Almanac NFL – The 2023 Scott Mitchell Cup: Week Eleven

 

 

Greetings Tipsters

If Martin Scorsese made a movie about football it would feature someone like Tommy DeVito. He’s a 25-year-old undrafted free agent rookie who lives with his parents in New Jersey, a few miles from the stadium, where his Mom cooks his dinner, does his laundry and makes his bed. He has the right look, like an extra from Goodfellas, he plays quarterback for the New York Giants.

He relieved the injured twice – Daniel Jones, the starter, did his knee, Tyrol Taylor, the backup, did his back, everyone laughed when he was named starter for Week 10. Tommy is now the first Giants QB to throw multiple touchdowns in a game since 2019 and he’s done it twice. Even if he did get sacked nine times last week, he threw for three and has a career record of 6 passing TDs, one rushing TD and three interceptions.

The team is paying him $44K per game and can cut him whenever they feel like it. Compare that to Jones, who had one good season, then signed a four-year contract for $160M. Everyone laughed at that, too, but the contract is structured such that Giants can cut him after next season for minimal loss. The 160 includes all manner of bonuses and caveats that Dan might walk away with only $30M. Poor bastard.

NFL salary cap is $225M this season. Quarterbacks command the big money, there’s no position in any football code that is so essential to the success of the team. Next in line is Left Tackle, who covers the QB’s blind side (if they’re right-handed, as most all are), Receivers, who catch the passes, and Edge Rushers, a relatively recent position, used to be Outside Linebackers, sprinting off the line of scrimmage and hitting the QB.

Superbowl winners have never spent more than 15% of the cap on a quarterback. Teams are always restructuring contracts, New Orleans Saints are notorious for pushing it to next year. Cleveland Browns gave Deshaun Watson a fully guaranteed $230M, he’s out for the season after 12 games in two years, let alone the sexual assault charges he skated, he’s been terrible. Post-contract restructure, he’ll be taking over 20% of the cap next year. Bit of a shame, ‘cos Cleveland has a great D, Jim and Dee Haslam get what they deserve but the fans don’t.

Daniel, Deshaun, Aaron Rodgers, Joe Burrow, who recently signed a $255M contract and is more vital to his team, Cincinnati Bengals, than any other player in the League, won’t see the field until September 2024. Then there’s teams like Steelers with Kenny Pickett, a second-year third round pick who hasn’t done much of anything but the OC was sacked yesterday so, yeah, blame it on the coaching.

Josh Allen, Buffalo QB, looked like he could have been great a couple years ago, until OC Brian Daboll left for HC at Giants. That hasn’t worked out for either. Justin Herbert, tall, handsome, signed for $260M and is now stuck with the Chargers, an historically messed up team. Brandon Staley was a good DC but has Chargers near last in most defence stats, lost his cool in the press conference after getting beat by Packers. I like watching JH play, if only he had a decent coach.

Good chance that Ben Johnson, Detroit Lions OC, could be his coach next year. Ben has worked with Jared Goff and designed brilliant plays around his strengths – a great arm, a quick read – that minimise his weaknesses – being as quick on his feet as me in thongs. Jared’s earning $31M this season, 13.7%, he threw three interceptions against Chicago last week, the Bears had possession for over 40 minutes. But…

Lions had three 75-yard touchdown drives averaging 80 seconds. Two in the last four minutes. Playing like teenage goofballs and holding your nerve to get away with a win may be seen as a positive and, by the gods, I would love to, if I hadn’t watched Eagles beat Chiefs.

When it counted, Jared nailed it. He was calling the plays and managing the clock. Detroit Lions is Eight and Two for the first time since 1962 and have more wins than all but Baltimore Ravens and Philadelphia Eagles. At this rate, we could hit the Conference Championship and, on any given Sunday, only have to win twice.

Cheers Tipsters

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