The Chicago Bears making the playoffs is probably the worst thing that could happen to this organization. The Bears needed to win versus Green Bay or hope for a Cardinals loss, a team who has stumbled two weeks in a row, to get into the playoffs. They say when you get in the playoffs anything can happen. Bears get in with the Cardinals loss and played a good game for the most part versus the Packers. Even so, they still lost the game on Sunday 35-16. The score does not tell you it was a close game as things unraveled at the end for the Bears. When the Bears faced the Packers for the first time this season, many thought that was the end for the Midway Monsters in 2020. The Bears were on a horrible skid at the time and were skinned alive by Aaron Rodgers. Three wins in a row at the end of this season with a reborn Mitch Trubisky the difference. Combined with some stumbling from other teams, gets the Bears in the post season for the first time since the double doink game against the Eagles in 2019. Now the Bears have a date with the Saints in New Orleans. What does this post season appearance mean for the future of the Bears?
Making the playoffs at an uninspired 8-8 to me, is the Bears will now use that as to get the band back together.
Bringing back Ryan Pace who plays the horns at GM. Matt Nagy will still be head coach beating his drum. This gives the Bears a chance to justify Mitch Trubisky being reborn as the lead singer. Even if the Bears shock the Saints, will they win in the divisional round? Bears making the playoffs and now they are looking at number 19 in the upcoming draft. If they beat the Saints, that number will rise into the 20’s. This is a team that needs to actually hit a Home Run on their first round pick, especially with a roster with many holes to fill. Making the Post-season most likely takes the Bears out of a chance at one of the top quarterbacks in the draft as well.
The only way I bring back the same cast of characters is if this team win the entire enchilada. The Superbowl!! I don’t trust Ryan Pace finding another quarterback or addressing the offensive line that has killed the Bears for years. Ryan Pace used 6th or 7th round draft picks on offensive linemen that would be projects, and need good coaching for years to develop them. This was a team that needed O-Line help all year. Then the quarterback position for which Ryan Pace should have grabbed the sure thing in Deshaun Watson back in 2017. Pace even traded away draft capital to move up, thinking the 49ers wanted Trubisky. Then the trade for Nick Foles again taking on salary and trading away draft capital like it’s toilet paper. Pace way OVERPAID for the services of Defensive End Robert Quinn who has done nothing since his arrival from Dallas as a free agent. Leonard Floyd had more sacks than Quinn, a guy they released. All the bad first round picks have added up. The Bears still to me don’t have a top receiver. Allen Robinson, who has not gotten a contract extension, will probably get overpaid for his services. They should have signed him earlier in the season for cheaper money if they don’t plan on blowing this up. I think Robinson is a number two receiver. Or the best number two out of a group of two’s; what the Bears lack in playmakers they make up with no good intentions. Now they could franchise Robinson if they want him back for too much money and paying top 5 in the league.
Then the great Matt Nagy. I continue to hear he has a winning record in his tenure as the head coach of the Bears. How many of those wins have come from having a good defense in place when this guy took the job? Matt Nagy is a stubborn guy. Uses his War and Peace playbook like the ten commandments in the bible instead of making a game plan around the quarterback’s strengths. Matt Nagy finally gave up calling the plays offensively and handed those responsibilities to his Offensive coordinator. The Bears have finally installed a game plan that works for a reborn Mitch Trubisky. Mitch Trubisky has played better, but still makes bone headed mistakes in the red zone like versus the Packers on Sunday throwing an interception. Can you judge Mitch Trubisky by doing well versus a bad Vikings defense, a bad Texans defense and very bad Jaguars team down the stretch? How many more games will it take head coach Matt Nagy to get a Mitch Trubisky to not make college mistakes in a pro game? Nagy was an offensive guru, a quarterback whisperer, and has failed in both Trubisky and Nick Foles. Nagy tries to be cute too many times on multiple plays over his tenure that are totally obvious. Especially on short yardage plays. Most of the time, his team abandoned the running game that has finally worked down the stretch. Does that give you hope to bring Matt Nagy back?
