In reference to the above headline, everybody has days where you just feel like throwing in the towel and escaping from the outside world. Feeling that way this morning as I make a feeble attempt at putting together this missive.
It’s all part of life; there are always going to be certain days where you feel just plain lousy. It’s beginning to turn into more than merely a single day however. Let’s just say that recently this guy is dealing with an issue or two that are inevitable when you reach a certain age. It is an overused and tired cliché, but your health really is everything, and when things start breaking down, it can literally be a real pain to get them repaired.
Enough about this ol’ guy, let’s touch on a few football items swirling around in my tired old brain.
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DO OR DIE (AGAIN) – This afternoon at Paycor Stadium, the Cincinnati Bengals will try to keep their slim postseason hopes alive for another week. For that to occur, they need to defeat the Denver Broncos in their final home game of 2024.
Unfortunately, the Men in Stripes also need help from unlikely sources to earn a playoff bid, even if they can get wins over Denver and at Pittsburgh in their final two regular season battles. If the favored Bengals knock off the Broncos, they will survive another week, setting up a playoff-clinching scenario in Week 18. The only way Cincy gets into the playoffs is by beating Denver and the Steelers, the Broncos lose to Kansas City in Week 18, Indianapolis loses one of its final two games (at
Giants, vs. Jaguars), and Miami loses one of its final two (at Browns, at Jets).
To have all of that fall into place is a longshot, but it remains a remote possibility. However, counting on teams like the Giants, Jags, Browns, and Jets to win to make the playoffs is nowhere near where this team expected to be before the season began. But if the unexpected occurs in the final two weeks, Cincinnati would sneak in as the No. 7 seed and likely head to Buffalo to meet the Bills on Wild Card Weekend.
The first step in the postseason quest will be finding a way to beat the 9-6 Broncos, a team that has surprised most NFL observers to this point. Vegas predicted they would win 5.5 games this season, but I still wonder how you win a half game?
Denver’s most recent game was last Thursday, a 34-27 loss to the Chargers in Los Angeles, but they would still clinch a playoff spot with a win over the Bengals. The game could come down to a single miscue or special teams play, but one thing is certain. The Cincinnati defense needs to perform well and keep the Broncos from controlling the clock, which is their best chance for a win.
The explosive Bengals offense may be without a key weapon, with Tee Higgins listed as doubtful, but Joe Burrow still has a pair key weapons – Ja’Marr Chase and Chase Brown — which could give the Denver defense fits.
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CFB QUARTERFINALS LOOK INTRIGUING – Following a disappointing opening round of blowouts in the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff, the four games on tap next week
should be much more competitive, with some interesting matchups to look forward to.
Before previewing those games, just an opinion or two about the 12-team setup: The committee needs to make some changes in the future to the format, and most likely they will do just that. The best 12 teams need to be seeded, with the conference champions getting a bye just for winning their league rule needing to be eliminated. I just don’t understand Arizona State and Boise State getting a first-round bye, but maybe that’s just me. Tweaks are necessary, and all we can do is hope the powers-that-be see fit to make a few adjustments.
The first matchup features Penn State (12-2) meeting 12-1 Boise State in the VRBO Fiesta Bowl on Tuesday at 7:45 p.m.
Most observers believe the Nittany Lions will be victorious, but I wouldn’t count out the Broncos, despite being made a 10.5-point underdog. It may come down to how well Boise State quarterback Maddux Madsen performs, along with the usual outstanding play from running back Ashton Jeanty, who will draw plenty of attention from the Penn State defense. Jeanty, the runner-up for the Heisman, will be facing one of the best run defenses in the country.
At 1 p.m. on Wednesday, the first New Year’s Day bowl, the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, will get underway in Atlanta. That’s where the 12-2 Texas Longhorns are favored by 13.5 points over 12-1 Arizona State. Oddsmakers have also tabbed Texas as the overall favorite, but that could change. This game has the best possibility of being lopsided in the quarterfinal round, and a Sun Devils victory would send shockwaves through the college football world.
The Rose Bowl in Pasadena at 5 p.m. features a rematch of Big 10 heavyweights, when Ohio State (11-2) looks to avenge an early-season 32-31 loss to the 13-0 Oregon Ducks, who come into the clash as the top seed. As this is being banged out on the keyboard, the Buckeyes are expected by Vegas to get revenge, favoring OSU by 2.5 points.
This may just be the most exciting quarterfinal matchup of them all, and it will be interesting to see if the Ducks can withstand what promises to be an angry Buckeye defensive unit. Both teams’ offenses are capable of putting big numbers of the board, meaning whoever plays the best on defense will move on to the semifinals.
The final quarterfinal, the Allstate Sugar Bowl in New Orleans kicks off at 8:45 p.m., and it promises to be a rock ‘em, sock ‘em type of affair. The combatants, 12-1 Notre Dame and 11-2 Georgia, both feature physical, stout defenses, and this could be a game that has some drama right down to the final seconds.
The Bulldogs are counting on a backup quarterback, sophomore Gunner Stockton, to play with poise against the Fighting Irish “D”, which may turn out to be too much of a challenge. Starting QB Carson Beck had an up and down season, but his experience will be greatly missed Wednesday night.
On the other side, Notre Dame’s Riley Leonard has tons of experience and has been playing better as the season has progressed. He isn’t flashy, but he is a dual threat, and if he can avoid turning the ball over, he and running back Jeremiyah Love could be the difference in a hard-fought contest.
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“Nobody really wants to hear about anybody else’s injuries. Or how your back feels. Whose back doesn’t hurt?” – Peyton Manning
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“Sometimes my feelings are so hot that I have to take the pen and put them on paper to keep them from setting me afire inside; then all that ink and labor are wasted because I can’t print the results.” — Mark Twain
