By Brandon Simmons
AB Uses Fake Vaccination Card
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Antonio Brown made headlines when he got suspended for being caught with a fake vaccination card. The action not only drew attention for what he did, but also garnered comparisons for what he did to when Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers mislead the media into thinking he was vaccinated. Both situations brought punishments of different levels which the people were not pleased with at all.
Given that this is a black publication, I want to be very careful with how the response is to this situation: Aaron Rodgers got in trouble based on rules set by the league while AB got in trouble, based rules set by the league and the federal government. It has deemed a federal crime to use fake vaccination cards since they utilize an unauthorized use of government agency seals which are the U.S. Department of Health and Center for Disease Control. That’s a lot different than when Rodgers was caught violating rules by not wearing a mask in a team facility. AB took an action that had consequences outside of what the league provided. It’s so bad that it’s being reported the Buccaneers are considering cutting Brown after his suspension is done. That might be a little harsh, but who knows the legal ramifications that could come about this situation? Players on both sides of the vaccination equation have to be smart about how they do things.
Could Big Ben Be Done?
Sunday it was reported that Pittsburgh Steelers Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will be ending his career after this season. Roethlisberger is expected to be playing his final season as a Steeler and will not likely be playing for another team. If this is indeed true, then it might be a great decision he has made for himself. In the past few seasons, we’ve seen quarterbacks play past the age of 40, i.e. Peyton Manning with the Denver Broncos quarterback Tom Brady who finished his career with the New England Patriots as well as began his new stint with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in his 40’s. Despite him reaching 40 in a few months, playing over the hill does not seem fitting for Big Ben. The main reason would probably be the injuries he has suffered over the year. Roethlisberger has had multiple seasons cut short because of injury, including a couple of years ago. Father Time might either catch up to him or could be waiting if Big Ben continues his career past the big 4-0. Besides, he has had a long illustrious career, which has included him winning 2 Super Bowls early in his career; he has very little to regret other than winning one more heading out. That’s going to be a tall task considering the Steelers’ current playoff position. Perhaps this news will propel them higher in the Wild Card and ignite a strong run in the postseason.
Can Johnathan Taylor Carry the Colts?
Indianapolis Colts running back Johnathan Taylor has been on a historic tear this year, giving his team a much needed boost in the Wild Card race. Sunday, Taylor became the first running back in NFL history to record a touchdown in 10 straight games before his 23rd birthday, and also the 5th all time to do it within a single season. However it’s more than just the record-breaking stats for 2nd round draft pick. During Taylor’s streak, the Colts have been 7-3, which has kept them in the Wild Card hunt, heading into the last 4 games of the year. Still, it’s going to take a lot more than a the best running back in the league, right now, to climb into the postseason. While Indy is a couple of spots outside of the 7th spot, they are roughly a game and a half behind the Tennessee Titans for the division title, which might be even more of a task since they got swept in the season series. While they have this tremendous running attack, Colts QB Carson Wentz must continue to play great and the receivers must step up as well, especially with a rough upcoming schedule that they have, including games against the New England Patriots and . But it can’t be denied that Taylor will be a prime equalizer against any Colts opponent at this time.
Shoutouts/Shutouts
Shout out to the New England Patriots for their peculiar gameplan in their win over the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football. The peculiar part was that the Patriots ran the ball extensively on the Bills in the super windy environment, totaling 222 yards, with running back Damien Harris racking 111 yards. In fact, New England rookie QB Mac only threw 3 passes for a total of 19 yards. As much as today’s game is geared towards aerial attacks, it is an astonishment to see a commitment to the run the way the Patriots did. There have been worse weather conditions where teams still put the ball through the air, but it’s rare that a QB has that minimal stat line, while playing the whole game and still wins.
Shutout to the Buffalo Bills who gave up the 222 yards. This is a team considered to have one of the best defensive units this season and they got out-physicaled on their own turf. Week 14 has arrived, with only 4 games left in the regular season. The Arizona Cardinals will be hosting the Los Angeles Rams for Monday Night Football, for a NFC clash that should affect the NFC playoff picture. The Cardinals are at the op of the conference while the Rams are 5th, but Arizona leads L.A. by 2 games for the division lead. Also, Cardinals QB Kyler Murray has returned from injury, along with wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, so it should be a high flying matchup against Rams QB Matthew Stafford and wide receiver Cooper Kupp. But until then…I’ll holla.