Professional Football Wrap-Up

 

To be honest, I did not watch a lot of NFL football this weekend, as my Bears played Thursday and my Miami Hurricanes put on a show on Saturday, but I did watch some and read as much as I could about the other games in order to put together a bit of a report for you.  Here is that report ...

Game of the Week

Cleveland Browns 27 Tennessee Titans 24.  Seriously.  This is not a joke.  Another contender was the Dolphins first victory of the season over the New York Jets.  Again, seriously.  Close game throughout - with both teams scoring 10 points in the final quarter.  DeShaun Watson (QB for the Browns) threw for 308 yards and Tony Pollard (RB for the Titans) rushed for 129 yards and 3 TDs.  Carnell Tate really starting to assert himself with 5 catches for 69 yards and fellow rookie K.C. Concepcion had 8 catches for 129 yards himself.  Actually just a really good game.  Cleveland leads the AFC North at this moment, believe it or not.

Best Team Performance

Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  The Buccaneers annihilated the Carolina Panthers - in Charlotte - 43-13, and this just demonstrates how important a true starting quarterback is in the NFL.  Baker Mayfield wasn't even called upon to do much (7-11 for 64 yards and 1 TD), but his presence no doubt helped clear some running lanes for Bucky Irving (106 yards, 2 TDs on 24 carries), Kenneth Gainwell (88 yards on 14 carries), and even Sean Tucker (52 yards, 1 TD on 7 carries).  The Panthers were so thoroughly dominated by the Buccaneers that Kenny Pickett made an appearance.  Yes, THAT Kenny Pickett.  Tampa with its 2-5 record is now only one game back in the win column of the division lead.

Least Impressive Team Performance

Baltimore Ravens (second half).  The Ravens turned a 13-0 halftime lead over the Cincinnati Bengals into a 35-13 rout at the hands of Joe Burrow (22-30, 292 yards, 4 TDs), Tee Higgins (6 catches, 148 yards, 1 TD), and Ja'Marr Chase (5 catches, 62 yards, 1 TD).  

Most Impressive Individual Performance (Offense)

Caleb Williams, QB - Chicago Bears.  For the second straight week, Caleb Williams earns this honor, this time by outdueling fellow 2024 QB draft pick Drake Maye.  Williams was 22-33 for 308 yards and 2 TDs, while spreading the ball around as 5 different receivers had at least 3 catches, and the 3 were caught by Cole Kmet who left the game - and the season - with a knee injury.  This week will be interesting as the Bears take on the number 1 passing and total defense in the Seattle Seahawks.

Most Impressive Individual Performance (Defense)

Alex Singleton, LB - Denver Broncos.  Singleton finished the game with 17 tackes, including 1 sack as the Broncos defeated the Arizona Cardinals 30-16.

And because this week deserves two mentions ...

Kendal Daniels, LB - Atlanta Falcons.  Daniels was a large contributor to the Falcons 29-20 upset-win over the previously undefeated San Francisco 49ers as he made 11 total tackles, and in the critical fourth quarter came up with a big interception and a timely fumble recovery on successive downs.

Most Impressive Individual Performance (Special Teams)

Dylan Laube, KR - Las Vegas Raiders.  The Raiders may be streaking in the wrong direction, but not so for Laube, who returned two kickoffs for 78 yards giving the Raiders offense pretty good field position for most of the game.

Most Impressive Team Performance (Premier League)

Bournemouth.  Bournemouth went into Old Rafford and annihilated Manchester United 3-0, behind two first half goals from Rayan and Marcus Tavernier, and then polished off in the second half with one from Evanilson.

Most Impressive Individual Performance (Premier League)

Nicolas Jackson, F - Aston Villa.  Jacson scored a brace surrounding Erling Haaland's league-leading 9th goal of the season as Aston Villa beats Manchester City 2-1.

Goat of the Week

Bryce Young, QB - Carolina Panthers.  Not so much a goat as just horrible play.  Young was 14-27 for 163 yards with 1 TD, 2 INTs, and was sacked 5 times.  And he was pulled for Kenny Pickett in Carolina's 43-13 defeat at the hands of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Goat of the Week (Premier League)

Mike Penders, G - Chelsea.  Just truly one of the worst goalkeeper own-goals ever.

Breakthrough Performance

Omar Cooper, WR/Mason Taylor, TE - New York Jets.  The second-year tight end and the rookie wide receiver showed promise for the future with both hauling in five receptions and Cooper gaining 115 yards - with 1 TD - and Taylor gaining 62 yards - with 2 TDs.  Whomever is going to the throwing the ball for the Jets in the future is going to have some talented pass catchers.

Finally

 

Cam Skattebo, RB - New York Giants.  Skattebo, who has shown flashes before, put together a complete game, earing 124 yards on the ground with 1 TD on just 17 rushes, and showing that he can be a primary back in this league.

Impact Injury

Aaron Jones, Jr, RB - Minnesota Vikings.  Suffered a knee injury, and the potential impact on the Vikings is huge, given that the undefeated team is being carried by its defense, and has barely any offensive presence as it is.

Team Rising

New York Giants.  They defeated the Houston Texans in overtime are sit atop the NFC East at 4-2-1.

Team Falling

Indianapolis Colts.  A respectable 16-10 loss to the Minnesota Vikings gives them a disrespectable 2-5 records, and the firesale began today with the trade of star guard Quenton Nelson to the Seattle Seahawks.

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. Minnesota Vikings (6-0)

2. San Francisco 49ers (6-1)

3. Buffalo Bills (5-1)

4. Kansas City Chiefs (5-1)

6. Chicago Bears (5-2)

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. Los Angeles Chargers (0-6)

31. Tennessee Titans (1-6)

30. Miami Dolphins (1-5)

29. Washington Commanders (1-4-1)

28. New York Jets (2-5)

Middle Teams

15. Green Bay Packers (4-3)
16. Baltimore Ravens (4-3)

17. Carolina Panthers (3-3)
18. Los Angeles Ram (3-4)

Last Week's Trivia Question/Answer

Question:  The Los Angeles Chargers sit at 0-6 on the season.  Who was the Chargers starting quarterback the last time the Chargers started 0-6?

