You know that it is a good week when the two best games on paper turn out to be the two best games in actuality - and yes, I am talking about San Francisco - Seattle and Buffalo - Los Angeles.

Game of the Week

Buffalo Bills 37 Los Angeles Rams 34.  This game edges out the San Francisco 49ers - Seattle Seahawks game because: (1) it went to overtime; and (2) the dramatic ending of the blocked field goal by Buffalo before Tyler Bass's game-winning 45-yard field goal, all of which was prefaced by a James Cook rushing touchdown with 1:39 left to take a 7-point lead which was countered by a Kyren Williams rushing touchdown with 5 seconds remaining to send the game to overtime.  Josh Allen did Josh Allen things; Matthew Stafford threw for 383 and 3 TDs, Puka Nacua had 17 catches, James Cook rushed for 111 yards - man this game had all the things!

Best Team Performance

New England Patriots.  Answered the question after last week's upset over the Buffalo Bills of, "Is this a fluke, or did the Patriots return to last season's team?" resoundingly, with a 45-17 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders that frankly, wasn't even that close.  Drake Maye is back (26/34 - 374 yards, 4 TDs, 1 rushing TD), and even caused Fernando Mendoza to appear, who went 6-8 for 28 yards in his NFL debut.

Least Impressive Team Performance

Chicago Bears.  Words cannot express how awful the Bears played in Green Bay against their biggest rival, and on a day in which they should have been honoring the toughness of Mike Ditka.  Green Bay won 31-7 and showed that you can throw deep against this defense, and that Tyson Bagent is not the backup most people thought he was. 

Most Impressive Individual Performance (Offense)

Puka Nacua, WR - Los Angeles Rams.  Drake Maye could have been here, but that game was so lopsided it didn't matter.  The Rams needed every bit of Nacua's 17 catches and 138 yards, with a touchdown.  Jaylen Warren deserves mention as well.

Most Impressive Individual Performance (Defense)

Quincy Williams, LB - Cleveland Browns.  Williams had a monster game in Cleveland's 17-12 loss to the New York Jets, compiling 7 total tackles, 3 forced fumbles and 95.7 PFF grade.

Most Impressive Individual Performance (Special Teams)

Gregory Rousseau, EDGE - Buffalo Bills.  Had a very quiet game defensively in the Bills overtime victory over the Rams.  VERY QUIET - No tackles or assists at all.  But he showed up HUGE when it mattered most; blocking Harrison Mevis' game-winning 48-yard field goal attempt in overtime, which Buffalo then converted into a win with their own field goal by Bass.

Most Impressive Team Performance (Premier League)

Chelsea.  The Blues came out firing against Bournemouth defeating the relegation-facing team 5-1 at Stamford Bridge behind braces from Jordan Henderson and Joao Pedro, with Morgan Rogers adding an early goal as well.  And when I say "came out firing," I mean it as Chelsea scored goals in the second and third minutes of the game.

Most Impressive Individual Performance (Premier League)

Jordan Henderson, M - Chelsea.  Henderson was inserted into the starting lineup for the first time this season, and this offense looked like it was on cruise control the entire game.  In addition to his two goals, Henderson assisted on Rogers' goal in the third minute, and put the entire Premiership on notice that Chelsea could be a contender THIS YEAR!

Goat of the Week

Tyson Bagent, QB - Chicago Bears.  Just an awful performance by Bagent, who threw 2 INTs and was sacked twice while only going 12/21 for 87 yards before he was replaced by Case Keenum, who honestly should have replaced him a quarter earlier and entered after halftime.  Bagent was exposed by the Packers' defense, and it is a good thing for the Bears that Caleb Williams could be back this week.

Goat of the Week (Premier League)

Chris Kavanagh, Referee.  His second half yellow card to Liverpool's Ryan Gravenberch was soft, and being Gravenberch's second resulted in his dismissal.  Manchester City wasted no time whatsoever in capitalizing, scoring through Erling Haaland 3 minutes later, and through Jeremy Doku 2 minutes after that, on the way to a 3-nil victory in City's first game after the EPL announced it was guilty on 114 out of 115 financial fair play improprieties.  To quote Men in Blazers' Roger Bennett, this is like Lance Armstrong mixed with the L.A. Clippers, mixed with Milli Vanilli.

Breakthrough Performance

Jalon Daniels, QB - Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  The numbers do not necessarily show the impact that Daniels made in the Buccaneers 24-16 win over the Cowboys.  He was just 19/25 for 189 yards and 1 TD, but he also scrambled for 23 yards and the undrafted free agent out of Kansas looked like he actually belonged on an NFL field as he secured his first win in the league as a starting QB.

Finally

 

C.J. Stroud, QB - Houston Texans.  Yes it was against the Tennessee Titans, but Stroud looked like the old Stroud, throwing for 261 yards on 26/34 passing with 1 TD and 0 INTs as Houston manhandled the Titans 26-3.  Although the defense deserves a lot of the blame for the Texans' bad start, Stroud has to shoulder his share of the responsibility for this too, and this could show that Houston is not done with this season just yet.

Impact Injury

Michael Penix, Jr., QB - Atlanta Falcons.  The Falcons have not notified the public about the seriousness of Penix's ankle injury - and it is possible that he is back this week against the Chicago Bears - but we have seen the difference in this team between the first two weeks (without Penix) and the next two games (with Penix) and it is astronomical.

Team Rising

Green Bay Packers.  It could be the fluke of just one great game by the Packers coupled with an atrocious one by the Bears, but the Packers are 302 and maybe have figured out some things.

Team Falling

Los Aneles Rams.  Despite actually being a very good team, they are down to 2-3 on the year, and they are in the most competitive division in football, with San Francisco and Seattle ahead of them.

Best Teams

(All teams will be ranked by record, even if teams with more losses may be better than a team with fewer losses, since Bill Parcells always said that you are what your record says.  The inverse is true for the Worst Teams rankings.) (Yes, I know that you could have a worse record and be better, but we are working off record.)

1. San Francisco 49ers (5-0)

2.  Minnesota Vikings (5-0)

3. Kansas City Chiefs (4-0)

4.  Buffalo Bills (4-1)

5. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-1)

Worst Teams

(All winless teams will be ranked here until all teams have at least 1 win, then I will rank them based upon which teams I think are the worst, regardless of record.)

32. Tennessee Titans (0-5)

31.  Miami Dolphins (0-5)

30.  San Diego Chargers (0-5)

29. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-4)

28. Arizona Cardinals (1-4)

Middle Teams

15. Chicago Bears (3-2)
16. Las Vegas Raiders (3-2)

17. Cleveland Browns (3-2)
18. Carolina Panthers (2-2)

Last Week's Trivia Question/Answer

The Bears had a 42 minute and 15 second time of possession against the Jets.  What team had the longest recorded time of possession in an NFL regular season game, and how long was that possession?

Answer:  48 minutes and34 seconds, by the Houston Oilers on November 10, 1991, in a win over Dallas.

Preview - Game(s) of the Week

6-4.  This weekend's matchups stink.  NONE!

3.  Everton v. Chelsea.  These two teams sit at 5th and 6th in the Table (albeit tied on points for 4th place).  A big matchup to push the victor - if any - into Europe next year!!!  Brentford v. Liverpool is also important.

