At the age of 52 years, after 24 seasons in the NHL, Jaromir Jagr is still playing professional ice hockey. Jagr wore 9 different sweaters in his 24 year NHL career that ended in the 2017-’18 season skating for the Calgary Flames. The Hall of Fame of many of these professional sports leagues come calling after 5 years of retirement. Jagr ranks 4th all-time in goals scored in the NHL, making him a sure first ballot to the Hall of Fame. The word retire is not in Jagr’s dictionary as he continues to play the game and professionally for his hometown team in the Czech Republic in the ELH Czech Extraliga. Jagr is averaging 15 minutes per contest in the ELH as he provides veteran leadership and is the owner of the Rytiri Kladno which is the team he rooted for growing up in the Czech Republic. Even being the owner he still has that wicked slap shot. He’s still putting the biscuit in the basket. Finally one of his former teams in the NHL will be retiring his number 68 jersey this weekend in Pittsburgh, where he played with the Penguins 11 seasons.

In 24 seasons in the NHL, Jaromir racked up 766 goals playing in 1,733 games. He dished out 1,155 assists which gives him the grand total of 1,921 points in his NHL career. He is an 8x all-star. He helped the Pittsburgh Penguins win back to back cups in 1991 and ’92. In 24 seasons in the NHL, his team made the playoffs 18 of those seasons. He played in 208 additional playoff games in the NHL where he scored 78 more goals & dished out another 123 assists to rack up 201 points. He suited up for the Penguins, Rangers (4 seasons), Capitals (3 seasons), Panthers (3 seasons), Devils (2 seasons), and then one season each for the Flyers, Bruins, Stars, and the Flames. The hockey legends ahead of him in goals features Wayne Gretzky number 1 with (894), Alex Ovechkin number 2 (836), Gordie Howe number 3 (801), and then Jagr 4th with (766). Jagr could have added more to his total as he left the NHL in 2008 and played in the KHL Kontinental Hockey League for three seasons.

The KHL is the Soviet Union Hockey league in which Jaromir Jagr played for Avangard Omsk. He scored 66 regular season goals, dishing out 79 assists in three seasons. He scored 7 goals with 13 assists in the playoffs. In 2011, Jagr came back to the states, played for the Philadelphia Flyers, and would play until 2018 in the NHL with multiple teams. After the NHL, he has played in the ELH where he scored his 1,100th professional goal last February. Jagr has played 37 professional seasons on the ice which is by far the most in the history of the game. He has played in over 2,000 games. He is the most productive European player to lace up the skates. I should mention that he played for his own country’s National teams as well. In 2017, he was named to the list of 100 greatest NHL players of all-time. At the age of 45, he became the oldest player in the history of the NHL to get a hat trick in a game.

I remember the 1992 finals when the Blackhawks faced the Pittsburgh Penguins for the entire enchilada. The Blackhawks had won 11 straight games as they made it to the finals for the first time since 1973. It was the first time in my life & I was only in high school at the time seeing my home team Blackhawks make it this far. The guys wearing the Indian head sweaters that year meant the roster was stacked. We had Michael Goulet who was a veteran savvy player who had been one top players in the games for years. We scored goals with a young Jeremy Roenick. We had Steve Larmer. The captain, Dirk Graham. Our enforcer, Stu Grimson, a guy I wouldn’t want to meet in dark alley being on his list. The Blackhawks had a stud goalie in Eddie Belfour. In game one of the series versus Pittsburgh, the Blackhawks led 4-1 only to see it disappear. Jaromir Jagr then put on a clinic and made the Blackhawks look like a minor league team. Obviously with the help of the great Mario Lemieux, the Penguins erased that lead in game 1. Pittsburgh won that game and ended up sweeping the Blackhawks in the series. The Blackhawks would never get back to the finals with that loaded team and have to wait until Patrick Kane came into the league to get back to that moment.

The Pittsburgh Penguins only have retired two jerseys in franchise history. The Great Mario Lemieux’s number 66 hangs from the rafters. Lemieux played 17 seasons in the NHL all with Pittsburgh as he scored 690 goals. Then the Penguins retired number 21, that of Michel Briere, a young promising hockey star who’s life was way too short. Briere would die from suffering a head injury from a car accident in the 1970’s. He was only 21 years old when he passed. Jaromir Jagr played 806 games for the Penguins and scored 439 goals while dishing out 640 assists. It was only a matter of time when the Penguins would get around to retiring number 68. The Penguins did trade Jagr to the Washington Capitals as the organization had financial problems at the time. It was July 2001. Some Penguin fans booed Jagr when he returned to Pittsburgh wearing the enemy’s colors. It took some convincing to get Jagr back to Steel Town to show him the love when he was just a young pup from over the pond playing a game he was born to play. The longevity of his career is amazing because of how you can last playing a physical sport that long. Kazuyoshi Miura is 55 years old and a Japanese soccer star who is still playing in Portugal. Jagr was a guy who after a game or practice would stay on the ice and shoot another 100 or 200 pucks. In the NFL, seeing Tom Brady play deep into his 40’s was amazing. Nobody really likes Brady as much as we like Jagr. You wonder how close he would have gotten to Wayne Gretzky’s goals record if he stayed the NHL course. You can’t fault a guy trying different leagues as he was traded away from the team that drafted him. That’s the sports business in present days, that not many players play their entire career with one team. He circled the wagons and is playing with guys in his home town that are 30 years younger than him. Jagr is one year older than his head coach. The skating ability, the puck handling, and the shot he had meant Jagr was fun to watch. When he finally hangs up the skates for good, he will be in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Pittsburgh, in football, has their head coaches take on the job like the Pope for the Steelers. The way the Penguins retire jerseys, they don’t hand those honors just to anyone. Sid “the Kid” Crosby will be the next one after the Jagr ceremonies conclude. It is amazing he skated with Mario for 7 years, he wore 66, and Jagr wore 68. Usually most sports organizations have retired numbers between 1-10. Two numbers from the 60’s makes it interesting. The Energizer battery company should market around Jagr because we don’t know how long he will go.

Last year, AJ McCarron signed up to play in the XFL for two reasons. First, so his own kids can see him play football. The second reason was to work his way back into the NFL. McCarron found a second home with the St. Louis BattleHawks. McCarron’s played well on the field in the XFL & it earned him a job back in the NFL with the team that drafted him, the Cincinnati Bengals. McCarron signed with the Bengals in September of last year and stayed on the practice squad until the month of December as he was quarterback 3 behind Joe Burrow’s back up, Jake Browning. McCarron saw some action as he played in two games, threw 5 passes, & completed 4 of them for a whopping 19 yards. The XFL and the USFL merged into one league and St. Louis, whose fans have been starving for football, survived. McCarron has the itch once again and asked for his release from the Bengals. The Bengals granted his wish and McCarron will return to St. Louis to scratch his itch behind center for the BattleHawks of the UFL, the United Football League ,which they call it now.

