Es war eine haarsträubende Wahl, ein Wettbewerb mit hauchdünner Siegesmarge, Wahlverhütung an der Basis und mindestens einem Vorwurf der Hinterlist – und er endete mit einer großen Überraschung.

Die Kandidaten? Seelöwen und wilde Papageien.

Das Rennen? In einer Umfrage des San Francisco Chronicle zum inoffiziellen Stadttier von San Francisco ernannt zu werden.

Die grüngefiederten, rothaarigen Papageien, die wild in der Stadt leben. Ausgelassen und voller Persönlichkeit sind sie Eindringlinge, die San Francisco ab Ende der 1980er Jahre zu ihrer Heimat gemacht haben, als einige davon aus einer Tierhandlung geflohen sein sollen.

Sie sind seit langem ikonische Bewohner von SF, aber diese Woche erzielten die Vögel einen Überraschungssieg, der sie für immer als Symbol der weltberühmten Stadt verankern könnte. Obwohl die Umfrage der Zeitung nur zum Spaß war, haben die städtischen Aufsichtsbehörden Gesetze erlassen, um die Ergebnisse offiziell zu machen.

Der Sieg der wilden Papageien ist eine Underdog-Geschichte, komplett mit Nuancen politischer Intrigen und Kulturgeschichte – aber die Geschichte spricht auch von der Suche der Menschen nach Leichtsinn in der Zeit nach der Pandemie.

Mehr als 27.000 Menschen gaben ihre Stimme in den vier Runden der Chronicle-Umfrage ab, wobei mehr als 8.000 an der Endrunde teilnahmen. Die berühmten Seelöwen der Stadt – die in der Bucht beheimatet sind und Millionen von Touristen anziehen, wenn sie sich auf dem Dock am Pier 39 sonnen – waren die Favoriten auf den Sieg.

Die Papageien kreischten jedoch mit nur 227 Stimmen mehr als die Seelöwen und gewannen mit 51 Prozent, berichtete der Kulturkritiker des Chronicle, Peter Hartlaub, am Montag.

„Die wilden Papageien sind wirklich die perfekte Metapher für die San Franciscos“, sagte Hartlaub der Washington Post. „Ich denke darüber wie einige unserer größten San Franciscos, das heißt [their] Geschichte auch. Robin Williams war ein wilder Papagei, Harvey Milk war ein wilder Papagei.“

Hartlaub und Chronicle-Kolumnistin Heather Knight, die gemeinsam einen Podcast moderieren, starteten das Projekt als von March Madness inspirierten Wettbewerb, nachdem sie feststellten, dass die Stadt kein offizielles Tier hatte.

Die beiden zielen manchmal darauf ab, Geschichten zu behandeln, die als Erinnerung an die Wunder von San Francisco dienen, und Hartlaub, der oft Geschichtskolumnen schreibt, bemerkte, dass die Stadt eine Tradition hat, selbst in schwierigen Zeiten Freude zu finden. Sie waren sich nicht sicher, ob die Umfrage bei den Lesern ankommen würde, aber sie dachten, es würde Spaß machen, über Tiere zu schreiben.

„Die Menschen in San Francisco sind im Moment im Allgemeinen so niedergeschlagen, mit so vielen Krisen – Obdachlosigkeit und die Fentanyl-Epidemie und Erschwinglichkeitsprobleme – und kämpfen immer noch damit, die Innenstadt wieder aufzubauen“, sagte Knight, der viele dieser Probleme behandelt. „Die Leute sind irgendwie begierig auf lustige, fröhliche Geschichten, um sich daran zu erinnern, warum es sich lohnt, in San Francisco zu leben.“

Trotzdem waren die Reporter schockiert, sagten sie der Post am Dienstag, als sich herumsprach, offizielle Gruppen begannen, Partei zu ergreifen und Tausende von Stimmen eingingen. Die Ergebnisse waren auch überraschend – zum Beispiel wurden Möwen früh eliminiert – ebenso wie der Vorstand die rasche Gesetzgebung der Aufsichtsbehörden als Reaktion. Nächste Woche sollen sie abstimmen.

Der Ruhm der Vögel stieg nach dem Dokumentarfilm „The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill“ aus dem Jahr 2003, in dem die Filmemacherin Judy Irving die Geschichte der Beziehung der Vögel zu Mark Bittner erzählte, einem ehemals obdachlosen Musiker, der 1993 begann, die Papageien zu bemerken Es gibt Legenden darüber, wie sie in die Stadt gelangten. Es wird als wahrscheinlich angesehen, dass der Schwarm mit Vögeln begann, die aus einer Tierhandlung entkommen waren. Heute findet man sie in der ganzen Stadt, sagte Irving in einem Interview.

„Das ist eine Art große Anerkennung für die Papageien, dass die Stadt sie als die farbenfrohen, lebendigen Einwanderer akzeptiert hat, die sie sind“, sagte Sarah Lemarié, CEO von Mickaboo, einer gemeinnützigen Vogelrettungsorganisation, die mit der Papageienherde arbeitet.

Einige San Franciscaner haben noch nie einen gesehen, hörte Lemarié während des Abstimmungsprozesses – aber „sie sind leicht zu finden. Gehen Sie einfach jeden Morgen in den Park beim Fährgebäude, und sie werden dort sein.“

“Ein klassischer politischer Kampf”

Das Matchup zwischen Vögeln und Säugetieren fand statt, nachdem die Wähler einen nicht hundertjährigen Lungenfisch, eine gefährdete Schlange, einen einheimischen blauen Schmetterling und andere Kandidaten eliminiert hatten. Krabben, die in der San Francisco Bay weit verbreitet sind, und ein Albino-Alligator namens Claude, der an der California Academy of Sciences lebt, waren unter den letzten vier.

Der Papageienschwarm besteht aus etwa 220 in San Francisco geborenen Vögeln, Generationen nachdem der erste Rotmaskensittich, wie der Vogel ornithologisch genannt wird, gegen Ende der 1980er Jahre auftauchte. Die Vögel, die auch als Kirschkopfsittiche bekannt sind, haben sich mit einer anderen Art, dem Gehrungssittich, gepaart, was die Herde einzigartig in San Francisco macht, sagte Lemarié.

Die Stadt verbietet es den Menschen, Papageien zu füttern, und Befürworter wollen nicht, dass San Francisco sie als Haustiere mit nach Hause nimmt. Die Papageien sind nicht bei allen beliebt, räumte Irving ein, einschließlich derjenigen, die die einheimische Fauna bevorzugen.

Seelöwen waren in drei Abstimmungsrunden der klare Spitzenreiter, Papageien belegten einen entfernten zweiten Platz, sagte Hartlaub. Die Meeressäuger hatten einen solchen Vorsprung, dass Hartlaub einmal überprüfte, ob die Online-Wahlurnen nicht geradezu vollgestopft waren.