2.  Buffalo Bills v. Las Vegas Raiders.  This game has lost some of its luster since the Raiders loss this weekend to the New England Patriots, but it is about as good as we can get.

1.  Seattle Seahawks v. Denver Broncos.  Easily the best game of the week, but it is on Thursday night.  Denver can show us if they are really going to be a contender this year or not, and Seattle is a great opportunity for them to do just that.

Trivia

Inspired by Puka Nacua's 17-catch game just one week after Cee Dee Lamb had the same, who has the record for most receptions in a single game, and how many did he have?

The Ole College Try

 

The SEC has flipped upside-down, and not in the standings or in the games, but in the public relations.  The entire story of the offseason was Lane Kiffin's move to LSU, and the potential use of players from NFL training camps by ... Lane Kiffin.  And the most impactful new coach in the SEC is ... NOT LANE KIFFIN!!!  It is clearly WILL STEIN!!!  Kentucky defeated LSU 35-34 in overtime, by converting a game-winning two-point conversion in the first OT to snatch the victory - for the second straight weekend!!!  Will Stein is clearly the difference between a losing and winning program.  

Welcome to the Ole College Try, which is my take on college football via a weekly column on college football after each weekend's games.  The column is meant to be a recap of the season to date, with an emphasis on last week's games.  I write this column as if every player is a Heisman Trophy candidate. Why? Because it is ridiculously ludicrous (is there any other kind of ludicrous, besides Ludacris?) that the networks, including the World-Wide Leader, nay, especially the World-Wide Leader, emphasize the Heisman Trophy race all season at the expense of everything else.  Consider this my sarcastic homage to stupid reporting.

Ideally this post would occur weekly, but no guarantees as I try to slip in some writing during mental breaks from my actual job.  So far, I have been able to post weekly - let's see how long I can keep this up.

Heisman Watch

Quarterback Edition

Favorite - Darian Mensah - Miami - A bye week for Miami, but Mensah is still the favorite - at least from the quarterback position.  We all know the favorite is Jeremiah Smith (OVERWHELMINGLY!)  

Rising - Drew Mestemaker - Oklahoma State - Remember, this team unexpectedly beat Oregon early in the season.  Mesemaker, who threw for 304 yards and 2 TDs (on 19/28 passing), led the Cowboys to a 42-28 victory over UCF this week and has been making some noise as a first-round draft pick in 2027.

Sleeper - LaNorris Sellars - South Carolina - My apologies to Mr. Sellars for naming him as the "Falling QB" in last week's column.  Although, if you go back and read it, I specifically stated that he had "all of the talent in the world ... but this team is soooooooo bad," so I wasn't really critiquing him.  South Carolina went into Gainesville and just absolutely HOUSED the Gators 38-19 behind Sellars, who was 23/35 for 279 yards and 4 TDs, while adding 20 yards and 1 TD on the ground.

Falling - Sam Leavitt - LSU - An uber-talented QB, who was the primary target of a lot of teams in the portal this year, with Miami having to "settle" for Darian Mensah.  He hasn't played poorly, but he is a victim of LSU's two losses and the over-hype on/by/for Lane Kiffin.  He was a respectable 25/34 for 275 yards with 2 TDs and 1 INT in the 35-34 defeat at the hands of Kentucky.

Running Back Edition

Favorite - Jamal Roberts - Missouri - Last week's riser, is now this week's favorite - at least as much of a favorite as any running back can be this week.  He gained 222 yards on 34 carries and rushed for 2 TDs while adding 3 catches in Missouri's 27-6 annihilation of Texas A&M.  He has 828 yards rushing on the season, good enough for second in the FBS.

Rising - Dylan Riley - Boise State - Riley is the workhorse behind the Broncos push for the FBS playoffs (see what I did there).  He gained 150 yards in 19 carries and scoring once on the ground, while adding a team-high 64 yards on 4 catches and another score in a 38-31 win over Fresno State.  He currently leads the nation in rushing yards with 835 (albeit only 7 ahead of Roberts).

Falling - Jaden Baugh, Florida - He did score a TD, but gained only 59 yards against South Carolina in a game that saw the UF offense be totally powerless against the Gamecocks.

Sleeper - CJ Baxter - Kentucky - Somebody on the Wildcats needs to get some love in this column, as they are 5-1 and winning games "they are not supposed to win."  Baxter gained 123 yards on 19 carries and scored 2 TDs in Kentucky's upset over LSU.  He is averaging 5.6 yards per carry and has scored 8 TDs on the season.

Wide Receiver Edition

Favorite - Jeremiah Smith - Ohio State - It is - and barring injury always will be - Jeremiah Smith.  Only 4 catches this week, but turned that into 93 yards and 2 TDs, as he sat most of the second half in an easy 45-16 win over Maryland to set up a HUGE matchup this week against Indiana.

Falling - Malachi Toney - Miami - Just because of a bye week, but seems like he will always be 1A, or maybe 2, compared to Smith, especially since Miami spreads the ball more often.  

Rising - Isaiah Sategna, III - Oklahoma - Rutgers - Only because K.J. Duff of Rutgers had a bye week.  Sategna only had 5 catches for 64 yards, but two of those catches were HUGE plays on the last game-winning drive setting up Tate Sandell's game-winning 47-yard field goal as time expired to upset the number 1 ranked, and previously undefeated, Longhorns.

Sleeper - Cam Coleman - Texas - The inarguably third receiver in all pre-season All-America lists behind Smith and Toney has been supplanted by Duff this year but interestingly had his most important performance in the Longhorns' loss to their Red River rivals.  Hauled in 5 catches for 110 yards, and again showed his first-round draft pick ability.

Defensive Edition

5.  Kingston Lopa - DB - California - Leads the FBS with 5 interceptions.  Plus, the fact that he only has 1 Pass Defensed shows that opposing QBs are throwing away from him.

4.  Dylan Stewart - EDGE - South Carolina - Finished the game against Florida with 5 total tackles (4 solo) and 1 sack and 1 tackle for loss.  However, those stats do not show how disruptive he was the entire game.  Should be a high first round draft pick.

3.  David Stone - DT - Oklahoma - He had perhaps the single-most impactful game in the NCAA this week.  As a DT his numbers will not shine - 5 tackles, 4 solo - but he was so disruptive in the middle of Texas' offensive line that the Longhorns struggled, especially on important downs. 

2.  Nicholas Rodriguez - LB - Missouri - Stays in the two position for the second straight week  He is tied for first in the FBS with 63 total tackles and is a strength for a surprise 5-1 Tigers team.

  

1.  Colin Simmons - Edge - Texas - Leads the FBS with 9 1/2 sacks, after amassing two more against Oklahoma, 7 total tackles, and 3 total tackles for loss.  Just a dominant season for Simmons.

Player(s) to Watch

Ty Dieffenbach, QB, UCLA.  Dieffenbach definitely did not set the world on fire, but what he did was much, much more important.  He entered the game to replace Nico Iamaleava and went 3/6 for 43 yards and 1 TD, and that TD just happened to keep UCLA undefeated in a 17-15 victory over Oregon AT Oregon, despite the Bruins defense giving up 9 points in the last 5:16 of play.

