Hello readers! Four teams came into Sunday, two came out of the carnage and will play in the big dance in less than two weeks from yesterday. The post will feature an NFL 100 spotlight on Deacon Jones and a recap of the championship games. Let's get to work!
NFL 100: A Spotlight
The game of football has had its share of menacing players. So menacing that just by looking at them, they had a certain look to them that made them scary. Deacon Jones comes to mind in this respect. On Sunday's he was a force to be reckoned with. He put fear into opposing quarterbacks like no other. He coined the term "sack" that would be later featured as a statistic. His head slaps to opposing offensive linemen was lethal in gaining an advantage.
David "Deacon" Jones was born on December 9th, 1938 in Eatonville, Florida. He lived in a four-bedroom house with a family of ten. He would attend high school at Hungerford High School where he excelled at football, baseball and basketball.
He lived in the Deep South where he witnessed acts of prejudice and racism. He was 14 years old when he witnessed white teenagers hit an elderly black woman with a watermelon. The woman would die days later. Deacon was determined to not let society dictate what he would become. He found his outlet in football to unleash his anger as a motivation.
He would attend in two full seasons in college. First, was at South Carolina State University in 1958. His scholarship was revoked after the school learned that he participated in a Civil Rights Movement protest. In 1959, he was out of school and football. One of the coaches at South Carolina State moved to Mississippi Vocational College told Deacon and a few African-American players that they could get scholarships there. He would play a final season at MVC in 1960.
Jones was overlooked by NFL scouts as there was little coverage where he played in college. He was discovered by the Rams when Jones outran some of the running back prospects that they had been scouting. Deacon Jones was drafted by the Rams in the 14th round in the 1961 NFL Draft.
His role on the team was to complement the already talented defensive line in Merlin Olsen, Lamar Lundy, and Rosey Griner. Together they formed "The Fearsome Foursome." The group is widely considered to be one of the greatest defensive lines in NFL history.
He devastated quarterbacks with his elusiveness and speed. He stood at 6 feet, 5 inches with a 265 pound frame. He would revolutionize the position. He would coin the term "sacking the quarterback." While the sack didn't become a stat until 1982, his unofficial sack total throughout his career totaled to 173.5. While Bruce Smith was the holder in career sacks with 200.
He never won a championship in his career with the Los Angeles Rams, San Diego Chargers or Washington Redskins but his impact in defining the defensive end will never be outmatched. His head slaps would devastate offenses as it was a move that Jones learned from Muhammad Ali. If you slapped a linemen on the head, they would blink, and a second was all that Jones needed in getting an edge. Sadly the NFL outlawed head slaps years later. He is without a doubt my favorite defensive players to watch.
Conference Championship Recap
Tennessee Titans 24, Kansas City Chiefs 35: TW: Chiefs
It took them 50 years to get back to the Super Bowl but it was worth it. Ryan Tannehill was a bit more productive in the passing game as he threw for 209 yards with two touchdown passes. Derrick Henry was slowed down in the game as the runner would get 69 yards with a touchdown. Patrick Mahomes was shear magic in the game. Mahomes threw for 294 yards for three touchdowns. Mahomes would get 53 yards on eight carries. His 27-yard run for a touchdown was something to watch as he broke tackles from 5-6 Titans. Damien Williams ran the ball for 45 yards with a touchdown as well. Kansas City will play San Francisco in Super Bowl LIV on February 2nd.
All-time series: Chiefs lead 30-24
Green Bay Packers 20, San Francisco 49ers 37: TW: 49ers
It was to be expected, perhaps I wanted it to be more competitive. Aaron Rodgers threw the ball for 326 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. He would also lose a fumble on a botched snap. Aaron Jones ran the ball alright getting 51 yards with a touchdown. Jimmy Garoppolo would only throw six of eight passes for 77 yards in the game. It would be the 49ers run game that would shine the best. Raheem Mostert ran the ball for 220 yards for four touchdowns. The 2nd closest 49er was Deebo Samuel who ran for 43 yards. The 49ers will play the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV on February 2nd.
All-time series: Packers lead 36-32-1
I won't be posting my Super Bowl pick this week but more than likely I will do it next week, possibly next Monday. See you all until then.
Hello readers! The final four is set and only two teams will make it past Sunday and will play for the ultimate prize on February 2nd. The post will have an NFL 100 Spotlight on a personal level and my picks for the AFC and NFC championship games. Let's get to work!
NFL 100: A Spotlight
The National Football League has been a pretty big part in my life. I've seen every Super Bowl from Super Bowl XXX onward. The game was fast, fun to watch, and in general better defense with lesser rules. The tradition of watching football on Sundays really has been around for over 20 years and quite frankly I don't see it ending anytime soon.
The first game that really got me hooked for good was Super Bowl XXXII on January 25th, 1998. The storylines for the game were endless. Brett Favre looked to get his 2nd ring. John Elway was a Super Bowl participant in three Super Bowls and had lost all three. The NFC had dominated its brother conference since the San Francisco 49ers beat the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl XIX, nearly 13 years of NFC dominance in the Super Bowl.
It was also the last time that I would hear the great voices of Dick Enberg, Phil Simms and Paul Maguire in the same booth. The 1997 season was NBC's last season with the AFC package that the network carried since the merger of 1970 and AFL games since 1965. CBS would takeover the AFC package in the 1998 season. It would be the last time hearing that amazing Randy Edelman score during an NFL broadcast on NBC.
The pregame dope featured an intriguing spread. The Packers were favored to beat the Broncos by 11 1/2 points despite the fact that both teams had similar records. The Packers were defending champions and the Broncos were blown out in every Super Bowl that John Elway was under center for them. I suppose you can't blame Vegas for that.
The strange thing was that I picked the Broncos to win. Not necessarily because of the fact that I hated the Packers, it was that I liked the Broncos uniforms (you have to remember that I was 9 years old at the time) I thought it was the coolest thing in the world. I eventually asked my parents to get me a John Elway jersey of the same uniform. It was certainly one of the coolest uniforms next to the "Pewter Power" uniform that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers wore for the longest time after 1997.
Brett Favre was amazing in the game, throwing the ball for 256 yards for three touchdowns while throwing an interception. Dorsey Levens ran the the ball for 90 yards. John Elway would have a fairly average performance in the game, throwing for 123 yards with an interception. The Broncos running game, which had been absent in the three previous times Denver made it, would step up huge for them. Terrell Davis ran for 157 yards for three rushing touchdowns. John Elway would rush for 17 yards with a touchdown.
One of the coolest plays I've ever seen in a Super Bowl was the run that John Elway took. He told fullback Howard Griffith to block for him while he reached for a first down. He would dive head first and make contact with another player, causing him to helicopter around. Truly he and the Broncos wanted it more than the Packers.
Ultimately, the Packers three turnovers costed them as Denver took as much time off the clock as much as possible and converted those turnovers into scores. Both offensive lines played well as only the Broncos would sack Brett Favre one time, while John Elway wouldn't get sacked at all.
The Packers would return to the playoffs but would lose in the Wild Card round against the 49ers in a game known as "The Catch II." They wouldn't sniff another chance at a Super Bowl with Brett Favre. The closest that they would get to would be during the 2007 NFC championship game where Brett Favre threw an interception that ultimately gave the New York Giants a chance to win. It would be Favre's last pass as a Packer.
John Elway and the Broncos could finally get the monkey off their back and win their first championship in franchise history. They would repeat as champions again in Super Bowl XXXIII against the Atlanta Falcons. It would be John Elway's last game as he finally rode off into the sunset as finally a champion.
Super Bowl XXXII would be the game that got me hooked to the NFL and kept me hooked since. I watched the previous one and I thought the game in general was a blowout. Granted the weather that year in 1997 was dreadful where I lived. We had one of those "One In A Century Floods." I still look fondly back and enjoy that game very much.
