Week 16 Observations

One Day Early

I’m flying to NY at 10 am tomorrow morning, so I won’t get a chance to write these games up, figured instead I’d just share some notes as I watch in real time. What could go wrong?

• I’m already annoyed at the Redskins-Eagles result. I had the Redskins in Circa, thought they probably would have covered had Mariota not gotten hurt. I didn’t even see the play where it happened, just noticed Josh Johnson (no idea he was even on the Redskins) throwing a soul-crushing pick.

• I didn’t watch the Packers-Bears. Sasha had an early-morning basketball game for the district team (basically an all-star team to which they call you up based on your regular league performance) 40 minutes away. You have to get there an hour early too. So I only had time for one re-watch, and sadly I chose Eagles-Redskins. After playing 25-minutes in Saturday’s game, Sasha got benched (not for performance, more because she’s new) as they had 16 players, and they can only suit up 12. But they don’t tell you in advance, so you have to wake up and make the drive anyway. The other parents told us it’s normal, she’ll play in the upcoming games, but you can’t talk to the coach. Apparently the Bears won in overtime after Jordan Love got hurt. That’s all I know.

• I read a note Woody Marks was likely to play only to discover he was likely to sit five minutes before the game. Luckily I was able to sub him out at the last second, but the best I could do for one semifinal team was Sean Tucker. (Kyle Monangai went yesterday.)

• I subbed in Mr. Zero, Quentin Johnston, at the last second for Josh Downs, once I learned Johnston was active, and he rewarded me promptly with a 23-yard TD catch. That almost never happens, so you have to relish these moments.

• I picked up Mike Evans when he was on IR in the Steak League. He already scored a TD for me, but I’m in such deep trouble there, they’re gonna need to get him 1,000 yards.

• The Giants attempted their first pass with 12:04 left in the second quarter. The announcers are praising them for all the running plays, but as of this typing they have zero points.

• Looks like Tre Harris is the Chargers’ No. 1 receiver. I’m lucky to get that TD from Mr. Zero. Thank God I’m not relying on Ladd McConkey anymore.

• In one semi-final I’m starting Bucky Irving, the other I’m going against him.

• Just when I count McConkey out, he scores a TD for your consolation team!

• Jets-Saints and Vikings-Giants are such garbage games. So is Titans-Chiefs for that matter.

• Stuck with Evan McPherson this week after last week’s zero. He just banked one in off the upright — good enough for me!

• Jevon Holland just got a pick six, JJ McCarthy did a weird somersault unsuccessfully trying to run him down, but it was all negated by an Abdul Carter offsides penalty for lining up in the neutral zone. Was wondering where Carter (who has zero as my IDP DL) was, and now I know he’s playing at least.

• James Cook, who I’m facing in one semi, just scored his second TD.

• Gardner Minshew is hurt now. Don’t suppose the 5th string QB can get Xavier Worthy going for me? True story, I raged-subbed in Worthy for Kenny Walker once I knew Rashee Rice was out.

• Ryan Flournoy scored one TD already and would have had two but for a holding call that negated the second one. He’s a player. George Pickens also doing yeoman’s work for that consolation trophy today.

• Theo Johnson just had a ball go right through his hands for a pick, and the announcers are justifying his “alligator arms” because he might have taken a hit. These guys are the nut low.

• Emeka Egbuka is a poor man’s Jeremy Lin.

• Myles Garrett better not tie the record on that fake sack. Mason Graham touched the slipped Josh Allen first.

• Tet McMillan TD at the end of the half was very nice. Have him going in one semi and Steak.

• Now Brian Burns gets the strip-sack resulting in a TD, just like that Giants are back in it with 17-seconds left in the half. JJ McCarthy not making the case to keep the job for 2026. What a disaster!

• Josh Allen got you to the semis at least.

• The Max Brosmer era is upon us.

• Nice to see that Dike catch a TD.

• Gotta love Sean Tucker getting the goal-line TD against the Bucky Irving team. Made the swap for Marks at 12:57 ET.

• Bucs-Panthers seems low stakes for a game to win the division, but any team could make a run this year. No one is good.

• The Giants have zero net passing yards halfway through the third quarter. Real team!

• Chiefs without Mahomes are not a top-31 team.

• Have Quinshon Judkins going in a drawing-live consolation NFFC. Had the decency to get me almost 10 points before getting hurt.

• Why are the Cowboys giving it to the fullback on 4th-and-1? When you need only one yard, no need to get tricky.

• Gotta love it when your TE scores a rushing TD, his second score of the day. Let’s hope it stands.

• LOL, the Giants might actually win this game which I don’t really want. Best case, they prove they *could* have won the game, but miss the last second chip-shot FG.

• This is not a good day of NFL football.

• Joe Burrow going off in garbage time should put me in one final.

• Geno Stone getting me a zero at DB. Feel like I must have missed some news. At least Carter now has two tackles and a sack.

• Had the Cowboys in Circa too, but they didn’t show up. Could use some CeeDee Lamb garbage time as compensation. (Update: Joe Milton is in, forget it.)

• Lawrence Taylor should have been named Jalen Coker. Tim Tebow should have been named Christian Ponder. Pete Rose should have been named Mookie Betts.

• Only watching the first half of the late games, have to finish packing, leaving the house at 7:15 am.

• Dart sacked to close it out. It’s for the best, let’s just make sure we don’t accidentally beat the Raiders next week.

• Baker Mayfield isn’t fast, but he figured out if you run as fast as you possibly can right away, you get up to full speed quickly and can scramble effectively. Decisiveness makes up for lack of speed. Update: soul-crushing pick loses game.

• Rooting for a Panthers-Steelers Super Bowl.

• Just realized I have to thread a needle with Jahmyr Gibbs — have him in one, going against him in the other.

• Falcons-Cardinals *should* be a shoot-out, but Cousins has started slowly.

• Kenny Gainwell looks like peak (midseason) Rico Dowdle.

• That’s it — have to pack up the laptop. Better be in at least one final next week.