Everyone in the football world had former Superbowl MVP Joe Flacco written off. He’s 38 years old. The last three seasons he has made some spot starts for the Jets and has not played well. To be blunt, Flacco has not really played well after getting that huge contract for winning the Superbowl for the Ravens in 2012 when Baltimore knocked off the 49ers. When the Ravens drafted Lamar Jackson, his replacement, the sour look on Flacco’s face showed he was pretty much a bad teammate. After 11 seasons, Flacco would move on to play for the Broncos which was not a very good season in the Rocky Mountain High state. Flacco was home on the couch and suddenly resurfaces to help dig Cleveland out of the hole they dug themselves. Flacco stayed in football shape & went right into the action as he started two games and has helped the Browns win one of those. This with Deshaun Watson out for the rest of the year with an injury. The other two QB’s that saw action for Cleveland this season were veteran PJ Walker and rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson, both who have been ineffective. Suddenly Flacco looks reborn and may be the guy that saves the Browns season and get them to the playoffs.

In two starts so far, Joe Flacco has completed only 55.1% of his passes for 565 passing yards but has 5 touchdown passes and 2 interceptions. Not bad for a guy who was on his couch a few weeks ago. Flacco is 1-1 right now for the Browns as Cleveland is 8-5 and are in control of the first wild card spot which is the 5th seed. Flacco in 9 starts over the last three years with the Jets had 1-8 record. Now we are seeing Flacco have 5 touchdown passes in 2 games, which Joe is only the 5th player in NFL history to do that stepping in playing for a new team. The Jets will most likely miss the playoffs with bad quarterback play since Aaron Rodgers was injured in the first game of the season. The Jets fans have to be cringing because if they would have kept Joe or signed him soon after the Rodgers injury, they may be right in the thick of things with that awesome defense. The Browns defense is one of the top units in the league this season. This story is sounding like Flacco’s Superbowl winning team he had in Baltimore. With the great Ray Lewis defense he had back then he didn’t have to carry the load himself. He does not have to do that in Cleveland which takes pressure off the shoulders of Flacco where he can just play the game.

The Browns brass like what they see in Joe Flacco and now have given him the keys to the car as they announce he will be the team’s starting quarterback the rest of the way. Flacco was on and off the practice squad. He will get a contract for one year with some interesting incentives of his play the rest of the way. It’s a contract based on winning. Flacco will get 75,000 each start closing out the regular season. If Flacco leads the Browns to the playoff, a wild card win is worth 250,000 in Flacco’s bank account. He would get a 500,000 bonus for a divisional round win. Then he hits the sweepstakes for an AFC championship win as he would get one million. Then 2 million if the Browns win the Superbowl. That is a nice pay day for a guy coming in this late in the season.

Can Joe Flacco be the next Nick Foles? Remember when Foles filled in for the injured Crason Wentz, he took the Eagles to the playoffs and beyond. Foles beat Tom Brady and the Patriots for the Eagles’ first ever Superbowl win and still their only. Flacco’s record as a starting QB in 16 seasons in the NFL is 100-82 as his career numbers he has completed 61.5% of his passes and has tallied 42,885 passing yards with 237 touchdown passes and 149 interceptions. Those are average numbers. Pretty good career. In a Browns uniform, Flacco’s last stand could be very interesting. He could go out like a Maverick even though he has said he wants to play another season next year. With who? Deshaun Watson… the Browns are stuck with this rapist quarterback who has a huge contract with all guaranteed money and not worth it. Even if the Browns win the Superbowl with Joe Flacco, you’re not bringing him back next season. Flacco can close the book on his career with a high note especially all those years of struggling. He will face his old team, the Jets, in a few weeks when he can show them how he’s been doing since not being re-signed or called up this year. The Browns have already faced the Ravens twice. Can you imagine if the Browns faced the Ravens in the playoffs? Joe Flacco versus Lamar Jackson. If the Browns won, Flacco would be beating the guy he treated poorly. The Ravens fans would be up-in-arms. I don’t think the Browns get to the Superbowl. Beating the Ravens and knocking them off would be Flacco’s final act like his own personal Superbowl. I will say the NFL this season has been crazy and anything could happen. Flacco has played on a team with a great defense and has taken his team to the promise land and won it all. The Browns seem like they have the same recipe in place. Can it work? If it does, people will be ecstatic. Some cities would be absolutely pissed off. The Browns play the Bears this week. The Flacco’s last stand as he got the contract boost this week means the script will continue to be written. We don’t know if Flacco will be written off this NFL drama. He may have a nice finish no matter what for being a guy on his own couch a few weeks back.

The Kansas City Chiefs expect a hall pass despite an obvious penalty on a play on Sunday because it was well-executed. Patrick Mahomes threw the biggest hissy fit after the refs called wide receiver Kadaius Toney off-sides that took points off the board. Mahomey don’t play that game with rules, as he said after the Chiefs lost to the Buffalo Bills. It was the, “Wildest fucking call I’ve ever seen offensive off-sides on that play, man fucking terrible.”

On the play it was second and ten as the Chiefs were at mid-field, Patrick Mahomes threw the ball to his tight end Travis Kelce for about 25 yards. Kelce then would lateral the ball back to Kadaius Toney across the field who was wide-open. Toney would walk into the end zone for the go ahead score with about just over a minute left in the game. Not so fast. The referee threw a flag on the play and the points were wiped off the board as the Chiefs lost yards on the play. The Chiefs were out of field goal range. The Bills defense ended up making the stop on Mahomes and the Chiefs offense the next two plays that turned the ball over on downs for a Buffalo win. The Chiefs now have a 2 game losing streak and find themselves even further behind the top two seeds in the AFC. This when they usually get home field advantage throughout the playoffs.

After the Bills victory, Patrick Mahomes’ hissy fit took place as he threw his helmet on the sideline because the Chiefs were shocked the flag was finally called on them for a change. Andy Reid expected Nuggies, but he did not get any from the referee as he said after the game, “Usually I get a warning before something like this happens in a big game.”

When the Buffalo Bills had 12 men on the field versus the Broncos weeks ago, did the referee give them a warning? Denver missed the kick in the closing seconds Bills got the penalty. Then Denver kicked it again and won the game. Is Andy Reid saying referees give his team warnings before calling a penalty on the Chiefs? The Referee, Carl Cheffer, said, “No warnings are required.” Ultimately players are responsible for wherever they line up.

Maybe Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes should ask Jake from State Farm what the rules in the NFL policy are. The referee Cheffer said Toney was so far off-sides, he was blocking the referee’s view of the ball. If I remember correctly, don’t coaches in grammar school teach their kids look at the ball first and then line up using the pig skin as your guide? Then the man with the Walrus mustache, Andy Reid, went on to say after the game, “It was a bit embarrassing in the NFL for that to take place. I didn’t have a protractor out there but a bit embarrassing.” What are those chicken nuggets laced with, that he’s seeing an entirely different game out there through those lenses of his.

If the Chiefs are getting warnings about penalties, then shame on you NFL. It’s like the Chiefs expected a do over as Patrick Mahomes looked like a kid taking his bat and ball home stomping all over the field in front of a National Broadcast audience which is priceless. They all should have egg on their face – Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and the fat slob Andy Reid – as we have to watch their State Farm commercials every other segment in most of these NFL games. It makes you want to bring back Aaron Rodgers’ discount double check or Sunday Fun at home with Baker Mayfield. Mahomes referred this call as the worst call he’s ever seen. What about the 2018 NFC championship game when the Saints receiver was mugged by the Rams defensive back at the end of the game? Rams were not flagged and went to the Superbowl. Then Calvin Johnson’s catch which was not a catch.

Then Dez Bryant’s catch that was not a catch. Didn’t the Packers Jonathan Owen get flagged for tackling Mahomes in-bounds only a week before this off-sides call?

I didn’t see the Packers getting a Mahomey do over. The Chiefs probably lead the league in beneficial calls. How many times has Mahomes escaped the pocket like Houdini? You’re telling me none of his offensive linemen ever held the defenders and got away with it multiple times. The Chiefs showed their true colors and are now the villains of the league replacing the hated Patriots back then with Tom Brady. I can’t wait to see how the Chiefs do when they have to finally go on the road and play a playoff game in a hostile environment for a change. Mahomey does not play those games, but he will this season. The Chiefs should look themselves in the mirror as your pretend wide receiver because you don’t have any this year. Kadarius Toney… this is not his first ever bone-headed mistake he has made this season as he drops many key passes. Then the slime ball that ruined the Chicago Bears a few years back, is now as the OC for the Chiefs Matt Nagy.

If blaming the referees gets these Chiefs players asleep at night, they’re not seeing how bad your offense has been this year with that guy behind your quarterback. Mahomey may not like it, but too bad because the truth hurts when you act like a little runt. The Chiefs are just a group of cry babies and enough of the Taylor Swift sightings each game every week… enough is enough.. Instead of MaAuto, on back of Kelce’s shirt, just put, “The Property of Swift.”

