NFL Championship Games: ZZZZZZZZ Edition

 Bucs-Packers:

Prediction: Hard-fought game, but the Packers are the better team and on their own turf, so they should stick it out.

Reality: WHAT DOES IT TAKE? WHAT DOES IT FRIGGING TAKE FOR THIS TEAM TO WIN AN NFC CHAMPIONSHIP? We've tried playing teams that aren't as good as ours, we've tried playing teams with no offense, we've tried playing teams with the homefield advantage for once. Nothing works. Regardless of how good this Packers team was, the Bucs' defense was better, and made for a truly disappointing end to the season. Now Tom Brady goes to another super bowl, and the Packers, who deserved to, don't.

Bills- Chiefs

Prediction: I'd LIKE the Bills to win but the Chiefs are the better team, especially with Mahomes back

Reality: Yeeeahhh, this one wasn't even close, was it? As good as Josh Allen was, Patrick Mahomes was better, and had some explosive TD plays all night. Yes, Eric Fisher won't be heading to Tampa in 2 weeks, but Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce and the whole gang were on fire tonight, and dwarfed a Super Bowl-caliber Bills team. 

So now we're looking at a Bucs-Chiefs Super Bowl. Brady vs. Mahomes. How absolutely boring. This is the kind of outcome that people predicted early in the season that I shrugged off because it couldn't be that cut and dry. But, sure enough, the Chiefs repeat as AFC Champs, and Brady and the Bucs sniveled their way to another Bowl themselves. I guess I'm rooting for the Chiefs again? I dunno, it's a conflictingly bland matchup, and I'm glad I can just watch it as yet another Super Bowl I don't have a vested interest in than to actually have a horse in it. 

Whatever. It's a Super Bowl at home, but this isn't really the genuine Tampa Bay Buccaneers, is it? It's a team that Tom Brady has hijacked in an effort to win a seventh ring that he doesn't need. The only excited Bucs fans that are gonna be there in 2 weeks will be bandwagoners.  And yes, maybe a few diehard fans, but this isn't really a homegrown, earned team like the 2003 one was, is it? 

Whatever. We're nearly back at baseball season. You'll hear less of my grumblings over time. 

NFL Division Games: I Think I Like How This is Looking Edition

 

Rams-Packers:

Prediction: The Packers at Lambeau will walk all over the Rams. It won't even be close. 

Reality: ....yeeeeeahhh. Though it was a tense, tight game for a bit, the Pack pulled away late and despite the best attempts by Sean McVay and friends, it wasn't close. Aaron Rodgers, Davante Adams, Aaron Jones, Robert Tonyan and A.J. Dillon are looking pretty dominant, and looked even scarier on Saturday. I'd love to see this team finally make another Super Bowl, but it all comes down to how tough their NFC Championship opponents will be. 

Bills-Ravens:

Prediction: The Ravens have the momentum, and they have the toughest running QB in the AFC. It'll be close, but the Ravens will show up and take it late.

Reality: Not that. The Ravens only scored a field goal all night. Lamar Jackson was taken out with a concussion, and Lamar Huntley had to finish the game for them. Meanwhile, Josh Allen continues to play like Josh Allen, Diggs and Singletary had big games, Taron Johnson had that incredible interception return for a touchdown, and the Bills massive seem to be more excited than they've been in years. I hope something happens for them this year. I really do.

Chiefs-Browns

Prediction: It won't especially be close. Chiefs win again.

Reality: It was actually kinda close, in that the Browns were within a touchdown, and if things had gone differently, they could have come back and won it all. But the way the Chiefs had the ball in the late 4th, it was never gonna happen, even without Pat Mahomes. I'm sincerely hoping that Mahomes is back next week for the Chiefs, even though I'm not sure how serious the concussion was. At the very least, the Chiefs still have a lot of nice pieces doing well for them, and the Browns have a finish they can be proud of as the regroup for 2021. Still...if the Chiefs don't have Mahomes next week, the Bills might have to start packing for Tampa.

