Picks of the Week

 

So, my expected backslide did, in fact, occur.  Actually, the pick's weren's so bad (8-8), but the dam big bet got me.  Without going back to look at it, I believe that is 3 big bet losses in a row.  I need to fix that for sure.  In this penultimate regular season week, let's fix that, OK!  Interesting football week this week as for most people it is the fantasy football championships.  I am not in those either, but my wife is!!!  Let's Go Gator Bait!!!

For those that are new to this site, I will select every game against the spread.  I will be selecting one big bet at $250 per, whereas everything else will be $100.  Winners count as winners, whereas, losses will be calculated including a 10% vig to make the math that much simpler.  On to the picks...

Tennessee Titans +14 v. Dallas Cowboys

Took a lot of flak for this pick with everybody and their brother not playing for Tennessee - and Josh Dobbs playing - but it turns out ot be a push.  Home team on a short week, ya'll.

Detroit Lions +5 1/2 v. Chicago Bears

Too many people out for the Bears, like offensive lineman and Jack Sanborn.  The good news - the number 1 pick is in play!!!  (And then a trade back to the Colts for the fifth pick, 2 other firsts, a second, and a switch of fifths.  While still landing Will Anderson!

Philadelphia Eagles -5 v. New Orleans Saints

Gardner Minshew can put points up on the board.  New Orleans will give him some trouble as they are 2nd in passing defense, but, the offense just isn't putting up enough points this year (22nd in the league.)

Carolina Panthers +3 1/2 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Carolina has won 3 of its last 4 games.  Could it be that we all dramatically underestimated Sam Darnold?  I don't think so, but Tampa hasn't exactly been world beaters either, so I will take the points and assume this will be a close game.

Denver Broncos +12 1/2 at Kansas City Chiefs

Wholesale changes after a Christmas Day ass-whooping have to account for being able to cover a double-digit spread against a division-rival, right?

New York Giants -5 1/2 v. Indianapolis Colts

I have not been sold on the Giants all year, but Indianapolis is playing on a short week this week, and look rudderless last week anyway.  Probably a good opponent for a team fighting for the playoffs.

Jacksonville Jaguars -3 1/2 at Houston Texans

Jacksonville is riding a three-game winning streak, all against playoff-competitive teams, and although I don't usually like giving points to a divisional rival at home, Houston's offense is putrid (26th in passing; 30th in rushing; 30th in scoring; 32nd - last - in total offense.)

Arizona Cardinals +6 1/2 at Atlanta Falcons

David Blough versus Desmond Ridder - a stunning QB battle.  But, the last time we questioned David Blough, he threw the ball around the field.  And, in a game with likely little scoring, I will take the points.  Plus, the one thing the Falcons do well offensively is run the ball, but Arizona is a competent 12th against the run, so the score should stay close.

Cleveland Browns +2 at Washington Commanders

Deep in my heart, I feel that Carson Wentz will give the Commanders the same type of jolt as Taylor Heniecke first gave them when he started.  However, teams are 1-14 this year in the week after playing the San Francisco 49ers, and guess who Washington played last week?

New England Patriots -3 v. Miami Dolphins

The starting carousel is swinging at full speed for the Miami Dolphins, and I am not just talking about quarterback.  Key players at basically every position will be out today.

New York Jets -2 at Seattle Seahawks

It appears that Seattle is spent, having lost 3 in a row and 5 of their last 6.

San Francisco 49ers -9 1/2 at Las Vegas Raiders

This is a HUGE line on the road, but with the craziness going on in the Raiders with the benching of Derek Carr in favor of Jarret Stidham, who although has some athleticism and talent, will be making his first start against the number total defense, scoring defense and rushing defense in the NFL!!!

Los Angeles Rams +6 1/2 at Los Angeles Chargers

I have said this before, but the Chargers are a different team when they have Mike Williams and Keenan Allen on the field, and that is all for the better.  But, they are on a short week, so I am taking the points, hoping last week's 51-point burst rejuvenated the Rams enough to keep this close.

Green Bay Packers -3 v. Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings will likely know whether Philly won or lost before they take the field today (and assuming a San Fran win already), so they will need this game to stay in the hunt for the one (or 2) seed in the NFC.  Problem is, this game is in the 4 p.m. Eastern slot, so the Noon Nightmare cannot emerge.  Plus, this Packers team is looking like Rodgers will lead them to a first round exit from the playoffs.

Pittsburgh Steelers +2 at Baltimore Ravens

This game should be really close, especially given the 16-14 Baltimore win just 3 weeks ago.  In the last 4 weeks the Ravens have scored 17, 3, 16 and 10 points.  Any extra points - like the plus 2 in the spread - is welcome in this game.

Cincinnati Bengals +1 1/2 v. Buffalo Bills

Cincinnati is only one-game behind the Bills in the race for the one-seed in the AFC.  And Buffalo, despite winning, has not seemed dominant.  Even the Bears stayed with them for 3+ quarters last week.  I hate to pay hunches, but the fact that the teams are pretty evenly matched (2nd and 5th offenses, 7th and 10th defenses); means I have to choose somehow.

Big Bet:

New York Giants -5 1/2 v. Indianapolis Colts

I have not been sold on the Giants all year, but Indianapolis is playing on a short week this week, and look rudderless last week anyway.  Probably a good opponent for a team fighting for the playoffs.

Nick Foles' lack of mobility will cause at least one really bad turnover which helps the Giants cover the spread because of a short field.  But really, the Colts rushing defense is 20th in the NFL, and the Giants behind Saquon Barkley are 6th in rushing, so that should get it done.

Last Week's Record:  8-8

Last Week's Big Bet:  0-1

Year-to-Date Record:  122-109-7

Big Bet Year-to-Date:  7-7-2

Last Week's Winnings (Losses):  ($245)

Year-to-Date's Winnings (Losses):  ($115)

Picks of the Week

A winning week last week, brings me back into the black for the season.  As we head down the stretch in the final quarter of the season, time to capitalize on everything we have learned about the teams this year to date.

