$.01—The NFL’s game of the year thus far pitted Pittsburgh and New England in a battle for AFC supremacy, and boy did it live up to the hype! The thrilling game went right down to the wire with one of the most action-packed final quarters we’ve seen in a long time.

Pittsburgh extended its lead to 24-16 just before the end of the third, answering a Patriots scoring drive where New England missed a crucial extra point to keep the Steelers ahead. After Le’Veon Bell transformed the rare Tom Brady interception into Pittsburgh points, the home team had all the momentum.

The Patriots answered with a later field goal drive, aided by an iffy pass interference call against Steelers CB Artie Burns. Pittsburgh got too conservative on the subsequent 3-and-out and left Brady with more than enough time…which eventually worked in the Steelers’ own favor.

Brady and Rob Gronkowski quickly drove for a go-ahead score. And yes, it was just Brady and Gronk. Three passes, 69 (of course) yards. Dion Lewis dashed in for the TD but Gronk smashed the 2-point conversion to put New England up 27-24. Now it was Ben Roethlisberger’s turn to answer.

And he did just that. Juju Smith-Schuster turned a simple crosser into a 69-yard gash. Deep in Patriots territory, Big Ben hit Jesse James with what at first looked like a game-winning TD. Except upon further review the tight end didn’t control the ball all the way to the end zone turf, and the touchdown was overturned.

It was the correct call by how the NFL has ruled in similar situations in recent years. That doesn’t mean it’s a good call, but that’s for the competition committee to overhaul (they won’t). Given new life, the Patriots defense made the most of it. They didn’t buy Big Ben’s ill-advised fake spike play and violation of one of the NFL’s cardinal rules—don’t throw a slant into the end zone against the Patriots. The ball bounced off CB Eric Rowe, in perfect coverage on the only receiver in the route in Eli Rogers, and into Duron Harmon’s hands for a game-sealing INT.

With the win, the Patriots clinch the AFC East and seize the No. 1 overall seed in the conference. They haven’t clinched anything else yet, but this win is a huge leg up for the defending champs.

The outcome does not come without complications for both teams. Antonio Brown limped off with a calf injury and was subsequently taken to an area hospital. That is not a typical response to a calf injury. The Heinz Field faithful rained down chants of “MVP” as the wideout hobbled from the turf in obvious pain. Brown is certainly in the MVP picture, leading the league in catches and yards and being the straw which stirs the Steelers’ drink on offense. The early diagnosis is he will be out until the playoffs but should return in January.

With Brown healthy, Pittsburgh can beat anyone, anywhere. Without him, that is a much less likely outcome. Given the injury to linebacker Ryan Shazier as well, the skilled Steelers might lose the war of attrition in the Year of the Injury.

New England took another blow of its own, with versatile running back Rex Burkhead carted off with what is being reported as a torn Achilles. No team does “next man up” better than the Patriots, especially on offense, but they’re already scraping the barrel with the likes of Kenny Britt. To (mis)quote former Patriots majordomo Bill Parcells, they’re running out of Mohicans in the barrel in New England. That’s why the win, and picking up the tie-breaker over Pittsburgh, is so huge.

$.02—Thursday night saw the Colts and Broncos face off. At least I think they did. I didn’t watch and judging by my social media feed and preliminary TV ratings, you probably didn’t either.

Its not just that the matchup of 3-10 and 4-9 teams was unappealing, though it was. This was the first weekend of Saturday games too, and one of the teams I cover professionally happened to have a Saturday game (more on that below). It was also bowl weekend kickoff, meaning football is everywhere over the next few weeks.

Oversaturation.

This continues to be a problem for the NFL. I’ve opined on this in the past, as have others. The NFL has yet to realize that sometimes less is more. The irony of the AT&T ads mocking the “more” culture, which I see at least 226 times every football weekend, is completely lost on the NFL.

We don’t want more football in more time slots. We won’t want another night camped out in front of the tube watching bad quarterbacks battle under inept coaches in blinding uniform colors not found in nature. This is as big of a reason why ratings and interest in the league are in decline as national anthem protests (none publicized since mid-October, by the way), rampant injuries to key players or competition from basketball and Hallmark Channel holiday drivel.

