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Thursday Night Football: Pitt at Clev

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Browns Look to Rebound from Meltdown vs Jets

CLEVELAND – (Staff and Wire Service Report ) – The Cleveland Browns are trying to put a big meltdown behind them in a short week as they prepare to host the Pittsburgh Steelers in an AFC North battle tonight. The Browns (1-1) blew a 13-point lead with 1:55 left to play in Sunday’s 31-30 home loss to the New York Jets. Pittsburgh (1-1) also is moving on from a setback, as it dropped a 17-14 home decision to the New England Patriots.

Embed from Getty Images

Cleveland’s defeat was much more painful. The Browns missed the extra point after Nick Chubb‘s 12-yard scoring run to still lead by 13 with New York out of timeouts. But the Jets scored on a 66-yard touchdown pass with 1:22 remaining, recovered the onside kick and then scored the winning points with 22 seconds left. Chubb, who rushed for 87 yards and a career-high-tying three touchdowns, said Tuesday that the loss can be pinned to him. He could have slid down without scoring, which would have allowed Cleveland to run out the clock.

“Yeah, I probably shouldn’t have scored right there,” Chubb told reporters. “Honestly, looking back at it, it cost us the game. A lot of things went wrong, not just one thing. But collectively as a unit, as a team, we could’ve all done things different. But it’s only a problem because we didn’t win. So I probably should’ve went down.”

The Browns will attempt to bounce back, and head coach Kevin Stefanski made it clear there is no time to dwell on the victory that got away. “We have to be problem-solvers,” Stefanski said. “We have to find solutions any which way. There are a bunch of different ways you can do it, but we have to find solutions so that when we are in a position like we were (Sunday), and it’s an obvious passing situation, we just can’t let that happen.”

Pittsburgh is looking to get its passing game going in Mitch Trubisky‘s third straight start. Trubisky is averaging just 5.1 yards per completion — which ranks 32nd among 33 qualifying quarterbacks — while passing for 362 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.

“I like to throw the ball down the field,” Trubisky said. “Why I haven’t given certain looks, especially early in the games, I can’t tell you exactly why. We’re looking for that. I’m looking for that. “Every quarterback deep down in their heart likes to throw the ball as far as they can down the field and watch their playmakers go up and get the ball.”

Steelers receiver Diontae Johnson has caught 13 passes for 112 yards and his longest gain is just 25 yards. Pittsburgh has scored just one offensive touchdown in the first half and Johnson knows that needs to change. “We just have to start fast,” Johnson said. “That’s the way we’re going to win games and get in the motion that we want to get into. If we don’t start fast, it’s going to be like last year. It’s going to be hard to get that momentum that we want and to put points on the board and get that field position.”

Steelers running back Najee Harris is also off to a slow start with 72 yards on 25 rushes. Harris shredded the Cleveland defense for 279 yards in Pittsburgh’s two-game sweep of the Browns last season. He recorded a career-best 188 rushing yards in January’s 26-14 victory.

Steelers linebacker Devin Bush (foot) was a full practice participant on Tuesday and looks on track to play. Cleveland star defensive end Myles Garrett is dealing with a neck injury. Garrett has 61.5 career sacks, just shy of the franchise record held by Clay Matthews (officially 62 after sacks became a stat in 1982). Browns guard Joel Bitonio (biceps) is in danger of missing the game while defensive end Jadeveon Clowney (ankle) was ruled out Monday. –Field Level Media

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | August 21

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By TERRY LYONS

BOSTON – For the Commissioners of sports, the best days are presenting MVP Awards, Championship Trophies celebrations, paying tribute to retiring legends or welcoming a new crop of rookies into the league at the annual Draft. The worst of days involve labor strife, work stoppages, enforcing the rules and – ultimately – suspending a player (or administrator) for a significant number of games or for LIFE.

At the NBA, players like Ron Artest (a.k.a Metta World Peace; Metta Sandiford-Artest) were suspended for fighting or conduct detrimental to the NBA for 86 games, Latrell Sprewell (68), GS minority team owner Mark Stevens (65). Others, repeat offenders of the NBA /NBA Players anti-drug program were tossed for life. Included were John Drew, Chris Washburn, Roy Tarpley, Richard Dumas and others who were able to re-apply after significant suspensions (Micheal Ray Richardson, Lewis Lloyd and Mitchell Wiggins), among others.

Donald Sterling, the disgraced team owner and Board of Governor of the Los Angeles Clippers, was banned for life and docked $2.5 million by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver for Sterling’s racist remarks and conduct.

There were others, of course, mostly for on-court transgressions such as LA Lakers’ Kermit Washington’s punch of Houston Rockets’ star and Hall of Fame coach Rudy Tomjanovich that cost Rudy T his Dec ‘77-Spring ‘78 season while Washington served a then-astronomical 26-game suspension.

The National Football League faced a significantly different and certainly more catastrophic issue with the case of former Houston Texans and current Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson. The talented QB was suspended for 11 NFL games this week, five more games than Sue Robinson, a disciplinary counsel had determined on August 1.

Watson was previously accused of multiple sexual assaults and other inappropriate conduct during massage therapy sessions in lawsuits filed by 25 different women. The lawsuits alleged that from March 2020 to March 2021, while Watson was a member of the Texans, he allegedly sexually abused each woman. One of the 25 lawsuits was dropped after a judge’s ruling in April 2021 that the plaintiffs needed to amend their petitions to disclose their names. Two other women filed criminal complaints against Watson but did not sue him.

Watson settled or agreed to settle all but one of the remaining lawsuits, which remains pending. In July, the Texans reached settlements with 30 women who made claims or were prepared to make them against the NFL organization for what attorney Tony Buzbee called its alleged “enabling” of Watson’s behavior, according to ESPN.

