Benster and D Pick Your Games-------Don't Count Out The Badgers Edition

 If you are surprised by the title after me ripping the Badgers pretty good, then you must forget that I am a delusional homer. 

Oh, we know. There's over a decade of documentation on that point.

Meanwhile, it's another rivalry game for my other college football teams. There is a Turkey that needs to come home, if you know what I mean. 

Or, as usual, home to roost.

I am feeling the HYYYYYYYYYPPPEEEEEEE! and ready to pick some games. Watch me work.

Oregon Ducks (-13.5) vs. Beloved Wisconsin Badgers So the Badgers are going to be up against it, no questions asked. The Ducks might be the most complete team in the country, and I personally like Dan Lanning. But it is fair to say that they aren't invincible. They struggled at home against the Buckeyes and Boise State, and are going to come into this game with some injury concerns. The strange thing is that I am getting the sense from Ducks fans that they are nervous. Now, this game could get ugly. But I am a delusional homer who backs the Badgers. Luke Fickell is going to quiet the doubters. Badgers 26, Ducks 21.

The Badgers have had a week to stew about what happened in Iowa City, but the larger problems remain. They don't have a competent quarterback and the offensive line doesn't play in the road grader style that worked so well for so long. The Ducks did struggle against Boise, but that was a long time ago, and Ohio State is a much better program than Wisconsin at this time. I could see a scenario in which the Badgers hang around for a while, but talent will out, as it mostly does in the college game. Oregon 35, Wisconsin 20.

The Bronze Turkey Bowl: Monmouth College Scots vs. Knox College Prairie Fire Baby! For those wondering why I would pick a random D3 football game, I am a proud graduate of Knox College. It is really the greatest institution in the state of Illinois, and I spent 4 fantastic years at the school. Monmouth is the rival school, and has sadly dominated the Turkey Bowl for the better part of 2 decades. But streaks are made to be broken. I look for Knox to send our seniors off right, and get the Turkey back. The good news is that I got a degree in English from Monmouth for writing this blog post. Hey, I'm allowed to be biased.  Knox 44, Monmouth -345.

There are four "haves" in the Midwest Conference - Lake Forest, the University of Chicago, Illinois College, and Monmouth. Knox is a have not. They will be getting their annual whipping from their neighbors down U.S. 34. At least your Knox squad consistently beats my Beloit squad, so you got that going for you. Monmouth 45, Knox 17.

Minnesota Vikings (-6) vs. Tennessee Titans The Vikings had a very narrow escape from Jacksonville thanks to their defense. Sam Darnold last week looked really bad, no question about it. The good news for the Vikings is that the Titans can't block anyone, and their offense has set the NFL back a long time. I expect Brian Flores to be really aggressive, and for the Vikings offense to better show all of their high end passing talent. How do you even just kick field goals with all of that talent for Darnold to throw to? Vikings 45, Fall Of The Titans 0.

Titans are terrible. This game feels like a trap, though. But the Titans are terrible. Vikings are getting healthier and should prevail. Vikings 34, Titans 17.

Glorious Green Bay Packers (-5.5) vs. Bear Down Chicago Da Bearz Still Suck Two weeks ago didn't go well for the Packers, and they have only themselves to blame. Way too many errors against a good team in the Lions. I didn't rip them because at the end of the day it was just a sloppy performance by everyone, and as much as that sucks I can typically live with it. The Bears have a lot of issues, and those go beyond Shane Waldron. While it was all well and good to get Caleb Williams some weapons, the Bears should have invested some of their money into giving him a good offensive line. I think Caleb is going to be good, but his coaches and front office really have let him down. Heck, the Bears getting a new stadium doesn't matter until the McCaskey clan sells. This game is going to be really tough. The Bears are always a tough out, and I think that they are going to come into Soldier Field with a point to prove. The Packers should win if they blitz and Jordan cleans up the turnover issues, but don't expect a blowout. Packers 28, Bears Still Suck 21.

I don't expect a blowout, either, but you can see what is happening. My feeling has always been that the Bears never seem to understand why an offensive line has to come first; during the Walter Payton era they did and they won consistently. That was (ahem) 40 years ago. They have struggled with the Packers for 30 years now. The Packers are better from top to bottom. And they will win. Packers 31, da Bears 20.

I am so glad that there are no more political ads. Enjoy your football this weekend. Ben out. 

Benster and D Pick Your Games------The Badger Coaching Staff Has Some Explaining To Do Edition

 As much as a lot of people are blaming certain people for the results of a certain event on Tuesday, the Badger football coaching staff served up a huge disaster on Saturday night. Even though they are on bye, I gotta do what I gotta do. It was that bad.

Are we getting very special? It is a specialty, after all.

You'll have to read on to find out, Geritol Fan. The Packers avoid that fate because on Sunday they made too many mistakes compared to the Lions. That happens, as much as I hate it.

Yeah, a frustrating weekend. But we have other games to worry about.

Yes we do. I am ready to pick some games and am feeling the HYYYYYYYPPPEEEEEE! Watch me work.

Minnesota Golden Elite Rowers of the Boat (-6.5) vs. Rutgers Scarlet Knights The Gophers have been playing pretty well, and I will give PJ credit for making sure that the boat is in pretty calm waters. But what makes this game very interesting is that Athan Kaliakmanis is going to start against the Gophers. I think that both teams seem to be happy with their quarterbacks, and both Kaliakmanis and Fleck know each other very well. The Gophers should continue to lean on their ground game, and should pick up another win to cement themselves as a sneaky good Big Ten team. Row Row Row Your Boat Elitely 24, Buttgers 13.

