One Done Tonight

When the NFL schedule came out, tonight's game between the Redskins and Cowboys was considered to have playoff implications for the the NFC East.

After tonight, one of the teams will be out of the playoffs since it's a contest between two teams with 5-6 records.

Seven losses will be tough to get a spot as a NFC Wild Card team.

A Giant Mess

The New York Giants deserve the public relations mess they have now that they decided to bench Eli Manning.

Coach Bob McAdoo, GM Gerry Reese and owner John Marra thought Eli would agree to start and play the first half before turning it over to Geno Smith.

Eli felt otherwise and decided to end his streak. It was humiliating to see him on the "scout" team. The Giants are a mess. Their fans deserve better.

Eli needs to end his time there and move on. There will be plenty of opportunities for him.

Eli Benched

Giants QB Eli Manning must be wondering if he has any future with the team after it was announced that he would be benched in favor of Geno Smith for their game against the Raiders.

After 13 seasons, two Super Bowl wins and 210 consecutive starts, Manning will not take the field. The team wants to look at Geno Smith and Davis Webb to see if they are part of the future.

Manning was given the option to start and then be pulled, but he declined, saying that his consecutive streak would not be valid.

Coach Ben McAdoo and GM Gerry Reese are fighting for their jobs after a dismal season. Manning is taking the fall for everything that went wrong.

I don't expect to see Manning with the Giants next season. He deserved better than this.

A Great Play, Except

The Pats pulled off a successful fake punt on fourth down yesterday and eventually scored a TD. The play was run brilliantly by Nate Ebner.

He got the first down and more. As he was going out of bounds, he ended up tearing his ACL and is done for the season.

It happened so quickly on one play when he was doing something different. Usually, he is involved in violent collisions on special teams and never got hurt.

He played at a Pro Bowl level, but they will move on.

Ripping Chains

The NFL really needs to crack down on players who fight on the field. There is no place for that. The game is violent enough without anyone making it worse.

CB Aquib Talib of the Bronco's and Michael Crabtree of the Raiders got into a fight after Talib ripped Crabtree's chain from his neck. He did the same thing last year.

How will the league respond to this? Does it really matter?

They will probably just fine them.

Revis Island Returns

CB Darrelle Revis has finally made it back to the NFL after he signed with the Kansas City Chiefs. He said he was looking for the right situation before signing. One must wonder if he had any offers from other teams.

Will we see the real "Revis Island" or is that a thing of the past? His best years are behind him. Is this another example of a player who is unwilling to leave the game before he gets too old?

Revis is one of the best who ever played cornerback. Let's hope that he continues to play at the high level he once showed. I have my doubts.

The Old Rivalry

It seems like every Division 1-A college program schedules a couple of soft opponents to pad their record and qualify for a post-season bowl game. You can't blame them because of the money involved for both teams.

Boston College and Holy Cross once had a great rivalry for decades with their Jesuit backgrounds. They stopped playing 32 years ago because their programs were headed in different directions.

They will meet again next year in a game that will probably be a mismatch. It's nice to see them playing again, but they can never turn the clock back to the old days.

Peyton's Next Challenge

It seems inevitable that Peyton Manning will be running a front office for some team like John Elway does. He needs to get into the right situation.

There is talk that he would be a perfect fit for the Browns, especially if the owner is willing to give him a stake in the team.

That seems like a steep price to pay for no guarantee of success. He would face a daunting task as the Brown have a record of 4-43 since November 30, 2014. It's the worst run in NFL history over 47 games.

I think Peyton would do it for the right price.

A Rich Firing

College football coaches don't last very long if they don't win. UCLA's Jim Morra Jr was enjoying a six year run until he was fired the other day after two straight losing seasons. His career record of 46-30 was not good enough to let him finish the season.

Nobody will ever feel bad for him as he is due $12 million from the school. They must have really wanted him gone to swallow that much money.

The Final 27

The NFL Network did a great show on the 27 semi-finalists for the NFL Hall of Fame. The list was cut down from 125. Every candidate is worthy of induction.

Some are competing with too many at their position, especially receivers and defensive backs.

We always hear about "first ballot hall of famers". Will Ray Lewis be that guy? How about Randy Moss?

The final selections should be quite interesting.

Dolphin Time

The Pats are 8-2 and looking forward to their next game with Miami Dolphins. What a great history the two teams have. So many awesome games.

They can't afford to lose any AFC East games. It would make the playoffs murkier.

Selfish Penalties

Football was meant to be a team game, but there are too many selfish players who do things to hurt their team. The NFL and college games have too many unsportsmanlike conduct penalties that effect the outcome.

While watching the Chiefs and Giants today, a head-butting penalty stalled a drive. There was no need for that, but the player felt they had to make a point.

I have witnessed numerous selfish penalties committed by UMass players. They feel like they are making a statement, but they are only hurting their team.

Raider Fans Disrespected

Oakland Raider fans deserve better. They have already seen their beloved team ready to make their move to Las Vegas after a taxpayer funded stadium is built.

The Raiders will host the Pats tomorrow in Mexico City. It's a great promotional opportunity for the NFL, but comes at the expense of Raider fans. They lose one of their few remaining home games.