Where does it fall, now? Watson was fined $5 million and is suspended by the NFL for a mere 11 games, ranging from August 30th to November 28th, 2022. Watson will be available to play for Cleveland when the Browns coincidentally play against the Texans in Week 13 of the upcoming NFL season.

What length of suspension would’ve been more appropriate?

The NFL and its Commissioner, Roger Goodell, might take matters into its own hands, instead of the joint and impartial arbitrator assigned by the players and the league.

Regardless, an 11 game suspension for each of the 25 cases would not have been extreme. The issue is not player safety on the field, nor drug/substance abuse off the field, not breaking the law by speeding in a car not other crimes that are addressed by the appropriate authorities and legal system, State-by-State.

TWENTY-FIVE cases of sexual assault – all credible – seem to show for a significant amount of smoke where there was fire. Yet, all the while, Watson claimed his innocence, right down to this week’s 11-game settlement well short of a true “verdict.”

“I’ll continue to stand on my innocence, just because you know settlements, and things like that happen doesn’t mean that a person is guilty for anything,” Watson said. “I feel like a person has an opportunity to stand on his innocence and prove that, and we proved that from a legal side, and just going to continue to push forward as an individual and as a person.”

Will he eventually speak on his own behalf and tell the full story?

“That’s definitely the plan, that’s definitely the goal,” said Watson. “I feel like through the whole process I’ve been trying to tell my side of the story. But a lot of people just didn’t pay a lot of attention to it.”

What left?

Watson has to comply with and overall evaluation and treatment recommendations of a third-party behavioral expert to be fully reinstated, sources told ESPN.

“Deshaun has committed to doing the hard work on himself that is necessary for his return to the NFL,” Goodell said in a prepared NFL statement. “This settlement requires compliance with a professional evaluation and treatment plan, a significant fine, and a more substantial suspension. We are grateful to Judge Robinson and Peter Harvey for their efforts in addressing these matters, which laid the foundation for reaching this conclusion.”

Robinson, an independent arbiter jointly appointed by the league and players’ union, made the first ruling on August 1 while Harvey was a former New Jersey attorney general whom Goodell appointed to oversee the NFL’s appeal, as the league sought a more significant determination than the six games.

From the Brown’s stand-point, franchise co-owners Dee and Jimmy Haslem focused on a player’s right to a “second chances” and counseling.

I think in this country, and hopefully in the world, people deserve second chances. I really think that,” Jimmy Haslem said. “Is he never supposed to play again? Is he never supposed to be a part of society? Does he get no chance to rehabilitate himself? That is what we are going to do. … We think people deserve a second chance. … That does not mean we do not have empathy for people affected and we will continue to do so, but we strongly believe, strongly believe that people deserve a second chance; we believe Deshaun Watson deserves a second chance.”

No argument there, but maybe the second chance should be multiplied times the 25 cases and the result would be a minimum 50-to-275 game suspension and a (25 x $5m = $125 million) fine to be subtracted from the $230 million fully guaranteed contract with Cleveland.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: It’s a B$G week in Boston as the 20th WEEI Radio/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon begins this Tuesday, August 23, originating from Fenway Park. Since 2002, the charitable radio-tele-thon raised $62 million for cancer treatment and research, with The JIMMY Fund and Dana-Farber the key. To learn more, visit www.JimmyFund.org. … The telethon begins Tuesday at 6am (ET) and fans can tune in to WEEI-FM and NESN throughout the 36-hour broadcast to hear stories of courage and hope from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute patients, doctors, nurses, and supporters.

Even though the Red Sox were on the road, Fenway Park was ‘hoppin’ this week, hosting concerts on four consecutive nights: Bad Bunny On Thursday, Lady Gaga Friday, Imagine Dragons on Saturday, and comedian Bill Burr on Sunday, all to sold-out crowds. Burr is the first comedian ever to headline a gig at Fenway. … The Red Sox are off Monday before returning home for a brief six-game home stand, starting Tuesday against the Toronto Blue Jays.

TID-BITS: As the PGA Tour playoffs come to a close this week at the annual TOUR Championship at East Lake in Atlanta, the publication of our sister-missive PGA Tour Brunch will come to a close until the first week of January 2023. It’s a great time to sign-up to secure a gift for your golf-loving friends, as all issues from 2022 are archived for reference. … We’ve had a good look at the national college football polls, where the usual suspects (Alabama, Ohio State, Georgia and Clemson) are atop the crop. How about the Atlantic Coast Conference, home of the Boston College Eagles?

Atlantic (first place votes)

  1. Clemson (111)
  2. North Carolina State (44)
  3. Wake Forest (6)
  4. Louisville
  5. Florida State (2)
  6. Boston College (1)

Coastal

  1. Miami (98)
  2. Pitt (38)
  3. North Carolina (18)
  4. Virginia (6)
  5. Virginia Tech (3)
  6. Georgia Tech (1)
  7. Duke – 220

Overall Champion

  1. Clemson – 103
  2. NC State – 38
  3. Miami – 8
  4. Wake Forest – 4
  5. Pitt – 3
  6. Virginia – 3
  7. Florida State – 2
  8. North Carolina – 2
  9. Boston College – 1

Conclusion: One voter likes Boston College a lot while over 100 media members like perennial champion Clemson. … Five ACC teams are among the National Top 25. They are: Clemson, NC State, Miami, Pittsburgh and Wake Forest. … B1G Ten match-up Nebraska at Northwestern kick-off the schedule in Dublin (Ireland, not Ohio) on August 27th at 12:30pm (ET) on FOX.

 

NBA MUSIC: Frequent readers of this weekly column will recognized the constant attempt to merge great sports stories with appropriate musical selections, whether they be classic rock songs, artists or other genres.

