NFL 2018-19 Week 4 Predictions

One of the most exciting aspects of the NFL season are the undefeated starts by some teams. The longer a team goes unbeaten, the more exciting it gets, and that is far more true with the NFL than it is in the other North American major sports, because there are significantly fewer games. So, a team that can win their first four or five games already has gone a significant part of the season in excellent condition, and a team that can win their first ten or eleven games has gone the majority of the season without any serious blemishes. I remember the 1984 Miami Dolphins and the 1985 Chicago Bears being the first teams that went quite far in a regular season without losing a game. Some years later in the 1990 season, the defending champion San Francisco 49ers and my New York Giants both raced out to a perfect 10-0 start, and everyone expected a clash of perfect teams on Monday Night Football. It was very exciting, and kind of deflating when both teams lost the weekend prior. 

But unbeaten starts make a young season feel much more exciting. Just three seasons ago, it felt like we had a ridiculous amount of teams who started off unbeaten. The Carolina Panthers started off 14-0, the New England Patriots started off 10-0, the Cincinnati Bengals started off 8-0, the Denver Broncos started off 7-0, and the Green Bay Packers started off 6-0. That was five franchises that still were undefeated after six games, which has to be a record of some sort. Three teams were still undefeated after half of the regular season games were played. That made it unique, and quite exciting. 

Here it is, just three weeks played in the young NFL season, and there are only three remaining unbeaten teams in the NFL: the Rams, the Chiefs, and the Dolphins. They are all 3-0, and they are all in action, and putting those undefeated records on the line. The first are the high and mighty Rams, who look virtually unstoppable so far. They host the Vikings on Thursday. The other two undefeated teams will have tough times trying to stay perfect, as the Dolphins travel to New England to take on the Patriots, while the Chiefs go to Denver to try and tackle the Broncos. 

So, let's see how many, if any, of those teams can survive week 4 still undefeated. I believe at least one will, and perhaps two. But it is doubtful that more than two teams remain unbeaten after this coming weekend.

Let's take a closer look at all of the upcoming games for week 4:

Thursday Night Football

Minnesota (1-1-1) at L.A. Rams (3-0) - I thought that this would be more of a feature match, but the Vikings current winless streak of two games, while not monstrous or anything, still leaves more questions regarding the Vikings, than answers. Tying the Packers at Lambeau is not bad, but not just losing, but getting blown out at home to the Bills? Really? And now, they have to go to Los Angeles to face the Rams, and that feels like a really tall order. This season has been one full of upsets, though. The Vikings, who were victims this past weekend in one of those big upsets, know that better than anyone. But the Rams look very strong, particularly on offense, and it will be difficult, to say the least, for Minnesota to try to keep up. Hard to predict anything but a Rams win here. My pick: L.A. Rams

Sorry, I am away for this weekend and have limited access to the internet. Will try to complete these predictions later.

Ford-Kavanaugh Hearing Reveals Political Posturing & Cynicism on Both Sides of the Political Aisle

I listened to the hearing for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh earlier today, and found myself getting kind of disgusted, once again, at what a circus act, a theater of the absurd, Washington has become.

Sometimes, I don't understand what is happening in this country.

Two people, absolutely swearing that they are telling the truth, and both telling completely different stories. Obviously, one of them is wrong, because they cannot both be right. 

Perhaps I am missing something here. But I will employ the same kind of thinking that I do with the situation between Israelis and Palestinians, which is that it is difficult to know who or what to believe in this case.

Dr. Christine Blasey Ford sounded believable. Yet, she was not exactly grilled during the hearing, and there were important things that she could have been more seriously scrutinized over. Republicans, perhaps finally mindful of how dismissive they often appear to be towards women, opted not to question Ford. The Democrats - at least quite a few of the ones who I heard - tripped over themselves to make this official inquiry a public theater, often seemingly quite transparently to advance their own political ambitions. New Jersey's own Corey Booker was very much like this yesterday, going on and on about how much Ford had to endure and how brave she was - all the while hardly allowing her to actually speak - before he would get to the point and ask her a question, which she answered quickly, and which Booker then responded to by talking still more. Booker is making his name known in Washington, and most people expect him to make a run for the White House in 2020. I know, it shocked me, too. Who would have thunk it? The chances were...what? One in maybe two? One in one, even?

The thing with Booker is that he says enough of the right things to sound impressive. But then, you hear stories about him, and check to verify them, and it takes off a lot of the shine from the man. What he did yesterday, taking the spotlight so that it shined on him as much as he possibly could for as long as he could, was disgusting. It was, frankly, a sickening display of political opportunism by a man who has already taken quite a bit of money to ensure that a better, more universal, more affordable healthcare system never takes root in this country. It was a transparent advertisement for himself, perhaps taking a page from Donald Trump himself, getting free publicity. Clearly, Booker knew just how many people would be tuning in, and wanted to make sure that his already prominent name and face would be seen, and his voice heard, for the entire nation. You think he has plans for the White House? He seems like he wants to be another Barack Obama, and he seemed less interested in getting to the truth yesterday, as he was trying to take center stage so that people remember him when he inevitably announces his candidacy in the presidential race for 2020.

Nor was Booker alone. The Democrats more generally seemed to be using this as an opportunity to advance their political agenda, and make it seem like they are standing up to Trump and Trumpism. Never mind that they have a long, extensive history of folding faster than a deck of cards when they have to face determined political opponents - or supposed opponents. Remember how cautious they were in the lead-up to the Iraq invasion? Prominent Democrats like John Kerry and Hillary Clinton would urge extreme caution, even skepticism, towards the invasion, but then voted in favor of the war. Then, they criticized Bush's handling (or mishandling) of it, but made sure to leave enough room to receive credit if, in the end, everything went well, and the war proved popular and politically profitable. That same kind of posturing as the political opposition won the day during the Clinton years and, let's face it, that was pretty much what we got during the Obama years, as well. Both gave good speeches, I'll grant you that. But Clinton was often referred to as "Republican light." And Obama, remember, kept Bush's elitist tax policies benefiting the wealthiest for most of his first term. With corrupt emerging "leaders" like Booker, they are sure to follow the same path. They feign moral outrage over Trump's blatant corruption and put up symbolic resistance, while pocketing corporate money themselves and opposing any move towards more serious progressive reforms at each and every turn.

Those Democrats - who have come to dominate the party, frankly - were on prominent display yesterday. It was not about Ford, and not even about Kavanaugh. Hell, it was not even about Trump. It was, as it always is, about political posturing. The same old same old, of course.

Now, even though the Democrats have indeed turned this into a public spectacle, there was testimony, by both Ford and Kavanaugh. And frankly, both sounded believable. Here was Ford's account of the alleged incident, which is supposed to have happened in the summer of 1982:

“I believed he was going to rape me. I tried to yell for help. When I did, Brett put his hand over my mouth to stop me from yelling. This is what terrified me the most and has had the most lasting impact on my life.”

She sounded sure of herself, and was believable. But Kavanaugh also made some points himself.

I understand that he might be guilty, and that he did not sound exactly enthusiastic at the idea of an FBI investigation. And yes, I understand that this reluctance sounded contradictory to his opening statement, when he boldly claimed that he would welcome any investigation into his past. For that matter, I understand that some people, particularly on the left,suggested that he sounded whiny and self-pitying.

