BSJ Daily Briefing 01.08.18: Bruins head into break on uneven note, NFL playoffs

Good morning!

A few random thoughts about the Bruins and the NFL playoffs while I thaw out from this weekend:

• So, the Bruins ended up losing 6-5 to the Penguins in overtime. Very weird game where the Bruins fell behind 3-1, led 5-3, and then coughed off the lead.


• Fairly satisfied with the point against a good team on a back-to-back, but that game was definitely there for the Bruins to win.


• Tuukka Rask basically represented the strangeness of the game because he allowed three soft goals, but he also made some outstanding saves.


• Since when are NHL players school kids? They just got three days off for Christmas. Now they're on a mandatory five-day break. Don't forget, the all-star break is later this month. Don't these kids ever go to school?!


• Patriots have opened as a 13.5-point favorite over the Titans. Lay the points. Obviously, we'll be diving deeper into the Titans this week.


• The Jaguars beating the Bills was probably the optimal outcome for the Patriots. The Jaguars, who beat down the Steelers 30-9 in Pittsburgh on Oct. 8, have the type of team that could at least take a lot out of Pittsburgh and soften them up for the Patriots.


• The final four QBs in the AFC: Tom Brady, Ben Roethlisberger, Marcus Mariota and Blake Bortles. I think we know where this is going.


• Brady has a chance to kill the zone blitz scheme (not the individual call, which is still effective) for good in back-to-back weeks against the guru (Dick LeBeau) and the understudy (Keith Butler).


• Pretty strong performance from Drew Brees considering the Saints got nothing out of their vaunted running backs. That's a bit concerning as they head to Minnesota.


• Final four QBs in the NFC: Brees, Matt Ryan, Case Keenum and Nick Foles. I think we know where this should be headed.


• This weekend was largely crap football. Come on, give us a Final Four of Brady, Roethlisberger, Brees and Ryan.


• I love watching Luke Kuechly play football. He was basically telling his teammates what play was coming before every snap.


• Andy Reid and Sean McDermott completely abandoned their running games in big spots and it cost them. No surprise with Reid. It's what he and the rest of the diehard West Coast offense guys do.

Fact. pic.twitter.com/N4Jxzrwfzd

— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) January 7, 2018