Happy hump day everyone! I apologize for missing you yesterday, but I couldn’t bring myself to write about the disaster that was Monday Night Football.
This has been a pretty decent NFL season, but the prime time games have left a lot to be desired (and it’s just going to get worse with Bears-Commanders on Thursday night). Especially the ones that have featured the New York Giants.
Daniel Jones is not the guy they paid him to be. When Saquon Barkley isn’t playing, Jones looks like a completely different quarterback. He’s easily flustered, makes terrible reads and runs into sacks. However, I’m starting to think Brian Daboll isn’t blameless in this.
The Giants allowed eleven sacks on Monday night. After about six, you’d think the head coach would change up the game plan a bit. Start throwing some short, quick passes instead of continuing to throw the ball downfield. There was no adjustment. Instead, he just berated and belittled Jones when he came to the sideline. I’m not saying that’s necessarily a bad thing, as I love a head coach who holds his guys accountable, but you have to take some accountability yourself.
It amazes me that this team has continuously had the worst offensive line in football for a decade. It’s easy to say that they’re trying to fix the problem; that the guys they draft are busts. In reality, the Giants have done nothing but throw a Band-Aid on it. They draft star linemen out of college and immediately move them to different positions. For example, Evan Neal stinks at right tackle for the Giants. That’s because he was a left guard his entire life. Unless you have the right guy for it, NFL lines shouldn’t be plug and play. Especially when it’s from one side of the line to the other.
That was a lot of football talk for what was going to be a baseball post, so let’s get to game one of the MLB Wildcard series!
There were some good games yesterday, starting with Rays-Rangers in the dome. I felt for Tyler Glasnow. He pitched a great game and was able to tough it out after a 109-mph comebacker hit him square in the hamstring. They Rays lost due to sloppy defense and poor execution of small ball plays. Yandy Diaz had a tough day in the field recording one error, but that didn’t tell the entire story. There were overthrows everywhere, and it looked like guys were too excited in the moment. Jose Siri popped up a bunt with one out and runners on the corners, which halted any offensive momentum the Rays had that inning. Texas won 4-0 and is one game away from the ALDS.
The Twins broke the 18-game losing streak in the playoffs winning 3-1, backed by some great defensive play and two Royce Lewis home runs. A-Rod in the booth was convinced Kevin Gausman was tipping his pitches, as Twins hitters weren’t falling for the splitter and Lewis turned on an inside heater for his first home run (his second was on a fastball right down Broadway).
The Diamondbacks got the job done in Milwaukee, even with rookie Brandon Pfaadt taking the mound against Corbin Burnes. Paul Seawald cleaned up for the save in the ninth without breaking a sweat.
The Phillies had no issues with the Marlins off a great start by Zack Wheeler, and I’d be very surprised if they don’t close out that series tonight.
We’re loading up for another great day, starting at 3:00 in Tampa. October baseball, baby; there’s nothing like it!
Tough Money Sports 