Flea Flicker Week 9 Predictions

It’s on to Week 9. Here are guesses at the games.

Byes: Tennessee Titans, Pittsburgh Steelers 

Buffalo Bills @ Minnesota Vikings

Pick: Vikings

The Vikings start another win streak against the Bills on Monday Night. It’d be a fine time for the Vikings offense to get their shit together.

Cincinnati Bengals @ Atlanta Falcons

Pick: Bengals

Weren’t the Falcons the talk of the league about three weeks ago?

Dallas Cowboys @ Indianapolis Colts

Pick: Cowboys

Rematch of Super Bowl V. Same outcome.

New York Jets @ Kansas City Chiefs

Pick: Chiefs

The Chiefs get back to their winning ways.

Detroit Lions @ Miami Dolphins

Pick: Lions

After a tough game against the Vikings, the Lions get a week off in Miami.

Cleveland Browns @ New Orleans Saints

Pick: Saints

Tyler Shough and the Saints light up the Browns defense. 

New York Giants @ Philadelphia Eagles

Pick: Giants

It continues to look like the Eagles have quit. 

Los Angeles Rams @ Washington Commanders

Pick: Rams

The Rams continue the climb out of the hole they dug.

Denver Broncos @ Carolina Panthers

Pick: Panthers

The Panthers stun the Broncos.

Houston Texans @ Los Angeles Chargers

Pick: Texans

When a team needs to get right, play the 2026 Los Angeles Chargers.

Green Bay Packers @ New England Patriots

Pick: Patriots

Rematch of Super Bowl XXXI. Different outcome.

Las Vegas Raiders @ San Francisco 49ers

Pick: 49ers

The Raiders get humbled by their former neighbor.

Arizona Cardinals @ Seattle Seahawks

Pick: Seahawks

The Seahawks rebound from their rough night against the Chicago Bears.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Chicago Bears

Pick: Bears

Baker Mayfield will have to complete a pass in this game. 

Dream Minnesota Vikings Trade Deadline Bounty

The NFL Trade Deadline is Tuesday. After much internal debate, here are my dream acquisitions for the Minnesota Vikings.

Dream

Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts

Mo Alice-Cox, TE, Indianapolis Colts

Moro Ojomo, DT, Philadelphia Eagles

Budda Baker, S, Arizona Cardinals

This is only a dream for, at least, a couple of reasons. The Vikings can’t afford to spend the draft picks that would be needed to acquire the above players. They also probably wouldn’t be able to manage the necessary magic to fit the contracts under the salary cap. Oh well, one can dream. 

More Realistic Options

#1

Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts

If the Vikings decided to take one big swing, I believe that they could work a trade for Jonathan Taylor. I don’t like the idea of giving up the first-round pick that the Colts are rumored to be seeking. Maybe the rumored demands will come down a bit on deadline day. I’ve wrestled with the Vikings need to upgrade at running back. When both are healthy, I like the backfield combo of Aaron Jones Sr. and Jordan Mason. Unfortunately, one or the other always seems to be ailing. Jones has a knee injury that could hinder his play the rest of the season. Even at their healthiest best, neither is quite the back that Taylor is. He’s also 27. Taylor could be a critical part of the Vikings offense for a few years beyond this one. I still question the cost. It’s one of those deals that I’d love if it happened and not hate if it didn’t. 

#2

Mo Alie-Cox, TE, Indianapolis Colts

Zach Sieler, DT, Miami Dolphins

I believe that the Vikings will make at least two trades. My realistic guess at those trades is the above. The loss of tight end Josh Oliver for the regular season with a torn bicep was huge. There isn’t a tight end in the league that is Oliver’s match as a blocker. Mo Alie-Cox is closer to that level than anyone currently on the Vikings roster. I believe that he’d be a solid addition. Adding any player to the Vikings defense in the middle of the season is a difficult task. There’s so much on-field communication, so much nuance. Zach Sieler has some prior experience with Brian Flores. Like Kyle Van Noy earlier this season, that prior experience will help Sieler quickly, maybe even seamlessly, fit into the Vikings defensive scheme and line rotation. I also like the veteran addition to the Vikings young defensive line. 

