NFL Snapshots: Week 12 (2022)

There is no time to waste, let’s get right to my NFL snapshots for Week 12.

Arizona Cardinals (4-8)
The Cardinals are 1-6 at home this season.

Atlanta Falcons (5-7)
The NFC South this year is akin to when you’d line up after recess to go inside and the first person in each line was responsible for holding the door, but that person would always do a U-turn to the back of the line to avoid the responsibility. In other words, no team wants to run away with this division yet.

Buffalo Bills (8-3)
Von Miller has been placed on Injured Reserve with a knee injury.

Baltimore Ravens (7-4)
The Ravens let one get away against the Jaguars, at the last second.

Carolina Panthers (4-8)
See: Falcons. A Sam Darnold-lead playoff push would be fun.

Chicago Bears (3-9)
The Bears are at the forefront of the, “Wait until you see what we can do next year” movement.

Cincinatti Bengals (7-4)
The Bengals get the Chiefs this week, who they beat twice last year, including in the AFC Championship game. Bad blood is brewing.

Cleveland Browns (4-7)
Deshaun Watson makes his season debut this week against his former team, the Houston Texans.

Dallas Cowboys (8-3)
My gut tells me that Odell Beckham Jr. ends up with the Cowboys.

Detroit Lions (4-7)
Did you know the Lions have scored 13 more points than the Vikings this year?

Denver Broncos (3-8)
The biggest stories surrounding this team this week were about a defensive player yelling at the starting quarterback, and how only half the team showed up to the starting quarterback’s birthday party.

Green Bay Packers (4-8)
We’re probably one more Packers loss away from Jordan Love playing out the rest of the season at quarterback.

Houston Texans (1-9-1)
The Texans are averaging 68,329 fans per home game, according to ESPN.

Indianapolis Colts (4-7-1)
I say it every year. NFL coaches need to play more Madden video games to learn when to call timeout during a two-minute drill. The Colts offence right now reminds of the Saints’ offence in Drew Brees final season. Throws barely go over 15 yards down field and there is a sense of struggle around the whole thing.

Jacksonville Jaguars (4-7)
I told you the Jaguars would play spoiler down the stretch! They went for a two-point conversion at the end of the 4th quarter, to win, instead of kicking the extra point to force overtime.

Kansas City Chiefs (9-2)
It feels like the Chiefs are on a revenge tour this season and the Bengals are the main reason why. They face them this week, so get your popcorn ready.

Las Vegas Raiders (4-7)
Josh Jacobs had 303 yards from scrimmage against the Seahawks.

Los Angeles Chargers (6-5)
Like the Jaguars, the Chargers also went for the two-point conversion to win the game, rather than force overtime. One of these days, we’re going to see a team go for two points after every touchdown.

Los Angeles Rams (3-8)
Look away, kids, look away.

Miami Dolphins (8-3)
The Dolphins face the 49ers this week, which will be the first time since October 16 (Vikings) that they’ll face a good team.

Minnesota Vikings (9-2)
The Vikings bullied the Patriots on Thanksgiving.

New England Patriots (6-5)
The Patriots had no answer for Josh Allen in the playoffs last year. A lot of defensive personnel has changed for the Patriots since then, so we’ll see if it makes a difference this week.

New Orleans Saints (4-8)
See: Falcons. I don’t think the Saints will win the division, but a win against the Buccaneers on Monday will add to the chaos and I am a proponent for more chaos.

New York Giants (7-4)
The Giants have a big matchup against division rival, Washington, this week. The loser falls to the bottom of the division, but likely stays in a playoff spot. Wild times in the NFC East this year.

New York Jets (7-4)
Mike White is the answer at the quarterback.

Philadelphia Eagles (10-1)
A.J. Brown faces the Titans this week and I’m anticipating him to go off against his former team.

Pittsburgh Steelers (4-7)
The Steelers have some nice weapons on offence that look like they’ll be really good for years to come.

San Francisco 49ers (7-4)
We’re going to see this week just how good the 49ers defence is, with Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle standing across from them. I can’t wait.

Seattle Seahawks (6-5)
The Seahawks still have two games to play against the Rams, the first one being in Week 13. On paper, that should be two wins, and enough to keep them afloat in the NFC playoff picture.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-6)
The Buccaneers went into their Bye week with so much momentum, and then came out of it with a loss to the Browns. Not the ideal start to the second half of the season.

Tennessee Titans (7-4)
The Titans have a chance to make a statement this week when they take on the Eagles. They are masters of the low-scoring game, but the Eagles are a high-scoring team. Something has to give.

Washington Commanders (7-5)
The Commanders face the Giants in Week 13, have a Bye in Week 14, and then get the Giants again in Week 15. In my mind, they’ve already won the Week 15 matchup just because they get a week to rest and dissect game film, while the Giants don’t. So, if the Commanders can get the win in Week 13, they could sweep the season series.

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NFL Snapshots: Week 11 (2022)

Is it just me, or has this NFL season felt like it’s gone by at an abnormally fast pace? We’re just over two months away from being bored on Sundays again. It has gone by way too fast. Can we go back to Week 6, or something? I vote yes. Who’s with me?

Once again, I am posting my Week 11 Snapshots after Week 12 has already started. Please ignore that and imagine I posted this before the Thanksgiving games. Thank you. Enjoy.

Arizona Cardinals (4-7)
Week 12 will be the first time this season (and ever) that Kyler Murray, Deandre Hopkins, and Marquise Brown will be on the field together.

Atlanta Falcons (5-6)
Kyle Pitts sustained a torn MCL that will require surgery. He finishes the season with two games in which he made more than three receptions. Not what anyone expected going into this year.

Buffalo Bills (7-3)
If Josh Allen is going to play through pain, then he has to protect himself on the field. With only three carries against the Browns, I’d say he’s protecting himself.

Baltimore Ravens (7-3)
I feel like the “no one is talking about us” moniker has landed on the Ravens. They have a good shot at ending the season with a 13-4 record, or thereabouts.

Carolina Panthers (3-8)
Baker Mayfield was the first overall pick in 2018. Doesn’t it seem like ages ago?

Chicago Bears (3-8)
Justin Fields sustained a left shoulder injury in Week 11, which he described as a “dislocated shoulder with torn ligaments”. He’s on my fantasy team and I want nothing more than for him to play every game the rest of the way but, honestly, he should probably shut it down. Even for a week. Heck, come back after the Week 14 Bye. The Bears shouldn’t throw him into the fire with an injured shoulder. For what?

Cincinatti Bengals (6-4)
The Bengals have gone 6-2 after an 0-2 start.

Cleveland Browns (3-7)
Donovan Peoples-Jones has been good for the Browns this season as a WR2. I also just realized that 1) I forgot to include the Browns in my post last week; and 2) I’ve been listing the “C” teams out of proper alphabetical order all season. Oopsy daisy.

