Benster and D Pick Your Games -- Matt LaFleur Has No Good Argument To Be The Head Coach of the Green Bay Packers Edition

At 5:30 on Sunday, I was thinking that the Packers were looking good, and that any criticism I had was going to be nit picky. But then 4th quarter Matt LaFleur struck again, and this can't keep happening. 

And yet it does.

We will talk about that later. Also, some of my fellow Packers fans need to admit that those 3 calls that gave the Vikings first downs on that drive were not the reason that the Vikings won. That unfairly diminishes the Vikings coaching staff for making adjustments and the Vikings players for executing better. 

Surprisingly fair-minded of you!

I also have to give props to Ben Leber for going on KFAN and being willing to explain why Packers fans were upset about those 3 calls. Once again, Packers fans can't blame the officials for those 3 calls because the Packers have to stop putting themselves in a position where a judgement call can cost them the game. 

If the moment calls for a boot on the throat, LaFleur needs to stop wearing sensible shoes.

Old Dude is selling Florsheims again! Well, I don't have time for that, because I am feeling the HYYYYYPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! and ready to pick some games. Watch me work.

Akron Zips (-23.5) vs. Minnesota Golden Elite Rowers of the Boat It was obvious that the Gophers didn't come out of the gates strong against the Mississippi State Bulldogs last week, and the Gopher fans quite rightly were upset at what they saw. Contrary to what you may think, I can and have given Fleck praise despite being a huge Badger fan. But it is obvious that once the Gophers had to hurry up and pass the ball more, Fleck's style isn't built for that. I still think the Gophers will win 8-9 games and likely win a bowl game, but they need to play better. The good news is that Akron isn't a good MAC team, and this should go as a classic MACrifice game that we all know and love. Row Row Row Your Boat Elitely 41, Zips 17. 

Peej has his limitations as a coach. Kamario Taylor was very impressive, but he's not coming back to Minneapolis this weekend. Zip ties all around. Minnesota 34, Akron 10.

Eastern Michigan Eagles (+23.5) vs. Beloved Wisconsin Badgers In the interest of full disclosure, I only saw part of the first quarter and the last two minutes of the Badger game because of a family engagement. That being said, the Badgers did look good but still have some things to work on. One thing that I do like is that the Badgers are starting to look better running the football, and the defense let the Leathernecks move the ball but did stiffen up in the red zone. Eastern Michigan is historically not a great school in the MAC, and this should be another game where the Badgers can build some confidence going into Big Ten play. Once again, Fickell is going to need to get to 8-9 wins and likely win at least one of the Hawkeyes and Gophers games to keep his job. Badgers 40, Eagles 10. 

The Badgers are still very much a work in progress. They should have destroyed Western Illinois but they didn't. I'm looking to see better execution overall this time. Wisconsin 38, EMU 17.

  LSU Bayou Bengals (-3.5) vs. Ole Miss Rebels So my initial plan for this week was to do A Very Special Comment dunking on Lane Kiffin for the slimy way he left Ole Miss and how LSU has assembled a really nice threesome of coaches that are easy to dislike between Lane, Kim Mulkey, and Wiretap Will Wade. 

Lotta slime in the ol' Bayou, that's for sure.

But now Kiffin has to go back and face the music and a fanbase who rightfully should be mad at how he nearly derailed the Ole Miss team he built, while napalming every bridge in Oxford. By the way, I am not a fan of Ole Miss and hate the SEC, and yet even I would have been okay with the Rebels winning the national title as a rebuke to Kiffin. LSU is going to be good, but something tells me that Kiffin will come up short this weekend and Ole Miss will get the vengeance they want. I just hope that the Ole Miss fans don't do something stupid or hurt anyone. Rebels 62, Bayou Bengals 41. 

Ole Miss fans are actually somewhat genteel, but if they add a little extra hooch to their elegant tailgate highballs, it could get interesting. LSU has better talent and on a neutral field they'd win, but this won't be neutral. Ole Miss 34, LSU 31.

Minnesota Vikings (+4.5) vs. Bear Down Chicago Da Bearz Still Suck Well, the Vikings are feeling a lot better. Thanks to a great fourth quarter, they are in a good spot. As Mrs. D aka Mom points out, being 1-1 at worst for the Vikings is still a pretty solid place to be given that the Lions looked really bad on Thursday.  The interesting question for me that the Vikings are going to face is what happens if Carson Wentz goes into Chicago and outplays Caleb Williams. Do you think that some Vikings fans would argue that Wentz should get the nod over Kyler Murray, assuming that Murray is healthy enough for next week? As for the Bears, they lit up the scoreboard like a pinball machine, though my fantasy team would like Colston Loveland to get the ball some. Obviously this will be a tight one, but I like the Vikings to keep up the momentum. Vikings 27, Bears 24. 

The Vikings defense is built on speed. Soldier Field is the worst grass field in the league. The weather forecast is calling for rain and I expect it to be a slow track. If ol' Caleb has more than a half-second to throw, he'll beat the all-out blitzes. This could be a shootout, but on a slow track I think da Bearz wear the Vikings down. Bears 28, Vikings 23.

Glorious Green Bay Packers (-3.5) vs. New York J-E-T-S JETS JETS JETS The bottom line is that the Packers need to figure out how to close games, and it is obvious that they need to protect Jordan Love better. The fact that Love was able to play as well as he did given that he had Vikings in his face every time he dropped back was impressive. The Jets are still an NFL team.

Are you sure about that?

Yes, I am sure of it. Don't you have some pills to take? Ahem. This game isn't going to be as easy as people think, especially because the Packers have struggled going out to the Meadowlands and seem to play tough games there. What would really help is that if the Packers get a double digit lead in the 4th quarter that they close it out and I don't have to come back here and question if this team can close out games. Also, I hope that that horrible turf at MetLife doesn't cause a major injury. Packers 24, Jets 10.

That turf is a concern. So are the Jets. They do have talent and the Packers have to be seeing ghosts after what happened last week. That mean old Flores will not be in the building on Sunday, but the Packers had better be ready. I do think they bounce back. Packers 28, Jets 20.

