10/13/21 Wrighster or Wrong: WFT Email Scandal, Schefter and Journalism Ethics, Brett Farve, Blackfishing and More

Wrighster or Wrong

On this episode of WRIGHSTER OR WRONG, George Wrighster and Ralph Amsden get into get into whether or not the NFL Players Association will be able to compel the league to release the rest of the 650,000 emails that are part of the investigation into the Washington Football Team, and sort through all of the different legal issues currently facing the NFL. Adam Schefter allowing former Redskins president Bruce Allen to edit and approve a story he wrote has kicked off a heated debate about journalistic ethics, and the guys get to the bottom of what is and isn’t acceptable for sports journalists when it comes to the entities they’re supposed to be objectively covering- including the student journalists at the OU Daily that have gotten under Head Coach Lincoln Riley’s skin. Brett Favre owes the state of Mississippi a whole bunch of money that was meant for needy families, so George and Ralph dissect exactly how culpable he is for accepting the money in the first place. “Blackfishing” is a term trending on social media, and it has to do with white women in pop music making themselves look darker or ethnically ambiguous- the guys wade into the world feminine beauty standards to try and figure this out. Last, in Best of Social Media, is the new Home Alone movie a remake, or a sequel?

Click any of the following links to listen to Wrighster or Wrong on your preferred Podcast platform

iHeart // Apple Podcasts // Spotify // Stitcher // Radio Public // Google Podcasts

Have a take you’d like us to address? Email us at immad@unafraidshow.com and we’ll read your take on a future Wrighster or Wrong podcast.

Five Up Five Down The 5 Best and 5 Worst NFL teams week 13

NFL Week 13 Rankings

Five Up Five Down The 5 Best and 5 Worst NFL teams week 13 is where we rank the five best and five worst teams in the NFL. Anybody can list the best teams. It takes real skill to sort through the mess that is the bottom of the league. Week 13 has already kicked off with the Cowboys getting a huge win over the Saints! What did we learn from Week 12? We missed the Chiefs and Rams in action, Vikings gots a must win over the Packers, Colts are good but do we believe in them just yet and the Texans keep winning! Do you like that? Does your team sadly qualify for worst teams for Week 13?

Leave a comment, share, and email us: ImMad@UnafraidShow.com.

5 UP: The 5 Best NFL Teams Week 13 

1. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (10-2) Last Week: 1st

The Saints lost a close one to the Cowboys 13-10 in Dallas. Drew Brees had a bad game, and the offense was put to sleep by an inspired Cowboys defense.  I am going to leave New Orleans in the first position for two reasons.  One, they beat the Rams and two the defense continues to get better every week.  This is what puts them ahead of the Rams and Chiefs no matter if they have two loses. I have said this all along of New Orleans starts playing defense like they did last year then the rest of the league is in trouble.  New Orleans gets a nice bounce-back team in the Bucs next week in Tampa. Call me out all you want the Saints are a better football team then the Chiefs and Rams because the defense is starting to put it together.

2. LOS ANGELES RAMS (10-1) Last Week: 2nd

The high powered Rams are back in action after enjoying a week off. The Rams were fun to watch in a 54-51 win over the Chiefs, but that defense is still a concern. Good news for the Rams they will get veteran CB Aquib Talib back which should help the porous secondary out immensely.  Jared Goff (3,547 yards 26 TD’s) and Todd Gurley (1,043 Yards 13 TDs) are the kingpins of what has become an unstoppable machine. The Rams will face the struggling Detroit Lions (4-7) in the Motor City and lead the all-time history between the two teams, 43-41-1. LA is a strong 10 point favorite versus the Detroit but this could be one of those trap games we shall see.

3. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (9-2) Last Week: 3rd

The Chiefs created history!  First team to lose a game scoring over 50 points. It was a fun game to watch but also a reminder that the defense still is swiss cheese. Patrick Mahomes II had six touchdown passes and over 400 yards passing, but it was those three costly interceptions that cost them the most. He will learn from it and is on his way to being the league’s MVP.  The Chiefs barely lost to the Patriots and Rams on the road, which makes them a trendy choice to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. It’s sort of sad that they won’t be playing this Sunday enjoying the Bye Week. This week Kansas City will be in Oakland (2-9) and should exploit the Raiders horrible defense.  The Chiefs are 14.5 point favorites and have an all-time advantage between the two AFC West rivals, 63-53-2.

4. CHICAGO BEARS (8-3) Last Week: 4th

Chase Daniels will get his 2nd straight start this week as the Bears are in New York to battle the mystery that is the Giants (3-8).   This team has yet to be behind at halftime all year. The defense ranked 4th overall is superior creating points on turnovers which they would like to do for the 3rd straight week. Khalil Mack should get serious consideration for defensive player of the year.  Jordan Howard (536 yards rushing) could have his first big week against a Giants team struggling to stop the run. Bears are 3.5 favorites to get another road win over the New York Giants. Chicago has a huge advantage between the two teams in head to head, 33-23-2.

