Friday NFL Musings: 49ers, Colts, William Perry’s 60th Birthday

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The late December push will see NFL teams rise and others fall as the climb up the proverbial mountain begins to take shape.

In everyday life, the end of the year usually ends with a wind-down, where work ceases. However, life in the NFL tells a completely different tale. With a league that promotes parity over dominance, even the worst teams will lay claim to whatever tenuous grasp of playoff hopes. With that said, outstanding stories abound and football will always captivate its monstrous audience.

Looking Purdy Good

Now, before people jump on the Brock Purdy, at least appreciate what the San Francisco 49ers have set themselves up for in the next couple of seasons. First, Jimmy Garoppolo can walk away after the season, which could lead to a third-round pick. At the same time, when Trey Lance returns, he will have a potential battle with Purdy. Either way, Lance will play out his rookie deal. On top of that, in Purdy, they will employ a low-cost NFL quarterback that possesses important game reps that clinched a division. Bolstered by a stellar defense at all three levels, the San Francisco 49ers present the quietest yet most daunting challenge to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Karma Lands On A Saturday

After the Indianapolis Colts’ victory over the Las Vegas Raiders in Jeff Saturday’s debut, Jeff Saturday’s team dropped the last three. In like manner, all aspects of the team failed. If you look at the last loss, an embarrassing effort against the Cowboys, you see a coach in over his head. Now, the touchy part emerges. The Colts cannot remove the interim tag on Saturday. If they truly want to hire him, Indy needs to go through the Rooney Rule process. Jim Irsay will look foolish when he hires Saturday, after turning down qualified assistants of color. The mask will be fully off.

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Underrated Duo

The NFL features a plethora of dominant, singular pass rushers. You know their names. Conversely, the best statistical pass rush duo in 2022 calls Foxboro (I’m old enough to remember it spelled this way. Stop being fancy.)home. Matt Judon, for the entirety of his career, silences doubters. With 14.5 sacks, he currently sits second to Nick Bosa. Meanwhile, third-year-pro Josh Uche thrives as a situational pass rusher. Uche plays thirty-five percent of the defensive snaps. Nothing fancy or complex, just get home. Uche compartmentalizes this aspect better than most. Racking up double-digit sacks as a situational pass rusher saves wear and tear on your body and will add zeroes to the next contract. The duo pace a Patriots defense that tallied forty-five sacks so far. If they make the playoffs, the AFC is in trouble.

Shared Birthday Cake

Today, two former rivals share the same birthday. As a five-time Pro Bowler, Bart Oates cleared the way for three Super Bowl-winning teams. In a typically modest fashion, Oates serves as the president of the NFL Alumni Association, trying to help his brethren receive the benefits the league desperately owes them. On the other hand, William ” The Refrigerator” Perry burst onto the national scene in 1985. The Clemson standout arrived in Chicago with a national championship and All-American distinction. One of the first supremely large defensive tackles, Perry could actually play. Look deeper than the Super Bowl touchdown and you see a defensive tackle that accumulated 29.5 sacks. Perry fell on seriously hard times post-career. Here’s hoping that his fortunes change and his health improves.