Round Table Week 14
Week 14 is upon us and the NFL season is disappearing before our eyes. It seems just like yesterday that we were all playing scheduling gymnastics to coordinate our draft times and now we’re ramping up for the playoff push. We’re joined by some of our favorite fans and brands this week to discuss our burning NFL questions. This week we’re joined by Chris Fox from Armchair Athletics and Angela Ondayko from Patriot Sports Radio! Let’s get it on!
sfgate.com Jimmy G is out for the season and in his place is Mr. Irrelevant Brock Purdy - how will the 49ers play out with Purdy at the helm? Angela Ondayko - Patriot Sports Radio- Opportunity opens the door to future heroes and legends. Is this what we can expect from Purdy in Jimmy G's assumed absence between now and the end of the season? Purdy is a solid talent, surrounded by a cast of characters destined to be HOFers. That's a great start. But it is just that. He will be able to put up some good numbers and rack up a few wins as long as everyone around him does more than their part. Accuracy & judgment while under extreme pressure is the "bugaboo" of every rookie. I don't see a Cinderella story here. Freddy Gudiel - Truth Serum Football The 49er’s defense will keep them alive and relevant for the remainder of the season. I see them taking 3 out of the next five games and cementing the divisional win with a sweep of Seattle. I think they will win their first-round matchup and the offense will ultimately not be enough. Jordan Thomas - Truth Serum Football I think the story is nice, but this likely means a first-round exit for the 49ers. We have seen guys like Tom Brady come out of nowhere, but Brock Purdy certainly isn’t that. This defense can beat anyone on any given Sunday, however, the rookie will not play as well the rest of the way as he did in his first game against Miami. Chris Fox - Armchair Athletics A mid-tier QB, playing for a Super Bowl contender, gets hurt and the late-round QB no one expected to play is forced in to finish it out. Tom Brady and Brock Purdy have similar starts to their story and isn’t it ironic that Purdy’s first start is against none other than the Goat himself? So now everyone waits with bated breath to see just how similar the stories play out. I mean is there anyone not rooting for this guy? Averaging 3000+ yards a year at Iowa State, this 4-year starter (he was Breece Hall’s QB) was nothing flashy but good enough to earn a shot. Now he gets a chance to make the most of it against the greatest QB of all time, who is not having the greatest season of his career. He gets 5 games against generally mid-tier defenses for the rest of the year, although he’ll have to face off against powerhouse individuals like Payne (WA), Sweat (WA), Nwouso (Sea), and of course Crosby (LV) along the way. Games against TB, LV, SEA, WA, and AZ that all could likely turn into shootouts should provide plenty of opportunity to see what Purdy can accomplish with an immensely talented (albeit not fully healthy) cast of supporters. Ultimately he is going to garner a better QB rating than 55.0 and complete more than 63% of his passes if anyone is going to keep comparing his story to that other guy’s.
nbcsports.com Speaking of the 49ers, Nick Bosa had a huge day last week. Is he now the front-runner for Defensive Player of the Year? Angela Ondayko - Patriot Sports Radio- The short answer is yes. The long answer is f*ck yes! He's so sharp! On point! He's a major force and a major threat! His presence and talents are formidable! Am I yelling!?!? Hamstring be damned! Stay healthy and slay this thing, young man! Freddy Gudiel - Truth Serum Football I do think that Nick Bosa is the DPOY. I don't think that this game hurt his case obviously but he has been doing it all year. At the position he is unmatched and he has singlehandedly won games for the team. The 49er’s secondary is also enjoying the success they are due to his work on the line. They are good, but not this good. Jordan Thomas - Truth Serum Football I think Bosa is the front-runner, but I’m not ready to count out Micah Parsons just yet. All it will take is a few huge games down the stretch and Dallas has an incredibly easy schedule down the stretch, outside of the Philly game. The showdown with the top-seeded Philly is Parson's best chance to put himself back in this discussion. Chris Fox - Armchair Athletics What is crazy is that Bosa missed a game and a half and still leads the leagues in sacks (14.5) and QB hits (34), 2nd in Tackles for Loss (15), and Pressures (62). Near or at the top in every major category and he has 1.5 fewer games?! That is POY stuff right there! Max Crosby has been playing lights-out football since last season and Mikah Parsons is probably the next closest for the distinction, but barring the “i” word or a drastic drought in production, I would say Defensive Player of the Year is likely his.