5. HOUSTON TEXANS (8-3) Last Week: Unranked

Eight straight wins!   Remember when we all had Bill O’Brien on the firing block?  Now the Texans have taken advantage of a weak schedule, but the play of Deshaun Watson (2,807 Yards 20 TD’s 101.8 QB Rating) has people excited and worthy of this team in the #5 spot.   Lamar Miller has put up two straight stellar weekends which had added to the weapons the Texans have offensively.  The defense is getting better now ranked #7 overall in the league.  This could be a very dangerous team with all the high priced talent moving in the right direction. The Texans will look to make it nine straight as the Cleveland Browns  (4-6-1) come to H-town.  Texans lead the all-time series (6-3) and are 5.5 point favorites to beat Baker Mayfield and the Browns (Last played last year a 33-17 win by the Texans with Watson throwing 3 TD passes).

Closing in on the top 5 this week:

New England Patriots (8-3), LA Chargers (8-3), Pittsburgh Steelers (7-3-1)

5 DOWN: The 5 Worst NFL Teams Week 13 

28. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (3-8) Last Week: Unranked

What a disaster!  This was my Super Bowl pick in the AFC and the season has gone straight in the garbage can with seven straight loses.  Blake Bortles has proven he is not a franchise QB and why the team did not go out and get an Eli Manning or someone at the trading deadline is inexcusable.  Hey Jalen Ramsey what are you saying right now?  This is not the defenses fault, ranked 5th overall but the offense has been brutal since the loss of   OT Cam Robinson (Torn ACL) and losing Marqise Lee before the season really has shown.  The Jags will look to avoid an 8th straight loss in a row vs. the red-hot Colts (6-5) at home with Cody Kessler as the starter.  Vegas likes the Colts on the road as 4 point favorites. Indy will be after the clean sweep this year after winning the first affair 29-26 and have a 23-12 lead in the series between the two AFC South teams.

29. N.Y. JETS (3-8) Last Week: Unranked

The season started with promise, and now we can hear the clock ticking on Todd Bowles and his coaching life. Sam Darnold looks like he will play against the Tennessee Titans this Sunday but why put him in harm’s way. He has shown enough now the franchise needs to build around him with a new Head Coach. Not everything has been horrible for gang green, as the play of Jamal Adams has stood out.  The Jets will be in Tennessee this Sunday to battle the Titans (5-6).  Currently, Vegas has the Titans as eight-point favorites and Tennessee leads the all-time series 24-19-1.

30 SAN FRANCISCO 49ers (2-9) Last Week: 30th

Its been a lost season for San Francisco.  Coach Shanahan has done an excellent job of keeping this team fighting. Unfortunately for the 49ers, they play in Seattle this week a place of horrors for them 4-13 at Century Link Field. The fun part of the week has been Richard Sherman taking shots at Russell Wilson all week.  This game could get ugly in a must win for Seattle (6-5). The Seahawks are 10 point favorites and are 24-15 all-time versus  San Francisco which includes a nine-game winning streak between the NFC West combatants.  The 49ers last beat Seattle in 2013 (19-17) and have won only once in the last 12 match-ups (1-11).  The best thing for the 49ers is to keep losing and get the first pick in the NFL Draft.

31 OAKLAND RAIDERS (2-9) Last Week: 31st

One of the worst seasons in Oakland Raiders history continues to roll on in its shambolic state. All the excitement of Jon Gruden being back working with Derek Carr.  Before the season kicked off, Khalil Mack was moved and from that moment on, the year spiraled out control.   They lost to a rookie QB Lamar Jackson in an uninspired effort. This week the Raiders woeful 25th ranked defense will have to figure out how to stop the 3rd ranked offense and leading MVP Candidate Patrick Mahomes.  I am guessing a brutal double-digit loss and the Chiefs could score 50 points on the Silver Black sieve-like defense.

32. ARIZONA CARDINALS (2-9) Last Week: 32nd

They got schooled by the Chargers, and the worst offense in the NFL has no hope of getting better this year.  Josh Rosen will continue to take his lumps, and this week it will be in Green Bay (4-6-1) to take on the Packers.  One has to wonder what the Cardinals are going to do this off-season with the front office and coaching staff.  Packers lead the all-time series 45-25-4 and are 14 point favorites to knock off Arizona with an angry Aaron Rodgers. One of the best games between the two franchises was in 2016, the NFC Divisional Playoffs which the Cards won in OT 26-20.

Teams that are knocking on futilities door:

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-7),  Detroit Lions (4-7), N.Y. Giants 3-8

Come back next Thursday for Five Up Five Down: The five best NFL Teams and the five worst NFL Teams for Week 14.

