With the 2018 NFL Regular Season coming to a close, and only a few playoff spots currently up for grabs, I thought it might be high time to discuss something that’s a little different than our usual weekend preview yet is equally as important when it comes to the final week of this season; which coaches might be looking for a new job come Monday morning. For the infamous Black Monday is almost upon us in the NFL, and there are a few coaches out there fighting for their jobs come tomorrow and here are my thoughts on which franchises may be parting ways with their Head Coaches after Week 17 comes to a close.
 
Vance Joseph – Denver Broncos
When Vance was hired in Denver two years ago following the retirement of Gary Kubiak, he was called a ‘leader of men’, and well…it’s obvious that particular phrase was an incorrect assessment of his abilities. Because he’s never been able to get the best out of his players. In fact, the past couple of years for the Broncos have been an outright disaster with Joseph at the helm since the team has endured back to back losing seasons that have featured some embarrassing blowouts and while that alone is sound reasoning to relieve him of his duties, the fact that this squad has beaten some great football teams from time to time speaks volumes to how the right players are likely in place, it’s the coaching that’s failed them and that’s why I think Vance will be gone come Monday.
 
Steve Wilks – Arizona Cardinals
Oddly enough, Steve Wilks is another head coach that was brought in after a great coach bid farewell to the game with the belief that he would keep the Arizona Cardinals in successful territory. But Steve’s first year as the skipper of the Cardinals has been a complete and utter nightmare since quality players on defense have regressed in their play and Josh Rosen hasn’t grown all that much and well, this team has, for the most part, been woefully unprepared to play on Sundays and it’s clear that Steve is in over his head, which is why I think he will be dismissed on Monday, so the Cardinals can go find a coach that can nurture their new franchise quarterback.
 
Todd Bowles – New York Jets
Sometimes, when a new Head Coach arrives on the scene, they need a little time and a talent injection to show ownership they were the right guy for the job. And sometimes, they come in and wow the football world with instant turnaround and sometimes…they’re an outright flash in the pan, as is the case with Todd Bowles. Because his 10-6 campaign as the new Head Coach of the Jets in 2015 made it seem as though the franchise was headed in the right direction at last. But following that wonderful first year has come three more filled with woe since the Jets finished 5-11 in ’16 and ’17 and are on pace to finish worse than that this year, unless they win in New England tomorrow, which is not likely to happen. Which means that even with a brand new and talented QB, Bowles isn’t getting the job done and I expect the New York Jets to part ways with him simply because they’ve given him plenty of time and an infusion of talent and he’s squandered every opportunity away.
 
Dirk Koetter – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
When Dirk Koetter took over in Tampa Bay in 2016, it seemed as though his dynamic offensive mind and the unique talents of QB Jameis Winston would serve as a recipe for success in Florida…but that never turned out to be the case. Winston has proven himself to be an average quarterback at best and has not grown under Dirk’s tutelage and the team as a whole…stinks. They haven’t been to the playoffs since Dirk took over, the offense is anemic at best and the defense couldn’t stop a sleepy toddler from running down the field and to make matters worse, they’ve endured back to back losing seasons as well. If anything, it’s obvious Dirk just isn’t the right guy for the job and I expect Tampa Bay to start the search for a new coach, and potentially a new QB once Sunday’s game has come to an end.
 
Ron Rivera – Carolina Panthers
What’s fascinating about Ron Rivera’s standing on this particular list, is the sheer fact that he’s actually enjoyed some measured success as skipper of the Carolina Panthers. After all, he’s been to the playoffs four times and oversaw Carolina’s Super Bowl 50 campaign. But, despite the success he’s enjoyed during his tenure, the team has been in free fall mode since they lost to the Denver Broncos in the Super Bowl, because this is a team that is no longer mentally tough, and they crack and falter under pressure and the biggest culprit when it comes to that is Ron’s star quarterback Cam Newton, whose ego is bigger than the games he’s played in, and Ron has done little to manage this problem, which helped lead to an early exit from the playoffs in 2017. So, when we take into account the fact that he can’t get his guys to settle down and ball, and throw his gross mismanagement of Newton’s shoulder injury this year into the mix, because he should have shut Cam down weeks ago, don’t be surprised if Carolina’s new owner decides it is time to take this franchise in a new direction by way of a new head coach. 

​The end of Week 16 is a bittersweet time in the NFL. For while there are plenty of thrilling games to reminisce upon, its end also harkens the fact that the end of the Regular Season is near, and the football season in general for that matter, since the Super Bowl is right around the corner. But, as I made mention of a moment ago, there are indeed some wonderful moments that came out of this weekend’s slate of games, which means it is time we dig into said games and discuss what we learned from them.
 
