This Is Us Season 5 Episode 4 Recap: Let’s Get Honest

NBC This Is Us

Kevin dominated last night’s episode, but Kate and Randall stole the show with two big reveals at the end of This Is Us.

This Is Us Season 5 Episode 4 Recap: “Honestly”

THIS IS US — “Honestly” Episode 504 — Pictured in this screengrab: (l-r) Lonnie Chavis as Randall, Mackenzie Hancsicsak as Kate, Parker Bates as Kevin — (Photo by: NBC)

Kate’s Secret Pregnancy

The promo for episode four used the classic bait and switch technique. The short video clip teased a conversation between Kate and Ellie about adoption and if Ellie was having second thoughts. That idea was quickly squashed after Ellie said she was conflicted about her own life but still wants to give her baby to Kate and Toby. It turns out that the name Kate picked for the child, Chloe, prompted a negative reaction from her past life.

However, the conversation with Ellie triggered a past memory from Kate after Ellie mentioned thoughts about abortion. When Kate was a teen, she was in an abusive relationship with Marc, who had the slimiest of mustaches known to man. After their breakup, Kate realized that she was pregnant.

What did Kate do with her unborn child? I’m guessing she had an abortion, which is why her conversation with Ellie triggered this memory. What I want to know is who knew about the pregnancy besides Kate. Did she tell Marc? Did Kate confide in a friend we don’t know about? As a dedicated viewer, I’ve learned that no character faces problems alone. There’s always someone else involved.

Randall The Stripper

https://twitter.com/SterlingKBrown/status/1328890573407756289?s=20

Let’s just call a spade a spade. Sterling K. Brown is shredded. The man is ripped from head to toe. Was his striptease a mistake or an audition for Chippendales?

Back to the topic at hand. Randall’s striptease may have shown off his hard work in the gym, but it also served as a connection to his birth mother, Laurel. At the end of the episode, the Vietnamese grandfather watches Randall’s viral video. Unlike most people, he’s less focused on the dance and zeroes in on the name, William Hill. If you bet that Randall would find out about his birth mother because he stripped in his office at 1000 to 1 odds, then cash your tickets immediately and move to a tropical island.

Is Laurel alive? I’m back and forth on this issue. It would be too fitting for Laurel to be alive. My prediction is Randall meets Laurel’s daughter or son with the Vietnamese man, which would make them half-siblings.

Atta Boy, Kevin

Ever since the middle of the third season, Kevin’s storyline interests me the most. He’s having twins with Madison, fighting with Randall, and attempting to win an Oscar for his mom. That’s a hell of a platter. Last night focused on his work ethic in both the past and present. As a kid, Kevin’s potential in football began to grow, but he struggled to memorize the plays and put in the work. Thanks to Randall’s color-coded flashcards, Kevin started to bond with his brother and memorize the plays.

In the present, Kevin failed to impress his new director. Instead of quitting, Kevin made more color-coded flashcards, and it appeared to work since his director sent Kevin a gift basket. The episode began to lay the groundwork for Kevin and Randall’s future conversation. Kevin is starting to sympathize with Randall and the issues he experienced as a black kid in a predominately white community.

There has to be an “a-ha” moment for Kevin. What is the moment that will unite the brothers? My money is on the birth of Kevin’s children.

Other News And Notes

– I immediately recognized Jack’s Cool Hand Luke reference. What we’ve got here is failure to communicate.

– This Is Us tried to plant conspiracy theories in our heads with the baby name, Chloe. Kate and Toby’s daughter will be named Hailey so after Kate used the name Chloe, the idea of Ellie keeping her baby ran through our minds for precisely 5 minutes. Nice try, writing room, but I didn’t fall for it.

– Malik should forget about his idea to open a restaurant. Instead, he should run for mayor of Philadelphia.

– I’m in the Jamie Chung Hive. Big year for Ms. Chung with Lovecraft Country and a guest appearance on This Is Us. If you have time, watch Already Tomorrow in Hong Kong on Hulu. She costars with her husband, Bryan Greenberg. It’s a charming rom-com that will make you miss traveling.

See you in January when This Is Us returns from its hiatus.

