NFC #LETME Week 13

Least Exciting To Most Exciting.

8. Oakland Raiders at St. Louis Rams (noon CT, 1 ET, CBS: Andrew Catalon, Steve Beuerlein, and Steve Tasker)
Will Oakland beat its second straight Missouri opponent? Rams 28, Raiders 17

7. Carolina Panthers at Minnesota Vikings (noon CT, 1 ET, Fox: Chris Myers, Ronde Barber, and Jennifer Hale)
The Panthers are only a game behind! Panthers 28, Vikings 27

6. Cincinnati Bengals at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1 ET, CBS: Spero Dedes and Solomon Wilcots)
The Bucs are only two games behind! Bengals 38, Buccaneers 31

5. Arizona Cardinals at Atlanta Falcons (4:05 ET, Fox: Kevin Burkhardt, John Lynch, and Pam Oliver) Sunset at 5:29.
Because of this game, folks in Atlanta will be the only ones in the country unable to see America's Game of the Week. Arizona 21, Atlanta 7

4. Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions (12:30 ET Thursday, CBS: Jim Nantz, Phil Simms, and Tracy Wolfson)
CBS's ability to cross-flex means that for the first time EVER, there will three divisional rivalry games on Thanksgiving. Lions 31, Bears 21

3. Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers (Thursday: 5:30 PT, 8:30 ET, NBC: Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, and Michele Tafoya) Sunset at 4:51.
Seattle: 0-5 in last 5 games at SF 49ers 24, Seahawks 22

2. Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys (Thursday: 3:25 CT, 4:25 ET, Fox: Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, and Erin Andrews) Sunset at 5:20.
A meaningful game between the Eagles and Cowboys on Thanksgiving is much welcomed. Eagles 37, Cowboys 33

1. New England Patriots at Green Bay Packers (3:25 CT, 4:25 ET, CBS: Jim Nantz, Phil Simms, and Tracy Wolfson) Sunset at 4:15.
Jim Nantz and Phil Simms are doing their Thanksgiving weekend unusual and calling a game on Sunday too! To be fair, this season they have called two games a week on doubleheader weeks. And Joe Buck and Troy Aikman are actually not calling a Sunday game on Thanksgiving weekend, their Thanksgiving weekend unusual as well.

First Take A Block Live Blog: November 25, 2014

wow a short A Block. peace

10:14 "If you think you get to touch me, that's a problem." -Stephen A.

10:12 "I haven't heard of an incident in which Stephen A. struck a man who rolled up on him. Why couldn't Johnny avoid fisticuffs here? I need the Browns to get rid of Johnny so that he can have a fresh start with another team who truly wants him to be their quarterback."

10:11 Skip is assuming things whereas Stephen A. just wants to wait for all the facts.

10:10 "If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it ain't a damn mongoose."

10:08 "I'm the biggest Browns fan ever. I want to give you a hug."
"One of the brothers?! You think you can roll up on somebody and give them a hug?!"

10:08 "This wasn't a nightclub; he wasn't inebriated."

10:07 "I don't believe the alleged victim in this at all." -Stephen A.

10:06 I agree with Stephen A. that things from his true freshman year at Texas A&M are being brought up. They are completely irrelevant to this situation.

10:06 I don't think Johnny's mom and roommate constitute an entourage.

10:06 "There was no entourage!" -Johnny's agent

10:03 I think this is being blown out of proportion, especially because Johnny is not listed as a suspect on the police report. Also, Johnny didn't break any team curfew rules. This is a story because it is Johnny Manziel, and ESPN is making it a story.

10:03 "And here we go again. *sigh*" -Skip Bayless

10:02 Well, I guess I was wrong. Manziel is the A Block topic. Should have realized that, but with that news coming out yesterday afternoon and two Monday night games following that, I actually forget about this story.

10:01 Benched by Rex Ryan? I thought Vick got injured on the tackle after his INT.

Prediction of A Block Topic: Baltimore at New Orleans

NFL games of the week, Week 12

2. Arizona Cardinals at Seattle Seahawks (1:05 PT, 4:05 ET, Fox: Kevin Burkhardt, John Lynch, and Pam Oliver) Sunset at 4:24.
I agree with the decision not to make this Fox's #1 game because this is a four-loss team against a one-loss team, as opposed to the actual game of the week, which is a two-loss team against a three-loss team. Cardinals 17, Seahawks 10

1. Detroit Lions at New England Patriots (1 ET, Fox: Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, and Erin Andrews) Sunset at 4:18.
If the Patriots don't lose this week, they will next week. Patriots 35, Lions 3

SEC games of the week, Week 13

3. #8 Ole Miss at Arkansas (2:30 CT, CBS: Verne Lundquist and Gary Danielson) Sunset at 5:05.
CBS made a mistake in choosing this game as it is the only one with no playoff implications.