The Baltimore Ravens are scary good right now.
More and more it seems as though the Ravens might make the playoffs and win the AFC North and there’s good reason for that, because they are playing some incredible football right now. The defense is playing lights out and the offense is energized and electric with Lamar Jackson at the helm and well, I am thoroughly impressed with this squad after their big time win over the Chargers and other franchises in the league better hope that they don’t make the playoffs, because if they do, there’s a very good chance they will play the spoiler and end someone’s Super Bowl dreams…
 
The Dallas Cowboys are NFC East Division Champions once again.
I have in the past, thrown a lot of shade at the Dallas Cowboys, but with good reason. Because for some time now, they’ve been all hype and haven’t produced a whole lot on the field. But, this year, has been a different story, and the addition of Amari Cooper has made a world of difference and for their efforts, the Cowboys secured the division title this past weekend against Tampa Bay, and they deserve every bit of credit when it comes to that victory. Because they earned it, and their divisional crown and if they continue to play solid defense and keep that offense rolling, then there is a fair chance they will go far in the playoffs. But for now, they can bask in the wonder of becoming the NFC East Division Champions.
 
The Philadelphia Eagles are soaring right now.
Let’s be honest, a few weeks ago, we were all thinking that the season was over for the Philadelphia Eagles and it was better luck next year. But, oddly enough, reports of the Eagles demise have been greatly exaggerated, because this team is suddenly playing some dynamic football with Nick Foles at the helm and once again, the Eagles wowed the football world by hanging with the electric Houston Texans at home before securing the win late in the game. Meaning that their playoffs hopes are alive and well and if they get a little help this upcoming weekend, they might get a shot at defending their title properly in the playoffs.
 
The road to the Super Bowl is going through New Orleans in the NFC.
It’s almost been a storybook season for the New Orleans Saints. Their future hall of fame quarterback has lit up defense after defense this year and broken records along the way and the team has secured the NFC South as well. But I used the world almost, because the only way this season can get any better for the Saints, is if they win the Super Bowl, and it just so happens that on Sunday, their comeback win against the Steelers helped that cause just a little bit since said victory allowed for New Orleans to lock up home field advantage throughout the playoffs. So, one way another, any team that wants a shot at the title has to deal with the Saints at home and I wish them luck, because New Orleans is tough to beat in the Big Easy.
 
The Kansas City Chiefs need their defense to step up.
Patrick Mahomes has been the feel-good story of the year simply due to the fact that this kid has been a breath of fresh air at the quarterback position. In a league where RPO is the new hot thing, Mahomes serves as a reminder of the gunslingers of yesteryear, the ones who made miracles happen with a flick of their wrist and his fine performance has led this team to a lovely record and a playoff berth. But alas, something has started to cast a shadow on the offense’s amazing season in Kansas City, it’s porous defense. Because teams have figured the KC secondary out and are taking full advantage of its weaknesses and well, it’s costing the Chiefs important games and to put it mildly, this defense needs to step it up. Because if a quality QB comes to Arrowhead in the playoffs, and that D keeps playing it loose, he will feast upon that awful secondary and end this magical season in prompt and bitter fashion.

Well, here we are my fellow football fanatics, the home stretch of the 2018 regular season. For in a couple of weeks, the playoffs and the fight for the Lombardi Trophy gets underway. But before that moment arrives, there are still a large slate of games to enjoy, and playoffs spots to be clenched and incredible storylines to be resolved. So, on that note, let’s get right to it today and highlight the top stories from the field and the most fascinating games to keep an eye upon in Week 16 in the NFL.
 
Can the Patriots win without Josh Gordon in the lineup?
Yesterday we learned that Patriots receiver Josh Gordon is stepping away from the game to work on his mental health and substance abuse issues and I certainly wish him the best when it comes to his recovery But his exit does present quite the conundrum for New England for Mister Gordon was brought in to help bolster an already thin wide receiving corps and without his contributions on the field, one has to wonder if the Pats can win without him and I think the short answer to that question is yes. Because the Pats host the Bills and the Jets at home respectively, so I’ll be shocked if they falter there. But, when the playoffs arrive, it’s a whole different story and losing a quality wide receiver such as Josh, and not having the foresight to add depth at this position may cost New England dearly in the postseason.
 
Will the Rams be able to get back on track after another tough loss?
They say in the NFL that winning fixes everything and there’s a lot of truth to that statement. But what we also often forget in this league is that losing engenders losing and mistakes made hang heavy over talented teams and their players and right now the Rams are in a tough place. After all, they’ve dropped two in a row, their star QB looks pedestrian at the moment and while they should beat the Cardinals this week since Arizona is an awful team, there is a chance they can lose this game as well if they let negativity and mistakes get the better of them. So, the answer to this question, is yes, provided the Rams slow things down a bit and work on execution and the next play and if they can do that, and get into a rhythm, they’ll be fine, but if not…expect more trouble for this talented team.
 
