, Redskins, Dolphins) so do we really know what Dallas is made of?  This will be an exciting game to watch and see if the 'boys can hold onto the momentum they have.  This could also be a big game as the playoffs come around, playing away from home during the playoffs is daunting, so this could eventually affect a homefield advantage situation.

Things that happened...

Terrell Suggs, of the Cardinals, didn't get the 1 1/2 sacks he needed to surpass Jared Allen.

Frank Gore passed LaDanian Tomlinson and is now the #5 all-time scrimmage yard leader.  This is impressive, and Gore is showing there is still some life in his legs.

Adrian Peterson didn't get his 37-yards he needed Monday night, well, okay, yes, he got 37-yards rushing, but -3 receiving.  He also will have to wait until this Sunday against the Giants to see if he can get past Edgerrin James on the all-time scrimmage yards list.

Larry Fitzgerald did not get his 9 catches Sunday, but I'm positive he will this Sunday and he can pass up Tony Gonzalez on the all-time receptions list to #2

What to watch for this week...

Matt Bryant in Atlanta needs just 5-points to pass David Akers on the all-time points scored list.

Frank Gore needs just one touchdown to pass Lenny Moore and Antonio Gates on the all-time touchdowns list.

Terrell Suggs still needs his 1 1/2 sacks.

Adrian Peterson is hoping to get 4 scrimmage yards to get passed James.

Larry Fitzgerald needs 5 catches to pass Gonzalez.

Robbie Gould needs just 7-points to pass Norm Johnson on the all-time points scored list.

Week 3, 2019...a little more drama

Talk about how injuries can derail a season.  The Steelers Ben Roethlisberger is out the remainder of the season after injuring his throwing shoulder.  New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees is out 6-7 weeks after tearing ligaments in his thumb.  The New York Jets have lost Sam Darnold for several weeks with mononucleosis, they are also without linebacker Jordan Jenkins.  But to lose a quarterback, the leader of your team, has got to be disheartening.  I never predicted the Steelers to have a lot of success this year, but losing their signal-caller is not what I had in mind.  The Saints I thought would do well...not sure about that now.  However, they are in a better position with Teddy Bridgewater under center than the 2nd year man Mason Rudolph will be calling plays.  We know about Nick Foles and Garden Minchew.  The Jaguars got a win this week with their new quarterback.

Okay, Antonio Brown spent 11-days with the New England Patriots and the team decided it was time to move on.  They are no nonsense and want to focus solely on football.  I'm convinced part of this decision came when the team had a recent press conference and head coach Bill Belichick kept getting asked about the sexual assault assertions by Brown.  The coach left after getting asked about Brown instead of football and what they are doing to prepare for the Jets this week.

Here are some of the games to look forward to this week:

Oakland @ Minnesota - These two teams are looking to rebound after having missed the playoffs last year.  The Raiders missed the year before, too, but Jon Gruden is looking to really put his stamp on the team and lead them to play late into January and, it is to be hoped, February.  The Vikings I think are realizing that Kirk Cousins isn't quite what they'd hoped he would be.  His record since playing is only 35-38-1, ranked 27th (based on winning percentage) among active quarterbacks.  I honestly doubt seeing Cousins in the backfield is going to do much to help the Vikes.

Baltimore @ Kansas City - The Ravens and Lamar Jackson have been on fire so far this season, against Miami and Arizona, teams that are not really that tough right now.  This I think will be his first real test of the season.  Patrick Mahomes, however, has already been lighting it up against some pretty good opponents, Jacksonville and the aforementioned Oakland Raiders.  Mahomes already looks like he's in midseason form and I honestly thing the Ravens will be more confused than anything trying to corral the Chiefs.

New Orleans @ Seattle - The long and short of this is...Seattle has their starting quarterback (Russell Wilson) and New Orleans is working with their backup quarterback (Teddy Bridgewater).  Seattle has surprised me, as they typically do, so having a backup quarterback, who used to be a starter for the Vikings, should not pose too much of a problem for them.  But, this is the NFL and Bridgewater is not a pushover.  Should be a really exciting game.

Los Angeles Rams @ Cleveland - I know, I know, this shouldn't be an exciting game.  But I am really looking forward to it.  The Browns opened up some last Monday, Baker Mayfield and Odell Beckham really hit it off and we should start getting used to seeing that with these two.  The only worry I have is that Cleveland had trouble getting into the end zone against the Jets, so that may help the Rams out some.  Speaking of the Rams, they're a very good football team, I don't think as good as last year, but they're good.  Their defense, led by Aaron Donald, could get all up in Mayfield's face and cause lots and lots of problems with the passing game, while also disrupting the running.

A few things to look for this week...

