Benster and D Pick Your Games----Greg Olsen Owes Jordan A Turkey Leg Edition

 As much as I like Greg Olsen, not giving Jordan a turkey leg a year ago after manhandling that turkey was not a good move. NBC, please give Jordan a turkey leg. 

Don't know that NBC will have a turkey. Maybe a turducken.

And for some reason the Axe game is on Black Friday. That is not our tradition, but money talks. 

It sure does. And since the student section will be home for Thanksgiving, bet it won't be much help, either, for a team that definitely needs help.

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

Miami Tuna Net Victims (+3.5) vs. Glorious Green Bay Packers Obviously the Packer haters will say that they only beat the Niners because of the injuries, but it was still a good win. Being in third place in the NFC North at 803 is an insane stat, but such is life. The danger with Miami is that Tua has a lot of very quick and speedy guys facing a banged up secondary. The good news is that this game is at Lambeau in the cold, and Tua struggles in said cold weather.  This won't be easy, but the Packers should win. Packers 28, Tuna Net Victims 24.

I like the Packers in this one, too, although not having Jaire Alexander is a problem. The thing the Dolphins have done this year is to keep Tua upright by making very quick throws. Tyreek Hill can kill you on a deep ball, but because they don't trust their offensive line, Hill is getting the ball on short throws. He's world-class fast, but he's not really a slot receiver, so it's only worked to an extent. I wouldn't be surprised if this is a high scoring game. Packers 38, Dolphins 28.

Minnesota Golden Elite Rowers of the Boat (+1.5) vs. Beloved Wisconsin Badgers So, the bowl streak comes down to one game against the Gophers. What happened in Lincoln last week was a terrible performance by the Badgers. It looked like they expected Nebraska to roll over and die for them. Well, they didn't. The Gophers on the other hand fought Penn State until the end, but the Lions made enough plays to get out of there, and the decision by PJ to kick a field goal instead of be more aggressive certainly raised eyebrows around these parts. The good news for Wisconsin is that this game is at home, and if the Badgers can jump on Minnesota to force PJ to pass the ball, then they have a chance. Thankfully, I am a delusional homer. Badgers 31, Row Row Row Your Boat Elitely 0.

I hate doing this, because P.J. Fleck is a singularly annoying individual and my preference would be for him to get his nose rubbed in it every week, but based on the available evidence I don't think the Badgers are good enough to win on Friday. I really, really, really want to be wrong about this, but... Gophers 24, Badgers 16.

Arizona Cardinals (+3.5) vs. Minnesota Vikings Well, the Vikings narrowly avoided disaster thanks to Sam Darnold and his high end receiving talent bailing the special teams and defense out of trouble against the Bears at Solider Field. Arizona is a team that is in contention in the NFC West somehow, and is going to play hard. The Vikings shouldn't be in a close one. But remember, these are the Vikings that we are talking about. As much as the Viking Kool-Aid salesmen at KFAN like to hype them up, there is always a game in which they cough up a hairball. This Sunday is going to be the day. Nate Poole 31, Vikings 14.

Oh, I think the Cardinals could beat the Vikings - they are actually rounding into a fairly good football team and they have a better than 50/50 chance of winning the NFC West. But the Vikings understand what the assignment is and if they can keep Kyler Murray in the pocket, they'll win. The thing to watch - how do the Vikings replace Ivan Pace, who is not going to be available for multiple weeks due to injury. Vikings 28, Cardinals 20.

If your relatives want to start political arguments tomorrow, watch some football. You will thank me later. Enjoy your football this Thanksgiving. Ben out. 

Benster and D Pick Your Games-----Phil Longo Is Finally Gone Edition

 I am so glad that the Badgers fired Longo. He is one of the worst assistant coaches I have ever seen one of my teams hire, and I hope that the Badgers can hire someone competent. The bar is very low. We will talk about that later. 

Not sure why it didn't work; his credentials were good, but there seemed to be a mismatch of approach and available talent. Now we'll see what happens next. There are some attractive options out there.

Meanwhile, the Niners are coming into Lambeau banged up. Should be an interesting one.

No Purdy, no Bosa? That does change the calculus a bit.

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

Penn State Nittany Lions (-11.5) vs. Minnesota Golden Elite Rowers of the Boat Penn State is looking pretty good to get into the playoff, especially considering that the SEC is a complete mess outside of Texas. The Gophers have been looking good, but Penn State is going to be a tough out. If PJ can get to an early lead and play his style of ball, then the Gophers have a chance. But it is going to be a hard one. Even the most delusional Gopher fans would admit that. Nittany Lions 24, Row Row Row Your Boat Elitely 10.

Having seen Penn State a few times, there's no disputing their talent, but I really don't believe James Franklin is a guy who can win the big game consistently. Fortunately for him, he doesn't have to do that this week. Penn State 28, Gophers 20.