The Titans beat the Ravens and the Chiefs beat the Texans in the Divisional playoff last week. The game really depends on how well the Chiefs can stop/slow Derrick Henry. One advantage that the Titans have is at running back. If they can do that and force Ryan Tannehill to beat you, then I like the Chiefs defense in the match-up. I like the Chiefs at quarterback obviously as Patrick Mahomes has a good chance to get to a Super Bowl. Should be a fun game.
Green Bay Packers (13-3) @ San Francisco 49ers (13-3) (FOX): TW: 49ers; CV:
The Packers beat the Seahawks and the 49ers beat the Vikings in the Divisional playoff last week. It has been a fun ride for the Packers as most fans wouldn't have ever expected this team to get far, let alone a playoff team. Green Bay has a chance to win if they can control the clock and keep the 49ers defense on the field. They once again will need to have a great game from Aaron Rodgers, Aaron Jones, Davantae Adams, and the rest of the receiving corp. The Packers defense couldn't keep the 49ers running game out of its element in the previous meeting. Let's just say that Green Bay has its hands full in this one and they are one deep threat away from really being on the 49ers level. I hope I'm wrong but if this game is anything like the previous meeting, this thing will be over by halftime.
See you guys on Monday for the Conference Championship Game Recap!
Hello readers! Eight teams entered into Wild Card weekend and four escaped to move on to next weekend's Divisonal playoff game. The post will have an NFL 100 spotlight on the 1974 Divisional playoff game between the Miami Dolphins and the Oakland Raiders, also known as "The Sea Of Hands," as well as a recap of the Wild Card games. Let's get to work!
NFL 100: A Spotlight
Very few playoff games in NFL history had hype. Such hype came as surprise to some, while such games had so much hype that they would be called "Super Bowl 8 1/2." One such game would would be forever be called "The Sea Of Hands." The Oakland Raiders and Miami Dolphins would meet in one of the greatest games in NFL history.
The two teams had known each other very well. In 1973, the Raiders won the regular season meeting 12-7, snapping Miami's 18-game winning streak dating back to the beginning of the 1972 season. The two teams would meet again for the AFC Championship game. The Dolphins would exact revenge on the Silver & Black, beating them 27-10 in a dominating effort. The Dolphins would win the Super Bowl that year.
The next year, the two teams wouldn't meet in the regular season but the two would meet in the AFC Divisional round. There was much hype to the game as the media felt that the two teams were the best in the AFC. The game would be dubbed "Super Bowl 8 1/2" since the winner of the game would likely win the Super Bowl that year. Should be noted that the Pittsburgh Steelers would face off against the Buffalo Bills that weekend as well.
While I won't discuss the game in detail, it should be noted that this game had six lead changes with one tie. The game ultimately came down to an 8-yard pass from Raiders quarterback Ken Stabler to Clarence Davis that would ultimately give the Raiders the lead and would be the game winning score. Stabler was falling down when he threw the ball to Davis. Clarence Davis had many Dolphins players near him with their hands eyeing for the ball, hence the name "Sea Of Hands."
In the end, the Raiders ended the Dolphins their two-year run as champions. Miami wouldn't reach the playoffs again until the 1978 season. They would lose Larry Czonka and Jim Kiick to the riches of the World Football League. They wouldn't make it back to the Super Bowl until the 1982 season.
For the Raiders, they would move on to play the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Championship Game. It would be ultimately John Madden's praise for the Dolphins and Raiders that would cost them a chance to win. An inspired Steelers team would come into Oakland and beat the Raiders and would kick off their dynasty of the 1970s.
Buffalo will have to wait for another year to get that first playoff win since 1995. Josh Allen threw for 264 yards with zero touchdowns. John Brown would complete a 16-yard pass to Josh Allen for a touchdown. Josh Allen would be the leading rusher as he gained 92 yards for the game. DeShaun Watson would earn his first playoff victory while throwing for 247 yards with a touchdown. Watson would be the leading rusher for the Texans with 55 yards with a touchdown. To be honest, both teams really didn't deserve to win but sadly someone has to end up winning. Houston will go on to play the Chiefs on Sunday.
All-time series: Texans lead 6-4
Tennessee Titans 20, New England 13: TW: Patriots; CV: Patriots
The Titans played better than the Patriots. There I said it. Ryan Tannehill finished the game with 72 yards passing with a touchdown and an interception. Derrick Henry finished the game with 182 yards with a touchdown. Former Patriot, Logan Ryan, would give the Titans the win off an interception from Tom Brady for a 9-yard return. Tom Brady would throw for 209 yards while throwing said interception. Sony Michel was the leading rusher for the Patriots as he gained 61 yards. Julian Edelman would get 12 yards rushing while scoring a rushing touchdown. As far as Tom Brady's future is concerned, I feel he'll come back, but I don't know if he can get another ring as the Patriots wide receiving corp outside of Edelman is not that great. The Mohammad Sanu Jr trade was somewhat of a dud. Hard to say. Titans move on to take on the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday.
It was a surprise to some but not necessarily to me. Kirk Cousins threw the ball for 242 yards with a touchdown. That touchdown would ultimately be the game-winning score to Kyle Rudolph in overtime. Dalvin Cook returned to start and had a good game with 94 yards rushing with two touchdowns. Drew Brees threw for 208 yards with a touchdown while throwing an interception. Taysom Hill was the leading rusher for the Saints with 50 yards while Alvin Kamara ran for 21 yards with a touchdown in the game. Hard to say if this is the last chance for the Saints to get another ring but certainly you have to not try to play against the Vikings it seems. Minnesota moves on to take on the San Francisco 49ers on Saturday.
All-time series: Vikings lead 23-12
Seattle Seahawks 17, Philadelphia Eagles 9: TW: Eagles; CV: Eagles
In his 16 seasons as pro, Josh McCown had not played in a playoff game, he would sadly not get the job done. Russell Wilson threw well in the game with 325 yards with a touchdown. He would also be the leading rusher for the Seahawks with 45 yards. Carson Wentz made his first playoff start in his career. He would ultimately leave the game with a concussion/head injury, with only 3 yards passing. Hardy veteran Josh McCown would take his place and put up 174 yards in the game. Miles Sanders ran the ball for 69 yards in the game. Sadly, Nick Foles couldn't quite save them this time. Seattle goes to Green Bay on Sunday.
All-time series: Seahawks lead 11-7
See you guys on Thursday/Friday for the Divisional picks!
Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action is coming soon to a TV and/or football field near you! Last week was a good week with a record of 10-6 in picks. I hope to continue the good fortune in picks into week 14. In this post I'll talk about the latest playoff picture, an NFL spotlight on the 2000's Patriots, and my picks for the games. Let's get to work!
Playoff Picture: Week 14
We will start with the NFC:
1st seed: New Orleans Saints (10-2) (clinched NFC South)
2nd seed: Seattle Seahawks (10-2)
3rd seed: Green Bay Packers (9-3)
4th seed: Dallas Cowboys (6-6)
5th seed: San Francisco 49ers (10-2)
6th seed: Minnesota Vikings (8-4)
In the hunt:
LA Rams (7-5), Chicago (6-6), Tampa Bay (5-7), Philadelphia (5-7), Carolina (5-7), Washington (3-9)
Eliminated:
Detroit (3-8-1), Arizona (3-8-1), Atlanta (3-9), NY Giants (2-10)
Seattle can clinch a playoff berth with a win or tie. San Francisco can clinch a playoff berth with a win or Rams loss. The NFC east is so terrible this year that the Redskins at 3-9 can clinch a playoff spot (granted its a long shot assuming the Redskins win out and Dallas loses out). Overall still a lot of football to be played in the NFC.
