It was with me as I taught THE TRE MAN how to ride a bike and drive a car. Present as I coached him and his friends on the football field or baseball diamond. Right there as my son and I went on our annual road trips.

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Perhaps most prominently, it was central to my ability to play games, lots and lots of them, especially football. It was faithful as I learned the sport in Colorado and ended my high school career in the Midwest. It led me to the University of Illinois, a couple of junior colleges and, finally, the God’s country that is the Lehigh Valley.

After graduation, it allowed me to continue playing the sport in an NYC league that was equal parts reckless, raucous and incredible fun. You can argue that I shouldn’t have played until age 47 but my old pal and I would’ve resisted that idea to the hilt.

Indeed, we did a lot together - yours truly and my right knee.

So, with some trepidation and after 56-plus years of fun, I bid farewell to my intrepid companion on March 19th at New York’s Hospital for Special Surgery. The 45-minute full knee replacement was a fitting farewell to “Righty”.

Though I was blessed to be pain free in the years leading up to surgery, it was clearly time to act. Righty had been bone-on-bone for years, creating more friction than any Trump presser, and I feared my bad gait would soon begin to affect my hips, back and psyche.

I entered the operating room on the 19th and, within minutes, was administered the gas, putting me in full Rip Van Winkle-mode, not dissimilar to how I felt sitting for the SAT.

After the work was done and I came to my senses, the doctor arrived at my bedside, explaining that, on a scale of 1-10, my knee was a “9” in terms of severity. Perhaps only the Russian judge kept the score short of perfection.

Turns out things went as expected during the procedure - and they didn’t.

As anticipated, the doctor removed three large bone spurs behind Righty, growths he’d seen on the x-rays in January. But he also learned that my knee lacked an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). It apparently suffered severe trauma at some point and then disintegrated, perhaps a decade or more before my surgery.

“Fortunately, there are lots of things you can do without an ACL,” he said, and I immediately set a big goal of lying on the coach and watching The Masters.

The ACL disappointment was cushioned by the delectable crackers I was delivered by the nursing staff as I recovered. It was my first sustenance of the day and, channeling my inner Eddie Murphy, this was no ordinary snack.

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Now a little more than three weeks post-surgery, things are moving along. That starts with physical therapy, which I’ve been sticking to thus far. Soon I’ll see the doc again and get clearance to ride a bike, drive a car, maybe even stroll the aisles of Target.

I wouldn’t say this process is enjoyable, but I know I’m very fortunate. I got a good 56 years out of Righty and am lucky my knee problems didn’t lead to further issues. And surely many others have far greater health hurdles to surmount than I do.

The next time we cross paths, I bet you’ll see a smoother gait, a more comfortable guy. Someone who is grateful to Righty and looking forward to decades of fun with my new knee.

The two of us will see you soon.

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But before we get into the game, a brief digression.

If you’ve been paying attention over the past week, you’ve heard plenty of furor about New England icons Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft being “passed over” for the Hall of Fame. My advice: please stop the madness.

Yes, it’s silly that Belichick and Kraft, winners of six Super Bowls together, were not elected to the latest Pro Football Hall of Fame class. In fact, “silly” is being kind about it. But I’m going to let you in on a little secret.

IT. DOES. NOT. MATTER.

Simply put, Messrs. Belichick and Kraft are icons of the game who do not need HOF enshrinement for their careers to be validated. Indisputably, they are already Mount Rushmore-level guys in their respective roles of coach and owner. A bust in Canton changes nothing for this duo.

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But that’s not true for everyone. Sure, this year’s HOF class includes no brainers who are NFL legends like Drew Brees, Larry Fitzgerald, Luke Kuechly and Adam Vinatieri. They were stars throughout their careers, perennial Pro Bowlers/All-Pros long viewed as locks to make their way to Ohio’s hallowed gates.

But that’s not the case for guys like Roger Craig, the long-retired running back who excelled for San Francisco (1983-90), Oakland (1991) and Minnesota (1992-93) after an outstanding career at the University of Nebraska. Out of the game for three decades, he’s a guy that many modern fans don’t know well but, as of this week, is finally set to be immortalized as a Hall of Famer.

It always seemed odd to me that Craig wasn’t enshrined, given the major role he played in the Niners’ success. He is a three-time Super Bowl champion. Earned the NFL Offensive Player of the Year award in 1988 when he became the first player to record 1,000 yards rushing and 1,000 yards receiving in the same season. Led the NFL in catches in 1985 - as a running back. And was a member of the prestigious 1980s All-Decade team.

Truly, to see Roger Craig play was poetic. Bursting through the line with his knees pumping like pistons and the ball held tight. A set of focused eyes ready to take on any defender.

Now, on the precipice of being a 2026 HOF inductee, Craig’s career is finally - and rightfully - validated. The bust in Canton changes how he is viewed by many and, as someone who watched him play, I’m damn glad to see it.

With hearty congrats to all of this year’s inductees, let’s move on to the big game as LE GURU seeks to improve on his playoff mark of 10-31 (.769). Kickoff is at 6:30 pm on NBC with Mike Tirico, Cris Collinsworth, Melissa Stark and Kaylee Hartung on the broadcast. The 16-3 Seahawks against the 17-3 Patriots.

With two weeks to think about this matchup, I’ve found myself going back and forth, like HONG KONG MIKE pacing nervously at a Chinese buffet, waiting for the next steaming tray of General Tso’s.

After the conference championship games, I was thinking “Seattle,” potentially in a rout. My rationale: the Seahawks are on a tear, Drake Maye has struggled for most of the postseason and Jaxon Smith-Njigba might be the best player in the sport.

Then I started to think about history and, looking back, there are two Super Bowls that remind me of this year’s scenario - XVIII (Raiders over Skins in the 1983 season) and XXXVI (Patriots over Rams in 2001). In each case, the heavily favored team lost, and I see some parallels today.

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In 1983, Washington was the best team in football, and it wasn’t close: 16-2 with two one-point losses. They also set an NFL regular-season record for points scored (541) and registered an absurd +43 turnover margin, a mark that is still nearly 50% better than any other team in NFL history.

In their playoff opener, they trounced the Los Angeles Rams, 51-7, before winning a tightly contested NFC title game over the Niners, 24-21. Then, they lost the Bowl to the LA Raiders in resounding fashion, 38-9.

Sadly, the ‘83 Skins peaked too soon.

This season, the Seahawks have been dominant, posting an 8-1 road record2 and stifling opponents with a suffocating defense that allowed a league-low 17 points per game in the regular season. Their special teams were outstanding, ranking third in the NFL and may be the biggest threat to New England today. And, oh yes, Smith-Njigba was named NFL Offensive Player of the Year.

In their first playoff game, they lambasted the Niners, 41-6, before winning a tightly contested NFC title game over the Rams, 31-27.

Now I wonder: “Did Seattle peak too soon?”

In 2001, the Rams were the defending Super Bowl Champions and ran roughshod over the league with Kurt Warner and Marshall Faulk leading the famed “Greatest Show on Turf”. Meanwhile, the Pats were a Cinderella story with Tom Brady, who was starting NFL games for the first time. Yet, New England topped St. Louis in overtime, 20-17.

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The Patriots’ strategy that day was to go after Faulk, the NFL’s best offensive skill player, and limit his explosive plays. So, they hit him on every single play, even when he wasn’t going to touch the ball. As Belichick later said:

"…our game plan was defined by two words -- Marshall Faulk. If he's behind the quarterback, we are playing run. And if he's not behind the quarterback, we're playing pass. Ok, where is he? He's not behind the quarterback? We're thinking jam the receivers. That triggered the defensive ends -- (Willie) McGinest -- trying to hit Faulk and take him out of the game so the quarterback doesn't have an outlet to throw. When we blitzed in this game, we tried to blitz over Faulk. Our thinking was that we would be able to keep him in and force him to block. Then our blitzers would get to the quarterback and we would force the ball out in a hurry.”

Vrabel was in his first year as a New England player in 2001 and started the Super Bowl at left outside linebacker, recording four tackles. That included two takedowns of Faulk and a sack of Warner.

In preparation for Seattle, I think Vrabel will hearken back to that franchise-changing day in New Orleans and the strategy that Belichick & Co. employed to keep Warner, Faulk, etc. under wraps. Here’s betting New England gets physical with Smith-Njigba and throws a lot of heat at QB Sam Darnold, keeping the game close. But does that create an opportunity for someone like Cooper Kupp or Kenneth Walker III?

One thing’s for sure: if the game is tight, Vrabel will have the chance to showcase his outstanding clock management skills and deep understanding of the NFL rule book. Remember the 2019 playoffs when, as coach of the Titans, he brilliantly shaved two minutes off the clock against the Pats by intentionally taking penalties? Tennessee won the game, turning it into Brady’s swan song in Foxboro.

Vrabel’s experience as a three-time Super Bowl champion player should allow him to keep his young team calm and it also helps to have the steady hand of Josh McDaniel at offensive coordinator. This is the tenth time (!) that McDaniel has coached in the big game, giving the Pats another definite advantage.

Of course, Vrabel’s opposite number Sunday - Mike Macdonald - is far from a slouch, entering the game hotter than FATBACK’s side of the bed. How does 16-3 with the three losses by a combined nine points grab you? Sure, he may lack Super Bowl bona fides, but I don’t think he’ll be overwhelmed by the moment.

The oddsmakers favor Seattle and they should. The Seahawks are a better team than New England. Yes, it’s subjective but, if you’ve watched the two teams closely all year, it’s feels empirical.

But here’s the thing: the Pats don’t have to be better than Seattle. They just have to be better than Seattle today.

As I see it, we’re in for a low-scoring affair with the head coaches matching wits and the teams exchange punts and field goals. I’m not saying it’ll be like Super Bowl LIII when New England beat the Rams 13-3, but I don’t expect many offensive fireworks. These defenses are too good at limiting big plays.

I think the difference-maker could be Macdonald’s aforementioned special teams, which are clearly better than the middle-of-the-pack Patriots. So, let’s call it Seattle, 20-17, with kicker Jason Myers drilling a 44-yard field goal to win it.

That’s my pick and I’m sticking with it, at least for the next few minutes.

Enjoy the game and God bless!

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As we battle the nasty weather, my anticipation for football is even greater, with two big-time clashes today. And I’m betting they’ll top the excitement of last weekend’s games1.

First, the #2-seed Patriots (16-3, 8-0 away) visit #1 Denver (15-3, 9-1 home) at 3 pm ET on CBS. The broadcasting crew: Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, Tracy Wolfson and Evan Washburn.