Perhaps, but that does not necessarily mean that he did those things that he is accused of doing. This hearing is, at least supposedly, about whether he actually is guilty of sexual assault or not. That means that we have to look at the facts of the case, and whether I like him or not, Kavanaugh made a compelling case with some of his first statements, mostly by focusing on the facts:

"Less than two weeks ago, Dr. Ford publicly accused me of committing wrongdoing at an event more than 36 years ago when we were both in high school. I denied the allegation immediately, categorically and unequivocally. All four people allegedly at the event, including Dr. Ford’s longtime friend, Ms. Keyser, have said they recall no such event. Her longtime friend, Ms. Keyser, said under penalty of felony that she does not know me and does not believe she ever saw me at a party ever. Here’s the quote from Ms. Keyser’s attorney’s letter. “Simply put, Ms. Keyser does not know Mr. Kavanaugh and she has no recollection of ever being at a party or gathering where he was present with or without Dr. Ford.'"

Now, don't get me wrong. I am no fan of Brett Kavanaugh. He is a Trump appointee, and so right away, he is suspect in my book. Trump is a joke of a so-called leader, and if this country were an actual democracy, he would not even be in the White House, because he lost the popular vote by nearly three million. Also, the Republicans blocked the nomination of Merrick Garland in 2016. In other words, the Democrats made  political theater of this case in answer to the Republicans making not only a political show in 2016 by playing up the election and refusing to even consider Garland, but also neglected the Constitution of the United States in the process. Garland should at least have gotten a hearing and, frankly, he likely should be in the Supreme Court right now.

By the way, that was yet another instance of the Democrats folding to pressure by Republicans. That was not merely political strategy, but that was refusing to do their job, as defined by the Constitution. It also set up the whole trend of Trump and the Republicans taking far too many liberties with the Constitution and the Bill of Rights ever since, with the Democrats, predictably, putting up token "resistance."

The Republicans ground the process to a halt then, and then got the Supreme Court pick that they wanted after the death of Justice Scalia. Now, in an election year, they reversed course, wanting to rush the nomination of Kavanaugh before the election. As the Church Lady might once have said, "How convenient."

Of course, the Democrats cannot have that, because their own weakness and inadequacy as a real alternative to Trump and Trumpism would be too obvious. So now, about a month and change away from the election, they are making a political show of this whole thing. They sense Trump's weakness and vulnerability, that he really could be defeated in 2020 (although amazingly, with the Democrats, that is not a sure thing at all).

And so, they are putting themselves on prominent display, giving speeches and ramping up this whole resistance to the Kavanaugh nomination. Many of their supporters have already been convinced - well before the testimony by either Ford or Kavanaugh yesterday - that Kavanaugh is indeed guilty. Many Trump supporters were equally as convinced - again well before the testimony by either Ford or Kvanaugh yesterday - that Kavanaugh is innocent of all charges. There are more charges now, as three other women have come forth and made similar allegations against Kavanaugh.

Listening to the thing yesterday, I frankly could not even tell who to believe. Ford was convincing, but the lack of serious scrutiny, as well as the fact that those four people who Ford herself said were present stated that they remember no such incident, are more than a little troubling, and hardly seem to make this an open and shut case. Kavanaugh was fairly convincing during his opening statement as well, but the fact that he unequivocally welcomed any investigation during that statement, and then seemed incredibly hesitant towards the idea of an FBI investigation once he was pressed on it, undermined his own credibility.

So, I do not know who or what to believe, truthfully. I do not really like or trust Judge Kavanaugh, but that does not mean that I have to believe, without a shred of doubt, that these accusations made against him are true. If they are, then not only should he not be on the Supreme Court, but he should be in jail, frankly. But it seems that many people on the left are absolutely convinced - no matter what he says - that he is indeed guilty. And many of those on the right are just as convinced that - no matter what he says - he is not guilty. At this point, nothing short of a complete refutation of the charges by Ford herself would convince Democrats that Kavanaugh is guilty of those charges, and some would surely continue to believe it even still. And the same applies to Kavanaugh. Only if he admits guilt, completely and utterly, will fans of Trump suddenly admit that he might be guilty, and even then, some would continue to disbelieve. Trump and his supporters, after all, are not big fans of facts. At least, not those that do not benefit them or their political agenda. So much is this the case, that they created "alternative facts."

Meanwhile, this whole process seems to have awakened how much sexism is a problem in this country. It has emboldened women, most of whom seem to feel that Kavanaugh is indeed guilty. He might be, but I think way too many women have automatically presumed him to indeed be guilty without even bothering to hear what he has to say about it. Funny, because I always thought that, at least officially, you are innocent until proven guilty, according to the law here in the United States. Yet, many, many people seem completely and utterly convinced that Kavanaugh is guilty, beyond a shadow of a doubt. I understand how repugnant Trump and his so-called governing style is, and how racist and sexist he is. I understand that Kavanaugh himself is a reflection of this, and I will admit that I do not agree with him on the vast majority of issue, and do not like him, simply because he seems like a judicial extension of Trump. But that does not mean that he is guilty of sexual assault, which is a very, very serious crime, and which should indeed be investigated by the FBI, or whoever could clear this matter up. Let's call this by what it is: intolerance of Kavanaugh as a man, based on his political ideology or leanings. He is guilty by association. If Trump is guilty of being a sexist, and possibly of assaulting women (and he very well may be), then surely Kavanaugh is, too. But whether or not you like Kavanaugh, it does not necessarily mean that he did what Ford claims that he did, especially when so many other people who were allegedly present cannot recall such an incident, and when other facts seem a bit...well, off. Kavanaugh asked some specific questions, such as how did Ford get to the house, who's house was it, how did she get home after the party? Whether or not you like Kavanaugh is irrelevant, these are serious questions that really should have been asked, either to confirm, or repute, the credibility of Ford. The fact that many of these pressing questions in this matter were not addressed, and that people who lean in favor of Democrats do not mind that, and presume Kavanaugh to be guilty, seems to smack of intolerance towards Kavanaugh as a man, rather than to what he stands for ideologically, or how good or serious a Supreme Court judge he would or would not make.

Yet, not to be outdone, those who lean more towards Republicans are equally determined to pretend to be interested in what Ford has to say, although they quite clearly seem not at all interested. Again, she made what seem like credible allegations. That is pretty disgusting on their part, and reveals a dismissive attitude towards women and their obvious concerns regarding sexual assault, dating back to at least Anita Hill's testifying before Congress back in 1991. So angry did that make many people, that it launched the so-called "Year of the Woman" politically in this country in 1992, as more women were voted into Congress than ever before. Democrats are hoping that these hearings might do the same for them in 2018, and some have even suggested as much. They continually claim that Republicans and their supporters are tone deaf when it comes to women's issues, and perhaps especially regarding sexual assault. A young man who gets drunk, as Kavanaugh is alleged to have done, is just a case of "boys being boys." But a woman who gets drunk, and gets pregnant, has to take responsibility, according to them and should not be allowed to get an abortion. And let us not forget that young black men who have not done anything wrong are often not viewed as boys, and Republicans continually suggest that police who killed such boys have to be forgiven. Such double-standards.

In fact, some Republicans are opposed to abortion even in the case of rape, and some Republicans have said some of the most ridiculous things regarding rape. Even worse, almost as if to prove the case that they are indeed tone deaf on this issue, a stunning poll recently revealed that a majority of Republicans did not feel that sexual assault should necessarily disqualify Kavanaugh from reaching the Supreme Court. Fully 55 percent of Republicans polled said that a proven case of sexual assault should not disqualify Kavanaugh from the Supreme Court. A little over a quarter of those polled - 27 percent - felt that it should, and 18 percent were not certain either way.

This is supposed to be about two people, absolutely swearing that they are telling the truth, and both telling completely different stories. Obviously, one of them is wrong, because they cannot both be right.

Instead, that seems to have been swept aside, and it is a battle of wills between to the two major parties and their supporters. Mostly, when you strip away everything else, it is about grabbing more power, and more privileges, on both sides. All of the moral outrage on both sides too often seems highly selective, and more posturing than anything else.

