Player Comparison

This comparison came to mind when I wondered perhaps fans have biases for or against these players.

Player A: 68.5 Comp %, 7.4 Y/A, 142 TD, 46 Int

Player B: 67.1 Comp %, 7.5 Y/A, 229 TD, 85 Int

If you haven't figured it out - Play A is Joe Burrough and Player B is Dak Prescott. The numbers are fairly equal when you consider Dak is 4-years older than Joe (which explains the more TD's but their TD to Int ration is fairly close). 

Leads you to wonder if the difference in perception stems from one being the first pick in the draft while the other waited until the 4th round. Difference in expectations? Or could it be a white vs black prejudice? You determine but there is a bias.

Quotes for Today

Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.

Have a new Quotes for Today up on my Substack. As I've mentioned doing this as a way to thank those who have Subscribed. If you are a Subscriber - you should have received an email. Thanks!

NFL Championship Sunday

 

There's many making comparisons of Brock Purdy to Tom Brady and the Patriots magical 2001 season. I too see a comparison to that season but its in the way Philadelphia may be overconfident in the outcome of the Championship game they are hosting similar to how so overconfident the Steelers were when hosting New England in 2001. Pittsburgh even went so far as to start giving out travel advice to New Orleans to their fans. That's not to say I think the 49ers will win - just that the game is giving off similar vibes.

As far as the Bengals vs Chiefs in the AFC  - who would be surprised if either team won? Same is true in the NFC. Should be some good football on Sunday.

Today's Feelgood Video

Leah Still scored the first touchdown of Temple's spring game yesterday.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Today is the 18th anniversary of the death of Reggie Lewis. I can't believe it's been 18 years... If I was the Cincinnati Bengals I'd be very happy with the retirement of Carson Palmer. He's just not that good of a QB anymore. If they get Bruce Gradkowski and he's healthy - he's a big upgrade over Palmer... I've had nightmares about dying in this manner. Has to be one of the worst ways to die... The things you learn on the Internet (via Mental Floss): "New Mexico State’s first graduating class in 1893 had only one student — and he was shot and killed before graduation"... Today is kind of Bugs Bunny's 71st birthday as on this day in 1940 the animated short A Wild Hare is released which introduced Bugs to the world... John Kerry's 'Swift Boat' ally jailed for child pornography and stripped of Silver Star. I'm ashamed Kerry is my Senator...

Carson Palmer

When did Carson Palmer become Duante Culpepper - the destroyer of fantasy football worlds? Palmer has been a dessicated husk of a quarterback. People who have played him on their fantasy teams would have been better off playing a tackling dummy. I have him in one of my leagues and I thinking of changing that team name to Carson Palmer and the Negative Mojos.

Am I a bad person because I'm secretly hoping for Palmer to get hurt so that the Bengals would have to play Harvard's Ryan Fitzpatrick?

Speaking of Harvard - Holy Cross plays the Crimson this Friday. I wish they had 1-AA lines because Harvard's going down and I would have made a bundle with the money-line.

AFC North Preview

Here's what I predict for the AFC North

Cincinnati Bengals 10-6
Baltimore Ravens 10-6
Pittsburgh Steelers 8-8
Cleveland Browns 6-10

I already explained that I think Cincinnati will go 10-6 this year. I also earlier explained my reasoning in picking Baltimore to do the same.

Ben Roethlisberger is not a top level quarterback in my opinion and he has a new offensive coordinator and new offense to learn. Big Ben has said that he looks forward to being a "rookie" this year and I think we will see him make some "rookie" mistakes in some close games that will ultimately cost the Steelers a playoff spot. I won't make many friends in Pittsburgh by saying this but I consider Roethlisberger to be just an over-hyped Jon Kitna. I see them going 8-8 in coach Mike Tomlin's first year.

Brady Quinn will probably start his career at QB for the Browns against the Dolphins in week 6 because Romeo Crennel just won't throw his future franchise QB to the wolves by having him start against Bill Belichick and the Patriots in Foxboro in week 5. I'm just as curious as the next guy to see how the Notre Dame star fares in the NFL and I bet the Browns are happy to have the anticipation to Quinn's ascendancy be the top story instead of stories of how bad they have been or stories of flesh eating bacteria in the locker room.

Infections are a serious problem but I can't help but think of how far our medical knowledge has come. Back is 1924, President Calvin Coolidge's son - Cal Jr. - played tennis on the White House lawn with shoes but not socks and got a blister on his foot. The blister became infected and Calvin Coolidge Jr. died from the infection. Less than 85 years ago our medical knowledge was such that even the President's son could be killed by an infected blister while staying at the White House! We've come a long way since then but bacteria are still a major health issue (as the Cleveland Browns could attest).

Cincinnati Bengals

Bodog has the over / under for wins by the Cincinnati Bengals at 9.5 games. Looking at the Bengals' schedule I can see them going 10-6 if Carson Palmer stays healthy. Perhaps no team is tied to the health of a single player more than the Bengals. If he does stay healthy - I'd look for Carson Palmer to have a huge year with over 4,000 passing yards and 30+ TD passes. The Bengals will be forced to pass this year because their running game just isn't what it used to be.