Can YOU pick more winners than our own Football Cat? If so, you become eligible to win prizes!
The cat won!
How to play? Simply pick who you think will win this weekend’s games. (Sunday and Monday only) Pick more winners than FC, and you can win your choice of either a The15 Inside Joke Prize Pack, a $25 Ninety Nine Restaurant Gift Card, or a $25 Supermarket Gift Card! Your choice as to Market Basket, Big Y, Shaw’s, or Stop & Shop! (Or another, if you are outside the New England Area)
Fun! Prizes!
(One winner per week. In the event of a tie, a winner will be chosen at random. Winners remail eligible to also win in future weeks.)
Here are this weekend’s NFL matchups:
Panthers at Falcons
Vikings at Bears
Bengals at Texans
Steelers at Patriots
Packers at Jets
Eagles at Titans
Saints at Ravens
Browns at Buccaneers
Jaguars at Broncos
Raiders at Chargers
Seahawks at Cardinals
Commanders at Cowboys
Dolphins at 49ers
Colts at Chiefs
Giants at Rams (Tiebreaker – total points scored)
Email your picks to bjbsjournalintern@gmail.com (prior to kickoff of the first listed game) or, if that isn’t the way of your people, post them on the Twitter and our swell new batch of interns will make sure your entry is added to this week’s pool of contestants!
A statement for immediate release from New England Patriots and Gillette Stadium Owner Robert Kraft…
🚨 LOCAL MUSICIANS WANTED 🚨
Are you looking to add fulfillment to your dull, dull life?
Do you possess an instrument, a pulse, and absolutely zero financial ambitions?
Do you know how to keep your opinions to yourself?
Brilliant! Because we have the perfect opportunity for YOU! We are putting together a band to open for legendary singer songwriter and all around mensch, Mr. Ed Sheeran on September 25th and 26th. Our previously booked act, a highly unprofessional meshugener schmuck, tragically canceled on us. That putz’s loss is your golden opportunity!
What We Offer Unparalleled Exposure: Play for a stadium full of people that was expecting someone else entirely! The Thrill of the Rescue: Bask in the heroic glory of saving our event from absolute disaster. Complimentary Air: Breathe all the ambient oxygen you want while on stage. Free Refreshments: A half-empty cooler of lukewarm Gatorade awaits you backstage, plus one (1) complimentary bologna sandwich after your performance is complete. (NOTE: The sandwich will only be available on night two.)
What We Need Anyone who can carry a tune, hold a beat, or at least look convincing pretending to do so. Someone with absolutely no opinions on anything, especially regarding an obscure ongoing minor dispute in the Middle East. A performer with a deep, spiritual understanding that “art is its own reward” – because you won’t be getting paid.
If this sounds like you, please bring your gear and your talent down to One Patriot Place. We will supply the mandatory blue square pin.
Don’t mention Paw-listine
Sunday Lunch Time Panthers (-1.5) at Falcons Black Cats pounce on predators
Vikings at Bears (-5.5) Bears knockout Norsemen
Bengals at Texans (-3) Stripey Cats give Houston problems
Steelers at Patriots (-5.5) Kraft bans Qanon Rodgers from preforming at Gillette
Fire up the space laser
Packers (-4) at Jets Meatmen grind up Gotham
Don’t try this at home
Eagles (-7) at Titans American birds top Tits
Did someone say American tit top?
Saints at Ravens (-8.5) Scary Black Birds martyr Saints
Browns at Buccaneers (-8.5) Bucs bake Brownies
Elf on the baking shelf
Sunday Dinner Time Jaguars at Broncos (-3) Spotty cats love high places
Raiders at Chargers (-7) Plugs turn out Vegas lights
Seahawks (-4.5) at Cardinals Fake Seabirds swarm pretty red birds
Commanders at Cowboys (-3.5) Cowboys master Commanders
Dolphins at 49ers (-12.5) Prospectors fry fish
Sunday Prowl Time Colts at Chiefs (-6.5) Watch out Men of Czonka, 17-0 is still on the table
Don’t go popping that champagne just yet
Monday Prowl Time Giants at Rams (-7) Horny sheep gore G-men
Football Cat lives in New Hampshire, enjoys watching football, and is a cat.
A lot of you are gonna crawl back into the woodwork when Drake bounces back. Bookmarks and screenshots last forever, though.
I learned from the sideline reporter last Friday night that BC is 4 miles away from Brigham Young Hospital.
