STAMFORD, CT – It was a great weekend of football, highlighted by the Chargers and Jags successfully going for two instead of kicking the tying extra point (though I’m still not convinced the shin of Marvin Jones came down in bounds), and a second straight OT walk-off for the Raiders. At this point it’s hard to see anyone winning the Super Bowl outside of the power four of the Eagles, Niners, Bills, and Chiefs. There is a new hope in Jetsville, as the second Mike White Era has begun, but I would like to present a few reasons for caution. On the other end of a career, it looks like the end of the line for one Thomas Edward Patrick Brady, Jr.
Mike White Redux, Reasons for Caution
Mike White stepped in and had a game that was better than any game Zach Wilson has ever played. I think it’s safe to say that White is the guy for the foreseeable future. But, I think some caution is warranted.
First of all, they were playing the Bears. The Bears recently traded two of their best defensive players for draft picks. Without their starting QB (their only reason for optimism), with their backup QB hurt in warmups, and on the road in the rain – this was a dead team walking.
It’s easy to forget that early in the game White threw a pass that hit one of the Bears right in the chest but he dropped it. And on the long TD to Garrett Wilson, the pass should have at least been deflected away by a defender who tried to catch it and had it go right through his hands. Then Bears safety Eddie Jackson, who would have been in position to either break up the play or at least make the tackle went down with a non-contact injury that usually is a torn ligament. Wilson ran past the crumpled body on his way to a long TD. Any life went out of the Bears after that play.
And remember, the first Mike White Hype Train started with a monster 400 yard game in a win vs the Bengals. But even in that game he had two interceptions. And he finished that four game stint with 5 TDs and 8 interceptions which included a four pick drubbing by the Bills which sent him back to the bench. The Bills DBs were mockingly thanking him for the gifts after the game.
I’m not saying this time around won’t be better for White, but let’s see him do it against a tough D, like the Bills in two weeks, before we anoint him the savior. He lets it fly, unlike Zach who had been really playing some tight butthole QB of late, so it should be exciting. I think it’s safe to say that Garrett Wilson and Elijah Moore are in support of the change at this point.
If White does end up reverting to the more turnover prone version, I wonder Aaron Rodgers could end up in New York? Jordan Love came in last night for the Packers and looked solid, and I reckon they’re about ready to move on from the Aaron Show in Green Bay. The Jets have a talented roster and it might be a good fit, if they could figure out the cap hit.
Brady Regrets
Speaking of aging QBs, there was an c play at the end of the Bucs Browns game. The Browns had just tied it and Tom Brady had 32 seconds to get in range for a game winning FG. The Browns are not exactly a defensive powerhouse and Brady has done this a time or two.
On the first play they completed a one yard pass but did not take one of their three time outs. Hark, methinks mesee a lack of confidence in The GOAT. He completed a long pass to Julio Jones on the next play and then they called a time out with 8 seconds left. That left them only one more play to get in FG range instead of two or three. I know they lost their LT and Miles Garrett was running roughshod over the backup. But still, this is Tom Effing Brady.
The guy suddenly looks skinny and frail, a shell of his former self. When he’s on his death bed many years from now, will he look back on this year as a huge mistake? He chose this over Giselle, the biggest super model of all time, only to end on a really sour note? Giselle, I know you’re dating that ju-jitsu instructor now. Could you see it in your heart to forgive me?
Can’t he get Gronk to come back or something? It shouldn’t be too hard to trick or bribe that guy into giving it one more run. Heck, they’re still in first place in the NFC South.
When you’re done here, check out Angry Ward, who is bound to be extra angry because I did not include the 9-2 Vikings in my Big Four SB Contenders. Follow us on Twitter at @BenWhit8, @MeetTheMatts, @Matt_McCarthy00, Instagram @MeetTheMatts and like our Facebook page, Meet The Matts.
