The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that Saint Nicholas soon would be there. That line never made sense to me. Growing up, we had a pellet stove and central heating. The stockings, with sequins sewn on by my grandma with cute polar bears, elves and trains, were laid atop the couch cushions. Santa wasn’t squeezing his chunky rear end down a vent flume into a locked pellet stove; no way, no how.
California homes don’t have basements, nor is it necessary to light a wood fire very often, even if the home has a traditional fireplace. Ever the skeptic, it was apparent early on that Mom was the gift giver and Dad ate the cookies. Even though they feared the repercussions if my little sister found out the truth, I quickly joined their team in keeping the mystique alive. “His suit is fire-proof and he can fit down any chimney, even ours!” I would say. The movie “The Santa Clause” with Tim Allen helped fortify that belief. I got to be the “best big brother” and still got gifts from the North Pole for years on end, even if it was 65 degrees outside.
The storybook season rolls on for this very spicy column. The crystal ball was working overtime last week. David Njoku came through with 100 yards and a TE1 performance, but the Bears were able to muster a single offensive touchdown to squash my bid at perfection. Jaxon Smith-Njigba was trouble for the Eagles on Monday night and his Seahawks pulled off the upset, but JSN’s numbers were only good enough for WR24 in PPR. No victory lap was taken, but I sure shared how close I was to anyone within earshot.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that Saint Nicholas soon would be there. That line never made sense to me. Growing up, we had a pellet stove and central heating. The stockings, with sequins sewn on by my grandma with cute polar bears, elves and trains, were laid atop the couch cushions. Santa wasn’t squeezing his chunky rear end down a vent flume into a locked pellet stove; no way, no how.
California homes don’t have basements, nor is it necessary to light a wood fire very often, even if the home has a traditional fireplace. Ever the skeptic, it was apparent early on that Mom was the gift giver and Dad ate the cookies. Even though they feared the repercussions if my little sister found out the truth, I quickly joined their team in keeping the mystique alive. “His suit is fire-proof and he can fit down any chimney, even ours!” I would say. The movie “The Santa Clause” with Tim Allen helped fortify that belief. I got to be the “best big brother” and still got gifts from the North Pole for years on end, even if it was 65 degrees outside.
The storybook season rolls on for this very spicy column. The crystal ball was working overtime last week. David Njoku came through with 100 yards and a TE1 performance, but the Bears were able to muster a single offensive touchdown to squash my bid at perfection. Jaxon Smith-Njigba was trouble for the Eagles on Monday night and his Seahawks pulled off the upset, but JSN’s numbers were only good enough for WR24 in PPR. No victory lap was taken, but I sure shared how close I was to anyone within earshot.
We have reached the semifinal round in the fantasy football playoffs and I see absolutely no reason to ease off of the throttle. The Week 16 slate is probably the best collection of games this season and our chestnuts are sure to be roasting on an open fire, figuratively speaking. Bring me some figgy pudding and let’s predict the spiciest goings on from the very near future.
Fantasy Football Hot Takes
Parker Washington Goes for 100 Yards and is a Top-12 WR in PPR; Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars Storm the Gulf Coast of Florida with Double-Digit Win Over Buccaneers
Trevor Lawrence may be coming off concussion protocol, but he will do so without the services of Christian Kirk and Zay Jones this week. Kirk’s replacement, rookie Parker Washington, has already filled in admirably. He is a polished route runner with enough athleticism to threaten deeper areas of the field and earn the same respect from the defense as Kirk. Lawrence is not having a great season, but he’s still a fantastic talent. Leave it to him to raise his level of play against the Bucs and their pass funnel defense one week after a disappointing performance.
The Bucs offense has been really hot, but they’ve done this against some very porous defenses. The Jags have been gashed over the middle of the field, but their pass rush has forced QBs like Baker Mayfield into precarious turnover opportunities. Look for Jacksonville to get a few takeaways and put the game away late.
Miami Welcomes Back Tyreek Hill in Style with a 40-Point Outburst; Tua Tagovailoa Passes for 400 Yards and Four Touchdowns and is Top-5 QB in Shootout Win Over Dallas
The two highest scoring teams in the NFL are also the two clubs who haven’t fared well against good competition. I believe the Dolphins are the better team and are certainly better-coached under Mike McDaniel. The Cowboys’ lack of discipline will rear its ugly mug on defense when under the stress of corralling Miami’s breathtaking team speed. Dallas is also prone to overcompensate for their poor run defense in Buffalo last week, leaving them vulnerable to the play action downfield barrage from Tua and his speedy receivers.
Dallas will be able to keep up…for a while. Dak Prescott will need to show he can progress past CeeDee Lamb if he draws the Jalen Ramsey treatment and get Brandin Cooks and Jake Ferguson involved. What will ultimately doom Dallas will be their tendency to abandon the running game and Tony Pollard in order to keep pace with the Dolphins on the scoreboard.
Eagles End Their Skid With Gargantuan RB1 Overall Jaunt by D’Andre Swift; Philly Rushes for 220 Yards and Beats New York by At Least 20 Points
What’s wrong with the Eagles this season? Even when they started 10-1 this season, they weren’t obliterating their opposition like they did last year on their way to the Super Bowl. The difference? There are a few. Shane Steichen leaving to be the head coach in Indianapolis was massive. The commitment to a physical running game has been more sporadic under Brian Johnson. D’Andre Swift hasn’t had a chance to get into the type of rhythm that can take over a game behind that outstanding offensive line. The other main reason has been the ruthless gauntlet of playoff-bound teams on Philly’s schedule. Only now are they able to exhale and breathe in fresh air against the putrid New York Giants.
Swift is going to dominate this game. Kenneth Gainwell will compliment that effort. Expect the run game to be relentless and lethal. The Eagles have not mustered much of a pass rush this season, leaving their DBs out to dry more often. They will get right against a flimsy Giants front, putting them back on the championship trajectory they expected until three weeks ago.
Isaiah Likely Stuns 49ers Vaunted Defense with 20 Fantasy Points, Including Two Touchdowns; Ravens Slip Out of Levi’s With a One-Score Win Over 49ers
The Ravens at full strength would give the 49ers all they can handle. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Mark Andrews is out for the season, along with RBs JK Dobbins and Keaton Mitchell. The good news is, Lamar Jackson is superhuman. His next man up at TE, Isaiah Likely, has really stepped up this year in Andrews’ absence and this is the game where we finally catch a glimpse of the 49ers needing to cover every blade of grass. In recent seasons, mobile QBs who understand defensive assignment integrity have shredded San Francisco.
As for the other side of the ball, Brock Purdy hasn’t seen adversity against good defense at all. His only hiccups were when Deebo Samuel and Trent Williams were both out with injuries. Bar none, this 49ers offense is scary good when everyone is healthy. It will be fascinating still to watch him take on the best defense in the NFL. Baltimore is outstanding at mixing coverages and bringing heat from all areas of the field to force mistakes. Purdy is not immune to making terrible decisions, but he is rolling as well as anyone right now. For the sake of staying spicy, let’s say it will finally come down to Purdy at the end to determine who wins this game. If he is truly the NFL MVP, the 49ers will win because of him (not one of his legendary teammates). I believe Baltimore will expose some of the shortcomings that Kyle Shanahan has masterfully hidden from the league this season.
