There have been a lot of overhyped moments in the NFL in recent years. The presence of ESPN and the generally shouty nature of NFL commentary these days assures that there will always be the next “best in the history of” moment coming down the road soon.
But I’m not sure I’ve ever seen the propaganda machine as at work as it has been the last week or so for Tom Brady’s return to Foxborough, MS as Tampa Bay prepares to take on New England and his former coach, Bill Belichick.
I’ve read that Belichick’s legacy is at stake – if Brady not only wins last year’s Super Bowl but also beats his former coach in his former home stadium that it tarnishes what the coach accomplished over the last two decades.
I’ve read, in the Athletic – which I think does pretty good sports journalism, for the most part – that this is “one of the biggest regular season games in NFL history.” Or the biggest.
The brothers dueled to a draw in week two, allowing Tony to keep a solid four-game lead.
Week Two
8-8
Season
Tony 18-14
Here are week three picks:
1 Andy: Ravens over Lions – Lamar Jackson will never be a classic passer, but he seems to have figured out how to throw well enough to complement his outstanding run game. The Ravens are a contender. Detroit … is on the latest round of trying to figure out what has periled them for the last three-quarters of a century.
2 Tony: Broncos over Jets – So maybe it wasn’t all Adam Gase’s fault… (more…)
As expected, QB Peyton Manning and DB Charles Woodson were selected for induction in the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s 2021 class. Perhaps a bit more surprisingly, WR Calvin Johnson joined them, giving the class a trio of first-ballot inductees.
Joining the three first-timers are G Alan Faneca and S John Lynch from the modern era; Tom Flores from the coach category, scout Bill Nunn from the contributor category and WR Drew Pearson from the senior category.
The group was selected by the Hall’s 48-person selection committee during a virtual meeting Jan. 19.
Tony and Andy tied across the board last week. How about that. Tony scored a solid hit picking the Browns, while Andy pegged the Rams upset over Seattle – and both actually got half their bets correct.
Go figure.
Straight-up
Spread
Andy
5-1
3-3
Tony
5-1
3-3
Quite possibly the best weekend of football games in any given year is the divisional round of the playoffs. Here are our picks:
For Saturday, oddly enough I might be most looking forward to the Bucs vs Football Team game, although more because the other two bore me, and I’d like to see more of Antonio Gibson, and whether or not Tom Brady is enough to overcome the seemingly perpetual playoff choking of Bruce Arians. Plus, if we play the “Every time they mention Alex Smith’s gruesome injury” drinking game, I can be passed out by the early second quarter.
On Sunday, the Ravens/Titans game should be a solid matchup to watch, with Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson—and surprisingly, the Steelers/Browns game offers some intrigue, with the Covid Coaching situation for the Browns, and the questions about just how overrated the Steelers really are.
As for the Bears/Saints…well, apparently that game will be featured on Nickelodeon, which sounds about right for where it should be.
Andy
As much as I rail against playoff expansion – blatant money grab – there are several interesting games this weekend. I won’t have the opportunity to sit down and watch straight through – the perils of having young kids – but I’ll monitor all of them.
The ones that interest me the most, I think, are Colts/Bills, as it seems to me with the defense they have, the multitude of weapons on offense and the mobility of Josh Allen, they may have the best chance of dethroning Kansas City in the AFC. But are they ready? Pittsburgh and Cleveland will also be interesting, as the Browns get back into the playoffs for the first time in ages. But I don’t think Cleveland is ready to stick in that game yet.
The NFL lot kind of bores me a bit. The Bears, Washington Football Team and, with its defensive deficiencies, the Seahawks are, I think, pretenders this year. Rams/Seahawks will be the most competitive game this weekend, but honestly, it feels to me like whoever ultimately emerges from this slate of teams is nothing more than prey for an AFC Super Bowl win.
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