Week #12

1st Quarter

The elephant in the room was the hump day festivities that some/many/most? never thought would happen. I got back-to-back texts wishing me luck on the midweek, midday contest followed by “this shit is weird.” Am I the only one who likes gettin weird every now and then?!

2nd Quarter

At 11:50 in the quarter, Cris Collinsworth said this is “probably the best rivalry in football.” Nah, bruh… this is the best rivalry in football. The score is 9-7. On a Wednesday. Yes, turnovers were the great equalizer in this half, but there are only two weeks on the league calendar where you can “throw the records out when these two teams get together.” Both of them are Ravens week.

3rd Quarter

Can you believe Coach T won a challenge?? Coach Of The Year is unequivocally on the table and that challenge on the catch and fumble by JuJu was perhaps one the final hurdles for Tomlin to lock it up. Let the stat guys tell how bad he’s been over the years (it’s pretty bad), but today, Coach even had the red flag working. Icing on the cake for that COY nomination.

4th Quarter

Combat catches. James Washington only had 2 catches for 19 yards. And nobody had a bigger one that he did to ice the game. The former OSU Cowboy plays the game the game “the right way” as the old heads would say. Hell, I’ll say it too. James Washington plays the game the right way. Claypool gets love too for the effort to get up and run for the first down after the catch. As the kids would say, we just built different at WR.

OT

Leading the league in sacks (38), takeaways (22), and point allowed per game (17) reminds me of the Casey Hampton (sup, Big Snack?)/Aaron Smith/Troy days. And echoes of Mean Joe and Mel Blount. But this is even rarer air. No team has ever finished the season leading in all three categories. Ever. Keeping an eye on this one.

Notices how cold Ben looks before the next series… “Hey Google… how much degrees is it in Pittsburrrrgh? Gets answer. Feels the chill… through the TV… in Los Angeles. Winter is coming. And the Steelers are ballin.

Get well, Bud. That one hurts, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t excited to see Highsmith step in and do work. 2020 has been a painful season all over the league. Such is life in the National Football League. Kill that rehab and get paid, #48. As for the rest of us... we know the drill. Next man up! #HereWeGo