I’ll cut to the chase: Washburn’s hair is fantastic. I’m not sure what kind of product he leans on but it’s worth the price of admission.

On a lesser note, I like Sean Payton and the Broncos to win and advance to the Super Bowl, understanding that this prediction is sure to draw the considerable ire of Pats diehards like THE ADMIRAL and CORKY. Please allow me to explain.

1. Denver has an extreme homefield advantage.

2. Drake Maye and the New England offense have struggled against top-tier defenses, and the Broncos D is one of the league’s best.

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First, let’s tackle point #1. One of the first things a new coach wants to do is to establish an edge at home and, in three seasons under Payton, the Broncos have clearly done that.

Indeed, Denver is 20-7 at home under the former Saints coach, including last week’s victory against Buffalo. The won-loss progression during his tenure: 5-4, 6-2, 9-1. In fact, since midway through the 2024 campaign, the Broncos have won 14 of 15 at Mile High.

That said, the Patriots are undefeated on the road this year so New England won’t be a pushover, even if only one of those wins came against a playoff team2.

On to point #2.

As excellent as the Patriots’ offense - and star sophomore quarterback Drake Maye - have been, they’ve struggled against strong defenses. In fact, they’ve only faced two top 10 units3 this year and haven’t looked crisp against either.

Those two defenses? LA and Houston, each of which sacked Maye five times in the past two weeks, nearly twice NE’s regular season allowed-sack rate (2.76/game). That doesn’t bode well vs. Denver, the league’s #3 unit, which paced the NFL with 68 sacks, 19% more than any other team.

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Here are some of Maye’s numbers the past two weeks, a sharp contrast to his regular-season performance:

58.9% completion rate (vs 72% regular season)
4/5 TD-to-Turnover Ratio (vs 31/11 regular season)
224 Passing yards per game (vs 258 regular season)

Two other glaring stats: Maye4 has fumbled six times in the postseason - losing three - and the New England offense has only put 37 points on the board. A repeat effort vs. the red-hot Broncos will put the Pats in a tight spot.

However, as good as Denver’s defense has been, they were 26th in the NFL in forced turnovers5. They did manage to turn it up in the postseason opener against Buffalo, creating five takeaways, and I’m betting there is more of that to come Sunday.

Make no mistake: New England’s biggest edge in this game is Vrabel and the wealth of playoff experience he brings, having competed in six conference title games as a Patriots player and one as Tennessee head coach (2019). And, when you’re up against a longtime success like Payton6, that matters.

I hesitate to pick Denver because THE TRIBECA MULE - who loves the Pats, mayo and Chevy, in that order - may expel me from his flag football coaching staff and cut me off from his extraordinary Beef Wellington7. I beg your forgiveness, my brother.

Could Maye make me eat my words? Of course, he could. Did you see that dime he threw to Kayshon Boutte last week for the clinching touchdown? Good gravy. His arm talent is remarkable and he’s a fierce competitor.

Of course, if that comes to pass, I’ll have just one request for Mr. Maye: a slice or two of Wellington with my crow.

Next, the #5 Rams (14-5, 7-4 away) travel to #1 Seattle (15-3, 7-2 home) at 6:30 pm on Fox. The broadcasters: Kevin Burkhardt, Tom Brady, Erin Andrews and Tom Rinaldi.

This is a tough one as the margin of difference between these teams is linguini thin. To wit: they split the 2025 series with Los Angeles (21-19) and the Seahawks (38-37) both winning at home.

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If you’re wondering whether the Rams can win in Seattle, consider this: Sean McVay is 12-7 against the Seahawks, with five road victories including a Wild Card triumph in the 2020 postseason. And his QB Matt Stafford is also playing at a very high level.

On January 19, LA led host Seattle 30-14 with 8:22 to go in an eventual overtime loss. Then, they allowed a 58-yard Rashid Shaheed punt return touchdown and stumbled offensively, resulting in a 38-37 defeat.

Shaheed’s big play was obviously no fluke. He ignited last week’s rout of the Niners with a 95-yard TD on the opening kickoff and he - and the Rams’ subpar special teams - may pose the biggest threat to McVay & Co. today.

How big of an issue has this unit been for LA? Enough of a problem that McVay fired special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn - a two-time Super Bowl champion as a Giants linebacker - with just two weeks to go in the regular season. His replacement is Ben Kotwica, the former Army helicopter pilot and Iraq War veteran who has spent 18 seasons as an NFL coach.

The biggest issue for Seattle may be the loss of running back Zach Charbonnet, who rushed for 12 TDs this season but tore his ACL against San Fran. Here’s how offensive coordinator Clint Kubiak - son of Gary - describes the Michigan/UCLA alum:

“I think it needs to be said just how important Zach Charbonnet has been to our team this year and how much we’re going to miss him. When you think about, ‘What is a Seahawk?’ A guy that’s smart, tough, and dependable. That’s Zach Charbonnet. He’s one of the most impressive individuals I’ve been around, and a lot of our success has come because of his leadership this year. We’re gonna miss him.”

I’m betting the loss of Charbonnet will be tough for Mike Macdonald, Sam Darnold and their crew to overcome. Let’s call it 27-24, Rams, perhaps in OT. But never fear, Seattle: Mac will be in plenty of games of this magnitude in his head coaching career.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to massage my lovely wife’s aching left calf, which oddly has been bothering the heck out of her the past 24 hours.

“I’m not sure how I hurt it. Maybe when I karate-kicked that guy in the toilet paper aisle?”

That’s all for this weekend, folks. Enjoy the games and God bless!

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Yes, I’m speaking of the NCAA transfer portal and, sure, there are reasons aplenty to be up in arms over this database, which now numbers more than 10,000 Division I, II and III American footballers1. To wit:

• It creates chaos for coaches and players, fostering a transient environment where real commitment to a team or its members is rapidly going out of style.

• It injects agents - and others - into the mix that may not have the players’ best interests at heart.

• It can lead to players, coaches and alumni abandoning common sense at the altar of money and winning.

But, all that said, I see several silver linings:

• It gives players the freedom to find a place where they truly feel wanted. That’s no small thing. If you’re loved, you’re more confident. If you’re confident, you play better and, if you play better, you get more out of your college experience.

• It allows coaches to do more of what they love to do: teach and touch lives. Any coach worth his salt got into the game because he loves to educate young people and, with the constant churning of the portal, there are more and more athletes coming to each program, whether it be Division I, II or III. And more players = more opportunities to teach.

• Perhaps most importantly, it teaches student-athletes important life lessons about life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness (and money). Most people learn through experience and what better experience for a kid than to truly see how the world works? To learn that decisions have consequences. To see that the grass is not always greener and, in fact, may be artificial turf.

No, I’m not saying I love it. But I don’t hate it either. I’m clearly in wait-and-see mode, like when I’m marking time for that first Krispy Kreme to come off the conveyer belt.

Much more to come on this seminal topic as we move along but now, let’s dive into tonight’s College Football Playoff championship game with Indiana (15-0, 5-0 away) facing Miami (13-2, 7-1 home) on the Hurricanes’ home field. A fascinating matchup.

The Hoosiers are the darlings of the 2025-26 football world with a Heisman Trophy quarterback (Fernando Mendoza) and, with sincere apologies to Bobby Knight and Tony Dungy, the most popular Indiana coach (Curt Cignetti) since Gene Hackman.

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Mendoza and Cignetti get most of the headlines, but the team’s success starts up front with one of the most dominant offensive lines in football. In fact, the Hoosiers’ o-line paved the way for the second-best Power 4 rushing attack in terms of yards a game2.

On the flip side, Miami boasts the #5 rushing defense in Power 4 and the #8 overall defense with an FBS-leading 47 sacks3. That means something’s got to give and it may not be Mario Cristobal’s squad.

I think tonight comes down to the big uglies (h/t Keith Jackson) up front and I like IU to beat Miami narrowly. That said, I would not be shocked if the host Hurricanes won the crown with their defensive front overwhelming the Hoosiers a la the Eagles vs KC. After all, Miami is a terrific team that, like THE FAIR CLAUDINE, is clearly peaking at the right time.

Kickoff is at 7:30 pm on ESPN with Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Molly McGrath and Holly Rowe on the mike. Enjoy the action and I’ll return next week for NFL title game picks4.

God bless!

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Sunday, 3 pm: #5 Houston (13-5, 6-3 away) at #2 New England (15-3, 7-3 home) with Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Lisa Salters and Laura Rutledge on ESPN/ABC.

Sunday, 6:30 pm: the #5 Rams (13-5, 6-4 away) at #2 Chicago (12-6, 7-2 home) with Mike Tirico, Cris Collinsworth, Melissa Stark on NBC.

Indeed, we’ve got four great contests where any of the combatants could win. Right? Right?

Oh, if only that were true.

In reality, the home team is highly likely to triumph in the Divisional Round. Let’s examine the past 15 NFL postseasons and list the record of the home teams in the Elite Eight:

2024: 3-1 (the exception: visiting Washington won at Dee-troit)
2023: 3-1 (visiting Kansas City won at Buffalo)
2022: 3-1 (visiting Cincinnati won at Buffalo)
2021: 1-3 (SF won at Green Bay; Rams won at Tampa; Cincy won at Tennessee)
2020: 3-1 (Tampa Bay won at New Orleans)
2019: 3-1 (Tennessee won at Baltimore)
2018: 4-0
2017: 3-1 (Jacksonville won at Pittsburgh)
2016: 2-2 (Pittsburgh won at KC; Green Bay won at Dallas)
2015: 4-0
2014: 3-1 (Indianapolis won at Denver)
2013: 3-1 (San Francisco won at Carolina)
2012: 3-1 (Baltimore won at Denver)
2011: 3-1 (New York Giants won at Green Bay)
2010: 2-2 (New York Jets won at New England; Green Bay won at Atlanta)

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You get the picture, right? Over the past decade and a half, home teams have posted a scintillating 43-17 (.717) mark1 in Divisional Round games, recording a losing record once (2021).

So, which of the visiting squads is going to buck the trend this weekend and capture a victory to advance to the conference championship team?

Is a Buffalo victory in Denver possible? Heck yes. Josh Allen is the league’s most dynamic quarterback, and this Bills squad is battle tested.

Could the Niners spring the upset in Seattle? Of course they could. Kyle Shanahan is one of the league’s finest and, even without George Kittle, San Fran is playing well.

