Spiderfan's 2018 Week 13 Random Thoughts & Stuff

[spiderfan]

Salutations everyone! It is me spiderfan here, and today I welcome you to my Random Thoughts & Stuff column for the 13th week of regular season play in the National Football League. Let us begin!

Packers HC Mike McCarthy fired

In what can only be described as a "there is nothing real in the world anymore" game the 2-9 Arizona Cardinals defeated the 4-6-1 Green Bay Packers (who were still in the playoff hunt, albeit loosely). Packers HC Mike McCarthy has been someone on the hot seat for most of the year, and the general consensus seemed to be that he wasn't going to keep his job past this year. After Mason Crosby missed the tying FG, my first thought was "Man, McCarthy is gonna get the pink slip on the way back to the Packers facility". I'll admit I thought that wouldn't happen, but I got the feeling that people in Cheese Country would not handle the loss well. Guess what? A mere 3 hours after the game Mike McCarthy after 13 years as Packers HC was fired. In fact he got fired so quickly after game, that news broke of his firing during the late window games.

The guy replacing him for now as the interim HC is Packers OC Joe Philbin (I'm not sure what Philbin did, considering McCarthy called the plays) and according to Packers CEO Mark Murphy he will get consideration for the job. My read on that? Being that McCarthy was fired because he didn't get along with Aaron Rodgers, if Philbin gets along with Aaron Rodgers, or more specifically if Rodgers gives Packers management an endorsement of Philbin, then you have the next HC of the Packers. If that doesn't happen, then Philbin becomes an offensive assistant at University of Alabama or something to that effect. These next 4 games will interesting to see for sure.

As for where McCarthy goes? Honestly, I kinda get the feeling that he is gonna coach the Browns have back to back 5-11 seasons and then go be a talking head on FS1. Now being that the Browns have a QB by the name of Danger Mayfield, who like it or not won't shy away from speaking his thoughts about things, McCarthy would be a bad hire. The last thing the Browns need is for Mayfield and McCarthy to have a mutual hatred of each other. I think McCarthy's possible fit will come more into view once it becomes clear which teams are looking for new head coaches. I'll be sure to talk about all that, when the time comes.

My reaction to the Ostriches win over the Saints

I've been saying for the past few weeks that I thought Coach Ostrich was going to get an extension, but after the win over the Saints it is almost guaranteed. And with the Redskins being out of the NFC East race due to an insane amount of injuries (seriously, both your starting and backup QBs have a broken leg?!), you can be assured that if the Ostriches beat the Eagles on Sunday, Coach Ostrich's wallet is going to $20 million dollars fatter. With that realization, this was my reaction:



I really did expect worse of the Ostriches. So thanks for nothing!

Also, I was SUPER bummed out that Dez was not healthy for the game. I really was ready for him to show just how stupid the Ostriches were for getting rid of him, alas his injury prevented that. Hopefully, he comes back next year and plays against the Ostriches.

About Chargers-Steelers

Sunday Night Football was weird. Entertaining, but weird. Let me explain:

The game starts off with the Steelers having a 23-7 at halftime and I'll admit during the beginning of the 2nd half my interest in the game had waned and I was looking at other things. Then the Chargers start to play way better than they did, go on a 23-0 run and it turns from a possible blowout to a thrilling comeback. Then the Steelers tie the game up, the Chargers get into FG range and this mess happens (click Watch on YouTube to see the video):



That might be the weirdest ending to a game I have seen. Seriously 3 offsides in a row? The first of which cost your team a chance to win in OT? Yes, the Chargers got some breaks in the officiating (most notably the missed false start and illegal block in the back) but considering the Steelers lost their first ever game as a franchise where they had a 14+ point lead at home (credit to SNF), they deserve to lose regardless. When you allow on defense 2 made 2 point conversions and your offense only scores 1 TD in the 2nd half after having a 16 point lead, you deserve to lose simple as that.

On the other sideline, you have the Chargers who made plays when they needed to on both offense and defense, and absolutely deserved to win the game. As Al Michaels said during the broadcast, it was a good idea to flex this game to primetime.

Other thoughts:

-At this point in time, it sure looks like Broncos RB Phillip Lindsay is in the running for OROY

-I still don't know what Bill O'Brien did to get in the favor of the football gods and I bet there NFL coaches who wish they did too.

-The Dolphins are still very much alive in the playoff hunt, but I don't think they get in.

-Mike Vrabel has some of that Butch Jones magic juice. I'm impressed.

-It always stinks to see a great comeback come up just short. The Bears scored 10 points, recovered an onside kick, and had a great trick play. Didn't result in a win though.

-If the Raiders played like they played against the Chiefs (which wasn't great, but better than they have been playing) they'll beat the Steelers.

-Kirk Cousins still can't win big games

-These Jason La Canfora articles confirms my thoughts about Tom Coughlin returning to the sideline and Ron Rivera possibly being fired. Don't forget you heard that stuff first here folks.

-With Urban Meyer retiring as HC of Ohio State, I would think a possible jump to the NFL is more likely than it ever has been before.


With all of that said my RT&S for the 13th week of regular season play in the National Football League has concluded. As always I hope you enjoyed it. This is spiderfan out.