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Steve Brownlee
I mean, when I come up with something that might seem kind of pushy but that I really like, someone is always saying, "What's the big idea?"
They also have this really weird stare, like they couldn't believe that I could come up with something like that.
Hey, what can I say, I just can't help my ... brilliance?
So catching the tail end of the Detroit Lions-New Orleans Saints game on TV this past Sunday, right when I was finishing up getting everything together for Monday's Mining Journal sports section, the game went into overtime.
First, I thought it was curious when the Saints won the coin toss and let Detroit take the ball first in OT. Then I remembered the relatively new rule that the first team with the ball can't end it right away, even with a touchdown.
One thing the Saints might not have taken into consideration was OT only lasting 10 minutes.
Maybe not enough time for both teams to possess the ball and drive for a TD.
As it was, the Lions moved downfield, scored a TD and kicked the extra point. New Orleans got the ball and did the same, scoring with something like 1:34 left in OT.
Chances are, the Saints' offense wouldn't see the ball again, meaning going for a 2-point conversion was the only way to actually win and not be stuck with the ultimate in unsatisfying records, 0-0-1.
What is this, soccer?
So they went for two and missed, much to this and every other Lions fans' delight.
Otherwise, Detroit might've stolen all the "thunder" from the Packers for blowing a three-score lead in the second half, since I Detroit was up 21-0 midway through the third quarter.
Especially considering the Lions were playing at home and I doubt the Saints are as highly regarded as the Packers' opponent, Minnesota.
So all this is building up to my idea -- what if in overtime, the first team with the ball can do whatever they want with the point or points after touchdown. If a team goes for the one-point kick, like most probably would do, then the other team MUST go for a 2-point conversion if they score.
That would keep ties from happening in many circumstances, though, like the Saints, the idea of ever possibly tying will probably make that happen.
If the first team scoring a TD misses the extra point, then if the other team scores a TD, it can just kick the extra point to get a one-point win.
And if the first team to score goes for two and makes it, well, the best you can hope for is retying the score and hope for the best after that.
Of course, if they want to make it competitive beyond the first possession, the NFL could go back to a 15-minute overtime.
Or scrap the whole idea and go with what I've been touting for years -- the college-style OT where each team takes the ball 25 yards away from the end zone.
Even if you don't like how OTs progress in the college game, there's no reason you can't do whatever tweaking you want.
My feeling is give each team the ball at the 35-yard line instead of the 25, and put 60 seconds on the clock instead of it being untimed. All the late-game clock management in regulation would apply in OT.
I guess we'll see how this OT thing plays out this year as to whether it needs these kinds of changes.
Onto the picks:
Today, 8:15 p.m.
Detroit at Buffalo -- Eew, a short week for the Lions on the road. Just what they need with both the offense and defense struggling in the second half on Sunday. Bills, 34-24.
Sunday, 1 p.m.
Carolina at Atlanta -- Somehow I don't see the Falcons rolling up 59 points on Carolina like the Bears did Sunday. Give me the Panthers, 30-26.
Cincinnati at Houston -- If this had been last season, you could've gotten some really long odds that in any given week, no matter who each of them played, that the Houston defense would give up more points than Cincinnati's.
But that's what happened last week, the Bengals allowing 27 to Tampa and Texans giving up 36 to Buffalo.
I'll look at it as NOT a statistical blip, considering the offenses involved in this game. Bengals, 31-29.
Cleveland at Tampa Bay -- Hope Tampa quarterback Baker Mayfield isn't so groggy from getting hit around on Sunday that he doesn't realize how much he wants to pummel his original NFL team, the Browns. Buccaneers, 34-23.
Green Bay at New York Jets -- Just what the Packers need -- playing a team with jerseys sporting a sickly looking color scheme compared to their own. I've always liked the "warm" type of green the Pack has compared to the metallic, or whatever you want to call it, kind of green in the Jets' uniforms.
That plus the Jets suck enough they should be happy for another two or three weeks after getting a season-opening win. Packers, 27-19.
Minnesota at Chicago -- Two teams on a high from their opening wins. Only one, though, is on pace to score 1,000 points this season. That would be Chicago, which with a little help from a 20th century calculator, told me they'll finish with 1,003 points over 17 games if they average 59 points like they scored on Sunday. Bears, 37-31.
New Orleans at Baltimore -- Unless you have the Bears' offense, I don't think teams will be able to take a half off like the Saints did last week when they played the Lions. Ravens, 27-17.
Philadelphia at Tennessee -- This is going to be a long-term overhaul for Northern Michigan University grad Robert Saleh trying to fix the Titans after the egg they laid vs. the Jets. Eagles, 33-24.
Pittsburgh at New England -- What little highlights I saw from the Steelers' game vs. Atlanta don't inspire me as much as New England having their revenge win in Seattle snatched away in the final minutes. Patriots, 30-22.
Sunday, 4 p.m.
Jacksonville at Denver -- The Broncos really have some tackling issues, something really important when your team's best unit is supposedly its defense. Jaguars, 29-21.
Las Vegas at Los Angeles Chargers -- If Jim Harbaugh, working in concert with new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, doesn't have a little pride after losing to lightly regarded Arizona on Sunday, then they should get out of the biz. Chargers, 33-23.
Miami at San Francisco -- Here's the real worry for the 49ers -- they're having to readjust their internal clocks twice in the space of less than two weeks now coming back from Australia. But Miami should be a good antidote. 49ers, 19-17.
Seattle at Arizona -- The Cardinals let the cat out of the bag that they really shouldn't be lightly regarded. Seattle must take notice. Seahawks, 24-20.
Washington at Dallas -- Two disappointing teams in opening week. Give me the home squad. Cowboys, 23-19.
Sunday, 8:20 p.m.
Indianapolis at Kansas City -- So Patrick Mahomes needed about a half to knock off the rust coming back from his knee injury, then he was off to the races on Monday night. I've seen enough. Chiefs, 26-24.
Monday, 8:15 p.m.
New York Giants at Los Angeles Rams -- Despite the feel-good story of the Giants, and despite questionable availability of the Rams' top two defenders, I think L.A. pride has to work into this equation. Rams, 30-24.
Overall record
Last week and the season -- 12-4, 75 percent.
Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee's email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.