Things were supposed to be different for AJ McCarron. He came from the football powerhouse, University of BAMA. The University of Alabama, the Crimson Tide, is where they manufacture NFL football players. Like Ford or GMC, they make their own sports car as the Tide made their own quarterbacks as well. McCarron helped Bama win two National College Football titles in back to back years of 2012 & ’13. He’s the school’s all-time leader in passing yards with 9,019. He is second all-time in touchdown passes with 77. The Bengals drafted him in the 5th round, 164th overall in the 2014 NFL draft. He came into the league as the back up to Andy Dalton. His stock rose as he started three games in 2015 filling in for the injured Dalton. He went 2-1 as a starter as he played in 7 games total. He completed 66.1% of his passes and had 6 touchdown passes with 2 interceptions. He would not make his next NFL start until 2019 with the Houston Texans. He got in some games, mopping up mostly. His career in the NFL, including last year, he went 2-2 as a starter as he played in 19 games. He completed 63.3% of his passes for 1,192 yards of which 854 of those came in 2015. He had 6 touchdown passes all in 2015 with 3 career interceptions. He played parts of 7 seasons in the NFL, mostly with the Bengals, then Texans, and the Raiders. After that first season, he would never show those flashes of brilliance until the 2023 season in the XFL.

AJ McCarron started 9 games in St. Louis and went 7-2 as the starter. The BattleHawks missed the playoffs by an eyelash. During those 9 games, he completed 203 passes out of 295 attempts for 2,150 passing yards with 24 touchdown passes and threw six interceptions.

Those 24 touchdown passes broke Tommy Maddox’s record back in the original XFL in 2001 when he played for the LA Xtreme. By far, the St. Louis fans have the biggest following of any other city in all of these Spring leagues over the last few years. Since the Rams moved back to LA and left St. Louis, this city has been starving for football. They have showed up, supported the BattleHawks, and they love McCarron and this team. Before McCarron asked the Bengals for his release, he said he would only play in the UFL with the BattleHawks and Head Coach Anthony Becht. This is a marriage made in heaven with Becht, McCarron, and the city of St. Louis.

The merger of the XFL and the USFL has come down to 8 teams in the first season of the UFL. That left another 8 teams folding up shop at least for next season as each league last year fielded 8 teams each. That left many talented players available and being drafted by the 8 teams still standing. This new merger should create a league that will be very competitive with no doormats on the schedule. Coming into the league, AJ McCarron is by far the best quarterback, but he will have his work cut out for him as the opposing team’s defenses will be better. With the USFL being around for two full seasons and the XFL just having completed their first season, some teams will be playing together the last three seasons. With McCarron coming back to St. Louis with the same Head Coach and familiar with many of the guys from last year, it will help these teams stay competitive and even get better. It will avoid some of the sloppy games in the beginning of these seasons as teams take a few weeks just knock off the rust. McCarron last year double dipped from the XFL to the NFL, where it’s football all year around as this guy should be ready to go being one of the top guys in this league.

AJ McCarron may be using the UFL as his return to the NFL next season, to sharpen his skills with playing time. McCarron made more money in the NFL as a back up or 3rd string quarterback than what he will be getting in the XFL or this new league, the UFL. The first time he signed with the league, he wanted his kids to see him play. That might still be the case this go around. I think he wants to actually play football, start each game, and be the number one guy. He’s 33 years old and he was behind Jake Browning, a 27 year old. No way he will beat out Joe Burrow. His NFL dreams are reduced to being a back up & in his case he only became the 2nd guy with the injury to Burrow. McCarron can’t say he is in the top 30 quarterbacks in the NFL. The path to get playing time and be a starter is not easy in the NFL. Does the system of whatever team you sign with fit his skill set? McCarron could continue to double dip into both leagues. Right now he is not thinking of that. This is a guy that won College titles at a big time University. I bet he’d rather win on the UFL stage right now than hold the clip board in the NFL. He is risking his NFL future by playing in the UFL, if he gets hurt. I give him credit. Every athlete mentally should want to be out there playing on the grand stage. Some guys collect the money and ride the bench and look like thieves when their number is called. The USFL back in the 1980’s had young talent like Jim Kelley, Steve Young, and Doug Williams. The league back then also had journeymen who left the NFL to play football again. McCarron was fun to watch last year with the BattleHawks. This is that underdog style story which seems only set in St. Louis and the plot centers around quarterbacks. Remember the day Curt Warner left Arena football and bagging groceries for the NFL Rams back then when they were in St.Louis. McCarron too could leave his own legacy in St. Louey.

Steve “Mongo” McMichael played 15 seasons in the NFL as a defensive tackle. He played on the best defense ever assembled, the ’85 Bears, that won Superbowl XX. That 1985 Bears team has produced six and still counting members of the Football Hall of Fame. McMichael was diagnosed with ALS in 2021, which is terminal disease with no cure. In 2023, McMichael has been confined to his bed. The former Bear wants nothing to do with hospitals as he is being cared for in his home in Homer Glen, Illinois. He’s been hanging on for dear life as the pain is off the charts. He even had a few close calls from death knocking at the door. He’s been waiting for the verdict of the NFL Veterans committee, deciding his fate regarding being enshrined in football royalty, Canton, Ohio & the Football Hall of Fame. McMichael is just a shell of himself as he can’t speak as he’s on breathing & feeding tubes. He communicates with a computer’s robotic voice or blinking his eyes. His former Bears teammate, Richard Dent, who is one the six from that ’85 team in the Hall delivered the news on the phone. Face time. Told his longtime friend, “It’s your turn this time brother, it’s your turn.”

Now, Steve McMichael’s long football journey will conclude and he’ll be the in the 2024 class of the Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

Right now Steve McMichael is 66 years old, born and and raised in the state of Texas. We know Texas loves their football as they sleep and eat the game. It did not take long for McMichael to showcase his talents on the field back in High School. He stayed in Texas and played for the Longhorns during college at the University of Texas. McMichael was a College All-American. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the 3rd round of the NFL draft after a great career for the Longhorns. The book ends of his NFL game were the bread of the Bears sandwich during which he played one season in New England and in 1994 signed with the enemy, the Packers to conclude his professional career. The Bears had McMichael for 13 seasons. He played in 213 games in his career, 191 of which were consecutive games for the Bears at one point. He did not miss games. McMichael racked up 95 sacks, which is the 3rd most in NFL history as a defensive tackle. McMichael had 847 tackles, forced 13 fumbles, and had two interceptions. He was a 2x All-Pro. He made two Pro-Bowls. Before getting in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, McMichael has made every level of football royalty. He’s in the Texas Hall of Fame. He made the Longhorns Hall of Fame at the University of Texas. Then he was enshrined in the College Football Hall of fame. Now he has all of them.