Are the Gophers likely to stub their toe? They have done it before in situations of this sort. Having said that, I've seen Rutgers and they aren't there yet. Gophers 28, Rutgers 20.

Minnesota Vikings (-7) vs. Jacksonville Jaguars The Vikings ended up getting a win, but having a backup kicker kick for them is going to be something to monitor. Jacksonville isn't a great team, but they are going to play hard and they have some talent. With the LOLions having control of the division, I do expect that the Vikings are going to need to win a bunch of games if they want to stick in the playoff hunt, and Jacksonville is going to be a good start. So despite this game likely being close, the Vikings should rely on their talent advantage to get it done. Or do they? Jagwads No More 42, Vikings 21.

Hmm. The Jags aren't terrible, although their record would suggest otherwise. But they have substantial injury issues, especially on offense, so I suspect the Vikings will win based on talent gap and more engaged coaching. But it will be close. Vikings 31, Jags 27.

New England Patriots (+6) vs. Bear Down Chicago Da Bearz Still Suck As I was writing this, I saw a Bears defensive back taunting me beforehand. Well, I got done with this post after he tipped it up and into my hands for a game winner. The Bears have learned nothing from their past. For all of the hype and talk about how this was a different team, the problem is that while Caleb Williams has a lot of tools, the Bears need to get him good coaching and a better line. But because they are the Bears, nothing will change. The Patriots don't really have a quarterback, and it turns out that the Hoodie wasn't the least of their problems. But I do expect the Patriots to pull out a tough win against a reeling Bears team. Patriots 17, Bears Still Suck 0.

Da Bearz. They're going to wreck another quarterback, aren't they? You can see it happening already. Maybe they should draft an offensive line first and then get the quarterback. But do they listen? No. Bears 20, Patriots 19.

And now, it's time for a Very Special Comment. What happened on Saturday night was one of the most frustrating losses I have ever seen from the Badgers. It was on the same level as the 2008 collapse at the Big House, the 2019 Illinois game, the 2018 BYU disaster, and the 2022 Illinois game that got Chryst fired. The bottom line is that there are a number of people who are responsible, and I need to rake them over the coals. How much you think these people are to blame can be debated, and this list isn't indicative of who I blame the most. 

The players completely quit at one point. In a rivalry game, that crap is in no way okay. You have to at least give a full effort. Locke, you make Allan Evridge look competent. I thought Evridge was the worst quarterback I have ever seen play for the Badgers, but you might be worse. Your decision making is terrible, and I hope that you actually improve. Holy crap, what in the world, dude?

Allan Evridge. Wow. 

Phil Longo needs to be fired yesterday. His system has shown no improvement in the offense, and continues to insist on forcing this "Air Raid" offense on players who do not have the ability or the skills needed to pull it off. I was warned by Ole Miss and UNC fans that your offense isn't great, and you no longer have Drake Maye to make you look good. Why did you get away from what worked in the winning streak? You have to adjust to the tools you have, and that means I formation and a power run game. You are the worst assistant coach I have ever seen in one of my favorite football teams, and the anger fans have to you is justified. After Iowa missed the field goal in the first quarter, running the ball and going up 2 scores would have been the right call. Instead, you asked Locke to throw, and I wasn't surprised he threw a horrible pick. How do you get to be a Big Ten offensive coordinator? The quarterbacks have changed, but you haven't. I expect you to resign. 

Luke Fickell, I have to question if you are worth the hype. When he was hired, I praised the hire, and thought that you would look a lot better in year 2. But your choices in who you have brought in are questionable. I get that you can't be blamed for Van Dyke going down, but the changes you have had for the program are causing us to go backwards. Longo is a terrible hire, and Mike Tressel's scheme has been soft. You knew that Iowa is a physical team. This team should not be getting beat off the ball in the trenches. All of this talk about how you want to change the style of team, but nothing has improved. And before you come at me with the Gary Andersen comparisons, Fickell at least had the success with the Bearcats and the support of the athletic department to justify hiring him. But he has a lot to think about, and his seat is getting very hot. Instead of trying to do such a radical change right away, he should have phased it in until his guys are fully in the program. It worked for Herb Brooks, as when he took over the 1980 Olympic hockey team the Minnesota players at least knew his hybrid system. 

The bottom line for the Badgers is that they have to figure out a way to beat one or more of Oregon, Minnesota, and Nebraska. I think they can do that. But it is going to need them to understand and commit to changing what they have been doing. Losing by that much to Iowa isn't acceptable, and as you can probably tell, I am very angry about what happened. Don't screw the bowl streak up, guys. 

Fortunately, Nebraska are the Bears of the Big Ten. But I would not be surprised to see the Ax come back to the Twin Cities. Badgers aren't very good right now. But I understand Detroit is a great place to watch a bowl game, right? Right?

Enjoy your football this weekend. Ben out. 

47

 You don't have to like him, but it's impossible to deny that Donald Trump is an astonishing man. The guy has had rogue prosecutors and corrupt judges on his ass for years. He's been hassled and pestered in civil courts in New York with the aim of destroying his businesses. He almost got his head blown off in Pennsylvania in July. Just about every member of the MSM has attempted to stop him with a fire hose of invective. And he's now the President-Elect.

