Fear The Chorizo

The KC game may have gotten easier. Mahomes left the game with a right knee injury. Hopefully, not too serious as I don't like seeing any big stars get injured. Looked like a dislocated knee that they actually popped back into place on the field...tough to say whether any significant ligament damage goes with that, but it didn't look great. He did walk off to the locker room on his own. It really is like the entire AFC exists to make sure the Patriots make the super bowl every year.

I agree with all of that, however I feel like that should also apply for every conference and it just hasn't with how the cfp has operated. I dont even care that bama won it all the year they didn't even play in their conference title game, they shouldn't have been in the cfp. If you dont win your conference title, however it is determined, you shouldn't have the chance to win a national title in football unless multiple conferences have 2-3 loss teams winning their respective title games. Independent schools basically need to run the table to have a chance unless there is the same carnage, IMO. There is also a ton of football to be played, and there hasn't even been the initial CFP rankings issued - a ton is going to happen in the next month that will scramble what looks like a pretty concrete group of contending teams at the moment. Since that isnt how the cfp committee has operated, my case for a 1 loss WI non conference champ team making the cfp still has merit if the big 12 champ winds up being a 2 loss TX club, and the sec has an undefeated bama as its representative. ND wont have the resume WI will have should they run the table and lose a close game in the Big 10 title game.

Yeah I hate to say it, but this game likely means...probably not much compared to the B10 Championship. Although if you actually do beat OSU twice and go unbeaten you're a guaranteed in, whereas losing this one and winning the B10 Championship is not a complete certainty. Also totally possible Penn State, not OSU wins the East, it'll come down to their game most likely, but with it being on OSUs field I would not count on a PSU win. Tend to agree, but if WI beats OSU at the horseshoe and then loses to them in a close Big Ten title game, I feel like they could still make a great case for still being in the final 4 provided OSU finishes with 1 loss as well - assuming there is some carnage in other conferences. There would be no other quality road win aside from LSU potentially winning at Bama that would come close to winning in Columbus. That's assuming the SEC continues to beat one another up, which could easily happen with many of those teams' remaining schedules and the overall talent level in that conference. If one of those SEC powers winds up unblemished (ALA or LSU), while the other finishes with 2 losses or doesn't even win its division to play in the SEC title game, then I think the SEC only gets 1 team in after that Georgia debacle last week. I'm assuming Clemson winds up in. Oklahoma is the obvious big 12 candidate, but it wouldn't surprise me if they wind up finding a way towards a bad regular season loss or perhaps a Big 12 title game loss to TX. I'm interested to see how Wisky looks against a team they should beat up in the Illini, with it being a road game. They've only played once on the road to date at south florida, so they've had home cooking for almost 2 months now - they've gotta be impressive against an inferior opponent to give me reason to believe they're primed for giving OSU all they can handle on the road the following week.

I don't know - they got pasted pretty good by the Red Sox in a World Series a few years back, too.

If the Lions were a really good team, the Packers would've been buried by the time the second quarter rolled around. They failed to capitalize and let the Packers back in the game - however alot of that is the fact Green Bay is a solid team that can actually take advantage of those opportunities despite playing without two of their three best receivers.

Exactly - I remember being out with friends the night of that PSU game and Wisky was just mauling them at the line of scrimmage. Then PSU just started chucking it deep and their receivers made a bunch of big plays that got them back into the game - combination of big plays by Penn State and the Badger offense going into hibernation made that a loseable game by the Badgers, which they wound up doing. Badgers beat themselves more than Penn State rolled them. The only pasting they've suffered was that OSU drubbing a few years back - how much of that was a product of the circumstance with their coach basically having both feet out the door (Anderson) we probably won't know, but I'm sure that played a big part in it. Even in years where athletically the Badgers don't match the top end of the Big Ten or the SEC teams they've had to play in so many bowl games, their gameplan finds a way to keep them in it and actually win against teams that aren't used to playing physical every down. However, programs like Alabama and OSU have athletes everywhere who are able to play physical, so the Badgers have bad luck with their traditional game plan of ground & pound to wear a defense down - they need to be more dynamic, and at least this year's group of skill position players has the potential to do so if their line can pass block and their qb can make some throws.

So happy Gleyber Torres is in pinstripes and not in a cub uniform right now...

When you consider almost all of those points were scored in garbage time it's even more absurd.

