So, we are less than two weeks from Christmas Day, which means that not only is the holiday rush in full swing and not only is the year coming to a rapid close, the NFL is starting to heat up.
Before we go into any of the games, let's get into the NFL ratings stuff. I talked about this last time and it's been a topic all season, the NFL ratings being down because of a number of factors but let's be honest, the bottom line is people aren't going to tune into a game that's terrible.
To wit: Dallas/Giants, Sunday night, division rivalry and a very competitive, if but defensive, 10-7 game. It drew a 14.93 rating which is an increase as compared to last year at this time, when the Sunday night game was a Patriots blowout of the Texans. And that was with it being Tom Brady and the Patriots.
Now, on to the games.
- First, the aforementioned Dallas/Giants game. I get that all the talk is Tony Romo this, Tony Romo that because the Cowboys finally lost and looked atrocious offensively. I get it, Prescott didn't play very well against Minnesota a couple weeks ago, and certainly didn't play well against the Giants.
But I think that's being really disrespectful to the Giants and how good that defense is, and make no mistake about it, that defense is championship caliber. It wasn't just Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott especially late in the game did nothing against them. Dez Bryant was a no show Sunday.
And the scary part? The Giants did all of this without Jason-Pierre Paul in the lineup, without QUESTION one of the best defensive players in all of football.
Bottom line is this: The Giants through the years have always been defined by their defense.
Whether it was Lawrence Taylor, Leonard Marshall, Carl Banks, Harry Carson, and the two Giants defenses that won Super Bowls in 1986-87 and 1990-91 or Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora, JP-P, Justin Tuck and the Giants Ds that won Super Bowls in 2007 and 2011 or anyone else in and around there, they've always been defined by that unit. And that unit is stout this year.
Eli Manning has been pretty terrible this year but he doesn't have to be great for them to have a chance to win a Super Bowl. Jeff Hostetler won a Super Bowl in 1990 for heaven's sake.
As to the Cowboys, this week's game is going to be pretty interesting as well. They get Tampa Bay this week once again on Sunday night and as good as the Giants and their defense have been, so have the Bucs. They are on a five game win streak themselves and four of those wins have come against Drew Brees, Russell Wilson, Philip Rivers and on the road in Kansas City. Don't underestimate the Bucs as a possible Super Bowl sleeper.
- The Texans won in Indianapolis to sweep the Colts in a season series for the first time ever, but I'm not doing jumping jacks about that win. The Colts just aren't very good this year and won't be unless they address that offensive line. Yeah they looked great the week before the Houston game but they were playing the Jets.
At this rate the way he's getting pounded Andrew Luck's career may be drastically shortened and it's a shame.
- The Denver Broncos, with their loss in Tennessee this past weekend, just made things a lot harder on themselves. That was a game they had to win, especially considering their season ending stretch: vs Patriots, @ Chiefs, vs Raiders. I honestly can't say they win a single one of those games. Yes, I know that Brady always has issues in Denver and that's where they are this Sunday but answer this question: How's Denver going to score enough to beat the Patriots with their issues offensively?
- Speaking of the Patriots, don't even look at that 30-23 final score vs Baltimore. That game was nowhere near as close as that score indicated. The Pats basically gifted the Ravens 14 points with two massive special teams mistakes and they still won by seven. To me the Ravens were never in the game.
To me, the road to the Super Bowl clearly goes through Bradyville, even without the Gronk. I can't make the argument for the Raiders in New England as highly as I think of Derek Carr, I could never make the argument for Alex Smith over Tom Brady especially on the road, and don't get me started on Denver. And Baltimore got pounded last night.
That leaves Pittsburgh, who I think would at least have a legitimate chance on the road against Brady because of their championship pedigree and because they do have guys like Roethlisberger, Bell and Brown.
- The NFC though is a totally different story. Dallas and Seattle may still be the top two teams but right now I will take the field against them. In defensive minded games like the last two, Dallas will struggle because their defense is not quite the caliber of a Giants or Minnesota, and as far as Seattle goes, losing Earl Thomas is a huge blow and they felt that against the Packers. Completely different team when Thomas isn't out there.
And the rest of the field is coming on strong. The Giants are hot and have a Super Bowl caliber defense. The Lions are finding ways to win close games that they usually lose and appear headed for the playoffs. The Packers are still very much alive if they win out and get a bit of help. The Bucs are read hot and Atlanta is dangerous and has weapons galore offensively. Even Minnesota is still very much alive.
Now quickly to the Army/Navy game:
I generally root for Navy in that patriotic classic of a college football game, but hats off to the Black Knights for ending 15 years of misery at the hands of Navy. Navy has had a good year and can still end its season strong against Louisiana Tech in the Armed Forces Bowl, but you have to give credit to Jeff Monken and his Black Knights who had Navy on the ropes last year and couldn't quite finish. Army should win its bowl game as well against North Texas to finish 8-5; the Mean Green are anything but mean and aren't a good team.
Regardless, all those men are fighting for our country which I appreciate.
Finally, some quick hitters from the coaching ranks both in college and in the NFL.
- Starting with Jeff Fisher, I honestly can't believe he has held on to a head coaching job at the NFL level for this long. His teams haven't been good in years. The last good season he had was all the way back in 2008-09...with the Titans.
I don't blame the Rams for wanting Harbaugh but if I'm Harbaugh I stay at Michigan. NO way would I want to go coach for a team run by Stan Kroenke and his family. Kroenke is actually worse than Bob McNair and that's saying something.
- Good choice by UH to keep it in house and promote Applewhite in the wake of Herman's departure. It is a risk being that Major has never been a head coach before, but it's better than Lane Kiffin who only knows how to destroy programs as a head coach.
- Speaking of Lane, he left Alabama for...FAU? Florida Atlantic? Is he really that desperate? Given those choices I'd have stayed with Saban but to each his own.
Until next time....