My long time readers know how this works, but for everybody else,  a reminder.  Each pick is using the spread (straight up is for wussies), and the betting line is from the same website each week as of the time of typing the entry. I keep a running tally of my record, plus my winnings/losses. We will "pretend" that I bet $100 on each game, with one game each week going for $250. Winnings/Losses will be calculated including a 10% vig to make the math that much simpler.  On to the picks.

Tennessee Titans -5 v. Jacksonville Jaguars
Once again, taking the home team on a short week pays off, but this time with the added bonus of doing it against a Jacksonville team "led" by Cody Kessler.

Buffalo Bills -4 1/2 v. New York Jets
Buffalo has basically been playing with Josh Allen behind center, even if he is doing it with his legs much more than his arm.  The Jets and their rookie quarterback have yet to jell this season.

Carolina Panthers -1 at Cleveland Browns
I really wanted to take Cleveland here, but Carolina really needs this win to get back in the playoff hunt, and to end their four-game losing streak.

Green Bay Packers -3 1/2 v. Atlanta Falcons
To be fair, nobody has any idea how the Packers are going to react to the firing of head coach Mike McCarthy and Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator Winston Moss after last week's loss.  So, my guess is that Aaron Rodgers tries to validate the firing with a huge game.

Indianapolis Colts +4 at Houston Texans
Can the Texans win their 10th game in a row?  Of course they can, and I suspect they will.  But, Indianapolis is going to make this tough for them and will score quite a bit of points themselves.  Maybe a repeat of week 4's 37-34 Texans win will cover the spread.  Of course, if the Colts break the winning streak then they will win this beat too, so I am going Colts.

Baltimore Ravens -6 1/2 at Kansas City Chiefs
The Ravens defense is first overall in total defense and points allowed, second in passing defense and third in rushing defense.  I am not saying they will stop the Chiefs, but they will make it harder for them to score.  Plus, with the newly found rushing attack behind rookies Gus Edwards and Lamar Jackson, the Ravens will try to control the clock.

Miami Dolphins +9 v. New England Patriots
For some reason, the Dolphins always have a trick or two for the Patriots when they come to Miami.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers +10 v. New Orleans Saints
New Orleans keeps cruising, but the intra-divisional rival Tampa Bay makes it tough for the Saints.  Do not expect a repeat of the week 1 Bucs victory, especially with Ryan Fitzpatrick on the bench.

New York Giants -3 at Washington Racists
I feel like their is an opportunity for me or my friends to play quarterback for Washington this year.  Marcus, are you available if they need you?

Los Angeles Chargers  -15 v. Cincinnati Bengals
This is a ridiculous line, and nobody in their right mind would ever select any NFL giving 15 points ... unless they were playing against Jeff Driskel.  Can somebody say collusion?

Denver Broncos -3 at San Francisco 49ers
I hate taking road favorites, but I have to do so here.  The 49ers are going nowhere fast, and Denver, believe it or not, has an opportunity to still make the playoffs.

Detroit Lions -3 at Arizona Cardinals
Detroit is not good, but I feel that they at least give themselves opportunities to win.  Despite being the proverbial straw that broke Mike McCarthy's back, Arizona has not shown us much of anything this year.  I'll take Detroit.

Dallas Cowboys -3 v. Philadelphia Eagles
Both of these teams would love to knock the other one down a peg.  A win by Philadelphia puts them in a tie for first in the NFC East.  A win by Dallas virtually assures Philadelphia of missing the playoffs.  Plus, Dallas has been a completely different team since the acquisition of Amari Cooper.  Philadelphia is not the same team as last year's Super Bowl winners.

Pittsburgh Steelers -10 at Oakland Raiders
Is it possible that Roethlisberger throws for 500 yards?  I think so.  In the past 5 years, double digit favorites have covered almost 60% of the time, so I will take a chance on the Steelers (as well as the Chargers).

Chicago Bears +3 v. Los Angeles Rams
Just a gut feeling.Not saying the Bears win, but this game is shaping up to be very interesting.  We all know about the Rams offense (2nd in points, 2nd overall, 4th in rushing and passing), but the Rams defense has been markedly pedestrian, (17th in passing defense, 18th in rushing defense and total defense, and 19th in points allowed).  They will give up yards and points to Chicago.  Chicago is 5th in points scored and 5th in points allowed.  They are second in rush defense, so Todd Gurley might find yards tough to come by in Soldier Field.

Seattle Seahawks -3 v. Minnesota Vikings
An incredibly important NFC battle for both squads trying to jockey for widcard position.  For those who have not been paying attention, Russell Wilson has been playing out-of-his-mind!!!!  I'll take Russell Wilson.

Big Bet
New York Giants -3 at Washington Racists
I feel like their is an opportunity for me or my friends to play quarterback for Washington this year.  Marcus, are you available if they need you?

Saquon Barkley is coming into his own, so even though the Giants are on the road and giving up points, that shouldn't be a problem against..... who is it again?  Oh yeah ... Mark Sanchez.

Last Week's Record:  9-7
Last Week's Big Bet:  1-0
Year-to-Date Record:  96-87-9
Big Bet Year-to-Date:  7-6
Last Week's Winnings (Losses):  $280
Year-to-Date's Winnings (Losses):  $90

Professional Football Wrap-Up

Boy is it good to have the NFL back!!! Despite any of the boycotts, the bar in which I watched the games was PACKED!!!  None of the patrons stood for the anthem, though.  I wonder what that means.  Anyway, here are my thoughts from Week 1 of the NFL season.

