2023 NFL: Previewing Week 8

I’ve heard a lot of people complain that they were the last ones picked at kickball during their school days. 

That never happened to me. At least in kickball. Basketball? Allegedly. But it was THEIR loss because unbeknownst to those philistines, I was deadly from 3-point range. I couldn’t run, dribble or defend, but I could stand in the corner and wait for the ball like Dennis Scott. 

Anywho, which brings me to the NFL draft. I’ve made no secret of the fact that it doesn’t really interest me. Out of the 250 or so players taken every year, there are a handful that actually last in the league longer than a couple seasons. For every Peyton Manning, there’s a melange of guys like Jameis Winston, Christian Ponder, Ki-Jana Carter and Vernon Gholston. 

It’s such an inexact science, I wouldn’t ever consider it a science. It’s just guesswork. And there’s an army of draft experts breaking down first-step bursts, feet discipline, punch power, lateral mobility and functional strength. 

And just the mention of the phrase “quick twitch” makes my right eye twitch in anger.  

Many NFL success stories are happy accidents. Player talent is obviously important. But where a player lands, the coaching staff he inherits and dumb luck can play just as critical a role. We all know the legend of Tom Brady, the sixth-round pick who went on to become the most successful player in league history. But had Drew Bledsoe not been hurt in Week 2 of the 2001 season, who knows? 

Tom would have held a clipboard for a few years, then become a sales manager at a Hyundai dealership in Braintree before having a small family and retiring down south in Sarasota. No Bridget Moynahan, definitely no Gisele Bundchen, no commercials, no cameo in “Stuck on You.” Nothing. 

How about Travis Etienne? The Jaguars had two picks in the first round of the 2021 draft and after spending the No. 1 overall selection on QB Trevor Lawrence, they took the running back, Lawrence’s college teammate, with the 25th pick. At the time, that choice drew confusion and mocking from pundits all over the draftsphere (a word I just invented and copyrighted).  

Why would the Jaguars do that? They already had James Robinson, an undrafted free agent who had become just the fourth player in league history to rush for more than 1,000 yards in his rookie season. Why didn’t they address more important needs on their roster? They don’t NEED Etienne at all! 

It didn’t help that Jacksonville’s head coach at the time, the infamous Urban Meyer, said that Etienne would play more at wide receiver than running back. It got worse when the rookie suffered a Lisfranc injury that required surgery, ending his first year before it began.  

But Etienne recovered, had a solid 2022 season, and has continued to trend upward. He scored twice in last Thursday’s win over the Saints, becoming the first player in team history to score multiple touchdowns in three consecutive games. And this franchise has had some quality names toting the rock over the years. He’s leading the league in carries, fourth in rushing yards and third in rushing touchdowns. He’s the go-to guy for the Jags offense. So much for not being needed. 

And James Robinson? He was traded to the Jets in 2022 and is currently on his third team this calendar year. 

So the next time you hear an expert immediately trash a team’s draft choice? Close your eyes, stick your fingers in your ears and say, “lalalalala.” You never know if things will work out. 

Also, kickball stinks. 

NFL’S TOP 10 

 1. Eagles – I wasn’t worried after they lost to the Jets. That was a flukey loss. They got back to business and were clearly the better team when they took on the Dolphins and won. Their defense has been great over the last three weeks and their sack numbers are climbing higher. And they just got better because they landed safety Kevin Byard in a trade with the Titans on Monday. But, of course, all eyes are on Jalen Hurts’ injured left knee. He’s probably going to play this week, but it’s fair to say we’re all worried. 

 2. Chiefs – Welp, for all my complaining, they keep winning and shutting my mouth. Taylor Swift should stick around for the rest of the season, she’s clearly good luck. I can’t believe I just said that.  

 3. 49ers – Speaking of luck, I’m clearly bad luck. Whenever I go all out to compliment a team, they trip over their own feet. I still think San Francisco has the most talented roster, but they’ve now lost two games in a row. If you want to say injuries are playing a role here, that’s fine. But injuries aren’t the reason Brock Purdy threw two fourth-quarter interceptions with the game on the line. They have a tough matchup this week against the Bengals before their bye. Let’s see if they can clean things up. 

 4. Ravens – Here’s an interesting nugget from Sunday’s win over the Lions: Baltimore scored four touchdowns before Detroit got one first down. Wow. The Ravens had one of those football performances where literally everything goes right. Which is great because their offense had been pretty inconsistent until that point. Here’s hoping this sparks a run of excellence.  

 5. Cowboys – They got a chance to rest during their bye week, but they need to hit the ground running. They’ve got the Rams this week before a showdown against the Eagles next Sunday. They have the talent to win both, but they’re more than capable of throwing out two stink bombs. We’ve seen it happen. 

