As a Chicago Bears fan, I’m amazed when other teams start their second string quarterback and have success. Not just the team, but the quarterback plays well. In the NFL you can win some games with a strong running game, great defense, and a good special teams. Last Sunday, Teddy Bridgewater was unable to go for the Carolina Panthers, and was ruled out with an injury. Panthers inserted their back-up quarterback P.J. Walker and came away with a victory versus the Detroit Lions. Who the hell is P.J. Walker and did the Bears even express any interest in the former XFL star?
P.J. Walker was the best quarterback in the Spring Football League during the second coming of the XFL. Many are thinking the second coming of Weekend at Bernie’s when it comes to the sequel of the XFL. In this case, the sequel is better. XFL Part 2 only lasted 5 weeks because the league had to shut down operations due to the Covid spread. Walker played for the Houston Roughnecks and led the league in passing yards and touchdown passes. Most importantly, Walker had the Roughnecks at 5-0 record.
P.J Walker came out of Temple University. There, Walker led the Owls to their first conference title in 49 years in 2016. Walker led the Owls to back-to-back bowl games. First time that ever happened in Temple Football history. Leaving Temple, Walker owns most of the records as quarterback. Walker’s Owl records had the most passing yards, touchdown passes, attempts, and completions. The biggest stat in college and the XFL play is wins; he left Temple with the most in school history and left Houston undefeated before they shut down the league.
P.J Walker signed with the Indianapolis Colts in 2017 as an undrafted free agent. Walker would spend time on the Colts’ practice squad. Then Walker was released and found his way to the XFL. After the shutdown of the XFL, all the players in the league became free agents. Walker was plucked immediately by Carolina, and was reunited with his former coach, Matt Rhule. Rhule was head coach at Temple University and is the head coach of the Panthers. A reunion is expected between player and coach.
P.J. Walker’s first start in the NFL overall was pretty good. The Lions are an embarrassment one week, and world beaters the next week. You never know what you will get. Walker showed poise in the pocket, not losing his shit at any sign of pressure. Walker had zip on his passes and a quick release. Walker’s day ended up 24-34-258 yards, touchdown but two interceptions. That’s your typical day from the likes of Ryan Fitzpatrick and Phillip Rivers. Walker seems like he has a gunslinger mentality as he held on to the ball longer at times waiting to deliver a strike which can be good, but mostly bad and at times just ugly. Walker will try to force things into tight windows like a Brett Farve. Bottom line is Walker helped the Panthers break a losing streak with the win over the Lions. Walker may be that guy like a Jimmy Garoppolo that wins many games. Some do not look pretty, but the bottom line is a win is a win. It is so typical that a guy like Matt Rhule finds guys like Walker, while the Bears Head Coach, Matt Nagy, has Tyler Bray following him from town to town.
Tayson Hill made his first ever NFL start at quarterback last Sunday versus the Atlanta Falcons. Hill is known as the Human Swiss Army Knife for the New Orleans Saints as he does a little of everything. Hill has played special teams since he came to the New Orleans Saints in 2017. People forget, but they have to remember he came from BYU and played quarterback throughout his collegiate career. Hill has played quarterback for the Saints and has lined up as a wide receiver and tight end. Head Coach Sean Payton brings in Tayson Hill regularly to run a few wild cats plays where he can run the ball, pass the ball, or be a decoy. Hill was an undrafted free agent coming out of BYU, originally signed by the Green Bay Packers. Hill lasted through most of the preseason with the Packers that year, but ended up on waivers where the Saints were waiting and on their turn immediately plucked him off that list. Finally after doing everything that was asked from him, Tayson Hill was rewarded with his first start behind center in the NFL. Another ex-BYU quarterback who is a Hall of Famer who has the same skill set as Tayson Hill did have an interesting road where he finally felt at home in the NFL. Could Tayson Hill be going down the same road as a Steve Young?
Steve Young came out of BYU and was met with a crossroad immediately. Young talent coming out of BYU was a higher level then a Tayson Hill. Young would immediately be thrown into game action in his first year behind center, be drafted, and would not have to learn to play other positions like a Tayson Hill has done. Steve Young chose the USFL over the NFL. Maybe it was the money, maybe a new league and becoming like a pioneer for something new was something that persuaded him to go down the USFL path. My money is on the loot he got becoming the starting quarterback for the LA Express.
Steve Young would play two seasons in the USFL until the league folded operations because Donald Trump is a complete moron, as you probably know already. Young was “forever Young” in those days and in two seasons he tossed 16 TD passes for 4,102 yards. Young however threw 22 interceptions as he was learning the pro game. Young also used his legs and rushed for 883 yards for the Express and scored 9 rushing TD’S. Throw in 3 rushing 2 point conversions the left handed passer that can run and pass with precision and you get the same proto type of player as Tayson Hill.
Tayson Hill’s first start was very impressive. Some will say Hill faced a bad Falcon defense. The Falcons have been playing much better under Interim Coach Raheem Morris and his defensive unit has done better then that disastrous start Atlanta got off to. Hill had 108.9 passing rating by completing 18-23 passes for 233 yards. Those numbers make Hill the 7th quarterback since 1950 to have completed 78% of his passes in his first ever start in the NFL. Hill was not a running quarterback like Tyrod Taylor dinking and dunkin’. Hill threw the ball downfield like missiles fired out of a cannon. That gives Hill another interesting stat as he koins Stan the Man Humpries to average 10 yards passed per attempt. Hill also rushed for 51 yards and scored two rushing touchdowns. Last time someone did that on their first start was Viking Daunte Culpepper who ran for 41 yards and had two rushing touchdowns. Culpepper and now Hill are the only two quarterbacks in the Superbowl ERA to accomplish 40 or more yards rushing with two scores in their first ever start in the NFL. Hill did not throw a interception or a TD pass in his first start.
Steve Young, after the USFL, moved on to greener pastures in the NFL. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers in their creamsicle uniforms is not quite green pastures.
In two miserable seasons in Florida, Young had a 3-16 record as the guy behind center. Young threw for 3,217 yards with 11 TD’s and again more interceptions than TD passes with 21. Young had 653 yards on the ground with six rushing TD’S in two years in Tampa Bay.
Steve Young’s career took off in San Francisco where he finally found a home as a professional football player. The same with Tayson Hill being cut by the Packers and then finding his home presently with the Saints. Young was behind legendary Hall of Fame Quarterback Joe Montana who won 4 Superbowls with the 49ers. Hill is behind another legend and future Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees who has won one Superbowl. Both Hill and Young got to learn and watch how Montana and Brees conducted themselves as a professional quarterback soaking it all in like a sponge. Both Hill and Young had two Offensive gurus as their head coaches. Steve Young had the mastermind Bill Walsh. While Tayson Hill has a mastermind in today’s game in Sean Payton. Steve Young would be Montana’s back up and getting some action here and there. With Drew Brees being hurt this is Tayson Hill’s chance to get that starters experience for now. Brees is out with broken ribs and a collapsed lung; he could be out for weeks. Eventually the older Joe Montana had to move on as he signed with the Chiefs. Young finally became the 49ers starting quarterback. Steve Young would eventually lead the 49ers to a Superbowl title. Young numbers got better as he threw for 29,907 yards in 49er uniform. Young had way more TD passes then interceptions which was 221 to 86. Young had a better O-line in San Francisco and better system for his talents than his prior spots. Young still tallied 37 rushing touchdowns for the niners. Young used his legs to gain 3,581 yards behind that talented San Francisco O-line. Eventually the former BYU product’s long road to the 49ers paid off and was elected to the Football Hall of Fame in Canton Ohio.