It’s simple. All three of these guys need to go. Ryan Pace should not have a chance to draft another quarterback. Mitch Trubisky needs new scenery and his best talents serve as a back up quarterback in the NFL anyone else except the Bears. Matt Nagy, Chuch Pagano, and the entire staff should be replaced. The Bears defense once upon a time ago in 2018 was scary. The defense unit under Pagano has been good but not like it was and getting to the quarterback with pressure. The Chicago Bulls in the early 1990’s fired Doug Collins and had the young Michael Jordan teams in the playoffs, but they got the same results being eliminated early in post season. Phil Jackson took over and the team won six titles. Matt Nagy does not have this Bears team even close to those Bulls teams that were just waiting for the final piece. A different voice to get them over the hump. Bears have plenty of work to do with this roster to get them to be a serious playoff team every year. It might be better to blow it all up now and start over. Especially with aging defense with window pretty much open up only a smidge these days. The Bears have too many bad contracts tying up the salary cap. Plus nobody that can play the quarterback position, which they say is the most important on the field. The quickest way is to wheel and deal most of this roster and collect draft picks. Look at the Dolphins who did the same thing and they almost made the playoffs in a very tough AFC. The team drafted well before this season, spent money in the key positions, and their defense was one of the best units in the league. Dolphins are going to be an up and coming team for years to come. That’s what we thought the Bears would be after the Eagles lost. What has the eye test shown you ever since? A team that has regressed. A team with the same questions before they started becoming a great team, playing a weaker schedule in 2018. Mark my words, the band will be back together after the loss in the Big Easy. It will be business as usual at Halas Hall.
Bills are playing for the number two seed. Dolphins are trying to enter post-season. Dolphins will be without their closer, because Ryan Fitzpatrick is on the Covid list. Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa in the cold with a much improved defense, gives the Bills the edge in this one.
DALLAS COWBOYS AT NEW YORK GIANTS
OUR PICK:COWBOYS
Both teams need to win and rely on help from others. Cowboys have been rolling. Giants can’t score. Last time Giants beat the Cowboys was back in 2016. Andy Dalton is playing better, and he will engineer some scoring drives. Giants will keep it close. Cowboys squeak one out.
BALTIMORE RAVENS AT CINCINNATI BENGALS
OUR PICK:RAVENS
You could say both these teams have been rolling. Bengals surprised a Steeler team on the verge of falling like a Jenga tower… one last brick. KABOOM!!!
Ravens have won 4 in a row and are clicking on all cylinders. Will it be too much for the Bengals to handle?
PITTSBURGH STEELERS AT CLEVELAND BROWNS
OUR PICK:BROWNS
Steelers are resting Big Ben Roethlisberger in this one. I think Browns seeing Mason Rudolf will spark old time memories like the running of the Bulls in Spain.
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS AT SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
OUR PICK:SEAHAWKS
Seahawks will not be surprised by a third string quarterback of the 49ers like the Cardinals were last week.
MINNESOTA VIKINGS AT DETROIT LIONS
OUR PICK:VIKINGS
Lions have already been confirming off-season plans and checked out weeks ago.
ATLANTA FALCONS AT TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
OUR PICK:BUCCANEERS
Buccaneers want that top wild card slot. That means they play a bad NFC East team on the road in the wild card round. Tom Brady could spot the Falcons points and still beat Matt Ryan in regulation which seems to be the common trend.
NEW YORK JETS AT NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
OUR PICK:JETS
I think many of the Patriots don’t even want to be there. Players have one week left in the season, and are not worried about being in Head Coach Bill Belichick’s dog house. In the off-season the players can just hang up on the coach. Coach Belichick better stock up on some disposable phones.
LA CHARGERS AT KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
OUR PICK:CHARGERS
Chiefs resting all their guys. Chargers are on a hot streak and may be trying to save their head coach’s job for next year. Justin Herbert could get a rookie record in passing yards which could be a nice thing to play for.
GREEN BAY PACKERS AT CHICAGO BEARS
OUR PICK:BEARS
Bears have risen up from the cave, but once again are feeding off bottom of the barrel teams like they did earlier in the season. Green Bay has the top seed with a bye to play for. Aaron Rodgers does not like losing to the Bears.
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS AT INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
OUR PICK:COLTS
Jaguars have checked out. Colts should have won last week coughing up a late lead late in that one to the Steelers. Colts were shocked by the Jaguars in week one which is Jacksonville’s only win. Colts are playing for post-season, either the division or wild card. A Jaguar beatdown is like Old Yeller getting shot in the head, but picture a ugly cartoon cat with smurf tongue. That needs to happen.