Saints-Bucs

Prediction: It'll be close, but the Saints have the edge in terms of the way the teams are built, so they'll pull out in the end. 

Reality: FOUR PICKS? FOUR PICKS OFF OF DREW BREES? Lord almighty, that is not the way you wanna round out a career. That is just terrible. Brady, Evans, Suh...they all outdid them, and the defense came out in droves. Even if Brees had the better first half, Brady and the Bucs had the momentum. And once again, the Saints fans get absolutely tortured in January. I hate it. I absolutely hate it. 

Next week- Packers-Bucs, Chiefs-Bills. Three teams I enjoy and one Brady-fronted dud. I'd love a Packers-Bills Bowl, I'd be fine with a Super Bowl I rematch, and I will be very angry if the Bucs end up going to a damned Super Bowl. 

NFL Wild Card Round: Subverting Expectations, And Also Not

 

Bills-Colts

My Prediction: The Bills will steamroll Indianapolis and it won't be close.

Reality: Not...as such. This was a really close game, and really entertaining to watch. Yes, there was the angle of 'THIS COULD BE PHILIP RIVERS' LAST GAME' and such, but even still Rivers was hanging in there, and making solid throws even well into the death throes of his team's efforts. But...it was impossible to stop the Bills from still outscoring them, as Diggs and Beasley still had great showings. The last quarter was tense as hell, but the final hail mary was a wash, and the Bills had a crucial playoff win at home, their first in 25 years. I couldn't be any more here for it, and I hope their good luck continues.

Seahawks-Rams:

My Prediction: It'll be hard fought, but there's no way the Rams will beat the Seahawks at home with a no-name starting at QB.

Reality: I was...kinda right? The Rams didn't win with Wohlford at QB, they won with Jared Goff there. Even if Goff isn't quite what he was supposed to be when they drafted them [why do I sense another QB trade with Philly coming on?], Goff still led the Rams to a win despite his lack of throwing prowess. Simply because Russell Wilson couldn't get stuff done, and because Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey kept blocking him at every turn. Therefore, the Rams, who could get past the Seattle defense in its depleted state, came away with the victory. Of course. 

It's looking like the Rams will have to go to Green Bay next week, as they're currently the lowest seeded team still in the race, so I wish McVay and the gang the best of luck. They've won at Lambeau before, but not with a scattered team like this. 

Bucs-Washington

Prediction: Yes, the Buccaneers are going to win, but it'd be nice if Washington put up a biiiit of fight.

Reality: That's kinda what happened. The Washington Nonames were forced to start Taylor Heinicke at QB, as Alex Young was hurt, as he tends to be. So...Taylor Heinicke against the greatest QB of our times...what do YOU think happened? Honestly...Heinicke had some prime time moments, scored some TDs, showed some promise for whatever squad signs him as a backup in 2021, but...this game belonged to Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski, Antonio Brown, Leonard Fournette, and the entire crew of veterans in Tampa. It wasn't gonna be close, and props to Washington for making it close, but...this was inevitable. 

Ravens-Titans

Prediction: Derrick Henry game v2. Titans are the better team, Ravens had more struggles during the season, Titans will win out.

Reality: The Lamar Jackson that should have showed up in last year's Titans-Ravens game showed up today, with some amazing running plays and touchdowns, plus some great work from the defense keeping Henry at bay. The Ravens looked more confident than they've looked in the playoffs in years, and deserved that win. 

Bears-Saints

Prediction: Saints won't even make it close.

Reality: I mean, that first half was kinda close. It was a game of defenses and stalemates, and it was a really dull game to broadcast on Nickelodeon. But, the Saints came alive in the second half and put Trubisky and the Bears away, as predicted. They'll play the Bucs next week, and that'll be interesting- Brady v. Brees for a crack at Rodgers [or...Goff?]

Browns-Steelers

Prediction: Okay the Steelers will probably win but man it'd be nice if the Browns found a way to get ahead somehow.