#3

Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts

Zach Sieler, DT, Miami Dolphins 

Why not go with one big trade and one solid, perhaps responsible, trade?

Pro Football Hall of Fame Nominees

The Coach and Contributor Nominees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2027 were announced this week. 

Coach

Bill Belichick

Tom Coughlin

Mike Holmgren

Dan Reeves

Mike Shanahan

Contributor

Ralph Hay

Robert Kraft

Virginia McCaskey

Doug Williams

John Wooten

On November 17, the coach and contributor subcommittees will meet separately and virtually to select a coach and contributor finalist. Those finalists will join 13 modern-era finalists for the big Hall of Fame debate prior to Super Bowl LXI. 

The five coaches are the same five coaches that reached this stage last year. That’s because the Pro Football Hall of Fame selectors completely failed at their obligations last year. Somehow, the selectors decided that Bill Belichick wasn’t a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Imagine that. The coach on the winning side of eight Super Bowls, six as head coach, isn’t first-ballot worthy. That stupidity resulted in an overhaul of the entire voting process. Instead of debating the Hall of Fame merits of Tom Coughlin, Mike Holmgren, Dan Reeves, Mike Shanahan, and a fifth coach candidate (Buddy Parker again?), the selectors will certainly do what they should’ve done last year. The petty shenanigans couldn’t possibly happen again. Right? Bill Belichick should’ve been an easy choice last year. He must be an automatic choice this year. Right? 

Ralph Hay was the Canton Bulldogs owner that called and hosted the September 17, 1920 meeting that kicked off the establishment of the American Professional Football Association. The APFA became the NFL in 1922. That’s significant. It’s one of the most significant things a contributor candidate could have on their résumé. It doesn’t matter. I imagine that Hay made it through as a candidate to show that the selectors care a little about professional football’s past. His is a token presence. I doubt that very many of the selectors even know of Hay. If they do, it’s because those that actually care about football history keep bringing up his name. 

I believe it’s already decided that the coach and contributor finalists will spark a New England Patriots celebration. It’s Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft. If the other eight candidates are ever seriously considered for the Hall of Fame, it will be at another time. 

After last year’s Bill Belichick voting fiasco, the Pro Football Hall of Fame overhauled the selection process. The number of selectors was trimmed from 50 to 28. That trimming should’ve started with every selector that didn’t vote for Belichick. There’s no room for pathetic pettiness. The history of pro football is too damn important! Some of the petty clowns remain. The most disappointing of the changes was the elimination of the Senior category. Seriously? The Pro Football Hall of Fame is all about the league’s past and they just shut the door on it. 

Honor the Greatest of the Game, Preserve its history, Promote its Value and Celebrate Excellence Together.

That’s the motto of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Honor the Greatest. Preserve its history. In eliminating the Senior category, the Pro Football Hall of Fame is failing to do both. Lavvie Dilweg, Verne Lewellen, Ox Emerson, Al Wistert, Del Shofner, Maxie Baughan, Chuck Foreman, Joe Jacoby, Mike Kenn. There are so many senior players that deserve induction, at least discussion, that won’t be considered under the new format. 

It may be a year late but early congratulations to Bill Belichick. 

Favorite NFL Players Through The Decades

I’m often thinking about the NFL’s past. Recently, I was thinking about my favorite players from each decade. I decided to pick those favorites and list them here. When I got to the 1960s and beyond, I decided to pick my favorite non-Minnesota Vikings players. Otherwise, my favorites would’ve been all Vikings. I’ve discussed enough my favorite Vikings players through the years. In some instances, the greatest difficulty in picking the following players was dealing with those with careers that significantly overlapped two decades. I managed. This was a fun walk through NFL history.

