Bokolis wound up on the wrong side of a pair of results on last week's games. It worked out to a 1-3 week, 3-5 for the playoffs. While it would ordinarily be embarrassing, it reflects that I probably wouldn't have gone near any of the Saturday games, and probably would've backed away from the Saints after having sent it in on the Patriots.
Bokolis waffled back and forth on the Colts-Chiefs, so I can throw away the result. The Colts went outside after being inside. If there was a chance that they'd challenge the Chiefs' mettle, it ended with Vinatieri hitting the upright.
Cowboys-Rams came down to a couple of fourth down plays. The Rams converted, the Cowboys didn't. Aikman says the Rams got away with a blatant hold...womp womp. Why didn't Dallas hold?
After seeing what the elements did to the Colts, Bokolis would've sent it in heavy on the Patriots. I don't care what the Chargers did on east coast trips this year, whether going east or west, no way can you make trips on consecutive weeks and expect to fire.
The Saints fell out of bed, but managed to grind out a victory after spotting the Eagles 14 points. They did it playing conservatively, then repeatedly throwing for first downs on 3rd and long. When it was time to cover, Payton went into Herm Edwards mode, calling odd plays and depending on a long field goal to ice the game. The field goal to cover the spread pushed to the right, and the Saints were ultimately bailed out by...oh dear
The good news is that Bokolis drank more liquor in a 30-hour period Friday into Saturday than I've had in about the last three years combined. I didn't kill anybody, either- yay for me!
SAINTS (-3) over Rams - Last week's performance might make someone think that the Saints are vulnerable. Bokolis saw a team playing close to the vest because they were down 14 early and, even though they were down 14, they decided they wouldn't have to score that much to win. Also lost in the fuss was that, after that flurry, the Saints shut out the Eagles for the rest of the game.
On the flip, the chatter is about the Rams having two backs run for over a 100 yards against an allegedly good Cowboys defense. I think that was more about a bad game plan and that it will be overvalued for this game. Belief in the Saints probably necessitates buying a half-point.
Patriots (+3) over Chiefs - Bokolis has been telling Jets fans for over 20 years that because they won a rigged super bowl, they will not get to another one until all other teams get to one. While they look at me like I am crazy, I then pause for effect and say, them and the Chiefs. Then, it sinks in. I am fully prepared to change the narrative when faced with the cognitive dissonance of the Chiefs winning, but I am married to my banter. So, I have to forestall the changing of the guard and rely on some stat that says QBs in the playoffs for the first year are 0-9 vs Brady in the playoffs. Actually, that sounds like a really stupid stat, doesn't it? I'm just going to believe the Patriots know the way home, and that Andy Reid simply got rerouted last week on his way to the crapper.
Sunday, January 20, 2019
Friday, January 11, 2019
Rugby for fairies...divisional round 2018 postseason
Bokolis is glad to be done with the wild card round. Allegedly, we've dumped all the crap teams- and the Seahawks- and are ready for the proper playoff teams to play. After a ho-hum 2-2, I welcome the divisional round and am keen to atone for last year's whiff.
Okay, keen may be too strong of a word. Bokolis has to show the flag on Saturday, so the best I will do is peek in on those games.
There is declining momentum on the Chiefs. Even with home field, Bokolis can't imagine the Chiefs getting it right twice. This, of course, points towards the Patriots, after a unremarkable regular season, getting it in gear and progressing to yet another Super Bowl.
Home field, however, figures to play a big part for the Saints.
The games line up in increasing order of conviction. In the old days, when I just had to bet them all, Bokolis would keep doubling up until I hit.
Colts (+5) over CHIEFS - As stated, Bokolis doesn't know what to make of the Colts. I'd have to trust them outside. The other side is that Mahomes is going to have to show me {nudge} he can perform when it matters, and Andy Reid is going to have to avoid cocking-up another playoff game. Even if the Chiefs prove better, Reid will find some way to keep the Colts hanging around.
Cowboys (+7) over RAMS - Considering that the place will be at least half Cowboys fans, seven is a lot to lay. Bokolis thinks the Rams will be tight, and that the Cowboys will keep it close enough.