This week, the two will become one with an attempt to match great NBA players with the legendary artists, musicians or bands they might represent. We’ll call it “The NBA Match Game.” Here it goes and the NBA player(s) and artists are listed in no particular order:

Bill Russell = Elvis

George Mikan = The Beatles

Magic Johnson = The Rolling Stones

Wilt Chamberlain = Stevie Wonder

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar = Tom Petty (while Earvin Johnson, James Worthy, Byron Scott, Silk Wilkes, and so many others were The Heartbreakers

Bob Cousy = Bob Dylan

Connie Hawkins = Led Zeppelin

Larry Bird = Eric Clapton … we passed on “The Byrds”

Elgin Baylor = James Brown

Bob Pettit = The Who

“Pistol” Pete Maravich = Ray Charles

John Havlicek = The Big Bopper

Satch Sanders = Miles Davis

Jerry West = The Beach Boys

Oscar Robertson = Marvin Gaye

Julius “Dr J” Erving = Jimi Hendrix

Michael Jordan = Prince

Earl “The Pearl” Monroe = Sly and the Family Stone

David Thompson = Bob Marley

George Gervin = Bruce Hornsby

Bill Walton = Grateful Dead

Jerry Sloan = Johnny Cash

Dan Issel = America (Horse with No Name)

Carol Blazejowski = Madonna

Sheryl Swoopes = Aretha Franklin

Lisa Leslie = Diana Ross

Diana Taurasi = Lady Gaga

Sue Bird = Adele

Dawn Staley = Heart

Shaquille O’Neal = The Ramones

Allen Iverson = Bubba-Chuck Berry

Scottie Pippen = Muddy Waters

Joe Dumars, Isiah Thomas, John Salley, Bill Limber, Rick Mahorn – The Cars

Chris Mullin = U2

Hakeem Olajuwon = Smokey Robinson

David Robinson = Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey (song)

Karl Malone and John Stockton = Simon and Garfunkel

Manu Ginobili = Carlos Santana

Pau Gasol = Enrique Iglesias

Artis Gilmore = Chicago (Big Band sound of the ‘70s)

Bob Lanier = Crosby, Stills & Nash

Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Ray Allen = The Allman Brothers Band

LeBron James = Jay Z

Steph Curry = The Clash

Run T-M-C (Tim (Hardaway/Mitch Richmond/Chris Mullin) = Run DMC

Nate Thurmond and Al Attles = Pink Floyd/The Wall – (Gilmour/Waters)

Dennis Rodman = Eddie Vedder and Pearl Jam

Charles Barkley = Michael Jackson/Thriller

Kobe Bryant = Buddy Holly

Draymond Green = The Talking Heads

Steve Nash = Neil Young

Dan Majerle or Danny Ainge, with Walter Bellamy – Steely Dan

Tim Duncan = Jimmy Cliff

’69-70 Knicks = The Band

Marvin Barnes = Jim Morrison and the Doors

Webb Wilder = Gerald Govan (Wear glasses if you need ‘em)

Max Zaslofsky = ZZ Top

David Stern = Bruce Springsteen/a.k.a. “The Boss”

Rod Thorn = The Police

NOTE: Undoubtedly, there are hundreds, maybe thousands, more NBA player and musical artist(s) match-ups that can be added. Please feel free to submit others that come to mind. Either use the comments section or text/DM or email.

Brady Announces Return to Tampa Bay

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TAMPA BAY – The return of Major League Baseball was not the biggest sports story today, nor was the Celtics’ retirement of Kevin Garnett‘s no. 5 at the TD Garden. The final day of the College Basketball conference tournament week and the NCAA Selection Show probably came in at No. 2 on the big sports story list.

Former New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, the Tampa Bay Bucs’ starter the past two seasons, used his social media accounts to announce his return to the NFL and the Buccaneers for the 2022 season. Talk about seizing the day and its headlines!

Developing story…

RealResponse Adds KC Chiefs and Denver Broncos

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KANSAS CITY/DENVER – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – . Both will use the system to proactively stay in communication with employees regarding feedback on areas impacting their wellbeing – both positives that are benefiting experiences as well as to gain additional insight into the issues that may need to be addressed.

“RealResponse is a critical tool that our organization will utilize at all levels to enhance our communication with employees,” said Nancy Svoboda, Executive Vice President of Human Resources for the Denver Broncos. “We are proud of our workplace culture and we want to continue to be proactive in supporting our staff by making sure that their voices continue to be heard. We are excited to be a part of this groundbreaking platform.”

“Creating an efficient, confidential and anonymous way to proactively identify and address issues and opportunities will make us better. We are proud to be a part of this emerging trend within professional sports,” said Kirsten Krug, Executive Vice President of Administration for the Kansas City Chiefs.

“The platform we have built is all about empowering athletes and employees’ voices and keeping those in leadership informed not just on issues, but on opportunities to better communicate and work together,” said David Chadwick, RealResponse founder.  “Whether it is a junior staff member receiving acknowledgement for going above and beyond the call or a senior administrator alerting leadership of potential issues regarding employee health and well-being.’

The two teams will begin implementing and onboarding staff into the system in the coming weeks. RealResponse already works with the NFLPA for player-related reporting, but having teams engaged will make the system more holistic and impactful across all areas of the organizations.

Originally founded in 2015 and then expanded in 2020, RealResponse is a partner with more than 100 colleges and universities as well as with the NFLPA, USADA, the NWSL, and USA Gymnastics, giving more than 100,000 athletes and staff the ability to anonymously share feedback and concerns in a safe and secure manner.

Super Bowl Preview: Bengals vs Rams

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Super Bowl LVI (56)

  • February 13, 2022
  • Time: 6:30pm (ET)/3:30pm (local)
  • TV: NBC Sports; Streaming on Peacock
  • Play-by-play: Al Michaels – Expert Analyst: Chris Collinsworth
  • Sideline Reporters: Michele Tafoya, Kathryn Tappen
  • Radio: Westwood One Network; Kevin Harlan, Kurt Warner
  • SoFi Stadium
  • Ingelwood, California
  • AFC Champion – Cincinnati Bengals (13-7)
    • Defeated: Las Vegas (26-19); At Tennessee (19-16); At Kansas City (27-24)
  • NFC Champion – Los Angeles Rams (15-5)
    • Defeated: Arizona (34-11); At Tampa Bay (30-27); San Francisco (20-17).

