NFL 2019 Wild Card Picks

Hello readers! The Wild Card Weekend starts on Saturday. Gone are the pretenders and here come the contenders. This post will have a recap of my predictions that I made back in September and how I fared (which I know isn't looking too well), an NFL 100 Spotlight on the broadcaster Pat Summerall, and my picks for the Wild Card games this weekend. Let's get to work!

Preseason Recap

Before the season started, I made a predictions post on how each team will fare. I also predicted the division winners and who would eventually win the Super Bowl, as well as award winners. I will leave the award winners until probably after the Super Bowl but I'd say most of them are way off (Baker Mayfield for MVP was a bit off I'd say). Here's how I did:

Arizona Cardinals: 4th in NFC West (Correct)
Atlanta Falcons: 3rd in NFC South (Incorrect, they did tie with Tampa though)
Baltimore Ravens: 3rd in AFC North (Incorrect, probably thought Lamar Jackson would have sophomore jinx I guess)
Buffalo Bills: 3rd in AFC East (Incorrect)
Carolina Panthers: 2nd in NFC South (Incorrect)
Chicago Bears: 2nd in NFC North (Incorrect)
Cincinnati Bengals: 4th in AFC North (Correct)
Cleveland Browns: 2nd in AFC North (Incorrect)
Dallas Cowboys: 1st in NFC East (Incorrect, close but no cigarette)
Denver Broncos: 4th in AFC West (Incorrect)
Detroit Lions: 4th in NFC North (Correct)
Green Bay Packers: 3rd in NFC North (Incorrect, ouch my own team)
Houston Texans: 2nd in AFC South (Incorrect)
Indianapolis Colts: 1st in AFC South (Incorrect)
Jacksonville Jaguars: 3rd in AFC South (Incorrect)
Kansas City Chiefs: 1st in AFC West (Correct)
Los Angeles Chargers: 2nd AFC West (Incorrect)
Los Angeles Rams: 1st in NFC West (Incorrect)
Miami Dolphins: 4th in AFC East (Correct)
Minnesota Vikings: 1st in NFC North (Incorrect)
New England Patriots: 1st in AFC East (Correct)
New Orleans Saints: 1st in NFC South (Correct)
New York Giants: 3rd in NFC East (Correct)
New York Jets: 2nd in AFC East (Correct)
Oakland Raiders: 3rd in AFC West (Correct)
Philadelphia Eagles: 2nd in NFC East (Incorrect)
Pittsburgh Steelers: 1st in AFC North (Incorrect)
San Francisco 49ers: 2nd in NFC West (Incorrect)
Seattle Seahawks: 3rd in NFC West (Incorrect)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 4th in NFC South (Incorrect)
Tennessee Titans: 4th in AFC South (Incorrect, maybe I was drinking too much of the Mariota kool-aid)
Washington Redskins: 4th in NFC East (Correct)

Well out of the 32 teams, I got 10 right in predictions. Almost a 1/3 of them.

Playoff seedings

NFC:
1st: New Orleans Saints
2nd: Dallas Cowboys
3rd: Los Angeles Rams
4th: Minnesota Vikings
5th: Chicago Bears
6th: Carolina Panthers

Well as far as seeding, I missed all of them but I managed to get the Saints and the Vikings in the playoffs.

AFC:
1st: Kansas City Chiefs
2nd: New England Patriots
3rd: Pittsburgh Steelers
4th: Indianapolis Colts
5th: Los Angeles Chargers
6th: Cleveland Browns

Same thing for the AFC for seeding but I got only the Chiefs and Patriots right in making the playoffs. Should be noted that I still have the prediction of a Saints vs Patriots Super Bowl in play. I feel good about it.

NFL 100: A Spotlight

If you were born between 1960 and 1995 and watched an NFL game, you more than likely heard the voice of Pat Summerall. From playing football at an early age to his final call at Super Bowl XXXVI in February 2002 his life was football.

