Jim Vallet and Robert Perea, The Fernley Reporter
Haha. They weren’t all bad…
The Good (insert creepy music here)
I have been critical of the way Sanders treated many of the leftover players he inherited when he took over as Colorado coach two years ago, but his stance on bowl games is long overdue. I know that colleges take advantage of their football players, and I also know that there are big names that have lost millions due to injuries suffered in “meaningless” bowl games. While both the above are true, college players gladly took the D1 scholarship, and that means playing in all games that you are able. Anything else is quitting, and isn’t that one of the worst things you can say to an athlete?
It wasn’t pretty, but the win saved my old Barry Sanders Lions’ jersey from a one-way trip to the fireplace.
The Bad
Watching the Jets lose again. I don’t know what it is, but something’s wrong with that team.
I know I predicted that Kirk Cousins would not last the season as Atlanta’s starting QB, but I still feel bad watching Cousins do a poor imitation of his former self playing for the Atlanta Falcons. Compounding Cousins’ poor play in my football-watching eyes is the equally poor play of an even greater quarterback in his day-Aaron Rodgers. While there may be a good game or two left in the Cousins tank, it’s clear to me that the sooner the Falcons put Cousins on the bench, the better off they’ll be and the better I’ll feel.
The Ugly
Penn State threw a TD pass to turn a 37-7 win into a 44-7 win on the final play of the game.
What is going on with visiting winning teams attempting to plant their flags on the logo of the home teams?
These games are just that – games. They ARE NOT wars. The players are not warriors, the fans are not armies and the coaches are not generals. This “war” metaphor has completely run its course and I would ask all losing teams that choose to fight after the game where all that fight was during the game. The penalties are not near severe enough to get this to stop.
The vicious late hit on Trevor Lawrence by Houston Texans’ linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair was ugly enough. The brawl that followed made it worse, but maybe the ugliest part of the whole thing was that Al-Shaair’s coach and general manager both tried to defend their player’s actions. Texans’ coach DeMeco Ryans actually tried to blame the victim (Lawrence) for the cheap shot and General Manager Nick Caserio blasted the NFL for the three-game suspension Al-Shaair received. According to USA Today, Caserio called the suspension, “...bull****..”, and said people were getting the wrong impression of Al-Shaair. He also claimed that Al-Shaair had done nothing like this in the past, totally ignoring the 2 fines Al-Shaair the NFL has given to him this year alone for dirty hits.
I eagerly await the day when I can watch a rivalry game and not worry about what might happen afterwards.
Pittsburgh Steelers (-5 ½) vs Cleveland Browns: Jameis Winston has an absolutely tremendous arm that he has way too much faith in.
Miami Dolphins
Los Angeles Rams (+3 ½) vs Buffalo Bills: The Rams are desperate, the Bills may well have a letdown.
Chicago Bears
Los Angeles Chargers (+3 ½) at Kansas City Chiefs: The Chargers are beat up, but I think it’ll be a close one against a KC team that lets all games be close.
Season 37-42-2
Robert’s picks
Jacksonville St. /Western Kentucky over 57 1/2: These teams played last week, with Western Kentucky needing a win to force a rematch in the Conference USA Championship Game, and Jacksonville St. already having clinched a berth. Western Kentucky won 19-17 at home with everything to play for against a team with nothing to gain. But this time Jacksonville St. is at home, and both teams have everything to play for. I think both teams will open things up offensively, and the total for this game is 5 points lower than it was last week.
Iowa St./Arizona St. over 49 ½: The Big 12 has been an offensive-centric league for the past few years, and since they started playing the conference championship game in AT&T Stadium in Dallas in 2017, the games have averaged 55.9 points per game. Arizona St. has only played three games all season that finished with less than this total. Iowa St. has played five games lower-scoring than this total, but only one of their last six. I’m expecting a shootout.
UL-Lafayette (-5 ½) over Marshall: If the playoff seedings were decided by pointspread records instead of whatever metric the College Football Playoff Committee is using, Marshall would be the No. 1 seed. (In fact, I propose we do that. Who’s with me?) The Thundering Herd are 10-1-1 against the spread. But media reports all week have said coach Charles Huff has accepted the job at Southern Mississippi. We have seen time and again in the past that teams losing their coaches in these situations don’t perform well.
SMU (-1 ½) over Clemson: Clemson backed in to this spot when Miami blew a 21-0 lead and lost to Syracuse. SMU has a top 10 rush defense, and I’m not a believer in Clemson QB Cade Klubnick. If the Mustangs stop the Tigers from running, then I don’t believe Klubnick can win this.
Oregon (-3 ½) over Penn St,: Until we see Penn St. and James Franklin win one of these big games against top-ranked teams, I’ll keep betting against them.
Vikings (-5 ½) over Falcons: The Falcons came just 24 yards short of doubling up the Chargers in total yardage last week, ran 35 more offensive plays than LA and didn’t allow an offensive touchdown, and still managed to lose. If they couldn’t win with all of those things in their favor and a huge scheduling advantage, how are they going to go on the road and snap a 3-game losing streak?
Bills/Rams over 49 ½: This might be a flat spot for the Bills, after winning the AFC East with last Sunday’s rout over the 49ers. But they go from playing in the snow and wind to perfect conditions in a dome in LA, and even in a flat spot I’d expect them to put some points on the board, especially against a Rams defense that can’t stop the run. Two weeks ago at home, the Rams lost 37-20 to the Eagles, I think this game will look something like that.
49ers (-4) over Bears: Maybe the 49ers season ended last week when Christian McCaffrey, Jordan Mason and Kevin Givens joined the half of the team that’s injured. Or, maybe that game was rock bottom and now they’re laying 4 in a game that would have been 10 just a few weeks ago. If you’re not Catholic, you may not know that St. Jude is the Patron Saint of Lost Causes. Back in the days when I used to work in a sports book, I used to keep track of the one team that everyone was betting against every Sunday and call that my St. Jude Play of the Day. This might be the St. Jude Play of the Year.
Last week
College 3-2
NFL 3-0
Season
College 29-27
NFL 24-13-1
Temperature: 44°F Town: Fernley
Pressure: 1020 hPa
Wind: 1 mph
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