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS AT CAROLINA PANTHERS
OUR PICK:SAINTS
All the Saints running backs may be on the Covid list in this week 17 match up with the Panthers. Tayson Hill, the Swiss Army knife, could easily run the ball 20 times and do well at that position as he is jack of all trades.
TENNESSEE TITANS AT HOUSTON TEXANS
OUR PICK:TITANS
JJ Watt’s rant and rave may be the death blow and take all the wind out of the Texans 2020 season. Meanwhile Titans still have a chance to win the division, and will be seeking blood from their loss to the Packers that was a beat down. Titans will get some respect and find a way back to the post-season.
VEGAS RAIDERS AT DENVER BRONCOS
OUR PICK:RAIDERS
Head coach Jon Gruden will have his Raiders wanting to avoid a losing season in their first year in Vegas. Going 8-8 is better than 7-9, which is not the booby prize but a step up.
I wonder what the playoffs prize would look like?
ARIZONA CARDINALS AT LA RAMS
OUR PICK:RAMS
Rams have shot themselves in the foot with the Jets loss. Then they lost their quarterback versus the Seahawks. The Cardinals were beaten by a third string quarterback last week from the 49ers. Kyle Murray is feeling the HURT. A must win game for both teams with playoffs on the line. Rams defense steps up in a big way as Cardinals do better in week 17 and get beat this time by a second string quarterback instead of third.
THE WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM AT PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
OUR PICK:THE TEAM
River Boat Ron’s gamble will pay off in a strategic move cutting ties with Dwayne Haskins. I think this will give a boost of confidence to Taylor Heinickle since Alex Smith still out. The Washington Football Team’s defense will show up in a big way to an Eagle team that is skin and bones at the finish line. Love to see the Washington Football Team come into Eagle-land with their old Redskin uniforms.
OUR FINAL REGULAR SEASON APPROACH IN NFL WEEK 17 POWER RANKINGS
We are landing the plane somehow in this crazy week 17.
Who’s going to get in the playoffs? Will the Packers end the Bears’ season a second time in the same season? Many playoff spots are still open. Week 17 could be a game of musical chairs when everything is all said and done for this week. A week where all the games are on Sunday. We still poke fun at every team we think needs to be poked. Who will be resting their players this Sunday? Some teams have quarterbacks no one has ever heard of starting for their team with the playoffs on the line. Will they succeed? Open up a can of beer, make it a tall boy, and let’s get our buzz on as week 17 the final week of regular season has arrived on time…….
CHEERS!!!!!
#1.KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (14-1) SAME Chiefs have put themselves in the perfect position to repeat, and win back to back Superbowls. Chiefs have clinched the number one seed giving them a first round bye in the AFC. Only the number one seeds in each conference this season get the bye in the first round due to the extra wild card this season. The Chiefs get to rest some of their starters in week 17, a game versus the Chargers that will not mean anything. Patrick Mahomes will watch this one from the sidelines while journeyman Chad Henne gets the nod behind center.
Henne was drafted by the Dolphins and last time he started a game in the NFL, was with the Jaguars in 2014. Last time Henne won a start was back in 2013 with those same Jaguars. This will be Chad Henne’s first ever start in a Chiefs uniform. Henne’s record as a starter is 18-35 for his career. Henne needs two touchdown passes to reach the 60 plateau for his career as he stands on 58 currently.
#2.GREEN BAY PACKERS (12-3) SAME Many people including myself said the Green Bay Packers defense might be somewhat the only weakness the team has. On Sunday night, the Packers held a high power offense to a meager 14 points. The Titans have one of the best running backs in the league in Derrick Henry. Packers just demolished the Titans in a 40-14 beat down. Packers in week 17 still need to win to clinch homefield throughout and the first round bye in the NFC. Who’s up next, the Bears? Bears were dead in the water when these two teams met weeks ago as the Packers throttled them. Bears need a win to get in the playoffs. Aaron Rodgers is 20-5 versus the Bears including a win in the 2010 NFC championship game. The Packers will have to win without one of Aaron Rodgers’ security guards as they lost OT David Bakhtiari to a torn ACL in practice as he is done for the year.