Did you enjoy last night’s episode? Leave your thoughts in the comments below or tweet us, @unafraidshow.

2020 NFL Week 9 Power Rankings: Four Up and Four Down

Best Pac-12 NFL Players: Week 7

Week 9 of the 2020 NFL Season produced some very close finishes and some very lopsided games. There has been a shuffle at the top of the leaderboard in the NFL. The NFC has four teams that are looking to be the favorites, but only two of them won this week (Packers and Saints). In the AFC, the picture is clearer. The Steelers and Chiefs are leading the way in the league at the moment.

Four Up: Steelers Lead the Way After 2020 NFL Week 9 Despite Close Call With Cowboys

The Steelers managed to win a dogfight against the Dallas Cowboys, 24-19. Even though the Steelers did not play their best, the best teams can win ugly. The Steelers missed two extra points. This proved to be consequential as the Cowboys had a chance to win on the game’s final play. However, Ben Roethlisberger and Mike Tomlin have been in games like this at numerous points throughout their career. The Steelers are the favorites, as no teams have figured them out yet. On any given Sunday, any team can win. The Steelers have managed to win every Sunday so far this season.

2. Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs managed to beat the Carolina Panthers 33-31 on Sunday. Patrick Mahomes put up another gaudy stat line, with 372 passing yards and four passing touchdowns. Many believe that he has worked his way to the front of the MVP conversation yet again. No team has shown a cohesive game plan to stop Mahomes. With all his offensive firepower at his disposal, do not expect him to ease up on having MVP performances.

3. New Orleans Saints

The Saints, who I picked to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl, have finally made their way on to this list. However, this part of the season seems to be the part where they make their ascent. New Orleans has always played well in the early part of November the past few seasons, and that trend has not changed this year. The challenge for the Saints will be sustaining the level of play they displayed Sunday night in Tampa. If they can do that, it is hard to see any team being able to surpass them in the NFC.

4. Green Bay Packers

Aaron Rodgers and the Packers bounced back last Thursday with their 34-17 victory over an injury-ravaged 49ers team. Rodgers and wide receiver Davante Adams are the game’s best quarterback-wide receiver duo right now. No one can stop them. However, the Packers need more consistency from their defense if they want to fulfill their championship aspirations. It will be interesting to see how they do against running backs like Christian McCaffrey and Derrick Henry later in the season, as that has been their Achilles heel on defense.

Four Down: Two NFC East In Bottom Four Yet Again

29. Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys have potentially found their short-term solution at quarterback with Garrett Gilbert. He played much better than Ben DiNucci. Despite keeping things close with the Steelers, the Cowboys still have work to do. They have to show more consistency in the run game and on defense if they want to be taken seriously in the NFC East.

30. Washington Football Team

Washington suffered another loss to the New York Giants, a team that has not beat any of the other 30 NFL teams. Kyle Allen is hurt, so it looks like Alex Smith will be able to lead a team as a starter for the first time in two years. Washington has some winnable games against Detroit and Dallas coming up in the next three weeks. Fans will want to see on-field results with a team that has come so far off the field in the past few months.

31. Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars started Oregon State product Jake Luton at quarterback last Sunday. This development basically signaled that they want to be involved in the Trevor Lawrence sweepstakes. There is not too much to say otherwise. James Robinson has showed promise at running back. Jacksonville has talent on the roster defensively. It will be interesting to see how that will work around whoever is quarterback for this franchise in 2021. My prediction that it will be someone who is currently not on the roster.

32. New York Jets

The Jets competed with the Patriots on Monday night, which is encouraging for embattled head coach Adam Gase. However, the focus for Jets fans is still on if they will get Trevor Lawrence in the 2021 NFL Draft. Nothing has changed here. However, the Jets arguably should have won Monday night. They were able to control the ball, but Joe Flacco turned the ball over in the fourth quarter. The Jets haven’t had much momentum this season, but for a little bit it looked like they might have won.