Tennessee Titans (7-5), Oakland Raiders (6-6), Indianapolis Colts (6-6), Cleveland Browns (5-7), Jacksonville (4-8), Denver Broncos (4-8), LA Chargers (4-8), NY Jets (4-8)
Eliminated:
Miami Dolphins (3-9), Cincinnati Bengals (1-11)
Baltimore can clinch the AFC North with a win and a Steelers loss. New England can clinch a playoff berth with a win. Kansas City can clinch the AFC West with a win and Raiders loss. Will be interesting how the 6th seed will play out for the rest of the season.
NFL 100: A Spotlight
Through the first 40 years of their existence, the New England Patriots were the least elite team in the NFL. I mean, when you thought of the NFL's greatest teams before 2000 you thought Steelers, Dolphins, Cowboys, or Packers. All that would change when two men joined the team and the NFL would never be the same again.
Bill Belichek had been a defensive genius under the tutelage of Bill Parcells during the 1980's New York Giants teams and eventually earned a head coaching gig with the Cleveland Browns. When the Browns left in 1995-1996, he didn't join the team to their new gigs at Baltimore. For the next 4 years he would retain his position of defensive coordinator with Bill Parcells during Parcell's stints with the New England Patriots and New York Jets. After the 1999 season, Parcells resigned and Belicheck took on the reigns. It wouldn't last. Belichek would resign as soon as he agreed to be the Jets head coach and bolted to the pastures of New England.
Tom Brady was somewhat of a talented player in college. In four seasons at Michigan he posted 4,773 yards with 30 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. He would lead the Wolverines in back-to-back bowl wins in the 1999 Citrus Bowl and the 2000 Orange Bowl. Most scouts didn't look highly at the quarterback to do much in the NFL. His combine stats were even more evident. In the 2000 NFL draft, the Patriots took him with the 199th overall pick in the sixth round. The arrival of Brady and Belichek wouldn't have an immediate impact.
The 2000 season, the first season under Belichek, would see the Patriots finish with a 5-11 record. Partially the reason for the failed season was that many players were out of shape by training camp and Belichek expected players to be in shape for the upcoming season. As of 2019, it would be Patriots last losing season in the Brady-Belichek era.
The 2001 season was a unique one. Their quarterbacks coach died, their starting quarterback got injured in the 2nd week of the season, and the 9/11 attacks. The injury to Drew Bledsoe would lead to a quarterback change. Eventually, the Patriots became the surprise story in 2001 with Brady at the helm finishing with a 11-5 record. They would beat the Oakland Raiders and Pittsburgh Steelers en route to their 3rd super bowl in franchise history. They would shock and upset the favored St. Louis Rams to win their 1st championship.
The following season was a letdown as the team finished with a 9-7 record, good enough for 2nd place in the division but the New York Jets held the tiebreaker and would win the division. The season would also be the last to have less than 10 wins in a regular season in the Brady-Belichek era.
The 2003 Patriots returned with a focus to do better than the previous season. An opening day loss to the Buffalo Bills with the score of 31-0 would be the biggest loss in the era. Not also to mention that Drew Bledsoe and Lawyer Milloy were on that Bills team (they had been part of the 2001 Patriots championship). With a 2-2 record staring in front of them, the Patriots would enjoy their longest winning streak in the era, and in NFL history. They wouldn't lose another game after going 2-2 until Week 8 of the 2004 season. The team accumulated a 14-2 record with playoff wins against the Tennessee Titans and Indianapolis Colts and beat the Carolina Panthers to win their 2nd championship.
In 2004, the Patriots continued what they started in 2003 and finished with a 14-2 record. They garnered playoff wins against the Indianapolis Colts and Pittsburgh Steelers. They won their 3rd championship in four years beating the Philadelphia Eagles. They would be the 2nd team behind the Dallas Cowboys to win three championships in four years. Three out of four ain't bad. Continuing their championship success after it would be the hard part.
The next two seasons would see continued regular season success but would fail to win a championship. In 2005, they finished with a 10-6 record starting out 4-4 and finishing strong with a 6-2 finish. They beat the Jacksonville Jaguars in the wild card round but would lose to the Denver Broncos in the divisional playoff and ended their 10-game playoff win streak. The 2006 Patriots would have a better record at 12-4 and would get playoff wins against the New York Jets and San Diego Chargers. The Patriots would fail to get back to the Super Bowl when they lost a heartbreaker to the Indianpolis Colts in the AFC championship.
The 2007 Patriots would be one for the ages. The team would finish the regular season with a 16-0 record with a high powered offense with a defense to match. They would win playoff games against the Jacksonville Jaguars and San Diego Chargers to get them to 18 wins, with one game away to getting that elusive "perfect season" that had been set by the 1972 Miami Dolphins. The Patriots fell short of the accomplishment as Eli Manning hit Plaxico Burress with the game-winning touchdown in Super Bowl XLII.
The following season would be without Tom Brady as he would be injured with an ACL tear against the Kansas City Chiefs on Opening Day. The loss of Brady and the rise of Matt Cassel would give the Patriots a 11-5 record but failed to make the postseason. It would be the last time the Patriots missed the playoffs in the era.
The last year of the decade would see the rise of Tom Brady. Brady would win the NFL Comeback Player of The Year award. The Patriots would finish the 2009 season with a 10-6 record in the regular season. In the Wild Card round of the playoffs, Tom Brady would play his worst game as the Patriots lost to the Baltimore Ravens 33-14, finishing the decade that had brought championships earlier in the decade.
It certainly is hard to compare which team of the decade is better: the 2000's Patriots or the 2010's Patriots. What both really have in common is that both utilized on the same strategy, win in various ways. This really holds true as Bill Belichek and the coaching staff are hard to predict in what they'll do. They might go with a running emphasis, or a pass-heavy concept. You literally can't tell what they'll do, thus they're hard to prepare for.
Week 14 Picks
Week 14 in the National Football League will start in Chicago, Illinois and finish in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. No teams are on a bye this week. There will be a Thursday night game, nine early games, four late games, a Sunday night game and a Monday night game. CBS will have the double-header this week while FOX will have the single, regional game. Here are the picks:
The Cowboys lost to the Bills and the Bears beat the Lions last week. Dallas needs to get this win as they're way more talented on paper to let this opportunity blow them by. Philadelphia has a weaker schedule than Dallas. I'll take Dallas based on their better offense.
Detroit (3-8-1) @ Minnesota (8-4) (FOX): TW: Vikings; CV: Vikings
Both teams lost last week as the Lions lost to the Bears and the Vikings lost to the Seahawks. The game will be more than likely a 10+ point margin as I feel the Vikings defense will challenge Jeff Driskel/Matthew Stafford to throw the ball. The previous meeting in Detroit was a pretty resounding win for Minnesota so I'll take the Vikings on defense alone as well as offense.
Both teams got wins last week as the Broncos beat the Chargers and the Texans beat the Patriots. Houston has a well-rounded offense with both pass and run. Denver has their work cut out for them as I don't know how they could possibly stop them. As much as I can't trust either team, the name of the game is who I think will win and I feel Houston will do it based on offensive performance.
Indianapolis (6-6) @ Tampa Bay (5-7) (CBS): TW: Buccaneers; CV: Colts
The Colts lost to the Titans and the Buccaneers beat the Jaguars last week. The game will depend on how well the Colts can get their running game going as they can't be one-dimensional against a well-balanced Bucs team at home. Maybe Jameis Winston will throw a few touchdowns and no interceptions.