Rams Coach: Sean McVey

Bengals Coach: Zac Taylor

Notes: Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, a 13-year veteran and one time No. 1 overall pick by the Detroit Lions, is one of only five first overall picks to play over 100 games before making it to the Super Bowl. Meanwhile, Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is the first second-year QB to start in the Super Bowl since Seattle’s Russell Wilson in 2013. … The Rams are seeking their second NFL title, the first coming in 1999. Similar to Tampa Bay last season, the Rams are enjoying home field advantage at their brand new SoFi Stadium. … The bengals are seeking their first Super Bowl title after losing in 1982 and 1989. Cincinnati is in its 54th season and a loss would mark the league record for most seasons without a championship.

WR Stars: Los Angeles features WR Cooper Kupp, the league’s Offensive Player of the Year who led the NFL in receptions (145), yards (1,947) and TDs (16) this season; Cincinnati counters with Ja’Marr Chase who had 81 catches for 1,455 yards and 13 TDs this season. His 279 receiving yards in the postseason are already the most among rookies in a single playoffs, and he’s the only rookie receiver to have multiple 100-yard receiving games in a playoffs.

Defensive Stand-outs: The Rams’ defensive tackle Aaron Donald is considered the best defensive player in the league and will be pressuring Cincy QB Burrows while also downing Bengals running backs and receivers. He led the league in tackles with 127. Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson (107 tackles, third in the NFL) ranks in the top three in first pressures this season, including the playoffs. Hendrickson was 11th in pass rush win rate (21.9%).

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | Brady Retires

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Tom and daughter, Vivian Brady: (Photo by Getty Images)

Bye-Bye Brady

By TERRY LYONS

Mid-afternoon Saturday, ESPN reported that all-time great NFL quarterback Tom Brady has decided to retire from playing pro football, effective immediately. He leaves with one year remaining on his NFL/Tampa Bay contract.

Brady, 44, is retiring with a record (624) touchdown passes, (84,250) passing yards in 22 seasons of NFL football, mostly with the New England Patriots but concluding with the Tampa Bay Bucs, the 2021 NFL Super Bowl champions. Brady also leaves the NFL with seven Super Bowl championships and a burgeoning business with his TB12 brand.

With the fact Brady’s children are in their formative years, the time for spending valuable days with his family is now. With his wealth, combined with the wealth and celebrity status of his super model wife, Giselle, the timing will allow them to settle in the place of their choosing, most likely New York City or Miami. They are building a home near Miami Beach, in an exclusive paradise called Indian Creek Island.

Late in the day Saturday, Brady’s agent (Don Yee) offered a vague non-denial, denial of the report and Brady’s father, Tom Sr. stated via the NFL Network, “This story Mike is total conjecture. Tommy has not made a final decision one way or the other and anybody else that says that he has is absolutely wrong.”

The take here? You’ve gotta be very happy for Tom Brady and his family. He gave his all to the NFL for 22 years and can retire healthy and at the perfect time to spend time with his wife and children. He deserves nothing but personal happiness and more professional success if he chooses to explore more entrepreneurial outlets like TB12. Otherwise, the links from Pebble Beach Ireland, Pro-Ams and celebrity golf tournaments await.

Side Note: With the announced and now highly expected retirement of Brady, the odds of TE Rob Gronkowski returning to the NFL football field fall to slim and none.

Side Note II: With the retirement of Brady, a Golden Age for Boston sports franchises comes to a full stop with Brady leaving the Patriots (lost to Tampa Bay Bucs), Paul Pierce gone from the Celtics (shipped out to Brooklyn with KG), Zdeno Chara for the Bruins (shipped to DC) and David “Big Papi” Ortiz retiring from the Red Sox and just this week voted as a first ballot National Baseball Hall of Famer. At least Big Papi remained on the Sox and retired as a winner in his Boston uniform, something Sox OF Mookie Bettsdecided against. It is the end of an amazing era in Boston sports history.

SNOWY and WIND-BLOWN BOSTON – The NFL Super Bowl participants will be determined today and the game date will be circled on everyone’s calendar – February 13, 2022 with a 6:30pm (ET) kick-off. Then, if all goes well with their negotiations (see note below), Spring Training for baseball will begin 48 hours later. Pitchers & Catchers reporting is always the first sign of spring.

There will be a February 4-20th time-out for the Beijing Winter Olympics, but with dozens of athletes testing positive for COVID+ and the time change challenges of an Asian Olympics for USA television viewing, the 2022 Winter Games are not generating much buzz or viewer enthusiasm. NBC and Peacock are now beginning 24/7 promotion of the Games, avoiding any connection to China and the obvious human rights protests on-going. NBC Sports is NOT sending broadcasters to call the Winter Olympics on site and, instead, will base much of the coverage out of their Stamford, CT studio. Blah.

