NFL Power poll
Well how about that for a crazy weekend, right?
Jimmy Garoppolo looked better than Tom Brady. Another major injury. Another fight on the field. The Snow Bowl in Buffalo in which Nathan Peterman almost got snapped in half and may have received two concussions on one hit – one from the hot; one from the glacier he landed on. The next example of concussion protocol being a complete farce.
And the one take away, especially as we go into the Tuesday power poll a few hours after the Dolphins thoroughly beat the Patriots and Tom Brady looked thoroughly average, is clear: This will truly be anyone’s playoffs.
Everyone has holes, be them injury, inconsistency or inadequacies because of the salary allotment. With that in mind we are going to play a little role reversal in the top and bottom five. We going to focus on the negatives of the strong and the positives of the weak.
Deal? Deal.
Powerful
1. Pittsburgh. Yes, the Steelers are here because, a) they have the best array of offensive weapons, and b) home-field advantage is going to mean more in these playoffs than in recent memory. Still, the Steelers, like all NFL teams are flawed. And the Steelers very likely will need all those offensive pieces playing well considering that without defensive signal caller Ryan Shazier on Sunday night, the Steelers D made Joe Flacco look like Joe Montana.
2. New England. Well, that was surprising, right? Side note: Did you know that in his long and uber successful career, in road stadiums in which he has made at least three starts Tom Brady has losing records in just three of them: Carolina (1-2), Kansas City (1-2) and Miami (7-9).The Patriots looked mediocre offensively without Rob Gronkowski on the field against Dolphins defense that has been far from elite this year. And gang, if we can’t count on the Patriots, what do we truly know in this league outside of Cleveland?
3. Los Angeles Rams. Yes, the Rams lost a thriller to the Eagles because Alshon Jeffrey caught a pass most humans will not and Chris Long made a strip-sack of Jared Goff that led to the game-winning field goal. As for weaknesses, the Rams have two glaring ones. First, they simply stink against the run. Philly ran for 109 yards on 17 carries (6.4 per rush). L.A. is 28th in the league, allowing 124 rushing yards per game and tied for 30th in the league, allowing 4.7 yards per carry. Also, the Rams will head into the playoffs with the worst home-field edge among contenders. There were almost as many Eagles fans in the Coliseum on Sunday, and they were so loud that the Rams practiced silent counts last week. For a home game.
4. New Orleans. If the Steelers have the best array of offensive weapons, the Saints have most best, if that makes sense. Two big-time running backs. Michael Thomas is a legit No. 1 wide out. Yes, they have to replace tight end Coby Fleener – no relation to tight wad Myra Fleener – but there are plenty of options. The Saints are sneaky, but not unlike Brady’s botched Monday night, Drew Brees was terrible last Thursday. What’s going on here, people?
5. Philadelphia. Yes, the Eagles were No. 1 last week and yes they put 43 on the board to beat the Rams in L.A. So why the slide? Well, here’s the message from Carson Wentz to Eagles Nation trying to reassure the fan base that he believes in back-up QB Nick Foles. Well, Carson, we don’t believe in Wentz. The Eagles have the No. 4 offense in the league in yards and No. 1 scoring offense in the league. And Wentz and his 33 TD passes and escapability has been a big part of each. Now he’s done for the season.
Just missed: As we start to see the playoff picture a little more clearly, even if you are the biggest Vikings or Jags fan, you can’t trust Case Keenum or Blake Bortles heading into the playoffs, can you?
Powerless
28. Denver. Hey, they won last week. Yay. (Or actually, boo, considering the Broncos need as lofty a pick as possible because of they certainly have to address the QB situation in Denver. Man this positive thing is tough.)
29. San Francisco. This is the easiest stinky team to have a positive vibe about right now. The 49ers are still playing hard for first-year head coach Kyle Shanahan. The defense is littered with young talent when its healthy. And we all have to believe that Shanahan has to like what he’s seen to this point with Jimmy Garappolo.