I don't know how he does it, but I do have a few thoughts:

• Trump has exquisite taste in enemies. He has millions of them and he's turned every one of his tormentors into a cartoon figure and he's prevailed over everyone. 
• The Democrats may be good at tactics, but they are not adept at strategy. One of his principal foes, Chares Schumer, is the best example of this. He's known and dealt with Trump for over 40 years and for whatever reason, Schumer never seemed to figure out what makes Trump tick. Trump is a transactional person and if Schumer had schmoozed him during his first term in office, he could have steered Trump into a position or two where Trump would have pissed off his base because he wants to make deals. For reasons that will be left to the history books, Schumer instead decided to treat Trump as a mortal enemy. Had Schumer tried a more conciliatory approach, Trump's penchant for dealmaking would have brought Trump deep distress in the election of 2020.
• Because Trump has been so abused, he won't be looking to make deals this time and he's also figured out that he'll need some loyal lieutenants in his second term. You won't see guys like John Kelly sandbagging him this time around.
• There are certainly a few Donks who aren't sad about the result. One can imagine that Gavin Newsom, Gretchen Whitmer, Wes Moore and a few others are happy that Harris is out of the picture now, and she most assuredly is. The 2028 campaign has already begun.
•  We really need to do something about the mass psychosis of the Left. The distress I see on social media would be hilarious if it weren't so terrifying. Delusion is a growth industry in politics right now.

Benster and D Pick Your Games----Why Is Tom Brady Doing A Packer Game Edition

Imagine backing up the Brinks truck for Tom Brady to be your lead analyst when he hasn't done any sort of broadcasting, and then seeing him get hit with restrictions on what he can say and do because he wants to be an NFL minority owner. I've been waiting to talk about this, and have some things to say. 

It's a pretty good gag. Or is that gag order?

Meanwhile, the Packers survived Jacksonville, despite a lot of key injuries. Holy crap, that game was close. 

A W is a W, Seabiscuit.

I am feeling the HYYYYYYYYYYPPPEEEEEE! and ready to pick some games. Watch me work.

Minnesota Golden Elite Rowers of the Boat (-3) vs. Illinois Cheating Illini The Gophers trounced Maryland the last time out, and have an interesting game against the Illini on the road. Max Brosmer has been playing pretty well lately, and while the Gophers are likely not going to get to the Big Ten title game, this means that the the predictions that PJ wouldn't be able to hack in the new Big Ten don't look so good right now. As a reminder, I have praised PJ in the past, and will give him credit for turning around the Gophers lately. Illinois on the other hand has a good win against Michigan, but it is obvious that the defending champions have a severe hangover. I think that the Gophers are going to impose their will in the first half and win fairly comfortably on the road. Row Row Row Your Boat Elitely 38, Lou Henson Bribing Chicago High School Basketball Stars 26.

I do not understand why the Gophers are favored. I really don't. The Illini are a solid team and they handled Michigan with relative ease. The Gophers are at a minimum competent, but to be a road favorite in this game makes no sense to me. And I'm picking it accordingly. Illini 24, Gophers 21.

Beloved Wisconsin Badgers (+2.5) vs. Iowa Hawkeyes It is easy to say that losing to Penn State is a talent issue and that Fickell needs time on that front. While there is an element of truth, Fickell has to answer for a couple of things. I question if Locke is the guy, and think that Longo once again fell back into the same traps as the USC debacle. I do think that getting a quarterback in the portal is going to be needed. Iowa City at night is always going to be a challenge, and I want the coaches to understand that this is going to be a low scoring game with an emphasis on taking advantage of your chances to score. The Badgers didn't do it last year, and I would sell out to stop the Iowa run game. Make the Iowa passing game beat you. This is going to be a very old school type of game, but the Badgers have won in Iowa City multiple times in my lifetime. Badgers 19, Iowans 11.

It's true, they have won in Iowa City. But I'm not convinced they will with this team. Iowa can run the ball effectively and the Badgers have struggled at times to stop the run. It will not be pretty; it rarely is down there, but I think the Badgers aren't good enough to win there this time. Iowa 24, Wisconsin 20.

A School In Columbus (-3) vs. Penn State Nittany Lions I'll be fair to Penn State, as they played well last week in Madison to keep their perfect season alive. Fox really screwed the pooch on this one by putting the game in the Big Noon timeslot. I understand that there could have been a Game 7 between the Yankees and Dodgers, but at least put the game in the mid afternoon timeslot. I don't blame the Penn State fans for being angry at Fox, as the White Out for this game would have been epic. This isn't an elimination game for either side, but the Buckeyes are facing a smaller margin for error if they lose, and the narratives around Ryan Day's ability to win big games and the Curse of the Six Game Minimum are haunting the Buckeyes. Penn State is facing the ghosts of James Franklin's big game record and the struggles they have had against Ohio State outside of 2016. I'm invoking the Desperate Team At Home theory for this one given that the Buckeyes looked highly suspect against Nebraska and because Penn State did impress me last week. Lions 23, Blow Up The Phone Lines Of Ohio Sports Radio 20.

I've seen both teams. I think Penn State is better. It should be a hell of a game. Penn State 34, Ohio State 31.

Indianapolis Colts (+5.5) vs. Minnesota Vikings The Vikings come in rested from the mini bye, and I think that them getting Cam Robinson should help the offensive line. The Vikings are facing some adversity, given that the Super Bowl parade plans have been put on hold with the two losses. I think that the Vikings are going to catch the Colts at a good time. Anthony Richardson is an enigma. He looks like he should be great, but pulling yourself from a game because you were tired isn't a great look. The Vikings are too well-run to completely collapse, and should get through this game well by running the ball. The Packers did it without Jordan in Week 2, and the Vikings can do it with Sam Darnold. Vikings 35, Colts 17.