Will DeMeco Ryans and his Texans shock the world and take down the Patriots? It wouldn’t be a surprise, given Houston’s 10-game winning streak and suffocating D.

All that said, I’m taking the Rams and the experience of Messrs. McVay and Stafford to advance in the Chicago cold. Each of the other underdogs - Buffalo, San Francisco and Houston - will see their seasons come to a close.

Six teams saw their seasons end last week as LE GURU registered a Wild Card record of 5-1 (.833), improving the season mark to 156-109 (.589). Good to see our friend - the blind squirrel - make a rare late season appearance and find a nut or two.

That’s all for the weekend, folks. I’ll be back Monday with a prediction for the College Football Playoff title game. Until then, enjoy the games and God bless!

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We begin today’s action with my pops in his lounge chair and two franchises facing off in Jacksonville. The Bills (12-5, 5-3 away) visit the Jaguars (13-4, 7-2 home) and game time is 1 pm with Jim Nantz, Tony Romo and Tracy Wolfson announcing on CBS.

These squads have met twice before in the playoffs - 1996 and 2017 Wild Card games - with Jacksonville winning each. The overall series is tied 10-101 but, of course, none of that matters today.

I’m envisioning a barnburner and think it’s a tough game to call given how Liam Coen & Co. are rolling. I’ll stick with experience and pick Buffalo, 34-31…

…at 4:30 pm, the Niners (12-5, 7-2 away) visit the Iggles (11-6, 5-3 home) for a doozy of a matchup. Kevin Burkhardt, Tom Brady, Erin Andrews and Tom Rinaldi are your broadcasters on Fox.

San Fran and Philly have also met twice in the postseason with the Niners winning a 1996 Wild Card game and the Birds besting SF in the 2022 NFC Championship. And just like that matchup in the 2022 postseason - when Niners QB Brock Purdy tore the UCL in his right elbow - injuries could be a factor today.

Specifically, there are major questions on both offensive lines with stalwart tackles Lane Johnson (Philly) and Trent Williams (San Fran) questionable to play. These aren’t mere linemen; they are franchise cornerstones and are to their respective teams what peanut butter and jelly are to the sandwich world.

The latest reports say Williams is almost certain to play while Johnson is likely to hit the field but may be iffy from series to series. So, it could be advantage, Niners, here.

That said, the Eagles are the defending champs and they’re also at the Linc, one of the true home field advantages in the league. Given those factors and Nick Sirianni’s 6-3 mark in the postseason, I’m leaning Philly - and Johnson - but just barely. Call it for the Birds. Let’s say 23-22…

…finally, at 8 pm, Jim Harbaugh’s red-hot Chargers (11-6, 5-3 away) face the Patriots (14-3, 6-3 home) in Foxboro. Mike Tirico, Cris Collinsworth and Melissa Stark will be on the mike for NBC.

Despite residing on opposite coasts, these teams aren’t postseason strangers, meeting four times with New England holding a 3-1 edge. The Chargers lone win: a pounding of the Boston Patriots in the 1963 AFL Championship game, 51-10. Indeed, it was a rough day for our man CORKY, who was only 18 at the time.

Unfortunately, this LA outfit is more battered than a Midwestern pork tenderloin and that is likely to hurt the visitors. Sadly, that’s been the case all season as Harbaugh lost superstar left tackle Rashawn Slater in the preseason and his other elite tackle Joe Alt, midway through the campaign, among others.

Harbaugh, of course, is no stranger to the playoffs, posting a 5-4 record as a coach and leading the Niners to Super Bowl XLVII against brother John. Plus, he started five playoff games as a quarterback, posting a 2-3 mark.

His opposite number, Mike Vrabel, also brings a wealth of postseason experience: posting a record of 15-5 as a player - including three Super Bowl wins with the Pats - and a 2-3 mark as a head coach, including an AFC Championship appearance in the 2019 season.

Everything in my chimp-like brain screams “New England in a blowout” but, in a week that brother John was fired by Baltimore, I see Jim being even more fired up than usual. And that’ll keep it very close. Let’s say 31-30, Patriots, and see what happens…

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…then, on Monday, we’ve got the weekend finale in Pittsburgh with the Texans (12-5, 5-3 away) playing the Steelers (10-7, 6-3 home). Catch the action at 8 pm on ESPN or ABC with broadcasters Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Lisa Salters and Laura Rutledge.

I love how the Steelers are playing right now and, yes, THE HOUSE OF SUSSEX is riding high but there’s something special about this DeMeco Ryans club. And, in the end, I think his defense delivers. Texans by a field goal.

That’s all for this weekend, folks. Enjoy the games and God bless!

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Indeed, this year’s postseason menu features six entrants that didn’t qualify for last season’s field, including the #1 seeds in each conference: the Broncos (AFC) and the Seahawks (NFC). Fun.

The other four new teams are no slouches either with the Jaguars and Patriots in the AFC and Bears and Panthers in the NFC. Somewhere, late NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle is smiling at the league’s parity.

A Navy veteran, Rozelle famously ruled with an iron fist from 1960-89, seeing the NFL through the merger with the American Football League, fighting openly with Raiders owner Al Davis and, all the while, dreaming of a time when any team could truly win on any given Sunday - and in any given year. So, he’d be ecstatic looking at this playoff group.

All that said, some old standbys remain in the mix with the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles leading the Pack. And don’t forget perennial contenders like San Francisco, the Rams and Buffalo.

No matter how it shakes out, this postseason should be better than a punch in the face as my man, THE NORDIC BARRISTER, likes to say. We can only hope.

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Hope, as they say, is not a strategy but you wouldn’t know it from my predictions. The blind squirrel did find a nut or two last week with an 11-5 (.688) effort improving the season mark to 151-108 (.583).

On to Saturday’s games with more to come later this weekend…

…the action kicks off at 4:30 pm today on Fox with the Rams (12-5, 5-4 away) visiting Carolina (8-9, 5-3), which is back in the playoffs after an eight-year drought. Give or take, that’s how often FATBACK and I say, “Let’s hit the salad bar!”

If you’re old enough to remember, these teams were divisional rivals in the NFC West from 1995-2001 when St. Louis fielded “The Greatest Show on Turf” and the Panthers were led by defensive stalwarts like Sam Mills and Kevin Greene. Now, of course, the Rams are back in LA and Carolina is a longtime denizen of the NFC South.

I’m taking LA here given Coach Sean McVay’s vast playoff experience — an 8-5 (.615) record, the most postseason victories for any Rams coach. But don’t expect Carolina’s top dog Dave Canales to roll over and play fetch.

Catch the action on Fox with Joe Davis, Carolina legend Greg Olsen and Pam Oliver handling the broadcasting duties…

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…at 8 pm on Prime Video, we’ve got an intriguing NFC North matchup with Chicago (11-6, 6-2 home) hosting the Packers (9-7-1, 4-4-1). Al Michaels, Kirk Herbstreit and Kaylee Hartung have the call.

This is the third time the teams have met in the postseason, with the Bears beating Green Bay in 1941 to win the Western Division title and the Pack returning the favor in the 2010 NFC Championship. The latter was the last time that Green Bay won the Super Bowl.

Chitown has made a habit of pulling rabbits out of their hat this season and I think it continues against a Packers team that has been too inconsistent to trust. Bears by a deuce.

That’s all for today, folks. Enjoy the games and God bless!

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Kicking things off at 4:30 pm ET today on ABC/ESPN, the Panthers (8-8, 3-5 away) visit the Bucs (7-9, 3-4 home) in a game that could determine the NFC South champ. Chris Fowler, Dan Orlovsky, Louis Riddick, Peter Schrager and Katie George are on the call.

A win gives Bryce Young & Co. the division while the Bucs claim the title if they beat the Panthers and the Saints beat the Falcons. The latter scenario would leave Tampa and Carolina knotted at 8-9 with the Bucs winning the tiebreaker, which is record vs. common opponents.

That said, I’m taking Carolina for two reasons: one, they’re playing better than Tampa and, second, this is a banged-up Buccaneers outfit that has lost its juju, its mojo and its confidence. Take the Panthers by three…

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…I like the host Falcons (7-9, 3-4 home) against the Saints (6-10, 3-5 away) in the other NFC South contest at 1 pm Sunday on Fox. Bijan Robinson is the real deal, and Kirk Cousins is playing well enough that Atlanta will have some QB decisions to make in the offseason. Chris Myers, Mark Schlereth and Jen Hale call the action…

…on Sunday at 8:20 pm, the Ravens (8-8, 5-3 away) travel to Pittsburgh (9-7, 5-3 home) to determine the AFC North winner. NBC has the broadcast with Mike Tirico, Cris Collinsworth and Melissa Stark manning the mikes.

Predicting this one is tougher than picking my favorite buffet - I was always partial to Shakey’s - so I’ll take the easy out and pick the home team. Give the Steelers a two-point victory and listen for the roar from THE HOUSE OF SUSSEX.

While only a few games will determine playoff participants, there are several contests that will decide the top seeds in the two conferences.

This evening at 8 pm on ABC/ESPN, I like the Niners (12-4, 5-2 home) to take down the Seahawks (13-3, 7-1 away) in Santa Clara. Edge goes to Shanahan and the victory gives San Francisco the NFC West title and pole position in the NFC. Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Lisa Salters and the hard-working Laura Rutledge are on the air…

…over in the AFC, Denver (13-3, 7-1 home) earns the AFC’s top seed with a win over the visiting Chargers (11-5, 5-2 away). Catch the action Sunday at 4:25 pm with Jim Nantz, Tony Romo and Tracy Wolfson on CBS.

Even with LA sitting Justin Herbert and other regulars, this game could be as tight as September’s matchup, a three-point Chargers’ win. Yes, Sean Payton & Co. have won 12 of their last 13 but Jim Harbaugh doesn’t give ground to anyone…

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…if the Broncos falter and the Patriots lose, the Jags (12-4, 6-2 home) can earn the top seed by winning their home game against Tennessee (3-13, 2-6 away). Adam Amin, Drew Brees and Kristina Pink have the call at 1 pm Sunday on Fox.

I view Liam Coen and his crew are a near-mortal lock to beat the Titans, leaving their newly minted #1 fan, THE SONGBIRD, aflutter. A Jacksonville native who has spent the past two decades in Kansas City, our hero is rapidly swapping his Chiefs gear for an ensemble of teal, black and gold. Jaguars by 22…

…the other potential AFC top seed is New England (13-3, 5-3 home), which meets the Dolphins (7-9, 2-5 away) in Foxboro at 4:25 pm Sunday on Fox. Joe Davis, Greg Olsen and Pam Oliver handle broadcasting duties.