Summerall was born in Lake City, Florida on May 10th, 1930. He would play at Columbia High School as a placekicker. As well as football, Summerall played tennis, baseball, and basketball. He would go to college at the University of Arkansas from 1949 to 1951 and played as a placekicker, defensive end and tight end for the Razorbacks.

In the 1952 NFL Draft, Summerall was selected by the Detroit Lions in the 4th Round, with the 45th pick. He would only play for the Lions in the preseason before getting an arm injury. He was traded to the Chicago Cardinals from 1953 to 1957. He would then play some of his well-known football with the New York Giants from 1958 to 1961. He would play in "The Greatest Game Ever Played" in the 1958 NFL Championship Game. In 1959 he was 30/30 in Point After Touchdowns and 20/29 in field goals.

Summerall retired after the 1961 season and would be hired by CBS to work as a color commentator for the network's NFL package. During the early years of his job, he was paired with Chris Schenkel to do Giants games (CBS had their own crews designated to a specific team). He was there for CBS postgame coverage for Super Bowl I. After 1968, he rose to be part of CBS #1 crew, pairing with either Ray Scott and Jack Buck.

After Ray Scott's retirement after Super Bowl VIII, Summerall would take over as the Play-by-Play commentator and would be paired with Tom Brookshier. Brookshier would work with Summerall with during the "This Week In Pro Football" during the late 1960's through the 1970's.

Pat Summerall's most famous broadcast partner would be John Madden. Madden was hired by CBS in 1981. The pairing would call five Super Bowls for CBS. The pairing worked well as both knew football and could explain it well to the average viewer. Summerall's minimalist approach and Madden's coaching knowledge made them one of the best partnerships in Sports TV history.

When FOX won the NFC package in 1994, the fledgling network recruited both Summerall and Madden to front their production. The pair would call three more Super Bowl's for FOX before retiring from broadcasting after Super Bowl XXXVI. Joe Buck would take over as FOX's NFL #1 play-by-play commentator, paired with Troy Aikman with Cris Collinsworth.

As well as calling football games for CBS, Summerall would call CBS coverage of the U.S. Open and the Masters. He brought with him his velvety voice and minimilistic approach to those assignments as well. His best work was truly with the National Football League. His voice was nearly recognizable. If he was covering a game, you knew the game held something important.

Pat Summerall would pass away on April 16th, 2013 due to a cardiac arrest. The Sports World mourned as he was truly "a great loss." He was 82 years old.

Wild Card Picks

Wild Card weekend will start in Houston, Texas and end in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. There will be two games on Saturday and two games on Sunday. ESPN and CBS will air the Saturday games while FOX and NBC will air the Sunday games. Here are the picks:

Buffalo Bills (10-6) @ Houston Texans (10-6) (ESPN/ABC): TW: Bills; CV: Bills

The Bills are entering as the 5th seed in the playoffs while the Texans are the AFC South winners as the 4th seed. Wild Card weekend isn't too kind for the Texans these last few years and if they don't win this game, head coach Bill O'Brien's future definitely is in jeopardy. I'm leaning towards the Bills because of their defense. If they can throw the Texans offense off a bit, they have a distinct advantage. Turnovers will be key to victory for Buffalo as they have a versatile running game with a quarterback to match. While Josh Allen's weapons aren't nearly as superb as DeShaun Watson's, clock management will be also huge too. The Texans are a 2.5 favorite which doesn't bode well for Vegas' confidence in the group. I can't trust the Texans to get a win. I have been wrong before with the Texans.

Tennessee Titans (9-7) @ New England Patriots (12-4) (CBS): TW: Patriots; CV: Patriots

The Titans enter in the playoffs as the 6th seed and the Patriots won the AFC East along with the 3rd seed in the playoffs. One of the better match-ups in the weekend. Tennessee has shown that they can win with Ryan Tannehill as quarterback along with a great running back Derrick Henry. The Patriots have won with their strong defense and I feel they can easily make the Titans one-dimensional with them shutting down their running game and forcing Tannehill to beat them. Tom Brady hasn't played particularly well to standards but with the playoffs here, perhaps they can find new energy and win this one. I'd be generally surprise if the Titans win this game. 