Sue O’Connell is like Keith Olbermann if he were a man.
Don’t ask me why Ben Shelton has never won a Grand Slam tournament. How are seven guys in the world better than this guy?
Okay so apparently Chris Smith is the coolest reporter in Boston so that’s good to know.
Melbin?
Here’s the thing: starting a podcast, is the new, ‘pivot, to video!’
Butch from the Cape would be very disappointed.
I can’t belive Bob would genocide Mackerelmore like that.
Cakes are cooking for Joe Butler, Bernie Calvert, Dennis Conner, Kenney Jones, Ron Blair, Rosemary Casals, Ed Begley Jr, Susan Ruttan, David Bellamy, Henry Louis Gates Jr., Loyd Grossman, Mickey Rourke, Lenny Clarke, Robin Yount, David Copperfield, Jennifer Tilly, Orel Hershiser, Tim Raines, Mickey Tettleton, Bilinda Butcher, Mark Parent, Richard Marx, Bernie Parmalee, Marc Anthony, Chester McGlockton, Amy Pohler, Shawntel Smith, Dan Dickau, Fan Bingbing, Madeline Zima, Nick Jonas, Bryson DeChambeau, Metro Boomin, and Aaron Gordon.
Coach Vrabes, your behavior disappointed Katie Nolan.
Have an image in my head of Jeff Howe being pissed off that the Angel of Death has once again passed by him to flirt with another member of his social circle.
Edge of Tomorrow with Tom Cruise is an EXTREMELY underrated movie.
That Clay Matthews chin pic is more believable than Glenn’s.
Spero Dedes and Adam Archuleta will be on the week 3 CBS call for Patriots-Jaguars the network announced. A team one week to E team the next.
Need Pablo Torre to do an episode on Kendra’s income streams.
A football pre-game show with Pat McAfee AND Jason Kelce?!!!! Is it Christmas already??
Hey gang of karma chameleons, this week’s Phrase that pays is, “Trans Sisters. We are getting scolded by LITERAL BOY GEORGE for being trainwreck Jew haters. Gay dad is disappointed in us. We’ve gotta get our shit together.”
Wait, the placekicker for Green Bay is named ‘Trey Smack?’
Was hoping to hear Mike Conley say he’s wearing #45 with the Celtics because he was a huge Andrew DeClercq fan.
If my ND shirt doesn’t come in soon Babz is gonna hear about it.
Lots of celebrities talk a big game. Few back it up with actions like Mr. Steve Buscemi.
The Red Sox have mastered the art of the Matrix slide.
This is no social crisis This is you havin’ fun No crisis Gettin’ burned by the sun This is true-
This is no social crisis,
Just another tricky day for you.
Krafty Bob fucked Ed Shreehan like the hand of a 60-year old Vietnamese masseuse.
Just saw The Odyssey and had an out of body experience when Sean Avery popped up lmao
Boy, did Green Bay take a massive shit in their pants.
Taylor Swift doing a song/soundtrack for the next Tom Cruise movie? Co-starting in it? No way that’s random. For the record – I’m in favor of any of that.
Bert Bell invented “the Streisand Effect.”
Green Line C Branch Update: The delay has cleared.
Of course Mutnansky is Team Will Flemming.
Hot take: Rutgers might not be very good this year.
I’m hearing that the lingering effects of long Covid means that Ted Sarandis is unable to be a guest on Big O’s podcast for the foreseeable future. Heartbreaking.
Fake ASL interpreter is my absolute dream job.
Honk if you remember where to get a score card at Pine Oaks Golf Course.
Surely the fans who complain about the Patriots OC every year regardless of who it is are right this time.
Great news everybody, Curtis Mead is “definitely touching a bat”.
Now is the spy bunker actually in Gillette Stadium proper, or, like, in the closed Game Stop location in Jonathan City?
Remember: laughter is a involuntary response.
The best part of an Ohio State loss is Bertie Breer’s insincere congratulations to the other team.
Best bet for the weekend: Fluff.
The15 Writers’ Room- ‘The Big O has transformed into CGI Errol Flynn’ ‘Clean cut Kurt Sutter’ ‘He looks like he’s starring in a reboot of Shane’ “looks like he’s been the star of Days of Our Lives for the past 30 years.’ ‘Kinda looks like The $15 Dollar Man’ ‘Like someone photoshopped Tom Selleck into his face’ ‘Looks like Leonardo DiCaprio would if he dated someone over 25’
Material from interviews, wire services, Twitter, Meta, other writers, league and team sources, Joe Giza, Matt Vautour, Old Friend Humphrey, and the members of #the15 were used in this column.It’s all too beautiful.
