Hot Button: Giants boot OC Garrett ... Mayfield critical of booing fans ... IOC talks to Shuai, WTA unhappy

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JUDGE BLAMES COACHING,
FIRES OC GARRETT

Tuesday, November 23: Giants head coach Joe Judge blamed coaching for the Giants' continued failure this season, falling to 3-7 after a 30-10 loss to the Buccaneers Monday night. He held one accountable Tuesday, firing offensive coordinator Jason Garrett. The Giants are among the bottom three teams in nearly every offensive statistical category.

Judge hired Garrett shortly after getting the Giants job in 2020 — Garrett had been let go as the Cowboys head coach at the end of the 2019 season. The hope was to have Garrett, a former NFL quarterback, bring along 2019 first-round draft pick Daniel Jones, who has struggled to adapt at the next level.  Jones, however, has continued to play poorly and the offense overall has failed to perform consistently throughout Garrett's tenure.

Special offensive assistant and former Browns head coach Freddie Kitchens is expected to take over play-calling for New York, though Judge said Garrett's responsibilities would be spread among by the existing staff.

My take: Garrett's the fall guy. Judge can't call out his staff on Monday night and do nothing, so he went for the lowest-hanging fruit. Is the Giants offense terrible? Yes. Was it all Garrett's fault? No. Not a lot of talent on that side fo the ball. Jones looks like a bust and Saquon Barkley's missed a lot of time to injury. This move will not change any of that. — Bob

MAYFIELD TAKES BOOING
BROWNS FANS TO TASK

Monday, November 22: Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield was critical of booing Browns fans when asked about it Monday. Mayfield said he's focused and doesn't hear cheers or boos, but dismissed the booers by saying “Those are probably the same fans who won’t be quiet on offense when we’re trying to operate. So don’t really care.”

Mayfield, playing through three reported injuries, has struggled the past few games and home fans expressed their displeasure vocally during Sunday's 13-10 win over the Lions. 

The Browns lost receiver Jarvis Landry, who had a rushing touchdown, to a knee injury in the second half. Monday, head coach Kevin Stefanski said Landry is expecting to play through it.

My take: Mayfield would do well sometimes to temper his remarks. If he really doesn't care, then why criticize the fans for booing. He should just take responsibility for his own poor play and express that fans have every right to boo when the team's not playing well, even in a win. The end. — Bob

WTA NOT SATISFIED WITH IOC 
INTERVIEW WITH SHUAI

Monday, November 22: Women's Tennis Association Chairman and CEO Steve Simon said he is not satisfied with International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach's interview with Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai, who went unseen for weeks after making a rape allegations against a former Chinese Communist Party official. Simon demanded the Chinese make Shuai available for an uncensored interview and a guarantee that her allegations would be thoroughly investigated, but the IOC, with the Beijing Olympics just over two months away, professed "soft diplomacy" as the prudent way of dealing with Shuai's situation. 

Simon was content to see Shuai was safe but critical of Bach for not pursuing any lines of questioning with Shuai that directly referenced her rape allegation. Shuai simply told Bach she is safe, staying at her home, and wants her privacy respected. Simon still is not convinced that Shuai is speaking freely and insists he is willing to pull all WTA-sponsored events in China — 12 in all — if his organization is not allowed to interview Shuai under the WTA's conditions. 

My take: Good for Simon. Bach is a lackey who doesn't to jeopardize the Beijing Games and will slow roll this whole thing until it's over, then disappear on the issue. Simon won't let it go, nor should he, so here's hoping he's able to facilitate a meaningful conversation with Shuai. — Bob

NFL WEEK 11 RECAP: 
WHAT'S GOING ON?

Monday, November 22: Week 11 is almost in the books and the only thing that's clear is that things are unclear. Except for a handful of teams, there are no certainties to make the playoffs in both conferences, including the Steelers, who for a few hours were the top wild card team in the AFC, then on the outside looking in, after their crazy weakness-exposing loss to the Chargers.

Browns 13, Lions 10: The Browns escaped the indignity of being the first team to lose to Detroit this season ... barely. Cleveland clawed to a 13-0 halftime lead, then held on as Detroit managed to make it interesting in the end, despite the horrendous debut start by quarterback Tim Boyle — subbing for injured Jared Goff — managing just 77 yards passing and two interceptions on 23 attempts. D'Andre Swift rushed for 136 yards, but it wasn't enough to prevent Detroit (0-9-1) from defeat. Cleveland (6-5) got another pedestrian performance from Baker Mayfield (176 YDS/1 TD/2 INT), but Nick Chubb returned and gave the Browns 130 of their 184 rushing yards on the day. The Lions will look to break through at home against the Bears on Thanksgiving and the Browns travel to Baltimore in what's shaping up as a must-win game.