PATRIOTS (-4) over Chargers - All those away wins notwithstanding, Bokolis does not see how Rivers, after all those losses, will be able to finally win one against Brady. I think the back-to-back trips across country will get them this time.
SAINTS (-8) over Eagles - Bokolis is going to blindly jump on the idea that no one can keep up with the Saints in the dome. If the Eagles are going to drop the crown, it should be against a team better than they are. Accordingly, the Saints are going to have to piss this away for the Eagles to keep up.
Okay, keen may be too strong of a word. Bokolis has to show the flag on Saturday, so the best I will do is peek in on those games.
There is declining momentum on the Chiefs. Even with home field, Bokolis can't imagine the Chiefs getting it right twice. This, of course, points towards the Patriots, after a unremarkable regular season, getting it in gear and progressing to yet another Super Bowl.
Home field, however, figures to play a big part for the Saints.
The games line up in increasing order of conviction. In the old days, when I just had to bet them all, Bokolis would keep doubling up until I hit.
Colts (+5) over CHIEFS - As stated, Bokolis doesn't know what to make of the Colts. I'd have to trust them outside. The other side is that Mahomes is going to have to show me {nudge} he can perform when it matters, and Andy Reid is going to have to avoid cocking-up another playoff game. Even if the Chiefs prove better, Reid will find some way to keep the Colts hanging around.
Cowboys (+7) over RAMS - Considering that the place will be at least half Cowboys fans, seven is a lot to lay. Bokolis thinks the Rams will be tight, and that the Cowboys will keep it close enough.
PATRIOTS (-4) over Chargers - All those away wins notwithstanding, Bokolis does not see how Rivers, after all those losses, will be able to finally win one against Brady. I think the back-to-back trips across country will get them this time.
SAINTS (-8) over Eagles - Bokolis is going to blindly jump on the idea that no one can keep up with the Saints in the dome. If the Eagles are going to drop the crown, it should be against a team better than they are. Accordingly, the Saints are going to have to piss this away for the Eagles to keep up.
Sunday, January 6, 2019
wild card post mortem...who knew QBs and kickers
Despite saddling myself with two not-ready-for-primetime QBs, with the aid of a quirky back-door cover, Bokolis managed a split of the wildcard weekend.
In retrospect, the smartest money was on the Colts. It would've taken some balls to take the Chargers, and Bokolis could not grow them enough to take the bolts. My balls were up on the table for the Eagles- this is what I knew.
Who could know that a couple of inexperienced QBs could stink up the joint in their first time in the lights? The Texans and Ravens QBs were so awful that Bokolis will pull a Parcells and refuse to mention them by name.
Bokolis will focus on the Ravens, as I watched that disaster. It was painfully obvious that the QB did not know where to throw the ball. He would look at his first option, see it covered, and break it down in a panic. It is quite likely that his first option was covered because the Ravens built a dumbed-down playbook to accommodate the QB, which the Chargers, in turn, were able to easily decipher the second time around. If I noticed this by the second series, anyone who had watched this team for any length of time this year must have surely known this. The paid professionals must've been licking their chops. The late, futile attempt at Tebow Time notwithstanding, that Harbaugh-B left this guy in to start the second half was done either by a coach who knew he was done after the season and couldn't wait to get the hell out of there, or on orders by management to not pull the QB. You have to figure Harbaugh-B is out of there.
As an aside, boy, did they butcher those calls around the Chargers TD. After the Chargers were not awarded a TD on a play where the ball broke the plane of the goal line before contact- the ball was actually marked about 26 inches from the goal line- the Chargers were then awarded a touchdown when not only was the runner down short of the goal line (given that he had to gain 26 inches), he seemingly fumbled before he was down, and that ball was picked up and taken 100 yards the other way for a would-be touchdown. The officials had blown the play dead, which nullified the return, and delivered a cop-out of a replay ruling that the runner was down by contact short of the goal line. The Chargers scored on the next play, which was the justified outcome. Nine wrongs make a right.