And happy birthday to model/actress Alexis Bledel.
Can YOU pick more winners than our own Football Cat? If so, you become eligible to win prizes!
Back to the salt mines.
How to play? Simply pick who you think will win this weekend’s games. (Sunday and Monday only, Football Cat negotiated no non-holiday Thursdays) Pick more winners than FC, and you can win your choice of either a The15 Inside Joke Prize Pack, a $25 Ninety Nine Restaurant Gift Card, or a $25 Supermarket Gift Card! Your choice as to Market Basket, Big Y, Shaw’s, or Stop & Shop! (Or another, if you are outside the New England Area)
Fun! Prizes!
(One winner per week. In the event of a tie, a winner will be chosen at random. Winners remail eligible to also win in future weeks.)
Here are this weekend’s NFL matchups:
Bears at Panthers
Buccaneers at Bengals
Ravens at Colts
Saints at Lions
Bills at Texans
Browns at Jaguars
Jets at Titans
Falcons at Steelers
Packers at Vikings
Commanders at Eagles
Dolphins at Raiders
Cardinals at Chargers
Cowboys at Giants
Broncos at Chiefs (Tiebreaker – total points scored)
Email your picks to bjbsjournalintern@gmail.com (prior to kickoff of the first listed game) or, if that isn’t your bag, post them on the Twitter and our shiny new batch of interns will make sure your entry is added to this week’s pool of contestants!
And good luck to all our contestants!
Time to gnaw the tape. What’s that? Grind tape? Agree to disagree.
Well, at least Revolution salvaged a win for the region tonight!
Is Ed Hand Hogdale’s conservator?
Imagine the first thing you think of after the Gonzalez signing is Dave Brown?
Doug Eddings didn’t like the tilt of Western Michigan’s helmets and gave Michigan another play.
We’re all poorer for not hearing Jerry Remy say “Mickey Gaspah.”
I guess Pablo found out…
It’s nice that they have a football game to support this Microsoft Tablet promotion.
Who could have forseen the Michael Lombardi implosion coming?
Cakes are coking for Artie Tripp, Danny Hutton, José Feliciano, Larry Nelson, Barriemore Barlow, Bill O’Reilly, Don Muraco, Don Powell, Joe Perry, Gary Danielson, Amy Irving, Pat Mastelotto, Johnny Hickman, Carol Decker, Chris Coloumbus, Colin Firth, Randy Johnson, Joe Nieuwendyk, Robin Goodridge, Big Daddy Kane, Guy Ritchie, Ben Wallace, Ryan Phillippe, Timothy Goebel, Misty Copeland, Joey Votto, Matthew Followill, Ashley Monroe, Coco Rocha, Jordan Staal, and Brooke Henderson.
Nancy Grace is a great American.
If it’s not a Super Bowl, it’s not a Super Bowl rematch.
Nick Wright is what Gorilla Monsoon once famously said..the fountain of misinformation.
Ms. Rachel can hoop, Oh HELL YEAH!
Hey gang that’s got spirit, this week’s Phrase that Pays is, “They all have great jobs they just sling cvnt for the love of the game.”
I hope El Prez doesn’t have to shutter the Chicago Office as a cost cutting measure after the Rutgers bet debacle.
Fun Australia Fact: All the koalas have chlamydia.
Sorry, but I ain’t getting in a driverless automobile of any kind. I don’t trust it.
Jason Kelce’s TV is mounted too high.
Maybe they should call her ‘Ben Shelton’s girlfriend’ instead of ‘Dennis Rodman’s daughter.’ Would that be better, ladies?
Map out your route during the Orange Line diversion between Forest Hills and Back Bay. On September 10-14, use alternate transit: Free shuttle buses, free Commuter Rail trains between Forest Hills, Ruggles, Back Bay, and South Station.
That Van Natta article about no wrongdoing being found seems to have been really accurate.
Patriots will rebound when they’re back home, with the welcoming lighthouse and the blank wall where the Jerod Mayo mural used to be.
A 20 piece McNugget is $7 right now.
If baseball wasn’t at minimum, occasionally boring the Savannah Bananas wouldn’t be a thing.
The puffy helmet looks extra gay when you suck.