Game of the Week

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 48 New Orleans Saints 40.   A few games could have taken this honor; Kansas City Chiefs 38 - Los Angeles Chargers 28, Cleveland Browns 21 - Pittsburgh Steelers 21 for example, but by far the most exciting game was Tampa Bay and New Orleans where Ryan Fitzpatrick threw for 211 yards in the first half, and Drew Brees threw for even more!  Fitzpatrick - nay FitzMAGIC, finished 21-28 for 417 yards and 4 TDs, while rushing for an additional 36 yards and another score.  Who is this Jameis Winston again?  Drew Brees more than held his own against FitzMagic going 37-45 for 439 yards and 3 TDs.  The quarterbacks combined for ZERO interceptions.  For New Orleans Michael Thomas (180 yards 1 TD) and Alvin Kamara (112 yards, 1 TD receiving, 2 TDs rushing) both finished with over 100 yards receiving, but cold not keep up with the Buccaneers led by DeSean Jackson (146 yards, 2TDs) and Mike Evans (147 yards (1 TD).

Best Team Performance

Baltimore Ravens - Soundly defeated the Buffalo Bills 47-3 at home, and it wasn't even that close.  People around me were taking bets in the first quarter at how soon we would see Josh Allen replace Nathan Peterman.  Crazy thing is, I still don't know if this Baltimore team is any good.

Least Impressive Team Performance

Arizona Cardinals - OK, ok, the actual answer is Buffalo Bills, but I wanted to write about a different game, so this write-up goes to the Cardinals.  Defeated soundly 24-6 at home by the Washington Racists, the Cardinals could only manage 153 passing yards and 68 rushing yards, and only managed to score on a David Johnson touchdown run with 5:47 left in the game and down 24-0.  Although Sam Bradford only threw 1 interception, 20-34 for only 153 will leave fans clamoring for Josh Rosen sooner rather than later.  Only Larry Fitzgerald, with 7 catches for 76 yards, had a decent game offensively for Arizona.  Arizona did sack Alex Smith 3 times, which is something.

Most Impressive Individual Performance (Offense)

Ryan FitzMagic, QB - Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  See above.

For variety, I would like to honorably mention Tyreek Hill of the Kansas City Chiefs.  Hill caught 7 passes for 169 yards and 2 touchdowns, while also taking a punt return 91 yards for a touchdonwn.  In a league full of fast players, Hill might be the fastest.

Most Impressive Individual Performance (Defense)

T.J. Watt - DE, Pittsburgh Steelers - In a game dominated by defensive players (4 total interceptions and 11 total sacks), Watt stood out like no other player.  He finished with 11 total tackles (8 solo, 3 assists) and 4 sacks.  Perhaps most importantly, however, is that Watt blocked the Browns potential game-winning field goal with :06 left in overtime.  The performance of Anthony Hitchens of Kansas City with his 15 tackles also deserves some note.

Most Impressive Individual Performance (Special Teams)

Greg Zeurlein, K - Lost Angeles Rams - Zeurlein kicked 4 field goals, including one from 55 yards, and 3 extra points as the Rams defeated the Oakland Raiders 33-13.

Least Impressive Individual Performance

Nathan Peterman - QB, Buffalo Bills - Peterman finished 5-18 for 24 yards, with 2 interceptions and the Ravens sacked him 3 times in the aforementioned 47-3 shellacking.  At least he didn't throw 5 interceptions in the half.

Most Surprising Team Performance

Washington Racists.  Went into Arizona and annihilated the Cardinals 24-6.  Sure the score is not that impressive, but the Racists held the ball behind the rushing attack of Adrian Peterson ("Burgundy Jesus"?) (96 yards) and Chris Thompson (65 yards) and an efficient Alex Smith (21-30 for 255, 2 TDs, 0 Ints).  The defensive held its own with 2 sacks, and interception and a fumble recovery.

Most Disappointing Team Performance

Atlanta Falcons - Sure the defense played great against the Philadelphia Eagles, but the offense was non-existent with Matt Ryan going 21-143 for 251 yards and the team rushing for only 74 yards total.  At least Julio Jones caught 10 balls for 169 yards.

Most Surprising Individual Performance
Jared Cook - TE, Oakland Raiders.  Cook, who has never had more than the 759 yards receiving he amassed in 2011, his third season in the league, had 9 catches for 180 yards last night, in the 33-13 loss against to the Los Angeles Rams.

Most Disappointing Individual Performance

Ben Roethlisberger - QB, Pittsburgh Steelers.  Although the rushing game did not look like it suffered without Le'Veon Bell (James Conner 135 yards rushing, 2 TDs), Big Ben was only 23-41 (albeit for 335 yards) with 3 interceptions and was sacked 4 times.  Granted two of those sacks were at the hands of Myles Garrett, who looks All-Pro.  Big Ben single-handedly kept the Cleveland Browns in the game as both teams tied 21-21.

Most Impressive Team Performance (Premier League)

Off weekend for national team play.

Most Impressive Individual Performance (Premier League)

Off weekend for national team play.

Goat of the Week

Dan Quinn, HC - Atlanta Falcons. Why is a coach the goat of the week when his team lost to the defending Super Bowl champions by 6 on the road where they had a legitimate chance to win on the last play of the game?  Because of a decision he made on the very first drive.  On fourth-and-two from the Eagles 2 yard line, Quinn decides to forego a sure 3 points and go for the touchdown, where the Eagles stopped the Falcons and retained the ball on downs.  Although we can never predict the outcome of a game based upon one changed play as the teams would likely have played the game differently - those 3 points would have allowed Atlanta to kick an easy field goal to the tie the game in the 4th quarter and potentially win (or tie) in overtime instead of suffering a loss.

Goat of the Week (Premier League)

Off week for national team play.

Breakthrough Performance

Saquon Barkley - RB, New York Giants.  Barkley, the Giants number 1 draft pick out of Penn State, rushed for 106 yards on 18 carries, and caught 2 passes for 22 yards, living up to the hype of a first round draft pick.  This Giants team, which lost 20-15 at home to the Jacksonville Jaguars, has a long way to go, but Barkley is the right person to lead them.

Comeback Performance

Adrian Peterson - RB, Washington Racists.  Yes Peterson briefly and sparingly played at the end of last season, but he truly came back this weekend gaining 96 yards rushing and 70 yards receiving in the 24-6 defeat of the Arizona Cardinals.  Welcome back Burgundy Jesus!!!