Stunning. The whole thing is utterly sickening.

I repeat: Sometimes, I don't understand what is happening in this country.

Below are the links to the articles that I used in writing this blog entry, including any and all of the quotes used above:


5 key takeaways from the Ford-Kavanaugh hearing By CHEYENNE HASLETT Sep 27, 2018,

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/key-takeaways-ford-kavanaugh-hearing/story?id=58136746

Brett Kavanaugh’s Opening Statement: Full Transcript published by The New York Times, September 27, 2018:

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/26/us/politics/read-brett-kavanaughs-complete-opening-statement.html

SEXUAL ASSAULT SHOULD NOT DISQUALIFY KAVANAUGH IF PROVEN, MAJORITY OF REPUBLICANS BELIEVE: POLL BY TIM MARCIN ON 9/27/18

https://www.newsweek.com/sexual-assault-should-not-disqualify-kavanaugh-proven-majority-republicans-1141877?utm_campaign=NewsweekFacebookSF&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook

Donald Trump Made a Mockery of Himself at the United Nations, But His Speech Laid Out a Dangerous World View

The bad news Trump tour continues. For a second year in a row, President Trump made a mockery of himself, and the world governing body that he was addressing, during his speech yesterday. But beyond the mockery, was a scary world vision that, given his aggressive, John Wayne style of tough guy posturing and his infamous and hugely unpopular (even in the United States) trade tariffs that have led to trade wars all around the globe, the world would so well to pay attention to and take note of.

Aside from the unintended humiliating moment with which President Trump began his address to the United Nations yesterday, his actual speech was no laughing matter.

"Our military will soon be more powerful than it has ever been before. In other words, the United States is stronger, safer and a richer country than it was when I assumed office ... We are standing up for America and for the American people."

That is actually already the case. Hell, it had better be, given the enormous sums of money that the United States invests in the military industrial complex every single year. No other country, or empire, in the history of the world has ever had more bases scattered around the globe, or more ships sailing the oceans and seas around the globe, or more military might at the ready pretty much throughout the world. That was the case under Trump's predecessor, Obama, and it was the case with his predecessor, Bush Jr., and it was the case with the president before that, Clinton, and it was the case with Bush Sr., and this trend was started under President Reagan, who hiked up the spending on the military and, simultaneously, looked to cut the budget elsewhere, such as with welfare, with education, with social benefit programs. Remember, it was Reagan who started all of these trends, as well as attacking the unions. So much of the modern Republican be all, end all solution to everything was initiated with Reagan, although Trump's tenure in the Oval Office has been like all of these policies on steroids, with virtually an absence of any limitations.

He tried to elicit his view further, with a point that underscores his "America First" approach:

"America will always choose independence and cooperation over global governance, control and domination."

That is to say, he was undermining the authority of the United Nations in an address before the United Nations. Of course, he was not the first to do this, as President George W. Bush went against the entire world community in aggressively pushing for the invasion of Iraq, although he cobbled together the loose "Coalition of the Willing" to make it appear that there was broad support for George Bush's war. The vast majority of the people of the world, however, recognized that this was was unjust, and based on false premises. And Donald Trump, even though he was critical of Bush's handling of the Iraq invasion and war, nevertheless essentially stated that he will pursue a similar kind of an approach.

And just in case that last quote left any doubts about this, Trump made his point even clearer, in a moment that more or less mirrored President George W. Bush's comment about how the United States did not need a "permission slip" from the United Nations:

"We will never surrender America's sovereignty to an unelected, unaccountable global bureaucracy. America is governed by Americans. We reject the ideology of globalism. And we embrace the doctrine of patriotism."

Much like President Bush, and other American presidents of the past, tried to intimidate other nations into complying with America's will (again, let's remember the so-called "Coalition of the Willing" that received compensation, while nations opposed to Bush's war, such as Germany and especially France, received disdain and even some unofficial economic embargoes), Trump tried to make sure that nations hoping to receive aid from the United States would fall in line politically with the wishes of the United States:

"We are taking a hard look at US foreign assistance ... whether the countries who receive our dollars and protection also have our interests at heart. Moving forward, we are only going to give foreign aid to those who respect us and, frankly, are our friends."

In other, more specific parts of his speech, Trump also praised right-wing Polish President Andzrej Duda for advocating building a permanent military base inside of Poland which would be named Fort Trump. In fact, Duda received considerable praise from Trump for building a Baltic pipeline to try and break dependence upon Russian energy resources:

"We congratulate the European states such as Poland for leading the construction of a Baltic pipeline so that nations are not dependent on Russia ... Germany will become totally dependent on Russian energy if it does not immediately change course."

Trump also praised Israel, in a move meant to buttress his controversial decision to move the American Embassy to Jerusalem. 

"The whole world is richer, humanity is better, because of this beautiful constellation of nations, each very special, each very unique. And each shining brightly in its part of the world."

A version of this same argument, by the way, was employed by segregationists in the United States, opposed to any attempts by northerners to end Jim Crow segregation in the South, and to maintain the supposedly "separate but equal" way of life that the Supreme Court had already struck down in Brown v. Board of Education. And it was a similar version of this thinking that white minority Afrikaners used to justify apartheid in South Africa, where they viewed all of the different races as belonging to separate worlds, without any unity between them.

Trump concluded his view of this Trump worldview:

"We must defend the foundations that make it all possible. Sovereign and independent nations are the only vehicle where freedom has ever survived."

United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres seemed to sense the direction that Trump would take his address. Speaking before Trump spoke, he warned of the pitfalls of this way of thinking, which the world would do well to remember, given how bloody the wars of the 20th century were. He spoke of the distant past, of the days of ancient Greece, and applied those lessons from history so that we might understand the dangers of such thinking today, in our modern world:

"Today, with shifts in the balance of power, the risk of confrontation may increase... In assessing the Peloponnesian War in ancient Greece, Thucydides said, and I quote, 'It was the rise of Athens and the fear that this instilled in Sparta that made war inevitable'."

All of the quotes used above, and most of the facts that I employed in this particular blog entry, were taken from this CNN piece by Nic Robertson, which I would strongly recommend reading for anyone interested in the wider ramifications of Trump's world vision, as he expressed it in his United Nations speech earlier this week:

Donald Trump's worldview was laid bare at the UN -- and it should worry anyone who understands history Nic Robertson-Profile-Image Analysis by Nic Robertson, CNN, September 25, 2018:

https://www.cnn.com/2018/09/25/world/robertson-trump-un-worldview/?utm_content=2018-09-26T02%3A01%3A05&utm_medium=social&utm_term=link&utm_source=fbCNNp

President Trump Childishly Brags & Boasts Before the United Nations & Gets Laughed at Instead

So, President Trump walks into a bar...or, um, actually, it was the United Nations General Assembly, okay? It might as well have been a bar, though, because Trump proceeds to carry on like a drunkard, talking about how great he is, and thinking that his big mouth will impress, that he will knock the listening crowd out by listing his accomplishments.

He says: "I stand before the United Nations General Assembly to share the extraordinary progress we've made. In less than two years, my administration has accomplished more than almost any administration in the history of our country."

The room erupts in laughter.

It sounds like a joke, perhaps. But President Trump certainly did not intend for it to come out as a joke. There he was, doing his infamous boasting like a child. And unlike in other, more favorable environments, where he receives thunderous applause after such empty boasts, he was faced with world leaders laughing at him to his face.

He was very clearly caught by surprise.

"So true, I didn't expect that reaction, but that's okay." Trump responded, before going on with his speech.

