Happy Thanksgiving backyard football fans!
I am currently still trying to work off all the carbs I consumed yesterday. Thank goodness my sister is no longer my coach, I guarantee she would have woken me up at 0600 (6AM) to run wind sprints… anyone remember a similar scene from Remember the Titans?
No Turkey Dinner for the Lions
So, as far as Thanksgiving matchup’s go, with the exception of Detroit losing at home to a division rival, all the other matchup wins were what I expected. Did I not say Jared Goff is just so hot and cold? Yes, Detroit has the best record still within their division, but games like the Lions vs. the Packers showcase exactly what I meant earlier in the season in that I was not sold on Detroit’s long term success.
Granted not all of the hiccups in the game were due to Goff’s inability to hold onto the ball. The most questionable play was the 4th and 4 fake punt in which the Lions opted to do a run play for the fake as opposed to a pass play.
Here are a few things wrong with that situation:
- If you are in need of a first down and plan to execute a run play, you better have an outstanding running offense on special teams.
- Run plays in 3rd and 4th down situations should only be inches to 3 yards at the most to gain a first down. This is the NFL, not college. It would be rare for any defense to miss a tackle, unless they were just that horrendous on special teams, to stop a run play that would require anything more than 3 yards to gain a first down.
- See rule #2. If there is more than 3 yards to gain and it is 3rd or 4th down…DO NOT ATTEMPT A RUN PLAY. This is the NFL. The defenses are much more elite. It will not work. And definitely don’t run them against a division rival. Those games are always played at such a high competitive level.
I know Dan Campbell is all about the flashy and risky play calling. While I am all for that, just be better strategically about it. Especially when your QB is not having a great day.
San Francisco’s Birds on the Menu
Now enough about the NFC North, let’s talk about the NFC West! If you haven’t guessed, shame on you. The Niners are the top spot in the NFC West. So, yes, of course I am going to talk about them.
While I am still always an offense minded player at heart, this week’s shout out goes to the defense. Yes, I know Geno Smith was already injured, so any type of pass rush pressure was going to tip the scales in favor of the 49ers. The front four, no matter who is rotating in, still maintains the fastest front four in the league and as many analysts have voiced, when the Niners are healthy, they are Super Bowl favorites.
The addition of Chase Young during the trade deadline came at a great time for him to get a few games under his belt before San Francisco is set to meet Philadelphia this weekend. The NFC playoff rematch everyone has been anticipating since last season and since the Niners crushed Dallas on Prime Time TV.
San Francisco’s offense was a little rusty during the game and the connection between Purdy and Aiyuk was not as dynamic as it had been the past couple of weeks. It happens. There will be good chemistry games and there will be bad chemistry games. What is the most important is that the offense did not turn the ball over and other players that were targeted on the pass plays stepped up.
I mean who wasn’t impressed by Jauan Jennings fighting off 4 defenders in order to gain 3 yards after the catch for a first down? Battle minded.
As we head into Week 13, my heart and mind are nervous and anxious about the rematch with Philly. The game is set, yet again, in Philadelphia and that town loves their sports teams just as much as San Francisco loves theirs. So yet another hostile environment situation.
It is also unnerving because this is where Brock was injured effectively ending his season as well as the team’s chance at the Super Bowl.
The keys for my boys to win this matchup:
- Less penalties and no turnovers.
- Contain Hurts to the middle of the field. The edge rush needs to push him up into the path of Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw.
- Secondary needs to lock down their man to man or man zone matchups to give Bosa and Young an opportunity to set the edge.
- Put them into 3rd and long situations to avoid the “Brotherly Shove” apparently only Philly can do.
- Last but not least, the advice I have given any player or team this year… don’t suck. Just win.
I know the last one is so profound. I don’t want anyone to overthink it.
While everyone was saying that Dallas was the ultimate test, I disagreed all season. This weekend against the Eagles is the real test. Philly has had just as difficult of a schedule as San Francisco. Dallas has not had the same quality of opponents as the other two teams fighting for top spot in the NFC. Between the 3, Philly holds the best record and so I think both San Francisco and Dallas should truly be measured in their matchups with the Eagles over any other matchups they will have during the regular season.
Week 13 Starts Thursday on Amazon Prime
Set your clocks for 5:15pm for Thursday, November 30 to kick off Week 13 in the showdown between the Seahawks and the Cowboys. If I have any luck, the game will end in a tie.