It’s Thanksgiving, and I know just how much you all appreciate what I’ve done for you this NFL season. No need for overreaction on how valuable I am to you, just continue to read these articles and relax. After all, that Tryptophan coma is best enjoyed when your mind is clear. Enjoy the turkey, the beer, the family and, most importantly, the football.
The Giants Need to Find Eli’s Replacement ASAP
I’m getting annoyed talking about this overreaction. However, New York is my favorite team, and I will continue to watch no matter what. Look, I get it. Eli has not played great this year, but he also hasn’t played poorly. On pace for another 3,500+ yard passing season, a QBR in the high 80’s, and just six picks. When you consider all the injuries to the wideouts, the lack of a legitimate offensive line and no true running back, Eli has been the least of the Giants worries.
Where the problem lies is in the mentality of the head coach and front office. Ben McAdoo is an arrogant fool who doesn’t get how go routes on 3rd and 4 with his team still in the game is a bad idea. He also doesn’t understand how the press dare question his “ability” to motivate his players who keep getting kicked around each week. As for the front office, Jerry Reese has yet to do anything to upgrade the offense leaving that to a “supposedly” talented offensive mind. Instead, the Giants GM thinks Ereck Flowers is still the answer at left tackle and continuing to spend money on the defense will help.
New York will most likely have the #3 pick in the draft in April 2018. That pick MUST be used on Quentin Nelson, the lineman from Notre Dame (and New Jersey local). Then, they can go out and sign Darren Sproles (who you can get for less than the $4.5MM Philadelphia paid him this year) and give Eli one last shot with a healthy team. After all, he is under contract for two more years.
Kansas City Is Going to Mess This Up
We need to define “mess this up” first. Sure the Chiefs were the best team in the NFL in September. And yes, they looked like a dominant team ready to roll on to Minneapolis through the first five weeks of the season. But they have since lost four of their last five, including a 12-9 suckfest in overtime to the Giants. Their lone win in that stretch was a beat down of division rival Denver. KC is still two games up in the AFC West and has two of their remaining three divisional games at home (where they are 3-1). They won’t mess up winning the division.
Home field advantage? A trip to the Super Bowl? That might be different. The Chiefs have somehow stopped doing what got them off to such a hot start. Kareem Hunt’s use has dwindled. He hasn’t rushed for 100 yards since Week 5 and twice has been limited to single-digit carries. Meanwhile, Andy Reid’s playcalling has become more conservative again. They no longer look for those big plays, opting for bubble screens and “chunk” plays. Go back to what you started doing, and you may get a home game in the playoffs. After that, who knows? This week against Buffalo is a great place to start. Speaking of which…
Sean McDermott is a Smart Head Coach
Oh. My. GOD. Didn’t I write, just last week, about staying with your horse? Keeping your QB there until you 100% know you shouldn’t? Clearly, Sean McDermott doesn’t read these posts (Hey, Bills Mafia, help a brother out). McDermott announced late last week that Tyrod Taylor would be benched in favor of rookie Nathan Peterman, who promptly threw five picks IN THE FIRST HALF of Buffalo’s 54-24 embarrassment at the hands of the Los Angeles Chargers. Talk about an overreaction with no cause.
Now, he has the nerve to say he’s still evaluating the quarterback position. WHAT?!?! You’re a team that entered Week 11 with a playoff spot! Hell, if the season ended today, you’d still have a playoff spot. I know you’ve lost three straight with two of them being bad losses to the Jets and Chargers, but c’mon man! Benching a guy with six total picks all year for a dude who threw five in 14 pass attempts was moronic. But to then say you still haven’t decided who your starter will be this week is…do we even have a word for how idiotic that is? Wow.
Pittsburgh is the Best Challenger to New England
This may be one of my weaker overreaction takes but here it goes. I know the Steelers dominated Tennessee last Thursday and if you listen to my “Press Row” podcast (link below), I mentioned that I was waiting for Pittsburgh to show me something. I still am.
Yes, Pittsburgh is 8-2 and tied for home-field advantage in the AFC right now. And I know they are 5-1 on the road, something that has always been a struggle for Mike Tomlin. Where my issues lie is that the offensive line has still given up 34 sacks on the season; not good when Big Ben has already begun questioning his ability. Another thing is that their road wins haven’t been that impressive. Sure they dominated Baltimore, but they barely beat Cleveland and Indianapolis. Two squads, you and I would be able to beat.
With an Aaron Rodgers-less Packers team coming to town this week, a lackluster Bengals squad in Cincinnati the week after, I just don’t trust their record to indicate how good or bad they are. Plus, the way New England is playing right now reaffirms my belief that nobody can stop them from another trip to the Super Bowl.
Not-So-Crazy Overreaction: The Saints Should be the NFC Favorite
I don’t know about you guys, but football is great when the New Orleans Saints are great. And dammit if this team isn’t amazing. A squad many thought would be wallowing in the basement of the NFC South is 8-2 after a 0-2 start, and they are smoking squads. More importantly, they are winning on the road (something they never do) and doing it with the run (something they’ve NEVER done).
As a team, the Saints rank third in the NFL in points (30.2) and rushing yards (144), second in passing yards (271.7) and first in total yards (415.7). Drew Brees has almost become the “secondary” option on offense, which is just scary. Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram may be the best backfield tandem this year, and it’s not even close. Not to mention the way they’ve won their last two games. A blowout over Buffalo, on the road with six rushing TD’s, and a comeback win over Washington at home when they scored 15 points in six minutes to force overtime.
If you’ve never been to a game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, you can’t appreciate just how much that crowd helps them. If they keep playing like this, it will help them all the way to a date with New England in February.
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