NFL WEEK 14 STRAIGHT PICK-EM

Week 14 will be do or die for some teams still being talked about in the play-off conversation.

SEASON RECORD: (118-75)

THURSDAY NIGHT GAME

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (2-10) AT PITTSBURGH STEELERS (7-5)

What’s the over and under in this epic Thursday night showdown? Twenty points. Both the Patriots and Steelers have a problem putting points on the score board. This match up will have both teams’ back-ups going as Mitch Trubisky for the Steelers will get the start while Bailey Zappe will get the nod for the Patriots. The Patriots way is in question by people as this team has been dreadful all year. The Steelers just lost to a bad Arizona team at home. Steelers have found ways to win 7 games and their defense will be the difference. It’s time Mitch Trubisky proves he can be at least a back-up quarterback in this league.

OUR PICK: STEELERS

THE SUNDAY SLATE

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (5-7) AT ATLANTA FALCONS (6-6)

We go from the toilet bowl game on Thursday to the top of the stink stack with this NFC South match-up. The Buccaneers and Falcons square off in A big division game. Hip hip hooray… the Buccaneers beat the Panthers last week. Barely. The Falcons have won two straight of which one of those games was the Saints, another division foe. This game will be tight & low scoring. I like the Falcons defense making a few key plays to turn the tide of this one. Falcons defense has not been talked about this season. I feel they can get to Baker Mayfield. The Falcons running game will control the clock & Atlanta has done well at home.

OUR PICK: FALCONS

LA RAMS (6-6) AT BALTIMORE RAVENS (9-3)

A few weeks ago you would have said this game would be a walk in the park for the Ravens. Suddenly with a healthy Matthew Stafford, the Rams suddenly have come back to life and won three straight. The Ravens have won two straight and are well rested for LA coming into their back yard. This will be a game. The Ravens defense has been slowing down their pace. I think the rest they got off the bye helps them return as that stingy unit is not willing to give up much. Matthew Stafford is due for that awful game as he has been too clean with the football lately. This Rams defense is not the same unit that won the Superbowl, so Ravens will execute and do what they do well to NFC teams when they play with Lamar Jackson behind center.

OUR PICK: RAVENS

DETROIT LIONS (9-3) AT CHICAGO BEARS (4-8)

I feel the tables will turn in part two of the Bears and Lions saga. Last time these two teams met, the Bears had the Lions on the meat hook with 3 minutes left. Lions roared back to life. The Lions have played sloppy for now the last few games. The Bears defense, since landing Montez Sweat at the trade deadline, have been one of the better defenses in the league and Jared Goff is very sloppy with the ball. As long as Justin Fields does not dance before the game ends, the Bears will win and split this series. The Lions defense looks like the Bears defense from earlier in the season. The Bears offense should be able to generate some nice scoring drives in this one.

OUR PICK: DA BEARS

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (7-5) AT CINCINNATI BENGALS (6-6)

The Bengals found a way to put Joe Burrow’s brain in Jake Browning’s body. The Bengals suddenly look like a team that is not going away. Then in other news, the Colts who play in the AFC South, are in a division that suddenly is turning into the power house conference of teams with 3 that could make it into the post-season. I love to see Gardner Minshew have his big day and eat his cake in a win over the Bengals. I think Minshew has the big game, but Colts lose the game because the Bengals don’t go away, are streaky, and find their second straight victory at home.

OUR PICK: BENGALS

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (8-4) AT CLEVELAND BROWNS (7-5)

The Jaguars will be without their Spicoli, Trevor Lawrence, who’s out with a high ankle sprain. This match up features C.J Beathard versus the second coming this season of veteran Joe Flacco. Beathard started his career with the 49ers & has been in the NFL six seasons, & has 18 touchdown passes with 14 interceptions. As a starter behind center, he has a record of 2-10. Flacco only completed 52.3% of his passes last week in his first start of the year and in a Browns uniform as he had two touchdown passes and was picked off once. The Browns lost. The Jaguars have been road warriors as they are 5-0 on the road. I think this game comes down to defense which the Browns get the edge on that and the win.

OUR PICK: BROWNS

CAROLINA PANTHERS (1-11) AT NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (5-7)

The Saints need a win and the Panthers right now are the perfect team to play. The Panthers have lost 5 straight. Since the firing of Frank Reich, nothing has changed in Carolina as they gave the Buccaneers a game last week. The Saints have lost three straight – all close affairs. Derek Carr looks like he will return to the field and start which is a good thing. I like Carr having a big game. I like the Saints defense in this one to have a better game as they played badly last week.

OUR PICK: SAINTS

HOUSTON TEXANS (7-5) AT NEW YORK JETS (4-8)

We know the Jets have a good defense… blah blah blah. The Jets offense is dreadful. The Texans are a much better team and will score enough to beat the junior varsity offense the Jets throw out there every week.

OUR PICK: TEXANS

MINNESOTA VIKINGS (6-6) AT LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (5-7)

The Vikings and Raiders come off their bye week and need this game to stay in the play-off conversation. Both teams have lost their last two games. The Vikings were beat by the Bears and it was a bad scene as turnovers and the opposing kicker’s foot gave them the lost. The Raiders since the removal of the turd Josh McDaniels are playing good football but losing close games. The Raiders defensive superstar Maxx Crosby said to the Raiders owner they want Antonio Pierce as the team’s coach beyond this season. I like this Raiders team playing for the coach’s future. I think Vikings quarterback Joshua Dobbs has ran out of luck.

OUR PICK: RAIDERS

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (6-6) AT SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (9-3)

The Seahawks are fearing their worst nightmare right now as they could be under 500 for the first time in several weeks and their play-off hopes could be crushed. The 49ers right now have won 4 straight, blew up the Eagles last weekend, and look like the best team in the NFL. Last time the 49ers met the Seahawks was weeks ago and they beat them up in Seattle. The Seahawks defense picked a bad time to stop sniffing glue.

The Seahawks defense has fallen on hard times. Geno Smith is dealing with a groin injury and he does not look like the same guy from last year.

OUR PICK: 49ERS

BUFFALO BILLS (6-6) AT KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (8-4)

I thought the Bills played well versus the Eagles on the road last time out and they should have won that game, period. The Chiefs found out the hard way playing a Green Bay team that has put everything together with a loss on the road in cheese land. The Bills come off their bye week.

Patrick Mahomes versus Josh Allen is always an epic battle when these two teams meet. The Chiefs have ruled out a few of their starters due to injuries. The Bills are well rested. The Bills are an animal right now trapped and ready to fight back. Buffalo gets it done on the road and find their way back in the playoff talks.

OUR PICK: BILLS

DENVER BRONCOS (6-6) AT LA CHARGERS (5-7)

I’m still amazed that Chargers only scored 6 points, but still won the game last week. The Broncos winning streak came to an end. Russell Wilson looked sloppy like the 2022 version of himself versus the Texans. You have to figure the Chargers offense will score more points in this game. The Broncos have clawed their way back into the thick of things after digging themselves a gigantic hole to start the season. Lots of road games during that win streak. Watch… it will take a toll on them in this divisional game versus the Chargers who you don’t know what you will get with them. I worry Wilson will continue to make mistakes on a Chargers defense that can pressure the quarterback and force him into mistakes to cost the Broncos a big game at this time of the year.

OUR PICK: CHARGERS

THE SUNDAY NIGHT GAME

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (10-2) AT DALLAS COWBOYS (9-3)

Philadelphia is a Rocky Balboa town. I’m going to use the Rocky movies to explain my pick in this rematch between the Eagles and Cowboys. The Eagles are the Russian guy Ivan Drago going through the season winning games & making it look easy. When Rocky makes Drago bleed for the first time, all of a sudden Eagles collapse like a folding chair at the end of church picnic. The 49ers gave the Eagles a gut punch last week and it will be hard for them to forget. I know the Cowboys struggle versus winning teams, but right now the Eagles are coming to their back yard on the ropes. The Cowboys will knock the Eagles into Tomorrow Land as Philadelphia will see it coming and know it’s coming. The Eagles will have to wait another week to get back on track while the Cowboys, who have been playing solidly, get a big win in front of the entire nation watching.

OUR PICK: COWBOYS

DOUBLE HEADER MONDAY NIGHT GAMES

TENNESSEE TITANS (4-8) AT MIAMI DOLPHINS (9-3)

The Dolphins unleash everything including the kitchen sink on teams with inferior records on offense. The next victim will be a Titans team that struggles on the road at a place many teams have hard times winning. South Beach. Last week, Titans quarterback Will Levis and DeAndre Hopkins were not on the same page.

Having a rookie quarterback like Levis getting in your face probably will not go well for Hopkins or this duo. This game looks to be another blow-out for the Dolphins.

