I’M BACK

It’s been an interesting two years since my last post but I didn’t forget you.

During our time apart:

I laughed

I cried

I was angry

I experienced loss

I comforted

I supported

I needed support

I learned an instrument

I learned to pray

I cheered

I booed

I discovered new music

I gained some weight

I lost the weight

I gained new friends

I ended friendships

I discovered a talent

I strengthened my weakness

I was sick

I got well

I gave up satellite TV

I decried the political environment

I love people

I spoke out against racism

I advocate on someone else’s behalf

I was part of the solution

I stopped enabling a problem

I have questions

I helped stranger

I fed someone

I gave someone clothes

I was a shoulder to cry

I visited the sick

I had great ideas

I failed

I’m still learning

I less fond of sports

I’m engaging others

I’m making changes

And you. What about you? What have you done during our time apart? I’m looking forward to hearing about it. Stay tuned.

I’M BACK

 

 

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The Dallas Cowboys look done

Manufactured emotion, no strategy and why after a solid week of practice was Amare Cooper on the sideline during critical moments? Why was Ezekiel Elliott trying to imitate Le’Veon Bell? I understand the concept of being patiently setting up blocks but there are times when you have to hit the hole with abandon. He had to see Dion Lewis, right?

This team is missing leadership and when they needed it the most tonight after Tennessee missed a field goal that could have stretched the lead to ten it was nowhere to be found. There is a distinct difference the between competing and just playing the game and that was it. That’s a bad sign coming off a bye, considering the upcoming schedule any hopes for a wild-card spot could come to an abrupt end on Thanksgiving Day when the Cowboys face Washington.

I’m pretty sure the realization of the fact became apparent to Jerry Jones and his sons as they hovered over the field watching Tennessee methodically convert 3rd downs at-will in route to a fourteen point victory. So what’s the problem? The needle will move between Coach Jason Garret and quarterback Jason Garrett, while both are accountable I think the root cause rest at a higher level, Jerry Jones. Look carefully at the makeup of this team from the coaching staff to the players and you will see it’s a reflection of Jones. Manicured but no substance, brash but no imagination, bold but no plan.

The Cowboys look done. I guess this is the definition of “Writing them off”

The Arizona Cardinals are a mess

If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough – Albert Einstein.

That quote immediately came to mind after reading several stories documenting the aftermath of Denver’s destruction of the Arizona Cardinals. I watched the game and I saw a team that looked lethargic and even worse, unprepared as illustrated repeatedly by the offensive line. I know many will chalk this up to Josh Rosen’s inexperience and rightfully so. Some will also place the blame at the feet of offensive coordinator Mike McCoy and that’s where I beg to differ. He’s working with what he has in the toolbox and it’s not much. No, if you want to know who is responsible for the Cardinal’s offensive woes look no further than General Manager Steve Keim and team President Mike Bidwill; who apparently needs to see one more injured quarterback before he has enough evidence that Keim and his scouting department are struggling to fill holes on the offensive line.

I almost made through the entire game until Rosen’s last interception. It wasn’t the best positioned pass but my goodness the intended receiver should have paid for an end zone seat. And that about sums it up…Enjoy the weekend!

Here are my picks for this week if you’re interested:

Chargers over the Titans, Bills slip past the Colts, Patriots add another win over the Bears, the Browns over Tampa Bay, Dolphins and Brock Osweiler beat the Lions, Vikes over the Jets, Panthers over Philly. The Jags bounce back from a two-game skid including that surprising loss to Dallas and beat the Texans, Saints have too much speed for the Ravens, the Cowboys, yes, the Cowboys win two in a row by beating Washington, the Chiefs are too much for the Bengals, Falcons beat up on the Giants and my UPSET PICK OF THE WEEK:

49ers beat the Rams.

Cheers!

 

Cowboys frustrate Jacksonville

The Cowboys win over the Jaguars can propel them to win the NFC East. Stop laughing I’m serious. What we witnessed yesterday was a Cowboys team that played to it’s strengths and minimized their mistakes. Dak Prescott was throwing on the move and running the ball. Ezekiel Elliot ran with authority; the defense which is starting to jell made tackles.

In the interest of transparency you need to know that I am a former Cowboys fan. I root for the Saints now. I’ve watched too many bad games, suffered through too many disappointing seasons. But I digress. When I was eight or nine years old I heard a sermon that has stuck with me all my life, ‘Use what you got’.

Sometimes in life and in sports you have to use the talent and tools that you have at your disposal to achieve your goal. The key is to keep doing it, stick to a plan, a process and your vision. Pretty soon your talent improves and your tools become enhanced. It’s in that journey that you find your character, you develop your faith.

Now, I’m not guaranteeing that the Cowboys will win East, the Eagles are the Champs for a reason the and Redskins have an opportunity to take a step forward. What I’m simply saying is that the Cowboys can learn from the win over the Jags and build momentum from it.

Patrick Mahomes

Is human AND he’s also the real deal. Seemed a little star struck early playing the Patriots under the lights but he kept slinging it and good things happened. It helped that his receivers attack the football (UGA wide-outs take note). I know the Chiefs lost but Mahomes will learn from this experience and continue to mature as a quarterback.

Look for Mahomes and the Chiefs to bounce back when the Bengals come calling next week in what is sure to be another high scoring game.