Game 1 in Review, Dan Patrick Disrespect, Game 2 Preview, and Predictions, Status of Games, TV Ratings, CFB Playoff

George and Ralph review all the Pac-12 games from the first week of games and cancelations. Dan Patrick says the most disrespectful thing ever about the Pac-12 Conference. Cal and Utah are in danger of missing games for a second week. They also predict the Game 2 matchups and make their picks. Can Oregon or USC make the CFB Playoff?

The Pac-12 Apostles is a podcast for fans who love the Pac-12 conference. George Wrighster and Ralph Amsden are committed to the honest and fair conversation about the Pac-12 conference. They talk about the good, bad, and the ugly about the Pac-12. Join them in becoming a Pac-12 Apostle by subscribing and sharing the podcast. Send your thoughts, comments, and :30 rants to immad@unafraidshow.com. The best comments and rants will be included in the show.

Visit Unafraid Show to read unapologetic articles about the conference and the teams you love.

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Pac-12 Football Seasons: 2020 Colorado Buffaloes Game 1

The usual “Sko Buffs” chants from Colorado Buffaloes fans did not reverberate across Folsom Field Saturday. Although 2020 will not allow Colorado Buffaloes fans to scream it together, they were chanting it from home. Despite playing in front of a very limited number of spectators due to COVID-19 protocols, Colorado held on for a 48-42 victory over the UCLA Bruins on Saturday.

Defense’s Opportunistic Turnovers Became Storyline for Buffaloes

Colorado quarterback Sam Noyer was the story leading into this game. The fifth-year senior had not started a game at quarterback since his senior year of high school. Buffaloes fans were wondering about how the quarterback would fill the void left by Steven Montez.

While Noyer was the story before the game, turnovers became the story once the game started. The Buffaloes capitalized off two UCLA turnovers to take an early 14-0 lead. Noyer did not have to carry the team, as the offensive line came ready to play. They created holes for running back Jarek Broussard. The sophomore got the first two rushing touchdowns of his career. It was exactly the start Karl Dorrell and the entire Colorado Buffaloes team needed in 2020.

More Opportunistic Turnovers Help Buffaloes Get 28-Point Lead

Once the Buffaloes built their lead, the UCLA offense started to figure out the Buffs’ defense. They allowed UCLA to score a touchdown on a screen pass to cut CU’s lead in half. This 28-yard touchdown for UCLA was a screen play on a 2nd-and-16. Defending the screen was a problem for the Buffaloes’ defense all night. Too many of these plays happened. If the Buffaloes want to win consistently this season, they must clean this aspect of their game up.

Despite the defense playing very opportunistic, the offense showed great consistency throughout the entire game. The timing between Sam Noyer and a receiving corps that was missing senior K.D. Nixon looked great. This recipe led the Buffaloes to dominate most of the second quarter.

Credit: University of Colorado Athletics

After Noyer found Brady Russell for a touchdown, Derrion Rakestraw recovered a Dorian Thompson-Robinson fumble. Even though the Buffaloes could not capitalize on that drive, they recovered another fumble deep in UCLA territory on the Bruins’ next possession. Another Jarek Broussard score gave the Buffs a 28-7 lead. Broussard would have 100 rushing yards before halftime. If the Buffaloes can consistently produce on the ground, they will be able to compete against anyone in the Pac-12 this season.

UCLA would go three-and-out on the next possession. That led to the Buffs getting another rushing touchdown, this time from sophomore Jaren Mangham. The Buffaloes were 6.5-point underdogs, but they were winning 35-7 with 5:46 remaining in the second quarter.

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Despite Opportunistic Turnovers, Defense Got Exposed On Multiple Occasions

However, the defense would be exposed on the next possession. They gave up a 52-yard touchdown on a blown coverage. Momentum was creeping towards UCLA, as James Stefanou missed a 51-yard field goal attempt before halftime.

To start the second half, the Buffs’ defense would give up a 65-yard touchdown run to Dorian Thompson-Robinson. On the ensuing Buffs possession, UCLA blocked a field goal. The first bad break for the Buffs all game would turn even worse. UCLA would score a touchdown on another screen pass to make the game 35-28 with 10:10 left in the third quarter. In what was a bit less than 10 minutes of gameplay, UCLA was able to make a game out of what was looking like a CU rout.