 6. Dolphins – Hmmm. They did a good job of fighting back when they fell behind by two touchdowns against Philly, but they fell short. And I don’t want to keep harping on this, but you have to wonder if they have what it takes against the league’s elite. Piling up a bunch of points against the Panthers and Giants is fun, but ultimately meaningless if you can’t fight a team who can punch back. 

 7. Jaguars – They’ve won four games in a row and they’re not doing anything particularly well as a team. Their offense is in the middle of the pack and while their defense is good against the run, there’s nothing really special there either. But you know what? What the Jags are doing is clearly good enough for now. 

 8. Lions – Uhhh, take that game tape and throw it away. Burn it. See what I mean when I say I’m bad luck? I had this team No. 2 last week. But when you lose 38-6 on the road, there’s a price to pay. I mean, really. That was gross. But good news, you get the Raiders at home this weekend and then a bye. Nobody will remember this after a little while. 

 9. Bills – Fellas, what’s the deal? Remember when you beat the Dolphins big and everyone was loving on you? What happened? Where did that team go? Since then, it’s two losses in three weeks, including a head-scratcher against Mac Jones and the Patriots. The sky isn’t falling, but come on, get it together. 

 10. Browns – Deshaun Watson looks lost, but they’re still 4-2. The AFC North is no joke.  

WHAT’S THE CHATTER? 

Rookie time: The Titans have become the guy at the party that you forget is there. And now Ryan Tannehill is dealing with a high ankle sprain and may not be ready for this weekend. If that’s the case, it looks like rookie Will Levis is going to start. Head coach Mike Vrabel said Malik Willis may also see some snaps. That should be interesting. And it seems Tennessee is in sell mode after trading Kevin Byard. Does that mean other veterans may be heading out? We’ll see. 

Easier and easier: I’ve been saying the Falcons are this season’s sneaky playoff team. They just got a good win against the Bucs on the road and now get what should be an easy win against the aforementioned Titans. That’s the first game of a stretch of three against teams with sub-.500 records before their bye week. Must be nice. 

How annoying: I don’t know how the Steelers are doing this, but they’re 4-2 after beating the Rams and they didn’t play well for almost three quarters. It seems they lull opponents to sleep and then make a couple big plays. Whatever. It’s working, I guess. And I’m a Mike Tomlin fan, but he’s getting on my nerves now, too. He commented after Sunday’s game that he felt the referees called the game more strictly than most. Oh, shutup. It’s bad enough that you’ve got pixie dust being sprinkled on you, but you expect the officials to have your backs, too?! 

Quiet part out loud: Colts owner Jim Irsay said the NFL told him that the refs erred in their loss to the Browns on Sunday. Apparently, an illegal contact penalty that was called on Indy linebacker E.J. Speed (great name), which negated a strip sack fumble that could have clinched the game for the Colts, shouldn’t have been flagged. Speed was later flagged again for pass interference in the end zone on a pass that was so overthrown that nobody in the history of football would have been able to catch it. That put the ball on the 1-yard line and the Browns scored the winning touchdown. Irsay was upset. The problem is, he’s not allowed to disclose private communications from the league. So, expect some disciple to be handed down. But I get it. Those were tough calls. 

APPOINTMENT VIEWING FOR WEEK 8 

Buccaneers at Bills: Interesting game on a short week because both teams are coming off tough losses and obviously want to cleanse the palate. This is a good game for Buffalo to have at home. I expect them to win, but judging by their last few weeks, nothing is guaranteed. 

Rams at Cowboys: I’m a frustrated L.A. fan. The Rams really threw the game away against Pittsburgh. They had mental errors and a kicker who couldn’t put the ball through the uprights. They solved the kicker problem for now by cutting Brett Maher, but those mental mistakes might rear their ugly head again again. 

Vikings at Packers: Don’t look now, but Minnesota will be back at .500 with a win here. And that’s with Justin Jefferson on injured reserve. 

Patriots at Dolphins: If Miami’s offense puts up big numbers again, everyone will forget about their loss to Philly.  

Jets at Giants: The battle of New York! In New Jersey! 

Jaguars at Steelers: Logic says Jacksonville should win this game. But logic doesn’t seem to be involved in the NFL this season, so I’m taking Pittsburgh to somehow win this game at home. Hopefully the refs cooperate on Sunday, right Mike Tomlin? Commence eye roll. 

Eagles at Commanders: The last time these two teams met, it was surprisingly close. Logic dictates that … oh, nevermind.  

Browns at Seahawks: Two teams definitely flying under the radar with matching 4-2 records. Give me Seattle at home. Whoever plays quarterback for Cleveland is going to have a tough time dealing with the crowd noise. 

Bengals at 49ers: Very intriguing matchup. Cincinnati is coming off a bye week and San Francisco is a bit hobbled and humbled at the moment. Really interested to see how this game starts. 

Raiders at Lions: It’s Monday night, what else are you gonna watch? 

Enjoy the games!