Bokolis didn't watch the Titans, but it sounds like their QB was missing open guys left and right. This bothers me because I don't know how seriously to take the Colts.
The Seahawks loss of their kicker led to a new way to backdoor cover. Janikowski apparently did his hamstring on a missed field goal, and the back-up is some Aussie rules guy who cannot place kick. This lead to two instances where the Seahawks went for the two-point conversion in situations where they would typically kick the extra point. They converted both, with the second providing the final points in a two-point loss. While it seems freakish, Bokolis would point out that, if Janikowski doesn't get hurt, he probably makes the FG. If you do some adding, extrapolating, assuming, projecting and figuring, you might determine that the Seahawks would've kicked the extra point on the first TD after the injury, and that after scoring their final touchdown, they would've been down two points just the same and be going for the tie. Unlike the attempt you saw, that attempt might have been met with some resistance from the Cowboys.
So, Bokolis has been typing this during the second half of Eagles-Bears. I am prepared to say that the Bears are playing just conservatively enough for the Eagles to cover, as it seems that the Bears have figured out the Eagles secondary, mainly this kid Maddox. Once the Bears take the lead, the Eagles appear to be done, but the spread still hangs in the balance. Foles just hasn't been right and that interception he threw in the endzone in the first half seems like it will be the points left off the board that sink the Eagles. Then, it comes back to the Bears playing conservatively. The Eagles come down and score, but that is secondary to bleeding the clock. The number is made. The Bears get into position for a winning field goal and...oh, dear.
Bokolis would advise the kicker to head home without showering.
In retrospect, the smartest money was on the Colts. It would've taken some balls to take the Chargers, and Bokolis could not grow them enough to take the bolts. My balls were up on the table for the Eagles- this is what I knew.
Who could know that a couple of inexperienced QBs could stink up the joint in their first time in the lights? The Texans and Ravens QBs were so awful that Bokolis will pull a Parcells and refuse to mention them by name.
Bokolis will focus on the Ravens, as I watched that disaster. It was painfully obvious that the QB did not know where to throw the ball. He would look at his first option, see it covered, and break it down in a panic. It is quite likely that his first option was covered because the Ravens built a dumbed-down playbook to accommodate the QB, which the Chargers, in turn, were able to easily decipher the second time around. If I noticed this by the second series, anyone who had watched this team for any length of time this year must have surely known this. The paid professionals must've been licking their chops. The late, futile attempt at Tebow Time notwithstanding, that Harbaugh-B left this guy in to start the second half was done either by a coach who knew he was done after the season and couldn't wait to get the hell out of there, or on orders by management to not pull the QB. You have to figure Harbaugh-B is out of there.
As an aside, boy, did they butcher those calls around the Chargers TD. After the Chargers were not awarded a TD on a play where the ball broke the plane of the goal line before contact- the ball was actually marked about 26 inches from the goal line- the Chargers were then awarded a touchdown when not only was the runner down short of the goal line (given that he had to gain 26 inches), he seemingly fumbled before he was down, and that ball was picked up and taken 100 yards the other way for a would-be touchdown. The officials had blown the play dead, which nullified the return, and delivered a cop-out of a replay ruling that the runner was down by contact short of the goal line. The Chargers scored on the next play, which was the justified outcome. Nine wrongs make a right.
Bokolis didn't watch the Titans, but it sounds like their QB was missing open guys left and right. This bothers me because I don't know how seriously to take the Colts.
The Seahawks loss of their kicker led to a new way to backdoor cover. Janikowski apparently did his hamstring on a missed field goal, and the back-up is some Aussie rules guy who cannot place kick. This lead to two instances where the Seahawks went for the two-point conversion in situations where they would typically kick the extra point. They converted both, with the second providing the final points in a two-point loss. While it seems freakish, Bokolis would point out that, if Janikowski doesn't get hurt, he probably makes the FG. If you do some adding, extrapolating, assuming, projecting and figuring, you might determine that the Seahawks would've kicked the extra point on the first TD after the injury, and that after scoring their final touchdown, they would've been down two points just the same and be going for the tie. Unlike the attempt you saw, that attempt might have been met with some resistance from the Cowboys.