Dallas Cowboys (7-3)
The Cowboys were beating the Vikings so badly that CBS switched over to the Bengals-Steelers game in the third quarter. About five minutes before they did, I wondered if they would be so bold.

Detroit Lions (4-6)
Three wins in a row for your favourite underdog! Jared Goff is doing a good job of taking care of the football.

Denver Broncos (3-7)
The Broncos saw Tom Brady go to the Buccaneers and win a Super Bowl. The following year, they saw Matthew Stafford go to the Rams and win a Super Bowl. They tried to continue the trend by trading for Russell Wilson and…it hasn’t worked out at all.

Green Bay Packers (4-7)
It’s just not going to happen for the Packers this year. I don’t know if they looked at their schedule and thought the first half of the season was going to be easy (I certainly did), but losses to the Giants, Jets, Commanders, and Lions are just too much. Fine, maybe one of those teams sneaks out a win against you. But all four?

Houston Texans (1-8-1)
For the last two seasons, the Texans offence has ranked last in the NFL in yards.

Indianapolis Colts (4-6-1)
The Colts were leading 13-3 heading into the 4th quarter against the Eagles. They lost 17-16, but at least they put up a fight? Sorry, I just Participation Trophied them.

Jacksonville Jaguars (3-7)
Coming off a Week 11 Bye, I am once again urging the Jaguars to embrace the role of spoiler and surprise a few teams.

Kansas City Chiefs (8-2)
Patrick Mahomes is the MVP this year, right? We looked in other directions for a little while, but it’s becoming clearer and clearer to me that the answer was right under our nose the entire time.

Las Vegas Raiders (3-7)
Remember last week when I said it would be fitting if the Raiders and Broncos ended in a tie? Well, they tried their best to make it happen! But the Broncos insisted on leaving Davante Adams wide open in overtime and allowed him to score the winning touchdown.

Los Angeles Chargers (5-5)
Seven games left, the Chargers can/should beat the Raiders, Colts, Rams, and Broncos. That gives them nine wins. Then they have the Cardinals, Titans, and Dolphins. Pull out a win in one of those games, end the season 10-7, and hope it’s enough to leap frog the Patriots for the final playoff spot.

Los Angeles Rams (3-7)
Quarterback, Bryce Perkins, will make his first career start this Sunday against the Chiefs. I always like QB debuts because – as hard as it is – there is always a chance that they can be really good and elevate themselves out of a backup role. If nothing else, it’s a great moment for the player and his family and friends.

Miami Dolphins (7-3)
Dolphin-mania is running wild…no wait, that’s just their running back duo of Jeff Wilson and Raheem Mostert rushing for 184 yards on 25 carries against the Browns.

Minnesota Vikings (8-2)
The Vikings lost to the Cowboys by a score of 40-3, at home. Excusez-moi?

New England Patriots (6-4)
The Patriots held the Jets to 2 yards of offence in the second half, but still needed a last second punt return TD to win the game.

New Orleans Saints (4-7)
Alvin Kamara only had three more carries (12) than Taysom Hill (9). What even is football anymore?

New York Giants (7-3)
No. No no no no. You cannot lose home games to the Lions if you want to make the playoffs this season. Odell Beckham Jr. is not walking through that door.

New York Jets (6-4)
To circle back on the 2 yards in the second half thing. Why not put 5 Wide Receivers on the field, have them all run verticals 20+ yards down the field, and while they’re doing that, let Zach Wilson tuck the ball and run? It works in Madden all the time. It’s the football version of an ISO play in basketball. Clear everyone out and do it yourself. You only got 2 yards doing it your way. Why not try this?

Philadelphia Eagles (9-1)
The Eagles are going to have to figure out how to fill the void that Dallas Goedert has left. He was Jalen Hurts’ safety valve. Who plays that role now? It’s a First World problem for a 9-1 team, sure, but they didn’t come all this way just to relinquish the #1 seed in the NFC to the Cowboys or Vikings.

Pittsburgh Steelers (3-7)
The Steelers secondary has not been good.

San Francisco 49ers (6-4)
Only four players caught a pass for the 49ers in Mexico City. McCaffrey, Kittle, Samuel, and Aiyuk. They won by 28. This is a message to all NFL coaches: GIVE YOUR BEST PLAYERS THE BALL AT ALL TIMES.

Seattle Seahawks (6-4)
The Seahawks entered the Bye week atop their division, with home field advantage in the playoffs. They exit the Bye week, clinging on to the 7th playoff spot, with the Commanders(!) hot on their tail.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-5)
It feels like a Revenge Tour is on the horizon. I wouldn’t want to play the Buccaneers down the stretch. No siree, Bob.

Tennessee Titans (7-3)
I just imagine defensive players having trouble sleeping at night, thinking about having to tackle Derrick Henry 30+ times on Sunday.

Washington Commanders (6-5)
The Commanders have lost one game in the last 47 days. Their confidence should be high.

How do you feel about your team at this point in this season?

NFL Snapshots: Week 10 (2022)

I don’t have anything to gripe about this week to fill this introductory section…that’s a lie. I do. It’s about punting in the NFL, but I don’t have time to get into it right now. Maybe it’ll be its own blog post, eventually.

For now, here are my Week 10 snapshots:

Arizona Cardinals (4-6)
The Cardinals defeated the Rams with Colt McCoy as their starting quarterback. Here’s a fun stat: In 2011, McCoy threw 14 touchdowns with the Browns. Since then, he has thrown 14 touchdowns.

Atlanta Falcons (4-6)
This is just my opinion, but I think the Falcons try to spread the ball around too much on offence. You aren’t the Chiefs. Funnel the ball to: Kyle Pitts, Drake London, Cordarrelle Patterson, and Tyler Allgeier.

Buffalo Bills (6-3)
Game of the millennium(?) against Minnesota; there were about five false finishes. I’m not worried about the Bills, even though they’ve lost two games in a row.

Baltimore Ravens (6-3)
The Ravens have a one game lead over the Bengals atop the AFC North, and with a relatively easy schedule the rest of the way, they should be able to hold on to it.

Carolina Panthers (3-7)
D’Onta Foreman had 31 carries against the Falcons and controlled the entire game.

Cincinatti Bengals (5-4)
Unlike the Ravens, the Bengals have a tough schedule down the stretch. The AFC playoff race is going to go down to the wire and the Bengals are going to have to win some big games – as well as get some help – in order to hang around.

Chicago Bears (3-7)
The Bears lost by one point to the Lions, but they should’ve won. Justin Fields continues to be electric.

Dallas Cowboys (6-3)
The Cowboys struggle to stop the run and face Dalvin Cook and Saquon Barkley over the next two weeks? Oh boy.

Denver Broncos (3-6)
The Broncos face the Raiders this week and I think it would be fitting if the game ends in a tie.

Detroit Lions (3-6)
Two wins in a row for the Lions! Their win in Chicago was their first road win since Week 13 of 2020.

