I don’t know if it’s possible to properly give the moment from last weekend the justice it deserves. It was simply the best finish I have ever seen. Every single thing about it. It was the most exhilarating play that has taken place in FedEx since I was born. Up until that point, it was a terrible game. Hope had been lost and our backs were up against the wall. Then, on the last play, he ran right, broke a guys ankles before going left, and launched a ball off the hands of my new favorite Bear’s player straight to Noah Brown. I have watched the video over a hundred times easily. The clip will never get old.
I hope every Bears fan cried themselves to sleep on Sunday. They talked so much shit and got exactly what they deserved. Podcasters were openly talking about intentionally trying to hurt Jayden if he played. They tried saying we were the frauds as if they hadn’t looked at the list of teams they’d beaten. It was one of the most classless displays I’ve ever witnessed over social media in a week leading up to a regular season game. All the talking they’ve done in attempt to delegitimize what Jayden’s done so far just for Caleb to put up a performance like that. We got so lucky Jayden ended up in the same draft class as him. I don’t think anyone in the league is doubting who the best player in the draft is anymore.
There was a lot of uncertainty leading up to the game. I am guilty of saying I hope Jayden doesn’t play because of my worries he would get hurt again. The medical staff did their due diligence and made the right decision. When I woke up and checked the gambling lines, we had moved from three point underdogs to one point favorites. That was all the confirmation I needed to know he was playing before any official announcements had been made. The fact that Jayden is worth 4 points in the eyes of Vegas as a rookie is just ridiculous. I tip my cap to anybody who took our odds at plus money under the belief Mariota would be at quarterback. The dynamic of this team is incredibly different with JD under center and it was very reassuring to have my beliefs backed by the bookmakers. My confidence levels went from very slim to very high knowing he would be playing. He gives us a chance in every single game and it is so much fun watching him play football.
I have a new favorite player who is not on our roster. I really don’t understand all the hate Tryrique Stevenson has been getting this week. I’ll never blame someone for completely ignoring a play of football just to talk shit to our fans. Football is a passionate sport. Then, to parlay your ignorance into tipping a pass straight into our receiver’s hands to win us the game? I have zero problems with that. Personally, I think Tyrique made a real heads up play. He did the right thing hitting the ball backwards into Noah’s hands. That is just a great football play in my opinion. He cemented himself into Washington history. Without him, a new core memory would have never taken place. I never want him to step foot on our roster but I will always welcome him back into DC as an opposing player.
We left a lot out there. It would’ve been awesome if Luke got both feet in or Zach came down with the ball. The Zaccheus touchdown was called back on a flag that could be thrown pretty much every single play of football. That’s three touchdowns which didn’t go our way. It really seemed like the refs had a pregame sit down with Goodell and were told to keep this one as close as possible. By the end of it, we deserved to win that game just because of how bad the refs were. Chicago did not have any questionable drive crippling flags thrown when they were on offense. It was a very similar game to the Giants. The offense just could not do anything in the red zone and anytime we did there was a flag thrown. The defense showed up big when we needed them to. We got out of Landover with a win in a game where past Skin’s teams rollover. It was nothing short of incredible watching a play like that unfold sending the city of DC into pandemonium.
It’s now funny to think how I was worried about Terry. He currently has the 4th most receiving yards in the entire league through the first 7 games. Not bad for a guy who people around the league try to find every reason possible to keep him out of the top 10. After finally getting him a quarterback, I think it will be hard to argue him not being one of the top wide receivers in the league when this season ends. He looks so happy out there. I highly recommend going back to the video of him mic’d up against the Panthers. The fun he’s having this year shows.
I loved hearing DQ petitioned a stat change to the league to get Johnny Newton his first official sack. It’s safe to say that’s something our previously incompetent filled staff would have never done. That move shows how DQ truly cares about his players. It’s easy to rally behind a dude whose willing to go out of his way to rally behind you. It reflects the top to bottom organizational changes that are showing up on Sundays. He’s more than earned the honor of being the current favorite for coach of the year. I’m even getting texts from friends talking about hopping on the bandwagon. I’m willing to accept everyone except Cowboys fans. They can bask in their pool of misery and spend the season learning how it feels to know your team sucks. I cannot wait to play them and win by 50. Those bums.
One thing I feel the need to mention is my hope for Tony Romo to never call another Skin’s game in my life. He’s the worst. It was such a painful listen. He might as well have painted his finger nails and bent over for Caleb. It could not have been more obvious who he was rooting for and to say it was annoying is an understatement. Every time we had a penalty he’d chime in and talk about it being the right call. He jinxed auto Austin on a field goal. He even had the audacity to say we should bring in Mariota because Jayden doesn’t have the arm for the Hail Mary. All he did for the entire game was talk about Caleb and talk down on us. I get he played for the Cowboys. He doesn’t like us. That’s fine with me. But it would do us a lot of favors if he stayed off our games from now on.
To get into the game this weekend, I think we are going to win by a lot of points. We laid a dud against them the first time and still managed to come out on top. After last Sunday, I can only imagine how this team is going to come out of the tunnel. I assume lots of fans around the league are expecting we are due to not show up. I’m done believing that game is going to come. I have fully accepted the fact that this team is capable of winning every game we play this season. As long as JD is at quarterback, anything is possible with this team.
I’m still upset with my lack of confidence in our team on the bets last week. It shows how little faith I have in Mariota. I blame it on recency bias and what my past self has had to live with for so many years. I’ll put my left hand up. But, I can affirmatively say there will be none of that leading up this one. We beat this Giants team without scoring a single touchdown. The lock of my life this Sunday is we will score at least one touchdown. Their excuse last game was not having a kicker and I wonder what it will be this time. I’ve got some locks for everyone. Terry is going to hit both of his overs, BRob is going to find the end zone, and Zach Ertz will score the first touchdown. Take it straight. Parlay it. Whatever you want. The world is your oyster. Lastly, I would take our alternate spread at -9.5. I think there is going to be no questions left unanswered with this game.
The stadium last Sunday had the environment of a playoff game. It was the loudest Landover has been in a long time. With the Meadowlands being only a drive and train ride away, I expect to see a lot of burgundy and gold in New York this Sunday. I personally will be traveling up with a group of Skin’s fans to watch us blow them out. Moving forward, I hope we can continue to bolster the home field advantage which is something that hasn’t existed in DC in a longtime. It’s always a big one any time it’s a divisional game. I expect the team to show up and leave no doubts. Wishing everyone a great week. Good luck in gambling and life. Looking forward to writing about being 7-2 for the first time in my life.
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