The Packers still have enough protection to hold off the Bears defense and it will conclude Aaron Rodgers’ MVP season with him slaying the Bears as he always does.
#3.NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (11-4) Saints still in the chase for the number one seed. The Saints need the Packers to lose to the Bears. Saints then have to take care of the Panthers. Saints may need to pass the ball this Sunday because Alvin Kamara is out with the Covid. The dominoes continue to fall as the entire Saints running back room will not play this Sunday versus the Panthers because of close contact with Kamara. Could you see the Swiss Army knife, Tayson Hill, be the team’s running back in this one?
Tayson Hill runs a wild cat formation for the Saints and is the jack of all trades for the New Orleans offense. Saints don’t want Drew Brees throwing the ball 50 times on Sunday due to his ribs, and has only been back a few games. Plus if the Saints lose this one and Seattle wins, they could drop to the third seed in the playoffs coming in right now at number two. Will the Saints find any interesting name off the streets with running back experience?
#4.BUFFALO BILLS (12-3) SAME The Buffalo Bills gave the Evil Empire Patriots their first losing season since 2000, giving them their ninth loss of the year on Monday Night. It was Bill Belichick’s worst home loss as the Bills routed the Patriots on the road by 29 points. The Bills swept the Patriots for the first time since 1999 as Bills continue to revenge the demons of the past this year.
To rub salt in the wounds of decades of torture from the Patriots, a billboard sign popped up near New England’s stadium saying Bills fans are the best in the league. Bills Mafia strike hard in the heartland of the Death Star. Bills have the number 2 seed going in this Sunday versus the Dolphins who are seeking entrance to the playoffs with a wild card. A win by Buffalo will get the job done or a Pittsburgh loss to secure the number two seed. Buffalo found out they will be able to let some of their fans into the stadium for the first time this season, hosting a playoff game in the first round next week.
#5.BALTIMORE RAVENS (10-5) UP 1 SPOT Ravens have now won 4 straight games and have battled their way back into the playoff picture instead of hovering on the bubble looking in. Ravens face an upsurging Bengal team that have suddenly won two in a row. Ravens, if they get a win, are in. If Browns or Colts lose, the Ravens can still get in if they lose to the Bengals. Dez Bryant found the end zone for the second time last Sunday in the win over the Giants.
The former Cowboy, Bryant, is turning into a nice red zone option for quarterback Lamar Jackson. Dez, since being back in the league, now has six grabs for 47 yards but two touchdowns.
#6.TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (10-5) UP 1 SPOT The Buccaneers will be a wild card because the Saints swept the two game series and have no chances left to win the NFC South. The Buccaneers do have something to play for in week 17. The Buccaneers right now are the top wild card in the NFC which gives them a playoff match up on the road with a team from the ugliness we call the NFC East division winner. If Buccaneers lose to the Falcons, and the Rams win over the Cardinals, LA could get the top spot holding tie breaker with a win over the Buccaneers going head to head this season. Last time Buccaneers and Falcons met, Tampa Tom led a come back in the second half down 17-0 for a win which was only weeks ago.
#7.SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (11-4) UP 1 spot Russell Wilson comes up big as he led the Seahawks over a struggling Rams team last Sunday coming off a loss to the Jets. Rams definitely are struggling, but a team that has had the Seahawks’ number over the last few seasons. Seahawks won the NFC West and can clinch the number one seed if they win this Sunday versus the 49ers, and Saints and Packers both lose their games. The Seahawks defense, which was horrible most of the season since week 11, has only allowed 13.7 points per game as the Seahawks have been 5-1.
Can corner back DJ Reed burn his former team, the 49ers, this Sunday once again? First meeting, Reed had a interception versus his old team.
#8.TENNESSEE TITANS (10-5) DOWN 3 SPOTS The Titans find themselves in week 17 with nothing cemented yet in post season. A Titans win would win them the AFC South or a Colts loss. Titans can still get in the playoffs as a wild card if they lose this Sunday to the Texans. If Ravens or Dolphins lose, Titans would be a wild card. Last time the Texans and Titans met, it took Tennessee in OT to knock off Houston in a shoot out. Houston defense is terrible unless JJ Watt’s rant and rave after the game last Sunday motivates his team and that unit to put a halt to that Titans offense. Titans defense, which are not very good this season, comes in at only 15 sacks as a team. Only the 1979 Denver Broncos made it to the post season with only 19 sacks as a team in a 16 game schedule. Titans could make some history this Sunday.