My New Favorite Player
Jordan Maiava - QB, USC - Maiava was 21/33 for 301 yards and 3 TDs in Beaver Stadium as USC defeated Penn State 31-23.  Could he actually make the November 28th rivalry game against UCLA important again?  USC has a tough schedule before then (Ohio State and Indiana - much more difficult than UCLA's), but if anyone can make that game matter - it is Maiava!!!

Players of the Week (Just Week 4)

6.  Jonaz Walton - RB - Notre Dame - The Fighting Irish won in a laugher over Stanford and part of that reason was Walton gaining 181 yards on just 13 carries for a 13.9 yards per carry while also contributing 2 TDs.

5.  Braden Atkinson - QB - Oregon State/Jesse Legree - WR - Oregon State - They both led the Beavers to a 66-14 win over San Diego State University with Atkinson throwing for 409 yards and 5 TDs and Legree hauling in 3 of those TDS on 10 catches for 191 yards!!!

4.  Charlie Smith - QB - Harvard - He was an incredible 23/27 for 275 yards and 3 TDS - to 3 different receivers - as Harvard erased a 10-0 first quarter deficit at Cornell to win 41-29 and stay undefeated.

3.  Bear Bachmeier - QB - BYU - Led the undefeated Cougars to a 24-10 victory over Iowa State in Ames with his arm (22/30 for 329 yards and 2 TDS and his legs (a game-high 109 yards).  He is keeping BYU's playoff hopes more than alive with a 5-0 record.

2.  Isaac Brown - RB - Louisville - With QB Lincoln Kienholz playing, but hobbled, the Cardinal rushing attack needed to lead the way, and Isaac Brown performed to the tune of 235 yards and 2 TDs on only 17 carries.  Louisville defeated Florida State 44-20 after the Seminoles took a first quarter 14-0 lead and seemed poised to pull off the upset.

1.  Ty Pennington - QB - Northern Arizona - Pennington had an amazing game as the Lumberjacks defeated Montana 49-44.  Pennington threw for 1 TD on 26/38 passing for 322 yards, and also rushed for 52 yards and an incredible 4 TDs!!!  

Goat of the Week (Player Edition)

Arch Manning - QB - Texas - K - Besides all of the overblown pre-season Heisman and potential #1 overall draft pick hype, Manning deserved all the love after leading Texas in its fourth quarter come-from-behind victory over Ohio State.  Therefore, he has to take the heat for his interception - including during crunch time - against Oklahoma.

Goat of the Week (Coach Edition)

Jon Sumrall/Buster Faulkner - Florida - That Mississippi win was amazing.  Well-deserved kudos, and with a high-flying offense definitely looked like they were going to at least make some noise in the SEC, if not sneak into the playoffs.  A 45-17 drubbing at the hands of Mississippi and a 38-19 home defeat by South Carolina erases ALL of that, especially since 6 of those 19 came with 1 minute left in the game.  Not just that Florida can't seem to break 20 anymore, their offense seems mundane and predictable - that is why Sumrall and Faulkner are here.  In fact, it might just be time to play the young sophomore quarterback Tramel Jones, Jr. to get ready for  next year, as this team does still seem to be on an upward trajectory.  Although a second-consecutive unexpected win against Texas next week could alter things again.

Predicted Playoffs Semi-Final Match Ups

(1) Georgia v. (4) Miami/Notre Dame (2) v. Ohio State (3)

Final Unbeatens

BYU, Georgia, Indiana, James Madison, Miami, Notre Dame, Texas Tech, UCLA, Utah

Rant(s) of the Week

That SEC officiating crew performance in Georgia-Alabama was HORRIFIC.  That was one of the more blatant, unintentional pass interferences I have seen in a long time that was not called.  Several other calls were questionable in both directions also.  For the "Premier" conference in NCAA FBS, the players deserve way better officiating.

 

Under Performance of the Week

Minnesota Golden Gophers.  Throttled by Purdue 41-13 on the road isn't always an underperformance in a big conference, but it is after three victories in a row including a celebrated 20-14 win over Michigan (which I know isn't THAT big a win anymore).  Now all 4-2 Minnesota has to look forward to are three games against Iowa, at Indiana and against UCLA.  They could be under .500 heading into Happy Valley in mid-November.  This week was an important game for bowl/postseason purposes, and Minnesota failed, miserably.

Last Week's Trivia Answer

The question was:  Jeremiah Smith's consecutive 200-yard receiving performances inspired this question.  What is the most receiving yards in an NCAA game WITHOUT scoring a touchdown?

The answer is:  Nate Burleson, Nevada - 326 yards on 12 catches in 2001.

Trivia Question of the Week

Inspired by Kingston Lopa, what is the NCAA FBS record for most interceptions in a season?

Match-up(s) to Watch

6. Harvard v. Holy Cross - As stated last week, so long as Harvard is undefeated, they will remain on this list.  After falling down 10-0 in the first quarter, the Crimson blitzed the Big Red to win 41-29.  Can Holy Cross keep up?

5. Florida v. Texas - The shine has come off Florida, and Texas took a big beat last week against Oklahoma, but yours truly is going to be in the stands at this game, so it is definitely a must watch for me.

4. Florida State v. Miami - A rivalry game which has lost some luster due to Florida State being horrible, and its coach Mike Norvell likely fired sometime during this season, but these players all grew up playing with and against each other since pee-wee football, so that always brings the emotion in this game.

3. Alabama v. Tennessee - Can Tennessee knock Alabama out of the playoffs?  Can Alabama avoid two losses in a row?  Big game in the SEC.  Similar status as Missouri - Mississippi, except the fact that Alabama is in this game makes this one to watch instead of the other.

2. Ohio State v. Indiana - Obviously a big game as the reigning champions and 5th-ranked Indiana Hoosiers host the 4th-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes.  Game Day has selected Bloomington for this week, and an Indiana win could do a lot toward vaulting Indiana into the Big 10 Championship game again, and knocking Ohio State to the brink of missing the playoffs. 

1. Notre Dame v. BYU - The playoff implications of this game are HUGE, as BYU could be hurt by a bad loss in this game, causing them to miss the playoffs, even with one loss.  Notre Dame's invincibility would be damaged with a BYU win at home.  Game Day should be here!

Special Mention of the Week

Florida Atlantic led Texas Southern 21-3 - BEFORE THE OWLS OFFENSE EVEN TOOK THE FIELD1!!  Leonard Farrow returned the opening kickoff for a TD.  Texas Southern then drove for a FG.  Leonard Farrow took the next kickoff for a TD.  On Texas Southern's next possession, the defense forced a fumble and returned it for a TD!!!

Picks of the Week - Week 5

 

There is an epidemic running rampant through the NFL.  Sliding at the 1 or 2 yard line to avoid scoring and keeping possession of the ball and the clock running.  Damn you TJ Hockenson!!!  If Hockenson scores, the Vikings cover and I win my big bet and last week was a complete turnaround.  We need a Congressional investigation into point shaving!!!  Remember, early game on Sunday in London!!!  A reminder, all bets are for $100 expect for the Big Bet, which is $250.  All losses incur a vig of 10%.  On to the picks.

Dallas -9 1/2 v. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

I hated this pick when I made it, and I said so in a public post.  But, short week/home team.  Only works 2/3 of the time, but 2/3 is huge!!!

