NFL Week 7 Hot Takes
Not just hot takes, the hottest of the hot takes this week! That’s it, that’s all I got for an opening because I wrote this backwards and I have to be up at 5 so I’m going to bed, but you will read this and you will damn well enjoy it! Got it?!
Let’s start by going back to Thursday night and an Aaron Rodgers update. He’s still not right, it got beat to death on sports radio on Friday, but the Packers won. They’re 4-2, they’re only a game back of the Vikings, and they still play the Vikings at home. Some people want to look at that as troubling, but I say that’s pretty intriguing. I just don’t buy that there is much more wrong with Rodgers than he’s playing poor. Although I did hear an interesting theory on the Bill Simmons podcast and I can’t recall if it was Mike Lombardi or Simmons himself who had it, but that there are so many young players surrounding Rodgers that Mike McCarthy has to keep the playbook simple to help acclimate them. In doing that, it makes the Packers very predictable. Makes a lot of sense to me.
When I was doing my season preview, I looked hard at two teams to be “out of nowhere” type teams. I went with the Bears and obviously that was a humiliating pick. But the other team I looked at, though didn’t take, were the Lions. They were great last season once Jim Bob Cooter (wonder how many left wing media types can say his name without assuming he’s voting for Trump) took over as the offensive co-ordinator. I also think the retirement of Calvin Johnson has actually helped Matthew Stafford. I believe Stafford was looking to Johnson far too often which was forcing a ton of mistakes. Now he’s spreading the ball around nicely and looking like the franchise QB I personally always knew he was. And I don’t say that as “told ya so”, but I just never bought that he wasn’t a franchise QB.
I said in passing last week that the Jags might be the worst coached team in the league, and yesterday may have cemented that. I’ve been sky high on the Raiders all season, so it’s not as though the Jags were playing a pushover. But the Raiders are going cross country to play a 10 AM PST game, and the game was never close. The Jags are just sloppy on both sides of the ball. I believe this team has all the talent needed, they just simply need to get the right coaching staff in there. The AFC South is begging for a decent team, and if they bring in the right staff they easily can be that team.
Have I mentioned that it might be time for a coaching change in Baltimore? Pretty sure I have not once ever brought that up.
“The Ravens aren’t the worst 3-0 team of all time, but don’t let that record fool you. Buffalo, Cleveland, and Jacksonville, and not one of them in impressive fashion. I’m starting to wonder if after this season it won’t be time for a coaching change there. John Harbaugh is real good, but this is his 9th season with the team, might just simply be time for a change.”
I’ll just leave it there.
Another one I had right was that the Pats are the best team in the league. Heard a lot this week where people were claiming they weren’t. Minnesota was. Ok, so Sam Bradford (who wasn’t the problem in this game), coming back to play his former team, off a bye week, and THAT’S how you play?! You can’t play hard and help your QB win THAT game?! And don’t give me “injuries on their offensive line” because the Eagles also have injuries/suspensions on their O-line. The Vikings weren’t close in that game. I had turned the page early on this team and jumped on their bandwagon, so they better not make me regret that, or else…you know what’ll happen?…..THEY’LL BE ON THE LIST!!!
I told you Buffalo wasn’t as good as their record. I told you the Dolphins were better than their record. I told you the Chargers might pull the upset (I’m doing a lot of “I told you so” this week, and I hate that guy, so I really hate myself right now). And if the Broncos blowout the Texans tonight I’ll have told you some pretty good picks for the second straight week. 2-2-1 if it’s close, 3-1-1 if the Broncos cover. I don’t know what’ll happen, but I do know I’m “feeling it” so to speak a lot more this season than I had been. In 2012 I picked 60% in the regular season ATS, and I have that same feeling picking games this season.
That Sunday nighter was just a total dog. Man, what an awful game. As I said on Twitter, there is not a luckier franchise in sports right now than the Seattle Seahawks. They didn’t deserve a tie in that game and were insanely fortunate to get one. As for the Cards, they still don’t look right, but they did look better than they have. I’d be a bit surprised if they don’t cut kicker Chandler Catanzaro.
Brock Osweiler makes his return to Denver tonight. It’ll likely be a warm homecoming for Brock as Denver fans will be elated that he left them for Houston. Broncos at last look were favoured by 8, which I’m taking. I think the Broncos blowout the Texans who really just aren’t a good football team.
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