San Francisco (10-2) @ New Orleans (10-2) (FOX): TW: Saints; CV: 49ers
The 49ers lost to the Ravens and the Saints beat the Falcons last week. The early slate of games have a really good match-up in this one. Both teams have great offenses and defenses. The key to the game is how the Saints can get the crowd noise up loud to affect the communications of the 49ers offense. The 49ers need to do do the opposite and take the crowd out of it.
Washington (3-9) @ Green Bay (9-3) (FOX): TW: Packers; CV: Packers
Both teams won last week as the Redskins beat the Panthers and the Packers beat the Giants. The game is somewhat intriguing as its a good test of how well the Packers defense will react to a rookie quarterback for the 2nd straight week. If the Packers defense can cause mayhem and provide balance on offense, they should get a solid win.
The Bengals got a win against the Jets and the Browns lost to the Steelers. Despite having a down season, Cleveland still has a chance to get into the playoffs and if they want to do it, they have a good shot to get a win as the Bengals aren't that great on either side of the ball. I'll take Cleveland based on the things that got them to five wins: balanced attack and solid defense.
The Dolphins got a win against the Eagles and the Jets lost to the Bengals. Only real reason why I'm taking the Jets is that the Dolphins are essentially trying to tank, yet they somehow keep on winning. If the Dolphins win I'll be happy for them, same for the Jets. I tend to like the Jets defense in favor against the Dolphins offense.
Carolina (5-7) @ Atlanta (3-9) (FOX): TW: Panthers; CV: Panthers
Both teams lost last week as the Panthers lost to the Redskins and the Falcons lost to the Saints. The previous meeting didn't go in the Panthers favor. I feel this game will be in favor for Carolina as they have a great player in Christian McCaffrey and they need to get him involved in the game The defense of Carolina needs to stop Atlanta as well.
Both teams got wins last week as the Ravens beat the 49ers and the Bills beat the Cowboys. Buffalo has had a nice season and they will have another test to prove how good they are. The match-up I feel is more in favor for Baltimore as Lamar Jackson's ability to run and pass the ball are legit. Ultimately I feel the game will be close but I feel the Ravens will get a win.
Both teams lost last week as the Chargers lost to the Broncos and the Jaguars lost to the Buccaneers. This game could be an interesting one if you enjoy offenses as both have good running backs. Last week proves that the Chargers will find ways to lose. The Jaguars just might lose this game but I can't keep giving the Chargers the pick every week if they do that to me. It breaks my poor heart.
Kansas City (8-4) @ New England (10-2) (CBS): TW: Patriots; CV: Patriots
The Chiefs beat the Raiders and the Patriots lost to the Texans last week. The marquee game features last year's AFC Championship Game. New England needs to get off to a fast start in this one as they were down early last week. The game will also be a huge test to stop Patrick Mahomes for the Patriots defense. Ultimately I'll take New England based on their record at home. It's pretty good.
The Steelers beat the Browns and the Cardinals lost to the Rams last week. The game seems to be in favor for Pittsburgh as both sides of the ball are really good, especially on defense. I'll take the Steelers. Devlin Hodges will have limited weapons but I feel he can get the job done.
The Titans got a win against the Colts and the Raiders lost to the Chiefs. Oakland ran into a buzzsaw against the Chiefs. They have a chance to have a rebound game against the hot Titans at home. Derek Carr needs to play better in making smart throws. Josh Jacobs will have a solid day. Oakland needs to slow down Derrick Henry as well. Tough task for Oakland but I'll take them.
Both teams got wins last week as the Seahawks beat the Vikings and the Rams beat the Cardinals. The game will depend on how well on offense the Rams can get on to. Rams defense will have their hands full in this one as they will have to deal with the balanced attack of Russell Wilson and Chris Carson.
NY Giants (2-10) @ Philadelphia (5-7) (ESPN): TW: Eagles; CV: Eagles
Both teams lost last week as the Giants lost to the Packers and the Eagles lost to the Dolphins. The week finishes up with an intriguing match-up. Can the Giants upset the Eagles and kill their playoff chances? Can the Eagles stay focused and stay in the hunt? I tend to go with the latter as the Eagles offense has been solid. The real question is how well the defense can play against the Giants offense. I'll play it safe and take the home team in this game.
The Records (By Week & Year):
Cardinal Viking:
2017: 167-89
2018: 156-98-2
2019:
Week 1: 11-4-1
Week 2: 10-6
Week 3: 10-6
Week 4: 7-8
Week 5: 9-6
Week 6: 7-7
Week 7: 10-4
Week 8: 11-4
Week 9: 8-6
Week 10: 2-11
Week 11: 12-2
Week 12: 9-5
Week 13: 8-8
Overall: 116-77-1
My record:
2012: 164-90-2
2013: 162-92-1
2014: 172-83-1
2017: 164-92
2018: 156-98-2
2019:
Week 1: 12-3-1
Week 2: 10-6
Week 3: 11-5
Week 4: 8-7
Week 5: 5-10
Week 6: 9-5
Week 7: 7-7
Week 8: 14-1
Week 9: 8-6
Week 10: 5-8
Week 11: 10-4
Week 12: 10-4
Week 13: 10-6
Overall: 119-72-1
See you guys after the Monday night game for the Week 14 recap. Enjoy the games!
Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action is coming upon us. Last week was an average week for me in picks with a 8-6 record. While not a bad record, it wasn't quite the similar record the week before. Hopefully this week's games will provide less crazy and give me a better week. In this post I'll give you another NFL 100 Spotlight and my picks for the Week 10 games! Let's get to work!
NFL 100: A Spotlight
For most of the San Francisco 49ers long history since joining the NFL in 1950, they had never went on to win a championship. From 1970 to 1972 they would go to the playoffs, and each time losing to the Dallas Cowboys. For the next six seasons they would not get a chance to build a team that could contend. All that would change in January 1979.
Bill Walsh, the genius of the West Coast Offense and offensive coordinator for Paul Brown's Cincinnati Bengals from 1968 to 1975, was hired to reverse the losing trend and build a winner in the Bay City. The trend would continue when the 49ers finished 1979 with a 2-14 record. By 1980, the 49ers were putting people in the seats at Candlestick Park with high flying offense from Walsh's system, unfortunately his defense wasn't stopping opponents either. San Francisco would finish the season with a 6-10 record. In the 1981 NFL Draft, Walsh would spend much of his picks on the secondary with players like Eric Wright and Ronnie Lott. There was much doubt that the 49ers would be a contender in 1981.
The first month of the 1981 season would see much of the same as the 49ers went 2-2 through four weeks. All that would change with a confidence building victory over the Washington Redskins by a score of 30-17. The momentum would build as the 49ers would lay a lickin' over the Dallas Cowboys with a blowout win of 45-14. What changed was the season additions of Jack "Hacksaw" Reynolds and Fred Dean. With an explosive offense and a defense to match, the surprising 49ers would finish the season with a 13-3 record.
The 49ers would easily beat the New York Giants 38-24 in the Divisional playoff. Their next opponent would be the Dallas Cowboys. Dallas had been in the 49ers way to a championship for the longest time, and the 49ers wouldn't miss out on the opportunity.
The team's would trade leads as the game's scoring was at 27-21 late in the 4th quarter. The ball was spotted at the 49ers 6-yard line with all of their timeouts intact with 4:54 left on the clock. America would be introduced to Joe Cool.
Bill Walsh would utilize his running game of Freddie Solomon and Lenvil Elliot on the final drive. He used this as the Cowboys expected Joe Montana to pass. The 49ers would march down the field as Lenvil Elliot would get a 6-yard run on a 2nd and 10 play. San Francisco would call their 2nd timeout with 58 seconds left. The ball was on the Cowboys 6-yard line. The next play would mark the beginning of one dynasty while subverting the end of another.