Seelöwen leben entlang der Westküste; Männchen ziehen im Frühjahr und Herbst in die Bucht von San Francisco. Sie kamen nach dem Erdbeben von Loma Prieta 1989 zum ersten Mal zum Pier 39 und ließen sich auf einem neu fertiggestellten Dock nieder, das nicht von Booten besetzt war, sagte Adam Ratner, stellvertretender Direktor für Naturschutzausbildung beim Marine Mammal Center.

Viele fanden die wilden Papageien symbolisch für San Franciscos Geist und verwandt mit den vielen Menschen, die in die Stadt ziehen. Seelöwen hingegen sind die Wächter der Stadt, die am Wasser stationiert sind, und ihr Botschafter, der mit ihrem freundlichen Bellen Besucher in den Jachthafen lockt.

„Jeder von ihnen symbolisierte San Francisco auf seine eigene Weise, also wurden sie irgendwie zu den perfekten letzten beiden“, sagte Knight. „Seelöwen sind Ureinwohner, und einheimische San Franziskaner sind wirklich stolz darauf, einheimische San Franziskaner zu sein. … [The parrots] sind die Neuankömmlinge in San Francisco, die nicht gebürtig sind, aber sehr lustig und bunt und laut sind.“

Pier 39 und andere Gruppen drängten auf Seelöwen, während Mickaboo, Filmemacher Irving und andere die Papageien förderten.

Im Chronicle beobachteten Knight und Hartlaub letzte Woche an vier spannenden Tagen, wie die endgültigen Abstimmungen eingingen, und sahen, wie die Führung vier- oder fünfmal hin und her schwankte. Nachdem andere Tiere eliminiert worden waren, schlossen sich Menschen, die gegen Seelöwen waren, hinter den wilden Papageien an, theoretisierten die Reporter.

Die Papageien-Anhänger begannen hart zu arbeiten, um Stimmen zu gewinnen, sagte Irving und nannte es einen harten Kampf. Sie waren letzte Woche „rasend“, das Rennen „schaukelte“.

„Es war auch eine Art klassischer politischer Kampf, weil wir das Gefühl hatten, dass wir die mutigen Unabhängigen gegen die, vielleicht könnte man es die Tourismuslobby der Unternehmen nennen“, sagte Irving. “Es hat Spaß gemacht.”

Mickaboo, das Papageien aus der Herde rettet, wenn sie krank oder verletzt sind, hatte letzte Woche einen Freiwilligen, der mit einem Kakadu durch die Straßen der Stadt ging und fast 100 Stimmen errang, sagte Lemarié.

„Wir wussten, dass die Seelöwen starke Unterstützung hatten, und wir wussten, dass die Abstimmungen nur noch wenige Tage vor dem Ende sehr knapp waren“, sagte Lemarié. „Wir sind begeistert, dass wir es geschafft haben, den Sieg zu kratzen.“

Ein dramatischer Moment kam, als der offizielle Twitter-Account der Stadt San Francisco Seelöwen zu unterstützen schien, indem er einen Pier 39-Post retweetete, in dem er um die Stimmen der Menschen bat und hinzufügte: „Ich muss unsere @sfgov Sea Lions lieben.“

Die Stimmen für Seelöwen schossen in die Höhe, aber nachdem Papageien-Anhänger „Fleisch geweint“ hatten, wie Hartlaub auf Twitter schrieb – Stadtaufseher Aaron Peskin sagte der Post, er habe gegen die „Schwindel“ der Stadt bei der möglichen Beeinflussung von Stimmen protestiert – löschte die Stadt den Tweet.

Dennoch war sich Hartlaub irgendwann so sicher, dass die Seelöwen gewinnen würden, dass er seinen Artikel entwarf, in dem er sie als Sieger krönte. Am nächsten Morgen, als die Papageien die Führung übernahmen, musste er die Geschichte umschreiben.

„Das war eine große Überraschung“, sagte Hartlaub. „Und ich hatte die Seelöwen-Geschichte geschrieben, also war es ein ‚Dewey besiegt Truman‘-Moment mit geliebten Tieren aus San Francisco.“

Auf der anderen Seite war sich die Stadtaufseherin Myrna Melgar so sicher, dass die Vögel gewinnen würden, dass die Mitarbeiter die Resolution im Voraus entwarfen, sagte sie dem Chronicle. Melgar, deren Familie vor dem Bürgerkrieg in El Salvador geflohen ist, sagte Knight, sie habe am Freitag Kerzen angezündet, in der Hoffnung auf den Sieg der Papageien, und gesagt, die Vögel seien „tropische Wesen wie ich, die in San Francisco Zuflucht und Freiheit gefunden haben“.

„Ähnlich wie jene Einwanderer, die sich in San Francisco niederließen und dort Familien gründeten, haben Herden von Wildpapageien, die nach San Francisco importiert wurden, seitdem neue Generationen von Herden aus San Francisco gezüchtet“, heißt es in der Resolution. „Die Wild Parrots of San Francisco sind zu einem Symbol für die Vielfalt, Geselligkeit und Widerstandsfähigkeit der Stadt geworden.“

Wenn der Beschluss vom Aufsichtsrat der Stadt angenommen wird, bedarf es der Zustimmung des Bürgermeisters, bevor die Vögel in die Liste der offiziellen Maskottchen der Stadt aufgenommen werden – eine Blume, ein Weihnachtsbaum, eine Musikkapelle und mehr.

Am Dienstag veröffentlichte Salty the Sea Lion, das Maskottchen von Pier 39, eine Konzessionsrede auf Twitter: „Im Namen meiner Seelöwenfreunde hier im K-Dock geben wir den wilden Papageien von Telegraph Hill nach“, sagt der Seelöwe in einem animiertes Video.

„Obwohl dies im Moment eine schwierige Fischgräte zu schlucken ist … halten wir unsere Flossen hoch.“

Obwohl alle Seiten anerkannten, dass der Wettbewerb viel Spaß gemacht hatte, hatte der Sieg Bedeutung für diejenigen, die eng mit den wilden Papageien zu tun hatten. Als Irving mit der Produktion von „The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill“ begann, erinnerte sie sich, hoffte Bittner, die Papageien so populär zu machen, dass die Herde niemals aus der Stadt entfernt werden konnte.