I agree - this should be a get-well game for the Vikings. My only nagging concern is whether the league is figuring out Sam Darnold. The thing is - even if the league is figuring him out, that doesn't mean the Colts will be able to do anything about it. And while there are now holes in the Flores defense, I don't see how the Colts exploit them. I think it will be comfortable. Vikings 31, Colts 14.

Detroit LOLions (-2.5) vs. Glorious Green Bay Packers Last week was a very lucky escape from Jacksonville given that there were a ton of injuries. The good news is that it looks like Jordan is going to go, which gives the Packers a good chance. The bad news is that the Packers are going to be short on defensive backs, which I am sure that Goff is going to be licking his chops about. The complicating factor is that there could be some rain, and the Lions are an indoor team. A lot of people forget this, but the Packers were undermanned on Thanksgiving, and went into Detroit and stunned the Lions. I think that the Packers have a much better chance than the experts have. Packers 39, LOLions 10.

I assume you mean than the experts are giving them? The Lions rarely play the experts. Sorry, couldn't resist the grammar nudge. Anyway, the Lions are damned good and they can beat you in multiple ways. I think the Packers will make it difficult and the weather could very well be a factor in this one. I am guessing I'll regret this pick, but my homer instincts are here. I smell another Brandon McManus moment at the gun. Packers 31, Lions 30.

And now, it is time for A Very Special Comment. My concerns about Brady being the lead guy for Fox are centered around a couple of factors. First, Fox paid him over 30 million a year before he had stepped into a booth. That makes Brady the most expensive analyst in the history of sports television. But what tape did he have? Take his broadcast partner Kevin Burkhardt. He worked his way up from being a reporter on Mets games through working on lower tier games to being the lead NFL guy and the studio host of Fox's coverage of MLB. I like Burkhardt a lot, but he wasn't handed these top jobs right away. Let's be frank, Brady got handed the top analyst job at Fox without having any live sports broadcasting experience of any kind. He was never a guest analyst during the NFL playoffs, didn't do a game during his bye week, or anything like that. How could you say for certain that Brady is the best game analyst that Fox has on their roster coming into this year? 

He's a celebrity hire. I assume they couldn't get Taylor Swift.

The second reason why I think that Brady won't succeed at this role is because he also owns a stake in the Raiders. Because of this, he can't enter team facilities, can't participate in the production meetings, and can't criticize the refs. This also brings up the question of when Brady is doing a game, is he speaking as a Fox analyst or as a Raiders owner? Can he balance those two jobs, or is he shortchanging one to serve the other. Plus, the rest of the top Fox crew has to work harder to pick up the slack. Burkhardt, Erin Andrews, and Tom Rinaldi are all pros. But in addition to having to figure out the chemistry with Brady, they have to do a lot more behind the scenes to cover for Brady's restrictions. Also, did Brady tell Fox about his plans with the Raiders? Did that violate his contract? 

Probably not, but he's Tom Freaking Brady. Bow to him, peasant!

The final reason why I am against this move is for Greg Olsen. I think Olsen was doing a great job as the lead guy for Fox. He is able to explain things in a way that makes sense, while also having observations that the hard core fans like myself could appreciate. Olsen also paid his does, doing games for Fox during his playing career, working his way up to the lead booth, and a lot of football fans like him. I hope that if Fox sees Brady quit, that they give Olsen first dibs. Or heck, if CBS or NBC needs a top analyst, I would love for Olsen to get the nod from those networks. He got screwed over here.

He did, but he spent his playing career in Carolina and Chicago so he should be used to it.

So what would I have done if I were Fox? I would have started Brady off doing a year or two of college games, UFL games, and lower tier NFL games. Ideally, I would have paired him with veteran play by play guys who could help Brady get in. Someone like a Tim Brando or Kenny Albert type who has experience working with new analysts. And I would have put in a clause in his contract that he can't take an ownership stake in a team. If Brady blows me away as a great analyst, I would have put him in the top NFL booth with Olsen as a three man booth. I think that Brady could be good. But he has to decide if he wants to broadcast games and tell the story or be an NFL minority owner and be part of the cast that performs the story. 

He doesn't care as long as the check clears. And in the NFL, the checks clear with ease. It's not what I would have done, either, but having Brady on the broadcast was what the big suits wanted and they know that the hardcore fans would watch if it were Wayne Brady or any random member of the Brady Bunch in the booth. It's about getting the casual fan and Brady is a household name. But it's a good rant on your part. So, good for you.

Enjoy your football this weekend. Ben out. 

Benster and D Pick Your Games-----Give The Rams Some Credit Edition

 The Vikings had a tough loss in LA, but fans who solely blame the missed call on the safety are using the call as both a way to totally excuse the Vikings failures and not give the Rams the credit that they deserve. We'll talk about that later. 

I think Kupp and Nacua had something to do with it. Maybe.

Meanwhile, the Packers and the Badgers both won while I was out of town. Does that mean I have to go back?

Hanging out in Missouri seems to help them. Maybe it means something?

I am feeling the HYYYYYYYYYPPPEEEEEEEEEE! and ready to pick some games. Watch me work. 

Maryland Terps (+4.5) vs. Minnesota Golden Elite Rowers of the Boat It was great to see the Gophers win at the Rose Bowl. I happen to know two family members who are Gopher alums, and I was happy for them that they got to see their Gophers win a game at the Rose Bowl. After their bye week, the Gophers face a Maryland team that was able to pull off a nice win against USC out in College Park. Maryland is a team that should be doing better. They are in a pretty good recruiting area in the DC area, and people forget that a lot of good athletes come from Hampton and Newport News as well. The Gophers should continue to run the ball, and I think that they will get another solid win to bolster their argument that they aren't going to make up the numbers in the new Big Ten. Row Row Row Your Boat Elitely 42, Terpy Terps 14.