Comeback Performance II

Aaron Rodgers - QB, Green Bay Packers.  After being injured in the first half, leading to a DeShone Kizer appearance, Rodgers, clearly hobbled by a left knee injury, returned to throw 3 fourth quarter touchdowns (39 yards to Geronimo Allison, 12 yards to Davante Adamns, and 75 yards to Randall Cobb), leading the Packers back from a 20-0 deficit to defeat the Chicago Bears.

Finally

Myles Garrett - DE, Cleveland Browns.  Although he showed flashes of talent last season, he did not look like a number 1 overall pick should.  Well, now he does.  Garrett had 6 overall tackles, with 2 sacks and 2 forced fumbles in a performance against a very good Alejandro Villanueva of Pittsburgh.

Impact Injury

Leonard Fournette, RB - Jacksonville Jaguars.  If Aaron Rodgers has to miss significant time, his is the most impactful injury, but since he returned to the game and we don't know Rodgers' long-term prognosis, Leonard Fournette's hamstring is the most important injury primarily because the Jaguars rely so much on defense and running the football, and secondarily because of the tremendous drop-off from Fournette to his backup T.J. Yeldon.

Team Rising

Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Dismantled what is supposed to be the best Saints defense in a number of years.  Looking like a potential playoff team from the NFC South, with or without Jameis Winston.

Team Falling

Dallas Cowboys - Managed only 8 points on next-to-no offense in a 16-8 loss to the Carolina Panthers.  Looks like this could be another year outside of the playoffs for Jerry's boys.

Best Teams
(All undefeated teams will be ranked in the top 5 until there are less than five teams, and then the rankings will consist of my true thoughts and not just records).

1. Baltimore Ravens
2. Los Angeles Rams
3. Kansas City Chiefs
4. Washington Racists
5. New York Jets

Worst Teams
(All winless teams will be bottomed ranked teams until there are less than five teams, and then the rankings will consist  of my true thoughts and not just records)

32. Buffalo Bills
31. Arizona Cardinals
30. Oakland Raiders
29. New York Giants
28. Dallas Cowboys

Middle Teams
(Middle teams based on records until the teams play a significant amount of games to gauge their true ability).

15.  Carolina Panthers
16.  Pittsburgh Steelers
17.  Cleveland Browns
18.  Chicago Bears

Statistic That May Interest Only Me

All seven new coaches in the NFL, meaning coaches coaching their first game with their current team, lost this weekend, going 0-7.

Statistic that May Interest Only Me, Part 2

Frank Gore of the Miami Dolphins needs only 14 more yards to pass Curtis Martin for 4th place on the all-time rushing chart.  He has 14,087 yards to Martin's 14,101.  Depending upon how the season unfolds, Gore has a shot to pass Barry Sanders, with 15,269 yards, for 3rd place.

Statistic that May Interest Only Me (and Sinickal and Hopps), Part 3

The Cleveland Browns tied Pittsburgh 21-21.  This is the Browns best start to a season since 2004.

Preview - Game(s) of the Week

4. Kansas City Chiefs at Pittsburgh Steelers - The Chiefs are flying high behind Patrick Mahomes and Tyreek Hill, and will fly into Pittsburgh where they will find a Steelers team that desperately needs to find its way after its week 1 tie with Pittsburgh.

3. Philadelphia Eagles at Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Tampa Bay will see if they can keep the FitzMagic going against the defending Super Bowl champions, which basically just shut down Atlanta's high flying (see what I did there) offense last week.

2. New England Patriots at Jacksonville Jaguars - In an AFC championship game re-match, the Jaguars must hope to have Leonard Fournette at close to 100% to have a chance.  If they do, it will be interesting to see what adjustments the Jaguars make on offense from last year, and the adjustments Belichick will make as well.

1. Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers - The Packers second divisional rival to ope the season.  This game will match Green Bay's explosive offense with Minnesota's stout defense.

Trivia

Chicago Bears LB Khalil Mack had a sack, forced fumble, fumble recover, interception, and touchdown in the first half of Sunday nights' game against the rival Green Bay Packers.  As widely reported, Mack was the first player since Lawrence Taylor in 1982 to record all of those statistics in one half.  Who was the last player in the NFL to accomplish this in a full game?

Sports Bar Review of the Week

Today's review is of Twin Peaks, Grease Burger Bar, located at 2224 Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard, West Palm Beach, FL

Although a chain, this place will likely be a staple of this column due to the fact that it has the best television arrangement/setup in my area.  Part of the ever-expanding "breastaurant concept", for those unfamiliar with Twin Peaks it has a hunting lodge theme with bartenders and waitresses in skimpy tied shirts and skirts.

Ambiance is simply generic-themed restaurant.  Large open space with a bar in the middle and an outdoor patio with its own bar.  Lots of large tables for groups that want to come watch games together. 

The sports feel/vibe is good.  As noted earlier, lots of televisions arranged where there is always easy access to at least four games.  Easy to watch for friends that may have different team allegiances, or for fantasy football players keeping eyes on different games.  On football Sundays, games are definitely the focus.

I ate before I went to Twin Peaks, so I cannot rate their menu at this time.

The beer selection is very good.  Lots of regular and craft beers, but Twin Peaks prides itself on the fact that it brews its own selections - Dirty Blonds, Naughty Brewnette and Drop Dead Read, to go with the misogynistic breastaurant theme.  Although noted by one in our party, they do not offer a Smooth Chocolate Stout, which might make some of the waitresses feel left out.  I partook in the Naughty Brewnette which is good, not spectacular.

Service was good, which in my experience is unusual with this establishment.  Waitress Soso (her name) deserves lots of credit for keeping us hydrated.

The bathrooms are spacious, and despite the size of the restaurant, there was never a wait, for the men or women.

Service - Philip Rivers
Drinks - Ben Roethlisberger
Food - Baker Mayfield (i.e. not yet known)
Cleanliness - Drew Brees
Sports Accommodations - Tom Brady
Overall - Russell Wilson

Rating System Based Upon Career of QBs chosen:  Meaning, even the rating system is subjective.

