Monday, January 8, 2024

NFL this 'n' that

 The Jests & Giants aren't going to the playoffs, but they did close out their seasons on high notes on Sunday.

As the snow was flying in Foxborough, the Jests snapped a 15 game losing streak to hated rival New England with a 17-3 victory. You'd have to go back to at least 2016 for the last time the Jests took down Bill Belichick & New England.


Is this the last image of Belichick in New England?

Belichick had been fighting a cold all week leading up to the game, and watched Bailey Zappe throw two interceptions, unable to get the Pats into the end zone. 

Now, all that's left is whether or not Belichick returns for a 25th season with the Pats.

Meanwhile, the Giants spoiled the Philadelphia Eagles' chances of winning the NFC East, as they upended the Eagles, 27-10. 2 Saquon Barkley touchdown runs, and a TD toss from Tyrod Taylor to Darius Slayton had Big Blue up, 24-0, following a Mason Crosby field goal in the 1st quarter, at halftime.

Philadelphia falls to the #5 seed in the NFC playoffs, which begin Saturday, and travel to NFC South champion Tampa Bay, which shut out hapless Carolina, 9-0.
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Atlanta had been dueling with Tampa and New Orleans for the South title, but their collapse was completed in a blowout loss to the Saints, 48-17. A perceived show of disrespect by the Saints' players with 70 seconds left in the game had Falcons coach Arthur Smith fuming. He refused to shake hands with his New Orleans counterpart, Dennis Allen, after the game.

Allen did the right thing by apologizing, and saying that the players did this on their own to give running back Jamaal Williams a touchdown in the season finale.

By the time the Miami-Buffalo game ended after 11 pm (ET), Smith was out of a job, dismissed by the Falcons due to the late season collapse that saw Atlanta finish at 7-10.
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Speaking of the playoffs, here's the lineup for Wild Card weekend, extended to 3 days for the Martin Luther King Day holiday:

Saturday:

AFC:

#5 Cleveland @ #4 Houston (NBC), 4:30 pm (ET).

#6 Miami @ #3 Kansas City (Peacock exclusive), 8:15 pm.

Sunday:

AFC:

#7 Pittsburgh @ #2 Buffalo (CBS), 1 pm.

NFC:

#7 Green Bay @ #2 Dallas (Fox), 4:30 pm.

#6 Los Angeles @ #3 Detroit (NBC), 8:15 pm.

Monday:

NFC:

#5 Philadelphia @ #4 Tampa Bay (ABC/ESPN), 8:15 pm.

Baltimore & San Francisco, as their conferences' #1 seeds, get 1st round byes. We'll make our predictions on Friday.

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