2. Vanderbilt at #4 Mississippi State (6:30 CT, SEC Network, ESPN3: Tom Hart and Matt Stinchcomb)
If Mississippi State loses to the cupcake of the SEC, they will be eliminated! Let's see whether they can rebound from last week's loss.

1. #20 Missouri at Tennessee (7:30 ET, ESPN, ESPN3: Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit)
If Tennessee pulls the upset, which is not unlikely, Georgia clinches the SEC East!

My Top 25

1. Florida State
2. Alabama
3. Oregon
4. Ohio State
5. Baylor
6. TCU

7. Mississippi State
8. Georgia
9. Michigan State
10. Kansas State
11. UCLA
12. Arizona State
13. Wisconsin
14. Arizona
15. Georgia Tech
16. Missouri
17. Duke
18. Nebraska
19. Ole Miss
20. Utah
21. Notre Dame
22. Oklahoma
23. Clemson
24. USC
25. Auburn

College Football Playoff Top 25 Rankings Reveals Show (7 ET, ESPN2)

STAT OF THE NIGHT

The Patriots have never won at Lucas Oil Stadium.

NFC #LETME Week 12

8. Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Washington Redskins (1 ET, Fox: Dick Stockton, Kirk Morrison, and Kristina Pink) Sunset at 4:53.
The Redskins really should start McCoy. Buccaneers 20, Redskins 7

7. Minnesota Vikings at Chicago Bears (noon CT, 1 ET, CBS: Kevin Harlan and Rich Gannon) Sunset at 4:29.
I don't fully understand how cross-flexing works. I know that by bringing Philadelphia at Green Bay to 3:25, Fox was forced to give Minnesota at Chicago to CBS, but is this just because it was scheduled for 3:25, or because it is a "good" game? Because it's not. Bears 7, Vikings 6

6. Atlanta Falcons at Carolina Panthers (1 ET, Fox: Thom Brennaman, David Diehl, and Laura Okmin) Sunset at 5:16.
Both teams could still easily win the division! Panthers 27, Falcons 23

5. San Francisco 49ers at New York Giants (1 ET, Fox: Kevin Burkhardt, John Lynch, and Pam Oliver) Sunset at 4:37.
The Giants have no right to host Sunday Night Football next week. 49ers 49, Giants 23

4. Denver Broncos at St. Louis Rams (noon CT, 1 ET, CBS: Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts, and Jenny Dell)
The Rams may have beaten the 49ers and Seahawks, but the transitive property doesn't hold in the NFL. Broncos 38, Rams 31

3. Cincinnati Bengals at New Orleans Saints (noon CT, 1 ET, CBS: Greg Gumbel, Trent Green, and Evan Washburn)
Every team in the AFC North has a winning record, every team in the NFC South has a losing record, and the divisions are facing each other this year. Bengals 28, Saints 23

2. Philadelphia Eagles at Green Bay Packers (3:25 CT, 4:25 ET, Fox: Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, and Erin Andrews) Sunset at 4:23.
I ranted about this earlier in the week. Wrong commentator team and distribution percentages by Fox. Packers 45, Eagles 38

1. Detroit Lions at Arizona Cardinals (2:25 MT, 4:25 ET, Fox: Chris Myers, Ronde Barber, and Jennifer Hale) Sunset at 5:25.
game of the year Lions 41, Cardinals 35

AFC #LETME Week 11

After an unfortunate break for three weeks, I have time again this week. I should take the time sometime to compile all my picks for the season, and see how I'm doing.

Least Exciting To Most Exciting.

6. Oakland Raiders at San Diego Chargers (1:05 PT, 4:05 ET, CBS: Spero Dedes and Solomon Wilcots) Sunset at 4:47.
I'm going to go out on a limb and say the Raiders finally win a game. Raiders 30, Chargers 20

5. Pittsburgh Steelers at Tennessee Titans (Monday: 7:30 CT, 8:30 ET, ESPN: Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden, and Lisa Salters)
The Steelers get back up to form. Zach Mettenberger isn't Michael Vick. Steelers 40, Titans 20

4. Houston Texans at Cleveland Browns (1 ET, CBS: Andrew Catalon, Steve Tasker, and Steve Beuerlein) Sunset at 5:06.
Joe Haden will intercept Ryan Mallett three times, as DeAngelo Hall once did to Jay Cutler. Browns 31, Texans 10