Green Bay Packers (4-6)
I’m not ready to say, “The Packers have entered the chat”, but if they defeat the Titans on Thursday Night Football, then the hype train may give a 10 minute warning to passengers wishing to board.

Houston Texans (1-7-1)
I’d love to know what the atmosphere is like inside their locker room, at this point in the season. I know they’re professionals and someone is always watching, but you’ve won one game. Is it hard to get motivated? Is everyone still supporting one another? Are players less likely to joke around?

Indianapolis Colts (4-5-1)
Jeff Saturday went from ESPN to the sidelines and won his first game as Head Coach. Parks Frazier, the new play caller, did a good job, and may have revitalized Jonathan Taylor’s season. We’ll see how the Colts do against the Eagles, though.

Jacksonville Jaguars (3-7)
I said last week that if the Jaguars wanted to play spoiler for the rest of the year, I was all for it. Well, don’t they go out and recover an onside kick to start the game against the Chiefs! The possession ended in a punt, but I loved the decision.

Kansas City Chiefs (7-2)
Kadarius Toney was made for this offence.

Las Vegas Raiders (2-7)
Their defence has been near the bottom of the league for too many years. I suspect we’ll see them go defence heavy at the draft.

Los Angeles Chargers (5-4)
They may have five wins, but the best team they’ve beaten is the Falcons.

Los Angeles Rams (3-6)
Cooper Kupp was placed on IR with an ankle injury, which means he’s out for at least four weeks. Given where the Rams are in the standings, I think they’ll probably hold him out until next year.

Miami Dolphins (7-3)
Soooo…Tua is in the MVP conversation and the Dolphins are in first place in the AFC East. This is where everyone thought Josh Allen and the Bills would be at this point.

Minnesota Vikings (8-1)
The theme for the first half of the season (on this blog, at least) was that no one was talking about the Vikings. But now, after a big win against the Bills, everyone is talking about the Vikings! They are a real threat in the NFC. Also, Justin Jefferson is only 23-years-old, which means he’s going to probably hold a ton of records by the time he retires.

New England Patriots (5-4)
I want the Patriots to make the playoffs because their presence (and coach) can scare many teams, even if they don’t beat them.

New Orleans Saints (3-7)
The one word that comes to mind when I think of the Saints is, “stale”.

New York Giants (7-2)
Don’t fall into the trap of taking the Lions lightly this week because you’re looking ahead to the Cowboys on Thanksgiving.

New York Jets (6-3)
The Jets have lost 13 games in a row to the Patriots. They look to avoid making it 14 this week.

Philadelphia Eagles (8-1)
Well, on the bright side, they won’t have to carry the burden of a perfect record into the playoffs. Also, at least they know where they’re vulnerable now, which is why (I assume) they signed Ndamukong Suh today, to help the run defence. They’ll be fine.

Pittsburgh Steelers (3-6)
The Steelers aren’t going to make the playoffs, but I expect them to put up a fight against every team they face the rest of the way.

San Francisco 49ers (5-4)
All systems go. In my mind, they’ll end up winning their division.

Seattle Seahawks (6-4)
Out of the seven teams currently in a playoff position in the NFC, I think the Seahawks are most vulnerable.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-5)
Well, well, well, if it isn’t the Buccaneers back at .500. With a feel-good win in Munich and upcoming games against the Browns and Saints, look out for the Bucs to make a run in the second half of the season.

Tennessee Titans (6-3)
Seven of their nine games have had a point differential of seven or less. The Titans are masters of the the low-scoring, tight game.

Washington Commanders (5-5)
If they do nothing else, at least they’ll be able to brag that they ended the Eagles’ quest for an undefeated season. They controlled the ball, they controlled the clock, and took advantage of mistakes. They did exactly what they had to do to win. The Commanders are still a dark horse candidate for a playoff spot, but their confidence should be sky high right now.

NFL Snapshots: Week 9 (2022)

Allow me to share my thoughts on the Delay of Game penalty. As you know, the infraction is called when the play clock hits 00 and the offence has yet to snap the football.

However, the way it is enforced is such that if the official is looking at the play clock and sees it hit 00, we must wait for their eyes to revert back to the line of scrimmage to see if the offensive team got the snap off in time.

Now, I am led to believe that the play clock we see on the TV screen is in sync with the in-stadium play clock. To that end, there are many times when I will watch the play clock hit 00 and maybe another second, or second and a half will go by before an official blows their whistle. Or, the whistle is never blown and the offence gets away with it.

I don’t like it. I don’t like that the clock expires, but there is a small window for the play to still get off. Simply put, it’s not fair.

What’s the solution? I don’t know. A loud buzzer, like when the shot clock expires in basketball? Granted, NFL stadiums have three times as many fans as a basketball arena, so it could be hard to hear.

I don’t know. You’re the cream of the crop of football. You can figure it out.

Or maybe I’m making a big deal out of it and we just have to live with it.

Bottom line: The play clock is 40 seconds. Not 41, not 41.5, not 42. Call a penalty at the exact moment the clock hits 00, so it’s consistent for everyone.

A weird thing to be frustrated about, I know. Anyway, here are my Week 9 snapshots.

Arizona Cardinals (3-6)
The Arizona Cardinals will be featured on an in-season version of Hard Knocks, debuting tonight. To promote it, they released a video clip of Budda Baker giving a passionate speech in the locker room, in which he says he’s tired of losing.

Atlanta Falcons (4-5)
Kyle Pitts has more than three receptions in only two games this season. He should have the ball in his hands at least 6 times per game.

Buffalo Bills (6-2)
The Bills lost to the Jets and Josh Allen suffered an elbow injury. We don’t know if he’ll miss any games yet, but it was not a positive weekend for Buffalo.

Baltimore Ravens (6-3)
As long as Lamar Jackson is playing, it seems like it doesn’t matter how many of his offensive weapons are injured. That’s a scary thing.

Carolina Panthers (2-7)
The Panthers went back to Baker Mayfield at quarterback, after halftime against the Bengals, and he did well.

Cincinatti Bengals (5-4)
Joe Mixon scored five touchdowns against the Panthers.

Cleveland Browns (3-5)
The Browns face the Dolphins and Bills over the next two weeks. If they lose both games, their season is over. So, no pressure.

Chicago Bears (3-6)
Justin Fields rushed for 178 yards – the most by any quarterback in a regular season game.

Dallas Cowboys (6-2)
The Cowboys head to Green Bay to face a Packers team that has lost five in a row.

Denver Broncos (3-5)
The Broncos can’t come out of the Bye week looking like the same team they were in the first half of the season. They just can’t.

Detroit Lions (2-6)
D’Andre Swift said before the season that his goal was to accumulate 1000 rushing yards and 1000 receiving yards. He’s good enough to do it, but injuries have held him back. In the future, I hope he can make a run at those numbers.

Green Bay Packers (3-6)
The fact that we won’t get a playoff game at Lambeau Field this year is a bit disappointing to me. Mainly because there’s always a chance of it being a snow game.