 

Jacksonville Jaguars -8 v. Philadelphia Eagles (London - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium)

Basically a home game for Jacksonville.  No Saquon Barkley or Tank Bigsby for the Eagles, meaning Will Shipley is your starting running back.  Philadelphia was only 16th in rushing anyway, whereas Jacksonville is third against the rush.  I would have loved this at -6, so I did question it, but Jacksonville is 2nd in scoring defense, so they should be able to put up enough points.

Chicago Bears -1 1/2 at Green Bay Packers

Yes, I know I hate to pick intra-divisional road favorites, but the Bears should be riding on emotions after Mike Ditka passed.  Plus, being 6th in third-down offense and 2nd in third-down defense does not hurt!

Cleveland Browns +2 1/2 at New York Jets

When looking at the schedule at the beginning of the year NOBODY would have wanted to watch this game.  Now it is between a 3-1 and division-leading Browns team and a surprisingly spry (albeit 1-3) Jest squad.  I'll take the points.

Cincinnati Bengals -7 at Miami Dolphins

So the Dolphins covered last week due to the aforementioned Hockenson episode, and Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are both listed as questionable.  But they both were full participants in Friday's practice, so I think the Bengals cruise to a victory.

New England Patriots -3 1/2 v. Las Vegas Raiders

Not just because the Raiders are a Pacific time zone team traveling east and playing in the 1:00 slot, but if we get the New England team that beat the Bills last week, this could be a Big Bet.

Minnesota Vikings -2 1/2 at New Orleans Saints

The Vikings look to stay undefeated against a Saints team that can pass (4th overall), but not run (26th).  Minnesota is stout against both (7th against run and pass, as well as total defense/1st in scoring defense).  Plus, the Saints are on a short week.

Tennessee Titans +7 v. Houston Texans

I do not like this bet.  Yes, despite having the same record, Houston is the way better squad, via the eye test and statistically.  But, Houston being a road intra-divisional favorite while only being the 21st best total defensive team and 27th in scoring defense.  I expect Houston to win, but this might be closer than people think.

New York Giants +3 1/2 at Washington Commanders

I have no idea what to think about this game, so I am taking the points.  Yes, Jayden Daniels is back (and in week 5 - respect to Daniels), but is he ready?  We have no idea.  I hate this.

Indianapolis Colts +3 at Pittsburgh Steelers

Indianapolis has been much improved lately, rising to 13th in scoring offense and despite a lackluster overall defensive year, are 4th in third-down defense.  If they can get off the field and control the ball, they can win outright.

Los Angeles Chargers +3 1/2 v. Denver Broncos

Taking points at home in a divisional game.  Denver has not been lighting the world on fire, and the Chargers have to (right?!) at some point wake up and realize the season started.  If not, it might be time to start talking about Justin Herbert.

Detroit Lions -5 1/2 at Arizona Cardinals

Jared Goff has thrown the most touchdowns of any QB without an interception this year.  Also crazy, even with Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit is 20th in rushing offense.  Offensively Detroit is clicking, and Arizona is ... not; 25th in total offense and 22nd in total defense.  And, they have a trade in place for Marvin Harrison, Jr. so he will not play today.  To where?  The most exciting part of today's game is that answer.

San Francisco 49ers +3 at Seattle Seahawks

Honestly, I am just taking the points in what should be the best game of the weekend.  Two great teams with a combined 7-1 record in an intra-divisional game, let us just enjoy this as fans.

Atlanta Falcons -3 1/2 v. Baltimore Ravens

No Lamar Jackson for Baltimore and they are on the road against the hottest QB in the league right now, Michael Penix, Jr.  Yes, Atlanta is on a short week, but at least they have the Sunday night game for some extra hours of recovery.  I am a believer in the Falcons and the most-exciting player in the NFL right now, Bijan Robinson.

Buffalo Bills +3 1/2 at Los Angeles Rams

Two exciting offenses (Buffalo 7th in total offense/1st in scoring offense; Los Angeles 2nd in total offense/19th in scoring).  And two diametrically opposite defenses (Rams 1st in total defense/Buffalo 28th).  I don't see Josh Allen losing two games in a row as he is playing like he is on a mission this year, and Gregory Rousseau on the defensive side of the ball has joined him!

Bye Weeks:  Carolina Panthers, Kansas City Chiefs

BIG BET OF THE WEEK

Chicago Bears -1 1/2 at Green Bay Packers

Yes, I know I hate to pick intra-divisional road favorites, but the Bears should be riding on emotions after Mike Ditka passed.  Plus, being 6th in third-down offense and 2nd in third-down defense does not hurt!

Breaking my norm and making this decision with my heart.  But I would be remiss if the Bears play with the emotion and passion that I am expecting this week and they win big, and I do not pick them.  I would have selected Atlanta here if they did not play last Monday night.

Results: 

Last Week Record: 5-8-3

Last Week Big Bet:  0-1

Year-to-Date Record: 26-34-4

Year-to-Date Big Bet: 1-3

Last Week Winnings (Losses): ($545)

Year-to-Date Winnings (Losses): ($1,485)

Professional Football Wrap-Up

 

Injuries, Injuries, Injuries ... that sums of the week.  The End!  Ok, so I will include more, but that really was it.

Game of the Week

New England Patriots 29 Buffalo Bills 26.  Several games could qualify here, like the Chiefs over the Raiders in a battle of AFC West undefeateds, but the resurgence of the Patriots, maybe not to Super Bowl level like last year, but to a highly competitive level really is what puts this game over the top.  Nobody was surprised that Kansas City won on the road, but New England's victory is incredibly important not just for the Patriots and their fans, but for fans of the NFL in general who thought Buffalo was going to run roughshod over its division.

Best Team Performance

Chicago Bears.  Atlanta's stomping of New Orleans on Monday night was incredibly impressive, but check out these numbers:  (1) Jets gained only 178 yards total; (2) The Bears stopped the Jets on third down 7 times out of 7, (3) Chicago Bears possessed the ball for 42 minutes and 15 seconds; and (4) The Bears DID NOT PUNT!

Least Impressive Team Performance

Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  Tampa Bay hosted a bad Green Bay Packers team, and proceeded to lose 17-14.  The Jets and Dolphins were also contender here.

 

Most Impressive Individual Performance (Offense)

Tetairoa McMillan, WR - Carolina Panthers.  With Carolina running without Jalen Coker and Xavier Legette, its two other starting receivers, McMillan needed to step up - and he did.  14 catches for 192 yards and 2 TDs as Carolina defeated Detroit 32-26.  Kenneth Walker's 177 yards on 22 carries merits mention as well, with 2 TDs added-on.  Joe Burrow did throw for 428 yards, but his team lost, and he only threw 1 TD against 2 INTs.  In fact, the four highest passing yardage totals went to quarterbacks whose teams lost.

Most Impressive Individual Performance (Defense)

Jacob Rodriguez, LB - Miami Dolphins.  Rodriguez had 18 total tackles in the game - 9 solo tackles and 9 assists, in the Dolphins 15-10 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.

Most Impressive Individual Performance (Special Teams)

Will Reichard, K - Minnesota Vikings.  Reichard went 5-5 on Field Goals, the second time this year that he accounted for every single point scored by the Vikings.  

