My friends, THE GURU has to say it: the NFL is a cruel mistress, a dame so harsh that George Thorogood would steer clear.
Case in point, Thursday Night’s combatants: the scuffling Dolphins (2-6, 1-2 home) and Ravens (2-5, 0-2 away), both longshots to make the postseason. These franchises were brimming with optimism at this season’s outset, but injuries and inconsistencies have them on the proverbial ropes.
Both squads actually won last week but that doesn’t make their situations any less dire, especially for Miami, which has fallen from 11-7 in 2023 to this year’s 2-6. Sure, head coach Mike McDaniel’s three-year contract extension runs through 2028 but his owner, Stephen Ross, is an impatient man and that doesn’t bode well for the Yale grad.
Should’ve gone to Lehigh, young man.
Meanwhile, in Baltimore, John Harbaugh1 is on firm ground in his eighteenth season, even though his club could miss the postseason for the first time since 2021. The lion’s share of their struggles, of course, can be traced directly to the ailing right hamstring of one Lamar Demeatrice2 Jackson, Jr., the league’s most dynamic quarterback.
At night’s end, I think the Ravens QB makes all the difference as his team comes away with a big win. Let’s call it 27-23, Baltimore.
You can catch action on Prime Video at 8:15 pm with vegetable-hater Al Michaels, Kirk Herbstreit and Kaylee Hartung on the call at 8:15 pm.
As for LE GURU, the Week Eight mark was a so-so 8-5 (.615), improving the season to 67-53 (.558).
That’s all for tonight, folks. Enjoy the game and God bless!
Interestingly, Harbaugh went to Miami (Ohio), alma mater of McDaniel’s mentor, Sean McVay. Among the folks who graduated from Miami aka “The Cradle of Coaches”: Paul Brown, Ara Parseghian and Weeb Ewbank.
I tip my cap to any man who has both protein and carbs in his middle name. Meat? Rice? Brilliant.