Houston Texans (1-6-1)
There’s always next year.

Indianapolis Colts (3-5-1)
Jeff Saturday is the new interim head coach of the Colts. This is nothing against Saturday, or his football knowledge, but it just feels like a slap in the face to the coaches already on staff who have been there all season.

Jacksonville Jaguars (3-6)
If the Jaguars want to play spoiler to playoff-bound teams down the stretch, I will support it.

Kansas City Chiefs (6-2)
Patrick Mahomes threw the ball 68 times against the Titans. The Chiefs scored 20 points and won. On some level, that is a bit of a win for the Titans as well, right?

Las Vegas Raiders (2-6)
The Raiders have three losses this season after leading by at least 17 points.

Los Angeles Chargers (5-3)
The Chargers have back-to-back Sunday night games upcoming, with the 49ers this week and the Chiefs next week. I will never get tired of seeing Justin Herbert play in primetime games.

Los Angeles Rams (3-5)
I don’t think Odell Beckham Jr. is going to sign with the Rams. He’s going to go to a team that is more likely to be in the playoffs.

Miami Dolphins (6-3)
Jaylen Waddle’s penguin dance after he scores a touchdown will never get old. Also, Tyreek Hill is unstoppable. Tua is legit. And Jeff Wilson is a great addition.

Minnesota Vikings (7-1)
The Vikings have an opportunity to make a statement when they travel to Orchard Park to take on the Bills this weekend.

New England Patriots (5-4)
Bill Belichick and the Patriots defense made a rookie quarterback look silly. It’s what they do.

New Orleans Saints (3-6)
Is it too early to predict that the Saints will draft a quarterback in the first round of the NFL Draft? What’s that? They traded their first round pick to the Eagles? Oh boy.

New York Giants (6-2)
I’ve played out the rest of the Giants schedule in my head and have concluded that they will finish the season with an 11-6 record.

New York Jets (6-3)
The Jets have a very good defense, which is what they probably hoped for when they hired Robert Saleh as head coach in 2021.

Philadelphia Eagles (8-0)
Only four teams have scored more points than the Eagles this season, and yet I still think their offence can be even better than its been. DeVonta Smith’s potential has yet to be fully unlocked.

Pittsburgh Steelers (2-6)
With Chase Claypool now on the Bears, it’ll be interesting to see how his targets get divvied up in the Steelers offence.

San Francisco 49ers (4-4)
I look at this team and think their motto should be simple: “Now, we go.”

Seattle Seahawks (6-3)
While it might be fun to celebrate a 6-3 record and being atop the division, there is a lot of football left to play. A sports pet peeve of mine is when teams celebrate too soon, only to lose in the end. Don’t celebrate too soon, Seattle. Stay focused. Keep going.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-5)
The Buccaneers are facing the Seahawks in Munich, Germany on Sunday. I could be wrong, but I think when you combine last week’s comeback win against the Rams, with having an entire stadium in Germany cheer for Tom Brady (I’m assuming), the Buccaneers are going to ride the wave of momentum and start feeling good about themselves.

Tennessee Titans (5-3)
The Titans defence is really good, and will keep them in games, but they aren’t going anywhere this year without a healthy Ryan Tannehill at quarterback.

Washington Commanders (4-5)
“Carson Wentz revenge game against the Eagles on Monday Night Football”. That’ll be what some analysts will say.

How is your team doing halfway through the season? What are your thoughts on the Delay of Game penalty?

NFL Snapshots: Week 8 (2022)

For the first time that I can remember, the NFL Trade Deadline was actually…fun? There were 10 trades on deadline day, which is a record. How cute. I’m sure NBA, NHL, and MLB front offices got a good chuckle out of that.

It is refreshing, though, to see professional sports teams value their draft picks. I understand that NFL teams have rosters twice the size of other sports leagues, and the player turnover rate is much higher, so they need the picks to replenish their depth, et cetera. But when you see NBA teams dishing out four first round picks (and pick swaps) for players who won’t win them a championship, you almost laugh at NFL teams that cling to late round picks like they’re gold.

The disparity between the value of picks across different leagues is hilarious.

I realize I’m a few days late and Week 9 has started, but let’s act like I posted this before the Thursday Night game.

Arizona Cardinals (3-5)
It may be premature to say this, but a loss this weekend to the Seahawks means their season is over.

Atlanta Falcons (4-4)
The Falcons find themselves in first place in the NFC South, which is doing its best NFC East impersonation this year.

Buffalo Bills (6-1)
Every game from here on out is a dress rehearsal for the playoffs. That’s it.

Baltimore Ravens (5-3)
Storylines for the Ravens this season include: 1) Their defence isn’t the same as it once was; and 2) The offence can’t stay healthy. Yet here they are, atop the division.

Carolina Panthers (2-6)
I’ve never really understood why a player feels the need to take off their helmet in the end zone to celebrate a touchdown. I’ve also never really understood why it needs to be a penalty.

Cincinatti Bengals (4-4)
I wondered why the Bengals and Browns were chosen as the matchup on the Halloween edition of Monday Night Football, but then I realized their colours are black, brown, and orange. Halloween colours. Of course.

Cleveland Browns (3-5)
I still don’t think they’re better than the Bengals, but for one night they were.

Chicago Bears (3-5)
The acquisition of Chase Claypool will help out Justin Fields a lot.

Dallas Cowboys (6-2)
Tony Pollard was electric as the starting running back.

Denver Broncos (3-5)
A win in London against the Jaguars kept their season alive, but then they traded Bradley Chubb to the Dolphins, which doesn’t exactly help.

Detroit Lions (1-6)
The Lions have not turned their positive Hard Knocks appearance into success on the field.

Green Bay Packers (3-5)
The Packers have lost four games in a row. Raise your hand if you were expecting that this season.

Houston Texans (1-5-1)
No one met the Texans’ asking price for Brandin Cooks (2nd rounder, 4th rounder, and $18 million guaranteed for next season), so they did not trade him. Fine. However, this ends with the Texans releasing him, or trading him at the draft/in the offseason, doesn’t it? It just feels like they missed an opportunity to do right by a veteran player and send him somewhere he can help a team win. Not exactly a good look for the organization.

Indianapolis Colts (3-4-1)
The Colts are tanking, right?

Jacksonville Jaguars (2-6)
The Jaguars traded for Calvin Ridley at the deadline. Although he won’t play for them until next year, I think this was a very shrewd move.

Kansas City Chiefs (5-2)
You just know Andy Reid has drawn up some “wow” plays for Kadarius Toney for his Chiefs debut on Sunday Night Football.

Las Vegas Raiders (2-5)
The Raiders were shut out by the Saints last week. Going into the season, I thought the Chiefs and Chargers were the two best teams in the AFC West, but I didn’t think the Raiders would fall this far behind.