Answer:  Jim Harbaugh, in 2000.

Preview - Game(s) of the Week

Pretty packed week!

6. Kansas City Chiefs v. Denver Broncos.  This would have been higher on the list if KC hadn't lost to Seattle this week; and could have been waaaay higher if Denver actually looked watchable.

5. Baltimore Ravens v. Buffalo Bills.  Usually a marquee matchup, made more important by Baltimore's necessity to right its shop and the return of Lamar Jackson.

4. Cleveland Browns v. Pittsburgh Steelers.  Seriously.  Both teams are tied atop the AFC North, so this game is very important!

3. Manchester City v. Brighton & Hove Albion.  The top of the table Citizens versus BHA, which sits in third place.  We all know about the goal-scoring prowess of Erling Haaland for Man City; but BHA's goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen sits atop the leaderboard with (tied for the) most clean sheets!

2. Chicago Bears v. Seattle Seahawks.  Stellar offense versus amazing defense for two likely playoff teams!!!  Add-in Monday night, and we have a show!

1. Minnesota Vikings v. Detroit Lions.  Exactly like our #2 battle - stellar offense versus amazing defense - plus this is an intra-divisional battle!!!

Trivia

The Minnesota Vikings are the last remaining undefeated team at 6-0.  What was Minnesota's best start ever, and when did that occur?

The Ole College Try

 

This is why we love football.  Even during a week in which there are not very many marquee matchups, three of the unbeaten fall.  Always something exciting going on, and I am here to try to recapture some of it.

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.

Heisman Watch

Quarterback Edition

Favorite - Darian Mensah - Miami - Many expected Miami to struggle against a Pittsburgh defense that many think is the best in the NCAA, which it certainly is against the run.  How did Miami and Mensah fare in their first week occupying the number 1 spot in the polls?  Miami won 52-23, and all Mensah did was go 31/37 for 387 yards and 4 TDs.  Easily the highest ranked QB in the Heisman watch.

Rising - Keelon Russell - Alabama - This freshman is GOOD!!!  He went 19/30 for 311 yards and 3 TDs as Alabama bounced back to defeat Texas A&M 31-20.  He does not have much margin-for-error, however, as a third loss likely knocks the Crimson Tide out of the playoffs.

Sleeper - Sam Leavitt - LSU - Is it possible that now that the Lane Kiffin Hype Train has evened-out some that we can actually watch this team be good without all of the unnecessary Lane Kiffin?  Leavitt was 32/45 for 287 yards and 3 TDs as LSU routed Auburn 38-17.

Falling - Connor Weigman - Houston - He didn't play a bad game against Utah (19/35 for 282 - 0TDs/0INts), but any chances he had were always tied to winning, and Houston's second loss of the season knock them out of the playoff conversation.

Running Back Edition

Favorite - DeSean Bishop - Tennessee - Keeps the train running with 120 yards and 1 TD on 32 carries, leading the Volunteers to a 27-24 victory over South Carolina.

Rising - Kendrick Raphael - SMU - Raphael is helping keep the Mustangs in the ACC and playoff conversation with his running, this time with 104 yards and 2 TDs in SMU's 59-20 victory over California.

Falling - Turbo Richard - Indiana - As the love for the Hoosier's repeat dips thanks to a narrow victory over Michigan (13-6), Richard has to do better than 68 yards on 19 carries for Indiana to keep winning, and make the playoffs.

Sleeper - Anthony Woods - UCLA - The Bruins remain unbeaten in large part to Woods running (112 yards on only 14 carries) as UCLA defeated Michigan State 28-10.

Wide Receiver Edition

Favorite - Jeremiah Smith - Ohio State - Still the overall favorite for the Heisman, even after a bye week!

Rising - Malachi Toney - Miami - Toney torched Pittsburgh defense setting a team record for single-game receptions with 16, for 194 yards and 3 TDs.

Sleeper - Ryan Wingo - Texas - Has fast become Arch Manning's favorite receiver, and the Longhorns needed every one of his 7 catches for 111 yards and TD to defeat Mississippi 34-27.  

Falling - Cam Coleman - Texas - Still falling, as he has been replaced as Texas' number 1 receiver (See Wingo, Ryan).  Coleman - who was widely seen as the third-best receiver behind Jeremiah Smith and Malachi Toney coming into this season - had a single catch for 12 yards in this week's victory.

Defensive Edition

5.  Colin Simmons - EDGE - Texas - The best defensive player in college football, but currently out with an ankle injury.  Still the NCAA FBS leader in sacks, though, with 10 1/2 sacks.

4.  Kaleb Beasley - DB - Louisville - Now up to 5 interceptions on the season, tying him for the FBS lead.

3.  Andrew Zock - EDGE - Toledo - Of all of the leaders on the sack board (Zock is T-4th with 8), he has the most tackles on the season with 46, showing that he isn't just a pass rusher.  

2.  Stone Hala - LB - San Diego State University - Hala has taken over the FBS lead in tackles, with a total of 83 on the season.

1.  Malik Hartford - S - UCLA - Had a superb well-rounded game in the defensive backfield, finishing the game with 7 tackles, 1 pass defensed, an interception and a touchdown, and finished with a 91.8 PFF grade, as UCLA remains undefeated.

  

Player(s) to Watch

Javion Mallory - RB, Miami.  Sharing the backfield with the Uber-talented Mark Fletcher, Girard Pringle and Jordan Lyle, Mallory is very noisely making his appearances felt and really making the coaching staff call his number, this week with 47 yards and 2 TDs on only 7 carries.

