The NFL is just a Magic Show
At this point the NFL season the best part of the Fall so far is the new Bruno Mars album. It's amazing. I'd rather sit and listen to that than watch a full NFL game. Even if the NFL wasn't a defective product this might still be the case. Also, Goldberg beat Brock Lesnar which was cool because I hate Brock Lesnar. I'm also three weeks into Wrestling Season as a coach, which is my favorite part of Fall/Winter But, you don't read this for my thoughts on the WWE and this generations most amazing Male star, or High School Wrestling, so to Football we go.
Top Teams and Their Flaws
Seahawks: They still can't cover TE's. If not for a stupid "Illegal procedure" penalty, yesterday was a one score game heading into the 4th quarter. Richard Sherman is actually washed. (Washed is a shorter version of "washed up") Also, the Seahawks red zone offense is horrid. They get inside the 20, and you can count on it ending in a field goal. It's so bad, they turned to a trick play in the Red Zone. Good teams don't do that, they line up and beat you. They also don't have a Running Back. They have failed to score a TD in 3 games this year, and in another they only scored 1 TD. That's putrid offense.
Patriots: This defense is washed. They have zero pass rush, and they've had zero pass rush all year. Their safeties are also playing softer than a Drake single. Trading Jamie Collins and Chandler Jones has hurt them for this year, but they think Tom Brady will play forever, and he might, so they don't feel the need to go "All-In."
Dallas Cowboys: Their defense isn't the best. It's actually pretty average. But, we haven't seen because they run the ball so well that the defense doesn't see the field a lot. Against the better offenses, one has to think this gets exposed.
New York Giants: They play down to the level of competition. They have this years DPOY in Landon Collins. They have a good pass rush. A good QB, and are finding a running game, they also have a GREAT WR in OBJ. The issue is the let teams who aren't good hang around. That's a bad habit. Also, their Oline isn't great at all. But, Eli in the playoffs is as Elite as it gets. So who knows...
Pittsburgh Steelers: They won't be able to just out score everyone. They need a their pass rush to come to life because their secondary is washed. Actually, they aren't washed because none of them were ever good, they're just bad. In a playoff game they are very dangerous because they have a top 3 QB, and the leagues best RB and WR. But the secondary is arguably the leagues worse.
Baltimore Ravens: Who is going to catch passes? It seems like a new guy each week. Is Steve Smith Sr. the go to guy in the red zone and 3rd down? Seems like it. That's not ideal, Steve is Canton bound, but he can you count on him to be the same guy week in and week out he once was? I don't know, either he steps up and does it, or someone else does, but it's a need. Scary team to play against in the playoffs but they need a go to guy.
Oakland Raiders: They play a lot of close games. A lot of those close games have been against average teams. That's a bad sign for a 9-2 team. Point differential is a good indicator for playoff success. The reason those games are close, the Raiders secondary isn't very good. The Raiders Linebackers aren't very good. Their best plan on defense is Khalil Mack making a play. If you neutralize him, they can't stop you. Against the Steelers, or Patriots in the playoffs, Mack might find himself neutralized, and I don't think Carr can beat Brady or Big Ben in a shootout.
KC Chiefs: This is a very good football team, who got better recently with Justin Houston back. But, they don't really have a go to guy on offense. Travis Kelce is their best offensive weapon, but working the middle of the field gets congested. Tyreek Hill put on a show against the Broncos, but quick screens, and slants won't always work. This team scores because Andy Reid draws up some unbelievable plays, and game plans. When they need a guy to step up, who will it be? That's their weakness.
You see, the NFL is just a magic show, teams hide their weakness like Magic and pull wins out of their hat.
Things Happening Quietly
Very quietly there are a few things going in the NFL many are noticing because it goes under covered, or not covered at all. Here are some I've noticed:
Andrew Luck having an MVP type year on a very bad team. Currently sitting at 2,900 passing yards, 19 TD's and only a 2.1 Interception %. His team is also sitting at 5-6 and a shot at the playoffs. If they win their division how does he not win MVP? Oh yeah, the narrative is Luck isn't that good. Fuck Off Narrative, kid is a baller and the NFL's best QB under 30 this year.
Aaron Rodgers has been GREAT all year. I know when they lose it's "What's wrong with Aaron Rodgers..." I hate that. He's already over 3K Yards passing, and has 27 TD's and an insanely low 1.66 Interception % He is also his teams leading rusher. He's probably going to have over 4,500 Passing yards, and 450 rushing yards and over 40 total TD's. He's been on fire, if you're an opposing defense you don't want to see him right now.
Russell Wilson has been no more than a game manager this year. He's sitting at 11 TD's 13 total if you count his 1 Rushing and 1 Receiving. The issue is two fold, one the injury slowed him a bit, but his two best games came when he was still hobbled so that's a poor excuse. The 2nd is teams can rush just 4 and mix zone/man behind that. Wilson doesn't diagnose the open man pre-snap like an Elite QB should, and this makes him hold the ball too long. It's a bad mix when the offensive line can't hold. Games against the Rams, Panthers, Cardinals, and Packers won't be easy wins for them. All 4 of those teams can rush just 4 and they're in must-win situations, it's going to be interesting. When will they talk about how he's having a bad year? Never, he's the media's darling. Remember when him dancing with his grandma was a story on Sports Center? Vomit...
Eric Weddle is very good. In fact he's the leagues best Safety. Look at how much better the Baltimore secondary is with him this year. He hasn't missed a tackle since 2012, and he has an incredible beard. He was the best defensive player on San Diego for a long time with a bad front 7. Now, in Baltimore with a good front 7 he'll start to get notoriety.
Eric Berry is the NFL's second best safety. He beat cancer. That alone makes him a bad ass, but he is Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas (the most popular media safeties) combined in one player.
A great Catcher does more for a Baseball team than a great Quarterback for a Football team.
Tackles are a meaningless stat. If a LB makes a tackle 5 yards downfield on a run play that's meaningless, they let the Running back gain 5 yards.
Quarterback Wins are not a Stat, it's a magic trick designed to make some QB's look good and others look bad. ESPN needs Stars to market as does the NFL...
Playoff Predictions
AFC 1 Seed= Patriots. AFC 2 Seed=Chiefs. AFC Seed 3 Seed= Steelers AFC 4 Seed= Colts AFC 5 Seed=Raiders AFC 6 Seed=Ravens
Steelers over Raiders Wild Card weekend. Ravens over Colts.
Steelers over Chiefs. Patriots over Ravens.
Steelers over Patriots.
NFC 1 Seed=Cowboys NFC 2 Seed=Falcons (11-5) NFC 3 Seed=Seahawks (10-5-1) NFC 4 Seed=Lions NFC 5 Seed= Giants NFC 6 Seed= Packers
Seahawks over Packers Giants over Lions
Cowboys over Giants Falcons over Seahawks
Cowboys over Falcons
Steelers vs Cowboys. Classic Football Super Bowl.
RIP Joe McKnight.
Thanks for reading.