Favorite NFL Players Through The Decades

1920s

Red Grange, RB/DB, Chicago Bears

Duke Slater, T, Milwaukee Badgers, Rock Island Independents, Chicago Cardinals

Ernie Nevers, FB, Duluth Eskimos, Chicago Cardinals

Tony Latone, B, Pottsville Maroons, Boston Bulldogs, Providence Steam Roller

Jimmy Conzelman, B/E, Decatur Staleys, Rock Island Independents, Milwaukee Badgers, Detroit Panthers, Providence Steam Roller

1930s

Dutch Clark, Portsmouth Spartans, Detroit Lions

Bronko Nagurski, FB/LB, Chicago Bears

Johnny “Blood” McNally, B, Green Bay Packers, Pittsburgh Pirates

Danny Fortmann, G/LB, Chicago Bears

Clarke Hinkle, FB/LB, Green Bay Packers

1940s

Sammy Baugh, QB, Washington Redskins

Sid Luckman, QB, Chicago Bears

“Spec” Sanders, TB/DB, New York Yankees

Marion Motley, FB/LB, Cleveland Browns

Bill Willis, G/DG, Cleveland Browns

1950s

Otto Graham, QB, Cleveland Browns

Lenny Moore, RB, Baltimore Colts

Gino Marchetti, DE, Baltimore Colts

Jim Parker, T, Baltimore Colts

Emlen Tunnell, S, New York Giants

1960s

Johnny Unitas, QB, Baltimore Colts

Jim Brown, RB, Cleveland Browns

Lance Alworth, WR, San Diego Chargers

Deacon Jones, DE, Los Angeles Rams

Bobby Bell, LB, Kansas City Chiefs

1970s

Jack Ham, LB, Pittsburgh Steelers

Willie Lanier, LB, Kansas City Chiefs

Earl Campbell, RB, Houston Oilers

Robert Brazile, LB, Houston Oilers

Ted Hendricks, LB, Oakland Raiders

1980s

Walter Payton, RB, Chicago Bears

Jerry Rice, WR, San Francisco 49ers

Lawrence Taylor, LB, New York Giants

Lee Roy Selmon, DE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

Dwight Stephenson, C, Miami Dolphins

1990s

Steve Young, QB, San Francisco 49ers 

Barry Sanders, RB, Detroit Lions 

Junior Seau, LB, San Diego Chargers

Rod Woodson, CB/S, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers, Baltimore Ravens 

Reggie White, DE, Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers 

2000s

Peyton Manning, QB, Indianapolis Colts 

LaDanian Tomlinson, RB, San Diego Chargers 

Tony Gonzalez, TE, Kansas City Chiefs

Charles Woodson, CB, Oakland Raiders, Green Bay Packers 

Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Arizona Cardinals

2010s

Aaron Donald, DT, Los Angeles Rams

Rob Gronkowski, TE, New England Patriots, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

J.J. Watt, DE, Houston Texans

Luke Kuechly, LB, Carolina Panthers

Patrick Willis, LB, San Francisco 49ers 

2020s (so far)

Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City Chiefs

Christian McCaffrey, RB, Carolina Panthers, San Francisco 49ers 

Jason Kelce, C, Philadelphia Eagles 

Micah Parsons, LB, Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers 

Davante Adams, WR, Green Bay Packers, Las Vegas Raiders, New York Jets, Los Angeles Rams

NFL Trade Tracker

The NFL Trade Deadline is less than one week away. For most of the league’s history, the trade deadline was a ho-hum event. In football, it’s so hard to incorporate a new player into a new scheme in the middle of a season. There’s barely enough time to prepare for the next opponent let alone teach a new system to a new player. In an earlier NFL, trades were typically made out of desperation rather than an effort to get better during the season. Somehow, the trade deadline has recently become a big event. The NFL wants more attention as the league’s shot-callers want all of the attention. The media and fans happily oblige. It was once a couple of trades each year. Now, the number of trades each year routinely hits double digits. This year won’t disappoint as we’ve already seen seven trades before hitting November. 