My New Favorite Player
Noah Fifita - QB - Arizona - Not only does he have a really fun name to say, Fifita is balling for the ranked Wildcats, finishing this week's 39-3 victory over Iowa State with 308 yards and 2 TDs on an efficient 27-37 passing.

Players of the Week

6.  Tayven Jackson - QB - North Texas - Threw for 305 yards and 3 TDs against Navy, and compiled PFF's highest offensive grade of the week.

5.  Keelon Russell - QB - Alabama - 19-30 for 311 yards and 3 TDs.

4.  Charlie Smith - QB - Harvard - He finished 22/28 for 230 yards and 2 TDs, as the Crimson coasted to an unexpectedly easy 35-7 victory over Princeton, which was then tied for first with Harvard for the Ivy lead.

3.  Keyone Jenkins - QB - UCF - 25-41 for 293 yards and 3 TDs in the air, an additional 35 yards on the ground, and a 39-31 upset over then #2 ranked and previously unbeaten BYU.

2.  Darian Mensah - QB - Miami - 31-37 for 387 yards and 3 TDs.

1.  Malachi Toney - WR - Miami - 16 catches, 194 yards and 3 TDs.

Goat of the Week (Player Edition)
Everyone involved in the ending of the UCF upset of BYU.  Yes, including the winning Knights.

Goat of the Week (Coach Edition)
See above!

Seriously Mike Locksley (Maryland)/Dave Doeren (NC State)/Dave Aranda (Baylor)

All three gentlemen were fired by the administrations listed besides their name.

Predicted Playoffs Semi-Final Match Ups (By Seeding Only)

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

Final Unbeatens

FBS - Miami, UCLA, Utah

FCS - Harvard, Stephen F. Austin, Tarleton State

Rant(s) of the Week

What the Hell Went on at the end of the BYU-UCF game?  Just egregious!

 

Under Performance of the Week

BYU Cougars.  I get it; an emotional comedown after a very emotional home win late against Notre Dame, then traveling cross-country to an average-at-best UCF team is difficult.  But, if you want to stay in the playoff conversation in a conference that has A LOT of teams within a game or two, you have to find a way to win these games.

Last Week's Trivia Answer

This was upset week, so let's ask a question about upsets.  When was the last time an AP #1 ranked team lost to an unranked opponent, who lost and who won?

September 26, 2008 (149 games) - Oregon State beat USC 27-21 in Corvallis, Oregon

Trivia Question of the Week

Malachi Toney set a University of Miami single-game record for receptions with 16 against Pittsburgh this week.  Whose record did he break?  Meaning, who previously held the Miami single-game record for receptions?

Match-up(s) to Watch

6. Harvard v. Dartmouth - As has been the norm, so long as Harvard is undefeated, they will remain on this list.  For the second week in a row, Harvard plays the team that sits just below it in the conference standings; albeit this time it is the Dartmouth Big Green.  This game fills the coveted "Ivy League Friday Night" time slot - so all eyes of the conference will be on this matchup.

5. Minnesota v. Indiana - Both teams have one conference loss in a league with 6 such teams with one loss or better.  The winner of this game makes a strong play for the conference championship game.  The loser has a way bigger hill to climb.

4. Arizona v. Texas Tech - With Texas Tech losing at Cincinnati this week, this becomes a ranked-on-ranked matchup, with both teams in serious contention for the Big 12 conference championship game.

3. Miami v. North Carolina - Can the defensive genius that is Bill Belichick do anything to stop Malachi Toney?

2. Utah v. Cincinnati - Cincinnati hosted and defeated one of the last six undefeated teams in Texas Tech this week.  Can they do it again with one of the last three undefeated teams?

1. Florida v. Georgia (in Atlanta) - The Artist Formerly Known as the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party!

Picks of the Week - Week 7

 

Finally, last week was EXACTLY what I was waiting for, now can I turn this into a streak?  Who knows?  But for now, I had a really good week, and on top of it the football I watched was from Rainey Street in Austin, Texas.  Here is my brief recap from my trip to Austin, Texas.  The NFL has moved from London, but there is a game from Paris, so get your bets/picks in early.

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.

Chicago Bears -3 v. New England Patriots

Home team; short week.  As simple as that in a game pitting two really good teams against each other.

New Orleans Saints +3 1/2 v. Pittsburgh Steelers at Stade de France in Paris, France.

Two teams whose records belie their talent.  New Orleans is better than 2-4 and Pittsburgh is not as good as 4-2.  Honestly for this game I am simply taking points and hoping for the best.  Not a good betting strategy, but it is what I have for this game.

Minnesota Vikings -6 1/2 v. Indianapolis Colts

Minnesota's defense is incredible (1st in scoring and third-down defense; 2nd in total defense; 3rd in passing defense; 5th in rushing defense), but what is going to be the difference in this game is that the Colts appear to be shopping Jonathan Taylor.  That cannot help the team, and in fact, does it affect the playcalling as the Colts try to avoid losing any trade value if he gets banged-up or injured is the question that needs to be asked.

Miami Dolphins +4 1/2 at New York Jets

Another game in which I am taking the points.  Primarily this time though because it is an intra-divisional rivalry, and although not predicting a Dolphins win, it will have to occur sometime, right?

Cincinnati Bengals +1 1/2 at Baltimore Ravens

Baltimore lost last week to Cleveland, and although that is turning out to be nowhere near as bad as it sounds, that is still something.  Cincinnati has been good on third down with the b all - 2nd in the NFL - if they can keep the ball away from Derrick Henry - they have a really good chance to win.

Tennessee Titans +1 1/2 v. Cleveland Browns

Another game where I am just taking the points.  Yes, I know that Cleveland is 4-2 - but you don't believe that either.  Plus, both teams' defenses are pretty good in keeping the other teams from scoring (Cleveland 5th; Tennessee 13th).