OUR PICK: DOLPHINS

GREEN BAY PACKERS (6-6) AT NEW YORK GIANTS (4-8)

The Giants have been battling as they have won two straight. This may not look like an easy match-up for the Packers as they have won three straight including a big victory at home versus the visiting Chiefs. Jordan Love may have arrived as another changing of the guard at the QB position as Green Bay has not missed a beat. The Giants back up QB now starter, Danny DeVito, is suddenly 2-1 as a starter and has thrown 7 touchdown passes to only three interceptions. This will not be an easy game for the Packers, but they will get the win. It will be a well fought battle to the end. I like the Packers defense who’ve been coming on strong the last few weeks to make the stand that wins this one.

OUR PICK: PACKERS

After the Superbowl last season between the Eagles versus Chiefs, that concluded the NFL season with Patrick Mahomes and Kansas City prevailing, we had bonus football. Many people become footballed out after the NFL season wraps up. Some people still have their football juices flowing and we had two Spring leagues to indulge in. The XFL launched their third attempt to established themselves. The XFL played right after the Superbowl and finished regular season this go around. They had a post-season and an actual champion. This was unlike in 2020 when the XFL only lasted half way through their season in the second attempt. The season was cancelled due to the pandemic. The 1980’s USFL league was resurrected in 2022. The second stint of the USFL was successful completing two full seasons and declared a winner in both post-seasons. The USFL and XFL entwined for a few weeks which gave the football fan’s a double load of games in those weeks. The USFL finishes both seasons around the 4th of July. Like a Spring football buffet and watching the gridiron almost all year round. Now the XFL and USFL will merge into one league next Spring, on March 30th, and transform into the UFL. Something like in the Transformers with the Construct-icons transforming into Devastator in one league with all the talent, bells and whistles.

The USFL and XFL had 8 teams in their leagues last year. Many thought the merger would suddenly double the one league to 16 teams, which is not the case. Each league will enter 4 of their teams and like the last few years of Spring Football, it will be an 8 team league. The XFL had each team play their home games in their own respective city last season and in 2020. The USFL first season in 2022 all games were played in Birmingham. Then the playoffs were played in Canton, Ohio at the Football Hall of Fame. Last year the USFL had 4 hub cities they played home games at, with two teams sharing one town. Then the playoffs were still played at the Football Hall of fame. Out of the 8 teams that have made the cut, only one team did not really have their own fan base. Both leagues had a team in Houston. The Gamblers of the USFL will get the nod over the Roughnecks of the XFL. The Gamblers played their home games last year in Memphis.

The Michigan Panthers, Birmingham Stallions, Memphis Showboats, and Houston Gamblers will be the 4 USFL teams. The Panthers, Stallions, and Showboats played games in their own town last season. The Stallions played in front of the home crowd in both seasons and built up a nice fan base. The Showboats have only played one season so far as they debuted last year and replaced the Tampa Bay Bandits who played one season in 2022. The Stallions have won both USFL championships since the league has come back from the grave. The merger kept both leagues champions as the Arlington Renegades, who won it all in the XFL, have made the list.

The St. Louis Battle Hawks, Arlington Renegades, San Antonio Brahmas, and the DC Defenders will be the 4 XFL teams coming back. Since the Rams of the NFL left St. Louis and moved back to LA, they’ve been starving for a football team. The Battle Hawks fans may be one of the best Spring football fan bases of all-time because they pack that stadium every week. The Beer Snake returns in DC which was another great fan base in the XFL. Then there’s San Antonio, who used to have a USFL team in the 1980’s called the Gunslingers.

San Antonio has the Alamo Dome where they can support a football team. The city of San Antonio has been very supportive of their Commanders of the AAFL American Alliance Football league which was another Spring league to bite the dust. They also supported their Brahmas last year as well. Then the Renegades gives this league multiple Texas teams in its first season merging this into the UFL.

What happens to the other 8 teams that did not make the cut for this original merger plan? The USFL teams not making the cut are the Pittsburgh Maulers, Philadelphia Stars, New Orleans Breakers, and the New Jersey Generals.

The Stars and Maulers were losers to Birmingham in the Championship the last two seasons in the NFL. None of these four teams have played in front of their own home crowd. The Stars were the Stallions of the 1980’s USFL dominating the league. All four teams including the Tampa Bay Bandits are on pause right now. You can also figure other USFL teams from the 1980’s that were not yet used are still on pause. Some of these teams we may be seeing sooner rather than later.

The XFL teams that are not making the cut are the Houston Roughnecks, Orlando Guardians, Vegas Vipers, and the Seattle Sea Dragons. The Roughnecks have one of the better XFL logos in the league. Another oil rig logo to bite the dust like the Houston Oilers who moved to Tennessee to become the Titans in the NFL. The Vipers played at a minor league baseball field as they really did not draw a fan base. The Guardians in Orlando were a terrible team that did not create a huge support system in the Sunshine State. I thought the Seattle organization did very well. Maybe the merger is not quite ready for teams on the west coast. Like the USFL teams, all the XFL teams not in use could be activated in the future.

It was Fox Sports that relaunched the USFL. The Red Bird Capital partners that feature “The Rock,” Dwayne Johnson and Dany Garcia purchased Vince McMahon’s XFL when it went bankrupt after the unfinished 2020 season. The Federal regulators approved the merger and the name of the new league being called the UFL United Football League. Obviously there’s more news to come out about this new league as the USFL and the XFL had some different rules in their own leagues. Which networks will be doing the broadcasting of these games? We know Fox Sports will be one of them. With 8 teams, most likely 4 teams will make post-season play. Most of these Spring leagues had two games on Saturday and two games on Sunday. The 8 teams coming back I imagine will keep the players they already have under contract. The rest of the players from the teams not merging at this time. Will they be free agents or will their be a draft for them? Each league has done drafts before each season to add younger players to fill in the roster. Players undrafted. Plus players that could not stick on NFL rosters. Will the same coaches be leading the teams picked for the merger? Lots of stuff before March to iron out. I did like watching two different leagues. Some of the football was watered down though. This new league will have better competition as rosters will be stacked with tons of talent. If both leagues did not merge, I know down the line one of the leagues would have folded up shop. Maybe both leagues would have folded up running independently. Now they can consolidate their funds and build up some of these markets. They already have a few markets that have done well with fannies in the seats. More to come on the latest merger of XFL and USFL transforming into the Devastator of the football world.

If you are a Chicago Blackhawks fan, you are screaming bloody murder hearing the news Patrick Kane of signing with the Detroit Red Wings. The arch rival Red Wings are not even in the Blackhawks division anymore with the realignment of all the divisions years ago. The Red Wings as a hockey team have been non-relevant for years now. The Red Wings wearing red and white sweaters looked similar to the hated Russian teams as they were the New York Yankees of the NHL collecting the top talent of the league. Suddenly the Red Wings are coming back to life in part due to some added Blackhawks blood that just makes any Chicago fan’s blood boil. In the off-season, the Red Wings acquired another former Blackhawks scorer Alex DeBrincat, “The Cat,” in a trade with the Ottawa Senators. Now Kaner, with many teams interested, selected the Red Wings to skate alongside an old teammate & friend from 2017-22. After recovering from hip resurfacing surgery, Kaner will get a one year deal from Detroit for 2.75 million to see if he can help the dreaded Wings back to the Stanley Cup playoffs. Kane, who was a trade to the Rangers last year, now will be wearing the Red Wings sweater. He now has three original six sweaters in the league at the age of 35.

The Blackhawks unloaded Patrick Kane in his final year of his contract to the Rangers in a three team deal also involving the Arizona Coyotes. The Blackhawks are rebuilding and Patrick Kane was no longer part of the future. Bothered by the hip last year, Kane’s numbers with the Rangers were decent – in 19 games he had 5 goals & 7 assists for 12 points. Kane had 45 points in 54 games with the Blackhawks. The Rangers wanted Kane for the playoff run, but that did not go well as New York was knocked out in round one. Kane is a three time Stanley Cup winner all with the Blackhawks where he was drafted and played his entire career except those 19 games with New York. He leaves Chicago 2nd all-time in points in team history. He collected major hardware wearing the number 88 on the Indian Head sweater. In 2013, he won the Conn-Smythe trophy which was MVP in the playoffs. In the 2015-16 season, Kane won the Hart Trophy as he was MVP of the NHL with 106 points that year. Kane was born in the United States. He ranks second all-time in points among U.S. born players lacing up the skates in the NHL. In 2017, Kane was part of the 100 greatest players of all-time making the NHL Centennial Celebration.