With 1 1/2 sacks Terrell Suggs can tie Jared Allen for 11th all-time in sacks in the NFL.
If Frank Gore can earn 80 scrimmage yards against the Cincinnati Bengals he will pass LaDanian Tomlinson and become #5 in all-time scrimmage yardage leaders.
Adrian Peterson can surpass Edgerrin James with just 37 scrimmage yards, that would place him 15th all-time.
And, Mr. Larry Fitzgerald can pass Tony Gonzalez with 9 catches, making him SECOND all-time for receptions.

Have a great rest of your weekend and happy football watching tomorrow.

Week 2, 2019...lots and lots of drama.

We made it through the first week of the season.

Some excitement the day before the season started was Antonio Brown being released by the team he begged to be traded to, the Oakland Raiders.  Within hours of his being released the New England Patriots signed him.  Before Brown ever had the chance to don the Patriots jersey, however, a civil suit was filed stating he sexually assaulted his trainer three times.  Again, that's a civil suit, not a criminal charge.  No police reports, no DNA samples, no interrogations at the police department.  Will be interesting to see how the NFL handles this.  They were really wanting a nice year to celebrate their 100th season, but AB has loused stuff up.  Has to be someone, I suppose.

Big surprise in Cleveland on Sunday.  The Browns, who many were picking to go to the Super Bowl (yes, the Cleveland Browns) were blindsided by the Tennessee Titans.  I've never played sports on any level other than in the backyard or via a computer game, but I do know that sometimes getting knocked back to reality can be a good thing, especially for a young cocky team like the Browns were starting to be.  The Titans were all over Baker Mayfield on Sunday, not allowing him to have any clean reads down field.  It'll be interesting to see how he does this week against a New York Jets team that let the Buffalo Bills score the final 17-points of the game and rally to win 17-16.

The Dallas Cowboys looked like they are the team to beat in the NFC, with the exception that they played a New York Giants team in transition.  The Giants couldn't get a pass rush together and their secondary was flat.  Dallas had receivers open all afternoon, including Jason Witten, who decided to hang up his headphones for a helmet.  Looks like he hadn't lost a step.

On Sunday night, the New England Patriots came out and completely dismantled the Pittsburgh Steelers.  Ben Roethlisberger couldn't get anything going, while it seemed like Tom Brady could hit whatever he wanted to.  All off-season I've talked about how I didn't think Pittsburgh would be productive this year.  Based on reports I've read and heard, their locker room is divided and no one is really getting along.  I hope Pittsburgh rebounds, but they host the Seattle Seahawks this week and they will not make this easy.

A barn burner in the first Monday night game with the Houston Texans visiting Bourbon Street and the New Orleans Saints.  One of the most exciting games I've watched in a long time.  Saints kicker Will Lutz nailed a field goal as the clock hit triple zero's, giving the Saints a 30-28 win.  A fun game during week 2 is New Orleans going West to visit the Los Angeles Rams, the team that interfered with the Saints making the Super Bowl last February.  This should be an interesting game.

Here are a few of the match ups to anticipate during week 2:

Dallas @ Washington - this is always a fun game, even when one of the teams is down.  One of the biggest rivalries in pro-sports.

Seattle @ Pittsburgh - This is a rematch of a Super Bowl a few years ago, though the majority of the players on either side are not the ones that participated in that championship.  I know Roethlisberger is...both coaches are different, with Pete Carroll in Seattle and Mike Tomlin in Pittsburgh.

New England @ Miami - I think what intrigues me the most on this game, is if the Dolphins can hold that high-octane offense of New England to under 50-points.

Jacksonville @ Houston - Nick Foles was injured early in the Jaguars game against Kansas City on Sunday, thus putting 6th round pick Gardner Minshew II, into the spot as starter until Foles is able to play again.  What I saw of Minshew on Sunday impressed me a lot and I will be interested to see how he handles himself against J.J. Watt and company.

Minnesota @ Green Bay - always a good game, much like the Dallas-Washington game.  It was last year playing against Minnesota that Aaron Rodgers broke his collarbone and missed a huge chunk of the season.

The Sunday Night game features Philadelphia @ Atlanta - The Eagles have a quarterback in Carson Wentz that has yet to complete a season, but he's good when he plays.  The Falcons have a Super Bowl quarterback that can light it up.  They're playing indoors, so, theoretically, that should work to the Falcons' advantage...though it didn't help much last week against Minnesota.

Have a great week #2 and may your team win...unless they're playing my team.

Week 1, 2019

We are now preparing for the 100th season of professional football.  There is a lot about which we can be excited, but many questions will be answered as well.  How will the Colts do now that Luck is no longer under center?  How will the Giants do without OBJ?  How will the Browns do with OBJ? Who will be the first coaching casualty of this season?  What team make the biggest splash this off-season, the move that will push their team over the top and hoisting that Lombardi trophy at the end of the season?  Well, let's get to it...
Quarterback Andrew Luck announced after last weeks preseason match up against the Bear that he was retiring.  Many people have different opinions of this, ultimately though, it's his decision to make.  Science, as well as reports from previous football players, has proven that this is a dangerous contact sport.  Players experience headaches, irritability, and depression.  Luck just missed an entire season where he was having his shoulder repaired, last season he had an amazing comeback year and proved to everyone he was as good as he always was; he was struggling through this off season with a calf or ankle issue that didn't seem to be getting better.  He said that the game is mentally exhausting and he was done.  It's his health, he knows what he can and can't do.  I wish him the best as he proceeds to the next phase of his life.  He's a smart guy, he went to Stanford.

