Time-out!
We need a COVID-19 break.
Every day the coronavirus has many more victims.
Let us take a brief pause to take-a-look at the only one of the four major sports to be playing at this time.
Yes, the virus has tackled many NFL players but we will put that aside to look at the season which is approaching the midway point.
Here are my observations.
Five best teams (in this order): Chiefs (7-1), Steelers (7-0), Seahawks (6-1), Buccaneers (6-2), Ravens (5-2)
Five worst teams (in this order): Jets (0-8), Jaguars (1-6), Giants (1-7), Cowboys (2-6) Texans (1-6)
(How bad are the Jets? They have a point differential of -144, which is 63 more than the second-worst team, Dallas at -81)
Most surprising team: Steelers. Did anyone believe Pittsburgh would have the league’s best record entering Week 9? (4-3) Dolphins and (5-2) Cardinals have also been pleasant surprises)
The 7-0 Pittsburgh Steelers have risen to the top of many power rankings over the last two weeks. So I dove into the data to find out whether they are really the best team in the NFL.https://t.co/k67tL4uS73
— Moo (@PFF_Moo) November 4, 2020
Worst team with a winning record: Bears (5-3). Despite a good defence, Chicago is no better than a middle of the pack team.
Most disappointing team: Falcons (2-6) followed closely by the Vikings (2-5) as neither team has won at home.
MVP QB: Russell Wilson (Seahawks). He has 26 touchdown passes, the second-most ever through eight weeks of a season. Runner-up is Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs) with 21 TD passes and only one interception.
(Note: Dak Prescott will not get any MVP votes but we have seen how bad the Cowboys are without him)
Russell Wilson is NFL’s midseason MVP, but he has 4 other QBs nipping at his heels – Yahoo Sports https://t.co/Yn5bYI6D29 #NFL #Football #NFLNews #Superbowl
— Sports News & Videos (@robinsportsnews) November 6, 2020
Most overrated QB: Carson Wentz (Eagles). His 16 total turnovers are three more than Daniel “some call me turnover machine” Jones (Giants).
Defensive Player of the Year: Aaron Donald (Rams) and his 9 sacks.
Best Rookie: QB Joe Burrow (Bengals) who is the reason Cincinnati is no longer a joke. He has 11 touchdown passes and just 5 interceptions and has lived up to the hype of being this year’s #1 draft pick.
Comeback player: QB Alex Smith (Washington). Just to see him back on the field was an inspiration.
Smartest player: Tom Brady. He left New England at just the right time, finding the perfect fit in Tampa. While Brady is 6-2 with the Bucs, his former coach, Bill Belichick, at 2-5, is not quite the genius without a franchise QB.
Rex Ryan claims Patriots dynasty is ‘over,’ says Tom Brady had bigger impact than Bill Belichick https://t.co/60fX1WkYFP via @Yahoo
— jeff (@slipknot0575) November 5, 2020
Coach of the Year: Mike Tomlin (Steelers) although Brian Flores (Dolphins) has also done a superb job.
Last year @steelers HC Mike Tomlin almost took a patchwork team to the playoffs. This season he is 7-0 and rolling. Nobody’s talking that “Fire Tomlin” nonsense anymore. https://t.co/HSudzGW1l3
— The Shadow League (@ShadowLeague) November 5, 2020
Worst Coach: Mike McCarthy (Cowboys) who is just not the right fit for Dallas.
Mr Irrelevant: Rookie QB Ben DiNucci. The poor guy got one start with Dallas and we will likely never hear of him again.
Report: Ben DiNucci benched, Garrett Gilbert and Cooper Rush will compete to start https://t.co/K6dmnU1bse
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) November 3, 2020
#
If you do need your daily fix of COVID-19/sports, the well-respected Gregg Drinnan has the roundup.
Not a good day as COVID-19 numbers continue to grow . . . SJHL ready to open . . . OJHL targets mid-January; each team gets disinfectant fogger machine https://t.co/tiVrsjEXth
— Gregg Drinnan (@gdrinnan) November 6, 2020
FROM THE QUOTE RACK:
Chicago White Sox have hired 76-year-old Tony LaRussa as manager. So they’re making a play to win the 2012 World Series.
*Comedy writer Janice Hough of Palo Alto, California www.leftcoastsportsbabe.com
Head scratcher: White Sox hire La Russa as manager after 34-year hiatus – Chicago Daily Herald: The White Sox hired 76-year-old Tony La Russa as manager Thursday. La Russa has not been in a major league dugout since 2011… https://t.co/Avjm2ynGak #guestpost #guestpostingservice pic.twitter.com/akTPVsU5xH
— @Dailyusanews (@DailyUSANews) October 30, 2020
In a response to inquiries from New York Jets and Houston Texans fans, the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta informed them that they must continue to wear masks, even under the paper bags over their heads.
*Contributor Bill Littlejohn of South Lake Tahoe, California
Ex-Sonics star Shawn Kemp and two partners are opening a retail marijuana shop, Shawn Kemp’s Cannabis, in Seattle. No word on whether Pick & Roll will be among the offerings.
*Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times http://www.seattletimes.com/author/dwight-perry/
Former Sonic Shawn Kemp announces new cannabis dispensary in Seattle.https://t.co/BfUlZYzpE4 pic.twitter.com/DPiHxjAK3u
— The Inlander (@TheInlander) November 1, 2020
IN CASE, YOU MISSED IT
National Fossil Day was on October 14. It will not be on November 28th, the revised fight date between retirees Mike Tyson and Roy Jones.
*Canadian comedy writer RJ Currie www.Sportsdeke.com
Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Junior say fighting two-minute rounds “is for women” as they prepare for their exhibition bout on November 28.
Both men said they would have preferred to fight over three-minute rounds when they meet in Los Angeles.https://t.co/27JRbFTFNs
— Nationwide90FM (@Nationwideradio) October 30, 2020
Hartley Miller is the news and sports supervisor and morning news anchor for 94.3 the GOAT and Country 97.
He also is the 94.3 the Goat radio colour commentator for P.G. Cougars home games.
His column appears Fridays on myprincegeorgenow.com.
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