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Now that you’re through the holiday feasting and shopping (if that’s your thing) then you likely sat through the Sunday slate of Week 12 games. With football on 5 straight days, you may think there would be a fatigue factor but that only happens if you’re chasing 5 straight days of football with Aunt Linda’s yams and shot gunning turkey gravy like it’s a Natural Light can. Let’s dive into the best and worst of Week 12 and I think I have a pretty good idea where to start.
Bad Scary: The Sh** Show Carolina Panthers
The worst team in the league got even more embarrassing following their 17-10 loss to the Tennessee Titans as owner David Tepper fired head coach Frank Reich just a mere 11 games on the job. Tepper has been in the firing mood as of late, with Reich being the third coach he’s fired in five seasons (Matt Rhule, Steve Wilks). It’s hard to say whether any coach, regardless of experience, could have any success with the 2023 Panthers. Bryce Young is small and inconsistent, the rest of the roster outside of Brian Burns and a few others is old and bad and now the team that’s got the worst record and least amount of talent also has less draft capital to work with and needs a head coach that believes in Young. Oh, and your owner is a fire-happy maniac. Good luck, future candidates!
Good Scary: Are The Broncos For Real?
If you would have told me ahead of the season that by the time we reach the end of November the Denver Broncos would be the hottest team in football I would have said to put down the Mescaline. But here we are, and they Broncos have rattled off five straight wins putting them a game over .500 and firmly in the AFC playoff picture. Sean Payton seems to have Russell Wilson feeling somewhat Dange-Russ (I just puked in my mouth typing that out) again. Wilson has 20 touchdowns to four interceptions, has completed over 68-percent of his passes and the defense is playing up to snuff. In an AFC riddled with backup quarterbacks and sloppy play the Broncos look like they could have some serious chances of competing. The schedule over the next few weeks will definitely dictate how legit this Broncos team is. The Texans, Lions, Chargers twice and the Patriots and Raiders round out their schedule so we’ll see how high these Broncos can climb.
Bad Scary: The Buffalo Bills Continue To Confuse
We’re through 12 weeks of football and the Buffalo Bills have to be the most confusing team of the season by far. One week they’re shredding teams and the next they’re on the receiving end of an ass kicking. Once again, with the bright lights on, the Bills faded late. They lost in overtime to the Philadelphia Eagles 37-34 in a game they held a late lead in. But the defense wilted and allowed Jalen Hurts and company to tie the game in regulation before Josh Allen and Gabe Davis had a miscommunication on a sure-fire walk-off touchdown. They opted for a go-ahead field goal but Jalen Hurts marched the Eagles down the field for a rushing touchdown. Allen is 0-6 in overtime games in his career and the Bills fell to 6-6 heading into their bye week. I’d like to say it’ll get better but the Bills have had a murderer’s row of a schedule with the Chiefs, Cowboys, Chargers, Patriots and Dolphins waiting for them. WOOF!
Bad Scary: The Chargers Have All Them Teeth, But No Toothbrush
Mama Boucher would be proud I used her alligator explanation when it comes talking foosball. Specifically, the Chargers. Look at their roster and then look at their record every season. Their logo should be right next to the definition of “underachieving” in the dictionary. Year after year they look like contenders on paper and year after year they have “Charger losses” that seem to cement their destiny of not making the playoffs. This year is no different. They’re 4-7 and in the middle of a three-game losing streak. Bradon Staley is likely gone by the end of the season and the wealth of talent on that roster would make most teams drool. Seriously, Justin Herbert, Austin Ekeler, Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, Khalil Mack, Derwin James, Asante Samuel Jr. How is this team so bad? It makes no sense. But another postseason without the Chargers? That seems to check out.