Cincyjungle.com With the Bengals handling business against Kansas City and Lamar Jackson potentially missing time, is the AFC North the Bengals to lose? Angela Ondayko - Patriot Sports Radio - The remainder of the Ravens' schedule isn't particularly threatening when approaching the rest of the season when we view them as a team that NEEDS to show up big from here on out. Dobbins' return (we are all ready), should be helpful and promising... and let's face it Jackson's re-entrance after injury will be a priority. Huntly isn't exactly what I would call a pussy or slouch because he solidified last week's win while apparently having been sick with the flu. His role will be short-lived and he will be able to keep them afloat. I see the Bengals finishing out the season falling to the Bucs, Bills, and Ravens... and yes, I get it, Mixon is coming back... but alas, I feel like the Ravens will win the AFC North. Call me crazy. Freddy Gudiel - Truth Serum Football While I think that Burrow does seem to have Mahomes' number, id like to see what he does in Buffalo against Allen and Co. I don't think that KC is done either for that matter. The AFC is just so good that it's impossible to say it's anyone's outright. Jordan Thomas - Truth Serum Football The Bengals are the best team in the division, even when Baltimore is fully healthy. I think the Ravens do just enough to take the division, but I expect the Bengals to make more noise once the real games start in January. Chris Fox - Armchair Athletics The question answers itself; “and Lamar Jackson potentially missing time”. I feel it is more the Ravens to lose and the Bengals' opportunity to try and take advantage of. The good news for the Bengals is that they don’t face a team currently above .500 for the rest of 2022. Of course, in 2023 they play the Bills who will likely be fighting for at least a playoff spot if not the division title and/or home-field advantage before finishing the regular season against, guess who…the Ravens. The Ravens, however, who do have favorable match-ups with the struggling Browns and Atlanta teams, also have to play the Steelers twice. A team that clearly has no intention of letting their playoff streak come to an end without a fight and is currently ranked 10th in the league in Yards Allowed to rushing QBs like Huntley and 2nd in the league in Ints(14). Also, while they got truly good and torched vs the elite QBs they have faced (Hurts, Burrow, and Allen), they have not allowed more than 261 pass/yds in a game to anyone else or more than 1 TD to anyone else except Brady since Sept. The Bengals may have an easier road, but that regular-season finale looks to be a fully starter-rostered showdown!
lionswire.com The Lions are surprisingly favored against the Vikings this week. Does this say more about the Lions' resurgence or the Vikings not being taken seriously? Angela Ondayko - Patriot Sports Radio While the Vikings ARE grossly underrated at large this season, the "shortcomings" of the Lions have not been for lack of effort or talent. Their momentum and confidence have only been building, even through the adversity of injuries and the loss of hopefuls, such as Hochenson. Okwara is ready to rock and roll. Goff has never been more focused. Oddly enough, Jefferson's newly outed pregnancy/abortion topic could end up being a distraction for the Minnesota locker room. If the Lions can successfully, and repeatedly engage Cousins in a pressured game of cat & mouse in the pocket, they can emerge victorious. Freddy Gudiel - Truth Serum Football This says everything about what Dan Campbell is doing in Detroit. Minn has had the most fortunate road possible to their current record. The defense however is God awful and Detroit has the firepower to expose this secondary and ultimately, the Vikings. Jordan Thomas - Truth Serum Football I love the Lions and I love what Dan Campbell is building with that organization. However, has there ever been a team with less respect than the Minnesota Vikings? They’ve only lost twice, and that was to arguably the two best teams in the NFC. I think the Lions had a chance to pull the upset, but that went out the window when the oddsmakers published their odds. There is no way that this isn’t posted everywhere in the Minnesota locker room and I expect them to use that narrative to fuel a complete victory over the Lions. Chris Fox - Armchair Athletics Ultimately the Vikings' pass defense has been horrid over the past few games, much to the delight of Fantasy gamers everywhere! The Vikes are dead last in both Yards Allowed per Attempt and Overall for the season so far. That means shootouts and big Fantasy Points for players on both sides each week (surely a favorite team for Mike White owners). Now that the Lions have a full passing arsenal with super-start Amon St. Brown, DJ Chark, and the long-anticipated Jamal Williams, it is sure to be a Fantasy feast yet again. In the end, I would say there is still enough of a question with the reliability of the Lion’s offense to keep pace with the Vikings' terrible containment issues for this one though.
Acmepackagingcompany.com Christian Watson had another huge game last week. Is he now the front-runner for the Rookie of the Year award? Angela Ondayko - Patriot Sports Radio Simply, Watson and Rodgers need each other. Love can not do what Rodgers can in terms of feeding Watson what he needs to walk away with ROTY from now until the end of the year If Rodgers can remain marginally healthy, the pair can keep scaling. Watson can then be crowned ROTY and Rodgers will be able to take some of that credit (and he will happily take partial credit). Freddy Gudiel - Truth Serum Football If he keeps up this level of production it's going to be hard to give this to anyone else although I am more than impressed with Dameon Pearce. Seems like the only thing holding him back is the team he plays for and I think there's only room for growth. He runs like a man among boys. Jordan Thomas - Truth Serum Football He’s certainly on the shortlist. Right now it’s between him and Garrett Wilson, with Chris Olave and Dameon Pierce somewhere in the mix. There is still plenty of season left and this stretch run will decide the outcome. Several guys could force their way into the conversation by the seasons end. Chris Fox - Armchair Athletics Watson has certainly earned a spot in the conversation, he hasn’t landed outside WR10 since week 9! I don’t think he has surpassed a season’s worth of work from guys like Garrett Wilson (WR19) and Chris Olave (WR16) however. While Wilson is certainly enjoying his role in what has become the Mike White show, Olave is just eating up targets (and yards) regardless of who is slinging him the ball. Watson has clearly dominated the second half of the season overall. However, I believe the title Rookie of the YEAR should go to the player with the complete body of work for the season and while that is no fault of Watson’s for sure, I don’t think he has enough to surpass Olave…but I’m not counting out the possibility with 5 games left either.