Reality: WHOA. THIS IS MORE LIKE IT. It's not a complete drubbing because the Steelers still scored 37 points and it's not a good sign for how the Browns will handle the Chiefs next week, but MAN THAT WAS SATISFYING. The Browns got their first playoff win in years, Landry and Chubb had big games, Baker Mayfield proved he can deliver in the playoffs, and a team that was undefeated til mid-November was sent home early. This is why I started watching football again, to see fun stuff like this again. It may not last long, but it's good to see the Browns victorious in the postseason for the first time in my lifetime. 

Next week, the plot thickens, and hopefully a good final picture forms. 

Eliminated Football Roundup: Week 17

As the playoff picture became fixed today, it became clear that no matter their heights, their QB, or their momentum...the Miami Dolphins just aren't ready to be a playoff team. Despite coming up with 26 points today, they were still up against the 2nd-seeded Buffalo Bills, who scored 30 points more, and handsomely. There are still great pieces on this team, like Tua and grade-A corner Xavien Howard, but a lot more needs to be added before they can make a successful run at the postseason.

As Washington won the late matchup and notched their ticket to the postseason, it was a goodbye to both NFC East teams playing in what at one point looked to be a win or die matchup. For the Giants, it was a 'win AND die' game. Even if they could get past Andy Dalton and the Cowboys, Darius Slayton and the Giants still needed to rely upon the Eagles to make the postseason. And if it's one thing the 2020 season has taught us all, it's that the Eagles are unreliable as shit. 

Justice is served, I suppose- two mediocre NFC East teams miss the playoffs, and Washington, the least mediocre with a 7-9 record, goes on to have to play Tom Brady next week. Unless Chase Young can really throttle the hell out of Brady, we're probably looking at a quick ouster for Washington as well.

Of the four last-minute eliminees, the Arizona Cardinals looked the most playoff-ready, thanks to a great season from Kyler Murray, and a great first year out of DeAndre Hopkins. However, as Murray left the game early and handed things to a CFL-alum backup...against an XFL-alum Rams backup, the season began to unravel rather quickly for them. Even if the Rams have some trouble next week with the Seahawks, they still had more momentum than the Cards today, with a loss that ended both the QB's NFL career and Larry Fitzgerald's NFL career in one fell swoop.
 

Next week should be interesting. Lots of fun playoff teams [Browns! Bucs! Washington!], and a chance for some extreme upsets. Plus, the team I have a rooting interest in doesn't even have to play.

Eliminated Football Roundup: Week 16

 

As the playoff picture is becoming a lot more clear, we've got a lot more entries in this week's roundup of customs for eliminated teams. 

First off, the Vikings celebrated Christmas by being slaughtered by the playoff-bound New Orleans Saints. The Vikes were never a serious threat in the NFC North, despite some strong games from Dalvin Cook making him a league-wide threat, but they were capable of some clutch wins and some great moments. None of which happened in this Saints matchup. The good news is that the Vikings put up 33 points, but Alvin Kamara had the bigger game and waltzed past them for 52. 

The 49ers were one of a few eliminated teams that managed to not only squeak out a win this week but outdo some stacked odds against them. On Amazon Prime on Saturday, the tech-savvy 49ers looked to be a wash for Kyler Murray and the Cardinals, but C.J. Beathard, the Niners' third-string QB, powered the Niners to a win thanks to TWO Kyle Juszczyk touchdowns [man, I'm glad I made one of him last week], and some intriguing defensive work. This is still a flawed team that'll need some work done in the offseason, but they can still upset a potential playoff team, which is nice. 

Similarly, another wild card team, the Miami Dolphins, managed to overcome an early lead by the onetime playoff threats the Las Vegas Raiders and eliminate the black and silvers from the picture themselves. It was a frustrating moment from Carr, Jacobs and the Raiders, a team that had come so close to legitimacy, going toe-to-toe with Kansas City and great teams before coming into some truly bad luck recently. Despite some great work from Nelson Agholor, it was a game of field goals, and a drive with 19 seconds left gave it to Tua and his Dolphins. 