#9.PITTSBURGH STEELERS (12-3) Steelers won the AFC North last week in a huge comeback over a pretty good Colts team. Steelers planning to rest Big Ben Roethlisberger this Sunday.
Can Mason Rudolph lead this Steeler team over Myles Garrett and the Browns who are still trying to get into the playoffs? Will Browns Miles Garrett’s hunt for REVENGE over Rudolph, hurt or help his team?
If Mason Rudolph prevails and knocks the Cleveland Browns out of the post season, it would give the back up QB satisfaction. This after last year’s incident being hit in the head by his own helmet from Myles Garrett.
#10.INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (10-5) DOWN 1 SPOT Could the Colts find themselves doubled Jagged from the worst team in the entire league? If you don’t think every game is important, then you are crazy. In the first game of the season, Colts lost to the Jaguars. It’s the only Jaguars win of the season. If the Colts won that game, they would be 11-4 right now instead of 10-5. That would be one game better than the Titans who have the tie breaker over the Colts right now. Colts win, Titans lose, and Indianapolis would win the division. If Titans and Colts win, then Indianapolis would need either the Browns, Ravens or Dolphins to lose their game to get in as a wild card. Jaguars have the number one draft picked wrapped up, so it does matter if they win or lose this game on Sunday. Maybe a win may help Head Coach Doug Marrone keep his job next year.
#11.MIAMI DOLPHINS (10-5) UP 1 SPOT Miami Dolphins can clinch a playoff spot with a win over the Bills this Sunday. Dolphins could still get in if they lose to the Bills. They would need a loss by one of these three teams: Colts, Ravens or the Browns. Dolphins will be without the BEARD. Ryan Fitzpatrick was put on the Covid list. The rookie quarterback, Tua Tugovailoa, will have to do it himself behind center. Last week versus the Raiders, Tua was benched in the 4th quarter as the Beard saved the day in a comeback win versus the Raiders. The Dolphins will need a solid game out of Tua. The Dolphins will also need to slow down Buffalo’s passing game. Bills have problems running the ball so the Dolphins cornerbacks will have to be solid to force the Bills to run the ball.
#12.CHICAGO BEARS (8-7) UP 4 SPOTS Mitch Trubisky reborn??? Quickly sign him to a 7 year extension. Remember when the Bears signed Jay Cutler to an extension and paid him in the top of the league at the quarterback position. Slow your roll. Bears have won 3 games in a row and absolutely trounced the Jags in Jacksonville. Bears have beaten the Texans, Vikings and Jaguars; three bad teams in the last three weeks. The Bears win, they are in. Or if the Cardinals lose to the Rams they are in. However the Bears are playing the Green Bay Packers this Sunday.
We have seen this storyline play out and it’s always bad for the Bears. First thing, Packers are playing for something in week 17, the number one seed in the NFC. In 2010, the Bears could have prevented the Packers from making it to the playoffs resting their guys. Packers ended up winning that one, and then knocking the Bears out of the 2010 NFC Championship. Packers defense held a very talented Titan offense in check last Sunday. Mitch Trubisky and that Bears offense have been awesome especially the running of David Montgomery.
Bears offense is far far far and away from the Titans offense. To me, the Bears need to win versus the Packers and every game in the playoffs including the Superbowl to bring back the entire cast of Mitch Trubisky, Matt Nagy and Ryan Pace. Three wins versus bottom of the league teams has not convinced me jobs should be saved. Don’t be fooled.
#13.CLEVELAND BROWNS (10-5) DOWN 2 SPOTS Browning out in Cleveland.