Beloved Wisconsin Badgers (+1.5) vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers You can't blame the defense for what happened last week, as they held Oregon in check. But 13 points from the offense was never going to win this game. At this point, why not start someone other than Locke? You have nothing to lose this week. Nebraska is looking better, but they also need a win to get to a bowl game. You don't want the bowl streak to come down to the Axe game. I want the Badgers to run the ball more, and frankly anyone besides Longo is an improvement to the offense by default. Oh, and if Nebraska wants to promise a win, you better deliver on it. Badgers 31, Nebraska 14.

Promises, promises. Raiola the freshman quarterback may have written a check he can't cash. Badgers have to have this one, and I think they will get it as well. Badgers 23, Nebraska 21.

Indiana Hoosiers (+10.5) vs. A School In Columbus I've been impressed with Indiana. They are a tough team, very well coached, and it's very rare that there is more optimism in Bloomington for the football team compared to the men's hoops team. Ohio State is going to be at home, but this is the toughest test they will have since the Oregon game back in October. You might remember that in 2020, Indiana got screwed over by the Big Ten office changing the rules for the conference title, thus giving rise to the Curse of the 6 Game Minimum. The football gods don't forget. I look forward to seeing that wrong be righted this weekend. Windiana 35, #NotMy2020BigTenChampions 21. 

Indiana has been a great story and I have been impressed with what they can do on the field. Tough minded, veteran bunch. Ohio State is another level, though. Ohio State 34, Indiana 25.

Minnesota Vikings (-3) vs. Bear Down Chicago Da Bearz Still Suck Remember when Bears fans thought that they were finally going to get the Packers? Karl Brooks ended up ripping the heart out of Solider Field. Also, the Bears are sore losers. If they want to complain about leverage, then I am sure that they will admit that Caleb flopped to get a late hit or that the Bears got away with multiple holds all day, or that Swift left early on their last drive. But any mention of that is a felony offense in Cook County. Because I was watching the Packers, I only saw like 2 minutes of the Vikings game, and they ended up winning on their own merits as well as the Titans extending drives due to too many bad 3 down penalties.  The Vikings should win this game, as the Bears won't be able to use the element of surprise with their offense on them. Vikings 32, Bears Still Suck 13.

This is the type of game the Vikings would historically lose. But not this time. My guess is the Packers beat the Bears twice because they will still be fuming over last week and thus will not be mentally ready for the Purple. Will be interested to see how Caleb Williams reacts to the weird stuff that Flores will throw at him, too. Vikings 24, Bears 17.

San Francisco 49ers (+5.5) vs. Glorious Green Bay Packers Just a note for the Packer haters that can't be refuted. Yes, the Packers have struggled in the postseason against the Niners. But the Packers have won the last two times they have played in the regular season, and both of those games were played out there. The Packers have had another close escape, and are going to get a break thanks to no Bosa or Purdy. Getting the head to head over the Niners would be good, as they are going to be desperate to get their ring before some tough questions are going to be answered this offseason. This won't be easy, but a comfortable win would be appreciated. Packers 27, Niners 10.

The 49ers will still have a lot of talent, but Brandon Allen is not going to lead a team to victory in Lambeau. Love has time without Bosa in his grill and he'll have a big game. Packers 31, 49ers 20.

And now, it is time for a list of people I would like the Badgers to hire to replace Longo. This list is in particular order.

Brian Hartline: Co Offensive Coordinator at Ohio State. With Chip Kelly having the offensive play calling duties this year, it wouldn't surprise me to see Hartline leave. Would be an elite recruiter, and has helped develop NFL talent. Would require a huge offer, but you have to make the call.

Tee Martin: QB coach for the Ravens. Has had experience in the college ranks, and has NFL ties. Helped develop Matt Barkley and Sam Darnold at USC. 

Tom Herman: Just fired at FAU. Coached with Fickell at Ohio State, and has a point to prove. Seems like a better coordinator than a head coach, given how his time at Texas and FAU ended. 

Andy Kotelnicki: Offensive Coordinator at Penn State. Would be a reach, but knows the conference. Has been a key part in why the Nittany Lions are so good offensively. And could tempt Penn State's backup QB to come with him. 

Dan Mullen: Analyst at ESPN. While he has been out of the game for a few years, he is a proven QB whisperer. Helped develop Alex Smith, Tim Tebow, and Dak among others. 

Gino Guidugli: QB coach at Notre Dame. Coached with Fickell in the past, and has had success with the Irish quarterbacks. Helped develop Ridder, and has ties to the Midwest.

Jason Eck: Head Coach at Idaho. An alum, and has done a good job at the FCS level.

Junior Adams: Co Offensive Coordinator and Wide Receivers Coach at Oregon. Has a very good track record in developing wideouts like Puca, Cooper Kupp, and Rome Odunze. Could see this as a promotion as being the sole OC, and has helped develop Nix and Gabriel given that Lanning is a defensive minded coach. 

Good list. If I were to guess, I'd think Herman is the likeliest choice. He's got history with Fickell and he's a very good offensive mind. Will be interested to see what happens.

That's the list. Enjoy your football this week. Ben out. 

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.