Optimum nee Cablevision, a 41 years plus “way more negative than positive,” (Yet I keep paying. The move is to switch, not by much, but it is the “move.” Ode to the late Mitchell “Moves” Baum, not the Seinfeld episode) “noted” it would “tv” the exponentially more important (football wise) Bills/Pats, rather than contracted, Jax/Jets. It was Jax/Jets (Howard said Jets “as”) and Buffalo is now (-800) to “div” (they once were -2300 and plus 280, as it fluctuates) after beating “Belichick’s Bunch.” Each team is (9-6) but Buffalo with home tilts vs Atlanta and the Jets remaining also has the tiebreaker if they win vs the Jets, in a game they could be as high as 17 point favorites.
Next, as for the second straight season I did not pay for “Red Zone,” NFL Network has well behind updates showing the action. That is bad enough, as they are way behind. Far worse, a la ESPN/AKA Frankenstein/The Monolith, they put up Raiders TD (7-0), even as they were showing each play in the drive.
All day I avoided sound, save the Cowboys/Wash opening, in which Cris Collinsworth said “If Dak (Dallas QB- Prescott) gets hot they could win it all.” What does that mean?!! What insight from a man, who is as phony as a $3.62 bill.
Now Moss just said re Dallas–“when they put it all together, they can win the whole thing.” Come on Mitch, you are an odds guy and a winner in betting, a true rarity. You can do better than that.
No Supe for given everything Joe Buck, however, he gets the penultimate game as it has alternated between AFC and NFC since the NFC had the later conference title tilt from ’88-’95. It is the NFC’s turn to have that tilt.
First and their magic number for the coveted 1 seed is 2, “vs” current “2” seed Dallas, Green Bay won the NFL crown in 4 previous 5/10 years. (Cue Butler’s on Tuckahoe Road a 5 and 10 store. Now dollar stores, that as of rip off 2022 times, ought to be called 1.69 stores). “G.B.”won it all 60 years ago (’61), 85 (Max McGee, I rooted vs those great Pack teams, but years later, love them. With Rodgers, a great, albeit with just 1 crown, I doubt I will ever feel fondly regarding them, despite Kenny and Walter “Mac” rooting for them) years ago in ’36, 55 years ago in ’66 and 25 years ago in ’96.
As GB’s survival/no cover at Baltimore ended, “Bucky Boo” talked of the first and upcoming Supes being in L.A. He cited the first Supe matched current and still current Conference 1’s, Green Bay and Kansas City.
Green Bay is (12-3), Dallas is (11-4) but the latter has the better conference record and thus would have the the 2 team and maybe any seeding tiebreaker advantage.
K.C. (they have won 8 straight and the “over K.C. 12 and a half wins, guy or gal” can win it, needing 10 straight wins. Beano would have had the under and then one win away, would have “gone the other way” and won big. Not so me and Beano, looking down from above, would repeat, perhaps to my father, called such a kind man, as the fact so many people were at his funeral attests, “he never learns.” Remember I bet small, so I am just letting off proverbial “steam.”).
Thus GB/KC in an L.A. based Supe, 55 years later? Certainly it is the lowest “odds vs” choice, however, those odds are still against it. Much more on this c-ap down the road, a place conference top seeds avoid.
Exactly 50 years ago, on Saturday December 25, 1971 there were two NFL division round games played. After that occurred, I believe it being the first Christmas Day NFL ACTION, (remember as Arnold Wexler of Gambler’s Anonymous asserted “without gambling, football would be soccer, in terms of popularity, which is not much in this country, so different in most of the rest of the planet) the NFL, I believe correctly, (and I am Jewish) decided not to have any more Christmas Day tilts.
Of course that has changed.
I have recalled the famed double overtime Miami Dolphins’ win at Kansas City in the later game exactly 50 years ago.
Sadly, an audio cassette of some of that day’s games including my father “calling” a play involving the Chiefs’ Wendell Hayes is gone.
My dad stated he believed it would finally be the Dallas Cowboys’ year after a play that all but wrapped up their earlier game victory at Minnesota vs the Vikings that day.
Then we had Jack Whitaker as the game announcer. Now it has all turned to an “s” word. SLUSH! You did not think I would …..
In this the upcoming 16th of 18 NFL “reg” weeks, teams (hopefully) will complete their 15th games, in this the first season, in which there are 17 games.
I will cite 4 semis rematches among games between this week’s opponents.
On Saturday night in Green Bay, on the same venerable Lambeau Field, so muddy nearly 56 years ago, when Paul Hornung, Bart Starr led the Pack to the first of what is still an unprecedented 3 straight NFL crowns, topping the Cleveland Browns (23-12) in Cleveland great, Jim Brown’s last game with the team, it is (11-3) and current NFC leader, Green Bay hosting (7-7) Cleveland in a redux of the aforementioned 1965 NFL title tilt. That, by the way, was the last pre Super Bowl season.
There are two rematches of not only past semis, but also of games played 2 weeks ago. In the far more important game, likely the AFC East title is on the line, as (9-5) New England (Patriots), which beat Buffalo (Bills), two weeks back and in an AFL unscheduled playoff/”semi” in 1963, is the home team vs the (8-6) Bills.
