1. Cardinals (9-2, last week No. 4): They need to avoid having to play a playoff game in Green Bay at all costs. 2. Patriots (7-4, No. 8): The Pats could end up partying like it’s 2001. 3. Rams (7-3, No. 5): The Greatest Show-offs on Turf need to show something at Lambeau. 4. Packers…
PFT’s Week 12 2021 power rankings — ProFootballTalk
Thursday, November 25:
Chicago at Detroit
Tradition tells us we must endure a Lions Thanksgiving Day game. As luck would have it, we get this beauty. Bears quarterback Justin Fields’ status is up in the air after suffering a rib injury in week 11. Lions quarterback Jared Goff is also unlikely to play, meaning we could get Andy Dalton vs. Tim Boyle. Yikes. If the Lions are ever going to win a game…….
Detroit 13 Chicago 10
Las Vegas at Dallas
Tradition also gives us a Cowboys game. At least that’s more bearable, although hopefully more so than watching their “explosive” offense against the Chiefs in week 11. Dallas does have injury concerns with several skills position players, however.
Dallas 24 Las Vegas 13
Buffalo at New Orleans
The Bills laid an egg in week 11 and face the short week to get back on track. The Saints have fallen off the tracks.
Buffalo 23 New Orleans 17
Sunday, November 28:
Pittsburgh at Cincinnati
The most competitive division is the AFC North. I really have no idea how to pick these interdivisional games.
Pittsburgh 19 Cincinnati 14
Carolina at Miami
The Dolphins have looked better as of late. Cam Newton will have to wait another week for his first win.
Miami 21 Carolina 20
Philadelphia at NY Giants
The Eagles piled up the points in week 11. Watch out for them as a sleeper playoff team.
Philadelphia 26 NY Giants 16
Tennessee at New England
The Titans have injury concerns. The Patriots are rolling and have ten days to prepare.
New England 23 Tennessee 21
Atlanta at Jacksonville
The Falcons will be looking to get back on track after their shutout loss to the Patriots.
Atlanta 24 Jacksonville 15
Tampa Bay at Indianapolis
The Bucs got back on track against the Giants on Monday night. Will they be able to stop Jonathan Taylor this week?
Tampa Bay 27 Indianapolis 24
NY Jets at Houston
Ouch!
NY Jets 15 Houston 9
LA Chargers at Denver
The Chargers pulled off a comeback against the Steelers in week 11. They will not do so in this one.
Denver 27 LA Chargers 23
Minnesota at San Francisco
The Niners have one two in a row. The Viking love to walk the tightrope.
San Francisco 30 Minnesota 27
LA Rams at Green Bay
What is wrong with the Rams? Do they need time to simply gel? Warm weather team at cold weather team coming off a loss.
Green Bay 31 LA Rams 28
Cleveland at Baltimore
The Ravens are looking to separate themselves from the pack in the AFC North. But will Lamar Jackson play?
Baltimore 22 Cleveland 17
Monday, November 29:
Seattle at Washington
Ron Rivera has his football team playing better. This may be a write off season for Pete Carroll.
Washington 21 Seattle 16
LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers has been suspended for one game and Detroit’s Isaiah Stewart was suspended two games for their roles in an …
LeBron suspended 1 game, Stewart 2 games for altercation
No excuses
Accountability needed
There’s someone out there
Pushes me to my limits
Even beyond
To a place I was unaware existed
Acceptance of my newfound obedience
A cathartic release
It cleanses everything
Gain trust in a brand new caretaker
My healer
This looks delicious!
I don’t know what the weather is like in your area, but in mine, the temperatures are plummeting. It’s really really cold. I’ve spent the past few years living on the West coast, so these are temperatures I have not had to live with in a very long time; it’s been, and continues to be a (re)adjustment.
Apart of that readjustment is my leaning more towards cooking food that is hearty and stick-to-your-ribs. The kind that makes you want to burrow under a blanket and take a nap afterwards.
I spent most of my life in the Midwest, and in the Midwest, we love our pizza. We take it very seriously. I love to eat and also make it, and as I’ve shown on the blog before, that’s not necessarily always strictly in solely pizza ‘form.’ There are some pretty interesting ways to transfer the pizza ‘flavor’ to other dishes…
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This poster has the right idea. It is never too soon to think about the upcoming season!
I entered the 2021 deer season with high expectations. Although work and a late changeover to autumn conditions prevented me from scouting as thoroughly as I would have liked, I felt I was set up in a nice spot for opening day. An active scrape line emerged from the left of my stand, before rounding the corner to right out in front of me, almost completely circling my position. After a full week of hunting, however, I simply must ask, “What the hell do I know?”
I have yet to see a deer. A single deer. I hunted seven out of nine days since opening day. I take the first week off from work specifically to deer hunt. While some foul weather did throw a wrench into things a couple of days, I am shocked beyond belief that I haven’t seen one lousy doe moseying by.