„Ich habe das Gefühl, dass wir 20 Jahre später den Deal über die Popularität der Papageien wirklich besiegelt haben“, sagte Irving, der gerade dabei ist, den Film für den Vertrieb an Streaming-Dienste zu remastern. „Wir haben es im Grunde so gemacht, dass Marks ursprünglicher Wunsch jetzt in Erfüllung geht.“

Es war auch in anderer Hinsicht ein Moment, in dem sich der Kreis schloss: Nach dem Dreh des Dokumentarfilms heirateten Irving und Bittner. Ihre Hochzeit wurde von Peskin zelebriert – der jetzt der Präsident des Aufsichtsrats der Stadt ist. Am Dienstag unterstützte er Melgars Beschluss, Papageien zum offiziellen Tier der Stadt zu machen.

Peskin lebt seit Jahrzehnten auf Telegraph Hill, wo er die Papageien von seinem Haus aus beobachtet. Obwohl er Seelöwen lobte, gab er zu, dass er bei dem Wettbewerb Partei ergriffen hatte: „Letztendlich habe ich mich für die Papageien entschieden“, sagte der Aufseher, der bei seiner Kandidatur ein „Papageien für Peskin“-Plakat hatte.

„Wenn Sie sehen, wie diese Vögel gemeinsam fliegen oder sich kopfüber in einem Baum versammeln“, sagte Peskin der Post, „ist es nur ein kleiner Moment, der Ihren Tag verändert und Sie daran erinnert, dass Sie in einer wunderschönen Welt leben.“

Sowohl Seelöwen- als auch Wildpapageienliebhaber sagten, der Wettbewerb habe dazu beigetragen, das Bewusstsein für die Kreaturen zu schärfen. Seelöwen können durch Plastikverschmutzung und alles andere, was die Ozeane schädigt, bedroht werden, während eine bestimmte Anzahl wilder Papageien jedes Jahr durch Rattengift krank wird, das von Anwohnern verwendet wird.

Mickaboo, das jedes Jahr Tausende für die Rettung der Vögel ausgibt, bittet die Bewohner, Rattengift nicht freizügig zu verstreuen, insbesondere nicht auf Dächern.

Im Marine Mammal Center, das das weltweit größte Krankenhaus für solche Tiere hat, forderte Ratner die Menschen, die sich für den Wettbewerb begeistern, auf, andere Schutzmaßnahmen zu unterstützen. „Wir werden Team Sea Lion bleiben, aber … ob es die Papageien sind, ob es das Meer ist Löwen, es gibt so viel, was wir tun können, um diese Tiere zu unterstützen.“

Obwohl Salty einräumte und Ratner sagte, sein Kontingent habe keine Pläne, den Aufsichtsrat zu einer erneuten Entscheidung zu bewegen, ist es nicht vorbei, bis es vorbei ist: Im Chronicle werden Knight und Hartlaub nächste Woche über die Abstimmung des Aufsichtsrats berichten.

„Politik in San Francisco kann wirklich animiert sein, wäre eine nette Art, es auszudrücken“, sagte Knight. „Ich wäre also nicht überrascht, wenn etwas Verrücktes passiert.“

The post Parrots edge sea lions to grow to be San Francisco’s official mascot appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

The signs were unmistakable as sick sea lions turned up one by one on the California coastline.

Some appeared to be unusually sluggish, weak and disoriented. Others displayed what is known as head-weaving behavior, with their snouts upturned as their necks tilted precariously to one side in a seemingly drunken sway. Many of the animals were foaming at the mouth; some were even convulsing from seizures.

Last month, the Marine Mammal Center’s 24-hour rescue hotline was flooded with hundreds of calls reporting sightings of the animals in distress, at one point receiving 144 calls in a single day, Giancarlo Rulli, a spokesperson for the Sausalito center, told SFGATE.

Rulli said that 75% to 80% of those calls were regarding individual sea lions in San Luis Obispo County alone, where the center’s team rescued 25 of the animals that they later determined had been sickened by an outbreak of domoic acid poisoning. Marine mammals can contract the naturally occurring neurotoxin through eating fish such as herring, anchovies and sardines, and once the toxin is in their bloodstream, it can lead to significant heart or brain damage, or even death.

Rulli told SFGATE the Marine Mammal Center was the first to diagnose a case of domoic acid poisoning in a sea lion because of a large outbreak in 1998, and since then has dealt with other outbreaks and mass stranding events on a much larger scale.

“That said, the logistics of transporting these mostly 150-200 pound subadult and adult marine mammals from our field office in Morro Bay to Sausalito — on an expedited timeframe due to their serious health condition — can still be challenging,” he said in an e-mail.

Torple, an adult female California sea lion rescued for domoic acid poisoning in San Luis Obispo County on Sept. 5, 2022, exhibits a common behavioral sign of the disease — head weaving — during rehabilitation at the Marine Mammal Center’s hospital and visitor center in Sausalito. The animal was successfully released back to the wild at Chimney Rock in Point Reyes National Seashore on Sept. 30, 2022.

Bill Hunnewell © The Marine Mammal Center

There is no known cure for domoic acid poisoning, though it can be eliminated through urinary excretion. Once the animals arrived at the Bay Area hospital, the Marine Mammal Center’s veterinary team administered a combination of fluids and non-contaminated fish to help flush the toxin from their systems. Some of the more severe cases also required anti-seizure medications.

“Thanks to the quick action of our teams in responding expeditiously to the sick sea lions and beginning immediate treatment, more than half of the sea lions have already been released back to the wild,” Rulli said, noting that the sea lions were still in rehabilitation at the hospital are on target to be returned to their habitat in the near future.

Experience the heartwarming moment of #MarineMammals returning to the wild wherever you are We launched a webcam that shares livestream video from @PointReyesNPS so you can see your support in action Text RELEASE to 65179 to be notified when patient releases are visible! pic.twitter.com/Qr7Ch5IZoX

— The Marine Mammal Center (@TMMC) September 29, 2022

Outbreaks of this nature in San Luis Obispo County aren’t considered unusual, especially during this time of year. The Marine Mammal Center has seen mass stranding events of a similar scale in the region three out of the past five years, and rescues anywhere between 60 and 80 sea lions sickened by domoic acid poisoning across its 600-mile response range on any given year.

“Although concerning to see these cases, it did follow a typical pattern of a late-summer spike in domoic acid cases in the region,” Rulli said. “One thing we do know is that the algae (Pseudo-nitzschia) thrives in unusually warm waters off the West Coast — ocean conditions that have become more frequent in recent years as we see the impacts of climate change increase.”

This event was not related to the algal bloom that spread across the San Francisco bay in late August. Sue Pemberton, a curatorial assistant who is also on the marine mammal response team at the California Academy of Sciences, said she had not observed high numbers of animals impacted by domoic acid toxicosis in the Bay Area.

