Can Connor Cover? A Look Back At The Ups And Downs Of 2022
December 29, 2022 at 3:01 a.m.
Can Connor Cover? A Look Back At The Ups And Downs Of 2022
By Connor McCann-
Personally, my favorite sports moment from this past year didn’t take place here in the states. You’d have to travel to the Italian town of Reggio, where in May of this year, AC Milan, my favorite soccer club, won their final game of the season to win the Scudetto and become champions of Italy for the first time in over a decade. It was a long time coming, and seeing our young players develop into studs that could finish a season strong and on top made the feeling all the sweeter.
My grandma, or as I call her, Nonna, spent most of her life living in Italy, coming over to America when my mom was in kindergarten. I try to speak to her on the phone at least once a week, more when Milan is in season. Her English isn’t the best, but when we are talking about our club, it doesn’t matter. The beautiful game has helped us connect more than ever in recent years, and for that, I’m extremely grateful. Forza Milan!
My least favorite sports moment of 2022 was not just a moment, but lasted for 162 games. Give a hand to the 2022 Chicago White Sox! In truth, I could spend the next 2,000 words detailing all of the problems I had with the team this year, and that still wouldn’t do it justice. The team didn’t play defense, couldn’t hit water if they fell out of a boat and were just downright unlikable and became harder to root for as the season went on.
A few years ago, fans like myself remained hopeful during all of the losing, citing the light that would surely be at the end of the tunnel. If things don’t get substantially better next season, and for now, I really don’t have a reason to believe they will, the highlight of the entire rebuild was winning a single home playoff game. Not winning a series, not even close to winning a title, but a singular playoff game. At least I was there.
There were a lot of wild moments in sports this year, but only one can stand alone as the craziest. Feel free to reach out with some honorable mentions, but I think Reds’ outfielder Tommy Pham slapping the Giants’ Joc Pederson in the face before a game in May over a fantasy football dispute has to take the cake. I’ve definitely let fantasy football dictate my emotions before, but never to the point where I felt that another grown man deserved a slap over his waiver wire tendencies and meme usage. I remember laughing for a good 10 minutes when I heard about this one.
We’ve appreciated the moments, now let’s give some love to the athletes. My favorite breakout performance of the year was a unanimous choice, receiving all 100 of the imaginary votes I just made up. This breakout performer didn’t get it done in the win column very much, but has shown such an individual level of skill that he has to be mentioned. It’s Justin Fields!
Fields has given us Bears fans some real hope. Chicago will most likely be picking in the top three of the NFL draft in April, but not because of their quarterback. Fields has broken more than a handful of NFL records this season, a majority of them rushing records. Yes, Justin has looked incredible when moving around in the pocket and taking off for long runs, but we have to remember he was hardly a runner at Ohio State. The guy has an absolute cannon for an arm but nobody to throw it to right now. With the right weapons around him next year, I think he can be a top five QB in the world. What a crazy statement to make about a Chicago Bear.
The final award is the “Maybe Don’t Check Twitter Tonight Big Guy” award for the athlete that hasn’t had a year to write home about. It’s a tough award to receive, but after this year’s winner was finally granted a trade he had wanted for years and got a contract worth more than $250 million when he arrived in his new city, I have a hard time feeling bad. Your winner is: Russell Wilson!
Russ finally got out of Seattle after complaining about the team for the last two seasons, just to go to Denver and have the worst season of his career. His head coach has already been fired, he’s taken more sacks this season than he ever did in even his worst Seahawk years and to top it all off he has as many bathrooms in his new house (12) as he does touchdown passes through 15 games. It’s been a struggle on the field for Wilson and the criticism has only gotten worse off it. It’s been an overall disaster in Denver with Russ at the helm, and with that contract he’s got, he’s not going anywhere.
I hope everyone has a safe and fun weekend celebrating the end of this year and the beginning of the next. I hope 2023 is filled with blessings and you all end next year happier than you ended this one. We move on to this week’s picks. Last week I finished strong to end at 8-8, making it three out of four weeks without a losing record. We’ve got just two games left and some playoff spots up for grabs, so this should be interesting!
Let’s do this.
THURSDAY NIGHT
Dallas Cowboys (-10.5) at Tennessee Titans
Dallas defeated Philadelphia last weekend to keep a slim chance of winning the division alive, while Tennessee is very injured and crawling to the finish line. Dallas needs to take care of business if they want any shot of winning the NFC East, they do so in dominant fashion.