Steve McMichael earned the nickname, Mongo, from the character on the movie, Blazing Saddles, the guy riding the bull. The ’85 Bears had all kinds of personalities that meshed perfectly for that one year. Mongo fit perfectly in this group full of superstars. On that stunning Bears defense already enshrined in the Hall of Fame before McMichael are edge rusher Richard Dent and fellow line mate Dan Hampton. Then one of the best linebackers in Bears history, Mike Singletary. You had Da Coach Iron Mike Ditka who led this ragtag bunch to the promised land. On offense the greatest running back in the NFL all-time, Sweetness Walter Payton. The Bears also had one of their offensive linemen make it to Canton in Big Jimbo Covert. Imagine all the other names left out of the conversation like Wilbur Marshall and Otis Wilson, two solid linebackers. Others on the offense line, Keith Van Horne and Jay Hillenburg, maybe the best center in Bears history. The Punky QB, Jim McMahon. The play maker speedster wide out, Willie Gault. This kind of group would divide locker rooms. Ditka did not get along with his defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan so in a way, the locker room was divided offense versus defense. This group lost only one game on Monday Night during that magical year versus the Dan Marino led Dolphins. The Bears players did the Superbowl Shuffle song before winning the big game that year down in New Orleans. Mongo McMichael did the dirty work in the trenches for this team. Lots of stuff that does not show up in the stat sheets. Kill the quarterback was obviously Mongo’s main goal on each play, but he did a great job freeing up the linebackers. Taking out the guy or guys across from him so they could fill the gap and make the tackle. He slapped that bull of an opponent like the strongman named Mongo in Blazing Saddles. They did win the big game at the end by destroying the Patriots back then. These guys are such a tight group most of them are still the toast of the town. Many still live in Chicago. When a brother’s down, they come by. They helped build ramps on their teammate’s house when they heard Mongo was diagnosed with ALS. You really don’t hear stories like that of championship teams still in touch with each other decades after winning the Superbowl. Most championship teams get together for the reunions every ten years. This team has bonds for life.

Everyone has their rock. Everyone has that soul mate, that friendship, that sees the worst and best in that person. Steve McMichael met his wife Misty in Austin, Texas at a bar called the Pearl Oyster bar. Yes, the American love story happening in a bar, saloon, or a pub. That is story of the ages and it is world wide ever since Jesus was playing pin ball at the local Mosses Stone Temple Wine Bar. McMichael was done on the gridiron when he met the girl of his dreams. Since being a multi sport athlete in High School, he had entered the ring as a WCW wrestler.

McMichael wrestled the great Reggie White. He wore his hair in a pony tail. He still wore the Chicago Bears stuff and his number 76 was embroidered on his shorts. Misty, his rock, had never seen his football days but definitely enjoyed the moments watching her husband perform in the ring. They had a wonderful daughter named Macy. Now McMichael’s rock is still by his side through this period when this disease eats away everything accept the brain. They had multiple scares when McMichael went into a coma for short time. They got through it. Now finally after dealing with all this and knowing he’s clinging on for dear life and his chances of getting into the Hall were also hanging by thread. Mike Ditka said he should have been in the Hall ten years ago. Every system has some flaws in voting for these major sports achievements. How many times did we see an athlete pass away & then suddenly they make it to the Hall. This story, even though it is very sad, has that gleaming streak of sunshine of a nice ending. This may not be the ending. The plan is to get Mongo to the ceremony in Canton, which would be something special and amazing at the same time. Like his favorite actor, John Wayne could be shot but still gets the bad guys.

If Steve McMichael was healthy getting the news, can you imagine the celebration he would be having. This is a guy bigger than life. He went rattlesnake hunting. He broke a bottle on his head. His description of his football savvy was entertaining when he was on a local show, Sports Sunday, during his playing days with the Bears. He would sometimes bring his little dog with him on the set. Him and the host Mark Giangreco would conclude my weekend on a high note going over what the Bears did, even if they won or lost the game. I met McMichael when his book was out & got an autograph as well. Unfortunately, that book got lost as my friend read it first. It was at a book signing at the local mall and it was exciting to see a legend up close like that. He seemed like a guy you can have some beers with. McMichael lived his life so far to the fullest, and it may take you or me another 200 years to get to his point of lifetime stories. It would suck not being able to really enjoy the whole experience like most of the players who wore the golden jackets at Canton. I hope he does make it to Canton to see his football legacy unfold in front of his eyes. Nobody deserves a disease like he has. In life, you have to enjoy the moment like he has and is still doing. Because it flashes by. Congratulations MONGO!! it’s about time those SOB’S down in Canton and those sports writers get off their arse, open their eyes, and check the right box. The vote for Steve McMichael should have been years ago, but we will all take it & enjoy this big day in sports.

Carl Weathers played a better sports character on the big screen in Hollywood, than on the grid iron as a football player. Weathers played that flashy, cocky, trash talking boxer in the Rocky Movies, Apollo Creed. Then he played a role in one of the funniest golf movies, Happy Gilmore, as Chubbs Peterson. Weathers always had passion for the theatre as he became a master thespian at San Diego State University where he earned a Masters. In life before we even find our true passion, many will dabble in other things like the gridiron. Weathers may have loved the game of football and he was probably pretty good at it playing for the Aztecs of SD State. He played linebacker, eventually turned professional and suited up for the silver and black in Oakland in the NFL.. Weathers passed away this week at the age of 76, peacefully in his sleep.

I did not even realize that Carl Weathers played professional football like some legends in the NFL have. Like Fred Dryer who was known as Hunter, an LAPD homicide detective on television, & then in another life time before acting he was chasing down quarterbacks for the Rams. Weathers played football at Long Beach State in California before transferring to San Diego State where he played linebacker for the Aztecs. In 1969 the Aztecs had a perfect season 11-0 and they won the Pasadena Bowl. In 1970, Weathers was undrafted in the NFL but signed with the Oakland Raiders where he played in seven games. That year the Raiders won the AFC West title. The Raiders made it to the AFC Championship only to get dropped by the Baltimore Colts. Weathers returned to the Raiders in 1971 and lasted one game while getting his walking papers. Weathers professional football career was not over as he signed on with the BC Lions of the CFL (Canadian Football League). Weathers’ football career was very short as he would only play 13 games for the Lions as he came away with a fumble recovery. He hung up the spikes & removed the shoulder pads. He then would use the degree he earned, a Masters of Theatre Arts, and never look back.

Carl Weathers’ first big role he earned in Hollywood was playing the boxer Apollo Creed. Not knowing Sylvester Stallone wrote Rocky and was playing the part of the main character, Weathers criticized his acting. Acting as if working with a professional actor instead of Stallone, then the scenes could go smoother. At the time, Stallone was not known and he was just at the beginning of stardom. Stallone hired Weathers to play the part of Apollo Creed and at the same time the honesty probably improved his own acting skills. Weathers would play Creed in the first 4 Rocky movies as he eventually gets killed in the ring in the 4th movie by Ivan Drago, the Russian boxer played by Dolph Lundren. By far all the Rocky movies Weathers was in, were the best of the entire series.

The Rocky movies, especially the original, may be the best underdog sports story film of all-time. Rocky was nobody as Apollo Creed was the heavy weight champion. Creed needed a fight to happen and liked the name Italian Stallion, a complete nobody to give them a chance at the belt. Rocky loses but goes the distance in a very close fight that is an all out battle of the ages in the ring. Then in Rocky Two, the rematch, the Italian Stallion beats Apollo Creed and becomes the heavy weight champion of the world. In Rocky III, which features Clubber Lang who is played by Mister T, Lang beats up on the Italian Stallion and takes the title away from Rock. Then Apollo Creed helps Rocky and trains him to beat Clubber Lang in the rematch.

During these Rocky movies, the sound tracks were always designed to make you feel like you could go 12 rounds. The Eye of the Tiger which Apollo used to motivate Rocky. The song Eye of the Tiger by Survivor in Rocky III made that movie even better. In Rocky IV, Apollo’s introduction when he comes into the ring to Living in America is played by James Brown. He was also in that movie.