Ravens 16, Bears 13: The Ravens might be the worst 7-3 team in the NFL, but they're ... 7-3, proving the adage that good teams find a way to win. It always helps to play a bad team, and the Bears proved that by getting a go-ahead touchdown with under two minutes to play, then giving up a touchdown right back to backup QB Tyler Huntley, who marched the team down the field in under one minute before handing off to Devonta Freeman for the winning score with just 22 seconds to go. Huntley, subbing for an ill Lamar Jackson, and the Ravens offense had been limited to three Justin Tucker field goals. The only bright spot in the end for Chicago (3-7) was the play of "Big Red" Andy Dalton (201/2/0) who came on in relief of Justin Fields in the second half after Fields left with a rib injury. Chicago will try to avoid infamy in Detroit Thursday, while the Ravens — No. 2 in the AFC — look to hold serve against the Browns.

Bengals 32, Raider 13: Las Vegas is in freefall, losing their third game in a row, and the Bengals ended their two game skid with a total team game, rushing for 159 yards — Joe Mixon had two TD runs — and avoiding any turnovers while their defense intercepted Derek Carr and recovered a Carr fumble. They also got four field goals from rookie Evan McPherson. Cincy (6-4) will seek to switch the Escaloser into reverse next Sunday against the Steelers (won 24-10 in Pittsburgh on 9/26) while Las Vegas (5-5) hopes the Cowboys suffer from tryptophan overdose on Thanksgiving.

Colts 41, Bills 15: Frank Reich knows how to work magic at Highmark Stadium, but he won his biggest game there as a head coach Sunday with a rout of the suddenly listless Bills. Indy running back Jonathan Taylor had one of the best games of any player in 2021, rushing for 185 yards and four touchdowns and catching one touchdown pass. In this bizzaro season, Carson Wentz outplayed Josh Allen, simply by avoiding mistakes. Allen's two interceptions led to 14 Colts points. The Bills (6-4) went from No. 2 in the AFC to No. 6, and are now one-half game behind the Patriots in the division. They'll try to improve that position Thanksgiving night against the Saints. The resurgent Colts (6-5), meanwhile, look to stay relevant in their division but will have to defeat the reigning world champs at home Sunday.

Texans 22, Titans 13: Upset of the season? Maybe, but the Titans somehow lost to the Jets, so anything is possible. So how does the second-worst team in the NFL beat the No.1 seed in the AFC on the road while managing only 190 total yards of offense on a sloppy, rainy day? Well, it helps that their D intercepted Ryan Tannehill four times to have some short fields. The Titans threw in a lost fumble for good measure, losing the turnover battle 5-0. That's how. Tennessee (8-3) has to travel to first-place New England to get right. The Texans (2-8) go back to the drawing board to figure out how not to end up out of the top 5 in the 2022 draft.

Washington 27, Panthers 21: Taylor Heinicke stinks against every team in the NFL except the Buccaneers ... and the Panthers, it seems. The scrappy sub ruined Cam Newton's homecoming, going 16 of 22 for 206 yards and three touchdowns. Newton didn't disappoint the home folk, throwing for two touchdowns and rushing for another, but he needed help and got none from a porous defense that yielded 190 rushing yards. Football Team (4-6) finds itself in the playoff hunt and now host the struggling Seahawks next Monday night. Carolina (5-6) gets something of a breather against the Dolphins Sunday.

Dolphins 24, Jets 17: In a perfect world this would have been a critical contest to avoid relegation to the XFL, but no dice. The Jets finally turned to Joe Flacco — being unvaccinated finally explained why he hadn't played the first two weeks since he was traded — and he delivered (291/2/0). Shockingly, Tua Tagovailoa delivered too for Miami, finishing with 273 yards and two TDs (and the obligatory INT). In fact, this game was virtually equal with in all categories, including futility. There really was no reason the Dolphins won, it's just that somebody had to. Miami (4-7) hosts the Panthers Sunday, and the Jets (2-8) play another relegation game against the surging Texans.