I feel a collapse is coming. I feel the Browns are that tree that’s ready to fall in the next wind blowing off Lake Erie. Browns were on their way when they won half of their games. Avoiding a losing season. Then they won their ninth game which now is called a winning season. Then they won their 10th game and the dawg pound was sniffing playoffs, not butt. In 2016, the Indians were up 3 games to 1 on the Cubs in the World freaking Series. Indians one game away. Then the Browns lost to the Jets. How the hell do you lose to the Jets? Your basic entire starting receiver core goes on the Covid list. In game 7, a weather delay in extra innings as the Cubs would go to beat the Indians after that delay after you tied the game. Now Mason Rudolf could be the guy for your team or the guy Myles Garrett hit in the head last year with his helmet that will beat you behind center with a week 17 match up versus the Steelers. The Browns need to win to get in. If the Browns lose, they need the Colts to lose their game versus the Jaguars. Or if the Titans lose while the Dolphins and the Ravens win.
#14.LA RAMS (9-6) DOWN 1 SPOT The Rams defense will have to save this team’s season. The Jets have absolutely been playing the spoiler in the last two weeks. Browns and Rams might not make the playoffs because of the Jets’ sting late in the season. Since the loss to the Jets, Rams lost to Seattle last Sunday and have lost their quarterback, Jared Goff, for this week’s match up. The Cardinals play them this week in a game in which playoffs are on the line.
Rams will have John Wolford making his first NFL start this Sunday. Wolford played for the Arizona Hot Shots in the Spring football league a few years ago called the AAF. Wolford was one of the better quarterbacks in the league before they shut down operations for good. Wolford threw 14 touchdown passes for 1600 yards and had a 95.9 quarterback rating. Rams need a win versus the Cardinals, and then they are in. If the Bears lose, they still get in. The Rams will need a huge day from their defense and hope Wolford can make some plays and not shoot the team in the foot.
#15. THE WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM (6-9) DOWN 1 SPOT Can the team with no name win the NFC East? Great defense. The Washington Football Team has some play makers on offense. For most teams, who’s on first? In football who is the man behind center? Dwayne Haskins likes the strip clubs.
Haskins broke the Covid protocols too many times and has not been very good for the Washington team. Since being drafted in the first round by the Redskins in 2019, Haskins’ record as a starter has been 3-10. The Washington team benched Haskins last week after a bad first half. Then they ended all ties with him on Monday and flat out cut him. That leaves Taylor Heinickle, who will make his second start in his career in the NFL with his second team in his young career this Sunday as the entire teams playoff hopes rides on his arm. A win this Sunday means the team with no name is in and will take the NFC East.
#16.ARIZONA CARDINALS (8-7) SAME Kyle Murray will start this Sunday for Arizona. Murray was questionable as he got banged up late in the game last weekend versus the 49ers. Cardinals need a win and they are in the playoffs. If the Bears lose, the Cardinals still get in. The Cardinals control their own destiny, but have to play a team that has beaten them 7 games in a row which the Rams defense is hard to score on. Rams need to win to get in the playoffs too. Rams will be starting a guy behind center making his first ever start in the NFL as the plot thickens. Only once so far this year, the Cardinals have rebounded the next week after a loss and won the game which took the famous Hail Murray pass over the Bills to do that.
#17.LA CHARGERS (6-9) UP 1 SPOTS Chargers are flying high these days.
LA Chargers have now won three games in a row. The Chiefs are resting many of their starters so the Chargers might close the season out winning 4 straight. Rookie quarterback Justin Herbert has 4,034 passing yards to his credit. Herbert needs 341 yards in the air to break Andrew Luck’s rookie record for most all-time.
If I mention the Duke’s Chargers, I better have some Daisy Duke pictures.
#18.MINNESOTA VIKINGS (6-9) DOWN 1 SPOT Dalvin Cook is out for the week 17 game due to his father passing away. Vikings were officially eliminated from the playoff hunt last week with the loss to the Saints. Vikings Rookie, Justin Jefferson, a receiver needs another 100 yard day in receiving yards to give him his 7th for the year. That would tie Odell Beckham Jr. rookie season record in 2014 where he had 7 games with 100 plus yards in each of those.
#19.DALLAS COWBOYS (6-9) UP 5 SPOTS The Cowboys need to win on Sunday, and with a Washington loss they will win the NFC East. The Washington Football Team are still without Alex Smith behind center. The Cowboys have owned the Giants. Cowboys have won two straight. Could Andy Dalton play himself into the starting quarterback position in 2021? Especially if Dak Prescott expects a big payday in which everyone including himself knows that. That money could go elsewhere, and the defense needs to advertise in the newspaper for help with that side of the ball.
