FMQB: Cat Scratch Fever
Week 9 is always the unofficial halfway point of the season, and it seems like we have an exciting playoff push to be watching for the end of the year!
Quick Hits:
- There are 3 QB’s with the last name Allen, they went 3-0 on Sunday
- The Gardner Minshew era is over ☹, and he only gets relegated one line in “Quick Hits”
- You have to wonder if Kyle Allen wasn’t rocking it if Newton would have come back this year, now they’re saying he may be done as a Panther!
- 49ers last unbeaten, Bengals last winless. I think even 2 weeks ago I would have been surprised to hear both of those
- I know nobody cares, but I made up ground in my office football pickem league by picking the Dolphins first win and the Ravens over Patriots
- The Ravens hadn’t beaten the patriots since the 2012 AFC championship game, the year they won the super bowl
- Tyreek Hill is super speedy, Williams runs a 4.45 40 and was chased down in basically 30 yards when Hill was 10 yards behind him
- Brandon Allen saw zero snaps in the preseason but beat the Browns
- The Patriots were daring Jackson to throw, they played Cover Zero a lot!
Black Cat:
Monday Night Football was utterly hilarious when 4 days after Halloween a Black Cat just happened to run out on the field and delay play. The announcers were going nuts, and thank you ESPN for actually showing it happen! The Giants were leading 9-3 while the Cowboys had an interception, missed field goal, and a fumble; UNTIL, the black cat arrived. Superstition took over, and the Cowboys went on to score 10 points in 52 seconds to take the lead before halftime! The Giants remained cursed and only kicked field goals from that point forward in the game.
Stat of the Week:
2 of the Vikings 3 losses came from playing teams with backup quarterbacks
Stat of the Week:
ESPN literally just showed a graphic showing that Dak Prescott had 13TDs and 0 INTs in the last 5 games against the Giants. Prescott proceeded to throw an INT on his first throw mere seconds later
Stat of the Week:
Steelers are 4-1 in their last 5 games, and their losses are to top notch teams; Patriots, Ravens, Seahawks, and 49ers.
Stat of the Week:
Vinatieri blew it AGAIN! The Colts have lost 2 games due to missed kicks, almost lost a 3rd. If Vinatieri was an above average kicker, the Colts would be 7-1
Stat of the Week #:
The Patriots were giving up 7.6 points per game in their first 8 games, but gave up 37 on Sunday.
Chargers to London:
I love how Dean Spanos emphatically denied in a profanity laced statement that the Chargers are not going to London. Dude, 2 years ago you said the same thing about the Chargers not leaving San Diego. I have been against the London move for awhile, but I’m actually for this idea! It’s the right team and the right situation.
Position Change:
Marcus Mariota is reportedly taking reps at WR just 2 weeks after being benched for Ryan Tannehill. 1st, wow that was fast. 2nd, isn’t that a bit of a conflict of interest? Like all he has to do is drop a couple balls and say “dang, Tannehill’s stats are terrible, put me back in coach.”
Antonio Brown update:
In case anybody is counting, Antonio Brown posted a workout video trying to get teams interested in signing him, and then “re-retired” 36 hours later, then un-retired 6 hours later
Situational Awareness:
The Lions were driving, got to a 4th and goal from the 1 yard line, were scrambling to get up and snap the ball as the clock was running, but at 8 seconds remaining the Raiders on defense called a time out; what?!?!?! Stupid call, but they did hold them out of the endzone.
Quote of the Week:
When asked why he shaved after the game, Baker Mayfield said “I didn’t deserve the handlebars”
Playoff picture:
I think the picture stays mostly the same, but can see the Rams overtaking either the Vikings or Seahawks for a Wildcard. In the AFC, same thing, we have our 1-4 set and I see the Raiders popping in over the Colts or Bills.
NFC Championship: Packers at Saints
AFC Championship: Chiefs at Ravens
Here’s what I’m excited for this year though. Can you imagine Brady-Mahomes, Brady-Jackson, or Mahomes-Jackson in the AFC Championship Game? Or Rodgers-Brees on the NFC side? Super Bowl matchups could be Brady-Brees, Mahomes-Rodgers, Brady-Garrapolo would be intriguing
Games of the Week:
Panthers at Packers
Vikings at Cowboys
Seahawks at 49ers (best MNF matchup of the year!)
*whispers* I’m telling you, WATCH the Raiders!
Black Cat Update:
Apparently the Black Cat is STILL ON THE LOOSE in the stadium! Hahahaha! They have not been able to find it for the last 4 days. The Giants and Jets play at MetLife this weekend, although both teams are so cursed it probably would have an opposite effect if it shows itself again.
2pt Tracker:
Texans: +1
Redskins: +1
Jaguars: -1
Dolphins: -1
Memes of the Week:
FMQB 