Well, well, well. As we all get ready to stuff ourselves with turkey and feast on a tripleheader of Thanksgiving NFL action, it’s time to reflect on all that we’re thankful for in professional football.
The Kansas City Chiefs might have a hard time feeling thankful right now after dropping two straight, but remember, a year ago this team won a total of two games. The Chiefs are still tied atop the AFC West with Denver and the Broncos are coming to town this weekend.
Be thankful for getting to watch old guys play, you never know how many more Brady-Manning matchups you get to watch. Tony Gonzalez promised us one more run and his great career is now winding down in a fashion few expect from the Falcons. London Fletcher, at 5’9” tall, surpassed expectations a long time ago and has been one of the best at middle linebacker over the past decade.
Be thankful for the NFL’s new concussion protocol. Too many of my old contemporizes are feeling the sting of getting dinged years ago. The rules to make the game safer for bigger and stronger athletes will make the game safer for the young peewee players when they first start out as well.
Be thankful for northern outdoor football played on grass! Fields like Lambeau in Green Bay, Solider in Chicago and Heinz in Pittsburgh, where you can still get a little rain and snow and mud in December, are a throwback to times gone by. Heck, in Pittsburgh they even play some high school football there so that future NFL stars can check out the footing (or lack thereof).
How about some kudos for the great camera work on the challenge flags. Producers are quick to get the cameras on the head coach as he contemplates pulling that flag out of his front or rear pocket – or, in the case of Bill Belichick, his sock. Then it’s the slow-mo on the underhand or overhand toss – or the rush down the sideline and throw to get the challenge in before the next snap.
Be thankful for next year’s quarterback crop. It is your team’s salvation if you’re drafting in the top ten – especially considering that if you’re drafting in the top ten, you probably don’t have your “franchise” guy in-house already.
Be thankful for overtime. When else do you get to explain a new set of rules to the guys in your fantasy league who think they know everything? For instance, there will be no challenges only booth reviews in the overtime period. On the first possession, a touchdown or a safety ends the game. Each team must have a chance to possess the football – unless there’s a safety or a touchdown on the first possession. That the game can end in a tie even after both team kick field goals on their first possession. Remember sudden death? Ah the good old days, when a referee could mishear the call of a coin toss and the Lions could win on the first field goal of a Thanksgiving game. Wouldn’t happen now though.
Lastly be thankful for an outdoor Super Bowl that will be played at a cold-weather site. At least that’s what I’m telling myself. At Super Bowl XLVIII, I move from the climate-controlled confines of the broadcast booth, where I spend my Sunday nights, to the wind and the rain and the snow of the New Jersey sidelines. I will be layered up with Gore-Tex on top. In my mind, I’ll be thinking, “Be thankful, be thankful, be thankful…” Then I’ll chick my heels three times and before you know, it we’ll be at Super Bowl XLIX in sunny wherever.
Hit me up on Twitter – @Lofton80 – and tell me what you’re most thankful for this season!
– James Lofton
James Lofton is the analyst for WestwoodOne’s coverage of Sunday Night Football. This week James will be in Washington as the Redskins host the New York Giants. Coverage begins Sunday at 7:30 PM Eastern. In 2015, Super Bowl XLIX will be played in sunny Glendale, Arizona.