Minnesota Vikings (10-6) @ New Orleans Saints (13-3) (FOX): TW: Saints; CV: Vikings

The Vikings are entering the playoffs as the 6th seed while the Saints won the NFC South as the 3rd seed. Minnesota is entering this postseason with a little chip on their shoulder. They have the underdog card as most experts felt that they wouldn't go far. My take is they have a very good defense and if they can get their offense going and cause havoc on the Saints defense. The key to the game is the health of Dalvin Cook and how well the Vikings can depend on running back Mike Boone if Cook is inactive. I like the Saints in the match-up but the Vikings could make this game a very interesting one. 

Seattle Seahawks (11-5) @ Philadelphia Eagles (9-7) (NBC): TW: Eagles; CV: Eagles

The Seahawks enter the playoffs as the 5th seed and the Eagles won the NFC East as the 4th seed. Keeping Russell Wilson upright will be huge as the Seahawks offensive line allowed 26 sacks in the previous seven games. Philadelphia got to Wilson six times. The Eagles will need Carson Wentz and the secondary to have a good day to have a chance to get a win as well. I feel with Marshawn Lynch on the team, they will have some inspiration to play well. The talent on paper for Seattle is there but momentum is not there for them as they lost two straight games. I feel safer with Philly if they can get to Wilson early and sack him or hit him. They have the blueprint to get him so why not Philly.

I'll see you guys on Monday for the Wild Card recap. I'll probably update the post with Cardinal Viking's picks as well. Enjoy the games!

-Tom

Update #1: added Cardinal Viking's picks

Update #2: Changed Bill Callahan to Bill O'Brien. Got the right first name but wrong head coach. Sorry Bill Callahan if you're reading this. 

NFL 2019 Week 14 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.

To the AFC:

1st seed: Baltimore Ravens (10-2)
2nd seed: New England Patriots (10-2)
3rd seed: Houston Texans (8-4)
4th seed: Kansas City Chiefs (8-4)
5th seed: Buffalo Bills (9-3)
6th seed: Pittsburgh Steelers (7-5)

In the hunt:

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:

Dallas (6-6) @ Chicago (6-6) (FOX/NFL Network): TW: Cowboys; CV: Cowboys

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.

Denver (4-8) @ Houston (8-4) (CBS): TW: Texans; CV: Texans

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.

Cincinnati (1-11) @ Cleveland (5-7) (CBS): TW: Browns; CV: Browns

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.

Miami (3-9) @ NY Jets (4-8) (CBS): TW: Jets; CV: Jets

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.

Baltimore (10-2) @ Buffalo (9-3) (CBS): TW: Ravens; CV: Ravens

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. 

LA Chargers (4-8) @ Jacksonville (4-8) (FOX): TW: Jaguars; CV: Chargers

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.

Pittsburgh (7-5) @ Arizona (3-8-1) (CBS): TW: Steelers; CV: Steelers

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. 

Tennessee (7-5) @ Oakland (6-6) (CBS): TW: Raiders; CV: Raiders

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. 

Seattle (10-2) @ LA Rams (7-5) (NBC): TW: Rams; CV: Seahawks

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!

-Tom

NFL 2019 Week 4 Picks

Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action is coming soon! There's a few decent matchups this week compared to last week but hopefully they will all be good games to watch. This post will have a NFL 100: A Spotlight and my picks to the games. Let's get to work!

NFL 100: A Spotlight

In the previous post I talked about the greatest defense I ever saw, the 2000 Baltimore Ravens. In this spotlight I'll talk about the greatest offense I've ever seen. This particular offense was one of the greatest ever, they put the vertical passing scheme to perfection, with a quarterback that had one point was stocking groceries at a Hy-Vee for a wage of $5.50/hour. With a head coach who was known for being a hothead who had also lost a Super Bowl before. I'm of course talking about the 1999 St. Louis Rams.