Carl Weathers, being an athlete as he played professional football, was part of the reason for how he landed some jobs in Hollywood. He has the sports body to be Apollo Creed. Before Rocky, Weathers played in a football movie with Burt Reynolds called Semi Tough. Weathers played Dreamer Tatum. One of the greatest series of all time that Weathers was a part of, was Predator. The sports body molded to perfection didn’t hurt his chances working with Arnold Schwarzenegger who was a professional body builder before Hollywood came calling.

Let’s not forget the other guy in Predator, Jesse the Body Ventura, a former professional wrestler. Ventura and Schwarzenegger would also go on to be governors. Predator produced a great Hollywood film using X-athletes for their main parts.

One of the funniest characters Carl Weathers played was Chubbs Peterson in Happy Gilmore.

Chubbs was Happy Gilmore’s golf coach in the movie. His character being once a professional golfer, but he got his hand chomped off by a gator. One of the better Adam Sandler movies in my opinion, this one would leave you in stitches laughing so much. Carl Weathers came in late as the Chief of the Sparta Police Department in the Heat of the Night series with Carol O’Connor, whom many love his character in All in the Family as Archie Bunker. Weathers seemed to like the Sci Fi television series. He played parts in Colony and Alien Siege, which I never heard of until now & has a great sounding plot. Who can forget his part in Star Wars in the Mandalorian series as Greef Karga?

That is just some of Carl Weathers’ acting credits over his long career in Hollywood. He has many others I did not mention on plenty of shows and movies. He definitely impacted the sports world with his characters on the big screen. Not many can play college football. Not many can say they had a cup of coffee in the NFL. Obviously he did what he wanted and acting was it. Not many people can reach their dreams. Not many people could find something that makes them happy in life. Carl Weathers has done that for himself, family, and all his fans. I think 76 is far to young. His memories will go on for the next several generations because those characters never actually die, if you rewind. Rest in peace Combat Carl!!

Raise youR hand right now if you remember how much we hated the New England Patriots dynasty. How much Tom Brady and Bill Belichick rubbed you the wrong way. All the Superbowls they won together. The Patriots way of doing things. How the Patriots became the Evil Empire of the league with scandals such as deflate gate, and recording the opponent’s practices. How everything would go right for the Patriots. The Brady fumble in the 2002 playoff game versus the Raiders which turned out to be the deciding play of that game. The Patriots get their way as the ruling was that it was not a fumble, but a pass and became a new special rule called the tuck rule. AKA the Tom Brady rule. Raise your hands if you are sick of the Kansas City Chiefs. Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and Andy Reid have won already two Superbowls and the arrogance they have has already built up. Don’t get me started on the State Farm commercials or Taylor Swift. Before the AFC Championship, Mahomes and Kelce had a squabble with the Ravens kicker for warming up before the game on their side of the field. Kelce acts like a thug and Mahomes is such a cry baby. The message they believe in is everyone is against us, so we’ll show you is the mentality. I wonder why?

Before the game between the Chiefs and the Ravens, video shows Patrick Mahomes throwing Baltimore’s Justin Tucker’s kicking tee as he was stretching on the field getting ready for the game. Travis Kelce on the video is seen throwing Tucker’s helmet and footballs out of the way. On his brother’s podcast Jason kelce Travis was bitching about Tucker breaking an “UNWRITTEN RULE”

“If you want to be a fucking dick about it, you keep your helmet, your football and your fucking kicking tee right where my quarterbacks are warming up… If you’re not going to pick that up, I’ll happily move that for you.”

The unwritten rule referred to by Kelce states that as both teams have a side of the field they can warm up on, Tucker was an intruder. Tucker as he saw his stuff being tossed, winked at Kelce. Travis said Tucker was trying to get under his skin. Then went on to say they were not in the mood to joke, meaning him and Mahomes. Tucker on Monday would say he never had a problem with anybody stretching on the field before the game. Dude sounds like a douche.

Patrick Mahomes would respond about his pregame routine that kickers have never been a problem except in Baltimore where this situation has occurred three times. The kickers and punters are on the field first, warming up as they use both sides of the field in their pregame warm ups. Kickers and punters want to judge the winds on game day as they will practice their craft on both sides of the field. Even after the game & even after winning the game, Travis Kelce said, “Don’t poke the Bear, Justin,” and went on to say he can one up the Ravens kicker being a bigger dick than he already is. Tucker with the wink at the time the Gooch took his lunch money, thought it was all good fun and gamesmanship.

You can tell during the game that the Ravens wanted to bully the Chiefs as they let their emotions get the better of them. I wonder why. Travis Kelce did his part as the instigator as he was in multiple skirmishes during this past Sunday’s championship game. Kyle Van Noy was caught retaliating against Kelce in a Dennis Rodman kind of move as Ravens were flagged for unnecessary roughness. Not too long after, the Ravens defensive line man was battling his guy as he clocked Patrick Mahomes right in the face mask escaping through the hole. He was called for roughing the passer. Teams like the Bills and Bengals have taken the Chiefs to the brink of elimination in the playoffs multiple times. Bengals have prevailed and failed.The Ravens find out you have to play a perfect game to beat them as they have only played the Chiefs in regular season. Playoffs they are a different animal. Teams like the Chargers, Broncos, and Raiders have to deal with Mahomes and Kelce twice a season. You know they are out for blood when they play them. You can tell teams are sick of the Chiefs and their Patriots way.

Most of the football world will probably be rooting for the 49ers against this Chiefs team. This is what it has come down to making me root for a West Coast team. Does Vegas have a parlay card on how many times the camera will be focused on Taylor Swift? Then I can bet on the coin toss and finish the bet off with the over and under of how many breaks does Patrick Mahomes get during a game. Maybe on the grand stage of the Superbowl, a Chiefs loss will give this organization a tailspin and bring them back to earth like the rest of the league. The Chiefs defense has been pretty solid most of this season. They usually show up like Nick Foles a few games at the end regular season and playoffs. Then the Chiefs always look bad for a few weeks during regular season and you think how can they get so deep into post season. They beat the Dolphins in Kansas City in sub zero conditions like fish playing out of water easy. Then a wide right field goal in Buffalo & they survive. Then they get shut out in the second half last Sunday and still win after scoring all 17 points in the first half. Then the great wide receiver Kadarius Toney who can’t catch a ball wearing stick em on his gloves. The guy who lined up off sides said he is not injured. He went on a rant saying the Chiefs put him on the injured list when he’s feeling fine. The Chiefs receiving core this year is pathetic. They still find a way. Is the walrus Andy Reid going to retire after the season concludes? Any hope of this dynasty starts to crumble before going on to be the Patriots of the Midwest. If we have to hear Kelce’s Wrestle Mania speech after the Superbowl like last year about how the doubters doubted them, my eyes are going to pop out of my head. The Eagles had these guys on the ropes last year and of course what happens the Chiefs win it. I know the Chiefs will be a thorn in the side for years to come, but let’s hope a Superbowl loss can slow their mojo down like in Rocky IV when the Italian Stallion got that punch that drew blood and the Russian Ivan Drago was done. That’s what we need. A punch that’s heard around the world to stop this coming of the Patriots way part two just with new set of villains wearing different uniforms.