Carolina Panthers -2 1/2 v. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

Carolina's offense has been soaring (2nd in total offense, 1st in passing, 4th in scoring), and Tampa's defense has been great (5th in total, 2nd in rushing).  Home-field advantage is going to matter here as Baker Mayfield may be a bit rusty.

Atlanta Falcons +2 1/2 v. San Francisco 49ers

San Francisco is the best team in football so far, and it isn't even really that close.  But, they are coming off a Monday night game (short week) and the fact that we have a west coast team playing in the 1:00 window in the East, and this game just seems like it could be an upset.

New York Giants +10 1/2 at Houston Texans

I am not selecting the Giants because I think that J.J. McCarthy is the answer.  I am taking New York because 10 1/2 is a big number against a team that only gives up about 1/2 a point more than it scores.

 

Denver Broncos -4 1/2 at Arizona Cardinals

Denver has struggled offensively, and Bo Nix has been taking a lot of that blame.  But, I feel like the running game has really been letting the team down (26th in the league).  Maybe that could start to change as they take on the Cardinals and their 27th-ranked rush defense.

Las Vegas Raiders +3 v. Los Angeles Rams

Getting points against a struggling - albeit talented team, where Puka Nacua might also miss the game along with Davante Adams - who is on IR?

Green Bay Packers +3 1/2 at Detroit Lions

Detroit is the better team here, and they average 32.8 points per game this season but, they are last n total defense and passing defense, and there will be opportunities for Green Bay to pick up big plays through the air, which if you saw the Chicago game you know they can take advantage of.

Kansas City Chiefs +2 1/2 at Seattle Seahawks

Strength versus strength in this game.  Offense (Chiefs - 1st in total, rushing; 5th in scoring; 9th in passing) versus Defense (Seahawks - 1st in total and passing, 5th in scoring and 10th in rushing).  So, let's look at the other side of the ball where KC is 2nd in scoring defense and 4th in total defenses whereas Seattle is middling in all offensive categories (13th scoring, 14th total, 16th passing and 18th rushing).  Plus, the turnovers.  Chiefs getting points?  Yes, please.

Dallas Cowboys -4 1/2 at Philadelphia Eagles

I really, really want to take the home dog in this intra-divisional game, especially since Saquon Barkley might return.  However, there is just too much negativity around Philly's treatment of Jalen Hurts as well as their offensive lines and secondaries right now to take them for anything.

Bye Weeks:  Buffalo Bills, Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Chargers, Washington Commanders

BIG BET OF THE WEEK

Minnesota Vikings -6 1/2 v. Indianapolis Colts

Minnesota's defense is incredible, but what is going to be the difference in this game is that the Colts appear to be shopping Jonathan Taylor.  That cannot help the team, and in fact, does it affect the playcalling as the Colts try to avoid losing any trade value if he gets banged-up or injured is the question that needs to be asked.

For a Big Bet I first try to select a home team not giving up too many points.  Although I would prefer a line with a "3" or "4" in it, under a touchdown for a Minnesota team that is 1st in scoring defense, 1st in third-down defense, 2nd in total defense, 3rd in passing defense, and 5th in rushing defense is just too good a line to turn down given Indianapolis's problems.

Results: 

Last Week Record: 9-5

Last Week Big Bet:  1-0

Year-to-Date Record: 41-47-5

Year-to-Date Big Bet: 2-4

Last Week Winnings (Losses): $500

Year-to-Date Winnings (Losses): ($1,430)

Professional Football Wrap-Up

 

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

Houston Texans 34 Jacksonville Jaguars 31 Lots of action from Webley Stadium as the teams traded blows, complete with Travis Hunter intercepting a pass as well as catching a TD from Trevor Lawrence.  Cam Little nailed a 60-yard field goal to tie the game with 2:00 remaining only to see Ka'imi Fairbairn hit a comparatively short 49-yard field goal with 3 seconds remaining to propel the Texans into the victory lane.  Both Lawrence and Houston QB C.J. Stroud threw for over 300 yards to make this game exciting for the Brits that attended as well as the American fans that traveled to London for the game.

Best Team Performance

Kansas City Chiefs.  Easily handled a Los Angeles Chargers team that is in complete disarray.  Not only do we know that Jim Harbaugh is going to be fired this season, now there is talk of trading Justin Herbert and completely dismantling the team.  But enough about the losing squad in this game, KC dominated, holding the Chargers to only 277 yards of total offense, while sacking Justin Herbert 4 times.  Kenneth Walker piled on a 128-yards rushing on a very efficient 19 carries, hitting the end zone twice.  I know the hype is on Brock Purdy and Josh Allen, but let's give some love for potential MVP to Walker.

Least Impressive Team Performance

Los Angeles Chargers.  Ugh!

Most Impressive Individual Performance (Offense)

Caleb Williams, QB - Chicago Bears.  Making his return from a hamstring injury that produced more questions about what grade it was than whether or not Williams was ready to return (he was).  He finished 3036 for 305 yards a 1 TD while cruising to a 31-7 fourth quarter lead before the Bears pulled their defensive starters to ultimately win 31-23.

Most Impressive Individual Performance (Defense)

Kyler Gordon, CB - Chicago Bears.  Another player that made his highly-anticipated return to the field for the Bears after being much-maligned for his training and treatment off of it was Kyler Gordon.  The slot corner was expected to shore iup the secondary, which he did, but he also had three sacks blitzing off the corner and forcing Michael Penix, Jr. to fumble twice.

Most Impressive Individual Performance (Special Teams)

Ka'imi Fairbarn, K - Atlanta Falcons.  Game-winning kick in London against Jacksonville the week after Cam Little did the same for the Jaguars is a pretty special story.

