1-Man’s Opinion on Sports-Monday “Thanksgiving-Lots of Football-Lots of Turkey”
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“Lots of Turkey-Lots of Football”
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Now that was a pretty good Thanksgiving we had around the TV set and in stadiums. A weekend full of football and fine food.
CHARGERS…The team is playing well, and yes a (5-6) record, has put them into second place in a collapsing AFC-West. They’ve only beaten two teams with winning records, the failing Cowboys and Bills, But they are getting big plays from Philp Rivers and Keenan Allen. The quarterback has stopped turning the ball over. His receive has 23-catches the last two games. And the pass rush remains fierce. Of course they cannot run the ball a lick, but they are keeping the QB-clean, at least better this year, than the past four.
BRONCOS…Oh it’s easy to blame the young QBs, and then fire the offensive coordinator, Mike McCoy, but fans should be firing shots too at General Manager John elway. His decision on the players on the roster. The leaky offensive line. The lack of a quality tight tend. The lack of burners at wideout too.
CHIEFS….Everything has gone off track for Andy Reid. Alex Smith used to manage games. Now they need him to win games. And his offensive line is poor. They dont have enough quality at wide out opposite opposite Tyreek Hill. The run game has gone away. This is a tailspin of epic proportions.
RAIDERS…They could still be dangerous before this is all done, but then again, maybe not, when you consider they have just one interception on the season, opposing QBs hitting on 73% of their passes, and a running game that is spotty at best.
CFL…They played the championship game in the snow last night in Ottawa, with Calgary-Toronto fighting to move the ball on a snow caked field, in the cold, and wind. Fun to watch, not much fun to play in but the sold out-stadium, loaded with bundled up fans, enjoyed
AZTECS…A (10-2) season is a success. Up next, maybe a chance to beat a 3rd team from the PAC-12, if the Aztecs wind up in the Foster Farms Bowl against Washington State, as has been rumored Sunday night. It was a vintage Rashaad Penny day, 203-yards, as State pulled ways from a really poor New Mexico team. Really disappointed only 28,000 fans (more likely) 24,000 showed up. The town still has not embraced a really good San Diego State program.
MOUNTAIN WEST…Only this conference, which has a history of bad decisions, could out do itself in what is happening. Fresno State beat up Boise State on Saturday night…and now will face them again this coming Sunday in the championship game. Last year, the Aztecs played Wyoming twice in a 3-week span in winning the title. Where to play the game? Home town advantage? Neutral sight? Warm weather Sasn Diego? Would anyone come? And of course the on going debate about the lousy TV deal with CBS.
USD…The little train that could, did it again.. The Toreros thumping of Northern Arizona in the opening game of the FCS (1AA) playoffs. Superb defense by the Toreros, strong passing game from QB-Anthony Lawrence, and a (10-2) record as they head to North Dakota State for next weeks second round game.
ALABAMA…The Crimson Tide fell apart, got beat up, were dominated, and just do not look like a typical Nick Sasban team.
AUBURN…Some month of November down there on the plains. The Tigers knocked out #1-ranked Georgia a couple of weeks ago, then duplicated it again on Saturday against Bama. Got both those wins at Jordan Hare Stadium. The wheels could fall off the carriage next week in the rematch in the SEC title game against Georgia.
NOTRE DAME…Guess they were never for real, getting beat twice in the last three weeks. So much for being ranked in the top five.
OHIO STATE…Hughe comeback win over Michigan, though costly injuries along the way. The emotional win over Penn State then the ambush loss at Iowa. And of course Urban Meer complaining about the sidelines situation in Ann Arbor saying might have caused in QB’s knee injury.
MIAMI….Cold weather…over-confident…how do the unbeaten Hurricanes lose on the road to sub-500-Pitt. Maybe they were never a dominant team, but the rankings have been littered with upsets every week.
GEORGIA…This may be big boy football at its best. The Bulldogs are three deep at running back and will be favored in the SEC title game and will be in the final four for the playoffs.
CLEMSON…Not blowing anyone out, since the departure of Deshaun Watson and Mike Williams and Wayne Gallman, but here they are (11-1), waiting for an invite to the final four.
OKLAHOMA…The Sooners are (11-1) and explosive and will be a work warrior come playoff time.
THE QUARTERBACKS….Waiting game about to begin with Josh Rosen-UCLA and Sam Darnold-USC to see if they leave school for the NFL draft, or come back for another year.
THE COACHES…Some weekend too, for coaching changes. Texas A&M, Florida, UCLA, Tennessee, Nebraska, Arizona State, Oregon State, Arkansas, all dumping coaches with big buyouts, and now filling jobs in a 72-hour span. At last count, 17-Division 1-football jobs opened up, and quickly to be filled up .
UP NEXT…The final CFP rankings…and the Bowl choices. Going to be a fun December.
Some Thanksgiving, full of turkey and football.
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