Oversaturation.

Let us appreciate the NFL. When it’s in constant focus, we lose the fondness that the absence of football over the spring and summer breeds. Thursday nights are a taxing watch demand after about Week 3, when we realize at least one of the teams is probably not very good. After watching games nonstop on Sunday from 1 to almost midnight, Monday nights can be a chore without any rooting interest. Now the NFL throws in Saturdays?

Oversaturation.

$.03— Aaron Rodgers returned to the Green Bay Packers lineup after missing two months with his broken collarbone. The mythological narrative of the exiled king returning to rightly reassume his throne ran rampant. The MVP of the decade was back, and it was time for everyone else in the NFC to kiss his ring and pay homage to Rodgers’ inevitable return to playoff greatness.

Somebody forgot to tell Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers how that fairy tale is supposed to end. Newton threw 4 TD passes and the Panthers did not turn the ball over in improving to 10-4 with a 31-24 win over the visiting Packers. The storybook ending turned into a macabre horror for Green Bay and for Rodgers.

He badly underthrew two deeper seam passes, both resulting in Panthers interceptions. Rodgers added another to effectively cancel out his three TD passes. He looked rusty and lacking both zip and discretion with his surgically repaired shoulder. He didn’t get a lot of help from either his coaches or teammates, unfortunately. Coach Mike McCarthy called just 14 designed runs (not counting 4 of Rodgers improvised runs) to 45 passes despite the game being within a touchdown almost the entire way, and the run game was effective too. Geronimo Allison fumbled away the final possession after a catch (though his catch was less of a reception than Damiere Byrd’s TD, but I digress) and with it, Green Bay’s fledgling playoff hopes.

Given how Rodgers looked and with no compelling reason to play him other than to try and win insignificant games, the Packers should sit Rodgers for the remainder of the season. They won’t, but they should…

$.04—It’s not often where one play epitomizes an entire season for a team, but such was the case in Saturday night’s game for the Detroit Lions.

The play comes midway through the second quarter of Detroit’s 20-10 beatdown of visiting Chicago. Matthew Stafford drops back to pass and cannot find anyone immediately open. As his offensive line protection breaks down a bit, Stafford scrambles out to his right. He sees a silver flash deep and Stafford resets his feet to uncork a laser down the right sideline.

When the camera first shows what’s down the field, all we see is Bears safety Eddie Jackson. He appears to be waiting to field a punt. Then Marvin Jones crosses into the frame, and the Lions wideout steals the show. The ball, too…

That play is the 2017 Detroit Lions in a nutshell. When they need big plays, they tend to manufacture them against lesser foes. When facing better teams than the lowly Bears, that pass either falls to the turf or gets picked off.

It’s a vintage Stafford play, too. He’s been at his best when taking those risks, putting almost unbelievable faith in his rare arm strength. Sometimes it works, as it did here thanks to Jones. Sometimes it doesn’t, and when it doesn’t, the Lions typically lose. Living on the edge of the blade is simultaneously exciting and uncomfortable for Detroit fans. Fortunately, in 2017, it’s worked more than it hasn’t. Detroit improved to 8-6 and kept the playoff hopes flickering.

$.05— Congrats to the Los Angeles Rams for unofficially wrapping up the NFC West with a blistering 42-7 win in Seattle. It was not as close as the final score would indicate.

Seahawks fans poured out of CenturyLink Stadium in the third quarter. They stayed too long, unfortunately. Todd Gurley had already posted over 120 rushing yards and three TDs by halftime. The Rams rusher added another for good measure.

Call this karmic retribution for the Seahawks. Seattle’s defense attacked the Jacksonville Jaguars in victory formation at the end of last week’s game, including Michael Bennett purposely trying to injure a lineman by doing directly at his knees. That’s not the first time the Seahawks have displayed horrible sportsmanship or deliberately injured an opponent (hello Tyrunn Walker) under Pete Carroll. That they did not get any real punishment from the NFL was reprehensible. The football gods saw to it that the Seahawks were paid back in a far more meaningful way, a humiliating ass-whipping on their home turf.

