NFL | The team no one wants to face

In life, and even elsewhere, there is always someone who doesn’t want to do something.

This is well documented. Sisyphus, to name just one, never really wanted to push that big rock up the hill, but he had little choice, under threat of being traded to the New York Jets. In the same way, can we believe that anyone ever thought it was a good idea to translate into French Live Is Lifea song that is already bad enough in English?

It’s the same thing in American football, or almost, and now, in the ranking of clubs that no one wants to face, there are, at the very top, the Los Angeles Rams.

Of the eight contenders remaining in the current NFL playoff picture, the Rams are undoubtedly the weakest team “on paper”, as the expression goes. But is paper reality? Not necessarily, and the Rams’ season record (10-7), good nothing more, doesn’t scare anyone. Let’s remember here that the guys in yellow and blue started the 2024 calendar with four defeats in their first five games, which did not suggest anything good for the future.

Thomas Aquinas already said it: it is at the end of the evening that we recognize the best dancers.

Now the Rams don’t want to leave the dance floor, and it was undoubtedly their 44-42 victory over the Buffalo Bills in early December that led to this sudden reputation as a club that no one wants to face.

The big question now: Can the Rams continue to cause an upset, and can they even go so far as to beat the Eagles in Philadelphia? In any case, the big thinkers in Vegas seem to think not since the Eagles are favorites by 6.5 points, perhaps because they won the November 25 match between the two teams, by a score of 37-20 .

But since then, the guys on the Rams defense have looked better – they had nine sacks at the expense of Sam Darnold of the Vikings Monday night – and quarterback Matthew Stafford has thrown five touchdown passes against just one interception in his last five matches.

Regardless of what happens on Sunday, we can argue that the Rams have already won a bit, since no one saw them there.

We have already established that everything starts from above, and here the Washington Commanders are further proof of this.

For a long time, for too long, this team was led by owner Dan Snyder, a vengeful, belligerent little man who lacked the skills required to run a football team. Snyder has been embroiled in sexual and financial scandals that wouldn’t raise eyebrows in America’s capital these days, but the good news for supporters is that the numerous accusations against him eventually forced Snyder to sell the club in 2023.

Since then, the Commanders have been led by competent people, and as luck would have it, they are winning. Who would have believed it?

The challenge this Saturday evening against the Lions in Detroit promises to be immense, but it doesn’t matter. For a team that hadn’t won a single playoff game in almost 20 years, this is a huge leap forward, and with a top young quarterback in Jayden Daniels at the helm, the future of This team promises to be brilliant. Finally.

Meanwhile, at the New York Jets as well as the Dallas Cowboys, the owners are digging in their own boots. The next few weeks will undoubtedly be a series of bad decisions and unintentional humor, as they should be.

At least the Cowboys know how to sell jerseys in droves.

All of Quebec is talking about Lane Hutson, of course, but the current American football games arouse unbridled enthusiasm, as you will have understood.

On this subject, Daniel Boudreau sends us a very relevant question: “What about the Taylor Swift effect? »

Excellent question, Daniel, and we take this opportunity to remind you that the Chiefs have never lost a Super Bowl since Tay Tay and Travis Kelce were an “item”. To meditate.

Another avid reader, Frédéric Nadeau, very wisely pointed out to us that the last Packers-Eagles game resulted in a face-off between Jordan Love and Jalen Hurts. “It reminded me of that old Nazareth hit that you probably know,” he added.

Personally, I like Gram Parsons’ version better.

In addition to the Rams and the Eagles, in addition to the Commanders and the Lions, there will also be two other games on the American Association side.

The Texans will try to cause quite the surprise this Saturday late afternoon in Kansas City; and early Sunday evening, undoubtedly THE match of the weekend: the Bills at the Ravens, with a face-to-face between Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson, the two contenders for the title of most valuable player this season.

Obviously, we can’t do it anymore.