That brings us to the “next” season for sports fans. With the NBA and NHL in their dog-days of winter, the focus will shift to NCAA basketball, the various conference tournaments as NCAA “March Madness” fast approaches. The bulk of the college tournaments begin March 9, but some, like the Southern Conference tip-off March 4. Here’s your pocket schedule for planning:

  • March 4: Some mid-major conference tournaments begin
  • March 9: Bulk of NCAA conference championships tip-off
  • March 13: NCAA Selection Sunday
  • First Four: March 15-16
  • First round: March 17-18
  • Second round: March 19-20
  • Sweet 16: March 24-25
  • Elite Eight: March 26-27
  • Final Four: April 2
  • NCAA championship game: April 4
  • MLB Regular Season: March 31

Each week, the Associated Press Top 25 and the NCAA Basketball Coaches Poll rank the best college hoops teams. There’s rarely a spot or two difference between the two polls. As of this week, there’s 99.9% agreement on the Top 10 programs in ‘22:

  • Auburn
  • Gonzaga
  • Arizona
  • Baylor
  • Kansas
  • Purdue
  • Duke
  • UCLA
  • Houston
  • Michigan State

In the Top 11-25 ranked range, these teams should be noted as contenders to go deep into the tournament:

  • Wisconsin
  • Villanova
  • Kentucky
  • Texas Tech

Of course, in the NCAA’s, you can always count on at least one or two teams to catch fire in late February and the first week of March, then become the Cinderella darlings of March Madness. Loyola (Chicago) certainly qualifies in that realm, as does a well-coached and scrappy Providence team from the Big East. UConn and Marquette are two clubs to keep an eye on throughout February.

Winning in-Conference road games by any margin is always the key indicator for this reporter. Don’t let those rankings, Quad-1-to-4 victories, RPI or NET rankings fool you.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: Saturday, January 29th, 2022 (yesterday – or tonight if you’re reading the bulldog edition) marks the first Saturday without “real” football since August 21, 2021. The NCAA football season began the following Saturday (August 28) and the nFL filled what might’ve been a dormant January 8 with two games of their final regular season weekend. (KS 28-24 over Denver) and Dallas 51-26 over Philadelphia). … The NCAA All-Star exhibitions don’t count.

POWER RANKINGS: Green Bay, Buffalo, Dallas, Tampa Bay and Tennessee all tapped-out last weekend, leaving the January 18 NFL Power Ranking in shambles. No. 7 LA Rams and No. 8 Cincinnati Bengals both advanced and the San Francisco 49ers surprised everyone but the Las Vegas bookies. That leaves us:

Cincy at KC, 3pm (ET) on CBS

SF at LA Rams, 6:30pm (ET) on FOX

Prediction: The home teams win and cover. … That said, Cincinnati is dangerous and will be a team to be reckoned with for at least five more years. KC and Buffalo both in that category, too. Anyone else? Let’s hear it.

PITCHERS & CATCHERS & LAWYERS: The MLB Spring Training countdown clock reads 14 days as of January 30th, with most teams asking pitchers & catchers to report on February 15th. This week, there was a Floridian-style ray of hope as consecutive meeting days (this past Monday-Tuesday) between MLB and the MLBPA concluded with reports of progress in their negotiations for a new Collective Bargaining Agreement. … The deadline for a deal is fast approaching so it is reasonable to think the two sides will continue to meet and chip away on the details for a new deal. … The good news, there has been surprisingly little said to media as the negotiations continue.

TL’s Sunday Sports Notebook – Dec. 5

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While We’re Young (Ideas) Looks at the Month of December

BOSTON – December is the deepest and darkest month of the year. The winter solstice fast approaching this December 21st and the Christmas season coming immediately after for those who celebrate the holiday. While I’ve written about the NFL Red Zone’s “Witching Hour,” I have not, until now, written about December in the NFL. In Red Zone terms, it is the “month when winners win and losers lose.”

NFL Decembers make me shiver. December in the NFL is when 12, 13 and maybe 14-win teams are made. Last December 6-8, three of the four AFC/NFL championship participants won their games with Tampa Bay on a bye week. The eventual Super Bowl champion Bucs won all three of their December games and posted a “W” in their final regular season hame, a 44-27 ear-slap of Atlanta. Overall, Tampa won their final eight games of 2020-21.

In 2019, the Kansas City Chiefs caught fire in December, scorching the Raiders 40-9. The Super Bowl champion Chiefs won their final nine games. You have to look back to 2018 when the New England Patriots lost a costly 34-33 game at Miami to see a difference in the trend, although the Patriots spanked Minnesota in NFL Week 13, 24-10 and that game was one of ten late season wins as the Patriots closed out their 2018 schedule, 10-3, to advance for a 13-3 Super Bowl win over the Los Angeles Rams.

Back in 2017, the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles won their 11-12-13th games in December, but bookended the month with losses, including a 24-10 loss at Seattle on December 3 and a strange and meaningless 6-0 loss vs. Dallas on New Year’s eve. Philly won 12 of their last 14.

What will Week 13, December 2-6 bring to the NFL?

The Dallas Cowboys have already made their December to remember statement with an easy 27-17 win over an injury-plagued New Orleans team this past Thursday. Green Bay (9-3) has a bye week scheduled while the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots play Monday night.

Suffice to say, this weekend might separate the contenders in a league full of good but not great football teams. The (9-2) Arizona Cardinals have suffered injuries to their All Pro quarterback in Kyler Murray. Running back Chase Edmonds remains sidelined and All Pro wide-out DeAndre Hopkinshas been out since October 28, nursing a hamstring injury.

Tampa Bay (8-3) has been less than impressive, winning two of their last four. A divisional match-up at Atlanta awaits and we’ll see if Tom Brady and his Tampa teammates can shift into “Oh, What a Night” mode this December.

NFL POWER RANKINGS: With a long way to go and such mediocrity, eh – we’ll call it parity – in the NFL this season, I’m hesitant to do any meaningful Power Rankings. Injuries, including the inevitable COVID-19 outbreak or two, can upset the December applecart. But here’s a Top 10 in the NFL, all with a December to determine the contenders or pretenders.

