Not the greatest games and pushed in bets this week, but some great moments in every matchup. Again, I remember in the middle of quarantine when we were begging for live sports, so I’ve made a deal with myself to never complain about “bad” football ever again. Let’s be happy with what we have and feel lucky to yell about obscure rules and bad calls.
Rams@Packers
Michael Lombardi talks about winning the middle 8 and the Rams defense let them down during this portion of the game. The middle 8 entails the last 4 minutes of the first half and the first 4 minutes of the second half (ALWAYS DEFER). At the FBS level in college, teams that won the middle 8 won the game 74% of the time. Thke Rams did a great job scoring before the half with 29 seconds on the clock to make it a one score game, but Aaron Rodgers is on another level. Against an elite defense he drove them right down the field for a makeable field goal, drank some Gatorade while chummin’ it up with the boys at halftime, and Aaron Jones stuck a dagger in the banged up Rams’ hearts with a 60 yard run to open the second half. The Pack were able to control the clock the rest of the way and always felt in control, even when the Rams made it a one score game (screwed my under pick). A very pedestrian 296 for Rodgers…
Ravens@Bills
Finally we get to cash a ticket on our bets with a Bills dub. Lamar Jackson feels like he’s in the same position as Josh Allen a year ago. He’s obviously one of the most electric players in the league, but he still has room to grow as a passer (it’s a compliment and Ravens fans should be ecstatic). The guy threw for 36 touchdowns last year, but if he gets a playmaker like Stefon Diggs he would have a great cast with Hollywood Brown stretching the defense and Mark Andrews between the hashes; which would drastically help with his development. He’s already a franchise quarterback, but he could be a perennial MVP candidate with some help. Sean McDermott should win coach of the year based off this performance alone. He got that defense to keep everything in front of them and win ugly despite a lackluster offensive output. Circle the wagons.
Browns@Chiefs
In college, Daniel Sorensen’s hit on Rashard Higgins would’ve warranted 40 flags and the shortest targeting replay resulting in an ejection in the history of the rule. How the NFL missed it when he was completely parallel to the ground and on a play so pivotal is an absolute crime to the state of Ohio and AFC West fans who didn’t hop on last years’ bandwagon. Don’t come at me about the touchback out of the end zone rule, though. So many rules favor the offense and this is one of the few that favors the defense. Just don’t fumble, but that’s hard to do when some dude is illegally scrambling your brains with a helmet to helmet hit though. Ts and Ps to Patrick Mahomes, I’d love to see Josh outduel him to go to a Super Bowl and he’s the face of the NFL. Say something nice about the Chiefs: I love the gumption by Andy Reid to trust his guys to get a 1st down and the image of him with his hands on his knees at the end of the game was electric.
Bucs@Saints
Drew Brees looking back at the SuperDome one last time in pads hit the feels and I’m starting to feel old with some of these quarterbacks reaching the twilight of their career. It felt like yesterday Drew was holding his kid with gigantic earmuffs on his head while confetti rained down and now he has a gaggle of children having a catch with Tom Brady after his last game. I’m going to miss watching Drew do his weird palates during commercial breaks and his classic half-squat he does in the huddle (a lost art by these modern quarterbacks). Watch out everyone, future HoFer Jameis Winston will have the keys to Sean Peyton’s offense next year! I can’t wait to see a pissed off Aaron Rodgers carve up this Bucs defense though…I smell an over in picks this week…
The Morning Flush 