Will San Francisco play the spoiler again?
Say what you will about the San Francisco 49ers and their rough last couple of years, because in the here and the now, this team is starting to find its groove on both offense and defense that’s spelled trouble for teams that have faced them in the past few weeks since these guys have played the spoiler on several occasions now. And that little tidbit matters because this week, they face off against another quality team in the Chicago Bears and I am left wondering as to whether or not they will find a way to spoil Chicago’s magnificent season with an embarrassing loss as well and it is quite possible. Because if the Bears take the Niners for granted and don’t play them with intensity or heart, they’ll shock Chicago and walk away with a win. So, don’t be surprised if an upset occurs, because right now, San Francisco wants to end its season on the highest note possible. 

This is a matchup that has my attention simply due to the fact that it might be one intense game. After all, the Steelers are riding high after defeating the New England Patriots last week and the Saints are a damn fine team that know exactly what’s at stake going forward, a shot at home field advantage. Which means this game has the makings of a shootout since it features two quarterbacks who love to sling the ball, but really, this game will come down to defense. For both of these teams also feature squads that play it loose on that side of the ball at times, which has cost them dearly this season. So whichever D decides to turn it on and make life hell for the QB they’re facing is likely the one to win this game and, in all honesty, I think the Saints walk away the winner in this one since I’m sure they would love to be at home during the playoffs. 

It’s all about the potential for a good game when it comes to this matchup and this one has the makings of a back and forth classic for so many reasons. For starters, you know the Texans would like to solidify their playoff standing since a bye week is always welcome this time of year and the Eagles, well they are flying high after their surprise victory over the Rams last week and they would like to keep their playoff hopes alive at this point. Which means both of these teams are going to bring their A-game to the field come Sunday and that means this could either be a shootout, or a defensive struggle depending on how things go and when all is said and done, I honestly expect Houston to walk away the winner in this one, simply due to the fact that they are playing better football than Philly right now. 

​This game is fascinating to me simply due to the fact that both of these teams are in a sour place since both of these teams lost to division rivals last week, which means they’re heading into this one hoping to punish their opponent and get their season back on track and well, this one is actually quite the toss-up. Because both of these teams are beatable, since they feature solid but not strong defenses and a pair of gunslinger quarterbacks. So, this one may quite literally come down to the old adage of ‘who wants it more’ since both of these teams have folded in the final seconds of the game or seen victories slip away due to a lapse in effort and while I haven’t a clue who is going to win in this one, I am expecting for this game to be an outright blast for fans to watch. 

The National Lacrosse League just kicked off its 2018-19 season last weekend, so I thought I would commemorate the new campaign with another edition of For the Love of Logos. I wrote about how I came to be infatuated with sports logos and team identities in my first For the Love of Logos. As in past iterations of the column, I’ll identify some logos from the league’s history that are my personal favorites and some that I’m not as crazy about.
 
The NLL provides an interesting case study for team names and logos. It started out as the Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League in 1987, before becoming the Major Indoor Lacrosse League in 1988, and then the NLL in 1997. The league’s formative years were in the 90’s when sports logos in general were a little goofy and cartoonish, and the history of its teams reflects that. The NLL has typically featured team identities that are sillier and different from those typically found in the Big Four.
 
Unfortunately, the league has lacked serious stability throughout its history, save for a few cornerstone franchises. It has housed teams in 36 different locations, despite only ever having between four and thirteen teams playing at one time. Even heading into this season, two teams have been added (San Diego Seals, Philadelphia Wings), one has rebranded (Vancouver Stealth became the Warriors), and two more have been announced to begin play next year (Halifax, New York). But that’s all a story for another time. What all of that change does mean, on a positive note, is that there have been plenty of unique lacrosse team names and logos over the last 30 years.
 
For this piece, I looked at teams that played in the NLL, not back at teams that played only in the EPBLL or the MILL. A big shout out, as always, to sportslogos.net for the images! So, without further ado, let’s look at six of my favorites and six of my not-so-favorites. 

Colorado Mammoth
Yep. I will 100 percent own up to being biased here. The Mammoth are my home team, the first box lacrosse team I ever watched, and my favorite team. With all that out there, though, I would still think the Mammoth have hands-down the best logo in the league right now even if I weren’t a fan. The logo is clean, strong, and evocative. So much is shown in one image. Simplicity wins.
 
Arizona Sting
I, for one, think scorpions are wholly underutilized in the sports world. The team name is a little different, but the logo itself is absolutely a winner. An extremely large scorpion (or a regular sized scorpion holding an extremely tiny lacrosse stick) is in an aggressive stance and ready to defend the desert. I’m a sucker for animals, fish, insects, or arachnids playing sports. Plus, I think it’s a great regional mascot for an Arizona team, just like the Diamondbacks or the Coyotes.
 