Look for the Pats to throttle Miami as the New England faithful pray for a Denver loss to vault Mike Vrabel’s club into the top spot. Just don’t expect a repeat of the 1982 regular-season battle between these two teams, the famed “Snowplow Game”.

The abbreviated story: New England and the Dolphins met in Week Six of the strike-shortened ‘82 season and treated fans to a scoreless battle in the snow until the game’s waning moments. That’s when Mark Henderson, a convicted burglar on work release from Walpole State Prison, drove a John Deere 314 tractor onto the Schaefer Stadium turf and cleared a spot for Pats kicker John Smith to drill the game-winning 33-yard field goal.

Miami coach Don Shula - a member of the NFL’s Rules Committee - was rightfully irate but he exacted revenge when the Dolphins beat New England in the first round of the playoffs four weeks later. It was 70 degrees and sunny in south Florida that day as Miami romped to a 28-13 win.

More importantly, Henderson went legit and turned his life around. And he - and the day’s combatants - will never forget his role in the game’s outcome.

LE GURU’s role as a prognosticator left much to be desired last week as I registered a 9-7 (.563) performance, dropping the season mark to 140-103 (.576). On to the rest of the games…

SUNDAY

1 PM – FOX

I love the Cowboys (8-8, 3-5 away) at the Giants (3-13, 2-5 home) with Kevin Kugler, Daryl Johnston and Allison Williams doing the TV work. It’ll be another long winter for the Jints and their fans. Can’t wait!

1 PM - CBS

The Browns (4-12, 1-6 away) lose in Cincinnati (6-10, 3-4 home) as SIR STRIPES gains some modicum of respect, the kind of esteem his skin-tight Lululemon shorts won’t earn him. On the call: Spero Dedes, Adam Archuleta and Aditi Kinkhabwala..

…I’ll take the Vikings (8-8, 4-4 home) against the visiting Packers (9-6-1, 4-3-1 away). Love vs. McCarthy will get far more interesting in 2026. Announcing this one are Tom McCarthy, Jason McCourty and Amanda Balionis…

…I don’t see the Colts (8-8, 3-5 away) beating the Texans (11-5, 6-2 home), even if host Houston rests its starters. This week’s CBS crew is a stellar one: Ian Eagle, J.J. Watt and Evan Washburn.

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4:25 pm - FOX

The Bears (11-5, 6-1 home) finish with a home win against the Lions (9-7, 3-4 away) as they fight to earn the #2 seed. Fox’s A‑team handles the action: Kevin Burkhardt, Tom Brady and Erin Andrews…

…the Rams (11-5, 5-2 home) topple the hobbled Cardinals (4-12, 2-5 away) as Sean McVay turns up the heat. Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma and Megan Olivi are on the call.

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4:25 PM ET – CBS

In three games that few will watch…

…go with the Chiefs (7-9, 3-5 away) at the Raiders (3-13, 2-5 home). Here’s hoping that Pete Carroll gets a second crack at things in Vegas. On the mike: Chris Lewis, Kyle Long and Tiffany Blackmon…

…the traveling Jets (3-13, 1-6 away) fall to the Bills (11-5, 6-2 home) as Buffalo readies for a playoff run. Could this be the year for THE FRANKLINVILLE KID? Tune in to hear Andrew Catalon, Charles Davis, Jason McCourty and AJ Ross…

…last but not least, expect My Beloved Commies (4-12, 2-6 away) to shock the resting Eagles (11-5, 5-2 home), giving Josh Johnson his second career win as an NFL QB. It’s been a tough season in DC, but I’ll still tune in to hear Kevin Harlan, Ross Tucker and Melanie Collins chronicle the pain.

That’s all for this week, folks. Enjoy the finales and God bless!

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New York has garnered the top selection twice since the draft was instituted in 1935, choosing a pair of running backs: Southern Methodist’s Kyle Rote (1951) and Auburn’s Tucker Frederickson (1965). Both turned into Pro Bowlers though, it should be noted, they bypassed this trio in ‘65: Sayers, Butkus and Namath.

Meanwhile, the Raiders have made the top pick just once, infamously selecting LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell in 2007 over four first-round Hall of Famers: Georgia Tech receiver Calvin Johnson (picked #2 by Dee-troit), Wisconsin offensive tackle Joe Thomas (#3 by Cleveland), Ole Miss linebacker Patrick Willis (#11 by San Fran), and Pittsburgh cornerback Darrelle Revis (#14 by the Jets)1.

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The good news for Raiders faithful: the team is in full tank mode, sitting stars Maxx Crosby and Brock Bowers this weekend. As a result, I think Vegas loses to New York, 33-25, and probably drops the finale to Kansas City too, finishing 2-15 and securing the coveted top spot. Kevin Harlan, Trent Green, and Melanie Collins call the “action” at 4:05 pm Sunday on CBS.

Let’s look at the rest of the Week Seventeen slate with one note: LE GURU enters the weekend at 132-98 (.574). Nothing to write home - or a column - about, is it?

SATURDAY

At 4:30 pm, the Texans (10-5, 4-3 away) visit the Chargers (11-4, 6-2 home) in what could be the game of the weekend. This one’s a coin flip but let’s go with Harbaugh & Co. since they’re at home, avenging last January’s playoff loss to Houston. Catch this one on NFL Network…

…significantly less interesting to yours truly: the Ravens (7-8, 4-2 away) at the Packers (9-5-1, 5-2 home) in a game with few playoff implications. Barring a Steelers collapse, Baltimore will be home in January while Green Bay awaits its first-round opponent as a likely wild card entrant. Let’s go with the Pack by three as backup QB Malik Willis shines.

SUNDAY

1 PM, CBS

Take Pittsburgh (9-6, 4-3 away) to topple host Cleveland (3-12, 2-6 home). The big question: will the Steelers keep Myles Garrett from getting the single-season sack record and fulfill James Harrison’s prediction?…

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…Seattle (12-3, 6-1 away) wins a close one at Carolina (8-7, 5-2 home) in one of the weekend’s most important games. The Seahawks are fighting for the NFC’s #1 seed and the Panthers are battling Tampa for the NFC South and a playoff berth…

…I love the Saints (5-10, 2-5 away) at Tennessee (3-12, 1-7 home). The Titans’ victory over KC was a one-week mirage that told us more about the fading Chiefs than it did about Mike McCoy’s squad…

1 PM, FOX

The Colts (8-7, 6-2 home) lose to visiting Jacksonville (11-4, 5-2 away), continuing Indy’s slide. Don’t blame Phil Rivers though. The man still slings it like a short order cook…

…New England (12-3, 7-0 away) beats the Jets (3-12, 2-6 home) to remain perfect on the road. A win this week gives the Pats their first unbeaten record away from home since 2016, the year they took down Atlanta to win Super Bowl LI…

…the Bengals (5-10, 2-5 home) take down the Cardinals (3-12, 2-5 away) in Cincy. Spoiler alert: major change is coming for both teams in the offseason…

…Tampa Bay (7-8, 4-4 away) ends its three-game losing skid with a victory at Miami (6-9, 4-4 home), setting up a Week Eighteen winner-take-all battle against Carolina for the NFC South crown. That’ll be a home game for Todd Bowles and his troops but first they need to vanquish FISHBOY and friends.

In Sunday’s other late afternoon game, I’m taking host Buffalo (11-4, 6-1 home) over the Eagles (10-5, 5-3 away) at 4:25 pm on Fox. Don’t be surprised if these teams meet again in February…

…at 8:20 pm on NBC, I like San Fran (11-4, 4-2 home) to beat the Bears (11-4, 5-3 away). Chicago is making a lot of last-minute magic, but I think the Niners are on another level right now. It’ll be tight but I’m rolling with Shanahan.

MONDAY 8:15 PM ET – ESPN

In the week’s finale, I’ll take the Rams (11-5, 5-3 away) at Atlanta (6-9, 2-4 home) in a shootout. Bold prediction: Stafford and Cousins combine for 800+ passing yards in the LA win.

That’s all for this week, folks. Enjoy the games and Happy New Year!

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Joshua Javon Johnson, better known as “Josh,” entered the league in 2008 as a fifth-round draft pick of the Tampa Bay Bucs after a stellar career at the University of San Diego, a Division I FCS school under Jim Harbaugh. Yes, that Jim Harbaugh, a first-time head coach who once referred to Johnson as “a beloved son.” The duo won a lot of games at USD and, when Harbaugh departed for Stanford before his QB’s senior season, Johnson continued his lights-out play, throwing for 43 touchdowns and just one INT.

When Johnson arrived in the NFL a year later, Jon Gruden was entering his final season as head coach and the staff included a bunch of notable assistants, such as Jon’s brother, Jay, and a wunderkind named Sean McVay. Jeff Garcia (11 starts) and Brian Griese (5) shared quarterbacking duties for the team, which started hot at 9-3 before losing its final four games to finish shy of the playoffs. Gruden and GM Bruce Allen were summarily dismissed.

(Note: if this story sounds familiar, it should. Much of it is based upon a Dec. 15, 2022, column I wrote when Johnson was about to start for San Fran.)

Johnson earned four starts the next season, going 0-4, and stayed with Tampa through the 2011 campaign. And that’s when he really turned into a traveling man.

In 2012, he was with three organizations — the 49ers, the United Football League’s Sacramento Mountain Lions and the Cleveland Browns. Then, there was relative calm, spending time with the Bengals (2013) and reuniting with Harbaugh in San Francisco (2014). Then came a whirlwind 2015.

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Indeed, in that calendar year, he spent time with four AFC teams - Cincinnati (again), Jets, Colts, and Bills - and followed that by playing for the Ravens and Giants the next season. Then, it was 2017 in Houston with the Texans before enjoying his greatest pro success in 2018.

He started that year in Oakland before being drafted first overall by the San Diego Fleet of the Alliance of American Football. But, before he could suit up in the AAF, he was called to DC where he joined a Washington club in the thick of the NFC playoff race.

Improbably, Johnson was forced into action due to injuries to Alex Smith, Colt McCoy and Mark Sanchez and he delivered while starting an NFL game for the first time in seven years. Yup, after learning his teammates’ names by playing “Madden,” Johnson beat the Jaguars in a critical late-season matchup for his first - and only - victory of his NFL career. And, for an encore, he nearly led the team to an upset of Tennessee the following weekend.

