Week Thirteen Crystal Ball - Weekend: All is fine with DC football
Published Continually since 1994
My friends, THE GURU is optimistic about the future of football in Washington and thinks it’s time to talk a few fellow DC fans off of the figurative ledge.
Just a few weeks ago, Coach Dan Quinn and rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels were the belle of the NFL ball with My Beloved Commies off to a 7-2 start. But now, in the midst of a three-game losing streak, folks are jumping ship faster than you can say “Finger Lickin’ Good.”
Most fans found back-to-back losses to the red-hot Steelers (28-27) and Eagles (26-18) to be respectable but quickly shifted into crisis mode after last week’s home defeat to the Cowboys (34-26). To those critics, I offer the following:
Yes, that wounded Dallas team landed in DC with a 3-7 record but rivalry games are like trips to your friendly neighborhood buffet where anything can - and will - happen.
You may walk in the door thinking fried shrimp, my man, but I can promise you that an imaginative carving station will change your mind with a quickness.
Did anyone say, “roast beef”? (Photo: Lauren Edmonds/Business Insider) It’s also important, in my opinion, to add a bit of perspective and take the long view.
The Commies won four games last year and finished with eight consecutive losses. Our opponents outscored us by 189 points, the worst differential in the league. This season? We’re at +57 in that metric, a stunning reversal of fortune.
Let’s say, for argument’s sake, we win two of the next five games and finish with a 9-8 record, probably good for second place in the NFC East.
Here’s some history for you: since winning the Super Bowl in 1991, we’ve only hit the nine-win mark seven times, and we haven’t eclipsed 10 regular-season victories. Heck, if the 2024 campaign ended today, we’d be over .500 for the first time since 2016, year three of the Jay Gruden era.Finally, and most importantly, it looks like we’ve got the right people in the right jobs. Quinn. Daniels. GM Adam Peters. Owner Josh Harris.
As my guy PIGHEART JEFF would surely say today: “Let’s be patient and trust the process.”1
That brings us to Sunday with the Titans (3-8, 2-4 away) visiting DC (7-5, 4-2 home) in a game likely to determine if we are playoff contenders or pretenders. CBS has the game at 1 pm.
This is probably a bad week to face Tennessee with Brian Callahan’s team sky-high after its upset win in Houston. QB Will Levis looked outstanding at times and the Titans defense seems to have righted its ship since getting thumped by Buffalo (34-10) and the Lions (52-14) at midseason. Still, you know I’m rolling with Quinn & Co. to staunch the bleeding. And, yes, as usual, it’ll be close.
The Thanksgiving record was 3-0 to push the season mark to 111-70 (.613). Let’s go to the rest of the slate with no teams on the bye.
FRIDAY
In the NFL’s first ever Black Friday game, I love the Chiefs (10-1, 5-0 home) to beat the archrival Raiders (2-9, 1-5 away) at Arrowhead. Prime Video has the telecast at 3 pm ET as Bezos counts his billions.
SATURDAY
What a difference a year makes as my beloved Mountain Hawks have gone from the Patriot League outhouse to the penthouse. As a reward, Lehigh (8-3, 3-2 away) visits perennial power Richmond (10-2, 5-1 home) in the first round of the FCS Playoffs. It is surely LU’s biggest test of the season, save for the opener at West Point.
First, some familial history as the City of Richmond holds a significant place in my heart. It’s where THE CHIEF was born and raised, and we still have plenty of family in the area. Some of those folks will join me for the pregame revelry led by tailgating luminaries CHEF PERRY, COACH JON, LAMB SAUSAGE BUTZ and WOODY, the omnipresent one.
As for the game itself, it’s the playoffs but, just as importantly, the advent of a rivalry as UR joins the Patriot League2 next season. The teams have only met three times to date with Richmond holding a 2-1 edge though the LU victory was one of the biggest in the program’s past 30 years, a 24-23 walk-off playoff win at UR in 1998.
More recently, the clubs squared off in 2021 and 2022 with Richmond winning by scores of 31-3 and 30-6, respectively. And the results could’ve been far more lopsided if the Spiders had turned up the heat in the second half.
Fast forward to 2024 and UR is playing great ball with three consecutive double-digit home wins, including last week’s 27-0 thumping of archrival William & Mary. Their roster includes 29 players with at least four years of college football experience while the youthful Mountain Hawks have 61 first- or second-year players.
The deck, surely, is stacked against the boys from Bethlehem but, if you think I’m picking against head coach Kevin Cahill aka THE MIRACLE WORKER now, you’re out of your mind. Tune in to ESPN+ at 2 pm and watch Lehigh win by three.
SUNDAY
1 PM, FOX
The Cardinals (6-5, 2-3 away) fall at the Vikings (9-2, 4-1 home) in a close game. Arizona will put up a fight, but it won’t quite be enough…
….visiting Seattle (6-5, 3-1 away) beats the Jets (3-8, 2-3 home) to move into a tie for first in the NFC West…
…the Texans (7-5, 3-3 away) return to form at Jacksonville (2-9, 2-3 home). Houston has lost four of six games, but all were by one score. This week, DeMeco Ryans & Co. remember how to close the deal against former colleague Doug Pederson3 and the Jags.
1 PM, CBS
The Chargers (7-4, 3-2 away) get a win in Atlanta (6-5, 3-3 home). I’m still bullish on Kirk but this Falcons team needs to work out some kinks…
…Take the Steelers (8-3, 4-2 away) at the Bengals (4-7, 1-4 home)…
…Colts (5-7, 2-4 away) at Pats (3-9, 1-4 home) reminds me of Joe Washington, who turned in the best individual performance in Monday Night Football history to lead Baltimore over New England.
How good was Little Joe on September 18, 1978? Well, he scored touchdowns three ways - passing, receiving and a kickoff return - in the fourth quarter alone. Man, oh man. Only Cincinnati Chili is more versatile than Little Joe was on that night.
4:05 PM, FOX
Take the Bucs (5-6, 3-2 away) at the Panthers (3-8, 2-4 home) but don’t be surprised if Carolina shocks Tampa. Dave Canales has his squad playing much better ball of late…
…I like the visiting Rams (5-6, 2-3 away) against the Saints (4-7, 3-3 home). With guys like Puka Nacua getting healthy, I think LA is primed for a strong run to close out the season.
4:25 PM, CBS
I’ll pick the Eagles (9-2, 5-1 away) at the Ravens (8-4, 4-1 home). The anti-Sirianni crowd is pretty quiet now, isn’t it?
8:20 PM, NBC/PEACOCK
The Bills (9-2, 5-0) take down the struggling Niners (5-6, 2-3 away) in western New York. No Joey Bosa is a big problem for San Fran when it comes to containing a talent like Josh Allen.
MONDAY, 8:15 PM, ESPN
The Browns (3-8, 1-4 away) fall to the Broncos (7-5, 3-2 home) in a game that takes me back to the two great battles between Cleveland and Denver in the 1980s playoffs. Read more about Jeremiah Castille’s heroics in this past Crystal Ball column.
Alright, that’s it for this week, folks. Enjoy your weekend and God bless!
Note that Jeff, with a lifetime of disdain for all things Dallas, would likely have not said this immediately after the loss to the Cowboys. It would’ve taken a couple of days and, surely, a bit of soul searching and a few long walks. Ha!
The 2025 season opener, oddly enough, is slated for Richmond at Lehigh on August 30.
Pederson and Ryan crossed professional paths in 2012 when the current Jacksonville coach was an assistant coach in Philly and Ryan was in his first year as a player with the Birds.