Is anybody great this year?

Sometimes good is the enemy of great

We are midway through the 2023 season, which is more than enough time to separate the haves and the have nots. But within the haves it is a mess.

Is anybody great?

The Eagles have the best record in the league. You know this. The team with the best record isn’t always an elite team. We know this. If someone doesn’t think the Eagles are the best team in the league, that’s fine. They’re entitled to that opinion and let’s face it, the Eagles haven’t made it easy this year. Only two of their wins have been by double digits, this time last year they were 8-1 with four double digit wins; they had seven turnovers, they currently have 13. They have the 2nd worst scoring defense of any current playoff team. And in a huge game everyone just saw them go three and out on all three possessions in the 4th quarter.

“The Eagles are good, but not great” is a valid opinion to have this year. But if they aren’t great, who is?

The Chiefs have scored two offensive touchdowns or less in six games, they are 12th in points per game, and entering this week, only the Bears have more turnovers.

The Dolphins lead the league in many offensive categories, but have lost their three biggest games of the season: to the Bills, Eagles, and Chiefs. They are 1st in points per game, but in this Year of the Defense, they are 25th in points per game against.

The Bills are 5th in points for, 5th in points against, and are currently out of the playoffs.

The Jaguars lost by 20 to the Texans. They have given up more yards than they have gained.

The Browns have an exceptional defense and a QB who plays when wants to play and when he does he stinks.

The 49ers are on a three game losing streak, they have scored 17 points in each of those games.

The Cowboys lost their two biggest games of the season, to the Eagles and 49ers.

The Lions got embarrassed by the Ravens.

The Vikings are on their 3rd QB, who is on his 3rd team this season.

The Bengals, Seahawks, and Steelers are 5-3 but have a negative point differential.

The Ravens… okay maybe the Ravens are actually great. They have the top defense, they are 6th in points per game, Lamar Jackson is having a strong season, they’re well coached. They lost in OT to the Colts and by seven in a pesky divisional game with the Steelers, the Ravens dropped approximately 80 passes in that game. They beat the Lions 38-6, the Seahawks 37-3, they’ve scored at least 24 points in seven games. Four of their seven wins are against teams currently with a winning record. This team is really good.

Ravens-Eagles Super Bowl. That would be a fun one.

Hate is a strong word

Serial liar Jonathan Gannon is at it again.

“I go to the facility on Monday and JG, the head coach in Arizona, called me into his office and said, ‘We’re going to start Clayton Tune,’” Dobbs said. “I was upset with it but I understood the situation the franchise was in.”

Even after being benched for Tune, Dobbs says, he took Gannon at his word that the Cardinals were keeping him for the remainder of the season.

“Woke up Tuesday morning with a text from my agent saying, ‘You could be traded today because it’s the trade deadline,’” Dobbs said. “And listen to this — when I had my meeting with JG in Arizona, he looked at me in the face and he said, ‘You’re not getting traded, you’re not being released, you’re going to be here in Arizona’. I was like, OK, cool. So then I woke up to that text saying all right the trade deadline’s in four hours, you could be traded, you could go to Minnesota or go back to Cleveland.”

Dobbs got traded to Minnesota and came to realize that over his last day and a half as a Cardinal, nothing he had been told was true.

“The last 36 hours, whatever was told to you, something different has happened,” Dobbs said.

Josh Dobbs is a really nice guy who has been loved everywhere he goes by teammates, coaches (except it seems, Gannon), and the media that covers him. I’m sure Gannon’s players are thrilled that their head coach flat out lied to Dobbs’s face. That’s the kind of thing that leads to players popping bottles of champagne when the season is over like the Lions did with Matt Patricia, or smoking cigars celebrating winning a game after Josh McDaniels was fired.

Hate is a strong word. It’s a very mean word. It should not be used lightly.

I hate this man. I truly hope he is fired after one season.

College Football Week 11 Watch List

Big Nude Kickoff – Michigan at Penn State went from “why bother” to must see TV yesterday. The sign stealing scandal is the funniest thing.

In the past two drafts the Eagles have treated the Georgia defensive depth chart as their draft board, and for good reason, Georgia had 12 defenders drafted in the 2022 and 2023 drafts, and 24 players overall. It’s Michigan’s turn to have a dominant defense* and double digit draft picks. Just draft some defenders and call it day. In particular I’m looking at the middle of the defense: DT Kris Jenkins #94, LB Junior Colson #25, and S Rod Moore #9. And CB Mike Sainristil #0 is a fun prospect.

*when they know what’s coming?

Late – Utah vs Washington

Michael Penix Heisman and Washington playoff chase stock game. Washington is currently on the outside looking in for the playoffs, and their last five games have been by 10 points or less. Utah has a pig farmer at QB but also has some defenders worth watching including EDGE Jonah Ellis #83, who is one of Ellis brothers, S Cole Bishop #8, and CB Zemaiah Vaughn #5.

Night – Ole Miss vs Georgia

In a draft that will be full of fun WRs, Ole Miss’ Tre Harris #9 is fun.