The team is moving because taxpayers refused to pay for a new stadium. Las Vegas stepped forward with their wallet open. There is always someone out there willing to waste taxpayer money.

They Are Done For 2017

Las Vegas odds-makers keep changing the betting line for teams winning the Super Bowl. They dropped the Browns, 49er's and Giants from any wagering.

In the next few weeks, more teams will be added to the list.

Maybe they should take action on whether the coaches will get fired at the end of the season.

Steelers Night

The Steelers and the Pats have the best records in the AFC at 7-2. The Steelers host the Titans tonight.

I have always loved the Steelers. The pregame coverage had some great reflections on the teams of the past.

I won't cry tonight if the Steelers lose. The game will be broadcast using the sky-cam technology. It should be something to see.

No Job Security

Whenever ownership say they are sticking with the coach, it usually means they will get fired at the end of the season.

Giants owners Steve Tisch and John Marra said they intend to stick with Ben McAdoo, in spite of a 1-8 record. The season is a total loss. Why make a change now? They will have a bigger pool of candidates at the end tof the season.

Dollars For Roger

It's easy to see why there is controversy abut the proposed compensation package for Commissioner Roger Goodell. He currently earns $30 annually, but wants a boost to $48.5 million.

If this wasn't enough, he wants free lifetime use of a private jet and health insurance for his family.

Some of this might seem outrageous, in light of the league's public issues the last few seasons. Goodell has earned $200 million during his tenure. He wants more and is determined to get it.

Eli's Giant Tenure

The Giants are spiraling out of control with their recent loss to the 49er's which lowered their record to 1-8. There is talk about moving on from Eli Manning and giving backup Davis Webb a start or two.

Nobody in the Giants organization is willing to commit to him past this season. He tied his brother Peyton with his 218th consecutive start.

Will they bench him and end his streak? Would this alienate fans? Do they even care?

I think they should stick with Eli until the end. Let him start the game. If they want to pull him early, they have that option.

He probably won't be with them next season.

Brady's Worst Place

The Pats play the Broncos tonight in Denver. Tom Brady has not enjoyed success there with a 3-7 record. He has lost some big games at Mile High Stadium.

The Broncos are 3-5 going into the game. It would be a big win for the Pats if they can do their job in helping to keep the Broncos out of the playoffs. They also need to keep fighting for the #1 playoff seed in the AFC.

First Time Venue

UMass beat Maine today 44-31 to improve their record to 3-7. The game was held at Fenway Park in front of a crowd that was about 12,000.

Before the game, we walked around checking out some of the sight lines. There were some seats that were very far away from the field. Our tickets were on the goal line, but we eventually moved to the 50 yard line.

If you get decent seats, it's not a bad place to watch a game. I still prefer a traditional stadium like Gillette or out in Amherst.

Battle For The First Pick

At 1-7, the New York Giants are just playing out their games. The team is a total train wreck. Coach Ben McAdoo and GM Jerry Reese will pay the price with their firing at the end of the season.

The Giants face the 0-9 49er's on Sunday. It will be a battle for the first overall draft pick, although the Browns are 0-8.

Every team starts the season with a clean slate. It's hard to say what happened with the Giants. Injuries have taken a toll.

It remains to be seen if Eli Manning is back next year. They might decide to go in another direction.

Jerry Is Very Mad

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is threatening to sue the NFL over Commissioner Roger Goodell's five year contract extension. He is obviously angry about the six game suspension handed out to RB Ezekiel Elliot.

It looks like Elliot will start his suspension on Sunday and miss at least four games before any further appeals.

Jones is one of the most powerful owners and knows it. Will he follow through with his threat?

Not Coming Here

TE Martellus Bennett was cut by the Packers today for failing to disclose a medical condition. The team he signs with will get a player at a bargain price.

Pats fans should pump the brakes as Bennett must pass through waivers. They are low on the list when it comes to claiming him. Don't plan on him backing up Gronk.

No Job For Him

Colin Kaepernick must be wondering if he will ever make it back to the NFL. All teams are bypassing him whenever a vacancy occurs on the quarterback depth chart.

The Houston Texans became the latest team when they signed Josh Johnson after Deshaun Watson was placed on IR because of a torn ACL.

Johnson last appeared in a game in 2013. Since then, he has signed 13 contracts with 8 different teams. He last threw a pass in 2011. His career line shows 29 games with 5 starts.

Nobody wants to touch Kaepernick.

How Many Wins For 2017?

The Pats are 6-2 and face the Broncos on Sunday. They have their future in their hands. Should they finish 12-4 or just run the table on their opponents?

I have no doubt they will lose another game. Who will it be? Will it have playoff implications?

We never know how it might work out.

Hoyer Back In Town

Brian Hoyer made it back to the Pats as Tom Brady's backup. He was with them from 2009-2011 before he began his journey that took him to five other teams. He signed a three year contract which both sides seem to be happy with.

Hoyer was the perfect guy to replace Jimmy Garoppolo after he went to the 49er's. They released him after trading for Jimmy G. It was a natural fit to go with the Pats. The Packers wanted him in light of Aaron Rodger's injury, but he is better off here.