Good morning my friends.
Start your day with this video please: Proud Pop
Ok, that's happy me, this is annoyed me.
Kick the field goal Baltimore. Kick it, John Harbaugh. Hours later and I am sitting here in the Kansas City airport baffled by the Ravens’ decision to go for 2 points and the win. We’ll get back to that, but on a Sunday that felt like the college football playoff selections overshadowed some of the normal weekend NFL hype, there were some incredible moments. If there was one thing I could type to make you start your day a little baffled: Not only did the Detroit Lions get their first win of the season, they actually are mathematically alive to make the playoffs. They’ve won one game! ONE!
Let’s get to it.
Note: I really enjoy the meatball pictures that many people send along but this isn’t a cooking blog … yet. However, I was thinking of sending meatballs to my meatball of the week. Not sure that would go over well. Imagine explaining that. Meatballs show up at a locker, Player X says, “What’s this?” Reads note that simply says, “Congrats, Meatball!”
It’s been a long day folks. I'm getting weird.
Extra Note: It was 65 degrees in Kansas City on Sunday. I didn't wear a jacket most of the day. Football in nice weather beats the cold, any day of the week. Unless we get snow.
Here we go:
Garlic bread: A little something that tastes so good.
They did it. Congratulations to Detroit for finally getting a victory. This poor city hadn’t seen a Lions’ victory since … December 6, 2020. One day shy of a full year. Quarterback Jared Goff threw for 296 yards and three touchdowns and finally got his first win without his former coach, the Rams’ Sean McVay.
And the Lions are headed to the post season! OK, maybe not, but they technically could be. Unreal.
Pasta: We cook ours al dente (Al dente literally translates to “to the tooth.”). So, let’s take this literally.
If you've watched Pittsburgh this season, it's clear that 39 year old Ben Roethlisberger is nearing the end of a run which eventually ends in Canton, Ohio. Last Sunday, the Pittsburgh Steelers played with no passion or effort in their loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Cincinnati’s players even said so after the game. Coach Mike Tomlin had them practicing in pads this past week (in December, thats a nightmare for players) and then Saturday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was going to retire at the end of the season. I really had no idea what to expect from their game Sunday against the divisional opponent Baltimore Ravens. Baltimore controlled most of the game and really had the chance to pull ahead in the AFC North race with a win. The Ravens’ defense gave Big Ben all the time in the world in the pocket and he was able to throw two touchdowns with no picks. Then Baltimore handed the game to the Steelers, scoring a touchdown with the clock winding down and deciding to go for the win instead of tying the game. The Ravens failed to convert and lost. Per ESPN, when asked why he went for 2, instead of the PAT to force overtime, Harbaugh said: "[We're] trying to win the game right there. We were pretty much out of corners at that point in time. It was an opportunity to try to win the game right there."
I’ve never heard that one before, but the Steelers catch a break … and are in the hunt.
The Sauce: The most important part of the meal. All the ingredients have to come together at the right time. Some people like it spicy, some people like it sweet, but either way the sauce is the star of the show.
So now it’s twelve straight wins against the Denver Broncos for the Kansas City Chiefs. You probably heard it all day, the last time the Broncos beat the Chiefs, Payton Manning was Denver’s quarterback. I spoke to John Elway, the Broncos’ president of football operations, before the game, and I can tell you he was tired of hearing that fact. Who wouldn’t be? For the last few weeks, we have been dissecting the Chiefs’ offense and defense and asking whether Kansas City was back. It seemed the defense was the most improved, but we haven’t spent enough time talking about the Chiefs’ special teams. Sunday night, they were special. Smart, aggressive, and determined play gave the Chiefs life all game long. Kansas City is back.
I spoke to Patrick Mahomes after the game and he says with this defense playing at a high level, anything is possible. He knows the offense needs to play better and it starts with him.
Why do I get the feeling we are going to be seeing them in the Super Bowl?
What a meatball! Most of us really like meatballs and they are essential on our Sundays, but if you are called a “meatball” by one of my uncles, you probably did something really stupid, so this could be a play, a team, or a coach.
How have they not been the meatball before Sunday? The Minnesota Vikings were stunned by the Lions as time expired in Detroit. Poor wide receiver Justin Jefferson. Nobody is going to talk about his outstanding performance because his team stunk. Self-inflicted wounds were to blame, but the embarrassment might hurt even more for the Vikings. Meatballs for everyone.
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