The Pick: Cowboys -10.5
1 O’CLOCK SUNDAY
Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions (-5.5)
Chicago looked like it did in the early season against Buffalo on Saturday, staying on the ground with the running backs and not letting Fields do much, while the Lions were eaten alive on the ground by the Panthers en route to getting waxed in Charlotte. The Bears are playing for the No. 1 pick in the draft while the Lions are playing for a playoff spot. I think the Lions win the game but struggle once again to contain Fields.
The Pick: Bears +5.5
Indianapolis Colts at New York Giants (-5.5)
The Colts are a disaster, but this much is known already. Nick Foles couldn’t do much as the team’s third QB of the year, only managing 3 points against an average Chargers defense. New York suffered a heartbreaking loss to the Vikings but remains in the playoff picture. The Giants don’t like winning many games by more than three points while the Colts have loved getting blown out. This one is trickier than it may appear, but I can’t put any faith in this lifeless Indy side.
The Pick: Giants -5.5
Carolina Panthers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-3)
This game might have the most playoff implications of any of the early afternoon games on Sunday. If Carolina wins this one, they’ll be in the driver’s seat of the NFC South with just one game remaining, while a Buccs win essentially clinches the division for Tom Brady’s guys. The Panthers have played much better football than Tampa over the last few weeks and I think the team has what it takes to find enough success to win this one. Could you imagine telling someone 10 weeks ago that the Panthers could be hosting a playoff game?
The Pick: Panthers +3
Cleveland Browns at Washington Commanders (-1.5)
Cleveland is eliminated but has the chance to play spoiler against Washington this weekend, which at the moment has not announced if Taylor Heinicke or Carson Wentz will start at quarterback. I personally hope the Commies stick with Heinicke, as the team has seen most of its success with him under center. The Browns offense has been a mess all season long and will continue to try and help Deshaun Watson figure it out. Washington’s uncertainty scares me.
The Pick: Browns +1.5
New Orleans Saints at Philadelphia Eagles (-7)
There’s a little extra incentive for Philly to win this one, as the Birds own New Orleans’ first round pick in the upcoming draft. A chance to make it a better selection will surely be on the Eagles minds, as will a chance to lock up the division and the No. 1 seed in the NFC. The Saints picked up a win over the Browns in below zero temps on Saturday, but I don’t think they’re in the same class as Philly.
The Pick: Eagles -7
Jacksonville Jaguars (-4.5) at Houston Texans
There’s been a rumor going around that both Tennessee and Jacksonville may sit players this week due to the fact that their Week 18 matchup will determine who wins the division either way. That being said, I think it would be a better idea for Jacksonville to play everybody and keep the momentum going. Houston finally won a game last week and is playing tough football. The Texans have owned the Jags in recent years. With all eyes on next week, look for Houston to give the visitors some trouble.
The Pick: Texans +4.5
Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots (-2.5)
I’d be surprised to see Tua Tagovailoa play for Miami in this one, as the QB entered concussion protocol yet again this week. He’s had a history of head issues this year and threw three interceptions after the play many thought he was injured on against Green Bay. The Patriots are somehow still in the playoff hunt as well and have been close to winning their last two games before massive turnovers at the end of those games have doomed them. The Dolphins offense has been struggling with Tua, and looked even worse when he couldn’t play. Basing it off the assumption he doesn’t, I’m going with the home side.
The Pick: Patriots -2.5
Arizona Cardinals at Atlanta Falcons (-3.5)
The Cardinals are another one of those teams that are just a mess right now, while the Falcons have shown promise this season despite not being able to pick up many wins in recent weeks. Desmond Ridder has struggled since taking over Atlanta’s quarterback job while Arizona is on their third guy of the year. I don’t know why I think the Cardinals will make this a game and maybe win it, but I do. Maybe it’s because I like very few underdogs this week.
The Pick: Cardinals +3.5
Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs (-13.5)
The most lopsided spread of the weekend comes to us from Kansas City, where the Broncos will try to finish their season strong for pride's sake. The team just fired its head coach Nathaniel Hackett without allowing him to finish his first season and honestly, it was probably the right move. The Chiefs manhandled Seattle last weekend and are still alive for the No. 1 seed in the AFC. I don’t expect the Denver defense, which quit last weekend and allowed 51 points to the Rams, are going to do much to stop Patrick Mahomes.
The Pick: Chiefs -13.5
LATE AFTERNOON SLATE
New York Jets (-1.5) at Seattle Seahawks
The Jets were the laughing stock of the league after last Thursday night’s loss to the Jaguars, more specifically Zach Wilson. The former No. 2 overall pick was benched for the team’s fourth-string QB and was outplayed by the understudy. Thankfully Mike White is back for the Jets, while Seattle is becoming a team everyone would want to play if they make it into the playoffs. White has been the best quarterback New York has had, but I still feel like the offense has too many problems.