The Bengals at this point have just decided to be a furiously alright bad team. Yes, they're not much without Joe Burrow, but they still have guys like Tyler Boyd and Samaje Perine who can run the opposition out of breath. This week, it was the still-terrible Houston Texans they were up against, and despite the usual good effort from Deshaun Watson and J.J. Watt, the Bengals still outscored Houston, even led by Brandon Allen, the backup. While they may not be good enough to, you know, compete, the Bengals can still win games...just, against equally bad teams, it seems.

In a battle between two losing AFC West teams, it was the one with the all-but-certain Rookie of the Year that reigned supreme. What surprised me the most about this one was that it was a genuine QB battle- Herbert and Lock were both doing pretty damn well, despite the lower score. Though Melvin Gordon still had the best day with 79 rushing yards, Herbert and Austin Ekeler had the bigger day, and the win. Hopefully if the right people stay intact, the Chargers will be able to compete relatively soon, because Herbert is definitely the answer.

Leave it to the Carolina Panthers to keep the NFC East waiting game going for another week. In a fierce battle against the Washington Nonames, Teddy Bridgewater had another strong performance, Robby Anderson had another TD to add to his strong season, and Curtis Samuel had the best stats of the day. The Nonames will need to punch their ticket to the postseason with a win over Philadelphia...

Which should be relatively easy, given that Philadelphia can't seem to want to win anyway. The Eagles could have made a huge statement against the Cowboys this week. The Cowboys were starting ANDY DALTON for crying out loud. This was a golden opportunity. And yet despite Jalen Hurts' continued startership, the Cowboys STILL outscored the Eagles by 20 points and eliminated them from the playoff conversation. It was a game marred by the Eagles' lack of any defensive prowess due to injuries. Not even a much-needed TD from DeSean Jackson could help our case any. It was pitiful, and I'm sad I even wasted time believing they could actually do anything. 

Next week, we decide not only the NFC East champion, but the owner of that all-too-important AFC Wild Card spot. It'll be interesting to see who comes out on top. 

Eliminated Football Roundup: Week 15

This is a new series on the blog, and a way of displaying football customs on the blog again. We're in the part of the season where the playoff divisions are sort of set in stone, and the remaining teams are just sort of running out the clock until they get to go home and sit on their piles of money for a few months. So I figured I'd check in with the teams that have been eliminated from playoff contention, and see how they're doing amidst the circumstances.

Obviously the Patriots are a good place to start, because for the first time since the Matt Cassel era in Foxboro, the Pats won't be making a playoff appearance this year. To me, it's about time. I know it's ironic for a Yankee fan to hate an all-knowing evil monolith of a team that wins every year no matter what, but Belichick makes Brian Cashman look wholesome.

Today, against the surprisingly-fit Miami Dolphins, Cam Newton and the Patriots felt listless. The absence of decent receivers was definitely felt, and Newton's passing game felt very off today, more than usual. Alternatively, Tua Tagovailoa was running rings around Newton, putting his team up by 10, and coming back from a slow first half. 

The Pats are officially out of the picture, and the great Patriots dynasty may be dimming even further. 

Meanwhile, the Houston Texans continued their sharp slide that this season has inevitably become, with no fault towards stars like J.J. Watt and Deshaun Watson. The odd thing is, this team was pretty even with Indianapolis for most of the game, only losing by a botched reception by Kekee Coutee in the endzone in the final minutes by Houston. David Johnson had a pretty nice game, with 100 receiving yards. Watson himself was also pretty sharp today. But it came down to which team had the better all-around effort, and it was ultimately the Colts, who are likely playoff-bound. 

Elsewhere in that division, James Robinson had another fantastic day to cement his status as one of the premier rookie performers of 2020, and one of the best young running backs in the league. Unfortunately for him, he happens to be playing for the Jacksonville Jaguars, a team that would best be described as 'befuddled'. Gardner Minshew looked absolutely confused out there today. There was one specific play where the Ravens completely guessed his play-call, and he looked positively startled by it. Unsurprisingly, Lamar Jackson and the Ravens put on a show against the Jags, with 40 points against Minshew and co's measly 14. 