Trivia Answer

Check back in next week.

The Ole College Try

What a crazy couple of weeks in college football, and that is just with the University of Florida's endings.  Here is the recap of the season to date, with an emphasis on last week's games.  For those that don't remember, I write this column as if every player is a Heisman Trophy candidate. Why? Because it is ridiculously ludicrous 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 - Baker Mayfield -Oklahoma - He doesn't have the yards of Josh Rosen or Mason Rudolph, but he is 9th in passing yards, 3rd in Touchdowns, and has the biggest win of the season.  With Lamar Jackson and Mason Rudolph both having lost, and Josh Rosen having lost twice, it is going to take a lot to move Mayfield out of this position.

Rising - Will Grier - West Virginia - We wanted, and still want, the Oklahoma and Oklahoma State game to mean something, but the West Virginia - Oklahoma game on November 25 has the potential to really mean something!

Sleeper - Luke Falk - Washington State - The undefeated cougars are rolling, primarily because of Luke Falk.  He has thrown for 1378 yards, and more importantly, has completed 77 percent of his passes.  His 14 TDs to 1 interception is astounding.

Falling - Sam Darnold - USC - Struggled at times against what should have been an overmatched California Bears team.  He still may be the top pick in the draft, but he isn't the Heisman favorite.

Running Back Edition

Favorite - Saquon Barkley - Penn State - He gained 211 yards and scored 1 TD against a tough Iowa defense as the Nittany Lions eeked out a 21-19 win.  He also had 94 yards receiving off 12 receptions.  Right now nobody else is close.  Barkley is the Heisman frontrunner overall.

Rising - Bryce Love - Stanford - He leads the NCAA in rushing with 787 with a 10.8 yard per carry average.  Stanford's two losses will keep him off the Heisman podium, however.

Falling - Jordan Scarlett - Florida - Not only has he been suspended the entire season, but freshmen Malik Davis and Kadarius Toney looked way more exciting running the ball than Scarlett ever did.

Sleeper - Mark Walton - Miami - Even though Miami has only played two games because of Hurricane Irma, Walton is still 34th in rushing with a whopping 13 yards per carry.  He is going to fly up this list with more games..

Wide Receiver Edition

Favorite - James Washington - Oklahoma State - Easily the best receiver in the country.  Has 520 yards on only 19 receptions (a 27.4 ypc).

Rising - Cam Phillips - Virginia Tech - 34 receptions, an NCAA best 523 yards and 5 TDs.

Falling - Ahmmon Richards - Miami - Last year's freshman All-American has yet to play this season.

Sleeper - Steve Ishmael - Syracuse - Leads the NCAA in receptions with 45, including 11 grabs in a close 35-26 defeat at LSU.  Plus, he was just added to the Biletnekoff Award watch list.

Defensive Edition

5.  Khalil Hodge.- LB - Buffalo - 52 total tackles, including 1 forced fumble.  Primarily on here because the last time Buffalo had a LB named Khalil - he turned out to be pretty good (Mack).

4.  Demetrius Monday - CB - Kent State - Your NCAA leader with 4 interceptions.

3.  Peter Kalamabayi - DE - Stanford - Leads the NCAA with 8 sacks, and he does it in a tough conference.

2.  Anthony Winbush - DE - Louisville - He has 8 sacks and leads the NCAA with 3 forced fumbles.

1.  Frank Ginda - LB - San Jose State - Leads the NCAA in tackles with 73 (21 more than the next highest total).  And it isn't because he is the only player on the defense that can tackle opponents, as teammate, safety Ethan Aguayo, is 5th in the NCAA in tackles with 48.

Player(s) to Watch

Keith Bryant - QB - Clemson - He doesn't have the eye-popping stats that DeShaun Watson did, and he may not look as exciting as DeShaun Watson did, but he does look in control of a team that looks destined for the playoffs.

My New Favorite Player

Logan Woodside - QB - Toledo - The senior is in complete control of an extraordinary offense, and he looks well on his way to another 4,000 yard passing season.  This is what a guy that stays four years at a mid-major school looks like - a great college quarterback.  He may not translate to the NFL, but he looks great for Toledo.

Players of the Week (Just Week 2)

5.  Mark Walton - RB - Miami - He gained 204 yards on only 11 carries in Miami's victory over Toledo after a three-week layoff due to Hurricane Irma.

4.  Manny Wilkens - QB - Arizona State - He threw for 347 yards in the Sun Devils' upset victory over Oregon.

3. Zach Smtih - QB - Baylor - The only loser on this list, but he kept Baylor in the game against Oklahoma falling 49-41 despite his 403 yards and 4 TDs on 33-50 passing.

2.  Bryce Love - RB - Stanford - he rushed for 263 yards as the Cardinal stomped UCLA.

1. Saquon Barkley - RB - Penn State - He gained 305 total yards from scrimmage, and Penn State needed every yard in a close victory over Iowa.

Goat of the Week (Player Edition)

Nick Haynes - OL - Kentucky - His 10 yard late game holding penalty proved costly as the Wildcats missed a very long field goal at the buzzer by a mere 3 or 4 yards.  The fact that it wasn't a holding penalty notwithstanding, Haynes has to feel awful for costing Kentucky its first win against the Gators in 31 tries.

Goat of the Week (Coach Edition)

Mike Gundy - Oklahoma State - The Cowboys, who seemed on track for a potential playoff-qualifying rivalry game against Oklahoma, just were not ready/prepared for Texas Christian.  Playing in the Big 12 with one loss will not get you into the playoffs.

Predicted Playoffs/Championship Match Ups

Alabama (1) v. USC (4)/ (2) Clemson v. (3) Oklahoma

Again, still way too early to tell as tons of teams are still alive.

Final Unbeatens

Alabama, Central Florida, Clemson, Duke, Georgia, Memphis, Miami, Michigan, Minnesota, Navy, Oklahoma, Penn State, San Diego State, South Florida, Texas Christian, Texas Tech, USC, University of Texas - San Antonio, Utah, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, Washington, Washington State, Wisconsin

Rant(s) of the Week

No rants this week.  Which in and of itself is an upset.