#20.VEGAS RAIDERS (7-8) The Raiders will be playing to get to 500 for the season in their first year in Vegas. The first year in Vegas in a pandemic year has been good, bad, and ugly. The good is this team has a signature wins versus the Saints, and gave the Chiefs their only loss. The bad is the team continues to collapse in the second half of the season in the last two years. The defense has been butt ugly.
Especially letting Miami come back and beat you last weekend that ended your season.
#21.CAROLINA PANTHERS (5-10) UP ONE SPOT Panthers won the Riverboat Ron Bowl last week versus the Washington Football team. Panthers probably could have been 8-8 this season with some tough losses in very close games. The team is young and they have to learn how to win. Panthers line right now is in shambles as they have some bench guys in to actually try to keep Teddy Bridgewater up right versus a great defensive front the Saints have. Panthers may need a body double of Bridgewater, and just call it a year for the veteran. I would love to have seen more games with Teddy Bridgewater and Christian McCaffrey. McCaffrey missed most of the season with injuries. Right there what it could have been if he stayed healthy.
#22.PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (4-10-1) DOWN 2 SPOTS How do you feel if your team is in the NFC East and not alive in the final week of the season. The Eagles have landed and they are in Desperado times. They are not going to get up in a terrible year where almost everything went bad. Is Jalen Hurts going to be your guy behind center next year and beyond? Does this team need an overhaul and to change up the surrounding cast on both sides of the ball? Was it just a bad year where the team was ravaged by injuries especially offensive line and most of your playmakers? The Eagles will have to do some soul searching and find themselves to see who they really are?
#23.NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (6-9) DOWN 2 SPOTS
ESPN did the Love Actually bit using Bill Belichick with poster sized cards to express his feelings to his old quarterback Tom Brady. How he misses him. What they both won together.
Bill Belichick lashed out at one of his members of his staff after last Monday night’s loss versus the Bills. Bill was probably told to challenge a certain play that was obviously called correctly on the field. Bill threw the phone after he chewed out that guy. The Patriots suffered their first losing season since the year 2000.The Patriots may be light years away from getting back to a respectable level.
#24.SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (6-9) UP 1 SPOT Tight end George Kittle expressing love with the SNL DA Bears bit after win versus the Cardinals which helped the Bears stay in the playoff race.
Every Bears fan probably creamed in their pants thinking if Kittle was on the Bears, we wouldn’t need that Jimmy Graham fellow who falls down when he’s touched. George wouldn’t be the first Kittle in Chicago.
During the 1980’s, Ron Kittle knocked the cover off the baseball for the Chicago White Sox. What’s this got to do with the 49ers? Absolutely nothing.
#25.ATLANTA FALCONS (4-11) DOWN 3 SPOTS The Falcons probably played one of their best games of the year last week versus the Chiefs. Falcons had a chance to tie the game at the end of regulation, but the best kicker in the league went coo coo for cocoa puffs.
Younghoe Koo missed the kick that gave the Chiefs the win and ability to clinch the number one seed in the AFC. The Falcons need to work on their endings in these games. Quentin Tarantino must be writing the Falcons scripts because every Falcon is dying at the end of the game.
#26.CINCINNATI BENGALS (4-10-1) Suddenly like the Jets, another bad team in the league has won 2 in a row. The Bengals looked like the toe tag was on with the drawer closed for the 2020-21 regular season since Joe Borrows got injured. Now Bengal football has come back to life. Have the Bengals found a permanent back up quarterback for Joe Borrows? Either Ryan Finley or Brandon Allen, the two headed monster back ups quarter back machines, have been a part of this huge 2 game winning streak.
Wide receiver Tee Higgens should be talked about more. Higgens, a rookie, has turned into a nice under-the-radar weapon for the Bengals as he caught 67 balls. He’s closing in on 1000 receiving yards with 908 and one game remaining to get to that plateau.
#27.DENVER BRONCOS (5-10) DOWN 1 SPOT Drew Lock will still be auditioning in this final game of the season to be the team’s starting quarterback in 2021 in week 17. Drew Lock has two stats that no quarterback wants to lead the league in. Drew Lock is tied for the number one spot in picks. Plus, Drew Lock has the worst completion percentage in the league.