  1. Buffalo Bills – The Bills will need to prove it Monday Night, but with a win over New England, they can place themselves atop the AFC, although a game at Tampa Bay and another match-up at divisional rival New England awaits.
  2. Kansas City Chiefs – Guess which NFL team has reeled-off four wins in a row, including a 13-7 win vs. Green Bay and a 19-9 win vs Dallas? Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs’ offense is tough to match-up against and the KC “D” is improving each and every game.
  3. Dallas Cowboys – After a disappointing 31-29 opening week loss to Tampa, Dallas won seven-of-eight, including a hard-fought, overtime win at Foxborough. Four of their last five regular season games are against NFC Least opponents.
  4. Arizona Cardinals – A league-leading (9-2) record with (6-0) on the road deserves praise but, as noted, the Cards need to get healthy in a hurry.
  5. Green Bay Packers – The Pack’s lost two of its last four, but had a much-needed and impressive 36-28 victory over the LA Rams on November 28. The Packers have a bye week to prepare for their final five regular season games.
  6. Baltimore Ravens – The (8-3) Ravens are the team no other AFC club wants to see in the playoffs. QB Lamar Jackson leads the offense, of course, but the key to the Ravens’ success (or not) will be on the defensive and special teams side of the field. The defense is stepping up over the past two victories over Cleveland and Chicago.
  7. New England Patriots – If December NFL football does one thing, it sets off the “Rookie Quarterback” alarm and QB Mac Jones, the favorite for Rookie of the Year, still qualifies for the alarm bell. For New England to be successful, the defense and special teams units will have to make big plays, force turnovers and win games. Jones can hold his own with the offense, especially if WR Kendrick Bourne continues his emergence.
  8. Tennessee Titans – You lose the best running back in the league (Derrick Henry) and you’re in trouble. The Titans lost their last two games (to Houston and New England). Previously, it was a six-game winning streak and eight wins over nine games. Can they run the ball against the NFL’s more elite teams?
  9. Cincinnati Bengals – Winning games follows QB Joe Burrow around even though costly losses to the Jets and Browns overshadowed pairs of wins coming three times in season, including victories over the Ravens, Raiders and melting Steelers (twice).
  10. In the NFC, only Washington FT and SF 49ers own three-game win streaks while AFC streakers include New England (six straight) along with KC and the Miami Dolphins as winners of their last four games. From some mix of Washington, SF, Miami and the LA Rams & Chargers comes the 10th best team. That said in this crazy and unpredictable 2021 NFL season, there’s a chance none of them qualify for the playoffs.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: Talk about December football and the toughest of the tough and you have the annual Army vs Navy game, scheduled for December 11 at Met Life Stadium in the swamps of Jersey, rather than its usual home in sunny Philadelphia.

On the Sports Biz side, the folks at the Army-Navy game’s presenting sponsor, USAA, organized an impressive “Radio Row” facility at the Philadelphia Convention Hall pre-COVID-19 (Dec. 2019) but have moved the location to The Intrepid Air & Space Museum to preview this year’s game. … Nice back-drop for a number of national radio broadcasts and also the likes of: KNBR (SF), KILT (Houston), 106.7 the Fan (DC), KFAN (Minneapolis), WDAE (Tampa), KKFN (Denver), WFNZ (Charlotte), 97.3 the Fan (San Diego), 104.5 the Zone (Nashville) or ESPNSA (San Antonio).

BY PROVIDENCE: In keeping up with our coverage of, and intense interest in, the Big East Conference, we’ll note that Providence up-ended Rhode Island, 66-52, in the 131st battle between the two RI schools. Providence has now won 12 of the last 18 meetings. The Friars are also atop the Big East non-conference standings at (8-1) with their only loss coming at the hands of Virginia. Providence scrubbed Texas Tech (72-68) in their Big East vs Big 12 Battle earlier this week. UConn is also (8-1) with their Saturday win over Grambling (88-59). On Friday night at the new UBS Arena, home of the New York Islanders of the NHL-and-AHL, wink, wink, The No. 8 rated Kansas Jayhawks drilled St. John’s by 25 (95-75) in the first basketball game ever played in the arena.

  1. NOTES, NOTES, AND MORE NOTES: A year-long subscription to TL’s Sunday Sports Notes – While We’re Young (Ideas) is a perfect way to have the sports fan in your life look forward to an old-fashioned, weekly, notebook full of sports insights. Sign-up for this special offer: HERE
  2. PGA TOUR BRUNCH AS CHAMPIONS RETURN OF THE TOUR:Plans are on-going to re-launch the popular PGA Tour Brunch newsletter when the pros tee-it-up at Sentry Tournament of Champions Jan. 5-9, 2022 at The Plantation Course in Maui.

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True Tales of Cowboys and Patriots

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By TERRY LYONS

FOXBOROUGH – These two true tales began with the announcement of the National Football League schedule back on April 17, 2019. The vaunted Dallas Cowboys were scheduled to visit Gillette Stadium to play Tom Brady and the New England Patriots on November 24, a day I would personally celebrate a benchmark birthday.

A good friend would be in town, too, and the fact he grew up in the land of Don Shula’s Miami Dolphins but was a lifelong fan of the Cowboys was cause for our plans to hatch that very April day, only to be fully concocted by mid-summer 2019. Tickets were purchased, and everything was set, only to await game day.

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When that November day came along, the Dallas Cowboys were (6-4) and mired in the NFC East division dog pile where someone would have to win the divisional title, almost by default. Dallas did pack a top-notch and league-leading offense, orchestrated by QB Dak Prescott, RB Ezekiel Elliott and a receiving corp of wide variety and game-breaking talent. The hometown Patriots were (9-1) with only a November 3 loss to the Baltimore Ravens as the blemish on their 2019 record.

Everything was in place. Plenty of week-long hype. Plenty of Brady vs Prescott comparisons. Plenty of network promotion for the 4:25pm late day, featured game on CBS Sports. One thing went awry.

Sunday, November 24, 2019 was a day even the toughest, weather-beaten New Englanders dread. The day-long storm strengthened as the clock ticked and by 4pm, Gillette Stadium was storm center central for a combination of rain, sleet, snow and wind gusts pushing 50 mph. When the rain wasn’t pelting the players, the wind was applying a deep freeze. A football, inflated/deflated/whatever, tossed up in the air would end up landing 10 yards behind and rolling in the opposite direction.