From there - please hang with me - it was back on the road with a stop in Dee-troit (2019), back to San Fran (2020-21), and then onto the Jets (2021), Ravens (2021), and Denver (2022). Next was a fourth stop with the Niners (2022) and two years with Baltimore (2023-24), his first multi-year stint with a franchise since joining the Bucs out of USD. And, oh yes, for good measure, our travelin’ man spent part of the 2020 season with the Los Angeles Wildcats of Vince McMahon’s XFL.

If you’re counting - and I know it’s difficult - Johnson has been with 17 organizations in 18 years in four different leagues. He’s been employed four times by the Niners, three times by Baltimore and done two stints each with Cincy, the Jets and the Skins. He’s also had two sets of brothers as head coaches - the Harbaughs and the Grudens - and yet has started just nine NFL games, posting a 1-8 record.

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Indeed, the man has signed more contracts than Kevin Bacon’s agent and, as we sit here on Christmas, the QB gets an unexpected present: a start against the archrival Cowboys. Wouldn’t it be nice to see this weathered warrior come up big and lead My Beloved Commies to an epic win?

The odds are long today with the team further beset by injuries - no left tackle Laremy Tunsil, no defensive tackle Daron Payne - but I’ve got a good feeling and, no sir, that’s not the eggnog talking. Yet.

Call it 19-17, Washington, and you can catch all the action on - yes - Netflix at 1 pm. Ian Eagle, Nate Burleson and Matt Ryan are on the mike, and you can expect Johnson to use his legs to make plays today…

…in the 4:30 pm game, we’ve got Ian’s son, Noah, handling broadcasting duties for a Netflix affair between the Lions (8-7, 3-4 away) and the host Vikings (7-8, 2-4 home).
He’ll be joined by Drew Brees, AJ Ross, and Dianna Russini. Take Dee-troit by a field goal with Minnesota QB JJ McCarthy on the shelf…

…in the 8:15 pm nightcap on Prime, I’m picking the visiting Broncos (12-3, 5-2 away) to lay the wood to Kansas City (6-9, 5-3 home) with extreme prejudice. Anti-vegetable crusader Al Michaels, Kirk Herbstreit, and Kaylee Hartung have the call.

That’s all for today, folks! Merry Christmas and God bless!

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What did Joe do on the Monday evening in question? Well, the better question is “What didn’t he do?”

You see, in the span of one remarkable quarter, the third-year pro from the University of Oklahoma scored in nearly every way imaginable. He kicked it off with a 54-yard touchdown pass to wideout Roger Carr. Next was a 23-yard reception from Bill Troup to give the visiting Colts a 27-13 lead. And then came the pièce de résistance.

After the Patriots had rallied with two touchdowns to tie the game at 27 with 1:33 remaining, Washington took the ensuing kickoff and danced, darted and sprinted 90 yards for the game-winning score.

The Colts won the game, and Joe became the first player - before or since - to score by passing, receiving and returning in the same game. And he did all of these things in a single quarter1!

Top that, Lamar and Drake!

From there, Washington continued to astound, leading the NFL in receptions in 1979 with a personal best 82 catches. Next were four years - and the Super Bowl XVII title - in DC where he formed a particularly potent combination with John Riggins in 1983 as Joe Gibbs led one of the greatest teams in NFL history. The scatback set a bunch of career highs during that season, averaging 5.3 yards per carry and catching six scoring passes.

Little man, big legend.

As for tomorrow’s action, I like the Patriots (11-3, 6-0) to bounce back from last week with a big win in Baltimore (7-7, 3-5 home). Mike Tirico, Cris Collinsworth, and Melissa Stark have the call at 8:20 pm on NBC.

Some may wonder if the Pats loss to Buffalo was a harbinger of things to come, but I don’t think Coach Vrabel will allow a defeat to the streaking Bills to carry over. Call it New England, 31-29.

Sunday 1:00 PM – FOX

I’ll take the Chargers (10-4, 4-2 away) at Dallas (6-7-1, 4-2-1 home) in a game so high octane that Shell and Amoco will want to profit from it…

…the Bucs (7-7, 4-3 away) lose at Carolina (7-7, 4-2 home) as Baker Mayfield is bested by his 2023 Tampa offensive coordinator, Dave Canales. Don’t look now, folks, but this Panthers squad is legit…

Sunday 1:00 PM – CBS

Kansas City (6-8, 1-5 away) gets a much-needed win at Tennessee (2-12, 0-7 home) to snap a three-game skid. Take heart, Chiefs fans: seven of KC’s eight losses have been by one score. Look for Andy Reid’s crew to be a force again in 2026…

…I’ve got the Bills (10-4, 4-3 away) at Cleveland (3-11, 2-5 home) in a laugher. Buffalo is heating up like FATBACK’s debit card at Chik-fil-A…

…let’s go with the Bengals (4-10, 2-5 away) at Miami (6-8, 4-3 home) as Dolphins rookie QB Quinn Ewers gets his first career start. Don’t be surprised if the youngster has a good outing against Cincinnati’s #32-ranked defense…

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…the suddenly-hot Saints (4-10, 2-5 home) make it three in a row with a win against the visiting Jets (3-11, 1-5 away). Kudos to coach Kellen Moore for putting his rookie quarterback, Tyler Shough, in position to succeed.

Sunday 4:05 PM – FOX

I love the Falcons (5-9, 3-5 away) at Arizona (3-11, 1-6 home) with the hosts counting down the days to vacation. The bright spot for the Cardinals: Trey McBride is having another stellar campaign and is on pace to set the single-season mark for receptions by a TE. B-E-A-S-T…

…Liam Coen’s Jaguars (10-4, 4-2 away) fight valiantly but lose in Denver (12-2, 7-0 home). LE GURU fervently believes in three things: Jesus, high altitude and Uncle Mo(mentum). Look for the Broncos to extend their Mile High winning streak to 13 games in a hard-fought battle.

Sunday 4:25 PM – CBS

I like Dee-troit (8-6, 5-2 home) to right the ship with a home win against Pittsburgh (8-6, 3-3 away). Thoughts and prayers for the broadcasting crew of Nantz, Romo and Wolfson, as they don’t get to cover the Chiefs and Mahomes this week…

…Bet the ranch, the mortgage and the naming rights for your first born on Houston (9-5, 5-2 home) to topple the visiting Raiders (2-12, 1-6 away). Vegas is several years away from relevancy, while the Texans have won six straight.

Monday 8:15 PM – ESPN/ABC

In the week’s finale, I like the Niners (10-4, 6-2 away) at Indy (8-6, 6-1 home). Phil Rivers gave the Colts a shot of life last week, but they’re simply finding ways to lose right now.

That’s all for this week, folks! Enjoy the games and God bless!

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And, for the fourth straight season, the Philadelphia Eagles - those despised Birds - took down all comers to win the NFC East. In fact, SLICK WILLIE’s Iggles rolled all the way to the big game, losing Super Bowl XXXIX to New England.

Philly’s 2004 NFC East title was significant as it represents the last repeat champion of the division. That’s right, in the 20 full seasons since, there has been a new winner every year. Here’s the list:

2005: New York
2006: Philadelphia
2007: Dallas
2008: New York
2009: Dallas
2010: Philadelphia
2011: New York
2012: Washington
2013: Philadelphia
2014: Dallas

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2015: Washington
2016: Dallas
2017: Philadelphia
2018: Dallas
2019: Philadelphia
2020: Washington
2021: Dallas
2022: Philadelphia
2023: Dallas
2024: Philadelphia

Of note, the Eagles and Dallas have been the top dogs, winning seven titles apiece with My Beloved Commies and the Giants bringing up the rear with three each. And can you believe those Jints haven’t been division champions since 2011?

Putting that ugly New York football fact in perspective: THE TRE MAN was still in diapers the last time New York won the NFC East. And THE CHIEF and BROTHER BLUENIK were not yet in diapers.

Unfortunately, the two-decade streak ends shortly as the Iggles (9-5) are closing in on the division crown with Dallas (6-7-1) a speck in the rearview mirror. It’s a done deal, folks.

Philadelphia (9-5, 4-3 away) aims to earn the elusive back-to-back championship in Washington (4-10, 2-4 home) Saturday, a victory that would give coach Nick Sirianni three championships in five seasons at the helm. Kickoff is at 5 pm on Fox with Joe Davis, Greg Olsen, and Pam Oliver on the mic.

The Birds got back on track last week with a 31-0 pounding of the Raiders while DC won for the first time in nine games, slipping past the hapless Giants. With the home team reeling from injuries and Philly smelling blood, this one looks like a blowout on paper.

That said, games aren’t played on paper, with the notable exception of Tic Tac Toe and Hangman.

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I envision a strong effort by the Washington crew with the two teams trading blows deep into the Landover afternoon. The hosts will lean heavily on their run game and do what they can to contain Saquon. Yet, like skipping my mom’s famous frozen ice cream dessert, that’s easier said than done. BIRDS, 29-27.

In the nightcap at 8:20 pm, I like the Bears (10-4, 5-1 home) to topple the visiting Packers (9-4-1, 4-2-1 away). The Fox crew of Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews, and Tom Rinaldi will handle the duties.

I’m not sold on Chitown long term - save for the pizza and Portillo’s Italian Beef - but I think this could be their year. Plus, not having to face Micah Parsons isn’t the worst luck either.

Bad luck befell yours truly Thursday night when Seattle stormed back to send the Rams - and your author - to defeat. That puts the season mark at 120-92 (.566).

That’s all for today, folks. Enjoy the games and I’ll be back for my Sunday thoughts ASAP.

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Many of this week’s games have significant playoff implications but this Sunday’s outing at MetLife Stadium does not fit the bill as the Vikings (6-8, 4-4 away) and Giants (2-12, 2-4 home) meet at 1 pm. New York is toast - rye, I’m guessing - and Minnesota is on the football version of life support.

Instead, when these clubs meet, I’m always reminded of the craziness of the NFL. Give me a moment.

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First, in 1967, Minnesota traded future Hall of Fame quarterback Fran Tarkenton to the Giants for a boatload of draft picks, helping the Vikings to build the core of their “Purple People Eaters” defense that dominated the league in the 1970s and took Minny to four Super Bowls in eight seasons.

Then, five years later, New York inexplicably returned Fran to his former employer for three gentlemen who fell short of the HOF: QB Norm Snead, wide receiver Bob Grim, and running back Vince Clements. The final dagger: while Minnesota head coach Bud Grant & Co. ran roughshod over the NFC for a decade, the hapless Jints skipped the postseason from 1964-80.