9/28: J.J. McCarthy, QB: Minnesota Vikings -> New York Giants

10/1: Joey Porter Jr., CB: Pittsburgh Steelers -> Dallas Cowboys

10/7: Cam Jurgens, C: Philadelphia Eagles -> Baltimore Ravens

10/12: Marvin Harrison Jr., Arizona Cardinals -> Houston Texans

10/27: Quenton Nelson, G: Indianapolis Colts -> Seattle Seahawks

10/27: DeForest Buckner, DT: Indianapolis Colts -> San Francisco 49ers

10/29: Jeffery Simmons, DT: Tennessee Titans -> Chicago Bears

After Monday’s debut of Jeffery Simmons with his new team, the media and fans have crowned the Chicago Bears as Super Bowl champs. So nothing any team does, on the field and off, really matters. The knee-jerk reaction of people never ceases to amaze. 

There’s been seven trades and there’s still six days to the deadline. Here are some of the players that are rumored to be available to the highest, or most persistent, bidder.

Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts

Brian Thomas Jr., WR, Jacksonville Jaguars 

Josh Sweat, Edge, Arizona Cardinals

Yaya Diaby, Edge, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Jerry Jeudy, WR, Cleveland Browns

Khalil Mack, Edge, Los Angeles Chargers

Riq Woolen, CB, Philadelphia Eagles

Budda Baker, S, Arizona Cardinals

Landon Dickerson, G, Philadelphia Eagles 

Josh Downs, WR, Indianapolis Colts

Chris Godwin Jr., WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Quentin Johnston, WR, Los Angeles Chargers

Tony Pollard, RB, Tennessee Titans

Hollywood Brown, WR, Philadelphia Eagles 

Moro Ojomo, DT, Philadelphia Eagles 

As a Minnesota Vikings fan, my trade deadline shopping list would include the following players:

Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts

Zach Sieler, DT, Miami Dolphins

Mo Alie-Cox, TE, Indianapolis Colts

Jackson Powers-Johnson, IOL, Las Vegas Raiders

Moro Ojomo, DT, Philadelphia Eagles

I’ve gone back and forth on taking a big swing for Jonathan Taylor. One moment, I think that the Vikings are fine leaning on Aaron Jones Sr. and Jordan Mason in the run game. It’s the entire Vikings offense that needs to get untracked. The next moment, I think about Taylor being a whole other type of running back. Defenses have to acknowledge Jones and Mason. They have to gameplan for Taylor. That can only help a struggling Vikings passing attack that has too much talent to be struggling. Maybe New York Jets back Breece Hall would be a less expensive option. While quite talented, his injury history is a serious concern. 

At the end of Sunday’s loss to the Detroit Lions, the Vikings defense struggled to get ball carriers to the ground. Through 6.75 games, the Vikings had shown no such tackling issues. Was the front simply worn down after a very physical game? Who knows? The Vikings could use another lineman in the rotation and Zach Sieler has experience with Brian Flores. Sieler would be a strong, veteran addition. 

The Vikings offense took a significant hit when tight end Josh Oliver was lost for the regular season with a torn biceps. Run and pass, his blocking was critical to everything the offense wants to do. No tight end in the league is Oliver’s blocking equal but Mo Alie-Cox is arguably better than anyone the Vikings currently have. Much like Oliver, Alie-Cox can also make some big catches.

It’s a bit greedy, and unrealistic, but I’d love to see the following with the Vikings a week from today.

Breece Hall

Zach Sieler

Mo Alie-Cox

Jackson Powers-Johnson

While I prefer Jonathan Taylor, I swapped him for Breece Hall because I don’t see the Vikings having the draft cash, or the cap space, for Taylor and three players. Hell, they probably don’t have the assets for Hall and three players. One can dream. 

It should be an interesting six days. 

Minnesota Vikings Week 8 Superlatives

The Minnesota Vikings lost their first game of the season. The Detroit Lions took control of the game late to win 19-15. It’s always difficult to pick “players of the game” after a loss. Here’ a shot at it.

Offensive Player of the Game

Jordan Addison, WR

It was nice to see Jordan Addison make some plays. Thanks to a 51-yarder, Addison had 66 yards on only three catches. 