Gophers are likely a better team, but I'll admit I'm a bad pundit and don't know much about Maryland. They don't have Tua's kid brother any more, I think. And Stefon Diggs left a while ago, so there's that. Gophers are at home so I'll pick them. Gophers 24, Maryland 20.

Penn State Nittany Lions (-6.5) vs. Beloved Wisconsin Badgers In the interest of full disclosure, I only saw a couple of plays of the Badger game last week. But after looking at the highlights, it was obvious that the Badgers were able to impose their will and win pretty comfortably in Evanston. Given that playing at Evanston is a trip I dread, you like to see it. Penn State is a top 5 team for a reason, and should get to Indy more often without having to play A School In Columbus and Michigan every year. They have a good offense, and the best team they have had since 2017. The problem I have seen from them is that they struggled against USC and Bowling Green while relying on their high end talent to bail them out. Wisconsin has gotten a lot better since the USC disaster because the offense is finally being played to their strengths. What took Longo so long? That combined with Camp Randall getting a big night game against a Penn State team that could be looking ahead to Ohio State's visit to Happy Valley next week means that you shouldn't be surprised at the outcome. Badgers 21, Lions 20.

Man, I'd love to pick the Badgers. But I can't. Penn State is too good. Penn State 31, Wisconsin 27.

Glorious Green Bay Packers (-4) vs. Jacksonville Jaguars Once again, I only saw part of the first quarter of the Packers game because of being out of town. That being said, after watching the highlights it was great to see that they were able to win despite Jordan being very turnover happy once again. Jacksonville is a team that is not very good. Doug Pedersen somehow went from a very good Super Bowl winning coach to becoming a bottom tier coach, and the Jaguars have struggled all year. The concern I have in this game is that the Packers have struggled in Florida in recent years, and that the Jaguars have nothing to lose. With the Vikings all of a sudden looking mortal and games against Da Bearz and the LOLions on the horizon, the Packers have a good chance to assert themselves. I hope I'm wrong, but something tells me that the Packers are in for a tough afternoon on Sunday. Packers 12, Jaguars 8.

It hasn't been easy down there historically, but the Packers are a better team and I think they win this one comfortably. Packers 31, Jags 17.

And now it's time for A Very Special Comment. 

There has been a lot of chatter about the missed facemask call. The bottom line is that the call is being used as a scapegoat by some Vikings fans and the Vikings approved homers on KFAN as a way to avoid acknowledging that the Vikings were outplayed by the Rams. Remember, the Vikings only scored 6 points after their fast start. It looked like what happened on Sunday, where the Vikings ended up letting the Lions back into the game. The offense in particular once again was unable to sustain their fast start, and unlike what happened in Lambeau they hadn't built up a big enough margin for error to survive. The Rams played well enough in the second half to win, and are getting no credit for that because the refs are a scapegoat. The Vikings were down 8 with a minute to go, and even if they get that call would have been on the 20 yard line with no timeouts. I will give credit to the Vikings players and coaches for not blaming the refs for losing. I suggest that Vikings fans listen to what their team is saying, and see if they still blame the refs. The refs didn't cause the Vikings to have that brutal drop in the red zone on their last field goal drive. The refs also didn't cause the Vikings to not get to Stafford, and the refs didn't let the Rams get in position to get that last safety. 

The Vikings also made the mistake of letting the Rams off the hook. 5 times they had stopped the Rams on a third down, only to draw a flag that allowed the Rams to stay on the field. The major storyline for me is that Darrisaw is going to be out for the year after suffering a horrible knee injury. Without him, the offensive line suddenly looks questionable, and the Vikings have limited draft capital to make a trade for another left tackle. The Vikings aren't in trouble by any means, but there are some issues that they have to fix. Blaming the refs only means that the Vikings players and coaches get off the hook for their mistakes. 

My response may not be Very Special, but for the most part I agree. The Darrisaw injury is a big deal, because it's well-nigh impossible to replace a top ten left tackle. The Viking offense relies on timing and if Darnold doesn't have the time to let receivers come open, it's going to be an issue. Jefferson is special and Addison is a nice slot receiver, but they could really use a big boundary receiver who can make the tough catches - an Anquan Boldin type. They don't have that right now. Kevin O'Connell is a very smart coach, perhaps the best offensive mind the team has had since Dennis Green left town, so he'll scheme something up, but it's going to be a challenge going forward. We'll see.

Enjoy your football this weekend. Ben out. 

Benster and D Pick Your Games---Thursday Night Football Cross Country Trips Are Really Dumb Edition

 Why in the world are the Vikings playing on Thursday Night Football in LA? What did they spike the NFL corporate cafeteria with?

Some form of mushroom, I would guess.

If I come to power, I'm going to put a ban on teams having to travel two or more time zones for a Thursday Night Football game. The Vikings are getting utterly screwed here, and crap like this needs to stop. I'd be saying the same thing if the Rams had to travel here. 

I've never been a fan of it, either, for the reasons you suggest. But money talks and Amazon has a lot of money.

Yet somehow I am feeling the HYYYYYYPPPEEEEEE! and will pick this game. Watch me work.