And you wonder why BROTHER BLUENIK went gray in his teens?

This time around, the Vikings and Giants play under a gray New Jersey sky Sunday on Fox as the two squads ride the youthful right arms of J.J. McCarthy and Jaxson Dart, respectively. New York has specialized in finding ways to lose this season but, for an afternoon, I expect them to capitalize on their opportunity. New York by three.

LE GURU hasn’t seized the day often this season but last week’s 10-6 (.625) mark wasn’t terrible, pushing the 2025 record to 120-91 (.569). On to tonight…

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…I like the Rams (11-3, 5-2 away) at Seattle (11-3, 5-2 home) in a contest that’ll be tighter than WESTPORT DAN’s yoga pants. This one likely comes down to a last-second field goal as Sean McVay and Mike Macdonald match wits, a scrumptious harbinger of things to come in this rivalry.

Vegetable-hater Al Michaels, Kirk Herbstreit, and Kaylee Hartung have the call at 8:15 pm on Prime Video. Enjoy it and, hey, throw Bezos a bone while you’re at it.

That’s all for today, folks. Enjoy the game and God bless!

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Folks, there isn’t a town in America that puts itself through more “the sky is falling” moments than Philly with the latest proof the team’s current three-game losing skid. The locals are absolutely apoplectic about it with loyal fans like TOMMY BIRD and READE STREET RICH plowing through Tums like Skittles and talk show hosts set to fire everyone from the long snapper to the guy who paints the hash marks.

Naturally, I’m consuming this unrest like an ice-cold lager and, I must say, it is most delicious. That said - and this is painful to utter - the concerns are overblown. This is still a damn good football team, and, unfortunately, they’ll be a force with which to be reckoned come January.

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Think about it for a moment:

• All three losses were to playoff caliber teams who are playing very well - the Bears, Cowboys and Chargers - with the Dallas and LA defeats on the road.

• The Birds led each of those opponents in the fourth quarter.

• Star right offensive tackle Lane Johnson missed all three games - a gargantuan loss - and stud defensive tackle Jalen Carter was out last week and will miss at up to three more weeks while recuperating from shoulder surgery.

The good news for Philly fans: the team is wobbly but not broken. Both Johnson and Carter will be back in time for the playoffs, and the defense still looks darn good.

Throw in the fact that three of Nick Sirianni’s final four games are against the Raiders (today) and My Beloved Commies (twice) - the other is at Buffalo - and an 11-6 record and an NFC East title is all but assured.

That said, LE GURU thought a Bucs win was a near certainty Thursday, but Messrs. Cousins and Pitts had alternate plans. The loss dropped the season record to 110-86 (.561). For shame.

On to the games as we enter the stretch run with no one on the bye…

1 PM ET – FOX

Expect the Browns (3-10, 1-5 away) to lose in Chitown (9-4, 4-1 home) as Cleveland misses the postseason for the 24th time since the franchise returned to the National Football League in 1999. That’s the kind of futility that makes a Washington fan feel better about his lot in life…

…I’ll take the host Giants (2-11, 2-3 home) vs. My Beloved Commies (3-10, 1-6 away) as the DC boys continue to face major injuries. Last week’s loss of Zach Ertz was a painful one, as was yet another knockout blow to Jayden Daniels. We’ll fight gamely but it probably won’t be enough in the snow at MetLife Stadium.

The caveat: if Washington can turn this one into a run-oriented affair, our stellar offensive line may be able to turn the tide. With workhorse RB Chris Rodriguez likely on the shelf with a groin injury, expect Jeremy McNichols to tote the rock often…

…Grudgingly, I’ll take the aforementioned Iggles (8-5, 4-2 home) against the visiting Raiders (2-11, 1-5 away). Kenny Pickett, who grew up a Birds fan in south Jersey, gets the start in place of the injured Geno Smith for Vegas…

…watch out for a bloodbath in Houston as the Texans (8-5, 4-2 home) take down the Cardinals (3-10, 2-4 away). Expect broadcasters Chris Myers and Mark Schlereth to be deep into their bag of blowout material by the middle of the third quarter.

1 PM ET – CBS

I think the Ravens (6-7, 3-2 away) lose at Cincinnati (4-9, 2-4 home) as Joe Burrow improves to 4-1 on the season. Baltimore looks like a team without confidence and that’s not ideal when you’re facing this quarterback…

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…let’s go with the Chargers (9-4, 3-2 away) at the Chiefs (6-7, 5-2 home). Kansas City is the more desperate team but, if that were a good thing, my squad would be winning the Lombardi every year. The one-year blip continues for Mahomes & Co…

…I like the Pats (11-2, 5-2 home) to take down the Bills (9-4, 3-3 away) in Foxboro as Vrabel gets it done once again. This just in: leadership matters, folks. The man was in command as a player and is doing the same thing as a coach. Love him…

…the Jets (3-10, 1-4 away) lose a close one at Jacksonville (9-4, 5-2 home). New York coach Aaron Glenn isn’t big on moral victories but, when he looks at the film after the game, he’ll feel good about where his team is headed.

Crazy prediction: New York’s pro football teams will combine for at least a .500 record next season.

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4:25 PM ET – FOX

Denver (11-2, 6-2 home) beats the Packers (9-3-1, 4-1-1 away) at Mile High. Like a good night of dancing, this one will come down to which side is the most physical. Bet on the Broncos to win a close one…

…the Lions (8-5, 4-3 away) lose to the Rams (10-3, 5-1 home) at SoFi. I’m expecting a high-scoring affair and opting in favor of the hotter quarterback. Yep, that Stafford is a handsome fella…

…Let’s take the Panthers (7-6, 3-4 away) at New Orleans (3-10, 1-5 home) as Carolina avenges last month’s loss to the Saints. As for Nola, rookie QB Tyler Shough definitely looks legit over the last month. Steal of the draft?…

…the Titans (2-11, 2-4 away) take the L at San Fran (9-4, 5-1 home). Unless Kyle Shanahan calls off the dogs, this one will be a beatdown of biblical proportions.

4:25 PM ET – CBS

I can’t summon the cojones to pick the struggling Colts (8-5, 5-2 away) at Seattle (10-3, 4-2 home). Sure, starting 44-year-old Philip Rivers at QB isn’t ideal for Indy but the bigger concern is how the running game is stuck in gear. Jonathan Taylor is averaging just 70 yards per outing over the past three weeks and that won’t get it done today.

8:20 PM ET – NBC/Peacock

In the nightcap, the Vikings (5-8, 3-4 away) lose in Dallas (6-6-1, 4-1-1 home). Will this late Cowboys push be good enough to get to the postseason? It seems unlikely but don’t be stunned if Dallas runs the table.

Monday 8:15 PM ET – ESPN/ABC

In the Week Fifteen finale, I’ll go with host Pittsburgh (7-6, 4-2 home) against Miami (6-7, 2-4 away). Something clicked for the Steelers in Baltimore last week and that has THE HOUSE OF SUSSEX all aglow.

That’s all for this week, folks! Enjoy the games and God bless!

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After a legendary run as USC’s head coach, John McKay took over an expansion Bucs outfit that started 0–26 yet somehow had them in the NFC title game in his fourth season, turning a creamsicle punchline into a legit contender. For his first three years in Tampa, he even coached his own son, J.K. McKay, a starting wideout who starred for his dad with the Trojans.

Along the way, the elder McKay uttered some of the great one-liners ever dispensed by a head coach.

“If a contest had 97 prizes, the 98th would be a trip to Green Bay.”

“We didn’t tackle well today but we made up for it by not blocking.”

And my personal favorite, when asked what he thought of Tampa’s execution:

“I’m in favor of it.”

John was certainly in favor of his son Rich’s career path. The youngster started as a Bucs ball boy and then returned as a front‑office exec, eventually becoming general manager and helping build the Tony Dungy–era powerhouse that laid the foundation for Tampa Bay’s first Super Bowl title. When he moved on to Atlanta in 2004 and rose to president/CEO, he became the architect of multiple Falcons’ playoff runs, an NFC crown, and the franchise’s modern stadium era.

Unfortunately, under Rich’s leadership, the franchise has lived with quarterback turmoil over the past two seasons with Kirk Cousins signing a monster deal before being pushed aside for top draft pick Michael Penix, now out with his third ACL injury.

Cousins, of course, is the ultimate afterthought turned never-say-die business and QB legend: a fourth‑round pick who outdueled RGIII, played the franchise‑tag game, and stacked fully guaranteed megadeals in Minnesota and Atlanta. Indeed, Cousins Inc. is every bit the stock that Nvidia is.

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Still, while collecting all that cabbage, Kirk has played well enough to climb into the NFL’s top 20 all‑time in passing yards and, with 291 career touchdown passes, is near the exclusive 300‑TD neighborhood. That’s pretty darn good.

On the other sideline tonight is Baker Mayfield, once the golden‑boy No. 1 overall pick in Cleveland, then nearly bounced from the league after quick stops with the Panthers and Rams. Mercifully, Tampa brought him in on a modest prove‑it deal and the Oklahoma alum revived his career with a 4,000‑plus‑yard, 28‑TD season in 2023 and an even bigger 4,500‑yard, 40‑plus‑TD eruption in 2024. Now, the bridge guy and part-time insurance salesman is a franchise QB once again.

As for tonight, Mayfield’s Bucs limp in like a man with gout at 7–6 (3-3 home) but will get a much-needed jolt with Mike Evans activated from injured reserve, a huge ugrade for the Tampa offense.

On the flip side, visiting Atlanta, at 4–9 (2-5 away), is without top wideout Drake London and managing numerous defensive injuries, including limitations for corner A.J. Terrell and other starters. That leaves Cousins spreading the ball to understudies while a thinned‑out defense tries to corral a Tampa attack that will push the ball vertically all night long.

The all‑time series is deadlocked (32–32) but Tampa has the clear upper hand against an Atlanta team that is playing with less confidence than a shirtless TOMMY BIRD. Call it Bucs, 27-20.

A final note from yours truly: the Week Fourteen record was 8-5 (.615), moving the season mark to a so-so 110-85 (.564). A tough year for the big fella.

Enjoy the game and God bless!

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This, of course, begs the question: is the Kansas City dynasty done?

Well, it’s certainly flagging right now but I don’t think it’s finished, not by a long shot.

First, Patrick Mahomes is only 30 years old and remains the best quarterback in the sport.

Second, most great pro football franchises hit speed bumps from time to time but, because their foundations are so strong, they ultimately rebound with a vengeance.