But the bloom of pseudo-nitzschia in San Luis Obispo County did sicken sea lions in Southern California. And while the Marine Mammal Center said the event was not considered unusual in San Luis Obispo County, the Channel Islands Marine and Wildlife Institute called the outbreak “a crisis situation” in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. A spokesperson for the rescue organization told SFGATE that volunteers came to the aid of more than 262 marine mammals sickened by domoic acid since Aug. 15, some of which required multiple field responses. Most of the affected animals were adult female sea lions, but they also encountered nine male sea lions, two Northern fur seals and one long-beaked common dolphin exhibiting the telltale symptoms of domoic acid toxicosis.

“This was a very difficult time for CIMWI’s all-volunteer team,” the spokesperson said in an email, noting that the organization was fielding 50-100 calls a day. “This strain was potent and much stronger than CIMWI has ever experienced. CIMWI saw more acute symptoms and higher rates of mortality on the beaches and with animals receiving treatment and supportive care.”

California sea lion needle (right) rests in a rehabilitation pool pen during treatment for domoic acid poisoning at the Marine Mammal Center’s hospital and visitor center in Sausalito. The adult female sea lion was successfully released back to the wild at Chimney Rock in Point Reyes National Seashore on Sept. 29, 2022.

Bill Hunnewell © The Marine Mammal Center

Sea lions can be the first animals to be affected by a toxic algal bloom, Rulli said. Because domoic acid can also sicken humans who eat contaminated fish and lead to amnesic shellfish poisoning, a life-threatening condition, the Marine Mammal Center provides data to the state’s public health department so it can closely monitor and issue warnings on seafood.

In the meantime, Rulli said, the center’s scientists are working to investigate the toxic algal bloom’s links with climate change and other environmental factors.

“The past experience of dealing with mass stranding events, including due to domoic acid poisoning, is invaluable and allows us to perform the logistics of the rescue, transport and animal care seamlessly,” said Aliah Meza, operations manager at The Marine Mammal Center’s Morro Bay field office. “Thanks to our dedicated response volunteers in coordination with our veterinary staff, we’re heartened to know that these sick animals are receiving a second chance to return to their ocean home.”

The post Tons of of sea lions sickened alongside Calif. shoreline appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

NFL Week 14 – In this jam-packed NFL Week 14 edition of Monday Walkthrough…

• Justin Herbert and Tua Tagovailoa try to wreck the Internet on SNF;
• Brock Purdy bullies a man twice his age and gets away with it;
• A backup quarterback lifts the Baltimore Ravens past the Pittsburgh Steelers, and his name is Mitchell Trubisky;
• The Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills, and Kansas City Chiefs all win, though only one of those teams made it look easy;

and much more!

But first…

A Very Important Walkthrough Mea Culpa

Walkthrough rarely admits that we are wrong, because we are very rarely wrong and we very, VERY rarely admit to it when it happens.

But once in a while we deliver a take so volcanic and erroneous that we are forced by decency and common sense to retract it. So here it goes:

We were wrong to suggest in early October that the Detroit Lions were frauds and that Dan Campbell should be tied in a rucksack drenched in deer urine and hung in a forest tree stand until some Texas college coordinator finds him and claims him as a tight ends coach. Those weren’t our exact words, but it’s a pretty accurate paraphrase.

The Lions beat the Minnesota Vikings 34-23 in Week 14, keeping their slim playoff hopes alive. They did so by holding Dalvin Cook and Alexander Mattison to just 22 rushing yards. The Lions offensive line, one of the two or three best in the NFL, held the Vikings sack-less so Jared Goff could throw three touchdown passes, one to rookie Jameson Williams in his first meaningful action of the year. The Lions won with the help of a very Campbellian decision: a 41-yard fake punt run by C.J. Moore. And they won because they used right tackle Penei Sewell as a motion receiver on third-and-8 when they needed a first down to salt away the game:

Lol Lions are throwing passes to Penei Sewell pic.twitter.com/0rAezD6kEq

— Billy M (@BillyM_91) December 11, 2022

Swoon. Walkthrough’s shriveled little heart grew three sizes when we saw that.

The Lions have won five of their last six games. Their loss was a hard-fought Thanksgiving effort against the Bills. They have convincingly beaten 2022-caliber bantamweights such as the Giants, Jaguars, and … OK, the Vikings are more of a middleweight. Campbell’s Lions are officially Trending in the Right Direction.

Now, let’s be clear here. Trending in the Right Direction does not mean Guaranteed to Win Super Bowl LVIII after the 2023 season. It doesn’t mean they “won” the Matthew Stafford trade or some other wackadoodle talking point. It’s not somehow better or more exciting than, say, reaching the playoffs. There’s no trophy or banner for it, no matter how many garlands of flowers the Lions may receive from mid-January through next September.

But that offensive line looks awesome. The defense is coming together. Goff is doing what Goff does within a strong offensive environment. Williams’ de facto debut was auspicious. It’s fun to have two picks in both the first and second rounds in an upcoming draft, especially with a dwindling list of needs. By Lions fandom standards, these are awesome times.

And Campbell? It was always about what was beneath the tough-guy aphorisms. It didn’t look like there was much there after the Lions were shut out by the Patriots in Week 5. But if the Lions are going to really deliver rugged play in both trenches, thrilling fourth-down calls, and the occasional big-man catch, we’re on board.

Oh, and making the Vikings look silly is always a shortcut to Walkthrough’s Grinch-like heart.

Game Spotlight: Los Angeles Chargers 23, Miami Dolphins 17

What Happened: The Chargers took a 17-7 first-half lead on several crisp drives (including one that ended in a goal-line stop) by a Justin Herbert-led offense reinvigorated by the returns of Mike Williams (4-58-1 in the first half) and center Corey Linsley. Meanwhile, all the Dolphins could accomplish offensively was this goofiness:

What… just… happened @cheetah

: #MIAvsLAC on NBC
: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/Fjz0sbDEsG pic.twitter.com/I0dh4l6iR0

— NFL (@NFL) December 12, 2022

The Chargers offense slowed in the second half, but Tua Tagovailoa—off-target and looking a little rattled all night—mustered just one walk-in bomb to Hill. Herbert led an eight-plus-minute field goal drive to put the game out of reach.

What it Means: The Chargers played their most complete game of the season in all three phases: even returner DeAndre Carter and punter JK Scott delivered on special teams in the first half.

Herbert looked sharp, particularly when side-stepping pass-rushers and delivering the ball to underneath receivers in the touchdown drive near the end of the second quarter and on a second-half bomb to Williams.

As stated in Friday’s controversially accurate edition of Walkthrough, Herbert can prove he is back on track to being one of the NFL’s best young quarterbacks by:

• Leading the Chargers to a playoff berth; and
• Finishing among the top 15 in both passing DVOA and DYAR.

Sunday’s victory pushes Herbert toward achieving both goals!