Five Up Five Down: The 5 Best and 5 Worst NFL Teams Week Eight

5 Worst NFL Teams Week Eight

Five Up Five Down

Five Up Five Down: The 5 Best and 5 Worst NFL Teams Week Eight is where we rank the five best and five worst teams in the NFL. Anybody can list the best teams. It takes real skill to sort through the mess that is the bottom of the league.   Week Eight is hours away from kicking off in Houston. What did we learn from Week 7? Kicking woes impact even the best in the game in 2018, The Chiefs can play defense, Drew Brees is so underappreciated, Adam Thielen is historically good, Jags QB position is a mess, and rookie quarterbacks will be rookie quarterbacks.

5 UP:  The 5 Best NFL Teams Week Eight

1. LOS ANGELES RAMS (7-0) Last Week:  1st

The Rams finished up a three-game road trip undefeated with a comfortable victory over the 49ers. Los Angeles is pacing the NFL with the most yards per game. Only the Chiefs and Saints average more points per 60 minutes. Todd Gurley is the centerpiece of the offense (686 yards 11 TD’s 4.8 Avg.) as he ran for two more touchdowns versus the 49ers. Jared Goff rebounded from two subpar weeks with a very efficient 75 % completion afternoon with 2 TD’s against San Francisco and no turnovers. Jared now has put up (2,130 Yards 14 TD’s 5 INT 112.7 Ratings) and gets a chance to battle Aaron Rodgers and a Packers secondary that is a pure mess.

The defense had a statement game creating four turnovers and shutting down a 49ers team that looked very well last week in Green Bay. Rams cashed in with 24 points on four turnovers which made Wade Phillips very happy. The Rams will welcome the Packers at home and are 9.5 point favorites against the (3-2-1) Packers. How close is the all-time series between the two teams? In 94 previous meetings, they are dead even 46-46-2 with the last meeting coming in 2015. The Packers have won five in a row in this match-up. Let’s hope the Rams are finished with those hideous uniforms, which were the worst in the league last Sunday.

2. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (6-1) Last Week: 2nd

After a heartbreaking loss to New England, the Chiefs came home and put on a beatdown of epic proportions on the Cincinnati Bengals. Patrick Mahomes II is putting on a show that we have never seen before. He has started eight games in the NFL, has a QB rating of 109.4 and has thrown 22 TDs compared to 6 ints. On Sunday night, he lit up a Bengals defense that looked lost trying to defend him throwing for 358 yards and 4 TD’s while running for another 45 yards. He is making the QB position look easy, and this reminds me of Dan Marino’s rookie year as far as putting up video game numbers. Another positive for the number one scoring offense in the league is Kareem Hunt (15 carries 86 Yards 5.7 AVG and a hurdle that will be a highlight forever) had another fantastic week totaling 141 yards from scrimmage and 3 touchdowns.

The Chiefs defense was embarrassed versus the Patriots, and they took it out on the Cincinnati Bengals. They held the Bengals to 10 points and stuffed Joe Mixon all night long. Kansas City also dared Andy Dalton to beat them, and the Bengals quarterback threw for a meager 148 yards with an interception. The only thing that drives Chiefs Defensive Coordinator, Bob Sutton, crazy is the stupid penalties. The Chiefs defense is the most penalized team in football, and within 5 minutes they were called for 12 men on the field twice. Chiefs this week, are 10 point favorites against the Denver Broncos (3-4) at home against a team they just beat in week four (27-23). Broncos lead the all-time series 62-55, but the Chiefs have won the last six against there AFC West rivals.

3. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (5-1) Last Week: 4th

Thanks to a missed kick and the fact Drew Brees is a defies father time, the Saints got a huge win over the Baltimore Ravens on the road. Drew Brees is now one of only 4 quarterbacks to throw 500 touchdown passes in the NFL. The Saints high powered offense is led by Drew Brees, but Alvin Kamera (363 Yards rushing and 362 yards receiving with seven total TD’s) and Michael Thomas (588 4 TD’S) are two lethal weapons that defenses are having a hard time stopping. Sean Payton has done a masterful job of spreading the wealth around in his play calling and confusing defenses with unique looks.

New Orleans defense played better in Baltimore this past week but still rank 28th overall in the NFL. They will need to shore things up playing a Minnesota Vikings offense that has found a running game recently and are on a three-game winning streak. Minnesota is a 1-point favorite over the Saints and has a 22-11 series lead over the Saints. Last season the Vikings beat the Saints twice, including this one which is known as the Minnesota Miracle.

4. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (5-2) Last Week: 5th

The Patriots are back but are still giving up way too many points. Thanks to a goal-line tackle on a hail mary attempt, they escaped Chicago with a 38-31 win. Tom Brady was solid again (277 yards 3 TD’s) and is gaining trust with new addition Josh Gordon (4 catches for 100 yards). A concern in the Windy City was the knee injury that rookie RB Sony Michel suffered. The good news is it’s not season-ending. What’s impressive is RB James White comes into a game and defenses still for whatever reason don’t guard him or can’t guard him.  The Patriots offensive line has done an excellent job recently protecting Brady and creating running room for the backs.