The Detroit Lions actually held their own for the most part during an all-too-certain loss against the Tennessee Titans. It does help that Matthew Stafford is one of the best QBs in the league this year, and had 252 passing yards today, plus two TDs to his main man DeAndre Swift. So even if the Lions are still ailing after firing Matt Patricia, they still have enough going on to be a mild spoiler going into the final weeks of the season. 

I will hand it to Matt Ryan and the Falcons- for the umpteenth week, they did have the opposing team on the ropes for the majority of the game, and greatly limited the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the first half of the game. Ryan still had 356 passing yards today. Calvin Ridley still had 163 receiving yards. However, as is prone to happen with Matt Ryan against Tom Brady, there was an epic comeback, and Brady spent the entire second half getting comfortable and turning the game upside down, culminating in the latest and greatest blown Falcons lead of 2020. It's far from Matt Ryan's fault, but the fact that Brady and the Bucs can still do epic comebacks despite still feeling like an underdog is a dangerous aspect of that team. 

And then, most surprisingly, you have the New York Jets. Who, despite going up against the formidable, 1st place Rams, still defied all odds and got their first win of the season, on the backs of Sam Darnold's non-haunted precision and Frank Gore's non-elderly touchdown. Nobody expected a Jets win here, especially not Jets fans, and despite the fact that they probably just lost the ability to draft Trevor Lawrence in April, they also blocked any chance of finishing the 2020 season without a win. Which is a bit more of a dignified way of going out, I suppose. 

Tune in next week to see which other non-competitive teams pull some odd luck in similar situations. 

Why I Started Following Football Again

 

I don't think I need to clarify when I say that 2020 has been a soul-crushingly awful year. 

It's been a year of many adjustments. A lot of dormancy. A lot of things being changed around and altered and made frustratingly off. Sports has mostly remained intact, but the way we as a public absorb sports, especially now, has changed. No more bar gatherings, no more friends huddled around a couch, just...sitting at home, watching solo. 

And once the MLB season ended, and NFL was the only sport around...with not much else to exert time and attention to, I started watching football again.

I'll make it clear that I was always a passing Eagles and Packers fan, even when I wasn't absolutely watching games, but in college, and in the last few years, I would just walk into a room, see a score, and walk out. I didn't follow games, I didn't keep track of who was good for whom, and most of all I stopped collecting football cards because I barely knew anybody in them. Obviously I was excited when my hometown Eagles won a Super Bowl in 2018, but that was the extent of it. Patriots-Falcons in 2017 was odd because I couldn't name most of the highlights on Atlanta that weren't named Ryan or Jones. 

The one key variable this year on Sundays was that my dad was home for them. With his NFL-related job, he's usually traveling Sundays, on location Mondays, home Tuesdays. So it'd be a rarity if I ever got to truly watch NFL games with him. But, this year he obviously wasn't doing much flying, and he got to be home with the remote usually tuned to RedZone on Sundays, and so I was there with him. Even if my teams weren't on til 4, I'd take it in, and I'd see who was surging, who was relevant, and how the game was looking.

This not only restored the usually-active pastime of watching football between a father and son to my household, but it got me back into football. Yes, the Packers were winning and the Eagles had to start Jalen Hurts in order to win themselves, but the Steelers were cruising on an easy schedule, the Pats were on the cusp of a losing season, the Cardinals, Seahawks and Rams were wrestling for dominance and the Cleveland Browns were better than they'd been since 1994. A lot to keep track of, but a lot to enjoy.

With this in mind, I got to making some of my first football customs since 2014. I made 32 to start, one for each team, starting with Pittsburgh's rookie standout Chase Claypool, and will attempt to pepper them throughout the next two months, despite finishing up Year by Year for the rest of this one. My goal is to not have many leftovers by the time the football season ends, and get all of these, plus subsequent playoff ones, out of my system. 

I dunno if this is gonna eventually lead to me collecting football cards, cause I already have enough to collect already, but this is a nice distraction in a year where I've needed several.