The 1999 Rams seemed like a team that was from a fairy tale. The team had been in Los Angeles for 48 years and then moved to St. Louis in 1995. They made an appearance in the 1989 NFC Championship Game against their rival San Francisco 49ers. They would lose the game. The team would spend the rest of their years in LA in the cellar. When they moved to St. Louis, they would see much of the same.

In 1997, the Rams hired Dick Vermeil as their next head coach. Vermeil would have some success as a coach, leading the Philadelphia Eagles to their first Super Bowl in Super Bowl XV. He would resign after the 1982 season, citing burnout. He also lead the UCLA Bruins to a Rose Bowl victory in 1975. His first two seasons in St. Louis fared no better than the previous years the franchise had.

In 1999, the Rams traded to get two quality players, Trent Green from Washington and Marshall Faulk from Indianapolis. Vermeil finally got a quarterback to work with and a running back that he desperately needed to replace Lawrence Phillips (who ended up being a bust and cut mid-1997 season). In the 1999 preseason, Green would suffer an injury that would keep him out for the rest of the season. All seemed lost for the Rams. Until his backup came along and would lead the Rams to an unprecedented season.

Kurt Warner's journey to that moment was a long one. He was an undrafted free agent in 1994 that would get a tryout with the Green Bay Packers. He was cut before the regular season started. To keep an income while awaiting a call from the NFL, Warner was stocking groceries at a Hy-Vee in Ceder Falls, Iowa. With no call, Warner got a gig playing for the Iowa Barnstormers of the Arena Football League and would lead the league in passing and touchdowns. His play would garner an offer with the Rams and he would sign a futures contract. In 1998, he was sent to play for the Amsterdam Admirals in NFL Europe, once again leading the league in passing yards and touchdowns. He would return to the US and gain a spot on the Rams roster for the 1999 season, backing up Tony Banks. By 1999, he was #2 on the depth chart at quarterback. Once Trent Green was sidelined for the season, the rest was history.

In a press conference after the game, Vermeil would name Kurt Warner as their starter, stating "We will rally around Kurt Warner, and we'll play good football." The 1999 Rams were picked to finish last in most experts eyes. Lo and behold, they would shock the world.Even worse than the expansion team Cleveland Browns. 

What made the 1999 Rams special was the use of the vertical pro offensive scheme. The scheme was successful during the Don Coryell years in San Diego. It was a passing scheme that featured two wide receivers, a tight end, a fullback and a halfback. It utilized on timing and rhythm and putting receivers in motion. It forced defenses to cover the entire field, making them play more zone defense, than man coverage.

The Rams would jump right out of the gate strong, winning six of their first eight games before finishing the year at 13-3. They would put up 32.9 points/game with a total of 526 points that year, finishing 1st in the NFL, while their defense (which was arguably underrated) allowed only 15.1 points/game. Kurt Warner threw the ball for 4,353 yards for 41 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. Insane numbers. Marshall Faulk would have a great year running the ball, finishing with 1,381 yards and seven touchdowns. Isaac Bruce would get 1,165 receiving yards for 12 touchdowns that season.

They would be dubbed "The Greatest Show On Turf" and in the playoffs is where the offense shined like no other. They would beat the Minnesota Vikings 49-37 in the Divsional playoff game. They would only need to score 11 points to beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with a score of 11-6 to advance to their first Super Bowl in 40 years as a franchise. In the Super Bowl they beat the Tennessee Titans 23-16 to win their first and only (as of 2018 NFL season) championship. The game would also be dubbed "The One Yard Short" game.

In the aftermath, Vermeil would resign as head coach and Mike Martz would take over his duties. The Rams would return to another Super Bowl in 2001 where they were the heavy favorite against the New England Patriots. They would lose the game. The Rams would never quite reach that point while in St. Louis. Kurt Warner would spend time with the New York Giants and Arizona Cardinals, leading the Cardinals to their first Super Bowl in Super Bowl XLIII, losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The 1999 Rams were a story like no other, with a fairy tale ending. Their place in NFL history is one for the ages. However, much like all good fairy tales, they must end.

