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NFL power poll
We gauge NFL teams midweek here, but unlike the college versions of polls and rankings — especially from the committee — these are meaningless.
But what if they weren’t? What if the NFL playoffs were hatched by a dozen GMs and former coaches sitting in a room debating whether the Cardinals or the Falcons should be the 7 seed in the NFC?
How would they look?
The AFC could shake out pretty similarly in terms of invites, but the seeding would be something. Kansas City, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Baltimore, Houston, Los Angeles and maybe Denver. If the season ended today, those seven teams would be the AFC playoff reps with Buffalo as the 2, Houston as the 4 and Baltimore as the 5.
The NFC would be Lions, Eagles, Vikings, Packers, Commanders, Seahawks and Rams most likely. But the actual NFC seeding as of this morning would be Detroit, Philly, Seattle, Tampa Bay, Minnesota, Green Bay and Washington.
Go figure.
Now, like a fireman when the bell rings, let’s hurry to the poll.
1 Detroit (12-1). The Lions have won 11 straight games, and have done it in convincing fashion. Since a Sept. 15 loss to Tampa (how did that happen?) the Lions have rolled off those 11 in a row by an average of 16.5 points per win.
2 Kansas City (12-1). The record is the same — and the edge for home field in the playoffs is even stronger with four games left for the Chiefs — but K.C. has been far from as imposing as the Lions. The Chiefs are 10-0 in one-score games, and while some believe K.C.’s living on borrowed time, winning nail-biters — and expecting to win them — is a bona fide skill. And it’s one that translates to January too.
3 Philadelphia (11-2). If the QB1 for the next team does not win the MVP, it has to be Saquan Barkley, right? He is on pace to set the all-time single-season rushing record and is doing it for a team that has truly needed his excellence.
4 Buffalo (10-3). Barkley has been great, but it’s almost always a QB award, and Bills QB Josh Allen has been better than great. Allen’s historic three-TD-passes, three-TD-runs performance Sunday was the kind of MVP moment players dream of, and according to The Athletic, was the single greatest fantasy football showing by a QB1 ever. Bet you can’t guess the previous all-time greatest showing by a QB in fantasy football? Hint: It happened in 1961. Answer in the This and That.
5 Pittsburgh (10-3). I know the Minnesota guy and Dan Campbell in Detroit are getting tons of CoY love, but I’d vote for Mike Tomlin, who is using his total roster better than anyone. A Steeler Fan sent this link of Tomlin last week, and added “This is why Mike T is coach of the year. The gift of encouragement is a powerful thing.” Well said SF.
Powerless, with eyes on the draft
28 Cleveland (3-10, with a .596 SoS remaining). With the fifth pick, the Browns take — Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama.
29 Carolina (3-10, with a .462 SoS remaining). With the fourth pick, the Panthers take — Abdul Carter, edge rusher, Penn State.
30 New England Patriots (3-10, with a .654 SoS remaining). With the third pick the Pats take — Travis Hunter, DB/WR Colorado.
31 Las Vegas Raiders (2-11, with a 423 SoS remaining). With the second pick, the Raiders take — Cam Ward, QB Miami
32 New York Giants (2-11, with a .596 SoS remaining). With the first pick, the Giants take — Shedeur Sanders, QB Colorado.
Bowling for bowls of bowl game success, bowler optional
So, here we go, with an expanded 12-team playoff, we’re going to have to make some tweaks.
Every other bowl game is worth 1 or 2 points. (See below for the exact numbers.)
The first round playoff games will be worth five each. The quarterfinals will be just winners and worth 7 each. Picking semifinal winners — again, no spread, just the winner — will be 10 each. Picking the champ is worth 15.
Yes, it’s different this year, but if the rest of the bowls are going to be rendered all but meaningless, then we have to lower our view of them too, right?
