Thursday, October 28, 2021

NFL AP Poll and Survivor Pool

 Here's the latest top 10 in the NFL, according to the AP:

1.  Arizona:  7-0
2.  Tampa Bay:  6-1
3.  Los Angeles:  6-1
4.  Green Bay:  6-1
5.  Dallas:  5-1
6.  Tennessee:  5-2
7.  Buffalo:  4-2
8.  Cincinnati:  5-2
9.  Baltimore:  5-2
10.  San Diego:  4-2

The good news is that the red-hot Cardinals are hosting the Packers, who are riding a six-game winning streak.  The bad news is that this game is on Thursday Night, which should be reserved for Jacksonville and the Texans.  That is our only top-10 game of the week, but you should be watching the World Series anyway.

Here's where we are in Survivor Pool:

Week One:  Los Angeles 34 - 14 Chicago (survived)
Week Two:  Cleveland 31 - 21 Houston (survived)
Week Three:  Denver 26 - 0 New York Jets (survived)
Week Four:  Buffalo 40 - 0 Houston (survived)
Week Five:  Tampa Bay 45 - 17 Miami (survived)
Week Six:  Indianapolis 31 - 3 Houston (survived)
Week Seven:  Arizona 31 - 5 Houston (survived)

This week is not easy.  My choices are down to Cincinnati in a 12 Noon Central game on the road at the Jets, or Kansas City on Monday Night Football against the Giants.  I'm not crazy about either choice, but I feel like the Bengals may come back down to earth, while the Chiefs (3-4) are basically in a must-win situation.  Kansas City may be on their way to missing the playoffs, in which case the Chiefs are certainly at risk against the Giants.  But I feel like Kansas City will rally at least one more time to try to save its season.  So I'm going with the Chiefs.

41 comments:

  1. Congratulations to the 1972 Dolphins.

    ReplyDelete
  2. This Chiefs/Giants game is just as bad as I thought it would be. Over the last three seasons, I got used to the idea that the Chiefs would try to play professional football with no defense, and simply count on Mahomes to score enough points to take Kansas City to the Super Bowl. But this year, the Chiefs have decided to go with no defense AND no offensive line, and that appears to be too much even for Mahomes. Chiefs and Giants are tied at 7 early in the 2d quarter.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Kansas City leads 14-10 at the half. Still very much a toss-up.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Chiefs were driving, and Travis Kelce fumbles the ball. Still 14-10 with 3:44 left in the third quarter.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Giants take over after the fumble. So far they have one first down thanks to defensive holding, and another thanks to offside. Now they're at the KC 21.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Whatever happens tonight, I have no regrets. The Bengals have already lost.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Kansas City looks like a team that could use a bye week.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Giants take advantage of Kelce's fumble, and the Chiefs' penalties, and score a touchdown. They lead 17-14 with 14:53 left.

    ReplyDelete
  9. The Chiefs were up 14-10 and driving when Kelce fumbled, and now they are losing. Ah, football.

    ReplyDelete
  10. On first down from their own 25, the Chiefs start off with a holding penalty.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Chiefs have 10 penalties for 88 yards; Giants have 5 for 33.

    ReplyDelete
  12. The Giants are called for a personal foul, giving KC a first down at the NY 28. Now the game is stopped while the Giants' coach yells at the officials.

    ReplyDelete
  13. To be fair, this will probably be the last year for the Giants' coach. If I was getting fired over this, I'd yell at everyone too.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I wish someone would tell us fans what Tampa Bay saw on film before the Super Bowl last year. Because whatever they did to the Chiefs' offense really works.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Chiefs now facing 3d and 9 at the NY 12. Mahomes is completely overrun, he is hit and fumbles, but this time the Chiefs recover.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Chiefs kick a field goal and the game is tied at 17 with 8:53 left.

    ReplyDelete
  17. If the Giants play their cards right, they may be able to use up the rest of the clock on this drive.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Giants appear to get up to the Chiefs' 45, but are called for taunting. So they go back to their own 27.

    ReplyDelete
  19. On 3d and 4, the Chiefs are called for defensive holding. What a game this is.

    ReplyDelete
  20. To be fair, if the Chiefs had not held the receiver, the Giants would have scored a touchdown. Giants now at their own 39. 5:30 left.

    ReplyDelete
  21. On 3d and 7 from their 42, the Giants' quarterback, Daniel Jones, cannot find an open receiver. He tries a dump off pass, but throws the ball into the ground.

    ReplyDelete
  22. The Giants punt, and the Giants are called for another penalty. This is honestly like watching an exhibition game. KC will start from its own 29 with 4:41 left.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Chiefs start off with a holding penalty on first down.

    ReplyDelete
  24. On 2d and 20 from his own 19, Mahomes throws an interception -- but the Giants were called for offsides. So KC keeps the ball.

    ReplyDelete
  25. On 2d and 15, Mahomes throws the ball to Kelce, who does not fumble -- he's holding the ball almost comically with two hands. The Giants are called for a face mask, and KC has a first down at the Giants' 47.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Two running plays give KC a first down at the NY 33. Giants call time with 3:27 left.

    ReplyDelete
  27. KC calls an end-around, and Mecole Hardman carries the ball all the way down to the Giants' 9.

    ReplyDelete
  28. The Chiefs have struggled mightily close to the goal line all night, so it seems very likely that they will have to settle for a field goal try here. They have 2d and goal from the 10 as we get to the 2 minute warning.

    ReplyDelete
  29. The Giants still have one time out left, so KC can't use more than another 30 seconds or so of the clock. Whatever KC does, the Giants will have one more good chance to score.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Chiefs now have 12 penalties for 103 yards; Giants have 10 for 88.

    ReplyDelete
  31. On 2d and goal, the Chiefs try a shovel pass to Kelce, who is immediately swarmed at the 7. New York calls its last time out.

    ReplyDelete
  32. On 3d and goal, Mahomes is sacked. That play looked exactly like the third down play just before Kansas City's last field goal.

    ReplyDelete
  33. KC kicks another field goal, and the Chiefs lead 20-17 with 1:07 left.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Kickoff goes into the end zone, and the Giants will start from their own 25.

    ReplyDelete
  35. 1/10 NY 25: Jones pass to Engram for 3 yards
    2/7 NY 28: Jones sacked for loss of 8
    3/15 NY 20: Jones pass to Engram incomplete
    4/15 NY 20: Jones sacked for loss of 5

    KANSAS CITY takes over on downs

    ReplyDelete
  36. And that's it. The Chiefs win 20-17, and we have survived for another week.

    ReplyDelete