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Armadillo: Monday's six-pack
-- Six most popular picks in the Westgate Hotel handicapping contest, where some of the best handicappers in America put up $1,500 apiece, went 1-5 this week, are 42-36 this season.
-- Nebraska fired football coach Bo Pelini, will now have its 4th coach since 1997, when Tom Osborne retired. Three recruits decommitted on Sunday, which makes it more likely that a new coach will be named quickly.
-- Maryland's leading scorer Dez Wells broke his wrist, is out four weeks.
-- Texas 55, UConn 54-- Big road win for Rick Barnes' Longhorns.
-- Kansas 61, Michigan State 56-- Jayhawks win tourney at Disney in Florida.
-- Auburn fired defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson, fueling rumors that Tigers will bring in fired Florida coach Will Muschamp to replace him.
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Armadillo: Monday's List of 13: Wrapping up a sports weekend........
13) Colts 49, Redskins 27-- Indy is first team since '66 Redskins to score six TDs of 30+ yards in same game. Bet Jay Gruden had more fun coaching the Orlando Predators in the Arena League than he is now. What a mess the Redskins are.
12) Texans 45, Titans 21-- Fitzpatrick threw six TDs in this mismatch; he is the 7th QB to throw 5+ TDs in a game this year and only one of the seven who hasn't won a Super Bowl. Tennessee's OL was missing three starters.
11) Bills 26, Browns 10-- Cleveland lost the game and ignited a QB controversy when they benched Hoyer (six INTs in last three games) for rookie Manziel, who led only Cleveland TD drive. Three of four AFC North teams lost today, making it a very big day for the Bengals, who won a close game in Tampa.
10) Chargers 34, Ravens 33-- Rivers drove San Diego 80 yards in eight plays to get the game-winning TD with 0:38 left. Ravens got into the red zone on seven of their eight drives, but managed only three TDs, four FGs and thats why they lost.
9) Jaguars 25, Giants 24-- New Jersey led 21-3 at the half, then had two of its three lost fumbles recovered for Jax TDs as Jaguars won for only second time this season. Seven losses in row probably means the end of the line for Tom Coughlin, who will be in the Hall of Fame someday. Jaguars have nine sacks, eight forced fumbles in their last two games.
8) Bengals 14, Buccaneers 13-- Cincy leads AFC North by 1.5 games with four to play. There were 23 penalties in this sloppy game that was not a good advertisement for professional football. Dalton threw three first half INTs, was supposedly playing with the flu. Tampa was only NFC South team to lose this week.
7) Rams 52, Raiders 0-- Good to see improving Rams put their foot on someone's neck and end things quickly. Tank job by Oakland, which seemed disinterested from the start. St Louis receivers are starting to make more plays. I'm being optimistic, but Rams could head to Seattle for season finale with an 8-7 record.
6) Saints 35, Steelers 32-- Road team won last five New Orleans games, after they lost first seven. Think NFL refs got a memo to keep calling defensive penalties; in the first 14 games this week, teams got 70 first downs via penalty, five per game. Those totals had been coming down recently, but not this week-- I'll repeat myself-- no one pays to watch officials throw flags.
5) Vikings 31, Panthers 13-- Minnesota blocked two punts for TDs in first 20:35 of the game; last time a team scored on two blocked punts in the same NFL game was on Sept. 30, 1990, when Kansas City did it against Cleveland. This was 7th-coldest home game in Viking history; Minnesota is playing outdoors for first time since 1981.
4) Falcons 29, Cardinals 18-- Atlanta won its first non-divisional game this year and is tied for first in NFC South with the Saints at 5-7. Arizona lost for second week in row, now faces the Chiefs and its three NFC West rivals to close the season.
3) Broncos 29, Chiefs 16-- Alex Smith is this generation's Pat Haden; smart guy, does not make lot of mistakes, can't throw long, won't win a Super Bowl. At least he isn't going to law school during his playing career, which Haden did.
2) Gilbert Gottfried, Johnny Damon, Terrell Owens and Lorenzo Lamas will all be on Celebrity Apprentice this winter; maybe it really does suck to be famous, you get addicted to the fame and you can't be a normal person.
NBC ran a great stat near the end of the Bronco-Charger game; teams that score 21+ points against a Peyton Manning team are 72-62; teams that score less than 21 points against Manning are 4-113.
1) If you're travelling anywhere in first half of 2015, today is the day to book your hotel; you can get lot of great hotel deals on Cyber Monday.