Under Performance of the Week

Oklahoma State.  This was supposed to be the year they challenged for the Big 12 title; which they still can.  But losing to TCU doesn't help matters.

Last Year's Trivia Answer (or perhaps even two years ago)

As a reminder, the question was:

UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen threw for at least 300 yards for the 12th time in his collegiate career, breaking the school record held by whom?

The answer is Cade McNown.

Trivia Question of the Week

Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson has set the school record for touchdown passes with his 88th TD in last week's game.  Whose record did he break?

Match up(s) to Watch

5. Miami v. Duke - Other than my number 1 game to watch, this is the game of the week that could go a long way to determining a place in the ACC championship game, as 2 unbeatens play at the site of one of the more crazier endings in NCAA history.

4.  Mississippi State v. Auburn - The winner takes a big step forward in seeing who the number one contender is against Alabama in the SEC west.

3. Vanderbilt v. Florida - Not because this will be a good game, but have you seen the last two endings in Florida's last two games?

2.  USC v. Washington State - Can Luke Falk make a big step toward making Washington State a real contender in the Pac-12?  He can with a win over USC.

1.  Clemson v. Virginia Tech - Two undefeated ACC teams with incredibly strong defenses face-off in Blacksburg, which I can attest is an excellent college football crowd..

The Ole College Try

What a crazy week 2 in college football.  Ohio State goes down as Oklahoma thumps the Buckeyes in teh Horseshoe.  Here is week 2 recap.  For those that don't remember, I write this column as if every player is a Heisman Trophy candidate. Why? Because it is ridiculously ludicrous 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 - Baker Mayfield -Oklahoma - He was 27-35 for 386 yards and 3 TDs at Ohio State in what is the biggest win to date for any quarterback in college.

Rising - Mason Rudolph - Oklahoma State - Two lightweights to start the season (Tulsa and and South Alabama), but he has taken care of business with two 350+ yard games, and has set up a tremendously potential Bedlam.

Sleeper - Shea Patterson - Mississippi - The Rebel sophomore has been outstanding in his first two games totaling 918 yards passing and 9 touchdowns in his first two starts.  The SEC is pretty devoid of good quarterback play, so there could be a chance that Patterson is a truly unique quarterback that could confound defenses enough for Ole Miss to succeed.

Falling - J.T. Barrett - Ohio State - I blame Urban Meyer, who has yo-yoed Barrett with Braxton Miller and Cardale Jones throughout his carrier.  Anyone who saw this game against Oklahoma realizes Barrett is not the same player that he used to be.

Running Back Edition

Favorite - Saquon Barkley - Penn State - Only 88 yards against Pittsburgh, but he wasn't needed; he only had 14 carries.  He is clearly the running back to watch, if a running back is going to have a chance to win the Heisman.

Rising - Royce Freeman - Oregon - Freeman gained 153 yards and scored 2 touchdowns in Oregon's victory over Nebraska.  For the season he has 303 yards and 6 TDs, and for his career he has over 4400 yards and has scored 50 TDs.

Falling - Nick Chubb - Georgia - Although extremely talented, he has to share the backfield with Sony Michel, and was outgained 73-63 (on an equal 13 carries) against Notre Dame as the Bulldogs fell to the Irish.

Sleeper - Bryce Love - Stanford - Has rushed for 340 yards, including 160 yards in a loss against USC.

Wide Receiver Edition

Favorite - James Washington - Oklahoma State - He had only 2 receptions against South Alabama, but he gained 98 yards and scored a touchdown.  Limited playing time in a blowout does not hurt his Heisman case.

Rising - Deontay Burnett - USC - He had 9 catches for 121 yards and 2 TDs in the Trojans rout of Stanford.  He has 16 catches for 263 yards on the season.

Falling - Calvin Ridley - Alabama - Again, this is truly not a knock on Ridley, but Alabama spreads the ball around too much for anyone other than the quarterback to post spectacular numbers this year.  Ridley was the leading receiver for the Crimson Tide, with 5 catches for 45 yards.

Defensive Edition

5.  Brody Hoying.- CB - Eastern Michigan - He has 2 interceptions for 106 return yards.

4.  Quin Blanding - S - Virginia - One of the best tackling safeties in college, he has 24 total tackles through the first two games.

3.  Austin Bryant - DE - Clemson - Not the best of the Clemson defensive lineman, so he will not be in this list long, but for now he has 4 sacks, and deserves mention.

2.  Daniel Bitulli - LB - Tennessee - He has 28 total tackles on the season, and in the SEC, he will likely have the opportunities for lots more.

1.  Anthony Winbush - DE - Louisville - He has 4 1/2 sacks and 7 tackles for losses.

Player(s) to Watch

Will Grier - QB - West Virginia - He has thrown for 723 yards and 8 TDs - against 1 interception.  And we should all know that West Virginia loves to throw it around.

My New Favorite Player

Diocemy Saint Juste - RB - Hawaii - He has 434 yards rushing to lead the NCAA, and he is from Boynton Beach, Florida - just down the street.  What a combo!

Players of the Week (Just Week 2)

5.  Jacob Park - QB - Iowa State - He threw for 347 yards and 4 TDs as the Cyclones took in-state rival Iowa into double overtime.

4.  Akrum Wadley - RB - Iowa - He had a tremendous game, gaining 118 yards rushing and 72 yards receiving, with one TD each on the ground and through the air, including the game tying TD with 1:09 left in the game.

3. Lamar Jackson - QB - Louisville - He had a ho-hum 393 yards passing with 132 yards rushing, with a total of 6 TDs.

2.  Mason Rudolph - QB - Oklahoma State - Threw for 335 yards and 3 TDs, and he isn't even the best quarterback in his state.

1. Baker Mayfield - QB - Oklahoma - Torched the vaunted Ohio State defense for 386 yards and 3 TDs, on 27-35 passing as Oklahoma beat Ohio State 31-16 in Columbus.