Seattle can still win the division, at least mathematically. If they win out and the Rams drop both of their final contests, the Seahawks will win the tiebreaker. Based on what both teams did on Sunday, that seems extraordinarily unlikely. Seattle is now in major peril of missing the playoffs entirely, tied with Detroit as the No. 7 team and a half-game behind Atlanta, who plays Monday night. 

$.06—Quite abruptly, the Carolina Panthers are now for sale. Owner Jerry Richardson announced on Sunday he is selling his beloved franchise, which he has called his own since the team’s inception as an expansion group back in 1993. He’s the only person anyone in Charlotte has ever called owner.

Richardson’s decision is spurned from the disturbing and startling revelation that the former NFL player has paid out several settlements to former Panthers employees. From the Sports Illustrated investigative report,

SI has learned that at least four former Panthers employees have received ‘significant’ monetary settlements due to inappropriate workplace comments and conduct by owner Jerry Richardson, including sexually suggestive language and behavior, and on at least one occasion directing a racial slur at an African-American Panthers scout.

Given the wave of sexual harassment suits in all walks of life, from Washington DC to Hollywood, from far left to alt-right, perhaps it shouldn’t be surprising. It will be interesting to see who ponies up to buy the team and how thorough the vetting process will be, given the legal business woes of new Browns owner Jimmy Haslam. Richardson has long been one of the league’s more influential owners, and this could shift the fragile balance of power in meetings and negotiations. 

$.07—Just when 49ers faithful had the towel on the 2017 season firmly in hand ready to throw into the ring, the patience with Jimmy Garoppolo paid off. Jimmy G picked up his third straight victory since taking over as a starter in leading a game-winning drive, getting San Francisco in position for Robbie Gould’s sixth field goal of the game. Gould’s 46-yarder as time expired was enough to beat visiting Tennessee, 25-23.

Garoppolo became the first 49ers QB since Jeff Garcia in 2000 to throw for 300 yards in consecutive games. Not bad for a guy who was picked up for a second-round pick two months ago from New England. Somewhat bafflingly, the Niners kept their shiny new toy in the box for a few weeks before breaking him out to play. And play he has…

On Sunday he completed 31 of 43 for 381 yards. More importantly, Garoppolo consistently made the proper decision with poise and confidence. The offensive line deserves credit for strong protection (just one sack), especially considering the complete lack of any rushing threat. They ran for just 51 yards on 22 carries and the Titans didn’t begin to buy any play-action fakes.

No matter for handsome Jimmy G. He looks fantastic, both under his helmet and between the lines. What went from “what are they doing?” in playing unimpressive (but not hopeless) rookie C.J. Beathard over him now morphs into “why didn’t they lock him up already?”. Garoppolo is a free agent at the end of the season, but the Niners can—and will—use the franchise tag to keep him if need be. Based on how dynamic he’s been in his first month actually playing, paying him the franchise tag value might wind up being a pay cut for Garoppolo. 

$.08—NFL Quickies

--Saints RB Alvin Kamara returned after a one-week absence to become the first rookie since Gayle Sayers to score both 5 rushing and receiving TDs in the same season. That was 1960. I’m not old enough to remember Sayers, who retired quickly due to injuries, but older folks speak of him doing very similar things to what—and how—Kamara is playing for the Saints.

--From the Packers/Panthers game: Thomas Davis deserves a one-game suspension for his helmet-to-helmet blindside block on Green Bay receiver Davante Adams on an interception return. It’s eerily similar to the hit for which Pittsburgh’s Juju Smith-Schuster was suspended. Juju taunted, which didn’t help his case, but Davis has a history of illegal hits that will not help his case. He’s already been fined over $50K this season for illegal hits.

--For those who like speed, my friend Ethan Young compiled this as part of his work with the NFL’s NextGen Stats,

Expect to see top MPH speed replacing the 40-yard dash time sooner than later in scouting evaluations for skill position players.

--Congrats to the Jacksonville Jaguars for clinching the franchise’s first playoff berth in a decade. Their 45-7 rout of what’s left of the Texans was as thorough of a domination as I’ve seen all year. Blake Bortles played well once again, and did so despite losing Marqise Lee early and not having Allen Hurns at receiver or Leonard Fournette at running back.