No, I guess he would not expect people to actually laugh when he boasts about his list of supposed accomplishments. But when you surround yourself so completely in a delusional world of your own making, how can you expect to take a dose of reality afterwards? He has said some similar things lately, and gotten far more enthusiastic support. 

In Las Vegas, he told a crowd of enthusiastic supporters:

"I don't believe there has been any administration in the history of this country that has done more in two years -- and we're not even up to two years yet -- than our administration." 

And in a group of sheriffs earlier in September, he said:

"Nobody has done what this administration has done in terms of getting things passed and getting things through." 

Of course, both times, Trump was speaking before his supporters, who took him and his claims seriously. True, he is shamelessly boasting like a child in each, showing a complete lack of humility and, frankly, class. But to then believe, as he apparently did, that he would be able to say those kinds of things before an assembly of world leaders, and expect people to take him seriously? 

This man, and his supposedly great presidency, are an absolute joke. Here is a man so childish that he makes a speech before the entire world, and cannot help himself, but has to praise his own supposed accomplishments.  He is so needy, that he apparently feels that the entire world seems to owe him something, and that they all need to recognize his status as a "very stable genius." It's not enough to have his name up high above cities not just in this country, but around the world, to clearly reveal what a shallow man he is, how empty he is on the inside. No, he takes the opportunity he has to address the United Nations to talk about his favorite subject: himself.

Perhaps he expected applause, or "oohs" and "aahs." Who knows what this hollow man expected after heaping such lavish and greatly exaggerated praise of himself, transparently? But instead of getting the thunderous applause that he has apparently grown too used to during one of those ridiculous rallies that he loves so much, he gets laughed at in front of the entire world instead, in a moment that surely will be remembered. This will indeed be part of his lasting legacy. Maybe tens of millions of Americans are apparently too shallow or stupid in their own right to recognize Trump for what he is. The rest of the world, however, sees him more clearly for the clownish figure that he really is. 

This incident hits him where it hurts most - his monumental ego. But just because America elected this clown, does not mean that the world has to take him seriously. Maybe he and his cronies and supporters try to bully all Americans to respect him - despite the fact that he has done nothing to earn that respect - but that does not mean that the rest of the world is going to be bullied. He's a clown act, always going overboard in praising himself and touting imaginary accomplishments. His presidency has been an abject failure, and the world let him know by literally laughing at him, to his face. 

Remember that during the presidential campaign, Trump himself warned that the whole world was laughing at us, and now, they really are laughing - at his expense. They expected to march proudly before the entire world, and to show a supposed strength that the entire world would be helpless but to admire. 

He boasted - before ever being elected - all sorts of grandiose things that he would manage to accomplish, and quickly. And so delusional is he, that he believes that he has already largely succeeded in "Making America Great Again." Never mind that he broke his promise towards paying off the national debt, instead adding to it with enormous tax breaks benefiting mostly the wealthiest Americans - including himself, of course. Never mind that he has insulted many other nations by referring to them as "shithole countries," or that he wanted to set up a registry of people of a certain faith, or that he accused Mexican immigrants of being rapist or criminals, or that he showed reluctance at criticizing outright Nazis marching on American streets, to the point that even prominent members of his own party, and even some members of his own administration, seemed horrified. Never mind his constant, relentless display of childish, immature behavior, from ridiculous, almost laughably petty and vindictive tweets, to name-calling and blatant threats to other countries, threatening massive destruction and wiping them off the map. Never mind his pulling his country out of major international agreements repeatedly. Never mind his relentless lying, and his denial of basic truths, including scientific facts. 

But he got a very public wake up call to try and rouse him out of his dream world. He has apparently gotten too used to people telling him what he wants to hear, and now what he needs to hear. His supporters will applaud everything that he says, no matter what, and no matter how ridiculous or blatantly untrue. The people within his administration - the ones who are not too busy referring to him as a "fucking moron," that is - are apparently unwilling to attempt to shake him out of his delusions. 

The rest of the world, however, clearly does not feel they owe this imbecile anything. Trump was laughed at, and in front of the entire world. No, that's not fake news. It happened, and for everyone to see. It was a moment that will surely live on, and I suspect will largely define his presidency, and the essence of who he is as a man. I do not believe that it is a stretch to suggest that is how symbolic this moment was. 

So, what's the big, bad orange clown going to do about it? What are all of his tough guy supporters going to do about it?  

What a joke this man and his fake presidency is. Glad at least that the rest of the world has sense enough to see him as he truly is and, most importantly, to let him know it to his face. 

This presidency has been an absolute disaster for this nation, and indeed, the entire world. This man lacks not only any measure of restraint and humility, but any semblance of stability, to boot. His rise to the presidency has polarized the nation like perhaps nothing in this country's history before. His policies have made him one of the most unpopular presidents in American history, and I sincerely believe that they will irreparably damage the nation, as well as his own legacy, when the dust settles. Unfortunately, his policies also have impacted much of the world, as well. his denial of science and any semblance of responsibility towards future generations by withdrawing the United States from the Paris Accord was a disaster, condemned by the entire world. His withdrawing from the United Nations Human Rights Council was a slap in the face to human rights. His withdrawing the United States from the Iran Deal, and from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, and from the North American Free Trade Agreement, as well as his opening hostilities with formerly allied nations, have destabilized the world, as has his starting trade wars with China and the European Union and Canada and Mexico. Trump is a disaster, and the only people not in on the fact that he is a very bad joke gone much too far are his enthusiastic supporters, and, of course, Trump himself.

However, for once, yesterday, he got a small dose of reality. He praised himself, as he always does. And instead of the usual applause celebrating his supposed accomplishments, he was laughed at instead.

No one deserves it more than Donald Trump. 

Unfortunately, he still represents the United States as the voice and the literal and figurative "Ugly American" face for the next couple of years, at least. This is a shame that will last for this nation for a very long time to come. Trump represents the very worst of American characteristics, and what American currently value. He also represents the clear disconnect between what he and far too many Americans believe of himself and themselves, versus what the rest of the world more clearly sees as the truth about Trump and the tens of millions of like-minded Americans who support him.

These are the articles that I used, and from which I got the quotes used above, in writing this particular blog entry:


Trump has complained that “the world is laughing at us.” On Tuesday, it did. by Greg Walters Sep 25, 2018:

https://news.vice.com/en_us/article/wjyx5m/trump-has-complained-that-the-world-is-laughing-at-us-on-tuesday-it-did?utm_source=dmfb

Donald Trump's worldview was laid bare at the UN -- and it should worry anyone who understands history Nic Robertson-Profile-Image Analysis by Nic Robertson, CNN  Updated 11:09 PM ET, Tue September 25, 2018

https://www.cnn.com/2018/09/25/world/robertson-trump-un-worldview/?utm_content=2018-09-26T02%3A01%3A05&utm_medium=social&utm_term=link&utm_source=fbCNNp

Trump Shrugs Off Laughter At U.N.: 'Didn't Expect That Reaction, But That's OK' by Scott Horsley, September 25, 2018:

https://www.npr.org/2018/09/25/649984059/watch-live-trump-speaks-at-united-nations

Donald Trump bragged about himself to the United Nations. The UN laughed. Chris Cillizza Analysis by Chris Cillizza, CNN Editor-at-large  Updated 3:42 PM ET, Tue September 25, 2018:


https://www.cnn.com/2018/09/25/politics/donald-trump-un-speech-laugh/index.html

NFL 2018-19 Week 3 Review - More Upsets & Fewer Unbeatens

Okay, there were more upsets this weekend yet again. I is starting to feel like this season might be defined by them. There were some serious upsets this weekend, too! 