Buddy, what’s up with those bobo batteries? No wonder why they’re all dead as Dillinger. When it comes to batteries, you gotta go Duracell, or Energizer. Only two options.
Just a reminder that UNC plays East Tennessee State on Saturday afternoon, in case you’re looking for some REAL football.
Imagine watching Nancy Grace on TV in 2026?
Clips could have gotten away with the whole thing if Kawhi just took a picture next to a tree.
The Farmer’s Dog has been named the NFL’s first official Pet Food Partner. The multi-year partnership kicks off with a campaign starring Giants RB Cam Skattebo and his senior rescue dog, Duke.
That wasn’t very abercrombie of Drake Maye.
Eddie Andelman would have loved this 7’3” Chinese chick. She’s the basketball equivalent of a sumo hockey goalie.
Flailing Flemming finally forces Finn fingerwag.
As a running back would you rather be a bell cow or a work horse?
Go. Go U. Go UMass. Go UMass!
Excited to watch Frusen Glädjé prove he deserves the 50-million-dollar contract extension.
My day literally consists of editing my Patriots hype video, continuing my “Patriots as Comic Book Characters” blog, pretending to check my work email, repeat.
They send you to rehab to get cured off of the edibles?
I don’t think I’ve ever seen fog like this before…
Want some whiskey in your water? Sugar in your tea? What’s all these crazy questions You’re askin’ me? This is the craziest party That could ever be Don’t turn on the lights ‘Cause I don’t wanna see
Mama told me not to come, oh Lord Mama told me not to come She said, “That ain’t the way to have fun, No.”
A plastic container of spices loses 17% of its flavor when it crosses state lines.
‘Pallet fort’ in French is ‘fort de palette.’
Fantastic. Wish you the best. You will have a suit on your door when AI opens up your info. We will have fun then!
Cover screws have torque specs?
We lost Danny Gans way too soon. Incredible talent.
Mut put out a video that he thought a horse Portnoy owns had a great shot of winning its race at Saratoga and the nag came in eighth place. Incredible.
Another big goal for Capi!
I thought the whole point of having chicks on the college recruiting staff was so they’d have sex with the recruits?
Honk if you remember Carling Black Label.
Luckily Brown’s not injury prone and hasn’t had high ankle sprains last all season long before in Tennessee or anything.
Dawn Light makes the all-Synonym Team.
The NBA Cup winner should get the forfeited Clippers picks.
What does Jerry Thornton do for Barstool now anyways? Is he their correspondent to the Vatican?
You go out there and show that hyboid cancer who’s boss Marc Bertrand!
Walpole Joe Morgan. Lunchpail guy and manager of these nine. Magic. He will be dearly missed.
Best bet for the weekend: Eagles over Scarlet Knights out to Chestnut Hill.
Probably not available on Blu-ray.
Material from interviews, wire services, Twitter, Meta, other writers, league and team sources, Joe Giza, Matt Vautour, Marlee Wierda, and the members of #the15 were used in this column.Shalise Manza Young. Shalise Manza Young. Shalise Manza Young, went to the baño; what have they done?
(Dear The15net dot com Wicked Pissah Beantown Chowderheads Platinum Elite Members; Here is the musical playlist for your Labor Day weekend enjoyment. In the car, at the beach, by the lake, or just at home. Assorted Songs of Work and Toil, Songs of Celebration & Songs of Summer’s Departing. Click HERE to download.)
You Can’t Sideload Happiness – 4 Tabs Tiled
Pineapple Upside Down Cake – Muddle of Pudd
Catfishing Toes – MegO Rapscallian
Seersucker Sal (Done Got Killed by His Gal) – Turkeypie Jefferson
Feels – Fat Human Coinstar
It’s Raining Lies – The Drought Doubters
A Shitbird’s Lament – Pat McAfee
You Can Leave Your Tarp On – Joe Cocker
Love – Jaren Dolers
Who Won? We WON – Clamcastic Fantastic
Fictitious Fish – Jethro Trull (with Fictional Friction)
Crazy Baker Lady (gluten free mix)- Deadmau5
Someone’s in Sedona with Dianna – Mick Gindaloon & His Dumb Polacks
My Ever Changing Moods – Marion Council
Strange Fruit – Upton Bellie Holiday
Blitz, JC, The Barber, & Johnny V – They Might Be Giants
Unfunny Man – Emerson Lotzia & Palmer
Where Have All the Traffic Cones Gone? – MassDOT Highway Division Special Projects Chorus
My Best Friend Dan Lifshatz – Known Cunt
3 to 5 – Joshy Parton
Heading for a Fall – The Michael Hollies
Take Em Out (Miss Porter’s Mix) – Franz Onlyfans
Slur – Tears for Rears
Makin’ Mercury Grand Marquises – Ron Catamount Muskmelon
(Don’t Go Back to) Nashua – J.R.M.