The play was Sprint Right Option, a play that was designed as a pick play. Dwight Clark was the designated pick man, the intended target was for Freddie Solomon. When the ball was snapped, Solomon slipped while running his route thus Montana's timing would be off. Montana's protection was breaking down as Montana ran to the right end of the sideline, trying to buy time. Ed "Too Tall" Jones and Larry Bethea were gunning for Montana. Trying to buy some more time, Montana used a pump fake to make Jones jump which he did and Montana aired it out to the endzone. Some possibilities was that Joe Montana intended to throw it as a throwaway to give the 49ers one last chance on 4th and goal. This would not be the case.
Running a similar route as Solomon, Dwight Clark knew he would have to be the intended target as Solomon slipped during the beginning of the play. As the ball was coming to him, he would reach up and take it with his fingers as high as he could and come down with it. The 49ers had scored a late touchdown on America's Team. A Ray Wershing point after would give the 49ers a 28-27 lead and would ultimately win the game.
The San Francisco 49ers would enjoy success during the 1980's, eventually becoming the "Team of the 80's" with four Super Bowl championships, while winning a fifth championship in 1994. They would continue to have playoff success until 2003 but the 22-year run has to be one of the greatest in NFL history.
Week 10 Picks
The 10th week of the National Football League regular season starts in Oakland, California and ends in Santa Clara, California. There will be six teams on a bye this week: New England Patriots, Denver Broncos, Philadelphia Eagles, Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Washington Redskins. The week's slate will have 13 games. The week includes a Thursday night game, seven early games, three late games, a Sunday night game and a Monday night game. CBS will have the single, regional game while FOX will have the double-header. Here are the picks!
Both teams got wins last week as the Chargers beat the Packers and the Raiders beat the Lions. The week starts off win a fairly decent match-up. Both teams have good offenses and utilize their running games quite a lot. I feel the game will come down to which team's rush defense can shut down the opponent. Green Bay's running attack wasn't very effective last week so I'll take the Chargers this game.
The Bills beat the Redskins and the Browns lost to the Broncos. I don't trust the Browns anymore enough to take them when they are favored to win. The Bills have had a somewhat soft schedule so far so this game will be a huge game to see how good the Bills can be. If the Bills can control the time of possession and run the ball well, I feel they should get a win.
Detroit (3-4-1) @ Chicago (3-5) (CBS): TW: Bears; CV: Lions
Both teams lost last week as the Lions lost to the Raiders and the Bears lost to the Eagles. The only real reason why I'm taking the Bears is the lack of a running game in Detroit. Since the loss of Kenny Golladay, there hasn't been a lot of production on the ground for the Lions. I feel the Bears passing offense will get back to basics this week as well.
NY Giants (2-7) @ NY Jets (1-7) (FOX): TW: Giants; CV: Giants
Both teams lost last week as the Giants lost to the Cowboys and the Jets lost to the Cowboys. It's the battle for New York... or New Jersey for that matter. The Jets have been playing terrible despite being a possible playoff contender. I like the Giants in the match-up because of their offense but this game could come down to a field goal. Really a toss-up game but I'll take the road team.
The Ravens beat the Patriots and the Bengals were on a bye last week. Ryan Finley will get the start for the Bengals and the task at hand is going to be a tough one for the quarterback. Baltimore is more talented on paper and I will take the Ravens since they're double-digit favorites to win as well. I can't trust Cincinnati to give them a win but if they somehow pull off a win, I'd be shocked.
The Chiefs beat the Vikings and the Titans lost to the Panthers last week. Patrick Mahomes will likely return after missing two games. Depending on how effective he will be, he will still need his running game to be effective as the Titans have a great running attack of their own and much improvement at quarterback with Ryan Tannehill. I'll take the Chiefs as they need to win if they want to have a bye week in the playoffs.
Atlanta (1-7) @ New Orleans (7-1) (FOX): TW: Saints; CV: Saints
Both teams were on a bye last week. The Saints have been playing great football without Drew Brees and with the extra week of rest the Saints look poised to make a run. I feel they will win with his arm and while the Falcons don't have Matt Ryan, this game could still be close.
Arizona (3-5-1) @ Tampa Bay (2-6) (FOX): TW: Buccaneers; CV: Cardinals
Both teams lost last week as the Cardinals lost to the 49ers and the Buccaneers lost to the Seahawks. The Cardinals were a surprise last week with a great game by Kenyan Drake and a solid defense. I honestly like the Buccaneers in the game with the more weapons for Jameis Winston to throw to. I wouldn't be surprised if they lost either. I don't really trust either team to win but the name of the game is choosing which one will win so yeah.
Miami (1-7) @ Indianapolis (5-3) (CBS): TW: Colts; CV: Colts
The Dolphins won against the Jets and the Colts lost to the Steelers. Miami finally got a win but I feel their losing ways will comeback in this one. Jacoby Brissett might not play in this game but Brian Hoyer did well in his absence last week. The Dolphins aren't really good on either side of the ball so I'll take Indy.
Carolina (5-3) @ Green Bay (7-2) (FOX): TW: Packers; CV: Panthers
The Panthers beat the Titans and the Packers lost to the Chargers. Green Bay's running game and rush defense was largely ineffective last week. Christian McCaffrey could have quite a game this week if they can't stop him. If the Packers defense can hold down McCaffrey and force Kyle Allen to beat them this game will largely be in Cheesehead favor.
The Rams were on a bye and the Steelers won against the Colts. Jared Goff has gotten out of his slump earlier in the season and they will need to play well on offense to have a chance to beat the Steelers defense. Rams defense should do fine against an average Steelers offense. I'll take the Rams as they need to win if they want to remain in the playoff hunt.
The Vikings lost to the Chiefs and the Cowboys beat the Giants last week. Minnesota had a fluke loss last week and I think they should rebound. Dallas could make this game interesting. Both teams have very similar talent levels on offense but I like the Vikings defense over the Cowboys in this game. Minnesota could very well lose, who knows.
Seattle (7-2) @ San Francisco (8-0) (ESPN): TW: 49ers; CV: 49ers
Both teams got wins last week as the Seahawks beat the Buccaneers and the 49ers beat the Cardinals. The two teams have their work cut out for them as ESPN has a pretty good matchup this week. Ultimately I think the longer rested 49ers will eke out a win this week. The 49ers running game needs to have a better game this week as Jimmy Garoppolo has enough on his plate dealing with the Seahawks pass rush. It will be close but I'll take the home team.
Local TV Schedule (courtesy of 506sports.com, subject to change):
CBS Single:
Detroit @ Chicago
Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts
FOX Early:
Atlanta @ New Orleans
Kevin Burkhardt, Charles Davis
FOX Late:
Carolina @ Green Bay
Joe Buck, Troy Aikman
The Records (By Week & Year):
Cardinal Viking:
2017: 167-89
2018: 156-98-2
2019:
Week 1: 11-4-1
Week 2: 10-6
Week 3: 10-6
Week 4: 7-8
Week 5: 9-6
Week 6: 7-7
Week 7: 10-4
Week 8: 11-4
Week 9: 8-6
Overall: 83-51-1
My record:
2012: 164-90-2
2013: 162-92-1
2014: 172-83-1
2017: 164-92
2018: 156-98-2
2019:
Week 1: 12-3-1
Week 2: 10-6
Week 3: 11-5
Week 4: 8-7
Week 5: 5-10
Week 6: 9-5
Week 7: 7-7
Week 8: 14-1
Week 9: 8-6
Overall: 84-50-1
See you guys on Monday night for the Week 10 recap! Enjoy the games!