Most Impressive Team Performance (Premier League)

International Break.

Most Impressive Individual Performance (Premier League)

International Break.

Goat of the Week

D'Andre Swift, RB - Chicago Bears.  Swift's fumble did not cost his team the game or anything, but he was benched, and in his stead Kyle Monangai had 30 rushes for 146 yards and 2 TDs.  This backfield is dangerously close to being a platoon, as this was Swift's second lost fumble of the season.

Goat of the Week (Premier League)

International Break.

Breakthrough Performance

Jacob Rodriguez, LB - Miami Dolphins.  Already stated above, Rodriguez had 18 tackles in the game against Minnesota.  We are witnessing the emergence of a tackling superstar.

Finally

 

Bayshul Tuten, RB - Jacksonville Jaguars.  Although he will never likely be a "bell-cow" back, especially with Trevor Lawrence throwing the ball, but his 17 carries for 73 yards, is a start for the Jaguars to make a legitimate-enough running presence to be a balnaced offensive attack.

Impact Injury

Lamar Jackson, QB - Baltimore Ravens.  It could be J'Marr Chase, but Cincinnati can get by without Chase way better than the Ravens can survive without Jackson.

Team Rising

Atlanta Falcons.  Such a different team with Michael Penix, Jr. at quarterback.  They have won two games in a row, scoring 35 and 45!

Team Falling

Houston Texans.  Even if we were to believe the statistical metrics that show Houston as a To-10 team in the league, the Texans are still 0-4, and it would take two minor miracles (or 1 major miracle) for them to make the playoffs at this point.

Best Teams

(All teams will be ranked by record, even if teams with more losses may be better than a team with fewer losses, since Bill Parcells always said that you are what your record says.  The inverse is true for the Worst Teams rankings.) (Yes, I know that you could have a worse record and be better, but we are working off record.)

1. San Francisco 49ers (4-0)

2. Kansas City Chiefs (5-0)

3. Minnesota Vikings (4-0)

4.  Buffalo Bills (3-1)

5. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-1)

Worst Teams

(All winless teams will be ranked here until all teams have at least 1 win, then I will rank them based upon which teams I think are the worst, regardless of record.)

32. Tennessee Titans (0-4)

31.  Miami Dolphins (0-4)

30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-4)

29. Los Angeles Chargers (0-4)

28. Houston Texans (0-4)

Middle Teams

15. Los Angeles Rams (2-2)
16. New England Patriots (2-2)

17. Cincinnati Bengals (2-2)
18. Philadelphia Eagles (2-2)

Last Week's Trivia Question/Answer

Which franchise drafted two Hall of Fame quarterbacks in the same draft?  Bonus if you can tell me which year and who the two QBs were.

Answer:  Kansas City Royals.  1979 - Dan Marino (4th round); John Elway (18th round).

The Royals other picks that baseball fans know - Atlee Hammaker (1st round); and Craig Lefferts (7th round).  That is it!

Preview - Game(s) of the Week

6.  Houston Texans v. Tennessee Titans - One of these teams HAS to finally (unless of course they tie!)  Just kidding!

6.  Indianapolis Colts v. Pittsburgh Steelers.  Two mediocre teams (2-2), but this game means A LOT, as it could serve as a tiebreaker for the last wildcard berth down the line.  Plus, Indianapolis seems to be playing well.

5.  Baltimore Ravens v. Atlanta Falcons - Yes, Baltimore is missing Lamar Jackson, but they still have Derrick Henry, and this Atlanta team has been exciting!

4.  Las Vegas Raiders v. New England Patriots.  They Raiders proved they could play in a close loss to the Chiefs.  The Patriots proved they could be good in a victory over Buffalo.  This game could led us know which team is a real contender.

3.  Arsenal v. Leeds United.  Two of the Top 5 in the Table, although it is early.  We might find out how serious of a contender Leeds United is.

2.  Chicago Bears v. Green Bay Packers.  More so because of the rivalry, but also because Chicago has been playing exciting ball, no matter who the quarterback is.

1.  San Francisco 49ers v. Seattle Seahawks.  The week's best game, by far, pitting two intra-divisional rivals that also are major contenders for the Super Bowl.

Trivia

The Bears had a 42 minute and 15 second time of possession against the Jets.  What team had the longest recorded time of possession in an NFL regular season game, and how long was that possession?

The Ole College Try

 

Many big, big games among ranked teams in conference play this week - and many of those were ... DUDS!!!  But that is how you separate the true contenders from the pretenders.  Welcome to the Ole College Try, which is my take on college football via a weekly column on college football after each weekend's games.  The column is meant to be a recap of the season to date, with an emphasis on last week's games.

As another reminder, I write this column as if every player is a Heisman Trophy candidate. Why? Because it is ridiculously ludicrous (is there any other kind of ludicrous, besides Ludacris?) that the networks, including the World-Wide Leader, nay, especially the World-Wide Leader, emphasize the Heisman Trophy race all season at the expense of everything else.  Consider this my sarcastic homage to stupid reporting.

I cannot promise that I will post every week, but so far so good.

Heisman Watch

Quarterback Edition

Favorite - Darian Mensah - Miami - A relatively bad game for Mensah, who ONLY went 18/27 for 227 and 1 TD, and he know has 6 more incompletions that touchdowns on the season.  And, he has yet to throw an interception.  He has been the best quarterback in the NCAA this year, and it is hard to criticize a performance in which the offense still scored 41 points.  

Rising - Julian Sayin - Ohio State - It helps when you are throwing to the best wide receiver (See Mensah, Darien), but it is hard to discount a 20/27 for 324 yards and 3 TD performance at Iowa!  He has 13 TDs to just 1 interception on the season.

Sleeper - Bear Bachmeier - BYU - His passing stats do NOT pop off the paper (11-24 for 64 yards) in a 17-10 victory over TCU to keep the Cougars undefeated, but his size and running ability (66 yards on 15 carries for 2 TDs) do pop-off the highlight film.

Falling - LaNorris Sellars - South Carolina - He has all of the talent in the world - (20/36 for 226 and 2 TDs, 17 rushes for 147 yards against Kentucky), but this team is sooooooo bad, nobody is going to get any credit.  I wouldn't be surprised if 4 or 5 players from this team get drafted with fans asking, "Who?  Why?", and they excel way more than for the Gamecocks.  (I was going to put Kamario Taylor for Mississippi State here, but he already took a beating at the hands of Alabama!)

Running Back Edition

Favorite - Jaden Baugh - Florida - The favorite right now among running backs is still Jaden Baugh, but he had a rough - and I mean ROUGH outing against Missouri (12 carries for 13 yards) which is why he is also falling!

Rising - Jamal Roberts - Missouri - Sixth in the NCAA in rushing at 606 yards (Baugh is 5th with 613 for reference, the leader is Dylan Riley from Boise State with 685), and he clearly won his showdown with Jaden Baugh, outrushing Baugh 211-13 (with 3 TDs!!!).

Falling - Jaden Baugh, Florida - See above.

Sleeper - Turbo Richard - Indiana - Took a back seat to Lee Beebe, Jr. last week, and was out-carried by Beebe 18-13 in the 47-15 win over Rutgers, but finished with 204 yards and a TD on those 13 carries.