Minnesota Vikings (-3) vs. Los Angeles Rams So in the interest of full disclosure, I only saw a couple of plays of the Vikings-Lions game last week and what time I did have to watch the noon window meant that I was very engaged with the Packers game. After watching the highlights and reading the postgame coverage, the Vikings ended up losing a tough one. If the rumored Stafford to the Vikings trade happens and includes JJ McCarthy, then all of a sudden what I said last week looks a lot better. The Rams are going to get a big boost with Kupp coming back, and possibly getting Puka Nacua back. What we are going to learn about the Vikings is how they respond after a defeat this year. I think that while they play well, the travel and the Rams getting at least one of Stafford's weapons back suggests that the Vikings might be facing a difficult evening in Hollywood. Rams 28, Vikings 17.

I would not be surprised if it's difficult, but even with Cooper Kupp the Vikings are a better team as currently constructed. And in most cases, the better team wins in football. Vikings 27, Rams 20.

We will be back in our regular slot on Friday to talk about the Packers, Badgers, and Gophers. Enjoy your football tonight. Ben out. 

Benster and D Pick Your Games------LOLions Have Something To Say About The Vikings Edition

 Editor's Note: we're going early because we'll be on assignment the rest of the week. Not that you'd notice, but.... Meanwhile, you want some Benster? Here's some Benster!

Well, the Vikings are probably for real. But the LOLions aren't going to give up their crown that easy. 

They've waited a long time to get a crown and this isn't a dollar store tiara. So yeah, I suppose that's right.

The Packers are about to play another playoff contender in the Texans. Should be a fun duel between two of the best young quarterbacks in the NFL. A special screw you to the stupid NFL broadcasting rules for screwing over Packer fans in Minnesota. There are very few Raiders and Rams fans in the Twin Cities. Show the Packer game opposite the Viking game, as that slate at noon combined with the Niners-Chiefs game is objectively the better slate in this market. 

The NFL's broadcast rules are dumb. They should show the better games, but they still think they need to protect a team that sells out all their games. I don't get it, either, but what are you gonna do? Meanwhile, here's a picture of Roger Goodell looking dumb to illustrate the point:

Really should lay off those Lemonheads, Rog

I am feeling the HYYYYYYYYPPPEEEEE! and ready to pick some games. Watch me work. 

Beloved Wisconsin Badgers (-7) vs. Northwestern Purple Nerds Holy crap, Phil Longo actually is getting the ball to his best weapons on offense. Where was this for the last year or so? This game is going to be hard. Northwestern is a team that plays hard, and the Badgers always struggle in Evanston. What is going to be the key is for the Badgers to keep on playing well early on. As interesting as the Penn State game is next week, it doesn't matter if the Badgers stub their toe. They won't. despite getting a game effort from Northwestern. Badgers 25, Purple Nerds 21.

The Badgers have lost a lot of games in Ryan Field. I don't know how they do on Oak Street Beach, or wherever this temp field is built. NU is a decent squad. I hope the Badgers can win, but this one makes me nervous, too. Badgers 30, Northwestern 24.

Detroit LOLions (+1.5) vs. Minnesota Vikings As much as I get a ton of joy about mocking the Vikings having Super Bowl ambitions, the Vikings are actually very good this year. They have thoroughly beaten two Super Bowl contenders at home in the Niners and Texans, and are facing a critical game in the NFC North against the Lions. Detroit gave me vicarious joy in making Jerry Jones have a terrible birthday. Thank you for your service, guys. The problem the Lions have in my eyes is that Dan Campbell showed a lot of his trick plays in a blowout. That shows me that he learned nothing from being too arrogant to take the points last January. What nobody in Michigan wants to admit is that the Lions failed a year ago was by being too aggressive even when it backfired. For the Vikings, I need to see how they respond to being jumped. And I am going to say this right now. If Sam Darnold keeps this play up, then the Vikings should trade JJ McCarthy at the trade deadline. I'm dead serious, by the way. They need draft capital. LOLions 35, Vikings 21.

Well, no one is going to trade for a quarterback who won't play in 2024 at the trade deadline. Perhaps in the offseason, maybe, but at this point McCarthy has proven exactly nothing. The Vikings did mortgage their future on drafting, but so far it's paying off. I do think the Lions are a better team, top to bottom, but losing Aidan Hutchinson will be a blow to the Lions defense. If they can't get home, the Vikings will move the ball a lot. And that may be enough. Vikings 38, Lions 34.

Houston Texans (+2.5) vs.  Glorious Green Bay Packers Last weekend went pretty well for the Packers. The only complaint is that things got a little nervy in the third quarter, but that would be nitpicky. I have a lot of respect for the Texans. They nailed their head coach and quarterback choice, and I like the talent that they have surrounded Stroud with. This is going to be a fun game between two entertaining offenses. The key for the Packers is to get off to a fast start again, and to keep Stroud from going deep. I think that they can do that, and X Man will get another pick. Packers 42, Texans 41.

Close game? Yes. Explosive plays? Probably. 42-41? Maybe less than that. But you're on the right track. Packers 34, Texans 30.

Enjoy your football this week. Ben out. 

Benster and D Pick Your Games----Can The Badgers Play Purdue Every Week Edition

 Last week went far better for my football teams. Wisconsin looked good against a terrible Boilermaker team, and the Packers were able to survive a late comeback out in LA. You love to see it. 

At least around here, we do.

Meanwhile, the Gophers are going to the Rose Bowl to play a game there for the first time since the 1960s. Maybe Basement Brew can lead the team out in order to say he did take the Gopher nation to Pasadena. 

He certainly meant to: 

Can you feel it? Would you want to? I am feeling the HYYYYYYYYYYYYPPPEEEEEE! and ready to pick some games. Watch me work.

