Whoa…that was a rollercoaster week-end of sports for me. I did attend the OU-Alabama game at noon and while I’m disappointed the Sooners couldn’t parlay a 44-33 halftime lead into a much needed SEC home win…there were some things which make me think at the least there’s some hope this team can figure it out and play better as a team with thirteen SEC games left.
The Russian…Kirrell, is ceratinly not a star or a game changer, but he will help quite a bit with the center minutes rotation and I think keep Mo Wague out of chronic foul trouble. He has a very nice shooting touch from behind the arc as well.
I mean…even after blowing the thirteen point lead OU had a chance to win it at the buzzer with a Nigel Pac open three which missed just a little right. Breaks of the game, man. Al Pacino in my favorite video very well described the breaks of the game in life with those inches which separate winning from losing–and living from dying. Trust me..MJ fully understands those inches.
Our NFL conference games are set. Denver hosting New England without Bo Nix. I’ll get to that later in the week. With Seattle hosting the team I’m picking to win it all at this point…the LA Rams. Seattle is on a roll, the Rams have the best quarterback left standing. The only one of the four with a Super Bowl ring on his legacy rack.
Trust me…I know Seattle is uber physical on both sides of the ball and on a tear, but at the end of the day in a clutch game like this…’Can I really trust Sam Darnold vs. Matthew Stafford who was turnover free in Chicago last night in frigid conditions?’
I can’t do that in good conscious. I just can’t. If I’m the Rams defense…I’m already in a mental frenzied trance seeing myself taking down Sam Darnold every time the ‘Hawks attempt to throw a pass.
This should be a great game though. Turnovers, you know. Last night in frigid Chicago…turnovers: Chicago Bears three- LA Rams who were practicing in 80 degree weather all week…nada. You can’t turn the ball over like that.
In the AFC we have ‘my’ Denver Broncos at home versus the sneaky good New England Patriots. Due to Bo Nix’s fractured ankle—the Pats have come out as a 5.5 road favorite. Jarrett Stidham, the Baylor transfer to Auburn, who has not played meaningful NFL football in 795 days will try to get this done for Sean Payton. Although Jarrett Stidham has been on the Bronco roster these past two seasons…. I don’t believe he’s thrown a pass this season in a regular season game.
Since three former OU players, Marvins Mims and Nic Bonito on Denver, and Rhamondre Stevenson, for New England will be playing in this game—I’ll probably be okay either way the game goes. I loved Rhamondre when he was at OU during the passive -submissive days of the Lincoln Riley regime in Norman.
In fact—Rhamondre along with Baker and Jalen Hurts were my three favorite OU players during Lincoln’s time at OU. Even on a Lincoln Riley coached team…you could see back then Rhamondre had the physicality and mental toughness to take his game to this level.
Would Caleb Williams have been one of my four favorite OU players during this time span in Norman if he had stayed for his second season? Yes…he would. Caleb, to his credit, actually stayed in Norman and attended Brent’s first and second meetings with the team before deciding to follow his ‘position’ coach to So Cal.
So …I give Caleb credit for that as in the end it all turned out okay. Coach BV has now had two ten win seaons in Norman, gotten the team to the expanded CFP, and has a good team coming back next season. My Sooners are once again physical on the defensive side of the ball while I can now keep my eyes open without cursing when the other team has the ball.
Josh Allen, oh, boy. I was emotionally conflicted in this game. Obviously, I wanted ‘my hometown’ Broncos to advance, but if you had told me before the game Bo would not be available for the next game–I would have preferred to see Josh and his hard-luck Bills advance to the AFC Championship.
Josh is one of my five favorite current NFL players and I hurt for him given how the game played out. But how can you not love the guy for going out there at his presser when he was literally dying inside and take the responsibility for the loss even thhough his team got a couple of tough calls down the stretch.
You think those guys in Buffalo love playing with Josh? I would think yes would be the resounding answer.
Tonight..of course, we have our national championship game in Miami with Carson Beck’s ‘Canes hosting the 15-0 Indiana Hoosiers who are attempting to do what Nick Sabana never did.
That being, go 16-0 and win the national championship at a basketball school where Bear Bryant never coached.
Carson Beck, dude, same thing with you as Sam Darmond—be ready for the pass rush you’ve yet to see so far this college football season. Good luck with that, buddy.
Enjoy the game.
Mike J