When are certain players in the NFL going to learn from their own antics? I noticed two players, one from each match up on Sunday in the championship games, for whom their actions were more important then their own team. Not sure how long now that every time a player gets a first down in football, they have to point that out before the referee calls it while doing their own version of the signal. The celebrations in the end zone after scoring a touchdown or the defense getting a turnover are now choreographed by the offense or the defense. Does each team get time to work on these dances or theatrics in between game film and practice? Some could be improv. These things are part of the game now, compared to when I remember Walter Payton scoring a touchdown and handing the ball to the referee. He’s been there before, not his first or last rodeo. The actions of players that need attention need the spot light. Like we need football to turn into the WWF, a time to trash talk and taunt the other team as if, “Look at me, I made a play.” These taunts or trash talking can come back and burn their team. The game could suddenly change momentum and the taunter may end up with egg on his face. What about knowing the score of the game? Zay Flowers of the Ravens pushed his defender to the ground getting up & then spun the ball after a 54 yard catch. Seems to me the Ravens were losing at that point, 17-7, in the second half. Then the Lions defensive back, C.J Gardner-Johnson, was waving to the 49er fans in the second quarter with the Lions up 24-7. Someone should inform him they usually play another half as that lead we know, did not hold up.

Big Play Zay, a rookie wide receiver, led the Ravens in receiving yards in the AFC Championship. Zay Flowers could tell his kids or maybe his grandchildren how he came close to playing in a Superbowl. The Ravens defense gave up 17 points to the Kansas City Chiefs. All the points were scored in the first half. The Ravens only needed to score ten points to tie the game. When Flowers was tackled by L’Jarius Sneed at the ten yard line, the Ravens were in business. The call for taunting sent the Ravens back to the 25 yard line. Had to show up Sneed with spinning the ball because he made that catch. He did his job, so he needed that special attention. The Ravens got back in the red zone with another pass and completion to Flowers. Looked like the Ravens would be okay. Then another pass to Flowers, he caught the ball and tried to dive for pay dirt right in front of the goal line. At the same time, his buddy Sneed on Kansas City flipped the script and knocked the ball out of Flowers’ hands as he was close to getting the ball over the goal line. The ball was recovered by the Chiefs for a touch back in the end zone. How do you feel now, Big Play Zay? Instead of making the game either 17-10 or 17-14 and changing the momentum in favor of the Ravens, Flowers’ antics cost the team points. When you taunt someone they would surely like to repay you, and Sneed did it on the field. Then Flowers makes a total arse of himself as he already was a colossal ASS. Throws a tantrum on the side line, whacks his hand on the bench, & then suffered a boo boo on his hand.

C.J Gardner Johnson is one of those league leaders in trash talking. You can say sometimes his trash talk can get in the opponent’s head. Like how Dennis Rodman got into people’s heads on the hard wood in the NBA. Some players would lose focus on their own game and want to settle their personal vendetta and cost their own team just to satisfy their own lust for revenge. I saw this with the Bears receivers when Gardner Johnson was on the Saints. Bears players punched Gardner Johnson and were flagged for penalties. This go around besides trash talking with 49ers wide receiver, Deebo Samuels, calling him only a running back because he can’t run routes. The waving at the crowd was when Gardner Johnson thought the Lions had the game on ice and were headed to the Superbowl without playing the second half. Again antics, look at me kind of the deal. Easy bulletin board material for the other team. What happens next was the 49ers steamrolled the Lions in the second half. Which resulted in egg on Gardner-Johnson who some believe will be looking to play for another team as he seems a guy well traveled in the NFL. I wonder why? 

The Ravens and the Lions lost the championships for many reasons, not just because of the two that made themselves bigger than the team. Lamar Jackson was terrible. His bone headed turnovers, taking sacks, and dancing around instead of just taking off for the first down marker on a few plays did not help. The Lions gambling on 4th down instead of taking a chance to extend the lead with two field goal attempts. The Lions had some key dropped passes. If you want to beat teams like the Chiefs and 49ers who visit the Superbowls often, you need a perfect game. You can’t give them extra motivation in big games like that. Then Joe Burrow threw his two cents into the topic of taunting. Let’s remember Burrow and his trash talking Bengals have not won a Superbowl. The Bengals are trash on the field and in social media more than any other team in the league. They keep telling the world they are better then everyone. Burrow says taunting should not be called in professional football because it’s not a kids’ game. The word “professional,” Burrow may not quite know the meaning of it. When defensive end Maxx Crosby does his Hacksaw Jim Duggan taunting act and hits Burrow over the head with a 2×4 after sack and a dance, it’s just taunting & no big deal. That’s what we need… more delayed football for dancing. Maybe we should not even watch football and go with Dancing with the Stars as our next program. Celebrate after the game when the scoreboard is final. Have your cigars & say anything you feel like. Go on twitter and butcher up the English language with wrestling taunts. That damn spell check gets me every time.

LAST WEEK’S RECORD: (DIVISIONAL) 2-2

WILD CARD RECORD: 2-4

OVERALL: 4-6 (YIKES!!!)

NUGGET: HOME TEAMS (8-2) IN THE PLAYOFFS

STRAIGHT PICK-EM

ROUND THREE PLAYOFFS (CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS)

SUNDAY FUNDAY

AFC CHAMPIONSHIP

#3.KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (13-6) AT #1.BALTIMORE RAVENS (14-4)

HOW WE GOT HERE: Chiefs dispatched the Dolphins & Bills. The Ravens took out the Texans.

ALL-TIME AFC CONFERENCE TITLE RECORDS: Chiefs (3-3) Ravens (2-2)

QUARTERBACKS:

QB ALL-TIME RECORD IN POST SEASON PLAY: Patrick Mahomes (13-3) Lamar Jackson (2-3)

Mahomes is 3-1 all-time versus Jackson. It’s the 1st playoff match up these quarterbacks will face each other.

The Ravens last week, with ease, took the Texans out to the back of the shed and ended their magical run. Patrick Mahomes, like a worm, squirmed out of Buffalo with an emotional win and a kick that went wide right. This is an interesting match-up as they already said this is the first time two black quarterbacks are facing each other in the AFC conference championship. Even though Mahomes is half white and half black, so is it truly a black on black thing. Who cares anyway because both quarterbacks are awesome. Both of them are duel threats that can beat you with the legs and their arm. Both the Ravens and Chiefs have solid defenses. The Chiefs defense seems to get better as the year goes on. While the Ravens have maintained most of the season, they have been a lights out defensive unit. The Ravens led the league in sacks. Steve Spagnulo has been the Chiefs defensive coordinator since 2019 and Kansas City has surrendered the most rushing touchdowns to opposing teams’ quarterbacks in regular season. The Bills were able to run on the Chiefs last week and control the clock. I think the Ravens can do the same thing with Jackson using his legs. The Chiefs defense are very good defending the red zone.

I like the fact that the Ravens will get their tight end back for this game. Lamar Jackson’s security blanket, Mark Andrews, who went out with an injury in the middle of November, finds his way back to the conference championship game. Andrews will be the X-factor in this one as he played ten regular seasons games and caught one more touchdown than Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce who played 15 regular season games. Andrews will walk away with the booby prize….

Patrick Mahomes won his first playoff game on the road in Buffalo last week. Mahomes has been Superman in the playoffs. The Ravens defense is a different animal. I like the Ravens play makers better than any of what the Chiefs have all together. The Chiefs defense will be exposed with the run. I think the Ravens will get a quick lead as the Chiefs will be forced to throw the ball and keep running back Isiah Pacheco a non-factor in this game. It seems like it has been, and will be, a Lamar Jackson kind of year as it started with him negotiating his own contract. He then showed the football world as the Ravens were the best team all year and earned the number one seed in the AFC. Mahomes and the Chiefs playing two straight home games in hostile environments can drain any team.