--In that game, two more Texans left with concussions. It’s an unofficial count but my tally has 35 concussions suffered by Houston players this year. It’s been an insane run of injuries devastating the Texans, who could start their fifth left tackle next week. That’s not even bringing up Deshaun Watson, J.J. Watt, Whitney Mercilus… 

$.09—College/Draft quickies

I’m doing a draft notebook/thoughts this week, so I’ll keep this fairly brief…with an impromptu mock draft based on the standings heading into the Sunday night game between Dallas and Oakland. Only non-playoff teams are included here, and these are most certainly not the choices I would make but rather what I believe the teams might do in the given situation.

1. Cleveland: Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA

2. NY Giants: Sam Darnold, QB, USC, though I still don’t believe he’s declaring early

3. Indianapolis: Bradley Chubb, Edge, NC State

4. Cleveland (from HOU): Minkah Fitzpatrick, DB, Alabama

5. San Francisco: Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State

6. Chicago: Carlton Davis, CB, Auburn

7. Tampa Bay: Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson

8. Cincinnati: Connor Williams, OT, Texas

9. Denver: Maurice Hurst, DT, Michigan

10. NY Jets: Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville

11. Arizona: Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma

12. Washington: Derrius Guice, RB, LSU

13. Miami: Derwin James, S, Florida State

14. Oakland: Arden Key, Edge, LSU

15. LA Chargers: Quenton Nelson, OG, Notre Dame

16. Green Bay: Jaire Alexander, CB, Louisville

17. Dallas: Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama

18. Baltimore: Courtland Sutton, WR, SMU

19. Seattle: Isaiah Oliver, CB, Colorado

20. Detroit: Harold Landry, Edge, Boston College 

I don’t know what order they’ll eventually go in, but I would bet a fair sum of money that come April at least 12 of those picks are within four spots of where the players ultimately get slotted.

$.10—The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced the class of 2018 inductees. In typical fashion, they got some of it right but wildly veered away from far more deserving choices with some of the class.

Let me clear up front: the following enmity here is not directed at the likes of Nina Simone or Dire Straits. And I strongly approve of both The Moody Blues and Bon Jovi gaining entrance. Again, the Rock Hall got some of it quite right.

I owned Dire Straits’ “Brothers in Arms” cassette back in the day. Most people of a certain age did. Money for Nothing is one of the most iconic songs of the 1980s. So is the video. And while they’re far from one-hit wonders (arguably the best exhibit in the Rock Hall in Cleveland), it’s one of just three top 40 hits the band had in the U.S.

Does that make Dire Straits worthier of induction than, say, Iron Maiden? Ozzy Osbourne? Pat Benatar? Rage Against the Machine?

Judas Priest, the Rock Hall has a problem…

Let’s use Scorpions, another egregious snub, as a comparative tool. Aside from the fact (yes, I looked it up) the seminal German metal band has sold 94 million more albums worldwide, their legacy of classic rock hits dwarfs Dire Straits. Rock You Like a Hurricane remains a ubiquitous stadium rock staple. My 9-year-old daughter knows the chorus of No One Like You. Their biggest radio hit, Winds of Change, was the most popular song in the world in the time when the Berlin Wall fell. The ensuing tour of what used to be the Soviet Union was an incredibly important and significant musical milestone. A prior tour behind the Iron Curtain held some sway in bringing that damn wall down. But because they rocked too hard for too many stodgy alt-rock nostalgists, they are denied.

Don’t even get me started on Iron Maiden or Ozzy…can the story of rock music be told without them? It’s like ignoring the Dallas Cowboys when telling the story of the NFL. Nina freaking Simone?!? Not going to lie, I had to look up her music. I was familiar with Nina the R&B artist and civil rights icon, but her music was a complete unknown to me. I grew up in a house where 60s music was omnipresent, and in a fairly wide swath of genres too. I had never heard a single note of 8 of the 9 Nina Simone songs I looked up. I was far more familiar with Rosetta Tharpe, who earned induction as a pioneer.

And so the musical institution which believes Donna Summer, Neil Diamond and Brenda Lee rock more than Motley Crue or Radiohead continues to befuddle with its decidedly unconventional choices. They’re putting punters into the Hall of Fame over perennial All-Pro quarterbacks.