What could be worse?

Although layers and layers of clothing and rain gear were packed and in place, our dynamic duo faced another combination of our very well, advance-planned and now weather-related consequence. Our tickets were the best football tickets money could buy. Upper level, first row, dead center, 50-yard line. Perfect sight lines and no chance of anyone blocking the view. On a beautiful, wind-free fall day, it would’ve been heaven.

Instead, as the National Anthem was being played and we turned a corner from the ramps that led up to our seats, a stadium security attendant warned us to be careful as we advanced to our position, just past a concrete wall. It was good and much-needed advice, as upon another step or two, those wind gusts kicked in and we had to hold onto the railings for dear life. The rain was falling sideways and the winds were howling directly in our faces. A Nor’easter to be reckoned with for the entire game. And the game was a good one, thank God.

After a Dallas “three-and-out” and a New England “six-and-out” pair of punts, Dallas regained the ball and somehow drove 53 yards in seven plays but were forced to attempt a 46-yard field goal when faced with a 4th Down and six yards to go from the New England 28 yard line. The reliable PK Brett Maher bopped it off the left upright.

New England scored first after Matthew Slater blocked a Dallas punt and Tom Brady hit N’Keal Harry two plays later to give the Patriots a 7-0 lead after the freezing first quarter. New England veteran PK Nick Folk made it 10-0 with an impressive 44-yarder (with the wind). Dallas countered with two second quarter field goals as Maher got back on track while Folk went on to miss a pair of place-kicks (46 and 48 yard attempts).

Halftime brought more rain and wind and the third quarter would grind to a weather beaten, alternating punt-fest, as the first six possessions resulted in each team volleying the ball back and forth, via punts. In the fourth quarter, each team traded field goals to close out the scoring and the Patriots had their 13-9 win in a hard-fought and intense game.

We sprinted to the car to jack-up the heater, tear off soaked weather gear which was damp and heavy  despite the use of two large Hefty garbage bags per half as the outer protection against Mother Nature.  Once dry clothing was in place and the car warmed up, we marveled at the players’ and coaches’ ability to perform in such a raging storm. Death, Taxes, Father Time and Mother Nature remain undefeated.

Fast-forward to today, October 17, 2021 when the NFL schedule-makers again placed the Dallas Cowboys at Patriot Place in Foxborough. Although that same good friend was, again, in town, the glaring differences in the two days were otherwise plentiful.

First, the most noticeable, Tom Brady was NOT in the building. Secondly, instead of a large Hefty Bag, my bud had the guts to wear his favorite Dallas Cowboys sweatshirt in the land of Bill Belichick‘s dirty, dingy, sleeves cut-off sweats. And, lastly, instead of a combination Hurricane-Monsoon-Nor’easter, your intrepid pair of spectators enjoyed a bright sunshiny Autumn afternoon with no meaningful wind and warm temperatures in the high 60s.

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The game was highly entertaining with peaks and valleys, ebbs and flows, perfect execution and woeful play – all at the same time. Dallas was penalized 12 times for 115-yards while Prescott threw for 445 yards on 36-of-51 with three TDs. New England jumped out to a 14-7 lead as RB Damien Harris and QB Mac Jones showed some true grit against the Cowboys who ended up leading 17-14 as the fourth quarter began,

At that point, a very good football game became a crazy and unbelievable back-and-forth game. The Patriots scored twice, the latter on a 75-yard break-away pass play from Big Mac to Kendrick Bourne that, along with a two-point conversion, gave New England a 29-26 lead with 2:11 to play in regulation.

With only :20 seconds remaining, Dallas PK Greg Zuerlein hit his third of four FG attempts to tie the game, but that came after combinations of interception returns, a Zuerlein must-make FG that missed and assorted blown opportunities and officiating calls. Nevertheless, the resulting electro-cardiogram for everyone in attendance was that the game went into overtime.

Dallas prevailed when Prescott hit wide-out CeeDee Lamb for a 35-yard, game-winning touchdown just 3:52 into overtime. But, while Dallas rejoiced with the victory which brought their record to (5-1) and a commanding lead in the otherwise weak NFC East division, the Cowboys’ star QB suffered a right calf strain on the final play of the game.

Sunrise, sunset, stormy days, windy days, perfect days, each with sweet victories, disappointing losses.

On October 17, 2021, 65,878 fans were entertained. Two thirds of them went home devastated with the Patriots’ loss and their (2-4, 0-4 at home) record while one third, most pop them in their Cowboys’ jerseys enjoyed the important OT victory.

“We went toe-to-toe with them for 60 minutes,” New England Coach Belichick said after the game. “They just made a few more plays than we did.”

 

 

 

 

 

Boston Needs to Make Texas Toast

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By TERRY LYONS

BOSTON – In a recent Digital Sports Desk column which had a general theme, “When they go low, we go high,” the finer points of the City of Tampa were underlined and applauded as opposed to the B.S. that the New York Post threw at the City of Boston when the New York Yankees were the guests at America’s Most Beloved Ballpark, Fenway Park. While the Post proclaimed, “Boston Sucks,” Digital Sports Desk took the high road and pointed out that Tampa had a title-town winning streak ongoing with the reigning Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the NFL and the defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning of the NHL. Tampa also claimed direct connections with the likes of hometown heroes such as musicians Ray Charles, Cannonball Adderley, Stephen Stills, David Sanborn and the model and actress Lauren Hutton.

The obvious question as the weekend of October 15-16-17 approaches and the fans of Houston wonder “What Say You?”

Houston is NOT a “HELL HOLE,” as the New York Post’s Wallace Matthews once wrote when the Knicks faced the Rockets in the 1994 NBA Finals. It is the most populous city in the State of Texas and the fourth most populous city in the United States with 2.3 million people and growing.

