(1) Giants have lost 3 games this season (Cowboys, Falcons, Jets) due to egregious mismanagement. I love Tom Coughlin but barring a substantial run over the next two months he can’t be their head coach in 2016.
(2) Spend a few minutes and read some of the love poems the national writers wrote about Dan Quinn in September. Atlanta has fallen off a cliff. Peter King was the leader of the QuinnLove Movement.
(3) Carolina should put Charles Tillman on the shelf until the postseason. Let him get healthy. And then let me root harder for a non-Bears team than I ever have before.
(4) Atlanta was the first paper tiger to fall. The second? Minnesota. That team has feasted on poor opponents. They may still make the playoffs but they might be the 10th best team in the conference when they do.
(5) If I were running all of the franchises, these jobs would join Miami and Tennessee on the market this January:
- Cleveland. Too much change can be a bad thing but I have no idea what Mike Pettine brings to an organization.
- New York Giants. Have a press conference. Put Tom Coughlin in the ring of honor. And then get thirty years younger at the head coaching spot.
- New Orleans. It’s over. Move on.
- San Diego. And don’t be surprised if John Fox brings Mike McCoy to take over the Bears offense should Adam Gase find a head coaching gig.
- Detroit. I’m not sure why Jim Cadwell is still the coach. Once he admitted to not playing for the Hail Mary, I wouldn’t have let him back into his office.
- St. Louis. I’ve been a fan of Jeff Fisher for a long time but that team is far too talented to get blown out each and every week. Fisher doesn’t have it anymore.
(6) Tom Brady has no receivers that can catch, no professional running backs on the roster and an offensive line that can’t block. Other than that they’re fine. He’s also starting to get hit way too much. Once New England has their playoff position solidified, I’d put Brady firmly on the bench for a few weeks.
(7) If the season ended today…
AFC BYES: Cincinnati, Denver
AFC WILDCARD ROUND: New York Jets at New England, Kansas City at AFC South Winner
NFC BYES: Carolina, Arizona
NFC WILDCARD ROUND: Minnesota at NFC East Winner, Seattle at Green Bay
(8) This article from Jason LaCanfora is one of the craziest NFL stats in years. Tom Brady now has more receiving yards this season than Dwayne Bowe and Bowe is making $6M.
(9) Nine extra points missed Sunday. Eight missed last year. Kickers now far more important in the NFL. Who wanted that?
(10) This is the time of year where OUTRAGE emerges that an 8-8 division winner may actually host an 11-win wildcard team in the postseason. That outrage has never held water. NFL team records aren’t comparable in the same way they are in other sports. What will the Giants and Seahawks have, three similar opponents this year? The schedule is specifically built so that the only records that are comparable are among division rivals. Winning your division has to matter. If it doesn’t than just scrap divisions altogether.