Wide Receiver Edition

Favorite - Jeremiah Smith - Ohio State - Caught 11 passes for 206 yards and 2 TDs to extend his lead as the overall Heisman favorite!

Falling - Malachi Toney - Miami - Again, he is still 1A to Smith's 1, but his 5 catches for 40 yards were both season's low for Toney - although he did have another TD called back (the third this year), this time on a very questionable illegal shift call, as they called Miami's TE for being in motion while Cooper Barkate was only set for .9 seconds, not a full second.  

Rising - K.J. Duff - Rutgers - Only 4 catches for 78 yards as Indiana defeated Rutgers, but Smith, Toney, and Duff are the ONLY wide receivers people should be writing about.

Sleeper - Nathan Bailey - Harvard - OK, so not eligible to win the Heisman as he plays in the FCS, but boy did he have a game!!!  He hauled in 16 catches for 197 yards, including 2 big, big catches in the Crimson's last-minute drive.  But, that wasn't even what made the highlight reel!!!  Bailey was the "Ladder" in the "Hook-and-Ladder" on the last minute Hail Mary from Charlie Smith.  Bailey received the pitch from tight end Teegan Pelletier at the five and immediately dashed-and-dove for the corner pylon as Harvard turned a 17-14 defeat into a 20-17 victory!!!

Defensive Edition

5.  Kenyatta Jackson - EDGE - Ohio State - Playing against Iowa - the team that was supposed to have the vaunted defense - Jackson's pressure kept Iowa on its heels.  Even though he was only credited with 1 tackle - a sack at that - Jackson forced Iowa's play and constantly disrupted the timing of the Hawkeyes offense.

4.  Jason Dowell - DT - Missouri - Only finished with 3 tackles (including 1 sack and 1 tackle for loss), but dominated the interior line for Missouri in its 45-17 win over Florida.

3.  Dijon Lee, Jr. - CB - Alabama - Technically only credited with 1 tackle, and that is only because he was blanketing people so that his receiver was never thrown the ball - or at least not unless Lee could get his hands on it!!!  He also scored a TD and returned kicks!

2.  Nicholas Rodriguez - LB - Missouri - Missouri gets the love because they earned the love.  Rodriguez finished with 11 tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss, as the TIgers defense completely bottled up the high-flying Florida offense.

  

1.  Xavier Esqillion - Edge - Georgia State - Esqillion had 3 sacks, forced 2 fumbles, and finished with a 27.3% pressure rate, a 22.7% knockdown rate, and an unbelievable 38.1% pass-rush win rate!!! (Thanks PFF!)

Player(s) to Watch

DeSean Bishop, RB, Tennessee.  Bishop is having a great year as he has led Tennessee to a 4-1 record, and given hope to a Volunteer squad of making noise in the SEC!  He gained 220 yards on 34 carries with 3 TDs in Tennessee's 24-14 victory over Alabama this weekend, and his 540 yards and 7 TDs rank him 11th and Tied-6th respectively in the NCAA's!!!

My New Favorite Player
Austin Simmons - QB, Missouri - The former 5-star recruit who enrolled early at Mississippi at age 16 - YES 16!!! - played behind Jaxson Dart for a year and then lost his job to an injury to none other than Trinidad Chambliss, is finally getting his chance after transferring, and did he have a game!!!  He was 23-30 for 340 yards and 2 TDs as the Tigers annihilated the 8th ranked Florida Gators. 

Players of the Week (Just Week 4)

6.  DeSean Bishop - RB - Tennessee - 34 carries, 220 yards, 3 TDs over Auburn.

5.  Jeremiah Smith - WR - Ohio State - 11 catches, 206 yards and 2 TDs, all lower than last week if you can believe that!!

4.  Nathan Bailey - WR - Harvard - 16 catches, 197 yards and 1 VERY BIG TOUCHDOWN!!!

3.  Leonard Farrow - KR - Florida Atlantic - Returned the first two Texas Southern kickoffs of the game for touchdowns!

2.  Aiden Flora - RB - Iowa State - Flora rushed for 212 yards on 22 carries and scored 3 TDs in Iowa States' 45-42 victory over West Virginia!  And if that was not enough - he was 2/2 passing for 48 yards and 2 TDs!!!

1.  Dante Reno - QB - Yale - What on earth would it take for me to even mention a Yale player in this blog, much less name him the player of the week.  Something Spectacular for sure.  And this entire post is dedicated to Dante Reno.  Reno went 22/39 for 298 yards a 4 TDs as Yale rallied from a 21-7 deficits to defeat Merrimack 41 - 24.  Reno's performance was all the more astounding as he - and the rest of the Bulldogs - took the field just 1 day after the school announced the passing of Dante's dad and former Yale Coach Tony Reno.  Obviously Tony and Dante shared a father-son bond over football, and Dante found some sort of respite on the football field with his teammates, but it is hard enough to deal with the passing of a parent and still have to play college football - and at as high a level as Dante did this weekend.  Lots of love and respect from this Harvard Crimson!

Goat of the Week (Player Edition)

John Love - K - Virginia Tech - Missed a potential game-winning 36-yard field goal with three second remaining and Virginia Tech trailing 35-33.  Love is listed here not so much for missing a relatively short kick (albeit at a ridiculous angle), but for the firestorm he elicited as it clearly looks like his kick may have cleared the upright, but the official standing immediately under the upright signalled "no good".

Goat of the Week (Coach Edition)

Shane Beamer - South Carolina - Not so much for any one specific thing that he did wrong, but his team's loss in OT to Kentucky, after giving-up a lead at home, may mean that he is going to get fired, and quite possibly during this season.  Maybe after Florida whips them?

Predicted Playoffs/Championship Match Ups

(1) Georgia v. (4) Miami/Notre Dame (2) v. Ohio State (3)

Final Unbeatens

Alabama, BYU, Duke, Georgia, Indiana, James Madison, Miami, Nebraska, North Dakota State, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Texas, Texas Tech, UCLA, Utah, 

Rant(s) of the Week
Why is video review of a made/missed field goal not allowed?

Under Performance of the Week
Florida. What a let down.  Again, losing to Missouri is not the thing, it was the way in which they lost.  But, a letdown sometimes can be expected after such an emotional win over Mississippi the week prior.  This is an identical statement to the one I wrote about Mississippi last week.

Last Week's Trivia Answer

The question was:  Colin Simmons, as you may have read here once or twice, finished the game against Tennessee with 5 sacks.  Who holds the NCAA record (Div I/FBS) for most sacks in a single game?

The answer is:  Ivan Pace, Jr. from Miami-OH in 2019 and Ameer Ismail from Western Michigan in 2006 with 6.  The Team record is 15 by TC over Nevada in 2000.

Trivia Question of the Week

Jeremiah Smith's consecutive 200-yard receiving performances inspired this question.  What is the most receiving yards in an NCAA game WITHOUT scoring a touchdown?

Match-up(s) to Watch

5. Harvard v. Cornell - So long as Harvard is undefeated, they will remain on this list.  Are the Crimson emotionally-spent after last week's Bailey Bailout?  Or will they use that springboard to a possible FCS playoff birth?  This game will tell us a lot.