Even if georgia pulls this one out they should drop a few spots in the rankings...this is a bad display at home against a below average team But you know what? At the end of the year if Georgia is in a close race for the #4 playoff spot no one will remember that they should have lost because the SC kicker missed a chip shot in OT, it will all be about how they play in the all mighty SEC and they will be given the benefit of the doubt. Oh well, go BUCKY! Well that narrative should be moot since they still lost when sc gave them every chance to win. This should also kill ND's argument if a quality loss and keep them out if the playoff picture unless there are a few 2 loss conference champs

Even if georgia pulls this one out they should drop a few spots in the rankings...this is a bad display at home against a below average team

Cards go from putting up a 1st inning 10 spot one game to no hitter watched the next game. Anyone who says there are actual playoff trends worth counting on is a fool. There was some chatter about the playoffs being tough to watch this year...I think they have mostly bee awesome, unpredictable, and extremely entertaining. The reasons why baseball is king no matter how much football and basketball enthusiasts want to slight America's true pasttime

The Gophers' schedule does them a ton of favors this year. They probably should be 3-2 or even 2-3, and they still really have played nobody and won't for another month. The first 1/2 of their big ten schedule should guarantee them an 8-0 start, as their next 3 are a Husker team likely without its QB at home, then Rutgers and Maryland. Plus, their 2 big ten wins against bad Purdue and Illinois teams were made much easier after they knocked their opponent's starting QB from the game. Some of that is due to their play, sure...but it's still pretty lucky. Gopher fans up here aren't too insufferable - yet...guessing after they reach 8-0 and they aren't cracking the top 15 they'll be hyping their team up relentlessly until Penn State comes into town and promptly demolishes them. Their last 4 conference games are home against PSU, at Iowa, at NW, and home against Wisky. They don't have to play anyone worth a darn in the Big Ten east aside from PSU, so they should wind up with a really good record despite likely being a marginally good team. They'll likely wind up getting into a bowl game they have no business being in and get destroyed by an SEC club.

Just as good a chance at it being nats, Braves, Rays and yankees at this point

Nice that being up 24-0 in Dallas feels like the score should actually be much worse! This is a good packer team, and the thurs night loss to philly will look alot better as the season wears on....the eagles are solid

They should probably burn the part of their playbook regarding 1st and goal from the 1...at some point teams will just run it 3 straight times and that would be unconventional

Overall agreed, but there are some highly ranked teams who have already played a solid schedule. Wisky does have that beatdown win against Michigan already on its resume that I wouldnt be surprised starts looking better as the season wears on. LSU won a shootout at Texas in week 2 and has looked dominant on offense. Auburn has wins already against Oregon and TX A&M. Clemson beat A&M, too. Alabama, OSU, and the Sooners haven't played anyone at all yet - the rest of the top 10 teams have at least one game against a quality opponent already in their win column. And I wouldn't compare MSU to Nebraska at all right now - the Huskers got way too much helium mainly because they hired a coach who won a national title there as a player, and he's only in year 2. Frost took over a program that was a wasteland of talent compared to even the years when Pelini had them still winning 9-10 games a year but were still viewed as underachieving. I really don't know why many though Nebraska was going to take this huge leap - next year I see them getting back to being a consistent 8-9 win team and building beyond that, but this year they'll be lucky to win 7. I would be very, very impressed if OSU drubs Sparty in the horseshoe, much more than after watching them trounce the Huskers in Lincoln.

I get that, but their best opponent to date has been that grossly overhyped Cornhusker squad that barely beat South Alabama in Lincoln and squeaked by Illinois. OSU has played nobody that has resembled a major college program yet - let's see how good Ohio State looks this Saturday in a game they should also win easily (at home, good/not great MSU team with a quality defense yet suspect offense). If they make Sparty look like Nebraska this Saturday night after being able to refocus following a week of praise and hype being heaped upon them, then I agree OSU is in a class by itself not only in the Big Ten, but quite possibly across the nation with the exception of Alabama (or whoever may come out of the SEC unscathed). I'm expecting Ohio State to win saturday, but it will be one of those 24-19 type slugfests.

Ain't hindsight from me. And sure if it had worked I wouldn't have a reason to be talking about this, but I was pretty adamant about not wanting Hader anywhere near the 9th inning. The division blowage in Colorado was the last warning sign. I mean I think it was actually you that said you didn't hate my idea of bringing Hader out first. Maybe he'd suck then too, but, there is less pressure in the 5th, there is more time to get the runs back, and you have more options if he clearly doesn't have it going. Give the 8th/9th to Pom who had shown more control and better secondary stuff. You're absolutely right about Guerra or anybody else going in there and blowing it, but literally the exact reason I didn't want Hader closing that game out came true. But if someone else had blown the game late like that I would be feeling more like "Well what can you do, they all stink," rather than "Hader blew it and I saw it coming." So your take is CC should have brought Hader out in the 5th so he could likely blow the game earlier because he was toast in your eyes, then proceed to lay out other closer options as also being awful with the exception of Pom (who did give them 6 outs with the lead). I guess you wanted to hold onto Pom to use him for innings 7 and 8 assuming he'd be pitching from behind since the rest of the pen is a disaster, Hader included? Not sure anyone is able to follow at this point... Hard to fault CC for going with what got the Brewers to the postseason from a bullpen standpoint - sucks that it didn't work out but taking any other approach to what he tried to do would've been even more reason to question it. Hader has been this team's closer, good and bad, for all of 2019 - to switch it up in a winner take all wild card game because he gave up a 2 out solo shot at Coors Field to tie a game in game 161 after being dominant in September (27K, 3 BB, 2HR, 0.7WHIP) is just beyond kneejerk. The only thought I had to change how the pen was managed last night was that they may have tried using other relief options to get through the 6th before going to Pomeranz - then you could pinch hit his spot in the 7th, use him for innings 7-8 with Hader coming in at the first sign of trouble or given the 9th.