Could Taysom Hill go down the Steve Young path and guide a team to a Superbowl title? How many years does Drew Brees have left in the gas tank? Tayson Hill has the same speed as great running quarterbacks like Lamar Jackson of the Ravens and Kyler Murray of the Cardinals. New Orleans Saints system did very well for Teddy Bridgewater who went 5-0 last season with Drew Brees being sidelined with an injury. Bridgewater landed a big contract in the off season with the Panthers. Sean Payton has always said Hill will probably be Drew Brees’ replacement when he finally rides off into the sunset. The Saints signed Jameis Winston in the off season to be the back up quarterback for Brees. Most likely that was a move to keep Tayson Hill as the Human Swiss Army knife as it make the Saints a scarier offense. When Brees got hurt, Winston did come in and finished the game versus the 49ers. Payton did not name Winston as the starter the following week as he gave the nod to Tayson Hill. Maybe because Jameis Winston is a turn over machine as a starter, even though the Saints system should help reduce mistakes from his Tampa Bay days. Tayson Hill brings more to the table such as leadership and it’s a league where quarterbacks can run and pass the ball with precision. Hill may dot those I’s and cross those T’s for the Saints. The Saints may be passing the torch like Montana passed it to Young even though he may not have liked that idea at the time.
I just can not see the Seahawks losing three in a row. Thought Cardinals got lucky last Sunday winning on the Hail Mary pass thrown by Kyler Murray
THE SUNDAY SLATE
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES AT CLEVELAND BROWNS
OUR PICK: BROWNS
Browns feed off teams from the bottom of the food chain in the NFL
Eagles I don’t trust with a bad losS to the Giants.
FALCONS AT SAINTS
OUR PICK:SAINTS
The Saints move to start Tayson Hill, is outside-of-the-box thinking by the Saints Head Coach, Sean Payton. Jameis Winston equals turn overs. Falcons will have a tough time fighting off the Saints pass rush.
CINCINNATI BENGALS AT WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM
OUR PICK:WASHINGTON
I like the fact that Alex Smith is getting his legs underneath. Joe Burrows makes this contest close. Smith has one more play in him to get the job done.
DETROIT LIONS AT CAROLINA PANTHERS
OUR PICK:LIONS
Lions will win with Teddy Bridgewater not being able to go.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS AT JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
OUR PICK:STEELERS
I think the Steelers will not look down on any opponent. Last week they throttled the Bengals. The Jaguars played well versus Packers. Steelers will bring the Jags good play momentum back down to earth.
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS AT CAROLINA PANTHERS
OUR PICK:TEXANS
Not jumping on the Patriots band wagon being driven by a squishy Cam Newton. I think Romeo Crennell is going to have something up his sleeve versus his old boss. Deshaun Watson has a big day at home.
GREEN BAY PACKERS AT INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
OUR PICK:PACKERS
Colts have problems with teams with winning records. Colts were able to get past the Titans last week due to them knowing the Titans, playing them twice a year. Aaron Rodgers will be too good for the Colts defense to contain for 4 quarters. Phillip Rivers will also find a way to shoot himself in the foot in this one.
NEW YORK JETS AT LA CHARGERS
OUR PICK:CHARGERS
Chargers have more on the line than the Jets. Job security is haunting the Chargers’ coaching staff. Justin Herbert will be hard to stop if you’re the secondary on the Jets defense. Jets are still on target for the number one pick in the draft.
MIAMI DOLPHINS AT DENVER BRONCOS
OUR PICK:DOLPHINS
Miami is one of the hottest teams in the league and have won five straight. The Dolphins have a defense that has worked their way up as one of the best units in the game right now. This is bad news for the inconsistent offense led by Drew Lock and the Bronco offense.
TENNESSEE TITANS AT BALTIMORE RAVENS
OUR PICK:RAVENS
Playoff rematch goes to Ravens. Titans defense and special teams have been struggling. Ravens offense has struggled, but it’s a unit far better than the Titans defense. Titans have lost 3 out their last 4 games. Ravens should come out fired up by being upset by a Patriot team that’s been on life support waiting for someone to pull the plug .
DALLAS COWBOYS AT MINNESOTA VIKINGS
OUR PICK:VIKINGS
Vikings will be 5-5 when this one is over. Dalvin Cook… 300 yards in this one?
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS AT OAKLAND RAIDERS
OUR PICK:CHIEFS
I can’t see the Raiders sweeping the two game series over the Chiefs not happening. This game should be a close one late in the game until Patrick Mahomes takes over and Chiefs win by two scores.
THE MONDAY NIGHT GAME
LA RAMS AT TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
OUR PICK:BUCCANEERS
Tom Brady will finally shine in a prime time game in a Buccaneer uniform.
Our top ten in the power rankings is out with the old, and in with the new. The Saints and Vikings are marching up the ladder. Defense problems for many teams. A dumpster fire in Chicago. We have Tua Time and nerds. Who’s the Cleveland hottie in the dawg pound this week? We have our football movie of the week.
The power rankings are rolling out transformer style.
OUR WEEKLY FOOTBALL MOVIE
Wildcats Movie Poster (1986)
#1.KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (8-1) SAME The Chiefs had a challenge last week versus the Carolina Panthers. Panthers had Christian McCaffrey back in the line up, and the offense was clicking on all cylinders. Patrick Mahomes, a guy that has won many shoot outs in his short career so far, was on top of his game throwing 4 TD passes. Plus, getting his 100th TD pass in his career where he may rewrite the entire NFL record book as a quarterback. Chiefs held off the Panthers by 2 points. The KC defense had some players out with injuries, whom the bye week should help to get back in the fold, in week 11.
#2.PITTSBURGH STEELERS (8-0) BARELY and words like PHEW are what I used to describe the Steelers last Sunday. When I turned on the TV last Sunday, I was thinking Dolphins and Cardinals. Of course the Dallas game has to be on, even when they are pond scum the way they are playing. However they gave Pittsburgh a scare. Figures head coach Mike Tomlin’s games like these Steelers seem to look past their opponents. Remember losing to a bad Bears team years ago because they did not know what to do for the National Anthem. Cowboys played even with their third string quarterback starting, and driving down the field for the winning score in the last two minutes. It would have been a bad scene for the Steelers if they were unable to pull this one off . Do games like this help teams like this in the future?
#3.BALTIMORE RAVENS (6-2) UP 2 SPOTS Are the Indianapolis Colts an elite team in the AFC? Colts look like a playoff team. They may even smell like a playoff team. Maybe not elite. Ravens have a hard time beating elite teams. Maybe the Colts are on the bubble. Colts and Ravens exchanged jabs in the first half. The second half, Lamar Jackson and the Ravens, played really well to put the Colts on ice. The Ravens defense has been why Baltimore is 6-2 to this point. Jackson has to clean up his game in the second half of the season.