Vikings 34, Packers 31: These two teams had a wild final seven minutes. Aaron Rodgers threw a touchdown pass to take a 24-23 lead. Kirk Cousins then threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Justin Jefferson with 2:17 left to put Minnesota back up 31-24. Rodgers took just one play to tie it, throwing a 75-yard touchdown pass to Marquez Valdes-Scantling. Cousins, though, would not be denied, driving downfield on the last drive to set up the game winning, 29-yard kick from Greg Joseph as time expired. After the game, the Minneapolis City Council tabled the Favre Amendment for one week, which mandates the poaching of Hall of Fame quarterbacks from Green Bay. The Vikings (5-5) are presently a playoff team in the NFC. They'll attempt to stay that way next Sunday at San Francisco. The Packers are still a safe 2.5 games ahead in their division. They'll get another strong test next Sunday when they host the Rams, with L.A. coming off their bye week. Basically, a playoff seeding game.

Eagles 40, Saints 29: Jalen Hurts barely completed half his passes for only 147 yards. No matter. He ran for 69 yards and three touchdowns and the Eagles as a whole gashed the Saints defense for 242 ground yards. Philly's defense did its part with two picks of Trevor Siemian that led to 14 points, seven of which came on a 51-yard Darius Slay Jr. pick six. Siemian threw for three scores and rushed for another to make it an 11-point game in the fourth quarter, but limited time of possession from Philly's run game prevented a full comeback from an early 30-7 deficit. The Saints (5-5) will try to take advantage of the confidence-crushed Bills Thursday night. Da Iggles (5-6) suddenly find themselves in the playoff picture and get to bolster that dream next Sunday at the Giants.

Chiefs 19, Cowboys 9: Old Dallas beat New Dallas at Arrowhead. Patrick Mahomes was less than ordinary (260/0/1) but two rushing touchdowns led the way, and the Chiefs defense stood strong, holding Dallas, which entered with the NFL's No. 1 offense, without a touchdown in a game for the first time all season. Kansas City's defense sacked Dak Prescott five times and intercepted him twice. C'est la guerre, Monsieur Dak. Perhaps he'll fare better — likely — when the 7-3 Cowboys host the Raiders Thursday. The Chiefs (7-4) head into their bye, then return Dec. 5 at home against the Broncos.

Cardinals 23, Seahawks 13: Arizona continues to lay its claim as the premier team in the NFL, outmuscling Seattle and winning another game without QB1 Kyler Murray. Colt McCoy continued with his best Don Strock imitation, winning his second in three starts and passing for 328 yards and two TDs, though he managed to somehow not lose any of his three fumbles. James Conner padded his NFL-leading touchdowns with his 12th on the ground and 13th overall, on a banner weekend for all things Pitt. Seattle is in deep trouble, losing both games since Russell Wilson returned from his finger surgery and losing bad in each. Wilson didn't make any mistakes, but he didn't make any plays either. Another blah performance in what might be his last dance with the Seahawks (3-7). The 9-2 Cardinals breeze into their bye week, then travel to Chicago for a Sunday afternoon game on Dec. 5.

49ers 30, Jaguars 10: San Fran fans filled the stands in Jacksonville and played like it was a home game against a woeful opponent, rushing for 171 yards and getting two touchdown passes from Jimmy Garoppolo — anyone remember Trey Lance? Didn't think so. The Jags ran for just 54 yards and put it on the ground twice. Trevor Lawrence did nothing good, nothing bad, nothing much. He did not lose a strip-sack fumble for the first time in forever, so there's that. The Niners (5-5) get the Vikings at home Sunday. The Jaguars' (2-8) quest for a top 5 pick in the 2022 draft hits a speed bump Sunday when they host the less-than-stellar Falcons.

— Bob

JAMES DRAWS BLOOD
WITH ELBOW, EJECTED

Sunday, November 21: LeBron James was ejected after throwing an elbow on the Pistons' Isaiah Stewart in the third quarter of the Lakers' 121-116 win Sunday afternoon.

James' elbow was ruled a flagrant foul after attempting rebound position on a free throw:

Stewart went ballistic immediately, trying to charge the Lakers several times as the players were separated. He was assessed two technical fouls for his behavior and ejected. 

My take: Kind of a cheap shot by James, but Stewart was out of his mind. Not sure what led up to that point between the two, but that's quite the reaction to some playground ball. — Bob

MULLENS OUT IN FLORIDA
AFTER OFFSEASON EXTENSION

Sunday, November 21: The University of Florida has fired head coach Dan Mullens just six months after giving him a three-year extension. The Gators, once ranked in the top 10 this season after a 3-1 start, which included a two-point loss to No. 3 Alabama, have lost five of their last seven games to sit at 5-6. Assistant coach Greg Knox was elevated to interim head coach for the season finale against in-state rival Florida State.

