Well OK. Maybe it wasn't THAT big of an upset when the Titans waltzed into Foxborough last weekend and knocked off the Brady Bunch. #12 hasn't looked his usual self this year, and his receiver corps certainly leaves something to be desired. Despite their record, the Pats just didn't seem like all that over the course of the season.
But to go into Baltimore and not only beat the #1 seeded Ravens, but handily? Now THAT was an eye-opener. Few, and certainly not this scribe could have imagined that happening. That Tannehill guy got the best of possible MVP Lemar Jackson? Get outta here.
Yet, tis true. So now the upstart Titans await the winner of the KC/Houston game. If the Texans knock off the Chiefs in Arrowhead, I'll be firmly convinced alien forces of some sort are at work. Evil spirits. Something.
Idle thought. If the Patriots are known as the Pats and The Tampa Bay Buccaneers the Bucs, what, pray tell, should we call the Tennessee Titans for short? Careful. :-)
At least sanity prevailed in the NFC. The 49ers blasted the Vikings. But wait a minute. Aren't those the same Vikings that went to New Orleans and beat Drew Brees and the Saints last week? That wasn't supposed to happen either. Ah well, that Kirk Cousins guy has only got a couple good games a year in him anyway. How he got a "max" contract in Minnesota is a head-scratcher indeed. I know it gets cold there, but brain freeze in their front office? That guy is average -- at best. To have two good games in a row, especially against top competition just wasn't going to happen. Plus, San Fran's defense is formidable. Best team -- by a lot -- won.
What would be REALLY weird is to see an AFC championship game between Tennessee and Houston. Could happen, but I'd bet, no pun intended, absolutely nobody put money down on that coming to pass, regardless of the ridiculous odds they may have gotten.. I'd be surprised if the wise guys in Vegas even had the wager available, the super-max long shot it was/is.
Being a football junkie, especially the NFL variety, this is my favorite weekend of the year. Two games on Saturday and two more on Sunday. All supposedly featuring "good" teams.
Sunday looms.
Bring it on.
Saturday, January 11, 2020
Tuesday, November 5, 2019
The stupid football polls
It never stops during college football season. Polls here, polls there, polls everywhere, ranking the top teams. And sometimes it's just stupid.
Sure, some sort of "seeding" is necessary, else the powers that be wouldn't be able to determine which four teams go to the national playoff in a few months.
But earlier today, I witnessed talking heads debating which unbeaten major teams should be ranked where. And it just doesn't matter.
Consider the teams. LSU, Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, and Penn State, undefeated all.
But wait a second. This Saturday, Bama hosts LSU. Somebody's gotta lose that game. In a couple weeks OSU takes on PSU. Somebody's gotta lose that one too. So of the five unbeaten teams listed above, two of them will be no more by Thanksgiving. Why debate it now? Wouldn't it be more prudent to see how it plays out, no pun intended?
One would think that a team suffering a loss must drop in the polls, at least a couple spots. Depending on how severe the defeat was, maybe several -- out of contention for the championship playoff.
And what gives with Clemson anyway? Aren't they the defending champions? Didn't they enter this season as the #1 ranked team? Aren't they still undefeated this year?
So how can a pre-season #1 team drop to #4 when all they've done is win?
Somebody please explain to me why it matters which teams are ranked, say, #10 through #25. There's so many bowls these days, they're all going to go to one. A team's gotta be pretty bad NOT to go to a bowl.
It's crazy, but then again, probably so am I, cuz I'll be checking those games out just like all the other football sappies.
Sure, some sort of "seeding" is necessary, else the powers that be wouldn't be able to determine which four teams go to the national playoff in a few months.
But earlier today, I witnessed talking heads debating which unbeaten major teams should be ranked where. And it just doesn't matter.
Consider the teams. LSU, Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, and Penn State, undefeated all.
But wait a second. This Saturday, Bama hosts LSU. Somebody's gotta lose that game. In a couple weeks OSU takes on PSU. Somebody's gotta lose that one too. So of the five unbeaten teams listed above, two of them will be no more by Thanksgiving. Why debate it now? Wouldn't it be more prudent to see how it plays out, no pun intended?
One would think that a team suffering a loss must drop in the polls, at least a couple spots. Depending on how severe the defeat was, maybe several -- out of contention for the championship playoff.
And what gives with Clemson anyway? Aren't they the defending champions? Didn't they enter this season as the #1 ranked team? Aren't they still undefeated this year?
So how can a pre-season #1 team drop to #4 when all they've done is win?
Somebody please explain to me why it matters which teams are ranked, say, #10 through #25. There's so many bowls these days, they're all going to go to one. A team's gotta be pretty bad NOT to go to a bowl.
It's crazy, but then again, probably so am I, cuz I'll be checking those games out just like all the other football sappies.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)