Greetings for the morning! The fact that you competed against Taylor Swift has cost you.
While You Were Sleeping: New York’s worst team may be the Giants.
Do you recall the season that Giants head coach Brian Daboll earned Coach of the Year? Last night, the Seahawks crushed the G-Men 24-3, handily defeating them for the second time in four games. The Giants are now 1-3.
And this is a club that had great expectations going in. They’re yelling at each other on the sidelines right now. After four games. It’s saying something that I think I’d rather be Zach Wilson and the Jets right now.
Daniel Jones didn’t enjoy himself. He was under pressure the entire evening and threw two interceptions, including this 97-yard pick-six. Seattle had ten sacks of him. Ten! Try being decent in that kind of heat. (The Seahawks even recorded their eleventh sack when Parris Campbell caught a reverse pass).
We have a loaded NFC West. Along with 4-0 San Francisco, the 3-1 Seahawks have shown to be serious competitors, and a flirtatious Rams squad is lurking at 2-2 in the division. And maybe even the Cardinals.
All Seattle had to do was seem like a formidable football team. All three phases are audible. Even with Drew Lock starting at quarterback after a temporary injury to Geno Smith, they managed to score. Their schedule appears to be quite favourable as well, right up until they play the Niners during Thanksgiving week.
They won’t be going away any time soon. As of this morning, they rank among the top 10 teams in our most recent NFL Power Rankings.
Actual Baseball Hours: O’s, here’s to you
When you see real baseball in the playoffs on TV this afternoon, don’t be shocked. The Rangers and Rays begin a playoffs that is more anticipated than most in recent memory at 3 p.m. ET on ABC.
What’s the big deal? Two items
This year, baseball fans have taken a huge liking to the new rules. But this is a broader stage, and October will provide another test, as yesterday’s piece by Andy McCullough revealed. To decide a playoff series, is the pitch clock set?
The playoff players have a sense of freshness. One of the greatest offences we’ve ever seen is the Braves. We never saw the Orioles coming—they’re a behemoth. The Phillies, the favourite to make the playoffs the year before, still have a chance to win the pennant this year, but they are only a Wild Card team. The Brewers, Marlins, Jays, Rangers, and Diamondbacks are eager to learn from their experience.
To help set the stage, I spoke with renowned MLB writer Jayson Stark to get his educated take on the fun:
Do you think the new rules will be evident to the casual fan who hasn’t watched much baseball this season?
Jason: Do you mean that people won’t notice if the games end at 10:45 p.m. ET rather than 12:45 a.m.? They’ll probably notice that. The timepiece functions!
If the Orioles manage to make a run, ___ Jayson: Adley Rutschman will emerge as the playoffs’ breakout standout. He’s Buster Posey’s replacement.
Which series is most deserving of a shock?
Jason: Both NL Wild Card series, I believe. However, I like the Diamondbacks to the Brewers. The Dbacks have speed. Milwaukee continues to run the ball.
Which particular storyline or matchup interests you the most?
Jason: Is it time for the Orioles? They are the upcoming sensation. It will make for an amazing tale if that occurs in October.
Ken Rosenthal added his own flair to the Orioles narrative this morning by selecting a World Series between Baltimore and Philadelphia, which he also feels is now doomed as a result of his decision. Check out his narrative for the important playoff questions, and stick around for the hilarious prognosis.
Additionally, be sure to listen to Ken, Jayson, and Doug Glanville on the Starkville podcast as they preview the playoffs. Their discussion over Aaron Nola’s future struck me as being especially perceptive. Here are the predictions for the Wild Card series for the whole staff.
Leave a Reply