#4.NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (6-2) UP 7 SPOTS WHO DAT!!!! The Saints are marching up towards the top of the power rankings as they have won 5 games in a row. Does the dismantling of a preseason favorite pick by many of the experts choosing the Buccaneers, change your mind? Saints swept the season series of the Buccaneers and the Tom Brady hype. Plus Drew Brees was playing weeks without some of his top playmakers in the line up. Michael Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders make this Saints offense one of the best in the entire league.
#5.GREEN BAY PACKERS (6-2) UP TWO SPOTS Last Thursday was kind of unfair of Aaron Rodgers and company, to play a depleted 49er team without giving them a ten spot. Packers should continue to feast on bad teams as the Jaguars are on deck. Hopefully the cheese heads don’t look past the Jags this week for their match-up versus the Colts in 2 weeks. Packers after their hot start, are now 2-2 in their last 4 games. Not sold on the Packers yet. They will hang around like the unwanted tough booger wrapped around your nose hairs on a cold dry day.
#6.BUFFALO BILLS (7-2) UP TWO SPOTS
Josh Allen for the Bills had a monster game versus a very bad Seahawks defense. Allen’s grandmother passed away and maybe that motivated the young quarterback who led the Bills, past the visiting Seahawks and hung 44 points on the Seahawks. Allen has not had a big game like that in weeks as he came out of the gates red hot. Even though the Seahawks scored in the 30’s, the Bills defense forced an MVP candidate, Russell Wilson, into mistakes forcing a few turnovers. If the Bills can get that defense close to what it was like last season, this team will win the Patriots division. Maybe change the name to the AFC East.
#7. MIAMI DOLPHINS (5-3) UP 5 SPOTS Dolphins had won 4 games in a row. Beating the Rams and the Cardinals, tells you this team has gotten better. No wonder Fitzmagic cried when they benched him. Ryan Fitzpatrick was probably dreaming about sugar plums in his head, playoffs, and being the starter quarterback. Perhaps maybe the Superbowl. TUA TIME is 2-0 and had a better game in his second start versus a Cardinal team.
Tua Tagovailoa, showing what he did at the University of Alabama, and that is WIN. The Dolphin defense is becoming a very scary unit.
#8.INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (6-3) UP ONE SPOT Colts last Sunday could not get anything going versus the Ravens in the second half of the game and lost. On Thursday Night Colts beats the Titans and suddenly they lead their division. On Thursday night, Phillip River to me must be the worse Red zone quarterback in the league. Wide open receivers and Rivers throws the ball too late. By the time the ball gets there, the defense gets to the receiver and tackles them before they can make a move. Rivers did that more than once on Thursday night.
#9 . TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (6-3) DOWN 6 SPOTS Bring the cancer to the locker room in a big game versus the Saints, and now you’ve been humiliated on prime time. Maybe Patriots head coach, Bill Belichick, sold secrets about Tom Brady to the Saints. Even without Antonio Brown earlier in the season, Tom Brady and the Buccaneers did not fair well in the prime time game.
#10.VEGAS RAIDERS (5-3) UP 6 SPOTS Watch out because Chucky’s coming for you!!!
Raiders have beaten the Chiefs and Saints as two big signature victories. Raiders have won two games in a row. The Raiders offense is flying high. Derek Carr is having a monster year with 16 TD passes and only two interceptions.
Josh Jacobs is having a great year running the ball. The Raider defense I worry about, but they are playing better than most defenses in the league.
#11.SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (6-2) DOWN 7 SPOTS Seahawks defense SUCKS!!! The Legion of Boom from once upon a time ago, has been gone and this unit defensively is the worst under head coach Pete Carol. Only so much Russell Wilson can do for you. Maybe Wilson can cover someone. Wilson could play both ways. Pete Carol can make him a corner back. Seahawks defense could cost them winning the division. Then once again, Seattle will have to be road warriors which is very hard even without full houses of fans.
#12.ARIZONA CARDINALS (5-3) DOWN SIX SPOTS Every time I move Arizona into the top ten of the power rankings, they suddenly disappoint me. Last week the Cardinals and the Dolphins battled it out in by far the best game of the weekend. Thank GOD we had the Cowboys and Steelers on. Had to watch Cards and Dolphins on the red zone channel. Offensively, the Cardinals are one of the best in the league. The Cardinals on defense is my biggest concern for this team’s chances of winning the division. Seahawks have the same problem. Rams defense in that division has a leg up on the competition. Remember the 49ers won the NFC West last season with a great defense.
#13.TENNESSEE TITANS (6-3) DOWN 3 SPOTS The Titans have lost 3 out of their last 4 games. Last Sunday they broke a two game losing streak versus the Bears. That Titan defense is not good. They looked great and then Bears easily put up 17 points on them even though it was garbage time what happened playing 4 quarters of football. On Thursday, I blame the Titans Special teams giving that game to the Colts. What happened to ex-Patriot kicker, now a Titan, Steven Gostkowski? Gostkowski can hit field goals 50 yards or beyond. Gostkowski’s short game the kicker has missed multiple kicks this season.
#14.LA RAMS (5-3) SAME The Rams went on the bye week with a lost from the Dolphins. In week off the Rams had time to plan and plot versus the Seahawks who defense is getting worse as Buffalo hung 44 points on them last week. A Rams win versus the Seahawks meant they would be in the drivers seat in the NFC West.
#15.CLEVELAND BROWNS (5-3) DOWN ONE SPOT Browns have a Chubby this week!!!
The Dawg pound gets their leg humping because of Betty White then Cleveland from Family Guy. The Browns are happy of the return of Nick Chubb and tight end Austin Hooper. This should help take the pressure off Baker Mayfield and it gives him two big weapons back in that line up.
#16.MINNESOTA VIKINGS (3-5) UP ONE SPOT THE RESURRECTION OF THE VIKINGS!!!
Vikings face a struggling Bears team on Monday Night and a win can get them one game away from being 500. Vikings dug themselves a huge hole in the first month of the season. Dalvin Cook has scored 5 rushing touchdowns in his last two games. Last two games, Cook has run wild on division foes. Cook ran for 163 on the Packers. Then 206 on the Lions last week.
#17.PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (3-4-1) UP 2 SPOTS Eagles have a chance to cement their position in the playoffs versus a Giants team that can only beat that nameless team from Washington DC. An Eagle win gets the team at 500, which is unheard of in the NFC East. An Eagle win pushes another team deeper in the waste pool they call the NFC East.
#18.CHICAGO BEARS (5-4) DOWN 3 SPOTS The Bears offense is a dumpster fire.
Bears offense and the year 2020 have dumpster fires in common. Finally Matt Nagy will hand over the offensive play-calling duties to his Coordinator. Which was probably a huge struggle like two kids fighting over the last freeze pop in the fridge. Do not look at the 24-17 score last week versus the Titans. The Bears’ 17 points were scored in a hot dumpster time of the game, when the Titans had a 24 to 0 lead. Will a new guy calling the plays with the dreaded offensive line even make a difference?
#19.ATLANTA FALCONS (3-6) UP 5 SPOTS Falcons head to their bye week coming off a win versus the Broncos at home. Atlanta has a 2 game winning streak. The Falcons are 3-1 with their interim coach Raheem Morris running the program since Dan Quinn’s departure. Last season, the Falcons played playoff spoiler in the second half. Could they work the same magic and actually get into the playoffs?