And now, it is time for A Very Special Comment. That title certainly is very strong, but by this point Matt LaFleur has demonstrated that he is in a space where he isn't measuring up to the standards that the Packers have. He isn't the only one to blame, but at this point the case against him isn't criticism, it is just facts that everyone is seeing. The Packers since the 2021 season haven't hosted a playoff game, which is hard to believe, but they are certainly in danger of being the longest gap between home playoff games in my lifetime. 

You know what? You should really watch this:

You're spoiled, right?

I know, old dude. You remember lots of bad things in the past. The 70s Packers, Three Mile Island, Skylab falling from the sky, Brezhnev's monolithic eyebrows. I get it. But back to the matter at hand. The Packers haven't won a division title since 2021, and have seen their playoff seeding go from being the 1 and 2 seeds early in LaFleur's tenure to being 7 seeds. Going into that horrible playoff game against the 49ers, LaFleur was 2-2 in the playoffs. Since then has now gone 1-4, with late leads not being taken care of in 2021, 2023, and 2025. The Bears and Lions have started to win more consistently against the Packers in the past couple of years. The Packers are also on a 6 game losing streak, which is the longest losing streak since the Lindy Infante era. 

Oh, I remember Lindy Infante.

That's right, not even Ray Rhodes or Mike Sherman ever had that bad of a losing streak and those are the two weakest head coaches the Packers have had since Mike Holmgren was hired. LaFleur's losses have started to follow a trend, where there have been a rash of penalties, a team that is unable to close out leads, and seeing at least one unit be inconsistent and the team being unable to respond to adjustments that the opposition has made after halftime. And if you are mad at me, I am just stating facts. 

Yes. Yes you are.

And Sunday featured all of those things. The Packers struggled on offense, they committed a bunch of penalties, and failed to respond when Flores and KOC made adjustments, blew the lead, and then melted down when facing adversity. Once again, everything I said is factual. What makes it frustrating is that LaFleur once again made a coaching mistake with his decision in regards to the 4th and 1 call. I personally don't mind the idea of being aggressive in wanting to go pick up one yard, and don't even mind running a sneak. But what really frustrated me was that he and Stenavich weren't on the same page regarding the call. I would have either had someone to push Love across or have had Kraft take the snap given that he played quarterback in high school and was also a bigger body. As great an offensive line coach as Stenavich is, he isn't the right fit as an offensive coordinator, and I question that he would be able to call plays should LaFleur give that duty up. 

Which is why LaFleur hasn't delegated the duty.

What should have happened in the offseason would be for LaFleur to move on from Stenavich and get an offensive coordinator who was capable of calling plays and who would have been willing to challenge LeFleur to get better. I get you can't blame the coaches when players make mistakes, but at the end of the day LaFleur keeps putting the players in a position to fail, and he isn't a young head coach anymore. In fact, he is the most senior NFC North head coach. However, Gutey deserves some of the blame for Sunday. It has become obvious that his like for getting athletes with high RAS scores has made the offensive line worse. During the peak of the Aaron Rodgers era, a lot of people forgot the the Packers had an experienced and good offensive line that by and large protected Aaron and allowed him time and gave the running backs holes to run through. 

The Packers haven't been good at evaluating offensive linemen in the past couple of years, and Gutey should have invested more resources into the offensive line. Ed Policy has already made the first mistake of his tenure as president. January would have been the right time to let LaFleur go. After all, LaFleur was the right head coach when he was first hired, and did a great job in navigating the transition from Rodgers to Love. Most Packers fans would have understood that LaFleur had taken a few steps back, and a fresh voice would have been warranted. 

In fact, Policy could have tried to trade LaFleur for a draft pick or two or let him go to the TV studio or booth for a year. But instead he doubled down. That has been a trend for the last two head coaches. Mike Sherman didn't help himself as a coach with his work as a GM, but he stuck around a year too long after stalling out in the playoffs. Mike McCarthy also probably stuck around a year too long, but Ted Thompson didn't want to fire him after the Run the Table team covered up flaws and Aaron's collarbone injury derailed the 2017 season and McCarthy had a Super Bowl title that earned him some grace even if it might have been misplaced. LaFleur doesn't have a Super Bowl title or have coached the Packers in a Super Bowl. 

The biggest problem I have with the Packers leadership is that they tend to hold the standard of rather let someone go a year early than a year late to the players and players alone. It is the same problem that the Steelers had where they let Mike Tomlin stay around too long despite a downturn in his playoff record. The difference is that Tomlin had earned that grace with a Super Bowl and his streak of winning seasons. The point is that the Packers are in a win now window because they traded for Micah Parsons. Matt LaFleur is in danger of wasting that window, but Policy ultimately made it clear that he thinks the downturn LaFleur has had is okay. It isn't okay, and Sunday proved that the same things happen over and over again. 

 Enjoy your football this weekend. Ben out.

Benster and D Pick Your Games -- Are The Vikings In A Tougher Place Than Most People Think Edition

Welcome back, and while what happened to the Badgers last week was a hard watch in the 2nd half, a Very Special Comment would be unfair considering that the Domers look like a team on a mission. 

Catholics are fond of mission trips, even to exotic Lambeau.

 As for the Vikings, they have made a lot of changes and decisions that I ended up talking to someone I trust who can answer those questions for us. 

I suspect I know the fount of wisdom in this case.

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

 Mississippi State Clanga (+1) vs. Minnesota Golden Elite Rowers of the Boat I have to give the Gophers credit for scheduling a sneaky good non conference home and home with the Bulldogs, and will give the Bulldogs credit for being willing to travel up north. College football can benefit from teams deciding to do at least one interesting non conference game a year besides the cupcake games, and this will give some direct SEC vs. Big Ten comparisons on the field to start the season off. I also have been critical of the SEC not playing 9 league games in the past, so I will give the SEC credit for going to 9 conference games. As for the game, I think that the Gophers looked good last week, and Drake Lindsey looks like he is going to be the best quarterback that PJ has had in his time with the Gophers. The Bulldogs look like they are going to be a middle of the pack SEC outfit, and think that the Gophers are going to play well and get a good non conference win. Row Row Row Your Boat Elitely 27, More Cowbell 21. 