1-point bowls
Veterans Bowl — South Alabama (-9.5) vs. Western Michigan
Frisco Bowl — Memphis (-2.5) vs. West Virginia
Boca Raton Bowl — James Madison (-7.5) vs. Western Kentucky
LA Bowl — Cal (-2.5) vs. UNLV
New Orleans Bowl — Georgia Southern (-5.5) vs. Sam Houston State
Cure Bowl — Ohio (-2.5) vs. Jacksonville State
Gasparilla Bowl — Florida (-11.5) vs. Tulane
Myrtle Beach Bowl — UTSA (-5.5) vs. Coastal Carolina
Idaho Potato Bowl — Northern Illinois (-1.5) vs. Fresno State
Hawaii Bowl — San Jose State (-2.5) vs. South Florida
GameAbove Sports Bowl — Pitt (-9.5) vs. Toledo
Rate Bowl — Kansas State (-7.5) vs. Rutgers
68 Ventures Bowl — Bowling Green (-2.5) vs. Arkansas State
Holiday Bowl — Syracuse (-5.5) vs. Washington State
Fenway Bowl — UNC (-4.5) vs. UConn
New Mexico Bowl — TCU (-9.5) vs. Louisiana
Arizona Bowl — Miami (Ohio) (-1.5) vs. Colorado State
Military Bowl — NC State (-5.5) vs. East Carolina
Sun Bowl — Louisville (-5.5) vs. Washington
First Responder Bowl — Texas State (-2.5) vs. North Texas
Duke’s Mayo Bowl — Minnesota (-4.5) vs. Va. Tech
Bahamas Bowl — Liberty (-2.5) vs. Buffalo
2-point bowls
Armed Forces Bowl — Oklahoma (-8.5) vs. Navy
Birmingham Bowl — Georgia Tech (-2.5) vs. Vandy
Liberty Bowl — Arkansas (-2.5) vs. Texas Tech
Las Vegas Bowl — Texas A&M (-2.5) vs. USC
Pinstripe Bowl — Nebraska (-3.5) vs. Boston College
Pop-Tarts Bowl — Iowa State (-1.5) vs. Miami
Alamo Bowl — Colorado (-2.5) vs. BYU
Independence Bowl — Army (-9.5) vs. Marshall
Music City Bowl — Missouri (-2.5) vs. Iowa
ReliaQuest Bowl — Alabama (-11.5) vs. Michigan
Citrus Bowl — South Carolina (-11.5) vs. Illinois
Texas Bowl — LSU (-3.5) vs. Baylor
Gator Bowl — Ole Miss (-14.5) vs. Duke
5-point first-round playoff games
Notre Dame (-7.5) vs. Indiana
Penn State (-8.5) vs. SMU
Texas (-10.5) vs. Clemson
THE Ohio State (-8.5) vs. Tennessee
7-point quarterfinals
Georgia vs. ND/Indiana
Boise State vs. PSU/SMU
Oregon vs. THE OSU/UT
Arizona State vs. Texas/Clemson
10-point semifinals
Georgia/ND/Indiana vs. Boise State/PSU/SMU
Oregon/OSU/Tennessee vs. ASU/Texas/Clemson
15-point National Champion
Pick —
Bowl reactions
Oh, we’ll watch most of these. Because we’ll pick all of these.
But man, in addition to the opt-outs — and did you see there are Arizona State players talking about the portal as they prep for a dream shot at a natty? — some of these point spreads point to some serious lack of interest.
Which begs a few reactions:
> First, how long can some of these bowls survive this?
> Second, some of these crowds are going to make some area high school games look well-attended.
> Third, gotta love the smart-kid bowl between Vandy and Tech and the “we’d rather be in the final four” bowl between UConn and UNC.
What’s your biggest takeaway from seeing all the bowls listed above?
This and that
› Josh Allen’s 51.88 fantasy points is the most ever by a QB. The most ever by a position player was 68 points by Billy Cannon in 1961, two years before the first known fantasy football league was ever crafted. Cannon had 216 rushing and three scores and caught two TD passes from George Blanda, who in that same season threw for 418 yards and seven TDs (as well as kicking seven PATs) for the previous high-water mark for a fantasy QB. In the modern era, Allen passed a Monday night dazzler from Mike Vick in 2010 to reset the mark.
› Wow, Taylor Swift awarded her crew almost $200 million in bonuses from the Eras Tour.
› You know the rules. Here’s Paschall on UT’s postseason prep work.
› And more Paschall as Rick Barnes and crew in Knoxville are the nation’s new No. 1 team in the AP poll. If the tournament started this weekend, the SEC likely would have three 1 seeds, right?
Today’s questions
True or false, it’s Tuesday. Morning, Ernie.
True or false, Carson Beck’s career at Georgia is done.
True or false, you won’t watch any of the 1-point bowls listed above.
True or false, Sheduer Sanders will be the No. 1 overall pick.
True or false, you’ll play the Bowling for Bowls of bowl game success contest.
True or false, the Bowling for Bowls of bowl game success contest is our best contest.
You know the drill.
As for today, Dec. 10, let’s review:
The first Nobel Peace Prizes were awarded on this day in 1901.
“Huckleberry Finn” was published in the UK and Canada on this day in 1884.
Joe Burrow is 27 today.
Rushmore of SEC QBs since the SEC title game started in 1992. Go.