#20.CAROLINA PANTHERS (3-6) UP 3 SPOTS The return of Christian McCaffrey is so important to the Panthers. The Panthers offense becomes much scarier with him in the back field. Panthers have struggled recently and with McCaffrey’s return, they took the Chiefs to the brink of the game to end up only losing by 2 points. Teddy Bridgewater and Christian McCaffrey have not played with each other too many games this season. Unfortunately, the Panthers will again be without their star running back this Sunday. McCaffrey is back on the injured list with a shoulder injury. You can see a glimpse of the future with this team. The Offense is talented; the defense is young and will get better.
#21.DETROIT LIONS (3-5) DOWN 3 SPOTS Another Thanksgiving approaching and once again we will be watching these sorry bunch of kittens play football. This franchise will never learn.
Megatron, aka Calvin Johnson and former Lions receiver, was in the news this week. Calvin Johnson was interviewed as we know he left the game at an earlier age like hall of fame running back Barry Sanders. One of the reasons for Megatron calling his career early, was the way the Lions organization could never put together a steady playoff team during his tenure. Look at Matthew Stafford presently. Stafford should be a main staple playoff quarterback. Then you look at the boob who is the head coach of this lion team. Matt Patricia, still on the side line, to me is mind blowing.
#22.DENVER BRONCOS (3-5) DOWN 2 SPOTS Most bad teams lack the protection of their quarterback. Denver is in the same boat with Drew Lock, who is in situations where he has to do too much. Broncos find themselves down early too often and usually have to abandon the running game. Broncos are a better second half team over the last few seasons. Has Head Coach Vic Fangio landed his butt on the hot seat? Broncos have been without Von Miller the entire season due to injury. Plus a rash of injuries the Broncos had to deal with these first 8 games.
#23.LA CHARGERS (2-6) DOWN 2 SPOTS Chargers had chances the last two weeks to win games on the last play of regulation.
Last week versus the Raiders, last play looked like a touchdown and it even smelled like a touchdown and the ref even called it touchdown. The tight end Donald Parham Jr. in replay shows he did not have complete control when he rolled over. That gave the Raiders the win. Justin Herbert’s play has been electric. Herbert is only a rookie. The bottom line is you’re judged on wins and losses. This kid will get there.
#24.CINCINNATI BENGALS (2-5-1) UP 1 SPOT Joe Burrow,s the number one draft pick overall in the 2020 draft, is coming off the bye week with a signature victory versus the Titans two weeks ago. Could Burrows slay the Steelers? Better defense than the Titans. The Cowboys almost beat the Steelers and had the lead late versus Pittsburgh.The Boys still had a chance in their last drive with only a few seconds left. Steelers were able to barely just hold off a guy making his first ever start in the NFL. Could Burrows give the Steelers their first loss?
#25.SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (4-5) DOWN THREE SPOTS The 49ers are hoping they can get enough bodies out on the field to be able to play, from injuries not Covid related. Now the 49ers are trying to march people on the field during their meat and potatoes part of their schedule. Earlier in the season, injuries were piling up, but they were able to win a few games against inferior teams. During these trying times sometimes you find a gem of a guy in the mix, that suddenly thrives with more playing time. Do 49ers have a gunslinger with the name James?
More of a wide receiver named Richie James Jr. who had a monster game versus Green Bay a couple Thursdays ago. James had 9 catches, 185 yards, and a TD.
#26.HOUSTON TEXANS (2-6) SAME Texans I moved up one spot last week, because they were playing the Jaguars. It’s time to have another sequel to the Texas Chainsaw massacre.
Time to cut down down the rest of the dead branches from the Bill Belichick tree. That means Romeo Crennell and that Houston defense, are terrible despite the close win over the Jaguars.
Would these Patriot dead weights run to the running car or the barn where all the chainsaws are hanging?
#27.NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (3-5) SAME I will not move up the Patriots for having to come back versus a winless Jets team on Monday Night. Especially a Jets team led by the heap, Joe Flacco. Will Cam Newton even be in the NFL next season? All those Newton fans speaking this guy’s praise like he some kind of NFL royalty from all those imaginary Superbowls won. Can’t judge a quarterback based only because he helped your fantasy team win that one year.
You know Billy Boy Belichick is building another death star quietly.
#28.NEW YORK GIANTS (2-7) UP ONE SPOT Can the Giants play only the Washington Football team? Could the Giants run the table over the team without a nickname for a full tilt of a 16 game schedule? If the Giants decide they think they beat someone else, especially teams in their own division. Like Peal Jam’s big hit, I’m Still Alive. If Giants want more, the NFC East is still in their reach.
#29.JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (1-7) UP 1 SPOT How is it the Jacksonville Jaguars find quarterbacks at number six in the draft? I know the Texans defense is not worthy of talking about. A guy name Jake Luton threw for 300 yards versus that terrible unit and looked like a guy who played more than one game.
Jaguars have found Gardner Minshew at number six. Jaguars are the same team that prayed and hoped that Blake Bortles was legit behind center. The Jaguars front office had that Shallow Hal vision back then.
#30.WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM (2-6) I’m surprised the Washington football team will not roll out Joe Theismann as Alex Smith’s back up this Sunday.
Kyle Allen was knocked out of the game, so now the Washington football team are down to the walking wounded project of Alex Smith whose leg was stretch out like plastic man up a few years back.
Is the Washington team signing Alex Smith’s death sentence marching him out the rest of the season behind center? Great seeing Alex Smith back. Is Smith the future? What about seeing or even giving Dwayne Haskins another shot see if you have something possible as trade bait if you don’t think he’s the future?
#31.DALLAS COWBOYS (2-7) A guy named Garrett and not the former head coach, had the Steelers to their knees.
It was like an action movie where the bad guys who we say are the Cowboys, had the Steelers kneeling down with a gun to the back of their heads. Then like in every action movie, the bad guys prolong the scene telling them their whole sinister plot and then the script is flipped.
#32.NEW YORK JETS (0-9) SAME Jets blew a game versus the Evil Empire the Patriots giving them slim hope on Monday night. Then to find out the Clemson quarterback, Trevor Lawrence, the guy you want may have other plans in future. Then your head coach a complete moron may be back in 2021. All of this New York news is hard to swallow especially if you even have any fans left.
I agree you should get a rope for the owner of the Jets. No wonder the Jets play in Jersey.
I will never want my team I root for to have the same plan of attack as the sorry excuse for a NFL squad called the Jacksonville Jaguars. I want to think that my coach is smarter then Jaguars guy, Doug Marrone. Not even sure I can say that Matt Nagy is the answer as head coach for the Chicago Bears. Both Jacksonville and Chicago are not too swift in the front office, is what many can agree upon. Jacksonville may do something better than the Bears do. Finding the guy behind center. Both franchises are stuck with guys like Blake Bortles and Jay Cutler for a long time, like these two guys had inappropriate pictures of the owners sleeping with a sheep. Both Bortles and Cutler had chance after chance, as they held the Bears and Jaguars hostage, of actually finding someone better and permanent behind center. Both teams need help filling the Swiss cheese holes throughout their rosters. The Jaguars though, seem to being doing a better job with the quarterback position.
