1. Week 13 Takeaways
Me:
-Regardless of how the Steelers season ends, give Mike Tomlin Coach of the Year honors!!!!
Hal: Could we be headed for a Super Bowl XLVII rematch in February?
2. Truth/Exaggeration
-The Broncos should put Von Miller and his MCL sprain on ice for the remainder of the season
-Tom Brady only has at MOST three years remaining in his illustrious NFL career
-If the Tennessee Titans make it to the playoffs, they’ll be the team NOBODY wants to face
-The Seahawks and 49ers are not only on a collision course to likely decide who wins the division in Week 17, but on a collision course to meet a third time in the playoffs as well!
-After Sunday’s loss to the Duck Hodges-led Steelers. Freddie Kitchens is back on the hot seat in Cleveland and a top candidate to be fired at season’s end
-Baylor head coach Matt Rhule should be the number one candidate for all NFL teams with a head coaching vacancy
3. Coaching Carousel
-Most ideal potential landing spot for Ron Rivera: Jaguars, Giants, Falcons, Lions, Browns, Redskins, Cowboys
-Top candidates for Panthers job:
4. Game of the Week: Ravens at Bills
-No defense other than the 49ers has done a better job against the Ravens offense this season. How capable is the Bills defense of doing as good or an even better job containing Lamar Jackson than the Niners did?
-How much more dangerous does the emergence of Ed Oliver make this Buffalo D? What does he add that wasn’t there earlier in the season?
-Everybody, and rightfully so, is praising the Ravens for designing a run first offense to suit Lamar Jackson’s strengths. But shouldn’t more people be saying the same about the Bills and what they’ve done with Josh Allen? According to ESPN’s Field Yates, both QB’s have a combined 1,407 rushing yards this season and on Sunday, that will represent the highest such total by opposing QB’s in the same game in NFL history. Josh Allen was heavily doubted by most (myself included) during the pre-draft process in 2018. How has he exceeded your expectations so far?
-Key matchups: Tremaine Edmunds vs. Lamar Jackson, Ed Oliver versus any Ravens interior OL not named Marshal Yanda, Hollywood Brown vs. Tre’Davious White
-Game picks
5. Game of the Week: 49ers at Saints
-Just like the Patriots passing game has enormous questions outside of Julian Edelman, the Saints passing game has enormous questions outside of Michael Thomas. None of their two other main WR’s (Tre’Quan Smith and Ted Ginn, Jr.) have had more than two receptions in a game since Week 3. Do you see the 49ers coming up with a similar plan for this game as the Texans had for the Patriots last week (double Thomas and daring Smith and Ginn to beat them)?
-The 49ers almost did everything right last week to beat the Ravens. The main difference in the game turned out to be arguably Jimmy Garoppolo’s first quarter fumble. Could a turnover-free performance from Garoppolo this week be THE key to a Niners win?
-Key matchups: Fred Warner vs. Alvin Kamara, DeForest Buckner vs. Eric McCoy,
-Game picks
6. Game of the Week: Chiefs at Patriots
-What did the Texans do to get more than their fair share of big plays in the passing game against the Patriots secondary last weekend and how can the Chiefs do so?
-X Factors: How significant can the presence of Mecole Hardman be in this game? If there is a Patriots pass catcher not named Edelman or James White that can go off against this Chiefs pass defense, who is it?
-Key matchups: Tyreek Hill vs. Stephon Gilmore, Chiefs RB’s/Travis Kelce vs. Patriots LB’s
-Game picks