Most Impressive Team Performance (Premier League)

Brighton & Hove Albion.  Absolutely decimated Crystal Palace 5-0, behind four separate goal scorers (Diego Gomez; Yasin Ayari; Charalampos Kostoulas; Jack Hinshelwood) plus an own goal.  BHA is a serious contender for the Premiership title this year, as they find themselves in third place with a 5-1-1 record and a +18 goal differential.

Most Impressive Individual Performance (Premier League)

Diego Gomez, M - Brighton & Hove Albion.  In another week it could have been Erling Haaland of Manchester City or Pedro Neto of Chelsea for their respective braces, but it has to be Gomez because of this THIS GOLAZO!!!

Goat of the Week

Front Office and Coaching Staff - Philadelphia Eagles.  They allowed Jalen Hurts to fly across the Atlantic with blood clots in his calf and lungs!!!  What were they thinking?

Goat of the Week (Premier League)

Yehor Yarmolik, M - Brentford.  You are already playing Liverpool in a tight battle when your teammate puts you up 1-0 just before half in the 44th minute.  What do you do?  In extra time you get a straight red.  And, after being shorthanded, Brentford concedes two goals in an 8-minute span in the second half to fall 2-1.

Breakthrough Performance

David Bailey, Edge - New York Jets.  When you are drafted #2 overall, an immediate impact is expected.  Sometimes, though, there is an adjustment period, and Bailey experienced that for the first quarter of the season.  He exploded with 9 QB pressures and 3 sacks against the Browns, and this week against the Patriots he only had 1 total tackle, but another pressure and 2 forced fumbles!

Finally

 

Houston Texans.  A last-minute drive for a game-winning field goal against division leading Jacksonville Jaguars means that Houston (which started 0-4, but is now 2-4), hasn't given up on this season and could still make the playoffs where - with this defense - they could always make some noise.

Impact Injury

Jalen Hurts, QB - Philadelphia Eagles.  Out for the season with blood clots; and dare I say possibly his career?

Team Rising

Pittsburgh Steelers.  How is this team 4-2 and in a three-way tie for the AFC North lead?  I mean seriously, how?

Team Falling

Los Aneles Rams.  Even after claiming this spot last week, they fall to 2-4.  In the NFC West, they might be done.

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 (6-0)

2. Kansas City Chiefs (5-0)

3. Minnesota Vikings (5-0)

4. Buffalo Bills (5-1)

6. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-2)

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. Los Angeles Chargers (0-6)

31.  Miami Dolphins (0-5)

30.  Tennessee Titans (1-5)

29. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-5)

28. Washington Commanders (1-4-1)

Middle Teams

15. Cincinnati Bengals (3-2)
16. New York Giants (3-2-1)

17. Seattle Seahawks (3-3)
18. Las Vegas Raiders (3-3)

Last Week's Trivia Question/Answer

Question:  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?

Answer:  Brandon Marshall with 21 for the Denver Broncos against the Indianapolis Colts on December 13, 2009.

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

The Los Angeles Chargers sit at 0-6 on the season.  Who was the Chargers starting quarterback the last time the Chargers started 0-6?

Austin, Texas Football Weeking

 

So Racecar and I adventured to Austin, Texas to watch her Florida Gators take on the University of Texas Longhorns in a game of American-style college football.  Both teams were angry for a win with the Gators travelling into Darrell K. Royal Stadium on a two-game losing streak (to Missouri and South Carolina - the latter on UF's Homecoming) and the Longhorns fresh off a loss to Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry.

Since this was my first time in Austin, Texas - here are my 10 observations:

10.  Bats.  The bats are a must see.  Around sundown every day, the bats come flying out from under the Congress Street bridge to go feed.  AN ESTIMATED 1.5 TO 2 MILLION OF THEM!!!!

9.    Reservations at the bar.  If you want to go to a nicer place but do not have reservations and you think that you can just sit at the bar in an empty bar seat ... Nope.  Ran into one place that required reservations AT THE BAR!!!

8.    Sixth Street.  My boy Kev-O once described the San Antonio Riverwalk as the bastard child of Disney and Bourbon Street.  Taking that observation as the starting point - Sixth Street is the delusional step-cousin.  Walked into a bar a few blocks from where we were going to have dinner and they patted me down.  Other than employees - NOT ONE OTHER PERSON WAS IN THIS BAR!!!  Don't really need to be in that type of place at this stage in my life.

7.    University of Austin.  Etched into the glass of a University of Austin meeting room in the lobby of the Omni hotel was the phrase, "Don't just join a university; start one!"  Ladies and Gentlemen - have I told you about Southwestern Central?!

6.    Two Huge dinner recommendations:  Comedor and Suerte.  Comedor is a little fancier; everything is served tapas/family style and has a Michelin recommendation.  Suerte is nice, but not as fancy as Comedor and absolutely delicious.  Placed on top of the guacamole is a manchego-basil pesto.  Brilliant.

5.    Waymo/Cybercab.  These things are EVERYWHERE!  (Which honestly makes sense.)  Rode in my first Waymo.  It was a bit weird, but hey, some rideshare drivers are horrible anyway.

4.    Texas Fans.  The Longhorn fans were all very nice and hospitable.  Not one that I saw gave us - or anybody else wearing Gators colors - any grief.  Many offered congratulations after the game.

3.    Arch Manning.  It is clear that Steve Sarkisian and the coaching staff have no trust in Arch Manning.  The playcalling shows that they do not want Manning trying to make (force) plays.  Simple offense with timing more important than decision making.  Even on Manning's one long pass Florida's corner fell down so there was no real defense on the play.

2.    BBQ.  Delicious, and everywhere.

1.    Rainey Street.  This was my kind of place.  Several blocks of low-key bars and restaurants with lots of live music, outdoor patios and even televisions.  Adult vibe.  Surrounding the restaurant/bar blocks are several high rises with a grocery store and other amenities necessary for a community.  Street ends in a park with a 3.2 mile trail.  This is the type of area in which I could live.  Really close to downtown and the university (a long walk or short ride,) but still its on area.  I highly recommend.

