The NFL in the Moment – Tuesday – 9:55am EST – Week Twelve 2017

We had an amazing week with our three primary selections (Minnesota, New England, and Philadelphia) all scoring 24 or more points while giving up less than 10 points, allowing us to cash all of our Alternate Spread bets. Our Woof Woof Go Longshot of the Week, the 13/4 New York Giants, also came through. We really liked the Week Eleven card of games, unlike the Week Ten and Week Twelve cards. We have made out very well on Thanksgiving in the past, so are hoping that more research will make us feel better about the games.

The NFL in the Moment – Tuesday – 9:45am EST – Week Twelve 2017

What do the Bills, Browns, Colts (sort of), Texans (sort of), Cowboys, Packers (sort of), Panthers, Tampa Bay (sort of) and Seahawks all have in common? The employ Black Men who have started at the Quarterback position this season. In years past, the answer would have jumped into everyone’s head automatically. But the world has changed from the days when HOF Quarterback Warren Moon had to go out to the frozen wasteland of Edmonton in the Canadian Prairies and win a handful of Grey Cups to get an offer to play under center in the NFL.

Quarterbacks of Color no longer carry the stigma they once did, but there is no way Buffalo would have experienced such a significant backlash this past weekend if Tyrod Taylor was White or Nate Peterman was Black. I was very surprised that the issue remains so charged. In my world, we evaluate teams based on what they have and what we believe that they lack. There is no room for racism when we make a decision to bet, or not bet, on or against any team. Racism has pissed me off ever since I was a little kid (I am white).

LeGarrette Blount is my favorite current NFL player. Ernie “The Big Cat” Ladd is my all-time favorite player. Doug Williams made me a ton of money when he won the Super Bowl for the Redskins, as did Jim Plunkett with the Raiders in 1980. Out of the current crop of young Quarterbacks, it is hard not to put Carson Wentz on top. After Wentz though, we like Jacoby Brissett a lot more than Goff, Prescott and the rest of the young ‘ins. When Andrew Luck returns next season, Brissett will be an improvement for a number of teams while he continues to learn. I’d love to see what a guy like Kyle Shanahan could do with Jacoby.

All of this leads up, finally, to our point, which is really very simple: The NFL must stop trying to “make” Cam Newton into an MVP caliber Quarterback. It is not a good idea and is frankly embarrassing. Linebackers key on Offensive Linemen. Once an Offensive Lineman advances beyond the Line of Scrimmage, the Linebacker knows that the play is a run and he doesn’t have to worry about coverage. Except for Carolina.

Touchdowns are supposed to be reviewed, so the three TD’s that I have watched the Panthers score with Ineligible Players downfield that were not reversed point to a concerted effort by the NFL to force the issue. The league needs to let it go. Jacoby Brissett or some kid still in school will win MVP because he deserves it, not because he happens to be Black.