New York Saints
More animals holding lacrosse sticks, please! While it’s a little cartoony, this logo has a few great features. The ‘Saints’ name is played on by both the Saint Bernard and by the halo that dots the ‘i’ in the wordmark. The fact that the dog is wearing lacrosse gloves is a great touch too, reminding me of the glove-clad Pittsburgh penguin. With the NLL announcing a New York team as its 13th franchise, plenty of fans have called for the return of the New York Saints (although that is not one of the three options on the franchise website’s team name survey. Those would be the Force, Beacons, and Riptide).
 
New York Titans
Other fans are calling for the return of the New York Titans as the NLL’s new 13th franchise is named, and for good reason. The name is nostalgic in the city, harkening back to the old NFL New York Titans moniker. It also came with a cool logo. The Titan’s logo is almost the grandfather to the Vegas Golden Knights logo, with a ‘T’ inside the helmet (to Vegas’ ‘V’ helmet). The best touch is the skyscraper spire as the spike on top of the helmet (while the logo essentially stayed the same when the Titans moved from New York to Orlando, the skyscraper portion was obviously left behind).
 
San Diego Seals
The new kids on the block in 2018 roared in with a logo to win me over. San Diego took a purple color scheme that was currently untapped in the league, paired it with gold, silver, black, and a cool sea critter. While Seals is a fun and light-hearted name, the trident crown-sporting seal in the logo looks kind of tough. San Diego took an uncommon mascot name and infrequently used colors and made them work.
 
Portland Lumberjax
The Lumberjax logo feels very modern. It looks like one of the logos that Brandiose might create for a Minor League Baseball team today. In the primary logo, I like the added detail of the ‘Portland’ wordmark within the swoosh behind the lacrosse ball landing in the stick. The team also had a cool secondary logo - ‘Jax’, with the ‘x’ spelled out by an axe and a lacrosse stick finely crafted from wood. If it weren’t for that secondary logo, I could probably do without the team name ending in ‘x’ though. Apparently the Shamrox and Lumberjax had something against spelling at the time, both avoiding ‘-cks’.

Vancouver Warriors
I’m talking about this one first to get it out of the way. It feels a little unfair listing it as an all-time flop. I don’t necessarily think that’s true and I don’t necessarily think it’s a bad logo. It’s just a little plain, and plain is something I think the franchise has suffered from. The team got the new Warriors name in 2018, but they had pretty boring logos when they were the Stealth, no matter if they were in Vancouver or Washington or San Jose. The black and gold color scheme is cool, but the crest feels like it would belong to a soccer club. That does fit in with the new, refined look the league itself is going for. So, since I’m saying more good things than bad things, let’s move on to a truly bad logo from an NLL team in Vancouver…
 
Vancouver Ravens
Was today the day you thought you’d see a bird with six-pack abs? I bet it wasn’t. While I’m usually a fan of animal mascots, especially those doing people things, I can’t get behind this one. He’s a weird mix of being cartoony and being shirtless and ripped in detail. He has human teeth and no pupils, both of which are creepy. He’s also apparently tatted up, displaying a big red V on left pec (at least he reps his city?). This is a lot going on for a raven.
 
Syracuse Smash
Maybe it was cool at the time (it probably wasn’t), but it’s way too 90’s now, and not in a good way. The backwards hat/sunglasses guy looks like a 90’s juice mascot. Definitely not Capri Sun or Sunny D, but the bootleg, dollar store versions of those drinks. Or maybe like the main character in an after school special cartoon where you learn that spending your time playing lacrosse is better than trying cigarettes with the bad kids.
 
Ottawa Rebel
Just like the Syracuse Smash mascot, the Ottawa Rebel is a shady character. First, the team name. Singular names have been popular throughout the NLL’s history (Wave, Rock, Rush, Attack, Storm). Rebel doesn’t work quite as well as the others. As for the logo, when your team’s mascot is just a menacing redhead with a ponytail and a very popped collar, there is a lot of room for improvement.
 
Washington Power
The D.C. team featured a nice red, white, and blue color scheme, so it had that going for it. But
I’m not sure what’s going on with the ‘w’ that’s ‘hidden’ in the ‘p’. Is it supposed to be a ‘W’ for Washington D.C.? The city name is spelled out right above it, so that seems redundant. Were they trying to sneak the word ‘wow’ in the logo? Because that’s silly. Either way, it looks like the logo was typed up five minutes before the board meeting where it was pitched. It’s pretty dull.
 
Georgia Swarm
The Swarm logo is an ‘S’ that is supposed to be a swarm of insects or maybe an insect itself, but mostly looks like a wave or just a jagged ‘S’. I mostly dragged them into this so I could have the chance to talk about their terrible uniforms. The jerseys feature both bee striping down the sides and a honeycomb pattern on the shoulders with a winged lacrosse stick secondary logo on the front. And they come in yellow. So bad.  

