up and down your carpeted halls
Week 17!
The Modern-Era Player Finalists have been selected for the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2025.
The Finalists are:
CB - Eric Allen - 1988-2001 - PHI, NO, OAK
DE - Jared Allen - 2004-2015 - MIN, KAN, CHI, CAR
OT - Willie Anderson - 1996-2008 - CIN, BAL
OG - Jahri Evans - 2006-2017 - NO, GB
TE - Antonio Gates - 2003-2018 - SD/LAC
WR - Torry Holt - 1999-2009 - STL, JAX
MLB - Luke Kuechly - 2012-2019 - CAR
QB - Eli Manning - 2004-2019 - NYG
WR - Steve Smith Sr. - 2001-2016 - CAR, BAL
DE/LB - Terrell Suggs - 2003-2019 - BAL, ARI, KC
RB - Fred Taylor - 1998-2010 - JAX, NE
K - Adam Vinatieri - 1996-2019 - IND, NE
WR - Reggie Wayne - 2001-2014 - IND
S - Darren Woodson - 1992-2003 - DAL
OG - Marshal Yanda - 2007-2019 - BAL
So we have two players from 2004
Jared Allen
Eli Manning
and two from 96.
Willie Anderson
Adam Vinatieri (signed as undrafted free agent in 1996)
Three Carolina Panthers are represented:
Jared Allen (2015)
Luke Kuechly (2012–2019)
Steve Smith Sr. (2001–2013)
And we have five super bowl winners. Eli Manning is the only quarterback on the list and the only two-time Super Bowl MVP.
Adam Vinatieri (4x Champion)
Darren Woodson (3x Champion)
Eli Manning (2x Champion)
Terrell Suggs (2x Champion)
Reggie Wayne (1x Champion)
And two Allens:
Eric Allen
Jared Allen
Shout out all the Allens I can think of off the top of my head:
Tim Allen
Ray Allen
Grayson Allen
Woody Allen
Lilly Allen
Allen Iverson
Just did a Google Search, I forgot the richest one of all – Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft, with an estimated net worth of $20.3 billion at the time of his passing in 2018.
Tim Allen is second richest, estimated at about $100 million.
If you’ve never seen Allen Iverson’s football highlight tape – I highly recommend you take a second:
I’m sure other people have done this, but he was the first I ever saw dribble a football:
Iverson signed a lifetime endorsement contract with Reebok in 2001 that would pay him $800,000 a year until he reaches age 55 to where he would then receive a final lump sum payment of $32,000,000.
He tells the story of how his Georgetown coach, who was a Nike endorser, told him he better sign with Reebok.
The leading ambassador for Reebok playing in the NFL right now is Justin Fields.
Justin Fields describing a TJ Watt pregame speech:
"When he threw his helmet down to yell... I’m ready to go after that.”
The Steelers haven’t won a playoff game in TJ Watts entire career as a pro. Is this the year?
TJ Watt with the strip
TJ Watt blows up Nick Chubb for a huge TFL
Watt is the heavy DPOY favorite.
Do you agree with this tweet?
Let me know in the comments.
Numbers with Bet Openly
40: With Michael Penix Jr. starting at QB, the Falcons featured top-8 draft picks of their own at QB (Penix), RB (Bijan Robinson), WR (Drake London), and TE (Kyle Pitts). It’s the first time in 40+ years a team has done this.
19: The Commanders' win probability was as low as 5.7% with 19 seconds left in the third quarter. Their chance of making the postseason jumped to 93% with the win, while the Eagles’ NFC No. 1 seed chance fell to 4%.
13: In just 13 NFL starts, Cooper Rush of the Cowboys has already beaten:
Joe Burrow (9/18/2022)
Jayden Daniels (11/24/2024)
Bryce Young (12/15/2024)
Baker Mayfield (12/22/24)
No other QB has beaten 4 Heisman-winning opposing starting QBs within his first 13 career starts.
3 [TRIVIA]: In over a CENTURY of NFL football, there are three players with 100+ catches, 1500+ yards and 16+ TDs in a season:
X (2003)
Y (2021)
Z (2024)
Quotes
"This had very little to do with me."
"If it goes right, it's been our players...I've been drinking the kool-aid from day one."
"As a coach, there's no coach that could have it better than coaching these players."
Jim Harbaugh on leading a bounceback season for the Chargers
“We just didn't do enough. You learn from every experience. Unfortunately, that's the best way to learn -- from the losses.”
Lions HC Dan Campbell says last year's 49ers loss still hurts. He likened it to his Super Bowl experience as a player with the NY Giants.
“I don’t know that anybody can stand on the field and watch Joe Burrow and not say that he’s the best player in the world.”
Bengals coach Zac Taylor
“If Joe burrow takes this team to the playoffs I don’t even think it should be in question who’s MVP!! God damm! Best in the world rn!”
Picks
Sunday, 12/29 at 1pm
Indianapolis Colts at New York Giants (+7.5) O40
Tennessee Titans at Jacksonville Jaguars (-1)
Dallas Cowboys (+7.5) at Philadelphia Eagles U38
Carolina Panthers (+9.5) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers O48
Sunday, 12/29 at 8:20pm
Atlanta Falcons at Washington Commanders (-3.5) O46.5
Record
ATS: 40-49-4 (-12.6u)
O/U: 46-37-2 (+4.86u)
Highlights
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones with a lot of praise for Mike McCarthy after last week’s win. He’s gone out of his way to give credit to the Cowboys head coach while answering multiple questions
Justin Herbert finds Ladd McConkey for a touchdown for the second time
Drake Maye lofts one to Pop Douglas for the touchdown on the free play
Dicker makes the FG to end the half (or misses, I honestly can't tell)