4. LSU v. Kentucky - Kentucky is not at the same level as LSU, but they are also not the same old Kentucky team.  A loss here could go a long way to knocking LSU out of playoff contention.  Can they take care of business?

3. UCLA v. Oregon - Oregon's loss to Oklahoma State puts their back against the wall.  UCLA is a surprising 4-0 thus far; can they remain undefeated and be a serious contender in the Big 10?

2. Indiana v. Nebraska - Yes, Nebraska is unranked, but this week 6 game pits two undefeated conference foes against each other.  Is Nebraska for real?

1.  Georgia v. Alabama -Easily the biggest game of the weekend!

Special Mention of the Week

Florida Atlantic led Texas Southern 21-3 - BEFORE THE OWLS OFFENSE EVEN TOOK THE FIELD1!!  Leonard Farrow returned the opening kickoff for a TD.  Texas Southern then drove for a FG.  Leonard Farrow took the next kickoff for a TD.  On Texas Southern's next possession, the defense forced a fumble and returned it for a TD!!!

Picks of the Week - Week 4

 

Very weird week.  The late-slot games could have been very as I was up late in a couple.  The Arizona backdoor cover really got me, as that was my big bet.  San Francisco hold them there and I go from a losing week to a winning week.    Still, a pretty good week considering some of the craziness that occurred.  Week 4 - let's do this.  Remember, early game on Sunday in London!!!  A reminder, all bets are for $100 expect for the Big Bet, which is $250.  All losses incur a vig of 10%.  On to the picks.

Cleveland Browns +2 1/2 v. Pittsburgh Steelers

I thought this was an easy pick because selecting the Steelers would have violated two football gambling rules:  (1) Pick the home team on a short week; and (2) Never pick a road intra-divisional favorite.  But, more importantly, did DeShaun Watson remember he was once ... GOOD?!

 

Washington Commanders +4 against Indianapolis Colts in London (Tottenham Hotspur Stadium)

Neither of these teams have looked particularly great overall, but the Commanders did play well with Marcus Mariota under center last week in defeating Seattle.  So, the fact they are getting points in this game is important.  I will take them, for sure, especially since points are really hard to come by in Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.  And yes, that is a dig at their soccer club.

Chicago Bears -4 v. New York Jets

I hate making this pick, even against the Jets because the Jets have a solid defense and the Bears are playing on a short week.  But, the opportunity to win their third game of the season with a third-different starting quarterback - since Tyson Bagent is expected to start, not Case Keenum - was just way too tempting.  If the Bears defense can play as tough as they have in the second halves of games, they should not just win, but cover.

Arizona Cardinals +2 1/2 at New York Giants

What a weird game, and a weird betting line.  Arizona is a mountain time zone team, not a pacific time zone team, but they do not observe daylight savings time in Arizona - and thus, they are three hours behind New Jersey and playing in the early afternoon time slot.  So, I should just pick the Giants.  But it just seems like Jameis Winston will make a key turnover at a key time in the game.  And the alternative is J.J. McCart ... ha, ha, ha!!!  

Buffalo Bills -7 v. New England Patriots

The Patriots defeated the Bills last year, but this team is a far cry from last year's squad.  Their defense is still pretty stout (6th in scoring and overall), but the Bills have a very balanced top offense (1st in scoring, 4th in rushing and total offense, 9th in passing - and in a huge stat 3rd in third-down conversion).  I am taking the Bills until New England starts to play like last year (which may not occur).

Houston Texans -3 v. Dallas Cowboys

Houston might be the most disappointing team in the NFL so far this year.  But, even as disappointing as they are, they still have the better defense in this game (duh?) but their offense has also been better than that of Dallas.  Given this shocking stat, I will give up the points, where I was very close to just taking the points here.

Los Angeles Rams -4 at Philadelphia Eagles

This is a battle of competing gambling laws:  Pacific Team in the early slot on the east coast (should select Philly) versus Eagles on a short week (should pick the Rams).  I am taking the Rams because Puka Nacua is back, and that opens up this entire offense.  And don't you think Matthew Stafford is a better quarterback than Case Keenum?

Tampa Bay Buccaneers +3 v. Green Bay Packers

Yes, Baker Mayfield is injured and not playing, and we no little to nothing about Jalon Daniels (he's from Kansas).  But, what I do know is that both of these teams have struggled, and in those games I take points.  Also, Green Bay is a road, intra-divisional, favorite, so I will pick Tampa Bay, and not like it.  But to be fair, I would not like it if I had selected Green Bay either.

Tennessee Titans +11 1/2 at Baltimore Ravens

No, I do not think that Tennessee is going to upset Baltimore.  It is just that 11 1/2 is A LOT of points in the NFL, and the road team has historically been successful in this series, regardless of the stature of the programs when they play.  I will take double-digit points and like it.

Jacksonville Jaguars +2 1/2 at Cincinnati Bengals

You can go back and ready my picks, and I have been higher on Cincinnati than most, especially with their two new defensive tackles (and they are 9th in the NFL against the rush!).  But, the rest of the defense is well below par (and not in the golf way) (27th overall and 28th against the pass) and Trevor Lawrence enters the game with a 107.8 rating.  AND I get points?! 

Minnesota Vikings -9 1/2 v. Miami Dolphins

It is possible that Brain Flores will be disappointing if they give up a SINGLE POINT to his former employers.  They may not.

Kansas City Chiefs -4 at Las Vegas Raiders

A road intra-divisional favorite Pepster?  Yes, when that favorite is second in the NFL in offense and 4th in total defense.  Although the Raiders are showing progress, and are an amazing 3-0 on the season, they are just 17th in total defense and 20th in total offense.  That is not going to get it done against this revitalized Chiefs offense with Kenneth Walker carrying the rushing load.

Los Angeles Chargers +7 at Seattle Seahawks

Do I believe that the Chargers are finished with Harbaugh and that this is his last season as head coach?  Yes, I do.  Do I believe that they will beat Seattle?  No, probably not a motivated Seahawks team coming off a surprising loss to Washington last week.  But do I think the Chargers are too talented to stay winless?  Also yes.  And that is why this game should at least stay closer than a TD.

San Francisco 49ers -2 1/2 v. Denver Broncos

I am riding with San Francisco until the stop looking like San Francisco has looked this season.  That, coupled with the fact the Broncos are 29th in total offense and 30th in total defense, this game could get out of control.

Detroit Lions -4 at Carolina Panthers

I have also been higher on Carolina than most people, especially since their offense is 1st overall in passing, and 6th in total offense, and they are 5th in passing defense.  But, Detroit is still Detroit with their one loss being to Buffalo Bills, one of the best two teams in the NFL in my estimation (at least as of right now).  So I believe Detroit rolls into Carolina and takes care of business.

New Orleans Saints -1 1/2 v. Atlanta Falcons

This is incredibly hard to judge given that we have only seen one Atlanta game with Michael Penix, Jr. at quarterback - and they were spectacular.  I think that we are going to get an amazing game, offensively exciting, and New Orleans pulls it out on a Tyler Shough to Juwan Johnson capitalizing on the emotion of the night as the 20th-anniversary of the opening of the Superdome after Hurricane Katrina - the Steve Gleason game!