​Just like that, there are only two weeks left in the 2018 NFL regular season and honestly, this past weekend’s slate of games have left me a tad melancholy that the season is coming to its end. Because once again, we were treated to some powerhouse games and big-time upsets and epic stories abound. So, it’s best we don’t waste any time today and get right down to discussing everything we learned from Week 15 in the NFL.
 
The Chargers were downright impressive on Thursday Night.
I had a feeling that the Thursday Night game was going to be a blast to watch and I was right, since this one turned out to be quite the back and forth affair. But what matters more here, is that the Los Angeles Chargers ended up looking incredibly impressive in primetime since they didn’t let the score or the clock get the better of them, and their patience paid off in spades since they upset the mighty Chiefs on their own home turf and really, the lesson here, is that it’s best fans don’t sleep on the Chargers. Because clearly, they can ball and hang with the best of them and if a good team gives them a grand opportunity, they will most certainly exploit it.
 
The Eagles are a different team with Nick Foles at the helm.
Let’s be honest, 2018 has not gone the way that Eagles fans would like, since the defending Super Bowl Champions have been lackluster at best. But Sunday night, with Nick Foles filling in for the injured Carson Wentz, this squad looked the Eagles of a year ago. They simply played inspired football, the kind that allowed for the defense to step up and neutralize Jared Goff and of course, allowed for the offense to click because they were firing on all cylinders and Foles, well he was simply Captain Cool under center and I hate to say it, with his contract expiring this offseason, Philly may be facing a quarterbacking conundrum since this team tends to play better with #9 running the offense.
 
The Chicago Bears are NFC North Champions.
Often times when I listen to sports radio in the morning, I hear a consistent debate as to which matters more, the players or the coaches, and of course I hear cases for one being more important than the other, often. But the fact of the matter is, both pieces have to be present for a team to have stunning success and for proof, look no further than the Chicago Bears. Because they were loaded with talent yet listless under John Fox. But with Matt Nagy at the helm, and the fine addition of Kahlil Mack to the roster, they’ve gone from worst to first in the NFC North since they clinched their first division title in ages and well, I tip my cap to this well-deserved accolade and look forward to seeing what the Bears can accomplish in the playoffs.
 
Lamar Jackson is a breath of fresh air in Baltimore.
Sometimes things get stale on a football team. The coach’s message may no longer be reaching the players, or certain players get comfortable with their status and position on the team and honestly, I think that’s what happened at quarterback in Baltimore. Because the offense under Joe Flacco for the past couple of years has been ho-hum, and without any excitement or substance. Enter Lamar Jackson. A first round rookie who has changed the narrative this year and put the Ravens in playoff contention for the first time in years and well, this kid really is a blast to watch. He can do it with his legs, he can…mostly do it with his arm and if he leads Baltimore to the postseason, expect the talk about Joe Flacco’s exit to only grow louder since this kid is doing everything you can ask for and more on the field, but most importantly, he’s leading this offense and energizing it.
 
The New England Patriots are a team in decline.
There was a time when a rough patch for the Patriots, meant they were trailing behind in a game and few would worry about it because Tom Brady would step it up and find a way to score however many points they needed to win. But in 2018, this team looks like a shell of their former selves because the defense is downright terrible, and this once prolific offense isn’t anything to write home about either. They simply look like they’re in a funk and in all honesty, I think this may be the beginning of the end of the New England dynasty. Because Brady does not seem like himself at this point in time, and his receivers are struggling with his wild inaccuracy and if this kind of play continues, expect a quick exit from the playoffs from a team that is clearly in decline.  

​The clock continues to tick on the NFL season since there are only a few weeks left for teams to make an impact on either their record or their playoff standings and that means, we are going to be in for quite the treat as team after team gives us their all when they take the field. Which means we should expect more upsets, more surprises and more compelling stories as the season begins to come to a close and with that in mind, it’s time for us highlight some of those stories and preview what should be some incredible games to watch.
 
Will the Rams rebound from their ugly and embarrassing loss to the Bears this week?
Sometimes losing demoralizes a team to the point where they slip into a tailspin and the loss the Rams suffered in Chicago is the kind of loss that does just that. But I think, the Rams are better than teams that let such things get under their skin and will use that ugly Monday Night game as fuel to fine tune their play and leave that embarrassment behind with a quality game against the Eagles and honestly, they couldn’t ask for a better opponent to host after that prime-time misstep. For Philadelphia is just a bad football team this year, and if the Rams can’t handle them at home, well then, I stand corrected when it comes to the character of this team.
 