It pains me to say it, because ol' Peej drives me nuts, but the guy can coach and he's done a good job of establishing a consistently competent and often very good program here. The Gophs have talent on both sides of the ball this year and a number of guys with NFL ability. If Lindsey turns out to be one of those guys, the Gophers could make some noise in the conference. Gophers 24, Mississippi State 21.

  Western Illinois Leathernecks (+39.5) vs. Beloved Wisconsin Badgers I will give the Badgers credit for hanging in there until Colton Joseph threw the pick 6 last week, but obviously we all knew that beating the Irish would be difficult. I will say that I did see something that looked like Wisconsin football. The bottom line is that for Luke Fickell to keep his job, he needs to win 8-9 games and beat at least one if not both of Iowa and Minnesota. I will say that Shawn Eichorst being AD makes me nervous given what he did with Nebraska, and hope that I am wrong. Western Illinois is your typical tuneup game, and I think that the Badgers should have a get right game. Hopefully it is a low stress game. Badgers 49, Leathernecks 0. 

If the Badgers don't breeze in this one, the voices will be getting louder. For now, all quiet on State Street except for faint rumbling. Wisconsin 42, Western Illinois 7.

Glorious Green Bay Packers (+1.5) vs. Minnesota Vikings So the Vikings ended up deciding to give Kyler Murray the keys to the quarterback position and put JJ McCarthy in the third string role. Given that the Vikings had a busy offseason full of questions about how they would line up against the Packers, I decided to bring in an expert who follows the Vikings. 

Mrs. D, a/k/a Mom, is a Vikings fan as longtime readers know. When I asked her about what she thought about the Vikings offseason, she mentioned she thought that it was a good idea to have McCarthy be the third string quarterback and get to learn the position better. She is also hoping for a successful season which she says is winning a playoff game. 

You should listen to your mother.

Well, I do, but I've learned to tune out the Geritol Fan when necessary.

I'll allow it.

My take on the Vikings is that they need to win a playoff game, because it is hard to believe that KOC has yet to win a playoff game. I get the sense that his seat is slightly hotter than people around here want to admit. As for the Packers, I think LaFleur is going to need to really improve on some things. I personally think that LaFleur has taken a step backwards, and the same mistakes keep piling up. Call me arrogant, but the Packers are an organization that expects to win Super Bowls. The nature of the Josh Jacobs suspension isn't known at this time, but I assume he will be suspended and he deserves to be suspended because of the choices he made back in May. I'm worried about the Packers being banged up along the offensive line against Brian Flores, but on the flip side I think that Jonathan Gannon knows exactly what to expect from Kyler Murray, given their history together in Arizona. Packers 25, Vikings 22. 

It's a good test for both teams. Kyler Murray has never had a better supporting cast than now and he will certainly have his moments. The danger the Vikings face is they have three quarterbacks on the roster and they all have significant injury histories. I thought the team picture they took was particularly interesting: 

Kyler, Carson and 9 on the march, wobbling a bit

 I also wonder if the running game will have enough juice to keep the Packers from going all out on the pass rush. Without Josh Jacobs, the Packers have a similar issue, so this could be a game with a lot of balls in the air. Jordan Love has seen plenty of the Vikings and he's smart enough to anticipate the tricks that Brian Flores will have. Will it be enough? Vikings 27, Packers 24.

 Enjoy your football this weekend. Ben out.

Top 13 Rejected Names for Lake Ontario

13. Lake Luigi

12. Lake Piker

11. Lake Soros

10. Lake Calhoun

9. Lake Learing Center

8. Lake George Floyd

7. Lake Bde Maka Ska 2: Electric Boogaloo

6. Lake ActBlue

5. Lake Ocasio Cortez Titicaca

4. Lake Alliance for a Better Lake Name

3. Lake Robert Byrd Federal Lake

2. Lake Wellstone

1. Lake Laser Pointer

If you want No Kings...

but you love Big Brother, you're fucking useless.

If the people who show up in St. Paul today boo Tim Walz and Keith Ellison off the stage, I'll respect the hell out of them, because then I'll know they're serious. But they won't and they aren't.

Benster and D Pick Your Games---The Super Bowl That Could Have Cost Kwesi Edition

Sam Darnold has proved that last season was no fluke. As it turns out, letting Sam Darnold walk is the worst decision a team has made with a quarterback since the 49ers discarded Alex Smith for Colin Kaepernick. 

At the time, picking Kaepernick didn't seem that bad, grasshopper.

But it was, Old Dude! And it's become clear that the Vikings fired Kwesi Adofo-Mensah in large part because he gave the money that Darnold deserved on multiple bad defensive contracts and gave Justin Jefferson quarterback money and saddled him with JJ McCarthy to throw him the ball. 

I sense a local radio host warming up in the background. Meanwhile, a photo of our protagonist.

That Darnold Cat 

So you went with the obscure 60s Disney movie reference and didn't even explain what the heck you're talking about?

Of course I didn't!

Actually, I preferred the Ugly Dachshund

Stop interrupting my victory lap! I wrote in October 2024 that Sam Darnold should have gotten the chance to continue as the starting quarterback, and his success with the Seahawks not only makes me look smart, but should lead to serious questions about how the Vikings develop quarterbacks and also be a damning indictment about Kevin O'Connell and his ability as a quarterback whisperer. In fact, KOC shouldn't be getting any benefit of the doubt from Vikings fans or the Vikings/NFL media who have given him a pass for this debacle. 

So our host is Nostradamus, and the rest of us are Nostra dumbass?

Well, maybe not that, but I am taking a W for this one. By the way, for the record, I would be saying the same thing had Jordan Love been a bust about Gutey and LaFleur. Meanwhile, I am feeling the HYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYPEEEEEEEEEEEE! and ready to pick some games. Watch me work. 