-Tom
Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action has come and gone. The season is halfway over and certain division races are still close to the chest while some are not so close. Last week was a great week with a 14-1 record. We shall see how well I did this week and against Cardinal Viking. I should note that I forgot to put the Local TV schedule on the week's picks post, my apologies, I didn't realize of that until earlier today. The post will include a shorter NFL 100 Spotlight and a recap of the week's action. Let's get to work!
NFL 100: A Spotlight
The past two posts were pretty lengthy as the history of the AFL requires you to talk about it from birth to the 1970 merger. This spotlight will be shorter as I will talk about one of the greatest runs I've ever seen from a running back. The crowd noise alone caused enough seismic activity to cause a tremor. The game would be called "Beast Quake."
On January 8th, 2011 the 7-9 Seattle Seahawks (winners of the NFC West, mind you) hosted the 11-5 New Orleans Saints in the opening game of the NFL Wild Card playoffs. The Seahawks were lead by Matt Hasselbeck, Marshawn Lynch, Mike Williams and Earl Thomas. The Saints were the defending champions after winning Super Bowl XLIV the year before. They were anchored by Drew Brees, Marques Colston, Darren Sharper and Jonathan Vilma. It would be the first time that a team with a losing record play in the playoffs, let alone host a playoff game.
The two teams had met before during the regular season. In a week 11 contest, the Saints would beat the Seahawks at home 34-19. In most people's minds, the wild card game between the two would be much of the same. Vegas had the Saints as 10-point favorites.
The first quarter scoring started with a Garrett Hartley field goal to put the Saints up 3-0. A 1-yard pass play from Brees to Heath Evans gave the Saints a 10-0 cushion. John Carlson would give the Seahawks some points on the board from a 11-yard play from Hasselbeck to cut the lead to 10-7 to end the first quarter.
The 2nd quarter would see more scoring as Brees hit Julius Jones for a touchdown, with a 17-7 Saints lead. John Carlson would get his 2nd receiving touchdown from Hasselbeck, keeping the deficit down to 3 with a 17-14 game. Olindor Mare would give the Seahawks a field goal to tie the game at 17. Seattle wouldn't be done with that as Hasselbeck would hit Brandon Stockley with a 45-yard pass for a touchdown to give the Seahawks their first lead in the game, 24-17 Seattle. Garrett Hartley would hit a field goal to finish the first half with a 24-20 Seahawks lead into halftime.
Mike Williams 38-yard pass catch for a touchdown opened up the scoring into the 3rd quarter. Giving the Seahawks a 31-20 cushion. Olindo Mare would hit a field goal to give the Seahawks a 34-20 lead, finishing the 3rd quarter.
The Saints would come roaring back with a 4-yard run from Julius Jones to cut the lead down to a 34-27 deficit. Garrett Hartley would hit a field goal to cut the Seahawks lead down to 4 with a 34-30 game. The two teams would trade possessions a couple of times until the Seahawks would attempt to kill some clock and run the ball. They would get that and more.
On a 2nd and 10 play, the Seahawks would run a play in the I-formation with the play "17 Power" a counter run by Lynch. The end result would be that Lynch would break eight tackles en route to the endzone on a 67-yard run that would drive the people at Qwest Field nuts, creating a crowd noise that caused a tremor.
The play is certainly most memorable as I was in my dorm room at the time watching the game. After the game was over I put a status on Facebook saying "The Saints are the first team to lose to a losing team in the playoffs" or at least something like that. In the end, it would be the final playoff win for Matt Hasselbeck both as a player and as a Seattle Seahawk. In the 2011 offseason he would sign with Tennessee. A couple of seasons later the Seahawks would draft a rather short quarterback out of Wisconsin by the name of Russell Wilson, the rest is history.
Week 9 Recap San Francisco 28, Arizona 25: TW: 49ers, CV: 49ers
The Cardinals kept it an interesting game but the 49ers remain undefeated. Jimmy Garoppolo threw the ball for 317 yards with four touchdowns, easily his best game of the season so far. Matt Breida would be the leading rusher for the 49ers with 78 yards but with zero touchdowns. Certainly the Cardinals defense kept the 49ers rushing attack from getting a lot of yardage. Kyler Murray did well with 241 yards passing yards with two touchdowns. Newly acquired player Kenyan Drake ran the ball for 110 yards with a touchdown, giving him leading rusher honors of the game.
All-time series: 49ers lead series 30-26
Next week: San Francisco: vs Seattle (Monday night); Arizona: @ Tampa Bay
The loss of JJ Watt certainly didn't affect the Texans defense. DeShaun Watson finished the day with 201 yards passing with two touchdowns while rushing for 37 yards. Duke Johnson would get a touchdown while compiling 13 rushing yards. Carlos Hyde would get leading rushing honors in the game with 160 yards. Gardner Minshew looked mortal in the game with his 309 yards passing with two interceptions. Leonard Fournette would only get 40 yards rushing for the Jaguars. Houston escapes London with a win.
All-time series: Texans lead series 23-13
Next week: Houston: Bye; Jacksonville: Bye
TW: 1-1; CV: 1-1
Minnesota 23, Kansas City 26: TW: Vikings; CV: Vikings
The game was actually pretty entertaining. Kirk Cousins did well in the game but perhaps could've done more to get the win. Cousins threw the ball for 220 yards with 3 touchdowns. Dalvin Cook was held to less than 100 yards for the first time in quite a while. Cook would finish the game with 71 with zero touchdowns. Matt Moore was starting for the 2nd consecutive game in Patrick Mahomes' absence. Moore finished the game with 275 yards passing with a touchdown. Damien Williams would get 125 yards rushing, including a 91-yard rushing touchdown. Harrison Butker would hit 4 for 4 in field goals, including the game winning field goal from 44 yards. Vikings should've really won this game but defense kind of let them down.
All-time series: Chiefs lead series 8-5
Next week: Minnesota: @ Dallas; Kansas City: @ Tennessee
TW: 1-2; CV: 1-2
NY Jets 18, Miami 26: TW: Jets; CV: Jets
The ghosts of the 2008 Lions and 2017 Browns can sleep easy as the Dolphins get win #1. Sam Darnold threw the ball for 260 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Le'Veon Bell ran the ball for a decent 66 yards with zero touchdowns. Ryan Fitzpatrick started for Miami, getting 288 yards passing with three touchdowns. Mark Walton Jr ran the ball for 29 yards. Oddly enough there was two safeties in this game, one each for both teams. Cincinnati is the lone winless team now this season.
All-time series: Jets lead series 54-53-1
Next week: NY Jets: vs NY Giants; Miami: @ Indianapolis
TW: 1-3; CV: 1-3
Washington 9, Buffalo 24: TW: Bills; CV: Bills
Dwayne Haskins would get his first start of the season for the Redskins. It was an average start. Haskins threw the ball for 144 yards with zero touchdowns while not throwing any interceptions. Adrian Peterson would carry the load with 108 yards with zero touchdowns, a good day for him. Josh Allen would have a good day with his arm and legs as he threw for 160 yards with a touchdown while getting 12 rushing yards with a touchdown. Devin Singletary would finish the day with leading rushing honors for the Bills with 95 yards.
All-time series: Bills lead series 9-6
Next week: Washington: Bye; Buffalo: @ Cleveland
TW: 2-3; CV: 2-3
Indianapolis 24, Pittsburgh 26: TW: Steelers; CV: Colts
The game came down to a missed field goal from Adam Vinatieri. Jacoby Brissett would start the game but would leave the game with a knee injury with 59 passing yards. Brian Hoyer would step in and have a good game in the backup role with 168 yards passing with three touchdowns and an interception. Marlon Mack would finish the day with 89 rushing yards. Mason Rudolph started for Pittsburgh and would throw for 191 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Trey Edmonds would tally 73 yards rushing with zero touchdowns, while filling in as a backup running back. Steelers are back to .500 after a 1-4 start.
