Matchup Mashup is OFD’s look at what we think are the best games of the upcoming NFL weekend.
Saints v. Jaguars
Sunday, October 13th, 1:05 pm
This was supposed to be Drew Brees vs. “Big Dick” Nick Foles, but as always in football, injuries robbed us of that matchup. Instead, Teddy Bridgewater and the Mississippi Mustache, Gardner Minshew, will face off in what should be an entertaining show down. Bridgewater has looked far better in recent weeks while filling in for Brees, but the real surprise is Minshew, the brash sixth-rounder who has stormed his way into the rookie-of-the-year conversation. The game will also feature two of the great running backs from the 2017 draft class (in my opinion, the greatest running back draft class ever, including Leonard Fournette and Alvin Kamara, the two in this game, but also Christian McCaffery, Dalvin Cook, Kareem Hunt, James Conner, Aaron Jones, Chris Carson, Joe Mixon, Marlon Mack, and Tarik Cohen), who should take pressure off the quarterbacks. With two great defensive lines, the game would also feature two of the best cornerbacks in the league with Marshon Lattimore and Jalen Ramsey, but Ramsey continues to sit out as he looks for a trade. In the end, OFD expects that the Saints will cement themselves as the favorites in the NFC despite another excellent game from Minshew.
Lions v. Packers
Monday, October 14th, 8:20 pm
This divisional matchup will feature two teams that have had different seasons than expected – in both cases, for the better. Despite some tension between Aaron Rodgers and new head coach Matt LaFleur, the offense has began to click in recent weeks, especially with Aaron Jones emerging after 4 rushing TDs this year. The injury to DaVante Adams has hurt the passing game, and it’s unclear when he’ll be back, but the real standouts of the Packers team have been on the other side of the ball, as they’ve done an effective job shutting down opposing passing attacks. For the Lions, their offense has far outpaced expectations, as Matt Stafford is having the best season of his career, Kerryon Johnson looks like a legit bellcow back, and Kenny “Babytron” Golladay continues to emerge as a top receiver in the NFC. Amazingly, whoever wins this game will have control of the NFC North for now, as both the Vikings and Bears have dealt with their share of trouble this season. While the Lions have been a great story so far this year, it’s hard to bet against Aaron Rodgers in big games.
Chiefs v. Texans
Sunday, October 13th, 1:05 pm
Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson were the two of the three first-round quarterbacks taken in the 2017 draft discussed above (sorry Rachel, Mitch Trubisky was the other) and have become two of the top QBs and MVP candidates this season. Coming off his MVP campaign, Mahomes looked dominant for the first couple weeks but has been hobbled by injuries as his Chiefs lost for the first time this season last week to a plucky Colts team. On the other side, Watson is coming off an absolute masterpiece and has additionally gotten attention for his post-game breakdowns of opposing defenses. With both teams having many weaknesses, look for the young guns to sling it downfield – the QB that gets the ball last will likely have a chance for a statement drive to impress the MVP voters.
Dishonorable Mention:
Redskins v. Dolphins
Sunday, October 13th, 1:05 pm
This is probably the worst game in NFL history, and I say that without hyperbole. The Dolphins are the equivalent of an AAA baseball team, and the Redskins just fired Jay Gruden and are being coached by Bill Callahan, who is frankly not up to being an NFL coach. I can safely say that if you are a fan of neither of these teams and you still want to watch this game, you are a level of masochistic the world has never seen. This game may well determine which of these teams will go 0-16, so in an opposite reaction to the 1972 Dolphins (who toast each year when the last undefeated team loses, keeping their undefeated season as the only one in the Super Bowl era), the winner of this game should have warm light beer dumped on their heads to signify that they somehow found a worse team than themselves. In a side note, the Dolphins make me sad. I had real hope for Josh Rosen, but it looks like we’ll have to wait another generation for a Jewish franchise QB.
