It’s time to once again test the depth of your NFL knowledge and fandom.
Anyone can name the big stars in their favorite sport. But can you say which of these players made the 2026 football Pro Bowl team, and which of these names are professional bowlers on the national professional bowling tour?
As always, the quiz doesn’t actually work. So below are the answers:
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Ross Matiscik is the long snapper for the Jags, Chimere Dike is a kick return specialist for the Titans. Quinn Meinerz is an offensive lineman for the Broncos, and Creed Humphrey is the center for the Chiefs.
All the other names are top 10 money earners on the PBA tour —yes, even Jakob Butturff. You know that’s a real name, because if I was going to make him up, his name would be “Buttruff” and I would have made a joke about him getting knocked down over and over.
QB: Brock Purdy, 42.92 pts — started by Jo
WR: Ja’Marr Chase, 19.50 pts — started by Joel
RB: Derrick Henry, 45.60 pts — started by Pop
TE: Trey McBride, 16.07 pts — started by Jeff
K: Joey Slye, 18.50 pts — on the wire
DEF: Vikings, 22.00 pts — on the wire
D: Chase Young, 14.50 pts — on the wire
Big week for running backs — Bijan Robinson had 36.27 pts on Monday night and doesn’t get mentioned here, because Henry rushed for 216 yards and FOUR TDs on Saturday night. Sadly for Henry, that leaves him just outside the top 10 in RB fantasy performances all-time, because he did not catch any passes. The best? Broncos RB Clinton Portis back in 2003, who had 55.2 pts on 218 yards rushing, 36 yds receiving and five TDs in a 45-27 win over the Chiefs. Saturday’s Denver win over the Chiefs this weekend was … less exciting.
Second week in a row that Brock Purdy claims the top QB spot. In the last four weeks, Purdy has thrown 11 TD passes and scored 116.02 pts. That’s the second best in the league, just behind Trevor Lawrence. Of course, Lawrence did play four games over those four weeks. Purdy only played three — his bye was week 14.
Sad week for wideouts — no one over 20 pts? Not even Jahan Dotson?
“Poor QBs” edition3rd place: Max Brosmer, 3.64 pts — on the wire
2nd place: Clayton Tune, -1.68 pts — on the wire
1st place: Riley Leonard, -2.00 pts — on the wire
Leonard threw one pass in Sunday’s Colts’ loss to the Jaguars: A last-second hail mary that got picked off in the end zone. But it was an impressive enough throw that the Colts are now planning to start him in the meaningless finale next week. Poor Phillip Rivers, I really thought that guy needed at least one more game to prove what he can do in this league.
Clayton Tune might be starting next week too: He had a pick immediately after entering the game in relief of Packers backup QB Malik Willis, who was in the game because Packers starter QB Jordan Love was out with a concussion. With nothing to play for, Green Bay may decide to give Tune a chance to throw even more interceptions.
Brosmer was actually the 32nd best scoring QB on the week, completing a pathetic nine passes for 51 yards and no TDs for the Vikings on Sunday. He also got sacked seven times for 48 yards, meaning the Vikings had a net passing total of 3 yards for their game. Oh, and they won. I guess turning over Lions QB Jared Goff five times in a game will help with that.
** Headline in the Athletic: Raiders’ Brock Bowers placed on IR ahead of pivotal game against the Giants.
That pivotal game? The loser of the contest would have the inside track for the #1 overall pick in the draft next spring. I’m not sure pivotal is the word you were looking for. Pathetic? Pitiful? It was probably supposed to be pitiful. Easy copy editing error.
** Following the Eagles win — win? Are we still calling that performance a win? — on Sunday, Fox NFL studio analyst Michael Strahan was asked for his reaction to the final failed two-point attempt in the game.
“Well, if you’re Buffalo, you’ve got to be frustrated by that,” he said. “This is a talented team.”
Thank gawd for that insight. I watched the Bills slog through three hours of football, tie the game in the final seconds and then botch a chance to win, and my takeaway was “I wonder if the team is happy with that outcome.” Strahan’s inside knowledge of the game helped me learn that, in fact, they were not.