Los Angeles Chargers (4-3)
Keenan Allen returned from a hamstring injury in Week 7, after not playing since Week 1. I was shocked by the decision. The Chargers had a Bye in Week 8, so why not just keep him out one more game and get two extra weeks of rest and rehab? Now, Allen is out for Week 9 with a hamstring injury.

Los Angeles Rams (3-4)
Sean McVay said he feels the Rams are wasting plays when they try to run the ball.

Miami Dolphins (5-3)
Tyreek Hill is on pace for 2042 yards this season. Remember before the season, when we all thought his numbers would take a hit because he wouldn’t have Patrick Mahomes throwing him the football anymore?

Minnesota Vikings (6-1)
The Vikings acquired Tight End T.J. Hockenson at the deadline, which is a move I really like for them. He also looks like a Viking, so I’m sure the marketing team is pleased.

New England Patriots (4-4)
Where would the Patriots be without Rhamondre Stevenson?

New Orleans Saints (3-5)
The Saints went from giving up 30+ points in three straight games, to shutting out the Raiders last week.

New York Giants (6-2)
The Giants face the Texans and Lions over the next two weeks, before heading to Dallas for Thanksgiving. Wouldn’t it be something if they walk into AT&T Stadium at 8-2?

New York Jets (5-3)
There are probably nine teams that are going to be in contention for the seven playoff spots in the AFC. The Jets currently sit in 5th place. This week’s game against Buffalo is a measuring stick game.

Philadelphia Eagles (7-0)
The Eagles ran the ol’ schoolyard play against the Steelers. You know the one. The quarterback says to the receiver, “Go long”, and just chucks the football as far as they can, and the receiver runs under it and takes it to the end zone.

Pittsburgh Steelers (2-6)
The Steelers ran the gauntlet with their schedule for the first eight weeks of the season. Things get a bit easier for them after a Week 9 Bye, but the rest of this season is about getting Kenny Pickett on an upward trajectory for next year.

San Francisco 49ers (4-4)
Who’s house? Rams 49ers House.

Seattle Seahawks (5-3)
You know how the story over the last few years was how Russell Wilson has never received an MVP vote? Well, what will happen when someone gives Geno Smith an MVP vote this season? Chaos. Board up the windows at ESPN.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-5)
The Buccaneers host the Rams in a rematch of the Divisional Round of the playoffs last year. Both teams are under .500 right now and the hype for this game is not what it should have been.

Tennessee Titans (5-2)
We’re going to see what the Titans are made of this week when they go to Arrowhead.

Washington Commanders (4-4)
The Commanders have a better record than the Rams, Buccaneers, Packers, and Cardinals.

NFL Snapshots: Week 7 (2022)

This NFL season is turning into the what the NBA off-season normally is, in terms of player movement and storylines. It’s fun, it keeps us on our toes, and we never know what’s coming next.

Arizona Cardinals (3-4)
DeAndre Hopkins made his season debut and immediately caught 10 passes for 103 yards.

Atlanta Falcons (3-4)
The Falcons allowed Joe Burrow to throw for 481 yards. Ruh roh.

Buffalo Bills (5-1)
The Bills unveiled images for their new $1.4B stadium which is set to open in 2026. It doesn’t have a roof, which seems like a mistake, especially if they ever wanted to host a Super Bowl.

Baltimore Ravens (4-3)
A win against the Buccaneers on Thursday would give the Ravens room to breathe and get healthy.

Carolina Panthers (2-5)
They trade away Christian McCaffrey and then beat the Buccaneers? I don’t understand sports, sometimes.

Cincinatti Bengals (4-3)
Tee Higgins was 7 yards away from giving the Bengals three 100+ yard receivers on Sunday.

Cleveland Browns (2-5)
The Kareem Hunt trade watch is on.

Chicago Bears (3-4)
I said last week that I was afraid they might get shut out by the Patriots in Foxborough. Well, they scored 33 points and won the game. Justin Fields could not be stopped.

Dallas Cowboys (5-2)
Dak Prescott returning against the Lions was a nice way to ease him back in.

Denver Broncos (2-5)
Russell Wilson says he spent four of the eight hour plane ride to London, working out and stretching. He evens claims to have done high knees in the aisle while his teammates slept. Hey, didn’t I say a few weeks ago before the first London game, that players would probably stretch on the plane?

Detroit Lions (1-5)
D’Andre Swift appears to be back this week, which is a huge boost for the offence.

Green Bay Packers (3-4)
Three straight losses to the Giants, Jets, and Commanders, before a Sunday night game in Buffalo? The Packers are in something more severe than just “trouble”.

Houston Texans (1-4-1)
The Brandin Cooks trade watch is on.

Indianapolis Colts (3-3-1)
Sam Ehlinger has been named the starting quarterback for the rest of the season.

Jacksonville Jaguars (2-5)
They traded James Robinson to the Jets, which means the backfield has officially been handed over to Travis Etienne.

Kansas City Chiefs (5-2)
The Chiefs acquired Kadarius Toney from the Giants today, which is like giving a child more candy on Halloween. Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes know how to get the best out of receivers like Toney.

Las Vegas Raiders (2-4)
I think the Raiders have three very winnable games coming up against the Saints, Jaguars, and Colts. I’m not counting them out just yet.

Los Angeles Chargers (4-3)
Injuries may be their demise, with J.C. Jackson out for the season, and Mike Williams out for at least a month.

Los Angeles Rams (3-3)
The Rams are coming off the Bye with a big matchup against the 49ers. We’ll see if they’re a different team than they were in the first six weeks of the season.

Miami Dolphins (4-3)
Tua is back and so are the wins. Almost like there’s a correlation, or something.

Minnesota Vikings (5-1)
I promise, next week I’ll have something better than “no one is talking about the Vikings.”

New England Patriots (3-4)
The Patriots got embarrassed by the Bears on Monday night. I don’t expect to see that twice in a row. The Jets better be ready.

New Orleans Saints (2-5)
Jameis Winston is healthy and the Saints are still rolling out Andy Dalton as their starter. Winston was sacked 11 times in three games, while Dalton has only been sacked 4 times in four games.

New York Giants (6-1)
A part of me is worried about the Giants travelling west to Seattle this week, but another part of me is saying they’ll be just fine. We’ll find out on Sunday, I guess.

New York Jets (5-2)
Let’s see what the Jets offence looks like post-Breece Hall.

Philadelphia Eagles (6-0)
If you, or someone you know, would like to tell me when the Eagles will lose their first game, I’d love to know. They have an upcoming stretch against a bunch of underachieving teams.

Pittsburgh Steelers (2-5)
The Chase Claypool trade watch is on.

San Francisco 49ers (3-4)
“We got too many people who can change the game, to score 23 points.” – Brandon Aiyuk

Seattle Seahawks (4-3)
It still doesn’t feel real that the Seahawks have four wins but, hey, good for them.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-4)
Someone needs to shake the entire organization and yell, “Snap out of it!” before it’s too late.