A Bill Belichick defense that is ranked 28th in the NFL would have everyone panicking if they didn’t understand the history of the Patriots. If this team is not in the Top 10 come December then maybe those in the Foxboro offices should be concerned. No coach is better at improving a defense when deep into the winter months. The best way to cure a defense is a trip to Buffalo to battle the (2-5) Buffalo Bills. Tom Brady has already called out the Bills Mafia, and New England is 14 point favorites against Buffalo. The Patriots have dominated the series vs. AFC East rivals (72-43-1) and have won 5 out of the last six contests

5. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (5-2) Last Week: Unranked

The Chargers enjoyed tea and crumpets in England and hanging onto a dramatic 20-19 victory over the Tennessee Titans who decided to go for the game-winning two-point conversion. Philip Rivers was solid again, and he is having a tremendous start to a season (17 TD’s 2,008 Yards 17 TD’s and 3 INT’s 117.8 Ratings). The QB needed to be good because Melvin Gordon was out nursing his hamstring. The Chargers have quietly one of the best wide receiving cores in the NFL and when this offense is entirely healthy, watch out! This offense is the real deal and a Rams vs. Chargers Super Bowl a very realistic possibility.

The defense is about to get a lot better. It’s not like they have been bad and unlike teams above them, the Chargers have a solid defense. Joey Bosa, arguably the team’s best player will be back after the Bye Week. Bosa will add more to a pass rush that has missed him since his injury. San Diego has still managed to sack the quarterback 18 times, but with Bosa back they will be more lethal. A rookie in the NFL not getting enough love? Chargers S Derwin James is an absolute stud! Chargers will enjoy a bye week and when they get back for week #9 will travel to Seattle to battle the Seahawks.

Closing in the top 5 this week: Minnesota Vikings (4-2-1), Washington Redskins (4-2), Carolina Panthers (4-2)

5 DOWN: The 5 Worst NFL Teams Week Eight

28. BUFFALO BILLS (2-5) Last Week:  Unranked

This team is a disaster!  Buffalo is lucky that the Cardinals and Raiders have been more inept, but each of those teams will be better by the end of the year. The Buffalo Bills are starting Derek Anderson.  WTF is going on? Anderson hasn’t started a game since 2016, and it looked that way vs. the Colts throwing three interceptions. This team went from the playoffs to rebuild in eight months.  I would like to give the benefit of the doubt to Coach McDermott, but he needs to go and NOW! First, it’s one thing to know that Nathan Peterman stinks but then to put him back in and then tell the fans that Derek Anderson will be the guy? Inexcusable!  I realize Josh Allen got hurt, but he should never have been put behind one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL.

Someone is making abysmal decisions and why did they ever trade Tyrod Taylor? It seems like whenever Buffalo is about to take a step in the right direction they shoot themselves in the foot. The defense has battled its ass off, but this team needs to take a chapter out of the Raiders page, trade anyone of value for picks. The Bills are looking at a double-digit loss to the Patriots coming up this weekend in upstate New York. Tom Brady is 28-4 against the Bills. When’s the Draft?

29. OAKLAND RAIDERS (1-5) Last Week: 32nd

Good News! They didn’t lose this past week, but the bad news is they didn’t play. Well, Jon Gruden said his team is not tanking. That’s great.  Gruden grinders getting up at 4 am to put together a dated offensive system. I like Coach a lot.   He is a stand-up guy, but this team is brutal and close to being one of the worst in the NFL. If this team is not tanking, they are putting up star players for sale.  Carr, Conley, and Cooper who was moved to Dallas for a first round pick are all available. For Oakland, it was a good move getting a first round pick for Amari Cooper, but Derek Carr looks like a lost soul. Is he fixable? Well, that is what Jon Gruden is supposed to do.

As far as the defense, they are minus 66 point differential – 3rd worst in the league. It’s ugly, and the lack of depth is the fault of the entire organization. Hey, Khalil Mack says hi from Chicago. The good news for the Raiders is that they have the (2-5) Indianapolis Colts in town. It will be a chance for the Silver and Black to get a win. Oakland leads the all-time series (9-7) but are 3 point underdogs at home.

30. NEW YORK GIANTS (1-6) Last Week: 29th

The Giants offense should not be this bad. Any team that allows the Atlanta Falcons to look like a good defensive squad has to be horrible. Pat Shurmur who was really good designing a terrific gameplan in Minnesota as an offensive coordinator seems to be making all the wrong calls in New York. He got upset with Eli in Atlanta for not getting OBJ the ball.   It would help if Coach had an offensive line that would play better.  Rookie Will Hernandez is struggling and Eli Manning might be slow, but he has barely any time to make medium to deep throws.  With these names: Barkley, Beckham, Engram, Shepard and Soldier things should be better than this.  How bad has the offense been? They have trailed for over 280 minutes this season – the worst in the NFL.