In 1999, the Blackhawks traded a 37 year old defensemen to the Detroit Red Wings. Chris Chelios, born and raised in the Chicagoland area, swore he’d never play for the Red Wings while he wore the Indian Head. Chelios obviously could not control being traded. It was after the trade that left salt in the wounds of Blackhawks fans. Why would your organization trade with the arch enemy? Chelios would help the Red Wings win two Stanley Cups. The Chelios family business, Cheli’s Chili Bar closed down and moved to Detroit, like some kid taking his bat and going home. Chelios would have words about his former organization. Which is expected. Then when he did return to Chicago with Cup in hand, he was visiting the north side baseball team called the Cubs. He grew up on the south side – that’s how much he’s messed up inside the head taking the Red Wings Cup to Wrigley. He definitely irked his old fan base. Everything is forgiven as the Blackhawks will retire Chelios’ number this upcoming February and just in time for the arrival of Patrick Kane and the Detroit Red Wings. Good times at the old United Center on that night.

The Chicago/Detroit connection as players turn traitor on their former team, has gone on for years and has worked well for both cities. The Blackhawks and Red Wings have shared the two top enforcers in the game.

Bob Probert started his career wearing the Red Wings sweater for 9 seasons he played in Detroit before 7 seasons in Chicago. The Grim Reaper Stu Grimson played 3 years in each city and went on to beat up players in other towns wearing their sweaters. The White Sox outfielder Chet Lemon would leave Chicago and helped the Tigers win a World Series in 1984. The Chicago Detroit connection has worked in Chicago’s favor as well. The Blackhawks added the one piece they needed for their three recent Stanley Cups signing Marian Hossa away from the Red Wings when he became a free agent after helping Detroit get to the Stanley Cup finals. Then the Chicago Bulls landed Dennis Rodman in a trade with the San Antonio Spurs. Rodman would help the Bulls win three more championships to complete the six pack.

It would have been nice to have Patrick Kane still skating in Chicago playing with up-and-coming future superstar of the NHL, Connor Bedard. I would love to still have Alex DeBrincat skating for the Blackhawks. If Kane and DeBrincat were still skating all these years with the Blackhawks, we may have not landed the young talent of Bedard. The Red Wings are a young team. They are off to a pretty good start this season with a record of 12-7-3, which means they are 4th in the Atlantic division. Kane picked the Red Wings because of the talent and skating once again with DeBrincat. Kane is not expected to be the savior of the Red Wings, but a veteran who can help this team get to the next level. If Kane went home to Buffalo and played for the Sabres, another team on the verge of getting back to post-season, he may have had to be the savior for that team being born and raised in Western New York. I know some players you never want to see wear certain jerseys. This signing would sting more if Detroit was still in the Blackhawks conference and playing each other a dozen times a year. These days, you play the other conference teams twice a season. The Blackhawks traded Kane away. They also traded away DeBrincat. It’s been going on for decades – no loyalty between player and ownership in all sports. In a few years when Kane finally hangs up the skates for good and when the Blackhawks hang his jersey up in the United Center rafters like Chris Chelios, everything will be forgotten by most fans and it will be about all the good memories we had of that player wearing the Indian Head. It’s only a one year deal for Kane in Detroit. He still has time to get three more original six sweaters after Detroit if he signs one year deals the rest of the way. The Maple Leafs, Bruins, and the Canadians. Has any player ever gotten all six in their career? Maybe Kane will be the first ever to add to the hockey legacy.

This year the NFL promoted their first ever Black Friday game between the Dolphins at the Jets. All the big football networks that carry the NFL like CBS, NBC, and Fox got their turkey day game on Thursday, leaving Optimus Amazon Prime out in the dark. The Amazon Prime is the host of Thursday night football in the NFL. Like Sally says in the Peanuts Christmas ,”All’s I want is my fair share.” Suddenly the idea came up with the NFL brain trust or the Amazon people you can pick. Doing a Friday game for Black Friday. What a novel idea to keep people home watching football instead of of out shopping. Being at home you can have your lap top handy and after checking on your fantasy teams, you can save big money shopping Amazon web site for Christmas gifts just the way Santa Clause wrote it up in his play book. The game was a clunker as all these Prime Time games are involving the Jets. All these networks who have a hard on for Aaron Rodgers are exposed, & the smoking gun lies on the television every week as you try to spoon feed us Jets football. Then they put the game in the late afternoon as some people will not be seeing it due to work. They did not miss anything because the game and most of the idea was hot garbage. The NFL could have a Friday night game every week instead of a Thursday night game. It would be better for almost everyone because I know you can’t make everyone happy campers.

The Bruce Willis movie, The Last Boy Scout, was based on the game of football in a made up professional league. They had a song in the movie that sang, “Friday night of football,” like the NFL in their Monday night song. Mostly the movie portrayed bad stuff behind the scenes of football and their league obviously played on Friday nights. This clip above explains this movie had a twisted dark plot of the game. It was a typical Bruce Willis shoot em up action flick like we all like. The way the world is now I hope we don’t see a player shooting his way to get a first down or beyond. Back in the 1960’s before the merger of the NFL and the AFL. The AFL played Friday night games back in the 1960’s. Friday night in the AFL was a fixture in the league. The last game on Friday night in the month of November in the AFL was November 20th of 1964 between the Boston Patriots, at the time, versus the Denver Broncos. Last game played on Black Friday at night in the AFL was a game between the Patriots and the Buffalo Bills on November 23rd of 1962. The NFL has played games on Friday since 1999 on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. The NFL had a pair of games on Friday night in 1993 on New Year’s Eve. The last time the NFL played on Friday that was not a holiday, you have to go back to 1986 in late December. In 1970, the last NFL game not played in December was a season opener between the Cardinals and the Rams in the month of September. The AFL had the coolest programs back then advertising their games each weekend including Friday Night Lights They looked like boxing match up posters with the team’s logo in a cartoon form.

I always thought that the Superbowl should be played on Saturday so everyone has the day off the next day. The Superbowl is practically a holiday because no one wants to work the day after watching the game and eating and drinking with family and friends. If the NFL changed days and went Friday night instead of Thursday night, you could enjoy a game and not have to work the next day. Which would be better for local business throughout the states and it would not matter if your team was playing or not. The ratings may be better on Friday over Thursday. I get people do work Saturdays. I’m talking the majority. The NFL does not care – it’s a billion dollar business, so they can put games on Monday morning and people will watch. That is exaggerating most definitely. I know Friday Night Lights is for the high school games. I know college has football games on as they do them on Thursday nights. If the games were on Friday nights, it gives the teams that played Sunday an extra day of rest and game-planning. Which they would not have on Thursday, a very short week. The product on the field would be better with the extra day of rest. Something about the first and second round NFL playoff games on Saturday night that I really enjoy is because you have Sunday off. You’re going to have people over or go out and have those extra beers or order that fried food that you would not order when you’re dieting during the weekdays. I know Thirsty Thursday is Friday night eve, but something about getting out and having the day off is just better in general. You can still do your Thirsty Thursday thing as well. If Amazon and the NFL got what they wanted in viewers, and the money on Black Friday, it will be a regular thing. I would like to see the game start in the early evening or at night instead of 2 in the afternoon on a Friday. I do ask enough of Aaron Rodgers on all these prime time games. It’s like ESPN’s obsession with Yankees Red Sox in baseball coverage.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

LAST WEEK’S RECORD: (9-5) I thought turkeys could fly last week with some of my picks that went south.

SEASON RECORD: (100-64)

WEEK 12 STRAIGHT PICK-EM

THE THURSDAY THANKSGIVING DAYS GAMES

GREEN BAY PACKERS (4-6) AT DETROIT LIONS (8-2)

The Packers found a way at home last week versus the Chargers. The Lions were in deep slumber late in the game over the Bears until they fought back and won the game being down two scores with very little clock time left. Jordan Love is playing better. Jared Goff looked very bad last week but managed to get his act together. The Packers are 1-4 on the road. This is the Lions’ best team since Barry Sanders was running the ball with Wayne Fontes as the head coach and they ran the run and shoot offense.

The Lions are better than that team. The Lions good, bad or ugly always play tough on Thanksgiving day.

OUR PICK: LIONS

WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (4-7) AT DALLAS COWBOYS (7-3)

When the Washington franchise was called the Redskins and when they played the Cowboys on Thanksgiving it seemed like the Pilgrims and Indians gathering for a feast and playing some ball. Now they are called the Commanders and they looked like they checked out versus a bad Giants team last week. The Cowboys prey on teams under 500 and they feasted on Panther jello last week in a easy victory for them. The Commanders traded their top defenders away weeks ago, and Dak Prescott and company should have no problem picking this Washington team apart.

The good ole days of John Madden and Pat Summerall calling one of the Thanksgiving Day games every year, were priceless with their six legged turkey.

OUR PICK: COWBOYS

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (7-3) AT SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (6-4)

Thanksgiving with father and son moments like above. Al Bundy once said if you lose to the Rams, you should be kicked out of the league. The Seahawks lost to the Rams last week and now were swept by their division rival as they lost opening day to LA. The 49ers after the bye week found whatever they were looking for and all are rolling again looking like the Superbowl pick everyone predicted at the start of the season. Geno Smith is banged up on a short week versus that 49er defense. It is a stuffing recipe gone bad.