But there is still good news and encouraging news. I’m not out of the game yet. Frustration and perhaps a lack of patience sent me exploring and I have found things. Deer sign. Lots of it. And buck sign at that. It’s in an area where nobody else is hunting, as well. Rubs that I have found make me think there are three different bucks in the area.
I found out on big thing, however. One that is a synopsis of my season thus far, although one I will use to fuel my fire. You see, last Thursday, I set up a couple of cameras in this new location. After taking Friday off to recuperate, I went on Saturday to check my cameras and to sit in my new stand. As I had my son with me, he who is not keen on getting up in the middle of the night to hunt, I got to my cameras a little after 8 AM. Pulling out the SD card, I discovered that at 6:51 AM, in perfect daylight, stood this…….
Tracking whitetail bucks is a method of deer hunting like no other. The idea is to locate a track and determine the sex of the deer, the size of the deer, and the age of the track. Once the track has been deemed appropriate to follow, the hunter must match wits, will, and engage in a battle of endurance against the beast on his home turf. Vermont’s Larry Benoit, patriarch of the famous Benoit hunting family, is often credited with revolutionizing the art of buck tracking, and his book, How to Bag the Biggest Buck of Your Life, originally published in 1974, is considered the classic read of the genre.
Becoming a successful buck tracker, like anything else, not only requires extreme practice and preparation, but also a keen understanding of the animal itself. Benoit leads the book off with an extensive tutorial on the trophy buck, his mannerisms, his personality, and how the deer has mastered pure day to day survival. Furthermore, Benoit provides a convincing reason as to why hunters should pursue these giants and not settle for smaller deer.
Much of the outcome of a hunt or a season is determined well before opening day. For instance, you most certainly cannot track a buck all day for days on end if you aren’t able to walk across the street without huffing and puffing. Benoit lectures the reader to not smoke, drink too much, or become overweight. He explains the importance of being in shape for the woods, able to maneuver stealthily around blowdowns and other obstacles without making a sound.
Benoit dedicates time to outline important equipment, such as proper firearms and ammunition. While he used a peep sight, he relents to say that hunters can use a scope, provided it is light. More importantly, Benoit warns against bringing too much stuff into the woods, weighing the hunter down, which acts as a hindrance to the objective of traveling miles for that one specific buck.
Preparation is key, however, there is plenty to know once the hunter sets foot into the woods. The hunter must be able to read tracks to avoid following a deer that was there three days prior. He/she must know when to go quickly on a track, as to not lose ground, and when to slow down and sneak, as to not bump the deer. In addition, there is a skill to shooting at a buck that most likely will see you and bolt before you ever lay eyes on him. Benoit gives us his expert opinion as well as a taste of his personal experiences that dealt directly with these make-or-break matters. The most fascinating aspect of the book is how he recaps the hunt that took 13 days to close the deal.
I know a lot of deer hunters. Most, like myself, are sitters, who may still hunt a little. Many, like myself, have a fascination with tracking and may not have the courage or the knowledge to take the method up. How to Bag the Biggest Buck of Your Life, although written nearly 50 years ago, is certainly not outdated, and can give those hunters on the fence the one necessary boost to give it a go.
Welcome to a new weekly post that I will call Metal Mondays, where I will rank the albums of a certain artist in the metal and hard rock genre from worst to best. As I am a list and ranking person, I am unable to have a simple discussion on what a band’s good albums are, as well as their not-so-good ones. I must rank them in some sort of order, or I will not be able to participate! This also makes for a fun debate, don’t you think?
NOTE: I will rank full length STUDIO ALBUMS only. There will be no live records, greatest hits, or EP’s here.
This week, we take a look at a band from Southern California that is often credited with saving the fledgling rock and roll scene of the late 1970s. Of course, we’re talking about Van Halen.
Any synopsis of this band would have to begin with the guitar wizardry of Eddie Van Halen, who gave rock music its first electric guitar virtuoso since Jimi Hendrix. Brother Alex, himself extremely underrated, created numerous drum parts that were copied and covered by skinsmen from coast to coast. And we couldn’t forget the flamboyant and bombastic original vocalist, David Lee Roth, who was without a doubt, one of the best frontmen of all time.
Perhaps one of the most impressive traits of Van Halen is that they didn’t record an album that was a complete flop, at least quality music-wise. As you will see, even the lower ranking records have their share of fine moments, something that cannot be said of just about all the acts I have covered in this column.
#12:
Poor Gary Cherone. Already a successful and talented vocalist from the popular band, Extreme, he had the daunting task of replacing Sammy Hagar and David Lee Roth in Van Halen. He hadn’t stood a chance. Nor did this album.
For all the strikes against this record from the start, and despite musical experimentations that would be considered unforgivable among Van Halen diehards, there is some impressive stuff here. Without You, From Afar, Dirty Water Dog, Josephina, and Year to the Day are all worthy of your time. But, alas, there must be a worst album in every band’s catalogue, and this would be it. Poor Gary Cherone.