Two weeks ago, on a day “faves” rolled, almost certain NFC East winner, (10-4) Dallas (Cowboys) won at now (6-8) Washington (Football team, my first time putting that nickname in parentheses), covering as about 5 point favorites.
“Wash” won both title tilts, played 10 years apart in 1972 and 1982. The ’82 (strike) season tilt is the only one of the 102 Conference Title games NOT played on a Sunday. It was played on a Saturday with Pat “Super” Summerall doing television play by play.
In 3 straight “even year” seasons, the NFC title tilt matched teams playing each other this week. In both the 1974 and 1976 NFC title games, each played in Minnesota, the home team Vikings defeated the L.A. Rams to advance to their third and fourth Supes. As was the case in the first two, Minnesota never led and thus lost.
The Rams, back in L.A. are (10-4) while the Vikings enter the tilt with a (7-7) record.
Why blow a gasket?! The ineptitude goes on and on and is rewarded.
Kevin Seifert of ESPN.COM (By the way, though the Packers held off the Ravens (31-30) the all powerful monolith’s site stayed with Packers in control the whole time in its update of the tilt. Is not anybody there? How about just giving the details? No that is the antithesis of what this “Frankenstein” stands for. Its creed is to dress up vapid people to spout nonsense while an indifferent, pathetic public, one duped into no vaccines and worse, keeps tuning in!!) did it again.
He typed the following:
“The Cardinals’ downturn has also reopened the NFC West as at least an interesting possibility for the Rams. A win over the Seahawks would leave L.A. a game out with three left to play.”
Going into to tonight’s game at home vs Seattle (Seahawks) the Rams have a record of (9-4). The Cardinals of Arizona stand at (10-4).
I know at least for now or even if they do no matter what, Arizona has the tiebreaker advantage over the Rams. That means if the Rams win tonight, Arizona’s lead is a fraction of a game or to simplify a half game lead.
If the Rams win tonight and gain a game the rest of the way, they would win the division. Thus if the Rams win tonight, they would NOT be a game out as Seifert wrote, but a half game out.
I wonder what Seifert’s report card indicated. Yet he works while I …..
Again it is far from the end, but perhaps the karma of another Gisele, who as perhaps scripted by “some eternal plan” (cue “Fiddler On The Roof”) that decrees Andy B. walks this earth alone, rejected, somehow worked vs “Gisele Bundchen packing” Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, whose “sig” other, (Linda Holliday) rates high with me.
Mr. Brady’s defending champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers allowed 9 (there were that many squares/people in the “blended” Brady Bunch TV family) points to the New Orleans Saints, but scored NONE and lost a game that at least for now and somewhat likely period, hurts their seeding position in the NFC.
The (9-0) Bucs’ loss allowed evokes memories of the 1979 NFC title tilt, in which the L.A. Rams won (9-0) at Tampa Bay vs the Bucs. That day the eventual champion Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the then Houston Oilers, now the Tennessee Titans in Pittsburgh in the AFC Championship Game. Sunday past, the Steelers though with the ball but one third of the tilt, evoking memories of Mr. Belichick as Giants’ assistant coach, masterful job in doing so, vs the Bills, to key the win in the ’90 season Super Bowl, defeated the Titans. Who but me?!!
Regarding the “genius,” Mr. Belichick, who has slipped considerably (I know what a surprise the Pats have been but ….) since erring in saying the New York Giants were 1958 title game favorites vs the Baltimore Colts when not only were the Colts 3 plus point(s) favorites, there were at best, “spread” implications when the great John Unitas (referred to as “Yoonitas” that night on “What’s My Line?” by Bennett Cerf) first threw to Jim Mutscheller and then Alan Ameche scored to win the NFL’s first overtime tilt, in its greatest and most significant game. (On a personal note, I feel the glory of that game, the great players and coaches on both sides, but realize it led to the exponentially overblown entity, football/”pig” has become).
Belichick, he of 8 titles, 6 as decision maker/head coach (surely you know Brady has 7, six with Belichick) FG’d down (17-0)/4th and 1 coaching Cleveland, at Pittsburgh in Slot 1/ 1994. Mysteriously, he did similar, early in an eventual Supe loss to the Eagles.
Saturday night past, Belichick his now (9-5) Pats team (the (8-6) Bills visit N.E. in a game that likely will decide the division winner on Sunday and it is as if the 70’s with out of it Jets and Giants tilts denying viewers in N.Y. such big games as Buff/N.E.) down 13, 4th and goal from the 7, with just under 9 minutes remaining in the 4th quarter, (not saying they would have made it, likely they would not, but “you must try.” (Cue the Superman episode when “The Man of Steel” was split into 2 with less power.”
First of all, let me be clear, while Blast of Silence (directed by and starring Allen Baron, who as with “Doggy Doc,” was born in 1927 and is still alive) seen today on TCM is a very good film, it does not compare, nor do very many with either of the first two Godfather films.
However, a scene in “Blast of Silence” had more than one major similarity to the one in “2,” in which the young “Vito,”(Corleone) played by Robert De Niro, is in a stairway and climbs down from the roof of a New York City building.