Hader threw fastballs out of the zone all year and got batters to swing. It's not now 'lucky' that the same batters were getting beat with those pitches. Hader was absolutely unlucky in the HBP call and the broken bat single by Zimmerman. He stayed away from Rendon on the 3-2 pitch, which was fine. Counsell wasn't going to lift Hader for Claudio or anyone else at that point against a lefty, so calling that bad management is just Monday morning quarterbacking. Just a bad play by Grisham and unlucky spots from Hader. More or less agree, aside from saying he was staying away from Rendon - that wasn't by design, that was because he wasn't able to command his pitches. He had some unlucky breaks, but he also put himself in a bad spot by not having command. Lots of people talk about him being most effective up in the zone, and he gives up dongs when he's throwing low strikes. He definitely wasn't low in the zone last night. Not making excuses for him, but there were a few 50/50 high pitches that were called balls that the ump was calling strikes on occasion earlier in the game that Hader put behind in counts and aided hitters to taking more pitches instead of swinging. The ump overall was inconsistent high in the zone - although some of the pitches he called strikes for Suter were ridiculously high. If Hader was missing by a couple inches consistently and was hitting his spots he probably gets a few of those strike calls and the Brewers win the game - the fact he was all over the place negates that possibility and the ump doesn't give him the benefit of the doubt on any marginal pitches.

Hader was hitting 98 at times with his fastball last night - the problem was he wasn't locating at all...I don't know if taking a bit off and running it up there at 95 would help command that pitch better or not - if it does he really should take that approach. Just seems like he was throwing, not pitching - and that also explains why he has unreliable secondary stuff when he's in that mode. He went through extended stretches of 2019 where he was still unhittable and is a huge reason the Brewers even had a prayer for a postseason berth...but I think his best role remains something like he was in 2018 - for as antiquated as it seems, I really think the Brewers need to address finding a seasoned closer to cover the 9th. If they can resign Pomeranz to go with Hader and also view Peralta as a multi-inning relief option given adequate rest, that trio coupled with Knebel at the back end is a pretty damn good starting point for a 2020 bullpen. Getting Wahl back and presumable giving Black an extended shot at a pen role also helps Hader lost that game without the Nationals hitting a ball hard - even Soto's single wasn't scalded. So despite him being a 1 pitch pitcher, his stuff is still electric. Absolutely have to improve command on that pitch and need to make that slider a more consistent offering. Soto k'd his previous at bat from a hanging curveball from Pomeranz, and was obviously geared up exclusively for Hader's fastball - if Hader even had a below average slider he could lean on in that at bat Soto would've had no chance. As far as pitching decisions go, I feel like CC went by the script he wanted aside from probably getting Pomeranz in 1 inning earlier than he wanted. That was because after getting 2 quick outs in the 5th, Suter scuffled to get out of that inning unscathed and rattled up a high pitch count. CC was up against it because the the 6th would've been the ideal inning to empty out the situational relievers and play matchups to face the heart of the Nats order (Eaton, Rendon, Soto), but he instead opted to use Pom (who has been their best reliever for some time)...I get the move, but sitting in my armchair the 6th might have been the best inning to try getting 3 outs from Claudio with two of the first three batters being lefthanded. Opening the inning with him while having two other relievers warming (Jackson/Guerra, Peralta) would've been rolling the dice, but IMO getting into the 7th without using Pomeranz would've been worth the risk. Then you roll with a combination of Pom/Hader to try and get the last 9 outs instead of 12. I still am flabbergasted why Taylor's AB was ruled a HBP, despite being reviewed by MLB in super slow mo - if there's a reason at all for replay, it's to look at those type of plays that are next to impossible for an umpire to get a great look at and wind up with the correct call. That wasn't the sole reason Hader imploded - the fact he couldn't locate anything at all was - but gifting a baserunner in that spot prolonged the inning and enabled the scenario for a sawed-off Zimmerman flare to set the rest of things up for a big inning.

yep - with Hader's lack of control he probably walks Taylor on the next pitch anyway, but that coupled with Zimmerman sawing one off to center extended the inning just enough for the Brewers to implode

that sucked...I'd say they deserved better, but then again they probably didn't when you look a their whole 2019 body of work. kinda fitting that the season ended due to the exposed gaping hole Knebel's injury in spring training left on this roster

yup

Grisham will be changing his name back to Clark to try and hide from that boot in RF, too

honestly, just keep him in the park here