Certainly, Houston’s most famous claim to fame is the Johnson Space Center and “Mission Control” for the many NASA missions exploring outer space. Houston is called “Space City” and “H-Town.” The Houston Astros, once the “Colt 45s,” won the World Series in 2017 but not without controversy of sign stealing and drum-banging that cost GM Jeff Luhnow and Manager A.J. Hinch their jobs, along with Boston Red Sox Manager Alex Cora (who was then a bench coach for the ‘Stros before taking the reins in Boston for the 2018 World Series title season).

Houston was home to the then “mod” Astrodome, then known as the “Eighth Wonder of the World.” The indoor baseball venue was the very first “dome,” built beginning in 1962 and opened in 1965. It hosted rock shows (Elvis, The Stones, Pink Floyd), heavyweight title fights (Ali) and the college basketball game of the century which featured 52,963 fans watching Elvin Hayes (39 points) and the University of Houston defeat the UCLA Bruins of Coach John Wooden and center Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) 71-69 on January 20, 1968.

Houston was the home of United States Presidents George H.W. Bush and his son, George W. Bush. It claims a wide variety of famous singers, songwriters, actresses and models, from Kenny Rogers to Lyle Lovett to Kelly Emberg (model) or Charlies’ Angels star Jaclyn Smith. Boxing great George Foreman hails from Houston, as does the greatest gymnast of all-time, Simone Biles.

Houston has active arts and theatre, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, and is widely known as a tech and medical center of the world, especially fighting every dreaded form of cancer.

How could Matthews ever call Houston a hell hole when it is the hometown of Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter and Destiny’s Child and two-time Academy Award winner Renée Zellweger is from nearby Katy, Texas?

The Red Sox will have their hands filled with the Astros this weekend, as the American League Championship Series (ALCS) opens up in Texas. The Astros went 95-67 this season and took the American League West title. This year will be the ‘Stros fifth consecutive appearance in the ALCS. The Astros lost the likes of outfielder George Springer (Toronto) and pitcher Gerrit Cole (NY Yankees) to free agency and are still great.

As MLB’s version of a “Final Four” has arrived, the sports world of Boston is not focused solely on baseball. Out in Foxboro, another Texas team, the vaunted Dallas Cowboys, will pay a visit to play the New England Patriots this Sunday (4:25pm). NFC East leader Dallas arrives with a 4-1 record and as winners of four straight, while the hometown Patriots are 2-3 and will need to compete mightily in order to gain a wild card berth in the NFL Playoffs. Nevertheless, the Cowboys vs Patriots will have “big game” status and higher TV ratings than the other three major sports combined.

Speaking of other major sports, the Boston Bruins will open their 2021-22 NHL season with a home game against another Texas team, the Dallas Stars, on Saturday night. The Bruins’ season begins with high hopes for another trip to the Stanley Cup Playoffs and maybe even another appearance in the Stanley Cup Finals, largely dependent on the backline defense and goaltending sans the great, but injured, free agent Tuukka Rask (hip surgery).

It doesn’t end there, as the 75th Anniversary season of the NBA is soon to begin and the Boston Celtics will open on the road against longtime rival New York Knickerbockers with a Wednesday, October 20 appointment at Madison Square Garden. That game will be up against a possible Game 5 of the ALCS, as the series will move to Fenway Park for Game 3, 4, 5, scheduled October 18-19-20, with seasonal weather forecasts to delight the faithful fans at The Fens.

Lastly, the Boston College Eagles (4-1, 0-1 in ACC) will play a make it or break it ACC matchup in Chestnut Hill this Saturday night when the N.C. State Wolfpack (4-1, 1-0 in ACC) visits The Heights. Although it’s still relatively early in the college football season, the outcome of the game for the Eagles — especially at home — will determine their ability to compete for the upper echelons of the ACC. Believe it or not, this game is likely to determine Bowl eligibility and/or destinations for B.C.

The week of Boston sports festivities begins tonight in Houston when Red Sox ace Chris Sale (5-1) takes to the mound against Framber Valdez (11-6) of the Astros. Sale was shelled his last time out against the Tampa Bay Rays but has worked his mechanics ever since the October 8 debacle when he threw only one inning but let up five earned runs in a game the Red Sox managed to win 14-6. Boston exploded with five home runs in that game, which turned their series around and helped the Sox advance to the ALCS with a 3-1 series upset over Tampa.

Mac Defeats Zach with Patriots’ Attack

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EAST RUTHERFORD – (Staff and Wire Services Reporting) – New England’s rookie quarterback Mac Jones and the Patriots prevailed in a battle of rookie quarterbacks as New England earned a 25-6 win over New York quarterback Zach Wilson and the Jets on Sunday afternoon. Jones, the No. 15 overall pick by New England in the 2021 draft, completed 22-of-30 passes for 186 yards en route to his first NFL victory. Damien Harris rushed for 62 yards and a touchdown and James White also had a rushing TD for New England (1-1), which bounced back from a season-opening 17-16 home loss to Miami.

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No. 2 overall pick Wilson was intercepted four times and threw for 210 yards on 19-of-33 passing for the Jets. Wilson has thrown five interceptions in his first two NFL games after tossing just a lone interception in the Jets’ 19-14 loss at Carolina last Sunday. New York (0-2) suffered its 11th consecutive loss to New England over a six-year span.

Nick Folk made all four of his field goal attempts for New England, eclipsing Stephen Gostkowski’s franchise record with his 32nd consecutive made field goal from 32 yards on his third of four attempts to make it 22-3 late in the third quarter. His final kick in the closing moments of the fourth quarter, from 26 yards out, made it 33 in a row.

Two plays after Wilson’s fourth pick of the game early in the third quarter, Harris carried four Jets defenders on his back while powering in for a 26-yard touchdown to put the Patriots ahead 19-3.