Seattle Seachickens (-4.5) vs. New England Patriots, in the Bay Area Well, this is a Super Bowl that offers something different similar to the Rams-Bengals tilt. I'm sure that Malcolm Butler's interception will be played a bunch on Sunday, as of course that was the defining play of their previous matchup. The Patriots are a different team from their cheating dynasty past for the most part, and should Sam Darnold get his ring, it would be a deserved ring. The key to the game in my eyes is going to be how well the Patriots are able to shut down the potent Seahawks running game. Both of those things were key deciders two weeks ago, and the Seahawks running game allows Darnold to flourish off play action. In what I think is going to be a fairly low scoring game, should the Seahawks get out to a 10 point lead by the half, I don't think that Drake Maye can get out of that hole. He is a very good quarterback, but he ain't Tom Brady. Seahawks 17, Patriots 14. 

I'll be honest with you - this game does nothing for me. Darnold is the most interesting player in this game and that's what we call damning with faint praise. The Seahawks have surprised me this season and they certainly play defense. The Patriots are a solid operation again, but they don't really have anything that makes you think this is a great team - they merely outlasted a lot of teams that seemed to have bad things happen to them. I tend to believe had Bo Nix been available, the Broncos would have been in this game, but he wasn't. Seahawks are a better team, so they should win. Seattle 27, New England 16.

 A quick reminder, if you are reading this post either tonight or on Saturday of this weekend, I highly recommend going to the Border Battle on February 7th at Hamline University. You will get to see multiple very good high school basketball games between Minnesota and Wisconsin schools. You will be very glad you did. Also, thanks for reading this feature this year, and I'll see you in the fall. For the final time this season, Ben out.

Benster and D Pick Your Games-------Bears 4th Quarter Magic Strikes Again? Edition

Well, the Packers are going to have to find a new defensive coordinator as expected. I thank Jeff Hafley for his hard work the past two years, and totally understand him wanting to run his own ship. See you back at Lambeau next year, and Miami is getting a good one. As for the next defensive coordinator, I'll have a list of potential replacements after the games are picked. 

It should be fun. I'm guessing he might find a quarterback from Green Bay, too, but I'm sure you'll have something about that anon.

 If it happens, I will report! Meanwhile, we have games to address, so... I am feeling the HYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPEEEEEEEE! and ready to pick some games. Watch me work. 

New England Patriots (-4.5) vs. Denver Broncos The Broncos were able to win last week to take the next step, though it must be mentioned that their interception in overtime probably shouldn't have counted. The Bills made enough mistakes to lose on their own merit and the Broncos deserve credit for winning, but that missed call should be acknowledged. As exciting as a Bo Nix duel with Drake Maye would have been, sadly the Broncos are going to have to start Jarrett Stidham. Obviously, Stidham does know New England from his time as a backup, though that was before Mike Vrabel took over. I don't see a Rick Dockery situation happening for the Broncos, but certainly there is going to be a dropoff. The thing is, I like the Broncos because this game is in Denver and the Patriots have relied on their defense to get by, and the Broncos defense is going to have to win this game by holding the Patriots in check. Broncos 27, Patriots 13.

I have no idea who Rick Dockery is, but I would have assumed the Broncos could have called this guy:

Lotsa mountains near Denver, so you want a guy who can throw the ball over them. But enough about fictional characters. The game is real enough. Not convinced the Patriots are that good, but they are well-coached and Drake Maye looks to have a bright future. It could be the future is now. Patriots 17, Broncos 14

Bear Down Chicago Da Bearz Still Suck (+5) vs. Seattle Seachickens I can't believe that the Bears pulled some more BS magic out of their hats when Caleb hit that crazy 4th down pass to set up the Bears winning in overtime on Caleb hitting that deep pass. Soldier Field was rocking when the Bears pulled out the win. Hold on. I am being told that the Bears lost because Caleb was picked in overtime. 

Kinda like this guy?

Misinformed? But that can't be. I was told that this was their year and that I was a salty sore loser Packer fan. Welcome to the playoffs, Bears fans. The story doesn't have a happy ending. Now you know how Packers fans have felt in the past. Thank you Rams, and now we can pick the actual NFC title game. 

Los Angeles Rams (+2.5) vs. Seattle Seachickens The Rams were able to survive the Bears, and get a rubber match against the Seahawks. Sam Darnold didn't cough up a hairball last weekend, mostly because Seattle ran all over the Niners right from the jump. The Rams now have the only proven championship quarterback in Matthew Stafford, who is looking to potentially go out a champion like his buddy Clayton Kershaw did last October. But Seattle is a tough venue to play in, and if the Seahawks jump out early, then the crowd will be fully engaged. However, the Rams have enough of a mix of championship DNA and hungry guys who want a ring to block out the noise and get back to the Super Bowl. And you know that the Niners have to be frustrated that one of their hated rivals will be trying to win a Super Bowl in the Bay Area. Rams 19, Seachickens 0. 

Sneaky important thing about this game - one of the reasons that Sam Darnold has been effective on offense is the two-headed running back attack of Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet. Well, no Charbonnet, who suffered a season-ending injury last week. Can Walker handle the load, or does Darnold need to do more? His history suggests he could cough up that hairball this week, especially against a Rams defense that offers quality edge rushers and rather a lot of exotic looks. I think this is going to be a low scoring game. Ordinarily that means Seattle has the advantage, but not this time. Rams 17, Seahawks 14.

And now, it is time to talk about who I would like the Packers to hire as their next defensive coordinator. This list isn't in any particular order, and I would be pretty happy with anyone. 

Jim Leonhard: He has NFL experience now, and I have a high degree of trust given the success he had developing NFL caliber defenders who I enjoyed watching at Wisconsin. Guys like TJ Edwards, Zack Baun, and Andy Van Ginkel can all thank him in part for how prepared they were to have success at the NFL level. He also has no ties to the current coaching staff, and would be coming back home to the state of Wisconsin. 

Al Harris: Not only does he have a ton of credit in the bank given that he played for the Packers, but has really developed into a very good young coach. Would also weaken the Bears, and would bring some toughness and enthusiasm to the defense. 

Jonathan Gannon: We saw firshand back in October how he was able to have the Cardinals play above their talent. He had a lot of success with the Eagles a couple of years ago, and would have a point to prove. 

Raheem Morris: Has experience working with LaFleur, and I thought he got Aaron Donald playing arguably the best football of his career. That would bode well for Micah, and he would be someone who I think would be a very solid pick. 