The last bitter memory for my dad, who had been a Vikings fan since day one, would be the 1999 NFC divisional playoff against the Rams. He had some good memories and mostly bad ones being a fan for over 38 years. He would pass away a couple of months after this game in March 2000. Fortunately he never got to see the horrible 41-0 loss to the New York Giants in the NFC Championship Game. Cheers dad!

Week 4 Picks

The 4th week of the NFL regular season starts in Green Bay, Wisconsin and ends in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The San Francisco 49ers and the New York Jets are on a bye week. There will be a Thursday night game, eight early games, four late games, a Sunday night game, and a Monday night game. CBS will have the doubleheader and FOX will carry the single, regional game.

Note: TW is me, CV is Cardinal Viking, my roommate

Philadelphia (1-2) @ Green Bay (3-0) (FOX/NFL Network): TW: Packers; CV: Eagles

The Eagles lost to the Lions and the Packers beat the Broncos last week. The matchup will be the Eagles wide-receivers vs the Packers defense. If the Packers can shut down the Eagles passing game, forcing them to go to their running game, Green Bay has a chance to get a victory. The Eagles defense is banged up and I trust Aaron Rodgers. Packers offense needs to play well all four quarters to get a win as well.

New England (3-0) @ Buffalo (3-0) (CBS): TW: Patriots; CV: Patriots

Both teams got wins last week as the Patriots beat the Jets and the Bills beat the Bengals. We will learn a lot about the Bills in this game, if they are a playoff contender or a pretender. Tom Brady has a great record against the Bills and I can't see that changing a whole lot in this game.

LA Chargers (1-2) @ Miami (0-3) (CBS): TW: Chargers; CV: Chargers

Both teams took losses last week as the Chargers lost to the Texans and the Dolphins lost to the Cowboys. The game itself could be a shot for the Dolphins to get a win as the Chargers haven't played particularly well in the last few weeks. I feel that the Chargers will get back on track this week by beating a team that is tanking so hard.

Oakland (1-2) @ Indianapolis (2-1) (CBS): TW: Colts; CV: Colts

The Raiders lost to the Vikings and the Colts beat the Falcons last week. Jacoby Brissett keeps getting better every week it seems. The Raiders defense is very suspect after that loss to the Vikings. If the Raiders offense can get something going against the Colts defense, they could make this interesting but I like the home team in this one.

Tennessee (1-2) @ Atlanta (1-2) (CBS): TW: Falcons; CV: Falcons

Both teams lost last week as the Titans lost to the Jaguars and the Falcons lost to the Colts. The matchup looks like a Falcons win on paper and I tend to agree with the paper. If the Falcons defense shuts down the Titans rushing attack, they should come out with a victory. I trust Matt Ryan enough to carve up the Titans defense. Especially when Julio Jones is in the lineup.

Washington (0-3) @ NY Giants (1-2) (FOX): TW: Giants; CV: Giants

The Redskins lost to the Bears and the Giants beat the Buccaneers. Daniel Jones is getting his 2nd start of his young career. Both teams have terrible defense and I feel the team that can get the ball rolling on defense can get a victory as this game could be a shootout. I feel the Giants will get a game-winning touchdown. Saquon Barkley will be out for this game and the Redskins could get a rollin' with their running game. I feel okay with picking Big Blue.

Kansas City (3-0) @ Detroit (2-0-1) (FOX): TW: Chiefs; CV: Chiefs

Both teams got wins last week as the Chiefs beat the Ravens and the Lions beat the Eagles. The game will come down to one thing: can the Lions slow down Patrick Mahomes? If they can and can take advantage of a poor Chiefs defense, they got a shot to win. Otherwise good luck Detroit. I'm taking KC.