Best Song: From Afar
Best Deep Cut: From Afar
#11:
Originally scheduled to record an EP, the band ultimately were pressured into a full long play, the result being a rushed and disorganized effort. Cover songs were aplenty here, although Where Have All the Good Times Gone and (Oh) Pretty Woman were done nicely. Little Guitars is the strongest original tune on the record.
Best Song: Where Have All the Good Times Gone
Best Deep Cut: Where Have All the Good Times Gone
#10:
The final Sammy Hagar album. This one gets a bad rap and does have its share of filler. However, the highlights are still plentiful and strong. Radio hits, Can’t Stop Loving You, and Don’t Tell Me (What Love Can Do) are catchy enough, but it’s the deeper cuts that make the record go. Listen to Big Fat Money, Not Enough, Aftershock, and the brilliant, Feelin’.
Best Song: Feelin’
Best Deep Cut: Feelin’
#9:
You never thought it would happen, did you? And when it did, you had no idea it would be this good, did you? I’m talking about a new Van Halen record with David Lee Roth. Containing riffs and lyrics left over from the 1970s and 80s, the album is as solid a release as could be expected from a band this late in its career.
There is plenty to choose from on this album, including, Tattoo, She’s the Woman, You and Your Blues, Blood and Fire, As Is, The Trouble with Never, Outta Space, Beats Workin’, and the bluesy, Stay Frosty. A triumphant return for the band’s original lineup. Sadly, it would be the last.
Best Song: The Trouble with Never
Best Deep Cut: The Trouble with Never
#8:
A strong album that features big singles When It’s Love and Finish What Ya Started. However, again, the deep cuts mold the record. Listen to Mine All Mine, AFU (Naturally Wired), Cabo Wabo, and Sucker in a 3 Piece.
Best Song: Finish What Ya Started
Best Deep Cut: Cabo Wabo
#7:
A commercial smash, F.U.C.K. (Get it?) spawned four hit singles, including, Poundcake, Runaround, Top of the World, and the piano driven anthem, Right Now. Van Hagar was at their absolute peak. Nobody on the outside was wiser to the internal strife that has infiltrated the band.
Best Song: Right Now
Best Deep Cut: Judgement Day
#6:
The first Van Halen album with Sammy Hagar was received with trepidation, but fears proved unnecessary with one listen through 5150. The record contained four big hits in, Why Can’t This Be Love, Dreams, Best of Both Worlds, and Love Walks In. Meanwhile, Good Enough and Summer Nights serve as solid deep tracks. It was a lighter, poppier, and more radio friendly Van Halen, but it was much better than no Van Halen at all.
#5:
As we reach the Top 5, one thing is certain. Other than the top two spots, positions 3-5 could be determined using a coin flip. Today, I give the fifth spot to band’s sophomore effort. Dance the Night Away and Beautiful Girls are the radio hits, while Somebody Get Me a Doctor, Outta Love Again, Light Up the Sky, and D.O.A. are more than worthy of your attention.
Best Song: Dance the Night Away
Best Deep Cut: D.O.A.
#4:
Another tough choice as far as specific ranking. This album has just one big hit in Unchained, but it may be the best Van Halen song in the entire catalogue. Mean Street, Dirty Movies, Hear About It Later, and So This Is Love are strong deeper tracks.
Best Song: Unchained
Best Deep Cut: Hear About It Later
#3:
Van Halen’s third record kicks off with the hits, And the Cradle Will Rock and Everybody Wants Some. However, the amazing Romeo Delight, Loss of Control, the bluesy Take Your Whiskey Home, and the Americana sounding Could This Be Magic round out a very diverse and outstanding album.
Best Song: Romeo Delight
Best Deep Cut: Romeo Delight
#2:
The top two positions in this ranking are non-negotiable. The second slot goes to the commercially epic release, 1984. Though hinted at during earlier albums, Eddie’s fascination with synthesizers becomes quite prevalent here, especially on the album opening title track that leads into the band’s signature single, Jump. I’ll Wait gave the record another poppy synthesizer driven single, while Panama and Hot for Teacher satisfy the hardcore fans with its guitar driven hard rock that also includes Alex at his absolute best.
Meanwhile, there are plenty of deep cuts to listen to, including, Top Jimmy, Drop Dead Legs, and Girl Gone Bad.
Best Song: Panama
Best Deep Cut: Top Jimmy
#1:
Van Halen exploded onto the scene, and quite possibly carried hard rock with its self-titled release in 1978. Moreover, it gave the scene its own guitar god, and influenced thousands of young kids to pick up the axe.
There isn’t a filler song to be found here, as all 11 tracks are winners. In fact, how about I save myself from naming the entire track listing and just say this is a Top 5 record of all time for me?
Best Song: Jamie’s Cryin’ (although there are 5-6 others that could go here, depending on the day)
Best Deep Cut: On Fire
Whipped Owl 