Week 12 Observations
Whatever
Week 12 didn’t do it for me. I’m 2-1-1 ATS pending the 49ers -7 tonight, my key teams didn’t do enough (especially the Chiefs stack team), and the Giants have the indignity of being the first team to be assured of missing the playoffs no matter what. I suppose if there were a nuclear war and most teams were vaporized they’d fill in, but otherwise they’re out.
I took the Jets +13.5, and they lost by 13, so they did their job. The game was closer than that though — the Ravens are not the Ravens, and Tyrod Taylor is a competent backup.
Breece Hall got 16 carries and four catches — he’s still usable if you can live without touchdowns.
John Metchie and Adonai Mitchell each got seven targets, though Metchie made more of his. Looks like they’re the starters now.
Lamar Jackson isn’t running well (seven carries for 11 yards) and doesn’t have explosive playmakers in the passing game. It’s not crazy to consider benching him for a regular QB with a good matchup.
Derrick Henry scored two TDs, but did nothing else.
The Chiefs really bottled up Jonathan Taylor.
Danny Dimes didn’t turn it over or take a sack, but the Colts couldn’t move the ball to save their lives with the game on the line in the fourth quarter and overtime.
Patrick Mahomes kept settling for field goals and handed it to Kareem Hunt for their lone TD, but he managed 352 yards passing, 30 rushing and a two-point conversion. Still, the offense isn’t quite right — the pass blocking is poor, and no one beyond Rashee Rice and Travis Kelce has emerged. Xavier Worthless is just a (fast) guy.
Hunt ground out 30 carries and had three catches. With Isiah Pacheco out, they’re really leaning on him.
I had the Chiefs -3.5, and they would have covered had they scored on that last drive at the goal line rather than settling for the game-tying FG and then winning in OT on the FG after the Colts elected to take the ball first for God knows what reason.
I guarantee teams like the Broncos would way rather face the Patriots or Colts than the Chiefs in the playoffs.
I started Kenny Walker over Quinshon Judkins, and of course Zach Chardonnay gets the TD. Walker had a decent game, but even against the league’s worst team, I can’t get a score out of the lead RB.
JSN had another monster game on 10 targets. It’s the quietest “season for the ages” I can remember, maybe because the volume is modest (he’s only on pace for 164 targets.)
I didn’t watch much of the game, but it looks like Cam Ward wasn’t disastrous. If the Titans get the top pick next year wonder if they’d even *consider* a QB.
JJ McCarthy is killing people, and one of those people is me. (I have Jordan Addison on the Chiefs stack team, and I had to start him with Ladd McConkey on bye and Ja’Marr Chase suspended.) Zero is not a number you can live with in part because it’s not even a number.
Interesting that lots of players wear zero on their jerseys now even though it’s not a number. It’d be like wearing ∞. Personally, I believe it should be restricted to numbers only, but not necessarily integers or rationals. Someone could request π or √2, for example. Which reminds me: I had a million-dollar marketing idea for a pie shop logo. (If you use, kick me some royalties.)
You probably have to start Justin Jefferson, but McCarthy is a real problem, and this is an organization that got production from Carson Wentz and Nick Mullens.
The Packers offense is so boring. Emanuel Wilson did his Josh Jacobs impression, while Christian Watson led the team with 49 receiving yards.
Like last week against the Packers, the Giants behind Jameis Winston showed a ton of heart. Winston had a great game, even made a sick catch and run for a TD on a trick play, looked like AJ Brown out there, coming back for the underthrown ball and then muscling his way out of a tackle for the score. The guy is an athlete.
The Giants are bad, but the biggest improvement this year over last (besides Jaxson Dart when he comes back) is the offensive line. It’s at least league average now, maybe above average.
Tyrone Tracy and Devin Singletary ground out 34 carries between them. Tracy also had three catches for 68 yards and might have a role even with Cam Skattebo back next year.
Wan’Dale Robinson had a career day with 14-9-156-1 — he’s too small (5-8) to be a real No. 1 but should complement Malik Nabers nicely next year after this experience. Of course, the Giants might draft a first-round receiver next year too as Robinson would be an ideal No. 3.
The Lions would have lost this game but for Jahmyr Gibbs. The Giants don’t tackle well, and this was just the wrong player to face with that problem. Gibbs also had 11 catches on 12 targets. David Montgomery is closer role-wise to Brian Robinson now than he is to Tyler Allgeier.
ARSB had a couple drops but he’s the guy who gets open and who Jared Goff knows. Jameson Williams meanwhile pulled an Addison or should we call it a Quentin Johnston?
The Lions only made it to overtime on a last-minute 59-yard FG by Jake Bates, then got a 69-yard TD on the first overtime play from scrimmage from Gibbs.