Tennessee Titans (4-2)
The Titans are right there with the Vikings in the “no one is talking about us” category. They’ll sneak up on teams.

Washington Commanders (3-4)
The Commanders have a chance to win their third game in a row. I don’t hate their chances against the Colts.

NFL Snapshots: Week 6 (2022)

I have started to notice that television broadcasts are showing Doctors on the sidelines watching replays to determine if a player should be taken out of the game for further evaluation.

I think it’s great. Someone needs to look out for the players.

However, the players know they are being watched. My worry is that even if they are hurt, they may force themselves to get up quickly and act like everything is fine, just so they aren’t pulled from the game.

Jonathan Taylor indicated that he drove the decision to sit out last week. He said, “You just know your body”. I’m glad he said that and made that decision. Hopefully, it’s an example for other players to put their health first, rather than rushing back too soon.

Arizona Cardinals (2-4)
Marquise Brown suffered a foot injury on a meaningless Hail Mary play at the end of the game. DeAndre Hopkins makes his season debut tonight. Robbie Anderson was acquired from Carolina after being kicked off the sideline on Sunday. This has been your Arizona Cardinals Wide Receiver Room Update (ACWRRU for short, of course).

Atlanta Falcons (3-3)
They beat the 49ers by 14 points, which is a sign that the injuries to the 49ers defence have made them extremely vulnerable. Good for the Falcons for taking advantage.

Buffalo Bills (5-1)
The Bills went into Kansas City and came away with the victory, but it won’t mean a thing if they can’t beat the Chiefs in January.

Baltimore Ravens (3-3)
It just feels like the Ravens can’t get healthy.

Carolina Panthers (1-5)
The season is lost, so now what? Do they trade D.J. Moore and Christian McCaffrey? Just one? Both? Neither? We’ll find out soon enough.

Cincinatti Bengals (3-3)
The Bengals have bounced back after an 0-2 start. With the Falcons, Browns, and Panthers coming up, a 6-3 record could be on the horizon.

Cleveland Browns (2-4)
David Njoku is having a nice breakout season for them from the Tight End position.

Chicago Bears (2-4)
I am genuinely concerned they may get shut out by the Patriots on Monday.

Dallas Cowboys (4-2)
Dak Prescott returns this week which means Cooper Rush returns to his role of backup quarterback. I don’t know if the Cowboys give out an internal team MVP award, but if they do, Rush should definitely get it this season.

Denver Broncos (2-4)
Already playing through a shoulder injury, Russell Wilson sustained a hamstring injury on Monday night. I’m not a doctor but it might be wise to sit out the next two games before the Bye week and come back in Week 10 against the Titans.

Detroit Lions (1-4)
First game after the Bye week and the Lions are headed to Dallas. I have images in my head of Micah Parsons wreaking havoc.

Green Bay Packers (3-3)
Are…are the Packers okay? Back-to-back losses against the teams from New York and I’m starting to think they are in trouble.

Houston Texans (1-3-1)
With the trade deadline coming up, will the Texans trade any of their veteran pieces? Brandin Cooks?

Indianapolis Colts (3-2-1)
The Colts head to Tennessee this week to face the Titans, where the winner will take over 1st place in the AFC South.

Jacksonville Jaguars (2-4)
Travis Etienne is averaging 7.85 rushing yards per attempt over the last two weeks. However, he only had 10 attempts in each game. Surely, he’ll get more opportunities going forward…right?

Kansas City Chiefs (4-2)
Last season, I said the Chiefs needed to go out and get an experienced receiver with name value. They got Josh Gordon. It didn’t work out. I think they need to do the same thing this year. Odell Beckham Jr. rumours are swirling…

Las Vegas Raiders (1-4)
The Raiders are coming out of the Bye week and should be playing as if their season depends on it…because it does.

Los Angeles Chargers (3-3)
The Week 8 Bye can’t come soon enough. Justin Herbert hasn’t looked the same since his rib injury a few weeks ago. Keenan Allen is still out after suffering a hamstring injury in Week 1. I said a few weeks ago he should sit out until after the Bye and it looks like he is. Don’t rush back from hamstring injuries, kids.

Los Angeles Rams (3-3)
If the Rams lose out on Odell Beckham Jr., I’m assuming they make a play to acquire someone else. But who?

Miami Dolphins (3-3)
It sounds like Tua Tagovailoa will be back this week. We’ll see if he can get the Dolphins back to what they were during the first three weeks of the season.

Minnesota Vikings (5-1)
I think I said this last week, but it still feels like no one is talking about the Vikings. And now that they’re on a Bye, no one will.

New England Patriots (3-3)
Never doubt Bill Belichick. Personally, I’d keep Bailey Zappe as the starting quarterback until he gives them a reason to go back to Mac Jones. But I’m not in charge and don’t make that decision.

New Orleans Saints (2-4)
Please give us a good Thursday night game tonight. Please.

New York Giants (5-1)
Daniel Jones’ numbers may not jump off the page, but he’s doing a really good job at managing games for the Giants. Will it be enough to earn him a new contract in the offseason? We’ll see.

New York Jets (4-2)
The Jets just went into Lambeau Field and beat the Packers. Okay, cool. But now Elijah Moore has asked to be traded (the Jets don’t want to trade him), and the Patriots and Bills are on the horizon after this week. We’re going to find out very soon if the Jets are for real. There is a chance they could become overconfident and crumble. Of course, there’s a chance they don’t and end up persevering.

Philadelphia Eagles (6-0)
For their own sake, the Eagles should probably lose at least once this season so they don’t enter the playoffs with the whole “undefeated season” narrative hanging over them. To be honest, though, I don’t think that loss is coming any time soon.

Pittsburgh Steelers (2-4)
I believe in Kenny Pickett.

San Francisco 49ers (3-3)
The offence may have to carry the team for a few weeks, with so many injuries to key defensive players.

Seattle Seahawks (3-3)
I don’t think anyone thought the Seahawks would win the Russell Wilson trade, especially not this early, but it’s only Week 7 and I think it’s safe to say they did (for now).

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-3)
I still think the Buccaneers come out of all of this with a winning record and a playoff spot, but it won’t be as easy as it should have been.

Tennessee Titans (3-2)
No one is talking about the Titans, but here they are with a chance to go 4-2 and sit firmly atop their division.

Washington Commanders (2-4)
It’s Taylor Heinicke time! I thought he was pretty good last year, so we’ll see what he can do.

NFL Snapshots: Week 5 (2022)

Week 5 started with a Thursday night matchup between the Denver Broncos and Indianapolis Colts that we would all like to forget. And the week concluded with a Monday night game featuring the Las Vegas Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs that restored our faith in entertaining football.

Good or bad, the NFL is the league that keeps on giving.

Arizona Cardinals (2-3)
The Cardinals are on track for a .500 record by the time Deandre Hopkins returns in Week 7, as long as they defeat the Seahawks.