The defense is trying to battle but because the offense cannot sustain drives, they are on the field way too much. They contained Atlanta for 3 quarters then got tired when the Giants could not get anything going offensively. Way too many 3rd down conversions are being given up the New York who should consider making moves for draft picks. The Giants will be at home this Sunday as the first place Washington Redskins (4-2) come to MetLife Stadium in an NFC East rivalry game.  Giants have lost 19 of there last 24 games. Giants lead the all-time series (100-68-4)

31. SAN FRANCISCO 49ers (1-6) Last Week: 30th

After a tough loss to the Green Bay Packers, the 49ers came home to challenge the undefeated Los Angles Rams and got blown out. C.J. Beathard had Aaron Donalds named tattoed to his chest as the All-Pro DT sacked him four times.  Four turnovers (2 INT and 2 Fumbles) had Head Coach Kyle Shanahan upset after the game. The only player who performed well on Sunday was Tight End Greg Kittle (5 catches 98 yards TD).

The defense actually showed well versus the high powered Rams offense. What killed them were the 4 turnovers that the offense gave the Rams. They held Goff to 202 yards and Gurley to 63 yards on the ground.  The 49ers have been undermanned with a lot of injuries but this should now be a tank job. The 49ers travel to Arizona to battle the equally inept (1-6) Cardinals in an NFC West battle. 49ers lead the all-time series (29-25).

32. ARIZONA CARDINALS (1-6) Last Week: 31st

What momentum the Cardinals gathered from a decent showing in Minnesota they lost entirely in one of the ugliest performances ever seen on an NFL field. Arizona got battered, bruised, and manhandled in Denver 45-10 and it wasn’t that close. Josh Rosen threw two pick-sixes which capped a miserable evening from a rookie quarterback who was under pressure all night (21-39 194 Yards 1 TD and 3 INT’S).  David Johnson’s poor season continued with just 39 yards vs. Denver. He has (335 Yards 5 TDS at a 3.2 AVG) not been given much help with an offensive line that gets beaten and pushed back on a regular basis.   It didn’t take long after the game for the team to hand offensive coordinator Mike McCoy his walking papers.  The question is how much time will rookie head coach Steve Wilks get?

As if things can’t get worse in the desert, Cardinals All-Pro CB Patrick Peterson has asked to be traded. The team has said they have no interest in moving Patrick, but if offers do come in, it will start with a first and 4th round pick in any discussions.  The Cardinals will be home to face the (1-6) 49ers. They beat San Francisco 3 weeks ago (28-18) so a chance to get a win and move out of the 32nd spot in our rankings.

Teams that are knocking on futilities door:

Indianapolis Colts (2-5), Cleveland Browns (2-4), N.Y. Jets (3-4)

Come back next Thursday for Five Up Five Down: The five best NFL Teams and the five worst NFL Teams for Week 9.

Five Up Five Down: The 5 Best and 5 Worst NFL Teams Week Six

5 Worst NFL Teams Week Six

Five Up Five Down: The 5 Best and 5 Worst NFL Teams Week Six is where we rank the five best and five worst teams in the NFL. Anybody can rank the best teams. It takes real skill to sort through the mess that is the bottom of the league.

Is it week six already? What did we learn from Week 5? The Titans aren’t as good as their record said they were. The Rams were a bit lucky. Don’t ever fully trust a kicker, even if he’s been great for a decade. Patrick Mahomes II is human. The roughing the passer rule is as confusing as ever, ask Eagles’ fans this week.

5 UP:  The 5 Best 5 Worst NFL Teams Week Six

1. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (5-0) Last Week: 2nd

We found out that Patrick Mahomes II is human after he threw two interceptions. He still threw for over 300 yards and ran for a TD against arguably the best defense in the world. The Chiefs dominated the Jaguars 30-14, and due to a superior performance are the number one team in 5 Up. Patrick Mahomes II (1,513 Yards, 14 Touchdowns, 2 INT 112.7 QBR) is the most exciting player to watch in the NFL.

The Chiefs defense which has struggled a lot this year (ranked 32nd coming into the Jags game) played well vs. Jacksonville. They created turnovers including four interceptions. The challenges keep coming for KC. They travel to Foxboro to battle Tom Brady and the (3-2) Patriots on Sunday Night. Mahomes vs. Brady match-up is by far the best story heading into week six. Chiefs lead the all-time series 18-14-3 but are three and a half point underdogs against New England.