Where Did I Say I Was A Fortunate Son? – Steve Steve R
Pictures Of Butchie – The Murphs
Data Center Outage Blues – Norton Adams & The State Collegians (Live)
Paprika Caravan – Martin Denny
Big Jeff From Work – Wamesit Lanes Men’s Glee Club
Union Sundowning – Bob Ryan
Birth, School, ???, Death – Gillfathers
Something’s Fishy – The Aggrieved White Clam Exercise Band
Drivelinin’ – Robert Parker
Have a Job Do a Job Work a Job Give a Job – The Middsy 5
Uncrustable in Paradise – Marvelous Mike
Take This Job and Rat Shovel It – Brawny Paycheck
That’s What I Want – Lil Nas BHL
Amor y Control – Ruben Blades
No Work and All Play – Living in a Van Marion
Don’t Talk to Me About Work (Unless it’s During a Strike) – Lou Merloni
You’re Next – Happy Warriors Cancellation Brigade
Vacation – We All Wish Kendra Would Go-Go
We’re Going to Be Friends – Marvelous Mike and the Fudge Stripes
Free Fallin’ – Michael Holley, Michael Holley!
Love Photo No. 9 (in the grid) – Dan Kelley Sports
The Hot Dog Rollers Won’t Fix Themselves – First Aid Kit (feat. Yngwie Malmsteen)
Pictures of Sal – The Milk Carton Kids
Main Theme to ‘The Fat Guy & The AI P.I.’ -The CBS Procedural Orchestra
Unsafety Dance – Men Without Shame
(Have a song suggestion? Or a compliment? Leave it in the comments! Or just reply on Twitter, I guess.)
Mainstream CFB writers being introduced to a BB team winning a rock fight is delightful. And 15-10 is like a perfect Belichick win. Pisses off exactly all the right people.
All these trust fund kids circle jerking over how little they made in their useless media jobs isn’t at all triggering.
They weren’t booing Páez, they were still cheering on Woo!
In the back of my mind I thought the Pro Bowl had been eliminated years ago.
Dolly held the exact same social and political views as me!
I’m not going to be used as a pawn as the two sides piss at each other. If a deal isn’t done by September 9th, then I’ll be livid.
Derek Jeter did not “dive into the stands” to catch a ball. He made a nice running catch in the playing field, and his momentum carried him into the stands. Nice play, but not heroic.
I don’t even know what Good Good is other than redundant.
Note to broadcasters especially in MLB. Please call players by their last names and not their first. Its Rafaela not Cedanne. The trend started years ago and it isn’t a good one.
Since Boston doesn’t have a WNBA team yet, I’ve adopted Golden State as my team strictly because of Veronica Burton. The Valkyries won their third straight last night, and @Veronicaab22 had 13 assists and 0 turnovers. She has 29 assists and 1 turnover during the win streak.
Apropos of nothing, I hope Corey Kiner gets a locker in the corner of the locker room, so we can all call it Kiner’s Korner. #iykyk
Cakes are cooking for Peter Ueberroth, Mary Jo Catlett, Harry Northup, Rosalind Ashford, Nate Archibald, Terry Bradshaw, Rosanna DeSoto, Mark Harmon, Jimmy Connors, Linda Purl, Mario Tremblay, Steve Porcaro, Eric Dickerson, John S. Hall, Jeff Russell, Keanu Reeves, Lenox Lewis, Cynthia Watros, Rich Aurilia, Jason Hammel, Rachael Gunn, and Brandon Ingram.
No one ever talks about how heavily accordion is featured in Mexican music.
The people who hate seeing Kirk Herbstreit’s dog on TV are the same people who drive 5 mph under the speed limit in the left lane. You can’t convince me otherwise.
Hey, didja all hear about this guy who pretended to be a 49ers player? Haven’t seen many people talking about it. Crazy stuff, huh?
Red Line: Delays of about 10 minutes due to an earlier signal problem at Harvard.
I’m sorry but being a WAG is not being a woman in sports.
Omg seriously what is in Mickey’s crotch?