OUR PICK: 49ERS

THE BLACK FRIDAY GAME

MIAMI DOLPHINS (7-3) NEW YORK JETS (4-6)

The NFL has been hyping the dumpster fire game for weeks. All the networks with the hard on for the Jets putting them in all these prime time games for what? To see Aaron Rodgers. Pathetic!!! The Jets have made a QB change and are going with Tim Doyle instead of Zach Wilson.

Tim Boyle has played for the Packers, Lions, and Bears. Boyle started three games in a Lions uniform back in 2021 and did not win any of those games. The Miami Dolphins will get at least 20 points which will be good enough as the Jets defense will keep close, but it’s another loss for gang green.

OUR PICK: DOLPHINS

THE SUNDAY SLATE

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (5-5) AT ATLANTA FALCONS (4-6)

Both the Falcons and Saints are coming off their bye week. Did that give Derek Carr enough time to heal? The Falcons have lost three in a row and a victory over the Saints keeps them in the thick of things. The Saints win, they may be able to give the Falcons season their fatality. However this is the NFC south, and these two teams will meet again later in the season and probably be neck and neck. I like the Saints defense. I question the Falcons’ one dimensional offense they run. The Saints stop the Falcons running game & it’s over.

OUR PICK: SAINTS

PITTSBURGH STEELERS (6-4) AT CINCINNATI BENGALS (5-5)

Would Charlie Brown and the Peanuts be a successful cartoon without Joe Cool aka Snoopy? Joe Burrow is done for the year and on comes Jake Browning.

Browning making his first ever NFL start versus the Steel Curtain defense. Browning threw a touchdown pass last week in garbage time versus the Ravens defense. The Steelers fired their offense coordinator this week so Kenny Pickett and the offense may look efficient for a change. Steelers defense against another young quarterback, I can’t see them letting this happen two weeks in a row as the Browns rookie did it to them last week. Steelers have found 6 wins with a bad offense and this may be the week the playbook opens up.

OUR PICK: STEELERS

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (7-3) AT HOUSTON TEXANS (6-4)

It seems like the power of the AFC is thriving suddenly in the south. The Texans have won 4 straight. The Jaguars got back on track last week after losing to the 49ers to break their 5 game winning streak. These two teams met up earlier in the season when the Texans won in Jacksonville. The Texans have won the last 10 out of 11 meetings when these two teams meet. It’s hard to pick against the Texans, they are rolling. The Jaguars played & dispatched a bad Titans team last week. Before that, the 49ers brought the Jags back down to earth. I think the Texans are inside Trevor Lawrence’s head.

OUR PICK: TEXANS

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (4-6) AT INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (5-5)

The Colts come off their bye week after beating the Patriots in London. The Buccaneers really had no shot at beating the 49ers last week. Which QB will have the better game in this match up: Baker Mayfield for the Buccaneers or Gardner Minshew? Both quarterback’s stats are similar as Baker has more touchdown passes. The Colts rely on their running game with Jonathan Taylor and Zach Moss giving them the edge over the Buccaneers who don’t run the ball well. The Colts defense has gotten their act together and have found ways to stop teams lately. They should be able to make key stops versus Baker Mayfield. Colts do better on the road than at home but they get another notch in front of the home faithful.

OUR PICK: COLTS

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (2-8) AT NEW YORK GIANTS (3-8)

You can flip a coin in this one and find the winner that way. Your call!! The Patriots lost in Europe and the team is in disarray right now. The Giants’ Tommy DeVito had his best game of the year last week versus a dead Commanders team. Bill Belichick does very well against rookie quarterbacks. If Billy Boy is not smoking the pipe by now, he was planning his attack right when he got on the plane after the Colts game in Europe. Brian Daboll can be that QB whisperer. Watch DeVito have another good game as the Patriots offense struggles massively here. Belichick and the Patriots would like a top QB out of next year’s draft. That is what I’m seeing since Mac Jones is not the answer.

OUR PICK: GIANTS

CAROLINA PANTHERS (1-9) AT TENNESSEE TITANS (3-7)

Another rookie match up here with Bryce Young first round pick versus a guy who slid to the second round in Will Levis. The Panthers are trying and showing up every Sunday which is half the battle. The Titans are finally home after losing three straight on the road. Young will have a better day than his usual. The Titans defense is better than the Panthers and will force Young into mistakes. Will Levis will let it rip at home? The Titans are better at home and have won all three of their games this season. I like the 2nd rounder beating the 1st rounder in this one.

OUR PICK: TITANS

LA RAMS (4-6) AT ARIZONA CARDINALS (2-9)

The Rams looked better with Matthew Stafford back behind center as he returned from an injury last week. You have to like the first two games of the year for Kyler Murray as the Cardinals look like a different team when he is behind center. Both these teams know each other in a division battle. This game can go either way. I like the Cardinals defense playing better at home in a close game able to capitalize on Stafford’s mistake or two. This Rams team does not have that same defense like they had in recent years. Murray will play well and be able to put points on the score board.

OUR PICK: CARDINALS

CLEVELAND BROWNS(7-3) AT DENVER BRONCOS (5-5)

Can you say the Broncos right now are in the playoff hunt? We know the Browns are with their stellar defense. It does not matter who starts behind center for them as they have won three straight. The Broncos looked like the worst team in football. The team now has won 4 straight games and are climbing the standings man. Sean Payton looks like he fixed Russell Wilson and he’s having a come back season. The Browns can run the ball as they like to control the clock and kill the time with the lead. On the road, the Browns will be coming after Wilson who can improv with the best of them and find some scoring plays. You live by the blitz, you die by the blitz. The deciding factor I think is teams can run the ball on the Broncos defense. If the Browns do this and they do it well, this will get them the win on the road.

OUR PICK: BROWNS

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (7-3) AT LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (5-6)

The Chiefs lost a tough one against the reigning NFC champs, the Eagles in the Superbowl rematch of last season. The Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce has revitalized this Raiders team that looked dead in the water weeks ago. The Chiefs hardly ever lose two straight games. If Pierce wants to remove the word interim from his job title, this is the game he needs to win. In Vegas it is a home game for the Raiders, but I can see the stadium taken over by Chiefs fans. Patrick Mahomes will do his thing in a close game but a Chiefs rebound win.

OUR PICK: CHIEFS

BUFFALO BILLS (6-5) AT PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (9-1)

The Eagles are the best team in the league this year as they have the best record. The Bills have struggled weeks prior until last week they looked awesome in their win over the Jets. Both teams are going through the meat of their schedule and the Bills need this game more than the Eagles. It’s a short week for the Eagles and you could say they needed a lot of effort in that win over the Chiefs on Monday night coming back in the second half. Josh Allen looks reborn with a new offensive coordinator. This can make Allen very dangerous. Jalen Hurts will be tough for that Bills defense to control as Russell Wilson made improv plays with that Bills pass rush. The Bills clean up their game in this one and throw everything they have including the kitchen sink at this Eagle team and win on the road before finally going on their bye week. It will be close, but the Bills Mafia will feel like the team is back on track.

OUR PICK: BILLS

THE SUNDAY NIGHT GAME

BALTIMORE RAVENS(8-3) AT LA CHARGERS (4-6)

The Ravens right now are the best team in the AFC. Lamar Jackson is having one of his best seasons in his career. The Chargers laid a clunker in Green Bay and this team is not making it back to the post-season. The Chargers defense is sketchy and the Ravens passing game should have no problems picking them apart. The Chargers offense can be in the conversation as one of the best offenses in the league, but this team is flawed. The coaching staff is hot garbage. They should be better than this on both sides of the ball with the talent they have. The Ravens defense, one of the best in the league, should be able to contain this Chargers offense most of the night. Ravens win rather easily.

OUR PICK: RAVENS

THE MONDAY NIGHT GAME

CHICAGO BEARS (3-8) AT MINNESOTA VIKINGS (6-5)

Both the Bears and the Vikings lost heart breakers last Sunday. The Bears blew their game in the last few minutes of the game on the road in Detroit. The Vikings lost by one point on the road in Denver. The Vikings and Bears are always close games. Can the Bears rebound? Justin Fields looked awesome in his return from injury versus the Lions. Then the Vikings riding the hot hand of Joshua Dobbs. I don’t trust Fields and Matt Eberflus, head coach of the Bears, in close games. Eberflus, since taking over as the Bears head coach, still has not won a game in the division. The Vikings the last few years, seem to play all close games and have a better percentage of closing them out than the Bears.

OUR PICK: VIKINGS

STRAIGHT PICK-EM

LAST WEEK RECORD: (10-4)

Last week we got bloody with some of our upset specials prevailing with the Cardinals over the Falcons. We even impressed our selves with the Texans over the Bengals pick.

SEASON RECORD: (91-59)

Still looking to win our first pot of the year in our local family/friends pool.

