The seventeenth 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. The regular season is over (boo!) and the playoff seedings are set (yay!). Hopefully your favorite team's season will continue. And for the rest of you, well there is always next year. Or better yet join me in rooting for America's Team. 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.
No Elliott, No Problem
The Cowboys traveled to New Jersey to face the Giants with absolutely nothing to play for but pride. The division title was already wrapped up, but I mean c'mon. Who wants to lose to the Giants? The shame. Fortunately the good guys (you know who I mean) prevailed 36-35.
I expected Jason Garrett to rest most of his starters and hand an easy win to New York. Well Zeke Elliott and Pro Bowl offensive lineman Tyron Smith & Zack Martin got the day off to rest nagging injuries, but the rest of the starters played the entire game. So before kickoff it looked liked the offense would struggle and the defense would be its usual dominant self. That's why they play the game.
No Zeke? No problem. Dak Prescott stepped up big time: 27/44, 387 yards, 4 TDs and most importantly no turnovers. Obviously the running game wasn't going to chip in much and it didn't. 51 yards on 18 carries. Prescott was aided by a career day from backup TE Blake Jarwin. Jarwin hauled in 7 receptions for 119 yards and the first 3 TD catches of his career. Damn, he mauled the Giants. The last Cowboys TE to catch three TDs in one game was Billy Joe Dupree. Don't remember him? I'm not surprised, he did it in 1973.
The offense is the good news. The defense on the other hand had a day to forget. They gave up 35 points, the first time they coughed up more than 30 all season. To a Giants team without Odell Beckham Jr. Hopefully this was just an off day for the D because Dallas can't rely on the offense to put up big points every week. Of course every team doesn't have super rookie Saquon Barkley (I'll get to him in a minute).
All in all it was a good tune-up game for the playoffs. The offense showed they can move the ball without Zeke and no major injuries were incurred. Next on the schedule is a home game against the Seahawks on Wild Card weekend. Dallas lost in Seattle earlier this season, but that was in week three and the Cowboys have greatly improved since then. They are capable of beating any team in the league at home. It should be a good game.
Super Rookie
The brightest (only?) star for the Giants this year is obviously Saquon Barkley. A lot of people still criticized the G-men for taking Barkley with the #2 pick instead of a QB, but I don't. None of the QBs taken in the draft look like a sure bet to be stars, Barkley already is a star and might be the best RB in the NFL.
Despite playing for a team with a weak offensive line and an over the hill QB, Barkley racked up several records this season. He set the rookie RB record for receptions in a season with 91, topping the old mark of 88 set by Reggie Bush. He became the third rookie RB to gain over 2000 total yards in a season (1307 rushing, 721 receiving). The other two were Eric Dickerson and Edgerrin James, not bad company.
Barkley set a new Giants rookie RB record with 11 rushing TDs, a record that had been in place since 1946. He caught 4 more TDs for good measure for 15 total TDs, a new Giants rookie record. Barkley broke off a 68 yard run against the Cowboys on Sunday, his ninth play of 40 or more yards this season. In the last 28 years only two RBs have had more: Chris Johnson with 10 in 2009 and Barry Sanders with 12 in 1997. Neither of those guys were rookies. Barkley had five 50+ plus yard TDs to tie the rookie record set by Randy Moss.
I don't know about you, but I'd take that over any of the QB jabronis drafted this year. And Saquon was only a rookie, odds are he is going to be even better moving forward. As a NFL fan that is exciting. As a Cowboys fan that sure is depressing.
Collapse Complete
The Steelers needed a lot of help to make the playoffs and they didn't get it. In fact they damn near blew the easiest part, taking care of business against a depleted Bengals squad at home. Pittsburgh needed a fourth quarter comeback to top Cincy 16-13.
The Steelers were without wide receiver Antonio Brown because of a reported "knee" injury. Turns out it was much more serious. Once again the All-Pro WR shoved his head right up his ass.
According to various reports, Brown got into a heated argument with QB Ben Roethlisberger at Wednesday's practice and walked out on the team. He skipped practice and meetings the rest of the week, yet showed up on Sunday expecting to play. Despite needing a win to have any chance of making the playoffs, head coach Mike Tomlin did the right thing by de-activating Brown for the game. Brown moped around the sidelines for the first half and then reportedly went home at halftime. What an asshole. How about showing some support for your teammates?
Antonio Brown has always been a me-first guy who cares more about his stats than whether the Steelers win or lose. I think it's obvious what's bugging him now: he isn't even the best receiver on his team now. That honor goes to the emerging youngster JuJu Smith-Schuster. Now Brown has asked the front office to trade him. If they had any common sense they would, divas don't win championships. Right T.O.?
The Steelers won't move him though because his contract would leave too much dead money on the team's salary cap. And we all know money tops common sense in the NFL. What a mess. It sure wasn't a top notch year for the Steelers front office. First they screwed up the Le'Veon Bell situation by continuously tagging him instead of paying him or trading him. Now they are stuck with a pouting WR who managed to piss off his entire team. I'd be lying if I said I didn't love it. Sorry Dad.
QB Controversy
Aided by another Vikings choke job (they can't help it, it's their legacy), Nick Foles led the Eagles to a once thought improbable playoff spot after beating the Redskins 24-0.
After losing to the Cowboys on December 9th, the Eagles needed to win out to have any hope of making the playoffs. And they had to do it without starting QB Carson Wentz. No problem, the Eagles had Super Bowl hero Nick Foles waiting in the wings.