Let's take a look:

New York Giants 27,  Houston 22 - Wow! I was glad to see this one. I have come to be skeptical about how the Giants have handled things in recent seasons, particularly how they have handled (or rather, failed to handle) their offensive line woes. As I have mentioned numerous times before, the G-Men have a ton of talent of offense, but the weak offensive line prevents them from shining like they probably should. Well, yesterday's game was a change from all of that. It was not exactly an offensive explosion, and they still have not scored 30 points in almost three years, but they nevertheless put up a very decent offensive game. And most importantly, they earn a win, and seeing as though they had won only three games all year last season, Giants fans like me will take it. A good, solid, and very timely win for the G-Men. Hopefully, the first of many this season, but let's see what happens.

Buffalo 27, Minnesota 6 - Well, this was one that I got very, very wrong. I was expecting a blowout, but the wrong team wound up getting blown out. The Bills looked like the worst team in the league according to many entering the season, and they played like it for the first two weeks of the season. Then, all of a sudden, out of nowhere, they wind up handing the Vikings their butts, right in front of their home fans. This was an embarrassing loss for Minnesota, who now have to go all the way to Los Angeles to take on what might just be the best team in the league.  Quite a shocker!

Philadelphia 20, Indianapolis 16 - The Return of Carson Wentz in Philadelphia. Wentz shook off the rust early, throwing a 13-yard touchdown pass to Dallas Goedart to conclude a 12 play drive, giving Philly a 7-0 lead. The Colts answered shortly thereafter, as Andrew Luck connected with Ryan Grant for a 5-yard touchdown to tie it shortly thereafter. The game went back and forth after that, with the two teams exchanging field goals until the fourth quarter, when Philly running back Wendell Smallwood concluded a 17-yard drive that ate up 11 minutes and 18 seconds by pounding it into the end zone from 4 yards out, giving the Eagles the comeback win. In is return, Wentz completed 25 of 37 passes for 255 yards, with one touchdown and one interception.  Luck, in a losing effort, completed 25 of 40 passes for 164 yards and a touchdown.

Washington 31, Green Bay 17  - Washington jumped out early and were all over the Packers, scoring two touchdowns in both the first and second quarters. By halftime, Green Bay found themselves down, 28-10. Adrian Petersen ran for 120 yards on 19 carries, and two touchdowns. Alex Smith completed 12 of 20 passes for 220 yards, with two touchdowns and an interception. Aaron Rodgers continued to struggle, although some of the receivers really bobbled and dropped passes which should have been caught. Overall, Rodgers completed 27 of 44 passes for 265 yards, with two touchdowns. But it was not enough to catch Washington on this day.

Kansas City 38, San Francisco 27 - Kansas City still looks incredible, behind star quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Mahomes completed 24 of38 passes for 314 yards and three touchdowns. San Francisco quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo had a solid day as well, completing 20 of 30 passes for 251 yards and two touchdowns. The bigger story with Garoppolo was the possibly season ending ACL injury. He was trying to get the 49ers back into a game that had spun completely out of control early on for them, as the Chiefs jumped all over them to take a 35-7 lead in the second quarter. San Fran made a game of it, but were not able to really fully get back into the game. The greater concern for them right now is, of course, the injury to their star quarterback. As for KC, they stay hot, and still look incredible right now.

Tennessee 9, Jacksonville 6- The Titans managed to win a slugfest, in what wound up, somewhat surprisingly, being a defensive struggle. The Jaguars had looked unbelievable for the first two weeks, but they suddenly looked all too human on Sunday, managing only a field goal. Tennessee quarterback Marcus Mariota completed 12 of 18 pass attempts for an even 100 yards.  Blake Bortles, in a losing cause for Jax, completed 21 of 34 passes for 155 yards. Neither man had either a touchdown pass or an interception.

Miami 28, Oakland 20 - The Dolphins stayed unbeaten, coming back from a 17-7 third quarter deficit to beat the Raiders. Ryan Tannehill completed 17 of 23 pass attempts for Miami, which was good for 289 and three touchdowns. Oakland's Derek Carr completed 27 of 39 passes for 345 yards, with one touchdown and two interceptions. Ultimately, the Raiders simply did not produce enough on offense to keep up with the Fins, and Miami's defense really clamped down on Oakland after the Raiders took that 10-point lead in the third quarter.

Carolina 31, Cincinnati 21 - This was a back and forth affair, almost a shootout between the two teams.  Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton had played extremely well, but he had a bad game this time around, completing 29 of 46 passes for 352 yards and two touchdowns, but also threw four picks. Cam Newton completed 15 of 24 passes for 150 and two touchdowns. Ultimately, the Panthers made fewer mistakes, which helped them to survive and essentially outlast Cincinnati, to hand them their first loss. The Panthers right now are tied for first place in the NFC South with New Orleans and Tampa Bay, all of whom have a 2-1 record. The Bengals are also 2-1, and tied with the Ravens for first place in the AFC North.

New Orleans 43, Atlanta 37 (OT) - A great game. This was the very essence of a shootout between two offensive powerhouses. Back and forth it went, with both teams scoring and both teams answering. Ultimately, it went into overtime, with both teams having scored 37 points in regulation. Drew Brees had a phenomenal day, completing 39 of 49 passes for 396 and three touchdowns. Michael Thomas was his biggest target on this day, as he caught 10 passes for 129 yards. Matt Ryan, in a losing cause, had a banner day, completing 26-of 35 passes for 374 yards and five touchdowns. Calvin Ridley was Ryan's biggest target, catching 7 passes for 146 and three touchdowns. But the Saints won it in overtime on a 15-play, 80 yards drive that ended with Brees  pulling a spin move on two defenders, and then diving in for the game winning touchdown. 

Baltimore 27, Denver 14 - The Broncos suddenly looked vulnerable, after two straight wins to start the new season. Case Keenum did not look very good, and the Ravens defense, after allowing 14 points in the first quarter, clamped down and resembled the old great Ravens defenses of the past. Alex Collins picked up 68 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries, and Javorius Allen had two touchdowns - one on the ground, and one on a pass by Flacco, as Baltimore wore Denver down, and ultimately handed them their first loss of the season. Baltimore is tied with the Bengals for first in the AFC North, while Denver is now behind the red hot Chiefs in the AFC West.

L.A. Rams 35, L.A. Chargers 23  - The battle for Los Angeles was not exactly what we might have expected, yet on some levels, it was precisely how you might have figured it. Both teams showed offensive firepower, but the Rams ultimately just had more of it. Philip Rivers had a solid enough day, completing 18 of 30 passes fo 226 yards and two touchdowns. Rams quarterback Jared Goff had a great game, completing 29 of 36 passes for 354 yards and three touchdowns, although he also had one interception. Todd Gurley picked up 105 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries. Ultimately, the Rams just buried the Chargers chances under a barrage of points, as they remain undefeated - the only unbeaten team left in the NFC.

Seattle 24, Dallas 13 - The Seahawks took the lead in the second quarter, after a scoreless first, as Russell Wilson found Jaron Brown for an 18-yard TD pass. The 'Boys responded with a field goal, but Seattle got yet another touchown as Wilson connected with Tyler Lockett on a 52-yard pass, then added a field goal for a 17-3 lead over Dallas at halftime. The Cowboys only managed a field goal in the third quarter, but Chris Carson pounded it in from five yards out in the fourth quarter to effectively ice the game, giving Seattle a 24-6 lead. Carson carried the ball 32 times for 102 yards, with that one touchdown. Wilson played solidly for Seattle, completing 16 of 26 passes for 192 yard, with two touchdowns. The Cowboys were able to notch a touchdown themselves, but were never seriously in this one. Dak Prescott did not handle the pressure well. He completed 19 of 34 passes for 168 yards, with one touchdown and two interceptions. Both teams are 1-2.