Daronte Jones: If you couldn't get Brian Flores, why not get Jones? He has been a key figure in the Vikings defensive success, and would also weaken the Vikings. 

Glenn Schumann: He is the defensive coordinator for the Georgia Bulldogs. Considering that the Packers defense is basically becoming a UGA alumni chapter, getting someone who is considered one of the key reasons why Georgia went from very good to championship level would be an intriguing option. He is very young, but would be someone who could see this as a chance to get to be a head coach given that Kirby Smart has shown no signs of leaving Athens. 

 Enjoy your football this weekend. Also, if you are bored and looking for something to do on Saturday the 7th of Feburary, go to Hamline University and watch the Border Battle. It is an event matching high school basketball teams from Minnesota against Wisconsin. You will be glad that you did, and will get to see some really good matchups and good players. Ben out.

Benster and D Pick Your Games -- It's Time To Have A Serious Conversation About The Packers Edition

No, I'm not bitter at all about what happened last week. 

Well, I am But it's a bitter resignation. Being a Packers fan is a guarantee of life lessons

And yes, I am still here. It's time to have a discussion about the Packers in the wake of the meltdown at Solider Field last weekend. 

Discussion, you say? Or a Very Special Comment?

Read on and find out. But first, we have business to attend to. I am still feeling the HYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! and ready to pick some games. Watch me work. 

Buffalo Bills (+1) vs. Denver Broncos I've certainly been critical of Josh Allen in the past, but last week he showed me how tough he is. Jacksonville is a very good football team, and Allen took matters into his own hands in the fourth quarter to win, with his teammates making a big play on defense. This Bills team is the most experienced team left in the AFC, and you get the sense that they are like a college basketball team that is senior heavy and experienced in March Madness. Denver is a very tough minded team that looks like the Mike Shanahan teams I grew up watching. In particular, I consider RJ Harvey to be one of the most underrated players in the NFL. The thing is, the Broncos still have a pretty young core, and this Bills team feels like they are on a mission. Mile High is a tough environment, but I like the Bills to pull off a win that sets them up nicely to finally break through to the Super Bowl. Nobody Circles The Wagons Like The Buffalo Bills 24, Broncos 17. 

This weekend will have a theme, I think - this is the weekend the nice stories come to an end. With all the injuries the Bills have faced, Josh Allen may have too much to overcome. Denver is not a great team, but they have home field and a nasty defense. As great a magician as Josh Allen can be, he's run out of ladies to saw in half. Denver 27, Buffalo 23.

San Francisco 49ers (+7) vs. Seattle Seachickens As it turns out, Sam Darnold has really made the Vikings front office look questionable for letting him walk. I asked Mrs. D aka Mom if she would have kept Darnold knowing what we know now. She agreed that having an experienced backup would have helped, and that Darnold certainly has a point to prove to the Vikings. The thing is, he has turned up on the injury report and his health is going to be watched closely all night. The Niners certainly have experience and are proven threats, but the problem is that they are running out of bodies. As we saw last week with the Packers, even good coaching can't save you when practice squad guys have to play in positions that they likely weren't going to be in. I don't think Darnold is going to cough up a hairball again, as happened against the Rams last year. Seahawks 35, Niners 14. 

I have to admit - I am very surprised the Niners are still standing at this point. They have had an incredible run of bad injuries to key players. The latest guy to go down in George Kittle, their outstanding tight end and spirit animal. Darnold is likely to cough up a hairball at some point, but I agree, it won't be this week. Seattle 28, San Francisco 24.

Houston Texans (+3) vs. New England Patriots Both teams relied on very good defensive performances and got enough points thanks to their emerging star quarterbacks to get a good win last weekend. As someone who pays little attention to the Titans, it seems clear that Mike Vrabel wasn't the issue in Nashville, and because the Titans aren't good outside of their social media team, New England had an opportunity and wisely hired him and allowed him to build another good team; Vrabel obviously learned how to win in New England and his success as a player for the Patriots has spread to his coaching in Foxborough. The Texans have a great defense that travels very well, and are looking to break through to play in their first ever conference title game. I think that this game is going to be a lot of fun to watch. I feel like this is Houston's time and I've always liked CJ Stroud, even though I am no Buckeye fan. Texans 21, Patriots 20. 

This is the one game that doesn't involve a cute story - these are merciless teams with talent and resolve. The Texans are offensively challenged, but their defense is top-notch and they are not without weapons. I think the Patriots are actually a year ahead of schedule; they have the look of another multi-year contender, but while Drake Maye looks the part, I'm not sure he's seen a defense like the Texans yet. This one is tough to pick. I actually like the Texans more, but to keep it interesting... New England 21, Houston 20.

Los Angeles Rams (-4) vs. Bear Down Chicago Da Bearz Still Suck As much as it pains me to say it given my obvious biases, the Bears did what they had to do last weekend, and the Bears fans who dealt with all of the jokes over the past decade or so do get to serve us some tasty crow. Here is the thing though -- the Bears remind me a lot of the 2014 Florida State football team. If you remember, the Noles went undefeated in the regular season and had won a bunch of games under improbable circumstances via second half comebacks and magic plays by Jameis Winston. I remember distinctly, while attending the Rose Bowl between Florida State and Oregon in 2015 (we had the good fortune to be there) thinking that the Noles were very much alive despite being down at the half in what had been a pretty solid game. But then Oregon came out and laid the hammer down brutally that afternoon in Pasadena. It is a fair question how much magic the Bears have, because eventually you can't come back every week from a subpar first half. The weather is going to be cold and snowy on Sunday night in Chicago, but Matthew Stafford has played in cold weather before and the Rams are a team that seems like they want to spoil the party in Chicago. And to quote Mark Dantonio, pride comes before the fall Bears. Rams House 31, Bears Still Suck 0. 

The Bears are vampires. Sean McVay is Van Helsing. It's become clear that Caleb Williams is a magician of the first rank - some of the throws he made to beat the Packers were nothing less than astonishing. Even though I hate 'em, the Bears are a cute, nice story. The problem they have this week is they don't have an answer for Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. They had trouble dealing with the Packers receivers and the challenge this week is far greater. On offense, Williams will have more trouble with the Rams, who have a better assortment of pass rushers than the Packers could muster without Micah Parsons on the field. The formula for a Bears win would be to run the ball down the throat of the Rams and to keep Matthew Stafford and his crew off the field. I don't think they'll be able to do that. And the league is already getting tired of Ben Johnson's shtick. Los Angeles 34, Chicago 20.

