By Shaun Morash
Cold Open Broncos fans have every right to be angry with the NFL’s lack of transparency. Fans of any of the other 31 teams do not. The NFL season has been anything but perfect. In fact, the only thing that had been perfect to this point were the Pittsburgh Steelers. The year itself has been a disaster on so many levels. Every week – heck, every day – is more uncertain than the next. The only thing that has been certain is the NFL getting their games in every week without pushing the season back. That is exactly the case again, as the NFL has managed to take a game previously scheduled for Thanksgiving and push it back six days while still counting to the Week 12 schedule. The reasons the Ravens got this treatment and a team like the Broncos did not are obvious: a national television game NBC paid a lot of money for had to be played with two competitive rosters, and frankly, the game means something to both teams involved, unlike it did for the Broncos. It may not be fair to Denver, but it is being honest. For anyone not invested in the Broncos to have a gripe with the NFL is lacking focus on where we were and where we are in the sports world. We went four months with watching classic games and Tiger King. Four long months. I will never forget it, and nor should you. The baseball season was quick, but I am grateful we saw it. The NBA and NHL thankfully crowned champions and now both are struggling to get off the ground running for a 2021 season. The NFL's ability to give us the closest thing to a normal season of any of the major sports is something I am thankful for, even if it isn't fair and isn't consistent in terms of how they are treating teams that matter and teams that don't.
Ten Yard Gain
1- New week, same Mike McCarthy. Perhaps he had angst coaching at a time when he would usually be eating a meal every fat guy waits all year for. Or perhaps he still has in his head that he has to be overly aggressive because Jason Garrett never was as a head coach. Whatever it was, faking a punt so deep in your own territory when you are playing Alex Smith in Washington is as low a moment as a Cowboys coach has had in a long time.
2-Speaking of bad coaching, what exactly are we doing here with Anthony Lynn? Justin Herbert looked to be in danger running QB draws while the offensive line pass blocked. Lynn had no answer for his not understanding the game clock down two scores. Really, anything fundamental that a head coach needs to know late, Lynn had zero clue about. They have a dynamic quarterback whose career could be derailed before it gets off the ground if Lynn stays in a position he is not fit to have.
3-Doug Pederson really fooled the Seahawks by floating that “Jalen Hurts took a bunch of first-team reps in practice last week” line. That has to be the reason he did that, right? Because nobody was fooled and Carson Wentz looked worse than ever at times Monday Night with no real sign or threat of a benching. How long will the Eagles cling to their legendary Super Bowl run while letting this franchise fade quickly at quarterback and head coach?
4-If anyone can figure out the Rams, please let us know. They fit right in with the NFC's elite. Look like world-beaters one week, lose to the injury-depleted 49ers the next. Sean McVay scoffed at the idea of benching Jared Goff, but at this rate he looks like Trent Dilfer in 2000, and that isn't good enough for a first overall pick playing for a young offensive wizard.
5-If Daniel Jones did not get hurt on Sunday against the Bengals, the NFC East would frankly no longer be a conversation in terms of which team is winning this ugly division. The Washington Football Team has done a nice job steadying the ship, but the Giants are clearly the only team of the four trending upward. Their defense has risen up, and their quarterback stopped turning the ball over. They have been in every game against good teams on the schedule. Now, with Colt McCoy seemingly playing until further notice, all bets are off.
6- Tony Romo has publicly kissed Tom Brady more than Tom Brady's son has after Sunday's broadcast. My goodness, Tony, we get it; you respect Brady. I hate to get on an analyst, and a good one, but Brady again was the reason the Bucs lost on Sunday, and Romo's constant excuse-making is a common theme in NFL media. Brady looks 43 years old, and that should be expected, not hidden. The Bucs in the Super Bowl? Tony Romo left us with that nugget to end the broadcast and we all needed that laugh.
7-Bud Dupree missing the rest of the season with a torn ACL is a killer for the Steelers. He had finally truly burst through as the pass rusher they expected when they drafted him. The pass rush will be critical in a big game in January against the Chiefs. This is now another reason to doubt the unbeaten Steelers.
8-The Titans defense is worse than it was a year ago, and that is the primary reason they have looked off in the last six weeks. They reemerged with a bang against the Colts, in particular because they allowed Derrick Henry to be the game-controlling monster that he is. Tennessee now has five weeks to continue to reenforce that identity.