I just wish he could have covered more games. Was Bears WR Luther Burden happy when he went down with an injury? Did the Steelers sideline appreciate the missed pass interference call at the end of the game? I need someone to tell me, because it’s just too hard to figure out on my own.
** Former New Jersey QB Eli Manning was again named as a Hall of Fame finalist this week. Just as a reminder, this is a career .500 QB who never led the league in any category during his playing time except for interceptions, which he did three separate times over 16 years.
But, hey, he threw a ball that another guy had to catch with his helmet, so he probably deserves to be in there.
The Eagles offense has been in tatters for weeks, but everyone is looking at the problem from the wrong angle. The problem isn’t the offensive line, or the play calling, or Jalen Hurt’s inexplicable decision to take entire quarters off.
Consider this — the offense has really been struggling since the bye week in early November. Since then, the team has only scored more than 20 points in a game three times. And yet, they have gone 5-3 in those games, because the defense has been incredible.
In fact, incredible may not be the right word. The defense has not allowed more than 24 points in any game since the bye. They’ve held opponents to fewer than 16 points four times in eight games. They shut down the offenses of the Bills and Lions, two of the best offensive teams in the league. They are destroying other teams’ gameplans and smothering any rhythm the opponents are trying to establish.
It has been incredible to watch their work. Scary, even. A few of those hits on Sunday looked like they were trying to kill Bills’ players.
And when they aren’t on the field, where do those defensive players go? They stand on the sideline, waiting, right next to the Eagles offense.
I think Hurts and company are afraid of the defense.
Think about it — while offensive players are rotating in and out, the defensive line is all standing together on the sideline, drooling at the chance to destroy a running back or wideout. They’re pacing like caged animals. They’re twitching. And the Eagles offensive is walking back and forth by them, quivering in their presence.
Could they avoid the defensive monsters by staying on the field longer? Maybe, but the whole defense is over there at the same time. If the defense is on the field, the bulk of that unit is away from the sideline, out of arm’s reach of a weak, little offensive player.
Do you honestly think that Jordan Davis doesn’t think about devouring Jahan Dotson every time he walks by on the sidelines? Davis hasn’t eaten in months. That guy would love a third-string snack. It’s one thing if he’s all alone by the bench, looking at a wideout to chew on. But if the whole defensive line is there? And they’re all hungry?
So the answer to fixing the offense, obviously, doesn’t have anything to do with the offense. It’s getting Vic Fangio to calm down the defense enough that Saquon stops looking over his shoulder while he’s supposed to be resting.
It’s either that or calling real offensive plays. But I think the defensive fix is more realistic than expecting Kevin Patullo to learn football in the next two weeks.
Week 17 is always the time when I go through my pile of unused anagrams to see whether I left any points on the field this season. Much like the Cowboys’ season itself, it’s a mixed bag. Consider:
Dallas CB Trikweze Bridges
** Ribs bled. Legs a wreck. A ditz.
This was a solid B-minus anagram. Nothing wrong with it, but it felt like I could do something more with it. “Trikweze” has a lot of potential but the double Bs in the phrase just caused issues. And no H? That takes “wheezy” off the board. Disappointing.
Dallas Right Guard Tyler Booker
** Thug err darkly: A big loser, a dolt
Cowboys Right Guard Tyler Booker
** A rowdy butcher, big loser. Go try, OK?
I think I just got caught between these two options for the same guy. Again, passing grades for both, but neither really speaks to the evil within the Dallas squad.
Cowboys new running back Malik Davis
** Vibe: Bad as a wormy clown kicking nuns
This is perfect! It has everything: a sense of evil, abuse of religious personnel, a word that uses two Ks.
Consider this — the offense has really been struggling since the bye week in early November. Since then, the team has only scored more than 20 points in a game three times. And yet, they have gone 5-3 in those games, because the defense has been incredible.
In fact, incredible may not be the right word. The defense has not allowed more than 24 points in any game since the bye. They’ve held opponents to fewer than 16 points four times in eight games. They shut down the offenses of the Bills and Lions, two of the best offensive teams in the league. They are destroying other teams’ gameplans and smothering any rhythm the opponents are trying to establish.