All-time series: Steelers lead 25-6
Next week: Indianapolis: vs Miami; Pittsburgh: vs LA Rams
Another game, another day at the office for Christian McCaffrey. Ryan Tannehill finished the game with 331 yards passing while throwing a touchdown and two interceptions. Tannehill would also have 38 yards rushing with a touchdown. Derrick Henry would be the leading rusher for the Titans with 63 yards with a touchdown as well. Kyle Allen continued to play well in Cam Newton's stead (yeah Cam Newton still exists in this universe) with 232 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Christian McCaffrey would run the ball over the Titans defense with 146 yards rushing while getting 20 yards receiving.
All-time series: Series tied at 3
Next week: Tennessee: vs Kansas City; Carolina: @ Green Bay
TW: 4-3; CV: 3-4
Chicago 14, Philadelphia 22: TW: Eagles; CV: Eagles
At one point the Bears were 3-1, and four games later they are now at 3-5. Mitchell Trubisky threw the ball for 125 yards with zero touchdowns while not throwing an interception. David Montgomery ran the ball for 40 yards with two touchdowns. Carson Wentz of the Eagles threw the ball for 239 yards with a touchdown with no interceptions. Jordan Howard ran the ball for 82 yards with a touchdown. The Bears offense was at one point terrible, as in single digit total yards by halftime terrible.
All-time series: Bears lead 29-16-1
Next week: Chicago: vs Detroit; Philadelphia: Bye
TW: 5-3; CV: 4-4
Tampa Bay 34, Seattle 40 (F/OT): TW: Seahawks; CV: Seahawks
The game would go into overtime but the Seahawks would survive from another great Russell Wilson game. Jameis Winston would have a good game with 335 yards passing with two touchdowns. A rare game where he would throw no interceptions. Ronald Jones would run the ball for 67 yards with a touchdown. Dare Ogunwale would run in for a touchdown from a 1-yard play. Russell Wilson would have a game for the ages with 378 yards passing with five touchdowns. Chris Carson would be the leading rusher for the Seahawks with 105 yards. Seahawks defense perhaps a bit suspect but a win is a win.
All-time series: Seahawks lead series 9-5
Next week: Tampa Bay: vs Arizona; Seattle: @ San Francisco (Monday night)
TW: 6-3; CV: 5-4
Detroit 24, Oakland 31: TW: Raiders; CV: Raiders
The difference between the two teams was that Detroit didn't have a running game and Oakland had one. Matthew Stafford would finish the game with 406 yards with three touchdowns and an interceptions. JD McKissic would be the Lions leading rusher with 32 yards as Kenny Golladay wasn't in the lineup due to injury. Derek Carr finished the day with 289 yards with two touchdowns. Josh Jacobs ran the ball for 120 yards with two touchdowns, another good game for him. Poor Lions.
All-time series: Raiders lead series 7-6
Next week: Detroit: @ Chicago; Oakland: vs LA Chargers (Thursday night)
TW: 7-3; CV: 6-4
Cleveland 19, Denver 24: TW: Browns; CV: Broncos
Cleveland just can't seem to find a win to save its life. Baker Mayfield would do fine with his 273 yards passing with a touchdown but perhaps could've done better. Nick Chubb wouldn't get a lot of yardage in this one but would get 65 yards rushing with zero touchdowns. Austin Seibert, the Browns kicker, would hit 4/4 field goals. Brandon Allen started for Denver and would do fine with his 193 yards with two touchdowns. Philip Lindsey would have a good day with his 92 yards rushing with a touchdown.
All-time series: Broncos lead 24-6
Next week: Cleveland: vs Buffalo; Denver: Bye
TW: 7-4; CV: 7-4
Green Bay 11, LA Chargers 26: TW: Packers; CV: Packers
The Packers laid an egg but everyone else in the NFC North laid an egg too. Aaron Rodgers did fine at the end of the day but perhaps could've gotten more than just 161 yards passing with a touchdown. Aaron Jones, the yardage back, was held to 30 yards this game with credit to the Chargers defense. Phillip Rivers would finish the game with 294 yards passing but wouldn't get a touchdown pass. The Chargers running attack found a way to win with Melvin Gordon and Austin Ekeler who finished the game with 80 yards and 70 yards rushing respectively. Gordon would get two touchdowns from the ground. It wasn't a pretty game but at this point I'll take a 7-2 record for Green Bay.
All-time series: Packers lead series 10-2
Next week: Green Bay: vs Carolina; LA Chargers: @ Oakland (Thursday night)
TW: 7-5; CV: 7-5
New England 20, Baltimore 37: TW: Patriots; CV: Patriots
The undefeated are no more. Tom Brady would throw the ball for 285 yards with a touchdown and an interception. James White could only get 38 yards rushing while scoring a touchdown from the ground. Lamar Jackson would have a good day with his arm and legs. Jackson would throw the ball for 163 yards with a touchdown while compiling 61 yards and two touchdowns from the ground. Mark Ingram was the leading rusher for the Ravens with 115 yards. Gus Edwards would get 27 yards rushing with a touchdown as well. Perhaps the game will be a wake up call for the Patriots.
All-time series: Patriots lead series 10-4
Next week: New England: Bye; Baltimore: @ Cincinnati
TW: 7-6; CV: 7-6
Dallas 37, NY Giants 18: TW: Cowboys; CV: Cowboys
The game was as to be expected. Dak Prescott would have a decent to good game with an early interception but would finish the game with 257 yards passing with three touchdowns. Ezekiel Elliot would run over the Giants rush defense with 139 yards. Daniel Jones would pass for 210 yards with a touchdown and an interception while being the leading rusher with 54 yards. Saquon Barkley could only get 28 yards rushing.
All-time series: Cowboys lead 67-46-2
Next week: Dallas: vs Minnesota; NY Giants: @ NY Jets
TW: 8-6; CV: 8-6
The Records (By Week & Year):
Cardinal Viking:
2017: 167-89
2018: 156-98-2
2019:
Week 1: 11-4-1
Week 2: 10-6
Week 3: 10-6
Week 4: 7-8
Week 5: 9-6
Week 6: 7-7
Week 7: 10-4
Week 8: 11-4
Week 9: 8-6
Overall: 83-51-1
My record:
2012: 164-90-2
2013: 162-92-1
2014: 172-83-1
2017: 164-92
2018: 156-98-2
2019:
Week 1: 12-3-1
Week 2: 10-6
Week 3: 11-5
Week 4: 8-7
Week 5: 5-10
Week 6: 9-5
Week 7: 7-7
Week 8: 14-1
Week 9: 8-6
Overall: 84-50-1
See you guys/gals on Wednesday for the Week 10 Picks post!
-Tom
Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action is soon upon us! A quarter of the season has passed us, with some teams at 4-0, 3-1, 2-2, 1-3, 0-4, and of course 0-3-1. The crowned champion isn't crowned in October so we will have to see which team is a pretender and those who are legit moving on past week 17. In this post I will do a NFL 100 Spotlight and my picks to the games. Let's get to work!
NFL 100: A Spotlight
Last week Jared Goff joined an exclusive club of quarterbacks in NFL history, the 500 club. He threw for 517 yards in a 55-40 loss against Tampa Bay. The Rams have quite a list of quarterbacks that have that 500 passing yards mark, including Vince Ferragamo's 509 yards in 1982 against the Bears. Both quarterbacks fall short to the franchise and NFL record quarterback, Norm Van Brocklin.
Brocklin's 554 passing yards is a record that has stood for near 70 years. He threw that many yards during an era where defenses were allowed to do much more to offenses than today. As well as it was a running back league and that the quarterback was seen less of than today. Like a second class citizen.