TreVeyon Henderson saw 18 carries and four targets, while Rhamondre Stevenson had only six carries (for five yards) and two targets. But Henderson was pulled at the goal-line, so Stevenson and Terrell Jennings could get stuffed.
You should have known it would be Hunter Henry week against a Bengals team that does not cover the tight end.
This was probably Joe Flacco’s last game as the Bengals starter as Joe Burrow should be back on Thanksgiving. He’ll have Chase (suspension) back, but will be without Tee Higgins who got his bell rung hard — honestly looked like he was unconscious. Stephania Bell one time claimed on our SXM show that whether someone loses consciousness is not necessarily indicative of a concussion’s severity. I asked her whether someone being unconscious (in a coma) for a month would be an indication. Think she got annoyed with me.
I refuse to believe in the Bears as they rack up win after win against bad teams, this time the Mason Rudolph Steelers.
DK Metcalf hurt his ankle, and no one had more than 36 receiving yards.
Like the Steelers, the Bears spread the ball around too— their leading receiver was DJ Moore with three catches for 64, though two were for TDs.
Kyle Monangai outran and outproduced D’Andre Swift, but I’d consider that split week to week.
I had the Cardinals plus three, but pushed on that bet when the Jaguars won in overtime.
Just when it looked like Bhayshul Tuten might secure a bigger role, he rugs you. Travis Etienne had 15 carries and three catches, one of which went for a TD.
Trevor Lawrence had three picks and a lost fumble, but spread the ball around for 256 yards and three TDs. Don’t know if any of you had some Strange this week, but if you’re unhappy with your current tight end (or the tightness of your current end), consider availing yourself.
Michael Wilson is a player. Even when Marvin Harrison comes back, I doubt they can put that genie back in the bottle. Greg Dortch is also a player, the Cardinals’ Wan’Dale Robinson.
I started David Montgomery over Judkins because I thought Judkins would have a tough go of it against the Raiders with Shadeur Sanders under center. Judkins scored two TDs from my bench in the first two and a half minutes, so you can imagine how close I was to defenestration, but that was mostly it. Otherwise, he got stuffed and didn’t catch a pass. Still cost me 10 points, but a big relief it wasn’t much more.
Sanders didn’t make a lot of mistakes, but 66 of his 209 yards were on a screen pass to Dylan Sampson. He earned another start at least, and it’s an interesting story.
Myles Garrett had three more sacks to give him 18. He’s got a good chance to smash the all-time record of 22.5.
Ashton Jeanty had 109 YFS, eight catches and a TD. That’s pretty good against the Browns defense even if it took 25 touches. Geno Smith took 10 sacks though and couldn’t generate enough big plays.
Didn’t watch much of Falcons-Saints. Kyle Pitts managed only two catches without Drake London. Not sure why he’s still on my roster.
The Saints only TD was from the defense. Alvin Kamara hurt his knee too.
The Eagles were up 21-0 and lost the game 24-21, despite Brandon Aubrey uncharacteristically missing a 51-yard FG. AJ Brown seems like he’s back again with 10-8-110-1. Both he and DeVonta Smith.
Saquon Barkley got stuffed again (10-for-22), lost a key fumble, but caught seven passes for 62 yards. There’s something not right with this offense, probably the line, but Barkley and Derrick Henry look like they’re near the cliff.
Javonte Williams is the NFC’s JK Dobbins (before Dobbins got hurt). Grinds out the tough yards, but rarely scores or catches passes.
It’s not just that George Pickens is outperforming CeeDee Lamb in the box score, but he looks bigger, faster, stronger, more athletic and more focused. Lamb has been dropping passes too — saw he’s tied with classmate Jerry Jeudy for the most. It’s almost like Henry Ruggs is having the best year of the three.
Dak Prescott rushed for a score and threw two more. The set up for him could not be better right now.
Baker Mayfield hurt his shoulder in the first half and didn’t play in the second, but that game was already over. Teddy Bridge-to-nowhere-Water is basically Russell Wilson at this point.
Sean Tucker looks the part to me, even in a modest game. He split carries 12 to 7 with RaGigaChaad. Bucky Irving ostensibly is due back next week, but I’ll believe it when I see it.
The Bucs passing game did nothing — Emeka Egbuka led the team with 32 yards on eight targets.
Matthew Stafford now has 30 TDs and two picks. Obvious MVP frontrunner.
Puka Nacua had 11 targets, a good sign that his ankle is healthy, though apparently he tweaked his knee. Davante Adams had two more TDs on his eight targets, stealing from Kyren Williams the way Jalen Hurts does from Barkley.
The only game I enjoyed was the Giants-Lions, the rest of them were mostly bad.