Miami Hurricanes (+8) vs. Indiana Hoosiers, in Miami. If you would have told me that Indiana football would play for a national title sooner than Indiana basketball, I would have called you insane. The Hoosiers have steamrolled both of their playoff opponents, and are getting ready to play a Miami team that has all of the bandwagon fans who were nowhere to be seen 5 years ago coming out of the woodwork. Miami is currently high on my list because of the Xavier Lucas affair where Miami induced him to transfer despite having signed a contract with the Badgers and not entering the transfer portal. As of this writing, the lawsuit is still pending. The good news is that this game is SEC free yet again, which I appreciate so much. As it turns out, the most important position in the SEC is the bagman. With NIL, the bagman doesn't exist in that form anymore. Even though the U gets to play in their own building, this Indiana team is ready to be the third different Big Ten school to win a title in a row, and the first one that isn't a traditional power. Google Them, They Win 24, 7th Floor Crew In Shambles 17.

Arms akimbo and kicking butt

Miami has been impressive in their run to the finals, but Indiana has been otherworldly. The emerging formula for college athletics in the NIL era seems to be if you want to be fun, you hire 5 star high school players, but if you want to contend for championships, you bring in battle-tested transfers. That's how Indiana has been doing this - their players are not as athletically gifted as their opponents, but they are grown-ass men and they cuff around the talented kids. Miami has some of both - I think their quarterback Carson Beck is closer to 30 than 20. While the Hoosiers have been nothing short of astonishing all season, they are not a nice story. They are on a mission, though, and I fully expect them to complete the mission.. Indiana 34, Miami 16.

And now, it is time for A Very Special Comment. The Packers really have to do some soul searching. When I consider what happened on Saturday to be as bad as the Seattle meltdown of 2014, that is when you should know that you done messed up. We just gave the Bears hope and momentum, and lost control of the rivalry. 

Not what you want.

Not at all, old dude! The bottom line for me is that there are 3 simple things that the Packers need to do right now to show that they understand what is going on. 

• Special teams needs an overhaul. I can't believe that I am saying this again, but it is time for a rethink. Rich Bisaccia is getting paid a ton of money, but he left at least 7 points on the board and almost had another disaster on the kickoff that Jacobs almost fumbled. Brandon McManus looks past his prime, and he cost the team at least 4 games. He didn't convert kicks that were key in the losses to the Bears, Panthers, Browns, and Eagles. I realize that I was spoiled by having Mason Crosby around for years to be clutch, but at some point this organization needs to take a serious look at getting guys in for special teams. Even being above league average would be much better. I expect this to be a key decision. 
• Matt Lafleur's fate is unknown as of this time in regards to being a lame duck coach, but he lost me. You knew well after the first meltdown at Solider Field that playing not to lose and letting your foot off the gas was a mistake. Well, the first few drives in the second half were plodding and playing to lose. The Packers let the crowd back into the game, and it's been the same themes for the past couple of years. After the game, it was yet more of "I need to be better" and the usual excuses. Matt, you aren't a young first time head coach anymore.
• It is time for some serious changes in the coaching staff. With Jeff Hafley likely being gone to take a head coaching job, it wouldn't surprise me if Lafleur is being told that getting some coordinators who aren't intternal hires. There needs to be some serious questions asked about if Lafleur is growing too stale. Considering that Mike Tomlin and John Harbaugh ended up moving on after accusations of being stale by Steelers and Ravens fans, it is a fair question. 

Ed Policy has shown himself to be more aggressive as the team president. I get the sense that he does want to be stable but also gets that the fanbase expects to win. Call it arrogance and being demanding, but Packers fans my age expect to win, and it has been 15 years since the Lombardi trophy has been back home. I don't think that the Micah Parsons trade would have happened under Murphy, and Policy is going to try very hard to get this team to be more bold in pursuit of championships. The thing is, the Packer way of getting rid of players a year too early needs to apply to coaches and executives as well. It wouldn't surprise me if Policy wants to bring in someone that he wants as a coach. How Lafleur's contract discussions are going will provide a huge sign of how aggressive the Packers are going to be. 

Enjoy your football this weekend. Ben out.

Benster and D Pick Your Games -- So We Get Round 3 Edition

So the Packers get the chance to go back to Solider Field and get the rubber match. 

Bring it on.

 Meanwhile, the SEC is going to be out of the national title game again for the third straight year. You really do hate to see it. By the time this post goes up, will Miami get to play Oregon or Indiana? 

Here's a hint:

So, at least Dan Lanning can't go back there.

He may need to Google that Sadly, I was not able to regain my crown in fantasy football because despite having another good week, my opponent decided to drop 140 points. I know that nobody cares about my fantasy team, but this is the second year in a row I have lost the title game. 

No, that's okay, I care. I care deeply. Really, I do.

Sarcasm does not become you, Geritol Fan! I am feeling the HYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYPPPPPPEEEEEE! and ready to pick some games. Watch me work.

 Los Angeles Rams (-10.5) vs. Carolina Panthers I'll be honest when I say that the Panthers have been one of the biggest surprises of the year. They have had a lot of turmoil, but all of a sudden they were able to win the bad NFC South and get the reward of playing a Rams team that lost that epic Thursday nighter in Seattle. The Rams have rebounded nicely after paying the price for their all in title win, and probably don't appreciate going across the country on a short week. If you remember, the Panthers won their earlier matchup. I believe that the Panthers are going to play their usual tough game to get the Rams into the mosh pit. But while Carolina is going to be determined, I believe that the Rams will gut out a tough win. Rams 21, Panthers 19. 

Carolina is sneaky good, but I suspect the Rams might be the best team in the NFC and they will handle business tomorrow afternoon. Rams 34, Panthers 17.