30. Indianapolis. Positive: Frank Gore is a first-ballot Hall of Famer, and while we are rightly marveling at Brady’s excellence and record-setting numbers after the age of 40, what about Gore? Gore is 34, which in running back years is closer to 209. He had 130 rushing yards on 36 bone-jarring carries in the snow drift in Buffalo last week. Gore is fifth all-time in NFL history with 13,827 yards. He’s one spot ahead of LaDainian Tomlinson and less than 300 yards behind Curtis Martin. (Side note: In today’s painful and injury-filled NFL, we can put Emmitt Smith’s 18,355 career on the Rushmore of unbreakable marks? That’s 18 1,000-yard seasons or 12 1,500-yard seasons and sill needs to come back for more.
31. New York Giants. Hmmmmm, staying positive can be tough. Well, let’s offer this: Hey Giants fans, Odell Beckham must be even better than we thought. Did you know that despite missing the last nine games, Beckham ranks fifth among the Giants in catches, tied for third in receiving yards and tied for second in touchdowns scored.
32. Cleveland. Positive huh? How about this: Josh Gordon had not been on an NFL field since 2014 and told us he had never played an NFL game sober before getting clean. In the last 10 days and in his first two games back, Gordon has seven catches for 154 yards and a score. There’s a chance he’s the single best athlete in a league overrun with unbelievable freakish athletes.
First of many?
News came out Tuesday morning that a former NFL Network employee filed sexual harassment lawsuits against current network employees Marshall Faulk, Ike Taylor and Heath Evans as well as former analysts Donovan McNabb and Warren Sapp as well as former executive Eric Weinberger.
Faulk, Taylor and Evans were suspended from the NFL Network, and Weinberger, who is now the president of Bill Simmons Media Group, has been placed on leave indefinitely, according to Simmons’ website The Ringer.
Here are some of the charges in the lawsuit filed by Jami Cantor, who was fired in October and filed this as an addendum to a wrongful termination lawsuit:
Faulk allegedly asked Cantor “deeply personal and invasive questions” while fondling her breasts and groping her from behind.
Taylor allegedly sent sexual pictures of himself and Cantor says Taylor sent her a video of him masturbating. (Side note: In this day and age of technology, gang, you best be 100 percent certain of who you are sending photos of your junk to, and even then it’s not a good idea. This one seems pretty easy to prove right? If she has photos of Taylor’s junk or video of him pleasuring himself, well, Taylor’s going to need Jack McCoy defending him.)
Evans allegedly made sexually explicit comments.
McNabb allegedly made really sexually explicit comments about really personal and explicit sexual situations.
Sapp, who was fired from the NFL Network after being arrested for soliciting a prostitute, allegedly made the comments, urinated in from of Cantor and gave her sex toys as Christmas gifts for three straight years.
Weinberger allegedly told Cantor that she was put on Earth to pleasure him. and also sent naked photos
Wowser.
Now know this: This will hit every network and reach all forms of almost every business. The splash and strength that started with accusers speaking out in Hollywood will ripple and reach almost everywhere.
Think back to the multiple allegations that were swept under the rug or allowed to simply go away back in the day at ESPN or in locker rooms across the country. Heck, there were allegations of Brett Favre and junk photos less than 10 years ago, nevermind all the stuff that has been rumored about the Bristol campus.
No more folks.
Bowl big-timers
Hey, how about that Greg Schiano MOU, huh? Here is more.
Wow, wherever John Currie lands, here’s hoping he comes calling for us with a big-dollar deal. (Somehow, if Mr. Currie reads this regularly, here’s betting he’s not a fan of yours truly. What do you think?)
Oh well.
On to the contest. We have more than 30 entries already. Deadline is Friday friends and all picks must be in by end of BID-ness on Friday, Dec. 15. Entries must be emailed – yes emailed – to me at jgreeson@timesfreepress.com.
Dilly. Dilly.
Note: Most of these games are in chronological order as they appear on the schedule. The Arizona Bowl is in late December, and we did not see the need to have NMSU and USU be a five-pointer.