If I wanted to watch sweaty men dance in tight attire, I’d attend a Chippendales show rather than a Savannah Bananas game.
Dad is never using Venmo. You cannot make him.
Yesterday was “rentree” in France, a massive day. ALL of the schools are back in session Mayors and principals were interviewed on television.
Team Gaga btw. Madonna can kick rocks.
The Red Sox fill-in play-by-play guy on radio tonight sounds like Pablo Torre after 1.5 martinis, and I can’t shake it. But excited for the Clippers dirt he’ll have for the 7th inning stretch.
Where does one even acquire an Anduril hat?
The play made by Monasterio is ruled a catch against any other team. fact, not opinion.
Lucy go for a walk or something in Boston we boo if you stink up the joint you don’t like it move to Mars.
Can Elon ban all Barstool-related content? Every video I see is like “Oh man, Scuzzy and Grunch were going at it in the Chicago office today. Apparently one of them hooked up with Kacey Jugzzz at Dave & Buster’s last night? Super crazy. I’m glad Fat Tits Snapback Guy was recording.”
Hey gang of finger lickers, this week’s Phrase that Pays is, “Black buns and mashed potatoes sounds like something I’m not going to image search.”
I hope Jedixson Páez pitches on Section 10 Night.
Feels like I can’t make fun of the Clancy women anymore when there’s a large chunk of dudes convinced Sandusky is innocent.
Well, I hope MLB brings back protesting a game after the lockout season!
Thinking of that fat fucking cvnt Lifshatz calling people retards as his neck fat jiggles from typing is hilarious.
GTA 6 players will need to learn how to maintain a relationship, according to IGN. Don’t you play video games so you don’t have to go shopping with your wife?
I love the Mickey Gasper story as much as the next guy, but I draw the line at “Hey Mickey you’re so fine”
Greg you couldn’t be more wrong about this sub shop take you have in the oven and the Italian subs and all that nonsense.
I’ve found a home with writing haikus. The requirements are oddly helpful.
Bright eyes full of dreams, Laughter ringing through the air, Shining proud and free.
Lol you ever looked into toilet paper? If you aren’t using bamboo by now….yikes.
I bet Mike Mussina knows what day this is. I sure do.
Love her, but Heidi Watney should uncinch the screws holding her face back a couple of turns.
A Bill hasn’t defeated Dykes like that since DOMA back in ‘96.
You can tell someone is a football expert when they list a team’s schedule by the quarterbacks they’re going to play.
What time do they lock the Coliseum they got there in Rome for the night?
After a few hours of searching the house (detachable penis) And calling everyone I could think of I was starting to get very depressed (detachable penis) So I went to the Kiev and ate breakfast
Then as I walked down Second Avenue Towards St. Mark’s place where (detachable penis) All those people sell used books and other junk on the street I saw my penis lying on a blanket (detachable penis) Next to a broken toaster oven Some guy was selling it (detachable penis) I had to buy it off him, he wanted 22 bucks (detachable penis) But I talked him down to $17.
People sure do demand a lot of decorum from a sport where it’s commonplace to gnaw on a wad of tobacco.
What a needy prick Giardi is. Really.
What if Good Good Golf re-shoots the ad but it’s RA getting shoved to the ground?
Rule 5 is usually a synonym for a bum.
Pro Tip: Ham sandwiches get indicted, not North Shore three-way beefs.
Honk if you remember The Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon.
I know more about cards than 99.9% of people who own cards. I’ve covered cards for 26 years.
Lomu…..Latu…..Latu….Lomu.
Doesn’t every single gambling ad read on The Ringer end with “must be 21 and present”?
Turn off your radios numrods.
Jamai Webster still occasionally starts a question that he has no idea how to finish.
It’s my favorite time of year. BC could go undefeated!
Best bet for the weekend: buying 7 dozen eggs and 4 gallons of milk.
Take their picks! All of them!! (N.B. Kansas City won this Week 14, 2019 game 23-16, with Butker 3-3 on field goals, 2-2 on extra points.)
Material from interviews, wire services, Twitter, Meta, other writers, league and team sources, Joe Giza, Matt Vautour, BSMW Old Friend Humphrey, and the members of #the15 were used in this column.We’re dancing in the streets.
And Happy Birthday to Mexican actress Salma Hayek.