Foles led the Eagles to wins over the Rams (impressive), Texans (impressive) and Redskins (definitely not impressive) to get the job done. Now they are rewarded with a trip to Chicago to face the Bears on Wild Card Weekend. Good luck with that one.
Believe or not, there is certainly a QB controversy in Philadelphia. At least among the fans. I went to a concert near Jim Thorpe, Pa Saturday night (about an hour outside Philly) and there was a lot of talk before and after the show about the Eagles playoff hopes. The Eagles fans were confident about their chances because Foles was back at the helm. Why not? Foles went 4-1 as a starter this year. Wentz was 5-6.
Foles will be gone after this season. His contract is up and the Eagles are not going to pay him starting QB money to hang around Philly. Somebody will pony up the cash to sign him. Wentz better come back strong next year or this fan base will turn against him. Especially if Foles finds success with another team.
Black Monday
The day after the end of the regular season is known as Black Monday around the NFL since numerous head coaches are usually canned. The Buccaneers couldn't even wait for Monday, they fired Dirk Koetter immediately following their loss to the Falcons.
In addition to Hue Jackson and Mike McCarthy (who were both fired mid-season), 6 more NFL head coaches were let go. Most were well deserved. Marvin Lewis was finally let go by the Bengals after 16 seasons and zero playoff wins. What the hell took so long? Oh I forgot. Mike Brown is an idiot. As if his record in Cincy wasn't bad enough, Lewis recommended the Bengals hire Hue Jackson on his way out. Boy that would surely fire up the fan base.
Dirk Koetter was dropped after back-to-back 5-11 seasons in Tampa Bay. No surprise here, the Bucs were supposed to contend both years and laid a giant egg both times.
Vance Joseph was fired by the Broncos after back-to-back losing seasons. The Broncos hadn't had back-to-back losing seasons since 1971-72. Joseph looked like he was in over his head and the Broncs lost a lot of games they should have won. And G.M. John Elway doesn't seem to be a good judge of QB talent. Rare tough times in Denver.
Todd Bowles is gone in New York after leading the Jets to an unimpressive 24-40 record in four seasons. We all knew this was coming. The Jets have regressed since Bowles took over and let's face it, it's the Jets. Regression was considered to be impossible. This team commits way too many penalties and suffers from consistent brain farts.
Steve Wilks was fired after one 3-13 season in Arizona. I don't agree with this one. What did you expect from a first year coach who inherited the dumpster fire of a roster known as the Arizona Cardinals? The Cardinals are devoid of talent all over and started a rookie QB to boot for most of the season. Wilks should have been given at least one more season to show what he could do. The Cardinals aren't going anywhere next year either. And who would want this job?
The last and most surprising firing was Adam Gase by the Dolphins. Surprising only because nobody was talking about it before it happened. Gase had a mediocre 23-25 record in three seasons with a roster that seemed to be capable of doing more. Then again the last time I expected the Dolphins to be any good some guy named Shula was the head coach.
I would be shocked if any of these six coaches get another head coaching job. But it is the NFL and for some reason the league loves to recycle coaches who have failed in the past.
Random Thoughts
The Bills beat up the Dolphins 42-17 to finish the season with a 6-10 record. How did this team win six games? It is a mystery me. In fact their whole season is a mystery to me. At times they looked like the worst team in football. Other times they looked they might have a future. I can't figure them out.
The Browns gave the Ravens a run for their money and maybe would have won the game if the refs wouldn't have missed a Lamar Jackson fumble that Cleveland would have converted for a TD. In the end Cleveland finished with a 7-8-1 record, which is the equivalent of a 14-2 record for most franchises. Dare I say there is hope for the future in Cleveland? Nah, I bet they regress next year.
The KC Chiefs finally locked up the #1 seed in the AFC by beating the hapless Raiders. Sorry KC fans, I think this team peaked too early. And KC is well known for blowing home field advantage in the playoffs. I hope I'm wrong because if the Patriots make the Super Bowl again I might become physically ill.
I want to send well wishes to Matt Millen, who had heart transplant surgery on Christmas Eve. Most people remember him for his disastrous reign as G.M. for the Lions, but Millen was an asskicker of a linebacker for Penn State in college and the Raiders & 49ers in the pros. He is also a helluva football broadcaster. When I attended Penn State's home opener back in September, I had a clear view of the TV booth from my seat way up high in the sky and saw Millen in the booth calling the game for the Big 10 Network. He looked like his usual animated self. A few weeks later he was laying in a hospital waiting for a new heart after being diagnosed with amyloidosis, an incurable disease that hardens the lining of the heart. I hope he makes a full recovery and returns to the booth because I enjoy his commentary.
Later this week I'll be making a post with playoff predictions. I was planning to do it anyway, but @mikey challenged me to do it and dammit I accept! You can read mikey's post with his predictions right here. They're not bad, but I'm leaning in different directions right now. Of course I reserve the right to change my mind. Multiple times.
Also if you haven't seen it yet @broncofan99 is running a contest for NFL playoff predictions. You can check it out and participate right here. Don't worry, he is a good guy despite being a Broncos fan. I'm still working on my picks, but I'll be in there. Make sure you get your picks in before Saturday afternoon to qualify.
Let me know your thoughts on Week 17 and the upcoming playoffs.
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