The eleventh Sunday of the NFL season is in the books so here are the different thoughts and opinions I have on various things I witnessed this past weekend. Wow, another week full of surprising games. Just remember I am a Dallas Cowboys fan and I'm extremely biased. Feel free to agree or disagree about anything mentioned here. All comments are welcome.
The Rivalry
I know this is a NFL post, but you have to forgive me this week since I'm leading off with a little NCAA football. I'm a graduate of Lehigh University and Saturday my Mountain Hawks played Lafayette College for the 154th time. No two NCAA teams have played each other more times than Lehigh-Lafayette and the series is known as The Rivalry. Yale-Harvard can kiss our ass. This game really has meaning!
Want to go guess who was victorious? The fact that I'm writing about it should give it away. Lehigh 34 Lafayette 3. It was a glorious bloodbath. The Mountain Hawks had a down year (OK way down 3-8) but honestly there is only one game they need to win to have a successful year. The two schools are only 12 miles away from each other so the local bragging rights are intense. Plus Lehigh is a prestigious university, it is unsettling to lose to a piddly college.
Another successful bird hunt
If there are two teams that define the up and down nature of the NFL from week to week it's Atlanta and Dallas. You never know what you are going to get from either team. This week we got a mediocre performance from each team, but fear not the good guys (Dallas!) came out on top 22-19.
For three quarters it was a field goal battle, but the Cowboys finally put together a TD drive in the fourth to take a 12-9 lead. Of course Brett Maher missed the extra point and I thought that would come back to haunt them. Then good ole Matty Ice threw an INT to my new favorite Cowboy, LB Leighton Vander Esch, and Zeke broke away for a 23-yard TD run to go up 19-9. Home free!
Nope. The Falcons finally remembered Julio Jones plays for them and he made a few big catches to lead the team to ten points and a tie score. Stupid Maher! Luckily Dak made a few nice throws on the final drive and Maher hit a game-winning field goal as time expired. I love that guy!
Another big game for Zeke : 23 carries 122 rushing yards 1 rushing TD, 7 catches 79 receiving yards. As Zeke goes, so does the Cowboys offense. The defense had another stout game and I am really loving them. They make Dallas competitive each week.
The NFC East is up for grabs and Dallas actually has a legitimate shot to win the division. They won't go anywhere in the playoffs, but it is better than nothing. I don't think Jerry is ready to fire Garrett anyway. Bring on the Skins for a Turkey Day beating!
"It's fun to watch ... unless you're wearing green."
That little pearl of wisdom in the title came from the mouth of Joe Buck. I laughed out loud. It's no secret I hate the Eagles and watching them get completely destroyed by the Saints brought so much joy to my day. It was the perfect cherry on top after seeing the Cowboys beat the Falcons.
I'm sure you heard this stat by now because it has been reported everywhere, but it bears repeating: worst loss by a defending Super Bowl champ ever. The Saints are the best team in the NFL right now and the Eagles looked like they didn't even want to play. It was pathetic at best. Local Eagles commentator Michael Barkann had my favorite reaction after the game: "I expected it to be bad, not horrific."
Drew Brees is so damn good this year it is scary. After racking up another 4 TD passes on Sunday, he now has 25 TDs and 1 INT on the year to go with a 76.9 completion percentage. Right now he has my MVP vote. Which doesn't really mean much since I don't get a vote, but whatever it's my post.
My favorite play of the game came in the 4th quarter. The Saints had a 31 point lead when they faced a 4th and 7 in no man's land. Too far for a field goal, too close to punt. With a big lead they went for it and Brees threw a pass down field to Alvin Kamara, who burned Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins for a 37-yard TD. Jenkins didn't seem to appreciate it.
If it isn't clear enough to see, Jenkins flipped off Saints head coach Sean Payton. Classy. This is the pro league Jenkins, take your beating like a man. Or maybe play a little better defense and you won't run into this problem.
Ron Rivera says no to a tie
Cam Newton says no to victory
Carolina's season is quickly falling apart. The team struggled on the road against the Lions Sunday, especially kicker Graham Gano. Gano missed a 30-yard field goal and an extra point. These misses came back to bite the Panthers right in the ass. With a little more than a minute left in the game, Cam Newton hit wide receiver D.J. Moore with a TD pass to cut the Lions lead to 20-19.
After watching his kicker stink all afternoon, head coach Ron Rivera decided to go for two and take the lead instead of hoping Gano could make a kick to tie the game. Great decision. You have a chance to win you take it.