The Pick: Seahawks +1.5
San Francisco 49ers (-6) at Las Vegas Raiders
Weekly readers of this column already know how much I love the 49ers. The team is playing some monster football right now and will be a tough matchup for the Raiders. San Fran doesn’t allow many rushing yards and the Raiders struggle when Josh Jacobs is contained. This might be my guarantee of the week.
The Pick: 49ers -6
Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers (-3)
Those sneaky Packers. Why can’t they just die? All of a sudden, it seems more than likely those stinky cheese heads will find a way to sneak into the playoffs, and they’ll probably find a way to win the whole thing. Minnesota won at the last second once again last weekend. I’ve picked the Vikings each time they’ve been underdogs, citing disrespect, and I’ve been wrong each time. I’ve yet to use the coin this week but I will break it out for this one. Based on its pick, the coin has gained a new mortal enemy.
The Pick: Packers -3
Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Chargers (-6.5)
We’ve got the battle for LA going down this weekend, and both teams are playing their best football of the year headed in. The Rams are 2-1 with Baker Mayfield at QB while the Chargers have just clinched their first playoff spot since 2018. This will definitely be more of a home game for the Rams and while the team isn’t playing for much, they have no reason to tank either. The Chargers have been great but I expect a slight dip after the clinching on Monday.
The Pick: Rams +6.5
WAITIN’ ALL DAY FOR A SUNDAY NIGHT
Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens (-3)
It’s one of the best rivalries in the sport and always provides a good game. Baltimore needs to win out in order to win the division and while the Steelers are still alive, the most they can probably do is play spoiler for their heated rivals. The underdog has had a majority of the recent success in the series but I’m not sure that will be the case here. Baltimore’s defense is too good whether Lamar Jackson plays or not.
The Pick: Ravens -3
MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
Buffalo Bills (-1.5) at Cincinnati Bengals
This is my most anticipated game of the week and it’s not very close. Two of the best teams in football facing off with the No. 1 seed in the AFC hanging in the balance. The Bengals defense has been fantastic during the team’s win streak, but this will be the best offense they’ve had to face. I think the Bills will be going all out for the top seed after what happened to them last year and they secure it with a win in this one.
The Pick: Bills -1.5
It’s not the greatest slate of football I’ve ever seen but not all weeks are created equal. We pick all the games anyways and hope to continue the hot streak. I’ll talk to each of you in 2023!
Personally, my favorite sports moment from this past year didn’t take place here in the states. You’d have to travel to the Italian town of Reggio, where in May of this year, AC Milan, my favorite soccer club, won their final game of the season to win the Scudetto and become champions of Italy for the first time in over a decade. It was a long time coming, and seeing our young players develop into studs that could finish a season strong and on top made the feeling all the sweeter.
My grandma, or as I call her, Nonna, spent most of her life living in Italy, coming over to America when my mom was in kindergarten. I try to speak to her on the phone at least once a week, more when Milan is in season. Her English isn’t the best, but when we are talking about our club, it doesn’t matter. The beautiful game has helped us connect more than ever in recent years, and for that, I’m extremely grateful. Forza Milan!
My least favorite sports moment of 2022 was not just a moment, but lasted for 162 games. Give a hand to the 2022 Chicago White Sox! In truth, I could spend the next 2,000 words detailing all of the problems I had with the team this year, and that still wouldn’t do it justice. The team didn’t play defense, couldn’t hit water if they fell out of a boat and were just downright unlikable and became harder to root for as the season went on.
A few years ago, fans like myself remained hopeful during all of the losing, citing the light that would surely be at the end of the tunnel. If things don’t get substantially better next season, and for now, I really don’t have a reason to believe they will, the highlight of the entire rebuild was winning a single home playoff game. Not winning a series, not even close to winning a title, but a singular playoff game. At least I was there.
There were a lot of wild moments in sports this year, but only one can stand alone as the craziest. Feel free to reach out with some honorable mentions, but I think Reds’ outfielder Tommy Pham slapping the Giants’ Joc Pederson in the face before a game in May over a fantasy football dispute has to take the cake. I’ve definitely let fantasy football dictate my emotions before, but never to the point where I felt that another grown man deserved a slap over his waiver wire tendencies and meme usage. I remember laughing for a good 10 minutes when I heard about this one.
We’ve appreciated the moments, now let’s give some love to the athletes. My favorite breakout performance of the year was a unanimous choice, receiving all 100 of the imaginary votes I just made up. This breakout performer didn’t get it done in the win column very much, but has shown such an individual level of skill that he has to be mentioned. It’s Justin Fields!