It has been incredible to watch their work. Scary, even. A few of those hits on Sunday looked like they were trying to kill Bills’ players.
And when they aren’t on the field, where do those defensive players go? They stand on the sideline, waiting, right next to the Eagles offense.
I think Hurts and company are afraid of the defense.
Think about it — while offensive players are rotating in and out, the defensive line is all standing together on the sideline, drooling at the chance to destroy a running back or wideout. They’re pacing like caged animals. They’re twitching. And the Eagles offensive is walking back and forth by them, quivering in their presence.
Could they avoid the defensive monsters by staying on the field longer? Maybe, but the whole defense is over there at the same time. If the defense is on the field, the bulk of that unit is away from the sideline, out of arm’s reach of a weak, little offensive player.
Do you honestly think that Jordan Davis doesn’t think about devouring Jahan Dotson every time he walks by on the sidelines? Davis hasn’t eaten in months. That guy would love a third-string snack. It’s one thing if he’s all alone by the bench, looking at a wideout to chew on. But if the whole defensive line is there? And they’re all hungry?
So the answer to fixing the offense, obviously, doesn’t have anything to do with the offense. It’s getting Vic Fangio to calm down the defense enough that Saquon stops looking over his shoulder while he’s supposed to be resting.
It’s either that or calling real offensive plays. But I think the defensive fix is more realistic than expecting Kevin Patullo to learn football in the next two weeks.
Week 17 is always the time when I go through my pile of unused anagrams to see whether I left any points on the field this season. Much like the Cowboys’ season itself, it’s a mixed bag. Consider: Dallas CB Trikweze Bridges
** Ribs bled. Legs a wreck. A ditz.
This was a solid B-minus anagram. Nothing wrong with it, but it felt like I could do something more with it. “Trikweze” has a lot of potential but the double Bs in the phrase just caused issues. And no H? That takes “wheezy” off the board. Disappointing.
Dallas Right Guard Tyler Booker
** Thug err darkly: A big loser, a dolt
Cowboys Right Guard Tyler Booker
** A rowdy butcher, big loser. Go try, OK?
I think I just got caught between these two options for the same guy. Again, passing grades for both, but neither really speaks to the evil within the Dallas squad.
Cowboys new running back Malik Davis
** Vibe: Bad as a wormy clown kicking nuns
This is perfect! It has everything: a sense of evil, abuse of religious personnel, a word that uses two Ks.
But it’s also a repeat: Davis was on the team in 2022-23, then left football for a year, then came back this year. Is he technically “new” again? Maybe. But I already had five anagrams for this guy. So I couldn’t use it. Forget that you ever saw it.
We don’t do mediocre repeats around here. If we did, we’d be no better than the 7-8-1 Cowboys.
** Dad and I split our picks this week, going 3-3 in our head-to-head matchup. That leaves him down a touchdown and two-point conversion with one week left. Or, put another way, if I can go 9-7 in my picks next week, he can’t win. That’s a lot of pressure on me.
** Eagles backup Tanner McKee had as many completed passes in the second half of the Bills game as Jalen Hurts did. Just saying.
** ESPN named Eagles backup Center Drew Kendall as their second-team pick for the top rookie players of the year. First place was Jacksonville backup center Jonah Monheim, who has played 187 snaps this season. Kendall has played 25. They both beat out Seahawks rookie Bryce Cabeldue, who has played six snaps. And … that’s the whole rookie class at center.
I dunno, guys. Maybe we didn’t need a breakdown on this position this year.