Glorious Green Bay Packers (-1.5) vs. Bear Down Chicago Da Bearz Still Suck So we all know what happened a couple of weeks ago at Soldier Field, and how both games between these two have been arguably been the game of the year. I was in favor of the Packers resting players because they have been too banged up in a similar fashion to 2016 where they had to chuck fringe NFL/UFL type guys to guard Julio Jones straight up. For Jordan Love and Caleb Williams, this is the game that they are going to be judged on. If you remember the 2010 NFC title game between these two teams, Jay Cutler's reputation never recovered from the unfair criticism he got that day. A Bears win won't fully erase that playoff loss, but this is a game that both Love and Williams can't lose. This Packer core that will play for the most part is the same as the one that made history two years ago against Dallas, and I like history repeating itself. Also, the Packers should have Jordan Love healthy for the entire game this time and the Bears can't keep relying on 4th quarter magic to bail them out of trouble again. Packers 21, Bears Still Suck 14.

The Bears themselves have been pretty quiet this week, but man, their fans have been insufferable. Perhaps the Packers have too many injuries, but I think they'll do well. The key guy is going to be Christian Watson. If he goes off, and I'm guessing he does, the Packers will move on. Packers 28, Bears 20.

Buffalo Bills (-1) vs. Jacksonville Jaguars While I personally think that Dave Canales should get Coach of the Year, Liam Cohen has also done a fantastic job. The Jaguars really have looked impressive, and in an AFC that is wide open given that the boogeyman of the AFC is at home they have a great chance. The problem is that Buffalo is experienced and is a team that is ready to take the next step. Josh Allen is at a point similar to Peyton Manning was in 2006. Allen has been brilliant and has revived the Bills, but hasn't been able to win the big one to this point in his career. With the Chiefs not being in the playoffs, this is a great chance for Allen to finally break through and win the ring that will silence all of the narratives forever. So while Jacksonville is a team that I like, Buffalo will use their experience to get this done. Nobody Circles The Wagons Like the Buffalo Bills 45, Jags 23. 

I think Jacksonville is, top to bottom, a better team. Buffalo has to go on the road and that will complicate matters further. While, I agree, nobody circles the wagons and all that, I'm thinking this one is where the Jags are overduuuuuuuuuuuuval. See, I can extend words, too! Jaguars 28, Bills 24.

San Francisco 49ers (+6) vs. Philadelphia Eagles Long time readers know that I am not a huge fan of Kyle Shanahan. I consider him a coach that while talented, is a coach who has not gotten it done for the Niners, despite having a loaded roster with Purdy on a cheap deal. This clearly has nothing to do with the Niners knocking out the Packers in the playoffs multiple times in the recent past, don't let that get in the way of this narrative. As for the Eagles, they somehow seem incapable of going a week without getting questioned despite being proven champions. This game is going to be a tough one, as the Niners lost their easy path to staying home all playoffs long after losing to the Seahawks last week. I like the Eagles to figure things out and finally let Jalen Hurts and their wideouts take them home. Eagles 35, Whiners 23. 

To be fair...

the 49ers have had some awful injuries, in some ways similar to what the Packers have gone through this season, and maybe worse. Philly is not the same team as last year, but they did not collapse down the stretch the way they did a few years back after winning a Super Bowl. I do believe they could return this year. To do that, they need to win this weekend And I believe they will. Eagles 27, Niners 19.

Los Angeles Chargers (+3.5) vs. New England Patriots The Patriots did the proper thing when Mike Vrabel was stupidly let go by the Titans and brought him back to New England to rekindle some of that old school vibes. These Patriots aren't as hated as the Cheatriots of old, and the only strike against Drake Maye in my book is helping Phil Longo get enough credibility to get a job with the Badgers. The Chargers are stuck in the cycle of good enough to make the playoffs but not do anything. With the AFC being wide open, New England should like their chances, but I like the Chargers to break through. Even though Jim Harbaugh can't win on a level playing field. Chargers 11, Patriots 8. 

Vrabel vs. Harbaugh is a fair fight. The Chargers are pretty good. The Patriots are better. Patriots 24, Chargers 16.

Houston Texans (-3) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers Somehow, the Texans are not playing in the Saturday afternoon playoff game? Is nothing sacred in this world? The Steelers won their division last weekend on a crazy end of game sequence and I firmly believe that had the Ravens made that kick that Mike Tomlin would have been looking for work like John Harbaugh. It is nice to see Aaron back in the playoffs for the first time since he melted down in 2021 against the Niners. The Steelers haven't advanced in the playoffs since 2016 and that has been a big issue that the Yinzers have had with Tomlin. If Aaron can summon some of his old magic and the Steelers get enough splash plays from their highly paid defense, then I like the Steelers to win. Steelers 37, Texans 20. 

I hope this isn't the end for Aaron Rodgers, but I fear it will be. The Texans are a nasty group and while Rodgers is wily and will have DK Metcalf back, I think it's going to be too high a hill to climb. Texans 24, Steelers 13.

Enjoy your football this weekend. Ben out.

Benster and D Pick Your Games -- Do You Want Round 3 Or The Eagles Edition

So as a quick disclaimer, I saw very little of both the Packers and Vikings because we were out of town last weekend. 

Yep, and we saw stuff like this:

Shoot your shot in Fort Smith, Arkansas

And in the case of the Packers, that probably was for the best as Derrick Henry is probably still running through the defense. 

As for the question in the title, because a trip to Chicago or a trip to Philadelphia would both would give the Packers a chance for revenge. Winning a potential round 3 against the Bears would mean that the Packers would once again win a huge game in the context of the rivalry, in da Bearz house. Also going into Philly would get the taste of last year out of their mouths. 

The taste of a cheesesteak marinated in bile.

Not good eatin', to be sure Either result would be fine with me. 

I would prefer a trip to Chicago, because historically we don't get to break out the Happy Schnapps Combo when the Packers beat the Eagles, but your mileage may vary.