WEEK 11

THE THURSDAY NIGHT GAME

CINCINNATI BENGALS (5-4) AT BALTIMORE RAVENS (7-3)

Both teams last week fell to unexpected teams. Were they overlooking those match ups thinking of this Thursday night division show down? On a short week, Bengals will be another week without their other star receiver, Tee Higgins. The Bengals have been winning before the loss to the Texans but not as crisp and easy like it has been. The Ravens have played solid football on both sides of the ball. I like Lamar Jackson gashing this Bengals walking wounded defense with big plays. The Ravens defense, the best in the league, can slow down this Bengals offense that is not clicking on all cylinders. Bengals are all talk no walk this season. Ravens sweep the series.

OUR PICK: RAVENS

THE SUNDAY SLATE

DALLAS COWBOYS (6-3) AT CAROLINA PANTHERS (1-8)

The easiest game to pick this week is this match up that has blow out written all over it. Imagine being the fans of Carolina who have a bad season and being in line to have the number one draft pick that is not yours. It’s the Bears who the Panthers lost to last Thursday. The Cowboys feast on bad teams as they enjoy Panther meat in a big fashion right before Thanksgiving.

OUR PICK: COWBOYS

PITTSBURGH STEELERS (6-3) AT CLEVELAND BROWNS(6-3)

I hate when bad things happen to such good people as poor old Deshaun Watson is out with a shoulder injury. That shoulder will need multiple massages to get it back to working condition. Maybe the Texans know some girls. How is Pittsburgh winning these games? Defense, running the ball, and quietly in the thick of things. The Browns defense is still very solid. The Browns will be trotting out their rookie quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson to fill the rapist’s shoes.

The Browns defense and their running game will keep this a close game. In Robinson’s first start of the year, he threw three interceptions & completed just over 50% of his passes. I just can’t see a rookie with limited experience picking apart this Steeler defense.

OUR PICK: STEELERS

CHICAGO BEARS (3-7) AT DETROIT LIONS (7-2)

Justin Fields will be back behind center for this match up with the Lions team that has a roar unlike several decades of no courage. This will not be the battle between two teams hovering at the bottom of the NFC North division standings, fighting not to be in the basement of the division. Fields has a big test on his hands and starts with the Lions. Is Fields the future QB of this team going into next season? The Bears have played better. This Lions team can bite you several different ways. Lions will stay king of the jungle in the NFC North as their defense takes care of rusty Fields and can prepare themselves for turkey day on Thursday, bringing Bear legs to gnaw on as an appetizer.

OUR PICK: LIONS

LA CHARGERS (4-5) AT GREEN BAY PACKERS(3-6)

The Chargers at Lambeau Field just sounds odd. Both the Packers and Chargers need a win as their seasons are in jeopardy of not making the post-season. The Packers can probably have nice production out of their offense with the Chargers’ suspect defense. Right now in Green Bay, no bad weather has hit the Midwest. Which quarterback in this one will get the job done: Justin Herbert or Jordan Love? I can’t see Love matching scores with Herbert all day. Chargers lost a close one last week and scored off a better defense than the Packers in LA versus the Lions.

OUR PICK: CHARGERS

ARIZONA CARDINALS (2-8) AT HOUSTON TEXANS (5-4)

After watching Clayton Tune behind center getting back Kyler Murray, if you are a Cardinals fan, you must have been ecstatic. Murray gets the win in his season debut. The Texans’ CJ Stroud rookie quarterback is walking on water right now. The talk is the Texans can get back to the playoffs. The Cardinals have stayed competitive in most all of their games so this one could be a close affair. I have to ride the hotter hand in Stroud and the Texans. They have more fire power on offense and their defense can make some plays and stops when needed. When players come off long injuries, the first game can be good like Murray did versus the Falcons. But the second game could be a struggle just adapting to the feeling after your first game in over a year.

OUR PICK: TEXANS

TENNESSEE TITANS (3-6) AT JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (6-3)

This will be the third road game in a row for the Titans. The Titans are 0-5 this season on the road. Meanwhile Jacksonville came crashing back down to earth with a very motivated 49er team that came in and put the Denver boot on the Jaguars offense.

The Jaguars’ loss ended their five game winning streak. I feel the Titans are the perfect team for the Jaguars to cut off the boot and find their game on the offensive side of the ball. The Titans defense is not even close to being in the tier of defenses in the league. Will Levis has not thrown a touchdown pass in the last two games and last week only completed under 50% of his passes. The Jaguars defense should be able to handle that kind of completion percentage.

OUR PICK: JAGUARS

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (5-5) AT MIAMI DOLPHINS (6-3)

The resurgence of the silver and black have won two straight since they cut off their killer mole on the back of their neck called a Josh McDaniels in medical terms. The Dolphins come off their bye week after touring Germany in their loss to the Chiefs. The Raiders wins have been against a bad Giants team and a Jets team that has a bad offense. I love to see the Raiders upset the Dolphins here. I think the Raiders will be able to generate some points. I just can’t see the Raiders defense containing that Miami offense. Miami is at home. Miami does very well with 500 teams and teams with losing records, and are rested.

OUR PICK: DOLPHINS

NEW YORK GIANTS (2-8) AT WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (4-6)

Last year in this match up, both teams were fighting to get into the playoffs. This year both the Commanders and Giants are waving the French flag. The Giants are a mess and it starts with their quarterback situation which is worse than Oscar the Grouch’s trash can. The Commanders actually have played well after they sent some of their bigger names on their defense packing.

Sam Howell may be the quarterback sacked the most times in the NFL this season. Howell has turned into a keeper for the Commanders this season. Howell is completing 66% of his passes and has 17 touchdown passes going into week 11. In his first full year under center, Howell has earned a look beyond this season and hopes the team can get him some protection with offensive line help. I like Howell having a big game against this Giants team.

OUR PICK: COMMANDERS

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS(4-5) AT SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (6-3)

The Buccaneers had a rare win last week breaking a long losing streak. The 49ers broke a long losing streak beating up on a good Jacksonville team. This is not a good game for the Buccaneers. First the flight to the west coast. The 49ers defense trumps anything great that Baker Mayfield has left in the tank by this point of the season. The 49ers resurrected themselves after losing three straight. That defense with the Chase Young addition looks Superbowl bound. After the Buccaneers lost, the bright side is this team will still be in the playoff hunt playing in a very bad division. The 49ers win big.

OUR PICK: 49ERS

NEW YORK JETS (4-5) AT BUFFALO BILLS (5-5)

The Jets offense is struggling. The Bills offense is not struggling like the Jets but has been sputtering. The Bills fired their offensive coordinator after last week’s loss to the Broncos. The Jets players are foaming at the mouth dealing with Zach Wilson as their quarterback. The Bills should have won the first match up after they knocked out Aaron Rodgers. Wilson has won against the Bills, maybe the only team he can beat twice. The Jets defense usually gives Josh Allen fits. Allen is the problem repeatedly making stupid mistakes against teams with multiple turnovers that result in losses. This is a must win for both teams to keep their playoff hopes alive in a log jam in the AFC. I think Bills come to life because of the firing of Ken Dorsey. I think the offense is simplified and Allen thrives and doesn’t make the mistakes he’s been making, as the Bills live for another week with the grind of the schedule waiting in the wings.

OUR PICK: BILLS

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS(6-3) AT LA RAMS (3-6)

The Rams have lost three straight games. The Seahawks found a win at home versus the Commanders in a close battle. Matthew Stafford is back behind center for the Rams, a team coming off their bye week. The Seahawks lost to the Rams in week one. The Rams play better with Stafford behind center so this will be a tight contest. These teams and coaches know each other very well being in the same division. It’s a road game for Seattle, but at the same time it’s tough to sweep a team twice when you know each other very well. I think the Seahawks defense is the X-factor as they force a rusty Stafford who has that gunslinger mentality, into a few mistakes that cost the Rams the game.

OUR PICK: SEAHAWKS

THE SUNDAY NIGHT GAME

MINNESOTA VIKINGS (6-4) AT DENVER BRONCOS (4-5)

Several weeks ago you would have said this match up is a flop. TERRIBLE!!!

The Vikings have won 5 straight. The Broncos have won 3 straight. Joshua Dobbs came to Minnesota in a trade from Arizona. Russell Wilson has found his old glory from the Seahawks games. Both defenses suddenly improved. Remember the Dolphins putting over 70 points on this same Broncos defense? Both quarterbacks can use their legs to make things happen on the run. The Vikings are winning without their superstar receiver, Justin Jefferson. Who do you pick on a game like this? I don’t trust the Broncos kicker because in a close game last week, Denver had miscues on special teams which can haunt them in a close affair. I like Dobbs living The Natural story of Roy Hobbs. The question is where did he come from. The Browns are probably regretting trading Dobbs away with Deshaun Watson out for the season. Vikings thrived in close games last year, so why not another one.

OUR PICK: VIKINGS

THE MONDAY NIGHT GAME

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (8-1) AT KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (7-2)

This may be the best Monday night we have had in years – a rematch of last year’s Superbowl. WOW!!! Another epic showdown of the Kelce brothers. Winner gets Taylor Swift.