Chicago 16, Arizona 14 - For a while, when the Cardinals jumped out to a two touchdown lead early on, I was beginning to regret having picked the Bears, and feeling like I had seriously underestimated that Cardinals. But the Bears mounted a serious comeback, and shut the Cardinals out the rest of the way. Which means that Arizona is right where I expected them to be at this point, winless and seemingly hopeless. At 0-3, they are now officially the last place team in the NFC West, and the only remaining winless team in the NFC. As for the Bears, this was truly a great comeback road win, and keeps their momentum alive. Remember, if not for a miracle comeback by the Packers on opening day, Chicago would be 3-0 at this point. They are a rising franchise, and a team to watch out for in the future. As of right now, in fact, the future almost looks like it might be here already, as the Bears find themselves rather unexpectedly alone in first place in the NFC North.

Sunday Night Football

Detroit 26, New England 10 - This was one of those games that I got wrong. I mean, really, who could have seen the Lions not only beating, but pretty much dominated the Patriots? One of the most futile teams over the past two decades thoroughly beating the most successful team during that same period? I mean, it is not unthinkable, but it sure is not what you expect to happen. Yet, it happened, which means that New England has now lost a rare two consecutive games. It also means that the Lions snap their losing streak, and give Matt Patricia the game ball after earning a win against his former team. It also happened to be the first win of Patricia's career.

Monday Night Football

Pittsburgh 30, Tampa Bay 27 -The Buccaneers were being badly outplayed for most of the game, as the Steelers reverted to their normal winning ways after struggling for the first two weeks of the season. At halftime, Pittsburgh led it, 30-10. Tampa only managed to cut the lead by a field goal in the third quarter. But in the fourth, Tampa suddenly roared to life, and came close to pulling off a monumental upset, scoring two touchdowns and keeping the Steelers potent offense suddenly at bay. But in the end, when Tampa's offense needed to score, they instead stalled. And when the Bucs defense needed to stop Pittsburgh, they allowed two key first downs, and that was the story of this game. The Bucs were knocked from the ranks of the undefeated teams, while Pittsburgh earns their first win of the season. 

A Rare Lazy Day

I had myself an extremely, virtually monumentally lazy day. 

Yet, I allowed myself to do this, because it was probably not only overdue, but necessary, having recently calculated that I had worked 19 of the 21 nights since coming back from our vacation late last month, and having worked 21 of the 24 nights overall since.

One of my coworkers kind of scoffed when I mentioned this to him, and boasted that he had worked 15 nights in a row while he was covering for me while on vacation. Maybe, but in the past, I have worked more - even far more - days consecutive than this. Also, I work two jobs, which he does not, and I have a son who I need to take care of, and a girlfriend who expects me to spend time with her.  Plus, there are other responsibilities. He does not have those things. And it was the absence of those things - for only one day that I allow myself to take a break from them - that allowed this day to be probably the restorative kind of day that was needed on my end.

When I got off from work yesterday morning, I went to spend some time with my son, where we visited my parents, and then read a bit of the book that we are reading (and virtually finishing now) , ‘The Cay.’ Once that was done, I went back down south to the apartment to sleep for a few hours, knowing that there was really no way that I could oversleep, since my girlfriend would be coming before a few hours when she got off work. You see, she left for a two week trip to Poland yesterday, and I was the one who was going to drive her to the airport. So, sleeping too much was not an option. 

I should explain why she and I have taken different trips/vacations in recent years. Until just last month, we had a dog, and he was a very sick dog. He suffered from diabetes, which caused his blindness, and he needed regular insulin shots. On top of that, he was losing his hearing towards the end, and I believe he was even losing his sense of smell. In any case, no one wanted or was willing to take him in because of all of this, which meant that we would have had to pay a lot of money for him to be watched professionally, and so I stayed when she took a trip, and vice versa. But we had to put that dog, Max, to sleep, something that I wrote about in an earlier blog entry.  

Anyway, after just a few short hours of sleep, I was ready to take her to the airport. We spent a last bit of time together before she went through security, where I was not a ticketed passenger for a flight, and thus not allowed. So, I headed back home. 

Already, feeling utterly exhausted to the point that my arms and legs were feeling almost shakily weak, I had already determined that the next day, Monday, would be a day off. I would not answer the phone if the dispatcher wanted me to go to an assignment, but would allow myself a lazy day. 

And that is exactly what I had, and in a big way!

Until late at night, when I had to go to work, there was exactly one person who I spoke to. That was my ex, when I called to tell her that I would not be coming up to spend my usual time with my son. Really, I was feeling not that great, and having woken up at four in the morning for no particular good reason, a restful day was a necessity.

The funny thing is that it was only one night off. But having Sunday evening to myself, followed by almost all of Monday, felt like a mini vacation. In fact, I felt almost that same sense of disconnect with going back to work that you get after you take a vacation, only in miniature. It felt good, actually, to have such an incredibly lazy day. Hell, I barely even wrote on this day, until the end.

In a way, it was fitting, too. I had signed up for extra shifts for overtime before vacation, knowing that it would be tiring. Indeed it was, and working that many days made the trip feel like it was a long time ago. But even though this was just one night, it perhaps is symbolic, as I truly begin to return to a normal schedule, without all of the overtime and extra shifts. From here on out, at least for a while, I can expect to have nights off, on average, after no more than four nights working. And I can expect to have two consecutive nights off every other weekend. So, exhaustion should not be able to pile up over the course of three weeks and change, which is what it had been prior to today.

A lazy day, but a good day - and necessary!

AFC East Preview for the 2018-19 Season

New England reached the Super Bowl again, although this time, their attempt to win a third Super Bowl in a four year span, for what would have been the second time during the Belichick/Brady era, fell just short. The Philadelphia Eagles played a brilliant game, but it took all that they had to hold off the still explosive Pats, who were nevertheless immediately installed as favorites to reach and win the Super Bowl this season. And let's face it, with Belichick still as head coach, and Brady still as quarterback, they always have a chance. None of the other other teams look like obvious contenders to dethrone the Pats a AFC East champions. The Bills made the playoffs last season, but they lost some talent, and have the pressure of having been a playoff team. The Dolphins have their fair share of problems as well, and the Jets are still in rebuilding mode. It is not impossible that someone other than New England takes this division, although I do not know anyone, myself included, who would put money on it. Indeed, the Pats once again look like the class of this otherwise weak division, and they will likely have yet another title shot this season, once the playoffs roll around. 

Here are my predictions for the AFC East for the upcoming 2018-19 season:

1. New England Patriots (projected division winners) - Yes, many people are sick and tired of the Patriots enjoying the level of success that they seem to perennially enjoy, season after season. But no, I do not see this changing anytime soon, or at least not for this season. Indeed, there are some concerns. After all, Brady is not getting any younger. Sure, he has managed his age very well, but the NFL can be a brutal sport, obviously, and the physical toll that it takes can be tremendous. Remember that Brady has been injured in his career before, and at 41, his recovery from any potential injuries would be slower than before. Plus, he might simply start to look old and ineffective almost without warning, although that may seem hard to imagine right now. Still, it seemed to happen to Peyton Manning, Brady's main nemesis throughout his career, and so one has to imagine that it could happen to Brady, too. But the thing is, New England has a lot of depth. Head coach Bill Belichick is considered one of the greatest football minds in league history for a reason, and he always seems to have his team prepared. Last season, New England has the second most explosive offense in the league, and their defense ranked among the elite units in the league. The Pats struggled to a 2-2 start in the first month, but then caught fire, winning all but one of their remaining regular season games to finish 13-3, and then blowing out Tennessee in the divisional round. But they finally showed some vulnerability against Jacksonville in the AFC Championship, and just fell short in the Super Bowl. But this team is still loaded, and you just kind of sense that Belichick will find a way to get this team rolling again. You cannot count them out, almost ever, as a legitimate Super Bowl contender, and it certainly is difficult to imagine a scenario at this point where they do not win this division outright.

