For the entire NFL season, we will be breaking down the rest of the NFL not named Green Bay by looking at it like a liquor cabinet. Why did we choose this method? I like to booze and it makes things really easy to determine what's great, average and poor.
ED Note: I realize there is no need to recap everything coming from the NFL this week because there were some meaningless games along with some meaningless finishes. This is why the Liquor Cabinet is a little shorter than it usually is during the week.TOP SHELF
Jamaal Charles makes an MVP Case - NFL always needs new things to talk about especially when it comes to Most Valuable Player. Peyton Manning will probably get it, but Jamaal Charles could win Offensive Player of the Year. Charles deserves it for the season he is currently having right now. The Texas product rushed for 1,181 yards with eleven touchdowns and has 655 receiving yards with seven touchdowns. Although many of the receiving numbers come from Oakland with Charles having 195 yards of receiving with four touchdowns. All on screens. CLASSIC Oakland. Charles definitely has the numbers to at least give Manning a run for his money. If he has two massive games to finish out the year, it will only help his case.Justin Tucker earns new fans in Chicago and Detroit - Monday Night Football got their big game, but this game was pretty damn ugly. Baltimore's kicker Justin Tucker has been the best Special Teams player in the AFC this season, and probably guaranteed himself a trip to Hawaii. He became the first NFL kicker to make a field goal in the 20's, 30's, 40's, 50's and 60's with the 61 yard field goal being the game-winner. Tucker single-handily beat Detroit by himself with six field goals. Baltimore did not have a touchdown. Ravens are winning in the weirdest ways possible.
How legit is Miami? - Given all the bullshit they have been through this season, Miami is still very alive in the playoffs. They need a Baltimore loss and they need to keep winning. Miami needs to beat Buffalo on the road and New York Jets at home. They could easily make it to 10-6. They might not be a playoff team this year if Baltimore wins out, but they can be a true contender to the AFC East crown for the coming years. Miami feels like they are one or two more pieces from being a real good team in the AFC that can win playoff games. On Sunday, that was the first good Miami crowd in the last five years, maybe overreacting, but it feels like they have been struggling forever yet the fanbase finally saw hope last week.
MIDDLE SHELF
The forgotten great game - Due to Green Bay Packers comeback, everyone forgot about Arizona-Tennessee during the same time slot. Arizona took a 34-17 lead in the fourth quarter only to see it dissolve in the final three minutes of the game leading Tennessee to tie up the game and force overtime. Once again, Ryan Fitzpatrick's Turnover Spectactular struck again in overtime leading to a Jay Feely field goal. Arizona is still very alive in the playoff hunt and even more so with New Orleans losing meaning they could be in the Wild Card position if Arizona does the unthinkable and beats Seattle in the Pacific Northwest.
Jay Cutler's big second half leads Bears - Cutty returned to the field against Cleveland. Some people worried about the Browns defense against Cutler, and they were right at the beginning with two interceptions, one being in the end zone and the other a pick-six. Chicago quarterback played a hell of a second half leading the charge for this Chicago team in a must-needed victory. This also saved head coach Marc Trestman questions as to why Josh McCown was not out there which is ideal for him and this team moving forward in the next couple of weeks.
AFC is hot garbage - I said it last week and I will say it again, AFC is not a good conference. All of the top three teams lost in the playoff seeding and why two of the top three in the NFC lost as well, I promise you it is different. The reason being is Denver fell to San Diego on Thursday meaning both teams knew the door was open and they decided to shut it because why not, right? I guess what upsets in whatever sport it may be football, basketball, golf, baseball, etc. I want to see a team or an individual win whatever they are doing instead of backing their way into a championship or first round bye. Hopefully, one or two teams seize the AFC by the balls.
BOTTOM SHELF
Who should be concerned more: Philly's defense or road Saints? - I am going to hedge this answer right here. If New Orleans loses to Carolina next week, my answer is the Saints especially if they have to go to Green Bay or Chicago in round one. New Orleans' road struggles is pretty well-documented, but it could get real nasty if they fall to Carolina on Sunday meaning they will play a game in likely sub-zero temperatures. Philadelphia's defense reared its ugly head on Sunday. They have been good for the last six weeks, and looked like the old version of themselves. I feel like I will have a better answer to this question after next week.
Mike Shanahan is trying to get fired on-site - I would love to try to explain Shanny going for two at the end of the game attempting to win the football game. It is not like this is some David versus Goliath matchup here rather two really poor football teams. Shanahan wants to be fired. He is not going to step down, I can guarantee that. Further, he will continue to do dumb shit in the coming weeks to see what puts Dan Snyder going off the ledge. I, for one, will be entertained to see what he continues to do try and pull off.
New York Giants are back baby! - Remember when people were talking about New York making a comeback for the playoffs? They were 4-6 at the time and now they are 5-9 meaning they have lost three of their last four. They put up a pathetic effort against Seattle including Eli Manning had five interceptions meaning he is only five away from 30. Let's dream the dream.
Charlie.
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