Take number one: I know the NFL preaches parity, but I’m not sure that means one of the top storylines for the final week of the season will be who gets the number one pick in the draft and not who gets in the playoffs, but here we are. There is only so much drama you can milk from a couple of teams fighting for the third wild card or jockeying for seeding position, but four teams with a shot at the number one pick because the product on the field has been so lousy this year is a terrible look. I know ratings are strong and the NFL basically prints money, but there has been A LOT of bad football this year. There are *nine* teams, that's a shade more than a quarter of the league, with four wins or fewer. In other words, more than a quarter of the league has won one quarter or fewer of their games. And yes, Lions/Vikings for the one seed is a great story, but it also draws attention to the weird way teams are seeded insofar as whoever loses will be (depending on whether Detroit wins tonight) either a 13 or 14 win wild card.
Take number two: Because this week started on Wednesday and will not end until tonight, it is easy to forget that the Chiefs just went 3-0 in a 10 day span and won all three games handily. I know we got numb to dynasties during the Patriots’ two decade run at the top, but what the Chiefs are doing right now is just so so impressive. They revamped their wide receiver corps and offensive line *during the season* in a way that made both better while the defense has been the best of the Mahomes era. Bet against that three-peat at your peril.
Take number three: It pains me to say that about the Chiefs because as has been well documented, Lamar is my absolute favorite player in the game. He just makes things look so effortless, like everyone else is going at full tilt and he is on cruise control. He has such command of the Ravens offense right now, it is football played at the absolute highest level and yet I have zero confidence the team will make it to the Super Bowl.
Take number four: If there is a playoff spot on the line and you walk into Giants Stadium against a 2-13 team with literally nothing to play for other than to lose and get the number one pick and instead of thumping them, you give up 45 points and lose, you deserve to be mathematically eliminated from a playoff spot. Embarrassing. Plus, your QB situation is as follows: door number one: a freak athlete who can’t complete 50 percent of his passes or door number two: a soon-to-be 40 year old who has zero mobility and throws at least one interception every time he starts a game.
Take number five: I’m happy for Baker Mayfield. Kicked to the curb by the Browns, a cup of coffee with the Panthers, a cameo with the Rams, and he finally gets in a good situation to show up and show out. Good for you.
Take number six: The Bengals did all they could to give away their game against the Broncos. Going for it on fourth down instead of kicking field goals, awful clock management at the end of the fourth quarter, their defense letting a freaking rookie march down the field to tie the game at the end of regulation and then doinking a gimme field goal that would have won the game and yet, they still won! Lots of things have to break their way next week to get into the playoffs, but I kinda feel like the powers that be in league HQ would far prefer a Bills/Bengals game than a Bills/Broncos blow out.
Take number seven: Every fan base (with the possible exception of the Chiefs) has its gripes, but consider Falcons fans. This is a team that screwed up their long-term prospects, their season, and a must-win game. Their salary cap is messed up because they signed a guy in his mid-30s who snapped his Achilles to an absurd contract that kills their ability to make moves. They then kept that guy behind center three weeks too long instead of going to the first round pick who functions much better in the offense they run and then their coach mismanaged the end of their game in Washington (we thank you!) by waiting too long to use his time outs. Just a brutal trifecta.
Take number eight: 2024 was a potentially historic draft class. Four receivers (including a tight end) have gone over 1,000 yards, one running back has done the same, and at least two, and possibly three, rookie quarterbacks will be in the playoffs. That does not even account for less heralded guys like Joe Alt who you can pencil in as an all-pro level right tackle for the next 10 years or Quinyon Mitchell who is already shutting down top flight wide receivers. Such a deep draft of talent.
Take number nine: Pittsburgh. Nice story for the first two months of the season, but in a three game stretch against Philly, Baltimore, and Kansas City, you went 0-3. There’s no shame in that, but you’re a one-and-done (unless you draw the Texans, but I wouldn’t bet my life on it) in the playoffs. Your ceiling is the divisional round because we no longer have a league where winning 18-16 rock fights is enough to win the Super Bowl. Get some dudes on offense and move it into the 21st century.
Take number ten: The Tom Brady experiment is not working. It’s to the point where I cringe knowing he’s calling a game. Yes, he will drop one or two good points (albeit ones any broadcaster of repute would make, for example, criticizing the Packers for running the ball near the goal line as the clock wound down near two minutes at the end of their game) but the rest of his shtick is just … not good. Perfect example of giving a guy a job too big for his skill set and hoping he would learn on the fly. He (and we, as viewers) would have been better served if he got some reps working the “B” or “C” games for a season or two and then, if he was showing the kind of acumen necessary to do the game of the week, promote him. Unfortunately, we are coming to the part of the season where color commentary actually matters and he is just not up to the task.
No comments:
Post a Comment