The most encouraging thing about this game for Buffs fans was that the offense was putting up consistent production all game. They responded to the flurry of UCLA points by methodically marching down the field on the next drive. Noyer would get a 1-yard rush touchdown, and the Buffaloes led 42-28.

However, another possible deficiency on defense for the Buffs was exposed. They were getting numerous pass interference calls all night, and the majority of them were on freshman cornerback Christian Gonzalez. UCLA was targeting in the pass game all night. It was frustrating to see pass interference calls go against the Buffs, but they did not give up touchdowns because of them. Once again, the Bruins would score on a screen play to cut the lead to 42-35. These types of plays should not be able to work against a defense as often as they did for UCLA.

Special Teams Also Showed Deficiencies for Colorado Buffaloes In First Game of 2020

Nonetheless, one area that started to look better for the Buffaloes was their kicking game after missing two field goals in the first half. Evan Price replaced an injured James Stefanou for a 45-yard field goal at the end of the third quarter. After having low-scoring games at home in the second half of the 2019 season, the opening game of the 2020 season looked nothing like those games. Despite that, the Buffaloes were winning the game 45-35.

The game tightened up in the fourth quarter, as the Buffaloes’ defense stepped up and stopped UCLA on a 4th-and-1 from the CU 30-yard line. The Buffs’ offense was able to drive down the field, but UCLA’s defense was able to hold them to a field goal. With a 48-35 lead, the Buffaloes’ defense put UCLA into a 4th-and-11 situation from the CU 40. Once again, UCLA was not able to convert.

The Buffaloes had a chance to put the game away for good. However, UCLA would get their second blocked kick of the night, this time on a 44-yard attempt from Evan Price.

UCLA was able to drive down the field and score a touchdown with 1:45 left. Consequently, the Bruins had burned through all their timeouts already. Thus, CU was able to recover the onside kick and run out the clock. It wasn’t perfect, but being able to beat UCLA was a great way for Karl Dorrell to start his CU coaching tenure.

James Stefanou retired from football on Monday. He finished eighth on CU’s all-time scoring list with 199 points.

Colorado Buffaloes Defeat UCLA Bruins 48-42 In First Game of 2020 Season

https://twitter.com/k_dorrell/status/1325499792017985537?s=20

Dorrell said that there was no added emotion going up against UCLA, which is his alma mater. He also coached there from 2003-07. It’s all business for Dorrell. This mindset is a great mindset for a team who is trying to go on an ascending path. He also said the team won without playing their best football. Despite the defensive inefficiencies, Dorrell stated the need to outscore opponents in the Pac-12.

The opponent CU will try to outscore next week will be the Stanford Cardinal. Stanford’s quarterback situation looks murky, as Davis Mills is currently in COVID-19 protocol. On defense, if the Buffaloes are able to limit penalties and big plays off of screens, they should have a good chance to win this game.

Last year, they beat Stanford 16-13. That win and the confidence the Buffs gained from it should carry over into the matchup this year. Do not expect the Buffaloes to put up 48 points against the Cardinal, but they should not give up 42 points to them either.

The Buffaloes are not far off from the majority of Pac-12 teams as far as their talent. Thus, the expectation should be for them to compete against whoever they play this season. They should be able to get the job done too, and they demonstrated that in their Week 1 win against UCLA.

James Stefanou Retires After Game

2020 Colorado Buffaloes Football Season Preview

It has been a long 2020 for fans of the Colorado Buffaloes. On November 30, 2019, Mel Tucker coached what would be his last game for the Buffs. 343 days later, Karl Dorrell will take the reins for the Buffaloes as head coach against the UCLA Bruins.

The Buffaloes may not be major competitors in the Pac-12 this season. Thus, there is not major pressure for Dorrell to produce results in his first year at the helm. However, the Buffaloes should be able to compete in a lot of their games this season. Fans want to see a competitive product. The past few seasons, the Buffaloes have not been consistently competitive nearly enough. That is what has led to three consecutive 5-7 seasons.

