Week 13 Crystal Ball - Weekend: West Meets East in a Big Game
Week 13 Crystal Ball - Weekend: West Meets East in a Big Game
All football eyes are on Pennsylvania today
My friends, THE GURU is primed for today’s big game as a West Coast-squad visits a surging team in the Keystone State.
Yes, I’m talking about the Cardinals (2-10, 0-6) in Pittsburgh (7-4, 4-2 home) for an inter-conference matchup between the franchises that gave us Super Bowl XLIII, one of the most exhilarating title games in history. Yet, when it comes to these two teams, that fantastic contest, won by the Steelers on a Santonio Holmes’1 toe-tap, is just the tip of the iceberg.
First, despite playing in different conferences and being geographically separated by more than 2,000 miles, these franchises have actually met 61 times, dating to 1933. The result of that first meeting? The Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Chicago Cardinals, 14-13.
The Pittsburgh squad was renamed the Steelers in 1940 and, from 1950-69, they played the Cardinals 39 times as the teams both resided in the American (1950-52) and Eastern (1953-69) Conferences, respectively. Before the 1970 season, the NFL and AFL merged and the franchises moved into difference conferences, splintering the rivalry.
Of course, moving conferences is child’s play for the Cardinals, who have occupied three states - Illinois (1920-1959), Missouri (1960-1987) and Arizona (1988-present) - and nine different stadiums in their 104-year history.
Nine!
One can almost hear the late Zsa Zsa Gabor, a nine-time bride, applauding and shouting “Well played!” from the grave.
That said, indecision was understandable in the 1940s as America was knee-deep in World War II and pro football was the afterthought that it should have been.
The battle against Adolf Hitler and his fellow despots meant there were fewer men to play and actually led to the Steelers combining forces with the Eagles in 1943 to form, yes, the Steagles. Somehow, they went 5-4-1 under coaches Greasy Neale and Walt Kiesling, with the former my choice as head coach of the NFL’s all-time all-name team.
A year later, with the war continuing, the sad-sack Steelers and Cardinals combined to form an outfit elegantly known as Card-Pitt. Head of Marketing, please take a bow!
The combined team lost a hard-fought opener to the Cleveland Rams, 30-28, and then was repeatedly tattooed over the next nine games, losing each contest by at least 14 points. The finale was a 49-7 pummeling at the hands of the Bears at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh.
The odds of a beatdown in today’s Steelers-Cardinals game at 1 pm on CBS probably aren’t high with both teams more inclined to grind things out. Pittsburgh isn’t at all explosive and Arizona likes to keep the ball on the ground with former Steelers back and ex-University of Pittsburgh star James Conner. Kyler Murray could always shock me but let’s call this one 17-15, Steelers.
Thursday’s Dallas victory pushed THE GURU’s 2023 record to 118-65 (.645) with 12 games on this weekend’s slate. The Bills (6-6), Bears (4-8), Giants (4-8), Raiders (5-7), Ravens (9-3) and Vikings (6-6) are on the bye.
Let’s get to it.
1 PM ET - FOX
When the Lions (8-3, 4-1 away) travel to New Orleans (5-6, 2-2 home), it’ll be a walk down memory lane for Dee-troit head coach Dan Campbell who spent his final NFL season as a player with the Saints in 2009, the year the team captured its only Super Bowl title. Unfortunately for Campbell, he spent the year on injured reserve and was not awarded a Super Bowl ring. Here’s betting that is still stuck in his craw. Lions by seven…
…the visiting Falcons (5-6, 1-4 away) face the Jets (4-7, 2-4 home) for just the 14th time with Atlanta holding an 8-5 series lead. The first matchup of these two teams, in 1973, featured a pair of legendary quarterbacks, Norm Van Brocklin and Joe Namath with Broadway Joe on the field and NVB coaching Atlanta. Today’s QBs: Desmond Ridder and Tim Boyle. Falcons by three…
…it could be another rough afternoon for My Beloved Commies (4-8, 1-4 home) when they host Miami (8-3, 3-3 away). These franchises met in two Super Bowls - the Fins won VII and the Skins won XVII - but the game I remember most was the 1984 season opener when Dan Marino absolutely torched the two-time defending NFC champs to the tune of 35-17. The SI cover is still burned in my brain all these years later. Miami wins today, 31-22, but Sam Howell throws for a truckload of yards.
1 PM ET - CBS
The Indianapolis (6-5, 4-1 away) visits Tennessee (4-7, 4-1 home) in a battle of two teams that abandoned their original cities. The Colts departed Baltimore in 1983 and the Titans - then the Oilers - left Houston in 1997. That’s all I’ve got to say. And take Tennessee…
…the Chargers (4-7, 2-3 away) playing at the Patriots (2-9, 1-5 home) doesn’t seem like an interesting game but, if you skip it, you’ll be missing out on one of the league’s most brilliant players. Yes, I’m talking about LA receiver Keenan Allen, who leads the NFL in receptions and targets with 97 and 129, respectively. Dude reminds me of that old Patriot, Wes Welker…
…in another early game, the Broncos (6-5, 2-2 away) travel to Houston (6-5, 4-2 home). These teams are two of the biggest surprises of the season and I’m going to take the Texans in a close one.
4:05 PM ET - CBS
Baker Mayfield2 faces his old team when the Bucs (4-7, 2-3 home) host Carolina (1-10, 0-6) and, lest you’ve forgotten, we know three things about the 2017 Heisman winner: he’s tough, he sells insurance, and he LOVES to carry a grudge. Bucs, 33-20.
4:25 PM ET - FOX
This weekend’s most watched game will most certainly take place in Philadelphia as the 49ers (8-3, 4-2) visit the Eagles (10-1, 5-0 home) in a rematch of last season’s NFC Championship game.
The Niners are favored in this game on the heels of resounding wins over Jacksonville (34-3), Tampa (27-14) and Seattle (31-13) in the past month but, as good as San Fran is, they aren’t going to DC to play My Beloved Commies. They are in Philadelphia to face the defending NFC champs and 67,000-plus Lincoln Financial Field mouth breathers, most of whom started tailgating on Tuesday. Birds by three…
When the Browns (7-4, 2-3 away) visit the Rams (5-6, 2-3 home), it’ll be a matchup of two teams that’ve called Cleveland home. Yep, the Rams abandoned northeast Ohio in 1946 before jilting Los Angeles in 1994 and St. Louis in 2015. I’m taking the Browns on principle.
8:20 PM ET - NBC
The Chiefs (8-3, 4-1 away) visit the Packers (5-6, 3-2 home) in a battle between the original Super Bowl combatants. Expect both teams to matriculate the ball down the field and, yes, Green Bay to win in a bit of an upset. Apologies, Hank Stram3.
MONDAY, 8:15 PM ET - ESPN
When the schedule-makers drew the season up, a Week 13 game with Cincinnati (5-6, 2-3 away) visiting Jacksonville (8-3, 3-3 home) looked like a potential ratings bonanza with Joe Burrow and Trevor Lawrence squaring off. Alas, Burrow is on the shelf so it’s a bit less tantilizing than expected. Take the Jags.
Well, folks, that’s it for this week. Enjoy the day and God bless!
Holmes only played one more season in Pittsburgh after his epic catch, playing four years for the Jets and one with the Bears to close out his nine-year career. Still, that great catch remains one for the ages.
Don’t look now but Mayfield, with a TD:INT ratio of 17:7, is well on the way to his best statistical season since leading the Browns to the playoffs in 2020.
Stram was not only a terrific coach but also had, perhaps, the greatest toupee in NFL history, a covering he wore it unapologetically.