The NFL.
It's a long, hard slog to Mordor and when it's over, you're lucky to have most of your fingers and toes. I'm just glad I never started chewing my fingernails or I'd constantly be cleaning blood off the keyboard.
Yes, it's another life or death, the fate of western civilization hangs in the balance, extinction level event kind of game in primetime for our pigskin heroes, as the New England Patriots play the bookend to their back to back Thursday games. This time, the Pats will host the Buffalo Bills, a team that has so far underperformed as measured against the preseason hype that put them on a bullet train to the Super Bowl.
None of that really matters. Or it matters in ways that are imperceptible, even to the players and coaches themselves; motivations imputed in the after action reports by observers subverted by their own subconscious hopes and fears. Why do any of us do the things we do?
How could he miss that cutback lane?
How could he throw across the field into triple coverage?
What was he thinking?
The struggle of these unusual humans is compelling to watch as their choreographed movements wink at the actions of the real heroes who fight hand-to-hand on the battlefield. Some will win. Some will lose. And all of us were made to sing the blues. I suppose the NFL is a movie that never ends. Maybe you'll be the hero of Pigskin Wars - Part LVII: Quest of the Running QB. Or maybe you'll have to wait till next year for Part LVIII, Wraiths of the Red Zone. There's always next year. Always another movie.
I'm getting ahead of myself, again.
This movie isn't over and all of us who love movies know the twist is yet to come.
Look, I think this Patriots' team has the talent needed to win. They can't continue to help the other team beat them if they're going to get back into the W column; that's going to be tough enough as it is…
12/1 vs. Buffalo - As noted, preseason Super Bowl faves, but more importantly, just a couple of years into making New England pay for 20 years of Brady ripping their still beating hearts from their chests and taking a big old bite out of it. In case you're looking for subtext.
12/12 at Arizona - Looks like a W on paper for New England but I hate it when the Pats play a team like the Cardinals, one that has struggled so badly to play up to expectations, in a primetime game they can use as their Super Bowl to salvage some pigskin pride. Sorry, Kliff Kingsbury, it won't save your job.
12/18 at Las Vegas - Another team that has disappointed and has little left to believe in but math. I'm not sure the device has been invented that can measure how much Josh McDaniels wants to win this game.
12/24 vs. Cincinnati - A Super Bowl-caliber team that may be getting Ja'Marr Chase back just in time for this game. Now, much to my chagrin and despite the protestations, mentally rewinding those Justin Jefferson highlights in that part of my brain that hates me.
1/1 vs. Miami - So, I'm just going to watch this over and over and over before they play this game. Unfortunately, Jay Fiedler will not be playing QB for the Dolphins in this one.
1/8 at Buffalo - Rooting for winds gusting to 50mph in this one.
So, there it is, in black and white. Is it a daunting quest? Yes, but at least there are no giant spiders left on the schedule.
Go Pats!
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