2020 Colorado Buffaloes Offense Has Talent, But Will Be Led By Former Safety

Colorado will start redshirt senior Sam Noyer at quarterback against UCLA. He won a tight contest against redshirt junior Tyler Lytle. Many will count the Buffs out when they realize Noyer played safety last season. Nonetheless, he beat out Lytle in what Dorrell called a very close competition. Dorrell also stated that the team wants to give Tyler Lytle playing time in some capacity throughout the season. It will be interesting to see if freshman Brendon Lewis will get any playing time at quarterback. He is the best dual-threat option the Buffaloes have. Having Lewis play in some capacity this season would add another aspect to a Buffaloes offense that has its share of weapons.

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Darrin Chiaverini is returning to offensive coordinator after being the wide receivers coach last season. He was the offensive coordinator for the Buffs from 2016-18. He has plenty of weapons at his disposal.

The running back group was led by Alex Fontenot, but he may miss a large portion of the season with an undisclosed injury. That means that sophomores Jarek Broussard and Jaren Mangham will share the load at running back. Broussard is listed first on the depth chart, but Mangham caught the eyes of Buffs fans last season. It will be interesting to see if Broussard has the majority of the carries or if there may be a timeshare-type system at running back.

At wide receiver, the Buffaloes have plenty of talent. K.D. Nixon decided to return for his senior season, which is a huge plus for Sam Noyer. He also will have Dimitri Stanley, Daniel Arias, and true freshman Brendan Rice to throw the football to. If Noyer can maintain consistent accuracy, he has the talent around him to be successful.

Defense For Buffaloes Must Build On Consistency

On defense, the Buffaloes will look similar. They have Mustafa Johnson anchoring the defensive line. Nate Landman will be the main part of the linebacking corps in Tyson Summer’s 3-4 scheme.

In the secondary, the Buffaloes return Mekhi Blackmon, Derrion Rakestraw, and Chris Miller. The defense improved in home games near the end of last season, but that success did not translate on the road. It will be good that a similar group of players will be playing in the same defensive scheme they did last season. They must translate their success wherever they play to be competitive in the Pac-12 this season.

Colorado Buffaloes VS UCLA Bruins Prediction

The Buffaloes have seven scheduled games this season, but only six opponents have been determined. The Buffaloes will most likely finish 2-4 before they play their final game of the season. They are underdogs against UCLA this week, but there should be optimism that they might be able to pull off a victory in the first week of Pac-12 play. For Karl Dorrell, this game comes against the team that he was a head coach for from 2003-2007. However, the Bruins beat the Buffs 31-14 last year at Rose Bowl Stadium. The Buffaloes will be the underdogs, but the nation and Buffs fans alike should not be surprised if Colorado gets off to a winning start in 2020.

Prediction: CU 31, UCLA 28

2021 Oscars Discussion, Vol. 3: Man(k) On A Mission

Mank / Netflix

One word is about to stir up the 2021 Oscars. Say it with me: Mank.

Mank Set To Be An Oscars Juggernaut

With the Oscar eligibility window pushed back to February 28, 2021, it’s safe to say we’re in the middle rounds in this fight for Academy Awards. If this is Round 5 or 6, then Mank just scored a knockdown.

The first round of reviews arrived this afternoon for Mank and to say they were anything but positive would be an understatement. I’m struggling to find a negative word, let alone an entirely negative review. Type “Mank Review” in your search engine and it will flood with adjectives for “great.”

Mank revolves around Herman J. Mankiewicz, played by Gary Oldman, and his battle with Orson Welles over the screenwriting credit for Citizen Kane. Mank was directed by David Fincher, who directs his first feature film since 2014’s Gone Girl, from a script written by Fincher’s father, the late Jack Fincher. Oldman stars alongside Amanda Seyfried, Charles Dance, Lily Collins, Arliss Howard, and Tom Burke.

Mank hits all the right notes in terms of films that are typically rewarded by the Academy. It’s a black and white movie about the film industry in Old Hollywood from a well-respected director and accomplished cast. If the Academy Awards were a game of Texas Hold’Em and Mank came to the table, Mank would be sitting on a pair of Kings. Frankly, all you had to tell me was “David Fincher’s first movie since Gone Girl” and I was in.

