Nurse the Hate: NFL Locks and Basset Update

A quick update on the basset situation...  Ryver returned home without getting an operation.  There was not an option to do so.  She has a disc in her back badly degenerated and another issue further up the spinal column.  This is believed to be vascular, but who the hell knows.  The only thing left to do is see if she will heal up on her own as surgical options are off the table.  Her left rear leg is essentially useless right now and her back right leg is unsteady at best.  This has left me helping her along in a sling when she agrees to move at all.  She is stubborn and spent a day avoiding taking a piss, but finally relented.  There was a celebration afterwards much like I expect to celebrate watching the Bears score on Oakland.  More on that in a moment.

Ryver is a proud tough dog.  She doesn't seem to be in pain beyond a discomfort level she has grown accustomed to over the years.  I can't believe she has been so stoic with this back situation she has been shouldering quietly for years.  She is alert, wants her treats, and wags her tail.  The recovery, if it happens at all, will be slow.  The home care will be difficult, but this basset has earned every opportunity to heal.  I hope that this is the right decision and I dread the possibility of having to make a decision to put her down later.  I could use a break here.

Let's not let the health of one mouthy basset hound get in the way of the real issues.  I am, of course, talking about this week's NFL slate.  It isn't often when a team loses their #1 pick to injury, has that player replaced by Chase Daniels, and it is considered a good thing for the team.  That is precisely what I believe happened with the Bears.  Mitch Trubisky is not very good.  The Bears are unable (or unwilling) to run their total offensive playbook because Mitch cannot execute the plays, hasn't been able to learn them, or a combination thereof.  Despite this being a counterintuitive statement, I think the Bears are better today than they were with Trubisky.  Daniels has worked with this system and should be able to be an effective game manager.

The Bears are playing the Raiders.  The Raiders are coming off a big win this week against the Colts.  What do you think of when you think Raiders?  The Antonio Brown debacle?  The Burfict signing?  The Raiders are the anti-Patriots.  When I think of what the Patriots do after a win, I think they get focused on getting better.  When the Raiders win they all get Tuesday off and gift cards to Dave & Busters.  Knock on wood if you're with me men.  I see lots of pressure on the Raider QB and Mack spending most of his time hitting dudes in a "you never should have traded me" way.  I will take the Bears -5.5

There are a bunch of stats about how good Pittsburgh is in the underdog role.  There are also stats aplenty about how close Pittsburgh plays Baltimore, and the team getting points is the side to jump on.  I think this is all about how the Public still perceives the Ravens to have a great defense when in reality they have given up 500+ yards two weeks in a row.  The Public also believes that Lamar Jackson is a budding superstar, and the Steelers are doomed without Big Ben.  I like this spot for Pittsburgh to maybe even win outright, but I will just take the points here.  Pittsburgh +3 at Baltimore.

From the moment I looked at the NFL schedule, I saw the Browns losing to the 49ers on Monday night.  The 49ers are better than perception.  The Niners have a very good defensive line, which is not good as Little Baker Mayfield will have almost no protection up front with his weak Browns O-line.  This is the Browns fourth "big game" in a row, and probably the least important.  This just seems like a normal time for a lag.  East coast team flies west.  Their last three games have been Monday Night in NY, Sunday night at home vs the Rams, and then the big showdown against Baltimore last week.  Meanwhile the 49ers are coming off a bye, are 3-0, and have this as their first "big game" of the year.  I see this as a way for the 49ers to announce "we're back" while Cleveland will be challenged to summon the effort they had team wide last week.  San Francisco -4.

Season Record:  8-2