Can the Broncos pull out a victory over the Browns?
It’s funny, if it was any other year, I wouldn’t even be asking this question, but this is no normal year. For the Broncos are a shell of their former selves and they now tend to take their opponents for granted and the Browns are also in a unique place since they are playing in fearless fashion this year. Which means, if Denver takes the field with the same anemic game plan we saw them use against the 49ers last week, expect the Browns to feast upon the Broncos secondary and punish Case Keenum and the offense. So really, the answer to my initial question comes down to which Broncos team is going to show up in this one, the one that beat two of the league’s finest teams, or the one that has caused Broncos Country to pull their hair out on a regular basis…
 
Can Carolina dig deep and defeat the Saints and save their season?
The Panthers have endured one strange season, since they started out strong and have fluttered away grand opportunities as the year rolled on. Which quite frankly, isn’t surprising since they aren’t a tough team mentally, and crumble when a team stands up to them. Which is bad news for them because they’re hosting a dynamic and hungry New Orleans squad this week, which means there is a chance that if they lose here and lose big, their hopes at a decent season or the playoffs for that matter as well, will fade. But the Saints are vulnerable and if Carolina can stay strong and execute and not let bad plays get under their skin, they can win this thing. But in all honesty, I expect the Panthers to lose this game since they really are a team without heart.

It’s been a couple of years since I’ve truly been excited to watch an AFC West showdown that didn’t involve the Broncos, but this one, has the makings of a true classic for so many reasons. The first one being, that both of these teams are dynamic on offense and have been a delight to watch all season long. But the other reasons this game may become a classic, relate to the fact that so much is at stake here. For this game may determine who wins the AFC West and depending on how the rest of the games go on Sunday, it could also change the playoff standings in the AFC. So, there’s a lot on the line in this one, and I fully expect this game to be quite the thriller, to the point where I haven’t a clue who will win this one since the AFC West is as wild as it gets. 

You have to love games where teams are suddenly surging when it comes to their quality of play because, they’re just downright fun to watch and that’s precisely what I’m expecting from this matchup, a ton of fun and some quality football. Because the Cowboys and the Colts are simply firing on all cylinders right now and they’re hungry for a playoff berth and that means we can expect some serious fireworks in this game since it has the makings of a potential shootout. But, while it will be cool to watch Prescott and Luck do their thing, someone has to win this game, and, in all honesty, I think this game comes down to defense and the first one to figure out their opposing quarterback and shut down the pass will be the one to walk away the victor. 

​A year ago, when these two teams took the field in Pittsburgh, home field advantage was on the line and we were treated to a thriller of a game. But oh, what a difference a year makes. Because this time around, both of these teams are a shell of who they were last year since the Patriots are making some boneheaded coaching calls and paying poorly on the field and well, the same applies to the Steelers as well. Which means, while this game is likely going to be ugly to watch, it could also turn out to be a battle for the ages since these squads know what’s at stake and can ill afford to let this one slip away. So, I’m expecting this one to be a knockdown, drag it out brawl and in all honestly, this one may simply come down to who wants it more. 

​Another week in the NFL is in the books, and it just so happened to be a week filled with surprises. Because there were upsets abound as every team out there battled for their playoff lives and well, thanks to these intense games and moments, the playoff picture is still a tad murky. But, more importantly, those incredible on the field moments brought forth incredible stories and lessons and let’s not waste any more time today and get down to discussing what we learned from Week 14 in the NFL.
 
Derrick Henry reminded everyone that a good run game can accomplish wonders.
It’s rare in this day and age to see a player just outright take over a game and terrify a defense, but that’s precisely what Derrick Henry did on Thursday Night Football. Because his incredible 238 yard, four touchdown performance against the Jaguars put the fear of God into Jacksonville’s defense, to the point where they were visibly broken when he carried the rock and well, not only was this a performance for the ages, but it really served as a fine reminder that the run game is still an important thing to have in this pass happy league because everyone’s expecting the QB to throw it and hopefully more teams turn their running backs loose in the weeks to come to try and replicate what was an outright amazing night from #22. 
 
Nobody plays the spoiler quite like the Miami Dolphins.
There’s a lot of things I think football fans can agree upon when it comes to the Miami Dolphins. They’re in dire need of a franchise QB, they need some playmakers on defense and no one knows if Adam Gase is indeed the answer at head coach. Oh, and we can also agree upon the fact that when they pull off the upset, they do it in style because oh my, did they embarrass the Patriots, again, on Sunday. I mean come on, you beat the defending AFC Champions on a freakin’ lateral? That has to sting for New England, but more importantly, it wasn’t just a trick play that got them there. They hung with the Pats all game long and forced New England’s coaching staff to make some dubious decisions and well, good for them because this was a well-deserved win, one that was fun to watch.
 