Bill Belichick’s Patriots missed the playoffs in 2008 after suffering their Super Bowl XLII loss to the Giants but rebounded to make 11 straight postseason trips, winning three more championships.

John Harbaugh’s Ravens missed the playoffs three straight times (2015-17) but then returned as a force, making the postseason in six of the past seven years. And 2025 looks like another playoff campaign with Baltimore leading the AFC North with five wins in its past six games.

Joe Gibbs and Washington won the Super Bowl during the 1987 season but then missed the playoffs the next two years. They returned to the postseason in 1990 and then produced what ESPN called “the greatest team of all time” in 1991.

P.S. ESPN was right (see below).

You get the picture. Kansas City is NOT done.

They’ve got Mahomes, a great head coach and an organizational infrastructure that historically finds the right players at the right time. Expect 2025 to be a momentary blip for the Chiefs.

On the subject of rare occurrences, LE GURU was 11-5 (.688) last week, improving the season mark to 102-80 (.560). Let’s look at this weekend’s games with the Giants (2-11), Niners (9-4), Panthers (7-6) and Patriots (11-2) enjoying the bye.

1 PM ET – FOX

I’ll take the Seahawks (9-3, 5-1 away) at Atlanta (4-8, 2-3 home) as road warrior Mike Macdonald moves Seattle one step closer to clinching a playoff berth. The Falcons will fight but their pass game will suffer with Drake London on the shelf…

…Cincinnati (4-8, 2-4 away) falls at Buffalo (8-4, 5-1 home) despite QB Joe Burrow’s heroics. The Bills will miss pass rusher Joey Bosa but, with snow a possibility, I like the hosts in a squeaker…

…the Browns (4-8, 2-3 home) take down the visiting Titans (1-11, 1-4 away) with extreme prejudice. Cam Ward meet Mr. Myles Garrett…

…My Beloved Commies (3-9, 1-5 away) beat host Minnesota (4-8, 1-4 home), breaking their seven-game losing streak. Jayden Daniels returns to action, but he may not be the catalyst; this team has played much better the past two weeks with consecutive OT losses. We could win this one in a rout…

1 PM ET – CBS

The Jets (3-9, 2-5 home) topple Miami (5-7, 1-4 away) at MetLife, capturing their fourth win in six weeks. Don’t look now but Aaron Glenn’s cultural shift is taking hold, folks…

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…the Saints (2-10, 1-5 away) take a beating at Tampa (7-5, 3-2 home). Last week’s Bucs’ win over Arizona was ugly, but it got Baker & Co. back on track. No Alvin Kamara is no bueno for Nola…

…Daniel Jones and the Colts (8-4, 2-3 away) lose at the Jaguars (8-4, 4-2 home), their third straight tough loss. The Indy QB has been off of late, but the visitors’ #1 issue is the absence of cornerback Sauce Gardner, out with a calf injury.

Expect Trevor Lawrence to riddle that secondary as Jacksonville moves one step closer to earning its first playoff trip since 2022…

…visiting Pittsburgh (6-6, 2-3 away) loses at archrival Baltimore (6-6, 3-4 home). The Ravens looked out of sorts against Cincy last week, but I think they right the ship vs. the flagging Steelers. Mike Tomlin’s historic run in the Steel City is nearing an end, folks. Fly those flags at half-mast at THE HOUSE OF SUSSEX.

4:05 PM ET – CBS

Take the Broncos (10-2, 4-2 away) to crush the Raiders (2-10, 1-5 home) in Vegas. The gulf between these two franchises is wider than the space between the back pockets of my Levi’s.

4:25 PM ET – FOX

Green Bay (8-4, 4-2 home) takes down the Bears (9-3, 5-2 away) to tie the teams atop the NFC North with four weeks to play. Expect the Pack to focus on Chicago’s stud tight ends - Loveland and Kmet - with star receiver Rome Odunze out.

Enjoy the game and relish the fact that these teams meet again in two weeks in the Windy City…

…I LOVE the Rams (9-3, 4-2 away) at Arizona (3-9, 1-5 home). Kudos to McVay & Co. for one heck of a season. This is the mortal lock of the week, folks, even with LA’s stud running back, Kyren Williams, injured.

8:20 PM ET – NBC/Peacock

In the nightcap, I’ll take the Texans (7-5, 4-2 away) at the Chiefs (6-6, 5-1 home) with apologies to RIGHT WING MATT, a man teetering on the brink.

The reason? Kansas City’s offensive line is in tatters on the right side with tackle Jawaan Taylor out and guard Trey Smith unlikely to play. Expect DeMeco Ryans to take advantage of that opportunity.

MONDAY, 8:15 PM ET – ABC/ESPN

In the week’s final game, I’ll go with the host Chargers (8-4, 2-4 home) to take down Philly (8-4, 4-2 away).

The Eagles recent struggles have been well documented but the bigger concern is the absence of two studs in the trenches: defensive tackle Jalen Carter and right offensive tackle Lane Johnson. That’s enough to give TOMMY BIRD a bit of agita which, of course, brings a smile to my face.

That’s all for this week, folks. Enjoy the games and God bless you and yours!

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Never mind the Vikings nine-game winning streak immediately preceding the two losses, the team’s longest run of victories in 24 years. Forget about Darnold’s 35 TD passes and 4,300 yards through the air. And ignore his 14 victories, the most ever by a Minnesota QB in a single season.

Fast forward to today and the former USC star is now in Seattle where he has Mike Macdonald’s Seahawks (8-3, 3-2 home) sitting pretty as they host the struggling Vikings (4-7, 3-3 away). Kickoff is at 4:05 pm ET on Fox with Kevin Burkhardt, Greg Olsen, and Pam Oliver on the call.

Darnold’s counterpart, second-year man J.J. McCarthy, won’t see the field today as he recovers from a concussion suffered last week at Green Bay. The Michigan product has battled injuries and inconsistency this year and sits 33rd in QBR rating, per ESPN.

Sam Darnold ranks sixth.

Listen, McCarthy may still become a player and shouldn’t be judged harshly based on such a small sample size. He’s a talented kid who works hard. But I’d guess many a Minnesotan - including Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell - wishes they’d rewarded Darnold with another season at the helm instead of rolling the dice with McCarthy.

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Meanwhile, in the Northwest, the Seahawks have done something radical by asking Darnold to be exactly who - and what - he is. A grown-up QB charged with getting the ball out on time and avoiding disaster. An evolving player who, despite being an eight-year veteran, is still only 28 years old.

No, he hasn’t been perfect - tying a career high with four interceptions against the Rams - but he’s been exactly what the team needs and his teammates will go to the mat for him. And there’s a lot to be said for that.

As for today, I’ll take Seattle in a rout as undrafted rookie QB Max Brosmer leads the Vikes into one of the league’s loudest buildings. The Hawks will bring pressure early and often and, though I expect the former University of New Hampshire star to show poise, it’ll be too much to overcome.

The polar opposite of the composed young Brosmer is yours truly, melting down like a pint of Ben & Jerry’s in the Arizona heat. Yep, as we enter the stretch, my season win-loss record is a pedestrian 92-78 (.541) and that’s no bueno. On to the games…

1:00 PM – CBS

I’ll take the Niners (8-4, 5-2 away) at the Browns (3-8, 2-3 home) though the hosts will put up a fight. The end result? A perpetually distraught TIMMY THE BROWN wandering aimlessly through the cold Cleveland streets in search of answers and a tasty lager…

…let’s go with the Jaguars (7-4, 3-2 away) in Tennessee (1-10, 0-6 home) as the Titans continue to struggle protecting the passer. Nashville is Vandy’s town right now, folks…

…I’ll ride with Indy (8-3, 6-0 home) against the visiting Texans (6-5, 2-3 away) thought I’m tempted to take DeMeco Ryans’ surging squad. Houston is playing the kind of football my late buddy - and Houstonian - RAVISHING ROY REYNOLDS would’ve loved discussing over a plate (or two) of tacos. Damn, he was good people.

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1:00 PM – FOX

I’ll take host Miami (4-7, 3-3 home) against the Saints (2-9, 1-4 away) in a tight, ugly affair. FISHBOY begins the day certain the Fins are about to go on a roll but, if things go south, he’ll quickly be calling Mel Kiper for his thoughts on a left-footed punting prospect he’s had his eye on at Middle Arkansas State…

…Atlanta (4-7, 2-4 away) falls at the Jets (2-9, 1-5 home). Cousins plays well for the Falcons, but this Aaron Glenn team is starting to hit its stride…

…Tampa (6-5, 2-2 home) gets off the schneid against visiting Arizona (3-8, 2-3 away) as the Bucs’ pass rush feasts like yours truly on that honey-baked ham last Thursday…

…the Rams (9-2, 4-1 away) narrowly avoid the upset at Carolina (6-6, 3-2 home). Don’t look now but this Panthers outfit is turning into a legit enterprise, aiming for its first winning season since 2017.

4:25 PM – CBS

I’m going with the Bills (7-4, 2-3 away) at Pittsburgh (6-5, 4-2 home) as THE HOUSE OF SUSSEX starts looking for “fun family things” to do for the remaining Sundays of the 2025 season. Spoiler alert: there is no such thing as a fun Sunday when your team is struggling…

…the Raiders (2-9, 1-4 away) fall to the host Chargers (7-4, 4-2 home) as LE GURU thinks about one of the most iconic plays in NFL history, the “Holy Roller”.

8:20 PM - NBC

In the nightcap, I’ll grudgingly pick the visiting Broncos (9-2, 3-2 away) against My Beloved Commies (3-8, 2-3 home) with this caveat: Washington is playing hard under Dan Quinn so, if Bo Nix is loose with the football, we’ve got a legit shot.

MONDAY 8:15 PM – ESPN

Take the Patriots (10-2, 4-2 home) vs. the Giants (2-10, 0-7 away) in Foxboro in a game that should be close. After all, the Jints have lost three straight games by one score.

Expect BROTHER BLUENIK to swear “I’m done with this team forever” before kickoff, only to reconsider and have his heart broken in the waning moments. After all, his blood runs blue, folks.

That’s all for this week, all! Enjoy the games and God bless!

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Thankful for the men that created and shaped this game. Thankful that this beautiful sport has the power to change lives. Thankful that a determined group of teenagers from Jersey City poured their hearts out over the past four months to deliver a magical football season.