Wouldn’t it be cool if Jason Kelce was dating Sheryl Crow? Everyday is a winding road and it leads to Kansas City where the match up is set. Both teams come off their bye week. Andy Reid coming off his bye week has done very well over his career as he was head coach of the Eagles before arriving in Kansas City. This match up has the QB superpowers with Patrick Mahomes versus Jalen Hurts. The Eagles have the Tush push while Mahomes can razzle and dazzle you with his escape ability from the pocket. The Chiefs have their best defense since Mahomes has been in a Chiefs uniform. I think the Eagles will plot a better way not to let Travios Kelce beat them. The Chiefs defense has improved this year, but the Kansas City offense is not having its best year of Mahomes’ career. I like the Eagles defense in that match-up. The Eagles offense will score the right amount to win a close one on the road in an epic game overall. No comebacks this time for the Philly special…..

OUR PICK: EAGLES

What is wrong with the Buffalo Bills? Right now going into week 11 the Bills have a 5-5 record coming off another humiliating loss, this time to the Denver Broncos. If the season ended today, the Bills would not make the playoffs. That from a team that came in hoping to reach their ultimate goal of getting to the Superbowl and winning it. Since the London trip in week 5, this team looks dreadful. Josh Allen is a turn over machine. The team continues to play football stupidly with penalties that end up killing them in the long run. These are not the same Sean McDermott teams that showed discipline and played smart football the last few seasons. This team should be 8-2 right now but gave games away to the Jets in the first week & then the Patriots. Then again a few days back to the Broncos. Many teams would be ecstatic to be 5-5 with 7 games to go. The Bills have to go through the meat of their schedule to face some of the top teams in the league like the Eagles, Cowboys, and Chiefs. Then still be able to beat the teams in their division with rematches with the Jets and Dolphins while the Patriots in the first match up were thorns in the side of the Bills. The Bills are a very talented team that someone needs to pull the switch right now to resurrect this lifeless team before the season unravels for good. How do you fix a train wreck about to derail from the tracks?

The Bills offense has not been the same since Brian Daboll left Buffalo and took the head coaching gig with the New York Giants right before the 2022 season. Since then the former quarterbacks coach Ken Dorsey has taken over calling the plays. After the dreadful loss versus the Broncos, the Bills made a change. This may be the first step to prevent this Bills train from derailing. The Bills fired Dorsey and promoted Joe Brady as the new Bills offensive coordinator. Brady was the play caller for LSU back in 2019 when Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase were lighting up SEC defenses together. In 2020, Brady took the Carolina Panthers job as their offensive coordinator. His offense had Teddy Bridgewater behind center and the Panthers that year had a pair of 1,000 yard receivers in DJ Moore and Robby Anderson. The Panthers’ other wide receiver, Curtis Samuel, had 851 receiving yards as they were able to pass the ball and run it with Christian McCaffrey. Dorsey and Brady’s philosophy is somewhat the same but different. Brady will have more spread looks, to spread out the defense to find the right match up for the quarterback. The Bills will probably have less two tight end sets. They will show defenses more 3 & 4 wide receiver sets. Brady worked with offensive mastermind Sean Payton who just led his Broncos over the Bills in that dreadful loss. Sometimes a new voice is what a team like the Bills needs in this kind of situation. It’s better to have a Brady working on your side instead of facing the arch nemesis Tom Brady all those years.

I know Stefon Diggs is a super star receiver in the NFL. I feel like Josh Allen has to go to him and force the ball into his hands on some plays. The Bills have talented play makers on this roster that hardly has been used this season. Where is Josh Allen’s security blanket? This team misses guys like Cole Beasley and Isaiah McKenzie who make those catches over the middle while taking the hit but also getting that crucial first down. Khalil Shakir or newcomers, Trent Sherfield and Deonte Harty – one of them needs to be that guy. With Joe Brady as the offensive coordinator in his style of offense, yards after the catch is a big deal. The new guys that came over from other teams in the off-season are guys you need to get the ball too. They need to find ways for Shakir, Sherfield, and Harty to get the ball from Allen on stride to give the Buffalo offense some big play capabilities. Have not seen the big play this season by this Bills offense. Most importantly, we need to move the chains on third down to keep drives alive.

The Bills have been saying now for years they like to run the ball more. I believe if the Bills would have ran the ball down the Broncos throat most of that Monday night game, they would have won that game against the visiting Broncos. James Cook was in the dog house for the fumble on the first drive on Monday night. Then Cook carried the ball like a man seeking revenge and on a mission. Cook had another fumble in the second half on a big run and luckily the ball bounced back in his hands as he was still in motion. The Bills need to unleash the beast they have on their practice squad for the stretch run. See if Leonard Fournette still has gasoline left in the tank. Fournette helped carry that Tom Brady team in Tampa Bay all the way to the Superbowl. The Bills need to run the ball and stop saying they need to run more and just do it. Use Cook & then bring in your bruising backs in the second half with Fournette and Latavius Murray.

Everything revolves around one person, Josh Allen. If Allen is hot, this team is unstoppable. The Bills are losing games because Allen has become a turn over machine this year. Allen is still slinging touchdown passes at a high rate as one of the league leaders. Allen has turned himself or is heading into the direction of Jameis Winston. Winston was a gunslinger as he threw touchdown passes for both sides of the ball, the offense and the opposing defense, as everyone would score when he was behind center for the Buccaneers. Allen is leaning to the Jay Cutler ways as a gunslinger making mistakes at the wrong time of the game. Every time Allen has more than one turnover, the results turn into a loss. Turnovers killed this team in week one versus the Jets. The Bills knocked out Aaron Rodgers and led most of that game. Allen dishing out early Christmas gifts wrapped it up with red pretty bow for the gang green. Allen will probably go down as the best Bills quarterback of all-time. The things Jim Kelly did better than Allen was beat the teams in your own division and protect the football. Kelly beat the best teams in regular season as well as the division opponents that you needed to beat. Allen is the key to the entire enchilada. If Allen’s games are crisp, the defense does not have to stay on the field most of the game & they can turn this season around. This Bills turn around needs help from the head coach as well.

Sean McDermott is a solid NFL coach. This season is the first I’ve heard since he took the Bills job that he is on the hot seat. McDermott has full control over the defense and I have a bone to pick with him about his play calling. When is he going to learn to defend teams in the last two minutes? I will not get over how Kansas City got a field goal with 13 seconds left in regulation during the post season that ended up with an overtime loss. That one still hurts. The Patriots marched right down the field and beat you in the last minute of the game a few weeks back. The Patriots crap of an offense waltz down the field like they owned you with all those Tom Brady teams that did the same thing to the Bills for over a decade. His defense with the muggings causing pass interference call after pass interference calls. In crucial situations of the game as well. Then the penalties are a major concern. This Bills team used to play a clean crisp game. Now it’s which number are you going to call that shot the team in the foot. The 12th man on the field during that missed Broncos field goal at the end of regulation should not happen. The Broncos awarded 5 yards and like a kids pick up game of whichever sport was awarded the do over and the Broncos won the game. Look in the mirror McDermott because you are not going to like what you see. McDermott better start coaching this team and find a way to get his message through. If the Bills can’t do any of these things I listed, this team will not make the playoffs this season. The Superbowl window with this team could be permanently closed. McDermott could be canned at the end of the season which would be a belly flop heard around the world if the Bills wither away and don’t resurrect their season.

STRAIGHT PICK-EM

LAST WEEK’S RECORD:(9-5) In week 9, it seemed like we were chasing the chicken in all the games that could go either way. Obviously the 5 losses mean we did not catch Colonel Sanders’ next masterpiece.

OVERALL SEASON RECORD: (81-55)

WEEK TEN

THE THURSDAY NIGHT GAME

CAROLINA PANTHERS (1-7) AT CHICAGO BEARS (2-7)

The Panthers as a team are struggling this season for anything positive. Justin Fields is out for the Bears. Bryce Young has not impressed me behind center for the Panthers. The Bears will roll with their rookie quarterback Tyson Bagent from division II Shepard University. If Bagent could just manage this game, you will see a division II school beat the big dog QB Young from the University of Alabama. The Bears defense will be the key in this win. They have played better the last few weeks and not worried about the Panthers offense mustering up enough points to win this game.

OUR PICK: DA BEARS

THE SUNDAY SLATE

EUROPE GAME

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (4-5) AT NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (2-7)

This game is being played in Germany. You have to love the mugs on her. German’s fine engineering is what you call it. The Colts have been scoring points as their defense played better than weeks before last Sunday’s win over a bad Panthers team. The Patriots are a broken team & they have nothing positive they do on weekly basis. Is it time to send Bill Belichick packing if you are the slime ball owner of the Patriots Robert Kraft? When you play on neutral ground, I think the best friend to have is a running game. The Colts two headed monster attack with Zack Moss and Jonathan Taylor should be enough to give Indianapolis a road win over the Patriots.