On the other side of the ball, opponents have learned that they can disrupt Tagovailoa’s receivers by jamming them on the line. Tagovailoa hasn’t counter-adjusted and is now misfiring when receivers are open. Mike McDaniel must figure out the issue quickly because…

What’s Next: The Dolphins wrap up their three-week cross-country road trip with a Saturday night visit to Buffalo. The Chargers can continue their pursuit of Herbert’s first playoff appearance when they host the sputtering Titans.

Game Spotlight: Buffalo Bills 20, New York Jets 12

What Happened: Sometimes, a solid defense starts pressing and making mistakes when tasked with playing perfect football to protect a pea-shooter offense.

Ever wonder what that looks like? Well, it looks something like this:

Juuuust a bit offsides.

: #NYJvsBUF on CBS
: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/7FXORqYuVi pic.twitter.com/uVQxIXhI90

— NFL (@NFL) December 11, 2022

Wheeee!

Super-Mosley’s fly to glory set up the Bills’ first touchdown in the final seconds before halftime. Meanwhile, Mike White left with an injury, returned, left, and returned again. White could barely move the offense on a soggy afternoon, and Joe Flacco got strip-sacked by Greg Rousseau near midfield to give the Bills a 17-7 third-quarter lead.

The Jets made things interesting with a blocked-punt safety in the fourth quarter, but Michael Carter fumbled away their last, best chance for a comeback.

White was taken to the hospital after the game, and Walkthrough had flashbacks to when Chris Simms finished a game for the Buccaneers despite a ruptured spleen. White was reportedly able to join the team on the flight home.

What it Means: The Von Miller-less Bills defensive line passed its second-straight test against an AFC wild-card also-ran. Rousseau had two sacks, A.J. Epenesa one sack and a batted pass, and Shaq Lawson also delivered a sack. We’ll get a better sense of the Bills pass rush on Saturday night against Miami and against the Bengals in Week 17. For now, it doesn’t look like anything to panic about.

In addition to White’s injury, defensive lineman Quinnen Williams suffered a non-contact calf injury which bears watching. The Jets should still be capable of manufacturing enough late-season wins to remain relevant with White and Flacco trading mediocrity under center. But they are less likely to do so without Williams, who has been playing at an All-Pro level in 2022.

What’s Next: A Bills-Dolphins Saturday Night Special: the Dolphins won the first meeting in steambath conditions in Miami, but there are snow showers in the early forecast for Week 15.

The Jets face the Lions and Jaguars, both of whom looked pretty darn good on Sunday.

Game Spotlight: Baltimore Ravens 16, Pittsburgh Steelers 14

What Happened: Kenny Pickett got knocked out early in the game after a bodyslam from Roquan Smith. Tyler Huntley nearly got decapitated by Minkah Fitzpatrick midway through the third quarter.

Mitchell Trubisky threw three interceptions in relief of Pickett, leading Smith and Patrick Queen straight to the ball with his eyes on passes over the middle and launching a herp-derp ball to safety Marcus Williams in the end zone. Undrafted rookie Anthony Brown replaced Huntley, handed off to J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards, let the Ravens special teams do what they do, and survived the Ravens’ latest effort to hand a winnable game back to the opponent in the fourth quarter.

What it Means: The Ravens blundered away another fourth-and-1 attempt early in the contest and helped the Steelers remain in the game with 30 yards in foolish defensive roughness fouls in the fourth quarter, but they sealed the win with a blocked field goal and a tough third-and-3 run by Edwards to ice the clock in the final moments. It was their second straight gutsy fourth-quarter performance in a tight game: an encouraging development after so many early-season late-game collapses.

The Ravens banked an important win on a day when the Steelers, Browns, and Jets all lost, giving them some wild-card breathing room as they await Lamar Jackson’s return.

Trubisky looked more like a rookie than Pickett on Sunday. The Steelers defense, particularly against the run, couldn’t produce the stops a stops-and-ball-control team needs to be taken seriously as a wild-card hopeful.

The Steelers will remain at the bottom of the chase thanks to a soft schedule, but their real concern should be the fact that Pickett has suffered two concussions in his rookie season. They must be careful not to rush Pickett back in the name of a playoff chase that even their fans are unlikely to find very satisfying.

What’s Next: The Steelers face the pesky Panthers and Raiders before their New Year’s Day rematch with the Ravens in Baltimore. The Ravens could deliver a knockout blow to the Browns’ relevance in Cleveland next Saturday, and gosh wouldn’t that be a shame.

Game Spotlight: Philadelphia Eagles 48, New York Giants 22

What Happened: The best team in the NFL beat the absolute dickens out of the fast-fading feel-good story of the early autumn. The gory details are not all that relevant.

What It Means: The Eagles spent the last three weeks pounding the tar out of the NFL’s kinda-sorta-playoff-team tier; the Packers are grandfathered in to the category. Doubting the Eagles’ Super Bowl bona fides at this point is silly. And it’s hard to argue against their “best team in the NFL” status when they have the league’s best record and coasted to victory on a Sunday when the other contenders survived close calls. (Check back later on Monday to see what DVOA thinks.)

Punter Arryn Siposs suffered an injury late in the second quarter after recovering his own blocked punt in the end zone during the 10 minutes on Sunday when the Eagles looked less than utterly dominant. Whomever the Eagles claim off waivers will probably not be as effective as Siposs. But it will be close.

The Giants are still in the NFC playoff chase, but they are 0-3-1 in their last four games. The Brian Daboll Administration has done a heck of a job this year, but it’s time to take a serious look at how the Giants can build on their success in 2023. Perhaps that will be the subject of a mid-week Walkthrough.

What’s Next: The Eagles kick off a two-week road trip by trying not to look past Justin Fields and the Scramblin’ Eggs; they’ll then climb down Jerry Jones’ chimney on Christmas Eve. (Sorry about any images that plants in your subconscious.)

The Giants will try to avenge their tie against the Commanders next Sunday night by once again tying the Commanders.

Quick Notes on Other Games

San Francisco 49ers 35, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 7

This matchup was originally slated to be a “Game Spotlight,” but there’s little to be said about the blowout that cannot be summarized quickly:

The 49ers were the better team at every position except quarterback, and the gap at quarterback wasn’t all that wide. The Buccaneers looked like a team that would have happily dried up and blown away on Monday night, but the NFC South just won’t let them.

Brock Purdy had the Kyle Shanahan-buffed version of the “poised rookie playing all afternoon with the lead in his first start” performance. Tom Brady aged six months per minute against the 49ers defense. Deebo Samuel likely survived a scare, leaving the game with what was later reported as a “twisted” ankle. Purdy also suffered a late-game injury that appears to be minor.