BIG BET OF THE WEEK

Minnesota Vikings -9 1/2 v. Miami Dolphins

It is possible that Brain Flores will be disappointing if they give up a SINGLE POINT to his former employers.  They may not.

I really, really, really wanted to roll with San Francisco here, especially since they are only giving up 2 1/2 whereas Minnesota is giving up 9 1/2.  But, this Minnesota Vikings defense is LE-GIT, (2nd in scoring defense, 4th in rushing defense, and 1st in third-down defense), so the offense could score 17 to 21 and still cover this spread.

Results: 

Last Week Record: 7-9

Last Week Big Bet:  0-1

Year-to-Date Record: 21-26-1

Year-to-Date Big Bet: 1-2 

Last Week Winnings (Losses): ($455)

Year-to-Date Winnings (Losses): ($940)

Professional Football Wrap-Up

 

I am not going to lie; I missed A LOT of the games this weekend as I chose to watch our great come-from-behind victory in the President's Cup from the comfort of my home, since I knew sports bars and the like would not reserve even one television set for the match.  That being said, I did keep my ear-to-the-ground, and I did watch the second half of the Sunday's late-slot games, as well as the night game and of course, the Monday night game (Bear Down!!!)  So I am somewhat informed, but not greatly informed.

Game of the Week

Baltimore Ravens 34 Dallas Cowboys 31 (Rio de Janeiro) - The NFL put on a show before our Brazilian brethren, and in a weekend of close games, the fact that there were 2 - count 'em 1, 2 - field goals in the last 10 seconds of the game was amazing!!! 

Best Team Performance

Jacksonville Jaguars.  With both potential playoff teams coming into the game 1-1, it seemed like this game could be HUGE for the loser.  Jacksonville made that New England's issue, trouncing them 35-6, and starting panic throughout the northeast corridor.

Least Impressive Team Performance

Tennessee Titans.  A feeble performance against a Jaxson Dartless squad who themselves only managed to score 12 points.  Tennessee managed only 181 yards in the air and 81 on the ground, and ended up losing to a Giants squad that lost Brian Burns for the year and only gained 256 yards themselves.

 

Most Impressive Individual Performance (Offense)

Michael Penix, Jr., QB - Atlanta Falcons.  His numbers don't pop-off the page (18/25 for 256, 1TD/1 INT), but the offense just looked DIFFERENT that the first two weeks.  Bijan ran for 194 on 29 carries, and he also could have won this award, but I suspect a lot of those yards would not have been gained if Tua was still QB.  Atlanta went from looking like the worst team in the league to a potential playoff team in its 35-14 victory over Green Bay.

Most Impressive Individual Performance (Defense)

Gregory Rousseau, Edge - Buffalo Bills.  Rousseau had 8 total tackles and 2 more sacks to bring his NFL-leading total to 6.

Most Impressive Individual Performance (Special Teams)

Tyler Loop, K - Baltimore Ravens.  It was almost Brandon Aubrey for the second consecutive week, as his field goal with 7 seconds left tied the game at 31, heading to overtime.  But, Baltimore's two-play drive culminated with Loop's 56-yard FG to win the game 34-31.  

Most Impressive Team Performance (Premier League)

International Break.

Most Impressive Individual Performance (Premier League)

International Break.

Goat of the Week

Cowboys Defense.  Tie game, Baltimore has the ball at their own 35 after a touchback, 7 seconds left.  One 27-yard completion and a timeout later, sets the stage for Tyler Loop's 56-yard game winner.  Either play better defense where longer plays are covered more tightly, or hold up Zay Flowers to run the extra second off the clock before taking him to the ground.  Something.

Goat of the Week (Premier League)

International Break.

Breakthrough Performance

Kenyon Sadiq, TE - New York Jets.  All the talent in the world, but a preseason injury limited his practice time, so a slow start was expected.  But this week 3 7 catch, 105-yard, 1 TD performance is exactly what we can expect to see from Sadiq moving forward in his career.

Finally

 

Jahmyr Gibbs, RB - Detroit Lions.  Not "finally" as in we have been waiting for him, because he is already a great player, but "finally" in the way that it has taken since 1980 for a player to join Billy Simms to gain 300+ rushing yards, 150+ receiving yards, and 6 TDs through 6 games.  For those that don't know or remember, Billy Simms was a running back for the Detroit Lions.

Impact Injury

Brian Burns, Edge - New York Giants.  Lots more injuries, but the Giants lost Dart last week, and now likely their best - or at least most productive - defensive player for the season this week.  If they can challenge for a playoff spot - Jameis Winston should make it to the Hall of Fame!!!

Team Rising

Las Vegas Raiders.  This team may be the proverbial year away from being a year away, but they are 3-0.  That ain't nothing 

Team Falling

New England Patriots.  Falling not just because they are 1-2, as their losses have come to the Seattle Seahawks and Jacksonville Jaguars, both on the road and two of the better teams in the league, but because New England has just looked awful doing it!

Best Teams

(All teams will be ranked by record, even if teams with more losses may be better than a team with fewer losses, since Bill Parcells always said that you are what your record says.  The inverse is true for the Worst Teams rankings.) (Yes, I know that you could have a worse record and be better, but we are working off record.)

1. San Francisco 49ers (3-0)

2. Buffalo Bills (3-0)

3. Kansas City Chiefs (3-0)

4. Minnesota Vikings (3-0)

5. Las Vegas Raiders (3-0)

Worst Teams

(All winless teams will be ranked here until all teams have at least 1 win, then I will rank them based upon which teams I think are the worst, regardless of record.)

32. Tennessee Titans (0-3)

31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-3)

30.  Miami Dolphins (0-3)

29. Los Angeles Chargers (0-3)

28. Houston Texans (0-3)

Middle Teams

15. New York Giants (2-1)
16. Cleveland Browns (2-1)

17. New Orleans Saints (1-1)
18. Los Angeles Rams (1-2)

Last Week's Trivia Question/Answer

Although early, Jaxon Smith-Njigba is currently the leader in receiving yards, a category in which he led the NFL last year.  When was the last time a receiver led the NFL in receiving yards in back-to-back seasons and who was that receiver?

Answer:  Calvin Johnson, 2011-2012.

Preview - Game(s) of the Week

6.  Atlanta Falcons v. New Orleans Saints - If last week's game was any indication, the Michael Penix-led Falcons are much different than Weeks 1/2 Falcons.  And, the Saints are fun.  Could be a lot of points scored, and it is Monday night.

5.  Pittsburgh Steelers v. Cleveland Browns - Can the Browns actually win 3 in a row?  Can THESE Browns actually win 3 in a row?  Watch only for that crazy possibility.

4.  Jacksonville Jaguars v. Cincinnati Bengals - Jacksonville absolutely dismantled New England.  Can Cincinnati's new defensive tackles bring them some defensive credibility to keep this close?

3.  International Break.

2.  Denver Broncos v. San Francisco 49ers - San Francisco is the best team in the NFL right now, to me. Denver, although 2-1, really needs a statement win

1.  Kansas City Chiefs v. Las Vegas Raiders - Two undefeated teams tied for first in the AFC West.  To stay undefeated and atop the division!

Trivia

I just heard this question and I absolutely love it.  Which franchise drafted two Hall of Fame quarterbacks in the same draft?  Bonus if you can tell me which year and who the two QBs were.