Cleveland (1-2) @ Baltimore (2-1) (CBS): TW: Ravens; CV: Ravens

Both teams lost last week as the Browns lost to the Rams and the Ravens lost to the Chiefs. It comes down to experience and I feel the Ravens have a bit more experience than the Browns. Both teams are really even on paper. It will be a close game by less than a touchdown but I feel the Ravens will come out of the scrum with a win.

Carolina (1-2) @ Houston (2-1) (FOX): TW: Panthers; CV: Texans

Both teams got wins last week as the Panthers beat the Cardinals and the Texans beat the Chargers. The two teams are pretty even on paper. If the Panthers can pressure DeShaun Watson they got a good shot to win the game. I feel the Panthers have an edge in running back with Christian McCaffrey. Hopefully Kyle Allen can repeat his performance from last week.

Tampa Bay (1-2) @ LA Rams (3-0) (FOX): TW: Rams; CV: Rams

The Buccaneers lost to the Giants and the Rams beat the Browns last week. Jared Goff hasn't gotten off to the start that most have expected compared to last year. Huge test for the Rams offense against a decent Buccaneers defense. I don't trust Jameis Winston to not throw an interception in the game. Rams defense will keep them out of the endzone for sure. Give me LA!

Seattle (2-1) @ Arizona (0-2-1) (FOX): TW: Seahawks; CV: Seahawks

Both teams lost last week as the Seahawks lost to the Saints and the Cardinals lost to the Panthers. I pretty much made a pact to not pick the Cardinals for a while but this game could be one of those games where the Cards have a shot to win. A small shot but something. If the Seahawks can pressure Kyler Murray then they have a great shot to win. Steep mountain for the Cardinals to win.

Jacksonville (2-1) @ Denver (0-3) (CBS): TW: Jaguars; CV: Broncos

The Jaguars got a win against the Titans and the Broncos lost to the Packers. Minshewmania is in full swing as the Jags go to Denver. Denver hasn't played well on both sides of the ball, especially their defensive front with 0 sacks. Jacksonville is 9th best in sacks allowed. If the Broncos have any sniff of a chance to win, they need to get to Gardner Minshew. Otherwise I'll take Jacksonville.

Minnesota (2-1) @ Chicago (2-1) (CBS): TW: Vikings; CV: Vikings

Both teams got wins last week as the Vikings beat the Raiders and the Bears beat the Redskins. The Vikings need Kirk Cousins to get out of his funk and play well in this game. They can't rely on the running game of Dalvin Cook, let alone be one-dimensional. It's time for Minnesota to escape the "can't win in Chicago" mindset and win on the road.

Dallas (3-0) @ New Orleans (2-1) (NBC): TW: Cowboys; CV: Cowboys

Both teams got wins last week as the Cowboys beat the Dolphins and the Saints beat the Seahawks. The Saints will need a great start from Teddy Bridgewater to win this game. It's a steep mountain to ask for a guy but I feel the Cowboys will pull off a victory on the road.

Cincinnati (0-3) @ Pittsburgh (0-3) (ESPN): TW: Steelers; CV: Steelers

Both teams lost last week as the Bengals lost to the Bills and the Steelers lost to the 49ers. The two teams are winless so far in the 2019 campaign so certainly one of them has to win this game. I feel the Steelers have the chops to win it as the Bengals are just banged up on both sides of the ball and not very good either. I'll take Mason Rudolph to finish week 4 with a win.

Local TV Schedule (courtesy of 506sports.com, coverage subject to change):

FOX Single:
Kansas City @ Detroit
Kevin Burkhardt, Charles Davis

CBS Single:
New England @ Buffalo
Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts

CBS Late:
Minnesota @ Chicago
Jim Nantz, Tony Romo

For more information on which game is being played in your area, check out: NFL 2019: Week 4 Maps

Cardinal Viking:

2017: 167-89

2018: 156-98-2

2019:

Week 1: 11-4-1

Week 2: 10-6

Week 3: 10-6

Overall: 31-16-1

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

Overall: 33-14-1

See you guys on Monday night after the game for the Week 4 Recap. Enjoy the games!
-Tom