OUR PICK: RAVENS

NFC CHAMPIONSHIP

#3.DETROIT LIONS (14-5) AT SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (13-5)

HOW WE GOT HERE: The Lions slammed the Rams while cutting up the Buccaneers. The 49ers just got by the Packers.

ALL-TIME NFC CONFERENCE TITLE RECORDS: Lions (0-1), 49ers (7-11)

QUARTERBACKS

QB ALL-TIME RECORDS IN POST-SEASON PLAY: Jared Goff (5-3) Brock Purdy (3-1)

Goff vs Purdy will be the first ever match-up between these two quarterbacks.

This is the first ever NFL QB match-up that features a number one pick overall vs the last pick in the draft in post-season history. Goff was drafted number one overall by the Rams. Mr. Irrelevant Brock Purdy was picked last by the 49ers.

If Jared Goff prevails, he will join only Peyton Manning and Tom Brady to start a Superbowl game for two different teams. That’s some interesting company.

Last week the Lions won their second playoff game in a row by outlasting the Buccaneers. The 49ers had a scare by the youngest team in the NFL, the Green Bay Packers. The Lions have won championships in the 1950’s. In the Superbowl Era, this is only the 2nd NFC Championship game for Detroit, who has never won & been to the big dance.

It was back in 1991 when Barry Sanders was creating problems for the opposing defenses in the NFL. The Lions were unable to beat the Redskins that day. For the 49ers, this is an NFL record & their 19th time as a franchise in the NFC Championship game.

This Lions and 49ers match up will be a physical affair. The Lions have a two headed monster in the running game and they like to run the ball. The 49ers run defense is 25th in the league in yards allowed per game (128.6). This 49ers unit is 28th in the league allowing (4.8) yards per carry. Lions running backs have to be licking their chops. David Montgomery and rookie running back Jahmyr Gibbs could have a big day on the ground.

The 49ers are the toughest team to tackle. The 49ers average (95.3) yards per game after contact is made. The Lions defense will have their hands full as they lead the league in allowing the most yards after contact (63.5). The Lions pass defense is the weakest left in the tournament. The Lions X-factor, their edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson who has 8 sacks in his last 4 games, is a guy that can make the play of the game and change the outcome.

The 49ers have lost their last two conference championship games including last season to the Eagles. The 49ers in that game had all their quarterbacks get hurt. Brock Purdy had to come back in that game to basically hand the ball off. The 49ers running back made things interesting in that game taking the entire offense on his shoulders. McCaffrey has six touchdowns in 5 playoff games that he has played in.

I don’t think history will repeat itself as Brock Purdy should hold up in this game. The 49ers knocked the rust off last week versus the Packers from the first round bye. I can see them playing a cleaner game while wanting to strike quickly and often on the score board. The Lions have won two playoff games, both at home. I think the Lions beat two teams that they are equal with, as the 49ers are different animals all together. I like this game being close, but the 49ers will end the Lions season late in the third quarter & they will put it away. The 49ers have been the best team in the NFC, and they will exploit the Lions secondary. They will contain Aidan Hutchinson to prevent him from changing the outcome of this championship.

OUR PICK: 49ERS

FROM A FAN’S PERSPECTIVE: Who wants to watch a rerun of anything Chiefs and 49ers? Even the Ravens who have won two Superbowls, as the bad taste is till in my mouth watching purple and black prevail. Enough with the Harbaugh family already, as well. I would love to see the Lions wipe the 49ers off the map. It seems like NFC North teams don’t fair well in playoff games in San Francisco. Then there’s the other match up. To see Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Andy Reid, Taylor Swift, and all those State Farm commercials go away would be a win in my book. Then the ultimate would be the Lions beating the Ravens in the Superbowl. Now that would be the greatest ending to this season in the NFL. Not sure the NFL has written that script.

Lions would transform the football world by winning their first ever Superbowl which is another thing the average fan should want.

Do you remember the old question a player would get after winning the championship? What are you going to do next? They’d say they were going to Disneyland. This is not the case for Jim Harbaugh, the head coach at University of Michigan coming off the field after his last game winning the National Championship for the Wolverines. Mission accomplished – he has restored the Wolverine football program. Now Harbaugh will take on a much tougher and challenging project: the mess in LA called the Chargers. Harbaugh will take a job with one of the worst owners in sports, Dean Spanos, and his family that moved the Chargers from San Diego to ride the coattails of the other LA team, the Rams. The Chargers hardly even have a fan base as Harbaugh has to climb Mt. Everest in this job to get a franchise respectable again that has never won a Superbowl and has only made it once to the promised land.

This is not Jim Harbaugh’s first rodeo in the NFL as a coach. From 2011-2014, he coached the 49ers and was named coach of the year in his first ever season. Harbaugh had the 49ers in the Superbowl as he faced his brother John who is still the head coach of the Ravens, and lost. Harbaugh went 44-19-1 for the 49ers which is one of the best winning percentages of all-time in the NFL. Everywhere Harbaugh has coached, he turned around a very bad situation into a good one after he left town. His Collegiate record as a head coach is 144-42. For the University of Michigan, he went 86-25 with 3 Big Ten Championships along 3 straight playoff appearances. Harbaugh started his head coaching journey at San Diego State. Then he took the job at Stanford University and was very successful. Coaching is in his blood as his father was a coach, and we know about his brother.

I remember when Jim Harbaugh was playing quarterback for the Bears. Mike Ditka was the Head Coach and he went ballistic at his quarterback on the side line about some miscommunication on the offense. Harbaugh had legendary coaches coaching him even at his Alma Mater. He had Bo Schembechler running the Wolverines’ side line. Harbaugh played 14 seasons in the NFL with 4 franchises starting with the Bears, Colts & then Ravens. Harbaugh finished his playing career playing the last two seasons for the Chargers. Harbaugh only completed 58.8% of his passes back in the day. He had a losing record behind center, going 64-74. He finished with 129 touchdown passes along with 117 interceptions. No wonder Ditka was always riding him. Harbaugh is a better Head Coach than actually a player if you go by wins and losses.

So why the Chargers? Simple. The Chargers have a franchise quarterback in place with Justin Herbert. The Chargers in the past had quality quarterbacks like Dan Fouts and Phillip Rivers. The Chargers’ only Superbowl appearance was led by Stan Humpries, a journeyman quarterback. The Chargers franchise has played in 31 total playoff games as a franchise. The Chargers are all-time 12-19 in those playoff games. They are 1-3 all-time in conference championships. Jim Harbaugh would be replacing Brandon Staley, who was a colossal moron, as he takes too many chances giving up for-sure points and turning over the ball on downs to the opposing teams. Staley had this Chargers team in post-season in the 2022-23 season where they blew a huge first half lead to the Jaguars and were one and done. The Chargers have play makers on offense like star running back, Austin Ekeler, and wide receiver Keenan Allen who is a catching machine. On defense, Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack are two stud pass rushers. Yes, the Chargers have pieces in place on both sides of the football that make this an interesting job.