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

Glorious Green Bay Packers (+9.5) vs. Minnesota Vikings Quite honestly, I have no issues with resting the starters against the Vikings. They have nothing to gain by winning, and given how this team resembles a walking hospital unit at this point, I have no problem turning things over to Clayton Tune with a week of prep and having Desmond Ridder serve as the backup. My issue with the Packers last week was that knowing that Lamar Jackson was going to be out, I would have thrown everything into stopping the run game and forcing the Ravens to win by passing down the field. To not do it was a bad coaching decision. The Vikings aren't playing for jobs, but this offseason is going to have a lot of interesting questions. I think that KOC is pretty safe, but it wouldn't surprise me if the front office gets a shakeup and the Vikings might move a couple of big pieces because they have locked themselves into a team that is near the top of the cap and could see Flores get a second shot at a head coaching gig. As for the Packers, if they can find a pass rush like they did back in November, they can beat JJ McCarthy and go into either Philadelphia or Chicago with some momentum. Packers 18, Vikings 17. 

That 9.5 line is a sucker bet. Do we assume the Vikings can score 10 points? They've had trouble scoring no matter who plays quarterback. I think McCarthy will want to prove a point, but I'm not convinced he can. This could be a really bad football game. Packers 16, Vikings 9.

Detroit LOLions (+3) vs. Bear Down Chicago Da Bearz Still Suck So the Bears got a huge assist from the Eagles, who will likely resting players, and are likely going to want to get the chance of a home game in the divisional round. The thing is, Dan Campbell is the type of coach who is going to want to make things tough on the Bears and his old understudy, Ben Johnson. I figure that the Bears are going to play their starters for a good chunk of the game, and are hoping that they can get through this game healthy. Jared Goff had an epic meltdown last week with his decision to hand out a bunch of gifts at US Bank Stadium. Thankfully, his performance didn't cost my fantasy team in our bid to win a second title in three years and also make the title game for a third straight year. You love to see it. LOLions 26, Bears Still Suck 15. 

This game has bad karma written all over it for the Bears. The Lions played terribly last week and they will not want to end their season in last place, which would be the result of a loss. The Bears need to be careful here. Lions 28, Bears 24.

 Enjoy your football this weekend. It's almost certain you probably will enjoy it more than the SEC and their enablers Paul Finebaum and Clay Travis. Ben out.

Benster and D Pick Your Games -- What In The Actual?, Part Two Edition

And just when you thought that events in Denver were bad, the Packers find another way to suffer a brutal loss. What in the actual heck happened at Soldier Field? Because this is a family blog post, I can't say what I wanted to say here without turning this into an R rated post. 

Da Bears wear blue and the Packers have you working blue.

Benster would prefer to avoid the Lenny Bruce treatment

Lenny Bruce is not afraid, but I am trying to maintain a level of decorum here. That's what comes with maturity. Or so I've been told.

Ach, maturity is overrated.

I realize it's been a lifelong struggle for you, Geritol Fan! But fear not, there is hope on the horizon. This is going up early because we are going to be on assignment, just so you know. I am feeling the HYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPEEEEEEE! and ready to pick some games. Watch me work. 

New Mexico Lobos (+1.5) vs. Minnesota Golden Elite Rowers of the Boat, in Phoenix The Gophers had another solid season and as a reward get to spend Christmas in Arizona playing against New Mexico in a bowl game sponsored by a company that has money to burn on sponsoring a bowl game. New Mexico is more of a hoops school, but Badger alum Jason Eck has done a very good job down there in getting his team to just miss out on a Mountain West title game appearance due to tiebreakers. With the top of the Mountain West leaving to reboot the Pac 12, New Mexico should fare better in a weakened Mountain West. The Gophers are going to have plenty of fans because it's an easy flight down to Arizona and they should be very confident. I'm certainly not a PJ fan as longtime readers know, but to his credit the guy has won every single bowl game he has played in as the Gopher coach. I like the Gophers to win because Big Ten teams should beat Mountain West teams. Row Row Row Your Boat Elitely 31, Lobos 0. 

Not a fan of Peej, but give the devil his due. He's good at this. Gophers 24, Lobos 13.

Detroit LOLions (-7.5) vs. Minnesota Vikings The Lions came up short last week against the Steelers because they got caught pushing off in front of an official, but of course that didn't stop Lions fans from blaming the refs. If the Lions lose, they are out of the playoffs and the Packers will get in. The Vikings had a nice win against the Giants out in Jersey but will not have JJ McCarthy because he hit his hand hard against a helmet. Max Bromser looked fine in relief, and he should perform better at home against a Lions team that is banged up and is very short at the back end defensively. While the Lions are going to be game, something tells me that Brosmer is going to play a lot better and get a nice win to give Vikings fans some holiday cheer. Vikings 24, LOLions Gonna LOLions 10. 

Lions gotta have this, so they'll come out hot. Max Brosmer hasn't shown much to this point, so I have to pick the desperate team on the road in this instance. Lions 34, Vikings 17.

Baltimore Ravens (+3) vs. Glorious Green Bay Packers Well, this game could look radically different depending on quarterback injuries. As much as my fellow Packers fans want to blame Romeo Doubs for muffing the onside kick or Jordan Love getting concussed, the bottom line is that the Packers left points in the red zone too much, and it came back to bite them in the butt once again. It looks like Love and/or Malik Willis could play, and Lamar Jackson is fighting a back injury that has him in danger of not playing as of this writing. Again, I don't know how healthy each team is going to be at the QB spot as of right now. The Ravens need to win to keep their faint playoff hopes alive, and the Packers just need to win either Saturday night or next week assuming the Lions do win on Christmas. Also, what was John Harbaugh thinking not leaving Derrick Henry on the sidelines last week against the Patriots? That was as dumb as the Colts taking JT out of the game and screwing over a lot of fantasy football owners. The Packers should win and get in so that way they can get a badly needed rest week. Packers 28, Ravens 21. 

I'd heard about the fantasy owner issue. I have no idea what to think about the Ravens at this point. They are a talented team, but they have been mostly rudderless all season and while Tyler Huntley is a competent backup, I don't see them being able to score much, as Jeff Hafley will have something planned for Derrick Henry. I do agree the Packers left too many points off the board last week and it absolutely bit them in the end, but hey, it's made a lot of moronic Bears fans happy, and goodness knows they need a little enjoyment after 40 years of futility. Packers 31, Ravens 16.

Enjoy your football this weekend, and have a merry Christmas. Ben out.