Goat of the Week (Player Edition)

J.T. Barrett - QB - Ohio State - He had a QB rating of 21.1 in a showcase battle of two top 5 teams, at home.

Goat of the Week (Coach Edition)

Hurricane Irma - canceling or postponing games with Florida State, Miami, Florida and South Florida, all of which are ranked.

Predicted Playoffs/Championship Match Ups

Alabama (1) v. USC (4)/ (2) Oklahoma v. (3) Clemson

Obviously way too early to tell as tons of teams are still alive.

Final Unbeatens

Way too many to rank at this point, but this will become fun as more teams start to lose.

Rant(s) of the Week

My rant this week is about Hurricane Irma, and I am sick and tired of talking about her, so I will leave it at that.

Under Performance of the Week

Obviously Ohio State.  At home, and they get hammered by Oklahoma.  Did I mention they were at home?

Last Year's Trivia Answer (or perhaps even two years ago)

As a reminder, the question was:

Entering this season, Penn State junior running back Saquon Barkley needed only 1,360 yards (or less than he gained just last year) to become the all-time leading rusher in Nittany Lion history.  That list is star-studded.  Which player is the career rushing leader for Penn State?

Penn State has had a number of terrific running backs who have had stellar careers:  Curt Warner, Blair Thomas, Curtis Enis, D.J. Dozier, Larry Johnson, Ki-Jana Carter, Matt Suhey, John Cappelletti.  But, the answer to this question is none of them.

The answer is Evan Royster, who gained 3,932 yards from 2007-2010.

Trivia Question of the Week

UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen threw for at least 300 yards for the 12th time in his collegiate career, breaking the school record held by whom?

Match up(s) to Watch

5.  LSU v. Mississippi State - Are Ed Ogeron and Matt Canada actually good for Danny Etling?  Can Mississippi make a run for the non-Alabama SEC West title?  This game will go a long way toward deciding these questions.

4.  Illinois v. South Florida - The ranked Bulls return from their Hurricane Irma postponement to take on an undefeated Big 5 conference team.

3. Tennessee v. Florida - Two ranked SEC teams play in the Swam, on the heels of Hurricane Irma's Sherman-esque trek through the Sunshine State.  This game is being played on the date, at them, and in the place as originally scheduled.  But the real reason I am looking forward to this game is that I will be at my family reunion where my uncle, who used to live in Knoxville, will have the opportunity to watch the game with my wife, a UF alumna.

2.  Harvard v. Rhode Island - Opening game for Harvard, as the Ivy League only plays a 10 game season.

1.  Clemson v. Louisville - We know that Lamar Jackson can play, but can he play against this devastating defensive line?  It will be much more difficult with captain/wide receiver Devante Peete out for the season.  Nevertheless, Louisville's offensive can still be spectcular, as can Clemson's defensive.  The question will be whether the other units step up.  My money is on Clemson's offense over Louisville's defense.

The Ole College Try

Welcome to the return of the almost weekly perspective of college football. I took last year off, so I am going to try to do this as often as possible.  For those that don't remember, I write this column as if every player is a Heisman Trophy candidate. Why? Because it is ridiculously ludicrous 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 - Josh Rosen -UCLA - Best quarter, ever?  UCLA entered the fourth quarter against Texas A&M down 44-10, and rallied for a 45-44 victory, largely behind the passing of Josh Rosen.  Sure, some of the completed pass were lucky, but they happened.  Rosen finished 35-50 for 491 yards and 4 TDs.

Rising - Mason Rudolph - Oklahoma State - Sure it was against Tulsa, but Rudolph was 20-24 for 303 yards and 3 TDs.  That is a tremendous completion percentage for that high a yards per attempt average.  Now, if only they could beat Oklahoma.

Sleeper - Will Grier - West Virginia - The Florida transfer was 31-53 for 371 yards and 3TDs against one of the staunchest defenses in the NCAA, Virginia Tech.  The loss definitely hurts, but if West Virginia can run through the Big 12 and he puts up numbers, we should keep an eye on him.

Falling - Lamar Jackson - Louisville - Ok, so he isn't really falling.  But as the defending Heisman winner, if he isn't first then by definition he is falling.  He had a great game against Purdue, going 30-46 for 378 and 2 TDs, to go along with 107 rushing yards.

Seriously Falling - DeAndre Francois - FSU - Too soon?

Running Back Edition

Favorite - Saquon Barkley - Penn State - He rushed for 172 yards on only 14 carries as Penn State manhandled Akron.  We will have to wait to see how he handles the meat of the schedule before he truly challenges the quarterbacks, Jackson, Rosen and Sam Darnold.

Rising - Mark Walton - Miami - He gained 148 yards on only 16 carries against Bethune-Cookman, but he looked every bit the part of star running back.  Simultaneously ran over, and through defenders.  He will definitely play on Sundays.

Falling - Jonathan Taylor - Wisconsin - Wisconsin's leading rusher only gained 87 yards for the game.  Granted, it was only on 9 carries, as Wisconsin dominated Utah State, but to win the Heisman, you have to pile up numbers against the poorer teams.

Sleeper - Trayveon Williams - Texas A&M - Despite the heartbreaking loss to UCLA, Williams amassed 203 rushing yards on 22 carries with 2 TDs.  He will engage in a season-long battle for the SEC rushing title with Derrius Guice.

Wide Receiver Edition

Favorite - James Washington - Oklahoma State - The best wide receiver in college gained 145 yards on 6 receptions, 2 of which went for touchdowns.

Rising - James Williams - Washington State - He had an outstanding first game - albeit against Montana State - teaming up with Luke Falk for 13 receptions, 163 yards and 2 TDs.  Falk will keep throwing, and somebody is going to have to catch them.

Falling - Calvin Ridley - Alabama - This is truly not a knock on Ridley, but Alabama spreads the ball around too much for anyone other than the quarterback to post spectacular numbers this year.

Sleeper - Deon Cain - Clemson - His numbers are not going to jump off the page, but if Clemson can keep itself in the national title picture even given the graduation of DeShaun Watson, Cain is going to be a big reason why.