So, Bokolis has been typing this during the second half of Eagles-Bears. I am prepared to say that the Bears are playing just conservatively enough for the Eagles to cover, as it seems that the Bears have figured out the Eagles secondary, mainly this kid Maddox. Once the Bears take the lead, the Eagles appear to be done, but the spread still hangs in the balance. Foles just hasn't been right and that interception he threw in the endzone in the first half seems like it will be the points left off the board that sink the Eagles. Then, it comes back to the Bears playing conservatively. The Eagles come down and score, but that is secondary to bleeding the clock. The number is made. The Bears get into position for a winning field goal and...oh, dear.
Bokolis would advise the kicker to head home without showering.
Saturday, January 5, 2019
Rugby for fairies...2018-19 Postseason: wild card round
While the knuckle-draggers decided that Sundays with the wifey was less palatable than suffering through a kneeling or raised fist and have trudged back to the television, Bokolis again backed away from the NFL. I've had shit to do. I'm not going to let having shit to do today fully interfere with my fascination for playoffs. With the stock markets trying to decide whether to correct or go full crash mode, the world could use a positive ROI right about now. Let's see what Bokolis can do.
TEXANS (-1.5) over Colts - Bokolis wrote "Titans" before fixing. Same shit? This is an apt curtain jerker, as these two teams interest me the least. Nonetheless, Bokolis is keen on seeing the Texans make a run this postseason. These are two apparently hot teams. I'm still surprised that three teams from the AFC South managed winning records. They must have butched up on the AFC East.
I suppose Luck is more proven than Watson, and that's where the money is leaning. In trying to make plays, Watson has been sacked a bunch this year. This greatly bothers the pundits, but Bokolis less so. The real issue for the Texans will be stopping Luck from finding Hilton. I still can't figure out how he manages that without much of a running game or other wideouts. It must be that other defenses are too stupid to stop it. I'm going to bank on Luck messing this up at some point.
Seahawks (+2.5) over COWBOYS - The Seahawks will decide if they want to win this game. The Cowboys can only decide how they want to lose it.
RAVENS (-2.5) over Chargers - Everyone remembers the throttling Baltimore put on the Chargers a few weeks back. As much as Bokolis hates to go with the crowd, between that, the early Sunday start and having little faith in Rivers in this spot, just like with the early Saturday game, I can't bring myself to play the QB experience card.
Eagles (+6.5) over BEARS - Even if Bokolis is supposed to believe this Bears unit is semi-legit, I'm going to bank on an attack of pride for Philadelphia and enough self-doubt on the part of the Bears keeping this game hanging in the balance.
TEXANS (-1.5) over Colts - Bokolis wrote "Titans" before fixing. Same shit? This is an apt curtain jerker, as these two teams interest me the least. Nonetheless, Bokolis is keen on seeing the Texans make a run this postseason. These are two apparently hot teams. I'm still surprised that three teams from the AFC South managed winning records. They must have butched up on the AFC East.
I suppose Luck is more proven than Watson, and that's where the money is leaning. In trying to make plays, Watson has been sacked a bunch this year. This greatly bothers the pundits, but Bokolis less so. The real issue for the Texans will be stopping Luck from finding Hilton. I still can't figure out how he manages that without much of a running game or other wideouts. It must be that other defenses are too stupid to stop it. I'm going to bank on Luck messing this up at some point.
Seahawks (+2.5) over COWBOYS - The Seahawks will decide if they want to win this game. The Cowboys can only decide how they want to lose it.
RAVENS (-2.5) over Chargers - Everyone remembers the throttling Baltimore put on the Chargers a few weeks back. As much as Bokolis hates to go with the crowd, between that, the early Sunday start and having little faith in Rivers in this spot, just like with the early Saturday game, I can't bring myself to play the QB experience card.
Eagles (+6.5) over BEARS - Even if Bokolis is supposed to believe this Bears unit is semi-legit, I'm going to bank on an attack of pride for Philadelphia and enough self-doubt on the part of the Bears keeping this game hanging in the balance.
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