The Ole College Try

 

UPSETS, UPSETS, UPSETS.  And even then, that isn't enough upsets, as 5 of the Top 7 in the Associated Press poll fell over the weekend.  This gives rise to a new #1 - THE U!!!  The world is a better place when the U is prominent in NCAA Football!  Not just for me as a fan, but because there are so many haters that thrive when the U is good as well.  It all just seems rights.  Remember, Miami is the most culturally relevant college football team ever.  ESPN made FOUR - count them 4 - 30 for 30s centered on the program.  And the way they ascended to the top with a double-overtime thriller against a less-than-stellar FSU has brought out all of the haters.  Here is how Miami became #1, at least until Notre Dame week (if not before).

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.

Heisman Watch

Quarterback Edition

Favorite - Darian Mensah - Miami - Yes Miami struggled, but that was primarily a defensive problem.  Mensah was outstanding going 23/34 for 326 yards and 3 TDs, with 1 interception - his first of the year (against 18 TDs).  All this for the now #1 ranked Miami Hurricanes.  

Rising - Drew Mestemaker - Oklahoma State.  Yes Oklahoma State lost its ranked-versus-ranked battle with Houston 35-32, but Mestemaker performed eerily similar to Mensah, going 22/34 for 365 yards, 3 TDs, and 1 pick.  Mestemaker is quickly rising up draft boards, and will containue to do so with this type of play.

Sleeper - Bear Bachmeier - BYU - Hard to say he is a true sleeper as he helms the number 2 ranked team in the country, but he still really is.  With BYU's starting RB out of this game, the entirety of this game fell on Backmeier's shoulders, and he delivered in a 28-24 win over Notre Dame.  With his arm he was 23/36 for 224 yards with 1 TD and 1 interception, and with his legs Backmeier rushed for 45 yards and 2 TDs.

Falling - Julian Sayin - Ohio State - Hate to put him here because it is because of injury not performance, as Ohio State outlasted Indiana 19-15.

Falling - Arch Manning - Texas - Who are we kidding?  Manning is dangerously close to losing his job.

Running Back Edition

Favorite - DeSean Bishop - Tennessee - Carried the offensive burden as the Volunteers defeated Alabama 26-10 at home behind Bishop's 159 yards and 2 TDs - on 32 carries!!!

Rising - Kewan Lacy - Mississippi - The preseason All-American is finally rounding into form as the Mississippi running back led the Rebels to a 31-3 thumping over Missouri, gaining 122 yards on the ground.

Falling - Jamal Roberts- Missouri - The Tiger running back fell back to earth in a game that featured Kewan Lacy on the other side, gaining only 39 yards on 20 carries (he did catch 2 balls for 21 yards).

Sleeper - Javian Mallory - Miami - It was the freshman's time to shine as the feature in the four-headed monster backfield of the Hurricanes, gaining 108 yards on 13 carries and scoring 2 TDs to pace Miami's running game.

Wide Receiver Edition

Favorite - Jeremiah Smith - Ohio State - A very pedestrian day for the Heisman favorite, who - in a tough game against Indiana - caught only 4 balls for 68 yards, but a very important TD in a 19-15 victory over the defending champions.

Rising - Malachi Toney - Miami - Turned on the moves when needed against a very game Florida State, finishing with 11 catches, 154 yards, and 2 TDs.  He also threw the successful two-point conversion pass to Cooper Barkate to give Miami its 8-point lead in double overtime.

Sleeper - Jesse Legree - Oregon State - The proverbial portal is open (technically not yet) for the freshman phenom who hauled in 8 balls for 108 yards and 2 TDs as Oregon State defeated Washington State 48-30.  Legree has 46 catches for 1,040 yards and 14 TDs on the season, the last two stats are leaders in the country.  

Falling - Cam Coleman - Texas - Only 3 catches for 18 yards (albeit one was a touchdown) in a 27-24 home loss to the Florida Gators.  His main problem is going to be the ongoing quarterback controversy surrounding Arch Manning.

Defensive Edition

5.  Florida Defense - After getting curb-stomped by Missouri and South Carolina in back-to-back weeks, and giving up a touchdown and a field goal to Texas on the Longhorns' first two possessions, the Gators defense not only showed up, but showed out - holding the Longhorns to only 7 offensive points after that (one TD was a punt return by Ryan Niblett - my pre-season All-American), and limiting Texas to 272 total yards and sacked Arch Manning a total of 5 times - possibly knocking him out of college football for good if he doesn't keep his job this week in practice.

4.  Colin Simmons - EDGE - Texas - The best defensive player in college football had a great three quarters + against the Gators, finishing with 8 tackles, 1 sack, and 4 tackles for loss.  He is this far down the list only because he also finished the game on the sideline with an apparent knee injury.  No reports to date as to if - or how long - he will be out.  He leads the NCAA with 10 1/2 sacks.

3.  Bryce Fitzgerald - S - Miami - 1 really big interception in the end zone on the last play of double overtime to seal the 8-point Miami victory over Florida State.

2.  Jordan Ross - EDGE - LSU - Ross had 3 sacks in LSU's win over Mississippi State, and recorded a PFF score of 93.9.  Just dominiting.

1.  Nicholas Rodriguez - LB - Missouri - Even though Missouri lost to Mississippi, it isn't through any fault of Rodriguez's, as he amassed 13 total tackles against the Rebels for an FBS-leading 76.

  

Player(s) to Watch

Tommy Carr, QB, Michigan.  Not only is he second-fiddle in his family right now behind Notre Dame's C.J. Carr, he also plays behind one of the highest paid NIL QB's in college Bryce Underwood.  But when Underwood was pulled against Penn State, Tommy Carr stepped right in and delivered a 21-18 victory over the Penn State Nittany Lions.  He was only 5/11 for 43 yards with 2 Interceptions, but he was able to rush for 36 yards and a TD as the Wolverines pulled out the win.