The problems Jim Harbaugh will face taking this job come from playing in the AFC West where Patrick Mahomes is the king. The Chargers going into next season will be 20 something million over the cap so Harbaugh will have some hard decisions to make. The rest of the AFC West could be challenging as Sean Payton had the Broncos in the thick of things after they started off looking like the worst team in the league. Payton has won a Superbowl with the Saints and I can see the Broncos becoming a thorn in the side of these division foes for years to come. The Raiders showed a backbone with toughness when Antonio Pierce took over as the interim coach after Josh McDaniels was fired. Now the Raiders took the interim tag off Pierce as he will the guy. Don’t expect the Raiders to be a walk in the park. Harbaugh has taking that 49er team to the Superbowl with the likes of Alex Smith and Colin Kaepernick as his quarterbacks. Harbaugh may gut this team first and build around some of the pillars like Justin Herbert. Everywhere Harbaugh has coached, he has found a way to make the franchise or program better before he left town. This is a great move by a bad owner. The Chargers teams have always been interesting when they played in San Diego. I rooted some of those teams on. Some great players have wore the bolts on those helmets. Even before the move, the Spanos soured me on this franchise. I know in sports you can’t pick your owner. Then they rip all the hearts out of their fan base in San Diego. GREED!!! Not going to sugar coat it. In a way you have to root for a guy like Harbaugh, who put his heart into each game as a player. He was not the best at his position. He learned from the game he played, and other coaches and family, to harness all this in to be a great football head coach. He may be the guy and the Chargers may be the ones to overthrow those annoying Kansas City Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes. Sometimes you need to root for your enemies so they can knock off a bigger one. I don’t know if it will be quick, but the Charge will happen and the Chiefs are wearing red.

The Chicago Bears finished 7-10 regular season with yet another losing season and once again missed the playoffs. Before the season started, the Bears had a spending spree in free agency bringing talented pieces to upgrade a bad roster. The team drafted well. The Bears front office had all their eggs in one basket as they hoped Justin Fields would show he is the face of this franchise. The Bears thought prying a coach out of the Packers organization would be the answer to help Justin Fields. Luke Getsy would only last two seasons as he would be this year’s sacrificial lamb and scapegoat of this season. The Bears will keep Matt Eberflus as the head coach despite a 10-24 record after two seasons. I guess General Manager Ryan Poles and the front office saw the Bears do well enough down the stretch of the season to keep Eberflus. Many compare the Bears’ late season surge like the Lions did the year before. Look at the Lions now in the NFC Championship. The Bears need that guy to clean up the crime scene like The Wolf in Pulp Fiction or Bachman, who was played by great author Steven King in an episode of the Sons of Anarchy. The crime scene we are talking about is not the streets of Chicago. The quarterback position. Do you keep Justin Fields? Can he be fixed or molded into the franchise quarterback? Or are you happy with the way things are with Fields? Do the Bears draft a quarterback like Caleb Williams as they have the top pick in the draft? Nobody has been able to fix the Bears at quarterback position since the 1940’s. The Bears’ new hire at the offensive coordinator to save the rebuild, to save Eberflus’ job next season, is Shane Waldron who called plays for the Seahawks last season. Now he’s the Bears fixer.

Shane Waldron is 44 years old and has been a part of two Superbowl winning teams. Waldron has worked under some big name Head Coaches in the NFL starting with Bill Belichick, Sean McVay, and Pete Carol. Before getting the Offensive Coordinator job in Seattle, he was with the Rams where he started as the tight ends’ coach in 2017 and moved up to a position called the passing coordinator from 2018-20. Waldron was around a young Jared Goff when he was with the Rams. Waldron, then in 2021, called the plays for Seattle’s offense and revived the career of lame duck quarterback Geno Smith after Russell Wilson went to the Broncos. Wilson’s final year in Seattle under Waldron’s offense, he was getting rid of the ball quickly. He finished the season in the ten OB ratings and had a 103.1 passing rating which he did not have the last two seasons in Denver. In 2022 it was Smith’s first year starting since his Jets days when he was completing only 57.9% of his passes. Smith’s first year as the starter for Seattle in 2022 he led the league in completion percentage with 69.8% & he was named to the Pro Bowl. Smith was also named the comeback player of the year. Smith in 2022, passed for 4,282 yards with 30 touchdown passes and 11 interceptions. Just sick numbers for a guy who threw 28 touchdowns in 4 seasons with the Jets and had 36 interceptions.

The Bears have never had a quarterback in franchise history throw 4,000 yards with 30 touchdown passes in one season. The Chicago Bears have ranked dead last in the passing yards since 2022. The Bears have led the league in rushing as we all know Justin Fields can run the ball with the best of them in the NFL. Can Shane Waldron fix Fields’ passing game like he did Geno Smith? Since 2021, Fields out of 38 quarterbacks qualified has finished in the bottom 5 of completion percentage which is 60%. His sack rate is at 12.4 which we know he holds on to the ball way too long and that’s last in that category. His interception rate through that time span is 31%, which is 37th. Fields as a starter is 10-28. About Fields, I just don’t have confidence he will get the job done in close games to engineer winning drives in crunch time. The second half turnovers he causes. Waldron has his work cut out for him to clean up this mess.

Last year the Seahawks and the Bears averaged the same amount points per game, 20. The Bears ran the ball more than the Seahawks and processed the ball longer. There are some things Shane Waldron likes to do in his offense that could help Justin Fields. First, the play action pass which Seattle ranked 15th the last two seasons. Waldron likes to use multiple tight end formations as Seattle had the 4th highest rate. An extra tight end gives Fields an extra blocker or another security blanket to throw to. Last year, Luke Getsy tried to make Fields just a pocket passer instead of using all his strengths like mobility behind center. The Bears changed their game when they started winning games as Fields was passing more on the run. It will be interesting to see if the plan is to throw on the run more for Fields on the cards in Waldron’s offense. What the Bears offense needs is a balanced attack. Waldron may be able to get that. Waldron’s offenses does run the ball as Seattle used Kenneth Walker III and Dee Jay Dallas who did well in his game plans. Waldron has a trio of backs already in place in Chicago. The Bears have some play makers. Maybe they just need one more real weapon like Marvin Harrison Jr. . He sounds awesome with DJ Moore on the other side of the field. The Offensive line has improved. Maybe the team needs one more guy to keep things locked down. All’s we have to figure out is that quarterback position.

Shane Waldron should get credit reincarnating the likes of Geno Smith. The Seahawks missed the playoffs last year as I believe they needed a Bears win to get in over the Packers. That did not happen. Waldron has seen the playoffs once with Smith as they were one and done. Can Waldren do that with Fields? I can see Fields getting the Bears to playoffs and going one and done. Waldren is available because Pete Carol retired as head coach. Waldren is not that hot coordinator candidate that would have taken over the head coaching duties for Seattle. Why choose the Bears when Matt Eberflus’ job is hanging by a thread? Bears start out 0-3 next season & Eberflus will be fired is my guess. If you turn a guy like Justin Fields around and he becomes a viable franchise quarterback for years to come, that can make a guy like Waldron a hot coordinator who can take his career to a head coaching gig. Would it be easy to start fresh with a talented rookie quarterback and program him your way to master his offensive game plan? Fields is like Baker Mayfield – another season & another new offensive coordinator. Could Waldren know the plan for what the Bears GM is going to do with that top draft pick? Perhaps he got the answer. The fixer could fix Fields, but will they win the Superbowl with him? Justin or one of these quarterbacks that are dangling in the upcoming draft? Fields may only take you so far in Waldron’s offense. While the number one draft pick being a quarterback may take Waldron’s offense further. You know one of those quarterbacks has more talent than Fields and will end up being a top notch quarterback for years to come. No matter what, he will have his work cut out for him. If things don’t work out with Fields or that sexy quarterback pick, then Waldron and the Bears could dig up Sid Luckman and reincarnate his career. Shane did it for Geno Smith. The best Bears quarterback in franchise history, even dead, has to be better than Smith.

