As you probably didn't notice, we didn't get a picks column up today. Blame it on Thanksgiving. Blame it on us being a couple of lazy assholes. Or, if you're like me and Milli, you could blame it on the rain. I would have thrown up a half-assed column (again) but I was busy watching Ben ROFLsberger and the Steelers capitalize on big-ass mistakes by the Patriots today. It's one thing to watch your team choke in a statement game at home. It's another thing to sit through 3 hours of 35 degree driving rain while watching it. Just ask the icy, blunt objects that I used to refer to as "my feet"... that blew.
Around the league, an unbelievable 10 out of 12 road teams won today. I'm sure that made a lot of bookies smile big grill-filled smiles. At least you can still count on Cincinnati, Cleveland, and St. Louis to lose in this mixed up NFL of ours. Buffalo continues their giant nose-dive. Has anybody else noticed this all started after 1) they gave Jauron a contract extension because they went 5-1 and 2) Their QB got knocked in the head? Meanwhile, everything you know about the Broncos and Jets is apparently wrong. But of course, my day was mainly based around this:
You may not have known about Matt Slater, rookie DB/WR/special teams "specialist" who's the son of Hall of Famer Jackie Slater, before today. But if you care even vaguely about the Patriots, Steelers, or AFC playoff picture in general, you're probably familiar with him now. One epic doink off Slater's hands helped set a tightly contested 13-10 game on it's course towards a frustrating 33-10 laugher. With games coming up against the Seahawks and Raiders, plus games against the slumping Cardinals and Bills, the Patriots season is by no means over. But today was just more proof that this is not the efficient, mistake-free Patriots team that you're used to.I know it will be easy for people to look at Cassel's 2 INTs and 2 fumbles and assume he's to blame for this one. But with Randy Moss dropping 2 wide-open passes (one in the endzone), both fumbles coming on blindside hits after Matt Light got horribly beat, and one of those picks being in desperation garbage time... watching the game it was clear there were others far more to blame for this one.
Just a side note: I feel the need to point out the impressive amount of mediocrity I've managed to achieve in fantasy football this season. Going into this week, in my four fantasy football leagues, ALL four teams came in with a gag-inducing 5-7 record. They all got there different ways, they all had a unique path to ineptitude, but my fantasy teams are united in that beautiful mark that is eerily similar to Dustin Pedroia's height. The one bright spot: the team I'm the most invested in just locked up it's 4th straight win to pull to 6-7, and I actually have a shot at a playoff spot in that league. Hooray for small victories!