Could John Elway draft another quarterback in next year’s draft?
Could a guy like Kyle Trask from Florida university, or a Zach Wilson from BYU, be the answer for Denver?
#28.NEW YORK GIANTS (5-10) UP 1 SPOT I move the Giants up one spot because they played better last Sunday versus the Ravens than the Texans did versus the Bengals. Perhaps moving the Giants up on a rung of the ladder will make them want to get into the playoffs. Yes, Giants in the very final week, still have a shot to make the payoffs as a division winner. The dreadful NFC East. If Giants beat the Cowboys on Sunday, and the team with no name loses on Sunday night, then New York will host a playoff game in New Jersey. A win will make the Giants a 6-10 team. If they make the playoffs at 6-10, they would make history. The Giants would be the first team to reach post season with a .375 winning percentage. Giants have not beaten Dallas since 2016 when Odell Beckham Jr. caught a 61 yard pass for a touchdown to win the game.
#29.HOUSTON TEXANS (4-11) DOWN 2 SPOTS The Bengals must be that team you compare to that person you wake up to after a drunken night of partying and think “it’s time to change my life.”
JJ Watt ranted and raved about how unprofessional his team was after the Bengals win over the Texans last Sunday. Watt, who has one left on his contract, next season could be out the door because changes are coming in Houston. Watt might not be sticking around because a rebuild might be the direction the Texans may head. Building around Deshaun Watson would be the road to travel if you were the Texans. JJ Watt, if he accepted less money, would be nice lined up on the other side of Khalil Mack in Chicago. Another team that it would be cool to see JJ Watt play for, is the Steelers. Playing on the same team with his brother would put the Steel back in the Shower curtain in Pittsburgh.
#30.NEW YORK JETS (2-13) UP 1 SPOT Jets have won 2 games in a row. Jets upset the Rams two weeks ago in a stunner. The Jets beat the Browns who were missing some of their receivers who landed on the Covid list last Sunday. With the Bengals winning, even if Jets knock off the Patriots this Sunday, they are still locked into the two spot in next year’s draft. If you’re the Jets, do you bring back Head Coach Adam Gase again with the offense finishing at the bottom of the barrel? Is Gregg Williams the scapegoat of the Jets season? Now Jets have won two games since Williams got the ax. Can Sam Darnold be a starting QB in this league? Is this the last season for Frank Gore in the NFL? He is not playing in week 17 due to an injury.
Gore has rushed for 653 yards on the ground this season with two touchdowns. If I was a Jets fan, I think I would want to bring Frank Gore back and get rid of everyone else.
#31.DETROIT LIONS (5-10) Could the Vikings collect more lion heads in their week 17 match up?
If Matthew Stafford plays this Sunday, could it be his last game in Detroit? If quarterbacks did not come to die in Chicago, I would take Matthew Stafford. My favorite Lion/Bear combo quarterback is Erik Kramer.
With all the bad Bears quarterbacks in and out of Chicago since Sid Luckman from the 1940’s, Erik Kramer coming from Detroit was one of the best. That might not say much. Could the Detroit Lions’ next head coach be defensive Coordinator Robert Saleh from the 49ers?
Saleh was born in Michigan and it could be a homecoming for him to take the reigns of his childhood team.
#32.JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (1-14) SAME I watched the Jaguars and the Bears play last Sunday. Head coach Doug Marrone baffles me and I wonder why he still has a job in this league. The Bears are driving just a little past mid field at the end of the first half, at that point still a close game. To me, it was obviously with less than 20 seconds and the Bears are looking to set up a field goal. Marrone lines up his guys in the end zone to defend the Hail Mary. Imagine the Bears snapping the ball and the entire Jaguar defense is 20 yards down field. Bears take advantage of the open field and get 15 to 20 yards, like stealing candy from a baby, set up the field goal, and tack on three easy points. That is very bad coaching. Maybe the Jaguars did it on purpose to lose the game. Because it looks like the Jaguars will win the Trevor Lawrence sweepstakes. Hope Doug “the moron” Marrone is not still the head coach in 2021 if you are a Jaguar fan.
The Wild shamrock 