The Burning 7: Tom Brady Is Back

First let's start with my humble brag.

Bounced back with a 3-2 week against the spread bringing mediocrity on its knees for the season at 12-13.

Thanks New York Giants for the backdoor cover late.

As the year goes on in the NFL, I'm starting to feel a bit gun shy picking games I believe that'll actually stick. Maybe it's Vegas throwing a challenge weekly which I have humbly acknowledged. It's been tough finding game to roll with let alone winning them.

But we must press on. And press on we shall.

1.Thomas Edward Brady is back.

28-40
403 yards
3 Touchdowns
127.7 QB Rating.

First game of meaningful football since late January. First game off a four game suspension. You and I already know it was stupid to even think Tom Brady would show any kind of rust.

He's Tom 'fucking' Brady.

Sunbathing in the nude one week. Crushing NFL competition (even it's the Browns) the next.

Brady is better at life than you are. The New England Patriots are better for it and are about to wreak havoc on the rest of the league. Wait till I release this week's rankings

Thanks Roger GODdell!!


2. Tony Romo's days in Dallas is numbered.

I know what Jerry Jones and the eccentric Dallas Cowboys owner said. Tony Romo's job is his when he gets back.

That's horseshit and they know it.

Dak Prescott has been a revelation for the Cowboys. He's already set the rookie mark for most passes without an interception at 135. Even more impressive is that Dallas is finally -- after many years of being an absolute joke is getting noticed for the right reasons. Their play on the field. They've actually become somewhat -- boring.

That's actually a good thing.

Doesn't matter that Dez Bryant has missed the last two contests and is getting heat for how many team meeting he's actually missed (at least according to Jerry Jones, God knows).

Think about this also.

Let's go back to Week 1 vs. the New York Giants. Do you not realize that Dallas is literally a Terrance Williams sna-fu away from a 5-0 record?

Let's recognize right now that through five weeks that the Dallas Cowboys are a damn good football team. And Tony Romo's days as the starting quarterback in Dallas is definitely numbered -- regardless of what's being said publicly.


3. I feel sorry for Philip Rivers.

San Diego is supposed to ride the cellar in the AFC West. It was written in the stars before the 2016 NFL season was put into existence.

But riddle me this.

Take a look at each of the Chargers five contests this season. They have invented nearly a new way to lose games late.

Just as easily they could be sitting at 5-0.

Blown lead in Kansas City

Late lead in Indianapolis

A choke job vs. New Orleans

A muffed snap on a makeable field goal in Oakland that would've otherwise tied the game.

San Diego is wasting away Philip Rivers prime years and certainly has festered into the back end of his career. Makes you wonder if he honestly regrets signing that huge extension a few years back


4. I don’t think anyone has noticed Rex Ryan has the Bills on a roll.

Remember two weeks ago many including myself were calling for Rex Ryan's head after the Bills started the year 0-2?

Since then....

Blowout win vs. Arizona

Shutout win in Foxboro over the Patriots

Solid road win over a previously 3-1 LA Rams team.

Now I'm not going to predict nor do I actually believe the Buffalo Bills are actually going to make the playoffs nor challenge the Patriots in the AFC East. There is alot of time for Buffalo to flip back the other way and screw themselves and this season hence extending their non-postseason streak to 18 years.

What I will say is keep an eye on this team in the coming weeks. A relatively easy two weeks with games vs. San Francisco and Miami before their schedule becomes brutal.


5. The Washington Huskies is the Pac-12's lone hope of making the playoff.

Let me preface this in saying that the Huskies have a damn good chance of cracking the final four in December. Currently they stand at #5 in the AP poll 

Here is why the Pac-12 is screwed beyond belief.

Stanford was the "other" team who had a shot at making an argument to representing the Pac-12 in the playoff. However they did themselves a huge disservice. Stanford not only losing to Washington a few weeks back but getting outright embarrassed erased any shot of a one-win team for the Pac-12 to crash the party. No one else in the conference has even stepped forward to even make a case.

USC is horrid and will likely fire Clay Helton into his first season.

UCLA underwhelmed as always

Oregon has been horrible and will likely be on the market for a new coach soon.

Washington's schedule is fairly easily moving forward with Utah being the lone team I believe could even mount a challenge. The current top 4 will work itself out once Michigan and Ohio State play each other in November. Washington just needs to stay the course and win out.


6. Start taking the Atlanta Falcons seriously.

Can't believe I'm about to say this. Especially given how really, REALLY tough I have been on the Atlanta Falcons. I must confess however that what I saw on Sunday in Denver against the previously unbeaten Super Bowl champs -- pretty impressive. 

The Falcons actually played dominating, suffocating defense.

Part of my resistance towards Atlanta for years has been the fact that we've seen this team in recent years come out the gate impressive then melt late. Just last season at this very point they were sitting at 5-0.

​Finished the year 8-8.

You tell me I don't have the right to be a skeptic.

This year does feel different. I must confess.


7. I need to watch Luke Cage. And soon.

Here is my lone question. Is it imperative that I watch Daredevil and Jessica Jones before tackling Luke Cage? I ask only cause I've gotten mixed answers. Email me at ejchristian7@gmail with your thoughts.