Welcome back to all the college and university students! And a particular welcome to our new squad of student interns here at The15, both in the Greater Boston area and elsewhere:
Emily Barncoat – ’29 Northeastern University
Fern Beckfick – ’29 Emmanuel College
Treydon Bouchet – ’29 University of Massachusetts – Lowell
Waylen Champlain – ’29 College of the Holy Cross
Zorba Fitzmurphy -’28 Boston University
Armando Glurge – ’29 Suffolk University
Willard Kelley – ’28 Bunker Hill Community College
Anastasia Krill – ’29 Boston College
Donnie Lonergan – ’28 Assumption University
Stefon Machafo – ’29 Emerson College
George Rao – ’29 Boston College
Ryan Sorghum – ’29 University of Massachusetts – Boston
Saoirse Vespa – ’29 Merrimack College
Turcotinga Willoughby – ’29 Boston University
Hannah Zuik – ’28 Framingham State University
We hope to learn as much from you, as you do from us. Remember: Knowledge Is Good.
Little was expected from North Carolina as they entered Ireland to play the TCU Horned Frogs in the season opener—the same team that thrashed them 48-14 and set the Tar Heels on a path of endless ridicule. Revenge never tasted so sweet, as Bill Belichick and his boys white-knuckled a 15-10 win. What makes this moment sweeter for a Belichick fan such as myself is the sense of how hard the team worked the entire offseason just to put their best foot forward. The roster turnover was jaw-dropping in its magnitude, akin to selectively thinning a forest to burn away the smaller, weaker underbrush and dead wood.
UNC introduced 59 new players to the squad this offseason, including 19 transfers and 40 first-year players. Meanwhile, 31 players departed through the transfer portal alongside standard graduations. Most of the team is made up of underclassmen, which hopefully signals the job security Belichick has for this season and the next as he develops them into effective juniors and seniors.
If you can’t stand the heat, get rid of the Kitchens.
On top of that, Belichick brought in Bobby Petrino to replace Freddie Kitchens. It’s too early to say whether UNC will improve from their dastardly, last-place mark in the ACC offensively from the year before. But his coaching, fused with the new crop of players led by 23-year-old journeyman Billy Edwards Jr., breathed fresh air into the system. The stat sheet was not lit up with gaudy numbers. But playing nearly error-free football on a sloppy field, combined with a modest 16-of-28 passing performance and 232 yards, is a hell of an improvement. Petrino was brought in to implement a balanced, pro-style offense mirroring the system Belichick ran in New England. So far the marriage has worked out well—and dare I say, it breeds confidence going forward.
But as Belichick says, coaches lose games; players win them. You’d be hard-pressed to find positive performances from UNC last season, especially on offense. The defensive side yielded hard-nosed, gritty efforts that typically went unnoticed. The only player on offense I can think of who left a mark on me from last year was running back Demon June (today he ran for 25 yards on 6 rushes), who now shares backfield duties with Benjamin Hall (11 carries, 36 yards) and Jaylen McGill (5 rushes for 33 yards and UNC’s lone touchdown).
But let us start by exalting the defense. Xavier Lewis served as UNC’s wrecking ball on the interior, dismantling TCU’s blocking and racking up 2 sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss on his own. Coincidentally, Lewis was one of Bill’s first recruits. Linebacker Derek McDonald led the entire team in total production. He clogged the running lanes all afternoon, securing a team-high 9 tackles. Defensive lineman Jaylen Harvey provided excellent edge containment and registered 5 combined tackles.
TCU did not score a single point in the second half. While everyone rushes to blame Sonny Dykes and try to place him on the hot seat, we should keep in mind this is a TCU team that won 9 games the last two seasons. They are a good program, and beating them is no small feat. Offensively, just by staring at the team stats you get a sense of how quietly UNC dominated TCU: 322 total yards to their opponents’ 281; 5.6 yards per play to their even 4. UNC committed just 3 penalties to TCU’s 11.
The team might have a legitimate weapon at tight end in Jelani Thurmond, who caught 4 passes for 94 yards, including an explosive 35-yard catch to ignite the Tar Heels’ opening scoring drive. Jordan Shipp went into the game expected to be Edwards’ most sure-handed receiver and lived up to the expectations, snagging 5 catches for 71 yards.
Overall, a solid opening for UNC hoping to wash away the bitter taste of last season 4-8 record. There’s a lot of work to be done; bumps in the road are surely to be expected. Progress is typically nonlinear. But as of now, the sky appears less filled with doom and gloom.
Vinny Jace is a special contributor to The15net.com.
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