In 2019, the Jaguars traded and paid Nick Foles to be their guy behind center. Nick Foles, in the very first game he suited up for Jacksonville, got hurt and was out close to half the season. Jacksonville inserted their 2019 sixth round draft, the mustache. Gardner Minshew, and his 1970’s porn style mustache, came in and was slinging the rock like he’s played in the NFL for years. Eventually Nick Foles came back and was inserted behind center but played poorly. The writing was on the wall, that it was Minshew Mania in Florida. Jacksonville unloaded Nick Foles and the big contract he signed to the Chicago Bears the following season.
Nick Foles came to Chicago to eventually to be replacing the Bears GM Ryan Pace’s gigantic mistake his number one draft pick in 2017, Mitch Trubisky. Due to the pandemic, Trubisky was awarded the opening day start as it was an open competition. No preseason games gave Trubisky the leg up and perhaps to give Mitch one last chance to prove he was worth being picked number one by the Bears that year, which cost them an extra draft pick to move up and get him. Trubisky was playing decently and the Bears were winning, playing bottom feeders of the NFL to open up the 2020 campaign. Then the Bears found themselves in a pickle trailing a bad Falcon team in the third game of the season. A Falcon team with a poor defense. Matt Nagy jumped on the perfect opportunity to end Mitch Trubisky’s experiment for good. As we all know, Matt Nagy inherited Mitch Trubisky when he accepted the Bears job. Nick Foles, the greatest relief pitcher quarterback in the league, led the Bears back in that contest versus the Falcons and won the game. Foles beat Tom Brady once again as Bears took out the Buccaneers on a Thursday night game for a signature victory. Matt Nagy was looking like a genius. The last few weeks Nick Foles has not played well. Some would say Trubisky’s play earlier in the year as a whole was much better than that of Foles. Bears have been on a downward spiral as soon as the schedule got difficult.
Meanwhile in Jacksonville, Minshew mania has slowed down. Jaguars are still themselves overall bad, but the quarterback play of Minshew was probably the only reason to watch this sorry excuse for a team, play. Over the last few games, Gardner Minshew has not been himself and has played poorly. Minshew hurt his hand and was not behind center versus Houston, last Sunday. Was Minshew playing with a bad hand that caused him to play poorly? Jacksonville instead of inserting in journeyman quarterback Mike Glennon, who the Bears are familiar with his bad play the year the team drafted Mitch Trubisky. You can say Glennon’s really bad play caused the Bears to rush Mitch Trubisky into action instead of having him learn from the side line that season. Last Sunday, the Jaguars inserted another 6th round draft pick from 2020 versus Houston. Jaguars still lost the game. A guy no one heard of threw for over 300 yards in his first action. Jake Luton played his college ball at University of Idaho and then transferred to Oregon State. Luton almost won the Jaguars the game on Sunday. Luton was 26-38 passing which is a 68.4 completion %. Luton tossed one touchdown pass and had one blemish for the day, an interception. Luton’s 73 yard strike to receiver D.J Chark was a pretty pass from the rookie. Jaguars finding talent behind center in late rounds.
Nick Foles still has the nod as starter behind center. Mitch Trubisky was used in a wild cat formation for one play versus the Saints two weeks ago and hurt his shoulder. If Foles does go down, then the Bears would have to throw in Tyler Bray ,an undrafted free agent who knows Nagy’s system from his days back in Kansas City. Tyler Bray started in Kansas City in 2013, and arrived in Chicago in 2018. The same year head coach Nagy took over the head coach duties for the Bears. Bray is flat out one of Nagy’s guys. Tyler Bray basically has lived on the practice squads his whole career getting in one game and throwing one incomplete pass for his career. I do not trust Bray to be as good as any quarterback the Jaguars insert into their offense, because he seems like a lifer on the practice squad.
No way the Jaguars should be the team you follow to fix the position that has haunted you since Sid Luckman was behind center for the Bears in the 1940’s. Yes, Jim McMahon knew how win games and help win a Superbowl in Chicago in the 1980’s. I would also give Erik Kramer and Jim Miller credit for the years they played in Chicago. That’s it. History keeps repeating itself. Bears continue to find some veteran to replace the veteran who has struggled. If Nick Foles continues his struggles this season, what will the Bears do? Make a trade with the New York Jets for Sam Darnold? The Jets will have the number one pick so they may desire to go after Trevor Lawrence with their pick from Clemson. That leaves the Bears or other teams looking for other teams’ scraps. Darnold is young, but it will be another quarterback the Bears will try the quick fix on. I’ve never seen the Bears able to fix any kind of quarterback that had struggles coming in from another team. Darnold may be another young guy they will ruin like they did with Mitch Trubisky. Not construct an offense around the quarterback’s strong traits. Maybe Sam Darnold is already ruined from playing with the Jets all these years with a bad offensive line. Same thing with the Bears; these teams don’t address protection for these young guys who get hit over and over. Bears drafted offensive linemen in the late rounds last season, trying to bandaid the trenches. Offensive linemen in later rounds take a long time to develop.
Chicago Bears passed over Patrick Mahomes, and a sure thing in Deshaun Watson in 2017, for Trubisky. Bear’s last pick in later rounds on the quarterback position was David Fales in 2014. Bears should be picking a quarterback every year in the draft. The Bears do not try to land quarterbacks in the later rounds when other teams have done it to perfection. Bears thought they had their guys and have passed on Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Kirk Cousins, and Russell Wilson who were all drafted late. The Jaguars have picked up two quarterbacks in the last two years in the sixth round and both have been serviceable so far. Bears go the route of veterans and undrafted free agents or when they have a top pick they miss on the quarterback from whatever crap they select. Do you remember Cade McNown? He was another bum drafted in the first round by the Bears 12th overall in 1999. Rex Grossman was drafted 22nd in the first round in 2003. It was Good Rex or Bad Rex with his play. You could say Rex helped them get to the Superbowl to fumble it away. I feel like my team is Charlie Brown and all’s I keep getting is rocks after rocks in my goody bag. While Chargers go to Phillip Rivers to Justin Herbert. While Green Bay goes to Brett Farve to Aaron Rodgers and they drafted a quarterback in the first round this year, Jordan Love. It tells me if the Jaguars can find quarterbacks in the sixth round why can’t the Bears do this. Why can’t we find talent in the draft and trade the ones we don’t like to other teams? Patriots are very good at getting quarterbacks, developing them and sending them to other teams for assets. The Jaguars, if Jake Luton becomes the guy in Jacksonville, can trade Gardner Minshew next season and draft another guy late again in the 2021 draft. Sounds like it’s rocket science. To the Bears, it is.
The Week 9 power rankings are relatively shorter, but to the point and sweet as always.
#1.KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (7-1) SAME The Chiefs held a practice with the New York Jets football team last Sunday to keep loose and in shape. It was that type of workout Rocky Balboa did before he fought Mr. T. In theory at the time they were going out with a bang in Rocky’s last fight.
#2.PITTSBURGH STEELERS (7-0) SAME Steelers feel like they are in full control.
Pittsburgh throttled the Crows, I mean Ravens, in full control of division and could be 8-0 when they play a bad Cowboy team.