The Kansas City Chiefs simply do not quit.
If there’s one thing I truly enjoy in football, it’s a team that doesn’t quit. Because a team that is filled with fight, is just a blast to watch since they will do whatever it takes to get the win and well, that sums up the 2018 Kansas City Chiefs right now. Because they’ve faced some incredible adversity this year, and come close to losing some important games, only to fight back at the appropriate moment and seal the victory and once again, they pulled off an incredible feat against Baltimore on Sunday. Because with their backs against the wall, they scored exactly when they needed to and secured an all-important win and really the lesson here, is that the only way to beat this team, is to match their intensity for sixty or more minutes and if you let up for even a second, they will make you pay.
 
The Los Angeles Rams are human after all.
For some time now, it seemed as though the Rams were an unstoppable force of nature, since regardless of the odds and the challenges put in front of them, they found a way to win. But on Sunday Night, they came crashing down to earth in epic fashion since their high-powered offense was only able to put six points on the board against a powerhouse Bears defense and well, this just proves they are human after all, and that, there is a formula to beating them. Because the Bears did the impossible, and shut down the vaunted Rams run game, forcing Jared Goff to beat them in the air and well, that had its own share of failures as well since Chicago was prepared for that, since they blanketed the receiving corps and confused #16 to the tune of four turnovers. Either way, this was an impressive win on Chicago’s part and a fine lesson for the Rams when it comes to adversity because going forward, they need to figure out how to adjust to defenses that have figured them out.
 
Kirk Cousins is starting to look like a free agent bust.
A lot of big-time contracts were signed by free agent quarterbacks in the offseason and the headliner signing came out of Minnesota when they signed Kirk Cousins to a fully guaranteed deal worth $84 million. The thinking at the time was that a change of scenery and better weapons would finally vault Cousins into an elite level of play and well, so far that’s not been the case. The Vikings have been no better under Cousins this year, in fact, they’ve taken a step back and his Monday Night performance in Seattle was abysmal at best and while his numbers aren’t awful, Minnesota’s record speaks to the fact that he is not leading this team right now and he’s not making the offense any better, making him look like one hell of a bust and well, whether the team likes it or not, all they can do is hope that he gets better, because they’re stuck with him for the next three years.   

​Well, football fans, this is it. The final four weeks of the 2018 NFL Regular Season are upon us and the games are only going to get more intense from here on out. Because the playoffs are on the line, meaning every single team that is in the hunt is going to give us their all and hopefully wow us in the process with incredible play and stories that leave us talking, which means it is high time to dig into Week 14 in the NFL and look at what stories are brewing and which games will be utterly fascinating to watch this weekend.
 
Can the Denver Broncos continue their playoff push without their star receiver?
We all know that injuries are a way of life in the NFL, but some are more devastating than others and well, the Broncos are suddenly facing a host of ugly ones in their starting lineup as they make their playoff push and while Chris Harris Jr. is a big blow in the secondary, one also has to wonder if this team can make magic happen on offense without Emmanuel Sanders now that he is out for the season with an Achilles Tendon Tear and the answer to that question is yes, provided a few things happen. First and foremost, the young guys need to step it up, meaning that Courtland Sutton, DeSean Hamilton and Tim Patrick have to produce when they’re on the field, and honestly, Denver needs to rely on their red-hot run game more to set up the pass and if all of this comes together, they’ll be just fine without #10 in the lineup.
 
Will the Saints rebound from their tough loss?
Make no mistake about it, the Cowboys big win over New Orleans was quite the epic upset, one that left the Saints stunned to say the least and well, I think we are all wondering, can they rebound from that kind of embarrassing loss? I think the answer is yes, simply because, this team does want more out of their season, and that kind of loss humbles a squad and reminds them to get back to basics and when we take into account that New Orleans is facing off against a mediocre at best Tampa Bay squad this weekend, I have no doubt they’ll rebound with a big win and not take their opponents for granted from here on out.
 
Can Carolina snap their losing streak this weekend?
I would like to say that I don’t know what is causing Carolina to stink up the football world right now, but their problems are obvious in that, they are not a tough team and rely upon momentum instead of fundamentals and that’s why they’re in a free fall right now. But they have a chance to rebound with a win against Cleveland, provided a few things happen. First and foremost, they need to worry about executing their game plan and moving the ball, allowing for fundamentals to take hold and allowing for the team to get into a rhythm, something that helps Cam Newton’s confidence when he’s on the field and second, they cannot fold when the Browns step up to them. They have stay cool and collected and if they can accomplish that, they’re good. But in all honesty, don’t be surprised if Cleveland earns the win here. 

​This is a game that’s fascinating on so many levels because so much is on the line for both teams. After all, Baltimore is in the playoff hunt and looking to take the division which means they are hungry to beat the best team in the AFC to get the win they so desperately need and to make a statement that they will be difficult to beat going forward. As for KC, well, their standing as the #1 seed in the playoffs is in jeopardy if they lose to Baltimore, which means that this particular game is likely going to be a knockdown, drag it out brawl and really, the winner of this game, are the fans since they’ll be treated to quite the matchup, one that quite frankly, I’m not sure I can call because there is a chance that this one could go either way.

