PMT DB
PMT DB
Lions Finally Win, Big Ben's Final Ride, and Week 13 NFL Recap
The Detroit Lions have finally done it. After 364 days of misery, Dan Campbell and Jared Goff found the end zone to knock off the Vikings and avoid an winless season. Big Cat and PFT Commenter spent the morning basking in the glow of Motor City victory, even if it took the Vikings playing the most inexplicable prevent defense in NFL history to make it happen. While Detroit celebrates, the Mike Zimmer era in Minnesota might have officially hit its expiration date.
Big CatThe loss to the Lions is the point of no return for the Mike Zimmer era in Minnesota
It's over probably for the Mike Zimmer era in Minnesota. It's probably, I don't know what they can do with Kirk Cousins, but this did feel like the loss that like the point of no return in terms of losses.
Speaking of endings, the big news heading into the weekend was Ben Roethlisberger reportedly telling people privately that this is his final season. Of course, Big Ben being Big Ben, he went out and led two massive fourth-quarter touchdown drives to beat the Ravens. The guys discussed how Big Ben’s "private" conversations always seem to find their way to Adam Schefter right before a big game. It’s classic Ben: playing the legend role while the Steelers somehow keep themselves in the playoff hunt despite looking dead for most of the season.
Big CatThe Ravens are predictable because they 'aggressively play analytics'
[Harbaugh] knew that it was coming because quote, they aggressively play analytics. So from that standpoint, they're predictable.
Over in Kansas City, the Chiefs took care of business against the Broncos in a game that proved their defense is no longer the liability it was in September. PFT is fully bought into the idea that Kansas City has found a new, boring, yet effective way to win games that doesn't involve Patrick Mahomes having to throw for 400 yards every week.
PFT CommenterThe Chiefs are playing sustainable, renewable football that will carry through the playoffs
You know what I think the [Chiefs] are doing right now, they're playing sustainable football, Big Cat. Yeah. This type of football can play football. It's green. It's renewable football. This shit can be carried through throughout the playoffs.
On the flip side, the Broncos are stuck in quarterback purgatory. Teddy Bridgewater is the ultimate "nice guy" backup who just can't quite get you over the hump as a franchise starter.
PFT CommenterIt is time for an open and honest dialogue about Teddy Bridgewater not being a franchise starter
Teddy doesn't look great. And he's so easy to root for too because of the injury and all that stuff. And everywhere he goes, people seem to love him. But I think it's time for America to have an open and honest dialogue about Teddy Bridgewater. I don't think that John Elway is going to stick with Teddy going into [next year].
In the NFC, the Cardinals welcomed Kyler Murray back with a dominant win over the Bears in the rain. While Big Cat is searching for the "whys" of Matt Nagy’s coaching decisions, it’s clear that Arizona is the real deal. They are deep, explosive, and currently sitting at the top of the league with a legitimate shot at the Super Bowl.
Big CatThe Cardinals are a legitimate Super Bowl contending team
The Cardinals are good. The Cardinals are legitimate Superbowl contending team. I'll say that.
One of the most impressive individual performances of the week came from TJ Watt, who absolutely terrorized Lamar Jackson all afternoon. Watt is putting up historic numbers despite missing time with injuries, and Big Cat is ready to hand him the hardware right now.
Big CatTJ Watt is the Defensive Player of the Year
TJ Watt is defensive player of the year. And I know there's a lot of guys out there that could probably win it. He had three and a half sacks today... TJ Watt now has played 10 games this year. He has 16 sacks in 10 games. That's insane... TJ Watt definitely has moments where he just completely takes over a game... There's my vote.
To wrap things up, the College Football Playoff field is set. We’ve got Alabama, Michigan, Georgia, and Cincinnati. Big Cat is already getting out ahead of the Bearcats’ matchup with Bama, thinking the Group of Five’s finest might have the secondary to actually hang with Nick Saban’s squad.
Big CatCincinnati can give Alabama a good game in the playoffs because of their secondary
I'm actually already going to do it again because I actually think Cincinnati could give Alabama a good game because their secondary is that fucking good. And they have a quarterback that is like, just doesn't let anyone catch anything.
Between the Lions' win, Gardner Minshew’s emotional post-game hug with his dad, and the Dolphins winning five in a row, Week 13 had a little bit of everything for the football guys. It’s a long season, but the December chaos is finally here.
Go find the whys, Matt Nagy.