Atlanta Falcons (2-3)
The Falcons have lost three games by a combined 11 points. They aren’t getting blown out.

Buffalo Bills (4-1)
Josh Allen is unbelievable. Every free agent receiver for the next 10 years should want to go to Buffalo…or Kansas City.

Baltimore Ravens (3-2)
Justin Tucker is the most accurate kicker of all-time. He is in his 11th season and is 32-years-old, which means he’ll be playing for about another decade. Incredible.

Carolina Panthers (1-4)
I’ve been meaning to say, “Maybe they should trade D.J. Moore to the Chiefs, or a team with a great offence” in this space for a few weeks but haven’t. And now the Panthers have fired their coach and “people” are saying they should trade Moore. I’d like to see him with a Top 5 QB.

Cincinatti Bengals (2-3)
With all the weapons they have, the Bengals offence should be better than they’ve been.

Cleveland Browns (2-3)
Amari Cooper is making many fantasy analysts look silly for saying not to draft him this year.

Chicago Bears (2-3)
Darnell Mooney had an incredible one-handed catch against the Vikings. Let Justin Fields throw more.

Dallas Cowboys (4-1)
No one saw a four-game winning streak coming after Dak Prescott got injured in Week 1. I think the honeymoon ends against the Eagles and Cooper Rush is handed the first loss of his career.

Denver Broncos (2-3)
Russell Wilson is playing through a partially torn lat muscle in his throwing shoulder. The backup quarterback is Brett Rypien, who has attempted 42 passes in his NFL career (regular season).

Detroit Lions (1-4)
The league’s highest scoring offence went into Foxborough and got shut out by the Patriots.

Green Bay Packers (3-2)
I expected the Packers to use Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon in the passing game more than they have. Defenders don’t want to tackle those guys. Give it to them as much as they can handle.

Houston Texans (1-3-1)
The Texans won their first game of the season and held the Jaguars to 6 points.

Indianapolis Colts (2-2-1)
Those of us who sat through last Thursday’s game between the Colts and Broncos should be reimbursed. If the game was played on Sunday, I don’t think it would’ve been nearly as dreadful. In a perfect world, Thursday night games wouldn’t exist. It’s too quick a turnaround.

Jacksonville Jaguars (2-3)
I said the Jaguars were for real after Week 3. Did I speak too soon? We’ll see. I still believe in them.

Kansas City Chiefs (4-1)
Getting out to a big lead against the Chiefs is basically the kiss of death. Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid live for the opportunity to come back from being down 17-0.

Las Vegas Raiders (1-4)
I don’t know why they went for the two-point conversion, when kicking the extra point would’ve tied the game with four minutes left. You wanted a one point lead? Against Mahomes? With that much time? It didn’t make sense.

Los Angeles Chargers (3-2)
Austin Ekeler reminded people this week just who the heck he is.

Los Angeles Rams (2-3)
If Odell Beckham is waiting until Week 10 or later to return, it’ll be too late. The Rams are the lowest scoring team in the NFC…and they have Cooper Kupp. The alarm bells should be ringing.

Miami Dolphins (3-2)
Teddy Bridgewater was ruled out of the game as a result of the recently revised rules of the concussion protocol. Their 3-0 start feels like it was 3 months ago.

Minnesota Vikings (4-1)
It feels like no one is talking about the Vikings.

New England Patriots (2-3)
I’d like to see media personalities stop saying Bailey Zappe’s name as if it’s a punchline. Their tone is quite condescending and dismissive just because his last name is unique and I’ve had enough of it.

New Orleans Saints (2-3)
Andy Dalton has now won a game with four different teams in the last four years.

New York Giants (4-1)
A healthy Saquon Barkley is an early Christmas present for the Giants and their fans.

New York Jets (3-2)
Breece Hall had 197 yards from scrimmage and one touchdown, though he could’ve easily had three touchdowns as he was tackled at the one yard line, twice. Yes, he’s on my fantasy team.

Philadelphia Eagles (5-0)
Jalen Hurts has 68 rushing attempts through five games. His running ability is a weapon. Admittedly, I haven’t seen enough Eagles games this year to know whether or not he’s taking many hits, or if he’s getting down/going out of bounds before defenders can get to him. That being said, the Eagles have a giant target on their back now. I just want Hurts to be safe when he runs with the ball.

Pittsburgh Steelers (1-4)
Kenny Pickett shoved Shaq Lawson after a hit to the knee late in the fourth quarter of a 38-3 Bills blowout. Oftentimes, I find post-whistle scrums to be unnecessary, but I loved this one. A rookie quarterback stood up for himself in his first start. I think Pickett had already won over the locker room and the fans, but this locked him in as “their guy”.

San Francisco 49ers (3-2)
I expect their defence to feast once again this week against the Falcons.

Seattle Seahawks (2-3)
Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf are quietly having very good seasons with Geno Smith as their quarterback.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-2)
Tom Brady sits third in the NFL in passing yards (1409) behind Josh Allen and Justin Herbert, and just ahead of Patrick Mahomes.

Tennessee Titans (3-2)
Don’t look now, but the Titans have won three in a row.

Washington Commanders (1-4)
If Carson Wentz plays more than 70% of the Commanders offensive snaps this year, the Colts receive a second round pick, rather than a third round pick. So, this will be something to watch for in the next month. If the Commanders fall out of the playoff race, or decide Wentz isn’t their guy going forward, then it would make sense to sit him and retain the second round pick.

Next Level

Today is a good day.

In a few minutes, the Toronto Blue Jays will be hosting a home playoff game for the first since 2016, when they welcome the Seattle Mariners to the Rogers Centre. I got goosebumps just writing that.

The stadium is going to be electric. If you’re watching on TV, you’ll get a taste of the atmosphere, but it won’t compare to being there in person.

I was fortunate enough to go to the Jays’ first playoff game since 1993, back in 2015. They lost that game, but I’ll never forget the giant Canadian flag being unfurled in the outfield before the first pitch. I’ll never forget the feeling of, “Wow, this is actually happening.”

In my early days of fandom as a child, it didn’t really compute that the Blue Jays could qualify for the playoffs. The playoffs felt like an exclusive club that only the Yankees and Red Sox could participate in. The regular season would end and I’d move on to the Leafs and Raptors.

I went to a playoff game in 2016, as well. It was Game 3 of the ALDS against the Baltimore Orioles. We went into it with the chance to sweep the series.

The Blue Jays hadn’t even come up to bat in the bottom of the first inning and I already felt like I was losing my voice. The atmosphere inside the dome that day was unlike anything I’ve ever been apart of.

The game went into extra innings and Josh Donaldson scored from second base on what should’ve been a double play, if not for the first baseman dropped the ball. There was a slight delay in the crowd realizing that Donaldson was still running hard around third because everyone was watching the play at first.

But I was sitting in the upper deck on the third base side, so I saw both things happening. All of a sudden, the first baseman dropped the ball and Donaldson is 20 feet down the third base line when the stadium filled with noise. He slid in safely and we swept the Rangers.