Without guessing winners, the best bet you can make for the 2021 Oscars is that Mank will lead the field with the most nominations. I’m counting at least eight automatic nominations and honestly, that’s on the low side.

Mank Nomination Predictions

  • Best Picture
  • Best Director (Fincher)
  • Best Actor (Oldman)
  • Best Supporting Actress (Seyfried)
  • Best Supporting Actor (Dance)
  • Best Orginal Screenplay
  • Best Cinematography
  • Best Costume Design
  • Best Film Editing
  • Best Original Score
  • Best Production Design
  • Best Sound

If you can’t count, that’s 12 nominations, which would easily make it the nomination leader. Thankfully, consumers won’t have to wait much longer as Mank will stream on Netflix on December 4.

One Night In Miami Oscar Campaign

Mank may have made a statement in the middle rounds, but One Night In Miami will look to come on strong in the 11th round. Regina King’s directorial debut portrays the fictionalized meeting between Malcom X (Kingsley Ben-Adir), Jim Brown (Aldis Hodge), Cassius Clay (Eli Goree), and Leslie Odom Jr. (Sam Cooke). One Night In Miami premiered to strong reviews at TIFF and King will be in the running for a Best Directing nomination.

With four actors positioning for acting nominations, Amazon Studios confirmed where they will campaign all four men. Kingsley Ben-Adir and Eli Goree will be entered as lead actors while Aldis Hodge and Leslie Odom Jr. will run in supporting. Out of the four actors, Odom should have the best chance for a nomination thanks to his previous accomplishments in the Emmys, Grammys, and Tonys.

One Night In Miami opens in theaters on Christmas and streams on Amazon Prime Video on January 15, 2021.

Other News And Notes

– I still haven’t seen Tenet. However, there is good news on the horizon.

Previous Discussions:

Are you excited for Mank? Leave your thoughts in the comments or tweet us, @unafraidshow.

2020 NFL Week 8 Power Rankings: Four Up and Four Down

Russell wilson NFL Ratings Jalen Ramsey vs Golden Tate Fight,

Week 8 of the 2020 NFL Season produced many upsets. A bevy of teams are all over the place as far as their standing within the Power Rankings are. However, the best and worst teams are still pretty apparent. Without further ado, here is Four Up and Four Down after 2020 NFL Week 8.

Pittsburgh Steelers Solidify Top Power Ranking Spot After 2020 NFL Week 8

In a 2020 NFL Season that has had its share of uncertainty, the Pittsburgh Steelers are the only undefeated team standing after Week 8. They went into Baltimore and beat the Ravens 28-24. They have many options at receiver, a great offensive line, a good running back, and a good defense. Ben Roethlisberger is also the most experienced quarterback in the conference. Put that together with a good coach in Mike Tomlin and you have a Super Bowl contender. There are many Yinzers that should be hyped up for this team. After years with dealing with team drama, they have taken on the personality of the quintessential Pittsburgh Steelers team.

2. Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs took care of business on Sunday, dispatching the New York Jets 35-9. Patrick Mahomes had five touchdown passes and torched the Jets secondary. Kansas City may have to play a first-round playoff game since the Steelers are undefeated. That being said, the two teams look very evenly matched on paper. Expect an AFC Championship game in either Pittsburgh or Kansas City in January.

3. Seattle Seahawks

Russell Wilson threw four touchdown passes and “returned to MVP form” on Sunday. He was already at MVP form. Wilson just had some unlucky interceptions in Seattle’s loss to Arizona last week. There is really no question that Wilson is carrying this team. They were missing both Chris Carson and Carlos Hyde in their 37-27 victory over the 49ers. The Seattle defense played better, even though they allowed garbage-time points late in the game. Seattle has a test in Week 9, as they travel to Buffalo to take on the Bills.

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

2020 NFL Week 8 ended with a closer game that people expected between the Buccaneers and Giants. Nonetheless, the Buccaneers squeaked by 25-23 and take the number four spot in the power rankings this week. The Buccaneers need to find more consistency on offense. In their last four games they have had two great games and two mediocre games. One of the many things Tom Brady is helping them with is limiting turnovers. That factor is giving their opportunistic defense chances to take advantage of opponents. They were able to do that against Daniel Jones this week, but they may have a tougher time doing that to Drew Brees next week.