9-2007 was the last time the Cleveland Browns had a record of 8-8 or better. They have ensured that long tortured losing year streak is over by now, moving to 8-3. They are a year late on the hype train that was built for them and that is okay. Baker Mayfield isn't perfect, but getting the Browns to the playoffs in Year 3 of his career as a first overall pick is actually right on the traditional schedule.
10-No team in the NFL has had a more disappointing loss than the Raiders did in Week 12, when they were bullied by the Falcons. Atlanta did not have Julio Jones or Todd Gurley, and yet the Raiders had no chance from the second quarter on. The Raiders’ December swoon they had a year ago appears very much back on track.
Five Games to Chew On
5 Saints @ Falcons: The Saints are 2-0 with Taysom Hill under center, one with a Bronco asterisk. The Falcons have been humming since firing Dan Quinn. The Falcons have life, at least in a spoiler role, and trying to prevent their biggest rival from being the 1-seed is plenty reason to think they rise up in this game early.
4 Washington @ Steelers: The Steelers were not pleased with the schedule shuffling that they have had to deal with due to the Ravens’ COVID-19 outbreak. Now they have lost Bud Dupree and will have to deal with a ground game led by Antonio Gibson that is really cooking in Washington. The Steelers’ chase for perfection is officially on. Can Washington of all teams derail them?
3 Giants @ Seahawks: Daniel Jones getting injured definitely hurt some of the luster of this game. Nonetheless, the first-place NY Giants travel to Seattle to play a Seahawks team off a short week in Philadelphia. All the Seahawks do is play close games, and that is also all the Giants seem to do. This would be such a bad home loss for Seattle, but as the Eagles showed Monday Night, there is a blueprint.
2 Rams @ Cardinals: Two teams that had no issue having bouquets getting thrown at their feet throughout the season now each enter this game coming off enormous puzzling losses. The Cardinals went from one of the most exciting teams in football to a boring offense that could not move it in New England. The Rams are a defense-first, Jared-Goff-not-making-a-mistake type of team for a win. The NFC West remains very much up for grabs.
1 Browns @ Titans: Two playoff hopefuls that love to run the ball battle in this game that could potentially end up being a Wild Card round matchup. If you love a running clock and physical ground attacks, this game will put you right back in the 80s. This is a big-boy test for the Browns who have failed in their previous big tests this season.
My Picks
Another 1-2 week has plummeted my record to 18-18. For this week:
Colts -3.5 @ Texans: Indy comes in off a huge divisional loss, and the Texans offense has to feel hot off their Thanksgiving explosion. However, Will Fuller is now suspended, which only helps the Colts’ choice on which weapons to take away. On the defensive side of the ball, Bradley Roby has also been suspended, meaning Vernon Hargreaves is now their top corner. Philip Rivers should have a chance to have a big day and get the Colts offense feeling right again.
Jaguars +9.5 @ Vikings: The Jaguars continue to be big underdogs and continue to cover. They have covered three of their last four games, mainly because of the ball control they are able to feature with James Robinson as their lead back. The Vikings are so up and down and frankly have had no business proving they should be nearly a double-digit favorite against any team.
Giants +10 @ Seahawks: People will jump on the Seahawks here because Colt McCoy will start at quarterback for the Giants. Make no mistake: the Seahawks should and will win this game. However, both of these teams have done nothing but play close games all season. The Giants defense ranks as the ninth-best scoring defense in the league, bottling up opponents. The Seahawks defense remains suspect enough that they should bend but not break a whole bunch, allowing plenty of Giants field goals. This game will be low scoring and too close for comfort to ever lay double digits.
Football Food of the Week
Grilled Chicken, Red Pepper, Mozzarella on Garlic Bread: Get the Italian flavors dancing the day away on Sunday. Season some chicken breast in Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and oregano. Grill until juicy and done. Take a fresh large loaf of Italian bread, coat in butter on both sides of the open break, and use both some minced garlic and garlic powder, baking in an oven for five minutes until toasted at 350 degrees. Take the chicken breast and line it easily along the bread. Top with delicious red juicy peppers (easily bought in a jar), and topped with fresh mozzarella found in your local grocer.
These are so bursting with taste you don't even need a dressing, but a balsamic glaze can't go wrong either. Slice this masterpiece up into finger sandwich sizes and serve. Mama Mia what a Sunday you will have.
Thanks for reading. You can follow me on Twitter and Instagram @MrazCBS.
