Anthem argument dominates nation’s attention like no other
The tradition of playing “The Star-Spangled Banner” before American sporting events dates back more than a century, but never has the practice and its symbolism incited such a political firestorm as this past week when the President took aim at the NFL and fanned the flames of a debate over players protesting during the anthem.
Now, the anthem is at the center of our national conversation — the President has tweeted two dozen times about it since — and as is customary in our current national state of truth-bending and carnival barking, misconceptions about the anthem, the NFL and its protesting players are widespread. So, in this week’s column, let’s get a few things straight about NFL protests and the anthem debate: NO ONE IS PROTESTING THE FLAG >> Somewhere along the line, this fundamental misread of Colin Kaepernick’s original protest became the beating heart of any anti-player, anti-NFL sentiment in the anthem debate. Players are merely protesting during the anthem, but it is only a vessel to make their point known. Disagreeing with that method is fair game, but no player kneeling or raising his fist or sitting during the anthem is protesting the flag. THERE IS NO PROOF THAT NFL RATINGS ARE DOWN BECAUSE OF PROTESTS >> The President has tweeted several times about how NFL ratings are down, due to “tremendous backlash.” There’s simply no evidence this is true. TV ratings are generally down because of an uptick in cordcutting. When it comes to sporting events, ratings are also notoriously inconsistent. It’s easy to cherry-pick. NFL TEAMS WILL CONTINUE STANDING ARM-IN-ARM TO MAKE A STATEMENT OF UNITY >> But that’s not the reason Kaepernick and others are sitting, kneeling, or raising a fist in protest. Last week, when NFL teams stood with arms linked on sidelines across America, it was an unprecedented moment for the league, which has long avoided crossing the line into politics. But that coordinated statement, in response to the President’s comments, is not the point that Kaepernick and others who knelt were trying to prove. A FORMER GREEN BERET HELPED KAEPERNICK DECIDE THAT KNEELING WAS THE BEST METHOD >> Former NFL player and soldier Nate Boyer met with Kaepernick in September 2016 to discuss the best method for protesting. Before their meeting, Kaepernick sat during the anthem. After talking it through, they came to a “middle ground,” Boyer said in an HBO Sports piece. Instead of sitting, they decided Kaepernick should kneel “to show respect,” as soldiers often do. LOCKER ROOMS ARE MIXED ON HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT PROTESTS DURING
THE ANTHEM >> Locker rooms are a microcosm of society, so pigeonholing all NFL players into any position — on the anthem debate or otherwise — is unfair. Some feel strongly about the original protest. Many were enraged by President Trump’s comments. A fair share would probably rather focus on football than let politics seep into the game, and several blame the media for sensationalizing the issue. See, athletes are just like the rest of us! SAINTS (1-2) VS. DOLPHINS (1-1) Kickoff: 6:30 a.m. in London, Fox
Outlook: If the Saints are ever going to catch fire this season, they need to get cooking this week. Coming off an impressive victory over the Panthers, in which it allowed just 13 points, the Saints defense will face off with an offense that couldn’t keep up with the Jets a week ago. Jay Cutler was an all-around mess and running back Jay Ajayi was bottled up from start to finish by the Jets, who are still in the running for the No. 1 pick. The Dolphins are still a talented team with a good coach and a defense good enough to slow down Drew Brees. The question is whether it can actually play up to that billing. Line: Saints by 3
Pick: Dolphins, 24-23
PANTHERS (2-1) AT PATRIOTS (2-1) Kickoff: 10 a.m.
Outlook: Something is wrong with Cam Newton. That much is clear. Whether it’s his shoulder or the Panthers’ new offensive philosophy, things aren’t working on offense. Kelvin Benjamin’s injury may not be as serious as we once feared, which is good news, but not much else has been positive. That’s not going to fly against the Patriots. Over his past two weeks, Tom Brady is averaging 413 yards and four touchdowns per game. The Panthers defense is as stout as it gets. At 251 yards allowed per game, no defense has been better. But Carolina’s two victories have come against anemic offenses in San Francisco and Buffalo. No offense is more dynamic right now — or ever, really — than New England. Line: Patriots by 9
Pick: Patriots, 31-17 RAMS (2-1) AT COWBOYS (3-0) Kickoff: 10 a.m
Outlook: The cascade of complimentary Jared Goff takes is stunning, given how many prognosticators had written him off as a bust last season. Turns out, he just needed an actual coach and an actual offense. Sean McVay has proved already to be an adept game planner, but this week, the pressure is on defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, whose unit has been trampled the past two weeks. Ezekiel Elliott should be licking his chops after watching Carlos Hyde run wild a week ago. The Rams may need to force a few key turnovers to swing this game. Problem is Cowboys QB Dak Prescott rarely ever turns the ball over. If the defense can’t make waves, it’s going to take a colossal showing from Goff to win on the road.