Mullen was hired in 2018 after nine seasons leading Mississippi State, taking Florida to three bowl games in each of his first three seasons, going 29-9, and playing in the SEC Championship game last season. He finished those seasons ranked 7th, 6th and 13th, respectively. He was given a three-year extension in the offseason at $7.5 million per season, but his inability to recover from this current slide resulted in his termination.

My take: Gotta keep the alumni happy so those dollars keep flowing in. The program has struggled against Power 5 schools, trending back to the end of last season, and that can't happen with big program ADs having the patience of NHL GMs. Mullens has been a good coach for a long time; I'd expect him to land a top job for 2022.  — Bob

ISLANDERS OPEN
NEW HOME ARENA

Saturday, November 20: It's official. The New York Islanders have a new permanent home, the UBS Arena at Belmont Park in Elmont, NY, adjacent to Belmont Park race track, dropping the puck Saturday night against the Calgary Flames for their first home game after a 13-game road trip to start the season. New York had previously played at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Long Island or the Barclays Center in Brooklyn since their inception in 1972.

The fans were welcomed with this on-ice video then took over with a rousing rendition of the national anthem. Here are a few pictures of what's inside. Flames winger Brad Richardson goes down in history as the first to score a goal at UBS Arena and Isles forward Brock Nelson scored his team's first goal in their new barn, to cut the deficit to 2-1:

They didn't win, however, losing 5-2, continuing their recent struggles (five straight losses) to have a 5-7-2 record — last in the Metropolitan Division. However, every one of those games before Saturday was on the road.

My take: A gorgeous building, one worthy of a dedicated fan base, but is that lower bowl super shallow, or is it me? Hope to check that building off my list within the next couple of years. — Bob

AB ACCUSER MAKES
SURPRISING CLAIM

Saturday, November 20: Steven Ruiz, Antonio Brown's former personal chef who alleges that Brown purchased fake vaccination cards, now claims that Brown purchased the cards from an unnamed Buccaneers teammate. 

Ruiz, who said he was approached by Brown's girlfriend to purchase them fake cards but couldn't procure them, previously stated in a report by the Tampa Bay Times that Brown showed him fake vaccination cards two weeks after being asked to get them for him. He now claims in a subsequent report by ESPN to have seen another Buccaneers player sell Brown the cards, making multiple trips to Brown's home, with Ruiz alleging cards had to be redone because one contained a wrong birthday.

Head coach Bruce Arians addressed the issue in a press gathering Friday, stating the organization thoroughly vetted the vaccination cards submitted by all players and that he believes it's a non-story. Brown will miss his third straight game Sunday with an ankle injury, but is expected to be ready for Tampa Bay's game November 28 against the Colts. He missed a game in Week 3 after testing positive for COVID-19.

My take: As troublesome as Brown can be, Ruiz just seems sketchy. He claims Brown owes him money — probably true — and now he seemed to contradict his first interview on when he saw fake vaccine cards. I'd expect this to add up to nothing, but if it's true ... the NFL has a real problem. — Bob

OHIO STATE MAKES BIG
PLAYOFF STATEMENT

Saturday, November 20: No. 4 Ohio State made a strong case for the College Football Playoff, dismantling No. 7 Michigan State, 56-7, behind a huge first half by Buckeyes quarterback C.J. Stroud. The freshman Heisman hopeful completed 32 of 35 passes for 432 yards and six touchdowns ... all in the first half, as OSU took a 49-0 lead into the intermission.

The Buckeyes (10-1, 8-0) clinched the Big Ten East division — well, they have beat Michigan next week, but we know how that goes — while Michigan State (9-2, 6-2) will have to settle for a bowl game. Ohio State entered as the fourth ranked team in the College Football Playoff rankings, solidifying their spot with a defeat of a top-10 opponent. Georgia, Alabama and Oregon are 1 through 3, and undefeated Cincinnati is still on the outside at No. 5, but likely to get into the Top 4 after Oregon got pummeled at No. 23 Utah Saturday night.

My take: That OSU offense is special. As for MSU, that's kind of an embarrassing result following the big extension given this week to head coach Mel Tucker — 10 years, $95 million  — but their pass defense is one of the worst in FBS ... probably the worst now, if it wasn't before. — Bob