There is not much separation between the fourth-ranked Buccaneers and teams such as the Saints, Colts, and Cardinals. However, Tampa Bay has been the most convincing out of all four teams in their wins. That is why they claimed the fourth spot this week. The other three teams listed are not far behind though.

Four Down: Same Few Teams Cannot Get Out of Their Own Ways After 2020 NFL Week 8

29. Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys were running a ton of gimmick plays on Sunday night against the Eagles with rookie Ben DiNucci in at quarterback. Mike McCarthy was trying to find any way for the offense to get something going. It was a respectable performance by the Cowboys defense (coupled with a bad performance from Carson Wentz), but the Cowboys still fell short to their NFC East foes 23-9. Ezekiel Elliott has not showed the ability to carry this team. Elliott playing well is the only conceivable way the Cowboys keep it competitive against the Steelers next week.

30. Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars had a bye in 2020 NFL Week 8. They are still in the thick of the Trevor Lawrence sweepstakes. All it takes for them would be a few wins by the Jets and they will be in prime position to get him. However, it will be interesting to see how the Jaguars play down the stretch. Will they phone it in, or will they play hard for embattled head coach Doug Marrone.

31. New York Giants

Daniel Jones needs to work on his mechanics if the Giants want to start winning football games. Down 25-23, the Giants had a chance to tie the game. If Daniel Jones throws the ball on time to running back Dion Lewis, the Giants force overtime in a game that no one picked them to win. The Giants’ last three losses have been by three, one, and two points, respectively. Their defense is getting better week in and week out. They put up a decent performance against Brady and the Buccaneers on Monday night. They will have their chance to get back into the thick of things in the NFC East, having winnable games at Washington and at home against the Eagles the next two weeks.

32. New York Jets

The Jets could have made a game against the Chiefs but could only muster field goals in the first half. There really is not much else to say about this team. Now, they will be showcased on national television in Week 9 against the New England Patriots. The nation will see if Adam Gase can motivate his players to play a competitive game against a reeling New England squad.

Best Game of Week 8: Los Angeles Chargers @ Denver Broncos

The Chargers end up on the losing side of the best game of the week every other week. This time, they fell victim to a furious comeback by the Denver Broncos. Drew Lock was able to rally the troops from a 24-3 deficit, as the Broncos needed the final play of the game to finish off a 31-30 victory. However, this is the same old story for the Chargers. They have lost games where they had leads of 17 points against Tampa Bay, 17 points against New Orleans, and 21 points against Denver. Justin Herbert has played well, but he has been outdone by his defense. If the Chargers could get past blowing leads, they would be in the conversation for the playoffs right now. They have the talent, but simply have not been able to get the job done. We will see if that changes this week against the Las Vegas Raiders.

Do you agree with our four up and four down rankings? Tweet us, @unafraidshow, with your thoughts.    

The Packers Are A Good Team That Refuses To Be Great

Aaron Rodgers Green Bay Packers

In last season’s NFC Championship Game, the San Francisco 49ers throttled the Green Bay Packers, 37-20, in a game that was never close. Aaron Rodgers didn’t have his game A-game, throwing 2 INTs and losing 1 fumble. The bigger story belonged to the Packers defense, who allowed 264 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns.

Despite a disappointing end to the season, the Packers won a total of 14 games, which is pretty damn good. With a healthy Rodgers, the Packers have the foundation for a great team. They’re only a few pieces away from being an elite team.

Picture this scenario. The Packers know what they need to improve as a team. Wide receiver and defensive linemen were the three positions of need heading into the offseason and the draft. Imagine knowing what positions you need to improve as a team and drafting none of those players. That is exactly what the Packers did in the draft.

https://sports.nbcsports.com/2020/04/26/green-bay-packers-trade-up-for-jordan-love-at-no-26-in-2020-nfl-draft/

If the shareholders of the Packers could make managerial decisions, all 361,311 people would fire the GM, Brian Gutekunst. If the Packers wanted to draft a backup QB for Rodgers in the later rounds, no one would bat an eye. Not only did the Packers take a quarterback in the first round, but they traded up to draft one.