2. LOS ANGELES RAMS (5-0) Last Week: 1st

The Rams were lucky to win in Seattle, and the defense is now a significant concern. The Seahawks were running up, down, and all around the Rams defense. It’s quite apparent that if Donald and Suh are not getting the pressure, the Rams defense is quite average at best, hence why they are number 2 this week. Wade Phillips is very capable of fixing the defense. He knows that to win the Super Bowl, his defense must play better. Todd Gurley saved the Rams’ bacon with three touchdowns to negate Goff’s two interceptions.
The Rams will continue to be the Traveling Wilburys in the midst of a three-game road trip. Next, they head to Denver to take on the (2-3) Broncos. Rams are a touchdown favorite and have an 8-5 series lead against Denver. I get why you Rams fans may not like LA being knocked off the top spot, but it might only last a week so calm down!

3. CINCINNATI BENGALS (4-1) Last Week: Unranked

You don’t want to believe in the Bungles but you must! Does anything make you think of Halloween more than those helmets? We know when the playoffs come around they will turn into David Price and lose, but for now, they are playing some excellent football. They spotted Miami a 17-point lead and then crushed them by scoring the next 27 straight points.  The Bengals got Joe Mixon back, and he had a big game along with A.J. Green who was a dominant force once again (6 catches for 112 yards).

The defense made it happen, scoring twice and making life very uncomfortable for Ryan Tannehill. The Bengals will welcome the (2-2-1) Pittsburgh Steelers to town in an AFC North showdown. Unfortunately for the Bengals, the Steelers have a .632 winning percentage in the series (60-35) including a six-game winning streak vs. Cincy.

4.NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (4-1) Last Week: 5th

Congrats to Drew Brees in becoming the all-time passing leader.  New Orleans put on an offensive show against the Redskins. Mark Ingram II enjoyed a big return which now makes the Saints backfield lethal.  The Saints will enjoy the Bye Week and get ready for a tough road game against the (3-2) Baltimore Ravens. New Orleans schedule is brutal coming up with three of the next four crucial games are on the road against (@Ravens, @Vikings, Rams, @Bengals). We will learn a lot about the Saints Super Bowl chances in the next month. Drew Brees when its all said and done would like to be on the top 10 quarterbacks list. Can the Saints remain in the five best NFL teams when they get back from enjoying a week off?

5. CHICAGO BEARS (3-1) Last Week: 4th

Bears enjoyed the Bye Week but moved down our 5 Up and 5 Down weekly rankings. Is this 3-1 record a fluke or is this sustainable?  Mitch Trubisky had a career day throwing for six touchdowns and the Bears receiving core (Robinson, White (amazing at blocking), Gabriel, and Miller) is improving right before our eyes. The Bears need to improve their run blocking and running back play. Neither Howard or Cohen have been consistent. A good running game is a needed for a young QB that is still developing and needs to improve. I like how Matt Nagy’s team plays very aggressive offensively, similar to Sean McVay.

The biggest monster of the midway is Khalil Mack. He is the first player since Robert Mathis (2005) to record a sack and force a fumble in four straight games. It’s incredible to watch the rest of the defense pick up its energy level and try to emulate the play of the defensive MVP of the league right now. The Bears will travel to South Beach to take on the (3-2) Dolphins. Miami leads the series (8-4) with the most famous win being in 1985 when the Dolphins broke up the Bears perfect season.

Closing in the top 5 this week:

Carolina Panthers (3-1), Baltimore Ravens (3-2), LA Chargers (3-2), New England Patriots (3-2), Miami Dolphins (3-2)

5 DOWN:   The 5 Best 5 Worst NFL Teams Week Six

28. ATLANTA FALCONS (1-4) Last Week: Unranked

We have had some surprises this year, but nothing is as shocking as the Atlanta Falcons 1-4 record. Many people believed they could be the first team to play for the Super Bowl at their home stadium. The Falcons are skidding out of control! You could blame injuries for Atlanta’s struggles, but it’s the defense that is letting this team down. They have allowed an NFL worst 163 points (32.6 points per game). Offensively, they are getting minimal production from the running game (89.2 yards a game 26th in NFL). Matt Ryan is Matt Ryan (1,601 Yards 11 TD’s 2 INTS 110.9 QBR). He is a stat stuffer but often falters in late game situations. This team can turn around the season about, but the offense can’t be expected to score 34 points every week.

It should be a shootout this Sunday at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium against the (2-2-1) Tampa Bay Buccaneers. If you have fantasy players on these teams, you are thrilled. Atlanta is 3 and a half points favorites in this NFC South showdown. They lead the all-time series (25-24). If Atlanta loses this weekend, the vultures will be circling the carcass of the Falcons.

29. N.Y. GIANTS (1-4) Last Week: Unranked

The Giants had a win against the Panthers in Carolina in their grasp until a 63 yard Graham Gano field goal plunged them into the five down category. New York is a talented team that made solid offseason moves, but it’s not paying off right now. Pat Shurmur’s team has major locker room disruptions going on. Odell Beckham Jr. and other players have been critical of Eli Manning and the offense. In a strange twist of fate, maybe OBJ’s interview will pull the team together.