4. Miami Dolphins (projected second place) - The Dolphins went from a playoff team in the 2016-17 season, to ranking near the bottom on both offense and defense, and not even coming close to being a playoff team last year. The offense looked very inconsistent too often last season. They were shut out twice, and were held to 17 points or less eight times, going 1-7 in those games. Clearly, that was a problem. Another problem was that their defense really allowed far too many points in some games. There were five straight games where they gave up 170 points, for an average of 34 points during that stretch. They won only one of those games, and they just narrowly won that one game, at that. Yet, since I have the benefit of having seen them in their first two games, things are looking up. Already, they are 2-0, and appear to have a real chance at giving the Patriots a run for supremacy within the division. Of course, let's wait and see what happens during the rest of the season, especially in those meetings against New England. But it is difficult to see why they should not feel good about themselves so far, having beaten a playoff team from last season in Tennessee, and then beating a division rival in the Jets. I still do not know that they are playoff bound, or anything, but they seem to be heading in the right direction so far. 

3. New York Jets  (projected third place) (projected last place) -  The Jets are rebuilding, obviously. They have been rebuilding for some time, but there were some promising signs last season. At one point, they managed to pull off three wins in a row, and they also defeated three playoff teams last season. To be sure, the expectations for this team heading into last year were incredibly low, with many expecting them to be nothing less than the worst team in the league. Yet, they managed to surprise quite a few people at different points throughout the season. Sam Darnold is the hot quarterback prospect, and this team seems to clearly be repositioning themselves to be a contender. The problem right now is that will likely take a bit of time, perhaps a couple of seasons at least. Which , of course, does not bode well necessarily for their chances to really become contenders this season. That is probably alright for long-suffering Jets fans, who are used to their team struggling. So long as Gang Green actually does field a serious contender within the foreseeable future, my guess is that they will not be overly bothered by another mediocre season with mediocre results this season. Meanwhile, the Jets will get a serious look at what Darnold, their presumptive quarterback of the future, is capable of. Some believe that he is nothing short of the future dominance of this division for the Jets, so he is a big deal. Whether that actually pans out or not is a matter for future determination, but it is hard to argue with the thinking of Jets management with this move, because he sure seems like a strong quarterback with a bright future ahead of him. Again, though, the Jets likely have too many overall weaknesses to likely be a serious contender this season, but so long as they are indeed rebuilding towards a brighter future, as they appear to be, then most likely can be forgiven. Even if they are not particularly good, this will be an interesting season for Jets fans. 

4. Buffalo Bills (projected last place)- The good news for the Bills was that finally, after 18 long seasons of failing to make the postseason, the Bills finally punched their way to the playoffs last season, albeit just barely. At least they made it, although they quickly got dismissed with a one and done in Jacksonville. They played tough, but fell short. Then, they lost a ton of talent in the off-season, and all hell has broken loose. Since I did not get around to publishing this particular divisional prediction blog entry, I have caught a glimpse of the Bills and how they will be playing. And let's face it, they look bad. Like, really, really bad. Probably the worst team i the entire league bad, at this point. Plus, all of the other teams within this division seem to be in okay shape, at least. There are the Patriots, who always seem to thrive on whipping and tormenting Buffalo. The Dolphins look great so far, and the Jets also look like they are going in the right direction. Which leaves the Bills, who are clearly in rebuilding mode, and have perhaps the least amount of star power of any team in the league. As of my writing this, they are 0-2 and heading to Minnesota, so it is a fairly safe bet that they will start the season at 0-3, as the disaster continues to spin out of control. I know a Bills fan, and he already is saying he would be very happy with just three wins, although the way things look for this team, that might be a tall order. Hard to see how they avoid being cellar dwellers in this division, and quite possibly in the entire league, for this young season.

NFL 2018-19 Season Week 3 Predictions

Okay, so clearly, I was not as prepared for this NFL season as I have been in the past. I still did not finish the divisional predictions, even though it is already the third week of the new season. Only half of them were done and published. Also, I have not made any predictions for the first two weeks, although at least this much seemed to be easily remedied.

So, here, finally, are my predictions for the new upcoming weekend in the NFL:

New York Giants a Houston - Anyone who follows this blog, or knows me personally, knows that I am a fan of Big Blue. But last season, they were just terrible. And the problem so far this season is that the Giants look a little too similar to the way that they did last season. Houston does not look great, either. Still, a road game with an improved defense might prove too much to a weak and vulnerable offensive line. Maybe the Giants show a little of the promise that they showed towards the end of last week's game at Dallas, but my suspicion is another loss, and an 0-3 start. Hopefully, I  am wrong about this one, but I suspect that the home team wins. My pic: Houston

Buffalo at Minnesota - Yikes! Possibly the worst team in the NFL goes to visit one of the teams that has a real chance at the Super Bowl. The Vikings probably are still stinging from not having won that game at Green Bay last weekend, when they really should have. And the Bills have the misfortune of being their first opponents after that. Frankly, I just do not see Buffalo finding a way to make much of a game of this one against Minnesota. My prediction: Minnesota easily

Indianapolis at Philadelphia - Well, the Colts are improving, and maybe the Eagles are not as good as they were last season. Still, this is a tough order for anyone, going into an away game against the defending Super Bowl champions, after the champs were just upset, and somewhat embarrassed, the weekend before. Indy might be better than they seem, and perhaps the Bucs exposed some weaknesses, so maybe I am wrong here. But I expect Philly to bounce back. My prediction: Philadelphia

Green Bay at Washington - Washington looked awesome in week one, then looked weak last weekend. The Pack, meanwhile, look like a legitimate playoff contender, and some even believe they could be a Super Bowl contender. It's hard not to notice that Aaron Rodgers is questionable for this game, though, and that could affect the outcome. Still, nevertheless, my suspicion is that the Packers know the value of this game, and know that they might very well need it. So, I expect Green Bay to eke out a victory on the road here. My prediction: Green Bay

San Francisco at Kansas City - Kansas City might just be the hottest team out there right now. They have a hot young quarterback, and a seriously explosive offense. They are undefeated at 2-0, and just won a big road contest at Pittsburgh. The 49ers are hoping to be competitive and reach the playoffs, so this is a big test early for both teams. But with home field advantage and a ton of momentum heading into this one, it is difficult to predict anything but a Chiefs win. My prediction: Kansas City

Tennessee at Jacksonville - The Titans are perhaps an improved team, but the Jaguars look like they are seriously on a mission thus far this season. With Mariota questionable, and with Jacksonville having a chance to seriously grab this division by the throat early, I suspect that the Jaguars really come out swinging, and simply wear down a weaker opponent to remain unbeaten and look like the early favorite to take the division and establish themselves as one of the favorites in this young season. My prediction: Jacksonville

Oakland at Miami - The Dolphins are red hot, while the Raiders are not. Sure, the Raiders likely will sap out of it, and most people expect that the Dolphins will falter at some point, as well. It could happen this week, but my suspicion is that this will be a tight game, but that the home team Dolphins will nose out the Raiders in this contest to remain unbeaten. That said, I would not be surprised to be wrong in this one, as Oakland is better than their 0-2 record might suggest. So, this could be an upset. For now, though, I have to go with the Fins. My pick: Miami