Defensive Player of the Game

Andrew Van Ginkel, OLB

The Vikings defense held the Lions to 19 points. Usually, that should be enough to win the game. It wasn’t this time. With 2.5 sacks, Andrew Van Ginkel is an easy choice for this defensive superlative. 

The Vikings had four sacks in the first half. They finished with four sacks. The Lions did have 39 rush attempts and were run-centric in the second half, especially late. 

Special Teams Player of the Game

I’m skipping the special teams superlative this week.

Vikings - Lions

It took until November but the Minnesota Vikings lost their first game of the season. Unfortunately, the loss was to a division foe. The Detroit Lions took control at the end to win the hard-fought game, 19-15. 

There were dreams that the Vikings might go undefeated. They were always only dreams. Skipping through an entire NFL season without a loss is a very difficult thing to do. Through six games, and now seven games, everything is just so difficult with the Vikings offense. They did enough to win six games. They didn’t do enough to win this game. Despite some second half tackling issues, the defense held the Lions to fewer than 20 points. With the playmakers the Vikings have on offense, putting up more than 20 points shouldn’t be a chore against any defense. Unfortunately, everything feels like a chore with this offense. That has to change. Some put the blame on Kyler Murray’s quarterbacking. Some put the blame on Kevin O’Connell’s play-calling. I’m not sure why there always has to be one person to blame but that’s the world in which we live these days. Gotta point that finger at someone. 

Perhaps this game goes a different way if the Vikings had opted for a field goal rather than go for fa first down on fourth-and-five at the Lions 25-yard line. It was a couple plays into the fourth quarter with the Lions holding a 12-7 lead. The fourth down gamble followed a very long delay after a serious injury to Lions linebacker Jack Campbell. It was an uncomfortable moment as it’s always difficult to get back to football after such an injury. The fourth down play never really had a shot and it felt like the Vikings just tossed away points. At least the defense forced a three-and-out and quickly got the ball back for the offense. The Vikings offense responded with their best possession of the game. It was a possession that ended with a touchdown, s two-point conversion, and a 15-12 lead. It’s a lead that could’ve been 18-12 if they opted for a field goal rather than a gamble. 

The Vikings took that 15-12 lead with 8:44 to play. Over that final 8:44, the Lions offense simply whipped the Vikings defense. It was a puzzling stretch because it looked like the Vikings defense simply forgot how to tackle. Before kneel-downs to end the game, the Lions ran the ball on 11 of 13 snaps over two possessions. Here are those runs:

17 yards

12 yards

10 yards

9 yards

9 yards

14 yards

8 yards

2 yards

6 yards

3 yards

2 yards

On every run, the Vikings had defenders positioned to stop those runs for a loss or little gain. On every run, multiple defenders slid off or whiffed on the runners. I guess the Lions wanted it more. With as great as the Vikings defense has played all season, it was startling to see. On the two passes during that game-flipping sequence, Jared Goff tossed a short 5-yarder early in the first drive and a seven-yard touchdown to end it. 

The Vikings were never out of this game. Even considering the late tackling issues, the defense played well enough to win. Holding the Lions to 19 points should be enough to win. Even with the offensive struggles, the Vikings could’ve won this game. All of the could’ve/should’ve/would’ve don’t mean a thing. The Vikings lost. And they deserved to lose. The offense simply has to get better. It should not be this hard to move the ball. It should not be this hard to get the ball in the end zone. It should no be this hard to get the ball to Justin Jefferson. He should never finish a game with only 33 yards. 

After a loss, especially a loss to a division opponent, it’s easy to believe everything is shit. If told in August that the Vikings would be 6-1 at the start of November, I believe everyone surrounding the team would be thrilled. Well, the Vikings are 6-1 at the start of November. They are on the top of the best division in the league. The path to the playoffs and the top seed in the conference is in their hands. A difficult schedule is in front of them. That tough stretch starts with the Buffalo Bills next week on Monday Night.