My New Favorite Player
K.J. Duff - WR - Rutgers - A (usually) weekly mention in the Wide Receiver section of this blog, Duff has just become one of my favorite players to watch - hauling in 9 catches for 113 yards and 2 TDs, with many of his catches of the acrobatic variety.

Players of the Week

6.  Michael Hawkins - QB - West Virginia - Threw for 464 yards and 3 TDS (25/53 passing) - in a 45-42 victory over Cincinnati.

5.  Malachi Toney - WR - Miami - 11 catches, 154 yards, 2 TDs, and 1 thrown 2-point conversion in Miami's double OT win against FSU.

4.  Charlie Smith - QB - Harvard - He finished 19/32 for 297 yards and 1 TD, with an additional 26 yards on the ground as Harvard - one of only 3 remaining undefeated teams in FCS - defeated Holy Cross 30-7, setting up a top-of-the table matchup with Princeton next week.

3.  Terrance Burgess - RB - Texas State - Ran for 224 yards on 24 carries, and scored 4 TDs in Texas State's victory over Colorado State.

2.  Jordan Ross - EDGE - LSU - Finished with 3 sacks in a blowout win over Mississippi State.

1.  Cole Hellums - QB - Army - Ran for 195 yards and 5 TDs as Army trounced FAU 58-24.

Goat of the Week (Player Edition)

Bryce Underwood - QB - Texas - All of the hype, all of the NIL money, and all of the underperformance.  This could also describe last week's "Goat of the Week (Player Edition)" Arch Manning.  The only difference is that Manning is still the QB1 for Texas (at the moment), and Michigan benched Underwood in favor of Tommy Carr, who led the team to a win.  So, now not only is Bryce Underwood the Goat of the Week, he is likely the "(Scape)Goat of the Year."

Goat of the Week (Coach Edition)

Steve Sarkisian - Texas - The SEC is a gauntlet; Every game is a challenge in the SEC; Anybody can beat Anybody in the SEC; blah, blah, blah.  Since technically all this is true, you can forgive the slip-up against Oklahoma in the rivalry game at a neutral field.  But you are supposed to bounce-back in a home game the next week against a reeling conference foe.  Not only did Texas not do that, it is obvious that the coaching staff is afraid to put the game in Arch Manning's hands.  The playbook is simplified, and Manning looks downfield only on occasions, and even then only if the defense makes a mistake.  If this coaching staff is scared to give the game to the starting quarterback - the team isn't ready and a quarterback switch needs to be made.  I don't care if the QB is the fourth best Manning in SEC history.

Predicted Playoffs Semi-Final Match Ups (By Seeding Only)

(1) BYU v. (4) Notre Dame/Ohio State (2) v. Miami (3) (The pending BYU-Utah game could be HUGE for seeding!

Final Unbeatens

FBS - BYU, James Madison, Miami, Texas Tech, UCLA, Utah

FCS - Harvard, Stephen F. Austin, Tarleton State

Rant(s) of the Week

Same as last week, except switch "Big 12" and "ACC" for "SEC."  The officiating has just GOT TO GET BETTER!!!

 

Under Performance of the Week

Missouri Tigers.  Coming off two very big wins in a row against Florida and Texas A&M and heading into a very difficult environment to play a tough Mississippi team, we all expected Missouri to show up, play hard, and give the Rebels a run for their money.  They did not, getting shellacked 31-3.  This puts them at 5-2 with Texas, Georgia, Kentucky, and Oklahoma up  next.

Mississippi State also did not show up - getting blitzed 31-0 by LSU, but losing injured QB Kamario Taylor will do that - so I will absolve them from this distinction this week.

Last Week's Trivia Answer

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

The answer is:  Gerod Holliman of Louisville, with 14 in 2014

Trivia Question of the Week

This was upset week, so let's ask a question about upsets.  When was the last time an AP #1 ranked team lost to an unranked opponent, who lost and who won?

Match-up(s) to Watch

6. Princeton v. Harvard - As has been the norm, so long as Harvard is undefeated, they will remain on this list.  The two top teams in the conference (Princeton 4-1 overall; 2-0 in conference/Harvard 5-0 overall; 2-0 in conference) face a battle to knock off each other from the top of the Ivies.

5. James Madison v. Appalachian State - James Madison is still undefeated under Billy Napier, as they play perennial power Appalachian State to look to stay undefeated and in the pole position for a playoff birth.

4. Pittsburgh v. Miami - This game was potentially really compelling before Pittsburgh lost its last two games to North Carolina and Boston College; but it is still interesting to see how Miami reacts to that super-tough rivalry double-overtime game against Florida State this past weekend and to being ranked number 1 for the first time since 2002.  Can they be caught sleeping as they lead up to Notre Dame?

3. Mississippi v. Texas - Trinidad Chambliss is amazing and Mississippi has been playing great; but the intrigue here is does Arch Manning play the entire game?

2. LSU v. Auburn - Auburn is heading home for its first game after upsetting then-number 1 ranked Georgia in Athens.  The Tigers (War Eagle?  Plainsmen?) have Uber-Talented Bryum Brown at QB.  Could a second-straight upset be in the works?

1. Houston v. Utah - Undefeated and 10th-ranked Utah hosts number 14 6-1 Houston, whose only lost came on the road to number 8 and also undefeated Texas Tech by the close margin of 28-26.  This game could be incredibly close, and GAMEDAY should be in Utah for a second straight week.

Special Mention of the Week

North Dakota State's Jackson Williams returned a 57-yard missed field goal 100 yards for a touchdown, icing a 41-17 victory over Nevada in a play popularized by Devin Hester and made famous by Auburn - a Kick-Six!

