FRIDAY COMMENTARY – MORE MADNESS

(Listen daily for the Rod Pedersen Commentary at 9:50 am and 5:20 pm on Cat Country 98 FM)

THE NFL’S SECOND-SEASON BEGINS THIS WEEKEND AND EVEN IF YOU’RE NOT A 4-DOWN FAN, THE GAMES WOULD BE TOUGH  TO AVOID IN THIS COUNTRY.

THERE ARE THREE GAMES SATURDAY AND THREE GAMES SUNDAY, PROVIDING NINE HOURS OF BACK-TO-BACK-TO-BACK FOOTBALL.

FOR THE UNINITIATED, SATURDAY’S SLATE FEATURES THE COLTS AND BILLS FOLLOWED BY RAMS AT SEAHAWKS, AND THEN BUCCANEERS AT THE NAMELESS WASHINGTON TEAM IN PRIME TIME.

SUNDAY’S TRIPLE-HEADER BEGINS WITH RAVENS AT TITANS, THEN BEARS AT SAINTS, AND THE WEEKEND CONCLUDES WITH BROWNS AT STEELERS.

IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR STORYLINES FROM A CANADIAN OR CFL ANGLE, THERE ARE MANY. FORMER RIDER DERRICK MONCRIEF HOPES TO BE IN UNIFORM FOR L-A IN THAT RAMS/SEAHAWKS BATTLE.

HENRY BURRIS IS ON THE CHICAGO BEARS COACHING STAFF AND WHILE THEY’RE 9-POINT UNDERDOGS AT NEW ORLEANS, JUST MAKING THE PLAYOFFS IS REASON ENOUGH FOR HANK TO CELEBRATE – AND CERTAINLY KEEP HIS JOB.

CFL ASIDE, I’VE GOTTA THINK SATURDAY NIGHT’S PRIME TIME MATCH-UP WITH TOM BRADY AND TAMPA AT WASHINGTON WILL BE THE ONE THAT ATTRACTS THE MOST EYES. THE MIRACULOUS FIRST SEASON FOR BRADY IN “TOMPA” HAS BECOME MUST-SEE TV.

AND THE MOST INTRIGUING MATCH-UP IS SUNDAY NIGHT WHEN CHRIS JONES’ CLEVELAND BROWNS VISIT CHASE CLAYPOOL’S PITTSBURGH STEELERS. THERE ARE TONS OF CANADIAN UNDERTONES THERE, BUT THE BIGGEST STORYLINE IS THE FACT THE BROWNS HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO PRACTICE ALL WEEK DUE TO COVID OUTBREAKS AT THEIR FACILITY. THEIR FIRST-YEAR HEAD COACH KEVIN STEFANKSI WILL MISS THE GAME DUE TO A POSITIVE TEST.

THE STEELERS ARE FAVOURED BY A MEASLY 6-POINTS IN THAT ONE, BUT THE LINE WILL VERY LIKELY SWELL OVER THE WEEKEND LEADING UP TO KICKOFF.

YOU DIDN’T ACTUALLY THINK THIS MADNESS WAS GOING TO END WHEN THE CALENDAR FLIPPED OVER TO 2021 DID YOU?

THAT’S TODAY’S ROD PEDERSEN COMMENTARY ON CAT COUNTRY 98.