One of these teams is going to scare the heck out of playoff opponents. It’s not Brady and the Buccaneers.

Carolina Panthers 30, Seattle Seahawks 24

Geno Smith’s magic ran out (he finished with three touchdowns but threw two first-half interceptions to help the Panthers mount a lead) just in time to ruin a Walkthrough three-legged Seahawks-49ers-Chiefs parlay. Thanks Geno! Just make sure you sew up Comeback Player of the Year, big guy.

A large segment of Panthers Twitter boils with rage each time the team wins; these fans wanted Brian Burns and DJ Moore sold for scrap at the trade deadline so they could spend three months fiddling with mock draft simulators. Yep, it sure must stink watching players suck as Jaycee Horn, Ickey Ekwonu, and Derrick Brown develop in competitive games every week! But seriously: fans of weekly buffoonery in the name of future draft capital should check out the Texans.

Kansas City Chiefs 34, Denver Broncos 28

The Chiefs did that thing where they race out to a huge lead and then spend a quarter playing idiotic football. For their sake, let’s hope they got that out of their system so it doesn’t happen in the AFC Championship Game.

Russell Wilson did that thing where he looked pathetic for a chunk of the game before roaring toward a heroic comeback; that was his routine even when he was successful. But Wilson suffered a concussion, forcing Brett Rypien into the game to: a) finish a touchdown drive to pull the Broncos within one score, but b) go three-and-out and toss a hit-as-he-threw moonball interception on the final two series.

The spirited Broncos comeback effort may have saved Nathaniel Hackett’s job for one more week but not for four more.

Jacksonville Jaguars 35, Tennessee Titans 22

Exhibit C in the case of why Titans general manager John Robinson was fired last week. Exhibits A and B were the Bengals and Eagles losses. The Titans aren’t fooling anyone with their record: their (injury-riddled) secondary is awful, and they may be the NFL’s slowest team on both sides of the ball. They should be forced to face the Buccaneers in a postseason play-in game.

Dallas Cowboys 27, Houston Texans 23

Dak Prescott threw an interception late in the fourth quarter to give the Texans the ball at the Cowboys 3-yard line leading by three points. The Texans failed to punch the ball in on four tries, and Prescott led a 98-yard game-winning scoring drive to beat 17-point underdogs whose third-string quarterback was under center for part of the game.

Walkthrough would point out that Prescott is the best quarterback to routinely throw two interceptions per game in the heat of a playoff chase since about 1977, but we’re already in enough trouble with the Internet’s quarterback IPA sniffers.

Cincinnati Bengals 23, Cleveland Browns 10

Awww, is the Browns widdle $250-million scuzzwaffle of a quarterback a teensy bit rusty after an 11-game suspension and a 2021 glorified paid leave of absence? Such a shame.

Around the League

News ‘n’ notes from the Sunday morning NFL news dump.

NFL levies over $160,000 in fines for unsportsmanlike conduct from Week 13, most for unbelievably silly infractions.

Courageously keeping the world safe from end zone celebrations, if not from Dan Snyder or Deshaun Watson.

Tom Brady “considering all options” as a potential free agent in 2023.

Brady may be reconsidering them after Sunday’s loss. Potential employers certainly are.

Detroit Lions consider Jared Goff their starter. “Period.”

The 28-year-old two-time Pro Bowler who led his team to the playoffs three times, the Super Bowl once, and ranked third in DYAR entering Sunday? What evidence do they have that he can be successful?

Odell Beckham free agency tour “in a holding pattern.”

Someone please tell OBJ that he cannot just sign with the team that’s leading the Super Bowl at halftime (and get seven game checks for it).

San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans on the 2023 head coaching shortlist.

DENVER BRONCOS: We would love to talk to you about restoring trust in our locker room and helping us get the most out of Russell Wilson next year!

DeMECO RYANS: You know what? Imma move Nick Bosa to edge rusher and start playing prevent defense on first-and-10.

Lamar Jackson might not play until Christmas Eve.

That’s just two weeks from now. OMG, that’s JUST TWO WEEKS FROM NOW. (logs onto Amazon.) What does my wife like again? Lawnmowers? Of course! Gotta find a lawnmower in her size…

Week 14 Awards

Let’s ride…

Defender of the Week

Josey Jewell’s first diving interception of Patrick Mahomes spurred a Broncos comeback when they trailed 27-0. Jewell’s second interception stopped a fourth-quarter drive that would likely have ended with at least a game-icing field goal. Jewell also had 10 total tackles in a losing effort.

Offensive Line of the Week

Trent Williams, Aaron Banks, Jake Brendel, Spencer Burford, and Mike McGlinchey kept the fearsome Buccaneers defense front away from Brock Purdy (more or less) and helped Christian McCaffrey and friends rack up 209 rushing yards.

Special Teamer of the Week

Calais Campbell’s fourth-quarter blocked field goal helped the Ravens stave off another late-game meltdown.

If you prefer an actual special teamer as opposed to a veteran defensive star, C.J. Moore earns honorable mention for his 41-yard scamper on a Lions fake punt.

Best Supporting Actor in Someone Else’s Highlight

He’s called Dameon “Three Pitbulls” Pierce because he’s the proud doggo-dad of three pitbulls, and also because this is what happens when someone like Malik Hooker gets in the way of three pitbulls charging toward a dropped butterscotch Tastykake.

Dameon Pierce has NO chill. This is a violent run. pic.twitter.com/Oa4vgo4zai

— V̷a̷t̷o̷r̷ (@Vator_H_Town) December 11, 2022

The Cowboys eventually beat the Texans 27-23, but it only should have counted for about two-thirds of a win.

Honorable mention goes to Giants safety Julian Love, who thought he had an interception on DeVonta Smith’s fourth-and-long touchdown, realized he didn’t, and just kept going until he could flag down a Lyft on Route 17.

It’s that 6 for 6 special@DeVontaSmith_6 | #ProBowlVote | #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/22ctlIV8eF

— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) December 11, 2022

Burn This Play!

OK, Ravens. It’s fourth-and-short, the laws of probability don’t apply to you due to some weird Wanda Maximoff hex, Tyler Huntley is your quarterback, and it’s raining. Just sneak it. Or maybe hand off. But don’t tempt fate with some jet sweep to Devin Devoh, crap…

Ravens 4th down play… pic.twitter.com/nXKx93HzPe

— 𝗙𝗢𝗟𝗟𝗢𝗪 @𝗙𝗧𝗕𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗱𝟳 (@FTBeard7) December 11, 2022

The Ravens should just practice nothing but fourth-and-short situations for the rest of the year, until they are eliminated from the playoffs on a failed two-point conversion.