Picks of the Week - Week 6

 

This year has been B-R-U-T-A-L!!!  Just horrific.  Nobody I know that picks every game each week - as opposed to only betting on select games - is having a good year.  It is ridiculous.  But, hopefullly the year has started to settle a bit, and all we can do is learn from the first quarter of the season - and hope that the season itself doesn't change from here.  I am putting this together early, so I hope that any late-week injuries and/or announcements don't affect things TOO much, but I am off to Austin to watch the UF-UT game this weekend.  Also, we have another early game on Sunday in London!!!  Shcoker - Jacksonville is playing!!!

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.

Denver Broncos +2 1/2 v. Seattle Seahawks

Both teams enter this game 3-2, with one loss for each of the teams to the San Francisco 49ers.  Denver's offense has been putrid (31st overall/26th scoring) and Seattle's defense is amazing (1st overall and passing/3rd in third-down/8th in scoring) but, have to go home team on a short week with Seattle coming off a brutally difficult game against San Francisco last week - especially since I am GETTING points. 

Jacksonville Jaguars - 2 1/2  v. Houston Texans (London - Wembley Stadium)

A de facto home game for the Jaguars as they played in Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last week.  I am assuming that being in London for the last week and a half will play to an advantage over a struggling team that just traveled this week.  But, do not let the records fool you, the metrics show Houston to be much, much better than a 1-4 team, except they cannot run the ball (31st).

Chicago Bears -1 1/2 at Atlanta Falcons

This pick is based solely on the fact that I expect Caleb Williams to play this week and I also expect Michael Penix, Jr. to be hobbled (if he plays at all - which I suspect he will).

Tennessee Titans +7 at Indianapolis Colts

Tennessee is bad.  Like legendarily bad.  But if one thing can help cure the league's worst offense (32nd total/32nd scoring/31st passing/27th rushing), it is playing a really bad defense (28th total/28th passing/27th scoring/27th rushing).  I expect the Colts to win, but it should be within a touchdown.

Carolina Panthers -1 1/2 at Philadelphia Eagles

Both teams are really bad defensively (Carolina 29th/Philadelphia 23rd in total defense), but only Carolina is proficient offensively (2nd in total offense/2nd passing/4th scoring offense), and they expect to have Jalen Coker available, making the offense that much more potent, since the defense - which is 26th against the pass - cannot solely focus on Tet McMillan.

Pittsburgh Steelers -2 1/2 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

A second straight road favorite?  Ugh!!!  But, Pittsburgh is better, and I cannot give Tampa Bay too much credit for a win against the Dallas Cowboys.  At least this isn't an intra-divisional game!!!

Baltimore Ravens -5 1/2 at Cleveland Browns

But, didn't you just say ...?  Yes, I did.  I know what I said.  And I even typed out "Cleveland Browns +5 1/2 v. Baltimore Ravens." But I couldn't stick with it even though I despise taking road intra-divisional favorites.  I have to expect that Lamar Jackson will be close to his normal self, or else the Ravens wouldn't risk further injury to him as they sit at 4-1.  Right?

New York Giants +1 1/2 v. New Orleans Saints

Do I like this pick?  No.  Can I pick 4 consecutive road favorites?  Also no!  Is it weird that a 1-4 teams is favored against a team that is 3-1-1?  Heck Yeah.  But for a reason.  I feel that New Orleans is better, but they will do something that keeps the Giants in this game.  Maybe a tie, maybe New Orleans wins by 1.  Either way, I will take it.

New York Jets +7 1/2 at New England Patriots

The Patriots are rolling right now, and they WILL win this game.  But division rivalry games are a real thing, and I can see a Geno Smith to Garrett Wilson touchdown late in the last quarter giving the Jets a 28-21 loss.

Arizona Cardinals +12 1/2 at Los Angeles Rams

This is A LOT of points to give up in an NFL game, especially when the team giving up the points is only 20th in scoring defense!  Plus, this is a short week for the Rams, in which they lost an absolute heartbreaker in overtime!!!

Los Angeles Chargers +8 v. Kansas City Chiefs

Do I believe the Chargers will lose?  Yes.  Do I believe that the firing of Jim Harbaugh is imminent?  Also yes.  But this team has too much talent to lose by 8 in an intra-divisional game, right?  Justin Herbert cannot keep playing this badly.

Buffalo Bills -5 1/2 at Las Vegas Raiders

I firmly believe that despite their great start, the Raiders have come back down to earth.  And after this walloping, they have the Rams next week.  I know this is a short week for Buffalo, but I just could not pull the trigger on Vegas.

Green Bay Packers -1 1/2 v. Dallas Cowboys

If we get the Packers from their first 4 weeks of the season; we lose this bet.  If we get the Packers from last week; we win this bet easily.  If we get the Cowboys, we win this bet.

San Francisco 49ers -7 1/2 v. Washington Commanders

Jayden Daniels horrific scramble with no time left doesn't happen if he had played more than 3 games in the last 3 years [Ed. Note - Exaggeration!]  Has nothing to do with this week's pick, just thought it merited mentioning.

Bye Weeks:  Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings

BIG BET OF THE WEEK

Green Bay Packers -1 1/2 v. Dallas Cowboys

If we get the Packers from their first 4 weeks of the season; we lose this bet.  If we get the Packers from last week; we win this bet easily.  If we get the Cowboys, we win this bet.

I hate waiting until Sunday night's result for my Big Bet, but this seems like the best bet on the board, especially if the shellacking of the Bears is the start of an upward trajectory for the Packers.  Plus, Dallas is 30th in Total defense, and 28th in scoring defense (including last against the run).

Results: 

Last Week Record: 6-8-1

Last Week Big Bet:  0-1

Year-to-Date Record: 32-42-5

Year-to-Date Big Bet: 1-4

Last Week Winnings (Losses): ($445)

Year-to-Date Winnings (Losses): ($1,930)