The game was played on September 28th, 1951. It was a Week 1 matchup between the Rams and the New York Yanks (an expansion team that was in operation from 1950 to 1951). The Rams had lost to the Cleveland Browns in the NFL Championship game that previous year. Certainly the Rams were looking forward to getting back to a championship and perhaps take some revenge on the Browns.
The Rams got started with a 41-yard pass from Brocklin to Elroy Hirsch, 7-0 Rams. Running back Dick Hoerner ran the ball for a 22-yard score, 14-0 Rams. Vitamin Smith would go for 67-yards from scrimmage on a pass play from Brocklin, 21-0 Rams. In the 2nd quarter, Brocklin would show off his running ability to get a rushing touchdown, 28-0 Rams. Elroy Hirsch would catch his 2nd touchdown pass from Brocklin on a 47-yard play, 35-0 Rams. The Yanks would get on the board with a 79-yard punt return from Buddy Young, 35-7 Rams. Elroy Hirsch would catch another pass from Brocklin, this time a 26-yard pass play, 42-7 Rams. The Yanks wouldn't go quietly with a 30-yard fumble return for a touchdown, 42-14 Rams. Elroy Hirsch would catch his 4th and final touchdown pass in the game from Brocklin, a 1-yard play, 48-14 Rams. Dan Towler would put the icing on the cake with a 1-yard rush for a touchdown, 54-14 Rams. The game was finally over.
Norm Van Brocklin would finish the day with 27 for 41 for 554 yards (20.5 yards per completion for you nerds out there) with five touchdowns and two interceptions. He had a passer rating of 128.3. John Rauch of the New York Yanks finished the game with 38 passing yards.
In the end, The Rams would finish the year with a 9-4 record and would meet the Cleveland Browns for the NFL title. The Rams would win the game 24-17 for their 2nd NFL championship (their last until 1999 with the St. Louis Rams). Norm Van Brocklin would finish the year with 1,725 passing yards.
Week 5 Picks
Week 5 of the National Football League regular season starts in Seattle, Washington and ends in Santa Clara, California. The Miami Dolphins and the Detroit Lions are on a bye week. There will be a Thursday night game, 10 early games, two late games, a Sunday night game and a Monday night game. CBS will have the single, regional game and FOX will have the double-header.
The Rams lost to the Buccaneers and the Seahawks got a win against the Cardinals. A divisional game that means a lot to both teams. I still believe in the Rams to get back to a winning position. Can't rely on Jared Goff to carry the team for you, they need Todd Gurley to have a good game, otherwise this will be a rough game to be Jared Goff.
Chicago (3-1) @ Oakland (2-2) (FOX): TW: Bears; CV: Bears
Both teams got wins last week as the Bears beat the Vikings and the Raiders beat the Colts. I think we'll learn a lot more about Chase Daniel in this game and how well he can play in a starting position. If the Bears running game can have a good game, I think they'll win. Should be noted that this game is in London.
The Bills lost to the Patriots and the Titans beat the Falcons last week. Josh Allen will not be playing in the game so it will be up to Matt Barkley to get Buffalo to a dub this week. I like to believe that the Titans will win based off of good quarterback play from Marcus Mariota, who has yet to throw an interception this season. Close game I feel.
Both teams got a win last week as the Jaguars beat the Broncos and the Panthers beat the Texans. A battle between two backup quarterbacks. I feel the game will come down to which running back can have a great day whether it'll be Leonard Fournette or Christian McCaffrey (both of whom are on my fantasy team). I'll go Jags due to the Panthers 24th ranked rush defense.
New England (4-0) @ Washington (0-4) (CBS): TW: Patriots; CV: Patriots
The Patriots got a win against the Bills and the Redskins lost to the Giants last week. In terms of who starts for the Redskins, I don't think it will matter too much. The Patriots are well built on both sides of the ball. Quite possibly a blowout.
Both teams lost last week as the Cardinals lost to the Seahawks and the Bengals lost to the Steelers. Oh boy, this game is definitely worthy of the "Toilet Bowl" status. Both teams are terrible, especially on the offensive line. The game could possibly end in a tie for all we know. I don't see it happening but I feel the Bengals have to be better than the Cardinals... right?
The Vikings lost to the Bears and the Giants beat the Redskins. We will learn how well Daniel Jones handles a good defense in Minnesota. I feel the Vikings offense will get back on track with Dalvin Cook's legs and Kirk Cousin's arm. The Giants defense is suspect for sure.
The Ravens lost to the Browns and the Steelers beat the Bengals. Baltimore's defense hasn't done well in terms of stopping people. I feel the home crowd will be loud, a divisional game, Pittsburgh needs to win the game if they want to get back into the playoff talk. The Ravens could possibly win but their defense needs to put up a showing.
Atlanta (1-3) @ Houston (2-2) (FOX): TW: Texans; CV: Texans
The Falcons lost to the Titans and the Texans lost to the Panthers. Atlanta seems a bit off this season, for some reason. Their offense should be back to form but Matt Ryan has six interceptions so far this season. The defense is not that great so I'll give the Texans the pick in this one.
Tampa Bay (2-2) @ New Orleans (3-1) (FOX): TW: Saints; CV: Buccaneers
Both teams got wins last week as the Buccaneers beat the Rams and the Saints beat the Cowboys. The Saints defense has played well the past two games, and we will learn a lot about their defense in a huge test against the Bucs offense. Can Teddy Bridgewater take advantage of the 32nd ranked Bucs pass defense, we shall see but this could come down to less than a field goal.
NY Jets (0-3) @ Philadelphia (2-2) (CBS): TW: Eagles; CV: Eagles
The Jets were on a bye and the Eagles beat the Packers last week. Philly found a good winning formula with running the football with some passes. I like the Jets in terms of their running back but other than that the Eagles should get a win in the game.
The Broncos lost to the Jaguars and the Chargers beat the Dolphins last week. Bradley Chubb not being in the lineup due to injury spells certain doom for a Denver team that hasn't forced a turnover yet this season. The Chargers should win this game on a good balance on offense. I can't trust Joe Flacco to give the Broncos offense more than 30 points.
Green Bay (3-1) @ Dallas (3-1) (FOX): TW: Cowboys; CV: Cowboys
Both teams lost last week as the Packers lost to the Eagles and the Cowboys lost to the Saints. It's a nationally televised game on FOX as one of the classic rivalries gets renewed. The Packers defense got somewhat exposed against the Eagles while the Cowboys on offense certainly got exposed as well. I feel the Cowboys have more talent than the Packers. If Green Bay wins then I'll be happy either way.
Indianapolis (2-2) @ Kansas City (4-0) (NBC): TW: Chiefs; CV: Chiefs
The Colts lost to the Raiders and the Chiefs won against the Lions. A rematch of the AFC Divisional playoff game back in January. The Colts kept that game interesting but the Colts had Andrew Luck at quarterback. I feel the Colts defense will have its hands full in this one.
Cleveland (2-2) @ San Francisco (3-0) (ESPN): TW: Browns; CV: 49ers
The Browns beat the Ravens and the 49ers were on a bye last week. Week 5 finishes up with a decent matchup on Monday night. Both teams look pretty good on paper. The Browns have done well on the road and I'll go on a whim and take the Browns. Real toss-up of a game.
Local TV Schedule (courtesy of 506sports.com, subject to change):
CBS Single:
NY Jets @ Philadelphia
Kevin Harlan, Rich Gannon
FOX Early:
Minnesota @ NY Giants
Sam Rosen, Charles Davis
FOX Late:
Green Bay @ Dallas
Joe Buck, Troy Aikman
For more information on which game is being played in your area, check out: NFL 2019: Week 5 Maps
See you guys on Monday night after the game for the Week 5 Recap. Enjoy the games!
-Tom