OUR PICK: COLTS

BACK TO THE STATES

CLEVELAND BROWNS (5-3) AT BALTIMORE RAVENS (7-2)

Both the Browns and the Ravens have two things in common. They play solid defense as the Ravens are number one scoring defense in the league while Cleveland is number 3. The Browns have allowed less yards than the Ravens defensive unit. Both the Browns and Ravens do very well in their respective division battles with only one loss in the season. How do you sort this out? You have to go by the quarterback position. Lamar Jackson is playing out of his mind right now as the Ravens as a team look like the best in the entire league. Jackson is much better than the rapist Deshaun Watson this season. Ravens put their claws on the strangle hold of the division in this one with a win.

OUR PICK: RAVENS

HOUSTON TEXANS (4-4) AT CINCINNATI BENGALS (5-3)

Can the Texans go into Cincinnati and get the upset? The Bengals are red hot right now as Joe Cool Burrow is completing over 70% of his passes. CJ Stroud last week completed over 70% of his passes and had 5 touch down passes for 470 passing yards versus a pretty good Buccaneer defense is not too shabby. Call me crazy. Call me insane… this is my upset pick of the week. First thing is the Bengals can look past the Texans at their next match up on Thursday night versus the Ravens. Tee Higgins is out in this one for the Bengals. I like Stroud being able to escape the Bengals pressure on defense. Besides, the Texans are not a team that is a walk in the park anymore. I’m going Houston with the upset of the week.

OUR PICK: TEXANS

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (5-3) AT JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (6-2)

This game looks like a must see. I’m thinking it may be a let down. Both the Jaguars and 49ers are coming off their bye week. Something has to give in this match up as the Jaguars have won 5 straight while the 49ers have lost three straight. I think the 49ers will benefit from the bye week more than the hotter team, the Jaguars. The 49ers used the week to heal up and get their new guys familiar with the scheme of things. The 49ers adding a dog to their defense from the Commanders in Chase Young will be unleashed in Jacksonville.

The 49ers snap their losing streak and at the same time break the Jaguars winning streak to bring their fans back in from the ledge.

OUR PICK: 49ERS

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (5-4) AT MINNESOTA VIKINGS (5-4)

The Vikings are either the luckiest team in the NFL for a stretch of weeks or unluckiest for stretches of the season. The team trades for Joshua Dobbs & then insert him into the game due to an injury. Like that, the Vikings are over 500. The Saints defense came to life in the second half versus the Bears last week, the unit many expected to see most of the year. Can Dobbs save the Vikings season? Can the Saints play the perfect game with Derek Carr putting up points on the scoreboard while the defense limits the opposing team on the scoreboard? Dobbs will now have a week to learn the Vikings play book, but can he run the plays? Last week you know Dobbs was doing the bare bones of the offense and just doing things that came natural. I like the Saints being able to game plan for Dobbs. Another Viking receiver will be out. K.J. Osburn suffered a concussion last week versus the Falcons and will not play which gives the Saints the advantage. Vikings star receiver Justin Jefferson is still out. Saints defense can key in on Dobbs.

OUR PICK: SAINTS

GREEN BAY PACKERS (3-5) AT PITTSBURGH STEELERS (5-3)

The Packers and the Steelers need this win in week ten. The Packers need the win to creep back to the 500 mark and plot a way to get back in the NFC North race. The Steelers are involved in a tight race in the AFC North. Both teams won last week. The Packers beat a Rams team without Matthew Stafford behind center. The Steelers had to come back and top the Titans. Kenny Pickett versus Jordan Love is like a runner in baseball getting to the bag at the same time as the ball. In which goes to the runner being called safe. Which one is the runner? I like the Steelers chances better at home and their defense can do more and give Love a bad name as Pittsburgh shot to the heart of Green Bay fans.

OUR PICK: STEELERS

TENNESSEE TITANS (3-5) AT TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (3-5)

It was all fun at the beginning of the season with Baker Mayfield playing well for the Buccaneers. Tampa Bay was sniffing the playoffs and Mayfield was going to redefine himself as a starting quarterback in the NFL. The Buccaneers may have to do what the Titans have done with rookie Will Levis who is going to start his 3rd NFL game of his career and has done pretty decent so far. The Buccaneers defense has gone soft. The team has lost 4 straight. The Buccaneers should see what they have in Kyle Trask who I thought should have started the season as QB 1. Levis has to be licking his chops right now seeing another rookie CJ Stroud throw for 470 yards last week on the Buccaneers defense. This will be a close game as the Titans pull it out at the end as Levis starts to look more like the future of this Tennessee team for the long haul.

OUR PICK: TITANS

ATLANTA FALCONS (4-5) AT ARIZONA CARDINALS (1-8)

The Falcons Cardinals showdown features former Commander quarterback Taylor Heinicke versus the return of Kyle Murray. Cardinals fans have to be dancing in the streets naked not seeing Clayton Tune, not play it again Sam. Heinicke took over the starting job from Desmond Ridder. Heinicke is a young Colt McCoy who can win games in the NFL but will also lose more games than he wins. Murray will be rusty, but his return has to be a lift for the entire team. The Cardinals have played most of their games tough losing a lot of close ones. I see Murray doing something special and I like the Cardinals at home for this one.

OUR PICK: CARDINALS

NEW YORK GIANTS (2-7) AT DALLAS COWBOYS (5-3)

Danny Devito’s brother Tommy ia getting the start for the Giants and he is not a sub above behind center. Tommy is probably not related to actor Danny Devito. I know this after Tommy faces the Cowboys defense, Giants fans will want to throw him off the train. It can be a sequel, “Throw Tommy Off the Train.” Dallas feeds on teams under 500 like zombies chomping down on brains. The Cowboys use the Giants like that girl everyone knows as a nice rebound to get back on their feet after the loss in Philadelphia.

OUR PICK: COWBOYS

DETROIT LIONS (6-2) AT LA CHARGERS (4-4)

The Lions come off a bye week as they look to win their second straight on the road versus a Charger team that has won two straight. We are still waiting for Justin Herbert to get hot as that Charger offense is not firing on all cylinders. For the Lions, they had a comfortable lead in the NFC North, but objects appear closer than usual in your rear view mirror as the Vikings are closing in on distance. I like the Lions defense well rested to keep this Charger offense contained. Jared Goff back in his old stomping grounds will want to play one of his better games in LA and escape with a victory. The Lions are 3-1 on the road, so they can win as they did knock out the Chiefs in the very first game of the season at Arrowhead stadium.

OUR PICK: LIONS

WASHINGTON COMMANDERS(4-5) AT SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (5-3)

The Commanders were sellers at the trade deadline and show me something winning on the road versus a New England team. Meanwhile, Seattle was beaten like a red headed step child by the Ravens last weekend. Geno Smith looked like Geno Smith back in those Jets days. Seattle is 3-1 at home this season so they should be able to get that offense back on track. For the Commanders, two road games and one all the way to Seattle is tough task. I like the Seahawks defense being able to put the pressure on Commanders quarterback Sam Howell who has been sacked one of the most this season in the NFL. The offense reboots and Seahawks will still be on top of the NFC West by themselves or sharing the honors with the 49ers once again.

OUR PICK: SEAHAWKS

THE SUNDAY NIGHT GAME

NEW YORK JETS (4-4) AT LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (4-5)

Another prime time game for the Jets as all the networks had a hard on for Aaron Rodgers before the season even started. The Raiders lost the dead weight of their former coach Josh McDaniels & now look like a whole new team. The Jets have been lingering around like a floater that will not go down on the first flush. Rodgers is not going to save this team coming out of some dark retreat smoking the pipe. The defense of the Jets has been over worked every week trying to keep this team in games. The Jets offense is horrific while the Raiders defense see red and will be charging like some Viking movie led by Mad Max Crosby. Josh Jacobs, a reborn football player after McDaniels coaching, will have another big game running the ball for another Raiders win.

OUR PICK: RAIDERS

THE MONDAY NIGHT GAME

DENVER BRONCOS (3-5) AT BUFFALO BILLS (5-4)

This is a must win game for the Buffalo Bills. It’s never easy it seems lately for the Bills as the Broncos have won two straight with the last victory coming against the Kansas City Chiefs. The Bills find themselves falling on hard times with an offense that is sputtering and fans are waiting for the one play or the savior who will spark this team. The Broncos come off a bye week to face a tough road test with a team that is wounded mentally and possibly physically, and they don’t want to set the short wick. The Bills have the Eagles, Chiefs, and Cowboys coming up after a rematch with the Jets so they need games like this with the buzz saw of a schedule in late November, early December.

The Bills will come out loose in this game & playing at home will help get them back on track for at least this week. I can’t promise you anything beyond. The Broncos bye week comes when the team is hot, but will come out cold.

OUR PICK: BILLS