ONE POINT GAMES (6 points possible)
New Orleans Bowl: Troy (-5.5) vs. North Texas
Autonation Care Bowl: Georgia State (-4.5) vs. Western Kentucky
Las Vegas Bowl: Oregon (-7.5) vs. Boise State
New Mexico Bowl: Colorado State (-5.5) vs. Marshall
Camellia Bowl: Arkansas State (-3.5) vs. MTSU
Arizona Bowl: New Mexico State (-3.5) vs. Utah State
TWO-POINT GAMES (12 points possible)
Cheribundi Tart Cherry (now that’s a name) Boca Raton Bowl: FAU (-23) vs. Akron
Frisco Bowl: SMU (-5.5) vs. La. Tech
Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl (another excellent name): Temple (-7.5) vs. FIU
Bamahas Bowl: Ohio (-7.5) vs. UAB
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: Wyoming (pick em) vs. Central Michigan
Birmingham Bowl: South Florida (-2.5) vs. Texas Tech
THREE-POINT GAMES (21 points possible)
Armed Forces Bowl: Army (pick em) vs. San Diego State
Dollar General Bowl: Toldeo (-7.5) vs. App. State
Hawaii Bowl: Fresno State (-3.5) vs. Houston
Heart of Dallas Bowl: Utah (-6.5) vs. West Virginia
Quick Lane Bowl: Duke (-3.5) over Northern Illinois
Catcus Bowl: Kansas State (-2.5) vs. UCLA
Independence Bowl: FSU (-14.5) vs. Southern Miss
FOUR-POINT GAMES (28 points possible)
Pinstripe Bowl: Iowa (-3.5) vs. Boston College
Foster Farms: Arizona (-3.5) vs. Purdue
Texas Bowl: Missouri (-3.5) vs. Texas
Military Bowl: Navy (-3.5) vs. Virginia
Camping World Bowl: Oklahoma State (-6.5) vs. Virginia Tech
Holiday Bowl: Michigan State (-3.5) vs. Washington State
Alamo Bowl: TCU (-2.5) vs. Stanford
FIVE-POINT GAMES (30 points possible)
Belk Bowl: Wake Forest (-2.5) vs. Texas A&M
Sun Bowl: N.C. State (-6.5) vs. Arizona State
Music City: Northwestern (-7.5) vs. Kentucky
Outback Bowl: Michigan (-7.5) vs. South Carolina
Taxslayer Bowl: Louisville (-6.5) vs. Mississippi State
Liberty Bowl: Memphis (-3.5) vs. Iowa State
SIX-POINT GAMES (30 points possible)
Cotton Bowl: THE Ohio State (-6.5) vs. USC
Fiesta Bowl: Penn State (-2.5) vs. Washington
Orange Bowl: Wisconsin (-6.5) vs. Miami
Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl: Auburn (-9.5) vs. UCF
Citrus Bowl: LSU (-3.5) vs. Notre Dame
SEVEN-POINT SEMIFINALS (14 points possible)
Rose Bowl: Georgia (-1) vs. Oklahoma
Sugar Bowl: Alabama (-2) vs. Clemson
TEN POINT BONUS (10 points possible)
NATIONAL CHAMPION (no line, just the winner):
This and that
– Loved this quote from Joe Thomas, the Browns superstar tackle, in regard to the response of Quinton Jefferson of why he went into the stands. Thomas put this on social media: “Saying “I’m a man,” and “I’m not going to let someone disrespect me” is the most childish and overplayed cliche in our society. What being a man really means is having the DISCIPLINE to look someone in the eye, control your emotions, and walk away.”
– By now you likely know that LaVar Ball took his youngest sons to play ball overseas. Yay. Maybe playing in Asia will mean less LaVar in our lives. That said, the headline, “Is Lithuania right choice for Balls” could have several meanings, no?
– As we get ready for the first football early signing period next week, here’s a 247sports.com story on early stories to watch, including whether do-it-all QB Justin Fields is still firm to Georgia.
Today’s questions
Shall we play a true or false? We think we shall.
True or false, John Currie was the type of AD that read all the local opinion pieces. And if you say true, we have a follow up: True or false, he likely called the 5-at-10 “garbage” a few times over the last nine months.
True or false, on this day, Dec. 12, – 12/12 for those paying attention – you know all the days of the 12 Days of Christmas.
True or false, Emmitt Smith’s rushing record will never be broken.
True or false, you are already in the bowl contest. (If you say false, well, that’s on you friends.)
True or false, you would still take the Patriots vs. the field to win the Super Bowl.
As for a Rushmore, and this being Star Wars week, let’s do outside the big five or six characters – Luke, Leia, Han, Chewy, Vader, Obi, droids – who is on the Rushmore of Star Wars secondary characters?
Go and enjoy the day.