Rando of the Week

Eagles special teamer Britain Covey has been the secret team’s secret weapon over the past two weeks. His 105 yards on six punt returns helped the Eagles pull away from the Titans in Week 13. On Sunday, Covey took over as the place-kick holder when punter Arryn Siposs was injured and held without incident for two field goals and three extra points in the rain

Covey is an undrafted 180-pound rookie from Utah. He has kept the Eagles’ rickety special teams from becoming a significant problem. He may never be a star. But an all-purpose return man who doubles as a capable backup holder could end up in the NFL for a long time.

Say, whatever happened to the Eagles’ former punt returner? You know, the disaster artist they squandered a first-round pick on?

Jalen Reagor has guaranteed #Vikings to win at Detroit. I asked him about possibly clinching division & he said “We’re going to win” I asked him if that’s a guarantee: “Yes” He added “I’m not going to say nothing about if we might win. I’m..expecting us to win..I have no doubts”

— Chris Tomasson (@christomasson) December 7, 2022

Oh.

LOL.

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Now that the draft is done and the NFL schedule is finalized, we’re going to start seeing projections for how the Detroit Lions will fare in wins and losses in the 2022 season. One of those predictive models takes a slightly different course and it produces an interesting outcome for Detroit.

ESPN’s analytics department, notably analyst Seth Walder, operates what they call the FPI, or Football Power Index. Instead of straight-up picking wins and losses, it formulates a value for each team based on analytical factors including roster makeup, coaching and expected performance. And their model values ​​the Lions at No. 23 overall out of 32 teams.

Not bad for a Detroit team that finished 31st in 2021 with a 3-13-1 record and was the last team to win a game a year ago.

But what is our Football Power Index? It is our predictive model that includes ratings and projections for every NFL team, from how good they are on defense to what their chances are of winning their division.

This is not your typical power rankings. The Lions evaluate at -4.3, sandwiched between the New York Giants (-4.1) and San Francisco 49ers (-6.1). Those 49ers made the NFC Championship game last year, while the Giants were the last-place team in the AFC East at 4-13.

At the bottom of the list: The Chicago Bears, with an abysmal -13.2 rating. They are one of five NFC teams ranked below the Lions, who had the worst record in the conference in 2021.

2022 Football Power Index ratings and rankings!

The rating itself indicates approximately how much better or worse — in points — that team is predicted to be, relative to an average NFL team on a neutral field.

It is a predictive rating. pic.twitter.com/9oDRKm8nKR

— Seth Walder (@SethWalder) May 17, 2022

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The NFL is a weekly league. Unlike college football, where Georgia infuses every single game with absurd results, unpredictability is what makes people scream for the NFL. The Detroit Lions have been predictable of wins and losses this year. After the goodbye they sit at 0-8. As they roll out their plan of attack against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 10, what happened in Week 9 can give them some hope.

The Jacksonville Jaguars were a joke this year. Their squad is talented but not enough to fight for a nearby playoff spot. Urban Meyer, who is in his freshman year, has had more than his fair share of debacles on and off the field.

Jacksonville welcomed Josh Allen and the AFC-leading Buffalo Bills on Sunday. The Jaguars were 14.5 points underdog. In a game that seemed like a minor matter, Meyer’s team somehow emerged with a 9-6 win. A defense that had just given up 31 points to Geno Smith kept Allen at six. It didn’t make sense, but sometimes the NFL doesn’t either.

If the Jaguars can beat the Bills, the Lions can certainly beat one of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns, Chicago Bears or Minnesota Vikings in the next four weeks. Nobody demands a winning streak. Nobody expects a post-bye run into the competency. Detroit fans just want one win. That alone would help alleviate the anxiety and recurring nightmares of the 2008 0-16 season.

This week the Dallas Cowboys arrived in Minnesota in a game where they started Cooper to freak out Rush as quarterback after a street win. With Dak Prescott back in the middle, they would certainly have no problem with the Denver Broncos. Dallas came up as a 10.5 point favorite. This was a no-brainer. Not correct.

The Broncos didn’t just beat the Dallas cowboys. They tore them down.

Teddy Bridgewater looked like a starting quarterback, rookie running back Javonte Williams was finally let go and Denver dominated. A quarterback who was below average this year played above average, and a young running back who was up and down in terms of touch got a lot and thrived in that role. Look familiar to a Lions fan?

Jared Goff isn’t the long-term solution for the quarterback. But he’s an average QB who has been below par this year, much like Bridgewater. D’Andre Swift has what it takes to be a star that runs backwards. Still, head coach Dan Campbell and offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn had some headaches when they left Swift on the fixtures for the year. The Broncos put it together in a game against a 6-1 cowboys team. Detroit has no excuses. They should be able to do that too.

If you get the impression that these two were outliers for a week during an 18-week one-season marathon, you’re wrong.

The Cleveland Browns were underdogs in Cincinnati on Sunday and won straight away. The same goes for the Tennessee Titans and their win over the Los Angeles Rams in SoFi. How about the Atlanta Falcons as the touchdown dog going to the Big Easy and beating the New Orleans Saints?

One key difference is that the Lions are closer to the Jaguars than the other underdogs who have won. That alone shows that Detroit can achieve something in the next few weeks.

They’ll be underdogs in all of their next four games, but they can throw that thought out the window. As long as something very strange happens, Lions will be underdogs in any remaining competition on their schedule. It does not matter.

Detroit had two extremely tight calls that year, and both were lost to game-winning field goals after time ran out. You’ve had inspiring performances, but that means absolutely nothing in the NFL. Before Goodbye Week, the Philadelphia Eagles blew them out at Ford Field. It was by far the worst performance by Campbell’s side in the whole year. So the goodbye week came at a perfect time.

Now that Lions have had a chance to catch their breath, they can turn the page and consider this a fresh start. First up are the Steelers, who will leave their seats a short week after the Chicago Bears game on Monday night. The Lions have had plenty of time to prepare for this tournament while Pittsburgh will compete against the clock. It may not mean much, but Detroit can take the positive where it finds it.

There were seven games in week 9 that the underdogs won. If Colt McCoy can end the San Francisco 49ers and Jaguars on the Bills offensive, Goff and the Lions may soon find a solution. At least they hope it is.

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Game planning in the NFL is all about matchups. It’s like playing chess – only in this case the chess pieces are soccer players.

How does Detroit fare against San Francisco?

Detroit is seven point underdogs: will Lions be able to cover this spread?

The chess masters in this game will be Detroit’s defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn against the sorcery of San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan.

Glenn is a new defensive coordinator with a strong defensive background – both as a player and as an assistant coach. Shanahan, on the other hand, is widely viewed as being very skilled at creating inequalities.