#3.TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (6-2) SAME SEND IN THE CLOWN
Buccaneers unleash Antonio Brown on the Saints.
#4.SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (6-1) UP ONE SPOT Could Russell Wilson actually throw 60 touchdown passes in one season?
#5.BALTIMORE RAVENS (5-2) DOWN 1 SPOT Lamar Jackson can not win the big game. Great teams know how to contain Jackson. Joe Flacco is probably loving this.
#6.ARIZONA CARDINALS (5-2) UP 4 SPOTS
The Arizona Cardinals are moving up on the deluxe Wild Shamrock Power Rankings. Could Kyle Murray break Soft Cam Newton’s rushing touchdown record he had his rookie year, with 11. Murray has 7 for the 2020 season.
#7.GREEN BAY PACKERS (6-2) SAME Vikings ran down the Packers’ throat in a surprising win last Sunday for a bad Viking team. Packers then on Thursday night beat up on the 49er Freshman squad which has San Francisco depleted with injuries.
#8.BUFFALO BILLS (6-2) SAME Bills finally slayed the school bully on the play ground. Should the Bills have cut the head snake’s head off so the Empire will not come back?
#9.INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (5-2) UP 2 SPOTS Colts quietly moving up the rankings and find themselves sneaking in at the top of their division.
Phillip Rivers has thrown for a sneaky six touchdown passes in the last two games.
#10.TENNESSEE TITANS (6-2) DOWN 4 SPOTS
After losing to the Bengals, group therapy for the Titans.
#11.NEW ORLEANS (5-2) UP 4 SPOTS Saints have won 4 straight. Saints may be getting Michael Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders back for week 9, just in time for a big rematch versus Buccaneers.
#12.MIAMI DOLPHINS (4-3) UP 2 SPOTS TUA TIME last Sunday versus the Rams was not the story or did not win the game for the Dolphins. The Dolphins defense has allowed the fewest points in the league to this point.
#13.CLEVELAND BROWNS (5-3) DOWN 4 SPOTS Browns would love to have Nick Chubb back in their line up. Chubb seems like the guy that can make this offense less streaky like it has been, up and down.
#14.LA RAMS (5-3) DOWN TWO SPOTS Was it a short week playing home on Monday and then flying to Miami, that doomed them last Sunday? Rams are up and down. Great defense. The offense is exciting at times. They are missing something in this Ram Stew. A bye week may help this team get it right.
#15.CHICAGO BEARS (5-3) DOWN 3 SPOTS Bears have lost two games in a row. Seems like only Javon Wims has any punch on the Bears offense.
Does Nick Foles have that lucky horseshoe up his rear? Will Foles survive that Swiss Cheese protection the Bears call an Offensive line?
#16.VEGAS RAIDERS (4-3) UP 4 SPOTS Raiders are too streaky. They can beat great teams. Average teams can beat them. They win one week and lose the next with that type of pattern all year.
#17.MINNESOTA VIKINGS (2-5) UP SEVEN SPOTS Vikings have found the recipe that works. Just hand the ball off to Dalvin Cook. No pass plays for Kirk Cousins. Just run the ball every play.
Dalvin’s Lambeau Leap these days with no fans in Green Bay. No guys in hunting jackets trying to inappropriately touch the players, means it may be a good thing with no fans in the seats.
#18.DETROIT LIONS (3-4) DOWN ONE SPOT I only moved the Lions one spot because they will probably win this week and get back to the 500 mark which is what this team has done in the past. Detroit hover around the middle of the pack like the way their head coach hovers around the buffet table.
#19.PHILADELPHIA EAGLES(3-4-1) UP TWO SPOTS CONGRATULATIONS EAGLES HAVE WON THE NFC EAST !!!!! Eagles beat the Cowboys to earn their third win of the season which is a commanding lead in the NFC East. Might as well crown them now division winners.
#20.DENVER BRONCOS (3-4) UP ONE SPOT Broncos defense will have to throw the kitchen sink after the Falcons offense this Sunday. A win gets this team even at 4-4. Broncos made a nice comeback win last week versus the Chargers.
#21.LA CHARGERS (2-5) DOWN 5 SPOTS Chargers cannot hold on to a lead. Justin Herbert can’t play defense.
#22. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (4-5) DOWN 4 SPOTS The 49er MASH unit continues to grow with more injuries piling up.
They may have to rename the team to the 29ers.
#23.CAROLINA PANTHERS (3-4) DOWN 5 SPOTS After winning three games in a row the Panthers have come back down to earth losing three games in row. They are now in danger of losing their 4th in a row facing the Chiefs. Christian McCaffrey may be back but they might need the entire McCaffrey family to beat the Chiefs.
#24.ATLANTA FALCONS (2-6) UP ONE SPOT Last season the Falcons were in a similar position record wise. Then the Falcons went on a rampage in the second half and strung together a few victories to save their coach Dan Quinn’s job. Could the Falcons do the same thing this year and cement Raheem Morris, the interim coach, as the man for next season?
#25.CINCINNATI BENGALS (2-5-1) UP 1 SPOT Joe Burrows and the Bengals earned themselves a big game hunted last Sunday.
Joe Burrows cut the head off the Titan last Sunday in his biggest win in his rookie campaign. Burrows will collect lots of trophies in his career but the first one he’ll enjoy even more going on bye week.
#26.HOUSTON TEXANS (1-6) UP ONE SPOT Moved the Texans up one spot because they will be playing the Jaguars this Sunday. Plus they will be going for the sweep. Texans need their own version of the World Series.
#27.NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (2-5) DOWN 4 SPOTS
Fuck me Santa Fuck me Santa!!! Or did Santa fuck the Patriots and Cowboys in one season? Thank you Santa that is the gift that keep on giving with Patriots and Cowboys in the basement.
#28.WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM(2-5) SAME Obviously on the bye week, this team has yet to come up with a nick name for themselves. The NFC East title still in sights. Could Washington win two games in a row? Giants this Sunday… it could happen.
#29.NEW YORK GIANTS (1-7) SAME Does the Giants uniform have some kind of kryptonite on Tom Brady?
Giants had the lead over the Buccaneers last Monday night. Plus Giants were a two point conversion from sending that game to OT.
#30.JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (1-6) SAME No Gardner Minshew at quarterback means this team will have no pulse.
#31.DALLAS COWBOYS (2-6) No defense. Scrambling to find someone that can play the quarterback position. Now you have to face the Steelers. Thought my 1-7 fantasy record was bad.
#32.NEW YORK JETS (0-8) SAME Jets are on track for the number one draft pick. After the Jets were a 19 point dog last week versus the Chiefs they will play on Monday Night this week.
The 49ers should be called the 29ers in this contest with all the people San Francisco have out in this contest. Packers will rebound quickly over their stunning loss to the Vikings.
THE SUNDAY SLATE
DENVER BRONCOS AT ATLANTA FALCONS
OUR PICK:FALCONS
Falcons have been playing much better under interim Coach Raheem Morris as that offense is clicking on all cylinders. Matt Ryan and the Julio Jones combo is hard to contain. Broncos defense should make this a low scoring affair, but Falcons come out ahead on the score board at the end.