3. Buffalo Bills at Miami Dolphins (8:25 ET Thursday, NFL Network: Jim Nantz, Phil Simms, and Tracy Wolfson)
Because the Patriots have seven losable games remaining, the winner of tonight's game will be in prime position to steal away the division. Dolphins 24, Bills 19

2. Seattle Seahawks at Kansas City Chiefs (noon CT, 1 ET, Fox: Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston, and Tony Siragusa)
These two stadiums keep taking each other's titles as the loudest in the NFL. Chiefs 23, Seahawks 20

1. New England Patriots at Indianapolis Colts (8:30 ET, NBC: Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, and Michele Tafoya)
Brady will be 3-0 against Luck after Sunday night. Patriots 38, Colts 24

Fox's obsession with the NFC East

the506.com does an amazing job each week of meticulously looking at TV guides across the country to figure out which NFL games will be aired in which locations across the nation on Sunday mornings, afternoons, and evenings.

When I saw this most recent map for Week 11, I was appalled.

Detroit at Arizona is not only the game of the week, it is the game of the year, featuring the top two teams in the NFL. It is a shame and an embarrassment that it gets covered up by Philadelphia at Green Bay, which is not a shabby game, mind you, as New York at Seattle was, but has no right to cover up Detroit at Arizona. Fox appears to be obsessed with in general placing NFC East games in higher priority positions, and especially with giving Troy Aikman NFC East games. I say "Troy Aikman" rather than including Joe Buck and Erin Andrews as well since they are replaced with Thom Brennaman and Charissa Thompson during the MLB postseason. Troy Aikman has commentated an NFC East game every week this season with the two exceptions of Arizona at Denver and Detroit/Arizona. Detroit/Arizona being in London, Fox had no choice. So in only one out of 10 weeks so far with a choice has Fox placed Troy Aikman on a non-NFC East game.

Let's take a look at these games and whether they were the "game of the week" or whether Fox simply placed Troy Aikman on these games due to NFC Eastness.

Week 1: San Francisco at Dallas. Correct decision. No better game on Fox.

Week 2: Dallas at Tennessee. ONLY because of the NFC East. Seattle at San Diego was on Fox in Week 2. Read here

Week 3: Washington at Philadelphia. ONLY because of the NFC East. Green Bay at Detroit and San Francisco at Arizona were on Fox in Week 3. Read here

Week 4: Philadelphia at San Francisco. Correct decision. No better game on Fox.

Week 5: Arizona at Denver. Correct decision, but this wasn't NFC East anyway.

Week 6: Dallas at Seattle. Correct decision. No better game on Fox.

Week 7: New York at Dallas. Correct decision. No better game on Fox.

Week 8: Detroit/Atlanta. London game. Troy Aikman was going there regardless of how good the teams were at this point in the season.

Week 9: Arizona at Dallas. Correct decision. No better game on Fox.

Week 10: New York at Seattle. ONLY because of the NFC East. St. Louis at Arizona was another 4:25 game, and San Francisco at New Orleans was also an option if Fox would consider placing Troy Aikman on a 1:00 game even on doubleheader week.

Week 11: Philadelphia at Green Bay. ONLY because of the NFC East. While Philadelphia at Green Bay is game of the week caliber in any other week, Detroit at Arizona is between the top two teams in the country. This is the NFL equivalent of LSU at Alabama 2011 not being nationally broadcast.

Week 12: Fortunately, Fox isn't airing any NFC East games. The Cowboys and Giants are playing on NBC, and the Redskins and Eagles are playing on CBS. Joe Buck and Troy Aikman will call either Detroit at New England or Arizona at Seattle, and I'm sure it'll be based on how those four teams (who all have tough Week 11 games) do this week. Either way, I'm sure it'll be the correct decision.

So as we can see, it's only in 4 of the 10 weeks that Fox has actually made the decision based on prioritizing the NFC East over the game of the week, HOWEVER this is almost half the weeks and is unacceptable.

Let's now look at when Fox has the doubleheader, and which 1:00 game is prioritized.
Week 1: New Orleans at Atlanta. Correct decision.
Week 4: Green Bay at Chicago. Correct decision.
Week 6: Green Bay at Miami. Correct decision.
Week 7: Carolina at Green Bay. Correct decision.
Week 10: San Francisco at New Orleans. Correct decision, and I am so happy Fox didn't show Dallas/Jacksonville with the London excuse.
Week 11: This is the first time we see Fox prioritizing an NFC East game not called by Troy Aikman. Seattle at Kansas City should be the #1 1:00 game not San Francisco at New York! Classic NFC East bias.