Cincinnati at Carolina - A tough test for both teams. This is not exactly a must win for either side just yet, but the Panthers especially need to win in order to keep up in a tough division, where the surprising Bucs are undefeated and ahead. But Cincy is also undefeated, and with good reason. They look better than they have in years, and based on the way that these two teams are playing, they should have the edge. Still, this game is in Carolina, and that is not the easiest place to play. Another toss up, but I expect that the Panthers, behind Cam Newton, pull this one off and hand the Bengals their first loss of the young season. My pick: Carolina

New Orleans at Atlanta - A good rivalry, and this is a very important game for both teams. The Saints have not looked as good as they did last season, while the Falcons, I suspect, look like they are emerging as playoff contenders yet again. Atlanta is a tough place to play, and so my suspicion is that home field advantage serves them well, and they continue their winning ways. My prediction: Atlanta

Denver at Baltimore - The Broncos are hot and unbeaten. The Ravens, meanwhile, are reeling after that stinging loss to he Bengals. But the Ravens are back home, and Baltimore can be a tough place to play. Plus, Denver has hardly looked overpowering, and they have not yet been seriously tested. With a hungry Ravens team ready to get back to winning, it will be a tough challenge for a Denver team still trying to find their identity, and resolve lingering quarterback issues. My pick: Baltimore

L.A. Chargers at L.A. Rams - The battle for Los Angeles. Unfortunately, this does not look like it will be much of a match. The Chargers won last weekend, although they beat a very weak, struggling Bills team that bears no resemblance to the powerhouse that the Rams appear to be. The Rams simply have too many weapons, too much talent on both offense and defense, and it s hard to see how the Chargers can even really make a game of this one. My prediction: L.A. Rams

Dallas at Seattle - Dallas looked good last weekend in hanging on and beating the Giants. Now, even though they are on the road, they go up against a winless and struggling Seahawks team. Seattle is not as bad as some people suspected, at least based on their play so far. But they still have lost a lot of talent, and so far, they have lost each of their games. Expect that to remain the case, as the 'Boys continue to roll with a win here. My prediction: Dallas

Chicago at Arizona - Every time these two teams meet, I think about that infamous postgame press conference, where former Arizona coach Dennis Green famously stated that they (the Bears) were who they thought the Bears were, but they let them off the hook. Well, the Bears are a better team than they have been now in years, while the Cardinals seem worse than they have been in a long time. Home field advantage or not, the Cardinals are likely headed to another loss city.  Chicago is an emerging powerhouse, potentially, and these are the games that will help to establish them as serious contenders. My pick: Chicago

Sunday Night Football

New England at Detroit - New England is coming off a disappointing, rare loss. The Lions, meanwhile, are coming off two all too familiar losses. Logic would dictate that the Patriots win this one, and win big. However, the Lions really hung in there against San Francisco last week, after getting embarrassed by the Jets in week on. Also, it is possibly a wild card factor in this game that Matt Patricia knows these New England Patriots, and presumably, might know how to tame them. Still, the Lions have not shown much yet, and with the Patriots clearly hungry to get back to their normal winning ways, it is a tall order, and probably a little bit too much to expect from this year's Detroit Lions. My pick: New England

Monday Night Football

Pittsburgh at Tampa Bay - Normally, this would seem like a no brainer. After all, this is the Pittsburgh Steelers, perennial bullies and winners in this league. And this is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, perennial losers and the bullied in the NFL. But so far, this season has been different. The Buccaneers are playing some phenomenal ball, and the Steelers, meanwhile, are surprisingly struggling. If there is a week when the Steelers really need to put it together, this would be the week. Tampa Bay surely cannot stay as hot as they have been, logic would suggest. Still, this is a MNF game, which gives the Bucs a bit more time, and the national television focus. Yet, Pittsburgh is undeniably more experienced in these situations. A tough call, and I could see it go either way, but I will give a nod to the home team. My pick: Tampa Bay

NFL 2018-19 Thursday Night Football Week 3 Review - Browns Snap Historic Winless Streak With Comeback Win Over the Jets

New York Jets 

at

Cleveland Browns

Cleveland 21, N.Y. Jets 17 - You knew it was bound to happen, especially given how well the Browns have been playing as of late. They came all the way back from 21-7 down to tie Pittsburgh in week one, and then gave the Saints all that they could handle down in New Orleans last weekend. It is unfortunate that Cleveland's first victim in terms of an outright loss just happened to be the Jets, but they have been looking so much better, and again, it had to happen at some time, and to someone. 

This game featured probably the top two quarterbacks from this last draft in Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold.  So far, both have looked like the real deal. 

The Jets looked solidly in command last night when I tuned the game off, because I was just too exhausted, frankly, to stay up and watch the rest of the game. New York had taken a 14-0 lead in the first half before Mayfield took over for the struggling Tyrod Taylor. Mayfield looked immediately more impressive, but New York still held a 14-3 lead into the locker rooms at halftime.   

But Mayfield really showed some things on the field last night. He completed 17 of 23 passes for 201 yards. But it was not just the statistics, which were quite impressive nevertheless. It was the command that he seemed to have, the poise under pressure. He scrambled out of trouble and was able to put a good looking pass up while under serious defensive pressure. Carlos Hyde was also solid on the ground for Cleveland, picking up 98 yards on 23 carries, with two touchdowns on his 28th birthday.  

Darnold, in only his third start for the Jets, had his toughest game so far. He completed 15 of 31 passes for 169 yards, and two interceptions. The Browns defense applied constant pressure, and it showed with Darnold struggling. After a phenomenal first game, where he showed some amazing flashes of brilliance against the Lions and earned a strong passer rating of 116.8 in that game, Darnold has increasingly struggled. He threw two touchdowns and one interception against Detroit, then one touchdown and two interceptions against Miami last weekend, before the mediocre showing last night in Cleveland. His passer rating last night was a rather dismal 38.2. Running back Bilal Powell had some success on the ground, picking up 73 yards on 14 carries for Gang Green, but he did not have a touchdown.  

Indeed, the Browns defense tightened up in the second half, yielding only a field goal to the Jets for the entire half, and allowing the offensive production to stand up for a win.  

Finally.  

A lot is being made of how long it has been since Cleveland was last in this position. It had been almost two full years - 635 days to be exact - since the Browns last won a meaningful game prior to last night. So far, though, you would have to say that Cleveland has looked significantly improved with their play this season. They have played three games, and been in every single game. They came back from 14 points down against Pittsburgh to force a tie. They very nearly beat New Orleans last weekend. And now, they again came from 14 points behind against the Jets last night, but this time outright earned the win. Amazingly, despite only having a 1-1-1 record, the Browns have shown remarkable progress from last season, and have enjoyed more on field success than the franchise enjoyed all of last season, when they went 0-16.  

As for the Jets…well, somebody was going to be the first team to lose to Cleveland. The Browns are better than their record winless streak would indicate. The Jets missed some opportunities. Obviously, when you are on the road and own a 14-0 lead against a struggling team with a lot of inexperience, you would normally expect that team to win. But the Jets are themselves in rebuilding mode, and they have shown strong glimpses of improvement. It will take time, and most likely, as I mentioned before, huge progress will not be seen this year. At least, not enough to make the playoffs. For once, though, the Jets have something going, some momentum for the future, and they need to remain patient and poised, and even to struggle as they are doing through at least this season, before they are in a position to really become a contender. Neither team last night seems ready to be a serious playoff contender, but both teams are showing some solid glimpses from good recent draft picks and talented pick-ups. These are both struggling teams, and for much of the good glimpses that both teams showed, they also showed some inexperience and growing pains, as well. If both teams remain patient and continue to develop, the time might not b be far off when both of these teams find themselves in the postseason again, and quite possibly against once another.

It had been almost two full years - 635 days to be exact - since the Browns last won a meaningful game prior to last night.