Fields has given us Bears fans some real hope. Chicago will most likely be picking in the top three of the NFL draft in April, but not because of their quarterback. Fields has broken more than a handful of NFL records this season, a majority of them rushing records. Yes, Justin has looked incredible when moving around in the pocket and taking off for long runs, but we have to remember he was hardly a runner at Ohio State. The guy has an absolute cannon for an arm but nobody to throw it to right now. With the right weapons around him next year, I think he can be a top five QB in the world. What a crazy statement to make about a Chicago Bear.
The final award is the “Maybe Don’t Check Twitter Tonight Big Guy” award for the athlete that hasn’t had a year to write home about. It’s a tough award to receive, but after this year’s winner was finally granted a trade he had wanted for years and got a contract worth more than $250 million when he arrived in his new city, I have a hard time feeling bad. Your winner is: Russell Wilson!
Russ finally got out of Seattle after complaining about the team for the last two seasons, just to go to Denver and have the worst season of his career. His head coach has already been fired, he’s taken more sacks this season than he ever did in even his worst Seahawk years and to top it all off he has as many bathrooms in his new house (12) as he does touchdown passes through 15 games. It’s been a struggle on the field for Wilson and the criticism has only gotten worse off it. It’s been an overall disaster in Denver with Russ at the helm, and with that contract he’s got, he’s not going anywhere.
I hope everyone has a safe and fun weekend celebrating the end of this year and the beginning of the next. I hope 2023 is filled with blessings and you all end next year happier than you ended this one. We move on to this week’s picks. Last week I finished strong to end at 8-8, making it three out of four weeks without a losing record. We’ve got just two games left and some playoff spots up for grabs, so this should be interesting!
Let’s do this.
THURSDAY NIGHT
Dallas Cowboys (-10.5) at Tennessee Titans
Dallas defeated Philadelphia last weekend to keep a slim chance of winning the division alive, while Tennessee is very injured and crawling to the finish line. Dallas needs to take care of business if they want any shot of winning the NFC East, they do so in dominant fashion.
The Pick: Cowboys -10.5
1 O’CLOCK SUNDAY
Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions (-5.5)
Chicago looked like it did in the early season against Buffalo on Saturday, staying on the ground with the running backs and not letting Fields do much, while the Lions were eaten alive on the ground by the Panthers en route to getting waxed in Charlotte. The Bears are playing for the No. 1 pick in the draft while the Lions are playing for a playoff spot. I think the Lions win the game but struggle once again to contain Fields.
The Pick: Bears +5.5
Indianapolis Colts at New York Giants (-5.5)
The Colts are a disaster, but this much is known already. Nick Foles couldn’t do much as the team’s third QB of the year, only managing 3 points against an average Chargers defense. New York suffered a heartbreaking loss to the Vikings but remains in the playoff picture. The Giants don’t like winning many games by more than three points while the Colts have loved getting blown out. This one is trickier than it may appear, but I can’t put any faith in this lifeless Indy side.
The Pick: Giants -5.5
Carolina Panthers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-3)
This game might have the most playoff implications of any of the early afternoon games on Sunday. If Carolina wins this one, they’ll be in the driver’s seat of the NFC South with just one game remaining, while a Buccs win essentially clinches the division for Tom Brady’s guys. The Panthers have played much better football than Tampa over the last few weeks and I think the team has what it takes to find enough success to win this one. Could you imagine telling someone 10 weeks ago that the Panthers could be hosting a playoff game?
The Pick: Panthers +3
Cleveland Browns at Washington Commanders (-1.5)
Cleveland is eliminated but has the chance to play spoiler against Washington this weekend, which at the moment has not announced if Taylor Heinicke or Carson Wentz will start at quarterback. I personally hope the Commies stick with Heinicke, as the team has seen most of its success with him under center. The Browns offense has been a mess all season long and will continue to try and help Deshaun Watson figure it out. Washington’s uncertainty scares me.
The Pick: Browns +1.5
New Orleans Saints at Philadelphia Eagles (-7)
There’s a little extra incentive for Philly to win this one, as the Birds own New Orleans’ first round pick in the upcoming draft. A chance to make it a better selection will surely be on the Eagles minds, as will a chance to lock up the division and the No. 1 seed in the NFC. The Saints picked up a win over the Browns in below zero temps on Saturday, but I don’t think they’re in the same class as Philly.
The Pick: Eagles -7
Jacksonville Jaguars (-4.5) at Houston Texans
There’s been a rumor going around that both Tennessee and Jacksonville may sit players this week due to the fact that their Week 18 matchup will determine who wins the division either way. That being said, I think it would be a better idea for Jacksonville to play everybody and keep the momentum going. Houston finally won a game last week and is playing tough football. The Texans have owned the Jags in recent years. With all eyes on next week, look for Houston to give the visitors some trouble.
