It is a new day in the NFL. This is true for fantasy managers who have made the playoffs, as well as real NFL teams who have found themselves "in the hunt" for the playoffs.
I've listened to many anaylists this week talk about the oportunities that lie ahead for the 6-7 and 7-6 teams with a shot a the playoffs. Perhaps the most annoying take I've heard was from Jeff Mans on SiriusXM radio, who likes to say (as a fan) the worst spot your team can be in is "in the hunt."
This is stupid. Just ask the 2011 New York Giants fans - probably the best fan experience in the history of the NFL. They were 9-7 and defeated the undefeated Patriots. They were 8-8 in the 2007 season when they - you guessed it - won the Super Bowl - against the mighty Patriots. The 2000 Ravens took home some rings after going 8-8 as well, against the Giants.
As a Cowboys fan, I had to mention at least one time the Giants sucked.
Any team who enters the tournament in January has a shot at glory. Weird things happen in the playoffs - like losing all of your quarterbacks in the first half of the NFC Championship - only to send an inferior team to the chapmionship. Once you take the field, the previous 17+ contests mean absolutely nothing.
Folks who are successful know this. Success is reached only by ignoring the past and focusing on the challenge in front of you.
Case and point: Beebs the Cat -
Beebs knows there is a treat in there. Beebs does not worry about previous treats, Beebs focuses on the problem at hand. Beebs conquers the challenge that Beebs is faced with - like a true Champion.
Be like Beebs.
My Documented Predictions Update
I went 8-5 last week. Some of my specific score calls were remarkably close - I was a TD away from calling the exact score of the Ravens-Rams game. I also called some underdogs, like the Pats and Bears winning. My back has been suffeciently patted.
It should have been 10-3, but the Monday Night games were super entertaining, and I take solace in that. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few (me).
I am now 83 - 56 (60% winning percentage) with documented predictions.
Aunt Di Di is 1-2. The win was calling the Cowboys to beat the snot out of the Eagles. Aunt Di Di is also a true Champion.
Beebs is 1-0 in documented treat aquisitions.
Thursday Night
Los Angeles Chargers at Las Vegas Raiders
Obviously I didn't call this one - I had stuff to do Thursday. But what an entertaining game for Staley to get fired for! I watched the whole thing - it was horrifying and hard to look away - like those TicToks where someone gets arrested for yelling at Walmart employees.
Saturday
Minnesota Vikings (7-6) at Cincinnati Bengals (7-6)
5 of the 6 teams playing on Saturday are 7-6, and they are all "in the hunt." I'm sure the NFL scheudlers planned this.
Bengals win 17 - 13
Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6) at Indinapolis Colts (7-6)
What the NFL schedulers did not anticipate was a complete lack of starting quarterbacks involved in the first two matchups on their first slate of Saturday games.
Saturday games in the NFL might as well be primetime. By US law (seriously) NFL games on Saturday are only allowed when the college regular season ends. Even last weekend - the NFL cannot play the same day as the Army-Navy game, specifically so Americans know what to pay attention to.
Steelers win 37 - 28
Denver Broncos (7-6) at Detroit Lions (9-4)
This will be a cool game. I'm excited to watch it.
Denver wins 32 - 29
Sunday Morning
Chicago Bears (5-8) at Cleveland Browns (8-5)
I have a lot riding on this game fantasy-wise. I almost don't want to call it. But I will.
Browns win 20 - 16
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-7) at Green Bay Packers (6-7)
Can you imagine if Baker was a Packer? The Progressive comercials would have been pretty cool at Lambeau. He could have done some Pfizer comericals there too! Also the Packers would be 8-5.
What I'm saying is - I want to see Baker comericals again. At least ones that don't remind me he played for Oklahoma.
Packers win 27 - 13
Houston Texans (7-6) at Tennesee Titains (5-8)
CJ Stroud is out, and Will Levis is more determined than any NFL player to prove himself. While I think it would be hilarious to see the Texans in the playoffs, I don't think it happens this time around.
Titains win 24 - 10
New York Jets (5-8) at Miami Dolphins (9-4)
J-E-T-S win this one. I really want to see Aaron Rodgers lose at least one game this season, and that requires some Jets wins.
Also, I have to talk about Tyreek Hill again, and I don't like to.
After he injured his ankle last week - which did look super bad in the replay - he eventually came back to play, after citing a halftime text interaction with his wife as insipriation.
Cool. Then WHY did you participate in the wheelbarrow race celebration AS THE WHEELBARROW? You race on your hands as your teammates grab your INJURED ANKLE for ... a celebration?
And then you LOST.
I lost some respect for my favorite coach in the NFL (Mike McDaniel) for not addressing this during Hard Knocks, but I lost more respect for every journalist in his press conferences for not brining it up.
If "reek" doesn't play this game, it is because he is afraid of Sauce. It would also indicate Mike McDaniel is a coward. Don't get me wrong - I'd handle NFL players the same way - which is why I am not an NFL coach.
Jets win 28 - 24
Kansas City Chiefs (8-5) at New England Patriots (3-10)
Mahomes had his worst professional moment last week. I hope he makes like the Grinch - but instead of his heart growing three sizes - maybe his maturity grows by a couple decades?
Chiefs win 38 - 7
New York Giants (5-8) at New Orleans Saints (6-7)
Tommy Devito is fun. Maybe not on the road though.
I still hope he plays good enough down the stretch for the Giants to cut Danny Dimes.
Saints win 23 - 3
Atlanta Falcons (6-7) at Carolina Panthers (1-12)
Anyone who actually made it to the fantasy playoffs after drafting Bijan in the first round will win the whole thing.
My bet is there is maybe 3 fantasy teams nation-wide who accomplished this feat.
Falcons win 45 - 17
Sunday Afternoon
Dallas Cowboys (10-3) at Buffalo Bills (7-6)
I'm absolutely not calling this game.
I did see a video of Jake Ferguson dipping his hands in ice water, then running through pads with the faces of Bills defenders taped to them. I didn't see him catch a ball with ice hands though... go Tony Pollard.
Washington Commanders (4-9) at Los Angeles Rams (6-7)
I do not like this game.
Commanders win 38 - 21
Sunday Night
Baltimore Ravens (10-3) at Jacksonville Jaguars (8-5)
This is the first Sunday Night Football game for Jacksonville in 14 years. That doesn't seem fair, but it seems right.
This is your reminder - sometimes things that don't seem fair are also right.
Jaguars win 23 - 20
Monday Night
Philidelphia Iggles (10-3) at Seatle Seahawks (6-7)
I cannot tell you how happy I am that this game is on Monday night.
Pete Carroll is a better coach than Nick Sirianni. That is not a compliment to either of them.
Seahawks win 37 - 33
Taylor Swift NFL Prediction Update
I'm 6 - 0 when global warming isn't in the picture. I still don't think she goes to Gillette this weekend - especially after that fit Pat threw last week.
If Taylor wants to watch children throw a fit she just needs to check her social media comments written by middle-aged men.
Rock and roll,
-Stein
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