Mediocre masters
Pats, Falcons today are far from Super
No way! These teams played in that Super Bowl LI extraordinaire! Absolutely no way. Those teams — the Patriots and the Atlanta Falcons — indulged in that wildest, most incredible, still hard to believe Patriots glorious comeback/ Falcons in- famous debacle. Those teams, today, stink. Or, let’s just say that mediocrity reigns in Foxboro and Atlanta, and that’s one description no fan ever wants to deem their team: “mediocre.” Mediocrity is a land where you’re not good, you’re not bad, you’re just there.
Now, if you’re the 49ers and Browns, you know you’re 0-6, basically got no chance any week and life is accepted that you are pathetic.
But if you’re mediocre, as the Pats and Falcons are now, that is most torturous. You think you should be much better, and know it could be much worse.
The 2017 Patriots problems are well documented — no defense — and it’s on to more no defense this week in Sunday night’s re- match of that Super Bowl LI spectacular.
The Falcons? Last week, they blew a big lead — No way! The Falcons? — and got shut out at home in the second half while being stunned, 20-17, by the Dolphins. That was after los- ing to the Bills (AFC East rules!), also at home. All af- ter a 3-0 season start from their now once awesome offense.
The Patriots? It’s that no defense thing, perhaps a nitpick here and there to munch on, all against the highest standard of accom- plishment there is.
And it’s all far, far re- moved from the teams that jaunted into Houston’s NRG Stadium to play the Super Bowl of all Super Bowls. Now, somewhat of a mess for both indeed.
If there’s any Pats comeback in this game, it may be from a 48-3 deficit, not something like 28-3. That’s how bad Stephon Gilmore’s defense has been.
As for the Falcons, you probably won’t see team owner Arthur Blank standing on the sideline at 48-3 or at any time in this or any game ever!
That’s what mediocrity does to you, creates cringes at the ineptitude, sadness for how it once was, or outright anger for “what the what is going on!” Mediocrity! Get that off the field now. This Is The Year! Atlanta at Patriots (-3) — You know the score. Pats, 34-28. Parcels of parity: Tennessee (-51⁄2) at Cleveland — Guess the 4-0 preseason the Brownies put up didn’t carry much momentum into their 0-6 real season. Titans, 28-16.
Jacksonville (-3) at Indianapolis — The Jekyll & Hyde of the NFL, that’s what these Jags are. The good doctor shows up this week. Jaguars, 31-20.
Cincinnati at Pittsburgh (-5) — Are the Steelers back? Looked like it in Kansas City. Are the Bengals? Nope. Can’t come back from nowhere. Steelers, 29-17.
Baltimore at Minnesota (-6) — Hard to figure out these hated Ravens except this will be a good week, darnit! Ravens, 23-20.
NY Jets at Miami (-3) — Great efforts last week by the Jets (in defeat) and Dolphins (in victory). That’s a new thing for these two. Dolphins, 24-20.
Tampa Bay at Buffalo (-31⁄2)— Nobody wants to play the Bills. That’s not meant to be funny. Bills, 23-13.
Carolina (-3) at Chicago — Quarterback Mitch Trubisky has arrived. In Chicago, he will not thrive . . . yet. Panthers, 30-18.
New Orleans (-4) at Green Bay — On the not-yet-frozen tundra, this won’t be a Brees for the Pack, who are missing some quarterback, they say. Saints, 26-24.
LA Rams (-3) vs. Arizona — Load up the holsters, there’s a double-barreled shootout firing up. Cardinals, 41-37.
Dallas (-6) at San Francisco — The winless 49ers have been giving teams trouble; Cowboys are their own source of trouble. Cowboys, 20-16.
Seattle (-4) at NY Giants — Schizophrenia inflicts the Seahawks again. The bad kind. Giants, 26-24.
Denver at LA Chargers (pick) — One-game win streaks are the limit for the San Diego-betraying Chargers. Broncos, 22-17.
Washington at Philadelphia (-5) — Finally, something to go wild about in Philly. It’s the Eagles! Eagles, 32-21. Last week: 4-9-0 Season: 40-47-2