The New York Giants traded away their top wideout this off-season to the Cleveland Browns.  Seems that Odell Beckham, Jr. and Eli Manning were not always on the same page.  Last year the Giants had a new coach and, honestly, that was not a good product they shared during the season.  Looks as though the Giants are in a rebuild, Manning will have to fight to keep his job from rookie Daniel Jones.  Interesting stat, but Eli's record as a starter? 116-114, a mere 50.6% winning margin.  He has two rings, but I think his time is up.

The Browns, on the other hand, have stockpiled some real playmakers.  Under center is last years number 1 draft pick Baker Mayfield, who showed some excitement in Cleveland that hasn't been there since the 80's with Brian Sipe and Bernie Kosar.  They have some other offensive weapons, Kareem Hunt (when his suspension is over), Jarvis Landry...among others.  We can't overlook their defense, either.  Ray-Ray Armstrong, Morgan Burnett, and Myles Garrett just to get us started.  The Browns will be a team to watch this year, so don't blink on them.

Coaches on the hot seat

Coaches are easy to replace in the NFL.  Normally, teams may give a coach 2 or 3 seasons, allowing them to show how the team is improving or at least trending in the right direction. 

Mike Tomlin has been coaching in Pittsburgh for 12-years, this is his 13th season.  The Steelers missed the playoffs last season, which was the first time in 4-seasons they've missed.  But the team seemed to disintegrate last year down the stretch.  Le'Veon Bell sat out the whole season, then Antonio Brown got upset with the way some stuff was being handled, just seemed everything was a mess in the locker room.  They've not been to a Super Bowl since the 2010 season, and haven't won since the 2006 season.  Is it time for a change?  Depends on how far they make it into the playoffs.  But they will have to be fantastic this season in order for him to keep walking the sidelines. 

Pete Carroll is mister college rah-rah guy.  They made the playoffs last year, but failed to the year before.  It seems the Seahawks are always near the top, but the powerhouse they once were is simply not the case.  Again, I think a deep playoff run is the only thing that saves Carroll's job. 

Sean Payton always has the Saints playing at a high level.  Yes, I do believe they were robbed last year in the NFC Championship game, but with an aging Drew Brees their time is now if they want to capitalize. 

I also have the same opinion with John Harbaugh in Baltimore.  Yes, he has an exciting new quarterback in Lamar Jackson.  Yes, they are a young team.  They have missed the playoffs three of the last four years.  Can Harbaugh bring out the potential in Jackson?  He'd better, or he could be looking for work next off-season. 

Jason Garrett the ex-quarterback coaching his old team, now without a star running back as they attempt to negotiate a new deal.  Dallas' recent playoff history has not gotten them past the divisional round, and by "recent" I mean in the last quarter century.  Garrett needs to get the 'Boys at least into the Championship game, or a close Divisional game, if he is looking to stay employed at the Star. 

Seems as though every year Ron Rivera's name comes up with coaches on the hot seat.  Cam Newton took care of some lingering injuries during the off-season and I think that will help the Panthers.  After having made the playoffs three straight years, the final being a Super Bowl loss to the Broncos, they have been sporadic in their playoff appearances.  Only in odd-numbered years have they made the playoffs since...this is 2019, so they should make it.  Rivera's job could depend on it. 

Bill O'Brien is entering his sixth season with Houston, though they've made the playoffs 3-times under O'Brien, they have only won one contest, against a limping Oakland team with Derek Carr on the sideline.  The playoff seeding the Texans have had has never been above a 3.  Here's to hoping they can keep a player-favorite coach coaching. 

Dan Quinn out in Atlanta is always in the thick of things, as far as competition, he did nearly beat Bill Belichick a couple years ago in the Super Bowl.  But nearly and did are two different things.  Another playoff appearance should take Matt Ryan and company back to the Super Bowl.  In my opinion, these are the coaches actually coaching for their respective jobs this season.

Big offseason news

The biggest splash this off-season was the Cleveland Browns landing Odell Beckham, Jr.  I talked about this a lot earlier, but I think he will be the catalyst to get the Browns out of loserville and back into post-season contention.

This season starts with the Green Bay Packers playing at the Chicago Bears.  How fitting that the two oldest teams in the league (their rivalry dates all the way back to 1921) facing off against each other next Thursday night (5 September) on Fox.  I absolutely love listening to Joe and Troy in the booth, but if you get a chance, and if they have the option this year, listen to the "Old English" version of the game.  There are two guys from England that call the game and it's very entertaining.  It's available through Amazon Prime.