Jim Vallet and Robert Perea, The Fernley Reporter
But I do believe that the term upside down frequently describes much of what goes on in the NFL. Coaches get fired because their players aren’t as good as other teams’ players, while the front office people responsible for bringing these bad players to their teams keep their jobs. Coaches having little effect on their players actions but still having to answer for them. Players just are not showing up for practice because they are upset about their roles. (Here’s a clue to all players about their roles…your role is to help your team win!) Teams committing years of draft picks for a QB who appears washed up, and, although it hasn’t happened yet, that team will probably end up firing their coach. The NFL says that they are concerned and actively working to mitigate concussion damage to players letting a quarterback return to a game one play after seeming to suffer a head injury. And on and on…
Last year, the Jets signed quarterback Aaron Rodgers to fill the gaping black hole the Jets had at that position, but Rodgers got hurt 4 plays into the 2023 season and has not appeared near as mobile this year as he has in the past. In large part because of Rodgers’ poor play, the Jets’ offense has struggled for much of this year. After a touchdown in the one game he played well, Saleh attempted to hug Rodgers but was for some reason pushed away by the Jets’ enigmatic star to be. The push was followed by a look that would have dropped Saleh on the spot if looks could kill. The whole exchange was captured by sideline cameras, and only fueled speculation that Saleh and Rodgers did not get along. (duh!)
The Jets hired Saleh as a defensive coach, and the defense has delivered. It is the offense that let Saleh down, but the guy the Jets hired to improve the offense (and “get along” with Rodgers), Nathaniel Hackett, still is employed by the Jets…wait, what? Yes, the man who was hired to bring defense to New York and delivered gets fired, but the guy who was supposed to help with the offense and has not delivered keeps his job. And, the QB who was supposed to be the savior of the franchise is still out there trying to mess up his own linemen with his cadence. Are we blaming the right people, or is this upside down?
When I was a teacher, I tried to tell my principal that I saw my role as teaching only advanced, well adjusted, and well behaved students. My daughter told Renown that she saw herself as nursing only cooperative patients. My brother, who is a mechanic, told his employer that he only saw himself working only on cars that were well maintained. You know what all the employers said to all of us? What the Packers should have told Doubs.
It hasn’t worked out that way. In fact, the Browns have played the best during Watson’s tenure in Cleveland when Joe Flacco, not Deshaun Watson, was playing quarterback. The Browns have lost more games due to the play of Deshaun Watson than they have won due to Watson’s play. Not only that, but Deshaun Watson has been sued by no less than 27 different women for unwanted sexual advances. Not only did the Browns suffer a huge public relations disaster with the incredibly one sided Watson trade, but they have been worse when Watson plays than when he doesn’t. And who is going to take the fall for this fiasco, the coach or the front office? My money is not on the front office. So the one responsible for this mess keeps his job, the one who got stuck loses his. Upside down?
Buffalo Bills’ quarterback Josh Allen was thrown violently to the ground, and it appeared that his head bounced off the turf, hard. Allen appeared to go limp, suggesting to me that he might have lost consciousness, and he lay on the turf for a few minutes before being able to walk into the blue medical tent.
A BIG WAIT, WHAT?! If you are really concerned about concussions shouldn’t you do what Dr. Julian Bailes suggested and do a complete concussion evaluation in the quiet and calm of the locker room?
The NFL itself says that is upside down.
Maybe I should try sitting upside down while making my picks. But, no matter what position I made my picks in, they have been bad. Hopefully this week will be better. Lines are from espn.com on Wednesday, Oct. 9.
Washington Commanders
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+2 ½) at New Orleans Saints: Do they know Derek Carr isn’t playing and that the Saints best backup QB, Taysom Hill, also might not play?
Los Angeles Chargers
Pittsburgh Steelers (-2 ½) at Las Vegas Raiders: The Raiders don’t have much offense, but neither do the Steelers. But I know the Steelers play good defense.
Season 10-22-1
Robert’s picks
Vanderbilt (+13 ½) at Kentucky: It’s true, Vanderbilt is in the most obvious letdown spot a team could be in after their epic upset of Alabama last week. For that reason this is a bet that could easily blow up in my face. But, fundamentally, Vanderbilt’s style matches up very well here. Their strengths are running the ball and defending the run, and if you can do that, you are prime to be in the game the whole way, especially against a pedestrian offense like Kentucky that averages just 24.3 points per game overall, and less than 13 per game in their three conference games.
UTSA (-5) at Rice: This one is short and sweet. UTSA has better players, and comes off a bye following a loss in their first conference game. That means it’s a reset on their season, as a team that was one of the favorites to make it to the AAC championship game. That goal is still well within reach with a win here, and I love a well-coached team with motivation against a team with lesser talent.
Rutgers (-2 ½) over Wisconsin: I got a push last week on Rutgers in a game they should have won at Nebraska. Rutgers blocked two punts, including one they recovered at the Nebraska 2-yard line, and didn’t score after either one. But that sets up a bounce-back situation here against Wisconsin team that lost its QB for the season and has several other skill position players injured.
Kansas St. (-3 ½) at Colorado: This is where we find out about Colorado. Like last year, they’ve gotten off to a pretty good start with a couple of surprise wins, but last year they couldn’t hang with the better and more physical teams on their schedule. So far, the closest thing they’ve come to facing that was Nebraska, which beat them 28-10.
Washington St. (-3 ½) at Fresno St.: Fresno’s wins have come against the two New Mexico schools and FCS Sacramento St. In their other two games, their offense got shut down by Michigan and UNLV. Washington St. defense was great against Texas Tech and Washington, but got torched by San Jose St. and Boise St. But nobody has slowed down Washington St. QB John Mateer, who was running all over people early in the season, and has gotten hot as a passer the past couple weeks.
49ers (-3 ½) at Seahawks: I normally don’t like to get involved in the Thursday night game, but in this situation, I think the quick turnaround actually benefits the 49ers. My favorite time to bet on good NFL teams is when they are down and everyone is asking what’s wrong. The 49ers players have been talking this week about how important a win and a good performance in this one is. As we saw against Detroit a couple weeks ago, this Seattle defense has been propped up with some games against feeble offenses, but a motivated Lions team shredded them, and the 49ers can do the same.
Colts (+2 ½) at Titans: What does it say about Titans QB that the only game his team has won was the one where he got hurt and missed most of it? Actually, it doesn’t tell me anything I didn’t already know. He may well develop into a good QB in time, but he isn’t one now. The Colts have the explosiveness the titans lack and should find a way to pull this one out.
Last week
College 2-1
NFL 0-2-1
Season
College 13-10
NFL 9-5-1
Temperature: 44°F Town: Fernley
Pressure: 1020 hPa
Wind: 1 mph
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