Overall, by analyzing the season as a whole instead of just thinking about recent happenings, the problem is not as prevalent as I thought, but it is still clearly present in Fox's selections of announcers and how much of the country is going to get certain games.

First Take A&B Blocks Live Blog: November 10, 2014

10:37 Jay Cutler has only beaten the Packers once now. What kind of rivalry is that?

10:33 Skip Bayless admits that he no longer loves Jay Cutler, even though he went to Vanderbilt.

10:30 According to Trent Dilfer, the Bears were playing three different defenses on the same play, throughout the game.

10:27 "I would not have allowed Marc Trestman to leave the building last night as an employee. I would not have allowed him on the team plane."

10:27 "I would fire everybody."

10:26 "He's a bad man."

10:21 Okay, Cari just said they will talk about Chicago at Green Bay in the B Block. I guess I was wrong about that topic being tackled in the A Block. Because I want to hear this discussion, I will live-blog the B Block as well.

10:20 Now Skip is trying to argue that the Browns' loss to the Jaguars indicates that the Cowboys would have lost with Brandon Weeden....

10:19 "To the Giants! To the Redskins! And last year to the Philadelphia Eagles! Not only have they lost the division! They've lost it to everybody in the division!"

10:16 Stephen A. is throwing out negative stats about the Jags to show how pathetic it is to praise the Cowboys for yesterday's victory.

10:15 "MegaDez," "angry," and "possessed" are words being tossed out by Skip.

10:15 100% I would not be surprised if the Cowboys lose to the Giants and Eagles in their next two games, in a five-day span.

10:14 I suppose it is due to Skip's obsession with Tony Romo.

10:13 The second game they are talking about is Dallas vs. Jacksonville. I am surprised given Stephen A. Smith's obsession with Aaron Rodgers that they have not yet mentioned Chicago at Green Bay.

10:12 Skip is arguing that Jimmy Graham is a soft tight end, and that's why he couldn't have committed this penalty.

10:11 "If I can't hit you, let me act like you hit me!" -Stephen A. Smith

10:09 I agree with Stephen A. Smith that in an era in which defensive players are penalized so much, it was nice to see an offensive player get called on the carpet.

10:08 I agree with Stephen A. Smith that Skip is being hypocritical as he normally calls for refs to ref things by the letter of the law.

10:07 Skip is saying that Jimmy Graham did not push off.

10:06 Wow was I wrong, they are talking about SF@NO.

10:05 Skip talks about the Cowboys before thanking them.

10:04 Stephen A. Smith thanks the servicemen and servicewomen for being there and for having them there.

Prediction of A Block topic: Chicago at Green Bay

Cleveland at Cincinnati, game of the week

If the Browns win this game, they will not be in first place in the division even though they recently beat the Steelers, because many forget they also lost to the Steelers in Week 1. The second tiebreaker is division record, which would also be tied at 2-2 for both teams, and the third tiebreaker is common opponents. The three common opponents the Browns and Steelers have had so far are the Ravens, Buccaneers, and Jaguars, against whom the Browns are 1-2 and the Steelers are 2-2, so the Steelers would take the divisional lead if the Browns won tonight, but the Browns would be a close second, leapfrogging the Bengals and sending them all the way to third.

NFL games of the week

Unfortunately, I did not have time this week (or last) to do my full NFL "#LETME give you my predictions," but I thought I'd discuss the three big games of the day.

Arizona Cardinals at Dallas Cowboys (noon CT, 1 ET, Fox: Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, and Erin Andrews)
Joe Buck returns to action after calling the World Series, and he's back for a good one. After years of Fox putting its #1 team on Cowboys games frequently even when it doesn't make sense to, this year it certainly does make sense as this is the NFC game of the week. Cardinals 38, Cowboys 34

Denver Broncos at New England Patriots (4:25 ET, CBS: Jim Nantz, Phil Simms, and Tracy Wolfson) Sunset at 4:37.
For folks who wonder why Denver would play at New England two straight years, it's because it's a three-year rotation. Last year the Broncos and Patriots played as a virtue of both winning their divisions the previous season. This year their playing because the AFC East is playing the AFC West, so going back three years to 2011 the last time the AFC East played the AFC West, we can see that that year the Patriots played at the Broncos. Broncos 38, Patriots 24

Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers (8:30 ET, NBC: Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, and Michele Tafoya)
One of the last decade's great rivalries resumes, with Baltimore already having walloped Pittsburgh at Baltimore earlier this season. I don't know why these teams never play in Week 17. How epic would that be? Steelers 21, Ravens 19