Minnesota Golden Elite Rowers of the Boat (-4) vs. UCLA Bruins So the Gophers pulled off a nice upset win against USC, and PJ does deserve a lot of credit for that win. That is a good way for him to quiet the detractors in the Gopher fan base. UCLA is a program that should be doing better, but they have a lot of work to do. And like USC, they need to bulk up in the trenches to survive a more physical style of play compared to Oregon and Washington. For the Gophers, they are going to need to avoid falling into a trap game that this one is going to be. A lot of Gopher fans will be in Pasadena, as many of them have never seen the Gophers play at the Rose Bowl. Speaking from personal experience, the Rose Bowl is a special place to watch a game. Similar to Lambeau and Wrigley Field in the sense that you instantly feel the history and tradition of the place. Row Row Row Your Boat Elitely 24, Gritty Little Bruins 21.

I actually think the Gophers are the better team. But the better team doesn't always win. UCLA 27, Gophers 23.

Beloved Wisconsin Badgers (+1.5) vs. Rutgers Scarlet Knights The Badgers looked a lot better against Purdue. I especially liked how Longo was willing to get the ball to his best weapons a lot more, and I thought the Badgers didn't panic when Purdue got those two picks. Rutgers is really starting to pull it's weight more in both football and basketball. Athan Kaliakmanis has proven that he has some potential, and Rutgers is starting to really get better athletes. The key for Wisconsin is to be able to establish the run early, and I want to see Longo get the ball to his playmakers more in space. And if the receivers can actually catch the ball, that would be great. This will be a close one, but I think the Badgers have a good shot. Badgers 31, Buttgers 13.

Rutgers has never beaten the Badgers. Will that continue? This is the best Rutgers team the Badgers have faced and this is also not the best Badgers team. Having said that, I think the Badgers are better. Wisconsin 24, Rutgers 21.

A School In Columbus (-3.5) vs. Oregon Quack Quack This game is the most anticipated game in the Big Ten this season, as both Ohio State and Oregon are favorites to win the league. From what I have seen of Ohio State, Will Howard looks like a nice model upgrade over Honda McCord, and the Buckeyes seem to be trying to quiet the narrative that Ryan Day can't beat Michigan or win a big game. That narrative is unfair, as should the Buckeyes be dumb enough to fire Day, 99% of schools would hire him instantly. Oregon has looked a little loose in the turns, and some are wondering if they were overranked to start the year. This game is not an elimination game by any means because of the 12 team playoff and the fact that there are going to be some 1 loss teams with the parity we are seeing. I like Oregon to win given that they are playing in Eugene. Oregon 43, Buckeyes 41. 

This will be interesting. Somehow I haven't seen OSU play yet, but they are uber talented as usual. Ducks can match up. I tend to agree - home field is the key here. Oregon 37, Ohio State 35.

Arizona Cardinals (+5) vs. Glorious Green Bay Packers I thought that the Packers responded well in the second half. Jordan needs to clean up the turnovers, and I think that the pass heavy playcalls instead of running clock late in the game was playing with fire. The good news is that the Packers got an ugly win. Arizona has some good pieces, and the key is to keep Kyler Murray in the pocket and make him beat you with his arm. What I want to see from the Packers is to have a Romeo game. I was glad to see that he took care of what he needed to, and hopefully he can get rewarded. This won't be super easy, but the Packers have gotten better since the first half against the Vikings. Packers 46, Cardinals 21. 

Home field again. Packers will defend. Won't be easy, though. Green Bay 28, Cardinals 24.

Enjoy your football this week. Ben out. 

Benster and D Pick Your Games----Phil Longo Is A Disaster Edition

 Not a good week for my two favorite football teams. The Packers came this close to making me bust out a favorite tool of mine, and the Badgers had a terrible second half because Phil Longo is the worst assistant coach I have ever seen us hire. 

It's the Longo and the sort of it, I guess. Yes, he definitely has fallen well short of the hype. I don't understand what the Badgers are trying to do right now.

At least Everton got their crap together and actually won. Even better, Farhad Moshiri is actually going to sell the club to an ownership group that actually knows what they are doing. You love to see it. 

Go long on Toffee, I guess.

I am feeling the HYYYYYYYYYYYYYYPPEEEEE! and ready to pick some games. Watch me work.

USC Trojans (-8.5) vs. Minnesota Golden Elite Rowers of the Boat The Gophers got utterly screwed over last week in the Big House. In the interest of full disclosure, I had switched over to the Wisconsin game and didn't see the onside kick until halftime. That wasn't offsides on the Gophers, and the Big Ten needs to suspend those refs similar to what happened a few years back with the Miami-Duke ending. USC was able to overcome their own mistakes in the first half last week, and I think that they will be able to get the athletes in the trenches that they need to compete in Big Ten play. Miller Moss in particular looks like he is the most underrated quarterback in the Big Ten. I think that even though the Gophers have home field, the Trojans are going to ride the momentum to another win. Lincoln Riley's Brisket 31, Row Row Your Boat Elitely 11.

The Gophers played very well down the stretch last week. The key will be to keep that poor call from beating them twice. USC is talented. Should be closer than you have it, but I see USC as the superior team. USC 34, Minnesota 19.

Purdue Spoilermakers (+12.5) vs. Beloved Wisconsin Badgers While it is easy to blame the second half meltdown in LA on muffing the punt, the real culprit was Phil Longo. USC had a number of long drives in the first half, and the Badger defense looked gassed. I would have liked to see Longo call more run plays to give the defense some time to rest, and when he didn't the results were predictable. Fickell also deserves some of the blame for not making the decision to run the ball. The good news is that Purdue has been troubled offensively this year, and this game is Madison. Ever since the fateful fumble return all those years ago, Purdue has been unable to beat the Badgers. I think that this streak will continue if the Badgers actually get their crap together. Wisconsin 44, Purdont 12.