-- Six most popular picks in the Westgate Hotel handicapping contest, where some of the best handicappers in America put up $1,500 apiece, went 1-5 this week, are 42-36 this season.
-- Nebraska fired football coach Bo Pelini, will now have its 4th coach since 1997, when Tom Osborne retired. Three recruits decommitted on Sunday, which makes it more likely that a new coach will be named quickly.
-- Maryland's leading scorer Dez Wells broke his wrist, is out four weeks.
-- Texas 55, UConn 54-- Big road win for Rick Barnes' Longhorns.
-- Kansas 61, Michigan State 56-- Jayhawks win tourney at Disney in Florida.
-- Auburn fired defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson, fueling rumors that Tigers will bring in fired Florida coach Will Muschamp to replace him.
**********
Armadillo: Monday's List of 13: Wrapping up a sports weekend........
13) Colts 49, Redskins 27-- Indy is first team since '66 Redskins to score six TDs of 30+ yards in same game. Bet Jay Gruden had more fun coaching the Orlando Predators in the Arena League than he is now. What a mess the Redskins are.
12) Texans 45, Titans 21-- Fitzpatrick threw six TDs in this mismatch; he is the 7th QB to throw 5+ TDs in a game this year and only one of the seven who hasn't won a Super Bowl. Tennessee's OL was missing three starters.
11) Bills 26, Browns 10-- Cleveland lost the game and ignited a QB controversy when they benched Hoyer (six INTs in last three games) for rookie Manziel, who led only Cleveland TD drive. Three of four AFC North teams lost today, making it a very big day for the Bengals, who won a close game in Tampa.
10) Chargers 34, Ravens 33-- Rivers drove San Diego 80 yards in eight plays to get the game-winning TD with 0:38 left. Ravens got into the red zone on seven of their eight drives, but managed only three TDs, four FGs and thats why they lost.
9) Jaguars 25, Giants 24-- New Jersey led 21-3 at the half, then had two of its three lost fumbles recovered for Jax TDs as Jaguars won for only second time this season. Seven losses in row probably means the end of the line for Tom Coughlin, who will be in the Hall of Fame someday. Jaguars have nine sacks, eight forced fumbles in their last two games.
8) Bengals 14, Buccaneers 13-- Cincy leads AFC North by 1.5 games with four to play. There were 23 penalties in this sloppy game that was not a good advertisement for professional football. Dalton threw three first half INTs, was supposedly playing with the flu. Tampa was only NFC South team to lose this week.
7) Rams 52, Raiders 0-- Good to see improving Rams put their foot on someone's neck and end things quickly. Tank job by Oakland, which seemed disinterested from the start. St Louis receivers are starting to make more plays. I'm being optimistic, but Rams could head to Seattle for season finale with an 8-7 record.
6) Saints 35, Steelers 32-- Road team won last five New Orleans games, after they lost first seven. Think NFL refs got a memo to keep calling defensive penalties; in the first 14 games this week, teams got 70 first downs via penalty, five per game. Those totals had been coming down recently, but not this week-- I'll repeat myself-- no one pays to watch officials throw flags.
5) Vikings 31, Panthers 13-- Minnesota blocked two punts for TDs in first 20:35 of the game; last time a team scored on two blocked punts in the same NFL game was on Sept. 30, 1990, when Kansas City did it against Cleveland. This was 7th-coldest home game in Viking history; Minnesota is playing outdoors for first time since 1981.
4) Falcons 29, Cardinals 18-- Atlanta won its first non-divisional game this year and is tied for first in NFC South with the Saints at 5-7. Arizona lost for second week in row, now faces the Chiefs and its three NFC West rivals to close the season.
3) Broncos 29, Chiefs 16-- Alex Smith is this generation's Pat Haden; smart guy, does not make lot of mistakes, can't throw long, won't win a Super Bowl. At least he isn't going to law school during his playing career, which Haden did.
2) Gilbert Gottfried, Johnny Damon, Terrell Owens and Lorenzo Lamas will all be on Celebrity Apprentice this winter; maybe it really does suck to be famous, you get addicted to the fame and you can't be a normal person.
NBC ran a great stat near the end of the Bronco-Charger game; teams that score 21+ points against a Peyton Manning team are 72-62; teams that score less than 21 points against Manning are 4-113.
1) If you're travelling anywhere in first half of 2015, today is the day to book your hotel; you can get lot of great hotel deals on Cyber Monday.
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