I shouldn’t get so riled up about this stuff. But there is a caller I have heard more than a few times that voices his opinion on the NFL Sirius radio feed I most often listen to when I’m in my car. Most callers are appreciative of being included in one of the shows, which are consistently hosted by bright football people that are a collection of former athletes and people who have worked in the National Football League.
Anyway, this guy who is a Green Bay Packers fan, doesn’t have gratitude to the hosts for taking his call but venom in his tone and words. He accuses the hosts of being wrong about this or wrong about that with a condescending tone that has me swerving on the road. And, like so many jerks we all know, he is always proclaiming to be right.
No he isn’t.
After the Packers opened the season with a win over the Detroit Lions he announced to the world that they were the team of the year and criticized the hosts for picking the Lions in the game on their show the previous week. One would have to think, listening to the caller, how stupid people would have had to be to pick the Lions to win at Lambeau Field.
The second week win over the Washington Commanders had the Packers fan back on line, and I don’t know why the switchboard gives him airtime. He was bragging on his team like the race from here on out was focused on who the Packers would beat in Super Bowl LX.
I am not always listening, so perhaps he called the following week, but I doubt it, given his favorite team was upset by the Cleveland Browns. Didn’t hear him after the Packers tied the Cowboys and he took a bye week in unison with his team in Week Five of the NFL season.
The next time I heard him was after Green Bay had a huge second half in beating the Pittsburgh Steelers on the losers home field. He was back in full throttle that the Packers are the team of the year and criticized the hosts for not sharing his lofty projections for Green Bay.
Don’t suspect he will be calling the show this week, not after the Packers got thumped by, wait for it, the Carolina Panthers. But, I bet he will be back bragging on the Packers next week after they battle the defending Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles at Lambeau Field.
Back, because, I think he will be in full-fledged arrogance for his Packers beating the defending champs.
Why is Green Bay going to win on Monday night against Jalen Hurts and company?
This game couldn’t land better for Green Bay from a motivational perspective. Good teams most often rebound after losses with a win, particularly if they follow a home loss with another game on their home field. The Packers also have a season-to-season edge over the Eagles, given Green Bay was eliminated in the playoffs last year by the Eagles, 22-10, in a Wild Card matchup.
The current standings also feed the Packers side in this contest.
The Eagles have a three-game bulge over the second place Dallas Cowboys in the NFC East Division after the Arizona Cardinals upset Brian Schottenheimer’s team on Monday night. Most players watch the Monday Night Football primetime telecast, particularly when a team in their division is involved in the battle. It must have been very satisfying for the Eagles players to watch their only serious competition in their division get slammed by the Monday night visitors.
The Packers are involved in a dogfight in the NFC North Division with the Lions and the team that beat them last Sunday, the Minnesota Vikings. And this year, the Chicago Bears, under the direction of first-year head coach Ben Johnson, also need to be considered a potential playoff participant. Chicago is tied with the Lions and a game ahead of the Vikings in the bunched division race.
This Monday night won’t be as pleasant for the players from Philadelphia as last week's, and neither will be the phone call on Tuesday from the jerk who roots for the Packers.
Qoxhi Picks: Green Bay Packers (-2½) over Philadelphia Eagles