NFL Week 3 -- Winding your way down on Baker Street

And now for something a little different. Commentary on adult league football.

 

Not sure it's happened before this year, but exactly HALF of the starting jobs in the NFL at the start of the year were held by non-white QBs.

 

This must be why Clay Trumpist thinks the NFL has gone woke.

 

Honestly, I'll leave it for others to write about - but the days of the big, tall QB standing in the pocket are waning. You need a mobile QB who can get outside the pocket, if only for their own survival given the state of offensive line play and the defenses of today's game. You need to change the dynamics of pass coverage by creating new angles etc. Also doesn't hurt if a QB can pick up a first down with their legs when needed. It was only a matter of time before coaches realized it makes sense to put their best athlete in the most impactful position on the field.

 

My stakes (admittedly peanuts wagered only to generate interest in games I normally wouldn't watch) today:

Saints ML

Vegas/San Fran/Buffalo ML parlay

Steelers -2.5

 

I've got:
• Buccaneers -6.5/O39.5 against the Broncos - Because the Broncos suck and 39.5 is a pretty low total for an NFL game
• Raiders -5.5 vs. Panthers - Because the Panthers really suck and only laying 5.5 seems like a gift

 

Quirky NFL fact that could change today: The Texans-Vikings series is one of only two in which one team has never beaten the other. The Vikings are 5-0 all-time against the Texans.
Eagles-Texans (Eagles lead 6-0) is the other one. Eagles-Jets was a third until last season.

 

I also put in a futures bet on the Saints to win the Super Bowl at +3300 (my $10 bet would get $340 back at the pay window).
There's always one NFC team that comes out of nowhere and blows up into a beast, and you usually figure out who it is by Week 4. It seems like that's the Saints this year. Plus, looking around the NFC, there just aren't a lot of teams that seem super strong:
• Panthers, Commanders, Giants — Absolutely not
• Cardinals, Seahawks, Bears, Falcons — Might get a wild card, but don't seem great
• Eagles, Cowboys — One of them has to win the NFC East and will get a home playoff game, but I'm not expecting anything more from them
• Vikings, Packers — Do you really trust Sam Darnold to be this good for a full 17-game season? Or Malik Willis to not cost the Packers if they have to use him for more than two or three games?
• Rams, 49ers — Always capable, but long-term injuries seem to be mounting early
• Bucs, Lions — Solid teams that will be a threat

Which leaves the Saints to slot in as that team that magically turns the corner. At the very least I think they'll be in the mix. If they keep playing well and stay healthy, I think they have a realistic path to 12 or 13 wins and home field advantage.

 

Daniel Jones reminds no one of Fran Tarkenton. But the Giants look a lot like the 70s teams where the punter was the best player.

 

The Broncos and Bucs are playing role reversal through one quarter, Baker is throwing passes I would expect Nix to throw

 

There’s a gambling thread, right?

 

Question: when does the Mason Rudolph era begin in Nashville?
Answer: Not a moment too soon.