Defensive Edition

5.  Anthony Winbush. - DE - Ball State - He already has 3 sacks on the season, and would be ranked higher if he was playing against better competition.

4.  Joe Ferguson - S - Wisconsin - He had a 99 yard interception return for a touchdown, which means he already has 1 more touchdown than the entire offense of the Florida Gators.

3.  Daniel Bitulli - LB - Tennessee - He totaled 23 tackles - yes 23 (10 solo) - in the double overtime victory over Georgia Tech in the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium.  Only ranked third because he total tackles comes primarily because the team could not stop the running attack of the  Yellow Jackets.

2.  Josey Jewell - DE - Iowa - The leader of an always stingy defense, Jewell sacked potential first round pick Josh Allen twice.

1.  Andrew Motuapuaka - LB - Virginia Tech - He himself looked dominant against West Virgina, totaling 12 tackles and a sack in the Hokies victory over West Virginia.

Player(s) to Watch

Bryce Love - RB - Stanford - Who is going to replace Christian McCaffrey?  How about Bryce Love, who rushed for 180 yards on 13 carries against Rice.  Not the receiver that McCaffrey is (but who is?), but will help Stanford play the tough, ground it out game for which they are known.

My New Favorite Player

Will Grier - QB - West Virginia - Since Tim Tebow, 5 quarterbacks have transferred from Florida, with 3 of them ending up in the NFL; Cam Newton, Jacoby Brissett, Jeff Driskel (Bengals IR), Treon Harris at Tennessee State) and Will Grier.  Can you name on QB from Florida that stayed and did anything?

Players of the Week (Just Week 2)

5.  Kelly Bryant - QB - Clemson - Not spectacular (16-22, 236 yards, 1 TD; 77 rushing yards, 1 TD), but showed enough to keep alive talk of a potential repeat.

4.  Baker Mayfield - QB - Oklahoma - One of the favorites to make the college football playoff, Mayfield started the season 19-20 for 329 yards and 3 TDs.

3. Lamar Jackson - QB - Louisville - See above.

2.  Josh Rosen - If he had played well the first three quarters he might have been the number 1 player of the week.

1. TaQuon Marshall - QB - Georgia Tech - His 5-9 for 120 yards passing is only dessert compared to his 249 yards rushing and 5 touchdowns against Tennessee.

Goat of the Week (Player Edition)

Antonio Calloway - Florida - As the best of the 10 players suspended from the Gators for defrauding the university, he takes to goat of the week.

Goat of the Week (Coach Edition)

Jim McElwain - Florida - Fresh off the shark-hugging scandal (OK, not really), McElwain showed his mettle by switching out Franks for Malik Zaire, when it is clear neither of them deserve to be playing upper-level NCAA football.The Gators gained a total of 192 yards, a large chunk on the first drive that led to a field goal.

Predicted Playoffs/Championship Match Ups

Alabama (1) v. Oklahoma (4)/ (2) Ohio State v. (3) USC

Obviously way too early to tell as tons of teams are still alive.

Final Unbeatens

Way too many to rank at this point, but this will become fun as teams start to lose.

Rant(s) of the Week

This has been a problem since the NCAA created the targeting penalty, but the NCAA either needs to make clear to the officials, the teams, the players and the fans exactly what targeting is, or they need to stop enforcing the penalty (or at least the suspension part of the penalty).  There are too many inconsistencies from conference-to-conference, week-to-week, game-to-game, and sometimes even play-to-play for the players and teams to have any idea of what exactly is targeting.  We can quote the definition of it to each other all we want, but that does not stop the inconsistency.  It is not as subjective as you would think.

Under Performance of the Week

Ordinarily, Tennessee would qualify for this award, but playing against Georgia Tech's triple option is difficult, but more importantly, unusual.  Also, Ohio State struggled for a while against Indiana, but the Hoosiers have some really good players and Ohio State snapped out of their funk scoring more in the third quarter than Indiana did all game.  Texas A & M collapsed, but they did put up 44 points and thoroughly dominated the first 3 quarters of their game.  This means the title goes to:

The Washington Huskies.  They did not look all that good in a victory against Rutgers.  Of course, Rutgers could have a decent season and end up making us change our minds about Washington's 30-14 victory.

Last Year's Trivia Answer (or perhaps even two years ago)

As a reminder, the question was:

Florida coach Jim McElwain was caught chastising running back Kelvin Taylor on the sideline after Taylor was penalized 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct after performing a throat slash upon scoring a touchdown.  Who was the last Florida coach to noticeably explode on the sideline during a game?

The easy answer to this was Will Muschamp, or as he is known more colloquially - Coach Boom.

Trivia Question of the Week

Entering this season, Penn State junior running back Saquon Barkley needed only 1,360 yards (or less than he gained just last year) to become the all-time leading rusher in Nittany Lion history.  That list is star-studded.  Which player is the career rushing leader for Penn State?


Match up(s) to Watch

5.  All of the games affected by Hurricane Irma, whether the start times were moved up, postponed or just canceled, best wishes to all those people, fans, teams, schools and players in Irma's path.

4.  Georgia v. Notre Dame - Notre Dame is supposed to have a new, strong defense after going 4-8 last year whereas Georgia has a new QB, Jake Fromm, after Jacob Eason suffered an early injury.  I want to watch this game just to see how each of these ranked teams look.

3. Stanford v. USC - An early game that could help determine the Pac-12 champion, as well as put the winner on the pace for a berth into the playoffs.

2.  Auburn v. Clemson - Pundits and Auburn fans think this year's team has the ability to put them back into the upper echelon of the SEC, and thus college football.  Pundits and Clemson fans think that this defensive line alone gives them the chance to repeat.  It will be interesting to see how this game can shape the national projections.

1.  Oklahoma v. Ohio State - Ohio State does not make the playoffs last year without their early-season victory over Oklahoma.  Both teams keep this game on the schedule to help with the committee.  What would help more?  Winning this game.