The Pick: Texans +4.5
Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots (-2.5)
I’d be surprised to see Tua Tagovailoa play for Miami in this one, as the QB entered concussion protocol yet again this week. He’s had a history of head issues this year and threw three interceptions after the play many thought he was injured on against Green Bay. The Patriots are somehow still in the playoff hunt as well and have been close to winning their last two games before massive turnovers at the end of those games have doomed them. The Dolphins offense has been struggling with Tua, and looked even worse when he couldn’t play. Basing it off the assumption he doesn’t, I’m going with the home side.
The Pick: Patriots -2.5
Arizona Cardinals at Atlanta Falcons (-3.5)
The Cardinals are another one of those teams that are just a mess right now, while the Falcons have shown promise this season despite not being able to pick up many wins in recent weeks. Desmond Ridder has struggled since taking over Atlanta’s quarterback job while Arizona is on their third guy of the year. I don’t know why I think the Cardinals will make this a game and maybe win it, but I do. Maybe it’s because I like very few underdogs this week.
The Pick: Cardinals +3.5
Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs (-13.5)
The most lopsided spread of the weekend comes to us from Kansas City, where the Broncos will try to finish their season strong for pride's sake. The team just fired its head coach Nathaniel Hackett without allowing him to finish his first season and honestly, it was probably the right move. The Chiefs manhandled Seattle last weekend and are still alive for the No. 1 seed in the AFC. I don’t expect the Denver defense, which quit last weekend and allowed 51 points to the Rams, are going to do much to stop Patrick Mahomes.
The Pick: Chiefs -13.5
LATE AFTERNOON SLATE
New York Jets (-1.5) at Seattle Seahawks
The Jets were the laughing stock of the league after last Thursday night’s loss to the Jaguars, more specifically Zach Wilson. The former No. 2 overall pick was benched for the team’s fourth-string QB and was outplayed by the understudy. Thankfully Mike White is back for the Jets, while Seattle is becoming a team everyone would want to play if they make it into the playoffs. White has been the best quarterback New York has had, but I still feel like the offense has too many problems.
The Pick: Seahawks +1.5
San Francisco 49ers (-6) at Las Vegas Raiders
Weekly readers of this column already know how much I love the 49ers. The team is playing some monster football right now and will be a tough matchup for the Raiders. San Fran doesn’t allow many rushing yards and the Raiders struggle when Josh Jacobs is contained. This might be my guarantee of the week.
The Pick: 49ers -6
Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers (-3)
Those sneaky Packers. Why can’t they just die? All of a sudden, it seems more than likely those stinky cheese heads will find a way to sneak into the playoffs, and they’ll probably find a way to win the whole thing. Minnesota won at the last second once again last weekend. I’ve picked the Vikings each time they’ve been underdogs, citing disrespect, and I’ve been wrong each time. I’ve yet to use the coin this week but I will break it out for this one. Based on its pick, the coin has gained a new mortal enemy.
The Pick: Packers -3
Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Chargers (-6.5)
We’ve got the battle for LA going down this weekend, and both teams are playing their best football of the year headed in. The Rams are 2-1 with Baker Mayfield at QB while the Chargers have just clinched their first playoff spot since 2018. This will definitely be more of a home game for the Rams and while the team isn’t playing for much, they have no reason to tank either. The Chargers have been great but I expect a slight dip after the clinching on Monday.
The Pick: Rams +6.5
WAITIN’ ALL DAY FOR A SUNDAY NIGHT
Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens (-3)
It’s one of the best rivalries in the sport and always provides a good game. Baltimore needs to win out in order to win the division and while the Steelers are still alive, the most they can probably do is play spoiler for their heated rivals. The underdog has had a majority of the recent success in the series but I’m not sure that will be the case here. Baltimore’s defense is too good whether Lamar Jackson plays or not.
The Pick: Ravens -3
MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
Buffalo Bills (-1.5) at Cincinnati Bengals
This is my most anticipated game of the week and it’s not very close. Two of the best teams in football facing off with the No. 1 seed in the AFC hanging in the balance. The Bengals defense has been fantastic during the team’s win streak, but this will be the best offense they’ve had to face. I think the Bills will be going all out for the top seed after what happened to them last year and they secure it with a win in this one.
The Pick: Bills -1.5
It’s not the greatest slate of football I’ve ever seen but not all weeks are created equal. We pick all the games anyways and hope to continue the hot streak. I’ll talk to each of you in 2023!
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