Always, always, always favor the team with the inferior coach & QB. Kevin Stefanski is not a good coach. Joe Flacco was on his couch two months ago. Give me Stefanski/Flacco all day, every day, over Mahomes/Reid or Allen/McDermott - especially since KC & Buffalo would be road games (in, it seems, terrible conditions). The Browns have an elite defense (though not near as elite on the road) so I'm not suggesting a cakewalk. But if you can't beat Stefanski/Flacco at home, you were never going to beat KC or Buffalo on the road. This is the best possible match-up, short of somehow hosting the Steelers.
There was never a chance of this - the entire point is to drive subs: it was always going to be one of their marquee teams or players. In fact, once Cleveland became the opponent, there was zero chance they'd put Hou-Cle on Peacock. What *IS* surprising is Texans-Browns didn't land the MNF slot. Eagles-Bucs is a dog match-up. Should've gotten the early Saturday or Sunday noon slot. Now, having said that: I thought Buck and Aikman were AWFUL Saturday (and I LOVE Joe Buck) - they seemed wildly disinterested - and it was a pretty decent game (especially the 4Q) but they seemed to be sleepwalking (I've never understood the appeal of Aikman). I'm hoping NBC sends Tirico/Collinsworth here (they won't - but it would be cool as they have endless energy and hype)
Because the entire point of NBC/Peacock paying whatever price they paid was to get a marquee game that would drive subs. They were never going to put a lesser match-up on Peacock. It's getting (I assume) the full Sunday Night treatment - Tirico/Collinsworth, etc.
I *think*... the NFL allows teams to wear whatever for the playoffs (the regular season is set in stone before the year begins; I don't believe the playoffs are) - so I suspect the players will get a say and I equally suspect the result should be swaggier. Red/white/white would be awesome, as would red/navy/navy. I would also be down for red/navy/white or navy/red/white. (Fast forward to Saturday, and navy/navy/white....)
I'm willing to bet the alternate helmet is not allowed in the playoffs (esp provided you already used it in the regular season). Anything other than navy/navy/white is probably a less than 1% chance of happening. Come on Cal. Get froggy with it.
Remember when they surprised the Jags and went Battle Red one year? I think I remember Vandy with a "surprise surprise" call. Might have been the game "Petey" Faggins had a pick-6 and jumped into the crowd. Great pic (and pick).
Great marketing by the NFL. Not many want to miss a Mahomes playoff game. It'll force fans to get peacock. Not to mention the Swifties.