Check out either film and write in with the similarities, remembering ‘Silence” was made 13 years before “The Godfather: Part 2.” “Blast of Silence” premiered in 1961.
On Wednesday night, September 26, 1973, Bill Robinson a fine player, later a part of two title teams, committed a three base error that opened the proverbial “floodgates” for a huge division contending Pittsburgh Pirates’ inning in route to a victory vs Robinson’s Philadelphia Phillies.
It occurs to me that Robinson’s error helped the Pirates and hurt the also contending and as it played out division and pennant winning, (82-79) New York Mets.
Six years later Robinson was a platoon player on the 1979 World Champion Pirates. Bill was on first when the great Willie Stargell cracked the biggest play of baseball 1979, 2 run home run in game 7.
Seven years after that, Bill was the first base coach for the 1986 baseball champion, New York Mets.
There is playoffs history involved, regarding 11 of the 14 inter-conference tilts this 15th week of NFL “pig.” (He was cited but should not have been as he was/is a sadistic “roto-rooter” glad at certain failures)– I will cite the 4 rematches from a Conference Championship game.
On Saturday night, the (7-6) Indianapolis Colts are close to 3 point favorites vs the (9-4) New England Patriots. “N.E.” is still coached by 6 time Supe winning coach, Bill Belichick( he also won 2 as a N.Y. Giants assistant coach, who contributed mightily), who was at the helm in ’03 when the Pats “title gamed” the Colts and in ’06 when the Colts won the two team’s AFC title game clash. Each time, and after the Pats’ 2004 “slots”/div round win vs the Colts, the winning team in a Pats/Colts ‘off went on to win it all.
There are also 2 previous title game battles between the (9-4) Tennessee Titans nee Houston Oilers and (6-6-1) Pittsburgh Steelers. They clash in Pittsburgh Sunday.
The Steelers, also in route to Supe crowns, won both, ripping the then Houston Oilers in rainy Pittsburgh in ’78 and getting a relatively close win, aided considerably by a highly questionable, no Oilers’ Mike Renfro TD (Mike’s dad, Ray was an integral part of Cleveland Browns’ title teams in the Otto Graham era) call in ’79.
In a later Sunday tilt, the (7-6) S.F. 49ers are big “faves” in a home tilt vs the (6-7) Atlanta Falcons. In 2011, the Niners overcame a (17-0) deficit and won at Atlanta in the NFC title game. SF was under current college semi-final participant, coach Jim Harbaugh and in the subsequent Supe lost to the Baltimore Ravens, who were and still are “under”/coached by John Harbaugh, Jim’s brother.
Weather was also a factor when the A.J. Duhe led Miami Dolphins won the strike season 1982 AFC title game clash (14-0) vs the New York Jets. They lost the subsequent Supe to Washington.
This week, “Mia” with its (6-7) record is a big “fave” vs the (3-10) Jets.
Only the Houston Texans/Jacksonville Jaguars, Cincinnati Bengals/Denver Broncos and Arizona Cardinals/Detroit Lions games this week, among the 14 within conference tilts, have no ‘offs history between the teams.
I count 8 instances, 5 cited above regarding Pats/Colts and Steelers/Titans nee Oilers, in which the team that won an ‘offs game involving this week’s opponents went on to win it all.
The Giants in ’07, “div rounded/slotted” home team, Dallas and its never even won a “div” game, yet given all, Tony Romo in route to a third Super Bowl title.
In 1980, the Raiders won a road slots game at Cleveland in route to their second title. Mike Davis’ interception in the end zone was the big play. Approximately 8 years later, another Mike Davis walked with 2 outs none on, his team down a run B9 in game 1 of the ’88 World Series.
Next Kirk Gibson hit a 2 run home run lifted his L.A. Dodgers (5-4) over Oakland (A’s) in game 1, in route to a 5 game World Series victory.
Last season Tampa Bay (Buccaneers) also won a road slots/div rd game vs this week’s opponent, the New Orleans Saints and went on to win it all, giving its “QB” Tom Brady a record 7th crown.
It was fun to watch a great episode of “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” (“Cop For A Day”) on MeTV last night.
Walter Matthau, in another “bad guy” role before his iconic career in largely comedic efforts, starred and was in a key scene with his real life wife Carol Grace.
The episode aired in 1961, two years after Walter and Carol wed. They stayed married for 41 years, until Mr. Matthau passed on in 2000.
Very simple! The Tennessee Titans have a (9-4) mark, the Indianapolis Colts’ record stand at (7-6) so the following can NOT be accurate.
On ESPN.com, Seifert wrote: “the Titans are essentially up three games with four remaining because of their head-to-head sweep” —
No! The fact is that if the Colts gain 3 games, they would have a better record than Tennessee and would win the division.
The correct way to inform regarding the Titans’ lead is to say it is 2 and a fraction or just say/write 2 and a half.
If the Colts gain 2 games in the final 4 weeks and finish with the same record as “Tenn,” then the Titans win the division, based on the (2-0) mark vs the Colts in their games vs each other.
Andy B Sports 