Line: Cowboys by 6
Pick: Cowboys, 30-26
LIONS (2-1) AT VIKINGS (2-1) Kickoff: 10 a.m.
Outlook: Sam Bradford will sit another week, leaving Case Keenum a chance to follow up on his Brees-like performance from last week. Knowing Keenum, consecutive huge games is unlikely. Instead, expect the Vikings to lean on Dalvin Cook and turn this into a low-scoring game. Detroit is still being underestimated — it was only an inch away from being 3-0, after all — but a victory on the road against the Vikings would go a long way in establishing the Lions as a legitimate contender in the division. Matthew Stafford has been incredibly efficient so far, but sooner or later, he’s going to make a few mistakes. This feels like the game.
Line: Vikings by 2.5
Pick: Vikings, 27-23
TITANS (2-1) AT TEXANS (1-2) Kickoff: 10 a.m.
Outlook: This game could be crucial for the AFC South playoff picture. Texans rookie Deshaun Watson showed last week against New England that he can keep Houston in games. But can he keep from making too many mistakes? Watson will have his defense to lean on in this one; per usual, it’s been great. The Titans’ exotic smashmouth offense continues to impress, as well, and with the kind of protection Marcus Mariota is getting, it’s hard to bet against the Titans. That said, home-field advantage, plus Watson’s 300-yard showing against the Patriots a week ago, makes the Texans too tempting of an upset pick.
Line: Titans by 2.5
Pick: Texans, 24-20
JAGUARS (2-1) AT JETS (1-2) Kickoff: 10 a.m.
Outlook: The Jaguars blew out the Ravens? The Jets won a game? Where are we, the Twilight Zone? The former shouldn’t be so surprising, given how dominant the Jaguars defense has looked this season. Opposing quarterbacks are averaging just 124 passing yards against them. That’s insane, and this week, Jacksonville will probably pad that stat even more against Josh McCown. Speaking of stats that will be padded: The Jags already lead the NFL in sacks with 13. Assuming Blake Bortles doesn’t blow it, the Jaguars should be able to lean on a heavy dose of Leonard Fournette and roll to an ugly win. Line: Jaguars by 3
Pick: Jaguars, 20-16
BENGALS (0-3) AT BROWNS (0-3) Kickoff: 10 a.m.
Outlook: On the road, the Bengals had the Packers on the ropes and blew it in overtime. That’s the kind of opportunity you don’t get again. But lucky for Andy Dalton, he’ll have the Browns to beat up on this week. Cleveland has shown flashes of intrigue this season, but the Bengals did seem to find their stride last week, loss or not. Most importantly, the Bengals defensive front has started clicking, and against a rookie quarterback in DeShone Kizer, who has an unfortunate proclivity for taking too many sacks, it could get ugly. Of course, you could say the same of Dalton. Line: Bengals by 3
Pick: Bengals, 27-17
STEELERS (2-1) AT RAVENS (2-1) Kickoff: 10 a.m., CBS
Outlook: The Ravens traveled to London, and all they got was a stupid blowout by the Jaguars. All the optimism Baltimore seemed to inspire in the first two weeks immediately dissolved in an early-morning game across the pond. Joe Flacco remains at QB, but what if he continues to stink up the joint? The Ravens just don’t have a lot going for them on offense, outside of the dink-and-dunk, checkdown passing game. Against a speedy Steelers defense, they’re going to have a hard time making that work. Line: Steelers by 3
Pick: Steelers, 28-20
BILLS (2-1) AT FALCONS (3-0) Kickoff: 10 a.m.
