About 24 million Americans watched the Cubs take game five of the World Series on Sunday night, while only about 18 million watched the NFC East rivalry game. The last time baseball managed to beat a Sunday Night football game was October 2011, when game 7 of the Cardinals/Rangers series beat out … an Eagles 34-7 win over the Cowboys.
NFL execs are downplaying the significance, but go read all of that again. More people are watching baseball than football. The Cowboys are the top team in the NFC. And the Cubs are in the World Series.
If that’s not a sign of the end times, then I clearly have misread all those sports references in the Book of Revelations.
QB: Derek Carr, 43.82 pts -- on Jo’s bench WR: Amari Cooper, 23.53 pts -- started by Jim
RB: Jordan Howard, 26.57 pts -- on my bench
TE: Tyler Eifert, 17.80 pts -- started by me
K: Will Lutz, 16.50 pts -- on the wire
DEF: Denver, 25.00 pts -- started by Bob
D: Bradley Roby, 11.00 pts --on the wire
Don’t cry too long for Joanna and I -- she started the #2 QB on the week (Aaron Rogers, 41.84 pts) instead of Carr, and I started the #3 RB on the week (Jonathan Stewart, 21.67 pts) instead of Howard.
But the fantasy steal of the week was Chiefs QB and former Eagles signal caller Nick Foles, who threw for 223 yds, 2 TDs and a 135.2 QB rating on Sunday after starter Alex Smith was knocked out of the game. His 20.82 fantasy pts make him the 40th best QB of the year in just one start, vaulting him ahead of greats like Landry Jones, Robert Griffin and Geno Smith. Grab him while you can!
“Skill players” edition
3rd place: Jimmy Garoppolo, -0.10 pts -- on the wire
2nd place: Mark Ingram, -1.50 pts -- started by Sam
1st place: Wendell Smallwood, -2.50 pts -- on Mom’s bench
Well done, Wendell. While Ingram’s performance was the fantasy head scratcher of the week, Smallwood’s key fourth-quarter fumble gave the Cowboys a free field goal and just enough help to send the Eagles game into overtime. The Eagles now have three NFC losses and the inside track at losing every tiebreaker scenario if they somehow finish 10-6 again. So, we have that to look forward to.
Here is a list of actual headlines about Eagles wide receivers since Sunday:** Nelson Agholor is tired of hearing about his drops
** Eagles' Josh Huff arrested on firearm, marijuana charges
** Terrell Owens tells the Eagles he's available to play WR
** Trade deadline passes with no Eagles activity
Awesome. For the record, the Eagles lead the league in dropped passes, with 6.6 percent (15 potential catches) of Carson Wentz’ throws bouncing harmlessly off receivers’ hands.
Sunday’s confounding 27-27 overtime stalemate between the Bengals and Maryland Racial Slurs was the 22nd tie in the NFL since the league introduced overtime in 1974 (in the 10 years prior to that, 60 games ended in a tie). But it was the second tie this season, giving NFL fanatics the excitement of the possibility of a three-tie season for the first time in 43 years.
This, of course, is the NFL’s dream.
Think about it. What are the two things league execs love more than everything else? More exposure and league parity. They already have games four days a week (Saturday games start in December). They already have football on for 11 hours on Sundays. They already have 15 teams within one game of .500, and no clear cut favorite except for the Patriots (and they’re trying to stop that too).
But ties are the best of all worlds -- both of the teams leave equal, and fans are forced to slog through another 45 minutes of meaningless football. It’s perfect! College football overtime is waaay too exciting and definitive. Who likes lots of scoring when you can have a strategic missed field goal contest instead?
If the Giants and Eagles can throw up a 13-13 overtime draw next week, the league office may need to stock up on heart medication to calm them down.
Did I mention the Cowboys beat the Eagles this week, in a game that was in the balance until the very end of overtime? And what does it mean when the demon spawn that is the Texas football squad secures an important win like that?
Dallas Cowboys win overtime thriller
** We cry a trillion as evil mobs the world
It’s the end times, folks. When Jerry Jones somehow wins the election next week, don’t say I didn’t warn you.
** Took two more from Dad in our weekly picks this weekend, including a huge pick of New Orleans over Seattle that left Dad confounded and almost prepared to concede the entire season on account of my brilliance. I’m 75-41-2 right now (stupid ties) which is better than a 65 percent win prediction rate if you exclude the ties (which I do, because they don’t give me the option to select a tie on Yahoo picks, so I don’t see why I should be penalized for it). ** Game 7 of the World Series between the CUBS AND INDIANS c’mon people let’s just acknowledge we all had a good run and accept the end peacefully.
Week 8 standings 1 -- Gronky Tonk Man (Joel), 1025.86 pts
2 -- For Who? For Wentz? (Ant), 1016.50 pts
3 -- Blue Collar Killers (Jeff), 982.02 pts
4 -- QBs for Everyone! (Jo), 965.85 pts
5 -- Not with that Attitude (Sam), 939.03 pts
6 -- Cosby's Sleepers (Mike), 923.35 pts
7 -- May Pay Attention (Paul), 882.13 pts
8 -- North Dakota Reaches (me), 848.01 pts
9 -- Who's on First? (Dad), 839.32 pts
10 -- Tiny Trump Gloves (Jim), 828.26 pts
11 -- Last exit 2 Kutztown (Bob), 766.47 pts
12 -- Yelp for help (Mom Doyle), 706.21 pts
Mike, Dad and Bob all tumbled down two spots, while Jo and I both made big moves by hopping up two spots in rankings. In her case, it puts her within shouting distance of Joel’s stranglehold on the top spot. In my case. it pulls me out of the deep, deep cellar of the league and within striking distance of mediocrity. Watch out, Paul, I’m coming for you next.
Six more teams on a bye this week, so be sure to check those rosters early. Even though there are almost no teams to play, the NFL is still forcing another Thursday night game down your throat.
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