That is now known as, “The Donaldson Dash”.

The stadium went ballistic. I was hugging and jumping around with my friends, as well as the strangers next me. Thousands of other fans were doing the same thing.

In 2020, the Blue Jays made the playoffs during the COVID-shortened season, where they opened up the playoffs to eight teams in each league. We were swept by the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field.

To be honest with you, that didn’t feel like the playoffs. There was no atmosphere in the stadium. Bo Bichette recently said as much. He said he feels like he hasn’t been apart of the postseason yet.

Additionally, I’m still bitter of how we set up our starting pitchers for that three-game series. For some reason, we wanted our ace, Hyun-Jin Ryu, to pitch in Game 2 because that would either be a “stay alive” game or a “clinching” game.

I get it, but we were a young team who hadn’t been there before. Don’t play it cute. You signed him to a big contract for a reason. Throw him out there in Game 1; I don’t care if the Rays have their ace on the mound.

I digress.

Last season, we were eliminated on the final day. That hurt. But sometimes you have to lose before you can win, right? So, now, we can win.

Is it a bad thing that I’m not nervous ahead of Game 1 of the Wild Card series today? Sure, the Mariners are a good team and will throw some good pitchers at us, but my confidence in the Blue Jays is greater than any fear they may impose.

We have a great team, with someone like George Springer who has seen it all before. We have young, phenomenal talent, like Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette. We have depth up and down the batting order.

I am not scared. I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but we should win this series.

This team hasn’t experienced the Rogers Centre during this time of year. It transforms into a different place. I know they are ready to take it all in.

The players on this team are a joy to watch and root for. The support they have for one another comes through the TV screen on a daily basis. It may be cliché to refer to a team as a family, but they truly are one.

I’m ready for the rollercoaster to begin.

I’m ready for new memories to be made.

I’m ready for the Toronto Blue Jays to go to the next level.

NFL Snapshots: Week 4 (2022)

The parity in the NFL this season looks a lot like my fantasy football league. One team is undefeated and everyone else is clumped together. The next four weeks are when we’ll start to see teams separate themselves from the pack.

Until then, here are my Week 4 snapshots:

Arizona Cardinals (2-2)
Kyler Murray is on pace to throw 735 passes this year. It would be an NFL record.

Atlanta Falcons (2-2)
All four of their games have been won or lost by 4 points or less.

Buffalo Bills (3-1)
The Bills have allowed the second fewest points in the NFL (58) and will face Kenny Pickett this week, who will be making his first career NFL start. Good luck to him.

Baltimore Ravens (2-2)
This is not the same Ravens defence you grew up having nightmares about.

Carolina Panthers (1-3)
With the 49ers, Rams, and Buccaneers coming up over the next three weeks, the Panthers offence is going to get trampled.

Cincinatti Bengals (2-2)
Joe Burrow has been sacked 16 times this season, but only 3 times in the last two weeks.

Cleveland Browns (2-2)
Nick Chubb has been very good this year.

Chicago Bears (2-2)
The Bears may be 2-2, but it feels like they’re 0-4.

Dallas Cowboys (3-1)
I’m already looking forward to their Week 6 matchup against the Eagles.

Denver Broncos (2-2)
The offence finally looked good against the Raiders, but they lost.

Detroit Lions (1-3)
The Lions have the #1 scoring offence in the NFL. It hasn’t translated to wins because their defence has allowed the most points in the league.

Green Bay Packers (3-1)
An overtime win against a third-string Patriots quarterback is nothing to be worried about, right?

Houston Texans (0-3-1)
The Texans face a really good Jaguars defence this week, so they might have to wait a bit longer for their first win.

Indianapolis Colts (1-2-1)
Nyheim Hines pointed out that every year, the Colts have a new quarterback and have to go through growing pains while teams like the Titans have stability. In a year or two, the Colts will be starting over again. Sorry, Nyheim.

Jacksonville Jaguars (2-2)
They came out swinging against the Eagles, taking a 14-0 lead after the first quarter. But the Eagles are too good.

Kansas City Chiefs (3-1)
Patrick Mahomes is proof that children should play multiple sports growing up. His baseball background is apparent on most of the throws he makes while scrambling.

Las Vegas Raiders (1-3)
I said last week that their matchup against the Broncos was a must-win, and they won. They have the Chiefs at Arrowhead this week. Good luck.

Los Angeles Chargers (2-2)
The Chargers’ schedule gets tough after the Week 8 Bye. I wouldn’t be surprised if they hold out Keenan Allen until then. He’s been sidelined since Week 1 with a hamstring injury. Let him sit another 4 weeks and heal; you can handle the Browns, Broncos, and Seahawks without him.

Los Angeles Rams (2-2)
I finally figured out what feels off about the Rams. It’s the fact that the offence runs through Cooper Kupp and no one else. This is akin to Nelson in The Simpsons playing quarterback and throwing the ball down field to himself.

Miami Dolphins (3-1)
I just hope Tua is okay. Among the many questions I have, one of them is why was he watching a movie on the team plane after suffering a concussion? I thought you weren’t supposed to look at screens.

Minnesota Vikings (3-1)
I find it a bit unfair to the Vikings (and Saints) that they went to play a game in London, England and don’t have a Bye week immediately after. I know Week 5 is probably too early for a Bye, but still.

New England Patriots (1-3)
Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson should run all over the Lions defence this week.

New Orleans Saints (1-3)
The Saints were inches away from defeating the Vikings with a field goal, but London was treated to a double doink, instead. Their schedule gets impossibly hard after this week.

New York Giants (3-1)
The Giants are in London this week to face the Packers. Anything can happen in these games.

New York Jets (2-2)
Zach Wilson is back, Breece Hall is getting more touches, and the Jets aren’t at the bottom of the AFC East. A win against the Dolphins this week would send the city of New York into a frenzy.

Philadelphia Eagles (4-0)
The Cardinals throw the ball a ton, so the Eagles defence is going to be running a marathon this week.

Pittsburgh Steelers (1-3)
The future is now in Pittsburgh. Kenny Pickett took over for Mitch Trubisky in Week 4 and all 13 of his passes were caught. Three of them were caught by the defence, but we don’t have to bring that up.

San Francisco 49ers (2-2)
The 49ers defence is very good. Deebo Samuel is a runaway school portable when he has the ball.

Seattle Seahawks (2-2)
Geno Smith has completed 77.3% of his passes this season. You have to be happy for him. That being said, the Seahawks will meet reality over the next few weeks.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-2)
The Buccaneers are going to beat up on the bad teams, compete against the better ones, and end up 11-6.

Tennessee Titans (2-2)
The Titans have won two games in a row and face the Commanders this week.

Washington Commanders (1-3)
Rookie running back, Brian Robinson Jr., who was shot five weeks ago in attempted robbery, has returned to practice. Comeback Player of the Year?