Can someone remind Green Bay’s front office that Rodgers still plays quarterback for the Packers? Rodgers may be on the decline from his MVP seasons, but don’t mistake that for a true regression. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. This season, Rodgers has thrown for 1948 yards, 20 TDs, and 2 INTs. The yards may be down, but most of that can be attributed to the emergence of Aaron Jones, who’s tied for sixth in rushing TDs with 5 despite missing two games.

It’s hard to watch how Green Bay struggles to surround Rodgers with the necessary talent to compete and not compare it to what the Bucs have done with Tom Brady. The Bucs know their window to win is small and Brady might be there for two years. The future is now for the Bucs, and they’re putting all of their eggs in the Brady basket, and rightfully so. The Bucs brought in Leonard Fournette, Rob Gronkowski, and Antonio Brown to bolster an offense that already had Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. So far, it’s paid off as the 6-2 Bucs dismantled the Packers earlier this season, 38-10.

What did Rodgers get after leading his team to the NFC Championship? A quarterback that will never see a snap this season and a running back that hasn’t played yet.

What’s even crazier is the Packers had a chance to atone for their sins at the trade deadline. The offense needs a true number-two receiver to pair with Davante Adams. Will Fueller appeared to be the perfect fit. After Dalvin Cook destroyed the Packers defense with 4 total touchdowns, the Packers could use an interior lineman or linebacker to bolster their run defense.

What did the Packers do? Absolutely nothing. The Packers decided to play for the future and not surrender picks for Fueller, who would’ve provided a necessary deep threat to the offense. On the defensive side, the Packers appear to be quite alright with allowing 26.7 points per game. The Jets traded away Steve McLendon and Avery Williamson for late-round picks. Those two players would start right away for the Packers.

The Packers sit atop the NFC North with a 5-2 record and barring any catastrophic injuries, they should make the playoffs. Their inability to improve in positions of need is mind-boggling. Refusing to be great is the Packers’ weakness, and it will cost them come January.

Do you believe the Packers are a great team? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

Pac-12 is Back, Game Previews and Predictions, 9a = 4:45a, New Testing Protocols

It’s finally game week for Pac-12 teams. Ralph and George preview, rank, and give their predictions for each game. The 9 am kickoff for Arizona State and USC may be the most important game of the weekend. The Pac-12 has adopted not Covid testing protocols to deal with false positives.

The Pac-12 Apostles is a podcast for fans who love the Pac-12 conference. George Wrighster and Ralph Amsden are committed to the honest and fair conversation about the Pac-12 conference. They talk about the good, bad, and the ugly about the Pac-12. Join them in becoming a Pac-12 Apostle by subscribing and sharing the podcast. Send your thoughts, comments, and :30 rants to immad@unafraidshow.com. The best comments and rants will be included in the show.

Visit Unafraid Show to read unapologetic articles about the conference and the teams you love.

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USC video, UCLA spend big $ on food, Arizona Notice of Allegations, Jimmy Lake trolls, Pac-12 seafood

USC Drops a new video collaborating with BLVD studios. Will it cause an uptick in their recruiting? Nope, because it got deleted. George and Ralph argue over UCLA’s extravagant expenditures on food. The University of Arizona receives Notice of Allegations from the NCAA. Will anyone get fired? Jimmy Lake trolls the SEC. THe Pac-12 conference gets a seafood sponsor/partner. Of course, we deal with recruiting updates and news.

The Pac-12 Apostles is a podcast for fans who love the Pac-12 conference. George Wrighster and Ralph Amsden are committed to the honest and fair conversation about the Pac-12 conference. They talk about the good, bad, and the ugly about the Pac-12. Join them in becoming a Pac-12 Apostle by subscribing and sharing the podcast. Send your thoughts, comments, and :30 ranks to immad@unafraidshow.com. The best comments and rants will be included in the show.

Visit Unafraid Show to read unapologetic articles about the conference and the teams you love.

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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/pac-12-conference/message

Continue reading