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Week 14 Recap: Its been a while

It has been too long, and I apologize about that. Between a new job and moving home to San Diego things have been a little hectic so let me catch you up on what you missed in my football adventures:

• Went to my first Chargers/Raiders game in Oakland south, and that was an interesting experience. The loss sucked, and the trash talking Raider fans on the trolley after sucked worse. Yes, I did wear a Chargers hard hat for protection

• Then went to my second straight Thursday Night Football game the following week and watched Tebow part the gang green sea. Still cant really believe what I saw.

• The following week I watched Tebow do it again, but this time it hurt because it put the Chargers season on life support. Tried to put a Tebow hex on Timmy, but that did not work.

• Then finally got the bitter taste of defeat out of my mouth on Sunday, as my Bolts decided to wake up and play football and looked dominating in the 37-10 victory over Buffalo.

So there you have it, it has been a great season of in person games, just a disappointment my boys couldn’t have one a few more. Now lets take a look at the highlights from this past weeks action:

• Sometimes, it is better to be Tebow then good. I need to start going to church more if I am going to have a chance to pull stuff out of my ass like Tim Tebow and his Denver Broncos have done the past few weeks. Down 10-0 late in the fourth quarter Denver managed to tie the game with a 59 yard field goal, then won it in overtime. The Broncos control their fate in the AFC West, and we could Timmy leading his team into the playoffs with just one more win.
• Houston does it again, and laughs at the notion you need consistency at quarterback. Matt Schaub, Matt Leinart, TJ Yates….it really doesn’t matter. The Texans went into Cincy and pull out the win against a now struggling Bengals team with a thrilling 20-19 victory. The win gives Houston a 10 win season, and clinches the franchises first playoff berth. TJ Yates threw for 300 yards in the win, and the Texans have a real shot at a first round bye in the playoffs.
• The Cowboys lose another thriller, and are probably going to petition the league to stop letting people ice the kicker. It has been back to back heartbreaking losses for Dallas, but at least it was the opponent calling the timeout to ice the kicker this week. The Cowboys are now tied a top the NFC East with the Giants, but get a chance at revenge in the seasons final week.

Whats your Fantasy??

The playoffs have started in the Tumblr Fantasy Football league, and last week I got it going in the right way with a first round victory. It will be a tough battle this week as I face Gallifrey Time Lords. With players like Romo, Arian Foster, and a hot Laurent Robinson it will be an uphill battle. But I have faith in Aaron Rodgers, Antonio Gates, and my rookie AJ Green to carry Jimmy Johnson Eat World into Championship weekend.

Top 5

Ah the first Top 5 of the year comes with the season nearing its end, which I can spin as saying we have a better outlook of the teams in mid-December. Lets get into it starting with the top dog:

1. Green Bay Packers (13-0) - Is there even a debate here?? 19 straight wins and coming off a beat down of the suddenly free falling Raiders the Packers look to stay perfect into February. But a trap game may be coming Sunday, as the Chiefs welcome them to Arrowhead and play the first game after Todd Haley was fired Monday.
2. New Orleans Saints (10-3) - It seems arguments can be made for a few teams here, but Saints get my vote as #2 this week. They are on a 5 game winning streak and just find ways to win games. They pulled out a squeaker this past week against an under rated Titans team, and boost the #1 passing offense in the league. They head to Minnesota this week, which should be a cakewalk.
3. New England Patriots (10-3) - The Patriots are my choice for the top AFC team, but still have a glaring weakness with the leagues worst pass defense. Lucky for them they close out against Denver, Miami, and Buffalo; teams that are not known for airing it out. Sunday will be a test, as they head to the Vatican to visit Pope Tebow and one of the hottest defenses in the league.
4. Baltimore Ravens (10-3) - The Ravens sit at number 4, and their top 5 defense welcomes back its leader Ray Lewis Sunday as they head to America’s Finest City to take on my Bolts on Sunday Night football. This should be a great test for Baltimore, as the Chargers offense seems to have found some sort of rhythm the last two weeks. Plus anytime you can sweep a team like the Steelers in the regular season, you must be doing something right.
5. San Francisco 49ers (10-3) - Even after coming off a shocking defeat on Sunday, the 49ers round out the top 5 this week. The Niners have the recipe to win in January, which is a tough defense and a solid ground game. I still think this is the team that can go into Lambeau and win in the cold, but they will have a huge test Monday night as they welcome the Steelers into Candlestick. I have been there for Monday Night Football, and that stadium is electric at night.

Best of the Rest: Pittsburgh, Houston, NY Giants, Denver

Final Thought

It has been a rough year for my San Diego Chargers, as a 4-1 start has spiraled into a 6-7 record and put their playoff chances on life support. You can blame Norv, the injuries, or even Philip; but I place the blame solely on the angry shoulders of one AJ Smith. This team is not deep at crucial positions, and the lack of depth has led to a skeleton offensive line and a mediocre secondary. At one point this was one of the elite teams in the NFL, and AJ has managed to turn this into a team that will miss the playoffs two straight years for the first time since before the 2004 season. Questionable drafts, letting key players go, and hiring a .500 coach laid the groundwork for what we see today. As a loyal fan of this team, I hope the Spanos make the right decision and not only relieve Norv of his duties, but also send AJ Smith to the unemployment office. The time is now, as we can not waste more years of Philip Rivers prime. 

I will be back at the Q for the final time this year as my Chargers play in prime time against the Baltimore Ravens. I am hoping for an upset, but more importantly hoping Philip makes it out alive.

Like always, if you have questions or comments shoot me an email or follow me on Twitter. Enjoy the games!!