THESE ARE MY CONFESSIONS! REACTIONS TO THE SUNDAY, WEEK 13 NFL SLATE.
Pioneer Press: John Autey
PEOPLE CAN CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT MIKE ZIMMER’S INSISTENCE ON MAKING CASE KEENUM “PROVE IT” WEEK TO WEEK AFTER THE TEAR HE AND THE VIKES HAVE BEEN ON, BUT IF IT AINT BROKE, DON’T FIX IT. THE DEFENSE HAS SHUT DOWN SEVERAL POTENT OFFENSES AND THE VIKINGS’ OFFENSE HAS BEEN ABLE TO WIN WITH EXPLOSIVE PLAYS WHILE ALSO GRINDING OUT WINS AGAINST FORMIDABLE OPPONENTS. WE’LL LEARN A LOT ABOUT MINNY’S PLAYOFF CHANCES OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS WITH GAMES AGAINST THE PANTHERS, BENGALS AND PACKERS WITH A ROD POSSIBLY AT THE HELM. BUT AS IT CURRENTLY STANDS, THE VIKES LOOK LIKE THE BEST TEAM IN THE NFC.
Getty Images: Joe Robbins
JIMMY GAROPPOLO JUST MAY BE THE COVER BOY AND QUARTERBACK THE NINERS HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR. YEAH, HE BEAT THE BAD NEWS BEARS WITH A LAST SECOND FIELD GOAL BUT YOU HAVE TO RESPECT THE WAY HE RAN THE OFFFENSE. HE WAS 26 OF 37 FOR 293 YARDS WITH ONE PICK AND NO TOUCHDOWNS BUT HE MANAGED THE GAME WELL AND GAVE THE TEAM A CHANCE TO WIN IT AT THE END. THE 49ERS NEED MORE WEAPONS ALL OVER THAT ROSTER BEFORE THEY CAN COMPETE WITH THE BETTER TEAMS IN THE LEAGUE BUT AT LEAST JIMMY HAS GIVEN JOHN LYNCH AND MIKE SHANAHAN A REASON TO BELIEVE THAT QB ISN’T AN AREA OF CONCERN MOVING FORWARD.
AP
ONE AND DONE? THAT’S WHAT IT’S LOOKING LIKE FOR VANCE JOSEPH IN DENVER. THE FIRST YEAR COACH CAME OVER FROM MIAMI WITH SO MUCH PROMISE BUT THE BRONCOS HAVE LOST EIGHT GAMES IN A ROW, THE OFFENSE IS AN INVISIBLE THING AND THE ONCE DOMINANT DEFENSE IS GIVING UP THE MOST PASSING TOUCHDOWNS IN THE LEAGUE THIS YEAR. WHEN THESE TYPES OF EVENTS TAKE PLACE ON THE HEELS OF A SUPER BOWL WIN AND MULTIPLE YEARS OF CONSISTENTLY GOOD PLAY, SOMEONE HAS TO TAKE THE FALL. SO EVEN THOUGH SOME COULD QUESTION THE LACK OF PRODUCTION FROM RECENT DRAFT PICKS SELECTED BY ELWAY, VANCE WILL LIKELY BE SENT PACKING THIS OFFSEASON WHILE JOHN AND THE BRONCOS’ BRASS LOOK FOR A NEW COACH AND QUARTERBACK TO HOPEFULLY RETURN THEIR SQUAD TO PROMINENCE.
AP: David Drapkin
BRUH, DON’T SLEEP ON THE RAVENS! THE OFFENSE ISN’T PRETTY. AT ALL. HONESTLY, IT CAN LOOK QUITE UGLY. CONSISTENTLY. BUT THAT DEFENSE IS REALLY GOOD AND THE RAVENS ARE SNIFFING THE PLAYOFFS AT 7-5. SANDWICHED BETWEEN TOUGH DIVISIONAL GAMES WITH PITTSBURGH AND CINCINNATI, THE RAVENS HAVE CUPCAKE MATCH UPS WITH THE BROWNS ON THE ROAD AND COLTS AT HOME. WITH FOUR GAMES REMAINING, BALTIMORE IS IN PRIME POSITION TO MAKE THE PLAYOFFS, BUT THEIR HOPES OF PROGRESSING DEEP INTO THE PLAYOFFS HINGES ON THE RAVENS ABILITY TO MOVE THE BALL CONSISTENTLY AND SCORE TOUCHDOWNS, WHETHER IT’S LOOKS GOOD OR NOT.
Getty Images: Thearon W. Henderson
THE GIANTS SHOULD’VE FIRED BEN MCADOO AND GERRY REESE BEFORE MAKING THE STUPID DECISION TO BENCH ELI FOR THE RAIDERS GAME. ANYONE WHO VAGUELY UNDERSTANDS FOOTBALL KNEW THE QUARTERBACK CHANGE WAS A DUMB MOVE MADE BY TWO CATS TRYING TO SAVE THEIR JOBS. PERIOD. NOW HAS ELI PLAYED POORLY THIS YEAR? OF COURSE. BUT IS HE THE REASON THE GIANTS ARE EXTRA SHITTY? OF COURSE NOT. SO EVEN THOUGH THE STREAK IS DONE, THE GIANTS SHOULD DO THE RIGHT THING BY LETTING ELI FINISH OUT THE YEAR AS THE STARTER AND THEN FIGURE OUT HOW THEY’RE GOING TO PROCEED IN 2018 AND BEYOND.
GRONK WAS ON THAT BULLSHIT YESTERDAY!
Boston Herald
