Heading into the ultimate two weeks of the NFL season, the Colts, Texans, Steelers, Bengals, Raiders, Broncos, Rams, Seahawks, Vikings, Falcons, Packers, Buccaneers and Saints are nonetheless alive for a playoff spot whereas solely a sport away from .500. Of these 12 organizations, which do you suppose has the very best likelihood of successful the Tremendous Bowl?
The betting reply, according to oddsmakers, is the Rams, Seahawks and Bucs at +6600. Nonetheless, the sensible response is: “Nobody.” Sooner or later this 12 months, each a type of potential playoff groups has wiped its ass on the carpet.
Choosing the least reliable of the demoralizing dozen is an equally tough process. Boff, marry, kill: Aiden O’Connell, Taylor Heineke, or Gardner Minshew? I’ll take choice D, a jar stuffed with cyanide.
In a sport the place playoff wins can save, or protect, a coach’s job, it’s value asking: What’s the worth of a first-round playoff win? We’ve acquired franchises which are barely bowl eligible making the postseason, and actually, the leisure issue is about the identical as Minnesota versus Bowling Inexperienced.
That’s earlier than even mentioning groups like Jacksonville, Dallas and Miami that I wouldn’t belief to skip a rock in a crunch scenario. Hell, Baltimore is more likely to get the one seed within the AFC and Lamar Jackson’s lone profession playoff win got here towards perennial lame duck Tennessee.
Perhaps it’s simply PTSD from the Tom Brady Patriots continually squirting by toothless playoff foes, however I’ve extra religion in Willy Loman promoting one thing than half of those “playoff” squads assembling a princess playhouse, not to mention a postseason run.
The growth to seven-team fields was what it was: capitalism at its most interesting. A standard chorus about NFL soccer is on any given Sunday, a schmuck can stand up from obscurity and beat the league’s finest crew. Whereas that’s true to an extent, it’s not as if the underdog wins as a result of they performed effectively; it’s largely as a result of the nice crew didn’t present up.
So I assume my level on this meandering criticism is that parity within the NFL is a synonym for mediocrity.
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Half-time New York Jets quarterback and full-time distraction Aaron Rodgers acquired essentially the most out of his (hopefully) penultimate look on the Pat McAfee Present this season, telling the grand inquisitor that he requested to go on the IR to complete the 12 months. Regardless of Rodgers’ fixed allusions to getting back from a Week 1 achilles harm, however confirming he won’t return, he can’t work out why the Jets would maintain him energetic simply to follow when it meant cutting veteran fullback Nick Baldwin days before Christmas.
“I assumed I used to be going to go on IR. I requested to be placed on IR, however then there was a dialog, ‘Do you need to follow?’ I stated not on the expense of any person getting lower. I understand how this works.
“I didn’t really feel like I wanted to follow to proceed my rehab. I may do on-the-field stuff on the aspect, however, clearly, I acquired overruled there. It’s what it’s. This was an attention-grabbing scenario.”
Properly, perhaps it’s as a result of A-A-ron has been essentially the most seen member of the Jets this 12 months. Merely having him throw footballs for the cameras is a godsend. Please, stand on the sidelines and commensurate with Zach Wilson about Nathaniel Hackett cosplaying as Stone Chilly Steve Austin.
Apparently, Rodgers phoned Baldwin to ensure he knew it wasn’t his fault that he acquired lower. Through the trade/premeditated McAfee anecdote, the fullback informed Rodgers that he’s “vested” and is “nice” as a result of he’s nonetheless getting his cash.
And, simply so ESPN is evident, cornerback Kalon Barnes is the participant who really misplaced his job, as a result of the Jets scrambled to make room for Baldwin to return to the roster for causes which are unclear.
I feel the true takeaway of this heartwarming Christmas saga is {that a} member of the New York Jets acquired to spend the vacation together with his household — and never Aaron Rodgers.