Sunday, December 1

Sunday Thoughts: Week 13


Man, it feels good to be back. Let's get to it.

-Josh Gordon and Alshon Jeffery combined for 510 receiving yards, and each of their teams both lost in relatively heartbreaking fashion. The Browns lost to the suddenly red-hot Jaguars on a last-minute score by Cecil Shorts, while the Bears' normally reliable Robbie Gould missed a field goal (that the Bears elected to kick on second down), allowing the Vikings to march down the field and win with a field goal of their own in overtime.

-I didn't reflect this in my Pick'Em league (though I did pick it correctly), but looking back on things, the lock of the week should have been the Bengals beating the Chargers. Anytime you think San Diego's about to turn the corner (beating the Colts, upsetting the Chiefs on the road), they lay a stinker like this one. It's like clockwork.

-Meanwhile, the dysfunctional Dolphins put the slap on the New York Jets, who are not only our Worst Team of the Week, but they may also be the worst five-win team in the history of the NFL. They've scored 10 points or fewer in five games (including a total of six the past two weeks), and counting this game against the Dolphins, they've lost four games by 20 or more. Absolutely incredible.

-Carolina is scary good. Cam Newton's not even playing consistently well and they're kicking butt. It's all about that defense, baby! I really wish the Panthers were playing the Seahawks next week, and hadn't already faced them in Week 1. But they do still have a pair of games with N'Awlins, which should be fantastic.

-Look at that, the Atlanta Falcons aren't completely dead! My preseason Super Bowl pick showed some nice resolve in gutting out a 34-31 win in Buffalo. Granted, the combined records of the teams Atlanta has beaten this year is 12-24, but a win's a win.

-Our Stupid Play of the Week was alluded to before, but it's the Bears deciding to kick a field goal on 2nd and 7 from Minnesota's 30. You have a quarterback that had thrown for over 350 yards and a running back who had ran for 120. I think I like those odds a lot better than the off chance a pass gets tipped and intercepted or there's a fumble or dumb penalty. Granted, Robbie Gould is usually money from any distance, but why not at least take a shot at scoring a touchdown and removing any doubt?

-Speaking of field goals, our Boring Game of the Week comes courtesy of the Titans and Colts. Five field goals and a lot of Donald Brown for the Colts, and some Ryan Fitzpatrick dumpoff to Chris Johnson shenanigans for Tennessee. Thrilling. In "Only Someone With T.Y. Hilton On Their Fantasy Team Would Know This" news, T.Y. Hilton has now faced the Titans twice this year, and has five grabs in each contest. 44 yards in the first game, and 46 in this one. That's almost the exact same performance. Oh wait, it IS the same performance: a disappointing one. I have a hard time seeing the Colts going anywhere in the playoffs--Reggie Wayne is apparently too important a piece to really overcome against good teams.

-The ending of the Giants/Redskins game was bizarre. Not just due to the poor officiating, but also because the effectively last play of the game, when Will Hill stripped Pierre Garcon and it was awesome. Check it out.

-And, of course, the RedZone recap of Week 13 is awesome. Enjoy.

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