Week 17 standings
Awesome Cup standings
1 — One Plus One is Three SBs (Pop), 2,131.01 pts
2 — Still The Best (Jonathan), 2,074.84 pts
3 — City Hands (Mike), 2,051.01 pts
4 — Saquontum Leap (Capt. Awesome), 1,993.78 pts
5 — Goederts and Monsterts (Bob), 1,963.88 pts
6 — Vert der Ferks (Ant), 1,818.68 pts
7 — Schwarbombs (Jo), 1,799.39 pts
8 — Blue Collar Killers (Jeff), 1,686.86 pts
9 — The Fightin Pickles (Sam), 1,643.58 pts
10 — DeVonta’s Inferno (Mom D), 1,618.94 pts
11 — All Rogers No Sauce (Joel), 1,556.23 pts
12 — The B Sharps (Paul), 1,482.22 pts
We’re down to the last week, and Pop is already eyeing his third championship title. He enters the final slate of games with a 57-point lead over second place (Jonathan) and a six-week stretch of scoring at least 115 fantasy points. If that holds, Jonathan will need at least 173 pts from his squad next weekend to challenge for his third consecutive trophy.
Mike will need even more — his team took a big step back this week, scoring under 90 pts after hitting the 115-pts mark the previous six weeks in a row. If I can pull off a 200-plus-pts week, I still might have a shot. After that, we’d need some significant stat corrections for any hope at a league victory.
But pride is still at stake too. Can Bob overtake me for fourth place? Will Jo or Ant end up in the top half of the standings? Can Jeff and Joel continue their late-season push? Will Paul ever start a QB again? All valid questions, and all will be answered this week.
The NFL has zero games on Thursday, zero on Friday, two on Saturday and allllll the rest on Sunday. It’s backups galore for the last days of regular season action, so check those rosters and finish strong.
Family Cup -- final standings
The final results of the first annual Family Cup will be announced on Wednesday.
** Dad and I split our picks this week, going 3-3 in our head-to-head matchup. That leaves him down a touchdown and two-point conversion with one week left. Or, put another way, if I can go 9-7 in my picks next week, he can’t win. That’s a lot of pressure on me. ** Eagles backup Tanner McKee had as many completed passes in the second half of the Bills game as Jalen Hurts did. Just saying.
** ESPN named Eagles backup Center Drew Kendall as their second-team pick for the top rookie players of the year. First place was Jacksonville backup center Jonah Monheim, who has played 187 snaps this season. Kendall has played 25. They both beat out Seahawks rookie Bryce Cabeldue, who has played six snaps. And … that’s the whole rookie class at center.
I dunno, guys. Maybe we didn’t need a breakdown on this position this year.
Week 17 standings
Awesome Cup standings
1 — One Plus One is Three SBs (Pop), 2,131.01 pts
2 — Still The Best (Jonathan), 2,074.84 pts
3 — City Hands (Mike), 2,051.01 pts
4 — Saquontum Leap (Capt. Awesome), 1,993.78 pts
5 — Goederts and Monsterts (Bob), 1,963.88 pts
6 — Vert der Ferks (Ant), 1,818.68 pts
7 — Schwarbombs (Jo), 1,799.39 pts
8 — Blue Collar Killers (Jeff), 1,686.86 pts
9 — The Fightin Pickles (Sam), 1,643.58 pts
10 — DeVonta’s Inferno (Mom D), 1,618.94 pts
11 — All Rogers No Sauce (Joel), 1,556.23 pts
12 — The B Sharps (Paul), 1,482.22 pts
We’re down to the last week, and Pop is already eyeing his third championship title. He enters the final slate of games with a 57-point lead over second place (Jonathan) and a six-week stretch of scoring at least 115 fantasy points. If that holds, Jonathan will need at least 173 pts from his squad next weekend to challenge for his third consecutive trophy.
Mike will need even more — his team took a big step back this week, scoring under 90 pts after hitting the 115-pts mark the previous six weeks in a row. If I can pull off a 200-plus-pts week, I still might have a shot. After that, we’d need some significant stat corrections for any hope at a league victory.
But pride is still at stake too. Can Bob overtake me for fourth place? Will Jo or Ant end up in the top half of the standings? Can Jeff and Joel continue their late-season push? Will Paul ever start a QB again? All valid questions, and all will be answered this week.
The NFL has zero games on Thursday, zero on Friday, two on Saturday and allllll the rest on Sunday. It’s backups galore for the last days of regular season action, so check those rosters and finish strong.
Family Cup -- final standings
The final results of the first annual Family Cup will be announced on Wednesday.
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