The play call couldn't have worked out any better for the Panthers. The execution, not so much. Newton dropped back to pass and faced no pressure from the Lions. Wide receiver Jarius Wright popped wide open in the endzone. Easy conversion right? I'm serious, any of us could have made that pass. Not Newton, he threw the ball over Wright's head and the conversion failed. The Lions recovered the onside kick and it was game over.
Rivera is being criticized for his decision, but Newton blew it, not him. Wright was wide open, Newton had nobody in his face. If players can't execute, it doesn't matter what the head coach decides to do. Newton is a tremendous talent, but his mechanics leave a lot to be desired. That cost the Panthers on Sunday. Next time try stepping into the pass instead of just winging it.
33 years to the day
Washington Redskins QB Alex Smith's season is over after breaking the fibula and tibula in his right leg during a sack by J.J. Watt and Kareem Jackson on Sunday.
If you are squeamish don't look up the video, it is nasty. If you are a sick bastard like me, look it up and be awed by its gruesomeness. Legs aren't supposed to bend that way. Smith had to have immediate surgery and obviously his season is over. Let's hope his career isn't. Colt McCoy replaced Smith and led the Skins on a TD drive, but it wasn't enough as the Texans came back to win 23-21.
Watching this play I got a strange sense of deja vu. Oh shit, you know what that means. Everyone back in the wayback machine.
It was November 18th, 1985. My Cowboys were in a three way battle to win the NFC East (eventually they did take the division ;) as the New York Giants traveled to Washington to face the Skins on Monday Night Football. During the game the mighty Lawrence Taylor sacked Joe Theismann, breaking both the fibula and tibula in his right leg. It was nasty to watch. If you've never seen the video, don't watch it. (You should definitely watch it.) The Giants went on to win the game 23-21.
The similarities are eerie. Both injuries occurred on November 18th, during a home game. The same bones in the same leg were broken and the Skins lost both games by the score of 23-21. Theismann was 35 at the time, Smith is 34. Theismann never played another down in the NFL, we'll have to wait and see about Smith.
Random Stuff
Lamar Jackson made his first career start at QB for the Ravens against the Bengals on Sunday. At least I think he played QB.
A quick look at the box score shows he rushed the ball 27 times for 117 yards while only attempting 19 passes for 150 yards and 1 INT. There were a lot of questions about Jackson's ability to play the QB position in the NFL, Sunday's performance isn't going to stop them. The Ravens have the best insight into his abilities and at this point they seem more comfortable with him running instead of passing. Time will tell.
Big win for the Bears over the Vikings. The Bears are 7-3 and look to be the favorites to win the NFC North. I just don't know if they are really this good. The defense is superb, but that offense isn't going to scare anyone. Sounds a lot like my Cowboys.
Speaking of the Vikings, what the hell is going on with this team? Kirk Cousins was supposed to take them over the top, but instead they are going right into the toilet. Their running backs combined for 17 yards on 13 carries and had a fumble to boot. The defense isn't as intimidating this year. That loss to Buffalo seems less fluky by the week.
The Raiders beat the Cardinals. Did anyone care? Anyone? On either side? Probably would need a microscope to see the TV ratings for this one. The Raiders are so bad they can't even get tanking right.
Last week I said don't sleep on the Chargers. Nevermind. Go back to ignoring them. Congrats to the Broncos for finally pulling out a last second win. At least you're better than the Raiders.
Brutal loss for the Jaguars. Sorry @robbijg, I hope you didn't throw your TV out the window. The Jags D suffocated the Steelers for 3 quarters, then gave up two big TD drives in the fourth. The Jags pounded the ball on the ground, but Bortles could only muster 104 passing yards on 19 attempts. I can't see how he has any future in Jacksonville.
In totally unshocking news, Saquon Barkley chewed up the Bucs for 142 yards on 27 carries with two rushing TDs and another one through the air. Everyone bitches the Giants should have taken a QB. Are you kidding me? Barkley is the best running back in the NFL in terms of rushing and receiving. Are you that impressed by any of this year's rookie QBs? I'm not. People who think drafting top notch running backs with high picks is dumb should re-think their position. Generational talent is generational talent. Yes the Giants only have three wins this year. They'd have less if they drafted Darnold or Rosen. Then they wouldn't have a passing game or a running game.
Big game tonight between the Rams and Chiefs. Super Bowl preview? Not anymore with the way the Saints are playing, but should be a great game. I think the Chiefs will win, but I've been so wrong all weekend picking games I don't have much faith in my pick.
Let me know your thoughts on Week 11.
Comments