Big if. However, here's a live look at a recent Purdue practice:

So the Badgers have that going for them, which is nice. Badgers 24, Purdue 16.

New York J-E-T-S JETS JETS JETS (+2.5) vs. Minnesota Vikings, in London Thank God that the Packers avoided the nightmare scenario of having Aaron return to Lambeau as an opponent. The next time I want him back at Lambeau is for his jersey retirement. I could bring up a number of things about last week, but that would be a salty homer move by me. The Vikings did their job quite impressively at Lambeau and won fair and square, and anyone that thinks the Vikings are frauds needs to step away from the keyboard or the microphone. They beat 3 teams in a row that are considered serious playoff contenders at worst, and have earned the title of legitimate contenders. I think that the Vikings are going to jump out in front of the Jets and coast to victory at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and even though Aaron will play well, it won't be enough. Vikings 40, Jets 28.

The Vikings appear to be legit. It pains me to say it, but the evidence is there that they are a well-coached team and have a lot of versatility on both sides of the ball. The potential weakness is if they run into a team that can run it down their throat. In theory, that should have been the 49ers, but game flow and the unavailability of CMC prevented that. Until someone does it, though, it's only a theory. Vikings 34, Jets 27.

Glorious Green Bay Packers (-3) vs. Los Angeles Rams It's hard to believe, but the Packers haven't played in LA since Ty Montgomery infamously ran the ball out of the end zone back in 2018. The Packers also haven't won a game in Los Angeles since 1994. It was obvious that J Love looked very rusty in the first half, and the bottom line is that when you dig yourselves a 28 point hole and turn the ball over 5 times, you ain't going to win. The fact that it was only 2 points was a good thing, but it never should have come to it. The Rams are going to be shorthanded at receiver without Kupp and Puka, which is going to help. I would like to see the Packers get out to a better start and for J Love to look more comfortable early against the blitz. Packers 34, Rams 10.

Rams are puzzling and they won't have some of their best weapons available. Packers should win, but the late-breaking nonsense involving Romeo Doubs won't help. I still think they win, though. Packers 27, Rams 20.

Enjoy your football this week. Ben out. 

Benster and D Pick Your Games---Malik Willis Saved The Season Edition

I never thought that I would be saying this a couple of weeks ago, but Malik Willis has done a superb job holding down the fort after J Love went down. You really love to see it.

It's a surprise. I didn't think about Malik Willis at all until a month ago. But yes, things would look a lot worse without him.

I've also noticed that the Vikings enablers on KFAN are starting to plan their trip to New Orleans. As much as I would mock them, they do have reasons to be very happy. 

It's the circle of life. Vikings start winning and their fans start believing. And then they get crushed. The only question is when.

I am ready to pick some games and feeling the HYYYYYYYYYYYYYYPPPEEEEE! Watch me work.

Minnesota Golden Elite Rowers of the Boat (+10.5) vs. Michigan Hail to the Cheaters Valiant So, PJ has some explaining to do after what happened last weekend against the Iowans. PJ fell into the same trap that Fickell did a year ago where he let Iowa get ahead, and then couldn't force the Hawkeyes to pass their way back into the game. It seems like PJ is losing a bunch of support among the Gopher fans. Michigan hasn't looked great, but they are at home. This game will be an ugly rivalry game loss for the Gophers. Hail Hail To Michigan The Cheaters and the Best 35, Row Row Row Your Boat Elitely 14.

Peej's act is starting to grow stale. I don't know that Michigan is that great, but they are certainly good enough to win against the Gophers in Ann Arbor. Michigan 41, Gophers 21.

Beloved Wisconsin Badgers (+14.5) vs. USC Trojans Yes, the Badgers are playing a Big Ten conference game against USC in the LA Coliseum. Conference realignment has gotten out of control, but that is another discussion for another day. USC lost their first Big Ten game against Michigan last week in a tough one. The good news for Badger fans after the beatdown by Alabama two weeks ago is that at least Locke has won on the road in conference play. What concerns me is that Phil Longo seems to be intent on forcing the Badgers to play a scheme that he wants instead of fitting to what he has, and that is an indictment on Fickell. This won't be easy, but a good way for the Badgers to show that they aren't afraid of the new Big Ten would be to get a win this week. Badgers 21, USC 14.

It would be a good way to show that, but it's not likely to happen. Trojans 34, Badgers 17.

Minnesota Vikings (+2.5) vs. Glorious Green Bay Packers I certainly will admit that I didn't see the Vikings being 3-0 coming, and even the most ardent Vikings fans would have struggled to believe that. But to their credit, the Vikings impressively beat two Super Bowl contenders back to back, and are deserving of their praise. But the Packers are also deserving of praise. I will admit that the season looked lost after the trip to Brazil. Thankfully, the Packers were able to win two games and give me the confidence that even with the chance of no Love, they have a chance. What is going to be the key to me for the Packers is that if they can get out and score early and force the Vikings to play from behind. They haven't done it outside of 5 snaps this year. Packers 35, Vikings 24.

That's the formula. You have to make the Vikings defend the run. They've done a pretty good job of it thus far. The Packers have the home field advantage, but it's a Milwaukee game which usually means a lot of visiting fans find their way in, so I expect more than a smattering of purple at Lambeau. The team that does a better job of rushing the passer wins this game. Packers 28, Vikings 26.

Enjoy your football this week. Ben out.