SEAHAWKS AT BILLS
I’m warning you this pick is only because the Buffalo Bills suck me in and most likely will spit me out.
OUR PICK :BILLS
I’m not using common sense on this match up. It’s all heart.
BALTIMORE RAVENS AT INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
OUR PICK:RAVENS
Two solid defenses square off in this one. Colts are a good team but I do not have them in the AFC elite yet. Ravens will prevail and rebound from that battle that took place last Sunday versus the Steelers.
HOUSTON TEXANS AT JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
OUR PICK:TEXANS
Gardner Minshew has a hand injury and is most likely out for Sunday. Minshew is the key to any kind of Jacksonville win. I can see Deshaun Watson just lighting up in his biggest performance of the year; especially being so frustrated with the team overall with a 1-6 record.
CAROLINA PANTHERS AT KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
OUR PICK:CHIEFS
Even with the possible return of Christian McCaffrey for the Panthers, who will not be 100%, most likely will have rust to shed off. Chiefs were looking like they would be missing a big piece on their defense with Chris Jones out with Covid symptoms earlier in the week. Jones set to play may not be 100% though. Besides these two players, Chiefs have too much talent for the Panthers to slow down. Especially the Panthers have a very young defense.
DETROIT LIONS AT MINNESOTA VIKINGS
OUR PICK:LIONS
I’m not jumping on the Viking band wagon because they beat up the Packers last Sunday. Fell for that when Vikings finally won their first game of the season weeks ago. Matthew Stafford has to play in this one to make this prediction stick. Stafford made the Covid list earlier in the week. I like the Lions aerial attack versus a Viking defense that has a tough time versus the pass.
CHICAGO BEARS AT TENNESSEE TITANS
OUR PICK:TITANS
Titans will rebound from their lost to the Bumbles. The loss to Cincinnati could be a wake up call. Asking the Bears defense to try to stop this Titan offense without the Bears offense being able to do much is a very tall order. Bears are sliding down the big chute in the football version of chutes and ladders.
NEW YORK GIANTS AT WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM
OUR PICK:WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM
I can’t see the Giants sweeping the two game series versus Washington. Washington almost won the first meeting versus the Giants. Plus Washington’s team may have built op some confidence with the win over the dreadful Dallas team. To follow that with a bye week could go a long way to actually become a contender for this crapshoot division.
VEGAS RAIDERS AT LA CHARGERS
OUR PICK:RAIDERS
The last time the Chargers won a division game was way back in 2018. I see the Chargers blowing a late lead with an unpredictable Raider team. Even with that unpredictability, the Raiders are better put together on both sides of the ball than the Chargers.
MIAMI DOLPHINS AT ARIZONA CARDINALS
OUR PICK:CARDINALS
Both teams in this one are red hot right now. Tua Time last week was not very impressive as the Dolphins found other ways to beat the Rams who came in on a short week. Cardinals offense should roll rather easily and bring the Dolphins back down to earth.
STEELERS AT COWBOYS
OUR PICK: STEELERS
This does not even feel like it’s fair. Steelers in a rout.
Cowboys will break right after the coin toss.
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS AT TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
OUR PICK:BUCCANEERS
This go around, the Tampa Tom offense has chemistry built, unlike week one when these teams first met. Saints might have some weapons back for Drew Brees. Michael Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders may be rusty. Brady comes out in the end.
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS AT NEW YORK JETS
OUR PICK:PATRIOTS
Love to see the Jets win this one. This is a match up for soft Cam Newton to be able to handle, even if he makes the usual few mistakes behind center. The Patriots should be able to overcome and salvage out a victory for the Empire.
The Chicago Bears are a complete mess. The Bears have a winning record at 5-3 at the halfway point of the season. Those first 5 wins are through the weak part of the schedule except Tampa Bay; some of those wins could be very questionable. A win is a win some will say. “Winning ugly” is what quarterback Nick Foles calls it. Deep down, this team has too many holes to be a playoff team. I forecast a second half collapse with this team. The repeated mistakes are glaring from the front office on drafted players and free agent signings. The offensive scheme is too difficult to learn for most of the players, and they have to run this type of offense. This comes down to the head coach, Matt Nagy, who insists he has to call the plays on offense. The defense is not the same unit as it was in 2018. I don’t care what anyone says. Wide receiver, Javon Wims, goes postal on a Saints player last Sunday and Nagy did not see it. Nagy eventually heard it through the grapevine. What the hell is Nagy doing? The head coach oversees all the operations on the field. Nagy is too busy trying to figure out how Cordarrelle Patterson could eventually get the first down on third and short. Can you trust Ryan Pace to get the Bears another quarterback in the draft? Is Matt Nagy over his head on the Bears side line?
The Chicago Bears front office should go down the road the Chicago Bulls did. Clean out the stink. Send in the guys wearing Hazmat suits and clean house. Starts with Ryan Pace. How many top draft picks from Ryan Pace have you seen be a complete bust? Wide receiver, Kevin White, out of football. White came with injury news which the Bears brass completely ignored. Other top picks of the Bears it seems like other teams know how to use. Leonard Floyd haunted the Bears on Monday night versus the Rams. Floyd sacked your quarterback not once ,but twice. Adam Shaheen has become a nice red zone target for the Dolphins this season way cheaper than the graham cracker, Jimmy Graham. The Jimmy Graham signing showed its stink last week versus the Saints. If Graham is not in the red zone trying to hit him over the middle to pick up the first down, he cracks. When he catches the ball, Jimmy Graham’s size is easy to bring down. Then Mitch Trubisky. Trubisky was picked before Deshaun Watson and Patrick Mahomes. Ryan Pace took the wrong quarterback; he even out-bid himself to move up one spot and got fleeced by the 49ers to give up a draft pick just to get the wrong guy. Addressing the offensive line, Pace used the round 6th and 7th picks to band aid the trenches, in which his quarterback has no chance. In the off-season, Ryan Pace let the guy they drafted leave to keep a veteran who’s over the hill. Nick Kwiatkoski went to Vegas while our weakest link of the defense, Danny Trevathan, is showing his age. Pace at one point had ten tight ends. Then the team had to trade for Nick Foles who, in my opinion, is not the long term answer at the most important position in football. Do you really think Nick Foles can play his best football with a offensive line in such disarray?
Matt Nagy’s offense is structured to mislead opposing defenses. It’s an offense similar to the Kansas City Chiefs and Nagy’s a branch off the Andy Reid tree. Starting to think of one those dead branches that need to be pruned off the tree. Matt Nagy was brought in because he was an offensive guy. Nagy inherited a great defense ran by Vic Fangio. In 2018, the Fangio defense was terrifying; especially adding Khalil Mack to the pack of wolves assembled. The Mack move is by far the best by GM Ryan Pace, due to avoiding the pressure of picking in the first round was not needed trading those picks to the Raiders to complete the deal. In 2018, Matt Nagy’s offense was pretty good to go along with that terrific Midway monster defense. Nagy’s playbook was only partly open at the time, inheriting a young quarterback in Mitch Trubisky. The Bears prevailed that season in a schedule that was not difficult, coming off bad season after bad season in the John Fox ERA. The blame was the kickers double doink in the playoffs in the first round versus the Eagles. The Bears would find out later the scapegoat was indeed not Cody Parky.