The offense with Barkley, Beckham Jr., Manning, and Shepard should put up more points, but if the defense doesn’t stop anyone, they will continue to lose. Getting their defense to play up to their talent level will be the biggest challenge moving forward for Big Blue. The Giants will host the Eagles (2-3), who are having all kinds of problems on the offensive line on a short week. The Giants lead the all-time series 86-84-2, but Philly has won the last three games and will be 3 point favorites on the road.

30. ARIZONA CARDINALS (1-4) Last Week: 32nd

Well, finally a win! It was on the road as well. Josh Rosen has given the Cardinals a boost at the quarterback position. He didn’t play great against the 49ers (40% completion ratio), but he didn’t turn the ball over. Running back David Johnson finally made fantasy owners happy with two TD’s against the Niners, but he ran for just 55 yards. He will have to be more productive against Minnesota this Sunday if Arizona wants to pull off the upset. Their defense played strong again, but they were aided by facing C.J. Beatherd and not Jimmy G. Congrats Cards fans, you are no longer in the dreaded #32 spot. The team you beat last week now occupies that spot.

The Cardinals travel to Minnesota to face the (2-2-1) Vikings who are 10.5 point favorites. Hey, Buffalo went up to Minny with a rookie quarterback and blew out Minnesota so who knows. The Vikings lead the series between the two clubs winning 16 – 11.

31. OAKLAND RAIDERS (1-4) Last Week: 30th

The Raiders are working their way to being the worst team in the NFL. Lousy defense and turnovers in the red zone are a recipe to failure and the bottom of the Five Up Five Down rankings. Carr, Cooper, Lynch, and Gruden are named brands and should have the Silver and Black in a much better position. In addition to poor play offensively, the defense is playing terrible as well. Derek Carr continues to throw the worst interceptions in the NFL which should alarm the Raiders front office. Jon Gruden is a quarterback guy, so the ugly play out of #4 is puzzling.

The Raiders will welcome former division rivals Seattle Seahawks (2-3) in town. Oakland leads the all-time series 29-25 and is currently a 1 point favorite at home.

32. SAN FRANCISCO 49ers (1-4) Last Week: Unranked

The 49ers are a team ravaged by injury. They are number 32 more because of injuries than anything else. It would take over 300 words to add all the players who are out for this team. But Kyle Shanahan and company must find a way to tape it together because excuses don’t win games. When C.J. Beathard is your starting QB (career 2,000 Yards, 8 TD’s 10 INTs, 78 QBR), you are not expected to do much of anything. Paging Tony Romo, Mr. Romo or how about Mr. Kaepernick?

Next up for the 49ers is the (2-2-1) Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. The 49ers defense will have to figure out a way to stop Aaron Rodgers and that multi-faceted offense. Green Bay leads the all-time series (35-30-1) and are massive nine and a half point favorites over the injury-riddled Niners. I pray for you 49er fans. The football gods have been too cruel to a team that was expected to be much improved. Five Up Five Down: The 5 Best 5 Worst NFL Teams Week Six will have me rooting for the 49ers to get out of the five worst as the Bills did.

Teams that are Knocking on futilities door:

Buffalo Bills (2-3), Denver Broncos (2-3), Detroit Lions (2-3), N.Y. Jets (2-3), Indianapolis Colts (1-4).

Come back next Thursday for Five Up Five Down, The five best NFL Teams and the five worst NFL Teams for Week 7.

Hot Takes House: Mahomes GOAT, Soft NFL, Tiger Immortal, Oregon Ducks Heartbreak

Game 163

These are hot takes and fun from the weekend. Send us your hot takes to ImMad@unafraidshow.com, and they may make the next week Hot Takes House. Do not read any further if you are easily offended. If you do, share with a friend.

Golf

If I could wish any professional athlete an eternal prime, it would be Tiger Woods. I want to watch him forever. He’s 42, and the window is closing. I don’t want it ever to end. Golf needs him to be great at 80years old because nobody watches when he’s not playing.

NFL

1. At this point, the NFL should make it two hand touch on the quarterbacks or wrap them in bubble wrap.

Or they should use this new instructional video teaching players to pillow fight tackle quarterbacks.

2. Pat Mahomes is not hot. He’s the GOAT. By halftime of week 3, he had completed touchdowns to nine different Chiefs players. The ALL TIME NFL RECORD for a season is 13 from the 2016 Falcons. 

3. Minnesota Vikings… WTF… You really lost to the Bills 27-6?

4. Raiders lose, Khalil Mack dominates, rinse wash repeat

5. Jon Gruden said It’s hard to find a great pass rusher, but it’s apparently effortless to trade one away.

6. Bill Belichick may retire after this season. The Patriots Suck. Tom Brady is old. They traded the wrong guy. The future is not bright.