Two years ago, the St. Peter’s Prep squad was 1–9, a low point for one of the proudest programs in football-rich New Jersey. But there was light, however dim, at the end of the tunnel, thanks to the leadership of Coach Rich Hansen, an outstanding coaching staff and a roster of kids that never stopped believing in themselves, or one another.

Fast forward to 2025 and that once-feint light was brighter than the Northern Lights. An 8-3 record. The #2 seed in the top group in the playoffs. A long-awaited return to Prep’s rightful place among NJ’s football elite.

How did they do it? Hard work, determination and togetherness, from the biggest stars to the unsung heroes.

There was Logan Graham, the senior defensive back who tragically tore his ACL over the summer yet chose to coach instead of disappearing. Ben Ruiz and Joel Sosa, a duo that helped set the tempo for this team with an offseason of blood, sweat and tears. And many other valiant young men that didn’t experience on-field glory yet still had a significant impact on an exceptional 2025 campaign.

The hardest truth in football is that, after a season ends, the players that comprise a team will never be together as a group again. Seniors graduate, new faces arrive, the depth chart shuffles and, invariably, a different team takes the field the following year. Full of hope, full of promise.

No one knows what the future holds for Marauder football, but I know I’m grateful for this amazing 2025 season. And, if this past year is any indication, the days ahead will be ones to be remembered as well.

​As for the big leagues, we’ve got four games over the next two games with nearly all of the combatants in playoff contention. Combined with outsized portions of turkey and stuffing, it should be as tasty as last week’s Eagles’ collapse.

Let’s start with the three Thanksgiving tilts.

At 1 pm on Fox, Green Bay (7-3-1, 3-1-1 away) visits Dee-troit (7-4, 4-1) and I’m going with the hosts, in spite of their inconsistencies. One of these clubs is about to get hotter than FATBACK’s car seat….

…in the Metroplex, take Dallas (5-5-1, 3-1-1 home) against the struggling Chiefs (6-5, 1-4 away) at 4:30 pm on CBS/Paramount+. KC is set to miss the postseason for the first time since 2014 but, on the positive side, RIGHT WING MATT will have free time to devote to some things he’s been neglecting, like brushing his teeth and washing his hair…

…in the 8:20 pm nightcap on NBC/Peacock, I love the surging Ravens (6-5, 3-3 home) to topple the Bengals (3-8, 1-4 away) in Baltimore. Sure, Joe Burrow is back but he’s not likely to help a Cincinnati defense that is last in the league in points and yards allowed…

…finally, on Friday afternoon, I’ll take the Eagles (8-3, 4-1 home) to topple visiting Chicago (8-3, 4-2 away) in a tight one. Methinks last week’s debacle in Dallas is going to be the kick in the pants that Philly needs to go on a run. You can catch the action at 3 pm on Prime Video while guys like TOMMY BIRD are knee deep in Black Friday.

That’s all for now, folks. Enjoy the games and have a Happy Thanksgiving!

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• Friday: THE TRE MAN’s #2-ranked St. Peter’s Prep Marauders play in the New Jersey state semifinals

• Saturday: the 161st meeting of Lehigh-Lafayette, college football’s most-played rivalry

But, before those epic matchups, we’ve got a Thursday night showdown with the Bills (7-3, 2-2 away) visiting the surging Texans (5-5, 3-2 home). You can catch the action at 8:15 pm ET on Amazon Prime with vegetable-hater Al Michaels, Kirk Herbstreit and Kaylee Hartung on the call.

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Sadly, Houston is still without C.J. Stroud (concussion) and that means I’m taking Buffalo in a squeaker. Let’s hope the talented QB gets back on the field shortly.

A fact that may interest only yours truly: Houston and Buffalo first met on October 30, 1960, with the Bills topping the Oilers in a 25-24 thriller. One of the day’s highlights: a 50-yard field goal by Houston’s George Blanda, a future Hall of Famer in the midst of a 26-year run as a pro kicker and quarterback.

Blanda wasn’t just old, he was timeless, lasting longer than a McDonald’s fry dropped beneath LE GURU’s car seat. His career stat line: 236 touchdown passes, nearly 27,000 passing yards, and a whopping 335 field goals. An MVP, a champion, the NFL Man of the Year. ​

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The man of the year in the Football Championship Subdivision is none other than Lehigh coach Kevin Cahill, who leads his 11-0 Mountain Hawks into The Rivalry just two years after debuting with a 2-9 campaign. No, Coach doesn’t walk on water, but he doesn’t sink in it either.

Lafayette is 8-3 and having a good season in its own right but the Leopards will be no match for Cahill & Co. Let’s call it 27-10, Lehigh.

One of the Mountain Hawks’ biggest fans, the aforementioned TRE MAN, takes the field Friday in Jersey City as St. Peter’s Prep (8-2) hosts St. Joseph’s Regional (8-2) in a battle royale.

These teams met in September with Tre and his teammates delivering a thrilling 29-28 comeback victory. It was a physical back-and-forth matchup of two heavyweights, just like FATBACK and I going mano-a-mano at the buffet in the early ‘90s. It was always a battle of attrition, and indigestion.

How do I see it?

I’m expecting a knockdown dragout affair that goes down to the wire with Prep QB Tyler Bell making a big play and the defense slamming the door. Next stop: MetLife Stadium and the state title game. Let’s call it 33-31, SPP.

Here’s hoping LE GURU fares better with high school and college picks than with the pros. Sure, last week’s record was 10-5 (.667) but that’s fool’s gold, sports fans, as the season mark sits at an unimpressive 90-73 (.552).

That’s all for this week, folks. I’ll be back next Thursday for more fun. God bless!

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Of course, victories have been hard to come by over the past month. Here’s how bad things have gotten for the Burgundy & Gold:

• Four straight losses by 20+ points, only the third such stretch for an NFL team since H.W. Bush resided on Pennsylvania Ave.1

• More points allowed (154) over the past four games than in any four-week stretch for the franchise since 19542

That ‘54 squad was apparently rough on the eyes3 but, mercifully, (a) football games were rarely televised4 back then (b) the regular season was only 12 games and (c) the world wasn’t overrun with “experts” like yours truly to pick every team and player apart.

Of course, THE GURU is a glass-is-half-full sort of guy so I’m going to focus on the positives, beginning with some huge wins against the Dolphins. Like the Super Bowl XVII victory, led by John Riggins and Joe Theismann, and a glorious 2019 afternoon in Miami with THE CHIEF and THE TRE MAN.

As for today, I think it’s going to be tough sledding. Marcus Mariota & Co. will move the chains, but the MBC defense really needs to step up with Dan Quinn now calling the plays. I’m sure the D will improve under DQ’s steady hand but let’s call it 27-24, Dolphins, and hope that I’m wrong.

Thankfully, the odds of LE GURU being incorrect are increasingly likely these days with the season mark sitting at 81-68 (.544). Sure, I got the win Thursday when the Pats expectedly toppled the Jets, but the hits have been few and far between in 2025. Ah, such is life.

On to the rest of the games with the Colts (8-2) and Saints (2-8) enjoying the week off…

SUNDAY

1 PM - CBS

The Bucs (6-3, 4-1 away) fall at Buffalo (6-3, 4-1 home) in a tight one. Note that Tampa faces the Rams next weekend before ending the regular season with a six-game stretch against teams it should beat (Arizona, Atlanta, New Orleans, Carolina, Miami, Carolina)…

…I love struggling Pittsburgh (5-4, 3-2 home) against visiting Cincinnati (3-6, 1-3 away). It’s been a rough go for THE HOUSE OF SUSSEX but I’m feeling a bounce back week for Aaron Rodgers…

…the Chargers (7-3, 3-1 away) get a big road win at Jacksonville (5-4, 3-2 home). Sooner or later, I’ve got to start believing in Harbaugh & Co. Right?

1 PM - FOX

Take the Panthers (5-5, 2-3 away) at the Falcons (3-6, 2-2 home) as Atlanta’s losing streak reaches five games…

…host Minnesota (4-5, 1-3 home) takes down the Bears (6-3, 3-2 away) to sweep the season series for the fourth time in five years. Chicago is much improved, but THE BIG D is going to have to wait another year to beat the Vikings…

…the Texans (4-5, 1-3 away) win big in Tennessee (1-8, 0-4 home) with Davis Mills at the controls and get to .500. Since 1990, only four teams have made the playoffs after starting the season at 0-3 but I’m betting on Houston to get it done… ​

….the Packers (5-3-1, 2-1-1 away) get a road win against the Giants (2-8, 2-2 home) but 11-year veteran Jameis Winston has a big day for the New Yorkers and interim head coach Mike Kafka. On the mike this afternoon as an analyst: Drew Brees, whom Winston backed up in New Orleans in 2020.

4:05 PM - FOX

Take the Rams (7-2, 3-1 home) against visiting Seattle (7-2, 4-0 away) as Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald shoots for his twelfth road victory in 13 tries. The man is a legit Coach of the Year candidate…

…San Fran (6-4, 4-2 away) gets the win in Arizona (3-6, 1-3 home) as Brock Purdy returns for just his third start of the season. Hats off to Mac Jones, who kept the Niners’ season afloat by going 5-3 at the helm.

4:25 PM - CBS

Visiting Baltimore (4-5, 2-2 away) loses at rival Cleveland (2-7, 2-2 home) as the teams split the season series for the fifth straight year. I was all set to roll with the Ravens, but Lamar’s gimpy knee gives me pause…

…go with the Chiefs (5-4, 1-3 away) at Denver (8-2, 5-0 home) as Andy Reid & Co. remind the Broncos who owns the AFC West.

That said, it looks likely that Kansas City’s nine-year reign as division champion will come to close this season. Fun fact: KC (2010, 2016-2024) and Denver (2011-2015) have combined to capture 15 consecutive AFC West titles.

8:20 PM - NBC

Come nightfall, I’m going with the Lions (6-3, 3-2 away) in Philly (7-2, 3-1 home), even with Dee-troit tight end extraordinaire Sam LaPorta on the shelf.

The rationale: Dan Campbell’s crew looks primed to get on a roll, and this Eagles squad looks like it is about to splinter with anonymous criticism of QB Jalen Hurts mounting. Unjustified, yes, but mounting nonetheless…

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MONDAY

8:15 PM - ABC/ESPN

On Monday, I think the Cowboys (3-5-1, 1-4 away) win in Vegas (2-7, 1-3 home). First-year Raiders head coach Pete Carroll is surely rethinking his decision to leave a life of shuffleboard and 3 p.m. dinners.

That’s all for this week, folks. Enjoy the games and God bless you and yours!

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