Vic Fangio left to take over the head coaching job in Denver. This brought in Chuck Pagano who was once a head coach of the Indianapolis Colts and was a defensive coordinator before being the main guy. Pagano took over the defense and still is the coordinator this season. In 2019, the defense was not terrifying, but still a pretty good unit in the top ten of the league. This season the same thing. Teams can run on the Bears this year. In the last two years. I have not seen that quarterback pressure like in 2018. On the offense side of the ball in 2019 was horrible. The running game disappeared last season like the invisible man. The playbook was opened even more, but Mitch was not getting it. Then Nagy wanted some new coaches which he got. Bill Lazor would be the quarterback whisperer. Then Nagy wanted a better back up and the Bears went out and traded for Nick Foles because Lazor worked with him before. Nick Foles knows the offense from his days in Philadelphia. This was an orchestrated plan to get out of having Mitch Trubisky as the starting quarterback. The Atalanta Falcon game this year was the perfect time to insert Nick Foles when the Bears were down in the second half. Foles led the come back and Bears won one of those types of games that could have been an easy loss.
Now the Bears are not playing the Giants, Falcons, and instead playing teams that are actually pretty good in the league. The Bears offense has looked bad. I know the Bears beat a very good Buccaneer team weeks ago. That is what you will get sometimes with a streaky guy like Nick Foles. Perhaps Foles has the hex on a Tom Brady. Like in the Superbowl, Eagles versus Patriots years ago. Bears versus the Rams the Chicago defense outscored the Chicago offense. Last week versus the Saints, the TV announcers were very critical of the Bears lackadaisical approach. Last two weeks the TV announcers have been very critical of the Bears offense. The lackadaisical approach drive gave the Bears a field goal to tie the game and sent it into over time. It looked like the Bears, to me, just wanted the field goal. It was like Nagy had no faith his offense could go down on a game ending drive and put away the Saints. The last two weeks getting the play in to Nick Foles has been an adventure. Timeouts have been used then as a delay of game penalty occurs after the timeout. Foles said according to Brian Griese, the TV analyst during the Rams and Bears game, Nagy’s plays at times take too long to develop. Foles running for his life, Charlie Brown, has argued with Nagy telling him that it will not work. Foles is the guy Matt Nagy and Bill Lazor wanted. Plus Nick Foles at quarterback takes sacks in key situations and throwing stupid passes that turn into interceptions.
The Bears have too many gaping holes for this team to make the playoffs. The Titans are on deck this Sunday. The team still has to play the Packers twice. Are the Vikings resurfacing to land? Bears face the purple people eaters twice. Lions are not exactly a gimmie. The Bears could be in for a rude awakening and experience their season as the tale of two halves. Bears could easily go 3-5. Would 8-8 get you in the playoffs? If the Bears played in the NFC East, they would win that division by a landslide. When the Bears traded for Jay Cutler the team had no offensive line in the beginning of that long drawn out mess. Nothing has changed except the new faces running the show. Matt Nagy has a winning career record as a head coach. Is it justified to fire him? Was it justified benching Mitch Trubisky? It’s on one of those liners, half on red half on black. Can you strip Matt Nagy from calling plays? Nagy seems he is needed to police his team when one of his guys is stewing on the sidelines, plotting and planning. Javon Wims could have used a conversation when he got his mouthpiece ripped out before Javon went Rocky on the Saints defender. Bears have some pieces that are salvageable. I would blow up the coaching staff and the front office because change needs to happen in those areas to get this team right. Someone has to address that offensive line, and for Christsakes get a freaking quarterback already!! No other team has waited this long to get the most important position on the field correct.
After 15 seasons wearing the teal in San Jose, Joe Thornton’s quest for the holy grail takes the long time veteran to Toronto next season. The Maple Leafs bring the 41 year old Thornton with his ZZ Top beard to Canada on a one year deal worth $700,000. The 6’4″, 220 lbs former MVP and long time Captain brings over 1,800 games both in regular season and post season under his belt to the leafs. Thornton has tallied up over 1,500 points in his career. Does Joe Thornton even have anything left in the tank to help the Leafs get over the hump?
Joe Thornton made 70 appearances last season for the Sharks which was one of a few bad years in San Jose as an organization. Thornton had his lowest output of his career with only 31 points. You could chalk that up to a bad year team-wise and Covid virus taking away two weeks of regular season. The San Jose Sharks were the handful of teams that did not make the bubble when hockey resumed late in the summer. Thornton was kind of miffed not being traded at the deadline to a contender, so he could use his services to help a team win a cup. This off-season, it was an easy decision to leave his long-time home on the west coast with his one year contract expiring with the Sharks. Due to the state of the team, they are looking to overhaul most of the roster and most likely are going younger.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have assembled some young talent on the top of their lines. This talent has not been able to win a playoff series yet. Maple Leafs were ousted in the play in series versus the Columbus Blue Jackets in the bubble. The Maple Leafs this off season have been making multiple moves bringing in a right winger, Wayne Simmons, defenseman Zach Bogosian, and goalie Aaron Dell. The team signed blue liner T.J Brodie to a multiple year deal. Bringing in the Joe Thornton brings the team a guy with Captain experience. Not to be the Captain, but he can bring his wisdom to the ice on prevailing if the team gets in any sticky situations. Thornton has seen everything and done everything in his long career in the NHL. Thornton is no longer a top line MVP caliber player like in his heyday with the Sharks. Thornton could make the 4th line better. Thornton can be a strong playmaker for a line like that with a good possession driver. Plusm Thornton could mentor some of these young Leafs.
Joe Thornton was originally drafted by the Boston Bruins in 1997. Thornton was traded to San Jose in the 2005-06 season due to both parties not agreeing on a contract extension that strained each other’s relationship. Some say the relationship between the Bruins and Thornton relationship was strained long before contract talks. Joe Thornton would go on to play for the Sharks until 2020. The Sharks made the post-season almost every year, religiously. The Sharks had quick exits that Thornton did not perform to his capable level. Other years, Thornton was totally awesome and the team went deep in the playoffs. In 2016, the Sharks finally made it to the Stanley Cup finals only to lose to the Pittsburgh Penguins. It seems like the further the Sharks would go, it depended on how well Joe Thornton played.
Joe Thornton will forever be a San Jose Shark when he makes it into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Thornton leaves San Jose with the most assists with 745. Plus Thornton averaged the most points per game with 1.01 in Sharks history, a fancy shamancy stat. Thornton has some great accomplishments in his career, which not many have done. Thornton had back to back years with at least 90 assists. Only two greats have done that. When you’re on the list with Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux, you know it’s a big deal. Thornton is the only guy in NHL history to win the Art Ross plus the Hart Memorial trophies in one season while switching teams in the 2005-06 season. Plus, the playoff beard is one of the best in the league. You can compare it to Fitz-magic, Ryan Fitzpatrick, on the Miami Dolphins as the best beard in sports. It would be nice to see Joe Thornton win the cup, but with the Leafs maybe not. At least now, he can eat Mr. Sub for lunch as Toronto and Chicago have the best submarine sandwich in their towns. Just comb out the beard so you don’t get crumbs on the ice when you’re done.
The Wild shamrock 