So really, what makes this game so incredibly fascinating is that I am quite curious as to which Pittsburgh team is going to show up in this one. Because at times they have been a phenomenal squad, one that dominates on all sides of the ball. But as of late, they’ve straight up choked late in the game and that’s a big problem when it comes to this game since Oakland has been a feisty squad in the past few weeks. So, if the bad Steelers show up, the ones who make boneheaded decisions late in the game, expect Oakland to keep their losing streak alive. But if Big Ben and the offense play lights out football and that defense can shut down Derek Carr, expect Pittsburgh to snap out of their funk and walk away with an important win. 

​There was a time, not that long ago in fact, that Minnesota was a dominant team and a genuine playoff contender. But it would seem that time is coming to an end since this team has been up and down all year long, to the point where a loss here would be downright devastating and well, this is going to be a tough one for the Purple People Eaters. Because Seattle is red hot right now, and they are simply playing inspired football and there is a good chance, that if the Seahawks score early and often on the Vikings, that Minnesota will once again fold in prime time. Which means that their defense needs to tighten up in this game and Kirk Cousins needs to play like the top tier quarterback he’s being paid as, and it should be interesting to see who wants it more come Monday Night. 

Wow. That’s the only word that comes to mind when I think of the past few days in the NFL because there were surprises abound both off the field and on the field this past weekend and well, there’s no point in teasing all the incredible storylines hovering over this past week’s slate of games. So, let’s just dive right in and discuss everything we learned from Week 13 in the NFL.
 
The Kansas City Chiefs made the right call in releasing Kareem Hunt.
There’s a lot that can be said when it comes to whole mess surrounding Kareem Hunt, especially when one considers the fact that the league and the Chiefs are just now ‘aware’ of the situation. But those particulars are unimportant to today’s discussion. Because what matters here is that Kansas City did the right thing by cutting Hunt shortly after the video of his actions were made public, because that does help to send a message to players in the league that regardless of your standing or your star power, you’re not above consequences for that kind of violence and kudos to them for just sending him on his way and I honestly hope Hunt gets the metal health care he so desperately needs.
 
The Dallas Cowboys pulled off one incredible upset this weekend.
I honestly thought Dallas was going to lose in their game against the Saints because for the most part this year, they’ve not been a good football team. But I am all about credit where credit is due, and I have to tip my cap to the Cowboys because my goodness, did they pull off an upset for the ages. They actually managed to confuse and rattle the normally relaxed and confident Drew Brees and they found holes to exploit in the normally powerhouse New Orleans defense and for their efforts, they’re now #1 in the NFC East and back in the playoff hunt and that’s quite the list of accomplishments when all is said and done.
 
The Los Angeles Rams are division champions once again.
Sometimes surging teams take the spotlight away from other teams that are doing incredible things and well, the magnificent campaigns that the Chiefs and Saints have put together this year have in fact overshadowed the Rams impressive record this year, since they’ve quietly played great football week in and week out. But despite their quiet departure from the spotlight, they were quickly vaulted back into it on Sunday when they secured their second straight NFC Division Championship, something that once again speaks to the quality play that this team puts together. But what matters more, is that the Rams are now officially in the playoffs, and I expect their play to continue to improve in the weeks to come as they work to secure the number one overall seed in the NFC.
 
The Denver Broncos continue to impress.
It wasn’t that long ago that myself and other writers and fans were calling for Vance Joseph’s removal as Head Coach of the Denver Broncos and well, I’ll be happy to eat a little crow and say that such talk on my part was premature and silly because everything is finally coming together in Denver and I firmly believe that all of this new found success is a direct result of quality coaching, and that means Vance needs to stay to finish what he started. Because suddenly, the Broncos have a genuine shot at the playoffs this year and if Coach Joseph and his staff can maintain the wonderful things we’ve seen on the field from this team, expect them to stay in the hunt and to continue to impress football fans everywhere with their quality level of play.
 
The Mike McCarthy era in Green Bay has mercifully come to an end.
The general reaction that I’ve seen out of Green Bay when it comes to the decision to fire Mike McCarthy has been a mixed one. Some didn’t like the timing of the move, some felt a Super Bowl winning coach deserved more time. But I’m with the rest of the football world that felt this was the right time to make this move happen. Because a loss to the Cardinals says point blank this team isn’t responding to his message anymore, and this move gives both sides a head start on their own respective quests for 2019 and while some may never like this call, it really is for the best. Green Bay has some serious talent on their roster and they need a coach who can bring out the best in their players and McCarthy, was no longer getting that done.