Outlook: An inch away from losing last week, the Falcons should be riding high at 3-0, heading into a home game against an offense that can’t possibly keep up. The Bills defense has been shockingly great through three games, but unless it can force Matt Ryan into a meltdown, a run-heavy Bills offense is going to need a monster showing out of LeSean McCoy to stay within a score or two. The Falcons aren’t at the same level as they were last season, but there’s still plenty of time to get there. Scoring 87 points in three games is pretty good, regardless. Line: Atlanta by 8
Pick: Falcons, 23-14
GIANTS (0-3) AT BUCCANEERS (1-1) Kickoff: 1:05p.m.
Outlook: Were the Bucs’ miscues against the Vikings a fluke? Or a sign of things to come? Few teams have been more frustrating to figure out over the past year than Tampa Bay, but with this game at home against the Giants’ crumbling offense, it’s safe to assume the Bucs will get back on track. The Giants only have 37 points this season, which is fewer than both the Rams and 49ers scored last Thursday. (The Rams, actually, have scored nearly three times that total this season.) Needless to say, Eli Manning is in trouble. They have no run game. And Odell Beckham Jr. isn’t his dominant self yet. There’s no need to throw in the towel yet. But the Giants might not be far off. Player to watch: Evan Engram, TE. There aren’t many positive things to say about the Giants offense, but Engram is one of them. A talented pass-catcher, Engram has bucked the trend of struggling rookie tight ends to be one of Eli Manning’s most reliable targets thus far.
Line: Bucs by 3
Pick: Bucs, 27-17
EAGLES (2-1) AT CHARGERS (0-3) Kickoff: 1:05 p.m.
Outlook: Week after week, the Chargers find their own dispiriting way to lose. Last week, it was a Philip Rivers’ three-interception implosion. This team is better than 0-3, but here it is, with a tough matchup on tap. Eagles QB Carson Wentz came back to Earth a bit against the Giants last week, but he was still efficient. With RB Darren Sproles now out for the season, Wentz will be counted on to make more plays. The Chargers defense will need to force him into making mistakes to win this one. Here’s betting they finally get off the schneid. Line: Chargers by 1
Pick: Chargers, 24-20
49ERS (0-3) AT CARDINALS (1-2) Kickoff: 1:05 p.m., Fox
Outlook: The NFC West is a weird division this season, and this has all the makings of a strange game. The 49ers are coming off 10 days rest, following a narrow loss to the Rams, while the Cardinals just played on Monday night and are generally beat up. Could the 49ers really pull off an upset on the road? With Brian Hoyer at QB, it’s unlikely. Carlos Hyde would need to dominate, and if there’s something the Cardinals are good at, it’s stopping the run. Opposing rushers have managed just 3.1 yards per carry so far this season. If Carson Palmer gets off to a hot start again, the Cardinals should take care of business. Line: Cardinals by 6.5
Pick: Cardinals, 23-19
RAIDERS (2-1) AT BRONCOS (2-1) Kickoff: 1:25 p.m., CBS
Outlook: Two AFC West teams, reeling after odd losses, meet in a crucial divisional matchup. This should be a tight one. Derek Carr and the Raiders offense struggled to do much of anything against Washington last week, while the Broncos were totally hamstrung by the Bills. Denver’s elite secondary hasn’t been as a consistently dominant so far this season, but it still presents a tough bounce-back situation for Carr. Still, trusting him seems more advised than Trevor Siemian, who followed up two solid showings with a stinker in Buffalo. Line: Broncos by 3
Pick: Raiders, 30-28
COLTS (1-2) AT SEAHAWKS (1-2) Kickoff: 5:30 p.m., NBC
Outlook: The Seahawks should thank their lucky stars for Chris Carson. Without their seventh-round dynamo at running back, they may not have an offense to speak of. The Colts, meanwhile, seem convinced they could build an offense around Jacoby Brissett, if they needed to. That hot take should be exposed this week, as Seattle gets one of the league’s worst teams at home. No team has underachieved more than the Seahawks so far, but if they can’t get past the Colts without Andrew Luck, well … they might as well pack it in. The Colts don’t have many pass rushers, which should give the Seahawks a week off from Russell Wilson running for his life. Line: Seahawks by 13
Pick: Seahawks, 23-13
LAST WEEK AGAINST THE SPREAD: 4-12 SEASON RECORD: 16-30-1