7. What kind of a world do we live in where the Detroit Lions defeat the New England Patriots two weeks after getting blown out by the New York Jets. That’s just some whacky nonsense that should have everyone frightened about the future of our planet. – Unafraid Show email submission

8. Custom NFL Kaepernick Jerseys of teams he never played for are the new black (fashion reference).

College Football

1. Virginia Tech lost to Old Dominion. This is one of the biggest upsets in college football history. ODU is one of the worst teams in the country. Most have them ranked around number 127/130 FBS programs.

2. The AP Poll is garbage again. For the past two weeks, BYU has been ranked above Cal, who beat BYU. And Wisconsin who lost to BYU but has played a soft schedule is ranked above both. Maryland and Texas are both 3-1. Texas is #18 in the polls, and Maryland received just a couple votes.

3. Georgia Bulldogs fans are sensitive and Big Mad about not being ranked higher in the Unafraid Show College Football Top 10. They haven’t played a good team yet, are mad at me like I made their garbage non-conference schedule.

4. Oregon Ducks can be a top 10 College Football team despite gift-wrapping a game to Stanford.

5. Oregon fans have to stop blaming the refs for the loss to Stanford. There were some questionable calls, but the reality is the Ducks gave the game away. Adversity is going to strike and when it does cant snap it over the QBs head, fumble, or let Stanford score so quickly.

6. Who will win a game first, Chip Kelly at UCLA or Scott Frost at Nebraska? If Old Dominion can beat Virginia Tech and North Texas beat Arkansas, UCLA, and Nebraska have to win at least once.

Politics

I don’t know whether Brett Kavanaugh is guilty or innocent of the allegations against him. But I do know it is 2018, and him conveniently having calendars from 1982 to prove your innocence sounds too good to be true. But what could the calendars prove anyway? I wouldn’t imagine that if he is guilty, he wouldn’t have entered raping a woman on the calendar.

THE END

Always share UnafraidShow.com articles. Check out the T-shirts, and other gear in the Unafraid Store:

Send us your hot takes to ImMad@unafraidshow.com and they may make the next week post.

Trading Khalil Mack or Mike Trout Will Only End in Disaster

Khalil Mack

Shocking! 

Mistakes happen, its part of life. What the Oakland Raiders did last week was unforgivable.  I scratched my head wondering what the hell the Oakland Raiders were thinking when trading arguably the best defensive player in football. Money? They could have found it.  Raiders Head Coach Jon Gruden said, “He (Khalil Mack) didn’t want to be here.” Really? I never heard that from him, and his teammates loved him. Maybe it was bloated salary to leave the cushy booth and that of a regressing QB the reason you dealt him to Chicago.  Mack should have been a HOFer in Silver and Black from start to finish of his career sort of like Howie Long.

The Return

What did you get for the Ferrari on defense that you sent to the Windy City? Two first-round picks.  Seems fair, but it’s not since it’s a lottery when drafting – ask the Vikings in 2005 how that worked out for them when they traded Randy Moss and ended up with Erasmus James and Troy Williamson. That was a disaster, and this trade will be as well. I hear you Raider fans; he wanted too much money.  The price to field the best defensive player needed to be accounted for.  His play (Mack) on Sunday Night against the Packers, reminded me of Lawrence Taylor while watching Derek Carr versus the Rams, reminded me of his older brother.  That’s not good.

You don’t trade the best player at his position unless you like to see fans, wins, and a pink slip comes to your door. Hey Coach Gruden, I still like AOL but the game is different today, and you just made a colossal mistake. Al Davis wouldn’t have moved Mr. Mack. The return is a wait and see, and Raider fans will hope they end up with someone 75% of the value of Khalil Mack.

Warning!

I write this as a signal to those in the LA Angels of Anaheim, California front office who might be reading this.  Maybe the Angels should trade Mike Trout?  Um, NO! NEVER! Money is money,  Do whatever it takes to keep him in town and build the team to match his abilities. The team added Ohtani last year – maybe get some stud pitching this offseason. You will never win trading Mike Trout away. I think they know that even though bored baseball writers/tv shows continue to propose the idea. It’s lunacy! Khalil Mack will wreck opposing teams offensive lines while cool Coach Gruden counts his money and plays Raiders historic movies (wonder if he used a projector for that?). I like Gruden and hope Derek Carr finds himself, but trading Khalil Mack was stupid. Von Miller, who is a pretty good LB as well, called him “untradeable!”

I would have moved Carr to have kept Mack, and yes I realize you don’t win without a QB. Khalil Mack will be a Hall of Famer and Derek Carr will not. Hey, Angels front office – make sure you offer Mike Trout a lifetime contract because you will never get back equal value. It’s a losing proposition. Just ask the Bears how nice it is to see the sales of Mack jerseys skyrocket to the top.  Build around the superstars not trade it away!  Watch the Raiders this year – they traded away an Aston Martin Valkyrie for a Coach who hasn’t been in the league for 10 years and a QB resembling a beat-up Tesla that has lost confidence in throwing the football.

It’s the Oakland Raiders commitment to chaos!