Jamie Michael Albert on... Sports???
Normally I don't get too involved with sports journalism. I leave that to the so called experts and the fanatics. But every year the NFL gets more and more exciting, and more competitive. Even the less talented teams are still "teams to beat." Nothing is easy in professional football. I've even got into College ball a bit, because that's where most players come from, along with the UFL, Canadian football, etc. At 46, thanks to Dad I've been watching football for over 40 years since the Bears last WON the Super Bowl in 1985 - arguably the best NFL team ever.
I haven't had this much fun following football since the days of Devon Hester and Rex Grossman. Next year I plan on taking up my blog at the very beginning or perhaps even before (during the draft) with some notes, possibly, on the spring/summer league known as the UFL and some of the College bowls, and maybe even some indoor/arena football, flag, etc. For now, let's finish up the 2025 season.
Week 16
For this week I'm just going to focus on the NFC North, particularly the Bears game... I have a lot of other writing to do so I'll keep this brief: Awesome 4th quarter. Don't give a damn that green bay ran the game til then. Despite the weakness on both sides of the ball regarding the bears, it was never more than a one score difference - the most the Bears tailed by the entire game was 7 points, when it was 16 to 9. Santos played a fantastic game despite the wind.
Most important takeaway, no pun intended: WE, WE, THE BEARS, ARE NUMBER TWO SEED IN THE NFC. You don't get there by luck. You don't clinch a playoff birth three weeks before the end of the season because you're lucky. You are NUMBER ONE IN YOUR DIVISION - A COMPETITIVE HIGH OCTANE DIVISION, out of skill, not luck. You don't have the most take aways for the season than any other team out of sheer luck.
The Bears are not a "lucky" team but a team that has made 4th quarter comebacks an art form... As well as takeaways. In fact they now hold the NFL record for most 4th quarter comebacks in a single season. That's not a lucky team. A team with 4 losses, number 2 seed in the NFC after week 16 is not a "lucky team." A team that schooled the Eagles ("out-Phillied Philly") tore down the Steelers, almost shut out Cleveland (a team with a bad record but one of the best defenses in the NFL that rarely loses by that kind of margin) is not a team that relies on luck, but plays their own brand of pro ball to the beat of their own drum... That's not a lucky team but a dangerous team. More to come on the NFC North, as well as the AFC breakdown, and my favorite all time Bears announcers, commentators, and play by play broadcasters.