That preseason, Shanahan was busy gaining a game day advantage by installing a two-QB system, alternating with veteran QB Jimmy Garoppolo and rookie QB Trey Lance. But that will have to wait as Lance is inactive for this game with a hand injury.

It leaves Garoppolo under the center, which works the central parts of the field most effectively.

San Francisco has offensive weapons everywhere, with receivers Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, and Mohamed Sanu who is best in the red zone. Shanahan is also very fond of the Jalen Hurd Reserve. But Hurd has had a hard time staying on the ball this preseason.

The back of the 49ers is Raheem Mostert, a vicious inside-out runner with good hands.

Look for San Francisco to immediately target George Kittle and attack Detroit’s new 3-4 defense philosophy (three down linemen and four linebackers). Kittle will be reporting on Detroit OLB Trey Flowers who has spent the last couple of seasons as a 4-3 rush end. Although Flowers is a good athlete, it has been a while since he last played the “Jack” LB commercial in New England (a player who specializes in rushing the QB and falling into coverage ). Flowers will get help from security guards Tracy Walker and Will Harris, but that matchup alone could decide or destroy the game.

It will also be tough for Detroit to get Garoppolo hot because the top seven of the Lions don’t go well with the San Francisco offensive line.

Detroit’s two best pass rushers are Flowers and his OLB colleague Romeo Okwara.

Detroit’s only real hope of exerting heat is lightning, and that is inadvisable against Shanahan.

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“I need to get my hands in order,” he said. “At the moment they are way too broad, especially against the people in the league. I just have to hold on to that.

“Also fine-tune my pad level by bending my knee back and only those two things will separate me.”

Sewell admitted he had some nerve on his NFL debut but said the debut is now out of the way and he expects to be much calmer and jailed on Saturday in Pittsburgh for the second preseason game in Detroit .

“I can go out there and know something about what to expect,” said Sewell. “Just go out there and play fast.”

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All the drama in the 2021 NFL Draft started with the number 3 overall standings the San Francisco 49ers traded for the Miami Dolphins, and it cost a small fortune to do so. Everyone knew the Niners did it to pick a quarterback, but no one knew which one had the eye of GM John Lynch and Coach Kyle Shanahan. It turned out to be the roughest of the five first-round QBs at Trey Lance, which absolutely means the 49ers plan on reigning Jimmy Garoppolo to take center stage this year. William Hill Sportsbook gives San Francisco an Over / Under of 10 wins, while the SportsLine projection model predicts 9.6.

If the Niners had taken the much more pro-able Alabama Mac Jones in third place overall or even Ohio state’s Justin Fields, perhaps Jimmy G would be playing in New England at this point.

However, Lance, who started just one season at FCS powerhouse North Dakota State, means that Lance will likely get a Redshirt year in 2021, much like Patrick Mahomes did as a rookie at Kansas City. Unless, of course, Garoppolo gets injured or the 49ers are terribly out of the gate.

SportsLine odds makers put Garoppolo as the -400 favorite to start Week 1 and Lance at +250. Lance is +650 to win the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.

San Francisco is a 7.5 point favorite for the season opener in Detroit. This is the third time in the Super Bowl era that the Niners opened en route against the Lions. The last two times came in 1981 and 1984, and SF won the Super Bowl both times.

The Niners were one of the big disappointments of last season 6-10, largely due to injuries. Garoppolo only played six games and didn’t do very well on those with a 92.4 rating. The Niners were 3-3 in those games. In defense, the team played without Star Pass rushers Nick Bosa (knee) and Dee Ford (back) for most of the season.

In the free agency, San Francisco was able to re-sign Trent Williams on a six-year $ 138.06 million deal that will make him the highest-paid offensive lineman in NFL history. Former Pro Bowl Center Alex Mack was signed out of the Falcons. Fullback Kyle Juszczyk agreed to a five-year $ 27 million contract that guaranteed $ 10 million. That’s crazy money for a full-back, but the Niners use their full-backs more than any other team.

The 49ers’ 2021 schedule is considered the 19th toughest in the league as their 17 opponents – the Bengals visit is their 17th game – played a total of 132-138-2 last season.

San Francisco 49ers Trends / William Hill Sportsbook odds

• 2020 record: 6-10 (7-9 against the spread, 8-8 over / under)
• 2021 Strength of Schedule Rank: 19th (opponent’s combined win percentage of 0.489)
• 2021 Over / Under total winnings: 10.0
• Projected profits of the SportsLine projection model: 9.6
• Odds of winning Super Bowl 56: +1,400
• To win NFC: +600
• To win NFC West: +200
• Playoffs: yes -170, no +145
• NFL MVP odds: Jimmy Garoppolo +12,500

San Francisco 49ers home opponent

Detroit Lions Week 1: Detroit’s only win in the last 10 meetings was 32-17 at home in 2015

Philadelphia Eagles Week 2: Philly was +8.5 at Niners last October but won 25-20

Week 3 vs. Green Bay Packers (SNF): Green Bay was routed twice at Niners in 2019, including playoffs, but was thrown last year

Week 4 vs. Seattle Seahawks: Seattle have won six of the last seven as a street team in a row (played in Arizona last year)

Week 5 at Arizona Cardinals: Arizona’s playoff hopes last year had a huge hit with a week 16 home loss to SF

Week 6 bye

Week 7 against Indianapolis Colts (SNSF): first meeting since 2017; Indianapolis has won the last four

Week 8 at Chicago Bears: In the last three meetings, all were badly rated and totally finished Under

Week 9 vs. Arizona Cardinals: Niners have only won once in the last six home games (2019)

Week 10 vs Los Angeles Rams (MNF): The teams split the final four in SF both direct and ATS

Week 11 at Jacksonville Jaguars: San Francisco is in the SU winning streak with three games and four ATS in a row

Week 12 vs. Minnesota Vikings: The teams have split the last four meetings between SU ​​& ATS, including playoffs

Week 13 at Seattle Seahawks (SNF): The only home defeat in Seattle in the last 10 games (including the playoffs) was in 2019

Week 14 at Cincinnati Bengals: 17th opponent added; San Francisco won the last meet 41-17 on the street in 2019

Week 15 vs. Atlanta Falcons: Atlanta has won the last two in the series and covered in both

Tennessee Titans (TNF) Week 16: 5-0 in five all-time meetings since Titans moved to Nashville

Week 17 vs. Houston Texans: Four All Time Meetings and Niners are 3-1 SU & 3-0-1 ATS

Week 18 at Los Angeles Rams: LA has only been home to 1-4 SU & ATS in five meetings since moving to Los Angeles

Where does each player appear in our Fantasy Football Ranking 2021? And which rookie quarterback will deliver shocking value? Become a member of SportsLine now and receive 2021 fantasy soccer leaderboards, all from the model that simulated 10,000 times the entire season.

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