Welcome to the Around The NFL End Around, a weekly look back at the world of the National Football League. Dan Hanzus serves as your guide.
It was a good week for ...
1. Tom Brady: The Patriots quarterback was practically glowing on the podium after Sunday night's blowout win over the Bengals. Call it a hunch, but I don't think Brady enjoyed a week of speculation about his imminent demise.
2. CBS "Thursday Night Football": When the Colts went up 24-0 in the first quarter, it looked like Phil and Jim's long national nightmare would continue for another week. But the Texans made a game of it, giving us actual compelling football on a Thursday night. The cast of Big Bang Theory will get their year-end bonus' after all!
3. J.J. Watt: His performance against the Colts in a losing effort was the representation of complete dominance. I implore you to watch it on Game Rewind. We are all witnesses.
It was a bad week for ...
1. Adrian Peterson:Seriously though, you can probably drop him from your fantasy team now.
2. Rex Ryan: It doesn't feel like old Rexy will find a way to escape the guillotine this time. He'll be somebody's stud defensive coordinator next season before landing another head coaching gig in 2016.
3. New Orleans Saints: Landing in the top spot of Chris Wesseling's Top 10 Disappointments list is not the real estate you'd expect from an alleged Super Bowl favorite.
Film room disaster footage
How much did Dee Ford not want to go to work on Monday morning?
Now that's how you salvage your Peyton Hillis jersey purchase
What the what?
I understand Jim Schwartz was elated to beat the Lions on Sunday. Seriously, I get it. Who wouldn't love to stick it to the employer that didn't think you were good enough? But I can't get behind Schwartz allowing his players to carry him off the field. After a regular-season game. In early October. It's even worse when you learn this is something he'd requested long ago.
This isn't an ACT-LIKE-YOU'VE-BEEN-THERE-BEFORE rant. I'm not Joe Buck watching in horror as Randy Moss celebrates touchdowns at Lambeau Field. I just cannot say I disagree with Golden Tate on this one.
Get a girlfriend, man
Turns out this is the mascot of Adrian Peterson's high school. I'm sure it warmed the cockles of AD's heart to receive this type of support at his criminal arraignment.
Tweet of the week
Broadway Joe nails it.
Message received
Cool dad!
Respect for a classic
First off, how great is it that somebody on the Chargers has an N64 setup at their locker? Brilliant. Second, this shows off some great vintage gamer taste. 1998's NFL Blitz is, easily, the most fun football video game ever produced. Madden changed the thinking of what a sports game could be, but Blitz was bit-for-bit the best game to play with your dorm buddies at 3 a.m.
Sometimes you don't want to think when you have a control in your hands. Sometimes you just want to windmill-propeller throw a running back 15 yards. This was the essential brilliance of Blitz.
Quote of the Week, Part I
"I still have never seen anybody chug a beer faster than Tom Brady."
-- Ross Tucker, former Patriots teammate and witness to history
Quote of the Week, Part II
"I don't know what it is. We're drama queens I guess."
-- Joe Thomas after the Browns pulled off the biggest road comeback in NFL history in a 29-28 win over the Titans
Speaking of which ...
This is how you celebrate an emotional win, Jim Schwartz!
Villain of the Week: Laser pointer guy
The Lions have indefinitely banned an unnamed individual from Ford Field for shining a laser pointer at Bills players during Sunday's game. I ask this seriously: Has a Laser Pointer Guy ever grown up to be a functional member of a society?
It's not too late kid, but you're off to a foreboding start.
Until next time ...
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