LAST WEEK’S RECORD IN WILD CARD ROUND: (2-4)

STRAIGHT PICK-EM

ROUND TWO NFL PLAYOFFS DIVISIONAL

SATURDAY GAMES

AFC

#4.HOUSTON TEXANS (11-7) AT #1.BALTIMORE RAVENS (13-4)

CJ Stroud won his first playoff start last week for the Texans in a game that convinced me Houston has something special here. Lamar Jackson negotiated his own deal in the off-season. The Ravens are back in the playoffs this time with Jackson being healthy. The Texans and Ravens met last time in week 1 of the regular season. The Ravens won that game over the Texans, 25-9. The Texans are 0-4 all-time in divisional playoff games. Lamar Jackson is 0-2 all-time in divisional games.

All the pressure is on Lamar Jackson’s shoulders as he is 1-3 all time in the playoffs while CJ Stroud has a nothing to lose mentality with the Ravens. Jackson is a different animal than Joe Flacco and gives the Texans defense lots to process regarding how to contain a duel threat quarterback. The Ravens defense is a stout unit and should contain the Texans running game. Stroud has proven he can still throw the rock against the best defenses in the league as he torched Cleveland’s last week. The cold will face some challenges for Houston, who play in a dome. I just think it’s Jackson’s turn and he will exploit the Texans defense with play action pass all day long which is Houston’s Kryptonite.

OUR PICK: RAVENS

NFC

#7.GREEN BAY PACKERS (10-8) AT SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (12-5)

The Packers versus the 49ers meeting in the playoffs have the NFL record for two teams squaring off for the 10th time. The 49ers has the edge 5-4 in the first nine meetings. With the Packers winning last week, they are now tied with the Patriots for the most playoff wins with 37. If the Packers prevail, they will be number one in playoff wins by themselves. If the 49ers win this meeting, they will have 37 playoff victories and then it would be a three way tie for most playoff wins with the Patriots and the Packers. Brock Purdy and Jordan Love are two quarterbacks who are not flashy but get the job done almost every week for their team. The Packers are the youngest team in the tournament. The 49ers right now are happy to have another chance with Brock Purdy for this playoff run. They are hoping he does not get hurt like he did last year in the loss that doomed San Francisco, who ran out of quarterbacks.

Since the trade deadline, the 49ers defense added teeth to that unit with Chase Young. The key for the 49ers to win this game is stop the Packers running game and that means Aaron Jones. Jordan Love needs the running game. I don’t see him beating the 49ers by throwing the ball 40 times. This goes the same way for the 49ers because they won’t win if Brock Purdy is chucking the ball around 40 times. I like the 49ers experience in this one. I like the 49ers history which will be hard to break as they have won their last 5 playoff games at home. The 49ers also have won six straight divisional round play-off games, which is an NFL record. The Packers had to win their last game in regular season just to qualify and had help from others getting in. They blew the doors off that Dallas team, and Dak Prescott and company are known for their collapses in the post-season. Packers became the first 7th seed in this new format in the NFL playoffs to win a post-season game. The 49ers have another road game. The number one seed rested is just asking too much for this young team who will be special for years to come.

OUR PICK: 49ERS

SUNDAY GAMES

NFC

#4.TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (10-8) AT #3.DETROIT LIONS (13-5)

The Detroit Lions won their first playoff game in 32 years, last weekend. The Buccaneers won the worst division in football as they beat up on a struggling Eagles team coming into the playoffs with crushed spirits. For the Lions, this is the first NFC Divisional round they are hosting since the 1991 playoffs. Jared Goff of the Lions is battling Baker Mayfield of the Buccaneers. Both quarterbacks were drafted number one overall. The Lions and Buccaneers played during regular season as Detroit won in Tampa Bay, 20-6.

The Buccaneers defense has the 3rd highest blitz rate in the NFL this season. Both teams like to go after the opposing team’s quarterback. Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson, one of the best in the league, has a 3 game multi-sack streak going for himself. Last time Todd Bowles, the head coach of the Buccaneers, beat Goff he was defensive coordinator at the time for the Buccaneers back in 2019. Goff was on the Rams then. Last week, Lions had the home field crowd buzzing in that game. The Lions and Buccaneers tickets this weekend are the hottest and most expensive out of the 4 games slated for the weekend. I went against both these teams last week as it took a bite out of my rear showing me up. This game will be close. The Buccaneers defense to me has the edge over the Lions defense. The way Baker Mayfield is playing with those talented receivers the Buccaneers have, I can see them escaping Detroit in a close affair. Goff looked sharp last week, but the Buccaneers defense blitz will be too much for him to handle.

OUR PICK: BUCCANEERS

AFC

#3.KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (12-6) AT #2.BUFFALO BILLS (12-6)

Everyone remembers the Tom & Brady Peyton Manning showdowns year after year in the AFC playoffs. In present day, Patrick Mahomes versus Josh Allen is the Manning/Brady showdown. This will be the third time Allen and Mahomes will square off in the post-season. Both games were won by Mahomes and the Chiefs in 2020 and 2021. Mahomes and Allen met during the regular season 4 times and Bills have won three including the win over the Chiefs several weeks ago in Kansas City. The new development in this arch rivalry this time is the playoff game is being played in Buffalo. This rivalry met once in Buffalo back in 2020 during regular season play when no fans were allowed in the stands due to the pandemic. This is the first ever playoff game Mahomes will play on the road which does not count neutral sites like Superbowls.

Patrick Mahomes is 12-3 all-time in the playoffs. Josh Allen is 5-4 all-time in the playoffs. The Chiefs defense has always been notorious for playing better in the playoffs and at the end of regular season. This Chiefs defense has played well all season long including the playoffs so far. The Bills defense is number two in the NFL forcing turnovers as they have a total of 30 for the season. The Chiefs in the forcing turnovers department rank 27th with only 17. The Bills defense is known for playing well during regular season & then in the playoffs they stumble. Last week the Bills defense played well versus the Steelers. This is easy to say to always bet on number 15, Mahomes, because he hardly loses in post-season as he make miracles happen. The Bills secondary is a walking MASH unit right now so Mahomes should be able to pick them apart. The Bills since they were 6-6 have won every game playing them like they are a playoff game. I don’t like the Chiefs receivers. Travis Kelce is not the same guy from last season or seasons in the past. Since Bills fire their offensive coordinator and now have Joe Brady calling the plays, this Bills offense is the one that teams have a hard time containing. I like Bills Mafia on hand in this one. The Bills will knock out the Chiefs with a decisive blow to their egos and send Kansas City home for the season.

OUR PICK: BILLS